Spring is all about rebirth and growth and yadda yadda: for Manhattan scenesters it's mainly about ending winter hibernation and hitting the social circuit in order to show off the latest looks. This week was chock full of winsome odes to spring in Manhattan: parties to remind New Yorkers that the High Line will soon be in bloom, events that celebrated spring fashion openings and new spring catalogs and parties that got people excited to shed leggings, overcoats and layers of stuffy winter makeup. Here were some of the freshest beauty takes from this week's party scene.

Designer Tom Ford's first feature film, A Single Man, has received nomination after nomination, but the marketing monkeys hired to design its poster, one that will appeal to mainstream America-- because I guess it's important for Joe and Jane Plumber from Heartland America to understand and dig a movie that deals, quite frankly, with The Gays--keep making promotional posters that inadvertently capture any gay individual's college experience. Just the most boring slice of it.

Where does he find the time? In the midst of premiering his sexed-up debut feature film, A Single Man -- which has already garnered quite a bit of critical acclaim -- Tom Ford has somehow managed to prep his second namesake boutique as well. The former creative director of Gucci's follow-up retail outpost opened last week in Las Vegas with a Frank Gehry-esque facade and plenty of four-figure fashions inside. In total the store spans a whopping 7,700 square feet and is located inside Vegas' Crystals retail center And Ford won't be the last high-end retailer to hit this section of the strip: "other luxury stores slated to open at the Crystals include Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Cartier, Kiton, Paul Smith, Versace and Tiffany," says All the Rage.

It's rare that for every ominous sign in the film world that a day like today comes along, grabs us by the lapels of our coats and throws us headlong into a goldmine of excellent developments. But that's why before the Oscars have a chance to come and sour our taste buds with their heavily politicized lists, there's the Independent Spirit Awards, the bizarro-world Oscars, where little-seen films are given their dues. And while all anyone seems to be rasping, in the indie circuit or otherwise is, "Myyyy Precioussss ..." this year's list of Spirit Award hopefuls offers a promising glimpse into some dark horses that could gain significant ground by the time Oscar nominations are released, thereby cutting short Precious' time in the hearts of critics. A few post-Precious picks after the jump.

Each year, when department stores prematurely ratchet up their non-denominational wreaths and tinsel for the holidays, critics start hedging Oscar bets, predicting with varying degrees of success the year's top performances. And each year, there is one movie by which I'm completely blind-sided. In recent memory, that list has included Junebug, Frozen River, and Away from Her. This year, despite its hype when the film was cast, A Single Man is that film. Have I been totally oblivious or did it come out of nowhere?

● Tom Ford has dressed numerous Oscar nominees over the years, but will he be present as a nominee at the Academy Awards in 2010 for his directorial debut? [FashionWeekDaily]
● Lauren Conrad wasn’t really serious when she said friend Lo Bosworth would be the star in the movie version of her book L.A. Candy. [Us]
● Jon Gosselin seems to be under the impression that people want to hear him speak and that radio stations should pay him $10-$12K for an appearance -- because as we all know, Gosselin is "quite funny, sharp witted and interesting." [MSN]

Tom Ford fans may have feared that his foray into filmmaking -- A Single Man, currently making festival rounds and just got snapped up by the Weinstein brothers -- might mean the former creative force behind Gucci and YSL could give up fashion altogether. Ford launched his namesake company in 2004, which includes eyewear, fragrance and a men's line stocked at his heavily ornamented, arguably ostentatious Upper East Side two-floor boutique. Now he's branching out; according to Reuters, Ford "is seeking funding to expand into women's apparel, according to a report from Thomson Reuters' private equity website peHUB."

Well isn't this inscrutable! The Weinsteins, who have had something of a hex plaguing them for a while now, have somehow, against all odds, cobbled together a seven figure sum of cash and bought the American and German rights to distribute Tom Ford's directorial debut. This film should probably nestle Ford in between Ryan Murphy and Alan Ball as far as stylized tragedies go. More inscrutable? What A Single Man is actually about. And while vague plot points are presented here, the trailer only boasts pretty people looking shocked and a dramatic score. Here's a break down of what we can expect from Ford's inaugural flick, as judged by the trailer.

Tom Ford's directorial debut, A Single Man, may have just premiered at the Venice Film Festival (where its lead, Colin Firth scored the Volpi Cup award for his performance). But back stateside, quite a few designers showing Spring 2010 collections at New York Fashion Week have been bitten by the film bug. Shipley & Halmos and Tim Hamilton showcased film-centric presentations that forewent a catwalk and models this past weekend. Steven Alan presented an original film, directed by Adam Levite, last night in the Yard at the Soho Grand Hotel in place of a traditional runway show. And, as I mentioned Monday, Gareth Pugh debuted a four-part filmic installation in Milk Studios over the weekend in anticipation of his Paris runway show.

Lock up your daughters: Inked, but sharly attired, a band of sartorial punks inject the mean streets of Milan with edge. Photography by Pieter Henket. Styling by Chris Benns. See full gallery.