Tom Brady was joined by his wife, Gisele Bundchen, at last night’s kickoff of the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port.
The Pats QB is the honorary chairman of the 100-mile charity ride from Boston to Hyannis Port. Tom and Gi arrived at the Seaport World Trade Center in separate cars, and then No. 12 stepped into a gleaming black Audi R8 with his Best Buddy Katie Meade. “Hope I can drive this thing,” said Brady behind the wheel. The QB later took part in a chef challenge, judging dishes prepared by famous Boston foodies, including Barbara Lynch and Michael Schlow. Among other celebs taking part in the weekend’s activities are Maureen McCormick, Carl Lewis, Miss Teen USA 2008 Stevi Perry, and Verne Troyer. Fish catches Collins Suffolk Construction’s John Fish did the business community a big favor this week, bringing ballyhooed consultant Jim Collins to town. Collins, a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, held a two-hour session with a roomful of suits at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Thursday. Gathered to hear the guru were Governor Deval Patrick, attorney Bob Popeo, Putnam’s Robert Reynolds, Robert Smyth of Citizens Bank, Bank of America’s Bob Gallery, Sox execs Sam Kennedy and Larry Lucchino, CWB’s Robin Brown, Ralph de la Torre of Caritas Christi, the Chamber of Commerce’s Paul Guzzi, architects Rick Kobus and David Manfredi, former Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston CEO Linda Whitlock, and flack George Regan, among others. More fans for Moore Mandy Moore has made some new friends at the Merrimack River Watershed Council. After hearing that Moore included a song on her new album called “Merrimack River,” employees at the Lowell agency became insta-fans. Christine Tabak, the council’s executive director, went so far as to say that Moore is welcome to stop by Watershed offices for VIP treatment. “We’d be happy to give her a boat tour,” she said. Moore’s song, which is on her new disc, “Amanda Leigh,” isn’t about the river, specifically – we’re pretty sure the Merrimack is a metaphor – but odds are good the singer had local waters in mind. Moore, who recently married Ryan Adams, not only recorded “Amanda Leigh” in Medford, but she’s originally from Nashua. The sound of silentsLong before Roger Miller was in the band Mission of Burma, he was an accompanist. “When I was in college, I accompanied dance classes,” he told us. Makes sense then that he is so comfortable scoring films. One of the latest movies on his soundtrack resume is “The Reckoning,” which screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Tomorrow night, Miller will be one of many musicians accompanying films at “Split/Signal: Silent Film/Scored Live,” at the new Center for the Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Miller says his contribution will be experimental. “It’s an avant-garde abstract film,” he told us. If that sounds over your head, Miller promises there will be beer and food. Find more at: .
Globe correspondent Rachel Zarrell contributed. Read the Names Blog at . Names can be reached at namesglobe.com or at 617-929-8253.