NICKY HILTON, Paris Hilton's sister, will celebrate her 26th birthday Saturday at Dusk inside Caesars in Atlantic City. Reggae/R&B star Sean Kingston will perform a few of his hits at 1 a.m. during the party. We hear that Lance Bass of 'N Sync and "Dancing with the Stars" will attend. A portion of proceeds from the evening will benefit MusiCares, a charity that assists those in the music industry who are in need.

Out and about

* Runner Sanya Richards,

a three-time Olympic gold-medalist, came by the Ego Bar at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City Monday with her fiance, Giants cornerback Aaron Ross. It was a late birthday party for Ross, who was 27 last week. They and Ross' teammates Ahmad Bradshaw, Kenny Phillips, Mike Johnson, Corey Webster and Danny Ware dined at the hotel's Il Mulino, then hit Ego, where Mike Gill and Pete Thompson broadcast an ESPN 97.3 show.

* Fox 29's Dawn Stensland

has been seen recently working out at the LA Fitness in the Andorra Shopping Center, where she's quite friendly to fans.

DeSean does 950 ESPN

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson will host a 950 ESPN show from 7 to 8 Monday nights at Aloft Hotel by the Philadelphia International Airport.

Varga Bar wants Varga Girls

Photographer Christopher Gabello is looking for local women to pose as pin-up girls for a 2010 calendar from Varga Bar (10th & Spruce). George Anni named his newest restaurant after "Varga Girls," the pin-ups made popular in the 1940s from painter Alberto Vargas. If interested in modeling, send three photos and a few lines on why you want to be a Varga girl to MakeMeAVargaGirl@gmail.com.

Author Albom already in town

Author Mitch Albom, known for best-sellers "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," was a guest on yesterday's Angelo Cataldi show on 610 WIP. Cataldi is among those who'll join Albom Tuesday for "An Intimate Evening with Mitch Albom and Friends" at the Park Hyatt hotel at the Bellevue. Other friends include crooner Tony Bennett, sportscaster Bob Costas and author James McBride. The event, promoting Albom's new book, "Have a Little Faith," starts at 7:30. Tickets are $50, or $150 with a VIP reception, and available through Ticketmaster.

All proceeds benefit Project HOME, Jewish Family and Children's Service and the Rabbi Lewis Memorial Fund at Temple Beth Sholom of Cherry Hill. Albom, who was raised in New Jersey and attended Akiba Hebrew Academy, in Merion, yesterday toured Project HOME - a nonprofit that provides housing and services to the homeless - and lunched with his parents at the Water Works restaurant behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Local kid's animation sees air

Ten-year-old Kay King, a local girl who is

homeschooled, has created a short animated film that will air nationally on "qubo" on the ION Network. It's also on qubo.com. Her short is called "13's Adventure." King is one of 14 young animators whose shorts were selected from 66,000 entries to air on the children's programming network, which focuses on literacy and children's imaginations broadcasting in English and Spanish.

Media matters

Peter Proko has left Philadelphia Style, where he wrote for several years, most recently serving as deputy editor, to become the editor in chief of South Jersey magazine.

Meanwhile, congratulations are in order for Proko, 30, who has just gotten engaged to Jacquelyn A. Smith, 28, who works in insurance in Wayne, and is studying to become a CPA.

YouTuber on Bonnie Hunt

Blue Bell's Sam Tsui, who's become a YouTube singing sensation, will guest on the "The Bonnie Hunt Show," airing at 7 a.m. tomorrow on MyPhl17 (WPHL). Hunt came across Tsui's videos and invited him to debut a song.

She takes her burger to Napa

Good luck to local gal Patterson Watkins, 26, one of five finalists in Sutter Home Winery's "Build a Better Burger" contest. She's off to Napa, Calif., for the Saturday cook-off. Her recipe for Pennsylvania Dutch Biscuit Sliders with quick apple chow-chow and spicy brown mustard is made with pork and pork sausage.

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.