Since the Oct. 24 murders of her mother, brother and nephew, Jennifer Hudson has been keeping a low profile. But now the Academy Award winner, 27, and fiancé David Otunga are finally venturing out. On Dec. 26, Jennifer and David had dinner at Chicago’s Calypso Cafe. “They were just trying to have a nice relaxing meal at one of their favorite spots,” Matt Peebles, the restaurant’s general manager, tells Life & Style. “Jennifer is a regular; she used to come in here a good amount. I noticed them when they walked in, and I took them to the private dining room so they could enjoy dinner.” But, Matt adds, this recent visit was definitely more somber than usual: “They often sit in the dining room, and fans have approached her there. This time was a little different, with the recent tragedies. It was very low-key and discreet.”

Then on Jan. 3, the couple were spotted shopping with friends at high-end department store Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue. “Jennifer told the store manager that she was looking for a dress to wear to church, but she didn’t want to spend ‘a million dollars,’” an eyewitness tells Life & Style. “She ended up buying a dress for about $100 and tights.” Though rumors that the Dreamgirls star was to perform at Barack Obama’s inauguration turned out to be false, the American Idol alum is on the docket for the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in February. We can’t wait to see (and hear!) Jennifer perform again.

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Guess who? DListed

NEW! Whitney Port in her bikini at Miami Beach.   Hollywood Tuna

VIDEO: Megan Fox being interviewed by E! calls herself an ugly transvestite! IDLYITW

Turtle and Jamie-Lynn Sigler out on a hot date! Lainey Gossip

AUDIO: Come listen to Britney’s radio edit of “If U Seek Amy” PopEater

Kate Hudson has herself a new Aussie boyfriend! ASL

Jessica Simspon admits to only washing her hair 2-3 times a month.  Celebitchy

I want him to get back together with Rachel McAdams.  Can’t they just make it work for all of us Notebook fans?

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TMZ now has details on the medical scare than landed Howie Mandel in the hospital last night.

Early in the day, Howie underwent a “cast physical” for his show “Howie Do It.” After listening to Howie’s heart, the doctor said, “I don’t like something.” The doctor said he heard an irregular heart beat and gave him an EKG to confirm.

Prior to the physical, Howie never felt that anything was wrong with his heart.

Later that day, however, Howie began feeling ill from something he felt was heart-related. The doctor had given Howie medicine to control his heartbeat and cautioned him not to take it on an empty stomach. Howie, however, took the med without eating anything.

TMZ reports it definitely was not a heart attack and Howie could be back at work today.

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Mariska Hargitay is on the mend after suffering a pneumothorax—aka a partially collapsed lung—but will not miss out on any episodes of Law & Order: SVU this season, according to the Emmy-winning actress’ rep.

It’s unclear if some sort of trauma prompted the injury or if Hargitay suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax, which can occur if more air pressure builds up in a person’s chest cavity than is present in the lungs.

Hargitay’s rep said, however, that the 44-year-old wife and mom was not injured on the job and was in fact on vacation from SVU, the highest-rated installment in the L&O family, when it happened.

She was nominated this year for a Golden Globe for best actress in a TV drama but did not attend last night’s ceremony. She won the honor in 2005.

Access Hollywood was first to report on Hargitay’s condition.

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