They really had nothing much to talk about, given that Albany called off the proposed tax on New York-based hedge fund managers who live out of state, i.e. the impetus for Connecticut governor Jodi Rell's invitation to an 'intimate dinner' in Darien, but damn it, girlfriend was having her night. At 5:30 last evening, Rell came in "through the back door" at The Water's Edge and stuffed crab cakes, shrimp, fried calamari and filet mignon down the throats of 15 city-based financial firms' representatives while she made her pitch. It's unclear on what exactly her talking points were, or what else she's got up her sleeve**, but at least one guy, perhaps feeling used and abused by Governor Paterson et al, is in the bag.

"It's nice to be wanted," said Brett Cohen of JGB Capital, located on Madison Avenue.

In New York, "there's a hostile atmosphere of continuing to tax the finance firms," he said. "It's nice when a governor of a state says welcoming things. It's like a breath of fresh air."

**Robert Eick, from the Connecticut Development Authority, said "We are just laying the groundwork now. There are more discussions to be had," i.e. Rell took our suggestion to Rell "order the state development authority to build a series of office towers around a certain local establishment" seriously or Stevie's going to start making house calls.