Ellen Pompeo

Ellen Pompeo, the star of Grey's Anatomy, is a big hit everywhere. But she and fiance Chris Ivery love to travel to Italy. Especially for the food.

"I go several times a year. Christopher, my fiancé, has family there and we go spend time with them whenever we get a chance," Pompeo told People.

So what's her favorite thing about Italy? "The food. I love the area of Bologna for food. I think it's really special," she said.

Her top-rated ABC series Grey's Anatomy is also a big hit and Italian fans are taken aback when they see Ellen Pompeo in real life.

"They're quite surprised to see me there," Pompeo, who turns 38 next month, said.

"They just can't believe I'm in Italy. It's out of context for them. They say 'Meredith! It's you, Meredith! Oh my God, could it be Meredith?'"

Pompeo attended National Italian American Foundation's 32nd Annual Gala in Washington, D.C., over the weekend, winning a Special Achievement award.

Less surprising is that she's no slouch when it comes to cooking Italian. Chris Ivery, like Pompeo a Boston-area native, loves her Bolognese sauce, she says of the dish that pays tribute to her favorite region.

Pompeo isn't a rush to get married despite having been engaged for nearly a year. She still hasn't started on the plans, but has thought about the kind of wedding she wants ... "a quiet, simple, private one."

Well, that's nice. Something along the lines of the nuptials between Usher and Tameka Foster, perhaps? Or Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon?

While Isaiah Washington plots his next evil move, his former co-star is speaking out against the coverage celebrity news reports give socialites "who are rich and famous for nothing."

We wonder who Ellen Pompeo could be talking about.

"I just think the media should take this country in a different direction," the Grey's Anatomy star tells the new issue of Los Angeles Confidential magazine, on newsstands Aug. 15.

"We're so focused on the wrong things. We're teaching young girls that this is what they should be focusing on: rich and famous girls who are rich and famous for nothing."

Somewhere, Nicole Richie and Kim Kardashian are offended. Or busy going to jail and making sex tapes.

Also, Pompeo denied reports that she had an eating disorder. She referred to them as "irresponsible" journalism and said:

"I just worry about the girls who look up to me - I don't want them to think I starve myself or don't eat, and that to be like me that's what they have to do."

That's fair. Maybe someone should tell Keira Knightley the same thing.

Finally, Ellen promised that her and fiance Chris Ivery really will get married. Seriously. They just haven't set a wedding date yet.

"I swear we're going to get married at some time. We're just trying to fit it all in. It won't be a big ceremony - we want one thing to ourselves."

Usher and Tameka Foster - along with Melanie Brown and Stephen Belafonte - can relate.

Hollywood is chock full of different styles. There's the Pete Doherty, drugged-out-of-your mind look, for example.

Then there's the Keeley Hazell, nude look.

To each, his or her own, of course. But we're here now to focus on contrasting new hairdos. For instance, since she's come back to life, Ellen Pompeo has decided to make her hair straighter than a ruler. Do you guys like it? Do you think Chris Ivery is a fan?

It looks like Penelope Cruz is down with the lack of curls, as this Oscar nominee has also straightened out her locks. She looks very pretty.

In other hair news, a couple of blondes have gone the braided route. While it's weird enough to even see Paris Hilton wearing clothes, it's even stranger to see her trying to look innocent with these pigtails. Especially when we've all seen Paris Hilton's pussy and it lacks any semblance of hair. But anyway.

Hilton's occasional friend, Kimberly Stewart, is also going along with the braids. It's no wonder she wants to emulate Paris and other rich, talentless famous people.

Next, expect Kimberly to follow the Kim Kardashian sex tape lead. How else will these loose women stay in the news?

Meredith Grey is alive.

The Grey's Anatomy gossip circles have been worried all week that the title character met a watery death when she fell into Puget Sound and forgot how to swim two weeks ago - but The Hollywood Gossip has proof that Meredith is alive and well.

Here is Ellen Pompeo, Meredith's thin portrayer, appearing quite alive and happy with her fiance.

Chris Ivery doesn't look too concerned about his love's fate, so we think it's safe to relax about it now.

The sun can go back to shining. Kenny Chesney can go back to not being gay. And Patrick Dempsey can go back to being McDreamy.

We're all gonna be okay.

Ellen Pompeo needs food - stat!

Fortunately, her doting finace is on the case.

As seen here, Chris Ivery goes all out to make sure the love of his life doesn't completely disappear.

The recently engaged couple has just finished grocery shopping, hopefully focusing on high protein items that will prevent Pompeo from pulling a Jessica Alba or Nicole Richie on her fans.

They're real thin!

As huge fans of her show, The Hollywood Gossip staff hopes the Grey's Anatomy actress fills out her scrubs a bit more during the season's second half.

How else will she hold on to the love of Patrick Dempsey, er, McDreamy?

Ellen Pompeo, star of the hit series Grey's Anatomy, and her boyfriend, record producer Chris Ivery, are engaged, People magazine confirms.

Ivery proposed to Pompeo on Friday, which was the actress' birthday.

"She was surprised and thrilled," the actress's rep said.

Hopefully this union lasts a tad longer than Jason Alexander and Britney Spears... but chances are Ellen and Chris will top their effort.

Pompeo's longtime boyfriend finally presented her with a ring, finally making it official after nearly three years of dating. The two are both Boston-area natives and actually grew up minutes away from each other, although they didn't meet until pals introduced them in Los Angeles in 2003.

"We were friends for six months; then one night she just looked different to me," Ivery said.

Where and when will the wedding take place? Don't expect Ellen Pompeo to be dishing on that anytime soon. But she's happy.

"We were six degrees our whole lives, so I feel like we were sort of meant to be. We'll get married eventually, secretly."

Reports say he popped the question casually after breakfast in the couple's L.A. home. Sounds a lot less creative than Jack Black's courting methods.

He may not have brought his daughter with him, but that didn't make Patrick Demspey look any less (Mc)dreamy at the launch party for Grey's Anatomy Season Two on DVD this week:

Of course, what would a Grey's Anatomy party be without the title character? Ellen Pompeo also showed up, although she wouldn't dish on whether Meredith and the beloved Dr. Sheperd finally give in to love and tempation when season three stars in two weeks.

They're a couple of cuties. They can act. They were both born in 1969, and both are rather thin. Yes, the Gossip's first pair of Celebrity Look-Alikes are peas in a pod. Or something. Behold, Academy Award-winner Renee Zellweger (left) and Ellen Pompeo, star of the ABC hit series Grey's Anatomy. Got a better picture that showcases their likeness? Or a suggestion for future editions of this feature? Drop us a line!

Ever wonder how Ellen Pompeo maintains her exquisite... well, rail-thin figure? The Defamer and its operatives say they've got her secret figured out -- the ever-popular Big Fat Plate of Nothing Diet.

Here's the blow-by-blow account of a trip to a Los Angeles diner on Friday night by the leading lady of Grey's Anatomy, according to the site:

9:15 PM: Sitting at Lucky Devils on Hollywood and Cherokee. Ellen Pompeo just walked in. She looks pretty hot. I will tell you what she orders as it happens.

9:27 PM: So far just a milkshake that she's sharing with her boyfriend. And by sharing, I mean letting him have it all.

9:46 PM: It's the Hollywood actress moment I was waiting for. The three people with Pompeo at her table have all ordered cheeseburgers. Pompeo has ordered a big fat plate of nothing. That's right, there are three plates at the table, none of which are in front of Ellen. She's just sitting there watching her friends eat. And that's how you get cast on TV's number one show, boys and girls.

Are we jumping to conclusions? Is it unfair to suggest that Ellen has an eating disorder simply because of this one incident? Yes and yes. But come on, it's still pretty amusing. We're just wondering if boyfriend Chris Ivery was there.

Sources report that Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo did not appear in any interviews with her fellow cast members during a visit to the Monte Carlo Television Festival. Pompeo's representative, Jennifer Allen, said it was at the request of the broadcasters that she be interviewed separately, but tabloids speculate that Ellen may have what is known as Diva-itis, if you know what we're saying. We're saying she's a diva!

The actress also had a fight with boyfriend, Chris Ivery, at one point getting out of a car and running down the street, shouting to the driver that Ivery is "not her husband" when told by the driver to get back in the car with her husband.

We're guessing that previous reports of Pompeo's reluctance to marry the ex-felon and current music producer may have some weight to them.