NBC10's Nefertiti Jaquez on her famous literary cuz

JUNOT DIAZ, the Pulitzer Prize-winning MacArthur Genius Grant awardee from New Jersey, got to put another feather in his authorial cap recently when the BBC voted his 2007 book, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, the best novel of the 21st century.

And who was there to congratulate him? NBC10's own Nefertiti Jaquez, who happens to be Diaz's cousin. "I get that he's famous in the literary world, but he's not only my cousin, he's one of my best friends," Jacquez told me. "I'm so proud of him, but I know him, so when I'm with him I almost forget all of that."

Oscar Wao is the story of the eponymous teen, an uber Lord of the Rings nerd and first-generation immigrant growing up in Paterson, N.J., dealing with the pitfalls of teenagedom and navigating the two cultures he's born into. While telling Oscar's story, Diaz expertly weaves in themes of modern masculinity and history of the Dominican Republic.

It's a life that Jaquez knows well. The reporter, who grew up in Providence, R.I., dealt with similar issues of assimilation. She always spoke Spanish at home, and did not start speaking English until she was enrolled in kindergarten. "[Diaz] is a creative writer," she said. "Oscar Wao is fiction, but there's so much of our culture and life story in those books. It's very hard to live in this duality. It was a unique upbringing. I don't know it to be any other way. It's our normal."

Jaquez considers herself quite the bookworm as well ("My life is solely based on a good book and family," she told me), but she gravitated toward journaling rather than fiction as a kid. But even when they were kids, Jaquez knew that her cuz had a gift. "I've never been more proud, but it's different because I always knew he was a genius," she said. "I'm just glad he's gotten there, and I'm glad that the world can see what I've seen for years."

* Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hung out in South Philly on Saturday, around the Pat's and Geno's cheesesteak nexus on the eve of the Royal Rumble at the Wells Fargo Center yesterday. Johnson tweeted, "In town and always gotta stop by the neighborhood . . . #SouthPhilly."

* Al Pacino took to the stage at the megawatt fancy Academy Ball at the Academy of Music (240 S. Broad St.) on Saturday night. I hear he wore sunglasses all throughout dinner.

* Down Broad Street, my man pots and pans Jerry Blavat sold out his 31st "Early Days of Rock 'n' Roll" show at the Kimmel Center (300 S. Broad St.). Later, he brought the party to Bliss (220 S. Broad St.), with U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, Pierre Robert and Mike Jerrick.

* Amber and James Marchese, of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," strolled along South Street after appearing on "Good Day Philadelphia." The couple stopped by Bridget Foy's (200 South St.), dining on the Restaurant Week menu. The couple even shared a chocolate mousse mint chocolate chip ice cream.

* Garrett Getlin Snider, grandson of Comcast-Spectacor's Ed Snider, hosted a benefit for chef Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin's Eatiquette program on Wednesday night at the Rittenhouse Hotel (210 W. Rittenhouse Square). Rumored Philly reality-show star Erin Elmore, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office's Sharon Pinkenson, Lindy Snider and Miss Philadelphia Diamond Edmonds (who spoke up to praise the Eatiquette program, saying she saw the program's work firsthand at her job at People for People Charter School) showed their support

despite the snowy evening.

* Chef Mike Traud, coming off his second successful Philly Chef Conference at Drexel, was spotted brunching at Juniper Commons (521 S. Broad St.).

Supermodel Elle Macpherson got a little taste of South Jersey last week. Frank Rizzieri, owner of Rizzieri Salons & Schools (239 Hurffville Crosskeys Road, Sewell, N.J.) and the new Rizzieri Salon & Spa in Moorestown Mall (400 New Jersey 38, Moorestown, N.J.), worked with Macpherson while the Aussie model was stateside promoting her new supplement, the Super Elixir.

Rizzieri is no stranger to working with celebs. He's clocked time with Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen and Paul McCartney. "What's funny is, I was never much a Beatles fan," Rizzieri told me, adding that Sir Paul was quite nice and down to earth.

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