Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, Together Again

Truce Between Paris and Nicole. That's how TMZ is reporting the first public outing in eons with the uber-popular TV stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie together in the same camera frame.

Dan Tana's Steakhouse in West Hollywood was a hotbed of fevered flashbulb frenzy Sunday evening as the paparazzi caught Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie - the former feuding stars of the hit reality TV show The Simple Life - arrive together in Paris' Range Rover.

"Oh. Hi, Nicole," said one surprised onlooker as Nicole darted out of Paris' black-windowed vehicle. "Seems like old times here."

"Yes," Richie tossed back, her gold-link handled black bag slung over her forearm as she moved quickly into the restaurant.

"How was Vegas, Paris?" another reporter asked, as Hilton whizzed by chatting on her cell phone, ignoring his next question: "Did anything happen?"

Upon their exit, Paris and Nicole cowered under all the attention as they continued to ignore the onslaught of questions that pressed them to tell, "Are you guys friends now?"

While waiting for Paris' SUV to arrive, Nicole and Paris sat on a green bench outside the eatery, text messaging away.

"I always knew you'd be friends again, Paris," gushed an accented man, causing the red-lipped Nicole to giggle a bit with her long-lost BFF.

Break Up to Make Up
It's long been rumored that the melee between the women began when Nicole showed Paris' sex tape to friends at a party. Allegedly, when Paris arrived and watched the others watching her, she was so unnerved that she reportedly ran out of the room crying.

Whether the origins of their fight are true or not, the dissention did make for some interesting hoop-jumping for producers and directors of the fourth season of The Simple Life, the aptly titled Till Death Do Us Part, which displayed Paris and Nicole carrying out their Wife Swap-like duties mostly in separate rooms.

The season finale of The Simple Life left viewers in a caustic cliffhanger when Paris confronted Nicole with a scathing scowl, saying, "We have to talk."

Best Friends Forever...Again?
It's apparent that Paris and Nicole have talked, as witnessed by their recent get-together. And I pray it is the beginning of a true reconciliation for the dynamic duo - who've been friends since they were mere tots.

And with Paris' recent smackdown troubles with former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, and Nicole's dogged rumors of anorexia, the ladies need all the camaraderie they can find these days.

Visit Paula Neal Mooney's blog.