Usher Raymond IV attends the second annual Pencils of Promise Gala in New York City. Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Pencils of Promise) 
 
 Usher sure has expensive taste! 
 
 Attending the Oct. 25 Pencils of Promise gala in New York City, the singer and new Voice mentor outbid former Gossip Girl actress Jessica Szohr in order to take home an adorable -- and coveted -- Goldendoodle puppy. 
 
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 A cross-bred dog that is a mix between a golden retriever and a poodle, Usher's new pet came with a price tag of $12,000 -- money that goes to the Justin Bieber-endorsed organization that builds schools in impoverished nations. (Not to be ignored, Szohr bid an impressive $11,000 in an attempt to take the animal home, according to reports.) 
 
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 "Poppy Raymond is what I'm think of namin' her . . . however there are two gregarious 3- and 4-year-olds that will have the last say -- and the responsibility that comes with her," the singer, 34, tweeted after taking home the animal, referring to his two sons, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Raymond, who will likely be bowled over by their dad's latest purchase. 
 
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 Donating funds to adopt a new pet wasn't the only kind gesture Usher made at the event. The "Numb" singer also donated a private dance lesson as an auction item. Following a bidding war between Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun -- the brother of Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun -- and two families in attendance, Braun let the families take the prize after they each bid $65,000 for the lesson. ||||| Kim Kardashian might not have the fondest memories of Halloween — she filed for divorce from her husband, Kris Humphries, on the holiday last year — but the bootylicious reality star didn’t let it show at the 2nd Annual Midori Green Halloween at Avenue on Saturday night. 
 
 Dressed as a blond-wigged mermaid reminiscent of Daryl Hannah in “Splash,” Kardashian cuddled up to beau Kanye West in a roped-off booth after making it through throngs of friends and fans that packed the Chelsea club. 
 
 Capt. Kanye did little to embrace Kardashian’s nautical theme, except sport a striped shirt. But he did step in to pick up the tail of her costume and ensured that she wouldn’t trip. Meanwhile, her bodyguards had trouble pushing away overeager fans from the 32-year-old reality phenomenon as she and West headed for their private booth, where pals La La Anthony, Simon Huck and Joyce Bonelli waited. 
 
 “Kanye kept bragging to their friends how beautiful Kim looked and that he loved her being a blond,” says an eyewitness. The rapper wigged out over Kardashian’s new ’do for the evening, which cost $2,000 and was made from real human hair. 
 
 A source in the Kardashian camp says it’s no surprise that Kim K. is “in a much better place” this Halloween season, despite still being locked in a divorce battle with the Brooklyn Nets player. While the rapper and reality star have been riddled with all kinds of engagement rumors as of late, the couple have indeed discussed a future together. 
 
 “It would be a problem for everyone for her to get engaged while she’s still technically married to Kris,” explains the insider. “But [Kim and Kanye] have already talked about it, and Kim is in the driver’s seat on this one.” 
 
 But maybe not entirely: “Announcing her engagement to the public could depend on the filming of her reality show (‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’),” the source elaborates. 
 
 The cameras were aimed at the couple and their comrades last night, but not for the E! reality show. That doesn’t mean KimYe, who are staying together at his NYC apartment, turned off the PDA. They whispered in each other’s ears and exchanged multiple kisses, breaking their embrace only for West to throw his hands in the air when DJ Kiss put on the rapper’s ode to Kardashian, “Perfect Bitch.” 
 
 HALLOW-TEEN NIGHT 
 
 Peter Brant II had a new Halloween wingman with him at Rose Bar Saturday night. Sources told Confidenti@l that instead of partying with his younger brother, Harry, the 18-year-old son of billionaire art baron Peter Brant showed up to his All Hallow’s Eve party with Wolf Fleetwood-Ross. The teenage model — who appeared in a campaign for Tory Burch earlier this year alongside Ruby Aldridge and Dree Hemingway — can boast Fleetwood Mac founder Mick Fleetwood as a grandfather, Oscar-winning rocker Atticus Ross as a father and model Liberty Ross as an aunt. The duo showed up after midnight and mingled with fellow co-host Amanda Hearst. 
 
 WEATHER OR NOT 
 
 Matt Damon didn’t let NYC’s threat of bad weather scare him late Sunday morning. While storm clouds lingered overhead and the streets were clearing out in the West Village, the actor, sporting a shaved head, calmly walked his 5-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was dressed up in a princess Halloween costume, along 10th St. and Greenwich Ave. 
 
 AN OFF-THE-WALL COSTUME 
 
 Socialite Allison Sarofim made sure none of her own guests could top her costume at her annual Halloween bash held in her swanky West Village townhouse on Saturday night. A guest tells us the wealthy brunette beauty’s party was Picasso-themed this year, and Sarofim “took it to the max.” When attendees complimented their host on her getup, we hear she simply thanked them and said her costume was inspired by the painting she purchased, which was currently hanging above her fireplace. Tres chic. 
 
 Contact Confidential: 
 
 Carson Griffith: cgriffith@nydailynews.com 
 
 Brian Niemietz: bniemietz@nydailynews.com 
 
 Lisa Lang: llang@nydailynews.com 
 
 Nate Freeman: nfreeman@nydailynews.com 
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @nyc@Confidential
– In case you had forgotten that celebrities are not just like you, we have a bunch of recent evidence for you: Madonna’s daughter Lourdes turned 16 recently, and as we all know, 16 is a big deal. So of course her mum bought her … an apartment, the Daily Star reports. It seems the teen has been rebelling lately, and for some reason Madonna figured the solution would be to let her move out. But don’t worry, the apartment is only a few blocks away from Madonna’s in Manhattan, and is of course close to the Kabbalah Centre. Most of us spend about 30 bucks on our Halloween costumes, but not Kim Kardashian. She went to a party Saturday night as the mermaid Daryl Hannah played in Splash, and her blonde wig—made from real human hair, of course—set her back $2,000. No word on how much she paid boyfriend Kanye West, who carried the tail of her costume around so she wouldn’t trip, the New York Daily News reports. Usher may take the cake: On Thursday, he spent $12,000 on a puppy, Us reports. But don’t fret, he bought the goldendoodle at a charity gala, so at least that 12 grand is going to a good cause. Click for even more crazy celebrity purchases.