Never judge a book by its cover, especially if the book has just recently reformed.

Amy Winehouse was the spitting image of success and grace the other night as she attended the launch of London’s new restaurant, The Row.

Dolled up in an orange and gold metallic shift dress and an olive green trench coat, the singer looked picture perfect… except for her mangled hands.

In the past Winehouse has admitted to self-harming, and upon closer inspection it appears she hasn’t quit. Although she spent the evening in what seemed to be a sober state of mind, even posing politely for pictures with party hosts Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen. Quite a combination!

According to The Daily Mail, around 2:30 a.m. Amy was seen stumbling back to her north London home with husband Blake Fielder-Civil, prompting further worries concerning her drug addiction. As if this didn’t add enough fuel to the fire that is her career, Winehouse was a no-show at the Q Awards the previous night due to feeling “ill.” (Yet she still managed to ham-it-up at The Row the very next day…hmmm.)

Since she was unable to make it, her producer pal Mark Ronson kindly accepted the prestigious award for Best Album for Back to Black. “That’s Amy—taking her pain and turmoil and making it into the music we enjoy,” Ronson told the most-likely peeved audience.

A bit of unexpected slap-stick humor ensued when, by the end of the evening, the award went missing. It was reported that it somehow made its way into the little boy’s room at Bar Soho in London’s Old Compton Street.

One theory, according to onlookers, is that comedians Alan Carr and Ricky Gervais are to blame, as they were allegedly seen with it. The more believable story is that Ronson, who was partying at Bar Soho till 2 a.m., was loaded and upon visiting the toilets accidently left the award in a stall. (At this rate, Amy should seriously consider hiring a new producer!)

So who was the one to discover it early this morning? Bar Soho’s Andrew Morris. “I thought it wasn’t real when I first saw it. But then I looked at the newspapers and saw the Q Awards were on last night and Amy Winehouse didn’t collect her prize.”

Morris also provided a very accurate description of the singer’s ever-apparent nonchalant attitude, “In the state Amy’s in these days I’m sure she doesn’t care too much.” (Exactly.)

It will certainly be interesting to see which path Winehouse chooses in the coming months. She has arrived at a fork in the road, professionally and personally. Will she continue playing the self-destructive party-hardy role to the point of exhaustion? Or will she blow us all out of the water with a revised temperament and another #1 hit?

~Carolyn French~