Hunk, heartthrob, and star of the upcoming film ... The Art of Racing in the Rain.

You may just be old enough to remember Dempsey when he was the heartthrob star of such films as Can’t Buy Me Love, back in the dark ages of the ‘80s (and we’re not telling you if we remember -- we refuse to reveal our age!). But you probably know him best as Dr. McDreamy from the hit show, Grey’s Anatomy.

And dreamy he certainly is!

We here in the hallowed halls (or is that cyber-halls?) of Haute or Not? most definitely have a soft spot for deliciously dreamy men of the tall, dark, and handsome kind … but then again, we are not that shallow.

There are many other reasons to crush on Mr. Dempsey. Let me count the ways.

First off, he made it back to the top after a ten-year-long dry spell in his acting career. Things were so bad for him, in fact, that he toyed around with something that would turn out to be very dangerous. Not drugs, or booze, or some of the other nefarious things ex-celebs unfortunately become entangled in. No, he was contemplating a change in career, one that involved remodeling and selling homes (can anyone say housing bubble?).

He’s also a devoted father to three kids and is married to one gorgeous woman, Jillian Fink, founder of Delux Beauty. Sorry, ladies, we can’t have everything. Or can we? Regardless, Dempsey is one lucky dude.

And while all these parts of his life are interesting, it's not why we are raving about Patrick's Demspey's hauteness.

Patrick also loves dogs and car racing. In fact, he just signed on to star in the upcoming cool pic, The Art of Racing in the Rain (based on Garth Stein's novel of the same name, which we reviewed in Monday's Haute or Not?), about the even cooler doggy, Enzo.

Yes, that’s going to be one movie we can’t wait to see.

Patrick Dempsey ... Smoking Haute!

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