“I want to help girls and in the process help myself.” Madonna on wanting to be an agony aunt (God helps those who help themselves… first)
“I tell her to stop trying to be Supermom, She’s a hardworking girl and she didn’t have a nanny for ages.” Madonna helping Gwyneth ( so hardworking, no nanny. Outrageous)
“When I heard it, before I recorded it, I didn’t even think about the double meaning. It’s not what you think. It’s about a girl who really falls for a guy and knows she’s emotionally in too deep and in trouble, so she’s screwed.” Paris Hilton on her single called ‘screwed’ ( foxy moron) Madonna please help her.
“Yeah, it’ll be nude celebrities dotcom. But that’s fine. I’m not scared. I’m brave.” Natalie Portman on her nude scenes in her new movie Closer ( nude celebrities dot com? better find that one..) Paris Hilton invented it
“If any of the youngsters think it’s all about designer labels and limos and lifestyles of the rich and famous, they are mistaken.” Kylie Minogue on being rich and famous, with designer labels, limos, ( and on nude celebrities dot com).
“I never thought I’d wake up in the morning at 18, with someone that I like and didn’t care what I looked like and I don’t care if my breath smells. ” Brave Lindsay Lohan, the day before she split from her boyfriend ( stinky)
“Any man who wears this fragrance can have any woman — or man — that you want; it’s your choice!” Donald Trump on his Fragrance ( Lindsay Lohan needs this)
“I am quite interested in becoming a doctor. There can be pockets of time where your brain is not working quite as much as you might like it to. I miss that.” Kate Beckinsale on her acting career (screwed)
“I beat my husband to a lot of the questions.” Madonna on wanting to be in ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’ (but he is really brainy …he married her)
“My body’s a real mess. If you look at it in the mirror, it’s just completely convex and concave.” Elizabeth Taylor
“I definitely believe in plastic surgery. I don’t want to be an old hag. There’s no fun in that.” Scarlett Johanssen on not being concave
“I haven’t , but if I do, I swear to God I’m going to tackle her and lick her and hit her over the head and drag her back to my house, caveman-style,” Tommy Lee on Angelina Jolie ( Jolie wouldn’t be Lee’s first victim: In 1998, he spent four months in L.A. County Jail for attacking ex-wife Pamela Anderson) screwed
“The British are charming, so funny and so polite. But it’s more look but don’t touch. You sense it would take a guy forever to make up his mind what to say. By the time they get there, you’ve gone. In New York, you get these brash guys who come up and say, ‘Nice ****’ and you just tell them where to go.” Scarlet Johansson (on meeting Tommy Lee)
“I’m sorry, but we’re not in LA anymore” Jonny Depp to an American woman in a London restaurant when he refused to put out his cigarette ( He is American) .

Can’t deal with all that floral and print but don’t want to look boring either? Then run into General Pants, Tuchuzy and all sorts of funky shops for the cool ‘Hello Kitty” rib singlets in different colours. I particularly like the red one but they all have a great cut and look cool under your Chanel Jacket or with a black pencil skirt. Even better it’s worth buying one just to hear George Clooney say ‘Hello Kitty’ before he leans in to kiss you…Meow.

$29 Hello Kitty Singlet from General Pants.

You need superman strength to get through the next couple weeks so if you don’t feel like the caped crusader you can at least look like one. And a chic one at that. Razz up the boring black wardrobe or dress up non de la non looks with the must have piece of the party season: the capelet. Drape a beaded one or lace one around your neck and you’ll be ready to leap over tall buildings or at least fly into the night looking fabulous. Plus it’s a great way to stop getting the cold shoulder.
Capelets; Go to Saba $256, Witchery $100, Collette Dinigan $820, Jigsaw $159 or nick into vintage.

This is the time when we all need some brightening. In fact I need some advanced super revitalizer brightening cream. The Bio performance advanced super revitalizer cream from Shiseido. So creamy, so gooey, it ‘protects against uneven colour and fine lines.’ (Not sure about big lines, think it’s too late for those) and I must say it really feels so silky and rich and it’s bursting with Vitamin C so it must be doing something divine. I am brightening up already.

$132 Shiseido Bio Performance Advanced Super Revitalizer Cream from major department stores.

A 1917 men’s urinal has been voted the most influential artwork of the 20th century in a poll of the great and good of Britain’s art world. The white porcelain urinal was mounted upside down in a New York Gallery by French artist Marcel Duchamp, who in one of the very earliest examples of conceptualism, declared it was art simply because he stated this was so.
“My mother and I thought Karl would design the best gown for me,” said Bee Shaffer, the 17-year-old daughter of Anna Wintour, about the Lagerfeld-designed Chanel gown she wore to the annual debutante ball at the Crillon Hotel Saturday night. Lulu De La Falaise watched her daughter along with other proud parents including Mikhail Gorbachev whose granddaughter, Versace-clad was whirled around by Europe’s most eligible bachelors.WWD
Zang Ziyi from Hidden Dragon will be in ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ ( average book)
‘A very Long Engagement’ is a new French movie, a mix of Amelie and Cold Mountain ( great book)
Finding Neverland has been named best film of 2004 by The National Board of Review, UK, the first major prize of the movie award season.
Run Lola Run” director Tom Tykwer will helm “Perfume: The Story of a Murder”, an 18th century period thriller based on the best selling novel from Patrick Suskind. (fantastic book). British rising-star Ben Whishaw will play Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man born with no odor but a super-refined sense of smell. Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman are expected to co-star
Sacha Baron Cohen (a.k.a. Ali G) is working to star in “The Mortdecai Mustache Mystery,” a film project based on a series of British comic thriller books by Kyril Bonfiglioli and Craig Brown.
Tony Goldwyn (“A Walk on the Moon”) is set to direct “Last Kiss,” an American remake of the Italian romantic dramedy, “L’Ultimo Bacio.” Zach Braff (Garden State”) and Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”) will be in it.
Go to http://www.eyestorm.com, the art website and buy a Damian Hirst Painting by Numbers 2, 2001. This edition consists of a stamped Hirst canvas (printed with a 90-dot pattern), 90 individually numbered, miniature tins of paint, and 90 brushes, all packaged in the artist’s distinctive pharmaceutical style. The two versions of this work, 1 and 2, are differentiated by their packaging and the color combinations of the spots. The box is signed by the artist for £5,500 (£6,462.50 inc. VAT)!
Please hire the Villa for New Year at http://www.roundhilljamaica.com/Or just go to
The QM2, The huge new Ocean Liner has a Canyon Ranch spa with 20,000 square feet of pampering and a pool (with a waterfall)…Do a virtual tour (Be warned it’s not groovy) http://www.cunard.com/tourQM2/
Please stay here in this cute Maison D’Hote in the south of France, so simple. http://www.lalouveterie.com/
Do a tour of your favourite (or least favourite) book The Da Vinci Code in London in a private car that follows the Holy Grail Trail www.britishtours.com/davincicodetours.html
Australian Virgin Mobile, is going to offer a new service to help stop you from drunk dialing your ex or your boss. You just call up a number, enter the number you want to make sure you don’t call, and then you’re automatically blocked from making calls from that phone until 6am, by which point you’ll probably be passed out on a sidewalk somewhere. It does require you to remember when you’re not drunk that you have this bad habit of making booty calls when you are drunk.( hic)
TRACEY EMIN was at the premiere of her new film, Top Spot but it was withdrawn from general release recently when censors awarded it an 18 certificate.

http://orsonandblake.com.au/giftideas
We love the store, and so will everyone else when they see their Christmas stocking with a gift set from Orson & Blake. So log on here and order some cute gift sets: I like the ‘Born to shop” with shoe bag, a ‘shoe fund’ Lucite ( money) box , the Guide to Elegance book, a ‘Born to Shop’ address book, a cute leather purse and fab diamante brooch. Perfect. Buy your Christmas presents online so you spend more time shopping for yourself …and that summer beach wardrobe. $175

http://www.kropserkel.com/horsehead.htm
Just what you need for Christmas…..

Jude Law better watch his back: word from the Casanova set in Venice is that leading man Heath Ledger is smitten with Sienna Miller.
Pamela Anderson is rumoured to be dating actor Stephen Dorff after she was seen leaving his house early one morning, still wearing her clothes from the night before. (that’s called dating?) “Her hair was a bird’s nest - it was obvious she had just gotten out of bed” I always looks like that..
It was inevitable: Paris Hilton hooked up with Colin Farrell; now everyone in Hollywood has slept with each other via no more than 3 degrees of separation.
Demi Moore has received an early Christmas present from Bruce Willis: a personal jet, complete with on-board hairdressing salon.
Julia Roberts has given birth to twins, Phinnaeus Walter and Hazel Patricia: Walter and Hazel?
George Clooney has been forced to cancel press appearances to promote Ocean’s Twelve after rupturing a disc in his back. (shagger’s back?).
Drew Barrymore’s father John Drew Barrymore has died at the age of 72.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are not splitting up ( this week).
Mel Gibson has earned $414 million from The Passion Of The Christ.
Paul McCartney and his wife, Heather, will appear on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” on Christmas Day in the UK.
Here is some gossip on celebrity sightings from Gawker Stalker:
“went to breakfast today at Cafeteria where I was seated next to a small elf and an old scary man, who turned out to be Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford. She cut her food into the tiniest pieces as the whole restaurant whispered about them…”
“At the Knicks - Atlanta game at MSG last night Paris Hilton was watching court side with Owen Wilson & Ethan Hawke. A shock to us all, Paris used the public restrooms, She was walked in by a MSG attendant. Paris happily posed for pictures in the bathroom for adoring teenaged fans with camera phones. And yes, she washed her hands”.
“At Sony Lincoln Square, I saw Cynthia Nixon, son, and the frighteningly butchest looking woman I’ve ever seen. I mean I was 25 feet away and I was a little scared for my own safety”.
On the day after - 9/11 - as dust and death filled lower Manhattan, Fergie had other things on her mind. Like ordering perfume lamps from a store in the West Village and asking that they be immediately shipped to England. Clary & Co. is a charming boutique on Bleecker St. a favorite with Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwyneth Paltrow. Because of the horror a few blocks away, the shop wasn’t open, but our source was in the shop: “My friend had left keys to her apartment in there. I [needed them] to help save her cats as she was stuck out of town.” As smoke from the still-burning rubble billowed through the street, the phone rang. “I thought it was my friend,” says our insider. “[Instead, it] was an assistant for Tommy Hilfiger, and she said the duchess was a guest at his house in Connecticut, and she had fallen in love with the Lampe Bergers and wanted half a dozen of them, along with two cases of the perfume. “Not only that, they wanted it shipped that day, to England. I said, ‘Don’t you know what is happening?!’” So disgusted she suggested the assistant call back later. Much, much, much later.
The wait staff at Cipriani in London must be crazy-brave: They actually dared to hand Naomi Campbell a bill. The hell on-heels supermodel dined there with boy toy Usher, and at the end of the meal was presented with a $1,500 bill . Campbell reportedly reamed the waiter, saying she was a guest of co-owner Flavio Briatore, a former boyfriend.
Madonna is terrified to leave her home, as she fears she will be shot by an obsessive stalker

The Fashionista Files : Adventures in Four-Inch Heels and Faux Pas
by KAREN ROBINOVITZ, MELISSA DE LA CRUZ
Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 31, 2004)
I could have written this one myself. It sounds a bit like The Nanny Diaries for fashion. “Its authors, Karen Robinovitz and Melissa de la Cruz, have toiled in and around the fashion /style/media for years. With their noses pressed right up against the glass, the two share a love of clothes and celebrity so extreme it has nearly beggared them both. Folded into this how-to manual of style is a cautionary mini-memoir that explores the pathology of fashion in a story that is as sad as any other addict’s tale: ”Postcards From the Edge of the Runway” might be a worthy subtitle. In 1996, Ms. de la Cruz reports, she was at her nadir, utterly broke: ”I owned a closetful of designer clothes I hardly wore, an apartment full of furniture for people I’ll never entertain and absolutely nothing to show for the hundreds of thousands of dollars I’ve made except for multiple taxi receipts, torn dinner chits, club invitations, souvenir champagne corks and maybe a Polaroid of me, completely decked out, smiling garishly into the flashing lights” .From The New York Times

The Christmas List:
AMERICAN STYLE By Kelly Killoren Bensimon Assouline, $50
No, this is not an oxy moron,American Style does exist. Just because the author is an ex model who is married to Gilles Bensimon (the famous Elle Photographer/director) doesn’t mean she can’t put a book together but it is a picture book after all. A big fat glossy one too, full of portraits of the icons of American style. “And so a portrait of Lil’ Kim is paired with one of Wallis Simpson; Kid Rock, all dressed up in a red undershirt, shares a spread with an archival photograph of Bergdorf-Goodman. There are no page numbers, so it’s impossible to cross-reference photo credits with images. Ms. Bensimon, when asked how she assembled the pictures, some of which were taken by her husband. ”Everyone says, ‘Gilles just gives Kelly all his stuff, They don’t realize how much research I did. It’s the same way I got Dick Avedon’s picture or Patrick Demarchelier’s. I just asked him, and he said, ‘Yeah.” The New York Times

Economy:
Sales everywhere and it’s Christmas everywhere…Bling Bling galore.
FCUK: have some cool white cotton print floral 50’s skirts $140, there are some short cropped cargos $120, some white wide sailor pants ( very next season thanks to Balenciaga and Helmut Lang) $140, and a cool spot top $89.There is a cute cropped cardigan almost like a bolero $79, and a black 50’s embroidered skirt with black beads $59. Mimco: have some chunky bangles in gold and brass and some cute woven clutch bags, and some in velvet too with fab diamante brooches. $140, plus I love the cute pull on hats with a small brim in lots of great colours $49.95. General Pants: I do love the Emily Strange T shirts and there are a lot of new ones in here $49. And there are thongs galore too and trucker caps but I never want to see another one of those, ditto those horrid studded belts. David Lawrence: has a very simple zip front dark denim jacket $149, and a T shirt with double layer $79.Mollini: Have some cool T bar heels in gold or silver $128, those fab satin heels with the brooch detail $129 and the Chanel copy ankle strap heels with a bow on the front $129. Plus check out the kitten heels with an ankle strap with string bag detail $119, and the round toe snakeskin heels $129. Nine West : have some chic flat ankle strap roman style sandals $119. Esprit: Have some cool black narrow to the knee pants with side pockets $69, some chic black chiffon dresses $249 and too many slinky black jersey tops. Portmans: have done a cool silver glomesh bag $29 and the sequin chffon scarf $39 and a Chanel copy black quilted chain bag $39. Too late. Kookai: have a pink and orange baby doll dress $169, a tie dye pink and orange story is the best, not keen on all those pastels. And they have great bags in here for great prices every week. I like the simple long sleeve T shirts $39 too. Witchery : have lots of soft pink. I know it’s a worry. But there are also some cute little choc satin cami $79, a V neck T Shit with appliqué, $49 and also don’t forget their bags and shoes. Please. K Mart : need a racer back bra to wear under all those cutaway T shirts? Go in here for a great selection , the Hestia ones are good.

Business:
A/X Armani Exchange : have some seriously short shorts in red $69, some 70’s cuffed shorts very 70’s, $189, the fabulous graphic print, orange and red halter tops are still here $159, and the mini dress version too $219. And I do like the cute pull on hat in the same print $49.There is a simple white V neck vest $119, a gorgeous black halter dress, and a very nice baby doll $219. Check out the black and white ruffle print dress $239 too and the grey silver lurex crochet top $149. Marcs baby doll: There is a T shirt with a goddess face on it ( for the young) $69 in white, and a very nice white cotton drop waist dress $199, plus choc brown singlets $69 and a cute mini mini cotton canvas skirt $140. Check out the black slinky tops but haven’t you got hundreds of those? But I must say the crop side pocket black pants look good $130, and the watermelon dress with symbol print is good $230. Morrissey: has a very nice sexy minexy ;Melinda’ dress, long in satin and very glamourous in green or black $499, a white embroidered caftan top $179, and a white cuffed shirts $129 too. Check out the black jersey ruffle skirt $129,very handy. Wayne Cooper; is having a sale but I can’t say there is a lot to buy and it has not been a great season for him. Zimmerman: is having a sale too. Check out the little double ruffle edged T shirts $130, and of course all the fab swimwear too. Emporio Armani bags are in David Jones, in interesting shapes in black and chic brown about $825 for the large ones with brass buckles and the small ones are cute too for $595. Max & Co: not much new but a lot of great pieces and they are on sale starting today so get in there. Country Road: have some strapless boobtoobs tops $39 and don’t forget the cool green toe thongs $129? And the loafers ( Mui Mui copy) $129, and the simple ballet shoes ( yes, flats are so in), these are great for $179 and the simple khaki cotton square neck dress is cool $189, the white leather thongs are $129, plus the cute pull on beach hats with a raw edge are the go $39. Please check out the homewares in Oxford st. Bettina Liano: I can never find a lot in here (apart from her jeans) which are actually chic. Groovy maybe and very eighties versace. Ooh scary. Karen Millen; Best pieces are still the peacock prints and the red flowers ankle strap shoes $378. Table Eight: have a cool white caftan with embroidery $119.

First Class:
Evelyn Miles; A few more L’Autre Chose shoes are in for next season: You want the camel ones with a bow $498 and the flats in colours. Also the YSL chunky mules are cool $500, and so are the Casadei bright stripes flats $498 if you dare. Christensen Copenagen: The Paul & Joe should be arriving today but in the mean time buy up the Fillippa K. You want the black and white zebra sweater $375, a V neck white T $95, and the black dress with a white trim $295. Check out the grey and silver sequin tops with a big circle halter neck $275 also in red. Groovy baby. Also the Petit Bateau are just gorgeous and you want the singlet and the T shirts $40, but you knew that. Versace: Are on sale but there is not a lot jumping out at me, though I like the amazing big sunglasses and in the home wares, the red little glass votives $59. Escada Sport: have a lot on sale too. There are some winter pieces which I didn’t look at, the best pieces from summer are the stripe T shirt dress $925, the floral Pucci print dresses and tops. Also check out the pointy loafers on sale around $320. Weekend Max Mara: Have very classic pieces. The best pieces are the white cotton mu mu dress $880 and the black, white and red floral print ruffle top $295, and the rib white singlets $65. Bally: checkout the new things like the square toe ballet shoes in fabric in white black or brown $450, the fab stud bags, very structured in pink white or black from $800.There are the cute brown leather mules with a flower in leather $650 and please buy the choc brown bag with the signature stripe down the side from $1000. I love all the knick knacks in here from key rings to wallets, good Christmas ideas. And some things are on sale too. Spence & Lyda: have a whole new range of amazing Missoni homewares just arrived ..get in there now!

Roast Pumpkin squares with lime leaf chicken
Here is another snazzy thing to whip up for parties, a little finger food to go with the champers. It is from the book ‘Small Food’ and basically you roast the pumpkin, dig a hole in it and fill it with the lime chicken. Yum

You need:
½ Japanese Pumpkin peeled and seeds removed
250 g ground chicken or mince the breast yourself in a whizzer
2 tabs lime juice
2 tabs peanut oil
2 or 3 lime leaves, one whole and the other sliced finely
1 red chilli or two
½ cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 tabs fish sauce

·You need to do this a couple of hours before the guest turn up but it is worth it
·Pre heat oven to 170
·Grab Geoge Clooney and get him to cut the pumpkin into chic little 2cm squares (it’s sooo boring and its hard on the nails) Then he needs to
·Get a melon baller (yes, you read it right) and cut holes in the pumpkin , a little well to put the chicken. (Yes George will love to do this so get a drink …one for you, two for me)
·Spray with oil (the pumpkin, not George, that’s for later)
·Throw in the oven and cook till the pumpkin is soft ish
·While that’s baking …
·Cook up the mince chicken with a lime leaf and oil until it’s um, cooked and it looks like breadcrumbs
·Now chop up all the other ingredients the mint, the onions, the lime leaf, the chilli, the lime juice and the sauces etc..
·Add them to the chicken when it’s cooled down, and give it a stir and then taste it and add a bit more of something….great non?
·Check out what George is up to, probably watching the cricket, reading the paper, so put him to work to get the drinks ready for the party.
·Now take the cute pumpkin squares and fill them with the chicken
·How chic is that?
·Serve to a round of applause and George looking at you adoringly
What a way to start a party…

US Vogue Dec;
Has our lovely Cate Blanchett on the cover and a fascinating story inside with her in Sydney “ I have spent my whole life fleeing from the concept of being an actor’ Read about Polly Mellon remembering Richard Avedon (she used to cry on shoots about the beauty of it all). There is a new shopping column from Lauren Du Pont, and read Sarah Mower’s story on why flats are the new heels. ‘Pointy heels are finished, we’ve done round toes and chunky heels, there’s nothing new to be done except flats” says Miuccia Prada ( boo hoo). And can we all drool over the AMAZING private island of makeup guru Nars in Tahiti,? Designed by Christian Liagre. (I am bringing out a cosmetic line if that’s what you get) and a shoot with Daria and her brother shot by Patrick Demarchelier. Read the story of ‘the marriage of the century’ (Grace and Ranier).Then get some perspective and read about the awful Aids crisis in India. Bless
Town and Country Dec
All very Christmassy: Check out the story on Aspen: ‘the chicest, sportiest, most cultivated ski resort in America’ (not hard) with a list of the inside scoop on where to stay and where to shop. (The Little Nell hotel and Bloomingbirds). There is a story on Australian events/floral designer du jour Antony Todd ‘doing’ a New York Park Avenue Duplex for Xmas. And decorator to the stars Micheal S Smith writes about the divine villas he rents every year somewhere glamorous for the holidays ‘ I love houses and consider them a hobby’ Me too.
Travel & Leisure Dec:
Read a Q & A by Isabella Rossellini ‘ I love everything about the Ritz in Paris’. Me too. She is making a movie ‘The feast of the Goat’. Tracey Emin gives her favourite places around the world and Sean’s Panoroma is her favourite in Sydney ‘A surfers restaurant’ Yeh right. Plus ‘Phaic Tan’, the book by Rob Sitch etc gets a great review too. Read about Merida in Mexico and why it’s groovy, about divine Venice, the best restaurants in America 40 places in 10 cities, then have a grownup Christmas in Wales. Read about Singapore, where you can dance on table tops but there are still regulations about chewing gum. And then read about ‘Why travel commercial?” I always wonder .