“ The first thing I ask in a job interview is “do you want to be famous? Do you want to be rich? Do you want to have a jet?” I want people to aspire to the same things as I do” Tom Ford (Yes. Yes. Yes)
“I’ve emerged from a long, long fog. I’m clean, I’m sober, I feel reborn and I’m loving life. I came so close to throwing it all away” Whitney Houston (rich. Famous. own jet)
“I thought, ‘What is this thing that has become me? Who is that thing?’ And I didn’t like it.” J.Lo ( rich. famous. own jet)
“Best f*****g live act? F*** off, since when has lip-synching been live? Anyone who lip-synchs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot.That’s me off her f*****g Christmas card list but do I give a toss? No,” Elton John on Madonna ( hop on your jet Elton).
“I don’t understand what he’s got against her because this is the second time he’s stuck into her a bit. That seems really unfair to me. Listen, any singer who dances all the time, you don’t have the breath to sing all the time. Everyone knows that. It’s unfair to make it a point. If you do a heavy dance routine, at some point you’re going to do a bit of lip-synch. But everybody does that. Madonna sings everything she can sing but, if she goes into a dance routine, she’s got to dance; you can’t breathe and dance and sing at the same time. She doesn’t lip-synch her whole performance. I bet Elton has lip-synched moments of his performance, even though he’s at a piano all the time. He’s very bossy these days, I think. I mean he’s lovely but he’s a bit bossy and he does seem a bit cranky.” Rupert Everett (you can’t breathe and dance and sing at the same time. Give him a job Tom)
“What did become apparent to me when I was living in England were my Americanisms. I felt that so strongly. I felt loud and inappropriately direct. I felt curt and clumsy and I felt obnoxious in my straightforward way of communicating.” Renee Zellweger (But Elton and Rupert are English)
“ My sister and I have different views about our careers. She has to be the best and do the best. I just want to keep learning new things and doing the things I like. If I come last, I don’t care. I’m not competitive; it’s not in my nature.” Danni Minogue (Not competitive? Should have kept your old nose )
“She always told me the most important thing is to feel good in your skin” Ivanka Trump on Ivana (so good in her skin, she replaced it all with plastic)
“I’d never go and see a Shakespeare play. Who’d want to see me in Hamlet? Who cares? I don’t know why actors do it. Shakespeare is just a bunch of soap operas. It’s not that I don’t understand it. I don’t believe in all the flowery language - all of his plays are just a series of soap operas.” Billy Bob Thornton ( who needs a soap opera with Madonna, Elton and Rupert?)

We all like a drink. Some of us more than others. (hic) So why not make it from a chic glass? A chic, white, glass from Chic but cheap heaven, Ikea? Everyone will be so very happy to know that these white glasses or tumblers are back in Ikea again. Tall, simple, and in opaque white (or a fabulous red) each one is mouth blown and unique (and we all love a bit of mouth blowing). But you better get in there quickly, you know what Ikea is like.
(NB. Ikea is opening at Homebush in December.)

$3.50 each called ‘Diod’ from Ikea.

If you are lacking in a bit of charm, then help is on its way. Because now you don’t need to be charming, you just need to look it. It’s all to do with the idea of individual, personal, one off pieces and having your own unique style, which is why you need a charm bracelet. A bit like the dingle dangles hanging off your bag, you can do the same for your wrist. Start with the best from Louis Vuitton with all sorts of gorgeous charms around $10,000! Or go to Tiffany & Co for gorgeous ones in silver or gold .Then go to Mimco for cute ones for $150 or Fleur Wood has one for $77. It’s all in the wrist action.

There is a great ad from Wonderbra with the line “say goodbye to your feet”. Meaning? With your Wonderbra on and your boobs up so high and out there, you’ll never see your feet. Some of us have that problem with the help of our wonder stomachs. But that’s no reason not to make your toes look fab. Even if you can’t see them, other people can. So why not make them pretty with the gorgeous red nail polish from OPI? It is not a tacky bright red but has a soft almost subtle metallic look to it, plus the colour is called ‘I’m not really a waitress’. Really.

$19.95 OPI Nail Polish 1800 358 999 or David Jones.

Paris Fashion week is happening and check what style.com says this about Balenciaga “Which to enthuse over first? The amazing flounced cocktail dresses, inspired by a 1958 Balenciaga original and given a fierce modernist chic by the addition of glossy crocodile cummerbunds and high gladiator sandals? The extraordinary gold-buttoned and braided naval jackets, paired with fluid, gorgeously easy sailor pants? Or the incredible glimmering, body-skimming Lesage-beaded jackets and coats?” check it out on style.com
And from WWD on Dior “ Thank-you, John. Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you. Who hasn’t longed for John Galliano to stage an antic-free Christian Dior collection focused solely on his fabulous clothes? An idea-a-minute man, Galliano presented the collection in four sections inspired variously by Keough, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen. But no matter the clarity of source, the core message tolled loudly from the first look out, a denim-trimmed ivory bouclé suit fluffed up with little wafts of fringe, and Ts decorated with the slogan, “Dior not war.” This made for a bit of irony as, while the designer flashed his antiwar message from the runway, outside the tent, his steadfast antifur foes protested his work” WWD
Meanwhile here are some comments about the Gucci show from WWD
“She has to evolve and move herself away from Tom’s shadow,” Anna Wintour
“There was definitely the spirit of the Gucci woman, and I think she is a Gucci woman herself. It was smart not to make too big of a transition. I think she did a good job.” Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue.
In London, Kevin Spacey is the artistic director of The Old Vic Theatre.
Larry Gagosian has opened a spectacular gallery in Soho (LondonI
Check out the new Soho Hotel by Kit Kemp also in London (who did The Pelham) http://www.sohohotel.com
‘There’s a new theory about why Chanel wants all the photographers to dress in black suits and white shirts. Sources hint that the show will reprise the climactic scene for the forthcoming commercial for No. 5 perfume, in which star Nicole Kidman confidently faces a pack of sharp-dressed paparazzi.’ wwd
Check out the fabulous Dream hotel in New York, the first interior design project by photographer David Lachapelle. http://www.dreamny.com
Visionaire 43 “Dreams” goes on sale this week, and if the pretension alone doesn’t nauseate you, the chemical smell emanating from the 4-pound tome might. Photographs and images are transformed into ethereal works of art through a high tech burning process called laser cutting. The resulting images emerge, almost ghostlike, from a seemingly blank black page.” WWD (stinky).
Culti, the Italian design company have opened a hotel in Puglia ( THE hot destination) called La Sommita go to http://www.lasommita.relaisculti.com.
Check out the “Fifty Designers/Fifty Costumes: Concept to Character,” at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in LA which details the process that all costume designers undertake, whether designing for period or fantasy. “You’ll see a trenchcoat next to an 18th-century gown and Cruella de Vil next to Austin Powers” WWD.
Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna Everage, has been drawing crowds in San Francisco at the Curran Theatre for the pre-Broadway run of his newest one-man show, “Dame Edna: Back With a Vengeance.”

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/S2005RTW/runwayshows/video.html
Fashion week is not over yet! Style.com now has videos of some of the shows from London, Paris, Milan and New York, (as well as the runway review and back stage shots.) Click on Prada and you’ll see the show, plus even get a bit of a chat from Linda Wells from Allure. Go to Gucci and listen to Orlando Pitta talk about the hair “very sleek, a lot of quality, side parted” and Allessandra Faccinetti talking about the collection. Oh and there’s Mario Testino putting in his two bobs worth and even some models saying something intelligent thing too. Alert! Models in bikinis. Hint: Best time to watch this: before dinner and you won’t eat ever again.

http://robmanuel.blogspot.com/2004/09/classical-look-likes.html
Who has the time to go round an art gallery matching up the celebrity faces with a painting? Some crazy guy called Rob who has a blog. Bless

Elton John says he intend to pass a hefty inheritance to their godchildren, including Victoria Beckham’s son Brooklyn and Liz Hurley’s on Damian ( Rich. famous. own jets)
Tiger Woods tied the knot with his 24-year-old fiancée this week in Barbados.
MARTHA Stewart will get her first taste of prison life with a humiliating strip search — including a nude squat-and-cough in front of a female guard, jailhouse sources said. All new inmates to the Alderson, W. Va., prison known as Camp Cupcake get the same exam, done by a guard wearing latex gloves. To prove they’re not hiding contraband, the jailbirds must lift their breasts, crouch low with their legs spread and cough. (insider trading!)
Princess Stephanie of Monaco is now dating croupier Franck Brasseu after the she split with husband number two, circus acrobat Adans Lopez Peres.
Jude Law has agreed to pay ex-wife Sadie Frost $18 million after she threatened to go after half of everything he earns.
CARMEN Kass and her boyfriend, Butter co-owner Richie Akiva, have called it quits after four years.
PASSENGERS on an L.A.-JFK American Air lines flight Saturday wondered if Parker Posey’s dog is toilet-trained. The actress took her Bichon Frise, Gracie, into the lavatory, a violation of FAA regulations. Soon a male flight attendant was knocking loudly on the door, de manding she open up. Posey, who was cleaning up a smelly mess in the pet’s carrier, didn’t come out immediately, and soon three more attendants threatened to have the plane grounded and Posey arrested.( arrested? Terrorist)( popbitch)
Sofia Coppola has settled into an apartment on Paris’ Boulevard St. Germain, just above the Café Flore, while she shoots Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst.
Alexander (the movie) has been delayed because the movie is “too gay”. Apparently Warner Bros had put back the film’s release to November so they could tone down love scenes between Colin Farrell’s bisexual Alexander and a Persian eunuch called Bagoas - played by Francisco Bosch. ( cough,cough)
Cher is planning to celebrate her 60th birthday - in the nude posing for a men’s magazine.( happy in her own plastic skin)
Orlando Bloom,has just proposed to his girlfriend of two years, ate Bosworth.
“Victoria Beckham is a regular visitor to Pizza Hut in Harlow. She only picks from the salad bar and drinks diet coke. She is so thin she looks like a child in a wig from the back. The kids run riot around the place. Victoria sits at the table not talking to anyone except into her mobile. The bodyguard acts more like a father-figure to the kids. She was overheard on a recent visit saying into her mobile, “I just need someone to be nice to me today”. Popbitch. (so aspiring)
Paris Hilton was booed off stage as she attempted to launch her pop career this weekend. She treated clubbers to a lip-synched version of her debut single Screwed. UK Vogue ( Elton where are you?).Screwed .Tom give her a job too.

Poet of the Appetites : The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher by Joan Reardon
One of MFK Fishers most popular books was called “How to cook a wolf.” No, not a guide to dating but about how to survive wartime food shortages in 1942. She was America’s greatest food writer; “ When I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it,” ( well, almost a dating guide) “Child, wife, mother, mistress, self-made career woman, trail-blazing writer–Fisher served up each role with panache. But like many master stylists, she was also a master mythologizer. Her portraits and scenarios were often unrecognizable to those on whom they were based, and her own emotions and experiences remained cloaked in ambiguity. how did a woman with such straightlaced roots become one of the world’s most delightfully irreverent bon vivantes?” If you loved the juicy biography of Elizabeth David, you’’ll love this one too
$18 Amazon out on Oct 27

The Christmas List
Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan
To celebrate her 20 years in fashion, Donna Karan and Ingrid Sischy have teamed up for this fabulous, big and very glamorous coffee table book which “ follows the yoga-loving designer’s illustrious career from her early days at Anne Klein to the icon status she holds today. With a collection of quotes from the designer, images from her ad campaigns and insights from Anna Wintour, Barbra Streisand, Narciso Rodriguez, and Isaac Mizrahi” it looks too too divine!
NB: Proceeds from this book will benefit cancer related charities.
$70 ( but $48 on Amazon)

The Christmas List:
Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan
To celebrate her 20 years in fashion, Donna Karan and Ingrid Sischy have teamed up for this fabulous, big and very glamorous coffee table book which “ follows the yoga-loving designer’s illustrious career from her early days at Anne Klein to the icon status she holds today. With a collection of quotes from the designer, images from her ad campaigns and insights from Anna Wintour, Barbra Streisand, Narciso Rodriguez, and Isaac Mizrahi” it looks too too divine!
NB: Proceeds from this book will benefit cancer related charities.
$70 ( but $48 on Amazon)

Economy:
Cambodia House: Have fab tie dye long scarves in lots of gorgeous colours $95. Check out the leather bound address books $45 and don’t forget the floral candles lanterns here $59. Tree of Life: have great caftans with beaded trim $35, and plain ones with tiny sparkle and embroidery $35. Check out the fab halter neck, cotton, floral beach dresses in a great variety of patterns $55. George: have a faded, stripe shell tops in greens and blues and browns $105. Simona: have cute chiffon scarves and headscarves $22 and some animal print leopard tops. Zomp Shoez: have lots of new shoes. Check out the Urban Soul heels with a chain front $140, the ESU flat T bar Prada style Capri sandles in black silver and bronze $110, the Sachi sling backs with kitten heel $120, Urban Soul T bar ankle strap with spikey heel $150 and the flat ballet shoes in every colour $55. Also they have some cool copies of Jimmy Choo bags too. Fleur Wood is a great place to stop for lunch when you are shopping in Oxford st, in the groovy café out the back. Check out the funky cut up 80’s rocknroll T- shirts ( Sex pistols, Led Zeppelin, The Stones) trimmed with old beaded cardigans $250, the Fragonard candles, the gorgeous camis $110 and the pretty slips. You might like the cool lurex ponchos in pink or blue $189, and the beaded skirts $155. Seduce: Don’t forget the have the gorgeous (Paul smith) stripe dresses $149. Sexy. Witchery: have a cool, floral, black and white dress $149, a version in a cut away top $89, and check out the pretty dress in floral browns and yellows in chiffon $149 and the tops $89. You should have the longer T shirts with cap sleeves in good colours $29, and the Bottega Veneta esque woven bags in brown, cream, tan or white $159 and clutch version $69.There is a cool snakeskin heel $139 and a tie front chiffon top with silver and gold sequins $99, and a simple grey maille racer back singlet $29.
DL: have a nice watermelon zip hoodie $69, a good ruffle floral chiffon top $189 and some hats for the races $189, and if you are the last person without a trench coat, buy one here, now reduced to $299 and a single breasted one in pink $199. Sportsgirl; best pieces are the longer singlets $24, a small version of the marc Jacobs Venetia bag $49 and the white cotton zip biker jacket is cool $99. Portmans: lots of pastel here if you like it (in um, er pink) but there are some really good simple black chiffon tops with subtle beading just along the top, great value, they look expensive with a chiffon trim. $89 and a more over the top one with silver beading $99. Justine Pratten: if you want to get shoes in any leather, in any style (almost) nick into her store in Paddington ( opposite Collette and Belinda). The best styles are the sling back open toe heels called Jecca, get them in snakeskin about $240, plus there are cool beaded tops from London by Nocturne $450. Check out the wallets in every colour $120 and coin purses too $90.

Business:
Scanlan & Theodore sale store: has just had a new delivery in ( as has their new store at the other end of Oxford St) and there are some great pieces here. Check out the best buy: all their gorgeous floral skirts are now reduced to about $350 from $650 and you must have one. They are the item du jour and will take you into next winter and next summer. There are fab shoes on sale; tan or black cross over heels with white stitching and a chunky heel now $95, and cone heels 40’s style, $125 . Best pieces are the Knit dresses $195, crop bolero leather jacket $595, red floral skirt $450, Shell V neck top $95 and brown chiffon dress $395. K Optical in Oxford St has fabulous sunglasses by Ici Berlin ( who?) and of course Gucci and Prada and Costume Nationale. $450. CK Jeans: are on sale with about 30% off some things but there is not a lot talking to me! You will like the shirt dress (sleeveless) at $139. Country Road: are still on sale in and it’s worth looking at the homewares. Check out the new singlets in grey and white stripe with cute green stitching $39, the longer rib singlet $29 and a handy shiny cotton pleated skirt $189. Jiqsaw: have a mid season sale with 40% off some pieces. I like the black sequin knit top $199, cardigans are now $79,and chunky green or cream cable knit sweaters are $89 and there is the cement, short belted trench $329. Saba: have some great pieces: check out pretty soft pink chiffon floral dress $450, and a top $345, a black sequin groovy capelet $245, and a green very 80’s dress $495, a stripe Missoni print style top $245 and a gold lurex knit round neck s/s top $145. Edward Meller shoes have some Kate Moss style roman sandles by Fillipo Rapheal. Bare: have been inspired by the YSL dress Nicole worn to the Oscars with silver sequins down each side $495 and have a great grey cotton T shirt with diamantes over it, very chic $450.

First:
The Corner Shop: Looks like the Balenciaga is all sold out but there are some really cool tie Dye T shirts in lots of colours by Cheyan and Claire that you must have $95, some Tsubi jeans, and all sorts of funky vintage style floral dresses $300, and some cool vintage sunglasses. Belinda Accessories: Not a lot new except the Marc Jacobs bag that are gorgeous with buckles and big $1800 to $2000. You want the Louison bags in all the lurex, such as gold silver, black, pink and bronze. Most of the bags have sold out but the matching wallets are cool for $140 and $65 purses. I love the Kalista bronze eyelet shoes $495, the Jamin Puech patchwork tan bag, the marc Jacobs blue satin T barheels with sequins $595, the Sigerson Morrison gold mules with a gold ring $675, the Louison big totes with eyelets in white and red $395. Also Belinda has finally opened in Melbourne in the GPO.Yah. Gucci: Not a lot new in here either, and looks like they have sold out of a lot of shoes but you want the round toe flat suede ones with a GG buckle $490 in pink or purple, the satin heels $840 in purple black and silver, the square toe logo pumps $590. You want the slinky jersey purple top $935, the gorgeous black velvet blazer $2610 and the jersey slinky drape top with a pleated front $1125. Check out the diamond single letters on a chain, and all the amazing gold snake horse bit bags $$$. Remember most of the bags are priced a lot less this season (about 30% less) and you want the big red leather tote $1100 and the canvas logo tote is about $800. Buy two. Peopke: is on sale with 30% off the Dries Van Noten and lots of black Veronique Branquino.

Chicken Congee
This is like an Asian risotto, and it’s absolutely delicious. More for a dinner party than whipping up after work. It’s originally from Stephanie’s but I have ditched the idea of making the chicken stock or using a whole chicken. But if you have the time, go for it.
Also best to double the quantities because everyone will want second servings. I promise.

For 4
4 chicken breasts or 1 chicken
1.5 litres of chicken stock
2 tabs peanut oil
2 cups of medium long grain rice
4 spring onions

Dipping sauce:
4 garlics finely chopped
small red chilli or 2 (finely chopped)
1 teasp sugar
3 tabs rice wine vinegar
3 tabs water
3 tabs light soy
lime juice (Lots)

·Heat the stock and go on, throw in the chicken breasts and poach them, it takes about ½ hour.
·When done, let them have a seep, which is like a sleep but without the L
·Yes, let the breasts sit there soaking up the stock for about 10mins
·Keep the stock, but wake the chicken up from its seep,drain and let it cool
·This is a good time to chop up your garlic and chillie.
·When the chicken is cool, shred it with your fingers or slice it up into perfect little bite size bits
·Whip up the dipping sauce
·Are you really that silly? Look at the recipe that says ‘dipping sauce’ and mix all the ingredients. Set aside (where else would it go? Under the pillow?)
·Slice up the Spring onions into rough bits
·Heat oil and cook the rice in it, a la risotto until opaque
·Then pour the rice into the chicken stock, cover and cook till mushy for about 30 mins
·Oh looking a bit dry? Moisterise please.
·Put down the Crème de la Mer and pick up the stock. If you think the poor rice is looking a bit dry. add more
·The rice should be a bit mushy and juicy when it’s ready
·Think you better taste it, to check that the rice is cooked. Perfect
·Now here’s the trick:
·To serve, place the rice in a bowl, then the sliced chicken upon it, followed by the Spring onions
·Finally drizzle with the dipping sauce ( renamed drizzle sauce) .
Wow what a winner! (And it was easy too).

Vanity Fair ….directed by Mira Nair, with Reese Witherspoon
A sumptuous, glorious, dizzying, epic with twists and turns and scheming plots, there is more insider gossip on the social swirl of high society here than anything you’ll ever read in Vanity Fair. Directed by Mira Nair, who did the fabulous Monsoon wedding, this adaptation of Thackeray’s 19th century novel has a very obvious Indian tilt: gorgeous colours and amazing rich, grand sets. Even a Bollywood dance scen. Ooh la la! The clothes are divine, the sets are incredible, the houses decadently opulent. It’s about the ambitious, calculating, charming Becky Sharp, “the daughter of a starving English artist and a French chorus girl, who is orphaned at a young age. She yearns for a more glamorous life than her birthright promises and resolves to conquer English society by any means possible, and with wit, guile, and sexuality she makes her way up into high society” One problem: Reese Witherspoon is too nice and you start liking Becky and start forgetting about her ambition, desperation and hunger. At one stage she almost seems happy with her lot. Content. In love. Even though her handsome husband is a gambler and a debt collector turns up, you can’t help thinking: she has servants, gorgeous clothes, a spunky husband, who needs food?. And then there is her boring friend Amelia and her suitor Dobbin. Dobbin is a drip, and if you are named after a horse what do you expect. The New York Times said “With its diminished gravitas, this Becky comes across as a lightweight schemer about as formidable as an aspiring trophy wife on a daytime soap.” True, but a very gorgeous and very amusing 19th century soap.

Gourmet Traveler Oct :
The chocolate tart on the cover looks great and so do the cakes inside. There are some good recipes on asparagus (and a tart for the park too), a big story on Café Sopra in Waterloo and gorgeous shots of Queenstown in New Zealand and the Bahamas. A good read.
UK Conde Nast Traveler Oct;
This has the reader’s awards for the Top 100. Yes, Australia is voted # 1 country and Sydney #2 city, after Singapore. Outrageous. The favourite hotel is the snazzy Singita Private Game reserve in Sth Africa. Read about the countryside and sleepy lakes of Japan, (well, I never), and about Lizard Island. See Micheal Palin’s shots from around the world and the kooky White Oak plantation in Florida: a sanctuary for wild life and a center for the arts (with Baryshnikov swinging from the trees!).
Teen Vogue Sept:
This will keep you up to date with what all those teens are thinking and what’s happening with the young international set. With Vogue photographers and stylists such as Elissa Santini and Camilla Nickerson, plus great clothes, this magazine shows you don’t have to have a lot of money to look great. (Ok, there are a few Birkin Bags lurking) Their inside scoop? Lots of tweed! You want a flippy skirt, an orange puffer jacket, a boyfriend coat and cropped baggy pant.