“I’m very happy for Jen. I wish her all the best and I’m rooting for her,” Ben Affleck on J.LO (And she’s rooting for him too).
“It was absolutely destroying his career. He stayed in it because he loved her. The cynical perception was that he was courting the attention, when he was actually embarrassed by the situation.” Matt Damon on Ben Alffleck (no we believe you. Embarressed)
“I’m just not political I have opinions, but there’s nothing about the process that has ever interested me” Dubya? No, his daughter Jenna Bush on campaigning for her father (don’t worry neither is he) (Embarrassing)
“The thing I’m most excited about is that I get to spend the last campaign of my life with two girls I love” Dubya. (Not excited about being President? Nuf said)
“Britney phoned her mum and I heard Lynne screaming back at her. She went nuts. Her brother rang and I spoke to him. He talked about annulment. I didn’t know what the word meant so I didn’t say anything.” Britneys ex husband (embarrassing.Annulment.).
“Those two are the epitome of what my mother raised me not to be. I don’t know what they’ve done. Maybe it’s the bleach that fascinates people.” Lisa Marie Presley on the Hilton sisters ( Honey you don’t need a reality TV show or bleach. You married Micheal Jackson).
“Why do you choose to marry Kevin when you could have any man you want?” the mother of Britney’s fiancé (thinks highly of her son).
“You have to work very, very hard to convince me that a man with a camera is going to change the world more effectively than a man with a guitar.” Pete Townshend on Mike Moore (he didn’t see Paris Hilton’s video? No Guitars).
“ Such is the pretense of modern journalism, that we are to be lectured on courage by a man who has had his intellectual face lifted so many times, he can’t close his eyes without opening his mouth”. Christopher Hitchens on Mike Moore (but he can play guitar I’m sure).

Everyone knows the word du jour is eclectic and everyone knows Marimekko is having a revival so here is a great way to combine the two. Chee Soon & Fitzgerald have lots of scraps (read eclectic) pieces of leftover Marimekko fabric for sale for cheap but chic prices. I’m thinking they would be groovy as non matching napkins or if you are feeling crafty you might sew them together as a table runner or if you are Paris Hilton you could make them into a bikini bottom. Cool.

Marimekko off cuts from $1 to about $50 Chee Soon Fitzgerald 9360 1031

I must congratulate myself. Back in the nineties I predicted that fascism and opulence would be the trends for the noughties. They had to come after all that minimalism and puritanicalism.Yes so now we have Dubya (aaahhh!) and now we are overwhelmed with sSparkles, sequins, chandeliers and enough Bling to make Gary Glitter seem like Harry Potter. So what the best way to get in on the groove without looking too outrageous? Invest in Witchery’s fabulous sequined chiffon scarf. The clever thing is that it’s slashed so that you can actually wear it as a poncho over a white T or a top. Yes, they’ve had them for months but what a way to razz up the wardrobe with a bit of bling without looking like Ali G. (and they come in green, pink and black) .
Wichery sequin scarf $79

We all know that Olive oil is great in cooking but it’s also really great on your face. But please don’t run to the kitchen and throw some leftover salad dressing. There is a better way. Run instead to L’Occitane and grab the face mud scrub with olive oil. One of the top sellers, it’s fabulous for exfoliation, (and getting all that leftover salad off your face) it leaves the skin really soft and cleansed and “restores the skin’s natural radiance” which will happen any minute now…

L’Occitane Face Scrub Mud with Olive Oil $38, 02 9386 0620.

The September issue of US Vogue will set a record as the largest monthly magazine ever published and is so thick that Vogue had to take over an entire printing plant and push all other magazines out. “With a 620 ad pages alone, the issue will be fun to throw at obnoxious boyfriends, but too heavy to bring to the Soho House pool.” Gawker
Gucci will have an in-store coffee bar in its new Milan boutique,
The book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in The nighttime” is being made into a movie by the producer of The Harry Potter movies.
If you are going to New York check out the cool hotel Gansevoort in The Meat packing district ( http://www.hotelgansevoort.com )with art works by Andy warhol and Frank Stella and check out by the same people Aria Hotel in Prague (http://www.ariahotel.net)
Backpackers express will be the worlds first long haul budget carrier going from Manchester to Melbourne for about 550 pounds (so says CNTraveller. Great more bloody poms!).
In Barcelona stay at the Neri Hotel: (http://www.hotelneri.com )a groovy renovated 18th century palace with Arne Jacobnsen bathroom fixtures.
The new Prada store (called an epicenter) has opened in Beverly Hills. Designed with Rem Koolhaas it is the largest store on Rodeo Drive.There are several trompe l’oeils, half-dozen large blond wooden settees placed throughout topped with what looks like frosted glass blocks. But touch or sit on one of the blocks and a gel-like substance squishes like a gummy bear. The gel’s density is akin to human flesh.(yuk!) In dressing rooms, a customer can step on a metal pedal on the floor marked Privacy to turn clear glass enclosures opaque. And then there is the so-called magic mirror, which is actually a camera set up in the back of a dressing room recording 360-degree turns, so the consumer knows exactly what he or she looks like in the merchandise. No skinny mirror here.WWD
Ian Schrager is back in business after filing for bankruptcy.He recently clinched deals to sell off the Paramount and the Clift Hotel, and he is now revamping the Gramercy Park Hotel. UK Vogue

http://www.framemag.com
This is the website for the groovy magazine Frame which has “The hottest spaces, the coolest products, spiced up with slices of art and architecture. We gather the most radical and fashionable work from around the globe and package it to perfection in six hefty issues a year. Loaded with nothing but the best in contemporary design” In this issue check out Ron Arad’s kinetic showcase for Yohji Yamamoto in Tokyo (Kooky) or what about all hat fantastic furniture from The Milan Fair? Read about The latest Guerrilla Store of Comme des Garçons’ in Berlin. They set up stores temporarily then close them again.

http://www.goodplasticsurgery.com/
What a relief to see a website dedicated to good plastic surgery as opposed to bad. It’s just a pity I can’t tell the difference. Check out Chelsea Clinton’s new teeth! Mandy Moore’s new Nose! Jessica Simpson’s new nose! And “Christina Aguilera has changed more than her breasts. She’s also had rhinoplasty on the bridge of her nose. It’s slimmer and her nose tip is smaller” Fascinating stuff.

Calvin Klein had a huge party in The Hamptons at his King Arthur/Hogwarts-like oceanfront fortress he bought for $28.9 million because he is going to knock it down and I can’t resist this first hand description of who was there from Gawker “ The party Calvin Klein threw at his spookycastle/beach house on saturday was the most over the top bizarre. i mean, i am gay, but it was too gross to watch 200 young (”hired”?) half-naked men lounging around on pillows and bed-like furniture on the beach at night, with snickering old guard southampton socials staring in disbelief and laughing at the many jokes about like You can take the dungeon and grotto out of the house but not out of the boy. P.S nobody was wearing his clothes”
Paris Hilton has asked that a portion of the proceeds of her video are donated to charity.
George Clooney has snapped up the two properties on either side of his 18th century villa overlooking Lake Como (One for me. One for my shoes).
Sophie Dahl collapsed at a party on Long Island. “I think it might have been something she ate ” says her boyfriend.( I guess that monkey kidney transplant she had in Mexico isn’t taking.Yeah, we made that up) Gawker!
Mira Sorvino had Armani design her wedding dress when she married her 22 yr old bouyfriend in Capri ( Why not after being dumped Oliver Martinez?).
Angelina Jolie is reportedly romancing photographer Michel Comte.
A hot young model Ingrid Parewijck was busted in Paris carrying 2.7grams of coke.(oh my god a model uses coke!) NYDN
A performance of “Rent” was nearly delayed as security had to calm down a bevy of teenage girls and their mothers ogling “Queer Eye’ Carson Kressley
Jennifer Aniston spent five hours at a top LA cosmetic surgery clinic last week.
Courtney Love now has a legal guardian and is now in an “institution” (bless)

Antartic Navigation by Elizabeth Arthur
This book was published in 1996 but I think it’s just been released here. It’s a great, big, fat novel about a girl Morgan Lamont “who is obsessed with the life and death of British explorer Robert Scott, and jumps at the chance to become the first woman to lead an expedition to the South Pole and sets out to recreate Scott’s British Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1912. Antarctic Navigation has romance, high adventure, science and philosophy, and a gripping adventure story” What else do you want? A little over written it’s very dense with lots of detail but strangely haunting and it’s fascinating just reading about Scott and how he ended up in The South Pole (dead!)

The Christmas List:
Happy Times By Lee Radziwill
Happy Times, too was originally released in 2001 but it ‘s one of my favourite books and you will love it! Now I hope I don’t have to tell you that Lee Radziwill is Jackie O’s sister ( keep subscribing : You need help) and this is her memoir. She wanted to only remember the happy Times rather than write a biography which is an insight into her personality: pretty shallow! But give me a shallow life like this. This book is so beautifully designed, it’s like a scrap book just full of shots of all your best friends. There’s Jackie and Jack Kennedy, Onassis, Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, summers in Montauk with Mick and Bianca, Christmas with the young Kennedy family, a tour of India with Jackie, the beaches of Capri and whole glamourous chapters devoted to each of her snazzy houses. All just too, too divine!

Economy:
On the home wares front: Check out more shops opening in Westfields Bondi Junction: Yes, my favourite T2 is coming and so is kikki-K. Wheel and Barrow is open, so is Harvey Norman and Bedbathntable. There’s a new shop called Design for Space with some groovy big suede cushions $110 and some square lights are $150. There is DKNY bed linen in Myer (a bit frou frou) and so are those red leather magazine ‘bags’ $129 and lots of leather boxes with white stitching in red black and brown are $149.
Warning! Warning! Shorts are going to be everywhere this summer. Be afraid. Very afraid if you are over 30 (age and kilos). and ink and pastels are haunting me. If you go for pastels be careful they can look so cheap not chic .Thank God Green is the colour du jour. And why a mass market brand doesn’t do a copy of the Gucci aviators is beyond me. And watch out too there are trench coats everywhere so look before you buy. Target: Have a soft pink belted cotton trenchcoat (if you like pink) $69. Sportsgirl: Have got SG denim cord pink jean jacket $89,(also in green) denim trousers cropped just over the knee with a cuff are cool $79, there is a car coat in pink or green $89, extra long cotton singlets shoe string straps $24. Witchery: have a belted DB cotton trench in shiny cotton $189 in pink, a beautiful caramel leather blazer $349,a belted DB trench with epaulettes in dark Khaki cotton is a great buy $229. On sale are the groovy round toe Gucci esque heels with horsebit detail now $119, singlets are in every colour $29 and there are some cool flat black punched leather pointy shoes with lacing detail $159. Portmans: Have a cute little spot very fifties strapless dress $119 and skirt $79. And I am getting scared seeing so many copies of a Birken bags and frayed Chanel jackets everywhere. Do I have to put my originals away? (I wish) Ojay : have done a red or black or camel canvas DB belted trench $299. Veronica Maine Have a nice cotton blazer for $269. Kookai: have done a Chanel style trimmed trench in yuk lilac and teal blue $289 and a very plain trench in navy $249 and really nice chiffon pinky Missoni style scarves $99. Check out the very bad taste early 80’s bags (very groovy) and a Helmut Lang bandage stye top $49. Seduce: have done a funky jersey print wrap dress $219. Cue: have a classic little cotton peacoat $269 and have some classic simple silky kit tops $79 and the crucial wardrone staple for summer, a cool pleated skirt $169. Dotti : have a bargain: a black and white tweed belted trench $99 .

Business:
David Jones: Has a rack of marc by marc jacobs dramatically reduced and 50% off Zimmerman.New in are some bags: I love the Lauren by Ralph Lauren black leather one. Very Balengiaga, roomy and you can carry it over your shoulder.it’s a must have and I want it for $350. Also in white. Don’t forget the Herve Chapeler bags are here in every shape and size for about $179 medium size. There are some new Kate Spade bags here too but there are quite expensive $600 for cotton canvas. And if you want some cool hats then get the groovy Gregory Ladner cord fedoras $59 very cool in hot pink, aubergine and camel. And down stairs check out the Jurlique and Tony and Tina and L”Occitane. Country Road: have a great black knit jersey Azzedine style pencil skirt with no split (better) $129 and their new range is classic but chic. You want the cotton cream chunky cardi ( no buttons) $139, long shell tops in different $129, a cotton canvas belted trench $299, a gorgeous low round neck cream rib cotton silk top $109 and a white racer back singlet with a silver sequin back $79.(seen last season in Seduce). Morrissey: has lots of new suiting in with some well cut jackets and a cool drapey dress with fish tail $399 in black jersey and there is a choc brown velvet blazer $499. Saba: Have a (surprise! surprise!).a pink or black cotton DB belted trench $595. Check out the new pieces like a chic knit shell top with ruching up the side $95. They are still on sale with some great buys like the Lanvin esque jewell encrusted black dresses $595 and 50% off lots of other pieces such as a Japanese print jersey dress $299 and the black velvet flocked dress now is $99. Third Millennium: are still on sale. You want the gorgeous black or cream silk lace trim cami now $220 or slip for $300 and a black light wool trench now $400.Lisa Ho: Has some gorgeous Gold T bar shoes now $300 and the divine new Erickson Beamon jewellery with earrings from $200. Gary Castles is still on sale: Missoni slingbacks now $299, khaki heels now $350 and black buckle heels now $299 but check out the new shoes by Boccacini: The snake skin heel in gold, bronze, silver are fab $499.

First:
Bally: are still on sale. You want the divine tall camel leather bag with a brass buckle now $700 ( the black version still full price $1400) some loafers round toe with bras buckle $350, the shopper black bag with signature stripe strap now $400. Gucci: I know I can’t keep away. But the sale keeps going and you must go in! There is 90% off some pieces like a Joan of Arc brown leather top now $690. There are ruched tops for $325 ,shiny jersey long sleeve tops now $300 and a fab signature leaf print jersey slinky top now $500. There is camel jacket now $1000.And of course new things: the signature stripe mules $590, crumpled cashmere scarves $560 and a cardigan with this season’s rose shape jeweled brooche $1400 and can I please have the green horsebit bag in the window? $6000! Fendi: Have some bags on sale and some new collection in for about $1400 in canvas and leather which are gorgeous and you want the limited edition divine leather bags for about $3000 (no really you do) YSL: ooh Lala the sale is still happening with 90% off some pieces.You want the orange knit top $210 ( true),the red straight satin skirt now $500, the blue purple knit top $1200, a black satin skirt now $580, the grey singlet with a chiffon trim $310. Shall I go on? Get a cotton red blazer ½ price for $1300 and a burgundy pink, orange, knit top $300 is fab, the orange cardigan is $430, a lime green knit top is now $600, a denim skirt is $600 and a pink knit top is $300. Mon dieu!

Clafoutis
No, it’s not a swear word! Clafoutis is a French traditional dessert from the Limousin area and often made with cherries. So there. And being a FiFi Francophile I think it’s a tres bonne idee to do a petit recipe Français to celebrate Bastille Day.

You need:
300mls milk or 11/2 cups ( or if you are being naughty do 1 cup of milk and ½ cup cream)
100g sugar
3 eggs
1 tab of vanilla essence
pinch salt
75g plain flour
330 g cherries, (or any other fruit) canned, pitted and drained.

Preheat the oven to 180
* Whack all the ingredients except the cherries or fruit in the whizzer or just beat them with a wooden spoon (they love it)
* Moisturize a cake tin. I’m thinking a round one is cool, but comme tu veux
* Pour ½ the battered mixture into the cake tin
* Throw on the canned drained and exhausted cherries
* Spread over the remaining batter over it.
* Go on lick that spoon those calories, don’t count
* Yum may be lick the bowl too.
* Sprinkle with sugar
* Pop in the oven
* Go and do your nails and put on a face mask
* Bake for about about 30 mins or more until it is risen and a lovely golden brown like Paris Hilton.
*Serve with lashings of cream and more sugar si tu veux sprinkled on the top

Mais oui! C’est bon ca n’est ce pas?

Touching The Void
I’ve never been mountain climbing but I wanted to see this movie because I thought it I would at least relate to it. Touching the void is after all just like paying off my credit cards. And was it a coincidence that I couldn’t find one girl who would come with me to see it! But it’s not a just a blokes movie, it’s a fantastic pseudo documentary about two English mountain climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, who make a distrastrous climb in The Peruvian Andes in 1985 and the movie recreates the whole drama interspersed with Joe and Simon telling their story. “All went well for three days until Joe breaks his leg. Simon tries to lower Joe down the mountainside but accidentally lowers him over a cliff. Simon knows he has to cut the rope to save himself” The photography is amazing even going into the crevasse where Joe fell after Simon cut the rope. Scary. But what is really incredible is that he then climbs deeper into the crevasse to find a way out. I sure know how that feels. A bit like buying more clothes because you are depressed your Amex has gone ballistic. But Joe does survives and so does Simon. This is an inspiration! If Joe Simpson can survive a fall into crevasse and climb down the mountain without food and drink with a broken leg, I know can go on a diet and I pay off that Amex one day. Anything is possible.

W July :It’s a thin issue so appropriately it’s about ‘broads’. Catherine Zeta Jones is on the cover and read about her inside “I’ve worked really bloody hard and I don’t get it, why people don’t go ‘good on her’? ” .Read about Estee Lauder and that Andy Warhol loved the perfume Beautiful and was buried with a bottle! And see Diane Von Furstenburg’s incredible flat in Paris.
Conde Nast Traveller July UK: This magazine is getting better and better. Wo doesn’t want to read about the insider’s guide to secret Tuscany ? Not so secret anymore after this article. Read about a long weekend in Porto Portugal, a gourmet sailing tour of Venice ( yes please!)and adventure sports in Corsica and has anyone heard of the tropical Islands off the coast of Cornwall called the Isles of Scilly? (amazing).
Australian Vogue August: There are pages of Sophie Holt from Country Road (at home wearing a Lanvin top, oops) and lots of lifted stories from US and UK Vogues. Dressing for your shape from US Vogue, a profile on Kate Huson we’ve already read.I like the shoot on shorts, very Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver.