ECONOMY
Can I just say that there is not much around. Everyone is going on sale and it’s the end of the season. So save your money on economy (buy cheap buy twice) and spend the money on buying the fabulous quality that’s discounted! (like Gucci!) Remember a more structured pretty lady like look is back for winter.
Target: Have the ‘Sigerson Morrison’ heeled thongs in black and white. $19.99, some hibiscus print beach bags $19.95, and a big net nylon beach bags $7.99
Sportsgirl: Still have the best cheap chandelier earrings and have copied the JAR diamond ones that Gwyneth wore on the cover of UK Vogue $19.95 and check out other ring diamante drop earrings $24.95.There’s a cute black strapless 50’s dress $159, a vintage print version $89.95. Cute denim shorts $49.95. Also check out the Lanvin inspired beaded cami in black and flesh $99.
Esprit have a cute simple black satin lace trim or flesh cami $59.95.
Witchery :Have cute short full cotton Ra Ra skirts with a drawstring in every colour $39.95, chocolate brown one shouldered sheer (J.Lo Oscar style) dress $129.95.
Sass and Bide have done a cute white singlet with reindeers and Art et Style across the front $79.
Scooter have opened in The Glass house and have a cute nicer version of the heeled plastic thongs in different colours $39.95, also cool coloured Gola and Diesel trainers $299.
BUSINESS
Georg Jensen (Centrepoint: Yes! you have to go in there!) OK so it’s not fashion but I must mention the most beautiful glass crystal Christmas decorations for about $36, and check out the silver 3 dimensional snowflake $218.
David Jones has Marc for Marc Jacobs reduced 30%. Not a lot you want but there’s a camel or blue canvas skirt now $349. Also Theory is 30% off and there are great suits for work (their pants are a great cut). Check out the cool white safari style jacket now $499,Hugo by Hugo Boss is also on sale.
Boss for Hugo Boss winter has arrived with lots of divine things: a brown sequin top $439, grey tweed pants $468, white chunky poncho $489 and a fabulous cream chunky crop knit sweater $359 and a long sleeved T $149.
Longchamps has always has great bags for travelling or work and have their winter collection in. Check out the black slouch bag $695, a great nylon messenger bag perfect for travelling in all colours with a choc brown trim $269 and a really big nylon overnight bag just $279.
Jigsaw has done a cute ‘Prada’ style chiffon square neck top with a pretty bead trim and short sleeves in black or pink $169, a gorgeous cream (or light blue) cropped cable poloneck sweater $129 (perfect for casual weekends away!) and buy some of the chic embroidered cotton night gown $89 or pyjamas $119 and you can donate some money to Ovarian cancer.
Furla: have a fab Kelly style bag just arrived in red and white Large $920 or small $830.
Saba: Have some cool chiffon dresses if you want some 80’s colour and print $295 and a pretty caftan dress $345 (also a 30% off sale on selected items
FIRST CLASS
Robbie Ingham is having a 30/% sale on Helen Cherry.
Belinda (MLC) The new Marni cruise collection has arrived with too many pieces to mention and they have just unpacked the new Dries Van Noten winter range and it’s gorgeous. The shop is bursting with beautiful clothes. Also check out the one off couture Michelle Jank evening dresses $13000 (no typos it’s $13000!) and divine Lanvin dresses.
Chanel has their cruise collection in. There is a divine pink and white tweed coat $7403 (bring it on!) pretty bags $2100, an amazing pale grey rubber sportsbag $2500, and pretty cotton scarves $209.
Gucci: is on sale too! 30% off selected items like the black patent stilettos now about $500.Lots of bags and check out the cute Yes/No flip the coin keyring (but how could you hesitate in Gucci?). Also more pieces of their Cruise collection has arrived with gorgeous Kimino sleeves tops $975.
David Jones: The Paul Smith winter is in and it is very beautiful with a Sonia Delaunay style print silk dress $2295, a simple black jacket $1495 and so many pieces I could be writing for hours!
Yves Saint Laurent. is also on sale! 30% off! Get in and grab the short camel or black trench and you’ll never regret it, $2025. There is a fab black jersey flip skirt now $520. Check out the black ankle strap stilettos $720 and lots more! The new Y.S.L cruise collection has just arrived too and what can I say? You want the burgundy pink and red wide stripe top $990, the white safari jacket with gold buttons $3735,the most divine black lace cami $1375 etc etc..

Love actually
This movie had a great review from Lee Tulloch in OZ Vogue but the New York Times said Hugh Grant slept all through his performance! (Probably true but I don’t mind Hugh when he’s asleep and he’s soo handsome as the Prime Minister!) And who can’t love a movie with Colin Firth sitting in a house in France in a chunky sweater? Unapologetically romantic this movie doesn’t pretend to be anything else than one big schmaltzy ‘Love in’ with not one but 8 love stories. Not as funny as ‘Four Weddings’ you just have to relax sit back and enjoy it and ignore the few really wet pommie scenes. Emma Thompson and Laura Linney are both fantastic, Keira Knightly is beautiful (but asleep too) The central theme is that ‘Love is all around’ and it’s heart is on the right place (it’s a pity some of the jokes weren’t) but what a lovely sentiment for Christmas!

Worst case Scenario Survival handbook: Christmas
Can’t resist mentioning this one! This is so funny with chapters on How to silence carol singers, Rescue someone from a chimney, How to fend of a charging reindeer or Escape a stampede of shoppers! $29 Major bookshops
The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
So it had a Women’s Weekly book club sticker on it, that won’t put me off! This is the hot read for holidays and had rave reviews. A “spellbinding love story about a man caught by the whims of time travel and the woman who must wait for his return”

The members of N’sync have been accused of racism (not our sweet Justin?)
Madonna has endorsed the Democrats candidate Wesley Clarke.
‘Friends’ will end with a wedding or two with Phoebe marrying Mike.( sorry)
Nicole has split from Lenny: he’s dating a Brazilian (for obvious reasons!).
Cherie Blair had leg surgery but everyone thinks it’s her eyes that look better!
Kate Moss is in the next Burberry’s campaign with Mick Jagger’s son.
Heidi Klum is pregnant to 54 yr old Flavio (Naomi’s ex).
John Travolta has been invited by NASA to go into Space.
The filming of Baz Lurhman’s Alexander the Great is going ahead.
Bobby Brown charged with assault and battery on Whitney Houston.
Robert de Niro and his divorced wife Grace are back together again.
Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze have split.
Renee Zellwegger is a only size 10 (they just have the clothes tight so she looks fatter as Bridget.
Mario Testino shot the Christmas card for Prince Charles, Harry and Wills
Nicky Hilton has dyed her hair brown (oh my god!).
Diana Krall and Elvis Costello got married.
Selma Blair is marrying Ahmet Zappa (son of the late Frank Zappa) and was in secret fittings with Karl Lagerfeld for her Chanel wedding dress (so secret that only I know!).

http://www.vivre.com
This is the website of the catalogue “Vivre” full of the world’s leading luxury brands. They say “so much of what compliments our lifestyles is acquired through one centuries old activity: shopping! Could not have said it better myself! They don’t yet ship to Australia but you can always use your New York friend’s address! Go into outrageously Vivre for the mini Moet belt (Bumbag for your Moet) or just check out and drool over all the fashion.
http://www.jacquelinestallone.com/rumps.html
This too funny and kooky! Sylvester’s mother will read your fortune by your bottom! (Book in J.LO!) She asks you to send in shots. Can it be serious? Crickey!!

Vanity Fair Jan 04 has Viggo Mortensen on the cover (Surprise Surprise); there is a fab story on the icons of modernism with shots of Florence Knoll Basset and Philip Johnson.A great read for the beach.
UK Vogue Jan 04 has Natalia Vodianova on the cover and a fab story on what’s new for 2004 (Delete sixties Keep prints! Delete Utility, Keep pretty! Delete silver, Keep Gold!). And the amazing groovy house of the owner of the Vintage shop in L.A ‘Decades’.
UK Elle Jan Has Gwyneth on the cover “I am not Kate or Sadie I am a nerd” (Yeh right) but not much else in this magazine (not worth buying)

Diane Von Furstenburg is doing home wares and has designed a rug for The Rug Company.
The Tate Modern will have a Brancusi exhibition from end of Jan 04.
Ebay has launched an on line magazine called Personal Style (for middle America).
Smoking rooms are now the new groove in many hotels in London (says UK Vogue).
The first jewellery only Gucci store opened in Beverly Hills.
Nick Knight shot the 2004 Pirrelli calendar with models like Kate Moss.
Jonathon Glazer the filmmaker who did Sexy Beast is making ‘Birth’ with Nicole Kidman.
The fabulous travel guides Style City will be releasing Amsterdam and San Francisco in 2004.
Ex US Vogue editor Plum Sykes first novel Bergorf Blondes will be out April.
The Queen Mary 2 the biggest ocean liner 1,132 feet will start her maiden voyage Jan 12
The cult book The House of Sand and Fog is being made into a movie with Jennifer Connolly and Ben Kingsley and gets a great review in Vanity Fair.
The Chanel ads for the new “Ligne Cambon” handbags launching in April will be shot by Lagerfeld and feature French actress Vanessa Paradis.
Hip-hop impresario Damon Dash is launching an oversize glossy ‘dual gender’ fashion magazine in Feb with photographers like Terry Richardson, Bruce Weber, David LaChapelle and Ellen Von Unwerth.

This is the time of year where we all need help. Full stop. Dot com. Help. It’s imperative to look fabulous: You owe it to your friends who have put up with you being a slob all year! That’s why you won’t be be able to live without the Benefit Ooh La Lift! THE best under eye concealer and just what you need after all those late nights! It gets rid of puffiness and dark circles (true I swear!). It comes in a handy wand, has light reflecting pigments which looks fabulous in photos and you’ll look so young everyone will think you’ve had work! $32 Grace Bros.

Christmas ain’t Christmas without a Christmas tree! But if you don’t want the full on tree or just want something for the table then how can you say no to the absolutely gorgeous little Juniper mini trees in Parterre Garden? Gift wrapped $25. And if you want to spurge then pop the tree in divine red handmade Spanish glass vases $125. For the table I haven’t seen anything better than the chic twig and crystal Christmas tree in Atmosphere $32 (8354 1571). Plus get some groovy disco balls (also seen in The Chanel Boutique) in Bayswiss for $15! Oh and Target has Santa hats for $1!

So this is Christmas and what have you done? Mmm probably nothing about presents yet! So as a special Christmas treat here’s a quick roundup of the best shops to run into when you are hysterical and need cheap but chic Christmas presents at the last minute!
Bristol and Brooks (9232 8699 full of designer everything) Aero (9380 8856 ditto) Eighteen Ten (9362 4890 cool dinky things) Mondo (9362 4964 same) Boxx (9280 1878 chic home wares) Plane Tree Farm (9328 1276 great for bath products) L’Occitaine and Aveda (both have great gift wrapping), Gowings, PPF (9223 9544 Strand Arcade) Ici et La (9699 4266 French stripes!) Australian Geographic (do your family in half an hour) Opus (funny things) T2 (fantastic for Tea and cakes) M.C.A gift shop, Top3 by design (top3.com.au) Stacks of Wax (for fab candles) Mrs red and Sons (9310 4860 cute Chinese things) and Simon Johnson (divine chocolates) and Orson & Blake (of course!)

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“What a dag has been waiting for all her life. Congratulations!
“That Joan Rivers comment about Sept 11 was outrageous last week!

“I don’t care what you do as long as the tattoos match up when you’re finished!” Ozzy Osbourne to his surgeon!
“I need to Retox” UK Elle on drinking for Christmas.
“Too much of a good thing is wonderful” Mae West.
“We’ve got past being hugely extravagant” Posh Beckham on spending $50,000 in Dolce & Gabbana.
“Being rich can be expensive” W magazine.
“I want to compliment you on your conduct on probation.” Judge to Winona Ryder.
“It’s going to do more than any business I’ve ever had, put it that way, including my illegal business, which we all know did $5 million a year. Only this time, it’s legal.” Heidi Fleiss on her new shop called Hollywood Madam.
“Will Botox move at altitude? Will it defrost on the slopes?” Good question from UK Vogue
“His is one of my favourite shops I’ve NEVER been to” Nicole on the vintage shop Decades where her stylist has been to.
“Nicole is so long and Renee so little they are like Laurel and Hardy” Anthony Minghella on making Cold Mountain.
“I would love to have boobs and a butt like Jennifer Lopez” Nicole Kidman (not her brain too?).
“But my head is on straight. Even the way I’ve dressed these days has changed”. Paris Hilton on life after her sex tape. (Changed for the better or just changed?)

CHRISTMAS LIST:
The Well Lived Life by Dominique Browning (editor of US House & Garden)
What a gorgeous big glossy coffee table book! Chosen from over a century of House & Garden magazine, it is full of the best shots of glamourous people, houses and amazingly enough gardens! With shots from Horst to Irving Penn you must have this book for Christmas!
Elizabeth David’s Christmas by Jill Norman
This is a lovely book if you love Christmas, eating, cooking and reading!

Fresh Fruit Tart
This dessert is a cinch! It’s the perfect summer dessert and another of FiFi’s cheeky cheating cooking classes! Basically it’s about buying the pastry, cooking it as a base, filling it with yogurt or custard and topping it with divine fresh berries. Outrageously easy!
.
I packet of short crust pastry (The flat square sheets).
3 or 4 gorgeous mixed red berries.
A carton of vanilla Fruche or vanilla Yogurt (tastes just like Marscapone and not so fattening).
Icing sugar.

Grease and moisturize a baking tray or tart tin with butter.
Line the baking tray with the sheets of pastry right up to the edges so you can hold in the yogurt (join up the sheets with a little bit of water).
Prick the pastry with a fork all over so it doesn’t puff up when it’s cooked.
Whack into the oven and bake at 180 for 20 mins or until it’s just golden.
Don’t worry if it looks a bit rustic, a bit Boho chic: that’s the idea!
Let it cool completely and then take it out of the baking tray and pop on a chic white platter that you will serve it on. Who cares if it breaks a little (the tart I mean).
When it’s cool, fill the pastry shell about ½ way with the yogurt or cold custard.
Then gently pile up the fabulously chic red berries!
Wow! Look at that …so impressive! Takes you back to that country house in France doesn’t it?.

Feeling even more adventurous and have more time on your hands because that was so quick? Time to make this an Oscar winning dessert with a quick de la quick Coulis! (It’s incredibly easy: would I lie to you?).

Toss some chopped strawberries (maybe a punnet) in a saucepan on low heat.
Add some water to cover it and ½ a cup of sugar and mash the strawberries with a fork.
Cook them till the sugar dissolved and the Coulis is all soft and runny.
Add a dash of wine or vanilla essence to ‘joushi’ it up.
Remember you are not making jam (well you can if you want to!) so don’t cook it for long (maybe 5 mins: You want to be able to drizzle it doll)
Let the Coulis cool!

Just before you serve the old tart drizzle the Coulis over the fruit and sprinkle some icing sugar for a grand finale!
Voila! Remember let the yogurt dribble out of shell out on to the plate for a bit of added Je ne sais quoi! Delicieux!