• “David Hicks can’t tell difference between solitary confinement and Adelaide. Human rights groups have called Hicks’ return to Adelaide proof the Howard government endorses the use of torture” The Chaser
• “She’s never been alone… This is real time out." Kathy Hilton on Paris’ time in jail. (She has never been to Adelaide!)
• "Why should there be prejudice against someone who’s had success and looks a little better than average? It’s my genes, so don’t hold it against me." Cameron Diaz on looking fabulous
• "It was uncomfortable, like wearing pantyhose everywhere." Jessica Alba on her Fantastic Four costume. It’s in her genes. If you had that body you’d wear panty hose all day too.
• "It’s ridiculous to ban contraceptives. You only have to think of the diseases that are transmitted without them. I think it should be compulsory to use a contraceptive." Giselle Bunchen on the Pope’s ban. It’s in her genes. No diseases for her.
• “It was itchy and scratchy and I couldn’t eat anything that would stain it. So no chili or tomato soup." Steve Carrell on transmittable diseases? No, on the challenges of wearing a long beard for the film Evan Almighty
• "About a year ago I called him on his tour bus and heard giggling voices in the background. After that I said, ‘No more girls on the bus.” Katherine Heigl, on her no-groupies policy for musician fiancé Josh Kelley. No itchy scratchy diseases.
• "I don’t disagree with anything Tom says. I just have an opinion on things, and there is nothing wrong with stating your opinion” John Travolta on agreeing with Tom Cruise. Oh dear. Agreeing with Tom is a scratchy itchy disease.
• “Paris is known for her variety of looks, this season it’ll be stripes. The judge who sentenced Paris Hilton said he had considered a community service order instead of jail, but had decided that Hilton could best serve the community by being removed from it” The Chaser
• “More problems today for Paris Hilton in prison. Apparently she saw another woman wearing the exact same outfit that she had on.“ Jay Leno (Stripes are in).
• "Somebody sent her some family photos and she tried to put some on the wall and the guard came in and ripped them off." Kathy Hilton on Paris in Jail. Probably shots of her in bad stripe outfits.

Thick, Black, Opaque is all you need on your legs this winter. I am not talking about the hair on your thighs. I am talking about pantyhose covering it. Keep away from horrid, sheer, black hosiery and go for the only hosiery to be seen in this season: Dark black in 40 Denier or more. The best place for cheap but chic pantyhose? Target. You will find a two pack of 40 denier black opaque tights for just $8.99. So, so comfortable and so, so soft they cover everything. Including the Amex bill when you take them off at the end of the day. Handy.
$8.99 Black Opaque Tights from Target.

Sales!

• Once in a Blue Moon Sale at My Island Home
• Peter Lang Warehouse Sale…Winter Clearance and samples
  Friday 6th July - Midday-5pm and Saturday 7th July - 10am-4pm
  Cash & credit cards welcome
  12-14 Victoria Street, Alexandria

What’s the next best thing to snuggle into this winter after George Clooney? Something to bring a smile to your face? A gorgeous Gucci faux fur Chubby will do that during the day but what will make you roll around laughing with delight at night? (Insert chubby joke here). The Missoni luxurious wool blanket called ‘Funny’. Designed with the fabulous Missoni signature woven stripe on one side and a sexy, solid colour on the reverse it’s absolutely divine.  Available in two sizes and three colour ways it will make you as happy as a day shopping in Prada or a night on surfing on Net a porter.
Hint: Apply Erase Those Fine Lines after all that smiling.
$1095 Missoni wool Blankets http://www.spenceandlyda.com.au/index.php/plain_user/brands/missoni/bedding/funny

The focus for beauty this season is still on the eyes. Which is good because lips get enough attention from talking, eating and drinking. More drinking than eating since we are in fashion. The eyes have it this season and you need a dark, dark eye pencil. The snazzy ModelCo black eyeliner pencil. It’s easy to apply (if you are sober), has staying power (more than you can say about your boyfriend) and it looks fabulous. Plus - and here’s the moist exciting bit - it has an inbuilt sharpener in the lid. So no more blunt instruments! (Tell that to your boyfriend). No more wasting time scrambling around the bathroom looking for a sharpener. You can now do your makeup in a thrice. More time for talking and drinking.

$24 ModelCo Colourbox Eye Pencil with inbuilt sharpener.

• In London? Head off to Glastonbury festival on June 22 to 24. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
• Designer Gianfranco Ferre has died after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 62.
• Baron Guy de Rothschild, the patriarch of the Rothschild family has died at 98. He was famous (with his late wife Marie-Helene) for throwing some of the most lavish balls of the 20th Century.
• Kate Moss’ company, Skate Enterprises, revealed her earnings in the past year doubled from £2.2 million to £4.4 million – and the final figure doesn’t include the £3 million she was paid to design her TopShop line.
• Inacio and Ribeiro and Suzanne Clements have parted ways with Cacharel.
• In New York, a seriously high-wattage crowd, including hosts Diane von Furstenberg and Anna Wintour, Calvin Klein and Christian Louboutin, showed up to celebrate Lapo Elkann and his new sunglasses line at the Gramercy Park Hotel. "His grandfather was the most stylish man I ever met," said Carolina Herrera, referring to the late Gianni Agnelli. WWD
• Off to New York? Check out the Whitney museum’s current exhibit, "Summer of Love." http://www.whitney.org/www/exhibition/SOL_exhib.jsp
• Old-fashion heroes never die in Paris. They get invited to make pastries. Claude Montana unveiled a cake he "designed" for the legendary Café de la Paix. He calls the white chocolate and passion fruit confection set on a coconut biscuit "Passion Victim." WWD
• Designer Marc Newson and girlfriend UK stylist Charlotte Stockdale are pregnant.
• Karl Lagerfeld wants to make a fairy tale out of Fendi’s new fragrance. At a party to fete the launch of the new scent Palazzo, the designer unveiled a book with the same name. Featuring a series of photos by Lagerfeld, the hardback — scripted by Amanda Harlech — tells the story of modern Roman princess Allegra, played by model Raquel Zimmermann, in a love triangle with American fiancée Burt (model Brad Kroenig) and Italian ex-flame Bartolomeo (model Jake Davis). Lagerfeld shot the book’s images in the 14th-century Palazzo Taverna in January, where he also captured Zimmermann for the advertising campaign. "Palazzo" will be sold in several independent bookstores, including Colette in Paris. WWD
• Corso Como 10, one of Milan’s most iconic fashion stores, is expanding further in Asia. Owner Carla Sozzani will will open a 15,000-square-foot fashion emporium, complete with a restaurant, gallery and bookshop, in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong district next spring. WWD
• Natalia Vodianova, a regular fixture in Calvin Klein ads since 2003, is being replaced in the upcoming Calvin Klein Collection campaign by Finnish model Suvi. The reason: Vodianova is seven months pregnant. WWD
• Gabriel Aubry, Halle Berry’s model boyfriend, is returning once again for a Calvin Klein campaign shot by Mikael Jansson.
• For winter Burberry is channeling its darker side. Mario Testino will shoot in the usual black-and-white. However, the models — Agyness Dean, Lily Donaldson, Georgia Frost, and Kiera Gormley — are wearing black coats and sporting some serious stares from a set made to resemble an English townhouse. Christopher Bailey said it was time for a change. "The campaign is focused on the medieval mood of the show, using the Prorsum knight as a reference point for the attitude of the cast, the handmade wallpaper and the spirit and mood of the image’.

http://www.whitestripes.com/
The white stripes site is very a very cool design. As Style.com reports ‘ The White Stripes’ much-ballyhooed sixth album, Icky Thump, lands today. But serious fans will be skipping logging on to the group’s Web site for these limited-edition Jack and Meg USB flash drives. The collector’s items—featuring the musicians in the custom-made "Pearly King and Queen" garb they wear on the new release’s cover—come loaded with the complete album and 512 megabytes of memory. ‘

http://www.carhire.com.au/
Need to hire a car? Want to compare the best price from all the different car hire companies? Of course you do. Why waste money on hiring a car when there are shoes to buy? You will get the best deal here.

• There are rumors going around that Nicole Ritchie is pregnant to Joel Madden. He gave her a huge rock surrounded by more diamonds. But the real evidence? The couple went out for dinner but Nicole refused all alcohol. A first for her. “I can’t figure out what’s more horrifying, that people are actually having sex with Nicole Richie or that she’s carrying a baby in that tiny little body of hers. There’s no way she’s going to be able to carry this child to term. She can barely eat enough to keep herself alive. And can you imagine her trying to raise a child? An erupting volcano would make a better parent “. Reports thesuperficial
• ‘Oh lord … here we go again … there is new speculation that Katie Holmes is pregs again after the release a few suspicious photos from her visit to Madrid. But almost as soon as her alleged burgeoning bump was spotted it disappeared again. Are we in for another year of the amazing inflating/deflating Katie Holmes baby bump all over again? For humanity’s sake, I sincerely hope she is not pregs again. I’m not sure we’re quite ready to take on another Suri-like creature — one is quite enough. We still don’t know the full magnitude of the first one. I think it’s best to let sleeping robotic babies lie … securely packed away in their boxes.’ Reports pinkisthenewblog
• Britney Spears is threatening legal action against a Florida radio station that used a bald-headed photo of the pop star on billboards that appear to call her sanity into question. “She could have avoided the whole thing completely by not shaving her head or flashing a Brazilian. Now she’s driving around in her bra. She’s reaching whole new levels of stupidity. Lindsay Lohan could spend the next eight years of her life drinking paint and I’m not sure she’d ever be able to catch up with Britney.” Reports thesuperficial
• Lindsay Lohan has called off her 21st Birthday Bash scheduled for Las Vegas in a couple of weeks and sponsored by Svedka Vodka. She is still in rehab. I’ll drink to that.
• Friends of Hugh and Jemima say a wedding is on the cards.
• Tara Reid still alive and still dumb.
• Britney still has no clue how to dress.
• Fembot Victoria Beckham celebrated the launch of her dVb denim line yesterday at Saks Fifth Avenue. “It’s difficult to believe women actually want to look like her. She’s skinny, but she barely looks human anymore. I could put together a more natural looking person with some brooms and some tape’ says thesuperficial
• Nicole Kidman celebrated her 40th birthday with Keith Urban. No drinks. Brooms and a tape?
• Uma Thurman is now dating David White, an actor-director-producer.
• Julia Roberts has a new bouncing baby boy, Henry Daniel Moder.
• Naomi Campbell came dressed as an angel for the costume party for Greece’s Prince Pavlos’s 40th birthday in London. Sweet.

Fathers and Sons: The Autobiography of a Family by Alexander Waugh
‘The scion of an illustrious—and fabulously eccentric—English literary dynasty referees four generations of father-son antagonisms in this scintillating family memoir. Waugh (God) focuses on the fraught relationship between his great-grandfather, prominent critic and publisher Arthur Waugh, and Arthur’s son, the famous novelist Evelyn. Waugh often lets the diaries and letters of his compulsively self-documenting subjects carry the story, sprinkling in smarmy family anecdotes and his own color commentary. If this tome were merely an excuse to reprint some of Evelyn’s hilarious jottings, it would be well worth the price,. Somehow the British literary aristocracy — Mitfords, Nicolsons and Pakenhams, among others - have a flair for extravagant, even histrionic lives that are great fun to read about. ‘
$18 http://www.amazon.com Publisher: Nan A. Talese (May 29, 2007)

The Christmas List
A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style (Hardcover) by Susanna Salk
‘Those were the days…. Yes, those were really the days. Not focusing on wealth or position, WASP style has nothing to do with religion or money but rather a time when there was something “profoundly comforting” in the “infinite consistency” of this way of life. Defined not only by the style of clothing worn but what was done and spoken, where they lived, how they played or entertained, and even what they ate. It goes without saying that WASP style has launched many of today’s fashion trends (Ralph Lauren, J. Crew) and still bespeaks an elegant, casual way of dressing. More importantly it reminds us of a kinder, gentler way of life’. Chic
$26 http://www.amazon.com Publisher: Assouline (April 2007)

Economy class:
Witchery:
On sale best buys are: The cute little black jersey T shirt dress with a bubble turned up hem now $109, and love the black satin trapeze dress with shoe string sheer chiffon straps now $129. I see that with a black patent belt and opaque pantyhose and a trench for day. Or throw it over a white T to dress it down. You could even throw it over a black poloneck. Don’t look at the fabrics and immediately think evening. Try the stone DB short, crop trench in a shiny silky fabric $199 and the T shirt short dress with puff sleeves and slightly trapeze, now $49. This dress is and will be everywhere next season so buy one now and wear it and thrash it. Especially for that price. Buy up on the fur trimmed parkas now $149. Same thing, wear it and thrash it. Buy the crop stone chinos, a bit short but what do you want for $49? The A line short trapeze 50’s wool textured jacket is chic for $199. There are lots and lots of trousers in every shape and colour and ditto cami tops. Not on sale but check out the black big loose black sheer chiffon T shirt dress with black sequins dripping down the front $149, the big tan leather bags for about $189 and the seriously silver sequin crop bolero jacket, sparkles! $199. Also check out the basics here such as simple cotton skirts and classic tops. Shoes are not tickling my black Amex.
French Connection:
On sale and what a great sale it is too. Best buys are the fabulous navy and black floral print summer dress now $59. It has shoes string-ish straps, a lace up front and then flows out into a fuller skirt. It’s a fab cut because I whipped it on and I saw it covered all sorts of awful lumps. Wear this dress with black opaque hose and patent wedges, throw it over a black knit and wear now. Navy and black is still the hot colour combination. Also buy the fab silver metallic in dark or light grey puffa jackets, these you cannot wear in summer but you can wear with heels and a pencil skirt. Now $69? I think so. Also buy the the fab, very Petit Bateau stripe zip hoodies in a cream with a black stripe. I have been raving about these for weeks and they are in a very comfortable stretchy knit now $59. Also in a red with a cream stripe. Check out black velvet skinny jeans now $69 and the beautiful dark grey crop pants in an expensive looking lightweight wool now about $59. There are great print tops Boho tops in cotton and the black cotton DB trench is now $299. The navy and gold stripe sequin mini dresses a la Marc Jacobs are now $99. Love the frill neck silk shift dresses and wrap heresy dresses with huge bell sleeves now about $59.
Cue:
On sale: Buy the Prada-ish navy satin empire T shirt with yellow lining on the short sleeves for you $67, mix it with black and you will be very groovy. And think of the mileage you get from your wardrobe. Buy the drawstring satin bronze tank with a round neck line that has a drawstring and a ribbon tie now about $89. Great for layering over simple balck knits and throwing on with jeans. Check out the Prada-ish blue satin square neck Trapeze empire dress, now $129 and the silky version. The jeweled bronze taffeta silk trapeze mini dress is now $129. There are a lot of short short crop cardigans if you still like cardigans - and you may – for about $80. Buy the new navy and sleeveless brown chiffon print dress with a belted front $169 and the basic black shift dress $209 that has a belt. There are lots of work wardrobe pieces that I don’t need because I don’t work. I shop. Bless those of you who have to go to an office. You have my full sympathy.

Business Class:
Country Road:
There are a lot of great new pieces just arrived: buy the winter cream long line parka with a silver zip and drawstring waist, it’s gorgeous and also comes in a dark khaki almost black $198. Love the drawstring eyelets cami with a ribbon front in khaki, black and cream for you for just $48. It has an elastic hem. That is retail price not sale, excellent value. The black patent round toe heels are fab with a groovy wooden stacked block heel $178, the stripe racer back zip front tank is cute $59 and the cream boho hippie smock top in a silk is not bad at all $139. The smock top is also in the navy and red. Chic. Check out the cream crop parka ¾ sleeves with an elastic waist - for you $199 and the white T shirts with the drape front, elastic hem and puff sleeves is adorable in a lot of colours and skims over the bumps - for you $59. I see a lot of fabulous navy trousers and cute little skirts. Love the seamless tanks for about $29. Buy them up for under everything they are so soft and comfortable. Even if you eat.
Veronika Maine:
Best buys in the sale are the very Marni grey big voluminous ¾ structured jacket. It’s almost a cocoon shape and awfully chic. It’s collarless and buttonless and has big balloon sleeves. On the hanger it’s a no go, but it’s great when you try it on as it has so much structure. It will look fab with skinny black pants or leggings and it will cover all lums and bumps. Wear it with a pencil skirt or throw it over jeans and a t shirt with silver ballet flats. Go on, I insist. Now $174. Check out the tan oatmeal long sleeve T with bell sleeves now $66 and the simple, round neck check crop jacket $122. Also check out dull gold/mustard taffeta loose top with balloon sleeves and a round neck now $187. Yes, I know -  gold mustard taffeta but I think it works. Also there are racks of dresses to rifle through. Don’t forget THE dress is THE piece of the season and for summer, but buy now.
Max and Co:
Oh, I do love a sale here. It’s from 20% off. Buy the gorgeous light grey nobly wool short jacket with hidden stud details and a high neck, now $432, the cute little dark grey silk cami now $108 and the sexy warm as toast red puffa jacket now $336. Check out the fabulous silk cashmere black halter top that comes with its own little cardigan attached to it. Which means if you want to cover your arms but show off the cleavage this top is for you. Now $208. There is a gorgeous black silk cashmere hoodie with a deep V neckline now $238. Buy the black chiffon V neck dress with a tie back and very black tie looking. It has straps wide enough for a bra and is divine now $200! Also check out the camel DB cashmere coat now $600, chic de la chic and the cream oatmeal single breasted belted coat now $680. Both a great buy for chilly days. Look for the fabulous green puffa jacket with a fur trim hood, now $400. Wear it at night over a sexy gold top. This jacket is not just about weekends in the country house. Buy the fab dark brown chiffon cami with black sequins, a bargain for $87. Buy the black rabbit fur bolero with a knit ruffle front now $600 and the stripe tops. I see pretty pink and red, chiffon, sleeveless floral dresses on sale too. Wear them now a la Burberry under a winter coat or trench. Mix up the fabrics and get more wear out of your wardrobe. Wear the dresses over a knit with black opaque hosiery and wedges.
Carla Zampatti:
It’s worth having a look here as I see THE dress of the season, the black Lanvin triple tiered dress with big sleeves now on sale for $274 and the navy and balck velvet leggings pants are now $249. Buy the fab cape in velvet with short sleeves and a ribbon front tie and wear it over a black polo or a white T with jeans and sexy heels. This is a great buy. Perfect for transeasonsal dressing and it’s the kind of thing that you can dress up and dress down, now on sale for $294.

First Class
Evelyn Miles:
I see lots of divine new shoes and bags to make you drool and struggle with the black Amex screaming to be let out of the wallet. Buy the faaaabulous marc Jacobs black pointy heels with huge black jewels on the toe $898. Yes, they are Marc Jacobs so you can do pointy, it’s a new pointy with a cone heel. Also available in a sling back wrap around strap version $898. The Miu Miu satin sling backs with a bejeweled diamante heel – been here for a while – are still gorgeous $898. Also buy the Miu Miu black satin flat sling backs with a black jet jewels on the toe $598 and the Barbara Bui ballet flats - but wait!- they have the toe cut off and a cute tiny gold between the toe clasp $498. Also in black or cream. There are gorgeous Miu Miu white patent peep toe sling back flats $598 and black patent pointy toe sling back flats. What? Comfortable and chic?. Whatever will they think of next? Love the Marc Jacobs black patent peep toe wedges with a white patent sole, so groovy also in a blush pink about $598. The Marc Jacobs jelly mouse shoes have just about sold out for $198 but I see some white ones left. Also drool over the black heels with a completely crystal cone heel- outrageous- and huge jewel fronts for $1180. Love the Marc Jacobs camel leather sling back sandals with a medium wooden cone heel, so good for shopping $598. In bags you want the Luella big tan or is it camel – leather two handle tote with a big gold hardware clasp $1300. The crazy tie dye Miu Miu bags in purple suede are a bit boho hippy luxe for moi: I am not so sure, a bit indulgent for $2000. Love the smaller Jimmy Choo bags as well.
Bally:
On sale with about 30% off. You will love the sivler ballet flats for about $375, also in a gold, so fabulous with everything. Buy the black and white espadrilles in a wedge on sale for $205 - also in flats. There are fab dull metallic gold wedge sling back sandals with plaiting now $385 and the flats version for about the same price. The summer rubber thongs with the black and white signature stripe strap are now about $100. Buy the black or gold evening bags with a gold clasp and a fab gold chain now $695. Gorgeous. Love the black peep toe heels with a gold trim now $485. In the bags there are some chic Balenciaga inspired bags on sale with silver hardware. Love the two handle tote about $800, the smaller bags about $700 and the snazzy choc brown slouch shoulder bag now about $700 and lots more…

Marinated lamb……From Bill Granger in Good Living
Roast lamb is the perfect meal on a cold, winter’s night. Bill suggests using Pomegranate Molasses (see recipes below) but I suggest, if you haven’t got pomegranates or can’t be bothered, to just throw in honey mixed with lemon. Serve with Harissa couscous and yogurt and coriander.
It’s good to marinate the lamb for a couple of hours so this is probably not an after work, mid week meal but rather lovely for a Saturday night in with George Clooney..
Make the Pomegranate Molasses at least the day before.

You need for about 6 hungry types or 4 gourmands or 10 fashionistas

80ml (1/3 cup) pomegranate molasses or ¼ cup honey mixed with lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1.5kg boneless butterflied lamb leg
Couscous
Yoghurt
Fresh Coriander

• Preheat the Oven.
• Pour the wine.
• Kick of the Jimmy Choos.
• Take off the Hermes leather cuff.
• Grate the fresh ginger.
• Mix the honey with lemon so it’s still a bit sticky. Think face mask.
• Grab a bowl and mix the pomegranate molasses or Honey mix with the fresh ginger, the dry coriander and cumin.
• Tackle the lamb and baste it with the marinade, then cover and throw in the fridge to slowly soak up the divine flavours for at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Pour another bottle of wine, grab the latest Vanity Fair and relax.
• It’s a good idea to take the lamb from fridge about half an hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to about 190.
• Grab the lamb and drain off the excess marinade. If only you could do that with your credit card.
• Whack the lamb on a baking tray with a bit of olive oil for moisterisation.
• Throw in the oven.
• They say for medium rare it should be cooked for 25 minutes per 500g plus 10-15 minutes.
• Please let it rest for 10 minutes covered loosely in foil.
• You should too. Rest (not be covered in foil).
• So delegate the making of the couscous to the handsome man lurking in the kitchen.
• Serve the lamb sliced thinly then drape it chicly over a bed of soft pretty couscous, then drizzle with yogurt.
• Accessorize with fresh green sprigs of coriander.
• Superb.

Pomegranate molasses
1.5 litres (6 cups) pomegranate juice
250ml (1 cup) lemon juice
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
• Place all the ingredients in an enamel saucepan over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, or until reduced to approximately 500ml (2 cups).
• Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely before placing in a jar. Keep refrigerated.
• Makes 2 cups.