To the Channel 7 studios for a public performance by
Justin Bieber. This was a dangerous mission. About five thousand teenyboppers were there in the streets in the grip of
Biebermania.
Bieber is minute, tiny-perfectly formed. Undeniably as cute as a button, confident and extremely professional.
Someone I first mistook for a slightly older fan, his mum, confirmed my suspicions. Far from being a phenomena on youtube with the home produced films of his singing, Justin has been attending every known class for dance and song since he was about 3. Which
isn't long ago.
The police called off the outside performance claiming it unsafe. Those of us privileged to be inside stood as far as we could from the
giant plate glass windows facing Martin Place that seemed to throb as waves of tearful hysteria come from the wild eyed girls in the street.
Justin was singing and dancing in front of us, the fans outside were going berserk. 3 constables manned the barricades just a metre from the windows which I was sure were about to crack as the girls surged forward to rip little Justin to pieces. There wouldn't be much of Justin to go around.
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| Firass Dirani |
Another small star had a victory of some sorts. Firass Dirani who stars as nightclub promoter John Ibrahim in the purported tale of Kings Cross police corruption Underbelly, The Golden Mile has been voted Cosmo's Bachelor Of The Year at the Zeta Bar in the Hilton Hotel. Firass is about the same size as Bieber but thankfully, the camera lies. He looks like a 6 foot hunk in the series. He does have piercing blue eyes though. Or are they contacts?.
By contrast the party at the Bulgari on the same night to launch their exhibition of famous jewellery was as good as it gets. The chilled Louis Roederer champagne and Belinda Frank's catering helped.
The Bulgari family have been buying up some of their previous masterpieces for years and this exhibition features some of the treasures. It was in Rome last week, will be in Sydney for another 7 days and then heads for Paris. They won't quite say who owned some of the diamonds and rubies but a few names get mentioned in passing.
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| Diamond Liz |
The Duchess of Manchester was a
Bulgari fan.
Elizabeth Taylor still is. Apparently when Liz was filming
Cleopatra and began her affair with
Richard Burton, her then husband
Eddie Fisher plied her with
Bulgari jewels in an effort to woe her back.
Burton did likewise and won the fight. Taylor ended getting Fisher's invoice from
Bulgari which he had refused to pay.
Bulgari never did get payment but figured having Liz wearing their creations was more than enough in publicity value.
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| The Seven Wonders |
One amazing necklace must be seen to be believed. The Seven Wonders of The World is one large emerald surrounded by 6 slightly smaller ones in a diamond encrusted necklace. That's about 160 carats of emeralds and around 116 of diamonds.
It was purchased by an Italian industrialist as a wedding present for his wife. Years later when she had to go into an aged nursing home she sold it back to Bulgari on the understanding it wouldn't be re-sold while she was alive.
When she was filling in the form for the retirement home she got to the part that said "occupation'. "I've never worked " she puzzled." what should I put " She wrote-'well off' !.
The award, sponsored by Bulgari, consists of $50,000 for acquisition
of the painting and a residency for the artist in Italy valued at
$30,000. The total award of $80,000 makes it one of the most valuable
art awards in Australia.
And the award is presented at a slap-up dinner for around 100 guests. This year's chef : Tony Bilson, the Godfather of Australian cuisine.
