Kevin Rudd's Wacky Cat Jasper

 Foreign Minister and former PM Kevin Rudd has another reason to celebrate following his successful heart operation two weeks ago, and the news that Colonel Gaddafi may be on the run (he was the only Australian politician to support the Libyan rebels when the coup began).

Kevin has won a competition to produce a unique Australian blend of Twinings afternoon tea. He knocked out 4 other challengers-shock jock Alan Jones, Kerri-Anne and John Kennerely , folk singer John Williamson and world surfing champ Layne Beachley. Proceeds from the sale of the tea go to the RSPCA.

Kev's recipe : smoky Russian Caravan with full bodied Irish Breakfast and then add light Ceylon Orange Pekoe. 
And to show how successful the blend is, we've unearthed a video of Kevin trying to coax his cat Jasper to taste the brew:

the return of The Bag

The Jackson family continues their endless exploitation celebration of Michael Jackson's demise life.

Germaine Jackson flew into town on Monday night for Who Magazine's party for singer Rhianna and announced a tour of the Jackson Family to  honour Michael's life. Who Magazine parties are a nightmare. You aren't allowed to take photos. Just to show there were no hard feelings we took some anyway.40 minutes was enough of this bun fight.

                                                                                                

Paloma Picasso and James Gordon

Time was pressing and Paloma Picasso beckoned at Tiffany for the launch of her new range of jewelery. It's been 12 years since Picasso was in town. Tiffany's party at their new Martin Place store was welcome relief and a low key affair with about 80 good customers and an endless supply of Billecart salmon brut champers.

Paloma lives in Marrakesh these

days and we are jealous. We had something in common. tSS and Paloma had frequented many of the same houses inhabited by expatriates in Marrakesh including the fabled home of the late Yves St Laurent, with it's magical sunken garden. Paloma's range of jewelry is heavily influenced by her Moroccan life with Arabic diagonal motifs.

The last Tiffany's party tSS went to was for Elsa Peretti. She invited us to travel to New Guinea with her 2 days later. We went. It was a big mistake. We'd go to Morocco with Paloma though. She's fun.

More importantly, Tiffany's signaled the end of the world-wide recession with the gift bag !. The gift bag had vanished in the past 2 years as promotional budgets were crimped or a pathetic attempt was passed off-usually a collection of sub standard cosmetics or fake tans and samples. The kind of stuff given out in department stores.

During his years of a partying in New York Andy Warhol refused to leave until he had his gift bag firmly clamped under his arm. He collected them . He had rows and rows of shelves of gift bags. He never opened them and said one day he was going to have a big bag party and sit down and open every one like an excited child at Christmas. He would telephone friends the next day and say "what was in the bag ?" He got excited thinking about all those presents waiting to be opened. He died before that happened. Now they're in the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

And Paloma was no slouch with hers. A beautiful set of silver cuff links-just perfect to wear at Chanel's parade the following night at the Inglis Newmarket stables. Chanel's new range is mainly hessian based which I guess is why they choose the stables.$3000 for a hessian mini-skirt. Why not ?. Guests trotted out their ancient Chanel . We spotted 2 fake Chanel handbags. The cheek of some people !. And there was a gift bag full of Chanel make-up                                                                                 

Chanel people

But the verdict was unanimous amongst those who had been at Tiffany and Chanel-Tiffany was fun but Chanel had better looking waiters.

wait person

Kirk Pengilly & Layne Beachley

INXS's Kirk Pengilly and wife,world surfing champion Layne Beachley were at Tiffany. Layne  had a date the following day-giving surfing lessons to Zac Efron on Bondi Beach.

Zac Efron at Bondi Beach