Island hopping

Lots of news with Aussie billionaires snapping up islands for luxury resorts. Annie Cannon-Brookes has bought Dunk Island off Queensland's coast with plans to develop a luxury resort there. A new development and luxury hotel on Dunk was destroyed by Cyclone Yasi in 2011. Casino billionaire James Packer and pal, movie legend Robert de Niro announced as far back in 2016 they were building a $250m luxury resort on the Carribean island of Barduda where De Niro has purchased 25o acres. The partner's new resort will be built on the old K-Club grounds which was wiped out in 2017 by Hurricane Irma which damaged 95% of the island's buildings and infrastructure. Irma was so bad the island's inabitants, a little over 1300 decamped to nearby Antigua while the US Ambassador begged for international assitance.

Presumably all Barbuda's citizens will be employed n the island's 3 resorts seeing collectively, they own the entire island although local laws mean they must agree to allow any development that will benefit the tiny nation.

Studio City opening

Whispers thinks this is the most handsome photo of Leo DiCaprio who picked up a cool $12M to attend the opening of the new James Packer Macau casino Studio City. Accompanying Leo were Martin Scorcese, Robert de Niro and Mariah Carey who also sang at the opening. Our exclusive pics come from Adam Zammit who as Director of Live Entertainment and Events put the night together. Along with a 6000 seat arena ( Madonna will sing there in February next year) and the Pacha Nightclub Zammit is launching the multi-million dollar House of Magic. What fun !

Another Opening

The good and great are gathering at the brand new Nobu Hotel City of Dreams today in Manila where the owners will celebrate with a few ceremonies and cocktail parties,. Amongst those owners are James Packer and actor Robert De Niro who have teamed up on several projects. One person who won't be there is the Sydney journalist who requested an invitation - several journalists and photographers have been bussed in for the weekend. Apparently a hapless pr girl who submitted the name of said hack to Packer was left red-faced when the mogul pointed out in his inimitable style that the writer was on his media 'enemies' list.

How They Party in New York

Well not quite New York City- it's the Hamptons where New Yorkers flee for a break. Shuttle long time associate Patrick McMullan who is the USA's most famous social snapper has a house there and here are a few snaps he took from a star studded last weekend. (that's Patrick in the middle at the right. As you can see he's pretty popular) 
Photographs (c) PMc Patrick McMullan

Our Jackie Does it Again !

She's one of our favourite actors and a friendly sight around Sydney. No airs or graces, down to earth and always happy for a chat :
 Jackie Weaver has done it again and been nominated for an Academy Award for her 'performance by an actress in a supporting role' in Silver Linings Playbook.
Jackie appears opposite heartthrob Bradley Cooper and the legendary Robert Di Niro. 

Hugh Jackman has been nominated for best actor in  "Les Misérables" and Naomi Watts as best actress in "The Impossible".

Diplomatic Stoush

Martha Stewart and Rosmar Mansour

The fur is still flying over the recent visits of Malaysia's 'First Lady' Rosmar Mansour the wife of the prime minister Najib Rasak.
 A fan of local fashion designs by Paddington's Carl Kapp, Rosmar is said to have picked up $100,000 worth of Kapp's designs although she has claimed the clothing was purchased on behalf of a Malaysian boutique.

Carl Kapp

A Sydney columnist who wrote of her visit has ended up with a mention in dispatches-namely with PM Rasak telling media that the report was 'fabricated'.
 Co-incidentally the day Rosmar was visiting Kapp's boutique the Shuttle was caught in a mini traffic jam as her large black windowed SUV blocked tiny William Street in Paddo, presumably while the First Lady flicked through clothing racks.

But it's the awarding to Rosmar of an honorary doctorate of letters at Curtin University in Perth that has now elevated her visits to crisis level.
 Following the announcement of the award the universities Facebook page was inundated with 1000's of angry comments from Malasyian students who study at Curtin -there are some 2500 there-slamming the award and likening Rosmar to shoe lover Imelda Marcos.

As fast as the University burghers removed the Facebook comments more kept appearing. Now the pages have been cleansed and an ominous warning has appeared :

 Curtin University    Hi all. We have issued several requests to comply with our 'rules of engagement' on this wall. There are now so many personal attacks, allegations of ciminal activity, and hate mongering that we are obliged under the Defamation Act 2006 to remove this type of content
                                  
Meanwhile the Malaysian Blog For Change insinuates all sorts of shady shenanigans have been going on and questions who paid for visits to Malaysia by actor Robert de Niro and Martha Stewart. It's all very exciting. We await the next episode.

Will Shane Warne Succeed where Gordon Ramsay Failed ?

Sad news today and a further blow for embattled restaurateur Gordon Ramsay as he announces that his Melbourne restaurant- maze Grill at the Metropole Hotel-part of James Packer's ritzy Crown Casino, is put into liquidation.

Despite the gleaming new restaurant receiving excellent reviews and a reported turnover of nearly $14M in the one year it was open, it was loosing money and becoming a drain on Ramsay's declining restaurant empire.

Melbourne's maze Grill

The Crown Casino by the Yarra River is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the biggest in the world. With 3 hotel tower blocks including the Metrople, endless fast food outlets and a string of 5 star restaurants , luxury stores,cinemas, theatres, a ballroom and a convention centre it is one of the most opulent gaming establishments on the planet.

Stars like Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Tiger Woods  have called it home while in Melbourne on extended visits.
Fine dining restaurants at Crown that are going gangbusters include the Japanese Nobu part owned by actor Robert de Niro (who officially launched Nobu in 2007) and  Bistro Guillaume owned by French chef Guillaume Brahimi who also owns Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House. In both establishments it often takes weeks to book a table.

Diana at the Commonwealth Day lunch with Samantha Riley

But if Ramsay couldn't make a go of it , will our newly minted Metrosexual Shane Warne do any better?

rough trade?

It's been reported in today's Sydney Morning Herald that Warnie will be attending this year's Melbourne Cup (with Liz Hurley) and will be opening a night club at Crown.
Warnie's new sophisticated image has come some way since the Shuttle sat with him at a Commonwealth Day lunch for Princess Diana in Sydney in 1996.

When we asked if he was a friend of Diana's Shane replied "no, I haven't met her yet" (she was at the next table). Asked if he thought she may be a cricket fan he said "not sure-but I think she likes rough trade !"

The Oprah Bandwagon Arrives

They're streaming in from all over the country. The 7000 who have won tickets to attend the 2 Oprah Winfrey shows to be filmed at the Sydney Oprah House. Later today another few hundred arrive from the USA in a Qantas 747 piloted by movie star John Travolta.

On Wednesday Oprah herself and her personal staff arrive  in Cairns in QLD on Oprah's own jet.

When she finally arrives in Sydney on the 10th, a cavalcade of limos will speed her and the entourage to the Four Seasons Hotel near Circular Quay in an extraordinary move that is reminiscent of a US presidential visit. Accompanying Oprah is her great friend Gayle King who is also editor-at-large of O Magazine. Oprah and Gayle will share adjoining hotel suites.

Not only will police give Oprah an escort, traffic will be stopped along the motorway to ensure her trip, normally a 20 minute drive gets the US chat show host to her hotel in 10 minutes.

A dozen local security personnel (armed with pistols) have been hired to supplement Winfrey's own security guards and local and Federal police will be on hand. All locals who have been hired to work with Oprah have been required to sign confidentiality agreements. If anyone is found to disclose personal information and it's proved to have come from them, they are required to pay back twice what they are paid to work for her.

And the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be adorned with a giant O sign during her stay .Welcome to the Oprah roadshow.

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The historic Sydney Barrack's  Mint last night hosted the after party for the film  premier of Love and Other Drugs with the stars of the film  Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway on hand. They were a pretty friendly couple, chatting to guests and circulating at ease for about 15 minutes.

Naturally both love Sydney (when has any visiting celeb said differently ?...Eminen the only one who hated the place).

# actor Ryan Kwanten has returned to the USA after winning the GQ Magazine Man of The Year Award. Kwanten's star continues to rise in the States with the success of the vampire series True Blood. Oddly no Australian TV outlet has yet picked up the popular cult series.

And actor Firass Dirani who portrayed the 'colourful' Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim in the hugely successful series Underbelly 3 won the Actor of The Year Award. Dirani has just finished filming The Killer Elite with Robert de Niro.