Aussie restaurant tops in Manhattan

Noffs with Julia Gillard & Matty Bennett

Former Sydneysiders Rupert Noffs and his partner Matty Bennett are cleaning up in New York with the success of their restaurant The Lucky Bee . The pair have received rave reviews in US publications for their trendy Soho eatery which is attracting the likes of locals and celebrities from Martha Stewart, fashion designer Valentino, LL Cool J to former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard.
Noffs is the grandson of Wayside Chapel founder the Rev Tedd Noffs and moved to New York  four years ago to promote his unique brand of Gideon Shoes, Bennett was the sous chef at Sydney's Longrain restaurant. The pair married late last year in a  civil ceremony.

Apart from New York A-listers it's  the food media the pair have won over including positive reviews in the Manhattan's lifestyle bible The Village Voice with the influential New York Eater website naming The Lucky Bee as the best new comer on the block :
"The Lucky Bee is the new farm-to-table Southeast Asian cafe from restaurateur Rupert Noffs and former Fat Radish sous chef Matty Bennett. The menu includes coconut-braised short ribs, grilled whole shrimp, salt & pepper wings, and green curry with vegetables. The dining room has a kooky vibe, with 60s-style lamps, hanging ferns, and pink & black stripes all over the place."

The Lucky Bee which also sells NYC-produced honey from rooftop hives is located at 252 Broome Street in lower Manhattan. Whispers many moons ago lived for 2 years in a Broome Street loft almost opposite where The Lucky Bee is now located. At the time the area was only warehouses, deserted at night, and even lofts were illegal dwellings. They now sell for many millions of dollars. How times change.

Martha Stewart is a fan of The Lucky Bee

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Whisper's best wishes go out to two of our favourite locals Kerri-Anne Kennerley and her husband John Kennerley after John's recent tragic accident when he broke his neck after a balcony fall.

We've encountered the pair numerous times over the years and a more loving couple is hard to find. The pair are devoted to each other and this must be particularly trying time for Kerri-Anne.

 The last time we saw them at a party John told us about his favourite hobby - he has constructed a fantastic miniature train system that snakes throughout the pair's living room. John constructs everything himself including building a miniature model the magnificent Shrewbury train station in Shropshire

In Vogue

Kirstie Clements joined Vogue 25 years ago in a position where so many begin : as a receptionist. Until mid 2012 she had been editor for a decade until one day last year she was shown the door.

Mark Coppelson,Deborah Thomas & son Oscar

Kirstie was a regular sight around Sydney & Melbourne and attended the New York, Paris and London fashion shows. When she wasn't hobnobbing with Valentino or jotting down fashion tips from Karl Largerfeld she was deep in conversation with Anna Wintour.

 As you can imagine, she has a tale to tell and her biography of that era : The Vogue Factor has just been published. The Shuttle has now spotted 3 people reading it on buses and the underground. The book's blurb says : (The Vogue Factor ).. is an insider's account of the beauty and fashion industry, the truth about starving models, the glitz and glamour of the business, and how current media regimes are killing off the fashion bible.

We've read 4 chapters and have to agree-it's rivetting and at the launch party, (the book was launched by Deborah Thomas) some of Australia's most powerful fashionistas turned up to pay tribute to Kirstie- with one  GQ editor cutting his Bali holiday short to attend.

Supporting their mum: Kirstie's sons Sam & Joe

Robyn Holt, Grant Pierce,Nancy Pilcher

Debbie Coffey & Kerri-Anne Kennerley

Kirstie with Cate Blanchett

                        

Hugh Jackman's Perfect Biceps

The designer behind the fantastic revival of the R.M.Williams brand, Jonathan Ward has sent a snap taken when he breakfasted at the ritzy Peninsular with pals Hugh Jackman and Giancarlo Giammetti the president of the Valentino Fashion House.

Ward is a country lad who ran his own design studio from Double Bay before R.M.Williams hired him to vamp up their legendary country range of men's and women's fashions. Injecting new life into the brand Jonathan has gone from strength to strength with his designs now sold around the world.
# Check out Hugh's biceps !. Wow.

New York Fashion Week

Anna Wintour and Valentino

The New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is in full swing so naturally we turn to our New York pal, top society photographer Patrick McMullan to provide us with a few snaps.

If McMullan is normally full on, fashion week brings an extra dimension. Armed with a fist full of invitations he is almost a blur rushing from one precinct to another,  often with a film crew in tow.

One event he has just covered-The Couture Council of the Museum of FIT  luncheon last Wednesday on the Promenade of the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center to honour couturier Valentino.

Photographs : Patrick McMullan
        www.patrickmcmullan.com

Lizzie Tisch and Cameron Silver

Rod Keenan and Lisa Boone

Daphne Guinness 

 

 

 

Valentino and Diane von Furstenberg

See more at Patrick's on-line magazine PMC