David Jones Fashion on a wet & windy night

Wow what a star-studded guest list and yet, yet, no Terri Biviano at the David Jones Spring Summer fashion gala at Fox Studios tonight. What can it mean?. Above on the left is our esteemed Foreign Minister the Hon Julie Bishop and her partner David Panton. Next is one of our favourite Hollywood stars Rachael Griffiths followed by our favourite talent show winner Guy Sebastian with Jules Egan and our very favourite nightclub mogul Justin Hemmes.

Below are some lovely fashion snaps as we know you just love all these glamorous frocks and following that some beefcake, both male & female.

We just can't list all the fab designers who were on hand. You'll have to go to your nearest David Jones store and check out the racks. But where was Terri I hear you ask? It's not a Sydney party without Ms Biviano and at least 3 footballers. Was it the weather? It was raining cats & dogs but your intrepid reporter did his duty and stepped out to assist in the consumption of champers and to ogle models on your behalf. Someone has to do it!



 TATTOOED NECK of THE MONTH had to be this handsome male model in tonight's parade and HAIRSTYLE of THE MONTH was won by Alice Hill with her homage to Brigitte Bardot.

 And because we always cater to all your needs- here is supermodel Jessica Gomez. Gosh. What fun.

The Dog / The Cat

It's an unusual name for a play, The Dog /The Cat opened tonight at Belvoir Street. It stars (heartthrob) Xavier Samuel of Twilight Saga fame, Andrea Demetriades of the ABC's Janet King fame and Benedict Hardie who just appeared in The Water Diviner (pictured above) and it's a romantic comedy with two interconnected tales of true love and stupidity from two of the hottest playwrights around, Brendan Cowell and Lally Katz (right). Opening night was packed and the audience roared with laughter and gave a rapturous ovation. And that's a good thing. The Belvoir season has been extended due to popularity but you need to book asap here.

Sharks Attack In Venice

It's Jaws and the Tsunami in one movie (in 3D nat!) with a touch of Westfield thrown in.
Disaster-shark film Bait 3D, directed by Kimble Rendall, will screen as Australia's only official selection for the 69th Venice International Film Festival.

Bait 3D is a movie about a group of shoppers trapped in an underground supermarket after a tsunami strikes the coast which has sent a school of sharks into the building. Produced by Arclight Films it was shot on the Gold Coast at Village Roadshow Studios in 2010 and stars Xavier Samuel, Julian McMahon, Sharni Vinson and Dan Wylie.

The Shuttle has seen a preview of Bait 3D and it's delightfully scary with fantastic FX especially in 3D with sharks jumping out of the screen at you. Let's hope Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby is this good.

..Meanwhile In Bondi Junction

Tim Draxyl,Kevin Bishop,Xavier Samuel,Kris Marshall

As the Golden Globes unfolded, movie history of another kind was being made at Bondi Junction with the premiere of Stephan Elliott's A Few Best Men. Stephan's latest offering looks set to succeed at the box office if the comments at the after-party are anything to go by.

Rebel Wilson

The Shuttle had to attend the Sydney Theatre Awards but made to the drinks following the movie  and the audience were in agreement.

A Few Best Men looks set to break Elliott's run of bad luck that has seen recent box office flops and a broken leg from a skiing trip which put an end to plans to do a bio-pic on the failed wedding of Prince Lorenzo Montesini and Primrose Dunlop in Venice.

Performances to watch out for- Olivia Newton John , Rebel Wilson , the dazzling good looking Xavier Samuel and Laura Brent who is also working on The Great Gatsby.

Elizabeth Debicki & Laura Brent

The film also sees the return of costume designer Lizzie Gardner who won an Oscar for her work on Priscilla, Queen of The Dessert.

At the premiere: model Tahnya Tozzi (right- a Shuttle discovery) visiting from New York and Malcolm & Lucy Turnbull.

Lots Of Movie Stars!

Next Monday brings the long awaited premiere in Bondi of A Few Best Men, the latest offering from Stephan Elliott (left) whose career has enjoyed something of roller-coaster ride since picking up an Oscar for his 1994 success Priscilla Queen of The Dessert.

The movie stars Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Kevin Bishop and Olivia Newton-John and the word is Olivia puts in a great performance as the mother-of-the-bride in the love romp and the ‘wedding- goes-wrong’ comedy set in the Outback.

Ann Dexter-Jones and Alan Cumming

Now that Beach Haus regular Leo DiCaprio has departed these shores (he’ll be back early February to wrap up filming on The Great Gatsby), Sydney is devoid of Hollywood stars when usually, with such glorious summer weather we could expect at least 3 or 4 stars to be hanging around town

Its' the opposite in New York with the town chock a block. 

Darren Criss and Susan Sarandon

Last Monday Glee star Darren Kriss was the guest of honour at a shindig at The Darby hosted by Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Lily Rabe, Andrew Rannells and Jordon Roth The party was to celebrate the Broadway debut of Darren in "How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying."

Stacey Keible and George Clooney

Naomi Watts

The following night at Cipriani 42nd Street recent Sydney visitor George Clooney received the Best Actor for The Descendants at the National Board of Review Gala with Tilda Swinton receiving Best Actress for her role in We Need To Talk About Kevin while Christopher Plummer was awarded best supporting actor for The Beginners, and Shailene Woodley received best supporting Actress for The Descendants.
It won’t be the last you hear of The Descendants. Get ready for the flick to pick up a few Oscars.

No bash worth its salt in New York is complete without the USA’s top society snapper (and Social Shuttle pal) Patrick McMullan who has sent us some great snaps from both nights.

All New York photographs  by Patrick McMullan (c) www.patrickmcmullan.com

Stephan Elliott Has A Hit

The Shuttle has a preview of Stephan Elliott's new film A Few Best Men and the word in the industry is that Stephan has a major hit on his hands.


Tim Draxyl, Xavier Samuel (Twilight: Eclipse, Bait, Anonymous), Kris Marshall (Death At A Funeral, Easy Virtue), Kevin Bishop (The Kevin Bishop Show, Star Stories) and Olivia Newton-John star in the film about a Outback wedding gone totally wrong.

Stephan Elliott first struck fame with the Oscar winner he wrote and directed, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.


Our spy on the US show-biz bible Variety who has seen the rough cut reckons it will be a summer smash hit and that Olivia puts in an outstanding performance.

Few Best Men stars : Tim Draxyl, Kevin Bishop, Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall at Tropfest in March

Tropfest 2011

Film-maker John Polson's mastermind Tropfest, the largest short film festival in the world once again screened to a live audience of around 10,000 in the Domain on Sunday while hundreds of thousands watched live via Foxtel around the country.








Each year the entrant's films must feature the same object -this year a key. Winner of the festival was Damon Gameau with his entrant Animal Beatbox.



Stephan Elliot * Olivia Newton John



 It's been 19 years since the first Tropfest began and many winners have gone on to work on main stream film productions.

There is always a host of celebrity judges and this year they included director Bruce Beresford, John Polson, Rachel Ward and Priscilla Queen of The Desert director Stephan Elliot.

The red carpet (which was purple) is also a great for star-spotting as dozens of  Australian and International movie people arrive.

 What seemed like the entire cast of Stephan Elliot's new film Few Best Men strode in-Olivia Newton John, Tim Draxyl and Xavier Samuel.




Leana Wallsman

 

* Few Best Men is currently being filmed around Sydney and in the Blue Mountains. The word is out-Xavier Samuel looks destined to be our latest star and heartthrob !





Few Best Men stars : Tim Draxyl, Kevin Bishop, Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall



The Most Expensive Dinner in Town

We counted 4 billionaires and a dozen multi-millionaires whose wealth is the hundreds of millions amongst the 750 guests. And a host of young heirs and heiresses who will inherit those fortunes.





adding colour-Ruby Jacenko

  

 Property tycoon Lang walker, the Nutrimetics founders Bill and Imelda Roche, Aussie Home Loans boss John Symonds, TV network supremo David Leckie and his wife Skye, Opposition MP Malcolm Turnbull (possibly the next Prime Minister) and wife Lucy, Grant Vandenburg (he manages Russel Crowe), dentist to the stars David Carr (Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and a host of Hollywood stars sport his perfect molars) while British banker Duncan Mount and his clan paid a visit from Byron Bay (he bought Paul Hogan's country estate but is planning a move back to Sydney).



Duncan & Sally Mount (centre) & clan



Rounding the corner of New South Head Rd into Rose Bay and the sight to behold was something special. Marquees snaked around the promenade, each one dedicated to one of the world's most renowned chefs who were going to prepare a sumptious banquet for the Flood Appeal in association with the Salvation Army. Every penny-and it's estimated one million dollars was raised (at $1000 a head), will go to the Queensland flood victims.

Chefs included Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Bennelong's Guillaume Brahimi  and Maurice Terzini from the Bondi Icebergs. The event was the mastermind of Catalina's Michael & Judy McMahon and everyone from the local council, waiters who donated their services, providors and vineyards to the Rose Bay police performed admirably as the night went as smooth as silk.



Jessic Mauboy



Russell Crowe's manager Grant Vandenberg & family



The wonderful indigenous singer Jessica Mauboy sang up a storm as a gentle breeze cooled the air and fruit bats filled the sky on their nightly vigil from the Botanical Gardens to their abode in the east. The moon was full but no craziness ensued.

Emirates Airways provided a raffle prize in the form of a first class world trip as did Paspaley Pearls with a stunning necklace worth $200,000.

  # Paspaley also hosted a charity party on the same night at Ottos on the Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo with guest Xavier Samuel of the Twilight series and entertainment from Australian Idol winner Wes Carr raising $325,000 for the same cause.










Lang & Sue Walker









Bill & Imelda Roche