Kings Cross loss = Double Bay's gain

 Kings Cross' controversial 'lock-out laws' are crucifying nightlife in the famous Sydney night spot suburb (although strip clubs are still thriving) but aiding nearby suburbs not covered by the laws. The gay 'golden mile' of Oxford Street is also finding the going difficult with empty premises popping up overnight. The once vibrant street that contained more gay and lesbian nightclubs during the 80s & 90s per square mile that any other city on the planet is slowly dying. Meanwhile the Cross had, as of yesterday, 45 empty premises available for rent.Benefiting is the harbour side suburb of Double Bay just 2 miles from the Cross which is now booming with packed pubs on the weekend and 2 notable nightclubs that are filled to the rafters from Thursday to Sunday. Local restaurants are often booked out and coffee shops-there are nearly 100 in the Bay alone- are well patronised. Pictured above :  Karim Gharbi & Michael Clarke

Casablanca

The Pelicano restaurant and bar is the venue of choice for the so-called smart set but Casablanca run by Karim Gharbi is giving it a run for it's money. As our exclusive pic shows, recently retired Aussie cricket captain Michael Clarke celebrated his 34th birthday at the venue on Thursday evening.

Pelicano Restaurant & Bar

Oxford Street (left) full of empty shops while Kings Cross' strip joints are surviving

Day Five.....

The UK MailOnline's exciting experiment to inject some colour and movement into the storm ridden lives of the English continues with yet another instalment on the great Brynne & Geoffrey Edelsten saga.

Readers again have posted pithy and accurate comments along the lines of "who" ? although one kinder gent called stantheman has praised Geoffrey  and says :"If my wife or partner looks anything like her when I'm 70,then I'm going to go to heaven a happy man.'
A feature on the dating habits of the daughter of cricketing legend Shane Warne has drawn a blank with readers but another on 2 wireless disc jockeys Kyle and Jackie O (she has no last name apparently)- much beloved of writers on tabloids like the Sydney Morning Herald brings the following : "seriously, who is paying you to promote these Z-list Australian nobodies?"Who on earth cares??"never listened to vyle never have never will'

It's just a matter of time before the hapless Brits are treated to tales of over-exposed radio hack Fifi Box falling pregnant again or going on a diet.

Shane, Elizabeth, Cate and Sarah-Jessica

Cate in 2010

It's no secret about the vast a screen goddess like Cate Blanchett can command for appearing at a cocktail party-namely up to $250,000.

The Shuttle has been to at least three events in the past year where Ms Blanchett has appeared and one just a month ago attended by hubby Andrew Upton-the Sydney Theatre Awards although it's believed Upton will turn up sans fee to support anything that promotes live theatre.

With the missus pulling in three quarters of a million dollars for just three parties no wonder he is so generous with his time.

 But it's the 'conditions' attached to Cate's appearance that brings a wry smile, namely that speaking to the media is verboten. And who can blame the woman?

At the 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards Cate was far more relaxed, dropping any perceived attitude and chatted to lowly hacks ( like the Shuttle) in the bar after the awards and even summonsed a $20 note from no-where to purchase a round of drinks

 Blanchett has grown more imperial as her status as one the world's greatest actress’s proceeds unhindered and if the scene we witnessed at the 'Australian Oscars' two weeks ago-the ACCTAS is anything to go by, no-one could blame her for snubbing what passes for some in the meejah these days.

Only slightly penned in as the assembled hacks were that evening, the AACTA publicist had helpfully provided a print-out of every star attending and the name of the designer of that person's gown including Blanchett’s thrilling gold Alexander McQueen creation (pictured).

 That wasn't going to prevent an over-excited tee vee presenter from her moment of glory as she rushed forward, thrust a microphone in front of Cate's perfect face and asked "what are you wearing?

 A momentary and frosty silence followed and then the retort- "clothes!" emanated from Ms Blanchet as she left the crestfallen hackette trembling in her wake

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Our spy disguised as a weary fashion victim attended the first major party to kick off New York Fashion Week,  the amfAR To Kick Off Fashion Week gala hosted by Sarah Jessica Parker and reports word was buzzing amongst the assembled media as to who was the new bloke on the arm of actress Elizabeth Hurley, as our picture shows.

They were of course referring to Aussie cricket legend and hair replacement proponent Shane Warne who has proposed to la Hurley and who apparently, is not known in the USA.



All that has now changed of course although our informant says many of the photographers were still mystified upon being informed of the legendary status of the greatest spin bowler in history, as to why anyone would show interest in the 'game' of cricket.
Such sacrilege !.

Will our Max decide Britain's next election ?

Max with Carson Kresley

For a month now the tabloid media has been waging an all out assault on our favourite celebrity spruiker Max Markson who likes to think of himself as Australia's answer to Britain's Max Clifford. Originally from Bournemouth via a saucepan stall in a Shepherds Bush market, Max is Australia's top celebrity agent.
 

Max's crime was to disrupt the holy of holies-a cricket match. When model Lara Bingle, best known for the failed Oz tourism campaign 'So Where the Bloody Hell Are You?' discovered that a previous boyfriend footballer Brendan Fevola had distributed some topless snaps of her taken on his mobile phone, she did the only sensible thing. She hired Max to negotiate a deal reputedly worth $200,000 with a woman's magazine to tell her side of the story.

Lara does a Bingle

 Bingle's then fiancee  Michael Clarke, vice captain of the Australian cricket team was about to embark on a tour of New Zealand. As the team strode out for the first day, missing was Clarke. He had flown back to Sydney to see Lara. The howling of sport's writers, egged on by their tabloid comrades was deafening. Leading the moralising charge was Sydney Morning Herald cricket writer Peter Roebuck who delightfully informed us that 'to do a bingle' was new cricketing slang for fumbling the ball.

Others like the fragrant Miranda Devine weighed in wanting to know, just who was Bingle and what did this "airhead "do all day as Miranda pondered on the size of Bingle's IQ.

But Markson was deemed the villain of the drama.
Max was denying the tabloids their God given right to a saucy tale. And he was encouraging them to beat up the story to boost sales of magazine carrying Lara's story.

Beware of a reptile scorned.

Now Max has become the story as a newspaper yesterday revealed supposed emails to Max from a 'disgruntled' employee questioning the legality of  Max's ability to avoid speeding fines. Markson's business registered Mercedes has clocked up over $30,000 in fines but avoided being de-registered via a complicated loophole whereby a company can declare it doesn't know the identity of a driver when the offence occurred.

They're out to get Max and today tSS hears news that a writer from the UK  Independent newspaper is flying in to do a piece on Markson. 

 

As Britain's Labour Party and PM Gordon Brown vie to be re-elected they have brought in ex-PM Tony Blair to boost morale.

 Expect a major story to appear about Markson's involvement in Cherie Blair's ill-fated Oz book tour in 2007.
A charity that expected to receive substantial funds from the tour cried foul when the pot was discovered to be empty. tSS was ejected from one function after approaching  Mrs Blair and asking her if she might consider donating profits from her book to an Iraqi children's fund.