Vale George Tupou V , King of Tonga

George Tupou v  with Charles Billich

The Shuttle met him late last year at the Charles Billich Gallery in The Rocks in Sydney where he attended the unveiling of his portrait.

Sadly the King of Tonga, George Tupou V passed away on Sunday from cancer which developed after complications from a kidney transplant. George was regarded as a reforming monarch after relinquishing most of his powers to an elected parliament and selling the only source of the families wealth-Tonga's electricity supply company, to the nation.

Noted for favouring uniforms and plumed hats, sometimes top hats and a monocle and travelling in the Royal Limousine, a London taxi, he is survived by his younger brother and heir Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka,

Priscilla : A Hit in Brazil

At this rate it could have a run as long as Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. Priscilla Queen of The Dessert opened on Friday night at the Teatro Bradesco in Sao Paulo, Brazil with the theatre proudly proclaiming that it was the first time in Brazil a current Broadway success opened in that country.
By all accounts, opening night was an unqualified success that shows a gaudy frock and catchy music works in any language.

Call Me A Cab

It's been an institution since it opened in 1958.

The Taxi Club in Flinders Street, Darlinghurst is a 24 hour club that originally catered for taxi drivers coming off their shifts, at 3pm and 3 am.

It soon became one of the most popular venues in Sydney and the place to end up after a night out to continue the celebrations. By 4am the joint was jumping and it stayed that way until around 10.30 am when it shut it's doors for one hour so the cleaners could give it the once over.

The great fun about the Taxi Club was the sheer variety of clientele : taxi drivers, off duty coppers, high court judges, bank robbers, drag queens, con men and a huge swathe of the gay and lesbian community long before Oxford Street became the gay haven it is now. In fact eventually the club changed it's constitution to state that it's prime objective was to serve the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex community.

And you could be sure that any visiting celebrity would end up partying at the Taxi- Tom & Nicole watched a drag show as did Morgan Freeman. 
Bruce Springsteen played the pokies for 2 hours, Liberace called in for a drink as did Sammy Davis Jr and Shirley Bassey while Winifred Atwell often gave a impromptu performance at 2am.
The Shuttle once spotted Hollywood Legend Van Johnson nursing a drink at the bar.

lethal stairs

Around 5am a burly truck driver may discover that a transgender status was no barrier to a night of romance and there were many tales about the noted magistrate who was fond of stilettos and skimpy frocks who often lured heterosexual men to the car park next door in the early hours and never once had anything other than a 'happy ending'.

And if anyone got out of control which was frequent before the club clamped down on drug use, the tales of who was ejected via the narrow staircase to the street below were legendary. Most woke up in hospital with no memory of where they had been the night before.

Sadly with the proliferation of nightclubs around Sydney that are mainly a variation on the last one, the Taxi Club has suffered for the past few years and is no longer financially viable. On April 6th it's doors close forever.

Miranda Kerr Does Jackie O

The latest US Bazaar has a photo feature of Miranda Kerr channeling the legendary Jacqueline Onassis. The pics are by photographer Terry Richardson who is one of the best in the business at the moment and very unlike the many precious snappers who do most fashion photo shoots.
Check out his Diary here.
PS: that's Terry's Mum in the pic above-she looks like fun!

Action Bronson with Terry Richardson

Father Bob Immortalised

Our favourite crusty old Catholic priest Father Bob Maguire has been immortalised for the Archibald portrait prize which opens in 2 weeks at the NSW Art Gallery. The Packer's Prize ( the gallery workers choice-not the Packer family!) was chosen today-actor John Wood (below).
Father Bob has upset the powers that be and been removed from his parish-something to do with ministering to the poor. A benefactor has set him up in nearby premises so he can carry on his work. We feel sure he fits the requirements for the subject of an Archibald entrant: a person who has made a significant contribution to society.

Watch the video below of very clever stencil artist E.L.K (above) as he produces the Father Bob portrait:

More On The Versace "Mafia Hit"

 An intriguing new theory about the murder of famous designer Gianni Versace has surfaced, this time from Versace's long time lover, the designer Antonio D'Amico.

Antonio D'Amico

D'Amico & Versace

D'Amico was speaking a few nights ago on the popular Italian entertainment program Verissimo.
In an interview with the host Silvia Toffanin he was asked about the murder and replied -"someone sent him"- referring to the alleged killer Andrew Cunanan.
 D'Amico says he struggles to believe that Cunanan would just turn up and kill Versace for no reason.

"In my opinion someone sent him (Cunanan)". Asked to elaborate, Antonio gives an enigmatic reply:
"it's my belief someone who knew Gianni very well, someone who was extremely close to him, sent his assassin. There is no evidence but the truth will come out one day"

D'Amico was a former model who began working in Versace's office in 1982 where he began a relationship with the designer that lasted until his murder. There is little love lost between Antonio and Gianni's sister Donatella Versace and brother Santo.

In Gianni's will D'Amico was left a legacy of around $26,000 a month for life and the right to live in any of Versace's several homes around the world.

Silvia Toffanin

By the time Donatella, Santo and their lawyers were finished, D'Amico received a fraction of his pension and never saw the inside of a Versace house again. Donatella is on record as saying she never liked Gianni's boyfriend. D'Amico now runs his own successful fashion design business.

And where does this leave the claim by two Mafia informants that Gianni Versace was murdered over debts to the Mafia who they say had invested earlier on in his fashion design corporation ?

P.I. Frank Monte

Those claims were published by the respected Italian investigative reporter Gianluigi Nuzzi in his 2010 book Metastasi which has been a best seller in Europe with an English version in the works.
At the time a furious Santo Versace threatened to sue anyone who repeated the Mafia hit claim. Nonetheless it was printed in hundreds of newspapers around the world and not one, including author Nuzzi has received notice from solicitors.

It's far cry from 2003 when Santo and Donatella hauled Australian private eye Frank Monte into the Australian Federal Court for making the same claim in his best selling autobiography Spying Game.
Monte had worked for Gianni in New York investigating Versace's fears that an insider was cooking the books. The Versace's spent millions of dollars to silence Monte and Pan McMillan had to pulp 26,000 copies of his book which was later published without the Versace Mafia link.

Frank Monte is restrained by the Federal Court from discussing the Nuzzi claims that mirror his own and the Australian media had a field day during the highly publicized Monte court case but oddly, have been largely silent over Nuzzi's book. Only weeks before Nuzzi published his book the Shuttle spoke to several tabloid writers who scoffed at Monte's original claim and were equally vocal when it was revealed he was investigating the David Jones sexual harassment claim. That turned out to be true.

Monte will not return calls about D'Amico's claim and our legal eagle expert says :
"Monte would still be restrained by the original court orders so probably steers clear of any discussion over the Versaces" " Mind you" he continued " I can't see Donatella or Santo taking him on again if he did speak to the media. Donatello could be called to explain the inconsistent evidence she gave to the Sydney court under oath where she claimed, surrounded by lawyers during a satellite link-up,that she had never ever taken drugs and then 2 years later gave an interview to Vogue magazine where she said she had been addicted to drugs before and after Versace's death. Courts don't take kindly to being treated like mugs"

Sign Up Now

The man who has behind so many model successes, Grant Dwyer of Adpro Management is masterminding this year's World Supermodel Australia Pageant to be held in Fiji. Budding super models between the ages of 20 and 30 can sign up for the contest here.
The quest follows the traditional model quest with contestants judged on style and will cover the following areas: personal interviews, stage presentation, evening gown, swimwear and random questions. You can read much more at the official website here or join their Facebook page.

And remember, all of Dwyer's discoveries have gone on to have stellar careers in modelling and television work earning a small fortune along the way. They include Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins, Jasinta Campbell, Rachael Finch, Ashley Talbot and Lauryn Eagle.
                                           *****************************

# LAURYN EAGLE who will star in this year's Celebrity Apprentice with David Hasslehoff and Charlotte Dawson and has split from long time boyfriend , the boxing champ Lovemore Ndou in rather acrimonious circumstances with rumours of a sex tape of the pair threatening to be released.




right : Lauryn & Lovemore in happier days at last year's Hermes Beach Party

A Swell Birthday Present

Laurent Boidevezi, Maryanne Shearer & Boris de Vroomen

We admit to being a tad jealous of this award as we love the product. Maryanne Shearer is the lucky recipient of the 2012 Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award. 
  
The award was presented at a lunch at Cafe Sydney restaurant by Veuve's International Director Laurent Boidevezi, appropriately on International Women's Day last  Thursday (other notable events-Europe's biggest selling tabloid Bild has promised no more nudes will appear in the publication!). 
The lunch was attended by some of Australia's best known business women including NSW Governor Marie Bashir, Deeta Colvin, Janet Holmes à Court, film producer Rebel Penfold Russell and our favourite pearl producer Marilynne Paspaley.

Ronni Khan of OzHarvest

Maryanne Shearer is the founder and CEO of Tea Too P/L (T2) and while everyone else was pondering whether a Cafe con leche was superior to an Espresso Con Panna or if the intricacies of an Latticino really were appreciated by the inner city latte crowd, she realised there was a huge gap in the market-tea drinkers were demanding, but not getting much more than their morning cup of Billy Tea. 
And thus 16 years ago an empire was born with Maryanne now employing 300 people with 30 stores throughout Australia selling her superb premium blends of tea.

But not only does Ms Shearer get the well deserved accolade from Veuve Clicquot-the awards were held jointly in 16 countries to celebrate female innovation and achievements in business -she will fly to Reims in France and, this is the good part-she'll receive a bottle of champagne on Madame Clicquot's birthday every December 16.
Also receiving an award for innovation was Ronni Khan who runs OzHarvest Food Rescue a non profit company that collects and delivers surplus food to charities. And that is something worth raising your glass to.

Out & About In London & Paris

Collette Dinnigan has shown her latest Spring/Summer range in Paris where she always draws praise from fashionistas and style writers.

When she returned to the States Nicole Kidman donned a Dinnigan design for that all important airport snap when she departed from Sydney earlier this month while model Jessica Gomez (right) was spotted in Collette Dinnigan tangerine sparkles bustier dress in Las Vegas last month

                                                   

Yasmin Le Bon and Elle McPherson ( above) ham it up at the Women of Beauty and Style Awards in London at Fitzrovia’s Sanderson Hotel . Both models ( who are 47) won Rodial’s Beautiful Awards .


left : Nick Minchin and pals party at the NME ( New Musical Express) Awards after party at the Wyld Bar in Leicester Square.

pictures by Dave Bennett











 # Chris Hemsworth is starring in Ron Howard's new film Rush about champion driver Niki Lauda and the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life.
Hemsworth takes the role of an old Shuttle pal, the racing legend James Hunt who died of a heart attack in 1993. Hunt was a charming and likable cove who was a regular on the social circuit in London and Paris. The Shuttle once caught a lift in the same car as the racing driver to a weekend party at the British Playboy Mansion Stocks in Hertfordshire.

James Hunt

Chris Hemsworth

Our driver was a well know Sydneysider who had a reputation as a speedster and who  had just purchased an enormous four wheel drive, then a rarity. The roads to Stocks were pretty smooth and he put his foot on the accelerator presumably to impress champion Hunt sitting in the back seat.
 Trying to engage Hunt in conversation was impossible. He remained ashen faced the entire journey and gripped the back of the front seat. Later over a drink at Stocks we asked him why he was silent on the trip down : " I simply cannot stand speed unless I'm in the driving seat" was the reply.

Dita Down South

Burlesque star Dita Von Teese is in Melbourne for the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival and Melburnians can catch her at The Docklands tomorrow at 8.30pm where she will present a fashion parade of her lingerie range featuring the 'fuller' model. Tickets here

Donald Friend Re-visited

The Savill Galleries in Paddington has a retrospective of Donald Friend's works which is a must see. It's rare to get this many Friend paintings together at one time-there are 28 on show- works that come on the market are snapped up immediately by collectors.

Donald Friend studied at the Westminster School of Art in London and served as a gunner in the AIF during WW2. While stationed in Albury  he became friends with Russell Drysdale and the pair were instrumental in establishing the famous art colony at Hill End.

Donald Friend portrait by Greg Weight 1987

He's probably most famous for his Bali period although there are some wonderful portrait studies at the Savill from his time in Paris in the 1940s.
 Friend discovered Bali in the 1960s when the island paradise was unheard of by most in the West. He moved there and built a magnificent house where over the years he entertained all manner of people from visiting diplomats to pop stars like Mick Jagger and David Bowie.


He moved back to Australia in the 80s when Bali became an Antipodean version of the Costa Brava and died in 1989.

Savill Galleries
156 Hargrave Street
Paddington
Tel: +61 2 9327 8311

Marriage Made in Heaven

Chiswick Gardens in leafy Woollahra is one of the council's prime properties, surrounded as it is by the well heeled of the Eastern Suburbs and a stone's throw from the Consular district .

The restaurant in the gardens-Chiswick has lain dormant for some years now and after a long tender process the council has awarded the premises to one the countries best know chefs, Matt Moran and his business partner Peter Sullivan. It's a wise decision on the council's part and the pair have spent the last 18 months renovating the dining areas and adding their own vegetable garden to supply the kitchen with fresh produce.

Masterchef's Hayden Quinn

Silvia Colloca, Richard Roxborgh & Matt Moran

Anyone who has dined at Matt's Aria restaurant right next door to the Sydney Opera House will know of Matt's superb culinary skills that have made Aria the first stop of choice for visiting celebrities and tourists.

Chiswick Gardens is a bit more laid back with it's polished floors, rustic tables and superb floor to ceiling windows that open onto the gardens giving the place a light and airy feeling. Prices are reasonable and it's guaranteed to become one of the area's most popular dining spots. On Tuesday they held a launch party for regular customers.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley loves a party

Silverchair's Chris Joannou & Laura Csortan

the veggie garden

MKR's Manu Feidel & Clarissa Weerasena