Madame Arcati & The News Corp Insider

Rumours of her demise were greatly exaggerated. Just a few weeks ago the British blogger Madame Arcati announced her retirement from public life. It was short lived.
Now she is back and has scored an exclusive interview with the former News Of The World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck.
Thurlbeck has had the privilege of now having his collar felt twice in the Great Hacking Scandal that has made the British publishing world exciting once more.

Read Madame's Thurlbeck interview here.

# Neville Thurlbeck has also joined the blogging world here. It's a good read. Our readers in the UK may be interested in his 2000 Mercedes SL280 that's for sale for £5,999. The same model sells for $27,000  (£17,000) in Australia. Anyone visiting for the London Olympics should snap up the bargain. The Shuttle has shipped an automobile out from the UK before. Freight costs approx $1000. It's easier than you think and pays for the trip !

# On the subject of the late News Of The World, was it Mr Thurlbeck who penned a scurrilous article that appeared about the Shuttle a couple of decades ago ?. On the front page no less and mistaking us for a character of dubious morals with a similar name who hailed from Glasgow ?

They coughed up a tidy sum three weeks later that paid for a holiday to Morocco and a brand new yellow Mini car, dubbed 'Rupert' in the great man's honour.

Greece Re-Visited

The series producer John Caldon with partner Lyndey Milan

Tetsuya Wakuda, Lyndey & the ABC's Simon Marnie

If you missed it the first time, tonight SBS screens the series Lyndey & Blair's Taste of Greece. Lyndey Milan and her late son Blair travel to Greece to check out the country that has contributed so much to the Australian culinary scene ( Melbourne has the largest Greek community outside Athens).

It really is a delightful and different series on food as the pair travel the length and breadth of Greece seeking out the origins of some of that countries most famous dishes. To date the show has been screened in the UK and USA and is soon to be shown in Russia and throughout Asia.
On Wednesday Lyndey hosted a small party in her TV kitchen in Artarmon to launch a book about the series. It's a must have for your book shelf..lots of easy and delicious recipes. A small team whipped up some great treats for partygoers including Smoked Salmon in Ouzo  and Whiting in Vine Leaves. Try them sometime !
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When Blair Milan passed away suddenly almost a year ago, it was a shock to so many people who had met the charming young man. He had so much promise and the TV series Lyndey & Blair's Taste of Greece is a wonderful testament to his memory.             
 The talented actor, much loved son and brother, incredible friend to so many, died on Sunday April 17, 2011. Blair's joyful life was suddenly cut short by Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Now Blair’s family and friends have teamed up with Charles Sturt University, where Blair studied, to form the The Blair Milan Fund .
 Go to Lyndey's personal website here and donate. You can see the money will be going to an excellent cause in Blair's memory.

Falling Stars

Will-I-Am & Ashlee Simpson arrive on Wednesday for the Marquee openiung.

Relaxing in our rural retreat for the weekend, our spy disguised as a B-List sleb ventured into no-man's land, Darling Harbour for the much trumpeted "VIP" celebrity opening of Star Casino's Marquee nightclub.

The original architects of Star City say they operated under directions from a Feng Shui Master which may explain the millions in profits that have been generated for it's owners over the years but did they sack the Feng Shui consultant for the latest "billion dollar" makeover?. Things are going from bad to worse for the gambling joint despite the millions of dollars they have forked over for celebrities like Leo Di Caprio and the Black Eyed Peas to put in personal appearances.
Elton John stormed out of the casino's new penthouse suite after one day last year and fled to the Sheraton On The Park, vowing never to return and the on-going political dramas over the sacking of the casino boss, Las Vegas import Sid Vaikunta will get much worse.
Last night's appearance by Paris Hilton, surely on the slippery slope to celebrity oblivion was a major mistake and basically set the tone for the glitzy nightclub. Why it thinks it needs a "VIP Entrance" is a mystery. Getting patrons through he main door will be a struggle let alone those who pass as VIPs in this town.
Hilton's appearance at Bondi barely caused a ripple and noticeably absent were the paparazzi. They were largely absent for last night's launch as well. And as late as 6pm the club managers were desperately phoning around agents looking for a magician to entertain the VIPs.

Right Royal Punch Up

Barry Everingham

Verbal fisticuffs have broken out between Australian republican advocate and Melbourne journalist Barry Everingham and the vocal defender of the British Royals, the immaculately attired and coiffured  David Flint who is head of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) .

David Flint

Everingham, who has been described as the "ultimate name dropper" is something of an expert on the royals and has reported on royal weddings for US cable TV MSNBC.
 He penned a biography of Princess "Pushy" Michael of Kent and his royal connections appear to be impeccable.

He's sipped cocktails with the late Princess Margaret and was once told by HM The Queen at a party on the Britannica in Kuwait Harbour  to "be as naughty as you like" before she quizzed him about Sultan Qaboos of Oman's new palace in Muscat (the Shuttle has been inside-it's magnificent!).
 Everingham is a contributor to the ABC's The Drum and News Ltd's The Punch. One delightful piece from his biog tells how he once danced with Imelda Marcos after being commanded to by Lady Mary Fairfax.

Writing for Independent Australia, an on-line forum in a piece called Fantasies & Follies of Flint Everingham says:
"David Flint’s rantings and slurs on anyone who disagrees with him is a disgrace to the monarchist cause"  calling Flint a "disgraceful upholder of a moth eaten, out-of-date and insulting system of inherited privilege" . Heady stuff.

Flint has cried foul and responded a week ago in this piece on the IA website crying 'defamation' and says numerous furphies have been perpetuated about his relationship with former PM John Howard who successfully scuppered the Republcian referendum in 1999.
Howard appointed Flint ( a former head of the Press Council ) as head of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) but that appointment ended in tears when Flint resigned in 2004 after being interviewed by Rado csar John Laws on his morning show whilst the ABA was investigating Laws over the 'cash for comments' scandal.

We feel sure there is much more titilation to come from this scuffle but in the meantime, here is David Flint wearing his Mystic Meg hat with predictions in 2010 where he confidently predicts the mining "Super Profits Tax will end in a legal minefield " (hasn't happened yet) and that Julia Gillard will be defeated at the general election in 2011. She won.

A Paris Autumn

Taking in the gorgeous Autumn weather today at Bondi, the Shuttle came across "party girl" Paris Hilton who is town for the opening of Star casino's Marquee club tonight......

Thorpedo Captured: London Olympics

Gold medalist Ian Thorpe has teamed up with Croatian born artist Charles Billich to produce a portrait for Thorpe's charity Fountain For Youth which raises funds for Indigenous kids. The painting, above will be auctioned.

Charles and his wife Christa threw a party at their Rock's studio and gallery to launch the painting. How do they manage to get these amazing premises?. The three tired gallery is one of the cities most desirable properties and was once the old Sailor's Home but now houses Billich works, some of which we present here.
 Below is his interpretation of The Last Supper ( a copy was presented to Cardinal Pell) which can be yours for $12,500. Not sure who the lady is in the picture in front-Mary Magdalene?.

And the London Olympics ?. Despite Thorpe just failing to qualify lucky Londoners will be treated to Charles' special Olympics print below which is for sale for a few thousand pounds and is being snapped up by British corporations and will be coming to a bank or insurance company wall near you soon.

Billich Gallery

blondes rule-Charlie Brown*Christa Billich*Shari Lee Hitchcock

Kylie, New Year's Eve & Clueless Media

You know who you are : the Nine & Seven TV Networks and even the ABC. And let's not even mention the tabloids ( perhaps it's the stress of their sister organs being under the spotlight in the UK).

All reported breathlessly this morning that our Queen of Pop , the gorgeous Kylie Minogue will be this year's New Year's Eve ambassador. It was, they repeated in chorus, Kylie's very first involvement in Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations that sees up to 1.5 million people line the harbour for the sensational fireworks.

Phil Avalon

Well no actually. Kylie was the guest at the 2002 New Year's Eve party at the Sydney Opera House and threw the switch to start the fireworks that year.
We know because as she was stepping forward to throw the switch, cheered on by thousands of spectators, the Shuttle had to separate a paparazzi and the film producer Phil Avalon who said the snapper had insulted his wife.

To soothe Avalon's nerves we took him into the bar for a drink with Kylie so he would forget about the rude photographer. Do your research folks.

(the following year, the guest switch thrower was US actress Sarah Michelle Geller)
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Getting into the spirit for his Cuban visit.

Will-I-Am? I Don't Think So

A missive arrives from the Star casino with a follow-up phone call from a PR operative : "you will be coming on Friday won't you ?".

"I doubt it" responded the Shuttle, "we have a date in Moss Vale for the weekend..wan't to get out of town early Friday and miss the traffic".
"This is the hottest ticket in town" she replied.."people are begging for an invite".
The Star is opening a new nightclub, Marquee on Friday with a "VIP" party and a public opening on Saturday. Following form they are busing in some star acts-Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, Will-I-Am and some "party" girl called Paris Hilton. Ashlee Simpson, Nick Lachey, Red Foo, Abbie Cornish, the list goes on. And it wouldn't be a Sydney party without Danni Minogue, Lara Bingle etc ad finitum.

The Star has already run into bother with some of their spruikers being ejected from various nightclubs around Sydney after they were discovered handing out flyers for Saturday night.
The last time Paris was here was to open John Ibrahim's Piano Bar in Kings Cross two years ago on News Year's Eve. She was in and out of the club in under 30 minutes. We'll be in the country having a quiet weekend.

Sweet Taste Of Morroco

Meet the very elegant Prince Fabrizio Ruspoli  (pictured here with tv personality Tracey Spicer) who is in town to tell us about Morocco and the rather splendid hotel he owns there-La Maison Arabe in Marrakesh.
Fabrizio was the star guest at a small reception-The Sweet Taste of Morocco -in the Patisse restaurant in the Pyd building near Dank Street in Waterloo.

Born in France with an Italian father, Fabrizio holidayed as a child in Tangier at his grandparents villa and fell in love with the country.
 La Maison Arabe, as you can see from our pics is a luxury hotel decorated in Moroccan style and is Ruspoli's pride and joy. It's one of the town's best kept secrets and is reasonably priced considering it's now been discovered by the jet set who see it as the perfect alternative to their usual choice, the 6 star historic Mamounia which re-opened in 2009 after a complete makeover.

La Maison Arabe

At the Mamounia's re-launch a host of famous names jetted in for the celebrations-Salma Hayek, Orlando Bloom, Bryan Ferry, Sarah Jessica Parker and Paloma Picasso. Jose Carreras entertained the guests. The re-opening of the Mamounia summed up just how quickly Marrakesh is becoming a tourism developer's dream.

Salma Hayek in Marrakesh

La Maison Arabe

Although Prince Fabrizio is in the tourism business he is fearful that Marrakesh may go the way of some famous Mediterranean hot spots and has likened it, (and not in a complimentary fashion) to "St Tropez without the boats". He is alarmed that luxury spas and branches of French restaurants, art galleries, nightclubs and golf courses, all with European prices are opening there. Hopefully he's comforted that at least McDonald's was given the cold shoulder by the town burghers. At the reception to greet our Italian aristocrat was one Sydney's best chefs who also happens to be Moroccan-Hassan M'Souli who owns the award winning restaurant Out Of Africa in Manly. He whipped up some delicious Morrocan treats for the party guests.
As for Sydney, Fabrizio said he has been pleasantly surprised :"the trees" he said,"so many beautiful trees, everywhere I go there are just beautiful trees!"

Check out La Maison Arabe here and Out Of Africa here.

No Botox For Our Cate

If you have ever (as the Shuttle has often) been up close (but not personal) to Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett you could not help but notice her extraordinary perfect white flawless skin.

Now Cate has revealed that she won't be going under the knife any day soon and botox is out. From an article in The Lady ( Britain's oldest magazine) : Cate is ‘very old-fashioned’ when it comes to things like that.
‘There’s been a decade of people doing interventions on their faces and their bodies, and now people are seeing that [in the] long term, it’s not so great,’ she said in a recent interview with Fashionetc.com. ‘I’m not standing on a soapbox telling women what they should and shouldn’t do. I just know what works for me. I’d just be too frightened about what it means long term.

‘Looking at women in their 20s doing this stuff, in the end all you see is the work. It doesn’t fill me with admiration; it fills me with pity.’

Cate also appears on the cover of the latest The Economist Intelligent Life we are assured, sans make-up, jewellery and air-brushing, looking quite gorgeous.

Now if we could just teach Cate and her husband Andrew Upton how to behave in the cinema.
The Shuttle sat behind the pair at the Sydney premier of I'm Not There in which Blanchett gives a stellar performance as a rambling Bob Dylan visiting England in the 1960s. After introducing the movie and admitting she hadn't seen the final version, Cate and Andrew chatted all the way through the film, only staying silent when the flick reached her piece which is about two thirds of the way through the film.
 We resisted tapping her on the shoulder and shushing her.

Krug & Sushi at the Park Hyatt

The Park Hyatt Hotel celebrated it's $60M recent makeover with a swish party on Tuesday evening.

Amber Keating in Louis Vuitton

Nestled beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge and directly opposite the Sydney Opera House, the Park Hyatt clearly has the premier location of any Sydney inn and it's the home away from home for most visiting celebrities.
But what was with the report in a Sydney tabloid newspaper today that implied that while the Star casino (possibly Australia's most ghastly looking building) served Krug champagne for it's glitzy launch last year, the Park Hyatt settled for photographs of the French tipple ?. Perhaps the journo was pre-occupied with the dramas about his newspaper's parent company unfolding in the Leveson Inquiry in the UK.

Not only was the Krug flowing freely at the Park Hyatt, it was '98 vintage which doesn't come cheap. There were buckets and buckets of the stuff and the Shuttle knows as we could only look on in sheer envy, reduced as we are to sipping mineral water because of a course of anti-biotics.

If the service at the Park Hyatt's launch party is anything to go by, it's position as the hotel of choice for superstars (and other mortals) will remain un-matched. The hotel had flown in chefs from around the world including two to prepare superb sushi, and with a series of rooms serving up various cuisines, this was one of Sydney's most memorable parties.

Bridget & Louise Abbott

Jo Ferguson & Catriona Rowntree

As for Star, which the Tele helpfully informs us attracted the likes of Leo DiCaprio, Stevie Wonder and others of that ilk to it's launch late last year, they forgot to mention the millions of dollars paid out to the slebs or in DiCaprio's case, the entire floor of it's hotel they laid on gratis for Leo's staff to live in while he filmed The Great Gatsby. Or of the Star's private jet that was laid on for DiCaprio's exclusive use during his stay. Even then he only turned up to the launch party for an hour or so and stood sullenly in a corner scowling at the media.

 Sipping Krug at the Park Hyatt : Hon Bruce Baird, Amber Keating, Kerri Anne Kennerley, gossip writers Jo Cassamento and Ros Reines, Catriona Rowntree, Sandra Sully and two new entrants to the social scene, Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's daughters Bridget and Louise Abbott.

                      the view from the Park Hyatt's bar

Bashing Beiber

Do not despair-they are just snaps from his up-coming video.
 The new butch Justin Bieber will be in Sydney later this year to give a concert. Meanwhile, here is the look the anti-Bieber crowd wish was real !