Lindsay Hits Town

Fasten your seat belts : Mercedes Fashion Week has scored a major guest for their re-launched series of parades,  Lindsay Lohan.

The four day event in April moves from it's recent home at Circular Quay to Carriageworks in deepest Alexandria, a fact that already has noses out of joint but which is a sensible move- plenty of car parking and tons of room.
But it's the addition of Lohan that has tongues wagging : "what on earth has she got to with fashion?"harrumphed one major designer this week when told the news. Not much but the cameras will be tracking her every move. Brilliant !

Mercedes Fashion Week Update

Some of the top names who will appear in the Mercedes Fashion Week were announced today :

Lisa Ho

Jayson Brunsdon

Toni Maticevski.

Romance Was Born

Alex Perry

Camilla & Marc

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

                        

exclusive : Royal Baby is a Girl

Rachel Johnson is the editor of The Lady, the longest continually published women's magazine in the UK and she is an impeccable source .

 Writing in the UK Daily Mail she informs us that Kate Middleton's baby is a girl. Her information comes from The Lady's astrologer Victor Olliver who is very very good at these things. He predicted  a definite win for Barack Obama when other astrologers were hedging their bets. 

Havana Brown

Havana Brown performs at the Volvo V40 launch.

Volvo's Classy V40 Launch

The ever so reliable Volvo car makers launched their new model, the V40 at Sydney's Technology Park. With a Pommery Champagne bar the organisers sensibly ferried guests to and from the party in fleet of Volvo 4WDs.

Anyone remember The Saint ?-vintage Volvo

Watch our video of the unveiling of the V40 : this was quite amazing as the car really did seem to be racing along a road. And an even a racier act followed with a performance by chart topping DJ Havana Brown with her dancers. We like these car launches !

Volvo fans Matt Shirvington,Guillaume & Terry Kaljo,Lisa Wilkinson

hugs & kisses at Volvo

Jessica Gomez was there

Havana Brown

Top Gear Host's Faux Outrage

They should be so lucky : to be invited back to Australia.

When Jeremy Clarkson from the UK's Top Gear show- the series that fills a studio with people who can't afford the cars the presenters demonstrate, and mercilessly demeans the ones they can afford, you know the show has a limited shelf life.

Top Gear was never that popular in Oz and it's probably on it's last legs in the UK. Nothing could illustrate that more than the shenanigans at Otto's last night. When the Shuttle received an invite to attend a press conference that day for the show, we binned it as just a repeat of the same old stuff.

As Clarkson and friends arrived at the Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo last night their attempt to brew a controversy over the paparazzi was a sad sight. If you want privacy you don't go to the Finger Wharf. The snappers prowl there every day and night
But it was Clarkson's actions that gave the game away as he confronted one of the lensmen who continues to claim his snaps fetch $50,000 a piece (even though he was recently bankrupted). Clarkson knew the reptile by sight and his pretense about tossing the 'fat bald one' in the harbour was a joke as the snappers are business partners.
" "How did they know?" wailed one of the Top Gear party referring to the paparazzi.
Err, perhaps he would better off asking the show's publicist that question : he did a phone around of the media that afternoon.
Top Gear's Wheels Are Falling Off  by Michael Idato

exclusive video: Kevin Rudd stalks Julia Gillard

Russell Crowe's UFO

Russell Crowe filmed  some UFOs  flying over Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens  this week and uploaded the film on YouTube. The film was taken from his Woolloomooloo apartment.
"A friend and I set camera to capture fruit bats rising from Botanic Gardens. This was a big surprise,'' Crowe tweeted to his followers this morning.

The Power of Star Trek's Dr Sulu

If you haven't yet 'liked' the Facebook page of Dr Hikaru Sulu of the SS Enterprise, actor George Takei, never fear, a whopping 3,600.000 have which makes him a Facebook star with power.
George is a gay activist and updates his Facebook page daily, often with amusing photos and tales.
 Today he posted a link to the sensational Youtube video that has dominated the airwaves and TV since it was posted 2 days ago. It features a young man at the Sydney Mardi Gras being thrown to the ground by a fairly large policeman with other police demanding by-standers to stop filming .

Last night when the Shuttle viewed the video it had only 503 hits. At present it has over 400,000. Since George Takei posted a link an extra 100,000 hits were logged within one hour. The power of Facebook !

Collette Wows Paris

Collette Dinnigan continues to conquer Paris with her latest collection receiving plaudits in the French media after a parade at the Paris Fashion Week two days ago. Lots of fine Aussie wool, French lace with oblong sequins and a discreet sexuality (and that's not even from a press release !).

Dinnigan is a favourite and Francophiles seems to love her designs which sell well in Paris and the smart boutiques in the South of France.

Earth to The UK Daily Mail

Tim & sister Charlotte at the Volvo launch

Perusing our favourite tabloid newspaper, the UK Daily Mail an article catches the sharp eye of the Shuttle's resident sub-editor Mildred Pierce.
A number of paparazzi photographs taken on Bondi Beach feature UK Made In Chelsea reality TV star Caggie Dunlop apparently locked in an embrace with Sydney man-about-town Tim Holmes a'Court, grandson (not the son as the Mail claims) of the late West Australian billionaire, Robert Holmes a'Court.
Alarm bells rang immediately.
We see Tim around town at smart parties and it just didn't look like him.
Tim confirmed tonight, when we encountered him at the launch of the new Volvo V40 at the Technology Park in Alexandria- it wasn't he.
Tim says  friends in London had contacted him and thought the article was a hoot.
Tim confirms that while Caggie and he are friends, they are not dating.


But who is the chap embracing gorgeous Caggie ?.
Step forward rock'n'roller Nicholas Routledge of the band Van She who has been dating Caggie for six weeks now.

Caggie Dunlop                            Nicholas Routledge                                  Mildred Pierce

Miss Daisy's Cousin

Saturday night saw the opening of Driving Miss Daisy at the Theatre Royal. The play stars Hollywood greats Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones. The pair are joined on stage by Broadway actor Boyd Gaines.

And at the opening night party as our exclusive pic shows it was a chance for Angela to meet her famous Australian cousin, Parliamentarian Malcolm Turnbull MP. Incidentally, Malcolm and wife Lucy's daughter is named Daisy.
 Malcolm's mother was  radio actor, writer and academic Carol Lansbury although he was brought up by his father when his parents separated.

Out In The Open

It's been the gossip of the town but at last week's Silver Party mega millionaire John Symond finally appeared in public with his new girlfriend Amber Keating.

Amber & 'Aussie' John

Keating is the soon to be ex-wife of Patrick Keating, handsome son of former Prime Minister Paul Keating and when the Shuttle attended their wedding at St Mary's Cathedral in 2002, it was regarded as the match of the year.
 Patrick is now living with fashion identity Penny Hunt and the pair are expecting a baby.
(right : Amber & Patrick at their 2002 wedding)
Last Thursday at the fundraiser for the Sydney Children's Hospital the affection between the pair was obvious when John who walked up the driveway in the pouring rain spotted Amber who was waiting for him and the pair embraced.
Two weeks ago Amber was also on hand when Aussie Loan's John gave away his son Stephen Symond who married his partner Ed Smith in a civil ceremony in the garden of Symond's $60M Darling Point mansion.

Bright Young Things #1 (a new series)

He's just turned 18 but Cristian King (right) of Easter Suburb's newspaper Latte Life already has all the hallmarks of an old pro.

Having seen off one of the countries top gossip columnists with a flea in his ear after said scribe objected to a Latte Life item, Cristian has turned his gaze upon one of Australia's most influential broadcasters Alan Jones and put the rarely interviewed radio star under an intense grilling which will be published next week in Latte Life.
The Shuttle's spy disguised as fine china teacup discreetly placed on a side table by Jones' impeccably dressed butler in Alan's magnificent Circular Quay apartment  reports nothing was off limits and Jones at one stage left the room to compose himself before returning to answer King's questions which might have had lesser mortals screaming, "impertinence !".
Order your copy now at your favourite Double Bay coffee shop : that's Latte Life !! We can't wait.

Think Of The Children

A fleet of golf carts ferried guests up the winding Barford driveway

Hundreds did just that last night in the pouring rain. The Silver Committee threw one of it's legendary bashes at Barford, the magnificent hill-top home of Maggie and Ian Joye which seems to stretch over several acres of one of Australia's most exclusive suburbs, Bellevue Hill.

Camila Franks has the Serengeti look

The theme was Serengeti at Dusk and the decor and outfits reflected that but , well it is Sydney after all and at this time of year, when it rains it pours.

Did that dampen guest's enthusiasm ?. Not one bit as they dashed from one marquee to another under a sea of umbrellas with most deciding to settle in at the Moet & Chandon tent and sip champers out of silver goblets.

It was all in a good cause with funds raised going to the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick (patron : Nicole Kidman) and while the Shuttle only stayed for one hour, as we sauntered down the driveway we could hear an announcement proclaiming that over $375,000 had been raised so far. And the night was only young.

 Horns of the dilemna:
     political power broker
Michael Photios and wife Kristina

Gail Eliott, Anthony Minichiello &Terry Biviano

John Symond

Christian Lomas

Out Of Africa and at the Silver Party

                                           

Wag Of The Week # 1 - a new series

Inaugural Wag of The Week could only be the Social Shuttle's favourite celebrity show-biz spruiker and ex-saucepan salesman from Shepherds Bush Market in London : Max Markson.

Introducing a panel of fashion experts at a forum at the Jewish Museum in Darlinghurst, Max said :
"I'd like to thank the traditional owners of the land we are on- Frank Lowy and James Packer "

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.

Predicting The Pope's Resignation

Followers of the Astrology website ASTROTABLETALK certainly were not surprised at the extraordinary news when Pope Benedict announced his retirement.

In 2010 Astrotabletalk, using the emeritus Pope's chart said :  
" In 3-5 years time, with Pluto and Uranus starting to make some serious aspects to his natal Moon-Pluto, we may see a process leading to the Pope's resignation, the first to do so since 1415." 
Spot on.

Titanic 2 Sails Without Us

Those crafty Chinese are already re-producing humble Toyota Corollas, Bentleys and Rolls Royce's so why not a new Titanic on behalf of wacky billionaire Clive Palmer.

Palmer's new Blue Star Line has released photos of his new tub and it all looks a bit austere. The good news is that moaning pensioners (us by the time the ship sails ) will be banned from the boat.
A promotional lunch on the Archille Lauro did the Shuttle's seafaring head in. It sank in 1994 shortly after we recovered from food poisoning.

Bon Voyage !!

Monday Madness

Fireworks by Katy Perry with Yoko Ono. Eat your heart out Jack Vidgen.