Sleeping Rough Tonight

Cardboard City at the Carriageworks in Redfern

St Vincents de Paul- or Vinnies as they are known, are one of the Shuttle's favourite charities. They raise millions$$ via various activities and their charity shops all over the country. Eastern Suburb's Vinnie shops sell amazing designer outfits and our favourite Paddington store gets a fantastic selection of Savile Row shirts at rock bottom prices. Check them out.
Their annual sleep out to raise funds for, and highlight homelessness in one of the richest countries on the planet is underway as we speak. Thousands are sleeping rough tonight in cardboard boxes (supplied by Visy) all over the land. The Shuttle's bad back and a prior date with the ABC's new series Carlotta means we can't make it but others are far more generous than us : right : Latte Life newspaper honcho Cris King has already raised thousands of dollars. Above : Mamamia editor Jamila Rizvi sends a message that many woman are homeless tonight

Todd Tai & Gina Lednyak

Kelly O'Dwyer MP gets ready for a cold Melbourne night

*

Carlotta premieres tonight

Starting tonight on ABC TV : Carlotta, the bio-pic about Australia's first (well the most famous) sex change Carlotta who starred at Kings Cross famous Les Girls for many years.

NYE Fireworks with Jack Thompson

"G'Day Sydney, I have to say that I am really excited to be nominated as the Creative Ambassador for 2014 Sydney New Year's Eve. What an honour!  To be chosen to represent my "home town" in this way; To share with you all the celebration of this beautiful city on New Year's Eve. "

Tom, Nicole, Keith,Swiss Pills & Prada

One guest at the Tom Keneally celebration was top show biz publicist Wendy Day (pictured with  husband publisher Mark Day.)
Wendy was having a cultural respite after collecting her most famous and steadfastly loyal client, superstar Nicole Kidman (in Prada) who arrived in Sydney that morning before heading to Melbourne to attend the Suisse Celebrate Life Ball with hubby Keith Urban to aid the Monash Children’s Hospital and Sydney’s Children’s Hospital. And doesn't she look fab!

Celebrating 50 Years

Bryan Brown, Tom Keneally & Jennifer Byrne

220 friends and fans turned up to the Westin Hotel to celebrate Man Booker Prize winner Tom Keneally's fifty years of publishing books. Plenty of amusing speeches by Richard Flanagan, David Williamson,  Bryan Brown and director Fred Schepis.
It's amazing to think that when Tom wrote his first book Australia had no such things a literary agent and books were sent to the UK to be published,
No wonder as Richard Flanagan pointed out that the great Henry Lawson said that anyone contemplating a career as a writer in Oz should fetch a revolver and shoot themselves.

David & Kirsten Williamson with Richard Flanagan,        ABC's Tony Jones                         & Fred Schepisi

 Delighted US and UK agents sent congratulatory videos as did Kathy Lette but the most impressive was from director Steven Spielberg (below) who credited Keneally with Spielberg winning a host of Academy Awards for his adaption of Tom's Schindler's Ark.

FULL DETAILS HERE

Picture Post

at the State Theatre for the launch of The Rover : Guy Pierce, David Michod & Robert Pattinson

At the Gold Dinner for the Children's Hospital at the Carriageworks which raised over $1.1M : Helen Coonan

Backstage at the Tony Awards in New York : Hugh Jackman, Idina Menzel and Clint Eastwood

Cate Blanchett at the State Theatre for the Sydney Film Festival premiere of How To Train Your Dragon 2

Bali Hai

Maurice Terzini

While the reality TV program What Really Happens In Bali may be horrifying the viewing public as the place appears swamped by yahoos from this fair isle, it hasn't deterred successful restaurateur Maurice Terzini who is planning to launch the Icebergs Beach Club at the ritzy Sea Sentoza Resort at Echo Beach,

Terzeni's Bondi Icebergs nestled above the local swimming pool and with a world beating view of the beach is a roaring success with locals and visiting celebrities flocking to the bar and restaurant. Terzini says he is drawing design inspiration from the iconic photography of Slim Aarrons (right)  from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s; glamour and "enjoyment in an idyllic setting with an experience that is both accessible as well as inspirational". And the architects Claudio Lazzarini and Carl Pickering from Rome's Lazzarini Pickering Architetti who designed the Icebergs will produce the Beach Club. Sounds like a winner !
                                  *****************************
There is of course a ritzy side to Bali with numerous ex-pats who have built luxury villas and who avoid the nightmares of Kuta.
Many years ago Sydney boutique Vodka purveyor Vitek Czernuszyn lived in Bali and published a local society rag before heading to Australia.
Czernuszyn is married to Woman's Weekly Editor in Chief Deborah Thomas (left) who also doubles as a councilor on the Double Bay Council. The Shuttle's spy disguised as an aspidistra in the council chambers hears that Thomas is a shoe-in to become Mayor Of Woolahra next year .  Vitek should make an excellent First Lady.

Rooster One Day, feather duster etc.

He cut a rather forlorn figure on Wednesday morning standing quietly in a corner. Former premier Barry O'Farrel attended the gala opening of the spanking brand new Woolworths store in snooty Double Bay. And what a store it is, totally unrecognisable from the ghastly and gloomy tin shed style premises that were once there.
 It's bound to become a social meeting spot with an amazing selection of stores and delicacies.
 The vintner Dan Murphys, part of the complex was also celebrating and the Shuttle dropped in for a morning Bollinger, as one does.                            
Murphy's was also serving 2003 Grange Hermitage which retails for a $1000 a bottle. Sadly Barry had nary a nip of this fine offering. Perhaps not to his taste. After all it was less than 2 months ago O'Farrell resigned after telling the ICAC he had never received a '59 bottle of Grange valued at $3000. Such is life.

Wolf of Wall Street ?..or just a Rat

The Wolf                                   The Rat                      John McGrath                    Liz Hayes                     Neil Jenman

Real estate advocate Neil Jenman has savaged the con-man Jordan Belfort turned "motivational speaker" who is due in Australia this month for a speaking tour.
On Monday evening Media Watch ripped into the man the film the Wolf of  Wall Street was based on and in particular some of the countries vacuous TV shows that presented gushing interviews with Belfort who ripped off thousands of Americans of their life savings in a classic boiler room scam.

But it's Jenmen who has scathingly shredded the scamster labeling him The Rat of Long Island as well as questioning why popular real estate identity John McGrath is sponsoring the crook who will be telling 100s of would-be Aussie moguls how he committed his crimes.
It's a mystery why Mc Grath who also a hosts several TV shows would link himself to this unrepentant crim who walks out on interviews when asked difficult but pertinent questions as Liz Hayes did on 60 Minutes. Watch the video below.
A gut feeling here: this will not end well for John McGrath and he could seriously dent his integrity by associating with Belfort. And that's if Belfort actually gets into the country : Jenman is petitioning the Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to get the Wolf Rat's visa revoked on the claim he is coming to Australia to profit from his crimes which in itself, is a crime.
Read Neil Jenman's fact filled expose of the Rat of Long Island here.

An Evening with Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett’s triumphs are extraordinary: two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, three BAFTAs, three SAG Awards and four AFI Awards for her film work, and many other honours for her stage work. She was awarded the Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society through Acting, named one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People in 2007, and in 2012 was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres by the French Minister for Culture. Cate and Anne Summers will talk candidly about her life, her acting accomplishments and her views on everything from raising sons as a feminist in today’s world, to her fears about climate change, to why it is that women are still not treated equally.

Book now for what will be a unique and engaging evening with renowned actor Cate Blanchett.

Dinner Date with Tom Keneally & Steven Speilberg

An evening not to be missed. The ABC is holding a dinner event to celebrate 50 years of publishing with Oscar winning author Tom Keneally.
Actor Bryan Brown is hosting along with Kathy Lette and Richard Flanagan.
And director Steven Spielberg is expected to drop in via video. Spielberg of course produced and director Schindler's List based on Keneally's 1982 Booker Prize winning book Schindler's Ark. Tom's had 3 books listed for the Booker prize including The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith which was made into a film as was his autobiographical book The Devil's Advocate.
Tickets are $150 and the dinner is on Wednesday 11th June at the Westin Hotel. Book here.

Kathy Lette                                  Steven Spielberg                                                            Westin Hotel

Mother of All Balls

 The Sydney Town Hall was the venue for Saturday night's Mother Of All Balls, the brain child of actor Rachel Ward. The MoAB raises much needed funds for the YWCA's mentor program for kids from broken and troubled homes and it's become a must attend event pulling in big names from the Australian film industry. In the past drop-in guests have included Sam Neill, Cate Blanchett, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and Quentin Tarrantino.
In our lovely snaps : Rachel dances with husband, actor Bryan Brown (currently starring in the ABC's Old School on Sunday nights) and one of Sydney's brightest and cleverest publicists Sally Burleigh looks sensational with a very handsome Mathew Collett.

Pick & Stick with Alan

It's a very Sydney story. A tale of drugs and murder. Four years ago the Shuttle attended  the launch of ex-copper Roger 'Dodger' Rogerson's autobiography at the former gangster hangout, the Iron Duke pub in Waterloo.

Glen McNamara            Tim Priest          Alan Jones            above Rogerson & Jones at Roger's book launch                                                                

Roxburgh as Rogerson

Rogerson's book was launched by radio host Alan Jones. Rogerson is famous for being kicked out of the NSW Police and was portrayed in the TV  film Blue Murder with Richard Roxburgh playing the Dodger.
Above in our photo set is Alan Jones with another former detective Tim Priest at his book launch and in the photo is another former cop Glen McNamara.
Police are now alleging that McNamara and Rogerson entered a storage facility on Saturday evening with 20 year old Jamie Gao. Minutes later, say police, the two ex-cops walked out carrying Gao's body. A body matching his description was found floating off Cronulla beach this morning wrapped in a blue tarpaulin. McNamara has been arrested and charged and police say Rogerson is on the run in Queensland.
Multi millionaire radio network owner Alan Jones is famed for his "pick and stick "claim when it comes to friends. McNamara & Rogerson look like needing all the friends they can get.
#Memorable Jones' quote at Roberson's book launch :" the NSW Police needed 100s of Rogersons."

Sale Of The Century

If you happen to be wandering through Surry Hills tomorrow (all the smart people do) check out the Fabulous Editor's Garage Sale near the Bourke Street Bakery (633 Bourke Street). It's not be missed and begins at 8am and expect lots of fabulous designer outfits on sale both local and international brands plus lots of desirable goodies.

The sale is a combined effort of fashion journalist identities Lee Tulloch (above) -she lived in New York for years so expect lots of DKNY and Jo Gambale.  Get in early and grab a designer bargain!

 Meanwhile the auction house Lawsons (the Shuttle has furnished our house with amazing finds there) has an on-line auction of a collection of international designer outfits from Cartier, Dolce & Gabana, Diane von Furstenberg, Gucci and-well you name it's there. Some items are pictured below Go to the Lawsons' website for the auction : One Woman's Wardrobe - Vintage Fashion &Accessories 

Tara Moss : The Fictional Woman

Best selling author Tara Moss has published her first non-fiction book : The Fictional Woman. Tara is pictured here at the launch (centre) with Julia Baird and Anne Summers (check out Anne's superb website by clicking on the link at the left). Beneath our snap is the book's blurb (we haven't read it yet!)

"In the accessible style of Caitlin Moran's HOW TO BE A WOMAN comes bestselling author Tara Moss's first exciting non-fiction book - a fascinating mix of memoir and social comment. Tara Moss has worn many labels in her time, including 'author', 'model', 'gold-digger', 'commentator', 'inspiration', 'dumb blonde', 'feminist' and 'mother', among many others. Now, in her first work of non-fiction, she blends memoir and social analysis to examine the common fictions about women. She traces key moments in her life - from small-town tomboy in Canada, to international fashion model in the 90s, to bestselling author taking a polygraph test in 2002 to prove she writes her own work"

Women of Style

In Style Magazine held their annual shindig of top looking gals at the Horden Pavilion. Lots of familiar faces- so familiar we saw most of them at last week's parties but who are we too complain when there's some top nosh on offer washed down by Piper Heidsieck !  
Melissa Doyle hosted and songbird Jessica Mauboy entertained and it was nice to see some of our acting fraternity on the red carpet including Claudia Karvan, Rachel Griffiths, Rebecca Gibney and Susie Porter.

Danielle Spencer            Jessica Mauboy                   Melissa Doyle           Rachel Griffiths            Teri Biviano

Faber-Castell Wedding

 Jorgen and Jill Porse (Kate's parents) * Countess Kate & Count Anton Andreas von Faber-Castell * Count Andreas & Countess Virginia von Faber-Castell.

Hot off the press : the Faber-CastelL wedding party at the Faber-Castell Castle in Stein, Germany

'Fairy Tale' Wedding

 The magnificent German Faber-Castell Castle above is the location for the wedding today of former Sydney-sider Count Anton Andreas von Faber-Castell and his bride, North Shore girl Kate Stahl.
Anton is the son of the low-key Count Andreas Wilhelm von Faber-Castell and his wife Virginia left.
Andreas runs the Southern Hemisphere operations of the famed German pen & pencil and luxury leather goods maker Faber-Castell
The Faber-Castells are great opera buffs and have hosted numerous soirees at their magnificent Turramurra home on Sydney's North Shore which resembles a grand German mansion with huge rolling lawns surrounded by deep forests. One could be forgiven for thinking they had been transported to Bavaria.
Over 20 Australian guests have been transported to the castle ( Anton's elder brother Anton Wolfgang lives there and runs the European operations) to attend the wedding with over 200 European aristocrats and another former Sydney resident, Princess Mary of Denmark. Anton Andreas and his new Countess will live in Munich.

Croc-A-Dyke Dundee

 A new film has been released on DVD charting the life of the legendary woman about town Dawn O'Donnell who died in 2007.
O'Donnell became an international skating star in her 20s before returning to Sydney to open one of the cities first gay bars in 1968, the Trolley Bar off Broadway. It was one of many that were to follow mainly in the Darlinghurst area and Oxford Street- Jools, Capricios, Ruby Reds and Patches along with steam baths, sex shops and pubs. Blessed with a canny business ability and extraordinary good luck: many of her night spots were inexplicably burnt down as the public tired of them while O'Donnell had sensibly taken out generous insurance policies.                                                                     
She partnered in some venues with the late 'Mr Sin' Abe Saffron (above right) and the French nightclub owner Roger Claude Teyssedre who passed away from AIDS. Teyssedre's lover who was suspected of smothering Roger Claude and who inherited his fortune was mysteriously murdered 2 years after Teyssedre's death. O'Donnell's Imperial Hotel was the setting for scenes in the film Priscilla Queen of The Desert. The DVD is available at the Tool Shed at 81 Oxford St. Darlinghurst.

Miranda steps out

Miranda Kerr turned heads tonight at the Sydney Opera House party for Swarovski crystals wearing Prada!

Pictures of the Week

B1 & B2 never disappoint. Former PM Bob Hawke and wife Blanche attended last Sunday's polo at Windsor and are pictured here with TV host Kris Smith. Of course the really smart polo was at Goulbourn on the same day but more of that later.

Meanwhile singing legend Petula Clark popped into Nine's Mornings and is seen here with hosts Sonia Kruger and David Campbell.
Petula is in the middle of an Australian tour and is heading for Perth and Adelaide.

below: her original hit Downtown.

After a sold-out inaugural show last year, the Jewish Comedy Showcase returns with another hilarious line-up of Jewish comedic talent from Australia and overseas.
When your history is full of pogroms and persecution, what else can you do but laugh? Join us for a night of laughs and chutzpah – though we can’t promise it’ll all be kosher

with  Peter Meisel     Ben Ellwood      David Smiedt     Jackie Loeb   and   Tami Sussman (MC)

The Comedy Store 

Tue 13th May 2014 - 8:00 pm