the mysterious case of the Vanishing Fiance !

Pictured right is NSW's Minister for tourism Jodie McKay and her fiance Stephen Fenn.

A Shuttler snapped them last week at the Pyrmont Uncorks The Hunter-a promotion for the Hunter Valley held at Astral Cocktail Bar in the Star City Casino.

About 150 guests attended the soiree on Wednesday evening to launch a 12 day Food & Wine Festival. The event was hosted by Lawrence Gibbons, President of the Pyrmont Chamber of Commerce and Greg West, Chair, Sub Committee the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association. The City of Sydney was also a major sposor. Guests enjoyed tasting delicious cheese and premium wines from 16 Hunter Valley winemakers.

Amongst the revellers- Rowena Hawkins, Business Development Manager Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association, City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone and Business Precinct Coordinator, Robyn Simon, new Deputy Lord Mayor, Phillip Black and Paul Judge from the Department of NSW Industry & Investment. Keen wine tasters included Sir James and Lady Hardy, Lady McMahon, Nick Eddy, restaurateurs Blue Eye Dragon’s Muriel Chen and Pyrama’s Linda Larcan, Supermodel Elle’s mum, Fran MacPherson, and Carmen Duncan, Additional connoisseurs included Robert Whitton, Chairman of The Wine Society, visiting ‘Taste of Tennis’ promoter from New York, Karen Scott-Happer and Mikki Konrads.

The Hunter Valley is one great success story and an important economic region for NSW. Thousands are employed there and tens of millions of dollars are generated each year in wine exports for the world renowned wines produced there. Quite apart from the Hunter being a prime domestic and foreign tourism $$ generator.

Jodie is the local MP for the Hunter- doing her job helping promote her electorate.

Last Friday the Shuttle office was contacted by News Ltd's flagship newspaper the Daily Telegraph. They wanted the snap of Jodie and her fiancee (above). Naturally we are happy to help out fellow hacks.

But a strange tale followed in the Terror about Jodie's fiance and how he had been spotted in a happy mood somewhere else. But there he was right beside her at Astral. They cropped out Stephen Fenn from the pic. You are mystified ? Well so are we.

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## The Social Shuttle politely turned down an invite to party tonight with master promoter Sir Richard Branson (surely Lord Branson by now?) as he announced his sponsorship of the forever doomed Metro venue in Sydney's movie entertainment strip in George Street. The Metro just never seems to get off the ground and besides, there are too many stairs for us oldies.

Branson is in town to also announce his new auto insurance company to compete with the many others on offer-a really exciting concept-not ! One can't knock Branson-he really knows how to get a new venture off the ground. The problem is price wise, they always end up being the same as all the others !.

Besides, a Shuttler associate well remembers organizing a party for the late artist Andy Warhol in the then Branson owned nightclub Heaven in London-Europe's largest nightclub. Sir Richard declined the invite on the belief Warhol wouldn't show.

Princess Gloria Thun und Taxis

Not only did Andy do as he promised-he brought a film crew from the respected UK's South Bank TV show to record the night, and 2 of his pals (the late) Prince Johannes & his wife Princess Gloria Thun und Taxis, widely regarded as Germany's grandest aristocratic family.

If you don't know the Thun & Taxis family-think taxi cabs. They started them a few hundred years ago and taxis are named after them. And that's what Sir Richard caught quick smart to get down to his nightclub Heaven to meet Warhol-a taxi.

Sir Michael launches his new show in Sydney

Sir Michael Parkinson will soon arrive to tour Australia in Parky, The One-Man Show, an evening with Michael Parkinson live on stage, when he will relive the best of his guests and their greatest moments on screen beginning on 12th October.

Parkinson's broadcasting and television career spanned 40 years before his retirement last year. Now, the legendary chat show host will share his anecdotes about the famous, in a stage show, supported by video clip highlights from his career. His 2008 autobiography and CD "My Life in Music" have been huge sellers and did anyone really expect Parks to retire quietly ?

After all, he has to do something between cricket matches.

 The Shuttle caught up with Sir Michael and Lady Mary (she gently chides people when greeted with her title) at the launch of the Moonlight Cinema in the Botanic Gardens earlier this year. The Parkinsons have owned a harbourside apartment in Rushcutter's Bay for 20 years and spend nearly 2 months of the year here over summer. They confided they planned to spend far more time here to be with their daughter and grandchildren who moved to Australia 10 years ago.

The Shuttle  plans to join Parky for lunch at Doyles in Watson's Bay 2 days before Michael begins his Aussie tour.

the Fairfax family do a little house-clearing

James Fairfax with NSW Art Gallery director Edmund Capon (c the Shuttle)

 The Fairfax family have long dominated the Australian media world with their chain of venerable newspapers-The Age in Melbourne being regarded as one of the great broadsheets of the world. In fact the Fairfaxs had been the longest continuous newspaper owners on the planet.

That came to an end in 1987 when Warwick Fairfax, the youngest child of the late Sir Warwick and Lady Mary Fairfax-fresh from Harvard, launched a bid to completely privatize the publicly listed company. It was however a bonus to leading Fairfax family members who were major shareholders with brother James and mother Lady Mary picking up an estimated  $200-$300M each although they lost control of their newspapers for all time. Cousin John B.Fairfax picked up a sizable fortune as well. 2 years after Warwick's bid the newspaper chain was in receivership but the Fairfaxs were cashed-up.

One old Master inspects another-Barry Humphries at the James Fairfax art launch (c) the Shuttle

In hindsight and with the advent of the internet young Warwick's scheme, roundly criticized at the time as being overly ambitious looks to have been a smart move. Perhaps he knew more than he let on..  
James Fairfax has become a leading philanthropist as well as an art collector who continually donates works to the Art Gallery of NSW. To date the gallery has received works by such masters as van Ruisdael, Rubens, Canaletto, Claude, Boucher, Amigoni, Domenico, Tiepolo, van Mieris and drawings by Ingres, Watteau, Fragonard and Greuze.

Now he has announced he will donate his historic Southern Highlands property Redford House-once the home of the Horden department store family,to the National Trust. Warwick will divide his time between a Sydney apartment and houses in London's Mayfair and Devon.

Lady Mary Fairfax is doing likewise with the family seat-the harbourside mansion Fairwater with it's many acres of splendid gardens which also serves as the Monaco Consulate-Lady Mary being the Honorary Consul. Lady Mary also used part of her good fortune to purchase the then most expensive apartment in the world-forking out $34M in 1992 for the top 2 floors of New York's Pierre Hotel which boasts a grand ballroom over looking Central Park. Recently a Saudi prince paid over $120M for the New York digs.

As for cousin John B. Fairfax, things aren't looking rosy. He decided to buy back into the publishing world around 15 years ago with the then successful Rural Printing Press followed by the real estate advertising heavy chain of Courier Newspapers plus a 10% stake in the old family Fairfax Newspapers group.

Things are looking grim as Fairfax Newspapers stumble from woe to woe. Those "rivers of gold" as Kerry Packer once described classified advertising are drying up. Fairfax newspapers are still hugely profitable but board room battles are never-ending, share prices have fallen and John B is reputedly down about $60M and it's rumoured, has recently negotiated a mortgage ( the Fairfaxs never have mortgages) on the magnificent 120 year family home Elaine. right next door to Fairwater and regarded as far grander as it has it's own ballroom.

While Fairwater will end up with the National Trust when Mary leaves this  mortal coil-Mary has stipulated each of her faithful retainers live there for the rest of their lives rent free and have the run of the place. She's good to her staff. 

Lady Mary, like all the Fairfax family is good to charity and like the family she married into prefers be a low key helper but many a charity fallen on hard times in this difficult financial climate has praise for the dear lady.

Lady Mary, born Jewish, converted to Catholic faith when she married Sir Warwick. Never one to do things lightly, she had herself confirmed by the Pope.

 Once in New York Lady Mary contracted an eye ailment and was told on doctor's orders she must not fly for 5 days. Anxious to return to Sydney Mary had her loyal chauffeur and his wife who accompany her everywhere, purchase a new Rolls Royce to drive from NY to LA. "we'll ship it home from there" said Mary. When the driver pointed out that a left hand drive Roller wasn't the best for Oz roads she replied"well we'll just find a nice charity to give it to".

As for young Warwick Fairfax who brought all this about just over 20 years ago?. He lives quietly with his wife and kids in the USA.

## update Monday 28th ; Fairfax chairman Ron Walker-who brought us Melbourne's Grand Prix in partnership with Bernie Ecclestone has agreed to step down today. This is a major triumph for John B.Fairfax who has been demanding his abdication. 

Now John B, and son Nicholas Fairfax look set to take leading roles in running Australia's-and the world's-oldest and best chain of newspapers. These chaps have newsprint in their blood. Hopefully they will lead Fairfax Newspapers back to the glory days. They have an advantage-Fairfax media was one of the first to enter the digital age.

the prince steps out of the darkness

For over 40 years John Laws dominated the airwaves making him one of the richest broadcasters on the planet and then quietly retired a little under 2 years ago. 

Last night he made a rare public appearance for the launch of Bruce Beresford's Mao's Last Dancer, premiered this week at the Toronto Film Festival to critical acclaim and screened for a Sydney audience at the elegant State Theatre.

The film is based on the life of  Li Cunxin, born into poverty who was selected to train at Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy. At 18 Li was offered one of the first scholarships between America and China to train in Houston, Texas.


He defected with the help of then VP George Bush Snr and went on to become one of world's ballet greats.  Cunxin wrote a best-selling book of his life and now lives in Melbourne where he works as a stockbroker and on the lecture circuit.

Lawsie-who earlier last year sold up all his properties and huge vintage auto collection to retire to the Woolloomooloo penthouse next to Russell Crowe rarely moves far from home.

Especially as he half-owns Ottos, the wharf's chic premier restaurant where he lunches everyday..very long lunches with his beloved 'Princess' Caroline. Added to his much smaller car collection -his personal favourite the latest powder blue Rolls convertible, is a golf cart to avoid that cumbersome walk from Ottos to home -about 100 yards-without any pesky breathalyzer vans in sight. Lawsie's great love of Jack Daniels is legendary,

Laws spent years expounding his home-spun wisdom and won over the hearts of the working classes and the truckers of the land. They all thought he was one of them, especially when he regularly attended the Tamworth Country Music Festival. But Laws is an avowed opera and ballet buff and every year  slipped off quietly to spend a month at his 2 favourite hangouts, the George Cinq in Paris and the Cipriani in Venice.

Now he spends 2 months in each plus 2 months onboard the extraordiary luxury apartment liner
The World while it casually cruises the Mediterranean. And perhaps shares a cuppa over the fence with Russell when both are at home.

John Pilger describes the new film "Balibo" as a"travesty of omissions"

Writing exclusively for the City Hub, journalist John Pilger has questioned the truth as depicted in
the film Balibo which shows the lead-up and eventual deaths of six journalists by Indonesian troops during the 1975 Indonesian invasion of East Timor.

From an original script by respected playwright David Williamson, the story was eventually pared down to whitewash Australia's active involvement along with the USA and the CIA invasion of East Timor to obtain the great wealth of oil that lies beneath the Timor Sea.

He has scathing words for then ambassador to Indonesia Richard Woolcott who was at one in thinking with Henry Kissinger on "taking a pragmatic approach rather than a principled one" to get their hands on the tiny nation's wealth.

Balibo which stars Anthony LaPagli ignores the fact Australian intelligence sources had already intercepted Indonesian army commands that "no witnesses should be left alive" referring to the foreign media. They failed to warn the journalists of their imminent deaths.

Even worse. as Pilger says. Austalia's debt to the East Timorese who helped save Australia from the Japanese invasion in WW2 has never been fully repaid.

Pilger describes the Indonesian dictator Suharto as responsible for more atrocities than Pol Pot and recalls how Rupert Murdoch's newspaper "The Australian" constantly kowtowed to Suharto at the time.

During the 1991 infamous Dili Massacre when thousands of Timorese were slaughtered by Indonesian backed militias. the PM John Howard prevaricated for nearly 2 weeks before responding to Timorese pleas and an outraged Australian public, to send in peace-keeping troops.

read the City Hub here

For the true history of the monster Suhurto : Pilgers  film "Death Of A Nation: DVD is available from ; dennis@DVI.com.au

The French are devouring the Social Shuttle

Within days of the Social Shuttle announcing society maven Marie Sutton had turned down a huge offer she had received from a US publisher for her 'Diana Diaries' , comes news of former 83 year old French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing soon to be published novel of a French leader's affair with a Welsh Princess.
To be published next month, Giscard's The Princess and the President recounts the secret and passionate love of two characters clearly modeled closely on both himself and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Sutton's collection of personal letters from the late Princess Diana are now locked in a bank vault, so paranoid is she they may be stolen. But the Shuttle has read the collection of letters in which Diana reveals intimate details of her life and affairs that have never been discovered by the media.

In particular we mentioned how Diana had an affair with a politician-we described him as a US politician in order to muddy the waters as we have promised not to reveal the details. (well sort off-the right offer may change things). Diana had varied tastes-from cads and bounders like James Hewitt to rugger types like Will Carling.

Would an older garlic loving Frenchmen be able to sweep her off her feet ?. We aren't saying anything.
 But how clever of Giscard d'Estaing's publishers to seize the moment.
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Gal Of The Week Prize must go to 25 year old Brynne Gordon who describes herself as a fitness instructor from Las Vegas and who arrived at the Brownlow Medal football awards at James Packer's Melbourne Crown Casino in an outfit so shockingly bad-well she just looks sensational. 

Talk about Footballer's Wives !

Brynne is engaged to 66 year old struck-off doctor and former football club owner Geoffrey Edelsten who ran a string of 24 hour medical centres famed for their grand pink pianos, sickly crushed pink carpet and crystal chandeliers,.He lived in a pink ranch-style mansion, flew a pink helicopter and once crashed his pink Ferrari when hearing on the car radio he was about to be investigated by authorities.

The Shuttle once visited one of these medical centres (you could spot them for miles-pink) driving home late one night with a crushing migraine and decided to seek relief in the garish doctor's room. A man in a pink coat, presumably an MD who appeared to be inebriated said "you won't get any drugs out of me !". When I protested that surely that was the idea of being there he said"go on -buzz off you old junkie".

And so I did only to find the now wild haired medico banging on my car window outside the centre minutes later. Terrified I wound it down slightly and he said "you didn't sign your f***ing medicare certificate-you think I talk to idiots like you for free"

 10 minutes later I realised my migraine had miraculously disappeared in the drama of it all !

Rose off to the Emmys

A week after attending the opening night of A Streetcar Named Desire to support her good pal Cate Blanchett, actress Rose Byrne  (left copyright the Shuttle ) jetted of to LA for the Emmy Awards due to be announced tomorrow.

Last night Byrne attended a BAFTA tea party at the residence of the LA Australian Consul General along with the 8 other Aussies up for Emmy awards.

Rose confided to The Shuttle at Streetcar that she had been petrified of auditioning for the role of a lawyer in the film Damages along with Glen Close :"she's a goddess of cinema and acting, I've never been so nervous " said Rose. She need not have worried. She scored the role and is a hot favourite to pick up the coveted award. Rose is looking forward to playing her next role as a pop star girlfriend of Russell Brand in  Get Him To The Greek. "I've been studying Posh for the role", says Rose. Which shouldn't involve too much effort.

Also at the tea-party and expected to win-star of TV series The Mentalist Simon Baker. The ever so nice Baker is yet another from that Ramsay Street soapie that has sent to many off to Hollywood for stardom and we love how the once short haired Simon's locks gets thicker and fluffier as he ages.Must be something in the Hollywood air.

## instant update: Toni Collette picked up the gong for best actress in the United Sates of Tara which describes the relationship the Shuttle has enjoyed with Toni since we've know her for 15 years. One day it's arms flung about us-the next it's a frozen stare which I guess is why she plays the role,of a psychologically disturbed housewife so well. 

But it's an award well deserved. Toni has transformed herself over the years from the frumpy role in Muriel's Wedding (little make-up or padding needed) into a superstar and a superb talent. There's still an Oscar waiting with her name on it.


Perhaps it's because we turned down the last offer to Toni's singing performance. Having seen a few in the past-well let's say we rather attend a Russell Crowe "Grunt's" stage show and that is out of pure politeness.


Rose Byrnes and Simon Baker still, have another 2 hours before they know if they are winners although Rupert Murdoch's flagship Aussie tabloid the Daily Terror online site points out the same in one sentence followed by the next claiming she has already lost. It's only to be expected for the Terror and we've long given up pointing out these errors to them as they instantly correct them with nary a polite thank you.


### Sadly Simon lost out as did Rose Byrnes but her co-star Glen Close won an Emmy. At least Simon Baker, gorgeous hair and all has been voted the sexiest man on TV by several US publications.

Marie turns down a $1.6M for the "Diana Diaries"

In 1996 Marie Sutton (left), an ex-nurse turned charity fundraiser conceived of an idea to raise funds for the Victor Chang Institute based at Sydney's inner city St Vincent's Hospital where Marie had once nursed patients.

Victor Chang was the brilliant Chinese born heart surgeon considered a world pioneer and had once saved the life of Kerry Packer, the late Australian media mogul. Highly respected around the world, Chang was brutally gunned down in a kidnap scheme gone wrong one sunny day in the leafy suburb of Mosman.

Princess Diana in Sydney with Olympic swimmer Sam Riley

One morning in 1991 as Chang set off for work his car was forced over to the curb by 2 men who attempted to kidnap the surgeon. They shot him dead instead.

In his honor The Victor Chang Institute was set up and Marie Sutton became a committee member trying to hash around ideas for a major fundraiser to get the charity off the ground.

As a friend of surgeon Hasnat Khan, long rumoured to be a lover of Diana, The Princess of Wales, Sutton contacted Khan who had also worked at St Vincents and requested that he ask the Princess if she would consider being the guest at the inaugural Victor Chang Institute dinner. Not only did Diana reply in a personal note to Marie, she confirmed that it would be the ideal charity event to announce her retirement from public life.

Marie had pulled off the almost impossible coup-the most famous woman in the world was coming to Sydney as the guest at the personal invitation from the former nurse from the country town of Mooree.

What followed was a year of negotiations as the complicated process of ensuring correct protocols were followed, government departments consulted , guest lists compiled -basically a bureaucratic nightmare ensured that was necessary in order to pave the way for a visit from Princess Diana and the expected 100's of members of the worldwide media that flocked wherever Diana went.

As negotiations wore on, Marie found herself beginning to be side-lined. People realised that this was the event of the decade and as Diana's last official event, everyone wanted a piece of the action. Politicians, society figures. British establishment figures, diplomats, Buckingham and Kensington Palaces and so on. Letters and faxes flew back and forth but throughout the year long negotiations Diana stood her ground and lent her support behind Marie Sutton.

It was Marie's idea and Diana-never having met her, remained loyal and built up a friendly relationship via letters, emails and regular phone calls.

For the Princess it was a normal run of the mill year. For Sutton it was whirlwind and she began to compile the correspondence in a book that became known as the Diana Files.

And so on October 31, 1996 Diana, The Princess of Wales, was the Guest-of-Honour at a Gala Fundraising Dinner for the Chang Institute at Sydney's Entertainment Centre. As she arrived looking sensational in a stunning blue silk gown a 1000 media representatives shouted questions and thousands of flashbulbs blinded everyone. The Shuttle was a guest at the dinner and then the following day at a lunch where Diana greeted children who were suffering from Aids.

Later that night, Diana under the cloak of darkness visited a hospice unannounced and spent over 4 hours chatting to patients.

Sutton became Diana's companion and confidante and relished the Princess's quirky sense of humour.

One insider says : "once as Diana driving through the city one day they passed St Mary's Cathedral as a bride ascended the stairs. Diana rolled down the window in her car and yelled out "don't do it !" to the startled wedding party "

10 months later Diana was dead in the infamous Paris car crash along with Dodi Fayed.

In 1998 as a guest of Diana's brother Viscount Althorp, Marie Sutton was invited to visit the island that was to become Diana's last resting place.Unusually she was allowed to take photographs of Diana's grave and the surroundings. Sutton's snaps show the beautiful black swans that glide around the small island like elegant guards for the Princess .

The beginnings of landscaped gardens are shown along with a monument in the shape of a tall plinth topped by an urn, both designed by Edward Bulmer and carved by Dick Reid, which was to stand among the greenery at the north end but had not yet been erected.

And finally there it is-a small mound of earth where the most famous woman in the world lies. Only one person outside the immediate family has ever been to that island. It is Marie Sutton and only 6 people have ever been shown the photos of the island Sutton took that day.

Earlier this year the infamous British blogger Madame Arcati revealed the story of Sutton's Diana Diaries. They read like a thriller as the letters start of as a friendly exchange between Diana, Sutton and Kensington Palace secretaries and Royal aides. And then various politicians enter the frame as they try to wrestle the project from Marie. Everyone wanted to claim the kudos for Diana's visit. But Diana stands firm and repeatedly re-assures Marie she will not abandon her as the originator of the project and sends letters to various officials stating that Sutton will be her official escort during her visit.

At times Diana discusses the most personal of family details with Sutton in letters. The problems she is having with the courtiers of the Royal Family, her former husband and touching and amusing tales of her sons antics.

There are intimate stories of her various lovers and even details of some the world had never known about. The identity of these alone would shock many.

As a document it would surely be a best seller as the story unfolds with dozens of private letters from Diana discussing the most private moments of her life.

In some ways Diana was very much like Jackie Kennedy and felt she would have to marry someone rich enough to shield her from the world but didn't think she would ever find the right person as she would only re-marry first for love . She was rumoured to have a deep affection for one man-an American politician who she had a brief affair with but he was married although soon to divorce.

The Madame Arcati blog conintiues : "Diana swas wary whether the British public would even accept her marrying an American. She often said that she would have to devote the rest of her life to ensuring she didn't embarrass her children, aware of Prince William's future role". At times Diana was treating freinds like a therapist, as though she needed to pour her heart out to someone. She seemed to be the happiest when talking about her children but could easily become quite depressed about the future. But then she would brighten up and begin to talk of how she could help so many others less fortunate than herself-that seemed to be the only role she could see as her future."

Diana was also denied a Royal title :"not because I'm grand" she would laugh." let's face it, my background is fairly grand" Diana would giggle. But it was the protection that came with a Royal title that she was now denied that hurt her. "I feel like they have abandoned me and don't give a damn what happens.
But Diana also always expressed how impressed she was with the ruling monarch Queen Elizabeth saying she was not just a rock for Great Britain but a kind and warm women which didn't always come across that way to the public.
 She described Her Majesty as a mother with a sharp intellect and an amazing down-to-earth realization about her role not just for the public at large but for her own family and how the Queen had to negotiate the trials and tribulations of daily family life which in the end, demonstrated not just her humanity but how the Royals really were like just any other family.

" I only ever received great kindness form her" said Diana.

In one note Diana says to a freind "I found myself in this role but the Palace courtiers did not prepare me for it. It would have been the same for any girl who had married Charles except if he had married the one who never left him alone" referring to Camilla."

Within days of the Madame Arcati story Sutton was fielding offers from publishers around the world. The final was just weeks ago-a staggering $1.6M advance from an American publisher. One British newspaper offered hundreds of thousands of pounds just for the grave site photos.

Sutton is adamant. "These diaries will never see the light of day while Princess Diana's sons are alive.'" she says. "They are an important historical document and Diana talks intimately of her past, present and her future hopes-dashed on the 31st August 2007. . Sutton says she has them now locked in a bank for safe-keeping.

# Marie Sutton is now the national ambassador for St John Ambulance.

## The Shuttle has been contacted by several readers to inform us that many pictures that are reputed to be the late Diana's grave appear on the internet. The photographs that can easily by googled do indeed show the plinth and urn as described above. These however are at the beginning of a small path that leads to the very centre of the island where Diana lies in a small grave completely shielded by the deliberately designed garden to shroud the actual grave from the visitors who flock to the estate and from the media. No photographs of the actual grave have ever been printed or are likely to be.

The island has the most secure electric security system that is monitored by guards. The garden is designed in such a way that trees overhang the actual spot to form an umbrella of foliage to completely shield the grave from overhead photographs taken from a helicopter.

went to the garden party..

This is the gorgeous Juliet Love (left) with landscape designer Charlie Albone. They have a new show on Foxtel's Lifestyle Channel called the Party Garden.

It's a six part series but after viewing one episode at the launch party in a magnificent understated Rose Bay garden, we reckon the show will be a hit with a repeat series.

Charlie & Juliet seek out a rather sad looking gardens-renovate them and make them perfect for a party. Whether for kids, grown-ups or whatever.

For the uninitiated Juliet is the 6 ft stunning daughter of racing identity and popular PR consultant Angela Belle McSweeny and the football supremo Colin Love.

Charlie's a pretty good sort himself originally from the UK who lives with a bunch of pals at Manly who are constantly amazed at Charlie's ability to grow brussel sprouts in their tiny back garden. God only know's why anyone would want to grow such an odd vegetable but some people reckon Charlie's sprouts are as good as they come.

Under the open-air marquee dotted with white leather pouffes , leopard print cushions and tall candelabras intertwined with vines- all designed by Juliet, we discovered something every parent should get their kids onto. Amongst various shrubs and sets of blooming flowers were little rows of lettuces, carrot plants and so on. The owner of the house assures us her children have taken to growing veggies with a vengence and are ever so excited to see a plant mature, rushing home from music lessons or schools to check on the progress. A nation of young gardeners. What a cute idea.

The Party Garden airs on Fridays at at 7pm-give it a squiz-it's good fun.

Also at the Party Garden launch was Sun Herald columnist and "the Morning Show" show-biz host Shelley Horton (right). Shelley lives next door to the house where the launch party was held and reckons she's always wanted to take a peek inside the pretty amazing house. Shelly's off to the Toronto Film Festival (one of the best) this Saturday where she will be checking out the amazing 17 Australian entries in the film quest. 17?..that's an awful lot of government grants-about the only way to get a flick up in Australia but good on them anyway.

## in the rapidly changing world of newspapers and the internet comes very pleasing news from Fairfax Newspapers, Shelly's employer-the re-emergence of the legendary The National Times which will be published on-line from Monday 14th. Read about it in this piece by the excellent writer David Marr.

Television discovers the Social Shuttle

For 2 days now Channel 9's Today show has had cameras and a reporter following around chief Shuttle correspondent Bill Ranken (pictured left) as he covers Sydney's social scene on behalf of the Social Shuttle.

Ranken has been a fixture on the scene for around 50 years-ever since he rolled a tractor on his Southern Highland's property and lost an eye (yes that eye-patch is not an affectation as often assumed). After the accident Bill gave up working the land and decided life was too short and that partying and dating as many ladies as possible was the only way to go.

He still owns Lockesley-regarded as one of NSW's best sheep properties with a magnificent Georgian mansion set amongst rolling hills and surrounded by an award winning garden. But don't get us wrong-Bill loves the land and there is nothing this third generation owner of a few thousand acres doesn't know about sheep or cattle. He just prefers, as he puts it "to let the men take care of things". Presumably staff. Bill calls in once a fortnight to oversee the acreage and have his shirts washed , ironed and starched preferring to operate out of his harbourside Elizabeth Bay apartment.

In the old days Bill would have been regarded as Landed Gentry. A bachelor-but not the usual confirmed type, he is still actively dating, having moved on to former date's daughters. He does have an eye for a pretty young filly.

The Shuttle first encountered Bill 25 years ago at an exhibition in a London gallery of the British artists Gilbert & George who specialize in huge paintings of young men and excrement. Bill accompanied HRH Princess Margaret and he has become a firm Shuttle friend since.

There isn't a person of note Ranken hasn't met. He recalls the day in 1967 he was to lunch with the then Prime Minister Harold Holt after Holt went for his morning swim at Cheviot Beach in Victoria and disappeared in the swirling surf-never to be seen again. Stories and conspiracy theories flourished-a Chinese sub had picked up Holt who was a spy-aliens had abducted him and so on. Certainly Bill was most disappointed. "We had arranged to meet at a very smart new restaurant in Portsea so I never got to make what would have been an amusing lunch with Harold who always had a good line in jokes"

A few weeks later at a memorial service Bill recalls chatting to then US President Lyndon Baines Johnston as a tearful LBJ confided-"that Jimmy Holt-he was such a dear friend".

And at 79 he has been to a lot of parties-usually 2 a night.  Infuriatingly healthy, Bill runs (not jogs) 4 miles every morning at 6am and then joins the other Shuttle staff at our editorial office , Dee Bees cafe in Double Bay run by amiable host, the 6'6" ex-East Ender Graeme Goldberg. (GG promises that the mention of his name will bring an extra motza ball in our daily soup).

For the uninitiated, Dee Bees is a favourite star-spotting hangout as can be seen from Goldberg's exstensive photo-covered walls of Graeme with every known celebrity on the planet who has dined there including the latest-Bob Dylan. Goldberg is believed to be the only person to have ever got a Dylan autograph.

The cameras followed Bill Ranken around last night's Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide restaurant awards at the amazing former train repair factory, the Carriageworks.

At the awards we encountered recently returned from London, food reviewer Terry Durack who has spent the last 14 years as restaurant critic for the Independent On Sunday newspaper. Durack-contrary to reports in the Murdoch newspaper The Australian (always check the Shuttle for the real story) is to join the Sydney Morning Herald.

Also there-food critic Leo Schofield who has returned from retirement in Tasmania where he found living in a state with a population of around 250 souls a fairly boring existence.

    Terry Durack, Jill Dupleix and Leo Schofield

for those about to visit Nu Zulund...

If you haven't discovered the writer Duncan Fallowell then you are missing something important. His book about his travels in New Zealand, Going As Far As I Can is a must read if you are about to hit the snow-fields or anywhere in that amazingly beautiful country. NZ is every bit as sensational as seen in the Lord of the Rings trilogy which only showed a fraction of some of the glorious countryside. Much like Britain or Ireland but without the motorways.

Fallowell's book hit a few raw nerves in NZ itself but was generally viewed as one of the best travel books about any country...and anyway, we all know most Nu Zelunders are barking mad and talk funny but there must be a reason HRH The Queen owns extensive properties there.

Fallowell's wikopedia entry reports " Graham Greene did not like his first novel but thought it belonged to the 21st century. William Burroughs relished his books " . That's a bit like a recommendation from the Gods.

Now Britain's most infuriating blogger Madame Arcati brings news of Fallowell's new venture, a ghost book named The Visitor. She has a creepy video on her site, set in a rambling old house to introduce the novel and drum up interest.

One commenter on Aracti's site asks where it was filmed. The house looks similar to Sherston, the home of the late Lady Edith Foxwell which the Shuttle spent many a weekend at.

The strange figure who arises from the sofa at the end -believed to be Duncan Fallowell, reminds us of the greeting we always got from Lady Edith's butler-similarly relaxed and always delighted when guests arrived. Being in that he always phoned ahead to request they bring the odd dozen bottles of mixed spirits ( Edith's credit having been cut off at the local village vinter).

You will have to visit the Madame Arcati blog to see Fallowell's spooky video but here's another of his we like-talking about drugs at Oxford.




ps: Duncan Fallowell also wrote a biography of April Ashley, the former Liverpudlian sailor who became one of the world's most famous sex-changes . One of the Shuttle staff often visited April in her house in Hay-on-Wye and once accompanied her to the Berkley Square Ball in the days it was still smart-only to be featured the next day in a photo in the Daily Mail and a piece by the late diarist Nigel Dempster as "April Ashley's new Toyboy".

For some strange reason, Ashley's auto-biography recently had to be pulped over a misunderstanding with her publisher and Shuttle associate John Blake-described by the magazine Private Eye as the "distinguished London publisher". You can get other Blake book titles from his website which features exciting titles like "Katie and Peter - Too Much In Love by  Emily Herbert (yes, a tome about that mystery couple),, Jade - Fighting to the End by..err Jade Goody (I guess before the end came), and our favourite Global Warming and Other Bollocks

For more of Duncan Fallowell's great books, go to his website.

pps: thank you for the many emails pointing out the shocking spelling and grammar errors that appear on the Social Shuttle but we must point out that both Shuttlers suffer from slight dyslexia, are often hungover or just plain drunk when hitting the keyboard. Errors are eventually corrected when our charming assistant Sally arrives in the early afternoon. But feel free to mock the afflicted-we can take it !

Earth to Fairfax Newspapers....

When a snapper telephones your news desk at around 12.30 am with a pic they believe may be off interest-having your phones diverted to the security office doesn't quite seem de rigeur for a major newspaper.

But who are we to tell accountants how to run a news organisation ?

Whilst the assembled paparazzi and tabloid photographers waited outside to get the snap of the stars of "A Streetcar Named Desire" at the after show party, the Shuttle swept in and here they are:  Cate Blanchett and Joel Edgerton with director Liv Ullmann.

Fortunately the Shuttle's US agent is on hand 24 hours a day and had shifted 12 pics within the hour-even as far as China !

One of the reasons why your 120 year old empire is stumbling is because bean counters don't know how to run newspapers. Perhaps that's why 6 months ago as you let one of your most experienced journalists Annette Sharp sit around twiddling her thumbs when she returned from maternity leave wasting her talent,she was snapped up by the Daily Telegraph's Sydney Confidential.

Sharp pulled off a major coup this week when major  Hollywood box office star Russell Crowe challenged her to a bike ride contest to Bondi complete with cameras and the story has been syndicated to newspapers worldwide.

Sounds like false economy if you won't consider allowing experienced newsmen to call the shots instead of accountants who have presided over a plunge in profits in the last year.

But enough of moi-"A Streetcar Named Desire" is simply amazing and the 2 stars-Blanchett and Edgerton shine. Ullmann's direction is superb. Don't even try to get a seat-it's a sell out. If you want to catch the show you will have to travel to Washington or New York later this year-but book now.

And along tonight to support Blanchett and Edgerton-2 pals building great careers in the USA, the gorgeous  Miranda Otto (above) and Rose Byrne with actors Damian Walshe-Howling & Nash Edgerton.

missing the colour

The tabloids really should consult the Shuttle more for inside information. The callous gunning down of Michael Mcgurk outside his house , gangland style and in full view of his young son, carries all the hallmarks of a professional 'hit". These days the long-time policy of never involving a victim's family has been abandoned in what was a brutal, one-bullet-to-the-head execution as McGurk sat beside his 9 year old son in his Mercedes. A truly horrific experience for the young lad whose anguished screams were heard streets away.

But whilst newspapers described McGurk as a businessman-he was always known to us as Last Stand Mick the name the Shuttle dubbed Michael over a lunch 5 years ago which the Edinburgh born ex-boxer accepted with good grace-being in that when a debt collector was needed, McGurk was the man to call if things became difficult .
McGurk, with his soft Scots accent was known not to suffer fools gladly and during his 20 years in Australia had built an amazing multi-million dollar fortune via a variety of property deals. Often those deals had soured and enmity would build between McGurk and his partners.

One of McGurk's oddest enterprises was in 2006 when he attempted to sue the world's richest man, the Sultan of Brunie over the sale of 400 year old a miniature copy of the Koran kept in a tiny jewel encrusted case. The Sultan claimed no knowledge of the relic or McGurk.

The Shuttle was contacted yesterday by a tabloid looking for a snap of Adam Tilley, the businessman whose luxury Eastern Suburbs house was firebombed a year ago with McGurk at first charged for the offense with those charges recently dropped. Adam is brother of Ben Tilley, Kerry Packer favourite and close companion who travelled the world in Packer's Lear Jet whilst Kerry visited casinos where he would pick up, or drop a bundle. Apparently $6M in one go at Crockfords in London's Mayfair a year before he passed away.

But  the coppers should look further afield than the Tilleys who have always trod the straight and narrow. McGurk is bound to have built any number of enemies in his 15 year career.

Into the fray steps "Sydney Identity' as the media describes him-Big Jim Byrnes famous for getting Alan Bond out of his bankruptcy. Byrnes is banned from  being a company director and punters are still wondering what happened to their antiques consigned to Byrne's Cromwell's Auction House which collapsed a year ago. Byrnes only recently pulled up the Shuttle and requested that we should cease describing him as "rich" as he was a man of humble means. He then clambered into a new bright red Bentley and sped off. Big Jim claims McGurk held a tape-recording that could "bring down the government". Mmmm.                                                  

                                     But what's this new "Sydney Identity" moniker ?. We much prefer the favorite euphemism for businessmen of no fixed business-the more old-fashioned and delightful "colourful racing identity' the former way of describing those numerous chaps about town like the late Perc Galea who first earned the name when no-one could actually quite work out how Perc, a friendly chap , who drove luxury cars, lived in a huge mansion but never appeared to have a job apart from punting at the races.Something he was pretty good at, obviously.

"colourful racing identity"                                     Sultan of Brunei

our favourite Knight of the Realm

He hasn't been seen out socially of late but Sir Laurence Whistler Street wasn't going to miss the coming home party for Australia's Miss Universe entrant, Rachel Finch last night at the Double Bay restaurant Pink Salt.

Sir Laurence-one of nature's true gentleman and with one of the finest legal minds in the country is now 83-slightly shaky on his pins but still sporting those sensible monogrammed Gucci slippers and mediating complicated matters of the law. Regarded as one of the most gifted lawyers and renowned for his fair decisions, Sir Laurence is still much sought after to settle complex disputes.

A former Chief Justice-as was his dad Sir Kenneth Street and as was his granddad, Sir Phillip Whistler Street. Mum Jessie Street was one of the country's foremost feminists and human rights campaigners who once had her passport rescinded whilst overseas during the 'reds under the beds' hysteria of the 1950's when she was accused by ASIO as a "secret Commie "

Word is that Rachel is fielding offers from every TV network and after hearing her speech, we reckon she is one clever gal who will go far.

                                     Joh Bailey & Anne O'Neil

                  
*********

Meanwhile at the same time, same location but a few doors apart, society snipper Joh Bailey showed off his spanking brand new salon with a few up-market guests like Lady Sonia McMahon and TV daytime queen Kerri Anne Kennerley with hubby John Kennerley , the man who started Littlewoods Football Pools in the UK, sold out for a fortune and moved to Sydney to concentrate on his hobby of collecting toy soldiers.

On hand was the decorator of Joh's swanky salon Anne O'Neil wife of quarry king turned developer Dennis O'Neil and a member of the famous British Tennet family.

Earth to the Channel 10 TV Network...

..when plumping your own programs like the mega hit Masterchef and trying to pass it off as "news" on the 10.30 PM News / Sports Tonight, a little fact checking comes in handy.

this is journalist George Negus who will be a guest on the show:

..and this is sports writer Mike Gibson who you broadcast as Negus...

#### instant update..the Ch 10 morning news broadcast the exact same 'news' piece about their hit show Masterchef today sandwiched between the murder of a prominent businessman and the story of an Olympic swimmer's escape from a jail term on drug charges-sans mention of the George Negus appearance.

                 

guest reviewer-Barry McKenzie

The Shuttle can't be in every place at the same time, try as we might. Into the breach steps singer, actor and theatre fanatic Barry Crocker AM who has agreed to be our resident theatre critic.

Shuttlers will recall Barry once played Barry McKenzie superbly in the films based on the famous Private Eye magazine comic strip based on the character created by Barry Humphries, manager of Dame Edna Everage. (above). A newspaper in a small African country delightfully once reported Dame Edna was "Australia's Governor General and HRH The Queen's representative".

Barry popped over to the Ensemble Theatre to see 2 friends performing..his review follows...

What a privilege it was to sit in an audience observing two old mates having the time of their lives, in the Australian premiere of the new Peter Quilter Farcical Romp, “DUETS”.  Here Noeline Brown, and Barry Creyton, get the chance to play four very diverse characters in this four act play. (Two in each half).  The joy that emanates across the footlights can’t help but drag the audience into their revelry, as they toy with each other, in their respective roles. Watching these two professionals in full flight is like taking a ride in a Rolls Royce. All class, Four stars!

 

It's the first time Creyton and Brown have worked together since Creyton returned from the USA where he has lived for 15 years. The last time the pair appeared together was on the TV show Blankety Blanks compered by Australia's first King of TV , the late Graeme Kennedy (above) .

Crocker was accompanied by friend Jenny Main  while his charming live-in companion Katy Manning Foxtel presenter, former Dr Who star and a life-long former school pal of Liza Minelli is working on a project in the UK.

 

                                                                    Barry & Katy

Cardinal Pell is not happy !

Cardinal Pell, Australia's top Catholic and the man who actively campaigned against his own election as Pope in favor of his close friend, Pope Benedict XV1, has a bone to pick with the country's leading religious art contest, The Blake Prize. 

He reckons it's " kitsch, anti-religious and sometimes only tenuously connected with spirituality".

Viewers will need to make up their own minds-we reckon Adam Cullen's depiction of  David & Goliath (below) wouldn't look out of place on the living room wall or a church for that matter. Others may disagree. Certainly it would make a good talking point over dinner. Cullen didn't win.

William Blake 1775-1825, regarded as one of Britain's greatest artists-if not the best, was also considered barking mad by his contemporaries and a regular smoker of opium.  William Wordsworth thought he was potty but more interesting than Byron and we tend to agree. We aren't too sure though what Blake would think of the works that garner prizes in his name-or the winner of this years Blake Prize -Angelica Mesiti  with Rapture (silent anthem) a video work and a one minute clip of some kids up close, at a pop concert which looks for all the world like an advert for toothpaste or pimple cream. But what the hell-she picked up $20,000 for something that looks like it was filmed on her mobile phone and good for her.

 The winner of the Blake Poetry Prize was John Watson with his "Four Ways to Approach the Numinous'-

The first couple of lines being ;

Gabrielle d'Estrees and one of her sisters, both naked

are standing in what may be a bath. Lining it sides 

and so on.( you can read more of his work here)

The Shuttle loves Blakes own verse which we feel is very apt for today  : 

                          Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion.

 Blake saw visions (opium ?) and believed he was being instructed in his art by archangels which makes him an OK bloke in the eyes of the Shuttle. One day he started quoting verse and scriptures-said to his wife "I'll be with you always " and promptly dropped dead at 6pm that afternoon.

## whilst William Blake may have believed he saw angelic figures wandering amongst the haymakers one day, as he described-our favourite Person of the Week is Miyuki Hatoyama, Japan's new first lady and married to the newly elected PM. Miyuki (above) reckons she was abducted by aliens 20 years ago but has yet to confirm if she was anally probed or for that matter, smokes opium. Japanese politics, strange at the best of times just got wackier.

tabloid fantasies...

..."Cate left on floor with blood pouring from her head.." reads one of the more lurid headlines about Cate Blanchett's minor mis-hap at the preview night of the Sydney Theatre Companies "A Street Car Named Desire" directed by Liv Ullmann.

No chaps-Cate had a minor scratch and her "fall" was actually in the script. Far from "blood pouring" it was more like a nick with the tiniest drop of red..presumably blood. The Shuttle knows-we were in the 4th row. As Cate exited the stage-as per the script-the stage manager announced 5 minutes later the play wouldn't be resuming and ticket holders would get a full refund or tickets to a later performance.

And the reason ?. The insurance policy demanded as much even for the slightest accident. Cate was in fine form and back on stage the next night as she will be for the gala opening this Saturday night with nary a gash in sight on her gorgeous face.

The tabloids should get a grip and 'viewers' should stick to the Social Shuttle if they want the real story.

There's always a silver lining though..it's a publicist's dream come true as the tale spreads worldwide. 

opening Pandora's box

 

         Jonathon King & friend in one of his discreet publicity snaps

Britain's most irreverent blogger Madame Arcati who has a habit of getting up the nose of many a tabloid editor for her ability to scoop them, brings news about former pop identity Jonathon King's planned auto-biography.

65 year old King is a British singer, songwriter, TV personality,impresario and writer according to his wikipedia entry (did he write it himself ?)-but it's all true.  His first hit song when he was still a uni-student  "Everyone's Gone to the Moon", in 1965 sold 4 million copies around the world. No mean feat in the days when mass media didn't really exist. This was followed by some weird and wonderful show biz antics with King at times in fright wigs or adopting different personas to flog successful records (records-that's what they were called in those days kids)..who also discovered and produced the ginormous band Genesis , produced the Bay City Rollers and our personal favourite-The Piglets.

One older Shuttler worker here has admitted, somewhat reluctantly, to dancing joyfully to one of King's biggest hits Una Paloma Blanca in the 1980's in an Ibizia disco before it became the gay haven it is today and one could express such inhibitions watched only by puzzled local Spanish waiters.

The UK Independent's columnist Pandora ( days after Arcati broke the tale) has labeled King's book as  " his latest bid for attention". A somewhat unusual claim from a newspaper regarded as a more intellectual tabloid but which still carries tales of the earth shattering news of the marriage break-up of 2 people called Jordon and Peter Andre. No, we aren't to sure who Peter and Jordon are either but Britain is obsessed with them since the demise of reality star Jade Goody.

They seem a nice pair but what they actually do is a mystery although older Shuttlers may re-call there was a mildly successful singer by the name of Peter Andre in Sydney who left for the UK years ago. That's to the land where attention seeking has become an art form and Britain's media is only too happy to assist.

King ran foul of the law and was a guest at Her Majesty's Pleasure over accusations of underage sex (the law in the UK has since lowered the legal age to 16) but says on his website he has an appeal before the European Court which he is confident of winning after discovering proof he wasn't in the UK at the times the offenses are said to have happened.

King has probably confused many of Britain's sex obsessed tabloids. Rather than slink out of prison as expected, coat over head into a waiting car to speed off-he walked out broadly smiling , thumbs high in a victory stance. Such antics just puzzle the British media who demand everyone express permanent shame. Regular visitors to London will notice most pedestrians comply.

For Jonathon King's own view of his trial, a must see is his movie Vile Pervert where King plays all roles. It is quite hilarious.

## The Shuttle hopes King's book is as fascinating as 'Brando Unzipped', the biography of the late Marlon Brando by a long-time associate Darwin Porter (a relative of Brando's pal Tennessee Williams) which revealed tales of Brando's insatiable sexual appetite and his propensity to star-f**k every Hollywood identity from Marilyn Monroe , Tallulah Bankhead, Rock Hudson, Cary Grant and James Dean (who apparently liked his nipples twisted and ciggies stubbed out on his chest with Brando happy to oblige). One story told of Brando boasting about Marlene Deitrich's oral skills and how she would helpfully get down on her knees and scrub the kitchen floor afterwards ( well, she was a Virgo and that sounds about right).

Plus the news that far from being "working class" as Brando like to portray himself-he was from a wealthy middle-class family and was expelled from military school after organizing an orgy with fellow students.

   

            Madame Arcarti                                                               a youthful Marlon Brando

## Speaking of Tennessee Williams, the Shuttle attended the preview last night of Liv Ullman's STC production of "A Streetcar named Desire" and will post a longer review later-after we attend the official opening night on Saturday. Needless to say, Cate Blanchett is simply amazing as Blanche Du Bois which should please Cate's husband Andrew Upton who we encountered before the play looking very nervous and frantically texting on his mobile phone.

That was until Cate suffered an accident when a scene where Stanley throws a radio at Blanche. The prop grazed Cate as she fell on all fours. Audience members thought it was all part of the show but when Cate disappeared off stage, the stage manager cut short the performance. Cate's fine except for a small nick on the forehead and was back performing tonight-just one of the hitches that need to be ironed out before the gala premier later this week.