So, who are the"It' Girls for 2010? Some may surprise you . . .

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-show/video/

Go to the "It Girls" video link on the homepage . . . Enjoy!

Suri Cruise and her love of 'high heels': my comment piece for Grazia mag. What are your thoughts?

So Suri Cruise (the cutie-pie offspring on Tom Cruise and Katies Holmes) has worn a pair of 'high' heels and a little wash of make-up? So what!

We're not talking a pair of delectable Alexander McQueen stilts, straight from the sensational shelves of shoe nirvana Cosmopolitan Shoes or a full-on drag queen made-up face.
Suri's shoes look like a relatively fail-safe and rather comfy dancing shoe to me. Yes, a 'play' shoe that she obviously loves to bits and not some confrontational killer heel that could be misconstrued as a sexy, follow-me-home heel that she pops on every day.
But of course, what we do have is a group of bah-humbug's drawing all kinds of conclusions as they use 'the shoe' as a metaphor for all of life potential threats.

Because of these horrible heels the kid will end up being scarred for life; that she has grown up before her time; that the back problems she is bound to acquire will hinder her for the rest of her life. And the list goes on.
Suri is just a child playing dress-ups for goodness sake. And whether you are young, old, tall short, dress-ups are kind of fun. She isn't looking provocative or overtly 'sexy' in a pair of teetering monstrosities. Nor is wearing fishnets and wrapping her legs around a pole in a strip club.
I love the fact some people are assuming the wearing of 'heels' could possibly lead to potentially problematic grown-up demands. Breast implants. Hair extensions. Boy, a girly magazine spread will be next. And all before the age of 10. It's all too mad.

Don't they know that recent research suggests that most females remember their first shoes as opposed to their first kiss?
Let's face it, unlike us when we're in our favorite heels, Miss Cruise wouldn't have been walking the streets trying the find a cab. If people think there is a dangerous element to her shoe-wearing, guess we can add it to all those other dangers - kids falling off skateboards; tripping over in the playground; watching too much TV.
If Suri wearing a pair of shoes with a heel is deemed bad behavior or even questionable parenting, wow, imagine the field day we and the online commentators will have when she starts dating . . .

(The above is an unedited debate piece that appears in the current 'double-week' issue of Grazia Australia magaine currently on the shelves.)

The Beautyheaven site corners a gang of chicks (and me) to talk our 'must-have' beauty lotions and potions . .

From top: Invisible Zinc, Chanel; the state-of-art Next of Skin salon, Potts Point; Tom Ford's for Estee Lauder's Black Orchid svemnt and Johnson & Johnsons 'Holiday Skin'

From top: Renya Xydis of Valonz and Salon X salon; Colorstay lipsticks from Revlon ; Tan In a can from ModelCo and SK11 's Treatment Essence

Above: Great Lash mascara from Maybelline; TransFormaton creme from Jan Marini; La Prarie's Eye Creme; and Stress Relief Eye Masks from Estee Lauder.


As someone whose working lifeis as a pop culture commentator and journalist, it has also revolved around finding and fossicking through what is good, bad and ugly about some of the things in the beauty world.

So, when I was asked what some of my fave beauty products were, it kind of got me thinking.
Then, of course, once I had sent back the interview, I remembered a few other little beauties.

Oh well, I must remember them for next time . . .

Olivia Mackinnon from http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/ sent me her 'beauty fave' questionnaire recently, and also to a few other beauty-minded chicks . . . and away we went . .
Interviews . . read all of our interviews here . . .

So, have you any faves to add?

Our govt relaxes rules on what we take 'on board' + a $30 mill film. We talk on 7's "All Stars" panel + memorable showbiz moments on Weekend Sunrise.

http://tiny.cc/Yw4S9 . . . . .

On today's Weekend Sunrise 'All Stars' panel (on url posted above) we workshopped whether a pair of nail scissors could possibly help or hinder a terrorist threat while a tres lucky bloke from Uruguay has been handed $3o mill to make his YouTube flick, Panic Attack ( http://tiny.cc/DOnzx ) into a mega Hollywood blockbuster.

Later, a gang of us talked the 20o9 entertainment talk, with the highlights that made 2009 one helluva year. Whether the Jordan P and Andre split, Octo-Mel and Octo-Mum, Jacko's demise; Rihanna domestic violence assault or SuBo's success . . . .

Parenthood: trying to get the 'single/shared' part of it right . .

Blogs can be funny things. You can write what you want; when you want and how you want.
But sometimes an idea resonates with you to such an extent that you are actually fearful to write it, but really, the best thing to do is get it off your chest and hope that whoever reads it. 'gets' it and may even know or be someone in a similar situation.
This isn't about work or a great friend or a new shoe or a social event or a travel destination. It's about motherhood. Single and shared motherhood.
And with me, one of the hardest and most emotional parts of it is having to hug, kiss and say goodbye to your child when the time has come for him (or her) to go to his dad's house. And I am sure, it's vica-versa in many cases.
Thankfully our son has a dad who is a brilliant, 100% father who adores him as much as I do. But the guilt still sticks and sticks and sticks.
Sure, there are moments of freedom (like you used to have, post-baby) when your time is your own. You do get to have those nights at home on your own. See friends you may not often see. Book in meetings or work at odd hours as you won't have a 'sitter' to pay. You may not have to make the breakfast or the school lunches for a few days, or make sure the uniform is sorted and the after-school activities are set for the next day. But there are times when you just feel out of the '24/7' loop of your child.
Important school notes get stuffed into his schoolbag that I may not see (and vica-versa) so I don't always feel privy to everything that is going on in his life.
This evening, as an example, we had all spent the last few days together at our respective families and aldo a great Boxing day, watching the boats sail out of Sydney Harbor. But then, it was time for my son to go home to his dads.
I arrived home feeling totally empty. Thinking, in that archetypal motherly way, that my/our child should be with me/us.
The house seems so empty when he is not here. There is no Lego all over the place (that I usually stand on and curse the fact I have). There is no American wrestling on the tv; we aren't playing WII or reading together; there are no clothes strewn all over the place; no compulsion to make his favored spag bol.
The pretty Xmas tree is still sitting here; the presents I gave him are all unwrapped, but still perched on the kitchen table, waiting to played with when he comes back.
But this is life.
Life for many single, separated or shared parenting households.
This is the decision a couple make whey they (and in our case, totally amicably) decided to part four years ago.
It's just as our son gets older; and I get older, I just think about it more and wonder, is this it?
I am always explaining to him that I have to work because, well, that is what puts food (and Lego) on the table, but that isn't always an easy concept for a child to grasp.
I guess we just make the best of what we have. He has two very 'happy' homes and two parents who love him more than anything and would, with no hesitation, die for him . . . And that, above else, is what keeps us altogether.
Even in we are in separate houses . .
Have you any thoughts?

Wanna exclusive peek into life living on a ship? Well, The World is the place to do it . .

The World's deck (right) and (below) this is the world's only floating residence currently docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney

The World's 'star' kaftan queen, Camilla Franks (above right) and me: well, there was a bar in front of us, so we were pretending to mix drinks but renowned photographer Partrick Dermarchelier, we are not . .

You learn very quickly not to say the word 'cabin' on The World _ the world's first residential ship whose inhabitants live on it, as opposed to check-in onto it.
Wholly owned by its residents (imagine that body corporate meeting?) who have paid anything from $1.5 to over 7 mill for the privilege, you may wonder what I was doing there.

Well, a great friend invited me as a guest of her friend who is the charming Tony de Leede who is a 'resident' and hosted a private tour and drinks party Tuesday night. Tony was the name behind the Fitness First gym chain and then help set up Hugh Jackman's favored health resort, Queensland's Gwinganna. No wonder Hugh's great mate, the fitness guru Michael Ryan (and Hugh's trainer) and gorgeous nutritionist wife Zoe were also there.

With 165 residences (including one owned by Tony) well-heeled owners are mainly from the US and from 40 other countries, but this private tour was quite enlightening.
Most enlightening because my buddy, the Sydney-based kaftan designer, Camilla Franks, told me she does some pretty fierce business on The World and has travelled on it a number of times hosting fashion shows where her flowing pieces, natch, walk out the door. Or onto the deck, for that matter.

Former model, Erica Heynatz, who has been honing her singing skills for years, was on board and tells me her first single, through EMI, will be out on January 18 and will be shooting the first video clip on January 15 . . once she is back from a holiday to Hawaii with husband Andrew Kingston

Our tour guide whooshed us through five very intimate restaurants, a chic, well-stocked library, an enclosed internet centre, kids room, mini golf, casino, gym, jogging track, a full size tennis court, Fredy's deli and grocery store, a Banyan Tree spa, boutique and a small theatre.

There is no rah-rah disco or dance floor on site, well, 'residents' (surprisingly with an average age of mid 40s) actually leave the ship for that kind of entertainment to when they arrive in port.
And as it has sailed constantly in its eight years of life, well, it is home to some, there are a helluva lot of ports to peruse and to party.
The World (which is managed by something called the ResidenSea group) stays in ports a couple of days and while some residents live on board some pop on and off throughout the year.
Flying a Bahamas flag, everything on board is in US dollars and as I chatted to Andy, his ID badge telling me he was the 'enrichment director' (kinda like Julie, the cruise director from the Love Boat, although when I put that analogy to him, it went down like the Titanic).
The ship has 12 decks with deck 11, FYI, the piece-de-resistance if it ever came to securing your slice of The World .
Taking a look at its itinerary for 2010 The World-ies will be setting sail for northern Australia, to Bali, Phuket, Dubai, Suez Canal, Crete, Santorini, Venice, the Antibes, Channel island, Dublin, Montreal, NYC, San Juan, Rio and finishing in the Antarctic next Christmas. That's a lotta world . . .
Anyway, what is it with me and ships of late . . .drinks on the Pacific Jewel last week; The World this week.

Is God trying to tell me something?

The night style agenda-setters came out to play . . .

From top: Michelle Jank; Sarah & Jill Davison; Edwina McCann & Christina Centenera; Kirrily Johnston's delicious 'back'; Simone and Nikki Zimmerman; Marnie Skillings and Marie-Claude Mallet . .

The prized fashion set were at one place, and one place only last night - Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi to welcome Jill Davison to Harper's Bazaar as the monthly title's fashion director. The intimate party kind of doubled as an unofficial festive frolic too, such was the roll up of sartorially splendid types.

Iceberg's main man, Maurizio Terzini made sure the fashion set were well and truly supped while the chilled Veuve Clicquot was very nice, thank you very much . . .

Harper's chic editor, Edwina McCann welcomed the former Teen Vogue fashion editor from New York (Jill will go back and forth from NYC in her new role) and the whole evening was a great excuse for the fashion set to clink glasses to a somewhat trying year in the world of selling high-end frocks.

Alison Veness-McGourty (editor-in-chief of Harper's and Grazia and is also in the process of weaving a wand over NW magazine) while the Australian fashion hierarchy were in full force: Akira Isogawa, Kit Willow, Nikki and Simone Zimmerman, Collette Dinnigan, Kirrily Johnson (and what an amazing back she has), Marnie Skillings, Luke Sales (Romance Was Born), Carla Zampatti, Bianca Spender, Dan Single, Camilla Freeman-Topper and Michelle Jank.

Michelle, who is now based in Paris, has been designing gems for smart Australian jeweller, Fairfax & Roberts.

Style PR folk were in full force too, including dynamo Naomi Parry (Jag, Veuve, Otto, Paspaley, Easton Pearson et al), Calvin Klein's Danielle Cusack-Scott, Estee Lauder's divine Alice Hocking, Hush PR's Debbie Coffey and Lisa Polous, Holly Garber, Tracy Baker, Emma van Handel, Gucci's chic Sally Poole and Chanel's powerful press releaser, Susie Stenmark.

Boy, What a luxurious fashion crew indeed . . . .

Has reality TV sunk to (another) new low?

A wee chat on Weekend Sunrise about Jersey Shore . . . a new reality show about a group of buff, 20-something's of Italian-American origin, all living together and where one guy even bashes his girlfriend up . . .
Nice huh?
Yahoo!7 Sunrise - Weekend Sunrise

Our most stylish woman unveils a new jewel in the cruising crown . .

Above, Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor General of Australia . . .

Over the past few years the mood to cruise has sky-rocketed, with swags of friends waxing lyrical about their hi-sea (and no-stress) cruising ventures on glam Silver Seas ships, Cunard lines and on various Queen's (Elizabeth, Mary et al) while mega figures and stats are being bandied about on how popular cruises have become as preferred holiday alternatives.

Okay, so I hadn't always been convinced about cruising - a bad experience on a cheap, Greek shipping line in my early 20s put paid to that _ so when Carnival Australia's P&O gang kindly invited me to their latest Sydney-based super liner the Pacific Jewel, who better to give it a stylish unveiling but the most elegant woman in Australia, our Governor General, her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce (pictured above).

Never a manner, a hair, a voice or a shoulder pad out of place (when I grow up that's whose style I want to emulate) the gracious GG did the weekend's ship launching with aplomb, unleashing a mega fireworks display as opposed to the obligatory smashing of a champagne bottle.

Anyway, a huge team of guests gang-planked it on board with Louis Roederer bubbles at the ready and some mighty fine Luke Mangan fare on the tables.

Luke, who is still in the Sydney Hilton hotel with his Glass brasserie as well as muncheries in Tokyo and San Francisco, said his on-board Salt Grill is another departure for him and looks forward to popping on and off the ship, when it fits with his global kitchen schedule, of course.

Newly installed NSW premier, Kristina Kennealy was whooshing about the party deck in a very sexy cobalt-blue, one-shouldered dress and that omni-present flippy hairstyle. She's quite tall, you know, and while I'm not sure about the bangs, she was having a grand old time chatting with Grazia girl Glynis Traill-Nash and basically anyone else who said 'hi'.
The newly installed Consul General to the UK and the UK's Ambassador to Australia were both on board as were fine faces like Laura Csortan, Ann Sherry, Deni Hines, Warren Fahey and Coca-Cola Amatil exec, Sally Loane.

Apart from potentially spending much time in a very sleek-looking spa; hearing interesting people talk about their areas of expertise or having another crab omelet in the Salt Grill, the plan of the Pacific Jewel is to do shortish trips starting from Sydney and heading around to ports around the Pacific.

Okay, so when do we pack?