Shirt Bar opening - social photos

Sydney’s sharpest gents converged on Sussex Lane on Tuesday 14 June to toast the opening of Shirt Bar.

A combined small bar and retail precinct, Shirt Bar is a fusion of fashion and fine whisky that comes together to create a cosy and relaxing social experience in the heart of Sydney’s new financial district.

Having been in the shirt business for two generations, leading Australian shirt company Kentia has been exploring ideas to create a retail concept that would allow them to showcase their brands whilst interacting with customers on a new level.

“The retail business is changing dramatically, and we feel that this new landscape is about more than just purchasing a product, it’s about adding more to a customer’s experience.

Shirt Bar is the culmination of this and it’s incredibly exciting to finally bring the vision to life," says owner Justin Marmot.

Reinforcing their reputation for exceptional customer service, specialist knowledge and high-quality products, Shirt Bar treated all guests at the exclusive launch event to a custom fitting, after which each person took home a shirt they personally chose for themselves.

Acoustic duo The Silver Lining entertained guests while they enjoyed aged scotch whiskey varietals from Chivas Regal, as well as Peroni beer, Mumm Champagne, Saint & Sinner wines and Diplimatico rum, along with cheese and antipasto platters, miniature gourmet pies, and affogato and home made chocolate biscuit brittle for dessert.

VIP guests included Masterchef judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, actors Alex Dimitriades and Salvatore Coco, hairdresser Phil Gallo, former model and fashion week frontman Miro Kubicek, stylist Livia Tassanyi, and Chivas Regal brand ambassador Ben Davidson.

Shirt Bar is located at 7 Sussex Lane, Sydney, and is open: 10am – 6pm Monday to Wednesday; 10am – 10pm Thursdays and Fridays.

For further information on Shirt Bar, visit http://www.shirtbar.com.au/

Pics by Wes Nel at Hobogestapo

Playboy July 2011 - Crystal labelled "Runaway Bride"

Don't cry for Hugh Hefner - he may not be able to stop those pesky long lead presses from rolling out the cover of the Playboy July issue (featuring the new "Mrs Crystal Hefner" - awkward!) but he can order a huge sticker with "Runaway Bride" to be slapped on her bits.

"Recent events call for a special sticker on the July cover," Hugh Hef tweeted on Wednesday, with a picture. "Look for it on newsstands."

Crystal Harris packed her pink trackies and ditched Hefner only days before their wedding, which had been planned for this Saturday.

Crystal spoke with Ryan Seacrest on his US radio show on Wednesday, to give her side of the story. According to her, it was a mutual decision not to get married.

"For a while I've been having second thoughts about everything," said the 25 year old. (And yep, he's 85. Eighty-five!)

"I haven't really been at peace with myself lately. I didn't think it was really fair to him."

She added: "Multiple girls all around, it's not the lifestyle I wanted," she told Seacrest.

Later, Hef weighed in: "Crystal did an interview... to explain everything, but I still don't have a clue," he said via Twitter, adding, "I didn't see any of this coming, but I'm glad things went wrong before the marriage instead of after. Live & learn."

Oh dear, Crystal. If this 'multiple girls' thing bothered you before, why oh why would you accept a ring in the first place?

PS: what on earth is he going to do with all that food for the party? Have a big bash anyways, ol' Hef... (I give him two weeks tops to be seen with another blonde).

2011 Hair Expo Australian Hairdresser of the Year - Jayne Wild

Sydney’s Jayne Wild was announced as 2011 Hair Expo Australian Hairdresser of the Year on Monday – the first female to win the award three times in the awards’ 26-year history.

As part of the Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards, held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wild beat five other top Australian hairdressers to take out the prestigious title. She previously won the award in 2008 and 2004.

Her team at Wild Life hair also won Salon Team of the Year and her new salon in Milsons Point won Best New Salon Design. Wild Life apprentice, Kim Jones, also won Apprentice of the Year, meaning the Wild Life Team took home an amazing four of the fourteen awards up for grabs.

Celebrating their 26th anniversary this year, the annual Hairdressing Awards at Hair Expo are the longest running and most respected awards in the Australian and New Zealand hairdressing industry. They set the industry standard across both countries and represent the pinnacle of hairdressing excellence in the southern hemisphere. I have attended several times - many as part of the Cream magazine crew, who produced a Hair Expo mag - and am always blown away by the creativity and inspiring ideas in motion.

With over 10,000 visitors flocking to Darling Harbour over the Queen's Birthday long weekend it's still the biggest and best.

Don't miss it next year!

Amazonia Acai products - all sorts of goodness and yum wrapped into one

By now, you've very likely heard of the amazing properties of the acai berry, and Amazonia is the only certified fair trade source in Australia of acai (or 'purpleberry'). A 100% Australian company owned by three young, dynamic men (Dwayne Martens, Jesse Kaniecki, and Chris Norden), they supply the purest form and highest grade of acai possible through an extensive product range www.purpleberry.com.au.

All products are natural whole foods with no preservatives or artificial additives, gluten free, wild harvested, raw, vegan and fair trade*.

I was sent some Amazonia products to try - the capsules and some bars - and I swear popping some of those capsules (you can take six daily!) in particular helped ward off an imminent cold, pre-holiday.

Next on my list to try is the acai chocolate (helllllooo! How delicious does that look?) and the freeze dried version to throw into a smoothie. The taste is a blend of chocolate and berries – delicious. And you can also add it water, juice, yoghurt, over fruit salad or breakfast cereal.

Amazonia acai also comes in puree form; with 2 x 25 ml shots recommended per day. You can also pour the liquid form on ice cream, in yoghurt or drizzle over fruit salad, or in a healthy smoothie.

My fave (so far) are the Amazonia acai health bars. They are seriously good, and with every bite you get a whole lotta goodness: filling, delicious, and low GI snack each bar contains six grams of freeze dried scai berries, cranberries, sunflower oil, organic rice malt, organic dates, tahini, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, organic coconut, rice protein, blackberry concentrate, and natural citric acid.

(*Amazonia products by law are not intended to diagnose treat, cure or prevent disease).

For more, and to buy this purple goodness, see: http://www.purpleberry.com.au/

And for a clip on the Amazonia story, watch this:

The Amazing Race Australia - Chris and Anastasia: is Chris truly sorry?

The biggest talking point of The Amazing Race Australia - now that Richard and Joey are gone - has undoubtedly been this clip (see blog post: http://josiesjuice.blogspot.com/2011/06/amazing-race-australia-chris-and.html)

Many have been disturbed by Chris's outburst towards his partner Anastasia, and the comments on the blog post above, and on the show's Facebook page, have been nothing short of explosive.

But Chris appears to show much deep remorse, and says he is in the process of bettering himself.

In an article in the Herald Sun yesterday, he said:

"It's been a bit embarrassing, the things I said, and it's a good wake-up call as a person," said Chris.

"I have to fix those problems. I take full responsibility for the way I behaved. It's up to me to prove I'm a respectful person. I wish I could tell everyone one by one that."

You can read the rest of the article here:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/racers-shame-over-treatment-of-partner/story-e6frf96x-1226073590038

What do you think? Is the relationship a recipe for disaster? Is it doom-filled, as so many (strangers) are convinced? Is it even our business? Have you been in this kind of relationship, and how has it fared?

Feel free to comment here.

Everybody loves Joe Avati - including Phil Rosenthal

The faces are familiar, and if you're a true comedy fan, you'll already know who they are:

It's our Italo-Australian funny man Joe Avati and writer, creator and director of the long-running hit TV series, "Everybody Loves Raymond" Phil Rosenthal, the latter in Sydney as a special guest of the Sydney Film Festival, ahead of the screening of "Exporting Raymond".

Joe Avati is of course renowned as Aussie/Itie comedian and TV presenter, now a virtual household name after successfully touring his award-winning show Il Dago all around Australia since early 2007, as well as hosting SBS TV show “Food Investigators” (Joe is also a food scientist!) and building a very successful 20-year career based on his own over-bearing, very funny Italian relatives – just like Raymond's in his hit-show!

Phil is here for the Australian debut of his feature, “Exporting Raymond”, all about attempting to make a Russian version of "Everybody Loves Raymond", with hilarious results.

Phil asked Joe what would make a funny Australian version of the hit series. Joe says his own nonna would have to be a central character. She "can’t operate technology... dips a piece of bread into the oil after she uses the George Foreman Grill... and every day, she asks me when I’m getting married like a good Italian boy."

Joe has enjoyed huge success in North America, and one of his greatest fans happens to be Ray Romano’s wife - she even owns copies of Joe's DVDs and CDs.

Joe is currently touring Sydney with his Il Dago co-stars George Kapiniaris, Simon Palomares, and Jason Chong in their final season of the award-winning sell-out show Il Dago II: Now With Noodles.

For more info on Il Dago, go here: http://www.joeavati.com/ildago/

For more on Exporting Raymond, go here: http://sff.org.au/films-container/exporting-raymond/

(Photo credit, Phil and Joe: Andrew Siwak)

To see the trailer of this flick, go here:

Marie Claire Red Dress Campaign - social photos

Last night, editor of marie claire Australia Jackie Frank threw open the doors of her home to help raise awareness about heart disease in women at a star-studded Red Dress campaign event.

Heart disease is still the biggest killer of women in Australia (yes, it's true!), so to help raise awareness about the disease and support the Heart Foundation, marie claire invited a host of celebrities and fashion designers to join forces on 'matters of the heart.'

Guests included Jennifer Hawkins, Megan Gale, Miranda Otto, Ruby Rose, Sonia Kruger, Pia Miranda and Sophie Lowe, all Red Dress campaign ambassadors, and all featuring in a stunning 11-page reportage story in the July issue of marie claire, photographed by renowned fashion photographers Harold David and David Gubert.

The celebrities showed their support for the cause by wearing gorgeous red dresses designed exclusively by Australia’s leading fashion designers, including: Alex Perry, Dion Lee, Collette Dinnigan, Ellery, Willow, Lisa Ho and Ginger & Smart.

My fave was reporter Sally Obermeder, swathed in a stunning red gown and sporting a glorious baby bump.

"marie claire is very proud of our long-term association with the Heart Foundation and this important cause. We will continue to champion the cause, which takes the lives of so many women we love - our mothers, sisters and friends. Despite the fact it is the number one killer of women in Australia, it is also one of the most preventable diseases, so raising awareness and education is paramount," says marie claire publisher/editor, Jackie Frank.

The one-off red designer dresses will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the Heart Foundation. They can be viewed and purchased online at http://www.marieclaire.com.au/ right now.