Melbourne
WATERFORD CRYSTAL POLO IN THE CITY PREVIEW, ALBERT PARK
On Tuesday we time travelled.
Dami Im receiving her award at the Cosmo Fun Fearless Female Awards at Otto.
On Tuesday we time travelled. Not far, just a couple of weeks, to Saturday, November 29, that's the date of the Waterford Crystal Polo in the City. We were in Albert Park for the event preview and it made us wonder about futures unknown; what do you want to know the outcome of ... right now?
"Nothing! I don't want to spoil the mystery," event founder Janek Gazecki said. Really? "Absolutely, it's all about a little bit of mystery. You work towards certain goals but I think if we knew the outcome it would spoil the fun."
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"I actually wouldn't mind knowing what I'm having for dinner tonight," Natalie Decorte said. "Who's in charge of that? "I don't know." Gazecki, explained: "It's a subtle hint to me that I need to take her out to dinner. She's an amazing cook, she cooks all the time." "But I'm not cooking tonight," Decorte said, laughing.
"I want to know what the hell is going to happen in the new Star Wars film and I'm struggling to wait until the end of 2015," Mike Christian said. "I just hope they don't break it and that it's really good, otherwise my heart will be broken. I hope the force is strong with this one."
In the end Nick Myer brought us back to the beginning: "I think it's best not knowing."
DISARONNO TERRACE LAUNCH, THE EMERSON
They're hosting a series of events around the world; Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain, and the US, and on Wednesday night it was Melbourne's turn for the launch of the Disaronno Terrace. The Emerson Rooftop will be its home for the next month of Sundays, and home to the have-to-sip summer cocktail the Disaronno Sour, too, so we wanted to know, how (else) would you love to spend a month of Sundays?
"A month of Sundays is best spent with family, friends, relatives and fun," Andrew Ranger said. We raised an eyebrow. "OK, and whichever Victoria's Secret model wishes to come."
"Closed-eye drawing," Claire Story said. "You close your eyes and somebody tells you what to draw and it always ends up being a hilarious incarnation of what you're trying to draw." And that would occupy you for a month of Sundays? "Yeah, something different, you've got to try it."
"For me it is from dawn 'til dusk in bed," Susie Robinson said. "Pancakes, the smell of maple syrup, dozing, which may turn into narcolepsy if left unchecked."
INHABIT LAUNCH, WESTFIELD DONCASTER
If you could inhabit any era, anywhere, when and where would it be? On Wednesday night some of Australia's best designers including Dion Lee , Anna Plunkett (Romance Was Born) and Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci (STRATEAS.CARLUCCI) inhabited INHABIT, Westfield's new designer in residence concept. The first INHABIT designer in residence is ELLERY, so before everyone sat down to an intimate dinner to celebrate we put the question to the designer herself.
"I'd have to say Paris," Kym Ellery said. "I've been watching that film, Midnight in Paris , on repeat so why not; I'll go and hang out with Owen Wilson in the '20s, and Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald."
"1960s New York city," Dion Lee said. What kind of guy would you be? "I don't know." "Ziggy Stardust," Plunkett suggested. "Totally," Lee nodded.
"The seventies," Carlucci said. "It seemed like a fun time to be around; the parties, the music. I'd be in the States hanging out with Jimi Hendrix and his crew, I think, like a groupie; leather pants and an open shirt unbuttoned all the way down to the navel."
Sydney
UNIQLO STORE LAUNCH
It seems that stores were the place to party this week with a batch of glam shop floor bashes headed up by this big entrée to Sydney from cult Japanese retailer UNIQLO. The VIP launch for MidCity shopping complex store was a mix of serious business (Mr Shoichi Miyasaka, chief executive of UNIQLO Australia) and pretty people, including the Stenmark Twins and Gracie Otto. UNIQLO's Sydney ambassadors Claudia Karvan, Bruce "Hoppo" Hopkins and Donato Toce paraded the gear and the Bag Raiders followed a traditional Japanese drumming display and Kagami Biraki (barrel breaking) ceremony and Kanpai toast.
BILLABONG SYDNEY FLAGSHIP STORE LAUNCH
Billabong has injected a dose of full-on surf culture to Pitt Street Mall with a new flagship store, which it launched with mates including Joel "Parko" Parkinson and Mark "Occy" Occhilupo (you're not really a Billabong mate without a nickname). With tunes from Palms and DJ Marlin Zando and catering by Masterchef Dan Churchill ��� in town to launch his book The Healthy Cook ��� this one blossomed into a raging beach party in the city.
JASN ALTN DIAMOND BOUTIQUE LAUNCH
Somewhere along the way, ex Nudie jeans designer Jason Alton lost the "o's" from his name but instead acquired a heap of celebrity fans and acclaim for his outrageously original diamond jewellery designs. The black carpet launch for his new Bondi store was soaked in stylish faces: Kate Peck, Pip Edwards, Erin Holland, hot young DJ GG Magree, masterchef winner Brent Owens. Waitresses wore balaclavas to evoke a jewellery heist, but nothing was nicked and everyone played nicely among the gorgeous designs.
BOLS GENEVER LAUNCH
The city's original bar and barbershop combined, The Barber Shop, transformed into an Amsterdam Haus (not the kind with nude ladies in the windows, mind) for the launch of Dutch tipple Bols Genever. Cocktails were cranked by the bar's new Crawley's Imperial Shaker machine ��� a giant contraption that turns drink making into a Wonka-style spectacle.
CHAMPAGNE TAITTINGER CELEBRATES WITH CLOVIS TAITTINGER
When the Taittingers come to town, they like to party and the dynasty's fourth-generation scion Clovis hosted a sumptuous soiree at the Park Hyatt's The Guesthouse, featuring four of his finest drops including the 2004 Comtes de Champagne ($350 per bottle). Matt Doran and Justine Schofield, Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Casey Burgess were among the lucky guests, who all voted Clovis a hit host as he worked the room. Although we suspect even if he'd been boring, everyone would have liked him - just for his bubbles.
OZHARVEST 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
OzHarvest christened their new Alexandria headquarters with a celebration of a decade delivering "rescued" food from the hospitality industry to people in need. Foodie names including Matt Moran and Maeve O'Meara, actor Firass Dirani and federal MP for Sydney Tanya Plibersek all applauded OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn and her incredible 30 million rescued meals delivered. Over 20 suppliers donated food and drink and the gin cocktails from mobile bartenders Trolley'd were made from "rescued fruit" (lesson: be kind to fruit and it will transform into a delicious aperitif).
COSMOPOLITAN FUN FEARLESS FEMALE AWARDS
Ninety of Australia's most glamorous women celebrated the 2014 Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless Female awards at Otto Ristorante, adorned for the occasion with a pink carpet and a topless waiter. Star guest and notorious party girl Tara Reid remained remarkably restrained, while those receiving awards included Today host Lisa Wilkinson.
JAN LOGAN CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
Australian jeweller Jan Logan marked a quarter of a century in the industry with a lavish party at the new InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, where guests previewed a special short movie collaboration by actress Rachael Taylor, a former Logan ambassador. Sunrise to Sunset ... Blvd features past ambassadors and fellow Australian actresses including Phoebe Tonkin, Caitlin Stacey, Maeve Dermody, Kate Beehan and the latest Logan face, Courtney Eaton.