Justin, actually getting along with someone.
The internet is abuzz with the news that Orlando Bloom threw a punch at Justin Bieber after he made a slight against Miranda Kerr, and now we have sourced the video.
The altercation happened on Wednesday at Cipriani in Ibiza and it seems the punch was blocked by one of Bieber’s guards.
What do you think?
Sin City super star Eva Green announced as leading lady in Campari Calendar alongside Julia Fullerton-Batten, the first ever female photographer to lead the project
Campari has officially unveiled the Hollywood actress Eva Green as the star of the 2015 Campari Calendar. The stunning French born actress will take the lead role in this year’s iconic Calendar, entitled ‘Mythology Mixology’, which is dedicated to celebrating Campari’s unique and colourful history and the intrinsic stories linked to twelve of its best-loved classic cocktails.
Eva Green began her career on stage in 2001 by starring in Turcaret directed by Gerard Deshartes and Jalousie en trios faxdirected by Didier Long. Her screen debut was in 2002 when she was cast as the female lead in Bernardo Bertolucci’s critically-acclaimed, The Dreamers. In 2006, Eva starred opposite Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, the 21st film in the James Bond franchise. Eva played “Vesper Lynd”, a mysterious blend of vulnerability and strength and the only woman that James Bond ever truly loved. The film was nominated for 9 BAFTA’s in February 2007 with Eva winning The BAFTA Rising Star Award, voted for by the public.
Eva has most recently been seen in the Showtime TV Series Penny Dreadful which made its debut in May and sees her play lead role of Vanessa Ives alongside Timothy Dalton and Josh Hartnett. Eva has also recently been seen in the lead role of ‘Artemesia’ in 300: Rose of an Empire and in August will be seen starring in the Sin City prequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill for. Eva follows in the footsteps of previous Campari Calendar heroines, including stylish and passionate actresses, Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba, Milla Jovovich, Penelope Cruz and Uma Thurman.
Eva Green said: “To work with an iconic worldwide brand such as Campari is an honour and a privilege. There is something very special about this year’s theme as it strikes a compelling and almost magical balance between the classic and the contemporary. At the root of each image is this rich sense of history behind each of Campari’s best loved cocktails but they are presented in a way that is ultra modern, exuding imagination and style. It’s a thing of incredible beauty and clearly shows that whilst some of these recipes are over 100 years old, they are still relevant to and adored in today’s world. It is that sense of timelessness that has been captured so wonderfully in this year’s Calendar, thanks to the creative input from our photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten and all the talented people who worked on the set.”
Shooting the 16th edition of the globally renowned Campari Calendar is Julia Fullerton-Batten, a worldwide acclaimed and exhibited fine art photographer and the first ever woman to get behind the lens on the Calendar project. Julia founded her success in 2005 with ‘Teenage Stories’, an evocative narrative that depicts the transition of a teenage girl to womanhood. Since then, she has exhibited work all over the world. Her unusual locations, highly creative settings, street case models and cinematic lighting are hallmarks of her very distinctive style of photography, all of which are techniques evident in this year’s Campari Calendar.
Julia Fullerton-Batten said: “Campari has always had an inherent ability to recreate itself and keep the brand image fresh, inspiring and imaginative. This is a goal I constantly strive towards in my own work too, so you could say it was a partnership made in heaven from the very beginning. This year’s theme was an interesting challenge, as there was an important job to do in terms of taking historical anecdotes and invigorating them with a modern edge. I’m confident we managed to strike that delicate balance with this year’s imagery and it certainly helped working with someone as beautiful and as talented as Eva Green, who was just as passionate about getting the shots right as we were.”
© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith
Absurd Observations:
A portrait study from Bestival exploring “The Art of Dressing Up”
By Kent Mathews and Dan Smith
23rd July – 10th August 2014
The appeal of Bestival seems to grow each year attracting free-spirits and music lovers alike and creating a truly unique experience for all who attend. Having been the first music festival I ever went to, I jumped at the chance to attend a photo exhibition which has set out to encapsulate the beautiful and bohemian vibe Bestival go-ers can’t seem to get enough of. Held at the Proud Galleries in Camden. ‘Absurd Observations’ features studio portraits taken from Bestival’s book, ’The Art of Dressing Up’ The portraits are a vivid and offer a stylish insight of Bestival go-ers in all of their fancy dress glory taken by photographers Kent Mathews and Dan Smith.
Both hailing from London, Mathews and Smith have carved out very successful photographic careers. Having originally studied Art, Kent Mathews then went on to graduate in Film and Photographic Art. He then went on to work as a fashion and portrait photographer travelling the world and creating an impressive international profile for himself. Dan Smith initially started out in Biology but changed his direction to photography focussing on fashion photography. Smith then went on to work for iconic titles such as Face and Untold and contributing to British Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harpers and Bazaar. Mathews and Smith being friends for years were both keen on collaborating, and it was their love of Bestival which led them to The Bestival Photo Studio.
© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith
It’s no surprise really that Bestival continues to go from strength to strength every year as it really is like no other festival. It’s hard to pin it down to one thing when it comes to what makes it truly special but there are a few stand outs what with the magical setting and fun touches such as the WI tea tent and Wishing rave tree, but one of its main feature’s that definitely sets it apart is that it was not only the first festival to incorporate fancy dress but is now the biggest fancy dress party in the world. Every year, Rob and Josie Da Bank, the founders of Bestival, come up with a theme and on the Saturday hold a fancy dress parade for everyone to show off their weird and wonderful creations, (usually with an equally exciting artist on the main stage), my particular favourite soundtrack was The Village People. Its incredible how something as simple as fancy dress has helped create this aura surrounding Bestival and it’s a vibe that is felt by anyone that attends. Evidently, it was the extravagance and extremities of Bestival go-ers and their fancy dress efforts that spurned Matthews and Smith to want to encapsulate this feeling and so The Bestival Photo Studio was born. Mathews explains, “Our goal was to photograph the beautiful mayhem of Bestival goers in a studio setting out of the context of the festival. We approached the portraits with a formulaic methodology and dead pan expression in order to give the body of work a consistency and a feeling reminiscent of a scientific study.”
© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith
To create that truly authentic ‘Bestival experience’, the exhibition was underscored by the legend that is Rob Da Bank with a slideshow of the portraits projected onto the bricks of Proud Galleries. There is something truly mesmerising dancing to the sounds of Bestival whilst watching these ‘dead pan expressions’ which Mathews refers to, dressed in the most extravagant, ridiculous, coolest, silliest and down right hilarious costumes. It’s always a thrill when one of your favourite artists pops up looking silly and fantastic in fancy dress but personally, it was the true beauty and effort of the regular festival attendee which is inspiring here. Mathews and Smith have steered well clear of the ‘off your face’ cliché that usually frequents the average festival go-er something that is bandied around in media so much these days and it just goes to show that their perspective is much more powerful and really captures and stays true to the essence of what makes Bestival one of a kind.
© Kent Mathews and Dan Smith
Absurd Observations will act as a prequel to Bestival and will give the general public a chance to see the photographs which have set out to capture the true essence of such an enchanting and surreal world. The exhibition is free and will run from 23rd July-10 August 2014. As well as this, signed prints are available through the proud website www.proud.co.uk.
Proud continues to be one of the most visited destinations in London boasting three galleries, two live music venues and three Cabaret clubs and continues to expand.
Proud Galleries
The Horse Hospital Stables Market
Chalk Farm Road
London
NW1 8AH
keshini misha.
With the prospect of an exquisite mixture of two of the finest Hollywood actors and the world’s leading luxury Blended Scotch Whisky, the elegant Bulgari Hotel & Residences in Knightsbridge played host to an intimate group of VIPs and influencers who attended the UK premier of JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™’s ‘Gentleman’s Wager’ Screening on Tuesday evening before its official launch to the public on 30th July. Laura Bailey, Clara Paget, Camilla Rutherford, Natalie Pinkham, Izzy Lawrence, Natalie Coyle, Sam Hoare, Noelle Reno, Lord Harry Dalmeny, Alistair Guy, Yasmin Mills, Ozwald Boateng, Jemma Powell, Beatrix Ong and Joanne Sykes were among the VIPs who were welcomed with Johnnie Walker Blue Label ‘Gentleman’s Wager’ cocktails, innovative and refreshing, breaking down the barriers of whisky-drinking to bring it to the forefront of summer consumption. Cute little canapés of saffron aranchini, fresh burrata with black olive condiment, salmon rillettes, dill and capers made the perfect accompaniment alongside the pinnacle offerings from Johnnie Walker.
Before the screening commenced, guests were invited to taste the Johnnie Walker Blue Label ‘Perfect Serve’… straight, no ice. Relishing the enjoyment of this fine blend, the main event was introduced, the silence only pierced by the Propercorn popcorn served for the screening itself. Created by JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™, the world’s leading luxury Blended Scotch Whisky, ‘The Gentleman’s Wager’ stars Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini and tells the story of a wager between two men which results in a truly rare experience as part of their quest for personal progress. Commenting on his involvement, Law says: “The film is about improvement and progress and this is something I try to do in my work and my everyday life. I had to learn new skills shooting this film that combined with the places we visited and shot in, alongside working with Jake and Giancarlo, (this) made it a truly rare experience.” Such is the game of perception and reality….
Understated charm appeared to be the dress code with VIPs opting for sophistication on a warm summer evening in the heart of SW7.
Laura Bailey wore a classic pink Louis Vuitton waistcoat paired with culottes, Clara Paget’s gorgeous summer offering was from the Peter Pilotto collection and newly-engaged classical singing sensation, Natalie Coyle, wore a muted nude dress from ASOS, choosing instead to accentuate her beautiful engagement ring given to her a few weeks ago during a holiday in Santorini by her fiancée Zafar Rushdie (son of Salman). Noelle Reno looked stunning in a red V cut French lace dress by Adriana Minari whilst Ozwald Boateng dictated style with key pieces from his own collection.
Only sublime, rare whiskies at the pinnacle of perfection are used in the blending of JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL, with only 1 in 10,000 casks containing whisky of sufficient character to deliver its remarkably smooth signature taste. Each is hand selected by the JOHNNIE WALKER Master Blender himself, part of an unbroken lineage of Master Blenders stretching back over 190 years – it is the ultimate expression of whisky making today and an remarkable achievement for the modern era. Presented in individually numbered bottles, it is reminiscent of the 19th century style of whiskies. The Master Blender uses his decades of experience to select some of the rarest casks from the JOHNNIE WALKER reserves for their quality, character and flavour to create the powerful, complex, smooth character of BLUE LABEL. BLUE LABEL has a mellow, rounded nose, with a dry smokiness (a JOHNNIE WALKER signature flavour) mixing with raisin sweetness. It is best savoured with the palate cleansed and cooled by iced water. One sip reveals a velvety mouth-feel, then an explosion of flavour. At once you’ll discover hazelnuts, honey, rose petals, sherry and oranges. Subsequent sips reward you with more hidden secrets like kumquats, wispy aromatic smoke, sandalwood, tobacco, and dark chocolate. With just a little hint of ‘The Italian Job’ in the opening sequence of ‘Gentleman’s Wager’, the short film combined inquisitiveness with a smooth solicitous lust for grasping what appears unattainable… epitomising the brand, JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL.
A preview of ‘The Gentleman’s Wager’ film can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/johnniewalker
The Bulgari Hotel & Residencies, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1D
Thanks to Harriet at Quintessentially
#GentlemansWager @JohnnieWalker_
Images ©Shane Finn at www.visual-devotion.co.uk
This is part two of my Famous People Who Became Successful Later In Life article. The first one was hugely popular and many people asked for a follow-up. I got so many amazing comments on it and found it very inspiring. So here is it! If I have missed out any people who became successful later in life then let me know, I can always do part three. There is more business people in this one as that was requested. I will be doing a separate one on actors who became successful later in life.
The founder of McDonald’s, Ray Kroc, was selling paper cups and milkshake mixers at 52-years-old.
Andrea Bocelli worked as a piano player in bars until he was 33-years-old
Ang Lee was a househusband until he was 31.
Zara founder Amancio Ortega worked in a shirt shop until he was 30.
Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas Sands founder sold shampoo and windshield defroster into his 30s.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was a single mother on welfare until she was 31.
Suze Orman wasn’t always a financial guru, until she was 30 she was a waitress.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban owned a bar and worked in it until he was 25.
KFC Founder Colonel Sanders was washed up and broke at 65. He got fired from a dozen jobs but fought his way back and started franchising his business and never looked back. There are now 18,875 outlets in 118 countries.
Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of 5-hour Energy Manoj Bhargava was a taxi driver and a monk until he was 30.
Mary Kay founder, Mary Kay Ash, sold books and home goods door-to-door until she was 45.
What do you think?
The Charles Dickens Museum has put some great Dickens facts together for us in conjunction with the release of The Invisible Woman which is out on DVD now. 
Dickens was extremely fond of his sister in law, Mary Hogarth, who was 15 at the time they first met. Mary died, aged 17, in his arms at his home at Doughty St (now the Charles Dickens Museum) and Dickens was struck low with grief. He wore a ring from her finger for the rest of his life and kept a lock of her hair. He was unable to work for months following her death – a situation previously unheard of. To a close friend he wrote of her death:
“Thank God she died in my arms and that they very last words she whispered were of me … I solemnly believe that so perfect a creature never breathed. I knew her inmost heart and her real worth and value. She had not a fault…”
· Dickens love and fondness for Mary coloured his life for years after and affected him profoundly. Years later Dickens spoke of his wish to be buried beside Mary to his friend John Forster:
“The desire to be buried next to her is as strong upon me now as it was three years ago; and I know (for I don’t think there ever was love like that I bear her) that it will never diminish…”.
· Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, at age 17. He was not considered good enough for the attentions of a bankers daughter. He vowed to become an actor to impress her and even when he became a well earning parliamentary reporter in 1835, he was refused by Maria’s parents. Maria contacted Dickens again later in life in 1854 and he was once again infatuated and sent her effusive letters until he discovered she had become dull and matronly. After this he never spoke to Maria again and portrayed her cruelly as Flora in ‘Little Dorrit’
· Dickens met the young actress Ellen Ternan when she was 17 and he pursued her from 1857 and was connected to her until his death in 1870. Dickens went to great lengths to keep the affair a secret from his adoring public. Ellen was the same age when he met her as Mary Hogarth had been when she died.
· As the relationship with his wife Catherine soured, he arranged for a wall to be built in the middle of their shared bedroom making the separation complete.
· In 1858, Dickens officially separated from Catherine and to put an end to rumours in circulation about his affair with Ellen Ternan, he had a notice published in London Times and Household Words to explain the ‘amicably composed’ separation to his wider public.
· When Dickens separated from Catherine, he blamed her mental instability as the cause of their break-up rather than the affair with Ellen Ternan
· A serpent ring tells the story of strained relations between Catherine Dickens and her sister Georgina following the separation of the Dickens’s marriage in 1858; Georgina made the controversial decision to remain with Dickens as his housekeeper. Many years later, after Dickens’s death, Catherine made a gift of the serpent ring to the sister who had deserted her, the symbol of the snake implying her betrayal.
· The affair between Dickens and Ellen was covered up well into 1920’s. Subsequent generations denied that the affair ever happened. A discovery of Dickens’ stolen or lost diary of 1867, found in 1943, appears to confirm the affair through coded entries..
Dickens was extremely fond of his sister in law, Mary Hogarth, who was 15 at the time they first met. Mary died, aged 17, in his arms at his home at Doughty St (now the Charles Dickens Museum) and Dickens was struck low with grief. He wore a ring from her finger for the rest of his life and kept a lock of her hair. He was unable to work for months following her death – a situation previously unheard of. To a close friend he wrote of her death:
“Thank God she died in my arms and that they very last words she whispered were of me … I solemnly believe that so perfect a creature never breathed. I knew her inmost heart and her real worth and value. She had not a fault…”
· Dickens love and fondness for Mary coloured his life for years after and affected him profoundly. Years later Dickens spoke of his wish to be buried beside Mary to his friend John Forster:
“The desire to be buried next to her is as strong upon me now as it was three years ago; and I know (for I don’t think there ever was love like that I bear her) that it will never diminish…”.
· Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, at age 17. He was not considered good enough for the attentions of a bankers daughter. He vowed to become an actor to impress her and even when he became a well earning parliamentary reporter in 1835, he was refused by Maria’s parents. Maria contacted Dickens again later in life in 1854 and he was once again infatuated and sent her effusive letters until he discovered she had become dull and matronly. After this he never spoke to Maria again and portrayed her cruelly as Flora in ‘Little Dorrit’
· Dickens met the young actress Ellen Ternan when she was 17 and he pursued her from 1857 and was connected to her until his death in 1870. Dickens went to great lengths to keep the affair a secret from his adoring public. Ellen was the same age when he met her as Mary Hogarth had been when she died.
· As the relationship with his wife Catherine soured, he arranged for a wall to be built in the middle of their shared bedroom making the separation complete.
· In 1858, Dickens officially separated from Catherine and to put an end to rumours in circulation about his affair with Ellen Ternan, he had a notice published in London Times and Household Words to explain the ‘amicably composed’ separation to his wider public.
· When Dickens separated from Catherine, he blamed her mental instability as the cause of their break-up rather than the affair with Ellen Ternan
· A serpent ring tells the story of strained relations between Catherine Dickens and her sister Georgina following the separation of the Dickens’s marriage in 1858; Georgina made the controversial decision to remain with Dickens as his housekeeper. Many years later, after Dickens’s death, Catherine made a gift of the serpent ring to the sister who had deserted her, the symbol of the snake implying her betrayal.
· The affair between Dickens and Ellen was covered up well into 1920’s. Subsequent generations denied that the affair ever happened. A discovery of Dickens’ stolen or lost diary of 1867, found in 1943, appears to confirm the affair through coded entries..
Dickens was extremely fond of his sister in law, Mary Hogarth, who was 15 at the time they first met. Mary died, aged 17, in his arms at his home at Doughty St (now the Charles Dickens Museum) and Dickens was struck low with grief. He wore a ring from her finger for the rest of his life and kept a lock of her hair. He was unable to work for months following her death – a situation previously unheard of. To a close friend he wrote of her death:
“Thank God she died in my arms and that they very last words she whispered were of me … I solemnly believe that so perfect a creature never breathed. I knew her inmost heart and her real worth and value. She had not a fault…”
· Dickens love and fondness for Mary coloured his life for years after and affected him profoundly. Years later Dickens spoke of his wish to be buried beside Mary to his friend John Forster:
“The desire to be buried next to her is as strong upon me now as it was three years ago; and I know (for I don’t think there ever was love like that I bear her) that it will never diminish…”.
· Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, at age 17. He was not considered good enough for the attentions of a bankers daughter. He vowed to become an actor to impress her and even when he became a well earning parliamentary reporter in 1835, he was refused by Maria’s parents. Maria contacted Dickens again later in life in 1854 and he was once again infatuated and sent her effusive letters until he discovered she had become dull and matronly. After this he never spoke to Maria again and portrayed her cruelly as Flora in ‘Little Dorrit’
· Dickens met the young actress Ellen Ternan when she was 17 and he pursued her from 1857 and was connected to her until his death in 1870. Dickens went to great lengths to keep the affair a secret from his adoring public. Ellen was the same age when he met her as Mary Hogarth had been when she died.
· As the relationship with his wife Catherine soured, he arranged for a wall to be built in the middle of their shared bedroom making the separation complete.
· In 1858, Dickens officially separated from Catherine and to put an end to rumours in circulation about his affair with Ellen Ternan, he had a notice published in London Times and Household Words to explain the ‘amicably composed’ separation to his wider public.
· When Dickens separated from Catherine, he blamed her mental instability as the cause of their break-up rather than the affair with Ellen Ternan
· A serpent ring tells the story of strained relations between Catherine Dickens and her sister Georgina following the separation of the Dickens’s marriage in 1858; Georgina made the controversial decision to remain with Dickens as his housekeeper. Many years later, after Dickens’s death, Catherine made a gift of the serpent ring to the sister who had deserted her, the symbol of the snake implying her betrayal.
· The affair between Dickens and Ellen was covered up well into 1920’s. Subsequent generations denied that the affair ever happened. A discovery of Dickens’ stolen or lost diary of 1867, found in 1943, appears to confirm the affair through coded entries.
The fashion world has been waiting with bated breath to catch a glimpse of Olivia Palermo’s wedding dress. Forget Kim Kardashian, this was the wedding dress everyone wanted to see. The wait is now over.
Credit: Olivia Palermo Twitter.
The bride wore Carolina Herrera and did not sway away from her unique preppy style. Palermo’s dress is certainly unique. She choose a full-skirt silhouette but the twist is the dress is a cashmere sweater with a tulle skirt. This was worn over coordinating shorts. Seriously, who else could wear shorts to their wedding and look this stylish. She even wore a pair of her old Manolo courts, her “something blue”. They were the same shoes Carrie Bradshaw wore in her civil ceremony in the Sex & The City film. Check out the strong make-up too, another brave choice that works.
Credit: Olivia Palermo Twitter.
It was a small wedding in a quiet park in Bedford, New York, attended by only a handful of family members.
“We really wanted to keep this beautiful day very private and special to us and enjoyed the whole day with our family and two friends, Bedford is such an amazing and romantic countryside.” Palermo said.
If you wanted something grander, stay tuned. Apparently this is “part one – the civil ceremony” according to the couple. We can’t wait.
Beyonce and Jay Z have kicked off their On The Run Tour. They opened their 16-city tour in Miami, performing their 2002 hit Bonnie and Clyde.
The couple also let the public finally see their wedding video from their 2008 wedding, along with footage of their one-year-old daughter Blue Ivy.
“There were videos of Blue in the pool with her mom, walking holding hands with her parents, Jay Z kissing Blue. It was a sweet moment — Jay Z and Beyoncé were both facing the screen watching the Blue videos while they sang ‘Halo.’ It was like they were singing the song to their baby girl. The two of them were beaming, smiling watching their little girl on the screen.” a concertgoer told Us Weekly.
It is all very sweet and Mr and Mrs Carter are showing how strong they are against gossip about their marriage.
What do you think? Are they a great couple?
