This Month's Magazines; Jennifer Lopez Believes in Love, 9/11 Anniversary.

Note: Magazines come out a month in advance. September’s magazines are Augusts.

The September issue of Vogue is out and the advertisers have made the issue heavy enough to use as a dumbbell. No complaints from me.

It is the International Collections special and there are lots of clothes to fawn over, Labels and trends to be urban cool, and accessories that make a difference in Vogue’s Big Fashion Issue.

There is a brilliant article on the history of Gucci, Paloma Picasso revisits Venice and talks about her journey to becoming a jewellery designer, Dries Van Noten gives a guide to his Antwerp, up-coming actress, producer and writer Brit Marling is interviewed (Frost loves her), Rifat Ozbek is doing Robin Birley’s new club, Ruperts; Good two page article.

Olivia Wilde talks Haiti and Childhood, there are a lot of autumn clothes that all look too hot, it’s 30c in London at the moment!, Miss V has her excellent social diary, there is a 9 page spread on the turbulent life of John Galliano, Tom Ford on his new cosmetic line and an article on the new David Bailey film. I noticed afterward that in the shops you get a free fashion DVD. However, I did not get this as a subscriber. Bad form.

Emily Mortimer is on the cover of this month’s Tatler and there is an interview inside.

There is a free gift but not for subscribers, grr.

There is a moving tribute to Tatler senior editor John Graham, Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, A guide to nightclubs, An article on what it is like to stay on Abramovich’s yacht and the Royal Family residences, who sits where at White’s, Secret Cinema, Kate Middleton joins Competitive Princessing, Sir Michael Sorrell, What to wear: looking posh on less dosh, Legendary Lotharios, Rich Kids, a good 6 page spread on Tina Brown.

Guy Pelly, Astrid Harbord and Jake Warren have a new club, 37 year old Sam Leith goes back to school, Diana Von Furstenberg tells all about what she loves.

There is also lots of Travel and the Bystander (the social diary). Kate Middleton makes an appearance at the Derby with William, as does Elton John’s annual White Tie & Tiara Ball.

Frost has been complain that Marie Claire has not been giving its subscribers free gifts because of ‘cost’, and this month’s issue came with a free gift. It would seem someone listened but, alas, no. In the shops you get a free nail polish and a conditioner. I just got a conditioner.

Anne Hathaway is on the cover and interviewed inside. There is a good article on what to wear to fashion week (which I will be listening to!), an interview with Mulberry bag designer Emma Hill, an interview with Katie Holmes, how to get French style, what the New York fashion pack wear, China’s fashion, what men won’t tell you until the third date, Should you move abroad?, 9/11 Anniversary, A good three page article on Stella McCartney, The X Factor, Beyonce, Oh Land, a One Day Special; article on the book and interviews with cast and lots & lots of fashion and beauty.

Vanity Fair has Jennifer Lopez on the cover and her first interview since her divorce inside. She says she is “an eternal optimist about love…it’s still my biggest dream.”

L’Wren Scott gives us the low-down on her stuff, in Fairground there is a lot of lovely picture of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Hollywood attending the BAFTA party.

Also articles on Michael Buble, Private Eye’s 50th anniversary, Agnes B, how the US failed to stop 9/11, Hackers, The 2011 Best Dressed List; Tilda Swinton, The Duchess of Cambridge, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Andrea Dellal, Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and Arpad Busson all feature, There is a celebrity portraits of Angelina Jolie amongst others, Michael Lewis investigates German attitudes towards money, the actors who play the Duke and Duchess of Windsor are photographed and interviewed for Madonna’s new film W.E, Designers and their muse, John Currin.

Glamour has Mila Kunis on the cover and she is interviewed inside.

How to be a Cavalli Girl, Feminism, Fall in love with your job again, How to eat well if you have £15 until pay day, 9/11 Anniversary article, Career rules rewritten, What sex feels like, Jim Sturgess interview, Are you Destroying your own love life?, Comedian Jack Whitehall, Why do women want to be WAGs?, Fashion’s Hot 100, How to have a great hair month, How to get more energy.

Phew!

Red has Laura Bailey on the cover and has a free bodywash. Laura is interviewed inside. There is a good article on no kids and no regrets, the original supermodels and what they are doing now, an article on people’s on/off duty wardrobes,

My City, My shopping guide, The looks that sum up a city. Anjum Anand show Red around her life, 8 Lessons in love and loss, four women reveal the moment they found their dream property, Dominic Cooper, Adele, Tom Ellis, Will Young, Colin Farrell, Fiona Neill, Jo Whiley’s Festival Guide, 4 ways to update your face, How to get radiance, there are a lot of good recipes, cooking with in season vegetables , paella, home made curry, global shopping guide, find your health/life balance, what is causing your breast pain and Audrey Tautou tells all about the best things in life.

[This page will get updates as more magazines come out. Thank you.]

Transworld to publish Shaun Ryder autobiography

Transworld Publishers are delighted to announce the publication of the autobiography of Shaun Ryder. As yet untitled, the book will be released in autumn 2011. It will tell the story of Ryder’s entire career, from the drug-fuelled days of The Happy Mondays and the Hacienda era, through his amazing come back with Black Grape to his recent reappearance in the Australian jungle and his new solo album. Editorial Director Sarah Emsley, who acquired the book for Transworld from Matthew Hamilton at Aitken Alexander Associates, said: ‘Shaun Ryder is a living legend and his is one of the great untold stories of a life lived through the highs and lows of rock ’n’ roll excess. We are absolutely thrilled to be publishing the raw, undiluted autobiography of one of the UK’s most beloved rock stars.’

Shaun Ryder says: ‘I’ve been mithered for years to write my autobiography, but I’ve always said no because the timing never felt right. Plenty of other people have had their say on Happy Mondays and Black Grape, and now just felt like the right time to tell it like it really happened.’

Review: Plantzilla {TV Review}

UK PREMIERE & HD SIMULCAST / MONDAY 21ST JUNE AT 9PM   National Geographic Channel

I am a life-long fan of National Geographic so I apologise if the review seems biased in any way. Based on a film by Volker Artz and Immanuel Birmelin, Plantzilla is a fascinating and stimulating documentary on the life of Plants. It’s hard to watch a National Geographic documentary and not marvel at the wonders of nature. From the White collared pitcher plant in Borneo which can eat 6,000 insects in an hour ( would like it in my house frankly, no more insect problems!) to the Tobacco plants that attract Hawk moth caterpillars,that then devour their own body weight in tobacco, before the plant calls in the cavalry and it’s eaten by a Big eyed bug.

Although you learn so much watching this documentary it is never boring. Although slightly icky.
The camera work is amazing. The work that is put in, astounding. I now know all about the parenting skills of certain plants. Dandy Lions pack their kids off using the wind. The Squirting cucumber squirts them out at a fast intensity – it looks like an explosion. Then there is the wine grower that plays his plants classical music. This documentary has change the way I look at plants. They think, feel and smell. And if the scientists at New York University have anything to do with it, they will soon be talking too.

Voice Over Bill Paterson, a regular, is as good as ever. A great way to spend an evening in.

Wouldn’t it be great if houseplants could tell us when they needed feeding? Well students in New York have come a step closer, by putting sensors in potted plants so that they can literally phone home to ask for a drink! Such a system could be used in vineyards around the world to help with crop yields and is just one of the secrets revealed by scientists and experts in this absorbing film. Plants have thrived on Earth for millions of years and their remarkable sensory capabilities have helped them prosper – both as self-defence experts and resourceful predators. From the amazing acacia, which mobilises armies of ants to protect itself, to the carnivorous plants which use a range of sneaky tactics to ensnare their unsuspecting prey, find out how plants battle against the odds to continue their journey through life. Also featuring a look at the rise of human intervention and the potential impact of new technology on the future of farming, this captivating programme offers an insight into the unknown side of flora.

Next Week's TV Choices

Seven days of mental cooks, singing and dancing high schoolers and thousands of runners awaits as I take a look at what is worth tuning in for next week.

Monday 19th – One of my favourite shows…of course this is mainly due to the competitions they have every week, The Gadget Show (ch5 20.00) will be keeping us all up to date in the world of tech and presenter Jon Bentley will be seeing what all the fuss is about with the new Apple iPad.

Tuesday 20th – you know that old Homerism ‘a hundred channels and theres nothing on’ never a truer word was spoken about Tuesday’s TV, unless your able to fill your day with music channels (Scuzz, my personal favourite) tune into Channel 4 at 21:00 for Heston’s Titanic Feast, a cookery show that doesn’t try to teach us anything or tell what we should be eating. This week, nutjob Blumenthal will be serving up Antarctic Roll, Camel Burger and a flambéed Iceberg.

Wednesday 21st – Three words…Planes, Trains and Automobiles, if you haven’t seen this I pity you, 20:00 on SkyMovies Comedy this film follows two men trying to get home for Thanksgiving an stars the greatly missed John Candy and Steve Martin when he was still funny.

Thursday 22nd – Now when writing this I planned on giving all you lovely readers one programme per day that you should see, Thursday threw up a conundrum, ‘You Have Been Watching’, channel 4 22:00, presented by the outstandingly cynical Charlie Brooker with a panel including Robert Webb, Jason Manford and Sharon Horgan review the highs and lows of the tellybox whereas over on channel Dave at 22.20 we find episode 6 of the excellent Psychoville….but I suppose theres always Dave ja vu!

Friday 23rd – 20:00…channel 4…GLEE….that’s all you need to know about Friday.

Saturday 24th – To all those who are fans of the Doctor (which I include myself one of) the answer as to whether Matt Smith is as good or better than David Tennant as Doctor Who is still unanswered, although at 18:20 on BBC1 we may find out as the Doctor once again meets the too-scary-for-a-kids-show Weeping Angels, and if your not as much of a geek as me then head over to SkyMovies Showcase at 20:00 for Jack Nicolson’s brilliant performance (and the sinister Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched) in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.

Sunday 25th – Ahh The London Marathon, an epic event pushing people to the limits of fitness, reaching their goals and achieving their dreams, London will be awash with runners, cameras, spectators and discarded water bottles and thanks to BBC1 from 10:00 onwards we can have the best seats in the house, presented by the delightful Sue Barker it gives another chance to play Marathon bingo, man dressed as Nun (tick), three people running as a boat (tick) a Rhino(…)

By Stefan Gerrish.