Dining next to the gorgeous Jake Gyllenhaal

I've arrived in the US of A! The flight was delayed by over two hours and it wasn't the most comfortable journey. Although exhausted, the family decided to head straight out in an attempt to overcome the jet lag. Our first destination was Hollywood, then a drive along Sunset Boulevard and a tour of the homes of the rich and famous.

First day in LA and we managed to fit in 3 meals in within the space of 4 hours. Mid afternoon snack was at Roscoes (fried chicken and waffles) followed by an Italian dinner along Rodeo Drive.

Then after dinner, we were highly recommended the best burger EVER.

As we were escorted to a round table, we realised we were seated next to Jake Gyllenhaal!


Only a day after the apparent break up with Resse Witherspoon, Jake too was having the famous burger at Comme Ca, a French restaurant on Melrose Drive. The ladies were smitten and the men were trying to devise a plan to get a photo and an autograph.

After dessert, Big Bear turned around (that's how close we were) and asked if we could take a photo. He politely said it wasn't a good time and engaged with us in a friendly conversation for a minute or so. So gorgeous and so lovely :) *the heart flutters*

Although we were all star struck, there is no need to forget the lovely restaurant we were at. David Meyers, the owner, came around to have a chat because we had travelled from down under. Hearing of our travels, he wrote down a list of restaurants to visit. The decor is simple and chic and the burger was excellent! A great way to start our American adventure :)

O Battery, Where Art Thou

I always feel that the battery to my gadgets die at the most inappropriate times. For example, my first time at the Great Wall, my camera decided it was time to take a break. I, on the other hand, did not think so and resorted to using my bottom to warm up the battery pack. The result was a photo of the camel that resides at the top of the Wall that apparently "keeps away the rabbits".

Another moment when my battery died was at the Beyonce concert and Katie Holmes, accompanied by the adorable Suri Cruise was only several meters away! So with the ailing Nikon, I captured this...

Where's Katie?

(White beret, striped dress, black jacket)

Don't even ask where Suri is. I was not happy my little pocket camera did not live up to it's duties.

So then came Britney and I made sure that the battery was fully charged and here is what I got... 

Gone are the days when an 8 megapixel camera was "Oh so cool". Unless you have a fat fat machine hanging off your neck, it's hard to photograph anything amazing. The SLRs make the little ones look like camera phones now *sigh*.

Take me to the circus...

I am expecting lip-syncing but still looking forward to a great performance :)

I was listening to songs from her first album and I had an instant flashback to my teenage years - can't deny how old I feel at the moment.

The Prince's Rainforest Project

I love watching CNN (even though headlines are majorly repeated and titles running underneath can be rather inaccurate sometimes) because for some reason it reminds me of travel since every hotel t.v broadcasts CNN *ahhh, those carefree days*

But this came up the other day. It's the Prince's Rainforest Project - a campaign to save our rainforests...

Then this little heartthrob came on...

Too cute!

For more information about this campagin, visit Rainforest SOS

Goodbye to the King of Pop...

I woke up to what I thought was a prank on the radio this morning, but was extremely saddened when the news of Michael Jackson's death had been confirmed.

The King of Pop

Michael's talent has inspired many in the music industry. No matter how troubled his childhood, and how controversial his lifestyle, he was admired by millions. I was fortunate enough to have seen the King of Pop live in concert over ten years ago and I dare say his performance will be the best I'll ever see.

R.I.P M.J ~ you have touched the hearts of millions and you will be missed

Lucky Lily...

Lily Allen...rude songstress really. Her lyrics are inappropriate for children under the age of 15 but she's gorgeous (when she's not hungover with mascara running from her face). And she looks totally cool when she pairs sneakers with a ball gown - not something I can do.

Gorgeous looking!

I was recently informed she was big in the sneaker's scene and as a result of her love for shoes, Lily's MySpace network got a taste of her musical talent before the rest of the world. And now, she's said to be one of Karl Largefeld's muses. Invited by the big man to front his shows, she will soon be the new face of Chanel's next handbag campaign which, might I add, will be shot himself! Now that's one girl we'd all love to hate!

dVb

Where do I start? I don't find her particularly beautiful, intelligent or talented. And before you think that I am a being an awful person jealous of another's success, can I just say she admitted herself that she "isn't that good at anything". So how did Victoria Adams / Posh Spice become Mrs. Victoria Beckham and one of fashion's "It" girl? 

Epic Fail

As a teeny bopper over ten years ago, the Spice Girls were always on repeat as I danced to their songs getting ready for school. Individually none of them are outstanding singers but together they gave young girls something to relate to. You had to either be Posh, Scary, Sporty, Ginger or Baby. (I was "Baby"...most probably because of my chubby face) but they took the world by storm and are the best-selling girl group of all time.

Sadly, when the five girls decided to go their separate ways a solo singing career was doomed from the start. And boy did Victoria Beckham fail as a singer. But somehow she battled through the extramarital affairs soccer superstar husband David was having with Ms Loos, moved countries to support her husband's career, attended a million and one fashion shows, write a book, have three kids and still look like a stick. 

When I first read an article on her success, I had to agree. There is nothing so outstanding about her yet she has immense public appeal. When I see her in magazines, I just think, gee it's a stick figure all dolled up in crazy heels. Her lack of talents make her rather ordinary, really. And it's because of this "ordinary" that embodies a young girl's fantasy of finding prince charming, become famous and Voila! You're in Hollywood. But no matter how ordinary, credit goes to her for building the dVb brand. Just seeing "dVb" itself is like it was meant to be...meant to be strewn on billboards, magazines and the back pockets of Victoria's denim line. 

Showing off her tiny little waist and her dVb denim line

So while Victoria Beckham continues strutting down Fifth Avenue with a Birkin in one hand and David in the other, she is a living success of what many of us dream of (maybe not quite to the same extent...but somewhere up there would be nice).

Let me take this opportunity to introduce to you Victoria's book, "That Extra Half An Inch". It's great! Greater for those living in the UK or US though because we don't have a lot of the labels she talks about here but the advice is still priceless. For those of us who can't quite afford a personal shopper...this book is what you should be having in your handbag when you hit the stores :)

Highly recommended! 

Mama Mia

St. Marc's Square, Venice

I love Italy… the food, the shopping and the people watching. My favourite would have to be Florence because of its historical sights followed by Venice because it is such a romantic city. With graffiti-covered walls, second-rate sights and a dodgy public transport system after 9pm, Milan probably isn’t a city you’d typically associate with glamour and probably the least aesthetically pleasing of the Italian cities I have visited so far.

Love is in the air ~ There were these cute exhibitions of the word "Love" in different languages scattered around the Duomo in Milan. A much better sight compared to graffiti I say!

If you think that over-priced gelatos plus a seat facing the street with a sea of tourists walking by is your thing, then the streets surrounding the famous Piazza Duomo might be the perfect destination for you. And if you’d like to be sipping drinks twice the intensity of those in Australia and Alicia Keys just a glance away, the Just Cavalli Café would have to be your next stop. Milan is filled with good looking people, with the men pulling off ankle length pants in any colour (which my aunty calls “old man kopitiam pants”) and women in outfits straight off the runway strutting their stuff in the highest heels on cobbled streets.

Alicia Keys
A cheeky snap on my camera by Mr. KVC as the songstress was leaving the VIP area of the Just Cavalli Cafe. Might I add, from where we were standing, she appeared to be quite the average young lady; dancing, chatting and even taking photos for her friends.

But the most exciting celebrity sighting was of Rihanna walking along Via Montenapoleone. I was so consumed with her outfit that I didn’t even realize who I was walking past until a small Italian man with female antics in front of me turned around and whispered her name. Dressed in a yellow cotton dress, a ton of bangles and wedges…

Rihanna shopping in Milan

I probably would have kept on walking thinking "oh, what a stylish young girl". Unfortunately when I realized it was the beautiful voice behind “Umbrella”, I also noticed she had quite a massive bodyguard a step behind and I was too polite to forcefully take a snap *sigh*…