Copyright by Fashion156 | Photography Kin Chan | Styling & Creative Direction Guy Hipwell | Hair & Makeup Steph Lai | Models Asja at Storm, Kara at FM, Izzy at Premier | Fashion Assistance Tom Bloomfield & Lauren Whitehead | Assistance Hannah Russell & Damilola Akinnaike | Venue Studio Minot at Lionworks | Production Jasmin Watts | All fabrics supplied by Online Fabrics
FASHION156

VIA The London Fashion Week 2012

Invited guests, Archbishop of Thyateira Gregorios and Great Britain, Baroness Maddock,  Lord Luce,  and Lord Turnberg were among a few of the many guests welcomed by Baroness Berridge.  Before a packed room she opened the presentation speaking about the link between religious freedoms and the destruction of cultural heritage.

Sponsor and co-coordinator Tasoula Hadjitofi presented two 12th century looted frescoes taken from the Monastery of Aspinthiotissa in the occupied area of Cyprus, Kyrenia which she repatriated on behalf of Walk of Truth. She spoke about the loss of freedom, identity and human indignity that occurs with war and destruction of cultural heritage.

Mrs. Hadjitofi stressed the importance of engaging global citizens in lending their support to create a world of Peace. From refugee to protector of cultural heritage she engaged the audience on the importance of unity in combating the mass destruction of cultural heritage taking place in Syria, Iraq and Cyprus.

Prof. Dr. Willy Bruggeman, Chairman of the Belgian Federal Police Council, and former Deputy Director of Europol spoke of the need to make destruction of cultural heritage as a crime against humanity.

Baron Serge Brammertz, Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said, “It is imperative for international criminal tribunals to include destruction of cultural and religious heritage into their overall investigative strategies.

Professor Norman Palmer, a barrister practicing at 3 Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn, London and a visiting professor of law at King’s College, spoke for the need for a sound legal approach should be complemented with diplomatic and other initiatives that help  us to restitute unlawfully removed cultural treasures.

The MP David Burrows, summarized the key points in a brilliant way and he and the Baroness will bring the findings to the House of Parliament and The House of Lords.

Author: Tasoula Hadjitofi | Source: Walk of Truth [December 17, 2014]

New photos of a tower “The Shard”, a multi-functional building which will construct near to London Bridge are published. Design: Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

VIA «New photo «The Shard»»

Clouds over London

Clouds by Tomas Saraceno

VIA «Olympic clouds»

When August Wilte learns his wife is pregnant, he's terrified. His own father, London, was less than perfect. To make things worse, his mother died when he was very young, so he's never been exposed to "good" parenting.

August confronts his father, demanding an explanation for his failures. Instead, London suggests that meet once a month for a round of golf. Both men get what they want: London gets the chance to reintroduce his son to the game of golf, and August receives tidbits of memories of his mother on golf score cards that London used as a sort of diary.

August soon learns that his father's motive isn't just golf. Each golf lesson is actually a life lesson. By the time his wife has reached the end of her pregnancy, August has received nine lessons in life from his father.

I'll have to admit, I was apprehensive about reading THE NINE LESSONS when I read the description. However, I enjoyed Milne's other book THE PAPER BAG CHRISTMAS I thought I'd give him another chance. I'm glad I did. Milne's characters are genuine and experience emotions we've all experienced. The messages relayed in THE NINE LESSONS are messages that we can all take to heart.

Here is just a sampling of some of the wisdom London passes on to August:

"Some days we play the game of life in the bloody rain. Not all days can be sunny skies and fair weather. But sooner or later the dark clouds dissipate...and the light shines through."

"If your child happens to wonder out of bounds, stick by his side, let him know you're there to help, and encourage him to get back on the fairway as quickly as possible."

"Mind your own score...get rid of the mental tallies of who is doing what, and just work as a team to get everything done that needs to be done."

"You've got to follow through. Even if it seems hard, you've got to force your body to do it."

THE NINE LESSONS would be the perfect gift for a father-to-be, or any person attempting to overcome a obstacle or challenge in life. Don't discount the book because on the surface it appears to be about golf, because after all, Golf IS life!

Original college in London

VIA «New building for Royal College of Art»

Book Descripton:

Full Description
On June 9, 1865, while traveling by train to London with his secret mistress, 53-year-old Charles Dickens--at the height of his powers and popularity, the most famous and successful novelist in the world and perhaps in the history of the world--hurtled into a disaster that changed his life forever. Did Dickens begin living a dark double life after the accident? Were his nightly forays into the worst slums of London and his deepening obsession with corpses, crypts, murder, opium dens, the use of lime pits to dissolve bodies, and a hidden subterranean London mere research . . . or something more terrifying?Just as he did in The Terror, Dan Simmons draws impeccably from history to create a gloriously engaging and terrifying narrative. Based on the historical details of Charles Dickens's life and narrated by Wilkie Collins (Dickens's friend, frequent collaborator, and Salieri-style secret rival), DROOD explores the still-unsolved mysteries of the famous author's last years and may provide the key to Dickens's final, unfinished work: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Chilling, haunting, and utterly original, DROOD is Dan Simmons at his powerful best.

My review:
DROOD is an amazing piece of literary fiction. Fans of classic fiction, including the work of Dickens and Collins, will be absorbed by the flavorful language. Fans of thriller and horror will be drawn in by the dark, dangerous and deadly DROOD character. Simmons is spot on with the historical details, the images of London, the characters of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. I can't say enough about this amazing piece of writing. Don't let the length of this book stop you from picking it up. I guarantee that DROOD is a piece of work that you won't forget for some time!

Read an excerpt:

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Considered the cornerstone of modern democracy, liberty, justice and the rule of law, the 1215 English charter forms the basis for legal systems around the world, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the US Constitution.

About 1,200 people, drawn from a ballot, have won the chance to see the unification event at the British Library, which brings together its two originals with those of Lincoln and Salisbury cathedrals.

The four parchments will then be on private display in the UK parliament, marking the start of a year of celebrations for a document that still has resonance eight centuries later.

"No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or disseized or outlawed or exiled or in any way ruined, nor will we go and send against him except by the lawful judgement of his peers by the law of the land," the document states in Latin.

"To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice."

Charter made after rebel barons challenged king

In June 1215, the wayward King John agreed to the demands of rebellious barons to curb his powers and sealed the charter at Runnymede, a meadow by the River Thames west of London.

Although nearly a third of the text was dropped or substantially rewritten within 10 years and almost all the 63 clauses have been repealed, Magna Carta principles have become "a potent, international rallying cry against the arbitrary use of power", the British Library said.

One of Britain's Supreme Court judges, Anthony Clarke, said it was still important for governments seeking a balance between issues of security, individual rights, the rule of law and the "principles of justice that lie at the foundation of society".

He said the principles that justice should be available to all, the law applies to all equally and leaders can only exercise power in accordance with the law continue to be fought for in many parts of the world.

Magna Carta Trust, which looks after the memorial site in Runnymede, said the charter's importance was growing.

"800 years on, Magna Carta's best days lie ahead," it said.

"As an idea of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, it is lapping against the shores of despotism.

"The principles set out in Magna Carta have driven the Arab Spring and the continuing protests against despotism around the world."

Magna Carta 'linked to prosperity'

The principles of the Magna Carta extend well beyond the world's common law jurisdictions such as the United States, India and Australia which inherited England's legal system.

Lawyer David Wootton, a former lord mayor of London, said English law was the "common currency" of global business deals precisely due to the protections derived from Magna Carta.

"Investors regard their money as safe here (in London) because of the protections in the legal system," he said.

"There is a close relationship between economic development, societal development and the quality of a country's legal system."

Events are being staged across Britain throughout 2015 to mark the anniversary, including a major international commemoration event at Runnymede on June 15.

Exhibitions, debates, conferences, church services, lectures, charity dinners, theatre performances, tourist trails, village fetes, and even a national peal of bells are being staged.

There will also be a mock trial of the barons who forced the creation of the charter in parliament's Westminster Hall to debate whether they were guilty of treason.

Source: AFP [February 02, 2015]

The Parthenon Marbles, a group of sculptures, statues, inscriptions and architectural elements depicting scenes from Greek mythology, were once part of the Parthenon. Built in 5th century BC to honor Athena, the temple has become one of the most recognized symbols of Western Civilization and is regarded as the highest architectural achievement of the Ancient Greeks.

About half of the marbles were torn from the temple between 1801 and 1802 by the Earl of Elgin while Athens was under Ottoman occupation. According to most historians, Elgin received an official decree (firman) to remove sculptures. While the document no longer exists, a translation from an Italian copy suggests that Elgin was permitted to take “some stones”—not half of the carvings on the Parthenon. Some historians argue that Elgin never actually received the requisite permission for removal, as there is no documentary evidence that the firman existed. What is known is that the removal of the objects damaged the Parthenon, even if that was not Elgin’s intention. Then in 1816, the British Parliament purchased the marbles and presented them to the British Museum.

Lord Elgin’s actions have been disputed from the start

From the start, the legality and morality of Elgin’s actions have been disputed. Lord Byron was one of the most vocal critics of Lord Elgin, referring to him as a “plunderer.” Greece gained its independence in 1832, and in 1837, the Greek Archaeology Society was founded. At its first meeting, the president called for the marbles’ return. The Greek people regard the carvings as a symbol of their culture, heritage and past. In the same vein, art historians and archaeologists argue that the sculptures are integral to the ancient temple structures still standing in Athens. There is a call for the marbles to be unified as they were intended to be viewed. On the other hand, the British Museum asserts that the objects should be seen in a larger framework, presenting Greek art in a chronological narrative. The British Museum argues that the Parthenon sculptures are “integral to the Museum’s purpose as a world museum telling the story of human cultural achievement.” And after being housed in the museum for nearly two centuries, the carvings are a significant feature of British cultural identity. But, some view the sculptures’ placement in London as a sad reminder of British imperialism—an attempt to transform London into the “New Athens” in the way that Napoleon tried to convert Paris into the “New Rome.”

The British Museum opened in 1759, a few years before the Hermitage. They are two of the first great museums of the Enlightenment, established for the public benefit, educating and exposing the masses to art. These encyclopedic museums aim to present visitors to a variety of cultures and exhibit art in a broader context, providing a sense of a shared human cultural heritage. However, is this the best context for art? Is it proper to remove a work from its original cultural setting, losing its context? While millions of people visit the British Museum each year, it is still disheartening to view the marbles in London after learning that their removal damaged one of mankind’s crowning achievements.

Moral solution is to return the marbles

The British Museum claims that the removal of the objects saved them from destruction, as they were not being protected at the time. However, times have charged; if the marbles are returned to Greece, they will be in a museum. (Interestingly, the marbles were damaged while under the custodianship of the British Museum where conservators used harsh cleaning agents on them.) Greece has built the New Acropolis Museum featuring state-of-the-art design and technology which ensures protection of its collection. What’s more, the New Acropolis Museum is a mere 300 meters from the Acropolis, allowing the marbles to be seen as intended—basking in the Greek sunlight. To fully appreciate the artistic and historical significance of the friezes, they should be viewed in their context of the Acropolis mount, a hillside covered with art venerating the gods watching over Athens.

As an attorney, my position is troubling: Greece does not have a strong legal argument for restitution. If Lord Elgin did not receive the proper permit for the marbles’ removal, then the British Museum could not have purchased legitimate title. However, there are time limitations for bringing suit. The Greek government has been aware of the removal for nearly two centuries now, and they never filed suit against Elgin or the British Museum. The statute of limitations may stop any lawsuit from moving forward. Still, while the legal answer may not support restitution, the moral solution is to return the marbles. The carvings are a symbol of the Greek people—their violent removal distanced the objects from their legitimate home.

The British Museum has undercut its own argument with its own actions

In 2013, UNESCO requested that the British government enter mediation, and the deadline for a response is in March. In the meantime, the British Museum loaned one of the statues to the Hermitage. For years, the museum argued that it would not move the Parthenon Marbles because of their delicate nature, the risk being too great. The British Museum alleged that the carvings were safest in London. That argument has been undercut by the museum’s own actions. But what is most surprising is the recipient—especially amidst rising tensions between Russia and the U.S. and Europe. Russia has a poor reputation for handling plundered art. Russian officials are uncooperative in returning Nazi-looted art to rightful owners, claiming that objects seized during World War II are reparations for lost lives. It is ironic that the Hermitage should be the first to benefit from a loan involving the most hotly contested cultural heritage objects. The museum long accused of holding on to stolen Greek art is now loaning its inventory to a country that refuses to restitute stolen art. The Greek outrage is understandable.

The British Museum has unequivocally stated that it will not return the marbles to Greece but, maybe the country has some options. Just as Italy leveraged its vast collections and archaeologically-rich resources against American museums, perhaps Greece could do the same. Over the past decade, museums across the U.S. returned looted objects to Italy after Italian officials threatened to withhold all Italian loans. The fear of losing access to Italian objects pressured museums to comply with Italy’s demands. As Greece has a rich archaeological trove, bargaining may be successful. International fervor is rising over the dig at Amapholis, an elaborate burial site in Northern Greece that may contain the remains of a relative of Alexander the Great. Prohibiting British archaeologists to access the site and barring any finds from going to British institutions may be one way to apply pressure for the return of some of the Parthenon Marbles. This type of action is necessary. The Parthenon is not just cultural heritage, but a symbol of Greece and the glory of Athens.

Author: Leila Amineddoleh | Source: Forbes [December 23, 2014]

This book all started as a game between Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. They each took one character and wrote letters back and forth to each other with no intention on publishing, but here it is, published. Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot is the story of two cousins spending their coming out apart. They live in a different world during 1817 London; a world where magic works. Kate is away in London and Cecy (or Cecelia) is in Essex. They each come out into society with a bigger bang than anyone expected, and solve a magical mystery along the way.

I really liked the idea of this book. Magic, London, history, and letters. I tend to really enjoy books where the narration changes, but I could tell that this started as a game and not as an attempt to write a novel. Since each author obviously had a certain plot in mind that they had to intertwine in the end there wasn't a lot of direction with the plot. I enjoy a lot of novels that aren't wrapped up in plot, but this was quite anti-climactic. I kind of got the feeling that they had to remove a few things that weren't part of the story, but I think a few things should have been added to keep the book moving. It was a short book, and sometimes I felt like I was dragging myself through it.

There really wasn't enough character description either. I had a hard time figuring out what the differences between Kate and Cecy were. Cecy is much more magical and Kate is a bit more practical, but other than that I had a hard time differentiating between the two. This was especially annoying in the beginning since there was now exposition and I was thrown directly into the exchange of these letters. One reason for the lack of character description could be that the letters were written between two women who already knew each other. The authors might have assumed their traits were coming through, but I didn't feel there was enough.

I've been kind of hard on this book so far, but compared to the other YA books I've read this past month this one wasn't as intriguing. As I've said the idea of the book is excellent, and there were some things I did enjoy. I particularly liked how well developed the magic in this book was. Cecy makes charm bags that protect others from bad magic. The books does a great job of describing these bags and how they are used. I also really enjoyed the male characters in this book. Kate and Cecy each have a love interest (James and Thomas respectively). If the female characters were more well developed, I might have enjoyed their relationships even more.

This novel earned a C.

Pub. Date: September 2004/1988
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Paperback, 336 pp

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Often in a Rembrandt, a Vermeer, a Leonardo, a Van Eyck, or any other great masterpiece of western art, the layers of paint are covered with varnish, sometimes several coats applied at different times over their history. The varnish was originally applied to protect the paint underneath and make the colors appear more vivid, but over the centuries it can degrade. Conservators carefully clean off the old varnish and replace it with new, but to do this safely it is useful to understand the materials and structure of the painting beneath the surface. Conservation scientists can glean this information by analyzing the hidden layers of paint and varnish.

Now, researchers from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology have partnered with the National Gallery in London to develop an instrument capable of non-invasively capturing subsurface details from artwork at a high resolution. Their setup, published in an Optics Express paper, will allow conservators and conservation scientists to more effectively peek beneath the surface of paintings and artifacts to learn not only how the artist built up the original composition, but also what coatings have been applied to it over the years.

Traditionally, analyzing the layers of a painting requires taking a very small physical sample -- usually around a quarter of a millimeter across -- to view under a microscope. The technique provides a cross-section of the painting's layers, which can be imaged at high resolution and analyzed to gain detailed information on the chemical composition of the paint, but does involve removing some original paint, even if only a very tiny amount. When studying valuable masterpieces, conservation scientists must therefore sample very selectively from already-damaged areas, often only taking a few minute samples from a large canvas.

More recently, researchers have begun to use non-invasive imaging techniques to study paintings and other historical artifacts. For example, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) was originally developed for medical imaging but has also been applied to art conservation. Because it uses a beam of light to scan the intact painting without removing physical samples, OCT allows researchers to analyze the painting more extensively. However, the spatial resolution of commercially-available OCT setups is not high enough to fully map the fine layers of paint and varnish.

The Nottingham Trent University researchers gave OCT an upgrade. "We're trying to see how far we can go with non-invasive techniques. We wanted to reach the kind of resolution that conventional destructive techniques have reached," explained Haida Liang, who led the project.

In OCT, a beam of light is split: half is directed towards the sample, and the other half is sent to a reference mirror. The light scatters off both of these surfaces. By measuring the combined signal, which effectively compares the returned light from the sample versus the reference, the apparatus can determine how far into the sample the light penetrated. By repeating this procedure many times across an area, researchers can build up a cross-sectional map of the painting.

Liang and her colleagues used a broadband laser-like light source -- a concentrated beam of light containing a wide range of frequencies. The wider frequency range allows for more precise data collection, but such light sources were not commercially available until recently.

Along with a few other modifications, the addition of the broadband light source enabled the apparatus to scan the painting at a higher resolution. When tested on a late 16th-century copy of a Raphael painting, housed at the National Gallery in London, it performed as well as traditional invasive imaging techniques.

"We are able to not only match the resolution but also to see some of the layer structures with better contrast. That's because OCT is particularly sensitive to changes in refractive index," said Liang. In some places, the ultra-high resolution OCT setup identified varnish layers that were almost indistinguishable from each other under the microscope.

Eventually, the researchers plan to make their instrument available to other art institutions. It could also be useful for analyzing historical manuscripts, which cannot be physically sampled in the same way that paintings can.

In a parallel paper recently published in Optics Express, the researchers also improved the depth into the painting that their apparatus can scan. The two goals are somewhat at odds: using a longer wavelength light source could enhance the penetration depth, but shorter wavelength light (as used in their current setup) provides the best resolution.

"The next challenge is perhaps to be able to do that in one instrument, as well as to extract chemical information from different layers," said Liang.

Source: The Optical Society [April 13, 2015]

I was a little late to the party with The Time Traveler's Wife

but fell in love with it. I heard Audrey Niffenegger read a section of Her Fearful Symmetry

during the Iowa City Book Festival last year and thought it sounded fantastic. I love ghost stories and I trusted Niffenegger's ability to create a complicated and original story. Right after the reading though I heard from several others who were disappointed in the book and decided to put it off. And put it off. And put it off some more. In the end I got the audio version of the book because I was afraid reading the book would be too painful.

The story was great. It's about two twins, Valentina and Julia, who move to London from Chicago after their mother's twin dies of cancer. Their mother, Edwina, and her sister, Elspeth, had a falling out sometime that no one really knows anything about. Due to the falling out Elspeth writes in her will that Valentina and Julia must live in the London apartment for one year but their parents cannot come into the apartment. While Valentina and Julia live in London they make friends with Elspeth's lover Robert and another neighbor Martin, who is obsessive compulsive. The characters were extremely well written, unique, and interesting. I particularly loved Robert because he reminded me of Henry from The Time Traveler's Wife.

Valentina and Julia are glued at the hip but throughout the story you learn more about Valentina's desire to separate from her sister and Julia's obsession with taking care of Valentina. You also learn that Edwina and Elspeth had a similar relationship which played a role in their falling out.

Valentina and Julia are not the only people living in the apartment, however; Elspeth's ghost is present and trying to communicate with them.

So I have a story that I think well sums up my feelings about Her Fearful Symmetry. As I said earlier I listened to the audio version of this, which was divided into two parts. I didn't know this when I started it though and when I reached the end of the first half I thought the story was over. I didn't understand why everyone thought the book was so horrible. I thought it was just the right length, and had a great ending. Then I discovered there was a second half to the book. Once I started to listen I understood what all of the groans were about.

The first 80 percent of the book was all good and fine, but I felt the ending dragged and ruined my enjoyment of the characters. Overall I enjoyed the audio, but the reader used different voices for different characters and I found her incredibly difficult to listen to when she was reading Valentina's character. She made her voice very high and mousy, which was fitting for the character but horrible for my ears.

I think the book is worth reading if you consider yourself a big fan of Audrey Niffenegger. Of course, if you consider yourself that you've probably already read it. I'm not sure I would have finished the book if I hadn't listened to it on audio, and I think if you skip this one you won't miss out on much.

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Inflatable cloud

VIA «Over a city high overcast is expected»

Kaoru Mori's Shirley is a collection of short stories about maids in Victorian London. The main story is about Shirley, a thirteen-year-old maid for young old maid Bennet Cranley. Bennet places an ad in the newspaper for a maid because she runs a diner and has no time to clean. She comes home from work one day to find Shirley on her doorstep. Shirley is young and chose Bennet because there was no age requirement in her ad. Bennet takes to Shirley quickly; Shirley works hard and makes the home spotless. Bennet begins to treat Shirley almost like a daughter. She purchases her a doll, but then questions if it is too childish for her. She finds Shirley making clothes for the doll and discovers that Shirley is a very able fashion designer.

Shirley admires Bennet for her beauty and intelligence. She wants to be exactly like her and you can begin to see this taking shape from the beginning of the story. She defends her against those who treat her wrongly and becomes a little possessive of her.

The second story is called Me and Nellie and One Afternoon. This is about another young maid named Nellie whose child master wants to play with her. His parents are gone and Nellie is the only person close to his age. She has to make him happy even though he is a complete brat. She is able to feel empathy for him when she finds out about his mother's alcoholism from another maid.

The final story is about Mary Banks, who is a maid for an unruly old man. He loves to play pranks on all of his help and makes things extraordinarily difficult for them. While most maids don't last a day there, Mary Banks is able to stick it out until the old man's death.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as Emma: A Victorian Romance Volume One. The story was nice and sweet, but it didn't deal with as much of the cultural and societal issues as Emma did. This isn't a bad thing, I did enjoy it, but I just enjoyed Emma more. If you've never read anything by Karou Mori then I would suggest readivng that before this, although if you're looking for something nice and simple that takes place in Victorian London then this is a good one to check out.

Pub. Date: July 2008

Publisher: DC Comics

Format: Paperback, 208pp

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

VIA Rachel McAdams joins 2010 best

Smiling for the cameras as ever, Stacey showed off the style wearing a bright peach top with a white bow, taupe leggings and red bowed flipflops.
Give us a wave: The Sing If You Can presenter has had her long brunette hair cut into a wavy bob
The former X Factor star, who won last year's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - is famed for her non-stop talking and exclamations like 'Oh my god!'.
She came third on the X Factor in 2009, won last year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me out Of Here and this year's Celebrity Mum Of the Year and lives in Dagenham, Essex, with her three-year-old son, Zachary.
Stacey currently co-hosts with comedy star Keith Lemon the hysterical Sing If You Can, a guilty Saturday night pleasure on ITV1 for many, but a show that also more importantly raises money for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity.

Longer locks: Stacey, left, on I'm A Celebrity at the end of last year, and right, in 2009 during her time on X Factor
The show sees celebrities attempting to sing songs while all sorts of distractions happen around them - like last week, when football legend Rodney Marsh and singer Ray Quinn attempted to sing Blur's Parklike while surrounded by dogs.
Teenage Cancer Trust aims to ensure that every young person with cancer and their family receive the best possible care so the show is well worth watching and donating - or just donate anyway.
Meanwhile, ditzy Essex star Stacey, who confirmed last month that she is wokring on her debut album, also has a book coming out on 12 May.
Her autobiography, it's called My Story So Far.
Ray Quinn on Sing if you can - 30/04/11 - Parklife

Stacey Solomon Behind the Scenes of the Photoshoot for her autobiography

source :dailymail

VIA Oh my god! Sing If You Can presenter Stacey Solomon gets the chop

The pair are in Sydney where tonight they will attend the premiere for their new film Water For Elephants.
A little upstaged? Witherspoon and Pattinson smile for the cameras next to the elephant before looking at it in bemusement
Pattinson, dressed casually in jeans and a brown shirt, and Witherspoon, who wrapped up in skinny jeans and a thick woollen polo neck jumper, were joined by the film's director Francis Lawrence but were then surprised as they were joined by a mystery guest - an Indian elephant.
Their new friend left them in giggles as she had a little accident on the pavement.
You do it: Witherspoon gives Pattinson some more biscuits to keep the elephant happy
Despite working with an elephant while making the film, Pattinson seemed reluctant to feed the guest star, as Witherspoon handed him some biscuits.
And despite shying away, the Twilight star claimed that working with animals was one of the main reasons he took the role in the film, which is based on the book by Sara Gruen.
Speaking at the press conference he said: 'Francis Lawrence said he wanted to have a meeting and he took me out to the elephant sanctuary where Tai [who plays Rosie the elephant] lives and I saw her doing a handstand and stayed there for about four hours playing catch with her.
You're at the wrong end: Witherspoon and onlookers laugh as Pattinson gets a surprise
'I would literally throw a ball and she would catch it in her trunk and throw it back to me, and I was like, "OK, even if this movie is the worst movie ever made, I get to work with this elephant for three or four months. I'm definitely doing it".'
Witherspoon also spoke about her 'incredible experience' preparing for her role in the film in which she plays circus performer Marlena.
She said: 'I got to train with Ty the elephant for three months. I went to circus school to learn how to do trapeze and acrobatics. It was a unique experience but it was also daunting and scary.'
Chic and simple: Reese looked casual but glamorous in skinny blue jeans, Louboutin heels and a black polo neck jumper
The pair flew straight to Sydney from London where they had attended the premiere in Westfield Shopping Centre in west London.
They also found time to make an appearance on the Graham Norton Show where they both admitted they had fallen in love with Ty.
Witherspoon said: 'She is amazing, thoughtful and communicative', while Pattinson added: 'I genuinely thought we had a real bond, a little something going on.'
A giggle with Graham: Witherspoon and Pattinson burst out laughing as they were interviewed by Norton for his weekly chat show
source: dailymail

VIA Who invited the elephant? Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon upstaged by wrinkly star at Sydney premiere

Shirtless frolick: Simon took off his shirt and revealed his well-defined six pack as she chased Maria around the park
The Eurovision hopeful, who will join his Blue boy band mates in Saturday’s grand final, has even convinced Kouka and her Greek friends and family to vote for him.
Simon, 32, told the Daily Star Sunday: ‘Maria and I have been together since February and she’s been really supportive since I’ve been busy preparing with Blue for this Saturday’s competition.
New love: Simon and Maria have been dating since February and she he has convinced her and her Greek friends and family to vote for Blue in the Eurovision contest
‘She’s even asked her friends and family back home in Greece to vote as they are eligible to vote for our UK entry from over there.’
And by the looks of their park affection, there’s no doubt that Maria will be voting for her new beau.
The pair were even wearing matching outfits of jeans and army-green vests on their day out, alongside Simon’s British bulldog.
The ex files: Simon Webbe with his former girlfriend of six years Layla Manoochenri (left), who dumped him last year and Maria Kouka with Jersey Shore star Pauly D (right)

Rehearsals: Boy band Blue have been practising their routine to represent the UK in the Eurovsion Song Contest this Saturday night
He will join his band mates Lee Ryan, Antony Costa and Duncan James on stage to represent the UK this week in Eurovision’s Song Contest.
source :dailymail

VIA Take your shirt off and kiss me! Simon Webbe gets a good luck

The British Museum is considering three further overseas loans from the Elgin Marbles – but a reluctance to entertain the sculptures’ return to Greece is set to provoke renewed anger in Athens.

Last year the British Museum allowed part of the Marbles to leave the country for the first time when it lent the headless statue of Ilissos, a Greek river god, to the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

Greece, which is seeking to reclaim ownership of the 2,500-year-old sculptures removed from the Parthenon in Athens in the 19th century by Lord Elgin, described the Russia loan as “provocative”.

A current request from the British Museum for a key antiquity from the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens for a forthcoming exhibition on classical sculpture has been delayed, in what is being seen as retaliatory move by the Greek authorities.

The work has been requested for the show, “Defining Beauty: the Body in ancient Greek Art”, which opens in March.

The delay is ascribed to “tensions” with the Greek government, despite friendly curatorial relations between the two institutions – the British Museum currently has 24 items on loan to the Cycladic museum.

However the chances of securing the loan in time for the exhibition may be harmed by the news that the British Museum is seriously entertaining bids for further Elgin Marbles loans to museums outside of Greece.

“Three serious bids are being considered,” The Art Newspaper reports, including one informal loan request made before the Hermitage deal was revealed.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Berlin’s museums and the Louvre in Paris are the kind of institutions which “stand the best chance of success” when formal loan requests are submitted, the art title suggested.

The British Museum would expect any museum to which it lends the Parthenon sculptures to “be generous in responding to loan requests” made in return by the London body. Requests for single sculptures will be more favourably received, it is suggested. Bids are also expected from the UK’s regional museums which could expect huge interest in displaying items from the famous collection.

The Museum confirmed that further loans from the Elgin sculptures are being considered. A spokesman said: “Museums around the world have shown interest in requesting to loan from our set of Parthenon sculptures, and we always welcome these conversations. The Trustees will consider any request for any part of the collection to be borrowed and then returned, subject to the usual considerations of condition and fitness to travel and this has always been made clear to the world.”

Further Marbles loans will inflame tensions with Athens. Antonis Samaras, the Greek prime minister, described the loan of the Parthenon sculpture to the Hermitage as “an affront to the Greek people”.

Some of the Marbles will be moved from their permanent display to the temporary exhibition gallery for the British Museum’s March show, including the pediment sculptures of Ilissos, which will be returning from Russia, Iris and Dionysos.

However time is running out to strike an agreement with the Museum of Cycladic Art for the work that the London museum is seeking. The British Museum spokesman said: “We have requested to borrow one object from Greece and await the official response. The Museum has very positive working relationships with colleagues in Greece and lends extensively to museums in Greece including 24 objects on loan to two temporary exhibitions at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens.”

The Athens museum declined a request to comment. A source said: “The museum is happy in principle to lend the work but the Greek government is stalling on the paperwork.”

Greece refuses to recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures, which make up about 30 per cent of the surviving decoration from the Parthenon.

Author: Adam Sherwin | Source: The Independent [January 06, 2015]

The singer had jetted into Paris for the event having been in Milan in Italy earlier in the day.
As she left the event the singer let loose wearing her bright red locks in cherub curls which tumbled around her shoulders and down her back.
Earlier in the day, and in a different country in Milan, she was seen sporting a fishtail plait, a look fast becoming one of her favourites, as she spent time with her friend Roberta Armani.
The singer kept things causal in a blue striped shirt and a pair of cream trousers wearing a pair of gold aviators as she met up with her pal.
All white: Rihanna was dressed in a white tiered dress with crocheted detail at the beauty brand's event and wore her hair in cherub curls around her shoulders
Rihanna had taken to the stage the day before for the skincare company and performed her current single California King Bed in another angelic white frock.
The singer is on a jetting setting tour of Europe and after spending less than 16 hour in Milan followed by a brief trip to Paris and Rihanna flew into London for a show last night.
Quick break: Earlier in the day in Italy Rihanna had managed to squeeze some time in with her friend Roberta Armani before heading to Pairs
Why thank you! As the pair parted Roberta gave the singer an Armani Prive box
But it was just a quick trip to Britain’s capital and she was back on her plane heading to Paris again this morning.
Last night she tweeted: ‘Just did a private show in London, abt to eat a steak, and get back on my plane #G5jettin’
White dress code: On Thursday Rihanna had rocked the stage at a Nivea celebration in another demure white dress
Her white and demure outfits seen in the past few days are in stark contrast to her look worn at the star-studded Met Ball on Monday night.
source: dailymail

VIA Rihanna looks picture perfect in Paris as she stops off in France