A ROBE WELL TRAVELLED!

JEAN BROWN ROBE has opened in Emporium at 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.

Clothing never before seen in Brisbane is stocked here and gives all of it's rivals a run for their Blahniks. Thakoon, Lanvin, YSL, The Row, Chloe and Alldressedup, grace the walls and racks of this exquisite store.

Alot of thought has gone into the creation of this store. The furniture, The flooring, even the wallpaper provoke elegance personified. No matter what people say, the surroundings that encase a product is just as important as the product itself. Too many Boutique owners get it wrong, but owners Amber & Matt Long are typically and fashionably, on cue!

I am sure JEAN BROWN ROBE will be as successful as it's sister, JEAN BROWN, which is conveniently located within walking distance, which is important, because once you purchase that divine piece from ROBE you'll need a bag to go with it!!!!

Excuses Excuses!!

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE...HOPEFULLY!

Here are a few things that Brisbane needs. Now I know things don't happen overnight, but hopefully over the next year, they'll begin to take shape.

There are many things we need to make this city even better, and believe me, I could go on all day about them, but I won't.

So here goes, Ten Things I Think Brisbane Needs:

1.LIGHT RAIL/TRAM SYSTEM to get the green light. With high frequency timetables and cute carriages, we are in desperate need for a comfortable, easy to use transport that can get us from A to BCDEF.....and so on!

2.A BOUTIQUE HOTEL. Something chic and sexy without the 'Finding Nemo Foyer' or the 'Buck Rogers Bar'. I suggest Aesop Products in the Bathroom and an Eatery on the same lines as OPIA at JIA in Hong Kong, with a little blink-and-you-miss-it Bar! And of course, all done in natural hues with contemporary furniture and accesories!

3.AN ALL-MALE EMPORIUM. Hopefully Bris will get a Male Only Clothing Emporium.
Stocking incredible outfitters like KITSUNE, BALLANTYNE, ASPESI, LANVIN, PATRIK ERVELL, with shoes by GRENSEN and the like. You girls continue to be inudated with label after label, store after store, while us men-about-town have to settle for what we can find.....which is not much! Amber & Matt Long at Jean Brown, take note!

4.AN AWESOME NEWSAGENT. With Borders starting to become stagnant, and other stand alone newsagents charging a small fortune for Vogue Italia, what we need is a Newsagent that delivers everything we need. From every Glossy in the world to the 'Nikkei Weekly', 'International Herald Tribune' and the 'New York Times', just to keep us updated.
How wonderful would it be to walk in and get everything you need.

5.RESIDENT STREET PARKING PERMITS. Permits should be issued to residents in neighbourhoods like New Farm, Paddington etc, which would stop local foreigners from utilising sacred space in small streets. There is nothing worse then trying to drive out of your home when you have every bitch and her dog parked either side of your street. While your running late for work, they're sipping a latte at the local, or comparing brooches at The Oldies Only Club around the corner. Take a Cab and Fuck Off!!

6.MULTI PRODUCT DELI. A designer deli that stocks everything you need. Cheese counter, meat box, rows of excellent produce, pastries/breads etc. You grab a basket, fill it and pay for it all at the same counter! With not a latte in sight! And of course, it would have out-of-this-world design........wooden floors to start with! Simon Johnson...HELLO!!!!

7.DIGITAL CLOCKS throughout the city, valley etc. Enough said!

8.VILLAGE TWIN. In 2008, we finally see the old faithful unveiled.....or will we?
What's going on? Why is it taking so long? And why does it look like nothing's been happening for ages? Stop fucking around and give us a decent place to hangout!

9.COVERED AREAS in the Mall need to be built to comfort us in the heat and protect us from the rain. When it pours in summer, Queen Street turns into Bombay in June!!! Protect the consumer, not to mention the Emo!!!

10.Finally we need more top quality BARS/LOUNGES. We need proprietors to put in more effort (and money) with the interiors and most importantly, the name!!! You need original tapas, with beverages and music to match. None of this upmarket pub shite. And NO bar needs curtains either!!! Survey the unused alleyways around town.

This is just the beginning.

HIP HOP POP!

The Bose system has had a beating over the last few days with repeat performances from three great albums!

1.'BUMBLEBEEZ' by Prince Umberto & The Sister of Ill.
2.'AMERICAN GANGSTER' by Jay-Z.
3.'THE COOL' by Lupe Fiasco.

All brilliant, so don't ask me to choose.

PS. I was very excited to hear Kylie's 'Like a Drug' get Airplay in Shanghai & Hong Kong, as well as being belt out over the speakers at ZOUK in Singapore. This track should be her second single, instead, it goes to 'Wow'.

THINGS ARE A-CHANGIN'......HOPEFULLY!

As you can see by the amount of cranes circling the city, development is on overdrive in Brisbane. With a record number of Skyscrapers under construction or being planned, the city's skyline will change dramatically over the next ten years!

And as long as the finished product is an attractive piece of design, then I welcome these structures with open arms!

You see, for a long time Brisbane has suffered with a 'Backward Trend' when it comes to Design and Detail. There are many ugly buildings that should never have been approved, the STATE LAW Building dubbed 'Gotham City' is still after all these years downright unattractive. So is Toowong Tower, Roma Street Transit Centre, Lennons Hotel and so on!!

As we slowly evolve, the city and it's landscape is changing for the better, my Grandparents would roll over in the graves if they saw their hometown the way it is today, but I welcome change and I welcome tall buildings. They're sexy, shiny and are the foundation for the future.

What Brisbane is lacking is some much needed renovating. Elizabeth Street should be a major shopping stretch, but instead, it's nothing more then an ugly piece of road that no-one cares about. As I've said before, all we need is this entire block to be resurrected. How wonderful would it be to see BALLY, GUCCI or FERRAGAMO open in where the Mitre 10 store is, it's such a gorgeous building and it would thrive as a High End Shopping Precinct!

Another destination I'm excited about is the NEWSTEAD PARK Development. If done well, this could create an urban wonderland. Not done right, it could be another WESTFIELD or PORTSIDE. Developers need to step out of their comfort zone and be daring. No Coles or Woolworths, No Mega-Chain stores and definetly No Mediocre Eateries.

For a long time we have been promised a bigger, better Fortitude Valley, but nothing seems to be happen. The TCB Building opened, and soon after fell off the radar, the Brunswick Street Mall still looks cheap and tawdry and GPO should just be closed down! Politicians called The Valley, Brisbane's answer to Soho, New York. Unfortunetly, they were wrong!

I understand the most important thing about the Valley is it's past, and I understand that we need to preserve it's raw edge, but we also should be bringing it into the 21st Century. The GPO should have been our version of Sydney's ESTABLISHMENT or Melbourne's PRINCE COMPLEX, but over the years, it's turned into nothing more then a Frat House, and that's sad!

What the Valley needs is an Arthouse Cinema, more trees and a complete renovation of the McWhirters retail areas. If that building was respected the way it deserves to be, then it could have been amazing, instead it's completely forgettable and dirty. I spent most of my youth in the Valley, and now today, as an adult I still head there. I love the vibrancy and the fact there is no arrogance, but it does need an (overdue) injection of good design and arcitecture.

I was born and bred in Brisbane, and I promote it everyday. I've travelled extensively throughout the world and I still think we have alot of potential. We are never going to be New York or Berlin or even Sydney, but with a little TLC, some decent creativity and originality, we could only but soar!

To all the Developers, Architects, Designers and Business Owners, now is the time to kick arse!

On your marks..................

THE 'REAL MAN'S' MAGAZINES.

Forget about choosing a book to get through summer, pick up some top quality magazines from far away shores to ease your binge eating days!!

I'm currently churning my way through FANTASTIC MAN and MAN ABOUT TOWN!

With intelligent articles and awesome clothes, you won't ever pick up GQ again!!

FAVOURITE THINGS. DECEMBER 2007

As I have been a good boy this year, and although I already own some of my favourite things, I could do with some more. Here are my Favourite Things for December.

1. THE OUTPOST/BLONDE VENUS EMAIL. Every week I look forward to checking my inbox for this informative email from Ms Basiliou, but looks can be deceiving. Forget Spam, it's the most dangerous email in circulation...................for the pocket anyway!!

2. PALE TAN ETON BROGUES by YSL. Be the Dandiest Dude in town with the sexiest Brogues around, go sockless and wear them with Viktor & Rolf shorts. Sa-weet!
http://www.ysl.com/

3. THAKOON by ALEK PAUL SUNGLASSES. The best sunglasses I've seen in ages! If they look good on me, they'll look good on anyone!!! http://www.thakoon.com/
Available from 20/20 Optical on James Street.

4. AMANDANA PORTABLE DVD PLAYER. Laminated with Bamboo, this DVD Player from Japanese Label 'AMANDANA' is one of the most technically advanced around, and it's attractive to boot! It's 10 inch LCD Screen is one of the largest and will be a nice understudy for your Business Class Counterpart. http://www.amandana.com/

5. NICK CAVE. THE EXHIBITON. Artwork, Photography, Lyrics, Rare Video, Notebooks and personal objects from Mr Cave's own office and library are on display at the 'George Adams Gallery' at The Arts Centre in Melbourne from 10 November 2007 to 6 April 2008.
http://www.theartscentre.net.au/

Hope you all get what you want for Christmas, I know I will. If your in doubt, buy it yourself!!!

HOP, SKIP AND A UPGRADE!

Qantas will introduce it's 'new' PREMIUM ECONOMY cabin from April 2008 on selected services on it's fleet of Boeing 747's.

From August 2008, the PREMIUM ECONOMY cabins will be unveiled on the Airbus A380.

If you can't afford the Luxury of FIRST or the BUSINESS CLASS SKYBED service, and if your allergic to ECONOMY, then PREMIUM ECONOMY is the way to go!

So pack your Goyard luggage, slap on the SKII and arrive at your destination relaxed, awake and like you've just stepped out of a salon!!

ECONOMY is soooo 2007.....already!

http://www.qantas.com/

THE CHECK REPUBLIC!

Although stand alone men's stores are few and far between in this city, there are some exceptions. CHECK which is found in the TCB Building in the Valley Mall offers the Brissy man casual tailored clothes with a unique individuality.

Everything from T's to buttoned shirts, to an excellent denim jean range, CHECK should be on every man's checklist!

The collection of shorts to conquer summer with are my personal favourite!

Bernard Fanning is a fan, and when you visit the store, you'll understand why!

MR SOPHISTICATE I PRESUME?

To all those Brisbane Dandies out there, here's a get-up (from the waist up anyway) to make the girls go crazy.

Giorgio Armani brown jacket $1, 800, Gucci checked shirt $665, Gucci tie $195.

It may cost 2 months rent without shoes or pants, but who cares, getting laid is sometimes more important!!

Available Now!

GEMMA-TASTIC!

Page 409 of the Current US Vogue see's Gemma Ward not only dripping with jewels, but wearing the most divine Burberry Prorsum ensemble. The article called 'PRECIOUS GEMMA', see's the Perth gal wearing all sorts of trinkets while being the utlimate domestic goddess!

This goes out to some close personal friends of mine, who order lovely things from HIGH END stores, on a whim. Burberry deliver from overseas through FedX my darlings!

The December Issue has Penelope Cruz on the Cover and is available NOW!