Vanity Fair loves Angelina Jolie

Angelina has made Vanity Fair's cover at least four times in recent memory. She's obviously a big seller, so I can see why she would be a repeat cover girl. And I do love that each cover is styled in a considerably different way.

I'm not sure what I think of this new one. It's striking, that's for sure but Angelina's beautiful enough without the need to resort to such heavy-handed photoshopping. Her skin tone is so airbrushed that she looks like a wax model.

Why would you pose on a red carpet like this?

At last night's VMAs, Katie Holmes decided to pose like she had two broken legs. Not attractive. And really very weird.

But this wasn't an aberration, this seems to be her go-to pose of choice.  See other recent examples:

My theory is this: she hates her thick legs but thinks by posing in this weird push-back, legs akimbo on an angle kind of pose, that we'll be fooled into thinking she has lovely thin legs. Sorry Katie, you just look weird. Embrace your cankles and stand up straight! Or wear longer dresses or pants. The jig is up.

Oh my, that is one UGLY wedding band

Check out Kim Kardashian's new gigantic wedding band. Considering her engagement ring was such a monster, I'm guessing the word "understated" is not in her vocabulary. How heavy would this combo be?!

If you were a billionaire, what musicians would you pay to play at your wedding?

I was pondering this very question today as I was reading about the nuptials of Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of Formula One's Bernie Ecclestone (who is worth £2.5 billion). The less said about the looks of the groom the better.... But I digress....

For her £1.3m wedding this weekend, she's chosen the same Italian castle where Katie Holmes got married to Tom Cruise (and pretended to be shorter than him in the wedding pic by crouching. See here). But I digress again...

Back to the important stuff -- the entertainment!

Petra's Dad has booked Eric Clapton (playing for free because he's a friend) and the Black Eyed Peas (playing for £1 million because they're not). Pretty great choices I must say, and certainly better than some other celebs' big day choices:

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries - Robin Thicke and Earth, Wind and Fire (oh dear)
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes - Italian singer Andrea Bocelli (booorrrrring)
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston - a Latin Jazz band and a 40-piece gospel choir
James and Erica Packer (Aussie media mogul) - Canadian crooner Michael Buble
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - English pop star Ellie Goulding and a DJ
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban - Hugh Jackman, Neil Finn and a 16-piece big band
Donald and Melania Trump - Tony Bennett, Billy Joel
Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas - a Welsh choir, Tom Jones, Art Garfunkel, Gladys Knight, Mick Hucknell
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene (ha!) - American rockers The Eagles, French artist Jean Michael Jarre
Kate Moss and Jamie Hince - Bryan Ferry and a DJ

Yikes. Clearly money doesn't buy taste in a lot of cases. If I was a billionaire and could book ANYBODY in the world to pay you can bet your bottom dollar it wouldn't be Earth, Wind and Fire.

So who's on my list?  Let's see...

Kings of Convenience and Feist - bit of cool chill-out stuff to get the party in a good mood
The Pixies - as a present for my husband
The Cat Empire  - Aussie ska/jazz/funk band to get the party grooving
Lenny Kravitz - so he can play "Let Love Rule" live for me
Eric Clapton - so he can play "Cocaine" and we can all watch my Dad go batshit crazy
The Rolling Stones - get the whole party rocking out
Rihanna and Groove Armada - now we can dance!

And if I was going to bring a band out of retirement for a couple of tracks, it's gotta be Fine Young Cannibals.  "Good thing..where have you gone..."

Failing that - you could just make a playlist and play all the artists above, just like I did. And my party rocked!

Whistle while you work

I was just listening to Foster the People's album and found myself whistling away on their track "Pumped Up Kicks".  It's a cracker.  The whistling kicks in at 2:53.

So all this pursing of my lips got me thinking of other memorable songs with whistling. Here are some of my faves:

1. "Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn and John.
If you don't dance and whistle to this happy tune, you're a pop hater.

2. "La La Love You" by Pixies

It's only a tiny whistle, but it's the Pixies. 'Nuff said. 

3. "Wind of Change" by Scorpion

How could we ever forget this German gem. I need a sparkler and a perm. Now.

Hail Queen Patti

I've just finished reading the autobiography Just Kids by Patti Smith. She recounts her life in the '70s when she moved to New York City in her early twenties and hooked up with Robert Mapplethorpe, who was to later become a renowned photographer and artist. I've been a fan of Patti's music for many years, but this book made me appreciate her even more as she sheds a new light on her absolute devotion to artistic expression. She is a fascinating individual.

Horses is one of the greatest songs ever written. I'd not listened to it for a few years and this weekend I went a bit crazy for it again. It's an epic. Give it a listen:

Great news. Breaking Bad is returning for a fifth and final season.

As reported on Just Jared. I'm actually glad it will be the last season. Too often TV shows are stretched and watered down. It's much better to go out on a high while the story is still tight.

Another cracking rock 'n' roll autobiography

I love a good rock 'n' roll autobiography. The genius. The excess. The drug use. The clean-ups. The drug use. More clean-ups. It's modern history told in such a raw, creative way.

I've just finished Life by Keith Richards and it's fantastic. I couldn't put it down.

It's an over-used word, but this man is indeed a legend. The fact that he is still alive is unbelievable. But he's clearly got the constitution of a tank. The tale of his life is incredibly entertaining, moving and insightful. You really understand his love for the blues, his devotion to music, his loyalty to his friends and bandmates and his mad, mad mind. Told in a dynamic conversational style, it's a must-read.

And if you've not read any rock autobiographies, here are some of my favourites:

Faithfull: An Autobiography by Marianne Faithfull with David Dalton. 

the dirt by Motley Crue 

Eric Clapton The Autobiography by Eric Clapton

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

Next on my reading list:

Just Kids by Patti Smith

The battle to produce the best TV show

I found this recent article from Huffington Post quite interesting. In a nutshell, the creator of FX show Sons of Anarchy, Kurt Sutter, has called out rival American cable channel AMC for prioritising Mad Men over its other two creations, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. So much so that AMC apparently fired TWD's creator Frank Darabont due to budget cuts, although it was reported that he had quit. Wonder what the truth is?

Sutter ranted on Twitter:
"no one else wants to f*cking say it, but the greed of mad men is killing the other two best shows on tv -- breaking bad and walking dead."

As a huge fan of all three shows, I'm intrigued to watch this play out. Is Sutter right? I'd hate to think that the quality of any of these shows will suffer as they're some of the best being made at the moment.  I love Mad Men, but it would be unfair for Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead to be the sacrificial lambs.

My top 20 favourite Asian dishes

A big part of travelling and living abroad is indulging in local food. Eating and remembering certain tastes from different countries is a critical part of travelling and exploring another culture. I've barely scratched the surface in China (note to self: need to travel more) - or Asia for that matter - but I've certainly accumulated a long list of favourite dishes. I don't cook any of these myself, it's strictly food I order out. In no particular order, here are the top 20 Asian dishes I can't live without...

1. Xiaolongbao (China)

These soup-filled dumplings are a Shanghai specialty, however I first tried them at a Singapore branch of Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese chain who are known for their xialongbao. I could eat these every week. And I do! You dip the whole dumpling in ginger and soy, bite off the beautifully folded top to let the heat escape and then let the broth and meat (pork, shrimp) do their work.

2. Kare-pan (Japan)
I dream of this snack and haven't found a good one in Shanghai (yet)! Otherwise known as a Japanese curry doughnut or a curry bun, I first tried kare-pan at my local supermarket in Singapore, Isetan, a Japanese-owned store and then ate a couple (or more) when in Japan last year. They're always for sale in the Isetan bakery upfront, but a few times a year, Isetan hold regional food fairs, including a stall that made kare-pan to order!! I'm salivating just thinking about it -- Japanese curry (not to be confused with Indian curry) surrounded by dough and covered in panko crumbs then deep fried. It's so naughty, but it's worth every calorie. I cannot tell you how good it tastes. A lot of bakeries bake the doughnut rather than deep frying, but it's a pale imitation. Accept no substitutes!!

3. Roti Prata (Singapore)

This has to be one of the best hangover dishes of all time. It's a Singaporean invention and is a fried flour-based pancake served with an accompanying bowl of meat or vege curry. You can have the bread plain or you can load it up with cheese, onions, mushrooms, whatever you fancy. You tear the bread into pieces, dunk it in the curry and try not to burn your hands or tongue as you chomp away. I often see a sweet variation in Thailand at roadside stalls with nutella, chocolate, bananas or peanuts. Also amazing.

4. Bulgogi and Banchan (Korea) 
Bulgogi is a marinated and barbecued meat (beef, pork or chicken) and banchan are the side dishes that accompany it. I love this dish and usually order the pork. I first started eating this in Sydney when a local Korean restaurant opened up the road from my office and it became a much-loved lunch spot for the gang. Equally important is the array of side dishes that come with the sizzling hotplate. Lots of pickled and marinated veges (kongnamul which is a pickled bean sprout dish is my fave), dried fish, kimchi and heaps more.

5. Banh xeo (Vietnam)

I haven't had this recently, but this is one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes. I remember eating this savoury crepe filled with prawns, pork and bean sprouts for breakfast each morning of our honeymoon at Evason Ana Mandara in Nha Trang. The best bit is when you dip the pancake into a special fermented soy bean sauce. It's so fresh and tasty.

6. Banh mi (Vietnam)

I spoke about this Vietnamese-style sandwich already on my blog. Read it here. I could eat this for lunch every day. In fact, I used to when I worked in Sydney around the corner from Little Devil. Although I think they added a bit of MSG as I was always so thirsty by about 3pm every day! This one (pictured left) is from B Real in Shanghai and is fantastic.

7. Peking duck (China)

I really got into this dish properly when I lived in London and used to visit Chinatown a lot. The combination of duck meat, duck skin, hoisin sauce, spring onions and pancake is magic. It's been a while since I've had a great version, but I'm travelling to Beijing soon and am going to go hell for leather.

8. Tom Yum Goong (Thailand) 

This soup is one of my favourite Thai dishes. It is the perfect combination of spicy, sour and fragrant. I once learned how to cook this at a cooking school in Chiang Mai, but it was over ten years ago and I've never attempted it since. The best version I've ever had was on a press trip at the Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton Reserve in Krabi. It was super spicy, but also perfectly sour. But then again, I've had some pretty great versions from cheap roadside stalls in Bangkok to takeaway restaurants all over the world.

9. Takoyaki (Japan)

Another fabulous Japanese snack. This is one of my all-time faves. It's a deep fried octopus (or prawn) surrounded by batter and lathered in takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise and dried bonito flakes. This isn't a restaurant dish, you'll usually find it in roadside kiosks or food halls and it's a stand-up stack. Poke into it with a stick and eat away. But beware: these balls are HOT. Don't pop a just-cooked whole one in your mouth or you may get third degree burns. But if you have the patience for it to cool down a bit, go for it!

10. Pad Thai (Thailand)
It's a classic, but for a reason. The combo of noodles, peanuts, spring onions, chili, lime is killer. But for all the fancy ones I've tasted, I still think a 20 baht roadside stall dish I tasted ten years ago comes up trumps.

11. Yakitori (Japan)

This is traditionally grilled chicken on a stick and cooked in front of you over charcoal. But it can also refer to any type of food on a skewer, not just chicken. Think beef, scallops, pork belly, mushrooms; you name it. It's one of my favourite Japanese foods. One of the best spots I've been to was a place called Kushiwakamaru in Tokyo's Naka-Meguro neighbourhood. It's been open for over 30 years and often has big queues.We got there early and got in straight away. The food and ambience were fantastic.

12. Okonomiyaki (Japan)

Yum. This is known as a Japanese 'pizza' but I don't really get that description as it's more like a savoury pancake filled with prawns and spring onions and doused in sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes. Divine. One of the more memorable versions of this was when we were in Kyoto and we ate at a grill-your-own place and cooked it ourself on a hotplate at our table.

13. Tonkatsu / Katsudon (Japan)
This deep fried pork cutlet can come on its own with a side serve of cabbage and sesame seed dip (tonkatsu, left). Or you can whack the cutlet on top of a bowl of rice and cover it with egg and spring onions (right). Both are delicious.

14. Pho (Vietnam)
There's conjecture over how to pronounce this, I was told 'feh' or 'fer' by locals in Vietnam. All I know is it's not 'foe'. Nevertheless this is one fragrant and filling dish consisting of a hearty meat-based broth with noodles plus slices of beef, sprouts, herbs, chili, soy, chili sauce, fish sauce, more herbs, whatever you want to keep adding really. This was a favourite lunch time staple when I worked in Chinatown in Singapore. Healthy and delicious.

15. Goi cuon (Vietnam)

Rice paper rolls filled with prawns, noodles and herbs. Simple, fresh, fragrant, tasty. Dip it in the accompanying sauce and enjoy. I have made these myself before and they're actually really easy. I went through a phase of having these for lunch every day. Yes, I am a creature of habit.

16. Agedashi dofu (Japan)

Yum. Silken tofu covered in cornstarch and deep fried then covered in a beautiful broth (dashi, mirin, sho-yu) and served with spring onions, bonito flakes and daikon. This is a perfect side dish. The taste is just so clean and crisp. Although I do need to work on my chopstick technique with this dish. The cubes always slide all over the shop! But it always tastes good.

17. Massaman curry (Thailand)
This southern Thai dish has Muslim origins and is one of my favourite dishes of all time. I remember eating a sensational version of this dish in Kanchanaburi (near the River Kwai) when I was backpacking a decade ago. The combination of beef (or duck), coconut milk, cashews, potatoes and spices such as cardamon, star anise and cinnamon is just beautiful. I almost always order this when I spot it on the menu.

18. Ramen (Japan)
This Japanese noodle dish can have lots of variations, but essentially it's a meat-based broth with noodles and vegetables plus meat. I usually love pork slices or pork belly the best. And sometimes corn. In Singapore, we used to eat at Ippudo in the Mandarin Gallery a lot. A pint of Asahi, a bowl of ramen, a side of gyoza and pork buns. Heaven.

19. Laksa (Singapore/Malaysia)

A spice noodle soup from the Peranakan culture (a mix of Malay and Chinese), I used to eat this regularly when living in Singapore. People say you shouldn't (cos it could cause a stomach upset) but I always asked for cockles to be added. They're just too good. The salty seafood taste makes this dish even more delicious.

20. Cha siu bao (China)

I'm not actually that big a fan of yum cha / dim sum as I find so many of the dishes to be very greasy, but I do love a BBQ pork bun.









Also on my radar:

1. Satay - what's not to love about peanut sauce?
2. Sushi and sashimi (Japan)  I'm a big seafood fan, so sushi always hits the spot with me
3. Gyoza (Japan)  Love these potsticker dumplings.
4. Bibimbap (Korea) - This is always a winner. Especially that bottom crust.
5. Chili Crab (Singapore) - a lot of mess for little reward but that sauce is fantastic
6. Larb (Thailand) and Papaya salad (Thailand) - spicy, healthy salads
7. Rendang (Indonesia) - I've not yet been to Indonesia so I can't properly add this yet.
8. Green curry, red curry (Thailand) - love them
9. Hainanese Chicken rice (Singapore) - please don't hate me, but I don't love it, I only like it
10. Cold soba noodles (Japan) - the perfect, healthy dish; noodles, dipping sauce, a quail egg, seaweed, wasabi. Yum.

My Shanghai: a favourite lunch spot

I have been a big fan of banh mi, a Vietnamese-style sandwich, for years. And I'm so glad there's a great eatery in Shanghai that produces an amazing version. It's called B Real on Fumin Lu in Shanghai and it's one of my favourite spots for a quick lunch. There are only seven seats, so the place can get cramped, but you can take away. I love the counter with a streetside view. I try and count the crazy bicycle loads going past. I was too slow to take a shot of the old man today who was cycling with about 14 car tyres strapped to his bicycle. Crazy.

There are a lot of variations to a banh mi, but essentially it's a crunchy baguette filled with a heap of delicious fillings: pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, coriander, red chilis, mayonnaise and some kind of meat. I usually prefer grilled chicken but over time, I've seen versions with roast pork, grilled pork, BBQ pork, steamed pork, pork belly, Vietnamese sausage or the super traditional version of cold cuts and a meat terrine (not my fave).

I used to eat at least once a week at my favourite place in Singapore (Baguette in the Market Street car park near Raffles Place) and at one stage, I ate it every day for lunch for a year when I lived in Sydney (Little Devil on Broadway in Glebe) but for my money, B Real comes up trumps. I think it's due to their deliciously crunchy-but-not-too-crunchy bread. They mix up the fillings a bit (Korean chicken, etc) but you can stay relatively traditional too if you want.  That said, their serves are huge. You could easily share one sandwich between two.

B Real
185 Fumin Lu (near Changle Lu)
Open 11am-9pm

While I was chomping away at lunch, I thought about all the other delicious Asian dishes I love, so watch out for my next post: my Top 20 favourite Asian dishes....

We need to stage a cosmetic intervention

Dear Duchess,
You're doing a great job as a new royal, but could I ask you to please listen to Vivienne Westwood. If you haven't heard, she was just quoted in The Sunday Times about your sartorial misses; "I think she's got a problem with eye make-up. The sharp line around her eyes makes her look hard. Either she should be smudgy or wear none".

I know you say don't want to be a clothes horse, but losing half your body weight in a year has kinda made me suspicious. Let's make a deal; if you won't eat, will you at least put down the black kohl eyeliner and pick up a darker lipstick? That black ringed eye and pale lip is just not working.

Best wishes
Busybody of Shanghai

ps. Could you pass the message on to Pippa and your mum too.