Forbidden City (Zijin Cheng – Purple Forbidden City or Gu Gong = old palace), Beijing, China. Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang

Gu Gong (old palace)

Located in the middle of Beijing the capital of China; this ‘once forbidden city’ remains not just as a mere complex of several palaces but as a symbol of Chinese sovereignty and pride. The image of this city depicted on China’s National Seal itself is ample proof of the importance China attributes to this complex. Read More…

“Just a further note from the one with the “Rupert” tooth. If anyone had the good fortune, like me, to see Rupert in the stage version of Another Country they would have realised what a wonderful acting talent he was.

“Truth be told - Everett is one of those lucky people who looked better at 40 then he did at 20 (not that it stopped me). The media were pretty vicious about Rupert’s decision to stay in the closet when he was young - squiring young upper class gels around town. He really got a pasting he never deserved (considering the sexual shenanigans of the acting world). I think they basically had a go at him because he always gave off a bit of a ’snobbish’ air (he says in his autobiog that he was a snob when young). I think that’s why he moved to Europe where such things didn’t matter.

“NB: the tale and my real name I expect may appear in the next book being written by Simon Napier-Bell - who once managed Rupert. He is writing a series of anecdotes about the music, film and fashion world.”

“Just a further note from the one with the “Rupert” tooth. If anyone had the good fortune, like me, to see Rupert in the stage version of Another Country they would have realised what a wonderful acting talent he was.

“Truth be told - Everett is one of those lucky people who looked better at 40 then he did at 20 (not that it stopped me). The media were pretty vicious about Rupert’s decision to stay in the closet when he was young - squiring young upper class gels around town. He really got a pasting he never deserved (considering the sexual shenanigans of the acting world). I think they basically had a go at him because he always gave off a bit of a ’snobbish’ air (he says in his autobiog that he was a snob when young). I think that’s why he moved to Europe where such things didn’t matter.

“NB: the tale and my real name I expect may appear in the next book being written by Simon Napier-Bell - who once managed Rupert. He is writing a series of anecdotes about the music, film and fashion world.”

Banff National Park, Calgary Alberta Canada, The oldest national park in Canada – pronounced as baemf.

The ascent of Homo sapiens (human species) as a super power among animals did much damage to ecology, by 18th century there was a shift in his role he changed role from a terminator to a preserver. The national parks that dot all around are the symbols of that change. Yellowstone, Yosemite are all examples for that and Banff (one of the earliest) is no exception. Read more…

Regrettably, the two pieces could not quite agree on the precise day of the ceremony or ceremonies. The paper suggested Saturday while the magazine offered “11am” Friday. I had soooooo wanted to toast them at the right moment, but was thwarted! Perhaps the magazine piece is the accurate one: they married yesterday at the Chelsea Register Office but then had their Mass of Celebration at the Palace of Westminster and then the dinner dance at the Carlton Club (phew!) today … it’s all so confusing.

But if all went well at the register office (let’s say yesterday), the pair will have been greeted outside by the “surprise” Edwardian horse and carriage William “splashed out” on. Sipping chilled champagne, they will have clip-clopped about the gates of Buckingham Palace (a nice aspirational touch that) prior to lunch at Mark’s Club in Mayfair. Both bride and groom can boast beau monde wedding guests: she, Topper and Tinsley Mortimer, “the ultimate WASP Manhattan socialite couple”; he, er, Piers Morgan. Toby Young was banned by Vanessa because of his false claim he shared her with Jagger, William gallantly repeats. William’s ex-wife is Ilaria Bulgari, “of the jewellery family”. She will not have been welcome at the wedding(s) either.

One really would have to have a heart of stone not to wish Vanessa and William all the luck that money can buy and brand celebs can vouchsafe.

A horoscopic glimpse of Dr Vanessa Neumann, click here.

Regrettably, the two pieces could not quite agree on the precise day of the ceremony or ceremonies. The paper suggested Saturday while the magazine offered “11am” Friday. I had soooooo wanted to toast them at the right moment, but was thwarted! Perhaps the magazine piece is the accurate one: they married yesterday at the Chelsea Register Office but then had their Mass of Celebration at the Palace of Westminster and then the dinner dance at the Carlton Club (phew!) today … it’s all so confusing.

But if all went well at the register office (let’s say yesterday), the pair will have been greeted outside by the “surprise” Edwardian horse and carriage William “splashed out” on. Sipping chilled champagne, they will have clip-clopped about the gates of Buckingham Palace (a nice aspirational touch that) prior to lunch at Mark’s Club in Mayfair. Both bride and groom can boast beau monde wedding guests: she, Topper and Tinsley Mortimer, “the ultimate WASP Manhattan socialite couple”; he, er, Piers Morgan. Toby Young was banned by Vanessa because of his false claim he shared her with Jagger, William gallantly repeats. William’s ex-wife is Ilaria Bulgari, “of the jewellery family”. She will not have been welcome at the wedding(s) either.

One really would have to have a heart of stone not to wish Vanessa and William all the luck that money can buy and brand celebs can vouchsafe.

A horoscopic glimpse of Dr Vanessa Neumann, click here.

“I’ve told you it’s not true and yet you continue to write it.”
- Matthew Doyle, official spokesman for Tony Blair

“Are you following me? Fuck off.”
- Alastair Campbell, following a chance encounter at the urinals in The Arts Club

“I didn’t fucking come here to be interviewed by you! Now don’t fucking cry about it! Just fuck off!”
Ewan McGregor

“What are you leaving her a message for? Why are you asking? Why do you want to know? Perhaps you should email Julie to apologise. You are an absolute prick …. asshole … Why don’t you fuck off and get an actual story. Moron.”
Julie Burchill’s assistant

“You have got about as much chance of seeing him as me growing a penis by tomorrow morning. And if you tell anyone what I just said I’ll break your bloody legs.”
Spokeswoman for Her Majesty’s Prison Service says that Pandora must cancel plans to hold a birthday party for Ronnie Biggs

“The article in The Independent said we were merry - a terrible euphemism - when we’d hardly had a glass. That journalist obviously has no stamina himself.”
Christine Hamilton, on stage at the Edinburgh Festival

“Ga!! Diarists!” [Phone: click]
Rt Hon John Prescott

“Great to meet you.”
Lord Levy

“I’ve told you it’s not true and yet you continue to write it.”
- Matthew Doyle, official spokesman for Tony Blair

“Are you following me? Fuck off.”
- Alastair Campbell, following a chance encounter at the urinals in The Arts Club

“I didn’t fucking come here to be interviewed by you! Now don’t fucking cry about it! Just fuck off!”
Ewan McGregor

“What are you leaving her a message for? Why are you asking? Why do you want to know? Perhaps you should email Julie to apologise. You are an absolute prick …. asshole … Why don’t you fuck off and get an actual story. Moron.”
Julie Burchill’s assistant

“You have got about as much chance of seeing him as me growing a penis by tomorrow morning. And if you tell anyone what I just said I’ll break your bloody legs.”
Spokeswoman for Her Majesty’s Prison Service says that Pandora must cancel plans to hold a birthday party for Ronnie Biggs

“The article in The Independent said we were merry - a terrible euphemism - when we’d hardly had a glass. That journalist obviously has no stamina himself.”
Christine Hamilton, on stage at the Edinburgh Festival

“Ga!! Diarists!” [Phone: click]
Rt Hon John Prescott

“Great to meet you.”
Lord Levy