The Greatest Gift ...

All the Riches a Girl Can Have

Tapping into Winter 2012/13 trend of embellished patterns and embroidery, Giampaolo Sgura captures a Marie Antoinette inspired story for the October issue of Vogue Japan ... 

Model Ymre Stiekema embraces Unadulterated Decadence with the designs of Balmain, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Jil Sander and others pieced together by fashion editor Anna Dello Russo.

Dramatic hair and makeup by Andrew Guida and Jessica Nedza perfect the Opulent ensembles. 

Basically, the only thing that I feel is missing in this Marie Antoinette-inspired shoot is Cake ... ;)

 All Photos Compliments of Vogue Japan

Tap Dogs: Still Stomping up a Storm!

TAP DOGS Returns! Stronger, Faster, Louder and more outrageous than ever before, it’s the same hard stomping, tough, pulsating dance machine but it’s re-energised, re-vitalised and bursting with the sexy, rough and ready appeal exclusive to the “Dogs”. 

They are still the Hottest Male Tap Dancers found South of the equator and there’s the added ingredient of a few stunning female forms alongside the energetic male tappers ...

This unique tap dance show played to sell-out crowds in South Africa in 2009 and is set take the country by storm again in 2013 with its ever popular explosion of 80 minutes of non-stop dance that combines the strength and power of workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing and with gorgeous female drummers on either side of the set! 

Presented by Showtime Management in association with DSTV and JacarandaFM, TAP DOGS opens at the Teatro at Montecasino, on 12 February 2013 for a strictly limited return season ending on 10 March 2013 followed by sixteen shows only at Artscape, Cape Town from 13 March to 24 March 2013. Tickets on sale now at Computicket. 

TAP DOGS is set on a construction site in the “steel” town of Newcastle, just north of Sydney, Australia. The adrenalin pumped cast injects raw power and passion to present the ultimate visual dance spectacular, as they jump through scaffolding to the beat of their own drum. Upside down or even on water the TAP DOGS bring the entire space alive with their awe-inspiring mix of dance, music and performance! It’s a show that absolutely everyone will enjoy! 

The tapping feet of this internationally acclaimed dance sensation has reverberated around the world in 330 cities; in 37 countries and has been seen by more than 11 million people!

The adrenalin pumped touring cast includes the best tap dancers from around the world. Leading the pack is Sheldon Perry (brother of Tap Dogs, creator Dein Perry) along with fellow Australians Matthew Papa, Nathaniel Hancock, Jesse Rasmussen and from the US Anthony Russo and Richard Miller. In addition to the macho line-up, TAP DOGS now has two beautiful female percussionists, Cat Hunter and Lyndsay Evans joining the testosterone fuelled action on stage.

Created by Olivier Award winning choreographer Dein Perry, this internationally acclaimed dance sensation has stomped, beaten, tapped and blown audiences away across the globe since its Sydney Festival debut in 1995. Appearances at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a feature movie entitled “Bootmen” has lead to enormous fame and popularity the world over resulting in continuous global touring. There’s no doubt, TAP DOGS is a “howling” success.

Combining high-energy dance, theatrical performance and live music, TAP DOGS is a show not to be missed so kick-start 2013 with an 80-minute adrenaline rush! This is definitely one show that I wouldn't want to miss.

BOOK NOW at Computicket centers, visit www.computicket.com or call 0861 813 9000. Ticket prices range from R 100 to R300. 

If you are still Q-rious to find out more info, visit www.tapdogs.com

All Photos compliments of the Tap Dogs Website

Haute Fairytales

Photographer Michelle Du Xuan captures this stunning editorial from the September issue of L’Officiel China, featuring models Pauline Van Der Cruysse (Elite Paris) and Zhu Lin (IMG Paris) in a Kaleidoscopic Time-Travelling Fairytale...

Styled by Hanae Uwajima, the ladies dressed-up in Marvellous Couture Pieces by Elie Saab, Dior, Chanel, Valentino, Versace and Alexis Mabille to name a few. 

Hair stylist Shuko Sumida and make up artist Min K create otherworldly looks with hauntingly baroque hair and vivid colours in these artful images. 

Other Credits:

Light director: J.M chaser, 

Photographer assistant: Joffrey Montes, 

Assistant stylists: Haruka Suzuki, Saori Senda, 

Assistant hair stylist: Yuji Okuda, 

Manicure: Aurélie Chevalier

All Photos compliments of L’Officiel China

TGIF ...

Unilever Chef of The Year 2012

Unilever Food Solutions’ Chef of the Year 2012 was announced at a glittering cocktail function on Friday evening, following the most exciting final cook-off of the year. After hours of heated head-to-head cooking where the cream of the crop of South Africa’s up-and-coming chefs battled it out in a mystery basket contest at the SA Chefs Association premises in Auckland Park, it was Tiaan Langenegger who walked away victorious in the Senior category and Liezl Bruce in the Junior category...

Tiaan Langenegger's

Senior winner Tiaan Langenegger of Overture Restaurant (Cape Town) won a whopping R15 000 in prize money. His award winning menu consisted of a

mouth watering starter dish of cured duck breast, tomato gel along with crispy salami, Asian rice croquettes and anchovy emulsion, followed by an alluring main of roasted quail breast, herb crusted lamb loin and root vegetables along with wine jus and fried gnocchi ending with a tempting dessert of vanilla pannacotta, macadamia nut praline, strawberries and mint.

Tiaan Langenegger's Starter Dish

Tiaan Langenegger's Dessert

Junior winner Liezl Bruce of the University of Johannesburg was the recipient of R10 000 in cash. Her scrumptious menu included a starter dish of tandoori salmon, salmon ceviche, cremolata calamari accompanied by beetroot puree followed by a tantalising main of croustillant blueberry pork, bubble and squick, carrot and butternut puree with a blueberry demi-glace rounded off with an enticing dessert of lemon posset , rosemary marshmallow brandy lava.

Liezl Bruce (left) and the winning Dessert (right)

The winner in the Team of Four category is Capitol Caterers of KZN who won R20 000. The Team of Four winning menu included a starter of prawn dhal with caramelised beetroot and calamari followed by the main dish of roasted pork fillet with smokey BBQ chicken, butternut and macadamia served on polenta “gnocchi” this was topped off with a dessert of ganache capped mouse with macerated berries and lavosch. 

Capitol Caterers of KZN

The Creative Canapés title went to Dion Vengatass of Mount Nelson (Cape Town) and the Confectionary Showcase title went to joint winners Cherry Pin of Sandton Sun (Johannesburg) and Minah Tshukudu of The Palace, Sun City (Rustenburg), who won cash prizes of R7 000 each. 

Dion Vengatass (left) and Minah Tshukudu (right)

Runners-up in the five categories included:

Senior category: Paul Bussey of Dubai and Mluleki Luthuli of Palazzo, Montecasino (Fourways) who took second and third place and walked away with R10 000 and R5 000 respectively.

Junior category: Melusi Twala from Lekgotla (Sandton), and Kirsten Jane Howell of 54 on Bath (Rosebank), who took home R6 000 and R4 000 respectively.

Team of Four: Second place and R12 000 went to Fedics of KZN, while third place at R8 000 went to Sun City Resort of Johanneburg.

Creative Canapés: Second place and R2 000 went to Xavier Francis of The Oyster Box (KZN) and third place and R1 000 went to Julia Mashao of The Palace, Sun City (Rustenburg).

Confectionary Showcase: Wanda Grobbelaar of Fairway (Johannesburg) was awarded second place and R2 000, while Joanita Venter of The Oyster Box (KZN) won third place and R 1000.

Winning Cake by Cherry Pin (left) Confectionary Showcase Winning Cake by Minah (right)

The judging panel for each of the categories was made up of some of South Africa’s best-known names in the culinary world including Garth Shnier (Executive Chef, Sandton Sun & Towers), Pete Goffe-Wood (Master Chef SA Judge), James Khoza (Executive Chef, Sandton Convention Centre) and Stephen Billingham (President, South African Chefs Association) to name a few.

Creative Canapes, winning dish - Dion Vengetass

Unilever Food Solutions has been hosting the annual Chef of the Year since the early 1970s and for the first time since the event started there were an astounding 53 finalists, as well as the introduction of the Creative Canapés and Confectionary Showcase categories. 

This competition, says Craig Elliott, Executive Head Chef of Unilever Food Solutions for South Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan, is about pushing the boundaries of creativity, imagination and skill. “It’s about uniting behind our talented South African chefs and going to great lengths to provide them with innovative and creative solutions and inspiration for use in their own kitchens every day.”

Winning Starter Dish - Team Of Four

Elliot acknowledges the tremendous contribution that chefs play in our lives by sharing their talent, skills and inspiration through the passion they put into their dishes. South Africa has a wealth of world-class chefs. The annual Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year pays tribute to these chefs by offering them a platform from which to showcase their talent to the world.

“Congratulations to all the winners, and even though not everyone could walk away with the prize, for all the hard work they have put into the profession, every chef here is a winner today,” concludes Elliott.

Group Shot Winners: Raymond Hodgskin,Merrill King, Laura Morton, Tiaan Langenegger, Paula Janine Heuff, Dion Vengatass, Liezl Bruce, Craig Elliott (Unilever Food Soultions, Executive Head Chef)

If you are Q-riouser to find out more details on the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year, visit www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.za.