QUEEN'S LAWYERS MOVE TO BAN PAPARAZZI FROM SANDRINGHAM

THE QUEEN HAS INSTRUCTED HER TEAM OF LAWYERS TO ISSUE A STRONG WARNING TO ALL THE NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE EDITORS NOT TO USE PAPARAZZI PICTURES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY DURING THEIR ANNUAL HOLIDAY VISITS AT SANDRINGHAM IN NORFOLK. THE ROYAL FAMILY TRADITIONALLY SPENDS MUCH OF THE AUTUMN AND WINTER MONTHS AT THE QUEEN'S PRIVATELY-OWNED COUNTRY ESTATE, WHERE FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHERS FOLLOW AND STALK THEM ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS. PICTURES OF THE QUEEN AND OTHER ROYALS OUT SHOOTING, OR ENJOYING A LEISURELY WALK, ON THE ESTATE HAVE REGULARLY APPEARED IN VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES FOR DECADES, BUT THIS IS THIS FIRST TIME THE QUEEN HAS TAKEN STEPS TO WARN OFF PHOTOGRAPHERS. IT FOLLOWS REPORTS EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT THE QUEEN WILL BREAK WITH TRADITION THIS YEAR BY INVITING PRINCE WILLIAM'S GIRLFRIEND, KATE MIDDLETON, TO SPEND CHRISTMAS DAY AT SANDRINGHAM. MIDDLETON WOULD BE THE FIRST UNMARRIED PARTNER OF A ROYAL TO SHARE CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH THE ROYAL PARTY. THE LETTER, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN SENT TO BARONESS BUSCOMBE AND TIM TOULMIN, THE CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTOR OF THE PRESS COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT COMMISSION, CLAIMS THAT THE NUMBER OF 'INTRUSIONS' BY PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH LONG LENSES INCREASED 'SIGNIFICANTLY' LAST YEAR, AS A RESULT OF WHICH THE PICTURE AGENCIES INVOLVED HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM IF THERE IS ANY REPETITION. THE LETTER ALSO STATES THAT THE ROYAL FAMILY WILL STILL MAKE THEMSELVES FOR THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DAY PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITY WHEN THEY ATTEND CHRISTMAS MASS AT THE LOCAL CHURCH.

BOWERS MUSEUM PRESENTS THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS, WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST FERNANDO BOTERO UNVEILS A EXHIBITION I CALIFORNIA WHEN 'THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO' RECENTLY OPENED AT BOWERS MUSEUM, SANTA ANA. THE EXHIBITION, WHICH REMAINS ON VIEW THROUGH 6.DECEMBER.2009, IN THE JANICE FEY SMITH AND ROBERT GUMBINER GALLERIES, INCLUDES A SELECTION OF RECENT SCULPTURES NEVER BEFORE SHOWN IN NORTH AMERICA. RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE FOR HIS UNIQUE STYLE OF VOLUMINOUS FORMS AND SENSUOUS FIGURES, BOTERO'S WORK TAKES ON RELIGION, POLITICS, AND HISTORY WITH A CRITICAL AND COMICAL APPROACH. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES 100 PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND DRAWINGS, DATING FROM THE 1950s TO THE PRESENT, OF BOTERO'S FAVORITE WORKS AS WELL AS PIECES HE REACQUIRED YEARS AFTER THEY LEFT HIS POSSESSION. ALL THE WORKS ARE GENEROUSLY ON LOAN FROM THE 77 YEAR OLD COLOMBIAN ARTIST'S PERSONAL COLLECTION AND MANY HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC.
AS A PAINTER, SCULPTOR AND DRAFTSMAN BOTERO (b. 1932) DEPICTS THE COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF HUMAN LIFE IN MOVING EXPRESSION, MOCKING OBSERVATION, AND SOMETIMES DEEP, ELEMENTARY EMOTION. WORKING IN A BROAD RANGE OF MEDIA, BOTERO HAS CREATED A WORLD OF HIS OWN, AT ONCE ACCESSIBLE AND ENIGMATIC, WITH A PARTICULAR BLEND OF VIOLENCE, SERENITY AND BEAUTY. BOTERO'S ROOTS ARE IN MEDELLIN, A COLOMBIAN TOWN CLOSE TO THE ANDES MOUNTAINS. THERE HE DREW UPON HIS FIRST IMAGES OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL BAROQUE-STYLE, A MOVEMENT OF EXTRAVAGANT RICHNESS, FEATURING SUMPTUOUS DECORATIONS THAT FLOURISHED ON THE WALLS OF EVERY CHURCH IN SOUTH AMERICA.

PIPER HEIDSIECK AND CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CREATE THE 'LE RITUEL' BOX SET

PIPER HEIDSIECK AND CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN HAVE RECENTLY COLLABORATED ON A PROJECT NAMES LE RITUEL AFTER A FRENCH RITUAL POPULAR IN THE 1880s WHERE ONE WOULD DRINK CHAMPAGNE FROM A WOMAN'S SHOE. THE SHOE IS NOW MADE OF CRISTAL AND IS DESIGNED TO RESEMBLE ONE OF CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN'S SHOES AND FEATURES HIS SIGNATURE LACQUERED RED SOLE AND A HEEL RESEMBLING THE STEM OF A CHAMPAGNE FLUTE. THE SHOE IS ACCOMPANIED BY A BOTTLE OF PIPER HEIDSIECK BRUT AND COMES IN A UNIQUE SHOE BOX.
THE STUNNING BOX SET WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM COLLETTE FROM 26.OCTOBER.

JIMMY CARTER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM REOPENS AFTER OVERHAUL

THE JIMMY CARTER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, ATLANTA, REOPENED ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S 85th BIRTHDAY AFTER AN OVERHAUL THAT DEVOTES MORE SPACE THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY TO A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S WORK AFTER THE WHITE HOUSE. CARTER BEAMED THURSDAY AS HE SPOKE TO HUNDREDS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, SAYING: "THERE'S NO WAY ANY OF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE EMOTIONS THAT FILL MY HEART AND MIND IN THIS MOMENT." ABOUT A THIRD OF THE ATLANTA MUSEUM EXPLORES THE GEORGIA DEMOCRAT'S LIFE AFTER HE WAS DEFEATED BY RONALD REAGAN. IT INCLUDES DOZENS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS DETAILING HIS EFFORTS TO ERADICATE DISEASE, RESOLVE CONFLICTS AND MONITOR ELECTIONS. AS IF TO REMIND VISITORS OF THE IMPACT OF HIS WORK SINCE LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE, THE EXHIBIT ENDS BY FEATURING THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN AWARDS THAT CARTER HAS RECEIVED FOR HIS WORK IN AND OUT OF THE OVAL OFFICE.
THE MUSEUM WAS CLOSED IN LATE APRIL, THE $10 MILLION PROJECT, WHICH TOOK ABOUT FIVE MONTHS TO COMPLETE, IS THE FIRST MAJOR UPDATE TO THE MUSEUM SINCE IT WAS BUILT 23 YEARS AGO. ATTENDANCE HAD FALLEN ABOUT 50% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AN NEWER ATLANTA ATTRACTIONS, SUCH AS THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM, DREW IN MORE TOURISTS AND STUDENTS. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS SIX TOWERING HIGH-RESOLUTION VIDEO SCREENS GIVING VISITORS A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PRESIDENT. IT FOCUSES ON A BUSY DAY - 11.DECEMBER.1978 - THAT STARTS WITH CARTER RECEIVING A WAKE-UP CALL AT 5:30am AND FOLLOWS HIM AS HE GRAPPLES WITH THE AFTERMATH OF A MIDDLE EAST PEACE DEAL, THE TEETERING REGIME OF A US ALLY IN IRAN AND EFFORTS TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH CHINA. THE MUSEUM TOUR STARTS WITH EXHIBITS ON CARTER'S CHILDHOOD IN SEGREGATED SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND A MODEL OF A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE WHERE THE PRESIDENT ONCE WORKED AS A YOUNG NAVAL OFFICER. IT THEN TRACKS HIS POLITICAL CAREER, FIRST AS A STATE SENATOR, THEN AS GOVERNOR AND FINALLY AS PRESIDENT. THE WHITE HOUSE SECTION INCLUDES A FULL SCALE REPLICA OF THE OVAL OFFICE, AND AN EXHIBIT DEPICTING CAMP DAVID, WHERE CARTER'S "CABIN DIPLOMACY" HELPED BROKER A PEACE DEAL BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL. SOME 27 MILLION PAGES OF DOCUMENTS FROM CARTER'S TERM SIT BEHIND A GLASS WALL IN A NEARBY ROTUNDA. CARTER SAID HE HOPES THE CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS THAT HE AND HIS WIFE ROSALYNN HAVE FACED WILL INSPIRE VISITORS TO DO MORE TO HELP OTHERS.

WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM OPENS IN SAN FRANCISCO

WALT DISNEY'S RELATIVES GREETED THE FIRST WAVE OF VISITORS AS A NEW MUSEUM DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE THE PERSONAL WORLD OF THE LEGENDARY ANIMATOR OPENED THURSDAY. "WALT DISNEY REACHED PEOPLE BECAUSE HE WAS A MAGICAL STORYTELLER", DISNEY'S GRANDSON, WALTER E.D. MILLER, SAID AS THE MUSEUM OPENED. "NOW IT'S OUR TURN TO TELL WALT'S STORY." THE $110 MILLION WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM, SAN FRANCISCO, WAS CO-FOUNDED BY MILLER AND HIS MOTHER, DIANE DISNEY MILLER. THE WALT DISNEY CO. COLLABORATED ON THE PROJECT, BUT THE MUSEUM IS AN INDEPENDENT VENTURE BY THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY FOUNDATION. FAMILY MEMBERS SAY THEY WERE MOTIVATED BY CONCERNS THAT THE VIEW OF DISNEY THE MAN HAD GOTTEN LOST IN THE LEGEND. EXHIBITS FOLLOW DISNEY'S LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD TO HIS STRUGGLES GETTING ESTABLISHED AS AN ARTIST AND HIS LATER SUCCESSES, WITH A GOAL, ACCORDING TO GRANDSON MILLER, OF NARRATING THE LIFE OF "SOMEONE WHOSE NAME IS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH A BRAND AND TO PRESENT HIM SIMPLY AS A HUMAN BEING WITH EXTRAORDINARY VISION." DARK TIMES AREN'T GLOSSED OVER. ONE SECTION DEALS WITH A BITTER STRIKE AT DISNEY STUDIOS AND ANOTHER PRESENTS AUDIO TAPES OF DISNEY'S TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE. ITEMS ON DISPLAY INCLUDE THE EVOLUTION OF MICKEY MOUSE AND A HOST OF OTHER ANIMATED CREATIONS, WITH THE STATIONS OFFERING VISITORS A CHANCE TO LISTEN AND EVEN EXPERIMENT WITH THE MECHANICS OF ANIMATION. A SHOWSTOPPER IS A GALLERY SHOWING A MODEL OF DISNEYLAND, RIGHT DOWN TO THE REVOLVING TEA CUP RIDE. VISITORS ON THURSDAY PORED OVER THE MODEL, POINTING OUT LANDMARKS TO EACH OTHER. DESIGNERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE MUSEUM'S SETTING, A REFURBISHED BUILDING AT THE FORMER PRESIDIO ARMY BASE. A GALLERY DEVOTED TO DISNEY NATURE FILMS HAS A GLASS WALL LOOKING OUT DIRECTLY OUT TO THE STUNNING VISTA OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. WALLS OF PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW VARIOUS GENERATIONS OF THE DISNEY FAMILY. IN A NEAT EFFECT, SOME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE SMALL VIDEO SCREENS SHOWING HOME MOVIES OF WEDDINGS AND TRIPS. 'IT'S LIKE GOING THROUGH THEIR FAMILY ALBUMS", SAID VISITOR WILLIAM ROBINSON OF SAN FRANCISCO. ROBINSON, AN AMATEUR FILMMAKER IN HIS SPARE TIME, SPENT A WHILE LOOKING AT A DISPLAY OF THE MULTI-PLANE CAMERA DISNEY DEVELOPED TO ADD DEPTH TO "SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS", THE MOVIE DUBBED 'DISNEY'S FOLLY' UNTIL IT OPENED TO WILD ACCLAIM. "HE WAS A HUGE INSPIRATION", ROBINSON ADDED. "I ALREADY KNOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK'"

NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER PRESENTS DIANA : A CELEBRATION

KNOW TO MANY AS "THE PEOPLE'S PRINCESS", PRINCESS DIANA WON THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC AND AROUND THE WORLD. FROM 2.OCTOBER THROUGH 31.DECEMBER.2009, THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, WILL HOST THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELING EXHIBITION, 'DIANA: A CELEBRATION', PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES. MAKING ITS EAST COAST DEBUT, AND RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2007, THE AWARD-WINNING EXHIBITION EXPLORES DIANA'S CHILDHOOD, HER ENGAGEMENT TO HRH PRINCE CHARLES, THEIR ROYAL WEDDING, THEIR CHILDREN, AND DIANA'S LIFE AND WORK AS A GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN AND MODEL CITIZEN. DIANA: A CELEBRATION IS ON LOAN FROM THE ALTHROP ESTATE, THE SPENCER FAMILY'S 500 YEAR OLD ANCESTRAL HOME IN ENGLAND. COVERING 10,000 SQUARE FEET, DIANA: A CELEBRATION FEATURES OVER 150 ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING HER STUNNING ROYAL WEDDING GOWN AND DIAMOND TIARA, AND 28 DRESSES, GOWNS AND SUITS CREATED BY LUXURY DESIGNERS SUCH AS VERSACE, VALENTINO AND CHANEL, WHICH ARE ORGANIZED INTO NINE GALLERIES: CHILDHOOD, SPENCER WOMEN, ENGAGEMENT, ROYAL WEDDING, TIARA GALLERY, STYLE & FASHION, HER WORK, TRIBUTE AND CONDOLENCES. THE MYRIAD OF CHARITIES AND CAUSES DIANA CHAMPIONED, INCLUDING HER PIONEERING EFFORTS WITH HIV AND AIDS PATIENTS, THE HOMELESS, AND THE CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES, ARE ALSO FEATURED IN THE EXHIBITION. A THREE-SCREE VIDEO PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS THE HUNDREDS OF ASSOCIATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM HER PATRONAGE AND ENERGETIC DEDICATION. THE WORLD'S GRIEF AT HER UNTIMELY DEATH IS DEALT WITH SENSITIVITY, IN A DISPLAY OF BOOKS OF CONDOLENCE AND SPACE FOR REFLECTION AND REMEMBRANCE.

$15,000 MACALLAN 57 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT IN LALIQUE DECANTER

LUXURY BRAND MACALLAN AND LEGENDARY CRISTAL HOUSE LALIQUE HAVE TEAMED UP TO LAUNCH THE THIRD STUNNING DECANTER IN THE MACALLAN IN LALIQUE SIX PILLARS COLLECTION. THE THIRD DECANTER TAKES ITS INSPIRATION FROM THE MACALLAN FINEST CUT WHICH IS THE TOP FRACTION OF A NEW MAKE SPIRIT WHICH IS FILLED INTO CASKS FOR MATURATION. THE UNIQUE DECANTER HOUSES AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 57 YEAR OLD MALT WHISKEY, AND IS THE SECOND OLDEST 'VINTAGE' WHISKEY EVER RELEASED - A SOFT SUMPTUOUS SINGLE MALT THAT SHOWS OFF A CLASSIC TASTE OF DRIED FRUITS, SPICE AND HINTS OF TEA.
THE CRISTAL DECANTER'S DESIGN WAS INSPIRED BY ONE OF RENE LALIQUE'S OWN DESIGNS OF A DECANTER FEATURING THE STILLIGOUTE OF A PERFUME BOTTLE BUILT INTO THE CAP, THE DECANTER IS MADE FROM LALIQUE CRISTAL, WHICH WAS WORKED ON BY UP TO 15 CRAFTSMEN AND EACH ONE BEARS THE ESTEEMED 'LALIQUE FRANCE' SIGNATURE, AND ONLY FOUR HUNDRED WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $15,000.