BEAU JOIE CHAMPAGNE

BEAU JOIE IS A UNIQUE NEW LUXURY CHAMPAGNE LAUNCHING IN LAS VEGAS THIS MONTH. THE CHAMPAGNE, WHICH HAS THE SLOGAN OF 'TONIGHT'S THE KNIGHT' COMES IN A BOTTLE ENCASED IN A 100% COPPER, HAND-CRAFTED SUIT OF ARMOR. BEAU IS MADE OF 60% PINOT NOIR AND 40% CHARDONNAY DERIVED FROM THE FINEST GRAPES OF EPERNAY, FRANCE. THE ZERO-DOSAGE BRUT CHAMPAGNE HAS NONE OF THE ADDED SUGARS COMMON IN OTHER CHAMPAGNES. THE SUIT OF ARMOR NOT ONLY KEEPS THE CHAMPAGNE COLDER LONGER, BUT PROVIDES IMPROVED GRIP WHEN OPENING AND SERVING. IT HAS A RUBBER PUNT TO ENSURE ENHANCED STABILITY WHEN POURING. 'BEAU IS A STATEMENT MAKING LUXURY CHAMPAGNE UNLIKE ANYTHING PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE', SAID JOHN DEITELBAUM, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TOAST SPIRITS, CREATOR OF THE CHAMPAGNE. 'INFUSING QUALITIES LIKE ROMANCE, CHIVALRY AND FUN INTO A STAGNANT CHAMPAGNE CATEGORY, BEAU PRESENTS CONSUMERS AN UNPARALLELED LUXURY EXPERIENCE. THE ALLURE AND SEXINESS OF THE PRODUCT IS UNMISTAKABLE, AND ITS PRICE POINT DELIVERS OBTAINABLE LUXURY. WHEN YOU ORDER A BOTTLE OF BEAU, EXPECT HEADS TO TURN.' THE CHAMPAGNE WILL RETAIL FOR $79.99

PRINCE WILLIAM TO SPEARHEAD NEW CHARITY FOUNDATION

PRINCE WILLIAM WILL BE SPEARHEADING A NEW PROJECT TO CREATE 2,012 PLAYING FIELDS AROUND THE COUNTRY AS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL TO THE QUEEN IN HER DIAMOND JUBILEE YEAR. ANNOUNCING HIS PATRONAGE OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II FIELDS PROGRAM, THE YOUNG PRINCE SAID HE COULD NOT THINK OF A 'MORE FITTING TRIBUTE TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S 60 GLORIOUS YEARS ON THE THRONE', WHICH COINCIDE WITH THE 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS. MORE THAN 6,000 PLAYING FIELDS HAVE BEEN LOST SINCE 1992. UNDER THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT THEY WERE, AT ONE POINT, VANISHING AT THE RATE OF ALMOST ONE A DAY, DESPITE LABOR PROMISING TO END THE SELL-OFF 'TRAGEDY' WHEN IT FIRST CAME TO POWER. THE ISSUE BECAME A MAJOR POLITICAL FOOTBALL WITH PRESSURE GROUPS DESCRIBING THE NATIONWIDE LOSS OF PUBLIC AMENITIES AS 'SHAMEFUL'. HOWEVER, OFFICIALS HOPE THAT THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE WILL HELP CAPTURE THE PUBLIC'S IMAGINATION TO SAVE THE VITAL GREEN SPACES FOR THE NATION. THE CHARITY FIELDS IN TRUST, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL PLAYING FIELDS ASSOCIATION, HAS ALREADY EARMARKED 550 SITES ACROSS THE UK TO BECOME QUEEN ELIZABETH II FIELDS, AND WANTS LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO NOMINATE A FURTHER 1,462 NEW PLOTS. IN A VIDEO MESSAGE RECENTLY, PRINCE WILLIAM SAID: 'PLAYING FIELDS ARE NOT A LUXURY. THEY ARE A VITAL COMPONENT OF ANY HEALTHY AND HAPPY COMMUNITY. THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT, OVER THE YEARS, THOUSANDS OF PLAYING FIELDS HAVE BEEN LOST TO DEVELOPMENT, AND MANY MORE ARE UNDER THREAT TODAY. BEING ABLE TO PLAY OUTDOORS IS A BASIC RIGHT OF CHILDHOOD. THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II FIELDS WILL GUARANTEE THAT MILLIONS MORE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO ENJOY THAT RIGHT BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THESE FIELDS WILL BECOME A LIVING REMINDER TO ALL OF THE QUEEN'S STEADFAST DUTY, DEDICATION AND LOVE FOR THIS COUNTRY.' IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WILLIAM, WHO IS CURRENTLY TRAINING TO BECOME AN RAF SEARCH AND RESCUE PILOT, HAS BECOME INVOLVED IN SUCH A HIGH PROFILE NATIONAL SCHEME. AIDES SAY HE WAS INSPIRED NIT JUST BY THE QUEEN, BUT ALSO BY HIS GRANDFATHER, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, WHO HAS BEEN PRESIDENT OF THE FIELDS IN TRUST FOR 63 YEARS.

PRINCE CHALES WILL MISS ROYAL ASCOT RO RECOVER FROM ILLNESS

THE PRINCE OF WALES WILL MISS ROYAL ASCOT NEXT WEEK ON DOCTORS' ORDERS, SO HE CAN RECOVER FROM AN ONGOING ILLNESS. HE IS TO TAKE THREE DAYS OFF NEXT WEEK, CANCELING ALL PLANNED ENGAGEMENTS, SO HE CAN TRY TO SHAKE OFF A PERSISTENT CHEST INFECTION. BUT THE HEIR TO THE THRONE DECIDED AGAINST REST AND RECUPERATION THIS WEEK BECAUSE HE HAD SO MANY IMPORTANT EVENTS TO ATTEND. A SPOKESMAN FOR CLARENCE HOUSE SAID: 'ON DOCTORS' ADVISE, THE PRINCE OF WALES WILL BE TAKING THREE DAYS OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THE PRINCE IS SUFFERING FROM A PERSISTENT CHEST INFECTION FOR OVER A MONTH AND DOCTORS HAVE ADVISED HIM TO FIND A NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN WHICH TO HAVE A COMPLETE REST.' THE PRINCE'S COMMITMENTS THIS WEEK INCLUDE TAKING PART IN THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE, HOSTING TWO MILITARY RECEPTIONS, VISITING THE ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW AND GIVING A LECTURE ON ISLAM AND THE ENVIRONMENT TO MARK THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE OXFORD CENTER FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES. THE PRINCE WILL TRAVEL TO BIRKHALL, HIS PRIVATE HOME ON THE QUEEN'S BALMORAL ESTATE IN SCOTLAND, WITH HIS WIFE, THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL. HE WILL MISS ROYAL ASCOT, THE WEEK LONG RACE MEETING AND HIGHLIGHT OF THE SOCIAL CALENDER THAT DATES BACK TO 1711. THE PRINCE WILL ALSO MISS THE GARTER SERVICE AND PROCESSION, WHICH ALWAYS TAKES PLACE AT WINDSOR CASTLE ON THE MONDAY OF ROYAL ASCOT WEEK AND WHICH IS TRADITIONALLY ATTENDED BY ALL SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. IN HER THRONE ROOM, THE QUEEN WILL FORMALLY INVEST NEW COMPANIONS OF THE ORDER OF THE GARTER, THE SENIOR BRITISH ORDER OF CHIVALRY, FOUNDED IN 1348. FOLLOWING LUNCH, THERE IS A PROCESSION OF THE KNIGHTS TO ST GEORGE'S CHAPEL FOLLOWED BY AN INSTALLATION CEREMONY. THE PRINCE'S ILLNESS IS NOT BELIEVED TO BE SERIOUS AND HE IS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO WORK ON THURSDAY. IT IS BELIEVED HE HAS ATTENDED EVERY GARTER CEREMONY SINCE 1989, AND ASCOT EACH YEAR FOR MOST OF THE PAST DECADE.

THE PHILBROOK MUSEUM PRESENTS 'TO LIVE FOREVER: EGYPTIAN TREASURES FROM THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM'

ON 6.JUNE, THE NILE CAME TO TULSA WITH THE DEBUT OF 'TO LIVE FOREVER: EGYPTIAN TREASURES FROM THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM'. THIS BLOCKBUSTER SHOW, ON VIEW THROUGH 12.SEPTEMBER PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY EXHIBITIONS THAT THE PHILBROOK MUSEUM EVER HAS HOSTED. AS ITS TITLE SUGGESTS, TO LIVE FOREVER EXPLORES THE AGE-OLD QUESTIONS OF IMMORTALITY AND LIFE AFTER DEATH. FOR ANCIENT EGYPTIANS, DEATH WAS AN ENEMY THAT COULD BE OVERCOME THROUGH A BIT OF INGENUITY, THE END OF LIFE ON EARTH WAS MERELY A PORTAL TO THE NEW BEGINNING. FOR ITS SPECIAL EXHIBITION OF EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES, THE PHILBROOK HAS DRAWN FROM THE EXTENSIVE HOLDINGS OF THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM, RENOWNED AS ONE OF THE RICHEST COLLECTIONS OF SUCH ART IN THE WORLD. MORE THAN 120 RARE OBJECTS, INCLUDING MUMMIES, COFFINS, SARCOPHAGI, STATUARY, JEWELRY AND FUNERARY SHROUDS, TRACE THE EGYPTIANS' ALL-CONSUMING EFFORTS TO OUTFIT THEIR TOMBS TO PLEASE THE GODS, SUBDUE DEATH AND ALLOW THEM TO 'LIVE FOREVER' IN THE AFTERLIFE. AS TO LIVE FOREVER MOVES THROUGH THE PRACTICAL PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR DEATH, THE FOCUS SHIFTS TO MUMMIFICATION, FUNERALS AND TOMBS. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES THE ACTUAL SILK-SHROUDED MUMMY OF A MAN NAMED DEMETRIOS, AS WELL AS THE WIDE VARIETY OF EVERYDAY AND EXTRA-SPECIAL ITEMS THE TIMELESS TRAVELER WOULD NEED TO SURVIVE IN ETERNITY. THE EXHIBITION SHOWS THE REALITIES FACED BY RICH AND POOR ALIKE IN CREATING OR APPROPRIATING SUCH EXPENSIVE MATERIALS TO OUTFIT THEIR TEMPLES OR TOMBS AS ETERNAL RESTING PLACES.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON PRESENTS 'CHARLES M RUSSELL: A RETROSPECTIVE OF PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE'

THE MASTERWORKS OF 'CHARLES M RUSSELL: A RETROSPECTIVE OF PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE' WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON, BEGINNING IN JUNE. THE STUNNING EXHIBITION WILL SHOW MORE THAN 60 MAJOR WORKS IN OIL, BRONZE AND MIXED MEDIA BY THE RENOWNED 'COWBOY ARTIST' CHARLES M RUSSELL, AS WELL AS A SELECTION OF PERSONAL OBJECTS THAT PORTRAY THE ARTIST IN HIS OWN WORDS AND IMAGES. VIRTUALLY SELF-TAUGHT, RUSSELL BEGAN TO PAINT EARLY IN HIS CAREER AS A COWBOY, AFTER HE LEFT HIS PRIVILEGED ST LOUIS FAMILY AT SIXTEEN TO WORK AS A NIGHT WRANGLER ON A RANCH IN THE MONTANA TERRITORY. LATER ON, HIS ICONIC IMAGES WOULD HELP DEFINE THE AMERICAN WEST IN THE POPULAR IMAGINATION. WITH FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF COWBOYS AND OUTLAWS, NATIVE AMERICANS, TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS, AND WESTERN WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS, RUSSELL PRESENTED AN UNPARALLELED VIEW OF A BYGONE AMERICAN CULTURE, RICH IN AUTHENTIC DETAIL AND INFUSED WITH PERSONAL PASSION. BY THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, IN 1926, RUSSELL HAD SEEN THE WESTERN CULTURE THAT HE LOVED RADICALLY CHANGE. THROUGH HIS ANIMATED ARTWORKS, HOWEVER, HE BECAME A WESTERN LEGEND IN HIS OWN RIGHT AND PROVIDED ENDLESS INSPIRATION TO HOLLYWOOD'S FIRST FILMMAKERS. DESPITE BEING ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN NAMES IN AMERICAN ART, THIS EXHIBITION IS THE FIRST MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE FEATURING BOTH RUSSELL'S PAINTING AND SCULPTURAL WORKS. THE MASTERWORKS OF CHARLES M RUSSELL WILL BE ON VIEW AT THE MFAH UNTIL 29.AUGUST, HOUSTON IS THE FINAL VENUE FOR THE AMERICAN TOUR.

GUARD FAINTS DURING REHEARSAL FOR TROOPING THE COLOUR

IT WAS A PERFECT DAY FOR BASKING ON THE BEACH OR RELAXING IN A PARK. BUT YESTERDAY CLEARLY WASN'T IDEAL FOR STANDING PERFECTLY STILL WHILE WEARING A 21lb BEARSKIN HAT, AS THE UNFORTUNATE SCOTS GUARDSMAN FOUND WHEN HE FAINTED AT THE FINAL REHEARSAL FOR NEXT WEEK'S TROOPING THE COLOUR. EVEN PRINCE PHILIP WAS LOOKING A TOUCH HOT AND BOTHERED AS TEMPERATURES IN LONDON HIT 80F. TRADITION DICTATES THAT GUARDS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MOVE THEIR HEADS OR EYES WHILE ON PARADE, SO THE SOLDIERS WERE UNABLE EVEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR FALLEN COMRADE'S PLIGHT. THE MOD SAID THE GUARD HAS RECOVERED.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA PRESENTS 'AUSTRALIAN MADE: 100 YEARS OF FASHION'

THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA IS PRESENTING A STUNNING AND REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FROM THE 1850s TO 1950s IN 'AUSTRALIA MADE: 100 YEARS OF FASHION'. DRAWN ENTIRELY FROM THE NCV'S COLLECTION OF AUSTRALIAN FASHION AND TEXTILES, THE EXHIBITION EXPLORES THE RISE OF FASHION IN AUSTRALIA. ON DISPLAY ARE RARE EARLY EXAMPLES OF LABELED GARMENTS FROM THE MID-19th CENTURY AND A RANGE OF DRESSES, TAILORED ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES THAT WERE MADE AND RETAILED IN AUSTRALIA. PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING HOW GARMENTS WERE WORN ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE EXHIBIT. LAURA JOCIC, CURATOR, AUSTRALIAN FASHION AND TEXTILES, SAID: 'FROM THE FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT, THE WAY AUSTRALIANS PRESENTED THEMSELVES IN THE NEW COLONIES WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE. WHETHER REFLECTING STATUS AND POSITION IN A NEWLY FORMED SOCIETY, OR EXHIBITING NEW FOUND WEALTH AND FLAMBOYANCE, THE LANGUAGE OF FASHION WAS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN FOR THE BURGEONING AND DIVERSE SOCIETY.' WITH THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN THE 1850s, DRAPERS, TAILORS, DRESSMAKERS AND DEPARTMENT STORES WERE FOUNDED TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF A GROWING SOCIETY. AMONG THESE WERE FARMER AND CO IN SYDNEY AND BUCKLEY & NUNN IN MELBOURNE WHICH RAN DRESSMAKING DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDED FOR A FASHIONABLE CLIENTELE. AUSTRALIAN MADE BEGINS WITH LATE 19th CENTURY DRESSMAKERS SUCH AS MISS SCOTT IN BRISBANE AND MRS EELES IN MELBOURNE WHO WERE PRECURSORS TO THE HIGH END BOUTIQUES OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY, SUCH AS LE LOUVRE IN COLLIN ST, MELBOURNE. THE EXHIBITION CONCLUDES WITH WORKS FROM THE EARLY 20th CENTURY FROM THE INDEPENDENT FASHION HOUSES, SUCH AS GHV THOMAS AND LUCY SECOR WHO WERE BEGINNING TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON THE AUSTRALIAN FASHION SCENE. 'AUSTRALIAN MADE: 100 YEARS OF FASHION' WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE IAN POTTER CENTER: NGV AUSTRALIA FROM 28MAY THROUGH 23.JANUARY.2011.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.ngv.vic.gov.au