Buzzin Bratz

Former Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Slash is to auction off over 200 items of personal items, collections and memorabilia, with funds going to Los Angeles Youth Network Charity. The auction will take place at Juliens Auctions in Beverley Hills on March 26th.

Among the highlights of the auction will be fourteen guitars from Slash’s collection which spans his 24 year career, including a one of a kind Stravinski Fender Stratocaster, a B.C.  Rich Red Mockingbird guitar and two versions of Slash’s very own Gibson and Epiphone Slash Les Paul signature model guitars in Tobacco Sunburst

Also up for sale is a diamond encrusted guitar pendant estimated at $12,000-18,000; a Slash Guns N’ Roses silver cuff and a Cartier Roadstar wristwatch ($4,000-6,000). Also up for auction is his trademark Top Hat and his prized 1966 Corvette equipped with a big block 427 cubic inch V-8 engine with 435 horsepower, 4-speed manual transmission estimated to sell for $120,000.

Clothing and accessories highlights include a stage worn Chrome Hearts leather top hat ($1,000-2,000), various custom Marc Vachon leather motorcycle jackets, including one decorated in a Velvet Revolver “Libertad” theme (Est $1,000-2,000), performance worn t-shirts from all phases of Slash’s life and career (multiple lots, Est $600-800), and a leather Chrome Hearts suit (Est: $2,000-3,000), Ray-Ban Large Aviator sunglasses (Est $200-300), a custom Rockin’ Couture Guns N’ Roses belt (Est $300-500), and a custom skull and crossbones in a top-hat necklace (Est: $600-800).

Some of his eclectic collection tells the story of Slash’s love of film, television and fast cars. Offered are items which include the bench from the “One Flew over the  Cuckoo’s Nest” movie set (Est: $6,000-8,000), a South Park Pinball Machine (Est: $2,500-3,500), a 2007 Harley Davidson V-Rod VRSCAW Twin Racing Street Custom Cruiser (Est: $8,000-10,000), and the star of the show is his 1966 Corvette equipped with a big block 427 cubic inch V-8 engine
with 435 horsepower, 4-speed manual transmission (Est: $90,000-$100,000).

The Exhibition for the collection of Slash and Rock Legends for Julien’s Auctions, Beverly Hills will be designed by Rush Jenkins and KlausBaer of WRJ Design Associates, who have designed exhibitions for The Collection of Michael Jackson , The Estate of Johnny Cash, The Collection of Cher and more recently The Collection of Barbra Streisand.

Free Public Exhibition:
Julien’s Auctions
9665 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 150
Beverly Hills, California 90210

March 7th – March 25th 10am to 5pm Daily- Closed Sunday’s.
Live Auction:
9665 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 150
Beverly Hills, California 90210

Saturday March 26th

Rock Legends: Session I: 9am (PST)

The Collection of Slash: Session II: 1pm (PST)

alexandra burke

X Factor pop singer Alexandra Burke will be on the Southbank in London today enticing passers by to take part in attempting to beat the coin stacking World Record as part of a campaign to generate some excitement for the upcoming 2012 Olympics in London.

Alexandra will be joined by British Olympian Steve Backley and visitors are being encouraged to drag themselves to Southbank to take part in the initiative too.

Londoners are invited to come along to the Southbank on 1st and 2nd March to break the coin stacking World Record as they give it their best shot to beat the clock in the coin stacking challenge. And the winner will certainly be in the money as the fastest stacker from the two day event will walk away with a cash prize!

The coin stacking competition will take place in front of an artistic display of coin stacked art expertly stacked to read ‘London 2012′.

The Spots V Stripes Race Season runs from 1st March and will also be going on tour visiting key cities including Newcastle, Birmingham and London offering everyone the chance to join in the fun. The public are being challenged to break records in everything from coin stacking to making the bed, mouse scrolling or even doodling in a bid to turn Britain into a nation of World Record Holders.

The fastest coin stacking challenge was unveiled as part of the Cadbury Spots v Stripes Race Season and is just one of many challenges aimed at getting Brits to take part in playing more games and having more fun in the run up to London 2012.

There are nine World Records up for grabs so everyone should log on to www.spotsvstripes.com

usher new look foundation speech - photo suzan moore/empics

Usher’s New Look Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by pop superstar Usher Raymond IV designed to mentor youth from impoverished areas, hosted a workshop in London at The Brunswick Club on Saturday, February 19th with a surprise talk from the mega star himself.

The day consisted of team-building, speakers and classroom break-out sessions where students learnt how to tackle community problems, the basic skill-set of becoming leaders and how to create a service project in their community.

Usher’s talk focused around having to put in hard work to become a future leader but encouraged the audience to pursue their passions to fulfill their dreams.

“Not everyone will be a star. You may not all be footballers but it’s about applying business acumen and using your skills to succeed and give back to your community” said the singer.

The Brunswick Club works to strengthen young people’s talents and encourage involvement in service and civic engagement, two main pillars that make up the New Look Foundation.

The New Look Foundation empowers, motivates and inspires young people to create change while offering them the tools and resources they need to succeed as leaders.  The Foundation has provided over 150,000 hours of leadership training and has worked with more than 8,700 youth around the world.

Celebrities are well known for pushing the boundaries when it comes to clothes and fashion. When extravagant and expensive garments are not enough, individuals love nothing more than to showcase their latest weird and wonderful creations, though sometimes it’s not the hit that they hoped for.

2010 was a veritable feast of haute couture in the celebrity world, and with both gorgeous glamour and hideous mess hitting the red carpet, there was a lot for fans to enjoy.

There is one particular musician who continues to push the fashion boundaries with her garments without looking ridiculous. Lady Gaga is commonly seen out in public or attending events with extreme looks such as her hair being styled into the shape of a telephone, or simply wearing a leather bathing suit with huge black bow on the red carpet.

However, unlike many others who would fail to carry off such garments, Lady Gaga’s creative uniqueness manages to make a hot trend where others would fail. In 2010 she excelled herself, attending the Grammy’s in a black number covered in huge gold crystal formations, whilst at the VMA’s she wore a red lace outfit which covered her entire face.

Whilst Lady Gaga can work such outrageous styles with ease, there are many who fail in their endeavor to push the boundaries. Lil Kim is notorious for revealing outfits, and wore a one shoulder glittered purple cat suit to the 2010 VMA’s which was nothing extraordinary apart from the fact that one breast was exposed and simply covered with a purple patch. Nicki Minaj meanwhile turned up at the American Music Awards with the lower half of her blonde hair dyed bright green whilst wearing a plain pink dress covered in huge gaudy gold and blue accessories. Meanwhile, at the same event, Ke$ha wore a black dress which could only be described as looking like an oil slick.

For all the celebrities that fail to look good, there are just as many actors and actresses which pull off haut couture with glamorous style. There is no place better for this than at the movie awards such as the Oscars and BAFTA’s. This year as always there was extravagant glamour on the red carpet with many actresses providing stunning dresses for fashionista’s to enjoy.

Sandra Bullock’s gold Oscars dress with upper lacing proved a big hit, as did Kate Winslet’s beautiful black BAFTA dress which fitted her natural curves extremely well. Meanwhile, director Sam Taylor-Wood showed that even in pregnancy stunning couture can be worn, whilst Meryl Streep demonstrated that the little black dress isn’t always a ‘must have’ when she glowed in a entirely white ensemble.

With such important presence in the fashion world, celebrity style is taken to the high street in a number of forms by firms such as La Redoute. Discount codes can also be found for hot trend items, and by searching online for ‘La Redoute Discount Vouchers‘ for example, great savings can be made. And by following the extravagant fashion of the celebrity world you too can ensure that you break the fashion boundaries in every day life.

Gordon Ramsay photo Allan Warren

While what Gordon Ramsay does or says is of little consequence to me as I have seldom if ever watched him on TV, I do object to the huge amounts of cash that he is allegedly ‘earning’ through his television shows.

Hardly a personality in the traditional sense of the word and having as much charisma as a stuffed duck are hardly the things that you would imagine that television companies are looking for when taking on staff to front a TV series.

His one claim to fame, other than maybe being good in the kitchen, is that he shouts and swears a lot. Perversely this style of behaviour is particularly popular these days and there appear to be way to many viewers who also adopt this confrontational behaviour in their own lives who simply cannot get enough of his foul mouthed tirades.

Having recently backed a TV chef call to ban or govern Shark fishing, it turns out that Ramsay had been caught on camera sometime ago catching his own Shark. It is fair to point out that Ramsay was unaware at that time that Sharks are an endangered species and has since reformed his opinions on the cruel sport.

His employers at Channel 4 who sound like they are as keen to see the back of him as I would be, are using this controversy as a way to revoke a ‘golden handcuff’ deal worth a reported £5million!

Five million for what? No wonder Television is full of ‘celebrity’ chef’s.