Dorothy Stratten; Welcome to Chippendales; s01e01

Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®

Courtesy: sagaftra Nominations Unveiled for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Exclusive Global Streaming of SAG Awards® Gala on Netflix, Feb. 24 Today, the contenders for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, recognizing exceptional individual, ensemble, and cast performances from the past year, were disclosed by Issa Rae (Barbie, American Fiction, Insecure) and Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales, The Big Sick) via Instagram Live. The announcement of outstanding stunt ensemble performances in films and TV was presented by SAG Awards Committee Members Jason George and Woody Schultz, featuring an introduction by SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. Produced by Silent House Productions in collaboration with SAG-AFTRA, the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be globally live-streamed on Netflix, on Feb. 24, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall. To revisit today's revelation, follow the SAG Awards® on Instagram @sagawards. For a comprehensive list of nominations and quick facts, please explore the SAG Awards® Press Kit page: https://sagawards.org/media/newsinfo/press-kit. As previously disclosed, the iconic actor, singer, producer, writer, and director Barbra Streisand will be bestowed with the SAG Life Achievement Award for her career milestones and philanthropic contributions during the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony. A pinnacle of the awards season, the SAG Awards annually applaud exceptional cinematic and television performances from the preceding calendar year (SAG Awards Eligibility Period: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023). Among the foremost accolades presented to actors, only the SAG Awards are determined entirely by the votes of performers' peers in SAG-AFTRA, boasting 119,515 eligible voters. The final voting phase commences on Wednesday, Jan. 17, concluding at Noon PT on Friday, Feb. 23. The Film Nominees are: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role BRADLEY COOPER / Leonard Bernstein - "MAESTRO" COLMAN DOMINGO / Bayard Rustin - "RUSTIN" PAUL GIAMATTI / Paul Hunham - "THE HOLDOVERS" CILLIAN MURPHY / J. Robert Oppenheimer - "OPPENHEIMER" JEFFREY WRIGHT / Thelonious "Monk" Ellison - "AMERICAN FICTION" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role ANNETTE BENING / Diana Nyad - "NYAD" LILY GLADSTONE / Mollie Burkhart - "KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON" CAREY MULLIGAN / Felicia Montealegre - "MAESTRO" MARGOT ROBBIE / Barbie - "BARBIE" MMA STONE / Bella Baxter - "POOR THINGS" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role STERLING K. BROWN / Clifford Ellison - "AMERICAN FICTION" WILLEM DAFOE / Godwin Baxter - "POOR THINGS" ROBERT DE NIRO / William Hale - "KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON" ROBERT DOWNEY JR. / Lewis Strauss - "OPPENHEIMER" RYAN GOSLING / Ken - "BARBIE" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role EMILY BLUNT / Kitty Oppenheimer - "OPPENHEIMER" DANIELLE BROOKS / Sofia - "THE COLOR PURPLE" PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Laura Ferrari - "FERRARI" JODIE FOSTER / Bonnie Stoll - "NYAD" DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH / Mary Lamb - "THE HOLDOVERS" Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture AMERICAN FICTION ERIKA ALEXANDER / Coraline ADAM BRODY / Wiley Valdespino TERLING K. BROWN / Clifford Ellison KEITH DAVID / Willy the Wonker JOHN ORTIZ / Arthur ISSA RAE / Sintara Golden TRACEE ELLIS ROSS / Lisa Ellison LESLIE UGGAMS / Agnes Ellison JEFFREY WRIGHT / Thelonious "Monk" Ellison BARBIE MICHAEL CERA / Allan WILL FERRELL / Mattel CEO AMERICA FERRERA / Gloria RYAN GOSLING / Ken ARIANA GREENBLATT / Sasha KATE MCKINNON / Barbie HELEN MIRREN / Narrator RHEA PERLMAN / Ruth ISSA RAE/ Barbie MARGOT ROBBIE / Barbie THE COLOR PURPLE HALLE BAILEY / Young Nettie FANTASIA BARRINO / Celie JON BATISTE / Grady DANIELLE BROOKS / Sofia CIARA / Nettie COLMAN DOMINGO / Mister AUNJANUE ELLIS-TAYLOR / Mama LOUIS GOSSETT, JR. / Ol' Mister COREY HAWKINS / Harpo TARAJI P. HENSON / Shug Avery PHYLICIA PEARL MPASI / Young Celie GABRIELLA WILSON "H.E.R." / Squeak KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON TANTOO CARDINAL / Lizzie Q ROBERT DE NIRO / William Hale LEONARDO DICAPRIO / Ernest Burkhart BRENDAN FRASER / W.S. Hamilton LILY GLADSTONE / Mollie Burkhart JOHN LITHGOW / Prosecutor Peter Leaward JESSE PLEMONS / Tom White OPPENHEIMER CASEY AFFLECK / Boris Pash EMILY BLUNT / Kitty Oppenheimer KENNETH BRANAGH / Niels Bohr MATT DAMON / Leslie Groves ROBERT DOWNEY JR. / Lewis Strauss JOSH HARTNETT / Ernest Lawrence RAMI MALEK / David Hill CILLIAN MURPHY / J. Robert Oppenheimer FLORENCE PUGH / Jean Tatlock The Television Program Nominees are: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series MATT BOMER / Hawkins "Hawk" Fuller - "FELLOW TRAVELERS" JON HAMM / Roy Tillman - "FARGO" DAVID OYELOWO / Bass Reeves - "LAWMEN: BASS REEVES" TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - "MR. MONK'S LAST CASE: A MONK MOVIE" STEVEN YEUN / Danny Cho - "BEEF" Read the full article

In 'Welcome to Chippendales,' Costumes Include '80s Vintage, Many G-Strings and Custom Breakaway Pants

In ‘Welcome to Chippendales,’ Costumes Include ’80s Vintage, Many G-Strings and Custom Breakaway Pants

Warning: Mild spoilers through episode four of “Welcome to Chippendales.” In addition to ripped-from-the headlines murder, scandal and lots of bulges and butts, “Welcome to Chippendales” includes a dramatization of a key player in the famous nightclub’s story: the talent behind the male stripper troupe’s iconic looks.  “I’m a vision facilitator, a costume designer — especially costume…

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What's Streaming Today, November 22, 2022

What’s Streaming Today, November 22, 2022

The big series premiere tonight is the highly anticipated Welcome to Chippendales on Hulu.  Based on the book Deadly Dance: The Chippendale Murders, it tells the story of Somen ‘Steve’ Banerjee as he follows his dreams to open a private, upscale club in Los Angeles.  Soon after opening, the club morphs into the iconic Chippendales.  From feuding with his partners to bad decisions to arson to…

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Southwest Roadtrip - Episode 1: Viva las Vegas

When it comes to discovering the US, Johnny Cash kept it simple and straight to the point: 

“I've been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert's bare, man. I've breathed the mountain air, man. Of travel I've had my share, man. I've been everywhere.“

And what a journey it was! Who knew a failed attempt to fly to Hawaii would result in such a fun adventure? We packed our stuff and jumped on a plane, destination Southwest of America. Starting by Vegas, passing through Arizona, stopping by Utah, resting in Colorado. Only my friend Belu would be as kamikaze to propose such thing and found in me such a blind partner-in-crime. It was September 4th, and we were rushing in a taxi from Hoboken to Newark to board our first flight during a global sanitary emergency, looking like Darth Vader’s close cousins with our masks and face shields. 

After an approximately 6-hour flight, we landed in the middle of literally nowhere. We were able to see the pyramid and some other iconic architecture which I currently do not remember because it was about only for 5 seconds before landing. On arrival, on a mostly empty airport, we were surprised by the amount of slot machines that were there, welcoming everyone to place their bets. For sure, ours was to have fun and contrary to common belief, the house didn't win this one: we had a blast!

Followed by a surprise “SIN CITY, WOOO HOOO!” shout from someone who obviously has been living inside a thermos for the last past months, we cracked up and went to fetch a car. This very nice gentleman took us to the Bellagio (yeap, we went full on cliche mode, with what was originally a non-existent promo) while DJ Dani blasted her best records to kick off this adventure with the right feet: Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley and Just a Gigolo by Louis Prima Success. 

DAY 1: 

First things first: check in and adventure. Hotel, amenities and surroundings. Vegas spins around two main areas: the famous Strip, 6.8kms of the brightest place on earth seen from outer space full of hotels, restaurants, shops and of course, casinos. Pretty much Disneyworld for adults. The Bellagio is the iconic hotel which hosts some of the greatest restaurants and also the famous dancing fountains. Also, is one that is pretty centrally located, in between Caesars Palace (Roman Empire themed), The Cosmopolitan (which imitates boheme life from France) Aria and Park MGM Las Vegas (New York City represent!), Excalibur (Middle Ages) Luxor (Cleopatra’s Egypt) and The Venetian (of course, Venice). Everything is within walking distance but beware of the heat: a normal day in the desert is around 42C (107F), if not more, with a melting down thermal sensation of 1000 in any scale. This is why is also a city that is enjoyable during night time. So, do not feel bad about sleeping in a bit: you can always chill by the pool in the morning, have a little something for lunch and sleep (or remove the hangover) during the afternoon when the sun is unbearable. OR, the casino is always open so that could be an option. We chose to walk around a bit (big mistake) but luckily once you enter to the casinos, they are all connected with escalators, shade and AC, so we were mesmerized by this grown up themed park, where is so easy to lose track of time. 

After an Italian lunch on a french bistro in a corner of Paris (? yes.. I know..) we went back and rest by the pool. Once the sun was already getting ready to bet some chips at night, we did too: we changed into our most shinny and glamorous outfit and won exactly 27 dollars! We checked out Venice, and some of the night shows that were happening on the streets (like naked promoters, the massive PM lines, and the crazy long-ass “juice” towers flowing around the more energetic covid-prone crowds) right before we headed up to Yellowtail, the Japanese and Michelin Starred restaurant at the Bellagio. We had their famous tuna pizza (it sounds terrible but it is more of a tostada or sashimi-style like) and got disappointed that they run out of the short ribs, but instead had some amazing sushi rolls and some tempura bites. When we found out about the beautiful, sigh-seeing windows that displayed all the fountain show we left our high-end attires aside and run to the windows, interrupting some other people’s dinner while leaving the waiters behind. We decided to go for dessert somewhere else and went to the piano bar located at the reception for a delicious espresso and a chocolate diamond cake. We did some neon-gazing and loved the fountain show to the beat of Believe by Cher, while being overwhelmed by a surreal feeling of actually being there, having so much fun and appreciating our friendship (and of course, avoided a high/drunk fellow who tried to take our pics and phone with them - she didnt know we were from New York and from Rio de la Plata, so the scam was on her!) 

DAY 2

Repeat. (and pretty much that’s all we did). We kicked it off with a fake breakfast by the pool, and some piñas coladas in between facemasks. We also had a light lunch by the pool (a greek salad with some much needed water) and then, around 6:15 we took a cab to the Neon Museum - yeap, for those who think there is only light fun in Vegas, nope, think again, there are worthy museums, too! ( I even made a joke here! damn I’m inspired!). The Neon Museum is a scrap dealer cemetery, where all the old and somehow “broken” -even thou most of them have been repaired and are currently working!- neon signs from Old time Vegas rest. It is very fun to see old hotels, random letters, icons and logos being laid there, creating a wonderful mess in the middle of, again, you guess right, the desert. It was very fun and beautiful to be honest. 

Another short taxi drive later (I was too naif thinking we could walk in short heels under the killer heat more than a block!) we drove thru what is known as “Old Vegas” or “Downtown Vegas”. This used to be the place where the magic happened before the creation of the Strip, but nowadays it only hosts what lingers of once a glamorous and kitschy past. The center of this action can be found throughout Freemont Street, a pedestrian long avenue that gathers classic neon signs, all-time Vegas characters (we still missed out on Elvis, so watch out impersonator, we will be back just for you!), stripers, street sellers, all you can eat venues, dodgy bars, and more and more neons.  According to Las Vegas Tourism Board>> “Fun people, crazy people, partying, gambling, drinking, street performers, free music and light shows, zip lining and just having a good time... that's what you expect at Freemont.”

We had some pizza, talked to this Montana guy who for a second thought he was able to have a threesome with us on his dirty van, were voluntary abused by these hot, ripped stripers who made us laugh with their pick up line: “You can leave your face mask here, right by your underwear too, please.” The guys were a “sample” - since the show is canceled due to the pandemic- of Chippendales, something a fine woman needs to experience once in their lifetime. Belu felt in love with her boy, but given the current times and protocols, this love couldn't prosper as we all wished it had. No worries amiga, next time!

But the most striking part of this decadent place was witnessing this surreal restaurant called Heart Attack Grill, where people who weight more than 350lbs (almost 160kgs) eat for free. The biggest burger consist on 8 patties, and as an FYI, only the 4 patty burger is marked on the Guinness World Records Book as the “Quadruple Bypass Burger” with almost 10.000 calories, all the beverages consists on massive soft drinks, milkshakes, beers and wine, (full bottles, of course, served from an IV drip bag) and it is not allowed to share food. The place is cash only, you gotta weight yourself before entering, each patty is made of half pound each, everybody must wear hospital gowns and if you dare not to finish your meal, you get three spanks by the horny yet not so sexy waitress dressed as nurses. As a nice little detail, on the biggest burger you can pump it up with 40 slices of bacon by only $7.99 more!  And, to wrap up this majestic hospital parlor, I recently researched that the legal owner of Heart Attack Grill is hilarious – Diet Center LLC. The founder is Jon Basso, who strives to provide “nutritional pornography” in his food. For a better comprehension (for a lack of a better word) of this place, you can check out this recap of Showtime’s series: Deadly Sins. 

So, we were mesmerized, we were educated, we bet, we ate, we drunk and we touched some sweaty strippers, so there was only one thing left to do: crush a weeding. So there we went. There were multiple chapels around the area, but I dont know whether it was the time (it was around, 9, 9 and coins) so it may have been a little bit too late or due to COVID, but no weddings were in place. We finally arrived to the Little White Chapel, the original, unique one that has the Elvis sign, the drive-thru and the proud sign that states how Michael Jordan and Joan Collins got married there. We were so bummed to found only a very young, very dull couple getting married (she was wearing black, hence, that is all you need to know) and there was not a very jolly, merry spirit. Still, we managed to hang out with the best men and got a picture of two to remember this fail attempt to crush this very much lame wedding. Up we went to the Bellagio, checking out what was missing from Sin City: the Wynn Hotel, Route 515, 51 and the Famous Welcome to Las Vegas Sign. 

We wrapped this unique experience witnessing an amazing, full moon in the middle of the desert, with a massive and delicious full on breakfast at Sadelle’s, a little piece of home in our far-away-from home hotel.  Till next time, Vegas! You were great fun! 

This Is How You Open A Boutique Hotel

This Is How You Open A Boutique Hotel

Travel

by Lucy Feagins, Editor

The Paramount House Hotel in Sydney, designed by Breathe Architecture, features a distinctive copper-clad exterior. Photo – Tom Ross.

The atrium-style hotel foyer blends heritage with new. Photo – Sharyn Cairns.

The 29-room hotel is housed within an industrial building which adjoins the original heritage-listed Paramount building. Photo – Sharyn Cairns.

Hotel foyer. Photo – Sharyn Cairns.

Hotel foyer. Photo – Sharyn Cairns.

The hotel seamlessly integrates contemporary interiors with heritage details. Photo – Tom Ross.

Indoor greenery throughout by Pop Plant, Photo – Tom Ross.

The rooms feature bedlinen by Cultiver, Seljak‘s recycled merino wool blankets. Photo – Tom Ross.

The hotel’s co-founders were keen to incorporate private outdoor space adjoining every room. Photo – Tom Ross.

Bedlinen by Cultiver, and recycled merino wool blankets by Seljak. Photo – Tom Ross.

Bespoke cabinetry, terrazzo tiles and Aesop amenities – yes please! Photo – Tom Ross.

Native blackbutt Japanese-style soaking tub by Tasmania’s Wood and Water. Photo – Tom Ross.

Billed as a ‘neighbourhood hotel’, the magic of Paramount House Hotel is that is actually has a personality. Yes, it’s small (29 rooms), and yes, it’s beautifully designed (thankyou Breathe Architecture). But beyond these factors, there is something truly unique about this place. Especially if, like us, you’re passionate about Australian design, art and homewares.

The line-up of collaborators here reads like a who’s who of Australian design. Beyond the actual building design, there’s Melbourne-made furniture by Jardan, delightfully wonky handcrafted ceramics in each room by Commons, lush indoor greenery throughout by Pop Plant, AMAZING native blackbutt Japanese-style soaking tubs by Tasmania’s Wood and Water, art curated by Surry Hills gallery China Heights (including work by local artists including Brooklyn Whelan, Max Berry, Marty Baptiste, Jesse Lizotte and more), illustrations and murals by Sydney design team We Buy Your Kids, ‘vide poche’ accessories by Sydney designer Henry Wilson, exquisitely scrunchy bedlinen by Cultiver in gorgeous dusty pink and blue palettes, Seljak‘s recycled merino wool blankets made in Tasmania (out of offcuts from the factory floor), and SUPER cute staff uniforms and dressing gowns by Worktones. NO DETAIL has been overlooked, people.

I know what you’re thinking; How does a hotel like this actually happen? SURELY it would be cheaper and easier to furnish a hotel with mass-produced furniture, generic white bedlinen, and dishwasher-proof coffee cups? YES. It would. So, how does a concept like this get off the ground, and who is behind it? Funnily enough… it all started with coffee.

The hotel’s founders and owners are Russell Beard, Ping Jin Ng and Mark Dundon.

Ping Jin Ng owns the building, while Russell and Mark both come from backgrounds in coffee and hospitality – Mark is the founder of Melbourne coffee brand Seven Seeds, and Russell owns Reuben Hills cafe in Sydney. Together, the trio owns and operates Paramount Coffee Project, Bondi Hall in Sydney, and PCPLA in Los Angeles.

It really all started with Paramount House, though. Built in 1940, this is one of Sydney’s iconic heritage-listed buildings. Its recent restoration and the curation of carefully selected creative tenants has become more than just a business opportunity for building owner Jin, it has very much evolved into a personal passion project.

Russell, Jin and Mark opened their first joint venture, Paramount Coffee Project, a now-bustling breakfast and lunch spot in the foyer of the building, in 2013. Today there’s also Goldenage Cinema and Bar, ‘The Office Space‘ (the most beautiful co-working space we’ve ever seen), Paramount Recreation Club, and Poly, a soon-to-be-opened basement restaurant, from the team behind much-loved Chippendale eatery, Ester. Every business here has been personally selected by Jin, creating a building with its own very distinct creative community.

The development of the hotel started around four years ago. As Mark explains, ‘We had the café working quite well, it was a bit of a way-out concept at the beginning, you know, a cafe in a foyer… but Jin trusted us, and it pulled the building together. Then one day he just said to us, ‘What else do you guys want to do?’. Four months later, Jin had bought the adjoining building. It was time to build a hotel.

Despite being seasoned hospitality operators, developing a hotel concept was new territory for Mark and Russell. Approaching the project with a sort of ‘rookie’ mindset, though, is part of what has made Paramount House Hotel so special. ‘Russell and I both travel a lot for sourcing coffee, and I suppose our ideas just came from thinking about what we would like to see in a hotel ourselves,’ says Mark. This is a business built on notions of what a hotel could be, with no real precedent to adhere to. Mark describes how the trio was keen for it to feel understated and pared back. ‘We wanted to get a bit of warmth into the place’ he recalls.

Another defining feature of the hotel is a private outdoor space adjoining every room. ‘We always thought it would be great to have an outdoor space, you know, when you rock in after a long fight and you can sit outside and just take in a little bit of the city?’ says Mark, ‘so many hotels are so sealed in.’

Like every great creative project, the making of Paramount House Hotel has been a massive undertaking, and a collaborative process from beginning to end. ‘I’ve really enjoyed the experience of doing it,’ reflects Mark. ‘At the end of the day, it’s just like welcoming someone into your house. Whether you’re serving them a meal or coffee, or putting them up for the night… It’s about creating an environment that brings people together, and that’s very rewarding.’

Paramount House Hotel 80 Commonwealth Street Surry Hills, New South Wales

Lucy stayed as a guest of Paramount House Hotel.

Sydney’s Top Special Occasion Restaurants by BrandsExclusive

Whether you’re scouting potential birthday spots, got an anniversary coming up or you just enjoy the finer things in life, Sydney is home to some of the best top-tier restaurants in the country. To help you confirm your next booking and dine in style, we’ve rounded up the top 5 seriously swanky special occasion restaurants worth the splurge!

Automata, Chippendale Interior junkies and foodies rejoice! This place is really something. Boasting an almost industrial-style look with cool concrete floor, high ceilings, moody pendant lights and pared back fixtures throughout, Automata invites you to a rare otherworldly experience you won’t find anywhere else in Sydney. Lead by head chef Clayton Wells, who was sous chef at David Chang’s Momofuku Seiobo in 2015 until opening his very own pride and joy, Automata.

Rub your hands together for the ultimate 5 star degustation featuring dishes inspired by Wells’ travels abroad, impeccable culinary craftsmanship and the finest local produce in town. Accompany your dining experience with exquisite foreign beverages and pairings beyond wine. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

Nomad, Surry Hills

Thanks to couple, Rebecca Littlemore and former Toko owner Al Yazbek, us Sydneysiders now get to experience the ultimate cellar door experience with Nomad. A converted-warehouse feel welcomes you upon entry with polished concrete floors, high ceilings, dimly lit light fixtures, organic furniture and distressed finishes throughout. Local seasonal produce is used to cook up a storm in the kitchen, delivering delicious house made breads, cheeses and cured meats to your plate. Treat your tastebuds to a tasty tipple from an iconic rotating wine list featuring the very best homegrown drops.

Esther Restaurant & Bar, Chippendale

On the hunt for a memorable date spot? Esther certainly ticks all of the boxes. The mood is kind of casual yet charming, which can take the pressure off those awkward first date feels. The space is snug but cosy as it only seats 45 (make sure you book ahead). And like the interior, the menu is simple yet deliciously satisfying. Rather than creating complex dishes with one too many ingredients and otherworldly techniques, chef Mat Lindsay uses a wood-fired oven and good quality produce to satisfy your palate.

LuMi Dining, Pyrmont

A little slice of heaven situated right on Sydney harbour, LuMi Dining is run by chef Federico Zanellato and his wife and head sommelier Michela Boncagni. Soak up a million dollar view while you dine on delicious modern Italian cuisine with a clever Japanese twist. Treat your palate to the finest Italian wines, specially sourced by Michela Boncagni herself.

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