Just got back from the CHIVAS fashion party at one of my fave spots, the One&Only hotel – had an absolute blast.

Myself and my darling friend Lize, (she’d the ed of Cape Town magazine), got to schmingle, indulge in delicious canapes a la Nobu and catch a fashion show featuring Fabiani and Callaghan’s finest. I’m now a little too liquored up to type up a full low down, so I thought I’d let my piccies do the talking…

I then bumped into Meneer Herschell Gibbs.

I forgot to ask him about his new book – we were too busy talking perfume. (Dude smells totally yummy). His fragrance of choice? Cartier Declaration. ‘I used to like Cool Water back in school, but now Declaration is all I wear’, he says. ‘I love that it’s hard to find and smells clean and fresh’.

I then moved on, distracted by a gal pal, Carrie, sporting the most fabulous little pedi. She’s rocking Essie’s Mint Candy Apple.

Love it? She says she only needs two layers to get this effect. ‘It’s nice and thick – like wall paint – and just doesn’t chip!’, she enthused.

Then the fashion show started up. Get a load of the model gals. They’re all wearing Callaghan…

Outside on the terrace we were entertained by Coda, the zexy chick orchestral group.

It was here that I caught up with Michelle McLean, possibly one of the nicest celebs you could ever meet.

Her top summer beauty tip? ‘Get your hands on a fabulous, luscious self-tan’, she says. Her favourite at the mo is Nivea’s Sun Touch spray. She likes that you can layer it to you gradually build up the colour of your tan and says it looks ‘deliciously dark, but very natural’. (For more of her make-up tips, click here).

Another gorgeous girl eager to pass on a beauty tip? SA uber-model Gina Athans.

Gina says if you’ve had a long, hard day and your eyes feel puffy or tired, you can perk them up with the help of chamomile tea bags. ‘It’s incredibly soothing and hydrating’, she says. (It also turns out that we’re ‘fragrance twins’ in that we’re both crazy for Tom Ford’s Black Orchid.)

We then hooked up with Javaid Aslam, my fashion designer friend. (His label’s called Jagadi. It’s ‘haute couture’. Check it out… you’ll dig it…) His date, Elana, is rocking one of his creations. She also happens to be Ferdinand Rabie’s sis.

Upon going outside for an evil smoke (I know, I know… don’t lecture me. It’s something that happens when the drinky-poo’s kick in… I spotted the ultra-cool world champion ‘Muay Thai guy’, Quentin ‘The Dragon’ Chong. Do you recognise him from the Hyundai commercials? He told me I looked fat in my Chloe knock-off, so, being ultra laid back and cool about stuff like that, I immediately jumped him and put him in the Van Den Berg choke-hold of Death…

Okay, okay, so I made up the part about him insulting me. The pics are totally posed and this guy is seriously awesome. Did you know that he’s now got his own wine on the market? Naturally, it’s called Dragon Power! He’s also been busy working on some super exciting films and stuff, but at this stage I was a bit too dronk to take it all in. However, I do remember him telling me about all the celebs he’s met – action-tastic peeps like Steven Seagal, Jason Stratham and Jean Claude van Damn. Dude’s even hung out with Mister Miyage!

Check it out – he’s got pics on his Blackberry to prove it!

Speaking of Jason Stratham… just before leaving I ran into Top Billing’s Aidan Bennetts who, I reckon, is a dead ringer for the British actor. I’ve interviewed him a couple of times before, but this is the first time I’ve met him in person. How HOT is this oke?

Please forgive the utter slutterrificness of that snap – the free CHIVAS – which is delish – had really kicked in at this point and I just couldn’t resist getting my paws all over Mr B’s hotness. He did mention something about how he’s now busy doing the interior of Bryan Habana’s house, but I was too busy trying to eat him…

On my way out, I stopped to thank PR queen Marina Nestle, she of the Little Black Book, for a lovely evening. She was a bit nervy as she had to get her pic snapped for some big deal mag, so I had fun, whipping open my handsak to give her a little make-over. Not that she needed it. Girl is rolling in natural gorgeousness and has the kind of legs I’d would kill for. Pity you can’t see them in this piccie.

A fab eve in all, Lize and I headed for home. But not before grabbing a snap of these babies that we’d spotted at the bar…

…and having a good giggle about all the free choccies we’d managed to shove into her purse.

You can take the girl out of PE, but you can’t take the PE out of the girl. Nyahahah!

Love, love

Leigh

xx