Private Sydney
Reese Witherspoon's Aussie conference mysteriously cancelled
Andrew Hornery 10:41 AM Reese Witherspoon won't be collecting the estimated $500,000 plus appearance fee for a series of "inspirational" seminars.
Richard Roxburgh back to play Roger Rogerson in Blue Murder 2
![Tony Martin as Neddy Smith, and Richard Roxburgh as Roger Rogerson, in the original mini-series, Blue Murder.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/j/b/a/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpjayn.png/1465968169410.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Much has been riding on the outcome of the Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara murder trial, with Wednesday's guilty verdict opening the way for a raft of books and films to make their way into the public domain.
Private Sydney: Roxy gets less social with media
![Andrew Hornery dinkus Dinkus](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/2/t/r/h/g/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpf47b.png/1465568714355.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Roxy Jacenko's seemingly Teflon-coated facade has started showing signs it may not be as impenetrable as her meticulously orchestrated social media persona would have us believe.
Gold Dinner remains a glittering occasion
![Peter FitzSimons and Lisa Wilkinson and the Gold Dinner 2016 on Thursday.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/g/1/l/6/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpg0qi.png/1465556684263.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Uninformed cynics might write off the annual Gold Dinner Sydney Children's Hospital as just a bunch of rich people raising money to look after rich sick kids, but the $1.6million raised on Thursday night will do far more than that.
PS: Jacenko spices up stakeout of ravenous media horde
![Oliver Curtis and Roxy Jacenko.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/a/i/q/t/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp8qr9.png/1465421814627.jpg)
Andrew Hornery With a horde of news crews waiting for Roxy Jacenko and her husband, convicted insider trader Oliver Curtis, to emerge from the luxury digs, a mariachi band turned up to drop off a box of spicy salsa for Roxy to try.
Private Sydney: Waverley Council in a flap over rainbow flag motion
![A motion to fly a rainbow flag over Bondi's iconic pavilion has caused a stir at Waverley Council.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/a/h/t/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpahjq.png/1464971360864.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Waverley Mayor Sally Betts' alter ego may well be the Queen Of Hearts, but it's her fellow councillors who are feeling anything but love for a seemingly innocuous rainbow flag that was to fly above Bondi Pavilion.
PS
Another award for Clooney - but does it mean anything?
![Andrew Hornery Private Sydney PS dinkus](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/2/t/r/h/h/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp7t3i.png/1465053616926.jpg)
Andrew Hornery You would think George Clooney's trophy room would already be stuffed to the gills, but clearly the actor had enough space among the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Screen Actor's Guild and Oscar to squeeze in a new medal awarded to him last week by Pope Francis in recognition of his work promoting one of the Catholic Church's charitable foundations.
PS: Vivienne may soon have a new home
![Actor Asher Keddie wearing The Vivienne pearl necklace.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/9/u/1/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp9y1y.png/1464953032525.jpg)
Andrew Hornery He unlocks a display case and pulls on a pair of black cotton gloves to fondle the most expensive piece in the store. Named The Vivienne, it's a choker made up of 26 lustrous, perfectly graduated pearls up to the size of a quail's egg.
PS: Jeffrey Smart's modern masterpieces to be sold
![Jeffrey Smart's partner Ermes De Zan, who will oversee the sale of some of the artist's finest works.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/a/k/2/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp88ww.png/1464953272717.jpg)
Andrew Hornery It has been a bittersweet homecoming for Ermes De Zan, the former partner of the late expatriate Australian artist Jeffrey Smart, who is about to oversee the sale of some of the finest works Smart ever created.
Courthouse glamour: PR queen steals the fashion spotlight
![Roxy Jacenko wore a bold geometric design for the trial on Wednesday.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/8/x/4/1/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp8s7l.png/1464925923662.jpg)
Andrew Hornery For a generation fully immersed in the shallow narcissism of social media, self-anointed public relations "queen" Roxy Jacenko became their undisputed poster girl, having long ago perfected the art of seizing on every opportunity to upload glimpses of her supposedly glamorous and perfect life to her tens of thousands of followers.
PS: Friends jet into LA for Sarah Murdoch's birthday bash
![Lachlan Murdoch threw a surprise birthday party for wife Sarah in Los Angeles.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/9/z/d/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp88tt.png/1464843391412.jpg)
Andrew Hornery You know what they say about birds of a feather, and when that plumage is of a particularly rare and beautiful species, you can be sure there is much to give a flock about, as Sarah Murdoch discovered in Los Angeles this week.
What's that? Sally is not her name!
![Kate Richie ... or is it Sally?](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/3/z/z/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp376y.png/1464447031671.jpg)
Andrew Hornery For a gossip columnist, forgetting someone's name is instant social death. But those annoying situations happen to all of us: you know the face, but you just can't place the name.
Private Sydney: All is fair in love and war
![Love chase: The Bachelor pits one man against a bevy of beauties looking for The One.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/m/8/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp48eg.png/1464563752919.jpg)
Andrew Hornery At first glance, the manicured lawns and sparkling blue swimming pool adjacent to the Glenorie McMansion appear an idyllic location for a romantic reality television show, but anyone associated with filming the latest series of The Bachelor report the shoot has been more like a "warzone" over the past three months.
PS: Fashion icon out the door at David Jones
![David Jones designer Aurelio Costarella (left) with David Jones merchandise executive Donna Player and head stylist ...](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/b/q/q/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp3a2b.png/1464329172014.jpg)
Andrew Hornery It had been a long but exciting fashion week for David Jones' merchandise boss Donna Player, seated prominently in the front row of all the best shows.
Sofa, not so good for Mariah Carey online
![Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall at the flower show.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/3/7/e/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp54jy.png/1464327459718.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Leather-clad Carey: Her snug outfits are eliciting plenty of online commentary.
PS: Primus Hotel still waiting for the boss to visit
![Expensive wait: The presidential suite at the Primus Hotel won't be made available for use until Chinese billionaire and ...](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/7/v/x/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp4463.png/1464342368390.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Australia's leading hoteliers, both large and small, gathered on Wednesday night for the annual Australian Gourmet Traveller guide launch at the newly-opened five-star Primus Hotel in the refurbished Sydney Water Board building on Pitt Street.
PS: Gob-stopping jewellery rattles chains at Fashion Week
![Odd-ball jewellery: A model walks the runway for Toni Maticevski's Resort17 Collections.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/z/8/e/7/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goyvcd.png/1463753406365.jpg)
Andrew Hornery If ever you needed proof that those who live on Planet Fashion dance to the beat of a different drum, it was on the catwalk at Toni Maticevski's extraordinary runway show.
PS: Justin and Gigi take to the skies
![Gigi, Justin Hemmes' seaplane, is "all about convenience".](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/z/2/m/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goymw2.png/1463738660807.jpg)
Andrew Hornery He didn't get much change from $3 million, but Justin Hemmes is besotted.
PS: ABC staff battle for prestige spots in carpark
![Michelle Guthrie has been quick to make her presence felt at ABC's Ultimo corridors.](/web/20160616183610im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/y/w/z/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.goymvh.png/1463650687017.jpg)
Andrew Hornery Singapore-based Google executive Michelle Guthrie will become the ABC's first female managing director when she takes over from Mark Scott in May 2016.