|
March 2008 Shania Twain and Helen Clark open new Otago walking track Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:09p.m. Shania Twain made a surprise appearance at the official opening of a tramping track across her property in the Otago High Country. The track was a condition imposed on Twain and her husband when they bought the property – a case of giving something back to the community. Motatapu Track runs between Wanaka, Macetown and Arrowtown and about half of it is on Twain's land. The diminutive singer led the charge over a small section of the new track, closely followed by Prime Minister Helen Clark and assorted dignitaries. It was a media circus the likes of which you seldom see in a wilderness area. In an operation of military precision, the Department of Conservation flew Twain to a picturesque part of the track for a photo opportunity. "I'm very proud," Shania Twain said. "It's lovely. I'm enjoying myself. I'm having a great time." Twain, or Eileen Lange as she was christened, has not walked the track herself, but will do soon. Twain and record producer husband Mark Lange have owned a sumptuous holiday home in a prime spot of the Motatapu Station since 2004. But as part of the sale, they agreed to create a public tramping track. It links Wanaka to Arrowtown. Clark enthused about the deal at historic Macetown, which is part of the track. "I think Shania Twain and her husband have set a whole new benchmark for what can be achieved with a change of ownership," Clark said. "We have this wonderful new track. They've paid for the huts, the facilities." Macetown, population nil, came alive today as the visiting celebrities attracted a mob of children on a camp. High profile tramper Geoff Chapple has spent the last three days walking the track. "They've certainly come in, you know, in a good spirit," Mr Chapple said. "And it's been like that right from the start. (They) took me by chopper to show me where the huts were going to be and said 'Geoff, this track has got to be the best track'." The track opens to the public tomorrow. see website and video - here
Happy Easter Everyone!! Shania reveals her breathtaking New Zealand retreat Pick up the new issue of Hello! Magazine (canada edition) for exclusive new interview and pictures of Shania at her New Zealand home. See website for picture and more.
Hit the trail in New Zealand with Shania Twain Hey, anybody want to go hiking at Shania Twain’s spread? The Canadian country singer opened up a hiking trail on property she and her husband recently procured on New Zealand’s South Island, the Associated Press reports.Before Twain and hubby Robert Lange could buy 33-year leases for the rugged 61,000 acres, they had to agree to “create a hiking track, with huts and other facilities, crossing their land as part of a nationwide trail,” the AP story said. Twain agreed to the terms in a $17.5-million deal and was joined at the opening of the trail Thursday by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who lauded the couple for keeping the land accessible to mountain bikers, climbers, hunters and hikers. Most of us would recognize the South Island’s fabulous landscapes from the “Lord of the Rings” movies. Twain built a luxury house on the property, which is near the town of Wanaka, roughly 500 miles southwest of Wellington, the capital, the story said. Twain isn’t the only celebrity to tackle thorny public-access issues. In 2004, Madonna and Guy Ritchie were somewhat successful in keeping hikers and walkers off their Ashcombe estate in Wiltshire, England. And entertainment mogul David Geffen wrangled with the California Coastal Commission for decades over public access to the beach at his Malibu estate. Last year, the commission and Geffen agreed to a settlement that would ensure his privacy but also allow people to hit the sand. — Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
MAY 2007
APRIL 2007 SITE NEWS: We are updating this website! And working on a new messageboard. FEBRUARY 2007 VOTE FOR SHANIA IN THE SEXIEST CANADIAN ALIVE POLL by Colgate http://ctv1.ctv.ca/contests/colgate/ DECEMBER 2006 Shania Twain will appear as part of the tribute to honoree Dolly Parton as she sings "Coat Of Many Colors" along with Alison Krauss. Reese Witherspoon Pays Tribute to Dolly PartonMONDAY DECEMBER 04, 2006 07:55AM EST By Anika Clark and Linda Kramer Reese Witherspoon paid tribute Sunday night to fellow Tennessean Dolly Parton at the annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC, calling Parton an "amazing country legend" and telling her "I will always love you."Witherspoon also shared a few favorite "Dollyisms" with the audience: "I don't get offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb and I know that I'm definitely not blonde." And, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap." Parton smiled and blew kisses from the box where she sat with the night's fellow honorees Steven Spielberg, Smokey Robinson, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Zubin Mehta – as well as President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Earlier in the evening, as she entered on the red carpet, Parton, 60, told PEOPLE: "I love what I do, and I'm very lucky. Here I am at the Kennedy Center. It feels like I made it." As for Witherspoon, 30, she told PEOPLE after the show: "It's such an extraordinary honor to be an appreciative fan and to be here to honor her and her songwriting and her life and career." Witherspoon's appearance was her first major public event since splitting from her husband Ryan Phillippe in October. Asked if she expected to be out and about more, she said "Sure." Fellow blondes Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood took the stage to perform some of Parton's best-known hits. Singing "9 to 5," a visibly nervous Simpson muffed a line and, as she finished, said: "Dolly you make so nervous. I can't even sing the words right." Underwood, Kenny Rogers, Shania Twain, Vince Gill and Alison Krauss also sang Parton standards, and Witherspoon and Reba McEntire then joined them on stage to bow to Parton. Witherspoon stood next to Simpson and put an arm around her; apparently comforting the still upset Simpson. (Simpson later sang the number over for the CBS broadcast of the gala, set to air Dec. 26). Simpson wasn't the only star to flub a line. Aretha Franklin, praising her hometown friend and fellow Motown great Smokey Robinson, botched a line but went on to say: "Smokey I found inspiration in your success. You made me feel like a natural woman." The Temptations, India.Arie and Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley then serenaded Robinson. Josh Groban sang "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera as its composer, Lloyd Webber, sat in his box and mouthed the words. Tom Hanks and Liam Neeson led the tribute to Spielberg. Neeson said the director of Jaws and Schindler's List used his movies "to enlarge our world" and Hanks called him "one of the great masters."
|
Check out the OFFICIAL SHANIA STORE for all kinds of goodies, including this very nice baseball shirt...
NEWSFLASH! Shania Interviewed on flight to music awards!! The week according to Piers Morgan This week, Piers Morgan gives Shania Twain twenty questions, worries that someone has died on the 'America's got Talent' set and turns nauseous at being asked if he would rather sleep with Cherie Blair or Hillary Clinton There are various things that I have curiously avoided doing in my life: meeting David Beckham, skiing and going to Las Vegas. Today, I removed Vegas from the list by flying to the great desert gambling oasis for the bootcamp stage of America’s Got Talent. As I sat in my Virgin Upper Class seat (relax, that’s not a plug for a freebie; I booked late, they’re the only ones who fly direct, and it cost me an utterly obscene £7,000 - something I will be ‘discussing’ with Mr Branson next time I see him), I spotted an enormous fat bloke waddling towards me and thought: "Please God, not him." There’s nothing worse than sitting next to a heaving heffalump on an 11-hour flight, not least because they eat all the best food. To my delight he swerved right at the last minute, and a radiantly beautiful brunette arrived at my side instead. I nodded and said hello, she smiled sweetly and did the same – revealing a world-class set of gnashers to go with the obviously expensive clothes and stunning array of jewellery. She was, I guessed, in her mid-thirties, extremely friendly, and we chatted away about the kind of trivial stuff you talk about to strangers on planes. After a couple of hours she went to sleep and I went to the bar, where one of the stewardesses said: "You seem to be getting on well with Shania." "Shania?" There’s only one Shania I know in the world - and that’s the singing and songwriting superstar Ms Twain, who has five Grammies and the biggest-selling album ever by a female artist to her credit. "It’s not…" I said. "It is…" the stewardess replied. "She’s going to the big country music awards in Vegas." The only thing that consoled me was the thought that Shania would feel even worse when she realised who she had been sitting next to. When she woke, I affected casual nonchalance, as if I had known all along. And then I bombarded her with all the questions a crazed fan would ask. 1) "So Shania, tell me - do you write your best stuff when you’re happy or miserable?" "Oh, miserable, definitely. Or bored. When I’m happy I can’t write at all because I fill my days with other stuff." 2) "Do you prefer writing or performing?" "I love my concerts. It’s like I’m a mum feeding her hungry children, there’s so much emotion out there." 3) "What’s your favourite of your own songs?" "I’m Jealous." "And were you?" "Very." "What’s your husband’s?" "You’re Still The One." "And is he?" "Yes." 4) "Favourite other artists?" "Sting. And Supertramp…" "Oh my God," I interrupted, "Breakfast In America is one of my all-time favourite albums." We looked at each with new mutual admiration. 5) "Don’t you hate being so squeaky-clean?" "I’m not." Big naughty grin. "I see." I turned to the stewardess. "More wine, please. For both of us." Eventually, she turned the inquisition on to me. "So what do you do?" "Oh, I judge dancing cows and rapping grannies with David Hasselhoff." She giggled. "No, I really do. On a show called America’s Got Talent." "Oh, hang on, I know that show. You’re the mean Brit, right?" "The very same." We had reconnected on to a new double A-list celebrity level. The plane landed. "Where are your awards?" I asked, as we queued with other passengers for the exit. "Oh, I keep them all in a box at home," she replied. "No, I meant where is the awards ceremony you’re attending in Vegas?" Everyone around us burst out laughing, including an embarrassed Shania. "Ah, I see, sorry…" "I keep my awards on the loo wall," I said, to ease her blushes. "What have you won?" "Oh, I used to edit newspapers, and I once got an award for The Least Constructive Contribution to Anglo-German Relations when I printed a front-page headline entitled “Achtung Surrender!” in the middle of a soccer tournament." Shania stared at me, utterly bemused. "Well… congratulations. My husband is half- German. Goodbye Piers." SHANIA AT THE ACMA'S 2007 Shania was at the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Tuesday |
