If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. It could be the sight of a group of naked billionaires drinking gin fizz out of a fire bucket, or a line-up of world leaders singing showtunes in drag. And look out for when everyone gets together for the ritual sacrifice to the great owl god.
The problem is that going down to these particular woods is extremely difficult. Held among the drifting shadows of a giant redwood forest, the annual July gathering of the ultra-secretive Bohemian Club is one of the more hotly debated but little observed events on Earth. Carried to northern California in fleets of private jets and blacked-out limousines, hundreds of powerful, wealthy and eminent men vanish into a 10-square kilometre chunk of wilderness known as Bohemian Grove, where they are billeted in bare-bones camps with captivating names like Lost Angels, Mandalay and Cave Man.
The identities of these men – absolutely no women are allowed – is one of the global elite’s most closelyheld secrets. Tales abound of hard drinking, skinny-dipping, Elvis impersonations and ribald songs around the campfire. Peeing against trees is held to be “the inalienable right” of all Bohemians – possibly because many are long past their best bladder control days. At least five US presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, are known to have been members, along with statesmen such as the late Henry Kissinger, tycoons like John D. Rockefeller and a galaxy of overseas luminaries.
The current intake is believed to be more eclectic, with a smattering of tech and media tycoons, including Rupert Murdoch (honorary), and a showbusiness contingent headed by Hollywood veterans Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger and two members of the Grateful Dead rock band.
Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BATTLE FOR THE THRONE
As word of a judgement leaks from the courtroom where the Murdochs have been tussling for power, those close to the throne suggest that the battle for the world’s most powerful media empire has only just begun.
AFTER THE WAVE
Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three survivors share their memories of shock, terror and loss with The Weekly.
Escape to the country
Raised in New Zealand, design icon Collette Dinnigan opens the doors to her family homestead, where treasures from her travels rest side by side with the sights, sounds and style of her Australian life.
Ripe for the picking
Apricots are at their peak sweetness now, take inspiration from our savoury and sweet ideas.
Grill-licious
The backyard barbecue has come a long way from the days of chargrilling some snags. Try our fresh batch of recipe inspiration for your next cook-up.
Reclaim your brain
Perimenopause made me realise that our brains need looking after.
Long and the short of it
If youre considering a chop and change, this is how to nail a hair transformation.
Have we lost the art of conversation?
In a world of thumbs-up emojis and one-way voice memos, are we forgetting how to converse? The Weekly engages in an experiment in listening and genuine two-way chatting.
Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T
At Lhe Weekly Maggie labberer was and remains our guiding light the epitome of elegance with a whip-smart intellect, naughty sense of fun and innate kindness. She was a one-off.
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently
One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.
