36 Hours in Stockholm
 Rob Schoenbaum for The New York Times
The Cadier Bar at the Grand Hotel.

STOCKHOLM has recently declared itself the “Capital of Scandinavia,” and for the moment at least, none of the other style-conscious Viking superpowers is mounting much of a challenge. With discount airlines like Ryanair bringing the rest of Europe to what is still technically just the Swedish capital, Stockholmers no longer fill weekend flights to Copenhagen for a dose of the international high life. The Swedish version of a good time is all about high glamour, haute cuisine, more high glamour and having fun. The local penchant for cunning design and cozy interiors remains undimmed as candles blaze in the city’s increasingly refined restaurants. But waves of immigrants have seasoned the Swedish stew, and albondigas and kefta are the new meatballs in town as tapas, kielbasa and sushi roll out on menus across the city. And in a possible upside to global warming, summer seems to arrive earlier and stay around longer, making the charms of this floating city linger into autumn.

Read on for ‘what to do’ in  36 hours for chic and shopping …soak in the print because in 2008 Style Clinic by Astin Brown will be adding Stockholm as their 15th shopping haunt.

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 VirtualTourist has used feedback from its visitors (over 6 million a month, they claim) to determine the world’s most up-and-coming destinations.  Within the US, Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park tops the list. And, when it comes to international destinations, Lake Atitlán in the beautiful Guatemalan Highlands comes up trumps:U.S. Destinations

1. Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
2. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
3. Molokai, Hawaii
4. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
5. Bisbee, Arizona
6. St. Michaels, Maryland
7. Yachats, Oregon
8. Redwood National Park, California
9. Chimayo, New Mexico
10. White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

International Destinations

1. Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
2. Tartu, Estonia
3. Irkutsk, Russia
4. São Miguel Island, Portugal
5. Mérida, Venezuela
6. Chitral, Pakistan
7. Raiatea, French Polynesia
8. Exmouth, Australia
9. Valladolid, Mexico
10. Sangkhla Buri, Thailand

Source: a luxury travel blog

Related Stories: Top 5 Overlooked Luxury Vacation Destinations of 2007

How is it some faces manage to step off planes after a long-flight looking immaculate, while regular folks usually look wrecked?

In desperate need of enlightenment, Nicky Park quizzes beauty expert Emma Hobson, the education manager at the International Dermal Institute.

Her first pointer is my first pitfall. Don’t wear makeup on the flight. Hobson says that the low humidity in air causes the skin to dry out. This would explain the clumpy lashes and lack-luster gloss.

For those who cringe at the thought of going free of face paint, Hobson suggests boarding made-up and removing it all once you are on the plane.

With a blank canvas, the next step is locking all the moisture in. Hobson says a toner or spritz spray is an on-board essential for staying fresh and fabulous. (Just make sure you’re not breaking the liquid hand luggage security rules.)

“Avoid water sprays because they evaporate,” she says. “A super hydrating ingredient to look out for is hyaluronic acid”. Sounds scary, but this little gem can hold about 1000 times its own weight in moisture and will lock it in.”

“A barrier protection moisturiser will help protect the skin against the elements,” Hobson adds. “This is a good idea for the face, hands and lips.”

A leave-in conditioner will keep your hair glossy and frizz-free and lubricating eyedrops will keep peepers clear and healthy.

For the super inspired applying a mini-mask under moisturiser will add another layer of protection.

It is a good idea to prep your skin a few days before the trip, Hobson says.

Exfoliate well to remove dead, dry skin and have a good cleansing routine in place.

“The better hydrated you are the less trouble you are likely to have,” she says.

The Report by the Mole, from AAP

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So you’re about to leave for the airport and you run through your travel checklist.

Ticket in order? Check            Passport ready? Check               Showing too much cleavage? Huh?

As if air travel wasn’t complicated enough, now it seems that passengers might want to consider whether their clothing could be offensive to other travellers with the issue emerging the week before last after a highly publicized incident in which a Southwest Airlines agent, allegedly hearing complaints about a passenger’s miniskirt and tank top, asked the young woman to change her clothes.

Another episode surfaced Wednesday, when another Southwest passenger, Setara Qassim, said she was asked to cover herself with a blanket because of her outfit’s plunging neckline and short skirt.

The incidents have sparked a firestorm of debate in the travel industry and on the Web, with some consumers outraged that the airline would find the outfits offensive, while others praise Southwest for upholding standards of decency.

The case underscores the fact that airlines wield an enormous amount of power over customers, with the ability to deny service for conduct and offences to an extent that many consumers don’t realize.

Although most carriers say they don’t have a specific dress code, all have a “contract of carriage,” which specifies that passengers can be ordered off planes or denied boarding for behavior that includes wearing clothing deemed offensive, smelling bad, being barefoot or refusing to obey flight attendants.

 A report by The Mole from The Seattle Times Company, 18 Sept 07 (more…)

PARIS
Bensimon: The French footwear brand of the summer is Bensimon, the classic French tennis sneaker that was first popular with women in the 1940s. Similar to the status of Converse in the U.S., the affordable canvas sneakers are available in a rainbow of colors and are being worn by everyone from moms to hipsters.

Source: Trendcentral

Changes to consumer shopping behaviour will influence how retailers shape their future businesses according to James Murphy, CEO Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, who says the only thing that hasn’t changed is the why - people still love to shop for shopping’s sake.

Who?   There is a new democracy, especially in fashion consumers. Fashion is ageless, fashion is classless and fashion is brandless. Just look at the “Prada to Primark” phenomenon. This continuation of “masstige” has seen H&M produce a glossy, brand-focused magazine that’s full of the Swedish chain’s store news - globally. Ditto, see Wal-Mart’s aspirational ads in US Vogue. eBay’s “Don’t sit on it, sell it” ads - featuring the Rainbow People - get people talking
What?   There is an explosion of choice. It would take over a year to actually taste all the different variations of coffee available in Starbucks. Consumers want choice, but not that much choice is the reality. Similarly eBay still leads the way and will be the number one internet retailer for years to come. It’s ad slogan “Don’t sit on it, sell it” is influencing everyone around the world and how they shop.
When?    Consumers have to shop weekly but we are easily led into additional purchases. People are influenced into an impulse buy every week - by marketers and brand promotions in-store. Anything over $30 is considered a premium purchase by US marketers who push for more, more, more shopping promotions in-store. But flexible, time-saving shopping is also important. Look at how 7-Eleven in Japan has become even more flexible, responding to its customers’ needs by launching a flexi-format store with completely moveable units depending on what people want to buy at different times - day or night.

Where?    The supermarket or big boxes dominate and increasingly offer everything, so people are encouraged to only shop in one place. Pensions from UK supermarkets is just the latest offer to get consumers to stay brand loyal.
How?    We are all researchers online. This has made the world full of experts. The value of online transactions is dwarfed by the associated value of the influence on purchases made offline. Consumers can decode marketing messages and this influences how they shop. They are aware of the rise in ethical brands, for example American Apparel promoting itself as a sweat-free brand; Carrefour’s brand focus online is ethically aware; M&S food advertising is focused on ethical product and initiatives - the retailer won the Responsible Retailer of the Year award at the WRC’s Global Retail Awards for what judges called M&S’s “clear commitment to making a difference”.

Why?    is still the main goal of shopping. This hasn’t changed. People need stuff. Shopping is still a transactional, experiential pastime and this is where retail brands can arguably add the most, both in terms of reinforcing the brand message and being profitable. Zeitgeist retail trends to watch Miriam Sultzman, executive vice president of JWT, talked about the zeitgeist for retail and beyond. Her three trends to watch are: complexity and simplicity; the new antisocial; brand sluts.

Source: Amanda Carr, Alison Bishop, WGSN 27.04.07. Image www.darlington.gov.uk/.../0/Shopping.jpg

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