Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York & Los Angeles

This year, over 1,503 visitors came by the 2006 Luxe Pack New York packaging show. The conference was held on May 17th and 18th at the Metropolitan Pavilion where 75 exhibitors displayed their newest ideas and novelties in product packaging. The conference in its fourth year was organized by Indice Monaco, the same organizer of Luxe Pack Monaco and Brazil. The main theme this year was innovative design. New marketing concepts and materials were fused together to form one fantastic display of packaging options. The president of Luxe Pack stated “Luxe Pack is becoming more and more the place to be for luxury packaging”.

Zipcar is the newest “luxury” in Manhattan. Rent a car by the hour or day and feel luxurious with some extra cash in your pocket! Living in Manhattan is quite expensive. These days, you will probably be looked at as an angel if your residence is New York, New York- Manhattan. Real estate values have gone up so high in the past two years that it is almost impossible for the average Joe, John, or Salvatore to live in this city filled with excitement and inflation.

To add to that luxury, imagine owning a car in Manhattan and living here at the same time. Ok, let’s do the math. Your one bedroom apartment costs about $2,500 per month. Your car lease costs $300 and your parking, $400 per month. The grand total of basic living expenses, without food or party comes to $3,200, or $38,400 per year. Whoa- that’s a lot of cash, in fact its more than the average starting salary, before taxes.

For every new invention that takes the world by storm, there are a dozen more that have crashed. Need I remind you of Crystal Pepsi (theme song Right Now by Van Halen)?

Now Men.Style.com has compiled their top five list of the worst inventions that are “destined for the dustbin.” Coming in first is HD Radio, followed by the Sony Book Reader and Origami Tablet PC (by Microsoft). Rounding out the top five is the Sony PlayStation 3, set to launch in November with a whopping $600 price tag, and the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, which the writer at Men.Style.com thinks doesn't have a large enough audience of interested runners.

On the flip side, here is my top five list of best inventions.

1. XM Radio – This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how we interact with the media. We’re a society that wants information fast. Someday, I predict that we will even have new movie releases beamed into our own homes. There will be now need for movie theatres anymore. So long to the Midnight Movies.

2. The Written Word – Even with all our technology, there is nothing great than a good book. My top picks include A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (guaranteed to make you scared of the sounds that go “bump” in the spaces between your walls).

3. MacBook – By day I work on a PC, but when the sun sets, I’m a crazed Mac man. Say what you will about Apple, but they are producing some of the most powerful laptops (and computers for that matter) on the market today. The new MacBook comes with the Intel Core Duo making it powerful enough for any blogging, podcasting or film editing you want to do, straight out of the box.

4. Nintendo Wii – PlayStation and XBOX are about to get a run for their money. The new system from Nintendo About the size has three DVD cases, the Wii system will play the new double-layers 12-centimeter optical discs, along with the 8-centimeter Gamecube discs, so there is no need to replace a full collection of games. For you oldschoolers, the system will communicate with the interenet, allowing players "downloadble access to 20 years of fan-favorite titels originally released for the Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)." That's right, the Mario we remember from our childhoods is coming back bigger and better than ever.

5. PumpOne – I think Apple and Nike have come up with a great product, but if you’re interested in more than just laps around the block, checkout the new programs from PumpOne. The company is producing some of the best workout programs on the market today. They are viewable on virtually on image-ready handhelds, including the iPod, giving step-by-step instructions and color images. They even have video programs. Currently, there are more than a hundred workouts including yoga, Pilates and strength training, and they are gearing up to launch dozens more, including a Swiss ball workout.

To read more about Men.Style.com’s picks, click here.

"Esquire's Big Black Book: An Advertising Party With a Velvet Rope Around It" Esquire magazine, which has struggled for a few years to find a comfortable market niche to call home, is scheduled to launch a new elite coffee-table-book, magazine hybrid, called Esquire's Big Black Book--designed as a luxury style manual for men."

In an interesting twist, Nobody can just advertise. To advertise in the book, marketers had to receive an invitation from Hearst, and each advertiser could purchase only one of the 74 ad pages. Advertising Age reports that all 74 have been sold to advertisers which include Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Bombardier, IWC Watches, Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton.

Our Current Top Luxury Publications
(1). Luxury Spa Finder
(2). Harper's Bazaar
(3). Robb Report
(4). Vanity Fair
(5). Visionaire
(6). Genlux

Many savvy shoppers rely on magazines to help guide their purchases. We often assume that editors know best when it comes finding dazzling new products in beauty, fashion, and perfume. Thus it isn't surprising that one of the newest trends to show up on the frenzied Manhattan shopping scene is the curated magazine sponsored shopping event.

Yesterday New York Magazine hosted a Best Bets Shopping Event. Women lined up to shop discounts from vendors who had been labeled "best bets" by New York Magazine.

It was a hodge podge of potential shopping targets with high end hand bags next to Method soap.

Admittedly it felt like an event where advertisers were given a chance to hawk their wares to unsuspecting women who had actually paid for the privilege rather than a truly editorial driven event. The event surely generated its fair share of controversy as New York Magazine is not the only one to host a shopping event.

Next month shopping bible Lucky Magazine will host its own Lucky Shops event which is going to be quite a bit bigger and hopefully better. After all it is easier to trust a magazine with one proven vertical, fashion, than a magazine like New York Magazine that plays host to many sections.

If the paper of note (New York Times) says it is a trend then it must be true: buttock facials! With the recent fixation on the junk in the trunk, spas are promoting special “facials” for the posterior in Miami, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston, as well as in New York.

The treatments are part of a wave of noninvasive services that spas have developed to capitalize on clients who have income to spare, a desire to repair body parts they don’t like and a compulsion to buff, tighten and pamper every bit of skin.

Including there, on the derrière.

Some treatments for the buttocks concentrate on cleansing and detoxifying, just as with a regular facial. Others use microcurrent therapy or microdermabrasion in more involved treatments, aiming to reshape the silhouette, reduce cellulite and even lift and tone the backside.

This trend is surely a concerning sign that we as Americans have gotten so lazy and luxurious that our new way out of exercising our way to the perfect backside is to head to the spa instead. Nevertheless, the idea that massaging your way to a perkier posterior might be manageable is intriguing.

But why drop $80-150 when a vigorous rolling pin encounter can do the job? Or better yet, buy a CelluliteRX kit and do it yourself. With only three steps and a time investment of three minutes a day it is most likely a better use of far less time and money.

Last week I was out for cocktails with a few other business owners in the service industry. One was a skin care manufacturer, the second was a clothing line designer and the third was the owner of a large fitness chain of health clubs.

We got into an in depth discussion about managing client relationships

We were discussing how to repair a client relationship where things have gone wrong, for example clients whose expectations are unrealistic, clients who are abusive towards the staff and those clients who for whatever reason have become dissatisfied with their service.

The Wall Street Journal had run an article on entrepreneurs a few years back where I was quoted by saying “My New Year’s resolution as a business owner is to only work with people, places and things I really care about and that respect my team, work and over-all business ethics.”

1. Choose clients carefully

4. Live Up To Your Own Standards. Give What You Expect, Set The Example.

If you have done all your work working with your clients and have defined what you can achieve and there are still insurmountable problems, then it is time to re-evaluate whether that client is appropriate to have.

About a month ago we had a client call the office and demand that I get on a conference call. The brand was new to the market, had very little distribution (only one salon in New York) and the consumer awareness was simply not there (she refused to do salon events with us). The owner had worked with two other PR firms before us (our biggest competitors) for about two years who both did not secure the regional and national glossy press that the client was looking for. We were given about 3 months to change her entire media platform and correct the damage that the other PR firms had done during the course of two years. Naturally I slipped off my dress shoes, undid my tie, sat back in my chair practiced my breathing exercises and then took her call.

New York, NY (October 6, 2006) -- Niche Media Holdings LLC CEO Jason Binn along with The Greenspun Corporation Chairman Brian L.Greenspun, announced a strategic partnership. The company will conduct business with Jason Binn as CEO and Brian Greenspun as Chairman. Niche Media LLC, the country's preeminent regional magazine group catering to the high-end luxury market through its distinct publications Aspen Peak, Boston Common, Capitol File, Gotham, Hamptons, and Los Angeles Confidential is renowned for reaching the most affluent consumers, making the pages of these glossies some of the most valuable real estate in the country. By celebrating the worlds of culture, fashion, fine dining, real estate and nightlife, the magazines consistently deliver the finest editorial and advertising to a controlled group of influencers with the highest disposable incomes in each city. The partnership will extend the reach of Greenspun Media Group (GMG) publications into the luxury market now served by Niche Media publications. Advertising and marketing for GMG luxury magazines VEGAS, Wynn and Venetian Style will fall under Niche Media's umbrella.

A star writer for the New York Times Styles section captures the follies, frauds, and fanaticism that fuel the American pursuit of youth and beauty in a wickedly revealing excursion into the burgeoning business of cosmetic enhancement.

It seems these days that celebs across all industries are teaming up for a good cause. Whether they’re simply donating massive amounts of excess income or using their celebrity status to draw attention to a cause, a large number of celebrities are reaching out to the public in hopes of making a difference. Recently, some have even gone so far as to adopt children in incredibly impoverished countries (Madonna in Malawi, Angelina in Cambodia and Ethiopia).

In recent news, two of the biggest household names have teamed up to raise money to fight AIDS in Africa. Bono, the U2 frontman and ultimate philanthropist (it seems like his name is somehow connected to every charity in this country), and Oprah, the talk show host we all know and love, have combined forces to promote the Product Red campaign. As part of the effort, proceeds from products sold at various retailers, including The Gap, Apple, Converse, Armani, and Motorola, will go to The Global Fund, an organization that fights AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The Gap will be debuting their Red Line of clothing this week, where half of the profits will go to The Global Fund. Apple has created a new red-colored iPod nano, and will donate $10 from the sale of each item to the cause. The effort has attracted the attention of many other celebrities (several of them posing in Gap ads) hoping to make a difference, including Kanye West and Penelope Cruz.

In explaining the idea of getting consumers involved, Bono posted on his blog: “‘Product Red’ is the consumer battalion gathering in the shopping malls. You buy the jeans, phones, iPods, shoes, sunglasses, and someone - somebody's mother, father, daughter or son - will live instead of dying in the poorest part of the world. It's a different kind of fashion statement.” Good job, Bono- the Product Red Campaign began last spring in the UK and has already raised more than $12 million for African AIDS programs.

David Dean, a former account executive for a breast implant manufacturer, witnessed his mother suffer at the hands of two unqualified plastic surgeons, including one who painfully misplaced an implant after her breast cancer reconstruction and another who severed a major facial nerve. After his mother’s tragic experience, David became inspired to create a web-based destination that would hold plastic surgeons to a higher standard, as well as act as an unbiased educational resource for women considering breast augmentation and reconstruction.

This is when he began www.Breastimplants411.com. Breastimplants411.com was designed to help consumers make informed decisions about plastic surgery as well as find and research only those plastic surgeons who have achieved the highest level of certification – Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

I have received fully six invitations to the Maja Ferme "Nymph" Fashion Show.

Normally I am pleased to have a publicist follow up on a subject. As a blogger and online fashion editor it helps to be reminded of new and interesting subjects as we new media types are often inundated with information making it quite possible that things slip through the cracks. In fact, more often than not publicists ignore the new media altogether.

But I admit I reached a certain point where I felt I had too much information on the Slovenian designer. I received email invitations, personal invitations, and invitations in the mail. Everyday it felt like I was being subtly reminded that I simply must RSVP to the "Nymph" showing. I have actually gotten to the point where I feel slightly guilty that I haven't followed up. Disregarding the fact that it said opportunity to buy clothing after the show in small type at the bottom of the invite as opposed to cocktail reception afterwards which is a sure way to turn off any editor, is it wise to so constantly assert your client to the press? When does it become too much?

I am sure there are many schools of thought on the issue and few publicists would argue that gaining maximum visibility for a client is a bad thing, but is there an ideal level of communication? In this particular case, Maja Ferme may have gotten her wish. I feel I simply must attend the event if her publicist made such an extreme effort to gain my attention. I only hope that there are cocktails afterward.

Beauty Bloggers are welcome, space is limited! Bloggers outside of of the NYC area can register for advanced media kit to be sent day after the event.

In honor of the launch, Pierce Mattie Public Relations is hosting a cocktail party in her honor. In a true celebration of beauty, grace and style, Jane Iredale's GLOBAL BEAUTY event will highlight style influences from Cleopatra to Beyonce in the event of the year! We invite you to share in this iconic celebration. To RSVP, please contact Lauren Branche or Ivy Cartagena at 212/243.1431

Few decisions weigh more heavily on a young consumer than that of a watch purchase. We want something trendy, stylish, and edgy but equally we want something that is high quality. We don't need watches that will set us back as much as a down payment on a house, we just want something that fits our fashion or mod that day. Fom men it is a key accessory. And finally they have many affordable option to dress up that pair of jeans and t shirt. Please let me introduce you to STORM Watches.

All STORM timepieces are made with high grade stainless steel in matte, brushed or polished finishes. Models feature Japanese or Swiss movements, are anti-allergenic and use scratch resistant mineral glass.

They have quite the celebrity following as well with a storied brand history starting in the UK.

Don't like the life you have now? Get a second one! Perhaps you always wanted to be a Supermodel, beauty editor, the next Oprah with a twist. We've all been playing simulation games around the office lately with the recent October launch of Desperate Housewives: The game. A company called Second Life, has created something different, it's social networking in that familiar 3D simulated environment that is fun, but can be profitable as well. Users can create, design, own virtual land, meet people, engage in real business opportunities, convert virtual cash into real currency, own IP rights and much more.

More than 900,000 users have signed up to build homes, form neighborhoods and live out alternative versions of their lives in the 3-D, computer-generated world. This is not just for Generation L (liquid generation) audience/demographic, Second Life is sure to attract anyone who was labled a Generation Xer (1961-1981) to todays new Silent Generation (S 2001-). Players spend around $350,000 a day on average or a rate of $13 million a year. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about Second Life in the real world as advertisers and marketers are sure jump at ways to reach out to those who choose to build a second life for themselves online.

"Antonio was seen as more of an alpha male. The brand was more keen to have a personality which meant more to US audiences."

A fantastic site by Ford Models. I've been wanting to give praise to Ford Models for a long time. This weekend I have the chance, and wanted to point out some of the rich features that sets them apart from the rest. The site is "sticky" complete with "sisomo" options that inform, engage and help the aspiring model, or someone looking for a Ford Model. If you haven't looked at it's VLOG Ford 360 also all on Google Video, take some time to do so.

We have been doing more than our fair share of casting calls for Models lately. Most big modeling agencies are out of our clients price range, as we generally host events, or publicity stunts, not expensive national print or television work that is backed by big money.

So if you currently are a model, looking for some freelance work send us your head shot or comment here with a link to your book! We constantly have need for all type of looks. If your a casting agent, or know of a good one please comment here or tell us

In the past twenty years there has been a change occurring when it comes to Halloween. Back when I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, Halloween was a specific children’s holiday. Then in the mid-eighties things began to change and Haunted Houses and adult costume parties began to take off.

Adult costume parties and Haunted Houses continue to increase in popularity every year. What has gone from a one night event, now becomes an entire weekend of parties solely reserved for the young at heart and a month-long event for Haunted Houses and Haunted Hayrides. Even farmers have cashed in by offering haunted labyrinths through a corn maze.

From around the blogosphere, here's what everyone is talking about:

Fashion: From The Blogosphere's "Best" Fashion Blogs

+ Fashiontribes offers offers tips on how to create Antonio Berardi’s Fall Runway Show for less.

+ She Finds talks about the latest trend; leggings.

+ The Manolo offers a reader a recommendation on which boots would look best with her sexy witch costume.

+ Almost Girl reports on Fashion Group International Night of Stars. In attendance: James LaForce of Laforce and Stevens, Constance White Style Director of ebay, Valerie Steel and Linda Fargo of Bergdorf Goodman

Beauty: From Bloggers Who Are Passionate About Beauty

+ A Girl's Gotta Spa! reviews Joico's K-Pak Liquid Reconstruction.

+ Dorit Baxter New York Day Spa Blog tells you how to create your own Pumpkin Beautifying Mask.

+ Bon Bons in the Bath gives you step by step instructions on how to achieve the No Makeup--Makeup Look.

Jewelry: Jewelry Industry Posts

+ The Bling Blog talks about the lucky vacationer who found a Canary Yellow Diamond.

+ The Jewelry Weblog wants to know what you think of the new Ethnic Collection from Ethos.

+ The Jewelry Blog talks bracelets.

Wearing denim has always been in style, but celebrities can’t seem to get enough of it. Skinny jeans are all the rage, and if you are a celebrity and have all the means to hire a personal trainer, why not show off your body in the hottest brands?

Lindsay Lohan has been known to strut her stuff in J Brand Jeans, as does Angelina Jolie, showing the world that not every mom has to wear “Mom Jeans.”

Kate Moss is the queen of denim and is known to love Bread Denim. Not familiar with Bread Denim? Come get introduced here.

While the guys love to wear denim, they seem to love designing them even more. Justin Timberlake just launched William Rast, a new denim clothing line he co-created with best friend/business partner Trace Ayala. While Tommy Lee’s tattoo’s were the inspiration for People’s Liberation September launch of “PL for TL” collection at Bloomingdale’s.

Do you have a love affair with denim? Which celebrity do you feel has the best taste in denim?

Women search and search for that perfect mascara; one that will thicken, one that won’t clump, one that lengthens. Women will spend so much money in search of the Holy Grail, not realizing there are other alternatives.

The eyelash extensions of today are certainly not the same ultra thick, extremely obvious lashes of the past. Eyelash Extensions today are made to look just like your natural lashes. Extensions like the ones made by Xtreme Lashes, are applied one lash at a time to your own natural lashes, making it practically impossible for anyone to know that you weren’t born with the most gorgeous lashes in town.

In fact, there is no need to search for that perfect mascara when you use lash extensions. Lash extensions do all the work for you, making your lashes appear longer and fuller than anything you could ever achieve from a $10 bottle of disappointment.

Have you ever used eyelash extensions? What are your thoughts on them?

Ralph Falon Builders: At first glance, Fallonbuilders.com looks like a typical offering of Who We Are and What We Do. But instead of a copy-intensive approach it, like many architectural sites, relies on photography to tell the story of this builder’s work. The focus of the site is a 172-image gallery of notable projects. It’s an easy to update, XML-driven and -tagged compilation of photos with a related hierarchical format that connects project attributes. Because the result is the creation of unique, on-the-fly galleries (similar to Flikr and del.icio.us) it offers an interesting and engaging way for visitors to browse. And, because the content is easily updatable, it consistently offers an accurate representation of the company and its craft.

With its gallery-like presence, it’s neither superfluous nor trendy. It’s a great example of how to use simple and contemporary technology to create a unique experience for a small, niche business.

Dan Coe, creative director
Dave Snowball, interface designer
Mark Potnick, Flash developer
Coexist, site design and development

Opulent, sophisticated, romantic, glitzy, glamorous – Art Deco style epitomizes a sense of youthful and lavish aspirations. The style was bold and beautiful with a sense of sophistcated geometric order; it pushed the limits in it's day as ultra modern and today the hot style being very popular with celebrities and jewelry collectors.

It has always been, in terms of design, architecture, fashion, etc., among my favorite periods. That said, I am ecstatic this season’s jewelry and accessory trends seem to be taking cue from the art deco, Jazz Age with daring geometric lines and angular shapes, brilliant opaque stones, and plenty of crystal and black lustery detail.

Even the November cover of W Jewelry features a model with a bold 1920s-esque bob. While platinum blond, she could certainly be the striking, edgier 2006 version of Louise Brooks. The November issue of Elle Accessories featured more razzle dazzle deco details than I’ve seen in quite some time. It made me dizzy. I loved it.

The Pet Care industry has been growing rapidly in recent years. The way we treat our pets is mirrored through celebrities such as Paris Hilton, among others, who clothe and pamper their precious pets. No more sleeping on the floor, it’s a posh doggie bed for Fido.

Pets are beginning to be treated more like people then ever before, bringing true meaning to “Man’s best friend.” It seems as we change over to a more healthy lifestyle with better diet and eating habits, so has the way we feed our pets changed. Simple dog food like Pedigree is no longer the only way, but instead it is being replaced with healthier nutritious brands like Beneful or Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance. My two Parson Russell’s (formerly called Jack Russell’s), it’s the Raw Food Diet.

It doesn't stop at dog food. Whiskers, a holistic pet care retail store makes deliveries of formaldehyde free rawhide chews, toys, bedding and vitamins. That's just the beginning. As you want to look your best each day, you also want to take pride in your pet’s appearance. Trips to Petco for your pet’s grooming is no longer just considered a luxury, but now a lifestyle.

How many of you have purchased something that was a knock off? I admit it, I purchased knock off Chanel sunglasses this past summer from a vendor next to me at a local fair. Imagine my surprise when I came across this blog and the video it shows.

The buying and selling of counterfeit products is costing American businesses $200-$250 Billion dollars a year and the loss of 750,000 jobs according to The U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This is not only the knock off of sunglasses, purses and watches you can find on any New York City street corner, but it also carries over into cosmetics, movies, music and even clothing and footwear like Air Jordans.

I have been in the beauty industry for about 12 years and doing beauty pr for about 7 years. And in all of my years of experience with press releases especially those that that go out on the wire I have never ever seen one as damaging as the one that Russ Fons PR in Las Vegas ran today about their client; National Toxic Encephalopathy Foundation (NTEF) and their opinion on Clarins Cosmetics. You can view the horrific release here.

In this release the NTEF states in great detail on the extensive damage and misleading labels of the Clarins brand, so they claim.

What’s odd though is that John Sheppard the director of the foundation states that you are putting your health at risk if you use these products. I don’t know about you but I see a huge lawsuit taking place from Clarins. I am sure executives at Clairns are beyond miffed about this release. What’s even odder is that all of the ingredients used by Clarins are found in most other top selling brands. One would assume that NTEF is crucifying Clarins based on a personal agenda and not on logic.

However was John Sheppard not aware that Clarins recently acquired Kibio an organic skin care manufacture who has gone into negotiations on creating new products together? I posted about this on my other blog a few weeks back. You can view that post here.

Life Clever (tips fro design & life) by Chanpory Rith: 5 Writing Tips That Don't Suck (via) Copyblogger

A PR Guru's Musings: Q&A on innovations in public relations

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing "Longs for a good publicity stunt"

BusinessWeek.com: Wal-Mart: A "Reputation Crises" The giant retailer has been trying hard to improve its image and reignite sales

Idea Grove: Introducing Spin Thicket: Media Orchard "Easier way to keep up with the news"

Eric Eggertson:
Mutually Inclusive PR and Strumpette: Backlash Against Crayon's Second Life Launch

For a long while celebrities have been pretty vocal about their political beliefs. They are not strangers to being used by both political parties to taunt their positions or to help in raising money for their party through their celebrity clout.

Some say that celebrities and politics don’t mix. After reading a recent article by Jeff Davidson on TMZ.com, 90% of me agrees. Many celebrities put their faces in commercials or join a campaign to tell people to vote. Yet, one celebrity in the 2004 Vote or Die campaign turned out to be all lip service. Or there are those who threaten leaving the country if a political figure is re-elected; remember Alec Baldwin? That is what bothers me the most. Celebrities who talk and talk and won’t shut up (and then make money off of their chattering) or those who take a punch during a concert, but quite honestly don’t do a darn thing to help foster change. Am I alone in this annoyance?

Pearls Of Joy is considering an update of it's header. I can relate to this as I am in need of some updating on my other blogs. Which header do you like best and why? (Vote by commenting)

Here is a larger image of version one of pearlsofjoy.com. I like that it's simple and clean, not too "glossy," but I do favor version two, I think it reads better upon quick scanning of the header. They could move that burst in my opinion, perhaps all together and have the 800 number in the blue bar top left, but what do I know?

Don't get me started about pearls, young and old, most of the female population shares the endearment with pearls (men, listen up). I believe it is a right of passage when you are a little girl and get into your mother’s jewelry during dress up. The thing most girls want to wear is a set of pearls. Pearls are classic and refined, but exhume simplicity.

On my wedding day, my mother gave me a set of pearls to wear with my wedding dress. Somehow those pearls just added to the elegance of my dress and made me feel like the little girl playing dress up had now grown up.

As we are now going into Holiday mode, the one thing that comes to mind for dressing up for Holiday parties, is wearing pearls with my outfit. It will take me from my normally casual mom look to an upgrade in style.

Still warming up to Second Life? I am asked about it almost daily and wanted to get some basic info posted for those friends who read our blog consistently. Backstory is here. Follow the links.

New World Notes

From April 2003 to February 2006, I was a contract writer for Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, primarily hired by the company to cover SL as an embedded journalist in an emerging society-- its controversies, its personalities, its innovations and ambitions, along with larger themes of identity, social norms and organization, and cultural expression important to online worlds in general.

That contractual relationship has ended, but the story continues here. -Wagner James Au

Second Thoughts Do's and Dont's for Big Business.

"Every human being is interested in two kinds of worlds: the Primary, everyday world which he knows through his senses, and a Secondary world or worlds which he not only can create in his imagination, but which he cannot stop himself creating." W.H. Auden

Second Life Herald The Second Life Herald was founded on October 23, 2003, by philosophy professor Peter Ludlow. Its mission, as described the next day, was to observe, record and study "the legal, social, and economic implications" of life in the virtual world. Originally established as the Alphaville Herald and reporting for the most part on life on the Alphaville server of The Sims Online, the Herald soon branched out into coverage of other massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds -- helped along by the murder of Herald publisher Urizenus (Ludlow's avatar) after Electronic Arts got wind of the stories the newspaper was printing about the scams and cyber-prostitution that were taking place within its game, and the company's indifference to reports of real-world violence.

As evidenced by the men in the Wonderbra ad below and the prevalence of super-sized products in the US, Americans often believe that bigger is better. I think at some point all women have thought about breast augmentation, even it was a momentary thought. There are many different breast procedures. Some women only want breast implants while others are looking for a reduction or a breast lift that will create a youthful appearance. Some women consider breast implants to be a necessity and not a matter of enhancing natural given assets.

Back when I was in high school, I toyed with the idea of a breast reduction. Kids often made fun of me in high school, which lowered my self-esteem. A few seniors called me out by one of my nicknames, “Twin Peaks,” in my high school yearbook. Funny how something that happened 14 years ago can still affect you.

While I never went through with a breast reduction, a few women in my family did. They were inherently unhappy with the way they looked and it affected them emotionally for years. Once they had their augmentation, it was as if their real self was revealed. They no longer lived in the shadow of their chest size. Their burden was lifted once and for all.

No matter the reason for a reduction or implant, you hear stories from women far and wide about their experience with their surgeons. While there are success stories, it is the disastrous, life-altering surgeries gone wrong that seem to have the greatest impact.

David Dean began BreastImplants411.com (you can read more about David’s story here) because of two unsuccessful breast augmentation procedures performed on his mother. He started his site to help women find qualified surgeons and make informed decisions about their breast surgery. This site has now become the #1 source for women looking to learn more about breast augmentation.

When was the last time you went on a vacation? A vacation from your vacation does not count. For my family and me it was in July of 2001, which seems like ages ago. We went to Nova Scotia, which was phenomenal, but a little exhausting from planning all of our own activities.

Another vacation of sorts that brings back memories is my honeymoon to the Pocono Mountains. It was a disaster in the making when the hotel did not have our room ready, our “all-inclusive” activities no longer existed and they wanted to downgrade us to a different suite when we wouldn’t accept our reserved room the way it was (they obviously forgot about housekeeping that day). After many tears from this new bride, they gave us our own chalet, but we needed to find all of our activities on our own. This made, what was supposed to be the beginning of our newly married life, a very stressful occasion.

Now with three kids and another on the way, we all yearn for some fun time. Lately we have talking about going on vacation, but were at a loss as to where to go that was kid-friendly, yet all-inclusive. Today I found AMResorts, who are leading the way in all-inclusive luxury vacations.

AMResorts basically saw what was lacking in the vacation industry, listened to what consumers wanted and then implemented them to create a vacation where you will find no need for extra time off to vacation from your vacation. AMResorts wants to provide you with the most fun, yet relaxing vacation you have ever experienced.

AMResorts has three brands; Secrets Resorts & Spa’s (did someone say spa?), Dreams Resorts & Spa’s and Sunscape Resorts & Spa’s. All work around the theme of unlimited luxury, unlimited fun. What’s better than having a ready-made vacation for you, where all you have to focus on is the fun?

I’m definitely ready for it, are you?

If you're like me, you start planning your Friday nights several weeks out. Well if you are lucky enough to be in the San Francisco area on Friday, November 17th, the place to see and be seen is at The World Is Just Enough event.

Club Sportiva, Mitra, and On The Fly host the shopping event of the holiday season: a benefit for City of Dreams, a San Francisco non-profit dedicated mentoring at-risk youth.

Tickets are $75 per person, and are redeemable for $75 in gifts & merchandise the night of the event. Attendance is limited to 400 guests.

At 9pm sharp, a raffle will take place for the following prizes:

Angara will be auctioning off a $5,000 diamond.
Two Gold Memberships to Club Sportiva valued at $3,700 each.
Mitra will be raffling off a turnkey home theater system valued at $4,000.
A "Box O' Testosterone" from On The Fly valued at $6,000.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 each, or 6 for $100. Must be present to win.

Finally, the after-party will be hosted at Fluid Ultra Lounge from 11pm-2am. For Booth Reservations & Bottle Service, please call 415.370.1804.

If you can't make it to the west coast, but you have a modern who needs a holiday gift, log on to www.onthefly.com and start your shopping.

From around the blogosphere, here is what everyone is talking about:

From those who live for Fashion:

Kristopher Dukes is talking about the Christian Louboutin Ankle Boot (that seem vaguely familiar from that of my youth).

The Bag Snob shows you a great little black dress for the Holiday's.

The Budget Fashionista exposes Isaac Mizrahi's Holiday 2006 line at Target.

From those who live for Beauty:

The Mineral Makeup Blog reviews Monave Mineral Cosmetics.

Hello Dollface discusses her review of Scott Barnes Beauty.

Beautiful Makeup Search lets you know that Covergirl Outlast, outlasts them all.

From those who live for all things perfume:

The Scented Salamander talks about Eau D'Italie Le Sirenuse Positano's Italian land and history's inspired scents.

Perfume Critic reviews Tom Ford's Black Orchid.

Indie Perfumes discusses the upcoming movie "Perfume, the Story of a Murderer."

Do you know of a great beauty, fashion, jewelry or perfume blog that deserves a little attention in the Weekend Pulse? Post me a comment so I can check them out!

There are all sorts of buy/sell sites out there these days, but none as unique as Ruby Lane. While many buy/sell sites offer a wide variety of products to choose from, Ruby Lane is very specific to those who love Antiques, fine art, collectibles and jewelry, thus making sure that their site not only offers high quality products, but gives the advantage of having high quality sellers as well.

Purchasing products online from an individual can be tricky and involves a lot of trust. Ruby Lane insures nothing but trustworthy sellers by having a rigorous Quality Assurance program in place. Each seller who wants to set up a shop on Ruby Lane is pre-screened by their in-house arts and antiques professionals and must meet specific quality and professional standards before they can open their shop, unlike other sites where anyone can simply give themselves a screen name and start selling products.

I love Diamonds. Whether or not Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, I'll leave that up to you. I'd take a true best friend over a diamond any day, but diamonds are "cravable" so it is important to be choosy and educated when picking out a diamond when you are ready to take that big step in your relationship. When my husband and I got engaged, he let me come with him to the jeweler to pick out my diamond. I had never purchased a diamond before, so I didn’t know what to expect and I certainly didn’t have any idea about color or even the terms used for clarity. I just knew I wanted a Princess Cut diamond that wasn’t cloudy looking.

For those reading this at the 2006 ISPA Conference & Expo, be sure to stop in the Professional Development Sessions at 2PM.

INDUSTRY TRENDS - Press Tactics & Topics for 2007 - Magazine Editors & PR Professionals Unite – Rona Berg & Pierce Mattie

I know this isn't exactly breaking news for everyone. However, for those who have lives and don't live and shop online exclusively, this may be news to you, it was to me. Many "recommendation" sites are popping up all over the Internet, yesterday a Fashion blogger referred me to one that is getting kudos in the New York Times; ThisNext.com. I was impressed just how organized this site was and even more impressed to find fashion and beauty bloggers I know doing Shopcasts there, such as Kristopher Dukes, The Jewelry Weblog, and Lola is Beauty.

What's a Shopcast? It's basically shopping and broadcasting combined. It's a playlist of products you recommend and you run them on a badge on your site and they also run on the ThisNext site, as well. You can create wishlists and also make recommendations by downloading a few buttons for your browser.

There are some really great recommendations just waiting for you to discover them, or if you feel so inclined, for you to make them at ThisNext.com

"Because there are things women need to know about breast implants and augmentation." For more information, please visit www.Breastimplants411.com

Cast Your Vote
(1). Size: 32 A
(2). Size: 32 B
(3). Size: 34 B
(4). Size: 34 C
(5). Size: 36 C
(6). Size: 36 D

• Communication Arts: This year’s interactive design winners were selected by our distinguished jury from a group of entries including Web sites, Kiosks, CD-ROM projects and PDA's.

• Strategic Public Relations: PR Industry: Improve Your Writing -Kevin Dugan

• Salon.com: Fake News, Fake Reporter: Why was a partisan hack, using an alias and with no journalism background, given repeated access to daily White House press briefings? -By Eric Boehlert

• Online Media Daily: Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Puts Edelman Public Relations on probation for creating fake Blogs (flogs) for client Walmart

• Customer Listening Blog: WOMMA Ethical Blogger Contact Guidelines: 10 Principles

You may have noticed more companies that cater to lifestyle industry are listening to customers by repackaging and redesigning ingredients in products as they watch consumer trends change, and I say it’s about time! Grocery store shoppers should be aware that you don’t need to pay higher prices for premium national brand names when they may be identical to the less expensive (generic) store-brand. 20 years ago generic store brands screamed for attention as they were all yellow, void of any branding and made you feel like a loser at the check out counter.

KNOW THE FACTS: If you're considering changing your packaging to make it "prettier" on the store shelf, then get ready for a marketing disaster. Packaging redesign is not a beautification project. It's about:

* Meeting the ever-changing needs of your target consumer group. For example, your target group may be aging. Also, younger and more affluent shoppers are entering the marketplace.

* Reviewing competitive products, new product launches and your category.

* Monitoring shifts in distribution channels, retailer formats and economic conditions.

* Optimizing both the graphic and structural elements of your packaging.

* Revitalizing a brand and product sales, maintaining or growing market reach.

Do you seem to be losing customers lately? Is your customer base and sales simply not increasing? Consumers are telling you all of the time what they want, but are you paying attention? Do you genuinely listen to what they want? Or do you feel comfortable with the way things are?

Here are five things that consumers want from a business both online and offline:

Any woman can tell you the color and scent of a Victoria’s Secret store. Branding a business by color has been around forever, branding a business by scent deliberately is a rather new practice.

We have become inundated with never ending commercials, advertisements, pop-ups and infomercials, smart, progressive businesses realize that the use of scent is another way to make their business or brand not only stand out, but be remembered and associated with a certain positive experience or product.

While color may be an easy branding tool and will surely distinguish you from your competitors, such as that yummy, chocolate brown trademarked as "UPS Brown", scent can be a little touchier. Scent can either turn someone away or reel them in. It's a scientific fact that women are attracted to an ever so slight smell of skunk. Too much, and they are repulsed. Repulsion can be a good thing if your an international airport and you need to clear a building fast. Scents of danger need no interpretation. The scent of coffee can calm people, the new car smell increases sales of vehicles, Victoria’s Secret puts you in the mood the minute you walk into their store with the scent of a woman (or a man in drag) that remind you of romance and desire. Pierce Mattie's Media Oasis has a branded scent, complete with a high tech scent delivery system. Scents that relax you and put you in the mood to shop can increase a businesses bottom line.

Funny when I was in Las Vegas this week for the ISPA show the taxi driver that picked me up was complaining on how the town was blowing things up. Little did I realize that it was the famous Stardust. The home of my favorite cheesy movie; Showgirls! As most hotels turn into resorts and expand their spas like Caesars Palace did this month with their new spa tower, the old players cannot keep up.

The Stardust, the neon-wrapped casino with a mobbed-up past whose 1,065 rooms once set the standard for size on the Las Vegas Strip, witnessed its last roll of the dice Wednesday.

Wistful longtime employees and loyal gamblers gathered for a last farewell to the iconic 48-year-old institution, which is to be razed early next year to make way for Boyd Gaming Corp.'s planned $4 billion Echelon Place resort.

The Stardust opened July 2, 1958, as the world's largest hotel and catered to middle America with $6-a-night rooms and low-minimum stakes gambling.

But as bigger, classier casinos sprung up around it in the late 1980s and '90s and patrons began shelling out more for rooms, food and drinks, its luster began to fade.

"I'm really going to miss this place," said Jimmy Kunihiro, a 60-year-old Honolulu resident, as he took a last pass at the craps table. "It's a home away from home."

Three summers ago, the New York City Ballet returned to St. Petersburg, Russia, 20 years after the death of the troupe's visionary co-founder, George Balanchine, who was born there.

Director Richard Blanshard's film of the trip, the company's first to St. Petersburg since 1972, airs Sunday (Nov. 12) on 131 PBS stations across the United States.

On one level, the title "Bringing Balanchine Back" is a straightforward description of NYCB's return to Russia, which is captured in the film through a mix of interviews, performance excerpts and always-entertaining backstage footage. On another, not-so-subtle level, the title echoes the subtext driven home throughout the documentary: how well NYCB is thriving two decades after Balanchine died, leaving his company with an incredible wealth of ballets and an enormous pair of shoes to fill.

Stone is a newly-constructed 33,000-square-foot state-of-the-art spa, salon and fitness facility located at Turning Stone Resort & Casino, a 17,000-acre resort, gaming, entertainment and golf complex-an enterprise of the Oneida Indian Nation. It is scheduled to open November 1, 2006.

Skana's gentle treatments use natural products combined with unparalleled service to promote inner peace and harmony-thus the name Skana, the Oneida word for "Peace." Skana will offer all the healthy living amenities and services of a destination spa, with the added appeal of three
championship golf courses, a casino, showroom and 5,000-seat entertainment complex featuring top artists.

Three cheers for men who know what it is a woman wants...and then delivers.

I found an article today about a straightening iron set up like a vending machine, and found in public bathrooms. You pay a small fee and can then defrizz your hair with the straightening iron, basically saving women everywhere from a bad hair day.

This product is called the Straight Up Vending Machine and is made by Beautiful Vending Company. However, this item can only be found in the United Kingdom right now. Still, this just shows that people respond when you deliver a product that provides a solution to a problem. In this case, it is women who want perfect hair all of the time, no matter where they are.

A well planned exit without the use of a publicist? Atoosa Rubenstein, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine announced last week that she’ll be leaving the publication. Her next move is to launch several teen-centered projects including a web business, a book and a consulting firm.

She told the New York Post, “I’m a risk taker. I don’t play the game in a safe way. I’ve never been driven by power or money. I’ve always had a very strong relationship with our audience, and I hope to develop that in a more immediate and visceral way.”

Before her announcement to leave Seventeen, Rubenstein already started branching out of her Editor-in-Chief post positioning herself as an advocate for teens by appearing on MTV’s Miss Seventeen reality show and also as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model, a favorite show among Seventeen readers.

Is Rubenstein leaving Seventeen another sign in the decline of teen publications? In the last two years, YM, Teen People, and Elle Girl have been shut down. Teen People and Elle Girl are still online – a good move since most teens are tech-savvy. At least we’ve still got COSMOgirl! and Teen Vogue! We’ll have to wait and see who will take over the EIC post at Seventeen.

Read more about her decision to leave Seventeen on her MySpace page and some speculations from Jossip.

Time Magazine has teamed up with the Geek Squad to list its "Best Of" inventions list for 2006. We will see many more of these lists as the end of the year approaches. Time lists best inventions for transportation, the home, meals and cooking, clothing, toys, medicine, safty, the military, and as well as using light category. Readers can then vote for what they think is this year's best of TIME magazine's best.

Other "Best Of" List for 2006: Best Books Of 2006 from Amazon.com. Best Colleges For 2007 from U.S. News & World Report. Best of New York City by The Village Voice.

If your a true foodie then you're well aware of the brand name Viking, one of the original all stainless steel (I still prefer stainless steal finish to the new trendy bronze finish ) professional line of stoves, ovens and refrigerators. Viking has been around long before Chefs were rock-stars, the food network and it was trendy to have professional food industry preparation stoves in your home kitchen.

While they may have lead the trend in the early 90's, Viking might need to make a few new changes to the classic design if they're going to continue to be a leader. Viking is not the only choice anymore. I have cooked on many different Viking stoves and encountered this same flaw, you cant read the knobs, you have to get a leg workout squatting down to look at the flame and adjust the knob. It's true, it's not like the knob has detailed data on it, your looking at the flame and most Pros only need to calibrate by sight of the flame. However, the weighted line printed on the knobs IS NOT VISABLE. Why put any data on at all if you have an obstructed view? While I have many good things to say about Viking stoves, I share in Hayman's frustration.

Other "elite" prosumer kitchen stove brands are well designed and Viking would be smart to listen to loyal customers. If they don't, shame on them. In today's competitive market even mega status brands like Viking can't afford to ignore good design. I would choose and recommend another brand (I know many interior designers who would agree with me) if Viking chooses to ignore prosumers. Please check out Aza Rashkins Get Humanized blog where he discusses stove knob placement design.

Joining rock star, Playboy photographer and Zamboni driver on the list of dream jobs will be chief beer officer, courtesy of Four Points by Sheraton.

The Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide brand will launch an executive search starting today for someone with brew eloquence and a rich knowledge of beer as part of its Best Brew program. The job posting appears in a full page in the Wall Street Journal and on HotJobs.com and Monster.com. The new hire—who actually would be brought on as an independent part time consultant—will be showered with Starwood Preferred Guest points and a generous travel and expense account for fulfilling duties like attending beer fests, sampling more than 300 brews, touring breweries, hosting Oktoberfest and choosing beer menus for new hotels. The CBO will assume the post by mid-January and begin documenting beer-related activities while imparting knowledge to others through a Web blog. [Brandweek] -By Mike Beirne

I've been a Rocketboom viewer since the beginning (and persecuted for my advocacy of the lighthearted daily news by friends and colleages): I think I tuned in on her 3rd podcast on iTunes. Not a iTunes subscriber? Check your Tivo; Rocketboom is now available to most Tivo subscribers. Like many loyal followers of "citizen journalism," it was sad to see her leave Rocketboom. The good news is now everyone can see her on the boob-tube; watch for Amanda on ABC, maybe even prime time! Again, congratulations. Yesterday's headline read:

Amanda Congdon, the former host of the Rocketboom video blog, has been hired by US TV network ABC.

Congdon is also in the process of developing a show with US cable channel Home Box Office (HBO).

The Back-story: Congdon left Rocketboom in June this year claiming that she was fired, but Baron alleges that she quit to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles.

Baron apparently gave Congdon a 49 per cent share of Rocketboom. The two are currently in a dispute as to whether the agreement still stands.

In true Congdon spirit, here is an interpretation of perky quirky "news babe" memorable highlights. You may get a kick out of it if you watched Rocketboom since the beginning.

"I am going to be video blogging for Disney ABC, specifically ABC News," Congdon said in a video message on her Amanda Across America blog.

"I'll be the first person to fulfill that role for the network. Because ABC is continually pushing ahead and innovating, I'm super excited to be a part of their team.

"I'll also be appearing on ABC's News Now from time to time and occasionally I'll pop up on Good Morning America, Nightline and 20/20 to serve as an Internet correspondent."

• Personal Care Appliances - Global Strategic Business Report : This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Personal Care Appliances in Thousands of Units.

• Spinduggery, The Flack: Peter Himler posts about Jeff Jarvis' snarky comment insinuating PR professionals have dishonesty in their DNA. Jeff Jarvis, being the 'spin'-ster he is, should love the quote "you can’t polish a turd."

• KFC Logo Relaunch - From Space, Near Area 51: I know all of you are saying "I thought of that months ago." Ever since Google launched satellite imagery on its maps, I've wanted to pitch this idea to a client. While not the first, KFC is doing it on a grand scale; a nice publicity stunt. For those of you who know my New York address, you can see me on the roof of my apartment building with my dogs, frozen in time from space.

• Loyalty VS. Advocacy CRM Lowdown: Most companies think that their job is done when they manage to convert a regular customer into a loyal customer. They tend to forget the guy because now ‘he can take care of himself.' Wrong! Once you’ve converted a customer, your job becomes even more difficult.

• Link Karma From The Copyblogger: 21 Surefire tips for a successful blog launch, 10 things to consider when choosing a site meter, and the five W's of great content.

• Hotels offer lots of freebies during winter (just not in New York City), The Mercury News: Winter travelers can take advantage of a number of hotel deals. Properties are offering free nights, free gift cards, special rates and other perks.

• How To Stop Comment Spam Without Lifting a Finger, Tubetorial: If you're a wordpress user, you have to visit tubetorial. Quick, easy-to-understand flash video - enjoy.

• The European Newspaper Design & Concept Awards Europe‘s most innovative newspaper 2006: Look and learn. This year, Europe’s best designed newspapers come from Belgium, Norway, Finland, Portugal and Spain. 287 newspapers from 26 countries participated in the eighth European Newspaper Award.

I thought my client was very relaxed, until after the treatment I realized she died on the table during our session, and I thought to myself...were those moans of joy or pain!

Sometime blackheads aren't the only thing extracted at spas. A few souls have been extracted as well. While some of us have had wonderful experiences at a day spa, there are some out there that snap us back to reality that you really do need to heed warnings and pay attention to the reputation of spa's.

Some stories lingering around the internet:

Gut Feelings: A Kuwaiti woman tells of her awful experience at Al-Corniche Club Spa in Kuwait. Always go with your gut, if customer service is bad just from a telephone call, you must know it is going to be just as bad at the spa itself.

The Roach Treatment: What would your reaction be if you signed in at Eo Inn Spa with a roach crawling across the clipboard?

Sawful! Edges Salon and Spa get a pretty bad review from this spa patron. No shower available after an oily massage and waiting in the parking lot while the spa opened 30 minutes late are just some of the complaints.

About.com reminds you how important it is to tell a spa your medical history before having any spa treatments done, a story not for the faint of heart, but a message worth heeding.

If you've never experienced a spa before, but would like to, be sure to check out Spa Finder. You can really break down your search for the type of spa you are looking for to provide you with as much detail as you need to make an informed decision.

Have you had a bad experience at a spa? Let us know in the comments.

Today as I was window shopping through Ruby Lane, I came upon a blast from my own past; an antique Fire Opal diamond ring. It caught my attention right away, as the memories flooded back to the day I bought it with several paychecks I saved up in my late teens. Unfortunately, from moving around throughout the years, I lost that beloved ring I worked so hard to purchase in my youth. So to find this ring today on Ruby Lane and that it is even in my size, it must be fate!

Window shopping can be fun, as it gave me many great gift ideas for the Holidays. I loved not only the variety of the jewelry sold, but also that it wasn’t soley retail. Many of the jewelry sellers were crafters and designers themselves. I really like the collection by Israeli jewelry designer Yifat Aharoni. Her jewelry has such a different flare to it, yet its not too eccentric. Then there’s the beautiful beadwork by Tracey Pettingill. I came across a beautiful set of Peridot earrings, which happen to be my birthstone. Have a love for vintage European jewelry? I found that too with Jewels at Cellarum.

It’s amazing what you can find when you really look through the various sellers on Ruby Lane and don’t forget for you skeptics out there of buy/sell sites, Ruby Lane is unique with an exemplary selling policy and guarantee.

If you’ve shopped at Ruby Lane, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please be sure to post it in the comments!

So you want to have a secret nuclear weapons program? Fine, we are taking away your iPod—now go to your room! The iPod won’t get you to change your behavior? Even better, no plasma TV for you!

This seems to be the new idea in sanctions presented by the Bush Administration, which is backed and coordinated by the United Nations: luxury sanctions. Since the other sanctions imposed on Kim Jong I1 hasn’t persuaded him to stop the testing of nuclear weapons, the Bush Administration has decided to hit him where it hurts…his love for luxury items. It seems he likes to live it up with cognac, a ride on a Harley, watching his favorite movie “The Bodyguard” starring Whitney Houston (what???) on his plasma, listening to his favorite tunes on his iPod, riding around North Korea on his Segway personal scooter and the list goes on and on.

I think this is a very interesting angel indeed. Obviously the previous sanctions imposed hit the North Koreans where it hurt and had little effect on Kim, but sanctions that directly affect the lifestyle he is accustomed to? Priceless.

What do you think of this out of the box idea?

I’m not sure how some athletes, like celebrities, can have such a keen eye to fashion while others obviously are still working on trends from yesteryear (I mean they all have Publicists who should be able to help them, right?)

Here is a short list of some amazingly fashionable athletes:

David Beckham—Without a doubt, not only gorgeous, but he has yet to make a bad fashion move.

Derek Jeter—Definitely a well-dressed guy, but I still think his best fashion statement was Mariah Carey on his arm.

Alex Rodriguez—Great fashion and great hair.

Serena Williams—So fashionable, she own her own clothing line called Aneres.

Anna Kournikova—With a body like hers, how can any clothing look bad on her?

Michelle Kwan—Her style is simple yet classy.

Victoria’s Secret will be once again be doing their anticipated annual fashion show tonight at 10pm on CBS. Their fashion shown, not only known for their uber gorgeous models, is also known for bringing extravagance in the ultimate bra to the stage. Last year it was the extremely expensive (giga-zillion?) bra made entirely out of precious stones.

What started out as an outrage in 2001 to many astonished viewers when it made it onto prime time television, has now become a much looked forward to event each year. The exception to this was when it pulled its show from the airwaves in 2004 from the domino effect of Janet Jackson giving her full disclosure during her Super Bowl halftime show. It returned last year looking more tasteful than ever.

This year’s fashion show will feature the very hot and sexy, Justin Timberlake. Justin’s image, as well as the fact that he is now a fashion designer himself, definitely fits in with the Victoria’s Secret branding.

I look forward to seeing how Victoria’s Secret will top themselves from last year with the dollar amount and extravagance of it’s most talked about bra.

Will you be watching?

We're reviewing a few of the new game councils out on the market. We love our computer-platform lifestyle games, (Desperate Housewives, the game) but knew we were missing out on HD (1080i), surround sound, game-matching, leader-board enhanced experiences that the new counsels offer. So we've decided to fully immerse ourselves in the gaming lifestyle and it's become very serious (fun) research. I happen to have received one of the Xbox360 platforms so your probably going to hear more about it in the future then the Sony PlayStation 3 as I blog more then the other participating game platform "researchers." Look for some posts on our discoveries in the near future.

Above you can see my gamertag. Please comment here if you have an Xbox360 gamertag. I wanted to offer an invitation to add me as a friend or email me your gamertag if you don't want your tag to be posted publicly. Steve Rubel, I know you have one...how about a little friendly competition?

Joanna Roche is the Senior Managing VP of Pierce Mattie Public Relations. She has a proven track record of success and corporate experience. She is high energy and passionate about her work, which makes her direct, up front, realistic approach with Pierce Mattie PR clients what makes her a true asset.

Joanna is a married mother of a 2-year-old son, who loves to run, cook and travel. The best way to describe her is balanced. She loves to dive into her work, yet still maintain the proper balance of her hobbies and family life. Joanna is goal oriented and believes that nothing is impossible.

Tell readers about a typical day as VP of Pierce Mattie.

There is nothing typical about being a VP at Pierce Mattie PR! Every day is different and it is one of the things I love about my job. Most days include working on new business, coming up with creative ideas to promote our brands, meeting with clients, nurturing the staff and helping them develop pitches and reach editors, and keeping abreast of trends and happenings in the PR world.

As the Holidays are fast approaching, the one item most girls wish for are diamonds. Diamond jewelers know this and you can see it through the increase in commercials as gift giving season quickly falls upon us.

While most men give the basic colorless diamond (which if my husband is reading, I would not mind at all), why not be unique and set yourself apart from the status quo with a Natural Color Diamond? A Natural Color Diamond is one that contains color and its value is not placed on its carat weight, shape or clarity, but in the richness of its hues. The deeper the color, the rarer the stone. When you give a Natural Color Diamond you are making a statement to your giftee that she herself is a find.

These diamonds have been made popular in recent years by celebrities trying to impress their counterparts. Two that stand out are when Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez a yellow canary diamond and Kobe Bryant gave his wife a purple fancy diamond.

Color in your diamonds can also have a different effect on your giftee (besides complete giddiness) when it comes to the color you chose:

Red, which in a diamond is the rarest of all colors, also conveys passion, optimism, vitality and self confidence.

Blue, second rarest in color, conveys serenity, calming and harmony.

Pink exudes femininity, comfort and relaxation.

Which color best describes the person you intend to give the diamond to? It is something to consider when making such a purchase. To shop for one, be sure to visit Angara.com or visit Fantasy Diamond online or ask your local jeweler to see fantasy diamonds or endless diamonds.

In our continued effort to support bloggers and citizen journalists we are opening up our vote for Publicist of the Year to you. In the past we have only asked the media and producers to participate. If you've worked with any of our publicists, please vote today.

I’ve honestly never paid much attention to products that were celebrity endorsed, in high school, maybe a little, however there have been plenty of my friends who live by what products “Celebrity A List” says are the best. There was a time, back when I was very young, that I did follow what my favorite celebrities endorsed. One such product was Pepsi, simply because I was a very big Michael Jackson fan. Luckily, I wised up.

So when I saw one of my favorite fashion designers, Isaac Mizrahi, pitching StriVectin-SD in a commercial the other day I felt such utter disappointment. Strivectin-SD, which claims to be an anti-stretchmark cream turned anti-wrinkle cream, is trying to pitch their product to men through Mizrahi's popularity. Isaac is a talk show host and thus a "lifestyle advocate" however, as a person who admires Mr. Mizrahi for his outstanding fashion, I wonder why he had to go this route. Seeing him in a commercial promoting an anti-wrinkle cream made me lose a little bit of respect for him and I didn't want too. I'm sure I am not alone.

I believe there was a time when celebrity endorsements held clout, but the times have been changing, most especially as blogs have become more and more popular. There are so many blogs out there that review products and I am more apt to listen to the average Joe tell me their likes and dislikes over a product than to run out to buy a product because Mischa Barton has been using it. According to a survey done by Allure and Essence, the same holds true for many of their readers.

Although Blogging has been around for years, approaching Bloggers to review or pitch your products is fairly new and growing in momentum. If you are thinking of approaching a Blogger to review your products, there is a protocol that sometimes many companies do not invest their time to understand and follow.

As a beauty Blogger, I receive many emails on a weekly basis from companies and PR firms big and small to find out if I am interested in reviewing their products on my two beauty blogs. There are some that exude professionalism both in the way they approach me through their emails, through the way the package is sent and in their follow up. Then there are the mass emails, lack of PR materials with the product, presentation of the product and lack of follow up. The difference between the two potentially means your emails go in my trash folder.

Things you should not do when you approach a Blogger:

Send out a mass email, most notably saying “Dear Bloggers” or having no greeting at all. While some newer Bloggers may respond to this, many seasoned Bloggers won’t. It is the sign of a company simply harvesting your contact information and not taking the time to personally contact you, as they want you to personally review their product. It is a two way street.

Have the expectation that the Blogger will want to review your product simply because you offered it for free. Bloggers know their readers and most will only review products that are 1. Related to their blog and 2. Something that would be of interest to their readers.

Insincerely attempt to flatter them. So many companies do it and many times I receive the same email to each of my accounts for my blogs when the company doesn’t even realize they are sending it to the same person. Bloggers can read between the lines.

Nothing brings in the holiday cheer more than high heels, short dresses, and tons of whiskey. On a recent trip to LA, I got to celebrate the holidays with socialite Kim Kardashian, who brought her Olympian step father, Bruce Jenner along for the shenanigans.

Avery Cardoza planned a classy event as usual with high end services for all party goers. At the entryway, guests were invited to enjoy free cigars and whiskey tasting. The main room featured shoe shines compliments of Michael Toschi and complimentary shaves provided by The Shave of Beverly Hills. Finally the bar region was equipt with decanters and wine aroma tests provided by OnTheFly.com. Sterling Steakhouse created elegant appetizers and tasteful martinis that the beautiful crowd enjoy all throughout the evening.

And as if this wasn’t enough, OnTheFly.com provided giftboxes worth hundreds of dollars for the guests, as well as VIPs received snowboards, and the first chapter of the $4,000 NFL Champions Book. Avery certainly set a pretty high standard for his holiday party.

There are many milestones in a young man’s life. I can remember my first kiss, the first time I tried to drive a stick shift and the day I left my small hometown of Pearl, Mississippi for the bright lights of Broadway.

As I celebrate my third year anniversary at Pierce Mattie PR, I’ve hit two more milestones. I’m now one of the seniors at the firm, and as a result, Mr. Mattie has given me my first Louis Vuitton bag to commemorate the occasion. Just think, a few days ago I couldn’t even spell Louis Vuitton, and now I own one of their Epi leather briefcases.

As I think back on my time with the firm, I have many great memories. Aside from the day-to-day work, which I love, I’m most fond of the people. Nikki Walker, last year’s Publicist of the Year always brightens my day with her big smile and cheerful attitude. And no day is complete without the musical stylings of Miss Lauren Branche. But the person I have the most admiration for is Pierce Mattie himself.

Pierce will never admit this, but I often get the feeling that he cares more for his employees than himself. Even when he’s critiquing our work, I know that he’s doing all he can to help give the team all the tools we need in order to be successful. Whether it’s a gym membership to help stay in shape, a bonus to show his appreciation for the work we’ve done all year, or simply a “great job,” Pierce always goes above and beyond when it comes to taking care of us, and that is one of the major reasons why I’ve flourished so much in my career over the past three years, and why the firm has grown to a bi-coastal company with firms in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

So for me, the Louis Vuitton bag is not just a milestone in my path to becoming a more fashionable publicist, it’s a stepping stone to the next level of my career journey at Pierce Mattie PR. And no matter where the road takes me, I’ll always look great while pounding the pavement and securing the placements.

It was a good year for many Americans and the luxury industry. For the “have’s” this Holiday season, gift giving of extravagance is at an all time high. If you are not wealthy, like myself, you may wonder what exactly someone who spares no expense at the Holidays gives to someone they love.

Splurging wealthy New York City gift givers will be placing some of these items under the tree:

$5,000 in jewelry from Coco Raynes.
$7,000 mink coats$1 Million in private jet time.
$10,000-$20,000 for makeovers
$20,000 necklaces
$50,000 diamond ring, made of 2 Canary Diamonds.

It’s really amazing when you think about it. While I might love to have a $50,000 Canary Diamond ring, I can’t imagine the guilt I would feel walking by New York’s homeless on a cold winter’s night or watching the news and hearing about Hurricane Katrina victims who are still homeless. I’m sure that those who live in the luxury lifestyle don’t bat an eyelash at the prices they pay for extravagant gifts, but from an outsider looking in, it’s really quite baffling.

For the rest of us with "normal" shopping budgets, take a peak at E! televisions "Shopping With The Stars" see what celebrities star are getting this holiday season.

If you had $50,000 to spend on a gift, what would you give?

A few nights ago I was watching a show regarding “Pumping Parties.” I was really quite blown out of the water when hearing about these parties and how they continue to increase in popularity despite the inherent risks. A pumping party is when you are invited to a host’s home and everyone is injected with silicone in the parts of the body they want to see rapid results. They pay hundreds of dollars to the injectee, who has no medical training, versus the sometimes costly price of plastic surgery and Botox. Many see this as an easier and less costly way to obtain pseudo plastic surgery results.

Pumping parties have been around for a while (and are illegal), but as the demand for physical perfection continues to daunt us, the popularity of these parties increases. What many people attending these parties don’t understand is that silicone injected that is not medical grade or done by a board certified plastic surgeon, is just plain deadly. Silicone that is injected improperly travels through the bloodstream and causes blood to coagulate in the lungs, creating circulatory obstructions that can be immediately life-threatening if not identified and treated quickly according to the Radiological Society of North America. The imaging findings of pulmonary silicone embolism include dark, hazy patches in the lung tissue on x-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans.

If you are invited to a pumping party, please know the risks involved. While your results may be immediate and the price tag associated with it may be attractive, any cosmetic procedures should be done soley by a plastic surgeon. While you may be saving yourself some money in the short-term, isn’t your long term overall health priceless?

This month, Pierce Mattie PR presented the highly anticipated and coveted Annual Media Awards. Arriving in New York, our Los Angeles and Atlanta teams joined forces with our New York Team all with baited breath, awaiting the results. After a sumptuous holiday feast, (it was sumtuous!) we announced our winner and runner-up of Pierce Mattie PR's top honor: the 2006 Publicist of the Year Award. The winner is awarded a six day and five night all inclusive trip to Paris for two, while the runner-up receives a 5 day session package for Pilates.

Drum roll please...

Congratulations to Lance Buckley (NY office), our 2006 Publicist of the Year who also got his three year anniversary Louis Vuitton briefcase. We had over 3,000 editors and segment producers write in to tell us who they thought should win. It's not just a popularity contest but a testament to which publicist created the best rapport with the press.

Having worked at Pierce Mattie PR for three years, Lance brings creative insight and encyclopedic knowledge of his market all packaged together in a calm and thoughtful demeanor. He has led such successful campaigns as Desperate Housewives, Lotus Sports Cars, Hommage Razors, NoNami Clothing, and Lock Stock & Barrel to name a few.

Maryam Zarkesh (LA office) came in with the next number of votes. With Pierce Mattie PR for just over a year, Maryam has risen quickly by displaying a tireless work ethic, a strong grasp of the brands on which she works and a charming manner that has made everyone adore her.

Also awarded were:

2006 Best Print Media Placement of the Year
Nafi Saboor (NY)
Xtreme Lashes in Teen Vogue

2006 Best Broadcast Placement of the Year
Nikki Walker (Atlanta)
Black Opal on the Today Show

2006 Platinum Service Award
Ivy Cartagena (NY)

2006 Best Media Event of the Year
Lauren Branche (NY)
Jane Iredale Global Beauty Launch Event

Of course our holiday event wouldn't be complete without our Blooper Awards but that's for our eyes only. Even our CEO received the biggest blooper!

We are proud of each and every one of our team members. While we honor the few whose work shone brightly, we are a family and recognize that each person's work is a reflection of the larger whole.

Onward to 2007!

If you are going to a party or out on the town this weekend, of course you want to shine. To show how to add that sizzle to your outfit like the stars do, Dawn Yanek, editor-at-large at Life & Style Weekly magazine shared these tip with us.

Glittery drops:

• 14K white gold diamond earrings (2.02 carats), Endless Diamond Collection, $2,544 at Macy's, Zales and several independent jewelers nationwide.
• Bakers, $14, Bakers stores nationwide
• Express, $22.50, Express stores nationwide. For help finding an Express store, click here.
• Aqua, $28, Bloomingdales stores nationwide, or try Bloomingdales.com

Nestled away on the beautiful island of Mauritius, a new Destination Spa has opened this month. One that is complete with exclusive spa treatments, luxurious beach-front suites and villas, as well as, leisure and health activities that include a fitness center, yoga and meditation center.

The Shanti Ananda Maurice’s spa treatments focus on Ayurveda to Thalassotherapy using both Contemporary and Traditional methods. Both are rooted in ancient Indian culture and have medicinal and therapeutic values. One example of an Ayurveda technique is called Shirodhara. This involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead. These liquids can be oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water or even plain water.

Aside from the wonderful spa treatments it provides, the location of this enchanting destination spa alone will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. The Shanti Ananda Maurice is spread over 36 acres of tropical gardens, taking in views of the hills and Indian Ocean.

The Shanti Ananda offers all-inclusive packages that range from anti-ageing to stress management to weight management, among several others. Each package offers generous treatments and are available at a 20-25% discounted rate until April 30, 2007. The Shanti Ananda Maurice is sure to become a top rated Destination Spa.

As a continuation of how we are increasingly catering and pampering our pets, I bring you Pet showers. While many still bring their pets to the groomer, there are those in a class all of their own that are opting to have Pet showers built into their home. The Real Estate industry has noticed an increasing competition in the arena of high-end home building. Pet showers seem to be the latest trend in what “makes” a home.

These Pet Showers do not come cheap. Many are custom built into multi-million dollar homes, while other pet owners are opting to include them in their home remodeling projects. One such remodeling cost a pet owner $4000 to install a Pet shower. These pampering stations for our precious pets can be lavish, such as 9 foot ceilings, tumble stone flooring and travertine-tiled walls.

Looking to allow your pet to spa instead? Try MTI Whirlpool’s Jentle Pet, a whirlpool spa that is likely to make any Sparky or Fido feel the need for indulgence.

The area in which I live is known to have character. Each house is different, or has historic presence, and stands out among other places nearby. There really is no “big business” in our area overcrowding every street corner and making their over domineering corporate-America presence known. This is a place that embraces entrepreneurs.

So when driving down a road I haven’t traveled in a while, I noticed something out of the ordinary; cookie cutter houses. A new development was being built and each house looked exactly the same. Their yards were the same, with the same tree in the same spot, and the grass all the same length. Nothing about these houses or this development had anything exceptional to them. They lacked character.

I decided to share what the topic was at "show and tell" time in our weekly management meetings in the New York Office. This weeks discussion was a review of Liz Wilson's Telling It Straight article. I will post the article here, then invite Pierce Mattie members to comment along with any comments you may have.

What quality do employees most want from business leaders?

A clear vision of the way ahead, perhaps? A charismatic leadership style? Political or business acumen?

Of course, we demand all those qualities in leaders. But a recent piece of research points to a different quality as being the top priority for many employees.

A survey of over 1,000 employees found that what they most want from their leaders is authenticity, honesty and clear communication. In other words, straight talk.

Many professional communicators already sense this and are counselling business leaders to adopt more open communication measures. But this message isn't always getting through. "Too much value is placed on charismatic leadership: Boards select leaders for their dazzle and the biggest plaudits are saved for those whose profile is often bigger than that of their organization," notes CHA, the consultancy that commissioned the research.

The straight talking survey identified four communication styles among business leaders:

Controlling
Understated
Charismatic
Considerate

Controlling Communicators don't really communicate at all. They are perceived as arrogant, cold and insincere. In the workplace environment, they are seen as strong on business acumen but failing to provide staff with enough information. Rupert Murdoch, boss of News Corporation, is cited as an example.

As we become busier, so comes our need to find time to relax. Relaxing doesn’t necessarily mean vegging out on the couch. More and more people are taking the time from their schedule to indulge in posh spa treatments as the ultimate relaxation indulgence.

Going to the spa is like taking a step into a different world, it’s peaceful, it’s therapeutic, but it also speaks to luxury. As individuals continue to keep spa treatments in demand, more businesses are beginning to capitalize on this.

Hotels and resorts are beginning to offer spa services for their guests making what would’ve been an average hotel stay into an extraordinary one. One such resort that comes to mind that is local to me is Woodloch Pines Resorts. They recently opened their Lodge at Woodloch this past June, which is a Destination Spa that from its beginning stages, demanded high quality professionals for the ultimate in service. Woodloch wanted to stand out among its competitors and become a leader in the industry. They accomplished just that by being listed on the Forbes Top Most Luxurious Spa’s list, as well as being listed among the 100 Best Spa’s in the World by Insider’s Guide. Spa’s like The Lodge at Woodloch are thriving due to the growing demand for pampering in luxury and the overall concept of health and wellness.

I’ve had many friends vacation in Aruba and loved it. I’ve always wanted to go, but now with the renovation of the Aruba Resort Spa & Casino that has now become The Westin Aruba Resort, I’m definitely feeling the urge for a getaway to Aruba.

The Westin Aruba Resort is owned by Starwood Hotels and is part of the Preferred Guest Program. The Preferred Guest Program is impressive with no black out dates, earning more free nights and the fact that 50 of their hotels are listed on the Conde Nast Gold Traveler’s List and another 22 named “World’s Best” by Travel & Leisure. In early 2007, Starwood Hotels will also be launching their Starwood Vacation Ownership Program in Aruba with a building adjacent to The Westin Aruba Resort. I wonder if the 154 two-bedroom villas will sell out in record time, as the Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk did (which set a record for dollar and unit volume.)

I’m not going to pretend to be a New York City princess, heck I don’t even live in NYC, but I do still have a sense of style and a taste for the finer things in life. However, one such luxurious palette pleaser that many New Yorker’s seem to love is Foie Gras. I’ll be honest and tell you that I have never eaten Foie Gras; in fact, I am not really a fan of liver at all. Granted, Steve and Pierce enjoy it, so it intrigued me to find out more (or why for that matter).

Foie Gras, as I am sure you are aware, is banned in Chicago (although many restaurants have ignored the ban or found ways around it) and it is being looked into being banned in NYC as well. The controversy surrounds how the ducks and geese are fed 12-18 days leading up to processing. I’ve looked at both sides and no one can seem to come to some conclusive finding about whether or not the animals suffer during this process. So I am not even going to entertain that controversy any further until someone can conclusively show evidence one way or another.

It’s my goal to try to make it to the city one more time before my son is born and Pierce insists I will love his caviar, champagne (I cant drink, making a baby-it's fashionable!) and chocolate tour (yes please!) as he is a connoisseur of such fine foods. This “tour” includes trying Foie Gras, most likely at his favorite bistro close by to Pierce Mattie PR. He’s told me that Daniel at DB Bistro located in Jeff Kleins City Club Hotel is famous for his Foie Gras and it’s where he does all of his editor and new business lunches.

I hear that Foie Gras is very different in taste and texture than typical liver. Foie Gras is said to have a very rich buttery taste and can be served a variety of ways, such as mousse, pate' or parfait. Many times it is not the main meal, but an accompaniment to a part of your meal. More people appear to be eating Foie Gras and the most popular version is pate'.

Many places offer Foie Gras throughout NYC, although Pierce assures me that DB Bistro really is the best. Fresh Direct also offers Foie Gras. If you are on the West Coast, I hear that La Cachette is a wonderful dining experience offering Foie Gras, as well.

Have you tried Foie Gras? Tell me what you think of it.

Decleor Paris is a luxurious face, body and suncare line for both men and women. Decleor was founded by a team of aromatherapy experts who use their knowledge of active plant extracts to create a comprehensive line of products that are both preventative and on going natural skin care. Decleor is also partnered by Shiseido, known for their wonderful beauty products, and are also the 4th largest beauty group in the industry.

Essential oils have wonderful healing properties with aromatic fragrances that, depending on which oil is used or combined with another, promotes such things as well being, calm, relaxation and so on, therefore promoting balance of both body and mind.

While Decleor’s packaging makes you feel like you just bought a diamond necklace at Tiffany’s, don’t be fooled that the luxury ends there. It’s what is inside the package that is luxurious, making your skin look and feel like you just spent hours at the spa. In fact, Decleor also offers Salon and Spa treatments at select locations. Within the US, it is at Hotel Sofitel in Los Angeles where you can receive their Aroma Mosaic treatments that focuses on care of your face, body and the effects of the sun. Each focused treatment is broken down to be tailor made based on the needs of each individual.

You can find Decleor products in various cities throughout the country or locate one close to you with your zip code through their website: www.decleor-us.com

Unlimited luxury, pampering and indulgence is what comes to mind when thinking of an all-inclusive couples vacation in an exotic location. Just the thought of attentive service, a luxurious modernly designed suite, 24-hour room service, a refreshing pool, ocean views, gourmet restaurants, and a world-class spa relaxes me as I sit here in my pregnant reality. Unlimited-luxury means the pampering is endless. Unlimited-luxury also happens to be the trademark for Secrets Resorts and Spas.

Secrets Resorts & Spas has five locations, 2 resorts in Cancun, Mexico (Capri and Maroma); 2 resorts in the Dominican Republic (Casa del Mar and Punta Cana); and 1 resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. All resorts, with the exception of Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun, will be opening in 2008. Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun is open and awaiting those who value luxury and all-inclusive hospitality.

Each resort has features to leave you breathless by its beauty, such as the ocean views from your suite and the Spa Garden where you will be pampered into complete relaxation. Each suite takes comfort and elegance to an infinite level of opulence ensuring that your getaway is one memory you will hold onto forever. The Spa at Secrets Capri is also a member of iSPA, known for their education, professionalism and authority in the spa industry.

Are you looking for a luxurious getaway? Come see how Secrets Resorts & Spas can indulge you.

I love good design and wanted to share this with other design-loving readers who had not seen the oh-so fashionable PRADA phone. Now let me recommend the Apple iPhone as the Prada phone wont be available in the States anyhow, so it's just a big technology tease!

The PRADA Phone by LG introduces the world’s first advanced touch interface which eliminates the conventional keypad making the overall usage experience a highly tactile one. An extra wide LCD screen maximizes visual impact, allowing the user to benefit from several key features of the phone, including the 2 megapixel camera featuring Schneider-Kreuznach lens, video player and document viewer capacity. Above all, these features contribute to the phone’s beautifully sleek and simplistic appearance.

Glowing icons on the face of the phone disappear when not in use to reveal a pure, un-adulterated black exterior. The phone is ultra thin (just 12 mm), nonetheless it hosts an array of additional multimedia functions, including an MP3 player and a music multitasking function for messaging. It also boasts an external memory slot, allowing the user to increase memory capacity for images, music and film clips.

The PRADA Phone by LG will be available with prices starting from 600 Euros in mobile dealerships as well as selected PRADA stores in the UK, France, Germany and Italy as of late February, 2007, followed by countries in Asia such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore from late March, 2007. The Korean version of the phone is scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2007.

And another beauty, Jessica Biel, was a standout at the Golden Globes red carpet this week, not only for her rockin' body and her beautiful dress, but her skin was amazing! Now we are going to show you how she got that golden glow. Everyone from desperate moms-to-be to "dreamgirls" know that perfect skin is the key to looking good in hollywood. and when Jennifer, Marcia, Jessica biel, and even Elijah Woods want baby-smooth amazing skin, they start at Dermalogica.

Cut to Dermalogica On Montana Pod: they're doing what is called the microzone where they're zoning in on a specific area. it's about 20 minutes. this is the process that you would be doing four weeks prior to your event. what i'm doing here is a rapid result treatment. the ultrasound actually gives a deeper cleanse, and while it's giving a deeper cleanse, it's actually exfoliating. it gets down into the deeper epidermis, so it's giving a really good effect on the skin. what i'm doing is called a high frequency. it's great for any sort of blemish or acne. this is also great for oily skin. so it isn't just for actresses and actors in the business. you can be a celebrity, too. >> now that's what i call equal opportunity beauty. Watch More

Blood Diamond, the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio with several Academy Award nominations, is based on the violent civil war in the 1990’s in Sierra Leone in which the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels attempted to overthrow the government, and an illicit diamond trade was used to fund the war effort. The movie has brought attention to the diamond trade and many times what is involved in mining diamonds that are the most sought-after gem in the world.

So it’s no surprise that there are laboratories out there, such as Apollo Diamonds and Gemesis, that are perfecting on creating real diamonds in a lab setting. Not your typical chemically produced Cubic Zirconia, but diamonds created through a process involving real diamond seeds that come together under pressure to create a diamond that matches or exceeds a mined diamond in quality and brilliance. Same natural diamond, only it takes 2 weeks to produce one in a lab setting versus billions of years in the earth. Obviously it is also much safer to create than the risks involved in mining and what it does to our environment.

Creating and mimicking what is real is nothing new. It’s in how man-made products are taking its toll on the industries that produce the real deal. Cultured Pearls are almost indistinguishable to the naked eye compared to its natural counterpart. Fake fur, really well produced pieces, can often be mistaken for the real thing. While the industry that brings you the real products is beginning to feel its effects, it tries to counteract the new demand for man made quality copies by stressing the importance and value on their non-synthetic product.

Lapo Elkann, heir to the Fiat empire and head of its brand promotion, has launched the first carbon fiber sunglasses under the Italia Independent brand. Elkann, who almost died in 2005 from a drug overdose, has come back in full force doing what he does best; designing and promoting accessories for the Fiat brand.

The sunglasses, the first to be made entirely out of carbon fiber, are the first “personal” accessories to be made by the Italia Independent brand. Sever, the name of the sunglasses, are said to be made of over 40 carbon skins and go through a special process ensuring that these sunglasses cannot be replicated as counterfeit. Their look and style also make them completely unisex. Italia Independent’s “Conceived, developed and produced 100% in Italy” is a new theme to promote pride in Italian craftsmanship and reinstate power of Italian luxury. The sunglasses will sell for 1,000 euros, which is $1300 in US dollars.

The theme of Sever and Italia Independent flow with Fiat’s branding promoting style, strength and Italian luxury. Will Fiat labeled fashion help increase loyalty and that must-have quality giving its cars and fashion accessories that “it” factor? What do you think?

Mini USA recently began a pilot program in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco that gives current Mini Cooper owners a personalized message as they pass by a digital billboard. Owners in the pilot program fill out a questionnaire giving Mini USA non-personal information that will then be programmed into their fob. Based on the information they submitted, when they approach the billboard the RFID will activate a personalized greeting that is displayed on the billboard.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) appears to be a topic of debate between those who don’t mind convenience and those who view it as just another way for Big Brother to track us. Mini Cooper’s pilot program of RFID tags in their cars for further personalization are hailed by some as just another fun feature of being a Mini owner, which is the whole branding and marketing aspect of Mini USA, a subsidiary of BMW. Current and potential Mini owners worry that it could eventually be used for other methods to track and collect data on its owners unsuspectingly, such as what Sony BMG did when they installed anti-piracy software into some of their CD’s that also caused PC instability allowing for viruses and spyware to corrupt the user’s computer.

However, as technology moves forward, what Mini is doing in regards to RFID’s is becoming relatively common, such as cell phones, GPS, EZ Pass, Nike+iPod and so on. I think the pilot program, aptly named Motorby, will be a hit and we will soon see it become a feature of all Mini Cooper’s expanding into a city near you. What will be interesting is to see if this Mini perk will cause unwanted distraction on our highways thus causing accidents and/or if Mini Cooper’s sales are driven upward when Motorby becomes the next “it” of the car industry.

What do you think?

The trendy Volkswagen Eos is a fun and fashionable car with an artistic quality. Not only is it fun to drive and gorgeous to look at, it is also one of the safest convertibles on the road being named “Best Convertible” in Motor Week’s Driver’s Choice Awards this past week. Building upon their image of quality, style and elegance, Volkswagen has collaborated with fashion designers to create an accessory line for its drivers.

Lutz & Patmos, Hable Construction and Sigerson Morrison are the designers involved in the new lifestyle accessory line found at the Eos Boutique. Lutz & Patmos, two CFDA’s members, have created two of the four accessories in the Eos Boutique line. The Origami Wrap is half cashmere and half wool and can be worn draped over one or both shoulders, or wrapped around your waist. Their Two in One Sculptural Coat/Blanket for Two is really unique. It is a cashmere wool blend that can be worn as a sculptural coat for one or as a blanket for two. When worn as the two person blanket, it has openings to slide your head through and keep it from slipping off. Hable Construction created a scarf that is 100% silk and can be worn by the Eos driver around the head, neck or as a belt. Lastly, Sigerson Morrison has designed a soon to be launched Driving Slip-on. They are made from genuine leather with Eos color-matched piping.

There is no other car company doing cross branding like this. Volkswagen may have hit the mark by knowing the type of style-addicts their owners are, seeking out fashion designers that can create a lifestyle accessory line that meets their distinct sense of sophistication and appreciation of quality.

Looking for the next big thing for Spring? Then make sure to check out Maryam & Kims "confessions post" on the fashion PR division blog "The Fashion Rag" (now being edited by Jason Jobson) for links to the top 10 best trends for Spring and the designers who make that trend stand out.

L'Oreal is looking to add ayurvedic beauty products to its current skin care line up through acquisition of an Indian ayurvedic brand. Although L'Oreal hasn't identified a brand that it wishes to acquire just yet, it has been aggressively pursuing the ayurvedic market in India to tap into consumer's growing desire to use exotic beauty products. It was also reported last November that L'Oreal expressed interest in acquiring Ayusoft, ayurvedic software that they approached the CDAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) for customization and further product development of.

As I mentioned yesterday another French company, L'Artisan Parfumeur, will be launching Jatamansi next month. Jatamansi is their first venture into the skin care market and is one that is based on the Himalayan plant used in Ayurveda, an alternative medicine practiced in India. Beauty and personal care products that are ayurvedic are organic and promote healing and health without the use of synthetics or chemicals.

The infamous Hotel Chelsea, considered a “Rest Stop for Rare Individuals,” has seen the likes of many celebrities in its rich past and into its presence. Some of them being Bob Dylan, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the infamous “Sid and Nancy.” It continues to be a celebrity hang out, so the birth of the Hamptons-esque Star Lounge run by Charles Ferri in the basement of the hotel makes perfect sense.

Where a suit and tie is the suggested attire, you can find the city’s upper echelon stopping in for a few drinks in the room that holds the Retro Bar, chatting among friends and new acquaintances in the Chelsea Cafe or dancing to the DJ-spun music in the Energy Lounge. While this may be a deviation from what people know the bohemian hotel to be all about, as noted by Gridzipper, the room dubbed the “Chelsea Cafe” will remain true to its roots with decor that reflect its past.

I’ll be at the Hotel Chelsea the first weekend in March when I get to receive some top-rated pampering courtesy of Pierce Mattie with the most anticipated highlight of being pampered by Alyn Topper, one of the talented hair stylists on Bravo’s hit show Blow Out. It’ll be interesting to finally get a feel for this much talked about hotel and see for myself if the vibe matches the legend.

With all of the excitement over the Academy Awards this weekend everyone is getting ready for the big night with pre-Oscar parties. One pre-Oscar party, in its 3rd year, is the Global Green Pre-Oscar Party. While the Oscars are associated with being an elaborate extravaganza with ornate gowns from the creme de la creme of the fashion industry and the most expensive pieces of jewelry, I loved the idea of the glitz and glam being turned into a good cause.

The Global Green Pre-Oscar party was held last night at Avalon in Hollywood and was co-chaired by top celebrities like Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Norton. The Pre-Oscar party was to benefit Global Green USA’s global warming initiative and the rebuilding of a green New Orleans and Gulf Coast. Guests were served organic wine, beer and cocktails and the group showcased smart solutions to global warming climate change. The party wasn’t focused on who will win Best Actress, but instead it was for the purpose of raising awareness to the cause and raise funds in the process.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this is an incredibly wonderful idea. During a week when we are so focused on who is throwing the most elaborate Oscar parties or wondering who will be wearing the most expensive piece of jewelry around their neck, it’s nice to see an Oscar party that in the end, will be beneficial to us all.

For updates on the Oscars, check out the offical Microsite by Ask Men.

Congratulations to the many stylists, designers and publicists involved.

* Best Picture - The Departed
* Best Director - Martin Scorsese - The Departed
* Best Actor - Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
* Best Actress - Helen Mirren - The Queen
* Best Supporting Actor - Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
* Best Supporting Actress – Jennifer Hudson - Dream Girls
* Best Foreign Film - The Lives of Others

In this age of digital media, sometimes it’s more interesting (and convenient) to put that print magazine aside and watch one through video instead. Chic.Tv is a lifestyle magazine that can be viewed online, on your cell phone and on your iPod. Why carry that bulky magazine on the subway when you can access all of your lifestyle news through your iPod instead?

Chic.Tv promotes everything in you need to know on what is chic in restaurants and dining; cooking and drinking; fashion; night life and clubs; travel destinations; spas; health and well being and more. While primarily focused on New York City, Grace Simpson who is one of their Art & Lifestyle Editors, covers what is chic in Paris, France through her Vlog (I can’t imagine what is not chic in Paris).

The Chic.Tv site certainly offers a lot of information on great lifestyle events and locations throughout the metro area. Rami Rinot, CEO of Chic.Tv, is also the author of two books: The Spirits of New York and The Spirits of Cocktail. The Spirits of New York is a visual restaurant and lifestyle guide showcasing only the best in what New York has to offer those in search of sophistication and refinement. He also offers a web edition through the Chic.Tv site where locations are broken down by categories such as Special Occasions, Power Lunch, Bar Scene, etc. The Spirit of Cocktail focuses on appetizers and cocktails created by the most celebrated chefs of Manhattan's best restaurants.

If you saw the movie firewall with Harrison Ford, then you saw how the family pet saved the day with a little help from it's high tech collar. When it comes to pets, there is no shortage of luxury items available to pamper them. As more and more pet owners consider their pet a member of the family, the demand to treat them to life’s finest luxuries and protect them from harm has created quite a competitive world among pet product companies and their ambition to think of everything that a pet owner could possibly ever want or need to indulge their precious family member.

Such is the case with Global Pet Finder. There are so many dogs and cats that find themselves as escape artists every year causing their owner panic about their whereabouts. Global Pet Finder has come up with a GPS-enabled collar for pets 30 pounds+ (sorry Paris Hilton) that will alert you to your cell phone if your pet leaves your property and will give their exact location so there are no worries driving up and down each and every street calling out for Harley. My boss said he recently purchased one so he would know when the dog walker was taking the dogs out, and where the dog walker was taking them. If you live in a rural area, Global Pet Finder works just as well in wooded areas and those with few street addresses. The collar will emit your pet’s location to your cell phone in terms of distance and direction. With the Global Pet Finder you can create a size limit boundary, almost like an invisible fence, where your pet is allowed to roam, but once it leaves that boundary, you are alerted when the pet has left, where it is and when it returns.

I came across this really fascinating article today by Nellie Lide on the blog “Small Business Trends.” While her article may have been geared towards small business, I definitely see how these same trends she writes about can be applied to large businesses, as well. Consumer trends are something that doesn’t necessarily fit into one piece of the puzzle for business, but can be easily applied across the board regardless if you own a large department store like Sak’s or a fashion focused store like Scoop.

The five top shopping trends for 2007 that Lide lists are:

* Shopping as a Societal Force for a Better World

* Shopping for Temporary Ownership: The Shopper as Buyer AND Seller

As I read through each one of these trend forecasts, I couldn’t help but nod my head in agreement.

Shopping as a Societal Force for a Better World: This is one trend I have been speaking much upon lately here on our beauty, fashion and main blog. Lide mentions the RED program, a program launched by Bono to fight poverty, which you really are seeing everywhere (Gap, Apple, etc.), but there is now also an extension of this program called (Product) RED, whose purpose is to raise funds to eliminate AIDS in Africa. Businesses involved in this are Emporio Armani, Converse and Motorolla. We’re seeing businesses collaborate with charities to fight Global Warming such as Diesel and Lancome, and those going green to lessen the stress on our environment. Business cannot grow in a vacuum and many are foreseeing their growth by getting involved in projects that matter most to their consumers.

If you think of a luxury car, do you automatically think of Audi? Others tend to come to mind like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but Audi? When I think of durability and reliability I definitely think Volkswagen, who is the automaker of Audi. Audi is ambitious and hoping to change the way we think about their brand and are quickly closing the gap on well-known luxury automakers.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, has made the ambitious prediction that by 2015, Audi will be the leading luxury car-maker in the world, not simply by sales figures but through setting the industry pace in technological innovation, brand image, and customer satisfaction. In the US, Lexus is known as the quintessential luxury brand with a flawless record for customer service and brand reliability.

While Audi may be gaining ground in Europe, there may be obstacles here in the US, such as overcoming the brand’s image from 20 years ago when Audi owners accused the car of falsely accelerating. Although it was proven by a government investigation that this was not the case, the damage had been done to the brand’s image and other luxury brands continued to move ahead while Audi’s sales halted.

Lately the Pierce Mattie PR staff have been visiting different Secrets Resorts around the globe. I can honestly say I'm a little envious because I'd love to escape and relax in one of their luxurious resort/spas. If you saw my post last December, then you know I am ready for a vacation. All of this got me thinking about places within the United States that offer world class spa’s and I was surprised to find Las Vegas on that list. Traveling out of the country may be difficult with a newborn, but going to Las Vegas is completely doable.

When most of us think of Las Vegas the big lights, the casinos, the wedding chapels and the saying, “What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas,” all come to mind. We all know Las Vegas is a playground for families and it’s been this way for years. However, there has been change in the air in Vegas in recent years. While all of the above will never go away, it defines the city after all—it is it’s brand image, there is a trend arising and one that the city is sure not complaining about. Las Vegas is becoming the destination hotspot for beauty, fashion and all things luxury. All one needs to do is look at the world class international dining, miles of pools that can rival its casino’s (such as the pool atop the main casino at the Venetian), and even the Guggenheim is opening its doors in Las Vegas this Spring.

My favorite, of course, would have to be the upscale spas and salons that are now the big attraction for those looking to indulge in the ultimate pampering. Spas like Canyon Ranch SpaClub and the Spa Bellagio cater to your every whim, while your hair can enjoy the hands of top celebrity hair stylists like Cristophe and Michael Boychuck and their respective salons at the MGM Grand and The Palms.

Caesar’s Palace has one of the top spas in Vegas with its elite Qua Baths & Spa.

Qua Baths and Spa is a luxurious retreat that taps into the natural, healing powers of water to bring you a one-of-a-kind experience. Bathed in natural light, accented by smooth stone flooring, dark woods and cascading waterfalls.”

We are all familiar with all the various bidding sites that are out there that bring consumer and seller together such as the highly popular website Priceline.com and of course its now defunct name your price grocery website WebHouse (which I sadly miss). Of course there are other variations of sites that look to capture an audience by allowing various businesses to compete for your business such as with Lending Tree and RentalCars.com (owned by Priceline). As more and more consumers are always looking for the best deals, a new trend has been emerging that Doc Searls dubbed last year as the Intention Economy.

The Intention Economy grows around buyers, not sellers. It leverages the simple fact that buyers are the first source of money, and that they come ready-made. You don't need advertising to make them. The Intention Economy is about markets, not marketing. You don't need marketing to make Intention Markets.---Doc Searls”

With this idea in mind, it opens another market and another way for brands to think outside of the box when it comes to getting exposure for their product. This is a market that is virtually untapped and one that many are beginning to see as a golden opportunity to connect in another way with their target market. One such example is in a specific part of the travel industry: cruises. Cruise Compete is a website that is similar in notion to Lending Tree in that Travel Cruise Agents compete to offer you the best deal on a cruise package. Although sites like Lending Tree, Priceline and Cruise Compete work with a limited amount of businesses to offer you the best deal, these sites still remain popular in this niche of price competition and continue to have a small amount of rival sites.

Spring is finally here and while there is still snow on the ground, I am looking forward to spending many gloriously sunny days out on my deck and in my yard. Outdoor furniture with fashionable, contemporary design has been more in demand so now we no longer have to relinquish our sense of style for when we take to the outdoors. Outdoor living is now a lifestyle and with it comes furniture and decor that stand up to the quality and craftsmanship expected ion luxury furniture and put that rickety wicker chair to shame.

In the past being outdoors meant a bug zapper, plastic garden chairs and pitched tent-like screened gazebos. There was no glamour, no aesthetics, simply functional accessories so that you could enjoy the day or evening without having to apply too much After Bite. If you are one who enjoys outdoor entertaining, the grills and outdoor living spaces of yore were lack luster at best.

STEP ONE: "THE MAN STATION" The Stainless Steel Jenn-Air Four Burner Grill is not your grandaddy’s grill. My husband is the chef of the house and he is master of his domain at the grill. Want to attract more men to your patio, give them something great to cook on. This Jenn-Air grill is like bringing the functionality of your kitchen outside while giving the neighbors something to talk about. It has storage drawers, an ice chest, a rotisserie and the style that make you or your neighbor look forward to another day of cooking, whether it be your typical burger for the family or gourmet fare to entertain your guests.

STEP TWO: "FURNITURE THAT FITS" Functional, comfortable, patio furniture makes or breaks the ambiance. You can give an outdoor space the look and feel of an interior room with carpeting, lighting, furniture such as sofas and coffee tables, outdoor fireplaces and much more. All decor still serves the same functionality, however they now are all water and weatherproof and durable enough to withstand the elements of the outdoors while giving you the illusion of relaxing in your living room. Colors and design no longer come in a one-type fits all and can cater to your need for an ultra-luxurious space with bold colors or something comfortable yet classic such as with the outdoor collections from Restoration Hardware.

STEP THREE: "PLAN TO PROTECT YOUR TURF"
Of course, with being outdoors we still have the heat and the mosquitoes. In keeping your outdoor space an oasis the EcoMist High Pressure Insect Repellent Patio Misting System has dual functionality to keep you cool while keeping the insects away. With a 60,000 sqft range and 20 gallon tank, this misting system in a 46 inch long plastic deck box will lessen scorching temperatures by 25 degrees while the fog mist organic Pyrethrum insecticide will repel and kill pesky mosquitoes. The Pyrethrum is safe to be around food, humans and pets as it is crushed Chrysanthemum seeds.

Stay cool in the shade under a portable Gazebo. You no longer have to settle for the usual flimsy metal with white canopy, but you also don't have to pay a large sum of money to get that luxury oasis look. Target sells a variety of gazebo styles with my favorite being the Sean Conway Tiverton Gazebo. Hang a chandelier from the center and you have transformed your space into something luxurious.

I cannot wait for the warmer weather to arrive to watch my outdoor space transform into a place of serenity and comfort with all of the creature comforts of the indoors.

Pssst! Here is the scoop. Women’s Entertainment (WE) has a new show coming out on April 15th regarding destination weddings that will be like no other. Get Married will be a program set up like a Bridal magazine showcasing top designers and experts who know the ins and outs of the bridal industry.

The first episode of Get Married will profile Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun, an Unlimited-Luxury property located amidst 71 acres of lush tropical gardens on a palm studded beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The second episode of Get Married will be filmed at Sunscape The Beach Punta Cana, an Unlimited-Fun resort wrapped around an expansive free-form swimming pool that meanders throughout the property, complete with waterfalls and a beautiful view to the ocean. Additional episodes airing this spring will feature four other Dreams properties.

A few of my colleagues from Pierce Mattie PR recently visited these resorts and I’ll fill you in on the details of just how fabulous, not to mention luxurious, these resorts are when I interview them about their experience there.

Recently my colleagues Hannah and Erin were able to visit AMResorts Secrets, Dreams and Sunscape Resorts. To give you a more personalized insider’s view of each of these resorts, I asked Hannah and Erin to give me the scoop on what it was really like at these destination hot spots without all the PR-ing that you would get from a press release.

In this post you find reviews of Secrets Capri, Dreams Tulum, Dreams Cancun and Sunscape Puerto Adventuras.

Secrets Capri Resort:

Erin: The decor at Secrets Capri is designed to match the Riviera atmosphere. The floors are marble and there are large white columns throughout the property. The space is compact and all amenities are close together. All details are very new, as the resort only opened three years ago.

Hannah: The rooms were beautiful and mine had a small patio where one could sit and relax or sunbathe. The view overlooking the ocean was beautiful—65% of the rooms at Secrets Capri have an ocean view and the rest have a garden view. The bathroom was marble with a separate shower and Jacuzzi.

Erin: All of the staff I spoke to were very friendly, they always said hello when walking by ( I think thats so important) and went out of their way to accommodate guests with the smallest of needs. There’s a concierge on every floor from 9am-5pm and at bedtime a rose is delivered to the room with the schedule for the next day’s activities with a plate of chocolates for dessert.

Hannah: There were 5 restaurants at this location and I ate dinner at Oceana. The Beef tenderloin and jumbo shrimp were amazing. The resort offers theme nights so that the guests have a different dinner option every night of the week.

Erin: The atmosphere at this resort is romance. The entire space is very romantic and intimate. The rooms, dining tables, chairs, etc. all have a very special appeal for couples.

Hannah: Every part of the property that I saw was extremely clean and elegant looking. Also, guests are given their own private concierge table for check in/out, which makes the experience very personalized.

Erin: The Riviera Maya was gorgeous. The water is sky blue and the sand was pure white. The neighboring properties are currently being developed, but there were no construction taking place too close to the resort property.

Hannah: The resorts location on the Mayan Riviera is naturally stunning. Most guests venture off the property once or twice during their stay to see the local attractions. Most of the couples staying at the resort were between the ages of 30-60. There were many couples that came there on their own, as well as couples who came with other friends or with both sets of parents.

Erin: The Spa was clean and luxurious. It is located next to the fitness center downstairs in the main section of the building. It’s not a huge selling point for the resort, but they are building a new spa where the tennis courts currently are.

Hannah: I wasn’t able to witness a wedding at Secrets Capri, but the area where they hold weddings is beautiful.

Erin: I witnessed an evening wedding on the beach that was beautiful. The wedding services they offer are very impressive. The resort hosts an average of 3 weddings per week and during their busy wedding season, they often host 2 weddings a day.

By the end of May we'll be hitting the beginning of the travel season. Many of us will be traveling around the US and others will be traveling abroad. For those who travel abroad, there are so many more things that one needs to consider to make sure that their vacation is carefree and provides a little "comfort luxury" along the way. Below are the top five best travel gadgets to consider when packing for your next trip.

1. Gorillapod
The Gorillapod is a flexible mounting device that can hold a digital camera securely, eliminating the need to ask complete strangers to take pictures of you and your family/friends while traveling. The Gorillapod SLR and SLR-Zoom can hold larger cameras and even zooming video cameras for those expert photographers.

2. Ectaco iTRAVL TL-6 Multilingual Talking Electronic Translator
If you love to travel abroad, but don’t have all the languages mastered, then this dictionary translator is a must-have in your travels. It can understand and speak (in a human voice) Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. Besides helping you understand the language being spoken around you it is also a MP3 Player, world time clock, daily alarm, calculator and has currency and metric conversion.

3. MFUEL Universal Power Bank
This power bank works in over 120 countries and increases the operating time of your portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, cell phones, PDA, MP3 players, Portable DVD players, portable video games, etc. It has a patented “World Jack” eliminating the need for any other recharging devices.

4. HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System
This personal cinema system is ideal for that long plane, train or car ride (as long as you are not the one doing the driving). It offers stereo audio and media in 2D and 3D. With this system you can watch movies, use it for gaming both on and offline or for privately cruising the internet from the comfort of your seat. It’s capable of producing a picture of 360 color fields per second and has reflective micro-LCD technology that offers a stunning resolution. What’s even more incredible is that even those who wear prescription glasses can use this device as it has optical settings to accommodate their prescriptions allowing them to view everything on the screen with clear vision.

5. National Geographic Talk Abroad Travel Phone
You’ve seen the commercial. The one where the guy is on vacation in another country and two people on a moped steal his cell phone and he snarkily tells his friend, “The jokes on them,” because his cell phone doesn’t get a signal abroad. National Geographic has a Talk Abroad Travel Phone that allows you to make and receive cell phone calls in 100 countries around the world. It’s a prepay phone, so you don’t have a contract or monthly fees to contend with when you aren’t using it. It also has 60 countries where incoming calls are free.

Do you have a favorite gadget you consider a must-have when traveling? Let us know in the comments!

The 6th through the 15th is the much coveted New York International Auto Show. This year we’re seeing many more luxury cars stepping foot into the green arena. With Flex Fuels and Hybrids, luxury carmakers are aiming to prove that you need not own a Toyota Prius to drive an environmentally clean car.

The Mercedes-Benz E320BLUETEC, which also was named the “2007 World Green Car,” is considered to have the cleanest burning diesel technology. It is also able to meet even the most stringent emissions regulations, such as the regulations in place in California. The BLUETEC achieves higher fuel mileage and can drive longer distances than other comparable gas powered luxury cars in its class.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 gives the ability to run on both gasoline and hydrogen, allowing for this luxury car to get great fuel mileage and run up to 400 miles. The new BMW captures the essence of BMW’s Clean Energy strategy where the car’s emissions using the hydrogen tank produces nothing but water vapor. None of the luxuries associated with the non-hydrogen BMW 7 series have been compromised, leaving you with a fuel-efficient green luxury car.

Saab 9-5 Aero BioPower Concept car is an ethanol based eco-friendly luxury car. While ethanol is considered to get less mileage than gasoline powered cars, ethanol is 30% cheaper than gasoline (and right about now that sounds really wonderful) combined with its low impact on the environment making it dually attractive. This car also runs on gasoline if an ethanol station is unavailable in your travels while the engine management system adjusts the timing and boost accordingly.

With the debate that many Hybrid engines are more expensive to maintain when the warranty runs out and that in the end the Hybrid engine is actually toxic for the environment, car makers moving forward to try out new ideas when it comes to clean fuel seems to be the way to go. Leave it to the luxury market to be the ones to lead the way.

Mother’s Day is only a few short weeks away and happens to be, in my opinion, a day that all mothers look forward to for the pampering, the gifts and demonstrations of love by her family. With consumer spending for Mother’s Day gifts expected to be $15.73 billion, these last few weeks before the big day are a fantastic opportunity to get your brand noticed, especially online.

According to the National Retail Federation’s 2007 Mother’s Day Consumer Actions and Intentions survey, 20% of consumers are expected to do their Mother’s Day gift shopping online, which is a 3.1% increase from last year. Although the other 80% do their gift buying offline, many still use the internet to research and look for gift ideas. While Mother’s Day shopping and gift research typically begins at the beginning of April, far more consumers make their purchase much closer to the holiday, which occurs on May 13th this year.

By utilizing the internet to spread the word about your product(s) as great gift ideas for mom, your advertising costs will be much less versus commercial and print ads and more likely to spread the word faster due to viral marketing. A few ways to utilize the web to get your products before Mother’s Day gift searchers are:

Press Releases
Advertisements on targeted websites
Advertisements on targeted blogs
Promoting them to blog owners

Online press releases are great for search engine optimization and will quickly get you picked up by the likes of Google and Yahoo when consumers do an online search. Using keywords in the title of your press release is a key factor. Key phrases to use are “Mother’s Day gifts” and “Mother’s Day gift ideas.” Some online press release services are PR NewsWire, Send2Press and PRWeb Direct. You can also use these same press releases to email to blog owners, but make sure to include links to your products (if you have an online site) and pictures as well.

Nowadays when we think of the Middle East, many thoughts come to mind—mainly it being a place of great conflict. The idea of traveling there for a vacation hardly sounds like a way to relax in a place of enjoyment. However, there is a hidden gem among the sand that has been quickly becoming a travel destination hotspot in recent years that is not only safe, but is the definition entertainment and luxury.

Dubai, a city that is part of the United Arab Emirates and home to more than a million people, surprisingly enough does not generate its revenue based on oil, but instead on economic development and tourism. Dubai has been able to make this transition through its creativity, innovative thinking and determination to be a world leader in business and hospitality. Dubai is a hub for such businesses as IBM, Microsoft and Oracle. It is also home to the Burj Dubai, a building that will soon be the tallest in the world.

The Burj Dubai currently stands at 123 stories and will be the first home to the Armani Hotel and ultra-luxury Armani Residences, which will feature the Armani Casa line of home furnishings. The Armani Hotel located at Burj Dubai will become the flagship for a new international chain and will incorporate various Armani fashions, furnishings and beauty collections; it is set to open in 2008. Burj Dubai will also be home to “The Residences,” which are luxurious Arabesque quarters that celebrate the ancient heritage of the region.

Interior Design is an art form to Atlanta style icons Darren Godbee and Darren Welch. Both accomplished designers whose love for color, texture and symmetry began at a young age, have turned a rare talent into a successful interior design company catering to those who wish have their home become a refuge and sanctuary representing their inner hearts and dreams.

Darren Godbee and Chad Welch have decorated and furnished some of the Southeast’s finest and most expensive homes. Their style is unmistakable. The DarrenChad brand is an effort to take this unique and successful design style and translate it into a worldwide lifestyle brand that will include furnishings, interior design, jewelry and more.

For a brand that only launched in 2006, their signature pieces and interior design have already become a success through their partnership with Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth to create intricate and luxurious handcrafted furniture. Both the Bella Vita Collection and Return to Decadence Collection were created with exceptional attention to detail.

The DarrenChad Bella Vita Collection, which means “the good life” in Italian, is a grand collection of intricately carved pieces, combining old world craftsmanship with classical lines and grandiose scales. Many of the pieces in this collection are hand carved mahogany and include the Bella Vita Oversized Bed, which is the size of two queen sized mattresses. The bed will be shown at market in a distressed aged leaf finish with a cream striped velvet upholstered headboard inset.

There is also the Palace Bed, which is a remake of last markets Palace Bed; only this updated version has a larger "claw" style foot, exaggerated curves on headboard and footboard, and the added detail of a shell carving at the top of the headboard. The upholstered button tufted headboard is shown in an elegant Taupe silk.

Of course, everyone needs a place to sit when they have company over and the Mustique Sofa is one that will bring you generous amounts of compliments. It features beautiful lines and elegant contours while a high back and arms compliment the corset like silhouette of the back. The sofa will be shown at market in a combination of custom nailhead trim and leather accents. There are 10 other pieces to this collection, all of which can be viewed at High Point in Atlanta.

The DarrenChad “Return to Decadence” Collection is a resurrection and celebration of some of the world’s most beautiful architectural styles and movements, chronicled throughout some of history’s most notorious cultural influences. The new line features 15 luxurious pieces, which were inspired by Italy’s Medici family, Louis XIII and the Catalonia region of Spain.

If your wish is for stylish indulgence with a mix of elegant functionality, DarrenChad’s refined yet comfortable fine furnishings and interior design may be what you are looking for.

Media Contact:
Pierce Mattie PR: Lance at piercemattie dot com

Intoxicating, indulgent, opulent; all of those things describe the luxurious fragrance line of Sharon Bolton Scents. A Santa Barbara resident, Sharon Bolton captures the essence of grace and femininity along with the lush splendor of Santa Barbara's natural bounty. Discovering Truth, Luv and Soul is similar to experiencing the relaxed yet chic lifestyle the town is known for.

Truth: A refreshing, clean citrus. A tangy lemon-lime softened by an exotic floral and an airy, sheer musk...fresh like a warm sea breeze.

Luv: An intoxicating, ultimately feminine scent of rare pink gardenia, lush Hawaiian white flowers, and a hint of creamy vanilla with a delicate whisper of white musk.

Soul: Sweet tropical notes that will evoke a memory for your soul. Juicy papaya, luscious pineapple, and creamy coconut with undertones of clean musk.

I had the opportunity to ask Sharon what her mission was when launching her company:

You'll be surprised to hear that we actually don't offer just scents, we offer a luxurious sensory experience and a tropical getaway. Scents evoke such things as to bring us to another place or transport us to another time. I can't tell you how often I hear from customers that one of our scents reminds them of their wedding, or the beach, or a favorite childhood scent...the list goes on and on. I also wanted women to wear the scents, not the scents wear them. Light, clean, fresh is what we strive for. We kept the component of alcohol out of the perfume oils for those with sensitivities, like myself! The luxurious bath and body products offer indulgence in the sensory experience of Sharon Bolton Scents. They are rich and creamy and the shower cream creates loads of bubbles. We chose Soy candles with cotton wicks for the environmental factor. Our products are cruelty free and packaging is 100% recyclable. We truly kept in mind the customer's experience, which we wanted to be a luxurious, indulgent and evocative one. And lastly, we wanted to keep part of our mission to give back to our community and to causes that are important to us.

Where does the inspiration for your scents come from?

The scents are reminiscent of our breezy seaside town of Santa Barbara as each season presents different floral aromas in the air. Also, Hawaii is a huge inspiration. The air always smells like a burst of Plumeria and the Papayas plucked off the vine smell heavenly! Hawaii was definitely the inspiration behind Soul (think a day at the beach in Maui) and Luv (reminds me of wearing a big, bountiful floral lei) and Truth's inspiration was more Santa Barbara. I'd say having a margarita while the Santa Ana's come whistling through bringing night blooming jasmine alive. And our most recent addition Dream...I just knew I'd want to be wrapped in cashmere in the Santa Barbara winter and that is what this scent reminds me of...it's Dreamy! Throughout my travels and experiences I am always noting the smell of fruit, flowers, soaps, the air, food...you name it!

Sharon Bolton's newest scent, Dream, is launching on November 15th only at The Powder Room on Bustleton Avenue in Philadelphia. It can be described as a heady concoction of bergamot, white freesia, mimosa with accords of amber, sandalwood and exotic musk.

See all that Sharon Bolton Scents has to offer online at www.sharonboltonscents.com or find a store located near you. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Online communities have become a major part in everyone’s lives. It is a growing trend that has become increasingly important for both young and old to have a place to communicate, network and share a piece of their personal lives. Among these online sites, social networks with a door policy have made their mark among those seeking a higher quality way of life. Building and exclusive network requires all the right connections and eVelvetRope has emerged as the pioneer in the luxury lifestyle category of social networking.

eVelvetRope provides an opportunity to reach a very specific demographic. It is an ideal vehicle for the targeted campaigns of lifestyle brands and services. This social network offers unique and highly effective promotional tools that enable event professionals to connect with their preferred audience. eVelvetRope members include entrepreneurs, world travelers, restaurateurs, leaders in online media, fashion, entertainment, medicine and many other professions.

eVelvetRope is an exclusive community of individuals with an affinity for cuisine, nightlife and leisure. By profiling members’ dining and nightlife preferences, eVelvetRope makes it easy to share recommendations of fellow members. eVelvetRope unites restaurateurs with foodies and wine lovers, fashionistas with designers, club owners with club goers and helps socialites keep up with each other’s social plans.

Pierce Mattie Public Relations has comprised a list of the hottest magazines ranging from industry leaders, quickly emerging stand outs, as well as publications that will be launching in 2008.

2. Esquire: Not only can Esquire boast a circulation bordering on the 1 million mark, but their website is ranked #2 by MinOnline.com for achieving the highest page views (4,417,927) and unique visitor count gains for a magazine brand in 2007.

3. Domino: With home magazines on the rise, Domino is emerging as a stand out publication. Under the helm of Editor in Chief Deborah Needleman, Domino has found success in relating to readers who are just as savvy about the style of their home as they are to the fashion that they wear.

4. Brides: Bridal magazine titles have increased 96% since 2002 and Brides magazine still has remained a powerhouse with the highest circulation, leading the way among their competitors.

5. Cookie: Parents who aren’t looking to compromise on style and aesthetics have found the perfect outlet in Cookie. Increasingly popular among fashionista’s who have graduated on to motherhood, Cookie’s focus on style, beauty and home décor has resonated with a sophisticated audience.

6. Real Simple: Time is a luxury and Real Simple has struck a chord with female readers looking to simplify their hectic lives. In this fast paced society, this easy to read publication continues to surge in popularity bordering on a circulation just shy of 2 million.

7. W: The fashion bible of the industry has been and will always be a must-read magazine. Those in the know are readers of W.

8. Genlux: Regional magazines are among the fastest growing in the publishing industry; in fact they were king in 2007 as the largest magazine category while Luxury magazines had the second highest launch rate in 2007. Genlux is the best of both worlds as a Los Angeles luxury-driven magazine; it’s the one magazine that has both editors and consumers raving.

9. Conde Nast Portfolio: This business publication for the influential executive trendsetters already has a circulation of 350,000 and it’s only been on newsstands less than 12 months. The business community is applauding Editor in Chief, Joanne Lipman, for this must-read that is sure to continue being hot in 2008.

10. Nylon: Nylon is the thinking fashionista’s style magazine. Consumers respond to Nylon’s smart writing and substance-based editorial.

Please be sure to visit the NEW Pierce Mattie Public Relations blog on its new URL, just add the word "public relations" after Pierce Mattie and omit the word blogs: www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com

Other Pierce Mattie PR Division Blog Locations:
Beauty Pro A professional beauty and cosmetics industry blog.
The Fashion Rag Fashion, design and style blog co-written by Jason Jobson and Shannon Nelson.
The Jewelry PR Division Jewelry, precious metal and accessory industry blog.
The Fitness PR Division Our sports fitness, health and club industry blog.
The Industry Dirt Blog Media Industry Blog.

See you there!