I had some tortillas at a buddy’s house the other day and they were some of the best tasting tortillas I have ever had. What impressed me about this is that they weren’t homemade; he had picked them up earlier from the local grocery store. (Handmade tortillas from your favorite Mexican restaurant taste this good, most store-bought tortillas do not).

Later that day I saw a package of tortillas at our house and something caught my eye. It was a line across the top of the bag that read, “World’s best-selling tortillas,” and I couldn’t help but think how the taste of these tortillas simply could not compare to the tortillas I had earlier that day. Even so, apparently these were the “world’s best selling tortillas.”

The best or the most?

This is something many, many businesses need to consider. Not how their tortillas taste, but what it is they want to be known for.

Is it that of having the highest quality products/services (i.e. “we sell the best-tasting tortillas”)? Or is it selling the most products/services (i.e. “we sell more tortillas than anyone else in the world”)?

And here’s the thing, companies will rarely do both. The company that chooses to sell the best (of anything) will rarely also sell the most. Why? Because those who can afford the best are rarely in the majority. The majority of buyers are looking for a good deal, and they’re willing to sacrifice quality to get it.

Were Wal-Mart to decide only to sell the best products, they would operate drastically differently than they do now (which is to offer rock-bottom prices for price-conscious buyers).

Harrods goes out of their way to create a memorable experience for shoppers

How do you talk about your company? How about others?

And here’s why it matters. It matters because once you establish what you want to be known for, it will determine the way your company should operate. It will also determine the way you talk about your company. And, perhaps more importantly, it will determine the way your customers talk about your company.

Wal-Mart customers talk about Wal-Mart much differently than Harrods customers talk about Harrods. Both businesses are incredibly successful, and both have devoted customers, but their customers are devoted for very different reasons.

As a business owner, it’s up to you to decide how others will talk about your company. Will they rave about your great deals, or will they tell others about the unbeatable quality/experience/service they found?

Personally, I’ll take the best-tasting tortillas over the best-selling tortillas any day of the week.

The annual ‘Pet-a-Porter’ pet fashion show took place at Harrods on November 26, 2009 in London, England. Check out the “awwwww” pics below.

Hey! Isn't this one of the chicks that won ANTM?

Harrods made our list of amazing stores around the world

Visiting a store might be seen as daily routine but with the ones that we feature on our list I am sure you would have a change of heart. The variety, size and stature of these locales have raised them all from being just mere shopping places to a “Must Visit” on your trip.

So get yourself a travel deal as we take you on a journey to explore the best stores which are iconic landmarks of their respective cities.

Harrods, London

Harrods is a department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge. The store occupies a 4.5-acre site and has over one million square feet of selling space in over 330 departments. This makes Harrods one of the largest department stores in the world. Their motto – Omnia Omnibus Ubique — All Things for All People, Everywhere; Harrods offer a wide range of products and services. Items include clothing, electronics, jewelry, sporting gear, bridal trousseau, pets and pet accessories, toys, food and drink, health and beauty items, packaged gifts, stationery, house wares, home appliances, furniture and much more.

Bonanza Gift Shop, Las Vegas

Bonanza Gift Shop is a landmark located on the Las Vegas Strip between the Sahara Hotel and Casino and the Stratosphere Las Vegas. Spanning 40,000 square feet, it is billed as the World’s Largest Gift Shop. Visitors to the Bonanza Gift Shop can find a wide array of great Vegas souvenirs. The gift shop is a must visit on your trip to Las Vegas. Looking for souvenirs or Vegas themed T-shirts? Bonanza Gift Shop is where your search ends. The shop was even listed as The World’s Greatest Gift Store by British Airways.

San Jose Flea Market, California

The San Jose Flea Market, located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, was founded by George Bumb Sr. in March 1960.The San Jose Flea Market is the largest open-air market in the U.S. and has become a California landmark with over four million visitors each year. Some of the treasures found at the landmark include jewelry, furniture, clothing, fruits, vegetables, shoes, collectibles, power drills, lamp shades, etc and the list goes on. The San Jose Flea Market sells everything a person could want in its eight-square-mile open-air bazaar, from new and antique furnishings to a barbershop and an auto dealership.

Jungle Jim’s International Market, Ohio

Jungle Jim’s International Market is a large supermarket in Fairfield, Ohio and has often been described as a theme park of food. Food from every corner of the world is available at this six and-a-half-acre “culinary theme park”. Jungle Jim’s is notable for one of the largest wine collections in the United States, live seafood tanks and an in-store cooking school. The store resembles a theme park due to the unusual displays throughout the store. At the entrance, animal replicas are accompanied by occasional roars and the splashing of a miniature waterfall in the background.

Waiting to cross the street

“Make sure you look both ways twice before crossing the street, even if you have a walk signal,” she told me while I prepared for my adventures in London.

“Why? Are the British terrible drivers?” I asked.

“Well, yes but also they drive on the wrong side of the road.” Oh, right.

With this one bit of advice I remembered the peculiar feeling of driving on the opposite side of the road.  Having experienced it previously, I thought I’d be fine, but upon arrival I was far more disoriented than expected.

Stepping into the street in the States, one always looks left first.  I made this mistake as soon as I arrived.  Luckily the driver saw me and honked loud enough that I realized my error and jumped back on the sidewalk.  However, I didn’t learn my lesson.  Traipsing about Notting Hill I continued to do the same thing until a hole opened up in the sky & light shined down on my very personal street crossing aid right their on the pavement.  It said, “LOOK RIGHT.”  I did it and voila all of my street crossing troubles disappeared!

I got so good at crossing the street in that I began taking risks.  After leaving Harrods, I saw the perfect view of the enormity of the edifice as I was crossing the street.  I had to document it.  I stood in the middle of the street to get the perfect shot.  Just as a double-decker headed for me, my camera flashed and I was pulled to safety by my hostess.

Worth the Risk

It was worth it , I got the shot!.

All text & images © 2009

(Geen with Envy) Harrods Compact

Delight your girlfriends this Christmas with the annual Harrods compact, adorned with stunning emerald green coloured crystals and a luxurious gold catch.

The British department store(renowned as one of the biggest department stores worldwide)teamed up with American powerhouse brand Estée Lauder to create its captivating Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder.

The compact is presented in an elegant box with velvet pouch and comes complete with a mirror, the staple pressed powder, and a small refill. The Lucidity powder provides flawless coverage in a range of skin colours and a luminous finish.

Christmas 2010 sees the latest addition to the annual product crystallised with the signature colours and ‘H’ logo, undoubtedly a stunning gift for someone special!

Not only a stylish example of sophistication and convenience, but traditional beauty and old-world glamour; lightly reminiscent of a time where watch fobs, spats and mink stoles were part of life’s necessities.

It will be a merry Christmas indeed if you are lucky enough to receive this limited edition collectible, for in the pocket of your matching lime Escada dress, you clasp with your freshly jaded Chanel nails a little glistening piece of Harrods history.

by Bella Hunter

Fashionbite popped to the launch party of A&G, the Los Angeles-based luxury fashion brand which has just opened its first store in the UK, to have a look at the brand and meet its owner. The brand embodies rock n roll style with embellished leather, stone-encrusted cashmere and fab silver jewellery. It has an impressive fan-base in the US, counting Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Guns n Roses, Jon Bon Jovi, Giselle Bundchen and Mickey Rourke among its admirers, and shop owner Lucy Ratcliffe (above left-whose partner owns the brand) is hoping to replicate that success over here.

Lucy told fashionbite: “It’s classic LA rock n roll style with leather, silver, crosses, studding- we think it will work really well in the UK. We are also offering a customisation service for jewellery, denim, eyewear and leather- so bring in your favourite leather jacket and we can make it a one-off piece.”

A&G is not sold online unfortunately, but you can buy it from the new store at 178 Walton Street in Knightsbridge, London, or luxury department store Harrods.

fashionbite xx

What gets better than sushi and sundaes? Sushi and sundaes at Harrods, of course.

Tucked amidst Missoni and Vivienne Westwood, hidden beneath the Egyptian escalators, and a corridor away from the fragrant perfumery of London’s one-stop shop for everything luxurious lay Harrods Food Hall. And if you glide passed the signature teas, the truffles and petite cakes, you will hit a bar. Sushi, that is.

Bright orange salmon and plump scallops are a specialty. It is the freshest you can get in London, but definitely not the cheapest, so do not come hungry.

Once you are satiated enough, it is time for Morelli’s Gelato. Gelato sundaes–now that’s a first.

Served in funky martini bowls, each sundae is one-of-a-kind, with heaping scoops that range from hazelnut vanilla to banana caramel topped with homemade whipped cream. Each mouth-watering bite melts in your mouth. I admittedly gasped aloud after swallowing a spoonful of French vanilla gelato smothered in caramel with chunks of fresh banana. And who wouldn’t?

Most head to Harrods to drool over fashion. Instead, satisfy that hunger with the good stuff.

–

Harrods

87–135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge
London, SW1X 7XL
United Kingdom

I have never really associated Harrods with beds but yesterday I was given an exclusive tour of its new Bed Studio on the 3rd floor. This is bed heaven – the best of the bedmakers all in one beautiful space with experts on hand to diagnose why you may not be getting the good night’s sleep you desperately crave. With names such as the glamorous Ciive Christian, all-natural Vi-Spring and Hastens, plus And so to bed and Roche Bobois with their gorgeous country styles, this is the perfect destination if a new bed is on your shopping list. After all that bed testing I was happily exhausted…

Sweet dreams from Clive Christian

Capitala Regatului Unit este fabuloasă, un oraş deopotrivă tânăr şi conservator, cosmopolit şi morocănos, ceţos şi cochet. Londra e mai mult decât inima financiară a lumii şi o oază de libertate. Londra e Oraşul. Cu majuscule.

Pictorul Juan Barreto este un personaj din „Rătăcirile fetei nesăbuite”, un roman pe care Mario Vargas Llosa l-a scris când n-a mai fost tânăr. Juan Barreto era un hipiot insolvabil şi simpatic. A murit pe la pagina 120 şi ceva, după o viaţă promiscuă şi aproape fericită. A murit de SIDA. Cu câteva pagini înainte de treaba asta spunea aşa: „Eu am treizeci şi cinci de ani şi, după cum ai văzut, vârsta asta, aici în Earl’s Court, înseamnă bătrâneţe”. Autorul îi cam dă dreptate: „Tinereţea fizică şi psihică a locuitorilor acelui cartier londonez mă făceau să mă simt un preistoric. (…) Cartierul respiră muzică, o viaţă fără bârfe ori calcule, o mare doză de naivitate, dorinţa de a trăi clipa dincolo de morală şi valori convenţionale, căutând o plăcere care respingea vechile mituri burgheze ale fericirii”.

Când începe bătrâneţea

 Londra, Londra tânără, aşa e: dincolo de morală şi de convenţii. Bunăoară, în Soho găseşti orice: cluburi colosale pentru toţi şi pentru fiecare, baruri speciale pentru lesbiene tinere şi confuze, gay care umblă în chiloţi şi cu coroane mari, regale, pe cap, pendulând între petreceri punk deocheate. Fumează, tutun sau ierburi relativ tolerate, în faţa cârciumilor. În Londra, fumatul e interzis în toate localurile. Nu insistaţi. N-are rost. Englezii ştiu să-şi respecte regulile. Acum, clişeul: cine s-a plictisit de Londra înseamnă că s-a plictisit de viaţă. Toate barurile, toate, sunt pline de bere, de oameni morţi de beţi şi foarte vii. Soho e o nebunie, vintage şi futurist în acelaşi timp. Şi, da, la treizeci şi cinci de ani eşti bătrân, dar chiar nu contează.

Miroase a ceaţă şi a ploaie

Londra cealaltă, Londra conservatoare, mândră, clasică e mult dincolo de Europa. E altfel şi e copleşitoare. Începe cu maşinile care circulă în alt sens decât pe continent, cu cabinele telefonice roşii şi cu parcurile ei crude, cu Tamisa verde şi indiferentă. Obiectivele turistice sunt cunoscute: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Parlamentul, Muzeul Madame Tussauds, Tower Bridge, British Museum, Trafalgar Square, Turnul Londrei, Westminster Abbey, Catedrala „Saint Paul”, Hyde Park , Picadilly Circus şi magazinul Harrods. Dacă rataţi ceva, nu vă îngrijoraţi. Oricum veţi da orice pentru a reveni în Londra aceasta capricioasă şi întunecată, care miroase a ceaţă şi a ploaie.

A treia Londră, Londra cosmopolită, e un amestesc de rase, limbi, arome şi tradiţii. Foştii supuşi au venit în capitala Imperiului şi nu vor mai pleca. Londra aceasta babeliană are parfum de Pakistan şi India, te priveşte uneori cu ochii oblici sau face rugăciuni la ore fixe, cu capul întors spre Mecca.

 O formă de război civil

 „Bucătăria engleză este o formă de război civil”, spunea, într-un interviu, Traian Ungureanu, ziaristul român stabilit de două decenii la Londra. Ungureanu ştie: unii englezi vor să le facă rău altor englezi dându-le să mănânce alimente fără gust şi nuanţe. Pentru o naţie de marinari, “fish and chips” înseamnă de-ajuns. În schimb, există ceaiurile de la ora 5 şi acele prăjiturele maro pentru care orice gurmand rezonabil ­şi-ar da câţiva ani din viaţă. Londra e un oraş fără pauze, o mirare continuă şi necesară. Londra te schimbă, îţi goleşte buzunarele şi te face mai bogat pe dinăuntru. Despre asta e vorba.

* acest articol a fost publicat in adevarul.magazin de duminica, pe 22.11.2009

Sure, I live in a little country, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have talent! It’s more the opposite: we have só much talent. Especially when it considers fashiontalent. Just to name a few: Viktor&Rolf, Daryl van Wouw, Claes Iversen, Paul Herbers (head of Louis Vuitton man), Spijkers & Spijkers, Monique Collignon and I can go on and on like this.

Yet again we can be proud of our fashiontalent, the Dutch designer Iris van Herpen is on her way to big international succes. From the 23st of November untill the 6th of December you can find her collection in the British luxury store Harrods!

So, if you don’t live in Holland, but love her designs anyway, go to Harrods for your own Iris van Herpen!

Iris van Herpen, Radiation, S/S '10

Iris van Herpen design @ London Fashion Week © The Digitalistas

This is news us Dutchies can be proud of! The talented Dutch designer Iris van Herpen is one of the talents spotted by ‘Harrod’s launches‘. The online platform to spotlight talented unknown designers.

Fashion and Beauty Director of Harrod’s Marigay McKee likes to spot the new talents at London Fashion Week. She ’s very thrilled with this initiative, because the high maintenance Harrod’s clients more than ever want unique pieces. We can imagine it can be annoying to see someone else wearing the same dress at a party…especially if you can afford the ‘most limited of editions’ of every brand you would like to wear.

At least Iris makes garments that are complicated and unique, an assurance that there will not be two of the same. See some of the pics we made @ London Fashion Week.

(Source: Vogue.co. uk)

Pics: © The Digitalistas

Wednesday was another day full of magical moments!

First, we headed up to Notting Hill to explore the Portobello Road market.  En route, we stopped so Madre could have a quick look at a comic book store…and were stopped by a TV crew from Harry Hill’s TV Burp on ITV–it’s basically the British version of The Soup, one of our favorite shows back home!  As part of a montage making fun of an incident on last week’s The X Factor (Simon Cowell’s UK American Idol), we were prompted with the question “What is your favorite movie?” to which were to reply in a completely genuine, obvious manner “GUMMO!”  We obeyed…and made it into the montage that played at the beginning of the new 14-Nov 7:30pm episode!!!!!  Surreal…

Anyway, we then made it to Portobello Road and browsed all of the cute shoppes and stalls, pausing briefly for breakfast at Kitchen and Pantry.  After satisfying our Notting Hill itch, we headed northwest via bus to Abbey Road and were “those people” taking pictures in the zebra crossing.  I had been waiting this entire semester to have someone to go with me to the famous spot of my favorite band and was so happy that I got to do it with Madre.  It was totally worth the wait!

We headed south for an afternoon of Christmas retail magic at Harrods.  After productively spending money on Christmas gifts for many of my readers (;)) we indulged in Afternoon Tea at The Georgian Restaurant.  I cannot stress how content I was having my favorite meal in a gorgeous restaurant festively decorated for Christmas in pink!  (I KNOW! Believe me, I was freaking out.)

We continued the department store up Brompton Road to Harvey Nichols, Harrods’ edgier but equally expensive counterpart frequently referenced in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.  We headed back to the LVH for an early night on the eve of our most epic, magical adventure yet…

99p store got pillaged!

Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Christmas to all you jolly, lovely people. Its Christmas soon and as expected – back end of September hit and the Christmas gifts, decorations, trimmings and food were all being stocked in the shops.

To me September feels a tad too early. Mid- end of October feel appropriate. You don’t want the novelty of Christmas to wear out – well i definitely don’t.

In England we have the joyous winter bite in the air but we do lack the snow. Once every 5/6 years maybe we’ll get lucky on Christmas day and get a good 2 inches on the ground- isn’t it just so magical when it does… but unlike every other holiday (Easter, Halloween, Valentines) Christmas is the biggen’ and should be done properly. As each year goes by, everyone gets that little bit more festive, they buy new outdoor lights, perhaps a ‘Santa please stop here’ sign, a bigger turkey and more presents for their loved ones. (i’m not mentioning recession!!)

But offices are a shameful example of Christmas spirit. High street stores do it so well they put everyone else to shame – especially the likes of Harrods and Selfridges. Some do over-do it however. You know those ones that cover the entire front of their house in fairy lights, flashing Rudolph’s and LED Santa’s climbing up ladders.

Some offices perhaps will put up a tree and organise an office Christmas party – but the rest of the office is cold and bare (like Scrooge’s Christmas) I want to see more creativity directors and managers. Tinsel twisted up stair banisters, ‘employee made’ snowflakes stuck to windows and a day of everyone wearing as much red, green and gold as they can. Christmas films’ playing on the TV’s, hot chocolate drinks available, mince pies and mulled wine every Friday throughout December and the company dog dressed in cute booties and a Christmas hat during the last week for all’s amusement.

It’s only Christmas once a year so be creative. It will make a happier working environment. So directors forget about any removal costs – we’re not saying re-model the place, nothing has be touched, changed or adapted, just add a little decoration, it can all be taken down next year. Go on get a personality – have some fun.

The Metro rather annoyingly did a piece on this via their editorial collaboration with It’s Nice That before I had chance to post on it. But post on it I will, cocking a giant snook to those who insist that observing first is better than observing more astutely!

Down to business: I’ve been loving this series of tube ads for dixons.co.uk.

The brilliant thing about this series of ads isn’t the subtle use of fonts and colours that enables you to identify Harrods, Selfridges and John Lewis. It’s not even the use of Tube media (and tube lines) to target the message effectively. It’s Dixon’s own recognition that as a stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap retailer, they can’t offer the in-store experience that any of the big London department stores can.

They know that people like to physically play with technololgy products before they commit to purchase – whether it’s an iPod, a flat screen telly or a surround sound system. And they know that their stores don’t necessarily give people a great customer experience. Actually, scratch that: they know that when people go to a Dixons store they get pimply straight-out-of-school ’sales assistants’ who probably know less about the product they’re interested in buying than they do. They also get a plasticy space with stained carpets in a run-down retail unit somewhere. So, far better to play to their biggest strength: price. Go to one of the big  department stores, say Dixons. Have a great time, have a chat with the posh kid who works there, soke up the ambience and feel safely middle class! But then go home and buy your telly off our website, because it’s cheaper.

And after all, there is a recession on. I know what I’ll be doing next time I’m in the market for a flat-screen.

In no particular order:

1. Harrods has been transformed into The Emerald City for Christmas.

2. I found a red gummi shoe in my pack of Haribo. Naturally, I was thrilled.

3. Red: art imitating life.

4. Red patent heels and nude fishnets. Miaow!

5. My friend made this to commemorate the life of my favourite trainers.

This weekend has been one of the best I have had in a very long time. It might have been one of the busiest but also one of the funniest.

On Friday, five workmates came up to London and I met up with them and stayed with them until today (Monday). I am now extremely tired and I think the amount of wine I have drunk is taking its toll!

Source: pelion-paths.gr

So, what did we do that was so good. On Friday we went to Rainforest Cafe for a meal before going to see Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales theatre. The show was fantastic, with a relatively small cast, but everyone was up dancing to the songs in the grand finale. There was a great atmosphere and even one of my workmates that hates Abba was up on her feet!

Saturday we were up really early. I don’t think I have seen 6:30 in the morning for quite some time. But we had eaten breakfast and were in Knightsbridge by 8:15. There was a parade organised by Harrods to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. The film was also the stores theme for Christmas and a fake snow machine turned the outside of Harrods into a winter wonderland.

After Harrods we went to Buckingham Palace and were heading for Petticoat Lane market when we get distracted by a film crew just off Liverpool Street. We were even more shocked when Clint Eastwood walked out of a small cafe. He was directing his new film, ‘Hereafter’ so we stayed and watched some of the filming before going back to the pub. We had a nice meal in a restaurant called Biagio’s in Piccadilly.

Source: thisisfragiletent.files.wordpress.com

Sunday morning we had an hour longer in bed before making our way to the Cenotaph for Remembrance Sunday. The sheer presence of people made it very humbling and although we were stood in the same place for four hours, it was a great experience. We even saw BBC newsreader, Sophie Raworth. I would definitely go again next year.

After the Cenotaph we walked to Covent Garden and had some lunch. I found some mulled wine and we had a look around the stalls and watched some of the street performances before making our way back to the South Bank where we had a 5:00 flight on the London Eye, complete with a glass of champagne. Although it was dark, London looked spectacular. It is such a lovely city anyway and in the dark it really was breathtaking.

We were going to go back to Covent Garden but were too tired, so settled for a Wetherspoons in Trafalgar Square before catching a bus to Harrods to see the lights. ‘The Emerald City’ as Harrods is currently known looked absolutely amazing. After taking numerous photos we made our way back to where we were staying and drank too much wine. So much in fact that four of us ended up walking down Oxford Street in our pyjamas and I climbed onto the top shelf in one of the wardrobes.

Regardless of the final nights antics, the weekend was really enjoyable. They are booked up for next November as well. But today I am very tired. I think I will watch a bit of TV and then have an early night because I really need it!

I went to London again today, and no, before anyone asks, there were no monkeys or witches involved. I went with my friend Stephen from Lincoln (it’s in the Midlands) who, while growing up in England, had never properly explored London, so that was my day today. I, an American, took it upon myself to play tour guide to a Brit. Yeah… and despite a few setbacks, it was brilliant fun.

Yet, I learned a few things today. If you’re planning on exploring London, there are a few Underground lines you really will need, at least to see the items on the typical “tourist” itinerary. They are: the Piccadilly Line  (for sights including, but not limited to, Harrods, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.), the Victoria Line, (for Victoria Station, my main station into the city, along with quicker access to Buckingham Palace, along with Oxford Circus, the main shopping district), and the Circle Line, which, just as the name suggests, encircles the inner part of the city, stopping at most of the places on people’s “must see” lists, including: Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes Museum), The V&A, Kensington Palace & Kensington Gardens, The Houses of Parliament, Victoria Station (and thereby, Wicked), and Tower Hill (among others).

Which lines do you want to guess the London Transit Authority decided needed “planned engineering works” this weekend? The Circle… The Victoria… and (parts of) the Piccadilly. That made for some fun maneuvering around the city, but we still had a great time. We started at Leicester Square,  working down to Trafalgar Square, then down to Parliament and across the river and back up the Millennium Bridge. I tried to pick up my tickets for La Cage Aux Folles for later in the month, but they don’t release them until the day of for Ticketmaster orders.

Looping back up to Trafalgar Square, we went down along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, and then up around Green Park to the Underground, which we took back to Leicester Square to Wagamama, my favorite restaurant in London, a Japanese noodle bar. We then tried to get tickets for a show for next weekend, but, unfortunately, they were all sold out except singles, so we passed it up.

We then went to Harrods to kill a bit of time before getting on the train, and I’ve never more amazed at a store in my life. Now, obviously, I’ve been to Harrods before, several times in fact. But, approaching the store this evening, it looked a bit… odd, a bit… green? All Harrods regular white light bulbs have been, temporarily, changed to green! But… why? Well, walking in the store, I noticed something… the floor was yellow… yellow brick. In the entrances to the store was a huge mat on the floor which read “Harrods Celebrates the 70^th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz.” Now, as a life-long Oz fanatic… I was in heaven. Covering the store (and Harrods is massive) were posters suspending from the ceiling showing images from the film, hundreds of them. Around every corner were displays of dolls, figurines, a special edition of the film, it was… fantastic, especially as the film’s soundtrack played on the overhead speaker, and the film graced every television and computer screen in the electronics department. Even the Christmas trees (of which there were many) were covered in Emerald green ornaments and lights. One almost felt the need for those green glasses Dorothy received at the gates to the Emerald City! Leaving it became clear that even Harrods massive shop window displays had all been decked out in green and yellow, with very stylish versions of Oz’s characters gracing each of the windows.

(Even if much of the time I wondered how happy Judy would have been to have seen such an outpouring of love, as she died within a half mile of Harrods.)

Now, I realize this was all a promotion to sell a Harrods special edition of the DVD (available only at Harrods, of course), but it still pulled at my heart strings, to think that a store would go to this expense just to promote a DVD, seems a little insane, but when it’s your favorite film, when it’s the film that has very much shaped your life, somehow you just go with it and don’t feel so insane for five minutes.

Coming back from London, I still have my cold, despite buying some throat lozenges at Boots in London, and my feet and legs are killing me from all the walking, but somehow, I just feel happy for the day away. Oh, and, for the record, I didn’t even buy the DVD. It was £19.00, and given it’s Region 2, it wouldn’t even work on my computer. But since James told me I might be able to change that, well, there’s always next weekend!

//

London

London is the beautiful capital of England.  It is often said to be the most beautiful city of Europe since it is famous for several attractions such as the London Bridge, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the amazing Harrods Department Store. In London you can visit

Harrods

different museums or just take a relaxing walk through Knightsbridge……everything is possible here.

Ps. The competition for the 5 First class vouchers is still going on. To take part simply comment bellow telling us what your dream getaway is and why

Where To stay

The Langham London Best Choice

The Langham, London has been delighting guests with enchanting encounters since she opened in 1865 as Europe’s first Grand Hotel. Now she has completed an exciting 80 million pound transformation, exuding a graceful and timeless elegance, blending a sense of the past with the style of today. Perfectly located in the heart of the West End,   and London’s luxury shopping including Bond Street are on her door step.  Price: 300 Pounds Per night

The Milestone Hotel

The Milestone Hotel

This intimate five-star hotel offers award-winning country house style, warmth and elegance in the heart of London, perfectly placed for Knightsbridge and The Royal Albert Hall and with easy access to the West End.

Price: 500 Pounds Per night

Where To Eat

There are unlimited Dining options in London……

Restaurant Gordon Ramsey

This Restaurant is a unique place to dine and of course it has Gordon Ramsey as head chef.   $$$

Le Gavroche

This Restaurant combines French dining with an english flair. $$$

What To Do

Here is a list of the Top things to do in London.

1. The London Eye

The London Eye really has to be included in a trip to London. The 32 capsules carry around 10,000 visitors every day. Because of the way the capsules are suspended it allows for a full 360 degree-panorama when you’re at the top of the wheel.

2.  The Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s official residence. The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. If you are visiting at a different time of the year go along to see the Changing of the guard which happens on scheduled days so check before setting off, and arrive early to get a good position to watch the action!

3.    Tower Of London

The Tower of London is where the Crown Jewels are housed, which are quite spectacular. It’s also where you can stand on the execution site of three English queens! The Tower Bridge  is also worth seeing and is only a short walk away. Tower Bridge’s architect, Horace Jones, and engineer, John Wolfe Barry, took 8 years to complete the bridge, which opened on 30 June 1894. It remained the only river crossing east of London Bridge till the Dartford Crossing (a tunnel) opened in 1991.

How To Get There

Many different areas fly to London. British Airways has flights to almost every destination world wide. Flight from Los Angeles are about 600 Dollars

Thank you for reading this guide about London, we hope that we have helped you. If you need any further assistance then please dont hesitate to comment on this blog and we can help you.

This week saw PA Photocall (the sister company of  TNR Communications) work with Frank PR on an exclusive launch of a limited edition ‘Aleksandr talking toy’ due to arrive exclusively at Harrods in time for Christmas.

An Aleksandr Orlov meerkat 'talking toy' in the meerkat enclosure at London Zoo ahead of them going on sale exclusively in Harrods in early December. David Parry/PA Photocall

The star of comparethemarket.com’s TV adverts has brokered a deal with the world’s most famous department store to stock a limited number of the furry meerkat toys. Set to be the must-have toy for Christmas 2009, the talking Aleksandr Orlov replica comes complete with his trademark smoking jacket and paisley silk cravat.  Aleksandr’s ‘Simples!’ catchphrase can be heard with a distinctive squeak when his belly is squeezed.

A member of staff at Harrods in London handles one of the limited edition Aleksandr Orlov meerkat 'talking toys'. David Parry/PA Photocall

PA Photocall were commissioned to capture the talking toy in Harrods department store and London Zoo’s meerkat enclosure with Aleksandr and his real furry friends being introduced for the first time. Photocall photographer David Parry was onsite at 9am to capture the various images, which were sent immediately through to the Press Association picture desk for distribution on the wire. It was no surprise the amount of coverage the celebrity meerkat received within the press including The Metro, Metro Online, Ok Magazine and Virgin media.

PA Photocall Website 2009

PA Photocall also received a 535% increase in visits to their website due to popularity of the images, streaming visits from Twitter, Facebook and forums. Photocall are commissioned for such a broad range of projects that appeal to a wide audience which makes their social media strategy a simple and effective one. This project is a great example of how PR Photography can be great fun and extremely powerful within the media.

Post by Penny Joyner (Marketing Executive for PA Photocall)

Ten years ago today, I started my first job in the UK. In a magical place called Harrods.
I was mesmerised by the place when I first visited in 1986 and in subsequent years, I was mesmerised when I started working there, on the 1st of November 1999 and I am still mesmerised, ten years later.

I remember I was so happy when I got the job, immediately after I gave an interview, that I took the wrong train home!!! I ended up in an area of London, unknown to me and far away from my friend’s house where I was staying at the time.

I called her and gave her the good news, before asking her to come and pick me up and she was screaming of joy over the phone. We met and we hugged with giggles and we went to our favourite Thai restaurant to celebrate.  Part One of the dream had come true.

Ten years ago I came to London, to live in my most favourite city in the world. I was carrying with me a small suitcase and a trunk full of dreams.  I hated Athens and my life there.  All the jobs I have tried were a disaster and I loathed how Greeks work and behave at work.  It didn’t suit me.  I felt professional, ambitious, with hundreds of ideas, open-minded, having shitloads of what we call in Greece ”filotimo” (no other language has this word, it is a combination of honesty, integrity, hard work and wanting to help).  None of these traits were likable to any of my previous Greek bosses.

So, on the 1st of November 1999 I entered a work place where the work was hard, but the satisfaction was huge.  A place where you walked in and immediately cheered you up.  Beautiful decor, glamorous surroundings, hundreds of things to see and do and a constant feeling of being in a magical kingdom.

During my first two months in Harrods, I worked in the Egyptian Hall, a strange department indeed, selling very expensive and rare gifts.  I learned everything about Fabergé eggs, Loet Vanderveen’s sculptures, china and enamel trinkets, Lalique crystals and so many other things.  Immediately my…talent to sell and serve was spotted and I was offered a job at another company within the Store, but because that meant that I would lose my Harrods benefits, I kindly declined.

After spending a crazy busy Christmas (it was the Millennium and it was MAD!), with Harrods celebrating its 150th anniversary, I thought ”I love it here, this is the place I want to be” and applied for a permanent position at Harrods World, the department with the Signature souvenirs.

It was love at first weekday! The busy department with its hundreds of different bags, mugs, types of tea, cute bears and most of all with an amazing team, was exactly my kind of work.  The hours were long, standing on my feet all day long and having to lift heavy boxes, but I had so much fun and I loved the place so much that I didn’t mind.  I soon became the person responsible for the whole Food Hall area and it was like managing my own little store. Checking dates, ordering, merchandising….all my creative juices were in full force.  I was also offered the job of the Department Trainer and my managers were impressed with my training manual. I was in work Heaven!

Until the Devil arrived… He was a new manager, mean to me, trying to put all my ideas down, not listening to my suggestions and my feedback of being in the department for three years and he also hired two horrible assistant managers.  They were ironic, bullies and racists.  I started hating it in there.  My Food Hall was taken away from me because that ba***rd thought I was ‘’stale”.  I was roaming around the department, given the worse tasks.  I was swearing every day I had to wake up to go to work.  For some time I hated Harrods, London, even myself and my own life!!!

And so, in 2004 I applied for a job in the Financial Services sector, which was more customer service oriented.  I was offered the position on a sunny April day and I was again a happy person.

The job demanded once again hard work and keeping your eyes open all the time, but also it had to deal with money, therefore I had to have attention to detail all the time and check everything 10 times.  But our team was great, my managers loved me and I loved them and it was a lovely experience, until the department had to close.

And here I am now, in the Rewards Department, with its thousands of promotions all the time, our very demanding customers and being busy 110% all the time!!!  This for me is the best job I’ve ever had. I once again became the Department’s Trainer, training dozens of people joining the department and having compiled another two masterpieces (oh, how modest I am!!!)  I love it here.  My team consists of amazing people, the managers are what managers should be and the environment is somewhere I love to work.  I am not just writing this because some of you may read this.  I have told you countless of times how much I love working in our department and I mean it.  :D

So what is the conclusion after ten years in this company?  It’s been an amazing decade that made me learn a lot about work, myself and life. I had my ups and downs, but overall the experience has been truly rewarding and I hope for a brighter future.  So wish me luck for the next ten years!!!

And here we go again! Another adventure to the other side of the pond. My travel companion, is Miss Sara and we are Designers at large.

So today finally left for our lovely trip. Got to the airport fairly early for our flight and the funnist concidence happened. A Dianna Marie Poloway was paged. It threw me a bit. We had a short meal at Montana’s and boarded our plane.

Flight was pretty decent. Mild turbulence at the beginning, but not crazy turbulence, just enough to have a little bit of fun. Hardly slept at all though… I forgot how hardit was to get comfy on plane. Therefore watched Julie & Julia and Chocolat and attempted sleep. The movie selection was quite good his round, several movies I meant to see but never got around to it. It’ll be nice on the way back when we have to stay awake all the way home.

Got to Heathrow and as soon as we got off the plane, my hair immediately started to curl. It was super humid, we were practically drenched as soon as we left. Took the Underground for the first time and managed to get into the last cart. It had plenty of room for luggage which was most excellent. And lucky for us, our hotel 2 or 3 blocks down from Earl’s Court Underground station. Dumped the luggage off and went on our way.

Grabbed coffee and did a quick Marks & Spencer run for a bit of food before wandering around Chelsea and Kensington for a bit. The old houses are so great. There was a few children in costumes and jack o lantern’s on porches. We then began a quest to finally get to Harrod’s. Last time, due to unforeseen circumstances, I never quite made it there. This time.. it was my goal to finally get to go there.

And a quest it was. We were so delusional we got lost a fair chunk. Eventually stumbled across the Natural History Museum. It’s a fantastic museum and they have a really cool area called the Cocoon which has an exhibit on Darwin in it. It’s basically a big cement cocoon…. and besides that there was a ton of cool other exhibits. And the building itself was gorgeous. All multicoloured stone with stained glass windows. We wandered around there for a bit before continuing to find Harrod’s.

Eventually we did find it, in all it’s glory. And wow… just wow. It’s amazing in there. So much stuff… we really only saw a small portion of it. My favourite area was the food hall. We never made it to the tea room…. Sara and I were so tired we kind of went through Harrod’s in daze. But still well worth it. Crazy expensive, but just wandering through was great. There was a special exhibit thing where a bunch of designers redesigned Dorothy’s slippers from the Wizard of Oz as well as various fashiony clothes.

Heading back to our hotel, to grab a quick bite to eat, Sara came to the conclusion that they reason we were such a mess was because we hadn’t had any water all day nor any food really. It was a revelation that made perfect sense. We stopped in a pub, got Sara some fish and chips and proceeded to purchase a very big bottle of water we intend to finish off. Such a simple thing… certainly we felt better after.

So now, it brings us to the present. Just sitting in the hotel room nibbling on chips and chips (fries) now. Looks like we’re going to get to bed early and head to Dublin in the morning.

P.S. Fun fact! The guy who was working at the pub where we grabbed the fish and chips was born in Edmonton and grew up in Lethbridge! How ironic is that?

Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue work heavenly Grecian goddess creations.

When Cheryl Cole stepped out in a heavenly white asymmetrical Atelier Versace gown last Saturday we knew it wouldn’t be long before Dannii was style snapping.

Cheryl’s Grecian look clearly inspired Miss Minogue as she stepped out at Harrod’s last night to turn on the Christmas lights. Dannii looked simply stunning in a white J’Aton Couture dress with shoulder ruffle detailing.

Whoever gets your style vote, one thing is for certain; both X-Factor judges are true goddesses and we can’t wait to see what delightful dresses they’ll be spoiling us with on tomorrow’s X-Factor show.

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