Spring is officially around the corner so it is the right time to start shopping and to forget all about the long and cold winter.

And most likely to be spring/summer most wanted are these amazing sandals shoes from stars favorite, Christan Louboutin.

Be noticed in these amazing 14cm/5.5inches tan platforms heels with the designer red sole signature. The multi-strap peep toe sandals have a 3cm/1inch wooden platform, stitch detailing, and a zip closure at the back.

These Pique Christian Louboutin wonder are available online at Matches for £645 ($1,044).

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Fashion Flash News: Christian Louboutin

This was the second time I have stayed at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove, which is about 30 minutes drive from South Beach.

And having stayed there a second time, I now remember why I was in two minds about it and staying here when I had the option of hotels in the area.

Like most Ritz Carlton’s it is fairly costly to stay here, so for me here is a summary of the good and the bad:

The positives

The rooms are large and a good size, with very comfortable beds and pillows and large well equipped bathroom. But based on the location in the middle of a suburban area many have very unappealing views for the price. I was looking over to buildings and a roof top.

The Fitness centre is large and well equipped

The reception and front lobby service is very friendly and helpful. I had, for example, on checking in asked for a room without an inter-leading door to another one, and they handle it in a no fuss and open way.

The negatives

It is not in South Beach, which may sound odd but is important if you are on holiday or (like I was) attending a conference at the Miami Conference Center, as if you are planning or needed to spend in SoBe this location is not ideal. There is nothing much around the hotel, and you will need a car.

The service and time it takes to get breakfast in the restaurant is very slow, versus the fast evening room service

The overall attention to detail through the hotel is mixed, I had asked for my bathroom scales to be changed twice and neither worked, and you think that they would have at least have tried to ensure that the replacement worked.

When booking, check you get a deal that has the valet parking and the breakfast included as they are expensive as extras.

So overall it is a neat, up-market hotel that does a lot well but lacks some of the depth that other 5 star hotels offer. So close but just misses.

Watch the videos of the 2 rooms I have stayed at:

Room 420: click here to watch on YouTube

The other room I have stayed in. Watch YouTube by clicking here or on the blog post:

Read the rest here:
Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove Miami Florida: so near but so far in many ways…

The Oscars night might be the most awaited night of the year. Not only the Oscars are the most important event in the movie industry, it is also a key fashion event.

This year big winners are definitely European Couture designers.

As usual Italian designers were well represented with Armani privé, Atelier Versace, Valentino Couture, Roberto Cavalli and Prada for women and Gucci, Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana for men.

The night big winner Kathryn Bigelow – who took home five Oscars and became the first woman to win the Best Director award – with acclaimed actress and always red carpet winner, Kate Winslet both wore silver Yves Saint Laurent gowns.

The most daring were certainly actress Maggie Gyllenhaal wearing none other than edgy Dries Van Noten and debutant Zoe Kravitz, making a statement in Alexis Mabille.
Matt Damon’s wife, Luciana, surprised everyone in Christian Lacroix and Sigourney Weaver showed that she was still in the game in a beautiful Red Lanvin dress.
Elie Saab was the designer chosen by most promising actresses, Rachel McAdams and Anna Kendrick.

Finally, the trend of the night was definitely ruffles. The most extravagant was Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Couture, the most elegant, fashion icon Diane kruger in Chanel and Demi moore in Atelier Versace.

View original here:
European Fashion Led The Oscars 2010

One of Pierre Cardin closest associate, Jean-Pascal Hesse, has just released a book celebrating the designer contribution not only to the fashion world but also to the art world.

While we commemorate the 60th anniversary of Pierre Cardin couture house, this book comes as a retrospective of his work.

The Italian born Cardin is famous for his avant-garde style and his innovative designs (like the “bubble dress” in 1954). He introduced an architectural fashion with a futurist sensibility through his geometric shapes and motifs. The avant-garde designer advanced into unisex fashions, was a pioneer in the design of high fashion for men.

Overall Cardin has created a new style that revolutionized High Fashion and left his mark in the history of Fashion. And we should not forget that he designed the costumes for Jean Cocteau’s film Beauty and the Beast (1945).

But Pierre Cardin was also driven by art and design so in 1971 he opened in Paris “Espace Cardin” a place that promotes new artistic talents, like theater ensembles, musicians and others.

Jean-Pascal Hesse, “Pierre Cardin, 60 ans de création”, éditions Assouline, Paris, 26

I have posted the 45th in my Tips For Travellers (Global Travel Destination Podcast), this one is about a Transatlantic Crossing on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton.


To listen to the podcast you can either “right click” this link and save the MP3 file to your computer and then listen to it, or if you use iTunes you could subscribe to the podcast series (which is free) by clicking here

Podcast: Transatlantic Crossing on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton.