Triple Scoop - equal servings of Danish, English and French

What a mixed treat! A fantastic three week excursion with three entirely different chapters! The first two weeks were spent in Denmark and England in relatively cool temperatures. The last week was in Provence and hot, hot hot!

I did less shopping but came back with more knowledge and less baggage - it was liberating! One of the highlights was being able to rely on my own pared-down travel wardrobe when I still needed to cater for all temperatures and occasions. Since the trip was a total sensory experience I was walking, running, kayaking, cycling, and dining and/or staying at pubs, cafes, friends homes, expensive restaurants and some very impressive hotels, I needed to pack carefully to cover all my bases (and still comply with tight luggage weight-restrictions especially for the last week of our trip)!

What a difference the people make in any trip! Whether it is renewing friendships, reuniting with family, making new friends or simply being immersed in a new environment and watching people - they are critical to your overall appreciation of your experience. When absorbing the sights, sounds, smells and tastes, it is all affected by those surrounding you at the time. On this trip almost without exception our experience was all positive!

DENMARK

Highlights:
Copenhagen is a truly beautiful city! It has such diverse architecture - so old and so modern. It is fabulous for pedestrians, cyclists and water-travellers, and was easy to navigate. The leafy green suburbs we were staying in reminded us a lot of home. Lakeside we had the most incredible views! Rowing across the lake to dinner in the late afternoon sun was amazing! Attempting kayaking for the first time in a racing kayak was terrific. Fish was a highlight! I loved the smoked herrings!

Lowlights:
The summer mostly escaped us!


ENGLAND

Highlights:
Cambridge was green and pretty! Amazing home-fare with friends - Beef Wellington is a triumph!

Lowlights:
Food in most train stations or airports was generally tasteless but expensive. The expense of doing anything in England because of the cost of the pound to the $NZ. The weather was mostly wet and cold!


FRANCE

Highlights:
The entire week was spent on a guided cycling tour through Provence and was superb! There was virtually nothing I would have changed! The company (7 of us + our 2 guides) was superb! The hotels (mostly former residences of the wealthy or religious) were impressive and all had wonderful pools (something greatly appreciated following a day of cycling)! The cycling itself was challenging in parts and catered for all abilities (and this comes from someone who has been on a bike 2-3 times since College!). The week was very well-organised leaving us only to concern ourselves with washing our cycling gear at the end of a day! The food was spectacular! I do love French food anyway but experiencing 5 courses most evenings was incredible! Obviously it was rich and decadent but we managed! The satisfaction of being able to eat to excess after "a hard day in the saddle"!

Lowlights:
A sore backside for the first two days (it truly disappeared after that and I take full responsibility for not having prepared myself with even one or two rides prior to departure!) No iron at most of the hotels (it only meant a couple of things couldn't be worn - a lesson learned though!)


It was wonderful to get home again but it was a fantastic trip and one we will remember fondly for many years to come!

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.Do a guided cycle tour if you have ever thought about it! The trip we did was outstanding! I would highly recommend travelling this way if you can!

2.Get your packing sorted! Know what temperatures you are likely to face and what you NEED for your trip. Pack 2 days prior to departure and repack 1 day before deleting a minimum of 25% of what you originally had! (If you need any other advice contact me on 021 423 866 or email me at stylist@geraldinemacdonald.co.nz . I would love to help!)

3.Have a FANTASTIC time!

Long Hot Summer Downunder

It is hard to believe but January 2008 is here! My apologies for not updating sooner but I was snowed under (with work rather than the weather!) especially during the latter part of 2007. It was a fantastic time and I got to work with so many great people. It was fantastic to see them so excited about showing off their new haircut, wardrobe or totally new look to friends and family over the festive season. What a great way to start the New Year! Oh, and then there was the adulation they got after giving all the right gifts to the important people in their lives (simple with a little help).

I did manage a little holiday time of my own. The Australian Gold Coast (pre cyclonic weather) was warm and wonderful and the shopping ... a treat. I found several new "star" shops where I picked up great special pieces of jewellery and inexpensive but excellent items of clothing. I also found some fantastic boutiques throughout New Zealand on a whistle stop tour. Hastings and Napier were a revelation (having not visited the area in more than 10 years I was excited to see how much has developed!) The scenery, cafes, delis, and all of the food was exceptional. Mt Manganui was gorgeous and the shopping fabulous!

Things that have struck me on my travels over the past 12 months:

1. There is increasing interest in what I do and why. People do want to talk about appearance - their own and that of others.
2. More people accept that image enhancement delivers as much on the inside as on the out.
3. People are realising that spending more does not mean getting the best results - there is a move away from slavishly buying designer labels. Now there is a desire to be a sum of fabulous parts not just a designer clone.
4. We are looking more alike - whether we are living in London, Paris, Leuven, Florence, Broadbeach, Auckland or Mt Manganui. The things that distinguish us are the details. It is getting those details right for the individual that makes the biggest difference.
5. More than ever people are valuing looking and feeling great.
6. Wherever you live, with the right direction it is possible to dramatically change how you look and feel in a very short period of time.
7. It is surprising where and when you end up buying those "exceptional signature pieces". Often it is in the most unexpected little side street or unassuming location.
8. When travelling 'sat navs' are worth every cent. Not only are they relationship saviours but they can give you vehicular, cycling or walking routes. This means that you are often end up traversing treasure trove little side streets you would otherwise never have seen.
9. Summer is a great time to detox that wardrobe. For some reason, people find it easier to let go and to make change. It is every bit as important to revamp your wardrobe as your body - both are staring at you every day (warts and all) until you decide to change something.

Best wishes for everyone getting back to work after such a fantastic hot summer ... long may the great weather and summer feeling continue. The sun also gives us girls a chance to make the most of the delicious dresses out there! There is a gorgeous dress for every woman that will make her look hot (in a modern, sophisticated way of course)! Similarly, men have more access than ever to that perfect shirt and pant - all boosting confidence and attractiveness.

Have a fabulous and invigorating 2008!

European Edition

For a little over four weeks, we traversed Europe. In that time we absorbed the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of England, Italy, France and Belgium. We stayed for 3 - 7 days each in London, Cambridge, Venice, Florence, Paris and Leuven. The trip was fantastic! It reminded us what we loved and missed about Europe and what we appreciated about home. Temperatures were much cooler than expected (except in Italy where it was wonderfully warm). Shopping was great but generally expensive and predictable. I was looking at clothing, shoes and accessories (at all price points and origins). In general I was disappointed with the shoe and clothing choices. The highlight was jewellery. There were some spectacular pieces on route. A few returned home with me. Others had to wait for adoption by someone with a heartier wallet than mine. Vintage to contemporary in a myriad of colours, Europe was a treasure trove for those "to die for" items that set us apart and turn an ordinary ensemble into something really special.


HIGHLIGHTS:
Shopping - Venice, Brugge
Events - Being at Stade Roland-Garros to watch early rounds of the French Open, Concert in Leuven
Places - Hyde Park at 5.30am, Cambridge, Florence (especially Pitti Palazzo), San Gimignano, Chianti region, Brugge, Leuven, French countryside, Venice (everywhere you looked)
Art - Paintings and gardens - Italy, Sculpture (old and new) - Belgium
Accommodation - London (swanky new hotel), Venice (gorgeous older sprawling hotel on the Lido), Paris (great spacious apartment)
Food - France (everything, everywhere), Belgium - chocolate that delighted every sense!
Transportation - road trip from Florence to Paris (fantastic!), water taxis in Venice and Brugge, walking tour around Leuven, Paris Metro (so easy and so affordable and so fantastic when everything above ground was wet, wet, wet!)


LOWLIGHTS:
Shopping - London and Paris (with a few special exceptions)
Places - Paris, Versailles, Moet & Chandon cellars tour in Epernay (you need to book ahead or be prepared to spend hours waiting for a tour - we opted not to wait)
Food - Italy (our perception was jaded by a chronic bout of food poisoning!)
Transportation - London Underground, frenetic driving in Italy, trying to walk on age-old cobbles in Leuven in heels after a concert (my fault, take flat shoes in your bag if you need to walk home)


The trip was fabulous! Most often it was because of happenstance or a new appreciation for something we had seen previously ... running through Hyde Park when all you could hear was the clopping of horse hooves (the royal mounted guard); appreciation for the beauty of the French countryside (and how much it reminded us of home); getting to talk with artisans in Venice and Montevarchi; hearing the oftentimes brutal stories of conquest throughout Europe; seeing the grandeur of the castles, halls and palaces and appreciating how much better insulated and plumbed our homes are today; finding an excellent supermarket (or even finally finding one that eventually opened in Paris); indulging in strawberries, cream and waffles in an old part of Brugge... having a shower in Hong Kong mid-trip back to Auckland (and feeling almost human again!)


The wonderful things we appreciated on returning home included family, friends and animals, the ease of not having to converse in a European language; knowing exactly where to access what you want; fewer people; the relative affordability of most things; and best of all ... the fresh air!!!


This trip put me face-to-face with some amazing European designers, stylists, and jewellers. I have greater access to new global sources for those "point of difference" pieces. It also reminded me what wonderful items we have in New Zealand particularly if you know where to look ... (if you want some help there is no time like now!).


Check back toward the beginning of November for my next entry. Who knows what new gems may have emerged in the meantime?! In the interim ... great shopping! If you need to get your wardrobe, your image or your "self" in order don't hesitate to give me a call!


Just a quick thought ...
"Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves". Dorothy Parker [1893 - 1967]

If you do what makes you happy and feel great the other things will come!


Geraldine.

Pre-Europe

Preparations for our trip are almost complete! Our tour will take us through London, Cambridge, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Paris and Belgium. While we are away I will be posting photos and notes about our experiences. I will be trying to capture the sights, sounds, smells, and ... anything related to fashion and style (of course!). While I have visited some of these places before I will try to take a completely fresh approach. My next entry will be posted once we touch down on the other side of the World!