Vinotherapy

Bordeaux, France is not only the home of some of the finest wines in the world, but it is also where the first official wine spa opened in 1999. After stumbling upon the secret that grape seeds are chalk-full of the  antioxidant polyphenol and vitamins C and E, Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas used the leftovers from grape harvesting on their Château Smith Haut Lafitte estate to create the Caudalie line of skin care products, now trademarked as Caudalie Vinothérapie. Their first hotel, Les Sources de Caudalie, offers guests vinotherapy treatments such as a leisurely splurge in the depths of crushed fresh grapes,

 a pulp friction massage or a soothing soak in vintage tinted baths.

The Road to Personal Financial Wellness

We're well into the new year and hopefully on a good footing to perosnal financial success. The economy is recovering, new markets are opening up and the opportunities are available to us all for enjoying a profitable 2012. But as with everything that we do well, it all starts with a well thought-out plan.

Step One: Investing in Your Future

A good place to begin is by realistically evaluating your financial goals. Where do you want to be six months from now? And what about six years from now? What do you need to do today in order to be prepared for tomorrow? The first item in your plan should address a savings plan; some sort of an investment scheme that is funded straight from the top of your monthly income. Don't wait until you have a little extra money to put away for the future - take a regular investment plan seriously by funding it first.

A New Digital Publication That Highlights the Younger Generation

The abundance of energy and creativity that dwell within the younger generation is known to all. Not bound by tradition or conventional restrictions of the past, the world is open to them in a way never before experienced. The power of today’s digital technology is the glue that unites and empowers the young people of today to make a difference, and they are doing just that. With the aim of giving the younger generation a strong voice, Urbane Sophisticate, a new lifestyle magazine, highlights the accomplishments and talents of phenomenal young people across the globe. Urbane features the stories of passionate and innovative 20‘somethings who have taken risks in order to change the world we live in.

Why You Should Invest in Business Cards

There was a time when business cards were just about the most important tool going for introducing yourself, running after new business associates or maintaining contact with valued customers. They were sleekly designed, printed on a stock with the right percentage of rag content and an appealing blend of carefully selected Pantones. They held the exact amount of information in that little 9 x 5 piece of card stock to create a desirable impression. Business cards were as exhilarating to pass out as they were to receive, which usually included a smile, a penetrating look and a firm handshake. You got to observe the person on the other side of the card and make a quick evaluation.

It's All in the Swirl

In my mind, it doesn't sound very glamourous when physicists refer to the very elegant gesture of expertly swirling a nice wine in a crystal goblet as "orbital shaking", but experts in the field of fluid mechanics report that's what it takes to release the bouquet so that we can differentiate between exquisite wines and those that don't quite make the grade.
According to a recent study released by scientists a the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the swirling process makes a wave in the glass that churns the wine, pulls in oxygen and ultimately intensifies the smell. And that's what we're experiencing after giving our glass the oh-so pretentious swirl, as the waiter or waitress anxiously waits on the sideline for a "thumbs-up". Without going into the details of the glass shape, shaking diameter, rotation speed, oxygenation or bioreactors, we can safely conclude that the end results of swirling the glass benefit our tasting experience.

Simple Marketing Tips for Today's Consumer

As the needs and desires of the consumer change, we must re-evaluate where we are going in terms of fulfilling those needs and what steps we might need to change. This is especially true if we're still following the criteria set forth in the Marketing 101 course we took 20 years ago. For starters, take a look at the reference materials around your desk - are they still relevant? Even for the pack-rats among us, get rid of outdated material as it could very well be a barrier in terms of relevant marketing strategies that work today. 

Hooked on Vintage Vehicles

A passion for collecting vintage cars can be as frustrating as it is rewarding. What with finding the right make and model in perfect condition at a decent price and negotiating the sale can be time consuming as well as flat out tedious. If nothing else, it certainly requires a degree of dedication to frequent vintage car auctions with high hopes of coming away with the car of your dreams. True, a lot of work but once accomplished, the car is yours. You can put it in the driveway on sunny Saturday afternoons so the neighbors can watch you wash, polish and hand wax. You can cruise through town and quietly hear the oohs and ahhs of onlookers and you can be content knowing that you have a one-of-a-kind masterpiece of a time gone by.