Pictured above: Laura Ashley Cressida Heart Basket and Tool Set, Hunters Original British Rain Boots and Burberry Belted Leather Rain Boots

Creating an Unforgettable Mother’s Day

Still looking for that perfect gift to show your mom how much she means to you? Here’s my winning tip for you: try to think what your mom is passionate about and go for that theme – and make it a truly a day of celebration, rather than just a present and flowers delivered via web or a quick lunch in a restaurant.

Her ideal present might not be anything tangible in terms of goods, but maybe an experience, or a surprise visit from you if you haven’t seen her for a long time – after all time is the most valuable asset we have – and once it’s gone we can’t get it back… The key is to give it from the heart, and not just by opening your wallet and picking up some fancy presents. Make it a day with loved ones, doing things that mom would love to do.

If you are now thinking that your mom has no passions or hobbies that you are aware of it gets a bit trickier. It is possible that your mom has no interests whatsoever, or it could be that she’s still at that stage where she’s dreaming about something, but hasn’t gotten the courage or time (or what ever the reason might be) to get started. Try to think about what she’s told you before, directly or just hinted subtly, and something’s got to come on top. Then just go for that idea even if it ends up being a spring clean of the garage together and a champagne picnic between the boxes. She’ll so pleasantly surprised and happy!

My English Garden Dream Mother’s Day

Personally I have been pining for an opportunity to work in a garden for the past four years when we didn’t really have one, and this is what my perfect day would be like (hint for the husband as I know he reads my articles). No, it’ now a few diamond bracelet or Jimmy Choos, although the latter will be included, sort of, as I’d love the Jimmy Choos of the gardening world – aka a really fancy pair of rain boots (or wellies as I call them) suitable even for trotting the puddled streets of London! If I ever had a lawn as perfect as the Queen has in front of Buckingham Palace I’d be really happy.

So my perfect mother’s day would have a few of these elements – and I would’t turn down all of them taking place in the very same time, but that just might be plain greedy:

• A lovely breakfast in bed (what can I say, just a family-long tradition and i have nothing against keeping up with traditions – especially when there is a home-made cake too)
• A little family project in garden (this year, my dear husband, I’d like a couple of raised beds so we could plant some herbs and lettuce – and strawberries for the kids)
• Family BBQ in the garden (ribs, English sausages, asparagus and potatoes, need I say more!)
• A lovely afternoon stroll in a nearby castle and it’s blooming gardens – great for the body and mind and also gives me some garden ideas. And since it’s likely to be an afternoon it would the perfect time for a proper cream tea in the castle
• A pair of fabulous wellies, or maybe even two: Classic Hunter’s boots for muddy school runs and forest walks (and music festivals, just think of Glastonbury) and Burberry ones for glamming up (and I keep my old butterfly boots for the garden). Wellies are the must-have item item of the year and they are like sandals last year – no shame of owning more than one pair for different occasions
• And finally: there is always a need yet for another garden tool – so a fancy clippers or cute bird feeder will do (and this year a moss-killing set for the lawn might be hot commodity too!)

Castles, gardens and cream teas is what I dream of!

All this would make me eternally grateful and feel so cherished, at least until next year when I’d hope to have a lovely day again. And yes, for next Father’s day I am planning to follow the same format for my great husband too!

Watch for our coverage from BaselWorld

The biggest event in the watchmaking calendar is now upon us – I am, of course, referring to BaselWorld 2013 which kicked off yesterday (April 25th) in the luxurious Swiss town of Basel. The event serves as a platform for the world’s leading watchmakers to showcase their wares and unveil the timepieces that they will be releasing to the eager public over the next twelve months or so.

All of the biggest names in the world of horology will be in attendance – including the likes of Rolex, IWC, Breitling and Hublot – and it’s fair to say, the general consensus amongst those in the know is that there will be some mightily impressive timepieces making their debuts over the next week.

BaselWorld is positively steeped in luxury and the event is the highlight of the calendar for fans of luxury watches because, unlike some events in the industry, it is open to the public as well. It is invariably chosen as the platform to unveil a whole host of breath taking timepieces that are in the works and just wait until you see the stunning Hublot / Ferrari collaboration further down the page.

Thanks to the good people over at The Watch Gallery, we have got exclusive images from the event and will be giving you daily updates on latest and greatest watches from the likes of Montblanc, IWC and Rolex that are showcased each day. For anyone who is a lover of luxury goods and timepieces in particular, BaselWorld is a pivotal event and if you can’t be there, this is the next best thing!

So, let’s not waste any more time – let’s cast our eye over some of the latest happenings from the BaselWorld – starting with the aforementioned Hublot Ferrari watch:

Not content with this impressive collaboration with the ultimate in Italian sports cars, Hublot also showcased their stunning Hublot Big Bang Unico which you can see below:

Felix Baumgartner visits the BaselWorld

There was also a pretty impressive special guest on the press day at BaselWorld in the form of the dare-devil, Felix Baumgartner, who set the world record for skydiving when he jumped from 39 kilometres late last year. The Zenith watch that the Austrian actually wore that day has been showcased at BaselWorld. The Felix Baumgartner’s watch he wore that is pictured below, and you can watch the video highlights of the skydive as well.

Even more special – watch the interview with Felix Baumgartner by The Watch Gallery.

This is just a mere taste of what is to come over the next week or so – so stayed tuned here on Skimbaco for more updates and news from the luxury-soaked BaselWorld event.
You can also keep up to date with the latest goings on by following The Watch Gallery Magazine.

Guest post by Leo Parker. Leo is a luxury lifestyle blogger who has a love of the finer things in life. He doesn’t let the fact that he, lamentably, cannot afford the objects of his desires put him off. He regularly writes for a number of fashion and luxury lifestyle blogs and magazines when he’s not looking through the window of luxury watch shops.

On March 14th at Highline Stages in New York, TAG Heuer celebrated 50 years of the iconic Carrera collection with honorary chairman Jack Heuer. Guests mingled for a night of luxury with cocktails, watches, and vintage Porsches. The event was hosted at Highline Stages, located in the Meatpacking District. The venue was filled with rare vintage Tag Heuer pieces on loan by the TAG Heuer Historical Museum.

We were treated to a speech by President & CEO Ulrich Wohn which was followed by Jack Heuer sharing stories behind the iconic brand and the inception of the collection. He reminisced of times spent with racing legends in Florida and his love for motor sports.

In reference to the name Carrera, Jack said,

You feel a lot of things with that name.

After his speech, musician Miri-Ben Ari performed while all guests continued to mingle  amongst the vintage watches, art, and sports cars while sipping cocktails and Moet champagne. It was a great night of luxury, design, and innovation.

Photos from TAG Heuer PR and Mike the Law

If you are in New York during New York Fashion Week (February 11.-28.) you should definitely stop by at Ivana Helsinki -store in Nolita, 251 Elizabeth Street. You’ll find there an amazing Ivana Helsinki collection and a pop-store from a Finnish company called Paloni.

Some of the labels in a NY pop-up-store are:
Ainokainen / Netta Kervinen / Helsinki
Balabin Art & Design / Nikolai & Melitina Balabin / Lappeenranta
Dead Birds & Lionheart  / Maria Jokela & Anni Niemi / Tampere
Emmi Malmström / Emmi Malmström / Helsinki
Fiona Timantti / Fiona Timantti / Helsinki
First Crush / Mari Himmanen / Helsinki
MUKA VA / Anna Mattelmäki & Emilia Kiialainen / Tampere
Olav / Jussi Salminen / Helsinki
OutsaPop Trashion / Outi Pyy / Helsinki
Second Chance / Maija Nuppula / Fiskars

You can call it design, indie fashion, art or handicraft. We call it passion.

says Minna Särelä, the founder of Paloni. I highly recommend the visit at the pop-up-store!

Photos: Nina Varis

Northern Women in Chanel

Fantastic fashion photography exhibition Northern Women in Chanel opened in Laboratory, an art gallery in Helsinki, Finland a few weeks ago. Photographers Peter Farago ja Ingela Klemetz Farago shot the most popular models of Nordic countries and around Baltic during 2010 and 2011, and the models were dressed only in what else but Chanel. The collection of photos consists of 87 photos, featuring the latest Chanel fashion both Haute Couture and from the Prét-á-Porter collections created by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel as well as the brand’s Fine Jewelry and Beauty creations. Thanks to Faragos’ sense of the pictorial, these photographs not only celebrate the fascinating designs they record, but also produce sensational reinventions, demonstrating how fashion, photography and art can come together.

Finnish super models included in the Northern Women in Chanel include Suvi Koponen and Kirsi Pyrhönen. Other Scandic beauties represented in this exhibition include Freja Beha Erichsen, Helena Christensen, Iselin Steiro, Louise Pedersen, Edita Vilkeviciute, Sigrid Ågren, Frida Gustavsson, Siri Tollerod, Caroline Winberg and Dorothea Barth Jörgense.

The Northern Women in Chanel is a traveling photography exhibition as well as a stylish book. The proceeds of the book go for Save the Children -organization. The book is available at Farago Publishing and Clic Gallery.

Photos: Peter Farago ja Ingela Klemetz Farago

I saw a play called The Best of Everything at the the HERE Arts Center (145 6th Avenue) in New York City on their opening week. The play is based on the book by Rona Jaffe and was adapted and directed by Julie Kramer.

The book, Best of Everything, was published at 1952 and it was a slightly scandalous 1950s bestseller. The story is about five secretaries in the typing pool at Fabian Publishing dodge. The ladies are seeking thrilling careers and a nice boy to take them out to dinner. But getting the best of everything is never as easy as it seems…

The casting was well done and all the characters were credible. I really enjoyed the play. It was like The Sex and The City from 50′s. The atmosphere was totally from 50′s and the costume design was perfect.

The play was funny but yet it portrayed some serious issues about women rights at the 50′s. A woman without a man was nothing. Men were allowed to be ambitious and build a career but women just had to find a man, get married and have children. It’s hard to understand times when women didn’t have rights and they were expected to forget about their own career and life goals just to support their husbands and family. When you were pregnant you weren’t allowed to work after three months pregnancy, and after you had children you had to stay at home with the or otherwise you were not seen as a good mother nor a good wife in the 50′s. Interestingly, still many women today struggle with the work-family balance and the mommy guilt, even though the times have changed and women’s rights have changed, making this play in a very interesting way relevant still today. It has been 50 years since the book was published. After seeing the play you couldn’t help wondering does 2012 look so much different from 1952 after all.

Catch The Best of Everything at the HERE Arts Center (145 6th Avenu in NYC, playing now, until Oct 20th, 2012. Get tickets and read more here.

Disclosure: I received tickets to the play, but my opinions are my own.

Harlem Globetrotters at the Opening of Barclays Center in Brooklyn

In New York this weekend? Head to Brooklyn to see Harlem Globetrotters. Yes, as the name says the high action baseball entertainment group is “Harlem”, but this Sunday they are taking over Brooklyn at the grand opening of the new Barclays Center. The North American leg of the Globetrotters’ 2013 World Tour tips-off with their first-ever game in Brooklyn on Oct. 7, 2012, and then runs from the last week of December through April. Get your ticket now, and get a $7 discount with a code: HGMOMMY

DuJour Magazine Launch

I’m drooling as I’m scrolling down the pages of the fresh DuJour magazine’s website, and having a rare moment of longing back living next to New York City, where everything happens, like the DuJour magazines launch party this week during the Fashion Week kick off. DuJour magazine won’t be available for me in Europe (yet), it will focus on readers in major metropolitan areas (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, etc.) and in the places they vacation (Aspen, the Hamptons, Sun Valley).

In a time when magazines are dying and replaced by their digital versions, DuJour is not just your newest iPad app or an afterthought of a digital version to an existing magazine, it is a ridiculously good looking quarterly magazine with not just glossy pages and enormous amount of advertisements but editorial you actually want to read about luxury lifestyle from food and fashion to politics and philanthropy. And talking about advertisements – the first issue is rumored to have 110 ad pages and sold an estimated $4 million worth of advertising, showing that print advertising isn’t dead when done to a correct target market, and by a genius like Jason Binn who heads the DuJour magzine.

Part of the recipe for success from day one is strategic partnership with Gilt Groupe, whom we all already love. In addition to the quarterly print magazine, DuJour offers a monthly digital version for online subscribers. With the existing audience from Gilt, DuJour is bound to become the new IT magazine also online. The DuJour magazine is for those who have the means to live life to the fullest enjoying what money can buy and targets people who meet certain criteria such as having a net worth of $5 million, spending more than $10,000 in online high-end purchases annually or owning homes with an average value of more than $1.5 million – and of course for the rest of us, who just like to drool and dream.

DuJour Launch party in New York City

DuJour launched with a stylish New York Cuty launch party at Capitale on Wednesday, co-hosted by the DuJour CEO Jason Binn, cover model Christy Turlington Burns and photographer Bruce Weber. Other celebrity guests included Chris Bosh, Kyle MacLachlan, Matha Stweart, Rebecca Minkof, and many others the biggest tabloid worthy celeb wasn’t the cover girl Christy though – it was Kim Kardashian in her shocking dress.

Skimbaco’s New York City-based fashion writer Nina attended the event and snapped a few photos for us who couldn’t make it.

Photos: Nina Varis

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Watch The Voice Tonight & Vote for Chris Mann

Watch The Voice tonight, Monday April 30th at 8pm est (7pm cst) and vote for Chris Mann.

I am so excited to see Chris Mann on The Voice, and even if you haven’t watched the show this season – watch it tonight and help Chris Mann to make it to the finals. I will be supporting Chris all the way from Sweden, because he is not just a talented artist, but an amazing person. I’ve had the opportunity to meet Chris a few times, and he is so genuine, humble and I don’t wish him anything but success. Here is an old picture of Chris Mann and I.

Here a previous performance from Chris, here he is singing the “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

How to vote on The Voice

You can vote several ways after the show on Monday April 30th starting at 9:55pm est. You will have 12 hours to vote AFTER the show airs (WAIT until AFTER the show to vote).

INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO VOTE:
1. Buy Chris’ NEW song performed on tonight’s show on iTunes
itunes.com/chrismann
You can “gift this song” to 10 friends for 10 votes! Click on the arrow next to the price and click “gift album.” NOTE: Only purchaces of TONIGHT’s song count as votes

2. Use your Facebook account(s) & vote TEN times on The Voice’s FB page http://www.facebook.com/NBCTheVoice
“Like” The Voice’s Facebook page and vote!

3. Call by Phone TEN times from your landline & TEN times from any cell phone
The voting number for Chris will be announced on-screen after his performance.

4. Vote through the NBC.com/TheVoice website nbc.com/the-voice/vote. You can vote multiple times here as well.

5. If you have Sprint you can vote via text messaging
The number to text will appear on-screen after Chris’ performance
Your text vote will NOT count unless made via a Sprint cell phone

Using all methods you can VOTE 50 TIMES.

Connect with Chris Mann & other MannFans

Watch the twitter stream. You can connect with other Chris Mann fans by using the following hashtags: #MannFans #Vote4ChrisMann #ChrisMann #TheOperaGuy #TheVoice #TeamXtina and follow Chris on Twitter @IamChrisMann.

Here is a message from Chris himself also explaining how to vote.

Good luck Chris!!

And one more video… I love this Kayne West’s Hearless cover by Chris.

H&M fans are awaiting another designer collection to hit H&M 260 stores worldwide on March 8th. Marni at H&M collection offers the perfect spring travel wardrobe – everything goes with everything, the prints are fun but elegant, materials easy to take care of and pack in your suitcase.

While the collection isn’t resort wear nor meant for a travel wardrobe, I want it all and book a flight to French Riviera, yes please! The best – with Marni styles but H&M prices, I can afford the trip too. Silk dresses around 80 bucks, sandals $59.95, accessories $9.99-$19.99, tote bags $39.95.

MARNI at H&M LAUNCH IN LA

Celebrities including Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder and Milla Jovovich attended the Marni at H&M launch party in L.A. on Friday. The event was hosted by Marni’s Founder and Creative Director, Consuelo Castiglioni, the Director of the Marni at H&M campaign, Sofia Coppola and Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s Creative Advisor. Check out pictures of Drew and other guests at the party dressed in Marni at H&M.

Drew Barrymore wearing Marni at H&M

Jessica Chastain wearing Marni at H&M

Hanneli Mustaparta wearing Marni at H&M

MARNI at H&M LOOK BOOK PHOTOS

MARNI at H&M CAMPAIGN PHOTOS

All photos: H&M