Skagen, known for its enduring, simple Danish designs, hosted a preview of its Autumn 2013 collection at small Danish Restaurant nestled in TriBeCa, New York City. I was able to preview watches and jewelry that will be hitting stores in late summer/early fall and was also able to chat with the Skagen’s new creative director, Thomas Bennedsen. Mr. Bennedsen brings a lot to the brand with his extensive background in design work, and we got to chat about common passions, namely travel, cars, and watches. He shared insight into the interesting city of Skagen as well as Danish life. I definitely want to add Denmark to my travel list!

The Autumn 2013 collection is filled with great pieces that range from casual/sporty to dressy. Each watch is sleek, functional, and eye catching. These are great timepieces because they are so lightweight on the wrist, and the new collection featured many designs in titanium. The upcoming collection features new designs as well as new collaborations. I’d like to highlight some of the exciting pieces of the Autumn 2013 collection.

The IKON:

This timepiece is, perhaps, the most unique piece in the collection. It is a limited edition timepiece designed by renowned industrial designer, Hiromichi Konno. The design is unisex and mixes Danish design aesthetic with a devotion to art. It will be strictly limited to 1,000 units, with numbered case backs and the designer’s signature engraved on the back, adding even more to the collector appeal.

PERSPEKTIV:

This was my favorite piece in the new collection. The PERSPEKTIV pieces are a curated collection of men’s and women’s that really focus on the design quotient of the signature Danish aesthetic. These pieces are a great mix of minimalism and sophistication. This collection was inspired by the elements of nature, so new colors and materials have been used. For men, the PERSPEKTIV uses durable leather bands in earth-tones mixed with a matte black case and matching black dial. I loved the larger sized face, but it was coupled with the sleek design which makes it very wearable.

 The upcoming collection will be perfect for making new additions to your watch collection, or to make a first purchase with Skagen. The Danish design of these watches is perfect for today’s modern man or woman with pieces that transition seamlessly from the office to dinner. The collection will be available at Skagen.com, Skagen Denmark stores, and major retailers.

Photos: Courtney Forrest Communique PR, Wes Holland

Welcome our new writer Dana Bach Johnson.

Wonderlust: The Great Gatsby

We are so excited about the ”The Great Gatsby” movie! This new lavish version by Baz Luhrmann is set to make the Jazz Age sparkle and prove F. Scott Fitzgerald still shines bright. The beloved novel showcases glamorous lifestyles amongst turmoiled relationships. Leonardo DiCaprio is so dapper as Jay Gatsby and the beautiful Carey Mulligan twinkles as Daisy Buchanan. The story is so timeless and the movie promises to be full of great drama, stylish clothes, and amazing parties. Get inspired and go see “The Great Gatsby”! Here are some of my favorites inspired by The Great Gatsby movie, what I really recommend though – read the book as well!

The quote

The style

Are you loving this style as much as we are? Luckily there are now many Great Gatsby and 20s’ inspired collections available and out hot tips to check out now include: Warby Parker’s  1922 limited edition eyewear collection, Modcloth’s 1920s inspired accessories and clothing,  Out of Print’s Great Gatsby Collection and that fabulous mens Great Gatsby Collection by Brooks Brothers. Once you seen the movie and stocked up on your own fabulous 20s ensembles it’s time to throw your own The Great Gatsby garden party!

The movie

Enter the world of glitz and glamour, parties and beautiful houses of The Great Gatsby:

I am a big believer that our learning never stops, and it should not stop.
And it absolutely should not stop with academic education, and in fact I believe you often learn more about life and especially about yourself in out-of-the-normal learning settings. That’s one of the reasons why we travel with our children – we want them to learn first-hand about different cultures. The thing is – you don’t have to even leave your house nowadays to learn new skills. I wouldn’t own an online magazine today if I hadn’t learned everything there is to learn about blogging and publishing, and I learned it all via internet. Internet learning doesn’t have to end with your professional research though. I recently learned how to make sushi, and my husband learned how to change breaks to his Audi S8 via online lessons we found. What is the latest thing you have learned to do via internet?

Just in: new online learning site Curious.com

You and me are not alone – the demand for learning new things via online lessons is growing fast, and a new website called Curious.com just launched earlier this month.

At Curious we believe in lifelong learning. Learning for its own sake. Learning that happens beyond classrooms, and not only in academic subjects (unless you count beer brewing, pipe soldering, and organic gardening as academic). Learning as a necessity of living.

Curious is a website with hundreds of lessons on topics ranging from cooking, to ski lessons to crocheting, and more! I found salsa dance lessons, got ski tips and learned a few recipes and tricks in the kitchen – just in the past few days. The lessons are short and many come in series (for example the salsa dance) so people in different levels can jump in when they feel comfortable. The best part about the actual video lessons is that they are sectioned to different sections and watermarked to tell more about that specific 30-60 second slot. If you have ever tried learning something complicated with a step-by-step instructional video, you know how frustrating it can be to try to find the specific spot in the video and listen to the instructions for the 10th time.

Many of the lessons are free, and the rest of them are only a few dollars. Instead of having to enter your credit card information every time you want to purchase a lesson, the currency used on Curious is Curious Coins. Each coin is worth $1, and to celebrate its public launch, Curious is offering new members $20 of free Curious Coins. Curious has something else cool going for during their launch month – check out the Curious blog for their Pinterest and Twitter contests to win an iPad mini – great for your “learning on-the-go.”

Come chat with us

Curious is hosting a Twitter Party on on May 22nd from 6-7 PM PST (9-10 PM EST) with #iamcurious to chat about lifelong learning and I will be one of the panelists on the Twitter chat. I hope you join us, and share what you have been learning lately!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Curious. All of my opinions are my own. And really, I learned to make sushi and dance salsa online.

I am beyond thrilled to announce that my first ebook Instagram as your Guide to the World – How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World just published this week and it is now available on Amazon.com for an introductory price of $4.99 for a limited time. You can also sign up for my newsletter and get a shorter version for free later this summer. I will be giving a free short version of the book as a .pdf for my newsletter subscribers for free of charge sometime during summer 2013. You can sign up for my personal weekly email here.

Million Little Travel Guides

I was honored to have the
New York Best Selling Author Chris Brogan to write the foreword for the Instagram as Your Guide to The World-book.

Katja is leading a movement of sorts, one to help others create a million little travel guides. But this isn’t entirely about Katja. She’s just our “point of view character,” as they say in movies. She’s actually here for you. Because when you’re done, you’re a recruit. You’re part of the movement. And you have work to do. The world needs your perspective, your take, and your inevitable greatness. We are, after all, creating a million little travel guides, and your work starts now.

says Chris Brogan about this book.

Chris Brogan is CEO & President of Human Business Works, a media and education company helping equip the Personal Business Revolution. He is the New York Times bestselling author of six books (so far) including The Impact Equation.

YOU become a travel expert

My easy-to-read ebook will help you to learn to use Instagram effectively as a travel guide. I will teach you how, what and who to search and follow on Instagram to make your travel planning a much more pleasant, even fun, experience. You will learn to connect with real travel experts; tourists exactly like you and local people. They can tell you the secrets the tourist guide would never reveal. This book gives you a fresh new way of seeing how, what and where people, like you, travel. It also helps you to find an amazing community of people and see different perspectives of our world.

I will also recommend a few supplementary tools that you can use in addition to Instagram to get the most out of your experience. This book is mainly a technical how-to-book, and you can skim through the topics and the tips pretty quickly if you are a seasoned Instagram user. In addition to the technical tips I have added a few travel photos and short travel stories in this book to highlight what this book really is about: an inspiration for you to discover the world! This book isn’t just about new technology and social media, but about discovery, community, and experiencing the world.

After reading this guide YOU will become an expert in finding exotic places to visit and insider tips on what to do – anywhere in the world. My hope for you is that you will not just find a new way to find photos and travel destinations, but that you are also able to make new friends around the country and around the world. I also hope you will learn more about different cultures and see just how different our beautiful world can be – and also see how similar things can be on the other side of the world.

The best thing about Instagram isn’t the technology. The best thing about Instagram is the people who use it. Take time to connect with the people behind the photos.

Remember to also share your own photos! I want to see your pictures from your travels, so remember to connect with me on Instagram, my username is Skimbaco. You can also tag your next travel photos with #IGTravelBook to share them with other readers and travel experts mentioned in this book. I would like to invite you to join our community of Skimbacoers, and share the pictures of how you enjoy life with the #skimbaco hashtag.

Join me in living life to the fullest, and sharing our world travels!

Get the Instagram as your Guide to the World-book now and learn more about the Instagram as Your Guide to The World-book here.

Wallis is a London based fashion company with multiple locations in London, and an online presence here in the United States. Wallis debuted its Autumn/Winter 2013 collection for a new, premier label “W”, alongside current offerings of the spring/summer collection. The new collection was showcased at the Bryant Park Hotel in New York.

I was able to preview the collection and speak personally with the head designer, Sital Mehta. The new, premier W line is, in my opinion, an outstanding value. The pieces incorporate details, yet are offered at a price point that is very accessible. The fall collection is filled with tailored blazers, outwear, dresses, and easy-to-wear knits.

I think Sital’s insights into the collection say the most. I asked him about his inspiration as well as the targeted consumer and details about pieces in the line. Sital gave me the following insight:

W is going to be a limited edition line. We noted a niche market among the 35-40 year old consumer who can invest more into her fashions. This is a consumer who is looking for trends but does not want to become a slave to fashion. The new collection allows women to get the look, but to do so with longevity. She can still wear these pieces 2 years from now.

Sital has a background in menswear, and he has really brought these expertise to this collection in the form of quality tailoring and details. He said his ultimate mission is to have a stand-alone store in New York. Wallis is really mixing affordability with fashion trends.

Photos: Big Pic PR

BaselWorld, the biggest event in the world of watches, just concluded in Switzerland. This event features the most luxurious brands in the horology industry, and this year’s event was even kicked off by Felix Baumgartner. As a lover of timepieces and luxury goods myself, this event is very exciting as brands showcase new models and styles.

Aquadive, an iconic Swiss watch company, has been crafting professional dive watches since 1962. Aquadive released an updated version of one of the rarest dive watches in the world: the Aquadive Model 77.

This updated model is based on the 1977 Aquadive Maritime which was introduced in the early 70′s and was all swiss made. Very few of this model exist today, and it is thus highly coveted by dive watch collectors.

The NOS Model 77 case is all original and has a depth rating of up to 660 feet. The Swiss case, bezel, and case back are vintage genuine NOS originally manufactured in the mid 70′s. The crystal, gaskets, dial, hands, and ETA movements are all modern. Aquadive will be offering this timepiece in two movements: a vintage NOS Anton Schild movement (50 pieces) and an ETA 2836 Elabore movement (150 pieces).

To stay true to the vintage heritage of this watch, there will be no customization available. The case, dial, hands, and bezel are offered as shown in the configuration in the photo. The  ETA Elabore movement is priced at $1,290 while the Anton Schild movement is priced at $1,390.

Photo: Samantha Crafton PR

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.

New York speaks Paris well

The macaron, a simple and classic French patîsserie, has become quite popular on the dessert scene here in New York. Made of egg whites and sugar, the macaron comes in a variety of flavors and colors to match.  On April 24th, New York based Vendôme Macaron celebrated its launch at Saks Fifth Avenue.

This invite-only event celebrated the famed French confection and was hosted by Emma Snowdon-Jones, Peter Davis of Scene  Magazine, and Clay Floren. As a guest, I was able to sample all the flavors while sipping Prosecco and listening to music. Flavors for tasting included the likes of Dark Chocolate, Champagne Wild Strawberry, Campari and Pink Grapefruit, Peanut Butter Cup, and Tahitian Vanilla. It is important to note that all macarons are naturally gluten free, with the colors coming directly from plant based life. Vendôme sources all of its ingredients form award winning purveyors in both America and Europe.

I am a Macaron lover and these were no exception. The flavor options are wonderful and the macaron were perfectly soft. In fact, the New York Times has claimed “Vendôme is the only macaron to rival Laduree.” These macarons are available at SnAKS on the 5th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue. If you cannot make a trip to Paris to get macarons in France, I highly suggest a taste of Vendôme Macaron.

Photos: Patrick McMullan Photography

Botanical Perfumes for Eco Chic Women

I am so excited about a new perfume launch by my friend Tania Reuben. Tania’s Pure Natural Diva website has taught eco chic women for years how to be eco savvy without trading in Manolos for Birkenstocks, and now Tania launched Pure Natural Diva Botanicals, right on time for the Mother’s Day. The Pure Natural Diva Botanical Perfumes are crafted with 100% natural ingredients. That’s right – no synthetics ingredients and no phthalates, great even for those who suffer from allergies and typically can’t even use perfumes!

Years ago when I stopped buying conventional perfumes, I looked for natural alternatives. What I found was either brown bottle roll-ons that didn’t make me feel at all special, and they were often filled with the same synthetics I was trying to avoid. Or super luxe botanicals that were hundreds of dollars a bottle.

Tania Reuben says about her research for finding botanical perfumes from the market, and why she was determined to get an affordable luxury botanical perfume for the market.

The Pure Natural Diva Botanical Perfumes come in four different varieties: Pure, Natural, Diva and Elixir and all available at the Pure Natural Diva Botanicals website. If purchasing perfumes online worries you – why not take an advantage of getting the sample sets and testing all of the perfumes before ordering a full bottle? I love the mini testers also for traveling.

Pure Natural Diva Botanical Perfumes

Pure is sensually uplifting, like sunny day in a mixed field of lemongrass and Lavender. The notes in the Pure include uplifting cassie, lavender, soothing chamomile, lemon, lime and an Egyptian neroli.

Natural is fresh and inviting, imagine a picnic in a rose bordered citrus grove. Notes in the Natural botanical perfume include a hint of clary sage, exalting pink grapefruit, Moroccan rose, and soothing ylang ylang.

Diva is full of soul, sultry and mysterious. Notes include natural musk derived from Ambrette, a sinfully smooth New Caledonian Sandalwood, blended together in a lusciously robust Vanilla. These three perfumes are $100/bottle and the Elixir is a premium perfume with more exclusive ingredients costing $150/bottle.

Elixir is sensually uplifting as delicious as a lingering morning with an ocean view. Notes include aphrodisiacal vanilla, a hint of oakmoss, exquisite osmanthus, married with rejuvenating pink grapefruit and red mandarin.

You can also sign up to be a VIP Diva and you can sign up for exclusive VIP only offerings, preview beta products, and get free VIP shipping on all purchases over $50 (basically it means free shipping for all perfumes you order).

Tania Reuben – the mastermind behind the Pure Natural Diva

A few years ago I interviewed Tania, make sure to read the interview with Tania and get inspired to live eco chic lifestyle.