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

Instagram Travel with me to Canada

I’d like to invite you to Instagram travel with me to Canada the next two weeks. (Follow me as Skimbaco)

The Canadian Tourism Commission and VIA Rail invited 28 of the world’s best travel bloggers, writers and photographers from 11 different countries to discover Canada on an epic journey to TBEX Toronto, the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers and new media content creators.

I’m excited to announce that I have been selected by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) as one of the bloggers to travel in Canada to taste, touch, smell and experience the uniqueness of the vast country and travel from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Toronto for TBEX 2013, the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, and new media content creators. I will be speaking at TBEX about Instagram strategy, and I couldn’t be more excited bot about the travels ahead and the speech at the conference. My wish is that with this type of collaborations we all are able to inspire more people not just to travel to Canada, but show what a great travel resource tools like Instagram are.

You can follow my journey on Instagram with hashtag #skimbacocanada as it happens, and everyone’s journeys with #explorecanada and at Canada Keep Exploring site. I will also be writing here of all of the details of the trip. I truly enjoyed my quick visit to Halifax last summer, and can’t wait to go back. We also used to live upstate New York, almost on Canadian border, and visited Canada almost monthly because our kids were in a Finnish language school in Montreal. However, I was always left for wanting to travel more in Canada, and I am excited about this trip to see more. As a Finn I share the love of ice hockey and snow with Canadians, and of course I’m super excited about all of the seafood on the coast and the culinary and cultural travels we will do.

Some of my photos from Canada.

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

When I think of Jay Gatsby, I think of classic, impeccable, enduring style. This is exactly who Gatsby is as he embodies a throwback to the polished styles of the roaring twenties. Today’s modern man can recreate Gatsby’s style with classic pieces, attention to detail, and great tailoring.

One of my favorite iconic brands, Brooks Brothers, released a special collection in collaboration with The Great Gatsby, however, you can find pieces reminiscent of this style from other preppy clothiers. Mr. Gatsby is swanky, and all about the details. Whether its a large party, weekending on Long Island, or in the city, Gatsby is always put together. His look has evolved, somewhat, into what some may know as the Ivy League Style.

Below are some pieces that can easily be incorporated into your wardrobe so you, too, can start dressing Gatsby.

The Vest:
This style of vest and be worn over and oxford shirt either by itself, or layered with a sport coat. It becomes more casual when worn alone and perfect for a soiree, or more formal for a cocktail en plein air when worn with a blazer. J.Crew has an array of great vests- featured here is their Ludlow Vest. Create interest by pairing the darker brown with a lighter colored sport coat such as creme as Gatsby is seen wearing in the image above. Available: J.Crew $128

The Seersucker Blazer:
The Seersucker blazer is a classic piece that has been in style for decades and decades. It might seem bold to some at first, but when paired with the right oxford shirt and accessories, this blazer is classy and sophisticated. Here, the blazer is paired with a pastel oxford and is shown with a pocket square to add more interest. This look is very representative of Hamptons society. I can picture Gatsby wearing this with a glass of champagne in hand. Available: Ralph Lauren $1295

Accessories complete the Gatsby Look
Gatsby is all about the details. In my opinion, its the small details that really make an outfit great. Accessories are the best way to add great detail to any outfit. Here, I’ve picked out some staples for classic, sharp dressing. Gatsby likes to get formal, so a good set of cufflinks, a tie bar, and a tie and pocket square in traditional colors and patterns are necessary. Sunglasses really bring an outfit together, and this pair by GANT goes well with the preppy style Gatsby wears on his weekend trips on Long Island. The GANT sunglasses would be great paired with the seersucker blazer above.

The tie:
Tie GANT “Regimental Stripe Tie” Available at GANT.com $98

The pocket square:
Available at Brooks Brothers $40

The cufflinks:
Cufflinks: Ralph Lauren. Available at RalphLauren.com $395

The sunglasses:
Sunglasses GANT “Wellsy”  Available at GANT.com $195

The tie bar:
Tie Bar: Available at Brooks Brothers. $95

Wingtip Oxfords
Last but not least… Every man should have a pair of wingtip oxfords in their closet. This style is a go-to for polishing off any suit look. They are iconic and more interesting than a plain loafer or dress shoe. Here, the tone-on-tone coloring is very reminiscent of Gatsby and 1920′s society style. Available: Brooks Brothers $598

Photos: Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, GANT, J.Crew, Warner Bros Pictures.

Paris – Sweet Tooth’s Paradise

Having visited Paris four times in the last six years, I have had my share of Paris’s best sweets. From cookies to frozen delights, pastries to beverages, I have a list to suit everyone’s sweet tooth!

1. Macarons
Few people can visit Paris and not at eat a French macaron. You see the colorful treats everywhere you turn. A macaron is a sandwich cookie – ganache, buttercream or jam between two almond merengue cookies. They come in a wide variety of  flavors and countless colors that are often vivid. Macarons are not for everyone’s palate as they are quite sweet but they are worth a taste to find out if they suit yours. You can buy your macarons at world famous and always crowded Ladurée and even at Paris McDonald’s! I like to buy mine at Gerard Mulot in the Marais neighborhood.

2. Crème Brûlée
Crème Brûlée literally translated from French means “brunt crème”. Smooth custard awaits you under a thin crust of scorched sugar that you can gently crack with your spoon. I always order a Crème Brûlée when I dine at Ma Bourgogne, located in Place des Vosges. Crème Brûlée is quite rich. I suggest sharing with someone. Just ask for “deux cuillères, s’il vous plait” (two spoons, please)!

3. Crêpes
Hot, freshly made-while-you-wait Crêpes are available in many locations throughout Paris. It’s a Parisian street food that is served both savory and sweet. My favorite is a Nutella, banana crêpes drizzled with Grand Marnier. I like them for dessert, a snack or anytime! They are especially wonderful on a cold Paris night.

4. Gelato
Enjoy a little Italy while in Paris and have a gelato. Amorino is a chain of gelato stores located throughout Europe. Their signature rose-shaped scoops on comes make your already fantastic gelato even more of an experience! Coconut is, in my opinion, the best flavor at Amorino. I could eat an entire gelato bouquet of them!

5. Tarte au Citron
Tarte au Citron, or lemon tart, is sweet, tangy and creamy with a lightly sweetened crispy crust. It’s a delight to enjoy, especially as an afternoon treat after sightseeing all day, and goes well with a cup of hot French tea. I think the best are found at Gerard Mulot.

6. Chocolate Chaud
Chocolate Chaud is French for “hot chocolate”. But this is not your everyday powdered mix hot chocolate. An authentic chocolate chaud is something special. Using steamed milk and bits of semisweet chocolate, chocolate chaud is a warm cup of sweet richness!  Most Parisian cafes serve chocolate chaud but Angelina is world-famous for theirs.

7. Croissants
If there is one food on this list that I eat every day I am in Paris it’s a croissant. I immediately scout out a bakery near my hotel that appears busy and popular. I head there each and every morning to buy a few fresh, warm, buttery, flakey croissants and a cup of coffee. Often, I will choose an almond or chocolate croissant instead of plain if my sweet tooth requests it. I have no problem declaring croissants found in Paris are the best in the universe!

8. Fresh Fruit
If sugary treats get tiresome (as if!) visit your nearby produce market or even better, find an outdoor food market by searching online for days and locations. Some of the best tasting and best looking fruit I have ever eaten I purchased in Paris.  I always buy a basket or two of strawberries whenever I visit. They make a nice accompaniment to a glass of French champagne!

9. Luxury ice cream
Have you ever tasted luxury ice cream? Once you have a scoop of Berthillon luxury ice cream, you will never want to eat ‘regular’ ice cream again. Berthillon is a family-owned business which began in 1954. They pride themselves on using only natural ingredients and make approximately sixty flavors are produced throughout the year that change with the seasons.

10. Bon bons
Candy lovers will be in candy paradise in Paris. Bon bons, or candy, can be chocolate, hard candy, or any small confection. If you’re looking for a sweet treat to bring home from your trip, candy would be a good choice, especially hard candies

Which sweet would you indulge in while visiting Paris?

We are used to constantly be ”effective” and on a rush. Once in a while perfection is to escape the everyday life, and take your time to enjoy to little things in life. No harm traveling far away of the everyday surroundings and for a week, forget your to-do list. Enjoy company of your closed ones, the sun and the feeling of not having to fulfill any responsibilities at the moment. This was my recent trip to Playa del Carmen in Mexico.

The main purpose of our trip was to escape the everyday life and endless darkness of the winter in Finland, where I come from.

Catch some vitamin D from the sun, just take it easy.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico. One of those places that leaves you want to go back and explore more. Endless white sand beaches, mild wind and palm trees, and laid back attitude comes first in mind when reliving the memories. Delicious fresh guacamole and colorful fresh fruit, of course.

Playa del Carmen was perfect for relaxing and taking it easy.

However, as my family is as active as I am, we wanted to get out of the resort as well. Chichen Itza, one of the new seven world wonders, was a must see. The Chichen Itza is a Mayan City on the Yucatan Peninsula, between Valladolid and Merida. It was established before the period of Christopher Columbus and served as the religious center of Yucatan for a while. Loving history, I found it fascinating to explore this ancient Mayan village and learn more of this mystic and intelligent tribe.

On our way to Chichen Itza, we made a swim stop at a cenote. The cenote was huge, 130 deep feet.  It was amazingly refreshing to hop to fresh and clear water after a sweaty drive.

On our way back we drove through an atmospheric town with colorful building and happy people on the streets. This was the authentic kind of Mexico which I definitely want to explore more. Next time, I will pack my pack back and discover the authentic Mexican villages and people.

This time – I found my inner peace from relaxing on the beach.

Paris has many faces and if you like the continuous buzz and lively scenes, the place to be is on the Left Bank of the city – and more specifically in Latin Quarters. Our latest hotel tip from this area is the Select Hôtel Rive Gauche - a little four-star boutique hotel with a modern and edgy decor. The hotel is perfectly located on Place de la Sorbonne, the square in front of the entrance to the famous Paris Sorbonne University – and just steps away from the beautiful park Jardin De Luxembourg where masses of people chill on the lawns facing the elaborate French Senate building.

The hotel itself has only 66 rooms which are decorated with a clean and contemporary style – with an added bonus of  lively and pretty views out of the window. Our room was clean and stylish – and definitely worth the 4-star rating that the hotel has.  However, keeping in line with Parisian hotels the rooms are quite small, yet functional. However, the bathroom was a bit of unusual one with its frosted glass sliding walls as it gave a feel of being in an aquarium.  As we love the busy sounds of the city, we kept the windows open late into the night and enjoyed music and the hum of conversations on the background. There is just something extra special about Paris!

The decor is really what makes this place so special, there is art, funky furniture in eye-popping colors scattered around giving the place of a more of art deco-style house feel than that of a hotel. The lobby area has a cozy little bar and a couple of living-room -style lounges for relaxation, but there is no restaurant  - and who needs one when there are several right next to the hotel entrance! The hotel serves a traditional Parisian breakfast though in their funky basement-level breakfast room. And if you feel inspired by the decor of the house you are already perfectly located in the Latin Quarters, where there is in addition to all those colorful restaurants plenty of art shops and fabulous little boutiques to browse for little finds for your home.

Place de la Sorbonne and the entrance to the university. The hotel entrance is on the far right hand side corner. There are already several little bistros to choose from for a meal, coffee or just drinks in the evening in this square.

The location of the Select Hôtel Rive Gauche is great for city sightseeing as well. The best starting point for the tour is the lovely Jardin de Luxembourg where one can admire the beauty of the Senate, visit the museum and enjoy a fresh cafe au lait and almond croissant while watching little boats gliding across the pool. If you are a fan of some particular book placed in Paris, such as the Da Vinci Code, then the church of Saint Sulpice is a must stop. And while in the area there oldest church in France, Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, is also worth a visit. At the end of the day staying in the heart of the Latin Quarters opens up a whole new world of the vibrant Parisian lifestyle for you, and you are guaranteed to have a good time!

Saint Sulpice Church from the Da Vinci Code -book