Diane Von Furstenberg and Evian® CELEBRATE LIFE

evian® Natural Mineral Water continues its celebration of youth and purity with the release of the latest addition to its limited edition bottle collection by iconic American designer, Diane von Furstenberg.

The first female designer to be appointed for this bottle design collaboration, Von Furstenberg drew inspiration from her personal relationship with evian® water and her own love of life. The result is a unique design that combines evian's commitment to purity with DVF's youthful and optimistic philosophy.

Printed in organic ink, the bottle features the designer's ubiquitous heart DVF logo and iconic mantra, "Water is Life is Love is Life is Water is…," in her distinct handwriting. The bottle, composed of 100 per cent recyclable packaging, is sealed with evian's new screw cap design.

"I am so excited about this collaboration because I have always loved evian® and I think drinking water is one of the most important things we can do to love ourselves and love is life! To me, it is all about living life to the fullest and I am so proud to work with evian® to spread such an important message," said Diane Von Furstenberg.

The evian® limited edition bottle by Diane Von Furstenberg is available at selected retail outlets at R59.95 while stocks last.

For more information on evian®, please visit www.evian.com

 

Serena Hotels Commemorate Rwanda's Genocide

CSR is a way of life at Serena Hotels

Serena Hotels has a large footprint in Africa. The hotel group is committed to nurturing both people and the planet and has dedicated corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to uplift and empower the lives of local communities.

Rwanda’s Genocide: 100 Days of Remembrance

Since April 2013 staff and management at Serena’s hotels in Rwanda have been taking action to honour the victims of the Rwandan genocide at the Kigali Serena Hotel and the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

Rwanda’s genocide took place in 1994 - a mass slaughter of Tutsis by Hutus in which more than 500,000 people lost their lives. The United Nations (UN) has named April 7 as the Day of Remembrance of the Rwanda Genocide and Serena Hotels has set up various initiatives to pay tribute to this turbulent time in the country’s history.

During the commemoration period, which runs for 100 days from April 7, the staff and management of Serena Hotels in Rwanda invest their personal time and energy to help change the lives of those affected by the civil war.

Films are shown at the Kigali Serena Hotel as an innovative way to raise funds. Denise Benzinge-Omany, Serena’s Country Sales and Marketing Manager for Rwanda, says: “Every year in April, we screen movies related to the genocide. We charge an entrance fee and the proceeds are used to buy food and fulfill other needs for victims.”

During the 100-day period, Serena Hotels is also focused on women’s groups and donating clothing and linen to various charities. Staff members also take time out to visit genocide memorial sites. Activities of commemoration are carried out within the local communities in Kigali, the district of Rubavu, and its capital, Gisenyi (where Lake Kivu is located).

Investing in Rwanda’s Future

Benzinge-Omany says commemorating the genocide is very important and stresses that Serena Hotels is invested in the future of those affected by this tragic chapter in Rwanda’s history.

She says: “We at Kigali Serena have been working with an association for genocide survivors which is made up of families headed by children who were orphaned in the genocide. Nineteen years after the genocide, these children have grown into young adults looking for jobs and skills, and also to further their education”.



Benzinge-Omany points out that Serena Hotels offers training opportunities, with a chance of employment where possible. Other CSR activities hosted by Lake Kivu Serena Hotel include supporting the local orphanages, women co-operatives and visiting Gisenyi Hospital. While Kigali Serena Hotel is also involved in supporting a local orphanage among other activities.

The Kigali Serena Hotel is ideally situated in a charming boulevard in the heart of Kigali. This five-star hotel is close to all the business amenities and attractions in the city. The Lake Kivu Serena Hotel is located on the sandy shores of Lake Kivu and is surrounded by tropical gardens. Visitors can go gorilla tracking to the Volcanoes National Park from the hotel.

Read more about these hotels at www.serenahotels.com

 

About Serena Hotels

The Serena selection spans some of the most evocative, exotic and enchanting destinations in the world. The Serena Group comprises a collection of 32 safari lodges, camps, hotels and resorts located in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Uganda and Mozambique) and Southern Asia (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan).

The Serena service profile guarantees unprecedented luxury, extensive amenities and unrivalled warmth of personal attention. TPS Serena Hotels is an affiliate company of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). AKFED promotes tourism by building, rehabilitating and managing hotels and lodges that contribute to economic growth in an environmentally and culturally sensitive manner.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Launching Africa Travel Week in 2014

Global leader Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) set to launch ‘Africa Travel Week’ at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from April 28th to May 3rd 2014.

Following the successful launch of ILTMAfrica in April earlier this year, the decision to create an all-encompassing travel week will ensure Africa Travel Week is the leading global event for Africa’s travel industry.

Comprising three co-located shows in one venue encompassing Africa’s inbound and outbound markets for general leisure travel, luxury tourism, and the MICE/business travel sector under RTE’s established portfolios of WTM (World Travel Market), ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) and IBTM (Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings).

Richard Mortimore, Managing Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions commented:
“Reed has been exploring opportunities in Africa for sometime and the success of our first launch event, ILTM Africa, has given us the platform to now introduce two more of our global industry brands to create ‘Africa Travel Week’ and make it the leading global event for the continent’s travel industry.

“Because of the sheer size of the continent and diversity of its travel offering, all three brands will help bring the world to Africa and promote Africa to the world’s leading source markets. RTE is committed to the African continent and its future as a global player in the leisure, business and luxury tourism sectors.”

WTM Africa will attract exhibitors from all categories of the leisure travel industry within sub-Sahara Africa as well as North African destinations, aligning itself with sister events, WTM, WTM Latin America, Arabian Travel Market and International French Travel Market – TopResa.

All shows will have a table-top format IBTM Africa will be in the West Ballroom, adjacent to the exhibition hall in the CTICC. Targetting the inbound and outbound meetings, events, incentives and business travel sectors of sub-Sahara Africa.

With suppliers from the MICE sector including hotels, venues, convention bureaus, DMCs, technology providers and suppliers of services. Reflecting the brand values of its sister events CIBTM (China), EIBTM (Europe), GIBTM (Middle East), AIME (Australia), AIBTM (US), IBTM India.

The East Ballroom will host ILTM Africa in its second edition after its successful launch focussing on Africa’s inbound luxury travel market. ILTM Africa is part of a global portfolio of luxury travel events that include ILTM (Cannes), ILTM Americas, ILTM Asia, ILTM Japan and ILTM Spa.

Both ILTM Africa and IBTM Africa will operate with a pre-qualified Hosted Buyer programme and a pre-scheduled appointment system. WTM Africa will combine a Hosted Buyer and appointment system with a trade visitor programme.



Africa Travel Week will be supported by Thebe Exhibitions Group, based out of Johannesburg. "We will be working with Thebe as our local management services contractor to provide logistics, operations and local sales and marketing services," added Mortimore.

Arthur Gillis, CEO of the Protea Hospitality Group, the largest hotel group on the African continent with some 130 hotels in 10 countries said:

“Africa Travel Week is the sort of event that exposes the best of the continent to a global audience that covers the entire travel spectrum from leisure to luxury, business to conferencing. Cape Town, arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, will be the perfect backdrop to a travel showcase of this magnitude.

The Protea Hospitality Group firmly supports collaborative efforts of this nature in which tourism players work together for the greater good of growing travel and investment in Africa by creating infrastructure and permanent jobs in a market sector that I believe will continue to show steady growth in the long term.”

Dates for the events are:

ILTM Africa: April 28th – 30th

IBTM Africa: April 28th – 30th

WTM Africa: May 2nd – 3rd

www.africatravelweek.com

IBTM Africa will be the second major African meetings industry trade show. Meetings Africa, which attracted 350 buyers this year, will be held between 24-26 February next year in Gauteng.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

The world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, meetings, incentives and business travel, as well as golf, ski and spa travel. 

In 2012 Reed brought together seven million active event participants from around the world, generating billions of dollars in business with over 500 events in 39 countries.Today events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organized by 33 fully staffed offices. Serving 44 industry sectors with trade and consumer events and is part of the Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading publisher and information provider and a FTSE 100 company. www.reedexpo.com

Mega-Hug Cares Campaign

The Mega-hug was born out of love and care for a loved one – my mom!

My darling mom needed warmth and company during her time in Grahamstown Hospice after her stroke, which had left her paralysed on her left side. 

 

When I found the fabulous new fabric called coral fleece, I realised that all I needed to do was come up with a simple design for a shoulder wrap that would easily settle around her, whilst still allowing her to manage it on her own - with one hand.

It worked. It would keep her warm yet left her lower arms clear to move freely for any chosen activity or to open easily when too hot. The resulting wrap proved a winner. The comfort, warmth and “company” it gave were incredibly gratifying.

I was soon making the wraps for family and friends for all sorts of reasons and sewing my hugs into each cuddly fleece. They proved to be the best gifts ever!

I gave each wrap with a gift-tag proclaiming that my arms were wrapped around them in the folds of the fleece and that I was close in spirit whenever the shrug was wrapped around them - together with a personal hug! It was amazing - all recipients loved the intent with which it was given and wanted to give the same to their own loved ones.

Now for every few Mega-hugs I sell, I donate one Mega-hug to a person in need, at organisations like the My Child Has Cancer Trust, the Hospitals in particular the Cancer wards, old age homes, hospices and safe houses.

You can help with this “Mega-hugs Cares Campaign” by adding an extra R50 when you purchase your Mega-hug for your loved one, and I will then be able to donate another Mega-hug to a person in need.

There is a Mega-Hug out there for all of your needs – make sure you get one today.

Visit www.mega-hug.co.za or email info@mega-hug.co.za or call 072 714 2332. facebook.com/MegaHugSA Twitter: @MegaHugSA

GROHE Multi-spray Rainshower® F-Series Pleasure to the Power of Three

New head and ceiling showers in the GROHE SPA Collection offer excellent freedom of choice in creating personalised shower combinations creating showering pleasure to the power of three with the multi-spray variant to its Rainshower® F-Series

The Rainshower® F-Series showers are among the classics in the GROHE SPA Collection and offer the perfect choice for anyone looking to turn their daily shower into a personalised feel-good experience. Now the launch of the Rainshower® F-Series Multi Spray 15" adds a whole new dimension of customisation to private spas. 

The new head and ceiling showers feature three different spray patterns for gentle vitalisation, a stress-reducing massage using the GROHE Bokoma Spray™ or a refreshing XL waterfall spray otherwise found only in well-equipped saunas.

In keeping with the modular concept behind the GROHE F-Series, GROHE Rainshower® F-Series Multi Spray 15" can be combined or complemented to perfection with other products from the GROHE F-Series such as Grohtherm F, F-digital Deluxe or other F-Series showers from GROHE.

Enjoy virtually unlimited possibilities

Benefit from the positive effects of water and add a touch of luxury to your home – the multifunctional GROHE Rainshower® F-Series Multi Spray 15" showers offer a choice between three different spray types.

The centrally positioned Rain Spray measures 300 millimetres in diameter and gently pampers the skin. Positioned in the four corners, the GROHE Bokoma Spray™ nozzles provide a tingling, refreshing massage, while the two parallel XL waterfall nozzles may be switched on and off individually for pure refreshment.

Moreover, the individual spray patterns may also be combined at will. The head shower measures 380 millimetres in width, approx. 680 millimetres in depth and 60 millimetres in height. With its depth of approx. 460 millimetres and a height of 17 millimetres, the high-quality ceiling shower becomes part of the bathroom architecture and blends into the room, emphasising its authentic spa-style look.

A customised showering experience

As more and more people are looking to create a customised feel-good experience in the comfort of their own homes, GROHE SPATM offers what it takes to turn a bathroom into a private spa. This modular design concept ensures maximum creative freedom and allows the individual products to be freely combined for a harmonious overall look.

Thanks to GROHE Rainshower® F-Series Multi Spray, users now benefit from even more possibilities to create their own holistic spa experience. The new multifunctional shower ideally matches the minimalist Sena hand shower, for instance.

A high quality relaxation zone can be created by additionally installing GROHE SPA™ F-digital Deluxe, the shower system that uses light, sound and steam to stimulate all senses. Moreover, the multi-spray variants ideally match the design of the other showers from the Rainshower® F-Series.

The GROHE SPA F-Series offers a full range of options for enjoying your personal spa programme on a daily basis.

About GROHE

Established in 1936. GROHE by Friedrich Grohe the German manufacturer of sanitary fittings, including kitchen and bathroom faucets, and shower systems. Since its establishment GROHE has continuously built their reputation for unrivalled quality, superior design and impressive technology.

With a history of technological advancement, a renowned in-house design team, and a customer promise with regards to quality that has stood the test of time. Eight decades down the line GROHE is now a multi award winning brand. Having won numerous awards such as reddot, IF and Good Design. All of these thanks to their great innovations in the industry.

Grohe Spa Collection

The New Luxury Club Floor and Lounge

New Club Floor adds to five-star business hotel experience at Emperors Palace

Launched last month the deluxe Club Floor and Business Centre Lounge at the award-winning 5-star D’oreale Grande hotel at Emperors Palace will provide discerning business travellers with an enhanced stay experience. 

 

Located on the quiet, top floor at the Peermont D’oreale Grande, the new luxury Club Floor and Lounge provides for restricted access and offers a superb view over the East Rand. Consisting of plush VIP rooms, meeting rooms, lounge and a host of personal and concierge services for guests.

Club Floor guests will be able to conduct business in the private Business Centre whilst enjoying complimentary refreshments, working stations (equipped with PC’s and Apple products), a meeting room, free Wi-Fi Internet access, local and international newspapers.

Access to a Club Floor Services Manager willing to assist with secretarial services such as typing, scanning, photocopying or faxing. The exclusive hub even houses a boutique library. The design of the Club Lounge and Business Centre elegantly mirrors the inspirational classic Roman décor that defines Emperors Palace and offers the ultimate in corporate luxury.

“We have spared no expense to ensure that international and business leaders take pleasure in an enhanced stay experience enabling peace of mind,” says Wayne Hill, General Manager for Hotels and Resort Operations at Emperors Palace.

Club Floor guests will benefit from a diverse bouquet of personalised services throughout their entire stay, including the unique offer of a Club Floor Services Manager providing all Club Floor guests’ with their every comfort 18 hours of the day. 

Additional Club Floor benefits will include early check-in and late check-out options, 24-hour refreshment in rooms, comfortable robes and slippers, selected complimentary food and beverage offerings, shoe polishing services, complimentary pressing/laundry and casino play vouchers on arrival. In addition, the Club Floor Services Manager and team will be on hand to assist with all entertainment and forward travel arrangements.

“Considering that Emperors Palace is located right next to the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, and conveniently situated on the Gautrain arterial bus route to Rhodesfield Station, we are convinced that the D’oreale Grand Hotel Club Floor is set to become the destination of choice for discerning corporate travellers,” concludes Hill.

Accommodation on the Club Floor will be made available to executive guests at a surcharge. As the impressive Peermont D’oreale Grande hotel at Emperors Palace is now a member of the prestigious Greatest Hotels of the World luxury collection, the new Club Floor and Business Centre Lounge, is a perfect addition to the most popular luxury hotel in the O.R Tambo International Airport precinct.

Emperors Palace is a Peermont resort. For more information and for bookings visit www.emperorspalace.com or call +27 (0)11 928 1000 or like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @emperorspalace.

Errol Arendz – DuSud 2013 Winter Collection

Keep stylishly warm with the Errol Arendz – DuSud launching the definitive 2013 Winter Collection.

 This season Errol Arendz has given the nod to poppy pink, slate grey, black & white, cobalt, animal print, violet and anthracite – essential colours that should be incorporated into your winter wardrobe.

“We are celebrating the hourglass figure with waistlines, peplums and sleek skirts, allowing all women to be the star this winter,” says Arendz. Expect to find clashing colours, seductive designs, strong shapes, texture and glamour in this winter collection.




Stock up your wardrobe with the Errol Arendz – Dusud Hero Pieces or as we like to call them, the chameleons, which can change and work for any occasion. The statement white peplum shirt can be teamed with a pair of black double zipped knit pants, killer heels, a Swarovski leather bracelet and you are ready to impress.

A trench coat will tie in with everything in your wardrobe and the leather reversible bomber jacket will last you for seasons. The scarf blouse and pencil skirt are essential items to have in your wardrobe as they are versatile and can be worn a number of ways.

Add some shine to your wardrobe with a pair of gold sequin slouch pants or a glitterati cardigan in neutral or poppy pink.

For a night out on the town the lace bondage print dress in cobalt and black paired with Olivia heels is the perfect sexy yet sophisticated look and for those diva’s out there, a drama queen dress is sure to leave jaws dropping.

Shoes are the perfect accessory for your winter outfit and a must for winter are ankle boots, wedges, and knee high boots in bright and nude colours.

Errol Arendz – DuSud, the luxury ready to wear range, offers haute street dresses, tops, pants, coats, shoes and accessories for the stylish and sophisticated woman, who appreciates quality luxurious fabrics.

For more information on the collection as well as stockists visit www.errolarendz.com