After the lunch at the restaurant at eight all participants ‘disappeared’ into the ‘Ring Suite’ and Eva Poleschinski had the chance to talk about her label, to explain how she works and also used the opportunity to show some pieces of her collection.

The following bloggers excepted the invitation for this Fashion Blog Lunch:

- Fanfarella fanfarella.at
- Colazione a Roma stylekingdom.com/teresa/
- Austrianfashionnet austrianfashion.net
- Bikinis and Passports bikinisandpassports.blogspot.com
- Style Kitchen www.style-kitchen.com
- Mr. Strictly Intimate mrstrictlyintimate.wordpress.com
- Mangoblüte mangobluete.wordpress.com

We are very curious which designer will be the next one …

1 car, 1 fantastic car brand, a wonderful location and more than 80 guests … what a great evening!

On October 9^th, 2010 at the Palais Schönborn in Vienna sneaker freaks and casual shoe fanatics can exchange or sell their sneakers, buy new ones at the booths of Wood Wood, Paar, 6th Floor, Zapateria, Phönix and Grand.

Sneakerness is an idea that was born in Switzerland and which took place 5 times already, 2008 in Bern, 2009 in Zürich and Vienna, 2010 in April in Cologne, June in Zürich again and now in October in Vienna. Due to the cooperations and strategic partnerships with different sneaker brands and relevant scene and industry-related media, Sneakerness has developed itself as an important event. For those who cannot fly to Vienna … for 2011 there is a strong focus on cities like Hamburg, Warsaw and Amsterdam next to Zürich and Vienna.

The following sneaker brands do participate: Diesel, Nike, Puma, Keds, Kangaroos, adidas, Reebok, New Balance, Onitsuka Tiger, Boxfresh, Lacoste, Element and Gourmet.

The event includes next to an exclusive ‘buy/sell/trade portion’ and the different brand booths, art workshops, lacing schools, a session of the Red Bull Music Academy and a ‘Sneakerness Aftershow Party’ with performances of Derrick May (Transmat, Detroit), DJ Phekt (FM4 Tribe Vibes / Vienna), Swede:art (Tokyo Dawn, RBMA, Passau) and Bobbito Garcia (NYC).

Do not miss this one, even if you do not wear sneakers!

The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel is official hotel partner of ‘Sneakerness Vienna 2010‘.

Mr. Paul van der Linden, chief editor of the magazine “Stars & Luxury” decided to test the new Lexus RX 450 Hybrid and instead of driving through The Netherlands, he picked the “good old roadtrip” and drove from Berlin to Prague, then to Vienna, further on to Munich and back to Amsterdam. Whilst docking-up in Vienna, he stayed at the Grand Hotel Wien and also at The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel, enjoying New Years Eve to the max. A story about driving a nice car on the different highways and in nice cities.

1. Who are you?

I’m a passionate traveler and I LOVE what I do. I began my career spearheading sales and marketing efforts for Ritz-Carlton and Montana’s Triple Creek Ranch. In 2002, I founded JG Black Book of Travel (www.blackbook.travel) to give a voice to those boutique experiences that make travelers feel intimately connected to a place. Today the firm provides expert marketing, promotion and sales services to the world’s finest travel providers.

2. What do you like about what you do?

Having such a worldwide breadth of destinations makes every day unique. And I especially love finding smaller travel providers – true hidden treasures – and sharing them with the industry. Our partners are on par with the best and most-recognized travel brands in terms of service, style, amenities – you name it – but they don’t necessarily have the resources to get their names out there. We provide them with numerous services, including brand recognition from being a part of the collection, to give them a leg up in the field.

Every day I get to help connect people with the opportunity to live out their dreams with experiences they wouldn’t otherwise know about.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?

At JG Black Book of Travel, we believe the tourism industry is changing. Travelers and companies are much more involved in giving back and doing good, but the promotion of those efforts falls short of what it should be. There’s a real opportunity for the tourism industry to connect with the next generation of travelers, who are much more invested in social responsibility and want transparency from the companies they support.

The travel and tourism industries make up the world’s largest collection of service industries. They account for nearly 10% of GDP worldwide. But right now, we don’t do a great job of acknowledging our collective influence. At the end of the day, our voice is very powerful, and we should work to leverage it more effectively for change.

To that end, I’ve co-founded The Bodhi Tree Foundation (www.thebodhitreefoundation.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting environmental and humanitarian efforts related to travel and tourism sustainability. JG Black Book of Travel is a founding partner of the foundation, and our collection members have pledged to raise funds for select grassroots charities through their unique relationships with affluent and influential consumers.

4. Please tell us about ’JG Black Book of Travel’ and your aims.

Our goal is to build an intimate, exclusive collection of some of the world’s greatest gems, and to be ‘seen’ – to be more consumer-facing as a collection. When people first see our Directory it makes a BIG impact! And it inspires them to dream and plan their next great getaway. We want to see more of that in the future.

5. Are you working with other blogs and if yes, which ones and why?

We recently started our own blog, called the Black Blog of Travel (www.blackblogoftravel.com) a play on our signature Black Book of Travel. As frequent travelers by trade, we’re constantly asked, “Where have you been lately?” We saw an opportunity to share our own travel stories, tips, tidbits and photos. We’re having fun with it, and starting to see some traction. And it’s nice to be able to have that kind of personal connection and interaction online.

6. Your TOP 3 hotels within the collection of JG Black Book and why?

To be honest, every hotel and travel provider is a favorite. Our partners are hand-selected, geographically diverse and really spectacular! But adding new partners to the group is always exciting. We’re thrilled to have the Grand Hotel Wien and The Ring join our collection because they offer something for everyone – from classic to very modern experiences. I took a trip to Vienna about 10 years ago, and I fell in love with the charm and romance of the legendary city.

I’m excited to share some other recent additions, too: Huka Retreats – Huka Lodge in New Zealand, Dolphin Island in Fiji and Grande Provence in the Fransschoek wine country. I’ve known of Huka Retreats since the beginning of my career at Triple Creek (a fellow Relais & Chateaux property) and I look forward to working with them.

And speaking of New Zealand/Australia, we’re so proud to have Swain Tours join us. As a native Australian, Ian Swain has real local flair and great insider know-how. And much like JG Black Book of Travel, the whole team at Swain is very close-knit and passionate about what they do!

7. Your TOP 3 personal food/restaurant experiences and why?

1) Jules Verne – Imagine lunching in the Eiffel Tower, on a sunny day in Paris and enjoying a bottle of Rosé. It’s a truly singular and iconic dining experience.
2) Nautilus –I’ll never forget Nautilus in Port Douglas, Australia. I was there the evening after President and Hilary Clinton visited. You dine among the treetops, surrounded by wildlife. And the only light comes from candles and scattered candelabras – so extraordinary…so romantic! It was the single most incredible dining experience of my life.
3) La Colombe – La Colombe is just magical. Every sense is engaged while sitting in the midst of South Africa’s wine country. I dined with four girlfriends and we were all blown away by the aromas, the sounds, the ambiance … Pair that with delicious food and amazing South African wine, and you have an absolutely unforgettable evening.

8. What’s your opinion about future trends in the luxury travel industry?

The luxury tourism business as we know it from 2005 is gone. The consumer has changed. Luxury has been redefined. People want transparency; they want to have a dialogue with brands and companies, rather than be told what they should like by an “expert.” Technology is playing an important role in this movement. Generation Xers (ages 30-44) are using technology to research their options, but are tiring of Do-It-Yourself options. Instead, they want travel agents and providers to work alongside them to find their perfect fit. And Millennials (ages 15-29) are quickly becoming a viable market. They’re diverse, tech-savvy and socially conscious. We need to engage these consumers on their terms.

9. Any comments you want to share with us?

On that same subject of generational changes in travel habits, I think The Ring and Grand Hotel Wien are well-positioned to meet the needs of the market. The Baby Boomers, the Gen Xers and Millennials all have different needs and preferences, and between the two brands, there’s something for everyone.

Thanks for letting me be a part of your blog – this was fun!

International glamour will be given to the event due to the performance of Kiera Sunshine Chaplin. Topmodel from Ireland, grandchild of Charly Chaplin and great-grandchild of Eugene O’Neill, Nobel prize laureate in literature, will fly directly from New York to Vienna, where she will attend the event and of course enjoy the city. Star moderator Nazan Eckes from RTL will present the gala.

This year’s highlights will be the fashion shows of the Viennese designers Anelia Peschev, ep_anoui and Elfenkleid. They will present their most actual fashion collections during the Vienna Awards for Fashion & Lifestyle.

At the gala the following categories will be awarded:

1. Stylist
2. Hair Stylist
3. Makeup Artist
4. Fashion Photography
5. Fashion- und Lifestyle Journalist
6. Design Branding
7. Tribute to Fashion & Lifestyle (Label)
8. Accessory Designer
9. WKO Special Award “Go International”
10. Model
11. Designer of the Year
12. Seitenblicke Special Award Lifestyle Icon

Like in 2009, all awards will be designed by CRYSTALLIZED – Swarowski Elements.

The Vienna Awards for Fashion & Lifestyle are supported by Elle, Wien Kultur, Aussenwirtschaft Österreich (AWO), Goldwell, The Ring (Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel), Evian, Don Gil, Frey Wille, Luxarella.com, cremesso, Camitz Sparkling Vodka, CRYSTALLIZED (Swarovski Elements and Epamedia).

1. Who are you?

I would say that I am a cosmopolitan citizen who wants to make a positive impact in the world. Events in my life encouraged me to be extremely creative and to think for myself. I am originally Slovak and grew up in the old Austro-Hungarian empire, moving to Vienna many years ago. During the last five years I also lived in Marbella, southern Spain. I am also a Spanish resident, even though I now spend most of my time in Vienna. In addition to my main role as a full-time mother, I am an athlete, holistic therapist, former UNIDO staff member and blogger. During the last years, I also created a business concept with my first website-blog, The Best of Marbella. Many friends and business acquaintances would generally describe me as a dynamic and ambitious businesswoman, who doesn´t give up on her dreams.

2. What do you like about what you do?
Public relations, which is very much part of my work: The Best of Marbella blog-website is driven by my love for Marbella and its people. I like to interact and communicate in different languages and express my creativity, touching peoples’ lives in positive ways.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Practically nothing, although I have to say that in the beginning writing blogs and updating the website was time consuming. That was really the only challenge; however, I have a very supportive team and associate network, especially my friend-web designer and artist Syl Chad who helps me enormously. There are so many positive aspects of my work that I always prefer to look at the bright side of life …

4. Please tell us about your blog ‘The best of Marbella’ and your aims with it.
The Best of Marbella is much more than an interactive blog-website. It is a unique marketing and promotional concept, one of the leading references about Marbella, the Costa del Sol and beyond. Even during the initial stage The Best of Marbella is listed as one of the top 101 blogs to watch in 2009, according to the WE Magazine in the USA.

We are still developing our project, however, already in this initial stage it is visited by more than 90 countries in the world. Please read about our success story on our blog.

The Best of Marbella mainly promotes the multi-cultural and cosmopolitan lifestyle of Marbella, as well as selected businesses, properties, dining, nightlife, arts and cultural venues, health and beauty, golf clubs, local clubs and associations, events and in addition, business categories from A-Z, linked to an important and thoughtfully selected brand name: The Best of …

The Best of Marbella is also an ever expanding network of local and international professionals. We are associated with many top quality professionals, our associated partners such as CCG, C+Golf, 4Business Global Network, Marbella Dutch Business Club, Asociacion Francofonos, Business and Lifestyle Network, Concordia, Society Living Magazine, The Sentinella Costa West, Blue Sky Luxury Car Hire, Manifesto Design, Smithwood Productions and many more …

5. What are the benefits of a membership?
There are several subscription options and many benefits. Anyone interested in the membership should contact: maria@thebestofmarbella.com. We promote and support charities free of charge and with other colleagues from press and media we offer an exchange of services which is a win-win situation for all.

Benefits:

• Top Google ranking of any business or event when listed with us
• Local and international “visibility” in more than 90 countries around the world giving your business or event massive exposure
• We created strategic alliances with members and associates so that all businesses can also be promoted through a multitude of other websites and blogs that are inter-linked with us
• We promote our members through press and media that are associated with us and by personally introducing our members to each other
• We send free events and business newsletters to 20,000 entries from our database and in addition regular press releases (blog posts) to our ever-expanding social media network. For example, The Best of Marbella can be found on:
  www.thebestofmarbella.com
  thebestofmarbella.blogspot.com
  The Best of Marbella @ Twitter
  The Best of Marbella @ Zimbio
  The Best of Marbella @ YouTube
  The Best of Marbella @ Facebook
  The Best of Marbella @ linkedin
  and many other social and exclusive networks …
• Being promoted by us, your business or activity will become an essential part of our success story as one of the top 101 blogs/websites to watch in 2009, acknowledged by WE Magazine in the USA.
• If suitable, we include businesses and their activities in the promotional packages or events that we promote. “The best of Marbella” can offer and suggest holiday or luxury packages” such as golf breaks, luxury accommodation, luxury car hire, boat or yacht cruises, luxury shopping, cultural excursions, beauty, fitness and anti-stress holidays, adventurous holidays, property investment and corporate holidays, single or family holidays, weddings packages or cultural and business exchange with other places. The Best of Marbella is a franchising concept that will connect many places and countries in the world. Our first franchising destination is The Best of Vienna blog and we are planning to do the same with Moscow and many other attractive destinations in the world.
• Member to member discounts and special offers

During the current economic crisis, many places, especially tourist destinations like Marbella, need promotion and connection with other cities from abroad. Knowing both Marbella and Vienna and speaking many languages, I am in a unique position to connect people and places in many ways.

Marbella has the best climate in Europe and in places like Vienna, where the winters can be too long, cold and grey, escape to sunny Marbella even for a weekend can be uplifting and refreshing.

Another goal is to strengthen the inter-cultural and business exchange between Marbella and Vienna. There are so many talented musicians, artists and singers and most of them need promotion. For example it would be fantastic to invite the Wiener Philharmoniker orchestra or Die Wiener Sängerknaben (The Vienna Boys Choir) to Marbella or, conversely, to move productions and artists from Marbella to Vienna. Since I returned to Vienna, I reconnected with the local, international and diplomatic communities in Vienna and have been discovering new venues, clubs and luxury networks that inspired me to many new ideas.

There are many artists, dancers and musicians in Marbella like Stephen Lloyd Morgan that would be delighted to perform live concerts in the Grand Hotel Wien or The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel. On the other side, one of the most important events in Marbella that visitors from Vienna and abroad should not miss is Marbella´s International Arts Festival. I am convinced that the Department of Tourism in Marbella and Vienna would also support this kind of inter-cultural and business exchange.

Furthermore, Marbella has so much to offer, not only because of its fantastic climate, beautiful beaches, world class golf courses, delicious food and exciting shopping, parties and nightlife, but also because it boasts some of the most prestigeous and luxurious properties in Europe. I also highly recommend anyone who wants to learn Spanish to visit Marbella. In the next months, we will include many properties on the Best of Marbella, as well as numerous golf courses, hotels and restaurants, to offer our readers the best choices. So, please check the site regularly for updates or even better, keep up to date via a subscription to our free events and business newsletters.

6. Were you working with other blogs and if yes, which ones and why?
This is the first blog I started a year ago when I recognized the opportunity to meet people´s needs by offering a unique promotional concept. We are currently preparing the Best of Vienna blog to connect the two blogs and places in many ways and initiate an inter-cultural and business exchange.

7. Please provide us with your TOP 5 for Marbella
It is very difficult to choose from so many beautiful places in Marbella, but my favourite place is the Paseo Maritimo (seaside promenade) ideal for walking, running and enjoying the warm weather. You can also try delicious food and Spanish wine in numerous chiringuitos. My favourite beach restaurant is Trocadero Playa. Everyone should visit the old Town of Marbella (Orange Square), which is very special and Puerto Banus promenade where you can admire the exclusive yachts and luxury cars, enjoy shopping in some of the most popular boutiques and visit some of the numerous restaurants and bars. If you like golf, Marbella Golf club is one of the best golf courses on “Costa del Golf”. When it comes to beaches and beach clubs, I like the Buddha Beach in Puerto Banus. My favourite restaurants: Villa Tiberio, Sol i Luna, Salotto, Passion Cafe and many more. You can find details about all these places on the Best of Marbella blog in the Dining and Nightlife section.

8. Restaurants/bars/shops/hotels/sightseeing
There are many wonderful restaurants, bars, shops, hotels and sightseeing trips that will be included on our blog-website soon. There is so much to do and see, including the beautiful white villages and places close to Marbella like Ojen, Monda, Guaro (with its Luna Mora festival), Ronda, Gaucin and El Chorro. Further afield Granada, Sevilla, Cadiz and Gibraltar await the curious visitor. The best way to find all the information is to check the existing blog articles and subscribe to our free events and business newsletters that will be sent out as of January.

9. Any comments you want to share with us?
I would like to emphasize the importance of blogs and social media in marketing any business. A lot of people don’t yet appreciate the importance and significance of blogs, so here is a simple explanation why The Best of Marbella is using blogs to promote its members and why it became so successful so far:

1. Blogs are a fantastic marketing and networking tool provided by Google. They are free and can be used in many different ways, depending on individual creativity, knowledge and expertise. In our case, it is a basic tool where every promotion starts.
2. Google invests billions of dollars to develop their software technology that we use
3. Blogs are the fastest growing medium of communication for businesses and individuals and have rapidly become influential components of the Internet. Their importance will grow for some time to come
4. Though blogs have a social function in the first instance, they have also become very popular because of their effectiveness in SEO (blogs are getting the kind of traffic that static websites can only dream of – even without SEO tactics).
5. We include blog links in all our social media networks and profiles including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and many other social and business tools and networks
6. In our case, our blog is interactive, constantly changing and the most important part of our website www.thebestofmarbella.com that we use for our PR and marketing campaigns and to connect with people locally and globally.

Edited by Manifesto Design.

1. Who are you?

In the recent past, I participated in various exhibitions in Austria and abroad; in 2009, I was nominated for the “item-art prize for painting” in Ulm, Germany, I took part in group exhibitions in Frankfurt/M. and St. Christoph, Austria, and in the near future, some of my works will be shown in the course of the “14. Art Auction” in Berlin under the patronage of film director Fatih Akin as well as at the 7th “Biennial of Contemporary Art” in Florence.
Additionally, I held a number of shows in Vienna, the current one, titled “Hunting now”, at Gallery Steiner.

2. What do you like about what you do?
In my paintings, I aim to display our present life, the daily life with its sometimes very special moments. Facing our fast-moving society, I think it’s necessary to conserve our current visual impressions, that’s just what painters have always done, and I enjoy depicting today’s lifestyle the way I see it.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Being a freelance artist is always connected with pressure – financially and artistically. Sometimes it’s pretty annoying, especially if it’s only a self-made problem caused by one’s own perfectionism, on the other hand, being under strain can be really necessary for creating good and interesting works. So it’s quite an ambiguous thing, you hate it, but you need it, too.

4. Please tell us about your paintings and your aims?
Being inspired by the permanently changing urban lifestyle, I trace the ambivalent mixture of cultural tendencies and individual concepts of today’s people in my realistic paintings. Modern human beings are viewed against their social background, always ‘living under the lens’; and in the obtrusive, revealing style of close-ups and snapshots, complex situations are reduced to an exemplary detail or a fleeting moment while the circumstances remain untold.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, which ones and why?
No, I’m not working with blogs.

6. Is there a gallery where you can find your paintings?
From 18.8.-14.9.2009, Gallery Steiner (Kurrentgasse 4, 1010 Vienna, open Mo-Fr 11-20h, Sa 12-17h, Sun closed) shows my current solo exhibition titled “Hunting now” – at the same time, selected photographs by Stavros von Kazinyan can be seen there.

7. Which painting do you admire the most and why?
I admire Gottfried Helnwein’s work, and I guess “Mouse I” is my favourite – disturbing, overwhelming, just amazing.

8. Any comments you want to share with us?
In 2008, I really enjoyed working together with “The Ring Hotel“, Vienna – apart from two exhibition cooperations, I painted a commissioned work for the bar “Drings” which was a great and challenging task because the product had to meet various requirements: it should thematically and visually reflect the bar’s focus on extraordinary vodka brands and cocktails, and additionally, a neutral colouring was needed because it should not disturb the great effect of the ‘mathematics art’ installations by artist Markus Mooslechner, especially the spectacular “Drings”-eyecatcher, the wide bar front. At least, I created a photorealistic work with soft restrained colours, corresponding to the unique and very special atmosphere of the cosmopolitan, stylish, and highly fashionable “Drings”-bar.

The electro party ambiance of “Donauinselfest“, June 26 -28, attracts hip music to Vienna’s foremost open air venue. The week long “Jazz Fest Wien” kicks off June 29 featuring a world class line up in a variety of Vienna’s happening clubs. Several of the concert locations are open and a number are within walking distance of The Ring. The hotel is a preferred choice for festival performers. Hotel guests may even find themselves sharing lobby space with favorite jazz men.

Music is the order of the day at “Frequency“, “Nuke Festival” and typical Viennese summer clubs, bars and clubbing events at “Strandbar Herrmann“, “Summer Stage“, “SandintheCity” or “Copa Cagrana“, keeping the temperature up. Motion and exploration define the month long contemporary dancefest ImPulsTanz that is the Vienna International Dance Festival. Opening on July 16^th, the festival attracts global dance companies, professionals, students and visitors to the Festival’s performances, workshop and choreographers’ creative sessions.

Combine a Vienna visit with a stay the most fashionable design hotel located in the heart of Vienna’s Summer happenings, The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel, which will make your sizzling summer stay just cooler. Enjoy modern 5-star-luxury without any stuffiness.
Post party or late night concert, relax and rejuvenate at the “The Ring Day Spa” on the 7th floor, with a unique vista of Vienna.

Visit Vienna and enjoy the Sizzling Summer Rate at The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel starting from EUR 189,00* per room and night! An exceptional value for a stay in one of Conde Nast’s Hot Hotels, the Sizzling Summer Hotel deal includes:

• Overnight luxury accommodation
• Rate is per room, per night – tax and service inclusive
• Party tips and shopping tips available at check in
• Free high speed internet access
• * Breakfast is available at a surcharge from € 23,00 to € 32,00

The Sizzling Summer Rates@The Ring can be booked directly through the hotel website www.theringhotel.com or by calling The Hotel Reservation Department.

Phone +43 1 515 80-9902/9997
Fax +43 1 515 13 12
Email: gschwaninger@jjwhotels.com
www.theringhotel.com

He kindly welcomed us for a tour in Grand Hotel Wien to show some of the everyday life of this beautiful, legendary hotel and opened a door for the world of leading five star hotels in Vienna. We also got a chance to interview Mr. Echtermeijer to better understand some of the operational issues in hotel marketing and management.

We want to thank Mr. Echtermeijer and the whole hotel staff for making our stay unforgettable, both professionally and as a lovely getaway from ordinary life. The heartwarming attitude towards the future hotel industry professionals and meeting Mr. Echtermeijer gave us motivation and many new ideas to bring back to Finland. We hope we can someday welcome you to Finland as our guests and return the joy we got from our stay in The Ring. Only thing we disagree is that it wasn’t casual, it was pure luxury.

With kind regards,
Hospitality Management students
Turku University of Applied Sciences
Finland