Penelope & Parker and Selfridges are proud to announce the launch of Penelope & Parker's second collection, AW 2010/11. This covetable collection of work wear bags will be available exclusively, for one month, in store at Selfridges London, Selfridges Birmingham and at Selfridges.com from 1st August.

The second collection debut’s Penelope & Parker’s two newest styles, the Lara bag and the Tabitha bag. With the introduction of luxurious new colours and prints, including a timeless black patent and a gorgeous new croc print in glazed plum, the collection is perfect for fashionistas not afraid to follow work with play.

Following its huge success, the iconic Roxy Bag will also be re-released in a limited edition python print – utterly irresistible for the sophisticated female with a mischievous nature.

“Penelope & Parker is at the forefront of what the fashion world is looking for from luxury leather. With its sense of style and practicality coupled with quality of materials, its work wear bags are the perfect addition to our growing range” comments Elizabeth Selvey, luggage buyer for Selfridges.

“The new collection continues to sum up what Penelope & Parker is about – luxury leather combined with functional designs – elegance with an edge!” added Melissa McDonald, Head Girl, Penelope & Parker “With a constant nod to fashion and function the appeal of Penelope & Parker is that you can carry the products between work and play.”

WIN YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY WITH SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD™

Where will your dream holiday take you? Small Luxury Hotels of the World is inviting you to design your own bespoke, fantasy itinerary at www.slh-competitions.com and is also offering you the opportunity to win it! From a cutting-edge design hotel in New York, to a private island retreat in the Maldives or a mountain lodge in the Alps, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ offers a luxury property to suit everyone.

The competition, which is now live, closes on 1st September 2010 and the lucky winner will have designed the itinerary which receives the most votes. To enter, simply browse through the website - www.slh-competitions.com, and choose the three Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ where you would like to stay.

The lucky winner will win their dream itinerary on a 14-night holiday, with business class flights included. When building your own fantasy itinerary, why not take the chance to browse through other dream holidays for inspiration and vote for your favourite? The more votes your itinerary gets, the better chance it has at winning the fantastic grand prize. The runner-up will enjoy a luxury 5-night stay in a Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ property and there is also a luxury 5-night holiday from our worldwide portfolio up for grabs for the most original holiday photograph.

So where will your dream holiday take you? With over 500 of the world’s finest small independent hotels to choose from, we appreciate it won’t be easy but it will be fun. From cutting-edge design hotels to palatial 17th century mansions, city centre sanctuaries, remote private islands, historic country houses and idyllic resorts, Small Luxury Hotels of the World offers only the very best.

For further information and to enter please visit www.slh-competitions.com

ESCAPE WITH A ZEN WEEK IN LA PLAGNE:

Dates: 19th – 23rd July.

Providing the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, The Zen Week is a 5 day market offering you total rest, relaxation and wellbeing in the heart of the French Alps, in the village of Montchavin-les-Coches, which forms part of the alpine resort la Plagne.

What is there to do there?
During the 5 day festival, people can expect to see and take part in a wide range of activities and experiences including
• Tai chi demonstrations and lessons
• Qi Gong
• Massages from Zeitouneby Basquin (including psycho-energy, auriculotherapy, chromotherapy, Ericksson hypnosis)
• Oriental cooking lessons and tasting sessions
• Dance lessons – Turkish inspired dancing
• Live dance performances from the Kossen Sultan dance troop, directed by Fulda Karadaj (Fulda will teach dance lessons during the week)
• Scheduled fitness walks

New for 2010 at the Zen Week includes:
• Culinary Workshops: Discover the magic of oriental cooking. Classes open Monday to Friday from 9.30am-11.30am. Price: 10€00 for one session and 45€00 for the week-long sessions.
• Oriental Dance Workshops with Fulda (Kossem Sultan) from Monday to Friday, 16.00 - 18h00. Live performance from the class at the end of the week. Price: 50€ for the full 5 days.
• Psychic readings, Sunday to Friday from 8pm to 9pm. Price: 25€00 for a 30 minute reading.

PRICES:
The Zen Week is on for 5 days and is a week of rest, relaxation and wellbeing. The Zen Week is available to people of all ages, suitable for men, women and children.
Massage Prices:
• Chromotherapy: (facial) 50min - 45€00
• Shiatsu Massage: 45 min - 30€00
• Acupuncture - Auriculotherapy : 45 min - 40€00
• ‘Massage Tonique’: 30 min - 30€00
• ‘Massage Zen’: 30 mn - 30€00
• Relaxation therapy: 30 min - 30€00
All treatments are available from Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 12pm and from 14.00 to 18.00.
All guests receive discounted spa rates during this week as well as priority bookings.

For all bookings and more information please contact the Tourist Office on +33 (0)4 79 07 82 82
www.la-plagne.com

RENAULT’S VERY GOOD TRIP - SPAIN WINS AGAIN
Emulating the success of their national football team on Sunday in South Africa, it was Spain again, this time in the form of Ana and Manuel, who won Renault’s four-week road trip across Europe, “Very Good Trip”. In winning the tough contest, the couple walked away with the keys to both a New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet and a Wind Roadster.

On 10 July, the 16 contestants from the eight European participating countries (Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands and UK) were reunited in Paris to find out who would emerge triumphant at the end of “Very Good Trip”, Renault’s TV reality show shown on the web, which launched on 7 April.

Each team had travelled almost 5,000 km and crossed four countries during the road trip, carrying out around 20 challenges, some physically demanding, some funny and all offbeat. At the end of the adventure, the clear winners were the Spanish team, Ana and Manuel, aged 25 and 26, both from Madrid, who managed to capture web users’ imagination and attract their votes.

Close to a million web users followed their adventure!

“Very Good Trip” was a huge success, proving the efficiency of Renault’s fresh, new concept of a TV reality adventure broadcast on the web. Overall, almost 13 hours of programming showing the participants’ exploits was broadcast on the dedicated web page.

Each pair of participants built up a whole community of fans through social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flick’r). In total, close to one million web users followed the candidates’ adventure on the site www.verygoodtrip.renault.com/. The Facebook fan page attracted a highly active community of 8,000 fans.

A lucky year for Spain

Following the example of their national football team, World Cup champions in South Africa, the winners Ana and Manuel showed courage, fighting spirit and ingenious creativity to complete the challenges and win the adventure.

In order to win Very Good Trip, they not only needed the support and votes of internet users, but they also had to carry out weird and wonderful tasks. Ana and Manuel won 20 of the challenges, including making a 14-metre long scarf in the colours of their country – which gave them 5,000 extra points. Spain eventually finished ahead of Switzerland and France, who took second and third places on the podium.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet and Wind Roadster: fantastic prizes for a unique adventure

In winning the contest, the Spanish team walked away with the keys to the two latest additions to the Renault range (plus the financial equivalent of a year’s fuel and insurance): New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet and Wind Roadster, two vehicles synonymous with travel, enjoyment and freedom.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT AS olive MAGAZINE SAYS ‘POWER TO THE READER’
In a pioneering move, olive magazine has become the first BBC title to have a ‘reader generated’ issue. The August issue of the BBC Magazines title has been shaped and produced in conjunction with a reader panel, following nine months of planning, extensive research and feedback. The reader involvement included:

· Sending in specific recipes which were then triple-tested by the olive food team, with the best 12 selected for publication

· 1000+ readers voting on which topics should be covered in the magazine and which recipes should be cooked by the celebrity chefs

· Testing recipes and providing local restaurant recommendations and travel tips

· The magazine, on sale now, also includes a booklet of the 30 most popular olive recipes of all time

According to Christine Hayes, editor of olive: “Every month we rely on readers’ help to make olive magazine relevant to the way they shop, cook and eat out. And now we’ve taken it a step further with the magazine created for readers, by readers and the panel has had a say in every feature. It has been a labour of love, but has been worth it and shows that it’s not just the internet that can offer real interactivity.”

In the most recent magazine ABCs olive magazine bucked the trend of the industry as a whole, delivering a record circulation of 93,300, up 4.9% year on year, showing an ability to continue to connect with readers despite the downturn. olive magazine is on sale now, priced at £3.40.

BARBECUERS OF BRITAIN UNITE! WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT BURNT SAUSAGES
We may be increasingly confident in the kitchen, but Brits are more reluctant to experiment at the BBQ, according to a new survey from BBC Good Food magazine. With the outdoor cooking season upon us, the survey by Good Food magazine of 2,496 BBC Magazines readers reveals that 73 per cent of us admit to being unadventurous when it comes to barbecue cooking.

Key findings were:
• 62% of us prefer to keep our BBQ entertaining simple, so we don’t try anything new or challenging;
• 26% of us say we don’t have any adventurous barbecue recipes to turn to;
• 23% of us stick to familiar favourites because we’ re nervous about food safety and the possibility of food poisoning;
• It’s official! The BBQ really does bring out the hunter in men, with males taking charge of the coals in 60 per cent of households compared to 12% of females. (Almost exactly the reverse of the norm, as women do 61% of day-to-day cooking compared to 15% of males);
•61% of us use a traditional charcoal barbecue: 29% cook with gas. Just one in ten 10% use disposable barbecues.

Not just burgers and burnt sausages...

Interestingly, more than one in ten (12%) of us have cooked a whole chicken on the barbeque. Adventurous meats readers had tried include venison (11%), ostrich (5%) and wild boar (4%). For anyone who wants to extend their barbecue repertoire, Good Food’s August’s issue has a selection of outdoor recipes and bbcgoodfood.com has a series of deliciously different and easy barbecue recipes including summer lamb with carrot and fennel salad, chicken masala skewers, griddled glazed vegetable kebabs and halloumi and mushroom skewers.

Gillian Carter, editor of Good Food magazine says: “We all love the idea of a barbecue, but many of us play it safe with burgers and sausages because we want simple food that appeals to all ages. It might have something to do with the fact that men seem to love cooking meat over a flame. But if you want to do something different, ban the burger, say no to the sausage – and get the girls cooking. Try chicken wings, chops and gorgeously griddled veg on your barbecue instead this year. Good Food’s cookery team have triple-tested dozens of recipes, all designed to make your BBQ party sizzle’.

August’s Good Food magazine is on sale, priced at £3.40.

The survey was asked of 2,496 BBC Magazines in an online survey.

FOOD FESTIVAL TIME IS COMING SOON TO IRELAND
If your ideal holiday is all about spoiling yourself with great food, then why not hop over the Irish Sea and take a culinary cruise to Ireland. There is an endless abundance of treats available, and if you take the ferry, you can travel with your car and stock up as you go along from town to town to recreate the Irish gastro-experience back at home.

The Irish are proud of the spectacular local produce they have to offer, and this can be celebrated in the array of Food Festivals taking place from August onwards. With ferry crossing prices starting from £89 for a single, car plus driver*, these opportunities are too good to miss. Here is a taster of what Ireland has to offer:

Northern Ireland

Belfast Taste and Music Festival, 4th -8th August 2010
In Belfast’s beautiful Botanic Gardens, the Festival will be celebrating over five days the best chefs, cuisine and food products that Northern Ireland has to offer. Guests are offered the chance to sample wonderful food and enjoy great live entertainment.
Fish Festival – the largest seafood festival in Northern Ireland, 28th -30th August
For seafood lovers, this is the festival for you! Seafood tasting sessions, local produce stalls, craft stalls and family entertainment will be on offer, as well as all the oysters you can eat.

The Hillsborough International Oyster Festival in County Down, 2nd -5th September 2010
A fun selection of events is happening over duration of this Festival including highlights of a Fashion Show, Gala Ball and the World Oyster Eating Championship.
Republic of Ireland

Midleton Food and Drink Festival in Cork, 11th September 2010
Lots going on at this festival including more than 50 food stalls, cookery demonstrations, wine tasting, puppet shows and street entertainers.

The Galway International Oyster Festival, 23rd -26th September 2010

A very sophisticated selection of entertainment here with a “Mardi Gras” Party at the Meyrick Hotel with champagne, Guinness and Oyster reception, Oyster Tasting and World Oyster Tasting Opening Competition with musical bands, vintage cars and oyster openers. There is also a Gala Ball with champagne and oyster reception and a band.

Listowel Food Fair in Kerry, 4th -7th November 2010

In a celebration of local food, the Listowel Festival is spoiling attendees with a huge selection of activities. Highlights include Kerry Restaurant of the Year Award, which will have restaurants competing with the finest special menus. There are also food and drink classes, a farmers market, wine tasting and guest speakers/seminars on food related topics.

Travelling to Ireland by sea this summer couldn’t be easier with 15 ferry routes from Britain to Ireland and 277 crossings each way every week, with crossings operated by Stena Line, Irish Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet, Norfolkline Irish Sea, P&O Irish Sea and Fastnet Line.

You can be there in as little as 90 minutes so you can begin your holiday straight away and start soaking up the Irish culture. Most of the major car hire companies have desks at ferry terminals across Ireland too.

If you require further traveller information, please head to the Tourism Ireland website for ideas and advice on holidays to Ireland. http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/

*Based on Stena Line Single Economy online fare valid for midweek travel on selected sailings and generally require booking a minimum of 28 days in advance of travel.

GET BIKINI BEAUTIFUL WITH ESPORTA AND THE LOWRY OUTLET MALL!
Get your perfect bikini body this summer with the Lowry Outlet Mall! Head down to the Mall’s Health Awareness Week in association with Esporta Health and Fitness, from Monday July 19, for everything you need to get into shape for the holiday season.

Exercise your way to a beach body with a week of healthy activity and advice from Esporta’s fitness experts. Allow us to introduce you to the exclusive gym packages available at the Mall’s on-site Esporta complex, try for yourself some of the classes, activities and equipment available.

Test yourself with our spinning and rowing machine competitions on July 21 and 22* – can you go the distance? Guess how far you can go over 45 minutes, and if you’re correct you could win a month’s membership and your very own personal training session!

Get ready to crunch your way to a flat stomach in time to hit the beach with our ‘Get Fit for the Weekend’ abs demonstration on July 23 – feel the burn! Head down to the Mall over the weekend (July 24 and 25) and claim your free day pass to make the most of the facilities on offer.

To make sure you’re glowing before you reach your holiday destination pay a visit to J Crystal and Fibre Hairdressing, our fabulous on-site beauty and hair salons. For tanning without the health risk, go for a Fake Bake Spray Tan, from £25, or touch up your colour with ‘Treat Yourself Tuesdays’ – offering 30% off all colour treatments with any full price cut and finish.

Now you’re ready to flaunt your bikini body, check out the very best in beach and swimwear at the Mall’s top designer outlets. Whether it’s an eye-catching bikini or chic one-piece you’re after, something bright and colourful or a more sophisticated palette, Chapelle have an outstanding range of swimwear, and you’re sure to find everything you need for your holidays at stores including Whistles, Flannels and Marks and Spencer. Or get kitted out for your gym sessions at our brilliant Nike outlet store!

The Lowry Outlet Mall is a registered local supporter of the NHS Change4Life programme, a nationwide campaign to get families to eat better, move more and live healthily through fun activities and events.

The Lowry Outlet Mall is the perfect destination for all your holiday needs, offering the very best in fashion and beauty, as well as an on-site cinema, five plaza restaurants and stores offering up to 60% off RRP all year round.

For more information visit www.lowryoutletmall.com or follow us on http://twitter.com/lowryoutletmall

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Monday July 19 – Bookings for gym inductions and classes
Wednesday July 21 – Spinning competition
Thursday July 22 – Rowing machine competition
Friday July 23 – Get fit for the weekend abs demonstration
Saturday July 24 and Sunday July 25 – Free day passes to be given out at the Mall

SUMMER WALKING BREAKS AT THE FOUR SEASONS IN PERTHSHIRE
The Four Seasons Hotel, St. Fillans, Perthshire is offering guests the opportunity to truly discover the glens and hills of highland Perthshire and its breathtaking scenery with their Summer Walking Breaks.

The Summer Walking Breaks start from just £294 per person for accommodation in a Chalet and include three nights dinner bed and breakfast. A hill walkers packed lunch will also be provided to feed healthy appetites, worked up discovering enchanting Perthshire. With advance notice The Four Seasons can arrange transport to the starting points of all walks.

A sumptuous four course dinner is served each night in The Four Season’s Two AA Rosette Meall Reamhar fine dining restaurant. and a full Scottish breakfast each morning.

Only one hour’s drive from Glasgow or Edinburgh, The Four Seasons Hotel, with its fabulous position on the banks of Loch Earn is the ideal getaway for those who enjoy being outdoors and being surrounded by tranquil yet magnificent views.

To book please contact The Four Seasons Hotel on 01764 685 333.
Please quote ‘Walking Breaks in Scotland’

To book online or for more information visit www.thefourseasonshotel.co.uk/

THREE NIGHTS FOR TWO ON NORTH NORFOLK’S COAST

Summer Special at Titchwell Manor Hotel
Titchwell Manor, a coastal boutique hotel in North Norfolk, is offering a third night’s stay for free to guests booking two nights B&B midweek before the end of July. Rooms at the stylish retreat near Brancaster, start from £110 per night for two sharing.

Renowned for its superb two AA rosette cuisine, Titchwell Manor has just opened a new informal dining area and bar, the Eating Rooms, which lead out to a stunning sea view terrace, all created by avant-garde designer Shaun Clarkson. They are also now offering a new Tasting Menu in the fine dining Conservatory Restaurant that makes use of local produce wherever possible.

A former Victorian farmhouse, Titchwell is a delightful fusion of traditional values and contemporary furnishings; there are 27 bedrooms, in either the main period house, a cottage or around a courtyard herb garden. Guests can visit the nearby RSPB Titchwell Marsh nature reserve, walk the coast path or simply enjoy the miles of golden, sandy beaches. There are also two championship links golf courses within easy reach.

To book call Titchwell Manor Hotel on 01485 210221, www.titchwellmanor.com/. Pets welcome in selected rooms.

RELEASE THE SCENT OF SUMMER AS YOU CLEAN WITH VAX LIMITED EDITIONS!
The UK’s number one floorcare brand, Vax, unveils a limited edition range of vacuum cleaners that release the fresh Scent of Summer Orange as you clean.

Now a clean home can be twice as nice, as it looks spotlessly clean AND smells fabulously fresh too!

The Scent of Summer collection includes six of the best loved upright and cylinder vacuum cleaners from Vax’s popular Power bagless range. Each of these limited edition models includes fresh scented tabs infused with orange that release a delicious summery aroma as you vacuum.

There’s also a Scent of Summer limited edition of the iconic 6131 multifunction cleaner that washes carpets, dry vacuums carpets and hard floors and also sucks up spills. The 6131 Multivax includes scented tabs, plus new orange scented Ultra+ cleaning solution, for our toughest ever clean on carpets and upholstery.

Vax Power vacuum cleaners are designed with high air watts for more powerful suction, which means quicker and deeper cleaning. HEPA filters trap more of the small dust particles, so they are great for homes with allergy sufferers. As Power uprights have large dust capacities and extra long power cords, you don’t have to stop to empty the bin or move plugs too often. All these Power vacuum cleaners include a 2 year guarantee for your peace of mind.

For homes with pets, the Power 2 upright, Power 4 upright and Power 2 cylinder all have anti-bacterial HEPA filtration to help control germs and odours, plus a TurboTool for quick and easy removal of those stubborn pet hairs.

At the top of the range, the Power 6 has all these pet friendly features, plus an extra large 4.5 litre dust capacity and extra long stretch hose so you clean to the top of your staircase with ease.

Ideal for smaller homes, the Power Midi cylinder and the Power 1 upright vacuum cleaners are lightweight, compact and bagless for maximum convenience and manoeuvrability.

Prices range from £59.99 for the Power 1 upright up to £169.99 for the Power 6 vacuum cleaner. For further information and great introductory offers on these vacuum cleaners visit http://www.vax.co.uk/summer

Please Note
All information is supplied to us by the individual organizations, or agencies acting on their behalf. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, it may be subject to change. Please check with individual organizations for the latest information about all events, products, promotions, or news items. Inclusion in a news item does not imply endorsement by Hot Brands Cool Places. Recipes have not been tested by Hot Brands Cool Places. Hot Brands Cool Places does not accept responsibility for the content of any external site.