Jeff Klein knows that a hotel is more than a destination:
A New York society brat turned serious hotelier and restaurateur, Mr. Klein, 39, bought the Sunset Tower in 2004 and has transformed it partly by throwing out the handbook of how entertainment industry haunts are managed, especially in Los Angeles. A ban on media leaks about boldface business deals or celebrity frolicking is strictly enforced. Mr. Klein is also very careful about curating a clientele.
Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss on brand experience:
“Right after I bought the team, I used to go into this little lounge in Santa Monica. The owner was also musical director for MGM, and they used to perform musicals there late at night, it was just fantastic,” he says. “Just before they would start, everyone would start shouting, ‘Showtime! Showtime!’ I remember thinking, this is how I wanted people to feel about their team.”
Victoria’s Secret CEO Sharen Turney feels her lingerie brand has become “too sexy” for its own good:
“We have moved off of our brand heritage,” she said in a conference call with analysts. “We use the word ‘sexy’ a lot and really have forgotten the ultra-feminine.”
Turney said the brand’s original storyline was of a to-the-manor-born Londoner named Victoria whose lacey underthings, we assume, were her little secret. But in recent years, Victoria became known as simply “Vicky,” and she had no qualms about flaunting her sex appeal.
George Lucas reminds us of the importance of a backstory:
Lucas has been described as a frustrated architect, but to draft his dream academy he needed more than blueprints. “He created a story for the ranch,” Bay says. “He created a history. It belonged to a cattle rancher. Each building was added at a certain time and built in a certain style. There was a winery, for instance, but then it burned down at a certain point in time and was rebuilt in an Art Deco style. This room we’re in, it belonged to the rancher’s daughter She had brown hair and green eyes and went to the University of Arizona and she couldn’t get horses out of her blood.”
Clorox thinks green:
Today, the couple’s quirky enterprise is owned by the Clorox Company, a consumer products giant best known for making bleach, which bought it for $913 million in November. Clorox plans to turn Burt’s Bees into a mainstream American brand sold in big-box stores like Wal-Mart. Along the way, Clorox executives say, they plan to learn from unusual business practices at Burt’s Bees — many centered on environmental sustainability. Clorox, the company promises, is going green.
Directly across from Limón is the lively new fine dining restaurant, Andanza, which means “an adventuresome and serendipitous walk.” This philosophy is reflected in executive chef Gonzalo Martinez’s dishes, which combine traditional and contemporary Mexican cuisine. The six unique rooms that make up Andanza include a beautiful open-air courtyard with orange trees and a cascading wall fountain; the Art Room, with a cozy fireplace and oversized leather chairs; the decadent Wine & Cava room; the elegant private Dining Room; and the Game Room, which entices guests to unwind with snug chairs and board games.
James Fund research successes have attracted the attentions of discerning donors in New York City, resulting in their generous support of ongoing James Fund projects. We are delighted to be working with our friends at Solving Kids’ Cancer, created in memory of Penelope and Hazen, two extraordinary children who will not be forgotten.
Time is drawing near for complete luxury and indulgence to descend upon the Mother City in the form of the Mount Nelson Hotel’s new R18 million luxurious Librisa Spa, which opens in December 2007. Set in the lush gardens of the hotel, yet located in the heart of Cape Town, the Librisa Spa will offer visitors as well as local Capetonians, an oasis of unsurpassed splendour and attention to detail.The architecture of the 570 square meters development will incorporate design features of the Victorian era combined with a contemporary look that is guaranteed to impress. The spa entrance is adjacent to the main Oasis swimming pool and will consist of a spacious and welcoming reception area. Upon entering, your eye will be instantly drawn to the impressively large silk hand-painted wall paper feature, located behind the reception desk, reflective of the botanical theme and in synergy with the soothing setting of potted flowering annuals, topiary and palms. Soothing tones of pleasant creams and luxurious wood decorate an elegant and spacious interior.
Gorgeous off-white marble flooring makes for luxurious stepping as you browse the spa boutique area for beautiful handcrafted pieces of jewellery and other accessories or as your curiosity leads you to the beautiful open-display cabinets that allow you to sample the premier internationally as well as locally sourced beauty products. A comfortable seating area with refreshments is at your disposal whilst you wait for your pampering to begin.
To the left and right of the reception area are spacious ladies and gentlemen changing areas. Guests will be invited to disrobe and enjoy a sauna or steam bath as well as make use of the ‘his and hers’ plunge pools or a sensation shower, prior to the arranged treatment. Dusky tones create a calming environment with the fusion of elements such as timber, marble and warm, natural stone. Unwind on heated hot marble slabs after your steam or sensation shower guaranteed to completely relax your muscles in preparation for your pampering treatment with one of the qualified therapists. For those in need of a little grooming, there are separate manicure and pedicure rooms.
A covered walkway leads to the treatment building where a beautiful water feature captures your imagination at the base of the double volume staircase that leads to the first floor, offering stunning vistas of Table Mountain and the hotel’s landscaped gardens. Eight (8) treatment rooms are split between the ground and upper floor, with four (4) rooms on each level. Generously apportioned, the rooms create their own unique ambience, carrying the natural and botanical theme throughout. Locally sourced hand-painted botanical textile panels compliment the décor which comprises of natural and gentle tones of whites and creams. Bronze mirrors are carefully positioned to reflect the soft light that balances the soul and mind.
Romance will play a key note in the spa concept where four (4) treatment rooms have been designed to offer dual treatments for partners. Stepping further into the spa, there will be an idyllic resting area replicating a quintessential English conservatory room.
Here, spa guests will be able to enjoy refreshments whilst taking in the atmosphere of trickling water and colourful blooms, before being met by their therapist.
Time spent at the new Librisa Spa allows for the perfect opportunity to escape from every day stress. Luxurious, serene – the ultimate sensual escape.
Comments the hotel’s Managing Director, Nick Seewer; “The Mount Nelson provides guests with an unparalleled choice of accommodation and world-class facilities. The Librisa Spa is an important extension of this brand philosophy ensuring visitors and guests of a pampering and invigorating experience”.
In the old days our ancestors often appealed to a set of household gods to help them “magically” achieve one tricky task or another — to make sure, for example, the fire burned, the bread rose, and the beer bubbled. These domestic spirits are the boggarts, brownies, dobbies, hobgoblins, and pucks of British folklore (and Harry Potter).
It’s clear this belief in household gods persists to this day, only now we call them household brands. Like household gods, household brands vary from family to family and are part and parcel of your cultural background.
In my case, the brands that spring to mind are: WD-40, Arm & Hammer baking soda, McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce, and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce. To me these all share a certain “magical” quality, and somehow I don’t feel quite right unless I have them in my house.
I can also think of two brands that are in danger of losing their household god status: Morton Salt and C&H Pure Cane Sugar. I no longer feel quite so compelled to have these on my pantry shelf, and it may be no coincidence that I’ve become intrigued by gourmet salts and sugars — you often want to replace one bit of magic with another.
So, what are your household gods?
The recent brouhaha over the Burning Man trademark got me to thinking about the role of the Otherworld in pop culture. One common feature of Indo-European mythology (as well as of many other cultures) is the concept of an alternate world — existing side by side with ours — where the conventions of “our” society are flouted (or even reversed) and which can be entered into only at special times or places. The Welsh land of Annwfn, the Breton city of Ys, Arthur’s Avalon, and the Lord of the Rings’ elvish realm of Lothlórien are all descendants of this very rich mytheme.
I suspect this age-old tradition continues to play a major role in modern American society, exemplified by such cultural touchstones as “escapist” entertainment (In A World Where … ), Las Vegas (What Happens In Vegas … ), Disneyland (The Magic Kingdom), and Halloween (when the worlds of the living and the dead intersect). The Burning Man festival, of course, has quickly become the countercultural event par excellence (note the literal meaning of the word counterculture). If it’s creators want it to keep that unique status and not be replaced by something else, they need to tread very carefully. The Otherworld is by its very nature ephemeral and not to be trifled with!