By Ross Kerber

Sun May 20, 2012 4:45pm EDT

(Reuters) – Google Inc Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt challenged college graduates on Sunday to take the radical step — at least for their generation — of tearing their eyes away from their smartphones and computer screens.

“Take one hour a day and turn that thing off,” Schmidt told graduates at Boston University, where he received an honorary degree and was applauded by an audience that had grown up relying on the technology company’s search engine, e-mail and other services.

“Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt’s advice came midway through his remarks and provided context around his broader message that electronic tools such as social media are positive forces. He said that “a distinctive feature of your new world is that you can be unique while being completely connected.” That feature, he said, is a “fulfillment of the American dream.”

Google executives are comfortable with broad statements, having made “Don’t be evil” a business motto and battled governments over Internet freedoms.

In his remarks, Schmidt did not address policy issues or business topics such as last week’s initial public offering of Facebook Inc, in many spaces a Google rival. Schmidt also offered traditional sentiments that included urging graduates to reach high and not be afraid to fail.

He also emphasized they will be armed with technology as never before. “You are emblems of the sense of possibility that will define this age,” he said, adding that, “If you’re awake, you’re online, you’re connected.

“Some of you are probably tweeting this speech right now.”

On Twitter, Miles Branman, who identifies himself as a Boston University student, quoted another part of Schmidt’s speech and wrote: “Listening to Eric Schmidt of Google, advising us to write the code for all of us (the world) at #BU2012 Commencement.”

Also on Twitter, Boston Univesity Dean of Students Kenn Elmore wrote: “Eric Schmidt works it at #BU2012 Commencement.”

(Reporting By Ross Kerber; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/jvkKkwcmCj4/us-google-schmidt-disconnect-idUSBRE84J0BG20120520

By Jordan Riefe

Sun May 20, 2012 1:56pm EDT

(Reuters) – Pioneering glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose work has been shown in over 200 museums worldwide, will be honored in his home city Seattle when “Chihuly Garden and Glass” opens on Monday, offering the most comprehensive collection of his work ever.

Spanning one and a half acres in the shadow of the Space Needle, the show includes an exhibition hall, a garden and a “Glass House” structure by Chihuly, inspired by his two favorite buildings, Paris’ Sainte-Chapelle and London’s Crystal Palace.

“It’s really the most important project I’ve ever done,” Chihuly told Reuters about the exhibition he designed.

Inside “Glass House,” visitors encounter a suspended sculpture 100-feet long, hovering overhead like an alien serpent. Composed of 1340 individual plates of red, orange, amber and yellow, it is one of Chihuly’s largest installations.

“You look through it and you see the Space Needle behind it,” he smiled. “Sunset, sunrise – and it’s all in yellow, oranges and red.”

In the garden just outside “Glass House” stands “Seattle Sun,” a yellow and orange orb of countless curls and baubles spanning 16 ft. in diameter.

An exhibition hall houses eight galleries outlining the various phases of Chihuly’s career, including his landmark work, “Glass Forest,” as well as a “Sealife” room that gives the artist pause to remember how it was created in his mind.

“One piece I like a lot is the boat piece,” said Chihuly about a rowboat in the room that is filled with ornaments of various shapes and colors. The idea for the piece came to him on a trip to Finland when he stood on a bridge and dropped glass baubles into a river to see if they would break.

“There were some teenagers there with their rowboats and I asked them if they’d go down river and pick ‘em up,” he recalled. “When they came back with their boats full of glass, that’s when the idea came to me about exhibiting a boat full of glass. In fact, of the two boats in the exhibition, one of them is from Finland.”

Also in the hall is a gallery dedicated to chandeliers including sculptures derived from his landmark 1996 installation, “Chihuly Over Venice,” composed of 14 pieces suspended in piazzas and intersections throughout the city.

The exhibition’s executive director, Michelle, Bufano sand “Chihuly over Venice” marks a turning point for Chihuly’s work when he turned more toward more architecture, more engineering and “finding ways to make his vision come true.”

LEADING TEAMS, THINKING BIG

Venice is where Chihuly began his career, studying there on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1968. Within the ancient Italian city’s glass-blowing industry, he learned the Venetian tradition of teamwork, In the U.S., glass blowers more often worked alone.

Leading a team enabled Chihuly to think big, expanding the medium in both definition and scale. And when injured in the middle of his career, it gave him tools he needed to continue realizing his vision and creating masterful work even if he wasn’t blowing the glass himself.

“He was able to bring so many artists together to stir the medium and to push it,” said Bufano. “He pioneered all of that, and you get a sense of that in the exhibition.”

Co-founder of the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington State, Chihuly spearheaded the development of glass as a fine art. He has been honored with two fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and 10 honorary doctorates.

In 1976, the artist was thrown through a car’s windshield in an auto accident, costing him the use of his left eye.

“I recuperated after a couple of months,” he recalled. “I went ahead and started blowing glass again but it never felt very good, no peripheral vision and no depth perception.”

Then, a shoulder injury three years later left him unable to hold a glass pipe.

“Then I really couldn’t blow glass,” he said. “The young glass blower that was working with me at the time, I said, ‘Boy, you’re going to have to take over here for awhile.’ And he did and I never went back to it after that.”

Since that time, Chihuly relies primarily on drawings to show his team what to do. At age 70, he still keeps a busy schedule preparing a show for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in October and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 2013.

But for now, he is looking forward to the opening of “Chihuly Garden and Glass.”

“It makes me very proud to make my own retrospective,” he beamed. “Showing work inside and outside, work in a glass house – it’s really a perfect combination of different parts of my career.”

(Reporting By Jordan Riefe; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/n7mIfyGFNmc/us-dalechihuly-pix-idUSBRE84J09120120520

By Ian MacKenzie

EDINBURGH |
Fri May 18, 2012 12:58pm EDT

EDINBURGH (Reuters) – The 77 people killed by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway last year have been commemorated in a display of specially commissioned jewelry which opened on Friday at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Curator Rose Watban said 16 established or up-and-coming jewelers in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Scotland were contacted to create items “inspired by a place they love, as well as draw inspiration from each other’s work”.

Special wooden boxes of Scottish ash wood were sent to the artists to fill them with objects and materials reflecting their chosen places to form a “three-dimensional sketchbook of their observations” and produce an item of jewelry.

Each box was then sent on anonymously to another of the artists to create a piece of jewelry inspired by the first recipient.

Norwegian jeweler Ingjerd Hanevoid received her box on the day of the massacre in which eight people died in a bomb attack in Oslo and 69 young people attending a camp were slaughtered by gunfire on an island near the capital.

Breivik is currently on trial. He admits the killings but denies criminal guilt, arguing the killings were necessary since his victims were “traitors” who promoted Muslim immigration and multiculturalism, thereby threatening Norwegian ethnic purity.

“Ingjerd’s response was to create 77 beautiful pearl pins to commemorate the victims and reflect her sense of despair,” Watban said.

She said the exhibition, “A sense of place, new jewelry from Northern Lands” which runs in the museum’s main hall to September 16, was initiated by jeweler Beth Legg as part of a doctoral project at the Edinburgh College of Art.

“In this diverse group of new work, we can observe poetic response to feelings of belonging through the language of making,” Legg said.

Watban, senior curator of applied arts and design at the museum, said the austere exhibition was “very Nordic – I think jewelry from that area has quite a different aesthetic from jewelry from Germany and The Netherlands, for example, which we tend to be more familiar with as contemporary work.”

“So I think some of these pieces are actually quite challenging.”

She said she would like the exhibition to go on show in the Nordic countries after Edinburgh, and possibly purchase – money forthcoming – some of the items for the museum’s own collection of contemporary jewelry.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/Nz5aJqUkS28/us-exhibition-scotland-norwegian-idUSBRE84H0RS20120518

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES |
Fri May 18, 2012 12:51pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The USS Iowa, which ferried the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the perilous Atlantic waters to a historic meeting with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin in the dark days of World War Two, will have to be towed to its final port call.

The battleship saw combat in the Pacific, survived a devastating explosion in a gun turret, and even a snub from the city of San Francisco. At the end of its final voyage, the storied warship will have a permanent mooring in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to create a permanent home for the ship at the city’s port, where it will open as a floating museum.

The vessel, which saw service with the U.S. Navy over six tumultuous decades, will become the only battleship museum on the U.S. West Coast when it opens on July 7.

“There’s no more ships like this in existence in the active navies anywhere in the world,” said Robert Kent, president of the Pacific Battleship Center.

“They’ve either been sunk, scrapped or turned into museums, and the Iowa is the last battleship to find a home,” he added.

The 887-foot Iowa-class warship was commissioned in 1943.

That same year it took Roosevelt across the Atlantic on his way to a meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran with British Prime Minister Churchill and Soviet strongman Stalin, the first conference of the “Big Three” Allied leaders of the war.

The hulking warship, which towers 175 feet above the water line, was equipped with a special bathtub for Roosevelt – who was partially paralyzed following a bout with polio – which remains on board to this day.

Later in the war, it pounded beachheads in the Pacific with its 16-inch guns ahead of Allied landings, and took part in the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in 1945. During the Korean War in the 1950s, it conducted gun strikes and bombardments.

In 1989, off the coast of Puerto Rico, an explosion within a gun turret on board the ship killed 47 sailors.

The Iowa was decommissioned in 1990 and was later kept in a naval center in Rhode Island before it was towed through the Panama Canal to Northern California.

DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL

Historic groups in Northern California had sought to find a permanent home there for the ship, but they faced a number of setbacks. Among them was a vote in 2005 by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to reject a resolution to move the Iowa to the city as a floating museum.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported at the time that some city supervisors had voted against the resolution out of opposition to the U.S. military’s then-policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which barred gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed forces.

Several members of the board who took part in the 2005 vote could not be reached for comment.

The Iowa, which once powered through the waves at a top speed of 33 knots or 40 miles per hour, will have to be towed to Los Angeles from Richmond, in North California, where it has been undergoing a $7 million restoration.

The funds included $3 million from the state of Iowa, where residents have taken a keen interest in the ship, Kent said.

It is set to leave Richmond on Sunday, pass under the Golden Gate Bridge and arrive off the coast of Los Angeles on May 24.

Los Angeles was long a naval center, before many ships were moved to Hawaii during the lead-up to World War Two.

“A lot of people don’t realize, but Los Angeles, the port of Los Angeles, was called battleship country in the early part of the 20th century,” said Kent.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a statement on Thursday his city is “thrilled to welcome a national treasure that has served our nation so faithfully for so long.”

While the Iowa will be the only battleship museum on the West Coast, San Diego, also in southern California, has the USS Midway Museum to showcase that historic aircraft carrier.

The Midway attracts about a million visitors a year, and the Pacific Battleship Center, the group responsible for bringing the USS Iowa to Los Angeles, hopes to one day approach those numbers. Initially, they expect up to 500,000 visitors a year.

(This story corrects class of warship to Iowa class in paragraph 7)

(Editing by Tim Gaynor and Todd Eastham)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/9dze1pFZEyI/us-usa-battleship-losangeles-idUSBRE84H0R120120518

By Beatrice Gachenge

NAIROBI |
Fri May 18, 2012 10:10am EDT

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s white sandy beaches look set to have fewer visitor footprints meandering over them this year.

While this may be good news for Europeans seeking escape from economic storms at home, it is bad news for Suresh Sofat’s tour firm and other Kenyans hoping to cash in on hard currency earnings – especially after 2011 was year of plenty for them.

Sofat, 73, who runs Somak Travel, a 44-year old family business, now sees a difficult time ahead after the euro crisis and deadly attacks blamed on al Qaeda-linked militia have seen travel bookings fall sharply.

Tour operators also fear the upcoming elections in east Africa’s biggest economy may cloud the outlook even further.

One of Kenya’s major foreign earners alongside tea and horticulture, tourism took a record 98 billion shillings ($1.19 billion) in 2011 driven by visitors from Britain and the United States – the main source market for Kenya.

A dip in the industry’s fortunes could soon blight the lives of ordinary Kenyans who rely on the sector for earnings, especially at a time of stagnation in other sectors such as property construction.

Britain, the United States and Australia have warned off their citizens following the killing of tourists in the coastal resort of Lamu. Travel bookings from the UK plunged 61 percent in the first quarter of this year alone.

“Summer bookings are down as well. You can basically take that as a reflection of the rest of the year,” Sofat said.

Sofat now estimates he could bring in about 7,000 Britons to Kenya this year, down from 11,000 in 2011.

In response to the kidnappings and other cross-border attacks, Kenya sent troops into Somalia in October to root out the Somali group al Shabaab, blamed for the attacks.

The militants immediately vowed to retaliate against the incursion. Since then, a wave of grenade explosions have killed more than ten people in the Kenyan capital and the coastal city of Mombasa, a popular holiday destination for foreigners.

ELECTION JITTERS

Worsening the outlook for the rest of the year, are heavy rains that have wrecked roads, preventing hundreds of tourist from accessing the world-famous Mara Reserve this week.

More long-term worries linger though. There are concerns over a resurgence of the violence that erupted following a disputed presidential election in 2007.

Within the next 12 months, Kenya is set to hold its first national elections since the fighting, which disrupted business and travel, killing more than 1,200 people.

“Considering what happened in 2007 and that our politicians have not changed their language, there are fears about violence,” said Mike Macharia, chief executive officer of the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers Caters.

“We have bookings up to around October. From November onwards, because there is no guarantee of what will happen, people have decided to give it a miss and wait and see.”

An ICC trial was the biggest threat for a repeat of unrest at the 2013 vote, Kenya’s electoral head said last month.

Four prominent Kenyans, including two leading presidential hopefuls, stand accused of fuelling post-election violence in 2007. If the presidential hopefuls are blocked from running for office, it may trigger violence.

Following the violence, tourism earnings tumbled 20 percent in 2008 to 52.7 billion shillings.

“At the moment, we are around 50 percent for December, 2012 and at this point ordinarily we should be at 80 percent, going to fill up,” said the hotel keeper’s head Macharia.

CONFERENCE TOURISM, CHINA

Although most tourist visit Kenya for its wildlife and white sandy beaches, business traveler numbers to east Africa’s number one economy are rising.

Mahmud Jan Mohamed, chief executive officer of TPS Eastern Africa, said the hotels were worst hit in bookings mainly from the UK, due to the contagion of the euro zone crisis.

Jan Mohamed said hotels were still hopeful that business travelers would help counter the decline in tourists.

“Corporate activity (business travelers) is fine. It’s in the leisure activity where we have seen a decline of between 20-25 percent,” said Jan Mohamed.

Of the 2,500 rooms in Nairobi, business tourists accounted for about 80 percent of the total bookings, the hotel keepers association said, adding that three new hotels are opening in Nairobi this year, with a total of 500 rooms.

Sofat’s hope is to rein in the decline in tourist numbers by diversifying to Asia. “Asia and U.S. are strong markets. We are increasing our market share to maintain the numbers that are falling from the UK.”

($1 = 83.2500 Kenyan shillings)

(Editing by James Macharia)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/PjfbOQUdKmA/us-kenya-tourism-idUSBRE84H0LT20120518

By Stephen Jewkes

MILAN |
Fri May 18, 2012 11:39am EDT

MILAN (Reuters) – Italians do it better. At least that’s what the T-shirts say. The problem is in what language?

Politecnico di Milano, one of Italy’s leading universities, thinks it should be English.

The 149-year-old university, located in Italy’s business capital Milan, is set to become the first Italian place of higher learning to teach all its graduate courses in English when it kicks off its academic year in 2014.

The aim is to kit out its students with the right stuff to gain access to the global jobs market. It’s also meant to attract top-class international students at a time when competition among universities worldwide is hotting up.

“We need to prepare all our graduates for a professional world that demands a rigorous international outlook,” Politecnico rector Giovanni Azzone told Reuters.

The university – one of the world’s top 50 engineering schools according to QS World University rankings – will offer all its Master of Science and PhD courses in English and will invest 3.2 million euros to attract international faculty.

Azzone said that in today’s modern world it’s crucial young people know how to work with different cultures.

“Our graduates very often have to work on projects with scholars from China, India and many other countries,” he said. “Getting them used to an inter-cultural environment prepares them better for the world of work.”

With Italy’s job market shrinking in a cold economic climate and emerging markets adding more jobs by the day, Italian universities are adapting to the new reality.

Increasing the number of courses taught in English and internationalizing higher education to make it more competitive is a key part of Education Minister Francesco Profumo’s policy as the government looks for ways to stimulate growth.

Italy’s most prestigious business school, Bocconi, was the first to offer undergraduate classes in English back in 2001. Today it teaches about 50 percent of its graduate courses in English. And the number is set to grow.

“The lingua franca for business is English and you need to know it. Our students are very active on international markets and demand an international environment,” Dean of International Affairs at Bocconi University Fulvio Ortu said.

Politecnico di Milano teaches science, engineering and design and counts among its alumnae Nobel prize winner Giulio Natta, who discovered polypropylene, and top international architect Renzo Piano.

Globalization is increasing the demand for skilled workers around the world, especially in science, while in Italy even small and medium-sized companies are now looking to international markets.

“Overseas job offers for our graduates rose 42 percent in 2011 and I don’t see the trend falling off,” Azzone said.

(Reporting By Stephen Jewkes, editing by Paul Casciato)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/PRPfJQzUJT4/us-italy-universities-politecnico-idUSBRE84H0OD20120518

By Pascale Denis

PARIS |
Fri May 18, 2012 11:55am EDT

PARIS (Reuters) – French luxury giant LVMH is struggling to retain its image as exclusive and high-end creators of $10,000 alligator handbags and goat-lined fur coats, while opening enough stores and reaching enough customers to keep profits high.

Thus far LVMH has managed the balance well, but it is taking no chances, offering customers increasingly expensive and bespoke services in an effort to retain a high-end mystique around brands in danger of becoming ubiquitous.

LVMH is taking particular care to protect the image of Louis Vuitton, the group’s signature brand, which accounts for 45 percent of operating profit, and has boasted double digit percentage growth through the financial crisis.

It is the company’s cash cow – with estimated revenues of 6.5 billion euros ($8.41 billion) – and analysts estimate that if handled well, Louis Vuitton could see its sales nearly double within seven years, with much of the growth coming from Asia.

“LVMH remains very conscious of the risk that its bags, tied to the relative accessibility of the monogrammed bags, might become too common,” said Serge Carrieria, a specialist in luxury brands and professor at the French university L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris.

Louis Vuitton’s revenues are almost double those of rival luxury goods group PPR’s Gucci, widely considered its closest French competitor.

THE HERMES MODEL

The company is trying to counter the image that the Louis Vuitton monogram is both too common and easily copied by offering certain customers bespoke leather bags that cost two or three times more than the standard 800 euro Louis Vuitton bag.

In this LVMH is taking a page from Hermes, the family run luxury concern that boasts 30 percent operating margins and in which LVMH recently took a 22 percent stake.

Hermes retains an aura of rare exclusivity by maintaining long waiting lists for some items, like its 4,000 euro Kelly bag, and charging up to 100,000 euros for a snakeskin coat.

Much of Hermes’s leather goods are still handmade, allowing the company to charge eye-popping prices for even small items such as wallets and key rings.

At Louis Vuitton, customers can choose from 26 patterns and eight different animal skin colors for the leather goods they want. Artisans in a suburb of Paris will produce the product in four to six weeks and guarantee that few if any replicas will be produced.

Such bespoke items can cost anywhere from 5,000 euros to several times that, and customers are encouraged to feel that they are not just buying a luxury object, but participating in the creation of a brand’s image.

“In all the Louis Vuitton stores the buying experience is incredible. Even if you buy a bag for 600 euros everything is done to give you the feeling of acquiring an exceptional product,” said one analyst who requested anonymity.

A SLOW ROLLOUT

But while LVMH tries to burnish the image around its products, an iron hand over the distribution network allows it to not only control margins but make sure that its marketing decisions are adhered to.

In order to protect the sense of timelessness around the brands, LVMH does not allow Louis Vuitton items to go on sale, a move that would be more difficult for PPR, which does not control its distribution network to the same extent.

LVMH is also careful about the roll-out of new stores – none were opened in 2011 – aware that the brand would suffer from too much visibility. At the same time, Louis Vuitton, which now has 461 stores in 50 countries, favors increasing floor size at existing stores.

It is also gradually rolling out well-located megastores exceeding 1,000 square feet. Another sign of the tension between the brand’s mass-market appeal and the necessity of preserving its up-market appeal.

The stores, located in high traffic areas such as the Champs Elysee in Paris, Bond Street in London and 5th Avenue in New York, can carry pricey rents, but customers are given the full-on Louis Vuitton experience from clothes to bags to the smaller leather goods which are extremely profitable.

LVMH believes so strongly in the concept of megastores that it plans to open another six stores exceeding 1,000 square feet to add to the 14 that exist.

“They focus on offering their products in increasingly large shops,” said another analyst who requested anonymity. “This optimizes the network and maximizes sales per square meter.”

Even as the megastores lure thousands, they minister to their favored customers in separate “salons” that offer the luxurious custom bags that the tourists and curiosity seekers who flock to the stores can only dream of.

($1 = 0.7726 euros)

(Reporting by Pascale Denis)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/eGjlQQ6MYdk/us-lvmh-idUSBRE84H0PR20120518

SAN FRANCISCO |
Fri May 18, 2012 10:46am EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – You’re in the final phase of revision before exams and the glorious release from academia. Soon it will be time for graduates to celebrate the successful completion of their degrees. In that spirit, online travel adviser Travel Ticker (www.travel-ticker.com) offers its top 10 graduate destinations. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is not only home to some of the best historic and artistic attractions, but it’s also one of the most fun and young European cities on the other side of the Atlantic. This makes it a great destination for recent grads to experience a fantastic mix of culture and nightlife. Some notable attractions include the beautiful canals, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum and old Heineken brewery. Also, with welcoming locals and bicycle-friendly streets, it’s easy to seamlessly fit into Amsterdam while enjoying all that it has to offer. The best time for grads to get a great deal and avoid crowds will be October through April.

2. Havana, Cuba

Great news! The island of Cuba is no-longer off-limits to Americans, which means they can finally experience the city of Havana’s thrilling nightlife, lively culture and Cuba’s sunny beaches. With a tropical climate year-round, travelers can expect great temperatures to follow them as they wander through the colorful streets, explore the beautiful colonial architecture and cathedrals, and enjoy exciting Cuban music all in sandals and shorts. But nothing says celebration like visiting one of Cuba’s famous cigar factories or treating yourself to dinner and a cabaret show at the original Tropicana Club.

3. Dublin, Ireland

Let’s be honest, the first thing many recent grads are hoping to do is to mark the occasion with a party, and nobody knows how to celebrate like the Irish. Dublin, one of Europe’s most youthful cities, is not only known for its abundance of pubs, but also for its locals who are famous for making any day a day to party. And with its beautiful green scenery, maritime climate and cool summers where the sunniest days are directly after graduation (May and June), Dublin is a great city to raise a glass to your new degree.

4. Ibiza, Spain

As one of the party capitals of the world and Spain’s most stunning island retreat, Ibiza is known for its exotic nightclubs and warm, turquoise waters. This makes it a great getaway destination for grads looking for a young, hip crowd and lots of beach time. More importantly, starting right after graduation (in May) the island has its best summer weather with beautiful, clear, sunny days – perfect for those wanting to unwind and people watch on the beach or just frolic amongst the waves. The summer months also attract some of the best DJs from all over the world, so at sunset the island transforms into a vibrant party that’s fun for all.

5. Prague, Czech Republic

For recent graduates looking for a destination providing a more laidback experience, but still with the charm of old Europe and a young crowd, Prague is the place to be. Prague, which is popular among many young backpackers, has plenty of winding historic streets to get lost on and gothic structures to explore. With its warm summers, it’s also the perfect time to enjoy the famous Vltava River lounging on a boat while passing the cities beautiful architecture and bridges. And let’s not forget the one thing that Prague might be best known for – its beer. Known as the city that “invented” beer, grads can indulge in a variety of brews on the cheap.

6. Paris, France

Those looking for a romantic vacation after graduation often look right at Paris. This city is always a favorite among graduates looking for that quintessential European experience. Filled with art, fashion, food and culture, the City of Light offers a broad range of experiences. Visitors can luxuriate in an afternoon at a Parisian café, visit the Eiffel Tower or pay their respects to Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde at Pere-Lachaise cemetery. Wine enthusiasts should also visit Willi’s Wine Bar with over 300 wines and a hip atmosphere. Even better, right after graduation the climate is mild, with warm and pleasant days.

7. Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok’s tropical climate and truly exotic setting make it one of the world’s most traveled-to spots, and it’s surely on many graduates’ wish-lists. A destination that is full of surprises and adventures, it’s no surprise that it attracts so many young adults. The city ignites the senses with its striking skyscrapers, delicious street foods and bustling tuk-tuck taxis zipping through traffic. Renowned for its nightlife on Khoa San Road, Bangkok is also known for its all night Full Moon beach parties. It is also not uncommon for travelers to see Elephants parading through the streets.

8. Rome, Italy

Warm, dry summer days, amazing food and colorful locals makes Rome a fantastic post-graduation destination. Combining the old and new unlike any other destination can, this city encapsulates the history and culture of Italy, with sites like the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi fountain and the Vatican. But more importantly, graduates can celebrate with the tastes of Italy by spoiling themselves with pasta, pizza, gelato and wine. Even though there is a bustling club scene, do as the Romans do and enjoy an evening at a local piazza or café to mingle with locals over a glass of wine or a cappuccino.

9. Bali, Indonesia

With over 17,500 islands, Indonesia is the perfect pick for graduates who’ve been cooped up in libraries for the last four years and are now ready to escape. One of the highlights of Indonesia is certainly Bali. With long days, hot weather, crystal clear waters, Bali is the perfect beach getaway. The island also offers great waves and colorful coral reefs for the more adventurous grads looking to surf, dive or snorkel. And if those outdoor activities are not entertainment enough, come midnight, the island transforms from a quiet retreat to an all night dance party.

10. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

For those who don’t follow the typical graduating schedule and happen to exit university in December, Dubai is a great destination to fly off to. Dubai’s warm weather and status as a regional luxury shopping and tourism hub creates an extremely diverse set of activities that are sure to please even the most indecisive of recent grads. It’s the only place in the world where you can cool off at the Wild Wadi Waterpark and then bundle up for snow sports at the indoor Ski Dubai attraction. You could also go from a safari through the Arabian Desert right to lounging on a white sand beach with a fruity cocktail. Like to shop? Visit one of Dubai’s tax free malls or Eastern Markets for a bargain.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/Nfwdiyng3JY/us-travel-picks-graduates-idUSBRE84H0M120120518

By Sabrina Ford

NEW YORK |
Fri May 18, 2012 6:49pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) – In a midtown Manhattan hotel, a very special bride-to-be named Lucky, decked out in a frilly pink dress, recently celebrated her impending nuptials with friends over champagne, sandwiches, cupcakes and tea.

Like many brides, Lucky is in a rush to walk down the aisle, but she is no ordinary spouse-in-waiting and her shower was anything but typical. Lucky, like many of her 32 guests, is a dog – the most-photographed dog in the world with celebrities.

But there’s more, a lot more.

She and her “parent,” Wendy Diamond, have dedicated their lives to help the plight of rescue animals, yet that will soon end. The energetic but aging Maltese was diagnosed with spleen cancer in February and given three months to a year to live.

“Lucky’s entire life has been about bringing awareness to rescue,” said Diamond, who has made Lucky an ambassador for shelter dogs. “We’re looking for someone to take over.”

Diamond has plans for an elaborate July 12 wedding at the Jumeirah Essex House hotel in Manhattan. The author and animal rescue advocate is looking to pair Lucky with a spouse that will carry on her legacy of supporting animal welfare and rescue.

Diamond said that when she adopted Lucky in 1999, the Maltese suffered from separation anxiety, forcing her to carry the 8 lbs. pooch to all the dates on her social calendar – dinner parties, TV show tapings and charity events.

One night, she was a guest at a dinner party attended by Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, and an idea struck her.

“I said, ‘Hey Hugh, my dog is your biggest fan, would you mind taking a picture with her?’” said Diamond. “That’s how it all started.”

ANIMALS IN NEED

Since then, Lucky has posed with hundreds of stars including Kristen Stewart, President Bill Clinton, billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson and of course, Snoop Dogg. She will appear in the 2013 Guinness World Records as the most-photographed animal with celebrities.

Lucky also is the “face” of Animal Fair, a charitable group Diamond founded in 1999 to raise money and help rescue animals in shelters.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates five to seven million animals enter shelters every year and most are euthanized.

Anne-Marie Karash, Associate Director of the Humane Society New York, was a guest at Lucky’s bridal shower.

“This is an important event because we need to raise awareness about shelter dogs but, it’s also special to get together and just to be silly and enjoy your dogs,” she said.

The ideal partner for Lucky should be friendly and not camera shy, but Diamond is otherwise keeping an open mind.

“It doesn’t have to be male, said Diamond. “In New York State, two lady dogs are allowed to get married,” she said with a laugh. She’s also open to other animals, including cats. And, adds Diamond, “The best thing about this marriage is they don’t have to live together or sleep together.”

Dylan Lauren, chief executive of retailer Dylan’s Candy Bar and daughter of designer Ralph Lauren, also attended Lucky’s shower and has been a judge at Diamond’s annual “Howloween” costume parties.

“I love the work Lucky’s done. She’s one of the most beautiful dogs and will make a beautiful bride,” said Lauren, who brought along her recently adopted mixed-breed Jersey.

Harriette Rose Katz, a much in-demand New York event planner, is taking the reins for organizing Lucky’s nuptials because, after all, a celebrity pooch needs a posh affair.

“It’s going to be so exciting,” said Katz, who has planned another couple’s “Muttrimony.” “We’re going to make a huge arbor of flowers. It will be beautiful. All we need is the groom!”

Potential spouses can apply at Diamond and Lucky’s facebook page, here, or at animalfair.com. Diamond will select Lucky’s spouse on June 28, two weeks before the wedding.

“I think she’ll have the most unique wedding of the year,” said Lauren. “Forget about Brad and Angelina!”

(Reporting by Sabrina Ford, editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/mOREA4zdyVE/us-dogwedding-pix-idUSBRE84H12220120518

BRESCIA, Italy |
Fri May 18, 2012 3:06am EDT

BRESCIA, Italy (Reuters) – John Elkann, the media-shy chairman of one of the world’s biggest car companies, got behind the wheel and demonstrated his driving skills on Thursday in Italy’s legendary four-day Mille Miglia rally race.

The 36-year-old head of Fiat, which now control Chrysler and was founded by his great-great grandfather Giovanni Agnelli in 1899, will take turns driving a custom-made 1952 eight-cylinder Fiat 8V with his wife, Lavinia Borromeo, who also has a passion for iconic cars.

“Lavinia and I had been talking for years about doing this, and after the birth of our third child earlier this year, we decided that now was the right time,” Elkann said in an interview. “We practiced for it by driving around the hills in Turin.”

The Mille Miglia was founded in 1927 when motoring was still in its infancy. It is a grinding endurance test that pushed both car and driver to the limits.

Drivers in the 382 classic Jaguars, Bentleys, Alfa Romeos, Porsches and Ferraris are timed during the race.

The iconic cars will roar through 190 towns and villages that are set in some of the world’s most beautiful scenery, starting from Brescia’s historic cobblestoned streets then passing through Verona, Vicenza, Bologna, Florence and Siena on the way to Rome, before looping back up through the vineyard-covered hills of Tuscany.

“Our kids want to see us come in first, but I told them I will be happy if we make it to the end,” Elkann said.

Given Alfa Romeo’s domination of the race, John’s choice of a Fiat rather than an Alfa — which is part of the Fiat stable of brands that include Ferrari, Maserati, and now Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler – may seem odd. Alfa Romeo won the race 11 out of 20 times from 1927 to 1957.

But he chose the Fiat 8V for sentimental reasons.

“We chose this car because when we got married, someone at Fiat gave us a toy version of this car,” he explained. “So when I saw it was available, of course I picked it.”

(Reporting by Jennifer Clark; editing by Patricia Reaney)

Article source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/aF8QrgaZdoc/us-italy-mille-miglia-elkann-idUSBRE84G19320120518