Dinner with Marbella Club

This weekend I had dinner at F12 with my wonderful friends from Marbella Club as well as some friends from Stockholm.

Handsome guys; Carlos from Marbella Club, John Nevado and to the right Peter Lilliehöök from Connoiseur Magazine

Lovely dinner

Count Rudi von Schonburg with his wife Princess Marie-Louise of Prussia and Mia Ljungberg Nevado

Count Rudi and me

Emma's Day

Our beauty therapist and Daniela Steiner specialist, Emma, had her birthday not long ago. And it was one to celebrate - she turned 30!

Here she is being celebrated by the colleauges. Happy 30th Emma!

Our three lovely massage therapists Diu, Pat and Pathira

Six Senses Event Helsinki

The day after our Stockholm event, the lovely team of Six Senses representatives and our own event crew (this time massage therapist Pat who performed short massages on the guests and marketing coordinator Max) went to Helsinki to throw an evening at our beautiful office. Six Senses presented their wonderful properties and we enjoyed Champagne and finger food.

The lucky winner of an amazing Six Senses resort experience

Clients enjoying the evening

Travel Consultant Birgit with clients

Mingle in our Helsinki lifestyle boutique

Travel Consultant Arja with Kari Östlund

An Evening of Six Senses

Last week we arranged an event in our Stockholm premises together with Six Senses Resorts. The General Managers from Soneva Fushi, Soneva Gili and Six Senses Laamu were here to present their resorts and we revealed our unbeatable, exclusive offer.

Clients had the chance of trying our massage treatments performed by Six Senses trained therapists as well as Daniela Steiner beauty treatments.

We also had a drawing for a stay at fantastic Soneva Fushi - the winners were in Stockholm to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Must really be their lucky day!

Mrs and Mr Jaxgård - winner of the stay at Soneva Fushi

Six Senses representatives and clients mingling

Travel Consultant Anki with clients

Travel Consultant Tommy and his clients

Me with clients 

Happy Birthday

Today is the birthday of my friend and long time colleague from the travel business, Micheline Perisson. She works for Beachcomber Hotels and I had the pleasure of having lunch with some Beachcomber representatives when they visited our office in Stockholm last week.

Steeves Cho Chee Lip, Jacque Silvant, me and Fredrik Ottosson and last but not least Micheline Perisson.

Micheline and I have worked together for 18 years! This is a picture of us from one of the first times we met at a travel fair.

The Day that changed the World

Today I'm watching the world Trade Center Memorial. The day 10 years ago that changed the world. I think we all reflect back to that day remembering how we reacted and what we did.

For the travel industry it was a big disaster as all customers became so afraid of flying. Our business came to a complete stop for 3 months.

I remember being very worried what would now happen to the world and of course worried of my company and all my 30 hard working staff - but we were a strong company and together we fought the difficulties which made us survive and made us even stronger.





Ground Zero - once a black hole of despair -will now become known as the National September 11 Memorial

A site which millions once associated with death, devastion and abject terror but has now transformed into a place of peace, tranquillity and sadness

Memorial pool for all the innocent victims, having all their names written on the monument.

-- Post From My iPhone

A Night for UNICEF

Last Monday the golf tournament Operakällaren Trophy was held to raise money for Unicef's work in Eastern Africa. The evening that was arranged by Micael Bindefeldt was very successful and many people contributed with wonderful donations. Select Collection gave a trip and a duo massage at our beautiful spa. It raised 25 000 SEK to Unicef! All in all this charity event raised 2,4 Million SEK which is a great contribution in this time of need.

The host of the evening famous TV personality Steffo Törnqvist (left) with Jan Eliasson.

I had a nice chat with Jan Eliasson, whom I admire and who today is doing a great job for the Water Aid Project. Jan is a lovely person with lots of compassion for life.

He had an exciting career - His track record is as tall as impressive. Foreign Minister, chairman of the UN General Assembly, Sweden's Ambassador in Washington DC, State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, UN Secretary General's personal representative in the Iran-Iraq conflict, to name a few.

Orup performed

The starter was a tartar on fillet of young reindeer with dijon dressing and walnut salad

Lena Skogström, Julia Gulbrandsen and me



Lovely Sea Salt from Israel

The other day I got some very nice sea salt from the Dead Sea. Some lovely persons from the Israel Tourist Office were visiting me with presents.

Here they are the Directors; Uri Taub and Irma Aalto, smiling and enjoying the Select Collection Travel Department, the Spa and the Shop. If you plan to visit Israel, we have the best contacts! Be sure not to see only Jerusalem and Tel Aviv but some hidden secrets as well.

The healthy sea salt from the Dead Sea. The water of the Dead Sea has ten times the salt content of other sea water and is consequently substantially denser. This allows anyone to easily float. Various cultures of people have visited the Dead Sea for therapy, dating back to the time of the ancient Egyptians, utilizing the salt in various unguents and skin creams and soaps, just as it is used today.

-- Post From My iPhone

Last Touch of Summer

Not long ago I took a boat ride in the Stockholm Archipelago. This beautiful view is from Tynningö, an island close to Waxholm where Select Collection board members Lena and Christian have a summer house.

Lena, me, my son Jonatan and Christian relaxing in the sun.

Lunch was a delicious mushroom toast

Usually my son drives the boat but this day I was the Captain!



Select Collection Open 2011

Last week our yearly golf tournament Select Collection Open was held at Svartinge Golf club in Sweden. It was a beautiful day with great weather and positive players.

Fantastic day for golfing!

Ice Hockey legend Kjell Svensson

Select Collection's Sales Manager and most enhusiastic golfer Ulrika Thelander (who arranged the tournament) together with the Winner Anders Björkstedt. To the right is Tord Magnuson from Air Mauritius. Anders won a trip to Mauritus and stay at beautiful Paradis Hotel & Golf Club

2 nd runner up Jan Eric Ramberg and 3 rd runner up Anette Johan surrounding winner Anders. Jan Eric and Anette both received gift cards for massages at Select Collection Spa.

Right: GI expert and writer Ola Lauritzon who is soon coming out with a book about Carl Eric Björkegren. With him in the photo, Daniel Procheus.

Sigun Björkstedt, Veronica Bane & Per Jettman

Lunch break at Svartinge

Celebration

The Queen of Helsinki, Marjukka Nyberg was celebrating her birthday with lots of lovely friends and also customers to Select Collection.

Marjukka had a beautiful speech to all of us, telling us we were her closest friends and wishing us a great evening.

Marjukka and Kaj Nyman

Bambi Nyman with Marjukka and Kim's son Joakim

I was seated next to Riki Sorsa. Riki is a popular Finnish singer. He started his career in 1975. He represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 and has published several albums during the years.

-- Post From My iPhone

10 Years Anniversary

Our lovely Country Manager in Finland, Ilse Nyman has worked 10 years at Select Collection. We opened in Finland 12 years ago and can you imagine that all staff in Helsinki have been there more than 10 years! It's an unbeatable experience they have...

Ilse is highly appreciated not only by me and her colleagues but also our most valued clients just love her. We did have a lovely afternoon with cold champagne and a gift of course. The picture is taken in our beautiful office on Bulevardi in Helsinki.

The signature gift from Gucci that all the Select ladies in Finland wear.

PS. I will be in Oslo shortly to celebrate Astrid!

-- Post From My iPhone

Early Winter?

This morning when walking to the office in Stockholm the weather was sunny 20 C, so I needed to look twice if I was reading correctly...

It says: Warning for ice and heavy snow falling

Did you know that Select Collection organize high end luxury Polar Excursions

-- Post From My iPhone

Ship visit

Last Saturday Select Collection and International Women's Club organized a ship visit on the Silversea ship Silver Whisper. The inviation was for lunch and a tour of the beautiful ship.

Two of our staff members, Pernilla second from the right on top row and Mariana in the very front. Behind Mariana is IWC president Kanthi Beck.

Fun Evening

I had a nice experience in Paris that I would like to share. It was recommended to me by the newly opened stunning Mandarin Oriental hotel in Paris. Perhaps you have read in the previous blog posts about my days in Paris and this lovely propety where Select Collection will have a unique contract with great added values to our clients.

I went to the Restaurant Mini Palais. This is the entrance!

This is the beautiful interior. The restaurant is quite big but still has a cozy and nice ambiance. You can choose between indoor or outdoor seating but please make sure you have a reservation.

The food is just great and they have my favourite dish Vitello Tonnato - Veal with tuna sauce.