Santa Fe and the Auberge Encantado New Mexico

I’ve loved all my travels in the US, from Florida (friends) to San Francisco (cousin’s wedding) to Colorado (skiing), with New York, New Orleans and DC thrown in for good measure. This year I visited somewhere in the US where very few non US travellers journey - to the mountainous wilds of New Mexico and in particular the Auberge Encantado in Tesuque, near to Santa Fe and the Santa Fe opera.

This has been a strange and amazing trip, with rugged scenery of New Mexico looking pretty much as you would expect it to, countered with some outstanding houses built into the savage backdrop, a seriously gorgeous resort hotel and an opera house, half open air (the walking in half) and half covered that appears slightly when you arrive inside as if you're sitting in a spaceship.

The Auberge Encantado is somewhere that, if you possibly can, you should visit. Tesuque, where it is situated, is unique, set against the foothills of the Sangre de Christo (the foot of the rockies) and the Jemez mountains to either side with Los Alamos just a few miles away. To the north are the 'Badlands' to Colorado and to the south the Sandia mountains of Albuquerque. Surrounded by all this magnificent but sauvage scenery it is hard to imagine that the busy town of Santa Fe is only 30 minutes away.

The resort is sophisticated and beautifully designed with 'Casitas' - dwellings with bedrooms and bathrooms - set in the grounds, every comfort any girl could possibly want, great service in true American style, wonderful food, a modern spa and excellent gym. Then there's the pool. Frankly there's so much to do here you could arrive, look at the view and decide not to go anywhere else. Sit on the terrace with a glass of champagne and watch the sun go down over the mountains and you will never want to leave - I certainly didn't.

The food deserves a special mention - Executive Chef Charles Dale was named the Best New Chef in America by Food + Wine Magazine in 1995 and twice nominated for Best American Chef in the Southwest. His cuisine is regionally inspired and includes dishes such as tuna tartare, scallops with pork belly and grilled wild king salmon. Everything is beautifully presented and totally delicious.

If you feel the need to shop you go to Santa Fe itself, which combines tourist traps with Issey Miyake with no trouble at all plus unique, locally designed jewellery, and I'm not talking about the cheap stuff, but beautiful, unusual, semi-precious stone, turquoise and diamond set pieces that will set any room talking. And no. I didn't by the way.........I was very well behaved on this trip, something to do with kids and rent. But I could have, easily, in spades. It is a shopaholic's paradise provided you know where to look. My advice? Don't buy a stetson or cowboy boots unless you a) want them for decoration or b) know for certain they'll get worn. I sort of fancied a stetson but being slightly (!) vertically challenged I decided I'd better not take the risk.

Finally on to the opera house which is so incredible in this rugged countryside it's hard to explain. As you sit in your seat looking down on the stage you can also look to the side and the darkening sky and see the twinkling lights of the towns and the mountains in the background. This really is an extraordinary place and I was very lucky to have been invited. Do you think it's too soon to hint that I'd like to be invited back next year? Too late, I already have (hinted, I mean).

It's a long way to get to as you'd expect, however for the company, the scenery, the food, the music and the fun it has been an unrivalled experience. Make the trip if you can.

Back now to puppies, son's 21st (help!) and work, and, of course, planning my next trip. I'm not quite sure where it'll be yet, but having been seriously bitten by the travel bug this year, you can bet it'll be as soon as.............

Five Beauty Boosters for Rainy Days

August. Supposedly warm and sunny, surely, but this year someone seems to have forgotten. Currently I have five dogs in my house who are all fed up of being kept in, or alternatively despatched to fetch tennis balls lobbed at high speed (well high speed for me, anyway) from my back door because I really, really hate the rain. I suspect, judging from the alacrity with which they return, they don’t much like it either, particularly the smaller ones who are very low to the ground.

It’s on days like these, or months like these, that I’m inevitably looking for a beauty fix, that special product that always gives you a lift no matter how tired and fed up you are and I have five favourites which seem to be most used, this month in particular.

They will all give you a glow, make you feel better when you look in the mirror, and if you don’t get asked (as I was last year) if you’ve had a face lift………….(compliment or not? I couldn’t decide) you will for certain look indefinably better than the person sitting next to you on the train.

Try these and you’ll see what I mean:

Chantecaille Aquablush in Brilliance
Nars Blush in Super Orgasm
Smashbox Softlights in Tint
Bobbi Brown Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick
Clinique Uplighting Illuminator

and also Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Soft Body Shimmer for a subtle sparkle and fragrance anywhere. One of my all time favourites.

I’m happy to say that I’m off on Thursday and if I don’t write something tomorrow I’ll be writing to you from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at the end of the week. Once I’ve unpacked, spent a little time in the pool and generally relaxed. I can’t wait. Happy holidays…………………………………………………

Website Reviews - Do you Tick all the Boxes? Case Study - Parable Designs

Website reviews are one of the things that I do that I enjoy the most, as having written about over 2,500 online retailers for my books and for www.thesiteguide.com, I’ve become extremely picky about other people’s sites and fast at spotting where there could be improvements - frequently simple things that could make a big difference to conversion rates and therefore ROI which, after all, is all we really care about.

Recently I offered a free website review on Twitter which was nabbed by www.parabledesigns.co.uk about whom I knew nothing. Now I’ve been totally pipped to the post here as I meant to take some screen shots of the original site but left it for a week and they’ve been so quick to update the site that I missed my chance. So these screenshots are as the site is now.

The whole idea of a review is that when you’re a small or medium sized online retailer in the hands of your web developer you will imagine that they know everything and it’s hard to stand outside and be objective.

Frankly no one knows everything and web design is moving forward all the time but when you have a website there are standard boxes that need to be ticked or the site will not work as well as it could. There are enough problems with products and photography and merchandising but the framework for good web design is quite simple and it amazes me how often things that should be done aren’t, and others are desperately crying out to be changed without anyone realising.

My aim is not to criticize but quite simply to make sure that all the boxes are ticked, and to offer advice where they’re not.

In short I suggested that Parable could do with the following:

A mission statement in the header area

Moving some of of the Utilities to the header area

Reducing the depth of the home page,

Shortening the text and adding in linked keywords and phrases

Changing some of the prices which were in red to black or grey

Losing the underlining of all links to category and subcategory pages

Regularising the design of some of the pages and making more use of grids

Improving the photographs to make the more in line with the luxury element of the brand, and how to do this.

Suggesting other services that could be offered
Basic SEO.

This is a two page review cut down (as I was sure you wouldn’t want to read the whole thing) and I’m waiting to hear how the improvements have worked for them. The first impression of the changes they’re made has been great.

If you’d be interested in having your website reviewed please contact me at mailto:[email protected] or click here for more details.

Web Hints - Returns and Biting the Bullet

One of the things that most puts people off from buying online (or from catalogues for that matter), is the thought of having to send something back. 

You may say ‘but surely we’re all used to that now’ but I’m afraid that it is still the case and will undoubtedly remain so.  The harder you make it for customers to return goods to you, the less likely they will be to buy from you.  Having been in fashion both in catalogue and online retailing for many years I know this only too well.

The two things you can do to make returns easier for your customers (and thereby increase your conversion rate) are:

Offer free returns or use a courier pick-up service (same result)
Send out orders in returns-friendly packaging (smaller items only, of course).

I know there’s a collective gasp and moan on reading this but if you are not in a highly priced competitive market, in other words selling something where a couple of £s difference will lose you a sale, you should test free returns and if your conversion rate rises then build an element for returns into your prices.  Few people mind paying an extra few pounds for something they really want.  Everyone hates to pay for returns.  This is not a risk and testing makes total sense.  And with more and more of the online ‘big boys’ offering free returns it is becoming a competitive necessity.

Always include a pre-printed returns label with your orders, sticky if possible, an easy to complete returns form as well, and unless you’re selling something very valuable do not make your customers call you up, or have to get a returns authorisation number before sending goods back to you.

I fully understand needing to give advance information if I’m returning a Calvin Klein dress (and no, I didn’t) or a piece of jewellery (ditto) because a) the online retailer will not have bought very much stock, b) will want to know that it is fully insured on it’s way back and c) will probably want to have re-sold it before it gets back to them -  however for a pair of sports shoes?  Sorry, I don’t get that one.

Make it as easy as possible for your customers to send things back and they will order more from you, it’s as simple as that.

Tomorrow is d-day for my press article about online shopping so I’m biting my nails hoping that nothing happens to stop publication, having been in this business a while (understatement) I know that something can right at the last minute and I have on occasion been at the station to get an early copy of the relevant newspaper to discover that I’ve been left out because something far more important has needed the space.  At least now I can check online.

Today has also been a great day for website review requests for some reason.  If you’d like your site reviewed for www.thesiteguide.com click here for more info.

I am now far later than normal for packing for my trip next week (I’ve been known to pack a month in advance) and I’m still considering what to take to two completely different places - Idaho and Santa Fe, one totally relaxed and the other much more dressy but also ‘undressy’ as it includes poolside.  And I can only take one bag.  And I only have an hour and a half to change planes in Chicago so will have to have some things in my carry-on.  Oh dear!  And now the daughter has ordered me to get her some real cowboy boots so I will have to leave some space.  More oh dear!  Oh bother.

Website Review - Ghost

The reincarnation of Ghost has taken a while, but it appears to have arrived. Gone are the long rails of identically coloured viscose crepe separates and dresses designed to turn the lumpiest of us into a svelte siren, gone is the initial bland and uninteresting website (which is why I didn’t write about it originally). In the place of all that is a collection dresses and separates that are sexy in some cases, flattering in most cases and in bright colours or grown-up neutrals.

Some of the dresses in particular will take quite a lot of wearing (and will almost certainly require something by Spanx). And the blue one above is definitely my favourite - now would you be able to Scottish dance in that one I wonder? Hmmmm, yes I think you could.

I’m frequently accused of being too picky when I review websites but then that’s what I’m there for, what would be the point of only saying ‘nice’ things when small changes can make such a difference. With www.ghost.co.uk I would get rid of the ‘ghostly’ main image - at least as it is today, and add in a little pizazz, or a lot for preference. There are some gorgeous things here but the site is so quiet it makes me sleepy, when what I should be doing is sitting up, oooooh-ing and ahhhhh-ing and flashing the plastic.

If you want to be successful online you have to stand up and shout out about yourself - no one is going to do it for you, believe me.

Just finished my piece for the press this week and hope it will be published. Fingers and toes crossed please.

My house this week is ridiculously quiet with all the men gone to Scotland, all the mess cleared up and just six dogs and the daughter (and occasional hangers on) for company. I love it this way, it’ll be hard to go back, but at least I’ll have had my holiday first……………..just over a week to go then Spokane, Idaho here I come. And you may well ask. More about that and packing later.

Website Review - Baby Ceylon

Baby Ceylon offers a small but cleverly and flatteringly designed collection of dresses and separates all made in wearable, packable viscose crepe, and in a selection of colours.  Choose from maxi dresses, short flirty versions and knee length ‘tea’ dresses with drawstring necklines.  There are some pretty tops and kaftans but by far the strongest range is the dress collection.

   

I would like to be able to click on the different colours and see how the styles look, which you can’t at the moment, and I’d also (probably asking too much at this stage in the season) like to be able to order a dress in the same colour as the main picture, rather than find out that it’s only available in black (I know, I do love black, but there’s on particularly pretty red dress that I’d like in that colour and was frustrated when I discovered that only black was left, not that I was going to order it, of course, but………………..).

   

Prices go from just under £100 to around £170 for a beaded top so although not inexpensive they’re definitely not at the top end, and new additions keep the collection looking fresh. 

So the son in Ghana has food poisoning, and the daughter in Cornwall is unwell, and I seem to have left my magic want somewhere on the basis of ‘mum I’m not feeling well what can I do’.  Anyway advice tendered and I think both are on the mend.  Inevitably the son ceases contact when he’s better so I’m assuming that’s a good sign.

Thinking about my next trip to two completely different parts of the US and how they require completely different sets of clothes with very little cross-over.  Even for an expert packer such as myself this one is going to be an interesting challenge. …………………  I’ll let you know.

Focus on Lace - Six Dresses to Wear Now

Lace is one of the major trends for autumn, flattering on just about everyone (caveat; depending on how it’s worn) but a great lace or lace trimmed dress will take you from glitzy summer evenings to full on winter glamour with no trouble at all.

Inevitably there’s going to be a  huge amount of it about right through from designer level to the high street.  Somewhere in the middle there should be a wide choice of modern pretty pieces perfect for buying now and instead of hoarding them away for when it gets colder (as you would that camel cashmere coat I know you’re eyeing) they’re eminently wearable right now and onwards.

These are my favourite six in the stores as of now, and ranging from 3.1 Phillip Lim’s embellished lace-overlay dress through D & G’s gorgeous boned lace bustier dress and on to Wallis’s pretty-as-a-picture and astoundingly well priced gathered lace dress.

And yes I know there are two by Dolce & Gabanna but frankly if you have the budget they have to be the all time afficionados at combining sexy and lbd in pretty well any fabric, but particularly lace and/or animal print and yes………………….I do want them both, and yes I know that they are both black, but I’m not sure how many times I have to say it - a girl simply cannot have too many perfect black dresses.  It was put to me the other day that adding another black dress into my wardrobe was not what I should be doing as I have so many already.  Poor thing………..some people just don’t understand, do they?  The slightest, tiniest smidgeon of difference is what makes each one so special, so perfect, so ‘now’ as I’m sure you’ll agree.

In my usual style I have to say that my all time favourite is, of course, the Dolce bustier dress.  Wouldn’t you just want to keep that one close to you for ever?  As for the price tag?  Hmmmmm.  Now what excuse could I make to my bank manager?  None probably, other than it would do for dinners in Paris, the opera in New York and, of course, Scottish dancing at my son’s 21st?  Well maybe not the latter - it’s not really a Dashing White Sargeant dress I know but there have to be enough excuses dahling to make it work somehow……………

Just one word of warning; the best of the LBLDs out there will be snaffled quickly so if you can, buy early.  Those camel cashmere coats and jackets will be around for much much longer.  Take my word for it.