On Monday night The Moodie Report was lucky enough to meet a second football legend in the space of three weeks, following David Beckham’s appearance at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. Ex-England and Real Madrid star Michael Owen was at the Tower of London in the UK to launch his two Harvey’s of Edinburgh
Blog
Events
Come on in, grab a drink and make yourself at home
You know the saying, “There’s no place like home”? Home is a shelter from storms, where we feel most safe and comfortable, and for most of us in the travel retail industry, I’m sure there’s nothing like returning home after long trips away for work. Spending time at home is a luxury – being able
Read More
Miscellaneous
Tumult in the land of the morning calm
This Blog begins at Incheon International Airport, as I head home after a long but exhilirating week in South Korea. This is one of my favourite airports and that of many others, as underlined by it so consistently topping the ACI ASQ rankings in recent years. Along with Dubai International, it is also one of the
Read More
Miscellaneous
Lotte hits new heights with towering retail acheivement
You get many special days in travel retail. And then you get ones like yesterday… This Blog comes to you from The Moodie Report Interim Bureau in Seoul, where I’m battling to articulate the wondrous sights from 24 hours ago. I ‘met’ Korean acting and musical celebrities Park Shin Hye and KS Jang (below). I
Read More
Miscellaneous
Meet Ollie – a most inspiring young man (Updated)
Meet Ollie. A most inspiring young man. Ollie is 9 years old, the nephew of Sara Stevens (sstevens@thenuancegroup.com), HR & Training Manager for The Nuance Group (UK) down in Southampton. Ollie is currently in Birmingham Children’s Hospital undergoing gruelling treatment for a rare bone cancer called Ewing Sarcoma. He wants to raise money for the
Read More
Miscellaneous
From Cannes commotion to the land of the morning calm
I begin this Blog on a glorious, balmy autumn evening in London but, in common I suspect with many TFWA World Exhibition delegates, I’m feeling just a shade less than glorious. No, not because I overdid the hospitality on the final couple of nights (although I admit to drinking a bottle or… two of some very
Read More
Miscellaneous
A touching tribute to Patrick Moran
At TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes yesterday, Brown-Forman hosted a short gathering to honour the memory of one of their (and the industry’s) finest executive, Patrick Moran (above), who passed away in May. Patrick held a series of senior positions in duty free and travel retail over three decades, including periods with DFS Group, Courvoisier,
Read More
Miscellaneous
Bowled over at Lord’s with Hardys
Over the years, through the course of my work, I have been fortunate enough to attend many great sporting events. The invitations, and corresponding hospitality, have included horse-racing at Ascot, arena polo at Hickstead, tennis at Wimbledon and several rugby union matches, among them the nerve-shredding 1999 Five Nations (as was) game in Paris, which
Read More
Miscellaneous
I’m on top of the world
‘Been dreaming of this since a child I’m on top of the world.’ – Imagine Dragons I am writing from familiar turf. Or to be more precise, familiar air space. I’m 34,000 feet up in the sky, flying over the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, 3,140 miles and six-and-a-half hours away from London. I’m on Cathay
Read More
Miscellaneous
The loneliness of the long-distance writer
I’m at London Heathrow Airport T3, about to jump another long-haul flight. Desperately trying to buy an upgrade from my economy ticket as I need to work non-stop for the next few hours on our Cannes print issue which is looming menacingly over me like a modern- day guillotine. I’ve had my compulsory Paul Smith
Read More
Miscellaneous
Welcome to the Moodie Monsters’ Ball
Well my friends are gone and my (last) hair is grey I ache in the places where I used to play – Leonard Cohen, Tower of Song “Why haven’t you updated your Blog? Is something wrong?” – an e-mail from a concerned reader 7/10/2014 12 years ago I gave birth. An immaculate conception that created
Read More
Miscellaneous
Planes, Trains & Automobiles – the Ryder Cup Return
[Dermot ‘Divot’ and Martin Moodie preparing for Ryder Cup action] I’ve escaped intact, exhilarated in fact from four days at the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles near Edinburgh, despite being holed up with some of the most dangerous company in travel retail. Courtesy of Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin, I and my
Read More
Miscellaneous
Hairing around London Fashion Week with Toni & Guy
I used to think Cannes was tough – but that was before I did London Fashion Week. Reader, after just three days racing around the whole of south east London, beset by serious hair and outfit angst, suddenly the prospect of five days on the Riviera is looking positively restful. It’s taken me a fortnight