‘Although the way station you want to reach Is dangerous and the goal distant, Do not sink into sadness. All roads have an end.’ – Hafez (14th century Persian poet) 43 days to go. Starting tomorrow, just two full three-week chemotherapy cycles left. I’m nearly on the home strait. Suddenly January 18, 2011 doesn’t seem
Events
Absolutely FAB-ulous
I spent last Thursday and Friday in the excellent company of two of this industry’s most knowledgeable and personable executives – David King and Patricia Ryan – judging the entries in the first-ever Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Awards, to be held at Manchester Airport on 24 January 2011. David, former Managing Director of Alpha
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Events
Return to the Bleeding Heart
Please excuse the recent lack of Blog entries; it’s been a testing few weeks. These are what they call in rugby the ‘hard yards’. Adapting to life without a stomach means having to learn to eat all over again, like a child. Except this time I am in my mid-50s, not my infancy. I had
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Events
No more time for whispering
Today The Moodie Report is in the pink. Literally and metaphorically. The masthead of our website has gone from its familiar blue to pink. And so have all the headlines on our home page. Next week so will our e-Newsletter and ‘7 Days PDF’. Why the change of hue? Simple – October marks The Estée
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Events
All change at TFWA?
It’s good to see TFWA open up on the subject of proposed changes to its statutes governing the role and eligibility criteria of the association’s President. In a refreshingly candid interview with me this week, Philip Gerzon (above), Managing Director of Gerzon Duty Free, speaking in his capacity as a Member of TFWA’s Management Committee
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Events
Back on the dreadful dreadmill
I’m back on the dreaded treadmill (affectionately known as the ‘dreadmill’) in preparation for a couple of forthcoming challenges in my life. One is The Moodie Multi-National Marathon next March. As reported, the event, sponsored by M&M’s – is a unique initiative designed to bring together the international travel retail community behind a good cause,
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Events
Nuance on track (and treadmill) for supreme fund-raising effort
How’s this for a heavyweight team set to participate in the forthcoming Moodie Multi-National Marathon? • Roberto Graziani • Chris Wood • Andrea Belardini • Alex Anson • James Turl • Clara Helmlinger Yes, it’s a team from The Nuance Group and it’s absolutely great to see the company’s President and CEO Roberto Graziani (pictured above) leading a fellow management team
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Events
Welcome to the ‘Trinity Walk’
You’ve heard of The Trinity Forum, now welcome to The Trinity Walk. In this case the industry ‘Trinity’ compromises three suppliers representing three categories – confectionery (Martyn Westbury, Mars), fragrances (Jan Kristiansen-Binder, Coty) and liquor (Peter Ayling, Taittinger). This real-life Trinity partnership will be undertaking a 3.5km mile walk in Cardiff on Sunday 12 December
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Events
Hand in Hand for Haiti takes shape
Great news reaches The Moodie Blog from Haiti, where yesterday saw an important landmark for Hand in Hand for Haiti. As reported, the travel retail industry-funded charity is building a school in the town of St Marc, to help the reconstruction of Haiti after the tragic earthquake in January this year. In June Hand in
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Events
M&M’s stay cool in marathon preparation
Meet the M&M’s marathon team, pictured in intensive training for the Moodie Multi-National Marathon to be run between 4-7 March 2011. Confectionery house M&M’s has kindly agreed to sponsor this unique event, which will see travel retail teams from all over the globe putting together six-person teams to run a combined marathon and help raise
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Airports
The dancing of the Northern Lights
“People always ask me how do you drink Scotch? I reply, ‘You’re either left handed or right handed’.” Meet Willie Tait, Master Distiller and Isle of Jura Ambassador at the Whyte & Mackay owned malt whisky maker. Willie was on hand at London Heathrow Terminal 5 this week as part of the airport company’s excellent
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Airports
Eton Mess anybody?
Now this is what I call a promotional campaign with taste. And it’s exactly, exactly, the sort of thing that airports should be doing to promote their country’s culture, crafts or traditions. Passengers flying through Heathrow Airport are to be treated to what we are promised will be the ‘best bites of Britain’, to mark
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Airports
Jack Daniel’s and DFS lend a hand to the children of Haiti
This has to rank as one of the best collaborative initiatives between a brand and a travel retailer in years. Brown-Forman Duty Free/Travel Retail has chosen an uniquely artistic way to mark the 50th anniversary of its long-time close partner DFS. The Brown-Forman team asked artists from around the world to turn barrels in which