A Russian billionaire has purchased the most expensive bottle of champagne bought in a British bar. The bottle of Dom Pirignon Rosi Gold is nicknamed the ‘King of Champagnes’ and cost a whopping £35,000. A similar bottle has sold for more at auction, however it’s thought that never before has it been bought for such a high price outside of the auction house. The bottle itself is worth £20,000 and is cased in rose gold.

The extravagant purchase was made at the after party of British comedy Boogie Woogie at the exclusive Westbury Hotel in Mayfair. The party was overflowing with celebrities, although the name of the buyer is being kept anonymous. The only snippet that’s been revealed is the guest in question, is a regular at the hotel.

A spokesperson for Moet et Chandon told The Daily Mail, “The champagne is made only from grapes from selected vineyards from the best Grand Crus and is stored for 12 years before being bottled. The 1996 vintage boasts all of Dom Pirignon Rosi’s inimitable traits, being characterized by the vivacious interplay between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. The champagne’s colour is copper pink with shades of amber and gold, with a fragrance of mature fruits and an after-taste marked by a slightly vanilla note. It is divine.”

Wow, how the other half live! I suppose it’s all relative, but the phrase ‘More money than sense’ spring to mind. Ah well, good luck to them and cheers!

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It looks like things are on the up for retail giant Debenhams. The credit crunch doesn’t seem to have affected the popular department store, which has released its half yearly sales figures. They show profits of £120.5 million, a huge rise of 17.9% compared to the £102.2 million made during the same period last year. It’s been a good Easter all round with fellow store John Lewis also releasing positive sales figures for the holiday week.

Debenhams has opened four new stores in the UK and has also bought the Danish department store chain Magasin du Nord. Rob Templeman, Debenhams Chief executive told Sky News, “Throughout the last 18 months of recession, Debenhams has consistently achieved growth in sales, margins and trading profits. We believe that the work to improve our own-bought ranges, including Designers at Debenhams, both in terms of product design, quality and value and increasing the own bought mix will continue to find favour with customers and provide a solid platform for margin expansion and market share growth.”

It’s good news for our economy, and good news for us. Retailers are all vying for our business, with countless offers available. So while we’re still spending, there are many bargains to be had. The main thing is, that we’re spending and spending we are. So take a trip to the high street and bag a bargain to spruce up your summer wardrobe and put a spring back into your step.

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iPhone creators Apple claim they have an application for just about everything.  Today we take a look at some of the best pet applications out there and which are simply the best.

Pet First Aid

At the top of the list is one of the most useful pet applications we’ve encountered; Pet First Aid offers quick and simple health advice for a range of animals.  The What’s Normal feature is of particular use, describing what to expect as standard, as well as how to perform physical checks to determine what is normal for your own pet.  By knowing what is normal, pet owners are far better equipped to tell when something is wrong. Pet First Aid also contains instructional videos and directions for a range of emergencies and health problems.

Vet Records

Maintaining an up-to-date record of your pet’s wellbeing is exceptionally important and Pet Vet Records makes this as simple as possible.  The user inputs their pet’s health information and medical records, which are then made immediately available to vets; meaning the important information is always available to the right people at the right time. An application for pet insurance would have been more worthwhile.

Mobile Symptom Checker

Although it’s similar to Pet First Aid, the Mobile Symptom Checker is designed to let you select specific symptoms, by category if necessary, and read detailed articles about to them and the conditions that cause them.  The application also contains information about treatment options, preventative measures and methods of managing the problem itself – all at the touch of a button!

Pet Services Finder

Like a tiny, portable Yellow Pages of pet services, this application locates nearby vets, dog walkers, groomers, sitters and so on, even allowing the user to see reviews of each service.  Simple and useful – a great app.

Off the Leash

As much as dog owners love their pets, daily walks can get somewhat irksome after a few years of strolling around the same old places.  Besides, what dogs really enjoy is being given some freedom to run around.  That’s where Off the Leash steps in, locating and directing you to the nearest dog parks, where you can let your pet run himself into the ground whilst uou casually sip a Caprisun.  Everybody wins!

Dog Training

Most dog owners would love to teach their pet new tricks, but finding out how to do so has rarely been so convenient.  Brimming with instructional photos and videos for 101 different tricks, Dog Tricks makes it simple to train your dog, no matter where you are.

Veterinary

Essentially a dictionary of the complicated terms your vet may use to describe your pet’s health problems, Veterinary Terms is a handy application, though one without quite enough use to deserve a higher ranking in this Top Ten.  Even so, this application is of great help when it comes to understanding what’s wrong with your pet after a complicated diagnosis from a busy vet.

Pet Problem

A somewhat negative application, though one that is useless nevertheless.  Pet Problem lets you share any negative experiences you may have had when buying pets at local pet shops, in the hope that others won’t make similar mistakes

Dog Park

Just making it into the Top Ten because of its originality, though right at the bottom of the list because it’s so very un cool is Dog Park which is a social networking site for dogs.  Or rather, a site for dog owners to pretend they are their dogs and network with other local owners, also pretending to be their dogs.  The redeeming factor is that it is a helpful and supposedly fun way of arranging company for your pet.

All Pets Radio Player

Very last on our list of the best pet applications is the 24-hour, pet-orientated internet streaming radio station – All Pets.  Broadcasting a range of news, advice and interesting facts about a variety of pets, it’s an ideal for people who want to be surrounded by pet-info all the time.  The only reason it’s last on the list is because we can imagine this application slowly driving us insane.

So concludes our top pet iPhone applications!  Hopefully we’ve introduced you to a brand new way of helping or interacting with your pet; if not, at least you now know you don’t need an iPhone.

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From beachfront to bar, picnic to party, the maxi dress is a summer must have. The style hit the shelves in a big way last year and is set to continue this season. The versatile piece can be worn by anyone and really adds a feminine touch to your summer wardrobe. From spaghetti strapped soft cotton to sumptuous silks with sexy halter necks, there really is an array of these fabulous dresses on offer.

For the most stunning look, the dress should be skimming the floor. Don’t worry if you’re not tall, the casual trend of flat sandals is huge, however you could always team yours with a pair of delicate heels, just remember to keep the dress length at floor level, no ankle swingers please!

Keep it simple, with only one or two statement pieces of jewellery. Try a couple of bangles and large earrings, or maybe a chunky necklace to compliment a bare neckline. These beautiful dresses come in several different styles. Halter neck, silky numbers are perfect for a sophisticated evening, whereas a strapless jersey dress is easy to wear at a beach side café or relaxed night of cocktails. The paint box selection of colours and prints is a feast to the eyes and allows you to really push the boundaries when selecting your style.

Team your dress with a classic pashmina or bolero, or even a trendy blazer. Keep the material soft though to flatter the floaty nature of the garment. The most important thing is to relax and enjoy the versatility and femininity of the dress that anyone can wear!

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Is it finally good news for retailers? It appears that the state of the industry is slowly recovering. The Office for National Statistics has said that retail sales rose by 2.1% between January and February. Strangely, the non-food spending is countering falling grocery sales. Possibly due to the rise in food prices and the availability of cheaper and cheaper ‘throw away’ clothes.

The rise is still lower than experts had predicted, however the sales volume in February beat market forecasts. Vicky Redwood, economist at Capital Economics said, “February’s official retail sales figures confirm that high street spending bounced back after the snow and VAT rise hit spending at the start of the year.”

These sale figures were released on the same day that High Street giant Next and designer clothes label Ted Baker both announced a considerable rise in profits.

The figures are in stark contrast to food retail sales, which have suffered a 0.5% fall in sales. Chief executive of Sainsbury’s, Justin King told Sky news, “We expected there to be a consumer slowdown in 2010 and indeed that’s the case.”

However with supermarkets now selling clothes, electronics and all manner of other sundries, supermarkets have also seen an increase in sales. It’s a double edge sword, but it seems that supermarkets becoming mega stores, has save their bacon!

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Let’s face it; it’s still dreary and dark out there. Although we’ve had some beautiful sun filled days recently, the dingy weather is prevailing. This not only takes its toll on our mood, but it affects our skin too. It’s easy to get stuck in a beauty routine rut during the long winter months. Wouldn’t it be lovely if our fairy Godmother waved her magic wand and offered us something to put a smile back on our faces?

Well, consider it a dream come true! The marvelous people at The Organic Pharmacy are offering us complimentary 25- minute make up consultations with their team of beauty professionals, in a bid to put a spring in our step. The brand was recently voted ‘Best Eco Brand’ by In Style magazine, and their unique range of eco make-up is bound to give you a boost and make your face glow. Thank you fairy Godmother

The Organic Pharmacy is located at 23 Great Marlborough Street, Soho, London, W1. To book a consultation call +44 (0)207 287 1607. Bookings need to be made in advance, and we expect demand to be great. So chop, chop! Don’t miss out!

The offer is available until Sunday 28^th March 2010.

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