Black and Paper is in Marrakesh, Morocco for the holiday season. This exotic city in the Sahara is a wealth of sights, smells, and sounds.
I am preparing the features, stay tuned.
For Christmas 2017, Black and Paper goes to Marrakech, Morocco. We are looking so forward to the visiting the exotic dessert city of inspiring landscapes and spectacular gardens. A highlight will be our tour of the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. A entire center dedicated to the Master of Fashion. (The story is coming soon)
Stay tuned for the travel feature.
Shopping for a bargain is always an adventure. I call these outings “Fashion Expeditions”. My latest expedition took me to the Ingolstadt Village in the south of German, located in this center are over 130 stores from many top designers and brands. 
The center is architectural fairytale kitsch painted in soft pastel colors designed with a simple one trail layout of stores on both sides. Europeans may find it a bit plastic but being an American, I felt at home.
When shopping for bargains or at outlet centers it is important to do a bit of research. Check prices at local sales outlets then make a plan. Buying the first thing you see is not what I recommend, explore first to see what is on offer. I usually go from store to store for a first round venture to check out what store has what. For me, 
50% off the retail price is minimal incentive to shop at an outlet center because they are usually outside city centers, meaning the savings have to be worth the travel.
My Store Experiences:
Ralph Lauren– This store had a large selection of men’s and women’s fashion.. Were the prices good? On some items, yes, I bought t-shirts and underwear. The prices were comparable to TK Maxx but with many fashion choices from the designer label, a shopper could not go wrong. The customer service was excellent. I spent 72 euros.
Bally-The Swiss luxury brand outlet store had great discounts up to 70% off, but sadly for me, nothing in my shoe size. I really wanted a pair of leather trainers at 75 euros in blue or black.
Tod’s-I was hypnotized in the Italian luxury shoe wear brand’s store. Blue leather hi top trainers or round toe suede ankle boots 70% off. I decided on the round boots, classic style for only 125 euros but there was a bit of remorse about leaving the hi-tops.
Trussardi Jeans-This brand’s menswear collections was on hit for sweaters and jackets. A button down wool sweater and slim cut pants were on my menu at 70%. The fit was perfect. The sales staff was very patient to say the least. How many sweaters did I try on? A LOT! I am sure I drove the sales people to the nearest bar at quitting time.
Sunglasses-I wandered into this small store on the corner by accident, a nice selection of brands and styles. The sales lady was welcoming telling me the store had a reduction on many designer frames. I ended up buying a pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses for a steal at 65%.
Gant-A spacious store divided by one side for womenswear, the other for menswear. The premium brand had many items at deep discounts. I was looking for a gift. I found the perfect outerwear in the form of a 100% wool poncho at 80% off.
Gucci-The top luxury brand retained its status even at a discount. The boutique was first class all the way from service to clothing on hand, temptation on every shelf. I wanted a bag. I saw a jacket all at a major discount. I had to walk away on blow my budget. When a person says, “GUCCI AT A BIG DISCOUNT” it is hard to walk away without feeling shaken.
A very productive shopping outing at the Ingolstadt Village, my fashion needs were met without breaking my wallet. If you are planning a “Fashion Expedition” in Europe put Ingolstadt Village on your list.
For more information go to: Ingolstadt Village
Goodbye Instagram! It was nice while it lasted but for some reason it never felt like a relationship beyond a necessary inconvenience. Black and Paper has decided December 31st will be the last day we post on the social media platform. The thirst is real on Instagram and we are not thirsty. In an Age of Unrepentant Self-promotion mixed with suspect followers and likes, this is not the place for us. It is better focus on our growing web site instead of getting lost in the mix of endless selfies. Black and Paper is about informing along with inspiring; promoting creative people and looking for wonderful things to share with our readers. We try to be genuine. If the product does not fit, we do not recommend like many influencers for hire. For these reasons we decided Instagram or “Instathirst” as we call it did not fit with our philosophy. A Big “THANK YOU” to our followers! We will post more pictures and commentary here on blackandpaper.com
Holiday season has started. Black and Paper offers some tips on where to go/ These cities are lesser than their bigger counterparts but offer a traveler a rewarding experience of beaches, culture, and cuisine.
Porto, The second city of Portugal has exotic charm and flavor on its sleeve. There are great beaches around the city.
Stockholm, the Queen of the North, regal without being imperial. A city with many islands for sunbathing and swimming.
Marseille, the entire Mediterranean culture is rolled into this seaport city. Beaches are west and east as well as cliff diving.
Berlin is a city known for its hedonism but from April 13th to September 15th the city will host the International Garden and Cultural Exhibition.
As a fan of gardens and parks it was exciting to get a tour of the event before the opening.
Numerous landscaped and garden themes cover the 104 hectares park with ranging from tropical to vertical gardens to desert terrain to open spaces collections.
Another highlight of the event is the various cultural activities that will take place, more than 5000.
The IGA exhibit can be reached by the U5 Metro line in Berlin, station IGA Berlin.
For more information go to: IGA
Where to go for a holiday in 2017? A obscure beach in South America. A new museum opening. Black and Paper covered the ITB, the world’s largest travel fair, in Berlin to gain insight on the latest travel and holiday trends. Stay tuned for all the news and tips on vacation destinations that can turn your next holiday into an experience of a lifetime.
Images by Vladimir Sichov.
Looking for your next travel destination, ITB Berlin 2017 opens on Wednesday. Black and Paper will report on latest trends in travel, whether you are looking for the best beaches, the most romantic hotels, or the coolest city festivals, and newest cultural offerings.
The official partner country this year is Botswana. The Southern African country introduces itself to global tourist as a country instituting sustainable, eco-tourism. With its bio-diversity, Botswana new conversation activities include a new Defense Force for countering poachers and an active wildlife preservation programs. Botswana is celebrating its 50th anniversary, welcoming tourist from all walks to experience a trip of a lifetime.
Highlights in Botswana:
Okavango Delta
Moremi Game Reserve
Tuli Block
The Makgadikgadi
Nata River Delta December to April for the flamingos.
For more information go to:
Stay tuned for updates from the ITB.
Do you fold or do you roll for a trip? One of the main concerns for men packing for travel is how minimalize wrinkles. Philips has solved this problem with a convenient device Steam&Go 2 in 1 Handheld Garment Steamer. Compact, able to fit into a carry on or a 48 hour bag, the Steamer is the perfect device for quick touch ups of pants, shirts, ties, and suits. Clothes are ready to go and wrinkle free. The question of fold or roll has been answered.
For more information on Philips Steam&Go 2 in 1 Handheld Garment Care Device go to: Philips
A Black and Paper Production
Photographer:Dale Grant
Stylist:Hercules Terres