Janet in London with Short hair

Janet Jackson

Click here for a few more shots of Ms Jackson.

a) She looks fab.

b) Why do the Jacksons look so much alike? I know people say my family looks alike but with the Jacksons the resemblances are uncanny.

c) If you’re gonna be in London, being there with an ultra chic short crop is the only way to go. (Can you tell that I’m trying to talk myself into something?)

d) I feel a post about things to do in London coming on. This will be about all the things I’ve been wanting to do in London for most of my life because I haven’t been there since I was 5 or 6 years old.

e) Here’s hoping she does like Solange and keeps it – at least for a while. It’s about time the trends started to turn in favor of short hair.

Celebrity Travel Notes, week May 9, 2010

Venus Williams who is in Spain to play in the Madrid Open tweets that she had to change hotels because the beds were too short. She is 6’1”. As a tall woman myself, I know it’s durn near impossible to sleep in a bed that’s not long enough. Since Venus can’t be the only six footer to stay at this hotel, maybe this establishment needs to look into upgrading their bedding so as to avoid losing future customers. Venus will also play doubles at this tournament with her sister Serena.

Solange Knowles is renting a house for a month in Santa Barbara, CA where she is recording her new album. She tweets that the house has “mountainside ocean views” and “lemon trees, avocados, bees for honey, hooting owls, coyote calls, vineyards all in our back yard”. This sounds lovely and invokes a twinge of nostalgia for the house where I spent most of my childhood – minus the ocean views and the coyote calls. I’m working on ocean views a regular part of my life, and I can always do without the coyotes. But suffice it to say, with all that ambience, it sounds like Ms Knowles can’t help but be inspired to deliver music that’s on point.

When in Venus’ favorite city – Rome

Venus and Serena Williams are in Rome this week to play in the Rome Open. Yesterday Venus tweeked (eeeek! on twitter) about a cockroach in her room. This minor incident aside, Venus says that Rome is her favorite European city – Serena likes the history in Rome but prefers Paris. I’m down for whichever city has better shopping – and of course the overall service. I’m also interested in seeing in Rome is the old architecture other than the Coliseum (for some reason I’m still disturbed by the fight scenes in the movie Gladiator) – and the Vatican.

Click to read a May 2, 2010  interview with Venus and Serena on the BNL D’Italia website translated into English or in Italian.

Travel of course is a different when you’re not a world class tennis player with VIP, and I’ve heard so much about how legendarily expensive Rome is,  however this may not apply to travel and accommodations during a global recession because expedia seems to have plenty of package choices for under USD 2000. A six night stay at the Residence Candia, an aparthotel close to St Peter’s Basilica, a produce market and the metro goes for about USD 1160 per person this summer. This  price includes flight from Reagan National Airport. The close proximity to a market means having your own kitchen is a plus, however a commenter on Expedia warns that this hotel isn’t for  people from the US who aren’t used to living the European way and another mentions that there was noise by partying college students. I have to say the noise factor is a strike against this option. The Courtyard by Marriott, is designed for business travelers and offers a more “standardized” chain hotel experience for just about 100 USD/per night more, but is not close to metro, central Rome or the Vatican, but comes with free shuttle service. Decisions, decisions and quite enough to think about if you plan to attend the Rome Open and see Venus play in her favorite city next year.

Wyclef takes a dip in Puerto Rico

Wyclef took time for a dip in the turquoise blue Caribbean sea in San Juan. He is in Puerto Rico this week for the Billboard Latin Music awards. This year’s Billboard conference schedule includes presentations including a social media review and indie nation where a ““dream team” of experts that will answer every possible question on how to write, record, produce, market, promote, publicize, distribute and sell your artist”. Registration for this conference costs $699 (less if you catch the early registration specials). If you’re a blogger/tweeter/facebooker with a love for music and marketing what a great opportunity to lean a thing, or two, or three to help you along. As a small business person, I’ve paid a lot more for a lot less exposure that didn’t come with opportunities to hear from “dream team” experts, or with networking opportunities. Click here to watch Wyclef take a dip and you’ll swear you can smell the ocean. I’ll be in PR this summer, and this reminds me I can’t wait to be there in person.