Playboy’s London Megastore Wrong on So Many Levels

by Iva Skoch on

Here at gadling, we are quick to bash the megalomanic American exports ranging from Starbucks and hamburgers to bad movies. It is not that we don’t want American companies to succeed abroad. You just don’t want to see home-grown fast-food chains when traveling to Southeast Asia.

I can’t help but cringe when I analyze some of the crap America exports. Even worse, that others think America IS that crap.

Take Playboy, for example. Their new store–largest in the world–just opened right in the heart of London, on Oxford Street. If you are like me and have no idea that there is such a thing as a Playboy store, you must wonder: do they sell those heavily airbrushed, half-plastic, no-way-they-could-survive-in-the-age-of-HDTV women? They don’t. It is worse than that.

They sell what they call luxury goods: clothes (apparently competing with Diesel), cosmetics and branded knick-knacks to anyone who thinks buying a hat with the bunny head logo on it is living dangerously. The Playboy store doesn’t even display the magazine or any sex toys. What? We complain about Starbucks taking over the world one caffeinated step at a time but at least they actually sell coffee, not pictures of coffee.

Giant Ads Seen From the Air

by Catherine Bodry on

Companies are always looking for new ways to advertise their products. In Anchorage, I’ve noticed a large truck that just drives around town flashing ads on its sides. I think they’re calling this a “moving billboard.” I’m calling it a waste of gas.

Well, someone came up with another brilliant idea to capture consumers’ attention: giant ads the size of three football fields aimed at plane passengers coming in to land. The UK’s Ad-Air launched this new service last week, offering brands ad space near some of the world’s busiest runways. The company has spent the last 5 years securing space around several major airports, which include Heathrow, Paris, and Los Angeles.

The first giant ad will appear near Dubai’s airport in October.

Where Are The Most Expensive Hotels? Moscow Tops The List, For One …

by Martha Edwards on

Airfare might be getting more affordable, but even if you get to a destination, you might not be able to get a place to stay, especially if you find yourself in Moscow, Venice, New York, Amsterdam or London. In Moscow, for instance, four-star accommodations average 332 euros a night.

But all hope’s not lost — you just might have to change your vacation plans a bit. Cape Town, South Africa; Guangzhou, China and Orlando, Florida are among the most affordable places to stay. In addition, Cairo, Frankfurt, Budapest and Berlin have the best-priced four-star accomodations. So, if you’re looking into a European vacation, travelling Eastern Europe is your best bet — Poland and Hungary in particular. Sure, there’s no Big Ben, but you’ll beat the horrific crowds too.

For more handy travel stats, check out this article.

The OzBus Diaries: London to Sydney Via Bus Blog

by Justin Glow on

If Brett’s article on the London-to-Sydney-via-bus adventure peaked your interest, but you don’t have the $7,500 to spare for the trip, check out the blog of one of the travelers: The OzBus Diaries.

“Ok so we are now just over a week away from departure and I am in the zone. Finally the urgency of impending departure has sunk in, getting everything done in time is now a challenge and one I am happy to take on.”

There hasn’t been an update in over a week, but here’s to hoping net cafes are easier to come by in the future. I still haven’t decided if spending 12 weeks on a bus full of the same people sounds fun or not. The travel, sure, but one bad egg could make it a very miserable jaunt around the world. [via]

Average Meal in London now the Most Expensive in the World

by Neil Woodburn on

Well, this is hardly a surprise: London has been awarded the honor of being the most expensive city in the world for dining out.

According to a recent article in the Guardian, a typical three-course meal and a glass of wine now costs an average of $79 per person in the British capital. Ouch!

Paris takes second place with $72. Tokyo averages $71 while New York comes in at a comparatively cheap $39.

The data is based upon the ubiquitous Zagat Guide. The most recent London edition has just been published and the 2.9% increase in the average cost of a meal from last year’s edition has concerned local foodies. As for myself, London just keeps dropping lower and lower on my list of places to visit. I’d rather just hang out in New York where the food is half the cost. And, of course, much tastier!