Everyone here at Rowallan is bitten by two things…Fashion and Travel.  We love to see the world.  When was the last time you did something for the very first time?

Eat, Pray, Love may not hold your dream destinations but the idea is the same.  Go where you have never been.

Where do you want your journey to begin?  We would love to know.  Post your dream spot and photos on our blog and Facebook pages.  We want to know where your journey begins, what you see and how it changes you.  Don’t forget to dream big!  When you are ready to pack visit our website www.rowallanusa.com. Enter code:  DREAMBIG at checkout.  We want to make sure you have a little extra spending money!

A few blogs that can help you get started can be found at http://www.elliott.org/blog/50-travel-blogs-i-cant-live-without

Croatia

Beautiful Big Sur, California

Ahhh, Ireland

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

Oh, and when you are ready, shoot me an email.  I will help you select the perfect travel choices or just the right accessories to make your dream trip just that…

xxoo, Kathleen

Hello Dear Friends,  this is Kathleen.  I know Fiona keeps you posted on all the comings and goings here.  I wanted to drop in and say hi and give a little gift to our loyal friends and customers.  If you have not shopped for Mom yet….have I got an inside deal for you.  For all the Mom’s out there and those who are like a mother to us and care for us when we need a little TLC, for all those dear dear friends who are a mom to everyone.  You know them.  We all have those special women in our lives.  For me, those people are my sisters.  Great Moms, each one.  Why not recognize them this Mother’s day.  Say I love you (use the phone, not a text).  Remember them….and in that vain here is a little help to get the job done…..

Shop our website this week and take 40% off your purchase.   Simply enter code MOM at checkout. Add expedited shipping in time for delivery by Friday.  You may also place the order by phone by calling our toll free line 1-866-892-5364.

USE CODE MOM FOR YOU DISCOUNT.….Our website address is WWW.ROWALLANUSA.COM

Checkout all the great new items we have added for spring….and treat yourself while your at it.

Being a little overly addicted to fashion, I just happened to be perusing the Neiman Marcus website the other day and came across this…isn’t it beautiful?

Sure, I am a bit biased with Ian working for Rowallan, but this set of Sanderling luggage in Raspberry is gorgeous.  (Not to mention this Spring’s hottest color.) A stunning traveling companion for the fashionista in all of us.

Shown in the photo is:

• “Gabrielle” duffel bag is two bags in one, with the roomy duffel unzipping to create a spacious garment bag; 23.75″W x 10.25″D x 12.5″T.
• “Jenna” rolling suitcase has an external laptop pocket, telescoping handle, and a raincoat; 14.75″W x 8″D x 20″T.
• “Elle” duffel opens to reveal a surprising amount of space; 13.5″W x 11″D x 17″.
• “Samantha” toiletries bag has two zippered, waterproof compartments; 12″W x 5.5″D x 9″T.
• “Marley” zip-out shopper bag is a full-size shopping tote that folds into an envelope that can be tucked into your purse; 14″W x 7″D x 6″T when open.

I found a little more information about the collection on the Rowallan website.  You know what I am getting at, don’t you?  Of course I hit “add to shopping bag” button…I could not help myself.  Looks like yet another tick in the yes column for that second honeymoon…an excuse to use my new luggage!  Ciao for now!

Did you read what Ian wrote?!  Can you believe it?!  It worked…it worked…the hints paid off as a second honeymoon is now in the planning stages!  Any ideas of where we should go?  You know here is an idea…we could follow the path of one of my favorite books, Eat, Pray, Love.  I have been so taken with this book, (hasn’t everyone?) that I even gave a copy to my sister-in-law for Christmas.  I told her that everyone who is anyone has read this book in the States and she needed to as well…by now I bet it has spread all over Scotland!

Have you heard about the new movie?  It is starring one of my favorites, Julia Roberts.  Take a look at the trailer, don’t you just want to dive into it?

Julia is even going to be on Oprah this month to talk about it…I need to mark my calendar so I don’t miss it.  Being so into it, I was talking with Kathleen the other day about how I cannot wait until it comes out in August and she told me the coolest thing…that Rowallan is in the movie as well!  Julia actually carries a Rowallan wallet throughout the film!  That means that Rowallan traveled to Italy, India, and Indonesia with Julia!

I think I have made my decision…I am going to suggest to Ian to follow the movie.  I have already been to Italy…it just seems the most logical thing to do, right?!  India and Indonesia to go!  Of course I could take a page from this girl’s incredible ideas.  What would you do?  Where would your journey begin?

eat pray love

Julia Roberts photos courtesy of Eat Pray Love movie Facebook page.

Ian here…I know my wife, Fiona, has been dominating is the one in charge of this space, but I thought I would interrupt her fashion talk by telling you some news.  As the marketing guru of Rowallan of Scotland USA, I am the one that looks out for Rowallan product in the mainstream.  Did you know that the sequel to Tyler Perry’s, Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married Too just premiered this month?  What a coincidence it came out right after Fiona told you about the mention of Rowallan in the Martha Stewart Bride’s Guide.  All about marriage it seems these days.  (On a side note if you were wondering, yes she asked for that second honeymoon…what did I say?  How could I resist her?  I am sure she will tell you all about it.)

Why am I telling you this…here is the catcher, the actors all toted Rowallan luggage on the set.  How cool is it that Rowallan luggage got to travel all over the Bahamas throughout the film?!  With Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, and Tyler Perry no less.  They featured items from the handsome leather Royal Mile Collection…Turnberry (shown), Kathleen, and Kilmars.  Get to the movies…and let me know if you spot any luggage while you are there!

Ian and I got married rather quickly back in Scotland.  One day I will tell you the whole story…but for now just let me say, it was not a big affair.  I dreamed of having a gigantic wedding and all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it (you know, Princess Diana style), but alas, it was not in the cards for us at the time.  Don’t get me wrong, it was perfectly quaint and I am so lucky to have Ian, but you know how girls can be.

So, I hate to admit it, but sometimes I cannot help myself, I peruse wedding websites from time to time.  One of my favorites is Martha Stewart Weddings…can she do no wrong?  There are so many great ideas there.  So, I was not really surprised when I popped on the Bride’s Guide blog other day and found that they were featuring one of Rowallan‘s fantastic leather duffles, the Edinburgh!  Check it out for yourself here.  I say, what could be more perfect than traveling with Rowallan on your honeymoon?  I am off to tell Ian…I tried many times with the wedding to no luck, maybe I can convince him of at least a second honeymoon?

Rowallan of Scotland is being featured in Lucky Magazine in the Lucky Breaks Giveaways section of the April 2010 issue.  You know, the place were you can win incredible stuff.  Listen to what they said about the collections…

“This 30-year-old company produces truly elegant travel bags, ranging from gorgeous leather duffels and rolling suitcases to sleek laptop bags. We’re particularly enamored with the chic jewelry cases with brass hardware—they look as if they came straight off the set of a Grace Kelly movie.”

If you visit the website, or flip through a copy of Lucky Mag, you can enter to win one of 40 shopping sprees with the collections.  That means that not only do you have the chance to win a rich new set of travel luggage but also anything from handbags to jewelry keeps to purses to wallets.  (Not to mention gifts for the beau and even Mom and Dad!) Did I tell you that the shopping sprees are worth $500 each?  You heard me right…so start clicking on the links, or get down to the grocery store and pick up the mag for your chance to win!  Good Luck!

The most wonderfulest thing happened to me this month…I traveled to Italy.  Yes, I know, jealous aren’t you?  Kathleen, the lovely owner of Rowallan of Scotland, asked me if I would like to accompany her on a trip to Milan.  She was going there to attend MIPEL…La Mostra Internazionale della Pelletteria, a fancy way of saying the International Leather-Goods Show, to search for new manufacturers and trends.  Of course I jumped at the chance to get back over to Europe…Italy is not Scotland no, but on many levels SO much better.

After our very long flight we settled into our hotel where we found we had been upgraded to the Executive Suites…pamper central…just what we needed!  I have to say, thank goodness I had my Maria bag in slate grey with me…small enough to handle the short trip across the pond, and decided at the last minute to throw some cozy scarves, cashmere tights, and my black riding boots into my Kady, because it was COLD.

The next day, with the Alps towering behind us, we entered the MIPEL show and were smacked in the face with beautiful leather goodies!  We collected so many ideas, my Camila bag was the perfect laptop and catalog carrier.  You all are going to love the new bags we dreamed up while we were there.  The Rowallan Collection is really stepping up its game and is  going to be even more luxurious.  I wish I could give you some kind of sneak peek, but the Design Goddess has yet to translate the ideas to samples.  So we all have to wait!

Now in true Fiona fashion, we of course decided we must have a look around Milano…I mean, since we were there, right?  Saturday we were greeted with the clearest day I think the city had ever seen…and even a little warm (that is if you call 45 F warm…better than the snow that they had seen the week before)!  We hit all the sites…the Brera district for lunch where all the cool people are! A quick pop through the Sforza Castle.  Then onto the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II complete with visits to Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more.  Finally a tour of the stunning Duomo or cathedral, a not to be missed site in Milan!

As the sun went down, we sipped a yummy cappuccino in this restaurant bar we happened upon.  Picture perfect end to a beyond picture perfect trip. Ciao…I will be saying that for years now…until next time!

Since this is the first entry, it is only fitting that we start from the beginning.  To introduce myself, my name is Fiona and I am originally from a very small town in Scotland named Kilmaurs located to the southwest of Glasgow.

My husband, Ian, and I have led a very simple life in the rolling green of East Ayrshire until recently when we made a very big decision…we decided to transfer to the warm and sunny South Carolina coast in the United States.

This decision was not exactly happenstance.  You see, Ian has been employed by the maker of fine travel accessories, Rowallan of Scotland, for the past 5 years.  In October 2008, based on the trust and belief of the founding directors that she was the right person to take Rowallan to new heights, the lovely Kathleen McHugh was chosen to be the successor of the company.  When she officially took over the reigns, Kathleen moved the Rowallan headquarters from Scotland to South Carolina, thereby improving not only customer service but giving the line a decidedly American~Scottish partnership and feel.  This opened up a wonderful opportunity for Ian to move up within the ranks of the company and for us to start a whole new exciting life in the Untied States of America…can you believe it?!

With this change also came the exciting news that Kathleen would like for us to become the main spokespersons for the Rowallan of Scotland brand!  So now, Ian and I have the chance to travel the world with Rowallan, spreading the word of their luxurious travel goodies.  I feel so lucky to be able to tag along on the ride and I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to write about our adventures here on this blog.  I cannot wait to get started; we have already seen such wonderful things I would like to share with you.  Just so you know, Ian will stop in every once in a while as well…he does not want to be left out, of course.  We hope that you will join us on our adventures…it is going to be so much fun!