In this month’s rundown of vital life improvements we have a two-faced candle, a three-legged stool and 12 notebooks to get you through the coming year.

As 2008 draws to a close and many of our long-term wishes have already come true, there is still the diplomatic issue of gift giving to consider. What do you give family, friends and colleagues who expect high standards…

The passing of the festive season for another year doesn’t mean that gifts and alcohol should be shunned until December. Make a present to yourself of, say, some unique kitchenware or organic soap, kick back with a glass…

Sometimes it takes just one retailer to unite an entire neighbourhood and restore a sense of old-fashioned community between residents and other shop owners, restaurateurs and civil servants. We’ve found 10 doing just that…

The popularity of ‘natural’ cosmetics and remedies has burgeoned, and Austria is one of Europe’s top markets. In Vienna a group of friends with a passion for botany and herbal medicine are championing the use of local…

In this month’s rundown of life improvers, we have some desk accessories to get you sorted, Brazilian cosmetics to keep you smelling sweet and the best après-ski liqueur we’ve tasted.

A family-run company, Clarins’s business strategy has always been about making products that are never discontinued but simply improved upon. This has won it a loyal following and helped to set it apart from other cosmetics…

Things we've got our eye on this month: Pijama sleeves for sleeping laptops, nice white footwear from Sweden and Mallocran salty treats.