Think You're Too Old For The Coachella Music Festival? Not If You Stay In These.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxJ5KnDmJ0axX5SqaQjfpCYa73chaz8f11zeuNXVfdExcuNk7NaEL0mlgQA8iHj1bycFYKsXssyOkNHHLd4tsYKrgITmtOFi1axQxpUSRkGJd3O1Gw4x0ZkRnNzLztMX01z9rEAqF1Lw/s1600-h/l_112996e135c0492e98e2d174f708c543.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430385247765011266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxJ5KnDmJ0axX5SqaQjfpCYa73chaz8f11zeuNXVfdExcuNk7NaEL0mlgQA8iHj1bycFYKsXssyOkNHHLd4tsYKrgITmtOFi1axQxpUSRkGJd3O1Gw4x0ZkRnNzLztMX01z9rEAqF1Lw/s400/l_112996e135c0492e98e2d174f708c543.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 532px; height: 770px;" /></a><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/sharethis.js#publisher=0d650ffe-1ec7-4395-883b-24e806d21a65&type=website"></script><br /><br />Too old to spend three days outdoors in the desert listening to loud music amongst rolling teens? Not if you bunk in one of these babies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Luxury Safari Tents</span> are now offered as onsite lodging at the annual <a href="http://coachella.com/">Coachella</a> music festival for those who don't wish to sleep in crammed nylon tent, a sleeping bag, the back of a car, or use their jacket as a pillow, flick bugs off their bodies or pee in a hole in the ground.<br /><br /><h4>Safari Tent Rentals For On-Site Lodging At The Coachella Music Festival</h4><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWV_4HdfduTuyheyKLorG7QXlcxPKOOPoE6XIX0k-c1zsDX4SBTh1WipEjSmRYAnAeAbBvm-TZCjkEXMciO8UyU0S0ASnp15rZU2461WsTbw3QnfpwBCZhvDvX8APSdqOiH22NG2AUmto/s1600-h/l_2d80d8aa76d34c8bb61f4c2f1c3a5380.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430385523910106722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWV_4HdfduTuyheyKLorG7QXlcxPKOOPoE6XIX0k-c1zsDX4SBTh1WipEjSmRYAnAeAbBvm-TZCjkEXMciO8UyU0S0ASnp15rZU2461WsTbw3QnfpwBCZhvDvX8APSdqOiH22NG2AUmto/s400/l_2d80d8aa76d34c8bb61f4c2f1c3a5380.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 409px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszvz2t1yeeYzATly9HneCx08zvp2KR3dz2zKu-DjpJKHno1UhhZuhsTY1AifYMKFMtMTLrqFbA-8D3qDTdli7flEPRgsNY3TFHZw2KrxraePWagTYkydiXLQoKZbCJTrJspwehnZMsVY/s1600-h/l_aea59768425e404eb0450ffd06794c53.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430384907224400546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszvz2t1yeeYzATly9HneCx08zvp2KR3dz2zKu-DjpJKHno1UhhZuhsTY1AifYMKFMtMTLrqFbA-8D3qDTdli7flEPRgsNY3TFHZw2KrxraePWagTYkydiXLQoKZbCJTrJspwehnZMsVY/s400/l_aea59768425e404eb0450ffd06794c53.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 410px;" /></a><br /><br />This is the only way to obtain an all access pass to Coachella (unless you know one of the bands). This exclusive area will include, your own separate check-in location, fully furnished shakir style tents with air conditioning, restrooms & showers, golf cart shuttles to and from stages, free private parking lot, drop off area, breakfast and late night snacks, added security, outdoor chairs, shade tents + outdoor lighting, games and more<br /><br />They don't come cheap, but they are certainly a memorable, romantic and comfortable way to experience the festival. Oh, and did I mention they don't come cheap?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">$5000 </span>(+ applicable charges) for the first 2 people.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">$1000 </span>for each additional person to stay in your tent.<br /><br /><strong>Fully furnished awaiting your arrival. (2 person, includes festival access)</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XEPK8asJnIb6GFcwqnBNSs2gmSfqo5whyphenhyphenzBVuE4-JS0cBoaZAZUh7th3n2FoTCPiPyELfqOz07MDoG9UqSTZeNhduS7Ukgre-vgIQBUAffVvFdENpkOVXy8Rzdq9TyjfSEtdx2HAWgg/s1600-h/l_075a6b530fb441a9b72609d36281832c.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430385398745927202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XEPK8asJnIb6GFcwqnBNSs2gmSfqo5whyphenhyphenzBVuE4-JS0cBoaZAZUh7th3n2FoTCPiPyELfqOz07MDoG9UqSTZeNhduS7Ukgre-vgIQBUAffVvFdENpkOVXy8Rzdq9TyjfSEtdx2HAWgg/s400/l_075a6b530fb441a9b72609d36281832c.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 525px; height: 349px;" /></a><br /><br />There are only a limited amount of these (2 person) Shikar style tents being made available. Access to this area will be solely limited to Safari tent wristband holders. These are the highest end of elegance and sophistication with luxury interiors, fully furnished for your choice of either sleeping or lounging.<br /><br />Sleeping tents come with choice of two twin or 1 queen size bed, linens, tables, flooring, pillows, chairs, <strong style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal;">AIR conditioning</strong>, electrical outlets and more. (you can bring that laptop!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nVzLctSxQkyGDszwxJimojDGquZCqILesiyT8BKqCcb0ZL2gFNldza4OMDAc6M_p4SuALfDkNVsr1J1Gi3gqg_LoZ3nmLRaNcTA3Nqt3_CrQgL4by5KDrCrGxJtdy8NlL3gwaBCnD0g/s1600-h/l_a3975ab3a0d94359bf14fa47483580ab.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430384982965278914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2nVzLctSxQkyGDszwxJimojDGquZCqILesiyT8BKqCcb0ZL2gFNldza4OMDAc6M_p4SuALfDkNVsr1J1Gi3gqg_LoZ3nmLRaNcTA3Nqt3_CrQgL4by5KDrCrGxJtdy8NlL3gwaBCnD0g/s400/l_a3975ab3a0d94359bf14fa47483580ab.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 527px; height: 350px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RWYzTY-hGS91EMHYF303_yKVvceiJUqSfLglHL9rqMNv1mc2vttPbzIlK3qASWD-gFjh-vRzIg4makz21-oVAUL1grOo0SKWtiLv994PQskkJT-7zDuJwz3cLVE1xNpUDhlJPP5io8A/s1600-h/l_9164902afedf4e2c9dc014e4e9004ddc.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430385117330401730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RWYzTY-hGS91EMHYF303_yKVvceiJUqSfLglHL9rqMNv1mc2vttPbzIlK3qASWD-gFjh-vRzIg4makz21-oVAUL1grOo0SKWtiLv994PQskkJT-7zDuJwz3cLVE1xNpUDhlJPP5io8A/s400/l_9164902afedf4e2c9dc014e4e9004ddc.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJaLcY5DswtRQ7cI9q11rJg1kKiaws0cZ4ScUbfXoLe87DzGCcGVC_I_3kAe23ABSUrvwfxdY0MeVIE6a-uTH3_2cwsSOeGDZST8noLKpi7GxwmrFd_9AcwsWquZ2S4klx8A6EW71WQ/s1600-h/l_24141951c72147a8805ae57cf840dcad.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430385047892779602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJaLcY5DswtRQ7cI9q11rJg1kKiaws0cZ4ScUbfXoLe87DzGCcGVC_I_3kAe23ABSUrvwfxdY0MeVIE6a-uTH3_2cwsSOeGDZST8noLKpi7GxwmrFd_9AcwsWquZ2S4klx8A6EW71WQ/s400/l_24141951c72147a8805ae57cf840dcad.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />•Purchasing these special luxury accommodations includes 2 ALL ACCESS "Main Stage" wristbands with special shuttles taking you inside the venue.<br /><br />Festival wristbands and tent assignment (1st come first serve) will be distributed onsite at the Onsite Lodging area.<br /><br /><h3> Safari Tent Rules & Info: </h3> <p> <strong>*</strong> All lodging attendees MUST be <strong>18 years of age or older</strong> & have a valid I.D.. or accompanied by parent or legal guardian.<br /><strong>*</strong> Safari Tents open at noon on Thursday 4/15/10.<br /><strong>* </strong>There will be on-site security at all times as well as first aid stations open 24/7.<br /><strong>*</strong> All Safari Tent attendees are subject to search upon entry.<br />* Safari Tent attendees may visit the other onsite camping areas however onsite campers will not be allowed into the Safari Tent area.<strong></strong><strong><br />*</strong> Feel free to bring your own food and beverages into onsite lodging. Please visit the bottom of the <a href="http://coachella.com/camping/carcamping" target="_blank"> Car/Tent camping page</a> to review the rules for onsite camping.<br /><strong>*</strong> No glass containers, weapons, drug paraphernalia or drugs allowed.<br /><strong>*</strong> No animals will be allowed in onsite lodging.<br /><strong>*</strong> Safari Tent attendees are expected to behave in a manner that is courteous to other lodgers. Noise curfew at 2:00am.<br />* Venue/Promoter are not responsible for any materials misplaced, lost or stolen. It is recommended you don't bring valuable items or if you do, please lock them in your car for safety.<br />* Damages to Safari Tents will be billed directly to your credit card.</p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1uomRMfAUnJzlD5pbn5tHU4BoPFSvsyVpKJ2lQO1HclSRS3hsyoHSx1_l0GFUu98t9NFnAJDMHzdQf74-bVDXxxhnoRshYo9JgObRZbloxWWwPWoiIHmDO0Uc5Nbf6FqL99Ne8nC3ko/s1600-h/tent1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430392987580476002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1uomRMfAUnJzlD5pbn5tHU4BoPFSvsyVpKJ2lQO1HclSRS3hsyoHSx1_l0GFUu98t9NFnAJDMHzdQf74-bVDXxxhnoRshYo9JgObRZbloxWWwPWoiIHmDO0Uc5Nbf6FqL99Ne8nC3ko/s400/tent1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 132px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaouYeE69CGvw-vKZhftAHP8mgvR9-NGP700TgZwerUQQITln18SlW-tALBcQqzbErcj99s6XpuadgUz4IX4kCY2g95hAAWbKEELwIogeRxOHt8n1GDsyl7uidrkCGo2t0yClFLHAaw2o/s1600-h/tent2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430392595536368722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaouYeE69CGvw-vKZhftAHP8mgvR9-NGP700TgZwerUQQITln18SlW-tALBcQqzbErcj99s6XpuadgUz4IX4kCY2g95hAAWbKEELwIogeRxOHt8n1GDsyl7uidrkCGo2t0yClFLHAaw2o/s400/tent2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 131px;" /></a><br /><br />Call <span style="font-weight: bold;"> 888.833.1031</span> TO BOOK THIS PACKAGE ($1000 for each additional person staying in your tent.)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coachella Music Festival, 2010- April 16, 17 and 18</span></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMoIEXYh8XrFOvIssci_eUX8I-CiMgMMH7vUk4GDtH73NUhzXYHL7AvdPiZnT3r28aE5mRhr2mA_dJ-bmRRhYOrkR9oXrimdnJUifPKkDuPa7KuL5aIkxNHVvp8GYQ9Vv-IdB67pZhPI/s1600-h/Picture+22.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430394554270473202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMoIEXYh8XrFOvIssci_eUX8I-CiMgMMH7vUk4GDtH73NUhzXYHL7AvdPiZnT3r28aE5mRhr2mA_dJ-bmRRhYOrkR9oXrimdnJUifPKkDuPa7KuL5aIkxNHVvp8GYQ9Vv-IdB67pZhPI/s400/Picture+22.png" style="cursor: pointer; width: 534px; height: 152px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno6iKm1ehm-jqCnA1Ig1aioo9L_KQ601rYuTAHO2UF_kGC289jl881rIwS7srWqVMtT7lOiOnxrLldTX66gzv-SgKjZki3Bseua_35isliVllb8wSWwbBUZkOvREkKcG8IicihbvaYGc/s1600-h/Picture+24.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430398402535935826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjno6iKm1ehm-jqCnA1Ig1aioo9L_KQ601rYuTAHO2UF_kGC289jl881rIwS7srWqVMtT7lOiOnxrLldTX66gzv-SgKjZki3Bseua_35isliVllb8wSWwbBUZkOvREkKcG8IicihbvaYGc/s400/Picture+24.png" style="cursor: pointer; width: 533px; height: 347px;" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">images and info courtesy of Valley Music Travel</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >This year's Coachella 2010 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >line </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >up:</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7BYNUR4mG006Sz3GsI2YKVo2HHcbLO9duQAU6mLUgEZPbLkcQvXdGGRo2dzJbCujFS4OzQV5O9YBuT6K7AbUEti-TAG_L0ARYmqOJUt5PCBjtOlFOuLKfcrV8v0Y8cm1rBNN3vu21Vo/s1600-h/Picture+25.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430402178685289138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7BYNUR4mG006Sz3GsI2YKVo2HHcbLO9duQAU6mLUgEZPbLkcQvXdGGRo2dzJbCujFS4OzQV5O9YBuT6K7AbUEti-TAG_L0ARYmqOJUt5PCBjtOlFOuLKfcrV8v0Y8cm1rBNN3vu21Vo/s400/Picture+25.png" style="cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 403px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://valleymusictravel.com/coachella_tents.php">•more information about reserving the tents here</a><br /><a href="http://www.coachella.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">•Coachella 2010</a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Note: this post was inspired by my friend, Rich Siegel, and his fondness for yurts. He probably is too old for Coachella, but he writes a brilliant and hilarious blog. Check it out:</span></span></p><p><a href="http://www.roundseventeen.blogspot.com/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431705128331407666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTT3mrXChFleFpCxdsooIBxQcSk77GxN4AlZUKAreEzuvL2kgy5p_atxwJjMvccNujnGrB1j0x4K5_wvKDZYq_6jzIyWZVCEwhw6f-IpLv-LXIBQvVvfsPpaaFm5fGlMI76ve9Vud__g/s400/Picture+10.png" style="cursor: pointer; width: 535px; height: 92px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://roundseventeen.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">Round Seventeen</a></p><p><br /><br /></p>

Think You're Too Old For The Coachella Music Festival? Not If You Stay In These.

Too old to spend three days outdoors in the desert listening to loud music amongst rolling teens? Not if you bunk in one of these babies. Lu...

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Consumers Starting to Tighten Their Belts (especially if they're Coach)

<div class="storytimestamp">Coach and Nordstrom are among the luxury retailers warning of a slowdown, reports Fortune's Suzanne Kapner.<br /></div><p>(Fortune) -- It's not just the <a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=WMT&source=story_quote_link">Wal-Mart</a> (<a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/chart/chart.html?symb=WMT&source=story_charts_link">Charts</a>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/1551.html?source=story_f500_link">Fortune 500</a>) shopper who's feeling pinched.<br /><br />Worried about the health of the economy, affluent shoppers are increasingly thinking twice before splurging on new handbags or designer clothing, analysts and industry executives say. Their hesitation is sending ripples of concern through the lower rungs of the luxury market once thought impervious to a slowdown.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2avOoEe1cAymQ_Z7CtZUaKz1VkXiy9-Vd2GTmTzpzif5-WN1Nm6D7Sp15ki8iLJeJRBBk0eeU1rXdL4-MyxJJEkFSm7PYEfWUCXNOxeEp-wpQLdRBGye4AijMIyzFPnjdDqPlRKpYdbgo/s1600-h/luxury.03.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125451498782697618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2avOoEe1cAymQ_Z7CtZUaKz1VkXiy9-Vd2GTmTzpzif5-WN1Nm6D7Sp15ki8iLJeJRBBk0eeU1rXdL4-MyxJJEkFSm7PYEfWUCXNOxeEp-wpQLdRBGye4AijMIyzFPnjdDqPlRKpYdbgo/s400/luxury.03.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></p><p><a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=JWN&source=story_quote_link">Nordstrom</a> (<a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/chart/chart.html?symb=JWN&source=story_charts_link">Charts</a>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/957.html?source=story_f500_link">Fortune 500</a>) and <a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=COH&source=story_quote_link">Coach</a> (<a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/chart/chart.html?symb=COH&source=story_charts_link">Charts</a>) are among the upscale companies that have warned of weaker-than-expected sales in recent weeks, suggesting that the heady growth of recent years may finally be hitting a wall of consumer anxiety tied to a topsy-turvy stock market and a mortgage crisis that is threatening to engulf the middle class. <!--endclickprintexclude--><!-- /REAP --></p><p>Pam Danziger, the founder of Unity Marketing who interviews 1,000 consumers every three months for her luxury tracking study, said that the "mass affluent," or those with household incomes $75,000 to $150,000, curtailed luxury purchases by 20 percent in the most recent quarter. "That's the biggest drop we've seen since we started collecting this data in 2004," Danziger said.</p><p>If the slowdown continues, luxury retailers could be hard hit. To appeal to a broader demographic, companies from <a href="http://www.tiffany.com/">Tiffany</a> to Valentino have courted mass affluent shoppers with new lines at lower prices. The mass affluent account for 23 percent of households, compared to less than 2 percent for those with incomes upwards of $250,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.</p><p>These households, with incomes of $75,000 to $150,000, make up 23 percent of the population, and it's "the marginally wealthy who are feeling a bit less well off," said Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a research group that studies behavioral habits of the rich.</p><p>Even the rosiest scenarios expect luxury sales, which now total $226 billion worldwide, to slow slightly from the torrid pace of recent years. Bain & Co. predicts nominal sales growth of 7 percent to 9 percent, slightly less than the 9 percent growth of 2006. At the same time, much of that growth is now coming from emerging markets in India and China, not from the United States. </p><p>"While it would be inaccurate to say there is a major slowdown, the luxury market has cooled a bit from the peak levels we had seen," said Stephen Sadove, chief executive of <a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=SKS&source=story_quote_link">Saks</a> (<a href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/chart/chart.html?symb=SKS&source=story_charts_link">Charts</a>). </p><p>Sadove pointed to a strong correlation between luxury shoppers and the stock market, particularly among men. "In early September, when there was turmoil in the markets, we saw slower sales in our men's business, though it has since bounced back," he said.</p><!-- REAP --><!--startclickprintexclude--><div class="inStoryHeading"> <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/30/magazines/fortune/mass_vs_class.fortune/index.htm">The Age of McLuxury</a> </div> <!--endclickprintexclude--><!-- /REAP --><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJF2Ka2s1IkHCJp41BRCwgO78DSmNuKhxewNlupf0Mhg3CLraDEF-a7d8UuGFJWR9IsnbwGxYJ5jWBxAmMhEQZT_24PtEEkqNhdd7uUMRVE3Sr4yKzOf_jzmheSTvaot_QZVFQHK_YY9M/s1600-h/coachlogos.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125450648379172994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJF2Ka2s1IkHCJp41BRCwgO78DSmNuKhxewNlupf0Mhg3CLraDEF-a7d8UuGFJWR9IsnbwGxYJ5jWBxAmMhEQZT_24PtEEkqNhdd7uUMRVE3Sr4yKzOf_jzmheSTvaot_QZVFQHK_YY9M/s400/coachlogos.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.coach.com/">Coach</a> spooked investors on Tuesday when it said it was seeing fewer than expected shoppers in stores in California, Florida and the Northeast. The company is a bellwether for the mass affluent, having helped create the category when it reinvented itself several years ago as a status brand minus the sticker shock. </p><p>After years of double-digit sales growth, Coach investors are beginning to worry about a slowdown. The stock is off 32 percent in the past six months. As of midday, the shares were trading at $36.88, near their 52-week low of $36.15. </p><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrN3tvJ5bptupHWpvdCtboi0VpR1xeVQBQNM9iQHSIfWOtyOFX8Q25BIoIPIVycm0k-L4rSpEiquDkx8TCtduXqCOpTYG4SwvN0hVrt2Avg9JoaPFMJ-E4YtBaoAGt065GyKt3ORLI2_6/s1600-h/Picture+4.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125453238244452514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrN3tvJ5bptupHWpvdCtboi0VpR1xeVQBQNM9iQHSIfWOtyOFX8Q25BIoIPIVycm0k-L4rSpEiquDkx8TCtduXqCOpTYG4SwvN0hVrt2Avg9JoaPFMJ-E4YtBaoAGt065GyKt3ORLI2_6/s400/Picture+4.png" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></p><p><i>Above: chart shows COACH stock price history for the past 6 months</i><br /></p><p>Though still priced well below designer handbags, <a href="http://www.coach.com/">Coach</a> has quietly gotten more expensive, a fact that may make it "less accessible to a certain demographic challenged by higher fuel costs and lower housing values," wrote Todd Slater of Lazard Capital Markets in a research note yesterday. Slater estimates that the average Coach bag has seen a price increase of 30 percent over the last few years, with $400 handbags now accounting for a quarter of the company's overall sales. </p><p>Another retailer that has courted the mass affluent shopper is Nordstrom. The company recently cut its third quarter earnings guidance after September sales came in below plan and inventory piled up on store shelves. Michael Boyd, a spokesman, said women's apparel was among the weaker areas, although sales of designer clothing and handbags remained strong. Nordstrom shares are also trading near their 52-week low of $37.80.</p><!-- REAP --><!--startclickprintexclude--><div class="inStoryHeading"> <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/28/magazines/fortune/Bling_beating_markets.fortune/index.htm">Does bling beat the market?</a> </div> <!--endclickprintexclude--><!-- /REAP --><p>To be sure, not all luxury retailers are feeling the pain. As Danziger noted, the super rich continue to snap up $20,000 <a href="http://www.louisvuitton.com/">Louis Vuitton</a> handbags and $200,000 Cartier watches. And Cartier's parent, Swiss luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont, which recently reported a 20 percent sales increase at its specialty watch division, said its biggest concern was not a softening economy, but its ability to keep up with demand.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrMVfeZ5tI7aZdMXitw-MwXjq-98DFPZrHV00Ss2UN4MV1vW7rezIHfmxfuxz53ceyl5AkpipKcdKmHheUUJfrUqfTN0nG4muYmU9hkGp_e1AbKQAvnrIbS95xifaVa8V3QeE9ns2hkbJ/s1600-h/0_FMBOW2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125455080785422514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrMVfeZ5tI7aZdMXitw-MwXjq-98DFPZrHV00Ss2UN4MV1vW7rezIHfmxfuxz53ceyl5AkpipKcdKmHheUUJfrUqfTN0nG4muYmU9hkGp_e1AbKQAvnrIbS95xifaVa8V3QeE9ns2hkbJ/s400/0_FMBOW2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a></p><p><i> Above: 2007 Louis Vuitton magazine ad with Scarlett Johanssen & handbag bearing their signature monogram</i><br /></p><p>While there have been signs of softness at the lower end of the luxury spectrum, analysts disagree over how much of it is the result of tighter purse strings versus unusually warm weather, which keep shoppers away from malls.</p><p>"I don't see a big change in spending for households with income of $100,000 and above," said Michael Silverstein, a senior vice president with the Boston Consulting Group and co-author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trading-Up-New-American-Luxury/dp/1591840139">"Trading Up: The New American Luxury,"</a> which chronicles how middle class buying habits have shifted to more upscale products. </p><p>Silverstein points out that, despite the recent market roller coaster, stocks are still buoyant, unemployment is low and corporate profits are at record levels. All three factors should keep the mass affluent spending, he says. </p><p>But other observers warn that those on the cusp of real wealth may not prove quite so resilient. </p><p>"To think that this customer is immune to the ups and downs of the economy is simply not correct," said Danziger, of Unity Marketing. "They may not be defaulting on their mortgages, but there's a good chance their homes are not worth as much as they were last year - and as a result they don't feel as rich." <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/24/news/companies/luxury_slowdown.fortune/?postversion=2007102508#TOP"><img alt="Top of page" border="0" height="7" src="http://i.cnn.net/money/images/bug.gif" width="7" /></a></p><br /><br />article above By Suzanne Kapner, images and headline were added for your enjoyment

Consumers Starting to Tighten Their Belts (especially if they're Coach)

Coach and Nordstrom are among the luxury retailers warning of a slowdown, reports Fortune's Suzanne Kapner. (Fortune) -- It's not ju...

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Coachella Going Hollywood?

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BCPDC_7MtX-JCZx7hQcFLuvuf9M9N0x0HSsNMSKyzYYilX5mwrtgZjBcGkY311oY4nqOlmweKJ4ouQbVR_L0IDetRe88fvbqsqxg0EhhdOH8EBbHbwQpBvhXBUp8-INywsyMWCGrFVgR/s1600-h/29coachella_crowd.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059608732502571842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BCPDC_7MtX-JCZx7hQcFLuvuf9M9N0x0HSsNMSKyzYYilX5mwrtgZjBcGkY311oY4nqOlmweKJ4ouQbVR_L0IDetRe88fvbqsqxg0EhhdOH8EBbHbwQpBvhXBUp8-INywsyMWCGrFVgR/s400/29coachella_crowd.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,San Serif;">The crowd at day one of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, in Indio, Calif.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDX_WfkIXpK4-A5PU4oooBRXy1AQvSSBOD9uBQqVvnunmdW91aZTDwi8NrPJitullzCgI36fHmsiruN1_mXPwRTDnm6r7HbLhEl8FQb_DKqVMzYxPU8Pex60peGTltBFbncmqBxwkfd0_j/s1600-h/28scarlet.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059607328048266018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDX_WfkIXpK4-A5PU4oooBRXy1AQvSSBOD9uBQqVvnunmdW91aZTDwi8NrPJitullzCgI36fHmsiruN1_mXPwRTDnm6r7HbLhEl8FQb_DKqVMzYxPU8Pex60peGTltBFbncmqBxwkfd0_j/s400/28scarlet.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><span class="caption"><i>Scarlett Johansson on stage with The Jesus & Mary Chain at Coachella. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)</i><br /></span>As rumored, Scarlett Johansson joined a reunited Jesus and Mary Chain for a performance of “Just Like Honey,” which played as the credits rolled during Ms. Johansson’s film “Lost in Translation.”<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICpxZ5BLl-b5GwPZYYQCvWZZd3R_LvgGknQyzYWJQXCpxTUfuZDglikEwedoBnJsl3krXshq3Q2KrMRr5rSHSqT7FxR3Jg2j4-V1GKhlD9JE7P_nPC0DrAmd-NB6A9ZQqqr52XY6UrQ-4/s1600-h/29coachella_bjork.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059608376020286258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICpxZ5BLl-b5GwPZYYQCvWZZd3R_LvgGknQyzYWJQXCpxTUfuZDglikEwedoBnJsl3krXshq3Q2KrMRr5rSHSqT7FxR3Jg2j4-V1GKhlD9JE7P_nPC0DrAmd-NB6A9ZQqqr52XY6UrQ-4/s400/29coachella_bjork.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,San Serif;">Bjork's new touring ensemble features backup singers playing an array of horns and plenty of electronic equipment. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONAFuAlkRkdhR4hqDvLB4k2RW1gH9Imcb9WrEbMBBU6Lz6pnqrPYjH5I5gj8SdXg-HLd0boOrwXnJggm343KfGagymo8B4DMS7SsJvUIB7oB5gfmf21POl2ieCKrS230D8-H3R8jxoVZg/s1600-h/Coach1650.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059598630739491538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONAFuAlkRkdhR4hqDvLB4k2RW1gH9Imcb9WrEbMBBU6Lz6pnqrPYjH5I5gj8SdXg-HLd0boOrwXnJggm343KfGagymo8B4DMS7SsJvUIB7oB5gfmf21POl2ieCKrS230D8-H3R8jxoVZg/s400/Coach1650.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br />Coachella: View From the VIP Trailer Park<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br />by Jeff Leeds for the NY Yimes<br /></span><div class="post-info"><span><a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/author/jleeds/" title="Posts by Jeff Leeds"></a></span> <p class="post-tags"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,San Serif;" >Photos By Rahav Segev for The New York Times</span></p> </div><!-- end post-info --> <div class="post-content"> <p>Indio, Calif. – If performers are going to come all the way out here, they might as well experience the desert lifestyle, which in this part of California often involves spending time in an RV. Coachella approximates this experience by stowing its artists in a sort of upscale trailer park tucked away on one side of the polo grounds. Virtually every performer, from the co-headlining Red Hot Chili Peppers on down, spends time here, idling between the rows of trailers (they are spruced up with white picket fences and little lawn tables for entertaining guests).<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxki8PORRxlfTqsilWzpkNE6KhVaxDKbG50TQ26aUBNchpD4SGUAV5Vpm8iyWV878i0cdKw7-1A2fFBinW04LHz-V5l_cHV2lF-LnSTtSZpxMOWaCrpsf9sGj9bqg0-axriJQ-28bx8-x/s1600-h/29coch.redhot.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059598789653281506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxki8PORRxlfTqsilWzpkNE6KhVaxDKbG50TQ26aUBNchpD4SGUAV5Vpm8iyWV878i0cdKw7-1A2fFBinW04LHz-V5l_cHV2lF-LnSTtSZpxMOWaCrpsf9sGj9bqg0-axriJQ-28bx8-x/s400/29coch.redhot.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><i>above: Red Hot Chili Peppers at Coachella</i></p> <p>A tent housing a masseuse sits at the end of one row, and in the center of the encampment is a shaded lounge stocked with sofas. Coachella regular Cameron Diaz sat on the grass sharing a drink with three companions, while Courtney Love sat at a table inside CSS’s fence and seemed intent on making a point about what she described as two of the best albums of the 1990’s (unclear on which ones she meant).</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNxJExP3phDHogA8-U2ifm1q8tikgqK0N7UYcj4p1nR8q18ik2xNxUzGqjqvDEL1iEacWvddeXZrqUagYoi4PC9Y1foUQFvsZYdgh4XC1COb6QFGy9IT1b_QUjc0sVjcl_axLJln01jw3/s1600-h/28coch.travis.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059599528387656434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNxJExP3phDHogA8-U2ifm1q8tikgqK0N7UYcj4p1nR8q18ik2xNxUzGqjqvDEL1iEacWvddeXZrqUagYoi4PC9Y1foUQFvsZYdgh4XC1COb6QFGy9IT1b_QUjc0sVjcl_axLJln01jw3/s400/28coch.travis.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><i>above:<span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,San Serif;">Francis Healy of the band Travis</span></i></p><p>Artists who walk out toward the VIP area pass by the tent of Andrew Haagen, the festival’s resident photographer. Mr. Haagen, who briefly emerged the other day holding two sticks of incense, spends most of his time shooting portraits inside. He displayed some of his handiwork, including pictures of Flea and Lady Sovereign, on the grass outside.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxe4pOh-5mvJpe-u7qo3uy6slWUrtT9sshegcasyN06HALLl_Hl8FWlyX3gmMRnuS8eNQ3FDBTGcDLRM8nsJ8gMqytPo2VB5pzmGIlZZRckaZ5ISKYEZfPJZvHKqI4mXdYt8RlG3h088F/s1600-h/28coch.rapture.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059600576359676690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxe4pOh-5mvJpe-u7qo3uy6slWUrtT9sshegcasyN06HALLl_Hl8FWlyX3gmMRnuS8eNQ3FDBTGcDLRM8nsJ8gMqytPo2VB5pzmGIlZZRckaZ5ISKYEZfPJZvHKqI4mXdYt8RlG3h088F/s400/28coch.rapture.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><i>above: The Rapture</i> </p> <p>Of course, the later in the day it gets – and the closer to the performances of the headliners – the more the camp resembles the Hollywood club circuit. Lindsay Lohan, wearing a thrashed T-shirt and carrying a packet of cigarettes, rolled in Sunday around 9:30 p.m. – about an hour before the reunited Rage Against the Machine took the stage.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsqgGLOyn7rGueYq2AF5qnm5agy_vkkImH-lakcl9_o03yw__uPNylmo9ZGXHcqdgmXTAuyHfct2St0bobtrTxJzTPS7-2Y6wTrLCOWaxus2Wdy3tcomxrON0IYfw1TROGAL1fNirAkBR/s1600-h/28coch.misttent.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059599734546086658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsqgGLOyn7rGueYq2AF5qnm5agy_vkkImH-lakcl9_o03yw__uPNylmo9ZGXHcqdgmXTAuyHfct2St0bobtrTxJzTPS7-2Y6wTrLCOWaxus2Wdy3tcomxrON0IYfw1TROGAL1fNirAkBR/s400/28coch.misttent.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><i>Above:<span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,San Serif;">Revelers cool off in a "mist tent."</span></i></p> <p>Coachella, take heed: you just went mainstream.</p><hr /><br /><p></p><p>...and from the SF Chronicle:<br /></p><p>Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Jason Statham and Adam Brody gave the three-day Coachella Festival some real star power, as they headed out to the California desert to catch acts like Bjork, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the reunited Jesus & Mary Chain. </p><p>Diaz joined Barrymore and Alba backstage on Friday but appeared to be solo as she wandered around the VIP area before the Red Hot Chili Peppers' performance Saturday night.</p> <p> Wearing all white and a pair of beige knee-length boots, Diaz spent 15 minutes trying to avoid the star spotters backstage, while frantically texting friends.</p><p> Johansson actually took to the stage -- she performed "Just Like Honey" with the Jesus & Mary Chain on Friday night. The song appeared on the soundtrack to the actress' hit film "Lost In Translation."</p> <p>"The Transporter" star Statham rocked out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while former "The O.C." actor Adam Brody chilled out with friends backstage.</p><p> Among the other movie stars spotted at Coachella were Danny De Vito, who was at the festival for the second year in a row, porn star Ron Jeremy, who introduced controversial rocker Peaches on Friday night, and Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald, who joined husband Dougie Payne and his band Travis backstage on Saturday night. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP-2OAJIcECoeA39E9nZQDgFpHr3hatVhvRC8xJjwkvA3Zh-LuNLznOlH-YkPBqcuGeEcb4d1u2a-ZMHUNcQkcXG8ylMTP3aANCuZmvI1lNLydnwsfWmUsv6uoJasJI5Od4gIro9BzYTm/s1600-h/28coch.fan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059610957295631186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP-2OAJIcECoeA39E9nZQDgFpHr3hatVhvRC8xJjwkvA3Zh-LuNLznOlH-YkPBqcuGeEcb4d1u2a-ZMHUNcQkcXG8ylMTP3aANCuZmvI1lNLydnwsfWmUsv6uoJasJI5Od4gIro9BzYTm/s400/28coch.fan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><i>Above: A NON-celebrity enjoys the event. </i><br /><br /><br /></div>

Coachella Going Hollywood?

The crowd at day one of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, in Indio, Calif. Scarlett Johansson on stage with The Jesus & Mary...

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