Iceland's Arctic comes to Soho

66°North, the most popular (and stylish) brand of outerwear in Iceland, has a toehold in the fashion capital of the U.S. The brand will host its products at a temporary retail store located at 158 Mercer Street from 1 November through 30 December 2005.

The 66°North brand has been tested and developed for decades during the long, dark Icelandic winters and in the bright lights of the Reykjavik social scene. 66°North has come to symbolize durable, technologically advanced and stylish cold weather gear. It is the brand chosen by the Icelandic Search and Rescue Teams to wear during their missions. The name itself derives from the latitude of the Arctic Circle.

“We have a rare opportunity to introduce a brand that is truly authentic, one with deep cultural roots that has a captivating story to tell. I expect that New Yorkers will discover the many facets of 66°North and we will become a brand as trusted and treasured as we are in Europe,” said Sharon Prince, President, 66°North.
For more information please visit www.66northus.com.

Purest Country = Purest Water

It’s really that simple. The country of Iceland and its people have a long-standing tradition of caring for their natural surroundings. They are blessed with the ability to use clean geothermal and hydroelectric power for most of their energy needs and the jet stream blows the industrial impurities from Europe and the U.S. away from the island nation. The result is one of the purest environments in the world. Iceland Spring bottled water takes this freshness and brings it to America.

The water is bottled in Iceland at a 156-acre preserve that is fenced off to keep any and all impurities from soaking into the source. It is then shipped to the U.S. in award-winning bottles that resemble the glacial ice that has been feeding the protected spring for eons.

Iceland Spring, distributed by Midnight Sun Brands, Orangeburg, N.Y., is available nationwide in Whole Foods Markets, Wild Oats stores, Vitamin Shoppes, and other fine retailers. It will soon become available in all 4,800 Walgreens stores in the U.S. (For more information: www.icelandspring.com; 800 274 9060; [email protected]).

The Blue Lagoon Spa - More Than You Can Imagine

The Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa, only 45 minutes from Keflavik Airport outside Reykjavik, presents travelers and natives aloike with a host of reasons to come visit.

The Blue Lagoon offers in-water spa treatments and massage, sauna and steam baths along with bathing in an immense geothermal pool and a relaxing environment. It’s an escape from a stress-filled life, and one reason the readers of Condè Nast Traveler chose the Blue Lagoon as the best medical and thermal spa in the world (January 2005).

The Blue Lagoon also offers a Skin Care line, with a selection of geothermal spa products designed to purify, protect and revitalize the skin. The soaps, shampoos, creams and lotions are based on a unique blend of active ingredients found in the Blue Lagoon's geothermal seawater: mineral salts, silica, and algae - all natural elements that the skin thrives upon.

The Blue Lagoon Medical Center offers medical treatments, for patients with psoriasis or other chronic diseases. The treatment is unique in the world, natural and without side effects. It’s scientifically proven as an effective and important addition to other skin treatment options.
For more information, please visit www.bluelagoon.com

Leifur Eiriksson Terminal - A Fly-In Mall

Iceland’s Leifur Eiriksson Air Terminal at the Keflavik International Airport has offered outstanding value to shoppers for years, and this year is no different. Prices for a wide range of Icelandic and imported products will be discounted up to 50 percent lower than in most major European cities, including Reykjavik, 30 miles away.

The first floor of the South terminal offers a variety of smaller convenience products - cosmetics, tobacco, liquor, and confectionery - which the airport’s estimated 900,000 in-transit passengers a year can easily carry on continuing flights. Two new refreshment areas have been added in recent years as well. The ground floor offers a wide range of quality brands in men’s and women’s clothing at Saga Boutique, with prices 25-40 percent lower than in most European cities. Other shops offer a range of Icelandic food, drink, woolens, and handicrafts. Islandica, for instance, sells a brand of hot dog called SS Pylsa that has become a cult favorite among fans of Icelandic cuisine. Various food products are sold vacuum-packed or frozen. Delicacies such as smoked salmon, herring, smoked trout, or gravlax (dill-cured salmon) are available along with Icelandic cheese, lamb, and Iceland Spring bottled water. Keflavik International, located in southwestern Iceland, features 200 flights a week between 34 destinations in Scandinavia, the U.K., Central Europe, Canada, and the U.S. For more information: www.airport.is.