Gourmet Upgrade
Passengers flying on any Virgin Express route in Europe can now special-order meals like Fresh Start Breakfast or Oriental Feast up to 36 hours before departure by logging on to the Alpha D'lish website (www.alphadlish.com). The selections, which cost extra, are whipped up from fresh ingredients, including vine-ripened tomatoes and free-range chicken and eggs.

Three for the Road
For frequent flyers accustomed to certain creature comforts, a raft of new travel kits caters to everyone from pets to celebrity wannabes. Flight 001, a New York City-based travel-accessory company, has created the Mobile Foodie Survival Kit ($30), above, which is equipped with a mini-selection of spices, soy sauce and even wasabi. Its Mobile Canine Survival Kit ($25), left, features everything from tooth-cleaning biscuits to multivitamins. And red-carpet-bound fashionistas can turn to Hollywood stylist Philip Bloch's Fashion Rescue Kit ($85), right, for necessities like Static Guard and pasties.

Clean Machine
Dyson's new DC11 Telescope vacuum ($499.99) is so stylish, it landed in the windows at Barneys. Its supersucking "cyclone" technology eliminates the need to replace dusty filters. And when the cleaning is done, the DC11 can squeeze into even the tiniest closet.

Joie de Vivre
Kate Spade has bestowed her whimsy on everything from handbags to housewares. This month she offers advice on how to pull it all together in a series of books, Occasions, Style and Manners (Simon & Schuster). Spade covers such basics as the perfect cocktail (Campari and soda) and the etiquette of regifting (with trepidation).