Hamburg, Germany - Wouldn't it be nice if we could shop for clothes without constantly having to try them on in the fitting room?

That futuristic vision could soon become a reality thanks to the "virtual mirror" presented by German researchers at a consumer electronics show in Berlin.

This mirror-like display enables shoppers to see themselves wearing different items of clothing without having to undo a single button, according to the Fraunhofer researchers at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin.

Amsterdam - Dutch smokers, who want to smoke in a restaurant or cafe, can now click onto a new smokers restaurant database, according to the online publisher Tressis.

Smoking was recently banned in all Dutch restaurants, cafes and bars, except in places that have separate smokers' rooms or corners with ventilation facilities.

However, the places where smoking is allowed are in the minority and are hard to find.

By registering one's restaurant on the website www. hiermaghetwel. nl, cafes and restaurants can help smokers find them easily and quickly.

The database covers all of the Netherlands and an estimated 200 restaurants, cafes and bars have already registered.

Amsterdam - Seducing a woman is an art that can be taught, and today's world and new gender roles require vigorous training. That is, at least, what David Kipping, press spokesman for the Real Man Conference, feels.

On September 20 and 21, some 500 men are due to convene in Amsterdam's RAI convention centre for a two-day-training in the art of seduction.

The so-called "Real Men Conference" is the largest and first international convention dedicated exclusively to the art of picking up women.

Among those to help the participants improve their dating skills are a total of 14 dating coaches, such as Dutch coach Tijn van Ewijk but also the internationally renowned Zan Perrion and Johnny Soporno.

Havana - While most Cubans breathed a sigh of relief following the exit of the latest tropical storm to hit the island, a small group of youths was anxiously waiting the arrival of the next such phenomenon.

There are not many surfers in Cuba yet, but they strive to promote a sport that remains underdeveloped in a country where physical exercise is generally highly valued.

Frankfurt - Vases are essentially vessels for flowers, small branches trimmed off trees or bushes or tufts of grass, but they are currently the centre of attention for designers.

Many of the new models, both large and small, are decorative pieces of art that function without flowers. The designs range between two extremes. One takes shapes from nature or day-to-day life, reproduces them or enlarges them. They are sometimes richly adorned, sometimes inventively designed.

In the other extreme, their style is diminished, said Nadine Philipp of Frankfurt's convention centre, which organizes an interior design show. Both styles require a high level of skill to create.

Bad Mergentheim, Germany - Whether a dish tastes good depends not only on its ingredients and preparation, but also on other external factors.

"If the dish is too warm for the person eating it or if it has an aroma that he can't stand, it tastes different," said Juergen Dollase of Germany's culinary academy in Bad Mergentheim near Wuerzburg.

Whether the food tastes good also depends on its aroma, consistency and how it looks.

"If its appearance isn't pleasing or the food smells badly, it's difficult," said Dollase. The taste of the various ingredients of a dish intermingle in the mouth. "We perceive as pleasant things that are similar in texture and aroma," Dollase said.