POTPOURRI April 2013 by Ineke Bakker-Camille

Bridal Special On Bended Knees The perfect proposal, is it necessary?

Childhood Obesity Take Action Now!

The Bridal Registry Get the Wedding Gifts YOU want

GREEN WEDDINGS Be kind to Earth on Your Big Day

Buying Your First Home

Guidelines for First-Time Home Owners 1

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Photo courtesy of Steve Nibourette

From the

EDITOR

Dear Folks,

Looking back on my wedding day, I must admit there are a few things I would change. There are a few people I should have added on my guest list, a different dress style should have been chosen for my four bridesmaids and I should have had someone video tape the event. But, as for the rest, there’s nothing else I would change. I wouldn’t change the wonderful man I married (who managed to reduce everyone to tears in his speech), the rain which brought everyone close together in the sheltered area at Mission Lodge, the enchanting music coming from David André’s guitar – oh and the best cake from Sweet Occasions (three tier chocolate/ vanilla and fruitcake – thank you very much!). Like any other woman who has had her ‘day’ (regardless of how the marriage went), I have an abundance of memories which will never leave me. Working on this Bridal Special issue brought back many of these memories. For all the brides-to-be out there or any girl who continues to dream of her special day, I hope there’s something for you within these pages. This April we welcome on board three additions to our freelance team. Célia Ponzo expands our health section with ‘Better Living, Jennifer Baldwin takes over our main Beauty feature with the Bridal Countdown and Daniel Balkwill shares his experience of an expat settling into Seychelles and along the way, tells us a guy’s perspective on certain things. For those of you who have not yet subscribed to POTPOURRI, the month of April provides you with the chance to do that and have your name go down in a lottery and stand the chance to win one of ten ‘Coeur d’île’ Eau de Parfums from the Station’s Perfumery. For those of you visiting our beautiful islands this month, may you have a memorable holiday and are blown away by the Seychellois hospitality. Until next time, stay healthy and happy. Marie-France Chief Editor

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Cover Model Name: Suzanne Verlaque, Sales Assistant at Airport Antigone Bookshop & Part Time Photographer Age: 25 | Dress & Accessories: Momo’s Choice, OJ Mall | Hair & Make-Up: Gemma Mondon (Hair Comes the Bride) Bridal Bouquet: Nathalie Edmond-Barbier | Photographer: Steve Nibourette (http://www.facebook.com/stevenibourettephotography) Venue: POTPOURRI Photography Studio, Docklands

APRIL

Regulars

36 Jenny Gilbert

Nathalie Hoareau

In this issue

Brigitte Monchouguy Alexandria Faure

11: The Lesson Learned Alexandria Faure

4: Wedded To The Idea? Tina Hoaureau

6: Morning Ritual to Nurture your Mind, Body & Soul Celia Ponzo

32: Bridal Beauty Countdown Jennifer Baldwin

42: Savoir dire Merci Georges Gravé

Tina Houareau

Bernard Georges

Georges Grave

Nathalie Hodgson

Ahmed Afif

32 Jennifer Baldwin

34: Sensational Vibrations The Station

7 Annalisa Labiche

The Team

6 Célia Ponzo

Marie-France & Ineke Camille

Elaine Lafortune

Kellie Allen

Gemma Mondon

Steve Nibourette

Chief Editor: Marie-France Watson M: + (248) 2512477 | E: paradisepromotion@gmail.com Sales & Marketing: Ineke Camille M: + (248) 2520937 | E: ineke.paradisepromotion@gmail.com Freelance Writers: Elaine Lafortune Hair Stylist: Kellie Allen Hoareau from

Virginie Quatre

Olivia Michaud

Martin Houareau’s Hairdressing Make Up Artists: Virginie Quatre (Make-Over) Photography: Steve Nibourette | E: steve’s email address

Potpourri Magazine Seychelles

Graphics & Layout: Olivia Michaud E: info@angelcreativedesign.com

Potpourri Seychelles is published by Paradise Promotions Ltd, Box 1539, Room 18, Docklands Building, Victoria, Seychelles E-mail: paradisepromotion@gmail.com | Tel: + (248) 4325215 / + (248) 4325216 | Printed by: Emirates Printing Press

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Musings of an Island Girl by Tina Houareau Wedded to The Idea?

It takes a real man to be satisfied with and love one woman for a lifetime. And it takes a real woman to be content with and respect one man for a lifetime. Love is not a feeling. Love is commitment. You cannot begin a marriage without commitment. You cannot sustain one without it either. A marriage that goes the distance is really hard work. If you want something that is easy and has immediate gratification, then go shopping or play Angry Birds.

Photo Credit - Joel Zamzow

Life is – or ought to be – about choice and opportunity. And that includes the opportunity to alter the view of marriage we had when we were five. I propose (no pun intended) a neat little reflective checklist on the hot, three-tiered topic this month. Marriage is not about your happiness. It is not about you getting all your needs met through another person. Practicing self-denial and selfsacrifice, patience, understanding, and forgiveness…these are the babies and fundamentals of a great marriage. If you want to be the center of your universe, then there is a much better chance of that happening if you stay single. It is acceptable to have one rookie season, but it is not okay to repeat your beginner season. You will make the apprentice mistakes in your first year of marriage; the key is that you do not continue making those same mistakes in year five, year 10, or year 20 of your marriage.

Women spell romance R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P. Men spell romance S-E-X. If you want to speak romance to your spouse, become a student of your spouse, enroll in the “Lifelong Romantic Language School,” and become fluent in your spouse’s language. During courtship (or the “banging” stage), opposites attract. After marriage, opposites can repel each another. You married your spouse because he/she is different. Marriage has gone from being a celebration to being an industry. There are more important things to do than blow your savings on a glorified booze-up session for 350 of your closest friends. Obviously, in 2013, there is no longer a social pressure to marry, nor is it necessary for a man or woman to do it in order to be deemed “a success.” Those who marry nowadays do so because they want to make a public statement of their commitment. But that commitment is being made later and later – after the job, the house and, yes, the baby. Tina Houareau is a Seychelloise living in the USA with her young son. She is an Instructional Designer for Capella University, where she is completing her PHD in the same field.

An extraordinary location, unique in its beauty and environment.

To begin your experience call: (230) 402 27 72/73 o r v i s i t u s a t w w w. c o n s t a n c e h o t e l s. c o m

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

is it necessary?

You have been dating for years or months now and you are waiting for that proposal when your partner will finally declares that he is ready to make the commitment official. Are you expecting the traditional on bended knee proposal or something wacky or perhaps something trendy where you are presented with a ring in your dessert after a three course meal? For many people, the traditional on bended knee proposal is the perfect proposal whilst for others it is tame and predictable, and they prefer more creative marriage proposals. From wacky to trendy, however the more immediate recognisable romantic gesture is when a man proposes marriage down on one bent knee. This custom has been around for centuries and remains popular today.

ON BENDED KNEE-THE HISTORY The historical origin of the idea of proposing on bent knee is not clear but the gesture bears striking resemblance to many other ceremonial situations. It is sometimes associated with religion because kneeling down is done during prayers and other religious ceremonies, therefore if your beau kneel down when proposing; it can have the same spiritual connotation and can be seen as a sign of respect for you. Kneeling is also associated with Royals, for example Knights kneel while being awarded honours from kings and queens. This can hold true for a proposal of marriage and can be seen as an honour. Having your ‘Knight in shining armour’ kneeling before you and asking for your hand in marriage can also be a sign of surrender. In the past, bowing in supplication before a victorious enemy is also seen as a gesture of surrender. When proposing, a couple commits to one another and surrenders oneself to being part of a couple. Regardless of the origin, the idea of asking for a loved one’s hand in marriage while partially kneeling is seen as a highly symbolic gesture embodying the very essence of committing one’s life to another. The idea behind it is to show good will, honour and perhaps asking your partner to trust you whilst you surrender yourself. As romantic as this gesture may seems, a lot of people will find it uncomfortable. This traditional proposal may not be for everyone but it is probably the most preferred.

MEN ARE ‘OLD SCHOOL AT HEART According to a research by Men’s Health Magazine and The Knot.com in the US, after questioning more than 1,500 engaged or married

men and women from various cultural backgrounds about traditional proposal, the results suggest men like to go ‘Old School’ on proposing and more than 80% of the men thought they should ask permission from his intended’s parents before proposing. More than three-quarters of them said a man should drop to a knee before popping ‘The Question.’ Of all the women surveyed about 47% of them say the “surprise” factor is very important in the proposal to make it perfect and 32% of women say the biggest proposal mistake you can make is not having a ring…so guys take note!

PERFECT MEANS KNOWING YOUR PARTNER’S TASTE! I didn’t get a ring on the day my husband proposed and I was not upset. I would have been mortified if he had gone down on one knee in a crowded place and popped the question. I think it would have taken all the magic away because I am a very reserve person and therefore I would have been self-conscious of the stares. Luckily for me, it all happened when we went for a walk down the Brighton Pier in UK and he whispered “I want to marry you” in my ear. It was statement not really a question but it was out of the blue and I did not see it coming. If he had been on his knee I would have guessed what was coming my way. The manner of the proposal was special and appropriate because of the kind of person I am. I was not presented with a ring either, instead the next day we went to an antique jewellery shop and we bought a cheap old fashion engagement ring, the proper diamond ring came much later! I did have a traditional church wedding in Seychelles and it was the perfect day. Was my husband’s proposal perfect too? Of course it was and I wouldn’t have it any other way. On the other hand, the husband of a Seychellois friend of mine did go down on one knee but perhaps in the most unconventional manner and asking her the most unconventional questions but she loved it and said it was the perfect proposal. He went down on one knee, stark naked in their hotel room in Thailand and he asked “ will you clean my house, wash my clothes, have my kids and most of all let me love you till the end of our days? Will you marry me?” She was not sure whether to laugh or cry…luckily for him she said yes for he would have been stark nakedly embarrassed if she had said no. My friend is known for being adventurous and fun, so her partner knew that proposing in his ‘birth suit’ on one knee would be perfect.

FEELING COMFORTABLE It should not matter whether you get a proposal on bended knee or in a more creative, unique fashion to make it perfect; the truth is that the traditional symbolism and connotations remain the same. Any proposal should convey respect, honour, and commitment to one another. When planning a proposal, make sure that it is something you feel comfortable with and your soon-to-be bride or bridegroom will as well. A perfect proposal need not be the traditional one because for some couples, the idea of a traditional marriage proposal on bended knee is undesirable and prefer a more creative proposal; a thoughtful and romantic proposal in private or in public with both feet firmly on the ground and both your knees straight will also convey those same feelings. Before popping the question, it is important to consider the bride-to-be and what is likely to appeal to her sense of romance and what she visions as the perfect proposal. A woman who treasures tradition and hopes to have solemn, dignified wedding in a church would not appreciate a wacky proposal and hopes for a more traditional one. Marriage proposals must be judged very carefully, because if the woman’s dreams and desires are disregarded for this most important question, she may question whether the potential groom really knows her and whether she really knows him. There is no point of taking your partner on a romantic boat trip to propose if you know she gets sea sick…that spell disaster. Done properly, not necessarily on bended knee, a creative or a traditional proposal will be an exciting and memorable moment in your relationship as you begin a new phase of your life together. Apart from going down on one knee, there are so many memorable ways of prompting a “yes!” from the target of your affection; you just need to know what will be perfect for both of you. Jeannine Gilbert-Finnigan

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

LIFESTYLE

On bended knees - the perfect proposal,

Better Living By Célia Ponzo Your morning ritual to nurture your mind, body and soul What is your morning ritual? Do you keep hitting the snooze button as you moan and groan about needing to get out of bed? Is the first thing you do check your phone for work emails or Facebook updates? When you finally get up do you race against time, rushing out of the door without having had one instant to enjoy? Do you then feel you are dragging yourself through the day picking up exactly where you left off the night before? Yes I confess, that was me not so long ago… Instead imagine taking a few moments each morning just dedicated to yourself… You will be amazed how starting the day right can have an effect on your general state of well-being. Ancient texts have specific practices to be done each morning however there are tons of things that you can all begin to do tomorrow that with practice will change your days, weeks, months and life! Here are some tips on how to spice up your day by creating your own personalised morning ritual;

Stop hitting the snooze button All it will do is leave you feeling more tired during the day. By hitting the snooze button you are fragmenting your sleep cycle and body rhythm. If our bodies are rested we should not be struggling to get out of bed, but rather should feel recharged for the new day ahead. We all know that we need at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. We tend to roam through our days sleep deprived and see it as normality. Sleep is essential never take it for granted! Small tip: Have you considered choosing a pleasant alarm sound? Think about how you would wake up your peacefully sleeping child and give yourself the same treatment. A brutal alarm sound will have you jumping with adrenaline and you do not need that early morning!

Practice gratitude Before letting your mind wander too fast, give gratitude. Take just one minute to think of 3 things you are grateful for in your life. This will bring positive energy within you and make you fulfilled throughout your day. You deserve beautiful things, be happy and honour that.

Eliminate The science of Aryuveda states that going to the toilet straight away to empty your bladder is a good way to eliminate toxins that you have accumulated during the night.

Rehydrate Drink a glass of room temperature water, you might not feel it but your body is craving water and you are most probably dehydrated. To give yourself an additional boost squeeze some lemon which will energize your senses, boost your immune system, regulate your body’s PH and freshen your breath.

Meditate Even just for 5 minutes, just sit down in a comfortable position, close your eyes and breathe through your belly. It will immediately have a calming effect on your nervous system. Breathing will help move out the stale breath from the night and fill your cells with fresh oxygen. Breathe in happiness, health and gratitude. Breathe out sadness, negativity and any anger you may have. Everyday more evidence is found showing the immense benefits of meditation on health.

Activate Before having breakfast move your body, this could be as simple as a 5 minute stretch or your favourite yoga pose. Remember you will most likely be sitting at your desk for the next 8 hours.

Sing Your favourite song whatever you are doing and wherever you are. This will instantly bring a smile to your face especially if you have such a bad voice like me! Will you stop checking morning emails, Facebook updates and rushing around? Probably not, but at least before you do all of that you will have dedicated some time for yourself and in return with practice this will bring calmness and happiness throughout your day. Try it! Célia is passionate to inspire happier and healthier lives by sharing holistic tips to her public. Her background is in medical anthropology and public health. She is currently working in the nutrition unit at the ministry of health.

A fresh start - from London to Mahé by Daniel Balkwill

Since I arrived in Seychelles last November my life has undergone several momentous changes. I have left family and friends back home in the UK. I have changed profession from working for a large magazine publisher/distributor in London to becoming a wine retailer/importer at Eden Island. I now have a pet dog for the first time and I have also lost 4 kilograms in weight (I know this is factually correct because my shorts fell down recently while I was playing with the dog). My diet has changed from consuming stodgy comfort foods, to combat the inclement weather conditions in the UK, to lighter, healthier dishes more in keeping with the hot, sunnier climes that the Seychelles are fortunate enough to have bestowed upon them by Mother Nature. My daily commute used to take ninety minutes on the train to London at exorbitant expense. Now it is a considerably reduced, extraordinarily picturesque five minute drive. Although I now work seven days a week my life/work balance is greatly enhanced and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s required a great leap of faith, hauling myself from my comfort zone in the UK to start a new life in Seychelles with my wife (who is British/ Seychellois) but I’ve no regrets whatsoever. I now am in my dream job, able to indulge my passion for wine and steer the business in any way I choose (assuming that my wife is in agreement!) and am doing it all in a stunning location – an opportunity that many people from the UK and elsewhere will never be fortunate enough to experience. I’m determined to integrate seamlessly into my adopted country. I plan to learn how to speak Creole and have already made some initial, tentative strides toward achieving this aim. I can now say ‘dog’, ‘salt fish curry’ and ‘I need some small scissors, please’. I plan to broaden my linguistic horizons much further over the course of time.

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

One of my biggest passions, aside from all things wine-related, is playing football (I’m a keen Arsenal fan) and I’ve already started playing regularly with a friendly group of local guys every week which has been great fun. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how enthusiastic and talented the footballers are out here and I’ve had to work hard to ensure that I can match their standard on the field of play. One of the best things about living here is having a pet dog. ‘Aussie’ is of indeterminate breed but is essentially large and orange. He’s 1 year old and is a great companion, very mischievous and playful but affectionate and is always delighted to see me every day when I come home from work. As soon as I get out of the car he tries to jump on me repeatedly. The only way I can avoid this rather overzealous attention is to distract him with various toys of his that are strewn all over the garden and sprint towards the sanctity of my bedroom.

Dan works for Kreol Wines - a new wine shop located at Eden Plaza on Eden Island, specialising in Argentinian, Australian, French and South African products. Opening hours are 9-6.30 Mon-Fri, 10-6 Sat & 10-4 Sun.

Annalisa Labiche is a practicing Clinical Psychologist with over 5 years experience. She completed her Bachelor of Art (Psychology) degree and Master in Psychology in Australia. She is exposed to a multitude of complaints such as relationship, parenting, family issues, psychological disorders, substance misuse amongst many others.

may be accompanied by a temporary feeling of numbness or disconnection from life. As the initial shock subsides, reactions vary from one person to another and the following are some additional normal (albeit unpleasant) responses to a traumatic situation.

•

Emotions/feelings become intense and sometimes unpredictable. Increased irritability, sadness, and unhappiness, feeling anxious or feeling depressed are also common.

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The trauma affects thoughts and behavior patterns which may lead to disruption in sleeping and eating patterns and cause difficulty in concentration or ability to make decisions. Repeated and vivid recollections of events and flashbacks can lead to physical reactions such as rapid heartbeat or sweating.

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Recurring emotional reactions are common. Anniversaries of events can trigger upsetting memories of the traumatic experience, creating fear that the stressful event will be repeated.

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Greater conflict can be experienced causing interpersonal relationships to become strained. Increase in the frequency of arguments is common, while some may become withdrawn and isolate themselves from others and avoid previously pleasurable activities.

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Physical symptoms, such as headaches, nausea and chest pain may accompany the extreme stress.

Damaged Morale Q:

During the January flooding, my family lost most of our material processions. While my partner and I understand how lucky we were that no one was hurt, my two children, especially my 11-year old son have been withdrawn since the incident. We have tried to explain the situation to them but they remain angry and unhappy. As we try and put the pieces of our lives back together, we are unsure of how to lift our children’s spirits up. What do you suggest? Genevieve, Au Cap

A: Dear Genevieve,

I am sorry to hear that you and your family went through such an experience. Best wishes and courage in re-building your life. As a country, as you rightly put it, we are lucky to not have had any casualties. This being said, your children have experienced a traumatic situation in the form of a natural disaster. Disasters are often unexpected, sudden and overwhelming. It is like having a carpet suddenly pulled from under your feet, you are knocked down and there is a mess all around you. However, do be careful with terminology, words can have powerful effects on situations. The terminology used to describe people needs to be carefully chosen. Describing people as victims or traumatized is inaccurate and focuses on weaknesses and not their strengths. During a traumatic event or situation a person or their loved ones is in danger of serious harm or death. The person does not have the power to control or to stop the event. It is beyond the person’s normal experience, so the event is terrifying. In some cases, there are no apparent signs of physical injury, but there can be a serious emotional toll. Although no life was lost, your family has experienced an abnormal event, which has essentially changed your perception or belief about the world - as generally being a safe place. Understanding normal responses to these abnormal events is the first step in helping you and your family to cope effectively with your feelings, thoughts and behaviours, and to help you along the path to recovery. It is common for people who have experienced traumatic situations to have very strong emotional reactions. Acute stress, encompassing elements of shock and denial are typical initial responses. Note that both are normal protective reactions. Shock is a sudden and often intense disturbance of the emotional state that may trigger feelings of being stunned or being in a daze. Denial, on the other hand, involves not acknowledging that something very stressful has happened, or not experiencing fully the intensity of the event. It

Hence, you children are exhibiting some of the normal reactions to follow, having gone through an abnormal event. So here are some things you can do to help the process:

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Allow yourself and your family time to adjust, time to mourn the losses (whatever they may be) and be patient while you go through possible changes in your emotional state.

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Be there for the children, care and pamper them for a while. Be sure to listen and empathise with their situation, as seen from their perspective.

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Allow the children to communicate their experience, either by talking, keeping a diary, or through drawing.

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Engage in healthy behaviours, such as eating well, getting plenty of rest, exercising. These will enhance their ability to cope with excessive stress.

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As much as possible try to maintain familiar daily routines. Take some time off from the demands of the daily life to pursue hobbies or other enjoyable activities.

Overall it is important to remember that (although unpleasant) your children are going through normal reactions following an abnormal situation. Continual and aggressive emotional outburst, serious problems at school, preoccupation with the traumatic event, continual and extreme withdrawal, signs of anxiety or emotional difficulties all point to the need for professional assistance. Please do not hesitate to seek help if the children show signs of deterioration beyond 6-8 weeks.

AGONY AUNT

Dear Annalisa

CONSUMER AWARENESS

Take inventory of your existing stuff. Go through your things room by room and assess what is missing, what you would like to have replaced and what you would like to have upgraded.

Choose stores that most suit your style as a couple. In Seychelles, you will have to chose more than one store in order to accommodate all of the items you have chosen. Being a small island also means there are no chain stores where there’s a possibility the same item might be bought twice (no IKEA Victoria and IKEA Takamaka).

Remember to include items in every price range. It is likely that your guest list will include people of all stages of life and financial status. Be sure that your bridal registry has items that appeal to all of these groups of people.

Ask for help. The bridal excitement is infectious – make the most of it! Get the shop employees or manager in on the excitement and they’ll love to help you out. Do not be afraid to ask their opinion if you need to. Don’t be afraid to disagree with them either. If they say you need 10 place settings and you really can’t imagine having more than 8, then go with your gut and stick with 8.

Numbers Take into consideration your guest list. If you have invited a large number of people to the wedding, the bridal registry should be able to accommodate all of them.

Antique Cupboard from Island Living

(SR2,800)

Toasters. Who wants to get three toasters as wedding gifts? Especially the ones with obscure brand names that cannot be pronounced. What makes this more annoying in Seychelles is also the fact that return policies are vague and more often than not, non-existent. So basically, you either need to make storage space for your 3 “ItWorks” toasters or you start listing who you will give them as gifts to… While this can provide a good laugh at the opening gifts ceremony (with the large weddings we have here in Seychelles, hundreds of gifts to open does sound ceremonial!) it is also an unnecessary burden to deal with at a joyous time. So how do you avoid it? Bridal registry might be an option to consider…

What is a bridal registry? Think of a list of all the things you want to put together the perfect home. And then, think of your partner’s input in the list. Basically, there you have it! Then, comes the second phase, where you go and find out if these things are available – where and how much. Step 1: You identify the shops you would like to be part of your registry Step 2: You talk to the shop manager and agree to proceed Step 3: You identify the items in each shop and you start your list. Once completed, you need to make sure the shop has the list along with enough space to tick off items which are bought. Step 4: You send your list out with your wedding invitation (some people might not be able to attend your wedding, but might still want to buy you a present). Step 5: Invitees go into the listed shops and advise the shop manager that they are from your bridal party. Items bought are ticked off the list. Step 6: Happy newlyweds!Below are some tips to have the perfect registry:

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Table-wear from Smart Living

CONSUMER AWARENESS

Cushions from Island Living (starting at SR300) Lampshade from Island Living (SR2,800)

Be picky Don’t register for something just to add items to the list. Save yourself the trouble of having to store things away after the wedding, because you added things to the list that you didn’t truly want or need. (In a box) Gifts to consider having on your bridal registry: •

Bed Sheets

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Towels

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Bath Mats

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Lamps

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Rugs (they can be

Table-wear from Smart Living

delivered!) •

Paintings

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Clocks

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Potpourri Annual Subscription

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Vases

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Cutlery (stainless steel please)

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Books sets (cooking/ encyclopedias/etc)

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Wine rack

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Glassware (predictable – but go for good glasses)

This list is endless…when you do your inventory, go from room to room. It is the best way to get the best result!

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

“You Can!”

by Alexandria Faure The Lesson Learned There is one more month left of my university education! How time has flown by and I am nearing the end of a 3-year journey I had embarked on back in 2010. I remember the first day I was at university; I had a planned out vision of how I thought my life was going to be and of how I saw my future unraveling. Boy how things have changed since then. The vision I had then is dramatically different to the one I have now. If you were to put the 18-year-old 1st year student next to the 21-year-old 3rd year soon to be graduate that I am now, it would be as if you are looking at 2 different people. It’s interesting to see the progression and the changes that have happened. I guess 3 years ago I envisioned what I thought I wanted but in actual fact did not have any idea what I truly wanted in my life or who I was. 3 years later I have a clearer view of what I want in life and of who I am and what I stand for. I understand myself more deeply than ever before. And most importantly I understand the world better. And so because the sun has been shining recently I can’t ignore the happiness I feel so this time this is what I have to say about what I have learnt over the past 3 years: The beautiful thing about life is that we are the designers of our destinies. We are the authors. We write the story. Then pen is in our hands. And the outcome is whatever we choose. The power within us is much greater than the power that is in the world. And the we can break free from bad patterns and society’s codes of being. If there is anything that I have learnt it’s that self-belief is important and each one of us deserves to be excellent in every aspect of our being. In other words what I’m trying to say is that YOU matter. Who YOU are matters. No matter what our jobs are, whatever we are preparing for in the short term or long term. What YOU are today and what YOU will be in the future, is significant. No matter what YOUR history or how many mistakes YOU make, YOU are significant. YOU are magnificent. I’d like to share a quote that has impacted my life from the day I read it:

Are there any limits? Absolutely not. We are unlimited beings. We have no ceiling. The capabilities and the talents and the gifts and the power that is within every single individual that is on the planet, is unlimited. Michael Bernard Beckwith Alexandria Faure is a Seychellois studying Drama And Theatre Arts in London, England.

SACOS Insurance...Designed for your business needs Why insure your business? One of the biggest achievements in anyone’s life is to open their own business. You would have worked hard to finally accomplish that dream, and will do everything you can to ensure its prolonged success. This is why you should insure your business with SACOS. Whatever kind of trade you are in, you can be sure that we have cover options that will meet your business needs. Some of these options include: • Coverage for your business contents and stock against loss, damage or theft. • Coverage for loss of cash in or out of a safe or during transit (i.e. on the way to banking). • Protection for loss or damage to the glass frontage of your premises. • Coverage for you and your employees. • Protection for a reduction in your business revenue as a result of damage to your property due to an insured event. • Coverage for your liability when you are found to be legally responsible for damage or injury to a third party or their property. … and so much more. For instance, we can also provide cover for your private vehicles, company cars, cash and marine vessels. SACOS offers special business rates! There are new buildings sprouting up everywhere in the Seychelles. They are often under the wrong impression that they are covered by the building’s general insurance… which couldn’t be further from the truth! Should a fire or flood happen and cause damage, this insurance will only cover harm done to the building, such as the walls and floor. If your stock or equipment were lost in the fire, you would not be compensated at all by the building’s landlord. Imagine how much you would have lost! With Business Insurance with SACOS you can select the cover options that are suited to your business requirements and will provide you with the protection that you need. Insure your assets with SACOS, we offer special rates on all types of trade! Contact SACOS Insurance Company Ltd on 4295 000, or visit us at the SACOS Tower, Palm Street, Victoria. It will be our pleasure to assist and guide you. Contributed by Ms. Dianne Dalida, Sales Executive, SACOS Insurance Company Ltd.

Brigitte Monchouguy is a Seychelloise legal professional living and working in London. She is happiest when travelling, with interests in music, art, theatre and architecture. She also dabbles in mixology and will be sharing cocktail recipes along with her monthly escapades.

renée martin designs

y old Australian friend, Pat, telephoned with news that he was travelling through Europe and wanted to stopover at my place in London. The problem was I was still in Perth! It looked like we were unlikely to meet up until Pat came up with a brilliant plan – he would stop by Perth on his way home to Queensland! Whilst he was mid-air I busily arranged a weekend getaway, booking a villa in the Margaret River wine region and inviting my friend, Jen, to join us. After meeting Pat in the city, we picked up Jen from her office, who in true Aussie style brought a glass of wine from her after work drinks for the road! 4 hours and 280km later we were in the heart of Margaret River and just in time for a late dinner. After checking into our villa overlooking the stunning Indian Ocean, we headed to Must winebar where we enjoyed scallops on the half shell, wagyu beef carpaccio and blue manna crab with angel hair pasta. We washed these down with a bottle of Clairault Estate 2011 Chardonnay and made a pact to only drink Margaret River wines for the entirety of the weekend. The next morning we drove to one of the most beautiful beaches in the region, Hamelin Bay. The sea was crystal clear and it felt refreshing diving in from the 40 degree heat. A shark helicopter hovering overhead kept us on our toes, but after swimming to the jetty we were delighted to find a school of giant Manta Rays, which were so tame they rubbed up against our legs,

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

showing off for the delighted tourists taking photos! Stopping by Leeuwin Estate for wine tastings, we were disappointed to learn that their kitchen had closed for the day. Hungry and having missed lunch we settled for a local delicatessen where we stocked up on fruit, cheese, olives, chorizo and a bottle of Stella Bella 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, which I used to make my famous White Sangria. We picnicked by a lake under the setting sun and continued well into the evening reminiscing about old times whilst we sipped our delicious, zesty cocktails. The following day, after a breakfast of French toast and grilled bananas at the Watershed Winery, we drove past the Yallingup Caves and made our way to Smiths Beach for another swim. The waves were a little choppier this time but the sky was beautifully clear. There was time for a quick seafood lunch and glass of vintage sparkling wine at Lamont’s before we regretfully headed back to Perth, tanned, tired and satisfied. Until next time - if you can’t be good, be good at it!

White Sangria 750ml chilled white wine 750ml chilled lemonade 150ml Cointreau ½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, halved and thinly sliced

Small bunch of fresh mint leaves 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 lime, thinly sliced Handful of ice cubes

Pour the white wine, lemonade and Cointreau into a large jug. Add the cucumber, apple, lemon and lime slices. Roughly tear the mint leaves and drop into the jug. Add ice cubes. Mix well. Ladle some fruits from the jug into each glass you pour.

…Keeping it local… For many brides, the bridal bouquet holds much importance and significance. Take Kate Middleton for example; her request for an “unpretentious, simple and natural,” bouquet, led to the following combination:

Lily-of-the-valley: Return of happiness Sweet William: Gallantry - (and undoubtedly chosen for their reference to Prince William) Hyacinth: Constancy of love Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection Myrtle: The emblem of marriage; love.

Most brides keep their choice down to their own personal floral preference or whichever flower corresponds to the theme of their wedding. In Seychelles, roses are very popular for bridal bouquets – but, if we were to take a look at what nature offers us here, we’ll find that we have a wide range of options with flowers that grow in our gardens… Nathalie Barbier-Edmond has been making bridal bouquets since 2002, when she started helping out her parents who were already in the floral business. Her passion for nature’s beauties flourished on the job and for this month’s POTPOURRI, she helps us identify local flowers which make great options for bridal bouquets.

FRANGIPANI

Also known as: Plumeria Native to: Central and South America, the Caribbean Interesting Fact: Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, however, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar. Colours available: Pink/ White/ Yellow and Red Preferred by: Tourists and Seychellois brides getting married to foreigners Most common type: White Bridal Bouquet: Mixed with roses

Nathalie Barbier Edmond creations

ANTHURIUMS

Also known as: “flamingo flower” or “boy flower” Native to: Columbia Interesting Fact: The flowers of Anthurium give off a variety of fragrances, each attracting a variety of specific pollinators. All Anthurium flowers are poisonous if eaten. Colours available: Red/ Green/ Peach/ Orange/ White/ Burgundy and bi-colours Preferred by: Tourists and Seychellois Most common type: Red Bridal Bouquet: Mixed with roses

Nathalie Barbier Edmond creations

BOUGAINVILLEA

Also known as: “paper flower” Native to: South America Interesting Fact: Its high salt tolerance makes it a natural choice for color in coastal regions Colours available: Fuschia/ Lilac Preferred by: Only Tourists Bridal Bouquet: Mixed with roses

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EXPLORING EDEN

The Bridal Bouquet

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Continued from Page 13 ALPINIA (BOTTLEBRUSH)

Also known as: “paper flower” Native to: Asia and the Pacific Interesting Fact: It is from the ginger family Colours available: Red/ Pink and White Preferred by: Only Tourists – especially Russians

ORCHIDS

Also known as: “Orchis, Satyrion, or “ballockwort”. Native to: in almost every habitat apart from glaciers Interesting Fact: The name has a Greek origin, literally meaning “testicle”, because of the shape of the root Colours available: White/ Red and Purple Preferred by: Mostly tourists

with

Organza Sashes Available to rent in the following colours silver

blue

burgundy

ivory

black

pink

only Sr10 each

gold

Nathalie’s wedding services extends to all floral needs from buttonholes to corsage to table arrangements and centre pieces. Her prices range from SR500 to SR1200. She can be contacted on 2516650

Tel: 2512477 | E-mail: santsaromans@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/santsaromans

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EXPLORING EDEN

Add an extra touch of class to your event

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SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS

Stephanie Heynes (neé Prosper) Stephanie

I am a Seychellois coming from Le Niol and attended Beau Vallon School from crèche till Secondary Four, followed by the National Youth Service and School of Humanities and Science at the Seychelles Polytechnic. I am a big fan of nature so I enjoy trekking and diving. I am the youngest in the family and extremely spoilt and looked after.

Goodbye to Seychelles

Upon finishing my A levels I wanted to pursue my studies in Ocean Science. Whilst waiting I worked for the Ministry of Environment as a trainee marine biologist at Seychelles Centre for Marine Research and Technology. Due to circumstances it was not possible to pursue my studies, but at this time I was introduced to Emirates Airline and all the wonderful opportunities. I decided to turn on a new leaf so in 2003 I parted the islands I call home. It was a very fast procedure and involved lots of tears but I do not regret making the change. It was like a breath of fresh air bringing with it abundant possibilities especially that of financing my dream of furthering my studies at University level.

The Award-winning Emirates Service

I attended six weeks of training at the Emirates Training College learning everything from safety on board, medical aid, service to grooming. Upon my graduation I had my first roster starting December 2003 and my very first flight destination- Jeddah. As all other crew members would agree, Jeddah as a first flight will send you running back home. It is one of Emirates busiest flight but I took it as a challenge. If one can do this flight, return to Dubai and still look forward for the next flight, then this means that flying is part of you. I spent about one year working in the economy class and from then progressed to Business class for about the same time and subsequently graduated as a First Class Stewardess in January 2007. As I moved up the ladder I became more confident in myself. I met a lot of people from different countries and cultures. I also made amazing new friends and it was then that I met my wonderful husband. Emirates Airline brought about amazing changes in my life. I got to travel the world and I grew as a person and developed useful skills. I still talk about it up till today and even though circumstances have changed for me, I would most certainly encourage any young person who wishes to experience life, to apply. As tiring and demanding as it

Stephanie, Edwin and little Josiah 18 MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

may be, Emirates offers wonderful opportunities and allows room for one to grow.

Moving forward

However, I had other dreams, so in December 2007 I resigned from Emirates Airline and moved to South Africa to start my Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Cape Town. I am at the moment finishing my post grad from which thereafter I wish to work in relevant fields.

Missing Seychelles

“Absence does make the heart grow fonder”… I miss home every day especially if I take a minute to breathe. I miss “en bon pwason griye” and all the other delicious creole dishes. I miss the tropical weather especially the sunsets. Mostly I miss my family and friends and all the local jokes.

Holidays

Last I was in Seychelles was in 2011. Having just given birth to my son I decided to take the year off and be at home. It was a marvelous year to catch up with all the special events that I missed every year. I am hoping to visit real soon. I cannot stay away too long.

Contribution to Seychelles

As I am very interested in nature, I am deeply moved by anything that leads to the destruction of its beauty. If I could contribute towards the matter, I would most definitely get the younger generation to be more active in general awareness for a better Seychelles. This would be done through more activities that will get the children to actively participate and also learn more about the preservation of the indigenous plants and species that are on the verge of extinction. To maintain our country’s definition, that being “truly a world apart”. Tranquility, magical but most of all HOME.

Best Description of Seychelles Tranquil, magical but most of all HOME.

Returning home

I would definitely want to be home. It is difficult to stay away forever especially to such an exquisite destination. I don’t know when this might be but at some point I will land on Seychelles’ soil once more. Until then, I rely on the regular visits to “fill the gap”.

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BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Every bride is beautiful no matter what they look like! Brides are always timeless and beautiful. As a bride to be, there’s a lot of excitement about getting your hair styled for your big day, and you just want everything to turn out perfect. The inspiration and skill of a great hairdresser and makeup artist can create a once in a lifetime look for that special day. One of the great things about writing for a Lifestyle magazine is that I have the opportunity to talk with talented professionals about their amazing work. I recently sat down for an interview with freelancer wedding hair stylist, Gemma Mondon from her fresh business called ‘Hair Comes The Bride’. Gemma recounts her trainings and experiences in the trade to us. While she has seen many wedding hair styles come and go, she is always eager to learn new techniques. Tell us a little bit about yourself I grew up in the UK and that’s where I did all my trainings in the hair and makeup industry. I’m married to a wonderful husband whom I met when I came to Seychelles the first time, and we’ve been together since. I have two lovely children and two dogs.

Complement your big day with an extra touch from… Hair Comes the Bride… By Elaine LaFortune

What is your free time used for? That’s the time I spend to volunteer as a qualified first level teacher for C.E.F (Child Evangelism Fellowship), which is a Christian club for children from the age of 5-12. Being a very spiritual person, it gives me great joy to instill the same good qualities in these young children.

How did you become a hair & makeup artist, and how long have you been doing this for? I developed a love for the art at a very young age. I started proper at the age of 18, but I had been doing weekend jobs in a salon even way before that. I love the creative aspect of putting together a bridal look. My main goal was to do something I loved, something I felt was rewarding and meaningful and constantly offered me new challenges. As I became more in tune with myself and my natural gifts, I realized that it was not a coincidence that I was often asked for styling advice. I graduated after 3 years at the renowned Y.T.S hair science & beauty basic in the U.K. I then went on to work with an Italian company ‘Rino & Roberto’s Hair Salon’ in Cambridge for 3 years. That’s where I learnt hair braiding, extensions, as well as hair cutting and all the different techniques. I also did an ear piercing course. I took part in L’Oreal colour trophy, and came out in third place. For a Fantasy Hair work competition, I went to the Royal Albert Hall and that was for the hair and makeup (I did like a Mary Quant style). I did a bridal and makeup course and in artistry. While working for the same company, I participated in a number of competitions where we often did fashion shows. The one I remember working on which I really enjoyed, was the ‘Clothes Show’

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Gemma preparing ‘bride’ Suzanne for April Potpourri’s cover shoot

FEATURED ARTIST

Go Country with David Deltel! By Elaine LaFortune

Country music is a storytelling genre, to be sure, but really it enjoys telling stories about itself — about its pillars of tradition, about its commitment to family and personal responsibility, about its devotion to its stars, keeping them around as long as they wish to stay. But, in truth, country is ruthless, just like every other genre. This month, POTPOURRI dons her cowboy boots and hat, for a peek inside the home and life of country music’s most beloved stars in the Seychelles. Established country singer/songwriter David Deltel, with whom we had the pleasure of meeting, reminds us that country music would mean nothing to him without the mention of his father, the popular and beloved artist, Danny Deltel. It is impossible to talk of one without mentioning the other, as indeed, they are famed for their ‘Father and Son’ duo.

Tell us more about you “I was born and raised in South Africa, though both my parents are of Seychellois origin. In 1997, my family and I settled here in the Seychelles. I’ve been married for 13 years now and I have two lovely children, Kayla and Jayden. I’ve worked for a few companies since I came back, initially with The Swiss Gourmet, then Seychelles Breweries and now Cable and Wireless where I am the Manager in Marketing Communications, leading a team of specialists in the areas of marketing communications and creative design. I’m responsible for the conceptualization and execution of marketing communication elements for product campaigns, brand building & visibility.” David, the singer/songwriter with 5 commercial album releases in Seychelles, enjoys playing guitar, listening to rock music and playing golf, one of the new found passion that he and his son share.

Music is surely not unknown to you, but when did you start getting interested? “My dad was the lead singer in a 60’ band called ‘Danny and the wonders’. I used to listen to the music he would play, like the Beach Boys, The Beatles, Begees…I would hear these every same weekend. My dad would play guitar, socially for his friends and it got to the stage when I got a little bit older at about 16-17 when I became more interested. I started writing songs for him…not my songs, but I would copy the lyrics off other people’s songs for him to have a book of songs for when he was to perform. I was more in awe at him at the time. I didn’t even know how to play a guitar.”

So, your father has the influential force behind your music career. Is that what jumpstarted your decision to get serious in music? “Every Sunday we would go to Allamanda Hotel where my Dad played in a steel band. That’s where I started singing with him…and this carried on for 2 to 3 years. From there we started getting a much younger audience and everything just cultivated from that. I decided I wanted to learn to play the guitar, so I took one and taught myself. Within 6 months, I had written a number of songs. It all just came naturally to me. I realised that I had a knack for writing. I wrote songs, played it for a few people and they loved it. One became 5, and 5 became 10, and now I’ve lost count to the amount of songs I’ve written.”

Is that when the ‘Father and son’ began? “Yeah! We wanted to do something original that no one else was doing. It was more of a father son project…we just wanted to sing together! And if people would buy only 10 cds at the end of the day, we would’ve been happy with it. Sometimes, that’s the best way to do things because we were doing it for ourselves, not for what we thought people would like. We were amazed by the response we got. We sold over 3,000 cds in a matter of months. We even had a music video “All The Way To Mexico” that stayed in the top ten for over 10weeks. We didn’t want to write like the American country music, we wanted our music to be unique…”

So, are you a full on country boy? Not really! I don’t even listen to that much country music. I used to listen to Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewards, Pink Floyd….serious rock music. I like the more hard-edged country music. I’m not so much into the traditional country music like my dad, and that’s what made our style quite unique.” Generally recognised for their signature tune ‘All The Way To Mexico’, this vibrant duo have released a total of four albums, with over 50 original compositions. With their song ‘The Words She Had To Say’, they appeared on an international compilation album in 2002 with those of several South African music stars. “We sang and worked on a few albums together until tragedy struck in August 2002, when my father had a major stroke…it hit us all pretty bad. I thought that that was it, the end of our singing career; at that time my father had been singing lead, and I was only writing. But

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Continued from Page 20 competition.

I did a course on hair extensions with a company called ‘Raccoon’ which is based in London. I attended an advance cutting course at the ‘Toni and Guy’ Academy. Then I moved from Cambridge, up to Newcastle and worked for a very large company that had several branches, called the ‘YSalon’, and from there, I managed one of their salons.

When did you start your business in Seychelles? At the age of 23, I moved to Seychelles and started working with a good friend, Sona Parekh, who had just opened her salon. From then I went on and did some freelancing, specialising in weddings, hair and makeup, nail extensions just to name a few. After a while, I established my own salon at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay under the name ‘Hephzibah’. Though I was based at my own salon I did a lot of freelancing for hotels, with weddings especially. From there, I decided to move closer to Victoria and opened a salon there. I previously worked on my own, but then as the business grew I hired other people to work with me whom I trained. The ‘Hair Gallery’ in Victoria was one of my salon, where I did a lot of work with Miss Seychelles and the Creole Festival over the years, involved in the hair and makeup of models for fashion shows (‘Mangouya’ was one of those). I’ve also done commercial work for bands and celebrities where I had to go over to North Island or other islands as well, but again, still focusing on bridal hair and makeup.

How did you cope with being a mother and managing a salon? Actually, I had stopped working with the salon by then. I had made a clear-cut decision to put my family first. But, I continuously did short courses during that elapsed time and would help my sister in her own salon, in the UK, in order to keep current on the latest products, techniques and trends.

makeup experiences; helping brides achieve the simply radiant look. I am committed to helping my brides bring the vision of their special day to life from a classic look to simply radiant. My leading role in the hair & makeup industry comes as a result of my hard work, experience and dedication. My attention to detail and excellence ensures that nothing is forgotten. I truly love what I do and have been fortunate to be working in the industry for more than a decade now. Through recommendations, I still got the odd person ringing me up for weddings. It’s only till recently that I decided that I really needed to make a go at this. Now, I feel that I want to go into it full time, because I see a lot of potential in it for me. I’m now basically a solo-owned business where I specialise in bridal makeup, bridal hair and nail arts. What are the hot trends in bridal hairstyles today? There is the sophisticated and elegant ponytail. Another look is loose hair worn down or half up and left loose, bouncy and sexy. Headbands are yet another hot trend, as it can be worn with many styles. Then there’s the classic bun which is always a favorite which will never go out of style. Whether it is high, low or offset, it always looks elegant. The most requested from brides, is whatever the hottest trends in bridal hair are. It is what you see all over the red carpet.

Since you don’t have a location yet for your business, can clients contact you? Yes, of course! I’m freelance, so I will usually go to my clients. Feel free to call me 248 2515570 / 248 4374157 or you can email me at fairybubbs@ seychelles.sc and I will be happy to provide you with the information you need in order to make an informed decision. Remember pictures are forever’ and your hair and makeup are just as important as your dress! So book now, with Gemma’s Hair Comes The Bride

What made you launch into wedding artistry? I started ‘Hair Comes The Bride’ with a single goal; to provide hair and

Continued from Page 21 amazingly, he recovered pretty significantly. He hasn’t recovered his speech fully, he still speaks with a stutter but he never lost his singing. When I went through all that, it inspired me to sing. I felt I couldn’t put all that pressure on him to sing, so we started sharing our singing role on the second album. Unlike my father, it took me longer to get the chops on the vocal side.”

When you started singing, did you ever want to sound like your father? “Initially, I tried to sound like him; after all he was the stereotype, the model. I wanted to sing at his level, but it took maturity to realize that what people really want to hear, is who you are. You don’t really find your voice at first go…very few artists do. People often confused us. They never know if it’s David and Danny or Danny and David, but at the end of the day we just laugh at that, as it doesn’t really matter. We’re the Deltels!” We laughed when David told us that in fact, his father was actually christened David, but somehow they called him Danny and that stuck with him. “I don’t know why they called him Danny…that’s how it was long ago. You could’ve been christened John and they would call you Paul” “On our ‘Back2Back’ album, after ‘Coming Out Of The Gray’ which was inspired by the ‘gray’ moment we had gone through, I had started to find my distinct voice. We actually just celebrated 10 years in music in 2011, and for that we lifted 18 of our most popular songs from the four previous albums to give fans the best of what we’ve produced over the years.” “As a song writer, when I get an idea, I can’t just park it…I may be driving but I just have to put it down on paper, otherwise it just haunts me. I write my original music, I certainly try not to copy anyone and I do this deliberately so my music stays original. We’ve found a niche market that nobody else is doing, and I don’t feel at all threatened by other artists and their genres.”

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You recently wrote a song for your father entitled ‘Superstar’, tell us about it “I’d been thinking about this for a number of years, especially after the stroke. I thought about what we had achieved, and what my father meant to me and I wanted to do a tribute to him but didn’t know how. I couldn’t get around the words. I wanted to make a tribute to him, in a way that he could appreciate it while he is still living and where he could hear it himself. But it all came to me one day! It’s our life story! 100% from the heart. I didn’t want to release it, as it was a birthday present to him. It was something very personal, but some people heard it and encouraged me to bring it to the radio, and I did. In hindsight, I think it’s a good idea to put it on our next album. Until recently, my dad still couldn’t play the song fully, because he cried every time he heard it…but now he plays it all the time. I think the key factor that has made us successful apart from the music, is that it’s not too often that you see a grown man being quite close and doing something together with his father. So it’s a good message that it’s never too late to be close with your parents and to do things together, that’s meaningful…and I think that is a great example for my children.”

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

HOMES

Buying Your First Home Tips and guidelines for first time home owners

“If prices are rising you may gain by making a faster decision.” Almost all of us at some point start dreaming of the home we will one day have. From magazines, what we see and our imagination we start putting together the pieces of the complete image of our dream home. This process become more exciting once we have steady incomes, steady relationships and expanding families which pave the way for the dream to materialize. We partner up with Premium Realty (PTY) Ltd this month to give you some great tips on what you need to know when you take the ‘home’ plunge.

Calculate your budget. Compare bank loan rates. Make sure the bank gives you a fixed loan rate and not an open value that is unpredictable. Calculate how much you will pay at the end of your payback period in total. Factor in repairs or upgrades and furniture. Better still, if you can, save for the purchase and do not take any loan.

“Make sure you can service that loan comfortably in good and bad times.”

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Take your time but not years. This is usually the biggest purchase in your life. Make a few visits to your prospective home. Speak to neighbours as they are important. A large proportion of the value of your home depends on the neighbourhood and neighbours. Some people want such a good deal that after 2 years they are still looking and the prices have gone up. If prices are rising you may gain by making a faster decision.

Compare home prices around the neighbourhood. However, prices may vary greatly here even next door. A property on the beach is much more than the property across the road. A property with a super panoramic view commands more than one without a view. Having said that, there may have been similar properties sold in the area and it would be wise to try to obtain accurate sales prices transacted.

Start small. A two bedroom today, a three bedroom a few years alter, etc. Do not be a yupee! You will look good for a short while and may regret. You are buying a home for yourself. The real estate market can go up and down. Not because it always goes up that it will continue this way. In the long term, 10 years plus, the trend is usually up but if you need to sell and the market is currently down, you may be stuck or make a loss. If the economy slows your income may also reduce. May sure you can service that loan comfortably in good and bad times.

Find the beacons physically for your property and check road access. If the beacons are not visible then make sure you ask the owner to relocate them by getting a surveyor down on the property. Check that if your property is not next to the main road that you have official road access. A survey plan with road reserve marked is not official road access. The access must be stated on the parcel of land at the government registry. A notary can check that for you.

Stick to your budget. You must be able to sleep peacefully at night after taking into account all your monthly costs if you take a loan. A good rule is not to use more than 30% of your household income towards the monthly payment and maintenance of your home. Maintenance can include painting, cutting grass, repairs, etc.

Consider costs of renovation if you plan to buy an older home. Get an estimate…you may end up having to fork our more than you expected…e.g. if there are unforeseen pipe leaks, roof leaks, wall cracks. Here in Seychelles it is wise to get an engineer to verify any sloping land or land with retaining walls/red soil walls below or behind a home for soundness.

Consider building new. With current prices, this can mean paying in part as a home is built and also savings up to half compared to buying a ready made home as owners may add on a big margin for a finished product. However, builders may add a lot of hidden costs too so be careful with this. The best policy is to fix the amount and finish the design in detail before building as changes incur costs and delays. Think everything through. Builders can finish on time with no changes.

Buying land is generally safe. Timing is important. You can really not go wrong if you plan to keep your

home very long term if you keep your land tidy and home well kept. The value should be there provided the economy is steady, no war, natural disasters, unstable governments or other detrimental events to property prices.

Speak to reputable estate agents or friends who have bought and sold or other home buyers who can give you a decent indication of the market and save you a lot of time searching. Your gut feel is also important – no one can predict everything.

Do not forget government taxes and notary fees if you are buying. In Seychelles the buyer chooses the notary and the seller does not need one. For example, buying a home for SR2.5M means you will spend around 1.06 times that to buy a house, 6% more. i.e. 5 govt. stamp duties and 1 notarial fees minimum. That means you will need to come up with SR2.65M total at a minimum. Commissions are paid by the seller if you go through a licensed estate agent. Do not go through a non-licensed estate agent. Also, there is no more trades tax applicable this year so a small saving will be made. For examples, see our calculations online under Buyer Resources at www.seychelles-properties.com and try out our mortgage calculator as well. The land is more important than the house on it. In terms of value and easy resale, you are primarily buying real estate for the location and neighbourhood. If you have a new house then there is added value but an old house can have no value if the repair costs exceed the costs of building a new one. A house can always be rebuilt.

In summary, are you ready for homeownership? Look at your current situation and determine if: 1. You have a continuing and reliable source of income prior to applying for a loan. 2. You have a credit history that shows you’re ready for homeownership. 3. Your total debt is manageable and you can afford to take on the costs associated with homeownership. 4. You have money saved for a down payment and closing / running costs. Tip No. 1: Real Estate is one of the best investments you can make. Enjoy your new home. Tip No. 2: Bring a friend who understands construction quality to advise you if you have no idea about quality. You may find a great deal or cracks in a house due to unstable foundation you did not realize. Article contributed by Jean-Paul Maurel, Partner/Director, Premium Realty (Pty) Ltd, Seychelles.

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HOMES

“...however, builders may add a lot of hidden costs too so be careful with this....”

HOMES IN PARADISE

For more information, contact Jean Paul Maurel Office: +248 4374585 | Fax: +2484224730 | Mobile: + 2482717797 E: sales@seychelles-properties.com | www.seychelles-properties.com

A View of the Sea from East to West • 3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms; • External garage with 1 small bedroom and shower; • 2510 square metres (House with land) + 1760 square metres

• • • •

• • • • • • •

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(tennis court with land); Shared Tennis court; Solid concrete walls and ceiling; Les Canelles hilltop, view of the sea to the east and west side; 5 minutes from Anse Royale beach and mini town and 5 minutes to the beaches and restarants; Fully furnished and includes lovely antique furniture; Easy road access to property just raised off the main road; Landscaped garden with fruit trees; Fenced all around with gate; Underground water tank of 8000 liters; Solar water heating; Plenty of land with great potential;

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

FASHION

Bridesmaids’ Dresses

eing a bridesmaid is an honorable job – you help a woman who is either a relative or a close friend prepare for the most important day in her life. Duties aside, being a bridesmaid can be a lot of fun- it is the closest thing to being a bride after all… Most brides allow the bridesmaids to select the dresses. It is never an easy process, since we all have our own personal styles and preferences. More and more, brides are moving away from the traditional identical dresses for all bridesmaids. The same material might be used for different styles which are better suited for the different body shapes a line-up of girls would have. Naturally, the bridesmaids dresses need to follow the colour (and general) theme of the wedding. We have identified some dresses in local shops which could be used to inspire styles and colours for bridesmaids’ dresses. These dresses are also great picks for those of you who have RSVP’d to wedding invites lately.

BEST L’Oréal Paris Colour Appeal Star Secret Quad Pro Eyeshadow. R125 available at Beauty Buzz (Facebook page). Tel 2525796

Hair Bands Butterfly Ribbons Providence

Blue Black Providence

Rodyanne’s Boutique Victoria House

A great way to complete a hair do! These hair bands cost only SR80 from Bling Bling, Orion Mall.

Diamante Trim Platform Shoes

Lulu’s Boutique Orion Mall

Vintage Boutique Docklands

and matching Satin Clutch Bag (SR650) from http://www.venturebay.com (enter code Potpourri04 on checkout to get 10% discount – offer valid until 31st April)

Mineral Make-Up Kit from DB Designer Cosmetics from Fashion & Sports World, Orion Mall

Fashion & Sports World Orion Mall

Trendy’s Boutique Victoria

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Bagg It Victoria House

Trendy’s Boutique Victoria

BRIDESMAID Style Ana-Maria Suzette

Wedding Date: 13th October 2013 Bridesmaids: 3 The Dresses: They were made by Miriam’s Tailoring – design was my choice Wedding Theme was… Silver and tiffany blue, because these are my favourite colours. Also, we could not choose brighter colours as my husband’s father passed away just 9 months before the wedding.

Catriona Monthy

Wedding Date: 22nd December 2012 Bridesmaids: 5 including the maid of honour The Dresses: From Quiz (UK) Wedding theme was... royal blue and silver and I had something knee-length in mind. I saw the dress in the shop window and thought ‘that’s the one!’ Thankfully my bridesmaids approved.

Danielle Michaud neé Robert

Wedding Date: 19th February 2011 Bridesmaids: 4 The Dresses: Material for the dresses was bought in Dubai, designs/style were chosen personally by each bridesmaid and sewn locally by Miriam’s Tailoring. We chose separate styles because we couldn’t all decide on the same style. Wedding theme was… peach, champagne and shades of green. The colour was also chosen because it was a garden wedding.

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FASHION

BUYS

Elsa Barallon Bridesmaid’s Hair

MAKE OVER

MAKE-OVER

Martin Hoareau Hairdressing

BEFORE

20 year-old Elsa is the Front Office Assistant at the daily newspaper, TODAY. She was a bridesmaid in a recent wedding featured in POTPOURRI – which was also her first bridesmaid duty!

Make up (with Virginie) Virginie used L’Oreal’s True Match foundation which aside from being super bendable, also provides for much needed SPF protection. This is especially important for outdoor weddings. Despite ending up with natural looking eyes, Virginie actually blended 6 colours over Elsa’s eye lids. The idea was to create a general look that could blend anywhere. Eyeliner, mascara, bronzer and using eye shadow to fill in Elsa’s eyebrows followed. Elsa’s already pink lips got an extra boost with pink lip-gloss to finish off the look.

For booking, call Virginie Quatre on 2733020

AFTER

Hair (with Martin) Elsa provided Kellie with a lot of hair to play with, so much so that at the beginning she kept hair style options open. Kellie advised that there must always be hair trials to make sure that there are no surprises on the big day. Also, wearing clothing that can come off without being removed overhead is a must. Given Elsa has long, thick hair, Kellie opted for the typical tradition bridesmaid hair do but with a what-she-calls, the ‘2013’ twist! She started by back-combing Elsa’s hair which added volume and softness. She then braided one side and then put everything up in barrel curls.

For booking, call Martin Hoareau Hairdressing on 30 4325186

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POTPOURRI Photography Studio Room 18 | Docklands Building | Mob: 2512477 Facebook: Potpourri Photography Studio

Holy Communion | Corporate Portraits | Glamour

Models: Claudia Vidot · Pamela Coopoosamy · Julianie Estico | Make-Up: Gemma Mondon | Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque | Dresses & Accessories: Momo’s Choice 31 MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

BEAUTY SPECIAL

Bridal Beauty Countdown by Jennifer Baldwin Your guide to looking beautiful on your wedding day

Six months to go • • • • • •

Start shaping up if you don’t exercise regularly already. A well toned body will do justice to that fabulous dress you have spent so long choosing. Legs, bums, tummies and upper arms can all benefit from working out so get moving. Exercise is also great for reducing stress and increasing your circulation Need to lose a little weight? Eat healthily –concentrate on a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables rather than dieting. Most brides lose weight through stress and rushing around organising so concentrate on vitamin enriched and energy boosting foods instead of starving yourself. Embark on your beauty regime and start concentrating on your skin. We know you’ve heard it all before but the easiest [and cheapest!] way to hydrate, flush out toxins and ensure a radiant complexion on your wedding day is to drink plenty of water. Develop a regular skin care routine, cleanse, tone and moisturise every morning and evening. Going to bed with a face full of make up is an absolute no no! Exfoliate once a week to help remove dead skin cells. Consider a monthly professional facial – Don’t worry if you get a few spots at first - that’s just a sign of your skin getting rid of impurities and better now than closer to your big day. If you are thinking of hair extensions and colour for your wedding day, do it now so you have time to change it if you are not happy. Use a nourishing hair treatment once a week.

Three months to go • • • • • •

Continue the good habits you have adopted from above. If you are doing your own make up on the day, start practicing. If you wish to hire a make up artist, book a practice run so you don’t have any surprises on the day. The idea is to enhance your natural gorgeousness not to make you look like someone else. Collect ideas to experiment with different hair styles and ask for advice from your hairdresser. Pay special attention to your hands and feet. Rub cuticle cream into your cuticles, apply a nail strengthener if your nails are prone to breaking and use hand cream regularly especially after washing your hands. If you are considering nail extensions, have a trial run so you get used to them. Scaly, cracked feet are never attractive, least of all on your wedding day. Smooth your feet with a scrub or foot file every few days to stop rough skin building up. Use a repair cream for cracked heels and moisturise your feet every night. Make-Up artist Gemma Mondon putting the final touches on bride, Stephanie Heynes.

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One month to go • Consider having your eyebrows professionally shaped at a beauty salon. This can open up the eyes and make an amazing difference • When it comes to wedding make up. It’s easy to keep them tidy afterwards. • Finalise your complete look by having a trial run and of hair, make up and dress fitting. • Book your final appointments for the big day to avoid any last minute hitches.

Two weeks to go • •

Have your last facial. If you colour your hair, do so now. It gives it time to settle but not enough for any re-growth to appear. Have a trim too if necessary.

One week to go • •

Get your legs and bikini line waxed. Have your eyelashes tinted if you want an alternative to mascara Allow time for a 48 hour allergy test to be safe.

One day to go • •

Wash your hair today! It’s much harder to style squeaky clean just washed hair and grips and pins will stay put better. Have your manicure and pedicure today leaving plenty of time to relax and to avoid smudges.

The big day •

Stick to the make up and hair routine you have planned – this is no time for last minute changes as you may not have time to rectify any mistakes.

Smile, relax and enjoy yourself – it is meant to be one of the happiest days of your life! Jenni joins the Potpourri team as a regular contributor after many years experience overseas in sales and marketing in the beauty and fashion industry. She has also worked as a make up artist, stylist, event organiser and project manager.

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Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa, Silhouette Island T: (+248) 429 3949 E: labriz@hibiscus.sc

Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Mahe Island T: (+248) 438 6688 E: drift@hibiscus.sc

BEAUTY SPECIAL

Lynette FACEBOOK Beauties Botha

The faces that turned our heads on FACEBOOK in March 2013...

Lynette Botha, Beauty Editor, ELLE Magazine (South Africa)

Name: Shanice Hoareau Age: 20yrs Residence: Plaisance

Q: I have a funny shaped eyebrow but have been advised not to wax from the top, is there any truth to this?

Instead of over-tweezing or waxing eyebrows to get them the same shape, fill in the uneven eyebrow with a brow pencil or eyeshadow (without shimmer) that is the same shade as your brow. Allow hair to grow back before trying to rectify the problem. It is best to get eyebrows shaped by a professional and then to maintain the shape yourself by only tweezing out stray hairs, without altering the shape. Some more advice for doing it yourself: Always stand in the best available natural light and look critically at your brows when tweezing. Start by brushing you eyebrows upwards and across towards the hairline. Then start by cleaning up any hair between the eyebrows and also any stray hair that grows below the natural browline. Take one hair at a time, as one hair too many plucked out can really destroy the look of an eyebrow. Let you own brows natural shape be your guide. To keep brows neat and in place use an eyebrow gel (alternatively, a little hairspray on an eyebrow brush would also do the trick to keep brows in place.)

Name: Raffaila Peter Age: 28yrs Residence: Plaisance

Name: Marlene Dubois Age: 29yrs Residence: Bel-Air

BOOK REVIEW POTPOURRI & CHANTERELLE BOOK CLUB

‘Laurens is adept at weaving together thrilling adventure and intense passion.” Historical Novels Review. Getting ready for your big day ? Why not get a little distraction with Stephanie Lauren’s ‘THE BLACK COBRA QUARTET series.’ Stephanie Laurens is a New York Times, USA-Today & Publishers Weekly Bestseller! The Black Cobra Quartet series is an Easy Reads if you like historical romance . All books Priced at SR185. Buy all 4 in one go and get 10% off ! An exclusive for Potpourri Readers!

THE UNTAMED BRIDE First volume in The Black Cobra Quartet. He is a man who has faced peril without flinching, determined to fight for king and country. She is a bold, beautiful woman with a scandalous past, destined to become an untamed bride. Together they must vanquish the ruthless enemy, while confronting the dangers of the heart...

THE ELUSIVE BRIDE

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2nd volume in The Black Cobra Quartet. A second battle-hardened, completely unstoppable, all male hero, an ex-officer of the Crown, confronts the deadly enemy known only as the Black Cobra. He’s focused in his mission,

then sees a lady he never dreamed he’d see again - with an assassin on her heels. She’s secretly followed him, unaware her path is deadly - or that she’ll join him to battle a treacherous foe. Through ever-present peril, through passion, desire and ecstasy, they race to reach England - and their destiny.

THE BRAZEN BRIDE 3rd volume in The Black Cobra Quartet. Shipwrecked, wounded, he risks all to pursue his mission - only to discover a partner as daring and brazen as he. Fiery, tempestuous, a queen in her own realm, she rescues a warrior - only to find her heart under seige. Bound by passion, linked by need, together they must brave the enemy’s gauntlet to win all their hearts’ desire.

THE RECKLESS BRIDE 4th volume in The Black Cobra Quartet. He races to complete their mission against escalating odds--his task made more perilous when he loses his heart. She’s determined to defy convention and live a solitary life--until she tastes the reckless pleasure found only in his arms. Drawn together by fate, united by fiery passion, they pursue their shared destiny...one they’ll live to see only if they unmask the Black Cobra.

All books are available from Chanterelle Bookshop, Quincy Street. Email: chanterelle@seychelles.net

Isabelle Gellé The Woman behind the The Station Perfumery.

Isabelle is a woman whose heart belongs to the Indian Ocean with a particular affection for Seychelles. Despite being born and raised in Europe, and having lived in several parts of the world before her first trip to Mauritius and Madagascar in recent years, her Indian Ocean origins tugged hard at her heart. Her father, originally from Madagascar, migrated to Mauritius before starting his family in France, where Isabelle was born. Her passion for scent is no ordinary thing – in fact, in telling her story, you realize that for a long time is was even beyond her own consciousness. From the candle making machine she received from her parents at the age of 10 to the chemistry teacher who had a passion in essential oils, Isabelle’s early adulthood path still led her to a professional career in communication and marketing in large establishments. A move to the UK in 2006 would be the start of ‘Les Parfums d’Isabelle’ – where Isabelle’s lifelong passion, would finally come to life. Creating customized perfumes for a faithful client base and selling her range of products on line would be the start of an exciting adventure for Isabelle. With personal mottos such as rediscover the essence of nature, and allowing her creativity and intuition to guide her decisions, it is not entirely surprising that after a few years into “Les Parfums d’Isabelle,” she moved to Seychelles where a new phase in her business started alongside Jenny Gilbert, a homeopath as well as a botanical personal care products expert. Jenny is the owner of Everglow Ltd and writer of the monthly “A Happier You in 2013” in Potpourri magazine. Isabelle strongly believes that Seychelles should be a perfume trail destination, “these islands were made for perfume making,’ she says. The Station Perfumery will be presenting its collection in the coming months. Look out for a more complete account of Isabelle’s story in Potpourri’s June Edition. For more information, visit http://www.lesparfumsisabelle.co.uk

10 'Coeur d'île' Eau de Parfum, from The Station to give away to 10 new lucky subscribers… An exotic scent that will transport you to the tropical world where the clove of Zanzibar meets the Bourbon vanilla and the patchouli of the Indian Ocean islands… At its heart is bouquet of white flowers including ylangylang (flower of flowers) and jasmine, symbols of these lush islands… The top notes are composed of a cocktail of island citrus: grapefruit, petit grain bigarade and lime, all complementing the sweetness of vanilla and the spicy clove… The precious fruity note comes from osmanthus, one of the most expensive ingredients in perfumery... Subscribe to POTPOURRI during the month of April and have your name go down for a draw during the first week of May. Winners will be announced in our June issue.

http://www.lesparfumsisabelle.co.uk

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HEALTH

VIEW FROM THE STATION by Jenny Gilbert with Dr Apurva Tamhane

Part 4 of 12 – A lighter, more conscious you in 2013

SENSATIONAL VIBRATIONS the fragrant road to higher living! In energy healing we accept that we are all vibrating at a unique frequency. When that frequency is interrupted and shifted by damaging vibrational energy from a disturbing source, our sense of well-being and harmony is affected. While scientists fight over how our senses detect a particular scent through vibrational means, there is no doubt that each scent in the universe is absolutely unique in its vibration and that every scent (be it a flower or a poison) impacts on how we are vibrating at any given time. This ‘vibrational recognition’ from scent can either be good or bad

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for us. Aromachologists and perfumers, skilled in the art of blending aromas to effect positive change on feelings and emotions, create symphonies of vibrations to achieve this. While the olfactory bulb of the brain processes smell information and its oscillations alter dynamically according to the tasks involved, it is first the frequency of the smell as it comes into our vicinity that sparks off the process. By far my most cherished memories as a young child were of my father returning from trips abroad in pursuit of aromas to enhance formulations he was working on. The mood seemed to visibly shift in our home at these times and there was always great excitement when he unpacked his travel bags laden with beautiful little bottles filled with

So what role does scent play in the development of our consciousness and our connectivity with the universe and how exactly can we make sure that we select scents that enhance us and the world around us? I feel unwell with cheap, nasty perfumes around me (whether in the form of burning oils, air-fresheners and body-care or cosmetic products) and know that well-selected natural products made with pure, natural aromas can make me feel safe, calm, happy, even beautiful. Those that make me feel sick are generally synthetic perfumes in cleaning materials or a in perfume used by someone in my vicinity. Through these synthetic perfumes we are exposed to toxins and hidden threats to our well-being on a continual basis in our daily lives. We know that the inhalation of a dangerous chemical can cause neurological damage. Equally the ongoing, persistent use of synthetic fragrances on and around our person, in our bodycare products or in our homes, can be just as dangerous. Let’s have a quick look at the ‘scenting’/perfumery industry through the example of just one of the many perfume components that have been substituted with synthetics. Ambrette Seed, the seed of the hibiscus flower, has been used for centuries as a ‘musk’ component in many of the most famous, luxury perfumes. Since Ambrette Seed is so priceless, the mass production of synthetic musk is now common practice putting toxicity into our lives through our personal products (soap, shampoo, lotion, perfumes) and household cleaners or air fresheners at an unprecedented level. In effect we are

Using COMMON SCENTS with aromas of the islands Lift your vibrations by experimenting with natural scents by adding these beautiful scents to your life. Start with: Patchouli enhances body functions, regulates the nervous system, boosts immunity and improves digestion and metabolism. It works as a mood enhancer and stimulates desire, so is an ideal aphrodisiac oil. Jasmine is a sleep aid. Research has shown that the scent of jasmine in your bedroom leads to a more restful night of sleep and a greater level of alertness the following day. Some labs have found that the scent increases the brain waves associated with deep sleep. Put some jasmine oil in a bedside aroma diffuser or sprinkle a few drops on your pillow. Vetivert is known as the oil of tranquility and is therefore ideal for calming mind and soul. It is revitalizes the body, helps relieve stress and is wonderful to aid physical and mental fatigue. Vanilla aids weight loss. Perfumers find that Vanilla works as a replacement for the pleasure that you would get from eating sweets—but without the calories. It is not a scent you would use on an empty stomach as it could make you hungrier and if you’ve had a healthy lunch, it can help curb your need for dessert.

INSERT PULL OUT QUOTE HERE

being bombarded with these toxins every day in quite substantial quantities. Synthetic musk is a real and present danger in our environment and to our health. It accumulates in fatty tissue and is poorly degradable in the environment. Synthetic musk has the ability to disrupt endocrine systems, is thought to affect hormone balance as it mimics oestrogen and is a threat to wildlife and the wider aquatic environment. So toxic is it that the WWF believes synthetic musk should be banned as soon as possible because of its devastating affect on the environment. Recently I learnt that some of the most discerning perfume houses are substituting natural scents with synthetics. This would possibly explain why the latest bottle of my favourite perfume that I’ve used for nearly 30 years is totally different from what I know. Needless to say I won’t be using it again. When selecting a perfume or buying a household product, consider that the perfume used in it probably contains up to 600 chemicals including toxins such as toluene and petroleum solvents which can cause hormonal change, respiratory illness, dermatological irritation and long-term chronic dis-ease. The processes used by the large perfumery manufacturers also contaminate the earth’s water supplies and employ petrochemicals in the line of production. On the other hand, natural scents contain extracts from plants, offering therapeutic benefits called aromatherapy, alleviating tension, stress, fatigue and pain and giving healing energy to the whole self. The plants that produce the oils drink up water while growing, without polluting it. The energy of the sun is in the essential oil. Plants thrive on the humidity and breezes. So it make ‘scents’ that natural perfumes, composed of a subtle, vibrational blend of these beautiful oils, will create good vibes while synthetic perfumes do not. Why not start making your own household detergents and the next time your favourite perfume starts running low, carefully consider replacing it with a natural perfume that is sure to improve your ‘vibe’. You might just be surprised at the effect this has on you. I most certainly will opt for a privately made natural perfume, designed to my liking to resonate with my individuality, safe in the knowledge that I am no longer aiding and abetting an industry that puts profit before prosperity of all mankind and connecting me to everything that is good and wholesome in our Universe.

Jenny Gilbert is the founder and owner of Everglow Ltd, the island’s premier natural health manufactures and service providers. She is also Director of Wellness at Resonate Wellness at The Station. Homoeopathy is a well recognised system of ‘natural’ medical treatments for most diseases and conditions. and: Please visit resonatewell.wordpress.com or email reson8.well@gmail.com.

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HEALTH

Simply put, the ‘vibes’ in our home were markedly affected by the scents. Furthermore, I am affected – while writing this – by the memory of those vibrations which right now even affect my energy (vibrations), my emotions and my ability to connect concepts and act on the memory.

HEALTH

precious oils. My mum seemed to love him even more for sharing such treasures with us in those moments.

PARENTING

Childhood Obesity

Take Action!

All around the world obesity rates among children have increased three-fold in the last 20 years, and is now among the most widespread medical problems affecting children and adolescents living in developed countries, making pediatric obesity the greatest health challenge in the millennium. Preventing kids from becoming overweight means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together. Helping kids lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. And today’s busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people.

2012 figures rate Seychelles 11th out of 69 countries for adult obesity. In 2004, 25% of adults were considered obese in Seychelles. The Ministry of Health’s “Promoting Healthy Weight…A Major Future Investment” campaign; which targets obesity in children stated that almost 20% of school children are obese. This presents a major issue for Seychelles’ future generation.

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by Nathalie Hodgson

Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being.

The immediate health effects are: •

Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

•

Obese adolescents are more likely to have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.

•

Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor selfesteem.

Long-term health effects: •

Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults 11-14 and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.

•

Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate.

continued Page 39

Causes of Overweight A number of factors contribute to becoming overweight. Genetics, lifestyle habits, or a combination of both may be involved. In some instances, endocrine problems, genetic syndromes, and medications can be associated with excessive weight gain. Much of what we eat is quick and easy — from fat-laden fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. Daily schedules are so jam-packed that there’s little time to prepare healthier meals or to squeeze in some exercise. Plus, now more than ever life is sedentary — kids spend more time playing with electronic devices, from computers to handheld video game systems, than actively playing outside. Television is a major culprit. Kids younger than 6 spend an average of 2 hours a day in front of a screen, mostly watching TV, DVDs, or videos. Older kids and teens average 4.5 hours a day watching TV, DVDs, or videos. When computer use and video games are included, time spent in front of a screen increases to over 7 hours a day! Kids who watch more than 4 hours a day are more likely to be overweight compared with kids who watch 2 hours or less. Not surprisingly, TV in the bedroom is also linked to increased likelihood of being overweight. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids over 2 years old not spend more than 1-2 hours a day in front of a screen. The AAP also discourages any screen time for children younger than 2 years old. Many kids don’t get enough physical activity. Although physical education (PE) in schools can help kids get up and moving, gym classes in Seychelles’ schools offers just 25-40 minutes of vigorous activity each week (not include play time at breaks etc). Current guidelines recommend that kids over 2 years old get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Babies and toddlers should be active for 15 minutes every hour (a total of 3 hours for every 12 waking hours) each day. Genetics also play a role — genes help determine body type and how your body stores and burns fat just like they help determine other traits. Genes alone, however, cannot explain the current obesity crisis. People in the same family tend to have similar eating patterns, maintain the same levels of physical activity, and adopt the same attitudes toward being overweight. Studies have shown that a child’s risk of obesity greatly increases if one or more parent is overweight or obese. If you have a health issue, you have been battling with your whole life

Avrill Turns

that you have now discovered is from your lifestyle (eating, exercise or other daily routine); ask yourself this question: ‘do I want my child to suffer like I have? And can I change my habits and actions to ensure that my children develop healthier patterns to avoid the same outcome?’

Prevention The key to keeping kids of all ages at a healthy weight is taking a wholefamily approach. It’s the “practice what you preach” mentality. Make healthy eating and exercise a family affair. Get your kids involved by letting them help you plan and prepare healthy meals, and take them along when you go grocery shopping so they can learn how to make good food choices. And avoid falling into these common food/eating behavior traps:

• •

•

PARENTING

continued from Page 38

Don’t reward kids for good behavior or try to stop bad behavior with sweets or treats. Come up with other solutions to modify their behavior. Don’t maintain a clean-plate policy. Be aware of kids’ hunger cues. Even babies who turn away from the bottle or breast send signals that they’re full. If kids are satisfied, don’t force them to continue eating. Reinforce the idea that they should only eat when they’re hungry. Snacking is good for children however a packet of chips, a fanta and an oily samosa is not a healthy snack. Take the time to shop for the right foods so your house is full of the healthy snack options. Try giving them the role of choosing what they want in their lunch box from the healthy food choices you have provided. Don’t talk about “bad foods” or completely eliminate all sweets and favorite snacks from kids’ diets. Kids may rebel and over-eat these forbidden foods outside the home or sneak them in on their own. School canteen – be sure to know what your child is buying at school from the canteen and only allow a certain portion per day or speak to the canteen lady to only provide them what you have agreed upon.

Kids love fast food but try to steer them towards healthier choices like grilled chicken sandwiches, salads, and smaller sizes. Teach them how to prepare healthy meals and snacks at home. You can make a very tasty burger with grilled fish, lots of salad, cheese, other fillings and nice sauce that is a lot bigger and juicier than the cheese and burger options from the burger van man. Cut down on TV, computer, and video game time and discourage eating while watching the tube. Serve a variety of healthy foods and eat meals together as often as possible. Encourage kids to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, limit sugar-sweetened beverages, and eat breakfast every day. If you eat well, exercise regularly, and incorporate healthy habits into your family’s daily life, you’re modeling a healthy lifestyle for your kids that will last. Talk to them about the importance of eating well and being active, but make it a family affair that will become second nature for everyone. Most of all, let your kids know you love them — no matter what their weight — and that you want to help them be happy and healthy. References: www.healthiergeneration.org | www.cdc.gov www.medicalnewstoday.com Nathalie Hodgson, is a writer, mother, PR & Marketing consultant and yoga instructor, juggling this whilst raising two kids under two and enjoying the most of life.

MUSTBuyAPRIL

KIDSPRODUCT

Name: Avrill Antat Birthday: 21st April From: Guylly Antat (her father) Guylly says, “Wishing her a happy 5th birthday! Love always.” (In collaboration with Chanterelle Bookshop)

Toddler Girl’s Dress!

SR100 for a clothing item is rarely heard of; especially when it comes to a gorgeous little dress for your little princess. Lulu’s Boutique is the place to stop at to get this bargain. The black version is also available. Available at Lulu’s Boutique, Orion Mall.

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

PET CORNER

the Pet Basics Pet ofMonth with Nathalie Hoareau

Name: Louie (also LouDog) Age: 8 months Breed: Part Border Collie/Part everything else Gender: Male Owners’ name: James Rose-Innes

Like us humans, animals have feelings and have basic needs such as clean air, adequate food and water, clean environment, frequent exercise, medical care and lots of love.

James says, “Found abandoned on the side of the road at 5 weeks old, covered in fleas, ticks and lice, Louie is now a highly energetic dog, jumping as high as he can into the swimming pool and his favourite place is the beach. He was named after the Dalmatian owned by the late Bradley Nowell; former front-man of the music group Sublime. He and his dog were inseparable and when Bradley passed away, Louie was found with his head on Bradley’s lap, whimpering. Louie would accompany the group on stage, in photo shoots, when recording songs (his bark can often be heard in their tracks) etc.”

Here are some dos and don’ts to guide you with basic needs of your dog:

DO: • get your dog vaccinated against rabies, leptospirosis, parvo and

the major infectious diseases. however, though your dog has been vaccinated against leptospirosis it can still carry the deadly virus so also ensure your environment is free of pests; take your dog to the vet for an annual health-check; check your dog’s ears and teeth regularly, smell his/her breath, and take him/her to the vet whenever he/she is ill or shows signs of problems; de-worm your dog regularly according to your vet’s advice. remember, dealing with a problem early on saves a lot of pain, distress, and money in the long term; if you do not want puppies, neuter your dog early; provide your dog with a good diet. remember, dogs eat dog food, not the sugary or oily foods we often eat; make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise, and doesn’t become overweight. always put your dog on a leash in public areas to avoid him/her running off, getting run over, or disturbing others. Use a harness or collar and lead; reward your dog for good behaviour with lots of love and praise, and the occasional dog treat; spend time grooming your dog; it helps to strengthen the bond between you, is good for your dog’s coat, and you may pick up any problems with his/her skin, ears, or mouth.

• • • • • • • • •

DON’T: • feed your dog at different times every day; a regular routine is important; feed your dog human foods, especially those containing lots of sugar, and especially chocolate, which is harmful to dogs;

•

• •

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MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

bath your dog more than once a month; it’s bad for his/her skin. Only use very mild shampoos designed specifically for dogs; give your dog cow’s milk; feed your dog chicken bones or other cooked bones as they splinter easily and can get caught in his/her throat or stomach. Only use raw beef bones; pick your dog up by the legs or scruff as this can hurt him/her. Always lift from underneath and use one hand to support his/her chest and one hand to support his/her bottom; put clothes or shoes on your dog. He/she doesn’t want or need them and may find them irritating; leave your dog alone where he/she might be injured by electrical items, poisonous plants or other harmful things; leave your dog tied up or in a cage.

CONSERVATION

Buying local foods not only supports Seychellois farmers and fishermen but the products are fresher, healthier

It’s a nice day for a…

GREEN WEDDING

There are so many things to think about when planning the big day… your wedding day: when and where to hold the wedding, how many people and who to invite, what kind of food to serve, what dress to wear, the list goes on and on! Now I’m going to give you one more thing to think about: how to plan an eco-friendly wedding! A wedding is often a big event, and as with any other big event, there is always an environment impact, often referred to as “the ecological footprint”. There are a number of things to consider if you want to ensure that your wedding has minimal impact on the planet.

INVITATIONS

Try to get some printed on recycled paper, or better yet, make your own and get creative with recycled bits of colourful paper and fabrics.

VENUE

Choose a location for your reception that is close to where your guests are coming from, that way you minimize the distance they have to travel (and their carbon footprint). Instead of an indoor air-conditioned venue that consumes a lot of energy, choose a place that is open and naturally ventilated. Many people in Seychelles like to have their wedding on the beach or in a garden and this is a great eco-friendly option. You can even try setting up a traditional “salle verte” made of coconut leaves to shelter your guests!

FLOWERS

Imported flowers are grown with a lot of pesticides, putting workers and the environment at risk. On top of that they have to be flown in from far away and thus carry a high carbon price tag, which contributes to climate change. We have many gorgeous varieties of flower grown in our tropical climate right here in Seychelles – take advantage of them and use them to decorate the reception room, tables and create a beautiful bouquet.

FOOD Put together a menu featuring delicious local ingredients to treat your guests: fresh and smoked fish, local poultry and pork, fruits, vegetables and even “gro manze” like cassava, breadfruit and sweet potatoes. Anyone who enjoyed watching the local cooking TV show Mazavarou on SBC will remember that the possibilities are endless for creating beautiful gourmet dishes using local ingredients. Buying local foods not only supports Seychellois farmers and fishermen but the products are fresher, healthier and of course have a lower carbon footprint than imported foods that have to be flown in from far away.

GIFTS

Many couples getting married already have much of what they need to set up their household together. If you’re invited to a wedding, check and see what the couple might really need, or try and choose something produced locally. For something truly special, buy a beautiful handmade recycled glass gift at APANA, an NGO based in Baie Lazare (contact: 4361107 or check www.apanango.org).

For more info about green weddings, try these websites: http://www.greenbrideguide.com http://green.weddings.com http://www.greatgreenweddings.com Contributed by Michéle Martin for Sustainability for Seychelles, a local NGO whose mission is to promote sustainable living in Seychelles. Email: info@s4seychelles.com Tel. 251-9135 Web: www.s4seychelles.com or find us on Facebook. Address: Suite A9 Arpent Vert, Mont Fleuri

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

Water – The Source of Life As we begin to go through the hot and dry spell of the year, Seychelles can expect another round of water restrictions as water levels in our dams subside. And yet, here’s the irony - being around the equator, Seychelles receives over 2 metres of rain per year. If you cover Mahe’s surface area (142 km2) alone with 2 m of water, this equates to over 284 million tons of water that falls per year on Mahe alone. To put this in context, La Gogue dam can store 1 million tons of water when full. Now how much does water Seychelles really need for its industrial and private use? Based on available data, it amounts to approx 30k tons per day or say 11 million tons per year. And this is only because over 40% of treated water is then somehow lost in the network (most likely through leaks or seepage). If you remove the leaks, then we really need 6.6 million tons a year. So the question arises: how come when mother nature gives us 284 million tons of water a year of which we need only 11 million tons (or less than 4% of this figure), we are rarely able to keep water supplies uninterrupted? In fact, after failing to capture it on land, we then go after it in the sea using very expensive desalination methods. And what is the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) doing now in order to solve the problem? We know they have purchased 7 units of de-sal plant (costing $12m) in 2011 to produce 7k tonnes of water per day to add to some similar units that earlier produced some water when they worked. PUC also started a project a couple of years ago to pipe water from Bel-Ombre to La Gogue; this is still to be completed. The latest we have heard is they are now considering raising La Gogue Dam by a few metres to increase its capacity. Whilst we all agree we need to store more water, many question the benefit of raising the dam now given that it is less than 60% full throughout the year and only overflows a dozen or so days in the year. Isn’t there too little feeding into it rather than a problem of capacity to hold water which is the constraint right now? Should we not ensure first that it remains mostly full and thus constrained in size before we consider raising it? I will not pretend the whole problem is overly simple or that there is an obvious solution either. It’s not that you can have one big dam and pipe every drop of rain from the sky into this. Simple logic dictates that you need good capture points, several dams and good piping to connect rain which falls to the storage and treatment and finally to the taps. What is today’s preferred solution though? It appears that it is to buy expensive desalination plants to filter back at great cost the same water we allowed to flow away in the first place. Are there other solutions? In my view, certainly YES. Mother Nature provides Seychelles with an abundance of fresh water! Just a look at our green scenery and mountain side is testimony to this if one does not want to look at the figures. So what are the solutions? First of all, get more feed into existing dams such as La Gogue. The latter, for example, is mainly fed by a 450mm pipe from Rochon; this same pipe is also used to send water to Hermitage and

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

thus cannot always feed La Gogue. Should there not be a dedicated pipe for the Rochon- La Gogue feed? Why is the Bel-Ombre to La Gogue feeder project taking so long to complete? Can’t the water be piped across the sea if across land is too difficult? Can’t the same also be considered from Grand Anse to BelOmbre and then to La Gogue? What are the pros and cons? We do this already for Cerf Island and St Anne. Have these options really been studied deeply including ways of minimizing damage at sea? Surely this would take substantially less time (and cost less) as you do not need permission to cut across roads and private property including all the construction and repairs that go with it. Second, let us look at the leaks. It is inconceivable how we can allow 40% of treated water to just disappear into the ground. Is it really so hard to find out where the leaks are? If one were to cost this, assuming PUC produces 11 million tons of water a year, this represents a loss of over 4 million tons of water. Assuming a ton costs SR6, one is talking of losing over SR25m a year alone. This would certainly justify spending at least SR100m NOW to lay new pipes and save SR25m every year. From my DIY knowledge, this often happens at pipe joints or at places where there is a load bearing on the pipe, typically pipes poorly laid under roads bearing heavy loads. Often these are exposed to sharp objects where they are laid and once a heavy vehicle drives above, the pipe either bursts or begins to leak. If this is underground it may not even be seen. In other cases, the pipes have simply passed their useful life. They need to be changed. Should there not be a concerted effort to detect as best as we can all the points where these leaks exist? Once we know where they are, stop them cost effectively. In other words, we cannot expose them to the same risk factors they faced before the repair as they are likely to break down again. PUC should adopt best practice methods in the industry to minimize leakage. It would also make sense to shelve the costly dam raising project for now especially when its real, immediate benefit will be minimal. Let us spend to save 40% of water which disappears after we have paid dearly to de-salinate it in the first place. We should also tap more streams in all the districts that are today simply draining most of their water into the sea. It may be argued that this will deprive other plant or species downstream. But it may be counterargued that humans need only 4% of what flows naturally and therefore surely the others can survive on 96% of what remains in the streams. This can be achieved for example by directing only some water from up-stream sources into new collection points throughout Mahe, say for example, into 500-ton tanks (can be easily camouflaged in a district) placed close but below such water sources with a simple treatment system and equipped with a pressure switch pump which can then send water to the respective population centres. These must work on the basis that if these tanks are ever full, a ball valve will shut off its supply from the river source. This way, it does not deprive the source river and any other downstream requirements of water other than those used by the population. Next we should encourage all households to store water, be it from PUC or from their roofs. I agree that the idea of such storage will not add to the country’s overall storage substantially but at least it’ll help reduce the

With this proposal, the side product could be several more years’ supply of coral fill. Once the basin is built, you could then put a small treatment plant next to it and, with pumps, send clean water to consumers. Perhaps the same mobile de-sal plants we have recently purchased could be used to treat this water as it would be river water that’ll just need filtration, treatment and pumped away. It’ll be less costly than removing salt from sea water which they do today. It appears, however, that this land is reserved for FDI (foreign direct investment – a rarity these days) or some future “vision” so I suspect the chances of this idea bearing fruit is quite minimal. Finally, since water is the source of life, we really must find ways to handle the severe constraints most people live under today to get a supply of uninterrupted, treated water. The solutions do not appear to be complicated but sadly year in and year out, restrictions seem to be the norm. In other words, we still don’t have enough water even after all the flash floods and deluge!

Another idea instead of raising La Gogue dam with all the complications this entails at that height and in difficult terrain and damaging the roads at Anse Etoile, is to build a new storage basin on flat land, e.g. at Aurore Island reclaimed next to North East point which has only casuarinas trees growing on it today. It is large, accessible, flat and easy to build on. It can be done by excavating the coral fill inside to a height above the highest sea level (so no sea-water could get in) and creating a basin therein. One could even consider raising the basin’s walls (not the rock armour) by a metre or so to get more volume. The basin’s interior would then be lined appropriately to contain fresh water from rivers or whatever overflows from La Gogue dam which is quite close.

PUC will require support both financial and technical in order to address the water problems it faces. It may take years to solve them but as long as we all feel the right actions are being taken today, we will see light at the end of the tunnel. For now, I hope that the debate provoked by this contribution on water will help us see some light (and water …) in the years ahead.

In the Aurore option, you would have the benefit of obtaining coral fill excavated to create the basin. In 2011, Government ran short of coral fill and had to fork out nearly €4m to dredge some 0.5 million m3 of fill (from the north-west plateau of Mahe) or about 5 years’ supply need.

Merci!! (par Georges Gravé) toi, j’ai découvert un pays-paradis, des gens merveilleux et j’ai pu vivre une aventure professionnelle hors du commun. Merci a toi, pour la confiance aveugle que tu m’as accordé dès le premier jour ce qui nous a permis de vaincre toutes les difficultés du quotidien. Merci pour ta « folie » et ta créativité débordante et contagieuse. Maia en a profité et est devenu en quelques années le symbole de la qualité et du savoir recevoir aux Seychelles. Merci est a mon avis l’un des plus jolis mots de la langue française. C’est un des premiers mots que l’on apprend à dire juste après papa et maman. C’est un mot chargé d’énergie si on l’utilise a bon escient. C’est un réservoir de respect, d’amour et de reconnaissance. Savoir dire Merci est un art du savoir-vivre ensemble.

Merci de croire en tes rêves et de tout faire afin qu’ils deviennent réalité. C’est tellement rare !

C’est pour toutes ces raisons que j’aimerai ce mois-ci utiliser ma rubrique pour offrir mon Merci a un homme a qui je dois la découverte des Seychelles.

Cher Frederic, je ne sais pas si nos routes se croiseront à nouveaux, car moi je reste aux Seychelles et je continuerais à faire de Maia ce lieu magique que beaucoup nous envient, mais je voulais te dire avant ton départ que du haut de mes 60 ans de vie et de mes 40 ans de carrière, tu es dans mon « Top 5 » de mes meilleurs patrons. Pour finir, je voudrais partager avec toi un extrait d’un livre de Paulo Coelho : Maktub. « Le carrefour est un lieu sacré. C’est la que le pèlerin de la vie doit prendre une décision. C’est pourquoi les dieux ont coutume d’y dormir et d’y manger. Là ou les routes se croisent, deux grandes énergies se concentrent ‘ le chemin que l’on va choisir, et celui que l’on abandonne. Tous deux ne font alors plus qu’un, mais seulement pour une courte période. Le pèlerin peut se reposer, dormir un peu, et même consulter les dieux qui habitent la. Mais il doit aller de l’avant, lorsque son choix est fait, il doit poursuivre sa route, sans penser a la voie qu’il a délaissée .. » Donc, MERCI cher Fred, bonne route et bon vent pour tes prochaines aventures !!!

Merci a toi Cher Frederic! Monsieur Frédéric Vidal, Directeur Général de Maia Resort jusqu’a la fin de ce mois d’avril. Tu as dirigé ce joyaux avec talent depuis sa création jusqu’a aujourd’hui. Merci à toi de m’avoir téléphoné il y a 7 ans pour me demander de te rejoindre afin de participer à l’ouverture de Maia. Grace a

Merci pour ta générosité. Beaucoup pourrait en témoigner. Je pense entre autre aux enfants du Président-Village à qui tu rends visite en toute discrétion tous les mois pour fêter leurs anniversaires. Bien sur, certains diront que tu as aussi plein de défauts . Que ceux qui n’en ont pas se lèvent !!!!

ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

inconvenience when the mains supply is off.

BLUE OCEAN

Yacht & Crew The Ferretti Altura 690 is capable of taking 12 guests on a day charter and 6 guest over night charter plus 2 crew. The two Ferretti offer charters from 2 hours up to one week. They also offer private transfers between islands, weddings, diving, fishing and bespoke island tours. Exclusive Yacht Services is one of the only Charter companies to offer such a high level of luxury and experiences. They tailor each trip to their client’s exact needs and requirements.

The Ferretti Altura 690 from Exclusive Yacht Services EYC have three yachts in their fleet: Ferretti Altura 690 Ferretti 500 elite and Chris Craft 29 Catalina.

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Dolphins: Symbol of love, balance

CLIENT REVIEW “Exclusive Yacht Services are a charter company of the highest level. We have been on many charters within Europe and the quality and service was parallel with our previous experiences. We travelled around Mahe, to Praslin and La digue and enjoyed every second of it. Fishing between islands, visiting beaches only accessed by boats and seeing the marine life including turtles and dolphins to name just a few we could not have dreamed of a better trip. Thank You Exclusive Yacht Services and your whole team for a truly once in a lifetime trip with my family. Regards Mr M. Gerc January 2013.”

DID YOU KNOW?

BLUE OCEAN

Continued from Page 44

• • • • •

and community by Helena Simms

Dolphins are marine mammals closely related to whales; There are over 10 recorded species of dolphins in Seychelles; The Orca (seen around Aldabra) is the world’s largest dolphin and eats 45kg of food a day; The name origins from the Greek word Delphis which is the derivative of ‘womb’ in Greek. In ancient Greece legend tells us the dolphin was responsible for carrying the souls of the dead to the Islands of the Blessed; The dolphin is a great conveyor of the

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concept of yin and yang; being in the same worlds at once as they breathe air but live in the sea; Dolphins sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep at a time, thus maintaining enough consciousness to breathe and to watch for possible predators and other threats; Dolphins are an increasingly popular choice of animal-assisted therapy for psychological problems and developmental disabilities eg; depression, phobias, children suffering from cerebral palsy etc.

THE CREW

Francis Cushion My name is Francis Cushion, I consider myself a Diguois since I was born on a boat which was built on La Digue island outside Roche La Passe( Known as the channel rock)in the 70’s. My position is a multipurpose crew and I enjoy it. I cannot skipper the yacht as my license is not yet issued, although I am in the process of getting this issued. My career started seriously in 2008 when I joined a luxury yacht company Rodriguez Group (middle East) Dubai and this is where I was introduced to maintaining luxury yachts. From there on I have broadened my knowledge extensively. I sailed in the Gulf which was a great experience exploring the Arabian sea. I came back to Seychelles after one year and a chain of events led me to the south of Port of Taranto, Italy, where as a crew on board DANA, I sailed across the Greek islands, Ionian, Aegien, Adriatic, Tyrenian and Mediterranean which was a magical experience. I then went to South of France to buff and polish super yachts in the marina of Antibes, France and Imperia shipyard Italy just to gain more knowledge of different sizes of yachts. If you have a great love for boats and the sea it can become very addictive and very difficult to turn your back on it. It has been four and a half years now, and still I want to know more and learn more with new technique as luxury yachts need skillful people and the right technique along with the right products to maintain it. It’s a very hard job and you need to be very highly motivated. After our working hours with other members of the crew we socialise together for a drink, a night out, a dinner just to forget a hard week of work - this is a fun part

9PM

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

5PM - 9PM

Hooked On Conservation Bio: Henry is one of a few anglers that has caught IGFA’s coveted ‘Billfish Royal Slam’ (all 9 billfish species). A passionate angler and conservationist, he is also The Billfish Foundation (TBF)’s ambassador in the Seychelles. Together with his wife, Allison, Henry coowns FINS Tackle, a big-game fishing and pro-tackle store opening in early 2013.

Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. The snows of winter melt away, flowers bloom, and all the world seems new again. Here in the Seychelles, we begin a transition away from the northwest monsoon and the rainy season. In fishing terms, April brings us calm weather, blue skies, and the promise of new fishing opportunities. Take a moment to reflect upon the first fish you caught. I guarantee it brings a smile to your face. Little did you know it at the time that this first fish would evolve into a lifetime hobby and one of your favourite pastimes to share with your closest family and friends. In the spirit of new beginnings and new friendships wouldn’t it be great if each of us anglers took the time to introduce someone new to fishing this month? It does not matter if they are young or old, male or female, share the joy of fishing and help to introduce a new angler to sportfishing. Better yet, teach them about fishing and conservation. Teach them that in today’s world you cannot have one without the other, and that fishing responsibly is the only way to guarantee fishing opportunities for future generations.

collection of individual accomplishments, and many anglers have “fishing goals” they wish to reach. Through this lifelong journey you will always remember who taught you to fish. In my case it was my father, and I will always be forever grateful to him for this. Your first fish was the first entry into your ‘book of fishing firsts’, and with each accomplishment you add a new page or chapter, something you can look back upon with pride and joy. Sharing your angling passion with others will undoubtedly become some of your most memorable entries. At this stage of my fishing ‘life’, I get as much if not more pleasure from helping someone catch their first fish, especially if that new angler is someone young or old, than from catching a fish myself. Don’t get me wrong, pitching a bait to a marlin still gets my adrenaline pumping, but there are few things that are as fulfilling as watching the enjoyment a child gets from catching their first fish. As anglers, we certainly understand that fishing is a cherished part of our lives and a sustainable activity that can provide us with everlasting enjoyment, camaraderie and memories. It also plays a vital role in the health and the livelihoods of many individuals who derive a living from sportfishing. With that being said, I want to offer you a challenge. Take someone fishing who has never had the opportunity before. Expose them to the pastime we all love. It does not matter if you invite them on your boat or take them down to the rocks by the beach. Do your part, take someone fishing; it will put a huge smile on their face and could well make an impact on the rest of their life.

We all fish for different reasons. Whatever the motivation, we build a

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WITH

BERNARD GE ORGE S

I have been paying alimony for my ‘son’ since his birth four years ago. Some months ago, it was brought to my attention that the child was not mine – an accusation which has just been confirmed by a paternity test. I also learned that the mother knew all along of this situation – do I have a case against her?

loss to another, the person committing the fault is obliged to repair it. Therein lies the answer. The mother knew all along that the man was not the father of her son. Unlike the girl in the story at the start of this piece, she knew who the father was. Despite that, she lied to the man and led him to pay maintenance for her child when he had no legal obligation to do so. That was a fault in law. She must pay for her fault. In addition, her child has been unjustly enriched by having maintenance to which he was not entitled, and the man has been unjustly impoverished by having paid money he was not obliged to pay. So, what happens?

This question is one which is not as rare as one may think. Recently I met a young girl I knew. She had just had a baby and was pregnant again. Since I knew the father of the previous child, I asked her who the father of this one was, expecting her to tell me that it was the same man. ‘I don’t know,’ was the answer I got. ‘What do you mean, you don’t know?’ I asked her, shocked and surprised. ‘Just that,’ she answered, ‘I don’t know who the father of this child I am carrying is…’ To modify a well-used phrase: Pregnancy Happens. In a country with a high rate of illegitimacy and multiple fathers, this month’s question is one of particular interest and poignancy.

The ‘father’ asking the question wants to know whether he has a case against the mother. He clearly does. The mother conducted herself in a manner a prudent person would not have. What is the case? It is a claim for damages against the mother of the child for the fault of having deceived him into paying maintenance he didn’t have to pay. The case is a cast-iron one. The man will win. But what measure of damages will he win? He will claim back all that he has paid, plus an extra sum in moral damages for the inconvenience and the shock he obviously suffered in being led astray for four years and then finding out that he had been deceived. A court will be inclined to give him both.

Under the law, a father has a duty to maintain his child. Conversely, he has no duty to maintain a child that is not his. That’s a given. What if he maintains a child in the mistaken belief that the child is his? And what if he subsequently learns that his mistaken belief was induced by the mother, who knew differently? Obviously, the child is an innocent party here and it would take a hard heart to try and recover money paid in good faith towards his or her maintenance. In fact, the rule as to acquired rights not being revocable may mean that the maintenance given to the child is not recoverable. But that is not the issue here. The man is not seeking to recover from the child. He wants to know if the mother can be liable for her deception. What law could she have broken by her action? ‘Fault,’ our law says, ‘is an error of conduct which would not have been committed by a prudent person…’ If a person commits a fault, and this causes

A note of warning: the facts of this case are clear in that the mother knew that the man was not the father and deceived him into believing he was. In other cases, the situation may not be as clear. The mother may believe that X is the father, obtain maintenance for the child, and then a paternity test shows that it is actually Y who is the father. In such cases, fault will be harder to prove and damages more difficult to obtain. But, as the saying goes, that is for another time… Educated at Seychelles College and Cambridge University, Bernard has two Masters Degrees – in law of divorce and in canon law, the law of the church. He is best known as a lawyer, having been in private practice for over 30 years.

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

BLUE OCEAN

SPRING FISHING

BON APPETIT

ith Lent behind us, here’s an indulgent dish to bring your taste buds back to life; La Plaine St. André presents a Passion Fruit Mousse and Banana Mille Feuille for the next family experiment in the kitchen. Enjoy this beautiful creation with Archipelago Wine & Spirit’s recommendation of Crystallum’s Chardonnay, “The Agnes” Walker Bay of South Africa, or if you would rather go down Cocktail Avenue, whip up Takamaka Bay’s choice of the month – a Mango Daiquiri.

La Plaine St. André T: +248 437 2010 E : reservations@laplaine.sc W : www.laplaine.sc

Per Portion Ingredients 150g ripe banana 50g sugar 10g star anise 100 ml orange juice 50ml passion fruit juice 150ml whipped cream 60ml egg whites 300g readymade puff pastry dough 80g icing sugar

Method 1. Peel the bananas and slice them in half, length-wise. 2. Heat your sugar in a small sauce pan until caramelized (It is sufficiently caramelized once it is light brown in colour) Keep stirring so it doesn’t char! 3. Deglaze the caramelized sugar with the orange juice by pouring the juice into your pan and stirring until the sugar dissolves, then throw in the star anise. 4. Place your banana in the pan and allow to cook until golden brown on the outside 5. Whip the cream and icing sugar together until fluffy in texture 6. Add the passion fruit juice to the cream mixture 7. Whisk the egg whites until white peaks form, then fold into the cream mixture 8. Set aside in a fridge, while preparing the puff pastry 9. Roll out the puff pastry dough on a flat baking tray and bake for 15 minutes on 170˚C

Passionfruit Mousse & Banana Mille Feuille

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Mango Daiquiri Takamaka Bay white rum shaken simply with mango & lime, a real beach classic!

You will need...... A martini glass and a cocktail shaker Cubed ice Two shots of Takamaka Bay white rum One and a half shots of mango juice Half a shot of lime juice Half a shot of sugar syrup (two parts sugar to one part boiling water)

A strong nose of oak - but attractive; Caramel on the palate with the fruit peeking through; Tremendous length; Vibrant; Good acidity (should age well.) Comparable to a good young Burgundy.

What to do...... Pre-chill your glass with some cubed ice Carefully measure the rum, juices and sugar into the cocktail shaker Add cubed ice to the shaker and shake it really hard for around ten seconds Discard the ice from your glass and pour in your cocktail

Takamaka Bay T: +248 437 2050 E: info@takamaka.sc W: www.takamakabay.com Archipelago Wines & Spirits T : +248 4 37 48 76 / 77 E : cheers@archipelago.sc

Like us on

Tel:4372050

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

BON APPETIT

Crystallum Chardonnay â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Agnesâ&#x20AC;? Walker Bay South Africa

OCASSIONS

ssing her art

The main Portrait side of exhibits

Zsaklin discu

Photos by Steve Nibourette

Zsaklin MIKLÓS (pronounced phonetically) débuts her latest exhibition ‘Coralfull’ on the DYNAMIC STORY WALL at The Station at Sans Soucis. Moving away from her previous abstract work she brings new meaning to the idea of ‘portrait’ paintings. 40 guests collected together to admire her work in the calming setting of The Station on Sunday 23rd February, where the exhibition opened and will remain till the end of April. For more information about this talented artist, please check The Station’s Facebook page. Zsaklin is also available for commissioned work and can be contracted on mobile +2482581043

r portrait Ms Sophie Mounier by he

Zsaklin Miklos

Mr. Miklos by his

Mr Leon Radegonde admiring the work of a fellow artist

Zsaklin with her mento rs, Mr Filippin and Mr Egbert Marday

n by his portrait

portrait

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

Mr Leandro Filippin by his portrait

Mr Antonio Filippi

Guests at the exhibition

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI

WEDDINGS IN PARADISE

Aman & Karmini The rain did nothing to damper the happiness of Aman and Karmini on 3rd March 2013, as they exchanged their vows at Beau Vallon Bay. The couple from Johannesburg chose Seychelles because of the beautiful scenery and beaches, the tranquility of the islands and the friendly people.

All photos by Cameraline Productions | camline@seychelles.net | www.weddinginseychelles.com

MARCH 2013 | POTPOURRI