Breathe Magazine 7th edition

B R E AT H E

Valentine´s at Breathe BREATHE NO. 7 2025

SOUL SESSIONS

Where the locals get together

Breathe Into the Warm & Cosy Season 1

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Good times The good times are not over when summer gives way to the cooler climes of winter. It just shifts gear a little and focuses on warm, cosy yet lively and fun ambiences, but it is equally a celebration of all that’s good in life enjoying great food and special moments in the company of friends and loved ones.

This winter we’re gearing up for an extra warm and cosy season and looking to light up the months with a welcoming and sophisticated ambience where you can feel at home as you celebrate this also very special time of year. The temperatures may drop a little and there is some occasional rain, but this is nature’s way of revitalising itself and in Marbella we’re blessed with a wonderfully mild winter season. As for the days growing a little shorter, well, it provides more time for going out at night.

It’s a time for cosy dinners, meeting with friends for drinks at the elegant bar, dancing the night away, warm glowing mid-winter drinks in a welcoming lounge terrace and getting ready for a fantastically fun and stylish New Year’s celebration. In Marbella, every season offers a reason to celebrate, so let’s do so and embrace life in the here and now, with live DJ Sessions at Soul on Thursday and Friday afternoons and a very special Valentine’s offering in February. We’ll do our bit to provide the setting and you do the rest – it’s a partnership in creating good times.

In this edition we also point you in the right direction for fine dining and best festivities, as well as delving into the wider world, from the beautiful Andalusian landscapes that produce a bountiful harvest to food and travel experiences from far and wide, high-octane sports and exotic destinations. Sit back, order a drink or snack and enjoy the latest edition of our community lifestyle magazine.

Aguilene Benicio

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INDEX 6 12 18 24 32 40 46 52 56 58 60 66 74 82 88 94 96 100 104

Middle Eastern taste sensations All things Pastry Christmas at Breathe Bucket list travel F1 Passion Crusoe Treasure - Most unique wine in the world?

Modern food trends A warm glow at Breathe Light your fire Host your event with us A day at the races The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyages The misty mountains of Usambara Harvest time in Andalucía Sizzling good steaks Soul Sessions Sofie Rosengren Kossa Studio Bradley Howard

Publisher Breathe S.L. Brand Director Michaela Svantnerova Production Manager Andra Teodorescu Layout and Design Jarno Marten Klopstra Cover Photo Jose Velilla Depósito Legal MA-1800-2023 ISSN 3020-8521

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GROUND

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Middle Eastern taste sensations Ground is not an Asian eatery, nor is it Spanish or Italian. In fact, this popular bakery, coffee shop and restaurant fuses the best of Mediterranean, Latin American and Eastern traditions to offer a symphony of tempting dishes that will dance on your tongue.

For all this, you will of course detect Middle Eastern inspiration among the international traditions that find their way into the kitchen of chef Abraham Méndez. For the well-travelled foodie, cooking is an expression of culture and a never ending source of creative ideas. He spends his holidays travelling the world like a culinary Marco Polo and most recently brought back flavours and textures that are Middle Eastern in origin but adapted to the Mediterranean setting of Marbella.

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This means working with ingredients that are often commonly shared between the two gastronomic traditions, infusing a touch of Moroccan and Middle Eastern seasoning and interpreting all these ancient cookery traditions through the lens of a modern chef. The result is a worthy addition to a highly popular menu that offers a wide variety as it focuses on healthy food made from fresh, honest, organic, and where possible kilometre-zero produce – now complemented with wonderful new texture and taste sensations.

Among the new experiences to explore are poached eggs, garlic and mint yoghurt with sumac and mild Aleppo chilli, and mixed vegetables with Turkish spices, or beetroot hummus, roasted mixed vegetables and Turkish spices on sourdough toast, accompanied by delicious halloumi cheese. These are the kind of light but tasty dishes that broaden the horizons and allow you to start the day off with a new sensation, so allow yourself to be adventurous and delve into delicious new breakfast and lunch sensations – you’ll be glad you did.

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All things Pastry Ground yourself for the day in Marbella’s favourite New York-inspired bakery and coffeeshop and be surrounded by the scent of freshly baked bread, coffee and a tempting choice of delicious pastries.

There cannot be many better ways to start the day and build up energy than to enter an artisanal bakery and let all those wonderful morning scents waft over you. The bread made freshly here every day is just that, artisanal, and you notice the difference in everything from the texture to the taste, which is unadulterated bread the way it should be.

Your cup of coffee will be lovingly made, and of course Ground also has a large range of super-delicious, superhealthy smoothies and breakfast options, but for pastry lovers there’s nothing like getting the day started with a beautifully fluffy croissant, gorgeous bread just out of the oven or those pastries and cakes that will tempt your sweet tooth every now and then.

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Fresh is better Fresh bread and pastries made from quality ingredients are not only tastier but also healthier, and our bakery uses specially selected organic flour sourced from farms that use neither insecticides nor artificial fertilisers. Naturally there are also glutenfree options that don’t compromise on the kind of taste and texture you’re looking for.

It means that the artisanal bakery at Ground offers nothing but the finest quality and the healthiest options, making it that much easier to indulge in a little sweet morning delight.

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Christmas at Breathe Christmas at Breathe is an annual highlight that brings the warm glow of the Festive Season to Marbella’s sunny shores.

Each end of year, Breathe gets dressed up and ready for Christmas, creating that special ambience that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is a time of year we should embrace, when people come together and celebrate family, friends and colleagues.

It’s a moment when we remember to be grateful for what we have and for each other, because gratitude is a rarely expressed but vital emotion that is also a building block for inner happiness. You might even say that Christmas is when our better nature comes out and we show our softer, warmer side. If only it could be like this all the time, but until we manage that let’s celebrate this special time of year, enjoy it to the full and let ourselves get swept up in it.

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Christmas 2025 This year, expect an extra special Christmas at Breathe.

Our chefs have been hard at work to create exciting new dishes for the menus that will be offered for company and group lunches and dinner from upwards of eight people. This is accompanied, as ever, by festive decorations that will help to create that warm seasonal feeling, added to by live entertainment and an á la carte menu enriched with seasonal dishes.

The group Christmas menus will be available from the 20th of November to the 20th of December, after which the special Christmas days build up to our famous New Year’s Eve dinner and party. Breathe itself will be closed for renovation work from the 30th of November until the 11th of December, reopening with a grand launch celebration on the 12th.

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End the year on a high There’s no better way to start a new year on the right footing than ending it in style, so it has become a Breathe tradition to host a glamorous New Year’s Eve dinner and party with old-school style and elegance.

Expect a gourmet menu, live entertainment and joyous vibe in a refined setting. It’s the best way to end the year on a high surrounded by friends and family and welcome in the new year with a great feeling, so join us throughout the Festive Season and be filled with the season’s happy spirit.

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NEW YEAR´S EVE

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Bucket list travel Where would you go if you didn’t want to waste your precious free time? Would you play it safe and head for a beach resort, a city break or try something a little different, perhaps even adventurous. If you start thinking this way, travel suddenly becomes a whole lot more exciting.

Bucket lists usually involve the resolve to do all kinds of fun/crazy but also somewhat predictable stuff like bungy jumping, skydiving and swimming with sharks – or dolphins if you don’t like sharp objects. But the scope can be wider, and once you start to apply it to your holiday plans it becomes pretty damn interesting, opening up a whole new world of possibilities you may otherwise have never even considered. In other words, why not create a mindset to broaden your horizons and make travel a bucket list experience?

Armed with this outlook the world becomes your oyster, the possibilities not exactly endless but certainly plentiful. You could for instance skip conventional scuba diving and go diving for oysters in warm waters, give the conventional flight to a summer resort a miss and look for an out-of-the-way, hard to get to location that requires flights, sea boats and ferry rides but once there rewards you with stunning natural beauty and real authenticity. While obviously avoiding dangerous zones you could end up in spots such as the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Reunion island, the Falklands or the Galapagos Islands, to name a few. Now that’s what real adventure is made of.

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AMERICA SEEN FROM THE INSIDE

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GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66

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Iconic but authentic Keeping it real and experiencing authenticity is pretty hard work for any traveller these days, and the route to success lies in regarding yourself as an explorer and avoiding going down the tourist route. This means staying clear of typical tourist destinations and focusing on iconic yet real experiences such as flying into the USA, hiring a bike, a car or even a camper and following all or at least part of the legendary Route 66. You’d fly into Chicago O’Hare Airport (FYO one of the biggest in the world) and should really rent something American to make the experience real.

This means one of those huge campervans, a Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette or other American classic, or if you prefer the two-wheeled equivalent, a Harley Davidson or Indian. Then just follow the old route and let the real heartland of America glide past you. You’ll see scenes right out of the movies, from roadside diners and huge trucks (here called rigs) to cowboys in pick-ups (here known as trucks), tacky little museums, spooky motels, sleepy villages and endless countryside. The further west you go the larger the ranches, the drier the landscape and the more dramatic the mountains become, until you come across some of the most astonishing red stone features in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona.

By the time you reach the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica in California you know it’s time to hand that rental vehicle back to Hertz or Avis and catch a flight back home, but you’ll have avoided the tourist drag and had some very real experiences that will stand out in your memory.

Other examples include venturing into the wilds of Patagonia, following the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Line or the Trans-Siberian Railway, skipping Machu Pichu and heading for Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian Altiplano instead, or forgetting about the Fjords and the Alps and checking out what the northern wildernesses of Sweden and Finland look like in summer. Ideas like these and trying your hand at a real-life Texas ranch or a Gaucho barbecue in the heart of Argentina’s Pampas or Paraguay’s Chaco are just two more of a myriad of opportunities to bring the sense of exploration and adventure back into travel.

Just imagine the holiday pics…

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Your dream home overlooking the Mediterranean a prime sea-view plot at The Fifteen, Sotogrande.

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F1 Passion

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The cocktail of cars, speed and competition has always been intoxicating, making exotic racing cars the chariots of our times and their drivers heroes of an almost classical kind. Since its glamorous early days, Formula One has become a global phenomenon that has produced a pantheon of legends and enthrals millions around the world. Up close it is a seductive world of power, personalities and the exhilaration of taking the rev counter to the limit.

Walk around the pit box of a racing circuit and it hits you immediately: an atmosphere rich in the sounds, smells and some would say, testosterone, of motor racing. To the uninitiated the eardrum-shattering roar of the cars appears more like the high whining pitch of motorbikes, but then again, these engines glow red-hot at RPM levels totally alien to a conventional motorcar.

The driving experience is almost as alien, more like sitting in the cockpit of a jet plane than a regular car.

It is a world of oily scents, organised chaos and a glamour that will not be denied, where those with a burning desire to defy the laws of motion and G-force come to do battle.

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“A new breed of driver and team took sway…they personified the suave playboy driver backed by a team of enthusiastic garagiste pioneers.”

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The birth of racing The terminology of motor racing points to its French origins and the world’s first race, the Paris-Rouen of 1894, which pitted ‘Voitures sans Chevaux’ (horseless carriages) against the elements and each other. As reliability and road holding improved racing should have become safer, but as speed and power grew at an even faster rate the opposite was actually true.

In spite of the risks involved the spell could not be broken, and by the 1920s classics such as the Monte Carlo Rally, Targa Floria and even the term ‘Grand Prix’ were already established. The early tracks had upward sloping edges, the early cars hugely powerful engines that required great skill and determination to master.

Those pre-war years were the domain of the legendary sky blue Bugattis, racing green Bentleys, flaming red Alfa Romeos and silver arrow Auto Unions – an era during which the classic racing traditions and credentials were established.

Enter Formula One When racing returned after WWII it rebuilt itself upon those traditions. This early period was dominated by the Argentinean Juan Manuel Fangio, who in his silver Mercedes and red Maseratis was not only the first, but one of the greatest legends produced by Formula One. The 1950s were also the era of Stirling Moss and Alberto Ascari, whose titles helped to establish the fame and allure of the Scuderia Ferrari.

No sooner had this most classic of F1 teams established itself than a new breed of driver and team took sway, led by the likes of Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Jack Brabham. Along with John Surtees, Dennis Hulme, JeanPierre Beltoise, Jackie Ickx and Jackie Stewart they personified the suave playboy driver backed by a team of enthusiastic garagiste pioneers.

With colourful characters such as James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Emmerson Fittipaldi, Clay Regazzoni, Jacques Lafitte and Gilles Villeneuve the sport maintained its glamorous reputation, yet meanwhile it had also become increasingly commercial – and dangerous. The death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 signalled not only the end of a classic era of rivalry between himself, Piquet, Prost and Mansell, but also the emergence of far-reaching safety measures that have almost entirely eliminated fatal accidents.

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A global phenomenon What started as a club for dashing young European types has since evolved into a global franchise that has seen a modern generation of racing greats do battle on the tracks and streets of Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Hundreds of millions follow the racing, the controversies and the personality clashes, with celebrities, sheiks and business tycoons all wanting a piece of the action and Hollywood getting in on the act as well.

If you’re lucky enough to have an Access All Areas tag around your neck you will spot not only beautiful racing cars and a beehive of high-tech activity in the pits but also seductive beauties and well-known faces trying to get as close to it all as they can. Suddenly the rich and famous cease to be that and instead become fans against a champagne-swilling backdrop of VIP hospitality in hotspots such as Monaco, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

Motor racing has the power to do that. Raw, powerful and seductive, it is a tonic that appeals to something very deep and primal within us.

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Crusoe Treasure The most unique wine in the world?

Where would you go if you didn’t want to waste your precious free time? Would you play it safe and head for a beach resort, a city break or try something a little different, perhaps even adventurous. If you start thinking this way, travel suddenly becomes a whole lot more exciting.

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Underwater Bodega There are a lot of things we head out to sea for. The ocean’s depths are rich in fish, seafood and sometimes also treasure, be it chests full of gold and jewels that have lain hidden in sunken ships for centuries or the natural pearls that specialist divers swim to the deep for – but wine is usually not on the list. The only wines and brandies that have been ‘harvested’ from the sea have so far come from shipwrecks, but that is a thing of the past as now some innovative winegrowers are actually using the sea as their bodegas and opening up a whole new chapter in the industry.

Crusoe Treasure calls itself an underwater winery because it does just that. The grapes are of course still grown on land and the wine follows the conventional production processes, but that is where the comparison with ‘normal’ wines ends. Founder Borja Saracho and oenologist Antonio Palacios select vintages from small farms in top Spanish regions such as La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Terra Alta in Catalonia, Jalón in Aragon and Rias Baixas in Galicia to produce them within their own winery.

However, they do not age the vintages in traditional musty wine cellars typically built into rock, caves or submerged a little into the ground, but rather within the sea. You might ask ‘why?’, but this is not a quirk, not a stunt. Bottles aged in the sand below the sea are actually subject to ideal conditions in terms of temperature, moisture and even benefit from the gentle rocking motion of the water.

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Creating a treasure trove Traditionalists initially turned their noses up at this novel method of creating fine quality wines – until those same noses got a whiff of the wines themselves, and the response from both industry specialists and the public has been overwhelming.

It turns out that using ‘sea bodegas’ improves the final product significantly, producing more evenly ripened wines with a perfectly balanced nose and taste. “It is more labour-intensive to store and collect wines in the Mar Cantábrico on Spain’s Atlantic north coast,” says Borja, “but it’s also more fun and most importantly, it greatly enhances the quality of the wines themselves.”

In the 15 years since the founding of Crusoe Treasure he has perfected the process and produced many award-winning wines. “At first, we gained notoriety for the fact that we were using the sea as our bodega but this was replaced by surprise and admiration for the actual quality of the vintages produced in this way, and now Crusoe

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Treasure is recognised both for this quirky, novel way of doing things and for the standard of our collection of wines. The benefits of a constant temperature and darkness that are perfect for the aging of wine, along with the gentle motion produced by the water are now emerging as clearly as the bottles that we pull out of the sea.”

An aquatic ‘harvest’ In what is a unique spectacle in the world of wine, Crusoe Treasure wines are collected not from a wine cellar but from the sea, and guests, clients and colleagues are always welcome to be a part of the experience. “We welcome people to join us and see the process for themselves,” says Borja. “It is somehow a special moment, and one followed by the rare experience of enjoying a freshly opened bottle, still cold from the sea, along with typical Spanish accompaniments such as cheese, bread, ham and fruit. It is such moments, as well as the wine itself, that should be lived and enjoyed.”

SOUL SESSIONS Live DJ from 3pm - 7pm 2X1 on house spirits & cocktails from 3pm - 5pm Every Thursday & Friday

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Modern food trends We’re always hearing about new do’s and don’ts when it comes to health, sustainability and also discovering new taste sensations, but what are the latest trends in the world of food?

Healthy for us When it comes to a healthy diet and lifestyle it’s not just what you eat but also how you approach meals.

The focus is increasingly on cutting back meat and fat, and basing your diet primarily on fresh-grown vegetables, pulses and fruit, complemented with fish and seafood. The classic meat and potato lifestyle is a little out of favour but wait u… if you’re highly active, playing sport or working out you may need a little of just that – meat and potatoes, combined with vegetables rich in iron.

One thing that is certain is we should avoid processed and take-away foods as much as possible, reduce our intake of sugar and consume moderate amounts of salt, fat and for that matter alcohol. Try to cook with less salt but add health-promoting seasoning such as ginger, lemon and turmeric ,and activate the latter with black pepper. The magic formula lies not in total abstinence of so-called ‘sins’ but in maintaining the right balance, and in this sense it is better to eat less meat, for instance, but search for better quality, which brings us to how the food we consume is produced.

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Healthy for us When it comes to a healthy diet and lifestyle it’s not just what you eat but also how you approach meals.

The focus is increasingly on cutting back meat and fat, and basing your diet primarily on fresh-grown vegetables, pulses and fruit, complemented with fish and seafood. The classic meat and potato lifestyle is a little out of favour but wait u… if you’re highly active, playing sport or working out you may need a little of just that – meat and potatoes, combined with vegetables rich in iron.

One thing that is certain is we should avoid processed and take-away foods as much as possible, reduce our intake of sugar and consume moderate amounts of salt, fat and for that matter alcohol. Try to cook with less salt but add healthpromoting seasoning such as ginger, lemon and turmeric ,and activate the latter with black pepper.

The magic formula lies not in total abstinence of so-called ‘sins’ but in maintaining the right balance, and in this sense it is better to eat less meat, for instance, but search for better quality, which brings us to how the food we consume is produced.

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team@kossastudio.com (0044) 7402 246515 Alba Harden Founder & CEO of Kossa Studio

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BREATHE

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A warm glow at Breathe The end of the year at Breathe is an annual highlight that brings the warm glow of the winter season to Marbella’s sunny shores.

Each end of year, Breathe gets dressed up and ready for stylish cosiness, creating that special ambience that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is a time of year we should embrace, when people come together and celebrate with family, friends and colleagues.

End and Start the Year on a High There’s no better way to start a new year on the right footing than ending it in style, so it has become a Breathe tradition to host a glamorous New Year’s Eve dinner and party with old-school style and elegance.

Expect a gourmet menu, live entertainment and joyous vibe in a refined setting. It’s the best way to end the year on a high surrounded by friends and family and welcome in the new year with a great feeling, so join us throughout the winter and be filled with the season’s happy spirit.

Join us for the warm, comfy and of course refined ambience that turns winter into a celebration and a time of year to look forward to. We will surprise you with live entertainment, drinks and snacks of the season and make sure these are not months you wish to pass quickly but part of the wonderful variety of experiences that make a year special.

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Light your Fire If you don’t enjoy Valentine’s then you haven’t been doing it right. Who needs an excuse to celebrate life, but when one does come around once a year that highlights love and romance we should grab it and make it ours to enjoy.

Breathe loves to throw a party, we enjoy setting the scene and creating a sophisticated but fun ambience that makes the occasion something to enjoy and remember. We set the scene with a glam dinner rich in atmosphere, live entertainment and the chance (excuse?) to let your hair down and enjoy!

Reserve now for romance as it should be

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Host your event with us.

Breathe has the venues, the capacity and the creative energy to not just host your event but make it a standout moment.

If you choose one of our venues for your company events, Christmas lunches or dinners, you will have an entire team at your disposal. From chefs and event planners to entertainment managers and those who specialise in creating the decorative themes and settings for the right occasion, you’ll be working with a highly creative, seasoned team of people who love to turn fun ideas into reality.

What’s more, they do it with enthusiasm and efficiency, blending creative flow with professional planning, budgeting and delivery on the day. Book your Christmas lunch or dinner with us or get in touch about your ideas for an event. No matter how ambitious they are, we will help to make it a reality.

What you can have at your disposal is a creative kitchen and professional serving team, but also a bar with expert mixologists making signature cocktails with style and an events team that decorates and creates the setting to suit your theme, as well as live entertainment in the form of DJs and a wide range of performing artists.

Let your imagination run free this Christmas and make it one to remember.

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A day at the races A day at the races is about much more than just racing.

The elegance of the occasion, the grandeur of the setting and the thrilling dance with fate as majestic horses compete in an event that has its roots in the chariot races and jousting traditions of ancient times.

The equestrian world is connected to a distant history that records the millennium-long relationship between mankind and horses. This unique bond produced special breeds dedicated to war, tilling the land and transporting people and goods before the onset of mechanised solutions. One of the last tangible links to this old world remains alive in sports such as dressage, showjumping and of course, horse racing. The latter is a world in itself; a unique blend of refinement, excitement and sport where the horse and jockey are the main protagonists, but the rest of us can share in their success – if we back the right team. On a good day, tens of thousands of people pack stands overlooking the racecourse, and the finest clubs in the world have a character and allure all of their own, making them landmarks in their own right and destinations well worth experiencing.

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Perhaps the most famous racecourse of all is Ascot, considered the home of British horseracing. It stands on ground leased from the Royal Estate near Windsor, Berkshire, and was founded in 1711, evolving as horseracing emerged out of other equestrian traditions such as cavalry and hunting. Today, it is a state-of-the-art facility with a capacity of 80.000 that draws up to 600.000 people to the 26 days of racing over the course of the year. The annual highlight is the Royal Meeting held in June each year, a grand event of dressing up – hats included –that remains a classic British tradition alive and well today.

Churchill Downs is another iconic landmark of horseracing that challenges Ascot for fame. It is perhaps the classic of classics in the Americas, noted as much for its elegant late 19th century architecture as for its racing – so much so, in fact that it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

As at Ascot, there are many highly anticipated races throughout the year, when attendances can reach up to 150.000, making the Kentucky Derby one of the standout social and sporting events in this part of the USA. Other classics include Chantilly in France, perhaps the most aristocratic of all major horse racing venues – not least because it is located on the grounds of the beautiful Château de Chantilly. There are no huge stands here, rather a very exclusive ambience within striking distance from Paris. Chantilly has a noble feel that shows off the aristocratic origins of horseracing, yet the club is also home to some of the most important and prestigious races in the sport, such as the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de Diane.

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A special thrill The fact that horseracing is a global phenomenon is shown by its popularity in places such as Japan, Hong Kong and of course Australia. The stands fronting the course in Tokyo, Japan, is immense, and up to 200.000 pack them not just to see horses race, but above all to experience the excitement of placing a bet. Happy Valley in Hong Kong is another iconic racecourse, and the Chinese in particular love placing a bet.

Horseracing is therefore so many things packed into a single place: equestrian sport, a high fashion social occasion, a chance to sip Champagne in a luxury sky box or to live the excitement of seeing your horse/ ship come in – or not.

If you haven’t been, try it. You’ll be amazed at how many impressions and emotions can hit you in just one day.

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Modern travel experiences The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection voyages If you yearn for a fresh travel experience and want it to be upmarket, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers the chance to experience floating palace luxury in the most stunning settings imaginable.

If travelling in style aboard a large, luxurious superyacht is one of the ultimate expressions of luxury but you haven’t yet received an invitation to join the business billionaires, sheikhs and international celebrities on one of theirs, then perhaps the best alternative is to choose an itinerary and set sail with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

To say that they have taken the cruise experience to another level is certainly no overstatement. Yes, you board a large ship and venture out to sea but that’s really where the comparison ends, as the luxury brand has merged the concept with five-star deluxe resort amenities and service, coupled with the superyacht lifestyle.

There are very exclusive large cruise ships out there, but The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection scales things down to the level of an ‘ultra superyacht’. Yes, you can really say its vessels are midway between a cruise ship and a real-life superyacht – with all the accompanying luxury, comfort, opulence and of course personal service.

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Jet-set travel In doing so, the luxury hotel brand has brought a new level of distinction to travelling the seas, creating the ultimate jet-set experience in a very wide range of settings. One can choose from touching on all those famous Mediterranean beauty spots to island hopping in the Caribbean, picking your European destination, visiting tropical Pacific islands or arriving in Asian locations such as Hong Kong, Singapore or Tokyo in unforgettable style.

The yachts are beautifully sleek and look like five-star deluxe floating resorts. The Ilma and Luminara have a full complement of Ladies & Gentlemen (crew) but just 224 and 226 suites respectively, and the Evrima has just 149.

Scaled to this size and featuring a highpoint of luxury design and amenities, they offer the superyacht experience as they glide into Portofino, Venice or Santorini with far more discretion and elegance than one of those large cruise ships filled with noisy tourists.

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To start with, the suites look and feel like tsumptuous penthouses of New York, LA or Miami, complete with villa-standard amenities, space and furnishing, not to mention panoramic private decks. Personal butler service is at your disposal, but you wouldn’t want to deny yourself the exclusive beach club experience of the pool decks, The Ritz-Carlton Spa® or the exquisite fine dining restaurants.

Imagine sipping a drink as you drop anchor in a beautiful bay. The Ladies & Gentlemen set up a gourmet barbeque on the secluded beach of a pretty cove. Launches take the guests there and you spend the afternoon relaxing, entertaining yourself with water sports and then settle down to a beach dinner as the sun sets in the kind of location that takes your breath away.

There is luxury and then there is deluxe luxury – creating the kind of experience you will most probably never forget.

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COSMETOLOGY & LASER THERAPY

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LEADERS IN DERMATOLOGY

THE BEST SPECIALISTS

FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN

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Dr. Dalia Chrzanowska

Dominika Sambora

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AESTHETIC MEDICINE EXPERIENCED DOCTORS Dr. Karolina Górska

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PLASTIC SURGERY SURGICAL CORRECTION OF THE EYELIDS Dr. Ewa Woźniak

Klinika Ambroziak España is an unique place on the map of Marbella.

It was created by Joanna and Marcin Ambroziak, who are well known in Poland for having clinics of dermatology, aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery for 25 years.

Offer of treatments is carefully composed to needs of the local community and is adapted to the Mediterranean climate. The main field of the clinic is dermatology of adults and children: diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair and nail diseases, dermatologic surgery, examination of moles, laser removal of benign skin lesions, laser tre- atment of erythema, discoloration, post-acne, post-operative and post-traumatic scars, removal of tattoos and permanent make-up, hair growth stimulation, treatment of excessive sweating, anti-aging and skin revitalizing treatments. Consultations and treatments are performed by outstanding dermatologists, headed by Dr. Marcin Ambroziak.

Joanna and Marcin Ambroziak

Other specialties of the clinic are aesthetic medicine, cosmetology, laser therapy, non-invasive body shaping and new: plastic surgery of the upper eyelids.

All while ensuring the highest quality and safety.

We cordially invite you to our clinic.

BOOKING ONLINE

Urb. El Rosario Edificio Yellow Car, local C, 29604 Marbella Mob: +34 622 441 946 | e-mail: marbella@klinikaambroziak.com | www.klinikaambroziak.com Visit to the Clinic after booking by phone or ONLINE.

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The misty mountains of Usambara Why do we plant trees in northeastern Tanzania? Because it’s affordable, meaning we can plant so many more trees for the same cost – and because the Usambara Mountains form part of a vitally important ecosystem that we are helping to revive.

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Picture Tanzania in East Africa and you visualise the savanna plains of countless wildlife documentaries, where giraffe, elephants, rhinos and, of course, lions roam. But not all of Tanzania looks like that. It’s a big country, twice the size of Spain almost, and in addition to the semi-arid savanna that covers much of it and surrounds the famous Mount Kilimanjaro there are also very special ecosystems that play a vital role in the region’s natural health.

Spanning an arc 90 kilometres long and 30-50 kilometres broad, the Usambara mountain range in the northeast extreme of the country is just such a natural haven. Unlike much of East Africa it isn’t dry but made up of dense tropical forest covering slopes that rise up to 2289 metres at Chambolo Peak. The Usambara Mountains are a deep green treasure filled with lifegiving trees, fertile soil and brightly flowering plants. It is also home to a great many birds, reptiles and other animal species – a green oasis of vital ecological importance.

The mountains are ancient; their rock weathered over the ages to produce rich soil that supports local agrarian communities. The topography also naturally produces a microclimate that is milder and wetter than that of surrounding regions. It draws in the clouds that drape the peaks and wooded hills in a misty veil, which produces moisture and the rain that supports this precious ecosystem. The result is a cycle of rain feeding vegetation, forests and crops, but human mismanagement has threatened this little paradise, as it has done in so many parts of the world.

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Challenges and champions The German and British colonial powers that took control of East Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries began to disrupt the natural balance through over-exploitation of the forests. Tanzania gained its independence in 1961 but the situation actually worsened, with corruption fuelling the continued abuse of the land. This combined with overpopulation and the slash-and-burn farming practices of the locals resulted in a large part of the forest disappearing and the once rich farmland turning to dust.

By the start of the new millennium, the climate began to chance, growing hotter and drier. This resulted in the steady desertification of a region that was once so lush and productive. Population growth continues unabated – up by 30% over the past decade – but now there are local and international initiatives that have been working hard to restabilise the region, plant trees, nurture the land and train the local farmers to produce their crops in a more sustainable way.

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Breathe GiftTrees Efforts such as our very own Breathe GiftTrees have breathed new life into this region, recuperating its vitality by creating new forests on entire hillsides.

Not only do the trees absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, attract rain and provide shelter for plant life and animals, but they also produce important sustainably harvested crops of Papaya and Mango.

The Breathe GiftTrees initiative has led to the planting of more than 100.000 trees and we aim to go far beyond that, with your help. We donate €1,49 for every client that comes to one of the Breathe venues and encourage you to do the same. Plant a tree for just €1,49, or five for €7,45 and help make a difference – regenerating a natural and important ecosystem, and creating a sustainable base for local agricultural communities in one of the world’s least known beauty spots.

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Harvest time in Andalucía The ‘vendimia’, as it known in Spain, is a magical time of year when nature provides its bounty in the form of rich harvests of fruit, vegetables and of course the grapes that all those famous wines are made from.

Now is a great time to visit the countryside and see nature in full swing.

The annual harvest is an ancient ritual that goes back to the very dawn of time. Humans have been tending the land, sowing seeds and collecting produce ever since we first started farming thousands of years ago.

This means that planet earth – this space ship that supports life in the midst of a hostile universe – has unfailingly provided the thousands of harvests that fed a growing world population and kept our species alive. As urban dwellers spending most of our time exercising, travelling or staring into screens we don’t always appreciate just how magical that is and just how special the bond between mankind and the land is.

Travel to the countryside, to rural villages where locals are busily collecting the harvests that their agricultural economies depend on, and you will get a sense of this unique relationship. In a world where we’re increasingly concerned about consuming fresh, organically produced food it is especially important to take an interest and know more about the process.

Doing so we not only inform ourselves and begin to reconnect with the source of it all but also learn to better appreciate those who work hard to make sure that there is produce in the first place. Being a farmer is a tough life full of sacrifices so in truth we should celebrate them for the important work they do.

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An annual celebration But there is more to it than simply valuing where our food comes from. The annual harvest is a beautiful, natural spectacle that is a high point of the year in rural areas and it is accompanied by local festivities. It’s a great time to visit the hinterland, discover the true essence of Andalusian culture and be part of something real and joyous, from village fests to diving into lively taverns and sharing the vibe with local revellers. By day, it’s a visual spectacle that will enthral nature lovers and leave you feeling revived as you head back to Marbella after a time spent observing, participating, eating, drinking and making merry. Once you’ve done that you’ll be able to say you’ve experienced the real Andalucía.

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The Best Locations - Boutique Rentals - No Booking Fees

+34 682 512 237 | info@marbellabanussuites.com | marbellabanussuites.com Residencial Jardines del Puerto, Av José Banús, 5, Planta Baja, Local 7B, Puerto Banús. 29660 Marbella.

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SOUL

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Sizzling good steaks at the charcoal grill Flanked by a gym and a padel club, Soul is all about healthy exercise and eating, but sometimes you just need a little extra energy, and when you do there’s nothing better than a choice, juicy steak fresh from our charcoal grill.

The chef at Soul works miracles with light and healthy yet delicious breakfast dishes built around eggs, fresh fruit, natural oats, yoghurt and smoothies packed with goodness. It’s a well-balanced morning menu designed to offer energy in a light package that sets you up for the day, and it’s followed by a wide choice of fish, vegetarian and meat dishes that continue the light and healthy theme.

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But not all days are the same, and sometimes what you need is a hearty steak, and here too our chef is a master at work in the charcoal grill. Here he prepares specially selected cuts of prime quality meat to perfection – and exactly as you like them!

The new grill menu features succulent Black Angus and premium ribeye entrecotes that will have you singing our praises but there is also a choice of South American style barbecued sausages and flavoursome side dishes designed to match your choice of dish as if they were made for each other which they are!

Enjoy the best of beef at Soul lunchtime and dinner; sit back, relax and let that live music and vibrant atmosphere make it a moment and a taste sensation to savour.

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SOUL Sessions Be social this winter as you gather with friends and enjoy live DJ sessions. Soul is the place to be – warm, welcoming and chilled.

Live DJ every Thursday and Friday from 3pm to 7pm – and 2X1 on house spirits & cocktails from 3pm to 5pm This winter Soul will warm your heart and step up the pace!

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Sofie Rosengren

Stay Calm & do Pilates Sofie featured in our first edition because she was the Pilates coach at the I/O Gym in the NAC Sports & Social Club, also home to our Soul restaurant. At that time, she was already a private practitioner too but now she’s branching out and expanding her horizons.

After four happy years at the I/O Sofie will be leaving the gym where she introduced many to the benefits of Pilates and took others to new heights within this field of mind and body exercise. Her online Pilates and Reiki coaching activities have grown to the point where she wants to focus on them exclusively, so the new year begins with an exciting new expansion of her venture Stay Calm & do Pilates.

“My vision is to share love and light with my community through the magic of movement and Pilates,” says Sofie. “In addition to which I also support inner healing through Reiki and gentle angelic guidance.”

Sofie’s approach to life and people is bright, happy and friendly, so it isn’t at all surprising that her group of clients and colleagues feels like a community of like-minded people.

“I keep growing my community on the Paseo beachside promenade in San Pedro at Ammo. Here I teach Pilates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30-10.30hr in a wonderful poolside garden ambience with the sea and the sound of the waves nearby.” She emphasises that her classes are for everyone, including all levels of proficiency, all ages and they are designed for both men and women.

“People like to feel that they ‘belong’ and that’s exactly what I want my clients to feel. This applies whether they live here and are regulars or drop in whenever they are here, so for me it is important that they always feel they are welcome to join me and the community at any point,” says Sofie. “My job is to ensure this and also make sure that each person gets the training they need and wish for.”

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Personal and online In addition to personal groups and one-on-one training she also provides live and recorded online training classes. “As an online member you receive five new videos a week, and two of them are live with me. You also get access to all my pre-filmed videos, which offers a choice of different durations and levels and come with a varied approach with regard to the main focus and the equipment used.”

For those who don’t know, Pilates is a low-impact, full-body form of exercise that focuses on core strength, controlled movement and mindful breathing. Among the many benefits are the fact that it helps to improve posture, flexibility, balance and muscle tone while also having a calming effect, reducing tension and supporting overall body alignment.

“One of the great things about Pilates is that is suitable for all fitness levels. It creates strength from the inside out, helping you to feel centred, strong, and energised.” When not teaching Pilates, Sofie also enjoys helping people through Reiki, which is a gentle, hands-on energy healing practice that induces deep relaxation, stress relief and overall well-being.

“It acts to rebalance the body’s natural energy flow by channelling universal life-force energy, and this supports emotional calm, mental clarity and physical harmony. People generally leave the session feeling lighter, grounded and deeply restored,” says Sofie, who has just the right kind and gentle touch along with positive energy that truly brings these ancient practices to life.

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Kossa Studio

Passionate about Your Look Founded by Alba Harden, the boutique branding company Kossa Studio takes a very personal approach to creating corporate identity that is designed to perfectly match your business.

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English but brought up on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol, Alba Harden has been surrounded by the cosmopolitan tapestry of this region since a young age. “On the Costa del Sol there are people from across Europe and different parts of the world,” says Alba. “We really interact with each other because it is such a sociable, welcoming place and because we share commonalities that have drawn us to this part of the world in the first place. This means that socialising with different nationalities becomes second nature and as a result of being exposed to so many diverse cultures and languages, it widens your horizons and makes you more mentally flexible. It certainly helped to shape me as a person, and if you’re a visual, creative type it only adds to your imagination as well as your ability to understand the world better.”

In the marketing world, these are valuable traits that give an edge to your grasp of markets, demographic groups and the dynamic ways in which they interact.

Given her background and naturally analytical, creative and visual way of thinking, founding a design studio was a perfect, fit but it wasn’t without its challenges. “I enthusiastically pursued a Masters in Branding, only to enter the job market in the midst of the Pandemic. It was as if the economy – and to some extent, society – had come to a complete halt, but that’s not my way, so I set up online and started to take on jobs. My original thinking was that I would pick up mostly local work but soon learned that in these online-dominated times it wasn’t your location that counted as much as who you resonated with, and so I found most of my clients coming from the UK.”

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From college to business It was a period punctuated by further studies before Alba decided to take the leap of faith and start up for herself as a young but talented designer. Not much later Kossa Studio was born, and now Alba and her growing team but up a local as well as international client base that has seen this niche design agency follow a steady path of growth that eschews volume in favour of the personal touch and time dedicated to produce quality work.

“My understanding of design comes from a creative, aesthetic place but also from an understanding of markets and what works for different kinds of business in how to resonate with their target audiences,” says Alba. “Our work is a fusion of art and business, and this is part of what makes it so exciting and allows each project to be a new challenge and opportunity to do something amazing.” It is the product of a boutique philosophy as part of which Kossa Studio refuses to ‘paint by numbers’ and instead of serialising their work, approaches each project as something unique. “And they are. Two businesses may be in the same sector but that’s usually where the similarity ends, so we work hard to ensure that the branding and materials carrying your logo are a true reflection of you, your business and what is special about it. This is how it resonates with the right client base and you begin to create your own community. It’s a creative process we’re passionate about.”

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Bradley Howard on track When we featured him in the second edition of the magazine Bradley had just settled into his new life as an athlete based on the coast – a path that came full circle during his ‘home race’ at the recent Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella.

Two years ago Bradley Howard was fresh to Marbella and a new career as an athlete. A former highpressure job in Manchester’s event management sector had left its mark some time before when he reached a point where it no longer made sense. “I woke up one morning and knew the years of hectic work and hard partying were over,” says the man who did exactly what so many have threatened to do but never actually get round to: change his life around. ironman competitions, and from escaping the Ensh weather to come and train here, I eventually made Marbella my home.”

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Sticking with the plan That was at the beginning of 2024, and now Bradley has settled in and really made Marbella home while continuing to build on his career. “I now lead the life I have always wanted, living and training in a place like Marbella, competing in amazing races around the world, visiting family and friends in the UK occasionally but always happy to come back home here.”

Working to a professionally coordinated plan, he has also continued to develop his skills in ironman competitions, participating in three half competitions and two full ones during 2025 alone. “It’s been a great year for me, starting with qualification for a World Championship race where my goal was to come home in under ten hours. We planned it to perfection and my time was 9:55:33, a fantastic way to get underway.”

This qualified him for a World Championship ironman race in Nice, but where everything had gone to plan in the previous race where Bradley had proven his athletic ability and discipline, this time the wheels literally came off as his bike malfunctioned. “It cost me a huge amount of time but it served as a vitally important test to see how strong I was in adversity, and I’m glad to say I came through unbroken.”

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It was all building up to the highlight of the year, a ‘home race’ at the 2025 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, where he not only performed well enough to qualify among the world elite in his 35-39 age group but was also asked to be an ambassador and join the invited speakers on the panel. “It was a great experience and surreal to be racing two minutes’ walk from my home.”

2025 was also the year in which his coaching career took off, and now Bradley has a growing online following on Endura360, where he tells his story about turning pain into power and how he used fitness as a way to launch a healthy lifestyle and refocus his life. “It’s led to me living here and achieving new milestones in the sport but it’s not just about the medals for me, it’s also great to be helping others through my coaching. It has been a wonderfully grounding experience and I look forward to building on it.” @Bradhoward3 Endura360.com

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