Stately Magazine Issue Three by Stately Magazine

Magazine

STATELY

Issue Three

NORTH AMERICA’S #1 RETIREMENT LUXURY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE featuring Stacey Jackson Stately Magazine 1

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CONTENTS 79 Sarah Stone on Living intentionally

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St James Hotel, France

Italian Cuisine Feature Fulcrum Group 12 Apostles, South Africa

Stacey Jackson on everything from the 80’s to Snoop Dogg!

Blink Botanicals Real Estate - Sotherby’s

Travel Feature, We travel to Wales, UK Castles, Magic and Mystery

Jasper Park Lodge

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Janina’s Jewelry

Quinessentially VIP Concierge Travel Organise My Life Celtic Manor Resort, UK Magic & Legends Manjit Minhas

Emma Lindsey CEO & Founder

Kiki Rozema CEO & Co-Owner

WELCOME TO STATELY Welcome to the Winter edition of Stately Magazine. A publication aimed at affluent retirees, a luxury lifestyle magazine that does not apologise for showing you the very best the world has to offer from exclusive resorts to perfect local hangouts. In this issue, I introduce our new Co-Owner of Stately Magazine, Kiki Rozema. She’s a very successful Canadian business woman, author and the founder/owner of Smoothies Tank Tops. Kiki brings a wealth of knowledge and a thirst for success that will propel Stately Magazine to a global audience. Another fabulous addition to the Stately team is columnist Sarah Stone, our Intentional Living/Wellness specialist. Huge thanks to Earl Santos for the beautiful pictures of our cover personality Stacey Jackson. Journalist Angela Sara West sat down with Stacey to talk about coming into the spotlight, raising 4 children and working with Snoop Dogg!. Sit back, relax and enjoy the newest staple in luxury North American publishing.

Emma & Kiki

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I don’t know if my life would have been any different had I stayed in New York… 14 Stately Magazine

Stacey Jackson – Livin’ It Up for Wellbeing with Snoop - 80s style! From PTA mum to international recording sensation! Montreal-born singer/songwriter, fitness guru, TV star, novelist and proud mum of four Stacey Jackson came to fame late in life, making her mark on the music industry when she hit 40 and then recorded with superstar artist Snoop Dogg. Celebrity Journalist Angela Sara West chats exclusively with the Canadian singing sensation, who is now one of the UK’s hottest dance music stars, during a sensational shoot at Stacey’s stunning London home with Celebrity Photographer Earl (Stephen Santos) about her health & fitness tips, how Snoop encouraged her to live her dreams, being inspired by Kanye and Adele, meeting Prince Charles, and why dancing is the key to great physical and mental health! A magnificent mantelpiece in her grand London living room proudly showcases a photo of this philanthropic performer meeting Prince Charles, who surprised her with a personal touch. “This picture was taken at a Prince’s Trust charity event,” she explains. “He must see a gazillion jillion people and I was SO impressed that he knew who all his guests were… He was very well informed,” she says of this right royal surprise. “And I didn’t even expect him to speak to me - I thought I’d just be, like, curtsying. But he came over to chat, and is very well-spoken, and very funny!” Along with royal fans, London-based singer/songwriter and Sky TV music presenter Stacey Jackson has countless creative strings to her multi-faceted bow... This amiable musician’s also an actress, entrepreneur, fitness clothes designer and now an author, having penned a fictionalized book during the lockdown, loosely inspired by her life. “I’ve got a bunch of projects in the works,” she tells me. “I have a new record out, am working on my new books, and still doing my ‘Stacey Jackson In the 80s’ TV series… all this entertainment stuff that I REALLY love to focus on!” And she’s packing in as much as she can after putting family first – by choice, this multi-talented Canadian singer’s successful career didn’t kick off until she turned the big 4-0. “I was the quintessential PTA mum,” she reveals. “I focused on settling my boys in at school and then I had other kids, so I didn’t work. I took around the first 15 years

of my career to focus solely on raising a family.” Stacey originally moved to London over two decades ago for her husband Henry’s job in finance and is now settled in a stunning area of the capital city. “I moved over with two babies, and we subsequently had two more, with a 12-year age gap between my oldest and youngest. So many people ask me, ‘Is it the same husband?!” she laughs. She says she made a lot of close friends at the school gates. “Which was lovely, especially when you’re in a strange place and you’re like, how else am I going to make friends? And even to this day, some of my older sons’ besties back then are still their besties, and their parents are our friends.” “It’s a great group of friends I have here, and all the women are ambitious, smart... in their own right, they’re all very empowering and inspirational. I’m drawn to that kind of a person and we feed off each other really well. I think that’s what makes long-lasting relationships, and we have a lot of things in common, not just our kids.” And it’s a cosmopolitan mix. “Some are English but, living in London, it’s a very international community, so some of my friends are Swedish, some Australian, others Italian, French… they’re from all over the place, and it’s just brilliant!” A Canadian childhood Stacey cherishes growing up in Canada. “I had an AMAZING childhood in Montreal… We had a very small English-speaking community, primarily speaking English but I speak French, too. It’s a tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone. And, until this day, I’m still very good friends with a lot of the friends I grew up with. Most of my family my side is in Montreal or Toronto.” Launching her music career at the age of 40, Stacey became a big inspiration for stay-at-home mums when she shot to fame, catapulting into the Top 10 dance and club charts with her first track, from her album ‘Upside Down’, which she recorded for the UK-based charity, Music for Youth, which led to her acquaintance with Bryan Adams. Stacey chatted with her fellow Canadian singer at a charity Christmas party, thrown by Sophie Conran, about working with him on a project for Music for Youth.

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“I don’t know if my life would have been any different had I stayed in New York…” she ponders. “I think about that a lot, you know, it’s a bit ‘Sliding Doors’-y, like ‘if we hadn’t taken this advantage, and this adventure and come to Europe, you know… And I thought we were going to go back to New York, that we were here in London as an adventure… My husband even kept his E-ZPass to get him through the tolls!” she laughs. “Dance music is so much more prevalent here in Europe, and it was like a fluke that one of my records that I did for charity got remixed and suddenly I’m sitting between Lady Gaga and the Scissor Sisters in the charts! And I was just about 40, so I was like, okay, where are we going with this?!!” An excited Stacey was already familiar with the dance music world, due to her fitness industry relationship. “But I didn’t quite understand the nuances, like the DJs and the remixes… So I learnt. I honed in on it because it’s an unbelievable industry and it’s grown and grown. It’s only recently crossed over to America, which is still very much a country of Rock and Country, but this last decade specifically Dance music has crossed over and into the commercial Pop world, and yes, it’s ‘niche’, but music has many genres...” Singing with Snoop Now 52, Stacey’s also famous for her music collaboration with Snoop Dogg, subsequent tracks and her TV show, ‘Stacey Jackson in the 80s’ on Spotlight TV. “I LOVE my job! Not only is it fun, but I get to talk about what I love… music AND the 80s!! I write every single episode, and do a LOT of research so I can learn and share with you the best bits about artists and movements from that era.” She recorded with the legendary Snoop 10 years ago in Massachusetts. “Being with Snoop was an experience in itself, and it was great that he agreed to be on the record and, therefore, obviously believed in what I was doing, and he got to know what I was about. So his rap on my track ‘Live It Up’ was also very personal... like his lyrics ‘drop your purse, let down your hair’.” Stacey and Snoop bonded over parenting. “His kids are the same age as mine and he’s a family guy.” “When you write happy, fabulous music to get people up, you have to know what you’re doing.

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We spent time together and talked about what inspired us, and that’s what made the record, really, for me - the experience. And he got me, you know? He got the whole, ‘Okay, it’s time to leave the PTA mum thing – you’ve been there, done that – now it’s time for you to live your dream!” STACEY X SNOOP COLLAB X 2! And the record was well-received the second time around, too, when it was reworked and re-released last summer. “It was very interesting because ‘Live It Up’ with Snoop did well for a dance track a decade ago, but then I had this opportunity during the record’s 10th anniversary year in 2021 to do a cameo in a movie (the award-winning comedy film ‘Reboot Camp’) and sing the song in one of the scenes. So we updated it, had it remixed, remastered and re-released with a fresh, current tone to it, and I love it more now than ever! And it’s doing great - the fans are liking the record! And that’s all I really wanna do – make people happy and move and dance and smile.” Music for wellbeing During the lockdowns, many of us turned to music, which can aid not just physical, but also mental health. “Oh 100%!” confirms Stacey. “My records do well in clubs, but also in the gyms. I have an affinity for working out... I started working out as an adolescent and it was life changing… I was like a bit of a chubby 12-13-year-old, you know when you’re going through puberty and hormone changes. So I started to get heavily into dance and aerobics when I was 14, and very much into the quintessential 80s

CREDIT Earl Santos

with the big hair, and started teaching aerobics. I got REALLY into fitness, and for me, mental health-wise, I don’t feel good when I don’t exercise. I’ve been very fortunate because the records that I make also fit well in the fitness world, so I made three fitness compilation albums too, for people to listen to when they’re working out.” Back to the 80s Stacey also started a fitness brand, Staefit, seeing her create exclusive activewear. She then carefully considered which route to pursue. “I thought, ‘What IS my dream?’ Well, 1980’s music is what I live for. I actually grew up in the 80s, had the big hair, and was actually in an original rock band by the time I was 15, writing and performing our songs. So, I’m truly an 80s girl at heart.” “And ‘Is This Love?’ did SO well, and I just felt like that was my calling, to stay in the music for now. As much as I like being creative - and I created a special fitness top for my StaeFit brand that helps people - I’m a musician, I write music, I can present and talk about 80s music until I’m purple!” says the 80s superfan. “You know, I don’t know where I put my keys five minutes ago, but I remember every single lyric to every single 80s track!” She says that memorable musical decade that came out of 80s films was amazing, too… “Like ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Top Gun’... just incredible...” “But also, being in the fitness world in my teens, I was very exposed to the beats in dance music, and I then started to get into more hip hop ‘dancey’ stuff in the late 80s, early 90s, which then, of course, was ALL about dance music.” Rockin’ it in the dance world! “So I just love the fusion of taking rock things that inspired me as a kid and turning them into dance tracks and putting my rock spin on it. And I did that with ‘Is This Love?’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’. That’s what I love doing. And introducing my kids to some of the older songs that are great, and being able to hear them in a club or a gym, for me, that’s a bonus. And I’ve now done a whole record in that kind of vein!” Stacey completed an album of 80s cover tracks during the lockdown. “That’s a key thing with the thematic direction I’m going in, where I am at the moment... And that should be out this year before I drop the book…” With her enviable entrepreneurial spirit, the book

Stacey wrote in lockdown forms the first part of a trilogy based loosely on this multi-talented musician’s life. “And in the second book, the character actually develops a brand of fitness wear!!” Musical inspiration Which health fitness icons inspire Stacey to stay in shape? “I’ve been into fitness since forever, so we can go back to the days of Jane Fonda! And look how amaaaaazing she looks and how healthy she is at 85!” Fellow female artists also act as huge influences musically for this enthusiastic fitness guru/musician-turned-actress/author. “I’m inspired by Donna Summers, Diana Ross... all the women in power music, I wasn’t into the love ballads, although I LOVE rock power ballads, like Bryan Adams’ ‘Heaven’.” Contemporary peers hitting the high notes for Stacey? “He’s wack, but Kanye West is brilliant! The guy is a marketing musical magician... An artist putting out there what inspires him and what he creates… And you’re either gonna love it or hate it… He’s done what he’s meant to do. Most of his latest album is beyond fantastic. Anything he touches is gold... He’s definitely out there.” She’s also blown away by British artists. “There’s just unbelievable talent here... from Adele to Ed Sheeran. It’s like a hotbed here in this country! So I feel very fortunate to be able to work with a lot of amazing producers and co-writers, and to be here in the industry that I’m in.” Giving singing a shot, later in life When it comes to singing, Stacey Jackson has certainly cracked it. Her message to others looking to enter the industry later in life? “A lot of people can say, ‘Oh, screw

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this, it’s too late for me’, or ‘Well, I’ve got my kids and I’m really happy being a mom. I don’t need anything else. I’m exhausted after raising them so I’m just gonna enjoy my life now, I don’t have to do anything’. And, by the way, that’s great – it’s priceless being a parent. But I’m a do-er and a grower and I like to help and inspire people, and I felt like, if I didn’t give it a go, then I would never have known. Who knows, maybe it wasn’t my time when I was younger. Maybe my time IS now,” she tells me. “Like, I believe there is something in the stars where there’s a reason why I focused on my family first… And I got a lot of great experience out of it that I could also put into my writing… I’ve lived life, I’ve lived through the generations of music and fitness, I’ve lived through being a mother and an entrepreneur, I’ve had lots of experience working as a PR, in marketing roles, I understand what it’s like to get a record out there… I didn’t want to be in my 70s or 80s and go, ‘Well, I COULD have had a chance…’ and then look back and go, ‘Well, 40 wasn’t really that old… maybe I SHOULD have given it a shot…’ you know? So I’m glad I did give it a shot. I want to be rocking when I’m 80!” She advises never to take ‘no’ for an answer. “Because sometimes when one door closes, another one opens”. Although she warns that you also have to be prepared for rejection. “It takes 20 years to become an overnight success and I’m still working on it. I feel very privileged and very lucky that I’ve had as much success out of what I’ve been doing, but it’s a testament to the support I have around me… My husband’s amazing, my family is amazing... they are my biggest cheerleaders. They really want to see me do what I love to do…” Rockin’ the 80s It comes as no surprise when she tells me,

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“’The X-Factor’ is my guilty pleasure!” Whom would she most love to team up with for a record? “I’d like to go and sit in a writer’s room with some old-school 80s musicians… Like David Coverdale from Whitesnake… I wanna sit with some of these older veteran rockers from the 80s and write new stuff from our inspiration,” she reveals. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, if Adele wanted to sit with me and write a record, I’d be like, ‘Oh my God, yeah!’ But I think, for me, who I am and what makes me, they got it right when they asked me to host the 80s show. I AM an 80s person and am inspired by that. And I have a new original record with

a productive Stacey sure put the extra time stuck at home to good use. “I wrote the book, the record, the new song… it’s been a crazy covid time! I’m happy and feel like I’m in a good place. I want to be able to live my life to the fullest every day.” Up next for Stacey Jackson? “2022 is very exciting for me… I have my first book coming out, I’m releasing two new EPs and, of course, I’m still filming ‘Stacey Jackson in the 80s’ on Sky, which airs weekly. So I’m on skids a lot…” Spirited Stacey never seems to stop. “I live my life at 100 mph and don’t turn off. I don’t like seeing the world roll around me and I’m just away... I have FOMO that way. I need to keep on top of my stuff.” This adventurous lady sure likes to keep busy! “I’ve got a lot of feathers in my hat happening, so I really need to compartmentalize and not be overwhelmed. I’m just a creative person and like to create stuff, whether it’s a fitness record, top, book, whatever… I LOVE the creative side of things. So, I have to do one thing after another and go slowly but surely. I’ll have to clone myself, I think!!”

a 1980s feel. So, it would have to be some 80s groups… I’ve been invited to a bunch of writers’ retreats in Nashville, and I’d like to do it… it’s definitely on my bucket list when I get the time!” French tracks “I was fluent in French when I left Quebec and then I didn’t have many opportunities to speak French, but once we started travelling, we would go to the south of France or wherever, and my husband was like, ‘You have to speak French to them’, and then it all comes back. It’s a confidence thing, and I’d been out of it for so long, but it came right back. And now when I speak to anyone who’s French, I speak to them in French.” Has Stacey ever sung in French? “I wrote a French dance track, and I don’t think we ever produced it… it was an experiment to see if we could pull it off. It was very retro… maybe I will release it one day!” Hopes & dreams for 2022 Bursting with ideas, Stacey is one super-busy mumpreneur. Wasting no time during the lockdowns,

All about happiness, Stacey says, ”I could just go live on a beach for the next 10 years of my life, but actually, I just wanna live EVERY second of the day, doing something that makes me happy. And it could be anything… watching TV, hanging out with my kids, my family… and working makes me happy. Life is too short to do stuff you don’t enjoy.” Her special message for ‘Stately’ readers, following such turbulent times with the pandemic? “Video conferencing made lockdown a bit more bearable. So if you can’t see someone, definitely get in touch and video chat because a strong family and supportive friends are really what people need.” “Having that, plus being there to support others, is a key factor in sustaining good mental health. And keep on dancing!” Stacey’s new single ‘Flipside’ is out now and is currently at No.1 in the Global Digital Radio chart. Her book is set for a summer 2022 release. For further info, visit: staceyjackson.com Follow Stacey: @staerox © Angela Sara West 2022 Insta: @angela_sara_west

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The Over fifties in north america hold 78% of the wealth, yet you don’t see us on billboards. Who Decides?

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Italian Inspired cuisine

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DELICIOUS I TA L I A N A N T I PA S T O Enjoy a simple and beautiful Italian antipasto platter! With fresh garden fruit, cured meat, cheeses, and bread, this Charcuterie Board is so delicious, easy to put together, and fun to eat!

Ingredients

How to fill this board!

Cheese – Galbani marinated fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine) and salad pearls

There are no rules to building your board, but there is a slight process to make it easy.

Cured meats – prosciutto and salami

Put your fresh mozzarella, almonds, and olives in small Ramekins or shallow dishes, and place those on the board first.

Fruit – cherry tomatoes, peaches, and cantaloupe melon

Then add any meats.

Bread – a baguette that I sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and toasted in the oven

Have your bread (or crackers) around the border.

Almonds – roasted and salted

Next, fill in pockets with the fresh fruit.

If forming caprese skewers like I did, have those on the edge, not the center.

Greens – some baby arugula and fresh basil leaves

When you’re organizing your board, think about placing light colored items next to darker colored ones, softer foods next to crunchier ones, and try to keep the foods somewhat on the same level, so one food doesn’t tower over another.

Balsamic glaze – this is reduced balsamic vinegar.

But mostly, have fun with it! _______________

Olives – I used Kalamata, but any olives would be great

A little drizzle is the perfect touch on fruit, cheese, and herbs

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L E M O N R I C O T TA C A K E WITH ALMONDS @HONESTCOOKING.COM

Citrus and almonds is an extremely popular pairing, evevated by the inclusion of ricotta. Lemon Ricotta Cake is proof of this delicious matchup.

INGREDIENTS 120 g 4.2 ounces butter, softened 200 g 7 ounces caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup lemon zest 4 eggs separated 240 g 8.5 ounces almond meal 300 g 10.6 ounces ricotta flaked almonds for decoration icing sugar for serving

INSTRUCTIONS Heat oven to 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) and line the base and sides of a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper. Place 100g (3.5 ounces) of the castor sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor and blitz until finely ground. Then beat the butter, vanilla and sugar/zest mix together for about 10 minutes until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating the mixture well after each egg yolk is added. Add the almond meal and beat to combine and then fold the ricotta through the almond mixture. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar to the egg whites and whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Mix a third of the egg whites into the cake mixture, then gently fold in the rest of the egg white mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top and sprinkle with the almond flakes. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked and firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely in the cake tin before removing. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

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Lasagna Ingredients Original recipe yields 12 servings 1 pound sweet Italian sausage ¾ pound lean ground beef ½ cup minced onion 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce ½ cup water 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves ½ teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 12 lasagna noodles 16 ounces ricotta cheese 1 egg ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 448 calories; protein 29.7g; carbohydrates 36.5g; fat 21.3g;

cholesterol 81.8mg; sodium 1400.4mg. Magazine 36 Stately

Directions In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

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SICILIAN LIMONCELLO SANGRIA SICILIAN LIMONCELLO SANGRIA OFFERS AN ALLURING, SEDUCTIVE FLAVOR COMBINATION THAT ENTICES AND EXCITES THE PALATE. THE PAIRING OF BERRIES WITH LEMON MAKES THIS DRINK SUPERB.

Prep time: 10 mins - Mix time: 4 hours - Total time: 4 hours 10 mins Cool, refreshing and very comforting, this taste of Sicily is glorious on hot days. Author: Dominick LaRuffa Jr. Recipe type: Alcoholic Cocktails

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Cuisine: Italian Serves: 10 8-ounce portions

Ingredients 1 Cup strawberries, fresh, hulled and halved 1 Cup raspberries, fresh, rinsed 1/2 Cup blackberries, fresh, rinsed 1 lemon, sliced thin 3/4 Cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, frozen 1/2 Cup limoncello 2 bottles Prosecco or other sparkling white wine Instructions In a large pitcher, mix frozen concentrate and limoncello. Mix well. Add berries and sliced lemon. Chill for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours. Just before serving, add chilled Prosecco or other sparkling wine. Stir gently to avoid bruising the berries. Serve in goblets or low-ball glasses with ice. Nutrition Information Serving size: 8 ounces Calories: 181 Fat: 0 g Saturated fat: 0 g Unsaturated fat: 0 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 18 g Sugar: 10 g Sodium: 9 mg Fiber: 2 g Protein: 1 g Cholesterol: 0 g

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For the first time in the history of mankind, there will soon be more people over 60 than under 60, yet the big brands still don’t market to us. Who Decides?

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Travel Feature 54 Stately Magazine

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St James Hot london

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tel and club

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When History and luxury collide in the most incredible way It’s very easy to forget how different Wales is from the rest of Great Britain. It has its own unique character and history unlike anywhere else in the world. This rugby-mad nation may be small, but it certainly punches way above its weight in terms of things to see and do. Hiking in Snowdonia National Park and the stunning waterfalls at Aber Falls are just a handful of the many incredible things to do in Wales. There are some really fun facts about Wales that will really surprise you too. For example, did you know that Mount Everest was named after a Welshman? What about the fact that Jack Daniels initially came from Wales? Castle mania Wales officially has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. Caerphilly is the largest castle in Wales and is the second largest in Europe behind Windsor Castle. Today, there are still over 600 castles in Wales, our favourite being Conwy Castle in North Wales. I mean, just look at the picture (r) The town names are long and impossible to pronounce (unless you are Welsh of course).

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The village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is one of the longest place names in the world. The name of the town means “St Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave.”

As we mentioned earlier, Mount Everest is named after Welshman, Sir George Everest. He was the surveyor who initially mapped Mount Everest and named the mountain after himself. Mount Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales standing at 1,085m (3,560 ft) and climbing to the top of is one of those great British activities that we would wholeheartedly recommend. Wales has the most visited waterfall in the United Kingdom at Swallow Falls at Betws-y-Coed. Nearby sits a place named Fairy Glen - no doubt you can work out who live there according to local myth! The UK’s deepest cave can be found in Wales. Ogof Ffynnon Dddu is 308m (1,010 ft) deep and has over 30 miles of tunnels and passages making it one of the longest networks in the UK. The Menai Bridge in Anglesey was the first suspension bridge in the world that was constructed to take heavy traffic. Designed by Thomas Telford the bridge was opened on 30 January 1826 and, at that time, was the longest bridge in the world measuring 386m (1,265 ft). The Welsh reinvented the beer can - the Felinfoel Brewery, the oldest brewery in South Wales, was the first place outside the U.S. to sell beer in cans in 1931.

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Where to eat in wales Ynyshir Machynlleth, Powys Ynyshir stakes a strong claim to be the very best restaurant in the country and its reputation for excellence goes from strength to strength. It currently holds a Michelin star, five AA rosettes and the title of best restaurant in Wales in the 2021 National Restaurant Awards. From its peaceful setting on the Dyfi Estuary to its luxurious bedrooms, it’s everything a destination restaurant with rooms should be. But it’s chef Gareth Ward’s cooking that’s truly memorable and driven by a mantra of “flavour-driven, fat-fuelled and meat-obsessed”. Sample dish: Miso cured black cod with pickled shiitake mushrooms

The Whitebrook Monmouthshire Customers who trek to this gorgeous wooded Monmouthshire valley will find delightful dishes lovingly put together with locally sourced and foraged ingredients. After Chris Harrod reopened the Whitebrook in 2013, it took this wonderful restaurant with rooms just 11 months to regain its Michelin star. Sample dish: Radishes cooked over embers of birch with woodruff cultured cream, turnips and herb flowers

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Exploring Wales and unearthing Magic and Legends Explore the castles, mountains, winding roads, and valleys of mystical Wales where so many tales of princes, heroes, villains, and saints live on. There is a tale that 5th-century King Vortigern, escaping the Saxons, sought to build a fortress at Dinas Emrys in Wales. But, at every attempt, the walls would fall. Eventually a child—a young wizard called Merlin—suggested the cause of the shaky foundations to be a subterranean pool with two sleeping dragons. Sure enough, the pool was found and drained, awakening the dragons, one of which was red and the other white, who began to fight. When the red dragon triumphed, Merlin prophesied the future victory of the Britons (for which read Wales) over the Saxons (or England). And that is how the red dragon became the emblem of Wales that is found on the national flag. Historians may suggest that Roman custom also played its part in the adoption of a dragon as the nation’s icon. In Wales the lilting voices of its bards intertwining reality with myth persist: their ancient stories of Arthur, Merlin, beasts and battles passed down in the lyrical Welsh language; saved in medieval manuscripts and popularized in English in the 19th century by Lady Charlotte Guest’s Mabinogion translation. Twentieth century excavations of the wooded hillside of Dinas Emrys at Beddgelert in Snowdonia resulted in the discovery of a pool and the ruins of a fortress. Of course, Welshman Henry Tudor’s accession to England’s throne as Henry VII in 1485 had already realized Merlin’s prophecy. Far-fetched? As famous Cardiff-born storyteller Roald Dahl once said: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

KING ARTHUR’S COURT, CAERLEON More legends spin around King Arthur than any other hero based on a quasi-historical British warlord—or a composite of such figures— who fought against the invading Saxons in the 5th and 6th centuries. He is everywhere and nowhere but the Welsh at least can claim his stories were first written in Brythonic—the language from which Welsh descends— and he features strongly in the ancient tales collected into the Mabinogion. Our legendary trail could lead you all around Wales: to the hill fort and ruins of Castell Dinas Brân, Llangollen where the Holy Grail is reputedly buried through to the mountains of Snowdonia where the “once and future King” slew a giant who was mortally wounded and now slumbers. Caerleon near Newport is a must visit where 12th-century writer, Geoffrey of Monmouth, sited Arthur’s Court. Today you can tour the impressive 1st-century remains of the Roman fortress and baths of Isca (as Caerleon was called) and ponder the claim that the impressive amphitheatre later served as Arthur’s Round Table meeting chamber.

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W H E R E T O S TAY I N WA L E S T H E C E LT I C M A N O R HUNTER LODGES For those who love freedom, fresh air and five star relaxation, our luxe lodges come with seriously stunning open plan living and your very own hot tub. With four fabulous en-suite bedrooms, luxury living space and hot tub with views to die for, our lodges are just made for sharing with the ones you love. The sensational open plan space at the heart of each lodge is perfect for entertaining, relaxing and dining together, while a cosy chill out room is the perfect place for me time, us time or family play time. EACH SUMPTUOUS SELF-CATERING LODGE FEATURES: Four double en-suite bedrooms with king size beds (can be reconfigured as twin bedrooms if required) Additional first floor family bathroom Chill out room (featuring double sofa bed) Indoor sauna (first floor) Open plan living and dining space Kitchen with oven, hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge freezer and all the crockery, glassware and utensils you could need Outdoor terrace with dining table and chairs TV in all bedrooms, chill out room and lounge featuring interactive services Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access Travel cots and highchairs available on request for babies and young children Complimentary use of your own outdoor hot tub (please note that we clean and refill all hot tubs after every stay, so your hot tub may take up to 12 hours to warm up) SPACE FOR EVERYONE The maximum occupancy for each lodge is 8 people (excludes babies under 2 years sleeping in cots). In addition, the Chill Out Room features a double sofa bed to act as an extra bedroom to accommodate two further children under 14 years. THE CHILL OUT ROOM The standard set-up for all lodges featuring bean bags and plasma TV, the perfect place to chill out with a book, watch TV or a great playroom for children.

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Sarah Stone - Intentional Living

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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FENG SHUI by Are you looking to create positive energy in your home during these challenging times? Feng Shui has been used for centuries to help balance and promote the flow of good chi in your living space. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of balancing our physical environment to promote harmony and a sense of well-being and flow. In fact, its very name, meaning “wind and water,” signifies the two elements of flow. It takes the approach that your surroundings affect not just your level of material comfort, but also your physical and mental health, relationships and success. If you are looking to create a harmonious environment, then you should consider using Creative Feng Shui® as the tool to do just that as it uses easy-to-implement principles that anyone can incorporate into their life, home and business. The purpose behind this art is to consciously create more space, light, love, fulfilment, creativity and intention in your life as well as helping you to clear stagnant, negative energy which acts as an invisible force which could be unintentionally sabotaging the balance of your home, causing blocks in your business and contributing to you feeling unsettled, unhappy and unfulfilled in life. In these challenging times, our home has now become our office, a school, the gym, a staycation destination, and so many other functions that none of us could have imagined. There’s never been a more important time to create a positive influence in our home and business than right now. This is why the purpose of applying Creative Feng Shui® is to cultivate an environment that functions optimally and fully supports your intentions for good fortune, wealth, abundance, happiness and success so that it flows to you effortlessly and easily.

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O’Brien Luxury Homes

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how to Apply Feng Shui Principles to Your Home:

Here are eight positive ways you can get started with feng shui and create more positive influence within you and around you. Tip 1: Clear The Clutter Your home should reflect your positive personality, especially in challenging times. Being true to your own personal style and all the items you love, this will instantly boost the positive atmosphere in your home. This means you should not keep things for the sake of people pleasing, nor should you display anything which is broken or has negative connotations of the past, remove what does not make you feel positive and create a space of vibrancy, colour and life. The cardinal rule of feng shui is no clutter. Energy, or chi, must be able to flow freely throughout your space. Clutter blocks the flow creating negative energy. Decluttering, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. Start by prioritizing the areas that bother you the most and devote a set time, as little as 10 to 15 minutes each day, to throw out what you do not love or need. Tip 2: Create A Warm & Welcoming Atmosphere A welcoming atmosphere is something most people will feel as soon as they walk into a home. The first thing you see when you open the door sets the tone for the entire home. Place a beautiful piece of art, furniture, or any other object that feels pleasing to you at this all-important focal point and you’ll want to spend more time in your space. More than ever it’s essential to create a home environment that feels welcoming, calming and nourishing to create a relaxing space which instantly removes the challenges of the outside world. Scented candles, fragrance sticks, fresh flowers, or a freshly baked cake, will make your home feel super inviting and stimulate those positive vibes. Ensure your front door is clean, free of obstacles like packages or pairs of shoes, and opens with ease.

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Tip 3: Create More Flow In Your Life Do you have no routine? Create more structure, focus and flow in your week to prevent procrastination, distraction and frustration. Creative Feng Shui® is based upon living with intention so start taking inspired action towards your goals by planning out your family and work priorities in advance to encourage more momentum for your plans and more positive, enthusiastic and engaging conversations. Creating a lineup for each day is so important, whether it’s making breakfast together, reading or doing puzzles, it means the whole family knows what to expect and you can create more flow to your day. Tip 4: Use Nature To Nurture We all need sun, light, air, earth and water to nourish ourselves and our environment so incorporate these nature elements to recharge and replenish your positive energy. Connect with nature and get outdoors more to move your body, absorb the sunlight, be conscious of your breathing and enjoy watching nature as there are hidden meanings in all that we see. By creating joy and positivity from the inside, it will glow on the outside in all that you do. Ensure you’re moving your body for at least 30 minutes each day. During your walks or exercise, intentionally focus on your breathing. Stop for a moment and connect with your breath. Breathe. Tip 5: Plant Goodness All Around You Turns out that positioning certain plants can bring positive feelings, good luck and help banish negative vibes. In addition to this, caring for plans can add a sense of grounding and nourishment to your life and home. Ideally, you want plants which soften the hard angles in your home and evoke the feeling of being among nature, creating more curves and rounded edges. As a guide for what to avoid, steer away from the spikiness of cacti and thorn-covered plants as. Any plant that is vibrant, lush, and healthy will bring good energy - so the most important principle is to keep your greenery happy. Whatever plant is dear to your heart and makes you smile is the right plant for your home. So go for what invigorates you!

Sarah Stone - Intentional Living

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Tip 6: If It’s Broke, Fix It! Drawers that stick, drains that clog, and even clothes with holes are just a few examples of impediments to vitality in the home. They reflect a sense of “brokenness”. Try putting a red dot on everything that needs fixing as a way to represent the way you want your space to be. As objects are repaired and you peel the stickers off, it becomes symbolic of a positive change in energy. Tip 7: See The Light Light is a big part of Creative Feng Shui®. Make a habit of paying attention to how much good quality light you actually enjoy throughout the day, as well as the quality and number of the indoor light sources in your home or office. Allow as much sunshine as possible into your environment every day but make sure that your windows are clean to ensure the flow of sunlight is not blocked by dirt or debris. You can also bring light to your life by burning scented candles, adding ambient lighting to your rooms and an equal amount of light to your bedside tables in the bedroom. Tip 8: Live A Simpler Life It’s the little things that mean the most and Creative Feng Shui® encourages you to live simply, especially in challenging times. Create more inner and outer joy by watching children play, giggle and have fun, and most importantly, don’t be forget to have more FUN yourself! Allowing yourself to switch off and recharge so that you can be more connected and present with those you love will help you gain more strength and resilience to deal with the challenges of life. Living simply allows you to create balance and lead a more positive life when times get tough. Bio: Sarah Stone is a globally renowned Intentional Living Expert, #1 Best Selling Author of Live What You Love and Founder of Creative Feng Shui®. She helps her clients around the world live with more intention to activate their success with life, business and home so that they can achieve everything they desire. For more tips on Feng Shui visit: www.sarahstone.com

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Sarah Stone is the founder of Creative Feng Shui, Intentional Living Columnist for Stately Magazine and #1 Best Selling Author of “Live What You Love”; Launched in the summer of 2018, Sarah focuses on the alluring people to live with more intention and she’s on a mission to help others pursue their version of success in life, home and everything in between. With over two decades of experience within the luxury wellbeing and personal development space, Sarah is a trusted and highly sought after Intentional Living Expert. Her vast experience and perspective working with clients in a variety of ways over the years has helped position herself as an established, proven go-to expert in her field. Sarah resides in New York with her husband, Andy Stone and her Miniature Golden, Cooper. * To contact Sarah Stone please email: sarah@sarahstone.com

Sarah Stone - Intentional Living

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Luxury Concierge Service Personal concierge services are on the rise. With the emergence of digital and the desire for experiences over ownership, modern concierge companies are radically evolving to deliver exceptional services 24/7 to their affluent clients. Modern affluent women and men know that time is their most precious resource. When you’re always connected and on the go, your time is the one thing you can never get back. To help you save time and get privileged access to private events that money can’t buy, a luxury concierge is your perfect companion. It’s your secret weapon to unlock a world of exclusive experiences and VIP events. Looking for a last-minute private jet to take you from New York to Barbados over the weekend? No problem! Dying to get a front-row seat at the next Oscar ceremony? Done! Wanting to try the new Michelin star restaurant in London? Your table is reserved for this evening. It’s that easy. What is a luxury concierge? A concierge is a person or a company that is available to help you in your day-to-day life. Their services can range from planning and booking your family holidays to making restaurant reservations or getting you access to special events. Some concierge companies also provide financial services. Others might focus on event organisation or high-end travel reservations. The word concierge probably comes from the old French word “comte des cierges.” The comte des cierges was a servant responsible for maintaining the lighting and cleanliness of medieval palaces. Today’s concierge services extend far beyond just maintaining your candles lit. Concierges are highly skilled people who can add real value to your life by taking care of some essential and time-consuming tasks for you. They also have an extensive network to help you get VIP access to some of the most ultra-exclusive events and experiences around the world. In general, you’ll find two categories of concierge services today:

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Personal concierge services: if you want to hire the services of a concierge for yourself. Corporate concierge services: if a company wants to provide concierge services to its employees as an extra benefit. Why do you need a high-end concierge? Not everyone needs a luxury concierge. Some people like to manage every aspect of their life themselves. But if you’re too busy and want to outsource some tasks, a personal concierge makes a lot of sense. There are three main reasons for wealthy people to subscribe to a luxury concierge service: To save time; To get exclusive access to private events thanks to the concierge’s network; To outsource timeconsuming and repetitive tasks. Well, nearly that easy. You first need to find the luxury concierge service that’s right for you. Founded in 2000 by Ben Elliot, Paul Drummond, and Aaron Simpson, Quintessentially is one of the bestknown luxury concierge companies in the world. With over 60 offices across the world and a team of more than 1,500 concierge specialists, Quintessentially is a leader in global luxury lifestyle services. With an average client net worth of $36 million, Quintessentially concierges have fulfilled some extravagant requests over the years. They’ve been able, for example, to close the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a wedding proposal or to arrange a private dinner on an iceberg.

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Coming next edition Magazine 100StatelyWe sit down with Manjit Minhas

STATELY MAGAZINE - Issue Three

RETIREMENT LUXURY LIFESTYLE