COMPLIMENTARY EDITION
N º184 - DECEMBER 2014
essential essential magazine® marbella ISSUE 184 • DECEMBER 2014
ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING
e
MARBELLA
GIFTS
GALORE the story of
SANTA CLAUS
DARK SECRETS OF
Chocolate
RISING STAR: BENEDICT
CUMBERBATCH
MIGHTY MERCEDES
AMG GT
OASIS OF
THE SEAS
Christmas SPARKLE
THE CALL OF
HYDRA
N E W S I C U LT U R E I P E O P L E I T R E N D I S T Y L E I S PA I P R O I L E I S U R E I G O U R M E T & M O R E
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FINE WATCHES & EXQUISITE JEWELLERY
Enclosed: 878 m² Plot: 3,844 m² Price: €4,395,000
NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Magnificent palatial style mansion in the heart of the golf valley, walking distance to all golf courses and amenities. 8 en-suite bedrooms. High quality specifications with lift, outdoor and indoor cinema, spa, games room and paddle tennis court. Stunning landscaped garden. A unique property in an ideal location! Ref. 7738
Enclosed: 519 m² Plot: 1,057 m² Price: €1,495,000
LOMAS DE MARBELLA CLUB Luxurious 5 bedroom villa in the heart of the Golden Mile. Excellent qualities, lovely views. Fully furnished. Ref. 7957
Enclosed: 129 m² Terrace: 35 m² Price: €1,200,000
GOLDEN MILE
Enclosed: 208 m² Terrace: 69 m² Price: €975,000
CASCADA DE CAMOJÁN Contemporary style 3-bedroom apartment in Imara, enjoying sea views. Beautifully decorated and finished. Ref. 8364
Enclosed: 173 m² Terrace: 42 m² Price: €925,000
GOLDEN MILE Unique 3 bedroom duplex penthouse in Mansion Club. Sea views. Fully furnished. Priced to sell. Ref. 8497
Beachfront – 3 bedroom penthouse in unique location, walking distance to Puerto Banus. 5 star complex with 24 hr security. Ref. 8449
An International Associate of Savills
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Enclosed: 803 m² Plot: 2,503 m² Price: € 5,400,000
GOLDEN MILE Outstanding contemporary style villa in most prestigious area, next to the Saudi royal palace. Recently built with 6 en-suite bedrooms and high quality specs throughout. Exceptional sea and mountain views. Cinema room, billiard room, wine cellar, spa area with pool, gym and sauna. A spectacular property in an ideal location. Ref. 8219
Enclosed: 892 m² Terrace: 4,380 m² Price: €4,950,000
EL MADROÑAL, BENAHAVÍS Exquisite
5 en-suite bedroom villa in gated community. A stylish, yet rustic and stately home. Ref. 6835
Enclosed: 496 m² Plot: 2,703 m² Price: €3,500,000
NUEVA ANDALUCÍA
Enclosed: 937 m² Plot: 3,000 m² Price: € 2,695,000
NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Stunning southwestfacing villa in the golf valley. 6 en-suite bedrooms. Sea and mountain views. Quiet residential area. Ref. 8324
Enclosed: 855 m² Plot: 5,827 m² Price: €4,200,000
CASCADA DE CAMOJÁN Mediterranean style
Frontline Golf – 6 bedroom villa, in gated complex with 24 hr security. Separate guest house. Ref. 6037
villa with guest house in this sought-after area with 24hour security. Lovely views to the sea. Ref. 8097
Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel & opposite the Marbella Club Hotel Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es 184 Panorama DPS.indd 2
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Issue 184 • December 2014
S T A F F PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR
IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com
GENERAL MANAGER
ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER SALES SUPPORT
SUSANNE WHITAKER design@essentialmagazine.com JAN DENDAUW jan@essentialmagazine.com RÉKA VIDÁTS reka@essentialmagazine.com
ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DESIGN & LAYOUT STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTING DEPÓSITO LEGAL
MARIANO JEVA cuentas@essentialmagazine.com MONIKA BÖJTI info@essentialmagazine.com
ANDREA BÖJTI INMA AURIOLES MELINDA SZARVAS KEVIN HORN (WWW.PHOTOGRAPHERMARBELLA.COM) BELINDA BECKETT, IAIN BLACKWELL, MICHEL CRUZ, CRISTINA FALKENBERG, RIK FOXX, RUSSELL GRANT, CARLOS READ, TONY WHITNEY, DAVID WISHART, KEVIN WOODFORD GENOVEVA CASANOVA, courtesy of Chocrón Joyeros JIMÉNEZ GODOY A. GRÁFICAS, MURCIA D.L. MA-512-99
EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES COMPLEJO LA PÓVEDA, BLQ. 3, 1º A, CN 340, KM 178, 29600 MARBELLA, MÁLAGA. TEL: 952 766 344 FAX: 952 766 343
ESSENTIAL MARBELLA MAGAZINE
@ESSENTIALEDITOR
www.essentialmagazine.com Member of the Association of Spanish Periodical Publications affiliated to:
conditions:
The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions. responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. Marbella Magazine. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for No part of this magazine, including texts, photographs, illustrations, maps or any other graphics may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. Printed on recyclable paper, produced without wood and bleached without chlorine.
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contents The Trend Cinema 26 Home Viewing 28 Music 30 Books 32 Gadgets 34 The New Mercedes-AMG GT 36
The Focus Christmas Gifts 40 The History of Santa Claus 50 The Dark Secrets of Chocolate 56 Classic Christmas Films 62 Benedict Cumberbatch 64 Álvaro Domecq 66
The Style Roman-inspired Villa from Marbella Estates 70 Jewellery by Cartier, Ideal Joyeros and Chocrón Joyeros 78 Fashion News 84
The Spa 88 Xmas Beauty Products by Lush 90 Beauty News 94 Healthy Eating for Christmas 96 Health Profile: Dr. Pedro Brugada, Specialist in Cardiac Arrhythmia
The Pro 98 Enterprise 104 Citizens Advice Bureau Spain 106 The Vibe
The Gourmet 131 D-Wine 133 Don Giovanni 134 Food News 136 Kevin Woodford’s Dubai 138 Chef’s Profile: Luis Olarra of Kabuki Raw 140 Wine: Toro Albalá
g The Leisure Hotel: The Vincci Gala in Barcelona 110 The Quaint White Village of Gaucín 112 Oasis of the Seas, Largest Cruise Ship in the World 116 Greece: Hydra and Athens 118
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The Guide 142 Listings
The Blog 155 Christmas for Pets 156 What’s On in December 158 Stars 160 Kid’s Zone
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You only live once,
Hacienda Las Chapas: A rare Mediterranean jewel. A beautiful, luxurious villa with magnificent sea views set on a large double plot with mature, manicured gardens in the exclusive community of Hacienda Las Chapas. 5 Beds, 5 baths. Built 563 m2, plot 3.685 m2. E&V ID: W-01VE21. Price: 2.495.000 €.
Bahía de Marbella: Stunning villa with sea views situated only a few meters from the beach. High qualities throughout. Beautifully decorated. Large terraces and heated pool. 5 Beds, 4 baths. Built 698 m2, plot 1.740 m2. E&V ID: W-01U3UR. Price: 3.200.000 €.
Bahía de Marbella: Stylish designer villa on second line beach with beautiful sea views. Highest qualities, luxury fittings. Gym, sauna, bodega. 5 Beds, 5 baths. Built 502 m2, plot 1.202 m2. E&V ID: W-01UFQI. Price: 2.900.000 €.
Elviria: Contemporary, luxurious villa offering breathtaking sea views. Cinema, games room, sauna and gym. Impressive swimming pool area. 7 Beds, 6 baths. Built 1.083 m2, plot 1.700 m2. E&V ID: W-02015E. Price: 2.990.000 €.
Los Monteros Hill Club: Luxury penthouse in gated community with panoramic views. Built to highest standards. Modern gym and sauna. 3 Beds, 4 baths. Living area 212 m2, terrace 148 m2. E&V ID: W-00C4TV. Price: 895.000 €.
Office El Rosario: 952 83 20 40 · Office Elviria: 952 83 55 80
we will show you where!
Sierra Blanca: Spectacular residence with breathtaking panoramic sea and mountain views offering stylish yet luxurious living. High qualities throughout. Under-floor heating, central A/C, alarm system with cameras. 6 Beds, 5 baths. Built 900 m2, plot 1.878 m2. E&V ID: W-02101L. Price: 5.500.000 €.
Sierra Blanca: Beautifully designed villa with manicured gardens and spectacular, panoramic sea views from all levels. Gym, spa, staff quarter. Separate guest apartment. 5 Beds, 4 baths. Built 738 m2, plot 1.391 m2. E&V ID: W-020N66. Reduced from 3.200.000 € to 2.700.000 €.
Golden Mile: Impressive, contemporary villa recently built. Spectacular views. Highest standards with the latest technology. Gym, sauna, lift, separate staff quarter. 6 Beds, 6 baths. Built 1.011 m2, plot 2.500 m2. E&V ID: W-0201UE. Price: 5.400.000 €.
Sierra Blanca: Immaculate, palatial style villa with stunning panoramic sea views. Gym, bodega, staff apartment, lift to all levels and heated pool. 7 Beds, 7 baths. Built 811 m2, plot 1.585 m2. E&V ID: W-00IY4V. Reduced from 5.990.000 € to 3.950.000 €.
Frontline Beach Golden Mile: Great opportunity! A duplex penthouse in an exclusive complex with direct access to the beach promenade. Large terraces on both floors. 2 Beds, 2 baths. Living area 133 m2, terraces 130 m2. E&V ID: W-020DMB. Price: 1.200.000 €.
Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 · www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast
Multi-award winning luxury estate agents in over 275 locations worldwide
LOVELY FAMILY VILLA SIERRA BLANCA, GOLDEN MILE BUILD: 615 M² PLOT: 1524 M² BEDS: 4 BATHS: 4
BREATHTAKING MODERN VILLA 1,850,000 OVER LOOKING MARBELLA & PUERTO BANUS Ref: 111197 BUILD: 820 M² • PLOT: 2502 M² • BEDS: 6 BATHS: 6
Features: • Views To Mediterranean • Mature Garden
Features: • •
Swimming Pool Underfloor Heating
EXCLUSIVE PIET BOON DESIGN VILLA IN BENAHAVIS BUILD: 592M2 • PLOT: 3300M2 • BEDS: 4 • BATHS: 4 Features: • Under Floor Heating • Peaceful Surroundings
• Cutting Edge, High Specification • Heated Swimming Pool
• Ideal Location Off Golden • Private Tranquil Plot
BRIGHT AND LIGHT VILLA 3,950,000 IN LA CERQUILLA, NUEVA ANDALUCIA Ref: 120403 BUILD: 569M2 • PLOT: 2520M2 • BEDS: 4 • BATHS: 4
Mile
3,200,000 Ref: 119755
Features: • Heated Swimming Pool • Contemporary Design
• Located within Golf Valley • High Quality Finish
Fine & Country Marbella Marbella Club Hotel, Bulevar del Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, 29600 Marbella, Málaga, Spain
F&C Marbella Essential Ad 2xpages DECEMBER 2014.indd 1
POA Ref: 126614
• Mature Private Garden • Designer Features
tel +34 952 76 40 10 email marbella@fineandcountry.com www.fineandcountry.com
21/11/2014 08:09
Marbella
TRULY UNIQUE CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY VILLA IN GAUCIN BUILD: 50600 M² • PLOT: 704 M² • BEDS: 4 • BATHS: 4
2,850,000 Ref: 122854
Features: • Spacious Heated Indoor Pool with Jet Flow • Sauna, Jacuzzi & Shower Room
F&C Marbella Essential Ad 2xpages DECEMBER 2014.indd 2
• Incredible Outdoor Terraced Dining Area • Sweeping Panoramic Views
26/11/2014 12:42
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essential marbella magazine
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publisher’s letter WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL
Fesitve Fun
C
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hristmas is the best time of year to switch off from work or study and to enjoy some memorable moments with family and friends. To get you in the mood for the forthcoming revelry, we have concocted a bumper special edition, full of festive cheer. Gifts for her, him, the kids, the home and even pets feature within these pages, alongside sparkling jewellery, desirable gadgets bestselling books, and don’t miss the story of Santa Claus or the Dark Secrets of Chocolate. Come with us for a ride in the sleek new Mercedes-AMG GT, step aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of The Seas (the world’s biggest cruise ship), visit the spectacular Vincci Gala Hotel in Barcelona and feast your eyes on a truly palatial villa here on the coast. This month’s cover spotlights elegant socialite, Genoveva Casanova, who is highly regarded for her philanthropic efforts. We also profile rising star, Benedict Cumberbatch, following the announcement of his recent engagement, and talk with Álvaro Domecq, founder of the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre. Dining out is a major part of the anticipated merriment and we recommend two of the best here in Marbella: D-Wine and Don Giovanni. Discover too, how Head Chef, Luis Olarra of Kabuki Raw is making waves at the legendary Hotel Finca Cortesín, and learn about the highly rated Pedro Ximénez wines from Toro Albalá. Here’s hoping that you and all of yours have a really wonderful Christmas!
11/24/14 6:05 PM
FRONT-LINE MANSION IN MARBELLA CLUB GOLF RESORT price reduced to
3.900.000€
Frontline golf mansion for sale in Benahavis
•
7 bedrooms
•
7 bathrooms
•
Golf course
•
Secondary accommodation
•
3 reception rooms
•
1,099 sqm
•
Waterview
•
Swimming pool
•
Private Parking/Garage
•
1.21 acres (0.5 hectares)
Mediterranean in style and offering all kinds of luxury details and comfort, this majestic mansion is situated in the well-known and luxurious urbanization of Marbella Club Golf Resort. Built over 2 levels, the residence boasts an entrance hall with elegant marble staircase decorated with wrought iron balustrade. On the ground floor there is a large lounge connected to an adjoining sitting room with fire place and a separate dining room with fantastic views over the mountains and the sea. An interior courtyard provides the lounge and the corridors with extra light. A fully fitted and equipped kitchen and 2 bedrooms with en suite marble shower rooms complete this level. The upper floor is accessed both a staircase and an elevator. Here there are 2 guest bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a master bedroom with a dressing room, bathroom fitted with Jacuzzi and shower and a covered south facing terrace overlooking the private garden, pool and sea. The basement has a 6-car garage, games room, room with pre-installation for home cinema and bar, guest suite with bathroom, laundry and a separate self-contained staff apartment.
Hermes Mansions , Alvarez Real Estate SL, Urb. Cerrado de Elviria, Res. Framiré II – 1º A, 29604 Elviria – MARBELLA Tfno: 952.83.47.19 • Fax: 952.83.95.94 • info@alvarez-realestate.com • www.alvarez-realestate.com
trend READING / MUSIC / FILMS / GADGETS / MOTORING / TRENDS
Christmas is just around the corner and what better way to ring it in than with great music, excellent films and the kind of books and gadgets that would make the perfect present for the one we love? Of course, if you really want to create an impression, the new Mercedes-AMG GT High-Performance Sports CoupĂŠ might be just the car to do it in.
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26
Cinema
28
Home Viewing
30
Music
32
Books
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Gadgets
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The New Mercedes-AMG GT
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trend
WORDS MARISA CUTILL
CINEMA
AS
e BLOCKBUSTER » GENRE
Fantasy
» DIRECTOR
Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings)
» ACTORS
Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
OF THE MONTH
ced to face Bilbo and friends are for they reclaim their the final battle, after rifying dragon and ter the homeland from dangerous new unwittingly unleash a angry Smaug is An . rld wo force into the end to the lives of determined to put an men and children in wo n, me thousands of s not bad enough, the Lake-town and if that’ sends forth legions , ron Sau great enemy, Mountain when of Orcs to attack Lonely Dwarves, elves le. rab ne vul st it is at its mo or ces succumb to and men must join for ir. spa de d darkness an
The Horbmbieits
Battle of the Five A
» GENRE Romantic Comedy » DIRECTOR Woody Allen (Annie Hall) » ACTORS Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Simon
McBurney
Magic in the Moonlight
» GENRE Thriller » DIRECTOR Jim Mickle (Visual
Effects)
» ACTORS Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard
Cold in July
Michael C. Hall (who gave life to Dexter) plays Richard Dane, a loving father who kills an intruder in the middle of the night. Burdened by an immense sense of guilt, Richard attends the intruder’s funeral, where he meets Russel (Sam Shepard), the victim’s father. Russel threatens to kill Richard’s son, though when Richard turns to the police for protection, he discovers that Russel has the power to turn his peaceful family life into a living hell.
Chinese sorcerer, Wei Ling Soo, is the most famous magician of his age, but few people know that he is merely the stage persona of Stanley Crawford (Firth), a rude, arrogant Englishman with an aversion to phony spiritualists. Persuaded by his life-long friend, Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney), Stanley goes on a mission to the Côte d’Azur home of a wealthy family comprising a mother (Grace), son (Brice) and daughter (Caroline). Stanley’s aim is to unmask Sophie: a seemingly vulnerable young clairvoyant who is residing with the family, though Grace is convinced that Sophie can help her contact the spirit of her late husband. Stanley is sure Sophie is a phony at first, until she begins to reveal an array of inexplicable and utterly impressive powers that leave Stanley speechless.
» GENRE Comedy » DIRECTOR Jason Reitman (Juno) » ACTORS Kaitlyn Dever, Rosemarie
DeWitt, Ansel Elgort
Men, Women & Children
A group of teens and their parents examine the many ways that the Internet has changed their lives and relationships. Despite the illusion of ‘ubiquitous connectivity’, many of us feel lonelier than ever before.
» GENRE Comedy » DIRECTOR Shawn Levy
(The Internship) » ACTORS Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Dan Stevens
Night at the Museum When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to fade, Larry travels the world to save the unique magic of his beloved Museum. Larry is joined on his epic quest by revered historical characters from ancient and modern history.
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trend HOME VIEWING
Marisa Cutillas brings us a few of the season’s top DVD releases.
» GENRE Drama » DIRECTOR Martin Provost (Séraphine)
» ACTORS Sandrine Kiberlain, Olivier Gourmet, Emmanuelle Devos » IMDB RATING 6.8/10
Blended
Violette
» GENRE Romantic Comedy » DIRECTOR Frank Coraci (Click) » ACTORS Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler,
Violette, a young girl born at the turn of the 20th century, meets renowned feminist, Simone de Beauvoir, in post-war Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The two women live an intense relationship which results from Violette’s search for freedom through writing, and Simone’s conviction that the destiny of a unique writer is about to change for the better.
Wendi McLendon-Covey
» IMDB RATING 6.5/10
ASE OF THE MONTH
D RELE e FEATURED DV » GENRE
Science Fiction
» DIRECTOR
Wally Pfister (My Valentine)
» ACTORS
Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman
» IMDB RATING 6.3/10
Johnny Depp plays a brilliant scientist whose l obsession with artificia to him ds lea nce llige inte hook his brain up to a computer to study the an extent to which the hum ing eiv rec of e abl cap is brain ation. and processing inform rise Like Icarus, his quest to ed above mortality is doom rt. sta from the
Lauren (Drew Barrymore) has the worst blind date unimaginable when Jim (Adam Sandler) takes her to Hooters and behaves like a rude, foul-mouthed creep. Little does she imagine that, a few days later, she will be stuck on a family resort in Africa with her kids, where Jim is also holidaying with his children. The two try to avoid each other but find it hard to resist their growing attraction. Can first impressions really be so wrong?
e c n e d n e c s n a r T » GENRE Animation » DIRECTOR Rob Minkoff
(Stuart Little) » VOICES Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert » IMDB RATING 7/10
Mr. Peabody & Sherman Peabody, the only canine in the world with a Nobel laureate, invents a time machine and invites his friend, Sherman, to travel to bygone eras. It’s all fun and laughs until Sherman, keen to impress the loquacious young Penny, shows her the time machine and they inadvertently threaten to alter some of the most important moments in human history. Dog, boy and girl put their thinking caps on and try to come up with a creative solution to an ever-expanding dilemma.
» GENRE Action » DIRECTOR Stuart Beattie » ACTORS Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski
» IMDB RATING 5.2/10
I, Frankenstein Some 200 years after the day he was created, Dr. Frankenstein’s creature continues to roam the earth. He finds himself in the middle of a battle between two immortal clans and fights to restore peace to the Planet.
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trend MUSIC
Winter is here and concert wise it’s pretty quiet – but there’s bound to be something arranged at the last minute so check your local press by the week
¿QUÉ PASA? WORDS RIK FOXX
The 2013 song of the summer, Blurred Lines, is back in the news again; we all thought the copyright fight was over but… the family of Tamla Motown icon MARVIN GAYE are demanding satisfaction and a copyright lawsuit against ROBIN THICKE and PHARRELL WILLIAMS is to return to court again. My opinion on first hearing Blurred Lines – it reminded me of the late soul singer’s 1977 single Got To Give It Up. Last month you were informed about the new QUEEN album Queen Forever. Another new FREDDIE MERCURY song will surface on December 1 to mark the first day of the music-led campaign by Coca-Cola and (RED) to raise awareness of AIDS. Let Me In Your Heart Again will front the month long campaign plus new music from ONEREPUBLIC, ALOE BLACC, WYCLEF JEAN and AVICII.
While KATY PERRY, who brings her El Prismatic world tour to Barcelona in February (tickets from www. livenation.es), was celebrating her 30th birthday and landing the main act at the American Football Superbowl half-time show (early hours of Monday February 2), the sports powers-that-be, the NFL, announced they want to introduce an appearance fee for all artists who perform at the prestigious event after noticing that past acts at the US’s TV highlight of the year (115.3 million watchers worldwide last February) have seen a major upsurge in album sales after the event – and the NFL wants a percentage of that money making pie.
Since the start of that puffed up karaoke catastrophe, the X-Factor (or as this scribe calls it the Y-Factor – as in ‘Why’’?’), the man whose name will not be mentioned has over the past decade near enough monopolised the UK Christmas number one singles market – but this year maybe not. His 2008 winner, ALEXANDRA BURKE, will front a British Red Cross charity offering by THE JUSTICE COLLECTIVE (featuring SUGGS of MADNESS), with a cover of All Together Now, originally by THE FARM in 1990). But BOB (the gob) GELDOF might rain on their parade with another rendition of the BAND AID best seller, Do They Know Its Christmas? – featuring ONE DIRECTION, BONO, ED SHEERAN and CHRIS MARTIN. When this page was penned no one else had signed up and GELDOF was keeping tight lipped when asked – well that makes a change!
Kids TV darling turned pop pixie ARIANA GRANDE recently cancelled a promotional trip to Spain after “freaking out” about the ebola scare – at the time of writing, all four suspected cases here were cleared while in her native America three people have been diagnosed positive. After a recent live TV appearance on the UK’s ALAN CARR Chatty Man show a backstage hand said, “OMG – we might have a MILEY mk II on our hands”
Also aware of the Ebola scare is rapper AKON who amused a crowd in the Congo by performing in a plastic bubble, but bad boy CHRIS BROWN did himself no favours making a DONNA SUMMER AIDS kind of comment saying the dreaded disease is “a form of population control.” After a fairly quiet year, GAGA wants to be seen in 2015 and is planning a tour with legendary swooner TONY BENNETT plus studio collaborations with DOLLY PARTON and ADELE – who is keeping plans for her third album close to her chest. It was due in November but… Past reports said PHIL COLLINS was involved but he was vexed (a readable way of putting it) when being snubbed after she approached him to work with her. The upset veteran said “She's a slippery little fish” and revealed he has had second thoughts about his future saying “I can’t retire!” With the pantomime season approaching – all together now – “oh yes you can!!!”
Have you seen the BBC2 TV show Russell Howard’s Good News? No? Shame on you! Anyway, he always finishes with a nice humane story so – 1970s onwards guitar great WILKO JOHNSON of DR. FEELGOOD fame was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in 2012. He refused chemotherapy and other treatment saying “what will be will be” then did a sold out goodbye tour – in April he had an operation and a tumour was removed from his body as well as his pancreas, spleen and part of his stomach – he is now cancer free and recently won the Album of the Year for his Going Back Home collaboration with WHO singer ROGER DALTERY at the highly respected Classic Rock Awards in LA – I wish him all the very best for the future as well as wishing all of you a very Merry Xmas and all the best for 2015!
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trend BOOKS
Irresistible Books for Christmas
Marisa Cutillas brings us suggested best-selling reads for the long, lovely Christmas holidays, when nothing appeals quite as much as curling up by the fireplace with a good book.
THE BEST OF ME BY NICHOLAS SPARKS
Dawson Cole, a worker on an oil rig, nearly loses his life following a powerful explosion, which throws him into the water and causes him to lose consciousness. Luckily, he is saved by an anonymous stranger. Months later, Dawson learns that his surrogate father Tuck Hostetler, has passed away, leaving behind instructions for Dawson to carry out his final wishes, many miles away, in Dawson’s hometown. Dawson discovers that Tuck has arranged for Dawson’s highschool sweetheart, Amanda, to help him fulfil these last wishes. There is only one hitch to his father’s seemingly clever plan: Amanda is married.
ORPHAN TRAIN
BY CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE Orphan Train is the captivating story of two women who build an unexpectedly close friendship: Molly, a teenager who is about to be kicked out of her foster home, and Vivian, a 91-year-old woman who was orphaned in New York City and placed on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children. The women come together by chance, and begin to find many parallels in their lives. As Molly’s hard exterior begins to crumble, she helps Vivian find the answers to many mysteries, so her elderly friend can finally break free from her devastating past.
OUTLANDER
BY DIANA GABALDON This romantic book is the story of 20th century nurse Claire Randall, who time travels to 18th century Scotland and meets Jack Randall, a dashing soldier who looks just like her husband and proves to be his six-times-great-grandfather. Unfortunately, the soldier is not as loving as her modern day husband and as she attempts to escape from his violent clutches, she joins a gang of Highland Scots who are also fearful of the mighty Jack Randall, for mysterious reasons Claire will soon discover.
DARK PLACES
LEAVING TIME
A woman who survived the dramatic murder of her mother and siblings, begins to reinvestigate the circumstances that led to her brother’s imprisonment. A group of amateur detectives think her brother may be innocent and begin discovering new facts about the violent massacre. The novel delves into deep-rooted problems in rural America such as poverty and the Satanic cult hysteria that swept the nation in the 1980s.
Jenna hasn’t forgotten her mother, Alice, who once owned a sanctuary for elephants and who seemingly died in a tragic accident. After searching for Alice for over a decade, Jenna hires a psychic and a detective to help her unravel the mystery surrounding her mother’s death. The book explores the complex emotions that arise when we lose someone we love and comes to a profound realisation regarding the permanence of the most important relationships in our lives.
BY GILLIAN FLYNN
BY JODI PICOULT
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trend ELECTRONICS
1 2
1 - THE NEW GOPRO HERO 4 BLACK:
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PREDICTED TOP SELLING GADGETS
for Christmas 2014 3
Christmas has always been the ideal time to give a dream gadget to someone you love. Don’t let the tech lover in your life down t his year; surprise him or her with one of these amazing devices, compiled by Marisa Cutillas.
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trend MOTORING
MERCEDES-AMG GT HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPORTS COUPÉ WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MERCEDES
T
he car had a solid production run and various spinoff models kept it going until 2010, when MercedesBenz launched its successor – the gullwinged SLS AMG. I thought this was a better car and an amazing performer on a challenging track. The McLaren I drove had problems with squealing carbon ceramic brakes and poor drivability around town. Now, after a comparatively short production run, the SLS is being replaced for 2015 by the Mercedes-AMG GT. I believe this one might be judged the most stylish of all M-B’s supercars, although it represents a new design approach. Gone are the gullwing doors of the SLS, replaced by conventional doors more like those of other Mercedes sports cars like the SL and SLK. This move will disappoint many, but most buyers will probably allow themselves a gasp of relief. Trick doors are fun and always draw a crowd, but they’re not at their best in tight parking situations. Conventional doors are also less costly to design and produce and this factor may well contribute towards the reasonable price tag promised for this model (at presstime, no prices had been confirmed).
Back in 2003, Mercedes-Benz sprang something of a surprise by entering the supercar market with its Mercedes SLR McLaren – a luxury product aimed straight at the Ferrari/Lamborghini segment. It was a great-looking car and with its Formula 1 design influences and enormous amounts of power, it soon became a ‘must have’ among fans of this type of sportster. I drove the car extensively in South Africa when it first appeared and was greatly impressed.
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Incidentally, this is the first car from the company to be called a Mercedes without the added ‘Benz.’ The bodywork is an interesting combination of aluminium spaceframe and steel panels, Mercedes having decided to use various materials in optimal locations, rather than going for a more common all-aluminium structure. The bonnet is long and sleek and the cockpit is positioned well back along its overall length. With broad shoulders and a relatively stubby boot, the car looks wonderful and hints of Mercedes cars of years gone by can be found in the mesh side vents and blisters on the bonnet. The nose has the expected complex LED headlight arrays and the centre of the grill carries a huge Mercedes threepointed star. No mistaking what this is when you see one in your rear view mirror! The 4-litre AMG V-8 biturbo engine is set ‘front mid-engine’ style so it’s well back in the engine bay for the best possible weight distribution. The turbochargers are mounted internally, which is claimed as a first for a sports car powerplant. The engine develops 462-horsepower, but for those who’d like a bit more, there will be an ‘S’ version with 510 horses and uprated suspension. As Mercedes fans will know, AMG is the ‘tuner’ arm of the company and produces all
the engines for performance adaptations of most products in the various M-B ranges. The engines are not built on a conventional production line, but hand assembled by a single technician who rolls the engine round the Affalterbach factory on a trolley to the stations where various components are located. AMG is an amazing operation and looks more like a hospital that an engine works. The transmission is a 7-speed dual clutch automatic and if my recent experiences with the Stuttgart manufacturer’s cars are any guide, it’ll shift faster than would be possible with a manual box. Again, to aid weight distribution, the transmission is rear mounted in transaxle guise. This is strictly a two-seater coupé, but I would imagine that a convertible will follow before too long. It has a decent boot under the rear hatch with lots of luggage space for a two-person road trip or it will accommodate a couple of golf bags. Mercedes-Benz is emphasising that its new pride and joy is highly practical and offers exceptional comfort levels for long journeys. As expected, there’s a whole ‘alphabet soup’ of electronic safety and stability aids – the list is too long to cover here. This will certainly be as safe a car as could be imagined for a long drive,
or any drive, for that matter. The cockpit is a delight just to look at, never mind sit in. Two-tone leather trim sets off a fairly complicated instrument panel, though most controls will be familiar to anyone who’s driven a Mercedes-Benz. There are no less than five adjustable air vents ranged across the dash, so there’ll be no problem keeping cool in summer or warm if you’re headed to the ski slopes at this time of the year. Mercedes opted for ‘classic’ round gauges for the major instrument binnacle. Some of the detailing is in a ‘carbon fibre look’ material. This will not be a limited production car, so it should be more easily available than at least one of its predecessors. It should be on the shopping list of anyone who’s searching the market for a sports car with great individuality, character and performance, and handling to match. Pricing is expected to be ‘more Porsche 911 than Lamborghini.’ Expect this car to have a very long run, possibly seven years or so, and to spawn many variants including the expected convertible.
Z ENGINE 4.0-litre V-8 biturbo. Z TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual clutch automatic. Z ACCELERATION Zero to 100 km/h in 3.8-seconds. Z TOP SPEED 310 km/h. Z I LIKED Great styling which, though practical, still has a few reminders of great Mercedes sports cars of the past. Good move to switch from gullwing doors to more usable units for everyday use. Great performance in every way coupled with outstanding fit and finish, inside and out. Z I DIDN’T LIKE Some may say that M-B’s supercar is getting too close to the SL models, rather than becoming more distinctive. On the other hand, this may be a way of keeping costs in check. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, BMW i8, Jaguar XKR-S, Maserati Granturismo, Porsche 911 GT3 and 911 Turbo. Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Mercedes enthusiasts who must have the latest and greatest from the brand. Sports car fans who prefer the subtlety of the AMG GT, rather than the ‘gee whiz’ styling of many rivals. People who’ve always wanted to buy a more exotic sports car, but believed that some designs were a little ‘over the top.’ Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY To be announced.
ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 37
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CULTURE / HISTORY / FEATURES
focus FAMOUS PEOPLE / INTERVIEWS / HUMOUR
Feast your eyes on cool ideas for presents for the whole family, discover Santa’s naughty side, give in to our tempting report on chocolate and find out the key elements of a classic Christmas film. Tuck into a bit of eye candy in the form of Benedict Cumberbatch (who, unfortunately for all the single ladies out there, recently got engaged) and get up close and personal with Andalusian equestrian, Álvaro Domecq.
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Christmas Gifts
50
The History of Santa Claus
56
The Dark Secrets of Chocolate
62
Classic Christmas Films
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Benedict Cumberbatch
66
Álvaro Domecq
11/24/14 6:09 PM
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ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 41
FOR HIM
Cordless phone by Cuckooland
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Bottle opener by Alessi
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Shoe by Louis Vuitton
42 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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THE FOCUS christmas
Santa s u s r ve
The Drones He’s clinically obese, he smokes, he wears fur... and now the world’s most non-PC icon has serious competition from flying robots. Is it time Santa hung up his sleigh bells? Belinda Beckett reports.
50 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
Sinful Santa: a reputation gone up in smoke?
I
f Santa has been keeping up with the news at his North Pole toy factory, he won’t have found much to Ho-ho-ho about. Every child’s favourite festive fantasy hero and his red-nosed sidekick, Rudolph, are facing their greatest challenge since radiators made chimneys redundant. Parcel delivery by drones could be a reality by next Christmas, in theory, making Santa old hat with bells on. Amazon’s prototype Prime Air postal service by unmanned, aerial vehicles was unveiled last December, and Google is in hot pursuit with Project Wing. Footage of a test flight on Amazon’s website shows how amazingly simple it looks. Step one: the customer places an order via a tablet or smartphone: Step two: at the warehouse, the package is placed into a sealed plastic box and rolls down a conveyor belt to the drone docking station. Step three: the drone lifts off with its consignment into the blue yonder, guided by GPS to its destination where it lands, drops off the package and returns to base. The goal is to get packages into customers’ hands within 30 minutes of ordering. “It looks like science fiction, but it’s real,” says Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. “From a technology point of view, we’ll be ready to put Prime Air into service as soon as Federal Aviation Administration regulations are in place, perhaps as early as sometime in 2015.” If commercial drones are legalised that soon, the FAA forecasts that 30,000 could be in the air over America alone by 2020. Although drones have been in use for decades by the military – hobbyists too (model aircraft and flying cameras are drones) – they are subject to weight, height, privacy
problem. The jolly pipe-smoking figure with the off-the-scale Body Mass Index whose name is an anagram for ‘Satan’ is not the ideal role model for children in this politically correct day and age.
Sinful Santa
and public safety restrictions. Serious competition for Santa? With baubles on, according to mathematician Greg Stevens who presents his own fanciful scenario in the online magazine kernelmag. dailydot.com Using F16s which fly at Mach 2 (a sight speedier than Amazon’s 50mph drones), Stevens calculates that, “In theory at least, a Yuletide Swarm of 80 million or so F-16 drones, with one for each qualifying, Christmas-celebrating
residence, the entire worldwide delivery could be completed in just over eight hours”. It’s still all ‘Pi’ in the sky but he did make one insightful comment: “Reindeer are charming and all that, but what child would not prefer the excitement of having a drone land on the roof on Christmas Eve?”
Robots over Santa? Bah humbug! But drones aren’t Santa’s only
It’s no secret that Santa advertised tobacco during the First and Second World Wars, and allowed his image to be used for gun and insurance commercials too. He exploits the vertically-challenged in his factories, where he refers to his elves as ‘subordinate clauses’. He hasn’t been had up for stalking yet but as ‘he sees you when you’re sleeping’ and knows where all the bad girls live, it’s only a matter of time... The rampant consumerism he encourages is hardly eco-friendly. He’s even been branded a climate criminal in some quarters, with the suggestion that the giant carbon footprint left by his global travel itinerary has contributed to the polar ice cap meltdown. Although that’s not strictly true; Reindeer mainly eat moss and lichen which means they run on biofuel. Certain events held in his name have done him no favours either. Take Santacon, an annual drinking festival launched in San Francisco in 1994 that has spread to 44 countries. Also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage and the Red Menace, because participants dress up in Santa outfits, The New York Times described it as ‘a daylong bar crawl that begins with good cheer and ends in a blurry, booze-soaked haze’. Santa had better watch out, all round! There are a lot of people impersonating him out there and how do you know whether the stranger in the red fur-trimmed dressing gown talking to your kid is genuine?
ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 51
Game of Drones: Amazon’s Prime Air delivery service prototype Jake Gyllenhaal, looking hot in Jarhead
“Santa has been through a million changes”
Santa All-sorts It seems his only hope is a major makeover but there, at least, this master of reinvention has the advantage. “Santa has been through a million changes,” says University of Manitoba history Professor Gerry Bowler, who authored Santa Claus: A Biography. He’s been black, white, fat, thin, old, young, beardless, covered in furs, he’s
52 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
looked like a farmer and like George Washington...” Among his many ‘looks’, he’s worn the green robes of a pagan overlord presiding over ancient fertility festivals, and the clerical robes of saintly Nicholas, a Turkish philanthropist bishop who gave money to the poor and was kind to children. During the Protestant Reformation, when saints were
dispensed with, he became a flying cherub based on the baby Jesus (the Christkindl), often accompanied by a whip-cracking sidekick (the soot-covered Aschenklas, the furry Pelznickel) – a good cop-bad cop double act designed to terrify the children into good behaviour. The Dutch Sinterklaas, exported to America by New World settlers, wore a bishop’s mitre and rode a white
Why Santa Wins Over Drones ZZ He’s sexier. Jake Gyllenhaal looked hot sporting a Santa hat and a six pack in the 2005 Iraq War drama, Jarhead. He would look daft dressed as a drone. ZZ He’s faster. Amazon drones would fly at speeds of 50mph. Scientists have worked out that Santa travels at 1,800 miles per second. ZZ He’s more versatile. Drone technology has not yet worked out how Santa fits a Clementine, a bag of nuts and a cuddly toy into a child-sized sock. ZZ He’s unlimited. Santa totes the world’s presents on one sleigh. The maximum payload of an Amazon drone is 5lbs. ZZ He has the Parent’s Vote. Santa owns the copyright on the naughty and nice list, a handy disciplinary incentive. With drones, all bad kids need is a smart device and Mum’s credit card details. ZZ He’s human. You can’t snog a drone under the mistletoe!
ANUNCIO ESSENTIAL DICIEMBRE 2014_Maquetación 1 20/11/14 19:13 Página 1
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horse. It wasn’t until the early 19th century that a group of writers, led by Washington Irving, transformed him into the jolly pompom-hatted figure we know today. The Germans don’t like the sugary Americanised version and want their stern old Klaus back. “Our traditional Father Christmas brings gifts but can also dole out punishment too, and in our kindergartens, he still asks children, ‘Have you been good?’” explains Felicitas Höptner, Director of The Christmas Museum in Rothenburg, which has applied for him to be listed as a UNESCO ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’.
Social Santa In some respects, Santa has updated his image. He has an email address, he’s on Twitter and Facebook and you can even track his journey across the world on December 24, via noradsanta.org run by North American Aerospace Defence Command. Their ‘Santa Cam’ videos
show computer-generated images of Santa’s reindeer-drawn sleigh flying over famous landmarks on December 24, accompanied by voice-overs by celebrities (Jonathan Ross, Ringo Starr and Michelle Obama have taken part). Last Christmas Eve the site logged over 19 million unique visitors and 1,200 volunteers answered 117,371 calls. There’s a sackful of online options to get in touch with him (snail mail, voice mail, video), a worry for parents as some are exceedingly dubious. The foul-mouthed @TourettesSanta isn’t the worst... Perhaps he should go back to the classroom and get some official credentials, as it would appear there are universities and colleges for aspiring Santas. The world’s oldest, the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Michigan, has been offering diplomas since 1937. Claiming to be a non-profit organisation, its declared mission is ‘to uphold the traditions and preserve the history
“Santa has updated his image. He has an email address, he’s on Twitter and Facebook” 54 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
of Santa Claus’. This year’s threeday course in October included accountancy, sign language, radio and TV interviews, beard grooming and reindeer handling. Santa needs to get his act in gear. As US TV producer-turned professional Santa Jonathan Meath told Time magazine, “He’s the only cultural icon we have who’s male,
doesn’t carry a gun, and is all about peace, joy, giving and caring for other people.” And despite what mathematicians and Amazon geeks think, half the magic for kids on Christmas Eve is leaving out milk and cookies for Santa, and a carrot for Rudolph. I don’t suppose Prime Air drones have much of an appetite... e
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THE FOCUS chocolate
The Dark Secrets of
Chocolate
In its various forms, down the centuries, it has been used as currency, drunk as a sacred brew at religious rituals, and fortified soldiers on the march and astronauts in space. It has even been taken as an aphrodisiac. uncovers the dark secrets of chocolate.
Words belinda beckett
56 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
“Forget love... I’d rather fall in chocolate!” Anonymous
T
he Aztec warriors of Mexico refused to allow their womenfolk to drink it, believing that its magical properties were too potent to be wasted on the female gender. Or perhaps they were just worried that they would become redundant. For in an oft-quoted survey on the topic of chocolate, 52 per cent of women rated the effects of consuming it as ‘better than sex’. A box of chocolates is still the favourite love token given by men to women. And although the ‘love chemical’ argument has never really been proven, it is a scientific fact that chocolate contains phenethylamine and seratonin, both mood-lifting agents found naturally in the human brain. They are released into the nervous system when we are happy or experiencing feelings of euphoria, passion or lust. This causes rapid mood changes, a rise in blood pressure and heart rate, and a feel-good factor that mimics the sensation of being in love. Research shows that women are more susceptible to the effects
of these two chemicals than men. Or perhaps it is simply that there are few sweet-toothed females who could resist a box of chocolates brought by a handsome man in black who has leapt over the backs of crocodiles and abseiled down skyscrapers to deliver it – ‘and all because the lady loves Milk Tray!’ Casanova was said to have plied his ‘victims’ with chocolate and Champagne before seducing them; the courtesan Madame de Pompadour drank a frothy cup of chocolate mixed with ambergris in an attempt to spice up her sexual encounters with Louis XV of France; the Marquis de Sade famously gave it to guests at his orgies in the form of chocolate pastilles laced with ‘Spanish fly’. They couldn’t all have been wrong.
US being the biggest chocolate manufacturing nation, and Africa has overtaken South America as the largest producer of cocoa beans. Cocoa is thought to have originated in the Amazon some 4,000 years ago, although it wasn’t until 6 AD that the Mayan civilisation began using the seeds from the pod to make a drink called xocolatl, meaning ‘bitter water’, from which the word chocolate comes. Seven hundred years later, the Aztecs were convinced that theobroma cacao (food of the gods) was brought to them by their god of agriculture, Quetzalcoatl. According to legend, he descended from heaven on the beam of a morning star carrying a cocoa tree seedling stolen from paradise. Cacao was cultivated by
the Aztecs for its energy-giving properties and was so highly prized that it was served on ceremonial occasions only, in golden goblets which were thrown away after only one use. The brew made from the beans would have been pretty unappealing to chocoholics today as it was consumed thick, cold and unsweetened – sugar being unknown in those days – although spices were added, including hot chilli peppers! In Mexico, chocolate has always been used in savoury as well as sweet dishes. Mole, a meat dish cooked in a rich chocolate and chilli sauce, is a particular speciality, although to anyone not Mexican it sounds quite repulsive.
Bitter Sweet The Swiss lead the world in chocolate consumption per capita, each munching their way through more than 10 kilos per year. The Americans eat half that amount, but spend the most on it, with the
ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 57
“Never mind about 1066 William the Conqueror, 1087 William the Second. Such things are not going to affect one’s life… but 1932 the Mars Bar, 1936 Maltesers and 1937 the Kit Kat – these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every child in the country” Roald Dahl Beanz Meanz Money Chocolate was introduced to Europe by Spain’s New World conquistadores, and Christopher Columbus was the first explorer to bring cocoa beans back. Although he was not certain what to do with them – and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were none too impressed by the dirty little beans either – he thought they must be of some value. His son, Ferdinand, wrote “They (the Aztecs) seemed to hold these ‘almonds’ at a great price; for when they were brought on board ship together with their goods, I observed that when a single one of these ‘almonds’ fell, they all stopped to pick it up as if an eye had fallen.” What Ferdinand did not know at the time was that cocoa beans were the local currency. Yes, once upon a time money really did grow on trees. Indeed, in some remote parts of central South America, cocoa beans have been used for barter until as recently as the beginning of the 20th century. The Spanish explorer Hernando Cortéz showed a little more initiative than Columbus, 20 years later, when he returned from his travels with the necessary accoutrements for the preparation of the beans. In a letter to King Carlos V he wrote, “One single cup of this drink is enough to fortify a soldier so much
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that he could walk a whole day without needing any other food.” He obviously didn’t pass this information on to the British who, in 1579, not realising the value of the beans, set fire to a shipload thinking it was a cargo of sheep dung. The first drinking chocolate in Europe was made by the monks at the Monasterio de Piedra in Zaragoza. To make it more palatable, they mixed the bitter beverage with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices. The monks kept their recipe a secret from the world for more than 100 years until the Spanish Princess María Teresa gave a gift of it to her husband, Louis XIV of France. Soon, drinking chocolate became all the rage in the chic coffee houses of northern Europe. Until the industrial revolution it was a rich man’s luxury. A record of cocoa bean prices in 1730 showed that they were retailing at three dollars a pound!
Called to the Bar The first machine-made drinking chocolate powder was produced in Barcelona in 1780 and Spain remained at the forefront of chocolate production until the early 19th century. ‘Eating’ chocolate came about more gradually. At first, the powdered beans were used in cakes and pastries, then, in 1828,
a Dutch man called Conrad J. van Houten invented an inexpensive method for extracting the cocoa butter or ‘nib’ from the roasted beans. He treated the cocoa with alkaline salts so that it would mix more easily with water, a process known as ‘Dutching’. Twenty years later, the English chocolate manufacturer, Joseph Storrs Fry, produced the world’s first chocolate bar. However, the product was still a far cry from the smooth Mars ‘work, rest and play’ bars we know and love today. Chocolate remained gritty in texture until the Swiss came into the mix. Chocolate manufacturer, Daniel Peter, had the idea of adding powdered milk which had, conveniently, just been invented by fellow compatriot, Henri Nestlé. Then Rudolphe Lindt, another Swiss, invented a process known as ‘conching’ – named after the shell-shaped containers
originally employed to refine the chocolate and which greatly improved its quality and texture. But not everyone could afford the new machinery. One of the oldest chocolate producers in Spain – Valor, founded in Villajoyosa near Benidorm in 1880 – operated from the kitchen of an old house and the manufacturing process was archaic and backbreaking. The cocoa beans were crushed on a large, flat stone using a stone rolling pin. When the wealthy wanted freshly made chocolate at home to entertain guests, the chocolatier would have to drag his stone and rolling pin with him and spend up to two hours grinding enough beans for a small soirée.
Chocolate Box
“Did you hear about a chap who found a bottle floating in the sea and out popped a genie who granted him one wish. The man thought for a bit and then told the genie he would like to become irresistible to women. There was a flash of light and poof! The man turned into a box of chocolates” Anonymous Although Belgian chocolate is regarded by many as the finest in the world, it only came to the forefront in the late 19th century when Leopold II colonised the Congo and took full advantage of its cocoa bean plantations. Then, in 1912, Brussels chocolate manufacturer Jean Neuhaus, who was actually Swiss, invented the first hard shell coating, called couverture, which could be filled with different-flavoured fondants, caramels, liqueurs and the nutty pralines that are the pièce de résistance of Belgian chocolate today. Chocolate hasn’t always been a luxury item. In 19th
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century Spain it was made more cheaply with flour and used as a staple in cooking. During the Second World War it was included in the emergency rations of the Allied Armed Forces, giving soldiers the strength to carry on until they could get back to camp. Chocolate has even been taken into space, forming an important part of the astronauts’ diet. Only as recently as the turn of this century, the medical profession re-endorsed the theory that chocolate has nutritional value. Doctors now recommend eating 100 grams a day because it can raise cancer-beating anti-oxidant
compounds in the blood by one fifth. It is also reputed to slow down cell ageing. However, this is true only in the case of plain chocolate in its purest form. The extra sugar, milk, fats and preservatives that generally go into milk chocolate production have no health benefits – in fact, quite the reverse. It is the natural cocoa butter contained in the bean that has magical properties, containing magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, iron and vitamins A1, B1, B2, C, D and E. Such is life: nature devises the perfect recipe, man messes it up. The ancient Mayans of 6 AD had it right, after all.
The first box of chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury in 1868, decorated with a painting of his young daughter holding a kitten in her arms. Scientists at Imperial College, London, have found that theobromine, a key ingredient in chocolate, can cure a persistent cough more efficiently than the leading cough medicine, codeine. Theobromine suppresses vagus nerve activity which causes coughing. The cacao tree is found only within a 20° latitude (about 2,200 km) of the equator. Usually about 3.5 – 7.5 m tall, it is pollinated by tiny midges which thrive in the decaying leaf litter of the rainforest floor. It produces pineapple-sized pods each containing 30-50 seeds – enough to make about seven milk chocolate bars or two of plain chocolate. Chocolate syrup was used to represent blood in the famous 45-second shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, Psycho. The amount of caffeine in chocolate is lower than most people think. There is an average of 6 mg of caffeine in both an ounce (28 g) of milk chocolate and a cup of decaffeinated coffee, while a cup of regular coffee contains between 65 and 150 mg of caffeine. Chocolate could help prevent tooth decay, according to scientists at Japan’s Osaka University. The husks of the cocoa beans from which chocolate is made contain an antibacterial agent that fights plaque. These husks are usually discarded in chocolate production but could be added back in to make chocolate more dental-friendly. Spanish fashion Designer Paco Rabanne commanded world media attention in 1998 when he created a dress made entirely of chocolate for the Paris Chocolate Show. As the melting point of cocoa butter is just below the human body temperature, his creation came to a sticky end. Dogs and other domestic animals like horses metabolise the chocolate ingredient theobromine much more slowly than humans. Safe doses for us could be toxic or even lethal doses for our pets, affecting their hearts, kidneys and central nervous systems. Never give your pets chocolate. e
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WE’VE GOT IT COVERED! essential marbella magazine
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THE FOCUS films
WHAT MAKES a good Christmas movie? Christmas is a time when we seek home comforts, family reunions and those pursuits that fit in with this season of mushy introspection. Watching a classic Christmas movie has become a prominent part of this yearly ritual. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ
G
etting comfy on the sofa or even watching a movie in bed is something we all feel like doing from time to time, whether it is part of a cosy family gathering or a lazy indulgence all of your own. Such a tendency to submit to a sense of snug, homely bliss comes to the fore most of all towards the end of the year, as we wind down and look forward to the warm glow of Christmas. Whether it’s a fireplace or glühwein that keeps you warm, everyone has a favourite film they’d like to see this time of year – sometimes over and over! The problem is, as some prefer traditional yuletide sentimentality and others associate the festive season with a comedy, action film or even a horror, the genre can be pretty wide open. With classic Christmas season films often straying outside of their immediate subject matter, the question ‘what makes a good Christmas movie?’ becomes all the more interesting.
CLASSIC MUSH Okay, so even if you don’t always want to admit to it there are times when sloppy sentimentality that pulls at the heartstrings is just what the doctor ordered. The ladies, especially, are prone to a good cry when watching or re-watching something delightfully sad. The good thing about Christmas movies is that they usually have an uplifting ending, being all about the positive message of the season. Lord knows we need such messages these days,
but all the same, reactions can range from ‘reach for the tissues’ to ‘get me a bucket’, so you’ve got to know how to separate the good from the quite frankly cheesy. Films within this most obvious of genres that have become enduring classics include It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooge, Miracle on 34th Street, Holiday Inn and of course White Christmas. Or for a more contemporary touch of poignancy try Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas). Such movies draw you in to a warm, fuzzy world which, though often beset with problems and heartache, shows us that working together and caring for others is the ultimate path to success, not the more quantitative measures we usually apply. A good mushy Christmas film must be well written, engaging and well acted, and it needn’t even be about Christmas to give you that warm feeling. In this sense Singin’ in the Rain can do
the job just as well. If you come out at the end of the movie full of good spirit and keen to do a kind deed it will have worked wonderfully well. Naturally, the classic Christmas movie is often also child-friendly, though in more recent years a whole dedicated genre has developed that produces films also highly viewable by adults. I’m thinking of The Snowman, Santa Claus, Elf, Arthur Christmas and many more. While primarily aimed at kids you’ll find many of the classic elements wrapped up in a slightly more fairytale way that will also allow you to focus on evil (101 Dalmatians) as you highlight the virtue of good.
A MORE MODERN TAKE Yet sentimental slush is not for everyone. Yes, it’s Christmas, good will to all mankind
and all that, but some people can only stand so much sugar. What they want from their Xmas flick is more contemporary entertainment value, be it in the form of a comedy, an action movie or even something downright spooky and unseasonable. Now we’re thinking of other holiday classics like The Dirty Dozen, Kelly’s Heroes and Lethal Weapon, which combine action with mirth, or straightforward laughs from Eddie Murphy and Places In that the team in Trading Places. sense, Home Alone ticks many boxes all at once, as a child-friendly, action-packed, hilarious movie in which you can laugh at the baddies getting roughed up and still come out of it with a fuzzy feeling. By contrast, Batman, Die Hard, Stalag 17 and such like actionbased alternatives cast a slightly darker glow on the ‘Festive’ season, a sense that becomes enhanced if you’re among those who just love to settle down to a good dose of horror. Gremlins is one thing, but really, who wants to watch Poltergeist or The Silence of the Lambs at this time of year? I know not everyone is mush-resistant, but whatever else it might be, a classic Christmas movie should at least have a positive message at the end that will see us through the dark winter days and help us into the New Year with a sense of hope and expectation. e
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THE FOCUS people
L
ike a football match, the acting career of Benedict Cumberbatch has been a game of two halves. There was ‘Before 2010’, when few outside the industry knew his name (and you would certainly remember it); and ‘After 2010’, when even his 170,000-strong Twitter fan club is famous. The @Cumberbitches retweet every titbit of trivia printed about their hero. One fan, spying on his London flat from a nearby building, shared a blowby-blow account of him changing his shirt. What happened in 2010 was Sherlock, which won him an Emmy for Best Actor in a Miniseries this year. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may be turning in his urn at the reinvention of his Victorian detective, but the modern take caught the imagination of viewers in America as well as Britain. The show, broadcast in over 200 countries, shoots its fourth series next year. Almost overnight, Sherlock’s £1,000 Belstaff coat (a discontinued line) went into production again, and even the critics were impressed. ‘Like a human iPad with a hint of Asperger’s thrown in’, wrote one. And when Steven Spielberg pronounced him “the greatest on-screen Holmes ever”, it was Open Sesame.
BOARDS TO BLOCKBUSTERS Classically-trained Cumberbatch (once hailed as ‘the new Laurence Olivier’) has a background in theatre and radio. His first major TV role as maths genius Stephen Hawking earned him a BAFTA nomination in 2004. He first hit cinema screens at 29 and often joked that he was used to “big parts in small films and small parts in big films”. Now he’s landing blockbusters. Edited highlights of his post-2010 achievements include Spielberg’s War Horse, Star Trek Into Darkness, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Hobbit trilogy and The Fifth Estate, when he played WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In The Imitation Game, due for release this month with Keira Knightley as co-star, he reprises Russell Crowe’s role in Enigma as code breaker Alan Turing, a part offered to Leonardo di Caprio. He also found time to win an Olivier Award in Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein at the National Theatre and voice two animations: a Sherlockian wolf for The Penguins of Madagascar (out this month) and Shere Khan in a remake of The Jungle Book. Next year he faces the Everest of acting challenges as Hamlet at London’s Barbican Theatre (100,000 seats were sold within minutes of the announcement). It’s an extraordinary run of work. “It’s an embarrassment of riches,” downplays the actor, who has a tendency to self-deprecation. “And such a variety of work! But I try to treat each job as a job, no matter what scale it is. Otherwise, it can get quite overwhelming if you start really believing in your own press.”
The Fabulous Baker Street Boy
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH
Ditching the deerstalker and trading the pipe for nicotine patches were risky moves for the BBC’s Sherlock but Benedict Cumberbatch has lit up the world with his contemporary take on the Victorian detective, and even Hollywood has taken its hat off. Belinda Beckett profiles the recently-engaged British actor who’s a ‘name’ to watch in more ways than one.
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SLOTH TO SEX BOMB And to think the BBC almost didn’t pick him for Sherlock because he wasn’t attractive enough! Often described as ‘the thinking woman’s crumpet’, he’s tall and lean, sloe-eyed and snubnosed, with hollow cheekbones and verging-onginger hair. Not classic leading man material, maybe – one critic spotted a passing resemblance to Sid the Sloth in Ice Age – he’s been the mainstay of Most Eligible Batchelor lists and ranked fifth, ahead of the Duchess of Cambridge, in Tatler’s Most Fascinating People in Britain line-up. Also featured in both The Sunday Times and Time magazine’s Hot 100, in October his waxwork image joined the line-up at Madame Tussauds – a sure sign of success. Then there’s his amazing name – perfect for a farmer in a Thomas Hardy novel or an undertaker in Charles Dickens... but showbusiness? Benedict has remarked on its amusing onomatopoeic quality. “It sounds like a fart in a bath,” he quips. His agent told him to use it because it would get people talking, and clearly it’s been no encumbrance. His mother told him never to use it because of its ancestral connections with slavery, with good reason. Earlier this year, a New York commissioner by the name of Stacey Cumberbatch came out with the jaw-dropping revelation that Benedict’s fifth great-grandfather had owned her ancestors as slaves. It’s true! A branch of the 18th century Cumberbatches owned a sugar plantation on Barbados, in the days when slaves took the ‘masters’’ surname. Benedict has never made any secret of the ‘sins of his forefathers’ – accepting roles as a benevolent plantation owner in 12 Years A Slave and abolitionist William Pitt the Younger in Amazing Grace as a way of ‘atonement’ (and he had a supporting role in Atonement the movie, too). But with a name that never fails to raise eyebrows and beg questions, there must be times when he wishes he’d kept to the less exotic stage surname of Carlton, like his father.
IN THE GENES Benedict is the adored only son of TV stalwarts Timothy Carlton (Lewis, Heartbeat, Foyle’s War) and Wanda Ventham (gorgeous blonde ‘sleeper’ spy in The Lotus Eaters, Cassandra’s mother in Only Fools and Horses). Hoping he would not follow in their footsteps – “They kept saying, ‘Look at us, how out of control our lifestyle is, how money’s a huge ebb and flow’”, he says – they sent him to board at Harrow but it only confirmed his passion for acting, while branding him ‘posh’ in the press. “I always had self-belief in my talent. You have to... so the alma mater of Terence Rattigan suited
me down to the ground. I was gregarious and found a coterie of brothers I’d never had before,” says Cumberbatch, who was in the same school house as the playwright, old school read the same books in the Vaughan Library and visited London’s theatres with the ‘Ratt Soc’. His parents have wept for him ever since but they are tears of pride. He recalls the first time his father saw him in a play at Manchester University, where he studied drama. “After the show he told me I was a better actor than he had ever been or would ever be. He was tearing up as he was saying it.”
CUMBERBATCHELOR NO MORE By his own admission, Cumberbatch was “a very late developer”, which he blames on his all-boys school. “I was a bit Hugh Grant around women. ‘Good gosh, er, do you mind if I, erm, touch, ah, it? Gosh, I feel funny now,’” he joked. But perhaps it was smoke and mirrors. Cumberbitches have been in mourning since November’s surprise announcement of their hero’s engagement to 36-year-old actress and theatre director Sophie Hunter. There were no press photo calls – just an unobtrusive notice in The Times under ‘forthcoming marriages’, the way high society betrothals were posted in the old days. The pair first met in 2009 in the film Burlesque Fairytales,, when Cumberbatch was still dating his girlfriend from university days. They weren’t seen together in public until the French Open in June. The beautiful Sophie is an awardwinning playwright with her own London theatre company, and quite a catch. She also appeared with Reese Witherspoon in the 2003 Vanity Fair movie, and with Patrick Stewart in a stage production of Macbeth. Constantly being hassled about why he was still single, at 38, the news will put an end to press speculation over his sexuality and ability to commit. And his Mum Wanda will be over the moon! “There must be someone in London who’s suitable. I want grandchildren,” she recently told a journalist from The Times magazine. “Please – find my son a bird.” (There are plenty at his parents’ house in Gloucestershire where Wanda keeps an impressive collection of stuffed barn owls.)
social networking. Despite the online adoration he gets from the @Cumberbitches, he doesn’t have a Twitter account and regards the internet as “horrific. It’s like a new form of bullying”. In many interviews, perhaps to deflect the personal questions he loaths, he recounts his four ‘near-death’ experiences: hypothermia (his halfsister left him out in the pram in a snow storm); being perilously close to a car bomb explosion in London; dehydration and starvation (he got lost on a hiking trip in Tibet where he was teaching English to monks during his gap year); and being abducted at gunpoint during a trip to South Africa. “It taught me that you come into this world as you leave it, on your own,” he says. “It’s made me want to live a life less ordinary.” That, he is certainly doing. Today, it’s said that Benedict Cumberbatch is the top name on DreamWorks’ list for almost any project, other than broad comedy. The only concern now is how on earth they’ll fit it into his inevitable star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame! e
A LIFE LESS ORDINARY Among his hobbies and habits he lists Bikram yoga, a daily dose of honey, watching TV (Breaking Bad), listening to music (Icelandic band Sigur Rós) and studying Buddhism. But not
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THE FOCUS people We interview Álvaro Domecq Romero at his country house, Los Alburejos, a one and a half hours drive from Marbella, off the gently rolling landscape of Los Alcornocales natural park.
ÁLVARO
Domecq Romero WORDS CRISTINA FALKENBERG PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF
Á
lvaro Domecq is an institution in Andalusia and Spain’s international reputation during the last thirty years would not be complete without him. Founder of the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre, the world famous horse-show in Jerez de la Frontera, he toured the world with his beautiful dancing Andalusian horses, the image of Loewe’s 2013 campaign. However, three years ago, with his niece
ÁLVARO DOMECQ ROMERO
Isabel Domecq, he decided to open Los Alburejos to the public. Visitors may enjoy watching the bulls being driven by the cowboys in the traditional Spanish manner. With over one-thousand cattle, Los Alburejos is home to Torrestrella, a selected breed of fighting bulls. Descending from the foundational breed of Vistahermosa through the modern one of Parladé-Ibarra, Torrestrella owes its name to the ruins of the XIIIth Century
castle which overlooks the fields. “The fighting bull is a very, very, very dangerous animal,” explains Álvaro Domecq, while we drive in his Land Rover along some very worn-out roads in the middle of the countryside. “He is fierce and one must be careful. We keep them among oxen, so they will stay calm. The bulls sometimes fight each other to death,” he explains, as we take a proper close-up look at a couple of herds, “just to see they are fine.” Weighing between five-hundred and sixhundred kilos, only some of these magnificent yet very aggressive animals will end up in a bullring. The future of bullfighting surely lies in striking the right balance between tradition and animal rights. Talk about organic farming: these bulls only eat natural foods, such as the excellent zulla grass (hedysarum coronarium), the milk or Scotch thistle or the yellow-flowered scolymus hispanicus, a vegetable known locally as tagarnica, used in local cuisine. The cattle ranges freely and is regularly exercised: the result is lean, exquisite, tasteful meat.
g A Campo Abierto may be visited from March to October
They will be open too on the 6th December www.acampoabierto.com
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“I learnt a lot since a very early age: we had some excellent men working for us: Casimiro, who came from looking after the Urquijo bulls, his son, Juan, and now his grandson, Juanito… Pepe Ojeda, who came from our ranch Jandilla – which gave name to a wine – a cowboy we called Brasa…” recalls Álvaro Domecq. Facts are, unemployment was unknown in certain areas of Andalucía, Jerez among them, where year-round work, housing and free education were guaranteed by landowners. “Back in 1973, I prepared a horse-show for the then Prince Juan Carlos, upon reception of the Golden Horse Award. He encouraged me to continue with the show. Lola Flores, the famous flamenco star, was performing in Murcia in those days. She was from Jerez too so I went to see her and to my luck she had this gigantic tent which was exactly what I needed for myself. I used it for over ten years and we toured the world with our dancing Andalusian horses”. “I realised, though, that our style of dressage was not the best; yet the Andalusian – also known as PRE or Spanish pure breed – had natural movements which made it especially gifted for the sport. So I came in touch with Dr. Klinke, who tried out my horses and was delighted, claiming he’d never before had the feeling these animals offered.” Álvaro Domecq refers to Dr. Reiner Klinke, the record six-times gold and twice-bronze Olympic medallist. “We learnt much from Dr. Klinke, and for the next years, we focused on choosing the best horses and improving our technique. When I attended the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, after watching the dressage competition, I told my wife we’d take part in the next games. We went to Atlanta in 1996 thinking we’d be last,
but we ended up somewhere in the middle. We took part in the Sydney 2000 games and in Athens 2004 we ranked silver in team dressage.” One of the horses was Invasor – sadly deceased in December 2013 – who was the living proof that Domecq Andalusians were as suitable to dressage as the best. In fact warmblood horses are preferred for dressage, as they must perform exercises such as passage and piaffe. However, when it comes to executing “airs above the ground”, such as caprioles, courbettes or levades, the powerful hindquarters of the so-called baroque warmbloods allow them to brilliantly perform these demanding positions and jumps. This is the case of the Andalusian, the closely-related Lusitano or the Lippizan, the descendant of the Andalusian, used in Vienna. “I studied in Vienna. The pre-war Hungarian Spanish Riding School in Budapest was just as popular, but was sadly destroyed during the Second World War. In 2008, they purchased nine stallions and fifteen broodmares from me, and today the Epona riding school is back on its feet, yet lacking a suitable venue,” comments Álvaro. By 2010, the Jerez horse-show had passed from forty to one-hundred and forty employees, debts were piling and experts would argue it could be losing quality. While the profession saw a solution in the return of Domecq,
politicians who years before had forced his exit, did not seem inclined to reconsider the situation. Bull, horses… and wine: the Domecqs have been wine-merchants since 1730. ‘Domecq oblige’, says the family coat of arms, and although Bodegas Pedro Domecq was sold to Allied Lyons in 1994, today Álvaro Domecq boasts a prosperous bodega with over three hundred people involved in the business, many of whom are family and friends. “The beginning was hard work, but I am proud to say that today the business is up and running.” They carry a range of quality wines and liquors, and a complete selection of sherries of course: oloroso, fino, palo cortado, amontillado. “Para calidad, Domecq”, an old advert said. It means: “For quality, Domecq”. e
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style
INTERIORS / ARCHITECTURE / ART / DESIGN
Enjoy a taste of fine country living in a luxurious Italian-inspired villa by Marbella Estates, sparkle with elegance in the items from our fashion feature on jewellery by Cartier, Ideal Joyeros and Chocr贸n Joyeros, and read up on the latest fashion news.
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Roman-inspired Villa from Marbella Estates
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Jewellery by Cartier, Ideal Joyeros and Chocr贸n Joyeros
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Fashion News
11/26/14 12:42 PM
THE STYLE decor
S
urely if such a property existed in these parts one would know about it? Not necessarily, for the finer properties of this nature are also discreetly tucked away to ensure maximum peace and privacy. In fact, from the outside this unique estate seems like a luxury villa, but beyond the walls and gateway you will find a private domain consisting of landscaped gardens, expansive greenery, a paddock and a driveway that leads to a stately home with refined classical bearing. Indeed, as you draw up to the forecourt,
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surrounded by manicured greenery, the villa looms up imposingly. Few properties in Marbella can make such a first impression, with a grand, stately home enveloped by formal gardens standing proudly and full of aristocratic pedigree. The impressive dimensions, expansive setting and elegant styling will have you convinced that you have stumbled upon Marbella’s one historic landed estate, but in spite of the fact that this property feels very much like the seat of an old gentrified family it is, in fact, a modern home.
Or should I say, a perfect fusion of modern and classical that blends the refinement and quality of a bygone era with the comfort and convenience of today. Conceived and realised as a labour of love, no cost was spared in its construction, as a result of which this really is a contemporary property built to the standards of an era when it was customary for luxury homes to have magnificent tall ceilings, broad doors and passageways, exquisite detailing and walls as solid as that of a palace.
A palatial country estate set on a private domain of two hectares within a few minutes of the beach sounds like a fairytale. Such a thing doesn’t exist in Marbella. Or does it?
A Country Estate WORDS Michel cruz Photography kevin horn
not far from the sea
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A Modern Day Estate In an era where modern designs are all the rage, the clean, white walls offset by imposing stone window frames have a freshness about them that soothes the eye and brings the property a contemporary feeling in spite of its classical styling. The latter gives the villa a stature that is entirely in keeping with the two hectares of sprawling parkland that surrounds it – not to mention creating a sense of occasion as you enter the steps leading to a main entrance that can only be described as imposing. As you ascend towards the grand portico in neoclassical style it is worthwhile taking a look back. Do so and your eye will be trained upon a breathtaking perspective that runs along a water feature flanked by landscaped formal gardens to a classical fountain. It is quite a focal point, though your peripheral vision will catch a glimpse of another intriguing feature with clear Neoclassical overtones – a gardener’s house designed as a folly. Try not to be impressed as you step through the columned portico and into what must surely be one of the grandest entrances in Marbella; its tall ceiling allowing natural light to flood in from the upper storey as sweeping staircases flow down towards you. Perspective is a central feature not just in classical architecture, and when used skilfully also serves to aid symmetry of design, functionality of layout and a wellproportioned home.
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DELIVERY WITHIN 24 HOURS Oasis Business Center, Ctra. De Cádiz KM 183 Golden Mile, 29660 Marbella (Málaga) Phone +34 952 772 139
W WW.L OF T R OOM ER S . C OM
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The architect has employed this perspective view to allow you to see straight through and out to the mesmerising pool area, which merges with the blue of the sky and the sea on the horizon. Drawn in in this way, you enter the home with a sense of anticipation, comprehending that this is not just another Marbella villa, but a glamorous property full of detail, style and special features. The first is a central courtyard in the classic Andalusian style – but here traditional elements merge with the contemporary to great effect, as the natural light it lets in illuminates a modern chrome water feature that also serves as a large and effective skylight for the entertainment areas on the lower floor. The fact that this elegant and playful dance of water stands in perfect alignment with the classical fountain outside is, of course, no coincidence. Glass doors separate the central courtyard from the colonnaded passageway that encircles it and provides an ideal point of distribution to the various rooms on this level. Here too, natural light follows you as you enter a beautiful modern kitchen complete with impressive catering appliances, an informal dining room and separate laundry and pantry. From here, the natural flow of the house leads onto a very stylish formal dining room with fireplace that connects with a sunny reception room whose tall ceilings add a sense of sheer luxury and sophistication, as your eye is drawn to a magnificent swimming pool sparkling in the sun. Open the French doors on to a large covered terrace and you will discover a garden that has been designed so that you can access it both from the lower level and this middle level of the house.
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A beautiful swimming pool that would be the pride of many a luxury hotel beckons just beyond a stretch of green lawn, with a horseshoe-shaped Jacuzzi at its far end. One is reminded of the classical, partly Roman-inspired styling of this villa in such details as the decorative feature that marks the sunbathing deck from which one can either look back at the appealing proportions of the villa or turn to languidly face south-westerly views over open countryside and distant leafy residential areas to the Mediterranean Sea. Symmetry and proportion are also
visible in the reception areas, which see the formal living room flanked not only by a dining room but also by a family room currently used to gather informally and watch television. Endowed with a fireplace of its own, this is a cosy room that benefits from the under floor heating and built-in air conditioning found throughout the property, and also from the Domotics pre-installation that will allow the upgrading to home cinema standards. Such modern features are a little less evident within the privacy of the
two guest quarters on this level, each of which connects with a peaceful, sunny terrace that looks out over a stretch of parkland landscape. From here, a wing opens that leads to a separate towered structure in the style of the main house and complementary to it in form and dimension. In reality it is one of two private apartment suites within the property that encompass a large bedroom, dressing room and bathroom suite on the lower floor connected to a spacious, open-plan living room with fireplace and terrace on the upper level.
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Though independent, these veritable apartments within the villa can blend in with the flow of the main house, linking up on the top floor with a magnificent main bedroom suite complete with its own lounge, private terrace, large his and hers dressing rooms and luxurious marble bathroom. Such opulence and privacy are to be expected of a property like this, as is the separate room that can be used as a nursery, office or playroom. Also on this level is a reading room or study in which to retreat in peace and privacy. Though it is now open to the living room downstairs, it can easily be closed off to create an entirely separate room. At this point it would perhaps be best to take the lift down past the cloakroom and large guest bathroom on the middle floor to the spa and entertainment areas on the lower level. This lower floor is actually on the ground floor level, not within a basement, so while the spacious games room and Spanish bodega complete with bar benefit from the large skylight, the rest of the gym and spa area is rather unique in that it looks out over beautiful manicured gardens. Again reflecting touches of classical styling and hints of Rome, the heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, cold splash pool and changing rooms with shower and treatment areas combine to create what is not only one of the largest private spas in Marbella, but surely one of the most impressive as well. Add to this a very professionally equipped gym and a multi-car garage – all on ground level – and it becomes clear that this is a very special property indeed.
A Private Domain Near the Sea But the appeal of this unique home extends beyond its elegant architecture, its long list of amenities, its generous proportions and a classical refinement touched with modern details that is ideally suited to contemporary or eclectic interiors. Surrounded by formal gardens and parkland that stretches away towards a large private pond stocked with ducks and geese, this is a very personal environment in which to enjoy complete privacy and the pleasures of a country estate, which is meanwhile situated only minutes from the beach. Walk past the pond and you come to a private tennis court, stables and a paddock for horse riding. In fact, the previous owner even kept a crocodile in a special enclosure with its own pool! Strolling around this private estate, it is hard to imagine that Marbella town and Puerto Banús are little more than five minutes away, but look out over the protected stretch of land bordering the estate on the east and you see that the Mediterranean is less than two kilometres away – making this a uniquely luxurious country estate set on two hectares within the residential environment of Marbella. g For information: Marbella Estates Tel: +952 904 244. www.marbella-estates.com
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THE STYLE fashion
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Bracelet from the Panthère de Cartier Collection in white gold, onyx, emeralds and diamonds. Ring in white gold, onyx, black lacquer, emeralds and diamonds.
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hristmas Sparkle
Ring from the Panthère de Cartier Collection in yellow gold, black lacquer, onyx and tsavorite garnets.
Bracelet from the Panthère de Cartier Collection in white gold, onyx, black lacquer, chrysoprase and diamonds.
Necklace from the Panthère de Cartier Collection in yellow gold, onyx, black lacquer, citrine, tsavorite garnets and diamonds. Ring from the Panthère de Cartier Collection in white gold, onyx, black lacquer, emeralds and diamonds.
Cartier i www.cartier.com
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Pendant, bracelet and ring from the Ch-Ceiba by Genoveva de Chocr贸n Joyeros Collection, inspired on the sacred tree from Mayan mythology. In amber from the Chiapas forest in Mexico, leather and rose gold (signed by Genoveva on the back of each jewel).
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Necklace from the Ch-Star-50 Aniversario de Chocrรณn Joyeros Collection, in white gold and diamonds shaped into stars. Earrings, pendant, bracelet and ring from the Ch-Ceiba by Genoveva de Chocrรณn Joyeros Collection.
Ring from the Ch-Spyral de Chocrรณn Joyeros collection in white gold and diamonds.
CHOCRร N JOYEROS Necklace from the Ch-Jaypur de Chocrรณn Joyeros in white gold, sapphires, tourmalines, peridots and diamonds.
i www.chocronjoyeros.com
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Jaeger LeCoultre Rendez Vous ladies Watch. Chaumet Liens Collection Ring in white gold with pave diamonds. Leo Pizzo ring in white gold with sapphire and diamonds. Ideal Collection: Bangle and bracelet in white gold and pave diamonds. Exclusive bangle in white gold, natural pearls and diamonds, necklace in white gold with semi-precious stones and diamonds. Ring in white gold with London blue topaz and brown diamonds. Ring in white gold and diamonds.
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Necklace from Piaget (Rose Collection) in white gold and 95 brilliant-cut pave diamonds.
Ring and earrings by Carrera y Carrera (Seda Imperial Collection, Emperatriz). Ring in 18k yellow gold with a diamond; earrings in 18k yellow and white gold with 28 diamonds.
Ring from Piaget (Rose Collection) in white gold with 102 brilliant-cut pave diamonds.
Earrings and ring from Leo Pizzo (Heart Collection). In pink gold with white diamonds and pink sapphires shading from dark to light.
IDEAL JOYEROS i www.idealjoyeros.com
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THE STYLE fashion
Butterfly necklace by LadyBird Likes at Etsy
Dress by Littlewoods
Dress by Vestry
Red sequin dress by Adriana Papell, available at John Lewis Shoe by Linzi
Clutch by Heidi Mottram for Boticca
Shoe by Louis Vuitton
Apple necklace by What’s About Town
Turn heads at the next Christmas gala or cocktail party in one of these red hot or cool black designs, compiled by Marisa Cutillas
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The Scarlett
Contacts Adrianna Papell for John Lewis: www.johnlewis.com, Heidi Mottram for Boticca: www.boticca.com, Ladybird Likes at Etsy: www.LadyBirdLikes.etsy.com, Louis Vuitton: www.louisvuitton.com, Hogan/Simon Holloway for Hogan Man: www.hogan.com, Linzi: www.linzi.com, Littlewoods: www.littlewoods.com, Next: www.next.co.uk, Ralph Lauren: www.ralphlauren.com, Vestry: www.vestryonline.com, What’s About Town: www.whatsabouttown.com
Bag by Ralph Lauren
Earrings by What’s About Town
Bag by Hogan
Clutch by Next
Metallic lace dress by Next
Sequin dress by Vestry Earrings by What’s About Town
Leather jacket by Simon Holloway for Hogan Man
Boot by Louis Vuitton
and The Black
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PRODUCTS / BEAUTY / SPA / SCIENCE
Bathe away your cares in gorgeous soaps by Lush, find out about the latest beauty buys for parties, eat your way to a healthy body before Christmas Eve and be enlightened by our interview with Dr. Pedro Brugada, Head of the new Arrhythmia Unit at the Hospiten Hospital.
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Xmas Beauty Products by Lush
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Beauty news
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Healthy Eating for Christmas
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Health Profile: Dr. Pedro Brugada, Specialist in Cardiac Arrhythmia
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Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery in Marbella
Love of Beauty is Taste The Creation of Beauty is Art Avenida Ram贸n y Cajal, 7 - 29601 Marbella / 0034 951 775 518 - M贸vil : 670 770 455 / info@oceanclinic.net - www.oceanclinic.net
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BEAUTY
1 – YOG NOG SOAP: This gorgeous soap, inspired on Eggnog (a traditional Canadian and American drink) contains soy yogurt and cocoa powder for maximum hydration. 2 – SNOW ANGEL: This beautiful bath oil is made from fair trade organic cacao and roses; drop it into a warm bath water and watch the beautiful snowflakes begin to form! 3 – STARLIGHT STAR BRIGHT: Extra virgin cocnut oil is a key ingredient in this sparkly soap, which deeply moisturises skin. 4 – DRUMMERS DRUMMING BUBBLE BATH: This reusable musical bubble bath bears a sweet strawberry fragrance, as well as stimulating essential oils such as bergamot and geranium.
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5 – REINDEER ROCK: Dried blueberries and refreshing bergamot oil are just two ingredients in this pretty soap. 6 – SNOWMAN: Lush’s Snowman is citric at heart, since he is stuffed with bergamot and Sicilian limes. 7 – DASHING SANTA BATH BOMB: This groovy foaming Santa comes in a refreshing mandarin, bergamot and jasmine fragrance. Santa’s golden, effervescent boots fill your bath with delicious essential oils. 8 – FIRST SNOW BODY POWDER: Brush this light citrusy powder onto your body for a sparkly, festive look. 9 – SNOW FAIRY SPARKLE: This massage bar slowly liberates organic oils onto your skin, leaving it with an appealing, fragrant glow. i C/Nueva 10, Málaga. Tel: 952 603 144. www.lush.es
For the perfect and beautifully packaged gift, unabashed beauty buffs usually make their way to Lush in the centre of Málaga, a colourful boutique exuding fragrance and artistry in every corner, with its array of bubble baths, natural soaps, shampoos and fragrances. Lush has beautifully packaged gift boxes, which are ideal gifts for friends, family or even grances that great teacher in your child’s life. The store offers online shopping, though we definitely recommend a romantic stroll through Málaga’s Old Town, followed by a visit to Lush and afterwards, a coffee in the Plaza de la Constitución, to celebrate your clever purchases! WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LUSH
Have a Very Lush
ADVICE
Christmas
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Enjoy the relaxing Shanti-Som Wellbeing Retreat RESTAURANT - SPA - YOGA - HOTEL
Relax and Enjoy
...only 10 minutes from Marbella Open daily for lunch to the public
Ctra. de Ojen km 22 - A355 Monda - Marbella Tel: 952 86 44 55 or 628 79 30 13
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SHANTI-SOM We l l b e i n g R e t r e a t 6/23/14 12:15 PM
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BEAUTY 1 1 – ELEMIS 12 DAYS OF BEAUTY NATIVITY GIFT PACK: This is the ultimate anti-ageing kit, containing everything from Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, Marine Cream and Oxygenating Night Cream, to Elemis’ famous Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm, a Papaya Enzyme Peel, shower creams and oil and even hand and nail (and foot!) cream! This is just one of many Christmas gift sets by Elemis (there is also one for men). i www.elemis.com 2 – THE BODY SHOP WILD ARGAN OIL FOR BODY & HAIR: Glow like the sun with this gentle oil, made with Community Fair Trade argan oil from Morocco. i www.thebodyshop.es 3 – MARKS & SPENCER AUTOGRAPH SHIMMERING GOLD DUST: Top off an elegant party look with this magical, sparkly spray. i www.marksandspencer.com 4 – NEW LOOK FUCHSIA LIPGLOSS: Brighten your look up with this colourful lipgloss. i www.newlook.com
5 – NEW LOOK SILVER NAIL VARNISH: Metallic is back! Try this ultra-shiny shade by New Look. i www.newlook.com 6 – THE BODY SHOP RED MUSK EAU DE PARFUM: This smashing scent is one of The Body Shop’s newest, most animalic fragrances. Give in to your wild side; don’t be afraid to get noticed. i www.thebodyshop.es 7 – THE BODY SHOP GREEN NAIL LACQUER: Keep your hands looking festive with this luscious green polish. i www.thebodyshop.es 8 – MARKS & SPENCER EYESHADOW STICKS: For longlasting perfection, try this creamy stick in lieu of your usual powdered shadow. i www.marksandspencer.com 9 – HOUSE OF FRASER VIVA GLAM RIHANNA LISPTICK: Red lips will be the season’s biggest look. i www.houseoffraser.co.uk
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This season is all about making your mark at the Coast’s top parties; make sure you hit the spot with these top beauty buys, compiled by Marisa Cutillas.
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HEALTH Despite working out rigorously and following a strict diet, many people find that they have areas of stubborn fat which are seemingly impossible to get rid of (love handles, ‘saddlebags’ or unwanted abdominal fat, for instance). The most effective treatment for this problem is generally considered to be liposuction, yet for patients who do not wish to undergo surgery, a groundbreaking new technology offers amazing results which are similar to those obtained by liposuction. Developed by scientists at Harvard University and bearing the FDA seal of approval, the technique is called Coolsculpting and involves freezing and eliminating unwanted fat with a uniquely efficient, patented machine called Zeltiq. There are only five Zeltiq machines in Spain and only one in the south of Spain; this machine is owned and operated by the Cirumed Clinic in Marbella. CIRUMED AND COOLSCULPTING
UPDATE
Cirumed is a highly renowned aesthetic surgery clinic in Marbella, founded by Dr. Alexander Aslani, who is also Head of the Plastic, Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery of the Quiron Hospital, Málaga and Marbella. Dr. Aslani has carried out over 12,000 operations during his 20-year career and his clinic, Cirumed, specialises in advanced techniques in Body Contouring, including autologous fat transfer for the Brazilian Butt Lift, breast augmentation, and facial fillers.
ABOUT JEANNINE ASLANI At Cirumed, the Coolsculpting procedure is the ‘baby’ of Jeannine Aslani, a plastic surgery nurse and beauty and wound specialist with over 15 years’ experience. She takes charge of a myriad of treatments, including laser treatments, Cube laser (to get rid of scars), facial fillers and of course, Coolsculpting, for which she is a certified trained professional. We ask Jeannine some of the most pressing questions regarding this revolutionary technique…
COOLSCULPTING FREEZE AWAY STUBBORN FAT WITHOUT ANY SURGERY!
What is Coolsculpting? Coolsculpting was developed by Harvard scientists, who initially attempted to use a technique called cryolipolysis (controlled cooling) to eliminate cancer cells in laboratory rats, only to find that the rats actually lost fat cells instead. Scientists also noted that some children who ate popsicles got dimples. The Coolsculpting treatment involves freezing and eliminating fat cells without damaging the skin or surrounding tissue. It is the only FDA-approved non-surgical fat reduction treatment which uses controlled cooling to eliminate stubborn fat that persists despite efforts to eliminate it through diet and exercise. What results can patients obtain? The results are similar to those obtained in liposuction. Fat can be reduced significantly in stubborn areas (hips, bellies, ‘love handles’, etc.).
Who is the ideal candidate for Coolsculpting? A man or woman who has stubborn fat in one particular area or who wishes to have body contouring done, yet does not wish to have surgery. Typically, our clients are busy entrepreneurs, sports people or tourists vacationing on the Coast who want to get rid of stubborn fat without going under the knife or cannula. Coolsculpting has no side effects and no downtime; you don’t need to wear compression garments or take any time off work. Some of our clients are on medication and cannot have surgery, while others have had so many operations they wish to avoid surgery at all costs. Is there an age limit for Coolsculpting? Since it is non-invasive, Coolsculpting can be applied to people aged 18 and above.
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Which parts of the body can Coolsculpting target? Practically all parts of the body; Zeltiq, the machine used to perform Coolsculpting, has a number of different applicators, which vary in size and shape to target particular areas. At the moment, the only two areas which cannot be targeted are the ‘double chin’ and knees, though Coolsculpting in the USA is constantly developing new applicators and, by next year, we should be able to treat these areas. Last summer, Zeltiq came out with the Coolsmooth applicator, which was specially made to eliminate stubborn ‘saddlebags’. What is so special about the Zeltiq Machine? You may have seen advertisements promoting cold therapy to remove fat cheaply; if you want to ensure safety and obtain real results, opt for Zeltiq. The machine freezes fat cells in a unique way; instead of imparting cold to the desired area, it sucks heat out. This technology is only possible with the Zeltiq machine and it is what makes Coolsculpting so effective and safe. The Zeltiq is the ONLY FDA-approved machine; if anyone offers you a fat freezing treatment, ask them if they have the Zeltiq; if they don’t, they are not using FDA-approved technology. Zeltiq has sold over one million cycles worldwide, which we are very proud of and it is a tested, effective tool that ensures safety as well. What does a typical Coolsculpting treatment involve? Once a client has decided to go for Coolsculpting, we photograph them and mark the areas to be treated. On the day of the procedure, we apply a fleecy cloth, the so-called gel pad, to the area and then place the applicators, which exert a sucking motion on the fatty tissue. No sedation is used as it is not necessary. The patient can choose to lie down, have a coffee, read, or make a phone call if they wish. Normally, we divide the number of applicators used into enough sessions so that clients do not have to be here for longer than two or three hours. We can work around a client’s schedule, dividing the number of applications into shorter sessions if they are very busy. After removing the applicators, we massage treated areas until normal temperature is restored. What does the treatment feel like? Some patients say it is a little uncomfortable, but it is not painful. After the procedure, the treated area feels a little numb. I always say that the sensation is similar to when your hands freeze up while you are skiing and you warm them by the fireplace – soon, the sensation of heat and comfort returns. There are no side-effects; a tiny percentage of clients sometimes have slight bruising, though this ultimately depends on how easily they tend to bruise in their daily life. How many sessions are required? There is a maximum of two sessions, though sometimes, only one session is required, depending on the amount of fat involved. If two sessions are required, the second session is performed one month after the first.
How long do results take to show? Although unwanted fat is immediately frozen, the body takes around three months to completely eliminate it. After about a month, one begins to notice a change but after three months, the results are truly amazing (Jeannine shows me numerous ‘before and after’ photos and they are, indeed, spectacular – you can view images of real clients on the Coolsculpting website as well: www.coolsculpting.com). How is fat loss measured? We use the fat pinch test. How long do the effects last? Coolsculpting actually reduces the number of fat cells in the body. When we lose weight by dieting, although our fat cells become smaller, they remain in the body. Coolsculpting eliminates these cells for good. Obviously, if after the procedure, you begin to eat an unhealthy diet comprising sugary foods and unhealthy fats, you will put on weight, but if you follow a healthy lifestyle, there is no reason why the results shouldn’t last a lifetime. Does loose skin appear where the fat used to be? Actually, Coolsculpting tends to have a skin-tightening effect. Can you have other procedures performed while having Coolsculpting? That is such a popular request that we offer special packs featuring other popular treatments, which clients can receive while they are in a Coolsculpting session; these include facial fillers, endolifting, the fraxel laser treatment, etc. We even do sugaring, a hair removal technique with a special sugar paste – it is less aggressive than normal waxing and is very popular since it can be performed on much shorter hair. How does the procedure compare price-wise to a liposuction? The price is a little lower, especially if just one session is needed. At any rate, we have various packages which help clients save considerably. As our interview comes to a close, Jeannine speaks of her enthusiasm for beauty in all its aspects. As a nurse who has been part of adrenaline-charged surgeries that have changed patients’ lives in the most positive of ways, she is intricately aware of the many burning questions and desires human beings have. “You only have one body, one life… it is important to take the time to think of how you are treating yourself. When it comes to health and safety, go for the best. As far as fat freezing is concerned, that means Zeltiq and Coolsculpting.”
WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS
Advertesing feature g Avda. Ramón y Cajal 7, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 346. www.cirumed.es 184 Cirumed.indd 93
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ADVICE
HEALTH
MINDFUL EATING FOR
THE HOLIDAY SEASON WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
On average, say statistics, most of us put on two to three kilos during the ‘jolly season’. There’s nothing particularly elating, of course, about not being able to fit in your trousers, feeling heavy and sluggish and starting off the New Year with your energy reserves depleted. This Christmas, aim to stay lean and trim yet enjoy the very best the season has to offer, by following these handy tips, straight from Mrs. Santa to you:
Z CUT THE CARBS IN THE LEAD-UP TO CHRISTMAS EVE: A high-glycemic index diet is detrimental to all but a lucky few; for most people, a diet which is high in processed carbohydrates (including all bread, pasta, couscous and many grains) causes us weight gain and premature ageing of the skin, owing to the cross-linkage of collagen. Try to consume all the carbohydrates you need from low-glycemic index fruits and vegetables, and make sure you are filling your body with top quality, organic sources of protein. Keep the dairy down too, since foods such as milk and cheese can be calorific despite not being very filling, thereby packing on the pounds in the most subtle of ways. Z INTRODUCE MORE RAW FOODS INTO YOUR DIET: Raw foods are rich in phytonutrients and enzymes, many of which are lost when we heat food above a certain temperature. By consuming more raw foods on a daily basis, you can boost your immunity as well as your energy levels, thereby keeping fatigue-caused bingeing to a minimum. Z BE MINDFUL WITH EVERYTHING YOU CONSUME DURING THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS: From the first week of December onwards, you’ll probably be visiting a plethora of fairs, cocktail parties and dinners. Be very aware of what you are eating on these occasions; don’t be tempted to try everything you are offered, despite its tempting seasonality and colourful appeal. Be especially careful with desserts, which should be limited to one or two portions a week. Listen to the subtle signals of your body; it will tell you when your hunger has been satisfied. Don’t let your eyes tempt you into consuming so much food that you return home feeling sluggish, sleepy and worst of all, guilty! Avoid buffet-style meals and if you do attend a restaurant or party serving
copious amounts of food, try not to fill your plate more than once (and don’t overfill). Avoid large plates as well, as they make portions seem smaller. Z BE FOOD APP SAVVY: There are a plethora of Apps which will help you stay on top of your battle against the bulge. Many foods that seem light and healthy can actually house a host of secret calories. Even something as seemingly harmless as a salad can have hundreds of calories (it’s all in the sauce, or the amount of oil, sugar and other sweeteners which are often used to make some of the most delicious dressings). We recommend the following Apps: Diet Assistant for Android and iPhone (this App creates a daily menu and shopping lists for you); and Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitness Pal for Android and iPhone (featuring an amazing list of over three million foods and their calorie, carbohydrate and fat content, as well as a host of strength and cardiovascular exercises). Z SHOP WISELY: Have you noticed that you tend to pig out on unhealthy snacks when your fridge is at its emptiest? When you don’t have healthy vegetables, fruits or nuts to snack on, it becomes more tempting than ever to ‘get creative’ and whip up snacks like bacon sandwiches, bread and butter bites or fried Mars bars (okay, we went a bit overboard on the last one). Plan ahead to reduce your chances of falling into temptation. Z START WORKING OUT AROUND SIX WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE: Don’t work out once you’ve put Christmas weight on; stop weight gain from happening altogether by performing a range of cardiovascular and strengthbased exercises before the party season really hits. Try to include yoga in your regime, since this millenary practice enhances your self-control and cuts back on stress, which is usually the primary reason for binge-eating. e
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HEALTH
having a family history of the disease, smoking, having high blood sugar and cholesterol levels, hypertension, etc.).” Dr. Brugada tells me that we should be on the lookout for heart problems since childhood. “I normally recommend testing at three key stages in life: when a child is 12 (because this is the age that they first become vulnerable to smoking, alcohol, drug abuse and unsafe sex), at 18 (when they commence university) and at 24.” Children and youths are tested for cholesterol, blood sugar, diabetes, etc. Those most at risk are men over 40, however, so this is a crucial time to see a cardiologist.
UPDATE
PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY AT THE NEW CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA UNIT
AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER
An Interview with Dr. Pedro Brugada, Head of New Hospiten Estepona Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HOSPITEN ESTEPONA HOSPITAL
A
nyone who is familiar with cardiac health already knows that the Costa del Sol has scored a real coup with the recent announcement that Doctor and Professor, Pedro Brugada, is Head of the new Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit at the Hospiten Hospital in Estepona. Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) are a growing problem in society today and one of the most dangerous, since they can cause stroke or sudden death. Most arrhythmias can be easily detected through an electrocardiogram, echocardiography, stress test and Holter monitor, yet some require more complex diagnostic and therapeutic techniques if they are to be detected and treated accordingly.
patient at this hospital. The doctors realised that there were some 1.5 million patients between Málaga and Madrid, who were not receiving adequate treatment for arrhythmias and the new unit was born. Without a doubt, this is excellent news for so many people who do not enjoy a good quality of life, or who are unwittingly putting themselves at risk for stroke or sudden cardiac death, owing to arrhythmias. Dr. Brugada, awarded the Gold Medal by the European Society of Cardiology, tells me: “Arrhythmia can have symptoms, such as palpitations, a feeling of faintness and losing consciousness but sometimes, patients do not experience any symptoms at all.”
ARRHYTHMIA: AN OFTEN SILENT BUT DEADLY CONDITION
One of the primary causes of sudden death from arrhythmias is Brugada Syndrome, a specific pattern in the electrocardiograms of patients who suffer sudden death, discovered by Dr. Brugada and his brother, Dr. Josep Brugada, in 1992. He says: “Brugada Syndrome is one of the most common causes of cardiac sudden death. It is a genetic effect which is the second leading cause of death in the youth in some countries. It can affect various members of the same family, which is why testing is ideal, especially for those with risk factors (such as
Dr. Brugada, who specialises in arrhythmia diagnosis and treatment at the University Hospital in Brussels, decided to launch the new Arrhythmia unit at Hospiten almost by chance, while he was holidaying on the Coast. Dr. Brugada had a patient who resided in Gibraltar and who had to travel to Brussels to receive treatment. Since Dr. Brugada was in town, he approached Dr. Ramírez of the Cardiology Unit at Hospiten, requesting to see his 96 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIAGNOSIS
At the new Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit, Dr. Brugada and his team carry out numerous important functions, everything from the diagnosis and treatment of arryhthmia to electrophysiology, diagnostic and therapeutic studies, the implantation of pacemakers and automated defibrillators (to ensure a regular heartbeat), cardiac resynchronisation therapy and much more. Pioneering techniques carried out at the new Unit include cryoablation of pulmonary veins in patients with atrial fibrillation, electrophysiology studies, radiofrequency catheter ablation of tachycardia and implanting resynchronisation devices and cardiac defibrillators.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY STUDY Electrophysiological studies allow doctors to bring on tachycardia so they can see where it is coming from and how to treat it. A minimally invasive technique called ‘endocardiac catheter ablation,’ can cure tachycardia indefinitely. Up until now, arrhythmia has been treated with medication, yet Dr. Brugada notes that “the efficiency of medication is extremely low.” At the new Unit, he carries out a revolutionary technique called ‘cryoablation’, which puts a definitive stop to the irregular electrical impulses that cause arrhythmia. Dr. Brugada, as affable as he is intellectual (he speaks various languages, including Italian, English and Flemish), says that “Medication is like buying a house with a mortgage; ablation is like buying the same house upfront.” Dr. Brugada stresses the importance of early diagnosis: “If you detect the problem quickly enough, you can avoid myocardial infarction (a heart attack) and you can prevent the ensuing complications, such as having to place a stent, etc.”
THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE Dr. Brugada tells me that the youngest patient treated for arrhythmias was a foetus (in utero) and the oldest was in his 90s. “One thing I have never uttered to a patient, are the words, ‘You’ll have to learn to live with that’. A patient is never too old to treat and this does not only apply to cardiology.” He adds, “Seeing an arrhythmia specialist is like seeing a dentist. Don’t wait until your cavity is too big or you may lose the tooth!”
g Partido de Velerín, CN 340, km 162, Estepona. Tel: 952 760 600. www.hospiten.com 11/21/14 2:58 PM
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thepro NEWS /ENTERPRISE / LOCAL BUSINESS /
PROFILES / FINANCE / LAW
Synergym Mijas Launch Synergym, a fitness group which plans on opening a total of 15 new gyms over the next 15 years, recently opened its second gym in Málaga, in Mijas Costa, opposite El Corte Inglés. It offers over 150 activities, including Les Mills programmes, aerobics, Pilates, yoga, Cap, etc, in addition to its famous indoor cycling system, Myride®+. The gym will be open from 6am to 12am on weekdays and from 8am to 10pm on weekends, 365 days a year. g www.synergym.es
Quirón Marbella Wins Prestigious Prize The Quirón Hospital Marbella recently took home the TOP 20 prize for Excellence in Global Management. The Hospital boasts the AENOR certification (ISO 9001 quality certification); in 2013, it attended to 20,000 inpatients, 100,000 outpatients and 75,000 emergency patients, with surgeons performing over 5,000 operations. The Quirón group is one of the most prized in Spain, with 32 awards received over the 15-year history of the TOP 20 Awards. g www.quiron.es
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Luxury Advertising Awards Comes to Marbella The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella recently hosted the first Luxury Advertising Awards, organised by the Fundación Mundo Ciudad. The event sought to give due recognition to the best advertising campaigns and communication strategies by luxury brands in Spain, in 2014. The ceremony was presented by Irma Soriano and the prestigious jury comprised Beatriz de Orleans, Cristina Martín Blasy, Roberto Toni and more. ’s cover this month, Genoveva Casanova, received the Luxury Honour Prize for being the most elegant and charity-minded person in 2014.
g www.luxuryawards.es
Guillermo Rodríguez Presents The Collections at Reserva del Higueron Magazine was pleased to catch up recently with joint CEO of Reserva del Higuerón, Guillermo Rodríguez, who manages the luxurious community comprising some 650 properties, a stunning four-star hotel and an impressive sports club and spa featuring tennis and paddle tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a beach volleyball area, and much more. Mr. Rodríguez spoke, in particular, of the company’s newest development, the Collections, made up of four different environments with unique architectural styling and the option for homeowners to personalise their interiors through a choice of finishing and materials. There are four different Collections (the Bay, Hill, Palm and Peninsula collections), comprising villas, luxury semi-detached homes and apartments combining low densities, contemporary design and beautiful landscaping. g www.reservadelhigueron.com
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Aloha College Students Visit the Marbella Town Hall A large group of students from international school, Aloha College, recently visited the Town Hall, where the Mayor gave them a speech about how the institution works and the many functions it fulfills. The children also visited the Centro Cultural Cortijo Miraflores and strolled through the Old Town. g www.aloha-college.com
Reality Bytes Moving to Spain with Children is a new self-help manual for families making this life-changing step. Authored by Lisa Sadleir, a British working Mum who moved with her husband and two children to Mijas in 1991, she shares her own ride on the relocation roller-coaster – the highs, lows and occasional shrieks of panic – to save readers the same hassle and heartache. Chapters on everything from timing the move and buying a house to choosing schools, learning the language and starting a business are spiced with the family’s own heart-warming anecdotes. Lisa, who helps Englishspeaking families to settle in through her online Costa Consulting Bureau, says: “I wrote the book to show the reality of living in Spain, not to sell the dream.” g The book is
available from Amazon in Kindle and in paperback.
Carlos Rodiles Claims Victory in Marbella Málaga-born golfer, Carlos Rodiles, was the champion of the second leg of the Gecko Pro Tour, which took place recently at the Marbella Club Golf Resort and the Río Real Golf Hotel. Rodiles stole the victory from Manuel Quirós by one stroke. He told the press that the tournament “was very exciting until the very end. I knew I would have to hit a birdie on Hole 18 because Manuel wouldn’t miss.”
g www.thegeckoprotour.com
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Ser Niña Charity Dinner a Resounding Success The Charity dinner held at the Restaurant 1870 for Plan International Spain’s programme, Because I am a Girl, raised an impressive €5.000 in its first edition. The relaxed atmosphere and the friendship between guests marked this special occasion, organised in commemoration of International Girls Day, which aims to increase awareness of the dangers faced by millions of girls around the world.
g www.search4sponsors.com
Two New TV Programmes for RTV Marbella RTV Marbela is now broadcasting two new shows on Thursday evenings: Marbella News, a weekly summary of the local news in English with Marina Robertson, and a new chat show with Nicole King, Stacey Pinkerton and Jonny Gates. You can also listen to Nicole King on her radio show, Mi Marbella, from Monday to Friday on 107.6FM, or online on
www.rtvmarbella.tv
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CHARITY EVENT FOR KIDS AT FUNKY FOREST Réka Vidáts of RéLounge Europe is organising a fun Christmas charity event, which will be held at Funky Forest on Saturday, December 13 from 4pm to 8pm. Children will enjoy a Christmas gift making workshop, gingerbread baking, face painting and hot chocolate and cookies, as well as visits with Santa and a magician. Parents, meanwhile, will enjoy tucking into mulled wine and canapés. Proceeds will go to the Menudos Corazones Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Madrid whose aim is to cure children with heart disease in Spain and to offer them a better quality of life. g Tel: 663 692 829 / reka@relounge-europe.com
FOUNTAINHEAD, A HAVEN FOR CHRISTMAS Fountainhead, Andalusia’s renowned gourmet hideaway, invites guests to join them at Christmas for a few days of fantastic food in beautiful, peaceful surroundings. Fountainhead has just four individual suites, as well as a world-class restaurant, tranquil gardens and a natural spa. Gaze out from your terrace at the amazing mountain view or enjoy a romantic dinner by the log fire. Guests often go for wonderful walks straight from the hotel or take a picturesque drive in this beautiful region of Axarquia. Fountainhead is open from December 16 to 27 and the restaurant is also open to non-residents, catering for small private groups and offering hearty menus on Christmas Eve and Boxing day, as well as a traditional Christmas lunch with log fires burning, a Christmas tree and twinkling lights. g Tel: 696 183 309.
www.fountainheadinspain.com
NEW MEDICAL TOURISM WEBSITE FOR VITHAS XANIT INTERNATIONAL The Vithas Xanit International Hospital, part of the Vithas Group (which boasts 12 hospitals) has set up a website specialising in Medical Tourism, to meet a growing demand from international patients. The website is currently available in English, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, French and Swedish and will soon be also in German. The site is divided geographically, since patients from different countries demand different types of medical treatments. Andalucía currently attracts over 60,000 tourists interested in receiving medical treatments and surgery, with Málaga receiving the lion’s share of the sector. The Vithas Xanit Group hopes to attract a greater percentage of these tourists with its cutting edge technology and highly qualified staff. g www.xanitmedicaltourism.com
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THE PRO business
Helping Expats Enjoy (and Survive) Life on the Coast Myra Azzopardi is the kind of woman my family taught me to look up to: strong, warm, highly knowledgeable and immensely generous with even those she doesn’t know. This enigmatic paralegal/record company executive/writer/ entrepreneur is the force behind the Citizens Advice Bureau, a non-profit organisation which is literally saving countless expats plenty of heartache and a great deal of money. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
THE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU SPAIN
B
eing a foreigner or new citizen in Spain can be challenging. It can seem like an impossibility to keep abreast of the complex network of new and existing laws, or to successfully wade one’s way through all the bureaucracy of so many public institutions. The Citizens Advice Bureau Spain is a veritable Godsend in this sense, with Myra and her team answering a myriad of phone calls and e-mails on everything from succession law to health care, driver’s licences, residence permits and more. “In a sense it was logical I should be helping other expats, since I am what you might call a perpetual expatriate; my dad was in the forces so I have been travelling since I was seven,” says the enigmatic Myra, who has a rich and colourful background. She attended school in Cyprus and Wiltshire, had a daughter in Ireland, worked as an executive in Polygram Dublin, went on to serve in Public Relations, and additionally worked in the recording industry in Germany. Her interest in paralegal work, however, dates back to 1995, when she was asked to draft a list of the most pressing problems faced by foreign residents and visitors in Spain.
Myra’s excellent response enabled the creation of the first office for foreigners in Estepona, after which she was extensively involved during four municipal elections. This led to an offer to stand as Councillor in the 2011 elections, though Myra was too independent to be tempted into a political career. During the years, she was helping foreign people, becoming an expert in legal matters pertaining to foreigners, and in 2006, she set up her business Costa Advice Bureau (closed in 2012). As the years went by, she founded a group, inviting specialists from various fields (economists, doctors, lawyers, etc.) to join her in providing information and assistance to all those who are working, living or thinking of retiring in Spain. “The Citizens Advice Bureau was set up in August, 2013, and we already have 12,000 members!” she says, adding, “We receive about 1,000 calls a month and we have held three seminars so far.” During the last event, which was funded entirely by Myra, guests enjoyed vibrant speeches by experts such as Martínez-Echevarría (one of the most renowned legal firms in Spain), Dr. Maria Tacchi (who gave
advice on how to obtain the best possible free health care), and Judge Agustín Azparran, who served as a member of the judicial board created by the King of Spain to assess the fairness of the judicial system. “We calculated that we have thus far saved expats around €250.000 by giving them the legal information they need.” All this without charging a penny; it isn’t just about the money, either, “above all, it’s about saving heartache,” she says. As a nonprofit organisation, the association is hoping that its members will support the concept by making donations or registering on the website as ‘hearts members’. Some of the most interesting ways the CAB has helped expats is by informing them of legal developments, such as the recent change in succession law. “We have been through the new law, known as Brussels 4, with a fine-tooth comb, and have drafted a document summarising its contents for our members.” One important change is that if you have a double citizenship, you can choose the nationality that will govern your will.” Myra recommends that expats “make separate wills governing their property in different countries to avoid the will going to probate.” The range of matters dealt with by the hardworking team at CAB is impressive: family law concerns (divorce, custody, family violence,
etc.), healthcare, licences, etc. Myra also speaks of the importance of understanding and adapting to Spanish culture when dealing with people like the Guardia Civil or healthcare workers, etc. She knows how the Spanish think and feel to a profound extent, owing to the many years she has lived here (and perhaps, to the fact that her grandmother was Spanish!). Myra mentions that she is urgently seeking any corporate sponsors (since donations are tax deductible) and volunteers who are able to assist with everything from providing information to lending their time to help English speakers while the latter are seeing a doctor or visiting the Social Security. She is thankful for the incredible work of her team (including Advisors Richelle de Wit and Philip Carroll and Administrators Julie Payne, Donna Walrond, Lucy Jane Jiménez and Marion Dobbin). Despite receiving more calls, requests for information and help and e-mails from those in need that the CAB can reasonably handle, Myra and the team stay motivated through the heartfelt ‘gratitude’ they receive from so many people whose lives they have made such a big impact upon. To keep CAB going, Myra and the team need more support. CAB is too important an organisation for the Costa del Sol to ever risk losing it. g www.citizensadvice.org.es
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THE VIBE
Blevin Franks Dazzles Clients at the Hotel Puente Romano Blevins Franks thanked 300 of their clients recently with a swish two-day affair at the Hotel Puente Romano. On both days, attendees enjoyed a Champagne reception and presentation, then savoured a hearty lunch at gourmet restaurants Dani García and Bibo. The Chef met and greeted guests and invited them to view life inside his Michelinstarred kitchens. An Iberian ham slicer and various food stations made this a culinary event to be remembered.
“Trust is built with consistency” – Lincoln Chafee
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PHOTOGRAPHY tünde serban
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THE VIBE
Luxury Advertising Awards 2014 Come to Marbella The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella recently hosted the first Luxury Advertising Awards, aimed at recognising the best advertising campaigns and communication strategies by luxury brands in Spain. The Awards attracted a host of dignitaries and celebrities, including Irma Soriano, who presented the event, and Béatrice d’Orleans.
“Luxury is anything that feels special” – Aerin Lauder
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PHOTOGRAPHY tünde serban
THE LEISURE hotel The most beautiful and oft-visited cities in the world never fail to conjure up powerful images that remain in the collective consciousness long after one’s initial visit: Sydney’s dreamlike harbour, Rome’s Colosseum, the homes of Gaudí in Barcelona… these outstanding constructions give each city a ‘wow’ factor that tourists respond to, year after year, and the cities they are located in will often capitalise on these revered landmarks, paying homage to them through well-considered architectural works.
The Vincci Gala 4*
WORDS Marisa Cutillas Photography courtesy of the Vincci Gala 4*
Styling It Up in the City of Surrealism
T
he Vincci Group, which specialises in four- and fivestar hotels in Spain, Portugal and Tunisia, certainly picked the right location for the Vincci Gala, a strangely appealing clash between tradition and modernism. The building itself dates to 1900; many of its features are officially protected as part of the Cultural Heritage of Barcelona, including the stately and classical main façade and the graceful marble main staircase, covered in lush red velvet and meritorious of an appearance in a dramatic Hollywood film from the 1940s or 1950s. Indeed, one could be forgiven for wondering why the architects had not opted for a more retro flair, since the building seemingly lends itself to such an interpretation. Instead they decided to play with perception; viewed from outside, the Gala looks like any elegant 19th century hotel you might find on New York’s Fifth Avenue or Madrid’s La Castellana. The wide crystal door highlights the spectacular staircase, as well as the avante-garde details located on either side. Location is everything, of course,
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and this hotel is located smack bang in the most central area of Gaudí’s dream city, just a few steps away from the Plaza de Cataluña and the fragrant Las Ramblas, strewn with colourful bouquets of flowers and teeming with tourists keen on savouring the very essence of this 21st-century city. The youthful vibe surrounding the hotel exudes modernity, though perhaps the key inspiration in the hotel’s design is its name: ‘Gala’ the wife and muse of artist Salvador Dalí, whose moustachioed countenance decorates various walls of the hotel via large-scale black-and-white photographs which add a touch of humour and joi de vivre to common areas like the entrance hall. New to the hotel’s look is the use of ‘DuPont™ Corian solid surface’ constructions in the bar area; bearing the aptly named tone, Deep Nocturne, the jet black, solid material contrasts beautifully with the gold trimmings and stark red backdrop of the bar, its matte elegance revealing Architect, Miguel Jordá’s penchant for cutting edge technology. Indeed, all areas in the Hotel are dominated by a balanced interplay of
red, bright yellow, dark brown/black and white/beige hues, including the rooms, of which there are 78. Double rooms, measuring a compact yet comfortable 20m2, can be equipped with one double bed or two individual beds. Superior rooms are 28m2 and also offer guests a choice of bed types. The rooms are comfy yet cool, with lacquered tables, futuristic headboard designs and stark white and grey bathrooms with appealing linear blue LED-light features on the mirror. All bathrooms offer guests the luxury of plush robes and slippers. We grew particularly enamoured by a double room with tall sliding crystal doors, which opened up to a tantalising terrace overlooking a tree whose branches stretched out lovingly over the busy streets below. It’s not all just about good looks at the Vincci Gala; the rooms come with features such as soundproofing, a media hub, air conditioning/ heating, WiFi, and handy items in the bathroom such as magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, etc. Service is also up to scratch, with the friendly multi-lingual staff ensuring that rooms are cleaned daily, newspapers are available, and
that laundry, dry cleaning and car rentals are taken care of. The Hotel restaurant serves a hearty breakfast buffet and snacks are available all day at the Snack Bar. The Vincci Gala is a popular choice for entrepreneurs and conferences, yet it has a plethora of secret nooks that couples and families alike will look forward to resting in after a weary day’s sightseeing: the terrace, for instance, peppered with dramatic, geometric chairs and tables, is the perfect spot to relax and catch up on some great conversation over a coffee or soul-soothing cocktail. The Hotel’s central location means that guests make the most of the buzzing restaurant scene and night life; the exquisite Giorgio Barcelona is famed for its authentic Italian dishes, while O’Marulo is highly renowned for its seasonal Mediterranean delights. You may spend most of your time taking in the sites of one of the stunning cities in the world, but don’t forget to make special memories within the walls of the Vincci Gala; the hotel is said to have an aroma so sweet that many guests opt to buy the special perfume and take it home. e g www.hotelomm.es i www.vinccihoteles.com 11/21/14 3:46 PM
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THE LEISURE travel
Gaucín
White pearl in the eagle’s lair Under an hour from Marbella there is a world of soaring peaks, villagers and artists. It’s called Gaucín.
WORDS Michel cruz Photography kevin horn
P
icture a classic Andalusian mountain village, its white plaster glistening in the sun as it appears to hover midway between heaven and earth. Surrounding it is a landscape of craggy peaks and long, dragon-like ridges dotted with the soft green of pine forests. This is a place where rivers course down rocky paths en route to the sea that calls longingly in the distance. It is an ancient land, where eagles encircle the remnants of a once-formidable fortress perched upon the very pinnacle of a dizzying outcrop. From its ramparts guardsmen once surveyed mountain, valley and sea in search of the pirates and bandits that have shaped this valley of tales and legends. Among them are the stories of the Bandoleros – the infamous highwaymen who roamed the Serranía de Ronda in search of gold and redemption – and their ‘colleagues’ the tobacco smugglers, who risked life and limb in the service of this lucrative trade. Often Gypsies, the smugglers used the village of Gaucín as an important trading point midway between the
landings along the coast and the towns further inland. It is their combined spirit, along with that of the indigenous tribes, the Romans and the Moors, that lingers upon this atmospheric pueblo blanco shaped in the rocky embrace of a rising mountain.
Idyllic Andalucía Beautiful in every kind of light, Gaucín is a picture-postcard village that embodies the very idea of Andalusian idyll. At a short distance from Marbella and the Mediterranean coast, it presents a fairytale landscape of endless mountains stretching into the distance, cut only by deep, green valleys and open, blue skies. Here peace, nature and all the finest qualities of the countryside come together to produce a heady mix that is just the antidote to the more hedonistic pleasures of Marbella. In autumn, it is a scene of changing leaves, soft golden light and the scent of smoking fireplaces that alights the senses and creates a feeling of wellbeing. The trip from the coast to Gaucín is short
and scenic, yet it produces a transformation that builds a sense of anticipation as you wind your way upwards through wooded hillside and into this ancient mountaintop settlement. The view as you approach is entirely enchanting – as it should be – with that ancient sentinel, the Castillo del Águila watching over the village from its eagle’s lair. To get lost in the maze of little streets, alleyways and picturesque squares is a delight that will have you suddenly emerge upon a grassy slope on Gaucín’s periphery as a panoramic amphitheatre of views opens up before you. A few steps retraced and you no longer find yourself amid grazing sheep and smallholdings but can hear the bubbling flow of a humble fountain set in the heart of a pretty little square. Having perused the local antique and craft shops, the delicatessen or the organic produce market, it might be a good moment to settle down at a rustic tapas bar such as Casa Antonia on the main square or Bar Paco Pepe, itself set upon a peaceful little plaza.
Mountainside views from Gaucín
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Art in the mountains Soaking up the atmosphere inside or the sun on the terrace, it will be tempting to laze away the day, but Gaucín has much to enjoy, so why not make the most of the fact that this is a very human-scaled small town and that much of it is pedestrianised. Endowed with an idyllic setting, magnificent vistas and soft light, this village has not surprisingly become a true artist’s retreat, home to painters, sculptors and writers of varied style and nationality. They find their inspiration in the natural surroundings, the pretty detailing of white-plastered architecture and its balconies, terraces, squares and intimate gardens. Working together through a shared website called artgaucin.com, the artists include Sebastian Fischer, Michael Roschlau and Nozomi Hatano – whose Atelier Gallery is definitely worth a visit – as well as Juan Antonio Sangil and Ana Pellón. The latter work and exhibit from a gallery and workshop situated right at the top of the old Moorish village, just below the imposing castle and close to the pretty Roman style cemetery. This spot is also the starting point for many of the hiking, mountain climbing and bird watching routes that make Gaucín such a popular destination. The various well-marked trails that dot the area also lead to El Hacho, the easy to climb peak that is visible from much of the village. From here the views over the imposing landscape surveyed from up high by eagles, vultures, harriers and an abundance of other species are truly inspiring. Yet you don’t have to climb mountains to enjoy stunning vistas in Gaucín, as many of the restaurants, hotels and cafes offer just that from their panoramic terraces. One of the most impressive for al fresco dining or refreshment is that of Restaurante Bar El Puente, a tapas bar with traditional appeal. The range of B&Bs, casas rurales and boutique hotels, not to mention restaurants, is such that you can choose from rustic charm or true country style. Many enjoy a leisurely drive up to Gaucín followed by a saunter in the village, dinner at La Fructuosa – a true fine dining restaurant in Gaucín with a wonderful chef and charming little hotel – perhaps a tipple at one of the lively bars and an overnight stay in a village or nearby country hotel. The following day can be spent rambling through nature or exploring one of the surrounding villages – perhaps even hopping on the train at the next valley station – before making your way back down to the coast, where you will be convinced that you must have travelled much further and experienced more than can be achieved in such a short time. e
A classically Andalusian square Flowers add life to the white-washed pueblo
White-washed beauty
Fuente de Los 6 Caños
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Finca for Sale
Sierra de Ronda, Rio Genal With a total of 39 hectares, this impressive estate has a variety of potential uses. Approximately 5 hectares is totally flat land of river frontage. On the higher land, there and woods with mature Oak, Olive and Pine trees. The perfect location for eco growing! The river is silt/soil and free of chemicals. In the heart of the countryside, the land includes several buildings that can be renovated to suit a range of purposes, including a rural hotel, ideal for bird watchers, walkers, riding enthusiasts, or as a yoga retreat.
Price Đ„ 950.000
For further information: Tel: 952 117 451 enquiries@andalucia-verde.com • www.andalucia-verde.com
Country Style
Direct From Owner
Located near the pretty mountain village of Gaucín, just 25 minutes from the Coast, this unique and special property exudes charm and elegance, in the heart of Andalucia’s spectacular countryside. With 4 bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathrooms, this spacious villa offers large, airy rooms that flow beautifully. The large open plan living/dining room is decorated in a warm and welcoming rustic style, and is ideal for entertaining. Other facilities include an office, larder, laundry room and guest toilet. All floors are covered in a soft-toned brown marble and have the added benefit of underfloor heating. The exterior of the property boasts 4 large terraces of 30 to 50 m2 with stunning mountain and sea views, plus a salt water pool. There are 2.5 hectares of land adjoining the villa, that includes an olive grove and mature trees.
Price Є 1.5 million
For further information: Tel: 952 117 451 enquiries@andalucia-verde.com • www.andalucia-verde.com
THE LEISURE travel
WORDS David Wishart Photography Courtesy of Oasis of the Seas
All Aboard the Oasis of the Seas
Y
ou know you are on a big ship when you get in a lift and it goes up, up, up and UP… to Deck 17. When you get there, below is a huge courtyard in the middle of the ship, with balconied cabins having views not of the sea, but of a park. Appropriately, it’s called Central Park. It’s one of the ‘neighbourhoods’ in the vast Oasis of the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ship, which
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recently arrived in Europe for the first time, docking at Málaga after a 10-day trans-Atlantic crossing. For the record, Oasis has capacity for 6,296 passengers, there are 2,165 crew, and the tonnage is 225,282 – about five times the size of the Titanic. Which is a good time to mention that there are 18 lifeboats each holding 370 passengers, adding up to – enough. And also to say Oasis is not the world’s longest.
Its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, measures 2 cms more. But Oasis got to that mark first, five years ago, with Allure arriving a year later, and it could be its hull was measured on a hotter day. It was certainly a steamy one for Oasis in Málaga, although only a few passengers chose to stay on board. Those who did had five swimming pools and 20 restaurants to themselves. I met one American looking very relaxed in a
comfortable chair in Central Park, most of it in the shade. He said it had been an uneventful crossing, a smooth passage all the way, and he was enjoying the ship so much he saw no reason to get off, particularly as it was so hot. In the circumstances, he would do as the Spaniards do and have a siesta. As the Oasis was not sailing until 8pm, that would still leave him time to do something useful ashore. Experienced cruisers will note this is later than the usual 6pm sailing time, and an enlightened piece of scheduling by Royal Caribbean. Oasis was carrying on to Barcelona for a few cruises before returning to its homeport of Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Sister ship Allure of the Seas will be in Europe next summer, starting with a 12-day voyage to the Mediterranean. Meanwhile Royal Caribbean is lining up a big splash with its two much-anticipated Quantum class ships. Anthem of the Seas will be homeported in Southampton next year, while Quantum of the Seas will be based in Shanghai, one of three vessels Royal Caribbean is sending to Asia to build up its presence there. These next generation vessels of 167,800 tons hold 4,180 passengers who will enjoy Internet connectivity to rival onshore broadband. There will be skydiving simulators, a jewel-shaped glass capsule that rises 100 metres above sea level and gives 360-degree views, bumper cars, a circus school, adults-only solarium and private pool, studio cabins with balconies and Dynamic Dining, which will eliminate main dining rooms and set times, and offer 18 restaurant options. Whew! Most importantly, for some of us, Royal Caribbean does a very good curry. i www.royalcaribbean.com
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THE LEISURE travel
Heeding the Call of
Hydra WORDS David Wishart Photography Courtesy of Genevive Balthazard and Athenscvb.gr
N
ever go back, a friend once said. I am too much of a romantic to follow what could be sensible advice, so I returned to Hydra, Greece, because my experience there around 30 years ago was so delightful, and well, memorable. I was on a yacht with a handful of friends, and we sailed into the tiny harbour just like Honfleur in Normandy. We had to squeeze in stern first, Mediterranean-style, and it was no less crowded on the dock. But when the last ferry left with the daytrippers in the early evening, everything changed. In fact it was heaven. There are no cars, motorbikes or scooters on Hydra and, as we stepped ashore at sunset, the loudest sounds, other than church bells, were the clip-clop of donkeys. Restaurants were inspected in the usual Greek way, by visiting
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the kitchens and lifting the lids of pots, and at the chosen place we sat at simple tables with checked table-cloths, and ordered jugs of wine which tasted as though it had been strained through donkey blankets. But the food – olives, fish and lamb – had real flavour and the service came with many smiles. Soon the waterfront was quietly humming with the sound of conviviality from several adjacent restaurants, and when a minstrel came by with a bouzouki, the men, almost as one, got to their feet, linked hands and shoulders, and did the sirtaki. There was no plate-throwing (that usually happens in the Plaka area of Athens) but we drank too much Metaxa, the Greek brandy, and before long we were all Zorbas. On that visit we saw little of the island, other than a stroll up the narrow streets of cobbled marble, where bougainvillea spilled over white-painted houses.
Hydra © Shutterstock
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Brass hand knocker at Miranda Hotel
Long before that, Hydra had become a haven for painters, writers and musicians, among them the Canadian Leonard Cohen who had a house where he lived with the lovely Marianne. His song, So Long, Marianne, was on his first album released in 1967, and now, at 80 years old, Cohen is still performing to full houses. Today many tourists go looking for Cohen’s house, but I settled for another with a charm of its own – the Miranda Hotel, which coincidentally has the same brass hand door knocker. Here I had a handsome room with a spacious veranda from which I could see the Saronic Gulf. Breakfast was served in the shady courtyard below, the star turn being tangy coffee which fires you up for the day. This house, formerly the home of a prominent mayor, started as an art gallery and is still a centre of culture and entertaining, with guests including Jacques Lang, the former French culture minister, and Melina
Mercouri, the actress and politician. She famously came to Hydra in 1962 with Anthony Perkins to film the movie Phaedra, which featured the haunting music of Mikis Theodorakis. The port in the morning is busy with fishermen landing their catches, with teams of donkeys being readied to take tourists on excursions. Water taxis stand by to take wealthy tourists to beach restaurants nearby, but there is much to be said for a gentle stroll round the harbourside to Sunset Beach. Here there is more of that bracing coffee, great views of the port entrance so you can see everything coming and going, and good swimming too, so long as you don’t mind diving off the rocks. There is a restaurant at a slightly higher level, with a a cocktail bar below, both offering fabulous views. An ouzo here was all of €4. Sadly, I could not linger on Hydra, but going back brought no regrets.
Taxi rank in Hydra ance Rela xing at Hydra Harbour entr Miranda Hotel on a white-washed street in Hydra
Traditional taxi boats in the port of Hydra © Shutterstock
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onl i ne&oi nes ol ut i ons
ma r k e t i nga sy ouha v ene v e r s e e nbe f or e. . .
www. me di a t i x . e s i nf o@me di a t i x . e s
ATHENS Athens: the ancient city of the Gods
And so to Athens, not with Hellenic Seaways, for a sudden storm whipped up the sea and the only way I could get away was hitching a lift with a group of cadets from the Merchant Navy academy on the island. They were starting a six-day break and nothing was going to stop them going home. I squeezed into a water taxi with 10 others and the little boat carved its way through heavy seas for 25 minutes to reach a tiny port on the mainland where a bus for Piraeus waited. Piraeus, the main port for cruise ships and the Greek islands, is not a place to linger, but sometimes it is necessary to overnight, and
Athens © Shutterstock
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Piraeus, the harbour of Athens
chance introduced me to the Triton Hotel, great value at €45 a night, and well located next to the market. Then Athens, €12 by taxi or €1,40 by the Metro green line. Do not even think of hiring a car as the roads are congested and there is nowhere to park. Big hitters will want to stay at the Grande Bretagne hotel in Syntagma Square. Built in 1862 and, with the grandeur of the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, it was the Nazis’ headquarters during World War II. When they were chucked out, Winston Churchill moved in. I have stayed there, and while the roof
garden has fetching views of the Acropolis, on this occasion I found better value at the Herodion, a very acceptable hotel with a roof terrace offering the same enchanting spectacle. So, what to do? It should be said right away that Athens, once smoggy, saddled with drab brick on stone architecture and awful traffic, has improved hugely since the 2004 summer Olympics. The traffic is still bad, but the Metro works well, the air is breathable, and tourists abound. In fact Greece has had a busy year, a pleasing counter to the poor state of the economy in general.
A concert at the Odeon Theatre, Athens The Odeon Theatre, Athens © Shutterstock
Things got so bad that at one stage, businessmen were saying all the country had left was the weather. The city is not to be rushed. If you have not done so already, spend the first morning with a guide book reading up on its long and fascinating history. The 5th Century BC, the ‘Golden age of Pericles,’ constituted the cradle of western civilisation, with a host of Greek words and ideas, such as art, architecture, euphoria, harmony, democracy, mathematics, music and gastronomy. The Acropolis, topped by the majestic Parthenon, is the most important ancient site in the western world. The marble of the Parthenon gleams in the midday sun and takes on a honeydew as the sun sinks, then at night it is illuminated so that this splendid, evocative sight rarely leaves you. And there are so many other monuments – the Theatre of Dionysus, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, and the temple of Olympian Zeus. One ticket allows you to see everything. Then there is the magnificent Acropolis Museum opened in 2009 in a new location, ten times larger than the old one, and with space for the Elgin Marbles. Pressure is ramping up for the British Museum to give them back, but it did resist the charms of Melina Mercouri, who became Greek culture minister after her acting career, and is now having to deal with the new Mrs Clooney.
Columns at the Acropolis Museum
Walking through the Acropolis Museum
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The Acropolis © Shutterstock
Caryatids at the Acropolis © Shutterstock
You literally can’t miss the Temple of Olympian Zeus, a huge, striking marvel in the city centre with 104 towering Corinthian columns whose bases are 1.7 metres wide. It was begun in the 6th Century BC and completed by the Roman emperor Hadrian in AD 131. Hadrian also installed a statue of Zeus, and with a Napoleonic flourish, one of himself. Athens at night is great fun, maybe more so than any other city in the world, simply because the Greeks are a welcoming, easygoing people with a great sense of humour. The love to sing and dance, and the food is tasty and comes in small bites like tapas. The wine, unbelievably, has got better as well.
It all happens in Monastiraki Square and the Plaka district, with pedestrian streets, markets, tavernas, and ouzeries – which serve light snacks with your ouzo. Drummer bands, usually a swathe of young women in white shirts, can appear from nowhere and bring smiles all around. More traditional musicians strike up music anywhere it takes their fancy and, in no time, men and women (times have changed!) are dancing the sirtaki. Folklore shows abound, such as the tango joints in Buenos Aires, which always seem to be full of Asian tourists. There are some Greek dishes I love, such as spanakopita (spinach pie) and a drop of honey always goes down well. It was supposedly one of
the foods of the Olympian gods and according to myth, Zeus was honey-fed by the nymph Melissa. That he should be so lucky. Try it with yogurt and nuts. Look for different varieties, such as thyme honey with its mountain character, flower honey with the fragrance of spring, orange honey from the groves of Peloponnese, and pine honey from the forested slopes of Arcadia. You might find yogurt with honey and nuts on your way home, at the Central Market in Athinas Street. Just take care on Syngrou Avenue. The girls, I am told, are actually boys. i Everything you want to know is at www.vistgreece.gr
Romantic views abound in Athens
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· CENA DE GALA Y ESPECTÁCULO EN PUENTE ROMANO · GALA DINNER & LIVE SHOW AT PUENTE ROMANO ·
MIÉRCOLES, 31 DE DICIEMBRE 2014 a partir de las 20 h
Salón Andalucía
Bebidas incluidas · Drinks included
Precio por persona · 295€ · Price per person
Selección de Canapés del Chef
WEDNESDAY, 31ST DECEMBER 2014
Foie Gras con Topacio de Oporto Blanco
from 8 PM
T I N TO · R E D W I N E
B LA N C O ·W H I T E W I N E
C H A M PA G N E
Remelluri Reserva
Clarión
Laurent Perrier LP
Chef’s Selection of Canapés Foie Gras with White Port Topaz
Ravioli Negro de Cigala con Emulsión de Azafrán
Black Ravioli of Norway Lobster with Saffron Emulsion
Sorbete de Champagne con Copos de Oro de 24K
Champagne Sorbet with 24K Gold Flakes
Solomillo de Ternera Blanca con Muselina de Calabaza Asada y Romanesco
Veal Tenderloin with Roast Pumpkin Mousseline and Romanesco
Macaroon de Naranja con Pera al Moscatel
Orange Macaroon with Muscatel Pear
Puente Romano Beach Resort 5*GL · Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n · 29602 · Marbella · Spain (+34) 952 820 900 · www.puenteromano.com · hotel@puenteromano.com
eG
ala Dinner
Cena de Ga la
ño · New Ye a r’s Ev
d
i F e
eA d n
Selección de Canapés del Chef
Chef ’s Selection of Canapés
Tartar de Carabinero con Caviar de Riofrío y Láminas de Oro de 24K
Carabinero Tartar with Riofrío Caviar and 24K Gold Flakes
Pez Mantequilla con Ponzu y Sésamo
Butterfish with Ponzu and Sesame
Sorbete de Gin Mare con Bombay Sapphire y Plancton
Gin Mare Sorbet with Bombay Sapphire and Plankton
Robata de Buey de Kobe y Trufa Blanca
Robata with Kobe Beef and White Truffle
Sudachi con Bizcocho de Zanahoria
Sudachi with Carrot Sponge
IVA incluido / VAT included
p/persona · Selección de vinos y Champagne incluido / Selected Wines & Champagne included COCTELERÍA · ACTUACIONES · BAILE · DJs · PERCUSIÓN /// COCKTAILS · PERFORMANCES · DANCING · DJs · PERCUSSION
Reservas · Reservations (T) 952 820 900 · Rafa 676 920 474 suiteclubs.com
met
RESTAURANTS / REVIEWS / NEWS / WINE / CHEFS / GUIDE
Join us to dine at deluxe local restaurants, D-Wine and Don Giovanni, take in Kevin Woodford’s Dubai, find out how Head Chef, Luis Olarra, is creating waves at Kabuki Raw in the sumptuous setting of Finca Cortesín, and sample some excellent tipples from Bodegas Toro Albalá this festive season.
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D-Wine
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Don Giovanni
134 Food News 136 Kevin Woodford’s Dubai 138 Chef’s Profile: Luis Olarra of Kabuki Raw 140 Wine: Toro Albalá
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restaurant THE GOURMET
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
I
f nothing quite satisfies your taste for excellence like a good bottle of wine, then stepping into new ‘it’ restaurant, D-Wine, will probably be a bit like having entered the golden gates of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory when you were a child. The first thing that meets the eye, is wine – over 4,500 bottles of it, beautifully presented on contemporary wooden shelves and definitely calling for close contemplation. The oldest bottle, an Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja, dates back to 1928 though there are many more impressive bottles such as a 2009 L’Ermita, as well as a myriad of affordable wines and exquisite bottles of cognac (the Henessy Richard, is one of rarest in the World). The collection was selected in association with world-renowned critics, José Peñin and Robert Parker, and there is an exclusive ‘wine by the glass’ dispenser, which enables you to try over 30 excellent wines (in tasting, half-glass or full-size portions), specially selected by D-Wine’s highly skilled sommeliers. D-wine isn’t just about wine, however; the restaurant, open from 10am ‘til late at night, can be enjoyed in many ways: with a selection of tapas to complement your favourite wine, for a hearty lunch (there are special menus and ‘dishes of the day’) or a swish dinner. The décor is definitely spectacular, boasting a blend of warm tradition (provided by the wines themselves and their wooden casing) and contemporary art work, solid wood tables and a high tech roof system which makes dining beneath the stars a possibility on pleasant evenings, at the touch of a button.
D-WINE The service is top-notch too; D-Wine is the kind of place where the staff is abundant and attentive without being overbearing. During a recent lunch with my colleagues, I was tickled pink when the waitors brought out special tables on which to rest our handbags as soon as we had been seated. Throughout the meal, they topped up our wine glasses, responded quickly to any request and answered all our questions about wine and cuisine, with warmth and charm. ’s first visit to D-Wine was all about the food, of course, and we were delighted to find that the new Head Chef is none other than renowned Latvian maestro, Edmund Cicans. We first encountered Edmund over 10 years ago and have keenly followed his career ever since, watching him take a handful of restaurants from ‘okay’ to
g C.C. Azalea, CN340, km 173, Edif. A, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 446. www.d-wine.es 184 ReR dwines.indd 131
‘sensational’ with his enviable blend of skill, experience and talent. Edmund is a guarantee of success to any venue, and a restaurant the calibre of D-Wine definitely deserves this level of excellence. It was delightful to see how Edmund has refined his talent over the years; the only way is up with this Chef, as we discovered with each tasty mouthful. Our visit was a company lunch, so the Chef created a special menu for us. We started out with a creamy lobster bisque, full of flavour, it whet our appetites for the array of starters which was to come. These included a to-die-for tuna tartare (made with delightfully fresh, tender wild tuna, given life with touches like a super delicate wasabi caviar, served subtly yet noticeably enough to make this already good dish, one-of-
a-kind.) We also tucked into a lovely salad with sun-dried, tomatoes, pine nuts, avocado and freshly shaved parmesan. The last starter was a crisp duck roll filled with sweet glazed pork spare ribs, absolutely tender and once again with a touch of Oriental. We were a big group and we ordered a variety of mains; my dover sole Meunière, served with an aromatic herb mash, was golden, crisp and wonderfully satisfying. Others ‘oohed and aahed’ over the monkfish medallions, served with a crisp pata negra crust on top and an elegant garlic beurre blanc sauce. A third group tucked into the magret of duck with a potato and black truffle millefeuille (served with red currant sauce) and finally, meat lovers enjoyed a juicy prime beef steak with a duck liver medallion, served in port wine sauce. Dessert was simply awesome, with all of us sharing four spectacular dishes: a temptingly warm gooey chocolate fondant, a smooth cheesecake, an ultra light, crisp and nutty apple strudel and finally, a cool and fresh mango panna cotta. In addition to the spectacular ambience and food, D-Wine has many more reasons that merit regular visits: parking, for instance, is ample and free; prices are reasonable and all the produce is sourced from the very best providers (the meat mainly from the North of Spain and the vegetables, from Cristobal Ordonez, a farmer from Coín who grows 100 per cent organic produce). D-Wine is ultimately about celebrating the best of the good, healthy life, but also about sitting back to enjoy the earth’s most flavourful bounties. ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 131
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THE ART OF FINE THAI CUISINE RESERVATIONS: 952 818 392 Open Every Evening for Dinner Ctra. de Cรกdiz Km. 175 PUERTO BANร S (Behind The Shell Petrol Station) Marbella www.thaigallerymarbella.com
TAI PAN chinese cuisine polynesian bar
Serving Marbella in a Select Atmosphere for Decades. Tel: 952 777 893 / 952 775 500 Puente Romano, Fase 2, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00 www.taipanmarbella.com
SUKHOTHAI Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine
Tel: 952 770 550 Open Mon-Sat. C.C. Marbellamar, L-3A. Marbella. www.sukhothaimarbella.com
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restaurant THE GOURMET
After creating a famed Italian dining venue in Madrid, chef Andrea Tumbarello has brought his personal brand of gastronomic artistry to Marbella. Che piacere!
M
arbella has gained another dining venue of distinction in Ristorante Don Giovanni. Forget about your ‘typical’ pizzas and pastas, here Italian cuisine is taken to new heights of passion, inspiration and artistry. Yes, there are pizzas and pastas on the menu, but like everything else that leaves the kitchen of chef Andrea Tumbarello, they show a refined side of Italian food that offers new levels of culinary pleasure. Situated in central Marbella, close to the Paseo Marítimo and the Parque Alameda, Don Giovanni builds on a glowing reputation achieved at the flagship restaurant in Madrid. In July and August the restaurant also presents high-level Italian dining at the exclusive Finca Cortesín resort but, right here, we’re fortunate to have access to this fine dining establishment throughout the year – including a stylish New Year’s Eve menu and dinner/dance. The passion and creative inspiration of Andrea Tumbarello are perhaps typical of a great chef and a true Italian, but in combination with maître d’ and sommelier Luis Ureña, it results in both wonderful food and a stylish ambience. In other words, Don Giovanni is all about a very special dining experience in which flavour, service and atmosphere are the key ingredients. In keeping with the legendary character for which his restaurants are named, Andrea Tumbarello is a colourful man who likes to engage with other chefs and create new sensory experiences from the combined skill and experience they possess. This interaction has enriched his natural talent and underlies a food-loving philosophy underpinned in the strap line ‘Andrea & i suoi amici’.
WHEN FOOD IS AN EXPERIENCE TO SAVOUR Seated in this stylish restaurant, we were offered Mortadella on wafer-thin homemade crackers accompanied by Prosecco and Fino sherry. At Don Giovanni you can order from the menu or opt for a tasting menu – in fact, with Luis’s help you can even create your own menú de degustación. We decided to put ourselves in the capable hands of Andrea and Luis, happy to enjoy a series of courses matched to perfection with Italian wines from the handpicked cellar of a restaurant that prides itself in offering its guests new and exciting vintages. The first was a Feudo Arancio, a freshin-the-mouth white wine from a small winery in southern Sicily. The label it carries is one of the most attractive I have ever seen, and in combination with
Don Giovanni A MADRID CLASSIC
WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
Burrata Pugliese – a soft, creamy Mozzarella with olive oil, oregano, pepper and a spicy tomato sauce – the wine itself does it proud. A true chef will be able to adapt to requests off the menu, such as dietary requirements, and at Don Giovanni this was done with flair. An intolerance to the dairy constituents of the Burrata by one of our party was turned into a triumphal Carpaccio of Porcini with Parmesan shavings, perfect, in its presentation and delicious flavour. Little touches such as opening the bottles of wine on a side table or scooping up crumbs with a silver sweeper add an element of classical elegance to the service. Our next experience was a dish that, accompanied by the earthiness of a glass of Manzanilla sherry, puts the humble artichoke in a whole new light. Crispy, salted and infused with the smoky aroma of cracco cheese, it is beautifully presented and comes with crisp Parma ham. Never a great fan of this Mediterranean vegetable, I was won over by what is a good example of how the chef builds his menu around the best seasonal produce. The next dish is something very special, and an experience I would recommend wholeheartedly. The Millesime Egg is haute cuisine comfort food at its very best; the maître d’ mixed a farmyard egg yolk and black truffle cream with boletus mushrooms and truffle caviar before adding shavings of white truffle, set to the accompaniment of another Sicilian white wine, this time from Etna, whose mineral soil is reflected in the rich aroma of the Benanti Edèlmio. The combination is quite simply mind-blowing, and a highpoint of the evening – especially when you dip your Focaccia sticks into the creamy yolk for what must be the most sophisticated ‘soldiers’ ever. This delight was followed by another sensory indulgence in the form of small ravioli stuffed with
g Avda. Antonio Belón 3, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 550. www.dongiovanni.es 184 ReR dongiovanni.indd 133
COMES TO MARBELLA
beef, Scamorza cheese and black truffle shavings, before we moved on to the final savoury dish. The latter came in the form of a small but perfectly executed classic, the Scaloppine al Limone. Soft and tender, with a tangy lemon undertone, it was well offset by a Piccini Memoro – an Italian red wine derived from four classic Italian grapes. Extremely satisfied, we arrived at a sample of three homemade desserts consisting of a classic creamy Panna Cotta, French toast with Panettone and figs, and a wonderfully smooth Tiramisu whose silky perfection personifies this restaurant and its inspired chef. For Italian food that touches the very stars, Ristorante Don Giovanni is an experience worth savouring.
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11/26/14 3:12 PM
THE GOURMET news
WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS
Authentic Wagyu Kobe Beef from Japan at Sushi des Artistes Sushi de Artistes, the famed Marbella sushi house with a sister restaurant in London, is pleased to announce that Owner, Jay Joden, has signed an exclusive agreement with the Tajimaya company (with branches in Tokyo and London) to exclusively distribute Wagyu Kobe beef in Spain. Every year, only 5,500 cows are raised in Kobe, Hyogo (some 500km from Tokyo) and only around 3,000 of these receive the Kobe Beef certification. Now, diners will be able to enjoy this exquisitely tender and flavourful meat at Sushi des Artistes. g www.sushidesartistes.com
Lose Weight While Tucking into Two-Michelin-Starred Cuisine at Healthouse Las Dunas Beach ***** GL Health & Spa Most people associate dieting with suffering but what would you say if we told you that you could lose weight while enjoying meals prepared by two-Michelin-starred Chef, Andoni Luis Aduriz, of Mugaritz fame? It’s all happening at Healthouse Las Dunas Beach ***** GL Health & Spa, the luxurious health resort located in Estepona. Aduriz, says that “making dieting a pleasure” was “a challenge” which involved calculating quantities and calories and working closely alongside dieticians to create dishes such as grilled vegetables with sea urchin buds, lobster and caviar salad, flour-free cannelloni with béchamel sauce, and more.
g www.healthouse-naturhouse.com
Lima: World Flavours in the Heart of the Old Town Dynamic duo, José María Chazaretta and Katrin Mikschy, already own one of Marbella’s most exciting restaurants: Momo, in the romantic Old Town, serving international fine cuisine with touches of Peruvian and Oriental magic. The couple are pleased to announce that they recently opened Lima, on the same quaint cobblestoned street. Lima, like Momo, is inspired on the Peruvian and Asian culinary traditions, though each dish is given a uniquely creative touch by José María, who is the Chef of both restaurants. “At Lima, diners can look forward to enjoying an excellent meal bearing world flavours, cocktails and drinks and lively cabaret shows,” says Katrin, who meets and greets clients. Some of the performers who have delighted diners so far include Dragtastic, a fun comedy show, and Irish chanteusse, Mandy. “Lima is the kind of place people can come to and stay all night, enjoying a drink and entertainment after their meal.” The cuisine will differ little from Momo, though Lima does boast an exclusive list of dishes, including a flavourful Thai beef salad, curries and paté foie gras. g Lima is open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner,
from 6pm. Plaza Practicante Manuel Cantos (C/Tetuan), Marbella.Tel: 952 866 630.
Café Viena – Restaurant Chagall Opens in Marbella The Oasis Business Centre is now home to a brand new restaurant serving traditional Hungarian, Austrian and Russian dishes, livened up with modern touches. Café Viena – Restaurant Chagall delights guests with a variety of pastries from Austria and Hungary, and caters for all occasions. Open daily from 10am to 12am. g www.cafeviena.com
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Beachside chic...
Marbella’s Classic Night Out
Panoramic views, intimate fine dining
184 Finca besaya.indd 123
Urb. Coral Beach S/N Km 176, Marbella Tel: 952 777 299 - www.besayabeach.com
Urbanizacion Rio Verde Alto, 29600, Marbella tel: +34 952 861 382 - www.ďŹ ncabesaya.es
Urb. Guadalmansa, Ctra. de Cadiz KM 164, Estepona. Tel: +34 952 798 449 - www.tikitano.com
11/26/14 5:58 PM
THE GOURMET g Kevin is an Internationally renowned chef, former Head of Department for one the UK’s most prestigious Colleges of Higher Education and more latterly one of the BBC’s most versatile television presenters, having presented Holiday, Ready Steady Cook, Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook, Big Kevin, Little Kevin, Planet Cook, The Heaven & Earth Show and a host of other network shows. He was the recipient of a National Television Award and the subject of This is Your Life and acts as a consultant to several International Hospitality Companies.
© Gary Edwards
Kevin Woodford’s
Essential Dubai
Probably best described as Disneyland for adults, Dubai has absolutely everything that you could possibly want from a tourist destination. Offering sun, sea, sand, fabulous hotels, amazing restaurants and fascinating culture. On top of which it also has an indoor ski resort that is so realistic, you could easily be fooled into thinking that you really are high up in the Alps!
L
ocated on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. It has recently emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis that has grown steadily to become a global city and the business and cultural hub of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. Having enjoyed several of the most celebrated hotels in Dubai, I have to say that this city is without question blessed with probably the very best hotels in the world. As you would guess, luxurious hotels offering the very highest standards of quality come with a very high price tag, but for me a return visit to Dubai includes a stay at Dar Al Masyaf in one of their wonderful Arabian summer houses. While not cheap, its certainly less expensive than many of the other
major hotels and with a labyrinth of waterways at the bottom of your garden and a 24 hour watertaxi on demand, you have access to not only the Souk Madinat, selling everything from Arabian carpets to pretty trinkets, but also a vast selection of restaurants all positioned around the fabulous Madinat Jumeirah. With so many restaurants to choose from, offering cuisines from around the world, I make sure that I build in at least one visit to Rhodes Mezzanine situated in the Grosvenor House Hotel. This is classed as their flagship restaurant and operated by the highly talented and respected Gary Rhodes from London. His food is a blend of Anglo/French styles and you can be guaranteed a very special dining experience with Gary. Like many destinations, the city
itself is a myriad of skyscrapers and architectural wonders, which in itself is a treat for the eye. However, in order to get an authentic taste of this part of the world, be sure to include an overnight stay in the desert at a palm oasis and my choice would be the Al Maha Resort. Set deep within Dubai’s dune and desert landscape, in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the resort gives you a true taste of the heritage and architecture of the Bedouins and offers a relatively authentic opportunity to sample a desert adventure. The lavishly decorated Bedouin suites are beautifully furnished with authentic Arabian furnishings, antiques and artefacts. A wonderful aspect of a stay here, is to be able to view the indigenous Arabian wildlife from the temperature-controlled infinity pool or
sun deck seating area around all the villas. Given that you are in the desert then a camel ride over the dunes is essential and the resort benefits from its own herd of tourist-friendly camels. To see the sunset or indeed sunrise while astride one of these quirky animals is quite something, if rather uncomfortable at times! Finally, when the temperature rises to a level that you find unbearable, then the answer is simple – head to the mall where you will find SkiDubai. This enormous indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of real snow, chair lifts that take you to the top of a ski run, snowboarding and alpine cafés offers a great day’s experience for young and old alike, making Dubai one of the most familyfriendly luxurious destinations in the world. e
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DA BRUNO SUL MARE
Ctra. de Mijas km. 3,6 C.C. Centro Idea. Junto a SEAT 29651 Mijas Costa
Tel.: (+34) 952 90 33 18
Tel.: (+34) 952 46 07 24
DA BRUNO SAN PEDRO
DaBrunoGroup
DA BRUNO MIJAS COSTA
Avda. de Arias Maldonado, s/n Edificio Skol, Paseo Marítimo 29602 Marbella
DA BRUNO CABOPINO
Avda. Del Mar, Urb. San Pedro del Mar 1E 29670 San Pedro de Alcántara
A7 KM 194.7 (Salida Cabopino) 29604 Marbella
Tel.: (+34) 952 78 68 60
Tel.: (+34) 952 83 19 18
dabrunoristorante
www.tripadvisor.es
www.dabruno.com
THE GOURMET profile
WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS Photography KEVIN HORN
I
t is 2pm and the Head Chef of Kabuki Raw, Luis Olarra, breezes into the Finca Cortesín coffee shop, where he generously offers up his valuable time to talk to me about the love of his life: his profession. Luis is only 28, yet his determination is steely and his demeanor, that of someone far beyond his years. When he was offered the chance to take the reins of one of Spain’s most renowned Japanese dining establishments last year, he accepted, unfazed; he had, after all, been a disciple of famous Michelin-starred Chef Ricardo Sanz, the culinary pillar of the Kabuki Group, which boasts four restaurants in total (two in Madrid, one in Tenerife and one in Casares). Sanz made his first forays into the world of authentic Japanese cuisine at the hands of Masao Kikuchi, who taught him the masterful art of raw food preparation at the mythical Tokyo Taro. After four years honing his craft, Sanz came across José Antonio Aparicio and the chemistry abounded; Kabuki was born. The restaurant group is famed for its penchant for combining strict Japanese tradition with Mediterranean produce of the highest calibre. At Kabuki Raw, the youngest restaurant belonging to the prestigious group, Bilbao-born Luis Olarra stays true to the Kabuki philosophy. He tells me he has always been mad about cooking. “Since I was very young, I was always in the kitchen with my dad, and I loved trying out new, different ingredients and techniques.” By the age of 18, he was already enrolled at cooking school and soon, his drive and talent would land him impressive internships alongside greats like Fernando Canales and Martín Berasategui. A
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Luis Olarra of Kabuki Raw Raw Food Chef with a Flaming Passion for Food chance meeting with Ricardo Sanz would lead to an irresistible job offer in Madrid, where the young Chef joyfully immersed himself in the beauty of Japanese cuisine alongside his maestro at the Kabuki Wellington. Luis smiles as he recalls the delightful marriage of cultures in dishes like the usuzukuri (finely slice white fish), cooked in the most Andalusian of ways: adobo-style, covered in a delicately crisp tempura batter and deepfried. Another stunning dish features tuna belly, in tomato pulp and olive oil, served over a fine, crisp slice of bread, a homage to the classic Catalán breakfast dish: pan tumaca… Luis is particularly passionate about fish. “There are so many ways to prepare and use this product,” he says, adding that his favorite fish for raw dishes such as sushi or sashimi, would have to be pez limón and mero. Luis’ eyes light up as he speaks of a cherished dish: the turbot marinated in miso, grilled to golden perfection and served with grated yuzu on top. If fish isn’t your thing, fear not; you will also find amazing meat dishes at Kabuki Raw, including teriyaki ribs. In the upcoming Winter season, Luis is planning on adding a revered dish to the menu: ramen: “I’m thinking of a ramen with mirin soy, tiny vegetables, a poached quail egg and wanton ravioli,” he says. Lemongrass, lime leaves and Oriental spices are just a few of the ingredients he mentions, though they are the heart and soul of some of Asia’s most mouthwatering dishes.
At Kabuki Raw, Japanese classics like sashimi, usuzukuri, ngiri, etc., lend themselves beautifully to Kabuki Raw’s famous wine pairings, which include European wines as well as sake. Kabuki Raw is also big on desserts; all items on the menu were concocted by prestigious dessert Chef, Oriol Balaguer. Luis cites the yuzu crème with white chocolate, raspberries and sugared pistachios, as “hands down my personal favourite dessert on the menu.” Don’t think Kabuki Raw is just about raw cuisine, either; diners can also tuck into a hearty wagyu beef rib with teriyaki sauce, a crisp tempura of prawns, vegetables or red prawns, fried rice, torino yakimono with lime and ginger juice and much more… Luis may be young, but he leads the typically busy life of a seasoned Chef; his day starts early and involves sourcing products, dealing with administrative matters and preparing the spacious open kitchen for the arrival of diners, but he does manage to enjoy a little free time: “For me, leisure means eating out and travelling. That is the only way to keep updated on the very latest trends in cuisine.” In fact, in a couple of days he will be boarding a jet to New York, home to some of the most dazzling restaurants in the world. They say if you can make it there you can make it anywhere, but Luis clearly has already ‘made it’ in one of the most competitive and meticulous industries in his world: that of fine Japanese dining.
g Finca Cortesin, Ctra. de Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 937 800. www.fincacortesin.com 11/26/14 12:51 PM
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THE GOURMET wine PX, an acronym for Pedro Ximénez, is one of the world’s great unheralded grape varieties which is grown in the Montilla-Moriles DO, in the southern part of Córdoba province.
L
ToroMasters Albalá of PX
egend has it that the variety was brought from northern Europe by a soldier named Peter Siemens, from Flanders (speculation still abounds as to whether it might have been Riesling from the upper Rhine); and that Pedro Ximen was about as close as the locals could get to rendering his name. The suffix ez was attached, following the old Spanish tradition of using a father’s surname to create his son’s name by adding this; and in the meantime the variety has adapted very well to the local distinctly chalky soils and semi Mediterranean climate with its very hot, dry summers, short winters and sparse rainfall. Those few who are familiar with PX associate it with sherry, but no PX is grown in Jerez and the many sherry houses who commercialise this do so on the basis of buying it in bulk from Montilla to then blend and age it in their own way; for it is of course the Palomino variety that is the mainstay of Jerez. Toro Albalá meanwhile (for the area has over 10,000 hectares of vineyards and its 100 or so producers major on the production of unfortified fino style aperitif wines) is a wholly unique establishment with around 40 hectares of vineyards located in Aguilar de la Frontera, 50 kilometres south of Córdoba, about a 90 minutes drive north of Málaga. Founded in 1844, and originally positioned in a giant windmill, it moved in 1922 to a former electricity generating station. Hence not only the name Eléctrico for its oldest PX styles but the reason that locals tend to ask for an electroshock when ordering TA´s wines, going on to discuss their voltage when referring to alcohol content
WORDS CARLOS READ PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BODEGAS TORO ALBALÁ
– demonstrating just how attuned everyone is: for this is a veritable local Institution – with its spectacularly oddball museum, regular openhouse day in mid-July that runs into the seriously small hours, and even an all-day picnic on a duly appointed day in May for all the Guardia Civil of the province and of course their families. The man behind all this is marvellously selfeffacing Antonio Sánchez – arguably the Heston Blumenthal of PX, crossed perhaps with Dr. Strangelove – who not only has the wine library of your dreams (including original Pascals), but assortments of mineral specimens, primeval stones, Coke bottles, guns, cameras, old bits of random machinery, a manacled skeleton dug up in one of his vineyards, and a London taxi-cab – but also designs wonderful gizmos such as low pressure helicoidal wine filters that run into cubic oak casks with replaceable staves. Inevitably, some of these inventions have never worked, but the irrepressible Antonio slaves away from day to day at his curious investigations and ultimately produces the best PX in the world, with more than half a century of experience on his side. He also carefully monitors the evolution of each particular cask in his cellars, some of them dating back to the 19th century, and only recently released a PX from the 1910 vintage, for here the older styles are hardly ever released in sequence but when Antonio thinks they are beginning to taste nice!
But what of the wines?
In essence, two styles of PX are produced, both on the basis of grapes sun-dried outside in the fields, on esparto mats, for a couple of weeks. The young, fresh Don PX Dulce de Pasas or Dulce Natural is straw-flecked orange in colour and tastes primarily of liquid raisins and apricots. Currently 2008 and 2010, this should be served chilled – either with paté as a starter or at the end of a meal with very strong cheeses (for example provolone or cabrales) or perhaps a chilled rice pudding with lots of cinnamon. Don PX Gran Reserva, on the other hand – currently 1985 and 1983 – is barrel-aged for usually an absolute minimum of 25 years (in Jerez the solera system is designed for homogeneity so here each vintage has its own character) resulting in opulent black, bitter sweet wines of astonishing complexity and intensity that combine aromas and flavours of toast, tobacco, chocolate and coffee, black olives, cinnamon, dates, raisins and molasses. Serve at room temperature and partner with vanilla ice cream, mince pies or simply enjoy on its own. In both cases, the wines are so stable that, on re-inserting the cork, were one to forget and revisit the same bottle say a year later, they will be exactly as on opening. An extensive back catalogue of old vintages is available such as 1969, 1962, 1949, 1946, 1911 and 1910. g For foodie suggestions, further details, or indeed
to arrange a visit – www.toroalbala.com
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Tempora Restaurant
Bistronomic Creativity in Old town Marbella With autumn behind us and with winter firmly entrenched here in Marbella, now is a good time to take the chance to discover another side of the city that you may not have explored before. Tempora Restaurant is considered by many of its customers to be “a hidden jewel”. This enchanting establishment is located in a small house dating back to the middle of the last century in the old quarter of Marbella; but don’t be fooled by the traditional appearance of its walls, for inside people are working on contemporary gastronomic concepts. The owner, Andrés Perdiguero and his team, with Aldo Espinosa leading the kitchen and Juan Pedro Valera as his assistant, have decided to do something innovative by breaking away from the traditional menu through the application of new culinary techniques, unusual ingredients, mixing flavours and using their imaginations freely, resulting in creative Spanish cooking with touches of Nikkei cuisine. The philosophy behind this approach is the constant search for new products and flavours, which is what provides the real gastronomic value, including excellent seasonal ingredients and a meticulous eye for detail. A true gastronomic experience, offering stunning presentation at affordable prices. The restaurant has a small menu, but one that is varied and delicious and each dish is freshly prepared to order. Andrés is responsible for selecting the wine, which is based around four areas: Spain, Burgundy, Riesling and sweet wines from Málaga, regions that perfectly define the spirit of this intimate restaurant, which is always searching for the finest quality. The staff are welcoming and helpful and provide a truly personal service without being overbearing. In other words, Tempora is not to be missed. The bistro side of the restaurant offers a little bit of everything, and is an informal experience offering cutting-edge dishes that always leave you wanting more.
Celebrate your New Year’s Eve Dinner with us New Year’s Eve Dinner available Calle Tetuan, 9, Marbella Old Town (behind Gomez & Molina) For reservations: (+34) 952 857 933 / 618 514 469 Open days Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 23:30
www.temporarestaurant.com
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theguide RESTAURANTS / CINEMAS / GOLF
Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine
RESTAURANTS
GYMS / TENNIS / SCHOOLS
under €25
€25 – €40
€40 – €60
€60 plus
Tango
Naranjos, Puerto Sotogrande. Tel: 956 790 212
Open daily for dinner except Sundays. Puerto Banús (opp. the car park). Tel: 952 812 358
FRENCH Open Monday to Saturday from 1pm to 11pm. C/ Calderón Estébanez 19, Marbella. Tel: 952 774 578
AMERICAN
Open 10am until midnight every day. Plaza Antonio Banderas 17/29, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 136 333
HARD ROCK CAFÉ
Yanx
Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces, esq. Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 024
Open from 9am Monday to Saturday and Sunday from 11am for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Centro Plaza, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 861
BELGIAN Alexandre
Valderrama Restaurant
ARGENTINEAN
Open every night for dinner. Urb. Monte Biarritz, Avda. Picos de Europa, Pueblo Jardín, Local 4, Estepona. Tel: 952 866 564
Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner only and on Sunday for Buffet Lunch. Apartado 1, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 132.2 Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 791 200
Jacks Open seven days a week from noon till late. Puerto Banús, Tel: 952 813 625, Puerto Marina, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 563 673
Mr. gourmet burger Open from 6pm ‘til late every evening. Avda. Luis Braile 20, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 785 257
ROUTE 66
Buenos Aires South
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/ Virgen del Pilar, 6, Marbella. Tel: 952 779 297
el banco Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to midnight. Urb. Aloha Pueblo, Local 35, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 907 570
El Coto Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Ronda (El Madroñal), San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 786 688
mytilus Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los
Casa mono
GREEK Red Pepper
Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 148
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GRILLS
Asador Criollo Grill Open nightly for dinner. CN340-A7, km. 166, Cancelada, El Saladillo. Tel: 952 784 463
Asador guadalmina Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Urb. Guadalmina Alta, C.C. Guadalmina, Local 3, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 883 003
cabaña nagüeles Open Monday to Thursday from 11am to 2am and on Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 3am. Urb. La Carolina, Marbella. Tel: 951 134 083
El Carnicero Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Pueblo Viejo Cancelada. Between San Pedro & Estepona. Tel: 952 886 307
El Carnicero 2 Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 599
El Gaucho Open daily for dinner from 7.30pm. Galerías Paniagua. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 528
El gaucho de banús Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola 9-11, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 167
el rancho del puerto Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Benabola 4, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 252
Grill del puerto Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Ribera 47H, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 686
MARBELLA CLUB GRILL Open every night for dinner. Marbella Club
Hotel. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211
Old Town Grill Open Monday to Saturday for dinner and Sunday for lunch. C/ San Lázaro, 3, Pza. Victoria, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 306
Piratas flame grill
Tel: 952 931 829
Tel: 952 836 886
Massala
alumbre
Open daily for dinner. 57, Duquesa de Arcos (Sabinillas seafront). Tel: 952 897 358
Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Strachan 11, Málaga. Tel: 951 500 022
Mr. india
Amanhavis
Open daily from 6pm. Milla de Oro (next to Da Bruno a Casa), Marbella. Tel: 952 867 868
Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday from 8.00pm. Calle del Pilar 3, Benahavís. Tel: 952 856 026
Open every day for lunch and dinner except Sunday. Puerto Deportivo de Marbella, Locales 37-40, Marbella. Tel: 952 865 940
Mumtaz
Restaurante Rancho
safFron
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Ctra. Cádiz, exit Las Chapas. Tel: 952 831 922
Open from 7 pm ‘til late night every day. Parque de Elviria, local 7-9, Las Chapas (take second exit, after Hotel Don Carlos), Marbella. Tel: 952 830 146
The Grill House restaurant Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday. C.C. Cristamar, Local 32, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 319 842
INDIAN Chowka
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 380
Jaipur palace Open every night except Tuesday for dinner. CN340, km 194, next to Camping Cabopino, Marbella. Tel: 951 310 004
Jaipur Purple Open daily for dinner. CN 340, km. 166, Estepona. Tel: 952 888 353
Little India Open daily for dinner from 7pm. Conj. Buenavista, L 21-22, Avda. de España, Calahonda.
Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Casa No.7, P. Banús. Tel: 952 812 090
amigos Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. C/ Málaga 3, Benahavis. Tel: 952 855 175
aroma Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Moncayo 23, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 665 502
INTERNATIONAL
baboo lounge and restaurant
Open Monday to Thursday from 7pm ‘til late, on Friday and Saturday from 1pm to 4pm and from 7pm ‘til late and on Sunday from 10am ‘til late. Dársena de Levante, Local 39, Estepona Port. Tel: 951 703 060
Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 146.5, Casares. Tel: 951 704 884
Al Rolo
Bar d’o restaurant & Lounge
Open from 1pm to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm daily. At Reserva del Higuerón. Avda. del Higuerón 48, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 661 174
Open daily from 11am to 2am (3am on weekends). Avda. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, Edif. Milla de Oro, Local 567, Marbella. Tel: 952 821 229
Albert & simon
beach house
Open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday and for dinner only on Saturday. Closed Sundays. Urb. Nueva Alcántara, Edif. Mirador, Bloque 4-B, Marbella. Tel: 952 783 714
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Coto de los Doles, Carril del Relojero, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 839 458
alberts
Open Monday to Sunday for dinner. C/ Camilo José Cela 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 898
11&11 Restobar
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Puerto Cabopino.
Open every day for lunch and dinner, closing Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 8pm. Ctra. Arroyo de la Miel, s/n, Benalmádena. Tel: 902 102 675
Bahia beach
beckitts
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Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine Besaya Beach Open Monday to Thursday for lunch, Friday and Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for lunch. Urb. Coral Beach s/n, km 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 777 299
(Hotel Gran Meliá Don Pepe), Marbella. Tel: 952 868 790
Casanis
under €25
€25 – €40
Marbella. Tel: 952 811 716
D-wine
€40 – €60
€60 plus
el oceano beach hotel restaurant & Spa
Open every day from 6pm except Sundays. C/ Ancha, 8, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 450
Open Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. C.C. Azalea, Edif. A, CN340, km 173, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 951 339 309
Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 199, Miraflores Playa, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 587 550
BIBO
celima
El Bolero
Open every day for lunch and dinner except Sunday afternoon and all of Monday. At the Hotel Puente Romano. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 951 607 011
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Hotel Hermitage, Ctra. de Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 895 639.
Open every night for dinner from 8-11pm. The San Roque Club, CN 340, km. 127, Cádiz. Tel: 956 613 030
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for lunch. At Marbella Golf & Country Club. CN 340, km. 188, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 500
El Campanario
El Restaurante del Casino
cerrado del águila
Black and white Marbella
Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Urb. Cerrado del Águila, Camino del Acevedo, s/n, Mijas Costa. Tel: 951 773 521
Open every day for lunch. Open for dinner on Friday and Saturday. CN 340, km. 168, Estepona. Tel: 952 880 126
Open every day for dinner from 8pm-4am. Hotel Andalucía Plaza s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 814 000
EL CASTILLO
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sundays for lunch. Cortijo Los Canos, Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro, CN-340, km. 132, Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 695 114 / 619 694 484
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola, under the Torre de Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 607
bono’s beach Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Cervantes s/n, Urb. Costabella, Playa El Arenal, Marbella. Tel: 952 839 236
Brunings Kitchen continuously open Monday to Friday from 1pm to 11pm. Saturday – dinner only. Closed Sunday. Las Palmeras 19, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 786 156
CAFÉ DE RONDA Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Avda. Ramón Gómez de la Serna 23, Marbella. Tel: 952 862 149
Cafetería ke
c’est la vie Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Paseo Las Palmeras, 15, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 783 394
cortijo fain
Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. C/ El Pilar s/n, Benahavís. Tel: 681 294 442
El Corzo Open daily for dinner. Hotel Los Monteros, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 187. Tel: 952 771 700
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Algar, km. 3, Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz. Tel: 956 704 131
EL GRAN GASTBY
dani García restaurante
EL JINETE
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Puente Romano. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 764 252
Open daily for dinner except for Friday. Ctra. La Cala Golf, km 45, La Cala de Mijas. Tel: 952 119 170
del mar
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Puerto Deportivo de Sotogrande, s/n. Tel: 956 790 333
Open daily for lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Puente Romano. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
cappuccino grande cafe
Don Leone
Open daily for lunch and dinner. José Meliá s/n
Open every night for dinner. Puerto Banús,
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 778 797
El lago Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Urb. Elviria Hills. Avda. Las Cumbres s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 371
EL MIRADOR Open for breakfast every day. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Resort. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500
EL OLIVO
Fabiola
Finca Besaya Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Rio Verde Alto, s/n. Tel: 952 861 382
Finca cortesín Beach Club Open daily for lunch and dinner. Bahía de Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 897 296
Finca El Forjador Open daily for lunch from 1-4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Ctra. de Casares, km. 10. Tel: 952 895 120
funky tapas Open daily from 12 midday to 12 midnight. Avda. Miguel de Cervantes 34, Marbella. Tel: 952 811 590
Galeria San Pedro Open from 11am until midnight. Closed Sundays. Avda Las Palmeras 15, San Pedro Alcántara.
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Tel: 952 780 927
LA biznaga
La Veranda
Mc café
fonda restaurante el postillón
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for lunch only. Ctra. Ronda, km. 46, Urb. Las Medranas, local 4, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 275 750
Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. Hotel Villa Padierna, Urb: Flamingos s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 889 150
Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Marbella Club Hotel. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n. Tel: 952 822 211
La Verandah
Messina
la brisa Open for dinner Thursday to Monday from 7pm. Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500
Open week days for dinner at 7:30pm and weekends for lunch and dinner, closed Tuesdays. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 136. Playa Guadiaro, Torreguadiaro, Cádiz. Tel: 956 615 998
Open for dinner Monday to Saturday. Avda. Severo Ochoa, 12, Marbella. Tel: 952 864 895
La cabaña del mar
La veranda lobby bar
Open daily for dinner from 6.30p.m. Avda. del Prado, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 813 859
Open every day for lunch and for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona CN 340, km 159, Playa El Padrón, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500
Open every day for lunch and dinner. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500
hermosa
LA CANTINA DEL GOLF
Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner from 7pm. Closed Monday. Local 1A. Puerto de Cabopino. Tel: 952 837 483
Open for breakfast and lunch until 8pm. Closed Sunday. Flamingo Golf Club, Cancelada, Benahavís. Tel: 951 318 815
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm to 12am and for lunch on Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Plaza Practicante Manuel Cantos 2, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 630
Herrero del Puerto
LA GRANADA DIVINO
los arcos
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Casas de Campos, 1, Málaga. Tel: 952 122 075
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesday. C/ de las Piedras, Gaucín. Tel: 951 709 075
hotel marbella club buffet
La Loggia
Open every night for dinner. Hotel Meliá La Quinta, Urb. La Quinta Golf s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 762 000
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30pm to 11pm. Ctra. de Mijas, km. 1, A-387, Alhaurín El Grande. Tel: 951 254 520
GD Gourmet deli marbella Open 9:30am to 9pm from Monday to Friday and Saturday from 12am to 6pm. Closed Sundays. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe 7, Marbella. Tel: 952 774 049
girasol
Open every day for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211
il mare Open every evening for dinner. Playa del Rodeo, Marbella. Tel: 951 319 372
karma Open every day from 10am until late. C/ Las Violetas 7, Conjunto Andalucía Garden Club, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 815 736
LIMA
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. Hotel Villa Padierna & Flamingos Golf Club, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 166 (Cancelada exit), Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150
los bandidos
La Terraza
MOJO Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 8pm ‘til late. Monte Paraíso Golf, Marbella. Tel: 951 217 272
momo marbella Open Monday to Saturday from 6pm to midnight. C/ Tetuán 7, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 560
mosaik4
Open daily from 12pm to 3am. Avda. Manolete, esq. C/ Los Lirios, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 467
mozaic Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Urb. Las Chapas, Marbella. Tel: 952 839 901
Miraflores Golf Restaurant
Open every night for dinner. Muelle Ribera, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 915
Open daily for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 199. Urb. Riviera Golf. Tel: 952 931 941
Los naranjos restaurant
NELI Gs
Open everyday lunch and dinner. Golf Hotel Guadalmina, Marbella. Tel: 952 882 211
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Urb. Los Naranjos de Marbella. Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 816 105
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Benavista, Estepona. Tel: 952 928 576
La Terraza
Magna Café
Open daily for dinner. La Cala Resort, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas. Tel: 952 669 000
Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C/ Calderón de la Barca, s/n. Tel: 952 929 578
Open daily for lunch and dinner, except Tuesday. La Campana, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 041
NUEVA CAMPANA Nueva Kaskada
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Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Urb. La Montua, C/ Chorreadero 39, Marbella. Tel: 952 864 478
OCHO
lunch and dinner. CN340, km 187, Marbella. 952 820 900
shanti-som – amrita
under €25
€25 – €40
tanino Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 168, Benamara, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 259
Terra Sana
€40 – €60
€60 plus
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Playa de la Carolina, Marbella. Tel: 610 704 144
Trocadero Sotogrande
Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. C/ Moncayo 12, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 460 232 / 648 502 822
Open Monday to Thursday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm, Friday and Saturday from 1:30pm to 4.30 pm and 8pm to 10.30pm. Ctra. de Ojén, km 22, A355, Marbella-Monda. Tel: 952 864 455
oyarbide
shiraz
Open daily from 12pm to 12am. C.C. Guadalmina, Urb. Guadalmina Alta. Tel: 952 882 820
Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Puerto Deportivo, Local 15, Marbella. Tel: 952 778 334
Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nueva Andalucía next to the Casino. Tel: 952 906 205. Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 977. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 951 901 050. C.C. Mary Sol, Sotogrande. Tel: 956 796 931. C.C. La Cañada, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 663. C.C. Parque Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 663 937
Skina
The meeting room
Open daily for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday and Saturday for dinner only. Closed Sunday and Monday. C/ Aduar 12, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 277
Open 9am to 11pm every day except Sundays. Avda. Ricardo Soriano 1, Local 1 (Edif. Portillo), Marbella. Tel: 952 772 577
The orange tree
Open Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and for cocktail hour from 4:30pm to 8pm. Centro Plaza, Marbella. Tel: 951 319 151
PURO BEACH
SMALL WORLD CAFé
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Laguna Village, Playa El Padrón, CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 800 015
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ctra. Istán, km 1, C.C: Le Village 15, Marbella.Tel: 952 771 046
Open every evening from 6:30 pm-11 pm. Plaza General Chinchilla 1, Plaza de los Naranjos, Marbella. Tel: 952 924 613.
Open every day for dinner from 7.00pm till late. Plaza Altamirano 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 868
Restaurant lounge camurí
Suave
Open daily for lunch and dinner. At Laguna Village. CN340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 951 217 871
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo Maritimo Rey de España 93, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 866 627
passion café Open for lunch and dinner every day. C.C. La Colonia, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 781 583
puente romano beach club
Restaurante royal Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 441 414
Rojo Open every day for lunch and dinner except Sunday. C/ Granada, 44, Málaga. Tel: 952 227 486
Sea grill At the Puente Romano Beach Club. Open daily for
SUite Dinner and afterwards dance to music by resident DJ. Thursday to Saturday. Hotel Puente Romano, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
Swing Open from 12-4pm and 7.30pm until midnight. Closed Wednesdays. Arena Beach, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 151, Estepona. Tel: 952 796 320
THE PLAYWRIGHT Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Manzana, Locales 8-11, Pueblo Los Arcos, Elviria. Tel: 952 830 868
tikitano Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Guadalmansa, CN340, km 164, Estepona. Tel: 952 798 449
Trocadero arena Open every day for lunch and dinner. Torre Real Beach, Marbella. Tel: 952 865 579
trocadero beach
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Paseo del Parque s/n, Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 012
Venta garcía Open daily for lunch and dinner every day except Monday. Ctra. de Casares km 7, Casares. Tel: 952 894 191
villa padierna club de mar Open daily for lunch from 1pm to 6pm. CN 340, km 166, Marbella. Tel: 647 791 515
zest
zozoI
ITALIAN Al Dente
Open 7 days a week for dinner. Closed on Mondays. Urb. Jardines del Puerto, local 12, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 906 181
Amore e Fantasía Open every day for lunch and dinner from 7pm onwards. Muelle Benabola, Casa 5A, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 464
aragona Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Mar 3, Marbella. Tel: 951 134 322
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Aretusa
gold restaurant
Open daily for dinner. Front line P. Banús. Tel: 952 812 898
Open every day from 10am to 12 am. Complejo Benabola 13, Beach Side, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 055
Carpaccio Open every day for lunch and dinner. Frontline Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 357
casa tua Open every evening for dinner. C/ Ortiz de Molinillo 14, Marbella. Tel: 951 712 227
CONRADS IL Ristorante Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Prado s/n, Edif. Sport Café, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 628 593 409
Da Bruno Open all day. Da Bruno Cabopino: CN-340 Km. 194,7. Tel: 952 831 918. Da Bruno a Casa: Marbella Mar, Local 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 857 521 – closed on Sunday. Da Bruno A San Pedro: Avda. del Mar, local 1E, San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 860 – closed on Monday. Da Bruno Sul Mare: Edif. Skol, Paseo Marítimo, Marbella. Tel: 952 903 318/19. Da Bruno Mijas Costa: Ctra. de Mijas, km. 3.6, Mijas. Tel: 952 460 724
Da Paolo Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, casa G-H, local 43, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 453
Don giovanni Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. de Antonio Belón 3, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 550
Frascati Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos s/n, Sotogrande. Tel: 952 790 392
Il Tartufo Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 6:30pm. C/ Tetuán 9, Marbella. Tel: 951 087 323
la fiorentina Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. El Pilar, Local 11 (opposite the Crown Plaza Hotel), Estepona. Tel: 952 885 765
la pappardella di estepona Open every day for lunch and dinner from 1pm to midnight. Puerto Deportivo de Estepona. Tel: 952 802 144
LA pappardella sul mare Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 952 807 354
la trattoria de marbella
Open nightly for dinner. At the Gran Hotel Gvadalpín. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 133
Local 14, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 785 943
Villa Tiberio
Metro
Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 799
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Puerto Marina, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 446 460
Mediterranean
nunos
Beata’s Vino y Mar
Open daily for lunch and dinner. At the Caleta Hotel. Catalan Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76501
Open Monday to Sunday from 2pm to 11pm. Avda. del Prado 20, Marbella. Tel: 602 822 598
O mamma mia
tempora
Open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990
Open nightly for dinner. C/ Tetuán 9, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 857 933
Pizzeria Picasso Open daily from 12 noon. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 669
portofino laguna village Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 952 808 035
Oriental Asia Food
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Comercial, Pinares de Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 850 060
asiatico zen Open every day for lunch and dinner except Tuesday lunch. C/ Lirios s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 691
Open nightly for dinner from 6:30pm. C/ Las Malvas, Edif. Online, Local 4, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 591
Ristorante Regina
Leonardo da vinci
ristorante san martino
Open every night for dinner. Urb. Doña Lola, Local 21-22, Calahonda, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 934 667
Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pinares de Elviria s/n, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 702
Lombardo’s
Rosmarino della piazza
Open daily from 7pm. Galerías Paniagua, Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 795 924
Open every day from 12pm ‘til midnight for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pinogolf de Don Carlos 34, Elviria. Tel: 952 850 148
Open every day from 12.30-4pm and 7pm until midnight. Closed Monday lunchtime. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 141, Urb. Hacienda Guadalupe, Manilva. Tel: 952 890 956
trattoria l’impronta
golden wok
Open daily for lunch and dinner except on Tuesday. Avda. Salamanca, Edif. San Pedro del Mar,
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Marbellamar, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 840
MADE IN SARDINIA Open every night for dinner. C.C. Cristamar, Avda. Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 906 608
mesana
Open every night for dinner and Sunday for lunch. Edif. La Ruleta, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 529
BAMBOO Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Ctra. Istan km 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 906 674
Dragón de Oro
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THE GUIDE Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine
under €25
€25 – €40
€40 – €60
€60 plus
Hanuri
885 751
Ta-kumi
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Monday. C.C. Los Jarales 6, Calahonda. Tel: 951 406 082/ 952 932 011
RestaurantE asiático Bangkok
Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Gregorio Marañón 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 839
Open every evening for dinner from 6pm to 11.30pm. Avda. del Prado s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 811 285
Open daily for lunch and dinner. P. de las Orquideas, C/ Iris, 11B, Edif. Excelsior no. 1, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 813 603
Teppanyaki samurai
Skandies
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Manolete 20, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 549
Sakura
Thai Gallery
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7pm to 11pm. Closed Mondays. Avda. Antonio Belón, 26 (behind the lighthouse), Marbella. Tel: 952 776 323
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. Jardines del Puerto, L.5, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 536
Open seven days a week for dinner from 8pm. CN340, km.175, Edif. Rimesa, Bajos, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 392
Sapporo
Thai Style
Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Costa del Sol, upper level. CN-340, km. 166 (Estepona). Tel: 952 888 710
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Playas del Duque s/n. Edif. Gaviotas IV, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 675
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 8-11pm. The San Roque Club, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 127, San Roque, Cádiz. Tel: 956 613 030
Sukho Thai
tHapa thai
Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Centro Comercial Marbellamar. Tel: 952 770 550
Makitake
Sushi des artistes
Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Puerto Deportivo 13, Edif. Poniente, Estepona. Tel: 951 318 445
Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Ribera s/n (above disco Seven), Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 592
Open every day for lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 178.5, Marbella. Easy parking. Tel: 952 857 403
meca
Open for lunch from Monday to Friday and for dinner from Monday to Saturday. C/ Ramón Gómez de la Serna, 5, Marbella. Tel: 952 863 193
KABUKI raw Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. At Finca Cortesín Hotel. Ctra. Casares s/n, Casares. Tel: 952 937 800
Kaiden Sushi Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Com. Guadalmina Alta, Guadalmina 4, local 2, lower floor, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 896 508
Kama Kura
Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pino Golf, Don Carlos, Local 1, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 365 / 658 646 829
Namazake
Sushi Katsura
Tai Pan
Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. Hotel Puente Romano. Tel: 952 820 900
Open seven days a week for dinner. H. Puente Romano, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 177, Marbella. Tel: 952 777 893
Osaka
Tahini
Open every day 13:30-16:00 & 19:30-24:00. CN-340, km. 166 (Benavista). C.C. Costa del Sol. Tel: 952
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Hotel Meliá don Pepe. C/ José Meliá s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 902 936
top thai Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Plaza, 64, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 951 319 778
SEAFOOD
cervecería ostrería santiago Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Marzo, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 078
El Barlovento Open from 11am-4pm and 7.30-11pm every day except Mondays. Puerto Deportivo de Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 790 370
Restaurante La Marina Open every day from 1-4.30pm and 8pm until midnight. Paseo Marítimo s/n, La Atunara, La Linea de la Concepción, Campo de Gibraltar. Tel: 956 171 531
Tse yang Dimsum club
La Torre
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sundays. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Club de Mar, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 561
Wasabi
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de la Victoria, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 170
Open daily from 1.30 pm for lunch and dinner. C.C. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 577
SCANDINAVIAN Aloha restaurant
Marisquería La Pesquera Restaurante El bote Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 660 084
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Santiago Open daily for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo, 5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 078
Alcaidesa, La Linea de la Concepción. Tel: 956 582 700
La máquina
SPANISH Bahía
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sunday. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990
Open every evening for dinner. At Hotel Don Carlos. Avda. Zurita s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800
La Meridiana del alabardero
beach club restaurante grill
Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays. Camino de la Cruz, Marbella. Tel: 952 776 190
Open every day for lunch. Hotel Fuerte, Castillo de San Luis s/n and Hotel Fuerte Miramar Spa, Plaza José Luque Manzano s/n, Marbella. Tel: 902 343 410
Casa de la era Open every evening for dinner. Ctra. de Ojén, km 0.5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 625
Casa Fernando Open from Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Mediterráneo s/n, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 853 344
DGust Open Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Avda. Duque de Ahumada, Marbella. Tel: 952 863 780
El Portalón Open Monday to Saturday for lunch 1-4pm and dinner from 8pm-midnight. Ctra de Cádiz, km 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 827 880
Hacienda Open from 1-4.30pm and 7.30 -11pm. Closed on Sunday afternoons and Mondays. Urb. La
la moraga Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 448
La red Open daily from 9.30am to 6pm. Playa La Fontanilla, Marbella. Tel: 952 821 450
La Taberna del Alabardero
Benavente 33, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 511
La Cañada. Marbella. Tel: 902 333 231
Restaurante 1870
cines gran marbella
Open nightly for dinner. C/ La Concha, 11, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 783 836
Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 077
Tragabuches
C.C. Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 198 605
Open from Tuesday to Sunday for both lunch and dinner. C/ José Aparacio, 1, Ronda (pedestrian street between bullring and Parador). Tel: 952 190 291
MULTICINES ALFIL
Vila do grove
Mijas. Tel: 952 663 738
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/ Las Malvas, Edif. On Line, Local 2, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 813 415
PALACIO DE LA PAZ
VEGETARIAN
cinesur Avda. Camilo José Cela, s/n. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 800 056
MULTICINES MEDITERRÁNEO Recinto Ferial. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 589 349
TEATRO ALAMEDA Calle Córdoba 9, Málaga. Tel: 952 213 412
TEATRO CERVANTES
loving hut
Ramos Marín, 199, Málaga. Tel: 952 224 109
Open daily from 10.30am to 11.30pm. Avda. Miguel Cano 11, Marbella. Tel: 951 245 889
TEATRO CIUDAD DE MARBELLA Plaza Ramón Martínez, Marbella. Tel: 952 903 159
Open everyday for lunch and dinner except Monday. San Pedro Playa, Urb. Castiglone. Tel: 952 785 138. Also at Ctra. de Ronda, km. 167, San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 265
CINEMAS & THEATRES
AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL MIJAS
VERACRUZ CINES
Mesón el adobe
Plaza de la Libertad 2. Mijas. Tel: 952 590 380
Veracruz. Estepona. Tel: 952 800 056
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesdays. Avda. La Fontanilla, Edif. Balmoral, Bajo 3, Marbella. Tel. 600 003 144
AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL TORREMOLINOS
YELMO CINEPLEX
Plaza de España, Recinto Ferial. Tel: 952 379 521
Plaza Mayor. Tel: 902 220 922
mi taberna
AUDITORIO PARQUE DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 827 880
Marbella. Tel: 952 825 035
Paellas y Más
Garcia Morato, s/n. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 968
C.C. Alhamar, CN-340 km 197. Tel: 952 934 684
Open daily from 10:30am to 11pm. C/ Jacinto
CINESA LA CAÑADA
ATENAS
CENTRO CULTURAL EL INGENIO
TEATRO SALON VARIETES Emancipación 30. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 474 542
GYMS & SPORTS CLUBS ALHAMAR GYM
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THE GUIDE
Barquilla 1. Marbella. Tel: 952 776 240
AZTEC COUNTRY CLUB Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa. Tel: 952 934 477
CENTRO DEPORTIVO EL FUERTE Av. El Fuerte s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624
CENTRO DE YOGA Y SALUD INTEGRAL Ramón y Cajal 21. Marbella. Tel: 952 773 804
CENTRO PLAZA GYM Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 074
Cerrado del águila Mijas Costa, Málaga. Tel: 951 773 523
CLUB DEl SOL Tennis /paddle classes. Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 595
Dynamic training centre C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 021
FITNESS CENTRE NEW STYLE Amapolas, s/n Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 916
Fuerte Gym Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624
GIMNASIO ESTADIO Trav. Huerta de los Cristales, Marbella. Tel: 952 828 217
HAPPY DIVER’S CLUB Atalaya Park Hotel, Marbella. Tel: 609 571 920
HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO CN340, Km77,5. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
KRAV MAGA SELF-DEFENCE CENTRE At Hotel Pyr, Puerto Banús. Tel: 655 689 455
MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580
MARBELLA GUN & COUNTRY CLUB Monda. Tel: 952 112 161
MARBELLA SPORT Km 171.5. San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315
MULTI SPORT Avda. Picasso 27. San Pedro. Tel: 952 782 801
New Concept Training Monte Paraíso Country Club, Camino de Camoján s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 843
02 CENTRO WELLNESS Plaza del Mar. Marbella. Tel: 952 900 420
P-E SPORTS CLUB Urb. Parcelas del Golf, Aloha Gardens, N. Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 357
qi sport Urb. La Alzambra, Marbella. Tel: 952 907 090
SATURNIA REGNA Marbella Tel: 952 761 475, Elviria. Tel: 952 834 835
SEVEN STARS SCHOOL Tai Chi & yoga. Pasaje Estrecho, Estepona. Tel: 952 923 055
Sport Club Reserva del Higuerón Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 565 761
SPORTCLUB ROUTE 66 Ctra. Mijas, 1.5km. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 461 648
SPORTING CLUB ATALAYA PARK HOTEL CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 888 212
TICKET-TO-RIDE Cristamar, Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 905 082
Vitality studio C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 902 362
HOTELS Don Carlos resort, leisure & spa
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CN340, Km192. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800
finca cortesin hotel, golf & spa Crtra. Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 937 800
Gran hotel gvadalpín puerto banús Arroyo El Rodeo, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 700
Gran Meliá Don Pepe José Meliá s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 770 300
hotel los monteros CN340, km 187, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 700
Hotel Puente Romano CN340, Km179. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
Hotel Triton Avda. Antonio Machado, 29. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 443 240
Kempinski Hotel bahía estepona CN340, Km159. Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500
La Cala resort La Cala de Mijas Tel: 952 669 000
Marbella Club Hotel CN340, Km 180. Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211
hotel Villa Padierna CN340, Km 166, Exit Cancelada. Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150
vincci selección estrella del mar CN340, km 190.5, Marbella. Tel: 951 053 970
Alanda Club Marbella CN340 Km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 902 537
Almenara Golf Hotel & Spa Avda. Almenara s/n. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 582 000
Amanhavís Hotel & Restaurant C/ Pilar 3. Benahavís. Tel: 952 856 026
Atalaya Park Hotel CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 889 000
Benabola Apart Hotel Benabola. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 000
blue Bay banús hotel CN340, Km173. N. Andalucía. Tel: 952 811 517
Golf Hotel Guadalmina Guadalmina Baja. Marbella. Tel: 952 882 211
Gran Hotel Benahavis Huerta de Rufino, Benahavís. Tel: 902 504 862
H10 Andalucía Plaza CN340 Km 174. Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 812 000
HM gran hotel costa del sol La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 587 710
Hotel El Fuerte Avda. El Fuerte, s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 861 500. Spa & Beauty Miramar. Tel: 952 920 000
Hotel Fuerte Miramar Spa Pl. José Luque Manzano. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 400. Spa & Beauty Miramar. Tel: 952 768 410
Hotel ipV Beatriz Palace & Spa CN340, Km207. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 922 000
Hotel Meliá Marbella CN340, Km 175. Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 810 500
Hotel Playa Bonita CN340, Km 217. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 442 840
Hotel Princess Playa Paseo Marítimo. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 944
NH Marbella C/ Conde Rudi, s/n. CN340, Km 178. Marbella. Tel: 952 763 200
Parador de Ronda Plaza de España, s/n. Ronda. Tel: 952 877 500
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THE GUIDE
SENTIDOS Hotel
Ecos College
Nerja
CN340, Km185, Urb. Golf Rio Real s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 765 732
Ages 1–18. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 027
C/ Chaparil, 9am-1pm
English InteRnational College
Sunset Beach Club
Ages 3–18. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 058/9
Wednesday Alhaurín de la Torre
Avda. del Sol, 5. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 579 400
Hijas de María Auxiliadora
Avda. del Limón, 9am-2pm
Ages 3-12. Marbella. Tel: 952 771 396
benahavís
Tamisa Golf Hotel
III language schools
Arts & Crafts. Village Square, from 8pm
Camino Viejo de Coín. Km 3.3. Mijas Golf. Tel: 952 585 988
San Pedro. Tel: 952 778 492 Marbella. Tel: 952 822 191 Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 908 558 Estepona. Tel: 952 794 059
Benalmádena Costa
Inlingua Language School
Calypso, 9am-2pm
Hotel diana park
All ages. Marbella. T: 952 774 942
Estepona
CN 340, km 168.5, Estepona. Tel: 952 887 659
the InteRnational SCHOOL of ESTEPONA
Istán
Ages 2-12. Estepona. Tel: 952 884 789
At the entrance to the town, 9am-2pm
Laude San pedro international college
La Cala
C/ Jerez 1, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 853 040
Ages 2–18. San Pedro. Tel: 952 799 900
Mayfair Academy
Thursday Alhaurín El Grande
sisu boutique hotel puerto banús
Ages 4-18. Atalaya Park, Estepona. Tel: 952 784 923
By the Guardia Civil Offfices, City Centre, 9am-1pm
CN 340, km 173, Puerto Banús, Tel: 952 906 105
Monseñor Rodrigo Bocanegra
Málaga
Ages 3-16. Marbella. Tel: 952 770 077
Opposite the Guardia Civil Offices, City Centre. 9am-1pm
TRH el paraíso CN340, km 167, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 000
HOTEL PYR MARBELLA Avda. Rotary International, s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 353
NH SAN PEDRO
POST OFFICES
Performing Arts Academy
(Second hand items) Recinto Ferial, 10am-2pm
Calahonda Avda. Juan Carlos II, 9am-2:30 pm
Recinto Ferial, 9am-1pm
Ages 3-18. Marbella. Tel: 952 906 865
San Pedro
Calahonda
Peter Pan School
C.C. El Zoco. Tel: 952 932 175 Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990
Ages 0-3. Bilingual nursery. San Pedro. Tel: 952 782 051 Benalmádena. Tel: 952 562 103
By the sports pavilion, in the Divina Pastora district, 9am-2pm
Fuengirola
Saint George’s School
Tel: 952 467 843
Ages 2-8. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 606
El Calvario, near Town Hall, 9am-1pm
Estepona
Vélez Málaga
C/ Málaga 82–84. Tel: 952 800 537
Sotogrande International School
Fuengirola
Ages 2–18. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 902
Opposite the Guardia Civil Offices, City Centre, 9am-1pm
Pza. los Chinorros. Tel: 952 474 384
Marbella
St. Javier’s International School
Friday Benalmádena
Jac. Benavente, 14. Tel: 952 772 898
Ages 1-7. Marbella. Tel: 952 823 457
Nueva Andalucía
In the area between Tivoli World and the Plaza San Pedro, 9am-1pm
C/ Jazmines. Tel: 952 810 887
Stagecoach Theatre Arts School
San Pedro
Ages 4-16. Tel: 952 900 453
Calypso, 9am-2pm
Pizarro, 41. Tel: 952 780 393
Sunny View School
Las Chapas
Ages 2–18. Torremolinos. Tel: 952 383 164
La Víbora, 9am-2pm
Rincón de la Victoria
Aloha College
Swans international school el capricho
Ages 3-18. Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 133
Ages 3–10. Marbella. Tel: 952 773 248
Angela’s School
Saturday Coín
Ages 6-14. Marbella. Tel: 952 823 042
Swans international school Sierra blanca
british school of marbella
Ages 11–18. Marbella. Tel: 952 902 755
La Cala
Ages 18 months-8. Marbella. Tel: 952 779 264
TLC Tutorial College
Recinto Ferial, 9am-1pm
Calahonda International College
Ages 13-18. Calahonda. Tel: 952 933 249
Maro
wendy kindergarten
Close to the Nerja Caves, 9am-1pm
Ages 3-18. Tel: 952 930 080
Ages 4 months - 5 years. Marbella. Tel: 952 772 910
Mijas Costa
El corte inglés
sChools
Calpe School Ages 2 1/2–11. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 029
Childrens placE Bilingual nursery
Street Markets
Torre del Mar Avda. Europa, 9am-1pm
Torremolinos
Calahonda
Málaga. Plaza de la Iglesia, 9am-1pm
C/ Urbano Pineda, 9am-1pm
Las Lagunas, 9am-2pm
Nueva Andalucía Next to the bullring. Park near CN340 and walk upwards, 9am-1pm
Atalaya, Estepona. Tel: 952 928 444
Monday benahavís
Colegio Alborán
Arts & Crafts. Village Square, from 8pm
Sunday benahavís
Ages 3-18. Ricmar. Tel: 952 839 645
Marbella
Arts & Crafts. La Ermita Park, from 10pm
Colegio Alemán
Fairground (Avda. de Juan Alameda), 9am-2:30pm
Estepona
Tuesday Churriana
Fuengirola
9am-1pm
Málaga
Colegio San José Guadalmina
Fuengirola
Tel: 952 883 858 Estepona. Tel: 952 800 148
Recinto Ferial (close to the CN340, on the same side as the bullring), 9am-2:30pm
Next to Rosaleda football stadium, 9am-2pm
Ages 3-18. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 417
Colegio Las Chapas Ages 5–18, girls school. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 616
Dolphin Nursery Ages 6 months-5 years. San Pedro. Tel: 952 799 563
Monda
Puerto Deportivo, 9am-1pm Recinto Ferial, 9am-2:30pm
Sotogrande At the Marina, 9am-1pm
C/ Los Huertos, 8am-2:30pm
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TENNIS CLUBS Aztec Country Club
Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa. Tel: 952 934 477
bel air tennis and paddel club Urb. Bel-Air, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 221
Club deL Sol Tennis/paddle classes. Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 595
Club de tenis don carlos Hotel Don Carlos, Avda. Zurita, CN340, km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800
Club Internacional de Tennis Ctra. Cádiz, km 173. Marbella. Tel: 952 813 341
Club Madroñal Benahavís. Tel: 617 647 223
Club Nueva Alcántara San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315
Hofsaess tennis academy Monte Elviria (next to German School). Tel: 952 835 812
Lew Hoads Tennis Club Ctra. de Mijas, Km 3,5. Mijas. Tel: 952 474 858
Manolo Santana Racquets Club Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580
Marbella hill tennis club Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella. Tel: 659 677 539
marbella playa tenIs CN340, km 189, Marbella. Tel: 657 619 630
Miraflores Tennis Club Urb. Miraflores, Km 199. Calahonda. Tel: 952 932 006
Puente Romano TEnnis club Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900
royal tennis club marbella El Rosario, Marbella. Tel: 952 837 651
Sport Club Reserva del Higuerón Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 565 761
Tourist offices Benahavís Tel: 952 855 500 Benalmádena Tel: 952 442 494 Estepona Tel: 952 802 002 Fuengirola Tel: 952 467 625 Gibraltar Tourist Board Tel: 956 774 950 Marbella Tel: 952 822 818 Málaga Tel: 952 213 445 / 952 216 061 Mijas Tel: 952 485 900 Ronda Tel: 952 871 272 San Pedro Tel: 952 785 252 Tarifa Tel: 956 680 993 Torremolinos Tel: 952 381 578
TRAIN
Customer assistance T: 952 128 267 General Info T: 902 240 202 Reservations T: 902 240 202 Ave T: 952 128 079
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DANESA
LA
La revista danesa en España / Det danske magasin i Spanien
JANUAR 2013
NORSKE Det norske månedsmagasinet på Costa del Sol
Det
magasinet
S PA N I E N F Ö R S V E N S K A R
Sesongen er godt i gang på Europas sørligste skisportssted, Pradollano i Sierra Nevada.
Et ægte boutique-hotel
De vinder mere og mere frem, særligt i de europæiske storbyer, og nu også i de spanske. La Danesa har studeret det hippe boutique-fænomen.
Mandesnak hos Mærsk
Torben Gram forlod sit job i Danmark til fordel for et liv i Spanien uden på forhånd at have arbejde, bolig eller kendskab til sproget.
• Intervjuer • Nyheter • Utflukter • Sport • Fakta • Kultur • Profiler • Politikk • Mote • Helse • og mye mer...
Jacob Haugaard er tilbage
La Danesa har mødt manden, som den 17. februar besøger Kysten med sit show ”Jacob – Solo”.
Spanske barn møtte Karius & Baktus
Siesta - myter og realiteter
Nesten 200 spanske barn og deres foreldre fikk nylig sitt første møte med de norske tanntrollene Karius og Baktus.
Du trodde kanskje at siestaen var en så inngrodd del av spansk kultur at ingenting kan rokke ved den. Tro om igjen!
Loja - en blomst blant torner Loja ligger 60 km vest for Granada, og det var selveste Isabel la Católica som i 1486, da byen overga seg til de kristne, kalte byen en blomst blant torner – “flor entre espinas”.
JANUAR 2013
Ecológico
Med inspiration hentet i Spanien og i Wien har Kirsten Vaupel begået sin første roman, og kan nu tilføje titlen forfatter til rækken af kulturelle hverv på sit farverige visitkort.
El Mercadillo
Les mer om aktiviteter på Costa de Sol i ¿Qué pasa?
Kirsten Vaupel debuterer med roman
Tomatkrig, vikingeslag og tyreløb, religiøse optog, pilgrimsfærd og menneskepyramider er blandt højdepunkterne på Spaniens kuriøse, kulturelle kalender.
en
Januari 2013
Sesong i Sierra Nevada
• Interviews • Nyheder • Bolig • Finans • Udflugter • Sport • Fakta • Kultur • Profiler • Politik • Mode • Helse
Kuriøse fiestas año 2013
sueco
Fler och fler upptäcker kustens kanske hälsosammaste marknad
Utflykt
El Escorial tronar på minnen om makt och historia.
Motor
Trike – trehjulingar för vuxna.
Resa
Läs ett vykort från Aten.
Profil
Lennart Lundquist är mannen bakom Internetsidorna Svenskar i Spanien.
Golf
Det nya året inleds med stora rabatter.
pets THE GUIDE
Compiled by Marisa CUTILLAS
Snuggle bed by Cuckooland www.cuckooland.com
Pets are part of the family, as any avid pet lover will attest. This Christmas, make sure to leave a little room under the tree for the four-footed friends in your life.
Bite-Sized Bone Shaped Dog Biscuit Gift Sack www.cuckooland.com
Christmas Gifts for Height Adjustable Dog Feeder by House of Bath www.houseofbath.co.uk
Pets
Cat Cush ion by Ne xt www.n ext.co.uk
G-Paws Pet GPS www.red5.co.uk
Dog Scarf in Snowflake Design www.cuckooland.com
Dog Toy
www .wilko .com
Cat Toy bhs.co.uk
Cat Coll ar
bhs.co.u k
Cat Bed www.next.co.uk
ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 155
THE GUIDE what’s on Events in December and the first week of January
Until January 6, 2015 ART – MIJAS
Until December 5 ART – MÁLAGA
Local artist, Roger Thomas Cummiskey, will be holding a solo exhibition at the Club Danés in Mijas. Roger is a professional visual artist from Ireland and the President of the Andalusian International Artists group. www-rogercummiskey.com
Fernando De La Rosa will be exhibiting his latest collection of etchings at the Galería Taller de Grabado Gravura. www.gravura.es
Until December 31 COCTEAU – MARBELLA
The Centro Cultural Cortijo Miraflores presents an exhibition of manuscripts, sketches and photographs by famed poet, dramatist and cineaste, Jean Cocteau. The works can be viewed from 9am to 2pm and 5pm to 9:30pm. Tel: 952 902 714.
Until January 2015 ART – MARBELLA
The Red Penguin Art Gallery presents Perfume, featuring Isabell Beyel, Rosa Muñoz, Nikkie le Nobel and others. www.redpenguinartgallery.com
Until January 23, 2015 ART – ESTEPONA
Gabriela Fernández and Peter Gold present a joint exhibition at El Campanario Golf & Country House. www.elcampanarioresort.com
Until January 28, 2015 ART – BENALMÁDENA
The THB Class Hotel Reserva del Higuerón will be hosting a not-to-be-missed art exhibition by talented impressionistic artist, Andrés Rueda. www.reservadelhigueron.com
NEW AND REGULAR EVENTS Monthly on different days AMERICAN CLUB – MARBELLA
The American Club Costa del Sol Chapter meets monthly for excursions, sports and social events. Tel: 952 772 789. www.americanclubcostadelsol.com
AMIGOS DE LA CULTURA – COSTA DEL SOL
The members of this cultural group meet at different times and places for lunches, lectures, concerts, ballet, theatre, opera, etc. Further information, Tel: 669 445 809. smartkidsmarbella@gmail.com
TOASTMASTERS – MARBELLA
The Achievers Toastmasters Club Marbella meets every week at Aloha Gardens, Nueva Andalucía to practise public speaking skills. For further information, contact Maria on Tel: 603 133 805 or Percy on Tel: 646 533 112. www.toastmastersmarbella.com
Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE – MARBELLA
Integral Psychotherapist Gabriella Kortsch helps you with everything from relationship breakdowns to depression, poor communication with loved ones or financial stress, at her weekly group meetings, which start at 7:30pm. For information on locations, info@advancedpersonaltherapy.com
Every Tuesday JIVE – MIRAFLORES, ESTEPONA AND LA DUQUESA
Learn to dance with Colin and the team from Jive Spain at Miraflores Restaurant on Tuesday, El Campanario on Wednesday and El Goleto at Duquesa on Friday. For precise times, colin@jivespain.com
PLAYMOBIL EXHIBITION Until January 11– FUENGIROLA
Kids and adults alike will love this gorgeous exhibition of Playmobil sets, featuring almost 3,000 items. At the Museo de la Ciudad from 4:30pm to 8:30pm from Tuesday to Friday and from 10am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 8:30pm on weekends. www.clickeros.es
Every Second Tuesday of the Month JAZZ – ESTEPONA The Coast’s Jazz Appreciation Society meets at Benavista Country Club at 8pm. Classic videos followed by a live jazz performance then dinner. To book, Tel: 952 888 106. Further information from Brian Parker, Tel: 669 504 942.
information, Tel: 952 800 975. www.adana.es
BUSINESS LUNCH – MARBELLA
Marbella Business Institute holds an invitation-only lunch club for local and visiting business people, active and retired. To apply, visit www.marbellabusinessinternational.org
Every Saturday MARKETS – PUERTO BANÚS
Head for the Puerto Banús bullring every Saturday for a fun street market featuring everything from clothing to music, accessories and home ware. Starts at 9am and ends at 2pm. www.marbella.es
Every Wednesday SALSA – MARBELLA
Every First Sunday of the month OPEN DAY – MIJAS
ART – MÁLAGA
Wednesday December 3 DAVID DE MARÍA– MÁLAGA
FLAMENCO – MIJAS
NETWORKING EVENT – MÁLAGA
If you’re feeling the Latino vibe, brush up on your moves at Buddha Bar Marbella’s special salsa nights (featuring the Nicolás Valiente Dance Academy), which take place every Wednesday at 10:30pm. Tel: 655 480 748.
The Museo Picasso de Málaga offers free guided tours in English (included in the entry price), from 11:30am to 2pm. Tickets cost €8 for adults. Children enter for free. www.museopicassomalaga.org
Every Wednesday at 12pm, a dazzling flamenco show takes place at the Plaza Virgen de la Peña in Mijas Pueblo. www.mijas.es
Every first Wednesday of the month CULTURE AND COCKTAIL – MARBELLA The Association of Art and Culture Marbella holds a monthly cocktail at Magna Café at Magna Marbella Golf, from 8pm-10pm. Tel: 627 833 262. www.artandculturemarbella.com
Every Wednesday and Friday MARTIAL ARTS – SAN PEDRO
Taekwondo expert Justin Menchen, who studied and received First Dan in Los Angeles (from Master Keith Jones) teaches Taekwondo to adults and children at TKD Studio. From 5:30pm to 6pm for Wassabi Warriors, 6pm to 7pm for kids and 7pm to 8pm for adults. Poomsae and Sparring WTF (light to medium contact) available. To sign up or for a free introductory class, Tel: 666 756 692.
Every Thursday NETWORKING – MARBELLA
The Marbella Business Group holds its weekly breakfast meeting, which features presentations, discussions and introductions of new members. At 8am at the Hotel Senator in Marbella. To become a member, www.marbellabusinessgroup.com
Every last Friday of the Month COFFEE MORNING – ESTEPONA
ADANA animal rescue charity coffee morning at Plaza Manilva (outside Longman’s Bookshop) 11am – 2pm. Kennels open 10am – 5pm Monday – Friday and 10am – 2pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Further
PAD animal shelter, Cerros del Águila, welcomes visitors from 12pm-3pm. Further information, Tel: 952 486 084. www.padcatsanddogs.org
Pop icon, David De María, will be giving a charity concert in aid of Cudeca, at the Teatro Cervantes at 8pm. Tickets available on www.teatrocervantes.com or www.unientradas.com
The next Bites & Business networking dinner for women will be held at the Club Gastronómico KMO at Palacio de Crópani, C/ Álamos 7, Málaga. The event will start at 7:30pm and last until 10:30pm. Entry costs €25. Tel: 663 157 784. malaga@bitesenbusiness.nl
Wednesday December 3 to Sunday December 14 CROSSFIT INDUCTION COURSE – ELVIRIA
CrossFit is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and also one of the best ways to improve your strength, flexibility and fitness. Enjoy a fun induction course at CrossFit Elviria. Tel: 663 025 724.
Friday December 5 CHRISTMAS CHOIR – FUENGIROLA
The Tapas Choir sings a selection of carols and seasonal songs bringing Yuletide cheer to one and all. At the Salón Varietés Theatre in Fuengirola at 8pm. www.salonvarietestheatre.com
Saturday December 6 to Sunday December 7 ARTE SANO FESTIVAL – SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA
The 19th edition of the Arte Sano Festival will be taking place at the San Pedro de Alcántara fairgrounds. Featuring over 100 activities, a dynamic market, live shows, practical classes and workshops. The entrance fee of €1 will go to charity. www.festivalartesano.com
Sunday December 7 CIRCUS ACT – MARBELLA
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The whole family will enjoy Majaretas, a show featuring dance and theatre, by a host of talented performers. At the Teatro Ciudad de Marbella at 5:30pm. www.elcorteingles.es
JAZZ BAND – FUENGIROLA
The New Orleans Jump Band will be playing toe-tapping Dixieland and traditional jazz songs at the Salón Varietés Theatre in Fuengirola at 7pm. www.salonvarietestheatre.com
Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday YOGA – MARBELLA
Lori Sjollema teaches yoga classes on Mondays at 10:30am, Wednesdays at 10:30am and Saturdays at 11am at the Manolo Santana Racquets Club. www.yoga-in-marbella.net Tel: 639 845 285.
Monday December 8 to Thursday January 8 ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION – MARBELLA
The Marbella Palacio de Ferias y Congresos will be hosting the exhibition of entries to the DOM3 Architecture prize, a prestigious international competition for architects from Spain and abroad, organised by the DOM3 Association for high-end property. www.marbellacongresos.com
Saturday December 13 CHARITY KIDS EVENT – ESTEPONA
Enjoy a fun charity event at Funky Forest from 4pm to 8pm. Featuring a Christmas gift making workshop, gingerbread baking, face painting and hot chocolate and cookies, as well as visits with Santa and a magician. Proceeds will go to the Menudos Corazones Foundation, a non-profit organisation for children with heart disease in Spain. Tel: 663 692 829 / reka@relounge-europe.com
VANESA MARTÍN – MÁLAGA
Popular ballad singer, Vanesa Martín, will be performing her latest hits at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga at 9:30pm. For tickets, www.malakao.es
Sunday December 14 CHOCOLATE – MARBELLA
Michelle Julian, raw chocolate Chef extraordinaire, presents The Great Chocolate Experience: an eat-all-you-can affair featuring a cornucopia of luscious, mouthwatering chocolate treats, including German chocolate cakes, chocolate cheesecakes, truffles, chocolate bars, etc. Best of all, raw chocolate is super healthy, since it contains high levels of antioxidants. The event will be held at Belaria and you need to book in advance on Tel: 695 845 416.
KIDS FESTIVAL – MARBELLA
The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella will be hosting a fun kids festival, featuring clowns, competitions, gifts and more. The event starts at 12:30pm. www.marbellacongresos.com
THE NUTCRACKER– MARBELLA
The Imperial Russian Ballet presents The Nutcracker at the Teatro Ciudad de Marbella at 6pm. Tickets available on www.elcorteingles.es
Monday December 15 CLASSICAL MUSIC – FUENGIROLA
The Costa del Sol DFAS December lecture will focus on Handel’s Messiah. The speaker will be Peter Medhurst, who will discuss Handel’s influence on his contemporaries and
on the profound effect his ‘larger-than-life’ personality had on the literary, visual and decorative arts – both in his lifetime and after his death in 1759. At the Salon Varietés Theatre at 4:30pm. www.costadelsoldfas.com
pantomime directed by Peter Mitchell and choreographed by Peter Height. Featuring various evening shows and matinees. www.salonvarietestheatre.com
Saturday December 20 GEMELIERS – MÁLAGA
Thursday December 18 OPERA – MARBELLA
Gemeliers are an adolescent duo (of twins) who are considered Spanish equivalentes of Justin Biber. The event starts at 8pm at the Palacio de Ferias de Málaga. www.elcorteingles.es
Friday December 19 to Sunday January 1 CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME – FUENGIROLA
Friday December 26 CHRISTMAS CONCERT – MARBELLA
Da Bruno Sul Mare presents a night of opera, featuring famous classics from contemporary opera. www.dabruno.com
The Salón Varietés Theatre presents Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, a fun-filled
The Teatro Ciudad de Marbella presents a Christmas classical music concert by Málaga de Cámara. The event starts at 7pm. www.elcorteingles.es
Sunday December 28 CHILDREN’S MUSICAL – MARBELLA Friday December 26 M CLAN – MÁLAGA
M Clan will be playing at Paris 15 at 10pm. The concert will feature songs from their newest album, Dos Noches en el Price. For tickets, www.malakao.es
The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella presents a fun musical called Una Historia de Navidad, at 12:30pm. Starring Santa Claus, Rudolph and the gang. www.marbellacongresos.com
DINOSAURS – MARBELLA
Children of all ages will love Dinosaurios en la Ciudad, a fun show featuring music, theatre and large dinosaurs. At the Teatro Ciudad de Marbella. Tickets can be purchased on www. elcorteingles.es
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www.russellgrant.com
THE GUIDE stars
Russell Grant’s Monthly Horoscope December 2014
You’ll get a mid-month raise or bonus which allows you to enjoy the Christmas season in style
SAGITTARIUS November 23rd December 21st
Your family may not be especially sympathetic to your heavy work schedule in early December. Fortunately, you’ll fare better with a romantic interest that is eager to lighten your load. The Full Moon on the 6th brings about an exciting turning point in a relationship. This is a great time to get engaged or married. If you’re single, prepare to meet someone who speaks to your soul near this fateful date. You’ll get a mid-month raise or bonus which allows you to enjoy the Christmas season in style. Throwing a big party for friends and family will be lots of fun. The New Moon on the 22nd attracts a great job offer from a humanitarian organisation. It looks like your professional star will rise in 2015. Don’t be surprised if you’re occupying a corner office by this time next year. Alternatively, you could launch your own business, which might suit you even better. 158 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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ARIES [21 MAR - 20 APR]
You’ll be able to exercise your leadership talents effectively and productively at the start of December. People will appreciate your decisive approach and, at long last, some work will finally be accomplished. Your distinctive style will attract lots of romantic attention. Ultimately you’ll be more interested in spending time with friends than pursuing a love affair. The Full Moon on the 6th will bring good news about a creative project or business initiative; this will be a great time to sign a contract. Spend extra time on your appearance mid-month, as you’ll be the subject of intense public scrutiny. Resist the urge to get in a power struggle with an authority figure, as you lack the influence to emerge victorious. Working for a humanitarian organisation will be both fulfilling and rewarding later in the month. The New Moon on the 21st is perfect for launching a campaign or going to job interviews. Christmas will be a lucrative time for you.
TAURUS [21 APR - 21 MAY]
A business or romantic partner will rely on your expertise in early December, which feels gratifying. You’ll have a chance to make your workplace a more pleasant environment during the first week of the month. Put up some decorations and improve the furniture placement. The Full Moon on the 6th puts a little extra money in your bank account, just in time for the Christmas holidays. Schedule a glamorous vacation mid-month, when you’ll be able to find some fantastic rates on luxury accommodation. The New Moon on the 22nd is perfect for applying to schools, launching a writing project, or going on a long distance vacation. December ends on an extremely positive note, with people celebrating your artistic talent. If you’ve ever wanted to start your own business, the end of 2014 is an opportune time to do so. Friends will be eager to give financial and emotional support near Christmas.
GEMINI [22 MAY - 21 JUN]
It will be difficult to talk rationally to a business or romantic partner about your career prospects in the beginning of December. Postpone this discussion until later in the month. On the plus side, you have an exciting opportunity to get an advanced degree or publish an article in the days surrounding the 4th. The Full Moon on the 6th attracts both fame and acclaim and your friends will be quick to celebrate your success. Taking a short trip with the one you love will be wonderful for you both in the middle of December. The two of you will benefit from a change of scenery. If you’re single, you could find romance on this journey. The New Moon on the 22nd will cause your sensual side to come out. This is a wonderful time to exercise your powers of seduction. Money from an inheritance, dividend, or lawsuit will allow you to pursue your dream career as Christmas approaches.
CANCER [22 JUN - 23 JULY]
Your business or romantic partner will encourage you to take some time off for fun in early December. Be sure to follow their advice; you could really benefit from a break. You’ll feel considerably better after launching a health regimen during the first week of the month. The Full Moon on the 6th prompts you to delegate work responsibilities to others so that you can have more leisure time. An intimate relationship will become much more rewarding mid-month, when you’re able to spend more quality time with your amour. If you’re single, you could catch the eye of a dynamic executive. It may be best to play hard to get with this
admirer, at least in the initial stages of your courtship. The New Moon on the 22nd is great for getting engaged, married, or joining households with the one you love. Alternatively, you may decide to launch a business alliance right around Christmas.
LEO [24 JULY - 23 AUG]
Arguments over money could disrupt a romantic relationship in early December. You might be forced to apologise by buying your amour an expensive gift, so be careful what you say. The Full Moon on the 6th brings exciting news about a group endeavour. It looks like your team will be given recognition in the form of an award or grant. You may have to scale back your personal plans during the first half of the month, just to attend all the Christmas parties that will take place. Someone will be impressed by your expertise mid-month and could make a pass at you. While this attention is flattering, you’ll be more focused on finishing work so you can enjoy the holidays. The New Moon on the 22nd brings an exciting job assignment that puts a spring in your step. It looks like you’ll have an opportunity to hone your creative talent as December draws to a close.
VIRGO [24 AUG - 23 SEPT]
Don’t let your family comment on your love life in the opening days of December. You have a right to your privacy. Sneaking off to some private hideaway with your amour during the first week of the month will be extremely enjoyable. The Full Moon on the 6th marks an impressive career achievement. Prepare to receive a raise, promotion, or award. Relatives will be eager to welcome you back into the fold mid-month. The Christmas holidays have a way of softening people’s hearts. You’ll be able to indulge your sentimental side during the third week of December. Spend this time putting up decorations, listening to carols, and making favourite delicacies from childhood. The New Moon on the 22nd will prompt you to launch a creative project or embark on a romance. There’s also a chance someone will announce they are having a child, setting off a lovely round of celebrations at Christmas.
LIBRA [24 SEPT - 23 OCT]
You’ll get plenty of support on the home front in early December, especially as far as finances are concerned. Be sure to attend a glamorous party during the first week of the month, as you’ll meet some interesting people. The Full Moon on the 6th finds you graduating from a class or winning a legal settlement, giving you a profound sense of satisfaction. Spending more time at home during mid-month allows you to enjoy the Christmas season in style. Don’t feel pressured to keep up a frenetic pace at work. An unreasonable business or romantic partner will mock your family traditions as the holidays approach, but pay no attention. They’re just jealous of your capacity to enjoy this magical season. The New Moon on the 22nd is ideal for buying or selling of all types, large and small scale. 2014 ends on a high note, with your health getting a significant boost from a fitness regimen.
SCORPIO [24 OCT - 22 NOV]
You’ll be able to lead a team to victory in early December. People have tremendous respect for your talent and expertise. Take this opportunity to negotiate a raise or higher paying job. The Full Moon on the 6th finds
you getting a reward or recognition for your efforts. Spend this money on lavish Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest. You might have a chance to go on a glamorous business trip in mid-December. Getting paid to travel is your idea of heaven. Don’t worry, this journey won’t affect your holiday plans. You’ll be back at home in time for all the family festivities. The New Moon on the 22nd brings good news about a friend, neighbour, or cousin. This is truly reason to rejoice. Christmas brings a sense of profound peace and contentment. Celebrate this special time with friends at an intimate party.
CAPRICORN [22 DEC - 20 JAN]
Urge the team to put forward an extra impressive performance at the beginning of December. If you work hard at this stage, you could be given a nice little bonus, just in time for Christmas. The Full Moon on the 6th yields impressive results from a fitness regimen. Don’t be surprised if you attract lots of romantic attention at holiday parties. Spending time on solitary activities mid-month helps recharge your batteries. Be sure to get plenty of sleep during this festive but frenetic time. You’ll be looking your best during the second half of December and will be able to lure the object of your affection into your arms with very little effort. The New Moon on the 22nd is ideal for changing your look. Go ahead and splurge on a salon treatment or wardrobe upgrade. Finding spiritual fulfilment will become increasingly important as 2014 draws to a close.
AQUARIUS [21 JAN - 19 FEB]
Working behind the scenes will prove productive at the start of December. Fortunately, your business or romantic partner will provide lots of support during this busy time. You’ll be able to cope with the stress by getting plenty of exercise, especially throughout the first half of the month. The Full Moon on the 6th finds you taking a romance to the next level. If you’re already in a relationship, you and your partner may decide to embark on a creative endeavour together. At the very least, you should plan a fun vacation together. The Full Moon on 6th brings the successful end of a creative project; you’ll finally be rewarded for having a unique voice. More money for luxuries becomes available mid-month, allowing you to afford extra nice Christmas presents. Of course, you should buy yourself something special, too. The New Moon on the 22nd gives you a chance to enjoy the holiday season in heavenly peace.
PISCES [20 FEB - 20 MAR]
Be realistic when setting work deadlines at the beginning of December. It’s better to be conservative with customers in predicting when you can finish jobs, so they won’t be disappointed. You will get an opportunity to take the lead on a very prestigious assignment. If you perform well with this job, you’ll be given an impressive raise. The Full Moon on the 6th marks an exciting time for your family. An engagement, marriage, or birth will set off a round of festive parties. Friends will want your company as the holidays approach; you’ll have to choose among several enticing invitations as Christmas draws closer. You might have to spread yourself thin during this busy time. The New Moon on the 22nd finds you realising a childhood dream and nobody is more surprised than you. Pause to give thanks for your blessings. Making a donation to charity will continue to keep the good energy flowing, right into 2015. ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 159
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THE guide family
1 – Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa from JAKKS Pacific, Inc. Age: 3+ Touch Elsa’s magical snowflake necklace and hear her talk to her friends as her dress lights up. Raise her arm and watch her necklace light up and play the hit song, Let it Go. Listen to Elsa say 15 sounds and phrases from the movie or programme her to sing and speak in English and Spanish! 2 – LeapTV™ by LeapFrog® Age: 3-8 Get those little minds and bodies moving with this active video gaming system, featuring over 100 educator-approved games and videos. 3 – Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile by Just Play™ Age: 3-6 This cute Talking Mobile Cart plays the Doc Mobile song and has a motion-activated siren that lights up. Budding doctors will love to play with the otoscope, thermometer and light and sound EKG. 4 – TRANSFORMERS Stomp & Chomp GRIMLOCK by Hasbro® Age: 5+ Grimlock can transform from a gigantic robot to a dinosaur with chomping jaws and light-up eyes! He also hides pop-out weapons and a sword, which guarantees top-class Transformers adventures for kids. 5 – Zoomer™ Dino (Onyx) by Spin Master™ Age: 5-7 Use your controller pod to make this cute dinosaur dance, chase, chomp and roar. A word of warning: Don’t pull his tail, he gets angry… and you won’t like him when he’s angry! 6 – Little Live Pets™ Bird Cage Love Birds Double Pack by Moose Toys™ Age: 5+ These cute lovebirds respond to touch and make 30 different sounds, including chirps, tweets and whistles. They fit in your child’s hand for a lifelike experience. 7 – Skylanders Trap Team™ by Activision Publishing, Inc. Ages: 6+ Find and capture the most dangerous villains in Skylands using Traptanium, a magic material that can harness the power of the Elements.
Toys“R”Us Unveils 2014
8 – Imaginext® Battle Rover by Fisher-Price® Age: 3-5 This sturdy Battle Rover is a giant play set and vehicle all in one, with a removable space shuttle and a host of features, including projectiles, disk launchers, an alien-detecting chamber and much more! 9 – Mutant Mania™ Mutant Masher by Moose Toys™ Age: 5-7 The Mutant Masher vehicle is ready to give your favourite Mutant Mania characters the ride of a lifetime! Contains character ejector seats, storage room and a stretching rack for character creation. 10 – MAX Tow Truck™ by JAKKS Pacific, Inc. Age: 6-9 This little truck packs a lot of punch, with an ability to push or pull over 90kg! It also climbs over high obstacles. 11 – LEGO® FUSION Town Master by LEGO® Systems Inc. Age: 7-12 Create and manage your own virtual town with real LEGO bricks. Featuring 246 pieces. 12 – Charmazing™ Color Me Up! by Wooky Entertainment Inc. Age: 8-12 This colourful kit has everything you need to design six fabulous bracelets. It includes 12 eye-catching charms and energy cards, as well as a handy work station to make the creation process a breeze. 13 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Stretch ‘N’ Shout Leonardo by Playmates Toys® Age: 4-8 Pull Leonardo’s arm and listen to his iconic battle cries. The harder you pull, the higher he shouts! www.toysrus.com
160 / DECEMBER 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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#TRUHotToyList The holiday season is here and Toys”R”Us once again delights with their Holiday Hot Toy List. Bring a sparkle to your children’s eyes with their predicted Top 13 Toys.
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ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2014 / 161
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