Essential Magazine June 2015

COMPLIMENTARY EDITION

MARBELLA

PROPERTY FOCUS

HOT NEW

ISSUE 190 • JUNE 2015

ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING

e

Marbella

N º190 - JUNE 2015

essential essential magazine® marbella

MARBELLA

HOTELS

MCLAREN

P1 SPORTS SUPERCAR SAN PEDRO

Bulevar

Marmorin

Design Center

RISING!

WHAT’S DRIVING OUR

FUTURE? STYLING AT SEA FASHION EXCLUSIVE

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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cartier.es

PUERTO BANÚS: Muelle Príncipe Salman, s/n - Tfno.: 952 908 115

Diamond Collection

Enclosed: 600 m² Plot: 3,000 m² Price: € 5,150,000

GOLDEN MILE Ultra-modern 4-bedroom villa in the prestigious urbanization of Las Lomas del Marbella Club.

Panoramic sea views. Excellent qualities. Lovely garden with infinity pool. Spa area, indoor plunge pool, gym and much more.

Ref. 8220

Enclosed: 320 m² Plot: 1,533 m² Price: € 1,260,000

NAGÜELES 5-bedroom villa in the area

Enclosed: 1,399 m² BENAHAVÍS Stunning 8-bedroom villa in gated Plot: 3,000 m² complex. Panoramic sea and mountain views. High Price: € 5,650,000 specs, cinema room, cellar, gym & sauna. Ref. 7794

Enclosed: 187 m² Terrace: 128 m² Price: € 1,675,000

ALHAMBRA DEL MAR Renovated 3-bed

Enclosed: 85 m² Terrace: 25 m² Price: € 495,000

of lower Sierra Blanca with great sea views.

Unbeatable price and location. Ref. 7794

duplex penthouse on the Golden Mile. Steps from the beach, close to city centre. Ref. 8723

An International Associate of Savills

PUERTO BANÚS 2-bedroom beachside apartment in La Isla, an immaculate complex steps from the beach, amenities & all facilities. Ref. 8716

Enclosed: 985 m² Plot: 3,375 m² Price: € 6,900,000

GOLDEN MILE Modern masterpiece set on a double plot in exclusive community with 24-hr security. Stunning views.

Recently built to top specifications. 5 bedrooms. Heated infinity pool, domotic & home automation systems, security cameras, wine cellar. Ref. 8556

Enclosed: 737 m² Terrace: 160 m² Price: € 2,495,000

SIERRA BLANCA Luxurious 3-bed semi-

detached villa in the best area of the Golden Mile.

24-hr security & wonderful gardens. Ref. 8719

Enclosed: 251 m² Terrace: 320 m² Price: € 2,100,000

Enclosed: 338 m² Plot: 2,500 m² Price: € 2,880,000

GOLDEN MILE Elegant 5-bedroom villa in Nagüeles with a large stunning garden. Total privacy and great sea views. Ref. 8747

Enclosed: 1,367 m² LA ZAGALETA Brand-new 7-bedroom villa Plot: 6,216 m² with fantastic views within this exclusive country club.

Price: € 5,500,000 Priced to sell, reduced from €8,500,000 Ref. 7877

CASCADA DE CAMOJÁN Spectacular

3-bedroom duplex penthouse with superb sea views in the exclusive Imara. 24-hr security. Ref. 08750

Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel & opposite the Marbella Club Hotel Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

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Issue 190 • June 2015

S T A F F PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR

YEARS

GENERAL MANAGER

ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

U ANNIVERSARY U

IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com

SALES SUPPORT

SUSANNE WHITAKER design@essentialmagazine.com JAN DENDAUW jan@essentialmagazine.com RÉKA VIDÁTS reka@essentialmagazine.com

ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

MARIANO JEVA cuentas@essentialmagazine.com MONIKA BÖJTI info@essentialmagazine.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ANDREA BÖJTI DESIGN & LAYOUT INMA AURIOLES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER KEVIN HORN (WWW.PHOTOGRAPHERMARBELLA.COM) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BELINDA BECKETT, IAIN BLACKWELL, MICHEL CRUZ, CRISTINA FALKENBERG, RIK FOXX, RUSSELL GRANT, ALI PARANDEH, CARLOS READ, TONY WHITNEY, KEVIN WOODFORD COVER + FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT HAIR & MAKE–UP MODEL

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ESSENTIAL MARBELLA MAGAZINE

@ESSENTIALEDITOR

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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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Marbella Club

Location! Location! Location! Set in the most desirable location in Marbella, nestled within the grounds of the prestigious Marbella Club Hotel, close to the beach, this beautiful villa was recently refurbished and decorated by a renown designer and offers modern and luxury interiors in the most exclusive area.

The villa features 4 large double bedrooms, with en-suite, luxury bathrooms

as well as a spacious lounge and dining room opening onto the garden. On the upperfloor there is a second drawing room with a private terrace that can be used as a 5th bedroom. 2 covered terraces overlooking the heated pool set in a beautiful mature garden. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Built 360 m2, plot 650 m2.

E&V ID: W-008PYS. Price: 4.950.000 â‚Ź.

Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 ¡ www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

Occupying a prime location within the most exclusive gated community in Marbella, this majestic home offers comfort and luxury and the most spectacular panoramic views over the whole coastline. This property is fantastically decorated throughout, offering large entertainment areas, with access to the ample terraces with breathtaking views.

to rs ve e si ölk clu V Ex el & g En

Sierra Blanca

There are 6 large bedroom suites distributed on 3 levels. The villa is built to the highest qualities, has tropical mature gardens with a heated swimming pool, as well as all the luxury fittings expected on a property of this level. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, built 975 m², plot 1.878 m².

E&V ID: W-02101L. Price: 5.500.000 €.

Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 · www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

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Villa – Hacienda Las Chapas, Marbella East 8 Beds

8 Baths

741m2 Built

2.000 m2 Plot

Price: 1.995.000 € Ref: DM3684

Impressive villa in consolidated residential area with 24h security. Built over 3 levels, offering suites with garden access, gymnasium, independent staff accommodation and tropical garden with semi covered chill-out zone and partial sea views.

Apartment – Las Gaviotas, Puerto Banus 3 Beds

3 Baths

117 m2 Built

15 m2 Terraces

Price: 895.000 € Ref: DM3304

Immaculate south-facing third floor apartment with sea views. Spacious and light-filled rooms with a practical layout. Located in gated complex with 24h security and concierge service, 3 communal swimming pools and tropical gardens.

Villa – La Zagaleta, Benahavis 5 Beds

5 Baths

739 m2 Built

5520 m2 Plot

Price: 4.500.000 € Ref: DM3656

Andalusian-style home with open views over the golf and valley. Built with great attention to detail, spacious suites in all three levels, guest accommodation, sauna and extensive landscaped Mediterranean garden with heated swimming pool.

Villa – Los Monteros, Marbella 4 Beds 3 Baths

537 m2 Built

1650 m2 Plot

Price: 2.750.000 € Ref: DM3569

Second line beach family home with sea views, located in prestigious address with security. Featuring ample living spaces, independent guest accommodation and manicured garden. Great potential for re-distribution and refurbishment.

Plot Участок ca 5.850 m2

Built Строение ca 900 m2

Terraces Террасы ca 250 m2

Âèëëà êëàññà ëþêñ íà ïðîäàæó Великолепная вилла с ремонтом, ранее принадлежавшая артисту по имени Princе, с использованием строительных материалов из Paraiso Alto, с шикарным видом на море, горы, долины и поля для гольфа. Находится всего в 5 минутах езды от оживленного города Сан-Педро и в 10 минутах от Пуэрто-Бануса, недалеко от пляжа, супермаркетов и ресторанов и в непосредственной близости к гольфовому полю. Расположенная в одном из самых безопасных районов,вилла находится рядом с Марбельей. Роскошная двухэтажная резиденция с большим количеством спален и ванных комнат(1 спальня и 4 ванны на первом этаже и 6 спален меньшего размера на втором этаже). Она красиво оформлена и

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может похвастаться захватывающим вестибюлем с впечатляющей лестницей, большой гостиной, столовой с панорамными окнами, залом для завтраков, полностью оборудованной кухней.Оснащенная сигнализацией, кондиционерами, электрическим генератором, системой орошения и колодцем и украшенная живописным частным садом с самыми красивыми субтропическими деревьями эта вилла оборудована бассейном с подогревом, отдельно стоящим таунхаусом с ванной комнатой и частным теннисным кортом. Эта экслюзивная резиденция, окруженная защитной стеной, располагает 3 гаражами и помещением для охраны, что делает ее одной из самых привилегированных и безопасных резиденций в Марбелье.

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Price € 5.250.000 Цена - Contact the owner on Связаться с владельцем можно непосредственно +31 653 203 090 Internet site www.adornatierra.com

LuxuryVilla for Sale This completely renovated stunning villa, previously owned by the artist formerly known as Prince, constructed with the most beautiful materials located in Paraiso Alto (direction Villa Padierna), enjoys a marvelous sea view as well as views over the mountains, valleys and golf course. Just 5 minutes from the bustling town of San Pedro and only 10 minutes to Puerto Banús, close to the beach, supermarkets, restaurants and within easy reach to top golf courses. This property has direct access to the best Marbella offers and is situated in one of the safest areas.

Built over two floors this luxurious residence enjoys one master bedroom and 4 en-suite bathrooms, with a further 6 smaller bedrooms with bathroom. This beautifully designed Villa boasts a spectacular

entrance hall with impressive double staircase, large living room, dining room, breakfast room, all with panoramic windows and has a fully equipped new kitchen with all appliances and a separate laundry.

Finished to the highest standards, this amazing property includes inside and outside security with camera system, air-conditioning throughout, electric generator, water tanks, irrigation system and a water well.

The magnificent private park-like garden is planted with the most beautiful subtropical trees and has a heated swimming pool, townhouse with bathroom and private tennis court. This very exclusive residence has 3 garages and a security room. Accessed through a large private drive, the plot is completely walled to offer one of the most privileged and safe residences in Marbella.

ASK YOUR AGENT

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You only live once,

Beachfront Los Monteros: Unique opportunity to purchase a beautiful villa set on a large beachfront plot in a prime location! Luxurious and stylish, stunning Oriental design. Spa with indoor pool, sauna, Hammam, massage room, gym, various chill-out areas. 7 beds, 8 baths.

Built 1.440 m2, plot 3.600 m2. E&V ID: W-0207K1. Price: P.O.A.

El Rosario: Modern, newly built spacious villa, with stunning views to the surrounding greenery and the sea. Built and finished to highest standards. 5 beds, 4 baths. Built 402 m2, plot 1.050 m2.

E&V ID: W-022DQI. Price: 1.900.000 €.

Los Monteros: Fantastic, brand new contemporary luxury villa, finished to highest standards, offering mesmerising panoramic sea views; 2 infinity pools. 4 beds, 5 baths. Built 641 m2, plot 1.445 m2.

E&V ID: W-02246B. Price: 2.450.000 €.

Río Real Playa: Spectacular frontline beach luxury apartment; large terraces with panoramic views. Mature gardens with various pools (1 heated); direct beach access. 3 beds, 3 baths. Living area 160 m2, terrace 43 m2.

E&V ID: W-021JXZ. Price € 1.100.000 €.

Los Monteros: Frontline beach luxury penthouse in a gated complex, with direct beach access. Built and finished to highest standards; domotic system. 3 beds, 4 baths. Living area 269 m2, terrace 190 m2.

E&V ID: W-008T52. Price: 1.532.490 €.

Office El Rosario: 952 83 20 40 · Office Elviria: 952 83 55 80

we will show you where!

Marbella Club: Unique opportunity to purchase a newly built modern villa in the most exclusive area in Marbella. Completion May 2015. Sea views, highest qualities, luxury fittings, spa, gym, cinema. 7 beds, 7 baths. Built 1.019 m2, plot 1.200 m2.

E&V ID: W-022EKC. Price: 7.900.000 €.

Sierra Blanca: Newly built villa with breathtaking panoramic views!

Built to highest qualities, offering luxury living in the best location!

Indoor pool, gym, sauna. 6 bed, 6 bath. Built 870 m2, plot 2.200 m2.

E&V ID: W-008PZ4. Price: 4.350.000 €.

Altos Reales: Situated within the most secure and exclusive gated community, this villa is set on the best plot offering sea and mountain views and elegant interiors. 4 beds, 4 baths. Built 656 m2, plot 1.194 m2.

E&V ID: W-01W3PE. Price: 2.950.000 €.

Marbella Hill Club: Beautiful, modern, family villa with magnificent open sea views. Situated in a small gated community. Office, gym, separate guest apartment. 4 beds, 5 baths. Living area 530 m2.

E&V ID: W-02295M. Price: 1.150.000 €.

Golden Mile: Spectacular! Elegant double sized duplex penthouse of 685 m2 with breathtaking panoramic views in an exclusive complex. 5 beds, 5 baths. Living area 318 m2, terraces 367 m2.

E&V ID: W-01UTXJ. Price: 1.695.000 €.

Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 · www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

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contents The Trend Cinema 36 Home Viewing 38 Music 40

The Pro

Books 42

116 Enterprise

Technology: Smart Cars 44 Cars: The McLaren P1 Sports Supercar 46

The Focus Property Update 52 DM Properties Market Report 62 New Developments on the Rise 70 Fercolan’s Award-Winning Bulevar de San Pedro 78 Chris Clover of Panorama 84

The Style Decór: The New Marmorin Design Center 88 Fashion: Trends in Swimwear 2015 94 Fashion News 100

The Spa Dry Shampoo and Massage Soap Bars by Lush 104 Beauty News 106 Fat Freezing by CoolSculpting 108 Progressive Muscle Relaxation 110 Health News 112

127 The New Arts and Sports Hall at Aloha College 128 Iddomus: Innovation in Building & Developing 130 Law: Property Purchase Checklist 132 The Vibe

The Leisure 142 Travel: Hot New Hotels Opening in 2015

The Gourmet 153 Uni 155 Café Flore 156 Food News 158 Kevin Woodford’s St. Lucia 160 Chef’s Profile: Lutz Bösing of EL Jardín de Lutz 162 Ribeiro Wine

The Guide 164 Listings

The Blog

Dr. Spurek of the Marbella

173 Pet News

Foot & Sports Clinic 114

174 What’s On

Holland & Barrett’s New

176 Stars for June

Store at Miramar in Fuengirola 115

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126 The New Felipe VI Auditorium in Estepona

178 Family Fun

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THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE.

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIAMOND SET IN PINK GOLD.

publisher’s letter WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL

Marbella

On the Rise!

I

t’s Official! Marbella is back in vogue as a desirable destination and as a tantalising investment opportunity. Exactly two years since our last property focus, we take an indepth look at the local market, showing that not only is Marbella emerging from the doldrums but also that the future looks bright indeed. Our Property Update lead article unites the area’s top realtors, conveying their consensus on how the market is changing and what today’s discerning buyers are seeking.

DM Properties Market Report further updates this theme and enlightens us on how we have reached the current favourable status quo. We also feature some of the new developments breaking ground in Marbella and further

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afield and talk with Chris Clover, whose Panorama Properties celebrates a landmark 45 years in Marbella in 2015!

As this is also an early summer issue, we bring you plenty of sizzle and sass, such as in-your-face designer swimwear shot aboard a luxury yacht in Puerto Banús, the stunning new McLaren P1 Sports Supercar, Smart Cars Revolution, Hot New Hotels to die for opening in 2015, and the charms of St. Lucia.

There has been a spate of inaugurations recently involving prestigious new projects, such as the award-winning Bulevar de San Pedro, the impressive Felipe VI Auditorium in Estepona and the stylish Marmorin Design Center on the Golden Mile. Read

all about these and other launches in this vibrant edition.

Finally, check out some exquisite new dining venues here in Marbella with Uni at Puente Romano’s Plaza Village and Café Flore in the Casco Antiguo. We also interview Finca Cortesín’s Executive Head Chef, Lutz Bösing, and reveal some of the recommended wines emerging from Ribeiro.

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Casino Sunborn, Sunborn Yacht Hotel, Ocean Village Marina, Gibraltar Telephone +350 200 16700 | info@casinosunborn.com Facebook Casino Sunborn | Twitter @Casinosunborn

gib r a lta r

w here pa ssion meets pl ay the sunborn gibraltar super yacht hotel and casino is the ultimate destination where you can combine the thrill of the casino with fine dining, cocktails on the top deck bar, indulgent spa treatments, and an overnight stay in one of our luxury rooms or suites.

n o w ope n | tabl e s 4 p m to 4a m | s lot machi nes 12p m to 4a m

c as i n o sun b o r n .co m

Villa: Cascada de Camojan - Marbella Golden Mile. Price P.O.A. Ref: MPV 2360: 6 Beds / 8 Baths / 8609 m² Plot / Built 1539 m²

Hidden away on the Marbella Golden Mile is this private estate which is a true oasis of calm, peace and tranquillity. Lush tropical gardens with Balinese-style pools, water features, cascades and wooden bridges transport you to a unique “world” within the busy Marbella scene which is only minutes away.

Villa: Marbella Golden Mile. Price: 3.250.000 € Ref: MPV 2356: 5 Beds / 5 Baths / 2121 m² Plot / Built 1088 m² This immaculately presented villa is set in the beautiful gated complex of Los Picos, next to Sierra Blanca on the Marbella Golden Mile, just a 5-minute drive to Marbella centre and Puerto Banus.

Villa: Altos Reales - Marbella Golden Mile. Price: 2.600.000 € Ref: MPV 2526: 5 Beds / 5 Baths / 1000 m² Plot / Built 660 m² Unique home in Altos Reales with magnificent sea views. Built to the highest standards, this villa offers very generous living spaces with a spectacular kitchen chill out area. A must see!!!

Villa: Marbella Centre – Marbella. Price: 1.450.000 € Ref: MPV 2599: 5 Beds /3 Baths / 604 m² Plot / Built 450 m² Magnificent villa built to the highest standards in the centre of Marbella walking distance to all amenities. Carrara marble, Brazilian river bottom granite and Oregon pine are only a few of the distinctive qualities that this south facing property offers to anybody who is looking for luxury with all the commodities of being next to all the facilities one needs.

Apartment: Monte Paraiso - Marbella Golden Mile. Price: 595.000 € Ref: MPA 2066: Ground Floor 3 Beds / 2 Baths / Built 175 m² / 15 m² Terrace Spacious ground floor apartment in the complex of Monte Paraíso, which is fully gated with 24-hour security, and offers residents beautifully, maintained gardens, several swimming pools, one of which is heated, gymnasium, and snack bar in the summer time.

It’s more than property it’s your new lifestyle...

Centro Expo Loc. 11-12, Bulevar Alfonso Hohenlohe. Marbella 29602 (Málaga) t. (+34) 952 866 072 | f. (+34) 952 866 963 | e. info@mpdunne.com

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Villa: Los Naranjos de Marbella - Nueva Andalucía Price: 2.495.000 €. Ref: MPV 2589: 4 Beds / 4 Baths / 1589 m² Plot / Built 399 m²

Beautiful contemporary front-line golf Villa located within 5 minutes´ walk to Los Naranjos Club house in the heart of the Golf Valley. With spectacular views across the manicured gardens towards the golf course, this villa offers a unique sense of style, quality and design.

Villa: La Alqueria - Benahavis – Price: 2.550.000 €.

Ref: MPV 2601: 7 Beds / 7 Baths / 1843 m² Plot / Built 886 m² Magnificent villa built to the highest standards. Panoramic views to the sea and golf course. With a combination of marble and wooden floors, high ceilings and top quality fittings, this south facing property offers the highest distinction of luxury living.

Villa: Mijas – Price: 1.995.000 € Ref: MPV 2533: 4 Beds / 5 Baths / 1860 m² Plot / Built 731 m² Elegant modern home with stunning views located within a 5-minute walk to bars and restaurants of Mijas Pueblo. This villa is built to very high standards and is unique in its location.

Apartment: Oasis de Marbella - Marbella Golden Mile. Price: 225.000 €.

Ref: MPA 1876: Ground Floor Apartment 2 Beds / 2 Baths / Built 134 m² / Terrace 10 m² Charming apartment in Oasis de Marbella, a Mediterranean style, fully gated complex, with beautiful communal gardens and pool which is walking distance to the beach and amenities.

Apartment: El Campanario – Estepona- Price: 225.000 € Ref: MPA 2576: Ground Floor Apartment 2 Beds / 2 Baths / Built 120 m² / Terrace 30 m² Located in the exclusive development of El Campanario, this cosy 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom ground floor apartment is spacious and offers nice large west facing terrace to enjoy sun during all the afternoon.

It’s more than property it’s your new lifestyle...

Centro Expo Loc. 11-12, Bulevar Alfonso Hohenlohe. Marbella 29602 (Málaga) t. (+34) 952 866 072 | f. (+34) 952 866 963 | e. info@mpdunne.com

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5/25/15 4:37 PM

The art of diamond setting and flawless craftmanship

Boutique and Jewellery design studio C. C. Cristamar, Locales 15-16, Puerto Banús (Marbella) www.paves.es • paves@paves.es • Tel 952 818 822

The oceans of Eden

a MaGNIFICENT vIvId oCEaN BluE loupE ClEaN sapphIrE

trend READING / MUSIC / FILMS / GADGETS / MOTORING / TRENDS

Property is back in a big way on the Coast and while we focus on market trends and predictions this month, we also celebrate the joys of home life, with top viewing and reading suggestions to keep you entertained throughout the summer.

We also preview the new McLaren P1, a Supercar fit for a King and take a look at what the future of driving holds in store‌

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36

Cinema

38

Home Viewing

40

Music

42

Books

44

Technology: Smart Cars

46

Cars: The McLaren P1 Sports Supercar

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THE TREND cinema WORDS MARISA CUTIL

LAS

e BLOCKBUSTER » GENRE

Thriller

» DIRECTOR

fety Colin Trevorrow (Sa ed) nte ara Gu Not

» ACTORS

eer, Chris Pratt, Judy Gr rd wa Ho s lla Da e Bryc

OF THE MONTH

events that s 22 years after the Jurassic World begin island near an Park. Isla Nubar, took place in Jurassic me park the r au os din es a safe Costa Rica, now hous John by originally envisioned (Jurassic World), as the park, at lag to s gin endance be to Hammond. When att ts tis ien t owns it urges its sc own as the corporation tha kn r au os din d modified hybri create a genetically sa t os les but dinosaur begins to bo Indominus Rex. The its enclosure m fro s when it escape all hell breaks loose g massive ghout the park, leavin and runs wild throu il. destruction in its tra

d l r o W c i s s a r Ju

» GENRE Comedy » DIRECTOR Ken Scott

(Delivery Man) » ACTORS Vince Vaughan, Dave Franco, Tom Wilkinson

Vince Vaughan plays Daniel, a small business owner who travels to Germany with his partners (Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco), to seal the most important deal of his life. What starts out as a typical business trip goes off the rails in the most unexpected ways imaginable.

(Safe House) » ACTORS Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman

Child 44

The year is 1953 and Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy) is a Soviet secret agent who loses his job and his home, when he refuses to accuse his own wife (Noomi Rapace) of treason. Exiled from Moscow in a boring provincial post, Demidov and his wife join General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) in hunting down a serial killer whose victims are all children.

» GENRE Action » DIRECTOR Daniel Benmayor (Easy Money)

» ACTORS Taylor Lautner, Rafi Gavron, Marie Avgeropoulos

Tracers Unfinished Business

» GENRE Drama/Thriller » DIRECTOR Daniel Espinosa

Cam (Taylor Lautner) is a young man trying to make ends meet as a messenger. One day, he crashes into Nikkie (Marie Avgeropoulos), a beautiful young woman caught up in a dangerous criminal group of criminals who employ the skilful Art of Parkour to commit robberies. Nikki’s world seduces Cam, who begins to discover places he had never known and to make more money than he thought imaginable.

Yet the tight control exercised by Miller, the leader of the group, puts the lives of the gang members at risk and Cam must take action to assume leadership of the group.

» GENRE Animation » DIRECTOR Steve Loter (Tarzan & Jane) » VOICES Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman,

Rosario Dawson

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast Fawn is a beautiful animal fairy who befriends a fearful beast, seduced by his glowing green eyes and gentle manner, despite his fearful exterior. When her fellow fairies (including Tinkerbell) resolve to capture the mysterious beast to protect their homeland, Fawn must convince them that the ‘monster’ has a beautiful heart beneath his gruff exterior.

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THE TREND home viewing

Marisa Cutillas brings us a few of the season’s top DVD releases. »» Genre Comedy/Drama »» Director Ira Sachs (Keep the Lights On)

»» actors John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei »» IMDB Rating 6.8/10

Love is Strange

Filth

After living together for 39 years, Ben and George take advantage of the new law regarding gay marriage and decide to tie the knot. Unfortunately, their wedding attracts an inordinate amount of attention from the media and when they return from their honeymoon, George is fired from his job as Director of a choir at a Catholic school. They are forced to live separately until their finances improve and friends and family rally together to find a way for this loving couple to be together.

»» Genre Comedy/Drama »» Director Jon S. Baird (Cass) »» ACTORS James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan

»» IMDB Rating 7.1/10

ONTH D RELEASE OF THE M DV D URE FEAT e »» Genre

Documentary

»» Director

Wim Wenders

»» IMDB Rating

8.3/10

Photographer, For the past 40 years, s travelled the ha , Sebastião Salgado the path left ing ad tre , nts five contine ing humanity. ng behind by an ever-cha of the most me so d sse He has witne en rec t history: significant events in s, famines and ict nfl international co is currently on natural disasters. He gin territories vir ver a voyage to disco ra and fauna, as inhabited by wild flo ject that seeks to pro part of a gigantic auty of our Planet pay homage to the be y. through photograph

Detective Sargeant Bruce Robertson wants a raise. He is clearly the best man for the job, since the rest of his colleagues are totally incompetent. A murder takes place in the city and Bruce takes control of the situation, seeing it as a perfect way to impress his boss, obtain a promotion and win his wife back. But is it really all that simple? Is Bruce the cool cop he thinks he is, or is he the most uneducated, perverted misanthrope in Edinburgh?

h t r a E e h t f o t l a The S »» Genre Romantic Comedy »» Director Alexandre Castagnetti

(La Chanson du Dimanche) »» Actors Ludivine Sagnier, Nicolas Bedos, Jonathan Cohen »» IMDB Rating 6.3/10

Amour & Turbulences

Julie is on a plane from New York to Paris to get married when she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Antoine, during the flight. Antoine is an attractive playboy who made her miserable and she will do everything in her power to steer clear of his powers of seduction.

There’s only one little problem with her plan: the flight is seven hours long and Antoine is simply irresistible!

The Last of Robin Hood »» Genre Biography »» Director Richard Glatzer, Wash

Westmoreland »» actors Dakota Fanning, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Kline »» IMDB Rating 5.5/10

Comedic Actor, Kevin Kline, gives a knockout performance as legendary Actor, Errol Flynn. The film focuses on Flynn’s last days, highlighting the price he paid for fame and fortune. Dakota Fanning plays Florence Aadland, the actor’s teenage girlfriend, while Susan Sarandon gives life to Florence’s pushy stage mother.

38 / JUNE 2015 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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21/05/15 12:29

THE TREND music

¿QUÉ PASA? Words Rik foxx

Summer’s here and the time is right but there’ll be no dancing along the Coast this month – as we go to press there’s not a lot lined up. For any late arranged gigs check your local press by the week. At the time of writing all info on this page was correct.

Foo fighters

ADELE

While most are enjoying the summer, MARIAH CAREY has the festive season on her mind. She recently returned to industry giants Sony after a 15-year break and is recording a Christmas album which is also part of a movie project – good luck to the director working with her on that!

ADELE LP update: still no release date and she is leaving her Malibubased mansion to spend time in Nashville – does this mean when it finally lands it will have a C & W influence?

On June 20, several house DJs will be pounding the beat at Fuengirola’s Castillo Sohail for the Goa 29 evening. Ticket info: www.clubbingspain.com/agenda If you like Spanish bands, HOMBRES G are playing a leg of their 30th anniversary tour at Granada’s Palacio Municipal de Deportes on June 13. The venue will also see the legendary BOB DYLAN grace the stage on July 8. Ticket info for both: www.ticketmaster.es The UK’s Glastonbury festival takes place between June 24 & 28 and a six-figured petition by music fans want KANYE WEST dropped from the bill. Headliners include FOO FIGHTERS and THE WHO (check the official site for the full line-up). As in years gone by, the BBC will have comprehensive coverage of the festival – no TV schedules released yet so check their site nearer the day. The BBC is also airing a Music Day on June 5 with live events and performances involving well-known musicians (check their site for full details).

The iconic 1990s UK Channel 4 TV show TFI Friday will return for 90-minute special at 10pm on June 12. The show was presented by CHRIS EVANS and always had at least two live bands performing on every show. The band’s for this special are yet to be announced.

After the success of the KURT COBAIN docu/ film Montage Of Heck (it’s worth checking out) a new solo album by the dead legend is to be released soon. While filming, over 200 hours worth of unheard material that he had recorded was discovered on cassette tapes including demos and BEATLES covers. It’s been said that, had he lived, his next release may have been a solo project and it’s common knowledge that DAVE GROHL, who was not interviewed during the making of the film, was not happy after having some songs turned down for the NIRVANA 1993 finale In Utero – and instead they surfaced on the first FOO FIGHTERS album in 1995.

But now all the attention turns to next month’s AMY WINEHOUSE documentary that has been made by the same team that gave us Senna, the critically acclaimed 2010 Formula One movie. Amy: The Girl Behind The Name, lands on July 3 and features previously unseen footage from when she was young up until her tragic death on July 23, 2011 and includes some unreleased tracks. It premiered at last month’s Cannes Festival and made the news as the singer’s father has withdrawn his support saying it is “both misleading and contains some basic untruths.”

Bono The 2006 Y (as in why?) Factor winner LEONA LEWIS opens a new chapter of her career after parting company with SIMON COWELL and Modest!

Management and is back on track with what has been branded as the song of this summer by many music hacks. Fire (Under My Feet) is the first release from the forthcoming album I Am and will rise on June 29. And London electronic pop trio YEARS & YEARS, the winners of the much coveted BBC Sound of 2015 award, drop their debut LP, Communion, on June 22, which includes their recent number one UK single King.

After the success of the single Uptown Funk, MARK RONSON and BRUNO MARS look set to boost their bank balances as they are putting their heads together to work on the latter’s next album. The former

has also updated the credits of the song which now has 11 co-writers after it used samples from the 1979 funk classic Oops Upside Your Head by the GAP BAND and 2012’s All Gold Everything by US rapper TRINIDAD JAMES. And on May 1 the legal team for ROBIN THICKE and PHARRELL WILLIAMS submitted a new motion, citing "errors in jury instructions, improper testimony from a musicologist and insufficient evidence to support the initial ruling” on the Blurred Lines case.

And finally, BONO has announced that he still can’t play guitar some six months after a bike accident and can’t bend two of his fingers – that will come as a relief to many – all we have to do now is stop him preaching between songs on their current world tour. e

40 / JUNE 2015 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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5/26/15 11:02 AM

THE TREND books

5 Poetry Books

that Should be On Your Shelf

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

As the summer approaches, lying on the beach and enjoying a good book appeals more than ever. If you don’t have the time to devour a whole novel, and you feel like enjoying moments of magic in bite-sized chunks, poetry is your best option. This month, we bring you a few of our favourite all-time collections.

MOTHER LOVE BY RITA DOVE

This beautiful book of poems summarises the unique bond that forms between mothers and daughters, even from before birth itself. Dove was poet laureate from 1993 to 1995 and she is also the second African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. In this volume of poetry, she takes us on a passion-filled voyage to Arizona, Paris, Greece and Mexico, teaching us that it is difficult to match the purity of a mother’s love.

TWENTY LOVE POEMS AND A SONG OF DESPAIR BY PABLO NERUDA

They say that everyone should memorise at least one Neruda poem to surprise their loved one on a starry night and we have to agree that the Chilean author managed to capture the essence of romance like few others. These love poems, first published when the poet was just 19 years of age, reflect a deep understanding of how complex, yet predictably simple, love can be. This is the ideal book for young adults embarking on their first great love affair. One of our favourite poems is Your Feet: …But I love your feet only because they walked upon the earth and upon the wind and upon the waters, until they found me…

MIGRATION BY W.S. MERWIN

W.S. Merwin is currently poet laureate in his native United States.

Hailed as a master of dreamlike musings and unpunctuated style, he is an old writer with a young soul. Merwin’s work often laments the devastation caused by human beings, while it celerbates the intricate beauty of Nature. His language is simple and comprehensible even to younger readers, which makes his poems so perfect for reading to the little ones at bed time. A Coming Extinction, speaks to a species in peril: Gray whale Now that we are sending you to The End That great god Tell him That we who follow you invented forgiveness And forgive nothing…

This poem is Persephone, Falling: One narcissus among the ordinary beautiful flowers, one unlike all the others! She pulled, stooped to pull harder— when, sprung out of the earth on his glittering terrible carriage, he claimed his due.

It is finished. No one heard her…

THE COMPLETE COLLECTED POEMS OF MAYA ANGELOU

Brave soul, Maya Angelou, left us last year, but her legacy remains and she continues to inspire women the world over with her positive, emotive, inspirational verse. This book is a Bible for any young woman who is soon to enter into the challenging world of adulthood, but it is also ideal for parents and those facing the sometimes lonely winter years.

Maya’s words are friends and healers for, despite life’s vicissitudes, they remind us that there is always reason to be good. This poem is called On Aging: When you see me sitting quietly, Like a sack left on the shelf, Don’t think I need your chattering.

I’m listening to myself.

Hold! Stop! Don’t pity me!

Hold! Stop your sympathy!

Understanding if you got it, Otherwise I’ll do without it…

THE ESSENTIAL RUMI,

TRANSLATION BY COLEMAN BARKS Barks’ translation is the top selling version of poetry by 13th century mystic, Rumi, Master of spirituality, still read, to this day, in all corners of the globe by young and old alike. Barks’ translation breathes new life into these ancient words, which still inspire us to lead a richer, more meaningful and thoughtful life. A lovely poem to read to a teen is The Breeze at Dawn: The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don’t go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill Where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don’t go back to sleep.

42 / JUNE 2015 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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25/05/15 09:12

THE TREND technology

Will your next car be a

FLYING APPLE? WORDS ALI PARANDEH

A

lthough Apricot* was founded (1965) before Apple (1976), the chances are that your next car might just be an Apple.

Steve Jobs was very single-minded about one thing and that was, if anything exists and is not good enough, not user friendly enough or just simply he could do it better, he would. And there was nothing stopping him. From the iPod to the Apple Watch, these are living proofs that if something is improved upon and has the right logo on it, it will sell.

Even at a price tag of $14 to 20K for some of those i-watches earmarked for the luxury sector, all of which were sold out before they were even released.

So why are the car giants panicking and will you be interested in an i-Car? Let’s look at some quick facts and figures first.

The first reason why the IT industry is getting into the automobile industry is simple. Your car is probably the most ‘stupid’ piece of technology you own.

There are two parts to this race.

The first one is actually making the car smart and that is exactly what most car manufacturers are working on. Auto parking seems almost like standard in some of the lower

end cars now, the Jaguar XK will allow you to enjoy adaptive cruise control, the Mercedes S Class has Lane Keep assistance and the Tesla S will provide you with automatic lane change. More recently, many manufacturers have also started installing SIM cards that transmit major faults or advise connected parties of serious accidents.

Other major manufacturers, while hoping to leave the steering wheel in its place, are concentrating on the integration of the technology, things like speech recognition and even the use of Virtual Reality glasses, currently being experimented with

by BMW. The second part of the race involves the likes of Google and Apple who believe that the brand name and look of the car are irrelevant in today’s age. They are looking to re-invent the wheels and the car as a sole means of transport from A to B, involving maximum efficiency in time and energy consumption. It is not about incrementally improving an existing system, but rather creating a totally new concept. While the Apple labs and plans are secretive about the final product, there are already plenty of suggestions on the web and with

Apple’s track record you can be sure that the i-Car is not just a fantasy but a mere matter of time.

Companies like GM are fully aware that car sales are falling rather than increasing. Research is indicating that for every car added to a ride sharing App or fleet, 32 new vehicle sales are lost. And the driverless battery-operated car will be your next simple transport option that pulls right up to your door, which you pre-ordered the night before through your mobile.

However, these are not the only changes you are about to see in the coming years. As the title suggests, you can expect a flying Apple. Just a few months ago, Slovakian company ‘Aeoromobil’ successfully tested its flying car. A car on four wheels that turns into a light plane in less than 3 minutes, leaving the runway for the skies with an autopilot to fly at altitudes of 3,000m. The commercial version could be ready as early as 2016 with a flying range of 1,000km and cruising speed of up to 200km/ hr.

A recent study by Princeton University revealed that people commuting by car rate it as the worst part of their day (if you doubted, sex was rated as the best) and I can’t

wait for the day when robots take over the job of driving us around. I can imagine a much better use of my time and the reality will be that self-driving cars will be safer than those driven by a human. Just think of all those accidents that have been caused due to reckless driving, speeding, road rage and drunk drivers.

So, it is with no surprise that car manufacturers have all opened up offices in Silicon Valley, grabbing the top talents in today’s tech-centric generation, in order to reinvent the wheel. There are of course all sorts of worries and security issues and concerns that need to be dealt with, but still it is virtually the end of driving as you and I know it today and the next generation will most probably find it hard to understand what the lyric Baby you can drive my car was all about! ç g Ali Parandeh, is the Founder of PC Doctor & Urbytus. He has written five books in the fields of Internet and Biotechnology. He is currently an independent mentor at the Founder Institute and helps entrepreneurs with getting their ideas and work off the ground. parandeh@urbytus.com

*Apricot was a British manufacturer of personal computers founded in 1965 as Applied Computer Techniques (ACT).

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THE TREND motoring

McLAREN P1 SPORTS SUPERCAR In the heady world of sports supercars, McLaren has always stood slightly aloof, uninfluenced by what other manufacturers try to achieve in this rarefied segment. New models don’t come along that often, but when they do, they usually generate huge amounts of attention as is the case right now with the new P1.

WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MCLAREN

M

cLaren is by no means a volume manufacturer of road cars and has always concentrated on the Formula One side of the business at which it’s been so successful over the years (if not in recent times). Even so, the British company showed what it could do when it launched

the amazing F1 model back in the late 1990s. The creation of famed McLaren racing designer and engineer Gordon Murray, the car was a sensation from the start and, in truth, remains a sensation today. Early in its life, it set a record for ‘world’s fastest production car’ at 391 km/h with the rev limiter removed – not

something I’d like to try since the engine is only inches away from your head when driving the beast. The svelte bodywork by Peter Stevens was sensuous and aerodynamically efficient and still draws a crowd. One novelty was three seats up front with the driver in the middle, though other carmakers have tried this.

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In the years since the F1, the company the great New Zealander Bruce Mclaren founded has come up with various models and the latest descendent is the P1, an even more amazing sports car than the pioneer model. For starters, this a plug-in hybrid, though one imagines that not too many buyers would be looking to skimp on fuel. This is, after all, a million-euro plus sports car.

However, the engine wizards at McLaren came up with an amazing powerplant, though a quick glance at the spec sheet doesn’t really tell the story. A 3.8-litre V-8 doesn’t sound that impressive at first, but combine it with twin turbochargers and a 117-horsepower electric motor and interesting things happen when the McLaren engineers work their magic. The end result is a whopping 903-horsepower!

Given that the car is rear wheel drive only, this must make for some interesting driving on wet roads, though there’s no doubt that this is a supremely wellbalanced car. In day-to-day use, the car can be operated with the petrol engine, the electric motor or a combination of both.

The P1 uses Formula One technology in various ways, one of the more interesting of which

is IPAS, or instant power assist system. This gives an instant boost in acceleration using the electric motor. A drag reduction system (DRS) uses the car’s rear wing to help increase straight line speed and enhance stability. Both systems are operated using steering wheel mounted buttons much like the one Fernando Alonso uses on his McLaren race car. Another F-1 adaptation is KERS, a kinetic energy recovery system which uses otherwise wasted power from braking to give the battery a boost.

The interior is expectedly cramped, but once behind the wheel the car fits like a glove. This McLaren has just two seats, the three in the F1 having been a passing design whim. The interior is beautifully finished in fine leathers and all the usual supercar equipment items are there for the driver and passenger’s enjoyment. The cabin trim is a delight for any fan of carbon fibre as it seems to be just about everywhere.

Even the steering wheel appears to be made mostly from carbon fibre, although it has suede padding where you grip it.

The ultra-lightweight carbonfibre bodywork looks stunningly ‘organic’ with flowing curves

everywhere. It’s very much a unique effort and doesn’t look like any rival supercar out there.

It has a character all of its own, though from some angles, hints of the F1 model can be seen and that was surely intended.

Naturally, a car like this should have handling to match its looks and in the P1’s case, it uses a highly-sophisticated suspension system which was probably influenced by the company’s extensive Formula One experience over the years.

Massive carbon ceramic brakes are utilised and the cast alloy wheels are shod with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres, which are bespoke, no less. P1 production was strictly limited at the outset to 375 units.

At the Geneva motor show earlier this year, McLaren unveiled a track version of the car dubbed P1 GTR. They only plan to build 35 and existing McLaren owners will get first crack at these. Expect to pay over double the basic P1’s price for a P1 GTR and what you get is close to a thousand horsepower and race-prepped suspension plus a much larger adjustable rear wing. No doubt one or two of these will show up as road cars, modified by a few of the ‘fortunate 35.’ e

Z ENGINE: Hybrid 3.8-litre, 903-horsepower, twin-turbo V-8 with McLaren 177-horsepower electric motor.

Z TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch.

Z ACCELERATION: Zero to 100 km/h in 2.8-seconds.

Z TOP SPEED: 349 km/h electronically limited.

Z I LIKED: Outstanding looks and superb engineering. Even among cars like the McLaren F1, this one stands out and will do so for decades. It’s hard to imagine any rival manufacturer taking this concept a stage further.

Z I DIDN’T LIKE: Very high price, but more than likely, you get what you pay for. All-wheel drive would have been nice, especially with the power of this car, but purists will likely prefer 2WD. Poor rear vision, but who cares?

Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES: Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Veneno, Lamborghini Reventon, Aston Martin One-77, Koenigsegg Agera R, Ferrari La Ferrari.

Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Drivers who want the ultimate in sports cars and have the cash to back up their desires.

Owners of F1 McLarens who’d like to add the latest variant to their collection. Buyers of top-end Ferraris and Lamborghinis wanting to try something a little different.

Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: All cars produced or under production are ‘spoken for’ but many owners buy for later sale. Original pricing started at €1.2 million. New GTR version is €2.7 million.

ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM JUNE 2015 / 47

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CULTURE / HISTORY / FEATURES

focus FAMOUS PEOPLE / INTERVIEWS / HUMOUR

The Property business is once again booming and we inform you of the latest statistics and trends. Enjoy our extensive Property Update, the informative Property Market Report by DM Properties and our article on New Developments breaking ground on the Coast. We hope you enjoy our exclusive interview with Juan Antonio Fernández of FERCOLAN, the talented Architect who has breathed new life into the San Pedro area with his futuristic boulevard of dreams. We also speak with top realtor, Chris Clover, of Panorama.

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Property Update

62

DM Properties Market Report

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New Developments in Property

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Fercolan’s Award-Winning Bulevar de San Pedro

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5/25/15 4:27 PM

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2015-05-11 13:18

THE FOCUS property

THE STATE OF THE MARKET

Exactly two years ago we featured a report on the state of the property market with feedback from leading real estate agents. In this issue, we analyse the prevailing market conditions and look to developments in the near future, drawing as always from the expertise of some of the most experienced agents in Marbella WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN AND COURTESY OF DIANA MORALES PROPERTIES, PANORAMA, ENGEL & VÖLKERS, CALLUM SWAN AND FM PROPERTIES

T

wo years is a relatively short period of time, but one in which a lot can change. In our June 2013 report we were still talking tentatively about early signs of recovery and hoping that this was a sustained movement out of the doldrums of the preceding years. We have since received confirmation that this is indeed a true recovery, and now the question we ask ourselves – amid a market that is visibly gaining in momentum and confidence – is whether we should already be speaking of growth instead of just ‘recovery’.

If this is indeed the beginning of a new growth cycle it raises new questions in its own right, such as: ‘how long will such a phase last?’ and ‘what will be its defining characteristics

and level of intensity?’. Looking back at the last growth cycle – you remember, the one before the financial crisis – doesn’t necessarily provide us with the guidance we need, for this was an unusually long and intensified boom driven initially by strong demand and then gradually by easy credit and speculation.

Economists speculate about where on the macro-economic landscape the world finds itself at this point in time. Have we really come out of the winter of recession and into the spring of new possibilities or is this merely the false awakening before a new freeze sets in?

Globally, uncertainties remain, but in contrast to the years following the financial crash of 2008, money is flowing again, investments are

being made on a scale not seen for some time and the expenditure of the world’s wealthy continues to grow.

It is this market that has been the vanguard of recovery for places like Marbella, spreading from UHNW Russian buyers in the early years after 2008 to affluent Scandinavian and Francophone cash buyers, to an increasing diversity not just of nationalities but also of price segments. As Marbella is a highly specific micro-economy that responds not in the first instance to national economic drivers, it is best to get feedback direct from the market – in other words, from leading agents with a great deal of experience in the local property sector.

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2013 SUMMARISED

Z In our previous article we reported on the first signs of recovery Z Sales had enjoyed a revival as prices reached their lowest point in 2012 and buyers and investors realised they would not drop further Z These price-sensitive buyers revived the market, and more transactions were made as the gap between asking price and offer was reduced Z As demand continued to grow, prices gradually stabilised across the board and even began to edge upwards in the most desirable locations of Marbella Z Increasingly, bank-held stock was being absorbed by the market Z In the absence of a normalised market with full mortgage lending facilities, the revival was being driven by cash buyers from especially Scandinavia, but also Russia, the UK, Benelux and France Z The first pure lifestyle buyers were coming back in the wake of investment buyers Z All of this was happening against a backdrop in which Spain was only just emerging from negative growth and the national housing market was still in decline

FM Properties, Cortijo del Mar

What Has Changed?

“We have been enjoying a consistent year-on-year improvement in results since 2012, and the first quarter of this year confirms that trend,” says Fausto Martínez of FM Properties Realty Group.

“The recovery that began in 2012 and 2013 has continued to gather ground,” says Pia Arrieta of Diana Morales Properties/Knight Frank, “and you can sense in everything that demand has grown more robust.” Their sentiments are mirrored by Chris Clover of Panorama and Smadar Kahana of Engel & Völkers, who adds: “we noticed that in the top segment of the market the bounce-back was almost immediate, within little more than a year of 2008. For this short period of time people stopped buying, internationally, while assessing the situation, but soon afterwards they were the first to return to the market.”

Indeed, the recovery in Marbella, as in many parts of the world, has been top-down.

“The market began to clean itself from the top locations onwards, starting with areas such as the Golden Mile, Sierra Blanca and Los Monteros,” says Smadar. The construction of grand villas in locations such as La Zagaleta sustained the market at its lowest point, but as its recovery gathered momentum demand has expanded down the socio-economic pyramid from UHNW buyers to the HNW and medium-affluent segments. Parallel to this lifestyle-driven trend, there was initially also a highly price-sensitive demand for investment and bank-repossessed properties, and while the international press did little to dispel unrealistic price expectations on the part of some, in Marbella at least the majority of this stock has now been sold.

A clear reflection of this is the fact that many of the agencies that just a very short time ago specialised in marketing bank-held developments or those redeveloped and released by investors, are now using their expertise to promote new projects. “We hadn’t seen any significant construction for several years, and now new small-scale developments are being launched across the Marbella region,” says Pia Arrieta.

“It is a sign of a return of confidence to the market that we haven’t seen for some time.” As a prominent developer himself, Fausto Martínez recognises the trends, and already identifies an

Fausto Martínez, FM Properties intensifying competition for land. “Land never dropped as much in price as housing stock, as it is a finite resource and not a consumer product, but certainly now there is an upward trend as new investors and developers search for locations suitable for their projects.”

At the present moment the number of new developments being launched is growing steadily, with certainly more on the drawing board. As land resources are limited in Marbella, competition for the best locations will soon grow intense.

But should we see any worrying signs in this?

“I don’t think so,” says Callum Swan. “If land is scarce and therefore not cheap it will encourage quality development by natural selection. Most of the available tracts of land in the immediate Marbella area are made up of small to mediumsized parcels that are not suitable to large-scale projects that could compromise on quality, so it is largely a self-selecting market with a bias towards quality of design, specifications and execution that suits a maturing market such as this.”

FM Properties, Bahía del Velerin

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Chris Clover concurs: “Certain homeowners are misinterpreting the positive movement of the market and thinking this is the signal to raise their prices again. On the one hand, this is understandable for those who have drastically lowered their asking price and still not sold their property… Wait a little longer and we might get a better price. But on the other hand, by doing so they could disrupt the dynamics of a market that is no longer purely price-driven but certainly still sensitive to it.

An increase in available stock at this point in time should help to counter the temptation to raise values prematurely, also because new, modern developments can command a higher price than resale properties as this is the type of product there is the strongest demand for.

Any owner who wants to sell his property and wants to know the truth, rather than looking for people who tell him what he wants to hear, will have to make sure he checks real comparable sales prices and has carefully calculated that he is not asking so much that his property will be perceived as overpriced and therefore receive very few visits from prospective buyers. To sell a property in good times and bad, a vendor must always make sure his property is priced competitively. This is true for any property one wants to sell, except those truly unique

properties that are difficult or impossible to reproduce.”

It is an issue a lot of the agents face when listing properties. “It is hard and sometimes unrewarding to be honest with homeowners when less professional agents, often newly established, tell them that their home is worth exactly what they are asking for it just to be able to put it on their books,” says Pia. Such a home might stay on the market for a long time, so ultimately you do the owner no favours by listing it at too high a price. “People are proud of their homes, so it can become a bit of a subjective matter, but given the amounts of money involved in property transactions you approach it with a sensible mindset and listen to the advice of professionals,” adds Callum.

Smadar agrees: “We are very strict about this and will not take on a property if we are not convinced that we can sell it within a reasonable timeframe. When a home does not receive any viewings it can be put down to the failing of the agent, but there can be two reasons for this.

One, that the agent’s marketing and promotion is not effective enough, and two, that the price is too high. For this reason we will not list a property at an unrealistic price, but we provide a detailed valuation and market positioning report to support our suggested asking price.”

Chris Clover, Panorama Pool area in eight bedroom contemporary style villa – Panorama

Panorama villa in the grounds of the Hotel Marbella Club

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New Growth, New Era As we move away from a classic buyer’s market towards a more balanced situation, another visible change in trend is the fact that where resales dominated in 2013 now new-built homes are making a strong comeback. For the first time in years we are seeing construction activity pick up on the coast, and all things being equal that should continue to grow from here on out. Not just that, but who would have thought a few years ago, amid all the fall-out surrounding the Malaya and Ballena planning corruption cases, that people would be buying off-plan again. “Confidence was eroded at the time, but a sensible and transparent town hall administration coupled with the introduction of the new PGOU that has created a path to the legalisation of illegal buildings, has restored market confidence to the point where people are once again willing to buy pre-completion where all monies paid in advance are bank guaranteed by the vendor,” says Chris.

But if the move from reselling to new development and the popularity of the latter reflects a pent-up demand for modern properties not supplied during a six-year hiatus of construction, then it is also indicative of a

shift in investment flows. “The bigger investors were previously driven by price opportunity,” says Pia, “coming in to acquire blocks or whole developments at an attractively discounted price and either renting them out or redeveloping and marketing them.” For a long time this was the only ‘new’ real estate available in Marbella, but now slowly but surely sold out, the investors have followed the cycle on to a different kind of product, sensing that the time is right to embark upon newly built projects that answer to the growing call for properties that feature the latest architectural styles and amenities. Notable in this is the growing presence of American investors, usually in the form of large funds, which have already acquired important assets in places such as Sotogrande and Santa Clara. Very often the development structure that follows consists of a chain involving the investment fund, a professional developer and an agency specialised in marketing projects of this kind.

“We aren’t seeing the return of the larger scale project yet,” says Callum Swan, “and most of the current development is focused on small to medium-scale projects ranging upwards from a small cluster of private villas.” The styles have changed from contemporary versions of traditional Andalusian architecture to sleek, white apartments and villas with touches of fifties and sixties modernism. “People are asking for lots of natural light, open-plan layouts and panoramic windows,” says Pia. Smadar is of the same opinion, adding that home automation is now an accepted part of upmarket living, while Callum states that another discernable trend visible now is the inclusion of more compact villas with smaller gardens and splash pools yet combined with state-of-the-art features.

Callum Swan, Callum Swan Realty “The offer has broadened just as the buying public has,” says Chris Clover. “The buying public now has a much wider choice of property types and styles, and the level of professional services has improved greatly. Years ago this was limited, but now you can get the latest styles and equipment installed, and it caters to a growing range of nationalities that also includes a revival in buyers from the Middle East.” As we enter this new growth cycle it is already acquiring certain definable characteristics: a broad diversity of nationalities is buying here now, the focus in a maturing market is increasingly on quality and the architectural symbol of our times is a return to sleek, white modernist styling that makes the most of modern technologies.

Villa for rent in Marbella Club, Callum Swan

Contemporary villa in La Zagaleta, Callum Swan

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Where is the Market Headed?

The expectation is that the path to growth is now consolidated and we have well and truly embarked upon a new cycle of growth.

The keenest reflection of this is the growing number of agents on the coast, a phenomenon we have seen before, yet few expect the market to return to the boom conditions of ten-fifteen years ago. “Few of us would like that,” says Pia, her sentiments mirrored by Smadar, who adds: “What we need is a sustainable level of growth, and to achieve this Marbella should avoid the temptation to grow too fast and build too much.

It is through exclusivity that we maintain our brand and our appeal.” Callum feels the market has matured to a point where the focus should be on quality. “For the moment, at least, we are seeing this in the new developments being created, where the emphasis is on added value through design and execution.”

Fausto Martínez believes if we are to learn from the past we can’t fall back into old habits.

“Marbella is a beautiful place with a unique mix of climate and lifestyle, but it would be shortsighted to think that we have no competition.

However, with the right mix of quality over quantity, value for money and good service we would be very hard to beat.” In Chris

Clover’s words: “Marbella is a diamond, but even diamonds need to be polished.” Smadar says the reputable agents stand out by taking the responsibility upon themselves to advise their clients properly. “Those of us with a truly professional and ethical approach to our work are here for the long term. At Engel & Völkers we train our staff and send them on regular courses to stay up-to-date with the latest real estate and related fiscal and legal information.

After all, in the segment we work in you build your business on the referrals of satisfied clients.”

So will we learn from previous experiences or will the market guide us in the right direction?

Ordinarily, I would believe that to be overly optimistic, but the fact that land is scarce in and around Marbella should in itself dictate a better use of such scarce resources. In general terms this means more luxurious projects with a greater focus on quality, yet I agree with Fausto Martínez that not all upmarket developments are necessarily well done, and that there is both a need for a mix of supply across the mid to high segments, all of which can be created without detracting from the overall appeal of Marbella.

Smadar Kahana, Engel & Völkers Engel & Völkers villa, Beachfront Golden Mile

Lomas de Marbella - Engel & Völkers villa, Lomas de Marbella Club

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Diana Morales Property, Villa in La Zagaleta

Pia Arrieta, DM Properties Diana Morales Property, Villa in Nagueles

Except for smaller infill plots across the area, much of the new development in the coming years will be focused on areas such as Nueva Andalucía, Nueva Alcántara, La Alquería and the areas east of Marbella, where land is still more readily available.

“Previously unconsolidated areas will become increasingly fashionable,” says Callum Swan, who also sees established areas such as the Golden Mile and Sierra Blanca continuing to gain in stature. The New Golden Mile is another zone that could really realise its potential as development spreads away from conventional core areas and Estepona becomes a viable alternative to Marbella.

Another thing to look for in the coming years could be the modernising of Marbella town, where a continuation of infrastructural embellishments and urban renewal may well create a stylish new property alternative popular with younger buyers.

External factors that influence the local market include a world still geopolitically fragile, yet low raw material prices and a low euro should help stimulate export-driven growth, while the relative strength of the pound, dollar, Scandinavian crowns and Swiss franc will do nothing to harm our property and tourist sectors. In fact, with the UK economy performing well and the strong pound giving British consumers a spending power boost within the euro zone, it is expected that the Costa del Sol’s traditional prime market will return to full strength this year and once again be the motor of property sales. The Spanish economy too is looking increasingly healthy, banks are beginning to lend again and while the uncertainty of elections hovers the overall impression is one of a return to normality.

As we therefore revisit the familiar territory of new development launches, property exhibitions, construction cranes and busier roads, schools and restaurants, we have reason to be cautiously optimistic about the coming years. Will we

experience the ‘madness’ of the previous boom?

Not likely, given that we no longer live in a world of easy credit, so many expect a moderately short six-year cycle of reasonably strong growth before a far more normal, mild macroeconomic correction than the one we have just lived through.

Marbella has recovered on the strength of a lowering of prices, a temporary halt in supply, a positive development in service and professionalism, and the lifestyle ingredients that make it so sought after, yet we have to watch out for complacency and greed, for they are our worst enemies. As Chris Clover says, the present moment sees a coincidence of highly favourable conditions that include a market in upward movement, the inflow of capital (since banks pay such little interest on deposits), exciting new developments and infrastructural beautification of the surroundings, and still attractive prices that make real estate here an appealing investment option in addition to the lifestyle factors. Indeed, Marbella could be standing at the beginning of a very exciting new era and the chance to fully realise its potential. e

The Rentals Market

Often overshadowed by sales, the rentals market is however also an important component of the residential tourism mix of Marbella. The long-term segment fared well when few people were buying, but while it continues to perform strongly the holiday lets market has been following the buoyant growth trend of the region’s tourist sector.

Hotel occupancy continues to rise in this area, and this is mirrored in the demand for apartment and villa rentals. It is especially in the luxury segment that properties are being booked in advance for the summer period, with few available in prime locations such as the Golden Mile by June. As an important element of the overall economy in this area, and the one that links the real estate and tourist industries, the strength of the property rentals market may draw greatly from the decline of Middle Eastern destinations, yet it also confirms the undiminished popularity of Marbella.

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THE FOCUS property

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MARBELLA REAL ESTATE MARKET INSIGHT 2015 MARKET REVIEW 2015 In this latest market report we look forward to a year with prospects for continued growth and development, in which Marbella seems set to continue on the path of recovery against an international background where many things may change but the strength of the luxury market will continue to grow.

WORDS MICHEL CRUZ MARKET REPORT SUPPLIED COURTESY OF DM PROPERTIES

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The Broader Picture

In a previous market report, we reviewed the ‘euro crisis’ of 2011-2012, a period of instability that raised doubts about the future of the currency and the euro zone in general. At the time, the uncertainty affected investment and consumer confidence, and ultimately delayed economic recovery, yet eventually the European Central Bank gained control of the situation, stability returned and we seemed set for slow but gradual recovery.

Now several years on, one cannot help but experience a sense of déjà vu; the euro is once again under discussion as it depreciates against other main currencies such as the pound, dollar and Swiss franc, the euro zone economy is flatlining and the popular reaction to austerity measures prompted by public debt have once again drawn Greece and Spain into the limelight. The fear of high interest rates on sovereign debt and the inability of Mediterranean countries to repay them has broadly dissipated, but the intrinsic divide within the European Union between those in favour of fiscal austerity and those who reject it remains unresolved.

This is evident among the long-suffering populace of Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal but also in the tug-of- war between Germany’s Angela Merkel and ECB President Mario Draghi, whose plans for quantitative easing are still met with scepticism and fear among those who have been steering us out of the dangerous waters of financial crisis, economic recession and default collapse. Or have they? The drive to balance public books through a combination of government spending cuts and higher taxes has not led to any significant growth. As many of Europe’s leading economies post anaemic growth figures and unemployment in the euro zone rises to beyond 11 per cent on average, the call for a different approach is growing.

With demand woefully weak, oil prices at their lowest level in many years and deflation rearing its much-feared head, France, in particular, believes growth cannot be rekindled through intense short-term austerity. Like many other countries on the continent, it has not been able to break through the pain barrier of true economic and public sector restructuring, and therefore proposes to restart the euro zone economies through large public investments reminiscent of Roosevelt’s New Deal. Amid all of this we have to remind ourselves that the recession started all the way back in 2008, so it is only natural that people are growing impatient and looking for new solutions.

It is a process that has also given rise to populist movements such as newly elected Syriza in Greece and the high-flying Podemos movement in Spain. Both build their popularity on public discontent with cutbacks and make promises that, while appealing to the masses, provide no guarantees in solving economic issues. In the meantime, the fact that Spain posted decent growth of 1.4 per cent in 2014 and is expected to lead euro zone growth in 2015 with 2.8 per cent shows it is bouncing back economically, and this might ultimately obviate the need for a protest vote.

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Spain’s Return to Growth Though a large portion of the Spanish population has not felt its benefits yet, the national economy has been consolidating its growth for some time now. Unemployment is dropping, business startups are increasing, tax revenue is growing and the government has promised tax cuts to provide further incentives for growth. What’s more, the Spanish banking system has stabilised, evidence of which was its strong performance during the European Stress Test held in the latter part of 2014. As a result, mortgage lending – so vital to domestic home buyers – is gradually returning too, though for the time being the main beneficiaries will be foreign buyers and investors, as it will take some time before the domestic market returns to strength.

The return to health of the banking system is also mirrored in the return of home financing, with over 14,500 mortgages agreed in November 2014 – a 14.2 per cent increase over the previous month. Andalucía and the Canary Islands led this movement, registering surges of 25 per cent and 26 per cent respectively. Moreover, figures released by the Spanish National Statistics Office (INE), indicate that the typical interest rate dropped from 4.21 per cent to 3.29 per cent in 2014. This combination of growing demand, greater availability of financing and improved lending conditions will continue to drive property sales. According to the Ministry of Public Works, there was a 21.6 per cent increase in property sales during 2014 over the previous year, which represents the highest increase since 2004 with a total of 365,594 property sales. However we must take into account that during the last quarter of 2014, the SAREB had to dispose of a

significant part of its stock.

All in all, these factors are pointing towards renewed interest and confidence in Spain, and its mid- to longer- term prospects for growth and development. Combined with attractive prices, this has led to a truly impressive rise in investment in Spanish commercial and real estate assets that range from office and retail space to hotels, resorts and developments. In fact, such was the inflow of capital invested in especially Madrid and Barcelona commercial real estate assets over 2014 that the total of €2.7 billion spent represents an all-time record.

Not bad for a country that not so long ago was still financially ‘untouchable’, and while the uncertainties surrounding Spain’s political course may curb this spending spree somewhat in 2015, the trend has been firmly set among important British, Swiss, French, American, Arab and also Spanish investors.

The return of large US investment funds to

the Spanish market has been particularly noted, and though the bulk of this kind of activity is focused on large urban centres such as Madrid and Barcelona, the Costa del Sol has seen its share of large-scale asset purchases. These range from the acquisition of Sotogrande S.A.

by US-based Cerberus and developments to the east and west of Marbella by other American funds, as well as the purchase of the Monte Mayor golf club by Russian investors, to give just a few examples. They are now investing heavily in new infrastructure and beautification programmes, a process that benefits surrounding areas and raises the value of adjacent properties. In this regard, we should note the important role that the local and provincial administrations play in facilitating the flow of investment into the area that should be enhanced by efforts on the part of national government to provide greater tax incentives to investors too.

Cascada de Camojan State-of-the-Art Villa

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“A property marketed at €1m in July 2014 would have cost a British buyer circa £801,000, today the same property would cost closer to £746,550, providing a saving of £54,450” Marbella’s Microclimate Protected by its economic microclimate, Marbella has been largely sheltered from the factors affecting Spain and Europe. Yes, Spanish buyers are yet to return in any numbers and the political volatility surrounding the Ukraine has slowed down home purchases among Russian buyers, but the region has continued to build upon the recovery that set in at the beginning of 2013. Strong demand from an increasingly diversified client base of Scandinavian, Benelux, French, Arab and Moroccan homebuyers adds to record tourist numbers to lend a certain buoyancy to the local economy – and as financing returns to the market it will stimulate interest further down the socio-economic pyramid too.

The indices continue to point in the right direction, with the growing number of real estate agents being the truest reflection that enquiries and property sales are growing. The latter is empirically reflected in the official statistics released by the Ministry of Public Works, whose figures for 2014 reveal a 27.7 per cent increase in property transactions in the municipalities of Marbella, Estepona and Benahavís – and the expectations are for this to continue in 2015.

Where property prices bottomed out on a national level last year, in Marbella there was a slow but marked increase in the most indemand areas. Slowly but surely, this process is trickling outwards and will become a general trend to rekindle the market in Estepona, Calahonda, Mijas and even as far as Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Sabinillas.

New Growth Marbella, however, remains the shining star of this region’s property market. It is here that the amount of time properties spend on the market is dropping if realistically priced, while in some prime beachfront locations there is even a shortage of available homes, complete with waiting lists for specific property types. Combined with the fact that few bank repossessions remain, this has prompted the return of construction that remains for the moment primarily focused on individual villas and small to medium-sized developments of apartments and villa communities. The latter naturally feature the current clean, white style trend and latest technological features, and the sales success of recent off-plan projects indicates not just that there is a strong demand for such real estate in Marbella, but also that sufficient confidence has returned in its property market for people to buy before building has commenced. Demand for rentals – both holiday and long-term – is strong too, particularly so in the mid to higher end, where prices start at €1.500 per week during the high season. Again, modern luxuries and classic top locations with sea views are most sought after, and today’s luxury rental client demands the very best amenities and comforts. The new laws applicable to short term lets should raise the bar of professionalism in the holiday rentals market further, and any investments required to comply with the upgraded list of standard amenities should gradually be offset by rising rental returns.

The gradual disappearance of bank repossessions from the market and the slowly growing stock of new homes will begin to shift the balance back from re-sales to new-builds, as well as push prices upwards. For the coming year, therefore, we foresee continued growth, gentle upward pressure on prices, a gradual increase in the launch of new developments and the emergence of areas such as Nueva Alcántara and Marbella East as new property hotspots.

In contrast to a few years ago, when the market consisted primarily of bargain hunters enticed by low prices and investment opportunities, today’s homebuyer in Marbella is more of an end-user attracted above all by the properties and lifestyle of this region, but therefore also more demanding of the end-product itself.

Having extensively informed themselves online, such buyers are knowledgeable, price-savvy and keen to find properties that offer the latest styles and luxuries. In so doing they are helping to give shape to a new generation of architectural styling and amenities in Marbella homes.

The so-called Golden Visa, which offers residency to property buyers from outside the European Union that invest €500.000 or more, has not had a major impact on Marbella, yet the recent rise of the pound against the euro has. It coincides with renewed interest from British buyers, and should see this traditionally biggest market for Costa del Sol real estate grow significantly and retake its prime position. In fact, it should be one of the factors driving property sales this year.

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Modern Villas Project to be Completed in Summer 2016

In the wake of it all, new businesses are opening, there is an influx of new residents and homeowners, private schools are well filled and Marbella has regained much of its upbeat, can-do ambience. On-going infrastructural and beautification projects are adding to the aesthetics, functionality and capacity of this region, ranging from the new boulevard park in San Pedro to the urban revitalisation of Estepona, the modernising of public areas in Marbella and the extension of the coastal path-way. Future plans include new pedestrian walkways, a coastal railway line, the renewal of older urban stock and perhaps even the much-vaunted new marina and cruise terminal – though to maintain the momentum the authorities will have to continue to invest in new parking, access facilities, recreational zones and technical infrastructure.

Seen from a macroeconomic perspective, it is fair to say that Marbella in particular is well into the early years of a new growth phase. What’s more, for this region most of the indicators are positive,

giving homebuyers and investors the confidence to commit and make the most of a rare moment when attractive prices collude with strong growth potential to make this an excellent investment environment. If the national economy continues to make progress, domestic buyers will return to the Costa del Sol, and if the local market continues to develop as it is right now, the current upturn will certainly mature into a clearly visible growth cycle.

The implications for growth and development are clear, and as this has become an increasingly mature market in which land is largely consolidated, there must be an even greater shift from breaking virgin soil to urban renewal and land infill, and even more importantly: from quantity to quality.

In the year that should see construction and real estate contribute to national economic growth for the first time since the financial crisis began, Marbella has an opportunity to lay the foundations for its prosperity in the coming years – for how we develop now will determine our progress during the current growth cycle and beyond. e

About Diana Morales Properties

Diana Morales Properties enjoys an enviable position in the Marbella real estate market built on many years of experience and success in the luxury segment. As a specialist in this field, the company’s reputation is built on quality and integrity, two of the founding pillars of DM Properties that continue to make up its core philosophy. The firm combines local market knowledge with an international reach, as well as harmonising old-fashioned values and ethics with a fully up-to-date understanding of modern markets, consumer behaviour and Internet-based marketing tools. The combination of these factors makes DM Properties a leader in the Marbella luxury real estate market, ensuring it represents many of the most serious property buyers and investors in the region as well as being instructed to market and sell the finest homes available.

g Avda. Canovas del Castillo 4,

1st Floor Office, Marbella, Málaga.

Tel: 952 765 138.

DMproperties.com info@DMproperties.com

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THE FOCUS property

Property development on the Costa del Sol

Panoramia Estepona

We’ve been hearing about recession and a halt to construction for so long now that we’ve fallen into a kind of information inertia – still thinking in terms of recovery when new projects are emerging all around us. It’s a point we discuss with some of the leading members of a new generation of property developers.

WORDS Michel Cruz Photography courtesy of RCS Capital, Les Rivages, Altavista Property, Fercolan, Urbania International, El Higueron and iKasa

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he difference between perception and reality relates to the fact that we are seldom aware of a moment’s true characteristics until it has passed and we can reflect upon it. Currently, such a state of affairs applies to Marbella, and more specifically its real estate sector. The news was negative for so long that we almost dare not believe that we’ve crossed the threshold into growth but, in reality, the turning point came as far back as 2012. The fact is that this region is now accelerating and that early recovery is reflected most accurately in the proliferation of new projects across Marbella and beyond.

Naturally, this is still not a boom, and few of us would really like to revisit the days of construction boom and the mass-produced homes that accompany it, but both the growing volume of activity and the current tendency for quality over quantity provide reasons for optimism. We spoke to some of the leading new developers in the region to get their input on the latest trends.

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Benahavis Hills

From Redevelopment to New Development

La Montesa de Marbella

Taylor Cox is a partner in Real Capital Solutions, an American equity fund that was one of the first to take on developments that had halted during recession and redevelop them. This reviving of ‘dead’ real estate stock is not as simple a process as it sounds; you need the capital, expertise and confidence to make it a success. “It’s always hard to be one of the first to make a major move but this is our business – this is what we do,” says Taylor.

“The truth is that we get concerned when the market appears to be peaking, whereas downturns can create opportunities for positive investments.”

It is the viewpoint of experienced investors, whose ideal moment is at that point where one recession ends and begins to flow into the next upward cycle. “We entered the market just a little before that point and are there right now, with a track record that already includes the successful relaunching of Cosmo Beach, Mediterra and Valley Heights as well as current projects such as the Benahavis Hills Country Club and La Montesa de Marbella in Cabopino.” This list already hints at a diversity of locations and segments that Taylor confirms: “We consider all asset classes, and our product price points can range from €100,000 to €5 million plus, but RCS is a highly analytical fund. We spend

significant time researching markets and demographics to determine where our next investment will be, and at the moment we believe the Costa del Sol, with Marbella at its epicentre, represents one of the best opportunities in the world.”

The methodology of not just renovating or finishing a project but fully bringing it up to the standards of today’s buyers proved highly successful at Valley Heights and this experience has also been applied in the redevelopment of the Benahavis Hills Country Club, yet with the newly launched La Montesa de Marbella, RCS is mirroring the move in the market from promoting existing stock to creating new homes.

“In both cases we pay great attention to external and internal elements that provide a comfortable living environment with a timeless appeal, regardless of the architectural style. To achieve this it is important to break up the stark lines of ultra contemporary designs with elements that add warmth and comfort,” says Taylor, who sees mortgages and liquidity returning to a market segment where price pressures on land, and later the new-built properties themselves, are already beginning to make themselves felt. “These are exciting times for Marbella, and we believe the ideal moment for a new generation of quality developments.”

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La Finca de Marbella villas

From Sales to Project Development Altavista Property is one of the agencies that over the past few years have earned a reputation as a specialist in marketing newly relaunched projects. Working in collaboration with several leading banks and developers, they have successfully brought to the market developments such as Las Terrazas de Santa Clara, Las Mimosas de Puerto Banús, Alamar, Los Lagos, Green Hills, La Resina, El Mirador de los Flamingos and Elviria Beach.

The expertise developed in the sales and promotion of such stock is now, however, just as valid in the selling of newly designed and constructed real estate, and the natural progression from this is collaborating with investment funds and constructors to produce such projects as La Finca de Marbella in Río Real, backed by the Kuwaiti investment fund Unicapita.

With regards to design, Michael Liggan says: “It took a leap of faith to make this move two years ago, but we could see which way the market was going and we knew there was strong demand for modern-contemporary property that combined quality with value for money. Open plan design is very popular, as are large windows, so we use top brands and where possible floor to ceiling windows, but also ensure that the designs themselves are unique enough to add value.” He believes the current white/modern styles will continue to dominate the scene for years to come, but that gradually

variations of tone and design will evolve. “The only thing that seems irreversible is the ongoing development and inclusion of technology into homes.”

The decision as to what kind of project, housing type and qualities to develop depends in large part on the land, its location and price. “To be able to offer a product that represents value you need to buy the land at a reasonable price and in a good location. Already competition for land is heating up and before long its relative scarcity will push prices up in the top locations, and development will again move towards the outer edges of Marbella and beyond.” Michael also sees a gradual return of bank loans for developers, though for now the conditions remain strict.

When it comes to demand for such new

properties, Michael says “There has been very little new construction in Marbella since before the official crisis and much of what is available on the market is out-dated and quite frankly not up to the standards of many of today’s second home buyers. Most are looking for something modern and well designed, and are now more particular about this than ever before.”

So how do you add value and differentiate yourself from the competition? “The design of La Finca de Marbella is excellent and the qualities are top notch. It is important that all parties involved in such a project understand what the current market demands and plan accordingly.

This project specifically is unique in the way that the interior and outdoor areas are integrated through the use of large windows. It’s quite seamless and the result impressive.”

La Finca de Marbella villas

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Something new is happening in Santa Clara Marbella Are you going to miss it?

www.icon-marbella.com

Les Rivages Estepona

The Ingredients for Successful Development – Modern Quality One of the first developers to create a stir with a luxurious new-generation development was Michel Dupey of Les Rivages. What’s more, he chose to do it in Estepona, and while the Frenchman may be a newcomer to the local scene, he has proven that this location is certainly no B choice. “We wanted to build an outstanding project and were fortunate enough to find a fantastic frontline beach location that fitted right in with our philosophy of modern comfort and added value through attention to detail.”

Though banks seldom take a risk on new developers, he established a good relationship with Bankinter and was able to sell luxury apartments off-plan with a bank guarantee at a time when many promoters struggled to do so. “But one could see that the luxury market was growing and demanding a modern type of stock that was in short supply, so the success of projects such as ours will pave the way for further revitalisation of the market.” Though the Costa del Sol compares favourably in price with other quality destinations internationally, the fact that prime land resources have already almost returned to pre-crisis levels will soon push values upwards. “One of the ways, therefore, to continue offering top value is by adding value through the kind of distinguishing details that people look for in a home. These include large panoramic windows and spacious lifestyle terraces, under floor heating for comfort in the winter and modern open-plan kitchens, but also details such as modular configurations, low-maintenance equipment and sufficient storage facilities. A good development, therefore, balances form and function optimally.”

Les Rivages Estepona

Les Rivages Estepona

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Santa Clara, an Axample of the New Marbella East Tomas Gasset and Mark Farber of Urbania agree.

As experienced developers on the Costa del Sol they have such developments as Sensara Benalmádena and El Casar in Benahavis to their name, and have now embarked upon their most ambitious project to date: Icon Signature Villas at the Santa Clara Golf Resort. “We saw the market returning and began looking for the location that would fit in with a concept conceived around design, service and ultimately quality of life,” says Tomas. “The old debate about large unsold housing stock is now outdated, at least in Marbella, so the focus for buyers is on modern styles and comforts, but also quality construction, security, low maintenance and an appealing location.”

Icon Signature Villas

Urbania found its ideal location in Santa Clara, where the Icon Signature Villas will arise from designs created by six different architects. “Soon it will no longer be possible to position properties of this kind in locations like this close to the sea and at the entrance of Marbella, and people will once again have to settle for properties further out.” And yet, for the time being developers still have to be highly competitive in price, offering great value and added elements such as the concierge service that forms part of the design-led project. “Moreover, buyers want the opportunity to personalise their homes, so our clients can work with the architects and landscapers who shape the homes and their immediate setting to create their

own lifestyle environment.”

Indeed, there have been great changes in the aesthetic, technical and service standards demanded by buyers. Though Urbania is developing the project through the equity financing of a large US fund, it advises buyers to make use of mortgages with some of the lowest interest rates in many years. “I see growth and new development accelerating in the next two years,” says Tomas, “with the resulting growth in prices, but as long as you understand that what people want nowadays is style, convenience and above all not so much a particular architecture as a whole lifestyle concept, it is a very exciting field to be in right now.”

Icon Signature Villas

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New Trends

It’s a point that Eric Albert Zohar of Loma de Casasola has also thoroughly considered in his new offering: “We are creating something highly exclusive, where design and lifestyle blend with the environment in terms of aesthetics and views, but also sustainability.”

Offering the finest qualities was partly possible because his company owns the land, but it all forms part of a philosophy that focuses on combining the modern design and luxury lifestyle features of the villas with their natural setting.

“We do this to guarantee the highest possible quality of life for our buyers, but have taken it one step further to also ensure that the homes are as energyefficient and sustainable as possible.”

Designed by Juan Antonio Fernández of Fercolan Arquitectos, who designed the new boulevard in San Pedro Alcántara, the Loma de Casasola villas have been conceived as a synthesis of luxury, style and environmental credentials.

It is an added element that is obviously important to buyers and developers alike, for it is also a notable feature of iKasa’s new Panoramia Estepona project, due to be launched this month. “We’ve seen the market come back and believe the moment is right for a project such as this,” says CEO Iván Rodríguez, whose research shows a demand for new real estate in Estepona that underwrites the company’s faith in the area. “We had a vision that this area would become an important growth zone within the Costa del Sol, and see it becoming reality now.

Estepona has every potential to form the westward extension of Marbella’s Golden Mile, and here there is still more room for growth.”

The project itself focuses on a first phase of 54 modern apartments featuring the architectural styling of

Panoramia Estepona

Casasola Marbella

Matías Villaroël, whose mission has also been to blend it into the setting and marry contemporary luxury with first-class environmental credentials.

“It is something that is increasingly important to buyers, especially young professionals, and while we will let the architectural styling of subsequent phases evolve, sustainability is a constant part of our philosophy.”

Technology plays an important part in this, and also features in automation systems that make it possible to set your home’s temperature to your preferred level regardless of weather conditions.

New Locations

If energy efficiency is a new trend born out of an era driven by design and technology, then you could say that the upward march of areas such as Estepona, La Alquería, San Pedro’s Nueva Alcántara and Marbella East is a product of the soon-to-be prime value of classic locations in Marbella.

But is it restricted to the so-called Golden Triangle of Marbella, Estepona and Benahavís? Evidence suggests not, as while the Golden Triangle remains just that, the likes of Fuengirola,

Benalmádena and Málaga are also experiencing an upturn accompanied by new luxury development.

“Reserva del Higuerón opted to reinvent itself after several years of waiting for something to happen in the property market,” says Begoña Martin Matas, Sales Director. “We finally decided the time was right to take action and return to work with a renewed energy, starting by adopting the name ‘The Collections’, which was selected to differentiate us from other developments. We took a big risk, but a successful one.” The first project of 70 off-plan apartments and penthouses were sold within ten months, demonstrating the emerging market of buyers waiting to invest in a good product.

“The project incorporates a lot of feedback from our clients,” says Begoña, “so the homes prominently feature spacious, open-plan layouts, magnificent views and stylish terrace areas, as well as the latest creature comforts.” She also notices that buyers are sensing now is an optimal time to buy in an upwardly mobile market in which price levels are very attractive and poised to move up. “External

factors such as the improvement in the Spanish economic situation, the return of mortgages, low interest rates and the euro exchange rate against other currencies, all play a role in this.

But quite apart from this a successful property developer needs to be innovative, listen to their clients, provide a sound design and lifestyle concept and offer service and added value. Oh, and then there are the most important factors of all: location, accessibility and views.” i www.lomadecasasola.com

www.benahavishills.com www.lamontesademarbella.com www.lesrivages.es www.lafincademarbella.com www.reservadelhigueron.com www.icon-marbella.com www.ikasa.es www.rcsspain.com www.smartpropertyprofessional.com

La Reserva del Higueron

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© Kevin Horn

THE FOCUS bulevar

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The Bulevar de San Pedro has only been officially open for four months but it has dramatically changed the landscape of one of the Coast’s most popular residential areas. The project, carried out by Juan Antonio Fernández Pérez and his team at Fercolan Estudio de Arquitectura, cost just €6 million, yet has virtually doubled the price of real estate in the area.

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FERCOLAN ESTUDIO DE ARQUITECTURA

BULEVAR DE SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA

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Juan Antonio Fernández © Kevin Horn

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open. The Town Hall of Marbella decided that a public competition would enable them to consider a wide array of possibilities and we were fortunate enough to win the competition.”

Juan Antonio was born and raised in San Pedro and though he has travelled extensively to architectural havens like New York and Berlin, and studied architecture at the renowned Seville University, he is a San Pedro boy at heart and this enabled him to identify the real challenges posed by the old city plan. “There was always an architectural separation between the seaside and the city and we sought to eliminate this barrier,” he explains.

Maritime inspirations abound in the new Bulevar: “Its outline mimics the natural outline of the coast,” says Juan Antonio. The curvy bridge is a homage to the eternal movement of the waves, and even the sculptures which grace the walkway conjure up images of joyful sea bubbles; thus the name of the winning project (Sea of Sensations).

The different water structures invoke the relaxing effects of the sea; some have fountains, others are still yet bear a pleasing natural shape, still others are completely motionless. The soaring bridge, whose floor is a wooden deck, conjures up images of yachts sailing majestically on the sea.

© Kevin Horn

he Bulevar, which took the second prize at Spain’s most prestigious awards for parks and public spaces – the Premio de Alhambra – has transformed San Pedro into a true ‘belle of the ball’.

Boasting a futuristic bridge which curves its way into the skyline, a one-kilometer cycling lane, three restaurants, a spacious Auditorium, nine different water constructions, six relaxation zones, and various play areas for children, it is a true

celebration of family life on the Coast; in the words of the Architect himself, it has “blended the ancient heart of San Pedro with the ideals of a modern city and allowed the children to reclaim their own public space.”

The Bulevar de San Pedro project was awarded to Juan Antonio and his team, who won a public competition calling for the best design for this ample pubic area. “Architects from all over Spain vied for this project, so we were very pleased to be the winners.”

Juan Antonio explains that the long-awaited project arose “after construction was completed on the San Pedro tunnel. It took many years for the new underground roadwork’s to be concluded, yet the question of how to make use of the space above ground remained

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“ Wh e n yo u are s er i o u s ab ou t R eal Es tate”

Built: 340 m2 Plot: 1110 m2 Price: 890.000 €

Lovely 4 bedroom villa perfectly situated in Monte Biarritz, a quiet residential area with walking distance to amenities and to the beach. Large windows that let in lots of lights, large garden and a nice covered terrace close by the pool. Ref. R2412779

Built: 312 m2 Plot: 630 m2 Price: 569.000 €

Brand new contemporary villas with 3 bedrooms to be built in Monte Biarritz, 5 minutes from San Pedro and walking distance to the beach. The work begins when you buy the house and will be completed in a year. Ref. R2412776

Built: 254 m2 Terrace: 265 m2 Price: 1.395.000 €

Luxury 3 bedroom penthouse in Los Flamingos, a prestigious golf resorts on the Costa del Sol. South/west facing and terraces also to the east, north and west. Jacuzzi on the terrace. New white goods and newly painted. Ref. R2415695

Built: 628 m2 Plot: 2400 m2 Price: 1,500.000 €

Wonderful private 5 bedroom villa in El Paraiso, south facing with absolutely stunning sea views.

Beautifully furnished kitchen with direct access to the terrace and to the garden. Walking distance to the golf course and close to the beach and amenities. Ref. R742729

Built: 691 m2 Plot: 1400 m2 Price: 2,500.000 €

Luxury 4 bedroom villa in Nueva Andalucia with views over golf course and some sea

views. An office which can also be used as a 5th bedroom and Jacuzzi on the roof terrace. Under construction and will be completed in spring 2016. Ref. R2420486

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represents a stark departure from the cold network of roads and roundabouts that once inhabited this space.

By night, the bridge and its surrounds takes on a distinctly romantic feel; the sunsets from its lofty heights are simply sensational, and much effort has been placed into illumination effects, to attract a different type of crowd. A host of events have already taken place at the Auditorium (which seats up to 700 people) and without a doubt, in the Summer, the Bulevar will be a hive of activity, with a plethora of performers providing entertainment to packed houses.

Juan Antonio seems surprisingly young to have created such a comprehensive project, yet his studio has been operating for 15 years, specialising in large-scale public projects (such as the recently

completed ASPANDEM residential centre) and high-end villas.

Architecture is in his blood, since his father founded a successful construction business and he had always encouraged his son to tap into his innate creativity.

One new project keeping his team busy is the new connection to be built, between Marqués de Duero street, and the Bulevar. One of the best things about carrying out public projects, he notes, is the amount of employment it generates. “Some 21 people were involved in the Bulevar project,” he says, “including construction workers, landscape artists and gardeners, lighting specialists, etc.”

Juan Antonio admits that although, in his early teens, he wasn’t sure that architecture would ignite his

passion, he is now certain that there is nothing else in the world he would rather be involved in. Leading one of the Coast’s top architectural firms calls upon his talent in architecture itself, but also in management, organisation and collaboration with other talented Architects. For this native of San Pedro, few things are quite as fulfilling as forming part of a dynamic team in which art, science and technology each take their rightful place. g La Cancela de la Quinta, Local 2.2, San Pedro de Alcántara.

Tel: 952 782 120. www.fercolan.com

© Kevin Horn

Visiting the Bulevar by day is an altogether different experience from a sunset or night visit. By around 11am on a weekend, the area is filled with the colour and laughter that can only emanate from children.

“There are six different play areas,” says Juan Antonio, “so that kids of all ages can find their perfect spot.”

Vertiginous slides, net climbers and a racy zipline are just a few of the play structures children line up to enjoy. The areas are big enough for all kids to find something to interest them, while parents enjoy a welldeserved cup of coffee or refreshing beer at the coffee shops facing the playgrounds. The Bulevar has to be experienced in person, to appreciate its majesty in full and to realise the importance of investment, to up the attraction factor of the area for tourists. “Thus far, the tourists who have seen the Bulevar are amazed that something this modern exists on the Coast…” Indeed, the walkway

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THE FOCUS people

Panorama WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN AND COURTESY OF PANORAMA

45

CELEBRATES

YEARS IN BUSINESS

On the transient Costa del Sol it is impressive when a company celebrates its 25th anniversary. With 45 uninterrupted years in business, Panorama really is Marbella’s longest established real estate agency – and an icon of its property sector.

The Panorama Team, 2015

The Shamoons, Chris Clover and first wife Kirsten ands, The Corner 1977

I

n 2015 Panorama Properties marks 45 years since its founding in 1970. This means that the company has been part of Marbella’s fabric almost since the beginning, a contemporary of the founding of Puerto Banús and so many other establishments, which have withstood the test of time. A constant in a fastchanging environment, Panorama has become a Marbella icon in its own right.

Still very much a new, evolving place, those who have lived here for many years have seen Marbella change before their eyes. This is particularly true of Christopher Clover, founder of Panorama, who has been a driving force in the town’s property sector and community since 1970. He has experienced much of the change in this region first hand, arriving at a time when Marbella still had the naïve charm of a pretty fishing village emerging into a glamorous Mediterranean jet-set location.

At the time the likes of Monaco and Cannes were already famous, but thanks to the energy, vision and stellar connections of Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, his uncle the Marqués de Ivanrey, Ricardo Soriano, Count Rudi von Schönburg, José Banús and many others, Marbella had become the new darling of aristocrats, tycoons and Hollywood greats such as Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Deborah Kerr and Ava Gardner. At the glamorous Marbella Club they rubbed shoulders with Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, Guy de Rothschild, Jaime de Mora y Aragón, Laurence Olivier and Teddy Kennedy. Indeed, to these lucky few, Marbella, with its natural beauty and microclimate, was the newfound paradise.

The Origins of Panorama In 1970, having just arrived from the USA, a youthful Chris Clover found himself surrounded by people like this, some of whom were famous American compatriots. “My father was a prominent real estate broker in Charlottesville, Virginia, the second generation in a successful family firm that had been founded by my grandfather in Chicago back in 1904,” says Chris. “Our international expansion began when Bill Clover acquired a Washington DC based international agency called Panorama Ltd. in 1968 and a French associate of my father, René Frank, suggested we open an office in the newly burgeoning

jet-set destination named Marbella.”

Not much later in 1970 an office was opened in Marbella, followed

by Mallorca and Mexico City shortly afterwards. Chris came across to run the new European operation while his brother Bill Clover Junior headed the Mexico City office. It was a seminal moment, for Panorama was the first international real estate agency in Marbella, and the first agency to bring inspection flights – the first of many to follow – and the moment marked a gradual transition from a small elite destination to a growing resort with broadening appeal.

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Part of Marbella’s Evolution The first small urbanisations for ex-colonials and other mortals not belonging to the glamorous elite had begun to appear near the summer villas of the jet-set in the late 1950s and 60s, but the beginning of the 1970s saw a gradual widening of the market, as growing demand from mid- to high-end buyers and visitors opened this segment up further.

The rich and famous had made this area internationally renowned, but now they increasingly had to share ‘their Marbella’ with bankers, directors, lawyers, doctors and other professionals keen to enjoy the glamour and charm of this wonderful Mediterranean spot, a process that gained further momentum when Margaret Thatcher abolished exchange controls in 1979 and released a pent-up flood of demand that descended, among other spots, on Marbella.

“In many ways we preceded this development when we opened the Panorama office to bring American buyers and investors here on inspection flights,” says Chris.

“Marbella still had a charming village atmosphere when I arrived, but you could already see that it was evolving into an international resort with growing appeal. So even though it was never really going to be close enough in flight time to attract large numbers of Americans, we did sell to large numbers of investors.” They realised Chris good returns as a growing with Alex number of European and and Katinka in particular British buyers and visitors embraced the area, followed by wealthy Arab investors.

“In the early seventies, the population had already trebled from less than ten thousand when Ricardo Soriano first invited Alfonso von Hohenlohe to this spot, and from the 1970s into the 1980s it continued to grow rapidly, evolving before our eyes from a charming jet-set playground into a more cosmopolitan upmarket

resort.” By now Panorama had become a leading real estate agency and Chris Clover a prominent member of the local community.

Constancy in Challenging Times For the most part, Marbella took growth in its stride as urbanisations converted old finca estates into attractive new residential areas, but as the 1980s progressed the town began to lose its way. “Marbella has always been associated with exclusivity, but one of its strengths is actually the ability to cater to different segments of society.” However, this ability was compromised when the local authorities lacked the foresight to reinvest in the town and made the mistake of thinking that sun and a reputation first made in the fifties were all it took to assure the loyalty of an international upmarket clientele.

As the infrastructure and services began to suffer due to a lack of investment of public funds, Marbella acquired a shabby aspect that began to drive the wealthy away.

By the early nineties the situation was exacerbated by an international recession, and Marbella’s immediate future looked unpromising until the arrival, as newly-elected

Mayor after having been declared ‘persona non grata’ by the previous administration, of a controversial impresario named Jesús Gil. “You can say what you like about Gil, and we all know he was problematic, but the fact remains that he turned Marbella around in those critical first years of his administration.”

Using cunning creativity, Gil began trading municipal land for units of

construction, with different building companies, thus kick-starting both economic activity and the municipal resources needed to embark on the beautification of Marbella and much needed investment in its public infrastructure.

“And this he did so well that even today most of his improvements are still in place.” Gil proposed a new PGOU 98 that was suppressed by the main parties, and so the town plodded on with an outdated planning directive that was open to the inevitable abuse that would follow. “Gil is criticised for his mistakes and the following corruption, but we should also recognise how he turned Marbella around in the early nineties, brought ‘show business’ back to Marbella, and laid the foundations for later successes.” By the time Marbella emerged from a long recession into the accelerating growth of a new millennium, the stage was set for boomtown atmosphere.

“In all of this, boom and bust, we have always remained true to our convictions and our business philosophy,” says Chris. “Perhaps it’s because this is a family business and we have real estate in our blood, or because we love and are committed

to Marbella, but we have never been tempted to turn Panorama into a huge sales operation canvassing for thousands of sales a year. I believe that it is this ongoing commitment to quality, service and professional know-how, passed down from my grandfather to my father and myself, coupled with a great team that has made us a successful real estate reference in Marbella. Now that the future of Marbella is looking bright again it is companies such as ours, who never left during the difficult years, that can set the benchmark of professionalism and sustainable measured growth as our region enters a new chapter in its history.”

Panorama today is comprised of almost 30 professionals, including Chris’ children Alex and Katinka, and specialises in property sales, rentals and investments, real estate consulting and property administration.

Panorama is also the exclusive Marbella area representative of the prestigious UK based international estate agency, Savills. g Hotel Puente Romano,

Local 23 (next to reception), Golden Mile, Marbella.

Tel: +34 952 863 750. info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

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style

INTERIORS / ARCHITECTURE / ART / DESIGN

Style up your home by visiting the luxurious and spacious new Marmorin Design Center, turn heads poolside in the latest swimwear by top designers, and read up on the season’s fashion must-haves.

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DESIGNCENTER M A R M O R I N B AT H R O O M S ORIGINALS INTERIORS D O M O S AT H O M E C I N E M A S A U T O M AT I O N C E N T R E H I D A L G O M O N C I I L L U M I N AT I O N TONI DALLI MARBELLA PROPERTY PROJECTS VA L C U C I N E I TA L I A N K I T C H E N S MARBEGLASS CERAFINO TILES DOUBLEVIEW GARDEN ARCHITECTURAL STUDIO R O YA L P I A N O S

Bathrooms for All Budgets!

A unique concept in creativity wi t h an unprecedented selection of some of the Coasts top desig n companies, all within one stunning 695m 2 showroom.

People Don't Know What They Want Until They See And Touch It...

Centro Comercial Expo de Marbella, Blvd. PrĂ­ncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, Marbella. Tel: 951 196 509 For appointments call Tel: 678 648 765 marco@marmorinspain.com www.marmorindesigncenter.com

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THE STYLE decor

THE MARMORIN DESIGN CENTER A new concept in Marbella Now that growth and dynamism are returning to our region, Marbella is really stepping into the 21st century.

The new Marmorin Design Center is a case in point – a state-of-the-art centre of style, luxury and design that incorporates Marmorin bathrooms, Valcucine kitchens, Originals interior design, Cerafino tiles, Marbeglass, Hidalgo Monci lighting, Domosat home automation, Doubleview landscaping, Royal Pianos and Toni Dalli Marbella property projects under one roof.

WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

The Marmorin Design Center on the Golden Mile

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s a place of beauty known for its luxurious properties and glamorous lifestyle, Marbella is a town very much associated with high standards of interior design and decoration. As a result, it features a concentration of luxury brands and top-of-the-range décor options that cover everything from architecture and carpentry to furniture, home automation and landscaping – and much more besides.

Until now, such services have been spread around in individual establishments scattered across the length and breadth of Marbella, but the launch of the innovative Marmorin Design Center on the Golden Mile brings the main components together in one state-of-the-art venue that is a showcase of what today’s designers, materials, lighting and automation engineers can achieve on a technical and creative level.

In bringing all this expertise together under one roof, the initiative takers Marco

A personalised design service that blends all the elements together

Dalli and Timo Isoniemi, working closely with Debbie Pea of Originals Interiors and the design team from Marmorin Poland, have not only created a unique new concentration of professional home-related services, but also worked hard to ensure that those who form part of this design collective belong to a hand-picked elite. “It has taken a lot of hard work, from initial concept to the opening of the Marmorin Design Center,” says Marco Dalli, “but we feel we really have created something

unique and worthwhile here.”

This groundbreaking centre brings to Marbella the kind of facility that would be in its element in major cities such as New York, London and Paris. “Marbella is evolving, and with it the tastes and requirements of the people who are buying and decorating homes here. What people want today are the latest styles, quality materials and technology, but also a level of service and convenience that is best served within a single, inspiring venue like this.”

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1 – Marmorin’s high tech composite materials are durable and elegant 2 – Modern artwork – elegance personified by Royal Pianos 3 – Design options offering practical and elegant solutions 4 – Interior styling details as part of a comprehensive design centre under one roof 5 – Design accompanied by the finest quality appliances 6 – Even the saunas feature bespoke design and lighting effects 7 – The finest modern materials and finishes for today’s homes 8 – Avant-garde Marmorin bathroom materials and styles 9 – Design accompanied by the best equipment options

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Ten Top Names in One Space Designed more as an impressive showcase of what Marbella’s top professionals can do to create stunning interior environments than as a shop, the Marmorin Design Center is not a passive showroom but a true collective of professionals complete with technicians, engineers and designers. “What’s more, the companies in question are not just represented here – this is their main base in Marbella, so you will find not just support teams but also the expertise of the owners themselves at your disposal.”

The fact that these respected names work together in one centre also means that the fitting out of a home is not the assembly of lots of independently conceived components, but the product of a well coordinated harmonisation of elements such as interior design, lighting, home automation, appliance design and even landscaping. Already this is leading to the conception of products and applications that blend the expertise of the different specialists to produce unique visual, technical and also practical solutions.

An example of this is the audiovisual room within the centre. Designed as a showcase of how a bespoke project like a home cinema or family TV room can be taken to new heights, it is the culmination of teamwork that involved Domosat, Originals Interiors and Hidalgo Monci lighting.

The result is not only technically superior but also features tasteful styling to create a truly special setting in which to relax and shut the world out.

The perfect blending of interior design, lighting and audio visual technology

Modern artwork – elegance personified by Royal Pianos

To get here you will have to pass the exquisite pieces by Royal Pianos at the entrance to the centre, which is much larger than you’d imagine.

Also prominent at this point are unique bathtubs, washbasins and other bathroom accessories made from high-tech composites that look and feel like the noblest traditional materials but are extremely hardwearing and scratch-free. The Marmorin brand from which the centre derives its name is taking the world by storm, and Marco and Timo believe it complements the other deluxe brands such as Valcucine kitchens perfectly.

Also known for its refined Italian styling and advanced materials, Valcucine in combination with top appliances is the kind of fusion today’s homeowners are looking for. Together with fine collections of modern art, furniture, accessories and soft furnishings, as well as Cerafino tiles that offer a wide range of finishes and options – including durable ‘wooden’ floors and ‘marble’ surfaces that are virtually indistinguishable from the original – these are some of the raw materials that offer the stylists of Originals Interiors a rich palette from which to work.

Stunning new Marmorin designs

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Interior design solutions by Originals

High tech home automation solutions by Domosat

Marmorin bathroom styles integrated into contemporary interiors

The perfect blending of interior design, lighting and audio visual technology

Beautifully finished and innovative – Atlas Concorde tiles

Design accompanied by the finest quality appliances

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A Living Centre But the concept goes beyond the availability of a diverse range of high quality products and materials. The Marmorin Design Center is just that – a design centre were specialists in their field are on hand to work with clients, architects and interior decorators to come up with innovative and in many cases entirely bespoke solutions. From the made-to-measure glass and frame creations of Marbeglass, which combine the highest European standards with complete flexibility, to the innovative landscaping and vertical gardening designs created by ‘green’ architecture studio Doubleview, the teams are there to open up new horizons.

“We try not to use words like ‘can’t’,” says Marco Dalli. “We hear them all too often. As creative people we like to focus on producing solutions, and fortunately these days there are many tools to help us do just that.” To visual and spatial ability is added the technical skill of audiovisual and home automation specialists Domosat and lighting experts Hidalgo Monci. “Together they lend an extra dimension to home entertainment and ambient lighting systems, a resource that is particularly appreciated by our interior designers who not only have access to some of the most advanced systems available, but also to people in whose hands the possibilities stretch so much further.”

Stunning new Marmorin designs

Modern and classic finishes in a world of possibilities and styles

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Modern design elements within the Marmorin Design Center Interior styling details as part of a comprehensive design centre under one roof

Clasical elegance courtesy of Royal Pianos

Master craftsmanship in everything from carpentry to lighting

The tenth element is made up by Toni Dalli Marbella, a discreet developer of investment and lifestyle projects that utilises all the above talents to add value to existing and new real estate. “It’s a coming together of skill sets that create a unique concentration of know-how and applications in one central location in Marbella. But rather than limit it to this, we wanted to also infuse the fun, creative atmosphere of a big city design centre and make sure this is a place that lives.” Marco refers to the calendar of events that will be held at the Marmorin Design Center every month, including cooking evenings, design or culturalbased events and also opportunities for architects and designers to host select gatherings with their clients.

“We wanted to foster a refined and creative environment in which to showcase design, décor and all related elements. For this reason our Valcucine kitchens are not just decorative but actually functional, making it possible for us to turn the studio into a stylish venue for events.”

A tantalising trump card with regard to this is the ‘men’s den’, a luxurious gentleman’s club environment whose comfortable leather fauteuils, large billiards table, humidor, modern glass wine cellar and bar might appeal just as much to the ladies too. “The ambience here will be altogether more classical,” says Marco, whose ability to bring a touch of Pall Mall club sophistication to Marbella says enough about the diverse skills and exciting allure of theStyle Marmorin Design Center. and sophistication on displayefrom Marmorin

Marmorin Design Center, Centro Comercial Expo de Marbella, Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, Marbella. Tel: 951 196 509.

For appointments call Tel: 678 648 765. marco@marmorinspain.com www.marmorindesigncenter.com

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THE STYLE fashion

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Styling it

On the Sea UK Photographer, Tony Wellington, recently completed his latest fashion shoot aboard The Black Pearl, a luxury yacht moored in Puerto BanĂşs and affording breathtaking views of the sea and the Marbella mountain range. Stunning model, Anastasia Rose, strutted her stuff in fashions by Rebecca Torres, Amour, Alegria, LAPA and Chic Freak, wearing futuristic sunglasses by LOTHO, Andy Wolf Eyewear, Anna-Karin Karlsson and ILLESTEVA and standing proud in shoes by FINSK. Tony and the team were said to have raised the temperature a few degrees on the Port, demonstrating how cool summer wear can be.

Photography Tony Wellington Assistant Lilla Nyeki Hair & Make–Up Giovanna Zac Model Anastasia Rose @ First Model Management www.firstmodelmanagement.co.uk www.chicfreakcollections.com www.rebeccatorres.co.uk www.summerpassionforbikinis.com www.finsk.com

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Mermaid goes multi-colour

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The coolest shades of green

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THE STYLE fashion

i www.adidas.com

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ADIDAS ORIGINALS PRESENTS

KANYE WEST

YEEZY SEASON 1

Marisa Cutillas brings us one of the highlights of the year when it comes to fashion: Kanye West’s YEEZY SEASON 1, a collection of apparel and footwear that cherishes the ideals of universality and timelessness. Described

by West as the world’s first “solutionsbased” clothing line, each piece reflects the relentless pace of contemporary man.

“I don’t want the clothes to be the life,” he says. “I want the clothes to help the life.” The collection, presented during New York Fashion Week, aims to create a line of high-quality items that can be freely combined in infinite ways, “like Lego.” Billowing tops, tight shorts and trousers and street-luxury pieces give shape to a new modern wardrobe. Footwear is turned inside-out, with woven lo-top sneakers for men and suede stilettos and platform snow boots for women. Of Adidas, the artist says, “They are a super innovative company that gives artists a platform to create and dream.”

PHOTOGRAPHY FERNANDA CALFAT AND KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES

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spa

PRODUCTS / BEAUTY / SPA / SCIENCE

Now is the perfect time to get into optimal shape so make sure to read all the handy health and beauty tips contained in our health section. Discover the practicality of dry shampoo and massage soap bars and achieve a state of Zen with Progressive Muscle Relaxation exercises.

Bikini season is looming so make sure you stay trim and toned with the revolutionary non-surgical treatment, CoolSculpting, which bestows similar results to liposuction without any need for surgery.

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TREATMENTS / HEALTH

104 Dry Shampoo and Massage Soap Bars by Lush 106 Beauty News 108 Fat Freezing by CoolSculpting 110

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

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Health News

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Dr. Spurek of the Marbella Foot & Sports Clinic

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Holland & Barrett’s New Store at Miramar in Fuengirola

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Master spas from the U.S., with the new amazing state-of-the-art swimspas developed by 18 times Olympic gold Champion, MICHAEL PHELPS

Welcome to our brand new 600 m2 pool and spa shop in Nueva Andalucía stocking a full range of equipment, chemicals, pool toys, pumps and filters.

More then 30 different premium spas and swimspa models to choose from!

Spas start from as little as €4.500 up to the biggest party spa for 10 people.

We also have chlorine-free salt systems for all pools.

Solar pool covers to fully automatic safety covers and the NEW pool heatpump that will heat your pool all year round. NOW with WIFI control allowing you to control your heater from anywhere in the world.

EXCLUSIVE DISTRUBITOR IN SPAIN FOR WORLD CLASS MASTER SPAS AND MICHAEL PHELPS SWIMSPAS Aqualiving Pool & Spas S.L I phone: (+34) 951 194 739 I email: info@aqualiving.es I web: www.aqualiving.es

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BEAUTY

DRY SHAMPOO AND MASSAGE SOAP BARS by Lush

Busy girls need beauty products that make life easier, faster and more soothing all at once. This month, Marisa Cutillas brings us a few items from Lush, with its own shop in the centre of Málaga as well as a varied online store with all kinds of tempting items for the health and beauty of skin and hair. The shampoo range, which contains no preservatives, comprises a series of dry soaps weighing a mere 55 grams and delivering 80 to 100 washes. Take your pick from:

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ADVICE

Z 1 – JASON and the Argan Oil. This soap’s argan oil base gives hair an inimitable shine.

Z 2 – BRAZILIANT: Made with fresh orange, orange oils and Brazilian andiroba, it is ideal for curly and African-Caribbean hair.

Z 3 – LULLABY: Containing almond, hazelnut, lavender and jojoba. This soap is very gentle and can be used on children as young as two.

Z 4 – COPPERHEAD: This soap is made for those with coloured hair; it contains henna and coffee, making it a good choice for those with dark hair.

Z 5 – MONTALBANO: Containing Sicilian lemon oil, olives and rosemary, this is another ideal choice for added shine.

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LUSH’S MASSAGE RANGE COMPRISES SOAPS WITH PARTICLES THAT SOOTHE AND ELIMINATE TENSION. THE COLLECTION INCLUDES:

Z 6 – PEARL: Made with antioxidant argan oil, this bar contains calming rose oil and sago bubbles to stimulate circulation.

Z 7 – SHADES OF EARL GREY: Succumb to the smooth seduction of this bar, perfumed with Earl Grey tea and bearing a rich blend of butters and oils to leave skin intensely hydrated.

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Z 8 – DIRTY: Spearmint and chocolate combine to offer you an indulgent, refreshing massage you’ll want to enjoy many times over.

Z 9 – PERCUP: A rich bar filled with caffeine and coffee beans, to hydrate the skin and awaken the senses.

Z 10 – YES YES YES: Allow the sweet scent of pure jasmin to perfume skin for hours.

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BEAUTY 2

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Marisa Cutillas brings us a select list of cutting edge devices and accessories which will make our beauty routine a whole lot easier.

PRODUCTS

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1 – CLARISONIC DEEP PORE CLEANSER: This gentle machine decongests, softens and controls sebum production. i Available at www.sephora.com 2 – LIGHTSTIM FOR WRINKLES: This professional grade hand-held device uses LED light therapy to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and achieve a glowing complexion. Just place the device on the skin for around three minutes, moving it gently across your face. You can even treat sensitive areas like the hands, lips and around the eyes. i www.currentbody.com 3 – BIG HAIR SPINNING BRUSH BY BABYLISS: This rotating brush will add volume and shine to your most glamorous hairstyles. i Available at www.amazon.co.uk 4 – MYSPA FACIAL CLEANSER BY ARGOS: This vibrating brush helps remove impurities from the skin; it is water resistant so you can use it in the bath or shower. The brush comes with an exfoliation brush for deep cleansing. i www.argos.co.uk

5 – SONICARE AIRFLOSS BY PHILIPS: Keep gums healthy and teeth plaque-free with this cool gadget, which sends bursts of water between teeth, eliminating the need for flossing. i www.sonicare.com 6 – SHE MANICURE SET BY BALVI: We love this cute manicure set, featuring tweezers, a nail cutter, cuticle pusher and a file. It makes a great stocking stuffer or gift for the urban girl on the go. i www.balvi.com 7 – FOREO LUNA MINI FACIAL-CLEANSING DEVICE: The Luna Mini cleans skin gently yet thoroughly, enhancing the absorption of anti-ageing and moisturising products and cleansing pores of impurities. i Available at www.sephora.com 8 – PMD PERSONAL MICRODERM SYSTEM: This device works similarly to microdermabrasion, providing deep exfoliation and vacuum suction to rid skin of dead cells. It contains the same oxide crystals found in machine spas, which help activate cell renewal and collagen formation in the outermost layers of the skin. i www.currentbody.com

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HEALTH

Melanie

Takes Up the

ADVICE

Zeltiq CoolSculpting Challenge at Cirumed This month, Marisa Cutillas discovers Zeltiq CoolSculpting, the unique fat freezing method that is changing the way millions of men and women look and feel. We join our reader, Melanie, on her journey to a brand new shape, with a ‘before’ article this month (and an ‘after’ article in an upcoming edition) so that readers can see, with their own eyes, the big difference Zeltiq CoolSculpting can make…

When achieving the ideal body shape is a struggle

Sometimes, despite following a healthy diet, doing sport and enjoying massages and other body treatments, stubborn fat can be impossible to get rid of. Specific areas (like ‘saddlebag thighs’, ‘love handles’ and abdominal ‘tyres’) can wrest from the beauty of our shape, and laugh in the face of our best efforts at eliminating them. Up until recently, the only solution to this problem was liposuction. However, a new technology called Zeltiq CoolSculpting delivers results which are similar to liposuction, without requiring clients to go under the knife.

CoolSculpting at the Cirumed Clinic in Marbella

There are only five Zeltiq CoolSculpting machines in Spain and two of these are located at the Cirumed Clinic, headed by highly experienced Aesthetic Surgeon, Dr. Alexander Aslani (also Head of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Quirón Hospital) and Jeannine Aslani, a renowned plastic surgery nurse who takes charge of non-surgical procedures at Cirumed (including facial fillers, the Cube laser treatment for scarring, and CoolSculpting). The Cirumed Clinic is the only Clinic to have the Zeltiq CoolSculpting machine in the South of Spain, which in turn is the only FDA-approved fat freezing machine. An FDA approval is highly coveted and indicates that the machine is both safe and efficient.

What’s so special about the Zeltiq Coolsculpting machine?

The Zeltiq CoolSculpting machine has various applicators, making it possible to treat virtually all areas of the body. Some applicators are larger and some smaller, depending on the area to be treated. The machine uses a patented technique called ‘Freeze Detect’, which enables it to impart powerful freezing energies to subcutaneous fat deposits without damaging nearby tissue.

Melanie’s Visit to the Cirumed Clinic

Melanie’s first visit to the Cirumed Clinic involved a meeting with the affable Jeannine Aslani, whom she described as “amazing”. Melanie says, “She asked me where I would like to get rid of excess fat and jotted down these areas on a form with sketches of the human body (front and back). We decided to treat the upper arm ‘flaps’, the back (in the area behind the armpits and above the waist), the waist, the legs, and above the hips. In the front area, we chose to target the abdomen, waist and ‘saddlebags’. Jeannine determined all these areas would require four sessions, (a total of 10 hours), which she was able to cater around my timetable.”

The Treatment: Melanie’s Sensations

Melanie visited the essential offices after many of her treatments. She had kinetic tape placed on treated areas (for pain relief) and told us all about the experience: “Jeannine asked me to remove my clothing (except for my underwear). Then she started to mark the area she wanted to treat that day. After she applied a gel pad to the target areas, which felt cold, she placed the applicator and I lay down on a bed. When she turned the machine on, I started feeling a strong sucking motion. For the first few minutes there was a slight burning sensation, then the area seemed to freeze and I stopped feeling the discomfort. When Jeannine removed the applicators, the areas she had treated slightly protruded. She ‘massaged them back into place’ and as the frozen areas began to warm up, I felt a little discomfort. It was a bit like when your foot falls asleep and you start to feel it again.” Melanie noted that the discomfort “varied according to area. Sometimes I barely noted a thing and at other times the sensation was a bit stronger but it was always perfectly bearable.”

I asked Melanie what she did during the treatments, which lasted for two hours on average.

“I texted friends on my phone and checked my email,” she said.

Jeannine told Melanie that while she should begin to notice a change in the upcoming weeks, the effect will be most dramatic in six to 12 weeks; this is the time it takes for the body to eliminate the dead fat cells.

Melanie is most excited about seeing her results and joyfully told me that “right after the treatment, I was able to go to work… there are no side-effects whatsoever.” She specifically mentioned how much fun it was to work with Jeannine, “a natural beauty who is so down-to-earth, it makes the experience a whole lot of fun.” Halfway through her complete course of treatments, Melanie was raving about it to all her friends and had even convinced her husband to give it a go!

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BACK OF THE ARMS UPPER STOMACH

BACK ROLLS LOWER STOMACH

WAIST

INSIDE THIGHS

HIPS

ABOVE THE KNEES

About Melanie

Melanie is an attractive, fit woman in her late 30s, who has practised various sports throughout her lifetime (including martial arts for various years). Problems with her back mean that she sees a physiotherapist regularly for routine treatments and massage. Melanie has been frustrated of late with accumulated fat in her stomach, back and hips. She feels like “no matter how much aerobic or strength training I do, I cannot get rid of the fat in these areas.”

Keep posted as we will be publishing an ‘After’ article very soon, showing you Melanie’s results…

CIRUMED Avda. Ramón y Cajal 7, 4º, Marbella.

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HEALTH

The benefits of meditation and yoga are often touted by medical professionals and the media, yet for many, the thought of stepping into a class with no previous preparation can be daunting. If you’d like to hone your skills in relaxation and concentration, an excellent way to start is through progressive relaxation.

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

ADVICE

What is progressive muscle relaxation used for?

The technique, founded by Psychiatrist, Edmund Jacobson, involves tightening and relaxing specific muscle groups in sequence, to heighten our awareness of our physical sensations and enable us to reach a state of deep relaxation (and sometimes, sleepiness). Studies have proven the technique to be effective at reducing levels of stress hormones, and at curbing the symptoms of stress-related conditions like anxiety and insomnia. The method has also been found to lower blood pressure and reduce the chances of having a seizure. In patients who have epilepsy, it can lessen the frequency and severity of seizures.

How does it work?

Progressive muscle relaxation calms stress by lowering levels of cortisol, a stress hormone which, when present at high levels for too long a time frame, can contribute to diseases like Type II diabetes and heart disease. The technique counteracts the effects of the ‘fight or flight response’ (which is invoked when we are faced with a tense situation and the major muscle groups become flooded with blood, so we can defend ourselves against our aggressor if necessary). Unfortunately, the stresses of daily life mean that we are called upon to fight or flee despite rarely being in a situation of actual danger. We are therefore unable to release our tension and our muscles can become painful, riddle with knots and pain that we can address by learning to release tension from particular areas.

BATT STEP LING

BY S STR

PROG TEP WITH ESS MUSC RESSIV E RELA LE XATI ON

What other activities will complement this technique?

How should I start?

TO PRACTICE PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION AT HOME, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

Z Find a quiet, relaxing spot where other people and noise cannot reach you. Lie down on your bed or on a mat and try to become more aware of your body. Take deep abdominal breaths and be aware of the air you inhale and exhale.

Try to notice any tightness in your muscles: is your neck tense? Your shoulders? Are your fists clenched or open? The first step towards relaxation is discovering where the tension lies.

Z Begin tightening and relaxing individual muscle groups: Begin with the face. Scrunch up your forehead muscles then relax, squeeze your eyes tightly then relax; do the same with the ears, nose and mouth and slowly move your way down your body (do the

same with the muscles in the rest of your body – your neck, then your shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, etc.). Really try to isolate different parts of the body to ensure tension is completely released. Don’t forget areas like the chest and back; as you tighten and relax your muscles, first imagine that there is great tension within them and then let it go…

Z Once you are completely relaxed, stay in your relaxing spot for around five minutes; if you are up for busting even more stress, practice controlled breathing, extending your abdomen outwards as you take in a breath through your nose, keeping the air in your lungs for a few seconds before expelling it through your mouth.

As mentioned above, yoga and holistic-based exercise programmes (involving Tai-Chi and other regimes which value mental and spiritual wellbeing in addition to strength, fitness and flexibility) are excellent at reducing harmful stress levels. Yoga in particular is a favourite activity at the world’s top rehabilitation centres and it is also used in centres for the elderly, to lessen the symptoms of dementia and ease stress and anxiety. Studies have also backed horticultural therapy (growing a garden and other plants), art therapy and music therapy, as successful ways to battle stress and related diseases. Simply spending time in Nature, which can involve little more than walking, hiking and taking in the beauty of the surrounds, is one of the most effective stress busters of all.

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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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HEALTH

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

Up until recently, it was unclear whether an increased risk of suffering from coronary heart disease is linked to genetics or lifestyle choices. A new study carried out at the Centre for Primary Health Care in Sweden, however, has revealed that genes are the most important factor. The study involved a comparison of over 80.000 adopted children with their biological and adoptive parents. The risk of coronary heart disease in adopted persons who had at least one biological parent with this disease, was up to 60 per cent higher than that faced by a control group. There was no increased risk for individuals whose adoptive parents had the disease. Once again, we should view these findings with caution, since lifestyle factors can play an important role in reducing existing risks. Exercise and the Mediterranean diet are the way to go in so far as staving off heart disease is concerned.

SINGLE DOSE EBOLA VACCINE DEVELOPED One year after the commencement of the largest outbreak of ebola in history, the virus continues to end the lives of people in West Africa, with the total number of confirmed cases standing at 24,701, with over 10,194 dead. While experts note that the numbers could have been much worse, there is no doubt that the personal and economic impact of the disease have been incredibly high in the most-affected nations: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

It may be too little too late, but it certainly represents ‘one small step’ in the right direction: a new vaccine has been developed which is quick acting, safe and effective. Just one dose protects against the current ebola strain.

However, the continued growth of the population in West Africa continues to be a source of worry, with greater frequency of contact expected between bats and humans, and more outbreaks expected in the near future. The vaccine may not protect against future strains, but it definitely represents an important step in the development of safe vaccines capable of triggering an adequate immune response against deadly ebola viruses.

LACK OF MOTIVATION AT SCHOOL HAS GENETIC LINK The elusive subject of what makes some children thrive at school while others are bored to tears, has been answered in a recent study involving over 13,000 twins from six different countries. The study showed that between 40 and 50 per cent of the differences in motivation could be attributed to genetic factors. In the study, identical and non-identical twins were asked to rate their enjoyment of various academic activities (reading, writing, mathematics, etc.) Identical twins (who shared all of their inherited genes) had much more closely scored answers, than non-identical twins (who share an average of 50 per cent of their inherited genes). The findings suggest that traits we inherit have a direct impact on our motivation levels.

© Bloomua/Shutterstock.com

UPDATE

Genetics the Overriding Factor in CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Facebook Use

Linked to Depression If you feel inadequate every time you log onto Facebook and see the amazing vacations your friends are taking, or the Ironman-length marathons they seem to be completing on a weekly basis, take heart, you are not alone. Studies carried out by scientists at the University of Houston, have shown that there is a link between the time spent on Facebook and suffering from symptoms of depression. Apparently, the key to the malaise is comparison: Facebook makes us privy to information that would not normally be available to us and we tend to unwittingly compare ourselves to our friends, feeling sad or isolated when we ‘fall short’. Ultimately, it is not about social networking, but about the human tendency to make social comparisons. There is a saying in Spanish which goes, Las comparaciones son odiosas (Comparisons are hateful) and we couldn’t agree more.

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DR.OFSPUREK THE FOOT AND

SPORTS CLINIC MARBELLA

The World is at Your Feet

We rely on our feet everyday to get to our desired destination, yet the truth is that most of us have some type of problem, be it flat arches, bunions, hammer toes, pain, etc. The situation is even worse for athletes, many of whom hamper their sports performance, as a result of incorrect movement or the wrong foot apparel. Whether you spend just a few hours on your feet a day, or you rely on them for your livelihood, chances are, you can benefit from the experience, skill and talent of Dr. Spurek and his team at the Foot and Sports Clinic Marbella.

PROFILE

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

D

r. Spurek was born in the Czech republic, yet he is very much a citizen of the world, speaking various languages and honing his skill in Budapest, Würzburg and Prague, writing his thesis on ‘Short Term Results of Arthroscopic Replacement of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament with Middle Third Patella’ and qualifying as Cum Laude. He completed his postgraduate studies in orthopedic surgery and traumatology in various renowned universities in Prague, Spain and Augsburg, as well as the USA, Switzerland and Italy. He has also headed teams at prestigious hospitals, directing the departments of Foot and Ankle Surgery and Sports Medicine at a top international hospital.

At his Marbella clinic, instead of practicing all specialities, he concentrates on what he does best, saying, “We work with some of the most recognised specialists in the world, so if a patient needs a particular type of surgery, we ensure the best doctor in this speciality operates on them.”

Patients are normally forced to adapt to a system; the Clinic approaches health the other way around, tailoring their services to the individual needs of each and every patient. Foot and Sports

Clinic Marbella comprises a number of departments, offering sports medicine, pain therapy, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, custom-made insoles with 3D scan and gait analysis, QRS magnetic field therapy, etc.

Dr. Spurek recently launched his ‘golf concept’, which focuses on closely examining how a golfer moves different muscle groups and joints, to identify weaknesses and to devise an individual training plan to improve or compensate insufficiencies in complex movement patterns.

The clinic is sizeable, with the top floor functioning as Dr. Spurek’s consultation room and the bottom floor containing a spacious area for physiotherapy exercises and treatments, as well as an impressive array of machines, enabling his team of highly skilled Physiotherapists (who are also Osteopaths and Personal Trainers) to impart a variety of techniques, including manual therapy, massage, craniosacral therapy, electrotherapy, Galvanic current, thermotherapy, magnetic field therapy, etc. The team also provides physical education, as well as nutritional plans, to help patients obtain specific outcomes.

In reality, the number of

problems Dr. Spurek addresses is endless; everything from painful bunions (“Over 60 per cent of all bunion operations I carry out are corrections of previous operations.”) to injuries and even, amputations. The latter can be necessary for patients with severe diabetes, though Dr. Spurek notes that his clinic offers specific measures for diabetics – including special insoles, to prevent the problems that can necessitate drastic surgery. As far as bunions are concerned, you may be surprised to learn they are NOT caused by wearing high heels or narrow shoes; moreover, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ surgical technique to eliminate them. Sometimes, they arise because of problems originating elsewhere in the foot: for instance, the metatarsal bone.

The Foot and Sports Clinic also helps patients moderate pain through a revolutionary method called LNB: “We can alleviate all types of pain, including headaches, lower back pain and pain of the entire spine, neck and shoulder areas, as well as golf and tennis elbow, sore muscles and all locomotor pain.” The technique is based on the tenet that pain does not arise only when specific structures in the body have already

been damaged. Rather, it is a warning signal sent to protect the body. LNB involves manipulations of specific parts of the body to relax muscles and help articulations align themselves in their correct position, thereby relieving pain instantly. Despite being passionate about surgery, Dr. Spurek notes that surgery is not always the answer; indeed, he always looks for the most minimally invasive way to solve a problem.

In addition to running his successful clinic, Dr. Spurek spends much of his time providing specialised training to professionals from all over the world, including renowned foot and ankle specialist surgeons and professional golf instructors, the latter upon invitation of the PGA in the UK. When asked how he manages to juggle all his tasks, he answers, “I can’t stand still; I have to keep moving. Medicine is constantly progressing, changing and offering new solutions for patients and our aim is to always be at the forefront of all things to do with orthopedic patient care.” g Avda. Ricardo Soriano 50,

Edif. Terra local 2, Marbella.

Tel: 951 968 800. www.fscmarbella.co.uk

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Mention Holland & Barrett to any Brit on the Coast and their imagination is bound to immediately conjure up images of supplements, health food and organic skincare products.

The Holland & Barrett name has always been synonymous with the very best products in the health sector and the good news for Spanish health buffs on the Coast is that there is a brand new Holland & Barrett shop in the Parque Miramar Shopping Centre in Fuengirola. Moreover, a new store is set to open in the near future in Marbella Centre.

at Parque Miramar in Fuengirola

to the left of the entrance is the Body and Fitness section, with a truly impressive range of shakes, protein products, whey powders, supplements for muscle building and recovery, etc., in a variety of formats.

I counted over seven different brands of whey protein alone, so you can imagine how wide the range of products is.

Next up are the Adult and Everyday Health sections, containing a variety of lines for adults, including popular supplements like Calcium and Magnesium, Cod Liver Oil and Omega-3 fish oil, as well as more specific products like Glucosamine, Hydrochloride, Resveratrol, Ginkgo Biloba, and Korean and Siberian Ginseng.

If you like to keep up-to-date on health news then you will know of Resveratrol’s many benefits for heart health, and Korean Ginseng’s proven ability to boost the immunity. I was also pleased to find supplements like Maximised L-Glutathione (an excellent anti-ageing supplement) and various ‘green’ superfoods likes spirulina, chlorella, etc.

I found a wonderful range of relaxing supplements like Valerian, which can be so helpful for those seeking a non-pharmaceutical method to battle insomnia and

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

stress. Ashwagandha root extract, meanwhile, is a powerful adaptogen that combats stress at various levels in the body, and helps create a state of balance or normalisation.

As might be expected, there is a whole category devoted to Cold, Flu and Immunity boosting supplements, with high doses of Vitamin C usually involved. Of course, we can’t forget Echinacea, a supplement which helps the body resist infections, and Shiitake, used to strengthen the immunity.

Should you succumb to the flu bug, you will find soothing items like Manuka honey, lozenges containing propolis and Manuka honey and all sorts of products for sore throats and congestion.

There is also a section for kids, since many may need a little boost when it comes to their vitamin intake.

The Weight Management section, meanwhile, contains a host of bars and products that enable you to stick to a weight loss plan without going hungry. Supplements like Green Coffee Bean Extract and Raspberry Ketones help burn fat without the nasty side-effects.

If you are simply after a tasty snack, you will find a host of healthy choices at Holland & Barrett: superfoods and cereals, biscuits and

snacks and nuts and seeds of all shapes, sizes and colours.

The shop also has a gorgeous skincare range, featuring products from esteemed houses like Dr. Organics, famed for its gentle yet lusciously scented products. The shop additionally houses hair and body treatments by the renowned North American Hemp Co. and an array of lovely diffusers, soy candles and the fragrant Scentchips, which fill your home with the fresh scent of lemon, coconut, bergamot and almost any other fruit you can think of.

Further shelves are filled with Aromatherapy, Skincare Creams, Aloe vera products and various supplements. There is also a good range of products for the hair, including supplements that promote healthy growth and shine.

One cannot leave Holland & Barrett without filling up a bag with delicious nuts, dried fruit, snacks, candied ginger, etc. The whole shopping experiences is certainly meant to leave a sweet taste in your mouth, and a long-lasting positive effect on your health and wellbeing.

PRODUCTS

T

he spacious shop stocks everything from gigantic sized Brazil nuts covered in yoghurt, to protein drinks and bars for athletes, vitamins and supplements of all kinds, delicious healthy food items, skin care products, and essential oils and home fragrance items.

The shop is beautifully laid out, with big signs indicating different sections and the team, headed by UK-qualified, Advanced Product Advisor, Roberto Vera, is multilingual and knowledgeable, since they undergo continual training regarding supplements, interactions between products, the difference between various options and brands, etc.

My first visit to Holland & Barrett involved lots of oohing and aahing; as a keen amateur chef, I was overjoyed to find a plethora of ingredients which can be almost impossible to find on the Coast: bottles of tahini, seeds and nuts, and unique sauces and flavourings made with healthy, organic ingredients.

If you’ve never been to Holland & Barrett before, take note: there are many options and brands for nearly every product, for in addition to carrying its own product range, the shop also stocks renowned brands such as Solgar.

The shop, as we mentioned, is conveniently divided into clearly defined categories. Immediately

Brand New Holland & Barrett

g C.C. Parque Miramar, Fuengirola.

Tel: 952 586 849. www.facebook.com/hbandalucia

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thepro NEWS /ENTERPRISE / LOCAL BUSINESS

/PROFILES / FINANCE / LAW

COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

ESSARDAS GROUP OPENS NEW PANDORA SHOP IN GIBRALTAR

Fashion buffs on the Coast know that one of the best places to find beautiful jewellery at affordable prices is Gibraltar and the Essardas Group has just raised the bar with its new Pandora shop, selling stylish 14K and 18K gold and sterling silver items, as well as jewellery made with select gemstones and cultured pearls.

Pandora is famous for its gorgeous charms and bracelets, but also for its earrings, necklaces, pendants and rings. g 133 Main St., Gibraltar.

www.essardasgroup.com

GENERAL DIRECTOR OF VITHAS XANIT HOSPITAL WINS TWO PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS Mercedes Mengíbar, General Director of the Vithas Xanit Hospital, is obviously doing a fantastic job, since she has recently taken home two prestigious awards: the Premio ADEPMA Andaluza for excellence in management and leadership, and the Gold Medal of the Foro Europa, which recognises the success of various projects she has managed. i www.xanit.es

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Finca Cortesín Receives Top Travel Awards

Finca Cortesin recently shined at the seventh annual Condé Nast Traveller Spain Awards 2015, where they were voted the Best National Resort in the country. Finca Cortésin was also deemed the Most Outstanding Luxury Place at the SENSES Magazine Awards Berlin 2015. Since 2000, this magazine has bestowed an annual award for the best of the best in the wellness and spa-focused luxury hotel industry, which is universally recognised as an international, independent seal of quality for the entire industry. i www.fincacortesin.es

New Look for Pavés Jewellery

Pavés recently re-opened to the public at their completely re-furbished jewellery premises at the same address. The store is now on two levels and boasts an elegant, comfortable environment divided into three different areas, including a jewellery design studio where you can be attended by one of their professional jewellery designers and have that long-awaited dream piece designed and manufactured by their talented craftsmen and diamond setters. You can also pop in to have your jewellery repaired, cleaned and polished; have your watch serviced with a full exterior overhaul; or obtain a jewellery vaulation for insurance purposes. g Opening hours are from

10am to 8:30pm. C.C. Cristamar, C/ Francisco Villalón s/n, Puerto Banús.

Tel: 952 818 822. www.paves.es

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Bespoke Water Vehicle Insurance by Liberty Seguros

HOSS Intropia Fashion Show

HOSS Intropia is one of the most revered brands by trendy urbanites and recently, the fashion house showed off its midseason collection, featuring light, feminine items which are as comfortable to wear as they are beautiful. HOSS Intropia was founded in 1994 and boasts a plethora of shops all over the world, from Saudi Arabia to China, the United States and Indonesia. i www.hossintropia.com

Whether you have a motor launch, speedboat, jet ski, canoe, yacht or super yacht, it is vital that you insure your vehicle against both mandatory public liability and voluntary liability. Liberty Seguros is now offering personalised coverage, to fulfil your particular needs. They can even insure your boat according to the Institute Yacht Clauses and can also provide coverage to foreign flag vessels as long as they are based in a Spanish port. Liberty Seguros have over 200 brokers who can advise you on the right insurance for your type of vessel thus ensuring you are well covered for the unexpected. g Tel: 902 255 258. www.libertyexpatriates.es

Deco-Home: Beautiful Balinese, Indonesian and Thai Furniture at Your Doorstep

If you are looking for beautiful furniture items, décor and handicrafts from Bali, Indonesia or Thailand, DecoHome on the Mijas Road should be your first stop. Founder, Claude, is just back from a six-month motor bike trip, during which he visited these countries and sourced products directly from local village artisans (not large factories or international dealers), to ensure fair trade practices were followed. Check out the wide range of gifts, lighting, Balinese umbrellas, ceramic dishes, vases and pottery, mirrors, interior décor, paintings, unusual teak wood pieces, recycled teak wood furniture, real lava stone statues, fountains and carved animals. Over 4,000 items are available, staring at just €1. g The shop is open from 10am to 7pm every day (including Sundays and

holidays). Mijas Road, km4, between Fuengirola and Mijas village.

Talented Local 17-Year-old Makes Football History

Yuri Ruh dos Santos, an extremely talented left winger from Marbella FC known as ‘Magic Feet’, is the first player under 18 from Marbella to make an international transfer, after having been offered a professional football contract by a UEFA and FIFA, European first division club, AS Trenčín, an affiliate club of Ajax, Netherlands. The international transfer took place at the end of May and Yuri recently played his first international match with his new team in Amsterdam at the Copa de Amsterdam. Yuri, of dual nationality, Canadian and Portuguese, was born in 1998 in Montreal, Canada and moved to Spain at the age of one. He has been living with his mother Kathya in Marbella ever since. At the tender age of six, he started to play football in La Campana, Nueva Andalucía and it soon became apparent very quickly that there was a football star in the making. When asked who his best coach was, Yuri answered: “Igor Jovicevic from La Campana, Antonio Galán from San Pedro Atlético and Santana from Fuengirola, Los Boliches… they believe in me, pushed me forward, taught me a lot and it has been an honour to train with them.”

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TURISMO ANDALUZ AND IAGTO PROMOTE LOCAL GOLF INDUSTRY

Turismo Andaluz and the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) recently brought together over 50 IAGTO golf tour operators from 17 countries, as well as staff from golf resorts, golf courses, hotels and other golf tourism suppliers from Andalucía, at the IAGTO Andalucía Trophy, which took place recently in Marbella. IAGTO chief executive, Peter Walton, said “This event is significant in that it demonstrates the importance that the Andalucía Tourist Board attaches to the golf tourism sector. For Andalucía, golf travel is much more than a niche market with golfers being influential in driving all forms of tourism to the region, including of course holidays where golf is the primary purpose of travel.” i www.igtwa.org

AQUALIVING PRESENTS MASER SPAS AND MICHAEL PHELPS SIGNATURE SWIM SPAS

There is nothing like relaxing in your own hot tub and now, Aqualiving makes it all possible, since it is the authorised dealer for Master Spas and Michael Phelps products in Portugal and Spain. Aqualiving, which boasts over 11 years selling Master Spas, offers clients top quality service and the very best products at competitive prices. Master Spas is a luxury brand of spas manufactured in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Over 35 years, the company has developed and introduced various innovations which have become standard bearers for the hot tub industry. i www.aqualiving.es

II SALÓN NACIONAL DE VINOS DE ESPAÑA AND I SALÓN SUMILLERES SABOR A MÁLAGA

The focal point of the recent 2nd Salón Nacional de Vinos de España and the first Salón Sumilleres Sabor a Málaga, was definitely fine wine. Over 15 different winemakers and sommeliers gathered at the Hotel MS Amaragua in Málaga, to take part in tasting sessions of over 450 different bottles.

Attendees also enjoyed a 15-course degustation meal, paired with some of Spain’s best-selling wines. i www.sumilleresmalaga.com

MARIOLA SANABRIA WINS FASHION PRIZE

ETNIA EUROPA: FUNCTIONAL ART FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

New to Marbella, Etnia Europa, is importing what its founders refer to as functional art, or arte a mano including, among many different things, laptop and tablet covers, woven by rural villagers in Africa from recycled cotton and hand-made Wayuu bags from the Guajira region of Colombia, in various qualities and finishes. g Check out the unique and colourful collection.

Trendy designer, Mariola Sanabria, whose brand, Mery Hello, is graced by celebrities far and wide, but especially on the famed party island of Ibiza, recently took home the Pasarela del Mar First Prize, the result of her hard work and undoubted flair for style. The Mery Hello range comprises silky, sparkly, bright items that are made for women who like to turn heads at the most elegant soirees.

Check out her latest designs at her online store. i www.meryhello.com

Tel: 638 498 789. www.etniaeuropa.com

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The Coast’s Own Victoria Lomax is Now National Kickboxing Champion

A few years ago, Alhaurin El Grande resident, 24 Year old British born Victoria Lomax, weighed over 90 kg. In a bid to shed excess weight, she started taking kickboxing lessons; so impressed were her trainers that they soon encouraged her to take part in competitions.

Since then, she has moved to the Spartans gym in Fuengirola under the guidance of exEuropean kickboxing champion Ilde Garcia, and is now a full-time professional kickboxer fighting in Spain, the UK and around Europe. Recently, at the Municipal Sports Centre at El Rincón, Victoria took the 60Kg WKU K1 Professional Kickboxing Spanish National title belt with a convincing second round knock-out. Victoria runs kickboxing keep-fit classes for women every morning at Spartans Gym. Her dedication and rise to the top of her sport in such a short time are an inspiration to everyone in her class. g Tel: 687 889 599.

Saltydog Investor Holds Conference in Marbella

Douglas Chadwick, Founder of Saltydog Investor, the UK's first fund performance data provider designed for the lay investor, and Managing Director, Richard Webb, recently hosted a conference on the basics of DIY Investing in Funds at the Gran Melia Don Pepe Hotel in Marbella. Webb explained the principles of momentum investing and how to select the best performing funds accessible to UK investors. Given the wide range of low cost online trading platforms in the UK, and the large number of British ex-pats living on the Costa del Sol, the Saltydog team believe British investors have a golden opportunity to grow their portfolios from the comfort of their homes in the South of Spain. Saltydog Investor, launched in 2011, uses proprietary algorithms to top-slice the best performing funds out of thousands, and then sorts these funds into investment sectors and risk-level groups. i www.saltydoginvestor.com

Ypama Abogadas Urban Planning Conference

Ypama Abogados recently hosted an interesting talk for English-speaking Property Agents and Property Administrators looking forward to learning how to check the urban planning situation of a listed property without leaving their office. Yolanda Palencia, expert Lawyer in urban law and Marbella’s PGOU, spoke of important ways to save time and costs. Using the technique taught in this conference, the attendees were able to anticipate a possible constraint in a real estate valuation that would stop a bank from granting a mortgage and/or diminish the value of the property. Guests also learned how to understand the different situations for a property established in the PGOU of Marbella (such as ARG, AIA, AA, etc.). i www.ypamaabogados.com

New Office for SkandiaMäklarna

Swedish-based real estate company, SkandiaMäklarna, recently inaugurated their new office in Estepona, the latest in an established and highly successful chain of the Skandinavian real estate agency franchise. The cocktail event was attended by the Mayor of Estepona, local VIPs, clients and collaborators. Guests sampled a selection of local Estepona wines and tasty tapas served by the owners of the brand new restaurant ‘Siopa’ located adjacent to the new office. The office in Estepona is just one of the many already located on the Costa del Sol, including Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Nerja, with new premises in the pipeline in Nueva Andalucía and Puerto Banús. i www.skandiamaklarna.se/spanien

Art Auction at Timeless Gallery

The new Timeless Gallery in Puerto Banús recently held a charity auction in association with Rotary Club Marbella-Guadalmina. All items were donated by artists from their private collections, to help raise €55.000 for the Mutomo Project in Africa. Monies raised will go to fund a pipeline system which will supply water to four villages and schools and will serve around 4,500 people in total. The project will also include the installation of two water kiosks and a large plastic water tank. i www.timelessgallerygroup.com

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Learning Experiences for the Students of Aloha College

The students of Aloha College recently enjoyed a host of new learning experiences. Year 12 IB and AS students from the Department of Science spent an entire day with a surgeon, observing and learning about X-rays, electrocardiograms, cancer diagnosis, and much more.

Meanwhile, Year 12 IB and AS Biology and Chemistry students visited the Scientific Police Department at the Comisaría de Málaga, to learn more about a day in the life of a forensic police officer. Finally, a host of students took part in a fun run for cancer charity hospice, Cudeca. i www.aloha-college.com

Hot Summer Nights – The concert season starts in June

If you Swing or were Born to Run, the first two concerts in the Hot Summer Nights season are for you. The 1,000 seat open-air auditorium in the village of Mijas will play host to these and many more concerts.

On Thursday, June 25, the Andy Peacock Big Band presents Swing Night, playing a style of music made popular by the Rat Pack, Bobby Darin and recently Michael Bublé. On Friday, June 26, Mijas will rock to the sounds of The Boss, with the George Mileson Band’s Tribute to Bruce Springsteen. The show will feature over two hours of the Best of the Boss, by an artist who has performed at the legendary Springsteen Light of Day Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. g For further information,

Tel: 952 661 819. www.ticketsource.eu/bigmpromotions

Hand-made Illustrations

by Mercedes López Charro

You may know Mercedes López Charro for her beautiful silver jewellery pieces, but the designer is also putting her graphic design studies to use, by creating lovely illustrations that represent the world she loves so much. Mercedes is currently selling her art work in the form of A5-sized watercolour prints for as little as €7,99. Her recent A4 watercolour recipes have also proven popular with locals and tourists. Mercedes’ work can be supplied in a framed format, making a great souvenir or original gift. Many wedding event companies are currently working with her on custom hand written signage and stationary. Mercedes can also supply one-off sketches for private or commercial use. g For further

information, Tel: 671 862 446. Her prints can be purchased online at www.mercedeslopezcharro.com

Running For Brayden

Lauren Gregory, mother-of-two, will soon be completing a 100 km marathon to raise funds for Brayden, a boy in the US who is suffering from cerebral palsy and who needs funds to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Currently, Brayden’s mum, Jennifer, has to lift Brayden, who weighs approximately 30 kg, in and out of her car and a van costs in excess of £27,000 (second-hand). Lauren will be taking part in the Race to the Stones Ultra Marathon along England’s oldest path, The Ridgeway. g To donate to the crowdfunding

project, www.werunforBrayden.com. For further information or information regarding sponsorship etc., see www.facebook.com/ werun4Brayden.

Busy Days for Cudeca

Cudeca, the cancer hospice in Benalmádena, has shown time and time again that it is a charity with plenty of heart, taking part in a host of activities to raise funds for patients with cancer and encouraging young and old alike to do the same. Their initiatives have certainly paid off, judging by the efforts of school children from Aloha College, who recently took part in a family run, raising €600. Another event, Ladies Day at Tamisa Golf, involved a fundraising Royal Ascot Ladies Day, featuring a sumptuous buffet and live coverage of the races at Ascot. Cudeca also celebrated a Fun Family Day, taking part in a 5km walk in Cómpeta. They additionally were the recipients of volunteer work from a group of American marines. Finally, Cudeca members visited the Benahavís Rotary Club, a group which has long shown its support the charity. i www.cudeca.org

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Red Penguin Opens at the Guarnieri Showroom

The Red Penguin Gallery of Design & Contemporary Art has moved to the exclusive Guarnieri showroom in San Pedro Alcántara, bringing an exciting new urban concept of CARS • ART • DESIGN to Marbella. More than just a gallery, it is a celebration of modern art and design, featuring top international artists and both new and permanent exhibitions from influential Dutch Designers – surrounded by beautiful cars. Various events will be building up to a fascinating Design Week in September, so make sure you visit the gallery, lose yourself in the library or be surrounded by visual delights as you enjoy drinks and snacks in the Art Lounge (opening soon). i www.redpenguinartgallery.com

Bromley Estates Marbella Partners with Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group British-owned Marbella based real estate agency Bromley Estates Marbella is delighted to announce their collaboration with the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG). The company has agreed to donate a percentage of all profits made from their real estate services directly to the charity, which lists its first priority as “Caring for children – curing their cancer.” CCLG is dedicated to treating children with cancer and providing invaluable support to parents by offering expert, high quality and award winning resources. As one of the UK and Ireland's leading cancer charities it has played a key role in the survival rates of the some 30 children diagnosed with cancer in the UK and Ireland every week. i www.bromleyestatesmarbella.com

Perez de Vargas Rectification

Keep Your Car Cool with Sun Shade Sails!

This summer, Sun Shade Sails, available at Tip Top Spain, will keep your car cool and protect its paint and interiors from damaging sun rays. Shade sales are creative and colourful and they can be installed at various heights and sport different shapes and colours. It normally takes a couple of weeks to complete your Sail Shade project. Installing shade sails to your home, meanwhile, introduces a unique architectural perspective to your property, while simultaneously providing much needed respite from the sun.

Suitable for use around your swimming pool to provide a cool shade over the sun loungers or over your outside dining area, a shade sail is not only practical but will add aesthetic and architectural appeal to your house. g For further information, contact Tip Top Spain on

Tel: 661 030 816.

International Art Day at Hapimag Resort

Hapimag Resort in Marbella recently held a fun-filled International Art Day, featuring painting, music, tapas and live performances.

Guests enjoyed a Hawaiian Massage by Lucía Romero/ Renova Thermal, as well as trial Pilates and Smovey fitness classes. In the evening, a lively inauguration cocktail was enjoyed by all. Hapimag is a company offering holiday experiences for discerning travellers at 60 locations in 17 different countries. i www.hapimag.com

Perez de Vargas Abogados reported on Tax Residency and the new Tax reforms in our May edition – see page 123. Please note, however, that in the smaller text in bold following the article, concerning Non Resident Income Tax applying to Non Resident owners of property in Spain, it should actually have read: “Thus the property is assigned an income which is valued at 2% of the cadastral value of the property (1.1% if the value has been fixed in the last 10 tax periods).”

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THE PRO business

FELIPE VI AUDITORIUM IN ESTEPONA The Largest Auditorium on the Costa del Sol

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE ESTEPONA TOWN HALL

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he Auditorium was officially launched in March 2015, with a spectacular concert by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Málaga.

The main hall of the Auditorium will be used to house theatrical performances, concerts and shows of all kinds, while a smaller hall will have foldable stands which will be set up on an ad hoc basis (for rehearsals, chamber music performances and exhibitions).

The Mayor of Estepona expressed his joy at the launch of the Auditorium, telling the press, “Estepona finally has a fitting backdrop for theatrical performances; the Auditorium was crucial for the Coast, since we receive thousands of visits from tourists every year. The building is close to Manilva, Benahavís, Marbella, Ojén, Istán and Casares; these areas alone are home to approximately half a million residents.”

The entrance to the new Auditorium houses a semicovered terrace, which will soon be used to host open-air exhibitions. A few steps ahead is the vestibule, with its cloakroom, bathrooms and ticket booths. Natural light floods this area thanks to a well designed skylight system,

which enables a more efficient and economic use of artificial lighting.

The main concert hall, measuring 225m2, boasts an orchestra pit that can be placed on three different levels (low, intermediate and high), depending on the performance taking place. The hall will soon be hosting a wide variety of shows and events.

The Auditorium has done much more than up the entertainment factor in Estepona; during its construction, some 400 persons were employed, as a result of the Provincial Council’s Plan de Inversiones Productivas (Productive Investment Plan), which aims to boost local economies and generate employment.

The Auditorium was launched with a fascinating exhibition of photographs by news agency EFE, which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. The exhibition paid

homage to some of the most historic events in Spain, and to news stories that made international headlines.

Visitors delighted in viewing photographs taken as far back as 1925, in black-and-white and colour.

Some of the most interesting images included that of Hitler and General Franco in 1940 at the interview of Hendaye (a famous meeting that took place between the two dictators to resolve disagreements over Spain’s decision to join the Axis powers in the war against Britain). Franco and Hitler discussed significant issues such as the handing over of Gibraltar if the British were defeated, the annexation of French Cameroon to the Spanish colony of Guinea and the supply to Spain by Germany of food and arms, to improve the dire economic problems faced by the Spanish at the time.

Another photograph shows the Peróns visiting the Plaza de Oriente in Madrid, Eva

Estepona is now home to a brand new auditorium measuring 5,500m2 and housing a main conference hall seating 600 people, with an extended area for 90 more. The Felipe VI Auditorium (named after the current King of Spain) is officially the largest theatre of its kind on the Coast, thanks to an investment of €5.7 million, granted by the Provincial Council and the Estepona Town Hall.

Perón greeting the crowd with characteristic charm. Further highlights included the liberation of Melodie Nackachian (a five-year old girl who was kidnapped and held to ransom for US $13 million; the girl was found in an apartment in Cádiz, thankfully unharmed, and is now a 30 year-old Child Pscychologist); that of the inauguration of the Plaza de Toros by Luis Miguel Dominguín; the discovery of the Corominas dolmen; and Michelle Obama’s visit to the Coast.

The President of the Provincial Council of Málaga, Elias Bendodo, attended the launch, highlighting the important role it will play in the local economy: “This was a strategic investment for both the Town Hall of Estepona and the Provincial Council of Málaga, since every year, some 3.2 million visitors call Málaga home.” Cultural enrichment is vital to life in Málaga, he noted, “Our province is gaining a more solid reputation for its cultural offerings as the years go by.” With the new Pompidou Centre and Museum of Russian Art also having recently launched, Málaga has certainly transformed into much more than a capital of sun and sand. i www.estepona.es

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business THE PRO

The New Arts and Sports Hall at

For over 30 years Fundación Aloha College, a nonprofit educational trust, has provided high-quality education in a multicultural environment for the local and international community in the area of Marbella.

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he number of pupils on roll is approximately 800 and students expect to enjoy facilities which match the school’s academic excellence. This has been part of a long-term plan for Aloha College, which has now led the Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Mr Joseph Fay, to spearhead the development of this new multipurpose building to improve the sports and arts facilities. The Board of Trustees, fully supported by the management and parents of the college, enthusiastically approved the project. Land adjacent to the school was granted by the Townhall of Marbella, providing Aloha College with more than 27,000 m2 on which to build.

After a thorough selection process, the project was awarded to the Estudio de Arquitectura e Ingeniería IDOM and construction group TEJERA, who also involved other local subcontractors. Following its usual code of financial prudence, Aloha College Foundation drew up a new line

ALOHA COLLEGE

of funding with BBVA bank to cover part of the investment.

The whole development is an excellent versatile space, measuring 70m long by 30m wide, with a total built area of 2,352 m2. The 1,266 m2 roof provides an additional sports area.

The modern and spacious Sports Hall is surfaced with the most advanced sports flooring, designed for grip and high performance. It will offer one full-sized basketball court and two practice courts; a five-a-side football and handball pitch; netball court; an indoor tennis court; indoor hockey pitch and three volleyball courts. It is also equipped with male and female changing facilities (with toilets and showers), storage areas and two multi-purpose classrooms, and a fitness gym.

The Performing Arts Centre will be a two-storey facility incorporating a permanent 250-seat theatre, lighting and sound gallery, music practice rooms, as well as a music and IT classroom and a large multi-functional

area. The style of the new building is contemporary and will be used for drama and music lessons, as well as productions, concerts and events.

The new building will mean indoor facilities for current sports, and space for new ones to be played both as part of the curriculum and as after-school clubs and activities. Theatrical and musical productions will have their own dedicated space, and capacity for the large audiences which Aloha College productions always draw! In addition, this building will facilitate greater integration of the school with the community of Marbella.

Building began in December and is expected to be finished during the Autumn term of the next school year.

Mrs Batchelor, Principal of the School, commented: “It is a pleasure to see this important part of our strategic plan come to fruition – the new Hall is already fully timetabled so I can’t wait for the children to be able to enjoy it! i www.aloha-college.com

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THE PRO business

iDDomus doesn’t see the building of beautiful private villas as production but as individually crafted homes. To signify this, each iDDomus villa proudly carries a signature plaque.

iDDOMUS

A different concept of building WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN AND COURTESY OF IDDOMUS

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he iDDomus signature plaque is a mark of quality born out of the singular reputation the company has earned itself since its founding in 2012. To stand out from the competition in such a relatively short period of time is very difficult, but iDDomus has achieved it not through aggressive marketing or promotional gimmicks, but by remaining true to the philosophy of design and construction that was the very premise for its founding.

Though originally from Belgium, Gert Cleymans has always had a love of Spain that only grew stronger during a one-year stay in Valencia as an Erasmus student. “After this, I returned to Belgium to work for an engineering consultancy in Gent, but Spain never left me and in 1995 I returned and settled down in Marbella.” Here he worked through booms and recessions until a client who had come to him after bad construction experiences suggested founding a specialised construction company together.

“He had endured some of the classic problems and frustrations in the building of his villa, so when I was able to help him and correct them he was impressed and believed we could establish the kind of company

that does things in a modern, efficient and customer-friendly way.”

This was the foundation of iDDomus, a building and developing specialist with a very clear focus and way of working.

A choice for quality over quantity Born out of this desire to design and construct homes of which they could be rightly proud, the company built up a core of expertise that controls all the main elements of the process – from architectural design and building all the way through to wiring, landscaping and the final finishing touches before the villa is handed over to its owners. “Ours is a turnkey service that guarantees quality by managing the process in-house and not relying on too many outside contractors.”

It also allows iDDomus to use innovative Northern European construction technologies that are still quite new here, from advanced building materials and structural work to the latest rendering finishes.

“We work with hand-selected suppliers from mostly Northern Europe,” says Gert, “and our teams are not only trained to know the accompanying techniques well,

but regularly follow updating courses too.” The result is a level of construction and finishing with the highest standards of damp proofing, and heat and sound insulation available in Europe today – with homes designed to be low on maintenance and energy-neutral.

“The process begins with a detailed consultation with the client, during which we receive the information we need to develop the initial concept around their needs and preferences. From this, we create a detailed design both in terms of architectural styling and specifications right down to wiring and individual sockets.” Having chosen finishing touches such as taps, doors, kitchens and lighting, the information is clearly encapsulated in a technical book that lists the entire structure in detail, from technical design down to the description and costing of all the materials used.

With this as a blueprint, the project is presented for building permission, and once the licence is received work begins to a tight schedule.

“The materials, designs, costing and timeframes can all be found in the book, so it is our guarantee to our clients that we not only deliver exactly what we promised

to, but do so on time while sticking to the agreed budget.” The result has been a growing portfolio of villas that stand out for the quality of their design, construction and finishing. While the company has a distinctive look, iDDomus has earned a reputation for never repeating the same design twice, choosing instead to create one-off bespoke homes for individual clients. “We have been approached by investors and developers who like our style and way of working, but unfortunately creating multi-structure projects does not suit our philosophy, as we would have to compromise on core principles such as uniquely designed homes built around the premise of getting the very best out of each individual plot and setting.”

In this Gert emphasises how important it is to consider things such as light, heat, wind, privacy and a host of other factors that can affect the design of a house from one plot to the next. Having eschewed quantity for quality in this way leaves iDDomus free to concentrate fully on creating made-to-measure homes for their private clients; at the same time, managing the process for them from concept and updated progress reports to the final delivery of the turnkey villa, at which point the new homeowners receive a stylish coffee table book dedicated to their new designer home.

“For the greater part our clients come by word of mouth referral, so they tend to be people who like what we do, how we do it and are convinced that an iDDomus signature villa not only offers great lifestyle value, but also added value.” g Edif. Casablanca, Oficina 5,

Milla de Oro, Marbella.

Tel: +34 952 924 605. info@iddomus.com www.iddomus.com

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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.

THE PRO finance

Property: Look well before you buy

Buying the house of your dreams on the Costa del Sol can be one of the best decisions of your life if you get it right. However, you’d like to avoid certain mistakes which could render your experience a nightmare.

Words Cristina Falkenberg

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part from bringing in a surveyor to take a close look at the quality and physical state of the property and its surroundings, there are four major legal aspects you want to make sure your lawyer checks thoroughly.

The first one relates to ownership and charges – called dominio y cargas – on the property. The seller will frequently furnish you with a mere Nota Simple from the Property Registry. This is a document providing basic information, not necessarily complete, and with no legal validity.

For an in-depth investigation you must ask the Property Registry for a Certificación Registral. With full legal validity, it will take a few days to prepare and will cost you around forty euros. It will contain a complete description of the property as it appears on the Registry, certifying ownership and all and any charges, including the ones hidden on the Nota Simple.

If the description differs from the physical property you plan to purchase, it is strongly advised you find out why. Sometimes additional works were carried out without a license but may be legalised, as they comply with Planning rules.

However, you might often find that even if a development in itself is legal, certain extensions, enclosures and improvements are not.

As a general rule, should less than four years have passed since the works were finished, an order to knock them down may still be issued. If completed over four years ago, they may stay, but you will only get a license to carry out

maintenance works on them, but not improvements or transformations.

A second most relevant chapter is that of the urbanistic situation of the development. You may find out from your Town Hall if (a) it is legal, (b) if it may be legalised or (c) if the property you are being offered actually has a demolition order issued against it, pending execution.

In the case of developments which were not legal but may be legalised, a sum must be paid to the Town Hall in compensation of unpaid licenses and undelivered land. The problem here is to find out how much corresponds to your property as it is not necessarily a linear function of its proportion in the Community, should there exist one. Over 32,000 properties in Marbella are in this situation.

Another note must be made regarding Marbella: twenty-two of the 71 plans of the current 2010 Planning (PGOU) were falsified, affecting much of San Pedro as well as the boundary between Marbella and Benahavís. The Courts have declared these plans null and the matter is in appeal at the Supreme Court, which is likely to maintain the ruling. The correct boundaries are shown by any GPS or at: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/ institutodeestadisticaycartografia/ temas/index-car.htm If the land falls within Marbella, it is highly likely the construction is illegal and may not be legalised.

Whatever the Cadastral or the Property Registry show currently is irrelevant. Correct inscription is under way at the time of writing these lines.

The third concern is taxation.

Article 78 of the General Tax Law states that any unpaid local, regional or national taxes relative to the current and the previous tax year, due by the current or any previous owners, can be made effective against the property. This is especially relevant in the case of capital gains or the local IBI or refuse tax.

Should the owner be a nonresident physical person (or a company based in a tax haven), they will be subject to the nonresident tax (1.1% of the cadastral value of the property if revised after 1994 and 2% if not). It is extremely frequent that this tax remains unpaid. However, as the buyer must

withhold 3% of the sales price at the moment of purchase, the Tax Office will automatically know if they are non-resident, issuing a bill for any tax due, plus a penalty and late interest.

The fourth aspect pertains to the community, should your projected purchase be part of a development as are most.

The Administrator must issue a certificate stating whether the property owes any fees. The buyer is responsible for any outstanding community fees for the current annuity and the three previous years. As with all community debts, they can be made effective against the property via an express judicial procedure. e

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At the forefront of legal defence With almost 30 years of experience in banking, finance and insurance, and thousands of sentences favourable to their members, we are pioneers of legal defence.

We have become one of the most prestigious organisations in the domestic legal order, and a reference for professionals in many countries.

More than 100 experienced lawyers are at the service of citizens and businesses in a growing network.

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Winner of one2one

best lawye r Costa del S ol

OFFICES ON THE COSTA DEL SOL AUSBANC MÁLAGA Alameda Principal, 45 - 1º A Phone: +34 952 060 120 E-mail: malaga@ausbanc.com

AUSBANC MARBELLA Alfredo Martínez Muriel, Costa del Sol Delegate

Av. Ricardo Soriano, 34. Edif. Portillo. P. oficinas., 2º 6 Phone: +34 952 900 531 E-mail: marbella@ausbanc.com

AUSBANC OFFICE NETWORK A Coruña: 981 553 347 · Alicante: 965 146 491 · Álava: 945 157 526 Almería: 950 257 429 · Asturias: 985 236 555 · Badajoz: 924 263 875 · Baleares: 971 717 279 Barcelona: 934 126 392 · Cáceres: 927 226 900 · Cádiz: 956 351 858 · Córdoba: 957 496 966 Gerona: 934 126 392 · Gran Canaria: 928 382 812 · Granada: 958 22 04 91 · Guipúzcoa: 943 428 600 Huelva: 959 259 888 · Jaén: 953 255 711 · Madrid: 91 541 61 61 · Mahón: 971 356869 · Málaga: 952 060 120 Móstoles: 916 140 047 · Murcia: 968 223 248 · Navarra: 948 228 563 · Orense: 988 270 005Salamanca: 923 268 877 Sevilla: 954 219 351 · Tenerife: 922 209 580 · Valencia: 963 749 861 · Valladolid: 983 342 169 Vizcaya: 944 235 578 · Zaragoza: 976 221 264

www.ausbanc.com

THE VIBE

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THE VIBE

White & Silver Opening Party at Ocean Club Ocean Club once again proved it is the trendiest beach club in town, with an opening party that saw guests enjoy tasty treats, refreshing cocktails, flowing Champagne and live entertainment throughout the night.

Ocean Club has a host of exciting parties and events lined up for the summer, so make sure you don’t miss out on the fun! i www.oceanclub.es

“Just the smell of summer can make me fall in love” – Anonymous

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THE VIBE

La Montesa de Marbella Launch Real Capital Solutions and Altavista Property recently invited guests to the launch of La Montesa de Marbella, a fresh, contemporary, luxury off-plan development situated in a stunning natural location, boasting a knockout view of the Coast. The project will feature a modern, elegant design which combines beauty and functionality to perfection. i www.altavistaproperty.com

“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong and laughter never ends” – Anonymous

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If you’ve lost money because of abuse by your bank, we can get it back Collar clause Multicurrency mortgages Records of debtors Preference shares Bankia shares Swaps and clips Abusive commissions

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COSTA DEL SOL MÁLAGA: Alameda Principal, 45 - 1º A Phone: +34 952 060 120 - E-mail: malaga@ausbanc.com

We can also on advise you l the financia g of restructurin ss your busine

MARBELLA: Av. Ricardo Soriano, 34. Edif. Portillo. P. oficinas., 2º 6 Phone: +34 952 900 531 - E-mail: marbella@ausbanc.com AUSBANC OFFICE NETWORK A Coruña: 981 553 347 · Alicante: 965 146 491 · Álava: 945 157 526 · Almería: 950 257 429 · Asturias: 985 236 555 Badajoz: 924 263 875 · Baleares: 971 717 279 · Barcelona: 934 126 392 · Cáceres: 927 226 900 · Cádiz: 956 351 858 Córdoba: 957 496 966 · Gerona: 934 126 392 · Gran Canaria: 928 382 812 · Granada: 958 22 04 91 · Guipúzcoa: 943 428 600 Huelva: 959 259 888 · Jaén: 953 255 711 · Madrid: 91 541 61 61 · Mahón: 971 356869 · Málaga: 952 060 120 · Móstoles: 916 140 047 Murcia: 968 223 248 · Navarra: 948 228 563 · Orense: 988 270 005Salamanca: 923 268 877 · Sevilla: 954 219 351 Tenerife: 922 209 580 · Valencia: 963 749 861 · Valladolid: 983 342 169 · Vizcaya: 944 235 578 · Zaragoza: 976 221 264

www.ausbanc.com

THE VIBE

Grand Opening of the Rock Hotel Gibraltar The Rock Hotel in Gibraltar recently celebrated its launch, following a complete refurbishment, with a swish cocktail event attended by dignitaries, clients and members of the media. The Hotel is majestically situated on Europa Road, boasting panoramic views of the Bay and Strait of Gibraltar, as well as the Spanish mainland and the North African coastline. i www.rockhotelgibraltar.com

“Luxury must be comfortable; otherwise, it is not luxury” – Coco Chanel

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THE VIBE

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THE VIBE

Magazine’s 16th Anniversary at Puro Beach Magazine’s Publisher, Iain Blackwell, welcomed clients, colleagues and friends to a swish bash at Puro Beach in Laguna Village to celebrate a real feat: 16 years of success on the Coast. Guests tucked into tasty sushi and sipped on cava while enjoying great music and conversation beneath the stars. Iain thanked his team for all their effort, and clients and collaborators for helping us to keep readers entertained and informed on all things to do with life on the Coast. i www.essentialmagazine.com

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in, day out” – Anonymous

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Dulce

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Cayetana Baby

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Caprichitos Mata

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Sophia

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Bily Bily Baby

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Le Marin

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My Dreamy Shoes

5/27/15 12:48 PM

ON MAY THE 9TH, SOME OF THE CUTEST KIDS ON THE COAST WALKED THE CATWALK AT THE 1ST MARBELLA KIDS FASHION EVENT HOSTED BY THE MARBELLA TOWN HALL AND LOCAL OLD TOWN RETAIL BUSINESSES, OFFERING THE BEST IN KIDS FASHION, ACCESSORIES AND TOYS.

KiDs BoutiQue, Dulce, situateD on c/ huerta chica, 12, in the centre oF MarBella has a Great ranGe oF KiDs Fashion incluDinG top national anD international BranDs such as sWaroVsKi, sanMar, Biscotti, loreDana anD Dolly By le petite toM.

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THE LEISURE travel

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ot since the Burj Al Arab hoisted its sails over the Dubai skyline, all of 16 years ago, has there been such excitement in the world of luxury hotel design.

A slew of new destination-defining properties are preparing to make their own bold statements on the world skyline this year, including one or two architectural wonders that will become global landmarks, instantly-recognisable in the way that The Eiffel Tower says Paris or the Leaning Tower shouts Pisa. China’s awesome, orb-shaped Kempinski Sunrise, is already stealing limelight from the Great Wall of China while Norway’s serpentine Lofoten Opera Hotel will set another benchmark in extraordinary hotel design.

Gone are the bad old days of bland corporate branding, when hotels belonging to international chains were clones of themselves whether in London, New York or Tokyo. Today’s savvier travellers no longer take comfort in familiarity and security. They seek authenticity and the thrill of the unknown. They want to be wowed,

whether by the structure, the setting, the service – and, preferably, all three.

Architects and designers have duly put their heads together to create new concepts which speak of the destination inside and out, respecting their natural surroundings and referencing local culture, crafts, materials and traditions.

The hotel itself has become an evocative and critical component of the total travel experience, and that will dictate the shape of new openings to come.

For a look into the immediate future, check out our bucket list of this year’s most-anticipated new luxury hotels and get inspiration for your next trip.

HOT NEW

Hotels

WORDS BELINDA BECKETT

Landmark design – the future Lofoten Opera Hotel © Snøhetta & MIR

Lofoten Opera Hotel Lofoten, Norway. Opening Spring 2018 Snakes alive! Breaking ground this month, this sinuous structure is the future Lofoten Opera Hotel. It coils around the dramatic coastline of Moskenesøya, the southernmost of Norway’s northerly Lofoten Islands, a landscape that could have been plucked from a Tolkien novel with its dramatic mountains and sparkling fjords.

Like a serpent guarding an egg clutch, the 11,000 square-metre hotel snakes around a central courtyard enclosing an amphitheatre, spa, sea water basins and hiking trails.

According to the architects, award-winning Oslo design studio, Snøhetta, “The complex layers of reference to nature, culture and land qualities in the design transforms the site into a place”.

Although the location seems utterly remote and inhospitable, the Lofoten archipelago is on one of Norway’s 18 national tourist routes, and many of the islands are linked by bridges.

The €48million project is aimed at the many thousands of nature-loving tourists who come to climb the region’s jagged peaks, hike the

valleys and fish waters that have fed Norway’s cod industry for a millennium.

Although lying within the Arctic Circle, the islands enjoy one of the world’s mildest climates, relative to their altitude and latitude, with temperatures rarely reaching freezing point even in winter. In summer, the sunlit landscape is carpeted in greenery and a constant tang of salt seasons the invigorating mountain air. i snohetta.com/project/136-lofoten-opera-hotel

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Photography © Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas

Félicité Island, The Seychelles

Zil Pasyon

Félicité Island, The Seychelles.

Opening late 2015

Castaway charisma at Zil Pasyon En suite dreams

If your dream is swimming with turtles on a classy castaway island in the Indian Ocean with every conceivable luxury at hand, add Six Senses Zil Pasyon (island of passion) to your bucket list.

The five-star spa operator’s debut in the 115-island nation is also a ‘first’ for one-mile square Félicité (Happiness Island). A coconut plantation until the 1970s, it has previously been the exclusive preserve of billionaires and celebrities staying in a handful of private bungalows, ex-British premier Tony Blair and former tennis champion Steffi Graff among them.

Félicité’s giant black granite boulders, sculpted into astounding shapes by the ocean, provide a stunning natural boundary for this lowkey resort of 30 villas and 17 exclusive private hilltop residences, all with pools, set amid tropical vegetation tumbling down to the water’s edge.

A-list extras include electric buggies, a dedicated helipad, private chef and butler service.

An oasis of serenity in sky blues and sea turquoises, designed by London architects Studio RHE, the low-density eco resort includes two restaurants, a bar, boutiques, a recreation centre, Six Senses Spa, gym and swimming pool. “The resort will create a very personal destination that embraces nature while offering every creature comfort,” says Six Senses.

Guests can enjoy deserted white sand beaches, crystal clear waters teeming with angelfish, parrotfish and turtles – perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving and island hopping – and walking trails through plantations of wild mango, bananas and vanilla orchids. The mountainous terrain is ideal for hiking, biking and photographing the surrounding islands.

Getting there is an adventure too, as the island can only be reached by helicopter from Mahe’s international airport, or a short boat ride from neighbouring La Digue and Praslin islands. i www.zilpasyon.com ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM JUNE 2015 / 143

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Luxurious lobby

Photography © Sunrise Kempinski Hotel Beijing

Kempinski Sunrise, China’s new rising star

Presidential Suite

Kempinski Sunrise Beijing, China. Opened February 2015

Private dining Sunset Kempinski-style

Sunrise over Yanqi Lake has always been special but Mother Nature has some stiff new competition from Kempinski. Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, now found all over the globe, is already lighting up the world with it’s awesome, orb-shaped new hotel in China, modelled on the sun, now the country’s new rising star!

The 97-metre sphere is covered with 10,000 glass panels tilted at different angles to reflect the sky, mountains and lake. At night, hydroelectric-powered LED lights turn it into a setting sun.

Created by the Shanghai Huadu Architect Design Co. to showcase Chinese culture to the world, the rising sun design (not to be confused with the flag of Japan) symbolises China’s fastgrowing economy; the entrance, shaped like the mouth of a fish, represents prosperity; viewed from the side, the structure resembles a scallop, a sign of good luck.

It took 9,300 construction workers two years to build this giant ovoid,

which contains 306 guestrooms and suites, a spa, a kids club and nine dining options including a microbrewery serving German beer and Bavarian dishes, a tea house and a panoramic top floor bar.

Curiously (as 14 is not considered an auspicious number in China), the property is part of a larger, 14km2 leisure complex comprising 14 hotels, 14 restaurants and bars, 14 spas, masses of meeting and event space, a conference centre, a private marina and a nine-story pagoda.

The real reason for building this destination-defining hotel beside charming willow-shaded Yanqi Lake is its proximity to China’s number one tourist attraction, The Great Wall, and six other UNESCO World Heritage sites including Beijing’s Forbidden City itself, 60km away. A stay in this incredible hotel will be the icing on the fortune cookie! i www.kempinski.com

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SUITE LOUNGE · PLAZA VILLAGE Fines de semana · Weekends

COCTELERÍA · ACTUACIONES · BAILE · DJs · PERCUSIÓN /// COCKTAILS · PERFORMANCES · DANCING · DJs · PERCUSSION

Puente Romano Beach Resort · Marbella Reservas · Reservations (T) 952 820 900 | suiteclubs.com

Cool pool Penthouse perfection

Alila Seminyak

Bali, Indonesia. Opening September 2015

Photography © Alila Seminyak

Alila means ‘surprise’ in Sanskrit and there are plenty of those at this tropical spa hotel which offers blissful Bali highs away from the bustle of the island’s most upscale resort.

Rooftops bloom with exotic plants like a garden in the sky, elevated infinity pools shimmer under the sunshine in 50 shades of blue. Inspired by the rice terraces and paddy fields that blanket Bali, a green labyrinth of lush vegetation, ventilated by sea breezes, connects guests with every part of the hotel. Low energy lighting, rainwater harvesting, solar energy and sustainable building management systems are extra guarantees of a minimal environmental footprint, once in operation.

Eight types of guest accommodation are cocooned within this perfumed sanctuary, including 96 rooms, 143 suites and a spectacular penthouse furnished in cool colours and contemporary styles. With some suites for sale, offering a seven per cent rental return, it could be a sweet investment, too. A state-of-the art gym and a wellness spa offering relaxing Asian therapies are other fringe benefits. A variety of indoor and outdoor dining areas provide evocative settings for romantic dinners, weddings and banquets.

The fifth resort on the Indonesian island for the Alila boutique hotel group, its neighbourliness to Seminyak – a resort whose reputation has soared from simmering to stratospheric – is an undeniable attraction.

When arcadia cloys, the cosmopolitan town’s swanky designer boutiques, art galleries, uber chic cafes and happening hangouts are all very accessible.

Designed to tap into aspirational European holidaymakers’ quest for the exotic, the resort touts a ‘total destination experience’, where relaxation becomes second nature, all less than 30 minutes from Bali International Airport. i www.alilaseminyak.com

Bali highs at the Alila Seminyak

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Anantara Tangalle

PEACE HAVEN RESORT & SPA

Tangalle, Sri Lanka. Opening Autumn 2015

Floating reception pavilion

For those seeking a retreat into the spiritual, this sensational spa resort on Sri Lanka’s sleepy southern shores will point the way.

Inspired by Buddhist temple design with a nod to traditional local architecture, it curves seductively around a pristine crescent beach fringed by 42 acres of coconut groves. There’s no more perfect spot to get out your yoga mat and join in the daily outdoor meditation, pilates and tai chi classes.

High-pitched roofs and breezy open spaces flaunting locally hand-carved furniture and artwork are keynotes of the design. A wooden pontoon takes guests to a reception pavilion floating on water, flanked by palm trees as far as the eye can see, while the showpiece beach restaurant shelters under two gravity-defying raised bamboo domes, with a dining deck running down to the water’s edge.

Each of the 120 guest rooms and 32, thatched-roof villas boasts its own private plunge pool, placing the property in a league of its own in Sri Lanka for unparalleled luxury. Other decadent trappings include rainforest showers, oval bath tubs, daybeds, wine humidors and al fresco furniture for in-room dining. Although, with Italian and teppanyaki restaurants on site, as well as a wine cellar offering tasting menus and a traditional high tea lounge, who wants to eat in? If you can tear yourself away from the 25-metre pool, tuk tuks can be hired for a trip into Tangalle or into the lush green interior of paddy fields, rock temples and wildlife sanctuaries.

Tangalle is a best-kept local secret prized for its endless, turtle-trampled beaches. The landowners did nothing for two decades, recognising that it would one day lend itself to something truly spectacular, and it certainly has.

Photography © Anantara Tangalle

Speciality dining

Showpiece beach restaurant

i www.anantara.com/tangalle

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Keemala

Enchanted rainforest retreat Tree house villa

Phuket, Thailand. Opening September 2015 With its design rooted in a jungle landscape, this enchanting rainforest retreat will restore your belief in fairytales. What is unbelievable is Keemala’s proximity to Patong party beach, 10 minutes down the road by car! Taking its name from the hamlet of Kamala, at the quieter northern end of Patong, the latest addition to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection showcases peppy Phuket in a very different light.

Bath tubs hewn out of stone, washbasins plumbed into tree trunks, monsoon showers and a reception suspended above the forest floor by maraca-shaped bamboo pods are among the many wow factors.

Streams, waterfalls and towering centenary trees are seamlessly integrated into the overall design.

The ethereal look is inspired by Thai mythology, with 38 private villas offering four different ways to escape from the world: clay cottages, tented and bird’s nest villas and duplex tree houses, all imagined from legends of ancient clans. Every villa has a private pool and terrace and features locally-woven cane furnishings and tribal motifs.

These extraordinary dwellings cluster around a surreal wellness spa populated with cane yoga pavilions, meditation areas, rope bridges and rainforest walks promising a ‘sacred healing journey’ through organic and traditional treatments.

The restaurant menu will reinforce the healthy ethos with wholesome fine dining and alcohol-free cocktails, although hedonists need not despair.

Keemala’s signature chocolate Martinis, shaken up with raw cacao and vanilla vodka, are among many tantalising temptations in this tropical Garden of Eden. Staff will even set you up a table in one of the many hidden nooks around the resort for a romantic al fresco forest dinner where you can lose yourself in folkloric fantasy.

Photography © Keemala Phuket

Bird’s Nest villa

i www.keemala.com

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AT THE PLAZA VILLAGE IN THE HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

Puente Romano Hotel, Blv. Principe Alfonso Von Hohenlohe, Marbella. www.thaigallerymarbella.com

Tel: 952 818 392

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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met

RESTAURANTS / REVIEWS / NEWS / WINE / CHEFS / GUIDE

Discover two of Marbella’s newest dining Meccas: Uni at the Puente Romano Hotel, serving Japanese/Peruvian fusion cuisine, and Café Flore, haven of garden-fresh Italian food. Celebrity Chef, Kevin Woodford takes us to St. Lucia and Chef Lutz Bösing of El Jardín de Lutz at Finca Cortesín shares the ins and outs of his passionate career with us.

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153 Uni 155 Café Flore 156 Food News 158 Kevin Woodford’s St. Lucia 160 Chef’s Profile: Lutz Bösing of

El Jardín de Lutz 162 Ribeiro Wine

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restaurant & cocktail bar Plaza Village 路 Puente Romano

Nikkei Cuisine peruvian - japanese

london 路 marbella PUENTE ROMANO PLAZA VILLAGE 路 T (+3 4) 952 82 0 9 0 0

restaurant THE GOURMET

UNI

Fine Nikkei Cuisine at Plaza Village WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

T

hose in the hotel and restaurant business know how difficult it can be to remain at the top of the game for decades; tastes change, trends come and go and so do tourist demographics. The Marbella Club and Puente Romano Hotels, however, have never ceased to epitomise the very essence of elegant family life on the Coast; veritable havens of relaxation, nuclei of sporting activities and entertainment and the standard setters when it comes to gastronomy. The hotels, owned and run by the Shamoon family, have shown that they are brave enough to make innovation and change part of their core values and the result pays off in restaurants like Uni, the absolute scene stealer in the current Coastal gastronomic scene.

Uni, whose sister restaurant in Belgravia has attracted dignitaries and celebrities to its hallowed doors (Prime Minister, David Cameron, was just one distinguished diner who has succumbed to its temptation), serves Nikkei cuisine: a fusion of cool Japanese and sometimes sweetsometimes spicy Peruvian cuisines.

Uni is ensconced in the inimitable Plaza Village: the romantic square embracing the ancient Roman bridge that gave the Hotel its name. Once known primarily for swish nightclub, Suite, the Square currently boasts a suspended terrace overlooking the

bridge which houses a bevy of exciting restaurants, including Thai Gallery (hands-down Marbella’s best Thai food restaurant), Bibo (Dani García’s brasserie and tapas restaurant), Dani García (the Chef’s signature restaurant) and now, Uni, poised to become the absolute must-visit restaurant for visitors and residents on the Coast.

The Uni experience begins with a drink at the bar; we suggest the Peruvian mojito, served with a whole chilli to heat up this ultra-refreshing drink.

Uni offers both interior and terrace dining and while the latter appeals, owing to the view it offers of the elegant Marbellí jetset enjoying a pre-dinner tête-à-tête in the Plaza below, the interior is a great choice for those seeking privacy and intimacy.

The most eye-catching feature of Uni’s modern design (the creation of the renowned Jeane Pierre Martel) is arguably the bar area, with its artistic water feature, in which scarlet-hued bubbles rise up the wall in a variety of graceful formations. Inside, the contemporary, beige-hued Chesterfield sofas complement delicate Japanese wall writings and other Oriental design features, beautifully.

After a drink at the bar, my host, the affable John Thomson, Group Corporate Director of Food & Beverage at MC Hotels, ushered me to the

terrace, where we munched on some spicy edamame, an absolute treat for those with a penchant for chilli.

We enjoyed great conversation while watching the plaza fill with elegantly dressed ladies and men, young and mature alike, who lent the old Roman bridge a distinctly Gatsby-like feel that was a joy to behold. Across the terrace John waved to a group of friends, one of the many diners to fill the tables at Bibo. A few moments later, we began what can only be described as an absolute knockout of a meal.

The waiters (which, we must highlight, are an important part of making a meal at Uni a truly special experience) brought us out a delicious tempura prawn, courtesy of the house.

Crisp on the outside and ultra tender on the inside, it set the tone for the rest of the meal.

A dish that must be sampled at Uni is the salmon tacos, Peruvian at heart and featuring a super fresh and tasty tartare with cucumber, tomato, masago and a creamy miso on the inside, housed inside a petite taco shell. The tuna tartare, diced and served with guacamole, bore a unique flavour which evidenced the skilful addition of Uni’s own homemade soy sauce. The ceviche, freshened up with a touch of cilantro, was as good as this dish gets, while the popcorn tempura shrimp really hit the spot with its fresh juiciness. We also tried

a lovely blend of maki (filled with everything from fatty tuna to grilled eel, tuna and seabass and topped with orange, black and green caviar) and one of the absolute highlights of the meal for me: the butterfish tiradito: a fine, delicate carpaccio served with slices of green chilli and a lemony sauce.

We marvelled at the miso black cod, marinated in a sweet anticucho sauce, and the hearty chicken yaki-tori, bearing a beautifully sweet yakitori flavour. The dishes just get better and better and, indeed, we ended the meal on an unbeatable note: the wagyu beef tataki, so tender and succulent it beckons you to close your eyes to concentrate on its inimitable flavour.

Uni opens from 6pm to 4am for drinks (the cocktail list is wide enough to merit many a visit before partying the night away), and the kitchen opens at 8pm. Without a doubt, the Marbella Club group have once again demonstrated how it’s done, with a restaurant serving the kind of cuisine guests will definitely consider travelling far and wide when necessary, to sample again and again.

g Open daily from 6pm to 4am.

At the Puente Romano Hotel.

Blvd. Principe von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900. www.puenteromano.com ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM JUNE 2015 / 153

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F L É O F RE A C

e! or m

Cu isi

garden á l’Itali r u o ene m an ro f d ne

Since April 2015

Restaurant Casanis

CASANIS

FRENCH BISTROT c/Ancha, 8 29601 Marbella 952 900 450 casaniscasanis@aol.com

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CAFÉ FLORE

Restaurant Café Flore

RESTAURANTI ITALIANO Plaza Puente Ronda, 5 29601 Marbella 952 770 535 cafefloremarbella@gmail.com

3/24/15 11:43 AM

restaurant THE GOURMET

WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

CAFÉ FLORE

Welcome to an Italian garden

Italian food is all about the best ingredients prepared with passion and skill. From the creators of Casanis comes Café Flore, where these elements come together to produce a classic Marbella Old Town dining experience.

H

aving created a Marbella landmark with the enigmatic and popular Casanis, Guy Sirre’s new undertaking is Café Flore, a perfectly placed eatery whose easygoing style and charm beautifully complements its setting within Marbella’s ambient Old Town. The two restaurants are less than 100 metres apart, but Café Flore is the product of an entirely Italian inspiration – built around the skills of Franco, Jorge and Fabian Cangas, three young chefs who have evolved under Guy’s guidance, and the concept of quality food derived from the best ingredients.

“Italian cuisine is not overly complicated,” says Guy, “but it does stand or fall on the produce it is made from. Café Flore is a joint undertaking with three young chefs that have worked with me for many years and are ready to explore their gastronomic skill and inspiration here.

They love Italian cooking and the ingredients it is built upon, and it is from this simple philosophy that we have created a menu designed around

the finest seasonal produce.” Indeed, with about half of the vegetables, herbs and typically Italian products grown in their own organic vegetable garden, the chefs who twelve years ago knocked on Guy’s door for an apprenticeship are now creating a weekly updated offering that seeks to present Italian food at its pure and authentic best.

The brothers have travelled around the world, working in the restaurants of Guy’s friends and undergoing a rich professional and personal development in the process.

All of this knowledge is applied at Café Flore, where you can enjoy homemade delights as you soak up the atmosphere and watch the world go by. The antipasti are a case in point, with the beautifully salted focaccia and pisaladiere made on the premises, as are all breads, pasta and confectionary. The pisaladiere is a delicacy made up of focaccia topped with anchovies, olives, tomato, ruccola and caramelised onions. Together with the finely cut mortadela and San Daniel ham, it makes for a refreshing

light meal just made for sharing.

Many come to enjoy it as a lunch or in-between snack, or indeed as the classic antipasti misti that form the prelude to an Italian meal. The starters include such iconic dishes as aubergines Parmigiani, soft, creamy burrata (when in season), a refreshing take on the classic vitello tonato and Crespelle de Fontina – delicious cheese-filled crepes from Piemonte.

Washed down with a glass of Gómez Cruzado, a crisp white wine from Rioja, you feel a sense of Dolce Vita fill you as you watch the evening set in within Marbella’s charming old quarter.

For the final courses we were encouraged to try an Italian red. The many fans of Spanish wine might raise an eyelid at this, but Guy’s recommendation of a Castelfeder from the Südtirol region did not disappoint, being light yet full of the flavour of a more substantial wine.

From the homemade pastas we chose Fusilotti al Ragu di Coniglio – yes rabbit – which like the wine that accompanied it proved to be a dish

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full of hearty country flavours yet remarkably light with it. Traditionally somewhat heavier in consistency, the risotto with cigala crayfish was also beautifully balanced in flavour and texture, as one would expect from three chefs who have grown up around Italian cooking and been mentored by an experienced Belgian chef and restaurateur.

In some restaurants the continuity from savoury dishes to desserts is lacking, but it is clear that the same degree of passion and skill is applied to both at Café Flore, where the Fregola al Aceto (strawberries with a touch of balsamic) created an amazingly refreshing sensory experience, while the panacotta and the financier – a bed of almond and butter dough biscuits topped with strawberries and vanilla ice cream – were simply delicious in the old-fashioned sense. The product of a passion for Italian food and the ingredients that make it, Café Flore offers a delightful experience where an authentic menu comes together with friendly service in the most convivial of Marbella settings.

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THE GOURMET news

The Trocadero name is associated with some of the fondest gastronomic memories our minds can conjure up, so it will come as no surprise that the Trocadero Group (founders of Trocadero Arena and Trocadero Playa), have opened yet another seaside haven: Trocadero Entre Dunas, ensconced in the Playa del Pinillo area. Diners can look forward to enjoying the very best of Mediterranean cuisine, served with the ambience and joie de vivre present in all Trocadero restaurants, founded by the charming Dionisio Hernández Gil. Free and easily accessible parking is available. g Playa del Pinillo s/n, Marbella.

Tel: 608 100 945.

New Palapa Restaurant Opens at Laguna Village Laguna Village is fast becoming a revered location in which to unwind, enjoy a great meal at a bevy of restaurants, and shop ‘til you drop, with many fashionable stores making it an excellent choice for stylish women with an eye for reasonably priced outfits. Laguna Village is also home to the elegant new Palapa, a second-floor restaurant overlooking the sea and serving top quality Mediterranean cuisine. Palapa is styled with exotic Asian and African décor pieces and even has a baby grand piano, the perfect setting for live performances. The team at Palapa plans on hosting elegant events, weddings and other special celebrations. i Tel: (34) 952 808 165. www.laguna-village.com

WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS

Trocadero Entre Dunas Opens in Playa del Pinillo

Thai Gallery

Moves to Plaza Village There is no doubt that the ‘it’ place for trendy diners and members of the jetset is Plaza Village, a collection of exclusive restaurants ensconced above the romantic antique Roman bridge at the Puente Romano Hotel.

Plaza Village is now home to one of Marbella’s most iconic Thai restaurants: Thai Gallery, founded and run by Lincoln Lo and his lovely wife Ping. Enjoy authentic Thai cuisine whipped up by a talented Thai Chef, and a lovely romantic evening in the lively Plaza Village. g www.thaigallerymarbella.com

Ruta de la Tapa Awards The Ruta de la Tapa Spring awards took place recently at Parque de la Represa, to present the awards for the Most Popular Tapa and the Most Creative Tapa, respectively. The Ruta de la Tapa Spring 2015 event took place in Marbella and San Pedro, offering diners a wealth of tapas dishes at many of the Coast’s most popular bars and restaurants. The winner of the Most Popular Tapa award was Barrocco, for its Bacalao al pil pil, while T-Bone Grill took home the Most Creative Tapa prize for its steak tartare with oysters and goats cheese ice-cream. i www.guiamarbella.com

Da Bruno

Receives ‘Q’ for Quality from the Italian Chamber of Commerce The Italian Ambassador in Spain, Pietro Sebastiani and the President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce, Giovanni Aricó, presented the ‘Q’ for Quality certification to the Restaurant Group Da Bruno during the latest edition of the Salon de Gourmet Show in Madrid. This certification is promoted by the Chamber of Commerce to assess and recognise the authenticity and quality of Italian restaurants scattered around the world.

Congratulations to Bruno Filiponne and his team, for over 20 years of hard work and dedication. i www.dabruno.com

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THE GOURMET

KEVIN WOODFORD’S

Essential St. Lucia © Gary Edwards

T There are times in every person’s life when what you really need is a break away to somewhere that will satisfy your inner soul. A peaceful haven that offers great views and fabulous food, set in a tranquil environment.

Calabash Cove

he enchanting Caribbean island of St. Lucia, famous for its twin peaks (Les Pitons), breathtaking Diamond Falls and landscape of lush foliage is without doubt a fabulous retreat.

St. Lucia is blessed with an abundance of lovely hotels, but the one that satisfies my desire for rest and recuperation is Calabash Cove.

Set just above Bonaire Bay, the hotel has been built within a lush tropical landscape. I relax the moment I step into the impressive open air reception, with its spectacular views over the pool and turquoise sea.

The hotel has nine fabulous Balinese mahogany cottages, all equipped with their own plunge pools and Jacuzzis offering total privacy. There are also four swim-up junior suites and thirteen ocean

view junior suites. All of the rooms have been tastefully furnished in an authentic Caribbean style. In addition, there’s an impressive infinity pool with a much welcomed swim-up bar serving a wide variety of colourful cocktails and a delightful little Spa. Calabash Cove is owner managed and a charming element of a vacation here is the pre dinner drinks and canapé party, hosted in the reception area by the owners every evening. After a relaxing day by the pool this is a lovely start to the evening and an opportunity to get to know your fellow guests. Dining under the stars in the Windsong restaurant, with its outstanding views over the ocean, is a memorable way to enjoy the magnificent sunsets, while the fusion of Asian and Caribbean cuisines, for which the hotel is renowned, are interesting and delicious.

I find that after a few days of simply chilling out around the pool, interspersed with an aromatherapy massage in the Ti Spa, I’m ready to venture out for a very special dinner at the Cliff at Cap restaurant. A taxi ride away, the Cliff at Cap is located in the northern part of St. Lucia, in the grounds of the renowned Cap Maison Resort & Spa. In one of the Caribbean’s most dramatic settings, The Cliff at Cap is one of the most highly sought after restaurants on the island.

It’s Executive Chef, Craig Jones, has developed an innovative West Indian menu with French and Asian influences. Using a wide range of high quality local produce, emphasising local fish, it is gaining a justifiable reputation for its creative cuisine. One of the specialities, Rock Crab Ravioli, Spiced Lemon Grass & Coconut Nage satisfied every one of my taste buds! Plus, if like me, you’re a wine lover, then rest assured there’s a very good chance that your favourite bottle can be found among the 170 wines on offer.

So, after an enjoyable evening it’s back up the bumpy single track road to the sanctuary of Calabash Cove, for a nightcap followed by a good nights sleep, in order to do absolutely nothing the next day!

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.

Kevin Woodford is also a Presenter at BBC Watchdog.

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A

J O U R N E Y

O F

F L A V O U R S

G A S T R O - L O U N G E - D R I N K S

Reservations Tel: 952 868 396 / 626 705 435 Email: reservas@lescubesmarbella.com Open daily 1pm - 2 am Oasis Club, C.N. 340 KM 183, 29602, Marbella www.lescubesmarbella.com

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THE GOURMET profile

Lutz Bösing

of El Jardín de Lutz

and the Return of Grand Hotel Cuisine Finca Cortesín may be a relatively short drive from Marbella, but as soon as you take your first steps along its cobblestoned streets, it feels like a world away. The Finca celebrates the grand Andalusian lifestyle; overlooking the sea and ensconced in the middle of a verdant oasis, it boasts a world class spa, majestic accommodation and also some of the best restaurants in the South of Spain, two of which have Repsol Suns (famed Japanese restaurant, Kabuki, and El Jardín de Lutz), though visitors can take their pick from a lovely Malagueño fritura at the Beach Club, or enjoy a light snack poolside as well.

WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS Photography kevin horn

L

utz Bösing is Executive Head Chef at the Hotel; in addition to running his own restaurant, he is also in charge of all the Hotel’s restaurants. El Jardín de Lutz is often hailed as one of the best Spanish restaurants in the South of Spain (Lutz has been living and honing his craft in Spain since 1989 so don’t let the German surname fool you; he is fluent in Spanish, and, better yet, more than well versed in the Spanish culinary arts).

The Chef is indeed very Andaluz in his manner – warm, chatty and absolutely passionate about Andalucía: “There is no need to import ingredients, since “it is much better to use white prawns from Málaga, King prawns from Sanlucar de Barrameda, freshly caught fish from the Mediterranean, you don’t need to look any further.”

Lutz always knew he wanted to dedicate his life to cooking: “I was only 13 when I announced to my father, who is a doctor, that I wanted to be a Chef. My brothers followed in his footsteps and pursued medical

careers, but I took after my mother, who is an excellent cook.” Lutz’s first attempt at cooking was quite by chance: “One evening, my parents were away and I felt hungry. I headed for the kitchen and decided to make myself a tomato and mushroom omelette. My brothers were tempted by the aroma and asked me to prepare them the same dish. It was a hit! Every time my parents weren’t around, they would ask me to cook and I soon became the official Chef of the house. When I turned 13, I completed my practical experience at a renowned restaurant. The restaurant signed a contract to hire me immediately after I finished my culinary studies, three years later.”

Lutz honed his craft in various Michelin-starred restaurants in Germany; he recalls the experience as being “very useful professionally but poor paying.” After several years, he knew it was time to consolidate his experience as a Chef and make a better living, so when he learned that there was an opening at a luxury hotel in Granada, he jumped at the

chance and he hasn’t left Spain since. Married to a Spanish woman he met, of all places, “in a vegetable refrigeration unit” at the hotel, he has fallen completely in love with Spanish cuisine, having learned all there is to know in top rated establishments across the South.

Throughout his years in Spain he has fully immersed himself in the cuisine, and feels that, as a German preparing Spanish food, he has a heightened awareness of what both discerning Spanish and international diners, demand.

At El Jardín de Lutz, the Chef whips up an array of rice dishes, fish and seafood, top cuts of meat etc., harking back to the days of the Grand Hotel, for Lutz recalls the days when “all the best restaurants were housed in hotels,” a trend that is catching on, judging by the presence of renowned Chefs at top rated hotels (think Jordi Cruz at ABaC in Barcelona, Ramón Freixa at the Hotel Único in Madrid, etc.). An example of the grande luxe style is the breakfast at El Jardín de Lutz:

“We only serve a la carte dishes… everything from eggs benedict, to homemade pastries.”

At El Jardín de Lutz, diners can look forward to enjoying traditional dishes made to tried-and-tested recipes with everything, including the sauces, ‘made-from-scratch’: “Many diners ask us for dishes they have tried while staying at Finca Cortesín the year before. Even if it is not on the menu, we prepare it for them… our clients are on a holiday and we ultimately aim to make them happy, so even if they just want a burger, they can have it! To be honest, though, our most popular dish would probably be freshly caught, whole fish, baked in the oven a la sal and cut before the diners’ eyes.” Personalisation, alongside top class service, make up the kind of luxury that is tantamount with the Finca Cortesín experience and Chef Lutz is definitely heading a winning team. g Tel: 952 937 800. www.fincacortesin.com

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THE GOURMET wine

Just an hour’s drive south east of Santiago de Compostela, in north western Ourense Province, lies the often spectacular region of Ribeiro in an area of green hills, forests and river valleys – primarily the Avia and Miño, but the Arnoia and Barbantiño too.

WORDS CARLOS READ PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ATLANTIC TERROIRS WINES, PAZO AND VIÑA COSTEIRA

T

he summers here are hot (40ºC is not unusual) and dry, the evenings cool; and in addition to some splendid casas rurales there are a number of spas given abundant hot (and very smelly) mineral springs. The food is hearty, as one would expect – with excellent locally raised pork-based dishes and lamprey a must for those who want to understand the local reds, which are crimson in hue and more often than not quite astringent.

Winemaking here goes back thousands of years and exports were already significant from the times of the Roman occupation (they were of course also very keen on the long established local gold mines), through medieval times (the Benedictines and Cistercians played their part as a major

offshoot of the longstanding Camino), through, in particular to Britain and Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries, until phylloxera arrived at the end of the 19th century.

At this point, sadly everything changed as those interested in a quick profit took the opportunity to replace the myriad of flavoursome local varieties with Palomino – the high yield variety that is the mainstay of Jerez, resists drought, and produces low acid, low sugar whites of limited lifespan.

Wind forward therefore to 1957, when the DO was first created and suddenly we have a very small area – today consisting of less than 3,000 hectares spread over some 30 square kilometres – dedicated primarily to producing extremely well priced popular whites either for local consumption or sale in bulk to other parts of Spain as well as a little red rarely seen outside of Galicia.

There are, however, even now, around 100 indigenous grape varieties

in Galicia and many survived phylloxera, given the sandy element along with the gravel and sometimes clay in its deep soils, composed primarily of decomposed granite, which have only a maximum four per cent organic material.

Four Wineries of the existing 99 to look for – the first reflecting commercial trends and the others small scale and doing their utmost to restore quality on the basis of resuscitating the many worthy grape varieties of old:

Ribeiro

THE RIBADAVIA CO-OP

COTO DE GOMARIZ

The largest and best of many Co-ops producing 5 million kilos in a good year.

Z Pazo Ribeiro 2014 Lively, zingy, dry but grapey budget Palomino/Torrentés blend.

Less than 11 per cent alcohol.

Z Viña Costeira 2014 Dry, gentle almondy lime with good zip and some depth (Treixadura with 20 per cent Torrontés + 10 per cent others).

VIÑA MEÍN

Fab 18-hectare estate planted from scratch 26 years ago with an abundance of local varieties and belonging to a successful lawyer based for many years in Madrid.

Also a casa rural. Stay there, for maximum tranquillity.

Only 5 rooms, so otherwise go to the neighbouring (ex) monastery of San Clodio.

Whites – 70 per cent Treixadura, 15 per cent Godello and rest Loureira, Albariño, Lado, Alvilla and Torrontés: Reds – Caíño Longo. Mencía and Ferrol.

Z Viña Meín Blanco 2013 Middle weight, elegant citric greengage apple with very attractive mineral notes. A tricky vintage, don’t be put off by its deep colour.

Z Viña Meín Tinto 2011 Lively purple stuff with some nice red fruit and a distinctly chocolate tang perhaps by virtue of being fermented in oak. Total production some 100 cases; drink lightly chilled.

ADEGA MANUEL FORMIGO

Tiny, historic family winery with 4.5 hectares of 11 different varieties.

These are not fruit-forward wines; instead they’re about texture.

Z Finca Teira Blanco 2014 (65 per cent Treixadura, 30 per cent Godello & 5 per cent Torrontés).

Structured, tight and well balanced with some tannin and good mouth-feel; youthful grapefruit and apple will shortly give way to subtle lemony greengage.

Z Teira X 2013 (65 per cent old vine Treixadura, 15 per cent Alvilla, Loureira and Albariño).

Bigger, more floral and with notes of grape skins, orange, fennel and salt; phenolic and weighty.

Talented winemaker Sebio has much to do here and exults in making some 15 wines from approximately 28 hectares of very different vineyards of varying ages.

Z The Flower and the Bee Blanco 2014 His popular Treixadura resounds with upfront sherbet lemon snap and attractive underlying honey.

Z Colleita Seleccionada Blanco 2011 Five barrels of low yield 40 year old Treixadura, Godello, Loureira, Albariño and Lado result in a white of honeyed incense character that is almost sweet on the palate but has tremendous uplifting acidity and elements of white chocolate and spice.

Z Abadía de Gomariz Tinto 2010 This spectacular red is very dark with a densely textured smoky syrupy cherry core, char-grilled overtones and has immense length and grip.

Made from Sousón, Brancellao, Ferrol, Mencía and a little Loureira Tinta.

Z Hush 2009 A 1,300 bottle cuvée made from a selection of old local varieties (70 years +) this black, savoury, densely textured offering oozes coffee, leather and spice and has a very long finish, with a touch of treacle and a whisker of VA (volatile acidity).

Make sure that you have a plate of roast boar to hand. e

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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

gauchos

mytilus

AMERICAN

Open 10am until midnight every day.

Plaza Antonio Banderas 17/29, Puerto Banús.

Tel: 951 136 333

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village.

CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 897 744

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos, Puerto Sotogrande. Tel: 956 790 212

HARD ROCK CAFÉ

Yanx

ruta 40

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

Open from 9am to 12 midnight daily.

C.C. El Zoco, Sitio de Calahonda.

Tel: 951 133 737

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

ARGENTINEAN

Tango

Buenos Aires South

Open daily for dinner except Sundays. Puerto Banús (opp. the car park). Tel: 952 812 358

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/ Virgen del Pilar, 6, Marbella. Tel: 952 779 297

BELGIAN

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

FRENCH

Casa mono

Open Monday to Saturday from 1pm to 11pm. C/ Calderón Estébanez 19, Marbella. Tel: 952 774 578

le bistroman Open daily for lunch and dinner. El Corte Inglés, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

Valderrama Restaurant 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

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GREEK

Grill del puerto

Mumtaz

aroma

Open daily for both lunch and dinner.

Muelle Ribera, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 148

Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Ribera 47H, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 686

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Casa No.7, P. Banús. Tel: 952 812 090

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Moncayo 23, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 665 502

MARBELLA CLUB GRILL

INTERNATIONAL

baboo lounge and restaurant

Red Pepper

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 every night for dinner. Marbella Club Hotel.

Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, Marbella.

Tel: 952 822 211 Open Monday to Saturday for dinner and Sunday for lunch. C/ San Lázaro, 3, Pza. Victoria, Marbella.

Tel: 952 867 306

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

Restaurante Rancho

Al Rolo

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Ctra. Cádiz, exit Las Chapas. Tel: 952 831 922

Open from 1pm to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm daily.

At Reserva del Higuerón. Avda. del Higuerón 48, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 661 174

Old Town Grill

The Grill House restaurant

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

Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday. C.C. Cristamar, Local 32, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 319 842

El Carnicero

VOVEM

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Pueblo Viejo Cancelada. Between San Pedro & Estepona.

Tel: 952 886 307

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Odeon, Locales 9-10, C/ Las Yedras, Nueva Andalucía.

Tel: 952 003 434

El Carnicero 2 Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 599

11&11 Restobar

INDIAN

Albert & simon 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 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 Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 146.5, Casares. Tel: 951 704 884

Bar d’o restaurant & Lounge 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

beach house Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Coto de los Doles, Carril del Relojero, Elviria, Marbella.

Tel: 952 839 458

alberts

beckitts

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Puerto Cabopino.

Tel: 952 836 886

Open Monday to Sunday for dinner. C/ Camilo José Cela 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 898

Jaipur palace

alumbre

Besaya Beach

Open daily for dinner from 7.30pm. Galerías Paniagua. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 528

Open every night except Tuesday for dinner.

CN340, km 194, next to Camping Cabopino, Marbella. Tel: 951 310 004

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Strachan 11, Málaga. Tel: 951 500 022

El gaucho de banús

Jaipur Purple

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola 9-11, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 167

Open daily for dinner. CN 340, km. 166, Estepona.

Tel: 952 888 353

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday from 8.00pm. Calle del Pilar 3, Benahavís.

Tel: 952 856 026

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

el rancho del puerto

Massala

amigos

Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Benabola 4, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 252

Open daily for dinner. 57, Duquesa de Arcos (Sabinillas seafront). Tel: 952 897 358

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday.

C/ Málaga 3, Benahavis. Tel: 952 855 175

El Gaucho

Amanhavis

BIBO 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

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Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine

under €25

€25 – €40

€40 – €60

€60 plus

Black and white Marbella

cerrado del águila

El Campanario

Club. CN 340, km. 188, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 500

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola, under the Torre de Banús, Puerto Banús.

Tel: 952 815 607

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

El Restaurante del Casino

bono’s beach

c’est la vie

EL CASTILLO

Fabiola

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Cervantes s/n, Urb. Costabella, Playa El Arenal, Marbella.

Tel: 952 839 236

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Paseo Las Palmeras, 15, San Pedro de Alcántara.

Tel: 952 783 394

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. C/ El Pilar s/n, Benahavís. Tel: 681 294 442

Brunings

cortijo fain

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

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Algar, km. 3, Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz.

Tel: 956 704 131

Open daily for dinner. Hotel Los Monteros, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 187. Tel: 952 771 700

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

CAFÉ DE RONDA

EL JINETE

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Avda. Ramón Gómez de la Serna 23, Marbella.

Tel: 952 862 149

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

Cafetería ke

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

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Urb. Elviria Hills. Avda. Las Cumbres s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 371

cappuccino grande cafe

dani García restaurante

Open daily for lunch and dinner. José Meliá s/n (Hotel Gran Meliá Don Pepe), Marbella.

Tel: 952 868 790

Don Leone

Casanis

D-wine

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

celima Open every day for lunch and dinner. Hotel Hermitage, Ctra. de Casares, Casares.

Tel: 952 895 639.

Open every night for dinner. Puerto Banús, Marbella. Tel: 952 811 716

El Corzo EL GRAN GASTBY Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 778 797 Open daily for dinner except for Friday. Ctra. La Cala Golf, km 45, La Cala de Mijas. Tel: 952 119 170

El lago

EL MIRADOR Open for breakfast every day. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Resort. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona.

Tel: 952 809 500

Open every day for dinner from 8pm-4am. Hotel Andalucía Plaza s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 814 000

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

El oceano beach hotel Restaurant & Spa

Open from 11am until midnight. Closed Sundays.

Avda Las Palmeras 15, San Pedro Alcántara.

Tel: 952 780 927

Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 199, Miraflores Playa, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 587 550

fonda restaurante el postillón

El Bolero

EL OLIVO

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

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30pm to 11pm.

Ctra. de Mijas, km. 1, A-387, Alhaurín El Grande.

Tel: 951 254 520

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GD Gourmet deli marbella

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

La Veranda

C/ Calderón de la Barca, s/n. Tel: 952 929 578

Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner.

Hotel Villa Padierna, Urb: Flamingos s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 889 150

Mc café

la brisa

La Verandah

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

Messina

La veranda lobby bar

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner from 7pm.

Closed Monday. Local 1A. Puerto de Cabopino.

Tel: 952 837 483

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 from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 8pm ‘til late. Monte Paraíso Golf, Marbella. Tel: 951 217 272

Herrero del Puerto

LA CANTINA DEL GOLF

LIMA

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Casas de Campos, 1, Málaga. Tel: 952 122 075

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

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 daily for dinner from 6.30p.m. Avda. del Prado, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 813 859

hermosa

Horizon steakhouse Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Antonio Machado s/n, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 560 094

hotel marbella club buffet 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

LA biznaga

La cabaña del mar

LA GRANADA DIVINO Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesday.

C/ de las Piedras, Gaucín. Tel: 951 709 075

La Loggia 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

Open every day for lunch and dinner. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Marbella Club Hotel. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n. Tel: 952 822 211 Open for dinner Monday to Saturday. Avda.

Severo Ochoa, 12, Marbella. Tel: 952 864 895

MOJO

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

los arcos

mozaic

Open every night for dinner. Hotel Meliá La Quinta, Urb. La Quinta Golf s/n, Marbella.

Tel: 952 762 000

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Urb. Las Chapas, Marbella.

Tel: 952 839 901

los bandidos

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

La Terraza

Los naranjos restaurant

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

NELI Gs

Magna Café

n ō m ō brasserie

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Open for lunch and dinner every day except for

La Terraza Open daily for dinner. La Cala Resort, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas. Tel: 952 669 000

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Benavista, Estepona. Tel: 952 928 576

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Price guide per head for a three-course meal with wine

under €25

€25 – €40

€40 – €60

€60 plus

Sunday. Bulevar de San Pedro, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 702 168

except Sunday. C/ Granada, 44, Málaga.

Tel: 952 227 486

Maritimo Rey de España 93, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 866 627

NUEVA CAMPANA

Sea grill

SUite

Open daily for lunch and dinner, except Tuesday.

La Campana, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 041

At the Puente Romano Beach Club. Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 187, Marbella.

952 820 900

Dinner and afterwards dance to music by resident DJ. Thursday to Saturday. Hotel Puente Romano, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

shanti-som – amrita

Swing

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

Open from 12-4pm and 7.30pm until midnight.

Closed Wednesdays. Arena Beach, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 151, Estepona. Tel: 952 796 320

shiraz

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 168, Benamara, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 259

ocean club Open daily for lunch and snacks. Avda. Lola Flores s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 137

OCHO Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.

C/ Moncayo 12, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 460 232 / 648 502 822

oyarbide 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

passion café

Skina

Open for lunch and dinner every day. C.C. La Colonia, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 781 583

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

puente romano beach club Open daily for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

PURO BEACH Open daily for lunch and dinner. Laguna Village, Playa El Padrón, CN 340, km 159, Estepona.

Tel: 952 800 015

Restaurante royal

SMALL WORLD CAFé Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ctra.

Istán, km 1, C.C: Le Village 15, Marbella.Tel: 952 771 046

smart café

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa.

Tel: 952 441 414

Open 8:30am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9:30 am to 6pm on weekends. C/ Los Olivos 1, above the Enjoy Golf Academy in front of Aloha College.

Tel: 690 001 045

Rojo

Suave

Open every day for lunch and dinner

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo

tanino

Terra Sana 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

Marbella. Tel: 952 772 577

The orange tree Open every evening from 6:30 pm-11 pm. Plaza General Chinchilla 1, Plaza de los Naranjos, Marbella. Tel: 952 924 613.

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. Playa de la Carolina, Marbella. Tel: 610 704 144

Trocadero Entre dunas Open daily for lunch and dinner. Playa del Pinillo s/n (CEPSA exit next to Marbella Arch), Marbella.

Tel: 608 100 945

the little geranium

Trocadero Sotogrande

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/ Ronda, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa (pedestrian street behind the Town Hall).

Tel: 952 493 602

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Paseo del Parque s/n, Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 012

The meeting room Open 9am to 11pm every day except Sundays.

Avda. Ricardo Soriano 1, Local 1 (Edif. Portillo),

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

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Open daily for lunch from 1pm to 6pm.

CN 340, km 166, Marbella. Tel: 647 791 515

zest

Open every day from 10am to 12 am.

Complejo Benabola 13, Beach Side, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 055

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

Il Tartufo

zozoI

la fiorentina

Open every day for dinner from 7.00pm till late. Plaza Altamirano 1, Marbella.

Tel: 952 858 868

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. El Pilar, Local 11 (opposite the Crown Plaza Hotel), Estepona. Tel: 952 885 765

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 dinner. Avda. del Mar 3, Marbella. Tel: 951 134 322

Aretusa

Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 6:30pm. C/ Tetuán 9, Marbella.

Tel: 951 087 323

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

Leonardo da vinci

Carpaccio Open every day for lunch and dinner.

Frontline Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 357

Open every night for dinner. C.C. Cristamar, Avda. Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 906 608

casa tua

mesana

Open every evening for dinner. C/ Ortiz de Molinillo 14, Marbella. Tel: 951 712 227

Open nightly for dinner. At the Gran Hotel Gvadalpín. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 133

Da Paolo Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, casa G-H, local 43, Puerto Banús.

Tel: 952 816 453

Don giovanni Open Friday to Monday for dinner. At Hotel Finca Cortesín. Ctra. de Casares, Casares.

Tel: 952 937 800

Frascati Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos s/n, Sotogrande.

Tel: 952 790 392

gold restaurant

Beata’s Vino y Mar

Open Monday to Sunday from 2pm to 11pm.

Avda. del Prado 20, Marbella. Tel: 602 822 598

Restaurante bar carmen

Open nightly for dinner. C/ Tetuán 9, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 857 933

Open daily from 7pm. Galerías Paniagua, Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 795 924

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

Mediterranean

tempora

Lombardo’s

Da Bruno

Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 799

Open nightly for dinner from 6:30pm.

C/ Las Malvas, Edif. Online, Local 4, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 591

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, CN 340, km. 159, Estepona.

Tel: 952 806 739

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.Avda. del Prado s/n, Edif. Sport Café, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 628 593 409

Villa Tiberio

la trattoria de marbella

Carmen

CONRADS IL Ristorante

Open daily for lunch and dinner except on Tuesday. Avda. Salamanca, Edif. San Pedro del Mar, Local 14, San Pedro de Alcántara.

Tel: 952 785 943

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 806 739

Open daily for dinner. Front line P. Banús.

Tel: 952 812 898

Open from 12pm until midnight daily.

Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe 11, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 380

trattoria l’impronta

Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 952 807 354

Open every night for dinner. Urb. Doña Lola, Local 21-22, Calahonda, Mijas Costa.

Tel: 952 934 667

CIBO

34, Elviria. Tel: 952 850 148

MADE IN SARDINIA

Oriental Asia Food

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Comercial, Pinares de Elviria, Marbella.

Tel: 952 850 060

Asian fusion bing Open 12.30pm-4.30pm and 6.30pm to 12am daily. Fuengirola, Paseo Marítimo, L-42C.

Metro Open every day for lunch and dinner. Puerto Marina, Benalmádena.

Tel: 952 446 460

nunos Open daily for lunch and dinner. At the Caleta Hotel. Catalan Bay, Gibraltar.

Tel: +350 200 76501

O mamma mia Open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

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

Ristorante Regina Open every night for dinner and Sunday for lunch. Edif. La Ruleta, Nueva Andalucía.

Tel: 952 814 529

ristorante san martino Open daily for lunch and dinner.

C.C. Pinares de Elviria s/n, Elviria, Marbella.

Tel: 952 832 702

Rosmarino della piazza Open every day from 12pm ‘til midnight for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pinogolf de Don Carlos

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THE GUIDE Tel: 952 470 218

asiatico zen Open every day for lunch and dinner except Tuesday lunch. C/ Lirios s/n, Nueva Andalucía.

Tel: 952 817 691

BAMBOO Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Ctra. Istan km 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 906 674

camurí RestaurantE lounge Open daily for lunch and dinner. At Laguna Village.

CN340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 951 217 871

Dragón de Oro 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

Roque Club, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 127, San Roque, Cádiz. Tel: 956 613 030

Makitake Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Ribera s/n (above disco Seven), Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 592

meca 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 Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. Hotel Puente Romano. Tel: 952 820 900

Osaka

for dinner from Monday to Saturday.

C/ Ramón Gómez de la Serna, 5, Marbella.

Tel: 952 863 193

Tai Pan Open seven days a week for dinner. H. Puente Romano, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 177, Marbella.

Tel: 952 777 893

Tahini Open daily for lunch and dinner. Hotel Meliá don Pepe. C/ José Meliá s/n, Marbella.

Tel: 952 902 936

Ta-kumi Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Gregorio Marañón 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 839

Open every day 13:30-16:00 & 19:30-24:00. CN-340, km. 166 (Benavista). C.C. Costa del Sol. Tel: 952 885 751

Teppanyaki samurai

Sakura

thai gallery

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda.

Jardines del Puerto, L.5, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 536

At Plaza Village at the Hotel Puente Romano. Blvd.

Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. 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

Sukho Thai

tHapa thai

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Centro Comercial Marbellamar.

Tel: 952 770 550

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Puerto Deportivo 13, Edif. Poniente, Estepona.

Tel: 951 318 445

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Com. Guadalmina Alta, Guadalmina 4, local 2, lower floor, San Pedro de Alcántara.

Tel: 952 896 508

Sushi des artistes

top thai

Open every day for lunch and dinner.

CN 340, km 178.5, Marbella. Easy parking.

Tel: 952 857 403

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Plaza, 64, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 951 319 778

Kama Kura

Sushi Katsura

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 8-11pm. The San

Open for lunch from Monday to Friday and

Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sundays.

At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús.

golden wok Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Marbellamar, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 840

Hanuri KOREAN BBQ & BAR Open Tuesday-Friday dinner only from 6pm ‘til late and Saturday and Sunday for lunch and dinner.

C.C. Los Jarales 6, Calahonda.

Tel: 951 406 082/ 952 932 011

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. Avda. Manolete 20, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 549

Tse yang Dimsum club

Tel: 952 909 990

Wasabi Open daily from 1.30 pm for lunch and dinner. C.C. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 577

SCANDINAVIAN Aloha restaurant

Open every evening for dinner from 6pm to 11.30pm. Avda. del Prado s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 811 285

Skandies Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7pm to 11pm. Closed Mondays. Avda. Antonio Belón, 26 (behind the lighthouse), Marbella. Tel: 952 776 323

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

La Torre Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Club de Mar, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 561

Marisquería La Pesquera Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de la Victoria, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 170

Restaurante El bote

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Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 660 084

palapa Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 808 165

Santiago Open daily for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo, 5, Marbella.

Tel: 952 770 078

SPANISH Bahía

Open every evening for dinner. At Hotel Don Carlos. Avda. Zurita s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

beach club restaurante grill 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 8pmmidnight. 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 Alcaidesa, La Linea de la Concepción.

Tel: 956 582 700

La máquina Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sunday.

At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

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 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

Mesón el adobe Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesdays.

Avda. La Fontanilla, Edif. Balmoral, Bajo 3, Marbella.

Tel. 600 003 144

mi taberna Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 827 880

Paellas y Más Open daily from 10:30am to 11pm. C/ Jacinto Benavente 33, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 511

Restaurante 1870 Open nightly for dinner. C/ La Concha, 11, San Pedro de Alcántara.

Tel: 952 783 836

Tragabuches 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

Vila do grove Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/ Las Malvas, Edif.

On Line, Local 2, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 813 415

VEGETARIAN loving hut

Open daily from 10.30am to 11.30pm.

Avda. Miguel Cano 11, Marbella. Tel: 951 245 889

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THE GUIDE

CINEMAS & THEATRES

Tel: 952 817 916

Club Internacional de Tennis

Fuerte Gym

AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL MIJAS

Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624

Ctra. Cádiz, km 173. Marbella. Tel: 952 813 341

Plaza de la Libertad 2. Mijas. Tel: 952 590 380

GIMNASIO ESTADIO

Club Madroñal

Trav. Huerta de los Cristales, Marbella.

Tel: 952 828 217

Benahavís. Tel: 617 647 223

HAPPY DIVER’S CLUB

San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315

Plaza de España, Recinto Ferial. Tel: 952 379 521

Atalaya Park Hotel, Marbella.

Tel: 609 571 920

Hofsaess tennis academy

AUDITORIO PARQUE DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN

HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

Monte Elviria (next to German School).

Tel: 952 835 812

CN340, Km77,5. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

Lew Hoads Tennis Club

Marbella. Tel: 952 825 035

KRAV MAGA SELF-DEFENCE CENTRE

CENTRO CULTURAL EL INGENIO

At Hotel Pyr, Puerto Banús.

Tel: 655 689 455

Ctra. de Mijas, Km 3,5. Mijas. Tel: 952 474 858

AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL TORREMOLINOS

Garcia Morato, s/n. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 968

CINESA LA CAÑADA

MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB

Club Nueva Alcántara

Manolo Santana Racquets Club Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580

La Cañada. Marbella. Tel: 902 333 231

Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella.

Tel: 952 778 580

cines gran marbella

MARBELLA GUN & COUNTRY CLUB

Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 077

Monda. Tel: 952 112 161

Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella.

Tel: 659 677 539

cinesur

MARBELLA SPORT

marbella playa tenIs

C.C. Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 198 605

Km 171.5. San Pedro Alcántara.

Tel: 952 788 315

CN340, km 189, Marbella. Tel: 657 619 630

MULTI SPORT

Urb. Miraflores, Km 199. Calahonda.

Tel: 952 932 006

MULTICINES ALFIL Avda. Camilo José Cela, s/n. Fuengirola.

Tel: 952 800 056

Marbella hill tennis club

Miraflores Tennis Club

MULTICINES MEDITERRÁNEO

Avda. Picasso 27. San Pedro.

Tel: 952 782 801

Mijas. Tel: 952 663 738

New Concept Training

Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

PALACIO DE LA PAZ

royal tennis club marbella

Recinto Ferial. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 589 349

Monte Paraíso Country Club, Camino de Camoján s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 843

TEATRO ALAMEDA

02 CENTRO WELLNESS

Calle Córdoba 9, Málaga. Tel: 952 213 412

Plaza del Mar. Marbella. Tel: 952 900 420

TEATRO CERVANTES

P-E SPORTS CLUB

Sport Club Reserva del Higuerón

Ramos Marín, 199, Málaga. Tel: 952 224 109

Urb. Parcelas del Golf, Aloha Gardens, N. Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 357

Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena.

Tel: 952 565 761

TEATRO CIUDAD DE MARBELLA Plaza Ramón Martínez, Marbella.

Tel: 952 903 159

qi sport

TEATRO SALON VARIETES

SATURNIA REGNA

Emancipación 30. Fuengirola.

Tel: 952 474 542

Marbella Tel: 952 761 475, Elviria.

Tel: 952 834 835

VERACRUZ CINES

SEVEN STARS SCHOOL

Veracruz. Estepona. Tel: 952 800 056

Tai Chi & yoga. Pasaje Estrecho, Estepona.

Tel: 952 923 055

Urb. La Alzambra, Marbella. Tel: 952 907 090

Puente Romano TEnnis club El Rosario, Marbella.

Tel: 952 837 651

Tourist offices

Aztec Country Club

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

Cerrado del águila

Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa. Tel: 952 934 477

Mijas Costa, Málaga. Tel: 951 773 523

bel air tennis and paddel club

TRAIN

CLUB DEl SOL

Urb. Bel-Air, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 221

Tennis /paddle classes. Calahonda.

Tel: 952 939 595

Club deL Sol

YELMO CINEPLEX Plaza Mayor. Tel: 902 220 922

GYMS & SPORTS CLUBS

Sport Club Reserva del Higuerón Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena.

Tel: 952 565 761

ALHAMAR GYM

SPORTCLUB ROUTE 66

C.C. Alhamar, CN-340 km 197.

Tel: 952 934 684

Ctra. Mijas, 1.5km. Fuengirola.

Tel: 952 461 648

ATENAS

SPORTING CLUB ATALAYA PARK HOTEL

Barquilla 1. Marbella. Tel: 952 776 240

AZTEC COUNTRY CLUB Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa.

Tel: 952 934 477

CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona.

Tel: 952 888 212

TICKET-TO-RIDE

CENTRO DEPORTIVO EL FUERTE

Cristamar, Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 905 082

Av. El Fuerte s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624

Vitality studio

CENTRO DE YOGA Y SALUD INTEGRAL

C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 902 362

Ramón y Cajal 21. Marbella. Tel: 952 773 804

CENTRO PLAZA GYM Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 074

TENNIS CLUBS

Dynamic training centre

Tennis/paddle classes. Calahonda.

Tel: 952 939 595

C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 021

Club de tenis don carlos

FITNESS CENTRE NEW STYLE

Hotel Don Carlos, Avda. Zurita, CN340, km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

Amapolas, s/n Nueva Andalucía.

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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pets THE GUIDE

WORDS Marisa CUTILLAS

You may not think the direction of such a simple thing as a dog’s wag matters, but scientific research shows that it does! Dogs react differently when other canines wag their tails, becoming more anxious when the wag is to the left, and calmer with a rightsided wag. Apparently, right side wagging indicates that the left hemisphere of the brain (which signals a positive sensation) is active, while left side wagging shows right side activation (which provokes a negative response); wagging to the left is associated with increased tension and a rise in the canine heart rate.

Does Your Dog Wag Its Tail to the Right or Left?

Cats and Dogs can Suffer from Sun Damage Summer is just around the corner, so you should ensure that your cat or dog is not unwittingly being exposed to harmful UV rays, which can penetrate their fur and cause skin to burn.

The litmus test is: the shorter the hair, the greater the risk of a burn. Ensure your pet stays in the shade, especially when the sun is high in the sky. If you hike with your pet, dress them up in a T-shirt and even a pet hat, since chronic sun exposure can cause skin cancer in addition to painful burns. If your cat or dog has suffered a burn, head for your veterinarian for appropriate treatment. White cats have a particularly high risk of burns and skin cancer say vets, as are animals with autoimmune conditions, white bulldogs, Dalmatians, boxers, the Dogo Argentino, beagles, multi-coloured cats, and whippets.

Why that Guilty Look on your Pooch?

When you get home and find that your dog has eaten a shoe, messed up the rubbish or dug the stuffing out of a cushion, do you notice how guilty they look? If you think your pooch actually knows why you are angry with them, think again! That look is simply a response to your own angry body language, not the result of a reflection on the ‘wrong’ they have done. In one study carried out at Barnard College in New York, owners were set up in the following manner: they were asked to leave a treat in the room and tell their dog not to eat it, then to leave the room. In some tests, the owners were told the dog had eaten the treat; in others, they were told the dog had left the treat alone. Researchers found that whether or not the dogs looked guilty had little to do with whether or not they had actually eaten the treat; rather, it had to do with the scolding or approval reaction of their owners. The moral of the story is: don’t scold your dog when you get home and you see something wrong, for ‘they know not what they have done’.

Pet owners with more than one dog will probably tell you they don’t need any experiments to prove that dogs can feel jealousy. Just try petting and speaking in a baby voice to one of your dogs and chances are, the other pooch will soon come forward, pushing its rival out of the way in an attempt to be your ‘one and only’. It is therefore interesting to hear that as recently as July 2014, scientists at the University of California in the US published the results of the first experimental test on jealousy in dogs. Researchers worked with 36 dogs. Their owners were asked to pet and talk sweetly to a stuffed, animated dog and to a garden pail, and to read a pop-up book aloud. Results showed that dogs were twice as likely to demand attention from their owners when the latter were interacting with the stuffed animals (78 per cent of dogs reacted this way). Only 42 per cent reacted similarly when their owner was petting the pail, and 22 per cent did the same in the book scenario.

The dogs grew particularly aggressive with the stuffed animal, with many initially thinking it was real (86 per cent sniffed the toy’s rear during or after the experiment). The experiment sheds light on the fact that jealousy is more than a social construct; for some, it seems to be an innate emotion.

Dogs Fall Prey to the Green-Eyed Monster

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THE GUIDE what’s on Events in June and the first week of July

NEW AND REGULAR EVENTS

Throughout the month of June Until June 2 ART – MARBELLA

The American Club Costa del Sol Chapter meets monthly for excursions, sports and social events. Tel: 952 772 789. www.americanclubcostadelsol.com

Two leading AIA group artists, illustrator Anna Molak from Poland and textile artist Dolores Cummiskey from Ireland, jointly exhibit a selection of their new works at Galería Lucía in Fuengirola (located by the three-horse roundabout).

The exhibition can be viewed between 12pm and 9pm, every day except Saturday and Sunday. www.aia-art-group.com

Until June 14 CINEMA – BENALMÁDENA

The Centro de Exposiciones de Benalmádena presents Imperio Argentina, El Legado de una Estrella, an exhibition featuring film, photographs and music by famous Singer, Magdalena Nile del Río, better known as Imperio Argentina. www. benalmadena.es

Until June 25 ART – MARBELLA

The Hotel H10 Andalucía Plaza will be hosting an art exhibition by contemporary artist Hermann Henger, famed for his beautiful Nature-inspired paintings. www.artmoves.es

Until June 28 ART – MARBELLA

El Corte Inglés Costa Marbella presents El Color del Vacío, featuring works by abstract romantic artist, Cristina Gamón, winner of the National BMW Painting Prize 2011. The works can be viewed on the first floor of El Corte Inglés. www.elcorteingles.es

Until June 30 ART – MARBELLA

Irish painter, Roger Cummiskey, will be exhibiting a small selection of artworks at the newly opened Golf Sports Bar in Marbella. www.rogercummiskey.com

Monthly on different days AMERICAN CLUB – MARBELLA

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 Tuesday 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, Tel: 626 189 765. info@advancedpersonaltherapy.com

Every Tuesday and Wednesday 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

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.

Every Wednesday SALSA – MARBELLA

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.

ART – MÁLAGA

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

FLAMENCO – MIJAS

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

Friday June 5

FREDDIE MERCURY DOCUMENTARY MARBELLA

Música Con Encanto presents Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender, a documentary musical film about one of the greatest pop voices of all time.

For tickets, Tel: 689 000 944. www.musicaconencanto.org

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 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 First Sunday of the month OPEN DAY – MIJAS

PAD animal shelter, Cerros del Águila, welcomes visitors from 12pm-3pm.

Further information, Tel: 952 486 084. www.padcatsanddogs.org

Tuesday June 2 WHITE FULL MOON PARTY – ESTEPONA

Puro Beach will be hosting a lively White Full Moon Party, featuring great food, live music and DJ-spun music.

Tel: 952 800 015.

Thursday June 4 to Tuesday June 30 ART – FUENGIROLA

Roger Cummiskey, President of the Andalusian International Artist Group, presents A Stroll through Ulysses: an exhibition featuring a mixture of oil and watercolour paintings inspired on the writings and wanderings of James Joyce.

At Restaurante Lucía in Fuengirola. www.aia-artgroup.com

Until August 6

YOGA

PURO BEACH MARBELLA Puro Beach will be hosting Beach Body Yoga classes, taught by Lisa Marie of www.

LisaMarieMethod.com. The class aims to sculpt and tone your body, as well as to help you relax and even alleviate aches and pains. Contact Puro Beach for precise times. www.purobeach.com

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Friday June 5 and Saturday June 6

Saturday June 27

ABRAHAM MATEO

PABLO ALBORÁN

MÁLAGA

MÁLAGA

Young pop sensation, Abraham Mateo, will be performing his latest hits at the Auditorio Municipal Príncipe de Asturias in Málaga at 8:30pm. www.elcorteingles.es

Grammy award-winning composer and singer, Pablo Alborán, will be singing hits old and new at the Auditorio Municipal de Málaga at 10:30pm. www.ticketmaster.es

Saturday June 6 ECHOES OF THE 60S – FUENGIROLA

The Salón Varietés Theatre presents Echoes of the 60s, a fun show featuring great vocals, magnificent costumes and the very best music from one of the most creative decades of all time. At 8pm. www.salonvarietestheatre.com

CLASSICAL MUSIC – MÁLAGA

Música Con Encanto will be taking a group of people from Marbella to Málaga to watch the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra play music by Schumman (with Asier Polo on the cello). The group will be departing Marbella at 6pm, from the Aresbank building. For tickets, Tel: 689 000 944. www.musicaconencanto.org

Charity golf tourment – marbella

Butterfly Children Charity (DEBRA) will be holding a charity golf tournament at Aloha Golf Club, featuring a stableford individual competition and gala dinner.

Tel: 952 907 085. www.debra.es

Wednesday June 10 to Sunday September 27 LOUISE BOURGEOIS – MÁLAGA

Louise Bourgeois was undoubtedly one of the most influential artists of her time.

This month, art buffs can view works from her famous exhibition, I Have Been to Hell and Back, at the Museo Picasso Málaga. The exhibition features the largest retrospective of Bourgeois’ work in Spain to date, with over 100 artworks spanning over seven decades. www. mpicassom.org

Saturday June 13 CONCERT – MIJAS

The Friends of the Theatre Association (FOTA) presents The 30th Anniversary Concert at the Mijas Open Air Auditorium at 9pm. The show will feature excerpts from some of the season’s most popular shows and much more. www.salonvarietestheatre.com

Sunday June 14 BLOOMSDAY 2015 – FUENGIROLA

Lark in the Park is the name of a charity show organised by the International Theatre Studio and taking place at Benahavis’ Parque Leonera. The show aims to raise funds for ‘butterfly skin’ charity, DEBRA. The show will feature singing sensation, Maribel López Jódar, as well as saxophonist, Quincy Sax, and more performers. For tickets, Tel: 952 880 630/ 952 880 240.

Roger Cummiskey and friends are organising the fifth Bloomsday Bathe on the Beach event, featuring a simple reading, swim or paddle off the beach at Bloomsday. Readers are encouraged to read their pieces in their own language and the only requirement is that you bring your copy of Ulysses. The group will be reading Chapters two to four. The group will be meeting at 8:45 am at the beach in Fuengirola, opposite the Florida Hotel beside La Cepa Playa. Tel: 666 782 642.

Sunday June 7 and Sunday June 28 Champagne party – puerto banús

Saturday June 20 SUMMER FAYRE – MARBELLA

Sunday June 7 CHARITY SHOW – BENAHAVÍS

Ocean Club Marbella will be hosting a fun-filled Champagne party by the pool. www.oceanclub.es

Monday June 8 to Sunday June 14 feria – marbella

Marbella celebrates its annual summer fair, with music and dancing in the Old Town.

The Marbella Montessori School will be holding a fun summer fayre, featuring activities for kids, food and many surprises. From 12pm to 4pm. www.marbellamontessori.org

Sunday June 21 MIAMI GRILL – ESTEPONA

Puro Beach at Laguna Village will be enticing diners with a grilled seafood lunch, great cocktails and DJ-spun music.

Tel: 952 800 015.

Tuesday June 23 SAN JUAN NIGHT – THROUGHOUT THE COAST

Head for your favourite beach and enjoy fireworks, barbecue events and more as locals celebrate one of the most entertaining nights of the year: La Noche de San Juan.

Thursday June 25 to Saturday August 8 HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – MIJAS

Mijas Pueblo will be hosting a series of concerts this summer, with performances for all, ranging from the music of the Eagles to Bon Jovi and Big Band swing.

Tickets will be available at the Tourist office in Mijas Pueblo, Woodies Los Boliches, Robert Barnhardt Real Estate, Los Boliches, Sunshine Golf Store, La Cala de Mijas as well as other points on the coast. For further information, see the FaceBook page entitled Hot Summer Nights. Purchase your tickets online at www.ticketsource.eu/bigmpromotions

Friday July 4

LUiS FONSI MÁLAGA

Famed crooner, Luis Fonsi, will be performing his latest hits at Sala Paris 15 in Málaga at 9:30pm. www.paris15.es

Saturday June 27 PIANO CONCERT – MARBELLA

Irina Natskikh and María Testa will be playing a four-handed piano recital at La Virginia (Santa Clara Square) in Marbella. Featuring music by Mozart, Schubert, Fauré and Ravel. At 9:30pm.

Tickets will be sold on site. www.musicaconencanto.org

CARLOS LATRE – MÁLAGA

Talented Spanish comedian, Carlos Latre, will be cracking audiences up with his one-man stand-up show at the Teatro Cervantes de Málaga at 9pm. www.teatrocervantes.com

Sunday June 28 to Saturday July 4 SPORTS CAMP – MARBELLA

Kids can enjoy the fifth edition of the Campus Gaber Marbella, a fun summer camp featuring various sports and activities, including basketball, a minidisco, paintball and paddle surfing, at Fuerte Nagüeles in Marbella. Tel: 636 362 714. www.campusgaber.com

Thursday June 25

EL ARREBATO MÁLAGA

El Arrebato is one of Spain’s top selling pop artists and this month, he will be delighting audiences with hits old and new at the Teatro Cervantes de Málaga at 9pm. www.teatrocervantes.com

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www.russellgrant.com

THE GUIDE stars

Russell Grant’s

Monthly Horoscope June 2015

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st The Full Moon on the 2nd marks the final phase of an intimate relationship.

It’s important to gain a greater measure of independence this month. You’ll garner all sorts of favourable publicity during the first half of June. This is a great time to show off your expertise while updating your skill set. Taking a class will prove enjoyable. It will be much easier to get the information you need from a big bureaucracy on the 11th. Be sure to initiate a creative project mid-month; this endeavour will bring both fame and acclaim. The New Moon on the 16th is perfect for updating your look. Change your hair or add some up-to-the-minute outfits to your wardrobe. A friend will ask you to accompany them on their holiday towards the end of June. Be sure to accept this generous offer. You’ll spend a little more money than usual, but you’re overdue for a splurge.

A friend will ask you to accompany them on their holiday towards the end of June. Be sure to accept this generous offer

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ARIES [21 MAR - 20 APR]

Travel plans will be cancelled in early June, thanks to a stressful Full Moon.

This change of plans is actually a blessing in disguise, only it won’t feel like one if you have to pay a stiff cancellation penalty. Breathe deep and know the Universe has bigger and better plans for you. A surprising email or phone call will prompt you to do some research. You may not have any interest in this subject at first, but will develop a real passion for it as your knowledge and know-how grows. It will be much easier to make plans and negotiate deals mid-month.

Postpone any heavy decisions until June is halfway through. The New Moon on the 16th prompts you to take a trip for pleasure. If you’re not in love, you will find it on your travels. Good luck arrives through your social network near the end of the month giving you more time to spend at home with friends and family.

TAURUS [21 APRIL - 21 MAY]

The early days of June bring an end to a source of unearned income. You won’t be able to rely on an insurance payment, grant, or scholarship any longer. Fortunately, family is poised to close the gap.

Pooling your resources will help you overcome this temporary shortfall. The New Moon on the 16th is ideal for landing a good job. Seek opportunities related to teaching, writing, or travel. A relative will tip you off about a great position before it is officially advertised.

Have your CV ready for submission. If you’re looking for a place to live, search neighbourhoods that are off the beaten track. You’ll find a great home that’s actually quite close to your job. The surroundings will be unconventional, but who cares? The price will be great, giving you more money to decorate. If there’s anything you enjoy, it’s transforming a drab environment into a beautiful showplace.

CANCER [22 JUN - 23 JULY]

The Full Moon on the 2nd reveals a health problem. You might have to consult more than one medical professional to get the proper diagnosis.

Be patient. Ask friends for doctor recommendations.

Someone who has suffered a similar complaint may have a good suggestion. It may be necessary to cancel some holiday plans in the first half of June, due to unforeseen circumstances. Don’t despair. You’ll be able to reschedule a much nicer trip later in the season.

The New Moon on the 16th prompts you to take up a spiritual practice. This ritual will give you an extra measure of peace and contentment. It will also remind you to spend more time on the activities that make life meaningful. An exciting moneymaking opportunity will arrive towards the end of the month. There will be more money for luxuries as June turns into July. Go ahead and splurge on some beautiful artwork and furnishings for your home.

LEO [24 JULY - 23 AUG]

The Full Moon on the 2nd forces you to put your foot down with demanding people. You’ve been devoting all of your attention to other people’s needs and it has been exhausting. Take this opportunity to go on holiday or buy yourself some luxuries. If this causes an argument, so be it. You’re not the type who can withstand long periods of deprivation. The first half of June is ideal for having cosmetic treatments of every description. Change your hairstyle, update your wardrobe, get a cosmetic procedure, or do all three.

You’ll be very pleased with the results. Working as part of a team will yield terrific ideas mid-month. The New

Moon on the 16th is ideal for networking. Be sure to attend a business conference or party, as you’ll make some influential contacts. A surprising opportunity to teach, write, or travel for money will fall into your lap by the end of June.

VIRGO [24 AUG - 23 SEPT]

The Full Moon on the 2nd makes family life stressful. Your relatives aren’t happy with certain choices you’ve made and will be vocal in their disapproval.

Fortunately, your personal appeal will be very strong at this time, allowing you to win support from other circles. It may be necessary to revise travel plans on or around the 11th. Be as flexible as possible and prepare to pay a penalty fee for a cancellation.

You’ll realise a career ambition mid-month, causing everyone to envy and admire you. The New Moon on the 16th is perfect for changing your look. Your updated image will open new doors for you, both personally and professionally. An unexpected work assignment proves both lucrative and enjoyable. This is your big chance to show off your creative side. This marks a wonderful new phase of your career, which will involve rubbing elbows with prominent business executives.

LIBRA [24 SEPT - 23 OCT]

The Full Moon on the 2nd piles more work on your plate. It will be difficult to accomplish everything on your ‘to do’ list, but try anyway. An authority figure won’t be very sympathetic about your plight. Don’t let their insensitive attitude spoil the day.

Family proves wonderfully understanding and will do their best to make life easier in early June. If a relative offers to babysit or run errands, be sure to accept.

Positive feedback about an academic or writing project is music to your ears in mid-June. Go out and celebrate with friends. The New Moon on the 16th prompts you to venture into unfamiliar territory. This is a great time to study a language or take up a musical instrument.

A platonic relationship could turn into a passionate romance during the closing days of June. You’ll be amazed at how physically compatible you and this friend are.

SCORPIO [24 OCT - 22 NOV]

The Full Moon on the 2nd brings an end to a source of income. This situation is incredibly unfair, but you won’t be able to reverse it. The best thing you can do is look for a new job. Opportunities related to art, fashion, cosmetics and entertainment are strongly featured. No matter what sort of work you are seeking, it is important to dress professionally on job interviews.

If you are offered a position with a low salary in midJune, negotiate for more annual leave. The New Moon on the 16th allows you to pay off a long standing debt.

Once you are free of this burden, you can spend more time on creative pursuits. Fashion design, painting and jewellery making are activities that will offer you lots of emotional fulfilment. Your work will attract the attention of a respected artist or critic at the end of June. Be sure to display the fruits of your labour at every opportunity.

SAGITTARIUS [23 NOV- 21 DEC]

The Full Moon on the 2nd finds you facing off with a pushy partner. You simply must stand your ground regarding a personal boundary. You’re very generous by nature, but you can’t continue giving everything away at the expense of your own health. Fortunately,

a compassionate mediator will come forward to negotiate a more balanced arrangement. Look for good deals on holiday packages on the 8th, when you’ll be able to reserve a nice hotel room for a terrific price. It will be necessary to make some adjustments to your household in mid-June, when family obligations wreak havoc with your sleeping schedule. The New Moon on the 16th is perfect for signing a contract or embarking on a serious romance. Your expert knowledge gives you a greater measure of freedom towards the end of June.

Be willing to demand a schedule that works for you, even if it means your colleagues will get second choice.

CAPRICORN [22 DEC - 20 JAN]

The Full Moon on the 2nd brings an embarrassing secret to light. Go ahead and admit a mistake to your colleagues.

They’ll respect your honesty. People will seek your professional advice during the first half of June, which is gratifying. If you aren’t running a consultancy business, you probably should. The New Moon on the 16th attracts an intellectually stimulating job. Although the pay won’t be terribly impressive, you will enjoy developing and discussing ideas with students.

This is also a good way to establish your reputation in the academic community. Don’t be surprised when your boss unexpectedly offers you an invitation to an exclusive event on the 21st. You’ll have a wonderful time rubbing elbows with community leaders. Be sure to wear something special to this glittering occasion.

If you’re not in a relationship, you will meet someone special here. Keep your ears open for someone with a sexy accent.

AQUARIUS [21 JAN - 19 FEB]

The Full Moon on the 2nd forces you to stop what you’re doing and come to a friend’s rescue. If their troublesome behaviour has become a trend, you need to re-examine this relationship. You’ll be brimming with energy throughout the first half of June. Take this opportunity to get more exercise. Being cooped up in an office building all day will really put a downer on you. Outdoor activities like hiking, biking, walking and running are all great possibilities. The New Moon on the 16th is suffused with romance. If you’re single, you will meet someone special at a cultural or educational gathering. Are you in a relationship? Your amour will get a big award or prize and you’ll indirectly benefit from their good fortune. You’ll have the power to make a cherished dream come true on the 21st. Don’t turn down a well intentioned and generous offer of help. This is the Universe’s way of nudging you towards victory.

PISCES 20 FEB - 20 MAR]

The Full Moon on the 2nd prompts you to question certain career choices.

You’re tired of having no time for a personal life. Fortunately, a rewarding job that allows you to work from home is on the horizon. Be ready to accept such a position on or around the 6th. It will be easy to resolve domestic problems in mid-June, when roommates and relatives have a better sense of their schedules. The 14th is perfect for launching a DIY household repair job. If you’re worried about money, the New Moon on the 16th will bring extra funds. Your artistic talent will generate lots more income during the second half of June. Put this money towards improving your existing home or putting a deposit on a place. It’s so important for you to have a haven from the professional world. Take this opportunity to create an abode that allows you to rest, relax and rejuvenate.

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THE GUIDE family Lunchbox and Water bottle

Play tent

Designer Kids by Amara

Play kitchen

Crochet elephant on wheels

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

Designer children’s ware seems all the rage these days, but once in a while, a brand pops up that really catches the eye. We recently discovered Sebra at Amara: a luxury international homeware boutique selling a wide variety of items for babies and kids; everything from cute water bottles to play items and cutlery. Marisa Cutillas brings you just a few items you will love to take home to your little one. i www.amara.com

FAMILY FUN ANCRAA Giant Donkeys Cuddle

a donkey or become a volunteer to help save this humble but threatened animal. CN 340, km 164, Finca los Pajaritos, Estepona.

Tel: 952 790 511 Aventura Amazonia Kids and adults alike will have fun in this outdoor adventure park, featuring exciting ziplines.

C/ Valeriano Rodríguez 2, Marbella. Tel: 952 835 505. www.aventuraamazonia.com Bioparc Fuengirola Award winning zoo covering Madagascar, Africa and the Far East. C/ Camilo José Cela, 6. Tel: 952 666 301. www.bioparcfuengirola.es Black Box Teatro Dramatic Arts School for all ages. C/ Notario Luis Oliver 6, Marbella. Tel: 952 779 172. www.blackboxteatro.com Born to be Wild Jeep and dolphin eco-tours for the whole family. Open 9am-8pm. Blue Dolphin Beach Club, Estepona Beach. Tel: 639 720 246 Cable Ski Marbella Water ski cable system and pool. Open 11am-9pm (closed Mondays).

Urb. Las Medranas, San Pedro.

Tel: 952 785 579 Camelot Fun play centre in La Cañada with a wealth of games and activities and qualified child minders. Special events include baby and toddler mornings and a baby grow clinic, for mums to be and newborns. Ctra. de Ojén s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 764 766 Crocodile Park Educational park with more then 300 monsters.

Pose with baby crocodiles.

Open 10am-6pm. C/ Cuba, 14, Torremolinos. Tel: 952 051 782 Dariela’s Cake Sugarcraft store and workshops for kids and

adults. Avda. Mayorazgo 6, Local 25, Marbella. Tel: 952 824 238

El Refugio del Burrito

Donkey sanctuary just 40 minutes north of Málaga. Open 11am-7pm.

Fuente de Piedra, Málaga.

Tel: 952 735 513 Flamenco Classes Children aged 5 to 8 can learn to dance flamenco with Isabel Gil, a professional dancer. Classes on Monday and Wednesday at the Nueva Alcántara Tennis Club. Tel: 952 788 315 Fuerte de Nagüeles Camps, adventures, farm school and sports for kids. Pinar de Nagüeles s/n, Marbella.Tel: 952 821 400. www.albergue-nagueles.com Funny Beach Kids paradise with go-karts, trampolines, minimotorbikes, mechanical bull. Open daily. East side of Marbella.

Tel: 952 823 359 Galaxia Versatile and fun play centre for children of all ages, with separate areas indoor and outdoor. Mega slide, mini planetarium, birthday parties, summer camp. Life size characters. C.C. Guadalmina, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 885 530

Ice Skating Rink and Indoor Swimming Pool New sports

centre with public ice skating, indoor pool, children’s pool. Avda.

García Lorca, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 577 050

Inter Marbella Football Academy Football Academy

for boys and girls of all ages, at Estadio Santa Maria in Las Chapas, Marbella. Training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5pm.

Tel: 646 427 589. info@intermarbellacf.com

Wooden pram for dolls

Karting Club Málaga Go-kart

circuit for kids and adults who feel a need for speed. Open 10ammidnight. Ctra. De Coin, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 581 704

Kid’s Club at the Marbella Club Hotel Help with

homework and fun artistic and sporty events for kids daily.

Tel: 660 998 800. laurap@marbellaclub.com Kids Multi-Sports Club A plethora of sports for children of all ages and abilities, from tennis through to football, cycling and skateboarding. Parties with games, activities and bouncy castles. Urb. Parcelas del Golf, Avda. del Prado, Nueva Andalucía.

Tel: 656 618 712 Kidz Kingdom Fun play centre and birthday party area for kids, with a mini disco. Urb. Bel-Air, CN 340, km 166.2, Estepona.

Tel: 952 925 936

Le Petit Milk & Roses

Pampering sessions for little girls, including manicures and dressups. C/ Estebañez Calderon 6, Marbella. Tel: 952 859 223 Little Fishes Swimming classes for newborns to 3-year-olds in Marbella, Estepona and Riviera.

Tel: 686 498 561/ 607 875 949. www.littlefishes-spain.com

Little Gem Swimmers

Swimming courses for babies and toddlers along the Coast. Contact Blaise on Tel: 628 882 685 or info@littlegemswimmers.com

Marbella Stage School

Kids can take accredited courses in dance, drama, musical theatre and singing after school on weekdays and all day on Saturdays. Tel: 952 906 865. www.marbellastageschool.com

Musical Babes Babies and

toddlers aged 6 months to 3 years enjoy singing, playing simple instruments and playing games.

Tel: 952 853 027. Los Jazmines 11, Bajo B, Nueva Alcántara, San Pedro de Alcántara. www.brainwaves-spain.com

NMA The Nelson Music Academy Kids aged 4 to 12 are

introduced to music in its funnest aspects. Classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5pm to 7pm, Saturdays from 11am to 1pm.

Edif. Jupiter 44, Local 3, C/ Jesús Cautivo, Los Boliches, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 478 416. www.nelsonmusicacademy.com

Original Dolphin Safari

The original dolphin safari, established in 1969! Daily sailings from Marina Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 71914. www. dolphinsafari.gi Parque La Batería Kids will have fun in this park, built in the civil war era and featuring four replica cannons, underground bunkers and passageways. Urb. Montemar Alto (near the train station), Torremolinos.

Plaza Mayor Family entertainment with multi-screen cinema, bars, restaurants, bowling alley and kids play area. Málaga.

Tel: 952 247 580 Scouting Kids will have fun being a boy or girl scout. The programme followed is the same as that in the UK. Tel: 680 870 270 Sealife Centre See 2 metre long sharks. Touch pools and walkthough glass tunnel. Open daily 10am-6pm. Benálmadena Port.

Tel: 952 560 150 Selwo Adventure Park Over 2,000 animals, 4x4 tours, plus

adventure activities. Open 10am9pm. CN340 Km 162.5, Estepona.

Tel: 902 190 482 Selwo Marina Dolphins Exotic birds, penguins and virtual reality shows. Open 10am-6pm. Parque de la Paloma, Benalmádena.

Tel: 902 190 482 Stagecoach Renowned performing arts school for singing, dancing and acting skills.

The academy is open to four to 16-year-olds. Tel: 952 900 453/666 838 213. www.stagecoach.es Steam Train Ride Enjoy a steam train ride crossing the Andalusian mountains with a scenic trip from San Roque to Ronda. Tel: 952 931 186 Swim Bebé Swim Swimming classes for under 4’s and AquaNatal classes for mums-to-be. Tel: 617 520 588

Teleférico Benalmádena

Cable car to top of Calamorro mountain, falconry, trekking and horseriding. Arroyo de la Miel.

Open 10am-6pm. Tel: 902 190 482 Tennis Camp Tennis lessons for kids from 4 years on, with professional coaches. Open 10am1pm. Club del Sol, Calahonda.

Tel: 952 939 595 The Music House Kids learn, grow and have fun making music. Open to children from 2 years on. Edif. San Pedro del Mar, Blq 7, local 12, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 785 515. www.themusichouse.es Tivoli World Biggest amusement park on the Costa del Sol. Open daily from 1pm. Avda. de Tivoli, Benalmádena.

Tel: 952 577 016

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· P U E N T E RO M A N O B E A C H F RO N T ·

· Global Cuisine ·

Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n 29602 Marbella · Málaga · Spain T (+34) 952 82 09 00 · hotel@puenteromano.com · puenteromano.com

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