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essential essential M A R B E L L A M A G A Z I N E ISSUE 126 • October 2009

YO U R E S S E N T I A L M O N T H LY R E A D

Cool

OCTOBER

2009

126

FREE MARBELLA MAGAZINE

RICHARD

BRANSON VIRGIN KING

AGENT

PROVOCATEUR

LINGERIE

BRITISH: LUXURY CAR MARQUES &

BEST DESIGNS

beingKEIRA

KNIGHTLEY LONDON CALLING & THE TEMPLES

OF WINE

news I culture I people I trend I chic I spa I pro I traveller I gourmet & more

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Issue 126 • October 2009

publisher and director general manager

T A

Iain Blackwell director@essentialmagazine.com Andrea S. Böjti sales@essentialmagazine.com

associate editor

Marisa Cutillas editorial@essentialmagazine.com

associate editor

Belinda Beckett features@essentialmagazine.com

production manager sales executive

Susanne Whitaker design@essentialmagazine.com Sally Cullens sally@essentialmagazine.com Steve Harvey steve@essentialmagazine.com

accounts executive office administrator creative director staff photographer design & layout contributing writers

cover photography contributing photographers printing depósito legal editorial & advertising offices

Mariano Jeva cuentas@essentialmagazine.com Monika Böjti info@essentialmagazine.com Andrea S. Böjti Kevin Horn Inma Aurioles Iain Blackwell, Giles Brown, Mark Eveleigh, Annie Heese, A.J. Linn, Phil Morse, George Prior, John Stanbridge, Tony Whitney, David Wishart, Victoria Wood Keira Knightley courtesy of Cordon Press Famous, Mark Eveleigh, Colin Magee Jiménez Godoy A. Gráficas, Murcia D.L. MA-512-99 Complejo La Póveda, Blq. 3, 1º A, CN 340, km 178.2, 29600 Marbella, Málaga. Tel: 952 766 344 Fax: 952 766 343

conditions: The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions. Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for Marbella Magazine. 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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Andalusian country mansion on 3 hectare of land above Marbella Nestled within a forest of cork oaks in La Mairena, enjoying breathtaking views. Inspired by classical Andalusian architecture, the property displays the flavours of a country palace. The interiors are composed of elements drawn from various sources: Arab and French-style drawing rooms; Mozarab coffered ceilings; impressive Neo-gothic dining room; and library in truest English style. With magnificent gardens and 100-year-old trees, fountains, picturesque walks surrounded by lush greenery, it has been awarded the Prize for the Best Private Garden on the Costa del Sol. Plot 32,000 m2, Enclosed: 1,330m2, Terraces: 319m2. 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms. Price on application. Ref 6439

Covering Marbellaâ€™s Golden Mile with offices opposite the Marbella Club Hotel and at Puente Romano Hotel.

Tel. +34 952 863 750 Fax. +34 952 822 111 Rentals Direct: +34 952 90 10 15 info@panorama.es www. panorama.es LEADING PROPERTY AGENTS OF SPAIN

contents

october 2009 the THEME

Great Britain 12 Cool Britannia 30 Rule Britannia? 36

The News

Film Releases 22 Latest DVD Releases 24 Best Selling British Authors 26 CD Releases 28

the people

Keira Knightley 14 Richard Branson 40

The trend

The Latest Gadgets 44 Famous British Marques 46 How to Make Money from your Website 48 Environment 50

the chic

Best of British Design 56 Top British Designers 62 Art News 64 Agent Provocateur Autumn/Winter 2009 Collection 66 Fashion News 72

THE SPA

All Natural Cosmetics 76 Beauty News 78 Cosmetic Safety Database 80 Health News 82 Research: British Breakthroughs 84

118

136

THE PRO

94 Marbella’s New Town Plan 98 Enterprise 106 Business Profile – Cade Marbella 108 Finance

the Traveller

110 Temples of Wine 116 Volvo World Match Play Championship 118 London – Capital City 126 The Landmark in London

THE GOURMET

131 Ivy 133 Beckitt’s 134 Food News 136 Chef’s Profile: Alex Nicoll of Hermosa 138 Wine: Celebrity Wines 140 Listings – Directory

The BLOG

151 Pet News 152 What’s On in October 154 Your Stars for the Month Ahead

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This month, it’s finally the turn of the British to come under focus and was there ever a race with so many peculiar traits? Probably as a result of it’s island isolation and marginalised component parts, we Brits have evolved as a people who can be proud and resilient, spirited and hostile, and humble and compassionate. We have strange eating habits, drink too much (especially tea!) and can freak out talking about the weather all day. In a land of red – flags, double decker buses, post boxes and telephone booths – you can find diversity beyond equal, in its unique national characteristics, beliefs and principles, and disparate geographic terrains. It’s also a fact that no single nation has ever imparted so much influence on the rest of the world at large, as has Britain. We kick off with twin lead articles on what makes Britain distinctive and a humourous take on some of its more outlandish idiosyncracies. Featured, are two of its biggest personalities: the multi-entrepreneurial Sir Richard Branson and the multi-talented Keira Knightley, whose loveliness also graces our October front cover. British pioneering motor design comes to the fore in the best of British marques as does British fashion design with this month’s risqué spread by Agent Provacateur. We also bring you the best of British design as well as some of its newest wavemaking contemporaries, bestselling British authors, great British institutions and British breakthroughs in scientific and medical research. With all this input, we had of course to visit London, staying in two of its top hotels, resulting in a veritable goldmine of information on what’s going on in the world’s most visited capital city. All in all, a lot of Britishness. But fear not, if this is not your cup of tea, for there is, as ever, a full complement of compelling lifestyle content. Among other highlights, don’t miss our preview of the Volvo World Match Play Championship taking place this month at Finca Cortesín Golf; a visit to Anta Banderas, Antonio’s new bodega partnership, and a feature on Spain’s wonderful Temples of Wine; and the latest on the Marbella PGOU, with comments from top players in the local property market. All of which combine to make the most popular publication on the Costa del Sol by far. Don’t be taken in by the spurious claims of others. There is only one true quality magazine in these parts and if you’re reading this, you’ve got it! The proof of the pudding is in the digestion, so relax, enjoy and prepare to be entertained!

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By Iain Blackwell

Este mes, finalmente, ponemos nuestro enfoque sobre los británicos… ¿habrá habido en la historia una raza con tantas características tan peculiares? Probablemente debido a nuestro aislamiento geográfico y a nuestras tierras marginadas, los Británicos hemos evolucionado de forma única, pudiendo ser orgullosos y resistentes, chispeantes y hostiles, y también humildes y compasivos. Nuestros gustos gastronómicos son algo extraños, bebemos demasiado (especialmente el té) y podemos pasarnos horas hablando del tiempo. En Gran Bretaña todo es rojo – la bandera, los buses, los buzones y las cabinas telefónicas – pero hay una diversidad como en ningún otro sitio – en las distintas características nacionales, las creencias y los principios, y en la geografía de cada país. También es cierto que ninguna nación ha influido tanto al resto del mundo como lo ha hecho Gran Bretaña. Empezamos con dos artículos sobre lo que hace que Gran Bretaña sea tan distinto y nos reímos con algunas de sus más sonadas idiosincrasias. También hablamos sobre dos de sus más grandes personalidades: el empresario Richard Branson y la actriz Keira Knightley, cuya belleza salta a la vista en nuestra portada. El diseño británico de automóviles toma un lugar importante y también te ofrecemos lo mejor de la moda británica, con la última colección de Agent Provocateur. Hay reportajes sobre los hitos y diseñadores más populares de esta gran nación, y también sobre los autores, las instituciones y los descubrimientos más británicos. Un viaje a Londres fue imprescindible y nos hemos quedado en dos de sus hoteles más bonitos, donde hemos redactado una guía completa sobre todo lo imprescindible en la ciudad. En resumen, te ofrecemos mucho sobre Gran Bretaña. Y si todo esto no te hace tilín, no te preocupes. Hay mucho más contenido que te puede interesar: el Volvo World Match Play Championship tendrá lugar este mes en Finca Cortesín Golf; Antonio Banderas ha sacado al mercado su marca de vinos: Anta Banderas; visitamos a los templos de vino más bonitos de España y aprendemos todo lo más importante sobre el nuevo PGOU, con comentarios de unos expertos en el sector inmobiliario. Todo esto hace que sea la mejor revista de la Costa del Sol. Disfrútala tranquilamente y prepárate para la máxima diversión.

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THETHEME UK

ick any resort you like along the Costa del Sol and you’ll find pockets where you’d be hard-pushed to tell whether you were in Spain or a UK High street lined with British businesses advertising their services in English, pavement cafés selling Full English Breakfast and bars filled with the babble of Brummie, Geordie and Estuary English – but not a whisper of Castilian – are key indicators of the invasion that has turned parts of the coast into a Little Britain in the Med. Today, in Mijas Pueblo, one of the first Andalusian villages to be staked out by expats, one in three residents is British. And so it’s fitting that we devote an issue of to a culture that has had massive impact on the way we live, here in this south-west corner of Spain. In the following pages you’ll discover some of Cool Britannia’s whimsical customs and idiosyncrasies; get to know one of its most dynamic personalities, Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin Empire is known the world over; pay a virtual visit to swinging London, a capital city to enjoy an autumnal break at one of its top hotels; and join us in a trip down memory lane to look at some of the icons of British design over the past century.

For a taster of what life is like on the other side of Europe, the annual Social Trends Survey, published by the Office for National Statistics, makes revealing reading. You may have wondered, for example, why there are fewer British tourists here this year. Before the economic downturn, Britons took a record 45.4 million holidays abroad, an increase of 56 per cent since 1997. Spain was the main destination for a third of British holidaymakers, although travel to eastern bloc countries has been gathering momentum, to Latvia, Slovakia and Poland in particular. However, half of those interviewed for the survey said they would not be going abroad this year. The Meteorological Office’s forecast of a ‘Barbecue Summer’ (which prompted more than a few households to rush out and buy one) didn’t help! Barbecue weather has not materialised, as anyone who watches the TV forecasts will know. However, the slump in UK tourism to the Costa’s is mainly due to the fact that one quarter of households didn’t put anything by for the proverbial economic ‘rainy day’, while some 39 per cent will ‘definitely not’ be spending £3,000 or more on a single purchase in the next 12 months.

Report belinda beckett

Other key key findings in the Social Trends Survey provide an insight into the British lifestyle: u Nearly one third of young men aged 20 to 34 still live with their parents – an increase of 300,000 since 2001, due to the shortage of work and affordable housing. u Crime has halved in 10 years, although twothirds of the population still think it is rising. u More women than ever are making a mark in the workplace. The gap in employment rates between men and women has closed to its smallest on record. u People are working longer, with one-fifth of adults clocking up more than 48 hours a week. u Britain is still a nation of couch potatoes. Both sexes say that watching television is their favourite pastime, while sport and exercise comes fifth for men and 10th for women. u The number of homes with a PC has risen to 70 per cent and two-thirds of teens are now social networkers, using sites such as MySpace and Bebo. u Tennis player Andy Murray has become one of the most popular ‘celebrities’ among British youth. u For the first time, the number of two-car households has surpassed the number of families with no car. u 53 per cent of Brits are concerned about climate change, slightly below the European average. More people are recycling household waste (up from eight to 35 per cent), 60 per cent of adults no longer leave televisions on standby and 50 per cent always turn lights off when they leave a room. u The UK population is growing by 1,000 people a day! More than 60 million people live there, and that will rise to 70 million by 2031. Applications for British citizenship increased by eight per cent in 2007, to 160,980 (yes, some people still want to live there). However, a similar number left the UK to work abroad, with Spain being the first choice. We all know why. The great thing about being British with a Spanish resident’s card is that we have the best of both worlds: English TV, magazines and newspapers, Sunday roasts, Marmite – those little luxuries from home are all available here, along with a fabulous climate and an enviable Mediterranean lifestyle. For Brits in Spain, every day is a ‘Barbecue Summer’! n

Celebrating the Great in Britain! 12

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THEPEOPLE

KEIRA

“I do remember, at six, thinking I should be earning my own living. My mum says I was born 45” Report Marisa CUTILLAS

“I don’t read any magazines or newspapers any more, because I find it really scary and I get really scared when I’m followed by photographers. I have, on many occasions, broken down in tears because I find it terrifying. I dropped out of school when I was 16 so there’s nothing else that I can do”

or any budding female actor, the ultimate role model would undoubtedly be Keira Knightley. At just 24, she has already starred in films many more seasoned actresses would have died to be in, including the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Pride and Prejudice and Atonement. Her role as Elizabeth in Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice (2005) garnered her an Oscar and a Golden Globe nomination, while her sensitive portrayal of the tormented Cecilia in Atonement (2007) also attracted Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. She has been on countless Most Beautiful People lists since her teenage years, and her lithe frame and characteristic pout have been envied by beauty watchers as much as they have been vilified in the press. As The Observer’s Jason Solomons notes, “I’ve never heard people be so bitchy about any other actress. Women in particular can hate Knightley. Perhaps, contrary to the old saying, she does manage to be too rich and too thin – at least for British sensibilities.” The wave of hate grew so bitter, Keira recently felt forced to sue The Daily Mail following allegations by the publication that she suffered from anorexia. She explains, “It could have potentially ruined my career because if I had been anorexic, there’s no way I would have been able to do a lot of the action movies that I do. People wouldn’t have hired me. I obviously have to take that very seriously.” The truth is, Keira strikes us as anything but serious… except about her craft. In interviews she comes across as half Bohemian hippy, half little girl who likes to get a good laugh with her off-the-wall remarks. Keira is surprisingly honest, despite her intense shyness when it comes to public attention. She laughs gleefully, for instance, when she recalls the poster for King Arthur. She had been told her breasts would be digitally enhanced, but she wasn’t quite prepared for the level of ‘embellishment’ she received: “They showed me the first copy and these things must have been double E’s and they were down to my knees! I was like, I don’t mind you making them bigger but don’t give me f***ing droopy breasts! They look like your grandmother’s t**s!” On another occasion she proudly asserted: “A newspaper here voted me one of the scruffiest people in Britain. I’m quite proud of that. It’s completely true.” She also surprised reporters with her candour when she stated matter-of-factly, “Do you know that on all the sets I’ve been on, nobody has ever made a pass at me? I must be a freak. Or maybe I’m just a bitch.” The truth is that Keira Knightley doesn’t quite fit into the Hollywood mould of the perfect young female. She sums it up best when she explains, “I think I always disappoint people, because they always expect someone very pretty. Very done. There’s so much pressure to be thin, blonde and busty. I’m

skinny, but even I couldn’t fit into some of the clothes there (in L.A.)!” Despite her elegant, languid beauty and mysterious, dark looks, it is comprehensible why Keira Knightley doesn’t mind ‘disappointing’ when it comes to looks. She is every inch an acting animal, born and bred to shine in the theatre and on the screen. Her maternal great-grandmother was part of an early 20th century dance troupe called the Tiller Girls; her maternal great-grandfather tried hopelessly to make a career for himself as a Shakespearean actor; her father William Knightley is a seasoned theatrical actor in London while her mother, Sharman Macdonald, is a renowned playwright, famed for When I Was a Girl, I Used to Scream and Shout, which was performed on the West End. Times were tough for Keira’s parent, so much so that their daughter might never have been born! Her mother Sharman tells us that although she and Will already had one child, Caleb, she longed for a daughter. Will came up with an ingenious proposal: if she could write and sell a play, they could afford to have another child. The result was When I Was a Girl, I Used to Scream and Shout and, of course, Keira herself. Keira first asked for an agent when she was just three years old though her parents didn’t hire her one until a few years later. Says Knightley, “When I was six my parents found out I was dyslexic and I couldn’t read a word though I had been fooling them that I could. My mum said to me, ‘If you come to me with a book in your hand and a smile on your face every day through the summer holiday, I’ll get you an agent.’ Keira complied and her mother stayed true to her word, sparking a career that began with her first role in The Bill at the age of seven. “It’s never got better than that,’ she jokes, since of course, it has – with a role in the 1999 science fiction blockbuster Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and, soon after, another in the suprise hit, Bend It Like Beckham, which grossed $32 million in its US release. Says Director Gurinder Chandra: “I liked her as soon as she walked into the room for her audition. She was warm and confident and you were drawn to her, compared to a lot of other girls of that age. But when she sat cross-legged on her chair, you could see she was still a child.” Keira’s biggest break was undoubtedly the 2003 Disney hit, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which she was shocked to be asked to take part in: “I packed for just one week for the filming because I was convinced I would get sacked!” she says. Keira’s insecurity somehow seems misplaced, as though she were unaware of her talent and knock-out presence on the screen. When asked by Indie London if

essential marbella magazine

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Being

Keira Knightley “I’ve got a lot of experience with anorexia. It was in my family. My grandmother and my great-grandmother suffered from it and I had a lot of friends at school who suffer from it, so I don’t think it’s anything to be taken lightly”

she ever wondered how her star had risen so quickly, she answered, “I think everybody does step back and go, ‘How did that happen?’ And the answer is, I haven’t got a f***ing clue. I’m not the most beautiful, I’m not the most talented. I’m not the most of anything. I’ve got friends who are a million times better than me. For one reason or another, I have got parts and they haven’t.” Her matter-of-fact approach to her success is reflected in a perhaps pessimistic view of her future in Hollywood: “I always saw the reality of a career in Hollywood. It’s filled with huge highs and lows but you can’t expect the highs to last forever and you do have to make the most of it. But I know it’s a flash in the pan. If it all falls apart tomorrow, I’ve had a good run and thanks a lot,” says Keira, who recalls only too vividly the vicissitudes of her father’s own career in acting. The great directors Keira has worked with have a whole different future planned out for her. Joe Wright, who directed her in Pride and Prejudice, says, “I think she’s exquisite. She just needs a bit of care and attention and she can light up the screen.” John Maybury, who directed her in The Edge of Love (written by her mother, Sharman), also augurs a bright future for her: “She’s growing into a real actress before our eyes. She’s a very serious young woman now, very committed to getting to the top of her profession and she’s gaining depth with every role. Keira’s got classic movie star quality in that her face, in stillness, is magical and the slightest movement of her eyes can convey a thousand words… it’s powerful stuff and she’s only just discovering it.” Keira admits to having little time for making new friends or for just chilling like she’d love to, since staying at the top of the game is a difficult feat. “Katharine Hepburn and Vivien Leigh are my heroes. Not because of their ability, but because of their perseverance,” she says, giving us hope that maybe, with the right choice of roles, her innate talent and above all, her own perserverance, will ensure she lights up the screen for a long time to come. She’s simply too good to fade away. n essential marbella magazine

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n Halo Hair Design n Red Hair & Beauty n Reflections Hair & Beauty n The English Cut

n Dreamers n Olivia Valere n Seven n Suite / Suite del Mar

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n Clinica Buchinger n Incosol Medical Spa n Mills & Mills Medical Group n Molding Clinic

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Fun

n El Fuerte Gym n O2 Centro Wellness n Vitality Studios

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M A R B E L L A BUSINESS OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

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VOTING ENDING SOON! Nominations have now been completed for the 2009 essential Marbella Awards, which this year are set Please note that all results reflect public opinion - as voted by essential readers, and do not represent any statement of opinion by essential magazine or its staff.

to be bigger and better than ever before. Once again, you can vote on-line for your favourite businesses in operation for more than one year and thus reward the many local companies that work hard to enhance our lifestyle and make Marbella the special place it has come to be. The aim of the essential Marbella Awards is to bring these exceptional businesses to your attention as they proudly display their winnerâ€™s seal as a mark of distinction, acknowledged by the Marbella Community. All readers are welcome to participate and cast their votes. Simply go on-line at www.essentialmagazine. com and make your opinion count today! Our hope is to continue working together to award excellence and to promote and maintain Marbellaâ€™s highest standards.

This year, voting is only possible on-line and we will not be able to accept any printed voting forms. Please return a vote in all 16 categories in the poll and include your contact details. Your personal details will remain confidential and will be entered into a draw to win annual subscriptions to essential magazine.

in association with Talk Radio Europe

vote online at www.essentialmagazine.com

A W A R D S

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••126 KS 22766

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Page 1

SPECTACULAR BRAND NEW BEACHSIDE VILLA REF: 22766

Just a walk away from a golf course and a luxury hotel, this stunning contemporary villa offers an entrance hall, 2 living rooms, main living room with wooden beamed double height ceiling, covered terraces, a beautiful wine cellar, state-ofthe-art home cinema and a gym with sauna. Boasts a fantastic garden featuring a heated pool, teak decking with South African Pergola and fitted barbecue, ideal for entertaining family and friends. Each Office Is Indepently Owned And Operated

PLOT: 3138 m2

BUILT: 737 m2

SOLE AGENT

El consumidor tiene derecho a que se le entregue una copia del Documento Informativo Abreviado de la vivienda

Tel: (34) 952 810 102 • www.KSsir.com • Email: info@KSsir.com

â€˘â€˘126 KS 22782

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MAGNIFICENT NEW VILLA WITH OUTSTANDING QUALITIES REF: 22782 PLOT: 2.778 m2

BUILT: 850 m2

SOLE AGENT

Situated a short drive from Puerto Banus, this south facing villa enjoys uninterrupted sea views. Offers stylish living room, spectacular kitchen and extensive covered terraces overlooking the beautiful infinity pool. Further it boasts a stateof-the-art acclimatised wine cellar, indoor heated pool with sauna, gym and home cinema. A truly impressive residence, ideal for connoisseurs of fine detail.

El consumidor tiene derecho a que se le entregue una copia del Documento Informativo Abreviado de la vivienda

Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated

the news

LATEST RELEASES

Film Releases

Latest DVD Releases

Best Selling British Authors

CD Releases

Page

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THENEWS

REPORT marisa cutillas

FILM REVIEWS

Julie & Julia [Genre] Biography [Director] Nora Ephron (You’ve got mail, Sleepless in Seattle) [Actors] Meryl Streep, Amy Adams Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and Julie Powell (Amy Adams) star in writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two best-selling memoirs: Julie Powell’s Julie & Julia, and Julia Child’s My Life in France. Julie is a 30-something secretary in Queens who is tired of comparing herself to her upwardly mobile friends. She decides to change her unpromising life by writing a book, based on her experience of cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. When the first recipe, a simple potato soup, turns out perfectly, Julie’s confidence starts to rise and soon she begins to cook dishes with kidneys, sweetbreads and other ‘exotic’ ingredients. As she crafts the perfect Orange Bavarian, learns how to whip the perfect soufflé and discovers that liver can be elegant, she begins to rise out of her mundane existence into the surprisingly creative world of haute cuisine.

Surrogates [Genre] Thriller/ Science fiction [Director] Jonathan Mostow (Them) [Actors] Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell Two FBI agents (Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell) investigate the assassination of a young university student who was mysteriously involved with one of the inventors of ‘surrogate’ technology. Surrogates are beautiful, fit, remote-controlled versions of normal people, who can watch as their ‘double’ lives out the kind of life they could only dream of. The assassination begs both the inventors and their clients to answer the question: if all of us have a double, how will we know who is real and in whom we can trust?

Agora [Genre] Historical Drama [Director] Alejandro Amenábar (The Others, Tesis, Abre los ojos) [Actors] Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac Alejandro Amenábar has delighted critics at the recent Cannes Film Festival with his most ambitious project to date: Agora, set in 4th century Egypt when Alexandria is still part of the Roman Empire but violent outbreaks by the Christians are threatening to put an end to Roman rule. Hypatia (Rachel Weisz), a beautiful and brilliant young scholar, fights to save priceless texts from the legendary Alexandrian library, which is under threat of destruction by the Christians. Two men vie for her affections: the handsome student Orestes, and the slave Davo who is torn between his love for Hypatia and the promised freedom of life under Christian rule. This epic movie, beautifully filmed and conceived by Amenábar, tells the violent tale of the fall of paganism and Judaism and the brutal origins of the rise of Christianity in one of the wealthiest, most contested provinces of the ancient world.

Amenábar: Director Extraordinaire Alejandro Amenábar has been surprising film critics and cinemagoers since his first, groundbreaking thriller, Tesis (1996). The latter, an exposé on the snuff film industry, had the audience on the edge of its seat, thanks in no small part to the young director’s ability to mask good and evil behind the performances of an excellent choice of actors. Since then, Amenábar has gone from strength to strength, with gems such as the surreal, highly philosophical Abre los ojos (later remade into Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise), the romantically eerie The Others (with Nicole Kidman), the Oscar-winning The Sea Inside and now, his most ambitious film yet, Agora. Amenábar describes his film as a homage to the astronomers of old. He says: “One day, I was with my friends looking up at the stars and we started talking about the possibility of there being life on other planets – beings that relied on electricity, etc., and this interest led me to start reading and discovering what great thinkers had postulated; people like Carl Sagan, who came up with an equation of the probability of there being intelligent life on other planets. I decided to make Agora to thank anyone who ever looked up at the sky and wondered what was out there. Just think – people used to think the world was flat and it took one man to postulate that the earth was round and rotated around the sun. My film is a big thank-you to all those great thinkers.”

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THENEWS

REPORT marisa cutillas

DVD RELEASES

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt [Genre] Suspense [Director] Peter Hyams [Actors] Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas It’s pretty difficult to find a bad Michael Douglas film, and Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is no exception, though don’t expect to see too much of the silver haired Lothario in this crafty suspense flick. Peter Hyams’ latest release (a remake of the classic 1956 RKO film) tells the story of C.J. Nichols (Jesse Metcalfe), a young, ambitious journalist investigating corrupt District Attorney, Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas). Apparently, Hunter is using illegal methods to land suspected criminals in jail and, thereby, boost his political career. Nichols decides to catch Hunter out in the best possible way: by making himself seem guilty of a crime, in order to demonstrate the fact that Hunter chooses his victims based on purely circumstantial evidence. It’s a dangerous game but, luckily, Nichols has Hunter’s beautiful assistant Ella (Amber Tamblyn) on his side. The question is: once they demonstrate Hunter’s guilt, will Nichols be able to prove his own innocence?

The Proposal [Genre] Romantic Comedy [Actors] Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds Sandra Bullock, like Julia Roberts, dominated the big screen when it came to romantic leading roles throughout the 1990s; but Bullock shows that she’s still got what it takes in her latest flick, The Proposal. She plays Margaret Tate, the Editor-in-Chief of an important publishing house. Her career is sailing smoothly until she is threatened with deportation to Canada. Her boss suggests that she force her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her, an arduous task he accepts in return for his long awaited promotion to the position of Editor. The seemingly incompatible couple are forced to spend time together, and a number of humorous situations draws them closer, then pulls them apart in a constant tug-of-war that is bound to reveal what destiny has in store for them.

Coraline [Genre] Animation [Director] Henry Selick [Voices] Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French Henry Selick’s new animated film is right up the alley of Tim Burton, both in the Goth-style aesthetics and the use of stop-frame technology. The latter, also known as ‘puppetry without strings’, involves animators painstakingly moving tangible objects (characters, props, sets, etc) on a working stage. Every frame is photographed and projected sequentially to make it seem that the characters and environment are animated in fluid and continuous movement. The story of Coraline, meanwhile, is surreal – at times disturbing, at times scary, making it a film more for adults than small children. It centres on Coraline Jones (whose voice is provided by Dakota Fanning), an 11-year-old girl whose parents are too overburdened with work to cater to her over-active imagination. One day, Coraline finds a door hidden behind one of the walls of her house. She opens it and finds herself in a magical world, inhabited by her ‘other mother and father’, who always have time for her, cook like pro chefs and never cease to entertain her. At first, this ‘other world’ is appealing to Coraline, providing hours of daily escape, but when her ‘other mother’ suggests that she stay there for good, Coraline discovers that escaping from this fantasy world is far more difficult than entering it.

Brüno [Genre] Comedy/ Mockumentary [Director] Larry Charles [Actors] Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten When it comes to Sacha Baron Cohen you either love him or hate him and I… I hasten to admit… love him! The London-born comedian is one quick-witted, button-pushing rascal and he crosses many lines in Brüno (some members of the US gay community were up in arms about his portrayal of a gay Austrian wannabee fashion celeb). Yet his forgivable, tongue-in-cheek manner somehow manages to reveal the folly of his victims far more than his own. Brüno, the ‘19-year-old voice of Austrian youth TV’, outrages America as he takes to L.A. to be the newest fashion sensation. If you hate Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada’s outlandish, infantile clothing, if you doubt the sincerity of many do-good celebs or you wish terrorists had a better sense of humour, Brüno is definitely recommended watching for you. Just make sure the kids are out doing something educational (like studying) while you enjoy Brüno’s R-rated antics with your spouse or an equally immature mate.

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THENEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

BEST OF BRITISH AUTHORS

Belinda Beckett looks at the latest works of six top current British writers.

House of Meetings by Martin Amis The son of novelist Kingsley (Lucky Jim) Amis has inherited his father’s savage comic genius. The Rachel Papers (1973), his brilliant and shameless first novel, was a portrait of the young male mind that some female critics found disturbing. House of Meetings, his latest novel in print, is a sober and cynical tale of two half-brothers who fall in love with the same woman, set against the grim backdrop of Stalin’s gulags, narrated by an anonymous Red Army veteran and unapologetic war criminal. The Pregnant Widow, due out next year, was inspired by the words of the Russian thinker, Alexander Herzen, who wrote that changes in the social order, “leave behind not an heir but a pregnant widow”. The novel is set during a holiday in 1970s Italy where half a dozen young lives are afloat on a sea change. [Also recommended] uMoney (1984); Time’s Arrow (1991).

The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt The richness and variety of her fiction was supremely demonstrated in Possession (1990 Booker Prizewinner), which parallels the emerging relationship of two academics with two 19th century poets they are researching. And, at 73, Byatt is still turning them out. Her new novel, due out this autumn and hailed as her second greatest masterpiece, encompasses the paradigm shift from Victorian to modern England in a sweeping tale of four families and the complex bond that attaches children to adults. Among the rave reviews it has received, Tatler wrote: “An engrossing saga… Byatt captures the innocence of childhood in the late-Victorian and Edwardian eras before the onset of the First World War… a world of half-hidden secrets, set against a backdrop of social change.” [Also recommended] uThe Virgin in the Garden (1978); The Biographer’s Tale (2000).

A Most Wanted Man by John Le Carré The greatest living master of the spy novel, who draws on his experience in British Intelligence but eschews the heroic James Bond image with enduring characters (such as George Smiley) who are damaged, complex and intensely human. In a career spanning four centuries, he has written 21 novels which have inspired films and TV series, including The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1963) and The Constant Gardener (2001). His most recent novel, A Most Wanted Man (2008) explores themes of money laundering and terrorism through a young Chechen ex-prisoner who arrives illegally in Hamburg, uneducated and destitute, but with a claim to a fortune held in a private bank. [Also recommended] uTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974); The Tailor of Panama (1996).

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan His vivid descriptions of murder, suicide and dismemberment (The Cement Garden) have won him the nickname, ‘Ian Macabre’ but his career has been one long award ceremony. He won the Booker Prize in 1998 for Amsterdam, and was shortlisted in 2001 for Atonement, a tale of thwarted romance (romance in McEwan’s works is always thwarted) set in the Second World War, and now a successful film. His 11th novel, due out next year and still untitled, focuses on a scientist who hopes to save the planet from the threat of climate change. On Chesil Beach, his latest novel in print, also Booker shortlisted, is set in 1962 during the tense build-up to the sexual awakening of two young virgins on honeymoon, and its repercussions. [Also recommended] uThe Child in Time (1987); Enduring Love (1997).

Alfred and Emily by Doris Lessing She turns 90 this month but there’s no stopping this prolific author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2007 – only the 11th woman to receive the honour. Her fiction is commonly divided into three distinct themes: communist, when she wrote on social issues, psychological, and sufist which she explored in a science fiction setting in the Canopus series. Alfred & Emily (2008) takes her back to her childhood in Rhodesia, where she first imagines how her parents’ lives might have been, without the Great War, and then kicks in with the bitter reality. Lessing has spent her life “trying to get out from under that monstrous legacy.” By writing about it, she has set herself free. The Guardian’s book critic wrote: ‘Writers approaching 90 aren’t supposed to write with vigour or experiment with form. But Lessing has never done the expected thing and Alfred & Emily is one more exception in an exceptional career.’ [Also recommended] uThe Grass is Singing (1950); The Golden Notebook (1962).

The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress by Beryl Bainbridge Five-times nominee for the Booker Prize without ever winning it, Dame Beryl is nonetheless a national treasure. She was a budding actress who appeared in Coronation Street before achieving instant success with two novels about feckless girls caught up in sinister situations: The Dressmaker (1973) and The Bottle Factory Outing (1974). Later she turned to more ambitious historical novels, always writing with the same brisk humour and insight into human nature. Her latest novel, published this year, is a vintage Bainbridge tale of murder and retribution, a fiction based on the 1968 investigation into the assassination of Robert Kennedy, when several witnesses recalled seeing a girl in a polka dot dress in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel. [Also recommended] uThe Birthday Boys (1991); An Awfully Big Adventure (1989).

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THENEWS

MUSIC REVIEWS REPORT george prior

Horse Meat Disco [Compilation] Horse Meat Disco is a legendary London club and this new album masterfully captures the hedonistic glory of a wild night out at the club itself. Going some way to get you in the mood, the compilation starts with a clubber’s answer-phone recording: “A massive glass unicorn came crashing down on the dancefloor and started chanting my name. That’s when I knew, hey, you better get yourself to bed.” The genius of Horse Meat Disco is that it’s dragging dance music back from the edge of cheesiness. You’ll hear tunes you haven’t heard for ages, remixed to perfection. It’s almost like the tracks are trying to outdo each other to be funkier than the one before. There’s nothing new in escaping tough economic times with uplifting disco. And Horse Meat Disco’s first compilation would have definitely got the Studio 54 seal of approval.

Maxwell [Black Summa Knight] Lost love and heartache is a constant in pop music but no-one does it quite like Maxwell. Known for being meticulous in his craft, he’s taken his time (eight years) in releasing this album. But it is a testament to the fact that he’s lost none of his legendary touch for soulful seduction or a tear-stained melody. Using that rarely-found rich voice of his, Maxwell explores the complexities of love with songs so well thought out, they should be studied at university. For instance, on the lead single Pretty Wings, which tells of a relationship in a complex crisis, the track itself mirrors this by becoming increasingly intricate. This level of detail in the songs and the skillful way he writes and sings give the tracks a real, raw depth. He’s lived every one of his songs. Only someone totally in tune with their heart and emotions could truly write, let alone perform, musical perfection.

Demi Lovato [Here We Go Again] As ever, Disney is proving to be the big player in American music for the under 17s and it appears Demi Lovato could be heading the way of Miley Cyrus (Disney’s High School Musical cash-cow). With such backing, (they don’t get bigger than Disney for the teen market, with the possible exception of American Idol) it would be easier to knock this teenager. However, Here We Go Again is a bold album that will prove her versatility, if nothing else. The title track, full of ballsy guitars, tells of the star giving a boy the boot, which pretty much sums up the content of the rest of the album. She is, it seems, very good at giving the opposite sex the elbow… especially after shedding a tear or two with her girlfriends. Whether the tracks are delicate or full-on, she delivers with conviction – and quite often with a punk attitude and multi-coloured hair. What would Walt say to that?

i George Prior presents the Afternoon

Show (2-6pm Monday to Friday) on Radio Central FM, 98.6 and 103.8 FM.

La Roux [In For The Kill] The 80’s obsession is alive and well with the likes of Lady Gaga and Little Boots, to name just two. But it’s La Roux who have most authentically captured the decade they were only just born in. La Roux have been described as “the new face of female pop” but in fact they are a boy/girl duo. And, just like those great 80’s synth icons Yazoo and Eurythmics, the girl’s out front and the boy does the mastery in the background. You’ll certainly hear nods to Yazoo’s 80’s anthem, Don’t Go, on their smash-hit single Bullet Proof. Elly Jackson’s icy, falsetto voice and her striking image (very Annie Lennox in the Sweet Dreams video) and high ginger quiff make her an ear- and eye-catching pop star. Together with her partner Ben Langmaid’s sparse tunes and retro synths, La Roux are the first band in the on-going 80’s revival hitting the nail on the head.

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THETHEME BRITANNIA

What makes Britain great? History

Noel Coward

One thing’s sure – it’s not the Brrr...itish weather, the reason that a lot of Brits are out of there and over here. Ironically though, this is a nation that can talk for England about its chief failing. At bus stops, at supermarket check-in tills, everywhere you go it’s the principal conversation ice breaker (and I use the word ‘ice’ advisedly). Yet, with all their experience, the Met Office can’t get it right. A ‘Barbeque Summer’ was promised by forecasters this year but it has rained almost incessantly. And remember Michael Fish, who failed to see the 1987 hurricane coming? Another foible is our island nation mentality and the belief that the narrow strip of water separating us from ‘the continent’ makes us distinctive. We’re certainly that. For centuries an island of heathen Picts and Scots, the Welsh threw their lot in with England in the 16th century but Scotland went its own sweet way until 1707 when they all got together to form Great Britain. The UK (Great Britain + Northern Ireland) has only existed since 1801, making all Northern Irish people British. The real Irish live in the Republic of Ireland which, though attached to the north, is a totally different can of Guinness. Confused? You will be. Although we may be the world’s fifth largest economy (the service sector, dominated by financial services, contributes 73 per cent of GDP) our days as a colonial superpower are long gone. We are a multiracial nation of over 60 million people in a world of over six billion, yet the Rule Britain mindset still prevails, which explains a lot about why we haven’t accepted the euro. And a lot of that has to do with …

Ever since Boudica painted her face with woad and rebelled against Roman rule, the British have had a high opinion of themselves in the context of the world. This view was reinforced during Empire days when onequarter of the world’s population and one quarter of the Earth’s surface was under British colonial rule. As it was always daytime somewhere in its numerous territories, it was said that “the sun never sets on the British Empire” … but it did. One of the best introductions to British history is the tongue-in-cheek 1066 And All That by W. C. Sellar and

“The British are in a class of their own, old bean”

R. J. Yeatman, who parody the way it was taught so that we only remember the silly stuff (such as how King Alfred The Great burnt the cakes or that the military hero Lord Nelson’s dying wish was to be kissed by a fellow named Hardy). From the Wars of the Roses and King Henry VIII ( famous for his six wives) through Queen Elizabeth I (who had red hair and the heart and stomach of a King) to Queen Victoria (who was never amused) and on to the late Princess Diana, British history tended to be taught through its reigning monarchs, which brings us neatly to…

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COOL BRITANNIA

In a celebration of all things British, Belinda Beckett (a Brit from Northern Ireland) delves into the national psyche to find out whether Britannia Still Rules â€“ OK!

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MONARC

Britain is a nation divided over its monarchy. Those who love this greatest of all institutions point out that it brings in billions of pounds in revenue. Buckingham Palace is always thronged with tourists while visitors to the Tower of London exceed £2.4 million annually and Americans in particular are blown away by the quaint doublet-and-hosed Beefeater guarding the Crown Jewels. Anti-monarchists quote the cost of upkeep. The Royal household had a budget of £41.5 million last year, averaging 69 pence per British tax payer. Time was, the monarchy had absolute power over its subjects and anyone breathing a whiff of scandal would have been beheaded for treason. These days, the Royals are paparazzi fodder. Princess Diana used and was abused by the media, while incidents like Camillagate (the tapped telephone conversation in which Prince Charles declared a wish to reincarnate as Camilla Parker-Bowles’ tampon) have threatened to bring the monarchy down as the British public realise ‘blue blood’ is as normal as red. Although the Queen has the nation’s respect, Charles is seen as an ineffectual figure who talks to plants and his sexier son William is the preferred successor. Nowadays the monarchy’s role is perceived as more ceremonial, such as the State Opening of Parliament.

P OL I T I C S

Britain is a multi-party state presided over by the Prime Minister (currently, Labour PM Gordon Brown, an unpopular Scot). But if you’ve ever watched the old TV sit-com, Yes Minister, it’s clear that civil servants hold the real power. Ireland, Scotland and Wales have their own but Westminster houses the ‘Mother of Parliaments’ and is the supreme legislative body. It is divided into Upper and Lower houses (Lords and Commons), the latter presided over by a Speaker whose job is not to join in debates but keep order (quite a task as the Commons often resembles a verbal playground punch-up). Sir Winston Churchill, regarded as the greatest wartime Prime Minister, epitomised the ‘British bulldog’ spirit while Margaret Thatcher struck a blow for feminism by governing with a handbag of iron.

THE CLASS SYSTEM The Parliamentary system used to be a classic example of class distinction (House of Lords = the hereditary upper class, House of Commons = the middle classes, the electorate = the hoi polloi). The affluent society changed the old order, allowing people who ‘don’t talk proper’ to own homes, yachts and Rolls Royces, just like those who speak ‘the Queen’s English’, while the landed gentry had to open their stately homes as safari parks to stave off penury. The system of presenting eligible young ladies (débutantes) at court stopped after 1958 but the London Season that grew up around it persists and social events like Royal Ascot, the Henley Regatta, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and opera at Glyndebourne, is open to all. But a snob appeal still bubbles under the surface, hard to define but vaguely related to whether you call a napkin a serviette, read a ‘red top’ (The Sun) or a ‘quality’ (The Times) and speak Cheltenham plumb or Brummie drawl.

IMMIGRATION & RACISM The important thing to realise is that no one understands each other, due to the plethora of local dialects. The southerners pronounce ‘grass’ like ‘arse’; the northerners like ‘ass’ and, in remote parts of Scotland, it sounds more like ‘girse’. Down in the Valleys the Welsh have a different word for it entirely: ‘gwellt’. Welsh celebrity Tom Jones, meanwhile, sings The Green Green ‘Grairce’ of Home in an American accent.

REGIONALISM Press reports suggest that immigrants are arriving by the boatload to sponge off the State and send their children to school in burqas. In London, 40 per cent of the population is from an ethnic minority group and black and Asian children outnumber white British children by six to four. At one Brighton primary school, the children speak 21 different languages. But despite Enoch Powell’s 1968 predictions of “rivers of blood”, one in 10 children lives in a mixed-race family. ‘Melting pot’ relationships are so common that some ethnic groups – starting with African-Caribbean – are virtually disappearing, raising future hopes of a non-racist Britain.

FOOD

British food has had a bad press, especially from the French. The frogs-leg-eaters could never understand a nation that ate meat with pudding and jam (steak & kidney pud, turkey and cranberry jelly); or enjoyed fish and chips slathered in salt and vinegar, eaten from an old newspaper. (PC Britain’s ’Elf ´n´ Safety doesn’t allow that, these days.) Yet, from Torremolinos to Timbuktu, there’s always somewhere serving up Full English Breakfast and Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding. Brits don’t travel well without their comfort food: egg and chips (or chips with anything), tinned baked beans (Heinz), bangers and mash, mushy peas, Marmite, tomato ketchup (Heinz) and soft boiled British Lion Grade eggs with soldiers (toast cut into strips), washed down with a Great British cuppa (tea). And for afters? It sounds like a disease but Spotted Dick with gloopy neon-yellow custard, yes please! On seaside holidays to Blackpool or Skegness (a declining British institution) cockles and whelks are eaten on seafront benches in the rain by people swaddled in pac-a-macs. More recently, TV celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson have refined our tastes and we now eat more healthily and fancily, with our lean meat served in ‘jus’ and our low-cal desserts drizzled with ‘coulis’. We also drink more wine and, to pay France back for insulting our cuisine, we buy most of it from somewhere else.

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T H E P UB Americans see their shrink; Brits go ‘down the local’. The pub is the focal point of the community and there are 53,500 of them. In the old days they were male-only preserves of the spit and sawdust variety (sawdust to absorb the drips from your pint of Watney’s Red Barrel, a spittoon in which to hoik up your chewed tobacco). These days they’ve gone lah-di-dah, with carpeted ‘theme pubs’ which admit squealing children, play piped muzak, televise football in widescreen HD and serve ‘gastro-fare’, ordered by number. But there are still many excellent hostelries selling real ale (bitter) called charming names like Old Speckled Hen, where you can pour your heart out over your pint to a sympathetic, busty barmaid. Since smoking was banned in all enclosed spaces, some pubs have suffered declining sales (but not heat lamp manufacturers).

S P OR T S

The British have a weird thing about underdogs. Remember Eddie the Eagle, the short-sighted Cheltenham plasterer of 1988 Winter Olympics fame; a man so hapless that the International Olympic Committee passed a rule to prevent people like him competing again? (Interesting to note, though he came last he still set a British record!). We love winners, but we love losers too – a good thing, since we’re rubbish at sport. Football? We haven’t reached a World Cup final since England won the trophy in 1966 (which we still harp on about.) Cricket? That quintessential English pastime, conjuring up sunlit village greens and the crack of wood on willow? We recovered The Ashes this summer, thanks to Andrew Flintoff, but only for the sixth time since 1953. We’re holding our end up in rugby but British tennis remains a nerve-wracking event (witness Virginia Wade, who had umpteen shots at the Women’s Wimbledon title but won only once, in 1977; or Andy Murray crashing out of the semis in the Men’s tournament, won just once by a Brit (Fred Perry, in 1936)). Of all our sporting heroes, Red Rum is most often cited as a national treasure – but what else, from a nation of animal lovers?

T HE A R T S

Britain has bred writers of world renown – Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Hardy and Austen are all required reading on the global school syllabus, along with a plethora of poets (Keats, Shelley, Wordsworth) and, more latterly, Agatha Christie, Orwell, Greene, Pinter, Osborne, etc. In fine art, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Constable, Turner and Blake would all fetch sizeable sums at auction. More latterly we’ve gone a bit alternative: Lowry’s matchstick men, Damien Hirst’s dead animals, Banksy’s graffiti and Tracey Emin’s homages to her sex life. Blame Tate Modern and The Turner Prize.

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In music we were late starters, producing only a handful of classic composers (Elgar, Purcell, Holst, Britten) and Covent Garden, famous for opera. But, ever since The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, we’ve been hitting a high note in everything from ballads to Britpop and Quo to Queen. According to Guinness World Records, eight of the ten acts with the most UK chart singles are British. Indeed we love music so much we’re even prepared to listen to it squatting in a muddy field during a downpour (Glastonbury). We have a respectable film industry, we hold our own at the Oscars and the top seven highest-grossing films of all time have some British historical, cultural or creative dimension (Titanic, and two each of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter). British theatre is regarded as the best in the world and has supplied Holywood with many of its best actors (think Olivier, Guinness, O’Toole, Burton, Hopkins and Dench). West End musicals and the Edinburgh Festival are two of Britain’s top tourist attractions.

T HE A R T S

The world has Scottish engineer John Logie Baird to thank for its existence. We have five major nationwide channels but the BBC (Auntie Beeb), founded in 1932, is still a great British institution. It is the world’s largest broadcaster (with world service TV and radio networks), funded by the public through an annual license fee, rather than by commercials or the government, because it operates under Royal Charter. BBC Two became the first television channel in Europe to broadcast in colour. Heavyweight documentaries and costume dramas are something both channels do well but the highest-rated shows on British television are the soap operas

whose storylines compete to be the most shocking/tear-jerking/banal: ITV’s Corrie (Coronation Street) dating from 1960, based around a pub in the backstreets of Manchester; and BBC’s EastEnders, dating from 1985, based around a pub in the back streets of London. If anything promotes British popular culture in a bad way (bigoted, beer-quaffing, violent) the soaps take the McVitie’s digestive biscuit. British comedy shows and sit-coms have also exported British culture to the world (Fawlty Towers, Ab Fab, Only Fools and Horses, Mr Bean) although at times, they may seem mystifying to non-British speakers, largely because of our odd-ball humour. Our most cherished national characteristic. “He’s a good laugh,” is the greatest personal accolade any Brit can receive. Our taste is eclectic, ranging from smutty innuendo (saucy seaside postcards, Benny Hill chasing scantily-clad females around trees) to sexual and scatological (Chubby Brown), disrespect for the establishment (Private Eye magazine) the absurd (The Goons, Monty Python) and the humour of everyday life (The Office, The Royle Family). The class system, social stereotypes, loveable rogues, the socially inept, foreigners (especially the Germans), politicians, royalty, celebs – we take the mickey out of them all. Sadly, these days, Political Correctness has ushered in a distinctly un-British climate of intolerance: witness TV presenter Anne Robinson, questioned by the police for making a ‘derogatory remark’ about the Welsh; football pundit Rodney Marsh, banished from the airwaves for a joke about David Beckham thinking the tsunami was a reference to the Toon Army (the nickname for Newcastle United); and stand-up comedians who poke fun at most things but daren’t utter a squeak against Islam. n

HUMOUR

ICONIC BRITAIN We can’t list all the symbols of Britishness but here are a few: uBritish Bobbies on the beat (complete with distinctive hat and

truncheon) were a neighbourhood watch scheme conceived by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel in the 1820s, but the look is now as obsolete as Dixon of Dock Green. uBowler Hats were a symbol of the city gent. The first model was designed by James Lock & Co. of London, a business still going strong today. uAllotments, postage-stamp patches of arable land in the city, rented by the council, had their heyday during World War II when the government’s Dig for Victory campaign persuaded people to beat fresh fruit and veg shortages by growing their own. They’re making a come-back due to the trend for organic food. uThe White Cliffs of Dover, celebrated in Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime song, are an iconic reference-point for travellers arriving by sea. uJerusalem, signature tune of the Women’s Institute and unofficial national anthem of English expats around the world.

William Blake’s evocative words about ‘England’s green and pleasant land’ stir the heart. uThe British bulldog is associated with the national attributes of resilience, loyalty, determination and spirit. Adopted as a symbol of strength and courage during the Second World War, it bore an uncanny resemblance to Sir Winston Churchill. uPantomime is a great Christmas theatrical tradition, a stagecomedy fairytale beloved by children in which the hero (Principle Boy) is played by a girl, the Pantomime Dame is a cross-dresser and audience participation is de rigeur. (Oh no it isn’t!) uPunch and Judy puppet shows are part and parcel of a visit to the seaside although they’ve been criticised by the PC brigade for sanctioning wife-beating. uMorris Dancers are a traditional sight on village greens every May Day, when people clad in strange white garments hung with bells can be seen leaping into the air, waving handkerchiefs and sticks. A Morris Dancer is also a derogatory term, meaning a prat.

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Av. Ricardo Soriano 72, B 1º. 29601 Marbella. Málaga. Spain. Tel.: +34 952 76 51 38 I enquiries@dmproperties.com I www.dmproperties.com

THETHEME great britain

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et’s get a few things straight before I start my latest diatribe and end up offending almost everyone who reads this esteemed magazine. I really do love Britain. It’s one of the most amazing places on the planet and, when it gets it right (in my case the Richmond area the evening following an England victory or Silverstone on the evening of the Grand Prix), you can’t fault it. And don’t think that I’m some southern softie who gets a nose bleed if he goes further than Edgware on the Northern Line. My mother was from Glasgow and my father is Welsh, which meant that Five Nations when I was a small boy in the ’70s was somewhat of a nightmare, as England were thrashed on a regular basis. As that most excellent of Englishmen, Edmund Blackadder, once put it, Wales is “a ghastly place. Huge gangs of tough sinewy men roam the valleys terrifying people with their close harmony singing. You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names. Never ask for directions in Wales, Baldrick, you’ll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight.” The more perceptive amongst you may have noticed that I haven’t made any comments about the Irish or Liverpudlians at this point. This is mainly because I want to be able to drink in Marbella without fear of reprisal. I’m in enough trouble in Nueva Andalucía as it is, and I have a face that has ‘Punch me’ written all over it at the best of times… So, with that out of the way, lets explode a few of the myths of Great Britain. First off has to be the

culture. The Arts and television are frequently cited as the best in the world. But if you take a closer look you’ll realise that this is a load of rubbish. Art galleries are full of incomprehensible work, while London’s West End shows are mundane musicals based on the back catalogues of Abba, Queen, (Mama Mia, We Will Rock You) adaptations of movies (Sister Act, Dirty Dancing, Ghost) or written by Elton John or Andrew Lloyd Webber. Even locally, the standard of visiting culture isn’t beyond reproach, with the recent performance of the UK’s premier Michael Jackson impersonator. The ethical considerations of the

aged poseurs for the delectation of the watching millions? The answer lies in the no blame/all fame culture. Just as no-one is allowed to fail a single exam (to the point that even six-fingered kids from Stoke are collecting half a dozen A grades) and no-one wants to do a proper job anymore unless it involves immediate tabloid adulation and a million quid for nothing (Page 3 models, Big Brother contestants and most footballers), everyone now thinks that they have an inalienable right to be famous. It doesn’t matter that they have no talent or that they can’t kick a ball or sing a note. Somewhere in their tiny minds is the belief that all that stands between them and a glittering television career is Simon Cowell. So up they step for public humiliation, having never before experienced the concept of ‘failure’, and react badly when they do ‘fail’. They dissolve weeping into their tissues at the very thought that they might not be pitch perfect, even when it’s patently obvious that they produce the kind of blood-chilling noise you’d expect to hear coming from Katie Price’s hotel suite. Style magazines are always proclaiming that Britain has the most cutting-edge fashion scene in the world. But if you stand in the arrivals lounge at Málaga airport you’ll realise that the Brits are amongst the worst-dressed people in the world.

Saturday night TV viewing is either ‘Strictly Celebrity Masterchef on Ice Get Me Out of Here’ or some talent show promoter making money from a still warm corpse notwithstanding, the fact that the performance was a sell-out speaks volumes. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve got the UK’s leading Amy Winehouse impersonator on standby, just in case… But the true barometer of crap culture has to be Saturday night TV viewing. It’s either ‘Strictly Celebrity Masterchef on Ice Get Me Out of Here’ or some talent show. What makes people audition? Why would you rise at the crack of dawn and queue all day in some soulless hotel lobby, only to be cut off before you’ve got through four bars into I Will Survive and gratuitously insulted by some middle-

e l u R ? a i n n a t i r B ur o t a op ’. p a s ke nt land a t n w leasa o r B s Gile en and p ‘gre

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Yes, you may have brought the entire Kate Moss range from Top Shop but you look more like the Croydon girl madegood when she was in the middle of her cokesnorting relationship with Babyshambles front man Pete Docherty, rather than the highly-paid supermodel on the cover of this month’s Vogue. And, whereas you can spot a Mediterranean male on holiday – effortlessly slipping on tasselled loafers and a linen shirt – the average Brit is easily identified by the only T-Shirt he has, proudly bearing the name of his football team or a ‘humorous’ slogan. And let us not forget, Britain is the nation that brought us the cagoule, the anorak and, of

The British have a kamikaze approach to drinking

course, the hoodie… Despite the fact that Britain has produced some fine chefs over the past 10 years, including Messieurs Oliver, Ramsey and the late great Keith Floyd, British food still isn’t that great. Don’t get me wrong, you can still get some fantastic food in the UK but it will normally be in an Indian, Chinese or Thai restaurant. And my current bête noir is the gastro pub, where the owner has normally ripped out the insides of a good old-fashioned boozer and made it a trendy bohotrustafarian hangout where the menu makes liberal use of the word ‘jus’. Not that I’m that enamoured of old-fashioned boozers. I once asked the barman what wines he had. “Red or White” he (I thought) replied. “OK. What Reds do you have?” I enquired. “Nah.” He said “We have one Red or one White.” As well as this, there is also British drinking culture.

Whereas our Mediterranean cousins are quite happy to sit sipping skinny lattes in the shade and the occasional glass of red wine with a meal, the British have a kamikaze approach to drinking, especially while watching the sport, and then deciding that a kebab on the way home is an excellent idea. The British also don’t integrate very well. The term expat already has connotations of the type who sits in a mock Tudor pub reading yesterday’s Daily Mail while regaling anyone who will listen about how bad Britain is: “Bloody Brown. Bloody Hoodies. Bloody Muslims, half of them don’t even speak English,” before ordering a pint from the long-suffering Spanish barman in English and asking what time the Arsenal match is on. So Britain isn’t that great, but I could have had it much, much worse. I might have been born French… n

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THEPEOPLE

BRANSON

THE VIRGIN KING as an industrial inspiration for his maverick strategies and informal business style. Group revenue from the 450 companies that carry the Virgin name exceeded $20 billion last year and his own net worth, at 59, is US$2.5 billion, making him the 261st richest person in the world. Not bad going for a dyslexic schoolboy who started out selling discount records from the boot of his car. That he has achieved this while retaining the respect of the majority of his 50,000 employees is a measure of the man. When he won a libel case against BA, Branson famously divided his £500,000 compensation among n strictly entrepreneurial terms, Sir Richard Branson is his staff. The annual bashes he held at his home for staff no virgin – a man who’s tried his hand at everything, and their families were legendary. Many get the chance whether it has a pulse or not: the music business, to join him for a weekend on Necker, his private British where it all started, planes, boats, trains, cars, bikes, Virgin island. But, at work or at play, he’s always listening space ships and Formula 1; also publishing, beverages, too, for an idea, a suggestion, the next adventure… clothes, cosmetics, financial services, health clubs, Genius – and a touch of eccentricity – runs in the holidays, hotels, homeware and online gambling. family. His father was a barrister, his grandfather a Virgin Media, his integrated television, broadband and high court judge, and his grandmother was 99 when mobile phone business, is one of his biggest current she told young Richard that A Brief History of Time by challenges. More latterly he has added health care to Stephen Hawking was good reading! She also told his growing portfolio, including the Virgin Health Bank, him, “You’ve got one go in life, so make the most of it.“ offering parents-to-be the Young Richard followed her advice opportunity of storing their “My interest in life comes from to the letter. baby’s umbilical cord blood setting myself huge, apparently The story began with the stem cells as a unique form unachievable challenges and campaigning Student magazine, of medical insurance. In his trying to rise above them” which he launched while at Stowe private life, he holds the public school in Buckinghamshire. record for the fastest-ever sea crossing of the Atlantic He aimed high, with articles written by government and was first to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon. ministers, celebrity interviews (Mick Jagger, Vanessa For his next challenge, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Redgrave, Jean-Paul Sartre), and advertising from him running for Pope. major companies which he sold from a public phone Branson is one of the most successful business box, using the old trick of pretending the operator was people of our generation, a shaggy-haired, anti- his secretary. establishment David who took on the Goliaths of Leaving school at 16, he moved into a London squat industry and mostly won, though not always. Virgin to hatch his next business plan, selling discount records Brides, set up in 1996 with a beardless Branson sporting through the magazine. He named it Virgin Mail Order, a wedding dress to advertise the first store, ceased “because it was run by a bunch of business virgins”. trading in 2007. Virgin Cars Ltd, an Internet automobile Orders streamed in, although he retailer launched in 2000, crashed and burnt in 2005 was briefly arrested and jailed and Branson admits himself that he “probably lost the for failing to pay the correct most money on Virgin Cola, although it’s still number export taxes, fulfilling the one in Bangladesh!” He’s also had several failed attempts to navigate the globe non-stop in a balloon; and there was that embarrassing record by the Singing Sheep… although it did make 42 in the record charts! His high public profile has made him the butt of much satire. Private Eye calls him Beardie and there have been many references to chutney (the one made by Branston). Equally, he is regarded

first part of his headmaster’s prophesy that he would either go to prison or become a millionaire. He went on to open Virgin’s first record shop in Oxford Street, and a recording studio in Oxfordshire whose first signing was Mike Oldfield, an artist no other record company would touch. Tubular Bells, became a British chart topper. Phil Collins, Boy George and Janet Jackson were other early signings, along with the Sex Pistols (who landed Branson in jail again, briefly, for bad language). With his flamboyant and competitive style, the Virgin brand grew rapidly, from airlines to all sorts. In 1992, when he had to sell the Virgin record label to EMI to keep Virgin Atlantic afloat, he allegedly wept at the loss of what had been the genesis of the Virgin Empire. His airline is the achievement he’s most proud of or, as he puts it, “Taking on the world’s airlines with one jumbo, and not much idea of what to do next. The whole idea started when I was trying to get from the Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico and American Airlines canceled their flight. I managed to charter a plane, returning with a blackboard saying ‘Virgin Airways, $39 one-way’. We filled the plane.” Back home, he rang up Boeing and shortly took delivery of his first, secondhand 747. In one of many run-ins with Lord King, the then CEO of British Airways told him: “You’re too old to rock ‘n’ roll, too young to fly and will fail.” Virgin Atlantic went on to introduce many mile-high firsts, from double beds to in-flight movie choc ices! Although he rarely talks negatively, a big disappointment was losing his bid to run Britain’s national lottery. “It’s a license to print money,” he said then. “For that reason I don’t think a private company should be allowed to run it. I wanted to run it in a way where all profits go to good causes.” Although ‘hands on’ to the extent of starring in some of his own adverts, he rates delegation high on his secrets-of-success list. “When I set up a new business, I spend a couple of months immersing myself in it, so that I can have useful discussions with the new leaders. But then it’s about leaving them to it, and helping if and when needed. The people who

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run those companies have incentives based on their own business results. Over time, Virgin has created around 200 millionaires but if they make mistakes, it doesn’t have too much impact.” Married for the second time to Joan Templeman (“the best decision I ever made”) with whom he has a grown-up son and daughter, these days he devotes 30 per cent of his time to business, a lot more to social issues. “I’m very fortunate to have a full and fascinating life. Every day is full on, though I try to keep a balance in my personal life. From the early days I’ve worked from home, and now from my hammock in the Caribbean. We’re lucky to have our island where we can pull up the drawbridge. I can go for a swim, have breakfast by the shore and, by 8 am, I’m ready to dictate some emails. Keeping fit is incredibly important. I love parties, going to the V Festival and other gigs around the world. But I don’t go shopping. I don’t buy my own clothes or pay that much attention to what I wear. A pair of jeans and shirt is good enough for me.” His guiding ambition is, “To make the most of my position to make a difference to the broader world”. He became a committed eco warrior after meeting Al Gore and he realised he was running “one of the dirtiest industries in the world”. He brought a team of scientists together to explore sugar-based fuels, solar and wind power and experimented with flying a 747 at 35,000 feet on coconut oil. In 2007, he set up the Virgin Earth Challenge, a global science and technology prize which will award $25 million to the individual or group who comes up with a viable way of reducing greenhouse gases. Alongside Peter Gabriel and others, he has also worked behind the political scenes funding The Elders, a group of influential people such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter who aim to resolve conflicts in places like Darfur, Burma and Zimbabwe. “Prior to the Iraq War we were trying to stop Britain and America from invading the country and I asked Nelson Mandela to go and see Saddam Hussein, to find a way in which he could leave Iraq for a quiet life in Libya,” says Branson. “Mandela agreed to go if Kofi Annan went too. Unfortunately, on the day we planned to go, the bombing started.” Branson is also patron of many charities, including the International Rescue Corps and Prisoners Abroad. In 2007, he won the United Nations Correspondents Association Citizen of the World Award for his support for environmental and humanitarian causes. One of many projects currently firing his enthusiasm is Virgin Galactic which is licensing the technology behind Microsoft co-Founder Paul Allen’s space tourism project. SpaceShipTwo is due for testing late this year, with the first paying customers expected to fly aboard in 2011. “The whole project is almost carbon neutral,” Branson enthuses. “Each space flight will generate fewer emissions than a flight to New York. I’m incredibly excited that, in a couple of years from now, I’ll be taking my parents and children on our first flight into space!” From anyone else, it would sound pie in the sky. But from Richard Branson, you’d better believe it! n

Belinda Beckett profiles Sir Richard Branson, maverick entrepreneur and adventurer, passionate philanthropist, flamboyant self-publicist and founder CEO of the largest private company in Europe.

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CY CMY

THETREND

GADGETS

Marisa Cutillas brings us the must-have gadgets of the month. Swap Mobile Watch: a fantastic two-in-one

Dream of waking up with Beotime BeoTime is a new alarm clock from Bang & Olufsen, designed to make waking up something you actually look forward to. The clock, whose shape is inspired by Mozart’s Magic Flute, contains a built-in sleep timer that puts all Bang & Olufsen equipment in your room on standby after a selected time interval of up to 120 minutes. This is ideal for those who like to fall asleep with the TV or music on but don’t want to worry about getting up and turning equipment off. BeoTime also works as a sort of remote control, allowing you to operate your TV, lighting or speakers. The look is highly appealing, featuring a horizontal line and square panels that fit particularly well in a minimalistic room. It is also easy to use, with a motion sensor that ensures the display information and buttons always orient themselves correctly in your hand or on your table.

i www.bang-olufsen.com Sparkling clean floors with the Scooba Robotic Washer Scooba is a clever new robot that washes, scrubs, and shines tile, linoleum, or sealed hardwood floors, all by itself! Sit back and catch up on some reading while it cleans every inch of your floor up to five times. Scooba picks up debris and small particles off the floor, emits a cleaning solution and gently scrubs away, eliminating up to 98 per cent of common household bacteria like E. Coli and Staphylococcus. The robot is small enough to fit under tables, while it avoids chair legs, ledges, carpets, and stairs owing to infrared scanning technology.

i www.hammacher.com

This cool-looking watch is ideal for those who’ve always secretly envied Maxwell Smart and his gadgets. Not only does it also function as a mobile phone, it plays music, takes pictures and movies, records video etc. The watch comes with 512MB of inbuilt memory which you can always expand with a Micro SD card. It’s also Bluetooth compatible, and supports MP3, MIDI, WAV, AAC and MP4 files. There’s no need to buy a new SIM card. Just take your card out of your mobile and pop it in the SIM card slot. With all this action in one nifty gadget, you’ll be entertained for hours!

i www.iwantoneofthose.com

Sunshine and music with the new MP3 Sunglasses Few things feel quite as good as the warm sunshine on your skin, or listening to your favourite songs while you admire the view. Now, you can do both with minimum fuss. The MP3 Sunglasses not only filter out harmful UVB and UVA rays, they also contain 2GB of memory, holding up to 480 songs which you can select just by shifting controls located in the arms of the sunglasses. The multi-adjustable earphones fit comfortably in your ears and you can upload all your favourite songs through a USB cord.

i www.iwantoneofthose.com

Sing and dance in the shower with the Shower Tap Radio It’s easy enough to take your CD player into the bathroom on those occasions when a long, relaxing bath is called for but electrocution or getting the stereo wet are always a worry. Budding Pavarottis will love the new Shower Tap Radio, which comes with a builtin suction cap that attaches to your bathroom tiles. Just turn the tap off, or on, on AM or FM frequency, to create your personal aquatic dance session.

i www.iwantoneofthose.com Stylish fireplace by Radius Design German company, Radius Design’s new Home Flame collection features a range of upmarket fireplaces for those into ultra-contemporary looks. The fireplaces contain an interior combustion chamber that uses little fuel (500 ml of bio-ethanol per hour), lasts long ( boasting a 1.7 litre capacity), and is extremely safe (thanks to a double-walled combustion chamber). While there is no doubt that wood has a very special aroma, this bio-ethanol alternative is perfect for those who are more into contemporary, rather than rustic, styles.

i www.radius-design-shop.de

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THETREND

CARS

ou’ll have to search hard for another car manufacturing nation that boasts as many respected luxury nameplates as Britain. Detractors may bemoan the foreign ownership issue, but an impressive number of Britain’s established luxury car builders survive – and indeed prosper – in a world that’s not been too kind to the motor industry in recent years. Few of Britain’s fabled makers would have made it to the 21st century without offshore cash and the fact that we can buy these motor cars today is due entirely to the globalisation of the vehicle-building business. Five key contenders – Jaguar, Land Rover, RollsRoyce, Bentley and Aston Martin – are thriving and several of the less upscale players are not doing too badly either – especially hugely successful Mini. Each of these marques has a legendary history and has benefited over the past decade or two from involvement with a far larger corporate partner. Without the research and development resources of mega-groups like Ford, VW/Audi and BMW, we’d surely have lost at least a couple of our five storied car manufacturers. It’s worth adding that despite the woeful cries of traditionalists, every one of these manufacturers is turning out some of the best-built and most durable vehicles in their history.

Jaguar’s history may not extend quite as far back as some of its rivals, but it’s packed with great cars and innumerable racing successes. Founded as a motorcycle sidecar company in 1922 by the brilliant William (later Sir William) Lyons and a partner, the firm dropped its original SS nameplate as WW2 approached for obvious reasons and became Jaguar. The golden era began in the 1950s and the years following produced the wonderful XK models and wins at Le Mans. Jaguar is making headlines right now with the introduction of its all-new XJ saloon – successor to a model line that goes back to 1968 and even further if you count non-XJ four-doors. The last XJ was criticised by many for being too much like its predecessor, despite its advanced technology, but that accusation will never be levelled at the new model. It’s a truly beautiful car that’s every inch a Jaguar and its svelte lines draw on some exciting new design cues plus one or two older ones from the XK sports cars. Engines include a V-6 diesel and several V-8 variants and Jaguar makes use of both superchargers and turbochargers across the XJ range. It’s hitting the market at the same time as Porsche’s Panamera four-door and should give it a good run for its money. Of all the super-luxury cars on the market around the world right now, Bentley could easily be termed one of the most successful with models that seem to be much-loved by everyone

from movie stars to international sports personalities. If Bentley’s revered founder Walter Owen Bentley could see what the company was doing today, he’d surely believe that his old philosophy of combining speed with luxury still holds good. What else can you say about a motor manufacturer that produces, in its Continental GTC Speed, the worlds fastest four-seat convertible (Bentley claims 321 km/h). Bentley’s origins go back to 1910, but the cars really made their mark with countless racing successes in the 1920s at both Le Mans and at Brooklands, the world’s first purpose-built racing circuit. Drivers included such fascinating personalities as multi-millionaire diamond tycoon Wolf Barnato, who took Le Mans three times and also helped bail out the company when financial disaster threatened. The superlative GTC uses a six-litre, 600-horsepower, W-12 twin-turbo engine, six-speed transmission and all-wheel drive. OK, it has some Audi innards, but who’s going to complain about that? Very few cars will get you to 100 km/h in well under five seconds with as little fuss as the GTC. Even competitors would argue that no car manufacturer has ever quite achieved the mystique of Rolls-Royce, though many have tried over the decades. The Hon. Charles Rolls and Henry Royce were an unlikely pair to found the iconic nameplate back in 1904. Rolls

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was a youthful and wealthy aristocrat while Royce was a down-to-earth engineer and businessman. Rolls was always a ‘man of speed’, racing bicycles, motorcycles and automobiles, before he took to the developing field of aeronautics. Sadly, this was to be his undoing and he died in his Wright biplane following structural failure during a flying tournament. He was just 33 years old. Royce forged on to lay the foundations of the RollsRoyce we now know so well. These cars were never the shrinking violets of the motoring world and so it goes today. The Phantom is not a car that’s easy to miss when you see one on the road and to spot the 10-car fleet operated by the megalux Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai (as I have) is to witness one of the automotive sights of the world. It’s big, it’s brash and it shrieks of serious money. This is not a car for someone wanting to keep a low profile when they’re out and about. There are three Phantoms – the majestic saloon, the elegant coupé and a magnificent convertible (drophead coupé in Rolls talk) which must surely provide the most opulent wind-in-your-face motoring on the planet. All these models use 6.7-litre V-12 engines of BMW origin. As always, these cars offer an uncanny level of refinement and luxury and very much retain the lofty standards set all those years ago by Hon. Rolls and Mr. Royce. It was back in 1948 that Land Rover revealed what is now regarded as the pioneer civilian utility vehicle and a fairly crude affair it was too. Penned by Rover design boss Maurice Wilks while on holiday in Wales, the original Land Rover morphed into a range of luxurious and capable vehicles that he surely could

never have imagined in his wildest dreams. Land Rover is trumpeting its revised 2010 Range Rover Sport extensively right now – aiming right at the heart of a performance 4X4 market dominated by the Porsche Cayenne. According to Land Rover, the Range Rover Sport’s performance, ride and handling have been transformed with the introduction of new engines, transmission and chassis systems. This might be a big rig, but it handles like a much smaller SUV and as good as some sports sedans with a skilled driver at the wheel. Power is provided by a 510-horsepower 5.0-litre V-8 with a supercharger for even more getup-and-go. Like every Range Rover that went before, interior details are beyond opulent (lots of leather and wood) and every imaginable convenience item is there for the driver’s enjoyment and safety. Interestingly, specialist sports car manufacturers round off any list of high-end British nameplates. Despite various ups and downs over the years since its 1914 founding, Aston Martin seems to have gone from strength to strength and has a very impressive range right now. The look and feel of these fine cars is matched only by rivals like Ferrari, and that’s saying a lot. Morgan likewise appears indestructible and is one of the very few car makers of any size that still has a descendent of the founder at the helm. As far as the cars go, Morgans are Morgans and it would be safe to say that there are no competitors. Lotus, the brainchild of automotive design genius Colin Chapman, has faced far more challenges over the years than it deserved but again, it’s still busy creating new

models and marketing an intriguing range with all the qualities of Chapman’s best. When it comes to luxury vehicles, the British car industry is very much alive and well. Hopefully, the future will see fewer buyers puzzling over ‘who owns what’ and more paying attention to competitiveness, performance and quality. They won’t be disappointed. n

British Luxury Marques Report Tony Whitney Photography Courtesy of Jaguar, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin

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THETREND

INTERNET

Is your website doing nothing for your company, social club or organisation? Consider these five suggestions to get it back up to speed…

Five Ways to Make Money from your Website Report Phil Morse

irtually every business, social club and non-profit organisation has a website nowadays. Even individuals are more likely than ever to have blogs or home pages. But very few of these sites actually make any money. Yet there are a whole raft of things that the smart business owner, club chairman, charity organiser or individual can do to get their website working hard for them. Here are five ideas:

Give free stuff away to get new leads This is so simple to do and doesn’t cost loads of money because you don’t actually give anything physical away. Yet it may just land your company a new client or open up another business network for you. The basic premise is to give away knowledge in return for the chance to talk to the potential client. For instance, say you are an alarm fitter: you therefore know more than most about home break-ins; so you write a pamphlet called 10 Easy Ways To Prevent Your Home Being Burgled. You then get this nicely designed and made into a downloadable file, and pop it on a page on your website. Here’s the trick: your visitors have to fill in their name and email/phone. They get something for free, you get a new potential lead and it all costs next-to-nothing. People are happy to give their details if they think the freebie is non-commercial and of genuine worth.

Carry Adverts on your web site Ever been browsing the Net and seen those little panels of ‘Ads by Google’? This type of in-page advertising is easy to set up. You just open an AdSense account at Google, then get your web designer to incorporate the ads unobtrusively somewhere in your page, and you get paid every time someone clicks on them. You’re not going to get rich from this (unless your site is www.bbc.co.uk) but for certain types of website – those offering local event info or blogs, for instance – they are a complementary fit and the money you make is for doing absolutely nothing.

price, you can now dip your toe in the water for even less – absolutely nothing, in fact – by simply signing up at PayPal and adding a ‘Buy with PayPal’ button to any product description on your existing website. The clever stuff doesn’t even happen on your website – PayPal whisks your customer off to a credit card page, they pay, then PayPal drops them back onto your site. You just pay a small percentage to PayPal for handling the transaction for you.

Sell someone else’s products online Does your cycling club (for instance) have a web page? Then why not sell bikes from it? You just add a link to an online bike shop’s site (one that has an affiliate programme), and anything they sell from your lead earns you a percentage. Sometimes, even just providing the lead gets you a payout! Most big companies which sell anything online have these affiliate programmes (Amazon is the most famous) which can be really lucrative if you can convince people to click. Or you can take it a step further and set up a ‘shop’ online, the twist being you never see the products you sell. A classic 21st-century business, all you are doing is putting the seller and the buyer in touch with each other. As far as the buyer is concerned, what you’re selling comes from your ‘shop’. Your job is simply to pass the buyer’s details on to the seller, who sends the item out and provides the after-sales support, delivery, returns, etc. on your behalf – and under your brand. Find the right product and a reputable merchant to

partner with and you can make handsome markups, without lifting a finger.

Make sure your website doesn’t suck Just by making your website fit for its purpose, from a client’s point of view, will make you money over most of your competitors, simply because most sites fail to do so. Here are two tests to try: u Count the number of time the word ‘we’ is used in your text, compared to ‘you’. If ‘we’ wins, you’re not customer focused! Customers care about themselves, not you. It is time to rewrite your text. u The ‘rule of sevens’ states that it should be completely clear what a company does from looking at its website – both for seven seconds and from seven feet away. Try it! If your site fails, it is confusing visitors and – timepoor creatures that they are – they will hit back and go to a site that doesn’t make them work. It’s definitely time for a redesign.

i Phil Morse co-runs Reedus Design, the Costa del Sol’s

longest-established web design and Internet marketing agency. Reedus Design´s mission is to help businesses make more money from the Internet, whether through improving their web design, marketing message, usability, search engine optimisation, online marketing campaigns or web advertising. For more information, contact info@reedusdesign.com

Sell your products online Not so long ago, selling products online meant an expensive online store. While stores have plummeted in

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11-09-2009 15:27:23

THETREND ENVIRONMENT

he huge cultural circle that is fashion may start on a street corner, in a movie, a hit song, an art piece. Any component of our culture can inspire the next designer or girl next door or supermodel’s fashion, thus creating a knock on effect and shaping an era of trends. It is that simple and that complex. The most creative of designers hone in on what is happening in our world, be it the latest music movement to come to light from the projects or tower block, or something the Queen said. There is always something to inspire creation lurking in the most unlikely places of our world. It is therefore no surprise that global warming, fairtrade, nature, sustainability, organic materials, etc. are all huge influences on fashions and trends in this day and age. Ever increasing awareness and altering the minds of the masses flows alongside a positive ideal to save the planet (while looking fabulous). Thankfully these are not seasonal trends and are here to stay, if our planet is to stay of course! There are so many ways now to be a green garment guru that it is not limited to wearing hemp, looking like a festival reject and sewing patches to your elbows. Unless of course that is your desired look, in which case – go for it! If you are a keen shopper but have become aware

of the ever-decreasing price tags and wonder, ‘just how do they make any money on this item at only €2’? Well in all honesty you probably wouldn’t want to know first hand but you can bet it isn’t pretty. The minute you start to consider who made your clothes, in what sort of conditions, and how little they are being paid, you may start to feel guilty for bragging about the bargains you just managed to bag in the high street. There are many people, designers, high street giants, fashion houses and everyday folk striving to make the fashion world a greener one with organic, ethical, vintage, recycled and fair-trade clothing companies, stockists and stores springing up left right and centre (People Tree, Patagonia, American Apparel, Edun, Gossypium, Katherine Hamnet to name but a mere few drops in the green fashion ocean) all assisting in the fairer, greener and more natural push to change the ways of the fashion world, whilst also striving to maintain reasonable prices and up to the minute trends. There are other ways to go about wearing green. E-bay is a mine of vintage, second hand and latest clothing ranges with 11 per cent of items sold on the site being clothes and shoes. Online fashion auctions are serious business. Whatever the price tag you can be safe in the knowledge that your item is recycled (i.e. worn before or previously bought by someone else) and you haven’t just directly contributed to any further slave labour or harm to nature. Charity or ‘thrift’ shops are also a great place to

find fantastic bargains and one-off’s that you won’t see on any one else while out on a Friday night. Not only does this style of shopping promote recycling garments but will also help you develop a style that is not only personal, unique and different but eclectic and authentic. ‘Vintage’ has got to be the fashion buzzword of the decade and is now the top end of the second-hand clothes market. There are some amazing stores worldwide including Decades, L.A., Rellik, London, Steinberg & Tolkien, London, Beyond Retro. One of the best ways to be kind to the environment is to take your wardrobe and reinvent it. If, like many of us, you do the occasional wardrobe culling and sling out some items that you have kept through too many previous culls and still not worn, there are other options than just putting them in a recycling bin (although this is better than just in the regular trash). Why not try a swap-shop event where your friends can do the same and see if one person’s trash is another’s treasure? You may just find that missing essential piece of your wardrobe. Otherwise try taking some old garments and stripping and ripping them to sew them back together in an entirely new fashion and voila, your very own customised piece of clothing! There are so many ways to look good in green these days. So cut out the guilt in your clothes by cutting them up, going vintage, opting organic and bidding for your bargains to start your journey to becoming a green god or goddess.

Victoria Wood is a member of the Terra Sana Life Team. www.terrasana.net

‘Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening’ Coco Chanel

In Vogue can you really look good in green? Victoria wood teaches us how to change the world… with style!

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‘Brazil is where all the smart money is going in International property investment. It is a stable country with strong growth, low inflation and the potential to be one of the most affluent countries in the world’

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The Economy

news

Brazil is the B in the phrase ‘BRIC Economies’, a term first coined by Goldman Sachs who predicted that the 4 emerging economies of the future - Brazil, Russia, India, and China - would increase so significantly in the years to come that they would eclipse the combined economies of the current richest countries in the world. Currently Brazil is the eighth largest economy in the world, with a GPD of 2 trillion Dollars, putting it ahead of Canada, India, and most European countries. As well as its exports of natural resources, Brazil leads in manufactured exports including planes, cars, and parts. It also holds the position of being the only country to host the main assembly plants of the world’s top 10 car manufacturers. Brazil has only been marginally affected by the global economic crisis and it will be one of only 5 economies in the world that will grow in 2009, with a projected trade surplus of 25 billion dollars. The country continues to boom with a 5% GDP growth in 2008. As only 3% of residential housing is mortgage based, house prices did not explode at the same level of most other countries, and the banking crisis had little affect.

The World Cup FIFA recently announced that Fortaleza would be a host city for the 2014 World Cup. This has been an amazing boost for the city, and was followed by the announcement from Mayor Gomez that they have budget approval to spend 9.6 billion Reais (over 3 billion pounds) on improvements to the city in the run-up to the World Cup. This includes an expansion to the airport – more than doubling its existing capacity to 13 million passengers per year, new roads and connections, and a new underground metro system.

Previous host cities to the World Cup saw huge rises in property prices including Athens, Barcelona, Sydney and Atlanta where they outperformed the rest of the property market by an average of 20% per annum. In some cases property soared even more and in Barcelona for example properties increased 49% more in the run-up to the World Cup than in other Spanish Cities.

Fortaleza is the capital city of Ceará and a host city of the 2014 World Cup

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the chic DĂ‰COR AND FASHION

Top British Designers

Art News

Agent Provocateur Autumn/Winter 2009 Collection

Page

Best of British Design

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THECHIC DESIGN

best of

In 2006, Concorde was voted the winner of a quest for the top British Design icon of the 20th century, sponsored by London’s Design Museum and BBC Two’s The Culture Show. It was a controversial decision as the supersonic aircraft was a joint effort between the British Aircraft Corp. and Aerospatiale of France. Despite her cutting-edge design and ability to cross the Atlantic in under three hours at twice the speed of sound, Concorde was condemned by many as irrelevant and a waste of money, and was permanently grounded after 27 years. However, there are many enduring design icons that shout their innate Britishness so loudly, they are recognised the world over, from Tipperary to Tibet. This year, the Royal Mail is featuring ten of the 20th century’s top British design icons on its latest set of picture stamps, including the Mini, Penguin paperbacks, red telephone kiosks and, yes, Concorde too, which inspired Belinda Beckett to take a trip down memory lane.

BRITISH DESIGN

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Mini-skirt 1960’s

The defining look of every cool chick about town during the Swinging Sixties, Mary Quant is generally credited with inventing this fashion phenomenon (along with Seventies Hot Pants). She began experimenting with above-the-knee hemlines in the late 1950s, selling the designs from her Bazaar boutique in London’s trend-setting King’ s Road. When it reached eight inches (20cm) above the knee, the mini-skirt was born. Its acceptance was greatly boosted by Jean Shrimpton’s appearance in a short white shift dress by Colin Rolfe during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia, where it caused a sensation. Shrimpton claimed that the brevity of the skirt was due to Rolfe’s having insufficient material!

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band Album Cover The cover art, depicting The Beatles posing in day-glo military outfits with cardboard cut-outs of famous figures, has been widely acclaimed and much imitated. The collage took designer Peter Blake two week’s to assemble at the London studio of photographer Michael Cooper, who took the cover shots in a three-hour evening session. The final bill for the cover was £2,868 5s/3d, a staggering sum which was 100 times the average cost for an album cover in those days. Mae West, one of the personalities featured on the cover, initially refused the honour, commenting: “What would I be doing in a lonely hearts club?” She relented after The Beatles sent her a personal letter.

1967

1913

Aston Martin

Still one of the most seductive examples of great British design, voted the coolest UK brand for three years running. The Warwickshire-based firm was named after Lionel Martin (co-founder, with Robert Bamford) and the Aston Hill speed hill-climb in Buckinghamshire. The marque was immortalised by another British icon, James Bond, whose long association with Aston Martin began on screen with a silver DB5 in Goldfinger (1964). Despite brief flirtations with Lotus and BMW, 007 has remained pretty faithful to the marque and the new Bond, Daniel Craig, is no exception. In Casino Royale he drives both the classic DB5 and the new DBS, also his company car in Quantum of Solace.

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1932

Anglepoise lamp

Extensively copied and still in use today, this simple, functional desk lamp was the brainchild of a British car designer! George Carwardine was developing new concepts for vehicle suspensions when he created a mechanism which he realised had other applications. Joints and spring tension in the arm allow the lamp to be placed in a wide range of positions, yet remain stationary. The design has since been used in other devices, notably the copytypist’s text holder and the computer display screen. In 1948, Anglepoises were effectively banned at the BBC during a purge to eradicate ‘smut’ from radio and television programmes. The lamps were famously forbidden unless the main ceiling or wall lamp was also illuminated, because it was thought that a man working in a confined space with only the light from a low-wattage lamp would nurture furtive ideas, and produce degenerate programme material! The edict was later rescinded!

1933

Catseye 1935

K6 Phone Box

There are few more powerful British symbols than the classic red telephone kiosk which has been a familiar part of the British streetscape for three quarters of a century. They can also be seen in Gibraltar, Bermuda and Malta. Designed to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V by Giles Gilbert Scott (who also gave us Waterloo Bridge and Battersea Power Station), they were made from three-quarters of a tonne of cast iron, teak (for the door frame), steel (for the 200 screws that hold it together) and boasted a ‘pendentive’ dome, a nod to early 19th century architect Sir John Soane, designer of the Bank of England. Their bright colour originally caused offense but is now a best-loved feature. Much-targeted by vandals and threatened with complete destruction in a wave of modernisation by BT in the 1980s, they became the object of a high-profile conservation campaign. This resulted in the Grade 2 listing of around 2,000 K6s in special locations and today, some 14,000 survive.

Simple, functional, and beautiful – a British classic that shows what great design is all about. Invented by Yorkshire textile mill worker, Percy Shaw, these reflective road-studs inspired by cat’s eyes and made of glass, rubber and cast iron have saved countless lives. Almost invisible by day, they come brilliantly to life after dark, lighting up in feline fashion when picked out by headlights. When tyres roll over them, the rubber studs sink into small cast iron reservoirs filled (frequently, in Britain) with rainwater; as they rise, a rubber blade wipes the lenses clean. Although he made money from his design, Percy was a man of modest tastes. His only luxuries were two Rolls Royces and four TV sets and he lived in the same family house for all but two of his 86 years.

The London Underground Map

1931

An unrivalled masterpiece of rational graphics, instantly recognisable as representing Britain’s capital. It is widely cited as a ‘design classic’ and came second in BBC Two’s televised search for the most well-known British design icon. It was originally designed by London Underground engineering draughtsman, Harry Beck, who based it on a mapping system for underground sewage systems – a simplified diagram consisting of stations, straight line segments connecting them, and the River Thames. He was paid just five guineas for the work. Beck produced further versions and it has been updated several times since but his final design, in 1960, bears a strong resemblance to modern-day maps. Artist David Booth’s The Tate Gallery by Tube (1986), one of a series of publicity posters for the Underground, depicts the lines of the map squeezed out of tubes of paint, and has since been used on the cover of the map itself. Due to its strong cultural associations, London Underground only rarely allows the design to be used for any other purpose but, despite these strictures, it has been reproduced all over the planet on T-shirts, postcards and other memorabilia.

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193

1954

Supermarine Spitfire Routemaster

Otherwise known as the double-decker bus, the red versions are a nostalgic symbol of London. Country versions were painted green, seaside resort buses were open-topped and a number were re-sprayed to celebrate both the Queen’s silver and golden jubilees. Built by the design team at Associated Equipment Company for London Transport, the brief was to produce a bus that was lighter, and hence more fuel efficient, than other models. The resulting vehicle could carry 64 seated passengers, despite weighing three-quarters of a ton less than the previous model. They were only in production for 10 years, after which they were gradually phased out and usurped by single-deckers and bendy buses. Today, the Routemaster remains on duty along two heritage routes in central London. But these grandes dames of public transport also pop up in the unlikeliest places, from Australia to Alaska, performing service as hot dog stands, shops and mobile homes. Such is their popularity, London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering bringing back a modern-day version.

Never was a machine a more complete expression of British derring-do than the Spitfire. Designed by aeronautical engineer, Reginald Mitchell who died before it went into production, the Spitfire became the backbone of RAF Fighter Command during World War Two, achieving legendary status during the Battle of Britain (although the more numerous Hurricanes actually shouldered a greater proportion of the burden against the Luftwaffe). More beautiful and agile than the ugly German Messerschmitt, with which the Spitfire is always compared, the penalty for such great looks and aerodynamics meant a wing so thin that the plane could not carry sufficient armament.

1953

G-Plan

A pioneering range of modern, modular home furniture produced in the UK by designer Donald Gomme for his High Wycombe furniture company. It was the product of good timing and great marketing. Rationing had ended, the Festival of Britain had stimulated a demand for more avant-garde furniture and Doris Gundry of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency came up with the distinctive brand name. Designs were available for several years so people could save up to collect them and the company’s profits shot up six-fold during that decade. Gomme sold the business but it still operates today, in Wiltshire, as G-Plan Upholstery Ltd.

Penguin Books

The iPod of its day, the flagship brand of Pearson PLC redesigned the intellectual landscape 1935 of Britain, encouraging readers of all classes to p…p…pick up a Penguin. In the world of publishing, cover designs have rarely been as immediately iconic as Allen Lane’s Penguin Classics series, designed by Edward Young and featuring the immortal Gill Sans typeface. Lane’s idea was to provide quality writing cheaply, for the same price as a packet of cigarettes. He also wanted them to be sold not only in bookshops but in railway stations, general stores and corner shops – indeed, the first batch were distributed from the crypt of Holy Trinity Church in Marylebone. In 1960, Lane’s decision to publish Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence, and the subsequent obscenity trial (which Penguin won) helped drive the sale of 3.5 million copies. Other controversial titles include Spycatcher, The Satanic Verses and Denying the Holocaust. Last year, Penguin re-released 36 modern popular works using Penguin’s distinctive early design, rebranded Penguin Celebrations, featuring different coloured borders to denote content: green for mystery, orange for fantastic fiction, etc. essential marbella magazine

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1963

The Polychair

Extraordinarily ordinary and taken utterly for granted, we’re talking about that essential prop of school assembly halls, lecture theatres and factory canteens. While not a design star, the brilliance of the Polychair lies in the fact that it will outlive (and already has outlived) many more chichi designs, having been in continuous production for more than 40 years. Some 14 million have been made to date and are still being turned out at the rate of 500,000 a year. The brainchild of Buckinghamshire designer Robin Day whose idea has made millions for Hille International of Lancashire, it was the first successful mass-produced, injection-molded polypropylene chair of its type, with the seat and back formed as one seamless unit, resting on a tubular steel frame. A classic example of ergonomics long before the term was invented, it’s cheap, hard-wearing, lightweight, comfortable and not bad looking. Over the next 44 years, Day created more than 150 furniture designs, including public seating for the Royal Festival Hall, Tate Britain, the Barbican Arts Centre and the London Underground.

Mini car

An icon of Britain’s Swinging Sixties that became a fashion statement, playing a starring role alongside Michael Caine in The Italian Job (1969). Many celebrities of that era drove customised versions, including the super-luxury Mini de Ville, produced to Rolls Royce limousine standards by the Harold Radford coach building company for the likes of Britt Ekland, John Lennon, Marianne Faithfull, and a psychedelic version for George Harrison which appeared in The Beatles movie, Magical Mystery Tour. The Mini’s spacesaving front-wheel-drive layout, allowing 80 per cent of the floorplan to be used for passengers and luggage, influenced a generation of car-makers. The distinctive two-door car was manufactured by the British Motor Corporation’s Longbridge and Cowley plants. Later, the sportier Mini Cooper and Cooper S were successful rally cars. The car still enjoys superstar status through BMW, whose one millionth Mini rolled off its Oxford production line in 2007. The car continues to appeal to the new tech-savvy generation, and has appeared in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) as a collectible fashion icon.

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Habitat

Sir Terence Conran’s avant-garde take on modern, affordable homeware was a design institution in its day. Habitat was the antithesis of the old-fashioned British department store where blue-rinsed assistants called customers Sir and Modom, à la Mrs Slocombe in TV’s Are You Being Served. The first store opened on Chelsea’s Fulham Road and, with piped pop music, quarry-tiled floors, whitewashed brick walls, spotlights and brown paper carrier bags, it quickly became one of the hip places to hang out as London began to swing. George Harrison was besieged here by fans on a shopping trip with Patti Boyd. Jean Shrimpton was a customer, as were Twiggy and Justin de Villeneuve, Jeff Banks, Sandie Shaw, Lionel Bart, Peter Sellers and Michael Caine. The paparazzi were a constant fixture outside the doors. Habitat sold not needs but desires, and its customers flocked to buy into the latest fads: Sabatier knives, Bertoia birdcage chairs, Japanese paper lanterns, colourful cast iron Le Creuset cookware, bean bags, modular shelving, woks and duvets. A measure of the success of this design concept is that it still exists today. Now owned by Ikea, there are 75 Habitat stores in Europe and concessions in many other countries.

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DECOR NEWS

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1 Jonathan Ive

Jonathan Ive, currently the VicePresident of Industrial Design of Apple Inc., designed the iMac, iPod, PowerBook G4, etc. After graduating from the University of Northumbria he founded his own design firm, Tangerine, whose most important client was Apple. In 1992, Ive packed up for San Francisco to join the Apple team.

i www.apple.com

Funky furniture, daring graphic designs and wonderful websites are only some of the milieus dominated by UK designers. This month, Marisa Cutillas brings you 10 of the very best.

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8 Top British Designers

2 BarberOsgerby

Neo-modernist designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby met while studying architecture at the Royal College of Art in London, where their passion for experimentation led them to establish BarberOsgerby in 1996. At their West London studio they designed their famous Loop Table, which attracted the attention of style icon Giulio Cappellini and led to a long working relationship with the latter. The duo have designed everything from the hangers for the Levi’s Engineered Jeans range to bottles for Coca-Cola and Stella McCartney’s first Manhattan store. In 2004 they were awarded the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize for Furniture, the UK’s most significant applied and decorative arts prize. Their De La Warr Pavilion Chair and Pantone stools

have earned them a place in prestigious establishments such as the V&A Museum.

i www.barberosgerby.com 3 Thorsten van Elten

Thorsten van Elten’s London boutique is the first stop for chic fashionistas seeking the perfect, utterly unique present for their loved ones. Van Elten, a former buyer for a furniture store, noted that many British designs weren’t making it to the shelves owing to a lack of British manufacturing, so he decided to batch-produce items by UK designers. More than 10,000 units of his Pigeon Light have been sold, and van Elten is determined to put an end to throwaway gifts, encouraging his fans to save up for special pieces destined to

become collectibles.

i www.thorstenvalelten.com 4 Sebastian Wrong

This designer, the Founding Director of furniture company Established & Sons, is a perfect example of how one design can change your life. His Font Clock, which features a dozen fonts indicating time and date, is a classic for collectors of funky pieces.

i www.establishedandsons.co.uk

5 Rupert Sanderson

Shoe designer Rupert Sanderson, winner of the Accessory Designer of the Year at the 2008 British Fashion Awards and 2009 Elle

Style Awards, could teach the Louboutins and Blahniks a lesson or two, with shoes that focus on simplicity, line and volume to lengthen legs and make women feel more sensual. In addition to his busy life as a designer, Rupert writes a weekly blog for British Vogue and nurtures budding new talents.

i www.rupertsanderson.com 6 Rockstar North

This video games design team created Grand Theft Auto, arguably the most popular video game on the scene. The design team has been criticised for the violent/ sexual content of the games, yet the sales figures indicate this isn’t an issue with gaming junkies.

i www.rockstarnorth.com

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7 Thomas Heatherwick

This designer is everything from a civil engineer to an artist whose projects, such as the Rolling Bridge in London and the B of the Bang sculpture in Manchester, have been bringing new life and colour to the city. His studio specialises in architecture, sculpture, urban infrastructure, product design, exhibition design and strategic thinking. Designs range from large-scale (the Longchamp flagship store) to small-scale (The Zip Bag). Heatherwick operates from his studio in King’s Cross, where he and his team have delighted in experimenting with form and ideas since 1994.

9 Julia Lohmann

Julia Lohmann was first inspired by a most unlikely subject: sheep stomachs, whose texture and translucency mesmerised her. This became the main material from which her Flock lights are made! Since then, she has grown accustomed to “taking commonly discarded material and making it into beautiful things”. Aside from the lamp, she has shocked audiences with her Cow Bench (made from rawhide) and Lasting Void (stools made from the bodies of animals). Julia also runs a design studio with her husband.

i www.julialohmann.com

i www.thomasheatherwick.com 10 Daniel Brown

This eclectic designer has worked across a wide range of disciplines to create everything from chairs, household objects, a bicycle and a concept car to restaurants, a recording studio and the interiors of private and commercial jets. His mercury blob-style Lockheed Lounge chaise longue and the Kelvin40 concept jet are two of his most famous designs.

Web designer, programmer and artist Daniel Brown first burst onto the scene with his 1997 site, www.noodlebox.com, a lively, colourful site that proved a stark contrast to the boring, static websites of the 1990s. His new site, www.play.create.com, proves he is still at the cutting edge, with a series of designs the user himself must bring to life. Currently, Daniel is New Media Director for renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight, and works on independent projects and commissions. He was named London Design Museum’s UK Designer of the Year 2004.

i www.marc-newson.com

i www.danielbrowns.com

8 Marc Newson

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Report Marisa Cutillas

ART NEWS

Iva Vacheva at the Punzmann Gallery Bulgarian artist, Iva Vacheva presents an exhibition of paintings filled with fantasy, myth and fairytale-like innocence, at the Punzmann Gallery. Vacheva’s works tell many small stories, in which reality and fantasy, love of life and sadness, erotic attraction and physical disgust, curiosity and weariness, flow together. The sources of her work often derive from jokes she hears, half-forgotten memories, or dreams. She fearlessly paints her darker visions, but always in a relaxed, humorous way. Vacheva’s work hides a host of stories and symbols which, upon close observation, tell their own little fairytales.

i Avda. Luis Braille 4, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 787 787. www.punzmann-gallery.com

José Antonio Sorolla at the Punzmann Gallery Matías Sánchez at the CAC Matías Sánchez, the contemporary Sevillan painter born in Germany, presents his first individual exhibition in Spain. Elegidos para la Gloria is a set of paintings that reflect characteristic Mediterranean irony, alongside Sánchez’ excellent expressionistic technique. “The important thing is to paint. I don’t look for my subjects; they find me,” the artist says, adding, “They are often the reflection of how the media and the yellow press transform normal people into caricatures.” Sánchez has created four large-scale works for the CAC, drawing on the influence of his favourite artists, Picasso and Matisse, to reveal the most cruel, ephemeral side of the art scene. Uneven eyes, odd coloured hair, disproportionately long fingers, strange ears and impossible noses are some of the features of the characters in his paintings, often the greatest victims of his irony.

Light and poetry, clear sunset skies and metallic grey cloudy mornings are some of the many scenes to be found in the expression of José Antonio Sorolla, now at the Punzmann Gallery. The works of this hyper-realist painter are so lifelike they are akin to photographs, embellished with the visionary sensitivity of the artist. Light is a key player in Sorolla’s art, sometimes flooding the canvass and other times hiding in the distance. From natural scenes to isolated urban buildings, lonely bridges to overpopulated apartment blocks, Sorolla manages to imbue them all with a sense of isolation and reflection.

C/ Alemania s/n, Málaga. Tel: 952 120 055. www.cacmalaga.org

i Avda. Luis Braille 4, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 787 787. www.punzmann-gallery.com

Sophie Taeuber-Arp at the Museo Picasso de Málaga In 1915, Sophie Taeuber and renowned Swiss artist Jean Arp met for the first time, in Zurich. They met quite by chance, and Arp, who was later to become her husband and collaborator, was fascinated by this “serene and amiable” woman, who lived her life “like a character from a Book of Hours, studious both at work and in sleep”. Yet Sophie was much more than an orderly woman. She was obsessed with the need to transform the world, to design and change it, her curiosity embracing such wide-ranging forms of expression as painting, dance, tapestry, drawing, embroidery, furniture and interior design, photography, architecture, set design and puppet-making, all with equal intensity. With each one, she examined, resolved and reconciled the contradictory extremes that served as the backdrop for modern art: figurative art and abstraction, Dada and geometric abstraction, disorder and harmony, art and craft. This month, enjoy over 130 of her Works at the Museo Picasso de Málaga.

i C/ San Agustín 8, Málaga. Tel: 952 443 377. www.museopicassomalaga.org 64

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THECHIC FASHION

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Agent Provocateur

Whether you wish to bring out the innocent, baby doll, the rebellious adolescent or the devilish diva in you, Joseph Correâ€™s Agent Provocateur is bound to be the right choice to send your loverâ€™s temperature soaring. With everything from erotic pasties so delicate lace numbers, the Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 collection is bound to surprise, tantalise, hypnotise. Marisa Cutillas brings us the must-have items for the season.

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i AGENT PROVOCATEUR

Muelle Ribera, Local 9, Puerto BanĂşs. Tel: 952 810 171. www.agentprovocateur.com

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THECHIC FASHION NEWS

Warm and cosy winter They say the real fashion season begins just when leaves start to turn golden and the cool weather sets in. Itâ€™s the best time of the year to embrace your body with the most in winter must-haves and shine in the most glamorous jewellery pieces. Marisa Cutillas brings us the must-have items for Autumn/Winter 2009.

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1 - Open toe suede boots by Benetton 2 - Brown leather bag by La Redoute 3 - Party wear by Alexis Mabille for La Redoute 4 - Boots by Ferragamo for Yohji Yamamoto 5 - Diamond bracelet by Rabat 6 - Sunglasses by Gucci 7 - Diamond ring by Rabat 8 - Leather platform by Dior 9 - All-star light leather boots by Converse 10 - Tailored suit by Next 11 - Silk baby doll dress by La Redoute 12 - Cotton dress, denim jacket and leather boots by La Redoute 13 - Lycra top and trousers by La Redoute 14 - Outfit and accesories by Next 15 - Cotton top, denim jeans and leather boots by Pepe Jeans London 16 - Silk top and wide cotton trousers by Benetton 17 - Hippy cotton top by Roxy 18 - Cotton baby doll dress by Freeman T. Porter

Benetton www.benetton.com converse www.converse.com Dior www.dior.com

FREEMAN T PORTER www.freemanporter.com Gucci At Eyedonist Marbella. Avda. Ricardo Soriano 12, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 904.

La Redoute www.laredoute.es NEXT www.nextdirectory.eu Pepe Jeans www.pepejeans.com Rabat www.rabat.it Roxy www.roxy.com yohji yamamoto www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp

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*Laut OJD ist die Costa del Sol Nachrichten die meistverkaufte und damit meistgelesene deutschsprachige Zeitung an der Costa del Sol

CSN-Leser haben mehr vom Lesen!

CSN-Leser haben mehr vom Lesen, weil sie über alle wichtigen Ereignisse an der Costa del Sol aktuell und ausführlich informiert sind. Nachrichten, Reportagen, Kultur, Sport, Freizeit. Alles was sie wissen müssen! ... Und jetzt auch täglich im Internet! Tagesaktuelle Schlagzeilen und Kurznachrichten finden Sie auf unserem Internetportal WWW.COSTANACHRICHTEN.COM und die ausführlichen Berichte und Hinterwww.costanachrichten.com www.costadelsolnachrichten.com

grundinformationen lesen Sie in der Printausgabe, erhältlich jeden Donnerstag am Kiosk.

Meistgekauft, meistgelesen!*

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the spa BEAUT Y AND HEALTH

Beauty News

Cosmetic Safety Database

Health News

Scientific News & Research

Page

All Natural Cosmetics

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THESPA BEAUTY

Jane Iredale Cosmetics Jane Iredale, former Hollywood casting director and producer, is a pioneer in the world of mineral make-up. She was the first to supply the beauty industry with an ample line of make-up products and the first to suggest that make-up was actually good for the skin. Working on her films with actresses such as Lauren Hutton, Jaclyn Smith and Cybill Shepherd, she was able to see first-hand how skin sensitivities and disorders could play havoc with the self-esteem as well as add unwanted years of age to the face. She therefore created Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, a selection of light, moist products that ‘feel like a second skin’. There is a wide range of products that look so good, one realises how far mineral cosmetics have come. You will find everything from mineral foundation to concealers, eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascaras, eyebrow pencils, blushes, bronzers and lip shades. We especially love the Liquid Minerals foundation, made up of hundreds of beads that capture a whole host of active ingredients, which are time-released onto the skin. The spheres are suspended in a gel composed of aloe vera and vegetable glycerin. In addition to successfully smoothing skin and hiding blemishes and imperfections, the foundation helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles, minimises pore size and evens out skin tone.

i www.janeiredale.com

There was a time when, despite knowing how harmful parabens, mineral oils and other synthetic chemicals are to skin, those who wouldn’t dream of leaving home without make-up had no choice but to resort to commercial brands. Now, with so many excellent natural products on the market, there’s no excuse for sticking to bad habits. Marisa Cutillas brings us the top five natural make-up brands… finally, it’s easy being green!

All Natural Cosmetics Report Marisa Cutillas

Living Nature Living Nature is another stalwart of the natural cosmetics world, with a wide range of cosmetics made from goodies such as avocado oil, macadamia oil and manuka honey. The company’s formulations are developed by a Research and Development team that works with six different scientific organisations to identify, extract and purify plant compounds for use in the products. The basis of Living Nature’s cosmetic collection are rare plants from New Zealand, a country which has been geographically isolated for over 80 million years, giving rise to a totally unique flora. Over 80 per cent of New Zealand’s plants cannot be found anywhere else in the world! In addition to cosmetics, Living Nature manufacturers a host of lines including skin and hair care, men’s products and a popular mother and baby line. A must is the foundation, which received

the award for Best Natural Foundation in the UK Natural Health Beauty Awards 2008.

i www.livingnature.com

Revolution Organics Revolution Organics is ideal for young beauty buffs who want a product that is as stylishly packaged as MAC or Bobbi Brown but is 100 per cent natural. The best thing about these items is that they are nearly all multi-taskers and can be used in many different ways. The All-Over Body Balm, for instance, has 22 different uses – from your nose to your toes. To name a few of its functions, it softens lines, primes skin for your foundation, functions as a hair conditioner, relieves chapped lips and fights free radicals.

i www.revolutionorganics.com

Gabriel Cosmetics This new company was founded by Gabriel DeSantino, a cosmetologist who “grew up watching my grandmother making homeopathic remedies from seaweed, kelp and herbs, which I helped her gather at her home by the ocean in Mexico”. DeSantino’s grandmother was a naturalist and herbalist who handed down vital information on the healing and revitalising properties of ocean plant life to her young grandson. She proved the inspiration for his passion for science and cosmetics, and his Gabriel skincare is now one of the best-selling lines worldwide. Gabriel products are 100 per cent natural, with no synthetic chemicals or animal by-products. Interestingly, natural products actually contain a higher percentage of active ingredients than their chemical-ridden counterparts. The essential oils are sourced from a host of exotic locations, including the Far East and the Pacific Ocean. Only the first pressings from each plant are used, ensuring top quality and purity. We suggest Gabriel’s Zulu Luxe eyeshadows, in a fantastic palette of shimmery colours that last all day. Made from ingredients such as spring water, herbs and vitamins, they do wonders for the delicate skin in the eye area, and feel lusciously smooth.

i www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com

NVEY ECO NVEY ECO is an Australian firm that, luckily for the Spanish, also has a branch in Barcelona. It is the chic newcomer to the biological makeup market, although scientists were researching possible new products six years prior to the launch. NVEY ECO aims to explode the myth that ecological products don’t perform as well as more commercial ones, with a line of long-lasting, high-performance items made from top quality biological ingredients and pigments to ensure a professional look and feel. We are fans of their biological blusher, which gives a lovely, even finish and a youthful glow. We find it amazing that its ingredient list contains only the purest nature has to offer, including corn, chamomile and jojoba oil. It is also enriched with the potent antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.

i www.nveyeco.es

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Report Marisa CUTILLAS

BEAUTY

Lip reduction treatments on the rise Fancy a complete day of pampering where your body, mind and soul can tune out everyday stress and travel to a world of relaxation and peace? If so, sign up for the Selenza Thalasso & Spa’s new VIP programme: a one-day or weekend treatment which includes everything from thalassotherapy (including seaweed wraps, jet showers and circular showers) to colour, music and aroma therapy and even a four-hand body massage and flotation experience. As part of the package, you can also have a facial, followed by pressotherapy, to eliminate and drain excess liquid in the body. Finally, breathe in deeply at a session of oxygen therapy, to recharge the levels of oxygen in your blood, brain and tissues.

Big lips are in so it’s unfortunate that many patients often have to resort to reduction treatments following augmentation procedures that have resulted in the deformation of the natural lip contour. Dr. Fernando Urdiales, Vice-President of the Sección Colegial de Medicina Estética del Colegio de Médicos de Málaga and Founder of the Instituto Médico Miramar, recently announced that the main reason for the rise in lip reduction procedures was “poor implantation carried out by non-medical, unauthorised personnel”. The resulting side-effects are often impossible to fix without surgery. Dr. Urdiales stated that the current trend is for natural-looking lips, filled with reticulated hyaluronic acid, a naturally produced product that is easily absorbed. Women as young as early 30s are seeking to fill in tiny lines, before they grow into pronounced wrinkles. From 45 onwards, Dr. Urdiales advises patients to opt for lip regeneration using fillers and laser treatment. In any case, women should be fully informed of the pros and cons of any treatment, as well as the type of substance they are being implanted with, and possible complications.

i CN 340, km 165, Estepona. Tel: 952 899 499. www.selenzahoteles.es

i C/ Córdoba 6, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 782 055. www.institutomedicomiramar.com

VIP beauty programme at Selenza Thalasso & Spa

Women’s breasts are getting bigger Would that we could be teenagers again! A new study commissioned by Bodyfashion Promotion in the Netherlands has found that 32 per cent of Dutch women now have a D-cup or bigger, a measurement only enjoyed by 20 per cent of women five years ago. Breast size has been increasing consistently for the past decade, owing to a variety of factors including genetic changes and the soaring popularity of breast augmentation procedures. The good news for those considering breast enhancement is that doctors are now investigating the possibility of using a coating of titanium to reduce breast tissue reaction, one of the most common causes of pain and discomfort resulting from silicone implants.

Beware of lead-loaded lipsticks It’s hard to believe that so many of the biggest cosmetic firms are still using dangerous chemical ingredients in creams and make-up products. The latest scare involves the presence of lead (which causes cancer) in lipsticks. Consumers should be particularly wary of long-lasting lipsticks, many of which have this effect because of their high lead content. To test the safety of your lipsticks at home, just dab a bit of the product on your hand, then ‘scratch’ the lipstick with a gold ring. If the product goes black, it contains lead. Try the same experiment when you’re buying a new lipstick too, taking advantage of the fact that all major brands have sample testers.

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Report Marisa Cutillas

any of us would probably go into a panic if we knew how harmful many of the products we use daily are, to ourselves and our children. Everything from shampoos to hair dyes, creams to perfume, are capable of creating a hefty ‘body burden’ that can cause anything from cancer to allergies, organ system toxicities to changes in the way our cells function. A recent study on adolescent girls in the USA, for instance, detected 16 chemicals (including phthalates, triclosan, parabens and musks) in their blood and urine samples, which are linked to conditions such as cancer and hormone disruption. But even babies are at risk, with many products such as baby shampoos, nappy creams and baby sunscreens containing the same ingredients. The main problem is that those of us without a scientific background do not necessarily know what the long list of ingredients on the back of a product means, nor do we know what particular risks they engender every time we use them. Luckily there is Skin Deep: an online safety guide that gives us vital information on nearly every beauty/ grooming product imaginable. Just log onto www. cosmeticdatabase.com, type the product you are concerned about in the search box, and you will get a detailed report of what it contains and what risks it is exposing you to. Skin Deep was founded in 2004 by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a group of independent American scientists. “Our aim was to fill in where companies and the government leave off: companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish, and our government doesn’t require companies to test products for safety before they’re sold. EWG’s scientists built Skin Deep to be a one-ofa-kind resource, integrating our in-house collection of personal care product ingredient listings with more than 50 toxicity and regulatory databases,” say the founders. There are over 46,000 products listed in the database, so you are guaranteed to find what you’re looking for. And the good news is that, if you don’t,

all you need to do is list the product’s ingredients and Skin Deep will calculate its toxicity levels immediately. The database also informs you if any testing is done on animals. Users can search through eight major product categories: skin care, make-up, hair care, nails, eye care, feminine hygiene, dental and oral hygiene, and fragrances. They can also search by brand or simply list the product itself. I started out searching for the shampoo I was using on my baby, a commercial brand typically found in supermarkets which is allegedly gentle on baby, with soothing ingredients such as lavender. I was shocked to find the following information:

Ingredients in the product are linked to:

are readily available, are equally dangerous! There are a few brands that pose only a moderate risk, but they will have to be purchased online. My search continued as my curiosity grew. I began to learn about how beneficial or harmful everything I had taken for granted as ‘harmless’ really was. Most interestingly, in addition to hair colour, one of the most toxic products is perfume (an incredibly high percentage of most modern perfumes is in the high hazard range, with marks of 10 out of 10). I invite our readers to take the plunge into Skin Deep and discover all they need to know about products their family is using daily. Information is power!

i www.cosmeticdatabase.com

u Cancer u Developmental/reproductive toxicity

(affecting anything from fertility to birth defects, etc.) u Violations, restrictions and warnings u Allergies/immunotoxicity u Other concerns: Neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, irritation (skin, eyes or lungs), enhanced skin absorption, etc. The database labelled the product’s risk as ‘Moderate’, giving it a 5 out of 10 in terms of hazard. The database also informed me that “73 per cent of baby shampoos have lower concerns”, listing all these safer baby shampoos at a click. Interestingly, some of these less risky options were made by the same company, indicating that within one cosmetic firm, great variations exist between one product and another. The site further informed me that this company tests on animals, and has not signed ‘The Compact for Safe Cosmetics’, a kind of treaty under which companies agree to comply with EU directives, disclose all ingredients, substantiate the safety of all products and ingredients with publicly available data, etc. I then searched under the Hair category for ‘Hair Colour and Bleaching’, finding to my dismay that the current hair dye I am using scored no less than a 9 out of 10 on the hazard scale (high hazard) and is a risk for cancer, reproductive issues, etc. To think that many pregnant women continue to colour their hair, as I did before my son was born – if only we had known earlier of the risks we were posing to both ourselves and our children! The interesting thing is that, in general, dark hair colours are more dangerous than lighter ones (though some blonde shades also scored a 9 or 10). Another important issue is that all the other dyes that

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database 80

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Is life giving you the hump? ... A Dowagers Hump Back pain Headaches Migraines Neck pain Poor posture Insomnia Fatigue Fibromyalgia Tension Ear Infection Pregnancy Digestive problems Leg length inequality Dizziness Sciatica Stress Asthma and much more…

This is a thickening of tissues at the base of the neck

A Dowagers Hump is the bodies’ natural adaption over time to unkind and unrelenting gravitational forces. It is painful and not at all flattering. Do not suffer when this condition can be helped. By providing gentle specific chiropractic adjustments, together with specific traction, stretching exercises and postural training, Marbella Chiropractic has specialist knowledge and equipment for the resolution of this and other posture related health problems.

Tim Errington - BSc DC

English Chiropractor, American trained. Member of the Spanish Chiropractic Association and European Academy of Chiropractic.

Centro Comercial Guadalmina San Pedro de Alcantara, Marbella

Tel: 952 880 398 www.marbellachiropractic.com

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Report Marisa Cutillas

HEALTH

Finally, chocolate is 100 per cent healthy! We already knew that consuming reasonable amounts of low-sugar, dark chocolate is beneficial to the heart but now, there’s a chocolate that is healthier than ever. The new, dark chocolate is ‘raw cold-processed’ and is combined with acai berry and blueberries, two of the most potent antioxidant foods in the world. The powerful concoction is good for the cardiovascular system, blood pressure and weight loss. It has no refined sugars, waxes, fillers, added fats, caffeine, dairy, lecithin, pesticides, artificial colours or flavours, and is also gluten free.

i For further information, contact Rashida Reidel,

Tel: 654 931 208. www.easydishes.com

Diet affects cancer risk

Lipocavitation: Reshape your body without surgery

The Hospital Internacional High Care de Marbella has released a statement indicating that a poor diet is the second greatest cause of cancer, after smoking. The Hospital has carried out various studies to determine the ideal foods that can protect us from developing cancer and has come to the conclusion that there is still doubt as to the correlation between colonic and breast cancer, and the following foods: animal fats, fibrerich cereals and wholemeal cereals. The Hospital advises us to follow the ‘five a day’ rule (eat five rations of fruit and veg a day, ideally two rations of fruit and three of vegetables) to keep cancer at bay. Staying within our ideal weight is also important, since obesity is an important factor not only for cancer but also diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses. This advice is in line with the diet espoused by the World Health Organisation and the National Cancer Institute of the USA.

Lipocavitation is a new, non-surgical method of reshaping the body recommended for those who are not suffering from obesity but wish to get rid of localised fat. The treatment, imparted in Marbella by Dr. Fernando Urdiales of the Instituto Médico Miramar, is based on ‘cavitation’, the effect exerted by high-energy ultrasound waves on fat cells. Small bubbles are formed within these cells which implode, and are eliminated through the body’s natural processes. The treatment takes place over various sessions and does not cause pain or discomfort. Dr. Urdiales says that the loss, in terms of centimetres, ranges between two and six centimetres per session, depending on the particular characteristics of the patient and the type of fat targeted. Prior to the first treatment, Dr. Urdiales carries out a detailed clinical study of his patients, including a blood test, a scan of the area to be treated and the required physical exercise for maintenance.

C/ Córdoba 6, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 782 055. www.institutomedicomiramar.com

i Urb. Las Mimosas s/n, Marbella.

Tel: 952 908 629. www.marbella.es

Foods that put you in a good mood Feeling a bit under the weather lately? Wish you could feel more energetic and positive? You may be surprised to know that what you eat can very much affect the way you feel. To give yourself a boost of positive vibes and feel-good energy, try the following foods for a good mood: u Milk (Dairy or Non-dairy): milk is rich in Vitamin D, a powerhouse of serotonin production and recommended supplement for those suffering from depression. u Salmon and Turkey: These foods contain high levels of tryptophan, an amino-acid that

creates serotonin and melatonin, the feel-good hormones. The body cannot manufacture tryptophan itself so we need to source it in our daily diet. u Walnuts and ground flaxseeds: These are potent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, proven to give us a natural high. Bananas are another top source of tryptophan. u Spinach: We all know that a lack of Vitamin B can make us feel nervous and irritable, so stock up on Vitamin B folate-rich spinach, which also aids in serotonin production. u Legumes: Their high protein and fibre content increases our iron supply, which is the most natural way of combating tiredness. u Chocolate: Not only does it taste good, it prompts the brain to produce endorphins and increases serotonin levels. Make sure it’s dark. u Low-GI carbohydrates: We need carbohydrates for energy production, but make sure they are non-refined, low-GI (Glycaemic Index) foods. High-GI foods (such as breads, refined sweets, desserts, etc) pump in too much sugar, too fast, into our systems, causing the pancreas to overwork and too much insulin to shoot into the body.

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THESPA

RESEARCH

Belinda Beckett looks at British medical and scientific breakthroughs. BRITON REACHES FOR THE STARS The first official British spaceman has been accepted into the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Astronaut Corps: Major Timothy Peake, a 37-year-old test pilot in the Army Air Corps, who has been in the armed forces for 18 years. He pilots primarily Apache helicopters and has over 3,000 flying hours to his credit. His recruitment is seen as a turnaround in British government policy of funding less expensive robotic exploration, which has made it extremely difficult for British-born individuals to get into orbit. “I hope it will now encourage the British government to contribute,” said Jean-Jacques Dordain, DirectorGeneral of ESA. The first Briton in space was Sheffield-born chemist Helen Sharman. She had to secure private funding to fly to the Mir space station on a Russian Soyuz craft in 1991. Three British-born astronauts have flown into space under an American flag: Michael Foale, Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick.

LAB SPERM COULD MAKE MEN REDUNDANT O2 Clue to Wellness

British doctors scaling Mount Everest have measured the lowest human blood oxygen levels ever recorded. The study could help re-evaluate treatment for long-term patients suffering from respiratory distress syndromes, cystic fibrosis, emphysema and other serious illnesses, many of which force their hosts to adapt to low oxygen levels in the blood. The blood samples were taken just below the summit of Everest, at 27,700 feet above sea level, by the Caudwell Xtreme Everest team on an expedition led by University College London doctors. The average arterial oxygen level among team members sampled was 3.28 kilopascals (kPa), drastically lower than the normal measurement of 12 to 14 kPa. People who measure below eight kPa are considered critically ill. The study established what had long been suspected – that high-altitude mountaineers have incredibly low blood oxygen levels which, at sea level, would only be seen in people close to death. “By observing healthy individuals at high altitude, where oxygen is scarce, we can learn about physiological changes that can improve critical care at the hospital bedside, because low oxygen levels are an almost universal problem in critical care,” said UCL doctor and expedition leader, Mike Grocott.

The BIG story in medical research circles this summer was news that artificial human sperm has been grown from stem cells in the laboratory – another incredible first for British scientists. The breakthrough offers a potential cure for male infertility and could be used in IVF clinics in as little as five years. It could allow thousands of men to father children who are genetically their own, possibly from just a sliver of their skin. But it also raises ethical questions – the possibility of babies being born entirely through artificial means, and even the macabre scenario of long-dead men ‘fathering’ children from beyond the grave. However Professor Karim Nayernia, leader of the team at Newcastle University, stressed that researchers had no intention of “producing human life in a dish”. He said: “This will lead to a better understanding of infertility in men and help us develop new ways to help couples have a child which is genetically their own.” The stem cells used were taken from human embryos in the first days of life, and mixed with a cocktail of chemicals and vitamins that turned them into sperm. But Professor Nayernia hopes to repeat his success with skin cells taken from a man’s arm. These would first be exposed to a mixture that wound back their biological clocks to embryonic stem cell state, before being transformed into sperm Viewed through a microscope, the artificially-created sperm have heads and tails and swim like normal sperm, and Professor Nayernia is “convinced they would be capable of fertilising eggs and creating babies”. He has more safety checks to carry out but plans to apply for permission to use some of the artificial sperm to fertilise eggs for research purposes. Other scientists have been doubtful that they are the real thing, while the project has been condemned by Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics. “This is an example of immoral madness,” she said. “Perfectly viable human embryos have been destroyed in order to create sperm over which there will be huge questions of their healthiness and viability.” Britain has lead the field in many other incredible scientific breakthroughs over the last half century. They include: uThe

double helix structure of DNA, discovered by Cambridge researchers Francis Crick and James Watson in 1953. uIdentification of the link between lung cancer and cigarette smoking by Oxford research scientist Richard Doll in the 1950s. uThe contraceptive pill, developed by British scientist Herchel Smith, working in America, who found new methods for synthesizing steroids and hormones. uThe modern hip replacement, invented in 1962 by Sir John Charnley, an orthopaedic surgeon working in a small country hospital in Lancashire. uBeta-blockers, first synthesized by Glasgow

scientist James Black in the 1960s, which have saved the lives of countless heart disease patients around the world. uIn vitro fertilization, developed by British scientists Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards of Great Britain who created the first ‘test-tube baby’ in 1978. uCloning, pioneered in 1996 by scientists in Scotland, who produced Dolly the sheep. uMaggot juice bandages, now standard army issue, discovered in 2006 by scientists from Bradford University who found that maggot secretions speed up the body’s healing process. And many more …

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essent ial LUXURY PROPERTY LISTING

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essent ial LUXURY PROPERTIES Ref: VM09522

Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 4 Built 450 m2 Plot 2,494 m2

€2,300,000

Frontline Golf Close to Puerto Banús Exceptional south facing villa built on a large plot with a mature garden and a lovely outdoor area with pool house and bar. Situated in one of the best residential areas of Nueva Andalucía. Accommodation comprises on the ground floor entrance hall, living room divided into 3 separate areas, dining room, one double bedroom suite, a beautiful recently fitted Clive Christian kitchen, TV room or office, staff bedroom and bathroom, wine cellar and double garage. On the first floor is the master suite, plus two double bedrooms sharing a bathroom, and a study area on the landing. Possibility to convert garage into more living area as there is ample outdoor parking space. The price has been reduced from €2.800.000 to €2.300.000 for a quick sale.

VILLA MARKETING, Nueva Andalucía

T (+34) 952 810 695

enquiries@villamarketing.com www.villamarketing.com

i Ref: VM09147

Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 5 Built 536 m2 Plot 1,295 m2

€1.850.000

Frontline Golf Nueva Andalucía Recently built to a high standard, this south facing villa has magnificent views over one of Marbella’s prime golf courses. Situated close to Puerto Banus, accommodation comprises on the ground floor a large entrance hall, lounge, separate dining room, kitchen, and two bedroom suites. On the first floor is the master suite plus another bedroom suite. On the garden level is an office, gymnasium, wine cellar, bar with outdoor area, cinema room, plus a double bedroom suite. Air conditioning and under floor heating throughout the house plus an Intelligent Domotic system. Double garage and heated pool. The price has been reduced from €2.500.000 to €1.850.000 and is a great opportunity for a prime frontline golf villa.

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VILLA MARKETING, Nueva Andalucía

T (+34) 952 810 695

enquiries@villamarketing.com www.villamarketing.com

i 28/9/09 17:00:29

Ref: DM1656

essent ial LUXURY PROPERTIES

Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 5 Built 696 m2 Plot 1,950 m2

€ 1,325,000

Altos de los Monteros, Marbella DIANA MORALES PROPERTIES, Marbella

T (+34) 952 765 138

enquiries@dmproperties.com www.dmproperties.com

Ref: DM2241

Located just a short drive from Marbella, the beach and close three golf courses and a tennis club. Situated in an elevated position all rooms enjoy uninterrupted sea and coastal views. Spacious lounge with an open fireplace, bedroom suite on ground level, a fullyequipped kitchen with Bosch appliances and Silestone counters. Master suite on the upper level with large dressing room. There are two further bedrooms suites and a study. All bedrooms have ample terraces. 2-car garage, A/C hot and cold, central heating, double glazing. Swimming pool with pre-installation heating.

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 Built 113 m2 Terrace 31 m2

€ 440,000

Front Line Beach Apartment, Los Granados Playa, Estepona First line beach apartment in Estepona in a gated complex with 24 hour security. The entrance hall opens to the living room with dining area and exit to the covered terrace. Master bedroom suite with exit to a south facing terrace. There are two bedrooms sharing a separate bathroom. The fully fitted kitchen has a breakfast area, ceramic floors and a separate laundry. The apartment also includes a one car garage space in the underground garage and enjoys communal gardens and swimming pools, as well as tennis courts, a gym, a paddle-tennis court, a childrens’ playground and of course the sea views.

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DIANA MORALES PROPERTIES, Marbella

T (+34) 952 765 138

enquiries@dmproperties.com www.dmproperties.com

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essent ial LUXURY PROPERIES Ref: 6330

Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 4 Built 275 m2 Plot 5,000 m2 Terraces 365 m2 € 1,450,000 El Madroñal, Benahavis Provence-style villa in the consolidated residential area of El Madroñal. Situated in an exclusive gated community of villas set in the hills of San Pedro, on the Ronda road, only a 10-minute drive from Puerto Banús and the beach. This lovely property is surrounded by a beautiful mature garden with fruit trees, and has many terraces, one with a barbecue area. Cosy living and dining room with fireplace. New modern kitchen. Lovely mountain views and partial sea views.

Panorama, Marbella

T (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

i Ref: 5991

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 Built 236 m2 Terraces 124 m2

€ 1,290,000

La Alzambra Hill Club, Puerto Banús Contemporary duplex penthouse in a prime location, situated within La Alzambra Hill Club, a luxurious, five-star gated complex with beautifully maintained gardens and 24-hour security. This large elegant property is finished to the highest standards and has magnificent south-facing terraces with panoramic views over the gardens towards the mountains and sea. Within a few minutes’ walk to Puerto Banús and close to all amenities.

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Panorama, Marbella

T (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

i 28/9/09 17:00:59

essent ial LUXURY PROPERTIES

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 Built 185 m2 Terraces 44 m2

price on application

CALAHONDA, MIJAS-COSTA Well constructed duplex penthouse with panoramic views to the Mediterranean and Gibraltar. Bright and spacious living room with open-plan kitchen and nice terrace. Downstairs bedroom with en-suite bathroom and guest toilet. Two further bedrooms upstairs share a bathroom with jet bath and large exterior terrace. All windows have been replaced with quality double glazed turn & tilt fittings and all bathrooms are tastefully retiled as are the terraces. Marble floors throughout, A/C Hot & Cold, Satellite TV, Alarm. The community enjoys lovely gardens featuring a large swimming pool with childrenâ€™s pool and an indoor heated pool for the exclusive use of the community residents.

DIRECT FROM OWNER

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Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Built 434 m2 Plot 2,400 m2

â‚Ź 1,400,000

LOS CIPRESES Superb villa with panoramic African views across the Mediterranean. Recently constructed with modern architecture and contemporary styling, set in its own enclosed landscaped grounds. An outstanding feature is the sumptuous Jacuzzi with south facing glass curtain doors that can be fully opened to enjoy year round sunshine. The property is set on two levels with a reception area, lavish living room, dining room and fully fitted kitchen with top of the range appliances. The bedrooms are all en-suite and the master suite has dressing rooms and a spacious private terrace. A/C hot & cold throughout, underfloor heating, satellite TV, swimming pool, automatic irrigation, 2 car garage, remote accessible alarm and automation system.

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YOUR NAME OR YOUR AGENT T >> your contact details >> your email >> your web address

i 28/9/09 17:01:05

the pro ALL ABOUT BUSINESS

Enterprise

Business Profile: Cade Marbella

106

Finance

108

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Marbellaâ€™s New Town Plan

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THEPRO PROPERTY

The long-anticipated approval of Marbella’s town plan will give the resort city a clean sheet to start over. Belinda Beckett canvassed the reactions of two of the coast’s longest-established real estate agents and a leading property developer.

A CLEAN SHEET FOR

The luxury show flat at FM Consulting’s Cortijo del Mar, an enclave of beautiful apartments equipped with Siematic kitchens and domotics, embodies the sought-after Marbella lifestyle

MARBELLA

his winter (despite recent last-minute hitches and delays) it is hoped that the Junta de Andalucía will rubber-stamp the definitive new town plan for Marbella – it’s first legal planning document for 23 years – ending years of corruption and planning limbo that has tainted the resort city’s image abroad. The last Plan General de Ordenación Urbana (PGOU), approved in 1986, was systematically abused by a succession of corrupt mayors, resulting in thousands of properties being built on green belt and protected land. The new plan legalises 17,000 of these properties in return for a one-off compensatory payment to the

Fausto Martínez: “The new plan is good reason for Marbella to continue to be recognised worldwide as a great place to live in, to enjoy and, above all, to invest in.”

city council, in the form of a donation of alternative land for parks, schools and other public services. Mayoress Ángeles Muñoz has promised to make the developers of these rogue properties pay, not the owners, a move acclaimed as one of the major achievements of the new plan. However, to avoid further deadlock with the Junta, 500 occupied properties will be ‘sacrificed’ and the Mayoress has been criticized by some for making a U-turn over her promise to spare all illegal lived-in properties. Muñoz has said she had “no choice but to put this idea to one side”, as the Junta had made it

Fausto Martínez, Chairman of real estate developers FM Consulting, established on the coast for more than 19 years. “Marbella has been onto a good thing since July 29 when the provisional PGOU was approved – after five years of discussion and 23 years since the last plan was published. Worthy of comment is the political consensus generated by the plan: the two great political forces in Marbella, the PP and PSOE, have approved it with the support of their respective parties at a local and national level. There is also an agreement on additional points which will be discussed further with the Junta. “All this indicates that, soon, Marbella will have the legal instrument it needs to restore confidence among its citizens and investors. It will also help make the city more pleasant and respectful of the environment, and even better-adapted to quality tourism and sports. “If the plan comes to full fruition (a difficult and complex task), these are not just empty words. There will be improvements in the social and cultural spheres, as well as in sports and infrastructure, including underground works and parking areas from which San Pedro de Alcántara in

clear it would accept no further modifications to the plan. Also left out in the cold by the new plan is the La Cañada shopping centre, which the Town Hall is suing for a landmark €23 million for putting up nine illegal commercial warehouses without permission. Among the ‘condemned 500’ are 300 apartments at Banana Beach, properties in Río Real and La Vibora, and several homes next to the Río Verde, which in theory will have to be demolished, (along with 1,000 other properties built but never sold). The unfortunate owners will have recourse through the courts and right is on their side for, as Muñoz has stressed, they bought

particular will benefit. There will also be major improvements in hydraulic infrastructure (with an investment of over €470 million, including the construction of a new dam), as well as in the electrical network. 4.7 million m2 of green space will be created, which works out at five times more than the national yardstick for space per person in cities allows. There is also good news in terms of growth in wealth and employment, thanks to initiatives such as the new Parque Tecnológico. “The new plan proposes the construction of 16,733 new houses and a registered population of 173,000 by 2016. However, a study by the Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad indicates that the population will be closer to 345,000. This would indicate that greater local and national funding would be required. “I definitely feel that the PGOU will do wonders for our confidence in the present and future. It is good reason for Marbella to continue to be recognised worldwide as a great place to live in, to enjoy and, above all, to invest in.”

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There are still bargains to be had in Marbella, like this rustic 383m2 four-bedroom, four-bathroom family home with sea views on a 1,580m2 plot in Marbella Hill Club, reduced from €3.500.000 to €2.750.000 euros (o.n.o.) and available for sale through Panorama.

their homes on the basis of licenses granted by the then Town Council, and have been religiously paying their taxes to both local and regional governments ever since. Apartment owners of Banana Beach, however, still hope to appeal to the Junta before taking the long and costly judicial route. Critics say the plan was bulldozed through by the Junta (the team which drafted it was headed by a Junta appointee); others that there was insufficient grass roots consultation and that the plan only makes provision for 173,000 inhabitants by 2016 when, in reality, Marbella’s population may be more than double

that already. Interestingly, in an interview in Marbella’s La Tribuna newspaper, the new Councillor for Planning, Pablo Moro, said that on average, only 30 per cent of any PGOU is ever executed during its lifespan, adding, “If we achieve even 20 per cent of the Marbella plan, we can consider it a success.” What most are agreed on is that when the regional government in Seville confirms the new plan (and as went to press it seemed that there could be a further delay) it will give Marbella a new legal framework to work within, and that can only be good news for the future.

Christopher Clover, owner/MD of real estate agency Panorama, which celebrates it 40th anniversary in Marbella next year. “The plan’s definitive approval will represent the closing activity to fund their municipal budget, a system set up by chapter of dark years of urbanistic limbo, unbelievably bad the politicians themselves at the beginning of Democracy press, terrible insecurity for many who purchased property here which permitted, more than anything else, the rampant in the past and a total blockage to Marbella’s progress and corruption and conflicts of interest in town halls throughout future. This crisis, added to the Caso Malaya of corruption in Spain. Due to the little building land left to develop in the old Marbella, has undoubtedly been the worst scenario that has 1986 plan, Marbella has been denied income from building ever occurred in Marbella. We are now out of this crisis, new licenses, obligatory cessions from development land and, of foundations have been laid and there is a very bright future course, annual property taxes on new construction. ahead. “The new General Plan defines Marbella as a city with an “Apart from the legalisation of the majority of hitherto economic and business foundation that is not just focused illegal homes, over 600 businesses will obtain their opening on tourism, but also on the economic activities surrounding licenses while it is likely that some type of legal solution will education and the development of new technologies. It be reached for the 500 units outside the plan. With the return envisages €1.8 billion of public and private investment in an of total security, a long queue of investors and developers who array of projects that will improve water reserves and the have avoided Marbella over the past years will commence sewage system, roads, beaches and public spaces, provide their return to Marbella, over time, as the general world for the new Court House, expansion of the Hospital Costa economic situation improves. This will provide sorely-needed del Sol, a new Convention Centre in Nueva Andalucía and a new income for the Town Hall, which has inherited a debt of major university project and Educational Park in San Pedro, approximately €500 million. among other multiple investments in the future of our city “Few people realise that between 40 and 60 per cent and protection of our environment. of town halls in Spain depend on income from urbanistic “But even with the undeniable benefits, its execution will

not be easy. It is full of potential problem areas, having been drawn up by the Junta (instead of the people of Marbella, as the law requires) during a ‘caretaker government’ that has been quite inflexible over allowing many common sense changes which Marbella Town Hall tried to incorporate in the plan, over the various periods of revision. “But the policy of the Mayoress has been, better to accept this plan than to draw up a new one, due to the urgent need for one. Then, there is the question of where the €1.8 billion is going to come from, and whether there is the political will to make this investment? Finally, the negotiations with developers required to compensate the Town Hall will be extremely difficult, and no doubt many cases will end up in court. “Notwithstanding the problems which are inherent to the plan, it provides the essential and fully legal framework for controlled growth of the city and improvement of services. Together with a very competent and transparent local government, it makes for a much better future for the most important resort city in Spain.” essential marbella magazine

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Diana Morales: “It is a legal guarantee of security in the planning arena that will attract new investment and help to regenerate the economy.”

Diana Morales, owner/MD of real estate agency DM Properties, established in Marbella for over 30 years.

“The approval of the PGOU by Marbella Town Hall is a positive step, especially as it was agreed by both of the leading political parties, and in spite of the fact that many aspects of the plan did not satisfy everyone. There are some who feel it does not offer sufficient compensation for past planning

irregularities, others who believe it was a mistake to omit some urbanisations from the plan which are already constructed. “It will be very important to reach an agreement with the Junta to approve the plan before Christmas. After all the delay and uncertainty, it is a legal guarantee of security in the planning arena that will attract new investment in the city and help to regenerate the economy, creating employment and wealth. “But a town plan must attend to the needs of the population and aim to solve their problems, bearing in mind the interest of most citizens and not just a few. That is, public interest must prevail. This is the moral obligation of the authorities and something that was certainly violated by the previous corrupt administrations in Marbella. It also depends on providing the proper infrastructure to attend to the needs of a growing population. The plan is certainly ambitious and anticipates a substantial investment in infrastructure on the part of central, regional and local government, as well as from the private sector. But will it be financially feasible? Pablo Moro has said that Marbella has the right to demand investment from the higher administrations, since the municipality was very much

abandoned by them over the last 15 years. He hopes that they will be fair to Marbella now, over its petitions for financial support. My question is, will this be achieved? How many of those needs will be attended to? How many of these ambitious projects will be carried out? “I have as many questions as anyone in Marbella. What is no doubt certain is that a plan, even with defects, is better than the limbo and paralysis we have been immersed in, creating a legal framework in which to operate that will generate confidence among developers, investors and local business people. “In spite of the bad and often biased press we have had during the last couple of years, Marbella continues to be a most desirable holiday destination and a great place to reside all year round, and we expect there will be more people buying, once the banks are ready to lend money on property that will be legalised under the new plan. Even if the press continues to focus on cases that go to court this can be countered if, at the same time, the Administration proves to be efficient and there are evident improvements in Marbella, coupled with some effective and honest campaigns to restore its image.” n

Marbella continues to offer an enviable lifestyle as this southeast-facing 167m2 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in beautiful La Trinidad suggests, available for sale from DM Properties for €795.000.

DM Properties Avda Ricardo Soriano 72 B1, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 138. www.dmproperties.com / info@dmproperties.com FM Consulting C.C. Centro Plaza 1ª, 2-14, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 810 000. www.fmconsulting.es / info@fmconsulting.es Panorama Properties Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel and opposite the Marbella Club Hotel. Tel: 952 863 750. www.panorama.es/ info@panorama.es

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THEPRO

BUSINESS

ENTERPRISE Report Marisa Cutillas

Marbella Food & Sun Festival a success Renowned chefs Dani García, Pedro Subijana and Paco Torreblanca capped off the successful Marbella Food & Sun Festival with a spectacular live cooking show which put a smile on the faces of many diners and Spanish celebrities, such as Laura Valenzuela, Tito Valverde and Henar Ortiz. The event paid homage to Marbella gastronomic classics such as Simón Padilla of the Hotel Puente Romano, Albert & Simon Restaurant, La Hacienda, Bar El Estrecho and Restaurante Santiago. All things culinary shone at the festival, which featured the Sabores de la Tierra exhibition at the Paseo de la Alameda. Some 29 bodegas and 18 cheese companies displayed their wares, and an amazing 900 kg of sardines were brought in for the 1st Espetos Cooking Competition in Marbella. The event was a huge success and plans are already underway for a repeat performance next year.

i www.marbella.es

Roger M and Muller: dynamic new jewellery design team Creative jeweller Roger Mouawad held a cocktail party to celebrate a new collaboration with Muller Jewellery, a top international brand specialising in original, unusual creations. Muller Jewellery will be opening a workshop together with Roger M, creating fabulous jewellery at the Roger M creative jeweller shop in Puerto Banús. The designers will handcraft both their own designs, and designs by Roger M.

Jardines del Puerto Local 10, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 592. © Colin Magee

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Roche Bobois celebrates showroom refurbishment The Chairman of Roche Bobois, Gilles Bonan, recently flew to Marbella to host a chic cocktail event to celebrate the extensive refurbishment of Roche Bobois Marbellaâ€™s 1,200m2 showroom space. Guests marvelled at the beauty of the three different collections, conveniently located in their own distinct showrooms. The first showroom, Les Provinciales, born from the inspiration of French craftsmen of old, reinvents the charm of past centuries and adapts it to todayâ€™s lifestlye. The next showroom houses the simply stunning Les Contemporains collection, containing avante-garde, breathtaking pieces that make any space a joy to come home to. Finally, the Les Voyages showroom invites you to visit exotic lands such as Asia and Africa, in search of unique, alluring pieces that will take your breath away. Roche Bobois is present in five continents, with stores in the USA, Asia, the Middle East, and many European countries.

i C.C. Torrereal, Calle Peter Viertel, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 777 858. www.roche-bobois.com World Golfers Championship in Marbella The World Golfers Championship (WGC), the only international golf tournament for amateurs, will be taking place in Marbella from October 24 to 31. The competition was founded in 1995 by Sven Tumba, the Swedish Olympic ice hockey player who raised the popularity of amateur golf in his country and introduced it to the Soviet Union in the 1980s. The WGC organises international tournaments yearly, which commence with classifying competitions in various countries around the world. The Championship is designed to give amateurs the unique experience of competing in a world class event, with Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros respectively serving as President and Honorary President of the tournament. This year, the WGC has been organised in conjunction with the Ayuntamiento de Marbella and the Hotel Marbella Club. It will take place over four different golf courses, where national teams composed of 30 players will compete for coveted prizes. Additional events will include networking and tapas tasting, and a gala dinner and prize presentation by Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Count Rudi.

i www.worldgolfers.com essential marbella magazine

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Ink bar: New York chic comes to the Port Leandro Vega of Small World Café spent five years of his life in Manhattan so it’s no wonder that he decided to bring the very best of New York to his new bar, Ink, in Puerto Banús. Leandro and his partner Bashir have outdone themselves with a contemporary paradise where clients can enjoy chic music and value-for-money drinks. At just €2 for a caña of beer, or €6 for a vodka tonic, prices are certainly reasonable. Ink bar offers music by top DJs, such as Jean-Marc and Nick Helm, as well as hip-hop, rock and house music nights. Ink opens from 11pm to 3am, Tuesday to Thursday, and from 11pm to 4am on Friday and Saturday. The bar closes on Sunday and Monday.

To keep up to date on special events, join Ink’s Facebook account by ringing Frederik on Tel: 609 665 544 or Hayley on Tel: 662 192 080. 2nd line Puerto Banús. Tel: 609 665 544. shakeitlikeapolaroid@ink-bar.com

Littlewoods: Catwalk chic just a click away New website for Aria Medical Group Aria Medical Group, the customer-focused Marbella cosmetic surgery company headed by renowned aesthetic surgeon, Dr. Marco Vricella, is proud to unveil its new, improved website which has been developed as a resource for men and women seeking information on cosmetic surgery. The site, which is elegant and easy to navigate, allows you to explore and book a free, private consultation with Dr. Vricella, an ideal experience for those seeking first-hand professional information in a relaxing, noncommercial environment. Aria Medical Group performs all its procedures at the High Care private hospital.

i Centro Peninsula 8, Camojan, Marbella. Tel: 952 895 088/ 671 639 353.

www.ariamedicalgroup.com

Fashions to fit, in reassuringly familiar UK sizes, are just a click away. Popular UK home shopping brand, Littlewoods, has now launched in Spain, Germany, France and Portugal. Aimed at ex-pats and anglophiles, it offers delivery to homes in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands for just €5 per order. Littlewoods puts all the hard to find items, like stylish trousers in a choice of up to three leg lengths, within easy reach, no matter how remote the location. Brands include Adidas, Berlei, Berkertex, Birkenstock, Carvela, Hush Puppies, Gossard, K-Swiss, Levi’s, Naturano, Nike, Playtex, Puma, Reebok, Spanx, Triumph, Ultimo and many more. Littlewoods Europe will stock other popular ranges from glamorous lingerie for the fuller figure to fabulous Ladybird clothes, renowned for quality and value. There will also be selected home ware, jewellery and accessories, and the Entertainment Shop, featuring new release CDs, DVDs and books for just €1 delivery. The offer is set to expand in response to customer demand, feedback and feasibility.

i www.littlewoodseurope.com Mind, Body & Spirit Festival at the Hotel H10 Andalucía Plaza Hotel

10th Anniversary of Heavenly Beds at The Westin La Quinta The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa recently hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Heavenly Beds, the company which makes beds, cribs, showers, dog beds and spas. The Westin La Quinta boasts Heavenly Beds in all its rooms and Hollywood stars, athletes, top artists and even Presidents are among the 75 million clients who have slept in one of these celestial beds. At the cocktail party, guests marvelled at the bed on display and took part in a competition to win a weekend for two at the Westin La Quinta, the hotel where rest is given the same importance as play.

i Urb. La Quinta, Nueva Andalucía s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 762 058. www.westin.com 100

The Mind, Body & Spirit Festival is a fun-filled event offering talks, demonstrations and exhibits, taking place on October 24 and 25, from 12 midday to 9 pm, at the H10 Andalucía Plaza Hotel. Topics covered will include Cellular Healing (Getting to the Roots of Disease); The Colour of Angels; Bioenergetic Medicine; Demonstration of Pain Release; and a Demonstration of Spiritual Mediumship. There will also be a mystic dinner featuring mediumship by Veronica, Irish Mystic, on October 31 at the H10 Andalucía Plaza Hotel Restaurant.

i For tickets to the dinner, Tel: 670 628 468. www.mindbodyspiritmarbella.com

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Mother, Baby & Toddler Show comes to the Coast Mother, Baby & Toddler is an exciting new event dedicated to expectant parents, as well as those with babies and toddlers. Taking place at the Palacio de Congresos in Estepona from October 9 to 10, it offers a great day out with free seminars and workshops on baby health and nutrition, sleeping issues, baby and child development and more, all designed to raise a happy, healthy and confident child. There will also be maternity and toddler fashion shows, luxury manicure and massage sessions and an exhibition of the latest products and services available for pregnant women, babies and toddlers. Find out about everything from choosing where to have a baby to decorating your nursery or choosing prams, car seats and activities such as baby swimming classes, nurseries and schools, etc. With over 50 exhibitors, Mother Baby & Toddler provides more than a fun day out: it will help you gain valuable insight into being the best parent you can be!

i For further information, please contact Toni on Tel: 952 865 509. www.tcfotografia.com Business 1st fundraising event for Caras Felices charity Business 1st, the new business networking group on the Costa del Sol, recently organised a charity lunch at Vista del Mar restaurant, in Playa Miraflores, to raise funds for cleft lip and palate charity Caras Felices. Following a roast lunch, there was a fun-filled raffle with top prizes, including eye bag removal surgery, semi-permanent makeup treatments, dinner for two, teeth whitening and a round of golf. Many Business 1st members and local businesses also exhibited at stands, raising awareness about their respective services in addition to highlighting the fact that there are many children who are on waiting lists for cleft surgery. Business 1st was set up in January this year for businesses on the coast to get together on a fortnightly basis to support each other and generate new business through networking. It currently boasts 21 members.

i For further information, Tel: 664 227 200.

www.business1st.es

The Ayuntamiento de Marbella battles swine flu The Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, recently held a press conference to announce the City Council’s plans to battle swine flu. The measures, which follow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, include the vaccination of 500 City Council workers (including fire fighters and members of the police force) who, according to the Mayor, “have jobs which require a greater degree of permanence to guarantee the performance of vital services”. The Mayor added that all workplaces would be given brochures containing information on swine flu and that the important thing was to remain calm and focus on prevention, rather than cure.

i www.marbella.es essential marbella magazine

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New Sales and Marketing Director for Hotel Villa Padierna The Hotel Villa Padierna has a new Sales and Marketing Director: Cristina Mexia, who boasts over 15 years experience in the tourism and hotel sector. Cristina has held the post of Sales and Marketing Director in five-star hotels in Germany, Madrid and on the Costa del Sol. She speaks an impressive five languages and her keen business sense makes her the ideal choice for the post. Alejandro Helbling, Director of the Hotel, told the press: “It was fundamental for us to choose a person who knew the Costa del Sol and luxury hotel market very well. Humanity and teamwork are also essential in difficult times such as these.” We wish Cristina and the Hotel Villa Padierna all the very best in this new era.

Driving to the Arctic Circle for the Butterfly Children

i CN 340, km 166, Urb. Flamingos Golf, Marbella.

Tel: 952 889 150. www.hotelvillapadierna.com

Linea Directa informs riders of new A2 motorbike licence Linea Directa insurance company seeks to inform readers of a new licence for motorbike owners: the A2, valid only for riding motorbikes not exceeding 500 cubic centimetres. The A-2 is an intermediate licence which has been introduced to help bridge the gap between riding low and high-cylinder motorbikes. From now on, in order to qualify for a type A licence, required for riding motorcycles of any power, motorists must have held the new A-2 licence for at least two years. The new scheme does away with the power limitation system which was in operation before obtaining the permanent licence, since previously a licence could only be held after riding a motorbike not exceeding 34hp for two years. Additionally, to ride motorbikes exceeding 500cc, the minimum age is now 20. Several other changes have been introduced, including raising the minimum age for riding mopeds to 15 years. The moped licence, called an AM licence, will also undergo modifications, such as raising the minimum age of passengers to 18.

Oceanographic researcher Ross Holland has dreamed up an original new way to raise funds for DebRA, the charity for the incurable genetic skin blistering condition known as epidermolysis bullosa, or ‘butterfly skin’. Children born with this condition have extremely fragile skin, comparable to a butterfly’s wings. Ross and his team recently set off in two butterfly-adorned, 20-year old SEAT Marbellas for an epic 10,782 km journey to the Arctic Circle. The journey began on September 21 in Marbella and will continue northwards, covering many European countries, where Ross and his team will visit other DebRA headquarters before making their way to the sub-zero Arctic circle. Ross has unfortunately had first-hand experience of butterfly skin as his niece, Brida, lost her brave battle against this condition at only 14 months.

If you would like to donate to this fantastic mission, contact Evanina Makow on Tel: 952 816 434, or send Ross an email to holland_ross@hotmail.com

Tel: 902 123 104. www.lineadirecta.com

Summer parent and child competition at La Cala The Summer Parent and Child golf competition at La Cala was a great success, attracting 34 pairings who battled it out for the championship title. The format used was greensomes and it was played on Campo Europa. Given the difficult format, where the players take every second shot, there were some excellent results. The winners, Jorge Beltrán Daniel and Laureano Beltrán Pinotti, achieved 45 points. During the presentation of prizes, La Cala’s Golf Operations Manager Gabriel de la Rosa pointed out that, in this age of Internet and computer games, it was great to see families enjoying healthy sport in the open air. Players commented that they were already looking forward to next year’s competition.

i Urb. La Cala Golf, s/n, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 669 041.

www.lacala.com

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Telecinco films El Pacto in Marbella Telecinco recently held a press conference to announce the shooting of a new film in Marbella. Called El Pacto, the movie will be directed by Fernando Colomo and will centre on a group of adolescents who make a pact to get pregnant at the same time. El Pacto will star a constellation of upcoming Spanish actors, including Marina Salas (El Comisario), Macarena García (Hospital Central) and Denise Maestre (Aída). Some of Marbella’s most popular sites will feature in the film, including the Hotel Incosol, the Plaza del Santo Cristo, Calle Ancha in the Old Town, and the Pantalán Paseo Marítimo.

i www.telecinco.es

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Wedding and Beauty Fayre at El Paraiso The El Paraiso Country Club is holding an exciting wedding and beauty fair on October 24, where specialists will be exhibiting a host of products and services to do with beauty and weddings, including bride and groom outfits, designer fashion, flowers, make-up, cakes, cars, etc. The fair aims to help brides, grooms and their respective families plan what, for many, is the most special day of their lives. Visitors will be able to chat with a variety of professional suppliers whom they know will really deliver on their big day. The fair will also attract fashionistas, beauty buffs and cosmetics enthusiasts keen on learning about the latest must-have items. Businesses taking a stand will enjoy the following features and services: extensive promotion, a fashion show featuring the latest bridal fashions and mother-of-the-bride/groom outfits, one-on-one talks with brides and grooms, links from the official website, advertising on the official website, no more than two exhibitors from any one type of business, networking, bridal and information packs, etc. Stands are available in a variety of sizes to suit particular needs. The fair will run from 10 am to 5 pm, with companies having access to set up from 8am.

For further information, contact Marion on Tel: 952 883 799. www.elparaisocountryclub.com

Trailwalker fundraising effort a success Philip Burrows and his team, who set out to complete the South Downs Way walk of 100km in 25 hours (non-stop) to raise money for Oxfam and the Gurka Welfare Trust, is proud to announce that the walk was a success! The team raised over £3,000, beating the target of £2,500. “It was a tough trail with plenty of sore feet and an especially tough experience having to walk through the night, trudging the final stretch in torrential rain,” said Philip, who would like to give a big thank-you to his sponsors: Reflections Hair, Nails & Skin Care, Centro Romano Real Estate, The English Cut, Anthony & Mary Gammie, Herbalife, Mokker Monahan lawyers, David Segal, Garum Restaurant, Susanne Whitaker, The Marbella Study Centre and Angela’s School, Shayne Drury and Tarryn and Chris Elsmore.

i www.oxfa.org.uk SRG.: A helping hand for jobseekers Select Recruitment Guide (SRG) is Gibraltar’s newest recruitment agency, offering a high quality service to companies and job seekers in the sectors of professional services, IT and gaming. Managing Director Angelique Pearson explains the idea behind the new company: “Some might think this is a strange time to launch a recruitment consultancy but, in fact, now is just the time when job seekers need all the help they can get. We want to help both candidates and employers save time and money by only matching people with jobs which suit them.” SRG offers a specialist and targeted recruitment style, a personal approach and a full commitment to matching the right person with the right job.

i www.srgibraltar.com essential marbella magazine

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First Vega del Mar Photography Competition in San Pedro Photography lovers eagerly await the results of the I Concurso Fotográfica Vega del Mar, a competition promoted by Miguel Troyano of the San Pedro City Council and the Vega del Mar Neighbours Society. The event was organised to raise awareness of the Vega del Mar Basílica, which dates back to Paleo-Christian times and which is in urgent need of refurbishment. The competition took place within the Basílica itself, with both under- and over- 18s seeking to do justice to its haunting interiors. Winners will be announced on October 8. Best of luck to all the participants.

20th anniversary for Swarovski Prestigious crystal jewellery and accessories company, Swarovski, presented select pieces from Daniel Swarovski’s exclusively jewellery collection at a well attended exhibition in the Hotel Marbella Club. Guests marvelled at many pieces ‘fit for a Queen’ and enjoyed an impressive discount on everything from bags right through to rings, necklaces, bracelets and accessories, to commemorate a fabulous feat: 20 years in the business for the well known Austrian firm.

i www.marbella.es

Luz Jewels presents Jaermann & Stübi golf watch Following a fun-filled day of golf at the Miembros y Propietarios de San Roque Golf tournament, players enjoyed a dinner event organised by Luz Pámpano of Luz Jewels. The event was held to present the new Jaermann & Stübi watch for golfers. The watch contains an original mechanical golf counter which records the number of strokes per hole and the number of holes played, and compares individual scores with the handicap. At the dinner, a lovely piano concert was given by whiz kid Stefano Frumson, who dazzled guests with his original compositions. To cap off a perfect evening, a raffle was held when one lucky guest won a beautiful Jaermann & Stübi watch, personally awarded by Pascal Stübi.

i Muelle Ribera, Casa J, Local 5, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 040. www.luzjewels.com

i www.swarovski.com

Live young and healthier longer A new anti-ageing technology was presented at a well-attended meeting at La Zagaleta. The revolutionary new technology enables users to look younger than ever before thanks to its futuristic science, with guaranteed safety and effectiveness. Researchers have found that the ultimate cause of ageing is genetic. When we are young, our genes contain numerous ‘supermarkers’ which diminish in number as we grow older. The new anti-ageing technology resets supermarkers to their original settings, creating results that differ from any other product on the market.

i For further information on this new product

and business opportunity, please contact Frederick Parody on Tel: 687 896 408.

Lounge & Restaurant Suite Nightclub opens for the Autumn/Winter season Following a highly successful summer at Suite del Mar, Lounge & Restaurant Suite Nightclub recently held a spectacular opening party with a cocktail and live performances at the Plaza Romana, followed by an all-night dance party. This season, guests can look forward to delicious international cuisine and the best music from top DJs from all over the world. What more could we ask for?

Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900. www.puenteromano.com

Inmosolar presents solar energy exhibition and congress The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga will house an exhibition and congress on solar energy on October 8 and 9. The Congress on Photovoltaic Energy will cover topics such as the political need to create stability and growth in the sector, new strategies for suppliers to survive the crisis, new technologies and business opportunities, international markets, etc. The Congress on Solar Thermic Energy will focus on Spanish law for the sector, technological novelties and institutional support. There will be various talks, courses and stands from companies in the sector.

i Avda. Ortega & Gasset s/n, Mälaga. Tel: 91 388 79 55. www.inmosolar.net 104

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Wine valuations, tastings and lunch at the Rincón de Gvadalpín El Rincón de Gvadalpín Restaurant, in association with The Wine Appreciation Society of Marbella and Bonhams Auctioneers, presents a day of wine valuations, wine tastings and a luncheon menu from chef Michael Matheson, on October 16. Special guests will include Lynne Sherriff (Vice-President of the Master of Wine Society), Richard Harvey (of Bonhams Auctioneers) and Pancho Campo (Spain’s first Master of Wine). The event commences at 12 noon, when guests will be able to discuss wine valuations with Richard Harvey, talk Spanish wines with Pancho Campo and discuss the work of Lynne Sherriff. Wine tastings will then take place at 1pm, followed by a hearty lunch.

i C/ Edgar Neville s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 929 001. garrywaite@terra.es

R.C. Spain presents ‘Meetings within Reach’ R.C. Spain S.L., the hotel chain which manages the Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella, the Hotel Arts in Barcelona and Abama Golf & Spa in Tenerife, recently launched Meetings within Reach, a new programme specifically catering for executives, travel agents and conference organisers. The programme offers a series of advantages to those who book 10 or more rooms in any of these establishments, including free daily continental breakfast, booking of meeting rooms, free Internet connection from the meeting room, a 20 per cent discount on the rental of audiovisual material, upgrades to suites, etc.

For further information, www.ritzcarlton.com/meetings

International Tourism & City Culture Fair at the Palacio de Congresos de Málaga

Polish furniture, jewellery and accessories designer Ola Voyna presents 1001 cushions, a project directed at all animal lovers worldwide. Ola will be making 1001 cushions (and, hopefully, more) from the highest quality, eco-friendly fabrics made in Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands. Every month, 50-100 cushions will be posted on the website, and you can choose any one you like, which will be sent to you free. Just go to the cushions section, click on the one you like and fill out a short form with your name and address of delivery. The site features a list of shelters and animal rights organisations you can donate to, and you can also donate to an animal organisation of your own choice, informing Ola by email if you do so.

The Palacio de Congresos de Málaga recently celebrated the sixth edition of the International Cultural Tourism Fair, an event dedicated to demonstrating the importance of Andalucía, and especially Málaga, to global tourism. The fair brought together professionals from all over the world seeking to network and develop new skills through the many workshops offered. This year involved the participation of countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Mexico and Egypt, as well as many Spanish provinces such as Madrid, Cáceres, Navarra and Tenerife. Hotels from around the world also had their respective stands, as did the Picasso Museum, various wine specialists and performers. Visitors to the fair were given the free Repsol Guide in English, containing extensive information on the gastronomy of Spain.

i www.1001.olavoyna.com

i www.fycma.com

Ola Voyna: 1001 cushions for animal rights

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THEPRO

BUSINESS

CADE

A BUSINESS LAUNCH PAD FOR HIGH-FLYING FOREIGNERS Report belinda beckett Photography courtesy of CADE

arbella is gaining a reputation as a great place to work, as well as play, thanks to the efforts of CADE Business Development Support Centre, set up to stimulate expat commerce and investment on the coast. Since opening its modern suite of offices in Ricardo Soriano three years ago, CADE Marbella has helped some 2,000 entrepreneurs, 39 per cent of them foreigners, to incubate new companies or expand into new markets by providing training, technical back-up and risk capital. This month, to honour the achievements of the expat business community, CADE and Málaga Chamber of Commerce is holding its second Foreign Residents Business Day, when six successful Andalucíabased companies or individuals will be singled out to receive one of the prestigious Costa del Sol Business Awards. They will be presented on October 15 during a glittering ceremony at the El Fuerte Hotel, MC-d by successful Irish businessman and charity fundraiser Maurice Boland, of Talk Radio Europe. One of the two Keynote Speakers will be British entrepreneur Chris Chaplow whose www.andalucia.com website has been promoting Andalucía to a global audience since 1996, and was CADE’s 2008 Company of the Year. “Being selected as a finalist or winner is a great achievement and a real opportunity to generate positive publicity for that business by making it stand out from the crowd,” said CADE’s Managing Director, Óscar Fernández, who has an impressive business background himself as former head of Siemens’ Málaga operation. Óscar has the task of sifting through scores of applications, alongside a jury composed of last year’s winners and representatives from Málaga Chamber of Commerce. Three of 2008’s winners were protogées of CADE Marbella: Meer Music of Mijas Costa (Young Entrepreneur), an international company which produces Fame Games, an X-Factor-style internet radio programme aired all over America via the ABC network; Solchannel (Innovation Award), the first and only online TV channel about Andalucía, run by Argentinean partners; and the Marbella Dutch Business Club

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(Business Association Award), dedicated to facilitating Dutch commerce in Andalucía. CADE Marbella is one of 11 Business Support Centres set up by the Junta de Andalucía to mine the rich vein of commercial potential among the expat community and back new projects beneficial to the region. Such has been the demand for its services, it is expanding into adjacent state-of-the-art offices that will nearly double its size to 620m2. This will allow six more companies to use the facilities for six months, rentfree, and tap the expertise of a team of top business brains drawn from the worlds of commerce, banking and law. Advice and technical assistance is offered on everything from elaborating a business plan to sales and marketing, product placement, accounting and company law, in seven languages. Applicants must either be entrepreneurs who want to start a company but have limited experience, who will receive training in all aspects of setting up and running one; or professional business people seeking to grow an existing company or launch a new one, who can take advantage of CADE’s vast network of 150 business schools and science parks, and pitch for financing. The Junta provides 90 per cent of the funding, which amounted to €30million in Málaga Province last year. CADE also has a growing database of private investors looking to speculate in a sexy new venture. These ‘Business Angels’ operate in a similar way to the Dragon’s of BBC TV’s Dragon’s Den, advancing capital in return for a share in a company and a seat on the board if they are suitably impressed with the concept. Of the foreign companies and individuals CADE has helped, the majority are British. Applicants are getting younger, with many in their 30s and 40s, and are working in areas such as IT and AV which can easily be run remotely, away from their home country. And CADE isn’t only the wind

beneath the wings of fledgling entrepreneurs. One beneficiary was a multi-million euro hotel construction company seeking to expand into America. Óscar notes that one stumbling block since the recession is that some people still expect instant profit. “Eighty per cent of any successful new business is sales and marketing and people must be prepared to get involved in this aspect from the outset,” he says. “Everyone who comes to us receives advice initially but then we set them a series of tasks. Assistance from then on depends on how they respond. We are quite tough because we have a responsibility both to the tax payer, as we are spending public money, and to private investors who need to be reasonably assured that they are not going to lose their life savings.” It boils down to the old adage that there’s no such thing as a ‘free lunch’. A project must be innovative, commercially viable and, above all, of social or economic benefit to Andalucía. But if it ticks those boxes it could be a ‘flyer’ and, with CADE’s help, the sky’s the limit.

i CADE

Avda. Ricardo Soriano 66, Marbella. Tel: 951 270 201. www.juntadeandalucia.es/innovacioncienciayempresa

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THEPRO

FINANCE

Report John Stanbridge

DEBT RECOVERY IN SPAIN AND THE EU D

ebt recovery is unfortunately becoming more and more part of everyday business in the current economic climate. It is not always the fault of the debtor as many circumstances may have contributed to their inability to pay. It may be that the market they are operating in has had a dramatic downturn, and this has affected their cash flow; or that clients who were due to pay them are now not able to pay, and therefore there is a knock-on effect. In the past year unemployment has grown dramatically and, for the first time in its history, Spain has over 4,000,000 unemployed. This has only added to the number of businesses failing or struggling and, therefore, the debts within business have increased. Traditionally, the commercial relationships between small and medium businesses in Spain have been based on a mutual trust between the service provider, or supplier of goods, and the client. In the current climate, due to lack of liquidity and outstanding payments, this relationship can no longer commercially exist. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that companies carry out ‘due diligence’ on potential clients: clarifying their registered address, strength of their balance sheet or properties that they own, and signing a contract setting out payment due dates and interest on outstanding payments. It is also important to charge a percentage on account of the service provided, or the product supplied, so that, as a minimum, the costs are covered. Only once these basic checks have been carried out, and supporting documents held that justify the commercial relationship, can the supplier be

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assured of being able to legally claim for non-payment in a successful way. Foreign business owners have often thought that leaving the country will ensure that their debt stays in Spain, making them free of any liability. This may have been the case in previous years but now we are united in one European Union, and the European courts have drafted new legislation to stop this happening. Ruling 1896/2006 establishes and regulates the European order for payment procedure as of December 12, 2008. The lawsuit should be filed in the country where the debt was incurred and the sentence can be enforced against the debtor’s property in their own country, so long as the defendant has not opposed the claim, as is the case 80 per cent of the time. Litigation is always the last action and it is recommended that an agreement is reached prior to starting legal action. This not only expedites the cash flow to the creditor but also avoids legal fees. However, this is not always possible and, under Spanish law, there are several types of proceedings. The majority of debts in Spain do not exceed €30.000 and, in order to recover funds, the Monotorio procedure takes place. After the serving of the writ of summons, the defendant then has 20 days to pay the debt in full, or file a response to oppose the claim. If there is no response to the writ of summons, then the procedure continues as an executive proceeding. However, if there is a response, then the procedure continues as a verbal or ordinary proceeding, depending on the claim. For the Monitorio to take

place, the following documents are required: invoices, burofaxes, delivery notes and any documentation relating to the services supplied to the debtor must be supplied to prove the claim. The timing of theses procedures can take six months and, if there is an appeal against the court decision, then the procedure may be delayed for a further two years. Instead of using the courts to resolve any disputes, there is always the option of using arbitration. The final decision of the arbitrator can then be enforced by the Spanish courts. This procedure can be quicker and cheaper, and the decision is not made public which maintains confidentiality and protects any ongoing business relations. To summarise, the best way to avoid having to enforce debt collection is to ensure that necessary due diligence is performed prior to entering into a commercial relationship, and always to ensure that a provision of funds is received to at least cover costs. However should this be done, and subsequently there becomes a need to recover debts, it is reassuring to know that there are methods both in Spain and within the European Union to enforce legal recovery. Bad debtors beware!

i John Stanbridge is CEO of CCG,

a firm of accountants, lawyers and human resources specialists. C/ Arturo Rubinstein 5, Edif. Poseidon, Local 2, Marbella. Tel: 902 486 000. www.ccgspain.com

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the traveller SPORTS AND DESTINATIONS

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World Match Play at Finca Cortesín

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London – Capital City

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The Landmark in London

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THETRAVELLER TEMPLES OF WINE

arqués de Riscal, one of Rioja’s oldest and most traditional wineries, remains the flagship in the bright and shiny future of the region’s wine industry. Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry has taken the billowing style of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum to new extremes in Marqués de Riscal’s City of Wine. The sandstone bulk mimics the glowing stonework of the winery’s 19th century residence and the grand old cellars, but shimmering titanium sheets seem to flutter like battle-standards above the sea of vines. The titanium is stained to reflect the colours of a bottle of Marqués de Riscal wine: silver represents the capsule that tops the bottle; gold for the netting that covers it (traditionally to foil ‘counterfeiters’ who would refill the bottle with inferior wine); and, of course, red for the wine itself. Under the scudding Riojan clouds, the red shimmers, shifting from deep scarlet to pink and back again – an effect which Gehry has likened to wine swirling in a glass. A decade ago, Spanish bodegas and French chateaux alike were facing what looked to be impossibly stiff competition from New World wineries, with their aggressive marketing campaigns and fruity flavours. Now

a few of Spain’s most celebrated vineyards are determined to boost their image while maintaining the characteristic complexity and time-proven aromas of their wine. “We certainly don’t see the City of Wine as a huge change of tack as far as our image goes,” says Alejandro Aznar, Chairman of Marqués de Riscal. “It’s true that we are one of the oldest and best-established wine-makers in Rioja but we’ve always had a reputation as pioneers. In 1862 we bottled the first barrel-aged wine here and we’ve spear-headed the industry since that time. Far from a break in tradition, Frank Gehry’s super-modern design is, in fact, thoroughly inkeeping with our history as one of the great pioneering bodegas of the region. This building serves as an example of one of the pillars of Marqués de Riscal’s philosophy: the perfect integration of tradition and innovation.” The City of Wine offers luxury hotel rooms, a restaurant, museum and vinotherapy spa where guests can benefit from the ancient rejuvenating and invigorating properties of products derived from wine and grape extracts. This €60 million project is, perhaps, the most ambitious project ever carried out by a Spanish winery and it has been a great boost to a wine-

tourism industry that is becoming increasingly important in Rioja. But, apart from the fact that the City of Wine’s foundations (metaphorical and actual) are imbedded in the heart of a winery with almost 150 years of history, the new building will have nothing do with actual wine production. The wine is made in the huge fermentation building that currently turns out around 4.5 million bottles a year, and the ancient cellars are still used for barrel-aging. Samples of the best of the vintages finally end up behind a series of locked wrought iron doors in cobweb-draped, gothic catacombs. Visitors are guided around these areas in carefully regulated numbers, since even the body-heat of a large group could have a detrimental effect on the precious wine. In these chambers you catch a real sense of the soul of Rioja. Here there is indeed something that the vineyards of the New World can never hope to match. Gravity-flow winemaking, where the grapes start at a height and work their way downward through the winemaking processes (rather than suffering the stress of pumping or pushing), has long been accepted as the gentlest way of treating the precious berries.

Temples report and Photography mark eveleigh

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Bottles and barrels of Rioja wine in the old underground cellars (circa 1860) at Marqués de Riscal, La Rioja

You approach Elciego - as with most Riojan villages - across a corduroy patchwork of vineyards. Pilgrims travelling across this holy trail were once lured by the soaring sandstone towers of the village’s mighty church. But a new type of wayfarer is now arriving to pay homage at the most ambitious of Spain’s new ‘Temples of Wine’.

A barrel room at Marqués de Riscal, La Rioja

Frank O. Gehry’s space-age ‘City of Wine’ at Marqués de Riscal vineyards, La Rioja

The new space-age vineyards of Rioja and Navarra

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Rafael Moneo’s main barrelaging vault is the centrepiece at Señorío de Arinzano bodega

At Señorío de Arinzano, across the provincial border in Navarra, celebrated local architect Rafael Moneo (of LA Cathedral fame) has chosen another method to portray timelessness and the importance of tradition. He has bracketed the Chivite family’s newest winery around the medieval tower, the 18th century residence and the beautiful 19th century neo-classical chapel. Moneo was also in charge of the renovation of these buildings and you can sense an unusual humility in the way he happily ceded centre-stage to these local treasures when he created his new building – with its sandstone-coloured brick and naturally stained copper roof – as a subtle backdrop. In the barrel room that forms the longest side of the building, a suspended catwalk allows you to inspect the ranked files of thousands of aging barrels. The struts of the 100-metre walkway are so arranged as to enhance the distance so that the barrels seem to stretch out forever. Señorío de Arinzano has worked with the WWF to ensure that this part of the Ega valley remains a safe habitat for the region’s fauna and flora. For every acre that they use to grow grapes, they have left another acre as protected wilderness. Badgers, wild boar, genet and wild cat roam the wooded valleys and there are hopes that even the endangered Spanish otter will soon return to chase fish in a river that is protected from chemicals. A mile-long dirt track still winds between pristine woodland and cosseted vines to the ranks of polished steel drums in Arinzano’s computer-controlled fermentation areas and hi-tech barrel-rooms (carefully temperature-controlled by water-pipes set into the walls). “Of course, we resisted the temptation to tarmac the track,” smiled Luisa Díaz Morales as she walked me to the car park under the shade of the riverside poplars. “We might have built one of Spain’s most advanced wineries here but we don’t want people to forget that what we are at heart is a traditional country bodega.”

One of two huge tunnels which have been dug into the hillside for barrel and bottle ageing at the new Viña Real vinification plant (designed by Philippe Mazières)

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At Viña Real’s new Temple of Wine, the gravity-flow philosophy comes as close to technical perfection as possible. From the outside, the immense red cedar cylinder of the fermentation plant resembles a giant oak barrel, stained red with age. But, inside, architect Philippe Mazières has created a space-age working area where huge silver capsules (known to the workers here as ‘UFOs’) float out of the reception area in the grip of a giant crane which flies the newly harvested grapes to their assigned fermentation tank. Below this computerised chamber is another circular cavity with a ‘light well’ in the centre. Here, the wine is barrel-fermented before being moved on for aging, forty metres below the mountain. Two tunnels have been cut 125 metres into solid rock to create chambers in which the famous Gran Reserva will rest – unaffected by fluctuations in temperature or light – for up to 5 more years. The aging chambers at Viña Real may be one of the most awe-inspiring sights to be seen at any vineyard in the world.

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Santiago Calatrava designed Ysios’s state-of-the-Art vinification plant to blend with the rugged hills of the Sierra de Cantabria

The theme of timelessness and distance is one that many architects have employed to give an idea of the aging process that is inherent in the production of fine wine. It is an image that Santiago Calatrava (architect of Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences) has used to great effect at the famous Ysios winery. This is probably the most iconic of all Spanish vineyards and the instantly-recognisable ‘swell-lines’ of its aluminium roof can be seen from miles away, as it underscores the granite ridge of the Sierra de Cantabria. Like Riscal’s City of Wine, the building looms over the vines, seemingly determined to make a statement on the landscape – rather than to complement it.

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The barrel-room in Señorío de Otazu is rightly known as ‘The Cathedral of Wine’

i The following vineyards – plus over

100 others in Rioja and Navarra – are open to public visits every day but appointments should be made in advance. Marqués de Riscal Calle Torrea 1, 01340 Elciego, Álava, Spain. Tel: 945 606 000/ www.marquesderiscal.com Bodegas Ysios Camino de la Hoya, 01300 Laguardia, Álava, Spain. Tel: 945 600 640/ www.bodegasysios.com

There are few people who are more sociable and easy-going than the bodegueros of Spain. In a business made up of short spells of intense (often round-theclock) activity and long periods of patience, it seems that charm and hospitality have remained a central part of the character of most Spanish vineyards. At Señorío de Otazu, Director Pedro Bañales invited me to ‘break bread’ (actually chistorra sausage, roast duck, and rice with foie gras) with him at a long table in an anteroom beside the cellar. I listened to Pedro and his friends reminiscing about Navarran wine-making, and to old-time country gossip that was as hearty as the food and as cheering as the wine. Otazu is as traditional as a vineyard could ever be. The property contains a 12th century Romanesque church, a 14th century watch-tower and a 16th century palace. As befits a Señorío (literally, a noble estate dating back to feudal days) the bodega also has its private village, inhabited solely by estate workers and their families. From the cobbled streets of Otazu village you look down on the main winery, an old Bordeaux-style chateau and two apparently humble sand-coloured warehouses.

The fact that these premises also boast the most advanced wine-making facilities and a unique modern-art barrel-room could go totally unnoticed by the casual visitor. Buried out of sight below the lawn is the Cathedral of Wine, a 3,600 square-metre vault dedicated to the care and perfection – one might even say the worship – of wine. Nine curving concrete pillars create a maze so that, as you stand in one corner, your eye gets lost among arches and the patterns of carefully directed light. To prevent the cold, stark effect of so much bare concrete, the walls have been allowed to retain the wood-grain detail from the formwork that once supported them. There is something almost spiritual about being in the presence of over 2,000 barrels of fine wine and in Otazu’s magnificent cellar the ancient link between religion and viniculture seems to have been taken to its logical conclusion. The central aisle of this ‘cathedral’ stretches in an arrow-straight file of barrels towards a door which is open to ‘The Altar’. This is an antique wine press which actually stands in the basement of the 19th century chateau. Otazu’s architects have managed to combine the facets of the old and the new in a way that few bodega designers have succeeded in doing. Javier Bañales, the new generation of the family which now runs Otazu, explained the bodega’s philosophy: “Apart from a wealth of history, we have one of Navarra’s last surviving oak forests and wildlife and birdlife that are hard to find elsewhere. While we want to bring the bodega into a new era as regards production and quality, we are also determined to preserve what is already precious about this place. The quality of a great wine is at least half derived from the character of the vineyard in which the grapes grow and this is something that cannot be bought or invented… it must be preserved and protected.” n

Viña Real Ctra. Logroño, Laguardia, km.48, Álava, Spain. Tel: 945 625 255/ www.cvne.com Señorío de Arinzano Carretera Estella – Tafalla, km.3, 31264 Aberin, Navarra, Spain. Tel: 948 555 285/ www.bodegaschivite.com Señorío de Otazu 31174 Echauri, Navarra, Spain. Tel: 948 329 200/ www.otazu.com

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THETRAVELLER GOLF

olvo may have seen the Masters, for so long a fixture at Valderrama, evolve into the Race to Dubai but it is maintaining a major presence on the coast by bringing the Volvo World Match Play Championship to Finca Cortesín, from October 29November 1. Meanwhile, don’t write off Valderrama. This magnificent course, once again voted best in continental Europe (for umpteen years in a row) by Golf World magazine, will be bouncing back into play next year with a quality European Tour event. Finca Cortesín is just three years old, but has a lot going for it. First of all the owners, Single Homes S.A., appear to have deep pockets, useful assets in these troubled times, and have not stinted in setting up this operation at Casares, close to Sotogrande. It is a €700 million project, with the golf course designed by top architect Cabell Robinson, an American who lives in Mijas. One of his first jobs over here was working on Valderrama with Robert Tent Jones and, since then, he has produced acclaimed courses here and around the Mediterranean. Finca Cortesín, at 6,870 metres, is the longest in

Report David Wishart Photography Courtesy of Finca Cortesín

Spain and the seventh hole, at 452 metres, is the longest par four in the country. Number 13 has made the list of best 18 holes in Andalucía and, overall, it is what is required these days – a track with enough teeboxes to keep big hitters and resort players all happy. It has an outstanding hotel with 67 suites, two restaurants run by a Dutchman who has worked in Michelin-star establishments, and is run by a fluently bilingual Spanish golf director trained in America in the finer arts of delivering quality, friendly service. So what about the Volvo World Match Play Championship? Last time anyone looked, this prestigious event was at Wentworth, one of the top clubs in England. When the news broke that it was moving to Spain, some said “Finca where?” Which showed how behind-the-times some people are, for Spain not only has great golfers, it has great golf courses, and more of them are coming into play all the time. The event has just 16 players, which makes it simpler to follow for spectators. Also, match play is more exciting than stroke play where one really bad hole (anyone had a nine recently?) can mess up a card, and maybe the tournament. As Padraig Harrington famously said, “You can’t win a tournament on the first day, but you can lose it.” Retief Goosen

Players are chosen from the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and the Race to Dubai (RTD), along with leading players from the continents of Europe, Africa/Middle East, North America, South America, Asia and Australasia, the defending champion and the winner of the 2009 Volvo China Open. There is a total prize fund of €3.25 million, a first prize of €750.000, and it counts towards the end-of-season Race to Dubai. The likely field is defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa, Volvo China Open winner Scott Strange of Australia, Paul Casey of England, representing Europe, South African Retief Goosen (Africa/Middle East), Camilo Villegas of Colombia (S. America), Jeev Milkha Singh of India (Asia) and Robert Allenby of Australia (Australasia). OWGR players (yet to qualify at the time of going to press) are Sergio Garcia of Spain, and Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker of the USA. RTD Order of Merit players are Martin Kaymer (Germany), Ross Fisher and Lee Westwood (England) and Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland), with the final four qualifiers from this category being unveiled on 5th October. It’s a straight knockout situation, with eight matches of 16 players teeing off on the first day, four matches with eight on the second day, and so on, until the final day when matches will be between the top two and runners-up. Ernie Els

i Admission to the course is €30 per day,

with the concession rate set at €25.

World Match Play at

Finca Cortesín And you thought the last Volvo Masters was the end of big time golf at Valderrama and the coast? Wrong on both counts.

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THETRAVELLER LONDON

LON Autumn is a capital time to visit swinging London. Fresh from a whistle-stop weekender in the city, Belinda Beckett, brings you a taste of the season’s highlights.

he 18th century writer ‘Doctor’ Samuel Johnson famously stated: “When a man is tired of London he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” Two hundred years on, that seems a gross understatement. The city whose streets were made world famous by Waddington’s Monopoly is a whole new board game, with far more to do than Advance to Mayfair, and, despite its popularity as a weekend break city, scarily little of it do-able in a mere twonight stand. With 40,000 stores, 80 markets, 6,000 restaurants, 250 museums, four World Heritage Sites and 100 other ‘notable attractions’, it seems simpler just to sit in a café and read about them in Time Out. Returning to London after nearly 20 years, I found a city so changed I would defy the good Doctor Johnson to recognise it at all. It was like seeing the capital with new eyes – indeed she was ‘eyeless’ herself, when I was last here, long before the London Eye was so much as a planning application for Europe’s largest ferris wheel (now the city’s most popular paid-

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for attraction). My remembered skyline was bereft of The O2 and the Gherkin, the famous Oxo Tower was scheduled for demolition and Battersea Power Station (now languishing in decay) was considered a landmark building. Back then, no one could have guessed that its sister power station at Bankside would one day exhibit a sheep embalmed in formaldehyde and an unmade bed under the name of Tate Modern. Like meeting up with a long-lost friend and finding her not grey and wrinkly but nipped, tucked and silicone-breasted, London has had an amazing make-over. Unsurprisingly, she has plenty of admirers. The last Euromonitor study placed London first out of 150 of the world’s most popular cities, attracting 15.6 million annual international tourists – way ahead of 2nd place Bangkok (10.35 million) and 3rd place Paris (9.7 million). Even in recession, the city has benefited from the ‘Staycation’ boom in domestic tourism, while the weaker pound increased the European visitor count by two per cent during this year’s first quarter,

and their spend by 16 per cent. This bankable new London has grown into a skyscraper metropolis on the lines of her twin sister cities, New York and KL. The downtown Manhattan feel is created by 1,384 high rises – more than any European city after Moscow and Istanbul. Coming soon will be the most Olympian of them all: Shard London Bridge, a 350-metre monster fittingly due to open in 2012 for another skyline-altering event, the London Olympics. Canary Wharf, South Bank, Millbank and the Barbican Estate with their art galleries, concert halls and ubiquitous pavement cafes have rewritten the London A-Z Guide. Sight-seeing stalwarts like the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, Regent’s Park Zoo and Buckingham Palace face stiff new competition from upstarts like Vinopolis wine tasting centre and The Darwin Centre. The Post Office Tower restaurant (now the BT Tower and no longer open to the public) has been usurped by trendier interlopers like the Royal

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N DON A capital city!

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Festival Hall’s panoramic Skylon eatery. Long-loved means of transport (The Tube, black cabs, red doubledecker buses) now vie for fares with Thames Clipper river taxis, amphibious Duck Tours, London Tramlink and London Dial-A-Ride’s red mini buses, providing door-to-door transport for the disabled. But where do you start? Do you take the traditional route to The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, followed by afternoon tea at The Ritz and a West End show? (There are hundreds, so which?) Will there be time to see Shakespeare’s First Folio and the Magna Carta at the British Library, and drink at Europe’s longest champagne bar in flashy new St Pancras International? Or view Princess Diana’s dresses at Kensington Palace and Pete Townsend’s smashed guitar at the V&A? And I hear there’s a new exhibition on the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma at the British Museum… Unhelpfully in my view, as it further complicates the issue, this year saw the launch of the £2m Only in London 100 marketing campaign promoting more than a few attractions you’ve probably never have heard of, such as Southall’s Chinese art deco cinema. One idea is to stick to a themed visit. How about a Bond Weekend based at Ian Fleming’s favourite Duke’s Hotel, including a Martini masterclass and a Thames speedboat ride? Beatles tours to the Abbey Road studios, luvvies’ theatre tours, celebrity walking tours, slum tours, gourmet and ghost tours, Harry Potter and Jack the Ripper tours – just name that theme, they can fix it. Added to all-year-round sights and experiences, there are the one-off events. Visit London, probably the most switched-on tourist board in the world, operates a listing so long at www.vistlondon.com it’s segregated into nine categories. Just scratching the surface of what

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you can do this autumn, on the art front you can see whacky Turner Prize exhibits at Tate Britain, whacky Damian Hirst paintings at The Wallace Collection, relive your youth at the National Portrait Gallery’s Beatles to Bowie exhibition or see Spanish Renaissance art at the National. October heralds the Great Autumn Royal Horticultural Show and the first birthday of Westfield Shopping Centre, while cue November for the Lord Mayor’s Show and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2. Also this autumn, Trafalgar Square will sport a ‘ghost rainforest’ of huge tree stumps from the jungles of Africa to highlight the threat of deforestation; the much-anticipated Anthropologie store for affluent female 30-40-somethings opens in Regent Street; and the Galvin Brothers will be cutting the red tape on their third city restaurant, Galvin La Chapelle, at magnificent Grade II listed St Botolph’s Hall in Spital Square. The 17th London Jazz Festival (various locations, 1322 November) is a must for music lovers, beer drinkers

can enjoy their favourite tipple by the stein at the London Bierfest (Old Billingsgate Market, 21-23 October), fashionistas will find the new season’s look at The Glam Show (Earls Court, 31 October-1 November) or, for a walk on the weird side, how about the London Paranormal Ghost Festival, (various locations, 23-31 October). Oh, and don’t miss The Shell Classic International orchestral concert season, opening at the Southbank Centre, or the Chicago Bulls versus Utah Jazz at the O2. Alternatively, if all these sight-seeing opportunities seem too much to digest, you can simply eat them. It’s no joke. Last month Swissôtel The Howard launched TLSee, a bite-sized tour of the capital as afternoon tea, with patisserie replicas of nine London’s sights including a 3D chocolate Big Ben filled with raspberry ganache and the Crown Jewels, finished in gold leaf! Yours to be sampled from the depths of a comfy sofa for just £28 per person, including a glass of Alain Thienot champagne. You know, it could make sense!

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1 TOP FIVE AUTUMN EVENTS as selected by Visit London

Medieval and Renaissance Galleries at the V&A. These new £30 million galleries open in November, the biggest V&A unveiling since the museum’s massive renovation project began in 2001. They will house one of the world’s most remarkable collections of treasures from the period, including the Becket Casket, the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci and the greatest collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy. Ten galleries, occupying an entire wing of the museum, will present the collections in continuous displays to tell the story of European art and design, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the end of the Renaissance. Innovative new displays will place objects within their original social and cultural context. In a gallery of religious artworks, light will filter through translucent onyx screens, suggesting church windows. Dramatic sculptures by Giambologna and others will stand in a gallery exploring the Renaissance City, next to trees and water evoking a courtyard and garden.

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i www.vam.ac.uk

The Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum World class science in action is on offer at this eight-storey, £78 million landmark building, the most significant development at the museum since it moved to South Kensington in 1881, opening up the secret world of cutting-edge natural science research to the public. Opened in September to commemorate the Bicentennial Year of Charles Darwin, millions of preserved animal and plant specimens never seen before have been brought out of storage, many collected by Darwin himself, others discovered on recent safaris to harvest new species from rainforests, mountain slopes and underwater. Highlights include high-tech AV films and live lectures at the Attenborough Studio and the space-age Cocoon building, reached by a glass lift, which takes visitors on an interactive 45-minute tour past 20 million specimens, from huge tarantulas to metre-high plants, flanked by 220 laboratories where scientists will answer visitors’ questions by microphone link.

i www.nhm.ac.uk

The Times BFI London Film Festival – October 14-29 Now in its 53rd year, this is the UK’s largest public film event, screening over 300 films from 60 countries in Leicester Square, the BFI Southbank and at 18 other venues, attracting international film makers and stars and airing films that might never appear in British cinemas. This year’s festival opens with the world premiere of Wes Anderson’s animation of the classic Roald Dahl tale, Fantastic Mr Fox, whose all-star voice cast includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon and Owen Wilson. It closes with the world premiere of Sam Taylor-Wood’s John Lennon biopic, Nowhere Boy, starring newcomer Aaron Johnson as the late Beatle and Kristin Scott Thomas as his Aunt Mimi.

i www.bfi.org.uk

4 Christmas in November It may seem a long way off but London is already gearing up for the festive season with a programme of events to get everyone in the mood and give Santa a hand by boosting consumer spending:

u Winter Ice Rinks – from November-January

Somerset House, the Natural History Museum, The Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace are among the monumental landmarks which provide temporary ice rinks in scenic settings, with cafés serving mince pies, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

i www.londontown.com u Spirit of Christmas Fair, November 4-8.

Get all your Christmas shopping out of the way early under one roof, at Olympia. With over 600 companies presenting their wares at this House & Garden magazine-sponsored show, you’ll find something for everyone on your Christmas list.

i www.spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair, November 11-15

A taste of rural England comes to the Business Design Centre, with traditional festive fare from over 400 exhibitors including handmade toys, limited edition decorations and seasonal home produce – from smoked Scottish salmon to Cornish cheese.

i www.businessdesigncentre.co.uk u Christmas Lights – mid-November

The intersecting Regent and Oxford streets host the biggest blockbuster events with celebrities and live singing for the turning-on ceremony. Nearby Bond Street is a rather more upmarket affair with its designer shops and there are pretty side shows in Marylebone, Carnaby Street, Jermyn Street and Covent Garden.

i www.londontown.com

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u Shawshank Redemption: Wyndham’s Theatre,

4 September–14 February An unforgettable story of courage, friendship and hope, starring Kevin Anderson (Sleeping with the Enemy) and Reg E. Cathey (The Wire). u Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Theatre Royal Haymarket,

London Restaurant Festival, October 8-13 Meals by candlelight on the London Eye, a gourmet odyssey on a double-decker bus? Welcome to the first capital-wide celebration of food. Starting with a Vanity Fair party in Quaglino’s, the programme will involve more than 1,000 restaurants, street festivals and other edible entertainment to tempt customers to spend amid the hardest trading conditions in 20 years. Mayor Boris Johnson has persuaded restaurateurs to showcase their chefs’ talents at affordable prices (£10-£20 for lunch, £15-£40 for dinner). On the Monday, diners will be given a dice with their meal – if they roll a four, they eat for nothing. Saturday will see a fleet of liveried Routemaster buses ferry people around Mayfair restaurants. On Sunday, 500 diners will be served a roast in Leadenhall Market. A restaurant will open on the roof of Selfridges, cinemas will screen foodie films and there will be just 60 tickets to dine on food from top chefs on the London Eye nightly. The celebration climaxes with an awards ceremony for the best festival menus at a secret new restaurant in Shoreditch.

i www.visitlondon.com

from 9 September Anna Friel (Coronation Street) takes on the iconic character Holly Golightly in this new stage adaptation. u Annie Get Your Gun: The Young Vic,

3 October–2 January A new version of Irving Berlin’s multi-award-winning musical starring Jane Horrocks (Little Voice/Absolutely Fabulous) and Julian Ovenden (Grand Hotel, Foyle’s War). u Disney On Ice: Princess Wishes:

The O2, from 28 October An ice adventure featuring female Disney characters including Tinkerbell, Cinderella, Aurora, Mulan and Snow White.

TOP NEW WEST END SHOWS

u Othello: Trafalgar Studio 1 September–12 December

Comedian Lenny Henry stars in this acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s jealousy-driven tragedy.

u Nation: National Theatre, from 24 November

Terry Pratchett’s Nation is the latest novel to receive a family-orientated theatrical adaptation.

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CAPTIAL TRIVIA u

Almost a third of London is green space – more than any other city its size in the world.

Notorious for its traffic congestion, the average speed of a car in the rush hour is 10.6 mph.

Central London has the highest population density of any city in the EU, with 12,331 inhabitants per square mile.

London is the world’s 25th largest city and ranks fourth in the world for the number of resident billionaires.

It is one of the most expensive cities in the world, alongside Tokyo and Moscow.

More than 300 languages are spoken by more than 50 non-indigenous communities in London.

Oxford Street with over 300 shops is the world’s busiest and the finest shopping street in the UK.

The longest-running West End musical is Les Misérables, now in its 24th year

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THE CAVENDISH: Rooms with a View The spectacular skyline framed in the bedroom windows of The Cavendish Hotel speaks louder than any publicity brochure: Big Ben, the London Eye, Norman Foster’s emblematic Gherkin seem close enough to touch, leaving no doubt that this is the heart of the metropolis. The two penthouse suites are booked eons in advance for their ringside seats on the New Year fireworks display. And with Covent Garden, West End theatreland and the retail paradise of Oxford and Regent streets around the corner, all London is yours for the taking. A name synonymous with old world elegance on the corner of Jermyn and Duke streets, the four star deluxe Cavendish fuses contemporary comforts with a real sense of history. Since the 18th century, Jermyn Street’s gentlemens’ outfitters have clothed the rich and famous. Sir Isaac Newton lived at No. 87, Sir Walter Scott was a neighbour, Hackett the tailors, shirtmakers Turnbull & Asser and John Lobb Shoe & Bootmakers continue to offer a personal service that harks back to a bygone era. Over the road at the Queen’s grocers, Fortnum and Mason’s staff still wear tail coats! The hotel occupies the building made famous by Edwardian kitchen maid-turned society hostess Rosa Lewis, the legendary Duchess of Duke Street whose life story was told in the eponymous TV serial of the late 1970s. The cream of London society (King Edward VII included) enjoyed Rosa’s raffish hospitality and stylish cooking, traditions The Cavendish upholds today. Although royalty is still drawn to the area (nearby Mahiki nightclub is a favourite with Prince Harry), The Duchess would not recognise the old place. The cutting-edge interior design is the handiwork of Noel Pierce whose bold décor (also seen in Hong Kong’s Peninsula hotel) has transformed The Cavendish into a 230-room luxury bolthole for holidaymakers with hi-tech mod cons for business travellers.

The ultra-modern guest rooms with their wallmounted plasma screen TVs combine neutral creams and beiges with dark wood furniture, leather chairs and crimson velour throws. The limestone bathrooms showcase Philippe Starck chrome fittings, sandblasted glass doors and a range of BeeKind bathroom products from Gilchrist & Soames, presented in recyclable paper bottles. The Cavendish was first in the capital to win the Green Tourism for London Gold Award for its environmental policies (energy efficient lighting, in-house water bottling system, the recycling of everything, from paper to waste cooking oil). Green meeting packages include a complimentary carbon offset, there’s a 50% discount in the underground car park for eco-friendly cars and a Green Christmas Office Party Package offers sustainable and Freetrade festive fare. The hotel has also introduced Christmas gift vouchers – the perfect way to pamper friends and loved ones. Close to long-running shows like Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You and Mamma Mía, pre-theatre suppers are a big draw: two courses for £14.95, a snip in central London. The Restaurant at The Cavendish holds an AA Rosette for its creative British cuisine and Executive Chef David Britton of BBC2’s Master Chef fame has other feathers in his cap, including a visit to Japan for the 2000 G8 summit where he taught 130 Japanese chefs (who spoke no English) to prepare the perfect beef fillet and Yorkshire pudding for a gala dinner in honour of Tony Blair. Alternatively, world-famous restaurants like Langhams, Wilton’s and Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill are on the doorstep. For, when you stay at The Cavendish, all London is your oyster.

i 81 Jermyn Street, St. James’s, London.

Tel: (+44) 207 930 2111 www.thecavendishlondon.com

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THETRAVELLER HOTEL

Report BELINDA BECKETT

THE LANDMARK LONDON An Urban Oasis

Some London hotels are tourist attractions in their own right and the aptly-named Landmark London is no exception. Its red brick Gothic façade and clock tower make a bold statement along leafy Marylebone Road, halting passers-by in their tracks. But nothing can prepare the visitor for the soaring majesty of its Winter Garden.

ermetically sealed from the madness of the metropolis within an eight-storey atrium, this is one chic urban oasis. (Send your camel to bed!) Vertiginous palms rise surreally from thickly-carpeted floors towards a constantly-changing collage of clouds and sky, glimpsed beyond the vast glass roof like an animated version of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings. Whether you view this spectacle from the depths of an opulent period sofa in the lounge, or from your bedroom above (where waiters and guests below take on Lilliputian proportions), you have the impression of inhabiting an alternative universe that’s not quite outdoors (no birds or rain) nor wholly indoors. Back in the real world, trendy Marylebone High Street, Regent’s Park, Madame Tussauds and Marylebone Station are on this hotel’s historic doorstep. The Landmark London was one of the last great Victorian railway hotels opened during the Golden Age of Steam. Christened the Great Central in 1899, it was conceived by Sir Edward Watkins of the Great Central Railway, a man ahead of his time who dreamed of establishing a train link to Europe via a Channel Tunnel. Thus, the hotel was built around a vast open courtyard, allowing horse-drawn carriages to deposit guests directly at the door. Two world wars changed the hotels fortunes, when it was requisitioned as a military rehab centre and then Restaurant twotwentytwo

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(quelle sacrilege!) became British Rail’s HQ. Restored in the Eighties to its original purpose as the five-star Regent Hotel, in 1995 the name changed again when it was acquired by The Landmark Hotel London Ltd. Today, represented by The Leading Hotels of the World, its renaissance as one of the capital’s finest Grande Dames is complete and it is much-fêted by celebrities and well-heeled travellers the world over – hence, the multi-lingual staff speak over 47 languages! The spectacular Winter Garden has become the ‘in’ place for Londoners on Sundays who come to enjoy the famous Champagne Brunch Buffet – live jazz and unlimited bubbly for £70 per person. There can be no better antidote to that morning-after-thenight-before feeling. To enjoy breakfast in this glorious space, where the service is as smooth and unobtrusive as clockwork, is to experience a taste of the high life: choose from a sumptuous continental breakfast buffet of exotic fruits, cereals, cold meats and home-baked confections; invent your own filling at the Omelette Station; go for broke with Full English (black pudding included); or opt for à la carte specials like smoked salmon and eggs Benedict. Then kick back with your complimentary daily newspaper while a pianist plays relaxing sounds. With an average size of 55m2, the 300 lavish guest rooms are among the largest in the capital and combine the best in modern and period décor. Heavy brocade curtains hang at the windows (choose from atrium or street views), the deep-pile carpet

feels like velvet while antique armoires conceal a panoply of high-tech features (interactive TV with on-command movies, Playstations and high-speed wifi internet access). Ornate bedspreads on Kingsized doubles and Queen-sized twins peel back to reveal satin-smooth, high-thread-count cotton sheets on blissfully firm mattresses. Opulent marble bathrooms boast regal twin sinks, full-size baths and power showers. Complimentary toiletries, bathrobes, hairdryers, illuminated magnifying mirrors and ‘Do not disturb’ buttons are other little luxuries. And if that’s not sufficient pampering, the top-floor Presidential Suite boasts an original working fireplace and curtain ties made from Swarovski crystals, while eight new Lifestyles Suites take customer care to a new level with a bespoke service offering everything from complimentary laundry and dry cleaning to car transfers and theatre bookings. A stunning Spa & Health Club was added three years ago, complete with 15-metre semi-ozone swimming pool, sanarium, steam rooms, aromatic showers, luxury Espa treatments and gym. Afterwards, treat yourself to the new Chocolate Afternoon Tea. Chocolate-dipped strawberries, white chocolate cheesecake and ovenwarm chocolate chip scones slathered with Cornish clotted cream are among the decadent delights destined to best that other great institution, afternoon tea at the Ritz. While the Winter Garden Restaurant offers fine British dining with a modern twist, the new Restaurant twotwentytwo offers funkier fare. A life-sized black horse lamp by Moooi at the entrance is a playful reference to the horse-drawn carriages of yesteryear while oak panelling, antique fireplaces and Chesterfield sofas conjure up a Gentlemen’s Club vibe. The modern European menu offers both on-trend dishes (seafood risotto with crab, prawns, mussels, squid and tarragon) and comfort foods (juicy hand-made burgers served with a silver tumbler of chips on the side). There’s also a variety of grilled meats and fish and guests can create their own Sharing Platter. Accompany your meal with some of the best wines in the world, or a cocktail from an intriguing menu offering ‘His and Her’ concoctions. With gracious service that’s full-on, 24/7, this hotel is a stand-out experience that lives up to its name, big-time, creating landmark memories you’ll treasure forever.

i The Landmark London,

222, Marylebone Road, Tel: (+ 44) 020 7631 8000. www.landmarklondon.co.uk

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the gourmet

E VERYTHING ABOUT DINING

Ivy

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Beckitt’s

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Food News

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Chef’s Profile: Alex Nicoll of Hermosa

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Wine: Celebrity Wines

Page

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Fi n e T h a i C u i s i n e

RESERVATIONS:

952 818 392

Open Every Evening for Dinner Ctra. de Cรกdiz Km. 175 PUERTO BANร S (Behind The Shell Petrol Station) Marbella

Puente Romano, Fase 2, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00pm Serving Marbella in a Select Atmosphere for 27 years.

tel: 952 777 893 or 952 775 500

TAI PAN Chinese Cuisine - Polynesian Bar

Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine

NOW OPEN FOR

LUNCH & DINNER!

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Oriental Delights

t h e a rt of

Tel: 952 770 550 Open Mon-Sat. C.C. Marbellamar, L-3A. Marbella.

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THEGOURMET

RESTAURANT

Ivy

Basque and international cuisine made with love messenger, in small quantities. Javier has crafted a menu that is select and well thought-out, with starters including salads, vegetable dishes and classic Basque delights such as the ‘clams made the chef’s way’ and other northern delicacies like the black sausage from Burgos. If you’ve ever been to Segovia and enjoyed the melt-in-the-mouth tender suckling pig, you can relive the experience at Ivy with Javier’s cochinillo asado. Meat lovers meanwhile will marvel at the size and tenderness of the grilled T-bone steak. The wine list consists mainly of classic Spanish favourites, selected by young sommelier Carlos Pires, who, on his holidays this year, is heading for Bordeaux to taste wine, a true passion for him. Carlos is always on hand to suggest wines to accompany each dish, or explain grape varieties and wine-making techniques. We were in the mood for red so he suggested a full-bodied Marqués de Tudelilla Rioja, which was intense, aromatic and deliciously persistent. On my visit to Ivy, my dining companion and I, authentic connoisseurs of red tuna, decided to make our meal a seafood affair. We started out with the clams in green sauce which were plump and tender, perfect for whetting the appetite with their lovely, traditional flavour. We then ordered ‘our speciality’: tuna tartare, which merits a rotund ‘10’. Ivy hit the spot with a tartare packed with flavour, thanks to tiny slices of capers, pickles, red onions and Javier’s home-made, secret oil which defies explanation. Our main course, the grilled kokochas de merluza (hake), has an interesting history. According to Javier, so plentiful was the catch of hake in the old days that, in the north, the kokocha (the part consisting of the neck and ‘shoulders’ of the fish) used to be summarily thrown away, thus devaluing what is now a gastronomic treasure. Few other parts of the fish

are quite so flavourful or crisp, and the kokocha has a surprisingly plump, meaty content. Every day there is a different homemade dessert at Ivy. We tried the one-of-a-kind ‘Marilyn sorbet’, a creamy avocado sorbet with hints of champagne, drizzled with a tangy raspberry coulis. The tuna tartare may have been the ‘it’ dish for me but, for my friend, the avocado sorbet would have her reminiscing for days. She and I have already promised to visit the Ivy for our special Christmas lunch, a tradition we have cherished religiously for many years now. In addition to the top cuisine, the service at Ivy is as to be expected from an Andrés Vales-run establishment. Says the restaurateur: “I enjoy dealing with people and helping them feel as comfortable as they would in their own homes.” This is a difficult task, achieved by “finding out diners’ tastes, then taking very good care of them”. Like all new babies, Ivy proves how much a whole lot of love can achieve.

uIvy offers special business menus for lunch from Monday

to Friday, where diners can select from three starters, three main courses and one dessert, plus wine and water, for €17 uAt

the cafeteria, diners can enjoy an €8 menu from Monday to Friday at lunch time. On Saturdays, the cafeteria serves paella at lunchtime. uOn Sundays enjoy the Sunday Lunch menu, with roasts,

grilled fish etc, for €27 (booking is essential).

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for lunch. Urb. El Rosario, Club de Tenis El Casco, Marbella. Tel: 952 831 989/ 659 515 055.

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“

So, what do you think of my new baby?” asks Andrés Vales, beaming like the sunshine. Andrés is a familiar face to any self-respecting Marbella foody, having run culinary stalwarts such as Ivy in Nueva Andalucía, and the Marbella Golf and Country Club restaurant. His mere presence is pretty much guarantee of a safe bet and, after over 20 years experience as a restaurateur, he has taken on a new project to which he gladly gives his heart and soul: his new restaurant, Ivy, opened alongside his partners, Fernando Berisa (who has worked as a Maitre d’ and waiter at the Hotel Gvadalpín and the Hotel NH 10) and Head Chef Javier Cobanera, a native of the Basque country, the land where “good chefs always cook with affection”. Ivy, nestled within the El Casco tennis club (with plenty of free parking) comprises both the cafeteria and the main restaurant, elegantly positioned with a bird’s eye view over the main, clay tennis court. Diners can sit on the exotic Oriental terrace, under the rattanframed, pristine white sail shades, or enjoy the warm, cosy feeling of the interior, imparted by contemporary, dark wood furniture and natural light that floods in through large windows. The aim of Andrés and his team is simple – and that is why Ivy is so successful, a mere three months into its opening: to offer excellent quality, value for money and an ambience reminiscent of home. At Ivy, you may order one of the star dishes, the kokochas de merluza, and feel free to put table manners aside and use your fingers to better reach the crunchiest, most mouthwatering parts of this exquisite fish. The place may look fancy yet it’s anything but snobby. Javier Cobanera is obsessed with quality and ‘proper treatment of the food’, as is to be expected of a seasoned Basque chef. All fish and meat is brought daily to the restaurant from the north of Spain via

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THEGOURMET

RESTAURANT

Belinda BECKETT discovers

BECKITT’S great dining, with or without the ‘e’!

Argentinean Head Chef and his team work under Mark’s direction. The customer side is managed by Steve, who used to have his own restaurant, and a more attentive and charming team you couldn’t hope to meet. It’s advisable to order an aperitif (I can recommend the Kir Royal) while you study the three menus (one changing weekly): 25 starters and 25 mains takes some reading and you could eat here every week and never perm the same combination twice! Plus, there are wines from France and Italy as well as Spain. Dishes such as steamed mussels in white wine, chicken and lemongrass salad, fillet of veal Saltimboca and tempura of lemon sole with wok-fried vegetables show just how international this restaurant is and I had to search hard for a taste of home. It’s there, but understated and re-invented for today’s more discerning palates: soft, salty Irish soda bread made on the premises; buttery champ (creamed potatoes with scallions which the British call baby spring onions and are the devil to find in Spain); chunky seafood chowder with a hint of Pernod, finished with cream; baconwrapped free range chicken with sage and onion stuffing and herb mash. Homely or avant garde, every dish is beautifully presented and a feast for the eyes; my fresh green asparagus with creamy parmesan sauce and crispy bacon was a great combination of textures and flavours. I also cadged a forkful of my companion’s deep fried brie with chilli jam, artistically balanced on a mixed leaf salad; the spicy, caramelised breadcrumb coating was exquisite. The delicate consistency of the

fillet of John Dory, cooked in white wine and shallots with prawn sauce, also surpassed expectations while I was in Emerald Isle heaven with belly of Irish pork in cider sauce with champ and buttered cabbage. The slow-cooked meat was mouth-meltingly tender and moist, the crackling fine and crisp. Mains are served with a side dish of fresh vegetables, cooked al dente with all their colour and goodness intact. We finished with a decadent Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake and a scrumptiously retro Eton Mess, a decidedly British combination of fresh cream, strawberries, ice cream and crunchy meringue. Mark and Lynn came to Marbella to escape what had become a working treadmill in Ireland, where they were juggling running a restaurant with bringing up five young children. “It was becoming a nightmare,” says Mark. “The hours grew longer and with demanding new health laws and spiralling insurance costs, it wasn’t making any sense. With Beckitt’s, we’ve got our life back and become a family again.” Ireland’s loss is Marbella’s gain. The food is delicious and great value and I’m happy to report that the service in no way resembles Samuel Beckett’s most famous play, Waiting for Godot, (who never turns up)!

i C./ Camilo José Cela 4, Marbella.

Tel: 952 868 898. www.beckittsmarbella.com Open nightly from 6-11.30pm. Average price, three-course meal + wine, €40.

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don’t have shares in Beckitt’s – even though it would be a good investment as this downtown Marbella restaurant has been doing a roaring trade for six years. But an establishment named in honour of a distant relative – the Nobel Prize-winning Irish playwright Samuel Beckett – had to be tried; (the spelling is changed for copyright reasons, as Beckett has only been dead 20 years). Also, I’m Irish, and even though the coast has more Irish pubs than Guinness cans have widgets, opportunities to try traditional Irish comfort food are as rare as a four-leafed shamrock.. Beckitt’s is ideally placed opposite what local people jokingly call The Irish Embassy – the Skol building, where every other occupant is Irish – and it comes as no surprise that Irish celebrities like Westlife, Liam Neeson and Bertie Ahern of Fianna Fáil head here, when they’re in town. Owners Mark and Lynn Quinlan, also Irish, worked their way up through some of Eire’s most elite catering establishments (Kilkea Castle in Kildare, Dublin’s renowned La Stampa boutique hotel and Le Coq Hardi), before opening their own restaurant in County Meath. That being said, the Irish no longer subsist on a diet of potatoes and poteen and the eclectic menu is designed to appeal to an international clientele that has included the distinctly British Sir Alan Sugar and Antony Worrall Thompson, the definitively American Kid Creole & the Coconuts and Rebecca Loos, who’s of Spanish/Dutch descent, With half of Marbella strangely deserted after the post-August exodus of Spanish tourists, Beckitt’s looked like the ‘in’ place, its terrace heaving with diners aiming to catch the Early Bird menu (three courses for €25, served from 6pm opening until 7.30pm). But even in the depths of winter, the restaurant averages 100 customers a night. Inside, the ambience is cosy and unpretentious with soft lighting and round tables to encourage convivial conversation. Diners can see everything that goes on in the show kitchen, where the

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THEGOURMET

Report Marisa Cutillas

FOOD NEWS

El Bistro Lounge de Pan y Mermelada

©KH Photography

Popular Golden Mile café and bread shop, Pan y Mermelada, has just opened a new bistro serving creative international cuisine for lunch and dinner. The new Bistro Lounge de Pan y Mermelanda, with warm, red interiors, a quaint terrace and contemporary décor, boasts an impressive list of salads as well as meat dishes, caviar, fish and vegetarian selections. There is also a well-selected list of white, rosé and red wines and a host of champagnes and cavas to accompany your meal. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner except Sundays.

i CN 340, km 169, Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, Urb Marbella Real

Local 16, Marbella. Tel: 952 829 308.

Nestor: French brasserie opens in Vasari

©KH Photography

The same successful team that has brought diners the elegant Finca Besaya is pleased to announce the opening of a brand new French brasserie: Nestor, offering fine regional cuisine created by top Parisian chef, Eric Benessiano. Diners can look forward to delights such as an exquisite steak tartare and lobster pasta. Nestor also boasts the impressive eurocave machine, which allows wine lovers to enjoy fine wines by the glass. Nestor will be hosting themed nights, including an Oriental couscous night every Thursday, barbecue brunches by the pool on Sundays and fondue and oyster nights. The restaurant opens from Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sundays for brunch.

i Urb. Alzambra, Edif. Vasari, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 020.

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz comes to the Hotel Marbella Club Angelo Martinelli, the legendary resident manager of Badrutt´s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, brought his renowned kitchen team to the Hotel Marbella Club for a special gourmet weekend. Executive Chef, Frédéric Breuil, and Pastry Chef, Stefan Gerber, presented ‘Flavours of the Famous Palace restaurants’, an extravaganza featuring dishes such as lobster remoulade, half moon ravioli with pumpkin and truffle and the famous chocolate Palace tart with vanilla glace sauce. The Hotel Marbella Club is looking forward to hosting more culinary events of this calibre, proving it merits its place as one of the top dining havens on the Coast.

i Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella: tel: 952 822 211.

www.marbellaclub.com

One-day cooking courses at Roca Tranquila Creative international cuisine restaurant, Roca Tranquila, is offering one-day cooking courses where fervent foodies can fine-tune their culinary skills under the guiding hand of award winning Danish chef, Kasper Nielsen. The first course will take place on October 7, the second on October 28 and the third on November 18. Learn to cook a three-course menu during a three-hour class and delight, afterwards, in the flavours of what you’ve just cooked, enjoying the finest of wines with your meal.

i Urb. Torreblanca del Sol, C/ Tórtola 9, Fuengirola.

Tel: 952 196 067. www.rocatranquila.es

D-Oliva: Specialising in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil D-Oliva has opened the first store in Andalucía devoted exclusively to extra virgin olive oils from Spain. Just like the finest of Spanish wines, olive oils have their respective Denominaciones de Origen (D.O.s), indicating their aroma, taste and texture. The owners of D-Oliva also wish to educate diners in the ancient tradition of olive oil production, offering courses and tasting of the finest products. Find out which oils go with which types of food, which are ideal for cooking, and which will give new life to your favourite salad.

i C/ Nueva 9, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 859 616. www.dolivaonline.com 134

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THEGOURMET CHEF PROFILE

Alex Nicoll

Report MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KH PHOTOGRAPHY

Herm osa Restaurant H

ermosa Beach in California is famed for its cuisine which, more than a mere collection of recipes, is an entire philosophy based on a marriage of cultures and the use of fresh, seasonal produce. Alex Nicoll, Head Chef and founder of Hermosa Restaurant in Cabopino, became acquainted with Californian cuisine through a twist of destiny, when he decided to give up his career as a barrister at Lloyd’s of London to become a film and television producer in Los Angeles. When visa regulations grew stricter and Alex was forced to return to the UK, he refused to face life as a producer of reality television shows, which were of little interest to him. He and his fiancée, Melissa, an up-and-coming marketing executive, decided to go with their hearts and make a lifetime dream come true: to come to Marbella and set up what now, three years down the line, is one of Cabopino’s most revered culinary havens: Hermosa Bistro. Alex and Melissa define the cuisine at Hermosa as ‘progressive international’, which brings together the best of Asian, Cajun, Mexican, Italian, French and British traditions. A fusion of flavours abounds in dishes like the Cajun slow roast belly of pork with the house ‘hickory-bourbon’ glaze, chorizo patatas bravas and Mexican pico de gallo, or the Japanese breaded tiger prawns with Asian dressed leaves, mango mayonnaise and soy-chilli dipping sauce. Alex changes the menu frequently, since fresh produce is the order of the day and most of the ingredients in his dishes are local, with the exception, of the meat. “We import Irish beef since we found a great supplier that guarantees top quality consistently,” he says. This autumn/winter, diners can look forward to warm winter comfort food, incorporating hearty meat dishes with

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tempting sauces and sides. Diners will also be able to enjoy Hermosa’s take on the traditional Sunday lunch once again from early October. Alex tells us that despite the crisis, Hermosa is enjoying its most successful year ever. “We now have a solid base of regular clients, which is great in terms of the feedback they give us. I think it’s all owing to three elements: good food, reasonable prices and top service.” Alex credits Melissa with keeping clients happy at all times, since, “Nine times out of ten, clients won’t come back if they’re not happy with the service”. Alex and Melissa have also made their best efforts to beat the credit crunch, with a competitively priced two-course and threecourse menu that will continue to run alongside the À La Carte. “When the sterling exchange rate dropped, overseas clients suddenly started to note that Spain was becoming more expensive. We really negotiated strongly with our suppliers to be able to make costs reasonable and our restaurant the kind that clients could come to often.” Many changes have taken place at Hermosa since the restaurant first featured in . It now boasts a beautiful wooden-decked terrace framed by sliding crystal doors, ideal for gazing out at the boats on the Cabopino Port. Alex has also taken on the role of Head Chef this year, after starting out in the humblest of roles: washing the dishes! “You’d have to forcibly remove me from the kitchen now…I love it. There’s nothing like running a restaurant where you know the buck stops with the Head Chef. It inspires you to put your heart and soul into it,” he says. On a personal level, Alex and Melissa are also excited about their upcoming wedding and subsequent trip to California to meet up with friends and dine at the restaurants that inspire and influence them. “We’re closing for two weeks in November, and for the month of January, to prepare for our wedding and enjoy our honeymoon,” says Alex. When I ask him for his top choices in L.A. he answers: “I like Luque’s (Suzanne Goin’s French fusion classic), Simon (who “takes all the foods Americans were familiar with as children and recreates it”) and Chef Melba’s Diner on Hermosa Beach. “It was taken over by a larger-than-life, jolly Mexican chef and I think it’s one of the most underrated restaurants in Los Angeles. I hope it weathers the financial storm and is still around when I visit.” Alex and Melissa are the kind of couple you wish every success: charismatic, warm, and totally committed to serving different, top-quality progressive cuisine at a jewel in the Port of Cabopino that is bound to be the talk of the coast for many years to come. They are the perfect example of how being true to oneself always pays off.

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Puerto Cabopino, Marbella. Tel: 952 837 483. www.hermosabistro.com

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THEGOURMET

WINE COLUMN Report AJ Linn Photography Courtesy of FAMOUS AND bodegas lara

Anyone for Celeb Wines? Would you buy a wine made by a celebrity? Or put it another way, if there are two bottles on the same shelf, both from the same area using the same grape and at the same price, one with a celebrity label and the other without, would curiosity tip you to buy the first?

f you do you will be fulfilling the marketing experts’ prophesies: when all things are equal, you have opted for the wine with the name on the label. Frances Ford Coppola was the first big name in the film business to dive into the wine business; he bought a California winery 30 years ago that is still going strong and makes a (very expensive) wine that can be judged highly on its own merits. Gerard Depardieu has his name on bottles of wine from Bordeaux, the Languedoc, Algeria and Morocco, so one can assume that his participation is more bottledressing that hands-on-the-grape sort, something he denies. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall is a more adventurous investor in vineyards. He makes wine in Sicily in the shade of Mount Etna; Sting is making wine in Tuscany and Cliff Richard in Portugal, all on their own estates. Olivia Newton-John has her own strange blue-bottled wine called Koala Blue, made in New Zealand originally but now being extended to Australian Shiraz and Chardonnay, and two other film world celebrities, Sam Neill and Michael Sereresin, have also opted for New Zealand as a location to make their own wines. In Spain, wine making celebs include Joan Manuel Serrat, Lluís Llach, Miguel Bosé, Imanol Arias, Bertín Osborne, and Emilio Aragón. And of course Antonio Banderas has just joined the club, purchasing 50 per cent of a bodega in Villalba de Duero, in the heartland of Ribera del Duero. The winery, belonging to an ex-architect turned winemaker from Burgos and his brother, is now known as Anta Banderas (‘AB’) and unsurprisingly the business objective is to export wine to those countries where Antonio’s films are most appreciated, South America and the USA.

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As with all such things where celebs are involved, smoke and mirrors are not absent. Banderas is rumoured to have acquired the winery partly because wife Melanie Griffith’s brother-in-law is an oenologist and egged him on. He is said to have bought the property sight-unseen but that is disputed. Anyway, the important thing is this is not a sponsorship or ‘name’ exercise, Antonio has actually put his money where his mouth is and is even considering buying a house in the area so he can spend time there. While the fanfares about Banderas buying half of a wine company ricocheted around the celeb world, the story behind the bodega has received little publicity. Started by Francisco and Teodoro Ortega ten years ago, with 70 hectares of what is now 235 hectares, the aim was always to make noteworthy wines. The vines that were planted initially were original clones of tempranillo originating from the Duero but brought from California and grafted. Neighbouring producers thought they were mad to carry out as many as five ‘harvests’ each season that produced no useful grapes in order to perfect the vines, but five years ago they did start making wine and almost immediately were awarded prizes at international tastings that led to success in export markets. In one decade the bodega, originally named Anta Bodegas (and now Anta Banderas) reached a level of quality that centuries-old wineries had yet to attain. Antonio Banderas and Ortega were introduced by mutual friends and negotiations soon started. The complete Banderas team, led by Antonio’s brother, descended on the winery and did its due diligence. Once the deal was signed, five of the existing brands were adapted to the new AB label; (Ortega totally discounts any suggestion that the labels will bear the actor’s image). He would like to produce a million bottles yearly, but this is a target that may be hard to achieve; this year they lost 30 hectares of grapes in a hailstorm. The AB range is made up of four reds and a rosado, which rather surprisingly has won a Bacchus prize; at €6,25 retail you may want to try it but there are many better rosados on the market. The reds however are interesting. The flagship is the A de Anta, price and production still not published, followed by

the Anta 16, which is low production, 16,000 bottles, 18 months in wood, mainly tempranillo with some merlot and 17 per cent cabernet sauvignon. A nice drink but pricey at €22, particularly when the Anta 10, at €13, with a similar blend but more merlot and less CS, is far better value. Frankly, the Anta 4, 100 per cent tempranillo selling at €6 is as good a straight Ribera del Duero as you will get, and at a price that cannot include any premium for the Banderas factor: a good all-round wine. Plans are underway to make two whites, and there is a premium olive oil also on sale.

i Bodegas Lara in Málaga has the distribution of

the Antonio Banderas range, and in Marbella Vinacoteca La Cartuja stocks the full selection. Plaza Joaquín Gómez Agüera 2, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 203. www.vinoslacartuja.com

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RESTAURANTS Price guide

Per head for a three-course meal with wine

RESTAURANTS

Clericó

Cádiz, km. 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 599

AMERICAN

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. Antonio Belón, 22, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 683.

El Coto

Under €25

Jacks

€25 – €40

Open seven days a week from noon till late. Puerto Banús, Tel: 952 813 625, Puerto Marina, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 563 673

€40 – €60 €60 plus

Yanx Open from 9am Monday to Saturday and Sunday from 11am for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Centro Plaza, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 861

GRILLS

INDIAN

INTERNATIONAL

iN El Gaucho

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

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

GREEK Red Pepper

Open from 12pm to 12am. Avda. Muelle de Ribera, locales 4-5, Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 993

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 148

Open from 1pm-4pm and from 7pm to 12am. Ctra. de Cádiz, km.176, 29600, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 533

GREEK

Valderrama Restaurant

TGI Friday’s

Tony Roma’s

ARGENTINEAN B.Ayres Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. CN340, km.178, Marbella. Tel: 952 863 922

FRENCH

Buenos Aires South

GRILLS

IGuana grill Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, and for breakfast from Monday to Friday. CN340, km 189, Pinomar, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 735

MARBELLA CLUB GRILL Open every night for dinner. Marbella Club Hotel. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211

Asador Criollo Grill

Old Town Grill

Open nightly for dinner. CN340-A7, km. 166, Cancelada, El Saladillo. Tel: 952 784 463

Open Monday to Saturday for dinner and Sunday for lunch. C/ San Lázaro, 3, Pza. Victoria, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 306

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

El Carnicero

puente romano beach club Open every day for lunch. CN 340, km 177, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Pueblo Viejo Cancelada. Between San Pedro & Estepona. Tel: 952 886 307

Restaurante Rancho

El Carnicero 2

Tango

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de

Open daily for dinner except Tuesdays. Puerto

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

RESTAURANTS

AMERICAN

ARGENTINEAN

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

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Ronda (El Madroñal), San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 786 688

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iNGS LISTINGS LISTings Banús (opp. the car park). Tel: 952 812 358

INDIAN indian dreams Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. Duque de Ahumada, Paseo Marítimo 9, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 096

Jaipur purple Open daily for dinner except Tuesday. C.C. Costasol, local 3, Estepona. Tel: 952 888 353

Little India

Taj Palace Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. La Cañada, local 151, Marbella. Tel: 952 779 715

Don Leone

Open every night for dinner. Avda. Camilo José Cela 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 898

Open every night for dinner. Puerto Banús, Marbella. Tel: 952 811 716

al bacar

boulevard

Don MIGUEL

Open Friday for dinner and Saturday and Sunday for lunch and dinner. El Castillo de Monda s/n, Monda. Tel: 952 457 142

Open for dinner from 8pm. Avda. La Fontanilla, esquina Paseo Marítimo, Marbella. Tel: 952 860 583

Open for lunch from 1-4pm and dinner from 7-11pm Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday. C/ Ortega y Gasset 87, Marbella House, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 603

alminar

Open for dinner Monday to Saturday from 7 pm. Las Palmeras 19, San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 786 156

INTERNATIONAL

Open daily for dinner from 7pm. Conj. Buenavista, L 21-22, Avda. de España, Calahonda. Tel: 952 931 829

Massala

Amanhavis

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

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday from 8.00pm. Calle del Pilar 3, Benahavís. Tel: 952 856 026

Mughal village

Areté

Open Monday to Saturday from 6pm for dinner. Urb. Torrenueva, Mijas Costa. Tel: 902 463 426

Open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner. C/ Mediterráneo, Edif. Mediterráneo, 1 (next to Marisquería Santiago), Marbella. Tel: 952 777 334

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

safFron Open from 7 pm ‘til late night every day. Parque de Elviria, local 7-9, Las Chapas (take second exit, after Hotel Don Carlos), Marbella. Tel: 952 830 146

Taj Mahal Open daily for lunch and dinner. Private parking available. Ctra. Cádiz, km 179 (behind Venta los Pacos). Tel: 952 857 670/ 629 244 659

Open from 9am to 6pm. C/ Califa, Edif. La Maestranza, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 907 876

BECKITT’s

Open Thursday to Monday for dinner. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

Mumtaz

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Coto de los Doles, Carril del Relojero, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 839 458

baboo lounge and restaurant Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Winter season: closed Sunday and Monday nights. Ctra. Arroyo de la Miel, s/n, Benalmádena. Tel: 902 102 675

beach club restaurante grill

Brunings

bubbles Open daily for dinner and drinks from 7.30 pm. Plaza Antonio Banderas, Puerto Banús. Tel: 606 070 979

Calima Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Hotel Meliá Don Pepe, C/ José Meliá, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 764 252

Casanis Open every day from 6pm except Sundays. C/ Ancha, 8, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 450

Chic brunch & café Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Centro de Negocios Puerta de Banús, local 22, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 929 411

Don Quijote Open every evening for dinner (7pm-12am. Flamenco show on Sundays. Urb. El Rosario, km. 188, Marbella. Tel: 952 834 748

El Bolero Open every night for dinner from 8-11pm. The San Roque Club, CN 340, km. 127, Cádiz. Tel: 956 613 030

El Corzo Open daily for dinner. Hotel Los Monteros, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 187. Tel: 952 771 700

el fogón de elías Open Wednesday to Monday for lunch and dinner. Bloque 7-8, Centro Diana CN 340, km 168.5, Estepona. Tel: 952 884 977

El lago Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Urb. Elviria Hills. Avda. Las Cumbres s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 371

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

cortijo fain

EL MIRADOR

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Algar, km. 3, Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz. Tel: 956 704 131

beach house

Deli-icious

Open for breakfast every day. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Resort. CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

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INTERNATIONAL

EL OCEANO BEACH HOTEL

lunch and dinner everyday. Urb. El Rosario, Club de Tenis el Casco, Marbella. Tel: 952 831 989

952 831 267 / 831 116

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Ctra. FuengirolaMijas, between CN-340 and highway. Tel: 952 580 513

Khala

Fusion

LA biznaga

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 daily for dinner. C/Aduar 1, Casco antiguo, Marbella. Tel: 952 828 650

Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday for dinner. Entrance to El Rosario, in front of Las Chapas school, Marbella. Tel: 952 839 910

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 Menorah

RESTAURANTS

El Relicario

Galeria San Pedro

La cabaña del mar

La Terraza

Open from Mon. to Sat. for dinner. C/La Concha 11, El Ingenio, San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 686

Open from 11am until midnight. Closed Sundays. Avda Las Palmeras 15, San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 780 927

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 everyday lunch and dinner. Golf Hotel Guadalmina, Marbella. Tel: 952 882 211

hermosa

LA CANTINA DEL GOLF

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner from 7pm. Closed Monday. Local 1A. Puerto de Cabopino. Tel: 952 837 483

Open for breakfast and lunch until 8pm. Closed Sunday. Flamingo Golf Club, Cancelada, Benahavís. Tel: 951 318 815

Open daily for dinner. La Cala Resort, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas. Tel: 952 669 000

Herrero del Puerto

la cocina

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Casas de Campos, 1, Málaga. Tel: 952 122 075

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/Marbella 2, Benahavís. Tel: 665 775 364

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

hotel marbella club buffet

La Esencia

Open every day for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Hotel Incosol, Urb. Golf Rio Real, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 831 303

Hotel LoRcrimar

la fonda de marbella

Finca Besaya

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. CN 340, km. 173, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 906 105

Open every night for dinner. C/ Los Caballeros, 4-6, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 903 288

IVy

La Hacienda

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for lunch. The coffee shop opens for breakfast,

Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 193, Hacienda Las Chapas, Marbella. Tel:

Sunday. Ctra. de Casares, km. 10. Tel: 952 895 120

Open for lunch and dinner daily. CN 340, km 199, Urb. Torrenueva, Mijas Costa. Tel:952 587 550

Finca las brasas

EL OLIVO Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for lunch. At Marbella Golf & Country Club. CN 340, km. 188, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 500

El Patio de los Perfumes

El Restaurante del Casino Open every day for dinner from 8pm-4am. Hotel Andalucía Plaza s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 814 000

El rincón de gVadalpín Open for lunch Friday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Closed Monday. C/ Edgar Neville, s/n, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 929 001

Fabiola

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Rio Verde Alto, s/n. Tel: 952 861 382

Finca El Forjador Open daily for lunch from 1-4pm, Wednesday to

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Open Mondays to Saturday from 8.30pm to midnight. NH Alanda Hotel, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 600

La Loggia

Open from 1-3.30pm and 8-11.30pm. Closed Mondays. Arena Beach, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 151.2, Estepona. Tel: 952 792 734

La Terraza

La veranda lobby bar Open every day for lunch and dinner. At the Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

La Verandah Open week days for dinner at 7:30pm and weekends for lunch and dinner, closed Tuesdays. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 136. Playa Guadiaro, Torre-guadiaro, Cádiz. Tel: 956 615 998

Lee’s bistro Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and every night for dinner. C.C. Guadalmina, Local 8, Edif. Barclays, Marbella. Tel: 952 928 610

lime & co

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iNGS LISTINGS LISTings Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Conjunto Marbellamar 1, Marbella. Tel: 951 317 232

los bandidos Open every night for dinner. Muelle Ribera, Puerto Banús.Tel: 952 815 915

magna café Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C/ Calderón de la Barca, s/n. Tel: 952 929 578

max beach Open every day for lunch and dinner except Mondays. CN340, km 198, Riviera (cambio de sentido), Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 937 780

Mc café Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Marbella Club Hotel. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n. Tel: 952 822 211

Mesana Open daily for dinner. Creative Cuisine. Gran Hotel Gvadalpín, Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 400

Messina

montecarlo Open every day for lunch and dinner. Closed Tuesdays. Avda. Litoral s/n, Estepona. Tel: 951 273 994

nestor Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner and Sunday brunch. Urb. Alzambra, Edif. Vasari, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 020

novelli’s Open every day for lunch and dinner. Hotel Locrimar, CN 340, km 173, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 929 269

Ombú Open from Wednesday to Sunday for dinner. Hotel Don Carlos. CN 340, km 192, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

OCHO Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. C/ Moncayo 12, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 460 232 / 648 502 822

Ogilvy & Mailer

Open for dinner Monday to Saturday. Avda. Severo Ochoa, 12, Marbella. Tel: 952 864 895

Open everyday for lunch and dinner, except Tuesday and Sunday evenings. Los Naranjos Country Club, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 815 398

messina puerto banús

Over the clouds

Open every day for lunch and dinner except for Sunday. C/Ramón Areces, Complejo Marina Banús. Tel: 952 815 840

Open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner from 7pm10.30pm. AGH Estepona Hotel and Spa, 5th floor, CN 340, km 166.5, Estepona. Tel: 952 889 040

Miraflores Golf Restaurant

oyarbide

Open daily for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 199. Urb. Riviera Golf. Tel: 952 931 941

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for lunch. C/ Acera de la Marina 4,

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RESTAURANTS

INTERNATIONAL

ITALIAN

lebanese

Oriental

144

Marbella. Tel: 952 772 461

sentidos

passion café Open for lunch and dinner every day. C.C. La Colonia, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 781 583

Open every day for lunch and dinner. At Sentidos en Río Real Hotel. Urb. Río Real s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 732

Terra Sana Express@ ILounge. Avda Antonio Belón, 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 901 274. Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 977. C.C. Los Arcos, Elviria. Tel: 952 833 250

polo house

Skina

The Clubhouse Bar & Brasserie

Open daily for dinner from 7pm and Sunday Lunch, with club/dancing. CN 340, Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe 11, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 380

Open for dinner Monday to Saturday. C/ Aduar 12, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 277

Open Tuesday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Urb. Los Naranjos de Marbella, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 908 844

Aretusa

polynesian’s restaurant & cocktail bar

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C.C. Le Village, local 15, Ctra. Istán km. 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 046

The far isle

carpaccio

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner except Tuesday. Edif. Lubina Sol, Riviera Exit, CN 340, km. 198, Marbella. Tel: 952 935 039

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, Local 6, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 357

The orange tree

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday 7pm until midnight. Avda. de la Constitución, corner C/ Andalucía, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 782 293

Open every night for dinner. Urb. La Alcazaba, CN340, km 175, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 100

Puro Beach Open every day for lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 159, E15 Exit, Estepona Este (beside Kempinski Resort Hotel). Tel: 952 316 699

Relais de Paris

Small world café

Starz Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Centro Plaza, kiosko 3, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 816 313

SUi-to

Open every evening from 6:30 pm-11 pm. Plaza General Chinchilla 1, Plaza de los Naranjos, Marbella. Tel: 952 924 613.

Tikitano Beach Restaurant

Open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Paseo marítimo Benabola, s/n. Tel: 952 819 078

Dinner and afterwards dance to music by resident DJ. Thursday to Saturday. Hotel Puente Romano, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

roca tranquila

Swing

trocadero playa

Open every day for lunch and dinner except Monday. Urb. Torreblanca de Sol, C/ Tortola, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 196 067

Open from 12-4pm and 7.30pm until midnight. Closed Wednesdays. Arena Beach, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 151, Estepona. Tel: 952 796 320

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Playa Santa Petronilla, km 178, Marbella. Tel: 610 704 144

Rojo

tanino

Open every day for lunch and dinner except Sunday. C/ Granada, 44, Málaga. Tel: 952 227 486

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. CN 340, km.168, Benamara, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 259

Open every day for dinner from 7.30pm-12.30am. Plaza Altamirano, 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 868

schilo

Terra Sana

Open Thursday to Saturday for dinner. Hotel Finca Cortesín. Crta. Casares s/n, Casares, Málaga. Tel: 952 937 800

Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nueva Andalucía next to the Casino. Tel: 952 906 205. Golden Mile, Marbella. Tel: 952 777 480.

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Guadalmansa, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 164, Estepona. Tel: 952 792 820

Zozoï

ITALIAN

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 Open daily for dinner. Front line P. Banús. Tel: 952 812 898

Caruso

Casa Nostra Open daily for both lunch and dinner. C/Camilo José Cela 12, Marbella. Tel: 952 861 108

Da Bruno Open all day. Pasta Da Bruno: Avda. Ricardo Soriano, 27, Marbella. Tel: 952 860 348 – closed on Sunday. 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

Al Dente

Dalli’s Pasta Factory

Open 7 days a week for dinner. Closed on Mondays. Urb. Jardines del Puerto, local 12, Puerto Banús. Tel:

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Second Line Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 490, Paseo de Reding, 43,

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iNGS LISTINGS LISTings Málaga. Tel: 952 217 078

Da Paolo Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Muelle Ribera, casa G-H, local 43, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 453

De Medici Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Urb. El Pilar, C.C. Benapilar, Estepona. Tel: 952 884 687

gold restaurant Open every day from 10am to 12 am. Complejo Benabola 13, Beach Side, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 929 055

Open daily from 7pm. Galerías Paniagua, Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 795 924

Luna Rossa Open daily for both lunch and dinner, closed on Sundays. Paseo Marítimo Benabola, local 12, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 543

MADE IN SARDINIA

Open daily for dinner. Beach Club, Hotel Puente Romano, CN-340, km 177.5, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

Rosmarino della Piazza Open Sunday to Friday for lunch and dinner and Saturday for dinner. C.C. Pinares de Elviria, s/n, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 850 148

Open every night for dinner. C.C. Cristamar, Avda. Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 906 608

terraza dual

Marco dallis

saleto

Open daily for dinner. Avda. Fontanilla, Marbella. Tel: 952 776 776

Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Avda. del Prado, Via 1, local 2, Aloha Golf, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 112

Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Marbellamar s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 925 250

la brisa

Metro

Open every night for dinner except for Wednesday and Thursday nights. Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 907 037, Puerto Marina, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 446 460

Villa Tiberio

Pizza Marzano

zafferano

la pappardella di estepona

Open every day for lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces, local 7, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 448

Open every night for dinner except Sunday. C/Gloria II, 11, Casco Antiguo, Marbella. Tel: 952 863 125

Open every day for lunch and dinner from 1pm to midnight. Puerto Deportivo de Estepona. Tel: 952 802 144

LA pappardella sul mare Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 952 807 354

Leonardo da vinci

pizza real Open every day from 12pm until late. C.C. Pino Golf Don Carlos, Elviria. Tel: 952 850 039

Open Monday to Saturday for dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 799

lebanese

Pizzeria Picasso

marrush

Open daily from 12 noon. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 669

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Complejo Cine Gran Marbella, Marbella. Tel: 952 814 819

Open every night for dinner. Urb. Doña Lola, Local 21-22, Calahonda, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 934 667

portofino laguna village Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 952 808 035

Asia Food

Lombardo’s

Ristorante Roberto

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

Oriental

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Centro Comercial, Pinares de Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 850 060

Dragón de Oro

Open daily for lunch and dinner. P. de las Orquideas, C/ Iris, 11B, Edif. Excelsior no. 1, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 813 603

Thai Gallery

El Barlovento

Open seven days a week for dinner from 8pm. CN340, km.175, Edif. Rimesa, Bajos, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 392

Open from 11am-4pm and 7.30-11pm every day except Mondays. Puerto Deportivo de Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 790 370

Wok Away

Restaurante La Marina

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 907 304

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

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

Sakura

Kaede

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Costa del Sol, upper level. CN-340, km. 166 (Estepona). Tel: 952 888 710

Wok Buffet

shangai express

Wok Wang

Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. At the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Urb. Benamara, Avda. Dos Hermanas, CN 340, km. 168, Estepona. Tel: 951 055 531

Open every day for lunch and dinner. C/ Camilo José Cela, C.C. Plaza del Mar, planta 0, local 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 925 478

Marisquería La Pesquera

Sukho Thai

Yuan

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Centro Comercial Marbellamar. Tel: 952 770 550

Open every night for dinner. Hotel Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 441 414.

RestaurantE Eddy & Marisa’s

Open everyday for lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Westin La Quinta. Urb. La Quinta, s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 762 059

Kaiden Sushi Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Com. Guadalmina Alta, Guadalmina 4, local 2, lower floor, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 896 508

Kama Kura Open Tuesday to Saturday from 8-11pm. The San Roque Club, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 127, San Roque, Cádiz. Tel: 956 613 030

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

Naga Open daily for lunch and dinner. Locales 18-21, C.C. Cristamar, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 319

Osaka 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

RestaurantE asiático Bangkok

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Avda. Jardines del Puerto, L.5, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 536

Sapporo

Sushi des artistes Open every evening for dinner and Wednesday to Sunday for lunch. CN 340, km 178.5, Marbella. Easy parking. Tel: 952 857 403

Sushi Katsura Open for lunch from Monday to Friday and for dinner from Monday to Saturday. C/Ramón Gómez de la Serna, 5, Marbella. Tel: 952 863 193

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. El Pilar, 22, Estepona. Tel: 952 887 092

SCANDINAVIAN

La Torre Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Club de Mar, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 561 Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de la Victoria, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 170

Open for breakfast and lunch from 9am - 6pm.Urb. Coral Beach, The Golden Mile, Marbella. Tel: 952 824 534

Skandies

Restaurante El bote

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7pm to 11pm. Closed Mondays. Avda. Antonio Belón, 26 (behind the lighthouse), Marbella. Tel: 952 776 323

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 660 084

SEAFOOD

SNACKS & Brasseries

Tai Pan

Asador Santiago

Megabowl and Sports Bar

Open seven days a week for dinner. H. Puente Romano, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 177, Marbella. Tel: 952 777 893

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Paseo Marítimo, 5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 078

Open seven days a week from midday until late. C.C. La Cañada, 1ª planta, Marbella. Tel: 902 232 999

Thai-china

Cipriano

Open daily for lunch and dinner except for Tuesday lunch. CN 340, km 197, Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 017

Open daily for both lunch and dinner. Playas del Duque, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 077

SPANISH al lago

RESTAURANTS

Oriental

SCANDINAVIAN

SEAFOOD

SNACKS

SPANISH

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iNGS LISTINGS LISTings Open every day for lunch and every night except Wednesday and Sunday for dinner. C/ Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente 11, Zahara de la Sierra, Cádiz. Tel: 956 123 032

San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 265

www.master-hotels.com

La Veranda

Cabopino Golf

Open for dinner from Monday to Sunday. Hotel Villa Padierna & Flamingos Golf Club. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 166 (Cancelada exit), Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150

18 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 850 282

Mesón el adobe

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 883 835

Estepona Golf

Open every evening for dinner. Ctra. de Ojén, km 0.5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 625

Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesdays. Avda. La Fontanilla, Edif. Balmoral, Bajo 3, Marbella. Tel. 600 003 144

Casa Fernando

Tragabuches

Finca cortesín golf club

Open from Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Mediterráneo s/n, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 853 344

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

18 holes, Par 72, Tel: 952 937 883. www.golfcortesin.es

Buenaventura Open every day for lunch and dinner. Plaza de la Iglesia, 5, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 069

Casa de la era

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

GOLF GUIDE

Club de Golf La Cañada 18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 956 794 100

El Paraiso Club de Golf

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 937 605. www.esteponagolf.com

Flamingos Golf Club 18 holes, Par. Tel: 952 889 157. www.flamingos-golf.com

Golf Río Real

Alcaidesa Links

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 756 733

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 956 791 0400. www.alcaidesa.com

Golf Torrequebrada

Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays. Camino de la Cruz, Marbella. Tel: 952 776 190

Alhaurín Golf

Guadalmina Golf

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 595 970. www.alhauringolf.com

36 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 883 375

la moraga

Almenara Golf

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 448

27 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 582 027. www.sotogrande.com

54 holes, Pars 71, 72 and 73. Tel: 952 669 033. www.lacala.com

Aloha Golf Club

9 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 818 150

La Taberna del Alabardero

18 holes. Tel: 952 907 085. www.clubdegolfaloha.com

La Duquesa Golf & Country Club

Atalaya Golf

La Quinta Golf

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 882 812.

27 holes, Par 72.Tel: 952 762 390

La Meridiana

Open everyday for lunch and dinner except Monday. San Pedro Playa, Urb. Castiglone. Tel: 952 785 138. Also at Ctra. de Ronda, km. 167,

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 442 742

La Cala Golf Resort

La Dama de Noche

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 890 425

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GOLF guide

GYMS

HOTELS

148

www.laquintagolf.com

Santa Maria Golf & Country Club

HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

La Reserva Sotogrande

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 831 036

CN340, Km77,5. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

18 holes. Tel: 956 695 209

Sotogrande Club de Golf

MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB

La Zagaleta Golf & Country Club

18 holes. Tel: 956 785 012

Ctra. de Istán, Km2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580

Almenara Golf Hotel & Spa

18 holes. Members only. Tel: 952 695 209

Valderrama

MARBELLA GUN & COUNTRY CLUB

Avda. Almenara s/n. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 582 000

Lauro Golf 18 holes

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 791 200 www.valderrama.com

Monda. Tel: 952 112 161

Coral Beach

MARBELLA SPORT

Golden Mile. Marbella. Tel: 952 824 500

Km171.5. San Pedro Alcántara.Tel: 952 788 315

Gran Hotel Elba & Thalasso Spa

MULTI SPORT

Urb. Arena Beach. Estepona. Tel: 952 794 308

Avda. Picasso 27. San Pedro. Tel: 952 782 801

Gran hotel gvadalpín Marbella

Alhaurín de la Torre. Tel: 952 412 767

Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club

HOTELS

Los Naranjos Golf Club

GYMS & SPORTS CLUBS

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 815 206

ALHAMAR GYM

02 CENTRO WELLNESS

Marbella Club Golf Resort

C.C. Alhamar, CN-340 km 197. Tel: 952 934 684

Plaza del Mar. Marbella. Tel: 952 900 420

Bulevar del Príncipe Alfonso Von Hohenlohe, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 400

18 holes, Par 73. Tel: 952 113 239

ATENAS

P-E SPORTS CLUB

Gran hotel gvadalpín puerto banús

Marbella Golf & Country Club

Barquilla 1. Marbella. Tel: 952 776 240

18 holes. Tel: 952 830 500

AZTEC COUNTRY CLUB

Urb. Parcelas del Golf, Aloha Gardens, N.Andalucía. Tel: 952 818 357

Arroyo El Rodeo, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 700

Mijas Golf

Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa. Tel: 952 934 477

SATURNIA REGNA

Gran Hotel Playabella

36 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 476 843

CENTRO DEPORTIVO EL FUERTE

Marbella Tel: 952 761 475, Elviria. Tel: 952 834 835

Urb. Costalita. Estepona. Tel: 952 880 868

Miraflores Golf

Av. El Fuerte s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624

SEVEN STARS SCHOOL

Gran Meliá Don Pepe

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 931 960

CENTRO DE YOGA Y SALUD INTEGRAL

José Meliá s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 770 300

Monte Mayor Golf & Country Club

Ramón y Cajal 21. Marbella. Tel: 952 773 804

Tai Chi & yoga. Pasaje Estrecho, Estepona. Tel: 952 923 055

18 holes. Tel: 952 113 088

CENTRO PLAZA GYM

SPORTCLUB ROUTE 66

Mijas Golf, Marbella. Tel: 952 667 691

Parador Málaga del Golf

Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 074

Ctra. Mijas, 1.5km. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 461 648

Hotel Don Carlos

18 holes. Tel: 952 381 255

CLUB DE SOL

SPORTING CLUB ALHAMAR

CN340, Km192. Marbella. Tel: 952 831 140

Real Club de Golf Las Brisas

Tennis /paddle classes. Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 595

C.C. Alhamar. Calahonda. Tel: 952 934 684

Hotel El Paraíso

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 810 875

FITNESS CENTRE NEW STYLE

SPORTING CLUB ATALAYA PARK HOTEL

CN340, Km167. Estepona. Tel: 952 883 000

Real Club de Golf Sotogrande

Amapolas, s/n Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 916

Hotel La Cala Golf

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 785 014

GIMNASIO ESTADIO

CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 888 212

San Roque Club

TICKET-TO-RIDE

Hotel Puente Romano

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 613 030

Trav. Huerta de los Cristales, Marbella. Tel: 952 828 217

Cristamar, Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 905 082

CN340, Km179. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

Santa Clara Golf

HAPPY DIVER’S CLUB

Vitality studio

Hotel Torrequebrada

18 holes. Tel: 952 850 111

Atalaya Park Hotel, Marbella. Tel: 609 571 920

C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 902 362

Avda. del Sol s/n, Benalmádena Costa.

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 784 600

hotel byblos andaluz

La Cala de Mijas Tel: 952 669 000

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iNGS LISTINGS LISTings Tel: 952 446 000

C/ Pilar 3. Benahavís. Tel: 952 856 026

Hotel Meliá Marbella

Hotel Triton

Atalaya Park Hotel

CN340, Km175. Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 810 500

HOTEL PYR MARBELLA

Avda. Antonio Machado, 29. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 443 240

CN340, Km168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 889 000

Hotel Playa Bonita

barceló golf

Avda. Rotary International, s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 353

Hotel Westin La Quinta Golf Resort Urb. La Quinta s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 762 000

C/ de Granadillas, s/n. Urb. Guadalmina Alta, Marbella. Tel: 952 889 099

CN340, Km217. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 442 840

Incosol Hotel Medical Spa

Beatriz Palace & Spa

Paseo Marítimo. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 944

Aztec Country Club

Urb. Golf Rio Real s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 828 500

CN340, Km207. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 922 000

Hotel Riu Rincón Andaluz

Urb. Riviera del Sol, Mijas-Costa. Tel: 952 934 477

Kempinski Hotel bahía estepona

Benabola Apart Hotel

CN340, Km173. N. Andalucía. Tel: 952 811 517

Club deL Sol

CN340, Km159. Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

Benabola. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 000

Hotel Selenza

Tennis/paddle classes. Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 595

Las Dunas Beach Hotel & Spa

CALEDONIA GOLF Aparthotel & spa

CN340, Km165, Estepona. Tel: 952 899 499

Club de tenis don carlos

CN340, Km163,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 794 345

CN340, km 165, Cancelada exit. Estepona. Tel: 952 889 999

H10 Andalucía Plaza

Hotel Don Carlos, CN340, km 192. Tel: 952 831 739

CN340 Km 174. Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 812 000

Club Internacional de Tennis

El Oceano Beach Hotel

NH almenara golf

Ctra. Cádiz, km 173. Marbella. Tel: 952 813 341

C/ Almenara s/n, Sotogrande. Tel: 956 582 000

Club Madroñal

Marbella Club Hotel

CN340, Km199. Miraflores Playa. Tel: 952 587 550

NH Marbella

Benahavís. Tel: 617 647 223

CN340, Km180. Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211

Golf Hotel Guadalmina

Club Nueva Alcántara

NH Alanda Hotel & Spa

Guadalmina Baja. Marbella. Tel: 952 882 211

C/ Conde Rudi, s/n. CN340, Km178. Marbella. Tel: 952 763 200

CN340, Km176,6. Marbella. Tel: 952 899 600

Gran Hotel Benahavis

NH SAN PEDRO

Lew Hoads Tennis Club

Villa Padierna

Huerta de Rufino, Benahavís. Tel: 902 504 862

C/ Jerez 1, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 853 040

CN340, Km166, Exit Cancelada. Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150

HM gran hotel costa del sol

Parador de Ronda

Ctra. de Mijas, Km 3,5. Mijas. Tel: 952 474 858

La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 587 710

Plaza de España, s/n. Ronda. Tel: 952 877 500

Manolo Santana Racquets Club

Hotel El Fuerte

SENTIDOS Hotel

Avda. El Fuerte, s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 861 500. Spa & Beauty Miramar. Tel: 952 920 000

CN340, Km185, Urb. Golf Rio Real s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 765 732

Ctra. de Istán, Km2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580

Hotel Fuerte Miramar Spa

Sunset Beach Club Avda. del Sol, 5. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 579 400

Alanda Club Marbella

Pl. José Luque Manzano. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 400. Spa & Beauty Miramar. Tel: 952 768 410

Tamisa Golf Hotel

Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

CN340 Km192. Marbella. Tel: 952 902 537

Hotel Marbella Playa

Tenis El Casco

Amanhavís Hotel & Restaurant

CN340, Km189. Marbella. Tel: 952 831 345

Camino Viejo de Coín. Km 3.3. Mijas Golf. Tel: 952 585 988

Los Monteros CN340, Km187. Marbella. Tel: 952 771 700

AGH Estepona CN340, Km 166.5, Estepona. Tel: 952 889 040

Alanda Carib Playa CN340, Km 194. Tel: 952 902 537

Hotel Princess Playa

TENNIS CLUBS

San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315

Miraflores Tennis Club Urb. Miraflores, Km199. Calahonda. Tel: 952 932 006

Puente Romano Hotel

El Rosario. Marbella. Tel: 952 837 651

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KIDS KIDS KIDS KIDS family fun

Tel: 952 575 697

Crocodile Park Pose with the offspring of the half-tonne adult crocodiles. Open 10am-6pm. C/ Cuba, 14, Torremolinos. Tel: 952 051 782 El Refugio del Burrito Visit this donkey sanctuary just 40 minutes north of Málaga. Open 11am7pm. Fuente de Piedra, Málaga. Tel: 952 735 513 Fuengirola Zoo Go to mysterious Madagascar, Africa and the Far East. Open 10am-6pm. C/ Camilo José Cela, 6. Tel: 952 666 301 Funny Beach Kids paradise with go-karts, trampolines, mini-motorbikes, mechanic bull. Open daily. East side of Marbella. Tel: 952 823 359

Ice Skating Rink and Indoor Swimming Pool New sports centre with public ice skating, inAFA Marbella – Football Academy Football

SCHOOLS

street markets

Academy for boys and girls of all ages, just opposite La Cañada in Marbella. Training is on Mondays and Wednesdays. Call Craig on 609310409 for more info. www.afamarbella.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 Congo Come face to face with the world’s largest spider and visit a real rainforest. Inside Tivoli World.

Aloha College Ages 3-18.

College

Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 133

Ages 3–20. Elviria. Tel: 952 832 221

Monseñor Rodrigo Bocanegra

Angela’s School

Fiona Jones School of Dance

Ages 3-16. Marbella. Tel: 952 770 077

Ages 6-14. Marbella. Tel: 952 823 042

Ages 9–14. Manolo Santana Racquets Club. Fuengirola. Tel: 610 764 439

Calahonda International College

Hijas de María Auxiliadora

Ages 3-18. Tel: 952 930 080

Ages 3-12. Marbella. Tel: 952 771 396

Calpe School Ages 3–8. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 029

III language schools

Atalaya, Estepona. Tel: 952 928 444

San Pedro. Tel: 952 778 492 Marbella. Tel: 952 822 191 Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 908 558 Estepona. Tel: 952 794 059

Colegio Alborán

Inlingua Language School

Ages 3-18. Ricmar. Tel: 952 839 645

All ages. Marbella. T: 952 774 942

Colegio Alemán

the InteRnational SCHOOL of ESTEPONA Ages 2-12.

Childrens placE Bilingual nursery

Ages 3-18. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 417

Colegio Las Chapas Ages 5–18, girls school. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 616

Colegio San José Guadalmina Tel: 952 883 858 Estepona. Tel: 952 800 148 Dolphin Nursery Ages 6 months-5 years. San Pedro. Tel: 952 799 563 Ecos College Ages 1–18. Elviria. Tel: 952 831 027

English InteRnational

150

door pool, children’s pool. Avda. García Lorca, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 577 050 Jayne Melville Performing Arts Courses at all levels: ballet, tap, jazz/modern, hip-hop/street, drama, mime and singing. London Studio Centre. Tel: 952 906 865 Karting Club Málaga Go-kart circuit for kids and adults who feel a need for speed. Open 10am-midnight. Ctra. De Coin, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 581 704 Natura Aventura Theme Park Rock climbing wall, pot holing, kayaks, quads, archery, paintball etc. C/ Santa Beatriz, San Pedro. Tel: 902 011 077 Original Dolphin Safari Watch, touch and

swim with dolphins. Open 10am-5pm. Marina Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: 9567 71 914 Paint & Fun Ceramic Café Ceramic painting studio closed Mondays. Apt for all ages. C/ García Morato 8, El Ingenio, San Pedro. Tel: 952 783 884 Parque Acuático Mijas Thrills and spills to be had in this family friendly water park. Open daily from 10am. Fuengirola by-pass. Tel: 952 460 404 Plaza Mayor Family entertainment with multiscreen cinema, bars, restaurants, bowling alley and kids play area. Málaga. Tel: 952 247 580 Saturday Club Ages 6 to 12, tennis, martial arts, skating, aerobics, dance and ball games. Open 9.30am-2pm. Route 66, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 448 713 Sealife Centre See 2 metre long sharks. Touch pools and walk-though 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 10am-9pm. 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 Send El Retiro Classical gardens with exotic plants and birds. Ctra. Coín, km 88, Churriana. Tel: 952 623 540 Steam Train Ride Enjoy a steam train ride crossing the Andalusian mountains with a scenic trip from

Estepona. Tel: 952 884 789

street markets

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 / 609 474 038 Swim Squad Swimming lessons and Pool Parties. Professionally run by fully ASA qualified swimming teachers and lifesaving staff. Child protection approved. Tel: 697 714 905 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 10am-1pm. Club del Sol, Calahonda. Tel: 952 939 595 The Music Factory Music, dance and drama academy in Mijas Costa. First class free. Hip hop, ballet, tap, modern, yoga and freestyle. Tel: 952 582 077 The Swimming School (Marbella) Professionally run Learn to Swim ASA swimming courses for children aged 4-12. Tel: 657 581 961 Tivoli World Biggest amusement park on the Costa del Sol. Open daily from 1pm. Avda. de Tivoli, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 577 016 Trenecito de Marbella Take a relaxing way to view the main sights of Marbella. Daily 10am-1pm. Paseo Maritimo. Tel: 639 765 981

Avda. Juan Carlos II, 9am2:30 pm

Las Chapas

Thursday Alhaurín El Grande

Calahonda

Performing Arts Academy

Monday Marbella

Ages 3-18. Marbella. Tel: 952 906 865

Fairground (Avda. de Juan Alameda), 9am-2:30pm

By the Guardia Civil Offfices, City Centre, 9am-1pm

Saturday Maro

Peter Pan School

Tuesday

Vélez Málaga

Ages 0-3. Bilingual nursery. San Pedro. Tel: 952 782 051 Benalmádena. Tel: 952 562 103

Monda. C/ Los Huertos, 8am-2:30pm

Close to the Nerja Caves, 9am-1pm

Nerja

Opposite the Guardia Civil Offices, City Centre, 9am-1pm

Saint George’s School

C/ Chaparil, 9am-1pm

Torre del Mar

C/ Urbano Pineda, 9am1pm

Ages 2-8. San Pedro. T el: 952 786 606

Churriana

Avda. Europa, 9am-1pm

La Cala

9am-1pm

Málaga

Recinto Ferial, 9am-1pm

St. Javier’s International School

Fuengirola

Opposite the Guardia Civil Offices, City Centre. 9am-1pm

Mijas Costa

Torremolinos

Near bullring, 9am-1pm

El Calvario, near Town Hall, 9am-1pm

Nueva Andalucía

Ages 1-7. Marbella. Tel: 952 823 457

Stagecoach Theatre Arts School

Recinto Ferial (close to the CN340, on the same side as the bullring), 9am-2:30pm

Wednesday

La Víbora, 9am-2pm Calypso, 9am-2pm

Coín

Las Lagunas, 9am-2pm

Puerto Banús

Ages 4-16. Tel: 952 900 453

Alhaurín de la Torre. Avda. del Limón, 9am-2pm

Sunny View School

Benalmádena Costa

Ages 2–18. Torremolinos. Tel: 952 383 164 Swans Ages 3–12. Marbella Tel: 952 773 248

(Second hand items) Recinto Ferial, 10am-2pm

By the sports pavilion, in the Divina Pastora district, 9am-2pm

La Cala

Friday

Recinto Ferial, 9am-2:30pm

Recinto Ferial, 9am-1pm

Málaga

TLC Tutorial College

Calahonda Calypso, 9am-2pm

Tel: 952 799 900

Ages 13-18. Calahonda. Tel: 952 933 249

Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga.Plaza de la Iglesia, 9am-1pm

Istán

Benalmádena

Estepona

Mayfair Academy Ages 4-18.

wendy kindergarten Ages 4 months - 5 years. Marbella. Tel: 952 772 910

In the area between Tivoli World and the Plaza San Pedro, 9am-1pm

Puerto Deportivo, 9am-1pm

Atalaya Park, Estepona. Tel: 952 784 923

At the entrance to the town, 9am-2pm

International School OF Sotogrande Ages 2–18. Sotogrande. Tel: 956 795 902

Laude San pedro international college Ages 2–18. San Pedro.

Estepona

San Pedro

Next to the bullring. Park near CN340 and walk upwards, 9am-1pm

Sunday Fuengirola.

Next to Rosaleda football stadium, 9am-2pm

Sotogrande At the Marina, 9am-1pm

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THEBLOG Report Marisa Cutillas

PETS

“She is like a giant Xanax. I’m not going to get religious but I truly believe God created dogs for a cause. They are the greatest companions a man could ever have” – Mickey Rourke on his dog, Loki.

Why you need a pet

How to be a greener pet owner There are millions of houses with pets around the world, so there is no denying that pets have a strong impact on the environment. proposes a few measures we can adopt to reduce our pets’ carbon pawprint and ensure the world is greener for a whole lot longer: u Neuter pets that will not be bred: How many little accidents have resulted in the birth of unwanted litters of dogs and cats? If you do not show and breed your pets, neuter them as soon as your vet says it’s okay; you will be saving wildlife and reducing the amount of waste to a greater extent than you imagine. u Feed your pooch or moggie organic food: Organic food is grown with a respect for the environment. It also contains less artificial chemicals and preservatives and, normally, no red beetroot which is responsible for so many unsightly tear stains in both dogs and cats. Most good vets have organic food in stock and we can recommend the Pointer Clinic for more than one brand. u

Still doubting about whether or not to rescue that dog or kitty you’ve been eyeing at an animal shelter? Here’s some extra motivation: many studies have proven that owning a pet who loves you unconditionally does wonders for you mentally, spiritually and even physically. Just caressing a dog or cat has been proven to lower the heart and respiratory rates, stress and anxiety. Even your blood pressure benefits every time you exchange hugs or kisses with Rex or Tom. But now, it appears that even skin issues, such as eczema, acne, rosacea and psoriasis, which often appear when our stress levels are high, can be alleviated by a pet. Renowned dermatologist, Dr. Nicholas Perricone explains: “The skin is characterised by abundant nerve endings whose role is to provide information to the brain. When the skin is challenged by physical or mental stress, its function is to provide information to all of the other organ systems in our bodies, acting very much like the brain or the endocrine system in providing important information to our body… by just stimulating the skin, you can actually change the chemistry in your brain. This is why the simple act of petting a dog or cat does so much to lower stress. This is a proven, biochemical process and it’s not all in your mind.”

i Edif. Pointer, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 814 401. www.pointervet.com Go biodegradable: To pick up your pets’ poop, don’t use harmful plastic but

choose biodegradable bags. If you can, flush it, compost it or bury it. Ask your vet about eco-friendly kitty litter brands.

Purring their way to the top If you thought all purrs sounded the same, think again! Researchers at the University of Sussex have found that cats use a ‘soliciting purr’, different from a normal purr, to manipulate their owners into giving them attention and food. The special purr apparently incorporates a kind of cry, with a similar frequency to a baby’s, which is a sound the human instinct finds hard to ignore. Dr. Karen McComb, lead author of the study, claims that her own cat’s annoying purring during the morning propelled her to investigate whether there was a difference between ‘soliciting and non-soliciting purring’. McComb and her team recorded the two types of purrs, playing them to volunteers who agreed that the ‘soliciting purrs’ were far more annoying, owing to the high frequency sound that accompanied them. We always knew cats were intelligent but now we know they are capable of manipulating us into action!

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WHAT’S ON IN october uuWHAT’S ON IN october uuWHAT’S ON IN october uuWHAT’S ON IN october uuWHAT’S on in october

THEBLOG

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WHAT’S ON

Regular Events

Monthly on different days AMERICAN CLUB – COSTA DEL SOL The American Club Costa del Sol’s chapters meet monthly for lunches, excursions, sports and social events for members and guests. Further information, www.americanclubcostadelsol.com For the American International Club Nerja, http:// www.geocities.com/nerjachapter/americanclub

Every Monday & Wednesday TAE KWON DO CLASSES – MARBELLA The Platinium Tae Kwon Do School meets every Monday and Wednesday at the Los Monteros Gym, with classes for children aged six to 14 from 7.158pm and adults aged 15+ from 8-9pm. Further information, Tel: 687 340 677.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday JUNIOr FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTBALL – MARBELLA Aloha Gardens Multi-Sports Club organises fivea-side matches from 6.30-7.30pm, all welcome. Further information, Tel: 656 618 712.

cocktail party at Magna Café, Magna Marbella Golf. Further information, www.culturamarbella.org/ lorraine@culturamarbella.org

Every Thursday

Every Saturday

CINE CLUB – ESTEPONA Top films shown weekly in Spanish or original soundtrack, Padre Manuel Cultural Centre, 9pm. Entry €3. Further information, Tel: 952 802 002/ www.estepona.es

ART FOR CHILDREN – MÁLAGA Talk based on selected works from the Collection, weekly at 12 noon, conducted in Spanish. Further information, www.museopicassomalaga.org

EXHIBITION – LA CALA DE MIJAS Paintings by Susana Velasco, La Cala Cultural Centre. Further information, Tel: 952 587 750. PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION – MIJAS COSTA Collective exhibition of photographs, Las Lagunas Cultural Centre. Further information, www. jamconcept.com

Every third Thursday of the month

Every Saturday and Sunday

Until October 28

CHILDREN’S STORYTIME – MÁLAGA Cuentacuentos – free sessions in the library of Málaga Contemporary Arts Centre, 12 noon, to teach children aged 3 to 10 to read Spanish and develop an interest in the arts. All welcome. Further information, Tel: 952 120 055/www. cacmalaga.org KID’S CAMP – MARBELLA Aloha Gardens Multi-Sports Club weekend camp for 4-14 year-olds, 10.30am-1pm. Activities include tennis, football, cricket, basketball, hockey, handball, paddle tennis. Further information, Tel: 656 618 712.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION – FUENGIROLA Cuadernos de Viaje, by Rubén García Fernández, Colectivo Imagen, Puebla Lucía. Further information, www.funegirola.org

GUIDED WALKS – MIJAS PUEBLO Departing 7pm. Further information, Tel: 952 589 034.

Every third Wednesday of the month

BRIC-A-BRAC SALE – FUENGIROLA At Lux Mundi Ecumenical Centre, 10.30am-12pm. Further information, Tel: 952 543 334.

Every Sunday

Every first Tuesday of the month GARDEN CLUB – BENALMÁDENA Meeting of Garden Club La Capellania at the Manila Restaurant, Los Boliches seafront, from 3pm. Members €20 per annum, visitors 4€. Further information, Tel: 952 442 603.

Every second Tuesday of the month JAZZ APPRECIATION SOCIETY – MARBELLA Meets 8.30pm at Magna Café, Magna Marbella Golf, with food and refreshments. Further information www.magnacafe.com / Tel: 952 787 364.

Every third Tuesday of the month

Every last Thursday of the month

FLORAL ART CLUB – ESTEPONA Meets from 3-5pm at the Benavista Country Club, visitors welcome. Further information, Tel: 952 890 352/ www.bestofmarbella.com

TENNIS & NETWORKING – MARBELLA Organised by The American Club of the Costa del Sol (Marbella Chapter) at the Don Carlos Hotel and Tennis Club,10am-2 pm. Entry, €25, includes court time, buffet lunch and drinks. Further information, Tel: 675 094 494/ ann.mcgeehan@yahoo.com LUNCH – MARBELLA Organised by the British Association of Marbella at a local restaurant. Also weekly coffee mornings at Da Paolo’s Cafe (above Pavarotti´s), Ricardo Soriano, 11am-12.30pm. Further information, Tel: 952 825 191/ 647 773 130.

First Wednesday of the month CULTURE & COCKTAIL – MARBELLA The Asociación de Arte y Cultura Marbella monthly

Until Sunday October 25

LUNCH – MARBELLA The American Club of Marbella meets at a different local restaurant, with an occasional guest speaker, 12.30pm. New friends welcome. Further information, Tel: 952 862 770.

Every Wednesday

MUSEUM TOURS – MÁLAGA Getting to Know the Collection – a tour of selected works of the Picasso Collection for adults, conducted in English on Wednesdays at 11.30am and in Spanish on Tuesday and Saturday at various times, free with purchase of admission ticket. Also every last Sunday of the month, entrance free from 3pm. Further information, www. museopicassomalaga.org

TOASTMASTERS CLUB – MARBELLA Weekly meeting of this public speaking organisation, 7.30pm at Aloha Gardens, Nueva Andalucía, above Café El Jardin. Further information, http://theachievers.freetoasthost.org FLAMENCO – MIJAS In Mijas Pueblo main square, 12 noon, including complimentary glass of Málaga wine. Further information, Tel: 952 589 034.

information, www.estepona.es

BUSINESS LUNCH – MARBELLA Marbella Business Institute monthly luncheon at a different restaurant in the area. Non-members welcome with advance notice. Further information, Tel: 952 773 500. COFFEE MORNING – ESTEPONA ADANA animal rescue charity coffee morning at Plaza Manilva (outside Longman’s Bookshop) 11am-2pm. Kennels open 10am-5pm MondayFriday and 10am-2pm Saturday, Sunday and fiestas. Further information, Tel: 952 797 405/ 606 274 206/ administracion@adana-estepona.com

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday

Every Wednesday

Every last Friday of the month

MARKET – GUADALMINA Market of antiques, clothes, fabrics and objets d’art, 10am-3pm, in front of the VTA3 shop (behind Supersol) at Guadalmina Commercial Centre. Further information, Tel: 952 904 137. FERRARI CLUB – MARBELLA The Ferrari Owners’ Club of Andalucía-Puerto Banús meets in front of Toni Dalli’s Restaurant, 11.30am. Further information, Enrique, Tel: 616 917 283/ www.ferrariclubandalucia.com CONCERT – MÁLAGA The Málaga Municipal Band performs at 12 noon in Málaga Park, Ocon bandstand.

Every first Sunday of the month OPEN DAY – MIJAS PAD animal shelter, Cerros del Aguila, welcomes visitors from 12-3pm. Further information, Tel: 952 486 084/ info@padcatsanddogs.org

OCTOBER EVENTS Until October 12

Every Friday and Saturday

EXHIBITION – MARBELLA Retrospective by Bulgarian artist Valentín Kovatchev, Cortijo Miraflores Cultural Centre, Monday-Friday, 9am-2.30pm and 5-9.30pm. Entry free.

OPERA – MARBELLA Various opera singers entertain diners at Da Bruno Sul Mare restaurant, 9pm. Further information, Tel: 952 903 312.

EXHIBITION – ESTEPONA La Expresión en el Cuerpo y el Retrato, painting exhibition, Padre Manuel Cultural Centre. Further

Until October 17

ART EXHIBITION – MÁLAGA Crisis, what Crisis? An exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculptures themed on the current financial meltdown, by Johan Wahlstrom, Sala Colectivo Espacio Tres, C/Alemania, (next door to CAC Museum). Further information, www. johanwahlstrom.com

Until Monday October 26

Thursday-Sunday, October 1-4 4TH INTERNATIONAL MARBELLA FILM FESTIVAL – PUERTO BANÚS A glittering red carpet movie fest hosted by the Hotel Lorcrimar and Novelli’s Restaurant, premiering indie films, shorts, animations and documentaries from diverse countries and cultures, screened at Gran Cines Marbella’s seven theatres in Puerto Banús, as well as workshops, talks, pavilions manned by film companies, star-studded dinners and a prestigious Awards Ceremony. The Mayoress of Marbella will perform the Opening Ceremony at the Lorcrimar’s Festival Village, 1pm. Full programme of events and times from www. marbellafilmfestival.com ART FESTIVAL – MARBELLA Following the success of this summer’s 1st Festival Internacional de Arte Marbella (FIAM), a taster of the 2010 event will be showcased at the Film Festival with a second chance to see artists’ work and the launch of next year’s poster competition in the Festival tent, located between Cines Gran Banús and Marina Banús Commercial Centre. Open daily, 12 noon-10pm. Further information, www. festivaldeartemarbella.com

Friday, Saturday, October 2-3 CONCERT – MÁLAGA German chanteuse Ute Lemper presents a repertoire inspired by everything from Berlin cabaret songs and French chanson to contemporary alternative rock, at the Museo Picasso’s MPM Auditorium. Further information, Tel: 952 127 600 / www. museopicassomalaga.org

Friday-Sunday, October 2-4 CONCERTS – FUENGIROLA & MARBELLA From Senegal To Marrakech, with groups Sico Bana Africa and Bellydance Angels. Friday at Cafe Theater Azabache, Los Boliches, 10pm, €8; also, Saturday 10pm, Sunday, 8pm at the Black Box

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Theatre, Marbella, €12, children half price. Further information from Anandi, Tel: 667 566 767/ www. BellyDanceMarbella.com

Saturday October 3 & 31 KIDS’ WORKSHOPS – MÁLAGA One, two, three… welcome to the discovery tree! Children’s workshops, 12 noon at the Museo Picasso de Málaga, with tour and fun discussion. Further information, Tel: 952 127 611/ educacion@ mpicassom.org

Sunday October 4 NIKKI BEACH CLOSING PARTY – MARBELLA Nikki Beach at Playa Hotel Don Carlos holds its Red Closing Party, a sizzling event with red dress code starting from 2pm, with live music, DJs and dancing until the early hours. Further information, www.nikkibeach.com

Tuesday October 6-12

Parfitt, wife of Status Quo’s Rick. Children’s entertainment includes film screenings and donkey rides. Tickets, €2 on the door or free if booked via the website, www.motherbabyandtoddler.co.uk

Monday October 12 SPAIN’S NATIONAL DAY – PUBLIC HOLIDAY NADFAS LECTURE – FUENGIROLA The new season kicks off with Images of Cleopatra by Elizabeth Rumbelow, sponsored by Shaafis Indian Restaurant, 4.30pm at the Salon Variétes Theatre. In addition, there is a programme of Quiz Nights, trips and social events, all advertised at the monthly lectures, where annual membership (€40) can be obtained, or ring Pauline, Tel: 952 382 713.

Wednesday October 14 CONCERT – MIJAS PUEBLO Danish band Aarhus Pigegarde parades through the village for a concert in the plaza at 1pm.

FERIA – FUENGIROLA Fuengirola celebrates its annual feria with a street procession and flamenco mass on 7th, and daily flamenco shows, music, food, casetas and a fun fair at the fairground, culminating with fireworks. Full programme from the tourist office or www. fuengirola.org

Wednesday October 14-19

Thursday October 8

CHARITY CONCERT – SOTOGRANDE Concerto de Voces Celestiales in aid of animal charity Prodean, a repeat of The Summer Event at the Castillo de la Duquesa, hosted at the Hotel Monasterio de San Martin near Sotogrande at 9.30pm, headlining star tenor Stephen Lloyd-Morgan with Tres Divos, Donna-Marie Hughes and Stephen Greenwood. Tickets, €35 including cocktail reception and interval drinks, from Beccy’s, Monte Duquesa; Christina´s Cards, Sabinillas; Glitterati Books, Benavista, and Anglo Wines & Videola, Sotogrande or call Tel: 697 783 942. Further information, www. slmlive.com/monasterio

CHARITY FUNDRAISER – FUENGIROLA Toucan’s Pub (C./ Oviedo, behind Hotel El Puerto) hosts a fun fundraiser from 8pm – late in aid of the SOS animal rescue charity, with bingo, a fun quiz, auction, Mr & Mrs contest, prizes galore and great company on a convivial night out. Donations gratefully received – call Bruce, Tel: 686 317 143.

Friday October 9-18 THEATRE – FUENGIROLA The divinely decadent musical, Cabaret, at the Salon Varietés Theatre, nightly at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm. Box office, Tel: 952 474 542, open MondayFriday from 10.30am-1.30pm and 7-8pm. Further information, www.salonvarietestheatre.com

Friday October 9 CHARITY CONCERT – ESTEPONA The Kempinski Hotel Bahia Estepona hosts The Autumn Concert in Aid of Cudeca, a two hour charity finale to the London Welsh Rugby Club Male Voice Choirs´ Andalucía Concert Tour, hosted by Maurice Boland of Talk Radio Europe, 9.30pm with interval bar and snacks. Tickets, €20, from Beccy´s, Monte Duquesa; Christina´s Cards, Sabinillas; Glitterati Books, Benavista; The Cudeca Shop, Marbella and The Hotel Kempinski. Information, Tel: 697 783 942/ www.slmlive.com/londonwelsh The Choir will also be raising funds for Cudeca at their performance on Wednesday 7th October, 9pm, at Centro Cultural Villa de Nerja. Tickets/information, Tel: 625 178 363.

Friday, Saturday, October 9, 10 MOTHER, BABY & TODDLER FAIR – ESTEPONA Showcasing everything for young Mum’s and their families, from the latest maternity clothes to babywear, prams, pre-and post-natal fitness and toys, to be opened at Congress Hall by Lyndsay

FERIA – SAN PEDRO San Pedro celebrates its annual feria, with flamenco shows, music, food, casetas and a fun fair, culminating with fireworks. Full programme from the tourist office or www.marbella.es

Friday-Sunday, October 23-25 Musical theatre – Marbella Tallulah and the Boy, celebrating the life of 20s actress Tallulah Bankhead, starring cabaret artist Claire Wilkinson and pianist/composer Warren Webley, Principal of the Stagecoach schools, presented by local author-turned-impresario Xaviera Hollander at her cosy Home Theatre, Villa Caprice, Calle Pizarra 184, Rocio de Nagüeles. Performances on Friday and Saturday at 9pm, €25 including two drinks, Sunday at 8.30pm, €50 including three-course supper. To book, Tel: 952 857 575/ xie@xavierahollander.com

Saturday October 24 WEDDING & BEAUTY FAYRE – MARBELLA The new one-day beauty event at the El Paraiso Country Club, Benavista (CN-340, Km 167) showcasing everything from bridal gowns, the latest beauty products, free advice on cosmetic surgery and make-up to cars, flowers, cakes, jewellery, fashion shows and much more. Open 10am-5pm including hog roast. Further information, Tel: 952 883 799/www.elparaisocountryclub.com

28th edition of this exhibition at the Palacio de Congresos, showcasing local products and services (furniture, cars, health and beauty, tourism, etc). The event will also incorporate the second edition of the de Picoteo gastronomic fair. Businesses interested in renting space should contact Tel: 952 828 244. Further information, www.marbella.es CERVANTES THEATRE – MÁLAGA Friday, Saturday, October 9, 10* – Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra concert with works by Delius, Elgar and Nielsen, Friday at 8.30pm, Saturday 8pm. Friday, Saturday, October 16, 17* – Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra performs works by Abril, Mendelssohn and Bartok, Friday 8.30pm, Saturday, 8pm. Thursday October 29-November 8 – Mamma Mía the musical, with songs by Abba, various times (see the website). Ticket sales, Tel: 902 360 295. Further information, Tel: 952 224 100/ www.teatrocervantes.com

Friday October 16

Mamma Mía

Friday October 16-30 EXHIBITION – FUENGIROLA Paintings by Joaquín González Flores, Casa de la Cultura. Further information, www.fuengirola.org

Monday October 19–January 25 EXHIBITION – MÁLAGA Avant-garde Pathways at the Picasso Museum showcases the work of the late multi-talented Swiss sculptor, architect, painter, designer, dancer and university professor Sophie Taeuber-Arp, from classical avant-garde movements such as Dada to her visual works and research on geometric abstraction. Further information, www. museopicassomalaga.org

Thursday October 22 GERMAN INFORMATION DAY – MIJAS PUEBLO Informative talk in German on living in Spain, dealing with issues such as social security and pensions. To book or for further information, Tel: 952 589 010.

Friday October 23 PIANO CONCERT – FUENGIROLA Pianist Pilar Cuenca Antón in concert, Casa de la Cultura. Further information, www.fuengirola.org

Saturday October 24-31 WORLD GOLFERS CHAMPIONSHIP – MARBELLA Over 400 amateur golfers from 30 countries battle it out for this prestigious trophy, hosted by Marbella Club Golf Resort, Flamingos Golf and the Hotel Puente Romano. Also, World Golf Invitational and side-bar events. Further information, www. worldchampionshipgolf.com

Friday October 30-November 3 THEATRE – FUENGIROLA Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, A Murder is Announced, at the Salon Varietés Theatre, nightly at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm. Box office, Tel: 952 474 542, open Monday-Friday from 10.30am1.30pm and 7-8pm. Further information, www. salonvarietestheatre.com

Saturday October 31-November 8 FERIA DE MUESTRAS – MARBELLA

* BUS & TICKET For concerts on Saturday 10 and 17, music lovers can take advantage of transport to and from the Cervantes, including ticket, for €35. The coach departs from San Pedro at 5.25pm with stops in Marbella and Fuengirola (and along the N-340 at Elviria, Calahonda and La Cala, if required) to arrive in time for refreshments, returning directly after the concert. Reserve in advance from Elizabeth, Tel: 606 167 356/ 952 936 403.

Until December 31 MMM… MÁLAGA – COSTA DEL SOL A chance to try the haute cuisine of 14 of the coast’s top gourmet restaurants with a tasting menu of tapas plus a fish and meat course and dessert – for the special price of €45, inc. IVA (drinks not included). Contact the participating restaurants for details. Málaga: Adolfo, Café de París, Limonar 40, Montana, Palo Cortado. Marbella: El Lago, La Hacienda, Messina, Roberto, Taberna del Alabardero. Torremolinos: Restaurante Med. Fuengirola: Girol, Roca Tranquila. Ronda: Tragabuches. essential marbella magazine

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THEBLOG STARS

ST forARS October ARIES [21 MAR - 20 APR] A more sociable month is ahead for you. You’re more animated and self-expressive in October, as you leave work worries behind you. In fact work improves, although there is truly nothing trivial or light with regard to career matters these days. An opportunity for friendship from a surprising source occurs on the 3rd-4th, when a Full Moon in your sign stirs up emotional excitement. Relationships can be formed or strengthened on the 12th-13th and 28th-31st but there is an increasing tension connected with your career and a close partnership.

TAURUS [21 APR - 20 MAY]

LEO [23 JUL - 22 AUG] October is an especially busy and even hectic month for Leos. There is a growing awareness that you need to pay attention to building your skills set in order to improve your work output or value, but finding the time to do so is an issue. Your commitments to work, and your need to run errands, learn, and network are pressing, and finding a balance is necessary. The 9th-12th is a strong period for romantic relationships and creative projects. Watch for stress affecting your relationships on the 28th-31st.

VIRGO [23 AUG - 22 SEP]

Work matters are in focus for you in October. You’re more concerned about your health and considering stepping up a fitness routine. Tension is building surrounding the more routine matters in your life and your need to move beyond the ordinary and mundane. Troublesome romantic matters clear up, and a new sense of purpose, or at least a new plan, is in place by the 12th-13th. Renewed energy for home improvement is enjoyed from mid-month, and you enter a more sociable phase from the 23rd.

Changes in your life have been intense recently, and this month new priorities are emerging as you restructure and begin a new phase of growth. While your finances are generally favourable, there is an increasing awareness that you need to pay more attention to budgeting and paring down frivolous or otherwise unnecessary expenses, in order to save more and feel more secure and in control of your money. As Saturn moves out of your sign at the end of October, you begin to feel reenergised and considerably more light-hearted.

GEMINI [21 MAY - 21 JUN]

LIBRA [23 SEP - 23 OCT]

A sociable, light-hearted, and playful period in your life begins this month, particularly from the 10th onwards. While, last month, you were cocooning a little, you’re coming out of your shell in October and determined to have some fun. Nevertheless, you’re entering a period in which casual love affairs are more demanding on your time and energy and the question of whether to become more serious or to let it go is building. Home life is improving, ironically, as you focus on it less. The last week of the month is busy and demanding.

Your own personal needs, desires and projects assume great importance now. You take a stronger, more assertive and independent stance, while awareness of responsibilities to a partner and family increase. In the next few years, you’ll be especially aware of family dynamics past and present, and how they are affecting your self-image today. Breaking free from past conditioning is a theme. The 3rd-4th brings relationship tests but also rewards, and strengthening of ties on the 13th-14th. In the last week, focus shifts to security, finances, and comfort matters.

CANCER [22 JUN - 22 JUL] The first two weeks of October remain strong for pushing personal projects ahead, after which you begin to wind down, when efforts to make yourself feel comfortable and secure are emphasised. The 3rd-4th brings an opportunity for higher learning or travel, as well as a fruition of an important business project. There is plenty of activity on the home front this month. Tension is building between domestic matters and one-to-one relationships, and finding a balance is something you’ll be striving for. Impulse buys are something to watch for.

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Annie Heese is the founder of astrology website, cafeastrology.com, a site featuring articles, love sign compatibility reports, predictions, the gen on famous people and their star signs, and general information for astrology buffs.

SCORPIO [24 OCT - 21 NOV] October is mostly a time of repose, of tying up loose ends and, perhaps, letting go. However career matters are dynamic, busy and strong from mid-month. You are feeling considerably more ambitious when it comes to professional matters. Sensitive issues or secrets are coming to light this month, and should be handled with care. The last week of the month brings a strengthening of personal spirit, as well as increased focus, energy and confidence. New responsibilities and commitments are presenting themselves and you feel confident about taking them on.

SAGITTARIUS [22 NOV - 21 DEC] October is a powerful month for you as your ruler, jovial Jupiter, is in a stronger position, and taskmaster Saturn is moving out of its challenging position to your sign. The past months have been anything but light, and you are bound to feel more confidence, energy and conviction taking hold. By mid-month, your confidence in pushing matters forward and asking for what you want from life increases by leaps and bounds. Romantic connections and friendships are supportive. Close personal relationships are friendlier as well, particularly on the 20th-23rd.

CAPRICORN [22 DEC - 19 JAN] Responsibilities and accountability are big themes in your life in October. It’s a very busy month for career and professional matters, public exposure and attention to business. What you do and say has significant impact this month. Tensions are building involving your own ability to take the lead and manage others. It’s a time of proving your worth, and you’re likely to shine under this pressure. Domestic matters need special attention on the 3rd-4th and improved relations or conditions in this area of your life is your goal.

AQUARIUS [20 JAN - 19 FEB] October is a mostly happy and energetic month for Aquarians. The 3rd-4th is good for promotions or pay increases. Mid-month is a strong time for pushing forward with personal plans, particularly for presenting your ideas and for learning or teaching. In the last week of October, you’ll be paying considerably more attention to career and close personal relationships. Saturn moves into a pleasing relation to your sign, launching a new long-term trend in your life in which meeting your responsibilities not only comes naturally, it also brings rewards!

PISCES [20 FEB - 20 MAR] Financial matters, particularly regarding money owed or shared, are big themes for you this month. Support from friends and business loans are in focus and possibly a source of stress this month. Partnership matters improve, and you might even feel as if a weight has lifted from you in this area of life. However, relationships are not without intensity now. The need for new depths of intimacy becomes increasingly clear this month. Career matters begin to move forward after a period of apparent standstill or stagnation.

essential marbella magazine

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