La Dolce Vita Oct Nov 2013

La Dolce Vita October/November 2013

A Sumptous And Elegant Lifestyle

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Magazine For The Over 50's

price: ÂŁ3.95

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Welcome

Welcome to La Dolce Vita – our lifestyle magazine for the over 50’s whether you are retired or semi-retired. We will tempt you with opportunities so you can enjoy life to the full!

Each issue will be packed with useful articles and tips on new experiences, health and well-earned refinement. Travellers will benefit from the experiences of our writers who having stepped off the beaten track. They will recommend top destinations from around the world, from descriptions of the stunning Uluru Mountain or Ayer's Rock or it is more commonly known in some parts, to a regular feature on some of the best hotels in the world, for this issue; we look back at The Paris Ritz, currently undergoing refurbishment and also take a look at Claridges in London. Should you be more adventurous then you will enjoy our “new hobby” features, which this issue focuses on skiing!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andrew Russell

As ever, beautiful images will be delivered to your palm as we understand that it is impossible to visit all the places that you might want to - you will not be left without the richness of all there is to be discovered across the globe.

However we will not neglect matters closer to home, with our Events list that will give you some ideas to get you out an about. For hospitality opportunities just contact our travel team on 01234 354209.

So again, we welcome you to our publication. Whether you are seeking new experiences or ways in which to better enjoy your current surroundings, La Dolce Vita will be here for you.

PLEASE SEND ANY COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE TO: editor@ladolcevita.info Thank You! Editor – Andrew Russell P.S .: There has been no charge for this issue, if you would like to receive further copies please Subscribe at £3.95 per issue- see page 5.

Thank you to all the people involved Including the design team, all the advertising, production and administration team, not least the reporters and contributors to themagazine.

HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Patrick A Rhoden

PROJECTS COORDINATOR Johnathan Williams

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jon Coomer

HEAD OF PRODUCTION A. Ashirbayeva

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Bradley Brian

PRODUCTION MANAGER Sinead Willis

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Natalia Tyszka

Thomas Grosman Patrick Hylton Gareth– Liddiatt

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Mark Jones

PHOTO COORDINATOR Pauline Smith

SENIOR PROJECTS EDITOR Kelly Johnson

CONTRIBUTORS Graham C. Garnett Manel de la Rubia Paolo Terzi Bart Laming Andy Barnham Laura Mitchell

To advertise please contact our advertising team on Telephone: 020 7689 7501 Email: advertising@ladolcevita.info Publisher: La Dolce Vita Limited Kemp House 152–160 City Road London EC1V 2NX www.ladolcevita.info While every effort has been made to ensure that the information is correct, neither the author nor publisher can be held responsible for inadvertent inaccuracies or omissions. Prices, opening times, website addresses change without advance notice. This magazine is wholly protected by copyright and nothing maybe wholly or partly reprinted without permission. This magazine reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to it in any format or medium. Any material accepted for publication may be used in all different forms of the magazine eg print, website etc. Competition Terms and conditions: These apply to all competitions unless otherwise stated. Competitions are promoted by La Dolce Vita Limited (LDVL) and are open to all UK residents aged 18 or over. Entries will not be considered after the closing date.

Entries will not be return or acknowledged. LDVL reserves the right to edit entries in its discretion for publication. Entrants will retain copyright in their entries however by entering, all entrants licence LDVL a worldwide royalty free perpetual licence to edit publish and use each entry in any and all media forms. By entering, winners agree to their names and general locations being used for publicity purposes by LDVL in any and all media. LDVL will not be held liable for any failure or non-receipt of entries. The judge’s decision is final. Winners will be notified within 28 days of the closing date. Prizes are as stated and are non-transferable and cash alternatives are not available. LDVL reserves the right to supersede the competition (including altering prizes) if, in our sole discretion, a competition is not being capable of being conducted as specified. LDVL reserves the right to replace the prize in the event that a circumstance beyond our control makes this unavoidable. LDVL will not be held liable for any loss or damage arising out of the winners (or their guests) enjoyment of the prize

Contents

03. Editor's Letter

The World’s Greatest Hotels 12. Paris Ritz 14. Claridge's

History And The Legacy 18. Code Breaking For Beginners At An Essential Uk Destination

Wine 56. Vendôme Restaurant 60. The Rosé Tinted

For Her 64. Woman's Fashion

For Him 70. Men's Fashion

Health & Happiness 20. Challenging the Perceptions of Middle Age

Finance-Investment

22. Living Well After 50

72. 5 Collectible Investments

24. Take Control Of Your Healthcare

76. Contemporary Art Collecting: Laura Iosifescu 80. Investment In Contemporary Art

A New Hobby 30. Silver Skiers

The Essential “Must See” List 40. Uluru/Ayers Rock

Charity Focus 84. Nordoff Robbins

Gardening: Making The Most Of Oct/Nov 90. Gardening In October

Property 46. Interior Design 54. Antique Furniture

Whats On Just Around The Corner...

96. Events - October / November – Focus Hospitality

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La Dolce Vita Subscriptions

Win a bottle of the exquisite Château Latour, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend – worth £275

SUBSCRIBE

If you have ever wished to try a bottle of wine at this price, now is your chance!

All subscriptions received during the period from 20th May to 30th June will be entered into the draw.

Good luck and remember

Imagine pages of: • • • •

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TO WIN

The best places to visit based on first-hand experience Tips on how to communicate with the family Property for living as well as investment opportunities

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4 NIGHTS STAY

Health advice so you can enjoy life to the full Trends and handy information on gardening and interior design Ideas on new hobbies and adventures around the world

IN DONA FILIPA & SAN LORENZO GOLF COURSE

Reviews of cars, wine, boats, gadgets and fashion • The Events list to ensure you are aware of what is going on VALID FOR TWO GUESTS • Beautiful landscape photography and cultural excursions Imagine pages of: All of this is only available by Subscription • Trends and handy information on gardening and interior design to our magazine: All of this is only available by Subscription to our magazine: • Property for living as well as investment opportunities 1. Call - with a credit or debit card to: 1 Call - withon a credit or debit card The Subscription Department • Ideas new hobbies andto: adventures around the worldon 020 7689 The7501 Subscription Department on 020 7689 7501 • Reviews of cars, wine, boats, gadgets and fashion 2.

Visit - http://ldvuk.com/index.php/subscriptions 2 Visit - http://ladolcevita.info/index.php/subscriptions • The Events list to ensure you are aware of what is going on 3. Post – complete and post the coupon 3 Post – complete and post the coupon below • Cultural excursions Complete this form and send it to: La Dolce Vita Limited, Subscriptions Dept., Kemp House, 152–160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX Please send the magazine to: Myself As a gift Please fill in your details: Title First Name Surname Address Postcode Email* Mobile* Recipient details Title First Name Surname Address Postcode Payment options please tick Cheque – 6 issues covering 12 months for £23.70 made payable to La Dolce Vita Limited Credit or debit card - 6 issues covering 12 months for £3.95 per issue – your card will be charged upon dispatch.

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Omega Holidays are proud to offer you the opportunity to be part of aviation history as you join the first ever commercial North Pole sightseeing flight from the UK. This unique event will give you the chance to see some of the most inhospitable and yet most dramatic and beautiful parts of the world from the safety and comfort of a modern aircraft.

We will have on board Polar experts who will give talks about the areas we are flying over and as we pass directly over the spectacular ice cap (seen by so few) we hope to make radio contact with a Polar Scientific research station and broadcast the conversation live over the aircraft sound system. We also have on hand famous impressionist Jon Culshaw to offer a little light hearted entertainment during the flight.

Our Route: »Our comfortable Airbus A330-200 will depart London Gatwick for a flight over the North Pole and back of approximately 11 hours.

»On the way to the Pole we aim to overfly Spitsbergen at cruising altitude, depending on Air Traffic Control (ATC) permission, we hope to fly lower. If the weather is good you can expect interesting views.

»You can expect an exciting route through the Arctic on the way to the Pole and back, as well as dedicated catering and in-flight entertainment including Arctic-specific lectures by scientists that will join us for the trip.

»We then continue towards the 90 Degree North North Pole position, making a double circumnavigation of the Pole and subject to ATC permission we will fly at a lower level making the sights even more spectacular.

At the present location, we will be just as close to Alaska as to the North Cape in Norway. The distance to Northern Canada is only 750 kilometres away (450 miles) and we are closer to the American continent now than Europe.

After having overflown the Pole we continue towards Eastern Greenland and might be able to see parts of its coastline. Subject to weather and suitable conditions we hope to overfly the coastline of eastern Greenland, where the sights will always be spectacular.

The described route is subject to wind and weather conditions and the necessary ATC permissions, which can vary. Our experienced flight deck crew will have several planned routes to choose from and the operations department of Airberlin will do their best to get permissions from the ATC of up to 8 different countries to fly the best route possible.

A flight around the

North Pole Departing SaturDay 12 april 2014 From Gatwick airport

Day excursion

from

by air £399

Make aviation history with the UK’s first ever sightseeing flight around the North Pole, passing over the polar cap, Svalbard and Greenland.

11 hour flight includes expert talks, films, refreshments and planned live radio contact with Polar scientific research station.

Join us and tick “The north Pole” off your wish list of amazing places in the world to see!

To request a free colour brochure or to book

call:

01524 37500

or book online at: www.reader.travel

Organised by Omega Holidays, ABTA V4782, ATOL Protected 6081. Subject to availability.

pp

Price includes: • Flight from Gatwick airport including airport taxes • Two in-flight Arctic meals plus soft drinks • One glass sparkling wine • Coffee and cake • Champagne over the Pole • Seat rotation scheme in operation for some ticket bands to maximise window view access Our exact route and planned lower altitude flying will be subject to weather and ATC permission.

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a Dolce Vita are proud to introduce a great new offer from the gorgeous Biras Creek Resort in the stunning British Virgin Islands.

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ining at the Hilltop restaurant is always a special occasion, as are the evenings when they host an Island Style BBQ. Private dining on the beach under the stars can also be arranged .

One of the real highlights of the resort are the activities and facilities – each rooms has its own bicycles for exploring the area, plus the following are all included on a complimentary basis : Breakfast and Dinner daily • Afternoon Tea daily • Wi-fi (in public areas and most suites) • Hiking/Walking Trails • Tennis Courts plus rackets (one is lit in the evening too) • Hobie Cats • Windsurfers • Kayaks • 26 foot Folk Sailing Boats • Snorkelling equipment • And Motorised Boston Whalers can be hired for only $50 for 2 hours

There is plenty to see and do on the islands for guests that enjoy being active. Famous for Deep Sea Fishing, Diving and Snorkelling, and of course guests can arrange private boat charters for lazy days sailing around the island. The Baths is a famous attraction and an excursion to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is highly recommended. For those who prefer to relax there are plenty of peaceful shaded areas throughout the Resort where you can kick off your shoes and pick up a good book.

Getting to the BVI’s takes a little longer than elsewhere on the Caribbean, Fights work best with BA direct to Antigua, then a short hop across to Tortola, where there is a short stop enroute before your speedboat transfer to the Resort..

So here’s the deal: Stay 7 nights at Biras Creek, with scheduled economy class flights, with complimentary Half Board and speedboat transfers ...

2 Adults In a Garden Suite from £1759 PER PERSON 2 Adults In an Ocean Suite from £1896 per person.

This offer is available for travel from October 22nd until December 19th inclusive and must be booked November 30th 2013 upgrade to FULL BOARD or ALL-INCLUSIVE for a supplement. Ask for details For prices or to check availability please call La Dolce Vita Travel on 01234 354209 Subject to availability, terms & conditions apply.

This package is protected by ATOL

www.ldvuk.com

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The award winning, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary Luxury Holistic Spa & Detox Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand

If you would like further information on Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa or on Thailand then please call La Dolce Vita Travel on 01234 354209.

Wellness is a bit of a ‘buzz’ word at the moment with more and more people taking an interest in their health and wellbeing and not just from a physical perspective but taking a more holistic approach.

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa is an award winning resort in Koh Samui, Thailand that offers a synergistic wellness experience to help people reconnect to life’s potential and achieve optimal wellbeing. This amazing resort integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West. It is situated in a stunning natural environment featuring inspired healthy cuisine, customised programs and wellness retreats, to offer a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities.

If you want to try one of their simple Detox Coolers which enhances health, stimulates and cleanses the liver & Gallbladder and promotes skin renewal try the Red Zinger.

Ingredients: Carrot 960 g Cucumber 254 g Beetroot 520 g Ginger 40g Extract juices using a juicer, blend with an ice-cube for 20 seconds, stir well & serve

Kamalaya has a beautiful beachfront location, overlooking the pristine southern coastline of Koh Samui. The resort is 45 minutes from Koh Samui Airport which has direct flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore.

With flights from the UK taking 11 hours.

Integrating the beauty of the surrounding environment into its design, the Wellness Sanctuary features open air treatment spaces as well as deluxe air-conditioned suites. There are over 60 certified wellness professionals at Kamalaya, including naturopaths, doctors of Chinese medicine, a western medical doctor, registered nurses, nutritionists, life transformation experts, Ayurvedic and Thai therapists, fitness specialists and yoga, meditation and pranayama teachers (Pranayama refers to breathing technique, which can work wonders in improving the overall health and the function of all the organs in the body).

Whether to restore, rejuvenate, transform or simply relax, we have a range of options to satisfy your needs.

The Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa integrate ancient and contemporary holistic medicine and healing traditions with a menu of over 70 services. Guests can embark on an individual wellness program, choose à la carte services or supplement a program with extra à la carte treatments. There are a number of different programs that you can do ranging from Healthy Lifestyle to Detox & Rejuvenation to Sleep Enhancement to Stress & Burnout.

You would start your stay with a Wellness Consultation with a Naturopath, and will be advised on the best program to suit your needs after discussing your health profile and wellness goals.

You may book a program at this point, and you are also free to change your

pre-booked program after this consultation. All meals are included with a Wellness program.

A BIA with a Kamalaya nurse is also included with every Kamalaya stay. BIA is a method of measuring several key health markers, including levels of hydration, the ratio of body fat against lean muscle mass and cellular vitality. It is useful for setting goals for weight management and fitness, and for making appropriate recommendations to achieve a better body balance to improve overall health and prevent illness.

Body Bioimpedance Analysis gives valuable information on cellular health, metabolism and toxicity to help create naturopathic, nutritional, or exercise programs suited to your individual needs.

Each week there is a different schedule of group holistic activities at Kamalaya. Daily activities include yoga, tai chi, Qi gong (an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention), pranayama, meditation, pilates, fitball and beach power walk.

At Kamalaya, the cuisine is an integral component of our holistic health concept.

The menus reflect Kamalaya’s philosophy of healthy living and the celebration of different cultures, featuring fresh and healthy dishes with enough sumptuous twist to satisfy the most discerning palates.

Co-created by Karina Stewart, Kamalaya’s Co-founder and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Kamalaya Chef, Kamalaya’s healthy cuisine is influenced by Karina’s wealth of knowledge in functional medicine and cellular detoxification. It is based on principles of Asian healing traditions, as well as the latest nutritional research.

The healthy, inspired cuisine is a fusion of Eastern and Western culinary traditions and menus include extensive vegetarian options as well as fresh seafood, poultry and lamb dishes. There are separate menus for those on Detox or Ideal Weight programs. Fresh juices, signature tonics, herbal teas and wines are also served.

As well as all the programs and activities you can use the two ocean-view swimming pools- a lap pool and a leisure pool. There is also a Gallery Shop with a variety of local handicrafts, inspirational books, Asian artworks, resort wear, gift items and essentials. There is also an Art Gallery with an exhibition of international art including paintings, photography, sculptures and prints. For those of you that like to read there is a 24hr Library and TV Lounge with internet facilities, televisions are available in rooms on request. www.ldvuk.com

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The World’s Greatest Hotels:

Ritz

Undergoing its major renovation we think back a little:The Hôtel Ritz is a landmark of Paris, and epitomises a timeless sense of luxury, glamour and style, that has left its mark in the world of art, literature, film and fashion.

Founded by César Ritz, the hotel was the product of a vision of an exquisite palace, with all the luxuries and refinements that a heart could desire away from home. In 1888, his vision became a reality, and ever since then, the Hôtel Ritz has become a synonym for all that is opulent, glamorous and fabulous in Paris. From beautifully ornate and glittering interiors, to lively bars and indulgently enjoyable private spas and pools, inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, a stay at the Ritz is certainly one to remember for a lifetime.

Photo by Willy Ronis 12

The Gem of Paris With a reputation of being the most expensive hotel in Paris, it goes without saying that you can expect nothing short of the most superb interiors across the hotel, and this prestigious heritage extends as far back as the 18th century, when a luxurious residence was created to house the cream of France’s noble families.

Frank Meier Scheuer Bertin, Bar Cambon, 1930 Le Grand Escalier

Le Chef Georges Gimon

When César Ritz began to create his exclusive palatial masterpiece, he commissioned an architect to restore the original façade, furnishing the interiors with glittering chandeliers, decadent woven rugs and large, bright windows overlooking the chic views of Paris below. Guests today can enjoy the same spacious and elegantly decorated suites, including the Windsor Suite and the renowned Imperial Suite, complete with the latest in gadgets – with an intersection between cutting edge technology and the traditional aesthetic.

“Putting on the Ritz…”

The Ritz has long held a special place in the hearts of the rich and famous, and has hosted the brightest names in French and international society, throughout its long life. Contemporary visitors can still get a taste of the glitter of fame in some of the exclusive suites and bars that pay tribute to the hotel’s most famous guests.

The couture designer, Coco Chanel, called the Ritz “home” for over 30 years, and today, guests can relax in the confines of the ornate Coco Chanel Suite, decorated with Coromandel lacquers, baroque mirrors and indulgently soft, oversized sofas.

Coco Chanel

The Ritz has also played host to some of the most glamorous of parties in the Ritz Bar, rumoured to be the very first hotel bar in the world. It’s only right then, that the Ritz holds one of the most famous bars in the world – Bar Hemingway, named after the self-exiled American writer, and allegedly the birthplace of a Bloody Mary. With several other bars and live music late into the night, guests can still “put on the Ritz”, as Fred Astaire once celebrated.

We, for one, can’t wait for the re-opening!

Miriam Pethania

Diner At The Restaurant Vendome, 1920 www.ldvuk.com

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The World’s Greatest Hotels:

Claridge’s

London boasts a throng of luxury hotels across the city that will each cater to your every need and desire, but the iconic hotel of Claridge’s belongs in a realm of its own. From its humble beginnings as a hotel in a single house run by William and Marianne Claridge in 1854, it has grown and grown throughout the decades into a stunning, yet characteristically individual institution that sums up the best of London.

London boasts a throng of luxury hotels across city thattowill each cater toQueens FromtheKings Hollywood your every need and desire, but the iconic hotel of Claridge’s belongs in one its ofhumble London’s finest hotels, Claridge’s has always veered away from the aDespite realm of itsbeing own. From beginnings as a hotel in a single house ostentatious extravagance of its competitors, instead opting for a discreet yet indulgent run by William and Marianne Claridge experience of luxury. The subtle glamour of Claridge’s impresses itself upon you from in 1854, it has grown and grown the moment you enter the grand lobby, and has been one of the many reasons why throughout the decades into a stunning, yet characteristically individual institution to the hearts of royalty from all around the world, since its Claridge’s has been endeared that sums up the best of London.

early days. A decade after it opened, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the hotel, while later on, it provided an essential refuge to the exiled royals of Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia during the Second World War. Hollywood hasn’t been immune to its charms, either, with stars of the silver screen, including Audrey Hepburn, Bing Crosby and many contemporary icons, calling the hotel a home from home.

A Style Icon Since its revamp at the start of the twentieth century, Claridge’s was transformed into the art deco masterpiece that it remains as today. Capturing the iconic style of the Art Nouveau movement in every corner of its design, the hotel feels timeless and elegant, yet effortlessly modern at the same time. Bold lines and monochrome tiles reflect the 1920s Cubist and Futurist movements, while the characteristic shades of jade, gold and white used across the hotel create a polished and luxurious atmosphere. While Claridge’s takes its Art Deco roots seriously, that doesn’t mean the hotel will not embrace the contemporary world – as a visit to the dramatically modern Claridge’s Bar will show. But one thing is certain. Whether you’re staying as a guest or coming in for afternoon tea, a visit to Claridge’s will transport you to another London, far away from the hectic urgency of the streets, into a refined, serene oasis of calm.

The Claridge’s Experience A visit to Claridge’s won’t stun you with glittering baubles in every corner, or dazzle you with ostentatious flower and crystal displays on every flat service. Nonetheless, it’s an experience to remember for a lifetime – because of the hotel’s incredible attention to detail. From the sartorial finesse of every staff member to the unparalleled knowledge they display – choose from over 1,500 vintage champagnes, and place your order in one of 37 languages – you will come away impressed with the warmth, friendliness and attentiveness that makes Claridge’s an institution that beats the rest.

The Lobby 14

From Kings to Hollywood Queens Despite being one of London’s finest hotels, Claridge’s has always veered away from the ostentatious extravagance of its competitors, instead opting for a discreet yet indulgent experience of luxury. The subtle glamour of Claridge’s impresses itself upon you from the moment you enter the grand lobby, and has been one of the many reasons why Claridge’s has been endeared to the hearts of royalty from all around the world, since its early days. A decade after it opened, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the hotel, while later on, it provided an essential refuge to the exiled royals of Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia during the Second World War. Hollywood hasn’t been immune to its charms, either, with stars of the silver screen, including Audrey Hepburn, Bing Crosby and many contemporary icons, calling the hotel a home from home.

Martyn Nail

The Drawing Room

The Map Room Library

The Fumoir

The Piano Suite Bedroom

A Style Icon Since its revamp at the start of the twentieth century, Claridge’s was transformed into the art deco masterpiece that it remains as today.

Capturing the iconic style of the Art Nouveau movement in every corner of its design, the hotel feels timeless and elegant, yet effortlessly modern at the same time. Bold lines and monochrome tiles reflect the 1920s Cubist and Futurist movements, while the characteristic shades of jade, gold and white used across the hotel create a polished and luxurious atmosphere. While Claridge’s takes its Art Deco roots seriously, that doesn’t mean the hotel will not embrace the contemporary world – as a visit to the dramatically modern Claridge’s Bar will show. But one thing is certain.

Whether you’re staying as a guest or coming in for afternoon tea, a visit to Claridge’s will transport you to another London, far away from the hectic urgency of the streets, into a refined, serene oasis of calm.

The Claridge’s Experience A visit to Claridge’s won’t stun you with glittering baubles in every corner, or dazzle you with ostentatious flower and crystal displays on every flat service. Nonetheless, it’s an experience to remember for a lifetime – because of the hotel’s incredible attention to detail. From the sartorial finesse of every staff member to the unparalleled knowledge they display – choose from over 1,500 vintage champagnes, and place your order in one of 37 languages – you will come away impressed with the warmth, friendliness and attentiveness that makes Claridge’s an institution that beats the rest.

Miriam Pethania www.ldvuk.com

15

LDV speaks to Mr Thresher, of Thresher Glenny fame Thresher and Glenny, London’s oldest outfitter, was founded in 1683 by two very different characters: one a modernist, one more traditional. Aside from making stockings for Lord Nelson, they invented the mosquito net for David Livingstone and the Trench Coat for WW1 officers. The Mikado of Japan insisted on T&G underpants – though, as befitted his extravagance, he wore each pair only once.

So if it’s heritage you’re after, it doesn’t come more distinguished.

The firm has survived thanks to a deft blend of tradition and invention, each impulse represented by the spirit of one of its founders. “Mr Thresher” is still the firm’s spokesperson; he even manages that most modern of communication forms, a Twitter account. One can’t help but suspect that, a bit like Doctor Who, the dapper gent in front of me is more the latest embodiment of the original spirit than the actual bodice-maker of the Strand.

Mr Thresher takes that suspicion on the impeccablygroomed chin.

“The spirit of Mr Thresher is alive and well, and still informs the snappier side of our ranges. These days clothes conceived in a ‘Thresher’” spirit will appeal to the faster set among our clientele: those to whom ‘black tie’ is an invitation to improvise, for whom the suede shoe is not confined to weekends.

“Mr Glenny tended towards the conventional. If you seek the orthodox response to all those pressing questions how many buttons, how wide the trouser, double or single

for evening wear, midnight blue or black – his sage advice will ensure you raise no eyebrows. “Most of us balance both impulses. We may have Thresher days and Glenny days: Thresher occasions and Glenny functions. As in a well-regulated Parliament with two strong parties, it’s this essential tension that keeps us in balance. Self-expression is one thing, self-indulgence quite another – as both Messrs Thresher and Glenny have always agreed.”

So does “Mr Glenny” ever appear in public?

“Good heavens, no. Far too modest. And besides, someone has to mind the shop. He’s rather good at that. Thresher and Glenny was once the world’s greatest outfitter, with shops across London and wardrobes across the Empire.

It was the go-to tailor for explorers, adventurers and all manner of leaders of men when the occasion demanded a special class of clothes.

“We’ve held our Royal Warrant since George III granted the first in 1783. These days it’s for shirts, though the original was for lower legwear: stockings and hose. I still remember dear old Lord Nelson coming to see us after losing his arm, and being rebuffed for my commiserations: ‘Tut, man’, he said, ‘damn lucky for you it wasn’t me leg: I want another dozen pairs of your silk stockings.’ Very commanding fellow, though a lot shorter than he looks on the column.”

As Mr Thresher falls into a wistful reverie, I can’t help thinking there must be hundreds more such anecdotes up his well-turned sleeve. I rather suspect we’ll be speaking again.

What’s in a Shirt?

In our case, rather a lot. Among the 18 distinguishing features that first earned the T&G Expert Shirt its Royal Warrant, perhaps the best known is the separate collar - to be replaced free of charge once it wears out (as one’s favourites always eventually will).

Discover the other seventeen at www.thresherandglenny.com/page/the-expert-shirt

TAILORS • OUTFITTERS • SHIRTMAKERS • SINCE 1683 1 Middle Temple Lane London EC4Y 9AA Tel +44 (0) 207 353 3676

TAILORS • OUTFITTERS • SHIRTMAKERS • SINCE 1683 TAILORS • OUTFITTERS • SHIRTMAKERS • SINCE 1683

Code breaking for beginners at an essential UK destination As a youngster growing up in the 1960s there were plenty of people around who could share exciting stories about WWII and I was absolutely riveted by what, even then, seemed like ancient history to a young girl.

I was only really interested in the social history, for example, what people did in the air raids, rationing, and of course, my grandfather’s role as ARP warden. It was much later as a teenager that I wanted to know more about the strategy behind the Allies’ attempts to win the war.

It’s only now, however, as I sit typing this on my state of the art computer that I understand how much human effort and diligence must have been involved behind the scenes. After all without all the ease computers have brought with them, calculations, research and even communication would have been challenging back in history to say the least.

The war to end all wars

Actually it was only after a visit to Bletchley 18

Park my response was most definitely underscored. I was forced to revise my ideas and consider just how different life was during the dramatic conflict that had disastrously followed the ‘war to end all wars’ just 21 years earlier in 1918.

We now take for granted the ability of algorithms to bring up all the information we could ever hope to digest in a lifetime. It is extraordinary how much is available to us in the twenty first century and how little there was to go on back in the 1940s where Bletchley was actually the nerve centre of Allied forces’ code cracking.

Enigma was central to dreams of an empire

Coming face to face with the Enigma machines, which were used by the Germans to scramble their top secret messages, it is amazing to see this small and unassuming object which was central to the dreams of an empire and central to Allied efforts to undermine Hitler’s plans.

When I consider just how much

mundane work is handled by modern technology it seems even more mind blowing what was achieved at Bletchley seventy years ago.

Those who cannot remember the past………

As I studied all the historical artifacts in front of me I was reminded of the famous saying by George Santayana: ‘Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it,’ and if for no other reason, a visit to Bletchley Park, UK is a must.

What is probably even more important is to remember how much effort was made to crack the Enigma code. In effect the war was curtailed by at least two years which meant lives were saved all over the world by those who were fighting on their very own front.

No one can fail to be moved and somewhat overawed as they walk through Bletchley Park and imagine the hive of activity it was during this period of history. It is, of course, very busy today, but with more pleasurable and relaxing activities.

Indulge in the fascination for espionage

I guess we have all been interested in espionage as kids but studying what this actually means in real life is quite extraordinary; one comes to understand the significance of strategic deception in the fate of nations. Therefore a tour of Bletchley releases all kinds of secrets you could not have even guessed, let alone knew existed in anyone’s imagination and in the records kept here.

Bletchley’s secrets are vast, except these days this place is a little more forthcoming about what people are permitted to see. In fact there are so many different activities and exhibitions it is difficult to know where to start.

Follow Bletchley’s Calendar

Working computers; after all, Bletchley is the home of the first computer; exhibitions of wartime toys, a small cinema, a comprehensive collection dedicated to the great war leader, Winston Churchill, are all ‘must-see’ activities.

But then there are also original events that punctuate the Bletchley calendar and allow visitors to take a peek into the intelligence staff headquarters and see the nerve hub for real.

The experience is also cleverly designed so you can break up your day by relaxing by the Lake, watching the wealth of wildlife who now call Bletchley their home and letting the grandkids have fun in the playground. But whatever you end up doing, most people want to see everything surrounding the Enigma code.

What’s also humbling is how nations helped one another during this time, with the Poles having done so much work on Enigma as far back as 1932. Just imagine what was going through the code breakers mind when they realised that not only was their job almost impossible, the code was actually being changed daily at the beginning of the war. This is where the British and the French were helped by the Poles, when they were able to see an Enigma machine in front of them for the first time.

Alan Turing was a brilliant mathematician

Gradually careful observations and trials threw up some key clues; operators in Germany made mistakes and slowly, slowly, a breakthrough began to form. By January 1940 the teams based in separate huts at Bletchley Park, with the help of Alan Turing, an inspired and inspiring mathematician, and all the messages sent in from stations over Britain, a new decoder named the Bombe was designed.

This was an electro-mechanical machine that cut the odds of being able to break the Enigma code. It is atmospheric as you walk through Bletchley Park and realise the enormity of what was achieved in this location. To think about the stress, exhilaration, crashing disappointments and panic that must have been inherent throughout this work, that ran alongside the discipline, patience and intelligence is humbling.

Bletchley is an original and historically significant UK destination

Names like Tommy Flowers, John Tiltman, and Max Newman suddenly resume their importance like ghosts in the machine. Who would have thought that a country home, created by City of London financier Herbert Samuel Leon, would one day play such a seminal role in the way a world-wide conflict would be resolved? It is extraordinary. If you do nothing else this year then make time to visit this highly original and historically significant destination.

Vivienne Neale

No patience for a Rubik’s Cube

Personally I am ashamed to admit I struggle with a Rubik’s Cube and most cryptic crosswords, so if someone was to tell me I needed to be involved in a code breaking operation that had an incredible 150 million, million, million to 1 chance of being cracked, I would probably politely decline and go off and find something else with which to occupy my time.

Yet, thank goodness there are people for whom ‘never say never’ is their mantra and when someone says, ‘This code is unbreakable’, they will jump to action with the riposte, ‘We shall see about that then!’

Lorenz machine - used to encrypt messages sent by Hitler and the high command

The Mansion, Bletchley Park www.ldvuk.com

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Challenging the Perceptions of Middle Age 20

50 is a magic number. It’s the turning point when you realise that you are no longer young, but you are still so far from being old! It’s time to reflect and cherish all you’ve achieved and time to start some serious planning for the future.

My fiftieth birthday in 2010 was around the time when the BBC deemed older women no longer suitable for viewing.

Arlene Phillips and Miriam O’Reilly were moved aside while the young and glamorous took their places.

Sadly, our society values youth above age and wisdom and we really haven’t moved past the outdated stereotypes. The modern woman in her fifties is no longer hanging up her briefcase, donning her slippers and putting her feet up. She is taking on new challenges while being a wife, mother, grandmother and employee. The proportion of older people in the workforce has increased in the last fifteen years and now 60% of women between the ages of 50-64 are still working.

As our growing ageing population are living longer, and staying physically and mentally healthier for longer than ever before, with an improved lifestyle and quality of life I felt that we needed to challenge these out dated perceptions of middle age. Feeling fit, healthy and well is a priority to me, as is looking good, and when I looked around me this was the same for so many women of my age. There is tremendous pressure for women to anti-age, as if such a thing were possible. The message is to stay young at all costs, and that you will only be valued if you do so. I found it difficult to find good information and products that addressed my needs as a mature woman, especially as so many companies market only to the young in the misbelief that they have all the purchasing power.

How wrong they are. The over fifties have both time and money to spend on products that will enhance and improve our lives.

We hold 80% of the nation’s wealth, and the 50-64 age group are the highest spending demographic in the country.

Like so many of my generation I have grown up using the internet and find it a wonderful resource for finding information, so I searched for a website that would help me to look good, feel great and age positively. I wanted one to speak to me as I am now, a woman in my fifties, not as one of a large group, the over fifties, which can mean anything from 50–100! I couldn’t find such a website, so in 2011 I formed a company and for the first time in 25 years I went back to work.

I took down my briefcase which had be put aside while I brought up my children, and set out to create an online space which older women could use to find good, and honest information on products and treatments that would keep them looking and feeling good as they got older.

FightingFifty.co.uk was launched in July 2012; it has been a huge learning curve for me as prior to this I had little knowledge of running a website, writing articles, resizing photographs or social media.

I threw myself into creating something that fulfilled all my needs and from the lovely emails that I get from other women it’s meeting theirs as well. I have had easily one of the most inspiring years of my life since launching the website; I’ve met many women who really are challenging the perceptions of middle age. They are beautiful, energetic, passionate and above all experienced in life. Who says youth have all the advantages.

I believe the middle aged do.

Tracey McAlpine FightingFifty.co.uk September 2013 www.ldvuk.com

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Living well After 50

All the research shows we’re living longer than ever before - we can expect to reach an age that previous generations could only dream about.

But living longer is not enough on its own. How do we make sure we can all enjoy a longer, happier and healthier life? While there’s no magic spell we can cast to halt the ageing process and maintain our youth forever, there are things we can all do to keep ourselves as well as possible.

There are certain stages in life when we undergo major changes – retiring from work or stepping back from the frontline and working fewer hours is one of these changes. This also offers a great opportunity to make other changes to life – such as adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Leading a more active lifestyle in your later years can make a positive difference to your emotional and physical wellbeing, and the benefits shouldn’t be underestimated - it’s now well 22

known that staying physically active, not smoking and following a healthy, balanced diet can help you to live longer. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so although it’s natural to feel less inclined to stay active as you get older, it’s crucial for maintaining your health and independence.

Watch your figure It’s never too late to improve your eating habits; a healthy diet is always important, no matter what your age. Eating a well-balanced diet can reduce your risk of various diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer, as well as help you to maintain a healthy weight.

• Try to ensure your diet contains plenty of fibre-rich starchy foods, like wholemeal rice, pasta and bread, as well as ample fruit and vegetables.

• Protein is an essential component of a healthy diet, as it’s crucial for the growth and repair of all tissues in your body, so make sure meat and fish are included in your meals.

• As tempting as it is, you ought to only eat small amounts of food and drink that contain fat and sugar.

• It’s natural for your metabolism to slow down as you get older - if you need to eat less, try to eat smaller meals more often and have healthy snacks in between.

• Calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products, can help to help prevent osteoporosis – a condition that causes your bones to become brittle and more likely to break.

• It’s also important to get plenty of iron from your diet; one way of doing this is to incorporate oily fish, such as sardines, into your meals. Baked beans and fortified cereals are a good source of iron too.

Eating a variety of foods is important to ensure you get all the nutrients you need to help you stay well, so ensure your diet incorporates carbohydrate, protein, fat, fibre, and vitamins and minerals, which are all important to keep your body healthy and functioning.

Quit the cigarettes More than 100,000 people in the UK die each year from smoking-related diseases, meaning about half of all regular smokers will die because of their addiction. Smoking is the greatest avoidable risk for developing many types of cancer, and it also increases your risk of developing a number of long-term lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. To add insult to injury, smoking also prematurely ages your skin and stains your fingers and teeth. As such, it will come as no surprise that if you smoke, the advice is to stop.

As hard as it can be to break the habit, the good news is that if you stop smoking, your health risks drop dramatically.

There are plenty of things you can try to help make quitting easier: • Find a temporary substitute for smoking, such as chewing gum or drinking a glass of water each time you want a cigarette.

• Know your triggers and stay away from them if possible.

• Make a list of why you want to stop and carry it with you. Read through it when you have a craving and remind yourself why you’re stopping.

• Set targets and reward yourself when you reach them.

Retirement sees us make a number of changes to our routines and offers a great opportunity to successfully make another life change – giving up smoking.

Whether you can give up smoking for good through willpower alone will depend on how motivated you are to stop, and successfully quitting will depend on you finding the method that suits you best. However difficult you find it, keep in mind that you’ll reap the rewards later.

www.ldvuk.com

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24

Cut down on the alcohol

Living well after 50 4/4

It’s easy to drink more alcohol than you think you are, and we’re all guilty of over-indulging occasionally. However, if you regularly drink too much alcohol, you can be putting your long-term health at risk; there can be hidden harmful effects of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol that may not become apparent until years later.

It’s worrying to think that drinking as little as three units of alcohol a day increases your risk of developing many types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, liver and bowel.

However, if you make sure to stick to the recommended guidelines (no more than three to four units a day for men, or two or three units a day for women), you’re less likely to have serious health problems in later life.

Remembering these simple tips can help you to cut down and enjoy alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle: • Have something to eat before you drink, and if possible, while you’re drinking.

• Start with low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks, or alternate these with alcoholic drinks.

• Pace yourself – enjoy your drink slowly.

• Keep track of how much you’re drinking.

• Don’t drink alcohol every day of the week – have at least one or two alcohol-free days.

Stay physically active There are many health benefits of leading an active lifestyle – you’re less likely to become ill and more likely to live longer, and exercise also improves your mental health and sense of wellbeing. As tempting as it is to slow down during your retirement years, studies show that many aspects of the ageing process, such as finding it more difficult to get around, can be slowed down by staying physically active for as long as possible.

Regular exercise can be particularly beneficial as you get older, as it:

• Reduces your risk of developing health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure and some cancers.

• Develops your muscle strength and tone, which may mean you’re less likely to have an accident or a fall.

• Improves your flexibility, mobility and cognitive abilities.

If you haven’t exercised for some time, you may find the idea of taking it up a bit daunting. But there’s no need to worry - try getting started with something you enjoy, focus on the health benefits and ease yourself into your new routine gently.

The recommended healthy level of physical activity is 150 minutes of moderate exercise over a week in bouts of 10 minutes or more. You can do this by carrying out 30 minutes of exercise on at least five days each week, and you don’t need to join a gym or an aerobics class to achieve this – activities that are already part of your daily routine, such as walking, housework and gardening are great ways to keep fit.

26

A recent report from Bupa “Get Walking, Keep Walking” showed that walking just an extra 15 minutes a day can extend your life by up to three years. The health benefits begin to be seen at relatively low levels. A study of 400,000 people found that every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise such as brisk walking reduced premature death rates by a further 4%.

Walking is one of the least expensive and most accessible forms of physical activity. It can also cut the risks of strokes, heart disease and diabetes, is rarely associated with physical injury and people of all ages can easily take part, including those who have never participated in formal physical exercise.

Studies have also shown that walking has higher levels of ‘stickability’ than other forms of physical activity. It is convenient and overcomes many of the commonly perceived barriers to physical activity: lack of time, lack of fitness or lack of skill.

What’s important is that you try to do some physical activity every day, so that you spend as little time as possible being inactive; starting to improve your fitness now can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing in the future.

Make time for your hobbies Staying healthy throughout your retirement years doesn’t just mean looking after the physical aspects of your health - it’s equally important to care for your mental and social wellbeing. Being in good mental health is crucial to your overall wellbeing, so keeping up with the daily crossword and meeting your friends for a chat over a coffee or game of golf has never been more important.

Taking part in leisure activities is a great way to keep both your mind and body active, which will have a direct impact on your mental wellbeing. Make time for activities such as reading, painting or doing puzzles, and take part in social activities you enjoy too – spend time with your friends and family, and perhaps join a club which allows you to meet people who share the same interests, such as gardening, swimming or walking.

Invest in regular check-ups If you have a health concern you would like to know more about, or you’re interested in finding out what you can do to stay healthy, a health check-up could provide you with the useful information you need to understand, monitor and improve your health.

Every year more than 100,000 people have a Bupa Health Assessment at one of 48 Bupa centres across the UK, and because everyone has different health and lifestyle needs, you can choose from six health assessments to make sure you pick the one that’s right for you.

Mr Paul Montgomery, Medical Director at Bupa Cromwell Hospital, explains how a full health MOT can be beneficial: “For anyone looking to evaluate the current state of their health, a health assessment can be a great place to start. They provide a detailed picture of your physical health, a practical medical and lifestyle action plan, the opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have with a doctor, and prompt referral, if you need it, to our consultant specialists.”

Bupa Health Assessments are designed to keep people healthy, and three-quarters of the people who visit a Bupa centre go on to make positive lifestyle changes because of the time they have spent with a doctor discussing what their results mean to them.

Whichever health assessment you choose, you’ll leave with a detailed picture of what health risks may affect you in the future and the practical steps you can take to maintain and improve your health, making sure you spend your retirement years fit and well.

Make the change Maintaining a healthy lifestyle into your older years can have a significant effect on your life expectancy, as well as on your physical and emotional wellbeing, so don’t underestimate the importance of good health. Try not to be complacent - it’s never too late to make those all important changes to your lifestyle, and you may find yourself reaping the benefits in years to come.

For more information about Bupa Health Assessments, please visit www.bupa.co.uk/health-assessments www.ldvuk.com

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The owners’ lounge and social events offer an important sense of community and enhanced lifestyle to be enjoyed. And, perhaps most of all, you retain your independence in your own apartment.

With developments across the South of England and throughout the Midlands, Churchill Retirement Living could really help you enjoy a new lifestyle.

Please call on 0800 458 1839 or visit www.churchillretirement.co.uk

Enjoy Independence and Peace of Mind in Your Retirement CRL_March_LaDolceVita_SE&SWSites_A4_APPROVED.indd 1

28/02/2013 12:04

The World AWAITS you....

A neW experIenCe every dAy!

South America &

Southeast Asia &

21 night cruise/tour itinerary Departing 16th February 2014

19 nights stay & cruise Departing 31 March 2014

Iguazu Falls Adventure Spread your wings and fly to a land of tropical rainforests, vibrant cities pulsing to the beats of the samba, majestic fjords and dramatic scenery – South America.

Plus points – look what’s included...

+ Return flights from the UK + 2 nights in Santiago – 4* hotel inc breakfast + 13 nights onboard MS Zaandam + 2 nights in Iguazu – 4* hotel inc breakfast + 2 nights in Buenos Aires – 4* hotel inc breakfast + FREE Panoramic Santiago City Tour + FREE Iguazu Falls Tour + FREE Buenos Aires City Tour and evening Tango Show + All transfers

Cruise Itinerary - Santiago; Puerto Montt, Chile; Puerto Chacabuco, Chile; Cruising Chilean Fjords; Cruising Amalia Glacier & Canal Sarmiento; Cruising Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas, Cockburn & Beagle Channel; Glacier Alley & Ushuaia, Argentina; Cape Horn; Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Punta del Este, Uruguay; Buenos Aires

Inside from

Balcony from

£3399

Outside from PP

Discover the beauty, culture and exotic cuisine of South East Asia on a cruise ending in the land of the rising sun - Tokyo.

Plus points – look what’s included...

+ Return flights from UK + 1 night in Singapore – 4* hotel inc breakfast + 13 nights onboard the Diamond Princess +3 nights in Tokyo – 4* hotel inc breakfast + FREE Tokyo City Tour + FREE excursion to the beautiful temple city of Nikko + All transfers Cruise Itinerary - Singapore; Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam;

Nha Trang, Vietnam; Da Nang/Hue (Chan May), Vietnam; Hong Kong; Taipei (Keelung) Taiwan; Kagoshima, Japan; Kobe, Japan; Yokohama, Tokyo.

Inside from

£3669 £4699 PP

Cherry Blossoms in Japan

PP

£2699

PP

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Outside from

£2999 £2999 PP

PP

VISIT: WWW.TRAVELCREATOR.COM CALL: ABTA No.13759

0808 168 5566

Offers are subject to availability. Prices are per person based on lowest cabin grade and twin occupancy. Further terms and conditions apply, available on request. All bookings will be subject to Tour Operators booking conditions. 2.5% credit card charge and £1 debit card charge applies to all bookings.

Some ports may be by tender. Tailormade itineraries exclude resort representation. Errors and omissions excluded. Prices correct as of 29 April 2013.

We’re fully financially protected via ABTA Y5971, ATOL 5346.

Silver Skiers The pleasures of life being all downhill after 55

“It’s so civilised and I’ve noticed over the past few years that the seniors are back.

They have the money and they have the time. It’s the strongest part of the market” - Roland Stieger, ski instructor and guide with the Ski Club of Great Britain’s Experience Off-Piste Adventure Week, held annually in Chamonix, south-eastern France.

Is life all downhill after 55?

Well, it could be - but in better ways than you might think. That is if you consider taking yourself off on a skiing adventure holiday either amid the Alpine slopes of Europe or North America, or perhaps even further afield.

You’ve never skied - or are a bit rusty in those slalom manoeuvres? No problem. At most luxury ski resorts these days you’ll find instructors or even ski schools to get you up to a competent standard on the piste whether or not you have actually been skiing before and need tuition, or simply a refresher course.

The recognised skiing season in the French, Swiss, Austrian and Italian Alps runs from late December to early March, peaking in February - similarly in the Pyrennées. The further East you go of course, the longer the season is, due obviously to the colder continental climate.

Diehard snow addicts are able to ski and snowboard in the very highest resorts in the world for much of the summer. But you need a dedication bordering on obsession to bother with the heavy, wet snow on European glaciers or for the long journey to Argentina, Chile, Australia or New Zealand. So, why not sit back and plan out a strategy for that holiday 30

of a lifetime for this coming Alpine season? It runs from late October to April.

Learning to ski It will give you time to plan the right resort suited to your needs and if you do need to learn to ski first, or brush up on your old master moves, there are some great dry ski centres in the UK which you can book into. You can find recommendations for one near where you live from the Ski Club of Great Britain or even join a British ski school at the start of your skiing holiday. British ski schools offer websites in English, with easy to use booking forms. Many companies such as BASS (British Alpine Ski and Snowboard School) allow you pay in advance in pounds in the UK leaving you less to do on arrival and meaning you could get a better rate.

Once on the slopes, learning with an English-speaking instructor can make a huge difference when getting to grips with your technique as they’ll be able to explain the details clearly without the need for translation. They’ll also be more likely to share your sense of humour and cultural values, of course.

British ski schools will also generally have instructors with BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) qualifications - meaning

that even if you go to a different resort each season, you’ll still get a sense of continuity if booking with a British ski school each time. Some British ski schools will have branches in a number of different resorts.

Across the globe While chilly spring temperatures here in the UK are making us wonder if winter might be reluctant to leave these shores, the flakes are falling on the far side of the globe, with skiers and snowboarders south of the equator eagerly anticipating the start of the season. So, if you’re keen to get on that adventure ski holiday sooner, the cold and snowy weather in New Zealand's Southern Alps during May brought 30-40 cms of new snow to the upper slopes of Treble Cone near Wanaka on New Zealand's south island.

Treble Cone boasts the longest vertical rise in the country’s Southern Lakes and has spectacular views over Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring, known by the Māoris as Tititea - which translates as glistening peak. Opening day is scheduled for June 27, so local skiers and riders will be hoping that the chilly weather continues and the snow stays put.

There was heavy snow at other New Zealand ski areas too in May, including Coronet Peak

and The Remarkables in the popular winter holiday town of Queenstown. Although Coronet Peak is at a relatively low elevation, the season opened the first week of June. Australian resorts are gearing up to open soon too, with artificial snow-making efforts complementing recent natural snowfall. Thredbo, Perisher and Mount Buller kicked off their season with plenty of celebrations and events earlier this month.

Les Leñas, the Argentinian resort renowned for its steep off-piste terrain, epic snowstorms and temperamental lifts, is looking promisingly snowy too, with opening day scheduled for June 21.

Chilean skiers and snowboarders are already riding the lifts at Valle Nevado, with Portillo, an area popular with national race teams, due to commence its winter operations on June 22.

So much snow fell above Zermatt in Switzerland last summer that ascents of the Matterhorn were suspended, which was bad news for hungry climbing guides but great news for skiers. November glacier skiing at this resort can be surprisingly rewarding, with long runs and fresh powder. If last winter is anything to go by, in the 2013-14 season you can expect the best pre-season snow conditions at high altitude in at least five years.

Ski and snowboard school For just over £600 you can get five days of instruction with Summit Ski and Snowboard School in Zermatt.

Price includes lift pass, rail transfers and self-catering accommodation but not meals or flights. This is through On The Piste (Tel: 0871 871 8034, Web: www.otp.co.uk). The school has 250 instructors including quite a few aged 55 to 65, a quarter of whom are female. The youngest is 19. They are mostly Swiss with 80 per cent coming from the local valley in Zermatt.

One who’s not a local is Jean Wiley, 58, from Hadleigh in Essex. Jean has her Swiss ski instruction qualification and worked previously in Davos for five years. In one fine display to her students of all ages last winter, she led off with tremendous energy, carving speedy dynamic curves - so dynamic that she caught an edge and went flying! Well, you have to remember that even the experts can get it wrong sometimes - anyone can fall.

Jean showed she had the knack of finding the best snow and terrain. She packed exercises into the lesson yet gave her protégés decent mileage. Useful tips included tightening the tummy muscles during short turns and she taught synchronised skiing with skill. One behind the other, on a steep stretch, her

mixture of novice and refresher skiers held themselves in a snowplough, their sticks planted in front of them.

Looking after her flock On Jean’s count of “three" they closed one ski, on "two" the other, and on "one" they pushed off: "... and one, two, three, four, five, six!" directs Jean aloud. Six short turns later the students were lined up, facing the same direction - theoretically! Jean got further plus points from her flock for offering one lady her spare hand-warmers, giving advice on skating effectively, telling all where on the mountain to spot Robbie Williams and ducking into powder with “pow pow!” Only actual mountain guides take clients well off marked runs but Jean, in common with her more contemporary mature instructors, knew the limits well.

If you can ski and before you settle in to a comfortable ski retirement, pottering sedately down red runs with frequent pauses to admire the scenery and allow the younger generation to hurtle past, it might be an idea to try a refresher course with the Ski Club of Great Britain (SCGB). Ski Club GB members don't slow down with age- they speed up!

A dozen of them were on Peak Experience www.ldvuk.com

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Off-Piste Adventure Week in Chamonix last February.

Chamonix is a ‘commune’ in the Haute-Savoie département of the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was actually the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Well, this group couldn’t have possessed a greater zest for the sport or a keener desire to improve. Peak Experience is the Ski Club's new brand name for long-in-the-tooth holidays, previously known as O5Os - over 50’s of course.

Of this annual event mountain guide and ski instructor Roland Stieger explained: "This week is the most fun I have all season. There's always lots of laughter, no one pushes to the front and they all help each other. It's so civilised and I've noticed over the past few years that the seniors are back.” Added Roland: "They have the money and they have the time. It's the strongest part of the market."

“We've been finding the level of the senior skier is getting steadily better, and we're running more trips aimed at a higher standard,' explained Roland’s colleague, Betony Garner. “We’ve found that these Peak Experience trips for the over-50s now have a median age of 67. Some are even trying out snowboarding which, I'll admit, does look a bit strange at first!”

Tuition difficulty colour-coded In the interests of ski compatibility, all SCGB holidays are colour-coded for difficulty. "This is a gold/purple trip," explained Christina Leveridge, 62, a retired chiropodist from Burford, Oxfordshire, who was at the last Peak Experience event. "There are no golds here we're all purple. Last year I was only silver so I wasn't allowed on this week. But this year I'm purple, which is fantastic because the skiing we do with Roland is so much more exciting."

Within each colour category there are subgradings - purple plus, gold minus and so on - and advancement is a spur to everyone. "If I could get a plus at the end of the week, I'd be the happiest person alive," said Charles, 68, a Cheshire surveyor who spends most of the winter on skis. "It wouldn't open any new holidays to me, but it would make me feel that all the things I've been working on for years have been worthwhile."

At 70, Peter Henderson was the oldest of the February group. "A lot of my contemporaries are giving up skiing," he said, plainly disgusted by the pusillanimity of his peers. "I tried a Ski Club holiday for the first time last year and had so much fun I wanted to come back. I saw this off-piste week and thought, if Roland's leading it I'm keen," explained the semiretired company director from Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

Roland knows British skiers well enough to understand that when we say we want instruction, we don't mean line-ups on the edge of the piste with technical analysis and bend-ze-knees routines. We Brits like to be on the move.

Warm-up singsong The morning starts with a warm-up singsong "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" is one of Roland's favourites and after a quick-fire reminder of the tips from the previous day - "relax... head up... drive the lorry... Punch and Judy... smile, please!" - he sets off at high speed. Why Punch and Judy, no-one really seemed to know and before anyone could ask, everyone was ushered on like sledge dogs. Skiers who can't keep up are marked down you see.

Roland's teaching method may not come from any manual, but it seems to work. "My technique is improving, I'm glad to say," says Derek Baines, a 64-year-old white-haired computer wizard from Edinburgh. "Although he's a bit of a showman, Roland is incredibly observant. He knows all our weaknesses and he's always there with encouragement and a helpful tip. It's the tips I like. With the Ski Club of Great Britain, off-piste adventure always comes with tips.”

The group’s adventures involved crevassedodging on the Argentière glacier and steep couloir (narrow gully with a steep gradient) skiing above 32

Courmayeur. Marathon descents always brought them, with some relief, to a reserved restaurant table, wine uncorked. Such is life, on a typical Peak Experience day - serious skiing to followed by a serious lunch.

The Courmayeur couloir was the over 50’s most challenging skiing. "It's not really a canalone, just a canalino," Roland said cheerfully, as his group had peered nervously down a bottomless chute. "Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! Mais, attention! The snow is hard, so if you fall here you could go to the bottom, and there are lots of rocks, so you might die. So we can say that here, 35 degrees is extreme. Forget carving, please! Here we are looking for control, not dynamism."

This was a cue for a two-minute lesson in jump turning and, if all else fails, life-saving self-arrest techniques. By the time his pupils had staggered out of Roland's favourite Courmayeur grapperia, the only skiing they managed was an unsteady descent from restaurant to car park. All in all, it was unanimously voted the greatest of days on the French piste.

Next morning, after conducting the Hallelujah Chorus with his ski pole high above Chamonix, Roland reassembled his troop. "The piste here is perfect.

No ice, no bumps, no stones. So we can go fast - as fast as we like, faster in fact! There is only one thing to worry about - the people. Don't hit them!"

Horsemen of the apocalypse Now it was the younger generation's turn to stand aside as a pack of silver-haired lunatics came screaming down the mountain like the horsemen of the apocalypse. At the bottom the seniors and their guide swapped breathless high fives and jumped on the lift to do it all over again. Yes, the Ski Club of Great Britain certainly gives mature skiers a taste for off-piste thrills.

Membership of the Ski Club of Great Britain (Tel: 0845 458 0784, Web: www.skiclub.co.uk) costs £60 a year, £93 for a family membership. Other bene-

fits include a magazine subscription, various discounts and special offers, and the chance to ski with Ski Club representatives in 40 Alpine and North American resorts.

The club’s 30 Peak Experience holidays are for skiers over 50 years. Younger partners and supporters are welcome. Tuition fees and accommodation in the French Alps region varies depending upon the level of instruction and the grade of hotel, but does include the loan of an avalanche transceiver, guiding/ instruction, flights and transfers, but not a lift pass.

All details are available from the SCGB.

In recent years, there’s been resurgence of interest in the ski resorts of the Austrian Alps, proving more and more popular with the British ski crowd, particularly the mature set. For almost a quarter of a century the rise of France as the destination

of choice for UK skiers has been inexorable. Perhaps that was understandable, as it is close at hand, has excellent snow-sure, high-altitude terrain in what are the largest lift-linked ski areas in the world. In the past five years though, France's market has lost its momentum - while little Austria, which was our favourite place to ski until France took over in the 1980’s, is making a comeback.

The shift is not massive of course. In the last few seasons, according to the annual ski industry report published by the tour operator Crystal, France's share of the UK market has been successively 37.1, 37.5 and 37 per cent. Not much change there.

Austria, however, has seen its share climb from 19 to 21.8 per cent and, last season, to 23.6. Could this turnaround be the start of a continuing trend?

Certainly the Austrian Tourist Board in London hopes so.

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A bit old-fashioned Austria Austria, which became regarded as a bit old-fashioned in skiing circles, has embraced innovation, putting cutting-edge technology on hills that were once alive primarily with the sound of music. St Anton built the radical Galzigbahn lift, with its ‘Ferris wheel’ that scoops skiers up off the ground; at Dachstein, near Salzburg, a ‘sky walk’ was installed 2,700m above sea level to allow visitors to enjoy 360-degree views from a platform with a part-glazed floor, while Innsbruck hired the celebrated architect Zaha Hadid - first to create its new ski jump and then to design stations on a rail link that takes skiers from the city centre up to the slopes.

Also more recently, the dominant style of Austrian ski-resort accommodation - cosy and a bit chintzy - is being replaced by a more modern minimalism. In Innsbruck and Lech can be seen some remarkable ‘designer hotels.’ The first was the Aurelio, a super-expensive, super sleek property in Lech designed by the London and Paris-based consultancy Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi for its owner, the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Lech is becoming Austria's less flamboyant equivalent of the rich skier's playground in the French Alps, Courchevel 1650.

Another swish newish, if not pristinely, built hotel is the Interalpen, set on a beautiful, heavily wooded hillside site near Seefeld in the Innsbruck district. This is a classic five-star resort hotel with 569 beds, built in Tirol style by the cranes-to-refrigerators conglomerate Liebherr. Actually first opened in1985, one wing has been retro-fitted with the sort of exposed-stone-and-timber ‘lodge style’ rooms familiar in classy western-US ski accommodation.

It's a remarkable turnaround, though not quite as extraordinary as the hotel's drive-in lobby at sub-basement level!

Good access is surely another factor in Austria's growing appeal. The growth of winter-season flights into Salzburg and Innsbruck, complementing the Ryanair services to peripheral airports at Klagenfurt, Graz and Friedrichshafen, just across the German border, has made most Austrian resorts readily accessible, with short transfers. During the ski season British Airways runs a five-flights-a-week service from Gatwick to Innsbruck, competing on the route with easyJet. At Salzburg also there are an abundance of weekly return flights from the UK at peak skiing periods.

Ski season starts October Looking ahead to the start of the European ski season in October into November, here are some where to? suggestions: Austria - Hintertux and the Stubai Glacier; France - Les Deux Alpes and Tignes; Switzerland - Saas Fee and Zermatt. It may be summer, but now is the time to think about tuning up your ski technique for winter by booking a pre-season course, usually run by a ski school in conjunction with a tour operator round about late October. Few other packages are available this early. Alternatively, it's possible to book a short break independently on a global scale. It’s as well to remember that few hotels are open in November for skiers in the European resorts, as the season doesn’t really get underway until just before Christmas.

Yes, December is when it all starts to happen in the Alpine resorts but not all low - or even medium-altitude destinations - can be assured of snow.

The number of European resorts where one could book a Christmas holiday is increasingly limited. Both the US and Canadian Rockies are more reliable than the Alps. Christmas and New Year are expensive and crowded. The week beginning December 15/16 is, by contrast, well-priced and people-free, although not all areas will be fully open yet.

Where to go and ski in December? The recommendations are: Austria - Ischgl, Obertauern, Sölden; France - Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes, Tignes, Val d'Isère, and Val Thorens; Finland - Levi; Italy - Cervinia, Livigno, and Passo Tonale; Switzerland Davos; USA - Beaver Creek/Vail, Copper Mountain, and Keystone; finally, Canada - Fernie and Whistler 34

Christmas and New Year need to be booked well in advance. For earlier weeks, wait and see where the snow falls before committing your money. For example, St Anton is normally a safe bet in December, but there are years when it fails attract a single flake during the first half of the month.

January is for cold days and late deals.

This ski month can suffer from a bit of an identity crisis. What used to be a time of low prices is now rather affected by newly rich Russians, Serbs and their neighbours, heading to the likes of Courchevel and Kitzbühel in search of fun and snow over the Orthodox Christmas and New Year holidays during the first half of the month. In the most popular bigname resorts it's hard to find a hotel room or a table - and prices have risen accordingly. An alternative is to head for a quiet resort, west to North America or east to Japan.

Where to ski this month: Andorra Arinsal /La Massana, and Soldeu; Austria - Alpbach, Bad Gastein, Lech/Zürs, St Anton, Wagrain, and Zell-am-See; France - Les Arcs, Chamonix, Courchevel, Flaine, Méribel, and Serre Chevalier; Italy Kronplatz, Madonna di Campiglio, and La Thuile; Switzerland - St Moritz and Verbier; USA - Aspen, Jackson Hole, Taos, Park City, Deer Valley, and The Canyons; Canada - Big White, Sun Peaks, and Silver Star; and Japan - Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu.

Play the waiting game When it comes to Europe, play the waiting game.

Discounts appear earlier and earlier each winter as the larger operators lose their nerve over the volume of holidays that remain unsold. It also makes sense to see how the snow lies before committing yourself.

Despite the high prices, February is the time to find the best snow of the winter - and the biggest crowds of course. Give the French Alps a miss altogether during the half-term school hols (February 9 and 16), which clashes with French school holidays. There are plenty of better places in which to enjoy a family break at a more reasonable price. President's Weekend (February 14) is the start of the busiest North American week, but the volume of visitors even to Whistler and Vail is negligible compared with the crowds in the Trois Vallées.

Where to ski in February: Austria - Ellmau.

Kitzbühel, Neustift, St Anton, and Westendorf; France - Avoriaz, Les Gets, Megève, Morzine, Sainte-Foy, and Samoens; Italy - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Corvara, Courmayeur, Sauze d'Oulx, San Cassiano, Selva, and Ses-

triere; Spain - Baqueira-Beret; Sweden - Are; Norway -Hemsedal; Romania - Poiana Brasov Slovenia: Bohinj, Kranjska Gora, and Krvavec; Switzerland - Klosters, Mürren, and Champéry; USA - Alta/Snowbird, Heavenly, Stowe, Squaw Valley, and Sun Valley; Canada - Kicking Horse and Red Resort

If you want the best chalets and the pick of the hotels you need to book months, in some cases even a year, in advance. Certainly you must hit the phone straight away if you have not yet booked for February 2014. Flights, too, are hard to come by for the half-term weeks.

In the spring snows of March, tour operators often have a problem filling beds, despite the fact that the days are longer and warmer and snow conditions are some of the best of the winter.

With the onset of spring, the snowline will be creeping up the mountain. The lower resorts in Austria and elsewhere are in their final weeks and you can expect slushy conditions at valley level as the month progresses.

Where to ski in March: Austria - Mayrhofen, Niederau, Saalbach-Hinterglemm; Bulgaria - Bansko; France - Châtel, Barèges, La Plagne, and Serre Chevalier; Germany - Garmisch-Partenkirchen; Italy - Arabba, Canazei, Champoluc, and Ortisei; Norway -Trysil; Spain - Sierra Nevada; Switzerland - Andermatt, Arosa, and Laax/Flims; USA - Big Sky, Breckenridge, Steamboat, Taos, and Telluride; Canada - Banff/Lake Louise, Kimberley, Panorama, and Tremblant.

March 22/23 is the busiest week and consequently the most expensive, with little chance of discounts. March 8/9 is the best value, with prices liable to drop further nearer to departure dates.

Best saved until last Saving the best until last - April. Mass-market tour operators like to start shutting up shop two weeks after Easter but there is still excellent skiing to be found throughout the month. In recent years winter has shifted forward by at least a fortnight and some of the biggest snowfalls have been in April. However, at modest altitudes, the pistes tend to turn to slush by late morning, making conditions difficult for learners.

Only in the highest resorts will you find guaranteed good conditions that will last until early May, when the last lifts close for the season.

Where to ski in the final month of the season: Austria - Hintertux, Kaprun, Sölden, Obergurgl and Obertauern; France - Chamonix, Val d'Isère/Tignes, Les Deux Alpes, La Grave, Val Thorens,

Les Arcs, La Plagne, and Vaujany; Italy - Bormio, Passo Tonale, and Val Senales; Switzerland - Saas-Fee, Verbier, and Zermatt; USA -Mammoth and Killington; Canada - Whistler.

As the April progresses, it becomes more difficult to find package deals and booking DIY on the Internet may produce the best bargains. Good snow cover in these higher resorts is a certainty, so there's little advantage in leaving it until the last minute.

The thing is when it comes to skiing, provided you are fit, your age should present no problem. However, in 30 years equipment has changed almost beyond all recognition. Skis are at least twice as wide and new technology makes them much easier to turn.

Getting on the piste Technique has also changed and you if you haven’t skied for years, you are going to need some lessons in how the newer skis work. You travel with Classic Ski (classicski.co.uk). Most of its customers are aged between 45 and 75, so you will find plenty of other like-minded skiers. Over the years it has become a bit of a club.

The company arranges holidays on set dates to Flaine, Morzine and other smaller French resorts that are easily reached from Geneva airport.

Lessons or guided skiing with its own team of instructors are an integral part of the holiday and groups are limited to six people.

Rental of skis and boots is included in the price, as are flights, airport transfers, and a high standard of hotel with half-board. Classic Ski prices start at about ÂŁ1,600 for one week in Les Contamines.

Fancy getting on the piste? This one really is a good way to start or brush up on your technique.

Graham C. Garnett

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Ten high-end luxury gadgets

EcoSmart Designer Fireplaces From £2,400

2. QLOCKTWO by Biegert & Funk From £840

3. Hasselblad Lunar Camera From £5,300

4. Devon Tread 2 – £TBC

5. TurboChef Double Wall Speedcook Oven From £6,500

7. Meridiist by Tag Heuer From £3,300 36

6. LG Curved OLED 55” Smart TV From £9,500

8. Aedle VK-1 Headphones £250

9. Naim UnitiQute 2 From £1,150

1. EcoSmart Designer Fireplaces – From £2,400 If you’re interested in purchasing a stunning centrepiece for the living room or would like a freestanding feature somewhere else in the home, consider an EcoSmart designer fireplace. Eliminating the need for a flute or chimney, these fantastic pieces are quick and easy to install. Fuelled by bioethanol, EcoSmart’s fireplaces do not produce any harmful emissions and is an environmentally friendly in-house heating solution. In addition to these practical benefits, there are some truly impressive conventional and contemporary designs on offer too, constructed from materials as diverse as stainless steel, glass, leather and wood.

2. QLOCKTWO by Biegert & Funk - From £840 As opposed to your traditional clock design, the QLOCKTWO

by Biegert & Funk does away with standard hands and digits. Instead, this unique piece displays time in the form of a statement using attractive typography. Made from wood and available in multiple colours, brushed stainless steel or polished synthetic glass, the clock automatically adjusts to ambient light, sets the time thanks to radio signals and can display seconds as well. It is little wonder the QLOCKTWO has received numerous design awards, as the basic yet visually striking aesthetics are a pleasing sight to behold.

3. Hasselblad Lunar Camera – From £5,300 On first impressions, you can tell that this is a very special camera. The Hassleblad Lunar is a modern interpretation of the first camera to go into space, the company’s now legendary 500C. This contemporary device still retains the classic chrome-plated frame, but all edges have been removed to leave a smooth and sleek finish. Making use of materials as diverse as leather and wood, the Lunar is still incredibly sturdy despite its retro undertones. Although you’re essentially paying more for a redesigned and rebadged Sony Alpha NEX-7, this 24-megapixel compact system camera looks set be a style icon.

4. Devon Tread 2 – £TBC A revolutionary and striking approach towards watch design, the revised Devon Tread 2 Time-Belt has greater functionality, an updated master link system, movement enhancements and a new chronograph feature.

Although the watch is smaller, quieter and less expensive than its predecessor, it is still water resistant to 10M, features an inductive wireless charging system and a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery that lasts up to two weeks. While the time display may not be to everyone’s taste, it will inevitably turn a few heads and be an interesting talking point.

5. TurboChef Double Wall Speedcook Oven – From £6,500 If you’re interested in cooking oven quality food at microwave speed, then look no further. Featuring patented technology that circulates currents of heated air from the top and bottom of the oven, food can be cooked up to 15 times faster than conventional methods. Despite its futuristic looks, the Speedcook Oven also comes with traditional cooking functionality and easy-to-use input controls. Numerous settings and profiles are predetermined for specific meals, while favourite dishes and recipes are accessible with the oven’s simple interface.

Six custom colours along with premium stainless steel means the device should fit in with most styles of kitchen.

6. LG Curved OLED 55” Smart TV – From £9,500 It is difficult to envisage where recent technological advancements will end, but LG’s Curved OLED Smart television is currently the pinnacle of home entertainment. OLED displays offer four times the resolution of the current 1080p HD standard, delivering stunning colours and contrast. What’s more, the curved design with a depth of only 4.5mm thick at its thinnest point is a striking departure from other sets on the market. Along with these hardware upgrades, streaming on-demand content is possible with the television’s built-in Internet connectivity. Thanks to the intuitive Magic Remote with speech recognition, users can change channel, adjust the volume or access Netflix and YouTube by voice commands alone.

7. Meridiist by Tag Heuer – From £3,300 Even thought the Merediist smartphone by TAG Heuer has been around for some time, the legendary watchmaker has recently revealed a thinner, lighter and more powerful successor. The latest version has dual SIM card slots for maximum business and personal communication as well as a 24/7 worldwide concierge service. While the 103-carat unscratchable sapphire crystal display and genuine alligator trimmed battery cover give the device a very distinctive look, the new and exclusive personal assistant feature, which can book concert tickets or make restaurants reservations at the click of a button, will position the Merediist in direct competition with luxury smartphone rival Vertu.

10. Google Glass

10. Google Glass - £TBC One of the most talked about and controversial gadgets of the past few years, Google Glass is looking to introduce wearable technology to the mass market.

While this head-mounted device won’t be made available to consumers until 2014, it will be one of the most highly anticipated product releases for quite some time.

Resembling a fashionable pair of spectacles, Google Glass projects smartphone-like information in front of the user’s eyes. Instead of physically inputting information, specific voice commands can take pictures, record videos, request directions, search online content and translate dialogue into another language.

8. Aedle VK-1 Headphones - £250 Despite a minimalist and refined design, Aedle’s first product offering has been in development for many years. Thankfully, good things come to those who wait and it is difficult to think of a more attractive pair of headphones. Assembled in France, the VK-1s are both hardwearing and comfortable thanks to aircraft-grade alluvium and hand sewn lambskin leather construction. In terms of audio quality, a neodymium magnet and titanium diaphragm delivers impeccable sound to appreciative ears. Practical features include a 3.5mm Aramid fibre coated detachable cable with microphone for making phone calls, airline adaptor and a travel case.

9. Naim UnitiQute 2 – From £1,150 Don’t be deceived by the UnitiQute 2’s compact form, as this all-in-one audio device packs a powerful punch. It is somewhat hard to believe that this discreet and simplistic system contains so many exemplary features. Notable revisions for this year’s model include enhanced sound quality and multiroom functionality, enabling audio to be sent to every corner of the home. These latest upgrades add to already standout characteristics like DAB+ Internet radio, high-resolution files, music download and streaming capability, USB connectivity, and iPod/MP3 player compatibility.

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A ski novice or just simply a bit out of tune when it comes to en piste manoeuvres? Here’s some tips help get you ditch the fears and become an intrepid silver skier..

On a practical note, how old is too old to ski? Here’s a recent quote from a 30’s-something young man about his mother and a planned skiing trip..

“I have been thinking about a family holiday which includes taking my mum - a spring chicken at 58. She's very active and cycles nearly every day. She has never been to snowy mountains - but loves being outdoors, so we assumed that we'd pick a resort with an interesting town - and at best mum could go walking or snowshoeing.

Would it be too much to try to encourage her to have a go at skiing - am not thinking of a ‘day in, day out’ ski school - but maybe an afternoon or two on green slopes?”

I can tell you she went with her son and his family to Austria, learned to ski and had a marvellous time into the bargain. It wasn’t without a bit of fore planning though. Take note of these gems of wisdom: ✳ Pick your resort well. It’s important to stay within your comfort zone. Don't go to somewhere that you'll

38

be scared to death and can only cope with a couple of runs. Its best to chose a destination with plenty of easier runs to play on which also has lots of local atmosphere for those days when you might want to give the skiing a rest. ✳ Take time to study a piste map before you venture out to the slopes. Learn your way around so that if you do get a twinge, feel tired or decide you've had enough for the day, you'll be able to get back to your hotel without getting hopelessly lost. ✳ Be physically prepared. It's not the Olympics or the World Cup, but do get yourself as reasonably ski fit as you need to be. The fitter and more flexible you are, the less likely you'll injure yourself. By the way, take extra care in getting on and off those ski lifts. You don't want to end up wrecking your knees before you've even reached the slopes. ✳ Make sure your travel insurance is up to the mark to cover everything - also, that it’s up to date, along with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which has replaced the old E111 form many over 55's will still have tucked away somewhere. You can find out more at www.ehic.org.uk

✳ It would be wise to put together a basic First Aid kit, which should include suitable painkillers and antiinflammatory tablets. A pain relief spray and an elastic knee/ankle support are equally recommended. Also, don't forget the high-factor sunscreen for high-altitude protection, plus cream to put under your nose and chin.

Snow is very good at reflecting harsh sunshine upwards. ✳ Good boots are essential and make sure they're snug and comfy - this especially if you’re renting them on site. Ill-fitting boots and sore, cramped feet, can turn a holiday into a painful nightmare and ruin it. Use talcum powder and even Vaseline in a bag in the front of your sock to stop chaffing with the boot tongue. ✳ You can easily get dehydrated high in the mountains, so take lots of water or juice with you. If you're on skis, please don't even think of getting even higher on alcohol.

Booze might relax you but it can also make you make you reckless. Mixing it with slowed-down reactions and possibly fragile older bones is not a good cocktail. ✳ Importantly, cast those fears aside and just enjoy yourself. Life is too short, so make sure every day of your ski adventure holiday is a precious one. Oddly enough, the letters in the word SKI can be an acronym for ‘Spending the Kids Inheritance' - and if that’s the way it has to be, then go for it!

Other recommended companies catering for novice and refresher ski adventure holidays include: NEILSON HOLIDAYS BRIGHTON, East Sussex. (Call: 0844 879 8155, Email: sales@neilson.com, Fax. 0115 9870751, Website: www.neilson.co.uk). Check website for details of ski adventure holidays.

CRYSTAL SKI HOLIDAYS (TUI UK Ltd) Surbiton, Surry. (Call: 0203 282 1309 (Covent Garden, London branch), Email: coventgarden@crystalholidays.co.uk, Website: www.crystalski.co.uk).

Several branches nationwide. See website for details.

SKI SOLUTIONS West Kensington, London (Call: 0207 471 7700, Email: kathryn@skisolutions.com, Website: www.skisolutions.com). Recommended for absolute beginners. See website for details.

ELEGANT RESORTS CHESTER, Cheshire (Call: 01244 897331, Email: enquiries@elegantresorts.co.uk, Website: www.elegantresorts.co.uk). See website for details of luxury ski travel.

ALPINE ELEMENTS Wimbledon, Surrey (Call: 0203 355 6870, Email: enquiries@alpineelements.co.uk, Website: www.alpineelemnts.co.uk). Ski beginners, equipment hire and resort accommodation. S ee website for details.

SKISCHULE LECH (SKI SCHOOL, LECH) Lech, Austria (Call: +43(0)5583/2355, Email: sport@skilech. info, Fax: +43(0)5583/3849, Website: www.skischule-lech.com). Learn to ski in a luxury setting, ski tuition arranged in conjunction with accommodation at the very stylish HOTEL KRISTIANIA Lech am Arlberg (Call: +43 5583 25610, Email: info@kristiania.at, Fax: +43 5583 3550, Website: www.kristiania.at). See website for details of this prestigious hotel and restaurant, long associated with the Winter Olympics ski community.

www.ldvuk.com

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Uluru/ Ayres Rock is an awe-inspiring glimpse into another culture.

Tourists should tread lightly around Uluru’s monolith.

40 Tourism Australia Photographer: Masaru Kitano snaK Productions

Tourism Australia Copyright

Being a hobbyist geologist, a visit to Australia to see the World Heritage site called Uluru/ Ayres Rock was always a must.

There has been much debate down the years as to what this huge lump of sandstone should be named but, since the turn of the millennium its original Aboriginal moniker, Uluru has been restored. However it has to share the limelight with the upstart, Ayres Rock, coined just 240 years ago.

It was only in the 1930s that tourists began their pilgrimage to Uluru and an element of travel infrastructure began, whereas the Aborigines settled at least 10 000 years prior to this. As a traveller to this World Heritage Site there is always a duality which troubles the conscience.

On the one hand the spectacle is truly awe-inspiring but on the other, the fact that Uluru is a sacred site is rather unsettling. I couldn’t help being aware of this throughout my visit.

Mind you, I would not have missed it for the worId, and I suspect some tourist sensitivity is a very beneficial thing. After all, for too long the tourist industry has run rough shod over so many beautiful destinations worldwide, and if this marks a new sensibility I really am all in favour. Therefore on my trip to Uluru I plumped for the walking tour that circumvents the base of the rock, which was led by an Aboriginal guide. The group I walked with began to appreciate the myth and legend which abounds in such an extraordinary atmospheric place and we were hushed as we made our way.

Tourism Australia Photographer: Masaru Kitano snaK Productions

The wind blows through the geological formation called The Olgas and it does almost feel as if spirits of an ancestral creator still inhabit these parts. Being of a scientific disposition I quite surprised myself by succumbing to these ancient tales. Yet I did feel no one could really witness the majesty, spectacle and sense of place without experiencing something beyond a logical understanding and explanation. www.ldvuk.com

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Western culture has overlaid a particular epistemology and this became tangibly evident as it was subtly amended by our Aboriginal guide.

There is a myth that anyone removing any rock from Uluru will be cursed and as much as I was sorely tempted to…….well, I didn’t! Apparently some who have done so found themselves in the position of putting said rocks in the post trying to return them from whence they came and I wasn’t going to risk it!

Uluru is beautiful for so many reasons; no photograph can do it justice and this seems right under the circumstance. Its geology is what contributes to the impact.

The sandstone’s crimson, rust colouring is dramatically emphasised as the sun rises and sets. Fortunately, I experienced both natural phenomena and was completely mesmerised. To be somewhat prosaic, for a moment, it’s the amount of feldspar and quartz, combined with iron bearing minerals, which contribute to the extraordinary colour of this sandstone. The sun rises and its light intensifies the spectacle. It is no wonder it has become so sacred and symbolic.

When this rock is first exposed, however, it is grey, but oxidisation creates the crimson hue that transforms this focal point into an intensely emotional light show, which happens twice daily and varies according to the season.

The Aboriginal rock art that can be found augments the experience and was a fascinating feature of our guided tour.

Keen walkers will want to complete the “Valley of the Winds” hike which takes around 3 hours and covers the aforementioned Olgas, or what is commonly known as ‘Many Heads’; geological features that typify this rock formation, rising as high as 546m in places.

You might wonder how this feature has survived for so many years but a lack of jointing meant the erosion process has been much delayed on this inselberg or island mountain.

However, what you will find are gulleys, caves and scree where so much interesting flora and fauna can be found. In fact just under 50 species of mammals have made this their habitat but only 21 are still evident today. There is talk of reinstating certain Possums,

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia 42

Tourism Australia Copyright

James Fisher/Tourism Australia Copyright

Wallabies and Bettongs who have long been absent from this region because the ecosystem has, and is, continuing to suffer.

For nature lovers, there are 7 species of bats who hang out in the caves, but also snakes like the Woma Python, Emus and Lizards which co-exist in this unique location and it’s a very important site.

What is also interesting and impacts on visitors is the fact the area appears to experience five seasons, not four, and it is worth considering when to visit, bearing in mind that during November and December for example, it is roastingly hot (the top temperature recorded is 46.4 degrees) and not appropriate for hikes and exploration without a significant element of potential danger. April and May in contrast are cool; during June and July there are frosts in the morning, but throughout August to October the wild flowers are prolific and animals breed; whereas between January and March you are likely to experience dramatic and sporadic storms.

Happily, in my opinion, there are no places for tourists to stay within the national park these days as the very

early tourist motels were removed in 1983. This seems politically correct as many sacred sites belonging to Aboriginal culture are here, and it is sad that despite promises by the Australian prime minister, some years back, tourists trekking up the to the summit are yet to be banned. A viewing platform was installed a couple of years ago which gives ample opportunity to witness the spectacle without causing damage or demonstrating insensitivity.

Uluru is popular and over 400 000 visitors flock there every year since it was classified as a World Heritage Site in 2000. Three day passes are issued but these are checked stringently by rangers as it really is very important to balance tourism with preserving cultural and conservationist concerns.

A visit to Uluru is life changing if you are prepared to become part of it for a while and appreciate another valid perspective. There is so much to learn about this iconic destination. I wouldn’t say it was for the faint-hearted but it’s certainly a trip I will never forget; you really should put it on your ‘must see’ list if it isn’t there already.

Vivienne Neale

www.ldvuk.com

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www.myconiancollection.gr

The Leading Hotel Experience on Mykonos

We’ve all done it – gone into the home of a new friend or acquaintance and sat there the whole time admiring their décor and marvelling at their sense of style. We’ve wanted to ask so many questions - where did they source that fantastic curtain fabric? How on earth did they manage to get a rounded book case to fit perfectly into that alcove? What inspired them to put up that fab fifties bright orange and yellow geometric wallpaper?

And, more to the point, how did they know it’d all work together?

Interior Design It’s no fabrication

Image Courtesy of Casaforma 46

Enter the interior designer. She – or he – comes equipped with mood board (so you can both try out different textures and colours together) and – hopefully - years of realising people’s décor dreams. Better still, they’ll have some CAD software to show you how your room will look in 3D, prior to you shelling out any money in the first place.

Yes, interior designers can be expensive, but like any trade or profession, experience and skill always come at a cost. Rates vary depending on experience. And remember, designing a home, over-

seeing the furniture installation, chasing up fabric suppliers and sourcing accessories all take time and, more to the point, effort.

So where can you find this home design rock star?

Remember that house whose interior you admired so much?

Ask who they got to design it and, if they did it themselves, hire them! Seriously, seeing a room which has been beautifully designed - and to your taste - matters more than an armful of qualifications. So just ask who designed it and take a note of their number.

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The British Institute of Interior Design at www.bida.org provides a list of qualified professionals (all have professional indemnity insurance) by location and experience.

As you would with any other major overhaul you’re embarking on when it comes to your home, don’t just take the first nice fellow who comes along – put the job ‘out to tender’ and study the portfolios of at least three designers.

Also consider whether or not you’d be able to get along with that person as you’re going to be working very closely together over the next couple of months.

Are they the type who’ll encourage you to articulate your ideas, or will they likely steamroller over your plans with their own?

Costs of an interior designer As you’d imagine costs to hire an interior designer vary quite considerably but average around £40 to £50 an hour. The majority of designers will quote the price of the project upfront, others may ask for an hourly rate whereas some will look for a percentage fee i.e. they’ll purchase the furnishings and materials at cost price and sell them on to you at an agreed increased price.

What you’re actually paying for is their training (most qualified interior designers do a four year BA degree at Art College) and expertise as well as their contacts and project management skills.

Questions an interior designer may ask YOU So now that you’ve found this wonderful individual who is going to transform your surroundings with their artistic flair, what will they want from you? Well, there’s certain questions they’ll certainly need you to answer. Such as: •What will you be using this room/space/ interior for? Your designer will need to know for instance if it’s a high-activity area which gets a lot of through-traffic and if so, tough-wearing furniture rather than delicate adornments will be the order of the day. They’ll also want to know how the lay-out of the room interacts with other areas in your home as a whole so that the flow of traffic throughout isn’t interrupted.

•Will you be using the space for anything else? If it’s a study will it convert into a second guest bedroom when there are a lot of people staying over? If so the necessity for a sofa bed, etc. must be incorporated into the study plan at the start, rather than as an afterthought.

Image Courtesy of Casaforma 48

Image Courtesy of Casaforma

• How do you want the space to feel? If you’re looking for it to feel cosy then your designer will be suggesting shades at the warmer end of the colour spectrum such as reds, oranges and yellow. She might also look at browns, russet red and dark greens, as well as warmer fabrics such as wool and velvet. On the other hand, if it’s a tranquil, airy space you seek then lighter pastels and neutrals with sheer or light cotton fabrics would be more in line with your requirements.

• What type of lighting do you envisage?

In other words, if it’s a room where you’ll be reading or playing games you’ll want strategically-placed side lamps or uplighting so that you can see to concentrate but at

the same time allow the room to retain its charm and ambiance.

• What type of budget do you have for the project? It is incredibly easy to get carried away and add on little extras here and there such as a better quality curtain material or more expensive light fittings. That’s why it’s better to sit down and work out with your designer exactly how your total budget will work. The money can then be divided into categories, with only a little leeway for ‘must have’ extras so that you’re not tempted to over-indulge.

As to whether you will shop with your interior designer or she’ll go out and just present you with her purchases, then it’s entirely up

to you. You’ve probably hired her or him in the first place because you don’t have the time. But if you have, it can be fun going out together with the designer pointing out accessories and furniture that you’d never considered before. In other words, shopping can be a real eye opener for anyone not used to looking through a designer’s eyes.

In conclusion, to some homeowners hiring an interior designer may seem like a bit of an indulgence. But those who have gone down that route they say it’s given them years of pleasure. After all, what’s that they say about every English man (and woman’s) home being their castle?

Jill Stevenson

www.ldvuk.com

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Rene Dekker Design Studio 13 Abbey Business Centre 15-17 Ingate Place London SW8 3NS Tel: +44 (0) 20 7036 1699 Email: studio@renedekker.co.uk Web: www.renedekker.co.uk

www.ldvuk.com

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ldvdiamond.co.uk 17

MBE INTERIOR DESIGNER & OWNER OF KELLY HOPPEN INTERIORS

LDV: Can you tell us about how you got started doing what you’re doing now?

Kelly Hoppen: I started my career when I was 16… My first design job was designing a kitchen for a friend of my father, this marked the start of my interior design career. My first big design job was for a formula 1 racing driver.

LDV: What do you love most about what you do?

KH: The feeling when my client sees the finished project and loves it.

LDV: Where do you find your inspiration?

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KH: I find inspiration everywhere, from travelling the globe sourcing accessories to reading books, and watching films whilst I relax at my cottage in the beautiful English countryside.

Inspiration mainly comes to me when I take a few minutes away from my normal routine to just sit back and reset my mind.

I always find inspiration during my downtime, i.e. when away on holiday, spending time with friends, watching movies, seeing an exhibition. It can come from anywhere but always when I am relaxed. Anywhere abroad, I love to travel, it always inspires me.

LDV: What’s the proudest moment of your career? Is there a project that you think of as your absolute best?

A

s an independent 16-year- old with a relentless passion for design, Kelly Hoppen was given the opportunity to design a family friend’s kitchen. This modest commission not only created a teenage entrepreneur, it kickstarted one of the most celebrated and extraordinary careers in the design industry.

Kelly’s ever-evolving style is underpinned by a subtly coordinated fusion of East meets West; clean lines and neutral tones, blended with charming warmth and sumptuous opulence.

Kelly is honoured to be the recipient of copious design awards and the proudest point in her career to date came in 2009, when she was made an MBE for her services to interior design. She puts her stamp on the homes, yachts and jets of private clients, as well as select commercial projects the world over, including hotels, restaurants, offices and aircrafts.

One of her most recent projects include is a collaboration with Pearl Motor Yachts.

KH: The proudest moment of my career is when I receive an MBE from the Queen in 2009 for services to interior design.

LDV: Is there a space in London which you find yourself continuously drawn to because of the beautiful interior?

KH: I love the restaurant at the Arts Club on Dover Street.

The Wolseley is also pretty spectacular.

LDV: Can you recommend a hotel you stayed in where the interior design really impressed and inspired you?

KH: The Cuixmala Hotel in Mexico.

LDV: Who are your favourite designers currently working in the industry?

KH: John Pawson, so creative and timeless.

LDV: What exciting new projects do you have on the horizon?

KH: I’m a member of the judging panel on the BBC Two programme, Dragons’ Den and the show has just started airing. I love doing this as I have always enjoyed championing so being able to take it to the next level and invest in new business is really exciting.

Regarding future projects, I have lots coming up, but I can’t talk about, but watch this space!

LDV: What’s the best advice you can give to someone following your career path?

KH: Once when I was working with a life coach, one of the things he told me when I wanted to build the business was 1. Your business never reaches the top, you can always take the next step. 2. If you step down from where you’re standing, you’d fall a lot further than you think. Success is not a day job, you have to work hard.

LDV: Bonus question: If YOU could have one super power what would it be?

KH: Make the days longer! I never have enough hours in the day! www.ldvuk.com

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F

Antique urniture

Working in the late 1700s Thomas Sheraton designed elegant and lightweight furniture in the neoclassical rhetoric.

His designs were published in the 1791 ‘Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book’ and the 1803 ‘Cabinet Dictionary’. This Sheraton oval tray is veneered in satinwood and rosewood and is beautifully decorated with a fan inlay in the centre; it sits on a stand which was made at a later date. As the tray can be removed 54

it is the best example of a practical antique coffee table; something we are often asked for but which does not exist in reality. The delicate lines, curvaceous edge and decorative veneers would be ideal for a traditional drawing room. Sheraton period furniture is greatly sought after, depending on condition, decoration and authenticity oval trays such as this are valued at £1500-£6000 for a beautifully inlaid example.

The Windsor chair is an archetypal piece of British furniture.

Traditionally made in the Chilterns and Thames Valley region, near Windsor, the local craftsmen would have used English materials such as beech, elm and yew. Also known as a stickback or comb-back chair the Windsor chair is simplistic, elegant and durable. The chair illustrated is a late Eighteenth Century example with hand-carved decoration on the back and turned legs. This Windsor chair with its clean lines would lend itself to a traditional or contemporary interior, particularly sat by a roaring fire. Depending on condition and quality Windsor chairs can start from around ÂŁ800 in price to ÂŁ15000 for a particularly unique example.

Contact Us: Reindeer Antiques 81 Kensington Church Street W8 4BG London Tel. 020 7937 3754 Email: london@reindeerantiques.co.uk Web: www.reindeerantiques.co.uk

vend么me

Restaurant ENJOY GOURMET CUISINE BY THE BEST REPRESENTATIVE OF SO-CALLED

"New German Cuisine" The restaurant Vend么me, near Cologne, headed by 3-star chef Joachim Wissler, is one of the best restaurants in Germany.

Joachim Wissler serves a blend of classical cuisine, creativity and modernity. In 2005 and 2013, the magazine "Der Feinschmecker" voted Wissler

"Chef of the Year" and in 2009 he was deemed

"The Best Chef in Germany."

Apart from the three Michelin stars, the gourmet restaurant Vend么me at the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg has also been decorated with 19.5 Gault Millau points as well as 5 Feinschmecker F's, and is ranked 10th in the "San Pellegrino

World's 50 Best Restaurants 2013" list.

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awards 3 STARS, GUIDE MICHELIN

2013 DER FEINSCHMECKER (WISSLER)

19,5 POINTS, GAULT MILLAU

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2001

5 FEINSCHMECKER “F”

DER FEINSCHMECKER BEST YOUNG SOMMELIER OF GERMANY 2011

***** ***** *****

NO. 10, "SAN PELLEGRINO WORLD'S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS 2013"

*****

INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2010, LO MEJOR DE LA GASTRONOMIA IN ALICANTE, SPAIN

*****

CHEF OF THE YEAR 2002, GAULT MILLAU; CHEF OF THE YEAR 2004

*****

***** ***** *****

"CONCOURS NATIONAL DES JEUNES SOMMELIERS"

*****

CHAÎNE DES RÔTISSEURS (BERLINGHOF) NO. 2, DER FEINSCHMECKER - THE BEST PASTRY CHEFS (VORBUSCH)

*****

NO. 3, DER FEINSCHMECKER - THE BEST SERVICE TEAM

*****

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It is his love for the product and for pure favour as well as his infinity for refined compositions yet without frills that make Joachim Wissler one of Germany’s best chefs. His individual style of cooking combines provocative, modern and creative elements, whereby he’s picking up componentsof molecular cuisine to accent his creations.

Joachim Wissler is considered to be one of the shaping personalities that are defining the so called trend of the “New German School”, saying that almost forgotten regional products and dishes are experiencing a modern rebirth.

Joachim Wissler was born on January 13, 1963, in Nürtingen (near Stuttgart) and grew up in the Swabian Alps. Today he lives in the area of Cologne with his wife and his son. Joachim Wissler successfully passed his professional training at the famous “Traube Tonbach”.

After several professional experiences at renowned addresses Joachim Wissler was awarded with his first Michelin-Star as Chef de Cuisine at Schloss Reinhartshausen (Erbach / Rheingau) in 1995.

In 2000 Wissler took a new challenge at the gourmet restaurant “Vendôme”, Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg.

Due to his excellent work Wissler received his first Michelin star in 2001, followed by the second and third one in 2002 respectively 2005. Since 2005 Joachim Wissler belongs to Germany’s elitist circle of chefs.

Besides the top Michelin ranking in 2010, the gourmet restaurant „Vendôme“, Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, additionally was decorated with 19,5 Gault Millaut points and is thus one of Germany’s top-tier gourmet addresses.

In the January edition of the Capital-Gourmet-Kompass Joachim Wissler holds the top position among “Germany’s best 100 Restaurants”. Furthermore the gourmet restaurant “Vendôme” is on rank 23 in the San Pellegrino Ranking of the World’s 50 Best restaurants.

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JOACHIM WISSLER'S PORTRAIT

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R

osé tinted

Yali WMS Rose Merlot 2012

Tickled pink Think pink

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Rosé may have once held near pariah status, unfairly garnering a reputation for poor quality because of those mass produced sickly sweet varieties all too prevalent on many supermarket shelves.

But there’s never been a better time to give this blush-hued wine another chance. Rosé has swiftly gained in popularity among even the most serious wine enthusiasts, chefs and foodies, because of the simply sublime examples currently available.

When superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie released 6,000 bottles of first vintage rosé from their Château Miraval bolt-hole in Provence earlier this year, it sold out within five hours, at £88 for each six-bottle case.

That could have been down to the Brangelina effect. But, there can be few drinks to compare to rosé for outdoor entertaining. What could possibly be better than spending a late summer evening on the terrace with a perfectly chilled glass of elegant rosé, paired with simple sunny flavours such as grilled shellfish?

Wine merchants are noting an upturn in rosé sales because of its versatility and ability to provide that holiday-in-a-glass feeling. “Rosé is having its moment in the sun right now, with sales at an all-time high,” says David Laurie from 31Dover. “A chilled glass is ideal to enjoy on a summer evening, providing a subtler alternative to red counterparts.

“Wine producers have responded to customers and the market is filled with a wealth of drier and lighter varieties, a world away from the sweeter tones of the cheap rosé of yesteryear. Crisp and fresh, they are some of the most versatile wines for pairing with food, complementing everything from blazing barbecue food to a classic picnic with cold meats and salads.”

Some of the credit for taking rosé up a notch must surely go to Sacha Lichine, son of the Russian émigré and Bordeaux legend Alexis, who set up Château d’Esclans near Frejus in Provence. The Garrus Domaine Sacha Lichine 2010, purports to be the world’s most expensive rosé, currently among the wines on the famous rosé menu at Franco’s in London’s St James’. Like Wimbledon in a glass, featuring strawberry notes and a creamy finish with a texture akin to a white burgundy, the Garrus is truly impressive. (£80, cavesdesclans.com) Lichine’s latest offering, Whispering Angel (£14) is the introductory wine to the Chateau’s line of rosé, but it’s still impressive – both dry yet fresh and fruity.

While Lichine is renowned for his pale salmon-hued wines, rosé is available in a wealth of styles these days – from the very dark, robust styles that are very nearly red through to those with just a hint of blush, and everything in between.

Many of the very best varieties come from the lavender strewn, sun-kissed terroir of Provence.

And the Clos Mireille Rosé 2011 from the renowned Domaines Ott is such an example. Owned by the same family as Louis Roederer’s Cristal Champagne, its elegant signature bottle shape and magnificent provenance make this a real favourite among rosé aficionados.

Overlooking the intense blue of the Mediterranean at Londe les Maures, mainly Grenache vines produce exceptional grapes nourished by both sun and sea spray, creating a rosé that is subtle yet distinctive. Crisp and poised, with a pale amber hue, it features notes of apples, white flowers and apricot. (£26.99, 31Dover.com) Equally stunning is the 2S Cuvee 2011 from Château des Marres, which sits near Saint Tropez.

A cut above your average bottle of pink, this medium-bodied soft pink is derived from a delicate pressing of Grenache, cinsault and mourvédre grapes, providing the perfect complement to sea bream or grilled lamb chops. (£19.99, 31Dover.com) The superb minerality of the Château Coussin 2012 also sets it apart from lesser examples, with an elegant nose of pear, lemon and pineapple. (£12.25, Oddbins) Chateau Léoube, the award-winning organic French winery, has just released two vintages: Rosé de Léoube 2012 and Le Secret de Léoube Rosé 2012. (£14.50 and £19.99, Corney and Barrow).

With a clear crispness, they’re the perfect pairing for grilled fish and vegetables, and they also go well with summer fruit desserts.

Perhaps it should be no surprise that the world’s most sublime rosés are produced in Provence - as grapes are grown specifically for rosé production, so it’s never a by-product of red wine and certainly no afterthought. There’s even a rosé research centre in Provence so they can explore how to make the very best rosés even better.

Domaine Ott

But Provence certainly isn’t the only region, and France isn’t the only country that knows a thing or two about making a fine rosé.

While English sparkling may have emerged as the UK wine style receiving most attention, the Three Choirs Rosé 2011 is a delightful English pink. Grown in Gloucestershire, it is a predominantly pinot noir affair with ripe cherry aromas and a fresh jammy character that goes well with canapés or Tandoori chicken. (£7.95, The Wine Society) Lawson’s Dry Hills Pinot Noir Rosé 2012 is a super Kiwi pink that took a trophy in this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, impressing judges with its raspberry aromas and elegant palate. (£8.95, The Wine Society). Another great party option is the Domaine de la Chautarde Saint Aix magnum, which is light and fresh, making it superb for serving along with aperitifs. (£19.99, Majestic).

For eco credentials, leading Chilean producer Viña Ventisquero’s Yali Wetland Merlot Rose 2012 is a good buy (£7.49, Majestic). With a light watermelon colour, it is produced in the Yali Valley, home to a quarter of Chile’s bird population and its makers are committed to sponsoring environmentally-friendly projects around the world in a bid to offset CO2 emissions. www.ldvuk.com

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They’re just some of the mid-range rosés that offer good options for entertaining or everyday drinking. Ewan Murray, of the Wine Society, said: “Rosé is the fastest growing wine style, yet so much of it is the pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap, sickly sweet variety. For just a pound or two more, you get better made, more food-worthy and more flavoursome dry or off-dry wines.“ And, it’s not just the still stuff that’s demanding a greater presence on the world wine stage. Pink Champagnes regularly command higher prices than their more traditional counterparts. And, there are some particularly pleasant pink Cavas available at the moment too.

Codorniu’s Vintage Rosado 2010 is vibrant and fresh, yet intense. Maturing for nine months has added lovely toasty flavours (£10.49, Tesco).

Rosé simply resonates with the spirit of alfresco dining, so we’re just praying for an Indian summer.

Because, there’s just something about a glass of pale pink done well that lifts the soul. The very best examples are like liquid sunshine, extending summer well into autumn.

Domaine de la Chautarde

How rosé is made

Thought to be one of the first wines ever made, rosé is usually made from red grapes. The main difference between rosé and red wine is simply the length of time the grape juice stays in contact with the skins in the process known as maceration.

The pulp, skin, seeds and juices, collectively known as the must, macerates in a vat for anywhere from two to 20 hours, depending on the grape variety. This is when the pigments and aromas from the skin blend before the juice is allowed to ferment alone.

Another technique is direct pressing, which typically gives a paler colour, where full bunches are immediately placed in a wine press to release the juice. It’s also possible to make a very basic table rosé by blending a small amount of red with white wine, but the only quality wine that can be made this way is rosé Champagne and, even so, many Champagne producers opt for a more sophisticated maceration technique.

Elizabeth Hands

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Stockists Cavesdesclans.com +33 4 94 60 40 40

Château Léoube Rosé

31Dover.com Wycliffe Road, London 0333 900 31 31 The Wine Society www.thewinesociety.com Stevenage, Hertfordshire 01438 741177 Corney and Barrow www.corneyandbarrow.com Newmarket 01638 600 0000

www.ldvuk.com

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JAEGER AW13-14 COLLECTION FEATURE: THE FASHION AND LIFESTYLE BRAND, WHICH IS A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF LUXURY

WOMEN

's

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HANDBAG SPOTLIGHT

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M ar y Tote P in bone

The newly introduced Marylebone Tote, which juxtaposes fine Italian leather with exotic natural python and lizard is set to be a new classic for Aspinal. The sell-out tote is the perfect day bag, sold in traditional black, as well as subtle taupe, misty pink and cappuccino. Shop online, or at one of their stores in London.

Mar yle

lebo

ne Ta upe

Ladies, men’s and home ware ranges are offered, and we are glad to see the ladies collection is expanding, with everything from vanity cases, fine cashmere and leather gloves available, as well as their handbags and evening clutches.

Mary

ASPINAL OF LONDON

Elegant, sophisticated and uniquely distinctive, Aspinal of London is renowned for its beautifully designed accessories. A brand, which is thoroughly British, and boasts the likes of Pippa Middleton as its brand ambassador, counts heritage as an inspiration and the core component of the company.

JAEGER AW13-14 COLLECTION FEATURE Jaeger, for over the past 125 years has epitomised classic British style and is continuing to do so with their latest AW1314 collection. The fashion and lifestyle brand, which is a true representation of luxury, has a rich and vibrant history. Their heritage is rooted by the use of natural fibres and luxe fabrics. This new collection sees the use of their classic fabrics, but also with an injection of youthfulness; clothing features retro scalloped edging and colour popping shades of red to brighten up our winter.

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EMMA SHIPLEY

SCARF DESIGNER Emma Shipley is the multiaward winning young, luxury scarf designer. Having only launched her collection last year after graduating from the Royal College of Art, London the high-end boutique Browns, quickly recognised her talent and bought her debut line.

Since then, Shipley has gone from strength to strength and has been critically acclaimed, her hand-sketched designs being described as, ‘meticulously precise’ and ‘astonishingly skilful and distinctive’.

Shipley blurs the line between timeless accessory design and art, her scarves appealing en mass being produced in a range of colours from vibrant pinks and turquoise to demure tones of grey, all manufactured in the finest natural Italian cottons and silks.

The brand is available from over 20 stockists around the world, including Liberty, Fortnum & Mason, Fenwick, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. www.emmashipley.com

O P T I C A L S P OT L I G H T

ARCHIBOLD OPTICS

Archibald Optics is a Londonbased eyewear brand that offers boutique quality spectacles handcrafted in Japan and available exclusively online at www.archibaldoptics.com.

Founded on the principle of disrupting unfair retail practices, Archibald gives the consumers a choice; removing them from an over-reliance on the forbidding prices generally charged for high-end eyewear.

Archibald Optics offers a free Home Try-On service that allows customers to order up to three pairs of frames, with no obligation to buy and spend 5 days trying them on at home.

The whole process, from manufacturing in Japan to delivery takes only an astonishing 8-10 business day.

Furthermore, for each pair of frames sold, Archibald donates a portion of that sale to the Eyes For Africa Charitable Foundation, which focuses its efforts on providing sight-restoring cataract surgery to rural villagers across Ethiopia.

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JOULES

The perfect transitional wardrobe staple, the gilet is ideal for that tricky weather that we get in between autumn, going into winter. We have found our favourite selection from stylish outdoor specialists, Joules.

Their range of gilets are known to be the best on the market.

Filled with luxe feather and down, and available in varying colours from navy, cream and on-trend pink to classic country greens, it will ensure you remain warm and cosy during the impending cold weather.

See the full range, plus their loved polo shirts and animal print jumpers on their website and in boutiques across the country.

CATH KIDSTON MOBILE PHONE CASES FOR SAMSUNG AND iPHONE

Cath Kidston, known for her ever-popular clothing for home ware lines, has announced her most recent collaboration, branching out into stylish and fun mobile phone cases for the iPhone and Samsung phones.

Known as one of the most successful home grown businesswomen, Cath Kidston founded her company twenty years ago and has revealed that for the first time ever, the business sales have leapt to over ÂŁ100 million due to a growing demand, not only in the UK but overseas. An exciting time for the brand, they have recently opened a store within Harrods and have declared an upcoming store opening in Piccadilly, in time for Christmas trade.

Evolving with the times, these cheerful little phone case luxuries are thoroughly modern but are still available in the signature Kidston prints, including oversized polka dots, sweet birds and the recognisable florals.

BODEN KNITWEAR

Whether it is striped, spotty, roll-neck or leopard, Boden have a beautiful selection of knitwear for this coming wintertime. Known for their well-made, effortless pieces their extensive jumper and cardigan collection, is perfect coupled with casual jeans, smart chinos or A-line skirts. The knitwear is available in super soft cashmere and fine wool, in classic cropped and longer lengths with detailing such as cable knit and textured honeycomb stitching. The addition of new slouchy styles in contemporary tones adds a pop of colour to your cosy, everyday winter wardrobe. We particularity recommend the merino crew neck jumper in coloured leopard print.

SOPHIE BREITMEYER SIGNET RING MUST HAVES Sophie Breitmeyer is the awardwinning London based emerging designer, well known for producing beautiful and elegant jewellery.

Her great grandfather, as an original director and diamond dealer at De Beers, shows Breitmeyer has jewellery design as a part of her heritage.

Timeless pearls, diamonds and statement cuffs make up the core of her sought-after collection. Further more, her signet rings are a particular favourite, which are available in silver, gold and rose gold. Additionally, she offers a custom engraving service to ensure pieces are and truly exclusive and unique to the customer. We highly recommend these, whether as a gift to yourself or someone special.

For enquiries please contact direct via her website www.sophiebreitmeyer.com

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SHOE LABEL TO KNOW: SOPHIE GITTINS Italian craftsmanship is combined with luxurious leathers and silks to ensure her collections are of the highest quality. Her signature style exudes a chic, refined glamour; perfect for the most special of occasions.

Her collection is available in high-end stores and boutiques worldwide, as well as from her own website: www.sophiegittins.com A favourite with the fashionable and celebrities alike, Sophie Gittins is the British up and coming footwear designer to know.

Since launching her own label in 2009, she has been producing highly glamorous and sophisticated statement shoes, impressing established designers such as Manolo Blahnik and Rupert Sanderson.

GET THE A-LISTER LOOK FROM SARAH HO COUTURE DIAMOND JEWELLERY

Sarah Ho is the extraordinarily talented creative director behind Sarah Ho Couture and SHO London.

Her couture range consists only of the very finest diamonds and the most rare pearls.

“Origami Noir,” is the latest couture range from the designer, and is made up an intricate pendant, drop earrings and a statement ring.

Inspired by origami, a childhood pastime of Sarah’s, she has taken this to the next level; the collection features white gold, a combination of both black and white diamonds, all accented by fine white sea pearls.

Ho’s second couture line, the “Paradis” collection is an absolute favourite of ours, inspired by the beautiful illustrations of the famous 20th century haute couture fashion illustrator, George Barbier, and the grace of the Bird of Paradise. For this, Sarah has designed the platinum and rose gold Paradis Earrings, with pink toned conch pearls and diamonds.

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Her collections are available globally, we recommend visiting the Talisman Gallery at Harvey Nichols, London for further viewing.

Quest from solid rock to the magic of rare diamonds.

All potential clients are welcome to visit our offices in Mayfair, London. Please do not hasitate to contact us and speak to one of our experts or arrange an appointment to come to our London showroom to view our jewellery, diamonds or discuss your bespoke needs. We are available for face-to -face and telephone meetings between 9am and 6pm Mondayto Friday. We are also available on Saturdays between 10am and 3pm. We are not available Sundays.

Tel: +44 (0) 207 717 5400 Fax: +44 (0) 207 717 5400 General enquiries: info@joubertdiamonds.com 4-5 Park Place Mayfair London Sw1A 1LP www.ldvuk.com

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1. YOU’VE ALREADY MADE UP YOUR MIND THAT YOU’RE UPGRADING AT LEAST THREE OF YOUR COATS THIS AUTUMN; JUST MAKE SURE THIS OLIVER SWEENEY POMINO IS THE JACKET THAT DOES THE REPLACING. VERY BRITISH, VERY WOOL (TIPPING THE SCALE AT 100% WOOL WITH A BROWN VELVET COLLAR) AND VERY, VERY YOU.

GANT SHETLAND CRISS-CROSS CREW JUMPER £125.00 FROM GANT.CO.UK

MEN

's

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HACKETT CLASSIC SOLID SUIT £600 FROM HACKE TT.COM THIS DARK INDIGO CREWNECK MADE FROM EVER-IMPRESSIVE SHETLAND LAMBSWOOL WILL HAVE THE UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER RUNNING SCARED. C OMPLIMENT GANT’S FINEST WITH CHINOS, TROUSERS OR (IF YOU’RE FEELING DARING) JEANS WITH A LIGHT ACID WASH AND YOUR LOVED ONES WILL SHOWER YOU IN PRAISE.

MOLTON BROWN RE-CHARGE BLACK PEPPER EAU DE TOILETTE £36 FROM MOLTONBROWN.CO.UK YOU KNOW THAT LUNCHEON YOU HAD PLANNED, WHERE YOU NEED TO LOOK SHARP BUT NOT OVER THE TOP LIKE YOU’VE JUST BEEN AIRLIFTED FROM THE CRAzY CATWALKS OF MILAN, THIS IS IT. WHILST DRAPED IN HACKETT’S SOLID CHELSEA BLOCK WOOL, WHICH IS EVERY INCH TAILORED, CUT AND FITTED WITH SIDE VENTS AND WORKING CUFF BUTTONS, AS ALWAYS YOU’LL MAKE THAT LAST FIRST IMPRESSION.

LUXURY GHILLIE BROGUE £183 FROM THISTLESHOES.COM WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RECHARGING YOUR BATTERIES THINK MOLTON BROWN AND THE FACT THE COMPANY ALWAYS GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HAVE YOU LOOKING AND FEELING IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PRIME. THE BERGAMOT OIL AND THE OAKMOSS TURN BACK THE CLOCK WHILE THE WHIFF OF FIERY BLACK PEPPERCORN AND LEMON MAINTAIN MASCULINITY.

OLIVER SWEENEY POMINO BEIGE COAT £395.00 FROM OLIVERSWEENEY. COMKNOWN FOR TRIED AND TESTED CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE A QUALITY PAIR OF SHOES THAT BOTH LOOK AND FEEL GREAT, THE RELATIVELY SMALL COMPANY THAT FORM THISTLE SHOES ARE ON TO A WINNER HERE. “TOUGH AS NAILS,” THEIR DESCRIPTION READS BUT THE GOODYEAR WELTED COLLECTION WILL EASILY WALK THE WALK.

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5

s t C vestmen n I e l b i t c lo le

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t remains a breakfast ritual up and down the country. The nervous examining of the Financial Times to see if you’re richer or poorer than the previous day.

It doesn’t sound like a relaxing way to start the day, does it?

Some others have found a different approach.

Imagine. As you’re pouring your morning coffee, wouldn’t it be nice to gaze up at the wall, where your Marilyn Monroe signed photo is hanging, safe in the knowledge that it has been rising in value by 7.1% a year since 2000? There are worse sights to be confronted with at 7 am.

In these days of low interest rates, and volatile equity and commodity prices, the diversity offered by investment-grade collectibles is attractive. The sector traditionally has a low correlation to the stock market, and many areas of collectibles have shown strong price growth over the past decade.

Yes, there are plenty of naysayers who say collectibles will only ever be a frivolity. Yet if you invest

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in this sector you will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Pimco founder Bill Gross (a stamp fanatic), and Leon Black, who bought Munch’s The Scream for $120m in 2012 – both businessmen who don’t make a habit of throwing their money away.

3 tips for successfully investing in collectibles • Buy the best you can afford – it is the rarest end of the collectibles market where historically the largest price increases have been made.

• Invest in areas you are passionate about – if the worst happens and you find the market drops, you still have pieces you can enjoy.

• Authenticity is key. If buying through a dealer, make sure they offer you a lifetime money back guarantee on the item’s authenticity.

Below are five areas of the collectibles sector that have shone in recent years, and which look likely to continue.

Classic cars

Hagerty’s Blue Chip car index, which includes a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, and a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe, has grown in value by 6.6% per annum since 2008.

The market for Ferrari is particularly hot. The company’s dedicated Ferrari index has grown by 9.2% per annum in the same period, boosted by record sales such as the $27.5m auction of a 1967 275 NART Spyder in August – a record for any road car at auction.

Tip: You don’t need to spend millions to invest in a classic motor. Porsches are looking undervalued. The Porsche 930, which is available for less than £50,000 “has to be a £200,000 car one day”, Jonathan Kaiser, from London-based car dealer Hexagon Classics recently told Investors Chronicle.

Autographs

The 40 most sought-after autographs have grown in value by 14.0% since 2000, according to the PFC40 Autograph Index. At £18,000 for a museum grade signed photo, James Dean is the most valuable individual on the list, on account of his enduring popularity and the limited number of items he signed in his short life. LP covers signed by all four Beatles are especially rare – just 125 exist, explaining why a signed copy of Sgt. Pepper auctioned for $290,500 in April.

Tip: Moonwalkers. Neil Armstrong’s death last year saw his autograph rise in value by 26.0% in 2012. Just 12 men have walked on the Moon’s surface, making autographs from this select group highly sought. Signatures from the first Moon mission (Apollo 11) and “the successful failure” (Apollo 13) are in greatest demand. www.ldvuk.com

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Illustration art

Blame Russian oil barons and the Qatari royal family. The chances of getting our hands on even a second tier painting by one of the big names of the art scene is beyond the capabilities of most of us. However, there is a niche area of the art scene that remains reasonably priced, yet on the up. Illustration art.

Here are three examples from the very top of the sector.

• An original Charles Schulz peanuts comic strip sold for $113,500 in 2007.

• The original EH Shepard drawing of Winnie-the-Pooh’s first appearance in the eponymous 1926 book auctioned for £139,250 last year – beating the previous record for a Shepard Pooh original by 15.7%.

Tip: EH Shepard is best known for his Winnie-the-Pooh illustrations, yet perhaps his finest work was reserved for satirical magazine Punch. While prices will never match those of his Pooh works, this is an undervalued market.

• The original cover artwork for Hergé’s Tintin in America sold for €1.3m last year. That’s a world record for original comic book cover art, eclipsing the previous €764,218 world record, set by the same drawing in 2008, by 14.4% per annum.

Shepard-Punch-drawing 74

Stamps

Unique items

The internet age has seen prices for all but the rarest stamps fall.

Unlike 20 years ago, buyers today have immediate access to the world’s stamp auctions and dealers. It has made bidders realise the sheer number of old stamps that are doing the rounds on the auction scene. Yesteryear’s prices have proved unsustainable.

Two Bonnie and Clyde guns, found on their bodies after they were shot dead in 1934, sold for $100,000 in 1988, and again for $504,000 in 2012 – a rise of 6% per annum.

Yes, there is a world beyond the Penny Black. And it’s an exciting one too. But you need to know this:

It’s among the rarest or unique stamps that the gains can still come. Like all collectibles markets, this sector works on supply and demand. And thanks to a growing influx of investors into the sector, demand is high.

Examples include the Great Britain 1910 2d Tyrian Plum. Just 12 exist, with one example auctioning for £102,000 in 2011.

Tip: Avoid 99.9% of all Penny Blacks for investment purposes.

1.3m Penny Blacks still exist today – the market is saturated, which means your example has to be perfect to be coveted. Ensure it is unused, has all its original gum, boasts superb colour and condition and has large margins.

It is among the rarefied atmosphere of the world’s unique, most sought-after collectibles, that we witness the greatest sums on the collectibles scene.

Debbie Reynolds bought Marilyn Monroe’s dress from The Seven Year Itch for $400 in 1971, selling it for $5.6m in 2011, making it the most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold.

George Washington’s personal copy of the Acts of Congress, which features his annotations on the US Constitution, sold for $9.8m in 2012 – a significant rise on the $27,000 it changed hands for in 1964.

Tip: Unique collectibles aren’t always budget breakers. Paul Fraser Collectibles can source you world class unique collectibles for as little as £5,000.

Paul Fraser Collectibles is a UK-based company that specialises in sourcing world class collectibles.

Tyrian Plum Stamp

James Dean Signed Yearbook

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Contemporary Art Collecting:

Laura

Iosifescu

“The Outbreak Series I” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com 76

Since the late 1990s contemporary art is being seen as having specific status. In addition it is considered a palpable asset; which may well be less risky than many we could name.

So what has been fuelling this interest?

Perhaps it can be summed up in one word: time. The ‘isms’ have come of age; Pop Art is so, well, classic nowadays.

Who doesn’t accept that Andy Warhol is an iconic figure? Both art galleries and auction houses have developed into global phenomena. Visual education and appreciation of visual art is enjoying a renaissance. Visitor numbers to art galleries are rising year on year.

A new generation of collectors is much more open to experimentation Technology has helped. New generations are much more open to experimentation and the blurring of boundaries. Collectors are also starting much younger. Corporate collections too have fuelled a seemingly voracious demand. Art market updates are available everywhere and many canny investors have their eye on any opportunity that might provide a worthwhile investment.

You could speculate and buck trends There are many ways of going about this in fact. One might play it safe and look out for artists who have already sold well at auction. You might speculate and buck the trend and look for something currently unfashionable. It probably pays to take expert advice before you follow this path, however. Some experts, such as Ray Waterhouse, of Fine Art Brokers a leading art advisory service, suggests an 80/20 split between established and emerging artists is an appropriate line to draw.

Top 10 artists with regards to stratospheric sale prices are: Warhol, Picasso, Richter, Monet, Lichtenstein, Matisse, Bacon Modigliani, Basquiat and Rothko. (source: Blouin Art Sales Index) However Top 20 female artists now attract $1.8 billion and this figure

is rising. It’s worth checking out Joan Mitchell, Georgia O’Keeffe, Zhou Sicong and Helen Frankenthaler to begin at the higher end of market value.

So how might you go about looking for work to begin an art collection?

There are many options open in terms of what you might collect. In the UK there are thriving art scenes based in specific locations such as Cornwall. There artists focussing on a new generation of landscape paintings which sell for considerable sums can be picked up. Names such as Robert Jones, Miles Heseltine, and Kurt Jackson are selling well.

Be open-minded and see what is being offered online and be prepared to be introduced to a wide variety of work covering every genre, price and style. You could even commission a piece of street art. Digital, interactive and street art are gaining momentum.

Insurance companies are now covering this recent trend and with the appropriation of Bansky pieces in Tottenham, London in recent months this is not a surprise. Be aware, pieces are coming up for sale regularly.

Other current trends are: Cindy Sherman, Bridget Riley and Brazilian Beatriz Milhazes.

Christian Furr, David Stanley, Miles Heseltine, Robert Jones and Laura Iosifescu are artists

all working in very different oeuvres but currently selling between the £1000 and £5000 mark.

Art fairs and art holidays are ways of exploring the market too. A trip to the West of England as an example will yield a huge number of small galleries where many well respected artists have started out. You will also have the opportunity to buy significant works in major UK cities and artists communities such as those in Cornwall, Yorkshire and beyond.

Laura Iosifescu is certainly a name to watch One artist to watch out for is Laura Iosifescu whose work features on Saatchi Online.

Originally from Romania she settled in the UK a number of years ago. Her work is powerful and intense. Anatomy and surface, beauty and ugliness, destruction and creation are intrinsic. ‘I am interested in the celebration of energy and death, nature and cruelty, abundance, colour and fantastical landscapes.’ she states.

Collectors are already queuing to buy Iosifescu had been called a media artist, an image poet and a technician. It’s her fascination with the potential of machines within the act of painting which actually sets this work apart and contributes to the buzz

“The Outbreak Series I” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com www.ldvuk.com

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of excitement and anticipation surrounding her pictures. Collectors are already queuing to buy this talented artist’s extraordinary output. The work features intense colour in a saturated abstraction and literally leaps from confines which cannot hold it.

Nature is an inspiration but so are life’s events and our own experiences ‘I don’t record landscapes from a specific place, space or time, my observations lead me to offer a sense of peace and a new creative form that presents my interpretation of life through paint.’ Iosifescu says.’

Yes, nature is an inspiration but so are life’s events and our own experiences.’ It’s this combination which contributes to the paintings’ visceral qualities.

Her ouput is raw and organic

A dramatic acquisition for any collection

Her work has already been recognised by ARTSLANT, Category Mixed Media earlier in 2013. Previous exhibitions in Newcastle sold out of Iosifescu’s brand of living landscapes and it was obvious its potential had not gone unrecognised. The images are raw and organic but truly three dimensional.

They are not simply a trace but like a new alien form of life.

Her obsession emanates from the need to use mechanical tools to create the landscapes of “society”, to commune with cities and the metropolis that constantly shift and reshape the natural environment. The representation of this flux which impacts profoundly on culture, milieu and society, is the central motif in her work. She would be a dramatic initial purchase for any new contemporary art collection.

The artist welcomes pre-arranged studio visits.

‘I have been compared with artists from the Impressionist movements as my colours are impressionistic’ admits the artist. But my influences are diverse: from Richter (for the mechanical application of paint) to Ho Tzu Nyen who squeezes paint from the tube.

Ray Waterhouse is the owner of Fine Art Brokers, one of the world’s leading art advisory services.

Ray.waterhouse@fineartbrokers.com www.fineartbrokers.com

Vivienne Neale

“The Outbreak Series I” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com 78

“The Outbreak Series I” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com www.ldvuk.com

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INVESTMENT IN CONTEMPORARY ART

,,Nature’s Appliques” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com 80

I

n a volatile financial market should you turn to contemporary art?

What do you understand by the term ‘investment grade art’?

It’s provocative and also unquantifiable but is often used as a catchall insurance term to appease potential investors in art. It’s also an indicator that maybe an object might have future saleability and worth. Why should that actually matter to any of us? Well in uncertain financial markets, investment in art may actually make sense to some whereas to others buying art is simply about buying things you like and can afford.

Hype generated by the sale of Edvard Munch’s The Scream do not tell the full story Should the idea of making an investment in contemporary art appeal there is much more to it than the headlines suggest. Hype generated by the sale of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, which has the spurious title of having been sold at the highest ever auction price ($119.9million) in May 2012, do not tell the full story. Does this new record mean that should you be lucky enough to have a Munch sketch in your possession you can retire now? Sadly, it is unlikely.

It appears certain pictures have cachet These sales can be isolated incidents whereas other works in the artist’s back catalogue remain unchanged in terms of worth. After all it only needs one or two wealthy bidders who simply want a specific piece and will pay what it takes to procure it to artificially inflate the price. This of course can be a one off.

Contemporary art is big business in every respect Huge sums are invested both by individuals and corporations.

Politics and economics are an integral aspect of the large Biennial events that take place for example. They can be exploited to raise a city’s profile and compete for international tourism and its resulting investment. Look at the impact of Tate Modern on tourism in London. 5.3 million visitors in 2012 alone. This figure was boosted by the Damien Hirst retrospective. It clocked up the record for being the most visited solo exhibition the Tate Modern has ever staged.

The notion that a global contemporary art has almost limitless depths is mythical It may come as some surprise that although there is considerable interest and chatter about contemporary art if you are looking for

artists who consistently sell for extraordinarily high prices across the globe, there are surprisingly few. Damien Hirst is one and Jeff Koons is another. Michael Findlay author of The Value of Art and director of Acquavella Galleries in New York is adamant and is quoted as saying the notion that a global contemporary art has almost limitless depths is mythical and just a construct of clever marketing.

‘Damned statistics’ convinces potential investors art may be a back able commodity.

Auction data demonstrates approximately $4.33 Billion in art sales

by Christies. Sotheby’s declare $3.66 Billion (as reported on the website under article “Fine Art Management”.) So it may well be looking good for potential speculators. But bear in mind over half the art transactions are executed out of the public gaze. Therefore we are forced to ask how trends, prices and conclusions can be drawn when most of the data is actually unknowable?

You need demand to outstrip supply However, taking into account this proviso, there is no reason not to watch the auction houses and check which artists sell effectively in the auction sector. Once again that number is few. An artist such as Alexander Calder has a sell through rate above 80% in this milieu.

What this means is it is interesting to watch which artists do sell consistently well over and above any estimate set by an auction house.

What will that tell you? Basically that demand is outstripping supply.

Contemporary art investment is a risky business Yet this alone will only yield one aspect of the story. After all, works, movements and artists fall out of fashion. The Pre Raphaelites for example were dismissed as sentimental and largely unsalable up until relatively recently. It is well known the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber built up a substantial collection. Yet once more they are being reappraised and have become much sought after. Like any other form of investment, contemporary art is a risky business. Even works by Picasso of similar dimension and subject matter can vary between $5 million and $20 on any given sale.

Luckily art is not about data but taste With the current obsession with data, trends and marketing we may well be entering a new world of The Emperor’s New Clothes. Passion, delight and an understanding are essential when considering buying artworks. As George Bernard Shaw stated: ‘Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable. www.ldvuk.com 81

So how to dip into contemporary art without getting your fingers stained?

Contemporary art fairs are an exciting and inspirational way to begin an investigation should you be interested in investing. One might hope the collection of art should be about aesthetics and not just finances. By choosing the kind of art fairs that appeal to your interests you may well have the opportunity to talk to dealers and discover new artists. That is worth much and can begin a new love affair and also support and nurture new talent. Visiting practising artists’ studios and developing a relationship with new and developing talent is also a valuable way of supporting practitioners and also creating a market. Artists such as up and coming painter Laura Iosifescu arrange private studio visits by appointment. It is a great idea to be involved in the art of your own generation as a starting point if you are unsure how to begin.

“I Feel Happy...” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com 82

Buying art is about aesthetics, whereas investment appears to demand logic.

Although there are those who might make the case that acquiring art and actually making a commodity investment cannot be reconciled in one sense, it happens. Buying art is about aesthetics, fluidity, speculation and an opacity whereas investment appears to demand logic, transparency (although that might be debated elsewhere) and an element of mathematics and calculation. Just try hard to avoid the terms ‘passion investments’ or ‘treasure assets’ Try,’ I buy what I like in an informed manner’ instead. After all, contemporary art investment is about the long game. It is likely you will take considerable time to build a collection. Therefore collect the things that appeal, which you will enjoy establishing a visual relationship with over the years.

Vivienne Neale

“New Year’s Celebrations” Laura Iosifescu.

Curtesy of SaatchiOnline.com

Further Reading: Findlay, Michael The Value of Art Prestel 2012 Wagner, Ethan Collecting Art for Love. Money and More Phaidon Press Ltd 2013 Saatchionline

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Music therapy is a specialist use of music to help people in many different ways – for some it has physical benefits, for others emotional or social ones and helps many to communicate where they have struggled to do so previously.

The results of music therapy can have a profound impact on individuals and their families and all those around them. As one user said recently, “I simply couldn’t live without this music every week.”

They carry out their work in their own music therapy centre and units, in schools, day centres, hospitals and care homes and they collaborate with a number of partners. They also train music therapists through their own Masters degree programme.

Nordoff Robbins receives no government funding and needs to raise £3million each year to continue their work. 85% of their income is derived from generous individuals and organisations throughout the UK. 84

The article opposite is written by Phil Evans, a Nordoff Robbins Music Therapist. He looks at the positive effect music has on people with dementia. Studies have shown that for people with dementia, musical input can reduce isolation, alleviate anxiety and depression and stimulate memory. Demand for Nordoff Robbins’ services in this area has grown substantially in the last few years.

Rihanna – a secret weapon in the battle against Dementia There’s a wonderful lady I work with in her late 70s, Elsie. Her dementia is quite advanced and whilst she can no longer com-

municate using words, she loves, in fact she lives to sing. When she hears a familiar song her eyes sparkle, her whole body comes alive and she sings as if her life depended on it.

I’ve noticed that this energizing effect becomes less obvious when we play music from any period after the mid-1950s. She seems to recognize many of the Beatles songs and may even join in. But they don’t seem to enliven or embody her in the same way as when we sing Nat King Cole’s When I Fall In Love; which Elsie did so movingly and with such passion in our most recent encounter.

After sharing such a touching moment, I then found myself being rather dismissive on the

,,

,,

There’s a wonderful lady I work with in her late 70s, Elsie. Her dementia is quite advanced and whilst she can no longer communicate using words, she loves, in fact she lives to sing. When she hears a familiar song her eyes sparkle, her whole body comes alive and she sings as if her life depended on it.

way home when I switched on the radio and heard Rihanna’s latest release Right Now. ‘I can’t imagine someone in 60 years remembering that’, I thought.

And then it occurred to me that Elsie becomes just as animated when we sing How much is that Doggy in the Window? So I listened again to Rihanna, but this time I tried to visualise the song being sung years from now by someone with dementia. Musically, it was easy to imagine. It has strong melodic and rhythmic hooks, a simple, repeated structure and easily remembered main lyrics. Just like Daisy Daisy, Que Sera Sera, or any number of other ‘old-time’ songs that are standard repertoire in any nursing home today.

But of course these musical characteristics are shared by the vast majority of successful pop songs. They certainly aren’t indicators of longevity. So what turns a slice of pop music that is by its very nature ‘of its time’ into something that is remembered decades later by someone who has forgotten almost everything else? And in a world of shrinking attention spans and instant gratification, will the pop music of today be remembered in half a century as those classic standards and old-time favourites are now by Elsie and her contemporaries?

I think the answer is yes. And I came to this conclusion whilst considering the role that music plays in the formation of our identity.

Our teenage years are a time when we are separating from our parents, discovering who we want to be and who we want to be with.

So, we seek out communities with which to affiliate ourselves. Music, particularly popular music, its artists and styles provide readymade identities for us to ‘try on’, walk around in for a while and see how comfortable we are in them. In time we discard what doesn’t www.ldvuk.com

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quite fit – my bedroom full of Bowie posters were replaced (much to my Dad’s relief) by Coltrane and Miles Davis. But more often than not, music and musical culture play a central role in shaping the adult that we become.

As well as helping define our self-image, they also provide a soundtrack to important events and milestones in our lives over these years. Psychologists have found that many of our strongest, most enduring memories are formed between the ages of 16 and 24 during this period of defining and refining our identity. Because music is so central to our lives at that age we often form indelible associations between those lasting memories and specific songs or pieces of music.

As we grow up and journey through adulthood, music tends to take a less pivotal role in determining who we are, superseded by our family, career etc.

Then we get older. We become ill. Our memories start to fail. Figures published by the Alzheimer’s Society indicate that by 2021 over a million people in the UK will have dementia whilst 80% of care home residents suffer from memory loss.

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When we lose our memory through old age or dementia, we are no longer able to access the stories of our life, the experiences that shaped us. At this point, the music that helped to define us once again becomes one of the most important things - indeed perhaps, such as for Elsie, the most important thing we have.

Why? Because music can help recall our stories through those same indelible connections we made between music and the memories of our youth. Our memories and our stories are what makes us who we are, so by allowing people to re-experience their stories, it allows them to re-experience their identity.

This is no doubt why Elsie, now nearly 80, responds so strongly to music of the 40s and early 50s. The memories and feelings she unconsciously stamped on to these songs of

her youth all those years ago allow her now to re-live her story.

And yes, to me Rihanna’s latest hit might just be an ephemeral nugget of contemporary pop. But to someone else it might forever be the song that was playing for their first kiss, that reminds them of their university days, or that they turned to when they had their heart broken. For them, the song will transport them back to that place or time for the rest of their lives. And long after the specific memories fade, the feelings and emotions associated with them remain imprinted on the music.

So today’s pop music may be of its time, but it’s not transient. It will be remembered. And it will be used by music therapists like myself in years to come as a lifeline to ensure the Elsie’s of the late-21st Century are able to maintain some connection with the world around them, and with themselves.

The Leave a Legacy programme at Nordoff Robbins allows music lovers all over the UK to make an investment in a musical future for vulnerable and isolated children and adults by leaving a gift to Nordoff Robbins in their will. If you would like to find out more or to make a donation visit www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk, 020 7428 9908 or email fundraising@nordoff-robbins.org.uk. www.ldvuk.com

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THE

COM PANY

Pr oper t ycons ul t ant sasor i gi nalasyouar e Bes pokeBuyi ngSer vi c e Sel l i ngCons ul t anc y Pr oper t yI nves t ment Rel oc at i on

www. or i gi nal pr oper t y. c o. uk home@or i gi nal pr oper t y. c o. uk Nor t her n 01661886682 Sout her n 02071676878

Gardening In October

A

lot of the traditional advice about gardening is still based on the schedules of Victorian gardeners working in parks and on large estates. Perhaps the biggest revolution came in the early 1960’s, when the nursery trade switched to plastic pots. Before this time, most garden plants were grown in the ground and generally came from a local nursery. Spring and autumn were the times when plants stood the best chance of surviving being dug up and replanted successfully. It was also far more common for people to grow their own plants from seed or share cuttings with neighbours. The advent of lightweight plastic pots gave birth to the garden centre and made it possible to buy plants all year round. Plastic pots also enabled nurseries to ship plants all around the world en masse, so vastly increasing the range of varieties available to gardeners.

Some may see this a mixed blessing. The mountain of pots it has created is certainly a downside (see Box), but, along with more choice, we can get much bigger, more mature plants to provide an instant effect.

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Courtesy of Cambo Estate

T

he wrong type of plastic

In the UK alone, there is an estimated 500 million plastic pots, many of which will be destined for landfill. Plant pots it seems are made of the wrong type of plastic and attempts at recycling have met with mixed success. Some local councils will take them for recycling, others won’t. Some garden centres also operate pot recycling schemes but not all are successful. The Garden Centre Group (formerly Wyevale) shut down the recycling scheme offered at their 120 stores due to difficulties in finding a company that would handle the range of different plastics used in pots. This is clearly a problem the garden and recycling industries need to sort out. If you have problems recycling your pots, try local gardening or freecycle groups as there may be a lot of people that would be glad to re-use them.

Courtesy of Cambo Estate While we all know that the gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show are larger than life, with plants all carefully coaxed to look their for that week in May, we now have access to huge range of specimens grown to go on sale when they are looking their best. With less restriction on planting times and less time to wait for results, we can borrow elements from the show gardener to use more subtly at home. Instead of planting lots of sticks and roots in the autumn, which is not that far away from what gardeners had to do 50 years ago, we can continually review our gardens and introduce seasonal plants where they are most needed with a pretty good idea of the final effect.

For example, summer-flowering shrubs could look great underplanted with a carpet of hardy cyclamen, such a Cyclamen hederifolium. Plant a few large clumps that are ready to flower this autumn and they should self seed for even more impact in years to come. The marbled leaves take over from the flowers in winter to form an attractive groundcover until the shrubs start to burst into leaf again. If your borders start running out of flower power at the end of August, consider introducing some of the excellent late bloomers to continue the colour through to October and sometimes beyond.

Michaelmas daisies are loved by bees and butterflies and there are hundreds to choose from. Don’t buy plants labelled just as Michaelmas daisy, as chances are it will be a lanky, mildew-prone plant that needs staking. Mildew-free and highly recommended are Aster x frikartii Mônch, with large lavender flowers, and Aster ericoides Pink Cloud, masses of flowers on bushy plants with tiny leaves. Both grow to less around and rarely need staking. For best results, cut back Michaelmas daisies to ground after flowering has finished. Heleniums, in shades from deep red to pale yellow, make superb companions, with varieties ranging from the vermillion flowers of Vivace on 60cm tall stems to the towering Bressingham Gold, reaching nearly 1.8m. Other good late flowerers are Coreopsis, Echinacea, Helianthus, and Rudbeckia and you can find varieties in range of sizes to suit your scale of planting. Another autumn flowering perennial worth mentioning is the ice plant Sedum Autumn Joy, with its large umbrella-like flower heads that become more intensely pink as the season progresses. For some reason, the powers that be have decided that is more correctly named Hylotelephium spectabile Indian Chief and it may even be sold as Sedum spectabile Herbstfreude, but be reassured it’s the same plant. Some gardeners recommend it for the Chelsea Chop, which means cutting it back in Chelsea Flower week.

However, it’s probably better to do once you see the new shoots breaking through. www.ldvuk.com 91

Combining bold drifts of ornamental grasses and flowering perennials is the trade mark of the New Perennial Movement. The Dutch designer Piet Oudolf was one of the pioneers and you can find out more about his work by exploring the gardens to visit either in person or online. Although the concept has been around for a couple of decades now, that’s still relatively new in gardening terms. The idea is work with nature by choosing grasses and perennials that are well suited to the situation. Popular choices for the UK climate are Calamagrostris, Deschampsia, Miscanthus, Molinia and Stipa species. These all have sturdy stems are unlikely to collapse in wet weather, unlike some other grasses.

They all have really good late summer and autumn plumes and they can be left right through the winter after they have turned brown. Just cut them back sometime around February and wait for the new shoots to come through. They make ideal partners for all the late flowering perennials listed above and, like the perennials, cultivars come in a range of sizes. Though particularly stunning in their own right during autumn and winter, think of these grasses as the backbone of your border. You can use just one type and let the perennials provide the variety, or use several to create a contrasting tapestry. Although the technique may not be quite new, there is still a lot of room for experimentation on a smaller garden scale.

Even traditional jobs like planting spring bulbs no longer have to be done in the autumn. Garden centres now offer an ever increasing range of potted bulbs for instant colour in the spring. For mixed borders, this has the advantages of being able to see where they will look best and avoids the problem of digging up bulbs you’ve already planted. You can leave them in their pots and move them to less conspicuous part of the garden to die down once the flowers have faded.

It might also be an ideal solution if your garden is plagued with squirrels. You could probably save money by planting up your own pots this autumn. Sink them in the ground in out of the way part of the garden and cover them with bark to prevent the compost from drying out or freezing. Once they come into bud, transfer them to their flowering positions.

Although garden centres tend to be fully stocked with in August, this is far too early. Late September and October is the best time for planting most bulbs; wait until November for tulips. Be selective when buying and always go for the firmest and plumpest ones you can find. Avoid any that look shrivelled, have already sprouted, or show signs of mildew or damage. With tulips the brown outer skin (tunic) should be in tact.

If you plan to naturalise bulbs in the lawn, note that you should leave the foliage for at least six weeks after flowering before mowing so that the bulbs can build up there energy for a repeat flowering performance the following year. Planting bulbs in defined areas so that they are easy to mow around can also result in more attractive design. Snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils are obvious choices, but winter aconites, scillas, and the dwarf iris, Iris histroides, are also good for

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naturalising. With crocuses, the large-flowered Crocus tommasinianus and Crocus chrysanthus varieties are recommended. Choosing single colours can create a striking effect but note that purples and dark blues tend to recede from view when the sun is not on them. Ready mixed crocuses carry an element of pot luck. If you want more control, mix the colours yourself – 50% blue and purple, 25% yellow, 15% white, and 10% striped should give you a good balance. Above all, plant them en masse – at least 100 corms a sq m. Thickly planted corms over a small area will create far more impact than a larger spotty planting.

For most gardens, dwarf narcissi are a better choice for than standard daffs for naturalising in lawns. They are more in scale for planting in short grass and are far less prone to being flattened by wind and rain. Narcissus cyclamineus, the cyclamen-flowered daffodil, grows wild in meadows in Spain and Portugal and, along with its hybrids, February Gold, Jack Snipe and Tête à Tête, is ideally suited for British lawns. If you keep areas of rough grass, in a wildlife area say, the taller daffs are ideal. Narcissus poeticus, variously known as the Poet’s Daffodil, Pheasant’s Eye, or Findern, is especially good for naturalising. It has white petals and short yellow corona (or tube) rimmed with red and is extremely fragrant.

The easiest way to plant bulbs in the lawn is to cut an H-shape in the turf and and peel back the two sides. Fluff up the soil with a hand fork and add a light sprinkling of general fertiliser, such as Growmore, before planting. The traditional way to achieve a naturalised effect is to gently toss the bulbs on the ground and plant them where they land. Equally, if not more, effective is to plant them in bold elliptical drifts. Plant them three to four times as deep as their height. To extend the season of colour, you can layer the bulbs, planting, for example, dwarf narcissi 15cm deep and then a layer of crocus corms 8cm deep on top of these. It’s best not exceed two layers as new flowers coming up through the dying leaves of earlier bulbs won’t look that good. After planting, level off the soil, fold the turf back in place and firm it down with the flats of your hands or the back of a soil rake.

Along the sunny side of a hedge, where the soil is really dry, try one of the wild species of tulips such as Tulipa tarda or Tulipa turkestanica, both natives of Central Asia. With a bit of luck, they should naturalise nicely. Hybrid tulips, on the other hand, tend to degenerate if left in the ground and are best lifted once the foliage dies, dried off and replanted again in November if you want to keep them from year to year. On the shady side of hedge or beneath deciduous shrubs or trees, Anenome blanda, Chionodoxa dog’s tooth violet (Erythronium dens-canis), or squills (Scilla siberica and S. bifolia) generally naturalise well.

There are few bulbs that will tolerate permanently conditions and occasional waterlogging. These include camassias and snakeshead capillarities (Capillarity beleaguers).

Courtesy of Cambo Estate

Courtesy of Cambo Estate

Be prepared for the leaf fall If you live in a tree-lined street or near a park, literally tonnes of leaves may end up covering your garden during autumn and early winter.

But if you need to spend much more than a half an hour a day clearing leaves, it’s certainly worth considering a leaf blower. Electric and cordless machines don’t really have enough power to compete with more than a light breeze and you may well find the job easier with a rake. If your garden or leaf problem is large enough to justify mechanical help, a petrol blower is the tool for the job. They are noisy and burn twostroke, but they make light work of leaf clearing. Nearly all professional gardeners use Stihl machines. They are not the cheapest, starting at around £250 for a hand-held model and from £400 for backpack blowers, but they are built to last and generally more satisfying to handle than other brands. Ear defenders, around £10, are essential and safety goggles are recommended. For prolonged use, high quality goggles with UV protection and low-distortion lenses are worth the extra few pounds.

If you’ve never used a blower before the temptation is to switch it to full power, scattering leaves all over the place. It’s a bit like sheepdog trials, where the best dogs seem to effortlessly control the sheep. You can try a similar thing with a pile of leaves on your lawn. With a little practice, using sensitive control of the throttle and gentle sweeping movements of the arm, you should soon be able to herd your leaves around obstacles and direct them into a neat pile ready to bag. Be especially sensitive when clearing leaves from borders as, used roughly, blowers can quickly uproot small plants and strip away bark mulches.

A lot of people think that garden vacuums are the ideal solution because they collect up the leaves.

However, they have inherent problems. They inevitably become blocked, suck up unpleasant materials, and, even those that shred leaves, have a limited bag capacity, so frequently need emptying. Unless you looking at the really big machines, like those used by street cleaners or the ones designed to be fitted to a garden tractor, a cheap plastic lawn rake will often get the job done quicker with less frustration.

The question is what to do with all the leaves. In large gardens, leaf mould the answer. A simple enclosure with four posts surrounded by chicken wire is adequate, but wooden structures look nicer. Just pile in the leaves and cover the top with a piece of old carpet or tarpaulin and in a couple of years it will be ready for use as mulch or mixing with compost. A quicker method for small gardens is to take a pile of leaves, douse them with liquid fertiliser and bundle them into plastic sacks. Seal the tops and leave them behind the shed.

By next autumn, you should have a nice crumbly compost. Failing all else, take them to your local waste disposal centre for recycling.

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he illegal bulb trade

Million of of bulbs, including bluebells and snowdrops, are dug up from the wild every year by criminal gangs and sold via unscrupulous garden centres and market traders. Uprooting any windflower without the permission of the landowner is illegal. Native bluebells have been protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act since 1998, making any trade in wild common bluebell bulbs or seeds an offence, punishable by fines of up to £5,000 per bulb.

It’s not just in the UK this happens.

Bulbs are mercilessly stripped from their native habitats in other countries such as Turkey and many parts of Asia. Organisations such Plantlike and the World Wildlife Fund work to try and establish sustainable harvesting and conservation programmes but the practice is difficult to control. All you can do is go to a reputable supplier who only obtains bulbs from cultivated or sustainable sources. www.ldvuk.com

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Quick tips Move plants that are not doing well or are in the wrong place Lift and divide overcrowded perennials Get a few rolls of horticultural fleece in readiness to wrap up tender plants like tree ferns and cordylines before the heavy frosts come.

Pot trays are the biggest winter killers of container plants by causing them to sit in water. Use blocks to keep pots off the ground.

When tidying up borders, leave some seedheads for the birds.

Apply a thick bark mulch to borders, especially where you are growing plants that are not totally hardy.

Gardens to visit

Please note that opening times are for October 2013.

Some gardens may be close or have shorter hours from November.

National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8XZ Brogdale is home to the largest collection of different varieties of fruit in the world. The Apple Collection holds over 2000 varieties of which hundreds are available to taste and buy over the annual Apple Festival weekend on 19th and 20th October. Visitors can also get advice from the experts, get apples identified, take tours of the orchards, enjoy festive entertainment and local food.

Open Daily 11am-5pm Admisssion £7.50 (£8.00 for Apple Festival) Knoll Gardens Hampreston, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 7ND A 4-acre showcase for ornamental grass expert Neil Lucas, making use of the naturalistic style of combining grasses with flowering perennials to create a striking, year-round wildlife-friendly garden always full of contrast and colour.

Expect plenty of autumn colour from the grass, late flowers, and the collection of rare trees and shrubs.

Garden and nursery open: Tues to Sat 10.00am–5.00pm. Guide and hearing dogs only.

Admission: £5.50 (£4.75 conc.) Entry free to individual RHS members.

Millennium Garden at Pensthorpe Pensthorpe Wildlife & Gardens, Fakenham, Norfolk, England, NR21 0LN The Millennium Garden was designed by Piet Oudolf, showing his naturalistic style of planting perennials and grasses in bold drifts. Widely acclaimed to be the finest example of his work in the UK. Other attractions at the same site include the Wave Garden; the Wildlife Habitat Garden and the Wildflower Meadow, a traditionally-managed flood plain, home to many rare birds.

Open Daily 10am-5pm Admission £10.75 (£9.00 seniors). Price includes access to nature reserve, gardens, hides, lakes and conservation centre.

Walled Garden at Scampston Scampston Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 8NG Very modern garden, designed by Piet Oudolf in 1999, set within the 18th Century estate combining bold waves of grass, perennial meadows, and architectural shrubs.

Open Tues to Sun, 10am-5pm (closed from 27th October) Admission £6 (no dogs allowed in Walled Garden but they may be exercised in the park)

Courtesy of Cambo Estate 94

The Trentham Estate Stone Road, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8JG More Piet Oudolf designs to really get immersed in with the Rivers of Grass and the Floral Labyrinth. Trentham also hosts reconstructions of show gardens from RHS Chelsea Flower Show, BBC Gardeners World and RHS Tatton, as well as a classical 19th Century Italianate garden reinterpreted with contemporary perennial plantings by designer Tom Stuart-Smith.

Open Daily 10am-5pm Admission £8.50 (see www.visitstoke.co.uk/offers for 2 for 1 discount voucher) Cambridge University Botanic Garden 1 Brookside, Cambridge, CB2 1JE Follow the autumn trail which takes in trees and shrubs with striking foliage, berries, ornamental grasses, late flowers, attractive seed heads, and pumpkins and gourds.

Open Daily 10am-5pm Admission £4.50 (£3.75 conc.)

Waterperry Gardens Nr. Wheatley, Oxfordshire OX33 1JZ. The 8-acre ornamental gardens include one of the finest purely herbaceous borders in the UK, flowering continuously from May to October. Waterperry are hosting two Michaelmas daisy weekends, on 14th/15th and 21st/22nd September, with free guided tours, expert advice and a huge range of asters on sale.

Open Daily 10am-5.30am Admission £6.50 Old Court Nurseries and the Picton Garden Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6QE Home of the National Collection of autumn-flowering asters, with over 400 different Michaelmas daisies and host of other late blooming perennials.

Open: 11am-5pm (Closed from 22nd Oct - 31st Jul) Admission: £3.50 (Take cash as they don’t except cards on the gate or at the nursery) Special Perennials Yew Tree House, Hall Lane, Hankelow, Cheshire CW3 0JB Home of the National Collections of Helenium and Centaura, plus lots of other late flowering perennials.

Open 2pm-5pm on 1st and 8th of September for National Garden Scheme (This a private garden and working nursery and is only open the public for special events).

Admission £2.50.

Plantagogo. Jubilee Cottage Nursery Snape lane, Englesea Brook, Nr Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 5QN Home of the National Collections of heucheras, heucherellas, and tiarellas.

Great opportunity to see and buy the vast range of these evergreen perennials.

Most flower in spring and/or summer but some bloom in autumn too. They virtually all have attractive leaf markings a lot of them colour up for the autumn and winter.

Open days 6th October, in aid of Plant Heritage, and 12th and 13th October.

Nursery and private garden open 10am-6pm, coffee and home-made cake available.

Admission Free Cambo Gardens Kingsbarns, St.Andrews, Fife KY16 8QD, Scotland Stunning autumn borders radiant with colour and relished by butterflies, autumn crocuses underfoot and flowering grasses silhouetted in the low Northern sun.

Open: 10am-5pm.

Admission: £5.00.

Ness Botanic Gardens Ness, Neston, South Wirral, CH64 4AY Visit early to mid September to catch the herbaceous borders. Autumn is the main season for superb leaf colour as well as seeing the National Collection of Sorbus (rowans, whitebeams and allies) and fantastic birch collections at their best.

Open Daily 10am-5pm.

Admission £6.50 (£5.50 conc.)

Across The Channel Piet Oudolf ’s Private Garden Broekstraat 17, 6999 DE, Hummelo, The Netherlands Situated east of Arnhem, the garden features expansive, naturalistic plantings of grasses and late flowers, many of which he bred himself. A Mecca for anyone interested in the New Perennial Movement and autumn is a great time to view it. For a complete contrast, the faithfully restored Baroque garden built by William and Mary at Het Loo Palace is only 28km away in Apeldoorn (it has often been referred to as the ‘Versailles of Holland’).

Open Thurs to Sat, 11am-4pm (closed from 20 October) Maximilianpark, Hamm Alter Grenzweg 2, 59071 Hamm, Germany Hamm is about 35km from Dortmund and the park was established in 1984 on the site of an old colliery for the first state Garden Show in One of the most notable features is a giant glass elephant, from which you can view the whole park. Amongst the many attractions, you can see more fine work by the Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, with stunning walks a amongst sea of grasses and perennials.

Open 9am-7pm in September and 10am-5pm in October.

Admission Free

Courtesy of Cambo Estate www.ldvuk.com

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ART

11-13 October Esher Hall Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Sandown Park Exhibition Centre, Esher, Surrey www.esherhallfair.com/ 26-27 October Oxford Ceramics Fair, St Edwards School, Oxford www.oxfordceramicsfair. co.uk/ 9-31 October The Portrait in Vienna 18671918, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London www.nationalgallery.org.uk/ 16-20 October Pavilion of Art & Design London, Berkeley Square, London www.pad-fairs.com/london/en 1-3 November Francis Goodman: Back in Focus, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London www.npg.org.uk 1-8 November Renaissance to Rococo: Designs for the luxury arts Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire www.chatsworth.org 1-10 November Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh www.royalcollection.org.uk 1-24 November Jacob Epstein: Portrait Sculptor, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London www.npg.org.uk 1 November-8 December Australia Royal Academy of Arts, Main Galleries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London www.royalacademy.org.uk 1 November-31 December Honore Daumier (1808-1879) Royal Academy of Arts, The Sackler Wing of Galleries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London www.royalacademy.org.uk 1 November-31 December Mira Schendel, Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, London www.tate.org.uk

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1 November-31 December Paul Klee, Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, London www.tate.org.uk

London’s Lost Jewels, Museum of London, 150 Wall, City, London www.museumoflondon.org.uk

4-10 November Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London www.olympia.co.uk

1 November-31 December The Georgians, British Library, 96 Euston Road, King’s Cross, London www.bl.uk

22 November-31 December High Spirits: The Comic Art of Thomas Rowlandson, The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh www.royalcollection.org.uk

1 November-31 December Duty Calls: Castle Howard in Time of War, Castle Howard, York, North Yorkshire www.castlehoward.co.uk

30 November-31 December Turner and the Sea, National Maritime Museum, Park Row, London www.rmg.co.uk

CHARITY

Pink Ribbon Ball, The Dorchester Ballroom, Park Lane, London www.breastcancercampaign. org/support-us/pink-ribbon-ball

COUNTRY FAIR

3 October Autumn Show & Game Fair, South of England Showground, Ardingley, West Sussex www.seas.org.uk/shows. asp?ID=3 19-20 October Newark Game & Country Show, Newark Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire www.robinhoodcountryshow. co.uk/

CULTURE

1-30 November Richmond Literature Festival, Richmond Theatre, The Green, Surrey www.richmondliterature.com

E

NTERTAINMENT 3 October International Ballroom Dancing Championships 2013, Royal Albert Hall, London www.royalalberthall. com/tickets/production. aspx?id=24142

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XHIBITIONS 1 November-31 December The Cheapside Hoard:

26 November-31 December Christmas Past, Geffrye Museum, 136 Kingsland Road, Hackney, London www. geffrye-museum.org.uk REGATTA & YACHTING

HISTORIC HOUSE

EVENTS 9-10 November Holker Winter Market Holker Estate, Cark-inCartmel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria www.holker.co.uk 9 November-13 December A Dickensian Christmas’ at Blenheim Palace, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire www.blenheimpalace.com 15-17 November Living Crafts for Christmas Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire www.blenheimpalace.com 16 November Premium Monumental Tour Castle Howard, York, North Yorkshire www.castlehoward.co.uk THEATRE, OPERA & DANCE 1-16 November A Midsummer Night’s Dream Noel Coward Theatre, 85-88 St Martin’s Lane, London www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk 2-6 November Don Quixote Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London www.roh.org.uk 4 November John Lill – Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas 3 Cadogen Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, Belgravia, London www.cadoganhall.com

5-10 November Spirit of Christmas Fair, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London www.olympia.co.uk 7-8 December British Military Tournament, Earls Court, Warwick Road, London www.britishmilitarytournament.com

HOME & GARDEN

4 November Lamport Gardening Academy Lamport Hall & Gardens, Lamport, Northampton, Northamptonshire www.lamporthall.co.uk 20 November Woburn Abbey Study Day Humphrey Repton at Woburn Abbey, Woburn Abbey, Wobern, Bedfordshire www.woburn.co.uk 7-8 December Come and Grow: Winter Project Work, Woburn Abbey, Wobern, Bedfordshire www.woburn.co.uk

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ASHION 20 November-31 December Paul Smith, Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames, Bankside, London www.designmuseum.org 6-10 December Clothes Show Live NEC, Birmingham www.clothesshowlive.com/

FOOD & DRINK

1-15 October London Restaurant Festival, various venues, London www.londonrestaurantfestival.com/ 9-31 October Falmouth Oyster Festival, Events Square, Falmouth, Cornwall www.falmouthoysterfestival. co.uk/ 2 November An Evening of Fine Food – Estate Game, Waddesdon Manor, Bicester Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire www.waddesdon.org.uk

www.canarysail.com/malta – Sailing holidays in Malta

Discover Malta Relaxing sail cruising holidays

Need a break? Join us on one of our sail cruises around the beautiful and historic island of Malta.

Enjoy one of our skippered sail cruising holidays around historic Malta or to the enchanting Italian islands of Lampadusa, Pantellaria or Sicily. You’ll experience relaxed, calm sailing conditions in the warm southern mediterranean. We offer own cabin privacy to couples or individuals and exclusive hire to groups or families.

Our professional skippers pride themselves in their attention to detail to ensure your sailing holiday experience exceeds expectations.

For more information please contact Jim or Vicki on 01252 837648, visit our website at: www.canarysail.com/malta or email: sales@canarysail.com

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Private crewed charter yachts are the best kept secret of the travel industry. Like luxury “Floating Boutique Hotels” they offer gourmet dining, 5 star service and comfortable accommodations at competitive rates.

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9 November Wine Lovers’ Dinner Waddesdon Manor, Bicester Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire www.waddesdon.org.uk 15 November The Hatfield Banquet Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire www.hatfield-house.co.uk 30 November-1 December Burghley Fine Food Market Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire www.burghley.co.uk

MONEY &

INVESTMENTS 3 October SuperReturn Middle East 2013, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, UAE www.superreturnme.com/ 17 October HSBC, Investment Outlook: A Whiff of Optimism, Mexico City, Mexico www.hsbcprivatebank.com/ invest/investment-outlookevents.html 18 October HSBC, Investment Outlook: A Whiff of Optimism, Lima, Peru www.hsbcprivatebank.com/ invest/investment-outlookevents.html 24 October Hubbis Wealth Management Forum 2013, Four Seasons, Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia www.hubbis.com/forum/ 6 November Finance Professional Show Olympia Two (Central), Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London www.olympia.co.uk 7 November Portfolio Adviser Expert Investor US, Andaz Hotel, Liverpool Street, London www.portfolio-adviser.com

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ROPERTY 29-30 October The Luxury Property Show, The Hurlingham Club, London www.theluxurypropertyshow.com/ 14 November The Local Landlord Property Investment Show Jurys Inn 98

Hotel, Milton Keynes www.tenantshistory.co.uk 27-28 November Landlord & Letting Show, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire www.landlordexpert.co.uk 10 December December Property Auction – London, The Oak Room and Lounge, Le Meridien, 21 Piccadilly, London www.eddisons.com

SPORT

3 October Horse Racing – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Festival, Longchamp, Paris www.prixarcdetriomphe.com/ indexUK.html 12 October Horse Racing - Future Champions Day, Newmarket Racecourse www.newmarketracecourses. co.uk/racing/fixtures/dubaifuture-champions-day/ 19 October Horse Racing – British Champions Day, Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire www.ascot.co.uk/

MUSIC

24 October Carmina Burana, Royal Albert Hall, London www.royalalberthall. com/tickets/production. aspx?id=24292 Carmina Burana returns to the Hall with 400 voices in monumental harmony.

The concert will feature:

ROSSINI William Tell Overture BRUCH Violin Concerto No.1 ORFF Carmina Burana Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Choral Society English Concert Chorus Highgate Choral Society The Southend Boys’ Choir Andrew Greenwood conductor Ailish Tynan soprano Daniel Norman tenor Ashley Holland baritone Thomas Gould violinist

6 November Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Best of Broadway Royal Albert Hall, London www.royalalberthall.com 10 November Britten War Requiem, Royal Albert Hall, London www.royalalberthall.com 15 November Lang Lang, Royal Albert Hall, London www.royalalberthall.com 15-24 November London Jazz Festival, Various, London www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk

REGATTA & YACHTING

22-24 November RYA National Match Racing Championship Grand Finals (J80s), Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London www.rya.org.uk

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HEATRE 10-12, 14-19, 21-26, 28-31 October Richard II, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/richard-ii/ RICHARD II

By William Shakespeare Directed by Gregory Doran Royal Shakespeare Theatre: 10 Oct.– 16 Nov. 2013 Barbican Theatre: 9 Dec. 2013 – 25 Jan. 2014 Live from Stratford-upon-Avon cinema screening: Tuesday 13 Nov. 2013 Richard is King. A monarch ordained by God to lead his people. But he is also a man of very human weakness. A man whose vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a dynastic civil war that will last 100 years. RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran directs David Tennant in the title role.

Richard II is the first production in a new cycle of Shakespeare’s History plays, directed by Gregory, that will be performed over the coming seasons.

David is joined in the company by Oliver Ford Davies, who also appeared with him in the acclaimed 2008 Hamlet

Britain’s BIGGEST exhibition for the active over-50s!

GLASGOW SECC Thursday-Saturday 7-9 NOV 2013

BIRMINGHAM NEC Friday-Saturday 6-7 DEC 2013

LONDON OLYMPIA Thursday-Saturday 10-12 JULY 2014

MANCHESTER CENTRAL Friday-Saturday 28-29 MAR 2014

EXETER WESTPOINT Friday-Saturday 19-20 SEPT 2014

Music and entertainment • Crafts • Seminars & information • Financial tips & advice • Health checks • Gardening • Park & holidays homes • Keep fit sessions • Dance floor • Prize quiz • Fashion show • Cookery demonstrations • Holidays & travel • Have-a-go dancing and a wide range of exhibition stands!

www.50plusShow.com For group tickets, please send an email to email@50plusshow.com For exhibiting enquiries, please call 01372 743 837

www.ldvuk.com

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All eyes on the skies An amazing five days capturing images of Iceland and

the Northern Lights that will stay with me forever.

Phil Butt travelled on Exodus’ Iceland Northern Lights trip

NEW brochure out now!

To find out

l group Inspirational smal adventures Northern Lights, rfalls thunderous wate scapes and volcanic land December – March

more, visit our website or scan the QR code

Talk to our experts

0845 863 9694 100

Walking & Trekking

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Winter Activities

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