FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023 s ISSUE 102
Arriving
IN STYLE withRed Carpet Cars
Playing Cupid We talk to Love Guru Paul C. Brunson
Feature | The CHESHIRE Magazine
P la lay ying
CU PI D Craig Hough sits under the learning tree of internationally acclaimed TV matchmaker and entrepreneur Paul C. Brunson Paul, what is your love story? Some people say our meeting was romantic; some people say I was being a thug. We met in school and at the time Jill (my wife) was dating one of my friends. I gave him my car in college, and I loaned him $20 and I knew he would take that and leave campus and hang out with some other people. So, when he took my car and $20, I went and knocked on her door and started talking to her. We started as friends and grew into best friends and grew into two people that romantically loved each other.
You become a matchmaker after your wedding – what led you down this path? Before I entered the world of matchmaking, I had a career in finance in investment banking. Then in the evenings, I ran a non-profit that helped underserved kids, that we tutored. They came from impoverished households and one of the questions asked to enter the programme was, “how many parents live in the household?”. Out of all of our kids, not one had both parents (living at home). Most were living with just their mother, or grandmother and there was very little male representation in their household. The councillors at the camp would joke with me and say “Paul you look so concerned about this, why don’t you just start hooking up all the moms? You need to matchmake the moms”. At first, it was a joke, but that led me to think that we are tutoring these kids, but fundamentality there is something missing in their household. That’s what led me down the path. A year later I came up with the idea to become a matchmaker. 22
This led you to work with the Queen of US Media Oprah Winfrey, who said you were “much more than a matchmaker”. How was your time working with her? It’s interesting, I call her Oprah, but when you work with her you call her “Miss Winfrey”. She changed my life. There were two big ways she changed my life; one was just by working with her. By working with Oprah, she legitimises you as she says she only works with the best in the world. That legitimised me and helped grow my professional brand so that I’m appreciative of. Secondly, just observing her and how she interacted was a training ground. I worked with her for 3 years, so I was able to see how she interacted, and I wrote an article called 20 things I learned working for two billionaires, and I chronicle so many of the lessons I was able to observe from her. Things I still use to this day.
You and your family moved over to London to film Married at First Sight and Celebs Go Dating, how do you find the UK and attention around the shows? I’m in South London, Dulwich, I love London. My wife loves it; my sons love it. When we moved over,
we did an entire loop around the UK. We did Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, across to Scotland, right up to the Highlands. I think Manchester is one of the best cities in the world, period. It’s super diverse, the food is incredible and so many innovations came out of Manchester. When we walk down the street people stop all the time and psychologically it’s affirming because its people saying, “I appreciate your work. I see what you’re doing. And what I love most is when people say, “Hey Paul, I really listen to your words on the show” or they say, “you’ve helped me somehow”, so for me, it’s all love. When Married at First Sight is on, we are stopped all the time and I appreciate it.
Speaking of Married at First Sight, on an episode during the last series you said, “interests mean nothing in terms of compatibility – what means everything is values.” What kind of conversations should new couples be having on values before committing to a relationship? Values are your rules to life. That’s how you have decided to live your life. Interests come from the values. For example, my wife and I are creatives. A value is creativity. She likes 80’s rock music and I like hip-hop. We don’t like the same music, so we don’t have the same interest when it comes to that, but we are grounded in our love of creativity. I appreciate that she appreciated that music. So, values are the rulebook to life. To your question, if you’re dating, find out where your partner spends their free time and their free 23
Style | The CHESHIRE Magazine
Chapte hapterr 2 ‘Th ‘T h e Lux Lu xury Collec tio ion n’ M
appin & Webb proudly introduces the second chapter of their ‘Luxury Jewellery collection,’ a one-of-a-kind, specially curated range of unique jewellery showcasing the most precious stones with the greatest carat weight and intricate designs to date. A collection that houses over 160 pieces; the second instalment of the Luxury Collection eludes sophistication and glamour. Featuring a beautiful array of exquisite cut diamond eternity rings, delicate statement drop earrings, diamond cluster hoops in white gold and statement diamond cocktail rings featuring playful pops of colourful stones that create a heady mix of elevated everyday jewellery. The curation of carefully selected shaped diamonds feature across all product categories within the range with multi-stone and singular elaborate stones. This latest launch encourages clients to connect with the pieces, to stack band rings, layer tennis bracelets and express their own individuality. The Tois et Mois rings explore a wonderful mix of stone styles as engagement or luxury right hand rings that are the ideal introduction to the journey of High Jewellery. Scattered diamond pieces within the
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Collection provide clients with a luxury twist on a classic style with exposed metal bars separating mixed cuts for a clean statement aesthetic that create a more contemporary piece. Within the Collection there is a focus on Yellow Gold, encouraging clients to mix metals across rings, earrings, necklaces and wristwear. A current trend that has been elevated is the new Pavé chains within the Luxury Jewellery Collection. A playful mix of paperlink style chains juxtaposed with larger set diamonds, there is a timeless allure to these pieces that appeal to all ages and are a “must have” within any jewellery wardrobe. The playful pave detail weaves around pops of gemstones to create a new take on the pave trend. Whether it’s a ring, bracelet or necklace these statement designs transcend ‘trends’ with a refreshed approach to layering, combining contemporary chains and classic diamond set jewellery. Inspired by travel and market trends the presentation of these new unique pieces’ welcome clients into the world of luxury jewellery with the classics from £10,000 but also highlights how elevated High Jewellery pieces can be worn every day. mappin&webb.com
The CHESHIRE Magazine | Style
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Drive | The CHESHIRE Magazine
Maserati has hit gold with its new MC20 supercar, but will the open-top Cielo version make the Ferrari rival better or worse? James Fossdyke went to find out
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here are some things you just can’t do. We’re all well aware of the rules surrounding murder and shoplifting, but more minor indiscretions can still provoke outrage. You wouldn’t wear jeans at a wedding, for example, and you certainly won’t be wearing a football shirt at a golf club any time soon. Another faux pas is publicly humiliating your most popular workmates – a move that’s more or less guaranteed to make you a pariah in the office. For years, that social no-no has left Italian car maker Maserati fighting its rivals with one hand tied behind its back. When Ferrari is your sister company, you can’t go around making the Prancing Horse look silly. But now Maserati is under new ownership, and divorce from Ferrari was part of the deal. All of which means the Italian manufacturer is free to do what it wants when it wants. And that means showing Ferrari who is really in charge. To do that, the company launched the MC20 supercar, a two-seat coupe with a stellar 3.0-litre V6 engine positioned just behind the driver for optimum weight distribution. With 621bhp, it was capable of more than 200mph, and it could accelerate just as quickly as Ferrari’s latest creation: the 818bhp Ferrari 296 GTB. The MC20 coupe was, and still is, epic. It’s fast, it’s light on its feet and the interior manages to be cool and modern without feeling pared back. Best of all, it looks absolutely fantastic. From the roofline to the exhaust exits halfway up the rear bumper, it’s a fabulous piece of automotive design, and one that’s well worthy of its place alongside the 296 GTB. But that gave Maserati a problem when it wanted to build the inevitable open-top version. Dubbed
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the Cielo, which means ‘sky’, it has an electrically folding solid roof with a glass panel, which is great for letting the light in, but a bit tricky to fold and stow when you want the wind in your hair. So Maserati went back to the drawing board and tweaked the entire rear end of the car, raising the rear deck to accommodate the roof and fitting an electric folding mechanism, as well as some buttresses behind the head rests. As a result, the MC20 Cielo has lost the see-through panel over the engine, but that’s the only sacrifice you’ll make. Although it’s slightly different, the Cielo is no less beautiful than the coupe – at least not with the roof lowered – and it gains the glass sunroof, as well as a retractable rear window. And despite the fact Maserati has made no changes at all to the sonorous V6 engine, the heavier Cielo is still just as fast as the coupe. The sprint from 0-62mph still takes less than three seconds, and the top speed is still over 200mph. And it’s equally fast in corners. Normally, cutting away the roof would make a supercar softer and floppier than its hard-top sibling, but Maserati has managed to keep the two cars closer than most in terms of rigidity. That means the Cielo is every bit as sharp to drive, with light, fast, and precise steering, as well as huge amounts of grip. As with the coupe, all the power goes to the rear wheels, so it will misbehave if provoked, but the whole car feels natural and easy to control despite its potency. It’s comfortable, too. Okay, you won’t mistake it for a Rolls-Royce, but in its softest setting it’s more than comfy enough for a long motorway drive. And that isn’t the only great thing about the Cielo. Because of the new retractable rear window, visibility is infinitely improved (because there is some), and you get better access to the sound of the engine, even when the roof is up. No matter what the weather is doing outside, you can always drop that window to hear the glorious Italian engine, which has so much character Maserati gave it a name: Nettuno. In the coupe, it sounds stellar from the outside, but muffled inside, whereas the Cielo gives you full access to its vocal range at all times. What’s more, the glass roof panel sheds some light on the stunning interior, with its beautifully
The CHESHIRE Magazine | Drive
Mr Blue Sky
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Case Study
T he L un und d C o l lecti lect ion
by B ergm ergma an D esign House Disconnect to reconnect à Deux this spring at the Cotswold’s chicest bolthole
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unker down and explore the English countryside this spring at Bergman Design House’s one-bedroom private cottage in Chipping Norton. Bergman Design House, the award-winning studio founded by Marie Soliman and Albin Berglund, is delighted to present The Lund Collection, the Cotswolds’ chicest bolthole. The one-bedroom residence, which opened in Spring 2022, is perfectly positioned between Chipping Norton and Great Tew and offers the ultimate January escape for couples, friends and solo travellers alike. “There’s nowhere better to reset, relax and set those New Year intentions than in our beautiful British bolthole” said Albin Berglund, the Swedishborn co-founder of Bergman Design House. “The name ‘Lund Collection’ stems from my surname and means ‘green pastures’ in Swedish – which couldn’t be more apt for describing this countryside oasis. Marie and I wanted to channel the Swedish concept of ‘Hygge’ with a warming, nature-inspired colour palette that brings the outside in, soft and tactile textures and of course, an open roaring fire. Here, guests will swap the sounds of city traffic for tweeting birds and tranquil nature and feel the weight of the world lift from their shoulders as they cross the cottage threshold.”
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Homes and Interiors
Disconnect to Reconnect The Lund Collection is the ultimate base for a New Year’s reset, offering a variety of relaxing and mindful activities which have been personally curated by Marie and Albin and can be organised for guests during their stay. Walks in nature, organic farm tours and tastings and bird-watching are just some of the treats available, while co-founders Marie and Albin are always on hand to provide a personal touch. Guests can even opt for a total digital detox, with all tech and Wi-Fi removed from the property ahead of their arrival, and a lockable box in which to safely store their phones during the stay! “One of my favourite elements of The Lund Collection, which is the first residence to be designed, owned and operated by Bergman Design House, is the personal service we offer, meaning that no two stays are ever the same” explained Marie Soliman. “We provide personal recommendations to all of our guests – whether that’s a special romantic lunch at mine and Albin’s favourite local gastro pub, The Wild Rabbit, a day of retail therapy and indulgence at Bicester Village with your best friend, or soaking up some culture solo at Blenheim Palace, there’s so much to explore around The Lund.” For those wishing to rustle up their own winter feast and bake a berry crumble or two, Broadway
Market and Daylesford Farm are just moments away and provide the freshest, organic produce from local farmers. Ramblers in search of the most scenic spots to observe frost-covered forests and the season’s first snowdrops will be in heaven, with a variety of rewarding walking routes surrounding the cottage, including the nearby grounds of the beautiful Sudeley Castle and gardens, a favourite of Albin and Marie. The Lund Collection is exquisitely decorated by the husband-and-wife design duo and features a carefully-curated collection of original artwork and vintage treasures alongside new bespoke furniture from the studio’s Black Berg Collection.
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