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The must-do, must-see,
NE1 is an online, glossy magazine published locally in the North East digitally every month for you and your area. Our magazine can be accessed and read online at your convenience, with page-turning and browse features just like a "real" magazine, but without the paper. So we're kind to the environment too! In addition to the look and feel of a "real" magazine, with NE1 you can instantly click on any of the highlighted items to open up a new window, whether to a movie trailer, an interesting website or an advertisers product, then, when finished, just close this new window and return back to the magazine at the page you were browsing. So NE1 brings the magazine reading experience into the 21st century!
# THE BOSS A new "Boss" is set to take over at Sunderland, albeit for one night only as Bruce Springsteen and his E Street band gets set to wow at the Stadium of Light. The show, on Thursday 21st June, 2012, is one of their three special headline performances in the UK, the others being Manchester’s Etihad Stadium and London’s Hyde Park. The dates will be the first in the UK since Springsteen headlined at Hard Rock Calling in 2009 to critical acclaim. One of music’s most successful recording artists, Springsteen has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, and earned 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th Century. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Saturday 3rd December.
# THE GIG Fri 2nd December 2011, Charlotte Yanni at the Washington Arts Centre Charlotte Yanni, is a French Singer Songwriter based in North East England. She has toured her own eclectic mix of musical styles throughout Europe for several years and now is busy performing new songs as well as promoting her debut album "Accidentally on Purpose" as part of her "Frog on the Tyne" tour.
NE1 Magazines Published by : ne1magazine.com Information: info@ne1magazine.com Advertising: ads@ne1magazine.com Design & Editing: NE1 Design Contibutors: Aiza J. Brooks, Jareth Fox Photos : NE1, PhotoXpress, Getty Images CoverFoto: Alena Ozerova/PhotoXpress Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy and legality, the Publisher accepts no liability or responsibility for the material published herein, the views of our contributors are not necessarily the views of the Editor. The Publisher further accepts no liability or responsibility for errors in content or quality that occur beyond all reasonable control of the Editor. Furthermore the publisher accepts no liability or responsibility for the publicity content which in all cases remains under the ownership of the advertiser, and can not be held responsible for the content or actions resulting from accessing webpages outside the control of this publication. The contents of this publication are the property of the publisher and nothing may be reproduced, stored in a retrival system or transmitted in any form without express permission in writing from the editor.
www.charlotteyanni.com
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must-have things for you this month . . . . # THE SPECIAL EDITION CHRISTMAS CD Michael Buble's special edition of his "Christmas" CD includes guest performances by Shania Twain on "White Christmas" and The Puppini Sisters on "Jingle Bells." A perfect festive gift!
# THE GIFT SET
# THECHRISTMAS MOVIE ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is an animated family comedy in 3D that reveals Santa's secret high-tech operations at the North Pole. An Aardman Production from the makers of Wallace and Gromit, this is one Christmas movie the whole family can enjoy. Starring James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent and Bill Nighy. This Luxury Men's Miniature Fragrance Gift Set contains: Diesel Only The Brave EDT 7ml + Diesel Fuel For Life EDT 7ml Armani Code Sport EDT 4ml + Armani Acqua Di Gio EDT 5ml Available from Boots.com
# THE RETURN
# THE TECH
Earlier this year, on May 18th to be exact, Duran Duran were forced to cancel their performance at Newcastle after lead singer Simon Le Bon was stricken with laryngitis. However they promised to rechedule, and now the return date of December 17th at the Metro Radio Arena is nearly here!
The Pentax Optio WG-1 Digital Camera 14 Megapixel CCD sensor - Waterproof to 10 m, Shockproof to 1.5 m, Coldproof to -10째C & Crash Proof 100kg - Wide angle 5x optical zoom - Video recording in HDTV compatible (1280x720 pixels, 30 fps) - 5 LED for macro and underwater photography
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contents lifestyle - entertainment - features - regulars - reviews 12 North East Profile - Rowan Atkinson A look at the career of the Consett born actor and comedian who went on to fame as Mr. Bean and Blackadder
35 NE1's Top Fives Our top five lists of movies, dvd's and albums
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36 UK Premiere Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek at the Puss In Boots premiere in London
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40 At your local cinema Find out what's on where and when...
20 Guide to What's On Live this month Our quick guide to live acts and shows in the North East this month
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23 Katy Perry wows the Metro Radio Arena Newcastle Review of Katy Perry's concert in the North East last month 25 Britney Spears in Newcastle Review of Britney's visit to the Metro Radio Arena last month 26 The MTV Europe Music Awards Featuring Lady Gaga, Snow Patrol, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Jessie J, and more... 8
December 2011 lifestyle - homestyle - features - regulars - reviews 44 The Making of the 2012 Campari Calendar Featuring Milla Jovovich in the photoshoot for the theme "It's The End Of The World, Baby!" 55 Milla Jovovich Biography of the model and actress
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38 New this month at a cinema near you Previews and trailers of the new releases - Martin Scorcese's "Hugo", plus "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol", both out this month 42 Coming Soon! Cinema releases for the next few months Previews and trailers of "The Hunger Games" and " Snow White and the Huntsman" starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron
58 7 Great Festive Gift Ideas for your Boss Tips for finding the right gift for your boss this festive season 65 NE1's Top Fives Our top five lists of ebook downloads, plus paperbacks and hard back, fiction and non-fiction 66 Book Review Jessica Fellowes - The World of Downton Abbey Walter Isaacson - Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography
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68 The Album Review MYLO XYLOTO - Coldplay 9
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December 2011 lifestyle - homestyle - features - regulars - reviews 78 Simple Steps to Health and Fitness It's time for a new, long term plan for a healthy life 84 Festive Fudgy-Fig-Nut Brownies Moist, chewy and simple to make, these Fudgy-Fig-Nut Brownies are made with rich dark chocolate, crunchy toasted walnuts and sweet, delicious figs
74 70 Stoner powers to victory in Moto GP season finale Pictures from the final race of the season at Valencia 72 Play Tennis against Rafa Nadal Bacardi "Champions Drink Responsibly" campaign offers the chance to "Ace Rafa" - its Global Social Responsibility Ambassador - in an online game and beat him in-person
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76 N.U.F.C. Fixtures 77 S.A.F.C. Fixtures
84 88 Travel: A Quick Guide to the Greek Islands Looking for a great value summer break in 2012. Then look no further than the Greek Islands 94 Late Package Deals from Newcastle This month with Jet2 11
profile North East Profile
ROWAN ATKINSON In our regular North East Profile feature, we take a look at local people, both present and past, through their connections to the area and the local community. This month it may come as a surprise that we spotlight actor, comedian, screenwriter and recent star of Johnny English Reborn, Rowan Atkinson, but he is, in fact, a local boy, from Consett, County Durham. Rowan Atkinson is an English actor, comedian, and screenwriter, most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line.
First achieving notice at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1976, while at Oxford, he also acted and performed early sketches for the Oxford University Dramatic Society, the Oxford Revue and the Experimental Theatre Club). It was during this period that he met writer Richard Curtis and composer Howard Goodall, with whom he would continue to collaborate during his career.
He has been listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest actors in British comedy, and amongst the top 50 comedy actors ever in a 2005 poll of fellow comedians. He has also had cinematic success with his performances in the Mr. Bean movie adaptations Bean and Mr. Bean's Holiday and in Johnny English and its recent sequel Johnny English Reborn. He also starred in the movie Never Say Never Again (based on the James Bond novel Thunderball) in 1983.
In 1978, Atkinson starred in a series of comedy shows for BBC Radio 3 called "The Atkinson People" which consisted of a series of satirical interviews with fictional great men, who were played by Atkinson himself. The series was written by Atkinson and Richard Curtis, and produced by Griff Rhys Jones.
He was born Rowan Sebastian Atkinson on 6th January 1955, the youngest of four brothers, in Consett, County Durham. His parents were Eric Atkinson, a farmer and company director, and Ella May (nĂŠe Bainbridge), who married on 29th June 1945. His three older brothers were Paul, who died as an infant, Rodney, a Eurosceptic economist who narrowly lost the United Kingdom Independence Party leadership election in 2000, and Rupert.
After university, Atkinson toured with Angus Deayton as his straight man in an act that was eventually filmed for a television show. After it's success, he did a one-off pilot for London Weekend Television in 1979 called Canned Laughter. It was shortly after this that he went on to do Not the Nine O'Clock News for the BBC, produced by his friend John Lloyd. Starring on the show alongside Pamela Stephenson, Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith, he was also one of the main sketch writers.
Atkinson was educated locally at Durham Choristers School, St. Bees School, and then went on to study at Newcastle University.
The success of Not the Nine O'Clock News led to all involved fast becoming household names, and going on to star in other projects individually, and at times, together. It was at this stage that Atkinson moved on to star in his own right in something a little different, namely the medieval sitcom The Black Adder, which he also co-wrote with Richard Curtis, in 1983.
In 1975, he continued his education for an MSc in Electrical Engineering at The Queen's College, Oxford, the same college his father studied at in 1935. In 2006, The College also made Atkinson an Honorary Fellow. 12
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Photo: Eva Rinaldi
Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Sport
profile After a three-year gap, in part due to budgetary concerns, a second series was written, this time by Curtis and Ben Elton, and first screened in 1986. Blackadder II followed the fortunes of one of the descendants of Atkinson's original character, this time in the Elizabethan era. The same pattern was repeated in the two sequels Blackadder the Third (1987) (set in the Regency era), and Blackadder Goes Forth (1989) (set in World War I). The Blackadder series went on to become one of the most successful BBC situation comedies of all time, spawning television specials including Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) and Blackadder: The Cavalier Years (1988).
In 1995 and 1997, Atkinson continued his TV work portraying Inspector Raymond Fowler in the popular sitcom The Thin Blue Line, also written by Ben Elton, which takes place in a police station located in fictitious Gasforth.
Atkinson's other famous creation, the hapless Mr. Bean, first appeared on New Years Day in 1990 in a half-hour special for Thames Television. The character of Mr. Bean has often been likened somewhat to a modern-day version of Buster Keaton, partly due to the slapstick and visual nature of the comedy rather than funny dialogue. Several sequels to Mr. Bean appeared on television in the 1990s, and it was eventually made into a major motion picture in 1997, simply entitled Bean, and directed by Mel Smith, his former co-star from Not the Nine O'Clock News. A second movie was released in 2007 entitled Mr. Bean's Holiday.
Atkinson has fronted advertising campaigns for Kronenbourg, Fujifilm, and Give Blood, as well as appearing as a hapless and error-prone espionage agent in a long-running series of adverts for Barclaycard, on which the character for his title role in Johnny English and Johnny English Reborn seems to be partly based.
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Rowan Atkinson's film career began in 1983 with a supporting part in the 'unofficial' James Bond movie Never Say Never Again and also a leading role in Dead on Time with Nigel Hawthorne.
ROWAN ATKINSON MR. BEAN Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images Entertainment
He then appeared in former Not the Nine O'Clock News co-star Mel Smith's directorial debut The Tall Guy in 1989, and also alongside Anjelica Huston and Mai Zetterling in Roald Dahl's The Witches in 1990. In 1993 he played the part of Dexter Hayman in Hot Shots! Part Deux, a parody of Rambo III, starring Charlie Sheen. Atkinson gained further recognition with his turn as a verbally bumbling vicar in the 1994 hit Four Weddings and a Funeral. That same year he was featured in Disney's The Lion King as the voice of Zazu the Red-billed Hornbill. He continued to appear in supporting roles in successful comedies, including Rat Race (2001), Scooby-Doo (2002), and Love Actually (2003). In 2005, he took one of the main roles in the crime/comedy Keeping Mum, which also starred Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith and Patrick Swayze. In addition to his supporting roles, Atkinson has also had success as a leading man. His much loved television character Mr. Bean debuted on the big screen in 1997 with Bean to amazing international success. After many years discussion, a sequel, Mr. Bean's Holiday, was finally released in March 2007, but Atkinson himsel decided that this was to be last time he played the character. He has also starred in the afore-mentioned James Bond parody Johnny English in 2003. Its much-awated sequel, Johnny English Reborn was recently released in October 2011, with talk of a third film in the offing to complete the series.
Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson and Rosamund Pike at the "Jonny English - Reborn" premiere. Photo by Bauer Griffin
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ROWAN ATKINSON
profile
Over the years, Atkinson has returned to his roots with the occasional live performance such as his now famous on-stage sketches, particularly when appearing with members of Monty Python in The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979). He again appeared in the theatre in the 2009 revival of the West End musical Oliver! as Fagin. The production was directed by Rupert Goold. A year prior he starred in a pre-West End run of the show in Oxford, directed by Jez Bond. Best known for his use of physical comedy in his trademark character of Mr. Bean, Atkinson's other characters rely more heavily on language. Atkinson often plays authority figures (especially priests or vicars) speaking absurd lines with a completely deadpan delivery. Another of his better-known trademark comic devices is over-articulation of the "B" sound, such as his pronunciation of "Bob" in a famous Blackadder episode. Atkinson's often visually based style, which has been compared to Buster Keaton, sets him apart from most modern television and film comedies, which rely heavily on dialogue, as well as stand-up comedy which is mostly based on monologues. This talent for visual comedy has led to Atkinson being called "the man with the rubber face": comedic reference was made to this in an episode of Blackadder the Third, in which Baldrick (Tony Robinson) refers to his master, Mr. E. Blackadder, as a "lazy, big nosed, rubber-faced bastard". Atkinson is married to Sunetra Sastry, who he first met in the late 1980s, when she was working as a make-up artist with the BBC. Sastry is the daughter of an Indian father and a British mother. The couple married at the Russian Tea Room in New York City on 5th February 1990, and live in Northamptonshire as well as London, with their two children. In October 2010, Atkinson's Blackadder costar Stephen Fry confessed on The Rob Brydon Show and in his second autobiography (The Fry
Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe
Chronicles) that, although he was already openly homosexual at the time, he had considered asking Sastry (who was his make-up artist) out. However, when Rowan came to him one day and asked if he could swap make-up artists because he wanted to ask Sastry out, 'all idea of his asking her out himself suddenly left him'. Fry was in fact the best man at Atkinson's wedding in 1990. Atkinson has never been afraid to interfere in politics, particularly when he feels the cause a justifiable one. In June 2005, he led a coalition of the UK's most prominent actors and writers, including Nicholas Hytner, Stephen Fry, and Ian McEwan, to the British Parliament in an attempt to force a review of the controversial Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, which they felt would give overwhelming power to religious groups to impose censorship on the arts. 17
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ROWAN ATKINSON In 2009, he also criticised homophobic speech legislation, saying that the House of Lords must vote against a government attempt to remove a free speech clause in an anti-gay hate law. With an estimated wealth of ÂŁ100 million, Atkinson is able to indulge his passion for cars that began with driving his mother's Morris Minor around the family farm. He has written for the British magazines Car, Octane, Evo, and "SuperClassics", a short-lived UK magazine, in which he reviewed the McLaren F1 in 1995. He also holds a category C+E (formerly 'Class 1') lorry driving licence, gained in 1981, not only because lorries held a fascination for him, but also to ensure employment as a young actor. A lover of as well as a participant in car racing, he appeared as racing driver Henry Birkin in the television play Full Throttle in 1995. In 1991, he starred in the self-penned The Driven Man, a series of sketches featuring Atkinson driving around London trying to solve his carfetish, and discussing it with taxi drivers, policemen, used-car salesmen and psychotherapists. Atkinson has raced in other cars, including a Renault 5 GT Turbo for two seasons. He owns a McLaren F1, which was involved in an accident near Garstang, Lancashire in October 1999, and which was damaged again in August this year in a more serious crash when it caught fire after he reportedly lost control and hit a tree. He is also said to own a Honda NSX and an Audi A8. A self-confessed car nut, he has appeared on Top Gear as a "Star in a reasonably priced car" where his competitive streak was to the fore when he drove the Kia Cee'd on the test track in, what was then the fastest time, replacing John Bishop on top of the leader board. He was also recently seen enjoying the action as a guest of the McLaren F1 Team at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix last month.
Photo by PacificCoastNews.com
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images AsiaPac
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profile
Guide to Whats On, Where, 29th November to 3rd December 2011 Annie 6th to 31st December 2011 Legally Blonde: The Musical sunderlandempire.org.uk
13th December to 2nd January 2012 Aladdin
playhousewhitleybay.co.uk
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and Who's On . . . Live this month 3rd December 2011
George Michael: Symphonica The Orchestral Tour
8th December 2011
Kasabian
10th December 2011 The Saturdays 16th December 2011 Quo Festive Featuring Status Quo, Roy Wood and Kim Wilde 17th December 2011 (Rescheduled from 18th May) Duran Duran: All You Need Is Now
metroradioarena.co.uk
9th December to 2nd January 2012 Dick Whittington: The Christmas Pantomime
thejournaltynetheatre.co.uk
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review
Katy Perry wows at the Metro Radio Arena Newcastle Oct 29, 2011 The reigning princess of pop, Katy Perry, and of course the new Mrs. Russell Brand (as she reminded us on more than one occasion) returned in style to the Metro Radio Arena. This is the second time in six months that she has packed out the venue on her marathon California Dreams Tour. There was little sign of the more reserved Perry who appeared on the X Factor recently to preview her new single The One That Got Away, as she dominated the stage, prowling around the surreal sets in a series of over-the-top outfits and wacky wigs she was absolutely back to her fabulous, flamboyant best.
But Katy isn't here to just belt out her hits, as she also puts on quite a show, filling the arena with fireworks,
safc.com/pages/concerts2011 23
Photo by Bauer Griffin
Californian Katy remains risque enough to keep her adoring, adolescent, over-excited fans entertained without resorting to sleaze. She can be a little naughty, but is oh so nice with it, and through the array of dazzling colours, feathers and bright lights, she is also an outstanding perfomer with a surprisingly impressive array of back catalogue songs at her disposal. Teenage Dream and Waking Up in Vegas get the show on the road, but its the big hits – I Kissed a Girl, E.T., and Hot n’ Cold - that really get the capacity Metro Arena crowd going. bubbles, acrobats, mime artists and floating candyfloss, making it a spectacle in the true sense of the word. A real pop powerhouse! 9/10
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review
Britney Spears at the Metro Radio Arena Newcastle Nov 5, 2011 Despite the video screens, costume changes, lasers, pyrotechnics, dry ice, risque dance routines and the thundering sound system that are the hallmarks of a modern-day live show, it has to be said that this was a lacklustre performance from the once-shining star that is Britney Spears, as her Femme Fatale tour came to the Metro Radio Arena.
Then there is the controversy over how much of her vocals are actually performed live and not in fact on backing tapes, which have marred this tour and previous concerts.
Photo by PacificCoastNews.com
The few hundred empty seats didn't help the atmosphere which was at times flat and lifeless as she reeled off tracks from her latest album, although the crowd did come alive for her earlier hits. At times Britney seemed to be simply going through the motions with liitle interaction with her audience, and then, when she cut into her trademark (and crowd favourite) song Baby One More Time at the second chorus, to do a cover of Rihanna’s hit S&M instead, it was more than a little perplexing. Why you would want to invite comparisons with a more talented rival who is a better singer and dancer, is still a mystery.
Therefore the whole thing, despite the pyrotechnics and all, simply just didn't seem to work. 5/10
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The 18th annual MTV
Photos by Getty Images
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feature
Europe Music Awards
Belfast "in full party mode", declares the lord mayor, as the city hosts some of the biggest stars in pop music for the MTV Europe Music Awards. The Lord Mayor of Belfast councillor Niall O' Donnghaile said "This is our chance to shine with footage being beamed to an audience of 600 million across the world. What an amazing opportunity for us to put our wee part of the world under a global spotlight." The music channel took over the Northern Irish city for its annual ceremony, held in three different locations for the first time with performances in the Ulster Hall and City Hall as well as the main arena.
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Lady Gaga topped the lists with six nominations, while Bruno Mars and Katy Perry had four each. Adele, who stands as the top-selling artist of the year, was nominated for three awards, as was Justin Bieber. Other multi-award nominees included Foo Fighters, Jennifer Lopez, Jessie J, Coldplay, Beyonce, Eminem, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West, and many more. Two of the reigning queens of pop went head to head in four of the same categories, as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry competed for Best Live, Best Pop and Best Female, as well as Best Song, with Perry nominated for “Firework” and Gaga for “Born This Way”. Gaga was also nominated for Best Video for “Born This Way” and Biggest Fans. Multi-talented singer/songwriter Bruno Mars was up for four awards, including Best New, Best Male, Best Push and Best Song for “Grenade.” Adele was been nominated for Best Female, as well as Best Song and Best Video for “Rolling In The Deep”, and Justin Bieber was competing for Best Pop, Best Male and Biggest Fans. As always, the MTV EMA – MTV’s international celebration of the year’s best in music – featured nominees from across genres, recognizing today’s hottest acts and global superstars. Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, My Chemical Romance, Jennifer Lopez, LMFAO, Jessie J, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Eminem, Arcade Fire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Far East Movement, Kanye West, Linkin Park, Wiz Khalifa and Kings of Leon were each up for two EMA nominations.
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New to the “2011 MTV EMA” was the Biggest Fans award, going to the most passionate fan base for a particular artist. Also new this year was the World Wide Act category, which celebrates diversity and the breadth of all the music that MTV has to offer by nominating incredible artists from all corners of the world. The full list of nominees for the “2011 MTV EMA” were: BEST SONG Adele – “Rolling In The Deep” Bruno Mars – “Grenade” Jennifer Lopez ft Pitbull – “On The Floor” Katy Perry – “Firework” Lady Gaga – “Born This Way” BEST LIVE Coldplay Foo Fighters Katy Perry Lady Gaga Red Hot Chili Peppers
feature BEST POP Britney Spears Justin Bieber Katy Perry Lady Gaga Rihanna
BEST FEMALE Adele Beyoncé Jennifer Lopez Katy Perry Lady Gaga
BEST NEW Bruno Mars Far East Movement Jessie J LMFAO Wiz Khalifa
BEST MALE Bruno Mars David Guetta Eminem Justin Bieber Kanye West
BEST ROCK Coldplay Foo Fighters Linkin Park Kings of Leon Red Hot Chili Peppers
BEST HIP HOP Eminem Lil Wayne JAY Z & Kanye West Pitbull Snoop Dogg
BEST ALTERNATIVE Arcade Fire Arctic Monkeys My Chemical Romance The Strokes Thirty Seconds To Mars BEST VIDEO Adele – “Rolling In The Deep” Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise” Beyoncé – “Run The World (Girls)” Justice – “Civilization” Lady Gaga – “Born This Way” BEST WORLD STAGE Arcade Fire The Black Eyed Peas Diddy - Dirty Money Enrique Iglesias Kings of Leon Linkin Park My Chemical Romance Ozzy Osborne Snoop Dogg Thirty Seconds To Mars
Photos by Getty Images
BEST PUSH Alexis Jordan Big Time Rush Bruno Mars Far East Movement Jessie J Katy B LMFAO Neon Trees Theophilus London Wiz Khalifa
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BIGGEST FANS Justin Bieber Lady Gaga Paramore Selena Gomez Thirty Seconds To Mars MTV UK & IRELAND / BEST UK & IRELAND ACT Adele Coldplay Florence + The Machine Jessie J Kasabian
At the same time as the main awards ceremony was taking place in the Odyssey Arena, Northern Ireland band Snow Patrol were playing a free gig to 15,000 people at City Hall, while the Red Hot Chili Peppers were performing at the Ulster Hall. Meanwhile, back at the ceremony, Coldplay opened the proceedings performing "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" from their new album "Mylo Xyloto." There was a tribute to singer Amy Winehouse, who died at her London home in July aged just 27. An emotional Jessie J presented the tribute, and said the Brit and Grammy award-winner had been an inspiration to her. "I never got to thank Amy for breaking boundaries as I truly believe without her I wouldn't be standing here today," she said. "She set a new standard for British female artists." Selena Gomez, actress, singer and of course, Justin Bieber's girlfriend, hosted the MTV event, and throughout the evening underwent multiple costume changes, at least seven, almost eclipsing Lady Gaga herself!
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There were guest appearances from actor David Hasselhoff and US actress Hayden Panettiere to present awards, and Queen received the global icon award, with band members Brian May and Roger Taylor picking up their honour in front of an appreciative crowd. "We were there at the birth of MTV," May said. "How wonderful for us to be here 40 years later ... "
Justin Bieber earned the loudest screams of the night when he sang his new track "Under the Mistletoe" followed by "Never Say Never." Belfast had been overtaken by "Biebermania" for days ahead of the show with hundreds of girls camped outside his hotel to catch a glimpse of their idol. Lady Gaga sang "Marry the Night" from the top of a giant model of the moon and Jessie J burst out of a giant safe to deliver her song Price Tag. The event closed with a medley of Queen hits including "The Show Must Go On" and "We Will Rock You." Earlier, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody had said Belfast was "literally vibrating with joy" at staging the event. "It is great that Northern Ireland is getting an international spotlight thrown at it in such a positive way." Lightbody, who is from Bangor, County Down, said it was an "incredible opportunity for people to think about the music in Northern Ireland". "The list is endless of new bands at the moment and it is great that MTV have taken their cameras around some of the smaller gigs as well over the past week," he said. 31
Photos by Getty Images
feature And so, to the awards themselves. Lady Gaga dominated the MTV Awards, collecting four prizes in as many different outfits, and going one better than 2010 when she also led the field with three. The singer won best song and best video for her hit single "Born This Way", best female and biggest fans, at the spectacular ceremony in the Odyssey Arena, wearing several outrageous costumes along the way, including an oversized silver dress topped off by a satellite dish hat. "I knew that this song was very special when I wrote it and I just didn't know when I first started out ... how special you would all be to me," a tearful Gaga told a packed Arena as she accepted the best song award. "This is the single most important song that I've ever written and the single most important album" she added. Teen star Justin Bieber and R&B singer Bruno Mars were the other big winners, receiving two prizes each. Canadian teen sensation Bieber picked up best pop act and top male singer, while Mars was chosen as the best new act and "push" artist who was promoted by MTV as an up-and-coming talent. Other winners were Katy Perry, who received the best live act accolade, Eminem, who won best hip-hop artist repeating his 2010 success, and Linkin Park, who beat Coldplay to take home best rock. More than 150 million MTV viewers voted and decided most of the categories.
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Photos by Getty Images
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's Top fives films uk
SALES
1. The Adventures of Tintin
£13.7M
2. Arthur Christmas
£3.9M
3. In Time
£4.3M
4. Immortals
£2.9M
5. Johnny English: Reborn
£20.3M
dvds uk 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II 2. Bridesmaids 3. The Notebook 4. The Kings Speech 5. Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
albums uk 1. Someone To Watch Over Me 2. Christmas
Susan Boyle Michael Buble
3. Ceremonials
Florence and the Machine
4. Mylo Xyloto
Coldplay
5. Battleground
The Wanted
The figures quoted are approx. at time of publication 35
premiere
Earlier Richard Blackwood, Kimberly Walsh, Antonio Banderas and Nigel Lindsay attend a photocall at Theatre Royal (Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images) 36
The UK Premiere of Puss In Boots 24th November, 2011 Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek attend the UK premiere of of the animated film Puss In Boots at the Empire Leicester Square on 24th November. Salma who provides the voice of Kitty Softpaws in the 3D movie, a spin-off from the Shrek series, sang the praises of her co-star Banderas saying there was 'never a dull moment' when working with the Spanish actor. The appreciation appeared mutual, as Antonio said of Salma: 'She was great. She is someone that I love - we have been friends for over 18 years - so the whole ride was different.' The Mexican actress - who looked stunning on the red carpet in a black tuxedo from Yves Saint Laurent and a black fedora hat - added that she had enjoyed her first foray into animation - and her four-year-old daughter Valentina also approved. 'A host of British stars joined Antonio and Salma for the premiere, including Amanda Holden, who brought along her daughter Lexi, and former Atomic Kitten singer Jenny Frost with her son Casper. Antonio, meanwhile, also found time to pay a visit to the London production of Shrek The Musical and meet with cast members, including Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh who is currently playing Princess Fiona. Puss In Boots, which has already been a big hit in the US, is a prequel to the Shrek films, and focuses on the events that led to Banderas' feline hero meeting up with the green ogre. It opens in the UK on December 9th.
Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek attend the UK film premiere of 'Puss In Boots' at Empire Leicester Square. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International) (Main pic plus left) 37
To visit the official website or see trailers and downloads for the movie
preview NEW THIS MONTH
AT A CINEMA NEAR YOU "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates "Ghost Protocol". Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency's name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.
Tom Cruise returns in the starring role as Ethan Hunt, and is joined by an international cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor and Lea Seydoux.
To visit the official website and watch video trailer preveiws of the movie
OPENS DECEMBER 23rd 2011
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OPENS DECEMBER 2nd 2011 "Hugo" delivers pure movie magic. A tall order it may be, but in the hands of director Martin Scorsese, working with John Logan's adaptation of Brian Selznick's book, it takes on a fairy-tale sense of wonder. Scorsese is paying tribute in his own way to a very real character here, the groundbreaking early film fantasist George Melies. But Logan's story allows him to wrap this in an early 20th century fairy tale of sorts, while paying a tribute to the silent films of the 1920's. Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives in the innards of a huge train station in Paris. Taken there by his drunken uncle (Ray Winstone) after his father (Jude Law) dies, it falls on Hugo to keep all the great clocks in the place wound and running. He continues to do this even after his uncle goes missing, but he also has a secret passion, as he wants to try and fix a broken robot his father was working on at the time of his death. This is partly because Hugo just likes to fix things and partly because he thinks the robot holds some message from his father.
Hugo has to steal to get by, so he's always wary of the strict Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), but he's in constant need of spare parts, so he likes to raid the toy shop of a man called George (Ben Kingsley). Eventually, Hugo becomes friends with George's godchild, Isabelle (Chloe Moretz), and together they try to solve the riddle of the robot, a quest that takes them in directions they never imagined. Although some of the themes are more adult than childish, the film never forgets to be enjoyable, with Cohen's ridiculous Station Inspector providing most of the laughs. Mostly, though, "Hugo" is a film about wonder. Scorsese captures the sheer amazement of audiences seeing moving images for the first time and the wild sense of playful invention that moving pictures let loose in early pioneers like Melies. Cast: Asa Butterfield; Chloe Moretz; Jude Law; Christopher Lee; Ray Winstone; Ben Kingsley; Richard Griffiths; Emily Mortimer Directed by: Martin Scorcese
To watch the official trailer 39
ODEON Metrocentre. 48 Garden Walk, Gateshead, Tyne And Wear, NE11 9XZ Phone: 0871 224 4007 Visit website
TYNESIDE CINEMA. 10 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6QG Phone: 0845 217 9909 Visit website
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CINEWORLD. Boldon Leisure Park,, Boldon Colliery, Tyne and Wear, NE35 9PB Phone: 0871 200 2000 Visit website
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preview
FUTURE CINEMA RELEASES The Hunger Games
UK Release Date: March 23, 2012
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy published that has over 16 million copies in print in the United States alone, has developed a massive global following. "The Hunger Games" is directed by Gary Ross, and is set to become the latest big "trilogy" blockbuster. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Wes Bentley, Elizabeth Banks, Jack Quaid, Willow Shields, Annie Thurman, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland.
To visit the official website and watch the trailer
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Snow White & The Huntsman In the epic action-adventure "Snow White and the Huntsman," Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar winner Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, "Thor") who was dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin ("Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides") joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power.
The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of "Alice in Wonderland," producer Sam Mercer ("The Sixth Sense") and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders. Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Eddie Izzard, Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Graham, Ray Winstone, Lily Cole, Sam Spruell, Liberty Ross, Noah Huntley
To visit the official website and watch the trailer 43
Opens in UK June 1, 2012
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feature IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD, BABY!
THE CAMPARI CALENDAR 2012 MAKES A TOAST TO LIFE The 2012 Campari Calendar, now in its 13th edition, was unveiled in Milan recently. Entitled It’s the end of the world, baby!, this year’s Campari Calendar takes its inspiration from the buzz around the prediction that, according to the ancient Mayan culture, the world as we know it will end on 21st December 2012 and enter a transformative period. Campari’s answer to this ‘gloomy’ prediction is to react, in an energetic and positive way. Therefore, with nothing but a blur of unknown possibilities, Campari takes a positive look at intriguing theories, and presents them visually in a series of powerful, awe inspiring photos starring Hollywood actress and supermodel, Milla Jovovich. Set to take the audience on a stunning visual voyage, the calendar showcases Campari’s latest female star in vivid shots, as she enacts hypothetical scenes about the end of the world. With scenarios inspired from modern cinematography, mythological and biblical origins, the calendar explores remarkable events from dramatic Desertification and Hurricanes to Alien Invasion and Meteorites. Posing in magnificent couture, Jovovich successfully captivates viewers as she exudes a determined attitude, evoking power and control upon the unknown, and makes a toast to life with her co-star, Campari. Campari takes this opportunity to celebrate life creatively with optimism and energy, encouraging people the world over to join them in creating passionate, memorable moments to remember, by raising a glass together.
Once upon a time there was the world. It could be the start of a science fiction novel. But it isn’t. According to an ancient Mayan prophecy, 21st December 2012 will be the last day. The end of the world. Will there be a lightning storm? An alien invasion? A volcanic eruption? No one knows. But what’s the use of worrying? The only thing to do is to keep on being thirsty. For emotions, for passion, for life. To live each moment intensely and be overwhelmed by the beauty of every day. To transform it into a celebration This is the prologue to a story made of epic pictures, represented by a series of natural and unnatural events captured by the camera of Dimitri Daniloff and overcome by the heroine Milla Jovovich, a real force of nature, who is toasting to life. This zeal for life was evident throughout the shooting of the 2012 calendar as every image came into being. Set in Paris, with one of the largest crews and sets ever used for the Campari Calendar shoot, the passion and dedication of every person involved was evident from the very first shot to the very last of a long shoot, as can be seen from the behind the scenes shots and diary from the set. 45
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PHOTOSHOOT DAY 1 - CAMPARI CALENDAR - SEPTEMBER
feature Milla Jovovich comments on her experience: “As a model and an actress, this was an exciting new challenge for me, combining the skills to bring to life each of the hypothetical events in a theatrical, yet sophisticated way. What attracted me most to the project was the powerful inspiration behind it, as well as the positive approach of celebrating life with a special toast, with friends and family.” One of the most interesting leaders in international photography, Dimitri Daniloff, shot the calendar for its 13th edition. A natural choice for shooting a truly mystical story, the Parisian born photographer perfectly captures each scenario, as he sought to shape each shot piece by piece on camera, converting them into reality. A complex and long process, the vibrant production was completed by special effects, adding the final touch to bring alive each hypothesis.
Daniloff talks about his involvement. “I relish the opportunity to work with raw ideas like this, so when Campari briefed me on the inspiration, featuring a world of fantasy, it was the perfect project for me. I wanted to interpret each scenario in the most positive light, and I really sought to recreate the events in a surreal and very choreographic way. The dresses, the styling and the set were a huge part of the real scenography, and other times it was just an elaborate hairstyle and accurate make up but, most importantly, it was Milla that was the star of the shoot, exuding ultimate glamour.”
STORYBOARD: Milla reclines seductively with Campari as they are imprisoned in a flowing dress of ice from a glaciation that will change the world. However, can the threat of a new ice age cool down man’s passion? SHOOTING:To kick off the shoot Dimitri, the photographer, sets up the light and his equipment ready to capture the majesty and elegance of the first shot, which features an incredible ice sculpture. To create the piece of art, ten large blocks of ice, each weighing 120 kg, were combined and sculpted by an international award winning sculptor, Steve Armance . Starting early in the day, it took over 6 hours to complete the body using a model to create the female form. What’s more, the sculpture features a bottle of Campari, which was handcrafted by the talented Walter Saro who specializes in cocktail effects. FASHION: Strapless dress Paule Ka / patent leather shoes Walter Steiger / chic ring and couture necklace Swarovski.
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feature Milla Jovovich marks a return to female stars for the Campari Calendar, following last year’s first male, Benicio Del Toro. She follows in the footsteps of some of the world’s most stunning women who have adorned the pages of previous Campari Calendars, including Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, and Jessica Alba.
PHOTOSHOOT DAY 2 - CAMPARI CALENDAR - JULY
Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Gruppo Campari, also comments: “This year we’ve really pushed the creative boundaries as we’ve chosen to take a real imaginative look at the possibilities to come, in what is hyped as a transformative period. It is our mission as an aperitif to offer Campari lovers an intense, positive moment during this time, to celebrate whatever may happen and make a toast to life. With Milla’s mysterious, intriguing style, she was a perfect choice as the interpreter of this concept. Additionally, there was no one better than Dimitri to bring to life the mystery and fantasy that inspire the images.” The Campari Calendar, of which only 9,999 copies are printed, will not go on sale but will be distributed to friends of Campari internationally. The concept of It’s the end of the world, baby! was created by Euros RSCG Milano. Working alongside side Dimitri Daniloff on the project was creative directors Eric Loi and Dario Villa, led by executive creative director Giovanni Porro. The executive production was executed by SeaSun Production. For more information go to: www.campari.com or http://www.facebook.com/campari STORYBOARD: A burst of red erupts from Milla as she becomes a fiery volcano. There’s a volcano in all of us. Let it erupt. SHOOTING: Featuring a beautifully visual set, Hervé Sauvage and the talented set building team teamed up with stylist Yann Weber to create the volcano in which Milla sits as if she is part of it. Reflecting the red passion of Campari, Milla wears a lavish dress displaying red sparkles to illustrate the heat and intensity of the volcano. Continuing the theme to her hair and makeup, she wears smoky black eye shadow and bright red lips, creating a truly intense look. Like every shot in the 2012 Campari Calendar every little detail contributes to the overall image, which is completed through post production editing. This bright, exploding image was enhanced with plumes of smoke to illustrate the eruption of the volcano. FASHION: Dress made by Yann Weber / purple red ring and earrings Swarovski.
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About Campari Campari is a contemporary classic. The recipe, which has remained unchanged, originated in Novara in 1860 and is the base for some of the most famous cocktails around the world. Campari is an alcoholic spirit obtained from the infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water. With its distinct colour, aroma and flavour, Campari has always been a symbol of passion that expresses itself in terms of seduction and sensuality. These are the values that have made the Campari brand famous throughout the world as an icon of Italian style and excellence.
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It’s the End of the World Baby! What is it about 2012?
feature
PHOTOSHOOT DAY 3 - CAMPARI CALENDAR - MARCH
2012 marks a special year because, according to many prophecies, we will see a global transformation leading to the end of the world as we currently know it. From the ancient Mayans to New Ageists, many people believe that on 21st December 2012 we will enter a transformative period, and what this will look like and mean is a source of global debate. Many believe that this change will be for the better and it is this positivity and thirst for life that Campari focuses on in the 2012 Calendar. Campari raises its cocktails in a toast to life regardless of all the hypotheses of the end of the world. Here are just a few examples of the many exciting, intriguing or, in some cases, insane ideas of what is predicted. Mayan Calendar The abrupt ending of the Mayan Long Count Calendar on December 21 2012 has been interpreted by some as a prophecy of the end of an age and maybe the world. The message the Mayans give concerns making a choice of how we enter the future ahead, so this could be a time of transition from one World Age into another.
Geomagnetic reversal One idea tied to 2012 involves a geomagnetic reversal possibly triggered by a massive solar flare which would release energy equal to 100 billion atomic bombs. This belief is supposedly supported by observations that the Earth's magnetic field is weakening, which could precede a reversal of the north and south magnetic poles.
STORYBOARD: Milla blooms from the parched earth and finds that there is Campari to quench her desire. There are some beauties that can even blossom in a desert. SHOOTING: A complex set, each section of the desert is individually cut stone prior to the shoot, which is then coloured and pieced together to form the ground. To create balance, Milla wears a softly structured mustard dress by Stéphane Rolland, complemented by beautiful vintage jewelry from Paco Rabanne. FASHION: Crumpled and hand painted saffron organza draped long dress Stéphane Rolland/ rhinestone necklace Paco Rabanne.
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PHOTOSHOOT DAY 4 - CAMPARI CALENDAR - JUNE
What is it about 2012? Planet X/Nibiru Some proponents of doomsday in 2012 claim that a previously undiscovered planet called Planet X, or Nibiru, will collide with or pass by Earth in that year. This idea has appeared in various forms since 1995, and originally predicted the event in 2003, but this date was abandoned after it passed without incident. Kali Yuga In India, the guru Kalki Bhagavan promotes 2012 as a ‘deadline’ for human enlightenment. Over 15 million people consider Bhagavan to be the incarnation of the god Vishnu and believe that 2012 marks the end of the Kali Yuga, or degenerate age.
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Bugarach The French village of Bugarach, began receiving visits from mystic believers who concluded that the local mountain, Pic de Bugarach, is the ideal location to weather the transformative events of 2012. In 2011, the local mayor began voicing fears to the press that the small town would be overwhelmed by an influx of thousands of visitors in 2012, even suggesting he may call in the army. Super-volcano Some people are worried about the so-called super-caldera underneath Yellowstone Park, USA, and believe that the end of the world will be the result of a super volcanic eruption, larger than any in man's history. Such an event would, it is said, blast millions of tons of debris and poisonous gases into the atmosphere, and could plunge the world into a nuclear winter triggering an ice age.
STORYBOARD: A message in a Campari bottle floats by as Milla emerges from her dress that engulfs the world like a flood during a storm. There’s only one thing that a flood can’t submerge, a woman’s tenacity. SHOOTING: The set designer and stylist have been working together very closely for this set which had to combine perfectly with Milla’s dress. In order to achieve this both worked with the same blue/green wool to create the water effect on Milla’s body. Water was poured over Milla’s hair with droplets catching the light every time she moved, adding to the amazing result. To create the water effect on the background an ‘engineering waterfall’ was built into the studio, another real element then transformed by Dimitri in the final picture. FASHION: Dress made by YannWeber / rose gold necklace and bracelet Vhernier.
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feature MILLA JOVOVICH Biography Milla Jovovich has successfully established herself as a highly regarded, international model and actress, starring in over two dozen films, including the recent “The Three Musketeers 3D” where she portrays “Milady de Winter” appearing alongside an international cast that includes Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz and Matthew Macfadyen. Star of the “Resident Evil” franchise, Jovovich reprised her role as “Alice” in the fourth installment of the film “Resident Evil: Afterlife,” where Alice is on a mission to save survivors from falling victim to the Undead in a world ravaged by a virus infection. Written and directed by husband Paul W.S. Anderson, the film was released nationwide on September 10, 2010, and has grossed over £195 million worldwide. At the age of eleven, Jovovich was spotted by photographer Richard Avedon, who featured her in Revlon's “Most Unforgettable Women in the World” advertisements. In October 1987, she was on the cover of the Italian fashion magazine Lei, her first of many covers. In 1988, she signed her first professional modeling contract. Milla has appeared in hundreds of magazines and on dozens of covers. She has been featured in ad campaigns for several brands, including Banana Republic, Christian Dior, Damiani, Donna Karan, Gap, Versace, Mango, Etro. Milla has been an international spokesmodel for L'Oréal cosmetics since 1998. In addition to L'Oréal, Milla has been in campaigns for ICB, Ann Taylor, and Mercedes-Benz recently. Milla's early modeling led to acting roles, and in 1988 she appeared in her first film role in the romance thriller Two Moon Junction. Her first leading role was in “Return to the Blue Lagoon” in 1991, for which she was nominated for the “Best Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture” in the 1991 Young Artist Awards. She appeared on some TV shows around this time and also in the films “Kuffs” (1992), “Chaplin” (1992), and “Dazed and Confused” (1993). Milla's breakout role was as “Leeloo,” the perfect being in Luc Besson's “The Fifth Element” (1997). She later starred in several other action movies besides the “Resident Evil” trilogy such as “Ultraviolet” (2006), “A Perfect Getaway” (2009), and “The Fourth Kind” (2009). Milla has also been in several comedies and dramas, including Spike Lee's “He Got Game” (1998), “The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc” (1999), “The Claim” (2000), “The Million Dollar Hotel” (2000), “Zoolander” (2001), “Dummy” (2003), “No Good Deed” (2003) and “You Stupid Man” (2003). Milla is an ambassador for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) and also supports several other charities, including OCRF (Ovarian Cancer Research Fund), The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Wildlands Project, and UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 55
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lifestyle
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Christmas will soon be upon us, and at this festive time of the year, our thoughts turn to celebrating, giving and sharing. By far the best way to express one's feelings is through the act of giving, and a thoughtful gift is always well reciprocated. However, when it comes to picking a festive gift for your boss, many people find themselves in a state of anxiety, especially if they are not sure of their bosses likes and dislikes, and are perhaps running a little low on funds. Nevertheless, with a few helpful tips and ideas, you will easily be able to pick the right gift for your boss, and a well-intended gift is bound to be well received.
A Gift Basket With a gift-basket you have the advantage of picking a custom-made present which you can adjust to fit within your budget, and yet can give you the flexibility of choosing individual items for the basket. Choose from stationary items, pen sets, luxury chocolates, or perhaps some mini electronic gadget. Choose items for the basket that you think will complement your boss’s personality and which he/she can put to good use.
A Pen and Pencil Desk Set Although at first glance this may seem an uninspired gift idea, an elegantly presented boxed pen set is usually well reciprocated and makes for an ideal Christmas gift for your boss, whether male or female.
If you are short on time (or ideas), and if your budget allows, you can even opt for a pre-made version of the gift basket, where someone else has already done the thinking for you.
You might even consider personalising the pen and pencil set by getting it engraved with your boss’s initials or perhaps his/her company name. There are a wide variety of pen sets available in all sorts of materials, colours and styles, and if you don’t have the time to go shopping you could consider buying it online. With the aid of the internet there are a wide variety of options open to you, and many online stores offer discounts, even during the festive season. 59
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lifestyle 7 Great Festive Gift Ideas For Your Boss
A Desk Calendar or Planner
Gift Vouchers
Not only would a desk calendar or planner fit within your budget,but would also prove to be an ideal festive gift for your boss and the New Year. If your budget allows you to be a bit flexible, you could even think of getting a matching desk calendar and planner set.
With a gift voucher, you not only get the flexibility you may need with your budget, but also on the type of gift. You could pick a gift voucher for his/her favourite shop or restaurant depending upon your boss’s preference and your budget.
Your boss would then have easy access to his appointment schedules and will be reminded of your gift each time he/she picks up that planner. Be sure to give the calendar or planner a little thought to ensure it compliments your boss’s personality and taste.
Gift vouchers can range anywhere between £10 to £100 or perhaps more, particularly if a group of your colleagues get together to share the cost. Gift vouchers are also available for online shopping and this way your boss has an option to pick an item that best suits his/her requirement. With a gift certificate you can’t really go wrong, and is especially useful if you are unsure of your boss’s likes and dislikes.
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lifestyle 7 Great Festive Gift Ideas For Your Boss You can’t go wrong with a Bottle of Wine A great option, as it will invariably be opened during the festive period among friends, and the thought will be remembered and appreciated (be sure to check your boss likes a drink and is not teetotal). You can choose between expensive or inexpensive, red, white or rose, or even a nice sparkling wine depending on your budget and your boss’s preferences if you know them. If not, a good Cava will always be appreciated, especially come the New Year celebrations.
Treat your Boss to Lunch at his favourite Restaurant Find out about his favourite cuisine and restaurants in town and make sure you book a special table in advance as festive time is usually very busy. A good idea is to get together with a few colleagues to spread the cost and make it into an unofficial “works” party. This way you will get to spend quality time with your boss away from the work environment and will undoubtedly find this well reciprocated.
Golf Gifts Find out if your boss is an avid golfer or maybe even a part-timer or beginner. There are various golfing equipment, clothing and accessory gifts available either in sports shops or online, with all manner of small to medium gift sets available so that you would sure to find something to fit your budget.
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's Top fives e-books downloads
PRICE
1. Locked In
Kerry Wilkinson
£0.98
2. The Help
Kathryn Stockett
£3.99
Katie Stephens
£0.72
Sophie Nicholls
£0.99
Julian Barnes
£3.59
3. Candles On The Sand 4. The Dress 5. The Sense Of An Ending
books fiction paperback
SALES
Kathryn Syockett
65,700
2. The Sixth Man
David Baldacci
52,200
3. Don't Blink
James Patterson
115,600
1. The Help
4. The Fifth Witness 5. One Day
Michael Connelly David Nicholls
books non-fiction paperback
25,800 997,500
SALES
1. An Idiot Abroad
Karl Pilkington
137,700
2. I Shot Daddy
Stacey Lannert
27,900
3. The Pacific
Hugh Ambrose
17,200
4. Secret Life Of Bletchley Park
Sinclair McKay
54,800
Casey Watson
24,100
5. The Boy No One Loved
books non-fiction hardback 1. Guinness World Records 2012 2. Jamie's Great Britain
SALES
Guinness
185,700
Jamie Oliver
110,700
3. Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson
72,200
4. World Of Downton Abbey
Jessica Fellowes
69,100
Lee Evans
97,100
5. The Life Of Lee
The figures quoted are approx. at time of publication 65
Books
review
The World of Downton Abbey Jessica Fellowes (Author) The World of Downton Abbey" is a beautiful companion book to the television series, put together with a great deal of thought and attention to detail. The hardcover book is printed on glossy paper, and its 300 pages offers a wealth of pictures and background information. The book begins with a foreword by series creator Julian Fellowes and is split into 9 different sections after that: Family Life, Society, Change, Life in Service, Style, House & Estate, Romance, War, and Behind the Scenes, containing lots of interesting bits about life shortly before and during the First World War, and of course, pictures from the show itself.
Hardcover
£7.00
Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography Walter Isaacson (Author) "Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography" is full with rich, and often strange, stories about Steve Jobs. The book deals particularly well with Steve Jobs' earlier days and gives a surprising amount of information from these formative years. Sometimes it is difficult to see beyond the man and the myth, and even harder to be truly objective, but this book certainly comes close. This may well change your thinking about Steve Jobs. He was human after all. A fascinating read about a remarkable figure of our times. Steve Jobs will never be forgotten.
Kindle Hardcover
£12.99 £11.97
Prices quoted were correct at time of publication 66
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New Album Release
MYLO XYLOTO Coldplay Mylo Xyloto is the fifth studio album by British alternative rock band Coldplay. The album was released worldwide on 24th October 2011 by EMI to favourable reviews. It was preceded by the lead single, "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", which was released on 3rd June 2011. "Paradise" was released as the second single three months later in September.
Internationally, the album charted at number one in seventeen countries. In the United Kingdom, Mylo Xyloto became their fifth album to debut at number one, selling 208,000 units in its first week and set a one-week digital sales record, selling 83,000 copies. The album became the group's third to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 447,000 units in the first week. According to Chris Martin, the album is "based on a love story with a happy ending," in which two protagonists living in an oppressive, dystopian urban environment meet one another through a gang, and fall in love.
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review
Chris Martin has said that lyrically, the album is inspired by "old school American graffiti" and "the White Rose Movement." Coldplay have stated on several occasions that they want their next studio album to be "more acoustic and intimate" than its predecessor, 2008's Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.
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review
Stoner powers to victory in Moto GP season finale The Repsol Honda rider started from pole in the final race of the season last month at the Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana. Although officially declared a wet race, all the field began on slick tyres in the difficult conditions. In a rush for the first corner, Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) fell, taking out Pramac Racing’s Randy de Puniet along with both Ducati Team riders, Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. The crash was the Rossi’s third in successive races to end in a fall, bringing a difficult season to an end for the seven times MotoGP World Champion. With three laps left, Stoner, who had lead from the start, ran wide, letting the American Ben Spies through to take over the lead. The Yamaha man looked set to take the win, until the very last corner of the race when the World Champion rocketed past the Texan at the line to claim his tenth win of the season in the final race. On the morning of the race, riders from all three categories of the World Championship departed from the pit lane as a group, and completed a lap of the track in honour of Marco Simoncelli, who sadly lost his life in an accident at the previous meeting. The tribute was led by former World Champion Kevin Schwantz riding at the head of the group on board Simoncelli’s San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V bike, which was parked in his empty garage along with his helmut during the race.
Valentino Rossi walks off track after crashing out during the race
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sports Valentino Rossi of Italy and Ducati Marlboro Team lifts the front wheel during the free practice of MotoGP of Valencia at Ricardo Tormo Circuit
MotoGP n. 69 Nicky Hayden of USA and Ducati Malboro Team heads down a straight during the free practice of MotoGP of Valencia
Photos by Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images
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BACARDI “CHAMPIONS DRINK RESPONSIBLY” SERVES UP A CHANCE TO PLAY TENNIS AGAINST RAFAEL NADAL Bacardi Limited “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign offers the chance to “Ace Rafa” - its Global Social Responsibility Ambassador - in an online game and beat him in-person Bacardi Limited recently launched an international free prize draw competition to meet its Global Social Responsibility Ambassador Rafael ‘Rafa’ Nadal as part of the award-winning “Champions Drink Responsibly” social responsibility campaign. As part of this, legal drinking age consumers and fans from around the world will get the opportunity to “Ace Rafa” in an online virtual reality video game created by Bacardi Limited. Fans who successfully “ace” the ten-time Grand Slam winner in the game will go into a free prize draw to win a spot in the Grand Final. The lucky finalists will get to meet Rafa Nadal face-to-face in Mallorca, Spain, in 2012 for the chance to try and “ace“ him in-person. Legal drinking age consumers can enter the competition via the “Champions Drink Responsibly” Facebook page
www.facebook.com/ChampionsDrinkResponsibly where they will face Rafa by using the RoboServ 3000 –– a state-of-the-art 12-foot tall tennis-serving robot. The imagery in the game was shot on location in Rafa’s hometown of Manacor in Mallorca, Spain, where the tennis champion also trains. Unlike most console and online games, “Ace Rafa” features a real version of Rafael Nadal rather than a computer-generated version of the tennis great. The game is brought to life as Rafa reacts to each serve as though he was playing an actual game of tennis against another person. “Ace Rafa” is the latest promotion in the Bacardi Limited “Champions Drink Responsibly” global campaign. The Bacardi social responsibility campaign highlights the important message that “Everyone Knows Where the Line Is” when it comes to drinking responsibly and was launched by Rafa in March.
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sports “I hope my fans enjoy this unique chance to play against me. Drinking responsibly is a serious message and I believe we will reach and influence more people with this important message by expressing it in a more lighthearted and interactive way. ‘Knowing where the line is’ is vital in tennis and in life,” said Rafa Nadal, the Bacardi Limited Global Social Responsibility Ambassador. “I have faced some incredible serves on the tennis tour, but the RoboServ is a tough competitor and in the right hands it is going to be difficult to beat. I look forward to meeting some of the best Bacardicreated champions face-to-face next year.”
Photos by Getty Images
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Photos by Getty Images
“We are really excited to launch this interactive game as part of our “Champions Drink Responsibly” program. We are serving up to fans a truly unique opportunity to compete online against one of the world’s leading tennis champions and some very lucky people will even meet Rafa in-person,” said Bacardi Limited President and CEO Séamus McBride.
The campaign is rooted in the strong heritage and commitment of Bacardi Limited to promote responsible drinking.
“The ‘Ace Rafa’ promotion is all about connecting with consumers in a dynamic and engaging way to reinforce the important message of responsible drinking.”
Since then, the Company created widely respected social responsibility initiatives in the 1970s with its two-decade running, award-winning “Bacardi mixes with everything. Except driving.” advertisement. Also raising the bar in social responsibility messaging and engagement was the Company’s recent success with the “Driver's Corner” experience in Germany and Austria, and the “Whatever Your Reason” television campaign in the U.S. which personalized the responsibility message to teach adult consumers about the different reasons for drinking responsibly.
The “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign was first introduced by familyowned Bacardi Limited in April 2008 featuring seven-time Formula 1™ World Champion Michael Schumacher with the message “Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix.”
The Company launched its first social responsibility advertising campaign in Mexico in the 1930s when it pioneered the idea of responsible drinking with the slogan of “Bacardi wishes to sell, but it does not want the money you should use to buy bread.”
For additional details and information about the Bacardi Limited “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign, please visit www.championsdrinkresponsibly.com. 75
N.U.F.C. FIXTURES
for this month . . . and next . . . December 2011 3 Dec 10 Dec 17 Dec 21 Dec 26 Dec 30 Dec
Newcastle United v Chelsea Premier League Norwich City v Newcastle United Premier League Newcastle United v Swansea City Premier League Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion Premier League Bolton Wanderers v Newcastle United Premier League Liverpool v Newcastle United Premier League
plus coming up in January 2012 4 Jan 15 Jan 21 Jan
Newcastle United v Manchester United Premier League Newcastle United v Queens Park Rangers Premier League Fulham v Newcastle United Premier League
* At the time of going to press, Newcastle United v Chelsea, Liverpool v Newcastle United, Newcastle United v Manchester United and Newcastle United v Queens Park Rangers are scheduled to be shown live on Sky Sports
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S.A.F.C. FIXTURES
for this month . . . and next . . . December 2011 4 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 21 Dec 26 Dec
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Sunderland Premier League Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers Premier League Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland Premier League Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland Premier League Sunderland v Everton Premier League
plus coming up in January 2012 1 Jan Sunderland v Manchester City Premier League 3 Jan Wigan Athletic v Sunderland Premier League 14 Jan Chelsea v Sunderland Premier League 21 Jan Sunderland v Swansea City Premier League 31 Jan Sunderland v Norwich City Premier League * At the time of going to press, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Sunderland, Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland v Manchester City and Sunderland v Norwich City are scheduled to be shown live on Sky Sports
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Simple Steps to
Health and Fitness It's that time of year again when we all over-indulge a little and then make impossible demands on ourselves with difficult New Years resolutions.
Well it's time for a new, long term plan for a healthy life! How many times have you gone to bed at night, swearing faithfully you'll go to the gym the next day, and then changing your mind just a few hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising? While this can happen to any of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the idea altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realise is that just staying active and eating right are critical for our long-term health and wellness.
The more you understand how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customise a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. For example, when you eat well, increase your level of physical activity and exercise, thereby informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy. In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals a faster metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.
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The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.
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80 AT TIME OF PUBLISHING PRICES CORRECT
lifestyle
Simple Steps to Health & Fitness It is generally recommended to engage in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and also some resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach incorporates aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories.
A basic exercise programme should look something like this: Warm Up. Seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints. Resistance Training. Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets. Aerobic Exercise. Choose two favourite activities from jogging, rowing, biking or whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity.
Stretching. Always end your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply and relaxing.
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Simple Steps to Health & Fitness When starting an exercise programme, particularly as a new resolution or lifestyle choice, it is important to have realistic and long-term expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on. From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy. From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat. After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.
Once you have made the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits wherever possible for best results. Eat several smaller meals and a couple of small snacks throughout the day Make sure every meal is balanced, by incorporating palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish and dairy products, fist-sized portions of carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and don't forget several fist-sized portions of vegetables and fruits. Drink at least eight medium-size glasses of water throughout the day. Most importantly, enjoy your lifestyle changes wherever possible. This will help you achieve your long-term health and fitness goals.
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Recipes for brownies just keep getting better and better. Moist, chewy and simple to make, these Fudgy-Fig-Nut Brownies are made with rich dark chocolate, crunchy toasted walnuts and sweet, delicious figs. With this recipe, both taste and health have combined together with simple directions to deliver brownies fit for every day, or special occasions such as this festive time of year, for all the family to enjoy. Amber-colored golden figs star as the special secret ingredients that make these brownies so unique and so delicious. The tiny crunchy seeds and sweet, chewy flavour of the figs complement the toasted walnuts and smooth dark chocolate. Also, the health-conscious amongst us are excited to learn that the dark chocolate contributes health-promoting flavonol antioxidants; the dried figs offer a unique array of essential vitamins and minerals and an excellent amount of dietary fibre; and the walnuts deliver essential omega-3 fatty acids and "good" monounsaturated fats. During the festive season and all the excesses that go along with it, that's got to be good news! 85
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Figs are also great for snacking because they are so portable and convenient, along with being a nutrientdense fruit. Three to four figs provide 6 percent daily value (DV) iron, 6 percent DV calcium, 6 percent DV magnesium, 6 percent DV vitamin B6, and 8 percent DV copper.
What you'll need to make your Fudgy Fig-Nut Brownies 3 large eggs 1+1/4 cups granulated sugar 1/4 cup rapeseed or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
What to do Preheat oven to 170째 (Gas mark 3) and coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with a wire whisk. Add sugar and whisk until well-blended. Whisk in oil and vanilla. Melt chocolate in a small bowl in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Whisk the chocolate into the egg mixture. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa and salt. Stir flour mixture into chocolate mixture, blending until smooth and stiff. Stir in figs and walnuts. Spread batter in baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until pick inserted in centre comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack, then cut into 16 brownies.
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup stemmed and chopped Sun-Maid Golden Figs or similar 1/3 cup chopped and crushed toasted walnuts
Nutritional Value Nutrients per serving (16): Calories 191; Protein 3g; Total Fat 7g; Carbohydrate 29g; Cholesterol 40mg; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sodium 65mg.
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A Q u i c k G u i d e to th e G reek I sl an d s
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Looking for a great value summer break? Then look no further than Greece and the Greek Islands.
With prices in the country as cheap as they have ever been, due in no small part to the economic situation, now is surely the time to take advantage of all these magnificent islands have to offer. Renowned as being one of the worlds best holiday destinations, their position at the junction of Europe, Asia and Africa means that a Greek Island holiday provides the perfect opportunity to sample the Mediterranean sun and fantastic mix of cultures, sights and cuisines on offer there. Greece holidays cater for a large variety of people, and with the average cost of a shopping basket including a meal for two, drinks & sun cream now 10% cheaper in than last year, the conditions are ideal for making your holiday budget go further! A Greek Island holiday provides limitless opportunities to discover the rich cultural heritage and history of the region, or for a more relaxing getaway, the golden sandy beaches washed by the calm blue waters create a near perfect setting. Amazingly, Greece has 1400 islands scattered like jewels across the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea, and each island is special in its own right, each having a unique charm that is impossible to replicate. 89
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Package holidays to Greece and the Greek islands have been popular since the 1960's and continue to attract millions of visitors every year. Holidays to each of the Greek Island provide different experiences catering to a variety of tastes. So you can rest assured that whatever your holiday interests are, there is a Greek Island or resort to satisfy your requirements.
Where are they? The Greek Islands are dotted throughout the Aegean Sea, mainly (but not exclusively) between the east coast of mainland Greece and the west coast of Turkey. They come in all shapes and sizes, and the people that visit them are as varied as the islands themselves. Whilst you can move between the islands, most people choose to stay on just one for the duration of their holiday. The islands are traditionally divided into five main groups: Cyclades, Dodecanese, Sporades, Ionian, and Crete which, as a single island, is the largest in the group, although numerous other sizeable islands can be found in the Eastern Aegean and Argosaronic Gulf regions. The Cyclade Islands comprise of 39 islands to the south east of the Greek mainland. Holidays to the Cyclades are characterised by bright white square houses, windmills and tiny churches, balanced upon dry, arid mountain sides. The two most popular Cyclades islands are Santorini and Mykonos.
The Dodecanese Islands are located closer to Turkey at the most eastern point of the Aegean Sea. This group is famous for the fascinating history, quaint villages, fabulous beaches and enviable climate. The main islands in the Dodecanese are Rhodes, Kos, Symi, Halki and Kalymnos. The Ionian Islands are distintly separate from the majority of the main Greek Islands as they lie off the west coast of Greece. This group of islands benefit from hot summers and mild wet winters, ideal conditions for the spectacular green mountainous landscape covered with cypress trees, olive groves and wild flowers, and stunning familyfriendly beaches. Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos are the well known holiday destinations in the Ionian Islands which also include the lesser known gems such as Lefkada, Paxos and Ithaca. 90
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travel Where to stay? Although there are many all-inclusive and self-catering hotels and packages to choose from, why not try a holiday with a difference by choosing a boutique hotel. You can’t beat the individuality of these small, intimate hotels where detail is a primary consideration and the needs of the guest always come first. There are villas and suites available on most islands and resorts, and many of these are quite unique places to stay, offering the ultimate in quiet understated luxury.
What to see? For most people, the attraction of the Greek Islands is the beaches. The quality and size of the beaches varies from island to island, as does the level of development in the main resorts. The sheer number of islands means that you can usually find exactly what you’re looking for; whether it’s 24-hour entertainment or a quiet relaxing break. For those that want to explore the islands’ culture, there are plenty of historical buildings, traditional villages and museums to visit.
The Sporades are situated east of the Greek mainland and comprise of 11 islands of which only 4 are inhabited. Holidays in this region are renowned for quality beaches with the Islands of Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos having some of the best beaches in all of Greece. Crete is Greece's largest Island with a multitude of resorts that would suit holidaymakers of all tastes. Whether you're in search of a holiday with a lively atmosphere where you can party into the early hours, or a relaxing holiday with days lounging on the beach, than Crete is the perfect destination.
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How to get around? You can get to quite a few of the islands now, such as Mykonos and Santorini by air, but some of the smaller islands are reached by ferry from Athens. The ferries are regular and there are ticket operators at the harbours, so you can also use them to visit other islands during your stay. To get around an island, you can hire a car or a bike, or use the local bus system. There are no train services once you’re off the mainland. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, why not hire a sailing boat and navigate your own way around the islands at your leisure.
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