Plot Участок ca 5.850 m2
Built Строение ca 900 m2
Terraces Террасы ca 250 m2
Âèëëà êëàññà ëþêñ íà ïðîäàæó Великолепная вилла с ремонтом, ранее принадлежавшая артисту по имени Princе, с использованием строительных материалов из Paraiso Alto, с шикарным видом на море, горы, долины и поля для гольфа. Находится всего в 5 минутах езды от оживленного города Сан-Педро и в 10 минутах от Пуэрто-Бануса, недалеко от пляжа, супермаркетов и ресторанов и в непосредственной близости к гольфовому полю. Расположенная в одном из самых безопасных районов,вилла находится рядом с Марбельей. Роскошная двухэтажная резиденция с большим количеством спален и ванных комнат(1 спальня и 4 ванны на первом этаже и 6 спален меньшего размера на втором этаже). Она красиво оформлена и
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может похвастаться захватывающим вестибюлем с впечатляющей лестницей, большой гостиной, столовой с панорамными окнами, залом для завтраков, полностью оборудованной кухней.Оснащенная сигнализацией, кондиционерами, электрическим генератором, системой орошения и колодцем и украшенная живописным частным садом с самыми красивыми субтропическими деревьями эта вилла оборудована бассейном с подогревом, отдельно стоящим таунхаусом с ванной комнатой и частным теннисным кортом. Эта экслюзивная резиденция, окруженная защитной стеной, располагает 3 гаражами и помещением для охраны, что делает ее одной из самых привилегированных и безопасных резиденций в Марбелье.
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Price € 5.950.000 Цена - Contact the owner on Связаться с владельцем можно непосредственно (+34) 639 404 187 Internet site www.adornatierra.com
LuxuryVilla for Sale This completely renovated stunning villa, previously owned by the artist formerly known as Prince, constructed with the most beautiful materials located in Paraiso Alto (direction Villa Padierna), enjoys a marvelous sea view as well as views over the mountains, valleys and golf course. Just 5 minutes from the bustling town of San Pedro and only 10 minutes to Puerto Banús, close to the beach, supermarkets, restaurants and within easy reach to top golf courses. This property has direct access to the best Marbella offers and is situated in one of the safest areas. Built over two floors this luxurious residence enjoys one master bedroom and 4 en-suite bathrooms, with a further 6 smaller bedrooms with bathroom. This beautifully designed Villa boasts a spectacular
entrance hall with impressive double staircase, large living room, dining room, breakfast room, all with panoramic windows and has a fully equipped new kitchen with all appliances and a separate laundry. Finished to the highest standards, this amazing property includes inside and outside security with camera system, air-conditioning throughout, electric generator, water tanks, irrigation system and a water well. The magnificent private park-like garden is planted with the most beautiful subtropical trees and has a heated swimming pool, townhouse with bathroom and private tennis court. This very exclusive residence has 3 garages and a security room. Accessed through a large private drive, the plot is completely walled to offer one of the most privileged and safe residences in Marbella.
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Help us make a magazine that really reflects the Gibraltar way of life... Please contribute to some of our most well-read sections!
Issue 06 • January/February 2014
S T A F F
THE PRO
PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR
Have you organised a corporate or cultural event recently? Launched a new product or opened a new office and you want Gibraltar to know? Send us information and we will consider it for placement in the Pro section.
GENERAL MANAGER
ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com
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GOURMET
ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
For new openings, dining events and new products, our popular Food News page is the place to be seen. Our restaurant listing section will become a reference when you consider dining out, so if your favourite place is not included, please let us know!
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WHAT’S ON
GIBRALTAR PHOTOGRAPHY
Our What’s On section is designed to keep readers up-to-date on forthcoming events including shows, clubs and meetings, either a specific or a reccuring event. If you are an organiser, let us help you get your message across to the whole of Gibraltar!
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COVER COVER PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTING
PRODUCT / COMPANY PROFILE Do you have a special company or product that our readers should know more about? Send us details and we’ll consider it for a profile feature in one of our upcoming editions.
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The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions. responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. Marbella Magazine. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for No part of this magazine, including texts, photographs, illustrations, maps or any other graphics may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. Printed on recyclable paper, produced without wood and bleached without chlorine.
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contents The Trend Cinema 14 Home Viewing 16 Books 18 Music 20 Cars: The Jaguar XKR-S 22 Gadgets 24
The Local The Caleta Hotel’s Tradewise Chess Festival 26 The Sunshine Tour Equestrian Extravaganza 30 Ocean Village & Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa 34 Cover Model: Gina Monteverde 38 Nhean Haynes de Domecq 40
The Style
The Pro
44 Mansion Living in La Zagaleta 50 A Period Townhouse in Tarifa 56 Fashion: House of Cashmere 64 Fashion News 66 Health: New Year, New You 68 Health: Marvellous Milk Thistle
71 Enterprise 74 GFSB InnoHub 75 Business Profile: SG Hambros 76 Finance: G5 Tax Agreements 78 Property: The Sanctuary in Gibraltar
The Leisure 80 Dubai 86 Cruising the USA
The Gourmet 94 Restaurant Review: Gatsby’s 95 Septima Malbec from Argentina 96 Ronda Wines 98 Listings
g
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Winner of the Gibraltar’s Leading Hotel Award since 2009 The AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar
...the other side of Gibraltar
SIR HERBERT MILES ROAD, CATALAN BAY, PO BOX 73, GIBRALTAR. TEL: +350 20076501 Gibraltar's leading hotel since 2009
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AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar
Two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence
www.caletahotel.com - reservations@caletahotel.gi
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publisher’s letter WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL
T
here’s a growing anticipation that 2014 may see the end to a global crisis that has been tough to ride out. It’s also going to be a major sporting year with the Winter Olympics in Russia in February and the World Cup kicking off in Brazil in June. Here in Gibraltar, we can look forward to busy times too, with many festivals, cultural events and concerts on the horizon. In this first edition for the new year, we focus on one of these – the annual Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, being held at The Caleta Hotel from January 27 to February 6, which, according to The Sunday Times, “has established itself as the most prestigious open tournament in the world”. You can also read about the forthcoming Sunshine Tour, Europe’s most important winter equestrian competition, taking place at Dehesa Montenmedio in Vejer, in late February and March. In terms of personalities, don’t miss our interviews with Nhean Haynes de Domecq, who tells us about her new book, Rock Cakes and Other Delights: Gibraltar’s History Told Through Food, and stunning cover model, Gina Monteverde. We also rev up the jazzy new Jaguar XKR-S, take a tour round a sumptuous villa in La Zagaleta and a peek inside a period townhouse in Tarifa, taste some of the best wines being produced nearby in Ronda, and go on a trip to the Cotswolds with sumptuous clothing from the House of Cashmere. Further afield, as travel is increasingly popular and an integral part of a lifestyle magazine, we suggest Cruising the USA and visiting Dubai. All in all, a great issue to relax with and enjoy, out of the winter cold. Happy New Year and best wishes for 2014!
New Year new horizons
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All you need is GBC
Bringing Music to Your Ears & Gibraltar to your Screen
GBC Television
Radio Gibraltar
GBC Online
available on Gibraltar Freeview and gbc.gi
91.3, 92.6 & 100.5FM, 1458AM, DAB+, gbc.gi and Gibraltar Freeview
available at gbc.gi
3 King’s Cavalcade 2014 Newswatch Viewpoint Talk About Town The Hub Sessions Business Heritage Access All Areas Vicky’s Kitchen GBC Sports Awards 2014 Full schedule at gbc.gi
Weekdays: 7am – Ben Lynch 10am – Ros Astengo 1pm – James Neish 2pm – Paul Grant (English) 2pm – Teresa Goncalves (Spanish) 6pm – Newshour Overnight: Non-Stop Music… through the night
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trend READING / MUSIC / FILMS / GADGETS / MOTORING / TRENDS
Enjoy catching up on the latest cinema releases, staying in for a cosy evening of home viewing or chasing culture through music and literature, and how about a jazzy new Jaguar for 2014?
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14
Cinema
16
Home Viewing
18
Books
20
Music
22
Cars: The Jaguar XKR-S
24
Gadgets
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trend CINEMA
e BLOCKBUSTER
OF THE MONTH
Grudge Match » GENRE
Comedy
» DIRECTOR
Peter Segal (50 First Dates)
» ACTORS
Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart
Marisa Cutillas brings us the latest cinema releases for the New Year.
y d Robert De Niro pla Sylvester Stallone an e fac to on up are called two ex-boxers who s ter gh fi e Th ut. bo l na each other in one fi pionship status in had achieved cham ir 3, on the eve of the their youth but in 198 d ce un no an suddenly third match, Razor ut offering any ho wit nt, me ire ret his rs ars later, both boxe ye y irt Th n. explanatio to y nit rtu po op the simply cannot resist as they come a bit fight a decisive match at came between wh of closer to the truth ago. them so many years
» GENRE Animation » DIRECTOR Phil Lord, Chris Miller
(Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)
» VOICES Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie
Lego: The Piece of Resistance
Lego lovers from all over the world await this film with baited breath. Lego: The Piece of Resistance brings us the most popular characters dreamed up by the famed toy brand and introduces us to completely new characters who are set to captivate kids and adults alike.
» GENRE Adventure Drama » DIRECTOR J.C. Chandor » GENRE Drama/ True Story » DIRECTOR John Lee Hancock
(The Blind Side) » ACTORS Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell
Saving Mr. Banks
When Walt Disney’s daughters asked him to bring their favourite book, Mary Poppins, to the big screen, little did they know of the trouble it would cost their famous father. Disney spent no less than 20 years trying to convince the book’s author, P.L. Travers, to grant him the film rights to her work. Disney used every strategy imaginable – beautiful graphics and catchy tunes, but it was not until he delved into his own childhood that he was able to unlock the secret behind the author’s obstinacy and convince her that this film would be a memorable work of art for children of all ages.
(Margin Call)
» ACTORS Robert Redford
All Is Lost
A skilful sailor (Robert Redford) awakens in the middle of the Indian Ocean, to find that his yacht has just collided with a shipping container discarded on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio destroyed, the sailor is forced to face a violent storm all by himself, using the intuition and courage that has accompanied him all these years. His hope is that the ocean currents will push his boat into a route normally taken by passing vessels. As the sun grows relentless and the sharks begin to circle his vessel, he wonders if this will be his final adventure.
» GENRE Biopic » DIRECTOR Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl)
» ACTORS Idris Elba, Naomie
Harris, Jamie Bartlett
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Idris Elba gives life to Nelson Mandela in a film that recounts some of the most important personal and political events that shaped the man and the hero. The film is closely based on Mandela’s best-selling autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, and delves into the effect of apartheid on the South African people and on Mandela’s tightly-knit family.
» GENRE Fantasy » DIRECTOR Akiva Goldsman (Fringe) » ACTORS Collin Farrell, Jessica
Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe
Winter’s Tale
Based on the best-selling book of the same name, Winter’s Tale is the story of a young Irish thief (Colin Farrell) who falls in love with a dying heiress who lives in one of the homes he breaks into. Peter discovers he has the power of reincarnation, which he hopes will help him reunite him with his lost love.
14 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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First stop - Rock Tour
Visit Gibraltar Monkey bu siness
Last s top in Europe
a vibrant destination that combines the spirit of the Mediterranean with British tradition.
To order a brochure or for further information contact the Gibraltar Tourist Board:
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 207 836 0777 E: info@gibraltar.gov.uk
Gibraltar T: +350 200 45000 E: information@tourism.gov.gi
You can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. facebook.com/visitgibraltar
@visit_gibraltar
trend HOME VIEWING
Marisa Cutillas brings us a few of the season’s top DVD releases. » GENRE Drama » DIRECTOR David Mackenzie
(Starred Up)
» ACTORS Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Lauren Tempany
» IMDB RATING 7/10
Perfect Sense
The inhabitants of Planet Earth are being infected by a strange virus that attacks the senses. First, the virus attacks one’s sense of smell, then the sense of taste… In the midst of all the chaos, a young woman, Susan (Eva Green), and her fiancée, Michael (Ewan McGregor), fight to keep their relationship alive. Susan is a virologist working in a prestigious hospital and Michael a talented Chef. Their love for each other grows stronger as the world as they know it begins to vanish around them.
ASE OF THE MONTH
D RELE e FEATURED DV » GENRE Drama » DIRECTOR Gilles Bourdos
» ACTORS
Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers
» IMDB
RATING 6.4/10
Renoir
» GENRE Romance » DIRECTOR Nicole
The East
Sarah Moss (Brit Marling) is an ex-FBI agent working at an elite private investigation agency whose client list comprises some of the nation’s most successful companies. Sarah is assigned to assume a false identity and infiltrate an anarchist group known as The East, which unleashes its vengeance on big companies involved in covert criminal activity. Sarah is able to convince the group of her loyalty and she begins to get closer to them on a personal level, forging a special bond with a contact (Alexander Skarsgård), who unwittingly challenges her to question her own moral double standards.
ed French The year is 1915 and fam oir, is living on Ren te gus -Au rre Pie artist, nted by the me tor , the French Riviera h arthritic wit led ridd e, wif his loss of news that the by pain and saddened t in the war. hur n bee has n, Jea his son, delighted is he , Despite his desolation n enters ma wo ng you ul utif when a bea and life of full t, into his world. Radian uty, bea of nd bra l cia spe a possessing se mu t las s Andrée becomes Renoir’ th he has and the fountain of you son Jean his en Wh . ght sou always en with tak is , too comes home, he, ough he fights alth and uty bea e’s André cannot help against his feelings, he e. lov in dly falling ma
Man Of Steel » GENRE Action » DIRECTOR Zack Snyder (300) » ACTORS Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner
» IMDB RATING 7.4/10
In one of the most introspective Superman films thus far, Henry Cavill plays a man who is made of anything but steel, struggling to discover why he was sent to the world and wondering whether or not he can assume the overwhelming burden of saving humanity from catastrophe. Superman’s nemesis, General Zod, is joined by a diabolic partner in crime, Faora, in an attempt to undo the good bestowed on the world by Superman’s beloved mother, Lara. In the midst of his existential crisis, Superman meets Lois, an intrepid reporter whose interior strength matches the greatest of his powers.
Kassell (The Woodsman) » ACTORS Kate Hudson, Gael García Bernal, Kathy Bates
» IMDB RATING 6.1/10
A Little Bit of Heaven » GENRE
Crime/Drama
» DIRECTOR
Zal Batmanglij (Sound of My Voice)
» ACTORS
Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page
» IMDB RATING 6.9/10
The delightful Kate Hudson plays a young, up-and-coming publicist in New Orleans who has never believed in love. When she is unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious illness, her life is turned upside down and she finds the courage to embark on a love affair whose intensity challenges her to aspire to greater things.
16 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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What you see is what you get Do you like a banking partner that speaks to you frankly about, products and services? We do. Therefore, we believe in open communication: What you see is what you get, no hidden surprises.
Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. • Tel. +350 200 59205 • www.jyskebank.gi Jyske Bank (Gibraltar) Ltd. is licensed by the Financial Services Commission, Licence No. FSC 001 00B. Services and products are not available to everybody, for instance not to residents of the US.
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trend
ON THE 12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME…
BOOKS
A Good Book!
Marisa Cutillas brings you a selection of gift ideas you’ll be proud to place under your Christmas tree for the one you love.
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
I AM MALALA BY MALALA YOUSAFZAI WITH CHRISTINA LAMB Malala Yousafzai was a 15-year old girl in the Swat Valley, in Pakistan, who was riding the bus home from school one day when she was shot in the head. Her ‘sin’? Being a keen activist for the right to an education for girls in Pakistan. On her 16th birthday and after surviving several operations, deafness and facial paralysis, Malala faced the United Nations Youth Assembly in New York to share her story and to declare, “Here I stand, one girl among many. I raise my voice so that those without a voice can be heard”. I Am Malala is required reading for young women who may benefit from realising how something they take for granted or fail to value – their education – is a matter of life and death for countless women across the globe.
THE LONGEST RIDE
BY NICHOLAS SPARKS
Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook, is arguably the most successful romance writer of our time. Once again, he enchants us with his unique brand of sentimentality in his latest best-seller, The Longest Ride. The book begins when a 91-year-old man has a car accident and is stranded on an isolated embankment. Struggling to clear his mind from a blurry haze, he suddenly has visions of his wife, who passed away several years ago. Urging him to fight for his life, she forces him to remain awake by recalling stories of their life together – the moment they met, the magnificent art collection they built together, the devastating effects of WWII and their greatest moments of happiness.
CAMPER VANS, EX-PATS & SPANISH HOUNDS BY TANIA COATES AND SAM MORRIS
Camper Vans, Ex-pats & Spanish Hounds is the true story of how a couple travelling through Spain met a stray dog at the side of the road who would transform their lives completely, leading to the foundation of the UK branch of SOS Animals Spain. The book highlights the couple’s fascinating story and discusses some of the most oftabandoned dogs in Spain (the Spanish galgo and the podenco). Beautiful photos by Tania Coates capture the soul of too many dogs who simply need someone to love them forever. Interestingly, the book points out the role played by many overseas residents who adopt a dog, only to abandon the latter when they decide to return home. The book is at once a wake-up call and a wonderfully positive testimony to the power of change. All dogs deserve a loving home; that home could be yours. www.spanishhounds.com
THE HUSBAND’S SECRET
KILLING JESUS:
Cecilia Fitzpatrick is the perfect mother with the perfect house and the perfect marriage… until she finds and reads a letter from her husband, John-Paul, meant to be opened only upon his death. In the letter, she discovers a secret from his past that threatens to tumble the foundations of their marriage. Meanwhile, Tess O’Leary discovers that her husband Will and her best friend, Felicity, have fallen in love. Tess runs away to Sydney with her young son, where she meets up with her ex-boyfriend, Connor, a teacher at the school attended by Cecilia’s children. Rachel Crowley, the school secretary, believes that Connor murdered her daughter almost 30 years before. As the three women’s lives intertwine, the author challenges her readers to observe the subtle ways in which darkness can slowly spread across a community, conspiring to hide the many secrets that lie beneath the surface of perfection.
Millions of readers have read best-selling authors, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, two fast-paced works of non-fiction that have redefined our approach to modern history. Killing Jesus has likewise nabbed one of the top spots on The New York Times best-seller list, largely because it focuses on the murder of one of the most influential historical figures ever: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly two thousand years after this revered revolutionary was brutally assassinated by Roman soldiers, over 2 billion people worldwide still believe in His teachings and worship Him as God. Killing Jesus takes readers to the nucleus of the violent political and historical events that made his death inevitable – and dramatically changed world history.
BY LIANE MORIARTY
DOCTOR SLEEP BY STEPHEN KING
It’s taken 36 long years but at last, the long-awaited sequel to Stephen King’s The Shining has arrived. The book features some of the characters from the original story – such as Dan, the little boy who is now a middle-aged man desperately seeking to shed his father’s legacy of alcoholism, madness and destruction. Haunted by the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel, Dan seeks refuge by obtaining a job at a nursing home, where his remnant powers of ‘shining’ provide welcome comfort to the dying. He then meets Abra, a little girl whose ‘shining’ power is the brightest he has ever seen. Yet across America, a tribe of quasiimmortals called The True Knot are travelling in search of sustenance, which they obtain by sucking the “steam” the children with the “shining” produce. Dan must summon all his courage to protect Abra from a fate as traumatic as his own.
A HISTORY BY BILL O’REILLY AND MARTIN DUGARD
18 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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trend MUSIC
¿QUÉ PASA?
WORDS RIK FOXX
OLLY MURS reckons 2014 will be his year with a new album in the summer. If you missed him at the Gibraltar Music Festival last September and you don’t mind a late night, he has landed the prestigious American football Super Bowl halftime gig during the early hours of Monday February 3 (approx 1.15 AM CET). Last year, BEYONCE pulled a record audience of 117.8 million – three million more than actually watched the game itself and he will be expected to put a nought or two on the end of his bank account with the after show sales of his Right Place, Right Time album which was repackaged for the festive market last month.
But any hope the latter's estranged husband LIAM had of OASIS reforming have once again been shot down in flames by NOEL, who said: “If there is a reunion, I won’t be in it”. Reports have consistently appeared recently claiming the band would get back together to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Definitely Maybe, which shot them to fame in 1994. ITV has signed a new £140 million three-year deal for the Y (as in why?) Factor franchise. They are also interested in serialising a biopic of the HAPPY MONDAYS front man SHAUN RYDER based on his autobiography Twisting My Melon. And they will broadcast this year’s Brit Awards on February 19 with the ARCTIC MONKEYS and KATY PERRY 'live' – the show is always delayed by a few minutes just in case any ‘incidents’ occur – and with MILEY CYRUS expected to be on the bill… Talking of bank accounts, MEL B must need to SPICE hers up as she is being her scary self trying to press gang the rest of the GIRLS into a 20th anniversary tour. But guess who’s not interested? Yes –the one who has the most to smile about but hardly ever does. After her recent Australia-only released single flopped, GERI certainly won’t say no. Another former girlie group who are on the road to a reunion are ALL SAINTS as special guests on the BACKSTREET BOYS forthcoming UK tour. The girls originally broke up 13 years ago after SHAZNAY LEWIS and MEL BLATT grew tired of the party-loving antics of the APPLETON sisters NATALIE and NICOLE.
Meanwhile, the BBC’s The Voice is back this month with the KAISER CHIEFS frontman RICKY WILSON on the coaching panel. His band have lined up concerts in Madrid (Feb 14) and Barcelona (Feb 15) to promote their forthcoming album, Education, Education, Education & War, which lands on March 31.
GARY BARLOW is expecting a busy 2014 and TAKE THAT are back to work this month to start on their seventh album. It’s not yet known if ROBBIE WILLIAMS will be invited to join them in the studio. CHARLIE SIMPSON may not be part of the much hyped MCBUSTED venture but he will still pocket a six-figure sum from the super group alliance due to a contractual agreement made some years ago. Instead, he will concentrate on his own solo project as it looks like the FIGHTSTAR hiatus, announced in 2010, shows no sign of finishing.
Last spring, BRIAN MAY told the world the mythical MICHAEL JACKSON / FREDDIE MERCURY recordings would soon surface – instead, he spent the whole summer protecting badgers. Well now they are have gone underground for the winter he is turning his attentions back to the said tracks plus a possible new batch of vocals laid down by the deceased QUEEN singer.
BBC’s Sound of 2014 list has been compiled and favourites include US hip-hopper, CHANCE THE RAPPER plus UK singers SAM SMITH and CHLOE HOWL. The annual list asks a selection of those ‘in the know’ to name the new acts worth looking out for during 2014. Radio One will announce the winner on January 10. Last year’s winners were US siblings HAIM whose debut LP topped the UK and USA charts last October – other past winners include ADELE, 50 CENT, JESSIE J, and KEANE.
The Blurred Lines court case is getting more blurred after the family of MARVIN GAYE have upped the lawsuit against ROBIN THICKE and PHARRELL WILLIAMS claiming they have stolen elements of another three recordings from the late Motown legend. In last month’s Spanish issue, we informed that due to his antics of late, BIEBER is now on the radar of a certain US government department. Also on his case is his mother who is far from happy with his behaviour – but could he soon become last year’s model? Sony Music are said to be putting all their power behind a new kid on the block – ELYAR FOX. This 18 year-old London born pretty boy is being promoted for the young girl market and his debut single, Do It All Over Again drops on January 12. e 20 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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trend MOTORING
JAGUAR
WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAGUAR
XKR-S 2+2 SPORTS COUPÉ
Jaguar’s much-lauded F-Type has (with some justification) been getting most of the attention lately, but we mustn’t forget the svelte and speedy XKR-S model, which is the fastest road car the British automaker has ever built. It appears almost trackready with its predatory looks and drives that way too with a supercharged V-8 offering an amazing 550-horsepower plus handling that only a racing driver would be able to fully exploit. It packs in all the luxury and refinement you’d expect from a Jaguar and also lots of careful detailing to emphasise its performance heritage. Jaguar’s XK coupés are among the most stylish and coveted 2+2 sportsters available today and the ‘S’ is just about top-of-the-line, though there’s a GT model – not available in all markets – which takes the desirability level a notch higher.
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he aluminium-bodied XK is a great-looking car that in my view, recaptures the aura of the old and much loved E-Type rather better than the F-Type does – especially with regard to the Coupé. It’s a very sleek and sensuous shape that has been around for a few years now, but still turns heads. The XKR-S coupé (the one I tested for ) has one or two subtle aerodynamic add-ons and like all ‘R’ Jaguars, has a nifty vintage-style black mesh grille up front. It’s quite large by sports car standards and not the easiest car on the planet to park, but of course, it does have a four-seat configuration and reasonable luggage space. While the XKR-S has a host of upgrades to set it apart from its humbler XK stablemates, the heart of this car is undoubtedly the drivetrain. The 5.0-litre supercharged V-8 really makes this car fly and a
dab on the accelerator brings a real kick in the back. Exhilarating is hardly the word – it’s a thrill every time you decide to take off briskly. Best of all, it’s very smooth and quiet, befitting a car in this class. If the F-Type is a real street fighter, this one is at its best on long, fast runs in the true ‘grand touring’ tradition. The 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifter override is silky and seamless and believe me, you’ll never shift a manual box as fast as this one. In many respects, manual transmissions are more a nostalgia choice these days and with many performance car ranges (Mercedes-Benz AMG is a good example), you can’t get one anyway. Jaguar’s automatic transmission selector is probably the best in the industry and very easy to use. Start the car with its push-button and an easy-to-grasp
round knurled knob glides out of the centre console. Turn the knob to the mode you need – drive, reverse or whatever – and you’re up and running. This is certainly one of those ‘why don’t all cars have this’ systems that really grows on you. Going back to an ‘old fashioned’ clunky lever seems a step back every time I take back a Jag and test some other make. Another welcome innovation is Jaguar’s ‘Active Front Lighting’ which involves dynamic pivoting headlamps and cornering lamps that react to the car’s speed and steering input. Amazingly, the system can deflect the headlamp beams by 15-degrees to light up tight corners – a great asset when driving at night on unfamiliar, twisty, roads. Handling is well up to the power of the engine, aided by massive 20-inch wheels shod with wide, grippy tires. The brakes – with red calipers that show through the spokes – haul the car down from speed with reassuring precision. The car has rearwheel drive in conventional fashion but one wonders whether Jaguar will one day adopt all-wheel drive for this model.
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The cockpit is a wonderful place to go to work with its fine leather trim and beautifully finished controls. As you might expect, there’s a lot of tradition being drawn on in the interior design of any Jaguar, but naturally, every current aid to safe and enjoyable motoring is included. The front seats (with 16-way power!) have substantial side bolstering to keep the occupants in place during enthusiastic driving and the leather displays appropriate R-S logos. Cockpit ambiance is very satisfying, but everything’s in the right place and it’s an easy car to get to know quickly. There’s a big touch screen on the dash for satellite navigation and various other functions. The idea is to reduce switch clutter in the cockpit and it certainly tidies everything up a little. The touch screen can be used to control an iPod or other brand of MP3 player. The car itself boasts a Bowers & Wilkins sound system of surprising tone and quality. A 525-watt system, it features some very advanced audio electronics to enhance sound quality. Since the car is very quiet, even at high
speeds, it’s easy to listen to the sound system with the volume turned quite low. Another feature of the touch screen is a rear view camera, which shows a great wide-angle view of what’s located behind the car when reversing. This can be a lifesaver, as well as a way to avoid hazards like pillars in underground parking spaces. This is another of those modern conveniences that once tried, is very difficult to do without. There are also audible warnings front and rear to use when parking. Your car will stay in great shape a lot longer with this kind of help! For long days covering widely varying terrain at a good pace, there are few sports cars at any price that are better than this Jaguar. It’s very fairly priced given its performance, level of luxury, comfort and safety and to steal a quote from a colleague, the Jaguar XKR-S is without any doubt ‘achingly desirable.’ e
Z ENGINE 5.0-litre supercharged V-8, 550-horsepower. Z TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic with manual mode. Z ACCELERATION Zero to 100 km/h in approx 4.4-seconds. Z TOP SPEED Approx. 300 km/h. Z I LIKED Still the best-looking Jaguar of them all. Very fast and with excellent handling and poise. Roomy interior for a 2+2 and decent luggage space. In XKR-S form, a reasonablypriced car that almost breaks into the ‘supercar’ segment. A very desirable 2+2 and confirmation that Jaguar hasn’t lost any of its legendary sports car knowhow. Z I DIDN’T LIKE A little large for a sports car and thus not the easiest car in its class to park. All-wheel drive would be nice, though the car lays the power down very well indeed. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES Mercedes-Benz CLClass, BMW 6 Series, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi RS 5, Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale. Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Buyers who want exhilarating performance and head-turning good looks – plus a prestige nameplate – at a very reasonable price. Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY Available now at around €120.000.
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trend ELECTRONICS
PEBBLE SMARTWATCH: Pebble is a stylish
new watch that puts important apps on your wrist and notifies you of important emails, texts and calls, so you don’t have to open your iPad or pull your phone out in the middle of an important meeting. One of the coolest aspects of the watch is that you can personalise it, opting for a serious, funky or futuristic look as you wish. i www.getpebble.com
FITBIT FLEX: These contemporary styled wrist bands feature a
special technology which allows you to track activity, calories burned, sleep, water, body mass, weight and more. It also continuously syncs all information received to your computer and smartphone, offering real-time access to your progress. i www.fitbit.com
PENTAX MX-1: The smartphone market may be seriously
hindering the success of the camera market, but companies like Pentax are certainly stepping up their game, with cameras that are techsavvy and stylish at once. This gorgeous retro-inspired device boasts a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor and a fast f/1.8-f/2.5 lens. i www.pentax.com
LIVESCRIBE ECHO SMARTPEN:
This chic looking pen records audio while you scribble, permitting you to save interactive notes to your iPad, iPhone or computer via USB. The pen’s memory stores between 400 and 800 hours of audio, depending on the model you choose. i www.livescribe.com
PANASONIC BONE CONDUCTION HEADPHONES:
This nifty looking set of wireless headphones doesn’t rely on your ears like normal headphones – rather, it transmits sound waves directly through your cheekbones, so you can watch TV or listen to your favourite sounds without bothering the rest of the family! i www.panasonic.com
Six Hot New Tech Gadgets
for 2014
Although it is human nature to lament the passage of time, every day brings new discoveries, especially in the world of technologies. Marisa Cutillas brings you a list of hot new gadgets that will make life in 2014 more practical, entertaining and magical than it has ever been. ILUV IMM747 AUDIO CUBE: This good looking speaker dock comprises two cube-shaped speakers and sliding docking wall, which accommodates most iPads, iPods and iPhones. i www.iluv.com
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local
CULTURE / HISTORY / FEATURES / FAMOUS PEOPLE / INTERVIEWS / HUMOUR
There’s much ado on the horizon with the forthcoming Caleta Hotel’s Tradewise Chess Festival and the Sunshine Tour equestrian showjumping competition. Get into shape this New Year with fitness sessions at Gibraltar’s top gyms. We also hope you enjoy our interviews with Gibraltarian modelling sensation, Gina Monteverde, and Nhean Haynes de Domecq, who serves up Gibraltar’s rich history on a platter.
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The Caleta Hotel’s Tradewise Chess Festival
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The Sunshine Tour Equestrian Extravagana
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The Ocean Village & Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa
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Cover Model: Gina Monteverde
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THE LOCAL chess festival
Checkmate on the Rock Pawn star – Norwegian Odin Blikra Vea has played in the Gibraltar Chess Festival every year since 2003
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ZELJKA MALOBABIC
Chess Professionals for the last two years. What makes it so popular? The money helps. This year’s total prize pot of £165,000 makes it Gibraltar’s richest competitive event. It’s also one of the most valuable in the world for women players – there are ten cash prizes totalling over £40,000 up for grabs. This year’s top female player will go home £15,000 better off. The Mediterranean location is another bonus, along with the slick, behind-the-scenes organisation that unites a disparate group of people speaking many different languages. The tournament also attracts the attention of fans thousands of miles away. Last year, the official website received 150 million hits and 600,000 unique visits from spectators the length and breadth of the globe, from Reykjavik to Rajasthan. Seemingly, no sight in Gibraltar – not siege
tunnel tours, nor Barbary macaques – gets quite so many worked up during such a short window as watching the world’s chess superstars move 32 wooden figures around a 64-squared black and white board. That’s the power of niche marketing and for the government, keen to increase visitors to the Rock through event-led tourism, it’s a no-brainer. It’s a nice winter money-earner for the Caleta Hotel, too. “Last year, 180 guests stayed at the hotel for 11 or 12 nights – more room nights than we get the entire year from our bestperforming tour operator,” says General Manager Franco Ostuni. And despite the brilliant opening gambits, maverick manoeuvres and edgy endgames that will be recorded in the annals of chess history over the coming 10 days, the award for cleverest move of all must go to the Caleta’s owner, Brian Callaghan, who dreamed up the event.
© www.peppermintcreate.com
here’s no ball involved, it usually takes place indoors on carpet and you can play it for hours on end while sitting down drinking coffee! It’s only a glorified board game yet the International Olympic Committee recognises chess as a sport; albeit a sport played by 20,000 chess club members in Britain alone that’s a national obsession in some countries, like Armenia. But there’s got to be something special about an event that brings over 300 players from 50+ countries to the Rock of Gibraltar in winter, including the serious money earners – the human Kings and Queens of the chess board who go under the impressive title of Grandmasters. From promising beginnings in 2003, the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival has been named World’s Best Open by the Association of
The eyes of the chess world will be fixed on Gibraltar this month when Grandmasters and ambitious amateurs fly into town to play mind games on opposite sides of a chequered board. The Caleta Hotel’s Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival (January 27-February 6) has become the sport’s top Open event. Chess ingénue Belinda Beckett finds out why
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“Brian has been the driving force,” says Franco modestly, although he has also been involved from the outset and, like Brian, plays chess as a hobby. “He wanted to create an event that could fill hotel rooms in a low occupancy month when the weather can’t be guaranteed. We considered all kinds of ideas but chess ticked all the boxes. Not only are these tournaments played as Opens rather than knockouts, which means that every competitor stays for the whole event, chess also has an educational aspect. Today every school in Gibraltar has a chess club,” he says proudly. “But the idea really took shape after we visited the Hastings Chess Congress, the oldest tournament in the world which has been played since the 1920s. The sky was grey, the welcome chilly. We decided Gibraltar could do better!” With support from the government, Brian secured sponsorship from some of Gibraltar’s elite companies: Gibtelecom, Deloitte, Saccone & Speed, to name a few. All have remained loyal to the event, year on year, with new businesses queuing up to come on board and Coca Cola signed this year.
The debut Gibtelecom Gibraltar Chess Festival, back in 2003, attracted 85 entrants from 30 countries – not bad for an opener. “Last year we had just short of 300 entries from 51 countries and this year it looks as if we’ll be oversubscribed,” says Franco. The 2014 Festival will cost £230,000 to stage but the return on investment will be huge for Gibraltar. One happy snap of Anna Muzychuk from Slovenia or Zhao Xue from China interacting with a monkey will be next day’s headline news in the Ljubljana and Beijing dailies, to say nothing of the hundreds of new tourists from those countries who may come on their summer holidays to have their own picture taken in the same spot. Anna and Xue are the 4th and 5th best women players in world and they’re coming to the tournament this year, along with Grandmasters ranked in the World Top 20. “You simply can’t buy that kind of publicity,” says Tournament Director Stuart Conquest. Among the top Grandmasters in the men’s
Chess on the rocks – (l-r) Guardian journalist Stephen Moss, players Mariya Muzychuk and Jovana Vojinovic with Festival Director Stuart Conquest
game headed for Gibraltar are Michael Adams, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and last year’s tournament winner, Nikita Vitiugov, who are 14th, 16th and 17th in the world respectively; British No. 2 and one-time World No. 3, Nigel Short; and 14-year-old Chinese chess prodigy Wei Yi, who became the world’s youngest GM this year. They will all be competing in the 10-round Gibraltar Masters for the £20,000 winner’s prize. But they probably won’t be unhappy to walk away with £14,000 or £12,000 for second or third place or, indeed, any of the Masters’ 12 cash prizes. It’s not all about the pros and GMs. As an Open, amateurs of all ages can compete in the Masters (held in the afternoons), pitting their wits against their heroes on the other side of the table. They can also win money in their own hugely popular morning competitions, divided into Challengers (players with a national rating of under 2250) and Amateurs (under 1900). To put that in context, an outright beginner might be 1200 and their rating goes up or down as they win and lose games; the current World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, is rated over 2850.
“One 12-yearold Spanish girl attended the very first tournament before she was born, go figure”
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Sometimes entire families take part. “This year a father and son from Canada will be playing, alongside siblings, several married couples including a British couple in their 80s attending for the first time, and 12 year-old Anna Cramling Bellon from Spain, who attended the very first tournament before she was born, go figure!” laughs Stuart. “She was still in the womb when her parents played at the inaugural event and she’s been playing in it herself since she was six,” he explains. At £80 to enter – low for a tournament of this calibre and waived for all Caleta guests – it’s a family holiday with a chance for everyone to meet the game’s superstars and win money. Players
Ju Wenjun (China)
Tania Sachdev (India)
Light relief – Festival Director Stuart Conquest with Anna Cramling Bellon at Europa Point
They’re assumed to have high IQs and Mensa minds but chess players can also be among the most disorganised people in the world, laments Stuart Conquest with a rueful smile. Luckily the Director of the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival is a Grandmaster because bringing players to Gibraltar from the other side of the world sometimes requires more skill and tactics than the game of chess itself! “Away from the game, there seems to be a complete absence of the chess-playing mentality,” laughs the 2008 British Champion. “There’s always someone who has forgotten to book their accommodation, missed their flight connection or lost their luggage. As for visas, don’t get me started! Chess players are last-minute people, which can make the endgame of getting 300 people through the front door quite scary at times. This year, as well as 10 competitors from India we’ve had enquiries from players in Mongolia, Zambia, Kazakhstan and the Philippines and they’ll need visas too!” Although it’s commonly believed that chess players are
don’t even have to invest in a chess set as the Caleta provides them. The action takes place in a competition suite isolated from the hustle and bustle of the hotel, where a strict rule of silence is observed. Mobile phones must be switched off and even clocks aren’t allowed to tick! Fortunately, the digital chess clocks are soundless. Games are conducted under the beady eyes of a team of arbiters, with three minutes the average time spent on a move (though in a complex position a player may spend an hour or more)! A typical game lasts four hours but can go on for much longer. The world record is over 20 hours. While cameras concealed in the ceiling record
Russian-born Artur Yusupov is a highly-respected chess trainer
their every move, spectators are welcome to watch top games free on screens in the hotel, or from their own mobile devices. Live video streaming and expert commentary will be relayed globally in English and Spanish from the Caleta’s hi-tech webcasting suite. British GM Simon Williams will return to talk spectators through the action this year, joined by Russian-born American Irina Krush, a newly-conferred GM ranked 18th in the world and four times winner of the US Women’s Chess Championship. Visitors will also assuredly spot some of the big-name players who will be conducting Master Classes when they are not ensconced in their rooms or a quiet corner of the lounge, working on their game plan.
2014 Women’s European Champion Sophie Milliet (France) Hoang Thanh Trang
Jack Van Zyl-Rudd (South Africa)
‘Stu the Fox’ Conquest’s Endgame logical, ‘left-brained’ thinkers, Stuart has his own theory. “I think there’s a lot of creativity to chess – I certainly never liked maths or the sciences – and creatives are infamous for being a bit chaotic.” This year there will also be border problems to contend with, and Stuart has advised players not to bring their cars across. At least he can keep track of them via the internet. Chess players are very socially networked, stemming from the popularity of online chess. Stuart is an avid Twitter fan – check him out @stuthefox! A Festival commentator since its inception, chosen for his knowledge of the game and fluency in Spanish, Stuart was appointed Director four years ago. Last year he moved from his home in La Rioja to become Gibraltar’s first professional Community Chess Leader, an appointment backed by Gibtelecom, Tradewise, and the government’s Sports and Leisure Authority. So when he’s not dealing with festival matters he’s promoting chess throughout the community, with special emphasis on schools. He also organises the five-day Junior International Chess Festival in Gibraltar which celebrated its third year last August, attracting 120 competitors. “People come from all over. One mother travelled all the way from New York with her son, daughter and Chinese nanny.” Stuart learned chess from his father around the time of the ‘Match of the Century’ in Reykjavik, 1972, when American Bobby Fischer captured the World Championship from Russian Boris Spassky. Played at the
height of the Cold War, it was headline news for months, boosting the popularity of the game worldwide. When Stuart met Spassky in Gibraltar in 2010 they reminisced about Fischer, who had died two years previously. “Spassky opened his wallet and took out a picture of the American player which he has carried with him since Bobby’s death, which was touching.” While chess doesn’t seem very sporty, Fischer paid special attention to his physical fitness and often swam or played tennis to prepare for a game. Today many players follow his lead. “Every player has their own method but the really good players have a sixth sense that helps them to win,” says Stuart. Although patience is a virtue, as is being a good sport, timing is crucial. “Most people can work out how to save a key piece but in some positions, you might have four or five different choices,” says Stuart. “If you take too long then you could run out of time when you need to make that one critical move.” Sometimes the element of surprise wins. “There’s the famous case of Britain’s first GM, Tony Miles, from Birmingham, who was facing World Champion Anatoly Karpov in a match between England and the Soviet Union,” recalls Stuart. “Almost as a joke, Miles made a really dumb reply to Karpov’s opening move. It was so provocative and eccentric that it threw Karpov off his game and Miles won a famous victory. That crazy move has now become a classic itself, known as the Birmingham Defence!”
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Life’s a beach – winter sunshine is a big attraction for players
Chess Trivia
There’s time for light relief, players take it particularly too. Stuart Conquest and his seriously, going to bed early team have devised a host of and using the mornings to chess-themed activities, from plan their tactics,” says Stuart. Former Gibraltar Governor, Sir Adrian Johns with Brian Callaghan, founding five-minute Blitz matches “Every competitive game that’s father of the Gibraltar chess festival and team games to a Battle been played and every move of the Sexes, played out with in those games is held on vast giant chess pieces on the Caleta ballroom floor. There databases they can check out to plan their strategy, are chess boards all over the hotel so non-competitors and they do!” can play for fun. They could almost play on the hotel’s But the majority come to enjoy the vibe and, marble floor which is laid in a chequered pattern, if they’re lucky, Mediterranean sunshine too, in the although that’s just coincidence. If a change of scene company of like-minded people. “In chess, there’s is required, there are excursions around Gibraltar no language barrier,” says Stuart. “Chinese can play and, after this year’s closing gala dinner, everyone can Scandinavians and Russians can play French with show off their sexier moves at the Chess Disco. perfect understanding. The moves on the board are Well, perhaps not everyone. “The professional the conversation!”
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Masters of the game
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»» There are more books written about chess than any other sport on the planet. »» The final of the 2013 World Chess Championship which saw 22-year-old Norwegian Magnus Carlsen win against Indian Viswanathan Anand for a $3million prize was watched by an estimated 200 million online viewers daily. »» Before he rose to movie stardom, Humphrey Bogart used to hustle 5-minute chess at 50 cents a game in New York chess parlours. »» The Sicilian, the French Defence, the Hedgehog and the Evans are different styles of opening gambit, usually named after the nationality or name of the player who invented it. Competitors often begin with one of these ‘tried-and-tested’ strategies to gets things off to a flying start. »» Chess probably evolved from a 6th century Indian game which used infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariotry to represent the pieces we know today as pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks. »» Women’s equality came to chess at the end of the 10th century when the Queen replaced the original Vizier, although she didn’t become the most powerful piece on the board until the 15th century. »» Early chess tournaments began by post with Correspondence Matches between cities. Today’s internet Chess Servers allow people to find and play opponents all over the world. »» Blindfold chess was played quite early on in the history of chess, reaching a peak with the extraordinary skills demonstrated by masters such as Blackburne, Steinitz, Morphy, Pillsbury and Alekhine, who took on multiple ‘seeing’ opponents in grand style. »» In 1997, an IBM computer called Deep Blue won a chess match against a reigning World Champion for the first time, scoring two wins, one loss, and three draws against Russian Garry Kasparov. »» In 2011, Iranian Grand Master Ehsan Ghaem-Maghami played against 604 players in 25 hours, a Guinness World Record for the highest number of simultaneous chess opponents.
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1 Ukranian Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk 2 Reigning Women’s World Chess Champion Hou Yifan from China 3 Russian-born American Grandmaster Irina Krush will talk spectators through the action 4 At 82, Russian-born Viktor Korchnoi (left, foreground) is the most senior Grandmaster on the circuit 5 Top female player Zhao Xue from China and overall winner Nikita Vitiugov from Russia at the 2013 prize-giving
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THE LOCAL sunshine tour
The Montenmedio Sunshine Tour An Equine Extravaganza
Once a year, the international show jumping fraternity descends on a quiet corner of southern Spain for the Sunshine Tour, Europe’s biggest winter equestrian competition. The action takes place at Dehesa Montenmedio in Vejer, a curious hybrid of equestrian centre, natural park, golf course and surreal al fresco art gallery, as Belinda Beckett reports. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DEHESA MONTENMEDIO, JON SEGUI AND DAVID CUSSEN
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ext month (Feb), 1,400 blue-blooded horses and 450 riders from 46 countries will meet up at Dehesa Montenmedio Equestrian Centre for Spain’s equivalent of Britain’s Badminton Horse Trials: El Circuito Hípico del Sol, to give it its original Spanish name although it’s known internationally as the Sunshine Tour. Inspired by former Welsh World Show Jumping Champion David Broome, and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the cream of the equestrian world will compete over five weeks in the Olympic sport of show jumping for a six-figure prize pot. Sponsored by big names like Coca Cola, Cruzcampo, Tio Pepe and the Junta de Andalucía, it’s not just the equestrian world that gets excited about this welcome boost for winter tourism. The Sunshine Tour spreads a warm glow all round, bringing some 3,500 spectators to Cádiz province during the low season and employing around 140 local staff. Resorts along the Costa de la Luz and the nearby white village of Vejer de la Frontera all stand to benefit.
Even if you’re not a ‘horsey person’, the spectacle of the event and the beauty of the location is not to be missed! Ten kilometres from the coast, hidden in a woodland of pine trees off the Tarifa-to-Cádiz road, Montenmedio Equestrian Centre is the largest in Europe and offers five-star equine luxury: 1,300 horse boxes, 250 tack rooms, 22 grass and sand arenas for show jumping, dressage and carriage driving competitions, a 60-hectare cross-country park for two-day eventing, a veterinary clinic, an optical fibre system for filming, wifi zones… It has the wow factor for spectators, too. Some 20km of private roads meander beneath cork oaks and umbrella pines to the green wellie set’s idea of heaven: an elegant golf and country club, a four-star cortijo hotel where strutting peacocks flash jewel-coloured fantails in the grounds, extraordinary art installations exhibited in the open countryside, a Paintball arena, quad bikes trails and polo fields – all laid out in an area 30 times the size of Lords Cricket Ground!
For the original owner, Antonio Blázquez (no mean horseman and golfer himself), it was the realisation of a dream to open “a unique and special tourist destination that brings together nature, culture, sports and dining.” Blázquez has sold off all but the equestrian centre and his daughter Teresa, who has competed at international level herself, has taken over the reins, organising events that have included last summer’s European Ch/J/YR Show Jumping Championships and the Andalusian Carriage Driving Championships, held earlier this winter. “David Broome, who was the trainer of Britain’s show-jumping team at the time, gave my father the idea of organising a new international jumping tour in Spain during the winter, using the climate as the main attraction,” says Teresa. “Riders from colder snow-bound countries in northern Europe who would otherwise have to practise in indoor arenas can use the Tour to train for next season’s competitions here.”
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Action at last summer’s European Ch/J/ YR Show Jumping Championships
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“The Sunshine Tour spreads a warm glow all round, bringing some 3,500 spectators to Cádiz province during the low season”
From small beginnings in 1995, the Sunshine Tour has raised the bar of equestrian sport in Spain to become the most important competition on the European winter calender. This year’s 20th anniversary event, held from February 18 to March 23, will once again attract a championship field of competitors, among them Steve Guerdat from Switzerland, Individual Jumping gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, and Cian O’Connor from Ireland who took bronze. With trials held from Tuesday to Sunday during the first four weeks (and over seven days during the final week), competitors have free time to explore the local sights. That’s if they can tear themselves away from the treasures of Montenmedio. Sevi Ballesteros described
Montenmedio’s 18-hole golf course as one “no golfer should miss,” and the view of Vejer de la Frontera from the first hole – a scattering of white cubist houses on a distant hilltop – is a compelling reason to take up the sport; another is that there’s no one leaning over their garden gate to photograph your lousy swing at one of the only non-urbanised golf courses in Spain. The lakes are not just water hazards for golfers but form part of an ecosystem that’s home to an impressive variety of wildlife. Deer, fenced off in the forest, are hard to spot but wild geese and ducks, pheasant, partridges, wood pigeons and rabbits all have the freedom of this fairway to heaven (probably much to the chagrin of the green keepers). The clubhouse is super-swanky and the word ‘hallowed’ springs to mind. (If you’re bringing the kids, keep them
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1 Branching out. Tree sculpture by MP y MP Rosado 2 Truck stop! Fuente by Fernando Sánchez Castillo © G. Hermans 3 Washing line? Planesone Duty Free by Pascale Marthine Tayou 4 Statuesque horse. El Héroe by Marina Abramovic © TheMahler.com
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4 Montenmedio is hidden in pine groves off the Tarifa-to-Cádiz road
away from the ornaments!) In the garden, a magnificent centenary oak tree spreads its shade over the lawns. But the open air museum run by the NMAC Foundation is the most fascinating aspect of Montenmedio. If you’ve ever wanted to step into a Salvador Dalí painting, this is the surreal thing: a pine forest filled with unexpected sculptures concealed in the tangle of greenery that announce their presence by gushing water or playing music as you approach. If you don’t like shocks, tread carefully… There are further surprising installations constructed in Nissan huts. To find them, simply follow the trail marked out by yellow sculptural mushrooms. NMAC showcases the photography, videos and architectural fantasies of some 40 international artists, including Serbian-born Marina Abramovic, known as ‘the grandmother of performance art’ whose work follows an equestrian theme. Every installation has been assembled in situ by local technicians to each artist’s specification, then left alone for Mother Nature to embellish. The delights of Montenmedio can be enjoyed all year round but the Sunshine Tour brings it all to life for a perfect family day out in the countryside. i www.sunshinetour.net www.montenmediogolf.com www.fundacionnmac.org
“If you’ve ever wanted to step into a Salvador Dalí painting, the NMAC Foundation’s al fresco art installations are the surreal thing”
Montenmedio Equestrian Centre, overlooked by the village of Vejer
A-maze-ing! Second Wind by James Turrell
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THE LOCAL fitness
The Clubs that Make
FITNESS ROCK So the Christmas cake’s finished, the turkey’s soup and every glossy lifestyle magazine you read is telling you it’s time for a New Year reality check. Yawn? That’s what couch potato Belinda Beckett thought until she headed down to Atlantic Suites & Ocean Village Health Clubs to see whether 2014 could be the year she makes a fitness resolution she’s likely to keep.
Working out at the Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa
PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI AND COURTESY OF ATLANTIC SUITES HEALTH CLUB & SPA
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et’s get one thing straight: I’m not a gym joiner. Mention the words ‘Health Club’ to me and I run a mile in the opposite direction. Well, it’s one way of keeping fit! Anyway, I’m not out of shape. Round is a shape. The last time I went to a Health Club it was full of lip-glossed women in pink leotards flaunting gymslim figures on mechanical instruments of torture, and toned men on rowing machines. I don’t object to the toned men but I don’t look my best in my baggy tracksuit. So when I was invited on a mini tour of Gibraltar’s Atlantic Suites and Ocean Village Health Clubs – the swankiest gyms on The Rock – I expected to see more of the same. The instruments of torture are there in even
greater array – cardio machines, cross-trainers, treadmills, weight benches, exercise bikes… But guess what? Baggy tracksuits are back in fashion, pink is passé and some of the members were my age at least! The eclectic membership here reflects a general trend in the fitness industry globally. A decade ago, gyms were dominated by 18-34-yearold fitness diehards, but child obesity and the older generation’s desire to age gracefully has made keeping fit less of an elitist obsession and more of a relaxed family affair. “Over the last five years we’ve become much busier with a broader age range of members, from 16 to 60-plus, many of them joining a gym for the first time,” says Sarah Deboos, Sales, Marketing and Operations Manager. Sarah looks reassuringly normal – not coat hanger skinny but with curves in all the right places, as opposed to mine, which are in all the wrong places, although I’m not alone there. In 2012, a damning government report on the state of the resident population’s health highlighted: Z 60% of Gibraltarians clinically overweight or obese Z 75% of locals not eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day – a significantly worse figure than in England and Wales Z 29% of the population still smoking
Z 31% of young people binge drinking at least once a week Even Health Minister Dr John Cortes admitted he needed to shed a few pounds, commenting: “We have to change the way we live. The health of our community is not good and we suffer the effects of many of the illnesses of an affluent Western society.” Gibraltarians must have taken his message to heart because an impressive 30 local businesses have taken out corporate memberships at one or other of the clubs, allowing staff to keep fit at a subsidised rate. Perhaps it’s not out of pure altruism; studies show that a healthy and active workforce can reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and boost staff morale. It’s a win-win situation where everyone’s ‘bottom line’ benefits! Making fitness fun has been identified as one of the best ways to get people out of their bad habits and back into the gym but I’ll need some convincing to give up my lunchtime beer and sandwich in the sunshine. “Maybe not when you see our swimming pool,” says Sarah, taking me out onto a rooftop between the tower blocks of Europort to see something I never expected: a garden in the sky! We cross a manicured lawn dotted with sun loungers and umbrellas and shaded by palm trees and banana plants to a turquoise pool sliced into the cliff. Beyond, yachts, oil tankers and giant container ships bob at anchor
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Spinning is all the rage in Gibraltar
The pool at the Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa
in the bay. It’s so peaceful, yet we’re in the heart of Gibraltar’s business district. “It’s exclusively for members who can enjoy the tranquility and top up their tans as it’s a real sun trap – we like to call it Gibraltar’s best kept secret,” says Sarah, surprising me again when she tells me that both clubs are non-profit making. The philanthropist behind these unusual health clubs will be a name familiar to anyone who keeps an eye on Forbes’ Rich List: Mike Balfour, founder of Fitness First, the world’s largest gym chain. I’ve never heard of a private Health Club that doesn’t want to make a fast extra buck from its classes and smoothie bars and work-out CDs but every penny of profit goes to charity, Sarah assures me. “Since we opened, we’ve supported Save the Children and helped to open schools in Kingston & Rwanda. This year we’ve adopted Gibraltar’s Guardian Angels Foundation and our profits will be funding a project for new premature baby incubators for the hospital.” Atlantic Suites and Ocean Village Health Clubs both opened in 2008 – something of a stellar year for fitness on The Rock as the government unveiled Kings Bastion Leisure Centre, with its own well-equipped gym, almost simultaneously. The two private clubs have even had refurbishments this summer and now boast 45 new Life Fitness cardio machines with integrated British and Spanish satellite TV.
The idea of working out while catching up on the news or your favourite soap sounds appealing but the Power Plate is more up my street – an amazing cellulite-busting machine that vibrates your flab like a jelly without you having to do much work at all. No sweat! Although most clubs charge to use this costly piece of equipment, here it’s included in the membership fee. As are all the classes! There’s a long menu including gentle aerobics and aerotone, energetic Power Blast and Pilates, Boxercise (a non-contact martial art fitness programme), vigorous Ashtanga yoga, as practised by Madonna and LBT – not a variation on a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich but a routine for your Legs, Bum and Tum that contains no calories at all! When you consider that the average annual spend of failed fitness enthusiasts signing up for classes they never attend comes in at £987.31, it can be quite a saving. “With an average of six people per class, it’s a nice way to focus on your individual strengths and goals with others around to support you,” adds Sarah. Nor do you have to lock yourself into costly 12-month membership contracts. You can sign up for a month, a week, weekend-only use and there are discounts for offpeak membership. Statistically, most people’s fitness resolutions rarely last beyond three months, but these guys won’t let you throw in the towel that easily. Slogans pinned to the notice board remind members that
The technologically savvy Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa
‘Motivation gets you started, Habit keeps you going’ and ‘Don’t make excuses, make progress’. Z HAVING NO TIME IS NOT AN EXCUSE. If you can’t spare an hour to work out with a Personal Trainer, a half-hour express session can be just as rewarding. Z HAVING TO WORK IS NOT AN EXCUSE. For the convenience of the many shift workers in Gibraltar’s online gaming industry, the clubs open
The weights are at the Ocean Village Health Club
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Gibraltar’s leading instructors lead you on the road to ultimate fitness
How to Commit to Keeping Fit
from 6.30am-10.30pm on weekdays, 10am-8pm at weekends, and only closes on Christmas Day. ZZ Having a hot date later is not an excuse. You can hang up your little black dress or Armani jacket in L-shaped lockers specifically designed for the purpose, avail yourself of free shampoo and conditioner in the individual showers, use the bank of hairdryers and titivate in the well-lit mirrors. There are His and Hers saunas too. The changing rooms are so superbly equipped, they must have been designed by a woman! It’s all part of a cunning plan to keep you coming back on a regular basis and, as added incentive, there are lots of freebies: DVDs you can take home provided you return them within 48 hours, a Wi Fi area and unlimited use of the Internet on the Clubs’ computers.
Which club to choose? If leisure is your pleasure, the Atlantic Suites spa gives this club the edge. The scent of sandalwood and ginger pervades this candlelit sanctuary where Buddha ornaments add a touch of Eastern promise. Qualified therapists will transport you into a state of Zen with a range of treatments to relax and rejuvenate. You can have your body wrapped, scrubbed, polished, spray-tanned or soothed with aroma stone therapy, your face massaged, cleansed
We asked the clubs’ three personal trainers, Catherine, Ky and Gema, for their top tips on how to stick to a fitness routine. Here’s what they said: ZZ Buddy Up Get yourself an exercise buddy or a personal trainer to help start your fitness routine. Tell your friends and family what you are doing and get their support for your lifestyle change. ZZ Go Slow Set yourself realistic goals that you can stick to over the first weeks. Don’t try too much too soon and slowly build up. ZZ Think Positive Don’t think about how much you miss chocolate or beer. Instead, remind yourself how much better you’re going to look . ZZ Routinise Get yourself an exercise programme from the gym and map out a routine. Once you have a great schedule in place, all you need to do is stick to it. ZZ Be Classy There are classes to suit men and women at all levels. These not only give you structured workouts to push you towards your goals but also teach you new techniques to train your body, which you can use at home. ZZ Scrap the Scales Don’t weigh yourself every day! Instead, get a Body Composition breakdown and note down your vital statistics so you can see what you need to tackle. Repeat every 3-4 weeks to see your overall REAL progress. ZZ Retune Your Diet What you eat can be your biggest enemy. Get some expert advice on how to change to tasty but nutritional meals that won’t pile on the pounds.
and non-surgically lifted, your eyelashes tinted, your legs waxed and your nails painted with the latest Geleration polish to keep them fabulous for weeks.( And some of those treatments are for guys!) After all that you can jump into the Jacuzzi! The spa sells an exclusive line of Elemis and Dr. Hauschka products, also available in attractive gift sets so you can have Valentine’s Day or your friend’s birthday wrapped up too. If you’re a more sociable, class-joiner, the studio at Ocean Village is larger and offers spinning. Plus, while its sister is a basement club, the OV gym is built on two levels with windows overlooking the leisure port where you can recover afterwards with a healthy smoothie at one of the waterfront cafes. Membership fees are lower, too. Whatever you decide, there are tons of fringe benefits thrown in at both clubs: ZZ Luxurious fluffy white bath and gym towels so you don’t have to take home soggy wet ones ZZ A snazzy welcome rucksack containing headsets, complimentary toiletries and a £40 voucher to treat a friend twice (and hopefully impress them into joining) ZZ Discount vouchers to use at shops and restaurants in Gibraltar, negotiated monthly, with amazing offers on relevant products such as health drinks, dietary supplements, sports bras and leisure clothing. New members receive an induction with a Personal Trainers, blood pressure and BMI checks to help them pick a routine suited to their level of fitness, and workout programmes to follow. “People come here to recover from all kinds of issues, from anorexia to depression, and our PTs are trained to take everything into consideration,” says Sarah. With regular join-in events too – pool parties, charity spinathons, outdoor beach runs in summer – you can expand your social life while you contract your waist line! The clubs’ motto is ‘More than a gym’ and they’re not wrong. After seeing that heavenly Atlantic Suites swimming pool, I reckon 2014 will be the year this nongym joiner finally takes the plunge! e
The Spa area of the Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa
g Further information www.atlanticsuiteshealthclub.gi and www.oceanvillagehealthclub.gi
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THE COVER
G
ina
Monteverde WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
When Modelling is a Matter of the Heart
With smouldering good looks reminiscent of brunette beauties of the big screen like Ava Gardner, Gina Monteverde poses in the elegant interiors of her family’s palatial home in Sotogrande. Born, bred and residing in Gibraltar, Gina is testimony to the Rock’s reputation as a haven of natural beauties, fed on the salty sea air and steeped in the rich historical and cultural tradition of this land of plenty.
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or her, life is “like a dream… I had always been passionate about fashion, ever since I was a child, so to actually become a model is a source of great satisfaction”. Gina, who has travelled the world and lived alternately in Marbella, Sotogrande and Gibraltar, was working in a popular shopping centre in Marbella when she was first discovered by a talent scout from Madrid. “He wanted to sign me up at the agency he worked for in Madrid, so I travelled there to discover how they could help me build my career”. Although “the conditions they offered me weren’t up to my standards”, Gina credits the scout with having seriously raised her confidence, paving the way for a career that has centred on the world of editorial photography. The experience also taught Gina about the value of being her own Manager: “Throughout my career I have never worked exclusively with just one agency. I have been organising all my own contracts and appearances for the past three years. I’m not a supermodel, but I am very satisfied with the reputation I have forged and with what I have achieved on my own”. Despite enjoying ‘flying solo’, Gina credits Puerto Banús make-up artist, Francisco Jurado Sánchez, with having been one of her greatest influences. “He believed in me and has supported me every step of the way. He always said that I should make my path in the world of modelling”.
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Gina views modelling as a hobby, since she currently works at a consultancy firm in Gibraltar. Despite having been bitten by the travel bug relatively early in life (she is only 25 but has been to more countries than you could poke a stick at, including Italy, France, the Caribbean, the UK and the USA), she is a proud Gibraltarian, saying, “Gibraltar may be small but there is so much to do. We have fantastic shopping, a lovely marina, good food… and on a lazy Sunday, taking the cable car up the mountain is a popular pursuit”. In her free time, she loves perusing
the latest collections by some of her favourite designers (including Dior, Carolina Herrera, Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana), and, as one might glean from her fantastic figure, hitting the gym. “I work out every morning at 7am,” she says, “using a combination of cardiovascular and strength (weights) training methods”. Gina’s beautifully defined physique is a testimony to her belief in the importance of a healthy lifestyle for models. “I disagree with the penchant for models being too skinny,” she says, “since this is not representative of the true female shape. Women are curvy by nature”. She also enjoys travel, skiing (she has been to Sierra Nevada but hopes to conquer “higher mountains”) and spending time with her boyfriend. When I ask Gina where she sees herself in five years’ time, she doesn’t hesitate in answering: “Married and with kids!” She is in a stable relationship with her French boyfriend and sees family as her number one treasure in life. Modelling may be a glamorous pursuit by nature, but Gina knows the value of reaching for the stars while keeping your feet on the ground. e PHOTOGRAPHER Jayden Fa www.facebook.com/jaydenfaphotography ART DIRECTION Guy Baglietto
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THE LOCAL people
Josephine Saccone’s notebooks started a family tradition
Sir John Mackintosh left a fortune and a love child
© Kirsten Scully
If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey you’ll love Nhean Haynes de Domecq’s very alternative cook book, starring antique family recipes that impart a piquant taste of life in Gibraltar over the last 150 years. Belinda Beckett meets the author and reviews the book that has been selling like hot cakes since its Gibraltar Literary Festival launch. ‘Place the pig’s head in a very large pot. If the fit is too tight, cut off the ears and add to the pot’. So begins the recipe for Testa en Cachete, better known as brawn, a chunky terrine made in the Saccone household every Christmas. Recreating it today in her own kitchen was one of the more challenging tasks faced by Cordon Bleu cook, Nhean Haynes de Domecq from Jerez on her fascinating journey to revive five generations of her family’s recipes, working from Victorian notebooks written by hand in three languages. While household hints on cleaning feathers, making home-made furniture polish and cooking pigs heads evidence the passage of time, exotic dishes like tongue in cherry sauce and rabbit with chocolate show that the cuisine enjoyed by the 19th century Gibraltarian gentry was as cutting edge as anything Jamie Oliver and Heston Blumenthal can rustle up. But as the title suggests, Rock Cakes & Other Delights – a Social & Culinary History of Gibraltar isn’t just about food. In between pages of recipes for saffron risotto and candied peel cake, a fascinating story unfolds that takes readers from the Upstairs Downstairs world of the well-to-do Victorian household into the streets of Gibraltar and beyond to discover how politics and war helped and hindered this wealthy merchant family in building a business empire. The story begins in 1840 when Nhean’s great,
The Villa San José dining room revisited
great, great grandfather, financier Jerome Saccone, came to Gibraltar from Genoa and set up home with his French wife Josephine at the Villa San José – a building that houses La Linea Town Hall today. Josephine and her seven daughters kept notebooks on managing the household – a family tradition continued by successive generations. “The path for Rock Cakes was lit by those note books, given to me by my mother 25 years ago and which I have poured over for so long to make sense of,” says Nhean. “As I read, I discovered that there was more to them than just recipes. They unraveled the social history of Gibraltar and my family over the last 150 years, brought to life by the tales told to me by my grandmother and great aunts – stories of a bygone era that had captured my imagination as a child.” Enlisting the help of seven branches of Saccones, including her mother and 96-year-old great aunt Yvonne from Madeira where her family were wartime evacuees, she was able to identify long-dead relatives from sepia photographs and piece together a narrative that has taken her over two years to write. That story unearths interesting closet skeletons starring some of the more colourful characters in the family. There was Nhean’s rakish Uncle Willie – aka Sir William Thomas – whose penchant for horseracing brought him into contact with the future King Alfonso XIII of Spain. In a story reminiscent of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, they were so close they even shared a mistress – a carnation seller they met in the streets of Madrid who died a very rich woman! King Alfonso was also partial to foxhunting, a pastime for wealthy Gibraltarians introduced to the Spanish countryside by the British in 1812. In 1906 the Spanish monarch and King Edward VII of England became joint Masters of the Royal Calpe Hunt. ‘The Hunt buttons were embossed with both the British and Spanish royal insignia – a highpoint in the entente between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar which in recent times has eluded us,’ writes Nhean. Another of the Saccone clan married the man known today as Gibraltar’s greatest benefactor – Sir John Mackintosh, who left a fortune equivalent to £1.5 Billion when he died, ‘enough to run a small country’, writes Nhean. The Spitfire donated to
The Villa San José, by Lucila Domecq
the British Government by his widow Vitoti in 1942 made no great dent in her inheritance but the letter of grateful thanks from Winston Churchill was one of her proudest possessions. Mackintosh had his secrets, fathering a love child with a Spanish señorita. Far from keeping a low profile, his ‘bastard’ son Carlos Mackintosh became one of Marbella’s founding fathers and has a street named after him! Another famous relative was the husband of Nhean’s great aunt Yvonne, ornithologist Alec Zino, who discovered a rare breed of seabird on Madeira now known as Zino’s Petrel. The rivalry between patriarch Jerome Saccone and the merchant James Speed was legendary. Both men were purveyors of fine wines and spirits to the Royal Navy, supplying officers’ messes throughout the colonies during the 19th century. Their clashes became public knowledge through a book written by Brideshead Revisited author Eveyln Waugh: Wine in Peace and War. In one incident, wrote Waugh, ‘Mr Saccone’s man was on board a man-of-war when Mr Speed’s man was observed coming aboard.’ The upshot was that Mr Speed’s representative was seen off, soaking wet, after one of the sailors was persuaded to turn a hose on him. After joining forces in 1908, Saccone & Speed had the virtual monopoly of victual supplies to British ships worldwide and were entrusted with many topsecret wartime missions, including a shipboard meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt. A letter from No. 10 still kept in the present-day company’s archives includes a reminder not to forget the two statesmen’s wine rations! Recipes, photographs and pen and ink drawings executed by various Saccone children intersperse these colourful tales. But Nhean always draws us back into the family home, like old friends. Above stairs, it’s easy to imagine being among the 48 dinner party guests who would work their way through 13 courses (not including the dessert and final savoury plate) as fashionable society dictated. ‘Exquisite table settings were evidence of the status of a household with candelabras, displays of exotic fruits such as pineapples, or elaborate flower arrangements, often large enough to impede conversation across the table’, writes Nhean. ‘A dizzy proliferation of cutlery resulted in such oddities as pickle forks,
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GIBRALTAR’S HISTORY ON A PLATE
Rock Cakes & Other Delights PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI AND COURTESY OF NHEAN HAYNES DE DOMECQ
grape scissors, sardine tweezers and sugar sifter spoons’. Each course would be accompanied by a different sherry, wine or Champagne with its own glass. ‘Only the ladies were allowed to continue with Champagne throughout dinner, although not during the pudding when liqueurs were de rigeur.’ Below stairs we can imagine a hierarchical army of staff, from the butler down to the lowly scullery maid who washed the pots and cleaned and lit the ovens (although with no dials, a good cook would have to rely on intuition and experience to gauge temperatures). Menus for the week would be devised in advance by the mistress of the house, and the larder stocked with provisions for a month. No wonder she needed a notebook! “I discovered that the diet was different to England at that period,” says Nhean. “Gibraltar was full of migrant workers and merchants from different nationalities and backgrounds, each bringing their recipes: pastas and risottos from Genoa; from Spain a great variety of local fish and stews based on pulses such as lentils and chickpeas with chorizo; delicate soufflés and mousses from France; delicious sandwiches and cakes from England; and, as the ships passed through Gibraltar, there were curries and recipes for making dhal and chutneys. It was a fusion of culinary cultures.” By the turn of the century the Victorian larder also contained products we enjoy today, such as Heinz Tomato Soup, Worcester Sauce and Marmite. But not all the recipes Nhean unearthed would please modern palates: those requiring starlings and larks, and a recipe for pig brain ravioli, were left untried! Although a proficient cook herself, Nhean enlisted the help of Marbella restaurateur Francis Butler to prepare the more daunting dishes. Her husband Beltrán became “my willing guinea pig during the week and at weekends my mother, brothers and sister-in-laws would try the approved dishes and comment. We all ate, dreamt and spoke of our Saccone history.” As did we all at Nhean’s sell-out talk during the Gibraltar Literary Festival when her daughters Alice and Lucy, the 6th generation of Saccones, handed out sample tasting dishes. “It’s said you should do three things in life plant a tree, have a child and write a book,” Nhean told her audience as we munched our way through a creamy artichoke flan, powder-light polvorones and some very unrock-like rock cakes. “That, of course, is the easy part. What is hard is to keep the tree watered, educate the child and ensure the book is read.” She should have no trouble with the book then; because, to parody MasterChef Gregg Wallace’s favourite catchphrase, history doesn’t get much tastier than this! g Rock Cakes & Other Delights – a Social & Culinary
History of Gibraltar is published in hardback by Calpe Press www.calpepress.com
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style
INTERIORS / ARCHITECTURE / ART / FASHION
Discover how style and comfort unite at a luxury villa in La Zagaleta, marvel at a Provence-inspired townhouse in Tarifa, dress up to the nines in fashion by House of Cashmere and read up on the benefits of Milk Thistle in Health.
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Mansion Living in La Zagaleta
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A Period Townhouse in Tarifa
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Fashion: House of Cashmere
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Fashion News
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Health: New Year, New You
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Health: Marvellous Milk Thistle
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Life has moved on...line Sapphire Networks, growing with your needs
www.sapphire.gi +350 200 47 200 - info@sapphire.gi Suite 3.0.3 Eurotowers, PO Box 797, Gibraltar
THE STYLE décor
Mansion living in La Zagaleta Picture a drive up a winding road, the windscreen full of country views as the sea recedes in panoramic clusters of blue darting in and out of sight. By the time you reach the second gate of one of Europe’s most exclusive private country clubs you’re well and truly surrounded by forested country, framed by lofty peaks rising up behind. Once inside, the road meanders gently down into an expansive open valley with big country views. You’re home. WORDS Michel Cruz Photography © khphotography.co.uk
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t might read like something from a novel set in the Italian Riviera or the Cote d’Azur, but in reality it is a pretty accurate description of the drive home from coastal Marbella to La Zagaleta. And what a home it is. Even among the grand villas of that elite country club this property ranks as one of the finest modern homes of all. Designed by renowned architect Miguel Tobal and built with consummate feeling for 21st century luxury living, it reads as a blueprint for a new kind of elegance and refinement. Standing amid manicured gardens and a truly impressive natural amphitheatre, the villa retains the bearing of a classical home reimagined to suit contemporary tastes and lifestyles. It is, therefore, the epitome of a new interpretation of classical opulence.
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A blank canvas Like the grand estates of old, such a property is designed to impress, entertain and provide a solid base to call home. If a man is king of his own castle then never more so than here, where dimensions, orientation, setting and a long list of comforts and luxuries raise this ‘castle’ to the standing of a palace. In the modern age, handcrafted bespoke materials, details and furniture once again revive the personalised elegance of a bygone era. This house has all of these things in abundance, providing a perfect match for any of a range of decorative styles. In the event, the décor is imposing, clean and contemporary yet devoid of the sterility that turns some modern architectural homes into a white shoebox that looks great in design magazines but makes them hard to live in. Instead, this home is impressive, certainly, but simultaneously comfortable and informal. Having thus defined its roles in relation to guests and residents respectively, this is a property that retains as many classical references in its layout as in its architectural composition, yet they are presented with the informality and fluidity of the modern home. Step past the imposing front portico and you enter a sleek interpretation of the classical entrance hall, which frames a visual perspective through the living room and grounds to the forested mountains on the far side of the valley. Such themes are well practiced in the architecture of grand homes, yet here among today’s geometry of straight lines and clean-cut materials they are more impressive than ever, highlighting a wealth of decorative detail lavished upon a property that takes it beyond the norm even in this category. As a result, the villa is a study in the finest contemporary materials, with Venetian stucco ceilings in the central corridor, oversized Italian marble slab tiles on the floor of the entrance hall, magical handmade glass chandeliers and leatherbound stainless steel handrails leading up to the private quarters on the first floor.
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The grand home redefined As befits a home of this standing, a central corridor provides easy, fluent distribution between the different parts of the property. There may be a classical hint in this too, but gone are the stuffy divisions between boxed-in rooms, replaced by a far more natural relationship between spaces, as one room flows into another amid ever-present natural light and views. The ease with which all three levels of this house connect is testament to a design that admirably balances the sometimesconflicting needs of practicality and visual impact. A case in point is the living area, which offers three distinct rooms that are linked but can also be divided. Here, among sumptuously tall ceilings that frame panoramic windows out to the garden and the natural surroundings beyond, you will find an elegant living room sporting Italian furniture and made-to-measure cabinetry, separated from a comfy television room by a large modern mantelpiece that serves a stunning fireplace in the lounge and is home to a large flat screen television in the family room. The walls in the living areas are covered in high-quality matt ceramic tiles that complement the white leather sofas by B&B Italia with earthy tones enlivened with hints of a rich copper hue. On the far side of this spacious reception area is the formal dining room, also linked to the expansive covered terrace and conveniently connected to a kitchen that is, fittingly, simply state-of-the art. As elsewhere, the owner hasn’t held back, lavishing the finest materials and appliances on a home that quite frankly merits it. Assembled by Clive Christian from the finest suppliers in Europe, the kitchen has a very modern yet also unique feel about it. Solid and warm where other contemporary designs can be cold and uninviting, it features the very best appliances money can buy in suitably sleek stainless steel, augmented by dark wood cabinetry and a roughhewn breakfast bar and table. All of this is in the presence of magnificent views of the surrounding
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mountains, as the kitchen too connects with the large covered terrace, and is conveniently positioned close to the pool deck, swimming pool and cabana bar. Slide the door open and you let the outside in, and the inside out, as this is a property where décor and design don’t stop when you leave the interior. Stylish oversized white floor stones provide an area designed for open-air meals and Asian-style relaxing beds, leading as they do to the tempting infinity pool enveloped in its own wooden deck. Ensconced between a perfect lawn designed in keeping with the climate and a sunken cabana bar with wet room that is just made for cooking, eating, relaxing and socialising in the outdoors, it is an area where the beauty of the surrounding nature blends with that of the villa’s own grounds.
Marbella at its best In many ways a typical luxury villa in the Marbella mould, this modern mansion represents the iconic town at its best, offering as it does a mouth-watering combination of style, luxury, amenities and setting that would be hard to better anywhere in Europe. For those who enjoy classical stature and elegance wrapped in a thoroughly 21st century environment, it certainly is a property to relish. The ground floor level is completed by a stylish Japanese cloakroom, two spacious guest bedrooms, endowed with luxurious bathrooms
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g This property is offered for sale with: Fine & Country Marbella Club Hotel, Bulevar Principe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, Marbella. Tel: +34 952 764 010. marbella@fineandcountry.com www.fineandcountry.es
and large dressing rooms, and a study/library. The dark wood panelling of the latter combines with built-in computer equipment and screens, not to mention tasteful furniture, to create a space that is sleek and modern yet retains the glamour of a classic study. Follow the imposing Hollywood staircase up to the first floor and you come to a series of private bedroom suites that are adapted to the lifestyle people enjoy who buy properties like this. The spacious main suite provides a totally private area made up of a cosy bedroom with lovely views, a large walk-in dressing room and a stylish modern bathroom in which Japanese-inspired dark wood cabinetry combines with chrome, glass and hand-smoothed concrete walls to great effect. The result is recognisable as a luxurious contemporary bathroom, yet between the architect’s vision, the specialised bespoke cabinetry and the creative enthusiasm of the owners, each of the bathrooms in the villa reveals its own unique touches and ambience. From up here, just under the gently slanted Mediterranean roof tiles that soften the sleek architectural lines of the house, the views across the valley are truly impressive. While these are not matched on the lower level, where the property’s very own spa and recreational areas are located, it is a feather
in the cap of the designer that it enjoys so much natural light. The long, beautiful heated indoor pool, surrounded by decking in rich wooden tones, not only receives sunlight but also connects with the garden. Not looking out of place in the wellness area of a luxury five-star resort hotel, the swimming pool is the visual highlight of this part of the house, which, however, also boasts a gym, changing rooms, showers, a sauna and steam room. Not to be outdone is the neighbouring recreation area, comprising of a comfortable private cinema with suede clad walls, cosseting soft carpet and a choice of plump La-Z-Boy seats and beanbags to compliment the very highestspec audiovisual equipment. Like the modern glass wine cellar, the games room offers a forward-looking slant to a classic theme, and in so doing combines the cool vibe of a Vodka bar with the easygoing ambience of a recreational space where family and friends come together. As a result, even the lounging areas, pool table and, of course, the bar look good enough to be on the pages of a design magazine, combining style with fun and practicality to produce one of the most memorable parts of a La Zagaleta mansion that once seen is hard to forget. e
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THE STYLE decor
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arifa’s historic centre is a small but attractive maze of little streets and squares populated by white-plastered houses and stylish boutique hotels. Some are grand, others unassuming, but an occasional glimpse through an open door reveals the oasis of peace and fresh air created within the courtyard patios of even the humblest of homes. It is in such a street that we find one of the finest properties in Tarifa, a town kept small, attractive and rich in unspoiled nature thanks to the fact that so much of the land and coastline surrounding it forms part of one of the largest protected nature reserves in Europe. It is because of this that you will not find sprawling suburbs and high-rise hotels here – in itself the reason why Tarifa remains such a unique and much-loved destination among people from across Europe and even as far afield as the US and Australia. Bordered by three streets in the charming historic quarter of Tarifa, the attractive exterior of this fine señorial house gives away little of what lies within, yet step through the main door into a
classical entrance and you come upon a private domain rich in charm, style and the best of Tarifa chic. Dating in its current form from 1893, the grand townhouse was lovingly restored by Dolores, who kept as many original features and authentic materials as was possible. “It was quite an undertaking,” she says. “The house had been neglected for some time, but over a period of seven years we gradually restored it to its former glory, trying to keep the original charm intact as we brought the levels of comfort and sophistication up to date as well.” Having lived across the world, from Mexico and France to Singapore, Dolores and her family fell in love first with Tarifa and then this wonderful home and its setting. “As anyone who has looked for a property here knows, buying a house in Tarifa is not as straightforward as elsewhere, where a steady stream of new-built properties has been constructed over the years. There are new homes in Tarifa, but the true charm and authentic lifestyle can only be found in a few places, and this part of the old town is the main one.”
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Classic chic
Tarifa
in the heart of
WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY PIERRERICHARDSONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
In the heart of the old town there is an enchanting home that encapsulates the charm, elegance and the unique ambience of Tarifa.
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A touch of Provence on the Costa de la Luz The property is built over three floors, at the centre of which stands a classic Andalusian courtyard that spreads its cool, refreshing ambience throughout the house. Peaceful and serene, its marble floors and classic Hispano-Moorish tiles abound in the sunlight that falls through the courtyard’s glass roof, two storeys up. “It’s like a huge skylight, allowing light to flood the home without affecting its cool, fresh air,” says Dolores. In addition, the courtyard is a perfect spot in which to relax to the soothing murmur of a fountain or enjoy a drink with friends. Dolores uses this feature to great affect, having converted two of the three surrounding rooms into beautifully designed and decorated suites that are a highly popular private option for guests of the nearby La Sacristia, one of Tarifa’s prettiest boutique hotels. “The interior decoration is by my brother, who is a renowned interior designer, and I believe he has created a truly wonderful ambience that reflects Tarifa chic, though perhaps with a touch of Provence.” Both the suites have independent access, while a third space previously used as a shop could easily be converted into a suite also. “This home offers a great many lifestyle options and even income-earning possibilities,” says Dolores, who has given over the ground floor to lucrative suite rentals without compromising her own home’s privacy and independence. “Thanks to the spacious courtyard and independent access both we and our guests can enjoy our own space.”
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This becomes clear as you approach the first floor, where the fresh air and open space of the courtyard, combined with the classical Spanish bay windows, creates a bright and breezy atmosphere. Again, many of the classic tiles, light-painted wooden doors, lovely tall wood-beamed ceilings and other period features such as a delightful classic pulley system for opening the door have been preserved and incorporated into a comfortable contemporary home. On this floor there are three pretty bedroom suites with stylish Moroccan-inspired bathrooms, as well as an elegant living room filled with Asian furniture, tapestries and artwork, a dining room and a master bedroom suite that includes a television room, study and classically styled bathroom. “What surprises people is the amount of space in this house, yet it is always cosy and intimate,” says Dolores as she leads us into a kitchen straight from the pages of a décor magazine. I feel for a moment like I really have been transported to a country home in the south of France, for the kitchen has all the charm of rustic Provence. The cabinetry is at once classic and trendy, with a solid wooden table made for cooking, eating and congregating as a family. “From here you can see the processions come by during festivities,” says our host from the kitchen’s sunny bay window, but I have eyes only for a room that simply leaps off the pages of Côté Sud.
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A ROOFTOP PENTHOUSE There are many rooftop penthouses around, but the top floor of this unique home in Tarifa makes the most of its singular setting to embody all the best things about this iconic seaside town and the lifestyle it promises. Independent access means it can either be an integral part of the main house, a studio or indeed a separate penthouse apartment. In keeping with Dolores’ knowing decorative touch, this is an oasis of good taste and comfort in a way that is at one with its setting and simply breathes Tarifa style. The living area comprises a wonderful rustic chic kitchen and guest bathroom with many stylistic details, a breezy living room and a bedroom with large tiled bathroom inspired by nearby Morocco. All of these rooms open up to an expansive rooftop terrace brimming with possibilities. Partly covered and partly open, it is a choice location in which to sunbathe, relax, socialise and simply feel inspired by views over the rooftops and famous sights of Tarifa’s old town down to the harbour, the Atlantic beaches and the cliffs of Morocco. This constantly changing aspect provides a perfect backdrop for that most iconically Tarifeño of things – your own chill-out zone, complete with room for a rooftop garden, deck areas, bar and a Jacuzzi. It would be hard to keep friends away! In addition, the rooftop also features a small studio apartment with its own terrace, completing a home that represents the spirit and atmosphere of today’s Tarifa within the body of one of its finest classic buildings. e
g This property is for sale and comes complete with period detailing and furniture: Tony Cassidy tcassidy@tarifadirect.com www.tarifadirect.com
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THE STYLE fashion
W O RD S M A
RISA CUTIL
LAS
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House of Cashmere www.house-of-cashmere.co.uk Shot on location in the Cotswolds Photography Jaime Travezan www.jaimetravezan.com Styling Jayne Blight Makeup and hair Kim Keifer
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CONTACTS: APRICOT www.apricotonline.co.uk, BOTICCA www.boticca.com, DIOR www.dior.com, GLITZY SECRETS www.glitzysecrets.com, KONPLOTT www.konplott.com, MARTINE WESTER www.martinewester.com, SIMPLY BE www.simplybe.co.uk, TROIS PETITS POINT www.troispetitspointsparis.com
THE STYLE fashion NECKLACE BY SIMPLY BE
NECKLACE BY KONPLOTT EARRINGS BY DIOR
Marisa Cutillas suggests some of the most beautiful jewellery and fashion jewellery items a girl might decide to deem her best friend this season…
EARRINGS BY GLITZY SECRETS
NECKLACE BY APRICOT
SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A
BRACELET BY DIOR
A DIAMOND EARRING BY DIOR
RING BY KONPLOTT EARRINGS BY TROIS PETITS POINTS
EARRINGS BY MARTINE WESTER
EARRINGS BY BOTICCA
RINGS BY TROIS PETITS POINTS
NECKLACE BY TROIS PETITS POINTS
BRACELET BY TROIS PETITS POINTS
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LAYERED ELEGANCE BY HOBBS
ANIMAL INSPIRATIONS BY NEXT
She’s got the THE MIDNIGHT BLUES BY SISLEY.
LOOK
BOHO CHIC BY BONMARCHÉ
SMOOTH AS SILK BY DIOR
WOOLY WARMTH BY DIOR
1970S GLAM BY SISLEY
BLACK AND WHITE SIMPLICITY BY DIOR
CONTACTS: BONMARCHÉ www.bonmarche.co.uk, DIOR www.dior.com, HOBBS www.hobbs.co.uk, NEXT www.next.co.uk, SISLEY www.benetton.com
THE MIDNIGHT BLUES BY SISLEY.
Marisa Cutillas brings us cool Winter ensembles to watch out for…
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THE STYLE health Are you one of those people who refuses to give flowers on Valentine’s Day, or make a resolution at New Year? If you usually give your other half excuses like, “I can buy you flowers any day of the year”, did you actually come home with a bouquet of blooms even once this year? We suspect not, and would argue that although the commercialism of Christmas, Valentine’s and New Year’s can be somewhat jarring, they are as good a reason as any to celebrate, tell someone you love them or make vital changes to our lifestyle. If you haven’t drafted your list of resolutions yet, we hope you take inspiration from our list of New Years Must-Dos:
Z FEEL THE FEAR, DON’T LET IT STOP YOU: Fear is a much maligned feeling that can actually stand us in good stead in a myriad of situations. Often, a ‘gut feeling’ that a particular place, situation or person is dangerous or that we should opt for a ‘flight’ rather than ‘fight’ response, can be life-saving. At other times, fear can hold us back from being our best selves – whether it manifests itself in stage fright, a fear of failure, or a hesitation to communicate our needs and desires. In her book, Dance with Fear, Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Harriet Lerner espouses cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as an ideal way to overcome fear. CBT states that what you do affects the way you think, and vice-versa. The author shares the story of how she overcame her fear of flying: “I was cured because I kept buying airline tickets – in short, I kept showing up… my work demanded a fair amount of travel and the consequences of not flying would have been intolerable for me, both personally and professionally. Things become less terrifying the more we face them, and each time I got off a plane intact, I felt a little more capable of managing my fear. I flew so much that my fear eventually melted away. Experience gave me comfort where reasoning had failed”. Z PUT A LITTLE MORINGA IN YOUR LIFE: Hailed as ‘the miracle tree’ in Africa and Asia, the plant, moringa oleifera was recently deemed by John Hopkins University in the US to be the single most
powerful superfood in the world. The leaves of the moringa olifeira plant have four times the vitamin A of carrots, seven times the vitamin C of oranges, four times the calcium of milk, three times the potassium of bananas, ¾ the iron of spinach, and two times the protein of yogurt. The plant, which can be found in extract form in Spain, contains a powerful blend of proteins, Vitamins, polyphenols, carotenoids and carbohydrates, which increase the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. It also prevents large molecules (including DNA, lipids and proteins) from oxidative stress owing to its rich flavonoid content, thus staving off heart disease and Type II diabetes. Another important benefit of moringa olifeira is its ability to stave off inflammation, one of the major causes of heart disease and cancer. To bestow your body with the powerful effects of this supplement, aim to take at least 150-200mg per kilo of body weight daily. Z LOVE SOMEONE THE WAY THEY NEED: In his book, The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, author, Gary Chapman espouses that people normally have one of five different ways of expressing their love: • By giving gifts • By sharing quality time • Through words • Through acts of service • Through physical touch The point of the book is powerful: in order
to make your spouse, friends and family feel truly cared for, you need to give them love in a way that resonates with them; not necessarily in the way that resonates with you. Z SUPPORT A MEANINGFUL CAUSE… WITH YOUR TIME: We all have a favourite cause. For some, it is cancer; for others, children. Still others find the suffering imposed on so many abandoned and mistreated animals unbearable. Through the years, we have all supported one or more of these causes but this year, why not do the unprecedented and show your love, not just with money, but with your time? Volunteering at a cancer care shop, taking a shelter dog for a walk or organising a fundraising activity for children are just a few ideas that may inspire you. Z GET OFF FACEBOOK, CALL A FRIEND: The boom of Facebook and other social networks has made being a friend an awful effortless task – just a ‘Like’, message or comment can make it seem like you are sharing the gift of friendship, but how long has it been since you last made a call to a good friend? Social networks have the unique ability of uniting us with those who are far away, and distancing us from those who are near. Give the gift of time: call your friend for a coffee and experience the warmth that only their presence can provide. e
new you
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
NEW YEAR,
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Perfect for the ski season... Valmont Sun Cellular Restoring Cream SPF30.
A rich and creamy product that has a restructuring effect whilst providing UVA and UVB protection for the face, neck and shoulders. It disappears very quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy after effect.
Valmont Spa Valmont Spa in the Specialist Medical Clinic in Gibraltar offers four rejuvenating facial and décolleté treatments for men and women, from the luxurious Swiss skin care range of spa products and facial treatments from Valmont. Natural Swiss ingredients and the latest in cellular cosmetic research are used to formulate anti-aging skin care products that produce lasting results. The brand’s treatments are found at the world’s top beauty and wellness clinics and now, exclusively in Gibraltar, at Valmont Spa. Also available, an exclusive range of Il Profvmo His and Her fragrances from Italy which are not available for purchase on the high street. Valmont Spa Specialist Medical Clinic 1st Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 49999 info@smg.gi
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THE STYLE health
MILK THISTLE: FIGHTING THE ENEMY FROM WITHIN Every day, we unwittingly face a host of ‘energy thieves’: chemicals, environmental toxins, junk foods and allergens that wrest from our vitality and health, reducing our ability to resist illness and exposing us to the process of premature ageing. Common toxins include antibiotics, mercury from tooth fillings, cleaning solvents, lead solder from canned foods and aluminium from anti-perspirants and antacids.
T
he liver is responsible for eliminating yeast, bacteria and other harmful micro-ogranisms from the body. When this organ is functioning properly, our immune system works to perfection and our sense of vitality and energy is at its peak. When it is overburdened, on the other hand, we can suffer from everything from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to depression, constant fatigue, headaches and an array of additional health issues. Fortunately, there is a powerful herbal supplement called milk thistle, which has been used by human beings since the 4th century. It is most often used to detoxify the body and treat a number of conditions associated with the liver.
WHAT IS MILK THISTLE? Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a sturdy plant bearing purple and red flowers, whose leaves are graced with a milky, white pattern. It houses a uniquely high quotient of bioflavonoid components, which contain more powerful antioxidant properties than Vitamins C and E. Milk thistle increases the liver’s ability to neutralise and detoxify harmful chemicals and metals and protects the body’s enzymes from destruction. It helps clear stagnation in the liver and strengthens this organ, making it an ideal superfood for most people. Thus far, hundreds of studies have been undertaken on this powerful plant, with extremely positive results. Milk thistle has been found to stimulate protein synthesis and modify the outer layer of liver cells, preventing toxins from penetrating cells and aiding in toxin elimination. Numerous double blind studies reveal that silybin, 68 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM
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one of the most powerful flavonoids contained in Milk Thistle, is very efficient at stabilising cell membranes and speeding up the process of regeneration in damaged liver tissue.
WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS ARE MILK THISTLE USED FOR?
completely counteracts the toxic effects of mushrooms when taken within 10 minutes of ingestion.
MILK THISTLE VS CANCER
In Western society, Milk Thistle is most often used for relatively common conditions such as sluggishness and indigestion, especially after a particularly rich or fatty meal. This is owing to the plant’s ability to increase bile production and break down fatty deposits in the liver. Milk thistle is often prescribed for a number of liver-related conditions, including alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. It is also used to keep gallstones at bay.
Recent studies have shown that Milk Thistle stops cancer cells from reproducing, shortening their lifespan and reducing blood supply to cancerous tumours. Some studies indicate that the plant may also heighten the effect of sunscreen protection, and hold chemopreventive properties against carcinogens such as UV light. Extensive research carried out over the past decade has also revealed the power of Milk Thistle to suppress the proliferation of prostate, breast, ovary, colon, lung and bladder tumour cells.
MILK THISTLE VS INFLAMMATION AND LIVER CONDITIONS
MILK THISTLE PROTECTS THE HEART AND STAVES OFF DIABETES
Milk thistle has a unique ability to moisten mucus membranes, thus soothing inflammation in a number of organs, including the liver. The plant is likewise often used to treat viral hepatitis (particularly Hepatitis C). In one study of 16 patients suffering from viral Hepatitis C who were not responding to Interferon and Ribavirin therapy, milk thistle decreased levels of the virus to virtually undetectable scales in seven of the subjects.
Milk Thistle can promote heart health by lowering cholesterol levels. It can also decrease blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol levels in patients with Type II diabetes.
MILK THISTLE VS MUSHROOM POISONING Milk thistle is a traditional antidote to poisoning caused by a wide range of mushroom species. Animal studies have revealed how the herb
HOW CAN I TAKE MILK THISTLE? Holland & Barrett has an array of Milk Thistle supplements in tablet form, which are easy and convenient to take.
FURTHER STUDIES IN PROCESS Studies continue to be carried out on Milk Thistle. Some of the most surprising new findings indicate its ability to treat the skin condition, rosacea, when applied topically. e
g Available at Holland & Barrett 160 Main St., Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 49504. www.hollandandbarrett.com 12/16/13 10:49 AM
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thepro NEWS /ENTERPRISE / LOCAL BUSINESS /
PROFILES / FINANCE / LAW
We bring you news from the local business scene, talk with Emma Perez of SG Hambros and Craig Sacarello about the new InnoHub, and review revered development The Sanctuary.
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Enterprise
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GFSB InnoHub
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Business Profile: SG Hambros
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Finance: G5 Tax Agreements
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Property: The Sanctuary in Gibraltar
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local
enterprise CASTLES IN THE AIR New CEO for the FSC
Barrass but takes up her role so as this CEO of Chess Samantha is BIG in Gibraltar make thatnew literally thewhen Gibraltar Financial Commission next summer a giant mobileServices chessboard with large-sized former Executive Director of the Solicitors piecesmonth. becameAsthe centre of attraction on the Rock. Regulatory Authority Englandand andvisitors Wales, of Mrs Designed and made locally,inresidents all ages Barrass has been at the forefrontboard of delivering the queued up to climb on the 64-square and make SRA’sincluding high profile reform of legal services regulation. their move, newly-crowned 2013 Commonwealth SheChess beganChampion her careerJovanka as an economist Women’s Houska. at the Reserve Bank New Zealand where she focused on monetary It was all of part of the run-up to August’s 3rd Gibraltar strategyChess and economic reform, and was Juniorpolicy International Festival, set to become as one of theasfirst economists employed by Gibraltar the FSA to develop popular January’s annual Tradewise Chess cost-benefit other evidentialopen techniques for new Festival, ranked theand most prestigious tournament Chairman Alan Whiting, in the regulation. world. GiantCommission chess is popular in Amsterdam and whoand chaired the Nomination said: "With Salzburg Gibraltar hopes it will Committee, draw new ‘checkmates’ Samantha's proven high calibre and international into the game of kings. experience in financial and regulation, I am Making the opening gambit in legal Casemates Square before confident can look forward to continued the board movedthat on Gibraltar to other locations, Culture Minister a successful, and well-regulated Stevengrowth Linaresassaid: “We hopeprospering this latest community chess financial services with high international initiative will continue to sector develop theagame locally and take reputation." the game to all corners of Gibraltar.” g www.fsc.gi
Photo © David Cussen
New Governor Arrives Gibraltar’s new governor, Lt Gen Sir James Dutton, took charge of the keys to the city, arriving with his wife Liz to a Gun Salute by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. He was escorted by the Royal Gibraltar Police to City Hall for the swearing-in ceremony where the retired Royal Marines officer didn’t mince his words over Gibraltar’s sovereignty dispute with Spain. “The sovereignty case is rock solid, indisputable, non-negotiable, and applies just as strongly to the territorial waters,” said Sir James, remarking that border queues were “unacceptably long, amounting to harassment – situations that simply should not exist between two friendly nations that belong to the same political and economic organisation, the EU, and to the same military organisation, NATO. He added, “We remain absolutely ready to talk to Spain about the many local issues that are reducing the quality of life, here in Gibraltar and more so for the Spaniards living just across the border.”
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Survivors and friends reunited with organisers at the Lakonia plaque unveiling © Michelle Chaplow
NEW FIRE CHIEF Divisional Officer Anthony Yusifredo is the City Fire Brigade’s new Head of Operations and Training. He has been with the service since 1990, joining as a fire fighter and progressing through the ranks to take charge of White Watch in 2011. As well as his day-today job he has undertaken many courses back in Britain, gaining a degree in Fire Safety Studies at the University of Central Lancashire and adding qualifications in medical response, rope rescue, management and leadership to his extensive CV. He is also one of the key officers responsible for the brigade’s sub-aqua capability and training and is a qualified PADI Diving Instructor Level 1.
LAKONIA MEMORIAL A memorial plaque dedicated to victims of the 1963 TSMS Lakonia disaster was unveiled in Gibraltar almost 50 years to the day of the tragedy – thanks to the power of social networking. Among those who attended the ceremony were three survivors of the fire which sank the ship off Madeira during a Christmas cruise, one of whom escaped down a flaming rope laxdder and used a wicker chair as a life raft. They were reunited through a comment posted on the andalucia.com Forum in 2008 by Gordon Holme, a British crewman who helped in the recovery. His idea for an official memorial captured the imagination of others connected to the tragedy who were able to share incredible survival stories via the Forum. The commemorative plaque, commissioned by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, can be seen at the entrance to North Front Cemetery where 14 of the 128 victims are buried. g Further information www.andalucia.com/history/tsms-lakonia.htm
RETURN OF THE NATIVE Indie publisher Vanessa Wester flew home to her native Gibraltar for the launch of Return at the Garrison Library, her final novel in The Evolution Trilogy. The climax to the trilogy will answer the cliffhanger questions posed throughout Complications and her debut novel, Hybrid, which were partly inspired by the Twilight Saga. Vanessa now lives on the Isle of Wight and has a degree in Accounting and Law from the University of Southampton, where the novels are partly set. In 2012, she boldly ventured into the world of self-publishing and also publishes anthologies for charity. Vanessa says, “It’s been a hard road but I’m excited that I managed to complete the trilogy. Writing has allowed me to find an outlet for my imagination and escape everyday life.” g Vanessa’s books are available via Amazon in Kindle edition
and paperback, or via other retailers listed on www.theevolutiontrilogy.blogspot.co.uk
GIBRALTAR FA DRESSED FOR SUCCESS Hopes are riding high for Gibraltar FA at Euro 2016. BetVictor has cut its odds on winning from 7500/1 to 5000/1 and fancies it above other higher-ranked countries like Malta, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Andorra. The team has been in fighting form since joining UEFA and is enjoying some of the perks, such as sponsorship from Gibraltar fashion boutique Trends which is supplying them with designer suits, ensuring that the squad are top of the fashion league! The next excitement is February’s draw in Nice for the September 2014 qualifiers. “Our goal is to give it our best shot to reach France 2016,” team manager Allen Bula told magazine. “There will be tough moments when we face the giants of European football and many might say our target is too high or unrealistic. But to win a match you don’t need to be the biggest country, as long as you have the biggest heart.”
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Last year’s winner, Movement, by Claire Olivero
WANTED: YOUNG ARTISTS Get painting and chiselling for a chance to win a four-figure cash prize in the 2014 Annual Art Competition for Young Artists. Organised by the Ministry of Culture, which is donating the top £1,000 prize, the competition is open to Gibraltarian and resident schoolchildren in Years 9-13, or college equivalent, and young Gibraltarians aged up to 24 (as at February 11, 2014) who can submit up to two paintings and two sculptures before the January 31 closing date. Entries will be exhibited at the John Mackintosh Hall from February 11-21. The £500 second prize is sponsored by Aquagib and there are awards of £500 each for the best school entry in Years 9-11 and 12-13, donated by the Alwani Foundation. Entry forms are available from local schools and educational departments, Casemates Fine Arts Gallery, John Mackintosh Hall, or the Ministry of Culture. g info@culture.gov.gi
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Gen up on the local wildlife with this stunninglyillustrated new book – a four-year collaboration by a family of expert naturalists from Gibraltar. A Guide to Wild Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar, published by Santana Books, is the joint work of Gibraltar Museum Director, Professor Clive Finlayson, biogeographer Dr Geraldine Finlayson and their son Stewart, a keen wildlife photographer studying for a Biology PhD. Retracing the route taken by British naturalists over 100 years ago, the Finlaysons journeyed from Gibraltar to the peaks of the Pyrenees, the badlands of Extremadura and the Atlantic and Mediterranean islands to discover which species survive and where to see them. While man has driven some creatures to the brink of extinction during the last century, others have happily benefited from conservation efforts, like the Griffon Vulture which migrates across the Gibraltar Strait in unprecedented numbers today. g www.santanabooks.com
GOLDEN GIRLS Sarah Anne MacLaren and Isabella Gomez turned in a gold medal-winning performance for Gibraltar’s National Dance team at the 2014 World Show Dance Championships in Riesa, Germany. They wowed the judges in the Junior Duet category with the dance, The Forgotten Idol, choreographed by Paulette Finlayson, beating 49 other entries. And that wasn’t the only memento the team took home to the Rock. Tyron Walker and Nicole Victor danced their way to a bronze medal in the Adult Duet category with their interpretation of Remember Me, Daddy, choreographed by Jade Fedrico. This year, 3,301 dancers from 34 countries competed in the event which saw close to 100 per cent of the Gibraltar National Dance team’s entries reaching the finals, semis or quarter-finals.
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THE PRO business
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ntrepreneurs in Gibraltar are joining forces to expand their digital expertise, nurture embryonic businesses and create a new Silicon Valley-style sector of the economy. InnoHub is Gibraltar’s first centre for digital innovation and entrepreneurship, where techsavvy business start-ups and IT-challenged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can come together to pool their knowledge, become more profitable and make Gibraltar an even more attractive location to do business. The goal over the next three years will be to incubate 30 start-ups and accelerate existing businesses, create 500 new jobs and increase government revenue from taxes by one per cent. InnoHub’s founders believe that market conditions have created the ‘Perfect Storm’ for adding digital technologies to Gibraltar’s impressive list of GDP-earners, which currently include financial services, online gaming and tourism . It will be added insurance against external threats such as a possible escalation of Spanish border controls, which could have a negative impact on tourism, and impending legislation which could see online gaming companies leaving the Rock, along with their pool of talented web developers and computer programmers. “The future is digital; the future is now,” said InnoHub’s CEO Craig Sacarello, who unveiled the initiative to members of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses at a ‘soft launch’ – one of a series of ‘GibUp’ events planned to promote entrepreneurship in Gibraltar. “Now is the time to capitalise on our
strong economy and the pool of high-tech talent we have to create a new digital sector within Gibraltar’s economy.” Under Innohub’s collaborative umbrella, existing companies will receive mentoring to accelerate their businesses to the next level. That might be help with setting up e-commerce sites that could extend their reach worldwide, or in devising digital programmes in Supply Chain Management and Customer Services Management to streamline their services and make them more profitable. Meanwhile, start-ups will have a free consultancy and launch pad to test out their projects and learn how to pitch them to venture capitalists and business angels in an ‘incubator’ set-up. Research shows that start-ups which undergo an incubation process have an 87 per cent success rate, while those which skip this process only have 30 per cent. There will also be monthly seminars hosted by international speakers and experts in different technical fields. In other words, it’s hoped that existing and future businesses in Gibraltar will receive a six-to-ninemonth digital consultancy package worth upwards of £10,000 completely free of charge. “‘We are delighted with how the launch event went and the feedback has been terrific,” says Craig. “Locally, at present, there is a lack of awareness on how digital innovations can increase the profitability of a company. The combination of SMEs and startup companies working together in one centre of excellence will create synergies. SMEs will be kept abreast of new technologies from the start-ups who
will, in turn, be able to test their products and gain accelerated access to market via the established SMEs.” Speaking at InnoHub’s launch, Minister for Commercial Affairs Neil Costa described Innohub as “an exciting project” that would be complemented by the government’s drive towards ‘e-government’. He cited plans to stimulate entrepreneurship with online services operating 24/7 and a one-stop shop in place of the labyrinth of government departments that currently process the paperwork involved in setting up a new businesses in Gibraltar. As a mere start-up itself, InnoHub is still in the embryonic stage and will be looking for EU funding and government assistance to set up a shared coworking space and roll out the scheme, as well as private funding to support events and meet-ups. Sponsors already on board include Gibtelecom, L Sacarello and Elitad International. On a recent visit to Britain, Craig Sacarello also won the support of Oxford Brookes University Business School, whose undergraduates and MBAs will help with market research and product testing in return for experience opportunities with businesses in Gibraltar. Other mentors who have promised help behind the scenes include entrepreneur Sir James Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame, Peter Harman, CEO of UK Business Incubator and Glendon Martínez, CEO of the philately website WOPA which has been described as ‘doing for stamps what Amazon did for books.’ Glendon, who spoke at the InnoHub launch about the importance of digital technology in reaching a wider audience, commented: “It’s vital for local businesses to think out of the Rock when formulating or adjusting their business models.” g Further information www.innohub-squarespace.com
e itiativnd n i w a e on a nnnovation s t r o i al r ep ckettechnologircaltar. e B a d Belin’s driving st hip in Gib t tha epreneur entr
or @innohubgib to connect on Twitter
b ’ u k c o R H e h o t e d n i s t u n I king ‘O Thin
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business THE PRO
If you have preconceived ideas about bankers or imagine that private banking is the privilege of the super-rich, Emma Pérez, CEO of SGPBH, will change your mind on both counts, reports Belinda Beckett. Photography Jon Segui
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mma Pérez is not what you expect in a private bank CEO – and that’s not only because of the striking purple dress and trendy pearl necklace she was wearing when we met. In a dozen years she’s risen to the top of the pile in a profession traditionally dominated by ‘men in grey suits’ and given birth to two daughters, shattering the myth of ‘the glass ceiling’ and scotching the notion that motherhood and a high-powered career don’t mix. Emma joined SGPBH in 2001 as chief accountant. Within five years, she was appointed CEO – the first woman in Gibraltar’s financial community to hold that rank – also becoming the first female President of the Gibraltar’s Bankers’ Association in 2011 and joining the board of the Financial Services Commission. Where Emma leads, others follow. Gibraltar’s next Regulator will be a woman. As part of a two-CEO family (husband John is head of the Bland Group), her life must be pretty full-on but this empathetic, approachable lady is a role model for her profession. If there were more like her, the world might be quicker to reinvest its trust in banks! “I have great child care,” she laughs, when I ask her how she keeps her cool and humour – qualities her colleagues say she brings to the job in spades, along with enviable people skills. Emma’s profile closely matches some of the bank’s core clients: affluent families. Unusually, Hambros doesn’t only court the mega-rich and Category 2 set; it’s also tapping into a new vein of mid-range wealth: clients with investable assets of £250,000-plus. They are being targeted in the bank’s debut advertising campaign on GBC TV with the slogan, ‘Working Towards One Goal – Yours’. “The IT boom has created a new generation of younger clients who might not be multi-millionaires but have capital they wish to invest to plan for their families’ future,” says Emma.
reputation internationally; it was voted Best Private Bank in UK 2013 in The Investors Chronicle and Financial Times Investment Awards. The original London bank dates back to 1839 and its prestige rose in 1998 when it was acquired by Société Générale, the third largest bank in France and 15th in the world. With 62 staff and a 32-year history on the Rock, Hambros Gibraltar is the largest and among the longest-established private banks in Gibraltar. “We’re respected in the local market, with a committed team who have been with the bank for many years so our clients know they’ll enjoy a personal relationship,” says Emma. Hambros also offers private banking clients everyday banking services – including current and deposit accounts, online banking and a Visa debit card. With only two traditional ‘high street’ banks left in Gibraltar, that can only be an advantage. “Banks have a small footprint here,” agrees Emma, “but funds and the insurance industry have shown steady growth and the changing legislation for funds will help to bring bigger players in to raise awareness of Gibraltar’s capabilities and strategic position as a stepping stone into the EU. With the 27 tax information exchange agreements that we’ve signed to date, we’ve shown willingness to display to the world that we are transparent. And we have many other attractions – a sterling economy, a multi-cultural population and, of course, a great climate and lifestyle.” Ease of doing business in one of the smallest international finance centres on the world map is another bonus. “You can just pick up the phone and you know everyone. I’m peer level with CEOs I’ve known since school days, we have a good working rapport and can exchange ideas and get things moving very quickly.” I was going to finish up by asking Emma what she did with her free time but it seems a silly question. With two young daughters and a husband to look after, it doesn’t sound like she has any! “And a cat and an elderly dog – and the dog’s more work than any of them,” she laughs. “I’ve been telling myself I really must get out more, when I do I’ll let you know!”
Société Générale Private Banking Hambros (SGPBH) ...the Fresh Face of Private Banking The care taken in matching each client to the right advisor – or ‘Relationship Manager’, as they’re called – is impressive. “We take time with new clients to find someone who suits their background, character and language,” says Emma. The company has 15 RMs who speak 12 languages between them, including Afrikaans. Investors can be as hands-on as they like, or leave their portfolio management to the experts. To quote another Hambros slogan: ‘Banking is part of everyday life but you don’t always want it to be part of your life every day’. Investors have had their confidence shaken by the world banking crisis and Emma’s own tenure at Hambros has not been without drama. “In 2008 we acquired the private banking business of ABN Amro Gibraltar and the day we went live – September 15 2009 – was the day Lehman Brothers, America’s 4th largest investment bank, went down!” Her job is made easier thanks to Hambros’ solid
i www.privatebanking.societegenerale.co.uk
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THE PRO finance
FATCA / IGA Confused Yet? UK Signs Automatic Information Exchange Agreement with Gibraltar
Intergovernmental Agreements: ZZUK FATCA Following the announcement, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories have signed and are engaging in this pilot scheme for multilateral exchange. The reasoning behind the signing of the Agreement is: “To Improve International Tax Compliance” between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar (IGA). With respect to timelines for the UK FATCA: ZZAmending the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the UK to provide for FATCA style automatic exchange: also during the month of November. ZZ Introducing domestic legislation for the enforcement of Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs): circa January 2014. ZZUK FATCA due diligence key dates are: July 2014 for new business, December 2014 for all existing business and actual automatic exchange to take place in September 2016.
The UK signed an automatic tax information sharing agreement with Gibraltar and other Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories on 21 November 2013. This follows the commitment expressed by Overseas Territories earlier this year, to sign such agreements. Agreements with Crown Dependencies are reciprocal, but the agreement with Gibraltar is the only one with an Overseas Territory which is reciprocal. But what does this all mean to the man in the street ? Automatic Exchange of Information Agreements On 9th April, 2013, the British Government, together with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, in a letter addressed to the EU Tax Commissioner, declared their agreement for a pilot scheme whereby a wide range of financial information would be automatically exchanged between the five countries. The plan was to model the scheme on the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). The G5 ministers are hoping to have the scheme adopted by the rest of the EU, having invited them to join. Expectations are high that the scheme will set an ‘international standard’, ensuring that the same level of transparency is enjoyed by all states. Although the information exchange has been specified, what is the next move? If the scheme follows the FATCA model, financial entities will be obliged to identify those individuals who might be taxable in one G5 and to disclose their balances, receipts, and withdrawals, etc. to the relevant
body. Alternatively, it is has been suggested that some countries may opt for a withholding tax instead. One would then incur a withholding tax on income from relevant assets held by banks or financial entities. Other particulars that will require clarification include: »» the rate of the withholding tax (it is envisaged that it could be in the region of 30 per cent) if one chooses to keep the amount private »» whether there will be thresholds on the requirement to report, as in the US »» the penalty on any understatement of income in undisclosed foreign financial assets Regardless, this will extend the remit of the EU Savings Tax Directive (EUSD), which was previously focused on interest. This new agreement will identify all other means of income that have not previously been declared, with the hope of achieving full compliance regarding all offshore investments within these states. No doubt, the ministers will be eager to get the other EU nations involved ASAP to cover all bases.
ZZG5 FATCA – Spain, Italy, France, Germany, UK and the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories This has now begun to take shape and a large number of other countries have also signed up to the pilot programme. The G5 are pushing to establish a timeframe which is as follows: ZZ January 2014 – The OECD’s Committee of Fiscal Affairs signs off the Common Reporting Standard. ZZ End of 2014 – The implementation of the standard in domestic law and the conclusion of Competent Authority Agreements. ZZ July 2015 – Financial institutions begin operating with due diligence procedures. ZZ September 2016 – tax administrations exchange information with respect to the second half of 2015. OECD GLOBAL FORUM ON EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND TRANSPARENCY – Jakarta, November 2013 It is clear that, although up until now the OECD Global Forum has concentrated on the signing of TIEAs and Multilateral TIEA mechanisms, the emphasis as to a new Global standard is now shifting to a focus on the automatic exchange of information using ‘FATCA’-style standards. A global FATCA, if you will. g Simon Hopkins is the Director of Totus Tax, an
international wealth and tax management group with over 20,000 clients worldwide. Contact the Spanish office on: +34 952 931 462 or the Gibraltar office on: +350 200 64966. www.totus.com
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THE PRO property
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hesterton Gibraltar works with individuals and companies seeking to establish a Gibraltar footprint and provides a myriad of relocation services within the property and taxation arena. Perhaps the greatest challenge currently facing new high net worth individuals is identifying the right property for their family needs. The demand for high quality properties has been strong for a number of years. However, it was this time last year when the strong demand became even more significant such that property supply is now at its lowest for a number of years. Spain introduced its Form 720 to apply to calendar year 2012 this time last year. Form 720 requires Spanish residents to report all owned overseas assets to Hacienda. Form 720 does not impose new taxes, however, there was, and there remains, a fear that it is the prelude to a new aggressive tax regime. A significant number of cross-border workers and high net worth individuals are choosing to move to Gibraltar as a result. Recent deteriorating border issues with Spain which impede the free flow of people from Gibraltar back to their homes in Spain exacerbate the property demand in Gibraltar. The daily commute or the occasional visit
has become too burdensome. For high net worth families seeking to move into Gibraltar, the choice has been extremely limited. Just a few minutes from Gibraltar’s thriving Main Street and driving up towards the Nature Reserve, one cannot escape the awe-inspiring emerging structure of the development known as The Sanctuary, adjacent to the Upper Nature Reserve. The development consists of just five super prime luxury villas. A spokesman for the developer, Forefront Ventures Limited, described the inspiration behind The Sanctuary: “Given such a stunning elevated location and views, the primary aim for The Sanctuary has been to create the very highest level of luxury and sophistication for discerning individuals. This peaceful location within Gibraltar demands nothing less than the ultimate contemporary haven.” These villas are by some margin, the largest single residential properties in Gibraltar, with extensive terraces, gardens and private parking for at least six cars. The location and elevation permit breath-taking views of the sea, across to North Africa. The design ensures uninterrupted vistas from all key rooms, the pool area, spa and gardens. Each villa is crowned with
THE SANCTUARY, GIBRALTAR
a stunning roof terrace and pavilion, allowing relaxation, entertainment and jaw-dropping panoramic views – day and night, whatever the season. Asking the developer for a summary of the key features leads to a very long answer full of enthusiasm and energy. “The main kitchens are fitted with top of the range appliances, for example: Sub-Zero wine fridge, full size refrigerator and freezer, under counter cooler drawers, two Wolf ovens with warming drawers beneath, full surface Gaggenau induction hobs, Wolf Convection Microwave with Grill Oven, two extra large Miele dishwashers and two Wolf electric griddle plates in the outdoor kitchen. There is a further fully equipped staff kitchen on the ground floor.” “Whether it’s entertaining, partying, chilling or – if you must – working, the villas are an artful blend of necessities and luxuries, with emphasis on the latter. All bedroom suites have their own Jessie Milano designer bathrooms and bespoke dressing areas. There is separate accommodation for staff (or even more friends and family), an entire wellness level complete with
Gibraltar has not only withstood the economic plight of the last few years, but has continued its economic growth seemingly unabated. The low tax base in a well regulated EU jurisdiction ensures that Gibraltar is an attractive proposition at any time of an economic cycle. With corporation tax at 10%, income tax peaking at an effective rate of 25%, and no wealth, capital gains or inheritance tax, Gibraltar is appealing to both individuals and companies willing to relocate to save costs. WORDS MIKE NICHOLLS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CHESTERTON
Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association and is Hon. Treasurer of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar. g 20 Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar.
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dance studio, gymnasium, treatment room, sauna, bespoke steam room, and there’s a cinema for discovering new blockbusters and reliving timeless classics.” The Sanctuary villas will be equipped with sophisticated Crestron home automation systems which control lighting scenes, audio, video, room temperature, hot water, window blinds, security cameras, alarm, gates and house entry – all to the owner’s specific requirements. You can even view your property through the security cameras, from anywhere in the world. At completion, the villas will sell for £14M, or around £9,000 per square metre. Offplan opportunities currently exist at £10M (limited period), i.e. below £6,500 per square metre. That is exceedingly good value when the build quality and feature rich design are taken into account as compared to what else is available in the market place. It is even greater value when compared to other notable low tax jurisdictions for example Singapore, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Monaco. According to a report by
international estate agent Knight Frank for house prices in 2012 across the world, property prices in Singapore average £16,500 per square metre and the government is struggling to keep house price inflation manageable. Singapore hosts the world’s densest population of millionaires, and limited land for development (the country is only 700 square km in size) means that property prices are not expected to plummet anytime soon. In Switzerland, Knight Frank believes prices in Geneva are set to rise as the country is forecast to see a 27 percent rise in its high net worth population between 2012 and 2022. The average house price in Geneva is £19,500 per square metre, the popularity of the city being explained by its position as a global financial centre, excellent schools, safe environment and the Alpine ski resorts on its doorstep. The Hong Kong property market is hot, averaging £33,000 per square metre. The government is fighting to cool it down. Knight Frank put the city’s popularity down to
strong demand from both local and international owners, and investors who see the city as an international financial hub with a strategic geographic location and a liberalised economy. Sounds like Gibraltar to me. Monaco has a reputation for being a playground for the super-rich. With just 36,000 people, its population is only 20% greater that Gibraltar’s. Property prices average £38,000 per square metre according to Knight Frank, many times more expensive than Gibraltar. The fact that neither individuals nor companies resident in Monaco pay income or business tax,
keeps Monaco property as the most expensively priced in the world. Using the above benchmarks, a Sanctuary villa in Monaco would fetch in excess of £55M, £50M in Hong Kong, £30M in Geneva, and £25M in Singapore. An international investor seeking a low tax jurisdiction, which couples as a financial centre, has good schools, offers a very safe environment and is geographically located close to other popular locations and international hubs could well see an opportunity to invest in The Sanctuary, Gibraltar and save themselves a few million pounds. e
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THE LEISURE travel
Getting to Dubai could not be easier. You can fly from London on Emirates, which has been voted the world’s number one airline. Second to that is Qatar Airways which is also an option. Flying with either airline will help you relax and unwind before you arrive, whether flying from Málaga with a stopover in Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris or London Heathrow. The flight itself is around seven hours, so make sure to catch up on your beauty sleep so that you are refreshed when you land. Dubai is only three hours ahead of local time, meaning that you will be able to take advantage of all the shopping and sightseeing without feeling too jetlagged!
DUBAI Out of this World
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY ALEX CARUANA
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ubai has two main sources of wealth. The first is oil, which was discovered back in 1966, and also the production of gold. It was from these lucrative sources that Dubai was able to invest in its economy and build itself up to become the place that we see today. The landscape varies from the buzzing city with its tall skyscrapers, giving it a somewhat futuristic feel, to the isolated sandy dunes of the Dubai desert. As when visiting any Arabic country, it is important to dress appropriately out of respect for the locals. You will see that most of the ladies wear long black hijabs, with the men wearing the white equivalent with red and white checked headscarves. Ensure you cover your shoulders and your knees if you don’t want to get funny looks from the locals! Also bear this in mind depending on what time of the year you visit Dubai: temperatures can reach up to 45 degrees in the summer, meaning people spend most of their time indoors in the air conditioning to get away from the unbearable heat. Therefore, if you want to do more than stay inside the hotel for the whole of your stay, we recommend visiting just after the summer. Dubai’s winter is short and a little cooler, but the weather is still pleasant, meaning you will be more inclined to venture out sight-seeing.
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One of the things Dubai is best known for, is its shopping. Having spent an entire afternoon in the Dubai mall, I only managed to cover half of the shops available. The stores vary, from high end fashion such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Dior, to high street shops such as Topshop, H&M, Victoria’s Secret and much much more. There is also a section within the mall appropriately named ‘The Souk’, which has traditional Arab shops. Although you could probably happily spend all your holiday in the mall, there is so much more Dubai has to offer. Dubai is also home to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Standing at 830 metres, the magnificent building is considerably higher than the rest of the skyscrapers that inhabit Dubai’s skyline. The Armani Hotel is situated within the Burj Khalifa, a perfect place to stay for those travellers who want a fantastic view of Dubai. Take a trip to the top of the Burj Khalifa for an evening in the Atmosphere lounge and restaurant. The lift ride up is not for the faint hearted or those suffering from vertigo, as you will travel 122 floors in just under two minutes. It is well worth the trip though, as you will be welcomed by a mesmerising view at the top. First warm up your evening with some funky tunes in the bar complimented by refreshing cocktails and Dubai’s evening skyline. Then make your way across to the restaurant, where the best seats are by the window. Ensure you book your table in advance, as these are the tables that go the fastest! The restaurant provides a delicious tasting menu of five or seven courses if you fancy trying a bit of everything. Fish and meat are this restaurant’s specialty, and this is reflected in their extensive starter and main course menu. Chocolate lovers should treat themselves to the Atmosphere dessert, a chocolate bomb infused with ice cream which comes beautifully presented.
An example of the amazing architecture that you will see in Dubai © S-F / Shutterstock.com
Burj khalifa, the highest building in the world © Subbotina Anna / Shutterstock.com
View of the Burj Khalifa from the bottom
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In contrast with the Armani Hotel, a more traditional Arabesque place to stay is the Park Hyatt Dubai. This five-star luxury hotel offers great views over the Dubai Creek and the marina, and boasts its own golf course; perfect for heading down to if you have a few hours to spare. If you’re not into golf, then relax in the Amara Spa, where they have lots of wonderful treatments for you to indulge in. A great feature within the spa is the option to choose your own preference of soothing music during your treatment from sounds of the ocean, to haunting Arabic music. Also within the resort is a beautiful 25 metre outdoor swimming pool, great for sitting around and catching a few rays! The hotel has a variety of different award winning restaurants, so you are guaranteed not to get bored during your stay here, as you have cuisine from all over the world to choose from. The appropriately named Thai Kitchen prepares Thai cuisine using spicy and exotic flavours in an open kitchen, where you are able to watch the chefs cook your meal. Come to Café Arabesque if you fancy sampling some traditional Middle Eastern Cuisine such as kebabs, and try the delicious Mezze selection they have on offer. Traiteur is famous in Dubai for its brunches, and has been named Time Out Dubai Restaurant of the Year. Here you will find typical French dishes such as snails, oysters and foie gras. The Terrace is the most casual restaurant within the hotel, where you are seated outside next to the marina. Western cuisine is served here, unless you fancy having a couple of cocktails and trying a shisha whilst you watch the sun go down. In the evenings this is the life and soul of the hotel. The luxurious and iconic Burj al Arab is the second tallest hotel in the world © David Steele/Shutterstock.com
Park Hyatt Dubai reception area in the evening
Golf at Dusk at the Park Hyatt
Evening at Park Hyatt Dubai
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The Palm © Shutterstock.com
If you fancy stepping out of the hotel for a bite to eat, the Indigo restaurant at the Grosvenor House is a must. With a wide selection of different Indian dishes to try, this Michelin star restaurant is guaranteed to tantalise all taste buds with its rich and exotic flavours. After dinner, pop across the road to the world famous Buddha Bar for a few drinks to experience Dubai’s night scene with the potential to bump into some celebrities. If accompanied with children on your trip to Dubai, take a trip to Atlantis the Palm, where you will be able to swim with the dolphins and other sea life, and visit the waterpark and the Lost
Chambers Aquarium. The park itself is rated the number one waterpark in the Middle East and Europe so it is worth taking a look. It is best known for its ride, Leap of Faith, a slide for thrill seekers only, which has you falling over nine stories in just a second, and Shark Attack, a slide which has you falling into darkness before emerging into a breathtakingly-close shark filled lagoon. Do not worry though, as they are all behind a glass panel! A day at Atlantis is guaranteed to be fun for all the family, whatever age, but do avoid weekends when the park is at its busiest!
Atlantis the Palm is a luxury 5 star hotel built on an artificial island © Irina Schmidt/Shutterstock.com
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Camels in the Dubai Desert
© Shutterstock
Wildlife in the Dubai Desert
Another must see during your stay is the desert. Dubai itself is growing at a rapid rate, and it is debated whether there will be any desert left in the future. As Dubai relies so heavily on tourism, it has adopted the name ‘adults’ playground’, as its tourist sites are growing vastly in order to accommodate people from all corners of the world. While driving out towards the desert, my driver informed me that there are plans for a Disneyland and a Universal Studios where there is currently desert. UAE nationals make up less than 20% of the population in Dubai, meaning that the rest of the population comprises expats from all over the world, coming to explore the fun that Dubai has to offer. Camel racing is Dubai’s national sport, and has been for many years. In the past, children used to take part as the jockeys, but they have now been replaced by robots. As they are smaller, camel racing has reached new and
4x4 driving along the dunes of the Dubai Desert
improved speeds, making it more popular than ever. If you have never seen a camel race, I recommend you have a look on YouTube. It is Dubai’s equivalent to Royal Ascot! It is possible to book several ‘desert experiences’ in Dubai. For a reputable tour guide look to Platinum Heritage, where you can view what they have to offer on their website http:// www.platinum-heritage.com/. Tours that are recommended are the Dinner Safari and the Falconry and Wildlife Safari. The Dinner Safari provides a six-course dinner under the stars where you can enjoy belly dancing entertainment. Shisha pipes are also available during the course of the evening. Prior to this you will have the opportunity to watch a falcon in flight demonstration, and hold an owl and an eagle for a great photo opportunity. Afterwards, you will be able to drive through the desert dunes in a 4 x 4 jeep and experience the desert at sunset on
Camels
a camel. If, however, the dinner sounds like too long an evening for you, especially if you have children, try the Falconry and Wildlife Safari, which is everything mentioned less the dinner. Either tour will be a wonderful experience, and you can make everyone back home jealous with your fantastic photos! Dubai is a buzzing city with plenty of things to keep you on your toes during your visit, whether you are single, married or with children. Take your camera as there are lots of photo opportunities that you will not want to miss! Explore the desert, ride a camel, ascend the tallest building in the world and shop til you drop; you are guaranteed to set a few new records for yourself and tick off several things on your ‘to do’ list in Dubai. And if you run out of time for shopping during your stay in Dubai, don’t fret, there’s 15,000m2 worth of more great shops at the airport’s duty free lounge! e
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THE LEISURE travel
Does anyone enjoy flying any more? And why take a quick break if you can afford the time and money for a long holiday to escape winter? So went a discussion with people we met on a cruise from Barcelona to Miami. Yes, they were flying home, but not for three months. Funny thing, we were doing the same. “Got any plans?”, we asked. “Yup!” they said, “golf in Naples, Florida”. “And you?” We were going for a drive. But first, the cruise.
CRUISING THE WORDS DAVID WISHART PHOTOGRAPHY GENEVIEVE BALTHAZARD AND TOURISM PARTNERS
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rossing the Atlantic Ocean used to be such an ordeal. Christopher Columbus, for example, took 70 days to get to the other side. Our cruise to Miami was on a similar track, steaming fairly close to Palos, near Cadiz, the tiny Spanish port Columbus set sail from in 1492, but for us it was 12 days, and all calm seas and sunshine. While I enjoyed retracing Columbus’s voyage, most of the 800 others on the Crystal Serenity probably didn’t care. One man told me he hated flying, his wife wanted to avoid jetlag, and a throng was there, it seemed, just for the bridge. There was no doubt that everyone enjoyed the discounted fares for what was a positioning cruise. In this case, we were one of an armada of ships which sails mostly to Miami and Fort Lauderdale every autumn and the reverse in the spring. These cruises are lean on ports – just Tenerife and St. Martin in our case – so the cruise lines bulk up on entertainment. The ship decided to give the trip a ‘Big Band’ theme and brought aboard the 17-strong Artie Shaw Orchestra. There were also half a dozen gentlemen hosts to dance with the ladies. So, no lonely nights then. But what to do on those sea days? You’d be surprised, but a good book is a start. On the other hand, Crystal Serenity has a splendid library including shelves of films for playing in cabins. You won’t find Titanic, though. Nearby is the computer room, once the orphan of the storm but now the busiest place on the ship after the self-service laundry. For that, thank the iPad, as ubiquitous on board as sequins in the bar. Going online at sea is not cheap, but nor is any satellite service and the computer staff is efficient and friendly with both geeks and grannies. Personally, I like days at sea, when a ship can get into its stride and is freed from the disruptions of docking. I go to the Lido deck aft for breakfast outside, and if my luck is in, sit at a table right at the stern with just a whisker between me and the ocean churning below as we spank along at 19 knots. If you love the sea and ships, this is a special place. The breakfast buffet is amazing. I don’t quite understand why swanky hotels often seem to struggle with the idea of providing fresh fruit yet, every morning, Crystal Serenity serves up fresh, juicy mango and strawberries, and never runs out. Ten o’clock and time for the golf lesson. Fortunately, Joe Herbert’s nets are just below. Joe, the golf pro on board, has a great set-up with two nets and excellent clubs for free use. He is an accomplished teacher and his twice-daily classes were well attended. An hour later, I am in the Spanish class, where Nelson has an equally enthusiastic following. As that ends, and we are hurrying upstairs for the noon quiz, the room quickly fills with passengers learning to play the keyboard. Are we having fun yet? Yes, and it’s time for lunch, usually on deck, followed by a siesta. Only Davy Jones sleeps better. My alarm signals a lecture by Lee Ellis, a POW pilot who spent five years in the prison known as the Hanoi Hilton The gym is next on the agenda, my final stretch taking me next door to the spa for a massage.
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As the sun goes down, I take the cue and sink into a bath, something not found on an average cruise ship. Then, on with the dinner jacket, which the butler has pressed. Amazingly, it still fits. I’ve heard it said formal nights are just for the ladies to dress up, but most men love the feeling of crossing a crowded room in a well-cut dinner jacket. We meet friends for cocktails, and it is worth noting that Crystal now includes all drinks and wines. I like the two-sitting arrangement as we have the same window table and waiter every night. There’s also a willing Head Waiter who whips up a curry on request. And Cherries Jubilee. In addition, Crystal has two bijou restaurants: the Italian Prego, and Silk Road, a work of art by Japan’s Nobu. Both were outstanding, and amazingly, offered at no extra charge. Later, there is a proper cinema, a casino, the night club and of course Artie Shaw. And so to bed, ready to do it all over again the next day.
Yes, there were two ports of call, but the ship is the thing, and the voyage. First stop in Florida, after picking up our rental car at the port, was a Best Buy store for a GPS. Then, an easy drive up the coast road to Fort Lauderdale, long my favourite city in Florida. Here we checked into Il Lugano, one of the special places we would stay at. Its location is perfect, right on the Intracoastal Waterway and close to the beach. For the price of a room in an ordinary hotel, Il Lugano gives you a suite with kitchen. For me, going to a supermarket makes me feel more a local than a tourist. Picking up a SIM card for my mobile provides a US phone number and further ingrains the notion that I am not just passing through. Then, with some nibbles and a bottle of wine in the fridge, cocktail hour on the balcony is the setting for a welcome toast to our arrival. Fort Lauderdale has a fine beach, and a little north there’s a pier at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The best beaches have piers and this is the real thing,
just two bucks to go for a stroll and another seven for a spot of fishing. We were also well placed to hop on the water taxi cruising the canal system, often compared to Venice but with modern American adornments such as Hooters. Places to eat abound, few better than Houston’s at Pompano Beach serving epic ribs. Our best meals, however, were at the Il Lugano restaurant, right on the water’s edge. Golf is readily available, ranging from the very affordable to Trump Palm Beach. I had a game at this delightful course, arriving just after the Donald helicoptered in with Lee Westwood. On to Orlando, home to many golf tour players. How many visitors to Disneyworld, I wonder, have looked enviously at the lush fairways of the resort’s courses as they arrive with their kids for a day in the Magic Kingdom. An annual PGA Tour event is played here, which says all you need to know about the quality.
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The Disney courses, now run by an Arnold Palmer management company, are very accessible and one visitor I played with had just turned up at the pro shop. My next round would be at Tucson, Arizona, but the GPS said it was 3000 kms down the road. So Delta it was, with a flight to LAX to visit friends, then across the desert by car from San Diego to Tucson. It was a day’s drive, not without interest (my expat pal said if you were from Sunderland you’d spot the difference) such as seeing long trains snaking by the cactus. Back in the wild days of the 1880s they would have picked up fuel and water at Yuma, maybe a gunslinger as well such as in the Russell Crowe movie 3.10 to Yuma. It was also a time for stagecoaches, more often than not pursued by Apaches or outlaws. At Tombstone, just south of Tucson, the town publishes a newspaper called The Tombstone Epitaph, which, in its first year, carried a front-page story on the shootout at the O.K. Corral.
Silver brought the settlers here, then after the First World War, soldiers who had been gassed in the trenches were shipped in to convalesce in the clean, dry and warm desert air. That got Tucson started as a spa destination, the spectacular mountains brought tourists, golf courses thrived where springs irrigated lush valleys, and some pretty nice hotels found roots. We discovered the ideal place, the Hilton El Conquistador, which for a modest sum offers delightful, roomy casitas with kitchens and a superb location in the lee of striking mountains. On site is one of the best nine-hole golf courses I have come across, while nearby, a few minutes by the free shuttle, the hotel has two cracking golf courses. We were in the Oro Valley, the winner of loads of awards for congeniality, liveability, best place to start a business and without doubt a comfortable and engrossing place to spend the winter. It has attractive, affordable neighbourhoods, shops with
designer cowboy boots and everyday people who make one feel welcome. Scratch the surface and you’ll find some carefully tended parks, such as the Tohono Chul, a botanical garden (and attractive lunch spot) saved by good citizens from becoming another mall. But it’s just a few minutes to the Sonoran Desert with its towering cactuses, old missions and the Pima Air Museum with more than 250 aircraft. Head out towards Phoenix and there’s the Marana field, where scores of old airliners wait forlornly for another take-off. Everywhere you go, there are golf courses, many well priced, including some you really don’t want to miss such as Ventana Canyon. Spa lovers are spoiled for choice with Canyon Ranch being the best known. Canyon Ranch is fine if you like old ranches, which of course is a very American yearning, but others might find it la-la land offering at best a healthy vacation, at great expense.
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Mind you, this did not put us off visiting another old ranch, and hey, this is Arizona, but the Hermosa Inn at Scottsdale’s Paradise Valley is something else. Laid back yes, but more a country hotel of great charm, the former home of cowboy artist Lon Megargee, who loved horses, cards and women, although maybe not in that order. His painting of a cowboy giving his last drop of water to his horse – from his hat – symbolises every cowboy’s appreciation of his horse, and to this day is still printed on every Stetson hat. Not far away, we found a restaurant run by French chef Vincent Guerithault, whose Camelback Hideaway is well worth seeking out. Big hotels can also do the business as we discovered at the “wine me, dine me” feature at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. This is a four-course food and wine pairing and you sit at the kitchen counter. No problems with the service then.
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch
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The Hyatt had its own appeal, starting with our lakeside casita, equipped yet again with that most useful kitchen, the source of leftovers shared by handsome birds who dropped on to our terrace daily. Golf was just a stroll away across the lake, and if you’ve come far don’t miss Troon North and the Boulders, renowned for its spa incorporating the rock features of the golf courses. The highway drew us to Jerome, an old mining town at the end of a winding road with many dramatic views, then on to Sedona, where we found another fine Hilton, like the first, outstanding in its concierge services. Sedona, with its startling red sandstone ridges, attracted producers of many western movies in the 1930s, including the classic Stagecoach and the only Hopalong Cassidy film ever shot outside California. Sedona was also the promised land of milk and honey in Der Kaiser von Kalifornien, a Nazi western promoting Adolf Hitler’s schemes of territorial expansion. John Wayne would have had something to say about that. And so to Las Vegas, up the road in Nevada. The Grand Canyon is en route, and Monument Valley, where many other Westerns were filmed, is not far away. We enjoyed the Beatles show, Love, and experienced a big casino hotel called Wynn’s, whose idea of service was a room fridge full of over-priced drinks, and a sign saying that anything else put in the fridge incurred a $25 charge. It was time to go home. Las Vegas airport does not do fond farewells, what with luggage carts requiring dollars or a credit card acceptable to the often parochial banking system. To think I would ever miss the porters at the Miami cruise terminal… e
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RESTAURANTS / REVIEWS / NEWS / WINE / CHEFS
Start the New Year with excellent wine and tantalise your tastebuds at Gatsby’s restaurant. Here’s to a fantastic 2014 filled with food, fun and special moments with the family!
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Restaurant Review: Gatsby’s
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Septima Malbec from Argentina
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Ronda Wines
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Listings
12/16/13 1:41 PM
THE GOURMET restaurant
A 100-watt Night Out at
‘the Great’ Gatsby’s! Dining trends come and go as often as food critics have hot dinners but one restaurant in town has been lighting up customers’ faces for a quarter of a century. Run by the same self-taught chef since 1988, Gatsby’s following remains as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar itself. words Belinda Beckett Photography Jon Segui
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et Vijay Vatvani has never been near a catering college. He left Leeds University with a degree in electronics engineering – handy if the oven ever blows up! Driven by his passion for cooking, his decision to swap a circuit board for a chopping board was doubly rewarded last year when Gatsby’s was voted Best in Gibraltar on Trip Advisor, ahead of 108 other restaurants. From its early days as an American-style diner serving up ribs, burgers and steaks, Gatsby’s has been through several culinary evolutions and four changes of look. The Hollywood movie posters, dark wood and Tiffany lamps have given way to bright modern décor and the building has grown with the clientele. Head Chef Sam Martin has been drafted in to add his classical repertoire to what Vijay describes as “my own crazy inventions”, resulting in an innovative menu with flavours that work. One of those creations is Vijay’s wittily-named Popeye Spinach, a creamy gratin that’s almost a tourist attraction – so popular, Vijay daren’t take it off the menu! Also unchanged is Vijay’s mission in life – to give diners the value they expect: a warm welcome, good service and a tasty meal garnished with those special extra touches you don’t have time for in your own kitchen. Like the character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, the eponymous Gatsby’s is anti-prohibition. Explains Vijay: “Gibraltar has some very good
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restaurants now but 25 years ago, if you asked for something even slightly different you were invariably told, ‘sorry, it doesn’t come with that’! And most places kicked you out at 11pm. I got fed up with that so I opened my own restaurant.” Gatsby’s doesn’t shut until the last customer leaves, all dishes are cooked to order and can be customised. You can have hand-cut chips instead of basmati rice with your curry, just like home! Although with a menu as multicultural as Gibraltar you’d have to be pretty picky not to find something you like. The 23 starters and mains feature Asian, French, Spanish, British and Indian fusion dishes and weekly specials have their own menu card – although that doesn’t stop Vijay making your mouth water with his own colourful descriptions. Our table for four looked like a map of the world, drawn out in food! French onion soup, rich and delicious, topped with a tangy gruyere crouton; a zesty Mediterranean salad with langoustine, mango and buffalo mozzarella; super-crisp chicken samosas with raita dip; and prawns al Milano topped with a lip-smacking tomato, basil and cheese sauce. Our culinary world tour continued with an authentic beef Madras curry (Vijay’s father was originally from Hyderabad), beef Bourguignon from France, earthy with mushrooms and sweet with shallots, and a delicately-flavoured Asian sea bream cooked to flaky perfection. The Danish
Special we also tried is of less certain ethnic origin – Vijay named it after the Danish construction workers building Europlaza who always asked for prawn-filled fillet steak when they clocked off their shifts! With a different garnish for every dish – ‘twin towers’ of Dauphinoise potatoes with the fish, miniature poppadoms with the curry – Gatsby’s goes the extra mile to please. You won’t find many restaurants offering prestige Marques de Caceres as their house wine, either. And this is pudding heaven: think chocolate brownie, banoffee, bread and butter pudding, apple pie… But if your belt’s on the last notch (and it will be), there are lighter treats: the white chocolate pana cotta with raspberry coulis and the carpaccio of pineapple, finely sliced like fruity lace, slipped down a treat. Gatsby’s is open every evening and all day on Sundays for Vijay’s famous ‘in-house roasts’ – this is one hard-working team. Friday nights are reputedly ‘manic’ but I can’t imagine the genial Vijay turning into Gordon Ramsay, judging from the relaxed way he and his staff interact. Attentive waitress Stefania does him proud out front while the guys backstage who had joined him in growing silly ‘Movember’ moustaches for charity clearly don’t mind going beyond the call of duty! Vijay’s electronics degree wasn’t wasted. He’s wired into his clientele’s wishes with a dynamic range of dishes that deliver a 100-watt night out! e
g Watergardens 1, Gibraltar, Tel: (+350) 200 76291/ 5853 7000 or reservations@gatsbys.gi 12/16/13 11:43 AM
wine THE GOURMET
SEPTIMA a premium Malbec from WORDS ROCIO CORRALES, ANGLO HISPANO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BODEGAS CODORNIU S.A.
The name ‘Septima’ was chosen because the bodega was the seventh winery introduced into the Codorníu Group, known for its world-famous cava and still wines from Spain and the Napa Valley. Imported exclusively by Anglo Hispano Company Ltd in Gibraltar for over 10 years, Septima is one of the premium Argentinean wines on its broad list of products.
Argentina TASTING NOTES Sweet tannins, smoky oak and raspberry jam. A classic example of this popular Argentinean varietal. This is a soft, elegant wine with fresh summer fruits and toasty vanilla notes from ageing.
FOOD MATCHING
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odorníu was founded by a family of winemakers that date back to the 16th century. In 1872, Josep Raventós Fatjó, a pioneer in the sparkling wine industry, produced his first bottle of Cava applying the traditional method to the combination of grape varieties from the Penedés region Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada. As the years passed by, the name Codorníu became synonymous with Cava Sparkling wine, however the group continued to grow and experimented with new wines and regions, finding their way to Napa Valley in California and Luján de Cuyo in
Mendoza, Argentina. Septima Malbec is a beautiful red wine from Mendoza. The malbec vineyards are planted in the upper region of the valley, which are located 3,600 feet above sea level. Hand harvested in the cool morning hours, the Malbec fruit is crushed and placed in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for 6 months in American oak barrels. Malbec is such a terrific grape because, at its best, it manages to combine big red-fruit flavours with a lovely chocolate, vanilla and leather complexity, while remaining fresh and vibrant on the palate.
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Baked, barbecued, grilled or roasted chicken and pork as well as veal and red meats pair nicely with Malbec. Hot and spicy sauces along with sausages also pair well. It also goes well with hard cheeses like Asiago, Parmesan and Romano or semi-hard cheeses like Cheddar, Fontina, Gouda or Swiss. Awards received by Septima Malbec are: Bronze Medal, Wine & Spirit Competition 2011 (UK), Silver Medal, Vinalies 2013 (Europe) and Gold Medal Mundis Vinis 2013 (Germany). For those of you who cannot resist the temptation of trying this wonderful red, you can buy a bottle at the Anglo Hispano shop for £12. e
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THE GOURMET wine
When Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe made it known that he was heading up into the Sierra de Ronda to make wine, we all thought he had lost his senses. Although recognised as a versatile businessman who had turned his hand, often unsuccessfully, to a number of projects both within and outside Spain, this was a new one. What did our beloved and charismatic Alfonso know about grapes and vineyards and all that?
RONDA
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he Marbella Club had passed out of his ownership and the assumption was that he now had enough money to do what he wanted. Retirement was not in his plans, so his thoughts turned to the country finca which he had owned for many years near Ronda. The property, set in a natural valley among rolling hills, was a delightful place even without vineyards, but his friend the oenologist Marqués de Griñon saw other possibilities. French flying-winemaker Michel Rolland also became involved and eventually 80,000 French vines were planted. As tends to happen in the wine business, the Cortijo de las Monjas was sold to a large company and things were never the same again. Prince Alfonso left us ten years ago and who knows
WORDS AJ LINN
whether without his initiative wine would ever have become established again in the Sierra de Ronda? Wine had been made in the Sierra de Ronda since the beginning of time and in spite of its artisanal nature the activity gave work to people who otherwise would have had to scratch a living from subsistence farming. The phylloxera bug devastated Ronda’s vineyards in the 19th century and the region was out of the wine business for the foreseeable future. Apart from its proximity to Marbella (it is easy to drive up early, visit a bodega or two, lunch in Ronda and be back in time for tea) the region also has the distinction of housing a wide variety of wineries. Here you cannot really say that once you have seen one bodega you have seen them all, as
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each one is different, unlike the boring sherry houses where they are all the same. Ronda has a relatively heavy foreign influence with several producers being of nonSpanish origin. German-born Federico Schatz got his wine to the market before Hohenlohe, in spite of starting later. Schatz, from a winemaking family in Württemberg, found the land he was searching for in 1982. He planted grape varieties never tried in Spain before, which together with Riesling, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon, allow him to produce a wide range from a tiny 3 hectare plot. The wines are organic and have become a benchmark for other organic vineyards in Andalucía. Swiss Conrad-Stauffer started in 1991 and the Conrad bodega is finally making its mark with wines like Soleón, San Lorenzo, Cristina and Niño León. The output is small, with the Cristina limited to 2,400 bottles and, satisfyingly, the quality improves annually and has reached a very high level. Another cuckoo in the nest is Austrian exarchitect Martin Kieninger. His 7 Vin wine uses three Austrian grape varieties and is most interesting, as is the Vinana, both awardwinners. To make wine you must be patient. The Cortijo los Aguilares finca was acquired by a Basque businessman in 1999 and will take years to become a money-spinner, but in the meantime ace winemaker Bibi García continues harvesting international awards for the Pinot Noir. The other wines such as Tadeo and Pago del Espino are far above average for the region. Currently, only a few hectares are under vines but expansion is planned to include a white variety. Ronda vineyards are high. El Chantre is over 1,000 metres, and is the biggest red-wineproducing estate in Ronda, with its one-wine Ramos Paul having achieved a good enough reputation to win export orders in spite of a price of €28. The bodega is impeccable, with the latest technology, and an interesting feature is the extensive underground cellar originally excavated by Polish miners working around the clock. Until quite recently it was not easy to find Ronda wines in local restaurants, allegedly on the basis that they were too expensive. This is now being addressed by producers like Bodegas Lunares, with their Lunares 2012 at €9 and Altocielo at €14, both excellent. Joaquín Fernández started up in 2001 and under the Finca los Frutales and Hacienda Vizcondesa labels makes some very good organic red wines, completed by a rare animal, a white wine from a red grape, Blanco de Uva Tinta.
Prices are excellent: the Hacienda Vizcondesa selling for less than €8, and increasingly difficult to find. Chinchilla got going in 2000, and its Doble Doce 2008 is recommended highly in the Spanish media. Made from cabernet sauvignon and merlot. The Seis+Seis a close runnerup. Ronda is slowly developing its white wine potential and Chichilla’s Cloe 2012 is the first from this bodega, although the production is only 6,000 hand-numbered bottles. Juan Manuel Vetas is arguably one of the region’s most experienced oenologists, having collaborated initially with Alfonso Hohenlohe after serving time in French wineries. Vetas is now a brand in its own right and has joined Schatz and Los Aguilares in producing a fine Petit Verdot, as well as its Selección 2005. Both are pricey at around €40. Descalzos Viejos is highly recommended for its sheer uniqueness. Restored from a 16th century convent by its architect owners, this is a matchless bodega, as are the wines, DV + 2007 with cabernet sauvignon, and a delicious naturally-sweet DV Minima made from overripe grapes. Most of the wines mentioned are readily available in Marbella wine stores and the Vinacoteca La Cartuja has an extensive range. e ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 / 97
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restaurants All’s Well Bar & Restaurant
Gallo Nero
Maharaja Indian Restaurant
solo express
Unit 4, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72987
56/58 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77832
5 Tuckey’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50733
Casemates Square, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 62828
BEAN & gone cafe
Gatsby’s
Mamma Mia
Taps Bar
20 Engineers Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65334
1 /3 Watergardens 1, Waterport Ave, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76291
Unit C, Boyd Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 64444
5 Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 67575
Mons calpe suite
Gibraltar Arms
Top of The Rock, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 79478
Theatre Royal Bar & Restaurant
Bianca’s 6/7 Admiral’s Walk, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73379
Bistro Madeleine 256 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65696
Bridge Bar & Grill Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66446
Bruno’s Unit 3, Trade Winds, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 68444
Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51738
Cafe Solo Grand Casemates Square 3, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44449
Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77288
184 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72133
Ipanema Unit 11, Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 216 48888
Jumpers Wheel Restaurant 20 Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 40052
Jury’s Cafe & Wine Bar 275 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67898
Khan’s 7/8 Watergardens, Waterport, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 50015
Kowloon Restaurant 20 Watergardens III, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 42771
La Mamela
Mumbai curry house
60 Governor’s Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51614
Ground floor, Block 1 Eurotowers, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 73711
The Chargrill Restaurant at Gala Casino
Nunos
Gala Casino, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76666
The Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76501
O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 67888
Piccadilly Garden Bar
The Clipper 78 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79791
The Cuban
3B Rosia Rd, Gibraltar Tel. +350 200 75758
21B The Promenade, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 67889
Pizza Express
the island
Unit 17, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50050
27 Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66666
Pizzaghetti
the ivy sports bar & grill
Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 72373
1008 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 63868
Latino’s Diner
Restaurante Nunos Italiano
The Landings Restaurant
Casa Pepe
194/196 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46660
15 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66100
Unit 18, Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46967
Latinos Music Bar and Restaurant
Caleta Hotel, Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76501
Champion’s Planet Bar & Grill
9 Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 47755
Rooftop Bistro, O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel
Europa Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73000x The Royal Calpe, 176 Main Street. Tel: +350 200 75890
Casa Brachetto 9 Chatham Counterguard, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 48200
Unit 2B, The Tower, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46668
Charlie’s Steakhouse & Grill 4/5 Britannia House, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 69993
Corks Wine Bar 79 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 75566
El Patio Unit 11, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 40713
El Pulpero Unit 12A Watergardens, Waterport, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44786
La Parrilla 17/18 Watergardens, Block 6, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66555
Laziz Sail 2.2, Ocean Village Marina, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 40971
Le Bateau 14 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66420
Lek Bangkok Unit 50 1/3, Block 5, Eurotowers, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 48881
4 Stagioni
Little Rock Restaurant & Bar
16/18 Saluting Battery, Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79153
Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel +350 200 51977
Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar +350 200 70500
Roy’s Cod Place 2/2 Watergate House, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76662
Sacarello’s Cafe-Restaurant 57 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 70625
Seawave Bar 60 Catalan Bay Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 78739
Solo Bar & Grill Unit 15, 4 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 62828
13a Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 68222
The Rock Hotel Restaurant
The Trafalgar Bar 1a Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45370
The Waterfront 4/5 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45666
Tunnel Bar Restaurant Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44878
Verdi Verdi Unit G10, International Commercial Centre, Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 60733
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