Essential Magazine April 2017 by Essential Magazine

N º 212 - APRIL 2017

FOR LIFE

RONAN PATEL

HELENA CHRISTENSEN NEW AUDI LOVING WEARS AIRFIELD R8 V-10 VINCENT TOP COUNTRIES SAOIRSE DEV

GREATEST DANCERS

ISSUE 212 • APRIL 2017

ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING

essential essential magazine® marbella

w THE TREND p THE FOCUS d THE STYLE n THE SPA z THE PRO h THE LEISURE b THE GOURMET . THE GUIDE

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COMPLIMENTARY EDITION

MARBELLA

Offered Exclusively for Sale by Panorama Ref. ES9572 Built: 1,085 m² Plot: 3,925 m² Price: € 5,950,000

SPECTACULAR VILLAS IN LOS FLAMINGOS These two impressive villas are set in probably the best plots in Los Flamingos Golf, right across the renowned Hotel Villa Padierna in Benahavís. Specially designed for entertainment, each property has 10 bedrooms to accommodate up to 24 guests and offers amazing sea, mountain and golf views, beautiful gardens with pool, large terraces, outdoor kitchen - with “teppanyaki” grill, Argentinian BBQ and “tandoori” oven - and a

An International Associate of Savills

relaxing indoor pool area. Each villa includes extra land of 1,000m2 where sport facilities, an additional villa or a guest house can be built. The villas are currently orientated to generate a rental income with a potential 7-8% ROI per annum. Bought together or separately, these two outstanding properties are perfect for investment or for large families and are set in a tranquil area with 24-hour security, close to the beach, all amenities and within just a 10-minute drive to Puerto Banús.

Regulated by RICS

Ref. ES9573 Built: 819 m² Plot: 4,282 m² Price: € 5,950,000

Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel & opposite the Marbella Club Hotel Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

Issue 212 • April 2017

S T A F F PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR

YEARS

GENERAL MANAGER

ANDREA BÖJTI andrea@essentialmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

U ANNIVERSARY U

IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com

SALES SUPPORT ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DESIGN & LAYOUT STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PRINTING DEPÓSITO LEGAL

SUSANNE WHITAKER design@essentialmagazine.com JAN DENDAUW jan@essentialmagazine.com MARIANO JEVA cuentas@essentialmagazine.com MONIKA BÖJTI info@essentialmagazine.com

ANDREA BÖJTI INMA AURIOLES KEVIN HORN (www.photographermarbella.com)

IAIN BLACKWELL, BELINDA BECKETT, MICHEL CRUZ, CRISTINA FALKENBERG, RIK FOXX, RUSSELL GRANT, PHIL HARRIS, ANDREW LINN, CARLOS READ, DAVID WISHART, TONY WHITNEY JIMÉNEZ GODOY A. GRÁFICAS, MURCIA D.L. MA-512-99

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES COMPLEJO LA PÓVEDA, BLQ. 3, 1º A, CN 340, KM 178, 29600 MARBELLA, MÁLAGA. TEL: 952 766 344 FAX: 952 766 343

ESSENTIAL MARBELLA MAGAZINE

@ESSENTIALEDITOR

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CONDITIONS

The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information published herein, or be held accountable for any errors, omissions, or claims for damages. Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for Marbella Magazine. No part of this magazine, including texts, photographs, illustrations, maps or any other graphics may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. Printed on recyclable paper, produced without wood and bleached without chlorine.

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‘‘My pension funds go over

the lifetime allowance. What can I do to protect myself?” Talk to the people who know.

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Solvilla is a Norwegian property developer and advisor company. We mainly focus on Nueva Andalucia, The Golden Mile and La Quinta and are currently building more than 55 new quality homes in prime locations. With a dedicated and professional team of architects, project managers and advisors we aim to be a safe and trustworthy partner for our clients. Whether you are looking for a holiday home or an investment property, we can help you. Our headline projects, Los Olivos Marbella, consisting of 18 luxury villas within a 24h gated community, has been a great success. With only 3 remaining units for sale, we urge you to come and visit our show villa and see for yourself. Prices from Â¤ 1.895.000. We have other exiting new projects launching soon!

Find all our projects on www.solvilla.no Please come by and meet us at our sales office in the Marbella Club Hotel above the MC CafĂŠ, or at our development office in Centro Expo. We look forward to meeting you.

OFFICE +34 952 765 060 MOBILE +34 627 813 545 EMAIL info@solvilla.no Hotel Marbella Club, Oficina 10, Blvd. Principe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, 29602 Marbella, Spain WWW.SOLVILLA.NO

VISIT OUR SHOW HOUSE! Prices from Â¤ 1.895.000

the most desirable address on the golden mile

34 luxurious apartments & penthouses

• State-of-the-art design & the highest qualities • Walking distance to Puente Romano & the beach • Private pools on the terraces • 2 communal swimming pools • Luxury Spa with indoor pool, sauna, hammam • Gym, paddle courts and jogging path • Gated community with the ultimate security • Park and leisure area of 9.000 m2 • Full property management • Exclusive 24 hours concierge service

up to 70% mortgage available

Exclusive sales agent: Engel & Völkers Marbella MarbellaGoldenMile@engelvoelkers.com Tel.: +34 952 868 406

En Ex ge clu l & siv Vö e to lk er s

Nueva Andalucía - La Cerquilla

Best priced villa in the most exclusive community in Nueva Andalucía! A rare opportunity to purchase a beautiful second line golf villa in the most prestigious area, La Cerquilla. Situated just a few steps from Los Naranjos golf course, this magnificent residence is built in a charming Andalusian style, offering an elegant and modern design, enjoying exceptional golf and

sea views. Exquisitely decorated throughout with attractive reception areas and lovely bedroom suites. Large covered terraces and mature tropical gardens. The lower level has a large bodega with entertaining area and a garage for 6 cars. 4 beds, 4 baths. Built 670 m2, plot 1.131 m2. E&V ID: W-01Z8T4. Price: 2.200.000 €.

Office Puerto Banús: 952 85 98 60 · www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

Fantastically priced! Boasting fantastic sea views and occupying a 2000 m2 plot in the upper part of the most exclusive gated community in Marbella, a majestic villa that offers comfort and luxury living at its best. Built in a classical style with high quality materials and fantastically decorated throughout, this magnificent home comprises an impressive

to rs ve e si ölk clu V Ex el & g En

Sierra Blanca

double height entrance hall with a double staircase, large reception areas, ample terraces with exceptional sea views and spacious main suites. Further features include a bar, bodega, fully fitted gym, steam room, separate staff quarter. 8 beds, 6 baths. Built 1.288 m2, plot 2.001 m2 . E&V ID: W-01LJVZ. Price: 3.750.000 €.

Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 · www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

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EN T AG LE SO la zagaleta - benahavis

5 Beds

5 Baths

739m2 Built

5.520m2 Plot Price: 3.950.000 € Ref: DM3656

Andalusian style home with open views over the golf and valley. Built with great attention to detail, spacious suites on all three levels, guest accommodation and extensive landscaped garden with heated swimming pool.

los naranjos - NUEVA ANDALUCÍA

aloha - nueva andalucía

Frontline golf

1.595m Plot

Frontline golf

Price: 2.750.000 €

Ref: DMV1027

5 beds

5 baths

342m Built 2

Ref: DMV1004

5 beds

4 baths

270m2 Built

Price: 1.895.000 €

LOS GRANADOS GOLF - NUEVA ANDALUCÍA

ALOHA - NUEVA ANDALUCÍA

Apartment in gated complex

Frontline golf townhouse. Gated complex

Ref: DM3856

3 beds

3 baths

217m Built 2

Price: 850.000 €

Over 411 Offices in 59 Countries

Ref: DM4047

1.132m2 Plot

3 Beds

3 Baths 426m2 Built Price: 685.000 €

NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Av. del Prado, Urb. Fuente Aloha 2A - Tel: 952 908 415

sierra blanca - MARBELLA GOLDEN MILE

5 Beds

4 Baths

561m2 Built

1.546m2 Plot Price: 3.499.000 € Ref: DM3730

Charming and elegant villa with sea views in prestigious address with 24h security. Impeccable condition, ready to move into. Built to high standards and specifications. Heated pool, lift, very private.

nagüeles - MARBELLA GOLDEN MILE

sierra blanca area - golden mile

Sea views.

Sea views

6 beds

5 baths 614m Built 1.265m Plot 2

Price on application

Ref: DM3851

Ref: DM1704

5 beds

4 baths 719m2 Built

900m2 Plot Price: 2.350.000 €

NAGÜELES - MARBELLA GOLDEN MILE

mansion CLUB - marbella GOLDEN MILE

Duplex Penthouse 3 beds 3 baths 312m Built

Apartment in gated complex 2 Beds 2 Baths 168m2 Built 47m2 Terrace

Ref: DM3810

59m Terrace 2

Price: 1.550.000 €

MARBELLA Av. Cánovas del Castillo, 4 - Tel. 952 765 138

Ref: DM4026

Price: 695.000 €

DMproperties.com

En Ex ge clu l & siv Vö e t lk o er s

You only live once,

Sierra Blanca: Investment Opportunity! Set in the highest position in Sierra Blanca, elegant villa offering the best sea views and absolute privacy being situated next to a beautiful nature reserve. Separate guest apartment. 5 beds, 5 baths. Built 850 m², plot 2.002 m². E&V ID: W-0237P0. Price: 2.950.000 €. Tel.: 952 86 84 06.

Beachfront El Rosario: Contemporary villa offering luxury and style directly on the beach! Built to highest qualities with the best materials. Gym, Spa, large roof terrace. 6 beds, 4 baths. Built 652 m2, plot 750 m2. E&V ID: W-022GJC. Price: 3.500.000 €. Tel.: 952 83 20 40.

La Reserva de Alcuzcuz: Breathtaking sea and golf views! Newly built, impressive, modern villa in an exclusive gated community. Separate staff quarters. 6 beds, 5 baths. Built 1.134 m², plot 3.900 m². E&V ID: W-023QFT. Price: 5.300.000 €. Tel.: 952 85 98 60.

Front Line Puerto Banús: Opportunity! Fantastically priced apartment! Spacious and bright rooms, own car park space and lift access. 3 beds, 3 baths. Living area 193 m2, terrace 48 m2. E&V ID: W-01EX8U. Price: 1.295.000 €. Tel.: 952 85 98 60.

Condado de Sierra Blanca: Stunning sea views! Modern penthouse in a prestigious gated community. The highest qualities and luxury fittings throughout. 3 beds, 2 baths. Living area 170 m2, terrace 90 m2. E&V ID: W-0226EQ. Price: 965.000 €. Tel.: 952 86 84 06.

Office Elviria: 952 83 55 80 · Office El Rosario: 952 83 20 40 www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

we will show you where! to rs ve e si ölk clu V Ex el & g En

Los Monteros Beach: Certainly one of the most impressive villas in this sought-after community. Situated just 250 meters from the beach, it offers exquisite interiors with the latest modern features. Cinema room, Jacuzzi, parking for 5 cars. 4 beds, 4 baths. Built 372 m2, plot 930 m2. E&V ID: W-026XM1. Price on Request. Tel.: 952 83 20 40.

El Rosario: Newly built designer villa with breathtaking panoramic sea views offering contemporary style at its best. Highest qualities and all desirable amenities. 5 beds, 5 baths. Built 637 m2, plot 1.411 m2. E&V ID: W-0272ZN. Price: 2.500.000 €. Tel.: 952 83 20 40.

Beachside Golden Mile: A rare find on the market! Beautiful villa, meters from the beach, in a prestigious community of villas on the Golden Mile, Casablanca. 3 beds, 3 baths. Built 161 m2, plot 449 m2. E&V ID: W-028C4W. Price: 2.235.000 €. Tel.: 952 86 84 06.

Golden Mile - Imara: Immaculate apartment with panoramic sea views from a large terrace of 192 m2. Set in the most contemporary community. 3 beds, 4 baths. Living area 221 m2, terrace 192 m2. E&V ID: W-028E15. Price: 1.250.000 €. Tel.: 952 86 84 06.

Beachfront Los Monteros: A spacious apartment with a private garden in the exclusive Palm Beach complex. Direct beach access. 2 pools, 24h security. 2 beds, 2 baths. Living area 139 m2, terrace 40 m2. E&V ID: W-025O7R. Price: 900.000 €. Tel.: 952 83 20 40.

Office Puerto Banús: 952 85 98 60 · Office Marbella: 952 86 84 06 www.engelvoelkers.com/MarbellaAndEast

GUESS H24-7 Essential Marbella Spa Apr.indd 1

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WE CREATE

Grand collection prices from â&#x201A;Ź868,000 For more sales information +34 952 856 171 +34 618 654 363 www.benahavishills.com 211 Benahavis Hills.indd 1

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LIFESTYLE

NOW DIRECT FROM DEVELOPER

Clubhouse

Spa

Hills Cafe

THE GRAND COLLECTION AT BENAHAVIS HILLS COUNTRY CLUB There are currently ONLY A FEW HOMES left. These properties have been speciﬁcally designed to represent expansive style and great investment value. There are no comparable properties at this price per square meter across the whole of the region. Benahavis Hills Country Club offers the “trinity” of luxury amenities: nearby exquisite signature Golf Courses, vast expanses of soft sandy beaches, the full

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service marinas of Puerto Banús and its very own relaxing private spas and wellness facilities. Located in a privileged position above the village of Benahavis, renowned for its gastronomic restaurants, this 24/7 guarded development offers security and safety as well as onsite concierge services. In addition, the clubhouse including restaurant, spa, and gym is only a few steps away.

22/02/2017 11:06

Built: 576 m² Plot: 2,234 m² Price: € 3,300,000

MARBELLA EAST Classic-style 7-bedroom villa, partially renovated, in the golf area of Río Real. Ideal for entertaining in

its mature garden with swimming pool and the great brand-new decking with pergola and sunbeds. Located just 10-15 minutes’ from Marbella centre and Puerto Banús. Ref. ES9519

Built: 478 m² Plot: 5,000 m² Price: € 1,550,000

EL MADROÑAL 3-bed Andalusian-style villa, plus independent 1-bed guest apartment. Sea, golf & mountain views. 24-hr security. Ref. ES9341

Built: 279 m² Plot: 796 m² Price: € 899,000

LA QUINTA 5-bedroom villa next to The Westin

Built: 80 m² Terrace: 42 m² Price: € 495,000

NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Renovated 3-bedroom townhouse. Communal gardens & pool. Walking distance to amenities and Puerto Banús. Ref. ES9651

Built: 157 m² Terrace: 57 m² Price: € 999,000

GOLDEN MILE The best 2-bedroom penthouse in Mansion Club, a 5-star complex with 24-hour security. Ref. ES8158

An International Associate of Savills

La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa 5-star hotel. Short drive to Puerto Banús. Ref. ES9720

Built: 970 m² Plot: 4,550 m² Price: € 3,150,000

EL MADROÑAL Luxurious Mediterranean-style 7-bedroom villa within a secure gated urbanization located less than 10-minutes’ drive to the beach, San Pedro de Alcántara and Puerto Banús. The property offers beautiful sea and mountain views, several outdoor entertainment areas and is surrounded by fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Ref. ES9758

Built: 299m² Plot: 1,052 m² Price: €1,350,000

GOLDEN MILE Andalusian-style 4-bedroom villa in La Carolina, walking distance to amenities, the beach and close to Puerto Banús. Ref. ES9735

Built: 157 m² including terraces Price: € 1,550,000

GOLDEN MILE 2-bedroom beachfront

Built: 528 m² Plot: 1,005 m² Price: € 1,800,000

MARBELLA EAST Mediterranean-style, 4-bedroom beachside villa in Elviria, walking distance to amenities and 120 metres to the sea! Ref. ES9523

Built: 800 m² Plot: 2,750 m² Price: € 1,995,000

NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Homely 4-bedroom villa

Regulated by RICS

apartment in a luxurious complex with 24-hour security, next to Marbella centre. Ref. ES9549

in the Golf Valley with sea, golf and mountain views. Urbanization with 24-hour security. Ref. ES8019

Offices at the Puente Romano Hotel & opposite the Marbella Club Hotel Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 info@panorama.es www.panorama.es

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French Art de Vivre

Photo Michel Gibert, used as a reference only. Special thanks: TASCHEN. Architect: www.christophebernard.eu

Scenario. Modular leather composition, double-depth backrests, designed by Sacha Lakic. Moved. Consoles, designed by Sandra Demuth. European manufacture.

MARBELLA - C.C. Torre Real, Ctra. Cádiz - Málaga km 185. - Tel. 952 777 858 - marbella@roche-bobois.com Open from Monday to Friday: 10H – 18H. Saturday: 10H30 – 14H.

Complimentary 3D Interior Design Service

www.roche-bobois.com

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contents the trend Cinema 42

Loving Vincent 44 Music News 46 Top Reads 48

CES Las Vegas 50

The New Audi R8 V-10 52

the focus

New Property Developments 58 Civisur 74 Frank Stephenson 80 Top Dancers of All Time 86 Dev Patel 92

the pro 134 Enterprise 142 OurSpace: New Co-Working Ofﬁce Space in Marbella

144 The Estepona Club de Tenis 146 The Vibe

the leisure 152 Where to Have a Better Life 160 Two Days in Madrid 162 The Gran Hotel Miramar Resort & Spa 5* GL

the gourmet

Saoirse Ronan 94

167 Mumtaz

Tom Solomon 96

169 Sukhothai

Roger M 98

the style A Contemporary Paradise in Bahía de Marbella 102 Home Accessories 110 Fashion by Airﬁeld 112 Fashion News 118

the spa Spring Make-Up Trends 122 Top New Perfumes 124

170 Food News 172 Enzo Días Villanueva of Vovem Asador 174 Spanish Wine Exports 176 Wine by Victoria Ordóñez

the guide 178 Listings 189 Pet News 190 What’s On 192 Stars for April 194 Family Fun

Global Health Issues 128 Health News 130 Immucura 132

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BETTER SUPPORT. BETTER SLEEP. EVERY NIGHT. BUY A JENSEN CONTINENTAL BED AND GET JENSEN EXACT COMFORT ADJUSTMENT AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. VALUE €1400.

SOFTER COMFORT

FIRMER COMFORT

THE BED IS NEUTRAL

Jensen Store SC ANDINAVIAN BE DS

Polígono Nueva Campana 23 Nueva Andalucía, Marbella Phone: +34 952 90 88 55 Monday - Friday 10-14, 15-18

www.jensenstore.com fb.com/jensenbeds

pinterest.com/jensenbeds

@jensenbeds_official

D WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL PUBLISHER

he sun is shining and the days are longer as we ease into the serenity of spring. Welcome to our Easter edition with more content than you can shake a bunny at. We attempt to fall into step with the world’s greatest dancers, find out which countries are recommended for the best all-round living, admire the lovely Helena Christensen in Airfield’s latest collection, and burn some serious rubber aboard the new Audi R8 V-10. Personalities abound in this issue, including spotlights on Dev Patel and Saoirse Ronan, an interview with multi-talented singer, Tom Solomon, and our feature on flamboyant automotive architect, Frank Stephenson. Here on the Coast, we profile a few of the many new developments that are springing up around us and reveal a stunning contemporary masterpiece in Bahía de Marbella. We learn about the activities of Civisur (Unión Cívica del Sur de España), and visit revolutionary new office-sharing concept, Our Space, and the Estepona Tennis Club, now under the management of local icon, Fernando Gil. Málaga also figures, with focuses on the fully restored Grand Hotel Miramar and the Victoria Ordoñez winery. Elsewhere, you can read about the much-anticipated partially-animated film, Loving Vincent, catch up on local business news and events and enjoy exotic extravaganzas at Mumtaz on the port and Sukhothai on the Golden Mile.

Join us again next month, when birthday!

will come of age with it’s 18th

A pril

APPRECIATION

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SA O N LES N-S O O IT W F E O FIC PE E N

8 exclusive gated residences in Lomas Del Marbella Club The C8NCEPT, is a highly select, fully gated community of 8 luxurious private residences situated in one of the most desirable addresses in Marbella. 24-hour state-of-the-art security ensures this gated community can offer its residents total peace of mind within a personal oasis in the heart of Marbella. Stunning Mediterranean sea views, unique architectural styling, free-flowing modern interior layouts and a level of luxury found only in the finest homes.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Experience the C8NCEPT project for yourself by visiting our new mini villaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sales office, complete with materials and fittings.

www.conceptmarbella.com

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Email: info@conceptmarbella.com

Tel: (+34) 952 810 785

17/03/2017 15:24

w the trend READING MUSIC FILMS GADGETS MOTORING TRENDS

42 Cinema 44

Loving Vincent

Music News

Top Reads

CES Las Vegas

The New Audi R8 V-10

SUMMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER BUT THERE IS STILL TIME TO CATCH UP ON GREAT READS AND TO DISCOVER NEW RELEASES, INCLUDING THE FASCINATING TRIBUTE FILM TO VAN GOGH, LOVING VINCENT, AND THE NEWEST GADGETS DISPLAYED AT THE ANNUAL CES SHOW IN LAS VEGAS.

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THE FACES BEHIND

LOFT-APARTMENT IN AGRUPADAS, NUEVA ANDALUCIA REFERENCE: 176-01359P • PRICE: 349.000 € Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

Built: 105m2

Terrace: 17m2

VILLA IN PARCELAS DEL GOLF, NUEVA ANDALUCIA REFERENCE: 176-01311P • PRICE: 2.395.000 € Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 5 Built: 347m2 Terrace: 207m2 Plot: 1200m2

YOUR PROPERTY SPECIALIST IN MARBELLA SINCE 1981

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w THE TREND cinema

COMPILED BY MA RIS

A CUTILLAS

THE MONTH e BLOCKBUSTER OF c) Israelite (Project Almana »» DIRECTOR Dean »» GENRE Action , nston, Elizabeth Banks »» ACTORS Bryan Cra David Denman

that the are about to find out Five ordinary teenagers ing to a ow n tio verge of extinc whole world is on the y soon the , tiny des by n ose . Ch dangerous alien threat enable l wil t tha e unique powers discover that they hav e their olv res to rn lea t firs y , if the my them to save the planet ene the t ins their forces aga differences and unite before it is too late.

s r e g n a R r e w Po

»» DIRECTOR Zach Braff (Wish I Was Here) »» GENRE Comedy »» ACTORS Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin

Going in Style

Oscar winners Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin play Willie, Joe and Al, three lifelong friends who decide to steer off the straight and narrow when their pension funds are lost to the financial crisis. Desperate to pay their bills and unable to work, they decide to rob the same bank that stole their money and the result is an hilarious adventure that leads them to discover they have a lot more kick left in them than is apparent.

»» DIRECTOR Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) »» GENRE Thriller/Science Fiction »» ACTORS Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal

Life

Life is the story of six crew members aboard a space station, searching for life on Mars. The sample they collect contains a large, singe-celled organism – the first evidence of life outside Earth. Their research methods have unexpected consequences and they discover that the life form is far more dangerous than they could have imagined.

»» DIRECTOR Tom McGrath and Hendel Butoy (The Emperor’s New Groove) »» GENRE Animation »» ACTORS Alec Baldwin, Lisa Kudrow, Steve Buscemi

The Boss Baby

This is the universal tale of how a baby can turn a home upside down. The story is told by Tim, a seven-year-old boy with an overactive imagination, who highlights the importance of family, even in the worst of times. One of the best features of the film are the voices – particularly that of the baby, played by no less than Alec Baldwin.

»» DIRECTOR James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) »» GENRE Action »» ACTORS Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The freakiest team of super heroes is back: Star Lord, Baby Groot, Drax, Nebula, Gamora and Taserface. They once again embark on an exciting adventure to save the universe and unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage, with Awesome Mixtape Vol. 2 playing in the background.

42 / APRIL 2017 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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Create your own legacy Atlas Signature Homes - The Benahavis Collection Outstanding in every sense of the word, Atlas Signature Homes set the benchmark for architectural excellence and sophisticated living. Set within the stunning backdrop of Benahavis, we are offering a selection of just 10 exclusive plots for you to create your own dynamic living space. Working with award winning architects and world class designers you can bring your own idea of perfection to life.

Create your own home. Create your own legacy.

www.atlasbenahavis.com

info@atlassignaturehomes.com

(+34) 951 350 068

Centro Comercial Atenea, Local 1 y 17 Ctra. N-340, Km. 168, 29680, Estepona, Mรกlaga

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w THE TREND cinema

VAN GOGH COMES TO LIFE IN WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

NEW ANIMATED FILM T

hose who have been lucky enough to view Van Gogh’s work in person know of the unique way in which his paintings seemingly ‘pop out’ of the canvas – deep dimentionality, vivid colours and sentimental odes to nature are some of their most famous characteristics. Of course, as interesting as his work is the artist himself – Vincent, the self-taught genius whose greatness was only recognised after his death. Vincent was highly influential, having left his mark on some of the 20th century’s greatest artists before his life was ended with a bullet. The film Loving Vincent pays homage to Holland’s most famous contemporary artist in an utterly unique and painstakingly detailed manner. It is the first feature-length painting animation in history. To bring 94 of Vincent’s works to life through the medium of film, over 80 artists had to paint 66,960 frames of oil paintings, which, they say, if placed in their actual size, would cover London and Manhattan! The artists worked round-theclock for five months, hand-painting

each frame in the same way Vincent painted. A series of painted animation work stations were set up, to increase the efficiency of the demanding process of stop-motion painting. The aim was to enable the artists to focus on each painting rather than worry about the process of animation. Through these works, it is hoped that millions will discover the tragic yet inspiring story of the man behind the legend. The film also aims to answer the mystery surrounding his death, through interviews with those who were closest to Vincent, and dramatic reconstructions of the events leading up to his demise. Questions remain… did he really kill himself, or was he assassinated? Isn’t it odd that he would take his life precisely when his work started receiving due recognition? Loving Vincent began with another painter’s gratefulness to Van Gogh. Dorota Kobiela, who has written and directed the film, had been undergoing a personal crisis when she began studying the painter’s works and letters. Her intense emotional response to the experience led her

to seek out a completely new way of paying homage to him and the result was this visually compelling film. She began a Kickstarter campaign and slowly but surely, Loving Vincent was made. The trailer has been seen by over two million people, who are waiting with baited breath for the film’s release (the date is yet to be announced). Kobiela and co-director/producer Hugh Welchman were initially told their project was too ambitious; critics said it couldn’t be done and animation artists recommended they recreate the work on a computer instead of through individual paintings, yet she was convinced that the only way to be true to Van Gogh, was to actually create each painting by hand. She decided to combine the paintings with movement by live actors and visual effects/CG animation and the result is simply awe-inspiring. The production of the film faced many challenges; one was finding painters who were talented enough to reproduce Van Gogh’s beautiful work. Another difficulty involved adapting the different canvas sizes

used by Van Gogh to the standard size required for film frames. Thus, in some paintings, backgrounds had to be added and in others, vertical paintings were changed to horizontal; in still others, seasons were changed to fit in with the film’s narrative… The result is simply amazing – characters walk in and out of paintings, the style of the character adapting to each canvas they walk into. The parts of Vincent’s life which were not visible in his paintings are painted in black and white and presented as flashbacks. Their style is based on photographs taken in this era. Much of the imaginative work took into account the director’s idea of how Vincent “would have painted a scene.” Time was also taken to hire the right actors – those with a resemblance to the characters in Van Gogh’s portraits. The film features a talented ensemble of players which includes Saoirse Ronan, Helen McCrory and Aidan Turner.

i For further information on the ﬁlm and to keep up with release dates, www.lovingvincent.com

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% 50 LD

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w THE TREND music

¿QUÉ PASA?

Like daylight hours, the list is getting longer for Marbella’s Starlite Festival (during July and August). For the up-to-date line-up go to www.starlitefestival.com Meanwhile, lots of tribute acts are flooding the coast for the summer season and it’s best to check your local weekly publications to see what’s going on. All information on this page was correct at the time of writing. UK/US veteran rockers FOREIGNER are playing at Marbella’s Puente Romano Tennis Club on June 11 and the same venue hosts GEORGE BENSON on July 21. Ticket info: crazymusicproductions.com The Torre del Mar Weekend Festival (July 5 to 8) has named THE PRODIGY and Brazil hardcore rockers SEPULTURA as its first headliners with more acts to be named. For line-up updates and ticket info: weekendbeach.es MTV Presents Gibraltar Calling (formerly the Gibraltar Music Festival) has named CLEAN BANDIT and CRAIG DAVID plus BANANARAMA, MIDGE URE and the VILLAGE PEOPLE for the Classic Stage. Tickets are now on sale from gibraltarcalling.com for the September 2 and 3 event.

ED SHEERAN is envied by many in the biz at the moment with what’s been going on in the UK charts (will his nine songs in the UK Top 10 singles (16 in the Top 20) on March 10 ever be beaten or matched?). And many wished they could have been in his shoes on a recent visit to Japan, while drunk he whacked a lying down BIEBER on the cheek with a golf club while trying to hit a ball out of his mouth. The ginger one comes to Spain this month to play two sold-out gigs in Madrid (8th) and Barcelona (9th). THE CHAINSMOKERS, who stopped big Ed’s UK Top 10 domination with their COLDPLAY collaboration Something Just Like This at number seven release their debut album, Memories: Do Not Open on April 7. And HARRY STYLES is ready to throw his hat into the ring in the album chart race by releasing his debut solo LP “very soon”. The still untitled offering will land at the end of April or the start of May. TAKE THAT fans take note: UK TV’s ITV channel announced the band will appear on its An Evening With series singing their best tunes and they are trying to squeeze JASON ORANGE to appear. ROBBIE WILLIAMS is expected to take part as he did on the BBC talent show Let it Shine for a special performance of The Flood in February.

The Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place on May 13, could be in jeopardy after 21 toplevel organisers resigned as they have been ”completely blocked” from making decisions by a new boss. But the Ukrainian Prime Minister said it will go ahead despite the behindthe-scenes problems and the war raging in the east of the country; also Orthodox Christians are protesting about the opening ceremony being held in Kiev’s Saint Sophia cathedral.

DAVID BOWIE

THE PRODIGY

WORDS RIK FOXX

April 22 marks the 10th World Record Store Day where artists release limited-edition disks – but many collectors have started to boycott it of late, as have many artists (PAUL WELLER for one) who have stopped these ”special” releases due to the vastly inflated prices that dealers now charge around the time of the event. Vinyl sales reached a 25-year high in 2016 mainly thanks to DAVID BOWIE who had five albums in the top 30 sellers including the number one with last year’s Blackstar album, which was released just before his death. Last year vinyl sales hit 3.2 million but that is expected to rocket to 40 million in the next 12 months thanks to a new generation of younger collectors who never had the pleasure of these seven, 10 and 12 inch resin disks like their elders did and record shops worldwide are having to find extra shelf space due to increased demand. Despite the Record Store Day boycott by many artists, the DAVID BOWIE estate is releasing two formerly

very rare recordings. Cracked Actor (Live In Los Angeles 1974) has never been official released before, and only 500 copies were pressed of 1971’s BOWPROMO1, which featured alternative versions of songs that later appeared on Hunky Dory. Both will see the light of day on April 22. ADELE and her potty mouth strike again – after swearing at the Grammys she followed it up by dropping an F-bomb within 30 seconds on the first date on her Australian tour. But she scored lots of brownie points by firing tour T-shirts into the crowd with a $20 note attached saying “Buy a drink on me”. She has also been praised after snapping her Best Album Grammy award in half and giving part of it to BEYONCÉ saying that her Lemonade LP deserved to win. And the press reported that the latter also thought the same – but as one hack put it “Adele’s songs will be remembered long after the fizz is gone out of Lemonade”. e

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w THE TREND books

TOP READS OF THE MONTH Marisa Cutillas presents a list of books that avid readers are devouring all over the world…

A MAN CALLED OVE BY FREDRIK BACKMAN

This beautiful book, originally published in Sweden, is incredibly funny, yet highly emotionally charged. It is the story of Ove – an ill-tempered, negative, critical old man whose neighbours call him ‘the bitter neighbour from hell’. His tough exterior is broken down by the arrival of a young couple with two little daughters. An unexpected friendship is struck and we discover that Ove is far more insightful than it seems. In one beautiful passage he says, “Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it’s often one of the greatest motivations for living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves.”

MILK AND HONEY BY RUPI KAUR

This book comprises a series of poems and stories about surviving the greatest vicissitudes in life – loss, heartache, violence and abuse. It contains four chapters, each of which addresses a different type of pain. The poetry is simple yet thoughtprovoking and Kaur can stun with sparse gems such as, “Loneliness is a sign you are in desperate need of yourself.”

THE MISTRESS BY DANIELLE STEEL

I’ve lost track of how many best-sellers Danielle Steel has written, yet the passing of time has shown that she remains on the pulse of what makes a great romance read. In The Mistress she tells the story of Natasha Leonova, a beautiful woman who is found freezing on the streets of Moscow by benevolent billionaire, Vladimir, who takes her under his wing. Nothing comes without a price, she discovers, when she ﬁnds herself attracted to a tormented artist who paints her image feverishly for weeks after they ﬁrst meet. Natasha dreams of the artist yet knows that with just one false move, she could lose it all…

FULL PACKAGE BY LAUREN BLAKELY

Ideal for those into torrid love stories. The players are Dr. Chase – a handsome, charming man who moves in with his friend Josie when he ﬁnds himself without a place to live. The sexy doctor is attracted to Josie and vice-versa, yet both are averse to taking the friendship out of ‘the friend zone’. Lauren Blakely is one of the hottest romance writers on the scene – Full Package does not disappoint, with its blend of fun, sexiness and emotion. A must for those who like to read a good book all in one go.

A DOG’S PURPOSE BY W. BRUCE CAMERON

This is the heartwarming story of a dog who searches for his purpose in the world over the course of several lives. We ﬁrst meet him as a stray who has a relatively short, sad life; then he is a pet of a loving eight-year-old boy who inspires him to be a ‘good dog’; yet again he is born and begins to wonder if he will ever ﬁgure out his purpose. The book is funny, heartwarming and philosophical in turn… those who have recently lost a dog should read it, as it reinforces the belief that our best friends never actually leave us – they shape us and are worth every tear we shed when they go.

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w THE TREND technology

S T E G D A G COOL Unveiled at CES 2017

5 3

1 – ZENFONE AR BY ASUS Augmented reality is predicted to be more popular than virtual reality in the next few years and Asus, always on the ball, has capitalised on this trend with the ZenFone AR: the ﬁrst smartphone that can run Google’s Daydream VR and Tango AR systems. Even if you aren’t into gaming, there are many reasons why you might think of purchasing this phone, including a fast processor, pretty design and top quality camera. i www.asus.com

2 – HIMIRROR PLUS BY HIMIRROR This is definitely the future for make-up lovers: a mirror that comes with LED light features that simulate five different lighting scenarios: sunset, outdoors on a sunny day, brightly lit office, shopping mall or supermarket, and restaurant or party setting. The mirror boasts an innovative ‘skin analysis engine’, which helps you assess problems with skin, including wrinkles, pigmentation spots,

The Consumer Electronics Show is a global electronics and technology tradeshow which takes place yearly in Las Vegas, Nevada, highlighting some of the coolest tech items that will be making life a whole lot more fun and practical. This is just a tiny list of some of the coolest items unveiled, handpicked by Marisa Cutillas pores, etc. i www.himirror.com

3 – KURI INTELLIGENT HOME ROBOT BY MAYFIELD This cute little robot boasts a fourmicrophone system, which allows it to respond to commands from any direction. Within its head is a powerful HD camera which enables it to head in the right direction without falling over and its wheels can move in any direction. Kuri recognises speciﬁc people and responds to questions with a bevy of different facial expressions, sounds and head movements. Control all its functions remotely with a smartphone app and record its surrounds, viewing footage later on cloud storage. The device can record your pet’s activities during the day, read stories or play music, making it a great addition to any home. i www.heykuri.com

designed with children in mind. It serves as a baby monitor (streaming live videos to your phone), plays soothing sounds (or your chosen music) to your baby when it cries, illuminates the room in a plethora of different colours and orders new diapers when you’re running low! i www.mattel.com

5 – SMART ASSISTANT BY LENOVO Smart Assistant relies on Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, to carry out spoken commands to play music, draft a to-do list or play music. It also

answers questions, so you’ll never feel lonely with this new dream assistant! i www.lenovo.com

6 – HOVER CAMERA PASSPORT BY HOVER CAMERA This flying camera will hover close to you, taking pictures of you as you wish, thereby removing the need for awkward selﬁe sticks. The camera records your special moments in 13MP photos and 4K video; just use your smartphone to navigate and control it with WiFi technology. i www.gethover.com

4 – ARISTOTLE BY MATTEL This gadget by legendary toy company, Mattel, has been

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w THE TREND motoring

AUDI R8 V-10

It’s about ten years since the Audi R8 was introduced but it remains a fresh and exciting design and upgrades have been minor over that decade. On its release, the world’s motoring press universally agreed that it was an outstanding sports car in every possible way and few were the voices that had anything even mildly critical to say. WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AUDI

he R8 was one of those rare cars that was ‘right ﬁrst time’ and Audi has sensibly strayed little from the original concept over the years. The styling is a total delight and the R8 is low-slung with sensual curves and a very well balanced look about it. As most people know by now, Lamborghini is part of the big VW Audi group and the R8 is based on a platform from that maker’s Huracán model, a point that few would complain about. Incidentally, there is a roadster version of the R8 too for those who prefer the wind in their hair. As with some other Audis, the car uses aluminium space frame construction so the body is very rigid and exceptionally light. We’ve visited the Neckarsulm plant in Germany, where Audi builds aluminium frames and were surprised at how much laborious hand ﬁnishing was involved. Audi claims that the bodies are just as durable as

steel ones and less expensive to repair. At the heart of the R8 is a V-10 engine, a 5.2-litre unit developing a whopping 610-horsepower. For those who think this is a little over the top, there’s a less powerful V-10 available with ‘only’ 540-horsepower. We drove the big engined R8. The V-8 offered in the original car has gone now, so the V-10 is the only one available. The transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with steering wheel ‘paddles’ to select speeds manually if that’s your preference. When I drove the ﬁrst R8 I thought the automatic transmission was awful and preferred the manual, but with Audi’s new S-tronic, all that has changed and it’s a joy to drive. The shrill note of all those 610 horses being

fully exploited is so delightful to the ear of a sports car enthusiast, it’s worth the price tag for that experience alone. Thankfully, the car delivers in numerous other ways too, so it’s good value compared to some other exotics.

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It’s not the easiest car to get into and the same can be said for most sports coupés. Once you’ve threaded yourself inside, the ambiance is so outstanding you’ll never want to leave. The driver becomes part of the car and nestles into a ﬁne leather cocoon with all the controls well within reach. As the old saying goes, you wear this car, rather than sit in it. Fire it up and you’ll feel as though you’re on the starting grid at Le Mans but in fact, this is an easy car to drive for just about anyone. Even hard acceleration doesn’t phase the car’s traction, thanks to the great balance of its mid-engined design and to Audi’s much-

Z ENGINE: 5.2-litre V-10, 610 hp. Z TRANSMISSION: Seven-speed, dual clutch. Z ACCELERATION: 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2-seconds. Z TOP SPEED: 330 km/h. Z I LIKED: Superlative balance and response. ‘No drama’ hard acceleration, especially when emerging from tight corners. Stunning looks and interior ambiance along with ease of operation with regard to controls. Beautifully ﬁnished inside and out. Lightweight aluminium bodywork. Z I DIDN’T LIKE: Many will regret that Audi doesn’t do a manual transmission variant now, but with 500-600-horsepower on tap and a gearbox that will shift faster than any human, who cares? The car is a lot more expensive than the original R8. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES: There are rivals or near-rivals from, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren, BMW, Aston Martin and one or two others. Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Anyone who likes sports exotics and upscale performance cars. People who’ve tired of reliability problems with some rivals and want to buy something with Audi’s durability reputation. First-time exotic car buyers who want a model that won’t be too much of a challenge to handle. Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: Available now, starting at €194.720.

vaunted Quattro all-wheel drive. While many high-powered cars twitch and protest under hard acceleration, this one just gets on with the job and lays down the horses with no drama at all. The Audi R8 is certainly one of the ﬁnest serious sports cars to come along in a generation and there’s almost nothing Audi could do to improve it. The latest version is quite a lot more expensive than the original car, but still carries a reasonable price tag. After all, it has now joined the rareﬁed class of superpowered exotics with performance only corporate cousin Lamborghini can match. e

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p the focus CULTURE HISTORY FEATURES CELEBS INTERVIEWS HUMOUR

New Developments

74 Civisur 80

Frank Stephenson

Top Dancers of All Time

Dev Patel

Saoirse Ronan

Tom Solomon

Roger M

WE HAVE A SMOOTH BLEND OF FEATURES THIS MONTH, ON HOT SUBJECTS SUCH AS NEW PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS AND THE RECENT MÁLAGA-SEVILLA ALLIANCE FORGED BY CIVISUR. WE ALSO PROFILE AUTOMOTIVE ARCHITECT, FRANK STEPHENSON AND ACCLAIMED SINGER, TOM SOLOMON, FOCUS ON THE WORLD’S BEST DANCERS AND FALL IN LOVE WITH TWO HOT YOUNG ACTORS: DEV PATEL AND SAOIRSE RONAN. FINALLY, WE PAY A VISIT TO THE BRAND NEW BOUTIQUE OF RENOWNED JEWELLER, ROGER M.

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S ESS AR SIN YE R BU 80 CA

E TH

An exclusive selection of premium vehicles available to view at our new San Pedro showroom

A large selection of cars to view and order online at www.autoarea.com

New Car s • Near ly New Car s • Used Car s • Financing • After Sales Ser vices

Polígono Industrial San Pedro de Alcántara (next to the ITV center) Tel: 951 51 99 88 / 656 56 41 80 www.autoarea.com / info@autoarea.com

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EXCEPTIONAL VILLA RESIDENCES, FUSING CUTTING-EDGE ARCHITECTURE WITH COMFORTABLE LIVING. FULLY LICENSED From 744,900€. These are luxurious homes, yet great effort has also been made to ensure that they are livable too. Unique details include: •

cul-de-sac community of 18 villas, bordering 50,000 m2 of zone verde

•

soft exterior natural wood and sandstone finishes complementing modern white lines •

abundantly landscaped gardens, fully mature upon completion

• •

internal Andalucian courtyard option

feature wooden stairways, plus wooden flooring in master bedrooms

•

large open-plan rooms, expansive storage, en-suite bathrooms for every bedroom

Located in the charming area of Atalaya, close to sea, between Puerto Banús and Estepona. Surrounded by golf, shops and restaurants, convenience is a key quality of this beautiful new development. www.arboleda-villas.com

another new development by

w w w .RCS sp a in.c o m

p THE FOCUS property

MARBELLA

Development

You’ve most probably noticed it, but after a hiatus of building in the years following the ﬁnancial crisis, the Coast’s construction sector is gathering pace again. We spoke with some of the leading property promoters in the region to ﬁnd out what is on offer in Marbella and surroundings today. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ

unich and Wolfsburg design cars for a global market, Paris creates fashion and fragrances, London tailors ﬁnancing to your needs and Hollywood keeps successive generations glued to the screen, but here in Marbella we produce luxury homes. Collectively, our architects and investors are the product

Z PROPERTY TYPE 47 apartments and 17 villas Z SPEC Apartments: 2-3 bed (107m2-133m2) Villas: 3-bed (221m2) Z DEVELOPER Syzygy Homes Z SALES & MARKETING FM Consulting Z ARCHITECT THE RESIDENCES González & Jacobson THE VILLAS Vap Homes Z LAUNCHED Summer 2016 Z DELIVERY DATE Late 2018 Z % SOLD Apartments 15 (32% with purchasing contract) Villas: 8 (47% with purchasing contract) Z PRICE Apartments €298.000 – €435.000 Villas: From €850.000

developers of the Costa del Sol just as others produce clay models of next generation cars or design the look of tomorrow’s smart phone. Property development may seem an easy way to make great gains and returns on investment, but insiders will tell you that it is a risky business if you don’t get it right – and getting it right requires

not just having access to the right ingredients, such as investment capital, bank guarantees, reliable construction partners and of course a prime land asset, but also in having a keen sense of timing and a nose for what the market wants. Put simply, it’s the difference between creating what sells and what doesn’t.

Indoor style merges with outdoor views at Syzygy Homes, Cancelada

SYZYGY HOMES, CANCELADA After 27 years in the business, Fausto Martínez, founder of FM Consulting, has developed a nose for up-and-coming areas as well as the kind of properties people demand. The company’s new project in Cancelada, Syzygy Homes, is a case in point, for the modern apartments and villas being developed here in conjunction with Syzygy Homes S.L. are located in one of the areas with the most potential in and around Marbella. “Syzygy offers a stylish and comfortable modern living concept surrounded by nature and on the edge of a charming village, yet is also close to all amenities, including beaches, restaurants, schools and shops. A new bridge linking the area to Los Flamingos will further enhance this connectivity.”

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Las Terrazas de Atalaya – modern apartments in a panoramic setting

Contemporary interior style close to the mountains and sea

Z PROPERTY TYPE 56 apartments and penthouses Z SPEC 2-3 bed (103m2-148m2) Z DEVELOPER Exxacon Z SALES & MARKETING FM Consulting Z ARCHITECT José Carlos Cifuentes Z LAUNCHED Summer 2016 Z DELIVERY DATE Summer 2018 Z % SOLD 34 (60% with purchasing contract) Z PRICE From €355.000

LAS TERRAZAS DE ATALAYA Syzygy Homes, Smart homes designed by Vap Homes

This concept of enjoying a country ambience with everything you need close at hand is proving to be popular. It also applies to Las Terrazas de Atalaya, which offers attractive modern twoand three-bedroom apartments and penthouses overlooking the rustic scenery between Guadalmina and Nueva Atalaya in addition to golf and sea views. “The homes we create are always designed to complement the lifestyle that Marbella has to offer,” says Fausto, who is commercialising this project on behalf of Grupo Exxacon. “We are very selective of the projects we take on because you have to be committed to and fully believe in what you offer to buyers.” The success of the collaboration with Exxacon in the ﬁrst two phases of Terrazas de Cortesín within the exclusive Finca Cortesin resort has led to the launch of a third, updated phase this spring, while the runaway reviews of FM Consulting’s property rental and resort management at Cortijo del Mar means it will be undertaking sales and marketing as well as post-sale management at the new Cortijo del Golf apartments in El Paraiso. i www.fmconsulting.es

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The Olivos villa design by González & Jacobson

LA FINCA DE MARBELLA 2 ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ Modern interior styling with open views

LA FINCA, MARBELLA The success of La Finca is down to a combination of design, location and keen pricing, as well as good timing. “We foresaw this when we first viewed the land back in 2013,” says Michael Liggan, owner of Altavista Property. “It will be nigh on impossible to replicate this kind of project so close to Marbella and the coast.” Among the features that have proved very popular are floor to ceiling windows that retract into a wall recess, as well as 24-hour security and a clubhouse with heated pool, gymnasium and spa. With the first two phases now nearing completion, La Finca de Marbella 2 and La Finca Townhouses are the new offering in what is becoming a self-sufficient urbanisation with clubhouse and country club services. The new villas are a further development of the original success formula, with buyers also having the choice of luxurious townhouses within the same complex. “The La Finca concept has been very well received, and we have 20 different nationalities among our homeowners.” i www.altavistaproperty.com

PROPERTY TYPE 35 villas SPEC 3-5-bed (370m2–450m2) DEVELOPER Altavista Property ARCHITECT González & Jacobson LAUNCHED Spring 2016 DELIVERY DATE Mid 2019 % SOLD 33 (95%) PRICE €1.185.000 – €1.523.000

LA FINCA TOWNHOUSES ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ

PROPERTY TYPE 24 townhouses SPEC 3-bed (360–390m2) DEVELOPER Altavista Property ARCHITECT González & Jacobson LAUNCHED Spring 2016 DELIVERY DATE Late 2018 % SOLD 20 (83%) PRICE €695.000 – €755.000 Modern styling and a choice of interior layouts have proved popular

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21 €

Marbella West New Golden Mile Ref: DM3690 12

2.513 m2

Price 12.500.000 €

4.125 m2

Spectacular in every way, this award-winning beachfront home has set a new benchmark for luxury living. With 60 metres of beach frontage, uncompromised privacy and over 1,000m2 footprint, it is designed and built with the highest specifications, integrating comfort and leisure. Three swimming pools, including one indoor heated, 224m2 private westwing suite, lift to all floors, gym, cinema and games rooms, wine cellar, security system.

PROPERTY FEATURES:

- Unique frontline beach villa

- 413 m2 living and recreational area

- Outdoor, indoor and rooftop pools

- 8 km to Puerto Banús

- 224 m2 private master suite

- Health centre with gym and sauna

MARBELLA Av. Cánovas del Castillo, 4 - Tel. 952 765 138

DMproperties.com

Clean architectural styling that has attracted admirers

ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ

PROPERTY TYPE 24 villas SPEC 3-4 bedrooms (240m2) DEVELOPER Urbania (promoted by Nvoga) ARCHITECT González & Jacobson LAUNCHED September 2016 DELIVERY DATE Early 2019 % SOLD 12 (50%) PRICE From €1.250.000

Vanian Green Village showcases attractive modern styling Interior styling details are part of the modern villa, La Cerquilla

ICON – THE RESIDENCES, SANTA CLARA The Residences is the third phase of the Icon Signature Villas development launched in 2015. It forms part of a master-planned branded urbanisation of contemporary villas that offers not just modern style and amenities, but also a lifestyle that comes with concierge service and a location on the doorstep of golf and beaches just a few minutes east of Marbella town. “The slightly elevated position guarantees fantastic sea, golf and country views in a setting that is private but also highly central and convenient,” says Kandy Paterson of the commercialising agent Nvoga. This, together with the architectural styling and accompanying concierge service, is the USP of one of the most eye-catching developments in this part of Marbella. As a specialist in this field, Nvoga plays an important consulting role that starts right at the conceptual beginning of a new development and runs through to its marketing and sales. “As the people who market and sell off-plan properties we have the benefit of a lot of experience and client feedback, which we share with developers so that projects are as high quality and tuned into what buyers are looking for as they can be within each price range.” Right now, Nvoga is working on other projects such as Residencial Costa Marinsa, Quercus Homes, a new phase of villas from the Marein Collection named Oasis 17, as well as a new development of contemporary villas called Belfry, two exclusive villas in La Cerquilla, Vanian Green Village and South Bay Estepona. i www.icon-marbella.com / www.nvoga.com

South Bay Estepona, a new Nvoga project due for release in 2017

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No longer a dream. C

CMY

New heights in luxury chalet living: Introducing Courchevel 1750

Le Belvedere is an exclusive cluster of 14 immaculate chalets that enjoy the kind of on-demand concierge services and wellness facilities youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ordinarily only find at a leading hotel. Uninterrupted views, all-day sunny orientations and unspoiled forest combine with direct ski-in, ski-out access from fireside to Courchevel's thrilling slopes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all just a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw from its equally spectacular dining and shopping.

lebelvedereclub.com

+33 (0) 4 79 00 33 33 revedepistes@vallat.fr www.vallat.fr

+34 649 723 590 willy@solvilla.no www.solvilla.no

A peaceful and panoramic setting close to town

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PROPERTY TYPE 75 apartments and penthouses SPEC 2-4 bedrooms (110m2-220m2) DEVELOPER Round Hill Capital ARCHITECT Villaroël & Torrico LAUNCHED Autumn 2016 DELIVERY DATE Late 2019 % SOLD 38 (50%) PRICE €450.000 – €988.000

Modern living in a country setting with sea views

PALO ALTO, OJÉN This development of luxury two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and penthouses is unique in that it is located in Ojén. In so doing it’s close to Marbella – just a few minutes from the La Cañada shopping mall – yet falls under the PGOU planning directive of the country village it borders. “Both Ojén and Marbella are the ‘local town’ for residents of Palo Alto,” says Marketing Director, Ailse Warriner-MacFarlane, “and being in a rustic country setting surrounded by nature yet just a few minutes from the coastal area is one of the USPs of Palo Alto, and a reason why it appeals to professional buyers from markets such as Germany and Scandinavia.” They are also drawn by the modern design, the Siemens kitchens and the interior finishing by Gunni & Trentino, as well as by the reputation of the architects. “Our clients have been very communicative and demanding of quality, and as a result we are adapting our offer to also include four-bedroom apartments. Moreover, their feedback is being incorporated into the design of phase two, which we expect to be launched later this year.” Palo Alto is a self-selecting option for those who do not have to be within walking distance of beaches and its premium country concept close to Marbella is proving to be a successful niche. i www.paloaltomarbella.com

The design concept by Villaroël & Torrico incorporates interiors and landscaping

Palo Alto merges into its country setting near Marbella

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Spectacular Villa for Sale LOS FLAMINGOS GOLF RESORT, BENAHAVIS.

Plot 2.122m2, Built 533m2, Terraces 342m2, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms Price: 3.950.000€ Built to the highest standards located on one of the best plots in Los Flamingos Golf, near 5* hotel Villa Padierna, south facing with spectacular views to the Mediterranean, built in 2005, marble floors, underfloor heating, A/C with heating, ﬁreplace, fully ﬁtted open plan kitchen (Küpperbusch), 3-car garage, heated pool.

CONTACT AND INFORMATION Tel: (+34) 650 848 603 Full property details including drone video, go to www.ownerslink.net - Ref. 365

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The design and layout follows the flow of the land

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PROPERTY TYPE 5 villas SPEC 4-bed (620m2) DEVELOPER Grupo Otero ARCHITECT Antonio Ruíz Puerta LAUNCHED Late 2016 DELIVERY DATE Summer 2019 % SOLD 3 (60%) PRICE From €1.100.000

Views across Marbella and the coast are a feature of Amapura Clean interior living spaces mark the modern design by Antonio Ruíz Puerta

AMAPURA VILLAS, NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Adept at building private villas, Grupo Otero is a construction and development company that was founded in Galicia some 70 years ago. Now also active in Marbella for quite some time, the team of builders, engineers and architects will source land, obtain the building licenses, design and build a ready-made villa for an all-in price. It’s a successful concept that continues to garner a lot of business, but in addition to private clients, Grupo Otero also provides the service on a bigger scale for developers and recently launched its own project: Amapura Villas. The project uses the natural gradient in the upper part of Nueva Andalucía to maximise impressive views of the sea and coastal area. Other innovative features are an open-flowing distribution benefitting greatly from structural frames that do away with columns and allow for broad, uninterrupted terraces and panoramic windows. Moreover, the properties are orientated with sunlight and wind patterns in mind to maintain room temperatures and reduce the need for heating and cooling by harnessing natural airflow. i www.otero.com.es

Bathroom and terrace merge to make the most of panoramic sea views

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THE LEADING NUEVA ANDALUCIA PROPERTY AGENTS

THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A PROPERTY IN NUEVA ANDALUCIA?

www.nordicamarbella.com  sales@nordicamarbella.com  Tel: 952 811 552 

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TRUST THE NUEVA ANDALUCIA SPECIALISTS 21/03/2017 23:33

Contemporary architectural design by Miguel Maíz

Owners can include bespoke features

ATLAS SIGNATURE HOMES, LA ALQUERÍA Each developer tries to offer something different and unique, be it in terms of style, concept or amenities. The Atlas Group has drawn on all its experience and client feedback to produce the mix of ingredients that do indeed make the Atlas Signature villas a truly bespoke offering. “Many developers put a great deal of care into their projects, but ultimately what people are buying is an off-the-rack product,” says Mike Gregory, CEO of the Atlas Group. “It´s a perennial problem for property developers, especially in the higher segment, for the more people pay the more individualism and bespoke luxury they demand.” For this reason the ten villas being offered on ten individual plots with sea and mountain views in La Alquería feature a choice of stylish contemporary designs by architects Maíz & Díaz, yet come with a fully bespoke concept that is entirely flexible around the client’s needs. “What we are offering is a truly luxurious way of building villas that combines the advantage of working with a renowned, experienced developer that can take all the worries from you – including building licenses, construction and fitting – and deliver a home made-to-measure around your personal tastes and preferences.” Atlas are excited about the luxury turnkey package they offer within an area considered to be an up-and-coming part of Marbella. i www.atlassignaturehomes.com

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PROPERTY TYPE 10 villas SPEC From 4-bed (600m2) DEVELOPER Atlas Build ARCHITECT Miguel Maíz LAUNCHED Spring 2017 DELIVERY DATE Early 2019 % SOLD 1 (10%) PRICE €1.9 – € 3.7 million

Luxurious interiors designed around the buyer’s needs

MIRABELLA HILLS The first villas within the luxury Mirabella Hills community are already nearing completion. Also situated along the gently undulating contours of La Alquería, they are not far removed from Atlas´s new villa development and form a reference point for the company’s construction quality and project management.

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PROPERTY TYPE 14 villas SPEC 5-bed (640m2–820m2) DEVELOPER Atlas Build ARCHITECT Carlos Lamas LAUNCHED Late 2015 DELIVERY DATE Mid 2018 % SOLD 4 (28%) PRICE From €1.950.000

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The House of the Rising Sun

he house of the Rising Sun is a secluded traditional Spanish cortijo built in the late 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and standing in a magniďŹ cent 1,000,000 m2 estate. It is ready to move into but would welcome an imaginative buyer with young ideas. The estate is 45 minutes drive from either Marbella or Sotogrande. A private 3km dirt track drive leads to it from the main road to Gaucin (5km). The property enjoys lush vegetation, mature gardens, a small river, a private 9 hole golf course and a private chapel. The main house has 3 bedroom suites, an Andalusian

patio, ample reception rooms, a study and a wonderful library that would impress Professor Higgins from My Fair Lady! The 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom guest house is set well apart from the main residence. There is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom staff house close to the stables (5 boxes) and the picadero. One may ride unhindered to the polo canchas of Sotogrande (17 km) along the beautiful Genal river valley. There are orchards and vegetable gardens next to a large pond. Parking for more than 20 cars, plenty of your own water, mains electricity and internet. Reasonable running costs.

A Kingdom for sale near Gaucin

Land: approximately 1.000.000 m2 (100ha). Total built area over 1200 m2 + terraces and patios

Learn more at www.fincasgermaux.com

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Luxurious features in a very private Golden Mile location

The C8ncept Villas in Las Lomas del Marbella Club offer open sea views

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PROPERTY TYPE 8 villas SPEC From 4-bed (520m2-890m2) DEVELOPER C8NCEPT Marbella ARCHITECT Cristian Larrain and Rodolfo Nonini LAUNCHED Late 2016 DELIVERY DATE Late 2018 % SOLD 2 (25%) PRICE From €2.5 million

Spacious open-plan living spaces with panoramic views are what buyers look for

C8NCEPT, LAS LOMAS DEL MARBELLA CLUB With two of the eight villas already sold off-plan before the official launch this month, the luxury lifestyle concept developed by project manager Maher Bajjali is also finding a ready market. “The concept appeals because it is very complete,” says Maher, “offering in fact what many developments allude to, such as a very privileged location off the Golden Mile in Las Lomas del Marbella Club, an authentically gated community with private entrance and 24-hour manned security, as well as stunning sea and mountain views and a truly superlative level of contemporary architectural design and 21st century luxury.” He refers to the fact that in Spain private entrances can be made and access denied only on private roads, not public ones. Since most belong to the latter, the number of real gated communities is quite limited. “It is an important factor among our clientele, as are the views, the privacy, easy access and the appeal of the address, but in addition to this we are of course creating villas that are suitably exceptional in their qualities, amenities and detail.” This includes advanced domotics, 80m2 infinity pools, glass lifts and architecturally styled ponds with a glass base that adds lustre to the lower level of the home. “After all, luxury defines itself in the detail.” i www.conceptmarbella.com

One of the few truly private gated urbanisations in Marbella

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A truly bilingual education, in a caring environment. At Swans, we are as passionate about our foundation stage as we are about our IB diploma. We believe that placing great emphasis on our youngest students will lay the foundations for success later in life. Our philosophy is to provide a caring environment where we work together as a whole school, so that each child achieves their full potential. We provide a truly bilingual education for pupils from 3 to 18 years old, setting the highest standards and preparing older students for university entrance around the world. Essential Advert_march2017_FINAL.indd 1

Dedicated to teaching and learning for over 45 years. Swans International Primary School Urb. El Capricho, s/n Marbella, 29602 Malaga, Spain Tel: (+34) 952 773 248 info@swansschool.net Swans International Secondary School C/Lago de los Cisnes, s/n 29602 Marbella Malaga, Spain Tel: (+34) 952 902 755 admin@swansschool.net www.swansschoolinternational.es 20/03/2017 14:32:15

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p THE FOCUS people

R U S I CIV

k n i l e l l i v e S – a g a l á t he M

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We interview Luis Merino Barrionuevo, Ex-Mayor of Málaga and currently cochairman of Civisur, a private initiative that aims at strengthening cooperation between Málaga and Seville. WORDS CRISTINA FALKENBERG PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN WHAT IS CIVISUR, HOW WAS IT BORN? In a conversation I had with ex-Mayor of Seville, Manuel del Valle, we arrived at the conclusion that the traditional rivalry between Málaga and Seville made no sense. We realised we shared numerous common problems, interests and objectives, so the idea was to find a way to work together. The first formal encounter took place in Antequera, with twelve representatives from each province. The meeting started at noon and lasted until well into the evening. We immediately realised there was plenty of scope for our vision of what the shared future between our two cities should be. Málaga and Seville together make up for 45 per cent of the Andalusian economy, so it was clear that the initiative could be of major importance. CIVISUR stands for Unión Cívica del Sur de España. We are a completely private organisation. All work is done altruistically and our funding comes from our personal membership fees. We are not a political association though many of us have previous political experience. Others have worked in higher positions within

the Administration or still do, but we are by no means linked to any political party or ideology; on the contrary, we make it a point to remain independent. In order to be efficient in our day-to-day functioning we have a limited number of permanent members, currently set at 52. Then, on an ad hoc basis, specialists in different areas join our working groups. This is where the actual projects are studied and developed. Each member supplies their knowledge, experience and contacts. We basically draw on people from three areas of civil society: the professional sector, businesses and the Universities, from Málaga and Seville. We have doctors, engineers, economists and lawyers; managers from leading textiles or chemicals companies; for example, Javier González de Lara, President of the Andalusian Busniess Association is a member. When you analyse a topic from these three perspectives — professional, university and business — you are likely to get a complete picture of important issues.

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WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW? We currently have open four areas of interest: land planning, infrastructure, tourism and social welfare. We don’t get involved in specific local matters but focus on those that concern both Málaga and Seville, or their provinces. With respect to welfare for example, the Presidents of both Food Banks are members of CIVISUR. We are looking at ways to improve logistics by creating a base in Antequera or Estepa, close to Seville. The idea is to facilitate the distribution of food stock. In the area of culture, we are working on a project with the Church, presenting them with ideas to enhance and better exploit their immense cultural and artistic legacy. Numerous monuments are closed or are hardly used at all. Keeping them in good condition requires benefitting from them in some way. We are working hard too on obtaining a UNESCO word heritage declaration for Italica, the splendid roman ruins outside Seville that are unfortunately now dangerously abandoned. For instance, the recognition of the Antequera Dolmens as a World Heritage site has radically changed their level of protection and the funding now received for conservation. In the field of tourism, we are working on the joint promotion of Málaga and Seville. Our focus is different from that of the

Administration; we understand both cities can and should work together. It doesn’t matter that they are located in different provinces; we think they should be offered as a whole. We are encouraging ventures between companies based in the two provinces. In the agricultural and the technological sectors, our work has resulted in many exciting projects. We have also created a University prize aimed at distinguishing the work of joint research teams with members from both Universities. YOU ARE GOING TO PRESENT A BOOK ON LAND PLANNING? Yes, and we will be presenting it soon in Marbella. When the Supreme Court declared that the Land Planning for Marbella and the western part of the Costa del Sol was null, we felt the need to study the consequences of such a ruling and to offer a solution. Those Court decisions would have an impact not only on the economy of Marbella and its area of influence: they would be felt in the entirety of the province, with repercussions in Seville. Of course investments would cease and a first impression of legal insecurity was inevitable. We immediately created three working groups: Economic, Legal and Planning. They presented their conclusions and they have now been gathered in a book that is already at the printers. From the Working Group’s efforts,

at CIVISUR we arrived at a three-step solution. The first step was to adapt the old 1986 Planning as current legislation within one year, as of course it didn’t comply with current standards. As soon as this was achieved, we suggested a revision of the Plan in order to include everything which has been built since 1986. In this way, current development projects and upcoming ones should be able to remain, while a new Plan is being created. As is known, urban planning unfortunately takes years to develop in Andalusia these days. This is a terrible drawback, but investments and economic activity must continue. Our revised 1986 Plan aimed at covering the gap between an obsolete one and a new one, which may take several years to complete. Incidentally, another area we are working on is advising on Planning Law: the current legal framework is far too lengthy and complex to be useful to its purpose. By the time a new Plan is ready you must begin work on the next one! The book offers the views of Law and Economics Professors; the opinions of a Magistrate of the Málaga Superior Court; the Junta’s Head Lawyer and the Secretary of Málaga Town Hall. It gathers the opinions of developers, banks and several architects and specialists in Planning. The Courts, the Junta and the local Administration don’t necessarily always agree, but it’s undoubtedly very useful to know what each of them thinks.

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Need a house? Solvia will help you find your ideal home Finding the home that is best suited to your needs is always difficult, when so many properties are currently on offer. For this, and many other reasons, you are beset by so many doubts when you have decided to buy a property, particularly when looking to acquire one abroad. At Solvia, the reference company in the Spanish real estate sector, we have the backing of a major banking group and the support of a team of personal advisers whose work it is to simplify the search process for prospective house purchasers. Our advisers are real estate sector professionals who know how to listen, discover what your needs are and find the home that will be perfect for you. Solvia is a real estate company that has, since 2011, sold over 91,000 properties throughout Spain. In other words, in term of sales, we are the leading company and we work with a successful system that is based on a multi-channel strategy and our widely acknowledged work of personal assessment. And it is precisely because of this determination to get closer to our customers that at Solvia we have taken the next step, opening agencies on the high street. These Solvia Stores have been envisage as innovative spaces, due both to their ground-breaking design and the different areas of experience

in which our personal advisors accompany, not only the people trying to buy a property, but also those who want Solvia to help sell their properties. At Solvia our aim is to offer our customers exclusive treatment and an experience of buying, selling or renting with a difference, in a welcoming environment. If you want to find out first-hand how Solvia can help you to buy, sell or rent a home visit your nearest Solvia Store: Marbella Avenida Ricardo Soriano, 54 952 981 608 Torrevieja Avenida de las Habaneras (corner of Calle Galeón) 965 000 001

You can also find out more about Solvia and the whole of our real estate offer at www.solviarealestate.com

I want to live in Spain, but above all else I want to live Spain. Do you know what I mean?

Where all your answers are found. All of them.

Finding your new house in Spain isn’t just a huge step. It’s also a huge journey, and it’s normal for some questions to arise along the way. As a leading real estate agency in Spain, we have expertise across the whole territory and are backed by one of the country’s largest banking groups. So, thanks to the experience and support of our personal advisers, we can offer you a comprehensive service throughout the entire purchase process. Do you have any questions? Welcome to the place where your answers are found. All of them.

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Top Spanish Real Estate

23/3/17 17:00

“

We have been working on a project to connect Málaga with Seville with the highspeed train, via Antequera. The cost is €45 million and travel time would be one hour and twenty minutes

“

YOU RECENTLY HELD SOME CONFERENCES ON INFRASTRUCTURES. We have been working on a project to connect Málaga with Seville with the highspeed train, via Antequera. The cost is €45 million and travel time would be one hour and twenty minutes. No-one had thought about the solution of going via Antequera. The current project which ran partially down the Coast is so expensive it has been on hold for the last years. Our proposal has been presented to the Mayors of Málaga and Seville and their prior agreement and support has been obtained. We will be presenting it to the Minister of Public Works. The connection between Antequera and Granada will soon be completed and the idea is that Granada, Málaga, Seville and Córdoba should all be connected among themselves and, of course, with Madrid. In the case of Marbella, that same connection via Antequera is perfectly viable, both technically and economically. Marbella must definitively be on the Andalusian highspeed train network, as this means actually being on the map. We look forward to the Town Hall

engaging with us from the beginning, as their cooperation will be an essential element of their future planning as a city. SOMETIMES OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS THREATS ARE SEEN MORE CLEARLY FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE MARBELLA’S STRENGTHS AND WHAT ARE ITS WEAKNESSES? One of Marbella’s strengths is its cosmopolitan nature. However, oddly enough, it could run the risk of forgetting the importance of opening itself up to the other large Andalusian cities, in particular Málaga and also Seville, of course. Another of its weak points is its dearth of infrastructure, including cultural installations. In a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants, it’s rather incredible that they should only have one small theatre. There is a clear limitation. Urban planning today assumes that schools, hospitals and the like already exist, and tends to focus more on open spaces, developing business areas and cultural infrastructures. Unfortunately Marbella still lacks very basic infrastructure. It is of vital importance that we look beyond our boundaries and become part of the Málaga-Seville axis. At CIVISUR we shall

have a Marbella Working Group, to deal with those matters in Marbella which could have an influence on the rest of the province. The idea, as always, is to have an interdisciplinary team, offering a coherent workable solution that takes into account all factors: economic, legal, technical… and from different perspectives, both from the private and the public sector. When Marbella promotes itself at FITUR and other travel shows, that’s all good and fine. However, there is another form of promotion which I find is vital: that of offering your city as a corporate destination. For example, we have recently been to London. With Brexit, many UK companies are looking at office locations within the EU. We met with 100 companies, offering Málaga as a location to consider for their businesses. Hopefully some will choose us, since we are more than just a travel destination. Málaga is a city which offers a fantastic quality of life. Marbella should do the same. The sun and beach option is insufficient these days. Marbella should not only offer cultural and other alternatives in their tourism package, but also the city itself as an attractive choice in which to live, invest and work. e

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FRANK

STEPHENSON

The modern Mini

The W onderful Creat ions of

Frank Stephenson is the master of successful retro styling; perhaps the greatest automotive designer of our era, he succeeded in taking an apparently inimitable classic and improving on it. What’s more, he did it more than once, creating some of the ﬁnest modern classics of the new millennium. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY MCLAREN AUTOMOTIVE AND SHUTTERSTOCK

Frank Stephenson, the greatest designer of our era

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The Mini Cooper

he Mini is an icon of Britain, the living embodiment of the Swinging Sixties, just as the Fiat 500 is as Italian as Dolce Vita, and forever a reminder of that sweet era and the post-war resurgence of Italy. Both have become part of the modern cultural heritage of their respective countries, and much loved for it. The little Mini made its designer, Sir Alec Issigonis, join the pantheon of great designers, for a car with an almost unprecedented production run from 1959 to 2000. In those 41 years almost 5.4 million Minis in a broad variety of versions were built, making it one of the great triumphs of the British car industry. The same can be said of the Fiat ‘Cinquecento’, originally dubbed the ‘Topolino’ after an earlier model that had begun the initial process of bringing motoring to the masses. Though its designer, Dante Giacosa, didn’t quite achieve

the same level of personal fame as the creator of the Mini, and while the British micro car is often dubbed the original in its class, it is actually the Fiat that was launched first. What’s more, this little gem sold over four million units in a production lifetime that ran from 1957 to 1975. Other models followed, but none could capture the hearts of the public the way the Mini and Fiat 500 had done. Not surprisingly, a cult following developed that kept the former in production and the memory of the latter firmly alive. With the approach of a new millennium, however, it seemed clear that even the Mini had got through its seven lives, but when word got out that the brand’s new owners, BMW, were working on a new model scepticism was rife. It was universally agreed that no ‘new Mini’ could truly replace the original.

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THE MASTER’S EYE Step in Frank Stephenson, the master of his generation of automotive designers and a man with a unique ability to mould retrobased shapes and imbue them with a fresh, modern look without ever losing the identity and charm of the original. Such a brief would have driven most designers and engineers to distraction, for it seems a contradiction in terms, but Stephenson sculpted a new model that was at once a modern classic. As a contemporary car that interprets the spirit of a 1960s original and revives its sense of fun and style in a chic modern form, the Mini is an

absolute triumph – something that the immense popularity of the ‘New Mini’ and its various versions has conﬁrmed. With the launch of the new model in 2001, Stephenson had in reality designed a car that was every bit as cute, and actually much prettier than its predecessor. Nostalgia aside, this is the best Mini ever, and one that does both past and present proud. With the arrival of the new-style Mini, Britain had a new motoring icon for the 21st century, but in spite of his English-sounding name, the creative force behind this quirky, quintessentially British motoring classic isn’t from the isles at all. Born in Casablanca to a Norwegian father and a mother who is not only Spanish, but hails from Málaga, Stephenson grew up in Istanbul, his mother’s hometown and Madrid before studying design in California. It is only ﬁtting that a creative genius of this stature should have a colourful background, and the fact

that Stephenson competed professionally in motocross simply adds to the mix, certainly adding fuel to his motoring credentials. Having started at Ford USA and risen through the ranks to Senior Designer at BMW, he was put in charge of the company’s brand new Mini project in the 1990s. The resounding success of the new incarnation thus created – of which over three million have already been sold in a production run that is in its 16th year – sealed Frank Stephenson’s reputation. Less well known is the fact that he also designed another BMW chart buster, the X5, before moving on to the Ferrari-Maserati design centre in Italy. Here he penned such super car gems as the Maserati MC12 – another classically inspired work of art – and the Ferrari F430, while working with Pininfarina on the design of the Maserati Quattroporte and the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. In 2005 he was appointed head of styling for Fiat, where besides the Punto and Bravo models he also lead the development of another classic revival – the Fiat 500.

The Maserati Quattroporte Ferrari F430, a super-car gem

Frank Stephenson & design team at McLaren Automotive

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CREATING MODERN CLASSICS Working on the project with Roberto Giolito, he repeated his earlier feat of alchemy, again succeeding in creating a model that does justice to the spirit of its predecessor while actually being a thoroughly modern, fun and ultimately more attractive reinterpretation. The critical acclaim the new Cinquecento received was followed by fantastic sales that have revived the brand, and after a short stint at Alfa Romeo, Stephenson was rewarded with the chief design job at niche super car manufacturer McLaren. There he oversaw the creation of the MP4-12C and the P1, looking

Interior of the iconic Fiat Cinquecento

at the physical world for inspiration to “…ﬁnd the principles in nature that makes products do what they look like they do.” Though modern technology is applied in the further development of concepts, the original process is triggered by the artist’s hand in sketches that subsequently progress into computer modelled graphics, clay models and ultimately prototypes. “The advantage of working with clay is that you can feel the transitions and feel where there is too much surface or more surface needed. You could almost design a car blind, because you don’t have to see it, you have to feel it, and by feeling it you feel if it’s right or it’s not right.” Such is the intuition of a master craftsman of our time. e

Retro style of the Fiat 500

Maserati MC12

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p THE FOCUS dancers

L I A H L L A

M E TH ! T E E F

G N I C DAN Gene Kelly If you grew up in the 1960s or 1970s and ﬁlms like Singin’ in the Rain are part and parcel of your childhood memories, then you probably already know that Gene Kelly was in a world of his own. Dancers like Fred Astaire were elegant and light as air, yet Kelly was sensual, attractive and athletic, despite displaying incredible grace. Gene Kelly was above all famous for two things: for modernising dance (by blending modern dance, classical ballet and tap) and for inviting the camera to break out of its two-dimentional mould. Thus, in many of his ﬁlms, the camera becomes a fluid tool that

follows the dancer across the room, using sweeping angles to become just another dancer on set. Kelly was proliﬁc as well, combining his dancing duties with acting, directing and singing. This dancer was made for his tap shoes, it seems. As a child, he was busy honing his craft at dance school when everyone else his age was playing sport. While at college, he taught dance at a local studio, performing alongside his brother, Fred, in small-scale shows. In the late 1930s, Kelly ﬁnally made it to Broadway and soon after, he was spotted by Louis B. Mayer of MGM;

the latter offered him a contract and in 1942, Kelly appeared in his first ever feature film, For Me and My Gal Gal, alongside Judy Garland. “All of my dancing came out of the idea of the common man,” said Kelly, who broke the mould in another way: by wearing normal clothing instead of elegant ballroom wear or tuxedos. Kelly performed many firsts – for instance, he was the first to dance alongside a cartoon character (in Anchors Aweigh, in which he danced with Jerry the Mouse), a technique which would be copied many times over, including by Paula Abdul in the

video to her hit song, Opposites Attract. He also choreographed many of his films, including An American in Paris, with its groundbreaking ballet finale. In Singin’ in the Rain, he would sing and dance, literally, ‘in the rain’, using an umbrella as a prop with magnificently original results. Kelly will always be remembered as the charming, likeable fellow who proved how cool dancing can be. “I didn’t want to move or act like a rich man. I wanted to dance in a pair of jeans. I wanted to dance like the man in the streets,” he once said, timelessly enticing audiences of all ages to experience the magic of dance.

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Art, when it is real and the product of unique vision, can steal your heart in an instance, produce a kind of reaction that is physical, cerebral, emotional all at once. Some say that the performing arts – song and dance – are capable of eliciting emotion in the way that ﬁne arts often struggle to do. To those people I would ask, ‘Have you ever seen Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Sunﬂowers at a museum in Paris?’ All the while I would acknowledge that there is something incredibly moving about seeing artistry in motion, especially when the most obvious form of communication – words – are removed. For dance to truly display the power of emotions such as happiness, love and anger, however, it must be performed by a great dancer. Technique is not everything and talent cannot be taught. These are just a few dancers who have clicked, tapped and tiptoed their way to our hearts with the greatest of ease… WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

Josephine Baker This Harlem-born singer let very few limitations get in her way – neither racism, nor poverty, nor prejudice. Baker was to the age of Gatsby what Madonna was to teens in the 1980s and 1990s – a goddess who used movement to clamour for sexual freedom and equality for all. Baker is perhaps most famed for her ‘banana skirt’ dance – the dancer tied a bevy of bananas to the tiniest of mini skirts, which she would swing from side to side with her sensual hip movements. Nicknamed ‘the Black Pearl’, Baker was, in the 1920s, a movie star, singer and dancer and the highest paid performer in Europe. She was also considered, to quote Hemingway, “the most sensational

woman anyone ever saw.” Her children speak of their mother having received literally thousands of offers of marriage and of being an unabashed exhibitionist who loved, above all things, to dance naked. Baker was born in Harlem in 1906 and by the time she was in her teens, she had already made a name for herself at Harlem’s buzzing Plantation Club. Keen to take her star higher, she headed for Paris, making her debut at La Revue Nègre, where she appeared topless and barefoot, dancing in a mini skirt made of feathers. Of her act, French writer, Pierre de Régnier said, “She is in constant motion, her body writhing like a snake or more precisely like a dripping saxophone. Music

seems to pour from her body.” Baker achieved great success, amassing the wealth she would primarily spend on Château des Milandes – where she lived from 1937 until 1969. The mansion and the land it stood on was converted into a kind of theme park, with African huts, a farm, an artistic shaped swimming pool and sculptures which told the story of her life. The Château would be home to Baker, her husband, and the 12 children she would adopt from around the world. Baker unfortunately spent more than she owned, and was eventually evicted from her home. To pay her debts, she was forced to tour the world in her 60s, performing before no less than Grace Kelly and Mick Jagger in the

1970s. Baker passed away in 1975, and today, her home is a modest museum whose gardens have been ﬁlled with colourful flowers and exotic birds, in homage to the singer, who was always wild at heart. Baker will be remembered for much more than her dancing – she was, above all, a forbearer of feminism and acceptance, a woman who lived her life as she chose – free of the burden of conformism and stoic acceptance. She also played an important role during World War II, serving as a secret messenger for the French resistance. This led her to receive the Croix de guerre (a French military honour) and to be declared Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur by General Charles de Gaulle.

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The King of Pop invented The Lean, and made The Robot and The Moonwalk household names. I can bet that any child who grew up in the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s has attempted The Moonwalk and tried to lean over without falling, Smooth Criminal-style. Although self-trained, Michael Jackson left his imprint on modern dance the way few others have managed to do. Despite the great complexity of his moves and his choreography, he brought dancing to the masses and made millions of children dream of defying gravity with corporal dexterity. His military group dances, crotch grabbing and knee twisting were unique, daring, rebellious moves; always, they were a pleasure to the eyes. It was a combination of his talent and graceful ﬁgure, we suppose, that made Michael a one-in-a-million. Other dancers could complete the moves, yet Michael seemed to have a natural

Sylvie Guillem At the age of 50, French ballerina and contemporary dancer, Sylvie Guillem, stunned the dancing world when she announced her retirement. She is often hailed in the press as one of the best dancers of all time, a diva who is famed as much for her strong character as she is for her undeniable talent. Sylvie Guillem had been dancing since she was 11, when she was accepted to be a ‘little rat’ (dance recruit) at the Paris Opera Ballet. She did not originally plan on being a dancer; she was a gymnast who was

sent on an exchange programme to the Paris Opera Ballet to hone her dance skills. Guillem was quickly offered a permanent placing at the Ballet, from which she was plucked at the age of 19 by no less then Rudolph Nureyev, who declared her an étoile (lead/ senior dancer), something unheard of in one so young. Guillem was glad to leave the rigidity of the Paris Opera Ballet for greater independence at the Royal Ballet (in London). There, she would earn herself the nickname of ‘Mademoiselle Non’ – for when she deemed an instruction

Michael Jackson artistry to his movement that was impossible to imitate. To top it all off, his voice was equally marvellous – angelic and rough all at once, instantly recognisable and copied to an untold extent. It is easy to appreciate his talent for movement and song by watching him perform alongside The Jackson Five. Siblings like Janet undoubtedly were worthy of their accolades, yet there was something in Michael’s bounce and innate joy, that stood out. His loss is undoubtedly a great blow to the entertainment industry for as his fans often point out, he will always be the best singer, dancer and entertainer to take to the stage. Michael influenced not only his and future generations, but also older dancers. There are endless quotes from everyone from the Nicholas Brothers to Fred Astaire, extolling his dancing prowess.

from her director as excessive, she would simply say ‘No’. Guillem was lucky that, in her own words, she was gifted with a naturally light yet strong body (she is famed for lifting her leg up to her ear – her flexibility is off the charts). For she clashed with Nureyev himself and soon earned a name for herself as a highly demanding perfectionist. She is considered a trailblazer in modern dance, having been the youngest lead dancer in the Royal Ballet but also the ﬁrst ballerina to stand on pointed toes with her legs in a perfect six o’clock position.

Jackson himself came closest to expressing his unique relationship with dance: “Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become the victor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing then it is the eternal dance or creation. The creator and creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing...and dancing...and dancing. Until there is only...the dance.”

She will best be remembered, however, not only for her technical perfection but also for the emotion she put into every performance. Guillem ﬁnally announced her retirement when she was 50, yet her performances were said to be on par with those she gave when she was in her 30s. The ballerina, who these days dedicates herself to supporting eco causes, admits to having practiced every single day until the day she retired. Despite her well known temper and bravado, she was lucky enough to have a natural gift for doing what she loved, excellently.

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Mart ha Graham

This American dancer and choreographer is universally hailed as one of the pioneers of modern dance. Graham created a fully codified technique which aimed “to communicate experience by means of action… out of this came a different use of the body as an instrument, as the violin is an instrument. The body is the basic instrument, intuitive, instinctive. As a result, an entirely contemporary set of technics was evolved.” (Brown, Mindlin & Woodford, 1998). Graham believed that dance should reveal the passion, rage and joy which is common to human experience. She aimed to express the conflicts between individuals and society, feeling that through movement, we could achieve enlightenment. Because the purpose of dance was to express universal emotions, every movement, she argued, should have a specific meaning which the audience can recognise. Graham believed in rigorous training and was as exacting with herself as she was with the dancers she worked with. She even commissioned music for her choreographies, instead of working with existing pieces. Graham danced and choreographed performances for over 70 years. She was the first ever dancer to perform at The White House and the first to receive the Medal of Freedom. She aimed high and, many say, she achieved her aims. She once said, “I did not want to be a tree, a flower or a wave. In a dancer’s body, we as an audience must see ourselves, not the imitated behaviour of everyday actions, not the phenomenon of nature, not exotic creatures from another planet, but something of the miracle that is a human being.”

Mikhail Baryshnikov Born in Latvia in 1948, Mikhail Baryshnikov is universally hailed as one of the most gifted dancers, not only in classical ballet, but also in modern dance. Baryshnikov’s childhood was difﬁcult – his mother committed suicide in his adolescence and his father, a Soviet colonel – was, according to his son, “not a pleasant man.” Baryshnikov would nevertheless utilise his father’s “mannerisms, his military habits,” when interpreting his many roles. Baryshnikov honed his craft under Russian choreographers Alexander Pushkin and Leonid Jakobson. The Russians were impressed with his physicality, strength and emotional expressiveness, and by the late 1960s, he was the Soviet Union’s

premier dancer. Baryshnikov defected to Canada in 1974, in search of greater independence and artistic freedom. He then headed for the United States, shining in various performances with the American Ballet Theatre. Baryshnikov was as famous for his good looks, charm and multifaceted abilities, as he was for his dancing prowess. In the 1970s, he was nominated for an Oscar for The Turning Point (1977) and he has been nominated for two Emmys for dance specials. In 1990, ‘Misha’ created the groundbreaking White Oak Dance Project, reflecting his love for contemporary dance and his passion for democracy. His aim, in essence, was to bring dance “closer to the hearts of people,” and although

the Project is no longer in existence, Baryshnikov has worked incessantly to democratise dance through moves such as the launch of the Baryshnikov Arts Centre in New York City, which is deﬁned as “a gathering place for artists from all disciplines.” Throughout the years, Baryshnikov has surprised us on the television (remember his role as Carrie Bradshaw’s older boyfriend in Sex In the City?) and continues to appear in occasional theatre productions. He has given his life to dance yet thanks his art for all it has brought to his life: “I found that dance, music, and literature is how I made sense of the world… it pushed me to think of things bigger than life’s daily routines… to think beyond what is immediate or convenient.” e

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He won hearts and minds as a savvy street urchin in Slumdog Millionaire and endeared himself to millions as the dorky manager of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Now a buff and bearded Dev Patel has come roaring back with a BAFTA win for Lion, a moving true story that mirrors the British actor’s own journey of selfdiscovery in India. WORDS BELINDA BECKETT

DEV s r a o PATEL R n The Lio I

n 10 whirlwind years, Dev Patel has graduated from a TV teen star in a show his teachers disapproved of to a hot Hollywood actor who has worked with the best in the business, including two Dames – not bad going for a 27-year-old with no formal acting training. In the home of Bollywood, he has hero status, one of a handful of Asian actors who have made it to the Oscars. But Dev grew up in London trying to distance himself from his culture to ﬁt in at school, and hated India on ﬁrst sight “I went as a child, for a family wedding but I didn’t understand it at all,” he remembers. “I got bitten to death by mosquitoes, I got the runs and I was like, ‘I hate this place, I don’t ever want to come back’. That changed with Slumdog, directed by Danny Boyle of Trainspotting fame, which garnered

eight Oscars and a BAFTA nomination for Patel. He was just 16 when he experienced Mumbai’s largest slum to prepare for his role as Jamal, the poor street kid who becomes a national hero when he reaches the final of India’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire? “I thought the slums would be depressing places but there was a massive sense of community,” he says. “I saw Indian grandmothers making big chapatis and watching Bollywood movies on TV, just like my own gran. Experiencing this whole new side to my culture had a massive effect on me. For most of my childhood I was pushing my heritage away to avoid being bullied. When I began to embrace it I was completely enthralled.” Back in India for five further films, each visit has brought him emotionally closer to his roots.

He spent ﬁve months in Calcutta for Lion, which won him a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also met his ‘character’ in real life, Saroo Brierley, who was separated from his family in rural India aged ﬁve when he boarded the wrong train. Adopted from an orphanage by an Australian family, the story of how he tracked his biological family down 20 years later, via Google Earth, could have been tailor-made for Patel. “Saroo’s journey is very close to my own. I can relate a lot to that feeling of going back as an alien, but with connections to it,” says Patel, who retraced the frightened little boy’s rail trip across India and visited the orphanage that took him in but felt uncomfortable about being called ‘hero’ everywhere he went. “I couldn’t have felt less like one. It was a real process of growing up and learning

about myself.” He also forged a strong bond with Nicole Kidman who plays his adoptive mother. “That movie star glamour she has, she left it at the rehearsal studio door and just went so deep into it, you forget she was Nicole Kidman. She just became Sue.” Patel has ‘grown’ physically, as well as spiritually. Unlike Boyle, who wanted “a guy who didn’t look like a potential hero” for Slumdog, Lion’s director Garth Davis told him: “We need to make you more alpha and get your facial hair growing.” The skinny guy with a buzz cut who once compared his looks to ‘a goofy celery stick’ has bulked up on eight months of exercise and protein shakes to lose the geeky man-child look, adding a beard and growing his hair (“My parents hate it, they think I look too messy”) and is in danger of turning into a sex symbol...

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...Which is where he came into acting – as a randy adolescent Muslim for E4 TV’s cult BAFTA-winning drama series, Skins. The Noughties show enraged parents for portraying the nation’s teenage school kids as alcohol and drug-fuelled sexual predators. “Anwar broke the mould,” says Dev. “You don’t see a lot of Asians on TV, apart from that stereotypical family in EastEnders. He wasn’t just a good Asian kid at home eating chapatis.” Dev and his sister grew up in the predominantly Indian, middleclass suburbia of Rayners Lane, Harrow. His parents are Gujurati Hindus born in Kenya who met in London, where their marriage was arranged. Hyperactive as a child, Dev was enrolled for every extracurricular class going to channel his excess energy. He has a black belt in taekwondo and an acting award from his school, which he eventually left because of hostility over Skins. “The teachers didn’t approve of Skins and my drama teacher hated me after I got onto it,” he recalls. “The reason I got into drama in the ﬁrst place was because I was funny, and that was a way not to get beaten up and keep your head above the pack. But there was a lot of aggression from some kids, who didn’t like me not being a Muslim kid but playing one.” Nevertheless, Patel still feels huge gratitude to his mother for encouraging him to bunk off his GCSEs to attend the audition at the National Youth Theatre. “I have incredible parents. It takes a lot to let your son go at 16 to chase his dream.” Meaty roles haven’t always come his way. But glossing swiftly over The Last Airbender, a 2010 fantasy adventure which won him enough Golden Raspberry

Awards to fill a small pavlova, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel gave Patel the privilege of working with Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Richard Gere, Celia Imrie and Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The all-star cast virtually guaranteed the success of this gentle geriatric romp whose sequel knocked Fifty Shades of Grey into second place at the UK Box office. “Everything I’ve learned is from my great directors and co-stars,” says Patel. “Acting is about honesty. When I began, I was trying to squeeze as much emotion out of roles as I could and get big laughs. Now it’s about doing less, cutting away the fat.” He has since worked with Jeremy Irons in The Man Who Knew Infinity,

With Nicole Kidman at the 2017 Palm Springs Film Festival

playing Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, and with Jane Fonda in HBO’s The Newsroom, as a tech-savvy web editor. In the real world, Patel is a technophobe with a Blackberry and zero social media accounts. “I don’t want to see a concert through a three-inch screen and I hate texting,” he says. He has just shot his sixth movie in India – Hotel Mumbai, based on the 2008 terrorist attack – and is working on his own screenplays to take him back there. “I am trying to be the person who isn’t waiting for the phone to ring. There aren’t too many roles out there for actors of Asian origin, although Hollywood is becoming more open.” Today he lives in LA. How’s he handling the fame? “When I ﬁrst moved here I was going to clubs every night. I could easily have slipped into the wrong

crowd. You’re bait on a string – all your so-called friends are telling people they’re hanging with ‘the kid from Slumdog’, then everyone wants to take pictures with you. You start to think, ‘Hang on, I came out for a good time and I’m being harassed.’” “Luckily I was with Freida, we were both learning about the industry together,” adds Patel, who dated his Slumdog co-star, Freida Pinto, for six years until their 2014 split. “I also have a ball-breaking sister. If I slip up, she’ll be the ﬁrst one on the phone to say, ‘What the hell were you thinking?’” Some of his more conservative relatives may take more persuading. “There can be a lot of politics in Indian families, so I stay well away from it,” says Dev. “I can’t go to family weddings any more. It’s like doing a press junket, where everyone’s a critic. And when you’re having more pictures taken than the bride and groom…” e

In punier times, with Freida Pinto

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Some say that no-one will ever be able to compete with Meryl Streep, yet if you asked me who could give her a good run for her money among the new generation of young female actors, my answer would probably be Michelle Williams, Emma Stone, and Saoirse Ronan. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

SAOIRSE RONAN W

illiams and Stone have the indubitable beneﬁt of being born and bred in the United States, a country where children are trained to shine in the arts, since their early childhood. Two-time Academy award nominee Saoirse (pronounced ser-sha) Ronan, on the other hand, had a far tougher hill to climb, considering she grew up in Ireland, where she was shielded from the spotlight for as long as her parents could manage. Saoirse was 19 when she moved from her parent’s home in Ireland to London to pursue her acting career although she comes from good acting stock; her father, Paul, was a stage actor who initially moved to New York then back to Ireland, since acting jobs in the Big Apple were scarce. Saorise is aware of how ﬁckle the acting industry can be, and how important luck, timing and knowing the right people are. Upon being selected as one of TIME Magazine’s 10 Next Generation Leaders (she appeared on the magazine’s June

2016 cover), she told journalist, Eliana Dockterman, “Ma watched Dad lose out on parts or star in shows off-of Broadway and make buttons (earn a pittance). She watched these really talented people never get the shot they deserved. So they prepared me to be realistic. And that’s good, because the moment fame becomes a priority, you should give it up.” Saoirse is a bit like actor Jake Gyllenhaal in that whenever either of their names are attached to a project, you know it’s probably going to be memorable. Call it having the lion’s share of good role offers, call it a keen eye for great scripts – whatever the magical ingredient is, they have it in abundance, as do actors like Joseph Gordon Levitt. The latter makes relatively few ﬁlms a year, many of which are independent, yet he always gets an ovation from the critics. Saoirse was always like that – selective of what projects she assigned her name to, despite being a relative unknown.

Actor, Influencer, Feminist

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Saoirse’s breakthrough role was that of Briony – a 13-year-old girl who destroys the life of her sister and the latter’s lover, and spends years trying to make up for the unwitting devastation she caused. The film, Atonement (2007) is quite perplexing – it is difficult to understand how a child can be so destructive – she might simply be a victim of an overly active imagination or of her intense jealousy (she secretly has a crush on her sister’s beau, played by the magnificent James McAvoy). The role is brutal and Saoirse does a brilliant job as the child we can’t help hating a little. Her work earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2007 Academy Awards, which pretty much assured that she would be taken seriously as an actor. Saoirse has given life to many challenging characters since – a murdered child in The Lovely Bones, a child assassin in Hanna, a cunning pastry chef in Grand Budapest Hotel… one of her most critically acclaimed roles was that of Eilis Lacey in Brooklyn (2015). Eilis is a young Irish woman who moves from Ireland to Brooklyn, New York, to build a better future for herself and fight for the love of Tony (a young Italian American who helps her forget her suitor back home). Saoirse is the heart and soul of the film, expressing innocence and weariness all at once. Her character is torn between her feelings of guilt about leaving her loved ones behind, and her desire to build a decent life for herself. The actor’s performance has been described as strong and ‘anchored’ – calm and poised enough to stop the film from falling into melodrama. The film is utterly absorbing and emotionally uplifting as much as it concedes that the truly big steps we take in life always necessitate big sacrifice. When interviewed about the type of roles that attract her, Saoirse nearly always asserts her attraction to strong, capable, intelligent women. She’s pretty cluey herself, she says, and would not be interested in

playing a vacuous character. Saoirse’s upcoming films sound like they will be taking the actor to new heights, including Loving Vincent (featured in our Cinema Greats section this month). The film, an ambitious animation, has relied on the movements and expressions of only a handful of actors. Saoirse plays Margaret Gachet, wife of Vincent Van Gogh’s doctor, Paul Gachet. Another film fans are waiting with baited breath for is The Seagull – the film version of one of the most famous plays of all time, by Anton Chekhov. Saoirse plays Nina Zarechnaya – the young ingénue who dreams of being a famous actress. In one of the play’s most memorable lines, she tells the object of her affection, “A young girl lives all her life on the shore of a lake. She loves the lake, like a seagull, and she’s happy and free, like a seagull. But a man arrives by chance, and when he sees her, he destroys her, out of sheer boredom. Like this seagull.” The Seagull was Chekov’s first major work and is considered one of modern drama’s most important plays. Two further roles for Saoirse in 2017 are in the films Ladybird (about a young woman’s adventures in California) and in On Chesil Beach – in which she plays a young, talented violinist whose happiness is tainted by misunderstandings and fear. Saoirse has also shone on the stage, receiving rave reviews for her role as Abigail Williams in The Crucible (set during the witch trials of the late 17th century). The play focuses on one woman’s obsession with a married man. Having seen the physical and mental toll stage acting took on her father, Saoirse was reticent at first to accept the role, agreeing only after her mother suggested the importance of following her own instinct. “She knows me like nobody else,” says Saoirse, who may be one of Hollywood’s most influential stars, but who has never forgotten the importance of one’s roots. e

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eautiful Day has reached number one, no less, on the iTunes classical listing, beating out even the great Andrea Bocelli, who positioned at number three. There are obvious reasons for its success: Tom’s beautiful voice (powerful and tender all at once) and his fantastic track choice – the CD speaks across generations and is satisfying to younger and older listeners alike. Moreover, the album was mastered by Pete Maher (a world-class engineer who has produced albums for U2, Lana del Rey and The Rolling Stones, to name just a few artists). The quality of the music is key. “One of the best things about making this album was that I had total control,” says Tom. “It took a long time to make all the necessary music arrangements. The songs sound different and often have different introductions to the original versions. It can take a while until you realize – ‘Hey! I know that song!’” Tom takes quite a unique approach to every song – he sings a different version of My Way, for instance, “rewritten by Paul Anka for Chris Mann.” Many songs have a big band sound, with everything from string to wind instruments adding richness and depth to the tunes. The list is eclectic, yet one common theme runs throughout: each song tells a story. Tom, who brims over with energy, positivity and warmth, is excited about where his life is going. He has just moved to the Coast, continues to work both here and abroad, and is doing his best to learn Spanish. He has been travelling the world since he was a boy: “At eight, I joined a boys’ choir and in the summer we travelled around Europe.” His days in the choir taught him valuable lessons, including “how to perform different harmonies and read music. It also taught me about the importance of discipline in the arts.” Tom’s career is ﬁlled with important highlights. Having completed a Music degree at the Birmingham Conservatoire and postgraduate studies in the Royal Academy of Music in London, he landed his ﬁrst West End Roles (Joly and Marius in Les Miserables) after just a handful of auditions. Indeed, the West End has seen Tom in some of his brilliant roles – everything from William Hogarth in the original London cast of Pleasure’s Progress (at the Royal Opera House) to Mary Sunshine in Chicago (at the Cambridge Theatre). Tom has also performed on Broadway (playing The Moon and King of the East in The Enchanted Pig); performed in radio concerts and narrated audio books. He published another album previous to Beautiful Day, called More Than This (a piano/vocal album).

On the Coast, Tom is working alongside events company, Diamonds and Pearls, who “are doing brilliant things to encourage young artists to shine.” On April 23, he will be judging a competition called Rising Stars, a talent show at the Casa Club for young performers. He will be joined by Terry Shaughnessy and Andrew Derbyshire (from Britain’s Got Talent). On May 18, Tom will be performing at a dinner event, also at The Ivy-styled Casa Club in Cortijo Blanco. From mid-June to mid-July, he will be taking part in an Asia-wide tour of Stars of the West End, produced by Toby Cruse and featuring West End performers Mike Sterling, Shona Lindsay and Jayne O’Mahony. On August 13, he will be singing at a chateaux in Nice with Ashleigh Gray (who played Elphaba in Wicked) and musical director, Jimmy Jewell (who has toured with Roger Daltry and Tony Hadley). After his tour in Asia, Tom hopes to line up many more events on the Coast, with his sights especially set on performing at the Gibraltar Music Festival, and at the Coast’s premier musical event: the Starlite Festival.

He is delighted to call the Coast home alongside his French bulldog, Amigo. “The weather is fantastic and the atmosphere is so relaxed.” Tom is busy learning Spanish, planning future performances and discovering his brand new home. He is testimony to the importance of attitude and hard work in addition to talent; his positivity makes it easy to believe that life really can become the stuff that dreams are made of. i The album Beautiful Day is available on iTunes. www.tomsolomonsinger.com

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p THE FOCUS people

The Sparkling N ew W orld of

ROGER M Those who love jewellery know the effect that a beautifully designed piece can have on the heart and soul is akin to that produced by an artistic masterpiece. The sensation can be described as a blend of joy, excitement and awe at the intricate blend of colours, shapes and materials; it is a sensation I feel strongly as I view some of the designs by Roger M, who trained as a designer in Brazil and honed his craft at one of the top ﬁve jewellers in the world: H. Stern. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

ewellery collectors know the name Roger M well. The talented maestro has called Marbella home for 22 years, and has built a reputation for himself as a creator of one-off pieces using only the very best quality metals, gems and stones (diamonds, for instance, hover from VS to flawless). I take a look at a beautiful emerald-cut emerald and diamond ring behind the vitrine; the emerald is deeply, darkly coloured yet completely transparent all the way through – a true sign of quality in this precious stone, which is far more rare than even a diamond.

Roger M has a brand new boutique in an idyllic spot across from the Marbella Club Hotel and in the same commercial centre as the popular Organic restaurant. His bright, colourful designs stand proudly alongside the beautiful artwork at Kasser Rassu gallery, the idea being to combine jewellery and ﬁne art works in a dreamlike location on the Golden Mile. You may have visited Roger’s former boutique in La Cañada, to marvel at the stunning rings, earrings, and necklaces made from a bevy of beautiful materials including diamonds,

sapphires and rubies, in gold or platinum settings. The idea at his new boutique is a little different: “Jewellery lovers are free to pop in for a glass of Champagne, to talk about designing a bespoke piece or to renew a piece of jewellery which they no longer fancy.” Indeed, one of Roger’s specialities is taking old pieces and giving them a more contemporary touch, according to the client’s speciﬁcations. All Roger M’s collections are available at the boutique, though another strong component of his business lies in designing items from scratch.

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It is only logical that Roger should always have a bottle or two of bubbly on ice; he has numerous friends among Marbella’s jetset, many of whom are regular customers. One, he tells me, recently asked him to design the piece of a lifetime: an engagement ring for his future wife. The client must be very much in love indeed, I muse to myself, as Roger’s assistant pulls out the ring, featuring a central emerald cut diamond surrounded by rubies and diamonds. I beat the bride to it and try the ring on, its immense sparkle immediately causing my hand to shake with delight. Don’t be taken aback by the cost, however; there are items starting from around €1.000 and considering the quality of the metals and gems is of the very highest grade, the prices are incredibly reasonable when compared to many brand names which use similar quality materials. “This is the best feeling for me, when so many clients come back to ask me to design important pieces of their life. Many others also bring vintage pieces whose design they find antiquated – I always say that leaving valuable

gems like these locked up in a cupboard makes little sense when sometimes, with a few changes, the piece can be given a much more contemporary look.” The delicacy and beauty of Roger M’s designs are outstanding and I take my time to view every vitrine. Designs range from classic halo-shaped diamond necklaces and earrings, to delicate rings made with various shapes and colours of diamonds; I fall particularly in love with one piece, comprising white and gold diamonds set in white gold. If I ever decided to splurge on an extra special present, this would definitely be it! If you have a particular occasion coming up and you’d like to make someone feel extra special, make it a jewel which, in the hands of Roger M, is transformed into a veritable work of art. Beauty in many senses is what we live for, but this type of beauty actually lasts forever. g Av. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe 3 (in front of the Marbella Club Hotel), Marbella. Tel: 677 888 844. www.rogermjeweller.com

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INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE ART DESIGN GARDENS FASHION

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A Contemporary Paradise in Bahía de Marbella

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Home Accessories

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Fashion by Airfield

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Fashion News

INSPIRE YOUR SPRING WARDROBE WITH FASHION BY AIRFIELD DONNED BY SUPERMODEL, HELENA CHRISTENSEN, STYLE UP YOUR HOME WITH AMAZING ACCESSORIES AND READ UP ON THE LATEST FASHION BUYS. ALSO, BE PREPARED TO BE IMPRESSED WITH A STUNNING MEDITERRANEAN VILLA IN BAHÍA DE MARBELLA.

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uilding land is in short supply in Marbella, and all the more so if you’re looking at a beachside location. Those untouched plots in otherwise established addresses are few and far between, so when you do find one it deserves nothing less than the best possible home. This villa in Bahía de Marbella is a case in point, offering stunning sea views in a private, leafy location just a short stroll from secluded beaches, it stands upon a prime location at a short distance from Marbella town. When the owners found the land they started thinking about the kind of property they wanted to create here. They decided it should be everything it could be, the epitome of an idealised Mediterranean villa under the Marbella sun. What’s more, owning a classical home back in Norway, they wanted their sun-kissed summer home to be modern, refined, comfortable and inspiring. Being Scandinavian, they desired form and function to operate in perfect harmony, so that what is beautiful and impressive also offers convenience and ease of both use and maintenance. Though extremely busy, they took the time to carefully study the various architectural proposals, and it was when they came across the artfully handmade conceptual sketches of Guillermo Priego that they instinctively knew they’d found the right man. Guillermo, who leads Estudio OAM106, originally hails from Bilbao but has been specialising in designing one-off villas in and around Marbella for some years now. “I work in a certain way, really enjoying what I do and giving my entire focus to a single project rather than aiming to become too big and diluting everything,” says the architect who immediately got on with his Norwegian clients. “Through lack of time they were very direct and decisive, trusting their instinct when it told them I was the right person for the job and, apart from a clear but succinct brief, they allowed me to develop a concept that eventually only required small personalising touches along the way.” There was ongoing contact, but the fluency with which things were done allowed Guillermo – who not only designed the villa but also project managed it and took care of everything from licenses and construction to landscaping and decoration – to deliver the completed villa within little more than a year.

This sleek modern beachside villa epitomises 21st century style and living comfort in a prime location 150 metres from the sea. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PANORAMA

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Modern Mediterranean bliss in Marbella

Contemporary Mediterranean

REFINEMENT in BahÃa de Marbella

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Modern architectural geometry blending in with its setting

READY TO ENJOY!

Panoramic sea views are a feature of life in Bahía de Marbella

The result is a sleek, modern Mediterranean villa whose open-plan layout and sophisticated ambience leaps off the pages of a design magazine – and indeed, it has already been selected to feature in publications such as Arquitectura y Diseño. A luxurious contemporary villa in the classic style, where the sense of arrival blends with fine geometry, panoramic windows, open-flowing living spaces and top-range fittings and amenities to create an atmosphere of refined wellbeing. With the Mediterranean Sea providing a bright focal point, the outdoor terraces are a beautifully styled extension of the home’s living spaces, and every bit as impressive as the rest of the villa. For all this the brief was not, in the first instance, to create a show house, but rather a welcoming modern villa ideal for enjoying Marbella in style with family, relaxing and recharging one’s batteries, and also entertaining with a certain panache. The primary objective was therefore to create a great 21st century family home, but in doing so Guillermo Priego also paid attention to optimal orientation, lifestyle flow, beautiful materials and furnishing, and above all creating the right kind of ambience. The fact that he got it so right is in part due to his mastery of proportions, something not all architects tasked to produce a large modern villa manage to accomplish. This home, however, exudes refinement not just because of its sleek architectural lines, but exactly because its proportions and layout allow the design to breathe and settle in to its surroundings.

Beautiful views and natural light all-round

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The hand of architect Guillermo Priego

A MEDITERRANEAN FOCUS Set within a leafy street at 150 metres from the sea, the elegant whitewashed geometry of the villa catches the eye. As the gate slides open you choose between the carport and the four-car garage on the lower level, but step through the front door and you know you’ve entered a designer home. The wooden brise soleil add architectural styling detail that not only blends beautiful brown tones with the white walls but also functions to reduce sun glare. Modern homes are almost by

definition open-plan, but this villa stands out for an interior flow that is particularly intuitive and well thought out. The orientation is clearly to the south, where the blue Mediterranean sparkles to create a beautiful spectacle that is an everyday accompaniment to life in this home. To achieve this and yet allow natural light to enter from both sides, the architect has created a glassed-in interior courtyard that acts as a central distribution reference point,

pours in just the right amount of diffused light and is also a wonderful design feature in its own right, particularly at night. “The central courtyard was born from a practical consideration,” says Guillermo, “but it also provides a valuable visual reference and has a restive, almost Zen-like effect.” The same is true of the perspective offered by the corridor that becomes visible when you slide open the door separating living room and bedroom areas.

The open-plan master suite

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A perfect picture of the Marbella lifestyle

Right at the end is a tall window framing an outdoor statuette. This feature again admits light and a visual link with the garden, but above all it provides the kind of geometric integrity so sought after by architects. The living and bedroom areas can be open-plan or separated at will, thus creating one large living space or one that mainly communicates with the master suite on the first floor. Spacious yet intimate and homely, the main living area consisting of a lounge, dining table and

state-of-the-art Bulthaup kitchen, functions as one interconnected space that is very much the heart of the home, thus bringing its occupants together while never feeling cluttered. This is even more apparent when you allow the tall sliding doors to glide open and link the interior and exterior living, relaxing and entertaining areas. For that is exactly what they are. Where the luxurious and comfortable Flexform sofa steals the show inside, the outdoor furniture by GandĂa

Blasco catches the eye. The tones are soft white and grey, accentuated with yellow and merging with the blue hues of sky, sea and, of course, the sleek, modern swimming pool. This is a space to enjoy in style, complete with panoramic relaxing areas and lounge and dining zones. The private rooms for guests and family also have access to their own secluded parts of the terrace and garden, creating effectively a wing offering optimal privacy.

The open-plan living area is the hub of the home

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A professional home cinema

Fully equipped home gym

Though also open-plan in configuration, the upper floor is additionally highly private as it is made up entirely of the master suite and a spacious sundeck. The owners chose to have an integrated bedroom suite in which bedroom, dressing room and the modern stone-textured bathroom all flow effortlessly without the need for enclosing walls and doors. Once again, the Mediterranean Sea forms the joyous focal point as you lie in bed or let the hot water splash over you. The lower floor further adds to the modular functionality of a home that can merge into one or offer separate spaces at will. Beside the garage and functional areas such as a laundry and machines room, it offers a gymnasium, bathrooms, a modern wine cellar and a cosy home cinema featuring the latest technology installed by Illusion. Together with a sun room on the ground floor that can also be used as an office, it all comes together very well thanks to a mastery of style, orientation, distribution and proportions that sets this villa apart as a sophisticated modern home that is at once highly functional and welcoming. In short, a modern Marbella villa ready to enjoy! g PANORAMA Tel: (+34) 952 863 750. www.panorama.es

The perfect spot in which to enjoy the Marbella way of life

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d THE STYLE decor

TINY

YET

MIGHTY

Trinket Box by Home Sense

You may not have the time or budget for a major home renovation, yet with these accessories, you might just ﬁnd that big things can happen when you make small changes. COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

Heron table lamp by House of Fraser

Palatial bon Ash platter Tealights by Dotcomgiftshop

insbury’s

bon jar by Sa

se of Fraser

board by Hou

Valencia lamp by Sainsbury’s

f Fras

ouse o

by H ushion

CONTACTS: DOTCOMGIFTSHOP www.dotcomgiftshop.com HOME SENSE www.homesense.com HOUSE OF FRASER www.houseoffraser.co.uk SAINSBURYS www.sainsburys.co.uk

Bee Hotel by Dotcomgiftshop

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before...

... after

EXCEPTIONAL RESIDENTIAL INTERIORS

CONTRACT I COMMERCIAL I HOSPITALITY I RESIDENTIAL I RENOVATIONS ARTCHITECTURE I PROJECT MANAGEMENT INTERIOR DESIGN I CONSTRUCTION FIXTURES I FITTINGS I FURNISHING I KITCHENS I BATHROOMS I LIGHTING BLACKSHAW INTERIOR DESIGN Avda. Canovas del Castillo 25 Marbella 29601, Mรกlaga, Spain Tel: +34 951 403 787 Mob: +34 681 662 000 info@blackshawinteriordesign.com www.blackshawinteriordesign.com

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CONSTRUCTION + INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES From new builds to renovations and interiors. We have in-house building contractors. Excellent service and a high standard of finishes with our team of top professionals working in all areas of renovation and bespoke, design and build. Visit the studio to see a range of furniture, fixtures and fittings.

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d THE STYLE fashion

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a n e l He

n e s n e t s i r Ch

WEARS

AIRFIELD Helena Christensen is undoubtedly one of the World’s most famous supermodels. This month, she dons the latest items from AIRFIELD’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection, in which casual, printed fabric abounds. This collection is dedicated to all women who surpass their limits and wish to enjoy life to the full. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

Spring Blossoms ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2017 / 113

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Little Black Jumpsuit

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Casual in Black and White

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Ready for the Beach i www.airfield.at

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Trousers by Topshop

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Jenny Packham dress, available at Debenhams

Rose gold top by Pretty Little Thing

Emb High-necked blouse by Miss Selfridge

d bag roidere

s by Mis

Selfrid

Frilled midi dress by Oliver Bonas

Vintage dress by Apricot

CONTACTS: APRICOT www.apricotonline.co.uk DEBENHAMS www.debenhams.com MISS SELFRIDGE www.missselfridge.com OLIVER BONAS www.oliverbonas.com PRETTY ECCENTRIC www.prettyeccentric.co.u PRETTY LITTLE THING www.prettylittlething.com TOPSHOP www.topshop.com

Flapper dress by Pretty Eccentric

d THE STYLE fashion

G N I SPR s n o i t a Sens

utillas Marisa C bringing suggests to your new life in these with wardrobe s. ued item vividly h

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n the spa

PRODUCTS BEAUTY SPA SCIENCE TREATMENTS HEALTH

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Spring Make-Up Trends

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Top New Perfumes

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Global Health Issues

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Health News

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Immucura

DISCOVER THE SEASONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BIGGEST MAKE-UP TRENDS, PURCHASE A NEW PERFUME FOR THE SPRING, READ UP ON THE MOST SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES AFFECTING THE WORLD AND LEARN MORE ABOUT A LEADING NEW TREATMENT FOR CANCER OFFERED BY IMMUCURA.

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Your Health & Beauty Clinic in Marbella

Let your

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Av. Ramรณn y Cajal, 7 - 29601 Marbella 0034 951 775 518 - Mรณvil : 670 770 455 info@oceanclinic.net - www.oceanclinic.net

n THE SPA beauty

S D N E R T MAKE-UP

n o s a e S r e m m u S / g n i r p S for t he

If you are one of those people who buys make-up once a year, varying little in colour and style, why not catch a fashion show and discover the fabulous trends to sport this season? Make-up hues and styles are as important as clothing trends and refreshing your beauty collection every season is crucial, even if you just purchase one or two items. Open your eyes to top looks for Spring/Summer and start off with one of these hot trends, compiled by Marisa Cutillas. SMUDGY EYELINER: The clean,

BRIGHT BLUSH: The past couple

perfectly lined eyes of the 1980s are long gone. This year, it’s all about smokey eyeliner, created with a brush and your favourite dark (brown or grey) eyeshadow. The result is not so much a line, but rather, a soft smudge which should be at least as thick as a small eyebrow brush. For a professional look, line the inner eyelid with your favourite eyeliner stick as well, or to make eyes appear larger, use white eyeliner on the inside of your lower lids.

of years have seen neutral looks making their mark on the catwalk, but this season, it’s all about bright pink and orange blush. For a night on the town, don’t simply apply it on the ‘apples’ of your cheeks; rather, brush upwards until the blush subtly reaches your temple. It’s a daring but beautiful look for parties and clubs.

ILLUMINATION: Despite being huge in 2016, this trend continues to burn brightly on the catwalk. Apply a dab of glittery eyeshadow or illuminating powder/crème

above your cheekbones for a youthful glow and a contoured look.

EYELINER-FREE LIDS: Those into subtle looks and smokey eyes will love this look. Keep smokey grey and dark brown shadow to your upper lid, without lining either the upper or lower lids and without applying mascara or using false eyelashes. GLITTERY LIPS: Glitter is big this season, both on the eyes and lips. Opt for loose, pigmented metallic shadow (MAC’s pigments are

one of the best) and long-lasting glittery glosses, which should be matched with dark, bold lips (dark red, plum or dark brown/greyish brown).

RAINBOW HUES ON THE EYES: Kat Von D’s new Pastel Goth is probably the one eyeshadow palette most trendites will want to get their hands on this Spring, since it includes the very trendiest of new shades (such as yellow). Watch out for bright blue, moss green and orange shades too, and don’t forget to highlight beneath the brow with pure white. e

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n THE SPA beauty

Every year, as April pops around the corner, Marisa Cutillas compiles a list of top fragrance suggestions. These are just a few irresistible scents to try… AGUA DEL SOL BY ESCADA: Sinfully sweet, with its mix of apricot, nectar, mandarin and sandalwood scents.

TOP

FRAGRANCES g n i r for Sp

ORIGINAL MUSK BY KIEHL’S: This blend of citrusy and musky notes is sweet and sensual alike. Perfect for those with a bold personality.

GERANIUM ODORATA BY DIPTYQUE: Floral top notes give way to a sexy woody base in this long-lasting gem.

CAFÉ ROSE BY TOM FORD: Seduce your lover with this exotic blend of sandalwood, patchouli and incense resin.

EAU DES INDES EAU DE PARFUM BY RITUALS: Discover the authentic scent of India through a gentle blend of ginger, bergamot and white tea.

LIME & BERGAMOT EAU DE TOILETTE BY BRONNLEY: An ideal fragrance for young beauty buffs who are into citric scents.

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SPAINS BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

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Cirumed pairs high academic credentials with latest technologies in modern minimally invasive Plastic Surgery, to bring the best cosmetic surgery to Marbella. All our surgeons are specialist consultants at the Department of Plastic Surgery of Spain’s elite hospital, Hospital Quirón. As their particular field of interest, our team of surgeons has specialized in advanced technology for free fat transfer of the patient’s own fat, ideal for natural looking breast and buttock augmentation. Cirumed Clinic /// Edif. Panorama, Planta baja, Local 2 /// Ctra. De Cadiz, km 184 /// E - 29603 Marbella /// Tel: +34 952 775 346 /// www.cirumed.es /// www.alexanderaslani.com /// www.alexander-aslani.es

DR. ALEXANDER ASLANI Chairman of the Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery Hospital Quirón Málaga Hospital Quirón Marbella Director of Cirumed Clinic Marbella

n THE SPA health

Top

GLOBAL ISSUES

Z CLIMATE CHANGE: Trump may view global warming as a myth, but the World Health Organisation notes that climate change is a fact, and has serious consequences for human health. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences notes, “Changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations and other drivers alter the global climate and bring about myriad human health consequences. Environmental consequences of climate change, such as extreme heat waves, rising sealevels, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and droughts, intense hurricanes, and degraded air quality, affect directly and indirectly the physical, social, and psychological health of humans.” For instance, changes in rainfall can bring about droughts or flooding, toxic air pollutants can exacerbate respiratory conditions and pollution can also worsen heart disease. In China, rising pollution levels have been linked to six million deaths per year.

Z TOBACCO: Smoking kills almost six million people a year and it is estimated that unless urgent measures are adopted, this number could rise to eight million by 2030.

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

in 2017

Recent political developments and phenomena such as the widening of the wealth gap worldwide, have led many health advocates to question the future of funding for global health. These are just a few issues to watch out for in 2017:

Z HIV/AIDS: The Trump administration has not yet voiced its plan for tackling the global HIV/AIDS problem though many HIV activists are worried that funding could be severely reduced. The United States is the single largest donor to the ﬁght against HIV/AIDS, thanks to PREPFAR (the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, founded by President George W. Bush in 2003). PREPFAR has dedicated $60 billion to ﬁghting HIV/AIDS and has seen excellent results. The number of people with HIV receiving vital antiretroviral treatment has risen from 49 per cent in 2014 to 56 per cent in 2015 and the number of new HIV infections in children has dropped by an amazing 70 per cent since 2001. Activists note that Trump has thus far expressed reticence about sending foreign aid, though since PREPFAR has always received strong bipartisan support, it is hoped that the plan will continue to save millions of lives in the

most impoverished areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa.

Z THE WIDENING WEALTH GAP: The larger the economic disparity between the rich and poor, the more likely the latter are to suffer chronic health issues and to fall into further economic hardship because of rising health costs. Z MENTAL DISORDERS: On a global scale, the infrastructure is ill-prepared to provide mental health care to those suffering trauma from issues such as ebola, natural disasters and physical and mental abuse. Mental illness is among the top 20 causes of worldwide disability. Z CHILDREN’S HEALTH: Around 6.6 million children under the age of ﬁve die every year, owing to a lack of vaccines, medication and sanitary conditions. Greater funding is needed to provide effective care and to improve infrastructure in the most impoverished nations. Preterm birth is another big problem: around one million babies die owing to preterm birth

complications – many can be saved with simple, cost-effective treatment. Maternal mortality is also high – around 800 women die every day as a result of childbirth complications. Z HEART DISEASE: Around three in every 10 deaths in the world are caused by heart disease. Interestingly, a vast majority of premature deaths can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes, including regular exercise, smoking cessation and the consumption of a healthy diet. Z DIABETES: Almost 10 per cent of the world has diabetes, a disease which increases one’s chance of heart disease and stroke. Some 1.5 million deaths were attributed to this illness in 2012. Z ROAD ACCIDENTS: As car ownership continues to rise in developing countries, road accidents continue to threaten human lives, with approximately 3,500 people dying on the road every day. e

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Why everyone’s talking about the Arques ‘Aesthetic Medicine’ Clinic Arques seems to be the name on nearly everyone’s eye-catching lips in Marbella and surrounding areas when it comes to recommending a leading-edge beauty and anti-ageing clinic. And its reputation resonates way beyond The Golden Triangle. Arques’ advanced treatments for such conditions as obesity, skin ageing, wrinkles, cellulite, varicose veins and other age-related and lifestyle conditions is now attracting patients from over 30 countries.

So the clinic’s ‘Responsible Aesthetic Medicines’ are based on new techniques that fight these influences and wherever possible prevent them from happening. In many cases, the clinic asserts that it can not only prevent the signs of ageing but can even reverse them. The techniques to do so are surprising.

“We offer the world’s most innovative cosmetic techniques plus exquisite modern facilities”

“I feel really proud of our commitment to social responsibility, an approach shared by every member of our team,” he said “We are very gratified to be able to earmark a percentage of our profits to various foundations to help the needy.

So what’s the secret? “We believe that the real revolution is quite simple,” explained the clinic’s principle, Dr Arques “We offer the world’s most innovative cosmetic techniques plus exquisite modern facilities, including a spa environment, a relaxed and harmonious setting and a very professional service. Added to that we source with great care the world’s number one laboratory products and we obtain the most competitive prices to pass on to our patients. We constantly seek the latest tried and tested scientific advances to ensure the quality we offer is always the best you can obtain anywhere in the world.” "Our joint objective then, as it continues to be is to use the latest and most effective aesthetic medicine in a responsible way so that results are totally natural.” “Unfortunately the signs of aging are increasing all around us,” said Dr Arques. “They reflect our current lifestyle: our inadequate diet, lack of exercise and sports practice, lack of oxygen, work and home pressures, pollution, and not least, the sun’s damaging ultra-violet rays.”

Pride in Awards

“Among our other awards, the two most desirable were when we were in competition with an international field and came out top for aesthetic medicine and for responsible innovation in our sector.” For further information about the Arques Medical Clinic or to make an appointment, email: info@arquesclinic.com

+34 662 408 408 C/ Ramón Areces S/N Complejo Marina Banús Bloque 3, local 29 Puerto Banús www.arquesclinic.com · info@arquesclinic.com arquesclinic

Full details of those treatment are on the clinic’s website www.arquesclinic.com/en Doctor is qualified as aesthetic doctor in the U.K., is registered with the GMC and is also an associate member of the Royal College of General Practitioners

n THE SPA health COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

TOOTHPASTE

FOR KIDS

by Weleda

BEGINNERS’ YOGA COURSE by Charo Charo is a seasoned yoga teacher who offers monthly courses for beginners. Participants learn everything about yoga – what it is, common misconceptions, the importance of breathing and breathing techniques, the history of yoga, etc. Of course, practice makes perfect, so they also learn different postures and how to meditate. g For further information, Tel: 626 327 218. charo@sunsetandbubbles.com

NATURAL MASKS

for Radiant Beauty Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the danger of many chemicals in personal care and skin care products, so it looks like new book, Mascarillas Naturales para una Belleza Radiante (Natural Masks for Radiant Beauty) by Maripi Gadet Castaño, has been released at the right time. The book contains a host of beauty tips, secrets and recipes for natural masques that work wonders for our skin, without any harmful preservatives. She also teaches readers the art of multimasking: using a variety of masks for different areas of the skin. i www.arcopress.com

Natural products company, Weleda, has just released a Children’s Tooth Gel, specially formulated for milk teeth though also useable on permanent teeth. The gel, which eliminates bacterial plaque and prevents cavities, is fresh and soothing, but not too sweet, to prevent children from becoming addicted to sugary flavours. The product is made with calendula extract, which helps protect gums, and it does not contain sugar, fluoride, artiﬁcial sweeteners, preservatives, petrochemical substances, synthetic colours or fragrance. Weleda has also released a gentle Sage Gum Balm, to ease the pain of teething.

BACK PAIN CAN LEAD to

Mental Health Problems Back pain affects one in 10 people in the world, according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Although this type of pain has been linked to other physical conditions, a new study involving 200,000 patients has revealed that those with back pain are also twice as likely to face mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, psychosis and sleep deprivation. Because the study was carried out on so many people, it is an important clue into just another link between our physical and mental health and wellbeing.

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MEET OUR VISITING PRACTITIONER Come and attend private or collective classes to self-realization through Yoga, Pranayama and Nidra. Alex Baechler arrives from Switzerland to share with us an array of treatments that blend western osteopathic medicine with traditional eastern wisdom. Discover the balance of a relaxed state and peace of mind.

18TH APRIL - 1ST MAY

SIX SENSES SPA · MARBELLA information & price lists: reservations-marbella-spa@sixsenses.com Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa · Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n · 29602 Marbella · Málaga · Spain · T (+34) 952 820 900 · puenteromano.com

n THE SPA health

FIGHTING CANCER BY STRENGTHENING THE BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

verybody knows at least one person who has cancer – an invasive disease which takes over eight million lives a year. What makes cancer so difficult to treat is essentially the fact that our body fails to recognise cancer cells as harmful, allowing the latter to reproduce and wreak havoc. All human beings have cells that can potentially cause cancer, yet in healthy bodies, the immune system is effective at defeating tumour-causing cells, so that the cells never have the chance to proliferate into a state of fullblown cancer. Thus far, conventional medicine fights cancer through radiotherapy or chemotherapy, two extreme treatments which cause a wide range of side-effects, including extreme fatigue, depression and weakness. Immucura Med, now operating on the Coast, offers an alternative therapy backed by large-scale studies. Called ‘Dendritic Cell Therapy’ (DCT), it takes an innovative approach to fighting cancer by encouraging our body to use its own response to combat cancer cells. Dendritic cells were discovered at the beginning of the 19th century, though it was not until 2011 that Ralph M. Steinman was awarded a Nobel Prize for determining the way they work. Steinman discovered that dendritic cells are able to detect cancerous cells and to make these identifiable to T-cells as well as to

IMMUCURA the natural killer cells (the body’s own ‘killer cells’). Armed with this new information, our T-cells are able to destroy malignant cells before they spread and produce further damage to the body. DCT has produced excellent results in a plethora of studies. The average life expectancy of cancer patients doubles (generally speaking) though, of course, the extent of the treatment’s success depends on various factors, including the stage of the cancer. In some cases, though, even late stage cancerous tumours have shrunk or disappeared with DCT. Says Johannes Schumacher, Director of Immucura, “Even in very aggressive cancer, when the disease cannot be eradicated, DCT can give a patient quality of life. With chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients suffer from the side-effects, which include extreme weakness, nausea, etc. DCT can help the patient feel better in their ﬁnal months of life.” Mr. Schumacher himself lost his father to cancer and his interest in alternative therapies grew as a result of this painful setback. “Sadly, my father had the one type of cancer which does not respond well to DCT: leukaemia. This is because DCs are obtained from the blood and if the blood itself is diseased, not much can be done.” At Immucura, Mr. Schumacher is joined by a passionate team,

including Sebastien Eichler, Manager, who notes that it is only a matter of time before DCT becomes a standard therapy for cancer. At the moment, big pharma interests favour the continuance of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in addition to surgery for tumour extirpation. “DCT is different from these approaches because it does not harm other cells or organs at all. In fact, DCT can be received in conjunction with other therapies. Therefore, if a patient has observed a positive result from chemo, they can continue with this therapy in addition to DCT.” Interestingly, DCT is far cheaper than standard treatments such as chemo. Sadly, big pharma interests seem to be more influential even than costs for public health. How does the treatment work? Quite simply. The ﬁrst step is to head for an analysis laboratory and have 200 ml of blood extracted. This sample is sent to Immucura’s laboratory in Germany, where a personalised ‘DCT vaccine’ is created. The serum is then injected into the patient in one session. The treatment takes around six weeks to take effect, and patients report a feeling of wellbeing and strength,

even before having a scan to see the results. DCT can be utilised to treat any type of cancer except, as mentioned above, leukaemia. The Immucura team is busy treating new patients, as well as training doctors on DCT. “Only around eight per cent of doctors are aware of DCT,” says Mr. Schumacher – surprising, really, considering that medical journals are ﬁlled with promising results from studies carried out on the subject. Research has been published in the world’s leading medical journals – showing good results using DCT in everything from breast to colon, liver, kidney, lung, prostate cancer, etc. If you have been diagnosed with cancer or indeed any other immune related condition, including arthritis, rheumatism, skin conditions or recurring infections, DCT may be able to help stop the disease in its tracks, or enhance your quality of life considerably. Visit the knowledgeable team at Immucura to learn more about this groundbreaking treatment. g Avda. De España 22, Calahonda, Mijas Costa. Tel: 952 932 522. www.immucura.com

References: RM Prins et al, Gene Expression Proﬁle Correlates with T-Cell Inﬁltration and Relative Survival in Glioblastoma Patients Vaccinated with Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy. Clinical Cancer Research, 2010; 17 (6).• University of Chicago Medical Centre, Eat me’ signal whets appetites for tumor-devouring dendritic cells, published August 31, 2015.• Matsushita et al, A pilot study of autologous tumor lysate-loaded dendritic cell vaccination combined with sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2014, 2:30.

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ENTERPRISE LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILES FINANCE/LAW THE VIBE

COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

FINCA CORTESIN VOTED NUMBER ONE GOLF COURSE IN EUROPE Finca Cortesin in Casares was recently voted the best golf course in Europe by Leadingcourses.com The resort took the top prize based on a number of considerations, including active rating on the site, rating on Booking.com, and location of the hotel or resort. The course measures 6,802m from the back tees and boasts over 100 bunkers. It is also ranked one of Spain’s best by the prestigious Golf Digest Magazine. Finca Cortesin has played host to the Volvo World Match Play Championship for three years. i www.ﬁncacortesin.es

INTERNATIONAL ROTARY FOUNDATION TURNS 100 Rotary is a foundation known as much for its acts of goodwill as for the opportunity it offers members to meet like-minded people. The foundation recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with a lively gala at the Teatro Felipe VI de Estepona, in the presence of the District Governor and members of all the Rotary clubs along the Coast. Martina Spann, Assistant Secretary of Rotary Club Marbella-Guadalmina, presented the Club’s international project for conflict resolution, which is being carried out in cooperation with the Rotary Club Medellín. The evening also featured a rock performance by HYBRID, dance by the Russian School of Ballet, magic by David Villalobos, singing by Charlotte Summers and the musical Chiquitita (an adaptation of Mamma Mía) featuring Geno, a singer from top TV show, Operación Triunfo. i www.rotaryclubestepona.es 134 / APRIL 2017 ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM

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UPCOMING CONCERTS BY CRAZY MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

Crazy Music Productions is pleased to announce a host of upcoming concerts which will make the Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa’s Tennis Club come alive with sound and colour. On June 11, rock band Foreigner (of Cold as Ice or I Want to Know What Love Is fame) will be playing. On July 6, the Crazy 80s Live show will bring back the magic of one of the funnest decades we can recall through the voices of Billy Ocean, Heather Small of M Peope and Right Said Fred. On July 21, crooner George Benson will be delighting us with his dulcet tones and on August 11, Michael Bolton (pending conﬁrmation) will be reminding us why we can’t resist a good love song. i For further information and tickets, www.crazymusicproductions.com

SOLEO, NEW BEACH RESTAURANT IN MARBELLA Coinciding with its 60th anniversary, the Hotel Fuerte Marbella has renovated its beach restaurant. Soleo Marbella, Life, Food & Drinks boasts a new look which will undoubtedly make it ‘the place to be’ on the Paseo Marítimo in Marbella. Soleo was designed by prestigious ﬁrm Isabel López Vilalta, whose past work includes el Celler de Can Roca. The restaurant emulates a ship, and bears nautical designs, clear tones and solid iroko wood. Soleo’s cuisine is fusion with a Mediterranean flair and seasonal influences, which is married to relaxing music and a chic ambience. g Tel: 951 562 887.

www.soleomarbella.com

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z THE PRO enterprise LEARNERS FROM ALOHA COLLEGE ACHIEVE TOP RESULTS IN OUTSTANDING CAMBRIDGE LEARNER AWARDS Three learners from Aloha College have received prestigious awards from Cambridge International Examinations to acknowledge their outstanding performance in the June 2016 examination series. Emma Sophia Olde Boerrigter received The High Achievement Award in Spain for Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Dutch, Edward Retkov received The High Achievement Award in Spain for Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies and Valeria Sinisi received the The High Achievement Award in Spain for Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Italian. Top performing learners received their Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards at school ceremonies in December 2016 and February 2017. In November 2016, meanwhile, Sirine Chetouane received The High Achievement Award in Spain for Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language French. The Principal of Aloha College, Mrs. Elizabeth Batchelor, stated that the awards recognised the talent, dedication and commitment of both learners and staff. Elizabeth Batchelor said: “I am extremely proud of these hardworking students, whose success reflects the truly international nature of our school.” i www.aloha-college.com

CESARE SCARIOLO FOUNDATION HOLDS FUNDRAISING DINNER

The Cesare Scariolo Foundation, whose aim is to help children with cancer and their families, recently held a fundraising dinner at Finca Besaya to support charity projects carried out by the Hospital Materno Infantil de Málaga. Guests enjoyed a wonderful three-course meal while they supported the fight against child leukemia. i www.fundacioncesarescariolo.org

PUENTE ROMANO BEACH RESORT & SPA HIRES 200 STAFF FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

The Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa is proud to announce that it plans on hiring 200 new staff members, including waiters, cooks and cleaners, to continue providing clients with the very best service in the busy summer season. i If you feel you have what it takes to join the

dynamic team, send your CV to rrhh@puenteromano.com

ESTEPONA TOWN HALL GIFTS 70,000 ENTRIES TO SELWO The Estepona Town Hall surprised local residents with a special gift: free tickets to the Selwo Adventure Park, to celebrate the launch of the new season. The gift was made possible by a collaboration between the Consistorio y Parques Reunidos (the company that manages Selwo) and the Mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano. Selwo wishes to announce that in addition to enjoying a day visit, guests can also stay at the park’s hotel, comprising 23 cabins which reproduce typical African wood and stone structures. i For further information, www.selwo.es

OPCIÓN SAMPEDREÑA PRESENTS CON M DE MUJER AT THE NH HOTEL Opción Sampedreña recently presented this year’s edition of Con M de Mujer, an event held to remember the women who have fought for equal rights over the course of history. The fifth edition of Con M de Mujer sought to raise greater awareness for the issue of women’s rights through music, poetry, and theatre. There were many more surprises, including a special award for a San Pedro woman for her efforts in fighting for equal rights. i www.opcionsampedreño.com

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GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT DEBRA We were delighted to receive a letter penned by Luis, a 16-year-old boy with Butterfly Skin, who ﬁnished his secondary school studies and took a break this year to have much-needed surgery on his hands to correct fusion of the ﬁngers. In his letter, Luis spoke of many good things happening at DEBRA this year, Firstly, the charity is supporting a research trial into an exciting new treatment for Butterfly Skin. Secondly, DEBRA is helping a research centre in Madrid employ new researchers to increase awareness of the condition by patients. Finally, DEBRA now has three new nurses who, alongside the other nurses, social workers and a psychologist, help families and professionals all over Spain. DEBRA has many more exciting plans for the year. i For further information, www.debra.es

BUSY DAYS FOR CUDECA Cancer care hospice, Cudeca, has been busy as usual, raising funds to enable the centre to continue giving its ‘special kind of caring’. One fun event was A Night of Shenanigans, Charity through Music, at the Millenium Bar in Calahonda (featuring a host of acts including Deborah Dee, Susan Mohr, Reality International Duo and more). Other events included the Cudeca Goldies Sunday Fair (including various stalls, choirs, magicians and a tombola), a fundraising hair styling day (featuring styling by CR Estilistas-Visagistas and Petro Peluqueros in Fuengirola, who donated the fees for their work to Cudeca) and fundraising efforts by Helle Hollis Car Rental. i www.cudeca.org

ACOOLA MATATA!

NEW INSTALLATIONS FOR ELECTROSUR Electrosur Marbella, a company specialising in electrical installations, telecommunications, Internet, domotics and door (and video door) phone systems, recently held a press day to presents its brand new installations to local journalists. Located at the Polígono Industrial la Ermita, the new shop is spacious enough to highlight all the company’s products and services. The event coincided with the company’s 40th anniversary. i www.electrosur-marbella.es

Take a break from the sun; the old TipTopShade is dead, long live ACOOLA! Cool brands, by and for cool people...That's exactly what ACOOLA is all about. But rest assured, this is still the same company from the past 10 past years, only better! The brand new showroom (viewing by appointment) in San Pedro de Alcántara offers a highly personalised approach for your shading needs. In addition to signature shade sails, awnings and bioclimatic pergolas, ACOOLA now stocks exclusive parasols and outdoor furniture from Belgian brands Umbrosa, Extremis, Manutti and Mr Blue Sky, which are on display in the showroom. ACOOLA is proud of its European installation team and brands, especially those with a unique Belgian accent. i www.acoola.eu

NEW BOOK BY MARBELLA AUTHOR: A PARCEL OF PIGS Marbella resident, Andrea Prior, is pleased to announce that her new book has been published by Troubador Publishing. A Parcel of Pigs is a collection of colourful illustrations and quirky rhyming poems for children aged ﬁve to eight. The rhymes are great to read aloud and are a fun, engaging way to help children with their reading skills. Intertwined with humour, they provide an interactive and memorable reading experience between parent and child. “My rhymes are written for those parents and children that love reading together,” comments Andrea, who both wrote and illustrated the book. “The poems are a perfect way to help children develop their spelling, pronunciation skills and memory recall, while at the same time having fun with language by using word patterns and wordplay to help expand their vocabulary.” Andrea recently held a signing and launch event at Bookworld, Puerto Banús, where the book can be purchased. i You can also

obtain a copy at all commercial sites (Amazon, Waterstones, etc.) and from Andrea herself on andrea.prior@hotmail.co.uk

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BERNABÉ FERNÁNDEZ LAUNCHES NEW BECLIMB FRANCHISE IN MÁLAGA

NEW OFFICE FOR REDLINE COMPANY Redline Company recently celebrated the ofﬁcial launch of its new headquarters, kick-starting the summer in style. Guests were invited to grab their sunnies, get into the summer vibe and join the Redline team at their new jungle branded ofﬁce, for sangria, Cava, cold beers and delicious freshly prepared canapés. Over the last 12 years, Redline has played an essential role for companies requiring the services of an external marketing department, offering businesses with fewer resources access to professional marketing services. The company is known for delivering world class campaigns for a wide range of clients, both here in Spain, and in far flung places as diverse as Holland and Hong Kong. i www.redlinecompany.com

Top international climber, Bernabé Fernández, recently launched the new franchise, Beclimb, which designs and creates climbing centres for training and leisure in mountain sports. Fernández currently heads the biggest climbing centre in Andalucía and decided to start the franchise to meet the growing demand across Spain for spaces in which to practice this action-packed sport. The centres will feature different surfaces for climbing, a rope area, kids’ climbing and much more. i For further information, www.bernabefernandez.com

OUT OF BOUNDS PRESENTS LIFE IN COLOUR ART EXHIBITION BY DEBBIE LUSH Debbie Lush is an artist (and art teacher) whose work captures snapshots of life. Her new exhibition at Out of Bounds restaurant and bar, includes paintings of golf, sailing, wine and fabulous stilettos, all completed in oils. The collection is contemporary and vibrantly designed to brighten up your walls and inspire you. g At the Guadalmina Golf Club

carpark, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 492 894/ 658 497 186. For further information on Debbie’s work or art classes, www.lushdesigns.ie

THE VINCCI SELECCIÓN POSADA DEL PATIO 5* RECEIVES QUALITY SEAL The Vincci Selección Posada del Patio 5* is proud to announce that it has just been awarded the QSC seal by the government of China, which is similar in nature to Spain’s Q seal. The Hotel is the first in Málaga to achieve this honour and one of 34 in Spain to do so. The QSC programme (China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification Programme) sets specific standards which must be met and was designed by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). i www.vinccihoteles.com

LUNCH AND DEBATE REGARDING FUTURE OF EVENTS AND WEDDING SECTOR IN MARBELLA AND ESTEPONA Restaurante Palapa in Laguna Village was the perfect place to enjoy a hearty lunch while discussing ways to make the Marbella-Estepona area an even better choice for weddings and events. The lunch, organised by Oak Power PR and its client, Palapa, was attended by members of the media and experts in public administration. Topics covered included promotion, public initiatives and private initiatives to boost business. It was concluded that the Town Hall should deﬁne ways to support the events and wedding industry and that the Junta de Andalucía and the Provincial Council of Málaga should make events and weddings a more important focus of their strategy. i www.oakpower.es

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QUIRÓNSALUD OPENS FIRST PROTON THERAPY CENTRE IN SPAIN Quirónsalud is proud to announce that it will soon be building the first proton therapy centre in Spain. The centre, which has required an investment of €40 million, will be fully operational in 2019 and will house brand new Proteus One equipment. Proton treatment is specially indicated for children and adolescents. The new centre will be located in Madrid and will focus on research and investigation in addition to treatment. i For

further information, www.quironsalud.es

TWO DEFIBRILLATOR MACHINES FOR HOTEL DOUBLETREE BY HILTON RESERVA DEL HIGUERÓN Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening cadiac dysrhythmias and defibrillator machines have saved countless lives worldwide. The good news for residents and staff of Reserva del Higuerón is that there are now two defibrillator machines on-site; one is situated within the Hotel DoubleTree by Hilton and the other in the Sport Club. The 500 families resident in the urbanisation and the Sport Club’s 1,500 members can breathe a little easier, knowing that these vital machines are nearby. i www.reservadelhigueronresort.com ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2017 / 141

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WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

ur Space is only two weeks old on the day of my visit to meet COO, Sean Phillips, yet every single permanent space is booked. It was only a matter of time before an upscale co-working space was opened in Marbella – in this case, it is at the elegant Oasis Business Centre on the Golden Mile. As an international city playing host to a multitude of businesses of all scales, Marbella should indeed offer something new to start ups and established business alike: the chance to work alongside professionals from all industries while paying a far lower rent than one could expect to pay if they rented out a typical office. Our Space is a Dubai-based company set to launch in Dubai and Miami, as well as 50 more locations worldwide. “The idea of shared space is not just for the typical upcoming or start up company,” says Sean. “It is for anyone who needs an office space 24 hours a day, seven days a week – we have many freelancers working with us, and companies that need a venue in which to operate with a military speed Internet connection, meeting rooms, and private phone booths (the

Workplace Revolution Shakes Marbella ideal spot for video conferencing).” There are various types of space that can be rented out: Sean shows me the ‘hot desks’; shared working areas which members can use at any time to connect to the Internet or make phone calls. Then there are the ‘permanent desks’ – the latter are all fully booked at the moment, so many new clients have opted for a hot desk until a permanent one becomes available. “The idea of Our Space is similar to a health club membership,” says Sean. “You take out a membership, which entitles you to a range of services – including the use of two meeting rooms, free desk massages, private phone areas, free coffee, etc.” Memberships can either be renewed monthly or taken out for a full year. With the monthly cost of a hot desk set at less than €300, it is easy to see why both the Spanish and international communities have taken such a shine to Our Space. Clients can also rent out whole offices, featuring desk space for between two to five people. Such has been the acceptance of this new style of working, which

incidentally offers a plethora of networking opportunities, that the company is looking to expand within the Oasis Business Centre. Says Sean, “We are currently opening new areas, including a fitness area (where clients can take part in everything from yoga to kickboxing or Pilates classes, with all classes included in the membership fee), and a relaxation area. The latter will feature high-tech physio-acoustic beds, which impart soundwave therapy to relax the mind. You can lie there, fully clothed, and even enjoy a short nap to recharge batteries.” Our Space is all about business, but also about taking an holistic approach to life. They have created, what they term, the World’s first ‘Biophilic Work Space’, bringing the splendours of the natural world into your daily working environment. 'Body, mind and spirit' play a starring role at the centre, which boasts features such as live walls and ceilings (featuring live plants which absorb CO2 and emit Oxygen). The interiors have been designed by Hollywood production designer Carlos Barbosa (of 24, CSI: Miami and Lost fame). Sean notes that, “There

are a plethora of sick buildings about – they have poor air conditioning or ventilation systems and they lack Oxygen; this is why so many workers feel fatigued at the end of the day.” Our Space goes to great lengths to help clients balance their working needs with quality of life. Thus, to help reduce stress, they are adding a padded ‘Tantrum Room’ where clients can, if they feel the need to, scream, shout, punch, kick and hit items in the room without harming themselves (or causing any damage!). There are many more perks, including free printing, scanning and IT support, free social and networking events, free lockers and guest passes, concierge reception services, and free internal advertising. These offices certainly sound like such a fun place to be, it makes sense that it opens 24/7 – we can fully see why some clients might feel like they don’t need to go back home – at Our Space, it feels like they are already there.

g Office 9, Oasis Business Centre, Golden Mile. CN340, km 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 635 073. www.ourspace.work

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Many of us feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful place, yet every now and again you catch a glimpse of an earlier, more innocent Costa del Sol. When such an enchanting setting blends with today’s comforts and amenities it creates something special. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

Sport in a Paradise Sett ing

CLUB DE TENIS ESTEPONA

hough a large number of people in this region – local and foreign alike – play tennis and paddle tennis, few will have heard of the Club de Tenis Estepona. Fewer still will be able to place it, not surprisingly assuming it to be in or around Estepona town. Is it because this is a newly opened facility as yet to be discovered by those who enjoy the sport, atmosphere and social life of a racket club? No, the Estepona Tennis Club is a well-established sports venue with a proud sporting tradition and lively members’ scene. The reason why this particular tennis club is so relatively unknown can be traced to the fact that throughout its history it has been a private members-only club. So where other facilities admitted both members and ran as a commercial entity welcoming outside players, the Estepona Tennis Club basked in the privacy of a selective status and a beautiful country setting.

OPENING ITS DOORS The longstanding splendid seclusion of the Estepona Tennis Club is coming to an end as the club embraces a new

era and opens its doors to outside players as well as new members. Like an old gent dusting off his coat and putting a spring in his step, the club has come of age in more ways than one, as last year more new clay courts were added and existing facilities upgraded. This applies to the tennis and paddle courts as well as a five-aside pitch, a multi-purpose sports field and of course the clubhouse itself, whose contemporary décor is warm, comfortable and welcoming, offering players and visitors a chance to enjoy a drink or snack inside or overlooking the courts and surrounding greenery from the terrace. The force behind this revitalisation of the club is Fernando Gil, a majority shareholder who is running the Estepona Tennis Club with his family. “This is a family-oriented club and it is run by a family – my wife Mari, my sons Ferdy and Alberto, and myself,” says the former pro player and longtime professional coach who trained as an international coach in Florida under Nick Bollettieri, the man who guided such stars as Agassi, Courier, Sharapova, the Williams sisters and Boris Becker. RPT qualified himself,

Fernando Gil has worked with the likes of Bjorn Borg and Manolo Santana, and for many years managed the Puente Romano Tennis Club. He brings his 37 years in the sport to bear at Estepona Tennis, where he has upgraded not only the facilities but also the training programme. Though small and intimate, the club now boasts the level of management usually reserved for the sport’s top establishments, yet Fernando wishes to preserve the relaxed, friendly atmosphere that ﬁrst drew him to Estepona. “This is not the kind of club that gives off a snooty vibe or where people come to show off. We are all about the sport, the camaraderie and the social ambience, which is why it’s a place where members, pay-andplay visitors and people who simply wish to sit on the terrace and soak up the atmosphere get on very easily.” For this reason the club offers coaching classes for individuals, kids and groups at a variety of levels, organises mix-ins during the week and on weekends BBQs with karaoke. The pool is also available, as is the possibility to book the venue for ﬁve-a-side games, other sports or

functions. “This is a classic tennis club where the people and the sport come ﬁrst, but it makes sense to make the most of a beautiful country setting that is simply inspiring.” Indeed, situated just behind Forest Hills in the Estepona countryside, directly inland from Laguna Village, the ﬁve clay courts, six conventional courts and six glass paddle tennis courts are surrounded by the kind of pristine countryside that makes you sit back with a sigh of contentment. “We have all nationalities as members and visiting players,” says Fernando, “and I suspect that many of them come as much for the gorgeous location as for the sport.” For all this, the Club de Tenis Estepona is situated less than ten minutes from the coastal AP-7 road, offering great facilities and a warm welcome to new players and members. For more information about joining, day rates or discounted seasonal packages contact Fernando Gil and his management team. The club is open seven days a week from 09:00-23:00hrs, 365 days a year. i www.tenisestepona.com

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ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE – 300mm x 230mm April

z THE PRO vibe

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT THE PUENTE ROMANO BEACH RESORT & SPA

International Women’s Day is a vital yearly event which reminds us that there are still many issues women need to fight for if equality is to be achieved. The Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa celebrated the occasion in style, with a Ladies Lunch at Sea Grill. A fine afternoon with fashion presentations by Neuhaus Jewellery and Coo Culte was enjoyed by all. i www.puenteromano.com

“Well behaved women rarely make history” – Eleanor Roosevelt

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vibe THE PRO z

M10 OPENS AT THE PUERTO DEPORTIVO IN ESTEPONA

The Puerto Deportivo in Estepona is a happening place to be, and there is a brand new reason to visit: new Belgian-owned M10 restaurant, ready to fill hungry tummies with international dishes, stone grill specialities and homemade Belgian starters. Featuring DJ-spun music at the weekend and free Cava for the ladies on Sundays from 7pm to 9pm. i www.m10.bar

“I get way too much happiness from good food” – Elizabeth Olsen

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z THE PRO vibe

NEW PREMISES FOR TIMELESS GALLERY

Timeless Gallery in Puerto Banús recently invited clients and friends to its grand opening, which featured a swish cocktail party and ribbon cutting ceremony. The gallery aims to unite all artistic styles to inspire, touch and give a wider audience the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of art. Featuring an extensive selection of paintings, prints, sculpture, glass, ceramics and silversmithing. i www.timelessgallerygroup.com

“Art is not what you see but what you make others see” – Degas

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z THE PRO vibe

TRENDY GOURMET SPACE OPENS IN MARBELLA: ABASTOS & VIANDAS Abastos & Viandas is the name of a brand new food market in the very centre of Marbella. The space is designed for lovers of good food and wine, and includes a host of food stalls offering national and international dishes, as well as a plethora of imported wines and beers. i www.abastosyviandas.com

“A gourmet meal without a glass of wine just seems tragic to me somehow” – Kathy Mattea

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h THE LEISURE travel

a e v a H o t Where

BETTER

LIFE T

here are scores of indexes out there, ranking countries in different ways. GDP is generally a big part of the equation but it doesn’t tell the whole story. As US politician Bobby Kennedy said, back in 1968, “GDP does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, the joy of their play, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public ofﬁ cials. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.” The Better Life Index, launched by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2011, maps quality of life by wellbeing, not GDP. As the website says, ‘It’s

Would you swap sunny Spain for a country with sub-zero temperatures and snow? Incredibly, three of the ﬁve best places in the world to live suffer from both, and only one rivals Spain’s sunshine record, according to the OECD Better Life Index. WORDS BELINDA BECKETT

where best to live for the matters that concern us.’ Interactive graphs allow users to compare 38 countries of the developed world through 11 dimensions of well-being including housing and health, education and environment, community and civic engagement, work-life balance and life satisfaction. Each dimension has its own indicators; for example, ‘income’ takes taxes and household earnings from pensions and investments into account, while the ‘jobs’ category measures unemployment and working conditions as well as pay scale. Currently, the BLI top 10 is dominated by the Nordic countries with their advanced social democracies, while Spain only comes midway

through the rankings in 19th place – sunshine isn’t everything – with France a nudge ahead at 18th, the UK at 16th and Germany in 12th. You can have great fun playing around with the country graph – Just key in your own preferences to find your own personal Utopia. The site even lets you drill down into your own country region. It will come as no surprise to find that Andalucía gets top marks for safety and sense of community but scores poorly for jobs and income. Find out more at www. oecdbetterlifeindex.org Without further ado, here’s a look at the top five countries you might consider relocating to for a better quality of life.

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Scandilicious scenery and midnight sun RANKS HIGHEST FOR LIFE SATISFACTION, ENVIRONMENT & SAFETY RANKS LOWEST FOR HOUSEHOLD WEALTH LIFE EXPECTANCY 82 (81.6) AVERAGE SALARY €49.075

NORWAY

f you’re looking for almost-Nirvana, Norway could be your country, ranked top place in the world to live in the Better Life Index. The stunning scenery, wonderful welfare system and high standard of living are some of the reasons why. Winter skiing, summer hiking, the cleanest air and purest water of all 38 countries indexed, are others. Sheltered from deep recession by their rich oil and gas reserves, most people are in work and salaries are high, especially in the energy industry and public sector, although don’t apply unless you speak fluent Norwegian. Parental leave is one of the most generous in the world, at either 49 weeks on 100 per cent salary or 59 weeks on 80 per cent. State education, social and health care all tick the excellent boxes; adult Norwegians only pay for the first €250 of their medical treatment. Nationals enjoy a good work-life balance, averaging a 37-hour week, often with an early finish on Friday when they can rush off to embrace allemannsretten, a law that gives them the freedom to roam their forests and fjords and even pitch a tent without paying camping fees. If they go out at night – and few but the Norwegians themselves can afford to – they feel safer walking home alone than any other nation in the group. Eye-wateringly expensive for anyone not earning Norwegian krone, a small beer in a bar will give you little change from €10. Spirits soar even higher and, quaintly, can only be sold between 3pm and 11.45pm and never on Sunday. Even Norwegians tend to do most of their drinking at home, stocking up from the state liquor store. They have less net disposable income than you’d think, due to the high taxes that fund the enviable Nordic model of welfare although Norway’s are coming down under the right wing coalition government. Also, Brexiteers take note, even groceries cost a packet in non-EU Norway, and popping over to cheaper, better-stocked Sweden for the monthly shop is almost a family ritual. Glacial winters also keep Norwegians close to firesides – at home or their weekend cabin – enjoying their fabled fresh and saltwater fish and hearty reindeer steaks. Twenty below zero is nothing unusual and daylight is rationed. The shortest day in Trondheim lasts four and a half hours while in northerly Tromsø, the sun doesn’t get out of bed for six weeks. But during the long, lazy days of summer, when twilight is as dark as it gets in Oslo, the locals rejoice in their great outdoors and feel glad they were born in Norway.

Norway’s Northern Lights show

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AUSTRALIA

The laid-back land of plent y

ith a great climate, awesome landscapes and adorable mammals found nowhere else on earth, life seems to be one long barbie for the laid-back Aussies. Diversity shapes this vast nation of deserts, tropical rainforests and alpine mountains. Australia enjoys over 3,000 hours of sunshine and it would take 27 years to visit all its beaches. It also gets more snow than Switzerland. That Australia has a cattle station bigger than the whole of Belgium gives a sense of the country’s scale. But although there are only 2.8 people per square kilometre (compared to the UK’s 248), this is one of the most connected societies on earth, with a high 95% knowing

someone they could rely on in time of need. Even in the coastal cities, where most Australians live, people are much more likely to give you the time of gd’day than anywhere else in the urban world. They’re also very engaged in politics with the highest voter turnout (93 per cent) in the rankings. South Australia’s online hub YourSAy, where people can vote in polls to impact government decisions, has over 42,000 users. Aussies are a Heinz 57 varieties with one in four born outside this British Commonwealth country. Melbourne has more Greek residents than anywhere outside Greece, and high immigration makes for a cosmopolitan

society. However, the country has yet to resolve the chronic social problems suffered by the native Aboriginals, who make up a miniscule 2.5 per cent of the population The majority of citizens enjoy a middle class lifestyle, with good pay and job opportunities and double America’s minimum wage. But they work harder for it, devoting only 14.4 hours a day to leisure, under the 15hour average, toiling to pay off their mortgages because real estate doesn’t come cheap. A comfortable family home averages €500.000, and you’ll pay even more in Sydney, one of the world’s most expensive cities. Clean air and a healthy environment are considered divine rights – witness the

spraying of everyone who sets foot in the country for bugs – and air pollution is way under the WHO guidelines. Healthcare is funded by a two per cent income tax levy, childcare is means-tested and although a high 38 per cent of Australians have a degree, this is the most expensive country in the world to study, with student debt a third higher than Britain’s. Even so, they come from all over, eager for a unique, uni experience in the land of plenty. The Aussies relish their sporty outdoor lifestyle although skin cancer and obesity are two downsides of living in this laid-back surﬁng society. Perhaps they’ve been tossing one too many roo burgers on that barbie...

RANKS HIGHEST FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH RANKS LOWEST FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE LIFE EXPECTANCY 82 AVERAGE SALARY €48.535

Marsupial magic

Twelve Apostles, Victoria, one of Australia’s awesome landscapes

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DENMARK

W ork-life balance on wheels

‘M

oney is not as important as social life here,’ states the Danish government website – and they’re not wrong. The Danes spend 66 per cent of their day not working. In common with the Spanish and the Dutch, they devote 15.9 hours to leisure and sleeping – a level of time off only beaten by the French. And who can blame them, with cultured Copenhagen on their doorstep and a smørrebrød of national cycle paths to explore. Everyone owns a bicycle and, with nothing that resembles a mountain and the mildest of Nordic winters (although it rains a lot), more than a third of Copenhageners commute by pedal-power. For all its 433 islands, Denmark

is a small country and with their average 37-hour week, every family has time to enjoy the beach, the countryside and the buzz of the capital, even though the majority of parents are both working. The secret is ‘flexjobs’, which allow employees to choose the hours and times they work. A generous 52 weeks of parental leave and affordable, earningsrelated childcare from six months old are other bonuses. Out-ofschool-hours care is used by almost 90 per cent of Danish children aged 6 to 8. The Danes, like all Nordics, pay higher taxes for a reciprocally high standard of living and a welfare system that’s the envy of the world, with free health care

and education to university level. Social mobility is high, government corruption low and civil liberties a cherished right in the ﬁrst European country to abolish slavery. The Danes are also a sharing society. They pioneered co-housing during the 1960s and many still live in communities, pooling everything from garden tools to washing machines. In terms of bringing home the Danish bacon, wages are a tad lower than Norway’s, with the highest-paid in the ﬁelds of science and technology. But with the weekly grocery shop costing a whopping 35 per cent less than Norway’s, the Danish krone goes a lot further. The food scene has got a lot more creative than Danish

pastries, open sandwiches and Carlsberg lager. New Nordic Cuisine, as pioneered by Michelinstarred restaurant’s like Noma in Copenhangen, has transformed the traditional meat and potatoes diet and is showing the world what alchemy can be wrought with favourite Danish ingredients like liquorice. Allegedly the Danes don’t like to shout about their success – a concept colloquially called Janteloven which places emphasis on collective rather than individual achievement. You’d need to be Danish to know if it’s true but there’s certainly plenty of collective love going around for football in this soccer-mad society. Little Denmark has more than 1,600 clubs.

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SWITZERLAND

Banking on t he good life

ho says money can’t buy happiness? The fat cat Swiss have got the cream when it comes to high salaries, low taxes and an enviable Alpine lifestyle. With a waiter’s pay averaging €20 an hour, it’s not surprising that over a quarter of the working population are foreigners looking for a piece of the action. As the base for major global organisations like the UN, UEFA, the International Olympic Committee, CERN (nuclear research) and some of the world’s pharmaceutical giants, there’s no shortage of top jobs. Unemployment is under three per cent and income tax doesn’t go much above 40 per cent for the highest earners, although you may need to brush up on your

languages. Switzerland has four. But being landlocked between the borders of Germany, Austria, France and Italy has its advantages: with Switzerland’s extensive transport network you can be abroad in less than an hour. Like the Scandinavians, the Swiss value their work life balance. An 8-5 culture with no weekend work is the norm – Zurich shuts shop at 4pm on Saturday and nothing opens on Sundays. But the cost of living is sky high for anyone not earning Swiss francs, and VAT is 33 per cent. A Swiss education is highly rated but childcare is limited and the private health service is costly. However the locals are ﬁt and long-lived (female life expectancy is 84.7 years — the

highest in the world) and two sporty hobbies are the norm, skiing being one. Appearance is everything in Switzerland, and cleanliness next to godliness. The streets are clean and shop doorways free of anyone asking for money, while in cities like Zurich where the prostitutes operate out of sight in ‘sex boxes’, the locals look like the luxury model of human beings. Everything’s top quality, be it food or clothes, watches or chocolate, although the level of home ownership is lower here than the rest of Europe, and 60 per cent rent. The Swiss also have a nearspotless environmental record. They recycle everything and electricity is virtually CO2-free although, with one

of the highest HYPERLINK “https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorway” \o “Motorway”motorway densities in the world, they are still battling trafﬁc smog. Switzerland’s direct democracy means decisions are not just made by MPs but by the people themselves, who can even overturn new laws, provided they gather 50,000 signatures within 100 days. But it seems wasted on this neutral nation which is the least politically engaged in Europe, registering a mere 48 per cent voter turnout at elections. Indeed, women only gained federal voting rights in 1971! Clearly the Swiss have better things to do with their time. Apresskiing in St. Moritz or Gstaad, perhaps.

RANKS HIGHEST FOR JOBS/INCOME, SAFETY & LIFE SATISFACTION RANKS LOWEST FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT LIFE EXPECTANCY 83 AVERAGE SALARY €54.165

Zurich is chic but not cheap

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CANADA

Life’s as sweet as Maple Syrup (almost )

ith its giant redwoods, great lakes and rugged Rockie Mountains, Canada is a great place to rattle around in – and you will. Only 36 million people (a little over half the UK’s population) share the world’s second biggest country, which stretches from the Atlantic to the Paciﬁc, and north to the Arctic Ocean, across six time zones. An ethnic mosaic with record levels of immigration, four-ﬁfths of Canadians live within 150 kilometres of the US border, and frequently nip over to visit their American buddies for cheaper goods and better shops. But if they get sick they stay put. Canada’s Medicare is a king to America’s, despite the average fourmonths waiting time for non-urgent

appointments. City real estate is expensive and in short supply but the Canadians have found an enterprising solution to both problems. Homeowners are allowed to build and rent out secondary units called ‘laneway houses’ in their own backyards to earn extra income, providing they have a separate entrance from the street behind, hence their name. Like their national animal, Canadians beaver away for longer than most, averaging a 40-hour work week. More than 51% of the population has a university degree, making this high-tech industrial society one of the most educated countries in the world. Cultural and gender tolerance, strict gun control and a foreign

policy of peacekeeping are other prized values in this bilingual Comonwealth country where Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and Justin Trudeau the young and handsome Prime Minister. ‘First Nations’ — as the indigenous Indian people are now called — have an influence on the national culture, while preserving their own identities. If you’re thinking of emigrating, gen up on ice hockey and lacrosse, the nation’s two favourite sports. Canadians also enjoy skating on frozen lakes, ﬁshing, sailing, hiking, hunting and making their own venison sausages. Poutine – French fries and cheese curd topped with gravy – is another national favourite that may be more of an acquired taste.

On the downside, Canada’s massive oil industry makes it the eighth-largest producer of greenhouse gases. And then there’s the climate... Even southerly Toronto endures sub-freezing temperatures and snowy streets throughout the winter, although heated malls have taken much of the shopping underground. Among other drawbacks to living in the land of Mounties and moose are the nanny state laws, such as the one forbidding the transport of alcohol from one province to another without a permit. Some towns are still dry, a hangover from Prohibition days, while one or two even have a law about the height you can build your snowman. e

RANKS HIGHEST FOR HOUSING, HEALTH & LIFE SATISFACTION RANKS LOWEST FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE LIFE EXPECTANCY 82 AVERAGE SALARY €45.702

Canada’s big on landscapes

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C/ Huerta Chica, 12. Marbella. Tel: 952 507 063.

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h THE LEISURE travel

n i s t h g i t wo n

MADRID

WORDS DAVID WISHART PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WWW.MADRID-DESTINO.COM AND THE GRAN MELIÁ PALACIO DE LOS DUQUES

t was a spell of poor weather in Marbella that got me on a plane to Madrid, and what a good idea it was. It takes no time to see that this city has fabulous buildings rivalling Paris, and is more user friendly in that the streets are full of taxis that can be hailed like London cabs. Imposing classical buildings around vibrant squares yield masterpieces by Picasso, Goya and Velázquez, spacious parks allow the city to breath, and everywhere there are tables outdoors where coffee, wine and tapas are served with a smile. Being an old hand at discovering a big city, I boarded the hop-on hop-off bus and did the Madrid City Tour. A two-hour ride shows off the highlights, there is good audio information, and you can buy your ticket on any bus, of which there are many. Buses stop at all the leading galleries and museums. The Paseo del Arte pass gives admission to the big three, the Prado (for Spanish art), Thyssen-Bornemisza (Impressionists) and Reina Sofía (Picasso’s Guernica) museums. I especially enjoyed the Naval Museum’s history starting with the 15th Century Age of Discovery and a striking picture of Columbus’ arrival in the New World. For a little air, I also ventured a short distance out of the city towards the snow-capped Sierra

Madrid mountains to El Pardo, a royal palace founded in the 15th Century as a hunting lodge, and where General Franco lived. Part of it is an army base and a home to the Royal Guard which looks after a museum of cars, including a 1939 Mercedes G4 given by Adolf Hitler to General Franco as a birthday present. He used the three-axle car for hunting and it is considered the most original of only three remaining out of 57 built. Another was used in the TV series Hogan’s Heroes. Other cars on display include a 1941 armoured Mercedes limousine that could do 200 km/h and a magniﬁcent Daimler used by Queen Sofía. An audio device in English is available. However some army personnel speak English and all are very friendly. You can get there by the excellent Metro and bus. Madrid Tourism does a good job on the Internet and with booths, but ideally your day should start with your hotel concierge, and here I was in luck. My hotel was the Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques, a new hotel on the site of the Santo Domingo convent and the 19th-century palace of the Dukes of Granada de Ega and Villahermosa, and the heritage is celebrated with a Velázquez theme throughout the hotel with majestic mural representations of the great master’s paintings. Reviews of this hotel are almost unbelievably

good, but I would not disagree. It is gorgeous, unstuffy, has wonderful staff, and a ﬁne restaurant, the Dos Cielos, advised by the Torres brothers, who have one Michelin star. The Red, or club, level makes the experience even better, offering exclusive areas for inclusive dining and socialising. Its location is superb, just a few minutes from the Oriente plaza with its royal palace, cathedral, an avenue with statues of former monarchs, as well as many restaurants (such as La Lonja for seafood) and cafés where you can be like a Madrileño and sit with a coffee, maybe a lover, and enjoy the heat of the sun. Make time though to visit one of the many craft workshops and a local market. Come evening, eat like a local at La Bola, famous for its tasty Madrid-style stew Cocido Madrileño, served in a cozy restaurant that takes cash only. Other colourful taverns serve similar hearty Castilian food like callos (tripe) and soldaditos de pavia (battered cod with red peppers). A little red wine adds to the experience and might put you in the mood for a flamenco show. Ole! Getting there is a pleasure on Renfe’s highspeed Ave trains from Málaga to Madrid in about two and a half hours. Take Preferente rather than Turista. Iberia Express often has good fares for the quick flight. e

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PRESENTED BY

OP EN IN G PA RTY J U E V E S 1 3 D E A B R I L · T H U R S DAY 1 3 T H A P R I L A PA RTI R D E L A S 2 3 H · F RO M 1 1 P M

P U E N T E RO M A N O B E A C H R E S O R T & S PA Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, 29602 · Marbella · España T (+34) 952 820 900 restaurantes@puenteromano.com

h THE LEISURE hotel

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SANTOS HOTELES

GRAN HOTEL MIRAMAR RESORT & SPA

New Five-Star Grand Luxe Hotel in Málaga

álaga is fast becoming a revered tourist destination not only for lovers of the sun and sand, but also for culture vultures keen to soak in the beauty of priceless art and architecture. The Contemporary Art Centre and Picasso Museum were recently joined by the Pop-Up Pompidou Centre, the first of its kind outside Paris. The City is also rated as a haven for foodies, with a string of trendy restaurants gracing the Port (Muelle Uno) and trendy tapas bars dotting the historic Old Town. Málaga finally had it all – except one important thing: its very own five-star, grand luxe hotel. Now, all that has changed with the reopening of one of the city’s most historic and valuable buildings, the Gran Hotel Miramar Resort & Spa. The Miramar, run by the prestigious Santos Hoteles group, is a waterfront palatial structure initially opened in 1926 by King Alfonso XIII, who baptised it the Hotel Príncipe de Asturias. Between 1936 and 1939, the Hotel served as a hospital during one of Spain’s most brutal periods: the Civil War. The hotel closed for over a decade in 1967, serving as a courthouse from 1987 to 2007. It clearly held potential to serve a greater purpose, however: that of

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catering to high-end tourists who had previously needed to head straight to Marbella to live in the luxury they were accustomed to. These are just a few of the Hotel’s most exciting features: Z THE ARCHITECTURE: Serious work was put into restoring some of the Hotel’s most valuable features and the results speak volumes. The design is traditional Arabian/ Andalusian, with graceful courtyards, elegant columns, Arabian arches, detailed hand carvings on walls, columns and ceilings, and serene fountains imbuing a similar feeling to that encountered while walking through the stately palace of La Alhambra. Antique doorways and arches remind one of the Hotel’s glorious heritage and lend a stately feeling, the kind only the passing of years and a respect for tradition can boast. Z THE ROOMS: Grand as it is, the Hotel has a wide choice of accommodation. There are 200 rooms, 171 of which are bedrooms and 29, suites. Rooms vary in design; some are traditional and stately, bearing dark wood and Mediterranean-styled fabrics and furniture; others are modernistic, where whites and brightly hued accents abound. Still others are

Arabic in their inspiration, with intricate wallpaper, stucco arches and Arabian headboards. For the ultimate in luxury, it’s got to be the Royal Suite, measuring 80m2 and boasting spectacular views. Z THE GASTRONOMY: the Miramar measures an impressive 13,000m2, enabling it to offer a wide range of services. There are ﬁve ‘gastronomic spaces’ to choose from though to sample the very best of Mediterranean and international delights, it’s got to be the Príncipe de Asturias restaurant. For a lighter bite, opt for the Bistro Snack restaurant. Z THE SPA: Grand luxury is nothing without some rest and relaxation and you will ﬁnd the perfect excuse to indulge in a bit of pampering at the Hotel Spa. After a dip in an outdoor swimming pool or in the thermal circuit, have a soothing massage or antiageing facial, before you enjoy a night out on the town. Málaga comes to life at night, with so many trendy restaurants and clubs set to keep you up all night.

Z MEETING ROOMS: The Hotel promises to be the ultimate choice for conferences and business events, with 17 different meeting rooms with a 700-person capacity. The largest, La Encarnación, measures 252m2, while the smallest is an intimate 40m2. Just a few additional amenities include spacious gardens, a kid’s club, VIP club and gym. Impress your loved one by ordering butler service or going on a guided tour to the cellar of the old courthouse jail!

g Paseo de Reding 22, Málaga. Tel: 952 603 000. www.h-santos.es

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b the gourmet RESTAURANTS REVIEWS NEWS GASTRONOMY CHEFS WINE

167 Mumtaz

169 Sukhothai

170 Food News

172 Enzo Días Villanueva of Vovem Asador 174 Spanish Wine Exports

176 Wine by Victoria Ordóñez

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH A MEAL AT MUMTAZ, ENJOY THE SWEET AND TANGY FLAVOUR AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED SUKHOTHAI AND MEET ENZO DÍAZ VILLANUEVA, HEAD CHEF OF THE POPULAR VOVEM ASADOR. WE ALSO EXAMINE SPANISH WINE EXPORTS AND VISIT THE VICTORIA ORDÓÑEZ WINERY IN MÁLAGA.

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PLAY & DINE at LA RESERVA CLUB During 2017, we offer you the opportunity to “play & dine” at La Reserva Club. Starting at 13h00. Enjoy your day golfing and finish with a pleasant evening in the restaurant L’Olive. A special set menu will be offered where you can savor seasonal specialties in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. PVP — 185 € Low Season 16th Jun — 31st Jul; 16th Dec — 31st Dec PVP — 195 € High Season 1st Mar — 15th Jun; 1st Aug — 15th Nov

Green fee, buggy, range balls, dinner included which will be served until 19h30. Drinks not included.

OPENING HOURS: From 7h30 to 20h00 (Monday — Sunday) La Reserva Club, Avenida La Reserva, s/n, 11310, Sotogrande

18 Hole Golf Course Tennis L’Olive Restaurant Concierge Clubhouse & Remarkable Family Villas RESERVATIONS: +34 956 785 252 lareserva.booking@sotogrande.com

Restaurant Private Dining Piano & Champagne Lounge Events APRIL BRUNCHES Saturday 1st April, 16th April (EASTER BRUNCH) & 29th April SUNDAY ROAST 23th April LOBSTER BISTRO From 10th — 16th April L’OLIVE THEMED NIGHTS Friday 7th April — Jazz night Thursday 13th April — Wine & Tapas night Saturday 15th April — Family Pasta night (20h00 — 00h00) RESERVATIONS: +34 956 785 252 | lareserva.booking@sotogrande.com OPENING HOURS: From 7h30 to 20h00 (Monday — Sunday) La Reserva Club, Avenida La Reserva, s/n, 11310, Sotogrande

New dining experience by at

MAY 2017

GROUP

restaurants THE GOURMET b

Indian Royalty in Marbella

MUMTAZ

With over 35 uninterrupted years in the port, Mumtaz is an evergreen Puerto Banús classic that continues to appeal because this is true Indian ﬁne dining come to Marbella. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

perennial favourite with residents and visitors of all nationalities, Mumtaz is a reference for Indian food in these parts. The restaurant is now serving the second and even third generations of families that first discovered it in the eighties and nineties, enjoying a loyal following throughout the seasons. In fact, in summer this Puerto Banús landmark is so popular that long queues form and the maître d’ is sometimes offered hefty sums to ‘procure’ a table. “To accommodate that would be unfair,” says Juan, who has been welcoming diners here for over twenty years, “so we maintain a strict first-come, first-served policy.” The reason for the undying popularity of Mumtaz among many different nationalities is without doubt its prime location close to where the mega yachts are moored, and above all the enviable reputation it has built up over the years as perhaps the

best Indian restaurant in Marbella. A reputation of this kind creates a high degree of anticipation, and with this comes the burden to meet expectations, and where possible exceed them, so ultimately it is the ability of Mumtaz to keep impressing that explains its cult status among lovers of Indian cuisine. A recent refurbishment has added to that appeal, complementing a spacious terrace offering impressive harbour views with a stylish and richly ambient interior décor.

FINE DINING INDIAN STYLE

The welcome at Mumtaz is warm and the service fluent. As you might expect, this restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine in which all the different parts come together seamlessly. You will recognise many of the dishes from your local curry restaurant’s menu, but while this is not a nouvelle cuisine establishment, it serves a superior level of food that takes Indian dishes to the next level.

g Benabola, Casa A, Nº7,Puerto Banús Tel: 952 812 090. www.mumtaz-puertobanus.com

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What’s more, the variety of choices and regional variations is greater too. They cover the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent, offering a very diverse range of dishes that includes both familiar curries and more exotic dishes you may never have tried before. Suitably armed with a glass of Cobra – for while wine ﬁts perfectly well with Indian cuisine, beer somehow is an ideal match – we chose classic onion bhajis as a starting snack, followed by Mumtaz Soup and Prawn Pouri, a deep fried bread stuffed with prawns. Everything, from the well-known bhajis to the prawn sensation, is prepared to a very high standard. I recommend the house variation of a lentil soup, it’s one of those dishes that truly exceeds your expectations to the point where you make a mental note to add it to your list of favourites. Accompanied by a selection of papadums and nan breads, this set the tone for one of the best Indian meals we’ve enjoyed in some time.

NEW EXPERIENCES

The main courses indeed followed the same pattern, ranging from a familiar such as Lamb Rogan Josh – often delicious but here a

true experience – to the Biryani Mughlai. It’s a good restaurant that specialises in Biryanis, and the one we sampled is made up of chicken cooked with rice and served with a separate curry sauce. The slightly smoky flavour of the meat makes this a dish to look out for. One of the specialities at Mumtaz is Karahi Gosht, a delicacy of diced lamb prepared in spices and tossed in a Karahi Souk, a traditional wokstyle cooking pot. Rich in flavour, it takes one to the western part of India, while the Vindaloo recipes hail from the more southerly parts of the subcontinent. If you know your stuff it’s possible to enjoy a virtual journey by taste that will take you from the steamy south via the Punjab to the Himalayan highlands. Mumtaz is a place to savour if you enjoy good Indian food, wish to revisit classics in style and also explore new territory. This is added to by the friendly staff, prime location and attractive décor, making it one of the top venues for this kind of cuisine in our region. And if you wish to experience how the Indians and their neighbours make desserts, just ask for classics such as Gulab Jamun, Rasgulla or Bebinca. A whole new world will open up. ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2017 / 167

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AT THE PLAZA VILLAGE IN THE HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

Puente Romano Hotel, Blv. Principe Alfonso Von Hohenlohe, Marbella. www.thaigallerymarbella.com

Tel: 952 818 392

TAI PAN chinese cuisine polynesian bar

Serving Marbella in a Select Atmosphere for Decades. Tel: 952 777 893 / 952 775 500 Puente Romano, Fase 2, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00 www.taipanmarbella.com

SUKHOTHAI Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine

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

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restaurants THE GOURMET b

Stylish New Look for

SUKHOTHAI The word ‘Sukhothai’ conjures up the aromas and ﬂavours of authentic Thai cuisine for fervent foodies in Marbella. The restaurant, located in the heart of the Golden Mile, boasts a decades-long history and an unsurpassed reputation when it comes to Oriental cuisine. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

ukothai was founded over 30 years ago by successful restaurateurs, Lincoln Lo and Ping Mak, whose greatest pleasure over the years has been serving various generations of families, who wouldn’t dream of a night out without a hearty dinner at this famed restaurant. Lincoln and Ping have remained busy over the years, since they also run Sukothai’s sophisticated sister restaurant, Thai Gallery, located in the uber trendy Plaza Village in the Puente Romano Beach Resort and Spa. At Thai Gallery, an urban feel and cuisine bearing touches of fusion is married to the classy night life the Puente Romano is famed for; indeed, many diners head straight to trendy clubs Suite or Joe’s Bar after their meal. Throughout the years, Lincoln and Ping have managed to strike the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. Thus, they didn’t think twice when offered the chance to move Thai Gallery from its well known location at the entrance to Puerto Banús, to

its suave new home in the Puente Romano. The Hotel’s clients are of the category the restaurant is aimed at: discerning, knowledgeable and appreciative of a traditional dining experience with touches of international vanguard. Sukothai, on the contrary, has always had a very different objective; this is the place to head to when only ‘mother’s cooking’ will do to soothe your heart and soul, and to have your ﬁll with the tangy, sweet and herby blend that makes Thai cuisine so special. Fittingly, the Chef at Sukothai is female, as is much of the kitchen staff. The rhythmic sounds of slicing and dicing and the inimitable fragrance of coconut milk emanate from the kitchen, instantly making your mouth water and your mind wander to the imaginary dishes these sensations conjure up. Sukhothai may have a strong basis in tradition, but it, too, has kept up to the times and now boasts a brand new décor, designed by none other than Jean-Pierre Martel of the new Andrew Martin showroom on

the Golden Mile. Martel, famed for his colourful, modern touch, has given life to some of Spain’s most iconic interiors, including those of the Puente Romano, the Marbella Club Hotel, The Ritz Madrid, La Suite and El Lodge. The result is a much younger, more vibrant, and cosier restaurant where vivid colours are married to artistic shapes and noble materials. The floors, for instance, once covered in dark carpet, now bear the elegance of wooden parquet. The bar area has also been jazzed up, with hanging crystal shelves and an artistic new structure, in a light wood, complemented beautifully by the brand new, hand-sculpted wooden entrance door. Sukothai always had an elegant yet slightly dark feel to it but now, Jean-Pierre, Lincoln and Ping have ‘let in the light’ in many ways. A brand new outdoor dining area is being built, soon to be launched. The terrace, perfect for dining outside in warmer months, will be encased in glass doors which can be opened or closed depending on the weather. New life is bestowed on the interiors via bright fabrics which cover the chairs and bar stools, bearing a vivid floral design. The main wall of the restaurant, meanwhile, now bears the pièce de résistance: a hand-painted silk

g Avda. Príncipe Alfonso Hohenlohe, CC Marbella Mar, L3A, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 550. www.sukhothaimarbella.com

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screen representing a bevy of colourful Thai umbrellas, flanked by golden statues which celebrate the mysterious beauty of the Orient. On the opposite wall, a plumhued, geometric art work graces the walls, and Oriental wooden lamps hang down from the ceiling, seemingly floating in a starry night’s sky. On our recent visit to Sukhothai, we marvelled at the chic new look yet enjoyed the same dishes we come back for again and again; delights such as the mixed starter platter (featuring everything from juicy King prawns to satay chicken and beef skewers to wontons, all served with a variety of sauces) are an open door into an authentic Thai family meal. We really enjoyed my favourite dish at this iconic establishment: the Sukhothai ﬁsh – freshly caught seabass topped with a sweet and tangy sauce and vegetables. My dining companion opted for the grilled duck – fantastically crunchy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. We also shared a green curry chicken with bamboo shoots and basil leaves, as fresh and lightly spicy as we recalled. For dessert, it had to be the sticky rice with mango – just the dessert I would hope to savour in a family home in Thailand – somehow, it seems that Sukhothai has the recipe down pat!

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b THE GOURMET news COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS

SAVOR RESTAURANTE & TAPAS Opens in San Pedro

San Pedro’s booming restaurant scene continues with the opening of Savor last month. Chef Pablo Castillo and his team have taken an exciting new look at traditional Mediterranean cuisine and fused it with other worldwide influences. The result makes Savor a great place to rediscover Mediterranean food cooked with great skill. Both formal and informal dining are offered at the same time and at reasonable prices. g Open 1pm to 3:30pm and 7:30pm to 11:30pm, every day except Sunday evenings and Monday. Tel: 951 531 777. Avda. Andalucía 6, Local 4, San Pedro de Alcántara.

LA PLAGE DE CASANIS REOPENS Bad flooding last year necessitated the complete renovation of trendy beachside restaurant, La Plaga de Casanis. The good news is that the restaurant recently re-opened its doors, so diners can once again enjoy a fabulous meal under the sun (or the shade, you choose). La Plage de Casanis is the brainchild of talented restaurateur, Guy Sirre (of Casanis and Café Flore fame). The restaurant serves French-inspired dishes as well as classic Spanish treats such as paella, seafood and fish. i www.laplagecasanis.com

A 4 MANOS at Dani García Exciting Changes to

THE PASTA FACTORY IN PUERTO BANÚS

To celebrate thirty years in Puerto Banús, Dalli´s Pasta Factory is bringing back the glamour and style of 1960s Italy with a complete revamp of its famous restaurant. With fabulous new bay windows giving you amazing views of the Puerto Banús street scene and a new ‘dolce vita’ style cocktail bar, the Pasta Factory will be the place to be seen this summer and in the years to come. The menu will still have traditional Pasta Factory favourites like Ravioli Tradock and their wonderful pizzas, but they have also created a great new selection of Italian tapas and a special gluten-free selection of exciting pastas. i www.pastafactory.com

BIO-MERKADO OPENS in Fuengirola

Fuengirola is now home to a brand new market: Bio-Merkado, specialising in the promotion and sale of ecological and artisanal products. The market, located in the Plaza del Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, features wares by over 15 local producers, who will be selling fruits, vegetables and homemade products. One part of the market will feature experts in shiatsu and chiropractic, making it a hot spot for lovers of all things to do with health and wellness. i www.redconsumoecologico.org

Restaurant at the Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa

Dani García Restaurante recently held its gastronomic event, A Cuatro Manos. This year, a host of top chefs played homage to Japanese Chef Nobu San, considered one of the best in the world when it comes to Japanese/South American fusion. Attending the event were Ferran Adrià, Juan Mari Arzak, Albert Adrià, Joan Roca, José Andrés, Josean Alija, Paco Morales, Ángel León, Ricard Camarena, Ramón Freixa, Paco Roncero, Diego Guerrero, Francis Paniego, Toño Pérez, Marcos Morán, Paco Pérez y Dani García. Every evening, the chefs prepared inspirational dishes, envisioned by a true Master who well merited the homage paid to him. i www.puenteromano.com

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b THE GOURMET proﬁle

nzo Díaz Villanueva, Head Chef of Vovem Asador, has stood at the helm of some of the Coast’s most popular restaurants – including Gran Gatsby, where he trained under the guiding hand of star chef, Nandu Jubany – but at Vovem Asador, he has truly met his match. Enzo hails from Argentina, where the appreciation of fine meat runs through the veins and at Vovem, this delicacy is definitely given the importance it merits. “What makes us stand out from other asadores is the fact that here, diners can tuck into over 10 different types of meat (hailing from 10 different breeds of cow, calf and ox). Some of our most exquisite breeds include Avileña-Charolais, la Rubia Gallega, la Frisona, Angus Black Nebraska, Berrenda from Colorado, Simmental, and black Japanese Wagyu (Kobe).” Meat is treated with respect and care, and cooked over a coal fire comprising oak, olive and sarmiento. Of course, you will find so much more than meat at Vovem Asador. Enzo explains: “We have a list of meat dishes,

comprising different cuts of quality meat, as well as a wide list of shared platters and ﬁsh dishes.” Enzo has honed his craft at Michelin-starred establishments. His passion for creativity is perhaps best reflected in the starter and main dishes, which include gems such as fried artichoke, oxtail croquettes and a boletus mushroom carpaccio with truffle shavings and a mustard and pine nut vinaigrette. “Diners can also enjoy a glass of wine and a shared platter. Many of our clients are business people who love to have a quick, informal-style lunch.” Enzo’s starters combine creative and traditional platters alike – the latter include bellota ham, ecological asparagus from Navarra, and chistorra. Mains, meanwhile, include cocas, ﬁsh and seafood cooked over the blazing coals, and rice dishes, including a creamy carabineer dish and a seafood rice, also cooked over coal. As Vovem is open for lunch and dinner, Enzo has little time to pursue his hobbies (which include the energetic sport of rugby), yet since his

passion is cooking, he has adapted beautifully to his schedule. “I still ﬁnd time to travel, since as a Chef, the only way to stay on the top of your game is to see what top restaurants are offering both on a national level and abroad. In fact, the reason why I came to Spain in the ﬁrst place was to travel and obtain international experience.” As luck would have it, Enzo hooked up with the Magna group, who also run renowned restaurant El Gran Gatsby (the elegant creative cuisine restaurant on the frontline of Puerto Banús) and Magna Café (arguably one of the most popular family restaurants, overlooking the Magna golf course). Enzo recalls Vovem’s early days, when part of his tasks included

travelling the length and breadth of Spain to visit stock farms and make a selection of the breeds that would ﬁnd their way to the discerning diners’ plates. “When it comes to the quality and flavour of meat, there are two vital considerations – one is how the animals are fed and the other is the conditions in which they are raised.” The Chef notes that the variety of meats at Vovem is arguably its star factor. “Our staff is able to make suggestions regarding the type of meat that may appeal to our clients. Many return again and again, keen to note the difference between breeds and cuts, so it is a bit of a cultural experience for them.” Alongside his team, Enzo entices diners with flavourful, hearty meals in which authentic flavours abound. For a seasoned meat lover, nothing quite beats an excellent cut of meat, seared over burning coals and served with just a dash of salt – an experience that very much deﬁnes the ethos of Vovem Asador. g C.C. Odeón, Local 9-10, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 003 434. www.vovemasador.com

Enzo Díaz Villanueva of

VOVEM ASADOR

Fanning the Flames of Flavour WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

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b THE GOURMET wine

et y i r a V e h Is t

SPANISH

WINE

road? b A d e t c Refle

Back in 2003 during a trip to Galicia, I remarked to an English trade journalist who was part of our group that: “it had taken Albariño 10 years to become an overnight success”. This evidently self-contradictory remark was a somewhat sarcastic comment to highlight that, because it had recently become fashionable, it overlooked the fact that Galicians and enlightened British importers had been trumpeting its virtues for some considerable time. Indeed with hindsight, even that comment was premature as it has taken another 10 years for it to become a staple for restaurant lists and supermarkets alike. WORDS PHILIP HARIIS

he same trip introduced the group to Godello and Mencia, both of which suffered from bad-winemaking in too many examples. Ten years later Godello is certainly gracing tables throughout the country and quality-wise has been subject to a shot in the arm. Anecdotal evidence aside, the rise of both Albariño and Godello can be seen in export ﬁgures. Back in 2009/10, Rías Baixas exported 7,028 hl, of which exports to the UK made up half. Valdeorras was a modest 159 hl. However in 2014/15, these ﬁgures had increased to 19,668 hl and 1,814 hl respectively. The UK still contributed to half of these sales, but now other markets are helping: notably Germany, Holland and the Republic of Ireland. Despite well-funded advertising campaigns and a widespread improvement in wine-making, perception still counts for too much within markets. While working with a dedicated Spanish wine importer, I found that many accounts and their customers never perceived Spain as a producer of white wines, despite the widespread availability of Cava and the Torres brand from Penedes.

Indeed, most bought the Torres name rather than any association with the country. In 2001, Spain accounted for 10 per cent of the UK’s consumption. This dropped to eight per cent the next year when Rioja’s prices increased rapidly. Interestingly, Spain never recovered that two per cent: disgruntled drinkers sought solace in Chile instead and because Rioja, as a leading light in Spain, had shoved up prices, it was misunderstood that Spain as a whole had done so, thus incurring the market’s ire. Given that cheap airfares and a constant supply of sunseekers mean a regular exodus of Europeans to Spain, one might imagine that a greater number of regions would feature in the popularity leagues. Not so. 11 areas (including Cava) featured in the leading markets of Germany, UK, Holland, Belgium, France and Sweden, (rather than being categorised as ‘the rest’) in 2009/10. Five years later, the only changes were the addition of Rueda and Penedes, with Terra Alta dropping out, although its previous listing had purely been

down to France. Similarly, the leading markets were no different, although the Top Six now read: UK, Germany, Belgium, Holland, France and Sweden. Even more depressingly, within the Top Two and in Sweden, the proportion of ‘the rest’ has dropped in favour of further consolidation of the big names. The regions that form the charts are Rioja, Cava, La Mancha, Valencia, Jerez, Utiel-Requena, Navarra, Cataluña, Cariñena and Valdepeñas. Outside the EU, Spanish wines are most appreciated in Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Norway and Mexico, albeit for very different reasons depending on the market. Mexico loves big reds so Rioja and Ribera dominate. Canada’s tax regime induces sales of wines from cheaper (unsung) regions, so Yecla, Cariñena, Campo de Borja and Utiel-Requena either overtake or are similar to Rioja, not witnessed in other markets. Note too a love of red wine in Canada, whereas it appears not to exist in Japan! Norway, along with its EU countparts Sweden and Denmark, is fond of organic wine, so it is not surprising that

hotter, southern regions whose climate favours the minimal use of chemicals dominate the selection. The last decade has seen the export market remain remarkably stable between 40 and 46%. The highpoint was reached in 2012/13 although this is judged as a proportion of sold hectolitres (hl) between both inland and export markets. Fewer hectolitres were in fact sold that year which probably emphasises Churchill’s maxim: “There are lies, damned lies and statistics”. Spain has seen a massive increase in the number of DOs since the century began. This might reflect a larger element of autonomy within regions, better wine-making or simply more skilful lobbying. However, it appears that the conservative tendency within the largest markets is not going to disappear which will be discouraging for those who have something different to offer. I’m indebted to Marianne Rodríguez of the Economic and Commercial ofﬁce of the Spanish Embassy in London for providing the statistics and tables that I’ve drawn on here. e

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TASTE Authentic Spanish Cuisine with a Contemporary Edge

EL JARDIN DE LUTZ

CTRA. DE CASARES S/N, 29690 CASARES, MÁLAGA · T. +34 952 93 78 00 WWW.FINCACORTESIN.COM

b THE GOURMET wine

MOUNTAIN

WINES

One Thursday last month, in Seaton, USA, a local musical group performed ‘…traditional Spanish and Portuguese numbers’. The music was interspersed with readings from the book of one of the ﬁrst recorded English travellers in Spain, the Reverend Joseph Townsend. WORDS AJ LINN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF VICTORIA ORDOÑEZ

hy should EM readers need telling about an almost insignificant concert on another continent? Because the Rev Townsend in question was a vicar from Pewsey, in England’s Wiltshire, who would have gone almost completely unremembered in the annals of history were it not for his literary reference to ‘Mountain Wine’. Any student of the literature of 18th century English travellers in Spain, such as George Borrow, Henry Swinburne, and Richard Ford, will find the unimaginative Wiltshire clergyman’s writings an interesting addendum. Around the same period another famous traveller, the French Théophile Gautier, went on record as hating Málaga’s gazpacho (‘only fit for dogs’) but enjoyed the local white wine. On his arrival the peripatetic clergyman found himself in a province that was hugely industrious. At the end of the 18th century there were no less than 14 foreign wine shippers in Málaga, itself then Spain’s second-largest wine region. The star product, known predominately as Mountain, was very popular in England and South America. Whatever the name it was certainly wine from the Sierra de Málaga, fortified with raw alcohol that made it more stable for export. The local red wine, on record as

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costing nearly twice the price, was Tinget, now resurrected as Tent, a once-popular grape variety in the Cádiz area, from where it originated. Indeed ‘Rota Tent’ is regularly mentioned in the history books as being the autochthonous variety from the small town where Spain’s largest US-Spanish naval base is located. Nothing lasts forever, and successive infestations of mildew, and finally the deadly phylloxera, ruined the once-profitable business. Vineyards were abandoned and thousands of agricultural workers became unemployed. End of an era. Today Mountain Wine has been reborn, thanks to a nostalgic and competent local winemaker. Victoria Ordoñez, belonging to a family steeped in the business, has dedicated more than a decade to getting this historic wine to the market. Not an easy task when the first step was identifying vineyards that had vines old enough to have a direct lineage to the originals. Nor are these vineyards easy to work, The steep slopes rule out machines and mule power is obligatory. Nor was there much information about the original wine other than it was Pedro Ximénez, dry, with less than 15º alcohol. Not until the postfermentation stage could Victoria and her son really be sure they had

achieved their goal. As things have turned out, Victoria’s project has delivered three unique wines. Two of them are made from the classic Muscat of Alexandria grape, locally referred to as Moscatel, and the third is the credible Mountain Wine replica using Pedro Ximénez, or Pedro Ximén, as it was called in its heyday. The ﬁrst out of this particular wine stable has been the oddlynamed La Ola del Melillero (The wave of the ‘Melillero’). Made from Pedro Ximén with some Moscatel added, it is a delightful tipple, and as for the name, any Malagueño will tell you it refers to the largerthan-average wave that marks the passing of the ferry to Melilla as it leaves Málaga port, causing sunbathers to grab their towels and scramble further up the beach. Another member of the new trio is Monticara, 100 per cent Muscat of Alexandria grape, pleasantly

dry considering the sweeter lineage, and the only Málaga wine of its type to be barrelfermented. Indeed, Victoria’s bodega is also unique in being the sole winery located within the city limits. Voladeros is the Mountain Wine of reference, made from Pedro Ximén. Both it and Monticara are beautifully presented in weighty Burgundy bottles with striking classical labels, so delightfully artistic you may want to photograph them before consigning them to the recycle bin. The current 2015 vintage produced only 900 and 2,000 bottles respectively, and at around twenty euros they are rapidly becoming collectors’ items. Not unreasonably you may ask why a medical doctor like Victoria Ordoñez and her son Guillermo Martín (technical director) should have decided to reproduce wines that disappeared centuries ago. It can hardly be for the money, as the tiny production will not make them rich, so it must be respect for tradition. Indeed, if the travelling Wiltshire parson were alive today, he would surely be ﬁrst in line to buy a bottle of Málaga’s unique mountain wine. i www.victoriaordonez.com 20/03/2017 11:16

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. . THE GUIDE listings

the guide

PRICE GUIDE per head for a three-course meal with wine

*restaurants

under €25

€25 – €40

LISTINGS PET NEWS WHAT’S ON STARS FAMILY FUN

€40 – €60

€60 plus

HACIENDA PATAGONICA

american

Open 10am until midnight every day. Plaza Antonio Banderas 17/29, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 136 333

HARD ROCK CAFÉ

YANX

ORIGEN

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces, esq. Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 024

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

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Gregorio Marañón s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 968

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

JACKS SMOKEHOUSE Open seven days a week from noon till late. Puerto Banús, Tel: 952 813 625

MR. GOURMET BURGER Open from 6pm ‘til late every evening. Avda. Luis Braile 20, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 785 257

ROUTE 66

argentinean

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

EL BANCO Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to midnight. Urb. Aloha Pueblo, Local 35, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 907 570

GAUCHOS Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village. CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 897 744

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ de la Acera de la Marina 2, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 968

RUTA 40 Open from 9am to 12 midnight daily. C.C. El Zoco, Sitio de Calahonda. Tel: 951 133 737

belgian EL COTO

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

MYTILUS

Open daily from 2pm to 11pm. Avda. del Prado, first floor, above Conrad’s Restaurant. Tel: 952 818 133

french

CASA MONO Open Monday to Saturday from 1pm to 11pm. C/ Calderón Estébanez 19, Marbella. Tel: 952 774 578

LE BISTROMAN Open daily for lunch and dinner. El Corte Inglés, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

VALDERRAMA RESTAURANT Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner only and on Sunday for Buffet Lunch. Apartado 1, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 132.2 Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 791 200

gluten-free

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos, Puerto Sotogrande. Tel: 956 790 212

CELICIOSO

TO DALLY

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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At the Puente Romano Hotel on the Golden Mile. Tel: 952 820 900

greek

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

grills

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

ASADOR GUADALMINA Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Urb. Guadalmina Alta, C.C. Guadalmina, Local 3, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 883 003

CABAÑA NAGÜELES Open Monday to Thursday from 11am to 2am and on Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 3am. Urb. La Carolina, Marbella. Tel: 951 134 083

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

EL CARNICERO 2

EL RANCHO DEL PUERTO

MUMTAZ

Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Benabola 4, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 252

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

GRILL DEL PUERTO Open for lunch and dinner every day. Muelle Ribera 47H, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 686

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

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

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

VOVEM Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Odeon, Locales 9-10, C/ Las Yedras, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 003 434

indian

JAIPUR PALACE

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 176, Marbella. Tel: 952 867 599

Open every night except Tuesday for dinner. CN340, km 194, next to Camping Cabopino, Marbella. Tel: 951 310 004

EL GAUCHO

JAIPUR PURPLE

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

Open daily for dinner. CN 340, km. 166, Estepona. Tel: 952 888 353

EL GAUCHO DE BANÚS

MASSALA

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola 9-11, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 812 167

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

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

AMIGOS

international

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday. C/ Málaga 3, Benahavis. Tel: 952 855 175

Open Monday to Thursday from 7pm ‘til late, on Friday and Saturday from 1pm to 4pm and from 7pm ‘til late and on Sunday from 10am ‘til late. Dársena de Levante, Local 39, Estepona Port. Tel: 951 703 060

Open daily from 11am until late. Urb. Playa del Arenal, Avda. Cervantes s/n, El Rosario, Marbella. Tel: 951 507 426

11&11 RESTOBAR

ACINIPO Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesday. C.C. El Zoco, Sitio de Calahonda, Mijas Costa. Tel: 607 680 999

AIDAN’S BAR & GRILL Open Thursday to Tuesday for dinner from 5:30pm. Closed Wednesdays. C/ 4/5 Montemayor, Cancelada (opposite the Farmacia). Tel: 952 887 828

AL ROLO Open from 1pm to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm daily. At Reserva del Higuerón. Avda. del Higuerón 48, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 661 174

ARENAL BEACH BAR & RESTAURANT

AROMA Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Moncayo 23, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 665 502

AVANTO Open for events only. C/ Rota 9, Mijas Costa, La Cala de Mijas. Tel: 952 587 539

BABOO LOUNGE AND RESTAURANT Open every day for lunch and dinner, closing Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 8pm. Ctra. Arroyo de la Miel, s/n, Benalmádena. Tel: 902 102 675

BAHIA BEACH Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 146.5, Casares. Tel: 951 704 884

ALBERT & SIMON

BARBQ ARTESANAL BURGERS

Open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday and for dinner only on Saturday. Closed Sundays. Urb. Nueva Alcántara, Edif. Mirador, Bloque 4-B, Marbella. Tel: 952 783 714

Open every day for lunch and dinner. C/ Jacinto Benavente 5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 656

ALBERTS Open daily for lunch and dinner. Puerto Cabopino. Tel: 952 836 886

AMANHAVIS

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

BECKITTS Open Monday to Sunday for dinner. C/ Camilo José

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Cela 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 898

BIBO Open every day for lunch and dinner except Sunday afternoon and all of Monday. At the Hotel Puente Romano. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 951 607 011

BLACK AND WHITE MARBELLA Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle Benabola, under the Torre de Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 607

BONO BEACH Open from 1pm to 7pm in the Spring. Urb. Costabella, Playa del Arenal, Avda. de Cervantes s/n, Elviria. Tel: 952 839 236

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Hotel Hermitage, Ctra. de Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 895 639.

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

EL GRAN GASTBY

FINCA EL FORJADOR

CERRADO DEL ÁGUILA

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 778 797

Open daily for lunch from 1-4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Ctra. de Casares, km. 10. Tel: 952 895 120

EL JINETE

FONDA RESTAURANTE EL POSTILLÓN

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Urb. Cerrado del Águila, Camino del Acevedo, s/n, Mijas Costa. Tel: 951 773 521

C’EST LA VIE Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Paseo Las Palmeras, 15, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 783 394

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

Open daily for dinner except for Friday. Ctra. La Cala Golf, km 45, La Cala de Mijas. Tel: 952 119 170

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

EL MIRADOR

Kitchen continuously open Monday to Friday from 1pm to 11pm. Saturday – dinner only. Closed Sunday. Las Palmeras 19, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 786 156

DON LEONE

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

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

EL OCEANO BEACH HOTEL RESTAURANT & SPA

D-WINE

CAFÉ DE RONDA

Open Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. C.C. Azalea, Edif. A, CN340, km 173, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 951 339 309

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

BRUNINGS

Open daily for breakfast and lunch until 7pm. Avda. Ramón Gómez de la Serna 23, Marbella. Tel: 952 862 149

CAFETERÍA KE Open daily for lunch and dinner. Puerto Deportivo de Sotogrande, s/n. Tel: 956 790 333

CAMURÍ

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

EL CAMPANARIO

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

EL RESTAURANTE DEL CASINO

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

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30pm to 11pm. Ctra. de Mijas, km. 1, A-387, Alhaurín El Grande. Tel: 951 254 520

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

GD GOURMET DELI MARBELLA Open 9:30am to 9pm from Monday to Friday and Saturday from 12am to 6pm. Closed Sundays. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe 7, Marbella. Tel: 952 774 049

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

HILLS CAFE

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

Open every day for breakfast and lunch, except Monday. Dinner by reservation is possible on Friday and Saturday. Tel: 952 856 171

FABIOLA

HORIZON STEAKHOUSE Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Antonio Machado s/n, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 560 094

Open every day for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, local 24-25, Estepona. Tel: 951 217 871

Open every day for lunch. Open for dinner on Friday and Saturday. CN 340, km. 168, Estepona. Tel: 952 880 126

CASANIS

EL CASTILLO

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

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. C/ El Pilar s/n, Benahavís. Tel: 681 294 442

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sundays for lunch. Cortijo Los Canos, Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro, CN-340, km. 132, Sotogrande, Cádiz. Tel: 956 695 114 / 619 694 484

CELIMA

EL CORZO

FINCA BESAYA

HOTEL MARBELLA CLUB BUFFET

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von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211

IL MARE Open every evening for dinner. Playa del Rodeo, Marbella. Tel: 951 319 372

JOFFREY’S Open everyday evening for dinner from 5.30 pm. CN340 km 200, La Cala de Mijas Costa. Tel: 674 636 321

KARMA Open every day from 10am until late. C/ Las Violetas 7, Conjunto Andalucía Garden Club, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 815 736

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

LA FAMIEKE Open Monday to Saturday for dinner from 7pm. Closed Sunday. Calle Cruz, Plaza Puente Ronda, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 412

LA GRANADA DIVINO Open daily for lunch and dinner except Tuesday. C/ de las Piedras, Gaucín. Tel: 951 709 075

LA LOGGIA

Open nightly for dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 824 108

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. Hotel Villa Padierna & Flamingos Golf Club, Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 166 (Cancelada exit), Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150

LAGUNA BEACH RESTAURANTE

LA TERRAZA

C.C. Laguna Village, local R1, Estepona. Tel: 952 800 873

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

LA BIZNAGA

LA TERRAZA

Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner and on Sunday for lunch only. Ctra. Ronda, km. 46, Urb. Las Medranas, local 4, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 275 750

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

KAVA

LA BRISA Open for dinner Thursday to Monday from 7pm. Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona. CN 340, km. 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

LA CABAÑA DEL MAR

LA TIENDA Open nightly for dinner except Mondays. C/ La Tienda 1, Urb. La Virginia, Marbella. Tel: 626 273 882

LA PLAGE DE CASANIS Open Monday to Wednesday 10am – 7.30pm and Thursday to Sunday 10am –10pm. Urb. Coto Chico 4D, Marbella. Tel: 952 837 862

Open every day for lunch and for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona CN 340, km 159, Playa El Padrón, Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

LA VERANDA

LA CANTINA DEL GOLF

LA VERANDAH

Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. Hotel Villa Padierna, Urb: Flamingos s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 889 150

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

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

LA VERANDA LOBBY BAR

MARE NOSTRUM

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

Open daily for breakfast and dinner. At the Hotel Amàre Marbella. Avda. Severo Ochoa 8, Marbella. Tel: 800 843 493

LIMA

MC CAFÉ

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm to 12am and for lunch on Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Plaza Practicante Manuel Cantos 2, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 630

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

LES CUBES

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

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Urb. Oasis Club, CN340, km. 183, Marbella. Tel: 952 868 396

LOS ARCOS Open every night for dinner. Hotel Meliá La Quinta, Urb. La Quinta Golf s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 762 000

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

LOS NARANJOS RESTAURANT Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Urb. Los Naranjos de Marbella. Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 816 105

M10 Open Monday to Saturday from 5pm and Sunday from 10am. Frontline of Estepona Puerto Deportivo. Tel: 952 636 430

MACAOO BEACH Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Jose Echegaray,

San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 952 113 618

MAGNA CAFÉ

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

MOJO Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 8pm ‘til late. Monte Paraíso Golf, Marbella. Tel: 951 217 272

MOMO MARBELLA Open Monday to Saturday from 6pm to midnight. C/ Tetuán 7, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 560

NELI Gs Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Benavista, Estepona. Tel: 952 928 576

NŌMŌ BRASSERIE Open for lunch and dinner every day except for Sunday. Bulevar de San Pedro, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 702 168

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OCHO

Marbella-Monda. Tel: 952 864 455

THE ENGLISH GARDEN

UNI

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

SKINA

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm to 11pm and Sunday from 1.30 to 9.30pm. Closed Mondays. Avda. España 16, Urb. Buenavista, Sitio de Calahonda. Tel: 952 930 252

Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. At the Puente Romano Hotel on the Golden Mile. Tel: 952 820 900

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

PUENTE ROMANO BEACH CLUB Open daily for lunch. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

RESTAURANTE ROYAL Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At the Hotel Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 441 414

ROJO

Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday and Saturday for dinner only. Closed Sunday and Monday. C/ Aduar 12, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 277

SOLLO Open nightly for dinner except Sundays. Urb. Reserva del Higuerón, Málaga. Tel: 951 385 622

SUAVE Open every day for lunch and dinner. Paseo Maritimo Rey de España 93, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 866 627

SUITE

THE LAUNDERETTE Open daily 10am to midnight. Avda. Julio Iglesias s/n, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 319 292

THE MEETING ROOM Open 9am to 11pm every day except Sundays. Avda. Ricardo Soriano 1, Local 1 (Edif. Portillo), Marbella. Tel: 952 772 577

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

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

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

SAVOR

SUTTON

Open 1pm to 3:30pm and 7:30pm to 11:30pm daily except Sunday evenings and Monday. Avda. Andalucía 6, Local 4, San Pedro de Alcántara. Tel: 951 531 777

Open nightly for dinner. Urb. Marbellamar 93, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 760

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Manzana, Locales 8-11, Pueblo Los Arcos, Elviria. Tel: 952 830 868

TANINO

TIKITANO

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

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Guadalmansa, CN340, km 164, Estepona. Tel: 952 798 449

SEA GRILL At the Puente Romano Beach Club. Open daily for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 187, Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

SHANTI-SOM – AMRITA Open Monday to Thursday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm, Friday and Saturday from 1.30pm to 4.30 pm and 8pm to 10.30pm. Ctra. de Ojén, km 22, A355,

TERRA SANA Open Monday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nueva Andalucía next to the Casino. Tel: 952 906 205. Marina Banús, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 977. C.C. Laguna Village, Estepona. Tel: 951 901 050. C.C. Parque Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 663 937. Puerto Marina, Benalmádena. Tel: 951 915 069

THE PLAYWRIGHT

VENTA GARCÍA Open daily for lunch and dinner every day except Monday. Ctra. de Casares km 7, Casares. Tel: 952 894 191

VILLA PADIERNA CLUB DE MAR Open daily for lunch from 1pm to 6pm. CN 340, km 166, Marbella. Tel: 647 791 515

ZEST Open Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and for cocktail hour from 4:30pm to 8pm. Centro Plaza, Marbella. Tel: 951 319 151

ZOZOI Open Wednesday to Monday for dinner. Closed Tuesday. Plaza Altamirano 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 858 868

italian AL DENTE

Open every day for dinner. Closed on Mondays. Urb. Jardines del Puerto, local 12, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 906 181

TROCADERO ARENA

AMORE E FANTASÍA

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Torre Real Beach, Marbella. Tel: 952 865 579

Open every day for lunch and dinner from 7pm onwards. Muelle Benabola, Casa 5A, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 464

TROCADERO BEACH Open daily for lunch and dinner. Playa de la Carolina, Marbella. Tel: 610 704 144

ARAGONA Open every day for dinner. Avda. del Mar 3,

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Marbella. Tel: 951 134 322

GOLD RESTAURANT

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

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

CARPACCIO

IL TARTUFO

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Frontline Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 357

Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner from 6:30pm. C/ Tetuán 9, Marbella. Tel: 951 087 323

CASA TUA

LA FIORENTINA

Open every evening for dinner. C/ Ortiz de Molinillo 14, Marbella. Tel: 951 712 227

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. El Pilar, Local 11 (opposite the Crown Plaza Hotel), Estepona. Tel: 952 885 765

CIBO Open daily for lunch and dinner. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe 11, Marbella. Tel: 952 900 380

DA BRUNO Open all day. Da Bruno Cabopino: CN-340 Km. 194,7. Tel: 952 831 918. Da Bruno a Casa: Marbella Mar, Local 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 857 521 – closed on Sunday. Da Bruno A San Pedro: Avda. del Mar, local 1E, San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 860 – closed on Monday. Da Bruno Sul Mare: Edif. Skol, Paseo Marítimo, Marbella. Tel: 952 903 318/19. Da Bruno Mijas Costa: Ctra. de Mijas, km. 3.6, Mijas. Tel: 952 460 724

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

FRASCATI Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de Los Naranjos s/n, Sotogrande. Tel: 952 790 392

LA PAPPARDELLA DI ESTEPONA

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

Open nightly for dinner. Ctra. Mijas – Fuengirola, km. 14, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 485 996

METRO

VILLA TIBERIO

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

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

NUNOS Open daily for lunch and dinner. At the Caleta Hotel. Catalan Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76501

O MAMMA MIA Open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

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

PIZZERIA PICASSO

LA PAPPARDELLA SUL MARE

PORTOFINO LAGUNA VILLAGE

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

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

LA TRATTORIA

RISTORANTE SAN MARTINO

Open daily from 7pm to 11pm. At the Don Carlos Leisure Resort & Spa. Avenida Zurita, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pinares de Elviria s/n, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 702

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Open Monday to Saturday from 12pm ‘til midnight for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pinogolf de Don Carlos 34, Elviria. Tel: 952 850 148

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

LOMBARDO’S

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

ROSMARINO DELLA PIAZZA

SERAFINA

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

Open from Monday to Saturday for dinner at the Puente Romano Hotel on the Golden Mile. Tel: 952 771 798

MADE IN SARDINIA

VALPARAÍSO

mediterranean

RESTAURANTE BAR CARMEN Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 806 739

oriental ASIA FOOD

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Comercial, Pinares de Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 850 060

ASIAN FUSION BING Open 12.30pm-4.30pm and 6.30pm to 12am daily. Fuengirola, Paseo Marítimo, L-42C. Tel: 952 470 218

ASIATICO ZEN Open every day for lunch and dinner except Tuesday lunch. C/ Lirios s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 691

BAMBOO Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Ctra. Istan km 1, Marbella. Tel: 952 906 674

DRAGÓN DE ORO Open every day from 12.30-4pm and 7pm until midnight. Closed Monday lunchtime. Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 141, Urb. Hacienda Guadalupe, Manilva.

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Tel: 952 890 956

Zurita, s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

TA-KUMI

GENJI SUSHI BAR

OSAKA

Open from 1:30pm-4pm and 8pm to 11pm. C/ Ramón Gomez de la Serna, 4, Edificio Balmoral. Marbella. Tel: 951 530 955

Open every day 13:30-16:00 & 19:30-24:00. CN 340, km. 166 (Benavista). C.C. Costa del Sol. Tel: 952 885 751

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Gregorio Marañón 4, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 839

GOLDEN WOK

SAKURA

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Marbellamar, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 840

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

KABUKI RAW Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. At Finca Cortesín Hotel. Ctra. Casares s/n, Casares. Tel: 952 937 800

SANTOKU

KAIDEN SUSHI

SAPPORO

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

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

KAMA KURA

SUKHO THAI

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

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

Open daily for dinner. At the Villa Padierna Palace Hotel. CN 340, km 166, Marbella. Tel: 952 889 180

SUSHI DES ARTISTES (HIDEYOSHI WAGYU)

TEPPANYAKI SAMURAI Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Manolete 20, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 816 549

THAI GALLERY At Plaza Village at the Hotel Puente Romano. Blvd. Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 818 392

THAI STYLE Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. Playas del Duque s/n. Edif. Gaviotas IV, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 813 675

THAPA THAI

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

seafood

CERVECERÍA OSTRERÍA SANTIAGO

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

SUSHI KATSURA

TSE YANG DIMSUM CLUB

MECA

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

Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sundays. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

TAI PAN

WAGAMAMA

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

Open daily for lunch and dinner. 19 Ocean Village promenade, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 44182

Open from 7pm to 11pm, Wednesday to Sunday. At the Don Carlos Leisure Resort & Spa. Avenida

Open every evening for dinner from 6pm to 11.30pm. Avda. del Prado s/n, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 811 285

TOP THAI

Open every day for lunch and dinner. CN 340, km 178.5, Marbella. Easy parking. Tel: 952 857 403

OMBÚ

ALOHA RESTAURANT

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Avda. del Marzo, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 078

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Ribera s/n (above disco Seven), Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 592 Open every day for lunch and dinner. C.C. Pino Golf, Don Carlos, Local 1, Elviria, Marbella. Tel: 952 830 365 / 658 646 829

scandinavian

Open every day for lunch and dinner. Urb. Puerto Deportivo 13, Edif. Poniente, Estepona. Tel: 951 318 445 Open daily for lunch and dinner. Centro Plaza, 64, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 951 319 778. Also at C.C. Laguna Village, Local 11-13, Estepona. Tel: 952 806 661

MAKITAKE

Open daily from 1.30 pm for lunch and dinner. C.C. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 908 577

WASABI

EL BARLOVENTO

RESTAURANTE LA MARINA Open every day from 1-4.30pm and 8pm until midnight. Paseo Marítimo s/n, La Atunara, La Linea de la Concepción, Campo de Gibraltar. Tel: 956 171 531

LA TORRE Open daily for lunch and dinner. Muelle de Honor, Club de Mar, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 811 561

MARISQUERÍA LA PESQUERA Open daily for lunch and dinner. Plaza de la

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Victoria, Old Town, Marbella. Tel: 952 765 170

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

Wednesday. CN 340, km. 151, Arena Beach. Tel: 952 796 320

LA MÁQUINA Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sunday. At El Corte Inglés Food Hall, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 909 990

Las Malvas, Edif. On Line, Local 2, Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 813 415

vegetarian

Recinto Ferial. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 589 349

TEATRO ALAMEDA Calle Córdoba 9, Málaga. Tel: 952 213 412

TEATRO CERVANTES

LOVING HUT

Ramos Marín, 199, Málaga. Tel: 952 224 109

TEATRO CIUDAD DE MARBELLA

LA MORAGA BISTRÓ

Open daily from 10.30am to 11.30pm. Avda. Miguel Cano 11, Marbella. Tel: 951 245 889

Open daily for lunch and dinner. C/ Ramón Areces s/n, in front of El Corte Inglés, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 817 448

*cinemas & theatres

TEATRO SALON VARIETES

AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL MIJAS

VERACRUZ CINES

Open daily from 9.30am to 6pm. Playa La Fontanilla, Marbella. Tel: 952 821 450

Plaza de la Libertad 2. Mijas. Tel: 952 590 380

Veracruz. Estepona. Tel: 952 800 056

AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL TORREMOLINOS

YELMO CINEPLEX

BAHÍA

LA TABERNA DEL ALABARDERO

Plaza de España, Recinto Ferial. Tel: 952 379 521

Plaza Mayor. Tel: 902 220 922

Open every evening for dinner. At Hotel Don Carlos. Avda. Zurita s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

Open everyday for lunch and dinner except Monday. San Pedro Playa, Urb. Castiglone. Tel: 952 785 138. Also at Ctra. de Ronda, km. 167, San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 265

AUDITORIO PARQUE DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN

*golf guide

MESÓN EL ADOBE

CINESA LA CAÑADA

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

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

La Cañada. Marbella. Tel: 902 333 231

ALHAURÍN GOLF

CINES TEATRO GOYA Avda. Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banús. Tel: 951 196 665

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

MI TABERNA

CINESUR

ALMENARA GOLF

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. CN340, km 178, Marbella. Tel: 952 827 880

C.C. Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 198 605

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

PAELLAS Y MÁS

Avda. Camilo José Cela, s/n. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 800 056

PALAPA Open daily for lunch and dinner. C.C. Laguna Village, CN 340, km 159, Estepona. Tel: 952 808 165

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

spanish CASA DE LA ERA Open only for lunch – call for times. Ctra. de Ojén, km 0.5, Marbella. Tel: 952 770 625

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

HACIENDA Open from 1-4.30pm and 7.30 -11pm. Closed on Sunday afternoons and Mondays. Urb. La Alcaidesa, La Linea de la Concepción. Tel: 956 582 700

LA RED

Open daily from 10:30am to 11pm. C/ Jacinto Benavente 33, Marbella. Tel: 952 822 511

Marbella. Tel: 952 825 035

CENTRO CULTURAL EL INGENIO Garcia Morato, s/n. San Pedro. Tel: 952 786 968

MULTICINES ALFIL

Plaza Ramón Martínez, Marbella. Tel: 952 903 159 Emancipación 30. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 474 542

ALCAIDESA LINKS

ALOHA GOLF CLUB

MULTICINES MEDITERRÁNEO

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

LA COCINA

VILA DO GROVE

Mijas. Tel: 952 663 738

ATALAYA GOLF

Open daily for lunch and dinner except

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. C/

PALACIO DE LA PAZ

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

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www.atalaya-golf.com

www.laquintagolf.com

SOTOGRANDE CLUB DE GOLF

HAPPY DIVER’S CLUB

CABOPINO GOLF

LA RESERVA SOTOGRANDE

18 holes. Tel: 956 785 012

Atalaya Park Hotel, Marbella. Tel: 609 571 920

18 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 850 282

18 holes. Tel: 956 695 209

VALDERRAMA

HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO

CERRADO DEL ÁGUILA

LA ZAGALETA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 951 703 355

18 holes. Members only. Tel: 952 695 209

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

CLUB DE GOLF LA CAÑADA

LAURO GOLF 18 HOLES Alhaurín de la Torre. Tel: 952 412 767

EL PARAISO CLUB DE GOLF

LOS ARQUEROS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

*gyms & sports clubs

At Hotel Pyr, Puerto Banús. Tel: 655 689 455

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 956 794 100

ALHAMAR GYM

Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 883 835

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 784 600

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

MARBELLA GUN & COUNTRY CLUB

ESTEPONA GOLF

LOS NARANJOS GOLF CLUB

ATENAS

Monda. Tel: 952 112 161

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

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 815 206

Barquilla 1. Marbella. Tel: 952 776 240

MARBELLA SPORT

MARBELLA CLUB GOLF RESORT

AZTEC COUNTRY CLUB

Km 171.5. San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315

FINCA CORTESÍN GOLF CLUB

18 holes, Par 73. Tel: 952 113 239

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

MULTI SPORT

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

MARBELLA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

CENTRO DEPORTIVO EL FUERTE

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

18 holes. Tel: 952 830 500

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

NEW CONCEPT TRAINING

FLAMINGOS GOLF CLUB

MIJAS GOLF

CENTRO DE YOGA Y SALUD INTEGRAL

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

36 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 476 843

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

Monte Paraíso Country Club, Camino de Camoján s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 866 843

MIRAFLORES GOLF

CERRADO DEL ÁGUILA

02 CENTRO WELLNESS

GOLF RÍO REAL

18 holes, Par 71. Tel: 952 931 960

Mijas Costa, Málaga. Tel: 951 773 523

Plaza del Mar. Marbella. Tel: 952 900 420

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 756 733

MONTE MAYOR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

CLUB DEL SOL

P-E SPORTS CLUB

GOLF TORREQUEBRADA

18 holes. Tel: 952 113 088

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 442 742

PARADOR MÁLAGA DEL GOLF

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

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

GUADALMINA GOLF

18 holes. Tel: 952 381 255

DY GYM MARBELLA

QI SPORT

36 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 883 375

REAL CLUB DE GOLF LAS BRISAS

Nueva Andalucía. Tel: 952 817 074

Urb. La Alzambra, Marbella. Tel: 952 907 090

LA CALA GOLF RESORT

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 810 875

DYNAMIC TRAINING CENTRE

SATURNIA REGNA

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

REAL CLUB DE GOLF SOTOGRANDE

C.C. Le Village, Marbella. Tel: 952 775 021

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

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 785 014

FITNESS CENTRE NEW STYLE

SEVEN STARS SCHOOL

LA DAMA DE NOCHE

SAN ROQUE CLUB

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

9 holes, Par 70. Tel: 952 818 150

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 956 613 030

FUERTE GYM

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

LA DUQUESA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

SANTA CLARA GOLF

Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella. Tel: 952 861 624

SPORT CLUB RESERVA DEL HIGUERÓN

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 890 425

18 holes. Tel: 952 850 111

GIMNASIO ESTADIO

Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 565 761

LA QUINTA GOLF

SANTA MARIA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

SPORTCLUB ROUTE 66

27 holes, Par 72.Tel: 952 762 390.

18 holes, Par 72. Tel: 952 831 036

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

KRAV MAGA SELF-DEFENCE CENTRE MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB

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

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SPORTING CLUB ATALAYA PARK HOTEL CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 888 212

TICKET-TO-RIDE Cristamar, Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 905 082

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

*hotels DON CARLOS RESORT, LEISURE & SPA CN340, Km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

FINCA CORTESIN HOTEL, GOLF & SPA Crtra. Casares, Casares. Tel: 952 937 800

GRAN HOTEL GVADALPÍN PUERTO BANÚS Arroyo El Rodeo, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Tel: 952 899 700

GRAN MELIÁ DON PEPE José Meliá s/n. Marbella. Tel: 952 770 300

HOTEL PUENTE ROMANO CN340, Km179. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

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

KEMPINSKI HOTEL BAHÍA ESTEPONA CN340, Km159. Estepona. Tel: 952 809 500

LA CALA RESORT La Cala de Mijas Tel: 952 669 000

LOS MONTEROS SPA & GOLF RESORT 5*GL CN340, km 187, Marbella. Tel: 952 771 700

MARBELLA CLUB HOTEL CN340, Km 180. Marbella. Tel: 952 822 211

HOTEL VILLA PADIERNA CN340, Km 166, Exit Cancelada. Benahavís. Tel: 952 889 150

VINCCI SELECCIÓN ESTRELLA DEL MAR CN340, km 190.5, Marbella. Tel: 951 053 970

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HOTEL PLAYA BONITA ALANDA CLUB MARBELLA

*tennis clubs

Marbella. Tel: 952 820 900

AZTEC COUNTRY CLUB

El Rosario, Marbella. Tel: 952 837 651

ROYAL TENNIS CLUB MARBELLA

CN340 Km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 902 537

CN340, Km 217. Benalmádena Costa. Tel: 952 442 840

ALMENARA GOLF HOTEL & SPA

HOTEL PRINCESS PLAYA

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

SPORT CLUB RESERVA DEL HIGUERÓN

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

Paseo Marítimo. Marbella. Tel: 952 820 944

BEL AIR TENNIS AND PADDEL CLUB

AMANHAVÍS HOTEL & RESTAURANT

NH MARBELLA

Urb. Bel-Air, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 221

Avda. del Higueron, Benalmádena. Tel: 952 565 761

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

C/ Conde Rudi, s/n. CN340, Km 178. Marbella. Tel: 952 763 200

CLUB DEL SOL

ATALAYA PARK HOTEL CN340, Km 168,5. Estepona. Tel: 952 889 000

PARADOR DE RONDA

CLUB DE TENIS DON CARLOS

BENABOLA APART HOTEL

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

Benabola. Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 815 000

SENTIDOS HOTEL

Hotel Don Carlos, Avda. Zurita, CN340, km 192. Marbella. Tel: 952 768 800

BLUE BAY BANÚS HOTEL

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

CLUB INTERNACIONAL DE TENNIS

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

GOLF HOTEL GUADALMINA

SUNSET BEACH CLUB

CLUB MADROÑAL

Guadalmina Baja. Marbella. Tel: 952 882 211

Benahavís. Tel: 617 647 223

GRAN HOTEL BENAHAVIS

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

Huerta de Rufino, Benahavís. Tel: 902 504 862

TAMISA GOLF HOTEL

San Pedro Alcántara. Tel: 952 788 315

H10 ANDALUCÍA PLAZA

HOFSAESS TENNIS ACADEMY

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

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

HM GRAN HOTEL COSTA DEL SOL

TRH EL PARAÍSO

Monte Elviria (next to German School). Tel: 952 835 812

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

CN340, km 167, Estepona. Tel: 952 883 000

LEW HOADS TENNIS CLUB

HOTEL AMÀRE MARBELLA BEACH CLUB

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

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

CLUB NUEVA ALCÁNTARA

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

Avda. Severo Ochoa, 8, Marbella. Tel: 952 768 400

HOTEL DIANA PARK

MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB

HOTEL FUERTE ESTEPONA

CN 340, km 168.5, Estepona. Tel: 952 887 659

Ctra. de Istán, Km 2. Marbella. Tel: 952 778 580

Avda. Vaquero Playa. Ctra A-7, Km 150, Estepona. Tel: 952 808 020

HOTEL PYR MARBELLA

MARBELLA HILL TENNIS CLUB Avda. El Fuerte, Marbella. Tel: 659 677 539

HOTEL FUERTE MARBELLA

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

C/ El Fuerte s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 861 500

NH SAN PEDRO

CN340, km 189, Marbella. Tel: 657 619 630

HOTEL IPV BEATRIZ PALACE & SPA

MIRAFLORES TENNIS CLUB

CN340, Km 207. Fuengirola. Tel: 952 922 000

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

HOTEL MELIÁ MARBELLA

SISU BOUTIQUE HOTEL PUERTO BANÚS

Urb. Miraflores, Km 199. Calahonda. Tel: 952 932 006

CN340, Km 175. Pto. Banús. Tel: 952 810 500

CN 340, km 173, Puerto Banús, Tel: 952 906 105

PUENTE ROMANO TENNIS CLUB

MARBELLA PLAYA TENIS

*tourist offices

Benahavís Tel: 952 855 500 Benalmádena Tel: 952 442 494 Estepona Tel: 952 802 002 Fuengirola Tel: 952 467 625 Gibraltar Tourist Board Tel: 956 774 950 Marbella Tel: 952 822 818 Málaga Tel: 952 213 445 / 952 216 061 Mijas Tel: 952 485 900 Ronda Tel: 952 871 272 San Pedro Tel: 952 785 252 Tarifa Tel: 956 680 993 Torremolinos Tel: 952 381 578

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pets THE GUIDE .

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

FREE PUPPY PLAY GROUPS IN MARBELLA If the name Tiny Dog Hotel rings a bell, it may be because your little dog has enjoyed the stay of a lifetime in this stylish pet resort. The good news is that staff at the Hotel are offering free puppy play groups for pups up to four kilograms, who are 25cm tall and six months old, maximum! Socialisation is vital if dogs are to get along with each other and the sooner they start, the better! i For further information, www.tinydoghotel.com

DOGS PREFER

THEIR OWNERS

CAT SUITE HOME: CARE FOR YOUR CAT WHILE YOU TRAVEL

If you have booked a trip for the holiday of a lifetime or you need to travel for business, there is no need to worry about your cat’s wellbeing. Cat Suite Home is a professional service in Estepona (very close to the Diana Commercial Centre), which provides all the home comforts your cat needs. Every cat has their own ‘home’, which features a scratcher, sandbox, games, ‘cave bed’, food, water and more. There is plenty of space to roam around, yet the area is safe and sound. g For futher information, Tel: 649 541 555. www.catsuitehome.es

TO FOOD

A new study published in the journal Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience has found that most dogs prefer praise from their owners rather than a food treat. The study, undertaken at Emory University, involved a series of tests undertaken by 13 dogs. In one behavioural experiment, dogs were familiarised with a room that contained a simple maze that led to food at one exit, and to their owner at another exit. The dogs were then repeatedly released into the room and allowed to choose their path. The results showed that while most alternated between the food and their owner, dogs with the strongest neural response to praise, chose their owner up to 90 per cent of the time. Dogs are hypersocial creatures, noted the scientists, who pointed out their importance in investigating the nature of cross-species bonding.

DOG-FRIENDLY GUIDE TO MADRID AND BARCELONA

Dog-friendly website, www.SrPerro.com, has just published two guides for pet lovers visiting Madrid and Barcelona. The guides are bilingual (Spanish / English) and contain useful information on everything from dog friendly bars, to cafés, restaurants, art galleries, cool shops and more. The books, entitled Barcelona Dog Friendly and Madrid Dog Friendly, respectively, are both written by Micaela de la Maza and include pertinent information a dog owner might need (including how to use public transport, when and where to walk your dog off leash, what to do if your dog gets lost, etc.), as well as fun trip suggestions outside the city. i The guides can be purchased in bookstores such as FNAC or Casa del Libro, or online at www.srperro.tictail.com ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2017 / 189

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what’s on...

. THE GUIDE what’s on

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Until May ART – MARBELLA

The Museo Ralli presents the exhibition Retratos de Mujer (Portraits of Women), comprising works created between 1900 and 1980, including André Derain, Marie Laurencin, Jacques Villon, Louis Latapie and Nicolas Tarkhoff. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm. www.museoralli.es

Until May 5 ART – MARBELLA

Ricardo Alario, artist and art teacher, presents Espectro Visible: a contemporary exhibition featuring a variety of techniques. At Taller Ricardo Alario, 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 8pm Tuesday to Thursday. Tel: 952 859 671. www.ricardoalario.com

Until May 11 ART – BENALMÁDENA

DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Reserva del Higuerón will be hosting a solo show by Victoriano, featuring stunning modern art that symbolises man’s simultaneous materialism and spiritualism. The exhibition was organised by Art Moves. www.reservadelhigueronresort.com

Until June 2 ART – MARBELLA

The Clínica Buchinger Wilhelmi presents Somos de Colores, an exhibition of colourful modernist paintings by Toto Zumpano, an Argentinean painter and architect who has exhibited his work in Spain, Brazil and Switzerland. www.buchinger-wilhelmi.es

NEW AND REGULAR EVENTS Monthly on different days AMERICAN CLUB – MARBELLA

The American Club Costa del Sol Chapter meets monthly for excursions, sports and social events. Tel: 952 772 789. www.americanclubcostadelsol.com

AMIGOS DE LA CULTURA – COSTA DEL SOL

The members of this cultural group meet at different times and places for lunches, lectures, concerts, ballet, theatre, opera, etc. Further information, Tel: 669 445 809.

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE – MARBELLA

Integral Psychotherapist Gabriella Kortsch helps you with everything from relationship breakdowns to depression, poor communication with loved ones or financial stress, at her weekly group meetings, which start at 7:30pm. For information on locations, info@ advancedpersonaltherapy.com

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday JIVE – MIRAFLORES, ESTEPONA AND LA DUQUESA

Learn to dance with Colin and the team from Jive Spain at Miraflores Restaurant on Tuesday, El Campanario on Wednesday and El Goleto at Duquesa on Friday. For precise times, colin@jivespain.com

Every Tuesday and Friday PAINTING CLASSES – MARBELLA

Talented artist Ricardo Alario will be teaching budding painters the secrets of his craft from 10am to 1pm (first group) and 5pm to 8pm (second group). For further information, Tel: 952 859 671. www.ricardoalario.com

PILATES AND YOGA – BENAHAVÍS

The Benahavís Country Club is ready and set to help you achieve a state of greater health, fitness and wellness, with yoga classes every Tuesday at 10am and Pilates on Fridays at 10am. Nonmembers are welcome and the classes cost just €10. Bookings are advised to guarantee your place. Tel: 952 856 171. wellness@benahavishills.com

Every Wednesday ART – MÁLAGA

The Museo Picasso de Málaga offers free guided tours in English (included in the entry price), from 11:30am to 2pm. Tickets cost €8 for adults. Children enter for free. www.museopicassomalaga.org

FLAMENCO – MIJAS

Every Wednesday at 12pm, a dazzling flamenco show takes place at the Plaza Virgen de la Peña in Mijas Pueblo. www.mijas.es

Every first Wednesday of the month CULTURE AND COCKTAIL – MARBELLA The Association of Art and Culture Marbella holds a monthly cocktail at Magna Café at Magna Marbella Golf, from 8pm-10pm. Tel: 627 833 262. www.artandculturemarbella.com

Every Thursday NETWORKING – MARBELLA

The Marbella Business Group holds its weekly breakfast meeting, which features presentations, discussions and introductions of new members. At 8am at the Hotel Senator in Marbella. To become a member, www.marbellabusinessgroup.com

Thursday April 26 to September 17

ART – MÁLAGA

Until April 4

ART – MÁLAGA La Casa Amarilla presents a new painting exhibition by Anais Aldana called Analogía de un Desnudo, which focuses on the beauty of human nudity. This gallery is located at C/ Santos 7, Málaga. www.lacasa-amarilla.es

The Museo Picasso Málaga presents the exhibition Bacon, Freud and The School of London, featuring works by famous artists from The School of London – a small group of painters in the 1950s who shared the same artistic concerns and were connected by ties of friendship and mutual admiration, who explored the appearance and vulnerability of the human body, with the city of London as their surrounding context. www.museopicassomalaga.org

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Every last Friday of the Month COFFEE MORNING – ESTEPONA

ADANA animal rescue charity coffee morning at Plaza Manilva (outside Longman’s Bookshop) 11am – 2pm. Kennels open 10am – 5pm Monday – Friday and 10am – 2pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Further information, Tel: 952 800 975. www.adana.es

BUSINESS LUNCH – MARBELLA

Marbella Business Institute holds an invitation-only lunch club for local and visiting business people, active and retired. To apply, visit www. marbellabusinessinternational.org

Every Saturday MARKETS – PUERTO BANÚS

Head for the Puerto Banús bullring every Saturday for a fun street market featuring everything from clothing to music, accessories and home ware. Starts at 9am and ends at 2pm. www.marbella.es

Every First Sunday of the month OPEN DAY – MIJAS

PAD animal shelter, Cerros del Águila, welcomes visitors from 12pm-3pm. Further information, Tel: 952 486 084.

Friday April 7 to Tuesday April 11 THEATRE – FUENGIROLA

Salón Varietés Theatre presents A Tomb with a View: a frightfully funny comedy thriller described as ‘Agatha Christie Meets the Addams Family.’ Nightly at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm. For tickets, www.salonvarietestheatre.com

Saturday April 8 DOCUMENTARY FILM NIGHT – MARBELLA

Música Con Encanto presents El Sistema, a documentary about visionary musician José Antonio Abreu, who changed the lives of thousands of children by teaching them to play music. At La Iglesia de La Virginia at 7pm. For further information, www.musicaconencanto.org

Sunday April 9 FOOTBALL – MÁLAGA

The Málaga Football Club will be playing Barcelona at the Estadio La Rosaleda at 5pm. For tickets, www.viagogo.com

Sunday April 9 to Saturday April 15 SEMANA SANTA – ALONG THE COAST The city centre of Málaga (and the streets of various cities and towns along the Coast) will be holding religious processions throughout the week. Visit your local Town Hall to obtain a programme of processions.

Wednesday April 12 and Sunday April 16 JAZZ – ESTEPONA

The Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona will be hosting two lively jazz lunches, featuring the Cotton Jazz Band. The lunch will comprise a hearty three-course meal with a wide range of starters and desserts. For precise times and to book a table, Tel: 952 809 500. www.kempinski.com

Thursday April 13 FLAMENCO – ESTEPONA

The Kempinski Hotel Bahía Estepona will present a passionate flamenco evening and dinner at the resort’s beachside dining haven, La Cabaña del Mar. Featuring dance by renowned troupe, Ratales. For precise times and to book a table, Tel: 952 809 500. www.kempinski.com

Saturday April 15 CLASSICAL MUSIC – SOTOGRANDE

Música Con Encanto presents Journey to Love, a concert featuring music by Mahler, Richard Strauss, Gabriel Fauré, Johannes Brahms and more. At 7pm at the Espacio Cultural Osvaldo Lobalzo, Puerto de Sotogrande. www.musicaconencanto.org

Friday April 21 to Tuesday April 25 THEATRE – FUENGIROLA

Salón Varietés Theatre presents Cinemania: a multi musical extravaganza with excerpts from Les Misérables, Jersey Boys, Saturday Night Fever and much more. Nightly at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm. For tickets, www.salonvarietestheatre.com

Tuesday April 25 UNITED NATIONALITIES OF MARBELLA SUMMIT – MARBELLA

Nicole King presents the second edition of the United Nationalities of Marbella Summit, which will be televised via RTV Marbella Now. The aim of the event is to unite all the nationalities living here and give residents a voice to identify issues in Marbella and search for solutions together. Everyone is welcome to share their ideas and experiences and translators will be present at the event. To register and for further information, www.rtvmarbellanow.com

Friday April 28 to Sunday April 30 JAZZ WEEKEND – MÁLAGA

Club Jazz @ Casa del Río presents an all-inclusive jazz getaway to the white village of Alozaina, featuring hiking, biking and pub hopping. Upscale accommodation at Casa del Río, an historic renovated 19th-century Andalusian villa, is available. Including breakfast, lunch, dinner, concerts and a gift bag. More weekends will be taking place in the future. For further information, www.clubjazz.eu

Sunday April 2

Saturday May 6

Talented R&B/jazz soul singer Macy Gray will be performing at Fuengirola’s Recinto Ferial (fairgrounds) at 7pm. For tickets, www.allevents.in

India Martínez is one of Spain’s best loved voices. She will be singing hits old and new at the Málaga Auditorium Club at 9pm. For tickets, www.viagogo.com

MACY GRAY – FUENGIROLA

INDIA MARTÍNEZ – MÁLAGA

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www.russellgrant.com

. THE GUIDE stars

Russell Grant’s Monthly Horoscope April 2017

ARIES March 21th - April 20th You’ll be working hard to improve your financial situation at the start of the month. Demanding a raise, increasing your fees and applying for a better paid job are all possibilities. Keep your receipts, as it will be necessary to return an expensive item that doesn’t come up to expectations or is badly damaged. The Full Moon on the 11th will cause a power struggle in a close relationship. Beware of assuming a dictatorial attitude with your romantic or business partner. Hosting a gathering will lift your spirits at Easter; you’ll enjoy serving as Master of Ceremonies. Your employer will become less demanding during the second half of April, allowing you to catch up on household or family responsibilities. On the 26th, you’ll see a big improvement in your income. Having more money will give you more time for relaxing activities. It would be a good idea to take a solitary vacation by the sea. You’ll welcome this opportunity to reconnect with your spiritual side.

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TAURUS [21 APR - 21 MAY]

It will be easy to command attention throughout April. Take this opportunity to promote your agenda and increase demands. Your powers of persuasion will be very strong, making it difficult to refuse any of your requests. After being provided with new information, you’ll revise some opinions about current events. Be prepared to apologise for any confusion you have caused. On the 11th, the Full Moon will create strain at work. Mixing your personal and professional lives will cause a great deal of unhappiness. If you feel you want to ask a colleague for a date you should think again. Easter brings a lovely opportunity to socialise with caring people who bring out the best in you. Expenses will increase during the second half of the month, despite your best efforts to economise. Launching a self-improvement programme will be successful on the 26th, thanks to an empowering New Moon. Turn over a new leaf.

GEMINI [22 MAY - 21 JUN]

You’ll get help from an undisclosed friend at the beginning of April. Don’t question your luck when you receive a big windfall. Instead, give thanks for it by making a donation to your favourite charity. Dealing with a bureaucratic issue will be more frustrating than usual during the first half of the month. If you can postpone this business until May, do so. The Full Moon on the 11th could make you realise that a troubled romantic relationship isn’t worth your time or your energy. Alternatively, the results of a creative project could be disappointing. Friends will be helpful around Easter, when you need an added measure of support to deal with a legal matter. Push an important personal project during the second half of the month, even if it means working around a stubborn authority figure. The New Moon on the 26th offers a welcome opportunity to rest, relax and recuperate from your labours. Head for a private retreat.

CANCER [22 JUN - 23 JUL]

Working with a partner will help you make a cherished dream come true in the opening days of April. Don’t let pessimistic relatives and colleagues break your stride. A friend from your past will try to reconnect with you; recalling old times will jog some forgotten memories. The Full Moon on the 11th could bring a tense family situation to a head. It may be time to find a healthier living situation. Travel may be on the agenda around Easter. This would be a good time to go on a spiritual pilgrimage. Assuming more responsibility in a close partnership will be empowering during the second half of the month. This is a great opportunity to show how effectively you can take charge of events. On the 26th, a sociable New Moon will draw you out of your shell. It’s a great time to attend or host a gathering. Splash out on an eye-catching outfit. You’ll have a great time playing the host or hostess with the mostest.

LEO [24 JUL - 23 AUG]

A career opportunity that seems tailormade for you will become available. Do everything in your power to land this position. Update your CV, gather a list of references and put together impressive samples of your work. You may have to go for several interviews before getting an official offer. On the 11th, the Full Moon will bring some upsetting news. It may be necessary to change your dietary and exercise habits. At first, these changes will be difficult to undergo. Be patient and persistent. You’ll attract lots of admiring glances at an Easter gathering. Be sure to wear something eye-catching that will turn heads. Pay careful attention to your body’s

signals during the second half of the month. If an old ache or pain resurfaces, make a date with your doctor. The New Moon on the 26th will put you squarely in the spotlight, where you belong. You could assume a political office or be given an impressive promotion.

VIRGO [24 AUG - 23 SEP]

The beginning of April is a good time to make some travel plans. It would be wonderful to visit a country that has fascinated you since childhood. A legal matter could hit a snag during the first half of the month. Be ready to revisit some issues you had thought were resolved. On the 11th, the Full Moon will create financial strain. It may be time to talk with a loved one or child who has expensive tastes. Easter will bring a welcome opportunity to spend quality time with your favourite friends and relatives. An old flame will try to make their way back into your life during the second half of the month. Think carefully whether or not you want to get involved with them the second time around especially if there was a good reason you broke up in the first place. The New Moon on the 26th is ideal for expanding your horizons. Seize this opportunity to put yourself on a steep learning curve.

LIBRA [24 SEP - 23 OCT]

Passion ignites an intimate relationship in the early days of the month. If you’re single, you could meet someone special at a business meeting or professional association. Go over financial statements with a finetoothed comb during the first half of the month. Report unusual activity or unrecognised charges as soon as possible. The Full Moon on the 11th will force you to defend your reputation to a meddling relative. Stop letting a controlling family member influence your decisions. A big windfall will come your way at Easter, allowing you to put a down payment on a home or car. Your household will undergo big changes during the second half of the month making it a good time to launch repairs or modernise your home in one way or another. On the 26th, you’ll get a chance to create long term financial security. Make out a will, take out an insurance policy or start a retirement fund.

SCORPIO [24 OCT - 22 NOV]

A partner is encouraging you to make a bold move. Thanks to their support, you’ll be taking decisions and moving forward at a rate you never dreamt possible. You’ll have to revisit an old issue with a business or romantic partner. Resist the temptation to sweep a relapse under the carpet. On the 11th, an embarrassing secret will come to light. Be ready to do some damage control at this stressful time. News of an engagement, marriage or pregnancy could be announced near Easter, setting off a round of celebrations. The second half of April will prompt you to change your thinking on a local matter. Apologise to someone whose opinions you once scorned. The New Moon on the 26th could mark the beginning of a fruitful business partnership or passionate romance. This alliance will cause your creative juices to flow freely. Take this opportunity to revisit a creative project you abandoned some time ago.

SAGITTARIUS [23 NOV - 21 DEC]

Working on a commission or freelance basis could pay off nicely at the beginning of the month. You’ll easily outperform the competition at this stimulating time. If you’re unemployed, you could find

work with an employer you used to work for a long time ago. On the 11th, the Full Moon will cause arguments among friends. As much as you hate to do so, you will have to take sides. The days surrounding Easter will be perfect for enjoying domestic pursuits. It’s a positive time to enjoy comfort food with your nearest and dearest. Do your best to conserve your financial resources during the second half of April. Make your cash stretch as far as it can possibly go. On the 26th, the New Moon will prompt you to hold a far-reaching lifestyle check. Improving your diet, exercise and sleep regimens will yield impressive results. Breaking a bad habit will be liberating; get professional help if you need it.

CAPRICORN [22 DEC - 20 JAN]

Your powerful magnetism attracts many admirers at the beginning of April. If you’re single, you’ll enjoy playing the dating game. Do you have a partner? It will feel like you’re enjoying a second honeymoon with your amour. It may become necessary to revise a creative project several times during the first half of the month. Be patient and stay focused on doing the best job you can. The Full Moon on the 11th will find you facing off with an oppressive authority figure. You may decide it’s time to leave a position that has become too stressful to bear. A loving message from someone special will make your spirits soar at Easter. During the second half of the month, you should make adjustments to a self-improvement programme that is sapping your energy. On the 26th, the New Moon will prompt you to take a financial or emotional risk. This gamble will pay off handsomely.

AQUARIUS [21 JAN - 19 FEB]

Home improvements will make daily life much easier; use the early days of April to make repairs or upgrade the kitchen or bathroom. A property matter will hit some snags during the first half of the month. Take delays, mechanical breakdowns and misunderstandings in your stride. It will be much easier to straighten things out when you are calm and focused. On the 11th, the Full Moon will cause arguments about religion, politics and culture to erupt. Instead of adding fuel to the fire, listen carefully to all points of view. Reconnect with friends and family at Easter. The second half of April will find you doing battle with a bureaucratic institution. A change in policy will create tremendous inconvenience to you. If an agency refuses to stick to its original agreement, you may want to contact the media. The New Moon on the 26th is perfect for buying or selling a piece of property.

PISCES [20 FEB - 20 MAR]

Joining a professional or creative organisation will be empowering in the early days of April and set a trend for times to come. There is strength in numbers at this pivotal time. Double check the address field before hitting the ‘send’ button on emails. Misdirected messages can cause tremendous problems during the first half of the month. The Full Moon on the 11th will bring an unexpected expense. You’ll have to juggle the budget to accommodate your financial obligations. Use your considerable charm to talk your way into a great job around Easter. The second half of the month will see some big changes to your social network. It may be time to purge some people from your Facebook feed. On the 26th, the New Moon will give you a chance to acquire some valuable skills. Learning how to make furniture or repair equipment will give you a great feeling of satisfaction. If you play your cards right, you may even be able to use this knowledge to increase your income. ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2017 / 193

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. THE GUIDE family

This year Semana Santa - otherwise known as Easter Week - runs from April 9 – 16. This is undoubtedly one of the most important holidays of the year in Spain. The streets of Marbella will be ﬁlled with rich religious fanfare, people, parades and music and Easter Parades will be held throughout the week. The city of Marbella organises processions and parades in the centre of town as well as the communities of San Pedro de Alcántara and Nueva Andalucía. The processions are spectacular and are not to be missed! Here are some fun things to do with the family this month!

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CALENDAR STROLL ONE OF THE MAGNIFICENT BOARDWALKS

Whether you enjoy a morning run or are looking for a casual lunch with the family before siesta, there are numerous boardwalks to choose in Marbella that feature kids playgrounds, lively cafés and bustling shops. Some of the family favourites are the Paseo Marítimo near downtown Marbella and the new, multi-million expansion of the San Pedro Boulevard. For details, search ‘boardwalks’ on www.marbellafamilyfun.com

VISIT OLD TOWN MARBELLA – ON A SEGWAY!

This is something the kids will love and the family will not forget. Experience the charm and sophistication of Old Town Marbella on a Segway and literally glide through history while learning fun facts along the way. Tel: 617 669 761.

VIP CINEMA EXPERIENCE IN PUERTO BANÚS

Get the VIP movie experience at the fabulous cinema in fashionable Puerto Banús. If you secretly want to know how it feels to be treated like Eva Longoria or Antonio Banderas while enjoying your favourite movie – this is the way to do it! Tel: +951 196 666.

FAMILY YACHT EXPERIENCE Whether it’s for a family of four or forty, this is the way to really enjoy the Mediterranean in its full glory. The views of Africa and Andalucía are spectacular and – if you’re lucky – you’ll see dolphins frolicking right beside your boat. Tel: 660 409 600.

HIKE LA CONCHA

Here’s one that not many locals even know about. Enjoy a day out with the family hiking through the cool headlands of the Costa del Sol. Hikes range from beginner to advanced and this is a must-see for any group that loves the great outdoors. The mountain is 1,215 meters high and famous for its group selﬁes. Don’t forget to say ‘cheese’! Tel: 637 886 788.

CANYONING – FOR ADVENTUROUS FAMILIES

If you like the water and the sensation of a rushing river, this one is deﬁnitely for you. Just minutes from downtown Marbella, canyoning combines climbing, swimming, jumping and lots of laughing. The sport was actually invented by hikers who had to work out ways to safely negotiate narrow valley pathways. Tel: 673 227 595.

BUGGY TOURS

A big hit with thrill seekers who want to see what happens in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean, these powerful buggies hold two people and can easily traverse hidden paths winding through narrow valleys. You can see stunning views of the coastline and even enjoy a picnic overlooking the crystal blue waters of the sea. Tel: 607 643 541. For the latest updates on the Semana Santa Procession Schedule, visit www.MarbellaFamilyFun.com

FAMILY FUN

APRIL CALENDAR

APRIL 1 – APRIL FOOL’S DAY Although it’s not celebrated by the Spanish, don’t be surprised if you see some of the local establishments enticing you to join in the fun with special offers. APRIL 8 – DOG WALKING WITH THE TRIPLE-A ANIMAL SHELTER Every Saturday this acclaimed local shelter invites you to help those dogs without homes to enjoy a brisk walk outside of their cages. It’s a lovely way to show the kids how to offer something back to the community. 10am to 3pm at Triple A Shelter, Tel: 607 163 379. APRIL 10-14 – EASTER CAMP IN NUEVA ANDALUCÍA Multisports Club – Kids’ drop-off service. This is a really convenient service and very handy for those busy parents that need a couple of hours to run a few errands without having to tow the children along! Supervised sports and games for children four – 13 years old. Tel: 678 286 490. APRIL 10-14 – EASTER CAMP IN ESTEPONA Funky Forest will feature an Easter programme including games, activities, workshops, a live-animal display, a mini rockclimbing wall as well as an annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids four – 10 years of age. Tel: +34 952 883 224 APRIL 17-22 – FOOTBALL CAMP IN SAN PEDRO The Marbella Football Academy is a well known local kids camp perfect for boys and girls four – 16 years of age. Daily from 10:30am – 1:30pm at San Pedro Football Stadium. Tel: 609 537 550.

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Welcome to the Marbella Club Kid’s Club Memories to last a lifetime Come and join us as we open the doors to our Kids Club, a place where all the ingredients have been carefully chosen to form a playful and dynamic space that invites to explore, discover and experience. There will be something for everyone to enjoy and to be inspired by. Our programme has been specially designed to help children aged 4-12 develop and nurture special talents, teach essential life skills and offer a truly extraordinary childhood experience.

We are delighted to announce a unique opportunity to become a member of our Kid’s Club. We are now offering a limited number of memberships for families here in the Marbella area and also for those who are not based here but who visit Marbella on a regular basis.

New Mini Club The Marbella Club Kids Club is thrilled to reveal the Mini Club, a new service within the Kids Club for children aged 2 and 3. Special activities for toddlers now run every day from 10 in the morning

until 6 in the afternoon. Sessions have a duration of two hours and are especially designed for the little ones to develop their senses through play and experimentation. They will be planting seeds

in the orchard, cooking, discovering their creative talents through art and stimulating their senses with sensory boxes and scents in our AromaLab. 48-hour advanced bookings are open.

If you wish to receive further information about our Memberships please contact Daniela Isler/ disler@marbellaclub.com Marbella Club Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, 29602, Marbella, Málaga, Spain (34) 952 822 211 Fax (34) 952 82 88 84 marbellaclub.com

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Sales office: Urb. Santa Clara Golf | T. 952 907 200 | icon-marbella.com

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