ANDALUCÍA - SPAIN
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MARBELLA d
WAT c on- CH p VIDE age OS DISCOVER
VEGGIE SPAIN
MILLIE BOBBY
BROWN
MANGO DENIM
ICONIC E-TYPE
JAGUAR BEAUTIFUL
BOHO CLUB BEACHFRONT APARTMENT MAKEOVER
SOLPURI
SLEEK DESIGN
MOVING TO
MARS
WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM I TRAVEL I TRENDS I CULTURE I LIFESTYLE I PROPERTY I GOURMET
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ESSENTIALS
18 Publisher’s Letter
GO TO SPOTLIGHT 26 Spain’s Most Vegetarian Cities 40 Vivood Landscape Hotel 48 E-Type Jaguar – 60th Anniversary 56 Millie Bobby Brown 64 Moving to Mars 74 Lost Tribes
GO TO TRENDS 84 New Film Releases 88 Hot New Series on Netflix 92 Books – New Releases 96 Living the Dream – Expat Life 100 Music News 102 What’s Cool
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GO TO LIFESTYLE 108 Solpuri Exclusive Outdoor Furniture 118 Beachfront Apartment Reinvented 132 Cute Ceramic Pets 134 Furnishings for Felines 136 Art Attack 138 Mango’s New Denim Collection
GO TO SPA 148 Healthy Relationships 150 Orthopaedic Surgeon
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152 Teeth Whitening Techniques
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GO TO ENTERPRISE 158 Do’s and Dont’s when Buying Spanish Property 160 MiMove Business Profile 164 Málaga Valley Technology Park 168 Business News
GO TO GOURMET 178 Boho Club Luxury Resort
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182 Gourmet Bytes 186 Winery On Creations
DESIGNED FOR BETTER LIVING Each design-led home at Vista Lago will be quite unlike anything that has gone before. All 18 villas, as well as the furniture and fittings in them, are different from each other. The commonality they share are the breathtaking views across the Mediterranean Sea to Gibraltar and Africa beyond.
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prices on application | (+34) 648 981 111 | info@by-bright.com | vistalago.es
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
VILLA BODEGA
ALOHA 171
Bed: 5 I Bath: 5 I Plot: 1.158 m2 I Built: 351 m2 I aloha171.es I € 3.495.000
Bed: 4 I Bath: 4+2 I Plot: 1.011 m2 I Built: 390 m2 I € 3.260.000
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
VILLA TUCAN 22
MARBELLA’S LARGEST SELECTION OF TURN-KEY VILLAS IN PRIME AREAS solvilla.es SIERRA BLANCA
RESERVA 8
Bed: 5 I Bath: 5 I Plot: 1.500 m2 I Built: 641 m2 I villatucan22.es I € 3.500.000
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
ALOHA 151
Bed: 3 I Bath: 3 I Terrace: 192 m2 I Built: 322 m2 I reserva8.es I € 2.995.000
Bed: 4 I Bath: 5+2 I Plot: 1.023 m2 I Built: 502 m2 I aloha151.es I € 4.695.000
GOLDEN MILE
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
PUENTE ROMANO DALIA 1
BRISAS 1
Bed: 3 I Bath: 3 I Terrace: 40 m2 I Built: 140 m2 dalia1.es I € 3.950.000
Bed: 5 I Bath: 4+1 I Plot: 1.263 m2 I Built: 556 m2 I € 3.595.000
CASCADA DE CAMOJAN
CAMOJAN 45
Bed: 7 I Bath: 7+2 I Plot: 2.109 m2 I Built: 641 m2 I camojan45.es I € 6.950.000
SIERRA BLANCA
VILLA LOS ANGELES
Exclusively by
OFFICE: +34 952 765 060 MOBILE: +34 627 813 545 EMAIL: info@solvilla.es Hotel Marbella Club, oficina 10 29602 Marbella, Spain Blvd. Principe Alfonso von Hohenlohe s/n Bed: 6 I Bath: 7 I Plot: 2.696 m2 I Built: 1.072 m2 I villalosangeles.es I € 8.995.000
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Issue 258 - May 2021
STAFF PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR IAIN BLACKWELL director@essentialmagazine.com DIGITAL & CREATIVE DIRECTOR ANDREA BLACKWELL andrea@essentialmagazine.com DESIGN & LAYOUT ANDREA BLACKWELL, INMA AURIOLES design@essentialmagazine.com
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D WORDS BY IAIN BLACKWELL PUBLISHER
MAY MAGIC
A
fter the regular rainfall of last month, everything is beautifully green and blooming as we head towards the summer. This month, we research how Spain shapes up for vegetarian dining, a healthy growing trend, stopping off en route at the wonderfully relaxing Vivood Landscape Hotel. As many of us will be increasingly spending more time outdoors, take a look at the awardwinning furniture designs from Solpuri. Sumptuous indoor decór is also featured, with the makeover of a luxury beachfront apartment.
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We honour the E-Type Jaguar, which has just turned 60, check what all the fuss is about with the recent Mars mission, and get shirty with Mango’s new Denim Collection. Millie Bobby Brown, who was born in Marbella, the youngest ever to feature in the TIME 100 list, is a star on the rise – enjoy our interview with her. To top things off, we savour a memorable visit to Boho Club on the Golden Mile and experience the heady pleasures of Demuerte Wines.
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“THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE SEASON IS THE SPRING. ALL THINGS SEEM POSSIBLE IN MAY”
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EDWIN WAY TEALE
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LA MORERA PLAYA LUXURY FRONTLINE BEACH APARTMENTS La Morera Playa offers the unique combination of beautifully finished spacious modern apartments and penthouses in a very private beachside parkland setting • Direct Sea and Beach Views • Large Panoramic Terraces • Spacious Open Plan Interiors
• Handover end of May 2021 • Gated Community - Security 24/7 • Indoor Pool & Gym
MPDunne Hamptons International - tel: 952 866 072 - wwww.lamoreraplaya.com
{ VIEW VIRTUAL TOURS ON }
WWW.LAMORERAPLAYA.COM FROM 865.000€ Sales Office Open Agents Enquiries Welcome
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spotlight
WE TRAVEL AROUND SPAIN, REVIEWING WHICH CITIES HAVE THE BEST VEGETARIAN FOOD OFFERING AND ENJOY THE SECLUSION IN NATURE AT THE VIVOOD LANDSCAPE HOTEL. MARVEL AT THE E-TYPE JAGUAR, NOW 60 YEARS OLD, READ ABOUT THE RECENT MARS MISSION AND FIND OUT WHY MILLIE BOBBY BROWN IS SUCH A SENSATION.
GO TO PAGE 26 FOR SPAIN’S MOST VEGGIE CITIES
GO TO PAGE 48 FOR THE E-TYPE JAGUAR
GO TO PAGE 40 FOR VIVOOD LANDSCAPE HOTEL
GO TO PAGE 56 FOR MILLIE BOBBY BROWN
CULTURE TRAVEL HISTORY PEOPLE MOTORING 26 Spain’s Most Vegetarian Cities 40 Vivood Landscape Hotel Ravishing Road Trips 48 E-Type Jaguar – 60th Anniversary 56 Millie Bobby Brown 64 Moving to Mars 74 Lost Tribes
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THE MOST
VEGGIE CITIES IN SPAIN WORDS MADDIE QUINN SOURCE & PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDU.ES
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The veggie movement is growing strong globally, making its way into our daily lives. Spain is no different, the revolutionisation of food here too is evolving rapidly, gradually reaching every corner of the country. With the explosion of information, product availability and varied preparations, it is no longer necessary to sacrifice enjoyment for healthy eating. Whether they are vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians or simply curious, more and more people are adopting this life philosophy and choose to omit or at least reduce animal consumption every day. We look at a study conducted by the vacation rental search engine Holidu, which reveals the 10 cities in Spain that offer the greatest number of bars and restaurants with a vegan or vegetarian menu per capita.
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1. BARCELONA – 6.17 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS As the saying goes, 'in Barcelona fall in love' and in this case fall in love with the veggies. With exactly 100 vegetarian restaurants, Barcelona takes the top ranking in Spain. A city well known for its fantastic gastronomy and emblematic dishes such as the botifarra amb mongetes, the fricandó and the carn d’olla is now also taken over by many talented chefs offering creative and imaginative vegetarian and vegan menus that can easily convert even the most reluctant.
TERESA CARLES (€€€) One of the leading vegetarian restaurants. With more than 39 years of experience behind the stove, Chef Teresa Carles Borrás still maintains a constant desire for exploration and innovation with plant-based food to surprise both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
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Our Pick
Strand Properties is a full-service Real Estate agency. We have our inhouse stylist, photographer and a marketing team of 20. We would love to sell your property and assist you in finding your new dream home. If you are selling an empty villa, we can virtually furnish it for you. When buying a home through Strand Properties you will receive the Golden Membership card with a lot of benefits and discounts including interior design and furnishing. We are also the exclusive retailer of Drop Design Spas here in Spain. Welcome to visit us. AV. P LAYAS DE L DU Q U E 1 C . P U E RTO B ANÚ S + 34 676 901 519 INFO @ ST RAND. ES STR AND. ES
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2. GRANADA – 6.01 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Despite meat, stews and fries being abundant everywhere, we cannot dismiss Granada when talking about plant-based restaurants. With almost as many options to dine in this fashion as Barcelona has to offer, Granada has become another benchmark veggie capital. Now the famous habas con jamón and the tortilla del Sacromonte no longer dominate the scene, making room for a variety of new, innovative dishes waiting to be discovered.
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Our Pick WILD FOOD (€€€) If you want to eat healthy without sacrificing flavour, this central veggie restaurant will conquer your heart. The menu includes acai bowls, avocado toast, vegetable croquettes, vegan donuts, cheesecakes, even pizza and more. All options are available for take away or can be delivered to your home.
3. SALAMANCA – 4.85 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Salamanca has a tradition of a rich gastronomy based on hearty meat dishes. Although famous for its entrecotes, steaks and other animal products, the veggie trend is also gaining ground. Now seven restaurants are dedicated to plant lovers, which for the size of its population puts Salamanca in Spain third in the ranking.
Our Pick EL LAUREL DE SALAMANCA (€€) Offering quality vegan dishes at a good price, inspired by typical Spanish cuisine but with a plant twist. A popular menu is available with two main dishes, dessert and a drink, which can also be ordered for delivery.
4. TARRAGONA – 4.56 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Tarragona is historically a port city and its gastronomy is shaped by the offerings of the Mediterranean. Its smallish population is now catered to by six restaurants with a veggie
CREEA (€) CReeA was born with the idea of a better and more sustainable world. The restaurant offers traditional Mediterranean vegetarian cuisine based on tapas, organic wines, organic craft beers, kombucha, fresh juices and more, and also exercises a zero-waste policy.
soul, giving an interesting alternative to the traditional fruits of the sea. Their talented chefs reformulated some of the emblematic dishes such as rice and noodles with a herbivorous focus resulting is a number of new but not unfamiliar variations.
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5. PALMA DE MALLORCA – 4.18 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Coca de trampó, arrós brut or frito Mallorquín are all traditional in Mallorca and will be prominent on most restaurant menus. Known for its Mediterranean diet but loaded with pork fat, sausages and meat, it could hardly be an option for those who prefer not to consume animal products. But fear not! The capital of the Balearic Islands also offers 17 restaurants providing a whole new vegetarian world to discover.
TEMPLE NATURA CAFÉ GARDEN (€€) A vegetarian fusion restaurant but also with vegan options such as Pad Thai, raw bowls or baked sweet potatoes. The experience is topped off with a dessert of cocoa and matcha cake or carrot cake with cashew milk. When times allow, they also organise Yoga, Pilates and other relaxation sessions.
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Our Pick
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ALICE IN WONDER PIE (€) This pastry shop was transformed totally vegan back in 2019 by a group of master pastry chefs. They offer a wide variety of baked goods such as croissants and brownies, as well as coffee, sandwiches and vegan cheese pizza. Their cakes are described by their customers as super impressive.
6. SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – 4.10 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Galician cuisine has a reputation as one of the best in our country, and especially that of Santiago de Compostela which is exquisite, varied and healthy. The Galician octopus, the empanadas and the lacón are well known dishes but when we search beyond the traditional, we can find as many as four restaurateurs within a fairly small distance who have switched out the norm. They even include some unusual plants in their offerings that are native to this land such as the Lourenzá beans, the special Galician turnip greens or the famous Bergantiños potatoes.
7. VALENCIA – 4.06 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Valencia is a Mediterranean city that has everything needed to become a reference for the veggie culture, operating one of the best orchards in Europe. Whether mandarins, artichokes, tomatoes or onions, top-quality local ingredients are a constant stream of supply to as many as 32 plantbased restaurants, various of them creating 5-star dishes from these fresh vegetables. 34 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
Our Pick
Our Pick 8. GIRONA – 4.04 VEGGIE
BIONÈCTAR (€€) Bionèctar is a project that was born with the intention of promoting conscious eating. It is described as an eco-gastronomic space where you can enjoy healthy plant-based food. It is 100% certified organic food, locally sourced and respectful to the environment.
RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS Girona is a mandatory stop when visiting Catalonia. It’s a land of contrasts where the sea and the mountains mix creating a very special culture and gastronomy. Varying from the most traditional restaurants serving surf and turf to world-renowned ones offering the best in avant-garde cuisine, it is not surprising that you can also find some opting to adapt to a plant-based philosophy.
Our Pick THE VURGER (€€) Does anyone think that fast food is not suitable for vegans? The Vurger shows us that this is not the case. This plant-based fast-food restaurant has been serving vegan burgers, fries and ice cream since 2017. WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 35
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9. SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE – 3.93 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS The typical Canarian food has little to do with that of the peninsula; its cultural roots and climate are very different and this reflects in its gastronomy too. Its dishes are influenced by powerful flavours of African and Latin American descent which also put a stamp on its expanding veggie culture. You can find eight plant-based restaurants in Tenerife that turn native dishes such as papas with mojo, the gofio or the frangollo into authentic delicacies for lovers of vegetarian food.
VIA ORGANICA (€€) Via Organica is a small family-run vegetarian restaurant using only organic products. Their philosophy is based on the hygienist diet, which is defined as the means of curing diseases and maintaining optimal health through the correct combination of foods. So, if you are in Tenerife, make sure to savour some of their best dishes.
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Our Pick
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10. SAN SEBASTIÁN – 3.76 VEGGIE RESTAURANTS / 100K INHABITANTS There is nothing more mesmerising in Basque gastronomy than seeing a bar full of pinchos! San Sebastian has a colourful landscape that includes cheap taverns as well as Michelin star restaurants and the Donostian cuisine have been exported to all corners of the world. Among so much talent here, there are also some who specialise in creating exquisite dishes based on the flora of this world.
Our Pick KM.0 (€€) You are what you eat is the motto of this small vegetarian restaurant that offers a vegan and vegetarian menu including cannelloni, pizza, falafel, with a little fusion twist. True to their name, they only use local products and promise a healthy and tasty treat every time.
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+1 MARBELLA Although Marbella was not included in the study, we know and experience the veggie trend evolving on our doorstep. Gastronomic diversity is already established here to cater for a large and discerning cosmopolitan population and many restaurants have already adopted, even if only partially, some form of plant-based concept. To our delight, many offer vegetarian and vegan dishes of the creative kind and there are some excellent options out there for exclusively healthy dining.
Our Pick MANUKA (€€) To eat is a necessity but to eat intelligently is an art! – says Manuka, which is a flexitarian restaurant offering clean, healthy and wholesome food free of refined sugar, GMO and additives. The menu includes many creative plant-based dishes as well as ones made with gluten-free, free-range and organic ingredients produced in the most ethical way possible. All their take-away packaging and straws are sustainable too!
g ABOUT HOLIDU Holidu is a German vacation rental search engine that allows travellers to book ideal accommodation for the lowest price. The company also helps vacation rental owners multiply their bookings with less work through its software and service solution under the Bookiply brand. For more information, see holidu.es and bookiply.es
CLICK TO VISIT www.holidu.es
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VIVOOD LANDSCAPE HOTEL
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE CONNECTING WITH NATURE
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Ecology, sustainability and well-being were the three foundations which inspired the architect, founder and director, Daniel Mayo, in creating VIVOOD Landscape Hotel & Spa, the first landscape hotel in Spain. WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY VIVOOD LANDSCAPE HOTEL
L
ocated in the province of Alicante, close to the Guadalest reservoir, the 80,000m2 site is ensconced in lush Mediterranean flora and enclosed by mountains. As such, and adults-only, it is the perfect place for a restful escape, where guests can disconnect and relax in comfortable, contemporary surroundings. ›
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PANORAMIC VISTAS One of VIVOOD’s principal features is the use of full-length glass panels on all installations: rooms, lounges, reception, restaurant and spa, promoting the sensual feeling of being at one with nature. These have been sourced from Guardian Glass, a leading manufacturer of glass for 42 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
residential projects. The selected Guardian Sun glass is an intelligent interface that filters the energy of the sun’s heat in summer and sustains indoor warmth in winter, as well as acting as an acoustic insulator, contributing to energy efficiency, inline with the hotel’s commitment to respecting the environment.
Some
things
El Jardín de Lutz
never Let us re-welcome you to Finca Cortesin Rediscover the art of living Because some things do not change Reservations +34 952 937 800 info@hotelcortesin.com
change.
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EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION The VIVOOD hotel comprises an infrastructure that is in harmony with its surrounds, conjectured on ecofriendly principles, which have integrated it into nature and minimised its impact on the environment. It comprises a total of 35 uniquely different rooms, categorised into ten private villas, four pool suites and twentyone double suites, all of which are avant-garde with a minimalist contemporary design. These lodgings allow the visitor to be in harmony with the landscape, watching the sun rise and set and sleeping under the starry sky, meanwhile with all the facilities of a luxury hotel.
SENSUOUS SUITES The suites take the form of individualised cubes of 27m2, which adapt to the terrain they traverse, running along several natural mountain paths. They are supported by a series of metal pillars of variable height, with all the modules having been prefabricated off-site, reducing any harmful impact with their installation. Around three meters above ground level, they give the impression of free floating in nature, which is much enhanced by the panoramic views their valley-facing full frontal glass panels afford. Four of these suites also have an outdoor terrace and their own outdoor heated Jacuzzi.
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CLICK TO VISIT
www.vivood.com
LUXURY VILLAS The four villas, at around 70m , are the most spacious rooms in the hotel, consisting of a panoramic lounge, bedroom with large double bed, dressing room, bathroom with rain shower, solarium terrace and heated outdoor pool, and are all equipped with home automation technology. 2
GASTRONOMIC DINING To cater to all guests dining needs, there is a sophisticated restaurant on site which is centered on a slow cooking philosophy and farm-to-table cuisine. All dishes are derived from locally sourced, fresh,
organic ingredients and it is indeed a pleasure to savour such lovingly prepared healthy options in beautiful surroundings, with panoramic vistas over the valley. Choose from breakfast served at the table or have it brought to your room, lunch, and from the evening gourmet menu.
HOTEL AMENITIES The hotel itself has two panoramic pools that immerse themselves in the landscape, their infinity edges seemingly merging with the horizon, and an exclusive Ayurvedic Spa, with a full range of holistic wellness treatments. Further amenities comprise a lounge bar, pool
bar, reception area and meeting rooms. Of the extensive plot, less that 8% of the land forms the infrastructure of VIVOOD Landscape Hotel, providing a retreat in the truest sense of the word. Visitors will be able to soothe their senses in a location free from the noise, light and unwelcome pollution characteristic of everyday life in urban environments. Situated in the Guadalest Valley, some 50 minutes from Alicante, guests are guaranteed an authentic natural experience in a haven of tranquility, luxury and exclusivity from which they may never want to return.
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D THE SPOTLIGHT motoring
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RULE BRITANNIA 60 YEARS OF THE E-TYPE
Once famously declared “the most beautiful car in the world,” following its public debut in March 1961 by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself, the Jaguar E-type arguably still holds that mantle today, even 60 illustrious years after those blueprints were rendered into reality at Jag’s Coventry headquarters. WORDS SAM HEXTER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAGUAR SPONSORED BY C. DE SALAMANCA
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fter many motorsport triumphs in the ‘50s with cars like the monstrous D-type, Jaguar decided to build a road-going production vehicle, borrowing many of the tried-and-tested underpinnings from its experience in racing. Ironically, it was ultimately Jaguar’s continuous sparring with Ferrari that would whet the E-type into such a sharp instrument. In 1957, a prototype was born, dubbed the E1A. Built exclusively for factory testing, developments on this platform would pave the way for the subsequent release of the now iconic E-type to the public some years later. But the injection of
Jaguar’s motorsport lineage didn’t stop with the first production car; they went on to test many lightweight variants during the 1960s, including the highly coveted Low-Drag Coupe, a racer styled after the D-type that featured a sleek and streamlined aluminium shell. The E-type, never intended for racing, actually went on to become a fairly successful track car, dominating in races on tight, twisty circuits. Jag’s new lightweight chassis was potent enough to worry Enzo Ferrari, who very swiftly commissioned upgrades to Ferrari’s already formidable 250 GTO. Despite many successes on home turf, the British-born E-type would struggle with longer straights, common to events like Le Mans. The E-type certainly wasn’t the marque’s most accomplished racer, but its legacy lives on like no other.
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To commemorate this monumental motoring milestone, Jaguar’s Classic division is lovingly revisiting the evergreen recipe, the quintessentially British automotive mecca that is the E-type. A total run of completely renovated roadsters and coupés, sold in pairs, will be limited to just 12 examples in total. To announce this exclusive venture, Jaguar Classic gave a glimpse of the ‘new’ E-types, mirroring the first cars revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961 – an Opalescent Gunmetal Grey fixed-head coupé and a British Racing Green roadster. Legend has it, the latter of the two cars, the gorgeous
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green roadster variant, was delivered following a hairraising 17-hour sprint from Coventry to Geneva. Jaguar’s founder, Sir William Lyons, was said to have ordered test driver Norman Dewis to deliver the car for official launch on a moment’s notice. Following Dewis’ daring cross-continental run, the soft-top E-type was on the podium and ready to wow crowds just 20 minutes before its first public showcase. Under the steadfast efforts of the Jaguar Classic team, each car will be a painstaking ‘nut and bolt’ build from new, true to the originals but with some mild tweaks to bring elements of modern reliability forward in this ultimate
backdating exercise. The famous 3.8-litre straightsix XK motor will sit nestled under the Jag’s iconic long and sculpted snout. The smaller displacement Series-1 motor will feature uprated cooling components and an electronic ignition system, delivering a period-correct 265bhp to the rear wheels. The engine will be mated to a specially developed five-speed transmission, complete with three pedals and a gearstick – remember those? A glorious soundtrack can be enjoyed by any lucky bystanders thanks to a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust. An authentic and timeless driving experience is guaranteed.
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Inside the cabin, beautifully adorned in tailored, hand-stitched leather, will be many small nods to the E-type’s grand history, including engraved quotes and a map of the route from Coventry to Geneva, paying homage to the epic drives undertaken by Bob Berry and Norman Dewis. The extra interior flare doesn’t stop there, with restyled badges and emblems throughout, a bespoke clock face, machine-finished fuel filler cap and chassis plates to name but a few. The wonderfully thin and ever tactile steering wheels on every car will feature rims of light beechwood, as well as 24-carat gold horn buttons. As any prospective buyers would expect, fit and finish both inside and out look second to none.
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Official pricing for such specialist cars and commissions are rarely disclosed to the public via the manufacturer. It’s likely that Jaguar will invite very few potential owners to make the final six acquisitions. However, if you consider the price of Jaguar Classic’s reworked 3.8-litre E-type, worth approximately £315,000 in the UK market, this exquisite pairing could cost upwards of £650,000 (or around €762.000), but what an exclusive owners’ club that would be. e g This article is sponsored by C. De Salamanca, official dealers for Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar & Land Rover. Tel: (+34) 952 785 250.
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MAGNIFICENT
MILLIE 56 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY FROM 24KILOS
Millie Bobby Brown is an actress who, even at 17, is already so well versed in the mechanics of Hollywood, LA and London, yet whose true roots lay in even sunnier climes, here in Marbella. The star of the Godzilla movies, Enola Holmes and upcoming Netflix project The Girls I’ve Been was born in the southern Spanish resort in 2004, although her time here was all too fleeting – her parents relocated to the UK when she was just four years old. By her own admission, memories of those early days are fleeting, with recollections being built mainly on return visits in the years since.
H
er grandparents still own and run a restaurant in the area – perhaps in future years the star can bring some of the A-list with her to sample its unique vibe. Her mobile phone is, these days, awash with big names, thanks in no small part to her landing the role of Eleven in Stranger Things at the age of 12. Major film offers followed, and necessitated a permanent move to
the US, although she retains British citizenship through her parents. While it seems most things have fallen perfectly at the actress’s feet, she hasn’t been without her own struggles. Notably, she was born with only partial hearing in one ear and has gradually lost it totally on one side over time. Perhaps that gives an indication as to why, despite enjoying the trappings and
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this whole experience we have all been through? MILLIE: I think there has been plenty of negativity for all of us, and my route through that has been to try to find some positive elements. There aren’t many, but what I will say is lockdown provided me with a way to start to reassess who I was and how my career was progressing. It’s not like I’ve never been thrilled with the progress that I’ve made but sometimes when your life is a constant flurry of activity of touring and focusing on films and even EM: How have you found the humanitarian projects, last year or so? You have it can be very easy remained busy, but do you feel to forget to take a you have learned anything from few moments to riches of the entertainment world, Millie has never turned her back on humanitarian and philanthropic projects that are close to her heart. In 2018, for instance, she was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, the youngest person to be selected for such a position. The same year, she was also the youngest ever to feature on the TIME 100 list. With a big career laid out in front of her, Millie Bobby Brown is arguably the film industry’s most promising talent, and undisputedly one of our most cherished exports.
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reflect and assess where you are. I mean how many times do you hear people, be they famous or not, question where the last five years have gone, or where the last 10 years have gone. I think a lot of people will come out of lockdown really having regathered or recaptured the ability to appraise their own lives, where they’re not totally mixed up in their madness and the intensity of every day, so I think that’s been really valuable.
EM: They’ve the chance to ‘find themselves’? MILLIE: Yes, exactly that. I think in a couple of interviews recently I’ve talked about finding myself which kind of sounds a bit strange when it’s from the mouth of a 17-year-old; but I guess what I really mean by that is listening to my own voice again, and that’s something I probably haven’t done for the past five years or so, so that’s been pretty cool. EM: As well as being an iconic Netflix drama in its own right, Stranger Things obviously catapulted yourself and a few other actors into the limelight. How do you look back on the experience? MILLIE: Well of course for a long time it was everything to me as a young actress landing that sort of role. It was an absolute dream and I’m taking away from it nothing but wholly positive experiences. I think as producers, as cast, as crew, we all grew at the same time and along the same lines; so you emerge from there feeling as if you’ve really achieved something… not just as a professional or as an actress or anything else, but as a human being.
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The story of how it came about is really important as well, in that the Duffer brothers were rejected so many times before they got their break. I think it was like 15 times before they got the nod and the funding and the encouragement they needed to pursue Stranger Things. I mean, in a way that just shows you how mad this industry is – that something of such high quality and originality and everything else could need to go through so many different pitches and processes, before finally coming to fruition… but that’s the way it is and thank goodness it did come to life finally. › EM: How much of what you were taught as an actress, and as someone on set, will you take forward into other projects? MILLIE: The really big thing for me was the brothers’ encouragement to actually develop the people they worked with. I think that’s slightly easier when you have a younger cast; after all you have a number of people around you who are a bit further back down the track and it’s only natural thing that they’re going to be learning on the job, so to speak. But there’s learning on the job naturally and then
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there’s real investment from the people you are there with to try to teach you the ropes and show you ways of doing things; and they definitely fall into the latter category. That was amazing for me… that they would give up so much time and effort to try to guide you on your own way towards building knowledge and creativity and understanding. It was never just about me acting on Stranger Things – they taught me so many things about directing, so many things about writing on the show, about different shots. It’s great to have a voice on set as an actress, but as someone who genuinely ‘gets’ what’s going on around you, and who can add input and value – that’s even more valuable. EM: And Godzilla vs Kong is the result? MILLIE: Well, kind of, I guess. I’ve been lucky enough to have only worked on a few movies, but for different reasons they’ve been big. I’m very proud of that, and Godzilla is obviously the biggest of them all. EM: Filming was in Hawaii and Australia – what were those two places like to visit?
MILLIE: Incredible places, lovely people, spectacular scenery; but as I always say with these projects, you’re not there to holiday, to take time out, to go out partying or whatever… no-one can do that at the moment anyway. So the reality was always about being there to work, and that’s pretty much what we did for four or five months across the two locations. It was pretty full on, never too much time to relax and to take time out, and the time difference is a big issue as well because you’re in a different part of the world and any friends back home are asleep. EM: What about your other recent project, Enola Holmes. What was it like working alongside Henry Cavill? MILLIE: That was a big thing for me – a huge experience for many different reasons. Obviously he’s an actor I’ve respected for a long time. The fact he has also been in the superhero genre gave me great inspiration to move into different roles in the same way that he has. I never wanted to be one of those actors who constantly did the same thing in similar ways; and to see someone like him at close hand being so
versatile about how to develop and form a character… adjusting who you are and in every sense the way you go about what you do, right the way down to how you pronounce a word, was totally inspiring. So the Enola Holmes project was a wonderful thing for me and I’m glad it’s been so well received. EM: People said the movie was too far away from the real standards of Sherlock Holmes. What do you think about that? MILLIE: Well obviously the central character we’re talking about here is Enola and I understand the point, namely that traditional interpretations of Sherlock Holmes have always been quite formal and rigid; and I guess this is completely the other way with someone two decades younger and in every way the younger sibling looking, as younger siblings tend to do, to rip apart the script and do things differently and have fun. So I think in that respect we probably achieved everything we set out to, and obviously I’m very proud of that. Put another way, if we were to continue to remake things or reinterpret them in the mind of the original then life would certainly start to become rather boring, no? e
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MOVING TO y wa a s
Te Hubble
lescope shot of Mar
s at it
s cl o
s es
t, 5
0m illio n
mi le
MARS As NASA’s latest mission brings mankind one step closer to colonising the Red Planet, finds out what life might be like on the fourth rock from the sun if we ever had to leave Earth in a hurry.
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First images taken by Perseverance after landing in Jezero Crater
Robotic conquistadores Percy and Ginny © NASA/JPL-Caltech
GETTING THERE … EVENTUALLY
U
p on Mars, a WALL-E lookalike rover nicknamed Percy and Ginny a mini helicopter are scouting out our secondnearest neighbour for its potential as ‘Earth’s Plan-et B’, to quote Stephen Hawking. If you’ve seen the bleak images being uploaded to Instagram daily via the rover’s suite of 19 cameras, you’ll be praying we never need one. Little Green Men? Nothing is green in this wasteland of rust-coloured rubble which may be how Earth will look after the Climate Change holocaust. It never rains but the sun will radiate you to a crisp, even at sub-zero temperatures. Breathe and you die anyway. You’d have to be more locked down than any Covid regulation to survive here. Eerie silence broken only by the whipping Martian wind and the crunching of the rover’s wheels on the first sound recordings from Mars confirm the desolation – although Percy is not alone: a few of his kind are still roving around up there, including his predecessor Curiosity, landed in 2012 and still operational.
Currently it’s a one-way ticket for robots only and there’s no coming back. The journey to Mars takes six months. And viable two-week launch windows come round just once in a Martian year which lasts 687 days, the time it takes for Mars to orbit the sun. Martian Time is confusing. Although it’s year is nearly twice as long as ours, a Martian day (called a Sol) is only 37 minutes longer than our Earth day. For clarity, scientists at Mission Control have learned to talk Martian. ‘Tosol’ means ‘today Mars time’. Although talking at all is difficult as there’s a signal delay of four-to-24 minutes, depending how far away we are. Landing anything on Mars is like throwing a dart at a moving target as its distance from Earth varies between 50 and 400 million miles. Mars missions have a 60% failure rate. For a crewed mission you also need a very large rocket. Something like Elon Musk’s reusable, superheavy lift launch vehicle Skyship, perhaps – the 50-metre monster he’s itching to prove ‘will make everything else seem like a cloth biplane’. He’s already talking tickets to Mars at $200,000 a pop. Watch this space. › WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 65
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Yet ever since Galileo first spied Mars through his telescope in 1610, we’ve been fascinated by the idea of life on Mars and watching the rover Perseverance (official name) undertake the perilous final descent to the Red Planet last February after a marathon seven month journey through space made thrilling lockdown TV viewing. Dubbed the ‘seven minutes of terror’ referencing the radio signal time lag, we all breathed a sigh of relief to see NASA’s $2.4-billion rover and the helicopter Ingenuity (Ginny, cradled in its undercarriage) touch safely down in Jezero Crater. Together these robotic conquistadors will attempt to answer a question that has eluded humanity: has there ever been life on Mars? Columbus used compasses, quadrants and charts for his New World voyages; Perseverence has lasers, computers, chemcams and X-ray eyes enabling it to see through rock strata formed billions of years ago and analyse it for evidence of fossilised microbial life. The car-sized rover is the first to carry a drill for taking core samples which it will place in hermetically sealed tubes and store for future return to earth, once scientists have worked out how. Trialling a technology for extracting oxygen from the Martian atmosphere will be another ‘first’ on Percy’s long to-do list. went to press, Meanwhile, as Ingenuity was attempting the world’s first powered flight on another planet. Featherlight and fast-spinning, the tiny chopper has to keep each solar-powered flight short and sweet in the thin Martian atmosphere and it’s all over in 90 seconds.
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A breakthrough would give wings to space exploration. With a sophisticated camera on board, the test flights will also be a giant leap for aerial mapping. Mars is more Earth-like than any other planet in our solar system, with seasons, polar ice caps and craters that may have been lakes 3.5 billion years ago when conditions were closer to Earth’s just before life began. It has gravity (38% of Earth’s) so it’s easier to get stuff done, and atmosphere (95% CO2), good for growing plants which give us back oxygen and water through photosynthesis and transpiration. There’s even Martian wow factor: a ‘grand canyon’ as wide as North America and a mountain you could fit Everest into three times over. With conditions on the moon too extreme for it to be anything more than a pit stop to our Planet B, it’s widely acknowledged that Mars is our current best hope.
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Transparent ice brings light in and keeps radiation out in the Mars Ice House
ASTRONOMICAL HABITATS A hive-shaped house built from Martian dust or a pointy igloo 3-D printed in ice – either could become home sweet home to the first astronauts on the Red Planet. With windows and views on multiple levels, they are light years away from the depressing, light-deprived underground bunkers previously imagined. Transparent ice harvested from the polar ice caps acts as a radiation shield in The Mars Ice House, filling the habitat with diffused light. The icy outer shell, wrapped in a corrosion-resistant membrane, would stay frozen year-round. MARSHA (MARS HAbitat), is made from a polymer produced from plants that could be grown on Mars, mixed with a radiation-resistant basalt found in the Martian substrata. Windows and a skylight admit light on four levels comprising a ‘garage’, kitchen and dry lab, sleeping quarters, bathroom and hydroponic garden, and a bright recreational ‘skyroom’ at the top.
The ground-breaking designs are winners of a two million dollar architectural competition funded by NASA to 3D-print a healthy and habitable base for a crew of four, tuned to the demands of a long Mars mission. With the eyewatering cost of getting building materials up there – someone estimated US$2 million per brick – the designers had to source most of their materials from the planet itself. MARSHA’s designers AI SpaceFactory scooped the top prize of $500,000 after they successfully printed a scale model in front of a live audience in 30 hours. Why not stay in MARSHA on Earth? A replica lakeside cabin called TERA set in the woods of upstate New York is taking advance bookings on indiegogo.com The terrestrial version boasts a 3D-printed patio and a telescope for stargazing.
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back to CONTENTS A Spirulina gnocchi
ALGAE A LA CARTE
Martian bread with green tomato jam and spirulina gnocchi could be on the menu for astronauts on Mars – all locally sourced! The exotic dishes were conjured up by French chefs for the European Space Station using ingredients that have been grown hydroponically in space, such as rice, onions, lettuce, wheat and spirulina, an algae used in livestock feed which packs more protein, kilo for kilo, than a cow. Scientists on the International Space Station dine mainly on Earth takeaways. For long haul missions on Mars, food would have to be grown on the planet. NASA is aiming to produce 40% locally but the Mars kitchen garden is not only about food. By growing enough plants to cover that, they’ll also get ‘for free’ the oxygen and water needed to survive.
The skin-tight BioSuit could revolutionise spacesuit design
SLINKY SPACE FASHION
The Mars gravity makes a big difference to space suit design. The 96 kilo suits used for the Apollo moonwalks weighed 15 kilos on the lunar surface but would be more than twice as heavy on Mars. NASA has had to go back to the drawing board to produce lighter, more flexible ‘Extravehicular Activity’ suits. But as they have to be complete life support systems they are, by nature, clunky. The still-experimental BioSuit made of skin-tight elastic fabric that provides warmth and pressure could be the future – and it’s a lot slinkier than the old gas-filled suits. Perseverance brought six materials from earth to test in the harsh Martian atmosphere, including tear-proof glove fabric, Teflon-coated suit fabric and a flame-and-bullet-proof material designed to resist UV rays. Alas, suit designers have yet to solve the human need to go to the bathroom once in a while with anything more space age than nappies.
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WEATHER TO DIE FOR
It gets more sunshine than the Costa del Sol but the weather is one of the downsides on Mars, where the climate will kill you in five different ways. It’s sunny but not warm and the sand dunes are ice-capped. The average temperature is -60C, so you would freeze; or the sun’s UV rays would irradiate you in the thin Martian atmosphere. Or you’d die of hypoxia in minutes from breathing. However the most immediate threat to human life is the low atmospheric pressure which will fill your blood with bubbles so you fizz to death like cheap Champagne. You probably wouldn’t live long enough to be choked to death by one of the planet’s toxic dust storms. They’re nothing like the one Matt Damon survived in The Martian movie. It never gets that windy on Mars. A team from Madrid’s Astrobiological Institute created the meteorological monitoring system on board Perseverance, making Spain the first country with a weather station in another world.
Frost-topped sand dunes taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
And it’s getting busy up there. The UAE and China launched missions during last summer’s window, and there are seven others confirmed through to 2024, all with an endgame of crewed missions. Earth is running out of resources and it’s not IF we’ll go but WHEN. And on WHOSE
rocket ship. Elon Musk reckons it will be in 2026 on his. The SpaceX billionaire is making plans for ‘a self-sustaining Martian base in our lifetime’ but don’t get too carried away. The first colonists should be ‘prepared to die’, he says. “The risk of fatality will be
high, but it’s about believing in the future and thinking that it will be better than the past. I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact.” i Check out live updates from NASA’s mission:
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mars.nasa.gov/mars2020
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LOST TRIBES WHERE HAVE THEY GONE? Otherworldly stelae left by the Scythians
The Dama de Elche, an Iberian statue with Phoenician influences
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We know of famous past civilisations now lost to us – Romans, Babylonians, Egyptians, Aztecs and Incas – but did you know there were others, and that their blood very likely runs through your veins? In this article, we ask what became of them. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ
M
illions of people the world over are fascinated by the now vanished civilisations of the Romans, ancient Greeks and Egyptians, the Persians, Medes, Babylonians or Assyrians, but while so much is said of these once great cultures, many of their noteworthy contemporaries are all but forgotten and unknown today. It’s even stranger when you consider that one of the most prominent of these civilisations belongs to the indigenous people of Spain and Portugal.
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THE ‘SPANISH’ IBERIANS Yes, the people after whom the peninsula was named, or is it the other way round? Today we speak of Spaniards and Portuguese, and know that their blood and culture are the product of a unique mix of Roman, Phoenician, Moorish, Celtic, Jewish and also Germanic ingredients, but at the base of it all is a people often forgotten and overlooked. If the above are like the layers of a lasagne, then the Iberians form the solid base, for they are the bedrock of the Spanish and Portuguese nations. The term, as first used by ancient Greek geographers, describes most of the people 76 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
The Iberian language is still not fully understood, but believed to be related to Basque
From northern Spain to the Balkans, certain cultural elements are strangely similar
living in the peninsula during classical times, though most specifically Iberians were those living in the eastern and southern coastal areas, where they came into contact with Greek and Phoenician, and later Carthaginian culture. This is true of what we now know as the Costa del Sol, where cities such as Málaga, Gibraltar and Cádiz were founded by Phoenician traders from today’s Lebanon, and where the fusion of the two cultures lead to a flowering of civilisation long before the Romans came to these shores. Inland, the Iberian tribes were less advanced and consisted mostly of bands of shepherds and farmers. When Celts entered from France they mingled with the Iberians to form the Celtiberian culture, which dominated the north-western part of the Iberian Peninsula. Today, it is
still visible in regions such as Galicia, Cantabria and Asturias, bagpipes and all. They were fierce warriors who fought in the armies of Hannibal and resisted the Roman take-over, but in the end the Iberians and their language were amalgamated into that of the conquerors, and modern-day Spanish derives from Latin, not the various Iberian tongues that have been identified by archaeologists. For all that they are the indigenous people of this land, the Iberians have been pressed further down into the strata of history by successive waves of invaders, almost disappearing in name and thought as today we almost focus exclusively on the Roman and Moorish heritage of Spain – and yet, they surround us every day, since much of the make-up of Spaniards and Portuguese is still Iberian, and always will be.
THE ‘BRITISH’ PICTS If we consider the Iberians to have all but vanished, this is not true of their neighbouring relatives, the Basques. Known in Roman times as the Vascones and Aquitani, these Basque and Gascon people straddling the border between Spain and France continue to exist as a nation today, as does the Basque language. One of only two pre-Indo European languages surviving in Europe, it is unrelated to Latin, Germanic, Celtic and Slavic tongues and forms a throwback, a link to the days before the Roman invasion, over 2,000 years ago. Not only is Basque a contemporary of the Iberian languages, and thought to be related to them, but the Basque and Iberian people belong to a much larger European population than was believed possible. Far
more widespread than the Iberian Peninsula and south-west France alone, recent DNA tests have found the Iberians and Basques to be related to another mysterious culture from the deep past, the Picts. Famous for painting themselves blue for battle, these warriors of the British Isles have long been confused with the Celts who later invaded their lands and assimilated with them into one single nation and culture. For this reason, Celts are mistaken for Picts, but the ancestors of the latter arrived in the British Isles from the Pyrenean highlands some 15,000 years ago, and the DNA trail maps this migration out very nicely. They would have spoken languages similar to Basque, but like the Iberians were forged into a new nation when the Celts invaded with their IndoEuropean ways, forever losing their original identity and merging into the blood of their conquerors.
Structures left by the mysterious Picts of the British Isles
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The Scythians and Sarmatians were master jewellers
THE ‘UKRAINIAN’ SCYTHIANS We think of Russia and the Ukraine as classically Slavic countries, and of course they are, but in reality the human and cultural composition of this vast region is a bit more varied and similarly shrouded in the mysteries of ancient history. You see, long before the Slavic tribes gained a foothold on the northern shores of the Black Sea, there was another major civilisation here that extended its influence far and wide. The Scythians were a powerful warrior nation made up of a federation of tribes living in what is now the Ukraine and southern Russia, but stretching right round into the Caucasus and the Pontic Steppe in modern-day Turkey. Long before the Turks had ever set foot in this land (at this time they were still in Central Asia), the Scythians dominated a large region, famous for their highly effective cavalry and their beautiful golden jewellery. They spoke a tongue
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The Scythians once dominated large parts of modern-day Ukraine and Russia
belonging to the Iranian language group and through DNA testing appear to descend from Iranian stock, which makes them the cousins of the mighty Persians and Medes. The Scythians first entered history almost 3,000 years ago, and less than a millennium later the Sarmatian tribe within their confederation became the dominant force in frequent battles with the ancient Greeks and Romans. They would remain independent but succumbed to the cultural influences of these two great civilisations, before disappearing into the mists of the Dark Age, from which related tribes such as the Alan and the Avar emerged. By the Middle Ages, however, the Slavs from the north had come to dominate the region, and with it the Scythian and Sarmatian people were absorbed into the greater Russian and Ukrainian nations.
WAS ALEXANDER THE GREAT A THRACIAN? The Thracians are nowhere near as famous as the Romans, but they should be, for they would spawn a series of nations that were almost as formidable as the Romans themselves. Having invaded the Balkans from the north during the Early Bronze Age, the Indo-European ancestors of the Thracians merged with existing populations to form this new civilisation. Over time, they pushed south and west, creating their heartland in what is now Bulgaria, and putting pressure on the northern borders of the ancient Greeks. Those Thracians in modern-day
Romania came to be known as Dacians, and their contemporaries in the former Yugoslav lands and Albania as the Illyrians, and became a major challenge to Greek and Roman power. Although the Macedonians are considered to be a Greek nation, they lived in the contact zone with the Thracians, and as a result acquired many of their customs and bloodlines, so by extension the mighty Alexander the Great will, at least in part, have been Thracian too. Their languages are gone, and little-known, and their names have all but vanished, but once upon a time the Thracians, Picts and Iberians formed cultures as powerful and impressive as any. e
With their epicentre in modern-day Bulgaria, the Thracians challenged the might of the ancient Greeks and Romans The Thracians were once the dominant civilisation in the Balkans WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 79
The Thracians were once th
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trends
CHECK OUT GREAT NEW FILM AND BOOK RELEASES. DON’T MISS THESE BINGEWORTHY SERIES STREAMING ON NETFLIX. DISCOVER THE LATEST FROM THE MUSIC SCENE AND FIND OUT WHAT’S REALLY COOL RIGHT NOW.
GO TO PAGE 100 FOR MUSIC NEWS
GO TO PAGE 92 FOR NEW BOOK
RELEASES GO TO PAGE 88 FOR HOT NEW SERIES
GO TO PAGE 102 FOR WHAT’S COOL
CINEMA SERIES MUSIC NEWS 84 New Film Releases 88 Hot New Series on Netflix 92 Books – New Releases 96 Living the Dream – Expat Life 100 Music News 102 What’s Cool
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COOL NEW
MOVIES
Check out for these great viewing experiences, which have either been recently released or will be during the course of this month. WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR
NOBODY
» Genre: Action, Suspense » Director: Ilya Naishhuller (Hardcore Henry) » Actors: Actors: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd Emmy award-winner, Bob Odenkirk, stars as Hutch Mansell, a maligned father and husband, who takes life’s indignities on the chin without fighting back. When thieves break into his home one night, Hutch doesn’t defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence, further distancing his wife and son. The rage that is simmering within him finally erupts following his intervention to help a woman being harassed by a gang of men, resulting in himself and his family being targeted by a vindictive crime boss.
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CRUELLA
» Genre: Comedy, Drama » Director: Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) » Actors: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Mark Strong With a stellar cast, including Emma Stone, Emma Thompson and Mark strong, Cruella is a muchanticipated blockbuster due for release later this month. Set in 1970s London amid the punk revolution, the film explores the rebellious early days of one of cinema’s most notorious villains, Cruella de Vil. As Estella, a budding fashion designer, she lands a job with the house of Baroness von Hellman, an established couturier, leading to a series of events that result in her becoming the vengeful wicked Cruella.
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PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
» Genre: Thriller » Director: Emerald Fennell (Careful How You Go) » Actors: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie Cary Mulligan stars as Cassie who dropped out of a promising career at medical school years earlier after her best friend, Nina, was sexually assaulted by classmate Al Monroe. Now, Cassie spends her nights pretending to be drunk in clubs, permitting men to take her to their homes where she confronts them. When she hears that Al is getting married, Cassie sees the opportunity to make amends for everything that went wrong in her past, by taking revenge on those she holds responsible for Nina’s rape.
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SUPERNOVA
I CARE A LOT
» Genre: Black Comedy » Directors: J. Blakeson (The 5th Wave) » Actors: Rosamund Pike, Eiza González, Peter Dinklage Maria Grayson is a woman driven by cold hard ambition who has no qualms about benefitting from others. Having taken advantage of dozens of retirees as a court-appointed legal guardian, she and her partner Fran see Jennifer Petersen as their latest easy victim. But while trying to carry out their plan, Maria and Fran discover that Mrs. Peterson is not all that they thought and that, this time, they have chosen the wrong prey, provoking and angering some very dangerous and violent people.
» Genre: Drama » Director: Harry Macqueen (Hinterland) » Actors: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood Sam, a pianist and Tusker, a writer have been a gay couple for over 20 years. Two years earlier, Tusker was diagnosed with early dementia, causing them to leave their jobs and to go on the road, travelling across England to visit friends, family and places dear to them from the past. The time they have left together is the most important thing in their lives. As the journey progresses, emotions run high and secrets and private plans emerge that put their relationship to the test like never before.e
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HOT NEW
SERIES
Looking for a new series for some entertaining evening viewing? Look no further! Check out these compelling new dramas on Netflix. WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR
JUPITER’S LEGACY
» Created by: Steven S. DeKnight » Actors: Josh Duhamel, Ben Daniels, Leslie Bibb Adapted from the Image Comic book series by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, this new series is about superheroes, five generations of whom have protected the world for decades. Now the old rules no longer apply and it’s time for their children to show their mettle. We follow the larger than life exploits of The Utopian, leader of the superhero team, his elder brother, Brain-Wave, Lady Liberty, The Flare, and son and daughter, Brandon and Chloe as they attempt to thwart the evil intentions of Skyfox, the greatest villain on the planet.
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SHADOW AND BONE
» Created by: Eric Heisserer » Actors: Jessie Mei Li, Ben Barnes, Archie Renaux Based on the debut novel by Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone is a sweeping fantasy complete with monsters and magic, following the adventures of teenager Alina Starkov, who has an extraordinary talent. The Darkling, leader of the Grisha, a people who can manipulate the elements, attempts to harness her power but her tutor warns her she must flee as the Darkling intends to enslave her. She escapes, but is pursued by Mal who has an almost supernatural capacity to track her. Instead of turning her in, however, they join forces in an attempt to thwart the Darkling’s evil intentions.
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WHO KILLED SARA?
» Created by: José Ignacio Valenzuela » Actors: Manolo Cardona, Ginés García Millán, Carolina Miranda Álex Guzán was blamed for the death of his sister Sara and has spent 18 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Now Álex is being released and is intent on exacting revenge on the powerful Lazcano family who stitched him up. As the series progresses, it becomes more and more convoluted leaving the viewer wondering who the real culprit is and who is the mysterious Diana the Huntress? There is much yet to unravel so it’s fortunate that Netflix has announced the second season will launch this month. Best viewed in the original Spanish language.
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THE KOMINSKY METHOD
THE SERPENT
» Created by: Richard Warlow » Actors: Tahar Rahim, Billy Howle, Jenna Coleman Inspired on real events, and cleverly interspersed with vintage video footage, The Serpent follows the exploits of serial killer, Charles Sobhraj who, together with accomplice Ajay Chowdhury, was responsible for the disappearance of a number of young travellers on the Asian Hippie Trail in the mid 70s. Sobhraj’s modus operandi was centered on drugging his intended victims, rendering them helpless and easy to kill. Stealing their travellers’ cheques, he avoided detection by forging their passports with his own photo. At times harrowing and intense, this is nevertheless compulsive viewing.
» Created by: Chuck Lorre » Actors: Michael Douglas, Lisa Edelstein, Jane Seymour Season 3 of The Kominsky Method will be released at the end of May, giving those who have missed this quirky comedy drama time to take in the first two seasons beforehand. Michael Douglas stars as Sandy Kominsky, an ageing actor who nowadays makes his living teaching a class to aspiring young actors. The series won Golden Globes for Best TV Comedy and Best Actor (Douglas) but, given their great chemistry together, fans will be sad to hear that Alan Arkin, who played Kominsky’s best friend and agent, will be making his exit from this new season. e
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MAY’S ARRIVAL BRINGS WITH IT WARMER DAYS, SUMMER ON THE HORIZON, AND A PLETHORA OF EXCITING NEW TITLES INCLUDING THESE HOTLY ANTICIPATED RELEASES. WORDS ALICIA DUGGAN OF THE BOOKSHOP IN SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA , CC LA COLONIA LOCAL 21, SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA. TEL: 951 779 785. WWW.THEBOOKSHOP.ES
THE KILLING KIND BY JANE CASEY Jane Casey is taking a break from the Maeve Kerrigan books with this standalone psychological thriller. Barrister Ingrid Lewis defended John Webster against a stalking charge only to end up becoming the object of his unwanted attentions, leaving her relationship in ruins, her home destroyed and living in constant fear. When one of her colleagues is fatally run over in an apparent accident, Ingrid believes it was murder and that she was the intended victim. Without enough proof to get the police involved, Ingrid decides to investigate herself. However, she doesn’t know where to turn or who to trust when Webster tells her that she is in danger, but not from him, and he is the only one who can protect her. If he’s telling the truth it means she will have to put her life in the hands of a psychopath who has already ruined her life once. A dark, tense, and suspenseful thriller.
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CHINA: AN EPIC NOVEL BY EDWARD RUTHERFORD
MALIBU RISING BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID
Rutherford is a master of historical fiction, blending meticulously researched fact with a sprawling character-driven narrative that spans generations. China begins in 1839 at the beginning of the First Opium War and takes the reader on an epic journey finishing at the time of The Boxer Rebellion in 1901. Taking perspectives from both sides of the East-West divide, the story is told through the lives of a diverse range of characters including opium traders, British diplomats, eunuchs, emperors, dowagers, and Chinese pirates, bringing to life the rich and turbulent history and culture of this remarkable country. A fascinating and engaging epic read.
From the author of Daisy Jones and the Six, Malibu Rising tells the story of the Riva family. The narrative moves between the Riva siblings in the 80s and their parents in the 50s. Musician Mick Riva and his wife Joan have four wonderful children, however, when Mick abandons his family for another woman, Joan turns to alcohol to drown her self-pity, leaving Nina to take on the role of mother to her siblings. Malibu, 1983 and Nina Riva is preparing for her annual end of summer party. It is the social event of the year with the who’s who of the celebrity elite in attendance along with the rest of Nina’s famous siblings. However, this year’s party is set to be filled with exposed secrets, scandals, and devastation on top of the usual sex, drugs, and debauchery. A beautifully touching and thought-provoking novel interspersed with Jenkins Reid’s trademark wit and humour.
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LEFT YOU DEAD BY PETER JAMES
THE MISSING SISTER BY LUCINDA RILEY
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is back! Niall and Eden Paternoster have their Sunday morning routine – a long drive to a country house with a stop at a supermarket on the way home where Eden goes in and Niall waits in the car. However, this Sunday everything changes. Eden doesn’t come back. She hasn’t returned home; no one has heard from her; she has just vanished. Niall is the prime suspect in her disappearance and is arrested on suspicion of murder, but as Roy Grace investigates, he discovers things are not quite as they seem. Twists and turns abound in this mysterious and nail-biting page-turner.
Bestselling author Lucinda Riley is back with the eagerly awaited final instalment of The Seven Sisters series. Following the death of their beloved adoptive father, billionaire Pa Salt, the six D’Aplièse sisters undertook their own incredible quests to unearth their history and heritage armed with the clues their father left them. However, there is one secret left to solve – the identity and location of their missing seventh sister. Their journey will take them around the world from New Zealand to Canada, France to Ireland, and in their search, they will uncover a story of love and sacrifice that is heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly compelling. e
VISIT THE BOOKSHOP 94 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
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i #LivingTheDream Expat Life Stripped Bare is now available on Amazon. Find out more on www.carriefrais.co.uk/books/
SHINING A LIGHT
ON UNTOLD STORIES OF EXPAT LIFE
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Expat, author and editor, Carrie Frais has compiled an anthology of personal and powerful stories to reveal some of the harsher realities of expat life. In the new book #LivingTheDream: Expat Life Stripped Bare, ten women share the emotional and practical realities of life away from ‘home’. We caught up with editor Carrie Frais to find out more. Q. What made you write the book? The isolation of Covid gave us all time to think more, whether we liked it or not. Too much time! Some of the realities of my personal situation that I had pushed to the back of my mind during busier times were brought to the fore: the acceptance that my parents were gone for good, that I no longer had my childhood home and with it, my ties to the UK. This, coupled with Brexit and the uncertainty that Covid brought, gave me a palpable feeling of rootlessness. In anxious moments I tend to write things down, hence the idea for the anthology. I spoke to friends and colleagues about the concept of putting together a collection of essays on the challenges of living away from one’s native ‘home’ and soon discovered that there were many expat women who were having similar feelings but due to different situations: from struggles with alcohol
and single parenting to cultural challenges and divorce.
Q. What do you hope readers will gain from it? I hope that our stories are relatable not just for expats but for any women or men who have undergone challenging moments in their life. Many people have been in touch after reading the book saying that at least one of the stories resonated and not just because it was related to them being an expat. There are common threads which run throughout the collection such as loneliness, isolation, loss of purpose, rootlessness, restlessness – feelings which I think have all been heightened during the pandemic whatever one’s personal situation.
Q. What has your expat journey been like? At times wonderful and at other times extremely tough. I made the personal decision to move to
Spain so I was aware that I was putting myself into a situation which would incur more challenges than if I had decided to stay in the UK. However, I probably was not prepared for the severe emotional turmoil after losing both my parents and the rollercoaster of feelings that grief brings, which I think for me were brought into sharper focus being away from ‘home’ – a place that is no longer ‘home’, one of the many difficult realities to come to terms with. Having said that, while the lows have been very low, some of the highs have been amazing. Buying a home close to the mountains, the sea and the vibrant hub of Barcelona was a dream that did become a reality. Having trilingual children who can seamlessly switch from one language to the next and engage in different cultures fills me with huge pride. So, the lows are generally outweighed by the highs, but it depends on the year (not in 2020!). WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 97
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CLICK TO VISIT
www.carriefrais.co.uk/books
Q. How did you choose the stories to feature? Via my work with MumAbroad I have come across some truly remarkable women with some fascinating stories. I also have friends who have chosen to live abroad and who I knew had also faced some major challenges. I wanted to mix up the experiences to show that challenges can come in different forms, not just through linguistic or cultural barriers as many people would think.
Q. There are four expat stories from Spain including your own, what aspects of expat life do they explore? So my story which I have already touched upon was about dealing with grief as an expat, the emotional baggage that it brings and the questions it throws up about ‘belonging’. Jane Mitchell focuses on Identity after her marriage – which she had believed once defined her – broke down. Deborah Gray shares her experience of establishing what turned out to be a multi awardwinning PR business in Spain after initially being told she should only find work as an intern, and finally Sue Wilson’s Brexit journey is a candid account of how she went
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from preparing for life as a retiree on the Costa Blanca to becoming a vocal campaigner for British citizens rights in Europe.
Q. What tips would you give for anyone wanting to make expat life in Spain work for them? Do your research thoroughly – from setting up a business or finding employment to finding out about networking groups and the local community. There is so much to know about moving abroad and unexpected curve balls will continually be thrown your way. If you are well prepared for some of the challenges then you will
find that you will appreciate all the more the amazing benefits that living in a foreign country brings. i #LivingTheDream Expat Life Stripped Bare is now available on Amazon.
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WORDS RIK FOXX
¿QUÉ PASA? ...on the music front In our last issue we told of a concert taking place in Barcelona with a crowd of 5,000. Everyone attending was required to wear an FFP2 mask throughout and undergo certain requirements before entry – and there was no social distancing – apparently all went well. Following March’s cancellation of the Barcelona Primavera Sound festival, organisers announced the Primavera Weekender for November in Benidorm with cabins holding a maximum of four-people. It sold-out within hours even though no acts had been announced.
A
fter giving our ears a year’s rest, the audio atrocity better known as the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Rotterdam, Holland. Semi-finals are on May 18 & 20 with the final on the 22nd – all starting at 21.00 CET – and the three will be live on all national TV stations. Bookies favourites include DESTINY with Je Me Casse (Malta); Voilà by BARBARA PRAVI (France) and GJON'S TEARS with Tout l'univers (Switzerland). Eurovision chat lines suggest that Britain's entry, Embers by JAMES NEWMAN, will not pull many votes due to inhouse post Brexit politics and all this vaccination nonsense. As an alternative to Eurovision on the 22nd, if you fancy forking out £20/€23, there's Glastonbury’s Live At Worthy Farm live-stream event. The festival, which is usually over five days, is putting on a five-hour show at 20.00 CET featuring COLDPLAY, US siblings HAIM, 100 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
DAMON ALBARN, popular UK indie outfit IDLES, the highly rated JORJA SMITH, UK alternative rockers WOLF ALICE, plus surprise guests. Performances will take place at the Pyramid Field and for the first time, at the Stone Circle. Ticket info: worthyfarm.live The organisers have also applied for a license to hold a concert on the Glastonbury grounds in September. The BRIT Awards take place on May 11 and DUA LIPA, CELESTE, ARLO PARKS and JOEL CORRY are all up for three trophies apiece. LIPA and the already named Rising Star award winner GRIFF have been booked to appear live with other artists to be confirmed. UK channel ITV has live coverage plus pre- and post-shows on their hub service.
K-Pop Superstars: BLACKPINK
Chris Martin of Coldplay © A.RICARDO / Shutterstock.com
view often differs from the narrative we have been told before”. Also, a triple album compilation Amy Winehouse At The BBC will be released on May 7 including a selection of the broadcaster’s personal favourite performances, plus the JOOLS HOLLAND A Tribute To Amy Winehouse, which is available for the first time. Other expected sellers this month: On the 14th, PAUL WELLER with Fat Pop (Volume One) and US rocker ST. VINCENT hopes she can finally crack the European market with Daddy’s Home. On the 21st, the highly anticipated debut album, Sour, from US singer-songwriter OLIVIA RODRIGO of Drivers License fame, and surprisingly Intruder by GARY NUMAN has been getting a lot of publicity. And on the 28th, a couple of 1990s names return with Reprise by MOBY and TEXAS with Hi. Apparently JESY NELSON signing a solo deal recently has not gone down very well within some LITTLE MIX circles. The singer quit the group last
December saying that being part of the band had really taken a toll on her mental health and she was leaving to do things that make her happy. There is also talk that with the success of the March-released solo album of BLACKPINK beauty ROSÉ that she could be getting ready to fly the K-Pop superstars nest. The group’s global popularity continues to climb and they recently surpassed 60 million YouTube subscribers – making them second only to JUSTIN BIEBER. Work on the MADONNA biopic has been put on hold as Madge and her co-writer/friend, DIABLO CODY, have drifted apart. She is currently “working on getting a different writer”. JAMES BLUNT continues to amuse – he recently purchased a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled motorised rickshaw used as a taxi) from Thailand which he drives around near his home. He has been pulled up by tourists asking him how much to Ibiza Town and for €5 he takes them to their destination with many not recognising him thanks to his face mask. e
Taylor Swift© Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
Adele© Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
FOO FIGHTERS are back in fashion after the success of February’s Medicine at Midnight album and their new docu-film, What Drives Us landed on April 30 featuring RINGO STARR, BRIAN JOHNSON (AC/DC), ST. VINCENT plus members of GUNS N’ ROSES, U2, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and METALLICA. February’s Framing Britney Spears documentary upset the singer and she is now putting together a film with her side of the story. In the meantime, the UK TV broadcasters, the BBC, look “to uncover the truth behind the controversial legal guardianship which the singer has been held under for the past 13 years” in Britney (working title) which BBC2 will air this month or June (TBA). The BBC is also putting together Amy Winehouse: 10 Years On to mark the anniversary of her death (July 23, 2011). A press release reads: “The film is set to be told primarily from the perspective of Winehouse’s mother, whose point of
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? l o o c s ’ t wha ACKWELL COMPILED BY IAIN BL
SITTING PRETTY
PHONE BOOTH BY KETTAL STUDIO
The new Kettal Booth O design is a luxurious form of a traditional telephone booth and represents an ideal solution for where privacy is an issue when making important phone calls or holding video ing conferences, without be overheard or disturbing an colleagues. Equiped with with air recirculation system, ion, a comfortable work stat integrated lighting, and o optional sofa, they are als customisable. i www.kettal.com
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ll leave you sitting pretty wi air ch m Ar ia ns rte Ho m, Replicating nature, the ls. Envisioned from a drea ta pe r we flo 0 ,00 30 in th indeed, ensconced wi qué, together with Moooi, Es lia Jú d an er ng isi Re , its designers Andrés ing hugged – comforting be of ng eli fe e th te ea cr tal have managed to inous work of art. The Pe lum vo is th in th wi g, hin air can calming and soot signature finish but the ch e th is ey gr d an k pin in s, including fabric available tensive textile collection ex s oi’ oo M th wi d re gu oooi.com also be confi tinct animals. i www.m ex on el od m sly ou m fa the one they
AILABLE IN SPAIN WRANGLER 4XE NOW AV having your very own How cool is this – imagine riant The first plug-in hybrid va th Wrangler in your garage? this summer, complete wi ed er liv de be ll wi ep Je year of the American Wrangler d anywhere, and an eight ge ar ch re be y sil ea n ca d, make a 17.3kWh battery that on ordering this time roun t ou ed iss m u yo If y. nt or 160,000 km warra jeep.es xt consignment. i www. ne e th r fo n tio tra gis re your
ATER A NEW ERA OF OVERW VES LUXURY IN THE MALDI ring n yourself to total pampe
Abando ives, which at Soneva Jani in the Mald s water villas, recently added 27 luxuriou ncepts and a three innovative dining co ntre. The villas new Soneva Wellness Ce ws over the command panoramic vie nsive terraces private lagoon, with expa pools. With and freshwater swimming will enjoy Soneva Unlimited, guests periences, unrestricted signature ex ts, fine dining diving and spa treatmen va.com and drinks. i www.sone
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TAXI A MANHATTAN
This original restaurant is inspired by the city of skyscrapers with one of the most cosmopolitan terraces in Madrid. It’s mission is to import the flavours from the hip neighbourhoods of New York: Brooklyn, Soho, Nolita, China Town and Little Italy. Relax and indulge in the trendiest of surroundings. It’s a new dawn, It’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good! i www.taxiamanhattan.com
F1 DRIVE EXPERIENCE AT HOME
Cranfield Simulation let’s you experience the thrills of F1 driving in your own home. The Formula Simulator is based on a real F1 mould complete with dynamic steering wheel and pedals. The system tricks the brain into feeling G-force sensations to create the most realistic FI driving simulation available, with each one assembled to the bespoke specifications of the individual client. i www.cranfieldsimulation.com
104 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
EUROPE’S LARGEST VIRTUAL BEDDING STORE LoMonaco, has launched its most innovative project to date – a LiveShop that offers a revolutionary shopping experience, combining the physical and online worlds. Accessing the
LoMonaco website, viewers will enter a 300m2 showroom, located in Granada, and via a virtual tour they will be able to view and purchase the brand’s products while being advised by a real personal shopper. i www.lomonaco.es
R1 MK4 DELUXE BLUETOOTH RADIO
Ruark Audio has launched the fourth-generation R1Radio which is more progressive in both its design and performance than any of its predecessors. Complementing the design is a hand-crafted slatted wooden grille, which creates a timeless aura. The R1 includes an OLED display screen, a quality Bluetooth receiver, USB-C charge and playback port and headphone output. Available in Light Cream and Espresso finishes. i www.ruarkaudio.com
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lifestyle
FOR TOP-OF-THE-RANGE CONTEMPORARY OUTDOOR FURNITURE, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN SOLPURI. SEE HOW A LUXURY BEACHFRONT APARTMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REFORMED, AND GET INSPIRED BY JOAN MITCHELL’S ART, CUTE CERAMIC PETS AND FURNISHINGS FOR FELINES.
GO TO PAGE 108 FOR SOLPURI
GO TO PAGE 134 FOR CAT FURNISHINGS
GO TO PAGE 138 FOR MANGO'S NEW DENIM COLLECTION
INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE ART FASHION 108 Solpuri Exclusive Outdoor Furniture 118 Beachfront Apartment Reinvented 132 Cute Ceramic Pets 134 Furnishings for Felines
GO TO PAGE 118 FOR A BEACHFRONT APARTMENT REINVENTED
136 Art Attack 138 Mango’s New Denim Collection
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CARO Lounge
SOLPURI
BRINGING LUXURY AND ELEGANCE TO YOUR LIFE As we traverse spring and enter the sunny summer season, many of us will spend more time outdoors, relaxing and enjoying the lovely weather. Now is the ideal time, therefore, to take stock of your outdoor spaces, whether garden or terrace, and review how you can optimally prepare them for the good days ahead. WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SOLPURI
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E
nter solpuri, the prestigious German manufacturer of luxurious outdoor furniture, with a range of awardwinning designs that are centered on comfort, quality and sustainability.
SOLPURI – INSPIRED BY THE SUN The company’s name derives from sol – inspired by the sun and puri – driven by design, and their range of products
reflect these foundations. Its aim is to set new trends for outdoor living with the delightful incongruities which give the solpuri collection its unique character – light solidity, timeless modernity, cool cosiness and simple elegance.
BOXX Lounge
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LASTING DESIGN The individual pieces are the result of finely tuned composition in combination with state-of-the-art production technologies. Here, the design element is paramount, manifested in the timeless beauty and precise attention to detail incorporated in every item. The finished units are of an enviable quality, guaranteeing their endurance even when withstanding extreme weather conditions.
materials to create minimalist elegant furniture for those beautiful moments outdoors.
SUSTAINABLE VALUES The company also takes its responsibilities seriously with the teak employed sourced from certified sustainable plantations in Asia. Similarly, all materials are recyclable and all wooden components are fairly traded.
COMFORT FACTOR
PRECISION ENGINEERING
Comfort is a key aspect and solpuri aims to provide it at the highest level, so that leisurely hours can be spent with loved ones or alone, sitting or lying at ones ease, ensconced in the sensual snugness the brand is famed for. This is accomplished by working with a selection of renowned designers in harmony with top quality
The stainless steel and aluminium collections are only assembled using the highest quality alloys which, together with precisely processed frame constructions, guarantees maximum stability and longevity. A final rounding off by hand gives every item of furniture the finishing touch.
BOXX Lounge
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NEW PRODUCTS FOR 2021
VERA Dining Chairs in different colours
Extending its range for 2021, solpuri has launched the VERA Dining Chair, the CHARLIE Table, MOON Lights and new outdoor lounges, the CARO Lounge and BOXX Lounge.
VERA DINING CHAIR Characterised by a slender aluminium frame with beautifully tapered legs and a distinctive hand-woven pattern made from String-Flex rope, the new VERA Dining Chair is a pleasure to occupy, with its smooth teak armrests adding softness to the touch. Designer: Hoffman Kahleyss Design
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MOON Lights
MOON LIGHTS As atmospheric as moonlight and specially developed for outdoor use, the pure design of the MOON lamps present charming summer evenings in a completely new light. Three filigree legs securely hold a ring which surrounds the actual light source – a solar panel which can be dimmed and also controlled remotely. Available in three heights: MINI at 50cm, MIDI at 100cm
Designer: Klaus Nolting
and MAXI at 150cm, each one giving a correspondingly greater radius of light. There is also a floor lamp with an arm extension in two heights – 160cm MIDI and 190cm MAXI – which are ideal for supplying a larger table or lounge setting with light from above. The actual luminaire of these units is adjustable in incline and can be fixed in any position. Thanks to its Anthracite colour, the MOON light framework is practically invisible at night. All that remains is the pure light!
CHARLIE TABLE This new component is characterised by a soft appearance, resulting from the combination of well-proportioned, tapered legs with the gently rounded shape of the table’s surface. The powder-coated aluminium frame is available in Anthracite, White and Petrol. Table tops can be selected from Dekton, ceramic or teak, resulting in a number of enticing colour combinations to suit individual tastes.
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Designer: Hoffmann Kahleyss Design
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BOXX LOUNGE BOXX is a modular lounge system with a cubic design with three differently sized seat modules made of aluminium in trendy Anthracite or White, offering many layout combinations. With thick, comfortable, cushions, each seating unit can be used as a stool, back or corner module and these can be adapted to either a lounge or a dining height. Additional C- or U-shaped storage units are available to further extend either side of a module, and the structure also provides a convenient storage space for the upholstery. Designer: Karsten Weigel
MOON Lights
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BOXX Sunbed
BOXX Anthracite
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CARO LOUNGE Either by the pool or on the terrace, the CARO Lounge provides a luxurious experience for lounging afternoons and balmy summer evenings. Characterised by a rounded silhouette, CARO’s aluminium frames are delicately interwoven with a filigree weave of String-Flex outdoor rope providing perfect comfort. Complement with plush seat cushions and casual scatter cushions and set with either one of two different height lounge tables in various ceramic colours. Designer: Hoffmann Kahleyss Design
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So, if you desire to enhance your outdoor experience with beautiful, durable, quality, furniture options, look no further than solpuri. e
CLICK TO VISIT
www.solpuri.com
Projects: Penthouse L, Villa F & Villa A
Interior Design & Property Development Showroom: Avenida Canovas del Castillo 25, Marbella blackshawinteriordesign.com +34 951 403 787 Essential Single Page Blackshaw_April_2021_3.indd 1
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The lounge’s custom sofa splits in the middle to reveal the master bedroom behind it. Its mirrored doors can either be completely opened up to create a loft-like feel, or closed off for privacy
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Cape Town’s coastal strip provides the ideal location for an elegant apartment that transitions from day to night through a clever use of space, colour and furnishings.
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t’s uncommon for a home to be designed according to the different times or moods of the day, but for Andrea Bowman this consideration became apparent as the renovation of her Cape Town apartment got underway. Through collaboration with interior designers Bruce Fyfe and Kelsey Boyce of Fyfe Boyce, the fourbedroom abode on Sea Point’s vibrant coastal strip was reconfigured into a spacious three-bedroom residence that caters for every daily hour – from cosy coffee starts to meditative sunsets. ‘It was like a rabbit warren before,’ Andrea says of the need to renovate. ‘Now it’s a real glam pad,’ Kelsey comments on the transformation of what was once a cramped environment with a narrow passageway and tiny, cordoned-off rooms.
LIGHT & DARK WORDS TRACY LYNN CHEMALY PHOTOGRAPHY ELSA YOUNG / BUREAUX
A BEACHFRONT APARTMENT REINVENTED
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RETHINKING SPACES ‘We tried to create more interest from a depth perspective,’ Bruce explains of opening up the living areas so that they flow generously from one space to another. ‘There are different angles at play and not just a chunk of left and right,’ he says, referring to their resistance of the formal placement of rooms. This resulted in a seamless fluidity from the front sea-facing balcony, living area and master bedroom to the back kitchen, via a much wider passageway that is now a room in its own right. ‘It’s like a pyjama lounge,’ Kelsey says of this transitionary thoroughfare where a teal-coloured velvet sofa curls around a curvaceous wall.
The wallpaper in the guest bathroom is ‘Hollywood Palm’ by Martyn Lawrence Bullard from Cole & Son
Homeowner Andrea Bowman
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Candles and cocktails complement the serene beach-side environment
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BESPOKE CARPENTRY
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by Aalto Design SHOWROOM MARBELLA Opening hours
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A V D A . B LV. P R Í N C I P E A L F O N S O D E H O H E N L O H E . U R B . C A R O L I N A P A R K
Mon-Fri: 10:00-14:00
16:00-19:00
w w w. a a l t o e x c l u s i v e d e s i g n . c o m
Sat: upon appointment
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The entrance is defined by dark wooden floors. A textural goldleaf painting by homeowner Andrea Bowman becomes a focal point on the opposite wall, alluding to the glamour that exists inside the Cape Town apartment
It’s on this sofa that days begin, where this plush seating doubles up as a banquette for the breakfast nook. Later, when the sun is overhead, the lounge calls for attention, gleaming in its calming whiteness. The nearby palm trees and sounds of the ocean complement the interior style that Andrea describes as part Parisian, part Malibu Beach. ‘It’s warm, old and sophisticated,’ she says, referring to the apartment set within a historic Cape Town block, ‘but at the same time it’s got this very cool vibe.’
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When the doors between the lounge and master bedroom are open, the space presents itself almost as a hotel suite in its fluid elegance. Two different wallpapers were cut into strips to achieve the desired application on the wall
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The entertainment area includes a bar-cum-dining area and lounge. Although predominantly white, touches of pink and pale blue are accentuated by views of seaside sunsets and the Atlantic Ocean. A mixed-medium artwork by Andrea presides over this space, glimmering at night in the light of the up-lit counter top. All the furniture was custom designed by Fyfe Boyce, the home’s interior designers
FOLLOWING THE SUN AND THE MOOD The cool factor is apparent upon entering, where a tall up-lit drinks-anddining counter is the statement-maker. This is a preferred late-afternoon and evening spot, the pink lampshades welcoming in the changing colours of sunset and the pale-blue high-backed stools capturing the glow of the waves crashing outside. ‘Andrea didn’t want traditional living and dining areas,’ says Kelsey. ‘So we turned it into more of an entertainment space,’ Bruce explains, ‘fashioned off a hotel lobby kind of feel.’
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show flat designed for
DESIGN
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Ambience is a multiple award-winning and market leading Interior architecture firm that brings creative, inspirational residential and retail projects to life around the globe. Our team consists of 25 professionals: architects, interior designers, 3D render artists, furniture designers, communication manager, project managers, the admin & logistic team and of course an installation team. Since 2002, Ambience has been commissioned to work on luxury projects in the UK, Belgium, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Germany, Egypt, Switzerland and St Lucia, and has ongoing projects with renowned architects and developers in both Spain and abroad.
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The entrance counter was custom-designed by Fyfe Boyce, its arch-like cut-outs juxtaposed by the linear lampshade and square mirror
The aesthetic of a chic aparthotel continues in the master bedroom, an end-of-day sanctuary. With doors that open up fully to the entertainment zone, it becomes one free-flowing environment – almost like a loft apartment – or is closed off and separated, cocooning Andrea behind mirrored folding doors when she requires more privacy. This bedroom was almost turned into the kitchen during the renovation, to maximise the room’s sea views. ‘I’m so glad we left the kitchen at the back,’ she attests, pointing to how it suits the darker, moodier side of the home. ‘I knew from the get go that I wanted it to be black,’ she smiles about the choice of ultra-dark cabinetry. ‘I love the intensity and that it doesn’t scream 'kitchen'.’
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ows open up onto The bedroom wind the Atlantic Ocean expansive views of
Black taps and copper continue the kitchen’s moody theme
The widened passageway between the living area and kitchen doubles up as a pyjama lounge, its tealcoloured velvet sofa running the full length of the wall. A television is mounted on the opposite wall, making this a cosy family hangout when Andrea’s children visit. A textured Elitis wallpaper continues the touches of gold found within the interiors
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back to CONTENTS The master en-suite bathroom maintains the home’s elegant, uncluttered approach
‘The black kitchen takes the glamour from the front of the home through to the back, while creating more of a homely environment for that area,’ says Bruce. It also becomes a space of escape when the sun’s reflections at the front of the home become too bright. The transition from the extremes of the darker back area to the allwhite living space is guided by a dark timber-clad wall that acts as a central spine to the home, and by the dark wooden flooring that runs from it to the front door. The immediate linear break into paler oak demarcates the light-filled entertainment space. The all-neutral lounge leads to the dark passageway, with its timber-clad wall acting as a central spine to the apartment. The mirrored columns are actually round, but Bruce and Kelsey decided to box them in to juxtapose the straight linear form with other circular and curvaceous lines elsewhere in the home
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The kitchen at the back of the home presents itself as an elegant statement area in black.
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‘We’re big fans of working with the dark,’ says Kelsey, pointing to the back area that receives less sunshine. ‘If an area is dark, we don’t fight it by trying to make it light.’ The dorway's wooden flooring holds another purpose in that it defines the entrance area in the open-plan apartment. ‘It’s got a bit of a fashion-runway element to it,’ Bruce says, indicating the 2.5-metre width that divides the home. Equally defining are the artworks hanging on walls. With art being her hobby, Andrea produced them all herself, addressing the light and dark aspects of the environment while accenting areas with complementary shades or bold metallic shimmers. Be it through colour, furnishings, art or structural flow, each aspect of the home portrays a purpose, granting every hour its moment and welcoming a lifestyle suited to every mood. e
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A bedroom sports an unconventional four-poster bed designed by Fyfe Boyce and made of iroko. The mixed-medium artwork by Andrea is a photograph of palm trees that she has painted over in her unique style, matching the colours of the scatter cushions
Tiles and cabinetry details in the en-suite bathroom bring an Art Deco element to the space
FROM MOOD BOARD
TO REALITY
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NOT SO FURRY Decorating with unique sculptures will lift any interior to a new a dimension of chic and originality. And what would be a better subject than some gorgeous pets which come in varied styles, mixing the classic ceramic form with bold, colourful paintstrokes for a modern finish. DISCOVERED BY MADDIE QUINN
HOTOGRAPHY ACH COLLECTION
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A
CH Collection is a brand by HOMMÉS Studio that creates luxury objects for the home: handmade items with powerful shapes and colours that are crafted from the finest materials and are truly worthy of collection.
We love their new, super artsy Ceramic Pet Collection! The line includes cat and pomeranian, greyhound, chihuahua, boxer, dalmatian, sheepdog and french bulldog dog varieties, all hand-painted with unique details and sensational motifs and shades that takes figurine décore to a whole new level. WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 133
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FELINE FUN UNLIMITED This month we shopped around for some sleek furnishings for the household’s favourite predator.
DISCOVERED BY MADDIE QUINN
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1 1. KYALI SQUARE CAT BED, NATURA WALNUT AND NAVY With its natural wood frame and comfy navy blue cushions, this gorgeous cat climber from MADE fits perfectly into any home. Your furry friend can climb, perch and relax in style. i www.made.com
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2. PENELOPE CAT TREE This tree from Zooplus is ideal
for cats of all sizes and ages. It comes in beige or dark-grey combinations with 5 sisal posts and has different levels for playing, sleeping and stretching. i www.zooplus.es
3. PAWHUT CAT CAVE We love this stylish house for any small furry friend. Made of rattan in a dark grey or beige finish, it provides a natural refuge for a quality rest. i www.tiendanimal.es
4. WOODEN CAT CASTLE This cat tower comes with whistling columns, luxury apartments and well balanced, sturdy platforms so your cat can scratch, jump, climb, play,
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exercise safely. High quality pine wood, lambskin cushion and scratch resistant sisal pillars. i www.thechichousedecor.com
5. WALL MOUNTED CAT PLATFORM This complete wall mounted system will keep the most adventurous of felines entertained for hours while providing multiple platforms for observation or a restful pause. Made to a high standard of quality, this is perfect for those who are deadly serious about their cats! i www.themeowpetshop.com
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6. CACTUS CAT SCRATCHING POST WITH SISAL ROPE SSB Plus offers a different scratching experience with this fun and interactive design. i www.ssb-plus.com
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THE ART MARKET’S LEADING
FEMALE ARTIST
JOAN MITCHELL Joan Mitchel is the 17th most successful artist in the world (by 2020 annual auction turnover). She is above all the highest ranked female artists (following 16 men) with an annual total for last year exceeding those of hot signatures like Yoshimato Nara, Yayoi Kusama and Bansky. In the current health crisis, Joan Mitchell has even emerged as a safe investment with the sale of no less than 50 of her works generating nearly $71 million during 2020. This is the second best-ever annual total for this essential figure of American art. COMPILED BY NELY FRIEDRICH IMAGE COURTESY OF MUSEO FRED FRIEDRICH
A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE Born in Chicago in 1926, Joan Mitchell moved to New York at the age of 23 and quickly established herself as a central figure of the second generation of Abstract Expressionists. At a time when women were still marginalised in the artistic sphere, she became one of the few to join The Club, a major focal point for all the protagonists of the movement, including William
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de Kooning and Franz Kline. Throughout the 1950s, she developed an instinctive style, exclusively abstract, composed of rhythmic lines and superimposed fields of colour. Joan Mitchell drew inspiration from sources of experienced emotions and specific landscapes at specific times. Her first solo exhibition took place at the New Gallery in New York in 1952. The following year, she entered the Stable Gallery. In 1955, she
spent long periods in France, where she met several young artists including the Canadian Jean-Paul Riopelle with whom she shared her life until 1979. In France, she bought a property in Vétheuil offering her a magnificent view of the Seine (1967), close to a house where Claude Monet had lived. The works of this period bear witness to her love of the Île-de-France landscape (Paris region). When her long collaboration with the Parisian gallery
owner Jean Fournier began, her international career was already well established. She exhibited at the Venice Biennale (1958), at the Documenta II in Kassel (1959) and participated in several group exhibitions, notably at the Guggenheim and the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven. In 1974, she was offered a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum, which exhibited her work again in 1992 (Joan Mitchell: Pastel), the year of her death in Paris from cancer. In 1993, the Joan Mitchell Foundation was created in New York with the aim of promoting her work and supporting the creativity of artists during their lifetimes. The Parisian Louis Vuitton Foundation is planning a major exhibition of her work in 2022, in dialogue with work by Claude Monet. The exhibition will be an adapted version of the American retrospective soon to be held at the Baltimore Museum of Art, and subsequently at the SFMOMA in San Francisco.
A HOT MARKET In recent years, some collectors have made a
conscious decision to purchase works by female artists. Heads of Departments at Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips note a real increase in demand for works specifically created by women. There seems to be a fundamental reassessment and revaluation going on. Already in 2019, Alexander Rotter, Head of the PostWar & Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s in New York, explained that the price increase on works by female artists such as Joan Mitchell and Tamara de Lempicka, a cosmopolitan painter and icon of the art deco movement, represented “a market adjustment which should have happened a long time ago”. Mitchell’s first 7-digit result dates back to 2007 (Untitled) at Christie’s in London, but the revaluation of her work is still ongoing. For example, her diptych La Grande Vallé, whose price multiplied by 44 between 1989 and 2020, from $330,000 to $14.5 million. Her all-time auction record remains that hammered for her Blueberry at over $16.6 million in May 2018 (Christie’s New York). Taking into account all of her works
sold and resold at auction, the value accretion of her artwork is estimated at approximately +15% over the last 12 months. This comes on top of the +2000% increase (calculated using the same method) between 2000 and 2019 for all of her work. e
g Nely Friedrich is the Founder of the Museo Fred Friedrich. Polígono La Campana, 2, Marbella. Tel: (+34) 951 319 940. www.museo-fredfriedrich.com
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Just in time for this season's rage for the 'total denim look', Mango captures the Mediterranean spirit with their new campaign, but this time with the message 'Lower Impact, a Better World'. WORDS BY MADDIE QUINN This versatile and universal fabric, denim, features in this new collection for all genders, ages and sizes; offering shirts, dungarees, skirts, trousers, jackets and even denim dresses, all in beautiful powdered tones. The silhouettes are inspired by denim outfits of the 90s, incorporating some patchwork which gives the classics added charisma. Thanks to innovative and more sustainable processes, Mango's entire denim collection in all lines will save an astounding 30 million litres of water! Some of the models incorporate technologies such as laser or ozone to provide more sustainable and efficient solutions for the washing and finishing of each of their products. While Mango is moving forward in its commitment to achieve a more responsible fashion industry, they also promote a Mediterranean lifestyle that is linked to the sea and nature timelessly, so that you can enjoy their sustainable garments for many seasons to come.
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MANGO’S NEW DENIM COLLECTION
SAVES 30 MILLION LITRES OF WATER WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 139
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CLICK TO VISIT
www.mango.com
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EXPERIENCED PSYCHOTHERAPIST, GABRIELLA KORTSCH, ADVISES ON WHAT CONSTITUTES A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP. DR. THOMAS BOERGER EXPLAINS HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON. IN BEAUTY, WE INVESTIGATE THREE SIMPLE WAYS TO WHITEN YOUR TEETH AT HOME.
GO TO PAGE 148 FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
GO TO PAGE 152 FOR WHITE TEETH
PRODUCTS BEAUTY SPA HEALTH
GO TO PAGE 150 FOR ADVISE FROM YOUR ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON
148 Healthy Relationships 150 Orthopaedic Surgeon 152 Teeth Whitening Techniques
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A PORTRAIT OF A
HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIP Most people didn’t have wonderful role models growing up, so it makes sense to examine some guidelines to understand how healthy relationships function. WORDS GABRIELLA KORTSCH
Z Both partners are invested in personal growth. Z Both are willing and able to look at the self when issues arise, even if this inner process is still in its infancy, quite difficult, and possibly painful. Z Healthy boundaries are integral to relationships: each partner respects the other’s. When discussing something either partner considers an issue, the other actually helps explore it, rather than attacking or blaming. If one partner wants to share how hurt they feel when the other doesn’t show affection, in an
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unhealthy relationship the other would blame the first for something totally unrelated to this specific point in order to redirect or derail the focus, as opposed to openly examining the issue. Z Healthy boundaries also imply that both actively work on loving the self. It is nearly impossible to maintain good boundaries without self-love. Z Both understand that learning to self-regulate thoughts, emotions, actions, reactions, and self-dialogue is paramount to the health of the relationship and therefore both are
committed to continual growth in that direction. Z Both understand that growing into emotional maturity is a priority, a goal of utmost importance. (An article about emotional maturity is forthcoming). Z Both recognise the relationship as a valuable tool for self-growth, because precisely the issues that arise allow such growth to occur. This is only possible if both look at it like that, working actively to resolve inter-personal and personal issues that arise.
Gabriella Kortsch, Ph.D., a multilingual, integral (body, mind, soul) psychotherapist, and bestselling author, with an international practice in Marbella, has been working with clients from 30 countries since 2003. i www.gabriellakortsch.com
Z Neither feels a need to conform to the other’s idea of how they should be. Z Both freely take on responsibility for their own inner well-being and happiness, recognising that this is not something they should expect from their partner. Z Both honour each other’s desires, needs and opinions, implying that both communicate very respectfully until a mutually satisfactory resolution is found. Hence neither determines that his/her position is the only valid, or more important one. Z Both have a life apart from the relationship, which may include friends, activities, hobbies, or sports. This
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strengthens the relationship, as opposed to trying to do everything together, resulting in one or both giving up people, interests, or activities for the sake of the other. Z Healthy couples are differentiated and independent because they don’t depend on each other in the typically fundamental ways found in many relationships. In Constructing the Sexual Crucible, psychologist David Schnarch writes: “differentiation is basically the ability to balance humankind’s two most fundamental drives. One is our urge to be connected with other people, and the other is the urge to be free and autonomous and direct the course of our life. […] differentiation is the ability to have both: to be very much involved in a relationship and also be able to be your own person within that relationship. When you can do that, you basically have the best of both worlds […]”. This is only possible if both are on a growth path. Z Both agree about children, religion, politics, finances, and sex, not because both believe exactly the same, but because both agree to honour and respect the other’s position, and, agreed prior to committing, how these matters would be dealt with. If
you are already in a relationship where these matters were initially not discussed, you should address them now. Z Both know that remaining aware, conscious, and present at all times is key to every point listed here. Don’t believe because you can currently only tick a few of these boxes that your situation is hopeless. Encourage your partner to read this and simply begin working on one of these points. Read books or find a therapist to help you navigate the first steps. More than anything, get yourselves on the same page. Both need to be invested in this process. If that is the case, you will get there. I promise you. If you are single, newly-separated, or divorced, don’t despair. Work on yourself as best you can. When you approach the threshold to a potential new relationship, be observant and aware. Is this person invested in a similar process? If not, tread warily, carefully, because a lack of investment in this might simply lead you into another relationship of the kind that didn’t survive before. But if they are invested in the process, cross that threshold. You just might be taking one of the best steps of your life. e
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WORDS DR. THOMAS BOERGER CONSULTANT ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON, SPECIALISING IN HIPS & KNEES, OPERATING IN MARBELLA & GIBRALTAR
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON? FIRST, AVOID THE NEED TO SEE AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON Lifestyle choices significantly affect all aspects of our wellbeing, and optimal bone and joint health is no exception. Aim for good nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight, cut down on or stop smoking altogether and drink responsibly. Excess weight is a major cause of wear and tear of important joints such as the hip, knee, and ankle. Regular physical activity enjoyed in the sunny outdoors helps to promote good bone density, growth and repair as well as reducing the severity of osteoporosis which can lead to fragility fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. Once we move past middle age, despite our best efforts to live healthily, we begin to experience age-related stiffness and generalised aches and pains. Pharmacies are able to reliably advise and safely recommend over the counter topical and oral pain-relief medication and support bracing options once you start to find the need to seek out help for your joint symptoms.
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HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU REALLY NEED AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON? When you have acute or chronic joint pain, your GP can comprehensively assess you for relevant degenerative and inflammatory joint conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which can typically be managed with medication, without surgery. Your GP can often prescribe physiotherapy, painkillers and sometimes inject antiinflammatory medication directly into the affected joint to offer symptom relief and improvement in the condition. You need to see a specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon to consider definitive treatment options when you have done all of the above and continue to be troubled by persistent symptoms and painful joints. Many of us know this ongoing pain can affect our mental health too, making us feel down, as we’re no longer able to join friends for a game of golf, to go for a quiet walk after dinner, or even sleep comfortably.
SELECTING AND SEEING AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON Z During the first consultation: Above all else, the Orthopaedic Surgeon you choose should be professional, caring and interested in you as a person, not just a patient. The initial interview with you should be comprehensive and you should feel free to tell your story. You can expect to have high quality radioimages such as joint X-rays taken there and then. You should then be able to view these with your Orthopaedic Surgeon who should explain the findings to you clearly, and follow up with a report. Z After the consultation: You are now in possession of multiple options. You should have some initial understanding of what has been
recommended. You should be given further opportunities to ask more questions about any specific operative procedure on offer. As a minimum standard, your Orthopaedic Surgeon who has offered you joint replacement surgery should be fellowshiptrained in Arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery) and should have a specialised expertise in the procedure recommended to you. If you now wish to proceed with joint replacement surgery, you should be given an explanation of what happens next, from tests, implant type and lifespan, anaesthesia, rehabilitation and aftercare. Most importantly, you should never be rushed or feel pressured into any decision. Your Orthopaedic Surgeon should offer you another appointment to discuss any queries you may have if you wish.
ONCE YOU HAVE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH SURGERY Z Before surgery: You may wish to request more information from your surgeon such as whether their immediate team is complete with dedicated anaesthetists and operating theatre staff and if they are annually appraised and revalidated by the corresponding professional regulatory body. Z After surgery: Now you should be fully informed about the next steps, offered adequate pain management and associated therapy towards your discharge from hospital. You and your family should be given opportunities to ask questions. Clear postoperative care and post-discharge review plans should be provided, together with a contact in the immediate post-operative period for any concerns arising upon returning home. Finally, any questions?
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g Feel free to contact me on WhatsApp, phone, or email. Details are on my website: https://thomasboerger.com/ This article has been written by Dr Thomas O. Boerger, MD FRCSI (Tr&Orth) Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who obtained his primary medical qualification from Berlin, Germany, and who is fully post-graduate Surgical and Orthopaedic sub-specialty trained and qualified in London. Dr Boerger led in, and completed, Orthopaedic research projects, and successfully published with the Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Imperial College, London and the University of Leeds, UK. He has also specific Arthroplasty (Hips and Knees) and Soft tissue/Ligamentous reconstruction fellowship experiences in Florence, Italy and Canberra and Sydney, Australia. Dr Boerger is currently operating in St Bernard’s Hospital, Gibraltar, and High Care International Hospital, Marbella.
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WORDS BY MADDIE QUINN
3 WAYS TO SHOW OFF THOSE
PEARLY WHITES If you are like me and enjoy black coffee, blueberries and red wine, chances are your teeth also need constant attention. Visiting the dentist regularly for tooth whitening is pricey and the harsh products may leave you with tooth sensitivity. As an alternative, there is also a growing range of home products that help remove established stains. Formats include toothpastes, strips, pens and even complete kits with that special blue light that help penetrate deeper. They may not work as efficiently as a professional dental treatment would, but will still achieve a few shades lighter, are more comfortable, more economical, and less likely to leave you with irritation. We explore a few options below; take your pick and start showing off your smile!
1 CREST 3D WHITE PROFESSIONAL EFFECTS WHITESTRIPS, WITH AND WITHOUT LIGHT
American brand Crest offers professionallevel teeth whitening results and claims to lift even 14 years of stains in just 20 days. The treatment consists of no-slip strips that you fix to both upper and lower teeth for 30 minutes each day and within 3 days you can already boast a whiter smile. It is dental association endorsed, enamel safe and allows you to talk or even drink while whitening your teeth. The advanced pack includes a light device that targets yellow stains effectively, boosting results while reducing treatment time. 152 / MAY 2021 ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
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2 ECODENTA EXPERT BLACK WHITENING TOOTHPASTE AND MR. BLANC BAMBOO CHARCOAL WHITENING TOOTHPASTE
These charcoal based toothpastes work with natural ingredients while gently removing impurities, helping with the day-to-day balancing of tea, coffee and red wine consumption. Charcoal is only mildly abrasive though and while able to absorb surface stains to some degree, it will not penetrate deeper so don’t expect radical results. It is a good, natural alternative that will provide long lasting freshness and will definitely be kinder to your system. CLICK TO BUY
3 SMILE PRO ADVANCED WHITENING KIT
The SmilePro Advanced Teeth Whitening Kit is a compete system including 3 gel syringes for 9 treatments, a mouth tray with LED light that is supposed to speed up the whitening process, a professional shade guide to keep track of progress and a whitening pen for touch-ups on the go. It looks pretty simple, and claims to be safe and so effective that you may notice a substantial difference after just one use. They are so confident you will like their product that it comes with a full money-back guarantee. Well, that’s it, I am ordering it! e CLICK TO BUY
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LUNCH - DINNER & Cocktails
LIVE MUSIC every night
682 11 22 33
Introducing Jazz Nights: “I play the good kind” - Louis Armstrong
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enterprise
DISCOVER DO’S AND DON’T’S WHEN BUYING SPANISH PROPERTY, LEARN ABOUT MIMOVE’S BUSINESS MODEL, BE IMPRESSED BY THE TECH GEAR-UP IN MÁLAGA CITY AND FIND OUT WHAT’S TICKING ON THE LOCAL BUSINESS SCENE.
GO TO PAGE 164 FOR MÁLAGA VALLEY TECHNOLOGY PARK
GO TO PAGE 158 FOR DO’S AND DONT’S WHEN BUYING SPANISH PROPERTY
GO TO PAGE 168 FOR BUSINESS NEWS
GO TO PAGE 160 FOR MIMOVE
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROPERTY FINANCE LOCAL NEWS 158 Do’s and Dont’s when Buying Spanish Property 160 MiMove Business Profile 164 Málaga Valley Technology Park 168 Business News
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DOS &DON’TS WORDS SEAN WOOLLEY, SPANISH PROPERTY EXPERT AND AUTHOR OF FROM THE GROUND UP
TO FOLLOW WHEN BUYING SPANISH PROPERTY
THE DOS Z DO YOUR RESEARCH Don’t let you make the right decision. Trust a property which fits the bill. the dream of owning a second home your gut feeling throughout, if you in sunny Spain cloud your decision have doubts, check and double check Z NEGOTIATE ON LEGAL FEES Most making. Buying a property is an and if you’re not sure, walk away. lawyers charge a standard fee of If you are dreaming of buying a property in Spain, there is so much to think important decision, whichthings to consider before you proceed.1% IVA agent, of the property about and andone many As+ an we’re price (with always offering advice and pointers buyers, flagging up concerns and like must be handled correctly. Search Z MAKE A LISTfor OF our ‘MUST-HAVES’ a minimum fee of something and we’ve together our essential help youthat to if you spend online, talk issues to experts, visitsothe area, putStart your search with a clearDos viewand Don’ts, €2.000). to This means avoid the pitfalls and make the right decisions. talk to locals and get as much honest SPANISH of the essentials your property €500.000, legalUP fees will amount WORDS SEAN WOOLLEY, PROPERTYfor EXPERT AND AUTHOR OF FROM THEyour GROUND feedback as possible. and then a second list of desirable to €6.050 (1% + 21% IVA), but if your elements that you’re willing to property is costing €1.500.000, your Z WORK WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE compromise on. Think about why you legal fees shoot up to €18.150. To Make sure you do your research are buying, who for and what will you me, this doesn’t seem fair, I would when choosing your agent, legal be using it for, e.g. would you like to strongly recommend negotiating representative and advisors, as you rent it out. Convey this to your agent either a reduced percentage fee or a need to trust them implicitly to help so they can make sure you’re buying flat fee in advance.
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THE DON’TS Z DON’T LEAVE YOUR BRAIN AT HOME Clients become over-excited, unrealistic, spend too much money, they purchase something wholly inappropriate, they even buy when they’re drunk. In essence they do things that they would never do at home, so don’t follow in their footsteps. The key is to get to know the area as well as possible, ask as many questions as you can and approach your property hunting seriously. Z DON’T CONFUSE ‘CHEAP’ WITH ‘VALUE’ Great properties in the best areas will likely never need to be drastically reduced, because the demand for them is consistently high. You need to understand the market and the best locations to identify the best value property which will be the most sensible investment over the longterm. Z DON’T BUY FOR YOUR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS Don’t be a slave to friends and family when purchasing a second home. Of course it’s great to share it with your friends and family, but remember who’s paying for it and don’t let their needs dictate your purchase. Z USE A MORTGAGE BROKER AND CURRENCY SPECIALIST Seek advice from a specialist mortgage broker based here in Spain as they have their finger on the pulse, and will be able to assess which lenders may offer the most competitive mortgage deals. If you are purchasing in a currency outside of the euro-zone, you should definitely use a reputable currency broker to transfer your funds; it can make a HUGE difference to how much you pay for your property!
Z DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE FEES As a rule of thumb, the total buying costs for a resale property will be somewhere between 10% - 11%, while the costs for purchasing a new-build property will fall into the range of 13.5% - 14.5%. In addition to the costs of purchase, you will also need to consider the property’s running costs and community fees.
i Sean Woolley is the Founder and Director of leading real estate agency Cloud Nine Spain. For more information, top tips and tricks to ensure your Spanish property purchase goes smoothly, search for his book From the Ground Up – The Insider’s Guide to Buying Spanish Property on Amazon.
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MIMOVE GUARANTEES THE SAFEST WAY TO FIND YOUR
DREAM HOME IN SPAIN
MiMove.com is one of the most visited property portals among internationals who are looking for their dream home in Spain or Portugal. They are best known for ensuring transparency, security, and user-friendliness on their portal. WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY MIMOVE.COM
Marcus Surtén, CEO of MiMove
M
iMove offers certain guarantees. To mention some: they make sure that their affiliated agencies are certified and professional, and that pricing and other information are constantly updated. They took a step towards becoming even safer recently by signing a collaboration contract with Enspecta – a well-established property inspection company that makes sure the home you are buying or selling is not hiding any unwelcome surprises.
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NUMBER ONE ON THE SCANDINAVIAN MARKET With over 330,000 website visitors per month and having over 40,000 followers on social media (an increase of over 30% compared to last year), MiMove stands as a leading property portal with listings in Spain that target the International market, and is the first and biggest portal in Scandinavia. Most visitors come from Sweden, followed by the British, Germans, Irish and Dutch markets among others. Recently, in January 2021, MiMove broke a new record with the numbers of enquiries sent to their clients (estate agencies), reaching the highest numbers in the company's history.
AN UNUSUAL YEAR BROUGHT NEW RECORDS! “Maybe we pushed even harder than usual to avoid the downhill that many others experienced. Perhaps last year made people keener to actually take the step and move to a warmer climate. The dream of finally moving to Spain possibly became even stronger after much contemplation while sitting indoors for long periods of time. It's hard to say exactly why, but most likely it's a combination of different factors that helped us manage to raise the numbers,” says Tommy Boman, Director of Marketing at MiMove.
LEAST DUPLICATES AMONG SPAIN’S PROPERTY PORTALS When looking for a home abroad,
it can sometimes be difficult to know how reliable the website information is. Something that really affects both the userfriendliness and security of the buyer is the number of duplicates online, i.e. the same home that is displayed several times in different ads. The duplicates often show completely different information for important matters such as the square meters and the price. The independent statistics company Casafari confirmed that MiMove is best positioned for secure property purchases when it comes to the number of duplicates with the least number of them on the market. “Casafari has confirmed what we already knew, which is that MiMove has by far the least number of duplicates on our portal
compared to our competitors. This is one of many factors that makes MiMove safer, more secure, and easier to trust. International home buyers often waste time reviewing the same home in several different contexts and get confused by the contrasting information that is displayed. This is unacceptable. We want to challenge our competitors in Spain to reduce the number of duplicates and make the process for home buyers more transparent and safer,” says Marcus Surtén, CEO of MiMove.
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ANTICIPATED CATCH-UP EFFECT ON THE SPANISH HOUSING MARKET Of course, nothing can be predicted with 100% certainty. But, given the increased interest, and also because many people who had planned to buy a home in Spain in 2020 (but put it on hold due to the crisis) will most likely be the first ones to buy as soon as we return to a more flexible life. During regular years, the purchases are naturally spread out throughout the year. What MiMove is anticipating is that there will be a surge of buyers wishing to grab hold of their long-awaited homes in Spain.
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Are you considering investing in the Spanish real estate market or moving to this lovely country? If your answer is 'yes', then the best time to buy would probably be as soon as possible, before the estate agency offices become crowded.
DON’T FORGET TO INSPECT! Recently, MiMove signed an exclusive deal with the Swedish property inspection company Enspecta, that is branching out and entering the Spanish property market. “MiMove has since its inception been focused on trust and transparency. We want to increase the reliability of
information and offer guarantees to homeowners in Spain. With Enspecta as our partner, we take this one step further and we can now offer another level of trustworthiness and confidence to all property buyers,” Marcus Surtén states. MiMove started marketing Enspecta’s services in January of 2021, and the company’s CEO, Marcus Surtén, sees a benefit for the entire market. “Since we have a similar vision and position as MiMove, we view it as a natural step forward to collaborate and implement our inspection model on the Spanish and international market,” says Jonas Person, CEO at Enspecta.
Through MiMove’s network, all MiMove’s members will receive a discount when using Enspecta’s services, including both buyers and sellers. It is however the responsibility of the buyer or seller to request the inspection services by Enspecta through MiMove – they will not be included by default. Keep in mind that property inspections are not mandatory under Spanish law, although it is highly recommended to have the property inspected for your own peace of mind. You can look out for special deals on inspections at MiMove. com. If you are a MiMovemember you will be notified
through upcoming newsletters. In the near future, all properties that are pre-inspected will have a stamp in the listing on MiMove.com, making it even more comfortable and easy for homebuyers to pick a safe property.
feature which allows visitors to easily form an even better idea of the surroundings of their property of interest.
MIMOVE SERVICES FOR AGENCIES
i CONNECT WITH MIMOVE Web: www.mimove.com Facebook: @MiMove, @MiMoveSweden, @MiMoveDeutschland Instagram: mimove_com Twitter: mimove_com YouTube: MiMove AB
For agencies that would like to list their properties on MiMove, there are plenty of services and different package deals on offer. Some of the services are photographs, videos, 3D-tours, floor plans, and certificates. Recently MiMove also introduced drone view to their listings and are the first on the market to offer this
g Read more at www.mimoveservices.com
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www.mimove.com
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TECH
COMES TO MÁLAGA Ever since the Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía was founded in the mid-nineties, Málaga has been drawing a growing number of tech firms to these shores. What started as a small outpost on the edge of the Costa del Sol has since become a notable technology hub on a European level, attracting more and more international corporations and tech professionals to our region. WORDS MICHEL CRUZ
The Parque Tecnológico de Málaga is helping to evolve and diversify the local economy
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Málaga’s very own Tech Valley is taking shape fast
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t began as a slow, quiet revolution that many have not yet fully grasped the importance of, but not far from the lofty fairways, palm trees and beaches of the Costa del Sol there is another world taking shape. You might call it the 21st century comes to the Costa del Sol, for what is now officially dubbed the Málaga Tech Park forms the heart of an expanding centre of technology, R&D and academic-commercial joint ventures – our very own ‘Silicon Valley’ in the making. If this causes your eyebrows to rise in surprise, chances are you’ve never even heard of this particular facet of the area we live in. For centuries a focus of
agriculture, fishing, trade and light manufacture, followed for the past few decades by tourism and property development, the greater Málaga region is now slowly becoming known for something else – and drawing new residents for reasons other than sun and sea.
MORE THAN 600 TECH COMPANIES You may also be surprised by the scale of Málaga’s transitional project, as by now its associated firms in telecom, IT and research long since surpassed the 600mark. What’s more, this number is not only made up of start-ups, small specialised tech firms and local companies, but also includes sizeable operations
by international corporations such as Oracle, IBM, Vodafone, Huawei, Ericsson, TDK and many others. It is, in short, an impressive hub on a national and even European scale. Several years ago we spoke with Marc Sanderson, who had been headhunted by Málaga’s visionary mayor to head up a new international business development office. He explained that, with the required infrastructure and international connections in place, the region was ready to welcome the world for business. The goal for it was as advanced as the vision that has beautified and transformed Málaga, and its main focus has always been technology.
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AND MORE COMING Since then, Marc has been involved in collaborations with Málaga University, as well as others in Spain and across the world, student exchanges and internship programmes, developing an incubation support structure for new tech and other start-ups, as well as guiding such nascent businesses to full maturity. This also includes providing assistance on a business level, through financial/management courses and even interning small firms in places like Silicon Valley.
TDK is one a growing number of leading international brands now operating in Málaga
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It has paid off; the Málaga Tech Park employs over 20,000 people and in spite of the current crisis this number even grew a little last year. There is also a good male/female balance, and 2021 began with the announcement of not one but several important new projects coming to these shores. They include the new Google Cybersecurity Center being established in an old government building on the Paseo de la Farola – a project involving over $650 million investment by Google over the five years.
Also opening in the ‘Málaga Tech Valley’ near the airport is the new Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center of Globant, the first Latin American company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Over 200 specialists will be working here, while Japanese tech firm TDK will be expanding its operations in Málaga from the production of ribbon capacitors to also including a new Data Science Center designed to promote its AI, Business Intelligence, datadriven services and machine learning.
The tech companies now settling in Málaga are a magnet for local and international talent
FROM IT TO HIGH-TECH LOGISTICS
Dekra, one of the global leaders in testing, inspection and certification, is building a new global hub for information technology in Málaga, joining huge new warehousing and logistics centres by the likes of Montepino, Green Logistics and others, whose combined operational surface will total over 800,000m2. The Andalusian Digital Agency will add another 1,000 jobs in a drive to create a joint digital strategy for the region, facilitate tech transformation and attract yet more tech investment. Other initiatives that illustrate just how the city is embracing its new role as a tech hub are a light fidelity (LiFi) pilot project launched at the María Zambrano railway station and fully functional autonomous driving electric bus service whose pilot made Málaga a pioneer in Europe. At the high-tech facilities of Adif in the Málaga Tech Park, high-speed rail systems designed for integrated pan-European use are being developed, just as the city consolidates its role in gaming technology. Far from the rustic coast turned resort it once was, the Costa del Sol is now becoming a region that welcomes today’s tech professionals and offers them a setting and quality of life that is hard to equal in most of the world’s digital technology centres. Recognising this, the local authorities have launched www.malagaworkbay.com to provide information and practical support for those wishing to relocate to what must be one of the nicest places to be transferred to. e
EVENTS IN 2021
ZAPRIL 14-15 Transfiere – 10th European Meeting on science, technology & innovation ZAPRIL 17 TEDx Málaga (virtual) ZJUNE 21-22 CM Málaga – Cities & Museums International trade fair ZJULY 23-25 Gamepolis – eSports festival ZSEPT 29-30 GreenCities – 12th Forum of Urban Intelligence & Sustainability ZSEPT 29-30 S-Moving – Smart, Autonomous and Unmanned Vehicles Forum ZOCT 7-8 Smart Agrifood Summit ZOCT 22-23 EducAcción – 1st International Congress on Education ZNOV 4-11 SIMED – 17th Med Real Estate Fair ZNOV 24 Global Startup Cities Summit ZDEC 9-12 Mobile Week Málaga 2021
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business news COMPILED BY IAIN BLACKWELL
OCEAN CLUB REOPENING WITH A BANG Ocean Club Marbella will reopen its doors on the 21st of May with a muchawaited exciting summer season ahead. In 2020 Ocean Club made the conscious decision to remain closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The health & safety of clients and staff has always been of utmost importance.
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This year Ocean Club will enforce the necessary restrictions and guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety and this will remain an utmost priority. Even with restrictions in place, they will provide an exhilarating OC experience not to be missed under the new normality. i www.oceanclub.es
ORCHIDARIUM OF ESTEPONA IN FULL FLOWER May is a great month to experience the Estepona Orchidarium with more than 150 species in full flowering mode and up to 200 species expected to flower until June. These are exceptional specimens, many of which originate from tropical climates and consequently require extremely specialised care. For its bio acclimatisation and expert horticultural management, the Estepona Botanical Orchid Park has established itself as one of the most important in Europe, becoming a focus of attraction for visitors and tourists. Visit it this month with family for a great day out. i www.orchidariumestepona.com
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LA FABRICA DEL HIELO CONCEPT STORE With a showroom of 1,000m2, La Fabrica del Hielo has recently opened in Marbella. Located in a building which housed an old ice factory, from where it takes its name, it is the brainchild of José Luis Rodríguez, the creator of Collection World and Volubilis, who has launched this new venture together with his son José Miguel Rodríguez and the interior designer, Andrés Sauceda. As well as offering the services of a design studio, the spacious store presents an eclectic collection of decorative items, exclusive pieces, objets d’art and antiques. i www.lafabricadelhielo.com
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MIRADORES DEL SOL TM Real Estate Group presented its new project, Miradores del Sol, in Estepona. Designed by the prestigious architecture studio, González & Jacobsen, the development comprises 49 semi-detached townhouses with 2 and 3 bedrooms and spacious terraces, distributed in four low-rise blocks, set in gardens with a large central space of grass and trees, with pools, Jacuzzis and a children’s play area. The inauguration was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Estepona and the Deputy General Directors of TM Grupo Inmobiliario among other local personalities. i www.tmgrupoinmobiliario.com
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GAMING FOR GLOBAL GIFT INNITIATIVE Mateo Conde, Vice President of Business Development at eGoGames, the leading mobile eSport company and entrepreneur and philanthropist, María Bravo, founder of the humanitarian organisation, Global Gift Foundation, recently signed an agreement that will see both platforms united in the fight against child poverty and social exclusion. Part of the profits deriving from eSports tournaments will go to a brand new project of the Foundation, the eGoGames Centre, where children without resources will be protected and given an education. i www.globalgiftfoundation.org
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NEW BOOK BY GARRY WAITE Well known local personality and foodie, Garry Waite, announced the release of his latest novel, The Hotel Manager, which promises to be a good read. The book follows the exploits of Michael Nicolson on assuming the directorship of the family’s flagship hotel, the five star London Majestic. Set in 2005, he is at the pinnacle of his career, but is about to learn more about his past than he could ever have imagined. Garry Waite, a hotelier and restaurateur by profession, moved from the UK to Spain in 1986. This is his third published work, following The Warm War and Half My Life. i garryphwaite@gmail.com
HELP EVERY HORSE IN THE WORLD Formerly known as CYD Santa María, sisters Concordia and Virginia who are pioneers in the fight for the protection of horses, have renamed their organisation Every Horse in The World to highlight their cause. There are still thousands of horses on this planet that are suffering at the hands of humans and they intend to do everything in their power to raise awareness of this. They run El Refugio which, with 50,000m2, is one of the largest refuges in Europe, where they are currently caring for more than 200 animals. i If you can help in any way, please contact them. www.todosloscaballosdelmundo.com WWW.ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM / 173
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MEDIAMARKT OPENS AT LA CAÑADA & PARQUE MIRAMAR Following its acquisition of Worten in Spain, the German multinational MediaMarkt, with over 1,000 outlets in Europe, has just opened new stores at La Cañada in Marbella, and Parque Miramar, Fuengirola. Belonging to MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group, a subsidiary of the German group Ceconomy, the stores are dedicated to the sale of household appliances, informatics and consumer electronics. Customers will be able to browse thousands of products, from computers to cameras, TVs to telephones. i www.mediamarkt.es
NEW BOUTIQUES OPEN IN PUERTO BANÚS Luxury Italian fashion brand, Moncler, has just opened the doors of its first store on the frontline of Puerto Banús, presenting its latest Spring/Summer Collection for men and women – expect to find items here that represent the feel of Marbella, its beaches
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and white buildings. Prestigious American brand Polo Ralph Lauren has also arrived in the port with the recent inauguration of its new boutique, which sports a décor inspired by Puerto Banús. In addition, famous designer, Carolina Herrera will also be opening her new boutique in Puerto Banús in early May. i www.puerto-banus.com
GREAT RECOGNITION FOR The Marbella Postal Service has MARBELLA POSTAL SERVICE been recognised by Correos with the National Award of Excellence 2020. The Marbella Distribution Unit was declared the winner of the award, being placed in first position in the country among 25 other units in the same category. Marbella’s Post Office Director, Ana Medina Navara, praised the work of her team, stating that receiving this recognition in a difficult year shows that as a team you can achieve what you set out to do by always moving forward, overcoming obstacles and surmounting problems. i www.correos.es
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gourmet
BOHO CLUB IS AN INSTITUTION ON MARBELLA’S GOLDEN MILE – FIND OUT WHY. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FROM THE CULINARY SCENE, AND PREPARE TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE RANGE OF COLOURFUL PROVOCATIVE WINES FROM WINERY ON CREATIONS.
GO TO PAGE 186 FOR DEMUERTE WINES
GO TO PAGE 182 FOR GOURMET BYTES
GO TO PAGE 178 FOR BOHO CLUB
NEWS GASTRONOMY CHEFS WINE
178 Boho Club Luxury Resort 182 Gourmet Bytes 186 Winery On Creations
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BOHO CLUB MARBELLA’S SECRET GREEN RETREAT WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BOHO CLUB
I
n a relatively short period of time, Boho Club, in the heart of Marbella’s Golden Mile, has become an institution for those in the know. Its wonderfully sophisticated set-up, in combination with food to-die-for, great ambience and slick service, tick all the boxes for the perfect lunch or night out. Boho Club is actually a boutique resort, with suite and bungalow accommodation featuring tasteful interiors, lush tropical gardens with avant-garde statues, swimming pools, and a gymnasium. Guests staying overnight have the privilege of trying the attractive breakfast options served in the restaurant and this presents an
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interesting opportunity for couples: come for dinner and enjoy a romantic evening, with an overnight stay and breakfast in the morning.
BOHO DINING The restaurant is also open to the general public for breakfast, lunch and dinner and diners are in for a real treat. It is a veritable oasis of style, spacious and sumptuous, featuring ample terracing, and reception area. With renowned figure, Diego del Río at the helm, the dishes prepared are elegant and exquisite. A Michelin-starred chef, he is passionate about Andalusian cuisine, wherever possible sourcing natural, fresh produce from the region’s abundance of suppliers. Select from his tasting menu or à la carte.
SPOILED FOR CHOICE The menu features a range of sensational starters, melt-in-your mouth mains and desirable desserts. Whatever you choose, it is impossible to go wrong here, which of course means that you will want to return to savour this experience again.
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Don’t miss Diego’s marinated olives on the table, which are difficult to leave alone, and instead of providing butter for the tasty bread – focaccia and rustic brown – you are encouraged to dip it into the best organic olive oil in the world, Finca la Torre, which has received this accolade several years in succession.
TIME FOR CHEERS The drinks options are extensive, comprising a large selection of Champagnes, sparkling wines, national, international and dessert wines, not to mention an impressive cocktail list. There is a fabulous bar area where these can be enjoyed with friends and colleagues, on a wind-down from work session.
SPECIAL EXTRAS Boho Club has many nice touches, such as the welcome
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you receive at the entry reception and being shown to your table. The waiters are smart and attentive, always on hand to enhance your visit and there is substantial space between the table layouts, affording a relaxing dining ambience. Weekend evenings often feature live music entertainment, complementing the cool DJ spun music. With an establishment on such a scale, this is a great venue for events, parties and functions. So, if you haven’t experienced the refined luxury of Boho Club yet, do you yourself a favour with a reservation soon. Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. e
g BOHO CLUB CN 340, Km 176, Urb. Lomas de Rio Verde Marbella. Tel: 952 157 222.
CLICK TO VISIT
www.bohoclub.com
Tel: 952 818 392 www.thaigallerymarbella.com
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ALL OUR RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS, WITH FULL SAFETY MEASURES!
Puente Romano Hotel, Plaza Village, Marbella.
IN ES E R ES TA U R A N T PO LY
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Tel: 952 777 893 / 952 775 500 www.taipanmarbella.com Puente Romano, Fase 2, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00
SUKHOTHAI Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine Tel: 952 770 550 www.sukhothaimarbella.com Marbellamar, L-3A, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00
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ALCAZABA LAGOON REOPENS
The Alcazaba Lagoon Restaurant has now re-opened for the season with covid 19 measures in place, serving fusion cuisine with a Mediterranean heart. The menu has a good variety of dishes including mouth-watering desserts, all coming beautifully presented and made with the best quality ingredients. Set on the edge of crystal turquoise waters with fine sand and surrounded by 40,000 m2 of tropical gardens, it is the perfect place to spend a relaxing day or to get high on water sports adventures. i www.alcazabalagoonrestaurante.com
CHEFSFORCHILDREN
CHARITY FUNDRAISER
Children from the Andrés Olivares Foundation in Málaga spent a joyful afternoon at the ChefsForChildren cooking workshop on the terrace of prestigious restaurant José Carlos García in Muelle Uno. Organised by the Juegaterapia Foundation, the event counted on the participation of Michelin chefs, José Carlos García, Diego Gallegos (Sollo), Mauricio Giovanini (Messina), Benito Gómez (Bardal), Mario Cachinero (Skina) and Fernando Villasclaras (El Lago), who aimed to show the little ones that eating healthy is fun. i www.chefsforchildren.es
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MARBELLA BLUSH ROSÉ
NOW ALSO IN 75CL
Bodegas Málaga Virgen are pleased to announce the launch of the new vintage of the Marbella Blush Rosé this month. Made exclusively from the best Sierras de Málaga Syrah grapes, this rosé is the perfect tipple to enjoy on a sunny afternoon or evening out, with its lively and refreshing taste. Previously only available in a spectacular magnum bottle, this year the winery has also launched it in a 75cl format. i www.bodegasmalagavirgen.com
SOLES REPSOL
AWARDS 2021
Despite all of the difficulties 2020 has imposed on the sector, almost 100 Spanish restaurants have been awarded with prestigious Repsol Suns in 2021. This year, the Repsol Guide has distinguished 96 restaurants: three with Tres Soles, 11 with Dos Soles and 82 with Un Sol. The presentation ceremony recently took place at a gala celebration in San Sebastian last month, where Álvaro Alberoa received the Sol on behalf of Ta-Kumi Málaga. g www.guiarepsol.com
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DEMUERTE WORDS JAMES SINCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WINERY ON CREATIONS
WINES
From Yecla in Murcia a young couple are making waves in the world of wine with their outstanding range of Demuerte productions. The wines are intense and provocative, living up to the intrigue created by the unusual name and outstanding artwork deployed on the bottles.
P
ablo Cortes and Karel Eissner are the dynamic couple responsible for the rise of this iconic name. Pablo is an agricultural engineer with over 15 years experience operating as a winemaker at a number of Spanish bodegas. He is the driving force behind the enology of Demuerte, overseeing the entire process from planting vines to bottling wines. Karel, meanwhile, is a specialist in architecture, design and photography, with international experience gained in Germany, Colombia and Spain. She is the creative director who has pioneered the bold and colourful design of the labels, with artwork based on a Mexican death mask. Starting with a modest 3,000 bottles in 2015, they are now producing 150,000 bottles annually and are present in 22 countries.
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THE TERROIR Winery On comprises several vineyards which together cover a terrain of 20 hectares in the area of Yecla, north of Murcia and inland from Alicante. Here the vines are growing at an altitude varying between 300m and 600m above sea level, in gravelly soil with pronounced minerality lying above limestone bedrock. This terroir, in combination with the cold winters and extremely hot summers it experiences, gives rise to the unique character and personality of the resulting wines.
utmost care of the soil and respect for nature. Other established varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Garnacha, and Petit Verdot, for blending with Monastrell, and Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo, which are combined in the single white creation.
THE GRAPES
THE PRODUCTION
Within the vineyard, the leading role is taken by the magnificent Monastrell, the autonomous variety, which is prominent in the full range of red wines produced. The quality of the grapes achieved is exceptional and they are grown with the
From harvesting to bottling, the entire production procedure takes place on site. The grapes are picked manually in the traditional way and are then subject to a rigorous process of hand selection, with only the best clusters being
retained. Employing cutting edge technology, these are deposited in large state-ofthe-art stainless steel vats of 1,000 litre capacity where the maceration takes place at a controlled temperature of 24ºC. All of the red wines in the Demuerte range are aged in new French Allier oak barrels of 225 litre capacity for between six and 20 months, depending on the vintage.
THE BOTTLES In tandem with the ageing, bottling also takes place in the bottling plant within the vineyard, preserving the exceptional quality of the final product. Reflecting the provocative nature of the wines they contain, the labels that Karel has deigned are expressive, alluring and artistic, inviting you taste them. As she says, “We wanted eyes to be immediately drawn to our bold and intimate wine bottle design.”
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THE WINES DEMUERTE BLACK Top of the range and featuring Swarovski crystals for eyes on the label, this is a wine for connoiseurs. It is singularly made from pre-philoxeric Monastrell strains of more than 80 years of age, spending 20 months in the barrel. Dark red, clean and bright, it is full-bodied and strong with a long finish. You will detect notes of spice, chocolate, liquorice and fruit. Once tasted, never forgotten!
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DEMUERTE DELUXE Evolving from 80% Monastrell, 10% Syrah and 10% Petit Verdot, with at least 18 months in French oak, the wine is a dark cherry red. Smooth and velvety on the palate, expect intense fruit with smoky and spicy undertones.
DEMUERTE GOLD With a blending consisting of 50% Monastrell, 30% Syrah and 20% Garnacha, and at least 12 months in oak, this Gold is a profound cherry red. Tasting notes comprise ripe red berries with hints of pepper, clove and nutmeg.
DEMUERTE CLASSIC Elaborated from 50% Monastrell and 50% Syrah, with nine months under oak, this Classic really lives up to its name. Deep red, tinged with purple in appearance, the nose extends a fine bouquet of red fruits with soft tannins. ›
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DEMUERTE ONE Six months in French Allier lend this composition of 90% Monastrell with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon a lovely dark red intensity, with elegant red fruits and smoky hints of cloves and coconut. DEMUERTE WHITE Deriving from a cold maceration, this elegant white is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Verdejo. Light straw-yellow in colour, on the palate it is fresh, floral and fruity with nuances of peach, apricot and citrus.
As well as the ongoing expansion of the Demuerte range, and despite all of the difficulties last year imposed, the winery launched a new collection of wines in 2020 – red, white and rosé – under the name F***ING GOOD WINE! With its fusion of creativity, tradition and modernity, Winery On is establishing a welldeserved reputation for wines with unique characteristics and strong personalities. e g Available at Vinoteca La Cartuja. Plaza Joaquín Gómez Agüera, 2, Marbella.
CLICK TO VISIT
www.wineryon.com
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REAL d e L a Qu i n ta
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