Stanmore & Bushey Life May 2011 by Fish Media Group Ltd

STANMORE & BUSHEY LIFE

STANMORE LIFE

& BUSHEY T H E

Q U A L I T Y

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L I F E S T Y L E

M A G A Z I N E

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ROYAL ASCOT

TUESDAY 14TH - SATURDAY 18TH JUNE 2011 FOUNDED BY QUEEN ANNE IN 1711, THIS YEAR, ASCOT IS PROUDLY CELEBRATING 300 YEARS OF RACING AT THE WORLD FAMOUS RACECOURSE.

THE QUALITY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE MAY 2011

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Welcome to our May issue. Ascot Racecourse has been synonymous with tradition, pageantry, fashion and style coupled with some of the greatest racing across the last three centuries. Celebrations reach their peak at Royal Ascot, Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th June, the centrepiece of the British social calendar. 1926 was the first year of what is now known as the London Polo Club. Beginning life as the Ham Common Polo Club it was part of a whole host of equestrian clubs that offered Londoners the opportunity to watch one of the most thrilling sports to have ever been conceived. The club was formed for players who may not have played in the major high goal tournaments but shared a love for the sport.

Origin leisure

Hertfordshire’s very own Phil Thompson, Executive Chef at Auberge du Lac is to feature in BBC Two Daytime’s popular series, Great British Menu, as selected chefs from across the country once again vie for their place in the final. Nowhere makes gardening more fashionable than the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. A catwalk of colour and creativity, the latest trends and the pinnacle of garden design make this show the one the world wants to see. This gives you just a small taste of exciting events and articles featured in this month’s issue, until next month...

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Editor Faye Manning Editor Assistant Katie Miller Sub Editor Alex Lux Fashion Editor Hazel Englander Education Development Manager Corinne Sugar Design & Production Toni Perry Account Managers Barry John, Rachel Goude Sales Jason Trotman, James Marshall Directors Rory Smith, Patrick Smith

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POP DANCE D

ancer and choreographer who has performed with a sky full of stars, lends her expertise to a unique class letting busy adults find fun on the dance floor

of experience to her very own Popdance classes.

She said: “I’m sure my experiences with pop stars can only add to the atmosphere and fun element of my class, which is so important “Working with the top names in the music business with Popdance. I have many stories of personal experiences with famous singers that I can also is so exciting….I was dancing for Emma Bunton entertain my Popdancers with! when she told us we would be flying to Milan in a private jet to perform her single ‘Maybe’…..when “One of my best experienced was achieving we got there we were having lunch and Christina one of my dreams – dancing on stage live Aguilera came over to say hi and wish us luck!” at Wembley Stadium. It was just amazing. I “I am now really looking forward to developing was dancing for Will Young, the crowd was the Popdance brand and supporting it with the unbelievable and Will Young is lovely to work many contacts in the professional dance world I with. I have danced with him since he first won Pop Idol and have also been in his videos and in am part of.” his ‘Keep On’ tour.” Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney, Emma Helen’s experience since graduating from Bird Bunton and Will Young may not be the kind College in Sidcup started when she got an of people you expect at your local dance class, but at Popdance you may be lucky enough to be agent straight away and was then got a job working with Strictly’s former judge, Arlene taught by one of their dancers. Phillips, on Saturday Night Fever. Helen Dixon, 28, who lives in St Albans, has She has also worked with Paul McCartney, signed up to be one of the dance and exercise Heather Small, Danni Minogue, Charlotte class’s teachers and choreographers and will be holding her classes at locations in Hertfordshire Church and Girls Aloud and been in productions such as Hairspray, Singing in the at the beginning of May. Rain and Les Liaisons Dangereuses among After dancing with the stars for the last ten years, many others. most recently including resident choreographer for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, And she added about joining Popdance: “I was attracted to the idea because it fits really Helen is looking forward to bringing her wealth

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well around my work as a freelance dancer and choreographer. I am in full control of my class and the flexibility is ideal. I also wanted to be able to choreograph fun routines that appeal to a wide range of people who have or haven’t had dance experience and Popdance lets you do all that.” Popdance, the brainchild of former marketer and mum-of-two Sue Wybrow, 40, teaches professionally-choreographed routines to classic pop tunes from the 80s through to the noughties; by artists such as Madonna, Kylie and Michael Jackson, Lady Ga Ga and Beyonce. They are a fun and relaxed way to take time out, exercise and tone up while dancing to great music. It costs from just £150 to attend a Popdance Training Session and following completion, teachers can run as many classes as they want, including choosing their most convenient location. The team is looking for passionate, dedicated dance and fitness teachers and who have experience of teaching a mixture of adult age groups. The emphasis is very much on creating an enjoyable class and building a great rapport with the Popdancers.

For more information on Popdance classes and locations as well as teacher training sessions go to: www.popdance.co.uk Email: info@ popdance.co.uk or call: 08444 829706.

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events

Dame Felicity Lott and Sir Thomas Allen are to lead a star cast in this year’s Proms at St Jude’s Festival. ne 2011 18th -26th Ju arden G hampstead suburb, nW11

Proms at St. Jude’s Festival 2011 T

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above: dame Felicity lott; this image: maria Friedman; below: the Wihan string Quartet

✱ Book securely online at www.promsatstjudes.org.uk. ✱ Booking for the general public opens on Tuesday 26th April, but earlier for Friends. ✱ To become a Friend, visit www.promsatstjudes.org. uk and click on ‘Friends’ or call 020 8455 1025 ✱ Telephone booking opens on 1st June on 020 8458 8798. St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 7AH. ✱ Golders Green station by bus or on the Northern Line. St Jude’s is a pleasant 10—15 minute walk or a short journey on the H2 bus.

www.promsatstjudes.org.uk

Images: Sussie Ahlberg.

he midsummer celebration of music and heritage will take place from 18th - 26th June at Lutyens’s landmark church of St Jude-onthe-Hill in Hampstead Garden Suburb, London. Other festival highlights include: l an Opera Gala by the London International Orchestra under the baton of Toby Purser to open the festival l a piano recital by Leeds prize-winner Alessandro Taverna l The Wihan String Quartet with cellist Raphael Wallfisch l a performance of Carmina Burana featuring members of the choir of Merton College, Oxford l the Greenwich Trio with a programme including Mozart, Rachmaninov and Mendelssohn l Last Night of the Proms with the Southbank Sinfonia Free lunchtime events will support rising young musicians and include concerts for children. Local conductor Robert Max and his pupils will be performing a cello

quartet; there will be a string quartet from students at the Royal Academy of Music; and the Purcell School’s Elastic Band will open with a concert entitled ‘Round the World in 60 minutes’. Jazz lovers will be pleased to welcome back Stacey Kent and her band, who last performed at Proms in 2008. Maria Friedman, leading lady of Broadway and London’s West End, will be making her debut at the Festival. As in previous years, funds raised will go to support Toynbee Hall, the charity helping the disadvantaged in Tower Hamlets, and the North London Hospice, which cares for people with terminal illness in the boroughs of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. Four guided heritage walks in the Suburb and two starting at Toynbee Hall will give visitors the cultural context to this fantastic festival.

events

how off your majestic mutt, pedigree princess or your king of canines at the Dashing Dog Show - a special event in aid of ‘Welcome to Kensington - a palace for everyone’ - a £12 million major project by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces that will transform the visitor experience of the iconic royal residence. The Dashing Dog Show is a special event for all members of the family, with a starring role

for those with four legs! Does your dog have the waggiest tail in W8, or a special trick that will tickle the judges? Come and join in the celebrations with your prize pooch at the original ‘dog and throne’ show! Dogs can be entered in up to seven fun competitive classes and there will also be doggie games, obedience training, sensational fly ball, plant sales and live entertainment. Entry is £10 per dog, but people go free! All proceeds will go towards the fundraising

the daShing dog ShoW at KenSington Palace 2011 Sat 18th JunenSington e K m 5p 10am on W8 4pX palace, lond

appeal for Kensington Palace’s major £12 million renovation project. Places are strictly limited, so advance booking and registration for classes is strongly recommended. Kensington Palace was Queen Victoria’s childhood home. As a girl, Victoria was devoted to her Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dash. She would dress up ‘dear Dashy’ and parade him through the grounds. For one day only, canine companions can walk in Dash’s paw prints and play a part in the exciting future of Kensington Palace, which is being transformed through a £12 million project by conservation and education charity Historic Royal Palaces. The Dashing Dog Show is open to all fit and friendly dogs accompanied at all times by responsible owners aged over 16. BooKing inFoRmation

For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.hrp.org.uk/playyourpart or call 0844 482 7795 claSSeS and timeS

Your £10 ticket allows you to enter your dog in up to seven fun competitive classes. Capacity for each class is limited, so please book now to avoid disappointment. This event is held in association with Dogs Today magazine and supported by Dogs Trust. Kensington Palace is part of Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that additionally looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House and Kew Palace. We help everyone explore the story of how monarchs and people have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built. We receive no funding from the Government or the Crown, so we depend on the support of our visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors. These palaces are owned by The Queen on behalf of the nation, and we manage them for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. 1 4 m ay 2 0 1 1

events

The big band era is back and London is celebrating with this year’s London Swing Festival! The festival will host international lindy hoppers for a weekend of dancing and competition , and also showcase the ‘best of the best’ in the London Jitterbug Championships on 27th May.

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London Swing Festival ay

26th - 30th M

pectators are invited to come and watch the Championships, an adrenaline-filled night, where anyone from top dancers to newbies will perform in a thrilling display of talent and the warmth and fun of the swing dancing scene. Pippa Tooher, Swing Patrol events manager, said: ‘We’re really excited to be hosting such a fantastic event, the likes of which London has never seen. This year’s London Swing Festival is going to be a great experience for dancers and spectators alike.’ Hundreds of dancers will also be swinging out live during the day at Spitalfields Market on Friday 27th and Monday 30th May in a bid to appear at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Brainchild of Scott Cupit, co-director of Swing Patrol, the bid is one of his ambitious plans to share the dance he loves, where five hundred dancers

will simultaneously perform a choreographed routine for the public in the hope of catching the organisers’ eyes. Swing dancing, or the Lindy Hop, dates back to the 1920s. From the early days of the Charleston, the grandfather of Lindy Hop, through to the 1940s the

dance was a great way for young people to express themselves. Now, with the burgeoning vintage scene in London, swing dancing is again providing a great option for young people. The revival of this fun, addictive dance has seen Londoners travel the world for international dance camps like LSF. This year’s festival is the first

event to take place in the newly renovated Bishopsgate Institute in Spitalfields, with classes and balls under one roof throughout the weekend. During the festival, world-class learning by six international teams will precede swing balls and late night after parties with social dancing into the early hours. Visitors are welcomed to Swing Patrol’s second annual festival by the Ahoy Ball on 26th May, dancing the night away while travelling the Thames by boat. This event is perfect for dancers and non-dancers alike, an opportunity to dance with, meet or just watch an international community of lindy hoppers swinging the night away. Swing Patrol classes cost £8 or £65 for 10 classes by buying a class card (£6.50 a class). To find a class near you, visit: http://swingpatrol. co.uk/class-timetable.php For all costs visit the LSF website: www.londonswingfestival.

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events

e 9th - 15th JUn arDenS, SW7 G n KenSinGto

artS antiQUeS anti LONDON artist, on contemporary ceramics: ‘Sauce or Source.’ This year the First Night Party will take place on 8th June will be in support of Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) who work to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children across borders. This will take the form of a cocktail party followed by a dinner. Venue - Albert Memorial West Lawn, Kensington Gardens, Queen’s Gate, Kensington Gore, London, SW7, UK The West Lawn is next to the The Albert Memorial and directly opposite The Royal Albert Hall.

rt Antiques London, which incorporates The International Ceramics Fair and Seminar, was launched in June 2010 to wide acclaim for it’s central location, light and airy atmosphere and stylish presentation.This year, 76 dealers will participate, with 2011 marking the 30th anniversary of Haughton International Fairs, which began in London with the International Ceramics Fair and Seminar in 1982.

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Art Antiques London 2010 was praised by both academics and collectors for the varied and interesting series of lectures that took place during the Fair. Some of the highlights of this year’s lecture programme include Dr Ekaterina Khmelnitskaya, the curator of Russian Porcelain at The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, who will lecture on ‘The glamourous age of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna’; and Kate Malone, ceramic

Please telephone: 020 7389 6555 Opening Times : Daily, 11am - 7pm, except Sunday and last day 11am 6pm. General Admission: £15. GettinG to the Fair ✱ Underground South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly Lines) and High Street Kensington (District and Circle Lines) are the nearest stations. ✱ Walking to the Fair from either station takes

approximately 10 minutes. ✱ Bus Routes 52,9,10 70 360 stopping at Kensington Gore stopping on Queen’s Gate, 2 minutes walk from the fair stopping on Prince Consort Road, 3 minutes walk from the fair. ✱ By Rail London Victoria is the nearest National Rail train station. For arrival by car or taxi the set-down point is in the Park on Queen’s Gate beside the fair.

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Experience The Open In Style T

he Open Championship is a truly unforgettable occasion. Teeing-off on Thursday 14 July and finishing on Sunday 17 July, it will be eight long years since the Claret Jug was contested in Kent and expectations for British players are high. With three players in the top 10, all eyes are on Royal St George’s, Sandwich. Idyllic Sandwich boasts a links course set amongst the wild dunes, a wonderful venue from a visitor’s point of view. Due to the layout of the course there are many natural vantage points affording great views of the action. Not only is Kent famous for hosting The Open Championship this year but is also renowned for its abundance of orchards, farms and hop gardens and is widely known as ‘The Garden of England’. vines have been reintroduced and there are vineyards dotted amidst the rich pastureland from which comes Kentish wine. It is a natural larder for juicy, fresh fruit and delicious vegetables, and as part of the planning for this years hospitality

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menus, local ingredients has been incorporated into many dishes. Every Open Championship is very special and The Open at Royal St George’s will be no different. With a variety of packages to suit you and your guests on offer, it is the perfect opportunity to spend all day with valued clients or friends. Guests can indulge in fine dining with the luxurious Clubhouse Package at the Hospitality village or alternatively, try the more traditional Open Guest Package. With direct access to the Championship golf course, the Official Open Hospitality offers the perfect setting for your day at The Open.

Life readers will receive a 5% discount for any hospitality packages purchased for Saturday 16 or Sunday 17 July by quoting “LIFE”. To redeem this offer, contact +44 (0)844 371 0883, email: officialhospitality@opengolf.com or visit www.opengolfofficialhospitality.com

Fishpools has grown over the last 111 years and today we are the largest quality furniture store in the south east. Our 60,000 square feet showrooms feature over 200 room sets from classic to contemporary, minimal to vintage and rustic to romantic all designed to help you make your home unique. There are over 200 sofa collections, 120 dining ranges, 100’s of beds, 75 bedroom ranges, and a large carpets & rugs department. Choose from a wide range of linens, softs, pictures and mirrors plus cookware and gifts from our brand new Home Accessories department.

If it’s big name brands you’re after, we stock Stressless, Ercol, Natuzzi, G Plan, Duresta, Collins & Hayes, Nolte, Vi Spring, Tempur and many more. As a family-run retailer our commitment to great service begins as soon as you enter the store to be greeted by our well trained, knowledgeable people, who will assist you on all aspects of your purchase until it is safely delivered to your home. So pop in, we have ample customer parking, an in-store coffee shop and we look forward to making your acquaintance.

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events

5th June 2011 3rd, 4th and Park, Fulham hurlingham

MINT Polo IN The Park

MINT Polo IN The Park INvITe you To sPeNd aN afTerNooN oN The baNks of The rIver ThaMes for aNoTher year of hIgh-ocTaNe Polo acTIoN aT hurlINghaM Park.

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events

Friday 3rd June: Saturday 4th June: Sunday 5th June:

City Friday ladieS day FinalS day

✱ gates open at 12.00pm - 9.00pm ✱ ticket Packages: MINT Polo in the Park has ticket

or the third year, the hallowed turf of Hurlingham Park in Fulham will thunder with the hooves of high-class polo ponies. Polo players from all over the world will battle each other in a furious display of horsemanship at MINT Polo in the Park. Spend a quintessentially British summers day at MINT Polo in the Park complete with the first ever Harrods Food Court, which will re-create the iconic Knightsbridge store’s food service area. Browse and wander through the luxury shopping village, enjoy the Veuve Clicquot Champagne garden along with world class hospitality and the finest display of polo in the world. Winner of the 2010 ‘London Sport Attraction of the Year’ at The London Lifestyle Awards, MINT Polo in The Park is the leading outdoor polo and lifestyle event in Central London, offering a mix of sport, entertainment and VIP experiences. We are also delighted to announce the following enhancements for 2011 l Even more polo! Watch your favourite team play each and every day. l Larger pitch side bars. l A bigger Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden l Introducing the new Harrods Food Court l Lively new bars brought to you by Mahiki and The Punch Bowl Pub - all with direct views of the polo field. l Reduced Grandstand ticket prices. l Great family rates and new style Kids Zone. l Shetland Pony Derby on Sunday 5th June. l Larger pitch side Corporate Enclosure with new Tea and Picnic marquees.

Website: www.mintpolointhepark.com Social Media: Keep up to date with the latest MINT Polo in the Park information by following us on Facebook or Twitter. Facebook: www.facebook.com/polointhepark Twitter: @PolointhePark

packages to suit all ages and budgets: general admission, grandstand Tickets, family & groups, vIP hospitality at The hurlingham club & vIP hospitality at hurlingham Park. general admission tickets to hurlingham Park get you up and close to the action and access to all public facilities including: Pitchside bars, luxury shopping village, food court, veuve clicquot champagne garden, Pimms bar & kids Zone. grandstand Tickets include all of the above benefits plus a reserved grandstand seat to watch all the action in comfort. family Tickets are based on up to 2 adults, 2 children. ✱ groups: organise a group to visit MINT Polo in the Park and receive the following savings: groups of 10-20 people: Save 10% groups of 21-30 people: Save 15% groups of 31 or over: Save 20% ✱ hospitality: for details of vIP hospitality packages, please contact city events on 0207 936 5284 or email rachel@cityevents.uk.com ✱ Pricing: Friday 3rd June

grandstand general admission adult £20 adult £20 (£10 entry after 5:00pm) child £10 child £10 (£5 entry after 5:00pm) family £60 family £60 (£30 entry after 5:00pm) Saturday 4th June grandstand general admission adult £45 adult £25 child £15 child £10 family £110 family £60 Sunday 5th June grandstand general admission adult £40 adult £25 child £10 child £10 family £80 family £60 ✱ Booking: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Please call the Ticket hotline on 0844 847 2282. Tickets are also available via see Tickets (www.seetickets.com) m ay 2 0 1 1 2 3

events

Royal ascot scot tues 14th sAt 18th June 2011

Founded by Queen Anne in 1711, this yeAr, Ascot is proudly celebrAting 300 yeArs oF rAcing At the world FAmous rAcecourse.

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THE GREATEST RACE MEETING IN THE WORLD Tickets from £19, book before 6pm, 13th May to receive up to £10 off* Fine dining packages from £245 To book, call 0870 727 1234 or visit ascot.co.uk Photography: Simon Procter

Attire: Vivienne Westwood

Millinery: Stephen Jones *excludes Thursday 16th June

events

scot Racecourse has been synonymous with tradition, pageantry, fashion and style coupled with some of the greatest racing across the last three centuries. Celebrations reach their peak at Royal Ascot, Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th June, the centrepiece of the British social calendar. The quality of the racing at Royal Ascot is simply outstanding, with the world’s finest thoroughbreds competing for nearly £4 million in prize money on offer. This year, Royal Ascot will have an eighteenth Group race (racing’s term for the most prestigious races) as the Hampton Court Stakes can now claim Group Three status and has been renamed the Tercentenary Stakes in perpetuity. Each day of Royal Ascot follows the same format with The Royal Procession making its way from the Golden Gates, along the racecourse and into the Parade Ring from 2.00pm each afternoon. The first race of six each day starts at 2.30pm and the last race is at 5.35pm, after which racegoers are invited to celebrate their winnings as they sing traditional favourites, and a few new ones, around the Bandstand.

tuesdAy 14th June

The opening day of what is sure to be a spectacular Royal Meeting gets off to a flying start with three Group 1 races (i.e. the very best in the world); the Queen Anne Stakes, the King’s Stand Stakes - the first British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge - and the St James’s Palace Stakes. As the first day of Royal Ascot, the fashion stakes are high but the atmosphere is relaxed which

allows racegoers the chance to enjoy a glass of Champagne between races or explore the racecourse at their leisure. wednesdAy 15th June

The highlight of the second day is the Group 1 Prince of Wales s Stakes, arguably the most important race at the Royal Meeting in the modern era with £400,000 prize money on offer.Also on the card are the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes, for older female milers and the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes, for the best up and coming two year old fillies (females). Wednesday is perfect for groups of friends to enjoy the Royal Ascot experience at a slightly more gentle pace. thursdAy 16th June

Thursday’s highlight is the Group 1 Gold Cup, a battle of stamina and determination over two miles and four furlongs - this undisputed long distance world championship is not for the faint hearted! Style, elegance and the height of the summer social 2 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

calendar all combine on Gold Cup Day, colloquially known as ‘Ladies’ Day’. Although the whole week of Royal Ascot is a fashion show like no other, it is Thursday when the designer creations and millinery masterpieces reach new heights. To commemorate 300 years of racing, the Hampton Court Stakes has been renamed the Tercentenary Stakes. FridAy 17th June

The feature race on Friday is the Coronation Stakes, which traditionally brings together the leading three-year-old fillies in Europe. Also on the card is the King Edward VII Stakes, colloquially called the ‘Ascot Derby,’ as its conditions mirror those of the Epsom Classic. This is the perfect way to start the weekend with friends and work colleagues. sAturdAy 18th June

The final day of the Royal Meeting always provides a dramatic

events

The History of Ascot Racecourse

There are few sporting venues that can match the rich heritage and history of Ascot Racecourse. Over the past 300 years Royal Ascot has established itself as a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social calendar as well as being the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world. It was Queen Anne who first saw the potential for a racecourse at Ascot, which in those days was called East Cote. Whilst out riding in 1711, she came upon an area of open heath, not far from Windsor Castle, that looked an ideal place for ‘horses to gallop at full stretch’. The first race meeting held at Ascot took place on Saturday 11 August 1711. Her Majesty’s Plate, worth 100 guineas and open to any horse, mare or gelding over the age of six, was the inaugural event. Today the tradition does not change - the Queen Anne Stakes continues to be run in memory of the monarch who founded the course nearly three centuries ago. The first permanent building was erected in about 1794 by George Slingsby, a Windsor builder. It held 1,650 people and was used until 1838.In 1813, Parliament passed an Act of Enclosure. This Act ensured that Ascot Heath, although the property of the Crown, would be kept and used as a racecourse for the public in the future. Racing at Ascot was now secure. The precise origin of the Royal Meeting is unclear, but the first four day meeting took place in 1768. Arguably, the meeting as we know it today started to take shape with the introduction of the Gold Cup in 1807. Royal Ascot was the only race meeting held at Ascot until 1939.

climax and features one of the world’s most important and international races, the Golden Jubilee Stakes, - the second British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge. Saturday is a relatively new addition to the Royal Meeting, having been introduced as recently as 2002. Although the fashions are as elaborate as they are during the week, there is a pronounced, relaxed family feel as many people who are unable to attend until the weekend come to enjoy the experience of the greatest race meeting in the world. One of the most visually compelling additions to the Royal Meeting this June and one of the focal points of the tercentenary celebrations, will be the appearance of ‘the Queen Anne Rose.’ Created by David Austin Roses to honour the racecourse’s founder, Queen Anne, whose legacy can be seen in the millions of racehorses, owners, trainers, jockeys and racegoers that have graced the racecourse over the past three hundred years. Ticket prices start from £19. Early booking and group discounts apply. To book, or for further information on the tercentenary celebrations and Royal Ascot, call 0870 727 1234 or visit www.ascot.co.uk

Gold Cup day remains the feature race of the third day of Royal Ascot and is traditionally the busiest day of the week. It is colloquially known as ‘Ladies’ Day as, in the formative years, it was the dominant day in terms of the racing, attracting the largest crowds and, it must be assumed from the emergence of the term ‘Ladies’ Day,’ more ladies! Her Majesty The Queen, as an owner and breeder of racehorses takes a keen interest in the races. Over the years The Queen has had great success with her own horses. The Jockeys riding Her Majesty’s horses can be distinguished because they wear The Queen’s racing colours. These are the same as those of King Edward VII and George IV as Prince Regent - purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and black velvet cap with gold fringe. The Queen traditionally presents the Gold Cup, which, along with the Royal Hunt Cup and The Queen’s Vase. These three trophies are made every year and presented to winners to keep. Challenge Trophies, many of which are antique, are presented to the winners of the remaining 27 races, and are returned after the year to be presented to the next winners. m ay 2 0 1 1 2 7

events

HOW’S YOUR STREET VIEW? N

owhere makes gardening more fashionable than the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. A catwalk of colour and creativity, the latest trends and the pinnacle of garden design make this show the one the world wants to see. The creme de la creme of the gardening world will be wowing visitors so make sure you’re there to enjoy gardening at its most gorgeous and glamorous. All roads will lead to the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea as arguably the world’s most prestigious gardening show takes place over five days at the end of this month. The Great Pavilion is the jewel in the crown and will again be home to around 100 spectacular displays of plants. The Great Pavilion is the spectacular centrepiece of the show. It plays host to some of Sera re autemne et perita orem perum the best nurseries and growers norteS poStum cre firte iactu St from the UK and around the auciviliS, Sentient inatio efecupplicae creating an explosion achicia pra vivicaudeeS halaworld, meriSu of textures, colours and scents pient.romni na, obuS, SiS? an fromtam flowers at their very best. This year the Great Pavilion reaches out across the world, with planting displays inspired by the Himalayas, Rwanda and South America. ‘Chelsea 2011 is set to be

Sera re autemne et perita oREm pERum nortes postum cre firte iactu st AY 2011 24TH - 28TH M Al, CHelseA aucivilis, SEnTiEnT RoYAl HospiT inaTio efecupplicae

CHELSEA

FLOWER SHOW 2011 2 8 m ay 2 0 1 1

the best ever, with a selection of Show Gardens represents the very best garden designers in the world today’, according to its organisers, The Royal Horticultural Society. Amongst the spectacular Show Garden designs, confirmed are: l The M&G Garden designed by landscape architect Bunny Guinness l British Heart Foundation Garden designed by Ann-Marie Powells l The Cancer Research UK Garden designed by Robert Myers l The Daily Telegraph Garden by designer Cleve West explores timelessness l The Laurent-Perrier Garden by award-winning designer Luciano Giubbilei l The Times Kew Garden designed by Marcus Barnett With 17 show gardens, 15 smaller gardens and a hundred of the worlds best growers and nurseries, 2011 is destined to be one of the best RHS Chelsea Flower Shows in history. Around the showground, there are shops galore, with some of the newest and most innovative gardening products, and a wide range of beautiful accessories to decorate any garden . Tickets for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show are sold out but many more people can be there every step of the way with the new RHS Chelsea iPhone app. New for 2011, the RHS Chelsea iPhone app brings daily updates on what is happening during the build up of all the show gardens, behind the scenes footage and of course, the latest news on medals, awards and celebrity gossip. The app is essential for all gardening connoisseurs. Available now from the iTunes store, the app costs just £1.19 and already features news and views from the showground. Be the first to experience the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as it happens right through the week of the show.

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events

ontroversial celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin is set to shake up the tranquil world of gardening with his amazing ‘Irish Sky Garden’ - a unique creation that floats above the ground and overlooks the River Thames. The ‘Hanging Gardens of Chelsea,’ weighing in excess of 300 tons and boasting a rolling Irish inspired landscape, will be raised up and held by a giant crane 30ft in the air, making it the highest part of the Chelsea Flower Show. The ‘Irish Sky Garden’ inspired by Cork, Ireland, to celebrate the beauty and creativity that flourishes in his adventurous homeland and encourage tourists to visit, will sit alongside 18 spectacular Show Garden designs. We managed to get together with Diarmuid to find out more about his ever growing passion.. What is it about the Chelsea Flower show that you love? ‘I love the exuberance and the joy of Chelsea - the fact that hundreds and thousands of people come together with one shared passion - gardening. It really is a glorious week in London.’ When and what was your last Chelsea Garden? ‘It was three years ago and it was something I did with Sir Charles Conran. It was a café

garden and the main feature of the garden were these huge metal parasol daisies that were 1940’s French inspired. They framed a wooden box feature in the middle that folded down to become a café to let people enjoy a coffee in 3 0 m ay 2 0 1 1

would like to thank the Life series of magazines for selecting me to do a regular feature on how to achieve a healthy mouth and an attractive smile. I will be focusing on useful and important topics for readers such as prevention of gum disease, how to have fresh breath, what causes decay and how to avoid dentistry!

I would like to start the first feature on cosmetic dentistry and I will address various questions that have been emailed to me.

I have crooked teeth and do not really want to have braces for 2 years. What are my other options? There are revolutionary braces systems such as 6 Month Smiles (www.6monthsmiles.com) and The Inman Aligner (www.inmanaligner.com) that can correct crooked teeth, or even close gaps in as little as 3 months! 6 Month Smiles is a fixed braces system with tooth coloured brackets and tooth coloured wire. It’s the perfect solution for adult patients wanting a discreet option and faster results. The Inman Aligner is a removable brace that is worn for 20 hours a day and can be taken out for cleaning and eating. The Invisalign (www.invisalign.co.uk) system uses a series of clear custom made removable aligners to move your teeth over time and give you the smile you’ve always wanted.

a garden is or can be. It is a type of garden that I hope fits in a certain place in garden history, where the aristocracy brought people to show off their new displays and play all sort of tricks - generally by the use of water or by the use of fantastical buildings. with Extreme Makeover Cosmeticgarden Dentist Ash Parmar They surprised and grabbed Can teeth whitening damage teeth? people’s attention - sometimes shocking them, but ultimately How did you get involved with Extreme Makeover? always delighting them. My aim at this year’s Chelsea show is therefore to delight people with the notion of the world’s first truly hanging garden.’ What are porcelain veneers?

No. Teeth whitening is a safe and effective technique that is scientifically proven. The treatment involves the use of custom fitting whitening trays and a very small amount of whitening gel (carbamide peroxide). You need to apply the gel to teeth for 1-2 hours a day for 2-3 weeks.

The whitening occurs via an oxygenation process within the structure of teeth. Problems can occur if you have ill fitting trays or if you use certain ‘over the counter’ whitening products. For the best advice and your total safety, it is always best to have professional teeth whitening with the dentist.

Next month, I will be discussing why people avoid going to the dentist, and addressing how the fears people have can easily be overcome.

Veneers are precision, laboratory made thin facings of porcelain that are bonded to the front aspects of teeth using a strong dental adhesive. To get the best result, it is important to select a dentist that is very

Clear braCes

teeth whitening

a green paradise underneath these swaying daisies. It was a bit like ‘Honey I’ve shrunk the kids.’ after

Extreme Makeover UK had three series on Living TV. I was privileged to treat many cases on all the series. The TV producers were looking for a skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist to join their ‘dream team’ of a plastic surgeon, hairdresser, fashion expert and fitness personal trainer. I was selected because of my advanced training in the USA, the equipment and facilities we offered, and also the fact that I taught dentists (from UK and Europe) cosmetic and laser dentistry. Creating the life changing transformations for the people on the TV programme has been one of the highlights of my professional career.

What has inspired this ‘Irish For more information, or to find your nearest Sky Garden’? practice visit www.perfectsmile-dental.com. Or to book a complimentary consultation to see ‘My biggest is the me on a Tuesdayinspiration at Richmond, 25-27 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2NQ, please phone Shelley on 020 8940 5006. work of an Irish animator on the Avatar film - a lad called Richie Banemham - who was the creative supervisor on the movie and who won an Oscar for his work. I heard him being interviewed and was inspired by his description of his journey from the middle of Dublin to Hollywood. I have also been inspired by the concept of the ‘restaurant in the sky’ where people are hoisted above different cities in the world - around 20/30metres on a crane - to have dinner.’

Porcelain veneers are one of the best solutions for creating a long lasting and stunning smile. Problems such as crooked teeth, chipped or damaged teeth, discoloured fillings and worn down teeth can be corrected with porcelain veneers.

in DiARMuiD GAv before

experienced in these procedures, and who also uses skilled and artistic dental technicians for a natural looking whiting smile.

before

INNER SURREY Apr i17 290311.indd 54

This is your 7th year at Chelsea, what have you got planned? ‘This year I plan to create a garden that will actually float above the Chelsea Flower show. This garden creation will have 30 pools of water, some still and acting as mirrors and some gurgling with the sound of water. On the ground there will be ribbons of green planting through the garden - dwarf pines and grasses for example. The floating pod is covered in ivy and grasses and will move up and down, occasionally collecting visitors who will go in and sit on lutychens very elegant English garden furniture - and be hoisted up amidst a verdant display of ferns, grasses and colour. It will give the visitors a view, not only over Chelsea, but of the whole of London.’ Is it your aim to ‘shock / surprise’ people with your design ideas? ‘My aim isn’t to shock, although I think shocking people is a valid devise in gardens. My aim with this garden is to surprise and delight and ultimately to challenge the notion of what

after

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before

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12/04/2011 16:42:43

Where in Ireland were you born and raised? I was born in London actually, so I am a plastic paddy. My parents brought me back to their city which is Dublin and where I was raised. Dublin. I spent many years working in London, but now I live in County Wicklow. Are there any other gardens at this year’s flower show that you are looking forward to? ‘I want to see every garden and am overjoyed at the prospect of being part of this show once again. What everybody does will be of great interest and delight to me. For example, there is one garden that is going to be 9 metres high in a particularly awkward situation, which I am really looking forward to see. It sounds adventurous.’

my aim with this garden is to SuRpRiSE and delight and ultimately to challEngE the notion of what a garden is or can be. it is a type of gaRdEn that I hope fits in a certain placE in garden hiSToRy

events

CHelseA FloWeR sHoW - THe HisToRY

The 2011 RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the 89th show to be held on the grounds of The Royal Hospital and the ‘RHS Chelsea Flower Show’ is the lasting title of an exhibition with a history of nearly 150 years. The show was originally called the Royal Horticultural Society’s Great Spring Show, first held in 1862, at the RHS garden in Kensington. In 1888 when that garden was closed , it was then moved to Temple Gardens near the Embankment, where it was held under canvas until 1911. In 1912, Sir Harry Veitch, the great nurseryman, secured the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, for this one-off event. It proved such a good site for an exhibition that it moved there in 1913, where it has taken place almost every year since. Despite the First World War, the show was held 1914 - 1916, but was cancelled in 1917 and 1918. By the roaring 1920s, the Chelsea Flower Show was back in full swing, the famous Chelsea tea parties were established and Royal visits resumed. The show was cancelled during the Second World War, as the land was required by the War Office for an anti-aircraft site. Some doubt arose as to whether the show would resume in 1947. . As it turned out, the show went ahead and it was a great success. Over almost a century, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has witnessed numerous changes in horticultural fashion. Show gardens have mirrored the changing enthusiasms of garden designers - from the Japanese and topiary gardens of the early days, through the rock garden craze during the war years, the paved backyards and cottage gardens of the 1980s, to the contemporary sculptural gardens of the present day.

ABouT THe RHs

The RHS believes that gardening improves the quality of life and that everyone should have access to great garden experiences. As a charity we help to bring gardening into people’s lives and support gardeners of all levels and abilities; whether they are expert horticulturists or children who are planting seeds for the very first time. RHS membership is for anyone with an interest in gardening. Support the RHS and secure a healthy future for gardening. For more information call: 0845 130 4646, or visit www.rhs.org.uk RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262 m ay 2 0 1 1 3 1

fe L o antduor ne Life

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f e at u r e

THe ROYAL WEDDING 2011 After A 10 yeAr romAnce Prince WilliAm mArried KAte middleton At Westminster Abbey on fridAy APril 29, 2011.

he most talked about day of the century finally came when Kate Middleton, who will now be known as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, married Prince William - who takes on the title His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus. The church service was watched by 1,900 guests. 1,000 were friends and family. Other guests included overseas royals, politicians, military personnel and representatives of various charities. Guests also were Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish, former England football captain David Beckham and his wife Victoria , Rowan Atkinson, a close friend of Prince Charles, and film director Guy Ritchie. Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, Australian prime minister Julia Gillard and former British PM Sir John Major were among the politicians present. After months of speculation following the announcement last year, the bride finally revealed what has been the biggest and best kept secret as she walked up the aisle in a beautiful Grace Kelly-esque silk and lace gown, designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. Immediately afterwards, Burton issued a statement noting it had been “the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it”. She added: “Catherine looked absolutely stunning, and the team at Alexander McQueen are very proud of what we have created”. Crowds were camping outside Westminster Abbey and along The Mall staking their claim on the best viewing spots. The atmosphere was joyous and patriotic with many well-wishers sporting Union Jacks as hats and flags, as painted heads and cheeks and, in one case, embroidered into a vintage dress. After the service, the newly-weds travelled in an open-topped

carriage for the 15-minute journey from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. A million people lined the procession route to watch the happy couple while many more around the world watched on televison. Thanks to the Palace’s decision to live-stream the ceremony on YouTube on The Royal Channel, it didn’t matter if you couldn’t make it down to the capital - Though many people did make the journey; from Australia and America and, more locally, travelling from across the UK. A day that brought everyone together, surely the icing on the royal cake came with the fairytale princess moment, that balcony kiss. The first was brief. Many blinked and missed it. The crowd chanted: “Kiss her again! Kiss her again!” A few minutes later the newlyweds obliged. They were cheered by 500,000 well-wishers as RAF planes flew past in honour of the new royal couple. Prince William later drove his new bride back to Clarence House, following a buffet reception at Buckingham Palace, at the wheel of his father’s classic blue Aston Martin, before returning to the palace in the evening. The vehicle was decked in ribbons and balloons with “Just Wed” on the number plate. The couple changed outfits for the event - Prince William was in black tie while his bride wore a strapless white satin gazar evening gown with diamante embroidered detail round the waist, by the same designer, Sarah Burton. The royal couple left for their mystery honeymoon destination on Tuesday 10th May. Congratulations to His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

The first kiss was brief. Many blinked and Missed it. The crowd chanted: “Kiss her again!

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f e at u r e A spectacular AMG experience at the launch of the AMg SLS supercar with Exclusively participants in Hertfordshire

MEMbERSHIP hen talking about ideas, the term ‘the best ideas are the simplest’ applies particulary well to an exciting new initiative that has a focus on the premium and luxury lifestyle market. ‘Best’ comes in to play, because the whole idea is based upon giving you access to some of the very best companies and brands in the luxury lifestyle marketplace. If you appreciate the finer things in life, love your luxury brands and are you fortunate enough to be able to indulge in life’s pleasures from fast cars to stunning homes, or high fashion to the high seas, then this will be of interest to you. The idea for ‘Exclusively’ as it is known, is that it connects you to a group of luxury brands, products and services across London and the northern home counties - the rest of the country will follow. It is something very different, something very exciting and something that you will no doubt become aware of very soon. Exclusively isn’t simply a directory. It is an amazing luxury lifestyle group consisting of the finest specialist companies that span four categories - home, cars, fashion and leisure - in 3 4 m ay 2 0 1 1

fact all the things you love in life. Companies can only be invited to join Exclusively or recommended by an existing member. Therefore only the best companies with excellent products and services can become a member. Exclusively is only as good as it’s members so this is of great importance to us and ultimately it will be of great benefit to you.

Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS supercar to a select audience and Exclusively has played a significant role in introducing new customers to the AMG brand and Mercedes-Benz range. van Hage, one of the UK’s foremost garden and lifestyle centres played host to the Exclusively Luxury Home & Leisure Show in 2010, a great success that is set to return this October.

The real beauty of Exclusively is that if you are a customer of an Exclusively Member, you will be treated as a vIP by all Exclusively Members. With this new degree of recognition you will be invited to attend product launches, private parties, new society events and receive privileges that would otherwise be unobtainable from participating Exclusively members.

In London, Exclusively will be launching the UK’s most exciting and largest luxury show, The Luxury Lifestyle and Supercar Show. Due to take place at ExCel in January 2012, this new show will be co-located alongside the amazing Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show and joint ticket deals will give visitors access to both shows. All the latest and greatest brands will be on display in a stunning galery setting with catwalk show and product demonstrations that will deliver a show unlike any other!

Mercedes-Benz Hertforshire and Brocket Hall are both headline members. Brocket Hall represents Englands finest Golf and Residential Counrty Estate with the acclaimed Auberge Du Lac restaurant, a true destination restaurant and the only Michelin Star venue in the county. Exclusively is working with Brocket Hall to introduce new prestigious events in 2011 and 2012. The first Exclusively event launched the

Many events will be completely free to attend and some will be paid for but either way you choose what you want to do - Exclusively simply opens the door to a new social scene for you. There is no pressure on you whatsoever to attend or to buy.You don’t have to get involved with or do anything if you don’t want to.

f e at u r e You don’t have to join anything, pay any membership fees or agree to any contract because there isn’t one so it’s pretty straightforward! Life is all about great experiences. Through Exclusively you can shop till you drop, relax, network, see, try and buy from some of the finest companies and specialists in their field. From now on, all you have to do is wait! As new events are launched you will be invited to attend by the Exclusively Member with whom you are a valued customer. The rest is up to you - enjoy! Forthcoming events include June 18 - The Mercedes-Benz Ride & Drive event at Paradise Wildlife Park for C Class Coupe, C Class and the new SLK. The event will be complimented by a luxury car boot sale featuring new products in new cars - a twist on the traditional car boot sale. If you are interested in driving a car please call 01279 905011 to book your exclusive test drive.

Exclusively is working with Brocket Hall to establish new ‘society’ events

Zelley - having just celebrated their 100th anniversary, Zelley is a fine quality independent jeweller stocking many premium brands The Perfect Smile Studios - The UK’s most foremost Saturday 18th June: 10am to 5pm -Sunday 19th dental cosmetic specialists June: 10am to 4pm - Essex Boatyards open Price Bailey Wealth Management Team - Specialist weekend incorporating a regional supercar show wealth management planning and advice from the and luxury lifestyle exhibitors. This is a stunning winners of the UK’s best large accountancy practice weekend where you are encouraged to come and experience the boating lifestyle both on and off the Modo - the world’s most personal gift water. Essex Boatyards are the worlds largest agent Le Spice Merchant - the finest Indian Cuisine in for Fairline Boats and the UK’s largest boat retailer. Hertfordshire Andrew Charles Clocks - the premier watch and June 26 ,11.30am - 4.00pm - Antiques open day and clock repairer in the south east Essex Boatyards - The world’s largest agent for Luxury Home Show at Bushwood Antiques, the UK’s largest antique specialist. The event will feature Fairline Boats and the UK’s largest boat retailer workshop demonstrations, a jazz band, and marquees Home Cinema Gallery - The UK’s most prestigious designers and installers of home cinema with food and drink and luxury home exhibitors. Bushwood Antiques - one of the largest antique specialists in the UK For further information on these events and Clive Christian - furniture for luxury homes of the to see who the latest members are please go to world www.exclusivelyevents.co.uk

Rigby & Peller - luxury lingerie and holders of the Royal Warrant since 1960

Steven Thorne Design - a fabulous fusion of classic and contemporary interior design

Paradise Wildlife Park - Europe’s leading animal

experience zoo Galio - fine jewellers and stockists of many distinguished jewellery and watch brands Fredericks Designer Flowers Flower designers and gifts of distinction SBP Caterers Superb outside caterers combining creativity and passion for fine food Media Partners Fish Media - supporting Exclusively with coverage in their regional Life Magazines Emma Beckett PR - PR for Luxury Brands

For further information or to enquire about your company becoming a member please call Graham Davies on 07973 225663

Exclusively Membership List Headline Sponsors

Mercedes-Benz Hertfordshire - incorporating the AMG Performance Centre Brocket Hall - England’s finest golf and residential country estate Members

David P MacDonald - an excellent reputation and

one of the top 10 photographers in the country Van Hage - recently awarded the best garden centre in the UK for their flowers Morley Stove Company - one of the finest suppliers and installers of stoves in the south east The Eyewear Centre - the private client Optician with some of the most exclusive brands in the country Gallery Rouge - unmistakeably Hertfordshire’s top gallery for original artworks and limited editions

Clive Christian - furniture for luxury homes of the world. A new Exclusively member

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food drinK

Banquet THE PEOPLE’S

Phil thoMPson to FeAture in this yeAr’s bbc tWo series GReAt BRitish Menu. the chAllenge to cooK For the ultimAte street pArty: the PeoPle’s BAnQuet

ertfordshire’s very own Phil Thompson, Executive Chef at Auberge du Lac is to feature in BBC Two Daytime’s popular series, Great British Menu, as selected chefs from across the country once again vie for their place in the final.

people to cook and eat with their neighbours. Inspired by this, the Great British Menu chefs are battling to create spectacular sharing dishes, platters that will get everyone talking, proving food has the power to bring us all together for the best street party ever.

This year the theme for the series is cooking for the people. The chefs’ challenge: to create awe inspiring food that can be shared at the ultimate street party: The People’s Banquet.

If Phil makes it to the final, their dishes will be paraded down the ancient cobbled streets of Leadenhall Market in London to about 100 expectant guests. But first they must persuade the Great British Menu judges, Oliver Peyton, Prue Leith and Matthew Fort, that their dishes meet the brief.

Phil Thompson will be preparing a menu inspired by his childhood, featuring cockles, whelks and sardines. The series is working with The Big Lunch, a Big Lottery funded community street party initiative, run by The Eden Project. Last year the best part of a million people took part in a nationwide one day event that encourages 3 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

The People’s Banquet will be part of a wider street party in Leadenhall Market where food groups will be serving up delicious street party dishes for people to enjoy. Street party and street food enthusiasts will come along and enjoy the party as well as provide food at the event. The

food drinK

Phil Thompson

Executive Chef at Auberge du Lac

Big Lunch team will help co-ordinate this event. On Sunday 5th June 2011 Big Lunch street parties will be held all over the country and fans of Great British Menu will be able, if they wish, to cook home-cooked versions of the winning chef â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dishes for street parties in their

own neighbourhoods.

Great British Menu is back on BBC TWO Daytime at 6.30pm every week day from Monday 4th April. For further details please contact Stephanie Mann on 01707 368 791 or email Stephanie.Mann@brocket-hall.co.uk

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food drinK

TASTE OF LOndOn IS CELEbRATIng WHAT IS ARgUAbLY ITS bEST RESTAURAnT LInE-UP TO dATE, TOTALIng An IMPRESSIvE ELEvEn MICHELIn STARS.

taSte oF london Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Le Caprice, Petrus, Skylon, Gauthier Soho and Bocca di Lupo / Gelupo are just a handful of new restaurants involved for 2011, promising to delight over 50,000 visitors across

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the four days. 150 speciality food and drink producers are expected to delight and inspire alongside live cooking demonstrations and interactive features sponsored by Waitrose,

AEG, Meet Jamaica and Peugeot. New for 2011 is the Secret Garden which will be tucked away in an exclusive enclave of

food drinK

Marylebone Green. The beautiful gastronomic oasis will play host to a line of world class chefs including Silvena Rowe, Gary Rhodes, Michel Roux Jr, Chris Galvin, Theo Randall and Jacob Kennedy and provide a stage for the much anticipated British BBQ Championships where 18 of the UKs most renowned chefs including Tristan Welch (Launceston Place), Paul Merrett (The victoria) and Atul Kochhar (Benares) will battle it out on the coals to impress a line-up of revered food critics. Sitting alongside Taste of London favourites such as Le Gavroche, Rhodes 24, Maze and Benares, a total of 40 restaurants will serve up dishes from around the world with classic British, modern European and infused Asian offerings from world class chefs. International talent including Helena Puolakka (Skylon), Tamas Khan (ORA) and Alexis Gauthier (Gauthier Soho) will be joining homegrown household names such as Gary Rhodes and Michel Roux Jr. British Airways is once again on board and will be offering some first class service at its Exec Club Lounge whilst Masterclasses with Laurent-Perrier, Estrella and S. Pellegrino will introduce guests to an indulgent tasting experience. Taste Festivals has set a new benchmark for food and drink events worldwide. In 2011 there will be 14 Taste Festivals across the world all based on the flagship event, Taste of London.

RESTAURANTS AT TASTE OF LONDON 2011 aSia de cuba awana barraFina benareS bentley’S bocca di lupo/ Gelupo cHeF collin brown club GaScon corriGan’S MayFair Fino Fouronine GaucHo GautHier SoHo kai MayFair launceSton place le caprice le GavrocHe l’aniMa l’etranGer MaZe Melati opera tavern ora paraMount petruS Quo vadiS reFettorio rHodeS 24 rouX at tHe landau Satay HouSe Scott’S Skylon Suka taMarind tHe cinnaMon club tHe Modern pantry tHe ritZ yauatcHa york & albany

The Wellington at Welwyn

Village Eating, Drinking and Sleeping... Great British food with a twist Delicious d’Arenberg Wines Indulgent Afternoon Tea Glorious Sun Terrace Bring this advert with you to The Wellington and receive a free bottle of d'Arenberg Stump Jump wine when you have dinner or stay the night!

1 High Street, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 9LZ 01438 714036, www.wellingtonatwelwyn.co.uk

food drinK

THE THREE HORSESHOES

lAst Month the thRee hoRseshoes on eAst coMMon hARPenDen WAs GettinG ReADY to Re-oPen. the PRe-PARtY lAunch on the 5th MAY successFullY WARMeD the BuilDinG FoR the GRAnD Re-oPeninG on FRiDAY the 6th MAY 2011.

his beautiful country pub has been restored back to a public house filled with real ales, fabulous wines and a warm welcome to all. The superb team responsible for this transformation are the owners of The Cricketers of Redbourn Debbie, Colin and Andy. Their vision for The Three Horseshoes is clearly based on their success in Redbourn;

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great beer, an affable atmosphere and seasonal menus that cater for any occasion. The new Three Horseshoes layout comprises of three main areas. As you enter, to the left is delicious dining; to the right is a welcoming bar area and then access to gardens and the common. With a dog walkers haven on one

side and a beautiful fenced family friendly beer garden with a dedicated chefs BBQ podium. There is even talk of a horse trough and kitchen garden.

Check out the fantastic website, with easy to navigate Menus at www.thethreehorseshoesofharpenden.co.uk.

food drinK

The team are such supporters of the community, it is no surprise they are also advocates of locally sourced produce “It is a magnificent pub and venue. I can see many a significant occasion being celebrated here, especially if complemented with a marquee. With the beautiful surrounds I think it will be an awesome setting for any guest or host.” Lisa Forsyth, East Common, Harpenden. In Redbourn, The Cricketers are true supporters of the local community. They run charity pub quiz evenings, sponsor charity golf days and are strong supporters of Redbourn Cricket Club. For the Royal Wedding celebrations they even organised a marquee for afternoon tea, and a triumphant dinner dance for the evening. It was a truly splendid celebration.

As the team are such supporters of the community, it is no surprise they are also advocates of locally sourced produce. An article in our June 2010 magazine, mentioned The Cricketers of Redbourn even source some organically fed pork from a local vicar. They were also instrumental in delivering bespoke beer from Tring brewery for and named after Redbourn 900. Pure genius – probably. The expansion from East Common in Redbourn to East Common in Harpenden is an exciting one and hopefully as smooth as the beer. Why not try both!

There is much anticipation about The Three Horseshoes returning to a pub where dog walkers can catch up, ramblers can strategically plan a hearty lunch stop, or friends can simply siAn duddy, redbourn enjoy a brilliant evening. With Plans afoot

“Great team, excellent beer, fab food and always involved in all our key events on the village calendar. The Cricketers is fast becoming THE ‘community hub’ for Redbourn!”

(excuse the pun) to develop either a Redbourn to Harpenden Horseshoe or a Harpenden to Redbourn Run the East Common link continues into the future. If you talk to the tremendous team, you soon recognise that their ideas and general ethos for The Three Horseshoes, is all down to their energy and passion for what they do, it will be a refreshing and welcoming establishment to frequent regularly or for a special occasion. In summary, there is much to be excited about - so BOOK NOW and experience it for yourself.

The Three Horseshoes, East Common, Harpenden AL5 1AW Telephone (01582) 713953/764090 www.thethreehorseshoesofharpenden.co.uk email: info@thethreehorseshoesofharpenden.co.uk

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food drinK

Gino D’Acampo’s recipe for

Tagliatelle in salsa tartara PASTA SERVED IN CREAMY TARTAR SAUCE

SERVES

INGREDIENTS 400g fresh egg Tagliatelle 150ml double cream 2 tablespoons of salted butter 2 egg yolks 60g of little pickled gherkins 60g of small pickled onions 30g of salted capers, rinsed under cold water 1 teaspoon of English mustard 4 tablespoons of freshly chopped flat leaves parsley 4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese Salt & pepper to taste PREPARATION Drain the onions and the gherkins from the vinegar and place on a chopping board with the

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2 3 4 5 6

capers. Roughly chop. Place the butter in a large frying pan and on a medium heat fry the chopped onions, gherkins and capers all together for 2 minutes. Pour in the cream and the mustard, mix well and continue to gently cook for a further 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally. In the meantime cook the pasta in a large saucepan with salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and pour in the frying pan with the creamy sauce. Pour in the egg yolks and sprinkle over the parsley. Toss all together on a low heat for 15 seconds allowing the sauce to coat the pasta. Divide the pasta between 4 serving plate and serve immediately with the Parmesan cheese on top.

For more information up to date information on Gino, please visit www.ginodacampo.com

EVEN MORE GINO You can also get Gino’s lastest book Gino’s Pasta: Everything You Need to Cook the Italian Way, available nation wide and online.

‘Eating Italian’ is the new iPhone

& iPad app from Gino D’Acampo! Available from the app store.

STUNNING NEW ORANGERY RESTAURANT AND BEAUTIFUL REFURBISHMENT · · · · · · · · · · ·

Impressive lake and garden views Fabulous 125 seat dining area Seasonal A La Carte menu Weekly menu £21 for 3 courses Traditional afternoon served tea daily Lakeside, garden or terrace dining Great new bar menu Luxurious function or meeting rooms Relaxing new lounge and bar 30 individually styled bedrooms from £125 The perfect wedding venue

Fishpool Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 4RY 01727 864 444 • www.stmichaelsmanor.com stmm_life_mag_v2-15-4-11.indd 1

19/04/2011 13:33

NEW £5 LUNCH MENU

Our menu can be viewed online FREE LOCAL DELIVERY

A choice of 10 delicious Main Courses served Monday to Saturday for just £5 Choose from Green Chicken Curry Beef in Oyster Sauce, Red Vegetable Curry Putt Thai Chicken Noodles Putt Thai Vegetable Noodles Stir Fried Chicken & Cashew Nuts Sweet & Sour Vegetables Stir Fried Chicken & Ginger Stir Fried Krapao Vegetables & Putt See Yeoo Chicken Noodles

to selected post codes on orders over £20 not available on the Lunch or Banquet menus

Our a la carte menu is available at all times

Experience the authentic taste of Thailand

Our restaurant is fully licensed and air-conditioned Large free car park at rear

39 High Street, Bushey WD23 1BD

Tel 020 3188 0004 enquiries@thaisunset.co.uk

www.thaisunset.co.uk

£15 BANQUET

Enjoy a 2 Course Meal from our Special Menu available from Sun to Tues for just £15 per head. A choice from 6 delectable starters & 8 main courses served with rice

ALSO AVAILABLE SUNDAY LUNCHTIMES

HARPENDEN

CELEBRATE WITH US! ALWAYS CREATING

Fresh seasonal menus FOR MENUS & PRICES PLEASE ASK A MEMBER OF STAFF OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE Colin, Debbie and Andy are proud to announce the re-opening of The Three Horseshoes.

"A Country Style pub, with real ales, delicious dining and a warm welcome to all..." There will be an area for dogs and their walkers, plenty of outdoor space for families and great potential for weddings and private parties. The Three Horseshoes will be a haven for ramblers and there is even talk of horse troughs.

for more information email info@thethreehorseshoesofharpenden.co.uk or visit our website

the three horseshoes east common harpenden

al5 1aw

Telephone: 01582 713953

www.thethreehorseshoesofharpenden.co.uk

health beauty Realising Your Aspirations Get the body Without the Workout Ageing is a Fine Art The Art of Semi Permanent Make-up Turn Back Your Beauty Clock Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Causing My Shoulder Pain? Hear More...

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health beauty

Realising Your Aspirations

pHotoGrapHy OLIVER NEILSON +34 630 607 954

wHy not WAKe uP to suMMeR and MAKe An APPointMent witH toM oliveR, PeRsonAl tRAineR to tHe elite?

ow many of us started the year with good intentions to join a gym, start a fitness regime, take up running or cycling only to find our noble resolutions in tatters a few months later? With every day pressures, it’s never easy to find the right work and life balance which is why it’s often better to get a helping hand. The key to maintaining optimum health and fitness is regular exercise and a good and healthy lifestyle but often we need the motivation to help us achieve our aims. That’s where Tom Oliver, international personal trainer, comes in. Why hire A personAl trAiner? There are those who believe personal trainers are only there to accompany them to the gym 4 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

or when out jogging in the park, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As a leading personal trainer to highflyers and

those in the international business community with little time on their hands, Tom Oliver’s approach is about time efficiency and treating the whole person with a bespoke programme to meet an individual’s needs. Tom adapts his personal training skills to suit the busy lives of his clients, many of whom travel overseas regularly and have punishing work schedules. In creating a solid and uncomplicated training programme which incorporates good diet, exercise and key lifestyle choices, Tom is able to guide a client through his or her whole fitness programme, offering constant motivation, a regular schedule of challenging exercise, and most importantly, the results to show for it. Training with Tom Oliver will help a client achieve their key aims: To feel stronger and fitter, and to have more energy, flexibility and

health beauty agility. In other words, to feel good on both the inside and outside. And WhAt About tom’s bAcKground? Born in Hertfordshire, Tom was educated at Stowe, the leading public school in Buckinghamshire where he won the first ever pure sports scholarship. From an early age, he demonstrated a keen interest in many sports, and became accomplished in football, cricket, athletics, cross-country running, squash and rugby. But it was rugby which became his great passion, and on leaving Stowe, he was signed up by Northampton Saints Rugby Club. In time he turned to rugby coaching at the highest level, holding posts with clubs in Chile, Argentina and Australia. Back in the UK, Tom established a personal training service to match the aspirations and exacting demands of a widening portfolio of clients, many of whom were professionals based in London but who needed to travel for their work. As the preferred trainer for clients of Harrods in Knightsbridge and also Edmiston Yachts, the world’s largest charter yacht company, Tom has much experience of juggling programmes to suit the hectic schedules of the international business community and to delivering the highest standards of service and commitment. Tom does not believe in quick fix exercise fads and trends or extreme dieting. His programmes are always fun, varied and challenging and he ensures that in terms of diet, his clients have the right nutritional package to match their physical training needs. His singular approach is based on many elements, the key being to build a strong rapport with the client and to fully understand what it is they most wish to achieve from any training programme. It follows that the setting of short, medium and long term targets is integral to his adopted strategy. Tom believes that exercise should be fun and he ensures that no programme is predictable or dull. He constantly introduces new elements to his client’s individual routines to keep them firmly on their toes!

training sessions: a park, gym or workplace are all possibilities. Ideally, however, he maintains that a client’s own home provides an excellent environment, so much so that he regularly assists clients to create their own in-house gyms, and can oversee the design, choice, and installation of equipment. Alternatively, Tom is happy to work alongside architects and designers in the early stages of a home gym project and to advise on equipment specification and layout. Tom is a firm believer in good nutrition and will advise on all aspects of diet, often implanting a completely new dietary regime for his clients. Having suffered many sports injuries in his time, Tom is also able to apply his considerable experience to the treatment and recovery of all kinds of minor sporting injuries as well as offering specialised sports massage.

And if that wasn’t enough, Tom also has a good grounding in Spanish, French, Italian and German for the benefit of his European clientele. So don’t put off the evil hour. Make an appointment with Tom Oliver today. All of us are full of good intentions but often just need someone with the right expertise to encourage and help us put our plans into action!

For further information about Tom Oliver Personal Training, please visit his website www.tomoliver.co.uk or call 07767 411 577.

For those participating in sporting competitions such as marathons, triathlons or Iron Man challenges, Tom is experienced in creating specific training programmes, as well as assisting those preparing for cycling and hiking trips and charity sports events. Some of Tom’s clients include actors, singers and performers who come to him for specific training before a new challenging role, or international tour. Part of Tom’s success as a sought after personal trainer is his willingness to travel and follow his clients wherever they might be, from a skiing chalet in the French Alps to a yacht on the Mediterranean to a tailor-made intensive week’s training programme in Mallorca, where he has a base.

Although Tom has a relaxed and cheerful manner, he is a disciplinarian at heart, and maintains that nothing can be achieved over time Many of Tom’s clients are successful operators unless exact and comprehensive monitoring of a in the international business community and client’s progress is applied. he has often travelled to Russia, UAE, and the United States to advise on home or yacht gym In practice, Tom remains totally flexible when installation and personal training programmes. it comes to a client’s preferred location for

Training with Tom Oliver will help a client achieve their key aims: To feel stronger and ﬁtter, and to have more energy, ﬂexibility and agility. In other words, to feel good on both the inside and outside... m ay 2 0 1 1 4 7

health beauty

Get the body WIthout the WoRKout!

o, you work out regularly. You lead a healthy lifestyle. You watch your weight. And yet the perfect six pack still somehow eludes you. Alas, for really chiselled abs and a toned, athletic body to die for, total dedication to the gym is needed. Great if you’re Brad Pitt and you’re being paid to spend hours there, not so great for everyone else. Now however, there’s a real alternative. vaser Hi-Def is the new approach to body sculpting that everyone is talking about. It delivers instant results with no general anaesthetic or stitches, and you can be back at your desk within a week, looking and feeling great. vaser Hi-Def is much less invasive than conventional liposuction, so there is reduced bruising and the scars are almost invisible and fade quickly. It also means that the recovery period is shorter so you can carry on with your everyday life much sooner and even be back in the gym within two to three weeks. What is more, the procedure leaves skin tightened, so there are no worries about being left with saggy skin. ULTRASOUnd TECHnOLOgY This is the ultimate in vaser treatments and our specialists at Riverbanks Clinic are among the select few in the 4 8 m ay 2 0 1 1

UK to have the advanced qualification required to perform vaser Hi-Def, and were personally trained by the inventor of the technique Dr Alfredo Hoyos from Colombia. vaser Hi-Def uses ultrasound to emulsify the fat under the skin. The sound energy can be used extremely selectively, removing even the fat closest to the muscle and skin – this is the stubborn fat that is most difficult to shift through exercise alone. It enables accurate body sculpting which follows the muscle definition, producing either a ‘ripped’ look or a more subtle toned physique, as required.

Dr Ravi Jain The procedure itself is straightforward. Firstly a local anaesthetic is given, then a tiny incision is made and the vaser probe inserted to treat the fat. Finally, the dissolved fat is aspirated using gentle suction techniques. Afterwards, a dressing must be worn for 48 hours and a compression garment for a few weeks. This ensures that the skin doesn’t experience any ‘drag’ during the healing process. A week off work is recommended so that the body can recover thoroughly from the surgery. nOT JUST FOR SIX PACKS! vaser Hi-Def can be used on any part of the body where stubborn fat persists. It can sculpt away a spare tyre, love handles or even the dreaded ‘man boobs’, creating a perfectly honed, athletic physique. It is not an alternative to weight loss or healthy living - it is designed for people who are in good health and take care of themselves, but have areas of persistent fat they’d like to banish for good.

For further details visit www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk or call 0800 0325415.

Get the body...

...without the workout.

Vaser Hi-Def®for the most advanced body sculpting.

Working out regularly can give you great muscle definition, but until now, only total dedication could give you chiselled abs and a true six-pack. Vaser Hi-Def® can give you the athletic, toned look you’ve always wanted, but which has always seemed out of reach. Vaser Hi-Def®uses gentle ultrasound to emulsify fatty tissue, and selectively removes fat, effectively sculpting you a new, defined shape.

The body you’ve always wanted can now be yours.

For a consultation in Hertfordshire or Chelsea or for more information call 0800 0325415 or visit www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk

Riverbanks Clinic is an approved Vaser Hi-Def®clinic.

health beauty

words

Carolina Brennan

aGeInG IS a FIne aRt

ue to the increasing demand for expert anti ageing advice and specialist beauty and aesthetic treatments, the Anti Ageing Clinic recently moved into new premises in Park Street. Owner, Carolina Brennan, invited me down to have a look at the new Clinic and experience a signature treatment with Clinic Manager, Carolyn.

The Clinic is situated close to How Wood station on a quiet, leafy residential street and boasts offstreet parking, making it accessible and discreet. The beautiful reception and dedicated nail therapy area at the front of the Clinic are bright and airy and there are three fully-equipped, luxury treatment rooms, each decorated to a specific colour scheme. The move has enabled Carolina to introduce some new treatments and products, including the i-Lipo Ultra; the very latest laser lipolysis machine for inch loss and body contouring. She believes it will be popular with clients who want to get rid of stubborn areas of fat before the summer.

Carolyn began by carrying out a thorough medical consultation. We discussed my current - hit or miss - skincare routine and the stubborn areas of fat around my middle that wouldn’t budge despite numerous diets and exercise. A special skin scanner showed areas of skin damage, dehydration and dryness that I was unaware of, as well as highlighting some tiny broken veins and a skin lesion on my forehead. She suggested an i-Lipo treatment for my tummy area and a deepcleansing facial. I was measured at various points around my tummy and laser pads were placed on the area and then moved every ten minutes. The pads created a lovely warm sensation whilst they worked their magic. Meanwhile, I relaxed back on the couch to let Carolyn work on my face. She began with a deep cleanse using a Clarisonix Pro - a device which is like a sonic toothbrush that literally lifts all the grime and make up out of the pores. Then she sealed off my broken veins and removed the skin lesion that was hidden in my hair line. All this ‘torture’ was carried out quickly and expertly by Carolyn who explained what she was doing as she went along. She then gave me a wonderfully soothing massage with oxygen to heal and rejuvenate my skin and the previous pain was forgotten. Warm oil was then massaged into my face, neck and shoulders to restore my moisture balance and to relax my tired muscles. Aaaah bliss!

“We are the only clinic in the area to have the i-Lipo and we are very excited to be able to offer it as an exclusive new treatment option to our clients,” she told me. “The treatment is a noninvasive, pain-free version of liposuction. It uses a cold diode laser to break down the triglycerides in the fat cells so that they are emptied into the lymphatic system. A period of exercise post treatment ensures that the body metabolises and eliminates the freed fatty acids for permanent results. Results can be seen immediately after each When Carolyn measured me afterwards, I had lost a very gratifying 3.5 inches and my trousers felt treatment as the fat cell contents are released.” 5 0 m ay 2 0 1 1

much looser around my middle. I couldn’t believe it, that was just one session! She told me that I would need two treatments a week for a month to achieve a flat, bikini-ready belly - I booked in there and then for the next treatment. Carolyn finished with a light dusting of Glo Minerals make up to leave my skin tone even and youthful. My skin looked radiant, glowing and infinitely better and I felt absolutely fantastic. I left The Anti Ageing Clinic with my head held high - full of skincare advice and armed with the information to stay looking young and beautiful who could ask for more?

The Anti Ageing Clinic oﬀers a comprehensive range of beauty, anti ageing and aesthetic treatments and products. The Clinic also oﬀers a selection of other specialist treatments, including Dermaroller, Harley Body Wraps and Applisonix which are unavailable elsewhere locally. The Anti Ageing Clinic is based at 101 Park Street Lane, Park Street, St Albans, AL2 2JA. For more information on advanced aesthetic, weight loss and anti ageing treatments, please contact The Anti Ageing Clinic on 01727 874507, email theantiageingclinic@yahoo.co.uk or visit www.theantiageingclinic.net.. Readers are entitled to a free consultation worth £25 when quoting ‘Radlett Life’ on booking.

health beauty

Tracey Smyth THE ART OF SEMI PERMANENT MAKE-UP Tracey Smyth is the semi permanent make-up expert everyone is talking about!

ith 25 years experience, she is the semi-permanent make-up genius who changes the lives of celebrities by revitalising and enhancing their look. Together with her team of specialists and revolutionary treatments, Tracey devises a complete treatment plan to get that youthful and natural look you are hoping for. Semi-permanent makeup can change your life! Want to change your look, freshen up, look well rested and ultimately look younger? With an arch of the brow your look will be transformed from dated to on-trend and open eyed therefore giving the impression of fresh faced youthfulness. It’s time for a brow re-model. “Semi-permanent make-up has taken a complete turn, gone are the days of the half moon shape slapped above the eye, we have so many different types of fantastic and natural looking ways to enhance your eyebrow shape from fine hair line strokes to simply filling in patchy eyebrows with a shadow effect. I can create a totally realistic and natural arched brow for both men and women!” As you get older the shape of your face changes and it is very important to move with the times, it’s amazing how many women still over pluck their eyebrows into the shape they had in the nineties or even eighties. The area becomes over traumatised therefore making it impossible to achieve that full lush look you had in your 20’s. As the brows are such

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before

afTer

It’s amazINg how maNy womEN stILL ovER PLuck thEIR EyEbRows INto thE shaPE thEy had IN thE NINEtIEs oR EvEN EIghtIEs

Semi-permenant makeup is the answer to all your brow dilemma’s Semi-permenant makeup can create a new look, it is so natural they will look like your own

an important part of the total impression of your look it is only smart to seek advice from a specialist in this area. The brows frame the eyes and can be the making of you, they should be well shaped but above all suit the shape of your face and expressions.

The common procedure most of you know about is the lip liner, which defines the outer lip and gives the impression of a fuller lip as if you were wearing a lip pencil liner. Lip blush is the new lip line! This treatment is fantastic on more mature lips and

LIP LINER

anyone who has thin lips and would like a fuller sexy looking lip. As you get older the pigment of the lips fades, with this procedure that youthful blush is restored. The colour of your lip is matched to your complexion and the results are lip transforming! It sounds a little uncomfortable as the entire lip is tattooed, however my specialist Dr Harris applies a dental block so you will be totally pain free. The common question and fear my clients have is “will I get the trout pout?” My answer is emphatically no, no and no again. I concentrate on bringing out your own natural attractiveness and inner beauty, I do not (unless the client is a celebrity and trying to achieve a different look) believe in enforcing an over exaggerated look. I like my clients to achieve an improved and youthful look which is natural and complements their character and lifestyle. Well this should give you plenty to think about, feel like a change and know you need an overhaul. Make a booking today. Until next month, stay well and get ready for the summer! Tracey x Tracey can be seen in Harley Street, The West End and Crouch End or for private appointments at your home. To book an appointment with Tracey please contact: 07967 038492/0208 340 8069 Mention this magazine to receive your free gift.

The PERFECT SMILE STUDIOS & INSTITUTE

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“I chose the Perfect Smile Studios because they seemed to genuinely care and appeared to be interested in creating the perfect smile design for me. I got no feeling that I was “just another patient”. As such I trusted them.” Francesca

Christian

Want a nice looking smile? Want it quick? Want minimal dentistry? Then come for a FREE Consultation on our Special NEW Technique for Laser Veneers Half the price of traditional smile makeovers!

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health beauty

Best-selling authors of the Beauty BiBle series, Jo fairley and sarah stacey reveal their top 10 products to try Before you even think aBout that facelift. By lisa haynes

Turn back your beauTy clock

itting alongside the fashion spreads about platform shoes and best spa beauty guides, ‘spot the surgery’ features have become everyday reading in magazines. As the infatuation with anti-ageing grows, going under the knife and invasive treatments appear to have become an acceptable means of turning back the clock. But if you’re a traditionalist favouring a line filler product over a nip-and-tuck, the new Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible might just be your miracle cure. With billions of pounds poured into age spot zapping serums, light-reflecting make-up and miracle creams, it’s little wonder the anti-ageing market can feel overwhelming, which is where beauty gurus Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey come in. They’ve put hundreds of anti-ageing products through their paces with the help of 2,400 women aged 35 to 60 plus. Embracing the latest cosmetic innovations you can add to your bathroom shelf, their message is: “There has never been a better time to age!” The miracle makeover

Make-up applied well can be your quickest way to drop a decade in a flash, according to Fairley and Stacey. “Our advice to women who ask advice because they’re contemplating a facelift is simple: Get a makeover first. Make-up really can work miracles.” Here, the anti-ageing duo offer their 10 must-have products to help melt away the years, along with recommended cosmetics that came out top of the tester leader board. 5 4 m ay 2 0 1 1

health beauty

make-up primer

With silicones (to smooth the skin) and light-reflective pigments (to ‘blur’ the appearance of fine lines), a makeup primer also helps solve the problem of make-up that disappears into thin air, which can be a particular problem for drier, mature complexions. Try: Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, £24 (www.clarins.co.uk)

lip pencil

A doubleduty product. At this phase in life, it not only defines lips (the contours of which can become blurrier with the years), but it helps prevent lipstick from ‘travelling’ into feathered lines. Try: MAC Lip Pencil, £10.50 (www.maccosmetics. co.uk)

anTi-ageing foundaTion

line smooTher

Many foundations now have age-defying properties. These can work in several ways: through the addition of skin-caring ingredients, plus moisturisers to ensure skin looks ‘plumper’. Try: Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Radiance Makeup SPF15, £63 (www. esteelauder.co.uk)

They also feature silicones and sometimes even nylon particles, and can be applied as required to deep grooves and finer lines. They ‘sit’ on the skin’s surface, and can be patted into the skin to create a truly velvety surface. Lines? Now you see them. And now, with these, you don’t. Try: Tri-Aktiline Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler, £27.95 (Boots)

bonecoloured cream eyeshadoW

Our prescription is always to use a neutral eyeshadow as a base, first. It evens out the skintone of the eyelids, which tends to darken and redden as we age, while at the same time creating a velvety-smooth, even base for shadow. Try: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow, £16.50 (www. bobbibrown.co.uk)

lighTreflecTive concealer

We probably get more anxious queries addressed to www.beautybible.com about dark circles than any other beauty woe. Wand-style concealers go a long way to disguising the darkest circles, and can lessen the appearance of deep grooves and lines. Try: Benefit Erase Paste, £19.50 (www. benefitcosmetics.co.uk)

lip gloss

Recent research showed that the plumpness of lips is a way that we (subconsciously) gauge an individual’s age. Lip gloss is the fast-track to a juicier pout; a swoosh on the lower lip makes them look instantly fuller. Try: Yes to Carrots C Me Shine Lip Gloss, £6.15 (www. victoriahealth.com)

broW colour

Defined, groomed brows help give your face muchneeded structure. Try: Rituals Line Up Eyebrow Pencil, £7.50 (www. uk.ritualsstore.com)

cream blusher

The texture ‘melts’ into skin, so doesn’t look dusty (which is always a risk, as we age). Once you hit 35-plus, it adds another layer of moisturising protection against the elements. Try: Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick, £19 (www.clinique.co.uk)

WaTerproof mascara

Stays put through hot flushes and survives watery eyes. It’s a fact: eyes get touchier and well up more as the years roll by. Try: No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara, £12.50 (Boots)

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health beauty

wordS idai Makaya

HealtHcare MatterS

WHAT’S CAUSinG My SHoULDER PAin? S houlder pain is extremely common in modern society for a variety of reasons, some of which will be outlined shortly. The shoulder is a structurally complex joint, capable of being worked in a wide range of directions and planes. It is made up of numerous ligament attachments, tendons and muscles, which allow it to function in the way that it does. The shoulder, with its many soft tissue structures, is more susceptible than most other joints to becoming injured in normal use - or due to accidents. As is the case for all the joints of the human body, strengthening the shoulder by routine resistance exercises may allow it to become more resistant to injury. As with all health matters, prevention is always a better approach than cure and the fortification of your body through a structured strength exercise programme is the ideal way to minimise your risk of developing shoulder problems.

However, many readers may not have taken this longterm approach, or may be suffering from shoulder pain or unsatisfactory shoulder function already, for a variety of reasons. For such individuals, what options exist for finding a solution? To look further into the matter I sought the expertise of a shoulder specialist to highlight the most common anomalies of the shoulder and what can be done to address them. Mr Tony Corner is a specialist consultant orthopaedic surgeon based at the Spire Harpenden Hospital in Hertfordshire, who works specifically on conditions of the shoulder joint and is an expert in keyhole surgery of the shoulder. The highlights of our discussion are outlined below: IDAI MAKAYA wHat are tHe MoSt coMMon SHoulder ailMentS you encounter in your work? Tony Corner: I would say the most common ailments I encounter as a shoulder specialist are impingement, rotator cuff tendon tears, frozen shoulder, dislocations of the shoulder and arthritis. IDAI MAKAYA pleaSe could you eXplain to readerS wHat tHe MoSt obviouS SyMptoMS are For eacH oF tHoSe coMMon probleMS? Tony Corner. The most common symptoms of impingement are pain around the top and side of the shoulder, particularly when the arm is raised to shoulder height. When someone has a rotator cuff tendon tear in their shoulder the most common identifying features are pain and weakness in the shoulder. Tendon tears normally present as either gradually worsening pain and weakness, from a chronic tear, or the patient may 5 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

have sustained an acute (new) tear if they feel a ‘ripping’ or ‘popping’ sensation within their shoulder - and an immediate weakness. If a patient has a frozen shoulder the most commonly experienced symptoms will be gradually worsening pain, which can be very severe and often disturbs sleep at night - and worsening stiffness in the shoulder. When a patient dislocates their shoulder they have a very significant chance of dislocating the joint again if they are young. If the shoulder dislocates on repeated occasions then the patient may need an operation to repair the damaged structures in the shoulder and restore stability to the joint. Symptoms of arthritis of the shoulder include worsening pain and loss of movement.

IDAI MAKAYA wHat are tHe MoSt likely cauSeS oF tHeSe coMMon SHoulder probleMS and How can tHey be avoided? Tony Corner. Impingement occurs when the tendons in the shoulder rub and ‘impinge’ underneath the shoulder tip bone, when the arm is raised. The tendons can become inflamed and a pocket of fluid called the bursa, which lies between the tendons and shoulder tip bone, can also become inflamed. Occasionally the front of the shoulder tip can develop a spur of bone which points down and irritates the tendons further. Rotator cuff tears can occur through an accident, such as a fall, or more commonly due to simple degeneration or long term irritation. Frozen shoulder, in the majority of cases, has no obvious cause or triggering event - although it is experienced sometimes after surgery or after a broken bone in the shoulder. Patients who suffer from diabetes or who have had a ‘traumatic event,’ such as a broken bone, suffer more severe frozen shoulders. Patients who dislocate their shoulders most commonly have a ‘traumatic event’ - such as a fall or collision during contact sports. When this occurs the soft tissues within the shoulder are damaged and subsequently leave the shoulder more susceptible to dislocation again in the future. Arthritis in the shoulder is much less common than in the hip or knee but the causes are similar, namely osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. IDAI MAKAYA wHat do you do to treat tHeSe conditionS? Tony Corner. The majority of patients who suffer from impingement will get excellent symptom relief from steroid injections and therapy. In patients who fail to improve a keyhole operation can be performed to remove the inflamed tissue and shave away part of the under surface of the shoulder tip. This gives the shoulder tendons more

room to work in and stops them being irritated as the patient elevates the arm. If a patient has a torn rotator cuff tendon this can be repaired with a keyhole (arthroscopic) operation to re-attach the tendon to the bone. A frozen shoulder will eventually resolve of its own accord, but it takes an average of two and half years for this to happen. Treatment can involve painkillers and steroid injections to alleviate the pain and then undertaking a program of exercises to try to stretch the stiff joint and regain movement. If a patient wishes to speed up recovery then the shoulder can be manipulated to free the stiff tissue (physiotherapy) or I can perform a keyhole operation to excise and release the painful tissue in the shoulder which is causing the frozen shoulder. This keyhole technique minimises potential damage to normal structures in the shoulder, which can happen with a manipulation, and studies have shown quicker return of movement and faster relief of pain using this keyhole technique. If a patient suffers repeated dislocations of their shoulder then a keyhole (arthroscopic) procedure can be performed to reattach the damaged soft tissues in the shoulder and stabilise the shoulder joint. If a shoulder is very arthritic then a joint replacement can be performed, just like in the hip and knee. IDAI MAKAYA iF tHere waS one MoSt iMportant MeSSaGe you would like people SuFFerinG FroM SHoulder pain or SHoulder probleMS to know about, wHat would it be? Tony Corner. Don’t suffer in silence and seek an expert opinion. There is something that can be done for every shoulder condition. Get an expert opinion to make an accurate diagnosis and discuss the treatment options. Most shoulder problems can be treated without the need for surgery, by appropriate therapy and sometimes injections. However, should surgery be required then in recent years techniques to treat shoulder conditions have improved considerably, especially in keyhole (arthroscopic) techniques and shoulder replacements. IDAI MAKAYA tHank you tony. The content of this article is provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the professional medical advice of your doctor or other health care professional. The views expressed are those of the columnist or guest contributor and do not represent any particular organisation or clinical body. Tony Corner is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in shoulder and upper limb treatments and is based at Spire Harpenden Hospital, where he can be contacted through his secretary on 07754142855.

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hy not come along and meet our award winning team, and learn more about groundbreaking new hearing technology that is helping to transform our client’s lives, at our FREE Open Days from Wed 22nd- Sat 25th June from 10am - 5pm. Robert Beiny, Director of Audiology, is a regular contributor on Radio and Television on hearing health matters, said; “We have had a constant presence in Harpenden since 1981 moving three times, to our current premises in the centre of town. “In this time, we’ve built up a solid local, national and now international reputation. Within the field, our name is synonymous with exceptional professional care and our goal has always been to strive for even better results for our clients. To this end, this month we have installed a brand new evaluation system which is the first of its kind in the country, so that our goal will become a reality.” Individually and collectively, the staﬀ at the practice have been commended and awarded honours for their attention to detail. Robert is a double winner of the UK & European Audiologist of the Year Award. “The reason these awards matter so much to us is, that we were nominated by our patients and clients. Their experience of our unique approach in helping them overcome their hearing diﬃculty has resulted in them putting us forward to the panel of judges”, Robert said. 5 8 m ay 2 0 1 1 60

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“The relationship between client and audiologist is paramount and trust is the bedrock of this. It is our commitment to excel personally and professionally that drives us, but we are all too aware that the biggest hurdle we face is that of people who are experiencing hearing diﬃculty accepting that their life could be changed for the better by taking that first step to do something about it!” “That’s why we hope our Open Days will give people a chance to come along to meet us and celebrate with us in an informal setting and see and hear how we change lives!” “Why not join us to hear more…” You are also invited to our Birthday Party on Saturday 25th June featuring Entertainment, Tea & Cake on the Lawn. If you would like to meet us in an informal setting, please come along and say Hello. We look forward to meeting you. The Hearing Healthcare Practice – Delivering the Gift of Hearing for 30 Years! Call for further information regarding specific days featuring diﬀerent products and manufacturers: – 01582 767218

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Tickets are now on sale for the annual - and extremely popular - Open Garden Squares Weekend.

rivate leafy oasis’ surrounded by pristine period properties: the capital’s residential squares and communal gardens contain some of the most sought-after homes in London... open especially for Open Garden Squares Weekend will be many of the much-loved and popular gardens such as: Arundel and Elgin Notting Hill, Bedford Square, Belgrave Square, Bloomsbury Square, Cadogan Place & Cadogan Square Gardens, Chelsea Psychic Garden, Chiswick House walled garden, Eaton Square, Ecclestone Square, Fitzroy Square, Fulham Palace Meadows Allotments, Geffrye Museum, Ham House, The Community Garden at the Tate Modern, Kensington Roof Gardens, Kensington Square, King Henry’s Walk Garden, Russell Square Gardens, St Pauls 6 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

Cathedral Churchyard,Chelsea Psychic Garden, Victoria & Albert Museum. For many, part of the fascination is the opportunity to catch a glimpse of residential enclaves that command premiums above and beyond the already heart-stopping house prices in places like Kensington, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Notting Hill . The great and the good, the rich and the famous continue to make their homes in the squares, undoubtedly attracted by the privacy and

security afforded by gated entrances and iron railings. This weekend, however, you can wander in and see what all the fuss is about. And if you have a spare £5 million or so you could make yourself a permanent home among the plane trees, gravel paths and planting committees. Following on from the Royal Wedding, The Goring Hotel - where Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge) stayed the night before the wedding - is taking part, as are the gardens at Westminster Abbey.

Cheques should be made payable to Capital Gardens Ltd. For each ticket booked in advance, Capital Gardens will give a £5 discount voucher to spend at any Capital Gardens garden centre. The closing date for advance bookings is Monday, 6th June 2011. Lots more information can be found at www.opensquares.org www.facebook.com/pages/Open-Garden-Squares-

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range of painted or stained finishes to suit the look you wish to achieve. The Stylish Shutter Company can also match your shutters to the Farrow & Ball paint range. The Stylish Shutter Company offer a wide selection of shutter solutions to suit every budget. From the Seattle Shutter range, right through to the vancouver Cedar wood range. There is also a Bathroom Shutter designed specifically for wet and damp environments. With shutters you will be able to find the perfect solution for your home.

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InsIde Kelly Hoppen’s

Sanctuary l Designer Kelly Hoppen opens tHe Door to Her glamorous Home anD gives Her top tips on creating successful rooms. By gaBrielle fagan eading designers, especially those with celebrity clients who are also friends, usually guard their privacy with a zeal. But Kelly Hoppen has chosen to use her own home to demonstrate those highly successful techniques that have won her a host of famous fans, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law and Elton John. Her uber-luxurious sanctuary is a homage to her renowned ‘East Meets West’ style with its uncluttered, opulent rooms; a distinctive use of balance and symmetry, and trademark colour palette of neutrals, including her signature ‘taupe’ shade. “Each of the homes I have designed and lived in myself has been an on-going exercise - an experiment if you like - where I have tried to understand how we see things, what gives us contentment and what we are really trying to achieve,” she explains. Walls are finished in light-reflecting white waxed

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plaster, one of her favourite effects, and there are ebonystained floorboards and glossy lacquered surfaces. “I have displayed more objects and used more furniture, texture and subtle contrast here than in any of my previous homes,” she says. “It’s a marked shift towards a feminine, luxurious, organic glamour in which I feel very much at ease.” The sophisticated, tranquil setting is the result of a painstaking renovation of her period home in London, during which she ensured the interior was perfectly tailored to suit her lifestyle. “Choosing your home’s style is a similar process to choosing a piece of couture clothing - it should fit you like a glove,” she says of the setting, which features in Kelly Hoppen Ideas, her new book that includes a foreword by Victoria Beckham describing Hoppen as “a very dear friend”. Hoppen, who is as discreet about her clients as she is about

home works for you and how you live, and in essence represents who you are”. Follow Hoppen’s room by room guide to creating a designer home.

loungIng style

her private life (her stepdaughter is film star Sienna Miller), says simply: “I think nowadays, whoever we are, we all want a nurturing retreat that feels safe, comfortable and easy to live in.” Her own homes, she says, have always been characterised by an eclectic element - mixing vintage, contemporary, ultramodern and antique styles. But whatever a person’s taste, she insists, the guiding principle must be that “your

Living rooms can be integrated into an open-plan design or be just as effective as a separate grand space, she says. Hoppen’s spacious first-floor living room has a fireplace as its focal point and a chimney breast covered in a panel of black glass within which a television is set. “Always think about where the main seating will be, where the television will be be, to help you decide the layout,” she advises. “A monochromatic palette fulfils my aim to make the room seem like a stunning black and white picture.” Flooring, she advises, must be timeless - not a fashion statement - as it will be in place for a long time and expensive to change. Hoppen loves: Sheer curtains

house h ogarden use garden to filter natural light, black and white framed photographic prints and the impact of repetition in pieces of furniture and objects, such as a group of three tables or a pair of vases.

flooring and furnishings that echo the overall feel of the rest of the home. entertaInIng zone

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Hallways are often, wrongly, neglected areas in the home, says Hoppen, and can flag up personal style. In her hallway, recessed strip lights on either side of the treads and risers of the staircase make it appear to ‘float.’ The lighting also has the effect of appearing to widen the space. “Halls should impress as well as being practical. Whenever I come home, I look forward to experiencing the sense of wellbeing that my hall engenders,” says Hoppen. Eye-catching features include a pair of Sixties zinc wall mirrors hung above a shelf displaying flower arrangements and tea lights. Hoppen loves: Full-height doors that run all the way up to the ceiling to increase a sense of space, as well as bespoke door handles and

Maximise space using reflective surfaces such as glossy lacquer and employing the colour taupe a perfect neutral which creates an atmosphere of harMony and calm.

Kitchens are now as popular as dining and entertaining areas, and Hoppen has devised her own streamlined recipe for the space. In her home this area extends over the majority of the ground floor and incorporates a dining area leading on to the garden. “It’s definitely the theatre at the heart of my home,” she says. “To cook and entertain at home is now cool and I have a fireplace up on the wall like a painting, which is a focal point, and cosy in winter. “As I’m always hosting dinners and love having guests drinking and chatting while I cook, I wanted this to be an open and alluring space for friends to relax. “The island bar is where everyone gravitates - it’s not only a ‘chill and chat’ zone, it’s a place to work, read and have breakfast and so upholstered comfortable chairs are an essential.”

The dining area has its own character defined by a large oak farmhouse-style table which Hoppen designed. Hoppen loves: Maximising space with an island bar on double-sided central units, using reflective surfaces such as glossy lacquer or silky polished plaster and employing the colour taupe - a perfect neutral which creates an atmosphere of harmony and calm. personal retreat

Define how a bedroom will be used and consider

whether it will also function as a dressing room and extra private lounging area, she says. In Hoppen’s compact bedroom, a low, wide headboard and integrated bedside units help give an illusion of more space. “A bedroom is a treasured place, the ultimate comfort zone, and should be designed to please all your senses,” says Hoppen. “It’s your sanctuary and must be warm and inviting with lots of texture. My own bedroom is my hiding place and I’ve used a calm, taupe palette and concealed lighting to give the room a warm, seductive glow.” Hoppen loves: Adjustable lighting which gives you the freedom to alter the atmosphere to suit mood, shutters that filter daylight softly and allow privacy, and fabrics such as linen, velvet and satin for a luxury look, plus a dressing table for jewellery and treasured possessions. MmAY 2 2001 11 1 99 ay 71

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Golf and a taste of luxury in Cyprus

riving off the main highway through the valley down to Pissouri Bay the view ahead to the Mediterranean is certainly enticing. You pass olive groves and vineyards on the way and get a glimpse of the traditional old Pissouri village perched on the cliffs above. It’s a pretty spectacular approach to the Columbia Beach Resort, our home for a few days in south west Cyprus. The island is rapidly gaining credence as a golf destination with a number of new courses recently opened and the promise of more to come. The Columbia Beach Resort, a five star luxurious property popular with those who like a little privacy along with their sunshine, is a good base for a golfing break. And Cyprus’s mild climate, with winters much warmer than ours, where spring arrives early and autumn promises balmy days up to the end of November, adds to the island’s golfing appeal. Built in a style reminiscent of typical Cypriot

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buildings with shuttered windows, reclaimed terracotta tiles and mellow stone the resort’s architects have ensured it fits into the landscape. Surrounded by dramatic cliffs the resort sits right on an expansive beach where there is an abundance of space. There’s only one other hotel here, owned by the same group, the four star Columbia Beachotel, also very stylish. We stayed in a roomy suite (all the accommodation is in suites, just 94 in total, adding to its attraction) overlooking a stunning 80m lagoon style pool. Suites are clustered around the pool in low-rise ‘villas’ and everywhere there’s an abundance of citrus trees, bougainvillea and tropical plants. As you would expect in a hotel of this stature luxury abounds, from the towelling robes and slippers to the Molton Brown goodies in the spacious bathrooms. Cypriots love talking about food and take great pride in the wealth of ingredients that they produce (most of their crop of Cyprus potatoes are exported to the UK). We tried the famous Cyprus Meze in

the Resort’s Apollo Taverna, an endless assortment of small dishes featuring salads, vegetables, fish and sometimes meat designed for sharing and lingering. It’s easy to see the influences from Greece and across the Middle East that make this cooking distinctive with recipes handed down through generations. The Columbia Beach Resort has a well-deserved reputation for its cuisine. Chef de Cuisine Ioannis Yiakoumidis has recently won Chef of the Year by Time Out Cyprus. Ioannis is keen for guests to sample his take on traditional Cypriot dishes as well as his highly creative fine dining in the resort’s Dionysos restaurant. We discovered that Cypriot wine is worth sampling too. A plethora of small independent wineries have become established in recent years producing very drinkable reds and whites. So, after a hearty dinner, we were up early for the 20 minute drive to Aphrodite Hills. This award-

t r av e l winning golf course was officially opened in 2002 – the first leisure and golf development of its kind in Cyprus. There’s a good mix of challenging pot bunkers, manicured fairways of lush Bermuda grass and generous tiered greens here. Beginners and experienced players of all abilities are encouraged to learn and improve their game at the Aphrodite Hills 3-hole Golf Academy. And to add to its allure the course overlooks the site where Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love, is said to have emerged from the sea. Designed by Cabell Robinson, Euope’s leading course architect, the 18 hole championship course offers spectacular views. The course has been created across two elevated plateaux either side of the Randidi Gorge, a natural ravine, so we were rewarded by some dramatic yet glorious golf. Back at the Resort it was time for a therapeutic massage in the award-winning Columbia Spa. As you enter the spa your focus is on the spectacular lagoon pool that flows from here out towards the sea. In summer the giant glass doors are left open so you can swim the entire 80m length and in cooler months the separating doors keep the indoor part heated. It’s an elegant spa yet manages to be cosy. Quiet and private, and like everywhere else in the Columbia Beach Resort, it’s friendly too. This is a good alternative to golf for those who are not keen on the sport. Luxurious Molton Brown spa therapies are on offer alongside the marine-based range Phytomer (which I was informed is great for sculpting and contouring the body). The Columbia Spa offers Daniele de Winter treatments too that specialise in parabenfree anti-ageing therapies. The aim is to provide the highest quality treatments, most of which are not available elsewhere on the island. A glass of herb tea and a nap in the Temple Lounge and it was the end of a perfect day. We were looking forward to trying our second course, the newly launched Elea Golf just 20 minutes drive from the Columbia Beach Resort near the town of Pafos. It deserves its rave reviews (‘Top 10 new international golf courses of 2010’ ranking from American title Golf Magazine, and being recognised as ‘one of the world’s most exciting new courses’ by UK title Golf World). Designed by Sir Nick Faldo the course was opened last October in another location of breathtaking beauty. Faldo Design has created an 18-hole layout at Elea Estates that commands a superb view above the Mediterranean Sea. The 6,900 yard layout takes you

through groves of mature carob and olive trees, while dramatic outcrops of weathered limestone contrast with the dark green fairways and everywhere there are Mediterranean grasses and wild herbs and native flora. The effect is visually stunning. Faldo is quoted as saying the course was designed to put the emphasis on thoughtful, rather than big-hitting, golf. This is a good contrast to Aphrodite Hills offering plenty for golfers to explore and unravel over all 18 holes. There’s much more than golf for visitors to the Columbia Beach Resort. When it’s time to burn off the calories there are flood-lit tennis courts and squash courts on site, a well-equipped gym and regular exercise and yoga classes too. The resort can arrange cycling or walking tours to explore this unspoiled part of Cyprus. For those who like a challenge mountain biking in the Troodos Mountains is a must where the peaks are so high it regularly snows in winter. And there is expert water-sports tuition in Pissouri Bay where windsurfing is particularly popular in the summer. The waters are warm, clean and clear so it’s not unusual to see turtles swimming by. Cyprus is renowned for its wealth of cultural sites especially from Greco-Roman times so if you can tear yourself away from the golf it’s worth seeing the restored amphitheatre and mosaics at Kourion where they regularly stage concerts and plays just 15 minutes away from Pissouri. If you are looking for a place to provide total relaxation the Columbia Beach Resorts is a good choice especially as it’s not too far from new golf challenges. I recommend you pack your clubs soon. Leading family tour operator Travelbeam Luxury Hotels offers first hand honest advice about the finest properties in Europe, North Africa and Indian Ocean (ATOL no. 9664) and specialises in competitive rates and exclusive offers.

Call now to book on 0845 845 0145, www.travelbeam.co.uk or email: luxuryhotels@travelbeam.co.uk For more information about Columbia Beach Resort visit www.columbia-hotels.com For information about the golf courses mentioned visit ww.eleaestate.com and www.aphroditehills.com To find out about Cyprus and all its treasures for visitors click on www.visitcyprus.com or email: informationcto@btconnect.com

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The offer is available for stays between 01-Jun-2011 until 31-Jul-2011. m ay 2 0 1 1 7 3

t r av e l

f you’ve ever thought private jet travel is only reserved for celebrities, royalty and business tycoons, then think again because as Bob Dylan once famously sang, the times they are a changing… Recently, a European air navigation safety organisation published a report, which confirmed that business aviation was one of the strongest market sectors in 2010, with flight traffic bouncing back from 2009 with an increase of 5.5%. Contrary to what you might think, especially remembering last year’s volcanic ash cloud, business aviation showed signs of recovery and 2011 is looking promising. The private/business aviation world continues to grow for several compelling reasons. As with many of us, the weary travelling public is becoming more disenchanted with time-

consuming queues at commercial airports, as well as the spiralling cost of flying. On the other hand, business aviation offers its customers a very different experience, one which not only saves them time, but one which packages a very private and bespoke service that immerses them in unparalleled levels of comfort and luxury. As an example, busy executives can take advantage of arranging last-minute flights to attend a meeting, with stress-free checkin at their preferred airport. And, more importantly, if you choose your broker carefully, it’s not as expensive as you might think… Private brokerage

With both the renowned Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix showcases

“Crownjets came highly recommended to me and i have been very happy with the service the team has provided. also the empty legs prices i have been given in the past have been very competitive. “ Ceo international organisation

CrownJets the jewel of Private aviation

7 4 m ay 2 0 1 1

t r av e l

coming up in May, it promises to be a busy time for many business aviation operators, but more so for those select few that can offer a truly private brokerage service. CrownJets is such a company, founded by Managing Director, Jodie Packham, who began her career as a charter broker at Bombardier Skyjet International in Farnborough. CrownJets specialises in global ad hoc charter, aircraft leasing, private flight analysis, jet membership and aircraft sales, all managed with the highest standards of personal service and attention to detail. “At its heart, the foundation to our philosophy at CrownJets is our passion to deliver a quality, bespoke private jet charter experience. The company’s ethos is to not only build partnerships with customers but to also foster a personal relationship where they know they can always count on our unique standards of service,” explained Jodie.

telephone 01252 516 874 Mobile 07763725024 email info@crown-jets.com Web crown-jets.com

the Personal touCh

“This personal and private touch is the cornerstone of our success,” confirmed Jodie. Charter flexibility

images: with thanks to Comlux aviatio

“jodie is always available on her mobile 24 hours a day 7 days a week, when we were away in Malaga, we wanted to change the date of our return flight, jodie was extremely helpful and is always very happy to help which really took the stress out of the organisation for me.” Private Client

There is no doubt that to many of us, the world of private jets can be complicated, with a confusing range of options, acronyms and assorted industry jargon. Fortunately, help is at hand, as CrownJets can cut through the maze with its professional in-depth knowledge of the private jet sector. They can provide a straightforward guide to help clients make an informed choice to turn their lifestyle aspirations into reality, with no obligation quotes and full flight analysis. Customers can also become members of CrownJets, which allow them to have their very own personal charter broker who, rather like an account manager, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All in all, there are many advantages of having your own broker but the crowning glory of this service is that you have instant expertise at your fingertips.

With Cannes and Monaco on the horizon, one area that will be busy for CrownJets is aircraft charter, where a private jet is chartered for a specific route. The seats are not sold individually; the price covers the aircraft flying from say, Oxford to Cannes, irrespective of whether the aircraft is full or not. The benefit of booking a charter flight through CrownJets is that the broker can negotiate the very best offer within the market, each time a customer flies. Once booked, CrownJets then manages all flight arrangements from start to finish, again with their hallmark personal touch to ensure a seamless and hassle-free service. For your added peace of mind, the private broker will remain on call for the duration of your trip to assist with any queries or changes so you can relax. Chartering is very flexible as departures

“we have worked with jodie and her team for about 3 years, often finding aircraft for our demanding and unhappy customers. and, usually at the last minute, with little if any planning time. Crownjets tirelessly managed the almost endless itinerary changes our customers come up with by just taking the information, and doing whatever it takes to make them happen. “ Ceo - large Private CoMPany can not only be arranged from any airport in the UK but also from any international airports. Such freedom of choice literally stretches your world when booking with CrownJets, as you manage your own time and schedule that best suits your lifestyle. In summary, private jet travel offers a wealth of flying options. With its pedigree in private brokerage, CrownJets offers a very unique service, all managed with a personal touch and attention to detail that will see you never flying commercial again…..the time for CrownJets has well and truly landed.

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We stand tall when it comes to

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Effective Solutions for Individuals Call 01582 765111 or visit www.taylorwalton.co.uk TWalton_199x133_hertslife_ad.ind1 1

SOLICITORS

30/1/08 16:14:32

THE PREMIER PROVIDER OF

Bespoke Luxury Homes

Oakbridge Homes have extensive experience in the design and construction of pre-planned or bespoke homes for discerning purchasers. With a small but enthusiastic team of designers, managers and site personnel, Oakbridge Homes have become the company of choice for those seeking to procure a signature new home. Whether by location or the aspirations and personal taste of the client, Oakbridge Homes have the vision to create quality homes in many styles. For further information ring Martin Hemmings 01582 794499 www.oakbridgehomes.co.uk

PROPERTY LIFE T H E

L A T E S T

A N D

B E S T

S P O N S O R E D

P R O P E R T I E S

O N

T H E

M A R K E T

B Y

Beech Hill Avenue

Spectacular brand new detached residence extending to circa 7,800 sq ft with an indoor swimming pool complex and cinema room. This stunning home is approached via an electric gated entrance, has been completed to a high specification by Shandler Homes to enhance todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern lifestyle living and is situated in this highly sought after location.

Price Guide ÂŁ4,750,000

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FROM COTTAGES TO COUNTRY ESTATES

www.statons.com

Specialising in: Totteridge • Woodside Park • Oakleigh Park • Whetstone • Mill Hill • Arkley • Barnet Hadley Wood • Winchmore Hill • Brookmans Park • Cuffley • Northaw • Essendon • Radlett • Elstree Park Street • Aldenham • Shenley • Letchmore Heath and surrounding areas £3,500,000

TOTTERIDGE

£2,850,000

CUFFLEY

SALES • NEW HOMES • LETTINGS MILL HILL oiRo £2,000,000

An impressive detached home situated in this highly sought after private turning. 4 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, grounds of approximately 0.4 acres and beautifully tended landscaped gardens. Freehold. Sole Agent.

Stunning newly constructed contemporary residence in excess of 5,000 sq ft, standing on a mature plot of approximately 1 acre. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room. Freehold. Sole Agent.

Originally built in 1928 in the arts and crafts style, this stunning detached family home offers a wealth of character and provides spacious accommodation. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, shower, 3 reception rooms. Freehold.

TOTTERIDGE 020 8445 3694

BROOKMANS PARK 01707 661144

TOTTERIDGE 020 8445 3694

£1,895,000

HADLEY WOOD

£1,795,000

ARKLEY

£1,695,000

RADLETT

Well presented detached family residence in a private cul-de-sac. 5 bedrooms (2 e/s), family bathroom, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, rear garden, heated swimming pool, detached triple garage. Sole Agent.

A stunning detached property set behind electronic gates. Arranged over 3 floors. Kitchen/breakfast room, 3 receptions, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, south facing landscaped rear garden, tiled heated swimming pool, double garage. Freehold. Sole Agent..

Situated in this quiet, secluded prime Radlett location. A character full, recently refurbished, detached family home. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 e/s), 5 reception rooms, superb Poggenpohl kitchen. Freehold.

HADLEY WOOD 020 8440 9797

BARNET 020 8449 3383

RADLETT 01923 604321

HADLEY WOOD £1,530,000

£995,750

ARKLEY

£749,950

ALDENHAM

This Victorian family residence offers well presented and spacious accommodation. 5 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), landscaped rear garden, swimming pool, timber pool house. Freehold. Sole Agent.

*No upward chain* New Cottage is a beautifully presented character cottage which retains many original features. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, garage, rear garden. Freehold. Sole Agent.

An immaculately presented detached family home in a quiet lane within the award winning Wall Hall development in Aldenham. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen/diner, utility area, landscaped rear garden. Freehold.

HADLEY WOOD 020 8440 9797

BARNET 020 8449 3383

RADLETT 01923 604321

For many homes in all price ranges please call us or visit www.statons.com SALES OFFICES AT: BARNET 020 8449 3383 • TOTTERIDGE 020 8445 3694 • HADLEY WOOD 020 8440 9797 • BROOKMANS PARK 01707 661144 • RADLETT 01923 604321 NEW HOMES SHOWCASE: HADLEY GREEN 020 8441 9555 PREMIER LETTINGS: HADLEY GREEN 020 8441 9796 • ASSOCIATED OFFICES: MAYFAIR & MOSCOW

property

aPPIn lodGe UPHiLL RoAD, MiLL HiLL, nW7

On the market for the 1st time in over 50 years an exciting opportunity to purchase one of the largest sites in arguably Mill Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought after roads.

8 0 m ay 2 0 1 1

property

Plot 1.043 acres with 144â&#x20AC;&#x2122;/43.83 m frontage. Tenure Freehold Borough Barnet Price Upon Application.

For further information contact Richard James Estate Agents Ltd on 020 8959 9191 or visit the website at www.richardjames.biz.

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property

stephen barnett MD Real estates

REAL ESTATES... still no.1 after 30 years! 1981

was certainly a year to remember: Great Britain was gripped by ‘royal fever’ as Prince Charles married the future icon Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral, Britain won the Eurovision Song Contest, and Britain’s all time best loved comedy series, ‘Only Fools & Horses’ was first broadcast – oh, and in Woodside Park, North London, a young entrepreneur by the name of Stephen Barnett, opened his first estate agency in a tiny ‘shoe-box’ of an office at Sussex Ring, N12 – and some 30 years later, Real Estates still proudly stands on the same spot, albeit occupying a larger premises, but definitely commandeering the cornerstone of the parade, and the wider community it serves. In today’s busy, fast-paced and disposable times, it is true to say that unfortunately there are very few businesses that have managed to stand the test of time enduring economic fluctuations, recessions and booms, war and peace - and still be around to tell the tale. Real Estates, having been established in 1981 has survived the last 30 years in business, purely on its rock-solid foundation of providing sensible, sound advice on the buying and selling of residential property, without gimmicks or compromise to its service, and by ensuring that staff are courteous, well presented, polite and efficient, as well as highly knowledgeable in all aspects of residential property, with the tenacity to take transactions through to a positive conclusion, whether straightforward, or challenging. This work ethos has outlived other agents that have come and gone during the past 30 years, and 8 2 m ay 2 0 1 1

has lead to Real Estates expanding its original office to incorporate the team of Stephen, Tracey, Nick and Caroline in the larger adjacent unit some 12 years ago, followed by the opening of a second prestigious office headed up by Partner Oliver Ross and Vivien Henry in Totteridge Lane, N20 in May 2010.

communications by email, fax, mobile and text – Real Estates simultaneously relies on good old-fashioned paper and pen, and face to face conversations, for which there is no substitute.

Community spirit is also a factor of Real Estates’ continued success, and shows how providing a consistent and quality service for residents within the Having sold countless properties in the immediate area, extends to supporting local projects too. Real and neighbouring areas –sometimes several times Estates has constantly demonstrated its involvement within the neighbourhood by sponsoring school over during the last three decades – Real Estates has earned the reputation of a dependable, honest, and charity events, The North London Hospice, Great Ormond Street, the Scouts, and numerous and trustworthy agency, and it is no wonder local fund-raisers, thus cementing its position even that vendors and purchasers return time and firmer as an active member of the local, tight-knit again to sell or buy their property from Stephen Barnett. A testament to Real Estates’ well earned community of Woodside Park. reputation of marketing quality property was proved when Stephen successfully attained the So whilst 2011 looks like becoming another Sole Agency of undoubtedly one of the most memorable year in the annals of history as Great prestigious new build residential developments Britain once again celebrates the long-awaited royal to be constructed in the last ten years, at the marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine semi-rural location of Aldenham, Hertfordshire Middleton at Westminster Abbey, and Britain wins - namely the award-winning ‘Wall Hall’, built by The Ashes in Australia – Real Estates will continue the the renowned Octagon Developments Ltd. Real trend by commemorating its own ‘Pearl’ anniversary Estates has been instrumental in the acquisition with a string of well-deserved celebrations! and sale of other developments over the years, and has worked closely with Berkeley Homes, Bishops, St George Plc, Village Homes, and Banner Homes, to name a few. Technology has also been a huge component in the success of many businesses, and Real Estates is no exception – although effortlessly moving with the times, constantly updating computer systems, photographic equipment, data processing,

www.realestates-wsp-co.uk Woodside Park 020 8445 6387 Totteridge 020 8445 3132

Woodside Park Totteridge Whetstone Oakleigh Park Finchley Mill Hill Arkley

www.realestates-wsp.co.uk Totteridge £1,650,000

S AG OL EN E T

Totteridge £2,450,000

An unusual 4 bed detached property in a cul-de-sac location in Totteridge Village, boasting a magnificent landscaped garden & off street parking for several cars. Spacious reception hall, guest clk, lounge, dining room, large fitted kit/breakfast room, utility, playroom/study, 2 baths (1 en suite).

Totteridge office 020 8445 3132

Totteridge £875,000

Totteridge £850,000 S AG OL EN E T

SO jo LE in AG t EN T

A stunning detached family home arranged over 3 floors in the heart of Totteridge offering spacious and versatile living accommodation with 6/7 well proportioned bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, lounge/dining room, family room, kitchen/breakfast/tv room, utility room, guest clk, integral double garage, secluded garden.

A well presented 4 bedroom detached home in a cul-de-sac location overlooking Totteridge Tennis Club & close to Totteridge & Whetstone tube stn. Guest clk, open plan kit/reception, 2nd reception, study, 3 beds + dressing rm/study & bath to 1st fl, bedroom & en suite to 2nd fl, garage, own drive, rear gdn.

Boasting a mature south facing garden, this well maintained 4 bed detached property offers potential to extend (stpp) & excellent living accommodation incl lounge, dining room, sun lounge, fitted kitchen, guest clk and bath/sep wc. Single garage via own drive with off st parking for 2/3 cars.

Totteridge office 020 8445 3132 £775,000

Woodside Park, N12

£515,000

S AG OL EN E T

SO jo LE in AG t EN T

Arkley, Herts

Totteridge office 020 8445 3132

ONE RESERVED - ONE AVAILABLE. Created by Belles Reves Homes, 2 stylish contemporary new homes, each with spacious accommodation over 3 floors including 4 beds, 3 baths (1 en suite) & lower ground floor media room, guest clk, lounge/dining room, study/bed 4, fitted integrated kitchen/breakfast room, utility area, landscaped low maintenance gardens, off street parking.

Totteridge office 020 8445 3132

Situated within the catchment area for Frith Manor primary school & close to WSP tube station, a 3 bedroom semi-detached property requiring modernisation & offering potential to extend (stpp). 2 receptions, approx 60’ south facing rear garden, garage with own driveway. CHAIN FREE BUYERS ONLY.

Woodside Park office 020 8445 6387

Totteridge & Whetstone office

020 8492 2399

Totteridge Green, N20 PRICE ON APPLICATION A very rare opportunity to acquire a pair of Freehold grade two listed cottages located in the areas most favoured position on Totteridge Green. These two cottages dating back in parts to circa 1830 are currently arranged as two separate dwellings (planning exists for both cottages to be used as a single property), albeit in single ownership. The cottages comprise of two/three bedrooms, bathroom, lounge, kitchen. One of the cottages has been extended to provide a large kitchen/ diner, also with a ground floor shower room and wc. There is off street parking to one of the pair with potential to erect a garage (subject to planning). The cottages are either available as a pair or they can be sold individually.

For further information or indeed should you wish to make an appointment to view, please contact Jim Falconer on 020 8492 2399 or jfalconer@winkworth.co.uk

Totteridge, N20 ÂŁ2,800,000 Set behind electronic security gates a beautifully presented detached home built by the renowned developer Octagon in 1999. The property offers Large Lounge with open plan Dining room, Television Lounge, Study, luxury kitchen with breakfast room, guest cloakroom, utility room, large upstairs hallway, master suite with bath & shower and dressing area, second suite with bathroom, four further bedrooms and two family bathrooms, two store rooms on the second floor. Secluded West facing rear garden. Double Garage and off street parking for several cars.

Totteridge office 020 8492 2399 totteridge@winkworth.co.uk

Barnet office

020 8447 5656

Hadley Green Road , Herts, EN5 £3,250,000 A Grade II listed part timber framed house built in 17th and early 18th century. Beacon House, Monken Hadley nestles between The Grove and St Mary’s Church in the conservation area. So called because the adjacent St Mary’s church, site of one of chain of beacons, used to warn of invasion and of the approaching Spanish Armada. The discreet house extends to approximately 5,000 square feet and is complete with extensive grounds which include a pool area, lake and garage (approached from Hadley Green). The house does require some modernisation which is reflected in the price. It also provides a rare opportunity to acquire a most interesting and beautiful house, full of surprises in this enviable location. Freehold. Joint Sole Agents

Barnet office 020 8447 5656 barnet@winkworth.co.uk

Borehamwood & Elstree office

0208 953 8899

Hartfield Avenue, Elstree, WD6 £925,000 - SOLD An improved five bedroom detached family home located just off Deacons Hill Road. Further accommodation includes an open plan lounge/dining room, TV room, modern fitted kitchen/diner, en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom suite, family bathroom and cloakroom. Benefits include air conditioning to three bedrooms, double glazing, integral garage and backing onto fields.

Elstree Office 020 8953 8899 elstree@winkworth.co.uk

Hartfield Avenue, Elstree, WD6 £939,000 - SOLD

Hartfield Avenue, Elstree, WD6 £899,995

A well maintained spacious sunny 5 bedroom detached family home located on this sought after turning off Deacons Hill Road. The house consists of 3 reception rooms, kitchen/diner, en-suite bathroom and dressing room to master bedroom, family bathroom, and downstairs wc. Benefits include double glazing throughout, garage with off street parking and garden looking out onto fields. The property is within walking distance to Elstree Train Station (Elstree to London St. Pancras International: 17 Mins approx).

This IMPRESSIVE 4 BEDROOM family home is located in a SOUGHT AFTER residential area of ELSTREE. The well presented accommodation comprises of imposing entrance hallway with doors leading to lounge, dining room, kitchen/diner and downstairs wc. There is, in addition a conservatory to the ground floor area accessed from the lounge. The first floor has 4 bedrooms the master having an en-suite. There is a family shower room. Externally the rear garden is South facing with a paved area leading to a split level lawned area. The front of the property has a carriage driveway and provides off street parking and access to the garage.

Elstree Office 020 8953 8899 elstree@winkworth.co.uk

Unlocking your Land wanted for Residential

development potential Development

The Land Office has a sound track record for helping clients unlock the development potential of their land from side gardens, large plots and complex site assembly between neighbours. Described as ‘one of the most experienced agents around’ Lance Trendall heads up The Land Office across the Home Counties. Lance provides free initial appraisals before getting stuck in to turn your back-breaking garden into a very valuable development site.

Before – 1 house and garden

After – 2 large detached houses

Free Initial Appraisal and Consultation • Land sold to Developers There are many different approaches to selling your valuable development site each with different merits and pitfalls. Our initial meeting can focus on the most advantageous strategy for your circumstances. All matters are respected as confidential and your concerns and time scale are respected throughout.

Call us today and arrange your free land appraisal In many cases, landowners prefer our developer contacts to seek planning at their own expense so you can remain free from costs and planning expenses Lance Trendall

lance@thelandoffice.co.uk EXPERIENCE • INTEGRITY • ENTHUSIASM

01582 461581 www.thelandoffice.co.uk

Hadley Wood

£1,995,000

£1,395,000

Arkley

South Mimms

A beautifully presented detached family residence standing in this exclusive gated private development. Accommodation comprises guest cloakroom, three reception rooms, kitchen/family room, utility room, master bedroom with walk-in dressing room and en suite bathroom, five further bedrooms, southerly aspect rear garden and a detached double garage

A newly constructed detached family residence situated in the heart of semi rural Arkley built to an extremely high specification with accommodation consisting of four bedrooms (two en suite shower rooms), luxury family bathroom, drawing room, study and spacious open plan contemporary fitted kitchen/family room. The property is available for immediate occupation

£1,295,000 sales@seanheaney.co.uk www.seanheaney.co.uk

This beautifully presented detached home stands behind a gated carriage driveway and offers versatile accommodation including ground floor en suite bedroom, four further first floor bedrooms (two en-suite), open plan landing/study with kitchen area, triple aspect drawing room, dining room, fitted kitchen/breakfast room, guest cloakroom, covered heated pool, double garage, off street parking for numerous vehicles and a rear garden

This beautifully presented six bedroom detached family home extends to approximately 2750 sq. ft. and stands in gardens and grounds of approximately 1.25 acres. The accommodation is arranged over three floors and includes three reception rooms, spacious fitted kitchen/dining room, conservatory, utility room, master bedroom with walk in wardrobe and en suite shower room, bedroom 2 with en-suite shower room and luxurious family bathroom

£1,250,000 234 High Street, Hadley Green, Barnet, Herts EN5 5TD

020 8441 7173

Arkley

New Barnet

£1,150,000

£1,100,000

Cockfosters

Totteridge, N20

£665,000

£599,995

A beautifully presented detached family home situated on a generous landscaped southerly aspect plot in this exclusive security gated cul de sac. The accommodation consists of four bedrooms, two luxuriously appointed bathrooms (one en-suite), further shower room to bedroom two, four reception rooms, comprehensively fitted Kingswood kitchen and utility room

This beautifully presented semi detached family home has been extended to provide spacious accommodation including five bedrooms (master en-suite), lounge, sitting room, modern fitted kitchen/dining room, utility room, ground floor shower room, first floor family bathroom, features oak and polished tiled flooring, off street parking for two cars, garage to rear and a landscaped westerly aspect rear garden. Chain free

sales@seanheaney.co.uk www.seanheaney.co.uk

A beautifully presented and deceptively spacious detached character residence standing behind a security gated frontage on a generous westerly aspect plot. The accommodation has many original features and consists of five bedrooms, spacious luxury family bathroom, three reception rooms, comprehensively fitted kitchen/playroom, utility room and a rear garden extending to approx. 55m

A three bedroom, two reception room detached family home situated in this highly sought-after residential cul de sac close to Totteridge Green and Cricket Club. The property is in need of updating throughout and is offered for sale with no upward chain

234 High Street, Hadley Green, Barnet, Herts EN5 5TD

020 8441 7173

abbey view

Mill HIll nW7

ÂŁ2,999,950

Set back from the road in a quiet cul-de-sac; a magnificent, contemporary luxury home in this prestigious turning just off Marsh Lane. Offering fantastic accommodation over 3 floors, this stunning modern house looks out over a beautiful landscaped garden with large heated swimming pool & hot tub. The house offers 5413 sq. ft (502.85 sq. m) of bright and spacious accommodation, offering numerous features including underfloor heating, a stunning large kitchen/diner/family room with bi-fold doors opening onto the garden, air conditioning to all principal rooms, a gym and a carriage driveway with off street parking.

Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, dressing room & large roof terrace 4 further bedroom suites Lounge Dining room Playroom/ study Gym

ery large kitchen diner/family V room opening to garden Double garage Heated swimming pool & jacuzzi Carriage driveway Air conditioning Underfloor heating

CHERRY TREE WAY

STANMORE HA7

ÂŁ1,650,000 Set behind security gates a substantial detached luxury house built by Laing Homes approx 6 years ago. In an exclusive cul-desac in the heart of Stanmore, within walking distance of the shopping amenities and transport of the The Broadway. The property is in excellent decorative order and offers generous living accommodation arranged over three floors including 5/6 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, South facing garden and a double garage.

MAPLE HOUSE bedrooms 4 2 Bathrooms (1 en-suite) Guest cloakroom Reception/Hall Lounge

ining room D Kitchen/breakfast room Utility room Playroom/Study

TOTTERIDGE N20 eautiful secluded B large rear garden Off street parking for numerous cars Sole agents

First time on the market in over 35 years a fantastic opportunity to purchase this highly unusual 4 bedroom detached property, in a lovely quiet cul-de-sac located in Totteridge Village. The property offers good accommodation over 2 floors and benefits include a large kitchen/breafast room, a magnificent landscaped rear garden and off street parking for 6 plus cars.

ÂŁ1,650,000

green gable

highwood hill nw7

£1,300,000 A highly unusual and deceptively spacious four bedroom detached Chalet Bungalow style home set back from the road at the top of Highwood Hill. Offering well proportioned accommodation of 2325 sq ft arrange over three levels with delightful and secluded landscaped south facing gardens.

4 Bedrooms 2 En-suite Bathrooms F amily Bathroom L ounge D ining Room

itchen/Breakfast Room K Utility Room South Facing Garden Garage Off Street Parking

Benefits include a bright & spacious fully fitted kitchen/diner with large patio doors opening out to17’9 terrace, utility room, master bedroom with study area and en suite bathroom, a large reception room/ playroom with sliding doors opening out to the gardens and a 120’x31’ carriage driveway with a double length detached Garage.

watford way

MILL HILL NW7

Set back from the road a magnificent, contemporary double fronted detached family house, that has recently under gone a major refurbishment by the current owners, and is offered in immaculate decorative order . Offering fantastic accommodation over 2 floors, this stunning modern house house opens onto a beautiful large landscaped rear garden. Further bennefits include 4 reception rooms, lovely master suite, garage and off street parking for 4 cars. Master bedroom with Large Luxury en suite bathroom 3 further bedrrooms Family bathroom/wc Louge Dining room TV room/study/playroom/den Kitchen breakfast room Guest cloakroom Garage Driveway Large rear garden

ÂŁ1,295,000

beechwood avenue An outstanding and imposing detached family house set behind a carriage driveway, located in a prestigious road opposite College Farm. The property has

been extensively refurbished and extended to provide 3,620sq ft of accommodation over 3 floors. Benefitting from a large entrance hall, master suite with dressing

FINCHLEY N3

room and en-suite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, garage, off street parking and a large, landscaped south facing rear garden.

ÂŁ2,495,000 arge entrance hall L Lounge/dining room Kitchen/breakfast room Family room/TV room Guest cloakroom Study Utility room Master suite with dressing room & en-suite bathroom 4 further bedrooms 3 further bathrooms (1 en-suite) Bedroom 6/Study Garage Off street parking Landscaped rear

property

Beech Hill Avenue Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire

pectacular brand new detached residence extending to circa 7,800 sq ft with an indoor swimming pool complex and cinema room. This stunning home is approached via an electric gated entrance, has been completed to a high specification by Shandler Homes to enhance todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern lifestyle living and is situated in this highly sought after location. Location Perfectly located within walking distance to Hadley Wood mainline station (which offers a regular service into Moorgate and Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross with a journey time of approximately 30 minutes), local shops, which include restaurants, a hairdressers, a newsagents and a health club. Cockfosters underground station (Piccadilly Line) is approximately 3 miles away as is junction 24 of the M25, which provides a link to all major motorway links and to all London airports. Hadley Wood golf course and tennis club are also within walking

9 6 m ay 2 0 1 1

property

distance and educational facilities in the area include Stormont, Lochinver, St John’s, Haberdashers’ Aske’s for Boys and Haberdashers’ Aske’s for Girls, Mill Hill School, Aldenham, Belmont, Dame Alice Owen, Haileybury, Queenswood & Queen Elizabeth’s Girls & Boys Schools. Accommodation comprises Ground floor R eception hall entrance with stunning feature staircase C loaks area G uest cloakroom D rawing room S tudy ‘ Super Room’ featuring F amily room D ining room ‘ Poggenpohl’ fitted kitchen/breakfast room U tility room

4 th bedroom suite with walk in wardrobe and en suite shower room L aundry room Second floor E xtensive landing 2 nd guest cloakroom 5 th bedroom with en suite bathroom 6 th bedroom with walk in wardrobe and en suite shower room G ymnasium/7th bedroom F ully equipped cinema room Indoor pool complex H eated swimming pool with whirlpool/Jacuzzi F ully folding doors to terrace S hower room/changing room

Exterior T iered landscaped rear garden extending to approx 130’ with central steps and an extensive terrace I ntegral garage E xtensive visitor parking

Price Guide £4,750,000

For further details and a full colour brochure, please contact our Hadley Wood Office on 020 8440 9797 or visit www.statons.com

First floor E xtensive landing with sitting area M aster bedroom suite with lounge area, en suite dressing room and luxury en suite bathroom 2 nd guest bedroom suite with en suite dressing room and bathroom 3 rd bedroom suite with walk in wardrobe and en suite shower room m ay 2 0 1 1 9 7

l i f e m at t e r s

Mediation

The New Requirement? T

here has been much publicity in the media recently about the new Family Procedure Rules which came into force on 6 April 2011. Sue Woods, a Legal Executive in the Family Law department of Taylor Walton solicitors, discusses the issue of mediation within the introduction of the new legislation.

who are not eligible for Legal Funding (Legal Aid) which varies from one mediation service to another.

Essentially, the aim of the new requirement is to encourage people to consider, before they rush to make an application to the court, whether or not mediation might provide a better route to resolving their dispute. If mediation is not Some reports have suggested that before separating or considered appropriate, or if the mediation process divorcing couples can make an application to the court breaks down, then the parties are free to pursue an application to the court. Mediation itself remains for a divorce or for an order in respect of financial or voluntary. The purpose of the change is not to child care arrangements, they are required to attend require parties to attend mediation, but rather to mediation. This is not correct. Firstly, the New Rules educate and inform them. do not introduce a requirement to mediate, but a requirement to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (â&#x20AC;&#x153;MIAMâ&#x20AC;?); the distinction is an Do MIAMs apply to everyone? important one. Secondly, the requirement to attend a MIAM does not apply to the process of divorce itself The requirement to attend a MIAM will not apply where there is no dispute between the parties about where:the issue of a divorce petition or, where relevant, the arrangements for the children. a mediator is satisfied that mediation is not suitable. there are allegations of domestic violence resulting in police investigation within the last 12 months. Many couples will be unclear what mediation actually means. Mediation is a voluntary and the dispute concerns financial issues and one of the confidential process that can assist couples in making parties is bankrupt. practical arrangements for the future regarding the parties are in agreement and there is no dispute children, property and finances. Mediation is not to mediate (for example where the application is for about counselling or reconciliation. the approval and sealing of a consent order). the whereabouts of the other party are unknown to What is a MIAM and how does it work? the Applicant. the proposed application is made in existing Before an application is made to the court, the proceedings. proposed Applicant or their solicitor should contact the proposed application is to be made without a family mediator to arrange for the Applicant notice to the other party. to attend an information meeting about family the proposed application is urgent mediation and other forms of alternative dispute Social Services are involved resolution. The Applicant or their solicitor should a child would be a party to the application. provide the mediator with contact details for the a MIAM is not available locally within 15 other party to the dispute so that they can be working days contacted to discuss their willingness and availability to attend a MIAM. The parties can attend separate Where none of the specified exemptions apply, other meetings or alternatively attend together for a joint reasons can be provided but only time will tell what type meeting. There will be a cost involved for parties of reasons might be considered acceptable by the court. 9 8 m ay 2 0 1 1

MIAMs do not apply to all family proceedings, some of which are exempt, eg, enforcement proceedings and proceedings to prevent the disposal of assets. Is mediation an alternative to dealing with matters through solicitors? A distinction must be drawn between the information and impartial advice that mediators are able to provide in their role as mediator and the more specific and less neutral advice provided by family lawyers. Family mediators will, or should, advise their clients to obtain legal advice alongside the mediation process to ensure they are fully aware of the potential consequences of decisions they might make in mediation. Any agreement reached through the mediation process is not binding until it is converted into a legally binding agreement outside the mediation process. There should be a constructive alliance between mediators and solicitors to ensure that clients obtain legal advice before, during and after mediation. This will in turn ensure that the parties have both provided full and frank disclosure, have given informed consent to the agreement and that the terms of the agreement are likely to be approved by the court. In conclusion, the new requirement to attend a MIAM should be seen as a positive change. There is, however, a general concern that this is the first step towards compulsory mediation and that the removal of choice would undermine the voluntary and informal nature of the mediation process which can make it an attractive method of reaching an agreed settlement.

Sue Woods is a Family Law Legal Executive at Taylor Walton solicitors, which has offices in Luton, Harpenden and St Albans and provides effective legal solutions to businesses and individuals across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and the South East. Sue can be contacted by telephone on 01582 765111 or sue.woods@taylorwalton.co.uk

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