GALLERY | DECEMBER 2011 | BILLIONAIRE

Isle of Man Style Magazine | Vol 1 No 4 | Winter Edition 2011

£ priceless

IOM www.gallery.co.im Because Quality Matters

#4 |

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featuring:

Quintessentially luxury concierge service

Obscure New Year practices listen to your animals talk

The Office Party do’s & don’ts

GGG

Gallery Gift Guide

A Generational Rivalry Douglas - entertain - Vagabonds

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Isle of Man Style Magazine | Vol 1 No 4 | Winter Edition 2011

EDITO

£ priceless

IOM www.gallery.co.im Because Quality Matters

#4 |

billionaire

edito

|

featuring:

Quintessentially luxury concierge service

Obscure New Year practices listen to your animals talk

The Office Party do’s & don’ts

GGG

Gallery Gift Guide

A Generational Rivalry Douglas - entertain - Vagabonds

S Gallery // 4

‘BILLIONAIRE’

cut through the media clutter

Gallery is published eleven times a year as a fresh yet discerning guide to all that happens on the Island and beyond, not too arty farty superior or too serious, written by the people of the Isle of Man for people everywhere.

www.gallery.co.im

o here it is...Gallery Christmas. The pleasantly frosty December nights bring the promise of cosy nights in (either your house or a pub, we don’t mind!) and what better way to while the hours away than with our bumper Billionaire Edition!

Inside you’ll find all of your favourite regular features like Me & My Pet, Entrepreneur on the Sofa, Rex’s Rant, and all the rest. Over and above that, we’ve got all of the quality content you’ve come to expect from us, with strong Business and Culture Sections, great gift ideas for those last minute presents, a glance at some wild extravagances, a feature on a generational sporting rivalry on the Island, and sooo much more besides.

2011 has been kind to us here at Gallery IOM, and an important year too.

Feedback from our readers on the Island has been so positive and enthusiastic, and it all goes to make our jobs worthwhile and validates our decision to push this magazine out and provide a level of media entertainment to the Island that we felt it was missing – an opinion that has been validated by the widespread positivity we see almost every day. Without you, our readers, we’d be nothing – so we want to say a big thank you for all the support so far.

We’ve been lucky to have worked with some quaility companies and people in 2011, and know that number will grow into next year.

Speaking of Next Year – the Big 2012 – if you haven’t received a new 2012 Media Pack lets us know. Don’t miss out on the best postions. Also don’t be worried if you find you can’t lay your frozen hands on a January Edition of Gallery; there isn’t one. We use December to take a step back and assess our strategy for the year ahead, ensuring not a single lesson is missed from what we’ve achieved so far. This means no December deadlines, and no magazine in January. And while we’re doing some housekeeping, let us debunk a few myths! Gallery IOM is here to stay; you won’t find us simply disappearing into Manannan’s Cloak! Gallery IOM will always be free; some detractors have suggested otherwise, we can allay those fears. Gallery IOM is stylish, we won’t apologise for that, however, we’ll never compromise on content – it’s the bomb.

Lastly, another myth we can debunk is my own above – December isn’t actually all work! It’d be rude of us not to accept the odd Christmas Party invitation, and so we’ll be Mostly Merry from here to New Years Day! Have a Great Christmas, Our Fair Isle, and see you in February!

SR

We get to put this little logo on because we love the Earth, save the whales and all that Disco.

Learn more >

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

1Earth, save the whales

CONTENTS

HIGHLIGHTS

14 Quintessentially

Time 28 Father Father Time

37 Fashion

60 Property Profile

74 Vagabonds - Douglas

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CONTENTS Upfront

Listings News in Numbers Listen to your pets talk Community Me & My Pet Quintessentially Extravagent Purchases

Events

KPMG MLRO Forum The Pony Club Puissance Ball Sporting & Dinning Club Victim Support

Travel

Christmas Markets

Culture

My name is Svetlana Cameron Sayle Gallery Culture What’s On Father Time CD Reviews Upload John C Taylor Greyney Mooar Fine Arts Book Reviews

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06 07 08 10 12 14 16 18 19 20 20 22 25 26 27 27 28 30 31 32 34 36

NME Music Photogragher Finalist

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Fashion & Beauty Fashion Shoot Beauty News Gallery Gift Guide

Appetite

Cocktail of the Month Food News Robinson’s @ The Mailbox

Home

Interview with Phil Spencer Property Profile

Business

Entrepreneur On the Sofa From Isle of Man to Monaco Business News Investment News Technology News Movers & Shakers The Office Party

Active

Sport News Douglas - Vagabonds

38 42 43 54 56 59

Hardware

Phone Home Phil Kneen

Paparazzi Courthouse Artisan Boardom

80 81 82 83 84

59 60 63 64 66 69 69 70 71 73 74

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

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CONTRIBUTORS

If you are an artist with work to exhibit, an event or entertainment organiser with an event coming up or a business with some exciting news or a new product to feature, get in touch. We’re keen to feature anything of interest that will entertain our readers.

Business Enquiries Publisher Steve Redford DD: 249249 steve@gallery.co.im

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Sections Sections Editor Simon Barron DD: 491241 simon@gallery.co.im

features@gallery.co.im

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The quality of a magazine reects on the businesses that advertise within it. If you have a business or strategy to promote to the Isle of Man forward thinking consumers, get in touch. We don’t have pushy sales people and won’t try and badger, coerce, or harass you or try to sell you something you don’t want. Call us on 249249 or drop us an email...

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Rip it, scrap it, comment, critique, research, report. Opinions wanted on politics, business, news, home, property, music, gadgets, sports and culture. Something annoyed you and you want to tell the island? We’re here for you, baby. If you’d like to see your name in... er... print, get in touch.

contribute@gallery.co.im jokes, ideas, youtube clips etc

everyone@gallery.co.im cakes and letterbombs Gallery Salisbury House Victoria St Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2LW online learning The internet, it’s like the world made of 0s and 1s.

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Gallery recycles all its storage and packing materials, boxes and any old magazines that are returned. We love to know our readers hang on WR SUHYLRXV FRSLHV EXW ZKHQ \RX PRYH RU ÀQG WKDW WKH\ҋUH WDNLQJ XS WRR PXFK VSDFH GURS WKHP GRZQ WR WKH UHF\FOLQJ ELQV ,I \RX ZDQW WR ÀQG out more about recycling, call 01624 686540

Design Studio Russ Atkinson Steve Redford design@gallery.co.im Photography Julian Simmonds julian@gallery.co.im Contributing Photographers Sophie Risker MannIN Shorts Contributing Writers Manx Kitten Alison Dodd Janet Bridle Jodie Sheppard Maurice Powell Anne Berry Steve Goldsmith Leon Flemming Tanya Hanson Patrick Crookall Illustrations Bryony Harrison Account Enquires Laura Macgregor laura@gallery.co.im DD: 249249

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Disclaimer.

All rights reserved. Any form of reproduction of Gallery Magazine, in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher.

Any views expressed by advertisers or contributors may not be those of the publisher. Unsolicited artwork, manuscripts and copy are accepted by Gallery Magazine, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage. All material, copy and artwork supplied is assumed to be copyright free unless otherwise advised. Contributions for Gallery should be emailed to editorial@gallery.co.im. Why are you still reading the small print? Search for people with the same name as you on Facebook and start randomQUALITY conversationsMATTERS with them...

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SATURDAY & SUNDAY - 12 till 3pm 3rd & 4th December 10th & 11th December 17th & 18th December Pay ÂŁ5 per child for a Christmas Present and support our local charity Santa's Grotto is supporting 'Crossroads For Carers' charity, so please show your support. Thank you

Upfront

events travel culture fashion appetite home business active hardware

UPFRONT

LISTINGS: WHAT TO DO IN DECEMBER

listings

THINGS TO DO DECEMBER 2011

3rd // 11th // 18th // 22nd

11th // 17th // 18th

Friday // 9th

DOUGLAS TOWN, CAROL SESSIONS

GROUDLE GLEN RAILWAY SANTA TRAINS

VILLA MARINA AN EVENING WITH BLAKE

FREE // VARIOUS TIMES

Festive engagements for the Isle of Man Wind Orchestra. www.iomwo.com

£6..00//VARIOUS TIMES // DATES

Catch the train to see Santa and his elves. tickets include return trip, a present for every child, and mulled wine for every adult. www.ggr.org.uk

TICKETS FROM £29.50 www.villagaiety.com TEL: 600555

The Classical Boyband Blake return to the Island this December, bringing their popular eclectic harmonies to the Villa Marina.

CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE PARTY NIGHTS SPECIAL THE PALACE HOTEL CASINO DOUGLAS All Tribute Nights include Bucks Fizz on arrival, the Tribute Act, Royal Buffet, and a DJ & Live Band.

19:30 START // £50 A TICKET // Tel: 682776

Friday // 9th THROUGH THE DECADES All the best from the 60s, 70s & 80s

Saturday // 10th

DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY

The Queen of the Bond Theme; a true British music legend

Friday // 16th

ABBA

Whether they admit it or not, everyone loves a bit of Abba

NEW YEAR’S EVE

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Join the Fab Four and enjoy Bucks Fizz on arrival, Royal Buffet, a DJ & Live Band, and Champagne at midnight too!

With a Children’s evening party, Kid’s Karaoke, all the favourite party games, a resident DJ and a three course buffet!

BEATLES TRIBUTE PARTY NIGHT 19:00 // £60 A TICKET // TEL: 682776

FAMILY FUN-TASTIC NIGHT 19:00 // ADULTS £35 CHILDREN (5-12) £20, 4 OR UNDER FREE // TEL: 682776

CHRISTMAS MARKETS SPECIAL EDWARDIAN CHRISTMAS AT MILNTOWN, RAMSEY 3rd // 4th 12:00 // 13:00 // 14:00 // 15:00 Step back in time to the early 20th century to experience Christmas from a bygone age, with traditional activities for children and seasonal refreshments for all - £7 per person (please note, advance bookings only) Please call 01624 812321 to book. (limited places - please book early to avoid disappointment)

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STRAND SHOPPING CENTRE Throughout December – with everything from Sheepskin Rugs to Christmas Cards.

TYNWALD MILLS 10th // 11th 10:00 // 16:00 Come along and join us for our Christmas Market at Tynwald Mills.

CHRISTMAS TAKES TO THE STREETS IN DOUGLAS Christmas is taking to the streets in Douglas during the run up to the big day with an outdoor Christmas‘Emporium’ every Thursday 5pm – 9pm and Sunday’s 12-5pm. The Emporium event, which will be held the full length of Castle Street and Marina Road, will showcase some of the finest and fabulously festive products the Isle of Man has to offer, from cup cakes to candy floss; Christmas cards to Christmas puddings; delectable delicatessen dishes and much more.

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

UPFRONT

NEWS

in

NUMBERS stamps are being released this year to commemorate The King James Bible

Christmas cards are expected to be handled by Royal Mail this Christmas

percent of people who have set a budget for Christmas also expect to exceed it, according to a study by M&S money was the year the ďŹ rst Christmas card was commissioned, by Henry Cole

percent of couples will enquire about a divorce following Christmas according to a recent study

percent or less of contemporary Christmas cards show traditional nativity scenes parcels from internet shoppers are expected to be handled by Royal Mail this Christmas

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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I’ve Eaten the leftover turkey

listen to your animals talk...

Gallery checks out obscure New Year practices from around the world Words| Georgie Clifford

Everybody loves celebrating New Year, whether to celebrate the year they’ve had, look forward to the new one or just to party away.

All around the world people celebrate the coming of a new year in different, weird and wonderful ways. Wouldn’t it be interesting to join in on a different tradition for the holiday?

For example, looking for a conversation

starter with Romanians? Tradition dictates that they try to listen for their farm animals talking on New Year’s Day. Sorry to let you know, but if you’ve always hoped your pet secretly possessed the talent of speaking, it’s very bad luck if they do. Luckily, the animals still haven’t spoken up so the good luck continues.

If somehow, for whatever reason, you

fancy being from Ecuador for this time of year, call it “Ano Vjeno”, create a scarecrow resembling a fake person or dummy and stuff it with old newspapers and firecrackers. Place it outside your home, just as the tradition suggests, and at midnight set your dummy on fire. Boom. Literally. The old year is forgotten and the new one begins.

If perhaps you feel you might have been Chinese in another life or want to elongate your celebrations, their traditions might entice you. They create money trees. Yes, money

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

trees. Dancers climb upon one another, creating a human ladder to reach the “lucky money” in high places. Bringing the fantasy to life, they decorate them with old coins and paper flowers.

Rumour has it that in Denmark it’s a good sign to have a pile of broken dishes outside your door at New Year. They save their old dishes all year round to throw them at their friends’ homes. However flattering it may be, seeing as the idea is that the more broken dishes you have the more friends you have, I probably wouldn’t suggest this one. Then again, who wouldn’t love to have a scratched up door and more of a mess to clear up? Regardless, it’s a sure symbol of friendship and good luck.

The kids might like this one. In Greece, ‘St Basil’ fills the children’s shoes with presents at midnight.

Many countries have traditions they believe will bring them good luck.

For example, in Puerto Rico the children like to throw water out of the window at midnight in order to rid their homes of evil spirits.

(Hopefully defenceless passersby avoid walking below windows at midnight to avoid a good drenching.) In Spain, the people eat 12 grapes - one grape for every stroke of the clock, representing each month. Ah, those healthy Spaniards. Switzerland let a drop of cream land on the floor on New Year’s Day for good luck while

the French eat a pile of pancakes for good health. It’s at times like these that being French sounds appealing. Belgian farmers like to wish their animals a Happy New Year – quite lovely. Bless those Belgian farmers.

The Japanese seem to follow pretty random (to us) traditions. For example, for good luck and happiness, seaweed or ferns are hung over their doors and rooftops and “Forgetting-year” parties are held in order to say goodbye to the year just passed. Family and friends are forgiven for any disagreements or misunderstandings that may have previously taken place which sounds rather inspirational, really. On New Year’s Eve, bells are rung 108 times to diminish 108 problems or troubles.

They say it broadens the mind to know about other cultures and many seem to have unusual and exciting ways of celebrating the particular event of New Year. Perhaps some of the traditions wouldn’t be so effective in places other than where they take place, as I can’t imagine an Isle of Man person being overly happy with water poured over their heads or smashed plates on their doorsteps.

Nonetheless, it’s always interesting to know how others celebrate and what brings them together. Enjoy your holidays and good luck in your New Year.

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UPFRONT

COMMUNITY

Christmas Market Christmas is taking to the streets in Douglas in the run up to Christmas with an outdoor Christmas ‘emporium’ every Thursday 5pm – 9pm and Sunday’s 12-5pm, organised by Douglas Development Partnership. Each emporium event will showcase some of the finest and fabulously festive products the Isle of Man has to offer, from cup cakes to candy floss, Christmas cards to Christmas puddings, delectable delicatessen dishes and much more.

SMALL HOLDING GETS A HELPING HAND Staff from Standard Bank Isle of Man spent their weekend ‘down on the farm’ to support The Children’s Centre in their efforts to provide a therapeutic and educational resource just outside Douglas. Gallery have continued to show how local companies are continuing to rally around in an effort to complete the small holding at Wallberry Farm, The Children’s Centre’s Community Project; a multi-use environment, where children, young people and families can spend time

developing an appreciation for the countryside and learning to respect nature.

Standard Bank’s team cleared land around the farmhouse and outbuildings, and planted over 300 hedge plants along the farm’s perimeter, in order to provide shelter for the crops and animals which are due to be introduced to the area in the coming weeks.

Chrissy Cannell, of The Children’s Centre said: "We are so grateful to the team from Standard Bank."

LANTERN WORKSHOPS & PARADE IN PORT ST MARY The streets of Port St Mary will be lit up this festive season when the second Lantern Parade of the season will take place.

Always very popular events, the Arts Office of the Department of Community Culture & Leisure offers free lantern-making workshops for the local community over the weekends of 10th11th, and 17th-18th, at Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey, so that anyone can attend to learn how to make their own lantern for the parade, which coincides with Paddy’s Christmas Market on Wednesday 21st Dec. Participants should meet at 18:30 in the carpark of Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey.

Emma Callin, Development Manager – Culture and Arts for the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure said, “People of any age can attend the workshops to make a lantern, although children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.”

For those who have never made a willow lantern before there will be plenty of help at the workshops to show you how. People should come prepared to get messy, although aprons can be provided.

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festive food and entertainment…and with free parking every Thursday evening from now until Christmas (in the Bottleneck and Shaw’s Brow car parks and on Douglas Promenade walkway) Douglas is the destination for Christmas shopping with a difference. We’re also grateful to the Department of Economic Development for attracting a number of small businesses who have benefited from its small business start-up scheme to participate.’

Douglas town centre manager Gill Anderson said: ‘The Christmas emporium is the essential place to be for distinctively different gifts,

CREAMERY SUPPORTS CAMPAIGN FOR MORE FOSTER CARERS Isle of Man Creamery has produced 190,000 milk cartons with adverts to encourage would-be foster carers to volunteer. The cartons - which went on sale from November 15 - give details about the qualities required to be a foster carer, the charity’s contact details, and a QR code which can be scanned on a smartphone to gain instant access to the Fostering First web page.

Fiona Lassen, Head of Fostering Services at Fostering First, thanked Isle of Man Creamery for its support adding that it was part of an ongoing campaign to recruit more foster carers. Earlier this year Isle of Man Creamery produced milk cartons promoting the Love Outdoor Play campaign, a UK initiative supported in the Isle of Man by The Children’s Centre. www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/fosteringfirst fosteringfirst@thechildrenscentre.org.im TEL: 631947

MAKE A CHRISTMAS WISH AND HELP CHILDREN’S CHARITY The charity is creating a ‘Wish Wall’ at The Strand Shopping Centre made up of boxes created by school children and anyone who wants to support The Children’s Centre’s Out2Play scheme.

Wish Wall kits can be made up into boxes with Christmas wishes to Santa written on them.

For more information about the Wish Wall project contact Michelle O’Malley, Fundraising Manager at The Children’s Centre, by calling 01624 631919 or emailing fundraising@thechildrenscentre.org.im ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

COMMUNITY

UPFRONT

BANK SERVES UP THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS FOR FUND RAISING Various employees from RBS International baked a whole range of cakes for invited guests to enjoy, mainly business and corporate customers, at a coffee morning staged as part of a fund raising drive by Macmillan Cancer Support.

To add to the challenge, they asked Sefton Hotel head chef Chris Swinden, to judge who was best. With eight

categories including ‘best chocolate cake’, ‘best fruit cake’ and a ‘cup cake class’ amongst others. Heather Norman’s gingercake creation was judged ‘best overall’ and was quickly consumed by all present.

The Macmillan ‘world’s biggest coffee morning’ is a national event in which the charity invites people throughout the British Isles to hold a coffee morning.

PHILIP DOBSON OF DOUGLAS WINS A COPY OF THE NEW ISLE OF MAN MONOPOLY GAME IN THE MILNTOWN HOP TU NAA TREASURE HUNT 9 year old Philip Dobson from Douglas was the proud winner of this year’s Hop Tu Naa Treasure Hunt at Milntown; organised by the Milntown Trust, guardians of the property. The event, which ran throughout half term, saw children who visited the historic estate searching the extensive gardens for Jinny the Witch and her friends. Philip’s entry was selected from all the children that participated in the event and he is now the proud owner of a copy of the new Isle of Man Monopoly game for his efforts. Congratulations Philip!

YOU’RE HIRED! St Ninian’s High School students got a taste of what it might be like to appear on The Young Apprentice TV show when they faced their own task to win a contract from Manx Telecom. It was all part of the school’s Enterprise Challenge scheme in which groups of students are given £200 to invest in a business they create. Once they have done this, the teams are assessed by an expert panel who examine their financial competency, management skills, leadership, sales & marketing, presentation skills and teamwork.

The ‘BizWhizz’ team of nine girls from Year 12 took advantage of the recently unveiled new MT logo and decided to approach the company and offer to make key rings and coins for supermarket trolleys, all featuring the new design. After attending meetings to pitch their idea and prototype samples to Manx Telecom, the team also conducted market research and took part in negotiations over design and cost. In a similar style to the BBC’s The Apprentice show, they were invited to make their pitch in the boardroom at Manx Telecom’s HQ at Isle of Man Business Park.

Manx Telecom Marketing Director David Smith was in the role of Lord Sugar, and he was flanked by Marketing Communications Supervisor Gavin Smith, and Marketing Executive Marg McGee. After some tough negotiations Manx Telecom agreed to order over 1,500 supermarket trolley coins and key rings which the company will use as promotional items. David Smith said: “We were all very impressed with the presentation made by BizWhizz and delighted to award them the contract. The Enterprise Challenge project is a great way for students to learn about business in a practical way. They were all very professional in their approach and we wish them the best of luck in their final presentation.”

MANTONS PORT ERIN IS A WINNER AT THE NATIONAL GREETING CARDS AWARDS! Mantons Port Erin is a winner at the national greeting cards awards!

Mantons Card and Toy Store in Port Erin has been named as a winner in the prestigious 2011 Retas Awards (the Oscars of the greeting card industry).

This is a truly remarkable achievement to beat over 50,000 other shops across the UK. Assistant manager Claire Scott has also been named as the youngest ever ‘Card Shop Employee of the Year’ runner up. Claire, who only turned 20 in April, has been an important part of the team at Mantons BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

since joining two years ago, after leaving school. “The winners are chosen from across the whole of the UK, so everyone at Mantons is delighted to be named as the winner. “ commented Mantons joint owner Chris Beards.

“This is well deserved recognition for all the hard work and commitment to help customers which is something all of us at Mantons takes pride in” Mantons was announced as the winner during a lavish award ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel in London.

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ANIMAL

me&mypet

me&mypet

Sharon & Vanity

Breed: Sharon: Human Vanity: Papillon Age: Sharon: 60 Vanity:21 months Likes: Sharon: Classic FM, Pearl Jam, Fine Wines Vanity: Jumping & Attention If human/animal you would be : Sharon: Vanity; she has a wonderful life Vanity: Angelina Jolie DisLikes: Sharon: Self- centred people, badly behaved children, early mornings

Vanity:Being Ignored

Wants: Sharon: To live as best I can with awareness, love & wisdom Vanity: To amass a larger fanbase Interesting facts: Sharon: Used to be a lawyer; former head of Legal & Operation Risk for a Bank Vanity: I’m 2.2kg of pure fun, and if my ears continue to drop I may be a Phalene which is very rare....

Vanity Fur on Queens Promenade, Douglas provides the perfect place to have your pet pampered and looking great. And this Christmas they are featuring lots of gift ideas for your pets, from Edible Christmas Cards to Chewable Advent Calendars and even doggy chocolates!

14 Marathon Terrace, Queens Promenade, Douglas, IM2 4NH Tel: 667000 / 355000 www.vanityfurshop.com vanityfur@manx.net 12

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

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Ben Elliot

Aaron Simpson

Paul Drummond

Fancy a first-class lifestyle like a celebrity or royalty?

Camilla Parker Bowles’ nephew Ben Elliot spoke to Gallery about Quintessentially, the concierge service he co-founded a decade ago.

Money isn’t the only thing needed to lead a first-class lifestyle. You could have countless zeros spilling across your bank statement, but without access, some events or opportunities will always remain unreachable. Quintessentially’s aim is to provide a key to that world >

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

> It brands itself as a ‘global, luxury lifestyle management company’. What that means is that for a fee, Membership starts at £1,000 and goes upward of £10,000, members are able to call their account manager twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year with any request and expect to have it fixed. Ben says this can range from the mundane such as wanting a table at a fully booked restaurant - to the truly mind blowing.

“We’ve received some amazingly elaborate requests, such as closing the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a private climb so a member could propose to his partner, or hosting a private and romantic dinner on an iceberg. We’ve organized trips to the North Pole and even arranged a private party in one of the Angkor Wat Temples in Cambodia.”

He insists they’re rarely unable to come up with the goods. “The main reason some requests are tougher than others are short deadlines. We’d only definitely say no if it’s illegal or immoral. Apart from that, we’d hope to be able to fulfill anything that was physically possible – or at least give it a good go!”

Ben – who’s cultivated one of the most enviable contacts books in London – is also prepared to pull in favours for charity.

Darcy Bussell, the UK’s most famous prima ballerina, performed a private dance at a gala organized by Quintessentially in aid of Unicef. Champagne sponsors provided the drink, there was an eight course dinner

by Michelin starred chef Tom Aitken and a vocal performance by Katherine Jenkins.

And he says London isn’t the only place where they can fix favours. “We offer exceptional access on an international scale. We currently have offices in over 60 different cities around the world with the headquarters being at 29 Portland Place, London. We believe this provides an unrivalled global reach that really sets us apart from the rest.” The Quintessentially Foundation has raised over £1.6Million so far for good causes around the world. Ben cycled from London to Scotland this year, and his business partners Paul Drummond and Aaron Simpson were involved in a group charity skydive earlier in the year.

blanketing a ballroom of a 16th century country estate with fresh yellow roses, or having Dire Straits perform at your wedding. Knowing your member is crucial, and attention to detail is vital, especially when creating something bespoke that will be one of a kind. The level of perfectionism should flow through the entire production, down to even the tableware with unique glasses and striking decoration.”

The problem, surely, with consistently coming up with such spectacular events, must be how to keep surprising clients?

Ben says they’re working on a project – ready in 2013 - which should trump even the most demanding and decadent customer’s expectations. “We’ve created a deluxe floating private members’ club on board a 700 foot super yacht, which will travel the globe. It’s called Quintessentially One and will have 12 private residences on board, a first class hotel, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and a casino. There’ll also be a recording studio, cigar lounge, luxury spa, a gym with the latest equipment, a luxury shopping emporium, a state-ofthe-art business centre and a beach club on the top deck of the ship.” And if that wasn’t audacious enough, there’ll also be a retractable marina at the stern of the ship which can be extended to provide berths for large private yachts who want to come and visit.

“

We’ve created a deluxe floating private members’ club on board a 700 foot yacht, which will travel the globe. It’s called Q one and will have 12 private residences on board, a first class hotel, restaurants, bars,

”

nightclubs and a casino.

It will cost an eye watering ten thousand euros to become a member, but islanders without that kind of money could still see the floating first class palace from the Isle of Man shores. Ben insists there’s no reason the yacht wouldn’t be able to pay the island a visit.

He adds: “Quintessentially is a service for all. It’s hugely important for getting to grips with the exploding global luxury market and helping clients who want to lead a certain lifestyle, but who don’t always have the time or contacts to organise it. Islanders can definitely benefit from the large number of services on offer”.

He adds: “When we created the business ten years ago, the small team of founding partners were the ones sleeping with their mobiles by their ears in order to make sure their clients had uninterrupted support.”

He believes it’s this attention to detail that remains the most important factor. “Within the luxury industry, service is paramount.

It has to be proactive, attentive and efficient. Every client has their own idea of what luxury is, whether it’s BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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UPFRONT

The Billionaire’s Extravagant Purchases - £ $ € 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder - €7,040,000

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Villa Leopolda - £397,000,000

Vacheron Constantin Watch $6,500,000

Purchased at an auction, this legendary vehicle model was originally estimated to fetch a little over €3.5m, but following a bidding war that went on for more than half an hour, Radio DJ Chris Evans finally won out; at a cool €7m.

The ’61 Spyder packs a 3ltr V12 engine happily hammering out upwards of 280bhp and is the visual personification of motoring ‘cool’ – before supercars began resembling doorjambs instead of shiny metal frumpy frogs. And if it looks familiar, try picturing it in red, with Matthew Broderick behind the wheel.

Yep, this was the iconic representation of mid-eighties careful-rebellion in Ferris Beuller’s Day-off.

Yes, that’s 397 million quid. We all know that the house market has bottomed out in the UK, and people just don’t seem to be buying much (for whatever reason).

And the number of people who have told us that ‘now is the time to buy European property’ grows every month. But $750m? Crimeny. This Cote d’Azur villa property was built by King Leopold II at the turn of the last century (1902ish).

A few years ago it was reported that Mikhail Prokhorov had purchased the French Riviera property for €500m, although at a subsequent lawsuit this price was corrected to €370m. Since then Prokhorov has denied the purchase – the reason for that denial is its own story...

Blue Diamond - $8,900,000

Bottle of Champagne - $42,840

Dress - $5,600,000

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, right?

Riiight... Well this incredibly rare 13.39 carat diamond was sold at a Christie’s Auction this time in Geneva, for an ice-cold $8.9m (do people drink at these auctions?). The diamond’s blue hue is due to the presence of boron in the gem, which curiously also makes the diamond a semi-conductor. We can hear the whispered discussion at the back of Christie’s auction hall now: “But darling, I love the colour blue! And it could conduct electricity! Pleeease!”

– “I wouldn’t spend $9m on a Tesla Coil, and that generates electricity!” – “Oh, have another whiskey!”

Compared to the rest of the purchases on this page, this bottle of 200 year old fizz might almost seem reasonable! Part of a reputed 145 bottle cache discovered at the bottom of the Baltic Sea (We know, they have all the best stuff there) this particular bottle sold to a Singapore bidder at – you guessed it – another auction; in New York this time. I wonder if they used it to name a ship? Kind of puts Douglas bar prices in perspective this Christmas, hey?

You’re not stupid; you know this isn’t going to be any ordinary dress. No, this was possibly the most iconic and recognisable dress in Hollywood: that dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1955’s The Seven Year Itch. June this year saw it sold at the Debbie Reynolds [dramatic pause for effect] Auction of Hollywood memorabilia, which included more than 700 pieces from the actresses’ collection. And no, you weren’t allowed to ‘try before you buy’.

As you no doubt saw in Gallery’s November edition, watches and timepieces are a classic representation of ostentation and status for some gentlemen – not just a partner to the Spectacles, Wallet and...you know.

However, this particular watch takes the biscuit. Specially commissioned by a nameless European Billionaire, this Oneof-a-Kind watch doesn’t just tell the time.

No. Included functions are a Perpetual Calendar and Leap Year, Star Chart and Celestial Annual Calendar, Moon Phase Dial, and a Tourbillon Regulator (originally a mechanism to counteract the effects of gravity on watches, this is now just an horological knuckle-polish).

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

upfront

Events

travel culture fashion appetite home business active hardware

EVENTS

KPMG ANNOUNCES THE SUCCESS OF MLR MLRO FORUM The Palace Hotel Douglas

KPMG hosted a successful half day Forum for Money Laundering Reporting Officers and their deputies during November at the Palace Hotel. The Forum was attended by over 100 delegates from Manx financial services businesses and featured two high profile guest speakers from KPMG Worldwide: Head of KPMG’s Anti-Money Laundering services

for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Enric Olcina; and Geoff Dadswell, a Senior Manager from KPMG UK. The talks also looked forward to the future; raising the concern about how AML and sanctions compliance will need to be reassessed in light of the risks presented by

emerging technologies, and reinforcing just how imperative it is to know the ultimate beneficial owners of companies and structures. Enric Olcina highlighted how KYC was especially important in jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man where a high percentage of business is conducted with non-resident entities and often not face-to-face.

THE PONY CLUB GGH Equestrian Centre Crosby

On Saturday afternoon 12th November there was a lecture Demo by Billy Twomey at the GGH Equestrian Centre, where three groups of riders made up of members of the Pony Club, each rode for an hour while Billy assessed the combinations of horses and

riders and explained to the audience any issues that arose.

Irish Showjumper Billy Twomey, at present is ranked 11th in the HSBC World Showjumping League and No 2 in Ireland, currently rides

several of Sue Davies horses, who – together with husband Eddie – is a great supporter of the Puissance Ball. At the Ball on the Saturday evening, Billy was the after-dinner speaker, which was held at the Palace Hotel.

Get paparazzi at your events. paparazzi@gallery.co.im

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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

THE PONY CLUB

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EVENTS

Puissance Ball Palace Hotel

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EVENTS

HSBC AND SPORTING AND DINING CLUB RAISE THOUSANDS FOR LOCAL CHARITIES Mount Murray Douglas

The total amount raised for local charities through the Isle of Man Sporting and Dining Club has broken through the £30,000 barrier this year. At the event held in July, which featured mountaineering hero Joe Simpson as guest speaker, £620 was raised for Diana Princess of Wales Palliative Care, bringing the

overall total raised for local charities since the Club was established in 2006 to £30,295.

This year alone, at the three dinners featuring the ‘Heroes of 1966’, Gulf War hero John Peters and Joe Simpson, a total of £2,885 has been raised so far, with the other charities

benefiting this year including the Royal British Legion and Manx Cancer Help. There have been 15 different local charities who have received proceeds from the dinners over the past five years, all nominated by HSBC, who continue to sponsor the Club’s quarterly dinners.

VICTIM SUPPORT BIANNUAL QUIZ Bar George Douglas

On the night of the 23rd November, Bar George played host to the second 2011 Biannual Quiz to raise funds and awareness for Victim Support IOM. These quizzes are always well supported, and November was no different, with teams including Home Strategic, Boston Group Ltd, Ramsey Crookall and Moore Stephens – over 100 attendees in all. The quiz prices were supported by Magnet IOM, MEA, the Welbeck Hotel, and HQ Bar & Restaurant.

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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

Demand more from your bank...

Welcome to Premium Banking In today’s economic climate, managing and protecting your wealth is essential. Equally important is the trust and confidence you have in your bankers.

Premium Banking is an enhanced, highly personalised relationship managed banking service that starts with one simple and fundamental question: “What do you want from us, how can we help?” Understanding this enables us to tailor the service to meet your own very unique and personal requirements.

Quite simply, if you expect and demand more from your banking and wealth management, Premium Banking delivers. Asset or income qualifications apply.

Your gateway to our expertise.

If you demand more from your bank, contact Premium Banking on 01624 637674 or call in to any branch for details.

Isle of Man Bank Limited (IOMB). Registered Company Number: 1 Isle of Man. Registered Office: 2 Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99 1AN. Licensed by the Financial Supervision Commission of the Isle of Man and registered with the Insurance and Pensions Authority in respect of general business. Premium Banking service is offered subject to status, Terms and Conditions apply. Calls may be recorded.

TRAVEL TRAVEL

GETAWAYS

Christmas Markets Ever find it difficult to ‘get into the Christmas Spirit’? Ever feel Christmas has kind of ‘snuck up’ on you? Well this year, why not immerse yourself in the festive brilliance that is a Christmas Market. With traditional market stalls including toys, decorations, snacks and even roast chestnuts, they’re a great way to build the anticipation. There are several set to be arranged on Island, but if you fancy pinching a weekend away before Christmas arrives, take a look at some of the nearby options:

Gallery Favourite

Edinburgh The Edinburgh Christmas Market is beyond beautiful.

Overlooked by the magnificent castle, the gleaming market shines with festive glee.

Historically there’s been all manner of entertainment, and with the huge number of quality restaurants and pubs in the city, this is a perfect getaway destination. Whether it’s shopping, drinking, eating, concerts, fairs or festive fun, there’s something for everyone in Edinburgh this winter.

To help plan your trip to Scotland’s capital, visit www. edinburghsparkles.com for more information. Flybe fly direct to Edinburgh from the Island too.

Belfast

Just a short hop away with manx2. com, Belfast is perfectly situated to take advantage of the Christmas Continental Market right up until 19th December.

The City Hall grounds are changed into a bustling cosmopolitan village with ideal gift ideas from 28 countries as well as live music, traditional & continental bars and fire-eating displays.

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GETAWAYS

TRAVEL TRAVEL

Ghent, Belgium A local agent is running a one night package to the beautiful Belgium city of Ghent on the 10th December.

The Christmas Market itself runs from much earlier, and the city might encourage a two night stay, but as a short city break to Europe, this is a great option. If you fancy seeing how the Belgians do Christmas, there are direct flights for this option too.

Manchester

Manchester’s Christmas Market has been going for years, and provides plenty of spirit and atmosphere.

Less than an hour by air, and easily reached by boat and rail, the cosmopolitan city of Manchester is so conveniently situated that a few nights here won’t be wasted. Running from mid-November, the wooden chalets of the Market provide a great central location for the market, often split over five locations. So take a wonder from site to site, and then take advantage of the warmth and atmosphere in any one of the dozens of eateries and pubs available. Flybe fly direct to here too, or you could take the ferry to Heysham and train it down easily enough.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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upfront events travel

Culture fashion appetite home business active hardware

CULTURE

MY NAME IS

Svetlana Cameron

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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Film Reviews

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Arthur Christmas

Due at Broadway Cinema During December

Svetlana Cameron....

Sve tlana Cameron is a classically trained artist, a nd co ns i d e r s he r se l f t o b e d e d i ca t e d t o t he revival of the realist tradition. “I admire qu i e t a r t o f g rea t p o e t i c b eau ty ex p ressed through mastery of technique, and beli eve t ha t a g o o d wo r k o f a r t is t he o ne that reaches your heart and mind without the he lp o f a r t c r i t i c s .”

R u s s ian-born Svetlana first achieved an MA in lingu is t i c s a t a n ea r ly ag e ; no t a t t ha t time considering Art as a career choice, d e sp ite her early interest in it. After working as a t r a nslator and interpreter in Moscow, Svetlana la t e r responded to t he demand for qualified multi l i ngual guides at the national museums and art gal l e ries, studying various art history courses. She d e sc ribes the time she spent studying and working a t su ch major museums like the Kremlin, the P u sh kin Museum of Fine Art and the Tretyakov A r t G al l ery as a “life-changing experience”.

Sve tlana, with her British husband and family, moved to the Isle of Man in 2005, where her abu ndant skills were quickly recognised and has now established herself as a much sought after p o r t r aitist and one of the Island’s leading artists.

Sve tlana recently unveiled the official portrait of fo r me r Sp eake r o f t he Hou se o f Keys , David Cannan. The work, which took some t wo a nd a hal f mo n t hs t o co mp l e t e a nd will take its place in the gallery of Speakers’ p o r t r a i t s i n t he Hou se o f Keys , d e p i cts Mr Cannan in the Speaker ’s robe and wig a nd , a t t he s i t t e r ’s re q u e s t , fea t u re s vo lu mes of the Statutes of the Isle of Man and Ma nx L aw Re p o r t s . T he p o r t r a i t also shows a section of Speed’s Map, the map of the Isl e o f Ma n pub l ishe d by ca r t o g r ap he r Jo h n Speed in 1605. The portrait of Mr Cannan is o nly t he 1 1 t h t o b e h u ng i n the

House o f Keys C ha mb e r s i nce t he p r ac t i ce b e gan in the late 1800s, and he paid tribut e t o M r s Ca me ro n ’s a r t is t i c sk i l ls , say i ng he was ‘extremely impressed’ and added t ha t i t was ‘A l l I had ho p e d fo r… a nd mo re.’

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www.svetlanacameron.com

Let’s be honest, every winter sees a hefty snot-full of Christmas films hit the big screen – some are crackers and some are...not.

However, Arthur Christmas is set to live in the former category!

An animated comedy featuring the voice talents of James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie and the inimitable Bill Nighy, this is set to be a fairly decent hit this year. Certainly better than The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – hang your head in shame, Tim Allen.

Super8

Out to Rent Soon

I’m not going to say too much about this film other than mention that it’s written and directed by the growing Hollywood powerhouse that is J.J.Abrams. Abrams is busily re-writing Hollywood aristocracy with cinematic achievements like Cloverfield and Star Trek already to his name, and Super 8 continues that progression. If you love cinema, I really think you’re going to love this.

Rise of the Planet of The Apes

Out to buy on DVD and Blu-ray from 12 th Hollywood has a habit of revisiting cinematic classics when it’s struggling for original ideas (for evidence of this look at pretty much anything to come from Paramount Studios since 2004) and usually they make car-wrecks of the remakes.

2001’s Planet of the Apes was arguably a thankful exception, and while Rise... isn’t necessarily a remake, it’s still an old story. However, it’s one that is brilliantly shot and decently acted. Worth a gander, yessir.

JERSEY’S STYLE MAGAZINE

Sayle Gallery Christmas Exhibition Something for everyone..... 2nd December- 8th January

Art & Culture Events

This yea r ’s C h r is t mas E x h ib i t i o n a t t he Sayl e Gallery, which ope ns o n Fr i day 2 D e ce mb e r, h i g h l i g h t s a w i de range of orig i nal wo r k f ro m t al e n t e d l o cal a r t is t s wh i ch make ideal ‘oneoff ’ C h r is t mas p re se n t s you wo n ’t f i nd a ny where else.

December...

Wor ks by re now ne d Sayl e G al l e r y A r t is t s , i ncluding David Byrne, B r u no Cave l l e c , Ca ro la Co l l ey, A la n Croll, Catherine Jame s , E i l e e n Sc hae r a nd cu r re n t A r t is t - i n - Residence Hazel Walsh w i l l b e ava i lab l e, as w i l l t ho se by Na ncy Corkish and Jere my Pau l who se re ce n t so l o ex h ib i t i o ns were such a success.

Othe r ex h ib i t o r s i nc lu d e Fr i e nds o f t he G al l ery – Wendy Allen, K irs t e n P re s t o n , Ju d i R ivl i n , Ol ive Was sal l a nd Felicity Wood amo ngs t o t he r s .

The Sayl e G al l e r y is now t he ma i n ou tl e t fo r distinctive studio glas s by Pe t e r L ayt o n a nd Ju l i e D e n t o n a nd t hese items will also b e fo r sal e d u r i ng t he ex h ib i t i o n , as w i l l hand printed Manx la ngu ag e Ch r is t mas a nd T ha nk You Ca rds. And, just in time fo r t he fe s t ive seaso n , t he w i d e r a ng e o f greetings cards by l o cal a r t is t s has b e e n su p p l e me n t e d by E l ly Kelly ’s quirky Chr is t mas ca rds fea t u r i ng t h re e - l e gg e d ro b i ns and interactive thre e - l e gg e d Sa n t as . T he G al l e r y Sho p also includes affordable gifts i nc lu d i ng ce r a m i c s a nd p r i n t s by a va r i ety of local artists and , i f you real ly ca n ’t c ho o se, G i f t Vou c he r s are also available in d e no m i na t i o ns f ro m £ 5 t o £ 5 0 .

For t he se r i ou s co n no is seu r t he Sayl e G al l e r y also has an orig i nal No r ma n Sayl e wa t e rco l ou r fo r sal e by sealed bid auct i o n o n 1 6 D e ce mb e r o r, i f you wou l d p re fer to make sure of you r pu rc hase, t he n t hey also have t wo mo re of Norman’s orig i nals ava i lab l e.

‘Snowga t e , Ka t e’ s Cot t a ge’ by Jere m y Pa u l , f rom h i s re c e n t exhi bi t i o n ‘ Wi l d l i fe - An Ar t i s t ’ s View ’ .

Jere my Pau l ’s ‘ B i rds in Wi n t e r ’ Isle o f Ma n Po s t ’s Ch r is t mas sta mp s 2 0 1 1

CULTURE

Wurlitzer Christmas Concert with Len Rawle Wednesday 14th 19:30//£10//Villa Marina Arcade Len Rawle regales us with all the Christmas Classics on the Wurlitzer, accompanied on the evening by the Castletown Brass Band.

Erin Arts Centre Comedy Night Saturday 3rd 19:15//£10//Erin Arts Centre// www.blimppromottions.co.uk Featuring: Sully O’Sullivan, Phil Chapman, Liam Bolton.

Peel Pantaloons present ‘Frankenstein the Panto’ @ Peel Centenary Centre Monday 5th & Saturday 10th 19:30// (Saturday Matinee 1430)//£8// www.peelpanto.com Manx Youth Orchestra Christmas Concert Saturday 10th 19:30//£750-£950//Gaiety Theatre//600555 Manx Youth Orchestra Christmas Concert IoM Poetry Society Poets & Pints Sunday 11th 19:30// The Archibald Knox Onchan // 664796 Read your own or others’ poems, and/or listen and discuss.

Contact jeffgarland@wm.im The 2011 Author’s Breakfast Monday 12th 09:30//£22//621806//Mount Murray With guest best-selling novelist Lyn Andrews at the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club, Santon; organised by Isle of Man Fund for the Blind to raise funds for the Manx Blind Welfare Society.

The Isle of Man Literary Society Tuesday 13th 19:30// The Jabberwocky //20 Duke Street Douglas Ann Clark: The Spirit of Christmas – recitation of seasonal prose and verse.

Caarjyn Cooidjagh Thursday 15th 19:00//St Catherine’s Church//Port Erin Together with many other artists; Port Erin Commissioners’ Christmas Carol Service

ww w. i om p os t of f i c e . c om /s t a m ps / BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Dick Whittington Christmas Family Pantomime Taylorian Productions present The Adventures of Dick Whittington.

17th-31st 2:30 & 19:30//£18+//Gaiety Theatre//600555

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Father Time words: Tanya Hanson photos: DAM Productions

G

eorge Daniels and Roger Smith enjoyed a pioneering and competitive father-son relationship. This month, George died a happy and fulfilled man, the lionized horological benefactor who shared a tranquil relationship with time. DAM Productions concludes the last living documented memoirs of this esteemed Manx resident, whose watches are amongst the most expensive in the world. His apprentice now enlightens new, eager and devoted young men with the skills of over 20 trades of time.

No one would endeavour to be late for ‘the world’s greatest living horologist’.

Arriving not a minute early, nor heartbeat too late, the DAM Productions team was both enchanted and captivated by the elaborate trade entrance to George Daniels’ charming Georgian home and sweeping drive. Reaching the door, an elderly housekeeper greeted them, escorting the mesmerised filmmakers through George’s treasure house, stockpiled with worldly masterpieces

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occupying every available cavity. The grandfather clock in the hall never told the right time and later, Daniels himself revealed he hardly ever wore a watch.

Zoe Guilford sat in a drawing room that housed art collections purchased in the world’s most famous auction houses.

Daniels appeared pleasant, but guarded.

He casually revealed to the DAM Productions crew that horology is an art form. He said the mechanical watch has “historic, intellectual, technical, aesthetic, amusing and useful qualities”; so unembellished and ample a description for such a small, erudite instrument.

Unlike his protégé, George was always very selective, he had never handmade a watch for anyone he didn’t believe merited it. His hands were worth millions, he didn’t wish to pollute them.

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

CULTURE

Such guardianship is paramount when considering that one simple watch might take a dedicated and assiduous horologist a year to complete. The work consumed him, requiring a great deal of concentration and attention to the most minute of details for each ample chapter of time.

George’s lasting gift was his protégé: Roger gained his confidence over 5 years.

He said of his master; “One day, we were told that this watchmaker was going to visit the workshops. I approached George and asked if he would apprentice me.

Anyway, he invited me over to the Island, told me he wouldn’t.”

Nevertheless, George encouraged Roger, advising that if he wanted to make watches, he should go and make his own. He said to Roger; “nobody taught me to do it.”

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

After 5 years, George’s prospective apprentice returned with his newly finished chronometer, Roger said, “He looked at the watch and he didn’t say a great deal for some time, kept turning it around in his hands. Eventually, he commented on a few of the components that had been made, and asked who had made them for me, I told him that I had made them.

“After what seemed like a lifetime, he suddenly closed the back of the watch and just transformed, his face lit up. He said; congratulations, you have finally done it.”

George told Zoe that Rodger learnt quickly to be skilled, he humoured that it had saved him a lot of time, though “he was also a bit stubborn from time-totime”. Both living in our mythical land, George passed down his trade, not as

tradition would dictate (from father to son), but from man-to-man.

Roger now exhibits his latest timepiece in the prestigious Saatchi Gallery of London in Chelsea. George believed his reputation preceded him, coming from a different horological age, he felt no need to promote himself.

George told Zoe of his protégé; “I suppose that one day he thinks he might be as good as me.” He laughed cheekily and said; “Don’t publish that.”

‘The Watchmaker’s Apprentice’ will be a magical documentary. Best of luck to the DAM Productions film scheme, and thank you.

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CULTURE

Classic CD Re v i e ws

Fou r for C h r i s t m as and not a carol in sig h t !

Words| Maurice Powel l

Christmas can be a daunting time for anyone wishing to buy a CD for the musiclover and collector who apparently has everything. Here, then, for even the most jaded collector, are four discs that have been revelatory to me and have given enormous pleasure during 2011.

Firstly, the debut as a musical director of the tenor Paul Agnew, best-known as an exponent of French and Italian Baroque opera. Recorded live at a concert from Ambronay Abbey in France and entitled Lamentazione, the programme features fascinating, beautiful and often intensely moving choral music by Caldara, Leo, Legrenzi, Lotti and Domenico Scarlatti, stunningly performed by Les Arts Florisant.

The most familiar work is probably Lotti’s famous Crucifixus, one of the most gorgeous short choral works ever written. Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater and Caldara’s 16 part Crucifixus are both characterised by a rich polyphony and piquant harmony. (Virgin 070 9072).

Elgar’s oratorio ‘The Kingdom’, the second work in a projected but unrealised trilogy of which ‘The Apostles’ was the first work, has never quite achieved the popularity of ‘The Dream of Gerontius’, although that great Elgarian Sir Adrian Boult always protested that it was the finer work. Both ‘The Apostles’ and ‘The Kingdom’ have been gaining ground steadily over the past 30 years, and in a performance such as my next recommendation, with soloists Claire Rutter, Susan Bickley and John Hudson and the Halle Choir and orchestra conducted

by Sir Mark Elder, it is easy to appreciate why. There is a glow and a passion about this performance – the winner of the choral category in the current Gramophone Awards - which is marked by superb choral singing and luminous orchestral playing. Has the intensely meditative ‘The Sun Goeth Down’ ever sounded more lovely? A live recording with mercifully no coughers and with fabulous sound! (Halle CDHLD7526).

A composer I have re-discovered this year and have started to view with a new respect is Elgar’s Danish contemporary, the symphonist Carl Nielsen, whose music greatly influenced Shostakovitch, Britten and even Vaughan Williams. His first three symphonies (1887-1905) are packed full of ground-breaking ideas, have a rough charm

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and are constantly unpredictable. His next two symphonies are generally acknowledged to be his greatest achievements. The fourth, ‘Inextinguishable’, written during the First World War and described by the composer himself as ‘the life force, the unquenchable will to live’ is in four linked movements and features two sets of timpani placed on opposite sides of the concert platform in a kind of musical duel. The fifth symphony (1920-22) is cast in two huge movements with the notorious, violent ad lib interruptions from a snare drum, seemingly representing a battle between the forces of order and chaos.

The warm and expansive melody of the Adagio non troppo is surely one of music’s great lyrical outpourings. Both symphonies are challenging and plumb the depths of Nielsen’s preoccupation at that time with ‘the evil that men do’. Ultimately, both are great hymns to the triumph of the human spirit and unquestionably established him as a major international figure. (Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra. DSD LSO Live).

For my final recommendation we must travel back in time to eighteenth century Rome, where although opera was banned during Lent, composers cunningly continued to write in the ‘opera seria’ style thinly disguised as oratorio. This is the theme of Cecilia Bartoli’s fascinating survey of Italian baroque vocal music ‘Opera proibita’, with music taken from the oratorios of Caldara, Handel and Alessandro Scarlatti. For dazzling vocal virtuosity and sumptuously beautiful music, this recital is hard to beat. I defy anyone not to be won over by the languid beauty of Caldara’s ‘Vanne pentita a piangere’, the intense and gravely moving ‘Caldo sangue’ from Scarlatti’s ‘Sedecia’ or the sheer exhuberance of the precocious young Handel flexing his musical muscles in Italy and sweeping all before him with ‘Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno’ from ‘La Resurrezione’.

Breathtaking. (Decca BOOO5151)

PHOTO UPLOAD

The Monthly Upload

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Want to win £50? All you have to do is email your entry with the subject ‘upload’ to: upload@gallery.co.im Make the files nice and big though, about 2MB is a good size to aim for as a

guide. We do try to print every photo following the guide but we can’t get them ALL on the page full size unfortunately - they just wouldn’t fit!

Photographer: John FIndlay

Photographer: Gary Harrison

Photographer: John Foster

Photographer:James Buchan

Photographer: Gary Harrison

Photographer: Kevin Lennard

Photographer: Gary Harrison

Photographer: Paul Mordue

Photographer: John Foster BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Photographer: Gary Harrison

Next issue (Feb 2012) email “time of the year” snaps. Email in nice and early (Jan) to be in with the best chance of making the Upload pages. We’re looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

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The First Pendulum Clock, C. Huygens invent, S. Coster fecit

1956 Oil painting by Hugh Chevins of Coster’s workshop, The Hague

The First Pendulum Clock Salomon Coster Replica In 1657 a man named Salomon Coster built the first domestic pendulum clock. He would die two years later, during which time it is estimated he produced more than 30 clocks. It is thought that the most expensive of these was an eight day pendulum clock without strike, which it is believed sold for around 130 guilders – perhaps £80,000 by modern day standards. Why so expensive?

At this point in history most regulated the time by judging noon by the sun being at the highest point in the sky. Virtually no-one owned a clock. But what was it about these clocks that made it so valuable at the time? It was the use of the pendulum for regulation, increasing the accuracy of the time keeping. Aided

by John Fromanteel, Salomon Coster produced the first of these pendulum clocks, working closely with Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens – the man credited with their invention.

The importance of the pendulum in a clock’s mechanism is the regulation of power release.

Speaking simply, a clock is a controlled release of a power source through a regulator; along with the means to interpret the rate of this release. The quality and accuracy of the time keeping mechanism can be affected by many factors such as the power source, gearing, regulator and lubrication. In a perfect clock the power source would be uniform, the gearing friction-free, the regulator would oscillate with equal intervals of time, and the oil would suffer no degradation over time. But it’s not a perfect world, and the clockmaker must make use of all the innovations available to them.

The pendulum is designed to regulate the steady release of the wound spring power source. The Coster pendulum was suspended on a silk thread between two symmetrical curved plates, which interfered with the path of the fine silk as the pendulum swings, progressively shortening the length of the pendulum the greater the pendulum amplitude. It was known 32

that varying impulse results in a varying pendulum amplitude, and consequently erratic timekeeping.

The results of Huygens pendulum development achieved an improvement of the accuracy of timekeeping from minutes in an hour to less than a minute in a week.

Coster’s clocks were masterworks, created by working with the very best materials, machines and tools available to him at the time. John C Taylor clocks are made by skilled craftsmen in this same tradition, using the best materials and production techniques available. The Salomon Coster Replica

by John C Taylor is designed and constructed using precise measurements and computerised drawings of each original component, tempered with minor design alterations to suit the modern age. Each internal component is machined on the Isle of Man, making these unique timepieces a spectacular collectible, with production numbers limited to just 100.

Dr. John C Taylor himself celebrated his 75th birthday on November 25th, which was marked by a party at his home and the firing of a cannon. A XIV 24lb bronze naval cannon from the late 17th century that was last fired by Holland & Holland in 1969, no less! [We have no information on who they were aiming the cannon at] It was recovered from Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s Flagship HMS Association by the Royal Navy in ’63, and was originally from a French naval vessel.

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CULTURE

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

The Salomon Coster Replica Pendulum clock can be viewed and purchased at Wilkins Jewellers, Strand Street, Douglas. Witness a beautiful masterwork piece of innovation history for yourself.

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CULTURE

Greyney Mooar Fine Arts ltd. Is a third generation family of high-quality antique and fine art buyers and sellers. Whether it is for investment, decoration or for the avid collector, you’re sure of a warm welcome from Julian and Sara Brindle. Having exhibited at the Olympia Antiques Fair in London for the past 25 years, they are now happily based on the Island and can offer a personal service for the collector and investors of high quality items: oil paintings, porcelain, furniture, oriental works of art, bronzes and much more... all from the comfort of there home.

They are blessed to have many satisfied customers on the Island already, and are always looking for interesting items to purchase.

To arrange an appointment, please call them on 461966 (Julian) or 462925 (Sara) >

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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

CULTURE

Luca Madrassi ( Italy 1848 – 1919)

A Bronze Figure of Venus – Signed L Madrassi, Paris > A bronze group of Venus teased by two Putti, circa 1885, she leans back upholding her loose robes with her left hand as two Putti grasp her around the legs, on a marble base, 89 cm high.

Luca Madrassi was born in Tricesimo, Italy and studied in Italy and Paris, being a pupil of Cavalier. He exhibited at the Salon des Artists Francais from 1881 – 1896 and at the Nationale from 1896, specialising in busts, statuettes and allegorical groups.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

POA Greyney Mooar Fine Arts Ltd, Ballagawne, Ballabeg, Castletown, Isle Of Man. IM9 4HL. Tel: 462925 or 461966 enquiries@greyneymooar.co.uk

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CULTURE

BOOK REVIEWS

In A W h isp e r | A Tr i c k Ho rse Training Manual By - Suzanne Fargher

If you’re a horse lover, there’s one book you will almost certainly want to find in your stocking this Christmas.

‘In A Whisper’ is a step-by-step guide to natural horsemanship by local horse whisperer and wildlife artist Suzanne Fargher. Written over five years as she trained her own palomino, Fern, it is suitable for both beginner and veteran horse owners alike.

The book features 140 pages of condensed, easy to read instructions and is full colour, with almost every page featuring photography or Suzanne’s own drawings to illustrate the techniques and their results. The focus of the book is on understanding the horse and building up trust, with

the first two sections dedicated to the fundamentals of horse psychology and developing an empathetic relationship with the animal. It then progresses to the secrets of training particular tricks, which work up from basics such as making the horse smile through to more advanced elements such as the bow, the Spanish walk and other feats more commonly seen at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna than in the fields of the Isle of Man. Suzanne has owned and trained horses since she was 13 and is currently the Manager of Ballagarey Equestrian Centre. Recently, ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent has approached her and Fern with a view to auditioning for the show. A keen writer and painter, Suzanne is now working on two further books, one on drawing horses and the other on painting wildlife.

In A Whisper is available on Amazon or through www.trickho r seu k . co m

K is se d by the D rag o n ’s B rea th By - Caron Harrison Serendipitous links between the Isle of Man and New Zealand lead a woman and eleven multinational companions into the dragon’s breath - the world of earth energies and expanding human consciousness.

The fifth book by former Island resident Caron Harrison, now living in New Zealand, the novel examines the many ‘magical’ places of both New Zealand and our own Isle of

36

Man, at the same time calling in to question the reader’s awareness of their own consciousness. The novel is available from the Manx Wildlife Trust; a portion of the sales price going to the Trust itself, of which Mrs Harrison has been a long standing supporter. The Lexicon on Strand St and Avalonis on North Quay are other local options. It is also available online at www.lulu. com or www.amazon.com

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

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Fashion

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Photography: Julian Simmonds Styling: Enfin/Julia Model: Julia Location: Modena House, Ballanard Green, IOM

billionaire Fashion shoot

Pearl & Diamond Necklet -Wilkins - £4,500 Dress - French Connection- Enfin - £125.00 Shoes - Jinx - Enfin - £75.00

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

Ladies Cartier Watch - Wilkins - POA Dress - Rare - Enfin - £60.00 Silver Strappy Shoes - Senorita - Enfin - £90.00

Dress - Forever Unique - Enfin - £470.00 Shoes - Kinker - Enfin - £95.00 BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Dress - Catwalk Collection- Enfin - £399.00 Diamond Earrings - Olivia Diamonds - Wilkins - £7,295

-

Diamond Pendant - Olivia Diamonds - Wilkins - £3,775 Diamond Ring - Olivia Diamonds - Wilkins - £8,995

Diamond Necklet - FOPE - Wilkins Diamonds - £9,025 Diamond Bracelet - FOPE - Wilkins Diamonds - £5,345 Dress - Catwalk Collection - Enfin - £650.00 ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

Fashion shoot Jewellery

Diamond Pendant by Olivia Diamonds, 1.07ct - £3,775 18ct White Gold Diamond Earings by Olivia Diamonds, 2.24ct - £7,295

18ct Gold Diamond Necklet by FOPE - £9,025 18ct Gold Diamond Bracelet by FOPE - £5,345

Double Row Pearl & Diamond Necklet, 18ct Gold Diamond Clasp - £4,500 18ct Pearl & Diamond Drop Earings - £950.00

Lady’s Cartier Tank Francaise Steel Watch - POA

18ct Gold Multi Row Diamond ring 2.74ct - £8,995 Available at : Wilkins 52 Duke St, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2AR Tel: 01624 690450 www.wilkinsthejeweller.co.uk

BEAUTY

Celeb led

o

Product of the month Mama Mio, O Mega Body Cream, As used by Sienna Miller

h to be a part of the glitzy and out-of-this world fabulousness that surrounds the ‘chosen ones’ in Celebville. We constantly wonder what the magical ingredients are that actually go into making the gorgeous people look incredible. Sure it helps with their bottomless bank accounts and harem of people buzzing around them to follow their bidding, but every so often a big mouth makeup artist or a close confidant will let slip what the actual products are that certain celebs can’t live without. (and not the ones they are paid to endorse)!

Caudalie, Eau De Beauté, As used

by Helena Christensen

This beauty elixir treatment smoothes features, tightens pores, and gives the complexion a burst of radiance. [£28.72]

Benefit, High Beam, As used

by Kylie Minogue

A complexion enhancer or ‘super model in a bottle’ as it’s been called. This liquid highlighter creates a radiantly dewy complexion for an angelic sheen. [£16.50]

Simply place on damp skin after showering for supple soft, delicious smelling skin all over! [£16.25]

Sanctuary, Revive Energy-Zing Shower Drench, As used by Billie and Sam Faires

Zoya, Carmen Nail Varnish, As used

by Emma Watson

A classic pillar box red nail polish.

Sophisticated and just a little bit sexy! [£11.00]

‘OH. MY. GOD.’ (must be said with full Essex power) This will pep you up for all the partying in store for you this winter. [£7.25]

St Tropez, Shimmer Stick, As used by Rihanna

This luxury body shimmer is ideal for enhancing your fake, or real tan.

Also great for running along your collarbones and shins to make you look slimmer. [£15.32]

Dr. Hauschka, Rose Day Cream, As used by Jennifer Lopez

If you are prone to dry skin then it is about to get worse this winter with all the central heating. Keep this soothing cream in your handbag to keep flaky skin at bay. [£19.94]

Prices provided are accurate at time of going to print and are included as a guide only

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ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

FASHION

GGG Gallery Gift Guide

Christmas present ideas 2

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE AGAZINE AGAZ

2

GGG

THE PHYSICS OF SANTA AND HIS REINDEER No known species of reindeer can fly.

BUT there are 300,000 species of living organisms yet to be classified, and while most of these are insects and germs, this does not COMPLETELY rule out flying reindeer which only Santa has ever seen.

There are two billion children (persons under 18) in the world.

BUT since Santa doesn’t appear to handle the Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Buddhist children, that reduces the workload to 15% of the total — 378 million according to Population Reference Bureau. At an average (census) rate of 3.5 children per household, that’s 91.8 million homes.

One presumes there’s at least one good child in each.

Santa has 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the earth, assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This works out to 822.6 visits per second.

This is to say that for each Christian household with good children, Santa has 1/1000th of a second to park, hop out of the sleigh, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left, get back up the chimney, get back into the sleigh and move on to the next house. Assuming that each of these 91.8 million stops are evenly distributed around the Earth (which, of course, we know to be false but for the purposes of our calculations we 44

will accept), we are now talking about .78 miles per household, a total trip of 75½ million miles, not counting stops to do what most of us must do at least once every 31 hours, plus feeding and etc.

This means that Santa’s sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound.

For purposes of comparison, the fastest man-made vehicle on earth, the Ulysses space probe, moves at a poky 27.4 miles per second — a conventional reindeer can run, tops, 15 miles per hour.

If every one of the 91.8 million homes with good children were to put out a single chocolate chip cookie and an 8 ounce glass of 2% milk, the total calories (needless to say other vitamins and minerals) would be approximately 225 calories (100 for the cookie, give or take, and 125 for the milk, give or take). Multiplying the number of calories per house by the number of homes (225 x 91.8 x 1000000), we get the total number of calories Santa consumes that night, which is 20,655,000,000 calories.

To break it down further, 1 pound is equal to 3500 calories. Dividing our total number of calories by the number of calories in a pound (20655000000/3500) and we get the number of pounds Santa gains, 5901428.6, which is 2950.7 tons.

The payload on the sleigh adds another interesting element.

Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a mediumsized

lego set (two pounds), the sleigh is carrying 321,300 tons, not counting Santa, who is invariably described as overweight. On land, conventional reindeer can pull no more than 300 pounds. Even granting that “flying reindeer” (see above) could pull TEN TIMES the normal amount, we cannot do the job with eight, or even nine. We need 214,200 reindeer.

This increases the payload (not even counting the weight of the sleigh) to 353,430 tons. Again, for comparison, this is four times the weight of the Queen Elizabeth. 353,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance - this will heat the reindeer up in the same fashion as spacecraft re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 QUINTILLION joules of energy. Per second, each.

In short, they will burst into flame almost instantaneously, exposing the reindeer behind them, and create deafening sonic booms in their wake.

The entire reindeer team will be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, meanwhile, will be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 times greater than gravity.

A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force.

In conclusion: If Santa does deliver presents on Christmas Eve, he’s very fast.

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

GGG

GUIDE 2011

GALLERY GIFT

Wilkins What do you want in your Christmas stocking ?

A Kissing Diamond or new quality Watch.

Always remember, Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

GGG -

Peter luis What do you want in your Christmas stocking ?

A new shirt or jacket.

Jeans, a smart shirt and tailored jacket is such a good look.

GGG -

Enfin What do you want in your Christmas stocking ?

A quailty pair of shoes.

GGG -You’ve got to get a quality party dress and pair of shoes for Christmas.

SURE MOBILE Sure Mobile What do you want in your Christmas stocking ?

A new phone.

GGG - Check out the free gifts available at Sure, a new contract and phone could make the ideal Christmas gift, or perfect treat for yourself.

Isle of Man Post Office What do you want in your Christmas stocking ?

A limited Edition item packed with a helmet-full of unique TT memorabilia.

GGG -

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Excellent gift idea for the TT fan.

45

52 Duke St, Douglas, Isle of Man Tel: 01624 690 450

GALLERY GIFT

Sapphire and diamond pavé-set pendant, earrings and ring from £1,395 to £1,795

Chaos Pink stone ‘Tangle’ and 'Razzle Dazzle' bangle from £160

GUIDE 2011

Platinum solitaire rings from £3,000

18ct white gold SHO V-Seal Victoria pendant ring and earrings with white quartz and pink sapphires. from £1,230

GALLERY GORGEOUS

Roberto Coin Capri Plus collection pavé-set bangle and ring with black sapphire and diamonds from £3,250

all products available from

WILKINS

Cartier Tank Française, white gold case set with diamonds £20,500 Pasha Seatimer lady, stainless steel case £3,250

GUIDE 2011

GALLERY GIFT

Merry Christmas

Roy Robson - Jacket £250.00

eterna EXCELLENT - SHIRT £50.00 all products available from

PETER LUIS

&

Happy New Year

GANT - Quilter Jacket £215.00

£40.00 £140.00

STATE

OF ART - Scarf

STATE

OF ART - Jumper

Fairisle - Ladies Dress £125.00

GALLERY GIFT

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year

Moda In Pelle - Shoes £65-95.00

Mina - Jacket £80.00

Moda In Pelle - Shoes £65-95.00

French Connection - Jacket £195.00

all products available from

ENFIN

GUIDE 2011

We always take more off...

And this time we’ve taken everything off!

Was £215 NOW £0

Samsung Galaxy S II The follow up to the Galaxy S packs even more punch! Showcasing power and performance coupled with better battery consumption and Super AMOLED screen, plus 8 megapixel camera and HD video recording.

Winner of T3 Magazine’s Phone of the Year.

Was £195 NOW £0

HTC Sensation XE Comes with custom made Beats headsets, engineered to deliver extraordinary sound. The specially tuned software and user interface delivers the ultimate mobile audio experience – all on HTC’s top of the range Android smartphone.

Was £189 NOW £0

LG Optimus 3D P920 The world’s first full 3D smartphone lets you record, view and share 3D content without glasses. Share content on YouTube’s dedicated 3D channel directly from your smartphone or via an HDMI connection to your TV.

See our full range of handsets instore or onlilne at www.surecw.com

For full terms and conditions visit www.surecw.com

Any phone you want

FREE

£0

on our £25 tariff

The best prices the island has ever seen Come in store or visit www.surecw.com

£0

£0

£0 Excludes Apple and BlackBerry handsets.

For full terms and conditions visit www.surecw.com

GUIDE 2011

GALLERY GIFT

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year

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available from iomstamps.com or Regent Street Post Shop

ISLE OF MAN POST OFFICE

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APPETITE

Cocktails of the Month The holidays are a favourite time of year for many people. This cheery season is filled with parties and events that bring the spirit of the season out in everyone. As a part of these festivities there are some wonderful drinks that you can serve that fit the holiday theme perfectly. Traditional warm drinks are a great place to start and we cannot forget the wonders of eggnog (a drink that should be on everyone’s Christmas list). Beyond those Christmas classics, the drinks listed below make great additions to any party or casual holiday gathering. Happy Holidays!

Egg Nog

Mulled Wine

Although the basic recipe for eggnog is the same (eggs beaten with sugar, milk, cream and some kind of spirit) there are a variety of recipes that cover most occassions where eggnog may be served.

When winter weather swirls in, nothing could be cosier than a toasty mug of mulled wine. Mulled wine, the vine’s version of a classic hot toddy, is a traditional holiday treat in many Old World countries.

Mulled wines have been warming people for centuries, they are wines that have been sweetened, spiced and slightly heated - offering a delightful alternative to traditional coffees, ciders and toddy’s at holiday gatherings or just on a cold winter’s night.

Serve eggnog at a party in a large punchbowl with “puddles” of whipped cream spaced over the suface, top this with grated nutmeg and set out with glass cups or Irish coffee glasses for a decorative touch.

Happy Noggin’ There are many variations of Egg nog, this is a perfect eggnog recipe for larger parties. This traditional way to make the holiday classic beverage requires patience and time but is well worth the effort and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients: 6 eggs, separated 1/2 cup super fine sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups brandy 1 cup milk nutmeg (use for garnish also) Preparation: 1.Beat egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, nutmeg, salt and vanilla together until very thick and light yellow.

2.Slowly beat in brandy (rum and whiskey are also popular alternatives) and milk.

3.Cover and chill overnight.

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: One bottle (750 mL) of red wine (suggestions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot) One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot) 1/4 cup of brandy 8-10 cloves 2/3 cup honey or sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp fresh or 2 tsp ground ginger (allspice can be substituted) Serves 4-6 Preparation: To make the perfect cup of mulled wine, combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved. When the wine is steaming and the ingredients have been well blended it is ready to serve.

Ladle the mulled wine into mugs (leave seasonings behind) and enjoy!

Mulled wine is the perfect warming festive drink to serve during the colder months. We’re still in ‘holiday-mode’ right?!

4.Shortly before serving, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.

5.Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beat this mixture to soft peaks again, creating a meringue-like cream.

Enjoy the rest of the holidays!

6.Then slowly pour this cream over the chilled brandy mixture, folding in gently.

7.Serve the eggnog in a mug or Irish coffee glass of your choice and grate nutmeg over the top for garnish.

Get your friends around, this recipe makes 16 servings.

54

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

Treat yourself this Christmas you know you are worth it!

APPETITE

Words| Anne Berry - The Wine Cellar

?

C

hristmas is the time of year to forget all your worries, ignore the media stories of doom and gloom in the world and get on with enjoying yourself. Splash out on the day, make the most of quality time with friends and family, and enjoy the finest food and drink.

When choosing wine for the festive period, go for something special, by which you will remember the occasion.

If you enjoy a white Burgundy, why not try a bottle of Batard Montrachet 2006 (£138.95/bottle). Vallet Freres, based in Gevrey Chambertin, make just one barrel a year of If it is a big full bodied red you are after, look no further than Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2005(£65/ bottle). Rated among the best of Australia’s wine producers, this comes from the Henschke estate in South Australia, now run by fifth generation of the family, Stephen and Prue Henschke, who work passionately upholding the family Once settled in front of a roaring fire, a glass of Ragnaud Sabourin Fontvieille No 35 makes the perfect end to the meal and a wonderful digestif. Forget about the highly marketed brands, this aged Cognac is regarded in the region as the ‘ultimate Cognac’. The family estate is now run by three female descendants

this delightful wine from a Grand Cru vineyard situated between the picturesque villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.

Its gentle easterly-facing slope is made up of a deep, rich, gravelly limestone soil and it is world renowned for the production of the highest quality Chardonnay fruit. name. Mount Edelstone is a small 16 hectare vineyard planted with purely Shiraz, tended very carefully using organic and biodynamic methods.

The resulting wine is deep in colour with concentrated long lasting flavours of plum, blackberry and a touch of liquorice and spice.

You will be reluctant to share it! of the original owner, from grandmother to granddaughter.

Fontvieille is the name of the vineyard from which the grapes are harvested and 35 refers to the minimum age. It is incredibly smooth and mellow and at just £111.50, offers great value when compared to the better known names.

Fruits de Mer Gourmet Dinner at JAR Restaurant

// Dec 6th // £75 per head.

For details Tel: 663553 BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Introducing an all-new A la Carte menu.

Also choose from a fine selection of wines to accompany your meal, all served in a manner unique to Restaurant.

Now open from12-3 & 6-10 on Sunday.

Booking is recommended but if a last minute idea simply call in on the day.

JAR Restaurant, Loch Promenade, Douglas.

Tel: 663553 email: jar@admiralhouse.com 55

Robinson’s @ The Mailbox S teve Quirke of the Mailbox opened his doors last month to staff from Robinson Fresh Foods on a cold and soggy November evening. The ten staff, including John Horsthuis and his daughter Janna, gathered wide-eyed at Chef’s Theatre and watched hungrily as Steve and Mike Bushe used their keen knowledge, experience and energy to carry them through a demonstration in how the best of Robinson’s produce can be used to create scintillating dishes in no time.

Using a cooking range inspired by Southeast Asian street vendor carts, brought to the 21st century using the likes of induction technology, the kitchen showed just how versatile and delicious our local Manx produce can be, with dishes like Szechuan Pork and Apple Stir-fried Rice made with apples, ginger and spring onions sourced locally from Robinsons and pork from Harrison & Garrett.

The communication between supplier and restaurant should be as close as possible to ensure the freshness of the ingredients used every single day. It’s a true symbiotic relationship that will enable a restaurant to showcase just how good a supplier’s ingredients can be. A restaurant’s dish lives and dies by the ingredients; if they’re not fresh, you can taste it on the plate. Both The Mailbox and Robinsons have come to understand that a strong, understanding relationship can create fresh, vibrant, delicious food on a menu written before 10:30 every morning of every day.

The Children’s Centre Community Farm The chefs from The Mailbox recently visited the Children’s Centre Farm, a project supported by many local companies, and pulled Pak Choi and other vegetables from the ground for use in their kitchen. Indeed, throughout December The Mailbox will be adding a voluntary £2 donation on every bill that will go directly to The Children’s Centre.

So if you didn’t already have a good reason to get down to The Mailbox this winter, you do now! And once you’ve seen just how good the local produce can be, maybe you’ll feel inspired to get to Robinsons and see about trying a few worldinspired recipes yourself. Trust us, there’s no finer feeling to be found in a kitchen without ending up with Zanussi imprinted on your buttock.

56

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

FOOD NEWS

CHEF PEPPER JOINS PALACE HOTEL

APPETITE

CASINO

One of the Island’s best-known chefs has been appointed Chef de Cuisine at the Palace Hotel

Casino.

Chef Edward Pepper will oversee the kitchen of the Paragon Restaurant, as well as the hotel’s functions and events, banqueting, in-room service and bar menus.

He has become a familiar face since moving here with his family from Malawi in 1987. Over the years he has worked at the Castletown Golf Links, the Chart Room in Laxey, Ramsey Golf Club and La Cucina.

Chef Pepper said: ‘My aim is to build on the already high standard of cuisine across all areas of the hotel. I’ve been working towards forming a hand-picked “brigade” of new chefs, from applications we’ve received from people who are driven and committed to producing food of the highest quality. Many of them have trained at the Isle of Man College and I’m looking forward to producing delicious and visually appealing food with them. I’ll also be working towards developing exciting and extensive new menus across the hotel.’

Chef Pepper and his team are now looking forward to a very busy Christmas and New Year period, when as well as looking after hotel residents, they will cater for a range of events and functions, lunch and dinner services. He says: ‘We look forward to welcoming guests, old and new, and wish everyone the very best over the festive period.’

Chef Pepper’s carvings made from ice butter and chocolate.

Look out for Christmas carvings on show at The Palace Hotel

Casino and The Sefton Hotel.

A NEW PLACE IN TOWN

T

ower House situated on Castle Street, Douglas is proud to welcome Franklins Deli. A modern cafe, serving delicious hot and cold food from cafe classics, such as club sandwiches, to Fish and Chips, and perfectly crisp Panini’s.

A well-stocked hot counter offering daily changing specials such as Hot Pot, Curries, Pies, an amazing selection of pasta dishes, and even our Jacket potatoes, are proving to be a winner, with our homemade Deli fillings.

Our cake counter offers delicious Chocolate, Carrot Cake, Homemade scones and a selection of other cakes are a perfect choice for that midmorning sweet treat or afternoon tea.

This New York style deli with an emphasis on fresh quick homemade food has three sister Outlets in Liverpool. These establishments are the creation of Chef Adam Franklin whose roots lie in top end leading London restaurants and a consultancy career working with some of the leading restaurant brands.

Manx born and bred, David Paramour is our General Manager and Doncaster lass Jill Gabriel ability assists as Assistant Manager, they bring years of successful catering experience from Brisbane Australia to Ard Jerkyll Foxdale, and the Paradise of Doncaster.

Aiming to please not educate, we can offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low GI, Dairy Free, and our mantra of “No Problem” ensures something for everybody.

We also like to get out and about, and offer outside catering services, from a sandwich and cake platter in your office for 4 people through to a full service marquee dinner for 300 we have the experience and the passion to deliver.

Orders and enquiries can be made on 01624 677002.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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PLACES

Location, location, location Words | Alison Dodd and Jodie Sheppard

Gallery interviews - Phil Spencer Phil Spencer is one of the best-known faces on British television, co-presenting the hit Channel 4 series Location, Location, Location and Relocation, Relocation. We caught up with him to ask his thoughts on the current housing situation, how to transform your home and a few more personal questions.

the house but if you don’t think about what it looks like from the outside no one is going to come in and see the inside, give your property some kerb appeal!

With all the bad press the housing market is getting at the moment, are you still an advocate for investing in property?

That is a tricky one; it depends on what you’re buying where you’re buying and what you pay for it really. The market is very regional, very polarized, different areas in different price brackets are performing independently from one another. I do believe that property is absolutely still a good investment, there are still certain things that you shouldn’t buy but then that’s the same with any other investment. Homes have a fundamental value that other types of investments don’t simply because we all need to live somewhere, we all need a house.

Would you prefer to live in a new ultra modern house or an old house full of character?

Ohh… do I have to pick one! I’d like to have them both…

My ideal scenario would be blending the old with the new – but that is very difficult to do!!

I like an old house with all its character and architectural history but with the modcons such as fitted kitchens and under floor heating.

I’m a huge fan of you and Kirsty! Would you recommend any tips/hints to try and add value to your property?

That’s probably two questions, if you were looking to add value probably make it bigger. If you were looking to sell something in the market now, I think my main piece of advice would be to concentrate on the outside as much, if not more than, on the inside. People have probably watched too many property shows and have dressed up the inside of

Million

Do you prefer to renovate a property or move straight in?

I have never moved straight into a house I have always renovated, both to add value and to put my own stamp on it.

This is going to sound weird but I have never been that fussy about the house I have always been more concerned with the location! Some people are fussy about the house but if that’s the case try not to be too fussy about the location and vice versa.

Do you prefer the city or country?

Definitely country, I’m a farmer’s son born in the country and although I live in London I’m actually much happier in the countryside.

Eat in or eat out?

I’m going to say eating in because the last 3 months I have been in a different hotel 4 nights of the week so I haven’t cooked a meal.

Red or white?

Wine… this time of year definitely red!

Property Sales

‘The number of property sales in the UK worth at least a million pounds has risen to its highest level since the peak of the housing market in 2007, according to 2011 research by Lloyds TSB. There were 3,375 million pound property sales in the first half of 2011, equivalent to 19 sales everyday over the period. This is the largest total since 2007 and 10% higher than in the same period in 2010.

The 10% increase in million pound home sales in the first half of the year was in marked contrast to the 9% fall in residential property sales as a whole over the period. There are now an BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

estimated 200,000 homes in Britain worth at least one million pounds.

The largest number of 1-million pound houses was sold in London (Fulham, followed by Hampstead and Chelsea). The other regions, where prime property was demanded by buyers, were the East, South East and the South West of England. It is interesting to note, however, that 1-million pound property sales only constituted 1.1% and 5.7% of all house sales in the UK and London accordingly. The remaining 90+% of sales accounted for other types of property.

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PLACES

PROPERTY PROFILE

MODENA VIEW DREEMSKERRY MAUGHOLD

‘Modena View’ is an exceptional new property in one of the Island’s premier beauty spots. Boasting unparalleled 180 degree views over Maughold Head and out to sea, the property enjoys 3 ½ acres of unspoilt countryside and has been built to an exacting standard.

6000 square foot internal space is perfect for everything from the large living room through to a superb Apartment/Studio with sunken bedroom accessed through a dedicated entrance. And what would all that beautiful space be without a fully furnished collection of the highest standard?

Three large garages with an upper-roof decked area is available, ideal for entertainment or relaxation; and of course a large parking area for guests. As you would expect, ‘Modena View’ is not only fully secured with an electric-gated entrance and private drive, but also the latest in alarm technology; providing peace of mind when your home or away.

Ready for immediate occupation for the discerning purchaser. Price £2,195,000

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Tel: 07624 481254 www.modenlifestyles.com info@modenalifestyles.com

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

PLACES

Formal lounge with panoramic retracting floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, and an outside

balcony area complete with an array of loungers and exterior chairs & tables.

The Cinema lounge – The best of entertainment for all friends and family to enjoy; purpose-made and quite possibly the finest the Island has to offer.

Kitchen & Dining area fully fitted with the latest equipment, leading out through retracting doors to a large decked entertainment area, complete with an array of exterior furniture.

Two master bedroom suites, both with floor to ceiling sliding windows/doors. Each suite has an adjoining marble bathroom including spa and separate dressing rooms.

The lower Master Suite features an outside balcony together with private outdoor hot tub and the upper suite features a Juliet balcony to enjoy those magnificent views.

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Gym & Sauna – Fully equipped with a Livestrong range including treadmill, bike, weight bench and separate sauna.

Not enough? How about 4 more bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 half bathrooms and a wine store/store room.

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Business

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Isle of Man Entrepreneurs on the sofa

Name’s Julian & Sara Brindle Born Julian: 1st March 1963 - Blackburn, Lancashire Sara: 17th February 1971 - Blackburn, Lancashire Schooling Julian: Billinge High School, Blackburn.

Sara: Bowland Secondary school, Clitheroe.

First Job Julian: Working in family Antique business Sara: Shop assistant in Delicatessen.

Current Car Julian: Land Rover Defender Sara: Mini Countryman Cooper SD Book

Sara: The Beach House by Jane Green Music Julian: Mixture of Old and New. Sara: 70’s & 80’s Disco music, Motown and Neil Diamond Last Holiday Dar Al Masyaf Madinat, Jumeriah Beach, Dubai.

Happiest when Spending quality time with our son, Harry and watching him take part in his sporting activities here on the island.

There is nowhere better than the Isle of Man especially when the sun is shining and we can get together with friends and family and enjoy a lovely BBQ. Also have interests in fishing and Golfing

Julian: Peter Kay – The sound of Laughter

Greyney Mooar Fine Arts Ltd: Julian & Sara Brindle Running a business that has lasted three generations, is there a strong family pride at work?

Most definitely. Having had the pleasure of being able to work alongside my father, Tom in previous years, has given me an eye for quality goods, experience and a greater knowledge of antiques.

What has been the biggest challenge?

It has to be the ferry crossing to and from the Isle of Man!!! But also keeping everyone Happy!

What is the attraction in antiques and fine arts?

How people achieved the quality and detail of items made hundreds of years ago.

Have you ever had that ‘Only Fools and Horses’ moment of discovering the diamond in the rough?

We have been fortunate to have some luck but not as much as Dell Boy & Rodney!! Still looking!

Ok, when we got married!!

What are your hopes for the future?

Our hopes for the future are to continue buying and selling quality objects and keeping our family fit, healthy and happy.

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BUSINESS

FeatureNews

T

he Principality of Monaco is a hotbed of the rich and famous and a common destination for yachting professionals based on the Isle of Man.

Covering an area of 485 acres, the population of Monaco is 33,539 (give or take a few). This makes it officially ‘overcrowded’, with 16,486.7 people per square kilometer, compared to 244.69 in the UK…or about 375 on our own fair isle. Over 70 % of the residents are very desirable immigrants and it has the highest number of millionaires per square mile in the world. That is why everyone who is anyone working in the yachting industry heads down to Monte Carlo for the annual Monaco Yacht Show every September.

Chris Allix, founder of Dominion Marine Corporate Services*, has been visiting the yacht show for more than 20 years and has watched it grow in parallel with the size of the yachts. Chris told Gallery, ‘I was at the very first Monaco Yacht Show when

yachts were just yachts. Whereas twenty years ago the largest yacht was about 50m, now we are looking at 100m+ and talk about superyachts, megayachts and even gigayachts. They are incredibly luxurious assets and we often get invited on board to take a look. Some of the largest yachts have helicopters, submarines, a Ferrari in the garage and a crew of twenty or more.

One year they were selling a yacht and throwing the Rolls Royce in for free! It is great to fantasise about owning one, but would I really want to? The answer is definitely no. We know how much it costs to maintain them! It is a bottomless hole. Shows like the one in Monaco are important for us to see the yachts, the brokers, the clients. Let’s face it; if we don’t go to them…they are hardly going to come to us!’

Dominion Marine is one of many highly regarded corporate service providers on the Isle of Man, which specialise in corporate, financial and technical services for the yachting industry, providing many hundreds of jobs and raising the profile of the Island worldwide.

*Dominion Marine Corporate services Limited is licensed by the Financial Supervision Commission of the Isle of Man. - www.i.im

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BusinessNews

RBS International invites new employees to consider career opportunities Employees at RBS International who have successfully passed their probation periods were invited to a breakfast event in the boardroom at Royal Bank House recently.

The 29 members of staff were invited to meet informally with their senior managers and to hear about the roles of other managers in different areas of the business to gain more of an insight into the varied career paths available on the island within RBS International, NatWest, Isle of Man Bank, Coutts and Lombard.

Bill Shimmins, Regional Director for RBS International in the Island, commented: “It was great to welcome our new entrants over the past 12 months and the breakfast was an opportunity to congratulate those who have passed their probations, and to encourage them to develop their career path within the Bank.”

Manx Telecom announces BlackBerry mobile compliance recording service Manx Telecom is the first communications provider in the Isle of Man to offer a mobile compliance recording service for BlackBerry, to the same stringent standards and the same low costs as fixed line recording. The new Red Box Quantify Mobile Recording Suite securely records all voice and SMS communications on BlackBerry and is an important service for legal compliance officers as it offers a full audit trail with alerts and alarms. System administrators can also use continuous diagnostic tools. Previously exempt from legislation, the UK Financial Services Authority recently announced Policy Statement 10/17 detailing the removal of exemption of mobile phone recording rules effective as of 14 November 2011.

Neil Keig, Technical Consultant at Manx Telecom, said, “The Quantify Mobile Recording Suite is remarkably simple to implement, integrate and manage. Due to its design, it is around half the cost of other comparable alternatives. It gives compliance officers the reassurance of knowing that all voice and SMS communications on BlackBerry smartphones are securely recorded and stored.”

In addition, the recording suite supports full disaster recovery architecture and can be deployed on an existing secure in-house infrastructure or as a secure hosted service.

Users cannot bypass or delete any calls or data; in fact, they are barely aware that they are being recorded and enjoy almost instant connection.

For more details about the Red Box Quantify Mobile Recording Suite, contact Manx Telecom Corporate Sales on 624624 or e-Mail Sales@manxtelecom.com

Claremont Hotel announces the second phase of their near £2 million upgrade

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The Claremont Hotel has begun work on the second phase of its comprehensive upgrade, which will cost over £1.5 million in total. The development project will see an additional ten rooms developed into ‘Luxury Sea View’ suites, designed to perfectly fit the requirements of business travellers.

As a result, every room is equipped with high-speed wireless broadband, docking facilities for iPods, 32” flat screen televisions, Blu-Ray players, fully tiled wet-rooms, super-king sized beds, ‘Hungarian Goose Down’ pillows and ‘Tempur’ pressure-relieving mattresses.

During the first part of 2011, The Claremont completed the first phase of its upgrade project, which saw a £1 million spend on a complete renovation of twenty of the hotel’s rooms. In order to ensure that the rooms were perfectly in line with what business executives require, Sleepwell undertook a comprehensive survey before any of the new rooms were designed.

This will be followed by the final stage of the Claremont upgrade; a complete overhaul of the reception and lounge areas to create a contemporary reception space, bringing the hotel up to the highest standards of international design and quality.

ISLE OF MAN STYLE MAGAZINE

BUSINESS

BusinessNews

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINISTER ANNOUNCES POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES The Department of Economic Development Minister John Shimmin MHK has announced the delegation of duties to his political members. The four politicians assigned to the Department are Mr Alex Downie OBE, MLC; Mr Geoff Corkish MBE, MHK; Mr Alan Crowe MLC; and Mr Laurence Skelly MHK. Minister John Shimmin, MHK will retain the responsibility for E-gaming. Mr Alex Downie OBE, MLC will oversee Aircraft and Ship Registries, Space and Information Systems Division.

Mr Geoff Corkish MBE, MHK will look after Tourism and Motorsport as well as having Departmental responsibility for the Post Office. Mr Alan Crowe MLC will oversee the Financial

Services and the Companies Registry. Finally, Mr Laurence Skelly MHK’s responsibilities will include Manufacturing, Retail, Film, E-commerce, Clean Tech, Bio-tech, Energy, Construction, Mines and Minerals. Mr Skelly will also lead the Employment and Skills Group.

32% increase in new business for Royal London 360° Royal London 360° has recorded an increase in new business of 32% during the first nine months of 2011, compared to the same period last year; having written £308 million of new business between 1 January and 30 September, compared to £233 million in 2010.

Exceptional sales of the recently launched award-winning international single premium investment bond, Oracle, its single premium portfolio bond, PIMS, and its regular premium savings product, Quantum, have helped to drive Royal London 360°’s positive new business figures. Distribution through UK offshore Wrap partnerships also remains strong. The award-winning LifePlan Split Trust also continues to prove very popular in the international protection market.

In addition, significant recent investment in product development and back office infrastructure has been incredibly well-received by IFAs and has further contributed to the strong new business results.

Chief Executive, David Kneeshaw said, “I am delighted... it is extremely encouraging and shows that our investment, coupled with the hard work of all of our staff, is really beginning to pay off.”

Abacus Acquire Portal Fund Administration Limited Leading fund and fiduciary services specialist, Abacus, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Isle of Man based fund administrators, Portal Fund Administration Limited. The acquisition, which is a key part of Abacus’ ongoing development strategy, further reinforces Abacus’ position as a market leader and one of the largest service providers in the Isle of Man, placing them at the forefront of the island’s fund administration sector.

Managing Director of Abacus Financial Services Limited, Paul Kneen said: “Despite a turbulent economic backdrop, during the last 18 months we have continued to pursue our growth plans. We have successfully established a new European office in Malta; we have built upon the strength of our existing resources with a number of key senior appointments within our Isle of Man and Malta offices; and we have undertaken an extensive sales and marketing drive which has resulted in the successful expansion of our business lines. The acquisition of Portal is a further important step within our corporate development strategy.”

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BUSINESS

BusinessNews

Just Care about our community In today’s economic climate it is encouraging to hear of a young businessman who cares about the community he lives in. Ben Hellowell is Managing Director of Just Care Products Ltd, who provide mobility equipment and daily living aids for disabled and less-abled people. A worthwhile business – even more so when you discover its Manx-born MD is just 18 years old.

The showroom at Spring Valley Trading estate is now two months old and the future already looks bright. Ben believes that global recession and economic hard times should not waylay young people from fulfilling their dreams in business.

Heron and Brearley acquires Yorkshire Pub chain Heron and Brearley, the Island’s biggest hospitality company, is set to significantly expand its operations in the north of England after acquiring Market Town Taverns, an operator of pubs based in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Founded in 1999, Market Town Taverns operates 15 managed houses located across North and West Yorkshire. The business focuses on the Real Ale trade, with all of its pubs listed in the 2012 CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Good Beer Guide and holding Cask Marque accreditation.

Heron and Brearley’s retail director Steven Taylor said, ‘Acquiring Market Town Taverns is very much a coup for Heron and Brearley. An acquisition package of this calibre is extremely rare, given the level of consolidation industry-wide in the current economic climate. Market Town Taverns is a well-run operation and the company’s business model, with its strong focus on delivering excellent customer service, complements that of Heron and Brearley.

“The company was born out of conversations I’d had with disabled friends, both young and old, who felt there was a real lack of products available for them on the Island. I’d always wanted to start up my own business and saw a real gap in the market that I knew I could fill. I did all the research and there definitely was a lack of mobility equipment and daily living aids, so the idea grew into a credible business model.”

“I want to assist people to live in their homes for as long as possible and with the type of products available in today’s market this is becoming increasingly easier. The showroom has made it easier to try out products before deciding on what’s best for you. It is often extremely difficult to go off Island to purchase a large item like a wheelchair so I hope we provide something really worthwhile for Island residents.

“I had a good idea – and my aim is now to secure the foundations and nurture the business to grow. I know times are hard but that shouldn’t put young people off starting up their own business. If you have the motivation then believe in your idea and have a go.”

Just Care Products Ltd, Ben Hellowell t: 627177

Delegation of department duties Hon. Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, has today confirmed the delegation of Department duties to his political Members.

Laurence Skelly MHK will take on responsibility for Community, Culture and Arts; including becoming Chair of the Isle of Man Arts Council. Juan Turner MLC has been delegated responsibility for Sport, the Wildlife Park, Manx National Heritage and the Customer First project. Minister Crookall retains responsibility for Public Transport and the Villa Marina and Gaiety Theatre.

The Minister said, ‘I am delighted to welcome Mr Skelly and Mr Turner to the Department of Community, Culture & Leisure and I am greatly looking forward to working with them to deliver excellent services to the people of the Isle of Man. Services provided by my Department make a significant contribution to the quality of life we all enjoy.’

The DCCL is the sponsoring Department for Manx National Heritage, the Manx Heritage Foundation, the Office of Fair Trading, the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee, Manx Radio and the regional swimming pool authorities.

Sporting & Dinning Club 8th March 2012 Question of Sport Quiz Event

Everyone of a certain age can recall a seemingly endless stream of sporting legends gracing our fourchannelled screens since the mid-80s. A Question of Sport was one of the very first British celebrity panel quizzes, and 8 March 2012 sees The Isle of Man Sporting & Dining Club hosting a Question of Sport Quiz Event at the Palace Hotel & Casino; a fabulous black-tie evening of corporate entertainment and a little friendly competition. The evening will be hosted by impressionist Kevin Connolly, comedian and star of BBC2’s “Dead Ringers”, who will add a splash of quality and humour with his incredible repertoire of well-known sporting voices, including Des Lynam, John Motson, Geoffrey Boycott and Sven Goran Eriksson.

Ian Clague, PwC Isle of Man, principle sponsor of “QUESTION OF SPORT” said, “PwC are delighted to be the lead sponsor of Question of Sport and we are sure that it will be a fun and enjoyable evening for all. We are also pleased that the event will help to raise funds and hope that everyone will give generously towards the local good causes.” The named charities are Isle of Man Sport Institute Manx Sports Aid and Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK Teams are welcomed from all areas - corporate, societies, charities, sport & social clubs and committees everyone will be made most welcome!

For “QUESTION OF SPORT” ticket availability, please contact John Wannenburgh on 07624 49 57 49, or email john@sportinganddiningclub.com.

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InvestmentNews

A HOME FOR YOUR CASH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

BUSINESS

Words | Patrick Crookall

Markets rally every time EU leaders announce a plan to solve their debt crisis.

But within a few days it becomes apparent that each package has not solved the underlying problems, and investors are pulled back into the mayhem.

In times of economic uncertainty and market volatility investors take measures to reduce their riskier positions and move into safer, better quality assets.

With interest rates currently at historically low levels, returns on most savings accounts do not present an attractive return especially when the UK’s Consumer Prices index inflation stood at 5.0% in October.

Are there alternative investments for your cash?

Patrick Crookall B.A., Chartered FCSI Director Ramsey Crookall & Co Ltd 38-42 Athol Street Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1QH Tel: 01624 673171 www.ramseycrookall.com Licensed by the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission

UK Government bonds which are also known as gilts are viewed as a “safe haven” by international investors who are pulling money out of the Eurozone and switching into sterling based assets. With a AAA rating the huge demand for UK gilts has pushed their prices up to such an extent that 2 year gilts yield just 0.5%, 5 year 1.1% and 10 year 2.2%.

Investors seeking higher returns may wish to consider investment grade bonds which are issued by good quality established companies with strong balance sheets.

These bonds can be bought and sold at any time in the market and prices are determined by movements in interest rates and demand which lately have pushed the prices of AAA corporate bonds up to unprecedented levels. For example, an existing issue with a 3.75% coupon due on the 7th September 2016, is trading at 109.75 which is a yield to maturity of 1.63%.

Every so often a new bond is released and we recently saw a new 10 year AAA rated bond issued by Co-operative Bank guaranteed by Moorland Covered Bonds LLP carrying a 4.75% coupon with a minimum investment of £100,000.

Investors who are prepared to pursue a higher risk strategy may wish to invest a part of their portfolio in equities which appear cheap compared to bonds with dividend yields offering attractive returns. Prices can be extremely volatile, however, for investors who can stomach a rollercoaster ride will find Aviva shares yielding 9.0% and Vodafone 5.4%.

|Statements made herein represent the views of the writer and are given in good faith but without legal responsibility and are subject to change without notice|

TechnologyNews

While airports continue to argue the pros and cons of the body scanner (the ones with all the privacy issues) what are the alternatives? Recently the IATA showcased what it believes to be the ‘Security Checkpoint of the Future’; consisting of a series of tunnels and far too much coloured strip lighting. It is set to replace the ‘One scan fits all’ ideology, and instead we’ll each be assigned a Travel Profile, thus presenting us to one of the three coloured tunnels. ‘Known Travellers’, who have completed Governmental Background Checks, will cruise through the Sky Blue Tunnel with little more than an ID check, while those sent through the Yellow Tunnel will be subjected to an array of complex scanners including iris scanners and contraband detectors. There seems to be no indication of what the IATA will call these Yellow People, other than to say the tunnel is ‘enhanced’. I assume it will be something along the lines of ‘Shifty-looking Gits’. Seems to me like we’re replacing Privacy issues with Elitist ones... These tunnels might be seen in 5-7 years.

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Security Checkpoints of the future!

Or how about a thermal lie detector? For use during customs interviews primarily, a team of UK-based researchers believe they’ve developed a thermal lie-detection camera that can tell if you’re importing pork...or telling porkies. One or the other.

And then you’ve got the Finnish people, who have designed a system of using existing Mobile Phone Bluetooth signals to track passenger movements throughout the airport. One question though, couldn’t the nefarious type just...turn his Bluetooth off?

And I think this is my favourite: Behavioural Detection Officers!

Human sniffer dogs, trained by Burger King (or someone) to stimulate ‘involuntary physical and physiological reactions’ displayed by someone who is trying to hide something, by engaging in idle chit-chat. Have you read ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’? I think you should...

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24 long servers clock up more than 500 years service at RBS International Twenty four Relationship Directors in RBS International’s Corporate team have built up a remarkable 516 years of collective experience with the Group.

The longest serving Relationship Director is Steve Zybert, Relationship Director, Financial Institutions - having worked for the Group for 38 years. He said, “We live in a very different world today to the one 38 years ago. Putting aside the technological developments, the one thing that has remained consistent is quality customer service and I would go as far as saying that RBS International is even more customer focused today than the bank I knew nearly 40 years ago.”

Bill Shimmins, Regional Director for RBS International, Isle of Man, added, “To have over 500 years’ experience in the Corporate team shows the great strength in depth that RBS International is able to offer customers.”

Manx Telecom appoints new Data Centre Director Manx Telecom has appointed Stuart Paul as its new Data Centre Director and he has big plans to expand the company’s hosting business both on and offIsland. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience as an operations director and has delivered data centre hosting support services to the private sector and government. He commented, “I’m delighted to be joining Manx Telecom at what is a very exciting time for the company and am looking forward to developing the Data Centre arm of the business. Our facility at Douglas North - the only purpose built Data Centre on the Island - is truly world class. Being able to offer clients the very highest standards in security and business continuity puts Manx Telecom in a strong position in the worldwide provision of data hosting services.”

Before joining Manx Telecom he was Hosting Operations Director at Iomart plc, a post he took up in 2007. During his time with Iomart, Stuart was responsible for bringing four new data centres into service in the UK. Stuart’s CV also includes working as a Senior Data Centre Consultant for Company-I and he was Head of Data Centre Services at Cable & Wireless from 2000 to 2007. He is also a member of the British Institute of Facilities Management.

FAIRBAIRN PRIVATE BANK APPOINTS NEW UK HEAD OF PRIVATE BANKING Robert Currie has joined Fairbairn Private Bank as the new UK head of private banking, based at the bank’s London office. Robert has joined from Coutts, having recently returned from a 12-month secondment as head of sales and business development in the USA for Citizens Private Bank and Trust, one of RBS’s operating subsidiaries. Prior to his USA assignment Robert was managing partner of Coutts & Co’s Executive client group in the City of London.

Commenting on the appointment, Greg Horton, managing director of Fairbairn Private Bank, said: “I am delighted to welcome Robert to our senior management team. It is a very exciting time for the bank as we continue to develop our UK presence and raise the profile of our asset management offering in the UK.”

Cable & Wireless bring on SME Manager Local telecoms provider Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has announced the appointment of Joanne Cutsforth as its Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Business Account Manager. This is a new position that has been created in order to provide the optimum levels of support to CWC’s growing SME customer base.

Prior to beginning work in the telecoms industry, Joanne was employed for a number of years with Lloyds TSB on the Island. In her time there, she worked as a Senior International Banking Advisor and an International Phone Bank Agent; both of which helped to develop her customer service skills to a high level. Joanne joined CWC in August 2011, bringing with her five years’ experience in the telecoms industry.

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O

FFICE Christmas parties may be an excuse to let your hair down a little at the end of a gruelling work year, but you don’t want it, or you, to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

And getting loud and lairy as a guest at functions organised by firms you do business with could cost you money and contacts.

Getting so drunk that you find yourself losing your lunch or dinner in your desk drawers is unlikely to impress your boss (or the cleaners).

There is no reason you can’t have fun at the office bash, but don’t lose your business head. Keep your hedonistic tendencies for when you are out partying in private.

Hooking up with a colleague might be the beginning of a beautiful relationship, but being caught steaming up the windows of your car on the security CCTV won’t do much for your professional reputation.

So pay attention to some simple rules and let the merriment begin...

1. Do go along. Unless you have another, unbreakable commitment it is really politic to attend, even if it is just for a short while.

2. Don’t drink too much. You want to be relaxed. Not dancing on tables, singing karaoke and exposing yourself on the photocopier before slumping unconscious in a corner.

6. Don’t let careless talk cost you career advancement. Just because your tongue has been relaxed by a few Cosmo’s, it doesn’t mean you are in an episode of Sex and the City. Bitching about your boss or colleagues isn’t nice and could get back to them if you don’t know who is listening. Likewise you don’t want to unload all your emotional baggage on your fellow guests. Maintain a little mystery.

3. Do dress appropriately. Transform yourself from be-suited ugly duckling into sequinned swan by all means, just don’t wear something so revealing that colleagues can’t look you in the eye.

7. Don’t tell suspect jokes or use foul language, especially if you don’t know your audience. Some business associates could be offended.

4. Don’t treat it like a singles bar. With a one night stand the chances are you will never meet again after your pre or postbreakfast parting. Get frisky with someone from the office and you will have to face them every day. Don’t do it if it is going to have you curling your toes in regret from 9 to 5.

8. Do socialise and network, but keep it relaxed, it could be perceived as self-serving.

5. Don’t be too flirtatious. It may be innocent but could lead to a lot of mixed messages, hurt feelings and the need for damage control come Monday morning.

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9. Do say thank you to the organiser. Some poor sap will have had to organise it all so they would probably appreciate the acknowledgement.

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are proud sponsors of Douglas Rugby Union Football Club and wish the team, coaches and supporters a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year!

The Islands Premier IT Services Company Contact 2e2 | (t) 649900 | www.2e2.co.im

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and

Refurbished indoor bowls facility at NSC Both recreational and competitive bowlers are enjoying the newly refurbished indoor bowls facility at the National Sports Centre, Douglas.

Hon Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, said: ‘The NSC is the only place where indoor bowling can take place on the Island and we have a superb facility that caters for both recreational and competitive bowlers.

It’s pleasing that refurbishment of the indoor bowls facility has been completed ahead of schedule.’

Football Festival

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SPORT

with more than 100 members. Newcomers to bowling are always welcome and anyone interested should contact NSC reception on 688588 for details on lane availability.

Charges with resident’s discount card are £7.60 per hour for adults or £6.90 for senior citizens.

Refreshments are available from the NSC Cafe and also the vending machines; and don’t forget to pick up a copy of your Gallery Magazine while you’re there.

The NSC caters for customers who want a casual, non competitive game of bowls while for the more competitive bowler there is a league structure in place

Disability

SportsNews

The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure’s Sports Development Unit, supported by Barclays Wealth, is working to develop and increase the number of sporting opportunities available for all children with disabilities across the Island.

And last week more than 40 children with various disabilities took part in the annual Disability Football Festival for all secondary Special Educational Needs (SEN) Units.

Through the ongoing work of the Disability Sports Development Officer Zoe Carney and from the generous donation of £7,500 from Barclays Wealth, another year of sporting festivals and training sessions has been secured. ‘The Sports

The Bowls Club are always looking for new members – for details on how to get into competitive indoor bowling, contact Joyce Ogden on 616139.

Development Unit, in conjunction with the Isle of Man Football Association, facilitated a series of weekly football training sessions to all secondary SEN Units across the Island. The money from Barclays Wealth helped to purchase new specialised equipment to ensure all children are made fully inclusive within the weekly training sessions. During the festival on 8 November children had the opportunity to take part in a variety of football activities followed by a series of football matches where schools competed and socialised with other children from across the Island.’

More info: Zoe Carney - Disability Sports Development Officer: 688575 // Zoe.Carney@gov.im 73

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Douglas 32 - 16 Vagabonds

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ovember 19th’s mild, late autumn afternoon saw the latest instalment of one of the Island’s strongest sporting rivalries as Douglas entertained Vagabonds in a repeat of the Manx Cup fixture of 1981. Before the game, Douglas Rugby Club hosted a lunch for Past Players, including many of the faces that graced that epic fixture of ’81-‘82.

30 years ago the tie took place across three matches. 17th October saw Douglas lose at home to Vagas 9-12, the difference a single drop goal. Vagabonds hosted the return fixture on 3rd April ’82,

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losing to Douglas 6-9. Not a single try was scored in either fixture, testament to precisely how close the contest was. But there had to be a result, and the decider was hosted on 24th April at Douglas, following the toss of a coin. In the end the margins couldn’t have been finer, with Douglas winning out 11-9; 2 tries and a penalty over 2 penalties... putting the Manx cup in Douglas hands.

Seeing so many of the faces that featured in that epic contest in the same room 30 years on, it’s interesting to see how far they’ve gone; a testament to how ingrained in Manx culture their beloved Rugby clubs are. Just here you’ll see the team sheet from the day, and just a few indicators of where you’ll see these men plying their trade now.

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Orginal photos from 1981 final

VA GA BO ND S

DO UG LA S 15. John Horsthuis MD Robinsons Fresh Foods 3. Martyn Riley Park Head of Rileys of Eden 8. Tim Manning aster Berwick School Headm 9. Neil McGregor of Sports Buchan School Head 12. Chris Talavera Abacus Trust Company Chairman

The 1981 final playlist BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

12. Mike Dee Manx Telecom CEO 10. Ian Forrest Cains Advocates 14. Oliver Webster Cains Advocates 15. Simon Murray IOM Prison Service 00. Graham Kennaugh (Father of Leigh) Ramsey Crookall

Photos from the Lunch for past players

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SportsNews

SPORT

Entries open for Manx Telecom Parish Walk 2012 with early sign-up Discount Offer Entries for next year’s Manx Telecom Parish Walk open on December 1st and Manx Telecom mobile customers who enter the Parish Walk before the end of January will get £5 off their entry fee. Race organisers are hoping to see a record number taking part in 2012. A total of 1,753 entrants signed up for this year’s event - the highest ever total in the event’s long history - and it’s hoped that another record will be set next year.

A new Corporate Challenge category for teams of four is being introduced for the first Manx Telecom-sponsored Parish Walk.

All four team members must be bona fide employees of the same company, and no team can have

more than one member who has previously completed the full 85mile Parish Walk.

David Smith, Manx Telecom Marketing Director, said, “We’re very proud to sponsor the Parish Walk, the level of participation and enthusiasm which it generates each year is a wonderful example of the Island’s community spirit. Giving our mobile customers an early sign-up discount is a great way to encourage what we hope will be another record year.”

MAC announces winner of RWC competition The MAC Group has announced the winner of their 2011 Rugby World Cup Competition as being Stuart Dewhirst, a Relationship Manager at Barclays Wealth, who won an iPod Nano for correctly guessing the result of the Cup final. Over 100 of MAC’s clients and business contacts entered the competition by stating who they thought would win the final and by what margin. Although New Zealand were the firm favourites of the entrants, with over 50% choosing the hosts, Stuart was the only person to correctly guess that the score margin of the final would be just one point. He was delighted to have won and thanked MAC for his new iPod Nano, which he intends to give to his wife.

Royal London 360° supports the Isle of Man TT Riders Association The offshore life company, which has sponsored the Royal London 360° Superstock TT Race since 2004, is donating £200 to the charity which provides support to TT riders who may have been injured whilst racing in the event, or those who are in need of support through old age or poor health. The Isle of Man TT Riders Association also supports the families of those riders who tragically lose their life whilst competing.

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Mike Crellin, Finance and Commercial Director of Royal London 360° and a former TT competitor himself, commented: “The Isle of Man TT Riders Association is a very worthwhile charity which has provided practical help and support for so many racers and their families since it was established more than 60 years ago. I am delighted that we are able to support its work.”

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SPORT

Rex’s Rant

B

eing a Turnip Troll who lives in Groudle Glen, I don’t get paid much. In fact, I don’t get paid at all.

I never really understood the concept of money at all, until recently. An entirely different kind of troll, Carlos Tevez taught me the meaning of money.

I was Trolling along the river, trying to catch something for supper, when a couple walked by on the path above, and they were discussing this Tevez person. He’s a Premiership Footballer; a man paid (reportedly) more than £250,000 a week to play a sport. Now then, I’m all for promoting the success of fellow Trolls, but recently he was accused of refusing to play in a Champions League match. Following this, his employers tried to fine him four weeks wages...equating to a £1m! (again, reportedly...I have to keep saying reportedly. Also, it is yet to be confirmed that Tevez is a real Troll...)

is that these fines are usually donated to a series of local charities. If that’s the case, then the FA have taken £500,000 out of the hands of the needy and put it back in the deep pockets of an ungrateful and ill-disciplined millionaire; on the strength of a technicality.

Most football fans would give anything for the honour of turning out in the colours of their beloved club – even Sky Blue colours! And yet, Carlos refused – like a petulant child. Reportedly.

Apparently there’s this place called Europe, and it’s falling apart at the seams. The Greek and the Italian economies are on the brink of defaulting on massive loan repayments, or something. They can’t pay them back. So the rest of Europe are bailing them out, but only if they put in to place really restrictive Austerity Measures. Frogger said that he wonders why The British Government didn’t make the same Austerity demands with reference to certain Banking Tycoons and their Bonus-packed contracts when they used Taxpayers’ money to Bail Out the banks a few years ago...

Anyway, while this behaviour is disgraceful enough, it’s not what has my Troll Hackles at attention. What does is the FA’s decision in ruling on the case, whereby they forced the fine to be reduced to only £500,000 (2 weeks wages, bless him) because there was only evidence that Tevez refused to warm up, and there is no proof that he refused to play. Now, from what I learned from that couple walking by the river, their understanding

So I bumbled back up the glen and went to speak with my friend Frogger. Frogger’s very wise. He told me that money does that to people. He said that it poisons the good, and empowers the evil. Frogger’s a little odd. But he did point out something even more infuriating!

I said I didn’t know, I’m just a Troll.

Illustration | Bryony Harrison

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Hardware

HARDWARE

Phonehome

www.manxtelecom.com

Nokia 500

Available now at Manx Telecom’s Strand Street store in Douglas.

Nokia 500 from FREE or £180 on Pay As You Go Best prices guaranteed by Manx Telecom’s Price Match Promise.

Key Features: 5 megapixel camera 2GB internal memory (expandable) HSPA internet access Symbian Anna OS 5 colour changeable back covers The Nokia 500 is a great choice if you want an affordable smartphone which you can customise to reflect your own personal style. It offers changeable back covers in five different colours if you want to change your phone to match your outfit - and there are three customisable home screens so everything that’s important to you is just a tap away.

Widgets and shortcuts for news, apps, and much more can all be set up to your own preferences.

A powerful 1GHz processor means that everything about the Nokia 500 is fast. It’s perfect for using Facebook and Twitter as it boasts download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps download speeds – so it’s ideal for making the most of Manx Telecom’s fastest on Island 3G HSPA network. Emails appear on your home screen as soon as they are received and there’s a 2GB internal memory which can be expanded by up to 32GB with a microSD card.

The 5 megapixel camera has a 4x digital zoom and there’s a photo editor if you want to get creative with your images.

Sure has taken everything off!

www.surecw.com/isleofman/ Vagabonds rugby players bared all in Strand Street’s first ever live window display at the Sure Shop between 12 and 2pm yesterday.

This rather daring display signified the launch of Sure’s new low prices on handsets this Christmas.

Since launching on the island in 2007 Sure have driven down the cost of mobile ownership by 40%.

To celebrate their lowest deals on phones ever, Sure’s new advertising campaign features nude cartoon models with the slogan ‘This time we’ve taken everything off’.

The live window display featured Vagabonds players who agreed to take everything off – apart from a few strategically placed poster boards.

Kate Hegarty, Marketing Manager at Sure, said: “We have made almost all our handsets free on one of our lowest monthly rental

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plans. We believe these are the best prices the Isle of Man has ever seen and it means that Islanders can more easily compare our prices with those of our competitors.”

Sure customers will be able to choose a free handset of their choice when they opt for the Basic400 £25 per month tariff or higher. There are only two exceptions to this offer: BlackBerry handsets need a data plan so are all available for free on the Smart400 £35 per month tariff.

The second exception is the 16Gb iPhone 4, which will be available for £49 when customers choose a tariff of £35 per month.

Islanders wanting to choose a free handset should visit the Sure stores in either Douglas or Ramsey.

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MUSIC

A Kneen Eye

P HIL KN EE N N ME PHOTOGRAPH ER O F T HE Y EA R FIN A L I ST 2 0 1 1 Wo rds | B o nzo Slate r

Peel photographer Phil Kneen has been recognised as one of the premier upcoming talents in music photography by no less than the New Musical Express as a finalist in the Professional Category for Music Photographer of the Year 2011. Phil’s work was judged by the expert eyes of a panel including NME’s star photographers Pennie Smith and Andy Willsher, Photo Director Marian Paterson and Picture Editor Zoe Capstick.

Phil has been a photographer since his teens, but it has only been in the past few years that he has specialised in portraiture generally and musicians in particular. His striking and

sometimes disturbing work for bands such as Planes Over Paris garnered much attention both here and overseas on the professional photographic websites. However it was when he reached the final of the Guardian’s Britain in competition last year that he began to find a wider audience.

Since then he has been much in demand, amongst other assignments completing an album sleeve for Dutch ban Voicst, publicity for this year’s Glastonbury heroes the Vaccines and most recently capturing the legendary Shaun Ryder for the Guardian.

with his eye for lighting and composition, give his portraits a contemporary yet timeless quality, as much the reportage of Don McCullin as the formalism of Richard Avedon.

His pictures not only convey an image but reflect the souls of his subjects, a feat often attempted but rarely achieved. This skill is even more evident in his pictures for last year’s exhibition “Solway”, a photo essay in portraiture (now a book) of the events and impact of the Solway Harvester tragedy.

In an age of digital imaging, Phil’s favoured medium is conventional film. This, together www.philk ne e n . co m

His next project is a shoot in London before Christmas for the cult music magazine Dazed And Confused, with the New Year taking him to the stark beauty of Iceland. If there is one thing certain in 2012, it’s that Phil Kneen is going to be an extremely busy man.

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