Who? What? Where? Why? When? November 2012
December 2012 LIFESTYLE - FOOD INFORMATION - HOBBIES - GARDENS - FINANCE . FOOD- OFFERS . OFFERS- .GADGETS . HOBBIES . GARDENS . FINANCE . ETC LIFESTYLE GADGETS -. INFORMATION
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5Ws December 2012
Happy Christmas Welcome to the Second Edition of 5Ws Magazine. Thank you for all the encouragement and all the help that you gave us for our first issue. We have been thrilled with the success of the magazine and are delighted to offer you our second packed edition. We have our new logo too, from Richard Peers
Have a Great Christmas and a Happy new Year ! Gaile, Marina Alta Business Club www.mabusinessclub.com Ulpa voloritasin pliquat la vent. Enis non pori qui ducitis alit ut exceatem litium quost
December 2012
CONTENTS 24
8 featured
12 Long Term Rental Info
08
The 5Ws of Community Ali Meehan of Costa Women
16 Stay Safe WWW
24
The President and the Administrator
42 VBP Cemetery
Managing Urbanisations
30
For Vine is the Kingdom... by Sarah Farrell
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46 Madrid 52 Cooking with Nitu 68 Elena Lowenthal
page 81
30
68 06 What’s On? 11 Photo of the Month 14 iTunes App Picks 15 Films & DVDs 22 Currency 39 HGOL Next Event 40 IKEA 52 Getting Ad Results 57 37 Years... 58 1815
regular 62 72 81 86
Etchings Serial Part 2 Bedtime... MABC Links
All the information in the magazine is the copyright and responsibility of the contributors. If you wish to know more about 5Ws please contact the Editor at manager@mabc.biz or via the website www.5ws.biz
Published by Marina Alta Business Club SL CIF: B54067996 Tel: 966 461 913
Feria de Artesanía de Navidad 2012 - 2013 Una plaza d'artesania 30-11-2012 - 06-01-2013 Email: arteval.asociacion@gmail.com La Asociación de artesanos (ARTEVAL), organiza y convoca la XI Edición de la Feria de Artesania de Navidad en Valencia, de carácter Nacional. LUGAR: En la Plaza de la Reina, junto a la Catedral y el Miguelete. DIAS: Desde el 30 de noviembre de 2012 hasta el 6 de enero de 2013. HORARIO: De 10:30 a 14:00 horas y de 16:30 a 21:00 horas.Los días 25 de diciembre y 1 de enero la Feria también permanecerá abierta con el mismo horario. El día 5 (Reyes), permanecerá abierta la Feria hasta las 24:00 horas.
The town of San Miguel de Salinas will be all festive from the 21st to the 23rd December 2012. During these dates the 1st Christmas Market, known in Spanish as the I Feria Navidena will take place. The stalls will be located in Plaza Jaime I and Plaza Tornavoz beside the Casa de Cultura and all sorts of Christmassy items and gifts will be on offer as well as activities, games and some surprises! 6|
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Para más información: ARTEVAL (ASOCIACION DE ARTESANOS VALENCIANOS) C/ CONCHA ESPINA, 12, BAJO- DCHA 46021- VALENCIA Tlf/fax: 963 290 287 Movil: 619 276 384 Email: arteval.asociacion@gmail.com Información elaborada por: TOURIST INFO VALENCIA - PAZ Calle Paz,48 46003 - VALENCIA Tel: 963986422 Fax: 963986421 Email: valencia@touristinfo.net
Obras de Verdi y Wagner
Concerts Costa Blanca present in association with the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía (Valencia Opera)
12 enero 2013 - 20.00h
January 2013
Booking & travel : 55-seater coaches will be booked as follows : Moraira : Departing from the other side of the road from the La Senieta Theatre (in front of the Wok Restaurant). You should use the large Moraira car park. Jávea : Departing from Ausias March (opposite the shop called Interiors) Mas-y-Mas (on N332 north of Gata) Buses will stop here for further passenger pick-up - Tickets (good stalls) from € 80 per person (including bus). To book please email info@concertscostablanca.com for available dates - please put your surname in CAPITALS into the SUBJECT line - Specify the number of tickets required, the event and print your e-mail address in the body of the reply, include the exact pick up point required.
February 2013
April 2013
The Five W’s of Community Ali Meehan
Traditionally, storytelling with problem solving and collaboration were the backbone of communities. Combine that today with “new technology“ and you have living and breathing new worlds of communities. Our community, Costa Women (for Women living in Spain) has taken the old and new world order and from an idea has become a thriving and exciting place to meet and connect. Here are our five Ws of community:-
The life of an expat has changed much since the days of the telegraph, airmail letters, faxes and the possible delivery of the weekly newspaper to your foreign land. The Internet has opened up all sorts of possibilities for keeping in touch with family and friends whilst living 1000s of miles apart. Skype, Facebook, Twitter, email or a combination of all - out of necessity Women of a certain age are taking to their iPads and communicating. 8|
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http://jokideo.com/looks-like-everyones-online/
WWW
The Costa Women community started online only. Now we have groups meeting from East of Malaga, Calahonda, Marbella, Sotogrande to Granada. Over 200
Women congregate monthly, communicating knowledge, life and stories about their world in Spain, with 100s of others meeting, connecting and sharing online.
According to research shared in a local newspaper, Spain has currently 5.7 million foreign Residents. We
Expats are a diverse Group and bring our own customs and histories with us. However, we all share one common thread – we are in strangers in a foreign land.
WHERE? We have chosen to get on that boat, board that plane, drive that car and Moving to a new country or area landed somewhere that, to us, isn’t can be hard without contacts. just a holiday destination but now Yellow pages is no longer an a home. option; it’s all down to referrals and recommendations. What can “WE” offer to others?
What are the local schools like, how can I find a plumber, or who Much … and for Costa Women the sells Moroccan Oil hair products, diversity of its members brings the is the area we are renting suitable chance to share our own cultures for a family? and lifestyles, our businesses and These questions and more have in our daily challenges. the last few years been answered As a collective – Costa Women by the plethora of Forums that has formed to become a “We” provide answers for Wannabee-inthat is now 1,250+ members Spain and Newbies. spread across Spain from different Costa Women provides such a countries and continents (as well as platform with real Women living Spain itself). The members have in Spain who have experienced, lots of stories to tell and share, but and continue to experience daily for the most part we say “Nosotras life issues, concerns, joys and Costa Women”. celebrations.
WOMEN Many people (OK lets be honest Men!) ask why Costa Women was created for the Women only. And there are lots of reasons. Women network differently (whether that’s socially or for business). Women are experts at seeing an opportunity. If it doesn’t fit with their own goals or future, it might with yours so they share. Women are relationship experts; we join the dots between family and friends. Women are natural givers; a fact borne out by a high percentage of not-for-profit organisations being run by Women. Providing a safe, members only platform, Costa Women can share in a mutually supportive and secure environment.
Picture courtesy of Sarah Gabbay
W for World (Wide and Web), W for We, W for Working, W for Women, W for What Next Put them all together and Welcome to Costa Women!
Ali Meehan http://about.me/alimeehan
WORKING TOGETHER Working together to achieve a goal has never been more important than in today’s society. The old adage ‘knowledge is power’ (and very rarely shared), doesn’t work any longer. Networking and social interaction are the way forward. We work to connect with other Women’s Groups that at one stage in our development would have been called competitors, but today are friends. We provide a platform for other Women’s Groups in Spain to advertise their events and services. The Group that appeals to one Women’s interests and hobbies may not appeal to another; choice is the key. 10 |
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Whether physically working, or sharing common goals and aims, we are forming a community of Women that opens doors for its members in a positive environment. The power of networking, mixed with encouragement and realism is the foundation that we are building on. At Costa Women there is something for everyone, whether it’s getting to know more about our adopted country, making new friendships, asking or offering advice, sharing ideas and interests, writing blogs and stories, connecting on and off line, or general business promotion. The future is only through collaboration; by effectively working with one another, exchanging ideas and culture and building a way forward for the creation of exciting opportunities.
“The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.” Johann Wolfgand von Goethe Join Costa Women for free at http://costawomen.ning.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ CostaWomen Twitter: @costawomen
Happy Christmas! from www.javeaphotos.com
vertised price, as demand for quality properties for long term rental is quite high - particularly around the Northern Costa Blanca. However, it may be possible to pay slightly less than the advertised price if the property has been empty for a Here is our guide to Long Term while. Renting a property in Spain: Deposit - Rental deposits can Viewings - Viewings are normally vary, but usually two months rent undertaken on a one-on-one basis is required as deposit, along with with the agent. Sometimes, how- the first month’s rent and agents ever, it is not possible for potential commission of half a month’s tenants to visit the area before tak- rent. Therefore, it is very normal ing up a long term rental. In these to be required to pay three and a instances, we recommend that the half months rent up front. The two potential renters ask for detailed months deposit and agents cominformation about the property, mission is non-refundable if the the area, the areas of responsibil- potential tenant changes his/her ity (who pays which bills for ex- mind and pulls out of the rental. ample), along with requesting any other information that is particu- Contract - Most long term rental larly important to each individual contracts in Spain are for an 11 renter. month period and most contracts will be in both Spanish and EngOffers - It is not usual for a land- lish. Generally, contracts should lord to need to accept offers at a detail the rental period, amount of lower monthly rental than the ad- rental, when the rent is due, who As one of the predominant Long Term Rental Agents Javea, we at VillaMia are able to provide you with all the information you need when considering taking up a rental property.
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is responsible for paying the bills, and clauses prohibiting subletting, using the property for commercial use and not making any structural changes to the property. There should also be a clause referring to the deposit monies paid. Bills - Usually, the utility bills (water, electric and gas) are paid for by the tenants by changing the direct debits with the utility companies. Bills for utilities are sent out (and taken from the bank account) every month usually for electricity and every other month for water and gas, so unless this date conveniently coincides with the rental start or end date, there is often a little sensible apportioning to be done. Usually, telephone and television is at the cost of the tenant. Local taxes and any applicable community fees are generally paid by the landlord, whilst pool and garden maintenance can vary per property.
Long Term Rental information
Upkeep of the Property - During the Rental Period - It is the responsibility of the tenants to ensure that the condition of the property and, where applicable, the garden are maintained, and any cost of cleaning and slight damage should be incurred by the tenants during the rental period. Here in Spain, humidity is high and tenants are responsible for ensuring that properties are well ventilated, especially during winter months when heating is in use. Any machinery failure, such as washing machines or boilers, should be checked by a qualified technician via the agent and costs of repair apportioned as per the findings of the technician. Usually, the costs for these repairs will be for the landlord, as both of these failings are due to simple wear and tear, but if damage has been caused by the tenants then they are responsible for paying the repair bill. These situations are usually dealt with quickly and logically by the agent.
Return of the Deposit - The deposit should be returned in full at the end of the rental period, minus any damage, breakages or unpaid bills. Usually, if the tenants break the contract before the end of the rental agreement, the owner is within his/her rights to retain the deposit money. Pets - Some properties will accept pets, whilst other owners prefer not - if not stated you should check with the agent before committing to a property. Some urbanisations simply do not allow pets, and therefore it is not always the decision of the owner. Furniture & Furnishings - if the property is being rented wholly or part furnished, an inventory should be provided which should be signed by the tenants. This list should be checked by the owner or the agent at the end of the rental period to ensure that all items are still present in the property (this should be done with the tenant to ensure
agreement). VillaMia now recommends video inventories which we can organise from 70 euros. Who to Call during the Rental Period - this depends who is “managing� the rental. Sometimes agents are retained to simply source tenants and are not required to participate further in the rental. In this case, the tenants should address any queries directly to the owner. In other instances the agent provides the first point of contact and then liaises with the owner. In this case, queries should be addressed to the agent.
Villamia - Specialists in Long Term Rentals in Javea and the surrounding areas. +34 96 579 4139 The Complete Property Service www.villamia.net
iTunes App Picks
Fruit Ninja Swipe to deliciously slash and splatter fruit like a true ninja warrior. Be careful of bombs - they are explosive to touch and will put a swift end to your juicy adventure! FREE DEMO Version also available
Bamboo Paper
Flick Golf
Wacom’s Bamboo Paper works with or without the optional stylus pen. It is a drawing pad - but one with the ability to be an artist’s tool, a designer’s draft or a meeting note-taker.
PUBLISHER: Full Fat WEB: www.fullfat.com
A free drawing app may not be professional enough for a real artist but for less than Two Euros you can upgrade to the full programme. Put into perspective this is a fantastic bargain. A Wacom pad the same size as an Android tablet or an iPad costs almost the same as the Tablet - so to be able to utilise even some of the Wacom software with the tablet is too good an opportunity to miss
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Using their own blurb - ‘Flick Golf is unique, beautiful and so challenging it’s hard to put down. The real question is can you master it? No clubs. No rules. Just flick, spin and curve your shots to try and sink that perfect hole in one. Watch out for the usual hazards; bunkers, water, trees and sand… and don’t forget the wind! It’s not that easy, just madly addictive.” For a free game, it is pretty and easy to learn - it isn’t hard to play - but it gets trickier and more difficult as you progress through the courses and it is free - so a great addition to your app collection on Android and iPhone.
Films & DVDs Buy one dvd or rent three? The eternal dilemma - made worse by being downloadable via iTunes, so rentable at midnight or over Christmas when your local Video store is closed. iTunes films have always been as expensive as buying them online - but now that you can rent them, for £3.49 from the UK Apple Store, maybe that will change. To take advantage you need a UK account with which to register your Apple iTunes Registration. So apart from this year’s crop of films what classics could you get to watch again - who can go wrong with Hitchcok?
Alfred Hitchcock selection Rear Window - Photographer Jimmy Stewart is laid up with a broken leg, spying on his fellow New Yorkers in a courtyard surrounded by apartment houses. Seen from his rear window, they’re funny, lonely, lively and possibly deadly, in the case of the mysterious traveling salesman whose sickly, nagging wife suddenly disappears. Stewart enlists the help of his gorgeous girlfriend, elegant Grace Kelly as a Park Avenue fashion model/ designer, to solve the mystery. A bizarrely original plot, ingenious set and heart-pounding suspense highlight Rear Window, along with a fascinating look at the open windows of New York apartment life Rope - James Stewart stars in this film, whose classic and gripping story is based on the Leopold-Loeb murder case. Hitchcock constructed the movie from only about 10 long takes, each averaging eight minutes. Vertigo - Ranking as the second greatest film of all time in “Sight & Sound’s” 2002 Critics’ Poll, this bleak psychological drama stars James Stewart and Kim Novak. A detective falls madly in love with an icy blonde, but she dies. Later, he meets a shopgirl who reminds him of his dead love. “Vertigo” is unsettling, but very clever. Psycho - Based on the Ed Gein murder case, this thriller ranks 18th on AFI’s list and 35th in “Sight & Sound’s” Critics’ Poll. Anthony Perkins portrays the creepy guy who runs the out-of-the-way Bates Motel, and Janet Leigh plays the woman on the lam who checks in there. The shower scene has some of the most terrifying footage in movie history.
STAY SAFE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) Steve Mitchell, Fontana Design
This article is the first in a series aimed at helping people to use and understand the World Wide Web (WWW) and stay safe whilst using this fantastic resource that is now firmly entrenched in our homes and in our culture. In this first part, I will be looking in particular at trust, whether a website is safe enough to entrust them with your business and, more importantly, your money. 16 |
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The company has a web site so they must be trustworthy, right? You could be forgiven for thinking that this statement is true but these days it is very easy to set up a web site with the plethora of free template-based site-builders available that anyone can use to create a basic site. No doubt you may have heard about the scammers who took hundreds of people’s holiday bookings a couple of years ago only for them to arrive in Spain to find that their accommodation was either nonexistent or already occupied, often by the owner who had no idea that their property was being offered for rental!
The scammers used a very professional-looking site to dupe their victims. Some even copy existing sites and make subtle changes to make them look authentic. However, you can usually spot a site that is trying to “conceal” information rather than inform. A company that has nothing to hide (and is therefore keen to do business) will have some or all of the following on their site:
Content Pay attention to the content of the web site. Are there “old” news items from several months ago, or even older? Generally, serious businesses will keep their web site up to date and make sure that the content is fresh and up-to-date.
About Us This page should contain a clear statement about who they are and how long they have been trading. I have read many “About Us” pages that are full of nonsense, management-speak that doesn’t actually communicate anything useful to the reader. As a minimum, I would expect to see some names and even photographs of the employees/ owners as well as a narrative about their business. Sometimes businesses will include testimonials from satisfied customers, but unless these can be verified, they could be false. Another way to find out if a company is trustworthy is to do some research. Look at review sites on the internet (type the company name followed by “reviews” into Google and see what comes up).
Company Registration Details Somewhere on the site, there should be details of the company registration. If the company is an S.L registered in Spain, they should include their CIF (Usually a letter followed by numbers e.g C-45589231) or if a business is run by an Autónomo, their NIF (this looks like the NIE).
Contact Details Again, I have seen web pages that make it deliberately difficult to find any contact information for a company. Whilst sometimes due to the nature of the business it is not possible to provide a physical address, a means of contacting the company concerned should always be provided. These can either be in the form of an e-mail address available on the site, a contact form that delivers an e-mail to the company via the web site and a telephone number (even a mobile telephone number is useful here in Spain as all mobiles must be registered and are, therefore, traceable).
Online Payment Responsible companies will provide alternative payment methods via their web sites. Paypal is secure and traceable, credit card payments should be processed using a secure connection (SSL) to the internet (the address bar in your web browser would display https:// at the beginning of the web address in this case) or by redirecting you 18 |
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to a bank’s secure payment system (you will get a new page with, for example, “Verified by Visa”). If not, you could be sending card details over an unencrypted connection that could be open to hijack. Similarly, being asked to provide card details via e-mail is highly insecure. Responsible companies will
also send you a copy of the invoice and payment/shipping details via e-mail following the transaction although this is after the fact.
Phishing Sometimes we receive e-mails or even telephone calls that appear to be from companies that we
know and respect, such as banks, and this is known as Phishing. Phishing is a way of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic or telephone communication. Never click on the links that appear in these e-mails; whilst
they may take you to a web page that looks like your bank’s log in screen, it is most certainly a spoof designed to capture your login details so that the scammers can access your accounts. Your bank or any reputable company will NEVER ask for these details via e-mail or by telephone.
Taking a few moments to ensure that you are less open to fraud whilst using the internet can save you a lot of heartache. Just because you are in the comfort of your own home it doesn’t mean that you should be less vigilant. Would you wander around a big city with your wallet or purse on display?
January 3rd 2013 - 7:30pm Tiffany’s Bar, Jávea - along the Jesus Pobre Road
January 8th 2013 - Lunch 12:30pm Denia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra. de las Marinas km 2,69 Denia
January 17th 2013 - 7:30pm Digby’s Bar, Jávea Arenal in Jávea Park
February 8th 2013 - Lunch 12:30pm Denia - Haweli Restaurant Ctra. de las Marinas km 2,69 Denia Lanzerote Branch launches in January
966 461 913 & 681 001 300 www.mabusinessclub.com www.mabc.biz manager@mabc.biz 20 |
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Bringing Business Together in Spain
Community Administration by English Chartered Accountants & Surveyors providing premium quality services at competitive fee rates to communities across the entire Costa Blanca from Denia to Murcia. Sevices include- Monthly site meetings with Presidents & community members; monthly accounts, community website, ,maintenance schedules & estimates , professional advice on all aspects of the running of communities. Cabo La Nao, El Pla no135, Buz贸n: 37, 03730, J谩vea, Espana t: + 34 966 460625 m: + 34 606 0061241 e: info@jacksonsadministradoressl.es w: www.jacksonsadministradoressl.es
Administradores:
Jacksons Administradores S.L. CIF: B-54485834 David A Mayer FCCA ACA
F.A.L. Parkinson
Issue Briefing / Foreign Exchange Markets
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7
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Is Foreign Exchange Opaque? Understanding your true cost of currency
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London +44 (0)203 326 8165 (Dealing room) Spain +34 68 864 0092 (Glenn Tullett) Email glenn@rabbitfx.com www.rabbitfx.com tereFX Capital Group is a trading name of FX Capital Securities Ltd – registered in England and Wales, registration number 6323311 Authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FRN 531019) for the provision of payment services Registered with HM Revenue & Customs as a Money Services Business “MSB” (Reg. No. 12272696).
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THE PRESIDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATOR by F. A. L. Parkinson Jacksons Administradores de Fincas
I am often asked to explain the relationship of duty between the Administrator and the President of a Community. Firstly, both are elected by the Community members and hence both are responsible for their actions directly to the Community. The Administrator, as a professional person, should consider himself or herself the lead adviser to the President and ensure that decisions made outside of Community meetings are made with all the correct facts at hand (for the President to consider before he makes such a decision). Consequently the level of communication between the President and the Administrator must be very good and be upheld by regular meetings together. These are best held monthly at the Community so that the other board members (Vice Presidents) also have the ability to contribute and form a relationship with the Administrator. In future years they may well become the office holder of President of the Community and will have then already formed a working relationship with the Administrator - allowing continuity for the Community if the same Administrator is re-elected. Outside of the monthly visit both email & telephone are normal communication tools to keep both parties appraised of current events. A Community website further enhances early communication to Community Members of any matter that needs to be shared. The many business systems employed by the Administrator to run the Community should be to the satisfaction of the President in that they are
transparent and easy to understand. The President will want to be able to assimilate information quickly when he or she needs to make the right informed decisions and they need to be able to utilise the advice of the Administrator outside of formal Community meetings. If this information is then published to a Community meeting or to the Community website, members will also benefit from transparent and well presented information. The Administrator should always consider the native language of both the President and the Community members and ensure they are always correctly addressed and provided with information in their own language as a priority. After all, the President and Board have roles that are as responsible as that of the Administrator so all communication must be in a language in which they are comfortable. With time, the relationship between the President and a good Administrator can become a useful bond for the Community. The President inspires confidence in his or her decisions because of the sound advice received from the Administrator. The Community benefits in many ways from this sort of successful relationship - from cost-savings and preventive actions to early changes for the betterment of members. Finally, a President should be aware of the old English expression of “watching my back� and Administrators would also be wise to make sure they apply this piece of old English wisdom to their advice and interactions with their clients.
Enchanting villa with panoramic views to the sea, sunny terraces and guest apartment in urbanisation Altea Golf. The plot is flat and the beautiful landscaped garden is well maintained like a park and has Mediterranean plants and palm trees.
KV825 Altea Golf • estilo de la vivienda mediterráneo • estado de la vivienda buen estado • orientación sureste • suelo mármol • trastero • terrazas de 100 m² • terrazas acristaladas Dormitorios • 4 dormitorios • dormitorios amplios • dormitorio en suite • armarios WC • 3 wc • 1 bañeras • 1 duchas • 1 aseos Aparcamiento • dispone de aparcamiento • aparcamiento cerrado • aparcamiento con puerta automática
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The villa was renovated in 2009 and is very comfortable with main living area all on one level. It has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, living and dining room with gas fireplace, American style kitchen, marble floors, air-conditioning and gas central heating plus a guest apartment
Exterior • • • • • • • •
piscina privada iluminación exterior pérgola jardín árboles riego automático lavadero barbacoa
Servicios • aire acondicionado • calefacción gas propano • chimenea • ventanas aislantes • TV • TV satélite / cable • DVD • puerta blindada • alarma • despacho Entorno • bien comunicado • vistas al mar
with bedroom and bathroom. From the villa’s living room you access a covered terrace overlooking the pool and to the sea. The terrace area surrounding the pool has approx. 100m2 and has an outdoor kitchen and bbq. A property that should be seen, sold furnished.
Altea Chalet Independiente 4 Bedroomss 156 m² Build on 1.700 m² with 3 wc
KV825 Altea Golf
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(continued)
Solana Casas Info A perfect house purchase begins with perfect local knowledge, so best to use a local property broker When searching for a property (abroad) a lot of time is spent on the internet surfing, contacting agencies and filtering through all the information. Often with a lot of confusion because of duplicates and different pricing. On behalf of the client, Solana Casas goes hunting amongst a close network of estate agents in Costa Blanca northern region for a bespoke selection of relevant prospects which are sent via email for studying and evaluation at the client’s leisure, in peace and comfort. Located in Altea, Danish property broker Marianne Klauber cooperates with local agencies to find the right home for each client, a tailor made search to suit any individual/personal requirements. Solana Casas also works as an intermediary between the client and the local contacts involved in a property purchase to make the property purchase complete, such as lawyers, banks, accountants, and other relevant Spanish authorities. This combined with a personal guide during viewing trips, makes the property search more focused and successful. V.I.P services also available through a fixed advance fee, which is refunded when a property is purchased through Solana Casas, please enquire for further details. Marianne Klauber Solana Casas Altea, Alicante, Spain Mob: (00 34) 607 899 352 Email: mk@solanacasas.com www.solanacasas.eu We look forward to receiving your enquiry
For Vine Is The Kingdom Winter is a good time to turn our backs to the sea and head for the hills. A very pretty route is to drive up to the Jalon Valley to enjoy a typical Spanish town with lots of local character. It’s great winemaking country too, so you can stock up on wine and cava for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Driving along the twisty road leading up to Jalon, you will be surrounded by orchards brimming with olive, orange and lemon trees alongside terraces of vines. This is superb wine country with the bodegas or wine cellars producing award-winning reds and whites as well as rosé, cava and the local mistela, a sweet wine made from the Muscatel grape, which is often served after meals. It’s a region of contrasts – with majestic mountains, winding valleys, dramatic cliffs and lush green trees bursting with fruit. In the traditional shops, you will find local 30 |
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produce such as almonds, raisins, honeys, oranges and olive oil as well as wines. As befitting such a fertile area, the cuisine is rich and diverse. Jalon’s location between the coast and the mountains is reflected in its food with delicious dishes such as espencat (a salad of red pepper, aubergine and dried salted cod), minxos (little pies filled with meat or vegetables) and putxero (a hearty winter stew with meat, vegetables and chickpeas). Jalon ‘s narrow streets are lined with beautiful townhouses, little bars, restaurants and familyrun shops such as bakers, butchers, honey shops, antique dealers and bodegas. Many streets offer glimpses of the impressive mountainous backdrop while others enjoy views of the imposing church, the Iglesia de Santa Maria, with its
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blue-tiled dome. Every Tuesday, an open-air market is held in the narrow streets around the church and in the church square where you can buy fresh vegetables, clothes, household goods, pottery, leather goods and other traditional Spanish handicrafts. On Saturdays, Jalon holds an antiques and secondhand market in the riverbed car park, opposite Bodegas Xalo. This is a fascinating market with stalls filled with antiques, paintings, junk and interesting implements, whose purpose remains a mystery. Despite the natural beauty and charm of Jalon which boasts some of the most stunning scenery in Spain, the main attraction is the wine. The largest wine producer in the region is Bodegas Xalo, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Bodegas Xalo was set up as a co-operative by a group of farmers in 1962. Now there are more than 400 partners who cultivate about 400 hectares of land in and around the Jalon Valley. Wine has been produced in the region for many centuries but a plague attacked the vines at the beginning of the 20th century which wiped out the trade. Fifty years ago, vines were replanted and the roots of the Jalon wine industry bore fruit once more. Nowadays the wines are highly-sought after as they offer great value for money and are brimming with flavour. Many have won coveted national and international awards. The high lands which are divided into terraces are ideal for red wines. The nearby Lliber Valley’s fertile soil is perfect for producing a dry but fruity rosÊ. The drier and
rockier soils, such as those along the banks of the Jalon river, are superb for cultivating the Muscatel grape from which the mistela dessert wines are made. Bodegas Xalo produces some of the finest white wines from the Muscatel grape including the Bahia de Denia dry white and sweet white wines. Inside the bodega you will be confronted by vast barrels along with all the wines and olive oils produced in the Jalon valley area. You can taste the wines before you buy. Good wines to look out for are the Bahia de Denia white wines at â‚Ź4.80 per bottle, which have won national and international awards. These are fruity but delicate wines which are ideal to serve with paella, seafood and fish dishes.
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The Vall de Xalo red wine is terrific value for money at €2.50 per bottle , which is medium-bodied and fruity. This goes well with rice dishes, chicken and cheese. The Duquesa de la Vall crianza at €4.50 is an aromatic and fruity red to accompany game, red meat and cheese. There are several mistela wines on offer but the one to look out for is the Vall de Xalo muscatel wine, which has won the Best Muscatel in the Valencian Community Award for 2012 and the Els Bodeguers blind-tasting competition 2012. It is a sweet, dense wine, priced at just €3.45. It is ideally served with sweet desserts or on its own. The best-kept secret is the cava, however. Look for the Vall de Xalo Brut Nature at €4.25 a bottle or the Bahia de Denia Brut Nature at €5.80. These are elegant sparkling wines, which will go down a treat at New Year’s Eve or before Christmas lunch. In the car park opposite the Bodegas Xalo, you will see local traders selling oranges from the back of their vehicles. You can pick up a 5k bag of oranges for just €2 to make your own Bucks Fizz or Aqua de Valencia cocktail of orange juice, cava and orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Torres Gran Orange Liqueur.
Sarah Farrell is a journalist and managing director of the online travel guide www.mydestination.com/alicante
Torremolinas next... The Homes Gardens & Living Show... With just under 4,000 people visiting, it is fair to say that the Homes Gardens & Outdoor Living Show that took place in Estepona was a success. Highlights were the wonderful Charlie Dimmock – who meeted-and-greeted hundreds of people right until the end (literally – she nearly lost her voice!), the art gallery area and of course all the fantastic exhibitors and their competitions. But if you were unable to make it or simply want more, do not fret – we are heading to Torremolinos to do it all over again with Spring Fair in April 2013… However, this time round there will be some changes to the show. Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, we are excited to announce our celebrity guest star will be the teddy bear of the gardening world – Mr Tommy Walsh. Like Charlie, Tommy will be on hand to answer any of your gardening queries or just for some good advice and a friendly chat! Furthermore the show will naturally have much more of a Summer feel and will include BBQ and flower demonstrations to ensure you’re doing the right things to make your springtime garden look great.
If that isn’t enough to tempt you we have the beautiful vocals of the Scandinavian Childrens School Choir and different artists to entice your creative side. So whether you are a keen gardener, a DIY enthusiast or just looking for a fun filled day out, make sure you get to our show this April. We already have 40 stands that have rebooked from Estepona, and hope to see you all too at the Palacio de Congresos in Torremolinos. Make sure you keep checking our website and Facebook page where we will provide updated information on the attractions, displays, competitions and events at the show. ‘Til then, here is some feedback from our lovely exhibitors at the Estepona show: “Thank you Gina and Team for making our first show such a success, see you all in Torremolinos…we are also successfully converting the visitors into clients!” Sue & Pete Rodgers, Nevada Naturales. “Thank you for a good event – especially enjoyed the entertainment,” Gareth – Elite Glass Curtains “Great show, we are booking for Torremolinos, it makes business sense,” Roger Bullivant – Construction and Reforms
www.homesandgardens.es
“I enjoyed being Santa for half an hour! I appreciate all the hard work that produced such a good show & it worked for us,” Richard Alexander Financial planning “Enjoyed it and would certainly think about doing another one,”Jane Culleton The Sail Shade Company “Excellent show, fantastic results, good networking and Lyndon the singer was great! Looking forward to booking in for Torremolinos,” Glenn Tullett Rabit FX “Let us know as soon as possible the dates for Torremolinos,” David and Dawn Ratcliffe-Peterson
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“Everyone was very helpful, in fact the GM Team worked their socks off…thank you!” Jill Burgess Handmade Soaps and Skincare “Just to let you know, we raised nearly 500€! Just fantastic, are thrilled. Really couldn’t have done it without you! Thanks so much for letting us be a part of it.” Caroline Randerson, Children with CancerSanta will also be at home in his Grotto – spreading Christmas cheer….. Well Christmas is just round the corner and what better way to start finding that perfect Christmas gift, and sampling some mulled wine! Besides all things Homes, Gardens and Lifestyle there are competitions and give-aways galore, try your hand at Green Bowls, sample the fine wines the Bodegas have on offer, along with a superb array of International refreshment areas to quench your thirst’s and satisfy your appetite whilst you enjoy the best Show on the Costa del Sol this year! Visit the website for continued updates www. homesandgardens.es or follow us on Facebook (Homes, Gardens and Outdoor Living). GM Events are looking forward to welcoming you to this high profile event right here on the Costa de Sol.
If you would like to participate in the Show and see your business bloom please contact GM Events on the Spanish/ English phones 695 399 841 & 966 761 050 or email office@solproductions.tv and we will provide you with further information.
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Ready-to-assemble (flatpack) furniture was invented by Gillis Lundgren, who was a Swedish draughtsman. He developed the idea when he needed to fit an IKEA table into his car. According to reports, Lundgren broke the legs off his IKEA table so he could fit it in the car then put them back on at home! He then discussed the idea with his employers at IKEA. The company later built its entire business around the concept, launching its first flat-pack piece in 1956. Most products IKEA produce now are ‘self assembly’ The company is the world’s largest furniture retailer. Founded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, who later became one of the richest people in the world, the company’s name is an acronym comprising the initials of the founder’s name (Ingvar Kamprad), the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd), and his hometown (Agunnaryd, in Småland, South Sweden). The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliance and furniture, often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design.
Put ting it all together Have you ever been to IKEA? You go to the nearest store, wander round picking up pretty things you don’t really need, find the checkouts, pay, figure out how to fit it all in the car, load up then grab yourself a 50c hotdog and then drive it all back home. The next day you open the flatpack box and find a set of cryptic instructions, a bag of
screws and different sized bits of wood with holes in odd places only to find yourself at war with your own sanity. It is tedious at best and tantrum-inducing at worst - which is where we come in, we take the stress away completely! We buy, deliver and assemble IKEA furniture on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol.
For more information about easy flatpax visit www.easyflatpax.com or like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/easyflatpax If you want advice about which IKEA products we recommend just get in touch! Get your stylish, affordable IKEA furniture delivered straight to your home safely and stress free! We cover the Costa Blanca & Costa Calida. We guarantee to beat any other quote you receive and we are faster than any other shopping service. www.easyflatpax.com. We can also assemble your furniture for you so your dinner chairs don’t end up with the legs on the wrong way! Just ask for a quote, our assembly work is guaranteed for 2 years!
The Valencia British Protestant Cemetery The Bonnie Project British Protestant Cementery
''A multi national, multi denominational While funds from Britain will pay Cemetery for theofValencia for restoration the Chapel Region''
British Protestant Cementery
CEMENTERIO PROTESTANTE BRITÁNICO SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMAN, 5 46017 VALENCIA
ceiling and broken fences, the International Women’s Club of Valencia has created The Bonnie Project with the idea of at least making some practical improvements to the look of the place. Funds will pay for some professional tree loping, and organised groups will attempt a bit of gravestone cleaning, weeding and gardening to make the cemetery a more attractive resting place.
Bonnie Hinzpeter, a much loved member, who lost her short, fierce battle to cancer in Spring 2012, has inspired IWC members to do something in her memory. She was a lovely person, full of altruistic enthusiasm and full of fun. For many years she led the Bilboa IWC in a battle to save a hermitage and cemetery up there. After moving to Valencia she became involved with the IWC here, participating in many coffee mornings, lunches, the book club and generally making local friends.
“Historical site As time went on she got wind of the British cemetery in needof herelocal and wantedinterest” to do something
about it.… sadly her health took an unexpected turn for the worse in such a short time that she couldn’t see her ideas through. So the Valencia Club decided it most fitting to work on our cemetery in her name. We hope with this collective effort to 42 | 5Ws December 2012 keep her memory alive.
Following on from last month’s issue, about the Valencia British Protestand Cemetery, we thought you might like to see a little of the Cemetery itself. Various projects are in hand to assist the renovation and maintenance of the grounds and structures as both a memorial to the past and as an active and vital part of the British Community in Spain. If you are interested in finding out more about the VLP Cemetery and how you can help please contact Trevor Nicholas.
For further information: Hon. Cemetery Administrator: Trevor Nicholas, Tel. 96 334 4804 or 670 400 622 britcemvlc@gmail.com The Bonnie Project: Diana Clifton Sewell, Tel 96 382 2382 or 666 447 561 www.iwc-valencia.ning.com
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The Constant Traveller:
An Alternative Madrid on a Budget. Barrio Malasana, Madrid
Planning a budget weekend or stopover in Madrid? Here is a Barrio of Madrid that exudes the cosmopolitan flavour of a Quartier de Paris, and with an easy twenty minute stroll, you are in the shopping extravaganza of the Gran Via, and the Puerta de Sol.
When we were here in September, Shirley Valentine was playing to packed houses! Across the street lies Casa Maravillas, a more typical Madrid bar impossible to find, with its special nineteenth century decoration and vibrant local clientele. They also have an excellent Menu del Dia at 10€, which on our last visit included a generous ration of Gambas a la Plancha as a starter, but do try the mouth-watering Tortilla de Cameron, a crisp ‘tortillita with shrimps in the batter.
Barrio Malasana lies just off the Glorieta Bilbao, itself a busy shopping and entertainment area. It´s a living, work and play ‘barrio’ oozing with the ambience and charm reminiscent of Paris, with a host of quirky shops, bookshops, antiques, bars and restaurants to pass the time in. Just how ‘quirky’ this Within a 100meter radius lie a searea is that it features a hairdresser lection of bars and restaurants to tempt all tastes and styles, includcalled ‘Juan Por Dios’. ing Taberna Albur, great value CriStay at the Ibis Madrid Central anza Rioja with a tapa for 2€! (79€ Room). A very comfortable budget hotel which sits right next Want a bit of action? No problem! door to the Teatro Maravillas. Take a walk down Fuencarral from Glorieta Bilbao, past the Tapas 46 |
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Bars and in a few minutes you see a beautiful Baroque building on the left, the Museo de Patrimonial Nacional . A tourist tip if you want to visit the museums. The Public Museums of Madrid are free entry on Sundays, and closed on Mondays. Reserve on-line to avoid the queues. Continue down the street and it soon becomes a pedestrian zone with a host of funky boutiques and budget shops until you reach the Gran Via, one of the most famous and lively shopping streets in Madrid. A ten piece Jazz Band just might be in place outside of H&M, to put a swing in your steps. Go left along Gran Via for Puerta del Sol, and Plaza Mayor, altogether an emblematic and impressive; stop for a café, or something stronger.
For the night owls, again a few minutes´ walk down Fuencarral to Tribune Metro, and left is the most Hip discoteque in Madrid; Pacha, where the celebrity watchers can ogle Real Madrid players, film stars, and their entourages.
Altogether, an alternative Madrid worth thinking about.
More or less to the right of Tribune Metro is the Barrio Chueca, with its alternative, all night long extravaganza, street performers, restaurants, bars and clubbing zone, Following the budget formula: spectacular, but not for the faint Bus from Valencia: Very comfortable luxury express (3hrs 45mins) hearted! at half the price of train or air fares. How to get there: Travelling by bus Bus station close to the Nuevo or train, you whizz in comfort over spectacular viaducts, passing vine- Centro shopping centre. : Avanzayards, sunflowers, and the colour- bus company: ful rolling plains of La Mancha. A treat by itself without the strain of driving. 48 |
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www.avanzabus.com
Budget not an issue: Train from Valencia: Take the AVE, pricey but sooo comfortable and be in the city centre in 1hr 40mins, or the Intercity Alaris which takes 3hrs 40mins. (Discounts are available for pensioners and advance booking.) www.renfe.com By Air: from Alicante or Valencia with Ryanair; Air Berlin; Iberia etc etc; and then the Metro (3euros) into the centre. Taking your car? Ibis Madrid Central hotel has a car park, but expensive. Better to park at one of the long stay car parks airport, and take the Metro to Bilbao. Norman Reeley
Cooking with Nitu Didi...
Cooking is like making love... you do it well, or don’t do it at all...
SEMOLINA PANCAKES
EGG BURJI
1 cup of semolina (cream of wheat)
l onion chopped fine
1 cup of yoghurt
A little chopped ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves
1 cup or less of water l tomato chopped Welcome to my foodie world... Salt to taste where I share my recipes and love with all of you... simple recipes with l teaspoon each of cumin and nigella my own flair and flavor... seeds come and savor with me the world of Chopped onions, grated ginger, food...food and more food! coriander leaves and green chillies chopped
Turmeric powder and red chilli powder to taste A little tomato paste Oil as needed 2 eggs
A little white flour or gram flour as needed METHOD: Mix the semolina with the yogurt, salt, spices and water and leave it for half an hour. Add the chopped vegetables and leave it for another hour. Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry a big spoonful of the batter spreading it like a pancake until done on both sides. Serve with green coriander or coconut chutney.
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METHOD: Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions and chopped ginger and sautĂŠ till the onions start changing colour. Add the spices and the tomato and cook till mushy. Add the green chillies and chopped coriander and then the tomato paste and cook till you can see the oil separating. Add the salt and break the eggs into the mix then cook until the eggs are done and the mixture is dry.
CAULIFLOWER PULLAO 2 onions chopped fine 3 cloves of garlic chopped 1 inch pc. ginger chopped Green chillies and coriander leaves chopped l cup of cauliflower florets l cup of soaked basmati rice 2 pcs. Each of bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns ½ teaspoon each of coriander powder, garam masala and chilli powder ½ cup of Tomato puree Salt to taste METHOD: Heat oil in a casserole dish and add the whole spices and then the chopped garlic and let it start turning golden. Add the ginger and then the onions and let the onions brown very well. Once the onions are browned add some water to it and let it cook till mushy. Add the powdered spices and green chillies, then the cauliflower florets and the basmati rice and water and cook till the water is absorbed and The rice is done. Serve immediately. Nitu works from Valencia and is available for teaching both small and large groups from amateur cooks to restaurants and chefs Cooking With Nitu Didi is on... www.nitudidi.com http://www.youtube.com/cookingwithnitu Online Store: soon in www.nitudidi.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/NITUDIDI www.facebook.com/Cooking.With.Nitu nitudidi@hotmail.com
Getting results from your advertising: A few simple guidelines Before you advertise Identify your goals. Focus on achieving them through your advertising campaign. What are the realistic results that you are trying to achieve? You need to discuss them with your chosen advertising agent. Advertising is vitally important for market capture, but you need to be very clear on the objectives from the start. You also need a company logo for all your advertising, and you need to be very clear on how you are going to deal with resulting sales leads to convert them into sales. Choosing a newspaper. What are their distribution numbers, and where do they distribute? Do they publish online also? Do they have a media pack and price list to send for potential advertisers to study? How many readers do they have? How long have they been publishing? Are they willing to help design and redesign the advert for you, sending new proofs as required at no extra cost, as part of their service?
Designing your advert Keep it simple! Identify a client’s need in your advert. Every product fills a need for something, but you need to identify that need in your advert first, no matter how obvious. Budget for a campaign minimum of 12 weeks/editions in the press, and take the biggest suitable space you can realistically afford, whether it be a module in classifieds, or a double full page. Your potential customers may not know you, they need to know you are going to be around long term. It is also unlikely that they will respond from the first advert unless it is a one off event being advertised. Be realistic, advertising is an investment that will pay off longer term. An added bonus of longer term advertising is that you can often get a fixed place in a publication, so readers will know where to find you. You can also achieve better discounts in your advertising. If you pay up front for a whole campaign, further discounts are added. It is a good idea to consider colours that stand out but not too garish or loud. Consider a space that will comfortably house the content… and go for a unique look Try and be in both paper press, and online. Your potential clients could be using both mediums. RTN offers both for our advertisers, for example.
Use satisfied customer recommendations in your publicity. Use case examples, of how your company and product has surpassed clients needs, wants and expectations. Target your audience, and location market. Use specific area references in your case examples, eg Javea, Moraira, La Marina.. Try and keep the advert simple, do not overfill the space, or confuse the reader. If the advert looks squashed, get a bigger space, or reduce the content. Images are excellent, a before and after image for example. Any message should be clear and concise. Your goal is to get people to contact you as a first step, the sales will follow. Try and use a slogan that will stick in peoples minds! Request supporting editorials to fully explain your service/ product (these are often added free or reduced cost to longer campaigns). Change your adverts’ content regularly but always use your logo. Speak with your agent regularly to give feedback, and look for changes in the advert if you feel response has been poor after several editions Last but not least: Give a reason why people should contact you sooner rather than later. Make it easy for them, use simple contact details, offer a no obligation quotation, free advice, but try and build up some urgency …fix that leaking roof now, unique offer while stocks last, stop wasting money, live better now. If you wish to talk in confidence and without obligation, regarding an individually tailored advertising campaign with RTN (Round Town News), please feel free to contact me, colin@roundtownnews.com or call me directly on 0034 627068561.
Colin Rich Account Sales Round Town Newsgroup SL mobile: 627068561/ Office: 902 118 999 Email: colin@roundtownnews.com Web: www.roundtownnews.com
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www.roundtownnews.co.uk Josie Mitchell Sales Executive 607 744 153 josie@roundtownnews.com Colin Rich Advertising Sales 607 553 870 colin@roundtownnews.com
member of
The Javea Players were founded in 1976, back then Javea was primarily a rural community with tourism and building just developing. The donkeys were returning home each evening up the main street and disappearing to their stables at the rear of the houses. There were few cars, and just one or two bars on the sand dunes at the Arenal. The first play chosen by the group was ‘Murder by Request’, and it is a mark of their enthusiasm and dedication that within that first year they managed to perform three plays. The difficulties they faced do not leave much to the imagination. It was only a year after the end of the Franco regime and bureaucracy was still a factor to be taken into account. They managed to get permission to use the old ‘Casa de la Falange’, later renamed ‘Casa de Cultura’, which has now been pulled down and replaced by a new building also called the ‘Casa de Cultura’. The ‘Casa de la Falange’ was the local headquarters of the followers of Franco and was more suited to political meetings and military salutes etc., from the ancient balconies. But it was a start. There are many stories about that time; for instance, to obtain enough electricity for the minimum required for stage lighting they had to tap into the street light outside! Also, as the ‘Casa de la Falange’ was situated at the top of the Calle Mayor in the Pueblo, it was not unknown for a band to march past with individual musicians trying to outdo other for decibel prominence! Meantime all action on the stage had to cease until they had marched past. But all good things come to an end and eventually the Ayuntamiento decided that the old building was becoming too dangerous for further use. The Javea Players had to find another home. Panic! With a play well into rehearsals and little notice to find another venue, fortune smiled on the Society in the form of Sr. Cevera Pastor, then Alcalde of Benitachell, who allowed us to use the old cinema. It was dusty and tatty but we had a performance space. Well, beggars couldn’t be choosers! Our first production at Benitachell was ‘Oh what a Lovely War’ our first play with music we went on to perform many other musicals including ‘Toad of Toad Hall’ at Benitachell. However again the building was declared dangerous and once again the Javea Players were without a theatre!
After a few more temporary locations such as Moli Blanc disco, In 1993 we stopped being “strolling” players and started using the Union Musical in Gata and still do so today. We stored wardrobe and equipment in rented garages for many years then in 1997 we finally bought our own Studio theatre in Thiviers, Javea. What a relief, we had our own storage and small performance space at last and
37 years and
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somewhere to build our sets. Recently we have rented storage space in Gata so we have an even nicer Studio theatre. There have been more than 80 productions over the years, we’ve taken part in the International Festival, paraded in the Javea Fiestas and produced radio plays for Ondacero amongst the myriad activities of the Society. The future is bright we have a a growing and talented membership, plans for some very interesting plays, we will continue the very successful dinner theatre in Javea Old Town and are involved with Javea Council plans to turn the old cinema into a 240 seat theatre. We always welcome new members whether they be potential actors, directors, stage managers, lighting & sound technicians, costume sewers, carpenters, publicity people, admin folks (secretarial & treasury), social event organisers, the list is endless. Come and check us out at our next social cine night on December 9 (call Penny on 96 647 1455) or have a chat with our Membership Secretary on 96 647 2876. There is lots of info. on our web page www.javeaplayers.com We hope to hear from you.
still going strong‌.
1815 from a Lady’s Perspective
Another early woman’s newspaper was the Female Tatler - a spin off from the world’s longest running magazine The Tatler (published continuously for over 300 years). The Female Tatler was in circulation for less than one year (17091710), but was the first to encourage both female authorship and readership and to be entertaining rather than simply educational.
A young lady growing up as a contemporary of Jane Austen and able to identify with characters such as Elizabeth Bennet from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ would not have been overwhelmed bu magazines aimed at interesting or entertaining her. There was very little current and news related media aimed at someone’s precious wife, mother or daughter. Women were protected from the coarse and cruel realities of life and war, unless it was to warn them of risks or to appeal to their sense of charity. Numerous magazines and Newspapers catered for the promotion of a Christian and Moral family lifestyle, but few targeted women. The Ladies’ Mercury, a spin off of John Dunton’s The Athenian Mercury is generally recognised as the first Ladies’ magazine although it it didn’t describe itself as one and was only printed on two sides of a single sheet of paper. It lasted for four issues in 1693.
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A few significant events in the first 26 weeks of 1815: January Battle of New Orleans February World’s 1st commercial cheese factory established in Switzerland & Napoleon escapes from Elba March US delares war on Algiers & Napoleon enters Paris April Austria declares war on Naples May Austria beats Naples June Battle of Waterloo
The first Magazine to use the word in its title was aimed at men - The Gentleman’s Magazine. Founded 1731, it ran uninterrupted until 1922. The term “magazine” is from the French for “storehouse”. Samuel Johnson’s first regular employment as a writer was with The Gentleman’s Magazine. The Lady’s Magazine or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex, Appropriated Solely to Their Use and Amusement, was a British magazine produced every month from 1770 until 1837 at six pence a copy. It was started in August 1770 by London bookseller John Coote and publisher John Wheble.
Extracts are all from the first six months of the 1815 Lady’s Magazine
Regardless of their sex, early magazine readers needed to be blessed with a reasonable level of education and time to read. This effectively limited readership to ladies of leisure. Advertising was discreet, confined to a few lines of classified text or hidden in aspirational anecdotes. Articles and ‘jokes’ were highly moral, keen to encourage young ladies to be circumspect and industrious. As you can see from the Content of one month’s issue in June 1815, on page 12, the items outside of fashion were not topical. By the time of the publication of the anecdote on the right Nelson had been dead for ten years. Wellington receives no mention (nor does the war, aside from a deep fascination with French couture), yet he won the Battle of Waterloo whilst the June issue was still hot from the press, Fashion, however was treated with a great deal of seriousness, with copious details and hand coloured plates. Entertainment included news and reviews of all the latest plays, actors and scandals. A formula that still continues today in many women-focussed periodicals! 58 |
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The Five W’s of Community Traditionally, storytelling with problem solving and collaboration were the backbone of communities. Combine that today with “new technology“ and you have living and breathing new worlds of communities. Our community, Costa Women (for Women living in Spain) has taken the old and new world order and from an idea has become a thriving and exciting place to meet and connect. Here are our five Ws of community:60 |
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WWW:/ The life of an expat has changed much since the days of the telegraph, airmail letters, faxes and the possible delivery of the weekly newspaper to your foreign land. The Internet has opened up all sorts of possibilities for keeping in touch with family and friends whilst living 1000s of miles apart. Skype, Facebook, Twitter, email or a combination of all - out of necessity Women of a certain age
are taking to their iPads and communicating. The Costa Women community started online only. Now we have groups meeting from East of Malaga, Calahonda, Marbella, Sotogrande to Granada. Over 200 Women congregate monthly, communicating knowledge, life and stories about their world in Spain, with 100s of others meeting, connecting and sharing online. WE
COME UP AND SEE MY ETCHINGS ! ! We would all like to own an original painting by an Old Master but not many of us can afford this and it is unlikely we would risk hanging it on the lounge wall. We also admire the work of some more modern artists, however unless they are already famous it would be a huge lottery as to whether it could be an investment. If you really want to buy work from a current artist, study their history and training. For example, a fairly safe bet would be those who have been chosen to exhibit at the Royal Academy in London. The important thing is if you are gambling for investment you should really like what you buy. The chances are that others will like it in the future.
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One can still buy wonderful old paintings, several hundred years old, at auction. The Victorian ‘chocolate box’ subjects in watercolours or oils are very affordable and still seem to keep their price. The attraction might be that we continue to find security in nostalgia. A modern painting by an unknown artist bought new today might only fetch about a quarter of the price if you try and sell it tomorrow, so beware ! Consider a good print. Prints are a way for artists to make more than one copy of their work. This also makes their work more affordable, especially if the artist is well known and the price of an original work has escalated beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.
An ‘original print’ is a work conceived and originated by the artist. These are usually limited in the number and called Limited Editions. There is one important point to remember: prints are not to be confused with reproductions, which are usually mass produced copies from a photograph of a work of art. One can find these in gift shops of famous museums and they will almost certainly not increase in value ! Photo-mechanical methods have obscured the real issue and both artists and printers are guilty of numbering and signing all sorts of rubbish including photocopies! Even L.S. Lowry confused things by making original lithographic prints and also signing reproductions !
Collecting Tips Printmaking originated in China after paper was invented, about AD 105. Before that the Chinese applied colour to carved seals, which were stamped on to many different materials. Papermaking spread through to Japan and along the trade routes through to the West. Paper was first made in Europe in Spain in 1115 AD. Over the centuries various artists like Durer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto, Goya and Watteau have added their own individual touch to the various methods employed to make prints. In the 20th century, printmaking underwent further
changes when artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Miro and Chagall, added their own ideas to the process. You will also be familiar with the iconic screenprint of Marilyn Monroe done by Andy Warhol. There are four main printing methods, intaglio, relief, lithography and screen printing. Etchings ‘intaglio’ are basically designs or pictures printed from an engraved plate, which is carved, scratched or etched by the artist. The engraved plates can be of stone, metal, wood, lino or anything that can transfer paint or ink from the engraved surface to another surface. In simple terms, paint or ink is applied to the surface of the plate, the excess is wiped away, ink remains in the scratches,
the plate is pressed down hard onto paper and a print is born. This is the intaglio method of printmaking. The ‘relief’ method is where the design required is a raised area; this proud area is inked and pressed onto paper or other surface. Much fabric in India is traditionally printed like this with carved wooden blocks. One for each colour. ‘Lithography’ uses the physical antipathy between grease and water. The plate, traditionally of stone, now of metal, has the printing area covered with grease. The non-image area is water absorbent. The paint sticks to the grease and is repelled by the wet area. Four to six colours are used, one ‘plate’ for
each colour. Different density of colour produces all the nuances of modern printing. Yellow overlaid with blue would give a green area. The same blue plate over a red area would print purple and so on. ‘Screen printing’ is where fine mesh is stretched over a screen and the ink is pushed through the mesh with a squeegee. Parts of the mesh are covered with stencils to stop the ink going through. These stencils can be made of paper, glue, wax or plastic. There is also a photographic method whereby the mesh is coated with a light sensitive emulsion, a negative is applied and exposed to light. The soft part of the emulsion is then washed away leaving a stencil on the mesh. One screen is made for each colour. A ‘run’ of prints is called an edition and they can be numbered. If limited in number, prints can have an investment value. Limited edition prints have two numbers on them. For example, if you see 4/100, it means that this particular print is the fourth of 100 prints. The smaller the first number, the higher the value, because the early numbers of the edition are usually sharper. This is because the edges of the incisions, cuts, scratches, stencils or outlines become less defined with repeated use. Sometimes one can see the letters AP (artists proof) this is usually the first tryout to see how the print looks. These can also be numbered if the artist tries more than one. All prints should be signed, traditionally the signature and numbers are in pencil. However beware, modern printing methods can also print the signature and it looks exactly like pencil. A print in a large edition is also cheaper than one from a small edition. Most investors would not really consider an edition of more than
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50 prints worth buying. Ideally the original printing plate, from which the prints are made for a limited edition, are destroyed. This should guarantee the value of these prints, they are usually scored from corner to corner. The plates themselves are collectible in their own right and sometimes come on to the market. Photographic prints should have their negatives destroyed after the prints are made. All good artists work with good quality paper, that is the paper should be neither too alkaline nor acid, so the work remains stable. On this point, framing should also be archival quality, that is the paper, glue, card and wood will have been carefully produced so as not to compromise the print with damaging chemicals. We have all seen
yellow marks left by cellotape and brown marks leaching through from glue. You should not pay a lot of money for something simply because you think that it might appreciate in the future. You should enjoy it in your lifetime. You too can own a Rembrandt, he did so many etchings they are still affordable. For those of us who collected antiques and collectibles over the years or were lucky enough to inherit lovely things. The investment in antiques has proved to be really much more secure, valuable and a much better place for your money than a bank. For those of us who would like to capitalize on our possessions, now is a good time to sell, the market is buoyant.
Younger folk looking for places to invest and totally disillusioned with banks (in any country) are turning to retro collectibles to secure a pension in the future. So called ‘brown’ furniture is undergoing a revival, finally everyone has realised that solid wood is a better investment than chipboard. The wealthy Chinese are buying back their antiques from the West as fast as they can. If you are looking to invest, you will already know that gold has always been the safe bet in times of crisis, silver is currently on the rise. However don’t buy new jewellery for investment, it will take far too long to realise any profit because of the huge initial profit margin in the retail price. Antique and vintage jewellery is the area to concentrate on, very wearable, very portable and nearly always saleable. If you are not going to wear it buy one or two really special pieces and keep them in a vault. However the same rules apply for whatever you invest in, buy only what you like, research carefully and compare prices. Watch out for commission and buyers’ charges. Postage is also usually the buyers’ responsibility. Finally, my favourite places to buy are auctions, either physically being there or on-line. I always set myself an absolute final price limit and beyond that ‘ye shall not go’. Have fun ! Lorely Griffiths.
Come and visit the Art Centre, (we can fax, E-mail or post you a map) or for more details please phone Chairwoman Lorely Griffiths Javea 966 47 20 49. artcentrejavea@yahoo.com
George Stubbs George Stubbs was born in Liverpool and was studying anatomy even at eight years old. His career launched when he began working for Wedgwood. Unfortunately Stubbs was soon bored with England and he set off for Italy, on the way witnessing a lion attacking a horse. This happy event was later used as a subject for one of his most inspired and celebrated works. Stubbs was not just a painter, he was also an anatomist, and drew horses repeatedly, creating a remarkable portfolio of drawings entitled The Anatomy of the Horse, in 1766. For six years he worked on his task in a deserted farmhouse in Horkstow, Lincolnshire and kept dead horses in the studio for weeks at a time, some trussed up on pulleys, others in various stages of decay, heads, tails and feet in gruesome piles everywhere, like a slaughterhouse.
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1724-1806
He may have been a wonderful horse painter, but he was no animal lover. The horses he dissected were first bled to death, after which he pumped their veins up with a solution that hardened them, to retain their shape. With the skill of a butcher, rather than a painter, Stubbs then had the carcasses hauled up on iron hooks, and dissected them muscle by muscle, a procedure which took up to six weeks per horse. Stubbs did have one human companion, however, a Miss Mary Spencer, who must have suffered either blind love or blocked nasal passages, because she stayed with him and put up with the decomposing remains of the series of dead horses, which were flayed, and gradually stripped of skin, then muscle, until they were exposed down to the bone. Their charnel remains hung like soiled goods at an end-of-season sale. ŠMG 2004, 2012
Elena Lowenthal
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Three dimensional Jigsaws are a speciality for this amazing woman. Patience is mandatory for a career spent piecing the past together. A love of beauty is essential to be able to see broken pieces of pottery and porcelain in their original glory and then dexterity and dedication are required to put all the bits together in a way that makes them look as they once did - perfect. Elena applies all these skills to her teaching as well. She teaches with great patience and inspires her students with the confidence they need to be able to tackle their own broken shards so they too can learn how to puzzle their broken pieces back in to perfection.
After studyng restoration work at the prestigious West Dean College of Fine Art in Chichester, Elena established her own workshop in a country house near Javea (Alicante). In between working for major galleries and museums, Elena now teaches at the Art Centre Association in Javea. Students are encouraged to bring along their own pieces for restoration. Techniques learned include: dismantling past repairs, cleaning and bonding, disguising, painting and restoring.
Madrid-born Elena, is one of Spain’s foremost specialists in the restoration of porcelain and ceramics. Surrounded by beautiful objets d’Art since a small child, Elena grew up with an appreciation for both the grace and fragility of fine porcelain. Her mother, a Canadian Antiques Expert imported antique porcelain from China and all over the world for discerning Spanish buyers. Elena gained her first insights into restoration from handling these pieces.
The photos that follow are from Elena’s “before and after” archive
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Contact Lorely Griffiths at the Art Centre to find out more Javea 966 47 20 49. artcentrejavea@yahoo.com
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Part two of our serialised Thriller... see Issue 1 on www.5Ws.biz for the first two chapters
A Poisonous Shade of Grey by © Mai Griffin 1997, 2008, 2012 In Death’s dark realm, where none of us may stray, The light glints through a Poisonous Shade of Grey. A Glimmer glimpsed, beyond a heart’s endeavour, Where lost souls wander in their dark forever. Anon
3. Jenny
Jenny had been gone only minutes – there had barely been time to walk upstairs let alone start sorting the laundry – when the front bell rang. She must have forgotten something thought Ann indulgently, opening the door but, to her astonishment, a complete stranger stood there: young and elegant: returning her instantly frozen smile with narrowed eyes. The woman stepped inside quickly without waiting to be invited and closed the door softly behind her. “I saw you had a visitor,” she said, “so I waited until we could have complete privacy.” “I don’t understand,” Ann gasped, stepping back in alarm. “Who are you? What do you want?” “There’ll be plenty of time to talk now,” the woman rejoined, walking past Ann into the sitting room and dropping calmly into an easy chair. “First, we’ll make ourselves comfortable and,” her eyes flicked to the coffee pot and tray, “enjoy a cup of coffee.” She removed her soft leather gloves, leaned forward, and touched the pot lightly with the inside of her bare wrist. “Not quite drinkable I think. Why not bring out some fresh and then we can settle down to a nice cosy chat?” In abject confusion, Ann took the
tray to the kitchen, replenished the milk jug and actually re-started the percolator before anger took over from her instinctive good manners. Who was this insolent creature? Perhaps she had devised this as a gimmicky way of selling something expensive... and useless! Well, she had wormed her way in now, so she could have her coffee and then go. Ann’s curiosity was sufficiently aroused to indulge her that far, but she had better talk fast or out she’d go anyway! It was a heavy washday. She had no time to waste on a long sales pitch! When Ann returned the woman was standing near the window holding a photograph of Cathy and Chris that had been on the sill. “So these are the babes,” she said pleasantly, “Quite alike, as I had expected: very pretty too.” Putting down the tray, Ann relaxed slightly, then immediately stiffened again, with foreboding. Who was this person to have expected anything, or even known about the children at all? Perhaps research into the background of potential customers was essential in her line of work! She turned to find her unwelcome guest seated again, still holding the treasured picture in a strangely possessive way, which annoyed Ann intensely. She retrieved the photograph and replaced it in the
window. Sitting again on the settee, she demanded an explanation. “Coffee first,” was the girl’s response, “you’ll probably need it!” Shaking a little, nervously aware of the implied threat, Ann filled the cups with steaming black coffee and noticed that a slight soapy scum had risen on one; in her understandable haste she must have been careless, rinsing it under the tap. Never mind, it was hers – the cup in front of her visitor looked alright and Ann couldn’t have felt less like a sociable drink anyway. She sat on the edge of her seat warily. “You had better tell me immediately what business you have here, with me,” demanded Ann, “or you’ll have to leave,” she added, standing to make her point. Completely unmoved, the woman settled back and patted her hair with a confident gesture. It was impossible not to notice her well-kept, smooth hands and beautifully manicured nails... Instinctively Ann tried to conceal her own. With a disdainful shrug, the beautiful intruder indicated that she should resume her seat and Ann’s rising anger changed first to incredulity, then sick fright as the words she was hearing began to sink in. She collapsed and sat numbly as the stranger, with pretended delicacy – belied by the malicious gleam in her eyes – tore
her world to shreds. “I’m Joyce Hamilton your husband’s secretary,” she announced. Noting the bemused expression on Ann’s face, she smirked and continued. “No doubt you’ve heard of me. I have actually been much more to him than that for several years now, but I assume from your glazed expression that you never guessed... For goodness sake have a drink,” she added urgently, rising to put Ann’s cup into her shaking hands. Forgetting that it was unclean, Ann lifted it to her lips and was startled out of her daze by the excited dart of triumph in those suddenly narrowed eyes as the stranger relaxed. Sipping her own coffee daintily, Joyce observed Ann’s hesitation and leaned towards her urging her keenly to drink, as it would make her feel better. More in control, aware of every nuance, Ann raised the coffee slowly to her mouth. There was no mistaking the way the girl was holding her breath... poised in anticipation: but anticipation of what? Why should this husband-stealer want her to feel better? More likely, she wished her harm. Good God thought Ann – has she put something in my drink! Surely not! How? When she replaced the photograph in the window; it could have been then. There had probably been at least twenty seconds to do whatever she had done – if indeed she’d done anything at all. In her confusion and fright, Ann was ready to believe the worst and she forced herself to think clearly. Assuming she was right, it explained the strange white scum and she was obviously dealing with a maniac intent on harming her. Ann’s mind shied away from the bizarre possibility that an attempt was being made to murder her: that only happened in books! It must be intended to put her to sleep – leaving this madwoman free to nose about the house. For what purpose Ann could not even conjecture: it was hardly likely to be theft and would surely be an outrageous way of satisfying curiosity! She 74 |
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decided she must pretend to drink and gradually appear to fall asleep. She would then see what happened next. Experimentally Ann raised the cup, hesitated, and lowered it again to the saucer. There was no mistaking the anxiety in those glittering green eyes, which never left hers. Next time she put the cup to her mouth – without allowing the liquid to pass her tightly pressed lips – she tipped it as though drinking long and with pleasure. Witnessing this, Joyce relaxed and sat back contentedly, closing her eyes for a moment, which gave Ann a chance to push the still-full cup out of sight, behind the pot. Joyce’s emerald green eyes opened lazily and gazed at her speculatively for what seemed an age, before her full red lips parted with a sigh and she spoke again. “Actually, I’m trying to persuade him to live with me in town – my flat is spacious enough and so handy for the office. We won’t give it up as I intend to go on working with him. He hasn’t agreed yet. He seems to like it here in the wilds. I suppose this place would be adequate for weekends: for a while, anyway.” After staring long and hard at the stunned and silent Ann, she leaned forward and with fierce intensity hissed, “He keeps putting off asking for a divorce but I know it’s the children he doesn’t want to lose, not his dowdy wife! With you out of the way, we can be together. I will make him really happy.” Ann answered shakily, forcing herself to stay calm, faking drowsiness. “What in God’s name makes you think I would go away to leave you a clear field?” It seemed imperative to keep the girl talking and in the almost euphoric mood she had been in since assuming that Ann had swallowed her coffee. Unfortunately she became restless and stood up. Ann was terrified in case she noticed the full cup but she sauntered away from the table. With a flamboyant flourish, Joyce commented on the ‘tasteless’ furnishings but she approved of the size of the room. At the window, she fingered the curtains critically. While Joyce was looking the other
way, Ann reached tentatively for the scummy drink... seizing the opportunity to return the coffee to the pot, covering the clatter with pretence of rising to remove the tray. The girl spun irritably to face her. “Sit down,” she commanded, returning to her chair, once again holding the children’s photograph. “Tell me about them – their likes and dislikes – I need to know everything. Anyway, sit down, don’t take the tray away I want more coffee. My throat is quite dry with all this talking.” Ann was thunderstruck. She declared that it was too cold but her protestations were of no avail; the girl said it didn’t in the least matter. Trying to distract her with questions also failed. “For goodness sake, never mind, I’ll pour it myself,” said Joyce, pushing Ann away. Her long lean fingers bit into Ann’s arm and her red talons felt like knife tips through the thin nylon overall. Her grip was so tight that the pain blinded Ann to all else and she recovered too late to prevent Joyce drinking. She wondered why she had tried to stop her anyway – hopefully, the coffee really was drugged! If the girl passed out soon it would give Ann a distinct advantage. It would then be possible to ring the police to have her removed and locked up – preferably in a padded cell! Ann shrank back into the deep cushioned seat and tried to appear calm; through half-closed lids, she eyed Joyce warily. Whatever had been added to the coffee, if indeed anything had, it certainly did not appear to be having an immediate effect. Her uninvited guest chattered on with great animation, revealing her plans as if she truly believed Ann would hand over to her – not just Eddie, but the children too. More convinced than ever that she was dealing with a sick mind and sure too, that her imagination had been running wild when she’d thought herself physically threatened, Ann wondered how she could either leave the house to get help, or use the telephone in the kitchen, unobserved. While her mind raced, the shrill voice trilled on excitedly and she was
appalled by what she was hearing... “You need have no worries about the family. I’m a very good cook as your husband has often said. He loves my food. He always says it’s a welcome change to have interesting meals! These curtains aren’t at all bad but the loose covers are insipid – quite the wrong shade of beige – they’ll have to go.” Every few minutes she paused to peer closely at Ann, although she didn’t seem to be waiting for comment. Ann just crouched, tight-mouthed, numb, praying that the ordeal would soon end and that the girl would just go; she was obviously mentally deranged. Should she tackle Eddie about this odious woman’s visit? On the other hand, would it be better to pretend it never happened. Joyce was unlikely to tell him herself and as long as he believed Ann to be ignorant of his real relationship with the girl – he had after all refused to leave his home and family for her – perhaps, in time, everything would be right again. If only she had thrown the girl out before hearing of Eddie’s infidelity! She was a weak fool, a fool with an over-active imagination and muddled brain. There had been no drug; Joyce was as wide-awake as ever! Ann ceased wallowing in self-recrimination abruptly. The dreadful monologue stopped in mid-sentence and the even timbre of the throaty voice rose to an eardrumshattering shriek! On the brink of recovering a vestige of composure, Ann was launched violently into a scene of nightmarish horror. The honeyed tones choked to a stop; the glittering eyes grew wide with disbelief. The luscious lips parted and brown foam began to bubble from Joyce’s gaping mouth. She clutched her throat, as if attempting to silence the revolting gurgle; the other hand clawed the air wildly, reaching for Ann, who shrank away... but she should have used the moment to run out of range. She was trapped in the low depths of the sofa as the writhing body rose and jerked towards her. Terrified, her own screams deafened her... and as the woman’s full weight bore down on her, Ann mercifully lost consciousness.
4 – Second Thoughts
H
e felt thoroughly exhausted as he packed up to go home. The day had not gone at all well. Half-expecting Joyce to relent and ring up, he leapt to answer every time the damn telephone shrilled. It was, he knew, a leap of dread as much as hope. He desperately wanted things cleared up between them, cleared up and back to normal, not confused with promises or threats he could only half believe. He knew he had been feeble to let things drift on, but Joyce had seemed happy enough to continue their haphazard relationship until now... What had changed? He had never for a moment let her think he would consider a divorce. With a rush of inspiration he made up his mind to promise her a holiday – a whole week together – a business trip: out of the question for his wife to go. It should be possible ...he knew of a couple of seminars which were to be held shortly. Away from the office, he might be able to talk some sense into her: cool her down a bit. He might even be able to introduce Joyce to some other unsuspecting bloke... There were always plenty on the lookout for a girl with her talents! He found an Oxford contact number by searching Joyce’s desk and hoped it was perhaps the girl who was getting married. All day he had fought the urge to use it, but now he could excuse himself – persuaded that he had a good reason. He would tell her about the seminars. The promise of a few trips together should calm Joyce down. She had been in an exceptionally bizarre mood when they parted on Friday! Merely the thought of her confronting his wife put him in a state of panic... He couldn’t stand another night of uncertainty. He first dialled the number of her apartment in case her earlier absence had been only for shopping; she might not be going until tomorrow. He allowed it to ring several times, and then tried the porter’s room. Ned recognised his voice.
He seemed surprised that her boss had to ask, but yes, Miss Hamilton had taken an early train to Oxford this morning... “No problem sir, no trouble at all,” Ned informed him. Considerably relieved, he called the Oxford number. Almost immediately, a woman’s voice answered breathlessly, “Joyce, is that you? ...For goodness sake, where are you? I met the fourthirty as you said, and hung about for the next train – then thought I’d better come home in case you rang… Joyce? Who is that? Who ...“ He replaced the receiver with a sinking sensation in his stomach. If Joyce had caught the early train, why had she not expected to arrive before late afternoon? What had she been up to all day? Where was she now? Endless questions teemed in his tired brain. Frantic, he dialled his home number then changed his mind immediately, unable to credit that Joyce really had confronted his wife without first discovering if he had already buckled under her ultimatum and confessed to their dalliance himself. It would be more like her to work on him further, forcing him to do the dirty work – being instrumental in shattering his own life. There were, after all, other possibilities. She might easily have had other friends to visit. She might even have done some shopping in town before catching the train. He must get a firmer grip on himself before he reached home. Threading through the heavy traffic was worse than usual. He was not concentrating wholly and it took a great deal of effort to control his wild imaginings. He endeavoured to appear normal ... to put Joyce out of mind. He would deal with the situation as it developed: keep his head. Turning into the lane he suddenly felt quite calm. This was the real world – the other, a fantasy.
Sleep
eluded Elaine Davies that night. Dan, her husband-to-be, snored heavily in the next room. Her friend
Joyce should have occupied the other twin bed, but it stood, counterpane gleaming coldly in the half-light, a silent reminder that she had failed to come and take possession. Apart from her natural concern about the girl’s whereabouts, Elaine was extremely disappointed. She had been looking forward to going over all her wedding plans with a new audience – there were so many things they hadn’t been able to talk about over the telephone. Where could she be? Elaine also wanted to be sure that Joyce understood why she had not been invited to be a bridesmaid. Was that it? Had she really felt slighted and decided against attending the wedding as just another guest? When Elaine asked if she would be upset not to ‘stand’ for her, Joyce had laughingly protested, agreeing it would not be a good idea. Not only was Joyce the taller of the two friends, she was the same height as Dan when she wore heels. She said the disparity would ruin the group photographs! Although Elaine privately agreed, she tactfully refrained from saying so. No, she averred, she was obliged to have Dan’s young sister and nieces as bridesmaids and his nephew as a pageboy – the entourage was already bigger than she’d really wanted – it would have been lovely if it could have been just the two of them without the kids – but! You know... Of course Joyce knew. Elaine felt transparent – as she always had since they were children. Joyce always seemed able to read her mind, contriving to be several jumps ahead, making hard reality of schemes only nursed, half-formed in her own head. Joyce was invariably the ringleader of their mischief so it was also galling that Elaine had usually been the one to suffer the consequences. She even recalled being ill for a week after a shared fruit-eating binge when Joyce had not even had a mild twinge of indigestion! Joyce had always had a glib tongue too. She could talk her way out
of anything with a serenely innocent air that completely disarmed authority. Elaine, if guilty, always looked it! However, she never begrudged Joyce her ability to escape punishment and was careful to avoid involving her in any confessions. If the truth were known, she was afraid of bringing Joyce’s wrath down on her own head. Her unpredictability had always fascinated Elaine but this most recent example of Joyce’s capriciousness was not in the least endearing. This week – the most important of her life – was being disrupted. She would never speak to Joyce again if she were deliberately ruining it! Whatever could have befallen her! Elaine kept wondering, making up new and increasingly unlikely scenarios as the small hours wore on drearily. Dan theorised that she had simply changed her mind about coming by train and her car had broken down. When she asserted that, were it so, Joyce would have telephoned, he pointed out that Elaine had in fact been out all day. He was right, of course. She’d caught an early bus to Oxford and, after shopping, lunched with Dan. Then she’d had her hair done. From the salon, she went straight to the railway station to meet Joyce. Back to square one ... No Joyce! She thought about the funny ‘phone call. Someone was on the line, but had hung up without saying anything! Dan was dismissive of the noncall... “It happens all the time: wrong number.” He then insisted that they go to bed. If Joyce hadn’t either arrived or contacted them before nine-thirty in the morning, she could start to panic with his blessing! Her bedside clock glowingly informed her that it was three-o-clock and she had never felt farther from sleep... six and a half hours to go! The faint light of the dial made the shadowed corners of the room deeper: more impenetrable. Elaine, who had never been frightened of the dark, became slowly more aware of the gloom around her. As tiredness undermined her judge-
ment and sapped her strength, she felt threatened, imagining that something – somebody – some entity hovered...! An uncontrollable shudder shook her as she chided herself and turned over. With a supreme effort of will, she concentrated on the small clock-face until sleep came, but the wrathful presence haunted her dreams.
Tuesday 21st... “When would you like your lamb delivered Mrs Tiller?” The surge of horror that leapt to her face as Ann stared at the butcher, tongue-tied was, fortunately, interpreted by him as lack of comprehension. “The whole lamb you ordered. It’s ready.” He repeated himself patiently. She had a sudden vision of the body that, since yesterday, had halffilled her freezer, shrouded in black plastic under a layer of frozen food. She had not yet fully recovered from the shock of her husband’s parting shot as he left the house earlier... I’m glad you topped up the freezer,” he had shouted from the garage. “It’s much more economical to run when it’s full”... My God, thought Ann, I wonder how glad he would be if he knew that most of what filled it was his girl friend! ...to be continued
Can’t wait for the next instalment? The book is on Kindle and as a paperback on Amazon 76 | 5Ws December 2012
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To understand the man - meet the child....
Bedtime...
by Mac Black
The changes introduced at 12 Blytheton Crescent were not welcome. Derek was being forced to bed early, and on Gran’s strict instructions, told to fall asleep immediately. It was not right, but she insisted it was the penalty for him now being a schoolboy. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have gone to school; and then he found that the older members of the gang, at the hands of their parents, had already been suffering a year of this treatment, so that was some consolation – at least he was not the only one. The going-early-to-bed had begun a little more than a week ago, and already he reckoned he had slept away a large part of his life – unnecessarily. Last week after school in Derek’s grandad’s garden shed, the gang discussed this problem, seriously. The conclusion reached: adults unfortunately seemed to fail to understand a simple fact – sleep is waste. It was also suspected that parents and grand-parents were enforcing this for their own reasons; simply to have more peace and quiet, which, all things considered, was a selfish motive. On Wednesday, in the shed, the six thinkers, four of whom were in the class above Derek and Curly (who were in the same class), were in unanimity that sleeping
was an obvious waste of valuable time and should be minimalised. To be able to express this in percentage terms would have been much more impressive for their argument, but percentages were not yet being taught in either class, in fact, for the very young pair, Derek and Curly, their class did little more than play for most of the day. At five years old that was generally the way of it, but no matter, each of the six vowed to endeavour to remain awake as late as possible each night. Derek was a smart kid, both his gran and grandad agreed on that. They had every confidence that he would be successful at school, going on to become a world leader at some point (rose-coloured specs being involved), and mainly because Granny Smith had done some pre-school tutoring of her little grandson. Valuable time had been spent by her with him, and he had been a willing little pupil. As a result, before starting school he could read on his own many of the simple stories in the books by his bedside, an accomplishment for which his grandma was rightly proud. Even more of an achievement, thanks to her, he could write his own name, and ‘Derek Toozlethwaite’ you
will agree, could be difficult to remember, never mind write, so his gran’s pride in her precious responsibility was truly justifiable... After school today, he had been out playing, which meant this evening’s warm bath, in which little Derek at this very moment was splashing about, was essential. The bath routine was Gran’s domain. She and Grandad took turns doing the needful for their energetic young grandson but of course, with Grandad being at work all day, sharing was evenings only. With young Master Toozlethwaite starting school a week ago, the daily pattern of events also changed for Gran. Each day, she was losing him to Miss Taylor, his new schoolteacher, although admittedly, only for a few hours, it still felt odd, and hard not to continue feeling responsible for all twenty-four hours. However, since he had started school, surprisingly for her, she didn’t feel so exhausted. “Time to come out now, little man – and get dried,” she told him, as usual receiving the response, “Aw, Gran, not yet...” followed by the standard reply, “Another two minutes then...and no more.” Those two minutes to him always seemed less... “Right – Derek – out! And what did Miss Taylor have you doing today then?” she asked. “Can’t remember,” came back immediately from inside the towel, the same answer every evening. She didn’t push any further; the poor child was tired; could he stay awake for the story...? The bedtime story was Grandad Smith’s duty and Derek loved that bit.
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“What would you like Grandad to read tonight, Derek?” Gran asked, as she tucked him in. “Doddy,” Derek shouted, enthusiastically, as Gran gave him his good-night kiss. “...Again? That’s the one you are always choosing – this is the fifth time,” said Gran, “Don’t you get fed up with it?” Derek just smiled. “Right... and then straight to sleep, remember,” and she left the bedroom. Grandad took over. The chosen book was opened and he began to read. Derek lay smiling up at him, or was he grinning wondered his grandad... “D-D-D-Doddy the D-D-D-Dimpled D-D-D-DDinosaur b-by P-P-Paul D-D-Doddes – are you s-s-sure you w-w-want this one?” asked Grandad. Derek nodded eagerly. “O k-k-k-k-k then...” and Grandad took a deep breath, “D-D-D-Doddy d-d-didn’t want to g-g-go t-tto sleep t-t-tonight b-b-because t-t-t-t-t-to-morrow he would...” Goodness – he almost fell asleep – he had stopped listening. “...So, when his m-m-m-m-m-mummy t-t-t-told him not t-t-t-to c-c-cross the road, he...” Little Derek felt guilty lying there. Since the gang’s vow, he had heard this story time and time again, and honestly it was becoming a bit boring. He was staying awake longer than anyone else though, that was important, but he couldn’t tell the others the reason. Grandad’s stories always took so... long... Wasn’t he lucky – the only one of the gang with a stuttering grandad...?
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Over 17 years of faithful reporting Local news Local views Local Advertisers
Your Voice! Published by Derek and Sue leBreton www.grapevinespain.com member of
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If you are interested in finding out more about Conservatives Abroad or would like to find out where your local Branch meets please visit www.conservativesabroad.org
Javea Conservatives Abroad covers the North Costa Blanca with members from south of Altea to Valencia and inland to the Jalon Region. Our own website is www.javeaconservatives.org
Spring 2013 Events January 11th - Heather Harper - Chairman of Conservatives Abroad (Globally) is visiting Javea February 2nd - Nigel Evans MP (Deputy Speaker) will be joining us for our AGM celebrating our 24th Anniversary as a Branch - Javea 25th March - Reception for Conservatives Abroad members - House of Lords - London To find out more please contact the Branch chairman@javeaconservatives.org
NOTES FOR APPLICATION AS AN OVERSEAS VOTER DID YOU KNOW? • • •
2.5 million British citizens are eligible to register to vote from overseas. At the end of 2007, just 14,000 expatriates were registered to vote. Last year 198,000 Britons left the UK to live overseas, all of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary Election.
COMPLETING THE FORM
You will need: • The address of where you were last registered in the UK • The date you were last registered in the UK • Your Passport number
please contact Lesley Taylor; lesley.taylor@conservatives.com; 0044 (0)20 7984 8015, or contact your former local Conservative Party Association Office - contact details can be found on www.conservatives.com
RETURNING THE FORM
Send to the Electoral Registration Officer covering the You will have to find someone to support what you say in your constituency where you were last registered. To find the declaration. He or she can be anyone who: address of your Electoral Office visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/overseas and insert your postcode • Is aged 18 or over; from your last address in the UK. • Has a British passport which describes his or her status as a “British Citizen” and lives overseas; FOR FURTHER INFORMATION • Knows you but is not a close relative (husband, wife, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child, or If you require further information or assistance in grandchild). registering as an overseas elector you can contact: If you left the UK before you were old enough to register, you Lesley Taylor Or visit: www.conservativesabroad.org or will have to provide a copy of your full birth certificate and www.dontleaveyourvoteathome.com or information about the parent or guardian whose registration www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/overseas you are relying on.
NOMINATING A PROXY VOTE
If you are unable to nominate a close family member or friend to vote on your behalf the Conservative Party can help. For help appointing a proxy vote
CONSERVATIVES ABROAD www.conservativesabroad.org
Promoted and Printed by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party, both at 30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4DP
Next issue isDue out first week of January 2013 don’t miss it !
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