EXPAT Lifestyle MAGAZINE
January 2022
Issue 2
Happy New Year! TALKING WINE
3
with Moira Carmenate
FOOD & DRINK
4-6
with Rik Ellerby & Michael and Faith Lindemann
MOIRA’S KITCHEN
8-10
HOME & GARDEN
11
with elipacrafts
PLANNING AHEAD
12
with Funeral Plans Europe
TALKING LEGAL
13
with CostaSea Legal Services
TALKING FITNESS
14-15
HEALTH & WELLBEING
16-17
with The Elite Wellness Group
TALKING FINANCE
18
Letter from the Editor – Moira Carmenate It’s hard to believe we have come to the end of 2021. Where did the time go? For many of us, 2021 was a year filled with challenges but, thankfully, most of us survived. As we say goodbye to 2021 and welcome 2022 we should be grateful for the experiences we have had as they, without doubt have made us stronger. We have developed resilience, adaptability and strength which gives us a great platform to build on for the year ahead. If nothing else, Covid made many of us revisit our priorities in life and we realized that family and friends were more important than anything else.
20-21
So, this year, instead of worrying about losing weight, let’s be grateful for who we are and how we can improve our own lives and the lives of others.
CLASSIC FILM REVIEW
22
Yes, look after yourself, because if you don’t you are not going to be able to help others.
WHAT’S ON GUIDE
23
MOTORING
26
with Yvonne Haughton
TALKING PROPERTY with Stuart Markham & John Clark
with Simon Wade
with VentureFleet
Our Experts Food & Drink - Varkk Bar & Kitchen and Triple Brew Legal - Costasea Legal Advisors Home & Garden - elipacrafts Property - Sapphire Properties & OP Group Spain Health - Apple Hearing & Healthcare Wellbeing – The Elite Wellness Group Finance - Yvonne Haughton Financial adviser Motors - Venture Fleet
Take a step forward in 2022 and do something meaningful. It’s time for fresh starts and renewed energy. Maybe time to volunteer at a charity and help others who are in need. Royal British Legion need caseworkers, perhaps you could be one of them? Maybe it’s time for you to take up a new hobby – how about crafting? Check out how Elipacrafts can help (page 11) Whatever you do in the year ahead, do it with love, hope and passion. All the team at Expat Lifestyle would like to wish you Happy New Year and a safe and healthy 2022. Enjoy our January edition See you in February, Love Moira
Contact Us The Expat Centre, Calle de Villena 12 Dona Pepa, Ciudad Quesada, 03170 ALICANTE Tel. +34 865 668 596 | email info@expatlifestyle.es
Advertising info@expatlifestyle.es Design Simon@expatlifestyle.es Admin Tracy@expatlifestyle.es
Expat Lifestyle Magazine is published by The Expat Centre. Whilst the publisher has taken all reasonable precautions and effort to ensure the accuracy of material contained in this magazine at the time of publishing, no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage will be assumed by The Expat Centre or its employees. All conditions, rates, specifications and policies are subject to change without notice. Expressed or implied authors’ and advertisers’ opinions are not necessarily those of the editor and/or publisher. All material produced and/or published by Expat Lifestyle Magazine in electronic, printed or other format is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the publisher. The advertiser assumes all responsibility for attaining copyright permission for any material not produced by Expat Lifestyle Magazine.
TALKING WINE with Moira Carmenate RIBERA DEL DUERO This Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) located in the country’s northern plateau and is one of eleven ‘quality wine’ regions within the region of Castilla y León. It is also one of several recognised wine-producing regions to be found along the course of the Duero river. The region is characterised by a largely flat, rocky terrain and is centred on the town of Aranda de Duero. It is to the south and west of Rioja with its heartland around Pesquera and Peñafiel in Castilla y Leon.
There are over 300 wineries so you are not spoiled for choice. One world famous winery, highly respected in the world or wine, is Bodega Vega Sicilia founded in 1864. With famous clients such as Prince Charles, their wines are recognised in the finest establishments around the world. Vega Sicilia produces three different types of wine, although in recent years there have been additional white wines and rosés to join their incredible reds. Unico - This Gran Reserva wine is the signature wine of Vega Sicilia that is usually released 10 years after vintage though some bottlings may not be released for up to 15 years or even longer. Taken from some of the oldest vines in the Ribera del Duero, the wine is mostly Tempranillo (approximately 80% but depending on vintage) and Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 20%). In an average vintage, Unico will account for a little less than a third of Vega Sicilia’s production, although in poor vintages, the winery may not produce any Unico. Valbuena 5° - The 5° indicates that this wine has been aged for five years prior to release. The wine is composed mostly of Tempranillo, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are approximately 22,000 hectares of vineyards, notable for their altitude lying between 800 – 850m. The climate is continental and dry, which together with altitude, results in a dramatic difference in daytime and night temperature. These more extreme conditions can also mean that there can be more variation between vintages than Rioja. Wine has been produced in the region for thousands of years, but viticulture as we know it probably arrived in the Ribera del Duero region with Benedictine monks from the Burgundy region of France in the twelfth century. The Denominación de Origen (D.O.) of Ribera del Duero was founded on July 21, 1982, by an organization of wine producers and growers who were determined to promote the quality of their wines and enforce regulatory standards. Reports that it was set to be upgraded to Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status in 2008 were unfounded and as at 2011, it remains a DO. The main grape variety is Tempranillo, here it is known as Tinto Fino, which is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Consequently, the wines from Ribera tend to have a deeper colour, more tannins, more intense black fruit character, fuller bodied and with a higher level of alcohol, than those from Rioja, which have more red fruit aromas, strawberries and raspberries and flavours and are generally lighter and fresher. The aging requirements for Ribera del Duero are the same used in Rioja. Wines labelled as ‘Crianza’ must age two years with 12 months in oak. ‘Reserva’ wines must be aged at least three years with at least 12 months in oak. The ‘Gran Reserva’ labelled wines must spend 5 years aging prior to release, two being in oak.
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial - A non-vintage blend of different Unicos, aged at least for 10 years. This wine can include grapes from vintages harvested more than 30 years apart and usually only available to private customers under strict allocation. Undoubtedly Vega Sicilia are at the top end of the scale when it comes to price however a more reasonably priced but great winery is Arzuaga. Definitely worth a try is the award winning Arzuaga Crianza 2018 with a Platinum medal and 97 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021. Although we have looked at red wines, all of the wineries also have fine selections of white and rosé wines. In 2018, before we were stopped in our tracks with the Covid pandemic, the New York Times recommended Arzuaga and Ribera del Duero as one of the 52 destinations in the world to visit in 2018.
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FOOD & DRINK with Rik Ellerby of Varkk Bar & Kitchen To accompany this our mixologist is bringing a delicious brunch style cocktail to the table full of berries to help wipe away those January blues and focus us all on a productive positive year ahead.
As we all sit back and reflect on the great times we have had with friends and family this Christmas and New Year, we wave goodbye to a turbulent 2021 and say hello to 2022. Many of you including myself and the team at Varkk Bar & Kitchen are forming plans and making new years resolutions to help reverse the effects of the inevitable over indulgence this season.
Many people have asked what's in store for Varkk in 2022. Well, we plan to open more Varkk Bar & Kitchen venues along the Costa Blanca as well as move forward with opening our Distillery in Pilar De La Horadada.
2021 has ravaged the world through pandemic, personal loss and financial collapse. We will not be beaten and we will not give in, together we can accomplish anything!
We have a challenging year ahead for our business, we intend to tackle it head on and encourage you all to do the same with your year in a safe and responsible manner.
The events of the past year have pushed our business to innovate wildly and work even harder to protect our customers and our business.
From myself and the whole team at Varkk Bar & Kitchen we wish you all a joyous and prosperous New Year in 2022!
The coming year brings new variants of Covid and it is so important that we all stay safe, be responsible and stay fit and healthy.
You can find out more about Varkk, both the distillery and Varkk Bar & Kitchen on our website www.varkk.com
With this in mind, our Brunch Chef at Varkk Bar & Kitchen has produced a healthy Brunch dish to help boost your immune system and watch your waist line.
Book a table now at Varkk Bar & Kitchen - La Fuente on 965 32 11 99 to sample our Brunch, International Street Food or Mains dishes.
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Seasonal Fruit Oatmeal Pancakes, with a Berry and Citrus Garnish (gluten free) Created by Jesús Mellizo Hervás, Brunch Chef at Varkk Ingredients (for the batter):
Methodology:
200 gr whole grain oat flour 200 ml vanilla flavour soy milk 20 ml stevia sweetener 2 eggs size L 1 tablespoon of baking powder 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Put the dry ingredients on one side,
For the filling and garnish: 1 banana 1 kiwi 3 strawberries 1/2 of pomegranate berry compote orange, lemon and lime zest mint leaves
1) Break the eggs into a jug with the milk and the vanilla essence 2) Whisk until combined. 3) Gradually pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, whole grain oat flour, baking powder and Stevia. 4) Mix until a dense batter is obtained. 5) Pour in a non-stick pan slowly to form the three pancakes. 6) Turning every 30 seconds. 7) Fill each layer with fresh seasonal fruits. 8) Garnish with berry compote, orange lemon and lime zest to taste and mint leaves. 9) Eat warm and enjoy the taste.
Methodology:
Blackberry Mule
1) In a cocktail shaker, squeeze the juice from half lime to the shaker, and then put in blackberries, mint leaves, and lime juice, muddle and squash everything to release the juices.
Credit to Jane Kelly, Mixologist at Varkk Bar & Kitchen
2) Pour the vodka into the shaker, fill with ice and shake until well combined
Ingredients: 32g fresh blackberries 8 leaves of fresh mint, extra for the garnish ½ lime for juicing 50ml vodka 60ml ginger beer, chilled champagne, chilled, to top up
3) Strain into a glass, add the ginger beer and top up the glass with champagne. 4) Garnish with mint leaves, a blackberry and orange peel 5) sit back, relax and enjoy!
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FOOD & DRINK
with Triple Brew in Rojales Calle San Antonio, next to Sabadell Bank
At Triple Brew, we love ales and fine wine. We continuously look to source the newest and the craziest beers and wines from around the world to add to our growing collection. (Think Spain’s strongest beer at 18.41%!) In January we will be holding THREE wine-tasting events which will cover the best of our 2021 tasting collections. We will also continue to have regular tasting sessions throughout 2022. Our wonderful food menu is also getting some new additions including a special lamb stew and a tasty beef variant. Triple Brew stews have very popular with our wine pairings! On behalf of everyone at Triple Brew, we wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday season! Call now to reserve your table - +34 645 331857
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MOIRA’S KITCHEN with Moira Carmenate, Expat Lifestyle editor
HEALTHY EATING RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR Welcome to my kitchen. For those of you who know me, you know I have a “need to feed”. I love to see people eating well and especially eating healthily. However, the key is always “in moderation”. Now and again we can have a blow out and eat anything and everything, after all we are human and as long as it’s not every-day we can allow ourselves a bit of indulgence. At this time of the year, many of you will feel under pressure to go on a diet. Pressure from TV advertising for meal replacements, unhealthy weight loss pills and a host of other ways to extract money from your wallet with a miracle weight loss solution. Diets normally mean you are going to deprive yourself of things you enjoy. For this reason alone, you are likely to fail. It’s a cycle of torture and guilt which you inevitably feel when you reach out for that piece of chocolate that wasn’t allowed on your diet.
To help you avoid another fruitless dieting cycle, this month we are going to look at creating healthy eating habits. Changing your mind-set from limitation to liberation. A key factor in your healthy eating plan is to eat enough! Yes, enough! No skipping meals! That’s when your body thinks it is being starved and starts to store fat in case no more food is coming in. What about the foods you eat? Remember your body is like a car and it needs fuel. You wouldn’t put cheap old gasoline in a top of the range Mercedes, neither should you put any old fuel into your body. It’s that simple – you are what you eat. So let’s eat healthy, appetizing foods that make you feel good. Here are some ideas for you to try. Enjoy.
BREAKFAST BURRITO Method For the Pico de Gallo 2 plum tomatoes, diced 1/2 jalapeno, diced, seeded if desired 1/2 small red onion, diced 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped, reserving some for garnish Juice of 1/2 lime Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the Burrito 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 6 ounces fresh chorizo, casings removed 6 large eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper Hot sauce 4 large burrito-size tortillas 1 avocado, sliced 1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese
For the Pico de Gallo: Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onions, coriander and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. For the burritos: Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking it up, until it is slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a couple dashes of hot sauce Pour in the eggs and stir until fluffy and just set, about 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Wipe out the skillet and return it to the heat. Warm the tortillas one at a time in the skillet. Build the burrito by layering the avocado, egg mixture, about a tablespoon of Pico de Gallo and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold in the two sides and roll up tightly. Garnish with the reserved coriander leaves and serve with additional Pico de Gallo and hot sauce on the side.
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HALLOUMI & CHICK PEA SALAD Ingredients for the dressing 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp freshly chopped dill 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Ingredients for the salad 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 small head fennel, cored and thinly sliced 1/4 cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 8 oz halloumi, cut into 1/4" slices 1 pita, torn into bite-sized piece 1 packet arugula or rocket 1 medium orange, cut into segments ½ ripe avocado Red pepper flakes Method In the same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining oil. Add pita and toast until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove to plate with halloumi. Add arugula, halloumi, and pita to bowl with chickpeas, fennel, and olives and toss to combine. Remove peel and pit from avocado half if necessary and cut crosswise into thin slices. Add orange segments and avocado slices and toss very gently until combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chickpeas, fennel, and olives to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. In a large frying pan, over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add halloumi and cook until charred and golden on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes total. Remove cheese to a large plate.
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MOIRA’S KITCHEN
Vegetables -v- Carbs
Did you know that a great way to get the carbs you need is from your vegetables? Here are a few examples of low carb vegetables (Carbs are measured in grams) Share your food joy - Moira invites you to send your favourite recipes with a photo of your creation. Email: info@expatlifestyle.es Vegetable
Serving
Carbs (grams)
Tips
Corn
1 cup
30 grams
Also contains fibre Best grilled/avoid butter
Beetroot
1 cup chopped
13 grams
Bake sliced beets at 200 degrees for 20 mins..great with low fat feta cheese
Carrots
1 cup
12 grams
Eat them raw, grated into a salad or cook them lightly and add some lemon juice and cumin seeds
Courgette
1 cup
3.5 grams
Use a spiraler and create noodles instead of spaghetti. Grill and season with salt and black pepper
Spinach
2 cups
2 grams
Almost carb free! Use it fresh in salads or saute lightly and add chilli and garlic or just salt and pepper
Broccoli
1 cup
6 grams
You don’t have to boil it. Try drizzling with a little olive oil, dust with garlic & salt & pepper
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HOME & GARDEN with Paul & Liz from elipacrafts Looking for a new hobby? Something that inspires you, gives you purpose, and that you genuinely enjoy.
It´s as easy as 1 - dab the pen onto the wax. 2 - place the tip of the pen on the top of the crystal to lift it, place the crystal onto the numbered dot 3 - repeat until you have completed the art
There are many benefits of having a hobby that you enjoy whether you use it to help with work or life stress or it opens you up to think creatively.
elipacrafts can also provide your very own personalised canvas using your own photo – truly unique and makes a perfect gift
If you’re also looking for ways to ignite your creativity, find a different way to entertain your soul, and be intentional with your “me” time, you might want to try picking up a new hobby
Painting by numbers is also popular and is a great way to start your art journey, at elipacrafts we use acrylic paints which are very versatile. Once mastered you can move onto watercolour, acrylic or oil. Each medium has its own benefits.
My favourite now is Crystal Art or diamond painting. There are a few different suppliers, elipacrafts use the Craft Buddy crystal art as it is already mounted on frames, unlike the canvas, this means the stones adhere better, the picture quality is stronger, and you don’t have to spend more money on mounting. Crystal Art kits enable you to make your own sparkly and beautiful diy diamond painting. The technique is relaxing and therapeutic, and the result is a beautiful piece of rhinestone art. Each set has excess stones and are a great way to create your own pieces just by using a glue pen.
Watercolour paints are easy for cleaning, less wasted paint, have no harsh chemicals and add transparency. They are easy to carry so are great for taking outdoors for landscapes. Acrylic paint is one of the most versatile mediums, and one of the least toxic. It is water-soluble when wet and yet because it is a plastic polymer, dries into a flexible, water-resistant, and durable surface to which subsequent layers of paint can be added without disturbing the underlying layers with its fast-drying time. Acrylic paint can be thinned with water and other mediums and used like watercolour, or like oils using mediums which thicken the paint and retard the slowing time so that the paint can be manipulated the same way as oil paint. Oil paints have a higher pigment count than most other mediums. Because of that, oil paint produces rich and luminous colours that produce amazingly vibrant paintings. It dries slowly, blends with many colours and the paint also does not move or run when painting on the canvas and this allows for a more precise painting. In addition, it is easier to make corrections on the canvas when using oil paints. All you need to do is scrape off the paint using a palette knife and then repaint the area. It isn’t always easy to find a new hobby, the key is keeping an open mind as you try new things. Look into a class about an interest you have, join a friend in a hobby they enjoy, or just take the time to try something you’ve always wanted to try. Keep looking, and you might be surprised when you fall in love with your new favourite past-time.
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PLANNING AHEAD It’s that time of year, a reminder to us all to get our ducks in a row. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FUNERAL PLANNING The Cambridge English Dictionary gives the definition of “get your ducks in a row” as ’to be well prepared or well organized for something that is going to happen’. Unfortunately for many, especially living here in Spain, funeral planning is often left until it’s too late. Then the costs have rocketed and you and your family are not in control of the situation at such a distressing time. This need not be the case. Here at Funeral Plans Europe, we help you chose the best plan for you and your family and organize everything for you. We also have the lowest price funeral plan in Spain, almost half the price of a basic funeral offered by many of the Tanatorios.
None of us know when our moment will come, but one thing is for sure, by organizing and locking in the cost of your funeral plan with us, it will make it easier and cheaper for your family. Clearly, we cannot take away the grief they will face but we can take away the trauma of having to deal with a complicated system here in Spain, especially when they can’t speak the language. Get your ducks in a row today and call us.
TALKING LEGAL with CostaSea Legal Advisers
INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING Making plans for when you die isn’t easy however it Is important to ensure that your property and assets pass to those you care about. There are many differences in the laws of succession and inheritance tax here in Spain than those of your home country. A key difference in Spain is that all beneficiaries must declare their inheritance and surprisingly to many inheritors, especially where property is concerned, the tax must be paid before a property can be sold. However, it is not just the property that’s taxed, it’s also monies held in bank accounts, motor vehicles and any other assets. A main reason to plan ahead is to avoid additional charges to the inheritance tax calculation. The inheritance tax declaration must be made within six months and if not a levy of 5% is charged for every three months up to a maximum of 20% on top of the bill. In Spain the taxes vary depending on which autonomous community your property is located. Another factor on tax levels is your relationship to the deceased. In short, if you have assets in Spain, you need to plan ahead to make sure your plans are tax efficient for your beneficiaries. Here at Costasea, we are more than happy to help you make those plans.
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TALKING FITNESS 2022 – BECOME YOUR BEST YOU We say it every year – “I’m going to get fit next year”. It’s one of the top new year’s resolutions and one of the top new year’s resolutions that fail within months. Why? Maybe your expectations were too high? Maybe it was just a chore? Maybe it was too difficult? Whatever your reason, here are a few tips to motivate you to keep going: Enlist a “buddy”, it’s easier when you have a companion who is trying to achieve a similar goal. Don’t expect to waive a magic wand – set realistic goals and believe in yourself. Self-doubt is one of the biggest self-limiters. Know why you are doing this.
Most know what they want to achieve but often forget to ask why? Track your progress - you will surprise yourself how far you have come. Most people tend to focus on one type of exercise or activity and think they’re doing enough. Research has shown that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: • Endurance • Balance • Strength • Flexibility
Endurance Exercises for Adults Endurance activities, often referred to as aerobic, increase your breathing and heart rates. These activities help keep you healthy, improve your fitness, and help you perform the tasks you need to do every day. Endurance exercises improve the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Physical activities that build endurance include: Brisk walking or jogging, dancing, swimming, cycling and tennis. Safety Tips • • • • • •
Do a little light activity, such as easy walking, before and after your endurance activities to warm up and cool down. Listen to your body: endurance activities should not cause dizziness, chest pain or pressure, or a feeling like heartburn. Be sure to drink liquids when doing any activity that makes you sweat. If you are going to be exercising outdoors, be aware of your surroundings. Dress in layers so you can add or remove clothes as needed for hot and cold weather. To prevent injuries, use safety equipment such as a helmet when cycling
Balance Exercises for Adults Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults that can have serious consequences. Many lower-body strength exercises also will improve your balance. Balance exercises include: • Tai Chi, a "moving meditation" that involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply. • Standing on one foot. • Standing from a seated position. Safety Tips • Have a sturdy chair or a person nearby to hold on to if you feel unsteady.
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Balance Exercises for Adults
Strength Exercises for Adults
Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults that can have serious consequences. Many lower-body strength exercises also will improve your balance.
Your muscular strength can make a big difference. Strong muscles help you stay independent and make everyday activities feel easier, like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries.
Balance exercises include: • Tai Chi, a "moving meditation" that involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply. • Standing on one foot. • Standing from a seated position. Safety Tips • Have a sturdy chair or a person nearby to hold on to if you feel unsteady.
Keeping your muscles strong can help with your balance and prevent falls and fall-related injuries. You are less likely to fall when your leg and hip muscles are strong. Some people call using weight to improve your muscle strength “strength training” or “resistance training.” Examples of strength exercises include lifting weights, carrying groceries, gripping a tennis ball, lifting your body weight and using a resistance band. Safety Tips • •
Flexibility Exercises for Adults Stretching can improve your flexibility. Moving more freely will make it easier for you to reach down to tie your shoes or look over your shoulder when you back your car out of the driveway. Flexibility exercises include: • The back stretch exercise • The inner thigh stretch • The ankle stretch • The back of leg stretch Safety Tips • • • •
Stretch when your muscles are warmed up. Stretch after endurance or strength exercises. Don’t stretch so far that it hurts. Always remember to breathe normally while holding a stretch.
*if unsure about any form of exercise, speak with your Doctor
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Don’t hold your breath during strength exercises and breathe regularly. Breathe out as you lift or push, and breathe in as you relax
TALKING HEALTH with Apple Hearing
BETTER HEARING STARTS HERE! Happy New Year! After yet another challenging year, why not start 2022 with a new resolution – Better Hearing Health? And let us at Apple Hearing & Healthcare help you towards achieving this. Hearing is one of the senses often overlooked but the part it plays in our daily lives should not be underestimated. In this modern world, living with an impaired hearing can be debilitating and lonely. Moreso than ever, communication plays a significant role in our lives and hearing and understanding is central to this. It is quite common that people with hearing difficulties have an above average chance from suffering with depression and has been proven that healthy hearing is directly connected to our overall health and wellbeing. An international study which was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London emphasized the importance of looking after your hearing. At Apple Hearing & Healthcare, we are truly passionate to making sure our customers experience an improved quality of life and led by our very experienced audiologist, Mr Gary
Hagerty and working closely with our manufacturer, Starkey, we know we can help to improve your hearing. We endeavour to provide relief to those with the most severe hearing impairments and other related hearing condition such as tinnitus. So, if you find yourself struggling to understand conversations or you find yourself putting up the volume on the television too high, contact us on 965 020 813 to book our FREE, NO OBLIGATION hearing test. With our promised 30 days money back guarantee, we ensure that our customers are fully happy with their chosen devices. Furthermore, we pride ourselves in providing the best after care service which means that our relationship with our customers does not end at the point of sale, but we strive to continue taking care of the servicing, testing and repairing of the hearing aids as and when necessary. We are on hand to make sure you are satisfied with the aids and our life-long 6-monthly check up will also ensure you are kept updated with the latest technology and servicing of your aids
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WELLBEING By Moira Carmenate
Get your glamour on! How you feel reflects how you look •
Are the foods and drinks you consume fuelling your body and boosting your health? If not – change what you are eating and drinking…and remember water is essential for health and for beauty… think of a dried prune? You can avoid that look by drinking pure and natural water. You can also improve your health by removing excessive salt and sugar which damages your skin and fundamentally your heart.
•
Be kind to yourself – don’t fight with yourself or try to compare yourself to others. You are you. Get rid of stress, do little self-care rituals like long soaks in the tub. Light some candles and put on some relaxing music.
It doesn’t even cost you money to get back on track. Desire to change comes from within and that is free. No facelifts or fillers required!
•
Hold your head up high – this may sound crazy but I often tell my clients this. Forget about the scales and how many kilos you think you should weigh.
KEY TIPS:
•
Feel good about yourself and the first step is to own your own space, breathe properly, get your chin up and strut your stuff. When you do this and remember to do it so it becomes norm, you will feel amazing.
Okay – it’s been a challenging time for everyone and most of us gained a bit of excess Covid weight. Most of us also slobbed out during lockdown – but that was then! This is the time to shake ourselves back up and get into our groove. Being a ‘couch-potato’ is not good. It’s not good for our general wellbeing and it certainly isn’t good for our mental health. So here it is… ‘kick-butt time’ – no excuses – time to move into 2022 with positivity and drive. Starting with yourself, create your 2022 Wellbeing Plan. Firstly, you have to feel good about yourself and feeling good comes from within. There is this quote by the actor Jason Statham, “Looking good and feeling good go hand in hand. If you have a healthy lifestyle, your diet and nutrition are set and you’re working out, you’re going to feel good.” Simple? Only if you consciously create new habits including healthy eating, a sensible exercise programme and looking in the mirror daily at how you are presenting yourself. It’s not essential that every woman needs to look like Audrey Hepburn, or every man needs to look like Clark Gable, but you need to feel good about who you are and make the best efforts to present the fabulous you to the world. You were born fabulous, but sometimes as life has gone on, you lost your way, forgot your fabulousness in life’s jungle and in the end gave up! Sound familiar? Now stop slobbing around, it’s never too late to change.
•
•
Start every day with GRATITUDE – when you are grateful for what you have – even as basic as a warm bed to sleep in (remember so many are homeless), you start the day mindfully thanking the Universe for everything that is good in your life You are what you eat – be mindful of every morsel you put in your mouth.
So come on…strut your stuff in 2022…you owe it to your glamorous self.
Visit our website www.theelitewellnessgroup.com for life-changing retreats in 2022
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TALKING FINANCE
There is no better time to start your investments and financial planning than today. What I mean by this is that the sooner you start planning towards your goals and dreams, the better. But why should I invest?
with Yvonne Haughton
Why you should invest today
I want to use a simple example to answer this crucial question. Let’s say you have €50,000 saved up and you keep it under your mattress. Today, this €50,000 will buy you the equivalent of €50,000 worth of goods. But let’s fast forward to ten years down the line. You still have €50,000 under your mattress, but with the increase of the cost of living, at an average of 2% p.a., it now equates to €41,015 You have made a loss of almost €10,000! To level out the increase in the cost of living, you must invest your savings to make a minimum profit equivalent to that increase but preferably gain even more. Now that we have established that investing is essential to overcome the increase in prices, how do you find the best investment method? Everyone has different goals and dreams in life, so financial planning is different for everyone. A qualified financial planner can work with you to achieve your goals and aspirations. There are many products and systems to help you achieve your financial goals. This can seem overwhelming and confusing for the layperson or even scary. Financial goals usually include: a short-term investment, for the “just in case” scenarios a middle-term investment for that new car you want to buy in 6 years, or the university expenses of your child a long-term investment for that holiday home you wish to purchase or to pay off your mortgage sooner than planned and last but not least, keep up your lifestyle when you retire from work. But what about all these financial crises we have seen? The world has lived through many financial crises in the past, and we will surely see some more. Investing may seem frightening at first, but those crises can be turned into great opportunities with the proper planning. Different investment systems can be employed during planning consultation after discovering your needs and goals. For long-term investments, it is advisable to enter at various points in the asset instead of all at once. The reasons for this are: 1. You create a compound interest, meaning profit upon profit. 2. You level out any financial crises in the world as you enter at points when the market is low and others when it is higher, creating plentiful investment opportunities. And the most critical characteristic of an investor is, as the following quote by Warren Buffet says, “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.” As a fully qualified financial planner, I will help you achieve your goals and dreams and always be available to you for any questions, concerns, or financial needs that you might have. To book an appointment with me, give me a call or send me a message or e-mail. I will be happy to be of your assistance! Yvonne Haughton
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TALKING PROPERTY with John Clark, Sapphire Properties Surprisingly, sales of properties over the last two years have proved to be much better than anyone anticipated bearing in mind the various Government imposed travel restrictions. Here at Sapphire Properties for example our sales to date in 2021 are up 10% against 2020 and sales in 2020 were also up 10% against sales in 2019, in fact, we have just experienced our best third quarter results in all the years we have been trading. In Spain overall, there were over 16,000 home sales in Qtr. 3, 2021 that involved a foreign buyer, this figure is up over 40% compared to 2020.
We collaborate with other carefully chosen agencies and property portals to maximise the advertising coverage of your property.
All this is exceptionally good news for vendors and estate agents. However, it means that we are now experiencing a severe shortage of properties for sale.
Choosing the right estate agent is paramount. Whilst fixed fee agents can be a tempting option, the independent statistics shown on This Money website show that traditional agent perform better as shown below
We have over 4,000 clients listed who are looking to buy in this area but the choice of properties available reduces as each property is sold.
• 64% more offers • 48% more viewings • 5% higher selling price achieved
At Sapphire Properties we work on a no sale, no fee basis and offer exclusive and non-exclusive contracts giving our vendors greater flexibility and choice.
For a free, no obligation valuation of your property, or just a general chat please feel free to contact us.
VISTABELLA GOLF €114,999 QUESADA
Tel. 965 725 478 | Mob. 600 362 843 E. info@sapphireproperties.co.uk www.sapphireproperties.co.uk
ARENALES SOL
SR1167
SR1168 Well-presented 2 bed 2 bath bungalow on 18-hole golf course
2 bed, 2 bath townhouse with spectacular uninterrupted sea view
Well-presented west-facing 2 bed 2 bath bungalow adapated for disabled access
€164,999 QUESADA
€199,999 ALGORFA
SR1235
€149,999
SR1234
€260,000
SR1223
Detached 3 bed villa, communal pool with mountain & sea views
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Beautiful one-level fully furnished villa with large private pool and garage
Looking to SELL or RENT your property? We are in the search for properties to sell or rent in the Costa Blanca Area, due to high demand. People are now wanting to move away from large cities and look to enjoy beautiful views while working from home
Ref: OPLF048
Ref: OPLF050
PENTHOUSE APT STUNNING VIEWS 2 BED 1 BATH
TOWNHOUSE SAN BARTOLOME WITH POTENTIAL €75,000 3 BED 2 BATH
ALGORFA €68,000 Ref: OPLF060
END TCE SEMI WITH GARAGE 2 BED 1 BATH
Ref: OPLF069
GRND FLOOR APT LA FINCA GOLF NICE VIEWS €109,500 2 BED 2 BATH
ALGORFA €85,000
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CLASSIC FILM REVIEW with Simon Wade
I love this film to the moon and back! The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980) “A masterpiece of modern horror” was the tagline that adorned the posters for the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel. Perhaps it should have read, “A masterpiece of shoe-horning your own agenda into a film”. Indeed, this is not just a re-reading King’s story, but very much Stanley Kubrick’s own version of the tale, ranging from Native American history, the Nazi holocaust and the 1969 moon landings – depending on which conspiracy theory you follow closest! On its own, 1980’s psychological horror is a complex tale of betrayal, redemption, domestic violence, racism, mental health & alcoholism. Perfectly cast for the part of Jack Torrance, Jack Nicholson seemed to have had an additional agenda placed upon him by Kubrick. A director who, having not made a film since the disappointing Barry Lyndon in 1975, had a lot to get off his chest! Indeed, the fact that so many scenes involve a mirror or reflections, it suggests that Stanley was at quite an introspective stage in his life. A true democrat, he made references to Native American history and slaughter of an indigenous population (Check out the wall coverings and traditional patterns throughout). He dropped in clever suggestions about the Nazi’s ‘Final Solution’ by having 42 or 1942 feature prominently (Danny & mum Wendy watched The Summer of 1942 on TV & the 6 bar stools in the Gold Room were separated in groups of 4 & 2). However, many see The Shining as Kubrick’s admission of guilt. Guilt that, following the visual success of 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, he was persuaded by NASA to film a fake moon landing, just in case the real transmissions failed. I feel there is certainly some credence to this theory. Hints include the numerous (Apollo) 11 motifs, the son Danny’s jumper, and the change from King’s hotel room 217 in the book to Kubrick’s room 237 in the film. At the time, the moon itself was believed to be roughly 237,000 miles from earth. However, I’m even more willing to consider this particular theory after learning that Jack’s questioning to Wendy on the hotel stairs as she’s swinging the baseball bat (42 times) is all the work of Kubrick. King’s book had none of this text for Torrance, but consider the NASA conspiracy theory and Kubrick’s own script…
“Have you ever had a single moment's thought about my responsibilities? Does it matter to you at all that the owners have placed their complete confidence and "trust" in me, and that I have signed a letter of agreement, a "contract", in which I have accepted that responsibility? Do you have the slightest idea what a "moral and ethical principal" is? Do you? Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to my future, if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occurred to you? Has it?” Powerful words, but are they relevant to his contract at The Overlook Hotel, or Kubrick’s alleged agreement with NASA? The real answers died with Stanley Kubrick in 1999, but whether you believe the multiple alternate theories or not, they all add up to make a compelling classic – and try watching The Shining again without spotting those metaphors. It would be REDRUM!
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WHAT’S ON GUIDE Sunday 2 FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Rumours, 7pm – The Queen of Karaoke, NIKKI NOCK
JANUARY
Thursday 6 FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Sunley’s, 6pm – OPEN MIC JAM SESSION PLAYA FLAMENCA, Pablo’s International, 6pm – No Fences (Celtic & Country Duo) Saturday 8 GUARDAMAR, El Bosque Animado, 9.30pm Delvis Ramos y Chocolate Son, Cuban Latin Salsa TORREVIEJA, Oasis San Luis, 6.30pm – Cabaret & Tom Jones tribute with JIM MCMAIL GUARDAMAR PARK (RINCON DEL LUNA), The Bar, 8pm – Live Music with SOLIDAD Sunday 9 LO CRISPIN, La Hacienda, 5pm – DEBBIE H CAMPOSOL, Bar Salud – Live music with Still In The Groove LA FUENTE, The Champagne Bar, 7pm – BEE RUMBLE
NIKKI NOCK
DELVIS RAMOS
Friday 21 QUESADA, The Club, 7pm – BEE RUMBLE Soul & Motown Tribute (2 Course meal and show) QUESADA, Chiefs on Broadway, 7pm – DEBBIE H
Monday 10 TORREVIEJA, St James Gate, 3pm – The Queen of Karaoke, NIKKI NOCK
Sunday 23 LA FUENTE, The Champagne Bar, 7pm – BEE RUMBLE
Wednesday 12 FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Tipsy Tortoise, 8pm – Fun Quiz in aid of local charities
Wednesday 26 BENIJOFAR, La Cosecha, 7pm – DEBBIE H
Friday 14 BENIJOFAR, La Cosecha, 7pm – DEBBIE H
Saturday 29 CAMPOVERDE, Danny’s, 7pm – BEE RUMBLE
Sunday 16 TORRE HORADADA, The Haven, 7pm – BEE RUMBLE Thursday 20 TORREVIEJA, Muelle Pesquero De Torrevieja, 11am – Show-cooking Workshop with ToursCostaBlanca.com LOS ALCAZARES, Las Claras Del Mar Menor, 3.30pm Barrington Benefit Concert
Please contact The Expat Centre if you have an event to publicise in February
Do you enjoy a traditional quiz? Every week pictures, trivia, words and music. No gimmicks. No bingo. Just a fun quiz that tests your grey cells. Mondays - The Pines, Benijofar. Atarts 3.30pm Tuesdays - Chiefs on Broadway, Quesada. Starts 7pm Wednesdays - Bar Alma in Dona Pepa, Quesada. Starts 2pm Thursdays – Micky’s Inn, Vista Bella Golf, Entre Naranjos. Starts 8pm
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Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays there is a full menu available also. Please contact the venue direct to book a table or if you have any query please contact Quizmaster Mike foreverinmusic@aol.com
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E-Cigs
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If you would like to advertise in The Expat Lifestyle magazine, please call us on 865 668 596 Email info@expatlifestyle.es
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MOTORING with Venture Fleet
What you should know about driving in winter January is the perfect month to grab your ski gear, hiking boots, and woolly socks to have some winter fun! But before you embark on your “cool” adventure, let’s make sure you have a safe journey to the slopes. The first thing we need to check is our tyres. Make sure your thread is above the minimum tolerance of 1.6mm. Look for the tyre thread’s raised point, the correct minimum height. Or, if you love a gadget, use your thread-depth gauge. The depths should be 1.6 millimetres across the central ¾, which is 75% of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. If you are driving in snow, make sure you change to winter tyres before and pack the chains, ready to slip on. After ensuring the tyres are safe, we’ll head over to the coolant. Yes, it is winter, but our car needs coolant to run smoothly. Please ensure you use official coolant and NOT water! If you live on the sunny Costa Blanca, a coolant with a strength of up to -5ºC is enough. However, if you go to the Sierra Nevada for a snowboarding adventure, fill the deposit with a stronger coolant. Now, make sure your screen washer is not running low and that your windscreen wipers work perfectly. Check their rubber lining to see whether they are getting hard
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and need changing. You don’t want to be stuck in a rain or snowstorm without your wipers! Another essential element for perfect vision is the de-mister. A little test run will tell you that you are good to go. Now, the only thing left to do is check all of your lights, including fog, long-distance, rear fog, and brake lights. Make sure you always carry the same number of security vests as passengers in your car. This is even required by Spanish law. Pack some blankets, flashlights, and phone chargers for additional security during winter journeys. Always be prepared! If you have any doubt about your car’s roadworthiness, come by, and we will check it for you! Come to the professionals at Venture Fleet in Los Montesinos for any of your car needs. Please book your appointment now by calling 965077330 or send us an e-mail at info@venturefleet.com
The Expat Centre
Your one stop shop for trusted advice The Expat Centre has been helping Expats, whether they are currently in Spain or thinking of moving to Spain. Our services include absolutely everything you need, in one location, such as help with residency, NIE’s, health insurance and health care, padrons, motoring, insurances, financial planning, funeral planning, tax, wills, currency exchange, car hire, property finding and so much more. We regularly host free informative talks in our conference room at The Expat Centre. These talks give you an opportunity to ask our resident experts questions regarding taxes, wills and probate, financial planning and getting the best return on your investments. Our clients have found the talks very helpful especially as it has enabled them to freely ask questions and get answers to the many questions they have relating to their new life in Spain.
Register for our talks by emailing: info@theexpatcentre.com
motor insurance | car transfers driving licence advice | car leasing
The Expat Centre, Calle Villena 12, Dona Pepa, Ciudad Quesada, 03170 ALICANTE Tel. 865 668 596 | email. info@TheExpatCentre.com | www.TheExpatCentre.com 27