Prestige Magazine South Africa Edition 48

48

may 2011 | Yachting | Adventure

Best of Basel

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Island retreat

Art

Great Gucci

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Alfa Romeo

Design | Travel | Collectibles |

May 2011

Issue no. 48

Business

prestigemag.co.za

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Santoni shoes • Dubai World Cup • Vintage cameras • George Clooney • Historic racing • Miami • Space travel

South Africa’s Premier luxury Lifestyle Magazine

“You have cancer... ... was the most devastating sentence I had ever heard. What now? What if I had known before?”

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By Supporting the Cancer Loyalty Card you support a cause that has touched each and every one of us. In addition you will receive discounts at selected retailers countrywide for goods and services purchased.

Innovation

your Neo Solutions was established in 2004 as a niche businessShow focused onsupport for PinkDrive and MBTM by signing up for a Cancer Loyalty Card. Proceeds from these cards will contribute to cancer awareness and education programmes.

the public sector and general consulting. Over the years it has evolved into a

large consulting practice with strong expertise in the following areas: project

Apply online at: www.pinkdrive.co.za.

management, public sector general consulting, supply chain, procurement

Forevaluation, more information: and tender management, strategic planning, IT solutions, business www.pinkdrive.co.za 071 328 6756

incubation and networking.

Neo Aviation is an aviation company with a difference, and with a fresh

approach to the business of aviation. More recently acquired is our capability Early detection

of cancer

to apply business consulting in-line with benchmarking, business saves revenuelives. improvements and turnaround strategies in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft line and major maintenance and repair.

Pcubed is an information technology and communications unit specialising in turnkey solutions using state-of-the art, secure platforms developed in-house. This division has developed groundbreaking IT systems focusing on large-scale mobile office environments and portals, mobility solutions and automated processes.

As a group, Neo Africa lives by the philosophy and values of empowering nations through recruiting, developing and positively impacting historically disadvantaged individuals, not just in South Africa but all over the continent.

As a truly African organisation, we have a proven track record for developing and implementing large-scale operations and projects for both the Public and Private sectors. We have performed projects in Southern Africa and are currently expanding our footprint into the rest of the continent.

Neo Africa is 100 percent black owned and managed and employs over 300 people.

Revolution A CMF initiative (Cause Marketing Fundraisers is a Section 21 Company registered under the Companies Act of South Africa. PBO Nr. 930025326)

Neo Energy was formed some four years ago in the environmental and financial sectors. It has a focus towards renewable energies and cleaner

Have you met an angel?

fuel energy solutions, as well as using existing resources more efficiently and protecting our environment, not to forget carbon-trading opportunities.

Neo Secure specially to givebut clients a secure solutions ones that walk amongst us? If you’ve ever wondered Notwas the really big established ones with wings, the normal unsuspecting

package, withabout a Neothis Africa credit card.I can The now cardtell is secure assince its default status is with breast cancer, I have met them and they are phenomenon, you that I was diagnosed

out there, to touch your life.phone linked to it.

OFF until activated usingwaiting the customised mobile Neo Property Management is a family privateand commercial property asset at a time like this. They cannot help themselves because You just know that your friends will be supportive

madeboasting them in that wonderful way in-house that will not allow themteam to be anything else. Sometimes the hardest part is for you management God operation an entrepreneurial management to relinquish some of your own independence and admit that you need help. Still, all you have to do is ask.

with over 40 years’ experience in all facets of the South African property industry.

Lifestyle

What is extraordinary though, is the kindness that you receive from people outside this usual support group. Some of these people do not even know you, whereas others might be in a position to understand that you are currently in the biggest battle of your life. Whatever their origin, whatever the reason, they all work together to help keep the faith, albeit unwittingly.

Neo Odyssey is a Concierge division born of the need in the market for an

My first encounter with an angel was when a hearing-impaired nurse knew what I wanted to say without having to utter a

exclusive and word. personalised service towith manage high-profile clients in a manner She covered me a blanket that kept me safe from thisthat thing that wanted to take over my heart and mind. surpasses industry standards.

Something similar happened a few weeks later when a nun held my hand in the middle of the night because my hair fell

outisand was feeling lost.

Andmanagement scared. And so sad. entity Neo Events an Ielite, dynamic, event andterribly coordination with additionalThe full-house marketing, communications, and public service wonderful thing about these encounters is that relations they do not wait for the dark and desperate times to cross your path.

They also happen during the day when the sun is shining. One such day was when two young friends of my son walked through the door before I was ‘ready’. They were absolutely fascinated by my look in the most honest and open way. I Neo Publishing is a passionate, entrepreneurial company, always in the marvelled at the experience, especially since, of late, I was found fascinating only when either bare chested or under a market for new acquisitions, as well as for the creation of new custom solutions microscope! abilities.

for its corporate and government clients.

The ‘tools in our own arsenal’ include the following group companies at our disposal: Innovation, Revolution, and Lifestyle.

Another lucky encounter was when a proudly South African lady shared the secret of tying a scarf around your head just the way her mother, and her mother before her, did it. I was an African queen. That happy experience was only rivaled by a gift sent by my sister who lives in a faraway country. She sent me the simplest aid to free me from daily boundaries – a little pink cap. Immediately, it was true love .

info@neoafrica.com / www.neoafrica.com I am2833 lucky because my story has2899 a happy ending and I have been truly blessed. For that, I say thank you, from the bottom Tel: +27 11 484 / Fax: +27 11 484 3rd Floor, North Wing, Oakhurst, St Andrews Rd,with Parktown, 2193 of my heart, to all the11 angels who were me on my journey with breast cancer.

PO Box 2971, Saxonwold, 2132

For more touching true life stories click on “Survivorship stories” at the bottom of www.pinkdrive.co.za.

Innovation Neo Solutions was established in 2004 as a niche business focused on the public sector and general consulting. Over the years it has evolved into a large consulting practice with strong expertise in the following areas: project management, public sector general consulting, supply chain, procurement and tender management, strategic planning, IT solutions, business evaluation, incubation and networking.

Neo Aviation is an aviation company with a difference, and with a fresh approach to the business of aviation. More recently acquired is our capability to apply business consulting in-line with benchmarking, business revenue improvements and turnaround strategies in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft line and major maintenance and repair.

Pcubed is an information technology and communications unit specialising in turnkey solutions using state-of-the art, secure platforms developed in-house. This division has developed groundbreaking IT systems focusing on large-scale mobile office environments and portals, mobility solutions and automated processes.

Revolution Neo Energy was formed some four years ago in the environmental and financial sectors. It has a focus towards renewable energies and cleaner fuel energy solutions, as well as using existing resources more efficiently and protecting our environment, not to forget carbon-trading opportunities.

Neo Secure was specially established to give clients a secure solutions package, with a Neo Africa credit card. The card is secure as its default status is OFF until activated using the customised mobile phone linked to it.

Neo Property Management is a private commercial property asset management operation boasting an entrepreneurial in-house management team with over 40 years’ experience in all facets of the South African property industry.

Lifestyle Neo Odyssey is a Concierge division born of the need in the market for an exclusive and personalised service to manage high-profile clients in a manner that surpasses industry standards.

Neo Events is an elite, dynamic, event management and coordination entity with additional full-house marketing, communications, and public relations service abilities.

Neo Publishing is a passionate, entrepreneurial company, always in the market for new acquisitions, as well as for the creation of new custom solutions for its corporate and government clients.

info@neoafrica.com / www.neoafrica.com Tel: +27 11 484 2833 / Fax: +27 11 484 2899 3rd Floor, North Wing, Oakhurst, 11 St Andrews Rd, Parktown, 2193 PO Box 2971, Saxonwold, 2132

|||| CONTENTS

issue 48 – MAY 2011

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24 Fore|Words 6

Chairman’s letter

Life|Style 18

Vivien Natasen

8

Editor’s letter What’s News From around the world

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20

14

Activating the entrepreneur Dr Demartini talks about achieving greatness

16

Kunjalo – the way it is South Africa’s multipartysm

The Maia experience Let this idyllic island getaway be your home away from home

24

80

26

30

84

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

86

Cellar scents Hugo Boss is the most popular fragrance in the South African cellar

36

Cyberwar is harder than it looks Threats to cyberspace pose serious security challenges

88

See it, hear it, feel it

34

Valve-loving audiophiles Older and wiser and giving much better sound

Hot timepieces for 2011 There’s something for everybody

Gagarin’s flight and the Cold War One of the great Soviet victories

Art and medicine Yale medical students learn the fine skill of observation

South-South trade New course for the world economy

Tech|Know

How best to spend it

Toni Muir

10

Little luxuries

80

Gadgets, gizmos, gear The latest

86

Great golfing blunders It happens to the best of ’em

38

A Mayan prediction The end of the world as we know it

40

Stuffed saddle of lamb with rosemary and sun-blushed vine tomatoes

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Get cooking

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|||| CONTENTS

issue 48 – MAY 2011

54

Features 42

42

70

Gucci Women’s spring/summer 2011 collection

48

George Clooney On ageing, life at 50 and what the future holds

50

Dubai World Cup Thoroughbreds compete for the biggest purse in international racing

54

Santoni You know what they say you should do if the shoe fits

60

Superyacht Anastasia The grand duchess of indulgence at sea

66

Still photography is still alive The world may have gone digital, but collectors haven’t noticed

70

Welcome to Miami The city is rapidly becoming a capital of cultural cool

76

Old gold retold Once the motorsport bug bites, the damage is generally permanent

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Hollard is a proud supporter of the Historic Tour Race Hollard is a proud supporter of the Historic Tour on Race See you at Kyalami the 21st May 2011

Authorised Financial Service Provider

Authorised Financial Service Provider

Fore|Words

Letter from the chairman faculty sound without turning away either from any man or from any of the things that happen to men, but looking at and receiving all with welcome eyes and using everything according to its value.”

(Marcus Aurelius 121-180, Roman Emperor in “Ta eis heauton” [The things you say to yourself ]).

It is an interesting time of change and many people,

ruled their heads. Yet many of these have returned to find new light and new guidance.

However, there are those who still haven’t found that path, just seeking some comfort and a home that they know. There are those around with negative thoughts and malicious intent, who we don’t have time for anymore.

On a personal note, I have finally taken one of the most

It is an interesting time of change and many people, cultures and countries are looking to re-invent themselves. have found that most of these suppliers fade away quickly in these times. Many forget that luxury is no longer just about expensive things but also about the experience of buying something special.

I found an interesting quote which, for me, encapsulates the current feel of the globe: “Different things delight different people. But it is my delight to keep the ruling

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cultures and countries are looking to re-invent themselves. Fresh starts, fresh paths, accepting things for what they are – the time is here to identify our purpose and to live with authenticity. The old adage that the wheel always turns really does hold true. There are so many ‘ghosts of Christmas past’ that have reappeared in recent times, many of whom left our lives in a time when their egos

important leaps of faith and proposed to my loved one, who thankfully said yes. So this year is one of many changes for me. As my own path now gets more definition, more purpose and more focus, I have made a conscious decision that this life should not be one spent alone in the pursuit of fulfilment, without the love and comfort of a warm soul at my side.

And I could not have found

a warmer, more loving soul, for which I am truly grateful.

Thank you Carly, for blessing me with that and for reminding me quite often of what love is meant to be.

To the Prestige team, which now cohesively has found its soul again, I see we are having fun once more. It is that perfect blend of curiosity, intuition and intellect that will continue to grow this magazine. We now have an energetic team chomping at the bit to implement the next phase of exciting initiatives. We also welcome onboard Davlynne Lidbetter and Patience Mlengana – I’m sure that your time with us will be fruitful and exciting.

Chairman Vivien Natasen

www.prestigemag.co.za

Images: © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

The concepts of ‘value for money’ and ‘return on investment’ appear to be top of mind again this month, and buyers of goods and services are increasingly aware of this, regardless of what they are purchasing.

It’s strange, though, that so few suppliers are recognising this, and fastidiously clinging to their existing product and service lines in the hopes that the market turns quickly. We

Fore|Words PUBLISHER

Neo Publishing (Pty) Ltd Tel +27 11 484 2833 Fax +27 86 699 2266

CHAIRMAN

Vivien Natasen vivien@neoafrica.com

EDITOR

Toni Muir toni@prestigemag.co.za

ART DIRECTOR

Dylan Seegers dylan.seegers@neoafrica.com

TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY EDITORS Charl du Plessis charl@prestigemag.co.za Tanya Goodman tanya@prestigemag.co.za

Letter from the editor

ADMIN & CIRCULATION Adesh Pritilall mail@prestigemag.co.za

ADVERTISING

DAVLYNNE LIDBETTER Tel: +27 82 303 6764 davlynne@prestigemag.co.za Virginia Burger Tel: +27 84 455 0133 virginia@prestigemag.co.za

PROOF-READING

beth cooper howell

How often do you give thanks?

How often do you take the time to appreciate your loved ones, your work or your life? Is it that, in this rat race of a world in which we all find ourselves, where times flies, money talks, and cities never sleep, that we’ve just forgotten to stop and smell the roses? We let this frenetic

adorn the table with them.

Then let’s sit down at that table with a pot of tea – yes, a proper pot of tea – and enjoy every delicious sip. When last did you sit down with a pot of tea?

Likely you glug down gallons of instant, ungratifying coffee instead. People started a slow food movement, and I’ve heard

keep sending us – need I say you make us blush time and again with your many kind words.

What we have for you this month are a few more things for which we can all be thankful – like the beautiful craftsmanship of Santoni shoes, or the dashing and debonair George Clooney. What about

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well. – Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher pace carry us along in all its madness and then lament in frustration that life is passing us by. We eat too fast, talk too fast and drive too fast. Well, I say let’s end the madness. Let’s stop to smell those roses. Heck, let’s smell those roses then water them too. And when the rosebush starts to droop with the weight of all those sweetscented blooms let’s pick them, put them in a pretty vase and

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slow travel spoken of more than once, so why should the concept of slowing down life seem so foreign?

As a Prestige reader you’ve surely got a lot for which to give thanks. I know we’re certainly thankful for you, our readers, who dependably flip through the pages of this magazine month after month, relishing what you see. We’re also thankful for the feedback you

lavish island luxury in the Seychelles, vintage motor car racing, shopping sprees in sunny Miami, and the best of Basel 2011?

Yes I think we could all do well to be a bit more thankful.

As they say, you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.

Don’t wait until it’s gone.

Please, do enjoy.

PRINTING

Colors, Gauteng

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R360 for 12 issues; R720 for 24 issues To subscribe, send us an email with the words SUBSCRIBE PRESTIGE in the subject line, and your name, email address, cell number and delivery address in the body. Send it to mail@prestigemag.co.za.

DISTRIBUTION

Prestige is available on newsstands and through subscription.

Free public space distribution includes charter fleets operating in the Southern African region.

Top five-star hotels and all major business-class airport lounges nationally also receive copies.

Prestige can also be found in various upmarket coffee shops, spas and private banking waiting areas.

COVER IMAGES Gucci; Alfa Romeo; Harry Winston; Southern Sun

Toni www.prestigemag.co.za

Face Range

Face Up To It: an oxygenating foaming cleanser for a deep yet gentle cleanse; ideal for use post-procedure. Fully Loaded: retinol lotion that encourages skin renewal and dissipating of sun induced age spots and pigmentation blemishes. Severe Line Refine: hydro enhance serum, immediately softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles Inhibitox: instant wrinkle erase. This relaxing underlying muscles. The moisturizing day cream, All Day Long and enriched night cream, All Night Long deliver bio-identical signals to the skin helping to active ageing stem cells.

Dr Reza Mia will answer your aesthetic questions and queries. He qualified from Wits in 2006 with an MBBCh degree and is a member of the SAACD.

Body Range

Body Liftox: Specially formulated with a combination of active ingredients that improve elasticity and softness as well as increase collagen and elastin levels. Well In Hand: Hands can give away one’s age, this fast penetrating hand cream with active ingredients help activate the skins own plumping softening abilities to diminish lines and wrinkles.

Lip and Eye Range

From Your Lips: in addition to plumping up the lip immediately upon application, treatment eliminates lines, smoothes lips and provides a long lasting gloss. Lip Correct: Formulated with Dermaxyl – it creates a moisture barrier that stimulates collagen production for a softer, more kissable lip.

Ideal for use after Botox and Dermal Filler treatments for enhanced effect. Eye Promise: Offers the ultimate in eye care by helping effectively reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness and to decongest under eye bags. Eye Full: is packed with hyaluronic filling spheres that immediately increase the skin’s hydration level to instantly fill in expression lines and deep wrinkles.

The Oxygen Range

Question: Will Botulinum Toxin freeze my face and leave me expressionless?

Answer: Modern Botulinum Toxin treatments are tailored and patient specific, resulting in a relaxed facial appearance without rendering the patient completely expressionless.

Question: Do Dermal Fillers wear off after few months?

Answer: Dermal fillers are effective for up to two years after the procedure, but are not permanent. The products are naturally biodegradable.

Question: Are Sensual Solutions and injectable treatments incompatible?

Oxygen 180 Reverse: has been formulated to clarify and detoxify skin, boost cellular respiration and stimulate collagen production to strengthen and repair dull, dry damaged skin. Oxygen Lip Shape Up: This pout perfecting treatment instantly targets trouble spots to renew, repair and plump dull, dry lips whilst boosting cellular respiration and offers deep hydration that softens and smoothes fine lines. Oxygen Eye Boost: has the power to redefine the eyes’ appearance by enhancing smoothness and firmness, softening fine lines and wrinkle. All products in the Oxygen Range are ideal for post-surgery treatment due to its wound healing properties.

Answer: Sensual Solutions compliments Botulinum Toxin and injectable filler treatments. The result of each one is improved by the addition of the other.

Please send your questions to: mail@prestigemag.co.za www.drrezamia.com

Brought to you by:

GROUP OF COMPANIES

MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FROM 2011 AT SELECTED EDGARS STORES

Fore|Words

James Sedgwick Distillery

Awarded an international accolade

Situated at the foothills of the Bain’s Kloof Pass in the Boland town of Wellington, the James Sedgwick Distillery has been named Best Brand Innovator in Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky competition. The award is in recognition of the state-of-

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the-art facilities at the distillery as well as the pioneering whiskies produced here.

The Icons competition was established to acknowledge the people and the places behind the world’s best whiskies. An independent panel compiles a

shortlist from the entries received for the various categories, and the winners are chosen by vote.

Andy Watts, manager and master distiller of The James Sedgwick Distillery, says it is great to see South Africa now seriously competing against

the best in the world. “The award reflects the global nature of the whisky industry and today, people are taking note of countries such as ours, realising South Africa has the facilities and skills to produce exceptional whiskies.”

www.prestigemag.co.za

Dylan Lewis holds second solo auction at Christie’s in London

South African artist Dylan Lewis is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost sculptors of the animal form. For almost two decades he has exhibited extensively, both in South Africa and around the world. A Christie’s auction dedicated to his work in June 2007 was an overwhelming success, firmly placing Lewis on the global art world’s stage. The auction was 100 percent sold and introduced new collectors from all over the world to his work.

On 16 June this year Lewis will enjoy a second solo auction of his animal works, entitled Predators and Prey Part II, and which comprises some 58 animal bronzes ranging from maquettes to life-size. The sale will take place in London at the renowned auction house, Christie’s South Kensington.

For South Africans wishing to bid but unable to attend the sale, bid online using the Christie’s Live link via the Christie’s website (www.christies.com/christieslive). Email the Dylan Lewis studio ahead of time on info@dylanart.co.za to request a copy of the auction catalogue.

Malangatana’s Masterpiece

Decorated artist creates for a cause To celebrate the official opening of Mozambique’s premier Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealership in Maputo recently, a very special Fiat 500 1.4 was revealed – a car designed and painted by award-winning Mozambican artist, Malangatana Valente Ngwenya.

The work, entitled The Italian Woman quite literally takes Malangatana’s artistic vision from the gallery to the street. Somewhat poignantly, the Malangatana 500 was the last piece ever crafted by the artist as he sadly passed away on 5 January 2011.

The result of Malangatana’s many hours of hard work is a striking fusion of Italian www.prestigemag.co.za

design and evocative African symbolism. The artwork will go on show to the entire world on the www.sapo.mz portal from early May until early June, by means of a virtual auction run by Sapo Mozambique, the media and technology partner for this initiative. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Malangatana Foundation, a charity which raises funds for needy Mozambicans.

According to a spokesperson for the Malangatana Foundation: “The Italian Woman is a crowning tribute to a memorable artist’s fruitful life and serves to commemorate and perpetuate his name in space and time.”

Live by the code with Rémy Martin Rémy Martin has taken the latest craze of Quick Response codes (QR codes) a step further by launching SA’s first-ever holistic QR code campaign.

“We wanted to change the association of cognac from stuffy, smoke-filled rooms with over-stuffed vintage leather chairs and let our consumers know that while cognac can be enjoyed the traditional way, it is also evolving and making its way into a more modern society,” says Candice Stuart, category manager for KWV imported brands.

Rémy Martin’s ‘Live by the Code’ campaign will showcase a new side of this wellknown brand’s personality.

If you don’t already have the needed recognition application on your phone, download it easily by visiting www.inigma.mobi.

Using the application, snap a pic of the QR code using your camera’s phone, and wait for it to be recognised.

Once your phone recognises the QR code it will direct you to the microsite to register your details, and perhaps you’ll find yourself at one of the two fab events Rémy Martin will be hosting – one in Joburg’s Turbine Hall, the other at a currently undisclosed venue in Durban.

Time to party.

Fore|Words

South-South trade

New course for the world economy  FRANK BRANDMAIER / FEATURENET.CO.ZA

Digging through her wealth of data, Bonnie Galat, head of the global trade finance programme of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, brings to light the colourful universe of world trade: auto parts from Thailand for customers in Haiti, fertilizer from the West Bank to Malawi, cement from Turkey for buildings in Sierra Leone. “And these are only the most exotic examples,” she says. A whopping 42 percent of all trade guarantees provided by the IFC’s five-yearold programme have so far been for projects between developing countries, Galat and her team counted. “That’s a large chunk of our programme,” she says.

And it is the sign of a gigantic trend, too.

Rising economic powers like China, India and Brazil, but

‘South-South’ trade), increased from 29 percent in 1990 to almost 50 percent in 2008, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Just last December, China and India pledged to double their annual bilateral trade to 100 billion Dollars within five short years. On a single day, both economic behemoths signed more than 40 deals in sectors from power to telecommunications, worth 16 billion Dollars. A similar situation exists between India and Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of 17 000 islands and home to 230 million people. By 2015 they, too, want to double their trade to 25 billion Dollars a year.

The prospect of new and blossoming markets between developing countries can sometimes get analysts quite excited. “As emerging nations

truly momentous scale.

South Asia and its giant powerhouse India serve as a good example. Almost all transactions the IFC programme in the region guarantees are between developing nations: machinery for Kenya and Nigeria, electronics to Vietnam and Uganda, iron and steel to Bangladesh. “India makes everything,” says Galat.

“The South-South story in Asia is big, and it is driven by India.” She notes that trade within Latin America is also particularly strong.

It’s a similar picture with international money flows.

The World Bank estimates that South-South foreign direct investment (FDI) now accounts for one third of the total 780 billion Dollars reaching developing nations. “And it is still growing,” says Ngozi

Rising economic powers like China, India and Brazil, but also smaller players like Mali or Vietnam, increasingly rely on each other in terms of trade and investment, and their ties are fast-expanding. also smaller players like Mali or Vietnam, increasingly rely on each other in terms of trade and investment, and their ties are fast-expanding. The shift away from decades-old global trade patterns is hard to miss, as old Western economic powerhouses no longer absorb the vast majority of exports from emerging nations. The share of developing countries’ goods and services destined for other developing nations (known as

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increasingly trade with each other, we could be on the cusp of another economic ‘golden age’, an emerging market version of the extended period of rapid growth seen in the developed world in the 1950s and 1960s,” says Stephen King, chief economist of the bank HSBC. “One caveat,” he notes, “the still ‘considerable tariffs’ between them.” But once removed we could witness an explosion of world trade on a

Okonjo- Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank Group. According to the Wall Street Journal, investments from South to South are becoming an increasingly important growth strategy for dozens of developing economies around the world.

No one doubts that the global economy is undergoing rapid and far-reaching changes. After the economic and financial crisis, emerging nations in Asia and Latin America, which

survived the turmoil with far less scars than the rich world, have helped to jump-start the world economy after its near-death experience. “If the same trend continues as for the period 2000 to 2009, then after 10 years or so, developing countries would account for more than one-half of world trade,” says Harsha V Singh, the WTO’s deputy director-general.

China is once again the leader of the pack. According to the World Bank, more than 25 percent of the country’s total trade now goes SouthSouth. Projections show that it will grow to half by 2020, and to nearly two thirds just seven years later. And China and other fast-rising economic giants have long set eyes on Africa, in part to secure commodity supplies. The continent’s total merchandise trade with developing countries exploded eightfold from 34 billion Dollars in 1995 to 283 billion only 12 years later, while trade with rich nations increased only fourfold over the same period.

But despite the economic development that Africa’s more rapid integration into the world economy may bring, more than a few groups are sounding the alarm. Last year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) urged African governments to ensure that growing ties with rising powers like China and India result in a diversification of their own economies, “rather than simply in the sale of African commodities and raw materials.”  www.prestigemag.co.za

Image Š istockphoto.com

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Images Š DEMARTINI INSTITUTE; istockphoto.com

Fore|Words

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Activating the entrepreneur

Don’t let fear keep you from achieving greatness  DR JOHN DEMARTINI Dr John Demartini is the founder of the Demartini Institute. He is a human behavioural specialist, educator, internationally published author and sought-after authority on maximising human awareness and potential. www.drdemartini.com

There is an entrepreneurial spirit deep inside everyone.

Sometimes this inspired driving force is released and gives rise to creative visionaries and leaders and sometimes it remains cooled and contained.

Entrepreneurs who release this visionary energy take action to create amazing accomplishments. They are clear about their inspiring purpose, goals and objectives, are congruent with their highest values and are willing to do whatever it takes to fulfil them.

Those who don’t are living with inertia and buying into one or more of the seven primary fears of life that have caused them to give up on what their inner fire is calling them to do.

Entrepreneurs who may be experiencing some degree of inertia can break through their

or the right credentials is a fear that can stop fledgling entrepreneurs from seeing their real intellectual capacity and can cause them to shrink away from taking inspired action, which could help them grow a thriving and globally serving organisation.

The fear of social rejection

The fear of failure

The fear of not being physically capable

The fear that they could fail or not succeed at their entrepreneurial endeavours can sometimes be so overpowering that they lie to themselves about their dreams, telling themselves that their dreams aren’t really all that important anyway.

The fear of loss of money or not making enough money

This fear can cause them to remain in a job that does not inspire them and make them unconsciously spend their

The fear of what others will think or that others won’t like them; that they won’t fit in.

They believe that someone else’s opinion is more important than theirs, which can stop them from doing some service that is truly amazing.

The fear of not having enough energy, not being strong enough or having the right look to fulfil their vision.

The fear of breaking away from accepted establishment norms

The fear of breaking established or outdated ethics and doing something they don’t believe will be acceptable by older authority figures such as polarized religious groups or some

There is an entrepreneurial spirit deep inside everyone...

Entrepreneurs who release this visionary energy take action to create amazing accomplishments. limiting fears. They can become more clear, inspired and effective in initiating their most powerful and creative actions.

There are seven fears that can hinder the entrepreneur from amazing achievement, and we’ve outlined them all below.

The fear that they are not intelligent enough

The fear that they are not creative or imaginative enough or that they don’t have a degree www.prestigemag.co.za

monies so they will have an excuse not to take a risk and create their own business with even greater profits.

The fear of losing the respect of family members

This fear can make them worry that their family members may disapprove, that their loved ones may leave or reject them if they are not doing what these ‘loved ones’ see as the ‘right thing’.

radical fraction of government.

With this fear they can remain subordinated or minimise themselves and their dreams to someone else to whom they have given their power.

One of the ways for a person to help dissolve these seven selfimposed fears is to write down 100 benefits to each of the fears they imagine might occur until they see that they will get just as many benefits as perceived

drawbacks if the thing they feared actually did occur.

A fear is a one-sided perception that a new entrepreneur may have about an upcoming event where they might see only the ‘negative’ outcome.

When the entrepreneur balances out their incomplete perceptions they might actually experience a balance of both challenging negatives and supportive positives. No matter what the frightening event may be, they can dissolve the grip that their fear has on their inspired actions and dreams.

Another obstacle to entrepreneurialism is not knowing what your hierarchy of values is. This is where the Demartini value Determination Process comes in very handy. This method uses a series of questions to help you establish what you value most, and what is most meaningful and interesting to you. When you know what your highest value is, you then need to ask yourself how you can make money doing what you love.

Get that right and you will see your entrepreneurialism emerge.

When entrepreneurs know what direction to take and they don’t have fear holding them back, they begin taking focused action steps towards their purpose, goals and objectives and they begin to live their dreams more completely.

Inspired action and perseverance add up to great achievements. They can be truly rewarded once they access the hidden spirit of their inner entrepreneur.  May 2011

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Fore|Words

Kunjalo – the way it is

South Africa’s Multipartysm

No political party will grow its membership in the year 2011.

This is because South African political parties do not contest against each other. Political party contestation happens within the parties themselves.

Recently, the chairperson of the IFP, Zanele MagwazaMsibi, challenged the leadership of her own party in a court of law. The issue is not so much that she lost but that the whole process reflects badly on the leadership and political management within the IFP. Given that this problem played

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itself out in the public arena, it has left a negative perception on both the existing and potential members of the IFP. Not so long ago, the leadership of the IFP was at loggerheads with its youth wing. All these tensions limit the prospects for growth in support base for the IFP this year.

In fact, if the leadership of the IFP expels Magwaza-Msibi, there are real possibilities that she will leave with a sizeable IFP membership and sympathisers.

Until ANC president Jacob Zuma reshuffled cabinet last

year, the organisation was equally besieged by public mudslinging among some in the leadership. This mainly revolved around the forthcoming 2012 elective conference. The biggest challenge the ANC faces, one could argue, is its own internal preoccupation with five-year regime change rather than growing its support base.

Zuma was in office for less than a year before a debate ensued within the ruling party as to whether or not he should serve a second five-year term.

This was soon followed by

another debate on the position of the Secretary-General post 2012. The incumbent SecretaryGeneral, Gwede Mantashe, was aggressively pitted against Minister Fikile Mbalula. At some point, the leadership of the ANC Youth League advocated the withdrawal of Mbalula from the Cabinet so that he could dedicate his energies to campaigning for the position of the Secretary-General. While this is part of internal democratic processes of ascending into leadership positions within the ANC, it has nothing to do www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGE © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

 DUMISANI HLOPHE

The Hector Pieterson memorial

with broadening the support base of the party. At worst it reflects an organisation besieged with cliques and preoccupied with strengthening its power. It is merely internal mobilisation aimed at strengthening factional control of the movement.

Even if the ANC were to recruit Magwaza-Msibi this would not translate into a massive acquisition of support.

Neither would the number of people that will be returning from the Conflict of Personalities (Cope) amount to a sizeable figure. In fact, the latter would not be new members, but prodigal sons and daughters. Thus, all indications are that the ANC will also not experience new membership growth in this year.

The DA/ID marriage is not immune to internal www.prestigemag.co.za

contradictions either. In fact, it is not yet clear whether this union will be between the DA and the ID or between Helen Zille and Patricia De Lille.

Either way, it is clear that either the DA has absorbed the ID or that De Lille has jumped into political bed with Zille. This is a cohabitation that favours the DA, Zille and De Lille, and

political parties are likely to lose members. These are likely to be individuals disgruntled by their parties who will choose to be independents at the local government elections. This will further compound the ability of various parties to amass additional members.

The main reason political parties fail to grow their

sums of money spent by political parties to settle internal squabbles are indicative of poor leadership and management.

Yes, in South Africa political party contestation is not between and among political parties but within them, and parties tend to rely on their traditional support bases rather than work towards mobilising

Thus, all indications are that the ANC will also not experience new membership growth in this year. not the ID as a collective. It is fraught with internal tensions.

This year is an election year. Political parties should be going all out to mobilise for new members while still consolidating existing ones.

Except that, ironically, many

membership could perhaps be attributed to internal conflict.

While internal party contradictions and tensions are an integral part of political life, they become problematic when parties become entirely consumed by them. The huge

new membership. It is an entrenched membership which, regardless of what parties do or say, remains loyal. ď‚Ž Dumisani Hlophe is a political scientist. For more articles by this author see www.kunjalo.co.za May 2011

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Life|Style Bunnahabhain – something special from Islay

New in stores

The home of Bunnahabhain (pronounced Bū-na-havenn), is the world-renowned Isle of Islay on the west coast of Scotland. Unlike most other single malts from Islay, Bunnahabhain is known for its gentle taste profile and unique character, largely the result of malted barley enhanced by the pure spring water that flows freely underground, untainted by the peaty moorlands. This award-winning single malt offers a wonderfully fresh and aromatic experience with a subtle whiff of smoke. The palate opens with notes of fruit and nuts that lead onto a malty sweetness, ending in a rich, lingering finish.

The Bunnahabhain distillery produces three single malts – a 12-, 18- and 25-year old, all crafted by master distiller Ian MacMillan, who has over 40 years’ experience in whisky distilling.

The Bunnahabhain 12-year old retails for around R485 per bottle and makes a superb gift – whatever the reason.

Witchery

Witchery’s latest autumn/ winter collection is inspired by a style that’s timeless and beautiful – classics reworked to bring a dose of enviable glamour and individuality to every woman’s wardrobe. In a season that heralds value and attainable luxury, the collection is a bounty of covetable clothing and accessories. Hot on the hit list are coats in all their guises, including the hiplength pea coat, this season’s statement piece. In light khaki

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(a shade still going strong) its oversized collar wears up or down, as you please. If it’s short you’re after, the cropped jacket is cut to perfection and finely finished with leather trim.

Knitwear is brilliantly textural, trousers up the style ante, boots are big news, and accessories are the cherry on the top. Welcome to Witchery A/W11, welcome to perfectly inspiring style. The Witchery A/W Collection is now available in Stuttafords stores nationwide. www.prestigemag.co.za

Délices de Cartier

Délices de Cartier is a mouthwatering watch, a timepiece that tempts like a succulent delicacy. Pictured here is the Délices de Cartier, rhodiumplated 18 carat white gold set with diamonds. Measuring 30.78mm wide, 36.07mm long, and with a thickness of 7.20mm, this timepiece has a gorgeous and unusual bezel set with 0.46 carats of round diamonds.

It sports a light grey brushed canvas strap and a rhodiumplated 18 carat white gold folding clasp. It is available from the Cartier boutique. +27 11 666 2800.

Asara’s latest vintage Flagship Bordeaux blend Stellenbosch’s Asara Wine Estate and Hotel has released the latest vintage of its flagship wine: the Bell Tower Estate Wine 2007, an expertlycrafted Bordeaux blend.

Aiming to create a wine that is “more Bordeaux than Bordeaux itself ”, Asara selected the best wines from all five noble varieties grown on the Estate: Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was matured in small oak barrels for 18 months to

produce a balanced product that can be enjoyed now or cellared until 2015. As a true ‘Big Five’ blend, the intense aromas of black cherry and cassis are complemented by hints of mocha. The careful maturation is reflected in ripe fruit flavours and mature tannins surrounded by fresh acidity. The Bell Tower Estate Wine 2007 can be purchased through the Estate’s online site, www.asarawine.co.za, or from the Estate itself for R180 per bottle.

Superb shelving from CO Designs The newly designed Ruotare Unit is based on a modular concept, the innovative rotating construction of which allows it to be used as a space divider, a TV unit or to cleverly showcase products. The unit is made from Hollowcore, a lightweight and 100-percent recyclable green, environmentally friendly raw material that can replace solid wood and particle board in furniture manufacture. Hollowcore is five times lighter than solid wood material and faced with two thin surface layers that give impact resistance and structural rigidity. The unit can be finished in a choice of colour schemes, so why not spruce up your space the stylish way? Prices start from R20 000 depending on configuration and shipment. +27 21 534 1530 / www.codesigns.co.za.

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The Maia experience

Let this idyllic island getaway be your home away from home VIVIEN NATASEN

In today’s world, the word luxury is sometimes abused as it is generally a relative term.

The people at Maia Luxury Resort, however, have explored this word a little deeper, and written up their own definition. Where many of the larger resort chains in the world pride themselves on standards and consistency, the Maia philosophy is more about the experience and the creation of memories. Loosely put, the

But what really stood out about Maia is its humility, despite being a favourite destination for many of the world’s biggest celebrities and wealthiest individuals. The manager, very passionate about his resort as he has been at its helm since inception, took great pains to explain the resort’s attention to detail, and how they pride themselves on their discretion.

Having to suit so many tastes, accommodate such demanding

beautiful destinations as this, but it is the making of memories that has people returning again and again. And the staff are diligent in ensuring that your time here is well spent enough to afford you at least one unforgettable experience each day.

Our Maia experience began the moment we arrived at Seychelles International Airport, where resort staff were on hand to greet us and

The word ‘no’ just doesn’t seem to be in their vocabularies.

Now that, to me, is an experience. standard is where you, the client, want it to be.

Throughout our stay we were reminded by management and staff to think of Maia as our home. And how you interact with your home is up to you.

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clientele and provide an experience beyond anything enjoyed elsewhere, is a difficult task in itself, but one of which Maia makes light work. Granted there are many resorts around the globe set in similarly

escort us through a fast-tracked immigration queue. Situated along the west coast of the main island, Mahé, the resort seems to suddenly spring up unexpectedly after rounding a bend in the road. With no

formal and tedious check-in process, we were whisked away on golf carts up to our villa, where we were greeted by our personal butler, Benjamin.

Each villa is allocated its own butler, on call 24/7. These butlers pay special attention to record the likes and dislikes of each guest, as well as what experiences they seem to enjoy above others. This is kept on file so that on following visits, the villas are prepared exactly according to the preferences of the guest in question. While Maia might not be the first resort to do this, they execute it exceptionally well.

Benjamin had the air of an unassuming rainmaker whose sole purpose for the week was our well-being – a job he took on with gusto and visible enthusiasm. It was almost as if he was spying on us because, www.prestigemag.co.za

Life|Style

every time we wanted something there he was – uncannily pre-empting our thoughts.

Benjamin is one of the resort’s 230 dedicated staff, all of whom are somehow intuitively adaptable to different times and tastes. The word ‘no’ just doesn’t seem to be in their vocabularies. Now that, to me, is an experience.

Maia sits tucked into the hillside, and as such each of the 30 suites enjoys absolute privacy.

Each villa comes complete with every gadget one might need and then some, a large infinity lap pool and an outside day www.prestigemag.co.za

bed with fitted bar area. The bedrooms are substantial in size and volume, with spacious en suite bathrooms with outdoor baths, also surrounded by yet another infinity pool and sunbathing area. But perhaps best of all are the incredible views of the Indian Ocean, made ever more so as the sun sets over the horizon.

Dinners at Maia are something else entirely. Three different chefs from three different cultures with a wealth of experience between them, fuse Indian, Arabic and Asian tastes at every meal. And ❱ May 2011

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the chefs were always eager to experiment. It became an impromptu challenge for them, competing to see who could outdo whom in the culinary skills department.

Maia has one of the most luxurious spas and some of the most attentive therapists – all of whom were trained in the East – we have so far

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encountered on our travels.

We were brave enough to sign up for the daily yoga sessions, which were given by different instructors on each day, considerately allowing for variation and adjustments by us.

The island of Mahé, due to its volcanic nature, affords visitors several spectacular viewpoints from which to

enjoy the stretches of green forest and plantations. While there was enough to see and do, I must admit that we spent most of our time at the resort, indulging in much-needed quiet time. For anyone, a week filled with lazy afternoon dips in the sultry sea and sundowners on the beach would be utter bliss, and our

stay passed very quickly.

While many might see a visit to Maia as a ‘bucket-list’ item, for the resort’s well-heeled clientele Maia is a regular getaway for unwinding and just being. And why not? After all, it is a perfect home away from home.  www.maia.com.sc

www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGES © SOUTHERN SUN

Life|Style

Dr. John Demartini has consulted for Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, Hollywood celebrities, sports personalities, financiers and other professionals. He has appeared on hundreds of national and international radio and television talk and financial news shows including CNN’s Larry King Live, CNBC, CBS, NBC, PBS and more.

Top Leadership Strategies Acquiring the Leading Business and Financial Edge

Dr John Demartini will address the 5 S’s of Leadership and show you how they translate into business growth and increased productivity. He will share the traits that have proven consistent differentiators between leaders and followers and how you can enhance your leadership skills and activate true power and potential, not only personally but also in corporate teams and organisations.

Dr Demartini will also show you how to create an inspired corporate vision, one that teams will be enthused to work towards and management inspired to create. He will show you how to set company values that are congruent with your business and teach you how to create increased productivity by linking staff and corporate visions and values.

CAPE TOWN DATE: Wednesday, 08 June 2011 TIME: 7:30pm - 9:45pm incl. Q & A VENUE: BMW Pavillion JOHANNESBURG DATE: Wednesday, 15 June 2011 TIME: 7:30pm - 9:45pm incl. Q & A VENUE: Sandton Convention Center COST: R220 through Computicket, R250 at the door.

BOOKINGS: Computicket or call 083 915 8000.

Relationship Magic Simple Guidelines to Relationship Fulfilment

Would you love to bring back the magic and spark that brought you and your partner together? Would you love to increase romance and become more intimate? Do you have a list of items that if they would change, you feel you would love them more? Do you want to dissolve some of the misunderstandings and tensions that have come between you?

No matter what relationship you are in, your partner is going to both please and displease you as you go through time. Having set ideas of how we expect people to behave can result in resentment and frustration in our relationships. Dr Demartini will show you how to dissolve tensions, rebuild inspiration and awaken appreciation for your loved ones again.

CAPE TOWN DATE: Thursday, 09 June 2011 TIME: 7:30pm - 9:15pm incl. Q & A VENUE: The Westin Cape Town Ballroom JOHANNESBURG DATE: Tuesday, 14 June 2011 TIME: 7:30pm - 9:15pm incl. Q & A VENUE: Montecasino Ballroom COST: R150 through Computicket, R180 at the door.

BOOKINGS: Computicket or call 083 915 8000.

Ask us about other upcoming Demartini Programs 011 011 9093 or 083 370 2201 info@drdemartini.co.za

www.prestigemag.co.za

www.drdemartini.com

Art and medicine

Yale medical school students learn the fine skill of observation for diagnosis in an unconventional way DANIEL P JONES; KAREN PEART

While future physicians with heavy course loads usually don’t have the time to ponder art, first-year students at the Yale School of Medicine are

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IMAGE © YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART

required to attend a class at the Yale Center for British Art looking at paintings. This is a class that could some day save a patient’s life.

All first-year students at the School of Medicine are required to take this innovative class, which was developed by Yale medical school

faculty member Dr Irwin Braverman and Linda Friedlaender, Curator of Education at the Yale Center for British Art, which houses the world’s www.prestigemag.co.za

Life|Style The Death of Chatterton Henry Walis, 1830-1916 ca. 1856 Oil on panel 8 15/16 x 11 7/8 inches (22.7 x 30.2 cm) Credit Line: Yale Centre for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection B1981.25.648

Braverman began trying to find a way to increase the observational skills of medical school students at around the same time that Friedlaender became frustrated with the continued misdiagnosis of a close friend. They happened to meet at a gathering and began laying the groundwork for the class, which has proven so successful that more than 20 other medical schools have imitated the programme.

“We know that this works,” said Braverman, Professor of Dermatology. In fact, Professor Braverman and colleagues published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association based on the experiences of the first groups of students who received the training.

The results showed nearly a 10 percent improvement in students’ ability to detect important details. Kevin Koo, a student from New Hampshire, says he found the class eye-opening – literally. He says it trained him to look at things he was seeing more care-

at their patients. The students discovered that the images often were not what they appeared to be. “This painting is of a young man reclining on a bed in a dark room in the morning,” Koo said as he began to tell Professor Braverman what he saw. The student managed to pick out several clues – smoke rising from a just-extinguished candle, for example, morning light streaming into the attic room, and writings torn to shreds.

As fellow students chimed in with their observations, and Braverman drew out detail upon detail, Koo began to see things more precisely, until the young man’s contorted position on the bed, his pallid face and an empty vial on the floor made it clear to him that the painting depicted a suicide. “I believe that he’s dead,” Koo finally said of the subject of the painting.

He was right. The Death of Chatterton, an 1856 work by Henry Wallis, depicts Thomas Chatterton, who poisoned himself in despair in 1770 after his forgeries of 15th-century

result of a stroke – behind her left eye that caused temporary blindness. Her sight partially returned, but she was directed to Yale-New Haven Hospital for examination, and doctors initially could not figure out what was wrong. Braverman invited English to tell her story to his students at the end of the museum class.

“All of a sudden,” she told the students, “one of them said, ‘Oh my God, look at her lip’.” That physician noticed a spot that was a telltale sign of a hereditary condition known as HHT, which causes blood vessel malformations in the lungs that rob the body of oxygen. HHT can be fatal if not detected and treated. Tests confirmed the suspected diagnosis, and Dr Robert I White, an expert in the detection and treatment of HHT, was able to correct the condition without surgery by an image-guided procedure to close off abnormal blood vessels.

The students were transfixed as English described her

In an age when physicians rely heavily on high-tech imaging and tests, the art of detailed, careful observation is getting short shrift. largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom.

The visual tutorial, now marking its 12th anniversary, draws together disciplines that are usually worlds apart – art and medicine – in order to hone the observational skills of future physicians. Braverman and other experts believe that, in an age when physicians rely heavily on high-tech imaging and tests, the art of detailed, careful observation is getting short shrift. But they think detecting small details can make all the difference in coming up with accurate diagnoses. www.prestigemag.co.za

fully, without initially making assumptions and interpreting what he saw.

On a recent afternoon at Yale, the students noted what they saw in detailed Victorian paintings in the museum and then applied their enhanced observational skills to photographs of patients with skin and other ailments they might encounter as doctors. For the class, sheets of paper had been placed over the titles of the paintings and the accompanying texts so the students had to start their observations from scratch – the way Professor Braverman wants his students eventually to look

poems were unmasked.

“It made me notice things that my eyes had just not seen,” Koo said of the class. “In going through it in my own mind and with my peers I was able to develop a fuller story, and that enabled me to put the pieces together in a way that was closer to the reality.”

Lane English, a museum docent, spoke to the medical students, offering her own very personal support for what Professor Braverman and Friedlaender are doing to train doctors. Several years ago, English suffered what appeared to be a blockage – the

ordeal. As Professor Braverman and Friedlaender had hoped, English became the embodiment of how keen observational skills can impact the lives of patients, their families and the doctors who diagnose them.

Because of English’s eye problem, the doctors initially were thinking of stroke, Braverman told the students.

The correct diagnosis of HHT came about because someone was looking at English with much more attention to small detail. “That probably saved my life,” English said.  www.ycba.yale.edu May 2011

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Hot timepieces for 2011 From all-black dress watches to retro chronographs, there’s something for everybody KEN KESSLER

With every major luxury house reporting astonishing growth in 2010, the watch brands can be forgiven for their continued flamboyance. But, as evidenced by the turnout at Baselworld (the largest watch salon on the planet) discreet timepieces such as Chopard’s L.U.C. XP Tonneau and Hermes’s H-Hour show that ‘bling-bling’ is past its sell-by date. Other trends that continue to gather momentum are all-black watches, retro models and ultra-thins, but

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the main theme is that there’s something for everybody, and at every price point.

BREITLING Transocean Chronograph With its new in-house Calibre B01 movement conferring ‘manufacture’ status on one of the most respected makers of chronographs and pilots’ watches, it’s time for an elegant retro housing to follow last year’s more contemporary debut.

Breitling has installed the BR01

in the gorgeous Transocean Chronograph, a timepiece that pays homage to a name introduced in 1958, just as long-haul international luxury air travel was, so to speak, taking off. Breitling will launch the Transocean Chronograph in a limited edition of 2 000 in steel and 200 in red gold.

CHOPARD L.U.C XP Tonneau Chopard’s ‘L.U.C.’ line comprises timepieces powered

by movements produced entirely in-house. The latest in the range is the XP Tonneau, offered in 18k rose or white gold and addressing the move toward elegant, less-bulky men’s watches. Inside is the ultra-slim, self-winding, chronometer-certified Calibre 3.97, measuring only 3.3mm thick and visible through the sapphire case back. The case measures an impressive 40x37mm, yet is only 7.22mm thick. Despite its slim profile, www.prestigemag.co.za

Life|Style

ordinarily a threat to the power reserve, the XP will run for over 65 hours when fully wound.

DE GRISOGONO Meccanico dG De Grisogono chose to create a complication that decides the choice among watch lovers between analogue and digital by offering both, without resorting to quartz or LCDs. The Meccanico dG’s dial is analogue in the upper half, with hands pointing to hour markers, www.prestigemag.co.za

while the lower half shows the time with digits. De Grisogono devised a mechanical method of creating each number, employing 23 cams, gears and a synchronisation device; the transition between one number and that which follows involves the instantaneous 90-degree rotation of between 1 and 12 different segments. The special version offered for 2011 boasts a matte black titanium case, accented by a matte black alligator leather strap.

DIOR VIII An all-new family of Dior watches was launched under the banner of ‘Dior VIII’. Priced from £3 050, the line includes both quartz and mechanical models, with or without diamonds and in 33mm and 38mm sizes. A mix of accent colours and surfaces feature in the catalogue, to offset and add variety to the primary scheme of gloss black and white metals.

Ceramics and lacquers form the heavily faceted bracelets

and bezels, with the latter also available set with stones in pink, yellow or green.

FORTIS Spacematic Day/Date Celebrating its first century, Fortis will be showing a limited edition, all-black, ‘halo’ piece called the ‘Big Black’, though the real activity will centre around an attractive, highly competitive model for the entry-level sector. The Spacematic Day/Date is a classic ❱ May 2011

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three-hand automatic model with Swiss movement, microsandblasted stainless steel case, bilingual day/date indication, centre-stop second, screw-down crown and case back, water resistance to 200m/20 bar, sapphire crystal, and a choice of straps including textile, silicon, rubber, leather, and smooth-

long Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. With car culture being such a seminal part of the company’s persona, it’s fitting that their newest range of chronographs has been dubbed the Vintage Racing Collection. Each of the three versions, offered in editions of 1888 pieces, consists of a

Alongside a range of new sport chronographs is a model acknowledging the distaff client’s taste for larger watches, the GraffStar Ladies 38mm boasting about the size in the model’s name. Sorry, men, but whatever women say to you, they really do believe that size matters. It will prove imme-

Sorry, men, but whatever women say to you, they really do believe that size matters. finish bracelet high-grade steel with a butterfly clasp.

FR ED ERIQUE CONSTANT Vintage Racing Collection Frédérique Constant has carefully nurtured an image closely associated with the automobile, its offerings including a model for the legendary Austin-Healey – among its sponsorship activities is the role of Official Timekeeper of the 9 000-mile-

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hand-polished 43mm stainless steel case, distinguished by different dial options: silver dial with blackened steel indices and hands, the same again with rose gold-plated indices and hands, or a silver dial decorated by black chronograph counters and a black outer-ring.

GRAFF GraffStar Ladies 38mm Though Graff’s watch line is still young, it’s maturing nicely.

diately recognisable thanks to the facetted bezel reminiscent of the cut of a brilliant diamond, while the numerals and hour-markers are formed of 43 brilliant-cut diamonds set against a mother-of-pearl dial.

Graff will offer the GraffStar Ladies 38mm in a variety of luminous colours.

HARRY WINSTON Histoire de Tourbillon 2 Unabashedly attacking the

conventions of haute horlogerie, Harry Winston’s watch division has produced an unbroken run of complicated timepieces that exhibit innovation and inventiveness. Among the most coveted of complications is the tourbillon, which has inspired this year’s star attraction.

Histoire de Tourbillon 2 honours this feature with a watch to be issued in a series of only 20 pieces in white gold. At its heart is a mechanical hand-wound movement with bi-axial flying tourbillon allied to running seconds at 9 o’clock, with the hours and day/night indication at 2 o’clock and the minutes at 6 o’clock, each display isolated in an offset subdial.

HERMES H-Hour Instantly recognisable by all who know the brand, Hermes’s witty ‘H-our’ has exploited the brand’s initial to great effect since 1996. Philippe Mouquet’s H-shaped case www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGES © BREITLING, CHOPARD, DE GRISOGONO, DIOR, FORTIS, FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, GRAFF, HARRY WINSTON, HERMES, HUBLOT, RADO, ZENITH

– the ‘H’ could signify both ‘Hermès’ and ‘Horological’ – has been revised for its 15th birthday, with numerals in a more legible style. For the bejewelled versions, diamonds form the hour markers instead of the numerals used in the standard version, except for the number positioned at the ‘12’.

To provide clients with easy colour co-ordination, Hermes supplies a simple tool with each watch for changing straps with minimum fuss, with straps available in sets with traditional alligator and calfskin, plus a range of boldly-coloured Jacquard woven silk.

HUBLOT Big Bang Black Caviar Hublot’s Big Bang is one of the most successful ranges in recent years, having grabbed a massive slice of the luxury sector with bold models that demand wearers with huge personalities. Colours, materials – nothing is sacred. For 2011, the most coveted might prove to be the 41mm automatic Big Bang Black Caviar, made entirely from ceramic, which Hublot points out is ‘the ideal material for a watch: 30 percent lighter than steel, 100 percent scratchproof, 100 percent anti-allergenic, 100 percent unalterable and rust-proof.’ The watch features a date window at 3 o’clock and, instead of the brand’s signature solid rubber strap, is fitted with a gloss-black alligator strap stitched onto black rubber.

RADO D-Star Automatic Chronograph Limited to 1111 pieces, Rado’s D-Star is the latest derivative in a long line of models with its roots in the sleek Diastar diving watch of the 1960s.

A form as individualistic as any in the watch industry, the Diastar shape is that of an ellipse, with sloping sides. The new D-Star has been finished entirely in matt black, fashioned in a material pioneered www.prestigemag.co.za

by Rado: ceramic. The D-Star is fitted with a black rubber strap secured by a titanium 3-fold buckle with black matt ceramic clasp.

ZENITH Open Power Reserve El Primero Chronomaster A perfect example of the revitalised Zenith is the exquisite 42mm diameter Open Power

Reserve El Primero Chronomaster. Its aperture in the upper left-hand quadrant exposes the heart of the El Primero, noted for beating at 36,000V/hr. In addition to its chronograph functions, the dial accommodates an arc to show power reserve. It is available in four different versions: a silver or black sun-burst dial in a steel case or silver sunburst dial in an 18-carat rose gold case or in a rose gold and steel case. The markers and the hands for hours, minutes and small seconds are facetted and rhodium-plated, while the hands for central chronograph, the 30-minute counter and the power reserve are blued steel. May 2011

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Life|Style

Alfa Romeo Giulietta See it, hear it, feel it ALFA ROMEO; TONI MUIR

The new Alfa Romeo Giulietta is quite possibly the most anticipated car to be launched in 2011. The name ‘Giulietta’ is well known to Alfisti and in apt celebration of the Italian automaker’s centenary, the name is a tribute to both an automobile and the legend that is Alfa Romeo. Back in the fifties, the Giulietta caught the imagination of car enthusiasts the world over by making the dream of owning an Alfa Romeo a reality. Its high level of comfort and technical excellence was way ahead of its time.

Now the Alfa Romeo Style Centre has produced a new Giulietta, a five-door hatchback with obvious Alfa Romeo genes. Like its iconic forebear, it’s capable of expressing great agility on the most demanding routes and providing comfort on everyday journeys. This is largely attributable to the entirely new Compact platform, designed to satisfy the most demanding customers in terms of road-holding, agility and safety. It ensures both exceptional dynamic performance and high comfort levels, thanks to the refined technical solutions employed for the suspension, a new-generation steering system, a light and rigid structure created from materials such as aluminium and highstrength steels, and avant-garde manufacturing techniques.

As a piece of automotive design, the Giulietta is without fault. The front displays a brand www.prestigemag.co.za

new interpretation of the classic shield, embedded in the front bumper and suspended between the air vents. This is the starting point for the design of the entire car, which combines an energetic personality with a distinctly elegant form.

The profile of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is likewise brimming with character, giving the impression of an agile and sturdy car. This is above all due to the side windows, which recall the appearance of a coupé, emphasising the dynamism and fluidity of form, thanks also to the concealed rear door handles. The ribs on the sides of the vehicle seem to elongate the car, while the clean lines, which end at the rear, accentuate the angular shape of the vehicle’s body. The styling of the rear further emphasises the muscular feeling, firmly gripped onto the road surface.

Giulietta’s curvaceous lines are a reminder that one need not give up style and taste in the pursuit of comfort and space – the car can honestly and comfortably seat five adult occupants and their luggage (the boot has a capacity of 350 litres).

All the modern luxury adornments are fitted to the Giulietta.

The entry-level Progression offers climate control, Blue&Me connectivity, six airbags, stability control, hill holder, Start&Stop and full electric windows, among many other features. Going ❱ higher up in the range only May 2011

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adds more luxurious toys with which you can play.

In terms of performance the Giulietta certainly sets a new benchmark. And no matter your needs, Alfa has an engine solution to suit you perfectly.

There’s the award-winning 1.4 TB turbocharged engine in 88kW (Progression) and patented Multiair 125kW (Distinctive) guises, though enthusiasts will particularly enjoy the Giulietta halo model, the 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde (four-leaf clover), a legendary Alfa symbol which has competed on tracks all over the world. Some styling and mechanical changes give it a sporty and muscular stance well matched to the 173kW that the engine delivers. It’ll rocket to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds and keep blasting to a top speed of 242km/h. This high-performance model is further distinguished by its special 17-inch (18-inch as optional) alloy wheels and enjoys surprisingly low fuel consumption considering its power rating.

The range includes two different seat trims plus leather seats available in four colours, in addition to eight types of alloy wheels (from 16 inch to 18 inch) and nine body colours, including four metallic colours (Alfa Silver, Magnesium Grey, Anthracite Grey and Profondo Blue), three pastel colours (Alfa Red, Ghiaccio White and Black), one metalflake (Etna Black) and one special triple-coat colour (Rosso Competizione).

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A really exciting option is the Blue&Me-TomTom system, which adds navigation capabilities to the functions of the Blue&Me ® system – handsfree function with Bluetooth® interface and advanced voice recognition, USB port, MP3 player and SMS interpreter.

Employing an easy-to-use colour touch screen (or you can use the steering wheel controls if you prefer), the portable navigation system is embedded into the dashboard thanks to a special interface, designed to blend seamlessly with the ergonomics of the passenger compartment and to guarantee maximum safety in the event of a crash.

Given the power capabilities of the new Guilietta, one would expect them to be accompanied by fuel penalties, but the use of turbochargers and small displacement engines has virtually wiped out this problem. They may offer the performance associated with much larger engines, but they sip fuel at a much lower rate.

Every model in the line-up has a combined fuel consumption figure below 8 l/100 km and in some instances below 5 l/100km even. Now that’s worth writing home about.

As a first for a premium brand, Alfa Romeo offers a five-year/150 000 kilometre warranty on the new Giulietta.

Linked to this is a six-year/ 90 000 kilometre service plan for the 1.4-litre models (with service intervals of 30 000 kilometres) and a six-year/ 105 000 kilometre service plan for the flagship 1750 TBi, which features 35 000 kilometre service intervals –a benchmark in the highly contested C-segment class.

Prices start at R243 000 (incl. VAT and emissions tax) for the 88kW 1.4 TB Progression, R279 900 for the 125kW Multiair 1.4 TB Distinctive, and R330 275 for the 173kW 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde.

We reckon that’s money very well spent. www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGES © ALFA ROMEO

Life|Style

108575

A 5 year/150 000 km warranty as well as a 6 year service plan. The safest compact hatch ever tested by Euro NCAP. Class-leading comfort and space delivered by an innovative aluminium chassis. Reduced CO2 emissions* and superior performance with a new generation of turbo engines. From R240 825 Incl. VAT** WITHOUT HEART WE WOULD BE MERE MACHINES.

SMS “LEGEND� to 39133 to book a test drive. *CO2 from 134 g/km.

Standard SMS rates apply. **Recommended retail price excludes environmental levy.

www.alfaromeo.co.za

Cellar scents

Hugo Boss is the most popular fragrance in the South African cellar

The big surprise when Elizabeth Taylor left for the silver screen in the sky in March was the size of her estate – estimated at $1 billion, thanks to the range of 11 celebrity perfumes made

by Elizabeth Arden. Asking a movie star to make perfume is an exercise in brand extension, but asking a winemaker for his or her special scent invokes a tangible connection

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between wine and perfume, as wine tasting is at least 80 percent olfactory. This begs the question: is there a relationship between wine style and perfume preference?

Jean Engelbrecht is seigneur of the Rust en Vrede estate on the Helderberg, which makes the single most expensive wine in South Africa. Called ‘1694’, it is a 60:40 blend of Syrah and

Cabernet Sauvignon with an exotic floral jasmine bouquet, and it costs R1 200 a bottle.

Yet when it comes to scent, Jean avoids aftershave. “Neither my dad [Springbok winger] Jannie nor I wear aftershave. As for deodorant, it’s Nivea, the Toyota of Underarms – never breaks down and you can get it anywhere in the world.”

Jean is not alone in preferring

scent-free shaves. Meerlust winemaker Chris Williams declares: “I can’t stand the stuff!

I use a non-perfumed sport antiperspirant. My girlfriend tells me the best smell a man can have is simply freshly scrubbed with soap.”

Swartland Independent Eben Sadie, whose Columella blend is ranked by Wine Spectator magazine as the best-rated www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGE © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

NEIL PENDOCK

Life|Style South African red to date, likewise sets no great store by scent.

Sadie notes: “I do it au naturel – I use very good shaving cream, and no aftershave. I have no intention of smelling like a toilet at a shopping mall or a petrol station.”

Biodynamic guru Johan Reyneke from Polkadraai in Stellenbosch agrees: “I know this is very boorish but I wear none at all. Nothing beats the feeling of going for a surf after a shave though...” Fellow surfer Duncan Savage from Cape Point Vineyards does a ditto: “Absolutely nothing, just good old neutral Sanex underarm, I’m not very exciting in this department!”

But its feast or famine because, of those who do indulge, most are multiple users. Karl Lambour makes Constantia’s most elegant Sauvignon Blanc at Constantia

features and an in-your-face presence – but that would be to caricature him. He has a brain and a quick wit, allied to a passionate and focused commitment to wine.” His fragrances?

Hugo Boss and Calvin Klein.

Tania Sanchez could have Vergelegen’s flagship ‘V’ in mind with her CK comment: “insanely strong fruit meets insanely strong woody amber”.

Vergelegen is owned by corporate colossus Anglo American, so Luca Turin’s description of Hugo Boss as “suggestive of a day filled with strategy meetings” is also on the money.

Hugo Boss is the most popular fragrance in the winelands, chosen by another corporate superstar Razvan Macici, cellarmaster at Nederburg as well as Wynand Grobler from Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek, and Grant Dodd from Haskell Vineyards on the Helderberg.

from Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche.” Rated five stars (out of five) by Turin in the manner of wine guides, the nosing note is most appropriate: “On principle I regret any change or modernisation of such a masterpiece.” A sentiment Rijk obviously agrees with, as a visit to his tumbledown werf (the very name Muratie comes from murasie, a ruin) will confirm.

Pieter de Waal, garagiste producer of Hermit on the Hill wines, wears Opium Pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent described by www.fragrantica. com as “A fresh oriental fragrance with fresh spicy and woodsy notes. Vanilla, followed by the cheery duo of black currant and anis, gives it unexpectedly sweet nuance.

Galangal, ginger and pepper give it a passionate nuance.”

De Waal comments: “Looking at that it seems my fragrance

I have no intention of smelling like a toilet at a shopping mall or a petrol station.

Glen. He lists L’Eau d’Issey, Paco Rabanne and D&G as his colognes of choice. The most tropical of Constantia’s characteristically green Sauvignons, his 2010 vintage, echoes the “melon floral” character of L’Eau d’Issey that Tania Sanchez picks up in Perfumes: the guide, while her citrus notes in Paco Rabanne pour Homme are present plus a touch of the “complex, herbal” character co-author Luca Turin finds in Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme. So KL (great initials for a perfumeconscious winemaker, shared as they are with Karl Lagerfeld) has picked up on the aromatic character of his wine when choosing his cologne.

André van Rensburg, burly winemaker at Vergelegen, is described by Decanter magazine as “A recently retired rugby player – unshaven, well-worn www.prestigemag.co.za

That Neil Patterson, winemaker at Anthonij Rupert Wines in Franschhoek, chooses Dunhill is a good career move seeing that tobacco tycoon, all round king-of-luxury and chairman of Richemont (which owns Dunhill) Johann Rupert is his boss. Marc Kent, the brains behind Boekenhoutskloof, will not be best pleased to hear Sanchez label Carolina Herrera’s 212 Sexy Men “woody green”, as ripeness and oak balance are characteristics of his benchmark Cabernets and Shiraz. Eau des Baux from l’Occitane is a better bet with its wood and incense character an identikit for his fragrant Journeyman 2005 Cabernet Franc-dominated red blend aged for 27 months in new barrels of French oak.

Rijk Melck from Muratie admits: “I always thought I was irresistible but I get a little help

and wine have a lot in common (except for the ‘woodsy notes’ and ‘vanilla’!)” Is this a general rule? Do Pinot Noiristes plump for delicate ethereal fragrances perhaps or do Pinotagers prefer smoky scents, while sultans of Sauvignon take a spritz of dassiepis?

Not as farfetched as it sounds, as the Sunday Times reports that Eau de Dassie is taking the perfume world by storm. When last interviewed, Ceres farmer Kersten Paulsen was waiting on tenterhooks for confirmation of an order for eight tons of dassie urine – yes, dassie as in rock rabbit. The urine sells for R60/kg and after processing, extracted hyraceum changes hands for R1 000 for a 50ml phial and imparts notes of “a circus or carnival” to a perfume. Heaven alone knows what Liz Taylor could have done with that. May 2011

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Great golfing blunders It happens to the best of ‘em IAN MACLEOD

You analyse every factor from your lie to the slope and speed of the green. You’ll flop your lob wedge under the ball, hopping it over the mound in front of you, trickling it to a foot from the cup. The plan is always at least that elegant.

Trouble is, your downswing is two degrees too steep, just enough for the summer kikuyu to cling to the leading edge of your clubhead. Ball and divot bobble forwards together, a total of five steps up the hill.

Golfing blunders and meltdowns are painful enough playing R10-skins at the local club. But consider the heartache of giving away The Open in a space of three minutes on the final day at St Andrews, or missing out on your first win on tour due to some forgotten rule of the Royal & Ancient.

Rory McIlroy’s recent fizzling out in the final round of the 2011 Masters was just the latest edition of this agonising scene, but it was far from the ugliest.

On the first Thursday of April 2011 Rory McIlroy spent most of the day as the youngest opening-round leader in Masters history. His sniper-like shotmaking and calm focus took the 21-year-old to a seven-underpar 65 for the round – seven birdies, no bogeys. However, it could have been a 62. He missed two very makeable birdie putts, and even had a reasonable shot at eagle on the long 15th.

Nonetheless, the Northern Irish prodigy was dead right when

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he called it “a great start to the tournament”. That continued till the close of Saturday.

McIlroy began Sunday’s final round with a healthy lead. But he bogeyed the opening hole, as well as the fifth, making him only a co-leader with nine to play. Then, in the youngster’s own words, he “unravelled and lost it at 10, 11 and 12”. His wild hook at the 10th tee had him chipping out from under the living-room window of one of Augusta’s characteristic cabins and dropping three shots. He bogeyed 11 and four-putted the short 12th for a double bogey. That made it six shots lost to par in three holes.

McIlroy carded an eightover 80 and, during that single round, had gone from the proud owner of a four-stroke cushion over second place, to 10 shots back of comefrom-behind champion Charl Schwartzel. That earned him a tie for 15th place.

To his credit, the curlyhaired McIlroy resisted a dash to the hotel, and took questions from the press with remarkable fortitude.

“The positive is that I led the tournament for 63 holes,” he said. “I’ll get over it and have plenty more chances. I know that.” In an honourable gesture he even Tweeted congratulations to Schwartzel.

And with guts like that, few believe that hot and disastrous day in Georgia will end Rory McIlroy. But don’t believe

afternoons like these haven’t ruined careers before.

The archetypical golfing meltdown must be Frenchman Jean Van de Velde’s 18th-hole performance at the 1999 Open Championship. Journeyman Van de Velde stood on the tee for the final hole of the competition needing only a two-over-par six to win the claret jug. A sliced drive made the obvious next move a lay-up for a routine bogey five – and the title. Instead a warm rush of that mysterious ‘final day of a major’ blood swamped his brain and he attempted a 185-yard two-iron into Carnoustie’s heavily guarded 18th green. This rocketed into the grandstand and bounced into some long grass. He caught his third heavy, plopping the ball into the crossrunning Barry Burn – a stream just shy of the putting surface.

Then, in a moment that had a worldwide television audience cringing and hiding behind pillows, a perplexed-looking Van de Velde pulled off his shoes and socks, rolled up his trousers and tip-toed through the six-inch-deep water to seriously consider playing from the creek. The golf fraternity watched those awfully tense moments in disbelieving silence.

Fortunately sense grabbed him just in time and he took a drop.

But then he lobbed his fifth shot into the curved bunker short of the green. He got down in two from there, but,

Rory McIlroy on the 13th hole during the final round of the Masters golf tournament Sunday, 10 April, 2011, in Augusta, Ga

The golf fraternity watched those awfully tense moments in disbelieving silence.

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emotionally frazzled, he was trumped in a three-way play-off won by Paul Lawrie.

Van de Velde never contended in a major again and played on with limited success in between bouts of injury.

He’ll forever be remembered as the golfer who could have won The Open, but for the bleachers, the stream and that dreaded greenside bunker.

What may be worse than tanking while in contention on Sunday is losing out through no fault of your own. One man in a position to confirm this www.prestigemag.co.za

theory is Welsh golfing great Ian Woosnam. By the closing round of the 2001 Open ‘Woosey’ was solidly in the hunt behind leader David Duval. He nearly eagled the opener but then, while waiting on the second tee, his long-time caddie, Miles Burn, made a knee-wobbling admission. “You’re going to go ballistic,” the presumably cowed Burn said. “We’ve got two drivers in the bag.” He had mistakenly left the extra one in after practice that morning, taking the total up to 15 – one more than is allowed. Those

present described the veins in Woosnam’s neck as bulging to the size of arms at that very instant. He hurled the club away, took the two-stroke penalty and, to his credit, fought on to a third-place finish.

Woosnam kept Burn on as his caddie, insisting it was “the biggest mistake he would ever make.” Two weeks later, at the Scandinavian Masters, even the forgiving Woosnam had to put his foot down when Burn arrived late for tee-off, leaving the former world-number-one to break into his own locker to

retrieve his golf shoes.

Just a small sample of golfing cataclysms, these stories can be soothing for embattled weekend hackers. They remind us it happens to the best of ‘em. Keep them in your bag for the next head-lifting, tractionbreaking, timber-seeking missile from a crowded tee.

And keep in mind that iconic and philosophical quote by Spanish golfing legend Seve Ballesteros after his most notorious four-put: “I mees, I mees, I mees, I make”. Then move on, plan your next shot.  May 2011

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IMAGE © AP / PICTURENET

Life|Style

A Mayan prediction The end of the world as we know it

Followers of ancient religions and certain films predict – based on the Mayan calendar – that the world will end in 2012. And although archaeologists have since set the record straight and debunked those predictions, thousands of people are set to arrive at pre-Columbian sites such as Izapa, on the border between Mexico and Guatemala, to mark, perhaps not the end of

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the end of the world, but the end of an era.

Surrounded by cocoa plantations, Izapa lies next to the banks of a river less than five kilometres from the border. It was the most important ceremonial, political and religious centre on the Mexican Pacific coast, a link between two of the greatest civilisations in MesoAmerica – the Olmecs and the Mayas. It is considered the

top pre-Columbian city in the region and contains the ‘Tree of Life’ stelae (stone slabs). The stelae contain elements that bring to mind Mayan divinities as well as certain passages from the Popol Vuh, a Mayan book of creation or life. The number five stela, a bas-relief sculpture, narrates in hieroglyphics how a supreme being builds the universe and its relations with earth, air, fire and water.

There are about 160 buildings in Izapa, from pyramids to platforms, measuring up to 55 metres in height, and 268 sculpted stone monuments and 89 stelae carved with religious passages. Most of the small promontories in the Izapa archaeological site, from 1 500 BC, have not yet been explored. A lack of funding has halted research for more than a decade. www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGE © AP/Picturnet

© RAFAEL VICTORIO RUIZ / FEATURENET.CO.ZA

Life|Style

Izapa was the most important ceremonial, political and religious centre on the Mexican Pacific coast, a link between two of the greatest civilisations – the Olmecs and the Mayas.

Izapa was one of the first places where the Meso-American calendar was used. The ‘long’ Mayan calendar ends on 23 December 2012, although ‘end of the world’ events are set to take place some days before that. French archaeologist Sebastien Perrot-Minot, in an article entitled A Trip through the History of Izapa, has said that the site will be at the heart of events on 21 December, 2012, when celestial bodies in the solar system will line-up www.prestigemag.co.za

“in a cosmic exchange between Father Sun and the Great Mother of the Galactic Centre”.

According to the National History and Anthropology (INAH by its Spanish acronym) representative in Chiapas, Emilio Gallaga Murrieta: “The long Mayan calendar, 5 500 years, is found on stelae in the Izapa archaeological zone, ending in 2012, which does not mean that for the ancient Mayas it was the prediction of the end of the

world or something of that nature.” Local business groups and tourism agencies, however, are banking on a wave of visitors from all over the world on 21 December, 2012. Two cruise ships have already confirmed their arrival in Puerto Chiapas on that date.

Izapa has drawn much attention from experts of late and, after German filmmaker Roland Emmerich’s film 2012 was released two years ago, there has been much talk

about the end of the world as ‘predicted’ by the Mayas. But, if we side with INAH, the Mayas never said that that year would be the end of the world and did mention other, later dates for such an event. But, seeing a good opportunity to foster tourism and generate revenue, business leaders in the region are keeping the countdown to 21 December 2012 to call attention to INAH and tell the world that Mayan civilisation is set to mark a major festivity. May 2011

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Life|Style

About Gorah Elephant Camp

Stuffed saddle of lamb With rosemary and sun-blushed vine tomatoes Method For the lamb

For the mash

Bone out the saddle and shoulder. Place the shoulder meat into a blender together with a little salt and blend until smooth. Add basil, three quarters of the tomatoes, the egg and cream, and blend until combined and smooth. Spoon this stuffing onto the centre of the saddle and roll it so that the stuffing remains in the centre.

Roll the Parma ham around the outer layer. Tie the parcel with string and allow to rest in the fridge until needed. Roast the saddle in a little olive oil until cooked to medium and allow to rest. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in a cup of boiling water, set aside until soft. Do not soak for more than 10 minutes.

Lightly pan fry the fine beans, wild mushrooms and remaining tomatoes. Set aside.

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Smoke the garlic by placing the cloves onto a cooling rack suspended over wood chips and covering with foil. Heat for 1 hour at 120 ºC. Remove to cool. Once cool, puree the cloves. Boil the potatoes in salt water. When ready, drain and mash before blending in the garlic puree and olive oil, seasoning to taste.

To serve

Pipe the mash onto a plate. Slice the rolled saddle of lamb into medallions – remembering to remove the string – and arrange on top of the mash. Handle carefully so that the crispy Parma ham doesn’t dislodge.

Arrange the pan-fried vegetables around the outer perimeter of the plate. Drizzle with jus from the pan and garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary. Serves 4.

Ingredients 1 saddle of lamb, including shoulder 100g sun-blushed vine tomatoes 15 large basil leaves 1 egg 50ml cream 8 slices Parma ham 1/2 punnet fine green beans 200g dried wild mushrooms Olive oil 4 large potatoes 6 cloves garlic, peeled Salt and pepper to taste Rosemary to garnish

The incomparable thrill of quietly observing a passing herd of elephant while being served tea on the veranda of a colonial manor house might seem like the stuff of dreams, but at Gorah Elephant Camp in the malaria-free Eastern Cape it is an everyday occurrence.

Located in the heart of the Big 5 Addo Elephant National Park, this five-star safari lodge, part of the Hunter Hotels Group and a member of the Relais & Châteaux Association, boasts 11 luxurious tented suites sheltered beneath thatched canopies, each with its own private deck, which affords panoramic views of the endless savannah plains.

Lavish gourmet cuisine, paired with exceptional wines, is created by Head Chef Marshall Petla and served in the elegant, candle-lit dining rooms of the Main House, on the old-style veranda overlooking the waterhole, or under the stars in the open boma. www.hunterhotels.com/ gorahelephantcamp/

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| Fashion

GUCCI

Women’s Spring/Summer 2011 Collection A return to seduction, a new femininity, sophisticated, confident and strong &

© GUCCI May 2011

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| Fashion

T

his vivid collection, inspired by the desert allure of Marrakech, is full of sensual colours, with Berber accents and precious handmade materials that follow the body’s silhouette for an ethnic Mediterranean spirit. Says Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini: “This is the result of a search for a sophisticated elegance that creates a new aesthetic for the Gucci woman. Always strong and self assured, she loves to provoke and seduce with smart irony, playing with strong colours and precious materials, distinguishing herself with her modern Amazon attitude.”

www.prestigemag.co.za

Fashion |

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Available exclusively at Gucci Boutiques in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Contact +27 21 421 8800 (V&A Waterfront, Cape Town) or +27 11 784 2597 (Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg), or visit www.gucci.com

www.prestigemag.co.za

George Clooney

BRUNO LESTER / FEATURENET.CO.ZA

The dashing superstar talks about ageing, his life at 50, and what he thinks the future holds 48

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| Personality

You don’t try to hide the premature grey.

Ageing doesn’t bother you?

No. I see other movie stars trying desperately to hold onto that audience they’ve attained. These are guys who want the young girls and they want to be action heroes. But really, that train left the station and those fans are going away.

Tabloids love reporting on your love life. Do the stories upset you?

I usually don’t notice anymore. They’re not worth my energy. You can’t try to prove them untrue because then you look like an idiot. Most of the time it’s harmless, and the secret is to remember that over a period of time, people are going to be incredibly kind to you as well as incredibly cruel. So you have to find a way to define yourself, and not worry about the rest of it.

You have repeatedly said that you would never remarry. Still, you have been with Elisabetta Canalis for the past five years and rumours are flying of an upcoming marriage...

I’m happy as I am now. But I’ve learned as I’ve got older to stop making definitive statements because those usually backfire on me!

Do you believe in marriage?

My parents have proven that a marriage can work.

What do you find attractive in a woman?

A sense of humour is number one. It’s not the first thing you notice at 21, but it’s the first thing you notice at 50.

You have said you don’t want children. And Elisabetta has said she is happy taking care of your dogs...

Most people want children and have no understanding about someone who has no thought like that. I have never had the desire for George juniors. It’s such a great responsibility. It’s not something you can just do half-assed. Of course, I could adopt some of Brad Pitt’s kids.

You divide your time between homes in Los Angeles and Italy. It must be quite a different life from when you were a struggling actor?

www.prestigemag.co.za

Yes, I did have 12 years of pretty bad TV shows; I remember that very well.

And there will be more in coming years (laughs). I know I’m lucky to have had success later in life. I know how much it’s about luck, as opposed to it happening when you’re younger, when you think it’s about your brilliance.

These days you seem to have the pick of the best films that Hollywood produces.

And to be able to make them, I have to do them for nothing upfront! If they are successful, I get paid at the back end. On films like Good Night and Good Luck, Michael Clayton and The Good German I made slightly more than I did on Return of the Killer Tomatoes [a B-film he made early in his career], but not much.

You have been very productive in your career, with 70 films and TV shows to your name, 26 films as a producer, and four as a director.

How do you balance work with a private life?

I know that one day I won’t be in demand, so I want to make the most of my time.

But you can burn a candle at both ends.

Sometimes you need to re-energise yourself, and then I take some time off.

You seem to be following in the footsteps of your hero Paul Newman in courting character roles in your middle age...

Like him, I’ve learnt to focus on the script. You are only as good as the screenplay. Always. My choices are better

Do you enjoy your fame?

When you get fame, you realise most of the things that you thought would be great about it are not. And that’s not whining. The greatest thing about being in the position I’m in is that I can walk into a movie studio and say ‘I want to make a black and white film noir’ and they’ll make it because they don’t want me to go someplace else.

You have become a leading celebrity advocate for an array of international issues.

Do you see a political career on the cards, as was the case for Clint Eastwood and Ronald Reagan?

No. I feel responsible to do something, but don’t look for my name on any ballots.

I’ve done too many bad things in my life to go into politics. And I’m not good with compromises. You can get more done when you’re not in politics, I think.

Do you think being so vocal on political issues can hurt you career?

Either you have an opinion or you don’t, and either you express it or you don’t. I think there are people who have been really vocal over the years and have had really successful careers and people who haven’t.

It is about doing decent films.

Is it difficult to trust people when you’re rich and famous?

Not if you’re focused on it. I think it’s pretty easy to discover people’s motives.

I know that one day I won’t be in demand, so I want to make the most of my time. since I freed myself from my need to be successful. I don’t need the money anymore, so now I find joy and satisfaction in what I’m doing. Of course, when you’re successful, people think you get lots of good scripts, but this is not so.

There are about two good scripts a year sent to me.

What is special about your local village, Laglio?

Did you always dream of becoming an actor?

How do you think your film career will be looked upon in 50 years’ time?

No, I wanted to be a professional baseball star. But I lacked the skills.

I thought you wanted to be a journalist?

When I was 19 years old, I got a job as a reporter. I was so bad. I could never have been as good as my dad, who was a television newsman, so I thought I’d better do something easier.

What is so great about being an actor?

That you learn about different societies and different worlds.

When I’m sitting in the town square watching mothers play with their children, singing and dancing with their children, I realise we don’t have that in America.

America is about work. In Europe people know how to live.

I can’t concern myself with that. All I’m concerned about is doing movies that I’m proud of, and if they work, great. I have money in the bank and a house in Italy, so I’m fine. Fear will not stop me from doing risky projects.

Finally, do you have a dream role?

I just want to dance. I’ve been waiting for a musical for a long time but no one has brought it to me. May 2011

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IMAGES © AP/picturenet

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urning 50 on 6 May, Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney can look back on an impressive career that has yet to peak.

Although he started out in television, as the star of ER, he manage to relaunch himself as a movie star in his late thirties through films such as The Perfect Storm, Three Kings, and the Ocean’s Eleven series. He won a 2006 Oscar for his performance in Syriana, and received nominations for his work in 2007’s Michael Clayton and 2009’s Up in the Air. He also nailed an Oscar nomination for directing 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck.

Dubai World Cup Thoroughbreds Thoroughbreds compete compete for for the the biggest biggest purse purse in in international international racing racing

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| Adventure TANYA GOODMAN

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verything in Dubai requires a superlative. It is here, for example, that you can ride the world’s fastest elevator up the world’s tallest tower (Burj Khalifa) to the world’s highest restaurant (At. mosphere). Or, you can stay in one of the world’s most expensive hotel rooms (the $26-million Atlantis suite) and take a bubble bath alongside the stingrays and sharks that swim in one of the world’s largest private aquariums.

Alternatively, you can take an excursion into the desert to go dune bashing across the red sands in the latest model Hummer with top-of-their-class 4x4 drivers who don’t break a sweat while you cling to your seatbelt. The list goes on and on.

For most people, therefore, there is no need to seek a specific reason to visit Dubai, whether it be to meet potential business partners in this bustling centre of economic development, to romance your new sweetheart with seven-star hospitality at the Burj Al Arab, or to take the family on a luxury shopping spree at the world’s mega couture paradise, the Dubai Mall. But, if you are looking for a specific reason to justify a sojourn to this part of the Middle East, consider planning your next venture around the Dubai World Cup, an equestrian event that can also be classified as superlatively over the top.

Boasting the title of ‘world’s richest horse race’ and hosted by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, this year’s Dubai World Cup saw a total number of eight events racking up over $26 million in prizes. The purse for the final event of the evening brought its winner a cool $10 million. Those who follow horse racing from a professional perspective have offered numerous accolades about the quality of the state-of-the-art Meydan Racecourse and the latest in technology that captures the ❱ excitement of the race on big

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Adventure |

screens clearly seen from even the uppermost VIP suites. For social butterflies, though, the speed, the drama and the style of the affair are more than enough to make this one of the hottest events on the global must-do party calendar.

If you think the word ‘party’ and the name ‘Dubai’ don’t belong in the same paragraph, think again.

Dubai is probably the most progressive of the emirates in the Middle East, and the amount of naked feminine skin, outrageous outfits and sparkling champagne at the Dubai World Cup equally rivalled what one might see at the Royal Ascot or the J&B Met. De rigueur, of course, was the Jaguar-sponsored ‘best dressed’ and ‘most stylish hat’ competitions, each of which drew its fair share of Euro-socialites from across the globe. Up in the myriad VIP suites, chicly-clad beauties and distinguished-looking gents toasted their favourite horses and smoked fat cigars as they sat down to sumptuous feasts. Though there is no gambling at Meydan, reports suggest that nearly R40 million was bet into Phumelela TAB’s global tote pools alone.

Should you consider adding the Dubai World Cup to your social schedule, you need not fear that you will be the only South African on the turf or in the boxes at this high society event. South Africa is typically more than well represented at equestrian events such as these, and at the Dubai World Cup in particular. This year, the South African contingent was delighted with a dramatic win in the second race, the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint over 1 000 metres, by our very own JJ The Jet Plane. Owned by South Africans, JJ The Jet Plane is trained by Vaal-based Lucky Houdalakis and was ridden by Cape Town jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Though he was initially tasked with chasing the $2 million Golden Shaheen prize on the synthetic surface, a last-minute change placed him into the earlier race. He won by just a head as South Africans strained to see his last-minute surge through the sandstorm which disrupted visibility, and then

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jumped into each other’s arms in celebration. South Africa could also be proud of another winner on the night, Rocket Man, which claimed victory in the $2 million Golden Shaheen over 1 200 metres.

Trained by South African Pat Shaw in Singapore and owned by South African Fred Crabbia, Rocket Man was ably ridden by champion jockey Felix Coetzee. Our internationally renowned trainer, Mike de Kock, nearly brought home a third win for South Africa when River Jetez failed narrowly against Presvis in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free over 1 800 metres. Unfortunately, one of the favourites for the coveted title of the big race, de Kock’s Bold Silvano was forced to withdraw due to a last-minute injury.

If this is indeed your scene, we highly recommend you also book a table for the Dubai World Cup Gala Dinner, which takes place at the Dubai Racing Club in the desert oasis of Bab al Shams on the Thursday evening preceding the race. This year’s evening, billed as Arabian Nights, offered a trip back in time for those guests who attended. Greeted by the Sheik’s horse guard and invited to peruse the various demonstrations of traditional crafts and culture of the region was just the beginning.

As night fell and after a dinner fit for Arabian royalty, we were graced by the presence of the Sheik and his extensive entourage. One could hear the collective intake of breath as guests were enthralled by the display of stunt horse riding and sword throwing, innumerable paratroopers dropping from the darkness above, fire dancers on Arabian steeds and a pyrotechnic symphony of light that seemed to last forever. The Sheik himself was visibly impressed.

Given the Sheik’s passion for breeding and racing horses, and adding to that Dubai’s complete commitment to offering the world’s biggest and best of almost every human endeavour, it is no surprise then that this event is well worth attending if you want to say you’ve witnessed the ultimate in horse racing.  www.prestigemag.co.za

South Africa’s JJ The Jet Plane

The speed, the drama and the style of the affair are more than enough to make this one of the hottest events on the global must-do party calendar.

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Craftsmanship |

Santoni

You know what they say you should do if the shoe fits ROUPERT MULLER / TCS

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hilippe Starck once described Santoni as an object sensual.

Dustin Hoffman, Sylvester Stallone and Valentino Rossi seek the same quality, comfort, perfection and style. They all wear Santoni shoes, an Italian brand driven by a belief in quality. Recently, Santoni teamed up with Mercedes to make footwear for its racing drivers.

So what is it about these shoes that might make a customer pay €12 000 a pair? Well, perhaps the fact that they are as different from normal everyday footwear as the Taj Mahal is

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from a garden shed.

Andrea Santoni, founder and owner of Santoni, launched the company in the picturesque hills of Corridonia in the Italian province of Macerata. His dream of creating the perfect shoe began to take shape in the late 1970s, while he was product manager for a large shoe manufacturer. He wanted to move away from the mass market towards the making of only the finest, and uphold the art of exceptional craftsmanship. His son, Giuseppe Santoni, explains: “My father prioritised quality as the foundation for

the company. We are not a brand product, we are a quality product.”

Santoni is a family business and all family members have, from its birth, been involved in the evolution of the company. In fact, the first factory was created within their own apartment building. Santoni’s two children, Giuseppe and Ilenia, used the factory as their playground.

Every spare minute was spent watching and learning the craft of shoe making. Ilenia reminisces: “When we had lunch break at school I would hurry to the factory to ❱

Craftsmanship |

Santoni is like ketchup. When you turn the bottle upside down nothing comes out immediately.

You have to wait. It takes time to understand the Santoni way of crafting shoes. help out. Everyone would be out for lunch but I would stay at the office and help in any way I could. As early as I can remember I wanted to play an active part in the company.”

Now Giuseppe runs the company together with his father, while Ilenia is responsible for finance and personnel. Says Giuseppe, “I

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was very young when I was given the responsibility of managing the company [he was 20 years old]. My father gave me the room to make mistakes and learn from them. By learning the business at a young age my father was able to focus on the product itself without having to worry about managing the

company.” Though Giuseppe is officially the CEO, he is clear on the family aspect. “Important decisions are always discussed together before making the final decision. My father has a lifetime of experience and is still extremely sharp on his views on the further development of the company.”

Crafting a Santoni shoe is an art.

“When we produce shoes we have respect for the working process,” says Giuseppe. “This is an important part of the company’s success.

Unlike other companies, which focus on quantity, we focus on the precision of crafting a shoe. That’s the main reason why it takes three to four weeks to complete a pair. At large companies people will have for example six minutes to finish a certain part of the process. You can’t ask an artist to paint a picture every 10 minutes. Our shoes remain in the last for at least 15 days, a process of which no other manufacturer is capable. Quality is the result of investing precision, time and money.”

At 67 years of age, Andrea Santoni still possesses an undying passion for shoes. Every day at 6:00am he starts work in the factory. Not a single shoe escapes his final quality check.

When asked why he still maintains this drive, he says, “Because I want to make sure each shoe is perfect.” A single shoe experiences more than 30 quality checks before being shipped.

And Andrea Santoni is personally responsible for the whole process, from the selection of the leather to the final check prior to packaging.

Giuseppe is near poetic in Santoni’s attitude towards the production process. “Each shoe has its own story, own identity and own personality,” he says. “At Santoni you have to be an expert to understand and recognise what to do on each item in order to create the perfect shoe.”

It is difficult to find suitable craftsmen to produce the shoes so the company has set up a school for aspiring shoemakers. But, before they can start at Santoni they have to completely understand the philosophy of quality and the company’s way of producing.

Santoni’s distinguished style is created by their precise approach to stitching, last construction and polishing. Craftsmen make use of various construction techniques, such as Bentivegna, Bologna and Blake. Probably one of the most recognisable construction methods applied is the Opanca. The sole of an Opanca construction is cut with a larger border. The external side is then made thinner and turned ❱ May 2011

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Craftsmanship | up. A heavy hand-stitching follows, fixing the extra sole border on the upper part of the shoe. Polishing is the finishing touch of the Santoni process, and is a true trademark of the brand. The phases of polishing are delicate and require immense craftsmanship. Three different colours and two kinds of polishing are applied before one arrives at the final finish. “Some shoes require at least half a day of my father’s time just to polish them,” says Giuseppe.

“So when you see a Santoni shoe you know just by seeing how it is polished that it is a Santoni.”

Although the brand may not be known to the masses, Giuseppe is confident in the company’s future success. “Santoni is like ketchup,” he says. “When you turn the bottle upside down nothing comes out immediately. You have to wait. It takes time to understand the Santoni way of crafting shoes.”

The price of Santoni shoes starts at around €300 for the casual Club collection, with the Classic collection starting at €450 and the Limited Edition from €800. But Santoni can offer more, as the company is also a specialist in tailor-made shoes.

Depending on the choice of leather, construction and details, a pair could cost up to €12 000. “Clients who buy Santoni shoes care primarily about quality and their emotion towards our product,” says Giuseppe, “not the price. They buy our shoes because they understand and respect the craftsmanship. Clients need time to fully understand why Santoni is what it is before buying it. And once a client starts wearing Santoni, he stays loyal.”

The company has experienced an incredible increase in demand over the past two years. “Selling the shoes is easy,” says Giuseppe. “Producing the shoes is the difficult part! Our clients expect quality and therefore the production process must be absolutely perfect.” With the strong growth of the company Santoni agreed to collaborate with Mercedes AMG to develop a racing shoe for the Mercedes DTM team. Thus far, they have already produced an entire line of AMG racing shoes for consumers. “I like cars and AMG’s philosophy of quality and perfection is the same as ours. It’s that simple,” Giuseppe reasoned.

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IMAGES © FLORIS LEEUWENBERG / VISTA / TCS

Yachting |

Superyacht Anastasia The grand duchess of indulgence at sea TANYA GOODMAN

© OCEANCO/BUSGY GEDLEK

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ummer in the Med is soon approaching, and what better way to ease into the spirit of these days and escape the wintry bite of the Southern hemisphere than onboard superyacht Anastasia, a 75.5metre (245.7-foot) vessel built by Oceanco in 2008 and now available for luxury yacht charters. At

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a rate of €325,000 per week, why not book her out for you and 11 of your closest friends and start the season by lazing away in these sunny climes?

Actually, while sloth would certainly be indulged by Anastasia’s 20-person crew who are accustomed to serving its Russian billionaire owner, adopting a posture of

laziness would have you miss out on much that she has to offer. In fact, the story goes that Anastasia, named for the Tsar of Russia’s fourth daughter, was specifically commissioned to embrace her owner’s love of ocean-going adventure and extreme water sports. As such, Anastasia is built to entertain the more active among us. ❱

Adventure |

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| Yachting You may, for example, want to dance the night away in the disco, replete with lasers, a smoke machine and the ability to host a live band.

Perhaps you’d rather scuba dive by day or amuse yourself with one or more of the custom tenders and toys that accommodate any yearning from fishing, speed boating and nitrox diving, to competition jet skis, sailboards and waverunners. Among others, two 31-foot Vikal custom launches are stored in the garage to enable such endeavours. Should you still have surplus energy to burn, you can work it off in the full gymnasium with swimming pool.

That said, Anastasia does beckons guests for relaxation at every turn.

Interior and exterior designs are by the award-winning team of Sam Sorgiovanni, which has received accolades for a number of their projects. It was their work on golfer Greg Norman’s 69.5-metre (228foot) Aussie Rules yacht, which at the time of her launch in 2005 made her the world’s largest aluminium and composite private yacht, that specifically led Anastasia’s owner to seek them out to design her. Located in Fremantle, Western Australia, Sam Sorgiovanni Designs prides itself on a design philosophy that borrows from their surroundings. So far, this approach has worked, obviously finding synergy with some of the most demanding clients across the globe, who surely want a bespoke yacht design that matches their own personal demands and desires.

To suit the needs of the Russian tycoon, the layout of Anastasia includes seven decks and six staterooms. And it should suit you fine as well. Accommodation is provided in six resplendent suites, with the master suite dominating the upper deck. In this king-sized space, guests can recline to enjoy the skylight atrium above the bed or retreat outside to their own private balcony. If you so wish, you could choose to chill out in the bath instead and watch your favourite movie from the tub. Two VIP suites and three guest suites are located on the main deck, each decorated in understated textures and colours and sporting state-of-the-art entertainment systems. Central themes and dominant materials throughout ❱ May 2011

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Yachting | the living spaces include the use of light eucalyptus and fine fabrics, while each guest room is decorated with hand-painted original artwork.

For the ceiling and flooring, noiseless bamboo, rattan and oak finishes have been incorporated.

When it comes to leisure time after a morning of play at sea or before an evening under the stars, guests are free to enjoy any one of the number of salons and living spaces. Perhaps you’d like a game of cards in the games room or a private movie in the cinema? Or why not invite a few more friends onboard for sundowners on the massive sundeck, which easily caters to far more people than the 12 cruising guests. For a more informal gathering, where guests simply want to sink back into plush loungers and reminisce about the day’s activities, the pool deck is a great option, though standing up after a round or three of mojitos might prove challenging. For a spot of romance, an interlude atop Anastasia’s highest deck, where the technologically impressive radar-dome superstructure fortuitously provides shade for a queen-size lounge, might just garner you the ‘yes’ for which you’ve been waiting.

Dining options abound as well, be it at the more formal dining table, which is flanked by a spectacular aquarium, or any of the more casual areas on the entertaining decks. No matter where you are onboard Anastasia, though, the art of leisure, be it active or tranquil, takes precedence and your every sense is stimulated. And it is the close attention to every design detail that enables such enjoyment.

Oceanco was only founded in 1992, and is therefore quite young in terms of yacht builders. They have, however, developed a reputation for excellence and innovation in this short time, racking up numerous awards for their yachts in the 80+ metre range and solidifying their place by working with top-class designers such as Sam Sorgiovanni.

Anastasia embodies this spirit of distinction and now that she is available for charter, the temptation to partake in this kind of quality should not be resisted.  www.oceancoyacht.com

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Collectibles |

Still photography is still alive KEN KESSLER

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early 30 years ago, one of my editors created the perfect neologism for those who loved to use old rather than new devices: ‘anachrophiles’. He used it to describe those in favour of old hi-fi equipment rather than new, but it works equally well for a driver whose daily transport is a vintage car, or for music lovers who prefer LPs to downloads. Of late, it can be applied to photographers.

Whenever a new technology replaces an older one, and some

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form of replaceable element or non-re-usable software is necessary, there’s a mortality rate that might render the devise useless. You can, for example, still buy music cassettes and VHS tapes, but their days are severely numbered, so the value of ‘vintage’ cassette decks and VCRs has plummeted. And does anyone still make use of a typewriter instead of a computer?

Caught in the middle of this, and as much a victim of digital technology as the VHS tape was of the digital DVD, is the 35mm film

camera. In an astonishingly short period, the digital camera developed so rapidly that even the master photographers who hated early digital cameras have moved to the new medium. Its merits are considerable, not least being the ability to see a shot immediately after taking it – as opposed to returning from a shoot with film to learn that the film stock or processing were ‘off’, or the cameras had a fault. As for manipulating images, no longer need a photographer mess around with chemicals in a darkroom: www.prestigemag.co.za

The world may have gone digital, but collectors haven’t noticed programmes such as Photoshop have made everything possible and certainly easier.

There was only one downside to digital photography, but it was the most important element of all: the quality of the images. Rapid evolution of the format, though, from percentages of a megapixel for many hundreds of Dollars, to 12-megapixel capability for under $150, has blessed us with cameras so truly competent that excuses for not using digital are running out.

And when it comes to the needs www.prestigemag.co.za

of professionals, such as sending an image to a magazine across the globe when only minutes away from deadline, digital wins every time.

Mistakes are no longer terminal, time is no longer an issue.

Still, there are hold-outs who swear that nothing can beat the sheer gorgeousness of good old analogue film, whether 35mm, medium or large format, print or slide. This has created a curious situation that’s not analogous with the passing of the music cassette or the VHS tape, in that old still cameras

are still worth using.

Simply put, the clock is ticking for the manufacturing of 35mm film.

Companies such as Fuji, Ilford and others continue to support users with a reasonable selection of types, including monochrome, but none dare guess for how much longer.

And as film has a limited shelf life there’s no point in stocking up on hundreds of rolls of film, and the papers and chemicals needed to process them. But that’s the ‘glasshalf-empty’ view. Clearly there are those who think otherwise. ❱ May 2011

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Even film producer Kodak had a lustworthy classic, the Retina No better evidence of this exists than the continuation of elevated prices for the best of the old cameras.

If you go back far enough, before electronics affected camera operation and cameras were completely mechanical, you don’t even have to worry about obsolete batteries, or repairs that can’t be undertaken due to an absence of spare parts. Allmechanical cameras are like vintage wristwatches: if you can find a good repairman, he can salvage just about anything. What can’t be saved is a dead integrated circuit.

This, however, should not put you off still-usable classics like Contax’s

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RTS, with body designed by Porsche, or any of the great cameras of the 1960s through 1990s. Their prices, however, reflect – if subconsciously – their susceptibility to electronic weaknesses, but the best are still costly. What remain the best investments, until the film runs out, are all-mechanical or primarily mechanical classics.

Camera collecting has its ‘Rolex’, its default choice for cognoscenti, and that is Leica. This company did, after all, create the concept of a magnificently competent device for professional photographers that could be held in one hand, the original Leica

I that reached the market in 1925.

As far as collectors are concerned, there are no bad Leicas, especially the rangefinder types. Even the onceunloved M5 is now fetching serious sums, though the M3, M4 and M6 are the most popular and usable.

Next up is Nikon, which made fantastic rangefinders in the 1950s, now highly desirable and usually found in top-end auctions if in mint condition. The model, however, which earned Nikon an A-list reputation as the choice for professionals was the SLR (single-lens reflex) Nikon F, much loved by photojournalists during the Vietnam War for its www.prestigemag.co.za

| Collectibles

IIIC, with folding body and interchangeable lenses. indestructibility. Other less common choices include the costly Contarexes from Germany and various Rolleis, while contemporary models from Olympus and Canon are plentiful.

For some, though, it’s the oddities that appeal. Olympus’ original Pen was a half-frame camera, which meant that it fitted two shots into a single frame – 36 exposure rolls of film could take 72 shots. Robot produced a family of cameras which featured a mechanical winding system that acted as a motor-drive for continuous shooting. Rollei’s 35 and Minox’s spy cameras were models of miniaturisation. www.prestigemag.co.za

ALPA cameras from Switzerland were developed for special purposes, including medical applications, and were made by a company that produced parts for Swiss watches; its pedigree was impeccable, but high cost means that they’re rare beasts, indeed. Even film-producer Kodak had a lustworthy classic, the Retina IIIC, with folding body and interchangeable lenses.

To the above, it’s the last that you must add to make a complete system.

Collecting the various lenses offered for professional cameras, especially Leicas, Nikons and Contarexes, as well as the square-format Hasselblads such

as favoured by NASA, will increase the necessary expenditure as much as it increases a camera’s flexibility. Condition is everything with lenses, so only buy from reputable vendors.

How long such cameras can also serve their original purpose will depend on the willingness of film producers to continue manufacturing the necessary films. But when the day comes that all film cameras must be retired, they will serve their owner/collectors as classy pieces of once-functional, mechanical sculpture, reminders of a time when photographers had to think before pressing the shutter. May 2011

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Travel |

Welcome to Miami

Energised by the success of Art Basel, the city is rapidly becoming a capital of cultural cool ANDY ROUND

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gridlock of stretch limos, sports cars and stacked SUVs snake up to the Fontainebleau Hotel like an automotive beauty pageant.

Clicking across the fluorescent blue floor of the lobby are long-legged girls in short dresses and high heels followed by hair-slicked guys with rolled sleeves and high hopes.

Surveying the crowd are gorilla-sized ‘hosts’ in sharp suits and pneumatic hostesses barely wearing glittery dresses. It’s Saturday night in Miami and I’m outside Liv, the hottest club in town, and it feels like a bizarre experiment in social engineering.

There is no queue, no organised entry; just these hosts waving their iPads at the well-dressed herd and unclipping the velvet rope for those they like the look of.

Inside this split-level, bass-shaking super club, with its VIP glass cubicles, nose-bleedingly expensive drinks, velvet-roped sofas and lines of champagne, are staff that look like supermodels slumming it between shoots. Depending on your attitude this could be either the most depressing two-dimensional MTV experience of your life or the most exciting Saturday night to have ever wandered off the society pages of Vanity Fair.

But it’s Miami right? This is where neon comes to die and where everyone looks hot on the beach.

Well, yes and no. Versions of Miami clubs like Liv have been around www.prestigemag.co.za

since the roaring twenties, when Miami was a magnet for Hollywood’s silent-age superstars and New York’s freshly minted millionaires.

It’s what I expected; what I didn’t expect was the way the city has reinvented itself as a capital of cultural cool. How about this for a roll call of honour: Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the most important contemporary events in the world; the coolest hotels on earth march down South Beach; über fashion boutiques are materialising all over the city; Bilbao Guggenheim super-architect Frank Gehry has designed a new concert hall and some of the world’s most exciting galleries are springing up faster than you can say, “Isn’t that Banksy?”

Even Versace has been reinvented.

The former Ocean Drive home of the murdered couturier has just been transformed into an exclusive 10-suite boutique hotel by events impresario Barton G Weiss, with rooms costing up to US$2 100 a night. Sam Garcia, a friend of a friend of the club lounge guy at The Ritz-Carlton, gives me a private tour (it’s closed to the public). “And the tiles of the pool are plated with 24-carat gold,” Garcia says with a smile as immaculate as his suit. “The work had to be redone three times before Mr Versace was happy.” I nod as a frock-tailed butler brings me a pot of Earl Grey. “Perhaps some scones with fresh cream, sir?” His accent is unmistakeably British. ❱ May 2011

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IMAGES © GMCVB; Arthur marcus

| Travel

Travel |

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IMAGES © istock; GMCVB

Of course, thank you Jeeves.

Garcia’s grin widens as he explains how the walkway to the beach would be carpeted with Versace towels to prevent pampered feet being burned on hot sand; where Elton, Linda and Naomi used to stay; how, on Madonna’s 31st birthday, the material girl’s cake was so huge they had to use a crane to haul it over the villa’s wall; and that the beds are so gargantuan (10 feet by 12 feet) that it takes three people to turn down the sheets...

It’s quite an insight, but a short stroll from the tourists photographing themselves outside the villa’s gates, is Miami’s newest altar to cultural cool, the New World Symphony Centre. Overlooking a newly reclaimed public park, it’s designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry. This extraordinary building is the home of America’s Orchestral Academy, the New World Symphony. Gehry’s swooping architectural swirls are all in place here. But unlike his iconic Bilbao Guggenheim they are interior devices, the huge glass walls of the exterior and the giant white spaces designed to tempt audiences in by revealing musicians through skyhigh windows or by projecting their performances on exterior walls.

“The building and the new park www.prestigemag.co.za

| Travel

in front really creates a landmark for Miami,” says Craig Hall of the NWS. “We are lucky it actually happened at all, but Gehry used to babysit Michael Tilson Thomas, our founder, and they grew up together to become close friends.” In addition to concerts, teaching musicians and exchanging techniques online live around the world, the centre will also work actively to introduce classical music to the community through free shows, events with DJs and through schools.

It’s ambitious, exciting and lightyears away from the days when Miami Beach had become a place where the district’s famous art deco buildings were either hastily adapted into ‘God’s waiting rooms’ for www.prestigemag.co.za

America’s elderly or infested by smalltime wannabe Tony Montanas living a Scarface organised-crime nightmare supplied by Pablo Escobar.

Now, much of the city’s new energy is down to the success of Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB). Just nine years old, it is one of the most dynamic contemporary arts events in the world. “In 2010, ABMB attracted a record 46 000 visitors,” says Basel’s Maike Cruse. “It’s getting bigger and bigger every year.”

Next December (2011) 250 galleries are expected to exhibit works by at least 2 000 artists. “It’s a huge social scene and during the event nobody sleeps,” says Suzie Sponder of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “And who wouldn’t

want to leave Europe in winter to party in warm Miami?”

The event transforms the city.

From the giant pink snail art installations that populated the beach when I visited to more long-standing developments such as the regeneration of formerly depressed districts like Wynwood, dozens of galleries – such as the celebrated collections of Margulies, De La Cruz or Rubell – as well as numerous artists’ studios now occupy the low-rises and graffiti is commissioned from artists such as Shepard Fairey (the man behind the Obama ‘Hope’ image), and permanently displayed at the Wynwood Walls, a project of the super entrepreneur Tony Goldman. “I think this must be the only place in the ❱ May 2011

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world where you can put graffiti on the walls and the price of property actually goes up,” laughs Johnny Wong, a curator at the nearby Peter Tunney Gallery.

New restaurants in the district, such as Wynwood Kitchen & Bar conceived by Goldman’s daughter Jessica, flaunt their edgy credentials and are stuffed to the rafters with cutting-edge art, while a five-minute drive north brings you into the thriving ‘Designer District’, where fashionable independents such as Tushka Art Lampshade Studio, Unlimited Nude and Decorators Plumbing share block space with internationals such as Kartell, Christian Louboutin and The King is Dead. Unsurprisingly, the nearby college is Miami’s Design and Architecture Senior High.

Ah yes, architecture. With the highest concentration of art deco buildings in the world, Miami is a photogenic delight and it still feels like you’re in a film set. And of course you are. Beyond the slip-ons and pastel shirts of the series Miami Vice here are the backdrops to Goldfinger, The Birdcage and just about any fashion shoot from the 1990s.

“Photographers and filmmakers have always loved the light around South Beach,” explains the Preservation

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League’s Kent Hamrick. “The beach and hotels were always perfect settings for drama.”

And they still are. Take the Betsy, for example. This glorious colonialplantation-house-looking boutique hotel offers probably the best Ocean Drive people-watching potential in town (the BLT restaurant, chic seaside-feel rooms (with giant jars of jelly beans, art books and TVs in bathroom mirrors), a roof-top bar (with a spa) and, wonderfully, during my visit an extensive show of iconic rock ’n roll photography (collections change regularly).

The art-deco glory of the RitzCarlton, just an ice-cube’s throw away from the Betsy, offers a tanning butler (yes, really, and he has a smile the width of Miami Beach), a multimillion-Dollar art collection (mainly Miros) and a boardwalk restaurant that is a front-row seat to the passing

beach theatre of rollerbladers, bikini girls, board-carrying lifeguards and assorted Segway riders, cyclists, skateboarders and joggers.

On my last night in Miami I follow the neon to the Delano, where the lobby has been designed

by Philippe Starck and the chairs are Marc Newson, Man Ray and even Salvador Dali. It’s less frenetic than Liv and there are fewer famous basketball players, but popular activities still include wearing sunglasses at night, pretending to be a supermodel (or maybe not, was that really Eva Mendes?) and trying to catch the eye of the immaculate bar staff. Outside, running the full length of the huge pool, are softly illuminated cabanas, dramatically lit palms and a moonlight night that can only be improved by the clink of ice in a drink. I ask for the cocktail menu. www.prestigemag.co.za

Motoring |

Old gold retold ADRIAN BURFORD

Once the motorsport bug bites, the damage is generally permanent â?ą

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IMAGES © Tony Alves; Paul Blackburn; David Hastie

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e’re men, so we think we’re great drivers and better lovers, not necessarily in that order. As the one goes into decline (the male libido is said to diminish by a percent a year from 40 onwards), we may develop a tendency to focus on the other – or at least that’s how it seems judging by a growing desire to take to the track in old cars, a trend which led to Prestige magazine becoming actively involved with Historic Racing South Africa earlier this year.

Dozens of cars, which must be of pre-1977 vintage, take to the tracks every other weekend, burning rubber and a bit of oil as their drivers seek an adrenalin rush. The guys (and occasional girl) behind the wheel are mostly much older than pre-77, some of them racers of a bygone era, some of them older guys who may have wanted to race in their youth but couldn’t afford to.

Now older, they have the time and financial wherewithal to live their boyhood dreams.

And they often opt to do it in a car that they saw in the hands of boyhood heroes like Basil van Rooyen and Bob Olthoff, building lookalikes that mimic the best of that era. For that reason, historic

actual metal raced by famous stars of the 60s, 70s and 80s can command good money from serious collectors, but there is also a booming market for ‘repliracers’ – new cars that are essentially copies of historic racers down to the smallest details, but don’t pretend to be the original.

Campaigning a car in historics shouldn’t break the bank but it is never going to be a cheap exercise.

Getting onto the programme will cost about R1 000 but tyres, fuel and incidentals can add a zero to that number. Depending on the car, a set of slicks (untreaded tyres, like Formula One) can cost up to R12 000 and will only be good enough for two, maybe three, meetings.

One of the most extreme cars around is the very rare Porsche 956 of former banker Franz Pretorius, which he estimates costs about R1 000 a lap to run, without taking the purchase price into account. Other drivers say they get a full day’s racing for about R100 a lap. But break a big ticket item like an engine or gearbox and even on an old banger you could have a R25 000 repair bill, mainly because parts are rare and/or specialised.

“I mostly love cars, but when they break I hate ‘em,” grins lanky Uli Sanne, who’s the financial director of BMW South Africa

It is easy to make a small fortune out of racing – start with a large one.

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racing is often the ultimate selfexpression, and some drivers go to incredible lengths to look the part. If you so choose, motorsport equipment suppliers like Automotive Technology Specialists will even provide you with period-look fireproof overalls, boots, and gloves and even cabin furniture in keeping with a car’s vintage.

They say it is possible to make a small fortune out of motor racing, but that you need to start with a large one to do it! Jokes aside, there is money to be made if you buy the right car and restore it the right way, and are able to confirm its authenticity. The

Monday to Friday. He currently races a replica of a BMW CSL ‘Batmobile’, a car that he recalls seeing in action as a boy spectating at Germany’s infamous Nurburgring racetrack four decades ago.

Of course, the road car on which his racer is based, the 3.0 CS, would probably be worth a tidy sum if still standard and original, and not turned into a stripped out racer with fibreglass wheel arches and a huge wing (hence the name) on the boot lid. A real CSL racer on the other hand, of which a mere handful were made, is worth more than €300 000.

“I wouldn’t really know what www.prestigemag.co.za

| Motoring value to put on my car,” says Sanne, “but owning the road car wouldn’t appeal to me really: the value comes in being able to race it – this is far more exciting than golf!”

Fresh-faced motoring writer Jesse Adams is one of the young bloods, and races a very tidy Mercedes-Benz E280, circa 1976. Fastidious in his preparation, he loves racing and isn’t too fazed as to what it is, as long as there’s a wheel at each corner. “The nice thing about this form of racing is that it allows you to show off your taste in areas like wheels, colour and equipment,” he says. “Some guys seem to miss the point, though, and carbon-fibre and luminous pink weren’t really available or popular in 1976, so we should stick with ageappropriate colours and materials.”

At the Zwartkops track outside Pretoria we bump into Quentin Willis, who has travelled up from KZN and seems to spend most of the day getting his bright yellow Ford Escort ludicrously sideways exiting the corners. He last raced in the early 1980s at Pietermaritzburg’s long-defunct Roy Hesketh circuit, reigniting his ‘career’ last year in Marque Cars before moving to Historic Saloon Cars.

Marque Cars – a grassroots series for street-legal cars where minimal investment is required to go racing – is also sponsored by Prestige, and is where Lindsay Vine plays. A familiar face on the Ignition motoring show, Vine keeps her eye in driving a bright orange Mini, called Juice. “I love the adrenalin rush – it really is addictive,” she grins, despite her prerace nerves. “Even in a car like the Mini, there’s a real thrill in trying to get it to go around corners as fast as it can – it isn’t really about the speed in a straight line.”

And that’s the common denominator: the thrill of living on the limit, and that wonderful focus of all the senses that few other sports deliver. In the case of historics, there’s also the opportunity to do it at the wheel of a car which may hold a special place in your heart.

Historics is happiness.  For more information on the Midas Historic Tour visit www.historicracing. co.za. See you at the next race day on 21 May at Kyalami.

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The first human being’s flight into outer space came on 12 April, 1961, when Russian Maj. Yuri Gagarin took the spaceship Vostok on a one-orbit 108-minute circuit around the earth

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Gagarin’s flight and the Cold War One of the great Soviet Cold War victories TAYLOR DINERMAN / FEATURENET.CO.ZA

Sending the first man into space was one of the great Soviet Cold War victories over the US – maybe even the greatest. To this day Russia celebrates its achievement. The memory of Gagarin’s triumphant flight 50 years ago is one of the most important reasons why Russia, in spite of all its economic, political and demographic problems, maintains a national commitment to manned space exploration.

Nations, like people, prefer to remember their successes rather than their failures. For Russia, its first flights into orbit from 1957 through 1961 are to this www.prestigemag.co.za

day a shining memory of a time when they were beating the Americans.

Besides triumphing over Napoleon and Hitler’s invading armies, making it into space before the US is one of the few unambiguously and indisputably positive things about which Russia’s government can brag.

Russian individuals have made fantastic contributions in fields such as music and literature, but most often they have done so either without state support or in direct opposition to the state.

The launches of Sputnik and Gagarin were accomplished by

the Russian state. Just as Russia’s victories over revolutionary France and Nazi Germany were military victories, so too were Sputnik and Gargarin military victories – just that they were military victories of a new and nonviolent kind.

In his 1971 memoir, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev wrote: “Our potential enemy – our most powerful, our most dangerous enemy – was so far away from us that we couldn’t have reached him with our air force. Only by building up a nuclear missile force could we keep the enemy from

unleashing war against us. But we were the first to launch rockets into space; we exploded the most powerful nuclear devices; we accomplished those feats first, ahead of the United States, England and France.”

Since this was published, historians have gained a better understanding of what was happening during those years, but to this day Khrushchev’s basic message is probably accepted by a majority of Russians and it certainly is what the men in the Kremlin want their people to believe.

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Vostok I, the space ship of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, was released in Moscow on 29 July, 1961 by Tass, the Soviet news agency

‘cosmonautics’ still holds an important place in their national imagination. It was one of the things they were determined to preserve after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The government in Moscow went to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the skills, organisations and industries that were responsible for Gagarin’s success were kept intact as an important economic and cultural asset. Russia’s space leaders showed just how far they were willing to go when, in 2001, they agreed to launch Dennis Tito into orbit, making him the first ‘space tourist’.

Since then Russia has taken full advantage of the Soviet space heritage to build up a profitable niche for itself, launching American- and European-built commercial satellites. They have so far withstood serious competition from the Ariane series of launchers, and although it remains to be seen if they can compete with the new SpaceX Falcon rockets, they are certain to try.

Boris Chertok’s extraordinary set of memoirs Rockets and People, published by NASA and edited by Asif Siddiqi, explains that: “The flight of the first human being into

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space, and the success of Soviet science and technology, served to unite spiritually all social strata.” Obviously that sense of spiritual unification still exists after 50 years and explains why Russia, no matter what happens, is determined to remain a major space power.

Chretok also writes: “I contend that if Gagarin’s flight on April 12th 1961 had ended in failure, U.S. astronaut Neil A. Armstrong would not have landed on the Moon on July 20th 1969.” He may be right, but perhaps not the way he

thinks. The Moon race and the human spaceflight programmes of the USSR and the US did not take away resources that would otherwise have gone into military systems. That is certainly not the case in the US, where the space shuttle, for example, only survived attempts to cancel it during the Carter Administration because the president was convinced it was needed to launch spy satellites.

For most of the half century since Gagarin’s flight it has been, on the whole, easier to get funding for national defence

programmes than for NASA. Tom Wolfe, of course, said it best in The Right Stuff: “The ‘Space Race’ became a fateful test and presage of the entire Cold War conflict between the ‘superpowers’ – the Soviet Union and the United States.

Surveys showed that people throughout the world looked upon the competition in that fashion, i.e. as a preliminary contest proving final and irresistible power to destroy. But in these neo-superstitious times it came to dramatise much more than that. It dramatised the entire technological and intellectual capability of the two nations and the strengths of national wills and spirits.”

Since the 1960s, nothing like that ‘race’ has existed. It may be that it was all just an artefact of the times, like bell bottoms or hippies or geodesic domes. Yet the elements that came together to fire up humankind’s first effort to reach into outer space have not disappeared: national pride, scientific curiosity, technological ambition, and the desire of a small number of visionaries to create a civilisation on other worlds may someday come together again and set off a future push out into the solar system.  www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGES © AP / PICTURENET

Below: The Vostok 3KA-2 space capsule, flown with the cosmonaut-mannequin Ivan Ivanovich on 25 March, 1961, as the final test mission prior to Yuri Gagarin’s first manned space flight

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hrough its luxury print, fine look and feel, captivating editorial, and innovative distribution, Prestige has firmly established itself as Southern Africa’s premier luxury lifestyle magazine for billionaires and millionaires, and those aspiring to this lifestyle.

Working with a finely nuanced definition of luxury, Prestige is a magazine for those with finesse and financial freedom, who engage with the world in significant ways.

Prestige incorporates the latest in the areas of sailing and yachting, motoring and aviation, travel and lifestyle, art, antiques and

collectibles, haute horology and audiovisual, personalities and icons, property, business and investment, and much more.

Subscribe to Prestige for just R360 for 12 editions (a saving of 25%) and stand a chance to win a set of Monster Beats by Dr Dre for him, (valued at R3 799), and a set of Monster Beats by Lady Gaga for her (valued at R1 599).

To subscribe simply send your name, contact number and email address to mail@prestigemag.co.za, with ‘Subscribe Prestige’ in the subject line.

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND SAVE 25%. GET 12 issues of prestige FOR R360 OR 24 ISSUES FOR only R720 www.prestigemag.co.za

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valve-loving audiophiles!

Older and wiser and just generally giving much better sound

Even audiophiles have their jokes. Theirs go like this: How many audiophiles does it take to change a lightbulb? Three: one to change the bulb, and two to argue about how much better the old one was. For music lovers, some things – like the 12-inch vinyl LP – just won’t go away, often to the dismay of ‘progressives’. Surely new technology appears solely to better existing technology?

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So must hi-fi designers have thought when the vacuum tube, or ‘thermionic valve’ to the British, was set to be replaced by transistors – or ‘solid-state technology’ – in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Of course, in the real world, the battle is over, and modern integrated circuits – which contain many millions of microscopic transistors – inhabit every electronic device

from the mobile phone to the computer, microwave oven, digital camera, automobile and just about anything else that uses electricity.

Transistors’ advantages over the glowing glass bottles – the tubes – that they replaced were irresistible, and not just for commercial reasons, such as suitability to mass production, or matters of size and convenience. They could do

things that valves couldn’t do in manageable spaces, thus enabling the creation of portable or domestically-suitable electronics devices. Think of your flat screen TV’s depth compared to that of its predecessors, or the year-in-year-out reduction in the size of mobile phones. Valves simply won’t fit into such devices.

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IMAGES © FATMAN; MCINTOSH LABORATORIES; NAGRA; QUAD; UNISON RESEARCH

KEN KESSLER

It is the nature of fanatics to resist change, but valve diehards weren’t mere Luddites.

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from cool running to greater reliability to minuscule size, transistors never truly killed off the valve for audiophiles, or for musicians playing amplified instruments – especially for electric guitar. The first transistor amplifiers arrived slowly throughout the 1960s, and by the end of the decade, they dominated the market. But a hard core of serious listeners, unimpressed by either the hype or the objective facts, continued to believe in something far more important than what solid-state offered. To their ears, tube amplifiers simply sounded better than transistors.

It is the nature of fanatics to resist change, but valve diehards weren’t mere Luddites. They could demonstrate, through both listening tests and technical measurements, that valves could still do things that transistors could not. There were even technical explanations that scientific types had to accept, most notably, that valve amplifiers sound less harsh under certain conditions, the way they ‘clipped’ when working hard, and that the way they distorted – distortion of the sound being the ultimate transgression in

to reproduce the sound of a recording without anything added or subtracted by the audio equipment.

Although many companies from the early years of hi-fi, when there were no transistors, kept valve designs in production alongside transistor models, the emphasis was on the latter.

Companies such as Quad and McIntosh, among the greatest of the hi-fi brands of the 1950s, would abandon valves and then return to them decades later.

Both companies now produce solid-state and tube products, the latter having proven to be among their best sellers.

In 1970 a company started up in the USA making its own tube amplifiers based on earlier designs. Audio Research became the beacon for tube lovers during those ensuing years, carrying the torch.

They now rank amid the most highly-regarded manufacturers regardless of product type – and they did add solid-state models to their catalogue – and so can probably claim responsibility for the creation of a viable global market for tube amplifiers.

Not all audiophiles agree on the relative merits of valves and

was the closing down of tube manufacturing facilities in the USA and throughout Europe.

But supplies didn’t dry up because Russia and China never ceased producing tubes in myriad varieties, and these now power the majority of valve amplifiers made today.

And they are legion, Audio Research having spawned, inspired or enabled literally hundreds of manufacturers in the intervening years. Born since 1970 are Croft, EARYoshino, VTL, Manley, Nightingale, T+A, Unison Research, AudioValve, Viva, LAMM, WAVAC, Prima Luna, Mystere, Shanling, Spark, Trilogy, Valvet, Eastern Electric, and Yarland, among countless others.

Companies that pre-date 1970 and which also support the valve revival include Nagra and Luxman, while Marantz occasionally issues limited-edition tube products.

Valves, too, have entered the iPod era, responding to audiophiles’ complaints that, well, iPods may be convenient, but the sound is appalling. When played through valve-based systems, the sound benefits with ear-pleasing smoothness

‘high fidelity’ – was less offensive to the ear.

It’s one of the few areas where professional musicians and engineers agree with audiophiles.

Both will argue that valves sound warmer and more lifelike, exactly the arguments that would be applied to analogue versus digital in the 1980s. And their behaviour when distorting is precisely what adds special tonal qualities to guitar amplifiers, though that’s not what is required in a home audio system – audiophiles want only

transistors, so both co-exist in audio’s ‘high end’, while many use both types in the same systems. It is not uncommon to match a valve pre-amplifier to a solid-state power amplifier for the way they balance the virtues of both. Some companies, such as Pathos in Italy, produce components called ‘hybrids’, which employ both tubes and transistors in a single design. The argument is that they are simply using the best of both worlds.

If anything might have put an end to tube electronics, it

and warmth, to counter the horrible artifice.

Companies such as Fatman responded to the need for iPodera tube gear with cost-effective, cleverly-designed amplifiers complete with iPod docks. They found immediate success with a generation far too young to buy into valves due to nostalgia, because Fatman realised one other virtue that valve-loving audiophiles rarely credit: tube amps are still with us because – despite the heat – they look so cool.  May 2011

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Cyberwar is harder than it looks Threats to cyberspace pose serious security challenges

Modern life is made possible by sets of tightly interconnected systems, supplying us with electricity, water, natural gas, fuel, sewage treatment, food, telecommunications, finance, and emergency response. In wartime, combatants have traditionally sought to disrupt their enemies’ supply systems, generally by blowing them up. Nowadays, many of these systems are increasingly directed and monitored

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through the Internet. Would it be possible for our enemies to disrupt these vital systems by ‘blowing up’ the Internet?

The Obama administration is evidently worried about this very possibility. In May 2009, the administration issued its Cyberspace Policy Review, which declared: ‘Threats to cyberspace pose one of the most serious economic and national security challenges of the 21st Century for the United States and our

allies.’ A year later the US Cyber Command was launched, with the aim of protecting US information technology systems and establishing US military dominance in cyberspace. A new market research report identifies the cyberwar sector as the ‘single greatest growth market in the defence and security sector’, forecasting that global spending on cyberwarfare will reach $12.5 billion this year.

A new report, Reducing

Systemic Cybersecurity Risk,

by British researchers Ian Brown and Peter Sommer for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), evaluates threats to the security of the Internet and other aspects of cyberspace, including hacking, viruses, trojans, denial-of-service, distributed denial of service using botnets, root-kits, and disruptive social engineering techniques. Such weapons have www.prestigemag.co.za

IMAGE © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

RONALD BAILEY / FEATURENET.CO.ZA

protected critical systems and the effects of an attack are difficult to predict, including blowback on the perpetrators.

There is also no strategic reason why an aggressor would limit themselves to only one class of weaponry. They believe that in a real war, cyberattacks would be an adjunct to conventional efforts to blow up critical infrastructure.

As attacks can be launched from any set of computers, attackers are able to remain hidden. Consequently, a strategy of deterrence will not work in cyberwarfare because the target for retaliation is unknown. This means that resilience is the main defence against cyberweapons, a combination of preventive measures and contingency plans for a quick post-attack recovery.

Brown and Sommer observe that the Internet and physical telecommunications infrastructures were generally designed to be robust and self-healing,

extensive intelligence gathering and knowledge of specific software flaws as well as someone able to walk into the facilities with an infected USB drive.

Brown and Sommers urge governments to ratify the CyberCrime Convention. The chief treaty holdouts are Russia and China, countries from which many recent cyberattacks appear to have originated. “We should not forget that many of the countries that are havens for cybercrime have invested billions in domestic communications monitoring to supplement an already extensive set of police tools for political control,” notes James Lewis.

“The notion that a cybercriminal in one of these countries operates without the knowledge and thus tacit consent of the government is difficult to accept. A hacker who turned his sights from Tallinn to the Kremlin would have only hours before his service was cut off, his door was smashed down

Would it be possible for our enemies to disrupt vital systems by ‘blowing up’ the Internet?

become ubiquitous and are already used in government and industrial espionage, identity theft, web-defacements, extortion, system hijacking, and service blockading.

The recent denial of service attacks on Estonia and Georgia gives us some sense of the effectiveness of cyber attacks.

As James Lewis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted: “‘These countries came under limited cyber www.prestigemag.co.za

attack as part of larger conflicts with Russia, but in neither case were there casualties, loss of territory, destruction, or serious disruption of critical services.”

Brown and Sommer conclude that it is unlikely that there will ever be a true cyberwar. By cyberwar they mean one fought solely over, and with, information technologies. Why? Because it takes a lot of effort to figure out new vulnerabilities in already-

so that failures in one part are routed around. “You have to be cautious when hearing from people engaging in fearmongering about huge blackouts and collapses of critical infrastructures via the Internet,” says University of Toronto cyberwarfare expert Ronald Deibert.

“There is a lot of redundancy in the networks. It’s not a simple thing to turn off the power grid.”

While not everyone uses up-to-date malware detection, most government agencies, major businesses, and many individuals do, which means that would-be attackers must take the time and effort to find new flaws and develop new techniques. For example, the success of the Stuxnet worm that attacked and disabled Iranian nuclear centrifuges required very

and his computer confiscated.”

Another fruitful way to address emerging cyber threats suggested by the authors is to strengthen connections between national Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).

CERT experts operate as a kind of early warning system. They also devise software fixes to stop the spread of new malware.

And they think that public policy, including procurement, can be used to encourage the development of properly-tested hardware and software.

While blowing up the Internet probably won’t happen, espionage, hacking, and malware will be with us always. Whatever we do to defend against them, will also defend against the threat of cyberwarfare.  May 2011

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Tech|Know How’s about a shave?

Superb sound From Zeppelin Air The Zeppelin Air is the first iPod speaker system of its kind to boast innovative Apple AirPlay technology. Manufactured by Bowers & Wilkins, the company partnered directly with Apple when designing this state-of-

the-art system. AirPlay allows users to easily stream music wirelessly from their iTunes, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch directly to the Zeppelin Air. It also allows users to create an easy-to-set-up multi-room system with iTunes on Mac or PC, delivering music to multiple Zeppelin Airs around the

Concentrating on the essential is an art. This exquisite threepiece MÜHLE Purist Safety Razor Shave Set comprising nickel-plated closed comb safety razor, nickel-plated stand and pure fine badger hair shaving brush couldn’t help you concentrate better if you took a supplement. This item, from the Purist series, is characterised by its gently rounded handles with broadly shaped neck. Briar wood from root tubers of the Mediterranean Erica plant familiar from the world of fine tobacco is used, as are high-grade black resin, ebony and dark horn. The collection embraces silvertip badger hair, pure fine badger hair and synthetic (vegan) fibres. It looks great, offers a clean shave and works well with any shave soap or gel.

Available for around R1999.00 from www.mantality.co.za.

house. The best-sounding Zeppelin yet, Zeppelin Air features dramatic changes over previous models. It’s a fully active 2.1 design, which means that all five units are individually driven by dedicated specially designed audiophile amplifiers.

The improved 4x25W + 1x50W output powers updated drive units, for a truly room-filling performance. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 4.2 or later. Zeppelin Air is available from HFX Systems and retails for around R5 990. www.hfxsystems.co.za / www.bwloudspeakers.co.za

Founded by South African online entrepreneur (and 5-handicapper) Moshe Adir, Golfweather.com provides detailed seven-day weather forecasts specific to the individual GPS coordinates of golf courses across the globe.

The site has already mapped 523 courses in South Africa and also supplies forecasts for

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courses in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Australia.

Next up is New Zealand, with the rest of the world to follow. Most weather sites give average rainfall figures, wind speeds and directions, as well as minimum and maximum temperatures for the day. But golfers need more specifics, which is why Golfweather

provides three-hourly slots with condition values. The mobile tool (www.golfweather.mobi) is a simple, stripped-down, free-to-use WAP site offering a detailed 48-hour forecast for all South African courses.

Golfweather has also developed an iPhone app, while the Android version is in production. www.golfweather.com

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image © IStockphoto.com

South Africa’s golf Weatherman takes on the world

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your Neo Solutions was established in 2004 as a niche businessShow focused onsupport for PinkDrive and MBTM by signing up for a Cancer Loyalty Card. Proceeds from these cards will contribute to cancer awareness and education programmes.

the public sector and general consulting. Over the years it has evolved into a

large consulting practice with strong expertise in the following areas: project

Apply online at: www.pinkdrive.co.za.

management, public sector general consulting, supply chain, procurement

Forevaluation, more information: and tender management, strategic planning, IT solutions, business www.pinkdrive.co.za 071 328 6756

incubation and networking.

Neo Aviation is an aviation company with a difference, and with a fresh

approach to the business of aviation. More recently acquired is our capability Early detection

of cancer

to apply business consulting in-line with benchmarking, business saves revenuelives. improvements and turnaround strategies in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft line and major maintenance and repair.

Pcubed is an information technology and communications unit specialising in turnkey solutions using state-of-the art, secure platforms developed in-house. This division has developed groundbreaking IT systems focusing on large-scale mobile office environments and portals, mobility solutions and automated processes.

As a group, Neo Africa lives by the philosophy and values of empowering nations through recruiting, developing and positively impacting historically disadvantaged individuals, not just in South Africa but all over the continent.

As a truly African organisation, we have a proven track record for developing and implementing large-scale operations and projects for both the Public and Private sectors. We have performed projects in Southern Africa and are currently expanding our footprint into the rest of the continent.

Neo Africa is 100 percent black owned and managed and employs over 300 people.

Revolution A CMF initiative (Cause Marketing Fundraisers is a Section 21 Company registered under the Companies Act of South Africa. PBO Nr. 930025326)

Neo Energy was formed some four years ago in the environmental and financial sectors. It has a focus towards renewable energies and cleaner

Have you met an angel?

fuel energy solutions, as well as using existing resources more efficiently and protecting our environment, not to forget carbon-trading opportunities.

Neo Secure specially to givebut clients a secure solutions ones that walk amongst us? If you’ve ever wondered Notwas the really big established ones with wings, the normal unsuspecting

package, withabout a Neothis Africa credit card.I can The now cardtell is secure assince its default status is with breast cancer, I have met them and they are phenomenon, you that I was diagnosed

out there, to touch your life.phone linked to it.

OFF until activated usingwaiting the customised mobile Neo Property Management is a family privateand commercial property asset at a time like this. They cannot help themselves because You just know that your friends will be supportive

madeboasting them in that wonderful way in-house that will not allow themteam to be anything else. Sometimes the hardest part is for you management God operation an entrepreneurial management to relinquish some of your own independence and admit that you need help. Still, all you have to do is ask.

with over 40 years’ experience in all facets of the South African property industry.

Lifestyle

What is extraordinary though, is the kindness that you receive from people outside this usual support group. Some of these people do not even know you, whereas others might be in a position to understand that you are currently in the biggest battle of your life. Whatever their origin, whatever the reason, they all work together to help keep the faith, albeit unwittingly.

Neo Odyssey is a Concierge division born of the need in the market for an

My first encounter with an angel was when a hearing-impaired nurse knew what I wanted to say without having to utter a

exclusive and word. personalised service towith manage high-profile clients in a manner She covered me a blanket that kept me safe from thisthat thing that wanted to take over my heart and mind. surpasses industry standards.

Something similar happened a few weeks later when a nun held my hand in the middle of the night because my hair fell

outisand was feeling lost.

Andmanagement scared. And so sad. entity Neo Events an Ielite, dynamic, event andterribly coordination with additionalThe full-house marketing, communications, and public service wonderful thing about these encounters is that relations they do not wait for the dark and desperate times to cross your path.

They also happen during the day when the sun is shining. One such day was when two young friends of my son walked through the door before I was ‘ready’. They were absolutely fascinated by my look in the most honest and open way. I Neo Publishing is a passionate, entrepreneurial company, always in the marvelled at the experience, especially since, of late, I was found fascinating only when either bare chested or under a market for new acquisitions, as well as for the creation of new custom solutions microscope! abilities.

for its corporate and government clients.

The ‘tools in our own arsenal’ include the following group companies at our disposal: Innovation, Revolution, and Lifestyle.

Another lucky encounter was when a proudly South African lady shared the secret of tying a scarf around your head just the way her mother, and her mother before her, did it. I was an African queen. That happy experience was only rivaled by a gift sent by my sister who lives in a faraway country. She sent me the simplest aid to free me from daily boundaries – a little pink cap. Immediately, it was true love .

info@neoafrica.com / www.neoafrica.com I am2833 lucky because my story has2899 a happy ending and I have been truly blessed. For that, I say thank you, from the bottom Tel: +27 11 484 / Fax: +27 11 484 3rd Floor, North Wing, Oakhurst, St Andrews Rd,with Parktown, 2193 of my heart, to all the11 angels who were me on my journey with breast cancer.

PO Box 2971, Saxonwold, 2132

For more touching true life stories click on “Survivorship stories” at the bottom of www.pinkdrive.co.za.

48

may 2011 | Yachting | Adventure

Best of Basel

|

Island retreat

Art

Great Gucci

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Alfa Romeo

Design | Travel | Collectibles |

May 2011

Issue no. 48

Business

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R39.95

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