For all things Porsche. Breathtaking design, innovative engineering and a virtually limitless number of options to choose from. Contact us about the Porsche range including our Porsche Approved used cars. Prepare to be inspired. Call 020 7514 0900 or visit www.porsche.co.uk/mayfair
Porsche Centre Mayfair Berkeley Square London W1K 3NA info@porschemayfair.co.uk
Looking for a better return? Consider Istanbul.
c r e a t i v e d i r e c t o r • Susannah Wilson
a s s o c i a t e e d i t o r • Louise Bradley
• Outstanding potential for capital growth
d e p u t y e d i t o r • Joe Ryrie
One bedroom apartments from £26,000
e d i t o r • Christopher Sparrow
s t a f f w r i t e r • John Martyn e di t or i a l a ssista n t • Rose Longhurst fa sh ion a ssista n t • Alyssa Howard mo t or i ng e di t or • Martin Joy c r e at i v e c onsu l ta n t • Rowan Barnett
de sign • No Allegiances
p roduc t ion a ssista n t • Steven Chopek
• Strong rental yields
words Andrew Bousfield • Kate Molan • Katie Jenkins
• Buy direct from the developer
Fasal Khan • Bianca Brigitte Bonomi Sam Gisoad • Thomas Mahon • John Martyn
• Istanbul has been voted the best city for property investment by 400 top economists
photos & pictures Jonathan Mcfall, Martin Usborne, G Simon Webster www.simonwebster.net
s t y l i n g & make-up Valentina Tiurbini • Linn Nydrén • Valentina Creti
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For more details and a brochure go to our website or call us on 020 7930 7550.
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p u b l i s h e r • Algie Salmon
h e a d of dist r i bu t ion • Steven Wendall
distri bu tion assista nt • John Taylor-Rees
h e a d of m a r k e t i ng • Kevin Shaw m a r k e t i ng a ssista n t • Katerina Giannini Profile is published by OneMotive Media, 118 Middlesex Street, t: o20 7492 4950, f: 020 7247 9187. printed by the magazine printing company, mollison avenue, enfield, middlesex. en3 7nt
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WORK NEWS p. 5 feature:HORSE THERAPY p. 10 city breaks: BERLIN p.16 feature: ROBERT GREENE p.18
PLAY CARS p. 24 cars: VOLKSWAGEN EOS p. 27 cars: MAZDA MPS p. 31
LIFE feature: LEWIS HAMILTON p. 42 REVIEWS p. 48 feature: RED BULL AIR RACE p. 53 travel: SEVILLE p. 60 MIXOLOGY p. 66 RESTAURANTS p. 68
STYLE STYLE SCHOOL p. 76 feature: GO BESPOKE p. 84 fashion: ARMANI p. 86 fashion: BAGS p. 89 fashion: PAUL SMITH p. 94
3
Need more space?
Savills Canary Wharf 4 Westferry Circus Canary Wharf London E14 4HD 020 7531 2500 canarywharf@savills.com
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RISING AFFLUENCE According to the Stonehage Group, a leading international
➳➳
wealth management adviser to Ultra High Net Worth international families, the cost of living in the UK is accelerating at nearly three times the rate of inflation. In November the Stonehage group unveiled the Stonehage
➳➳
SALLI clearly shows ‘how expensive it is being rich’, with price inflation of goods and services over the last five years purchased by the rich international community in London being roughly
➳➳
ɶɶ The cost of renting a prime property in Central London rose by 25% from 2002 to 2007, whereas the purchase price of a similar property rose by 150% during the same period. This
➳➳
Three cases of Lafite Rothschild 2000 cost £9,250 in 2007, up 117% in the last year
➳➳
A top of the range Range Rover cost £74,900 in 2007, up 20% in the last year
➳➳
Annual membership of The Dorchester Gym and Spa cost £1,800 in 2007, up 20% in the last year
The cost of living in London for HNWs as measured by SALLI is rising faster than the standard Consumer Price Index (CPI).
highlights the extraordinary cost of purchasing property in
Giuseppe Ciucci, CEO of the Stonehage Group said: “As
Central London, as well as its outstanding performance as an
suspected, the cost of living for UHNWs is higher and rising faster
investment asset class. During the same period the cost of
than inflation, so in order to preserve wealth, earnings from salary
renting a similar property in Manhattan rose by 50%, whereas
and investments need to rise more than inflation.” k
the purchase price rose by 75%.
ɶɶ
Limited Edition Patek Phillippe Calatrava cost £19,000 in 2007, up 27% in the last year
double that of consumer prices. Some of the findings show that:
One Season’s Executive Box hire at Chelsea Football Club cost £117,500 in 2007, up 25% in the last year
Affluent London Living Index (SALLI), a proxy for the price inflation experienced by High and Ultra High Net Worth families.
Two days’ grouse shooting cost £3,600 in 2007, up 8% in the last year
Prices of luxury goods and services have risen three times more than ordinary goods and services in the last year. Examples of goods and services that have shown a significant rise in cost include:
➳➳ One term’s day fees for two seniors at Westminster School cost £17,304 in 2007, up 7% in the last year
To view the full SALLI go to >> WWW.STONEHAGE.COM
PORSCHE P'9621
WORK
➳ In an age when the latest features on your mobile are likely to be outdated and upgraded within months, longevity is an attribute phone designers would be fools to aim for. And yet
gig memory it doesn’t have a push email facility, voice recognition, or a touch screen. At time of print the phone has yet to be given a price but Porsche say that it will not
Porsche, with a brand that
compete with or be sold at
can claim exactly that have
prices as high as the Vertu
attempted to create a phone
mobiles. The phone will even
that will truly last. After all,
be offered in the Carphone
these are the chaps—or, at
Warehouse
least, we hope they have lunch with the chaps—that have spent
inserted by human hands with
the hallowed 911 to what it is stubbornly
being
Each circuit in the phone is
the last twenty years refining today,
without
tied to a particular network.
the body of the phone chisled
refusing
and crafted by robots on Mars,
bend to trends or fashion.
which
means
only
limited
And, as with any item carrying the Porsche brand name, the look
amounts can be made in a given time. With only twenty thousand
doesn’t let you down. In terms of durability, this is probably the
being made worldwide (initially) and only about three thousand
diamond of the mobile phone world. After applying forceful
available in the UK, the Porsche Design phone is set to be quite
pressure while running a fork down the front of the glass there
a rare item. k
wasn’t even the hint of a scratch. In fact, we’re told that the only sure way to scratch a Porsche phone is with another Porsche phone. In terms of technology, the phone definitely feels several steps ahead. It uses a finger print recognition scanner as the key lock, which means that your mobile is useless in unauthorised hands.
- – [ C om p e t i t i on ] – -
The same technology is also used for speed dialling as you can
Profile have two Porsche P9621s to give away. To enter
assign each finger to a different contact (now that is clever). So
answer the following question:
not only will this technology stop over-inquisitive women from
❧
going through your mobile but you’ll also be able to assign your
the porsche 911 is a type of:: 1. Car 2. Microwave 3. Car
boss a special speed dial finger (the middle one, perhaps). Porsche Design are clearly not endeavouring to compete with the
Please send competition answers to
mass produced gadget phones. Although their offering does have
>> competitions@profilemag.co.uk
Internet access at ADSL speed, a great video camera and a 2Gb
6
q&a: EMMA PARKER BOWLES
Q&A : EMMA PARKER-BOWLES Profile caught up with the Motoring correspondent and TV presenter and put the screws to her… What was it that inspired you to get involved with cars?
Do you feel cars usually reflect the driver’s character?
I’ve always been into cars but my interest started when I was brought-up on a farm, full of tractors, combines and all things mechanical.
Definitely. I feel the more you personalise your car the better. I’m a big fan of the whole modifying scene and I feel it’s unfairly given a bad name. When you’re spending so much money and time on it, you’re not going to
Was there a struggle to be taken seriously in what’s
risk losing that by driving like an idiot.
perceived as a male field? What car would you say best reflects your personality
Even though I take my work really seriously, it was a struggle especially with some of the old codgers, but they then learnt to take me seriously. I’d like to think that I’ve gained a bit of respect and the likes of Suzi Perry are fantastic, rightfully gaining a lot of credibility as they know what
and character? I would like to think that it would be an exotic Italian car, however, in reality it would probably be an aggressive, in-your-face car such as my Evo.
they’re talking about.
You’re helping launch Need For Speed ProStreet, so are What car has taken your fancy at the moment?
you a keen fan of car video games?
I’m currently driving a 2-litre turbo-charged Mitsubishi Evo IX. It’s an inyour-face type of car and I love it. My family have always been interested in Japanese cars but if I had lots of money, I’d invest in a Ferrari or
I’m usually not good enough so I had given up as I was sick of not doing that well. However, ProStreet has such a huge selection of cars where you can select your dream car, which will inspire you to do well.
Lamborghini or the Evo X, which launches soon.
What music gets you pumped up when driving?
What was your first ever car?
Rock. No question, although it’s probably bad for me as it makes me a
I had a Peugeot GTi for my first ever car and it actually features within the
more aggressive driver. There are a lot of great rock tracks on the game.
top ten on the game. Luckily all the cars I’ve had have proved sensational.
What annoys you most when driving?
In your opinion, does performance outweigh cosmetics?
Bad manners without a doubt. Especially when you stop for someone at a pedestrian crossing and they don’t show any sign of appreciation.
I much prefer a car’s performance and sound as it’s exciting and makes me feel alive when I’m driving. I’m more interested in how a car performs from
Drivers hogging the fast lane is also another annoyance of mine.
0-60mph, as the top-end performance cars are no good on our roads.
Finally, working on Top Gear Magazine, have you ever
What do you hate to see on a car?
raced The Stig?
I don’t like cars with tiny number plates, especially written in italics. They just really annoy me. There are some cars that just look ridiculous but
No unfortunately I haven’t. My pride would be demolished as I wouldn’t stand a chance. I have met him though and I have to say, he has a nice
they do make you laugh.
backside. k EA’s Need For Speed ProStreet is out now
7
NICK DINES
news: ST. PANCRAS RENOVATION
NEWS
ST. PANCRAS
st pancras: revolutionary renovation Let’s be honest, London’s current track record with
the Midland Main Line, Thameslink and by 2009, a
new builds hasn’t been a glorious one. However,
domestic high-speed service from Kent.
it’s been all change at London’s St Pancras Station
When the Queen officially gives St Pancras the
and the challenging restoration may go a long way
Royal seal of approval and opens the revamped
in changing the public’s opinion.
station on November 6, the station will cater for
Fed up of the stereotypical image of stations
as many travellers as the City’s hectic bustling
being dingy and a destination you wish to depart
airports. 50 million, in fact.
from soon as you arrive, the key message from a
The original station was built by railway engineer
modernised St Pancras is the ambition of creating
William Barlow and opened in 1868. But there’s no
an attractive venue for people to visit as well as
doubt that the architects, led by Alastair Lansley,
commute through.
have discovered the perfect harmony of old
Just because you’re travelling, it doesn’t mean you
Victorian grandeur and 21st Century design. It’s a
should neglect quality and taking this onboard,
build that would have the likes of Kevin McCloud
first-class hospitality bombards you from every
in orgasm.
corner. We now have a station where you’re praying
The guide who showed us around, Shirin
for the train to be delayed.
Homawala of the London & Continental Railways
The lengthy nine-year build is the UK’s largest
ltd, appears to have done her homework when it
ever construction project and the grand Victorian
comes to St Pancras. Her excitement and pride in
details epitomises the term ‘back to the future’.
the project is there for all to see. “There’s always work going on. Always something going on.”
With Paris now just two-hours away, St Pancras boasts an envious array of shuttles, hosting the
According to Shirin, despite being amazingly
main High Speed 1 Eurostar terminus as well as
high-tech and ahead of its time, the station was
8
NEWS
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
in urgent need of a Trinny & Susannah-like revamp. “The station
For instance, they allowed us to design plans for three light
received a number of hits throughout the war and the dank diesel-
shafts to be created, allowing natural light to flood down into the
stained roof was patched together.”
undercraft area.”
Taking New York’s Grand Central Station as a modern day blueprint,
All of the world’s architectural brilliances have their standout
Lansley and his team set about developing that model and adapting it
features, features that jump out in an awe-inspiring way. Not only is
to suit London. “They had the same problems as we had here—a down
St Pancras’ iconic stunning roof the largest freestanding roof of its
and out area with prostitution and homelessness,” explained Shirin.
nature, its glass brick restoration really does take your breath away.
It’s hard to believe that such an astounding British creation was
When development began on the station, workers peeled away the
close to being demolished just forty years ago. “In the 1960’s,
layers of paint and primer on the iron and steel, discovering a baby-
Euston station was demolished. British Rail wanted St Pancras
blue shade. Lansley and his team visited the British Library to trail
demolished, they wanted to sell off the land, creating affordable
through the archives to see what the significance of the blue was.
housing and a sportscentre.”
Here was another chance for Lansley to further restore the station
Sir John Betjeman, Poet Laureate in 1972, was a great advocate for
to its original brilliance and according to Shirin, “Legend has it
Victorian architecture and spearheaded a campaign to have the
that Barlow wanted the iron work to match the colour of the sky. He
building saved and listed Grade 1, which was achieved this in 1967.
delayed the royal opening of the station by two days to have all the iron-work painted what is now known as English Heritage Barlow
“Everyone began to realise that we can’t let our heritage disappear,
blue.”
and after all, this is amazing architecture—you just can’t destroy buildings like this.” Betjeman’s efforts have now been recognised
Lansley and his team have also been very particular in catering
with a statue in his memory.
for the needs of not only the commuter, but also the shopper and tourist. In this case, the champagne bar, stretching over 90 metres,
Shirin explains that with its Grade 1 listing, a close relationship
with its heated seats, is quite clearly the pièce de résistance.
with English Heritage was always a must. Political red tape and
The extensive hospitality concourse area, six metres below the
discussions proved lengthy.
platforms, provides another productive organ for the station.
“The trickiest thing has been working with the English Heritage.
Without using all the cheesy clichés such as phoenix from the
It’s quite a difficult project having to refurbish and maintain its
flames, St Pancras Station will become one of London’s great
integrity as well as modernising the station for the 21st century.
architectural destinations. The most staggering fact about the
We’ve always wanted to maintain the architectural integrity of the
transformation is that it’s on budget and on time. It truly is an
building and luckily it’s worked surprisingly well.”
amazing build. k
English Heritage have been very accommodating and pragmatic.
NICK DINES
9
tax incentives: STARFISH GREATHEARTS
WORK
(charitably) Sitting in the corner of his new office on the 7th floor of Investec plc, Gavin Salmon looks at home in his new environment. He doesn’t
from the city play a huge part in our work, especially when people
work for Investec; he is the Trust, Corporate and Major Gift
to Starfish, helping us to provide emergency food parcels for
Fundraiser for Starfish Greathearts Foundation, a charity
children in crisis or perhaps school resources to help children
supporting children made orphaned by the impact of HIV/AIDS in
attend school.”
➳
receive their bonuses. Some choose to gift a portion of their bonus
South Africa.
Individuals giving larger amounts of £5,000 or more are given a
Starfish has just relocated its UK team of three to Investec’s
choice of part funding or funding an entire project, supporting the
Gresham Street office, providing the charity with pro bono office
education, health and safety needs of hundreds of children. “We
space, facilities and supplies. The move will save the charity in the
are always looking to understand the requirements of the donor
region of 20% of their UK costs every year. For a charity that carries
and then match their preferences with one of our projects. Some
its work out overseas, this is a massive saving, enabling them to
may even choose to visit the project whenever they next find
reach even more children desperate for help.
themselves in South Africa”.
The charity already supports 34,000 children orphaned by the
In the case of donors on the higher rate of income tax, they can
impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, but as Gavin speaks to me
actually benefit financially from their own generosity. You can
about this devastating disease, it seems like they are not even
claim relief for the donations you make on your next tax return.
scratching the surface. ‘Within three years, there will be more than
Equally, giving shares and securities attracts very generous tax
two million children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa alone.
incentives. If you are a basic rate taxpayer, a gift of shares worth,
When we think of the huge numbers, it seems like a daunting task.
for example, £1,000 could reduce your income tax bill by £220 or by
But the fact is that for every child we reach, we support them to get
£400 if you are a higher rate taxpayer. k
educated, make sure they maintain their health and grow up within
Starfish is a UK registered charity (commission number: 1093862)
safe environments. That’s the difference we make, to each individual child, giving them hope for a better future”.
For more information on Starfish Greathearts Foundation, call
It is not just companies like Investec that play a huge role in supporting the work of Starfish Greathearts Foundation, it is also
020 7597 3798 or visit >> WWW.STARFISHCHARITY.ORG
the individual, particularly those working in the city. ‘Individuals
10
WORK
11
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
city breaks: BARCELONA
WORK
(Such a beautiful horizon, Like a jewel in the sun)
s Few cities combine the buzz and urban feel of the their metropolis with a beautiful beach. Barcelona
does this splendidly while also offering wonderful buildings and maintaining an unwavering sense of the Catalonian culture.
v Beach: f
v Shopping: f
It may not be sanded with gold or treed with the palm, but
EL CORTE INGLES
the beach is impressively clean with clear blue water. It is
is Spain’s foremost department
store chain, selling the products from the best Spanish and
popular with both locals and tourists alike for sunbathing
international designers for men and women. In the centre
and the usual fun. Also a good place to work out—if you like
there is also a gourmet club, travel agency, and some great
to do that on holiday (!).
cafes and restaurants. A broad array of high quality goods offered.
v Drinks and Entertainment: f DANZATORIA TIBIDABO
The
is an elegant
Spanish
designer
stands
out.
ADOLFO
The
timeless
the clothes make the his Barcelona store
hillside, frequented by the Barca Elite.
EL XAMPANYET
of
beauty of clean cuts and elegant simplicity
club/bar in a beautiful house on a suburban
Miss
store
DOMINGUEZ
worth a visit if you are looking for
at your
garments.
peril. On a narrow cobbled alley
LA
near the Picasso Museum.
RAMBLAS
is
a
shopping area a little like
The coolest Bodega in
Oxford Street, filled
town.
with clubs and bars in the night.
v Culture: f
v Eating: f To
Located
experience
an
excellent example of Catalan
offers
a
broad
the
de Mar (Sea Palace) building is
GANGANTUA I PANTAGRUEL. This celebrated
the MUSEU
cuisine try restaurant
in
Barceloneta district’s Palau
range
D’HISTORIA DE
CATALUÑA, which takes visitors on of
a tour of the country’s history. The tour
enticing specialities (tel: 93 453 20 20), also try
comprises an interactive walk-through history
LA CAMAGA for a varied Mediterranean menu
enhanced by documents, objects, computers and
and wine list featuring over sixty outstanding labels
audio-visual systems.
(tel: 93 323 66 55)
Although not strictly Spanish, a stunning sight to see is also the flooded forest.
v Transport: f
COSMO CAIXA BARCELONA
(a science museum) presents an exact replica of the 1000 sq metre flooded forest of Brazil’s Amazon jungle. It features
Cycling and mopeds are extremely popular in the city, with
living species of over 100 species of plants and animals
pay as you go bikes available to the public. Dedicated bike
identical to those found in the original. k
stands mean you can leave a bike virtually anywhere in the
ALGIE SALMON
city and pick one up from somewhere else.
12
GO RESPONSIBLY Land Rover has Experience Centres around the world to teach drivers how to make maximum use of the capability of their vehicles whilst minimising impact on the environment.
WHY CHOOSE ORDINARY, WHEN YOU COULD HAVE EXTRAORDINARY?
There’s nothing ordinary about the Land Rover collection, every model is a leader in its class.
• Freelander 2 from £20,960 • Discovery 3 from £27,315 • Defender from £18,670 • Range Rover Sport from £35,750 • Range Rover from £55,100 Why settle for second best? Visit our showroom or call us to arrange a test drive.
Harwoods of Croydon Land Rover Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 3EA. Tel: 0871 663 9374 Fax: (01737) 552603 e: salesmanager@landrover-croydon.co.uk www.harwoods.croydon.landrover.co.uk
Range of fuel economy figures for the Land Rover range (l/100km): urban 30.6 (9.2) - 12.4 (22.8), extra urban 45.5 (6.2) - 23.1 (12.2), combined 37.7 (7.5) - 17.8 (15.9), CO2 emissions 194 - 376g/km. All UK Land Rover vehicles from 2007 model year include as standard the CO2 Offset Package which is based on offsetting the CO2 produced by a vehicle over 45,000 miles, please visit www.landrover.co.uk/sustainability for further information. Prices shown are manufacturer’s recommended retail price and correct at time of going to press.
city breaks: BARCELONA HOTELS
WORK
BARCELONA HOTELS
AB SKIPPER ➳ The hotel AB Skipper is named for the company’s true nautical
fabrics, a leather reading chair, the customary plasma screen, and
passion, and is simply marvelous. Well located near the beach and
plenty of cupboard space that you’re unlikely to fill in a weekend.
only a ten minute cab ride from the city centre, the hotel is perfect
You also get a choice of views: beach front or city.
for a Barcelona city break. From one of the terraces you can see the hotel-owned luxury yacht that’s based in the nearby port. A newly-built hotel (November 2006), there are five different types of room, from junior to executives suites, which all come in two distinct styles, having either a Japanese or New York penthouse feel. The executive suites come with large jacuzzi baths and
AB skipper was built specifically with the executive in mind and comes complete with a large state-of-the-art conference centre in the basement that has held everything from car shows to corporate events. The centre looks up into the skies via a spectacular glass pyramid, cleverly allowing natural sunlight to stream through.
luxurious showers with powerful dual heads. No expense has been
In addition to this don’t forget the top class restaurant, “Syrah”,
spared, right down to the private amenities, which are made by the
whose outstandingly delicious food is created by head chef José
highly respected and superbly designed Loewe brand.
Sanchez. Sanchez acquired part of his cooking expertise from
The rooms have been spectacularly orchestrated by designer Lidia Manuseva, with larger-than-life beds covered with stunning
Martin Berasategui, one of Spain’s most prestigious chefs. >> WWW.HOTELABSKIPPER.COM
14
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HOTEL VILLA EMILIA ➳ Just 30 minutes walk from the beach via Las Ramblas in the heart of Eixample, Barcelona’s expansion area, stands Hotel Villa Emilia. The décor in this independent boutique hotel is an eclectic mix of old and new, but the essence of this hotel is the personal touch. This is displayed by the friendly and familiar relationships that the owners and staff have with the regulars (who tend to be business travellers). “ We want people to feel at home away from home, but better,” says Antoine (one of the owners) as we sit in the hotel’s ‘Zinc bar’, which is open to the public and can be accessed from the street. The bar is the face of the hotel. It’s stylish, warm and inviting with a grand piano, an 18th century German cupboard, and warm lighting generated by a magnificent chandelier. A fireplace sets the intimate atmosphere. The rooms continue in the same vain with well thought-out details throughout. Each room has solid oak parquet flooring, warm Egyptian fabric used for bed linen and curtains, and even the bins have been tailor-made for the hotel. There are full-sized glass doors rather than windows which open completely and invite you to appreciate a beautiful day in the city from your room. A more social area to enjoy is the roof terrace where you can enjoy a drink with friends, sunbathe or gaze at the stunning surroundings. If you are travelling on business there is a meeting room large enough for a mid-sized conference. The room is simply decorated, with more heirlooms including a library of antique encyclopedias donated by friends of the owners. k >> WWW.HOTELVILLAEMILIA.COM
15
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
neurology: THE TIN HAT
WORK
THE TIN HAT The final question that crawled around the brains of every student was whether to wear the tin hat or not. No
slimy animal brain into the spiritual era of perception,
examination board made the tin hat compulsory, but it
the public like idiotic neophytes to a new zealous
allowed the greying, cavorting examiners to map the
religion:
geography of the brain, and to assess blood flow and
“anterograde
the cannon-firing electricity of the neurones. Wearing
“thinking rat”.
➳
the tin hat was not bearing your soul to an indeterminate power, but allowing the examiner to peak inside the fleshy matter of the brain, its frivolous electricity, the flooded cortical areas. As such, it was called taking the exam with, or without, observation.
the language brought with it a fiery allure, which drew “striatum”, tracer”,
“parafasicular “horseradish
nucleus”, peroxidase”,
The government maintained a tight-lipped line, careful not to give in to the exuberance of the crowd, or the mass folly which saw neuroscience as the saviour against dullness. For many years, successive left-wing and right-wing governments had battled again the
The tin hat itself was very similar to those worn in
dreariness of life in a post-capitalistic age, but each
World War I, by soldiers wishing to achieve a minimum
slogan had only replaced the previous slogan, until
of metallic protection against the howling doodlebugs
they were all decommissioned and thrown onto a
which tore humanity asunder. Its smooth metallic
festering linguistic rubble heap. Gone: “the economics
edges wrapped around the human brain, lovingly
of
picturing the electricity, the angry charges, the neural
regeneration”, “end to feral poverty”, “first-world and
pathways into a constantly glowing three-dimensional
fourth-world economics”. Yet, behind the scenes the
image. The brim of the hat was fairly wide, but the tin
government were anything but tight-lipped, and
was very light, and students did not feel disabled with
chattered loquaciously and irritably
the weight. If you chose not to take the tin hat, you
about the replacement
could saunter in with a Panama, brandishing the privacy of your own genius, the internal treasure that nobody could image. Yet, as time marched on, most students would not wish to hide anything, and most students would take the tin hat as a matter of course. The brain had become legitimate plunder for science, and creativity stood in a golden chamber, naked, cold, wrinkled as if its skin had
withdrawn
in
protest,
and
with
chattering brown-stained teeth. In
various
Neural
Institutes,
metal
structures which twisted out the ground with shiny girders and dripping glass, scientists worked hungrily on boosting creativity, each of them harbouring a secret dream of becoming a lyrical poet. Though the daily work was mundane, and involved attempting to resuscitate a cold and
happiness”,
“work-life
balance”,
“social
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
WORK
of politics with the young pretender, the isolatingly
champagne. After World War II, individual freedoms
brilliant neuroscience. The government poured money
had been seen as a way of protecting against
into second-rate labs, working hard behind the grey
totalitarianism and military movements of the people.
stone facade of the civil service, to equal the
By the end of the twenty first century, that same
achievement of the private sector.
individualism, entrenched in society and celebrated in
Suddenly, the promise of freedom, which meant nothing
neuroscience, had become a trap.
to the mutilated and bombed shreds of humanity in the
Such dystopian ramblings are, of course, principally
Middle East, became a tangible reality of freedom back
ramblings. The idea that we could model creativity at
home. The struggles abroad to make ideas flesh were
present is, for Professor Geraint Rees, a cognitive
lost. The squabbling over oil would continue geo-
neuroscientist at UCL, “completely ludicrous”. Though,
politically, as human life, in the pitiless Middle East,
importantly, Professor Rees, is not averse to studying
would continue to be worth less than canine life. At
difficult problems. At the moment, brain science has
home, the promise of narcissistic redemption of the
come to a convincing explanation of the processes of
brain, of the ego becoming a pristine creative ground,
facial recognition, and the areas of the brain involved.
beckoned and called all those who ever spun a secret
As yet, it is difficult to model how the brain
dream in the weaving chamber of the brain. Suddenly
differentiates your brother’s face from the anonymous
the future would take place in that pumping mass of
blurge of an unknown face. It is only in the last ten years
neurones contained in the skull shell at the top of the
that brain imaging has really taken off. Just as Watson
body. It was the human brain itself, and the stimulator
and Crick modelling DNA was the great scientific toast
of science, that would provide true freedom, the
of the twentieth century, so modelling of the human
languid planes of achievement, the warm
brain may be the riotous champagne party of the twenty
sunset of the self, toasting the
first. At the moment, Professor Rees is “happy to sign
self with an excellent
up to the idea that there may be some neural
teardrop
of
insubstantiation of creativity”. But the ‘tin hat’ is a “very, very long way away.” In every cubic millimetre of brain, there are 100,000 neurones, and 2 kilometres of wiring connecting those neurones. This is what you call high-density complexity, the most intricate complexity, which may never be accessible to the human brain. There are some philosophers who doubt that the human brain can ever crack open the mysteries of itself. Though spiders are subject to the laws of quantum mechanics, they have little chance of understanding the maths, just as humans have little chance of understanding the human brain. And yet, it is the great hope of the twenty first century, the screaming riddle confronting our best minds. k ANDREW BOUSFIELD Illustration based on Matt Brit’s map of the Internet
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alternative investments: ART
WORK
art: a wise investment? s
Hugh Grant must have repeated his famous “surreal but nice” line from Notting Hill after recently scooping £15 million, selling his Andy Warhol portrait of Elizabeth Taylor.
20
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
WORK ➳ Recouping five times the price forked out for a painting just six years ago surely proves art can be a worthy investment. Surreal but nice indeed.
Matthews casts his visionary net across the urban streets of
In London-based art consultant Johan Marby, there’s none more
showcasing the raw artistic talent straight from the streets to a
capable of discussing art as an investment. After studying Art
wider audience. It’s obvious from speaking with Peter that he’s
History at New York’s Hunter College, Johan now boasts numerous
delighted at the upsurge in interest.
corporate and private clients such as JP Morgan Chase.
London to nurture and publicise the up and coming street artists. Matthews’ efforts have helped bring urban art into the mainstream,
“ Urban art has caught the scent of the city dwellers and now
As an experienced lecturer on modern art at UCL, utilising vast
everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon. Urban art has now become
knowledge gained from the art capitals of the world, Johan shared
an attractive investment proposition, therefore now’s the perfect
with us his reasoning behind what could prove a worthy
time to invest.”
investment.
Matthews shares Johan’s belief that London is now most certainly becoming
“ If you want art purely as an extremely
the centre of the art world. “Banksy
difficult challenge. You can find
opened the floodgates and caught the
cheaper art at graduate shows as
eye of the astute art collectors before
you don’t spend too much and it
the PR and marketing machine got
could turn out to be a worthy
going. Now we have the lawyers and the
investment, providing a win/win
solicitors swiftly picking up new UK
situation,” he suggests.
talent such as Reme and Hush, trophy
investment,
it’s
an
pieces to showcase along with their
Art collecting is very much in fashion
Ferraris.”
right now and according to Johan is proving just as popular, if not more,
Gone are the days when all urban art
as investing in property. “There
was thought of as grimy vandalism.
seems to be a hunger and willingness
Urban art has now crossed into the
to take a risk as the evidence
mainstream and is rapidly gaining
suggests that buyers have the funds
increasing approval with signs of
to do it. Some of the more prominent
longevity. Pieces that cost £30 only a
collectors are total addicts, hooked
decade or so ago can now fetch
on the competitive nature against
thousands.
other collectors.
“We have now reached the stage where councils
“ There’s currently a buzz about
are
now
preserving
and
touching up pieces of urban art. I think
London as it’s becoming more and more interested although it’s still very much alive in New York.
the components of a successful piece of urban art are fuelled with
Everyone’s also talking about Chinese and Japanese art with
imagination beyond the norm that has the ability to make you smile.
certain pieces going for fantastic figures.”
The most successful pieces evoke a reaction and are usually
According to Johan, it appears that ladies’ man Hugh Grant isn’t
political and humorous.”
the only celeb art fan out there. “There’s an abundance of celebrity
Matthews’ main message is the fear of catering to the increasingly
interest in art thanks to the likes of Madonna, Elton John and Steve
hungry demand. “The one threat is if people begin to get greedy
Martin. It seems that investing in art is a natural progression for the
and then the likes of Banksy produce too much. With the continued
celebrities with a lot of funds.”
process of limited edition canvasses, each piece will remain more
With older art having the useful investment ability to hold its price,
valuable.”
the art market’s current fluctuations have brought about big
But for now, the bubble’s yet to burst and it won’t be long before art
changes in modern art, painting a less bleak image for the likes of
investment, whether modern or old, will usurp adopting Cambodian
urban art.
babies and attending rehab as the ‘fashionable’ thing to do.i
k
NICK DINES Avid art collector and brains behind Artichoke Ltd, Peter Matthews is a new breed of art dealer. With a direct personal approach,
>> WWW.ARTICHOKELTD.COM Peter Matthews can be reached on 07891 95 98 90
21
alternative investments: BUYING A RACEHORSE
WORK
buying a racehorse s
Traditionally a preserve of the rich, the royal and the reckless, owning a racehorse has long carried clout in the world of the powerful, and it seems only natural that the big bonus brigade of today’s City firms should join the party. But what are the benefits of participating in this celebrated sport? Is it really a privilege the elite? And can it ever pay dividends as an investment? Emily Jenkinson went along to The Walter Swinburn Racing Stables to find out
22
WORK
as a horse racing rookie, my first insight into the sport came at about 5.30 a.m. when i got up to make my way to the hertfordshirebased stables in time for 8 a.m.: horse trainers get up early. I pulled
➳
through the smart automatic gates of Church Farm, where the three-year-olds and older horses are based, and groggily greeted a fully awake Rob Greenwood—one of the four Partnership Managers here. The Walter Swinburn Racing Stables is one of the largest training establishments in the country, thanks chiefly to this unique “partnership” concept, created by Peter Harris over 15 years ago. A partnership allows up to 12 different people to buy a share or “a leg” of one horse over a two year period, effectively becoming an owner over that time—and at a significantly reduced rate to the days of old. Peter’s daughter and Walter Swinburn’s wife, Alison explains: “The biggest misconception of owning a racehorse is that you can’t afford it, that it’s for an elite, closed group.” Whilst this may have been true twenty years ago when single owners would pay the costs for the often astronomical vet bills, jockey and entry fees, the partnership scheme eliminates these off-putting variables, allowing owners to pay a fixed “share” fee each month. The result
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
has been a broadening of the racehorse-owning demographic: men, women; people in their twenties to people in their eighties; high flying entrepreneurs to electricians and postmen. As Alison so eloquently puts it, “The sport of kings no longer has to cost the king’s ransom.” Having grown up in the world of horses and races, Alison is as qualified as any jockey or trainer when it comes to the business, and with her straightforward, open manner, I can see why she has been something of a saviour to Walter, who trains all the horses here. Quiet and softly spoken, the man once known as “The Choirboy” for his fresh-faced looks seems like a man who has been to the edge and back. And so he has. Whilst he weighed just 6st for his first race aged 16, by the time he was 19, Walter was seriously struggling to keep his weight down. Following his famous victory in 1981 on the Aga Khan’s wonderful Shergar (of kidnapping fame), each public win as a jockey seemed to signal a new loss in Walter’s own private battle with bulimia. These days he weighs a healthy 10st 2lbs, and this is in no small part thanks to Alison. Indeed, when I ask Walter what he feels has been his greatest achievement outside of racing, he tells me, without hesitation, that it is Alison and the kids. The financial benefits of sharing the cost of a racehorse are evident, but, I ask, can you expect a return on this shared investment? Alison quickly puts the notion to bed. “We never
23
alternative investments: BUYING A RACEHORSE
WORK
use the word investment and racehorse in the same sentence. You can be very successful, but in the majority of cases, that doesn’t happen. We always say, if you’re going into it with the intention of making money, you’ll probably be disappointed.” The benefits are there in spades though for those with a genuine enthusiasm for the sport, and there can’t be many places that give an opportunity for both sole and partnership owners to be as involved as they are here. All those with a share in a horse are welcome to come by the stables any day, seven days a week and, unlike so many other training stables, without prior notice. And come they do. As I go round the stables, I see amiable groups of owners chatting over tea and biscuits in one of the two dedicated owner rooms, a large cluster of owners peering through binoculars as their horses race round the main gallops, and one owner at Pendley Farm (where the two year olds are kept) proudly holding his horse as a stable boy washes it down. The setting (helped by a brief two hour window of sunshine) is truly spectacular with rolling green hills and immaculately kept stables—it only takes 40 minutes from to get from Euston to Tring, so you can see why this holds such an appeal to stressed Londoners looking for an escape. But this all seems a bit too idyllic for a cynical Londoner like myself. Surely there must be some tensions within the partnerships? Do they ever get any really difficult owners? How
24
do they manage owners’ expectations if their Derby winner turns out to be a dobbin? As someone who deals directly with the owners on a daily basis, Rob should know, but he remains resolutely positive, explaining: “Single owners pay a bit more money, so you sometimes need to be more one to one with them, but with a partnership, they all meet up in the main room, everyone gets on with everyone—it’s much more of a social thing. They just love going racing”. Alison puts it into layman’s terms. “Look, you wouldn’t buy a season ticket to Chelsea, then expect to get something back at the end of the year. You buy your ticket, you go to the matches, thoroughly enjoy it, and think that it was money well spent. With races, you’ve got to look at it similarly—at least with racing, there’s a chance that you might make something back!” Passion for the sport and the social aspect of owning a racehorse certainly seem to be the greatest pulls here. I speak to one charming owner, a solicitor from High Wycombe, who is a shared owner. He’s come down this morning to watch his horse, Cape Diamond, on a gallop and goes positively misty-eyed when talking about her. “You know,” he says, eyes darting back and forth to his horse, “I’ve spent all week working, like everyone does—and this is my release, it’s fantastic.” Even if there’s no money in it? “Oh listen, you cannot go into this thinking you can make money, you have to treat it as though you’re joining a club.” Much as I’d like to believe that everyone is just inherently sweet-
WORK
tempered, I think the fact that these owners are so undemanding and good-natured speaks volumes about the kind of business Walter and his team are running here. As we wander round the stables, jovial banter abounds, and everything seems to be running with a laid-back, understated efficiency. I shouldn’t be surprised—as the Headman at Pendley Farm reminds me, “It’s like the City—it’s a business.” And a professional one at that. As a racehorse owner, you can expect to be extremely well-looked after. Rob elaborates, “Once we’ve got 12 people in on a horse, we’ll have a naming day during which all the individuals get a chance to choose the name and colours of their horse. Basically, we hand out bits of paper and each person makes their choice. We then transfer these choices to another sheet; this goes back out to the owners who then vote for the name and colour they like best over Sunday lunch and a few glasses of wine.” The Walter Swinburn team also holds regular gettogethers for the owners: Christmas parties, Easter parties, yearling parades; the Partnership Managers are very hands on, and are always available to discuss the horse with the owner and answer questions after the race. As clubs go, this seems to be up there with the best of them.
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
organising anything from lunch and a tour round the stables, to champagne breakfasts and helicopters. One businessman even bought a horse for himself and his team to share as an ongoing bonding exercise outside the office. But how does an amateur wishing to become an owner go about choosing a horse? Prize money, or no prize money, no one likes a slow-coach, and I imagine that “thrill of the race” would be somewhat lost if your horse was always trailing behind. Although some owners will study pedigrees and breeding before picking a horse, both Walter and Robert tell me that the best way is to go on instinct. The way a horse stands and walks or looks can be just as telling as a win-littered lineage. Or, as one couple apparently did with great success: just get your dog to pick it. Whichever way you choose your horse and however much you know about racing, one thing seems certain, if you do decide to become an owner at The Walter Swinburn Racing Stables, you are sure to have a good time. And if you’ve got a bit of spare cash, why shouldn’t you try something new? As Walter says, “The main thing is that this is a wonderful place, and racing is a great way of life—I really would recommend giving it a go.” A racing legend has spoken. k
But it doesn’t have to be this full-on; owners can be there as much or as little as they like. City firms looking for an alternative team day out can also benefit from the experience: The Walter Swinburn Racing Stables offers corporate entertaining
To find out more about The Walter Swinburn Racing Stables and becoming an owner, call 01442 851 328 or visit Walter Swinburn Racing Stables, Church Farm, Adbury, Tring, Hertforshire, HP23 5RS. >>WWW.WALTERSWINBURNRACING.CO.UK
25
MOBILE PHONE GALLERIES
LIFE
MOBILE OBSCURA Mobile phone photo galleries. Infamous for bleary booze-ups and random items that you found amusing at the time. However, the renowned photographer and artist Henry Reicheld seems to be changing the whole concept of the camera phone camera. Armed with the new Nokia N95 mobile phone, and not a tripod or chunky camera bag in sight, Reicheld has captured magnificent panoramic images of nine of the world’s most famous city landscapes, including Sydney, New York and Cape Town. Eric Clapton may be ‘slowhand,’ but the 52-year-old Reicheld is most definitely ‘steadyhand’ and his unique images have been transformed into 8m wide panoramas, superbly exhibited at the magnificent West London arena at the Royal Albert Hall in the first of two exhibitions. “ The Connected World exhibition received fantastic feedback and tons of really good comments,” says Reicheld. “One of the main aims of Nokia was to inspire and encourage the public to get out there and visit these fantastic cities. I’m now looking forward to capture images across Great Britain as this project really inspired me for future projects.” Having captured the best that five continents can offer in a mere seven weeks, it was Cape Town that really took Reicheld’s breath away. “ Shooting Cape Town and Venice had to be among my favourite experiences,” he says. “Cape Town offers a huge size, scale and clarity of light, with marvellous beaches. “ I feel we succeeded in capturing the true spirit of these destinations. With cities such as Paris, we would be there for seven hours waiting for the ideal image, just taking in the whole vibe.” There’s no doubt that Reicheld is now an advocate of the modern convenience of the multipurpose mobile phone. “ The quality of phones such as the N95 demonstrate a vast improvement and soon the mobile phone camera capability will catch up with today’s cameras. I’ll be happier with just a small, convenient mobile phone to carry around,” he enthuses. If you unfortunately missed out on the live exhibition, Reicheld’s innovative work can be marvelled at on the virtual exhibition on Mobility Island in Secondlife >> WWW.SECONDLIFE.COM
26
NER
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owned by The Night Shadow Partnership
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LADY SONGBIRD
owners Clark, Godfrey, Dhariwal & Harris
DON’T JUST BACK THE WINNER, OWN IT!
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owners Mr & Mrs D Cunningham
Only Walter Swinburn has the most flexible ownership scheme and the most flexible payment plan. YOU CAN OWN A 1 /12 SHARE, A 1 /4 SHARE OR A WHOLE HORSE A SIMPLE ALL - INCLUSIVE MONTHLY PAYMENT IS ALL IT TAKES GROUP 1 RACE WINNING YARD • NO CAPITAL INVESTMENT SIMPLE FIXED MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN • ALL COSTS COVERED YOU CAN EVEN PAY BY CREDIT CARD • 2 FREE MEMBERS’ BADGES EVERY RACE DAY • CHOOSE YOUR HORSE’S NAME • CHOOSE YOUR JOCKEY’S COLOURS • VISIT YOUR HORSE 7 DAYS A WEEK email: enquiries@walterswinburnracing.co.uk or call us for your FREE DVD!
CALL US TODAY ON 01442 851328
www.walterswinburnracing.co.uk
interview: HOWARD MARKS
LIFE
ON YOUR
MARKS
words: DONAL COONAN photographs: MARTIN USBORNE
s
Famously once Britain’s most wanted man,
HOWARD MARKS smuggled
drugs from countries all over the world, served seven years in America’s toughest penitentiary and has been at times linked with the Secret Service, the Mafia and the IRA. He’s now linked with that most odious organisation of all: PROFILE. Donal Coonan caught up with him on tour
LIFE
somewhere in howard marks’ first book, mr nice, he describes the time when he and judy (his then wife), were arrested and agreed to give interviews to the press. “The door burst open and at least 30 journalists
➳
barged in. They jostled each other for the best seats, setting off flashes and placing tape recorders in strategic positions.” Today, things are a little different, as I, the only journalist, sit opposite Marks on a terrace at the Quality Hotel in Andover. Marks has just begun the first leg of a six-week book tour, and it’s a pleasant Sunday morning in October. The birds are singing, and Martin, the photographer, is a bit late. I’ve never been much of a cannabis user, so I was not entirely sure how much Marks and I would have to talk about. But I do vaguely recall smoking weed the night that George W Bush declared war on Iraq (which made me incredibly paranoid). In addition, due to a terrible hangover the day before the interview, I couldn’t face reading Mr Nice, and so phoned round a bunch of my drug-user-whilst-teenagers friends to ask what the book was about. They couldn’t really remember, but I don’t think that was any comment on the book itself.
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
She also clothes him, since Marks apparently has a fear of shops. “I don’t mind computer or hi-fi shops. Or book shops.” “Even PC World?” I enquire. “PC World is fine, but I don’t like supermarkets or clothes shops.” After a brief pause in the interview during which I imagine PC World using the phrase, “Howard Marks Thinks We Are Fine” for their latest advertising campaign, Caroline points to Marks’ Converse All Stars, and tells me that she is responsible for them. “If it wasn’t for me, he’d just be wearing things that were falling apart.” Caroline herself is sporting this season’s bronze Ugg Boots, and is looking very elegant for eleven in the morning. But then ‘elegant’ is a relative concept, and she is sitting next to a man, who, despite the trainers, is looking a little unkempt. He’s wearing a long black felt coat, and a fairly nondescript jumper. Obviously Caroline has yet to work her way up the rest of him. He dresses a bit like me, I thought. But that’s where the similarities end, because I don’t have a past that consists of numerous aliases, twenty five money laundering companies, connections with the CIA, the IRA, the Mafia and MI6, millions of pounds in bank accounts, and tons of stashed marijuana. “ How did you two meet?” I ask. “ She came to a talk of mine and immediately fell in love,” Marks answers. “Who with?” “ No! —we were introduced by his first wife, but it was at a show,” says Caroline. “ A nd did you immediately suggest you would buy him some new shoes?” “ Yes, I had one look at that footwear and thought I had to remodel this star.” “Well it’s looking good so far…” “Well if I achieve nothing else in my life...”
“i’ve often thought of curry and weed as a combination. if i had to choose between them, I’d have to choose weed.”
Today, Marks is looking tanned and shabbily wizened, and has a voice like a Welsh Leonard Cohen. I’d heard this voice before—on his website , where there are some recordings of tapped phone conversations from his smuggling days—and was struck by how much tittering there was. It is hard to imagine that these conversations were used as evidence to convict Marks to 25 years in America’s toughest penitentiary (he ended up serving seven years), when, frequently, it just seems like the whole drug smuggling thing was just one big game.
In the end of course, it all turned serious, and the law caught up with Marks. Indeed, he writes in Mr Nice of his fears that he would only be released from Terre Haute Penitentiary at the ripe age of 60: “I would re-enter the world skint, full of hate, and completely unemployable and useless. No one would want to listen to my boring tales of woe, gore, violence and depression. I’d be old and ugly. No one would want to shag me.” Now he is 62, and has actually been out for twelve years. And, as evidenced by me interviewing him, and his book sales, people do still want to listen to his boring tales of woe, gore, violence and depression. And he does have a girlfriend called Caroline, who is presumably shagging him.
I then ask Marks whether he is a bad influence on Caroline, to which he replies, “No, she doesn’t smoke dope, and has given up cigarettes, so I think I am a benign influence on her.” A pair of Converse All-Stars is probably the least he deserves. “So, Indian curries or weed?” “ I’ve never thought of them as mutually exclusive. I’ve often thought of them as a combination. If I had to choose between them (obviously if I was starving, I’d choose a curry), I’d have to choose weed.” I managed to stretch the curry conversation out for a good few minutes. “Have you tried most things on the typical Indian menu?”
29
interview: HOWARD MARKS
LIFE
“Oh yes, everything.” I am then informed of Marks’ choice of best Indian restaurant in England (The Garden of India in York) and Wales (The Mukhta Muhal in Kenfig Hill). Weed and curries are two of the few things that seem to have remained preoccupations of Marks’ constantly changing life. His existence at 62 might be very different to how it was at 42, but he still enjoys a nice curry now and again, and a joint, well, all the time: “I smoke all day really. I still get very stoned indeed, from the first joint I smoke in the morning… and then I get very very stoned with every succeeding joint.” But a lifetime of dope smoking means that Marks is able to function fairly calmly during the gruelling book tour. I did wonder, though, whether it all gets a bit frustrating, what with slaps on his back from teenagers newly introduced to weed, and offers of a quick toke on a spliff round the back of Waterstones from middle-aged wasters. “That type of person often appears. As they know a lot about me, and me nothing about them, they do feel the need to redress the balance, but obviously 70 life stories in an evening can get a bit tiring.” “Especially when they’re all the same,” murmurs Caroline. I liked Marks a lot. So much so, that I think I ought to call him ‘Howard’ (just like his parents did) from this point onward. We talked about Howard’s favourite beer (‘London Lager’, made in the hills of Pakistan) and whether it is still available (it is, but it’s hard to get), his love of the Japanese board game Go, and whether he still plays it (he doesn’t), which airline has the best air hostesses (Cathay Pacific), which country the best prostitutes (the Philippines), which country the best hotel (during his smuggling days, The Oriental in Bangkok, and now, the Punta Caracol in Panama), and what the most delicious food he has ever tasted is (meat from a tuna fish’s jawbone).
The question I pulled out of the bag was: If you had to have the skin of any fruit or vegetable as your own skin, what would it be and why? A bizarre question, perhaps, but one that I thought could be proficiently dealt with by a former student of philosophy at Oxford, and a man who had fairly recently licked an hallucinogenic toad. “ Don’t say apple!” barked a man who joined us at the table, and who I immediately liked. That’s because he was quite rotund and bearded, with a Brummie accent, and a pair of ever so slightly tinted round glasses. He turned out to be called Les, and was Howard’s tour manager. Everyone laughed. “Banana,” said Howard. “Is that because it’s waterproof—sort of anoraky?” I asked. “ Yes, and you can smoke it...” (I knew Howard liked drugs and their effects, but I didn’t think he would ever go to the extremes of consuming his own skin.) At this point, the interview became quite relaxed. The emergency question had fulfilled its function, and I went on: “Do you still practise yoga and callisthenics?” “Well, when there aren’t any drugs around, I know that a yoga session will relieve any stress I have.” I had read in Mr Nice that Howard attacked his depressions whilst in prison with an early morning series of yoga exercises, callisthenics and meditation, followed by a glass of fresh orange juice and a few miles of walking around the prison track. As a free man, there’s no need anymore for such a strenuous routine, but Howard still likes to keep to a regime of sorts. “ The last time Howard got angry was when I asked to go on the email before he had finished his morning ritual today,” said Caroline.
“when there aren’t any drugs around, I know that a yoga session will relieve any stress I have.”
Howard has recently completed his latest book, Señor Nice. He describes it as “a travel book with lots of drugs in it.” It’s about South America and Wales, how Elvis and Bob Marley were actually Welsh, and hallucinogenic toads. But, again, seeing as I had not read his first book yet, I felt a ‘flop’ coming on in the interview. I decided it was time to pull out my ‘emergency’ interview question. I’d used it once on Charlotte Church; her mother (who was present) whispered to her daughter what she thought was the best answer to give me: Apple. I asked Charlotte why she had gone for that answer, and instead of saying, “Because my mother told me,” she said, “Because it’s taut.”
What is the morning ritual? “Doing my emails,” said Howard. “ He just said, ‘Look, you’re not usually here. I want to do my emails first.” “ So you seem to be quite a relaxed, placid person, but actually you’re just vicious. Vicious towards Caroline and Les.” But he isn’t really vicious. He’s still Mr Nice—and polite; and when I said that I thought I had asked enough questions and that it had been a pleasure, he responded with: “For me too. But right now I need a piss.” k Señor Nice is available now from all good bookshops
30
>> WWW.HOWARDMARKS.COM
LIFE
31
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
travel: TALLINN
PLAY
TALLINN
Tallinn has been occupied by all manner of evil empires – from the Soviets to the Nazis…to the Soviets again – and recently, as the ‘New Prague’, it has become the target of swathes of beer-guzzling stag parties.
But Donal Coonan and Sam Brown travelled there with hands raised in peace, and high hopes of a ‘nice break’...
PLAY
The atmosphere was stern as we boarded the plane, and then felt a pang of disappointment when the person seated between us turned out not to be the Estonian belle we had imagined in our heads. It was
➳
actually Gregor, who was doing his compulsory year in the Army. “I might well stay in the Army”, he said. “I studied gene technology. But there are just too many gene technologists in Estonia. My girlfriend wants to be a gene technologist too. But she is a waitress at the moment.” A somewhat surprising saturation. Still, this is the country that ‘invented’ its national drink (the inventively named Estonian Liqueur) in the 1990s.
watched
Gregor
tuck
Internet in the whole of Estonia. Pretty frustrating for the country that invented Skype. After about two and a half hours in the air, the plane touched down and everyone clapped. This was odd since it hadn’t been a particularly bumpy ride and everyone seemed far too stern to be a clapping bunch. Gregor cocked a snook at the clapping Russians around him and threw us a knowing wink before crushing a beer can in his fist like a tube of overpriced mini-Pringles. We checked in to Hotel Telegraaf; a five-star hotel which only
We ordered a bottle of red wine (“red” in Estonian is “punane”), and
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into
his
onboard
(but
non-
complimentary) sandwich, eating both halves of it together in one enormous bite. Once Gregor had ingested it all, he told us there was still a splash of bitterness between the Russians and the Estonians. The Estonian government recently removed a statue of a Russian solider, claiming it was a symbol of Russian oppression. The Russians, seeing the statue as a symbol of their glorious liberation of Estonia, launched a “cyber war” and switched off the
opened at the beginning of May 2007 (Vene
9, Old Town).
Right
in the heart of the Old Town, even the most basic rooms in this renovated imperial Post Office are positively luxurious. We spent a lot of time in the spa (where you can also organise professional massages, if Tallinn’s less professional ones don’t appeal), and also ate one night in their Tchaikovsky restaurant (‘a symphony of Russian cuisine’). We dined just below a portrait of Tchaikovsky himself looking a bit pained (probably because our mouths were on the level of his feet), and ordered cocktails which tasted like fizzy Chewits. The menu was decidedly Russian: a creamy,
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delicately flavoured borscht, lobster pelmeni and buttery steak
fiercely proud of their (independent) heritage. Even our “non-
tartare to start; reindeer and baby trout for the main course. There
partisan” tour guide alluded obliquely to the difference between
is no native wine industry in Estonia (the country being too cold to
Estonian and Russian bars in Tallinn (“the Russians like a lot of
grow grapes), but the larger hotels and restaurants have very well-
gold in their bars”).
stocked cellars. We plumped for two glasses of fizz and a bottle of
On our last night, we visited the restaurant Gloria, owned by
Chateau Margaux.
Dimitri Demjanov; a bald man with a massive wine cellar. Gloria
Whilst Tchiakovsky is Tallinn’s newest and most expensive
is one of Tallinn’s oldest establishments, and certainly the most
restaurant, the bill for the excellent dinner came in at about half of
famous restaurant in Estonia (Müürivahe 2, Old Town).
what one would expect to pay in London (four courses and drinks
Food is traditional Eastern European fare: stroganoff, veal cutlet
weighed in at about £100 per head).
and fish. We were treated to the specials of the day, described in
Following our indulgence at the feet of the great musical genius,
great detail by Demjanov’s number two who comes to the table
we decided to stretch our legs, with a cycle tour of Tallinn. This
white-hatted and enthusiastic (and, oddly, points to his own body
is billed as the best way to see Tallinn, and it really is. Particularly
when describing the parts of an animal we were being served; e.g.
if you choose the tandem, as we did. The tour takes you out of the
the leg). We were treated to an Estonian beef tomato with feta,
old town which is perfectly accessible by foot (and too hilly and
followed by dorade and guinea fowl. Crème brulee (the speciality
cobbled for cycling), and features such sights as the concrete
of the house) followed with coffee. The food was excellent, and
monument to glorious Soviet past, the empty concrete bases
again, relatively cheap compared to London (lunch was £35 per
of statues to glorious Soviet past and several large concrete
person including wine).
buildings dedicated to glorious Soviet past. The recent history of
Nightlife in Estonia is not just for the stags, and it goes strong
Estonia is evident here: but now the concrete is cracking, and here
from Wednesday till Saturday. Unfortunately we were there
and there flowers bloom from underneath. The Estonian people
on Monday and Tuesday. We didn’t strike it very lucky
are quiet, and modest (the Presidential palace is guarded by two
with the ladies in Tallinn—almost all of whom seemed
unarmed conscript seamen), but press them and they become
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to have nail extensions. One couple of women agreed to let us sit
(1
at the same bar table as them “as long as you don’t disturb us”
biggest gay bar—but friendly and open to all (it also serves food
(we did, and they left), and in the only nightclub that was open on
till late).
Tuesday night, (Club Amigos) we were surrounded by Norwegian
Sauna Street, Old Town) which, given its apt name, is Tallinn’s
The biggest and best nightclub in town is BonBon (Mere
pst. 6e., Port—open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday). Hellishly expensive
men and prostitutes. Drinks were relatively inexpensive, but this really was the only good thing about Club Amigos. In fact, it’s so
to get into with huge queues and an enormous fresco of the god
bad, we’d rather not give the address (if you’re desperate, you’ll
Bacchus, this is the place to be seen in Tallinn. Here Estonia’s
find it in the basement of the Hotel Viru in New Town).
most beautiful people come to check each other out. Sadly, it being
The house beer of most bars in Tallinn is ‘Tower’, which is sold
a Tuesday, we had to make do with Club Amigos (Norwegian men
in London for £7 a bottle and marketed as made in the traditional
and prostitutes—remember?).
monastic style out of spring water. It tastes exactly like lager. But
For the best view, head to Troompea, the hill right in the centre of
we weren’t out to re-affirm to the Estonians that all British men
the old town; from here, you can gaze right out towards the sea
are just drunken stags. So instead we focused our attention on
(where, our Belgian chef told us, only sprits and crayfish can be
Fat Mary. Not because she was ‘easy’, but because Fat Mary isn’t
caught), the concert stadium (completely sold-out when Metallica
actually a woman. ‘She’ along with Tall Hermann, Peep in the
play), and closer to home, the old town—a wonderful, fairy-tale like
Kitchen and many others, are watch-towers built by the Soviets
vista of cathedral domes and cascading minarets.
and so named because they enabled guards to see what was being
Tallinn is bound to become more and more popular. We didn’t,
cooked in Estonian kitchens. But we did grab a few drinks. Stereo (Harju
thankfully, come across any stag parties, although we did at one
6, Old Town) was like
point ponder what it would be like to have one in Tallinn. But first
being inside a glass of gin and tonic because the lighting was so
one has to find a wife. And Fat Margaret wasn’t quite what we were
deliberately glacial. Which made the whole experience very odd
looking for. k
when we drank a real gin and tonic. But we didn’t stop there. We moved onto Musi (Niguliste
6, Old Town) which was small, cosy
>> www.tourism.tallinn.ee/eng
and intimate with a good music selection, and then to the Angel
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travel – italy feature: TUSCANY
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tuscany
Photography: Bill Silvermintz (SXC)
➳
Tuscany isn’t this summer’s hottest new destination.
Pisa, a short distance from Florence, plays host to one of the
Since
the Middle Ages, the quintessential picture-postcard region of
world’s seven wonders, the famous leaning tower.
Italy has attracted the majority of the middle-class, middle-aged
weekend destination, with hotels and boutiques tastefully
tourists to the ancient port of Pisa and beyond.
Artists have
decorating the narrow streets of the city, and large markets selling
marvelled at Michelangelo’s colossal statue of David and con-
everything from local delicacies to imported antiques. Away from
artists have grown rich selling cheap replicas.
the main tourist attraction, Pisa feels far more authentic than its
Tuscany does, however, have plenty to offer.
It’s a real
more fashionable neighbour; this is the kind of place the manager
The exodus to
of your local Italian restaurant originates from, and reminisces over
Florence of northern Italy’s ‘fashionistas’ and the numerous foreign
as he brings to your table a not-so authentic margherita pizza.
exchange students ‘studying’ in the city make the obligatory cup of cappuccino in the local bar all the more enjoyable, and the summer
For those wanting something different, whether it be to escape the
evenings see crowds leisurely strolling for the backstreet bars and
crowd of amateur photographers at the leaning tower or simply the
nightclubs. For those desiring a cultural fix, it should be noted that
kind of relaxation that can only be achieved in the countryside, try
over a third of the most important European artists are said to have
an agriturismo, the Italian answer to that great British institution,
at some point graced Florence with their presence, which explains
the bed & breakfast.
the almost limitless supply of museums and galleries across
breakfast is rarely part of the deal. That aside, they can represent
the city, including the internationally recognised Uffizi gallery.
excellent value, often including private swimming pools for each
Also worth a visit on any sightseeing tour is the city’s tallest and
villa (typically 6-10 people), use of mountain bikes to explore the
most impressive building, the Duomo, and for those with deeper
local area, and private gardens to enjoy a barbecue or a bottle or
pockets, the rather aptly named bridge, the Ponte Vecchio (the
two of the local Chianti. The need for speed can be satisfied at the
Old Bridge), built in 1345 to accommodate butchers and bakers,
luxurious agriturismo Borgo della Meliana, at Gambassi Terme,
but subsequently replaced by the impressive and rather expensive
where classic cars, including the Ferrari Testarossa, Alfa Giulia
stalls of candlestick-makers and the like.
and Alfa Spyder 124 are available on daily hire rates.
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Agriturismo is b&b with a twist, in that
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Photography: Fabrizio Turco (SXC)
This is real Italian living. With or without the missus, start up
For those who still aren’t convinced regarding the merits of
the motor and make a trip to the local trattoria. A superb meal is
Tuscany, try the small city of Lucca. A 16th century wall surrounds
almost guaranteed anywhere in the vast Tuscan countryside, and
the city, and within a one-way system that is so complex it could
for the price of a greasy spoon you’ll be full and probably sloshed
rival Pisa’s tower for that seventh-wonder spot means driving in the
by the end of the evening on the owner’s home-made brew.
city is time-consuming and to be avoided. It does mean, however,
For those who haven’t been to Italy, you’ll soon pick up certain do’s and don’t’s. Just as in the US you can’t wear white after Labour Day, in Italy you can’t drink a cappuccino before ten thirty in the morning. Greetings can also cause the language barrier to quickly slam shut, so don’t start saying ciao to your elders, as they probably consider themselves ‘betters’ and you might end up on the wrong side of a stare, although the numerous Brits who have settled in Italy in the last decade make it almost as likely that you’ll be saying ciao to your ex-girlfriend’s parents as to a former Miss Tuscany. Incidentally, if you’re partial to the odd beauty pageant, Italy’s your country, and Tuscany your region. The regional heats for the main Miss Tuscany competition take place in town squares throughout the area and last throughout the summer. They’re not short on
that the centre of town is a mainly pedestrian zone that allows for a very relaxing visit. For anyone staying overnight, the café San Colombano is the place to be seen, with the Lucca glitterati appearing in the late hours and staying until the early hours, sipping cocktails on the city wall. Lucca is a hidden jewel, as yet undiscovered by the fine people at mass tourism Ltd., and although there isn’t too much choice regarding accommodation, the Hotel Noblesse is seriously elegant and deserving of its status as one of the best hotels in the region. Tuscany ticks all the right boxes. Come with a group of mates or your girlfriend (although it’ll set you back a bit so make sure she’s the right one first), hire a (classic) car, and set off into the sunset. It’s nothing like home, and it’s fantastic. k
quality. Check with the local information centre during your trip,
Trips to Tuscany may be booked through Carefree Italy, a specialist
as, quite apart from the parade of Mediterranean beauties, it’s
operator that run tours of the region.
an excuse for the whole town, men, women and children, to get
>> www.carefree-italy.co.uk
together and party and is therefore unmissable.
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travel – italy feature: AMALFI COAST
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THE
AMALFI COAST THE SOUTH SIDE OF HEAVEN s
Is there anything Bianca Brigitte Bonomi can’t blag herself into? She certainly is Jezebel...
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The Amalfi Coast, or Costiera Amalfitana, is a glorious stretch of coastline located on Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula. The area is famed
of visitors to the ‘Ravello Festival’, a celebration of the arts. Local
for its beauty, its sunshine, and its glamour. The classification
is graced with outstanding restaurants—the ‘Cumpa Cosimo’ is
of the area as a World Heritage Site pays testament to its unique
particularly good. This family run eaterie serves quintessentially
panoramas and scenery. It is an area that commands immense
Italian food and with Netta Bottone (the “mamma”) always on
respect and demands kudos; from Sophia Loren to modern day
hand to make culinary recommendations, you are guaranteed a
royalty, the Amalfi Coast is the playground of the rich and famous.
real Italian dining experience.
➳
I visited the diverse locations of Praiano, Ravello, and Capri, to get a real flavour of the destination.
attractions include the ‘Duomo’, and the ‘Villa Rufolo’. The area
On visiting Capri in 1852, Profile writer Charles Dickens was moved to pen that “there is no spot in the world with such a delightful
Praiano is more serene than its neighbours, and the village is
possibilities of repose as this little isle”. Dickens’ view has been
endowed with several remarkable restaurants. La Brace makes the
shared by hundreds of other moneyed beauties. On the south side
most of its proximity to the teeming foison of the Mediterranean
of the Gulf of Naples, it has been a celebrated beauty spot and
and the gastronomic heritage of Campagnia, birthplace of the
resort since Roman times. The island’s vast array of highlights
pizza, by making a speciality out of ‘Frito Misto’ and bespoke
include the Marina Piccola, the Grotta Azzurra, the ruins of the
woodfired pizza. The famous southern Italian hospitality even
Imperial Roman villas, and the parade of designer stores ready to
stretches to a generous serving of after-dinner Limoncello, 40%
cater for the most discerning of fashionistas.
proof liquor made out of the fruit which dominates the aspect of Campagnia’s mountains. The area also boasts the Grotto Esmerelda, featuring a magical green light, and the churches of San Luca and San Gennaro. Ravello is a lusty green haven that has attracted legions of musicians, writers, and artists over centuries. The French poet, Andre Gide, described Ravello as being “nearer to the sky than to the shore”. The landscape has provided inspiration for amongst others D H Lawrence, Richard Wagner, William Turner and Tennessee Williams. Every summer, the area welcomes thousands
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travel – italy feature: AMALFI COAST
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casa angelina Embedded in the rocky coastline which characterises
harmony between sea and land. The art also serves to
the dramatic stretch of landscape between Positano
accent the refreshing purity of Casa Angelina’s interior
and Amalfi lies Casa Angelina, a boutique lifestyle
design, with its white lines and neat minimalism. This
hotel whose glamour is well-disguised by its name.
simplicity is negotiated where appropriate—the cigar
Translated as the ‘House of Angelina’, the name betrays
room and the restaurant ‘Un Piano nel Cielo’ allow self-
a nostalgic longing for the past, serving as a reminder
indulgence more than a fleeting triumph. The rooms
of the owner’s mother and her home comforts, whilst
themselves are spacious, invigorating, and offer sea
the clean, chic style and white-washed walls ooze
views that were amongst the most awe-inspiring in a
tranquillity and 21st Century luxury.
series of spectacular vistas.
Indeed, Casa Angelina is a hotel unapologetically
One of the most extraordinary aspects of the hotel is
contemporary in its outlook. The range of modern
the elevator passage within the very cliff on which the
artwork displayed throughout the hotel is more than
hotel is perched. Cascading through layers of rock, the
an eye-catching diversion — it contributes towards
elevator is filled with flickering stars that respond to
the aesthetic experience of the guest. The exhibition
the unyielding blackness of the cliff. The stone steps
showcases an astonishing range of work, from Murano
to the beach will soon house the outstanding four new
glass to contemporary Argentinian impressionistic
Eaudesea suites. Deriving their names from four of the
painting, and from imposing Moroccan brass works
mermaids who tempted Ulysses on the rocky crags of
to sleek Riva Boats. The collection (partly a product
the Amalfi Coast, they promise to be no less alluring to
of the immediate surroundings but including works
the discerning Profile reader.
inspired by stunning seascapes elsewhere in the world) creates a link with the marine environment — a
>> www.casangelina.com
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hotel caruso Located in the magnificent town of Ravello and overlooking the
out by Antonio Forcellino, the chief restorer of the Michelangelo
Amalfi Coast, the Hotel Caruso is the epitome of glamour and the
‘Moses’ on the tomb of Pope Julius II, indicating the hotel’s luxury
arbiter of elegance. Once the 11th century palace of the Marquis
and class.
d’Afflitto, the hotel blends archaic style, with tranquillity and modern comfort. Its old-style glamour harks back to the golden age of cinema and literature, with a guest book including Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Jacqui Kennedy, and Virginia Woolf. The stars of the silver screen value the privacy, exclusivity, and comfort of the hotel, whilst the landscape has provided writers with inspiration for centuries. Caruso is perched atop a hill side, 365m above sea level, and benefits from long hours of sunshine, breathtaking views, and serenity. Indeed, the five star luxury hotel has one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world, whilst its ‘Belvedere’ garden, where much of the hotel’s produce is organically grown, pays tribute to the surreal loveliness of the surroundings. It is not just the hotel’s exterior that is worthy of praise. Caruso’s interior, styled by internationally renowned Italian designer Federico Forquet, is inspired by the Gulf of Salerno and the town of Ravello. Their culture and tradition manifest themselves in his vision. Indeed, the spirit of the area is evident in every element of design, with furniture being made by local craftsmen and raw materials being sourced in the area. Rooms feature 18th century furniture and original frescoes depicting Arcadia landscape scenes. Impressively, the fresco restoration work was carried
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Facilities include an open-air heated infinity swimming pool, a gymnasium with panoramic views, a health and wellness centre and a boutique and signature shop. Guests are also treated to a complimentary boat excursion to a private beach in Positano. >> www.hotelcaruso.com
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caesar augustus As suggested by its name, the Caesar Augustus, a five star hotel in Capri, is a regal and indulgent resort. Capri was a favourite with the Roman Emperors: Caesar was drawn to the island for its beauty and charm and Tiberius relocated the seat of government from Rome to his infamously debauched Villa Jovis, the ruins of which are visible below the Hotel’s gardens. Since the reckless days of antiquity, Capri has remained the site of lascivious excess and unparalled beauty. Nowadays, celebrities flock to the island for its warm climes and the privacy it affords them. Caesar Augustus has housed some of the most eminent individuals in the world, including Swedish royalty, and treats each guest to a first-class service. The Hotel is located one thousand feet above the sea, and the 56 guest rooms and 14 suites offer unrivalled views. Enjoying the sunset on the hotel terrace is a must, with the entire Bay of Naples on display and the inimitable Vesuvius quietly menacing in the distance. Outside, the sweeping balconies of deep terracotta give way to arches and pillars of classical splendour, forming links between the ancient past and the sun-filled present, whilst the infinity pool offers magnificent views over the vast reaches of the sea. The hotel’s restaurant ‘La Terrazza di Lucullo’, offers couples a romantic private stone balcony, which I am reliably informed has been the site of more than one marriage proposal. In the evenings, the candlelit restaurant looks breathtaking against the stunning rocky backdrop and feasting on the delicious, locally sourced food whilst listening to the sea’s calming rhythms is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. k
>> www.caesar-augustus.com
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POKER
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deal or no deal words: BIANCA BRIGITTE BONOMI illustration: J,D, McFALL
Whether it be in the saloons of the Wild West, or the haunts of Chicago’s mob, cards have been a ubiquitous and welcome diversion from the realities of a man’s world. Nowadays, the cowboy hats
in the world, whose generous donation helped the prize pool
have been replaced by baseball caps, the threat of a gunfight by
the title. Even better for English enthusiasts, three of the capital’s
high-stakes money. But it still remains an American game. Or
players made the final. The world of poker is no longer dominated
➳
to reach world-class heights. Indeed, with a one million pound prize kitty, and a WSOP bracelet up for grabs, hundreds vied for
does it? At my recent initiation
by a handful of American pros.
into the global poker scene,
Indeed, according to WSOP
I was surprised to have my
Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack,
preconceptions gunned down
“The stage has been set for
in a blaze of card-playing glory.
European
America loves passing things
anti-Bush
land:
Oreos,
and
merchandise
have
players
to
inaugural World Series of Poker
over to England’s green and pleasant
poker
continue to shine. Clearly, the Europe has lived up to its name and promise in every respect.”
been some of their biggest
And what of the reign of the
exports. In October, however,
hardened poker player trained
America upped its generosity
in that smoke-filled room? The
to an unprecedented degree,
presence of four of Betfair’s
by allowing the World Series
online qualifiers at the final table
of Poker (WSOP) to venture
suggested the potential to move
out of the United States for the
from
first time in the tournament’s
to much bigger pools, giving
inception. The glitz of Las
hope to wannabe Hellmuths
Vegas was transported to the
everywhere. My ageist prejudice
capital’s
was
Leicester
Square,
relatively
also
small
quelled,
stakes
with
the
which had all the brashness, if
average age at the final table
not the flashiness, of America’s
reaching just 25. The greatest
gambling
The
shock of all, however, was the
big
winner. Hailed as a female
names of poker. The legendary
prodigy, 18 year-old Annette
Phil Hellmuth, a player who has
Obrestad
occasion
heartland. attracted
the
rocked
the
poker
amassed a record eleven World
world with her victory. The
Series bracelets, acknowledged
Norwegian became the youngest
the prestige of the London event on the global scale, revealing
bracelet winner in World Series of Poker history. Youth, femininity,
that nineteen of the top twenty players in the world had travelled
and a European. The dawn of a new age has arrived. In almost
overseas to compete. The presence of these poker stars and
apocalyptic tones, Pollack revealed, “In the end, the Europeans
the fact that the participants shared over 100 WSOP bracelets
dominated here. This is the start of a new tradition for the World
between them, contributed to the event showcasing the toughest
Series of Poker and the European and global poker communities.”
field in European poker history. The organisers were lured to London by an alliance between
To get involved in the >> www.BETFAIR.com
Harrah and Betfair, one of the largest online gaming companies
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growing
poker
community,
visit
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GENTLEWOMAN BOXER words: ANDREW BOUSFIELD photography: GRACE VAN PERCY
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Boxing is a way out of poverty for many working class males, and now it is also a way out of boredom for middle class females. Laura Saperstein is taking the sport to a whole new level, with an aggressive marketing campaign designed to titillate and tweak the male ego, whilst stimulating the curiosity glands. Laura is a gentlewoman boxer. She is the complete machine, both fighting and media.
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➳ at 4 pm on a grizzly sunday in tooting, an expectant audience sit on wooden benches, facing the colourful boxing ring. A couple of white Londoners sidle up, one of them telling the other that “it’s dark in here”, making clear he isn’t referring to the lighting. The working class, which apparently no longer exist, seem to take on a pretty physical reality when it comes to fighting. The night has seven fights on the bill, all recent pros. First up is a small tattooed lizard from Hartlepool, punching himself in the head for comfort as he waits for a bellow of music and his opponent to materialise. The fight begins, and the Northern coach bellows ideas to the young fighter: “Go straight, go straight!”. When the ideas have ended, he resigns himself to: “Just rough him up Craig!”. The referee moves around oozing fat from his thinning white shirt, stuck in the middle.
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The day before, we spent a day with Laura in her gymnasium in Tottenham. She is in almost peak physical fitness, though she would like to improve a little further, and the three hours gruelling fitness a day is boring. She has never had gout, nor any other disease of good living. She likes to drink champagne. Ten years ago, Jane Couch took the British Board of Boxing to court, in order to win the right for females to step into the professional ring. She later credited boxing with keeping her out of trouble. She had lived a life of “booze, drugs and street fighting until 26”. Cut to ten years later, and Laura Saperstein is a successful commercial lawyer who worked with top class magnate Freshfields, has a property portfolio, and was gripped by boxing as a way out of the corporate brain tedium. It takes all sorts this sport. Laura wants to create a “different path for women boxers, and a different image from women boxers being ball breakers.” I ask her how she would be viewed by the old school, suggesting all knickers and no trousers. Laura ripostes calling such a characterisation arcane and ridiculous, claiming that “the first female boxers failed to convert their sport into something with more longevity, failed to convert the first wave of media attention and novelty value”.
“the first female boxers failed to convert their sport into something with more longevity, failed to convert the first wave of media attention and novelty value”
When it’s good, boxing is the most amazing spectator sport in the world. It’s an exquisite ballet, and as you watch your shoulder jerks involuntarily, fading to move from the punch, getting stuck in. You watch the delicate arc of a good punch, the shiver of sweat, the welcomed cushioned thump, the wall of screams, the silence, the ape noises, the frighted jittery dance as the boxers look for a route in, a well landed 1-2, designed and delivered with ferocity. The crowd scream, apparently at the same time, “Be smart,” and, “Give it to him”. The left jab comes out, exploring, waiting to dock the pain, there’s an ambulance outside, it has to be good. The boxers eyeball each other, silence, pin drop, a double jab, a right, a wall of screams. The young pros move quickly, trying to get somewhere, aping the moves, bleeding too easily, ending the contest. And in steps Laura Saperstein.
Cue the jeers from the toothless hordes surrounding the ring, the haters, those who deride women in sport. I ask Laura who the haters are, who is most likely to deride her—women or men. She replies that women keep their opinions more to themselves, and have never felt the need to protest against the pointlessness of golf, but that men are more vocal and might attack the sport. In response, I accuse her, like a jeering toothless male, of being “all hype and no hit”. She freezes into an ice sculpture, just as the photographer tells her to adopt an expression of pure hatred. She invites me to get in
\ \ \
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the ring for a few rounds, and see if I feel the hype. I wither like a coward, and decline the invitation for the sparring and the exhaustion, preferring a safe pint.
to some heavily bassed up power chords, enters the ring, and delivers two mean mechanical punches into the air.
Laura hopes to be the first female boxer to actually make some money out of it, but she freely admits that it’s a lonely sport, and that she can’t go out on the City tiles (she has to manage a property portfolio). She misses the zip of City conversation, the polysyllabic murmur, the “intellectual parity” as she calls it. Boxing is no longer a gentlemanly sport, and, as Laura says, “there aren’t too many middle class boxers out there”.
A dreadlocked Rasta laughs. The fight begins and there is the silent hum as the girls move around each other for about a minute. Then Laura unleashes a punch that makes an almighty slapping sound on female skin, and follows with an impressively aggressive rainstorm of punches. Laura did smite the Bulgarian, and the dreadlocked Rasta is laughing, but now it’s because she’s better than a man.
Laura sculpts her body in the ring for the warm glow of the camera’s flash, and the stylist sprays her with glistening liquid. I ask Laura about men, and whether she wants males to be “domineering or supportive”. Pouting, she hits back with, “That’s too stupid a question for me to answer”. After a pause, she continues thoughtfully: “Men have always been scared of me, fascinated and often scared, since I’m a strong and determined woman who likes to get her own way”. At the same time, Laura admits there has never been a shortage of interested men, and her Facebook profile cheekily admits she is “Single” and “Looking for whatever she can get”.
The Bulgarian housewife is on the ropes, exhausted. Laura continues to unleash her terrifying mechanical arm. Made of metal and pumping like a steam ship, it keeps on digging. She wins the fight easily, and the Bulgarian is sent back to her country without even a ripple of polite applause. She looks spent.
“men have always been scared of me, fascinated and often scared, since i’m a strong and determined woman who likes to get her own way”
Laura got into boxing when her ex-boyfriend took her to a fight, and she became fascinated with the bodies, the skill, the aesthetics, the intellectual side, the cleverness of working out an opponent. Laura has perfect, pearly white teeth. And now to the ring.
\ \ \ Sandwiched in the middle of male bouts of increasing weight and deadliness, the women make their appearance. The Bulgarian female fighter, Borislava Goraronanova, walks in with strong masculine facial features but her calves give her away. She takes off her top revealing her sports bra, and the crowd seem accepting. Laura Saperstien makes her entrance
\ \ \
The day before in the gymnasium, the female boxers chatted in between bouts of sparring. Laura asks a small Asian boxeress if she gets nervous. “I get nervous before everything, even playing football I’m nervous.” Laura says, “I always thought you were cool.” The Asian boxeress responds, “No, I get really nervous.” Later, the girls get talking about weights, that famed and fated subject of female conversation, the dalliance and the daggers. The girls spend time guessing each other’s weight, and complementing each other with real, or simulated, amazement. They help each other out. Laura’s coach, a grizzled Londoner, is working on making the women more aggressive. Despite the very female conversation, I have to remind myself that I am in the training gym watching two girls go at each other, gloves and fist. In my mind, I’m trying to enjoy it, but it pushes against the gentle curves of the female form, to see every muscle
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➳ To t t e n h a m C o m m u n i t y S p o r t s C e n t r e Tottenham Community Sports Centre is one of the oldest sports centres in London. It was established 30 years ago by a determined band of volunteers, many of whom are still connected with the centre today. Based in converted Territorial Army buildings on Tottenham High Road, opposite Spurs Football Club, the premises are leased from Haringey Council by the Tottenham Community Sports Centre Charitable Trust, a registered charity. A rolling programme of conversion and refurbishment has seen this former T.A. Centre transformed into a valuable resource providing sporting and community activities as well as education and training facilities. It is the policy of the centre to actively encourage cross fertilisation between the various clubs and their activities and in this way continue to build and support the true community spirit.
➳
701 – 703 Tottenham High Road London N17 8AD
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and sinew stretching into an ecstasy of violence, a thumping fist, the dreamy curves twisting into rippling arms of terror, and then returning to female curves. The next day in the professional ring, watching Laura Saperstein is completely different. The pretty face glows and the mechanical arm digs its way to victory. Time will tell whether Laura will be able to gentrify boxing, like sloaney students gentrify the fried chicken dilapidation and gritty misery of London suburbs. Hers is a crusade for recognition of a new path. It’s yet to be seen who will be watching. Certainly the media have been caught by a virus which has resulted in TV crews being mercilessly dispatched. Plastic phenomenon or lasting venture, only time will tell. k Styling: Linn Nydrén Photographer’s assistant: Daniella Baptista Lingerie by Pleasure State www.pleasurestate.com 020 7291 0930
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s
ANOTHER GOOD YEAR. PROFILE has plucked out 10 of the best cars launched in 2007.
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horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 3.6 litre, flat six Power: 380 bhp Torque: 298 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.2 secs Tops out: 193 mph Price: £94,280
PORSCHE 911 GT3-RS Can life get any better? ➳
The 911 is an icon recognised universally as expensive and fast.
The hardcore GT3-RS however, stretches the car’s limits further than ever before. This latest incarnation has superseded all previous models in terms of the handling, feel and delivery of its performance. So competent and accomplished is the RS that many hail it as the best sports car full stop. The 911’s all-important image is even safer because of it. The handling and performance are exquisite and, even better, it’s flattering to drive. It will make you feel worthy. It also lives up to the choice of lairy colours available (you don’t wear white football boots unless you’re bloody good). You can drive it every day and it will never complain. It’s tough. You don’t need to clean it every other day or get it serviced every 4000 miles. You don’t even need to worry about mileage too much because it is recognised that mileage has little impact on the car’s value. There is and always will be divided opinion whenever you mention the 911: the Porsche-haters and the Porsche-lovers. The GT3-RS will deepen hatred for the marque to an all time low, while the love of others will be elevated to orgasmic proportions. All 911s are a very safe bet and that alone can be reason enough for some passionate people to turn away now. However, if you are seeking perfection, this car creeps ever closer to achieving the impossible.
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LAMBORGHINI REVENTON From outer space… ➳
Lamborghini make cars that are extreme, bursting
Lambos have a more macho image compared to the
with passion and desirability. The Reventon must be the
finesse of prettier Ferraris. Amazing that the founder
maddest. It looks like it was designed for an X-Box game,
of Lamborghini made tractors before cars. Insane in the
all angles, carbon and the stuff of dreams. Very few will
membrane? Probably…
be made and that price I’m not surprised. It looks like a true hairy-chested car with a touch of the traditional as well as the hyper modern genetics of a supercar. No doubt it will be scarily fast. You have to concentrate hard when pushing on in a Lambo and that is what makes them so great, so exciting, so ‘want one’. The looks, especially those gull-wing doors, are hugely dramatic. There is no compromise and that deserves great respect.
Engine: 6.5 litre, V12 Power: 650 bhp Torque: 487 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 3.4 secs Tops out: 211 mph
Whereas a Ferrari is the safe choice, the Lambo is the more glamorous and daring alternative.
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– -
With their
aggressive and angular forms and ‘no nonsense’ looks
Price: £679,000 + taxes
horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA Less is more ➳
The latest Ferrari, the 430 Scuderia, manages to reach even
Scuderia lives up to the hype—it has true greatness written all over
greater heights than the talented F430. It’s more alive, more thrilling,
it. Ferraris are the stuff of dreams for most and this model is for those
more racey… it’s simply “more”. The looks are fabulous (darling) and
who dream about being the ultimate sportsman.
the badge will always conjure up the image of someone who lives an
The engine will stir the soul. The Scuderia is said to be as quick as
exciting life. Not always true of course, but who cares? This Ferrari
the Enzo around a track and that is saying something, especially
requires no introduction for the petrol-heads among you. Ferrari
when you consider the price difference (£430,000 for the Enzo when
have taken the stripped-out racer approach to the Scuderia, which is
it was new).
not quite as crude and raw as an F40 (still the best Ferrari for many red fans). They have gone to great lengths to shave a few pounds
It’s true that most people couldn’t tell you the model of the Ferrari in
here and there. “If it’s not essential bin it” means there is less to
front of them but they do know it’s very special and very expensive.
distract the driver. Putting any car on a diet equals instant gains in
With this Ferrari there will be no mistake in recognising that it is a bit
performance and feel, no matter what the car.
more special than the average offering from Maranello. Beautiful.
It has splitter and under-tray changes to improve air flow and downforce, a louder, freer exhaust and lashings of carbon fibre. The 430
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 4.3 litre, V8 Power: 503 bhp Torque: 347 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 3.6 secs Tops out: 198 mph Price: £172,500
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AUDI R8 Doing a Hamilton ➳ What an impact the R8 has made.
All the build up meant it had
to fulfil the promise…it has. If it weren’t for the Porsche 911, in many ways the Audi R8 would become the default purchase for the practical supercar. The Audi is a stunning design, and in the flesh it sits very flat, the vast bonnet creating an exotic first impression due to the subtle curved edges. It’s a different look to the Italian extrovert. Not that the R8 is less in anyway, just a little more functional looking, with a bit more of a corporate feel. It has all the big players worried and so they should be. Some say it’s as good as, or marginally better than, a 911 Carrera 4, the direct competition. It cuts its own stance around town and the performance stats will make you keen to reel the figures off to jealous mates. Due to the R8’s instant success I suspect we may see similar offerings from BMW and Mercedes, each in their own way representing Audi’s nemesis. What these rivals have in their showrooms at the moment are superb machines at the top end but nothing as supercar-like as an R8. The build quality is among the very best. Inside it isn’t just a mish-mash of bits from the Audi parts bin, but has its own distinctive features, such as the shapely dash that continues around the doors. Every detail has been thought about in relation to the design as a whole. Audi have given it the full attention it needed to deserve all the acclaim. A spectacular Audi for sure and a clear cut above the already high quality cars they offer.
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- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 4.2 litre, V8 Power: 414 bhp Torque: 317 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.6 secs Tops out: 187 mph Price: £76,825
horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
SUBARU IMPREZA STI The last Samurai? ➳ Impreza is a name as synonymous with rally driving in the 21st
My guess is that Subaru wanted a smaller car and shorter wheelbase
century as the Escort was in the 70s and 80s. The new Subaru has
as it has been losing out for many years in the WRC. The hatchback
been long awaited and those with a whiff of eau-de-petrol about them
Citreon C4 and Ford Focus are romping away from the bigger cars. If
will immediately go to the stats. It’s a good job really as the latest
this the case then it shows how dedicated Subaru is to regaining its
STi is incredibly dull to look at. If you removed the badges it could be
place at the top of the pile.
any Japanese or Korean run-of-the-mill hatchback. The last model started life being ugly and I mean ugly. But with a bit of botox and a few sessions under the plastic surgeon’s delicate scalpel, it ended life looking ok (Simon Cowell must be quite jealous). Seemingly downsized, the new Impreza bucks the formula of ‘new = bigger’.
Anyway, the Scooby isn’t listed for its looks, because that’s not why you buy one. The STi is practical, reliable, stonkingly fast and fabulous to drive. It will win you over in the first five minutes behind the wheel—who cares about the reflection in shop windows? It promises so much and it delivers. Cosmetic changes will no doubt be made in a few years time.
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 2.5 litre, flat-four Power: 300 bhp Torque: 311 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.5 secs Tops out: 155 mph Price: £~30,000
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ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM DHC Back to the future ➳
The Phantom DHC (Drop Head Coupé) is an
elegant giant that will intimidate and appeal to the snob in everyone. This latest model, from what is the most prestigious name in motoring, is back to basics with a modern twist. It has a handsome face, serious but not aggressivelooking. Enormous in every way and sitting on 21-inch wheels, it makes an Audi A8 look like an average-sized
If you want to be seen and not heard around London, the Phantom will oblige to the max. Unlike the fourdoor model of Sir Alan Sugar, you actually drive the DHC yourself.
You get to enjoy the more than nippy,
silky V12 that can waft four VIPs around without any effort at all. All in all if you are going to live large there is no cooler place with four wheels.
family car. That famous grill gives the impression a
There’ll be no lurching, no obvious ‘nutting-it’ sound
few lost children might be found playing behind it. It
and drama when accelerating hard. This Englishman
takes a little while to get ‘the look’ because of the
will walk but never run.
unique lighting arrangement and the proportions, which are unusual by today’s standards. Glancing at the Phantom from the side, it reminds you of classic Rolls Royces from the 50s and 60s—weighted towards the rear.
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 6.75 litre, V12 Power: 453 bhp
Rollers are still for the elite super rich, as they should
Torque: 531 lb ft
be. I’d bet most of Hollywood wouldn’t be seen dead in
0 – 62 mph: 6.5 secs
one, but you just know plenty of them are itching to get
Tops out: 149 mph
close to one. Suicide doors, unpainted bonnet, yacht-
Price: £307,500
worthy decking—all relatively daring in 2007… but there was a time when these were the norm. Rolls have simply brought them back to the highest specifications, of course.
horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 4.3 litre, V8 Power: 380 bhp Torque: 302 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.9 secs Tops out: 175 mph Price: £91,000
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ASTON MARTIN V8 ROADSTER Losing your head? ➳
A car that will steal your heart at a glance. The
looks and noise will edify the soul.
Now that the sky is the limit with regards to headroom,
This beauty is
your senses are even more alive. Still tight and still a
sophisticated, sleek and classy. Reach for the thesaurus
great sports car. In terms of desirability it must be in
and dig out all the superlatives you can find—this car will
your top ten of all time greats. Watch this space in the
fit most of them.
New Year for the full road test.
We tasted the sweet delights of the coupé in the last issue of PROFILE. The Roadster can only add to the sheer pleasure of being closer to the intoxicating sound the car makes. Aston wisely chose not to soften things up just because the car has had a haircut. Instead a lot of engineering has gone into maintaining the rigidity when chopping the roof off.
horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
ALFA ROMEO 8C A lesson in style ➳ The Alfa Romeo 8C appears to have absolutely no
engine. Thankfully, the Alfa isn’t trying to be a Ferrari. It
straight lines. Exquisitely proportioned, it would be right
is, without doubt, a real Alfa Romeo. Yet, there is a gulf
at home in the Tate or the Hayward. It is the definitive
between this and lesser Alfas.
sports coupé with all the punch and pizzazz you’d expect.
Carbon fibre, the new black in the car world, is everywhere—tastefully crafted along with aluminium
You’d swear the Italians’ school curriculum included
and leather accompaniments. It has rear-wheel drive
double style followed by double maths. Looking good
and fine, traditional handling characteristics.
is essential in the land of Romans, sometimes at the cost of reliability, practicality and durability. But hey, commitment and passion shape legends and icons.
8C comes from the originally named coupé in 1931—a car that earned respect by winning prestigious races such as the Italian Grand Prix in its first year. The latest
We all know Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat and Alfa share a
8C reaffirms the pedigree, which has been forgotten at
blood line these days, yet all remain distinct and full of
times over the years.
personality. Even though the R8 has a glorious Ferrari
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 4.7 litre, V8 Power: 450 bhp Torque: 352 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.2 secs Tops out: 182 mph Price: £111,000
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Fiat 500 A touch of the bubbly ➳ Hail Fiat—the bubble is back!
In the 60s the Fiat 500
London’s rat-runs and squeezing in to the sniff of a gap
was also known as the bubble car—tiny, but bursting
between parked cars. The 500 is cheap to run and its
with character and charm.
fuel consumption is frugal, with relatively low emissions
It’s cute, child-like even, yet it isn’t girly like the
against the average car in the city.
blatantly feminine Nissan Micra. City slick in a genuine
These days small isn’t small anymore. The modern Mini
small car is not easy. In order to achieve it you need
proves that when you park the original Mini next to it. The
something classless, a car for everyone. This has been
best Fiats have always come in small packages, from the
accomplished perfectly by the 500.
first Cinquecento of the 50s to the latest Panda. It’s what
Rolls Royce has proved you can take ideas of old and successfully bring them in to the 21st century. Fiat have gone a little further in the reincarnation of a modern
they are best at and now, we have the fantastic-looking Fiat 500. For such a small package it gives you a buzz… perhaps it should have been named the Espresso.
replica. Cool retro touches abound but this time it’s safer, more practical and certainly more reliable.
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– -
Dynamically the car is huge fun, which is what you want
Engine: 1.4 litre, straight-four
when lacking big status and out-and-out power (the
Power: 99 bhp
Prius could learn a thing or two, if it had a soul).
Torque: 97 lb ft
Your conscience should be clean scooting along
0 – 62 mph: 10.5 secs Tops out: 113mph Price: from £8,000
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horsepower : 10 BEST OF 2007
- – [ Top Tr u m ps ]– Engine: 4.0 litre, V8 Power: 414 bhp Torque: 295 lb ft 0 – 62 mph: 4.8 secs Tops out: 155 mph (limited) Price: £50,000
BMW M3 Mmmm… ➳ A lot of fuss and focus is aimed at the new M3. It is
days due to ever increasing choice and the game is also
BMW’s toughest challenge in this sector and is likely to
quite tough now as the latest Audi RS4 is truly brilliant.
be the biggest selling of the M range. This car is just
The new Mercedes C-Class hot models are also worthy
as happy carrying the kids across Europe or popping to
contenders.
M&S as it is chasing all sorts of glamorous machinery on
The M3 sports a lightweight 4.0ltr V8 24-valve engine set
track.
way behind the front axle line for better balance. With
All M cars are amazing but the latest and potentially
414bhp and with 0-60mph in 4.8seconds it will always be
greatest M3 is this year’s all-new E90 coupé, a car that
entertaining. Top speed is limited to 155mph—if you
has surpassed the squeezed-to-the-limit straight six
unleash it from its limiter though you could be looking at
and now has a V8 to move the game on significantly. For
175mph plus. On top of that you have the aggressive ‘do
every manufacturer a flagship model is crucial and the M3
not mess’ looks to distinguish it from lesser BMWs. All
is perhaps more so to BMW. The stakes are bigger these
that for just over £50,000. Mmm indeed
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DRIVE DAYTONA (In Milton Keynes) For those who still believe that they could be Lewis, a good place to start may be the Daytona Racing track in Milton Keynes. Daytona operates some of the top karting tracks in the country, and are a great alternative for corporate events. You can field (or track, is it?) a team from the office and get the chance to crash into the back of your manager and send him flying into the tyres. A race lasts ninety minutes and can be quite a physically taxing experience. The team from PROFILE placed 17 out of 17. We also got soaked in the rain and crashed numerous times. After getting off to a good start by spinning out in the warm up lap, members of our elite racing crew (aptly named “The team”—which seemed to be very confusing to the announcer) were found having a burger and chips when they should have been suiting up in the pit lane. So if you like burgers there’s another reason to go. k For more information call Daytona Milton Keynes on 0845 644 5503 or visit >> www.daytona.co.uk
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LIMIT YOUR EMISSIONS*
AND YOUR EXPENDITURE
THE RX 400h FROM £499 A MONTH** (+ VAT & INITIAL RENTAL. BUSINESS USERS ONLY) Until now, if you’ve wanted a powerful SUV you’ve had to pay the price, both in fuel bills and business car tax. Not any more. The Lexus RX 400h features Lexus Hybrid Drive technology, combining a powerful 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine with two electric motors to provide power in the most efficient manner. For example, at low speeds and during start-up, only the electric motors are used, for zero emissions and zero fuel consumption. Under acceleration, the petrol engine comes in, taking over completely when cruising. Lexus Hybrid Drive even recharges the battery under braking, so you never have to worry about it running flat. The result? Effortless power, refinement and luxury combined with *category leading low CO2 emissions and potential tax savings for company car drivers of more than £200 a month†.
LEXUS HATFIELD 172 Great North Road Hatfield Herts 0845 8540045 www.lexus.co.uk/hatfield
LEXUS SOUTHEND 9 Stephenson Road Eastwood Leigh-on-Sea 0845 3670735 www.lexus.co.uk/southend
For more information call Lexus Hatfield or Lexus Southend today.
Model shown RX 400h at £36,415 OTR. The RX series comprises petrol and hybrid powertrains and prices start from £32,035 to £45,280 OTR. Prices correct at time of going to press and include VAT, delivery, number plates, full tank of fuel, one year’s road fund licence and £50 first registration fee. †BIK tax rating for RX 400h is 22% (compared with 35% for other premium SUVs). **Advertised finance offer available for business users only on Lexus RX400h, when ordered, registered and financed through Lexus Financial Services on Lexus Contract Hire before 30 September 2007 at participating Lexus Centres. Advertised rental based on a 3 year non-maintained contract, based on 10,000 miles per annum. Initial rental of £4,486.60+VAT followed by 35 rentals of £499 plus VAT. Acceptance fee of £70 + VAT payable in initial rental. Excess mileage charges apply. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. Terms and conditions apply. Licensed credit broker. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18’s only. Lexus Financial Services, Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5UZ. Subject to availability.
RX 400h fuel economy figures: extra-urban 37.2mpg (7.6L/100km), urban 31.0mpg (9.1L/100km), combined 34.9mpg (8.1L/100km). CO2 emissions 192g/km.
horsepower swedish fetish: KOENIGSEGG CCX : ARTICLE SUBJECT
➳
Abba, Volvos and a certain flatpack furniture store are instantly associated with Sweden, a country that prides itself on practicality and safety (especially on the road with all its Elk tests and super safe crash protection). There is another side though: a reputation for hardcore porn both in the bedroom, and arguably more interestingly, on the road. No, no, I’m not talking about contorted couples rolling and groaning on the street, I mean automotive porn in the form of the Koenigsegg. This is a no-holds-barred kind of supercar. The new CCX is the very antithesis of IKEA.
swedish pin-up
Koenigsegg CCX
Koenigsegg believe in reworking and refining the distinct CC8S shape of the first car—along the same lines as the Porsche 911 but so far even stricter. The CCX, the third incarnation, has subtle visual changes but still looks fabulous. The body has a revised front bumper, lights, vents and a few other details but fundamentally it is the same. The doors still swing 90 degrees vertically when fully opened. There is now an option for carbon fibre wheels, an industry first that reduces unsprung weight by 3kg per corner. You can also have an optional sequential gearbox. The inside has new seats built in conjunction with Sparco, whilst retaining the carbon fibre shell. Inside, the headroom has been increased by 50mm and the whole car is now 88mm longer for US safety standards. The engine has been changed with a new cylinder head to take US 91octane fuel. In fact a lot of the improvements are specifically for the US market that all supercar makers chase after. Now for the juicy bits—0-62 in 3.2seconds, top speed of over 245mph (that’s right), 806bhp V8, 678ftlb of torque. Huge figures by anyone’s standards. It is at the very sharp end of supercars. Looking around the now familiar shape you have to get closer to pick up the finer detail and fantastic build quality. It really is a fine piece of engineering that looks and sounds dramatic. Remember this is the car that tops the Top Gear fastest Stig lap quite comfortably. Now consider the absolute cream that the Stig gets his paws on and you realise how super this supercar is. So, it is stunning to look at and has truly massive credentials in the performance department but it also has a massive price tag of £440,000. If pure top speed is your goal then 5mph short of the Buggati Veyron makes it a bargain. The Koenigsegg is truly hardcore and should have a special space reserved on your bedroom wall (not under the mattress). k
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horsepower swedish fetish: SAAB 9-3
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BIOLOGICALLY SOUND SWEDE
SAAB 9-3
➳ Saab have launched their fourth Biopower-engined car in UK. The new 9-3 carries as an option a 2.0t BioPower flex-fuel engine, which is capable of running on renewable and sustainable bioethanol E85 fuel, as well as running on standard petrol. Saab remain the only manufactuer to have launched BioPower engines in Britain, a lonely place perhaps but with the number of fuel stations offering BioPower set to increase it’s likely they will soon be joined. The standard New 9-3 range was launched earlier this year and features a powerful new four-cylinder diesel engine with a unique twin turbo charging system, giving higher levels of efficiency. The range is designed to cater to “independent-minded” drivers who are unwilling to sacrifice performance for fuel economy. Prices for the standard 9-3 range start at £18,575 >> www.SAAB.COM
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MURDERESSES I’D LIKE TO FUCK
LIFE
the MILF and the MEANING OF MURDER Sam Gisoad on death, thanatos and our obsession with femme fatales that seems unwilling to die… illustration: SIMON WEBSTER
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LIFE
➳ oh, the prurience. O tempora, o bloody mores. Can we stand much more wailing, bruxism, and rending apparel out? Murder, murder, all is sweet murder. We have the latest in now; Jessica Davies, niece of Quentin Davies, a man whose sole claim to fame (being an MP doesn’t count any more) is that he is the least likely holder of the Labour whip since Viscount Stansgate. Jessica, 28, is possessed of “film star good looks” and dreamt of being “a top model”. I hope so—she’s facing stiff competition. 2007 is the year of the milf. M, in this case, for ‘Murder suspect’. Perhaps we should have seen it coming when Kate McCann became the face of the year. Missing children are often good for a couple of days (and all credit to Alex Woolfall, crisis management expert from Bell Pottinger, for keeping it on the front pages for a bit longer) but—let’s face it—it was when she became a suspect that things got interesting. At a stroke the most attractive possible killer since anyone can remember. Go on, admit it. You couldn’t bring yourself to fancy her when she was the grieving mother of a missing child, could you? But possible murderess (and how sexy is that ‘ess’)? You were walking double. But Kate, Kate. We just don’t know, do we? And there’s the problem, there’s the guilt. No one wants to feel a thrill at a grieving mother (that’s just sick). And who knows what a nation would have done if we had not been presented, on a salver, with ‘Foxy Knoxy’? Temptress, seductress and alleged murderess, shoving KMcC back into the also-rans. Were the McCann’s swingers? Probably not, but it was a beguiling enough rumour to enjoy its rounds of the message boards. But we know that Amanda (and it is a fairly sexy name—would she be half as good were she called ‘Lesley’?) was, at the very least, promiscuous. At best, ‘sexually voracious’. Sadly not bisexual, as I believe that would clinch it (If you’re reading, Jess, take note). And the other details, for there the devil will ever reside. The Halloween costumes. The knife. (Knives are best, are they not? I blame Angelina Jolie, myself). And ultimately, the chestnut hair. Blondes did it for a while (think Chicago, think Madonna in Dick Tracy, think Basic Instinct). Philip Marlowe, that ceaseless connoisseur of a ‘killing dame’, he
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would have gone for a blonde. But it’s over. Perhaps that was Kate’s mistake. Blondes, now, they’re all Claudia Schiffer and Jessica Simpson. Even Spears went brunette for her last outing. We’re getting down with brown. But we’re forgetting. Foxy Amanda would be nothing if she’d committed the murder. Jealousy, rage, la crime passionelle, all dull. No, the fact that she is accused of being complicit, restraining, and then fabricating a story (or, according to one paper at least, going shopping) —there’s the rub. Rod Liddle, a man of huge intellect and humanist faith, decided in The Spectator that it was Knox’s ‘predatory sexual instinct’ that had got us all going. But he is too kind. It isn’t. He claims also that it is ‘less the lying... than the insinuation that she was an extremely sexually active young lady’. Nope. There is nothing that will get you going—and I do mean you—like a cold calculating bitch, and murder is the crimson cherry on the deviant cake. Melvin Purvis would have understood. He was the FBI man who brought down Dillinger. How? Through Ana Cumpanas, who calmly set up her lover and gave the Judas signal by wearing (never mind the legend) an orange dress. Did I mention she was a prostitute? How remiss. Sexually voracious, and a willing accomplice in a show death. It is this thanatos (and if you are forgetting your Greek, or your Freud, that’s ‘death instinct’) that will keep this one going like the clappers. The story is a corker. All the elements you ever wanted: sex games, an orgy, all the girls beautiful, the only good pagan festival since the Church hijacked Eostre, blood (lots of blood), even the mixed race nature of the suspects helps. Baudrillard would be proud; this isn’t a murder case, it’s a slasher movie. You’ve already made up your mind what happened, thank Hollywood. And towering above it all, the ice queen herself, deviant jezebel, fit and she knows it, staring brazenly out from her myspace photo with her tongue out, daring you. Of course beyond all that, in the rather drab greying sphere of reality, are two cried-dry grief-struck families, a missing toddler, a brief life brought to an abrupt and arbitrary end, and a scared young girl— just out of her teens—in a prison cell. But I’m not certain you give a shit. k
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reviews: DINING
v
LIFE
DI N Ef
Eat, drink and make merry at some of Profile’s favourite restaurants around the City
beach blanket babylon 45 Ledbury Road, London, W11 2AA 0207 229 2907 www.beachblanket.co.uk
➳
In 1990, Ledbury Road in Notting Hill inherited a venue that now
proudly sits in the heart of North-West London. Beach Blanket Babylon, named after the famous boulevard in San Francisco, occupies an old 18th century Georgian House that boasts the all the charm and grand eclectic décor of a French country chateau. A visit to BBB isn’t just a dining experience. I had heard whispers of its unique aspects but had to find out for myself. If it was good enough for Sienna and Jude, it’s good enough for me. Combining Boho chic and the Baroque, BBB is a venue that exudes all the class and cool that comes with Notting Hill. You can gauge the whole vibe of the venue as you approach the imposing Louis XVI entrance door. In a Narnia-esque moment, you are transported into an enchanting world of the bourgeois French aristocratic society. With its sparkling marble floors, the bar never fails to impress. How many venues display vintage jewellery cabinets, with pieces previously owned by the likes of Princess Margaret and Rita Hayworth? The extensive cocktail menu leaves you with a pleasant dilemma along with the option of 30 of the very best wines of the Bordeaux region. Never mind Ladbroke Grove, it appears more LA with cocktails even named after wealthy heiress Paris Hilton. With an enviable array of worldwide whites from across South America and Europe, the champagne shortlist also boasts a decadent listing of Krug, Moët, Veuve, Magnum Cristal and vintage jeroboams of
Starters such as the Pan-Fried Quail Breast with Caramelised Commis
Dom Perignon.
Pear and Foie Gras offer a sound choice and an appropriate warm-up
If you’re a fan of the styles of the mesmerising Palace in Versailles and the grand cathedrals of Spain, then Beach Blanket Babylon provides such an experience without the need to board the next Easyjet plane to Europe. Thanks to extensive renovation, it has become one of London’s most sought after bars and a definite haunt for any self-respecting socialite.
The recently completed Ballroom is most definitely the centrepiece, embellished in 17th Century tapestries, period chandeliers and fireplaces, as well as sumptuous silk curtains decorated with 18ct gold and Swarovski crystal. Assisted by a drawing room and wine cellar, it provides the perfect venue for large cocktail party dining.
act before moving on to the John Dory with Braised White Onion, Sweet Sherry, Soaked Raisins and Lemon Pomme Puree or Roasted Pork Belly Marinated with Fennel Seeds, Sautéed Spring Greens, Creamy Mash, Buttered Apples & Cider Jus. Both were equally spot-on, allowing for a smooth transition to the desserts of which the White Chocolate Crème Brulee is a must along with the Rich Chocolate Tart. The BBB brand is already extending across London as a brand new 10,000 square foot sister venue has opened in Shoreditch this Autumn, incorporating an art gallery, club, restaurant, bar, members lounge and roof garden. I was a Beach Blanket Babylon virgin but this was no one-
The 200-seater restaurant is like no other as you have the option of
night stand—more the start of a blossoming relationship.the restaurant
dining in either the Chapel, Crypt, Gallery or Scullery, interconnected
is relaxed and welcoming.
via unique walkways, tunnels and bridges.
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LIFE
GILGAMESH
KENZA
Camden View, Camden Stables Market Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8AH Tel: 0207 482 5757 www.gilgameshbar.com
10 Devonshire Square London EC2M 4YP Tel: 020 7929 0303 www.kenza-restaurant.co.uk
➳
➳
The Pan-Asian restaurant is under new management
Newly opened amid a degree of pomp in the City
(you may have read about it all if you’re a fan of Camden’s
close to Bishopsgate, Kenza is a fantastically opulent and
local papers) who have added new twists to what was
entertaining middle-eastern experience. The interior is
already a great venue.
wonderfully decorated and perfectly lit, setting the scene
Situated in the heart of Camden lock, the restaurant and bar is named for the heroic Babylonian king Gilgamesh, the
for the sampling of imaginative cocktails or sitting down for a meal after work or during lunch.
protagonist of The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest
The venue also offers belly dancers during the evenings,
recorded pieces of literature. Early cuneiform poetry
which makes it a great place to entertain clients (especially
aside, the new venue is grandiosely cool (if such a thing is
if the conversation promises to run a little dry). The staff
possible) and the food is consistently outstanding. The
are excellent and not too intrusive (which can be the
menu is extensive, offering everything from Dim Sum to Thai
case sometimes with new restaurants) and the charming
Green Curry Salad. The Dim Sum include Lobster Cheung
manager Marcus Etty is always pleased to recommend a
Fun, Prawn Har Gau and Vegetable Crystal Dumplings.
main course, with the Sommelier advising on the wine list
Numerous types of sushi and sashimi are also on offer,
which comprises Lebasese varieties.
including Smoked Eel Oshi Sushi and Snow Crab California Roll. The selection of main dishes is also broad, including Twice Cooked Pork Belly, Pak Choi and Black Vinegar, and Lobster Tail served with Green Tea Noodles.
The food is a “meld of Levantine cuisine with a particular emphasis on Moroccan and Lebanese food”, and has to be said, is fantastic. I’ve always been a big fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, with its fresh, natural, simply-prepared ingredients
The surroundings seem designed to invoke great Asian
combined with spices and eaten with warm breads, and
cultures and dynasties of yesteryear, and in an interesting
Kenza chef Jad Youssef seems to be one of the more
move, the management have included an Opera Night every
talented exponents of it. The portions are generous and will
Tuesday. So, as you sit chomping down delicious spicy
most likely be hard to finish, but the food has home-made
niblets and sipping on a good Riesling, you may find a large
quality that will make you want to give it a go. The Muhammar
chap behind your shoulder singing an aria from La Boheme.
is amazing (the evening menu offers Kenza ‘feasts’), a slow
What we thought could have been an awkward novelty
cooked lamb that simply melts off the bone and is served
evening actually turned out to be immensely enjoyable, and
with cinnamon couscous and sultanas. Beautiful private
more than just a gimmick. The Oyster Opera Company (who
dining areas are also available to punters, and make for a
recently performed at Elton John’s birthday party) provided
vibrant place to have a party. Different combinations are
the entertainment, which added a good ambience and is
offered but up to 140 people can be accommodated.
definitely worth experiencing. Definitely the place to go if you like Asian food, opera, or a combination of the two.
Arabic culture is always warm, welcoming and fun-loving at meal times; Kenza is gift from the heart of the Levant to the heart of the City—allowing any frosty Englishman the chance to enjoy a slice of middle east culture and a mouthful of its food.
reviews: DINING
LIFE
gaucho www.gaucho-grill.com
➳.Famed
for offering the finest Argentine beef this side of the
yuzu, white soy and honey with jalapeno, red onion and coriander all
Falklands, Gaucho has recently expanded its presence in London,
feature. All ceviches are served with popcorn, as Douglas recommends
opening up new Gaucho Grills in Tower Bridge and Richmond (there
eating the popcorn between mouthfuls to clean the palate.
are also restaurants in Broadgate and Canary Wharf). We dined at the
Alternatively, choose either the empanda (a Latin pasty, very much
Sloane Avenue branch, almost ten years on from the opening of the
part of the staple diet of Latin America) stuffed with a variety of
first grill in Piccadilly.
fillings from the more classic beef picadillo, braised chicken, to more
Gaucho Grills are known for their steaks, and the reputation is surely
contemporary ingredients such as tuna and spinach and cheese.
deserved. Argentine Beef is so good apparently thanks to the moisture,
Sausages are another classic Latin starter and the ‘Longaniza’
climate, soil and vast terrain on which it grazes. Due to the fact that
(meaning ‘long and thin) is the Argentine version of a sausage.
Argentine Aberdeen Angus cows graze freely over the grassland
It can be filled with any type of meat; Douglas however chose the
and do not require hormones, the beef results in containing 10% less
most typical: chicken, which is served with crispy onion hay, pickled
cholesterol and 25% less intra muscular fat than US or UK beef. At
jalapeño peppers and radish. There is also a sausage platter, offering
the Gaucho restaurants the steaks are all cooked in the traditional
chicken, pork, veal, morcilla and chorizo sausages.
Argentine way. By only turning the steak once, there is a greater caramelization and the formation of a delicious crust, which seals the
Apart from the steaks, the main courses include a succulent chicken
meat—enhancing the flavour as the juices cannot escape.
dish, Adobo chicken, where the chicken is sealed before cooking allowing the fat to be evenly distributed. For non-meat eaters try the
If you haven’t salivated all over the pages of the magazine by this point,
grilled seabass, or the chupe de mariscos, a South American chowder
then consider the new menu, reworked by chef Douglas Rodriguez
of lobsters, tiger prawns, squid and king scallops. The Lamb Duo is
(if indeed it is your aim to salivate for some reason). The son of
really excellent, Lamb being very popular in the Patagonia region of
Cuban immigrants to Miami, the award-winning Rodriguez grew up
Argentina. It comprises of three lamb chops partnered with tender
surrounded by flavours and ingredients that he would one day bring to
braised shoulder of lamb, accompanied by white beans, sliced
bear on the Gaucho menu.
artichoke salad and mint chimichurri.
Rodriguez is in London one week a month. Starters include a delicious
The Gaucho Grills also continue to offer the most definitive Argentine
array of Ceviches. Ecuadorian Ceviche, which has marinated tiger
wine list available in the UK.
prawns in a roasted tomato and lime sauce, or the Rainbow Ceviche, an exotic blend of Merluza, salmon and tuna marinated in citrus juices,
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THE PIGALLE CLUB
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MOOSE BAR
215-217 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HN Tel: 0845 345 6053 www.thepigalleclub.com
31 Duke Street, Mayfair, W1U Tel: 020 7478 8969 www.the-moose.co.uk
➳
The Pigalle Club opened last year on Piccadilly, in the
of ski lodges grace the walls and cow print banquettes give
heart of the West End. Owned by music mogul Vince Power,
off an eccentric feel to bar. The team behind this is the
the founder of the Mean Fiddler Group, this 40s—inspired
Vince Power Music Group. On the ground floor, you can
supper club encapsulates the glamour and sophistication of
have a quiet drink and if you’re feeling in the mood to dance,
that bygone era.
there’s a more lively bar/club in the basement with a DJ most
Patrons of The Pigalle Club are invited to dine whilst enjoying music from the house band or alternatively simply pop in for drinks. As evenings draw on the venue transforms from cabaret into a late night lounge club with DJs and performances that maintain the same supper club vibe of sophisticated elegance. The club is the perfect venue to continue an evening after
➳ Decorated in the style of an Alpine lodge, huge pictures
nights of the week. Although cocktails are priced £6.50 to a very reasonable £8.50 for champagne cocktails, from 5-9pm, their generous happy hour means that on selected drinks it’s a mere £3.75. On Monday to Thursday, it opens until 2am, and on Friday and Saturday until 3am. Bar snacks are also available before 10pm. This bar might be in an exclusive neighbourhood, but it is very friendly and easy-going.. k
the theatre as last orders are at midnight. It also offers an excellent cocktail list and extensive wine list, additionally the house champagne, Tattinger, is only £35 a bottle.
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food: CURRY
LIFE
CURRYING FAVOUR Sam Gisoad looks at a uniquely British quirk of culinary culture when it was discovered that chicken tikka masala was the most popular dish in the UK, the reactions were stupefyingly predictable.
➳
The closet racists that always get wheeled out on ethnic integration issues bemoaned the loss of the true British classic of fish ‘n’ chips (Sephardic Jewish dish, if you’re interested). A new Labour mouthpiece—in this case, surprisingly, the normally cerebral Robin Cook—claimed it as a triumph for (New Labour) multiculturalism. And the renta-cooks that infest the lesserwatched flatlands of TV scheduling scrambled over themselves like incontinents to tell everyone how to cook one, or that it wasn’t authentic, or to repeat the urban legend about the Glaswegian who wouldn’t eat his tandoori meat “wi’out gravy”.
travellers. That most quintessential of British joke curries, metonym for a million rugby-club dinners and symbolic of diarrhoea, the Vindaloo, couldn’t be further from its supposed Anglo-Indian roots. Vinho de Alho is Portuguese for ‘wine of garlic’. The Scoville units came later. But whilst the Tikka debate was shot through with exuberant, if unoriginal, non-sequiturs it did unconsciously acknowledge that food is both symbolic for and central to cultural identity. You’re not what you eat, one hopes, but you are what you’re seen to eat; why else the curious round of foodbased nicknames (frogs, rosbifs, krauts, limeys, etc)? One of the most telling—if pathetic—tableaux of the ‘War On Terror’ was the White House attempting to rename French Fries as ‘Freedom Fries’ (bucket, fetch a bucket). It makes it clear enough, though: voro ergo sum. This much we know. So what is Britain now?
“if you’re looking for a group of people who go down the docks and mug the first shipload of immigrants for their seasonings then, i’m sorry to tell you, that’s us”
All of which gloriously missed the point, of course. No one knows how long the English have been eating curry for. We do know for certain that a book appeared in 1390, in the reign of Richard II, called The Forme of Cury—that last word taken, one assumes, from the standard court-speak Norman French cuire ‘to cook’—which contained almost 200 recipes for meat in spices. The use of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, coriander, and cardamom had been common in better-stocked kitchens for some time. Even if the Indian theory is correct, and the name curry comes from either the Tamil word kari (‘sauce’ or—yes—gravy) or the Hindi word karai (a cooking dish), the chilli pepper wasn’t native to South Asia until around 1500, when it was exported there along the trade routes by Portuguese and Spanish
In Britain, the current obsession with cookery would have us believe that cuisine was invented at some point in 1980, possibly with Lizzie David having laid some impressive foundation in the 50s and Delia Smith offering some guarded observations concerning the correct boiling of eggs about two decades later. Before that, it’s well known, it was all grey boiled meat and rationing and mud. Go back far enough and they stuck spikes through animals and whirled them around over a fire. And the Victorians ate gruel. Right? Bollocks. Chances are a 14th Century visitor wouldn’t be phased by a modern table, except—perhaps—by the lack of fish.
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LIFE
Well, actually, they might wonder why we insist on drinking water, anathema to the health conscious of the time. With the exception of Richard II’s answer to Madhur Jaffri, and Guillaume Taillevent (who penned L’Mangier de Paris sometime in the 1390s) one of the best guides to Dark Ages cuisine comes from civil servant, poet and near-pornographer Geoffrey “look, farts are funny” Chaucer. The cook that the pilgrims take with them on their way to Canterbury could roast, boil, broil, fry, make stews, pies (using the Fergus Henderson classic: marrow bones) and was well-known for his blancmange and also employed spices—and of all things—galangal. Fast forward to the reign of Elizabeth I and you start to see the publication of specialist cookery books, which concentrated on elements of the whole dinner party thing: John Gerrard’s Complyte Herball or a Generall Historie of Plantes was published in 1597 to explain the uses of flavouring herbs in cooking.
much the food itself that entrances us, as the process. As I write this, Marco Pierre White is swearing at some hapless lackwit on the tv in the background and millions are watching. Few of them will follow the recipe, and fewer still give a fuck about how it tastes. It’s all about shouting how au fait you are with the techniques, the robust metrosexualism, or rather sophisticated androsexualism, of it all. Nah, food in Britain has always been about status. The very word ‘banquet’ never had anything to do with large amounts of food, it referred to a course of spiced sweetmeats served after dinner in a different room. Everyone knows by now about how difficult it could be to get your hands on spices until relatively recently, but in the 1590s sugar cost 16 times the price of good beef (and precious few ever saw good beef). Food now, as
food then, is a statement; I appreciate other cultures, I have taste, I know about gi indexes, I’m adventurous, I’m the sort of pain in the arse who demands that everything be done to my convenience and sod the rest of you. The rise in veganism and intolerances mostly has nothing to do with ethics or allergies; it’s just another way of asserting dominance. Just try to find French vegan. Try, for that matter, telling someone who professes their lactose intolerance that there’s no bloody lactose in cheese.
“just try to find french vegan. try, for that matter, telling someone who professes their lactose intolerance that there’s no bloody lactose in cheese”
A British obsession with food simply isn’t a new thing. And what has characterised that peculiar obsession has always been the same: experimentation and assimilation. The French have their terroir, the fascination with the taste of the region which has led them to characterise recipes and foodstuffs by town, village or (in some cases) house. The Italians have a puritanical attraction to basic ingredients which makes their dishes by turn amazing, ephemeral and impossible to recreate. The Germans have, well, the Germans have sausage, but they seem to like it. But if you’re looking for a group of people who go down the docks and mug the first shipload of immigrants for their seasonings then, I’m sorry to tell you, that’s us. The potato, easily our most flexible and popular vegetable (yes, I know it’s a tuber) wasn’t native to these shores until about 1586. The interesting thing— borne out by cooking culture today—is that it isn’t so
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If we have a virtue in our eating habits, it is that we want to see what things might taste like if we do weird shit to it. We always have done. If we have a vice it is that we only do that to show other people how amazing we are. Britons have been spicing, rubbing, marinating, slow-roasting, infusing, salting, curing and caramelising since before most people had houses and long before we spoke a language you’d recognise today. With each new entrant group to the UK we gain a new melting pot—quite literally. If only we could do it for fun. With all the fuss being made about the value of multiculturalism, though, it’s worth considering. Your saucepan’s a good place to start. k
drink: PARTIDA TEQUILA
LIFE
FIREWATER ➳
If Tequila conjures up hazy memories
Appreciating that quality takes time and
rivals—will
of shots and a harsh, burning spirit—think
patience, Partida’s piña are harvested after
connoisseurs, newcomers and cocktail
again. The talk in the UK’s style bars is of a
precisely 10 years before slow-cooking
lovers will be won over by the smoothness
Tequila renaissance and leading the way is
to conserve the rich, natural flavour. The
of the classic Margarita cocktail when
super-premium Mexican brand Partida…
agua mile, or ‘honey water’, is milled
made with the Blanco and Partida’s new
by hand, and distilled twice, with local
100% organic Agave syrup.
Partida’s story begins in 1924 on the red soil of the small town of Amititan. The drink is made, as all Tequila must be, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, from the heart of the Blue Agave. But what sets the brand
distilled water for ultimate purity. Ageing takes place in American oak whisky barrels and each and every bottle is finished by hand.
be
appreciated
by
spirit
Despite its rich history and sleek design, with Partida the real proof is in the tasting. Available now, in 70cl bottles (40% ABV) at Gerry’s of Soho and selected style bars
apart from other Tequilas is that it is 100%
Partida achieves a rare and delicate balance
including, in London: Green and Red,
estate-grown and untainted by pesticides.
between age-old tradition and modern
The Lonsdale and Fifty St James and
techniques:
in Scotland: Bar Soba, Lulu, Bobar and
Today, the Partida family is driven by the desire to produce the finest spirit there is. Personally controlling every stage of the Tequila’s production, the latest technology is applied to improve quality—such as the introduction of stainless steel rather than
creating
a
sophisticated
spirit with genuine heritage. With three distinctive Tequilas in the range—Blanco
Blackfriars. k >> www.partidatequila.com
(unaged), Reposado (aged six months) and Añejo (aged 18 months) —Partida is crafted from 100% pure Blue Agave. While
ancient practices wherever possible.
substantially
Partida Blanco (Unaged)
Partida Reposado (Aged Six Months)
➳
smoky brick ovens—while striving to preserve
Partida’s
Añejo—aged
longer
than
its
Clean, crisp and floral on the nose, the
Light amber in colour, with golden
taste has notes of citrus, fresh herbs
tones and aromas of cocoa and
and tropical fruit. Never harsh, Partida
vanilla, hazelnut and almond. The
Blanco has a distinctive flavour of Agave
taste is smooth and full bodied, with
which lingers gently on the palate.
a with Partida’s signature touch of sweetness (and no hint of the overbearing smokiness of many reposados) and a deep, rich finish.
Partida Añejo (Aged 18 Months)➳ Intense and golden in colour with ochre and copper tones. A fruity aroma with notes of cherry, almond, dried fruit and spices. With tones of honeyed fruit and the flavour of banana, chocolate and sweet pear, the finish is spectacular: one to be savoured slowly.
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for
nearest
Partida Tequila is available now at selected bars, restaurants and independent retailers all over the country.
STYLE
BAGS. AGAIN. ➳ Take a look at this chap. If he appears smug, that’s probably because he is. And why? Well, it could be because he’s a model, or because ‘smug’ is his version of ‘blue steel’. It could also be because he’s got himself one of the lovely new Knomo bags. Pictured is their new Logan bag, in ember. Knomo offer a selection of bags, slim laptop pouches and Ipod cases, available at Selfridges, Harrods and John Lewis among other retailers. The bags are good value at between £150 and £200 and include: a quilted laptop protection pouch, a cable bag included as standard, interior pockets for pens, keys and a unique tracker ID if the product is lost with a 24-hour helpline number for the finder to call. The collection is available to buy online now. They also make good Christmas stockings… k >> www.knomo.com
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style: THE ART OF GIVING
STYLE
the ART of GIVING ➳ To be able to give to others is to truly be blessed. Dunhill have created a range that will make perfect gifts to others in the office. So, this Christmas, why not be a little generous? And if you’re stuck as to what to get for whom, you can try the ‘dunhill Present Predictor’. Simply answer some simple questions about the person in question, and be presented with a number of tailored and intuitive gift options. (Are any of you really going to do that? Just buy your boss a present—it may pay off when it’s promotion time.)
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STYLE
Poker Set
➳
Chess Set
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The really competitive can take respite in a choice of dunhill games. An exclusive collaboration with Jaques of London—the world’s most recognised and respected maker of chess pieces—this set presents the quintessential version of unsurpassed quality. Marrying modern technology with age-old convention, the dunhill traditional leather chessboard has been digitally printed so as to allow every move to be as smooth as the player himself. And what better way to distinguish a bona fide card hustler than by the quality of his set? True to form, dunhill have created the consummate poker set. Crisp, cool aluminium chips and branded playing cards are encased in an elegant, black, lacquered, heavyweight box that wouldn’t look out of place in a casino.
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➳
➳
STYLE
Cashmere and Mink Mix Scarves The stylistic gentleman can be treated to a veritable wardrobe of garbs and gifts. As well as a resplendent range of knitwear, shirts, gloves, and ties, this man’s panache love of all things au courant can be indulged by the decadence of the dunhill scarves realised in a mix of pure cashmere and mink, in one colour or all three.
➳
style: THE ART OF GIVING
Leather Digital Photo Frame Never one to solicit style without an inventive motive, dunhill have teamed up with Philips to create a range of beautiful crocodile leather frames that perfectly complement the leading Philips’ digital photo screen. As such, the most convincing way to capture a memory has now been enhanced even further.
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STYLE
➳
Exotics Crocodile Skin Holdall Bag
➳
Exotics Ostrich Messenger Bag For the intrepid freestyle traveller, the Exotics leather range simply rocks. The sensational crocodile skin holdall (made with the skins of four crocodiles) or the modish ostrich skin messenger bag (the skin having been delicately treated with cashmere finish) —both available in either tan or a bustier blue—quickly and succinctly establish a man’s reputation as a traveller of esteemed taste and flair. And probably a dislike of crocodiles.
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➳
Sentryman Swarovski pen For the lovers of all things truly opulent, dunhill present this pen. The perfect blend of luxury, style and innovation, it boasts not only an 18 carat gold nib, but also a sensational cap lined with 112 diamonds (the number of pens available across the world) and a body luxuriously wrapped with the exclusive and ingenious Swarovski crystal fabric.
ARTICLE KIND: ARTICLE SUBJECT
STYLE
MARK MARENGO ARTICLE
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17/19 Quadrant Arcade 80/82 Regent Street London W1B 5HD 287 Fulham Road Fulham London SW10 9PZ 32 Artillery Lane Spitalfields London E1 7LS 12 Piccadilly Arcade 175 Piccadily London SW1Y 6NH Lower Level, Port East West India Quay London E14 4AE
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profile style school: ALTERNATIVES TO BESPOKE
STYLE
s thomas mahon discusses the alternatives to bespoke...
➳ I happen to believe that a bespoke suit is worth its high asking price, or else I wouldn’t bother selling them. They look better, they fit better, and they last years longer than their competition. It’s really that simple. Even so, £2,000 is a lot of money, let’s not kid ourselves.
Luckily for suit lovers everywhere, with modern technology there are now some really good ready-to-wear, manufactured suits being made, starting at only a few hundred pounds. Fifty years ago, suits that were both good and cheap did not exist. The technology simply wasn’t there. So regardless of your budget, you have a lot of options. Here’s the basic hierarchy to consider:
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STYLE
Ultimately with made-to-measure, your suit is at the mercy of the manufacturer. But at least with having an experienced cutter like Tony or Ravi to measure you, there’s far less chance of disappointment.
one a totally machine made, off-the-peg suit These cost around £100 to £600. The production systems for these is so slick, a suit is literally made in minutes. My first boss, Mike Wigglesworth Redmayne once very kindly took me to visit a clothing factory to witness this mechanization. What sticks in my mind the most about that day, apart from the disconcerting efficiency of the machines, was the fact that designer-label brands were coming off the same production line as the “apparently” far less exclusive makes, such as Marks & Spencer (For the money, the British high street retailer, Marks & Spencer makes as good a suit as anyone. I rate them highly).
three hand made off-the-peg These are made by hand, and yes, the quality is generally very high. But it is still an assembly line. It’s just using humans instead of machines, cutting from generic, standardized patterns, not your own individual measurements. Yes, the buttonholes will be hand-sewn, just like ‘bespoke’. Yes, your coat will be made with a ‘floating’ canvas, just like bespoke. But the assembly line will still be cranking out twentyfive ‘size 40s’ in a single shift, unlike bespoke.
With machine-made, all manufacturers have pattern designers who create a basic pattern which, in their interpretation, would fit most people. So what you’ve got to do is be guided by the fit and the feel of a jacket around the neck and shoulders. Make this your priority.
That being said, it’s still quality stuff. And you can order the suit in the morning, and be wearing it by the afternoon. The fit won’t be half bad, either. This area is admittedly of personal interest to me as I have recently finished designing the ready-to-wear suits of Reuben Alexander. I had made bespoke for the owners of Reuben’s for several years. Then one day they phoned me up and said they wanted to put the same soft look as my bespoke into a ready-towear. The rest is history.
If you’re in-between sizes, get the larger size and pay a high street alteration tailor £20-£30 to have it taken in or whatever. Don’t fool yourself that just because it’s a Hugo Boss or Armani it’s a better fit than the Marks & Spencer. It doesn’t work that way. Forget the cost—just be honest with yourself. Like I said, pay attention round the neck and shoulders.
Their new shop has recently opened in central London. At around £1000 Reuben’s is one of the best. I’m not saying you’ll like them (not everybody likes me, either), but they’re definitely worth a look.
two made-to-measure Not to be confused with ‘bespoke’. What you’re getting is the same machine-made as in option one, but the basic pattern will have slight alterations made at the factory to improve the overall fit. Expect to pay anywhere between £450 and £800. You will also get more possibilities to personalize the suit, pocket details, style etc.
In this category, there’s quite a good selection out there— Chester Barrie, Brioni or Oxxford Clothes, etc. These are good clothes, ranging from around £1000 up to £3000. Frankly, I think the expensive end of this category is asking a lot of money for something that comes off an assembly line. I’m really not convinced it’s money well spent. These companies also do a form of bespoke, which involves things being sent away to base manufacturers. Again, for that kind of money, I really don’t think it’s personal enough.
Bear in mind that the guy who measures you may only have been in the job for a few weeks, or even a few hours. He’s only running a tape around you and ticking style boxes on the order form. So don’t expect miracles. There are high street chains that offer this service, and even proper tailors as well. A.J. Hewitt, an excellent tailor, is a good example. The principals, Tony Hewitt and Ravi Tailor (yes, his real name), offer true bespoke that’s up there with the best. However they also offer made-to-measure. This in no way compromises their bespoke suits, they’re just simply allowing their customers the option of only climbing halfway up the sartorial ladder.
four true bespoke Congratulations. You’ve arrived. The highest rung on the ladder. k >> www.englishcut.com
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BLOWW
STYLE
TOP JOB AT BLOWW ➳
Bloww is instantly recognisable as a salon with a difference.
I visited the salon to experience just such amelioration. The lovely
The neon lights announcing its name, set against a sleek black
Bao (herself one of the beautiful things on display) treated me to
backdrop, immediately suggest energy, vibrancy, beauty, and more
a Tui Na massage. Following an initial consultation, Bao selected
than a touch of playfulness. It is precisely this combination that
the most beneficial massage for my body, tailoring her style to
has seen the salon, nestled between the smart shops of Regent’s
address my needs. Her vast network of clients pays tribute to her
Street and the seedier but soulful Soho, rise to meteoric heights.
enviable skills, with men particularly impressed by the fact that
Launched by Paul Merritt and Adee Phelan of Channel Four’s ‘The
she uses her weight to ensure that the massage penetrates deeply
Salon’ fame, the sassy Bloww has an
and has longer lasting effects. Other massages on offer include
eclectic client base, ranging from pop
the Pantai Luar Hot Oil treatment, which exfoliates and conditions
superstars, to politicians, to royalty.
using fresh, tropical fruits, exotic spices, and hot oil. For those
The black wallpaper and granite ‘catwalk’ welcome you into a thoroughly modern space. Merritt’s attention to detail, coupled with a flair for creative design, is visible at every turn; his passion for beauty and the ameliorating quality of art translates itself into illustrated
ŒÁÁÚ·ÊÔ2
01-08-07
13:47
seeking pure indulgence, then the Synchronised Massage provided by the Henderson twins promises ‘four expert hands that complement and follow each other to relieve muscular tension, improve circulation and lavish the skin with exotic oils, stimulating the senses and promoting complete relaxation’, although the prospect of twins with oil is sufficiently enticing for the average male.
sketches of the female form that line
Bloww combines the very latest wellbeing treatments with modern
the walls. In fact, from the staff, to the
hair styling. The excellent hair team merge fashion savoir-faire with
clients, to the end results of a treatment,
classic, workable designs. A male friend of mine with a penchant
fantasy beauty in Bloww is a ubiquitous
for the literature of the Belle Époque recently booked himself in
™ÂÏ›‰·1
for a cut with stylist Lance. Within minutes the adept Lance had
and celebrated reality.
identified this literary passion and suggested, rather than inflicted,
New Hair Loss Treatment!
an updated Oscar Wilde-meets-E.M Forster look. My hairdressershy friend was delighted with this take on Edwardian chic and puts the success of the cut down to its versatility and ease of finishing. It is this communion of personality and professionalism that makes Bloww so desirable.
37rs
The salon boasts a five star bespoke service, including providing
Yea
a butler on hand to serve drinks throughout the day. The chilled, contemporary feel and backdrop of inspiring tunes shuns
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fancy some aesthetic stimulation in a quintessentially stylish venue this Christmas, head to Bloww to get the job done. For more information, visit
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relax: BEST LONDON SPAS
STYLE
v BEST LONDON SPAS f ➳
Whether you’re sending your woman to one to try and
score some points (or calm her down a little) or looking for some downtime yourself, spas can be a great way to unwind and get some genuine relaxation. Here’s some of our favourites in the City
3.) Spa London at York Hall
1.) The Spa at The Dorchester
2.) Spa Illuminata
The use of the spa as well as fitness facilities are available for use by hotel residents at The Dorchester, but the spa also welcomes nonresidents for treatments, Spa Days and hair services by Charles Worthington Hair Salon and Barbershop. The spa is simply decorated to evoke an informal ‘health club’ feel, and this adds to, rather than detracts from, the relaxation process. Furthermore, the staff in the spa, from the receptionists to the therapists, must be the friendliest in London. The therapists at The Dorchester Spa are particularly keen to fit your requirements for the treatments and will happily adapt a massage or facial to suit your personal needs. Worth sampling is ‘The Real Aromatherapy Experience’— £90 for 55 minutes, £120 for 1 hr 25 minutes, a traditional full body and facial massage. There are a large variety of treatments for men, and clients can also enjoy traditional wetshaves, haircuts, manicures and pedicures at The Dorchester Barbershop.
Situated in the heart of Mayfair is Spa Illuminata, a tranquil day spa based on Roman and Greek origins. Signature treatments by Shiseido, Carita and Decleor are the main focus at the spa, as is the aim that each client should leave with a feeling of inner calm. Visiting Spa Illuminata is an almost ritualistic experience; clients are advised to start their session by enjoying one of the spa’s therapeutic steam rooms, which encourages deeps relaxation throughout the entire body, and thus maximises the body’s response to the treatments. Stone therapy is very fashionable at the moment, and Carita ‘Revitalising Warm Stone Therapy’— £140 for 1hr 30 minutes—combines a replenishing full-body mineral mask with a blissful massage using warm volcanic pebbles. As a real indulgence, the spa also offers a ‘Just For Men’ day package at £160 which lasts for almost three hours and includes an Aromaspa luxury manicure, Aromatherapy Fitness Essential and an Oriental Tranquility head and neck massage.
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Calling itself London’s best kept secret, Spa London is tucked away in Bethnal Green and attracts locals and non-local residents alike. Formerly home to Tower Hamlets’ historic Victorian baths, life has been breathed back into York Hall and the Turkish baths are now been transformed into a thermal spa. There are lots of rooms with a variety of heat treatments; try the hammam, sauna, body-scrub room and steam room before dipping into the Plunge Pool, eucalyptus-infused Monsoon Showers or ‘relaxation zone’ to cool down. The spa is functional, simple and clean, yet modern with elegant touches. Staff are extremely helpful and friendly; they take each visitor on a tour of the facilities on arrival. Teas and water are complimentary and lunch can be booked if you choose a day spa package. Far from having a snooty feel to the place, Spa London attracts all sorts—from older retired residents, yummy mummies and curious noneastenders. A variety of treatments are available, from the reasonably priced Shave Ease Facial Treatment (£50) to massages (from £25) and waxing (£17). A typical spa package for men costs a mere £80 and includes use of the entire thermal spa, a full massage and facial. Strongly recommended is the wonderful Aromatic massage (£55). You could score some brownie points by buying in a day spa programme (from £99) for the lady. Men only days are on Mondays and Thursdays, with mixed days on Sundays. £20 entry for non-residents, with discounts for members and local residents.
STYLE
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
7.) Elemis Spa at the Park Lane Intercontinental On the edge of one of the busiest roundabouts in London—Hyde Park Corner—stands the Intercontinental and buried deep within its shiny heart is the exotic Elemis spa. As you enter the sleek dark wood interior you will completely forget the world outside. Once inside the treatment rooms you can even choose from a soothing selection of light schemes. ‘Time To Spa’ is their unique concept which allow 15 minute rejuvenating booster treatments to be fitted into busy schedules. Whether you need to quickly get over your jetlag, get the tension out of your shoulders, or just have a shave, Elemis can work wonders. The luxurious ‘well being’ massage will leave you feeling like you’ve woken from a hundred years of sleep. But if you haven’t got time for the full hour, the therapists will adapt any of the luscious treatments to suit your schedule.
5.) The Urban Retreat at Harrods
4.) Como Shambhala at The Metropolitan Hotel Como Shambahala is a stylish and compact spa, with two treatment rooms in addition to a gym, where both hotel guests and non-residents can benefit from Asian-inspired holistic therapies. Treatments such as shiatsu, reiki, aromatherapy and Thai massages are carried out by experienced health professionals, and can be complemented by yoga and personal training sessions. Particularly recommended is the ‘Deep Tissue Massage’— £85 for 60 minutes or £125 for 90 minutes, in which a specially trained therapist pinpoints and helps to release areas of tension, remove toxins and soothe tired muscles.
When looking for a relaxing spa experience, one of the last places you would expect to find it would be in the centre of one of London’s busiest department stores. Yet the Urban Retreat insists on its ‘Time, Space and Comfort’ mantra, and is thus a haven in the City for both exhausted Londoners and weary shoppers looking to escape from the stress of the crowds. Certainly no other departmental spa can beat the enormous range of treatments available at The Urban Retreat. World experts in hair and beauty such as Phillip Kingsley and Laura Mercier have collaborated with the spa to offer luxurious signature treatments exclusive to Harrods. Definitely worth a try is the ‘Crème de la Mer —The Ultimate Facial’ (£150), the Bentley of facials, which includes exfoliation with sea quartz and pure diamond dust. Many excellent male-specific treatments are also on offer, including ‘Medispa’ treatments such as Botox, Microdermabrasion and skin peels.
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6.) The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental As if you didn’t have reason enough to stay at the Mandarin Oriental, the spa is simply the ultimate in urban escapism. Upon stepping into the spa, you are immediately transported into an oasis of zen-like calm and tranquility, which leads you to forget utterly that you are still in the centre of town. The spa itself is possibly the most beautifully designed in London and includes an Amethyst Crystal Steam Room, a Vitality Pool, a Sanarium and a Zen Colour Therapy Relaxation Room, where spa guests can completely unwind after treatments. At the Mandarin Oriental, treatments are booked in as ‘Time Rituals’ which are tailor-made to fit the client and combine therapies and massages from around the world to suit specific needs. k
TRUEFITT & HILL
STYLE
GROOMING ➳
If you’re looking for a manly present
to give this Christmas, why not skip over to Truefitt and Hill on St James’ Street and pick up one of their Luxury Edition or Ultimate Comfort shaving kit gift boxes. Boxes start at £30 all the way up to £130. Always a big hit with fathers, brothers and gay lovers. k
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CLASSIFIEDS Yes, this really is plastered over!...
®
T E C H N O L O G I E S
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‘Sound you can’t see – for your ideal home!’ ®
Profile ad September 2007 (50 x 90mm)
Using an astonishing new vibrating soundboard technique, loudspeakers can now be plastered in to walls and ceilings. From bathrooms to bedrooms, and kitchens to high power home theatre installations, you can achieve the ultimate in AV entertainment with zero aesthetic impact on your interior design.
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O
wning a home in the sun, although a desire for many, is often something that only the privileged few can afford. With LIFEoverseas’ new purchase plan, the aforementioned “few” can increase dramatically. A recent survey by the Financial Times found that one third of young adults thought they would never be able to own a home unless they won the lottery. But now, from only ₤3 per day, LIFEoverseas can allow UK home owners to purchase their own Spanish home, or help their offspring onto the property ladder! Havingrevolutionisedtheproperty finance market by introducing interest only mortgages to Spain, LIFEoverseas wanted to find a way of getting around the large deposits normally required to purchase off plan property, typically in the region of 3050% of the property price. Marie-Hélène Dubois from LIFEoverseas comments: “We firmly believe that this will allow a much larger quantity of people, who typically have their funds tied up in assets, to fulfil their dreams of investing in a holiday home or rental property in Spain.” To streamline this service, LIFEoverseas has teamed up with strategic financialpartnerswhoarehouseholdnames
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Under this scheme, LIFEoverseas are offering two bedroom apartments, two or three bedroom townhouses (pictured) or 2 or 3 bedroom detached villas for £3, £4.50 or £6 per day respectively. For the same price, you can buy a pint of beer, a burger meal or a one day travelcard. You just have to decide which you prefer! The properties are situated in the Murcia region – Southern Spain’s last up and coming area - and are on a resort suitable for all types of tastes. This is a gated community with two 18 hole golf courses, a spa, a 7.5 acre equestrian centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, restaurants, tennis club and much more. Holiday home rental website www. holidaylettings.co.uk reports that average rental occupancy in the Murcia region runs from 16-20 weeks a year. More can clearly be achieved on a golf resort which offers winter tourism. It is estimated though, that these properties can cover their costs from just 12 weeks a year rental so it is an excellent investment opportunity. LIFEoverseas have secured this exclusive phase of units at 2005 prices, significantly under market value with apartments starting from £67,000 and recent bank valuations on the show properties averaging at £22,500 above the sales price. LIFEoverseas are also offering a free furniture pack worth 9000€ to anyone who purchases a property quoting Profile magazine. For more information, contact LIFEoverseas on their local rate number 0871 521 3330 or visit the website at www.3poundsaday.com
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STYLE
WWW.PROFILEMAG.CO.UK
dunhill namiki kingfisher fountain pen Alfred Dunhill are this Christmas unveiling the latest in their catalogue of the finest and most coveted writing instruments ever created—the dunhill-Namiki Kingfisher Fountain Pen. Created by Namiki Maki-e master Seiki Chida and sold exclusively by Alfred Dunhill Ltd, the stunning design of the pen is inspired by the mating rituals of the Kingfisher—decorated in bright, naturalistic colours of blue and coral. Boasting an 18 carat gold nib and retailing at £55,000, the pen’s desirability is surely only boosted by its rarity and complete exclusivity. There will only be 25 of these created, each numbered to qualify its sheer exclusivity and delicately signed by the world-class artist who created it. The illustrations—created by the Japanese art of Maki-e lacquering—apparently tell the story of the male kingfisher proposing to his female mate surrounded by pink flowers (a symbol of deep love in Japan) blooming by the riverbed. Maki-e lacquering literally refers to a ‘sprinkled picture’ and involves the sprinkling of coloured gold or silver dust over designs drawn in the lacquer surface while it is still damp and sticky. The art is time consuming and meticulous, typically requiring six months to complete a single pen, and is a centuryold technique in which sophisticated multi-layered patterns are drawn on the barrel and cap with urushisap from Japanese lacquer trees. The first of these will be available to buy from dunhill in February next year. k >> www.dunhill.com
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The MilitaryCoat London Bluewater Manchester Sheffield Newcastle Edinburgh Glasgow www.crombie.co.uk
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www.clerkandteller.com
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