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contents feature 10 Someone Else’s Shoes Discover paths less travelled with the man behind Terra Plana, Galahad Clark

13 One Hard Question Mark Artus, branding expert extraordinaire

18 The London Festival of Architecture

interview feature

SOMEONE ELSE’S

So isn’t this the ultimate rebellion, ditching shoes when your family have been in the shoe business for the best part of two centuries? The first Clarks shoe was a sheepskin slipper made by Quaker brothers James and Cyrus Clark in 1830. Today, Clarks is run by outside management, although it is 81 per cent owned by the Clark family, with the remaining 19 per cent held by employees and related institutions. “Historically, the Clarks advertising campaigns were about ‘hygienic boots and shoes’. In the early 19th century, hygienic meant healthy,” says Galahad. “It’s modern materials that allow us to make the shoes we do today.” Today, Galahad runs his company Terra Plana and its brand Vivo Barefoot, while his cousin Asher Clark, recipient of the Young Designer of the Year award, is head designer, and his father Lancelot is chairman. Galahad’s brother, a documentary-maker, occasionally helps with creative projects. Neither Galahad nor his family sees a conflict between their parallel shoe ventures, although a minor conflict of interest surfaced recently. “My brother-inlaw, who is on the board of Clarks, was a non-executive member of the board of my company. Clarks felt it was a conflict of interest and he chose to stay with Clarks. I haven’t forgiven him,” jokes Galahad, laughing. Anecdotal feedback appears to bear out the health benefits of Vivo Barefoot. Galahad’s 70-year-old father, who wears Vivo Barefoot shoes most of the time, credits them with awakening his system, improving his circulation – and the birth of his two youngest children, both born within the last five years. “We call them Vivo babies,” quips Galahad. “One woman who took up running in her mid-60s, has since run marathons. She’s

SHOES

His ancestors have been making shoes since the 19th century, but Galahad Clark is convinced that wearing shoes is the cause of a slew of health problems. Claire Adler discovers the path less travelled

ou could say Galahad Clark, the seventh generation of the Clarks shoe dynasty, is following in his forefathers’ footsteps. It’s just he’s doing it without any shoes on. Galahad is the man behind the £7.5 million annual turnover of Terra Plana – a company with shops in New York, Vienna and Ljubljana, whose Vivo Barefoot shoes with their ultra-thin soles act like a second skin and mimic bare skin. “There’s no evidence that padded running shoes help prevent injuries or improve running. They encourage a clumsy heel strike, and bad posture is responsible for 60–80 per cent of

My father always said you don’t need to go into it, although he encouraged me to be an educated owner. But making shoes is a bug and I got hooked

running injuries,” says Galahad, pointing to the New York Times bestseller Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, which sees the author track down the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico who complete epic 100-mile runs barefoot, and recent research by Harvard evolutionary biologist Dr Daniel Lieberman, who published his findings this year in Nature. Terra Plana was founded in 1989 by Dutch shoemaker Charles Bergmans. In 1998, Lancelot Clark, Galahad’s father, bought the company. Five years later, Galahad Clark took over running Terra Plana and launched VivoBarefoot, the ultra-thin sole brand. Terra Plana opened its first store in 2004 in New York.

Carol Cordrey finds out about the seed of Venetian inspiration that influenced architect and writer Peter Murray

now gearing up for her 70th birthday – and a 100-mile race to celebrate. She puts it all down to our shoes,” he says. Blind people have reported they feel the ground ten times more by wearing Vivo Barefoot shoes, thanks to their thin soles. And following the recent launch of a kid’s range, a girl born with a crooked pelvis and experiencing problems with muscle wastage started wearing Vivo Barefoot shoes. “She was on daily painkillers and her mother recently said she is no longer taking them,” says Galahad. “Her consultant is blown away.” Galahad was never under any pressure to join the family business, though he spent his childhood at Clarks HQ in Somerset. “I’d learned how to make shoes when I was a child. My father always said you don’t need to go into it, although he encouraged me to be an educated owner. But making shoes is a bug and I got hooked,” Galahad admits. He first discovered the notion that shoes are unhealthy when he met up with childhood friend Tim Brennan, who’d had a string of tennis injuries and whose father was a teacher of the Alexander technique. Brennan, then on the product engineering course at the Royal College of Art, realised he needed barefoot shoes and soon came up with the first prototype. “Instinctively, barefoot shoes made total sense to me,” says Galahad, whose degree was in Chinese medicine and anthropology. “The more we researched it, the more obvious it seemed. When you break an arm and put it in a cast, the muscles atrophy because you’re not using them. Shoes do the same to feet. There are 200,000 nerve endings on the sole of the feet and shoes prevent stimulation. When the body finds balance, circulation improves.” So can anyone do it? “Running and walking day to day are very different. There’s no gimmick to the barefoot shoes, you just have to listen to your body,” he says. n

art & culture feature Far left: Fresh Flower St. Paul’s Left: From the Series ‘Glass Facades: Mapping the Zone’ 2009 Ignacio Acosta

Below: Interiors at Canary Wharf Headquarters

concierge

proposals to change things [there] for the better.” The idea was firmly transplanted into Clerkenwell where, in Murray’s office, the staggering calculation was made that the area was home to more architects per square metre than anywhere in the world. This was just the stimulus he needed to develop the first London Architecture Biennale, but a distinctive event was needed to draw attention to its launch in 2004. True to form, Murray and his team devised yet another original idea, “We turfed over St. John Street and drove a herd of Longhorn cattle down it to illustrate that the plans around Smithfield were created by the needs of the 17th century drovers who brought food into the city,” revealed Murray. Instead of it attracting a few hundred local people as they had hoped for, a crowd of 15,000 turned up. Since then, it has been renamed the London Festival of Architecture, and spread its roots across the whole of London. Such dramatic growth is a consequence of the public’s enthusiasm for the Festival and the support of the City of London, the Arts Council, the London Development Agency and Boris Johnson. This year, the Festival has adopted the theme of ‘The Welcoming City’, with the aim of exploring ways that planning and design can become more welcoming through improving streets, supporting cycling and walking, proposing street installations and drawing attention to public spaces between buildings being as important as the buildings themselves. Achieving all of that is at the heart of numerous performances and exhibitions, across London, including a major installation in Canary Wharf by the photographer, Ignacio Acosta. Born in Chile, Acosta now lives and works in London as a professional photographer where extremely high definition and unusual perspectives characterise his work.

42 Fashion Summer’s chicest swimwear

56 Fine Detail Artist Dominic Murray discusses his photographic paintings

58 Interiors

of ARCHITECTURE

John Ruskin, wrote, “When we build, let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for.”

THE LONDON

festival

For centuries, Venice has had a profound influence on artists of all kinds; the poet Lord Byron, the architect Palladio, the art critic Ruskin and the painter Canaletto, to name but a few. It came as little surprise, therefore, to learn that a visit to Venice in 2002 planted the seed of an utterly original idea in the head of architect and writer, Peter Murray. Carol Cordrey delves deeper

Some provide us with internal views that surprise us with their sense of luminosity and tranquility, whilst others arrest our gaze through their unusual perspectives. Acosta also draws our attention to buildings’ surfaces, reminding us of the oftenoverlooked aesthetic qualities of glass, marble and steel that are in abundance in Canary Wharf. In totality, these photographs are a powerful, memorable reflection of contemporary London architecture and its impact on urban regeneration. n

For full information visit www.lfa2010.org

urray has devoted his life to communicating the subjects of architecture and design through various means. At the Venice Biennale, surrounded by thousands of exhibiting and visiting architects, his mind suddenly focused on the creation of a comparable architectural event for his own home city. “I thought that if you could organise an event that brought together architects and the public with London at its heart,” he reflected, “you could really start to make a difference to people’s understanding of what architects do, celebrate the great thing about London as a city and make

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS Mapping the Zone: Reflections on Global Capital Ignacio Costa, 21 June to 1 July

East of the Tower Sir Terry Farrell, 24 June

Public Works: Shred Exchange Reuters Plaza, 25-27 June

motoring

Explore the sun-drenched African plains

the forgotten

PORSCHE

corporate challenge

In so many ways, the Cayman is the best handling and arguably the most practical sports car made by Porsche. Why then, asks Matthew Carter, are there so few around?

The positioning of the engine ahead of the rear wheels is perfect for quick direction changes, something further enhanced by the crisp steering. It’s not intimidating, while its high-speed stability is immeasurable. It’s also much more snug in winter, and generally quieter all year round than the Boxster. And, to these eyes at least, it’s better looking than its soft top sister. Just as well built, though. The interior fabrics and fittings are top quality and the doors close with a reassuringly expensive clunk – something rivals like the Nissan 370Z can only dream about. So would I want a Cayman? Well yes, but not this one. The all-white body and the garish red wheels made the test

81 Overseas Ed Cervantes-Watson reaches the emotive summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

calibre

Cayman appear something I was not (notwithstanding the ‘wicked wheels, man’ greetings from younger passers-by when it was parked). No, this one is not for me The fuel economy, however, for a performance car is simply astonishing, with 40 mpg completely achievable under most conditions. And the optional (£2,000) Porsche Doppelkupplung gearbox (PDK to you and me), with both manual gearshift and an automatic mode, enables smooth gear changes with no interruption in the flow of power, resulting in significantly faster acceleration and lower fuel consumption, without having to sacrifice the ease of automatic transmission. Basically, gears one to six have a sports ratio and top speed is reached in sixth gear. The seventh gear has a long ratio and helps to reduce fuel consumption even further. Designed as pretty much two half gearboxes with a double wet clutch transmission, the flow of power from the engine is only ever transmitted through one half and one clutch at a time, while the next gear is preselected in the second half gearbox. During a gear change, therefore, a conventional shift no longer takes place. Instead, one clutch simply opens and the other closes at the same time. Gear changes can therefore take place within milliseconds. What does all this mean for you? Exactly what you would expect: uninterrupted driving. No, if I were to go for a Cayman it would need to be the beefier ‘S’ with 320 bhp from a 3.4-litre engine. To my mind, the Cayman, and especially the S, is the best car Porsche makes. The security and structural stiffness offered by the roof makes it more fun to drive, while the clever packaging makes it more practical. So why, can anybody tell me, is the Cayman such a relative rarity on our roads? n

TAKE A TEST DRIVE WITH PORSCHE AT CANARY WHARF Visit Porsche East London-City Showroom based at Canary Wharf for a professional, personal service on all new and used cars, including service collection and drop-off. For an alternative venue, hire the spacious boardroom.

calibre

Watch out for the exclusive calendar of events, including the 40th anniversary of the first Porsche Le Mans 24 hour win, with a display of the historic racer, the 917, a Q&A session with one of the drivers and much more.

’ve never really understood why we sell so many convertibles in the UK: Our weather’s typically awful, so opportunities to lower the hood are few and far between. And there’s no denying that without a tin top overhead, a convertible is never going to be as structurally stiff as a coupé. I speak as a former convertible owner. At the time I bought my Boxster S, I had no choice. I wanted a Porsche but couldn’t stretch to a 911, so the soft top Boxster it was. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that car. It’s just that in the three years I owned it, I counted the number of times I drove it with the roof down on my fingers and toes. What a shame the Cayman hadn’t been around back

86 The Forgotten Porsche

then. The Cayman is essentially a hardtop Boxster. The running gear is the same, and the structure from below the waistline is virtually identical. But above, it’s a very different story. In so many ways and in my humble opinion, the Cayman coupé is the best car Porsche makes. It’s smaller, lighter and more nimble than the 911 – and also a whole lot more exclusive – and, thanks to the way the engine is tucked behind the seats, a great deal more practical, too. Like the 911, it has a large boot at the front, but it also has a fair sized boot behind, accessed via the tailgate. This is a two-seater capable of carrying enough luggage for a fortnight’s holiday, rather than just for a dirty weekend. But the best thing about the Cayman is the way it goes.

IN BRIEF

PRICE: £38,045 ENGINE: 2.8-litre six-cylinder petrol POWER: 265 bhp DRIVE: Rear-wheel drive

Matthew Carter tests out the Porsche Cayman

94 Who wants to be a millionaire? Andrew Castle forecasts Wimbledon 2010

connoisseur 118 Style Squared Penelope M Walsh indulges her senses at the luxurious Hotel Square, Paris

131 Home from home A sneak preview of New York-style brasserie, Tompkins

20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf 020 7718 5242 www.porscheeastlondoncity.co.uk

CAR: Porsche Cayman

regulars 8 editor’s letter

101 gadgets

41 fashion

105 personal finance

55 interiors

117 travel

63 health & beauty

129 food & drink

85 motoring

137 out & about

93 sport

143 property

contributors...

RUNWILD M

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Editor

Louisa Castle

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Deputy Editor 1. Claire Adler is a London-based freelance journalist specialising in jewellery, watches and luxury brands. Her work has appeared in the Financial Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Harrods magazine. 2. Jamie Carter is a freelance journalist

specialising in gadgets and technology. Jamie has written for the likes of T3, Home Cinema Choice and The Guardian as well as a number of websites.

3. David Kuo is one of the UK’s leading

commentators on money matters. He is a director at The Motley Fool as well as providing daily insight and financial news for BBC London’s Breakfast Show.

4. Sim Smith is a freelance journalist and

stylist based in London. A frequent contributor to prestigious publications, Sim has worked with ELLE Decoration, The Telegraph and The Financial Times.

5. Matthew Carter is a London-based freelance

journalist who’s been writing about cars for most of his working life. A former editor of Autocar magazine, he is a serial car owner.

Josephine O’Donoghue

Editorial Assistants Oliver Balcazar Penelope M Walsh

Fashion Editor Lucie Dodds

Senior Designer Hiren Chandarana

Production Manager Dan Hyde

Group Publishing Director Eren Ellwood

Project Manager Ella Kilgarriff

PR & Marketing Manager Rebecca Walton

Managing Director Giles Ellwood

6. Martin Bamford is one of the youngest and most successful financial planners in the UK. He runs his own firm of financial advisers – Informed Choice – and regularly contributes to various financial publications. 7. Josh Sims is a freelance writer and editor,

contributing to the likes of The Financial Times, The Times, Esquire, Wallpaper and CNBC. He lives in east London.

8. Clare Murray is founder and managing partner of specialist law firm, CM Murray LLP. Clare and her colleagues advise a wide range of companies, professional firms and senior individuals on employment, partnership and business immigration law issues.

16 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf London E14 4JB T: 020 7987 4320 F: 020 7005 0045 www.runwildmedia.com

Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

Motorexpo comes to Canary Wharf See p.34 Runwild Media Group Publishers of: Canary Wharf magazine The City magazine, Vicinitee VENUE – The official magazine of The O2

Subscriptions: A free subscription service is available to employees at Canary Wharf offices. E-mail subscribe@runwildmedia.com for further details. For other readers, 6 & 12 month subscriptions are available at £15 & £25 respectively, to cover postage and packaging. For details of subscriptions and advertising, please contact us on 020 7987 4320.

David M Robinson Canary Wharf 2:Layout 1 26/05/2010 09:50 Page 1

4 Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NY Tel: 0207 538 2332 www.davidmrobinson.co.uk

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE CHRONOGRAPH www.audemarspiguet.com

from the editor...

s we enter the month of June, we also hit the mid point of the year. Where those first six months have gone, I do not know but read on and we’ll suggest some ways to entertain you for the remaining half.

June

For those who like a challenge, why not take part in one of the many charitable runs, swims or bike rides this year or combine all three and take on the City in the ultimate triathlon competition? We speak to last year’s winning team for some hints and tips and, over the coming months, we’ll be weighing up the contenders to see if it will be the year for Canary Wharf to take the crown (p.106). Some of the world’s best known motor manufacturers will be debuting their very latest models at the London Motorexpo, a worldwide event that will take over our streets from 7 to 13 June; the perfect opportunity to take a test drive, check out the latest advances, take a trip down memory lane in the dedicated Motor Sport Zone or grab a ticket to Question Time with Nigel Mansell (p.34).

Our motoring editor offers his opinion of the Bentley Continental Supersports and asks what is the more fearful scenario: Vinnie Jones in a sharp suit or a hoody on the corner? (head to p.88 to find out what I’m talking about) Romance must be in the air as he also falls a little for the Porsche Cayman, proffering ‘is it the best car Porsche makes?’ Fashion heads to the beach (p.42), in true Sex and the City style we take a weekend break in NYC (p.120), bring home some inspiration from the plains of Africa (p.58) and try out the very latest eateries; relaxed Mediterranean at Rocket or New York brasserie at Tompkins? With tranquil outdoor spaces available at both, we are truly set to enjoy the summer months

interview

My father always said you don’t need to go into it, although he encouraged me to be an educated owner. But making shoes is a bug and I got hooked

feature

interview

One

feature

hard question Josephine O’Donoghue talks to branding expert Mark Artus about his background in product branding, his move to leading company 1HQ and his unique approach to tackling each campaign successfully

Why did you join 1HQ, what appealed to you about the company ?

ark Artus is probably more than just a branding expert. As CEO of 1HQ (an independent branding agency based in Windsor), he boasts more than 20 years’ experience in both the UK and USA. Mark formerly worked as the chief development officer at Fitch Worldwide and was responsible for establishing and developing Fitch America and Fitch Asia, before moving to head up expansion at 1HQ last year. I caught up with him to find out more about the world of product branding, his tips for a successful pitch and the future of his business...

1HQ has an outstanding reputation for being behind some of the UK’s biggest branding ideas, so I was thrilled when they offered me an opportunity to be a part of the team. One of the things that attracted me to the agency was their unique approach to branding. They believed in creating strong “BrandheartsTM” that are strong enough ideas, and are campaignable across multiple channels of distribution. The company asks clients ‘One Hard Question’ (the 1HQ) about the biggest challenge their business faces. Once this question has been determined, 1HQ go about answering it using creative branding techniques, which ultimately can change the fortunes of a business. The natural inclination is to move quickly to solutions, but in the rush to find answers, we don’t spend enough time on understanding and defining the right question we ought to be asking. It’s a really exciting and unique approach and it’s great to be a part of it.

Why did you decide to work in branding ?

Which campaigns have you been involved in since joining 1HQ ??

As a student I was always fascinated by design and had a strong interest in form following function. Rudolf Steiner had a big influence on the way I started to think about design, and I was particularly interested in understanding why something should exist and the message it gave out.

I’m involved in virtually every campaign at some level; since joining the company I’ve worked on some of the biggest campaigns, ranging from Rowntree Randoms and Magnum to Surf and Heinz. The work we did with Rowntree’s Randoms was particularly well received and had a huge impact on their annual sales.

feature interview

Have you ever come across a product or brand that you’ve been unsuccessful with ?? I don’t want to sound arrogant but I’ve always set the bar at the level that you must believe in what you do. I have turned down opportunities in the past because I didn’t think the idea itself was strong enough for the company – so I don’t think we have been involved with brands which have flopped, as we spend time making sure we have the right fit for the brands we represent.

What makes 1HQ stand out from competitors? ? The way we tackle branding problems and develop solutions sets us apart from other companies. At 1HQ we are very strong when it comes to planning, innovation and strategy – and have very strong synergy between all these areas. I think we are entrepreneurial; we have very innovative ideas and pride ourselves on our creativity.

Has 1HQ struggled in the recession? ? Like most businesses, we have had to work very hard to maintain relationships. Primarily we have done this through striving to raise the bar and be as creative as we can be. We have had to work very hard at making sure the campaign is financially viable to serve our clients best. We have also just taken on two new graduates. I do feel businesses have a responsibility to graduates, because they are the people who will work for us in the future – companies must support graduates by offering short-term opportunities.

What is your greatest achievement ?? One of my key objectives when I came to 1HQ was to help build and develop the business, making us one of the most dynamic branding agencies around. Over the last year, we have brought together some of the best creative minds in the UK from some of the top agencies, building an élite ‘dream team’ who are the top experts in their field. Our success at 1HQ has recently been noted by receiving a nomination in The Sunday Times Top 100 businesses to watch in 2010. On a personal level I was very pleased to receive the Gold Design of the decade award in America for work I did for Chrysler. It was a great example of bringing together creative ideas with a strong business focus.

TOP 5 BRANDING TIPS • Ask the one hard question that is keeping you up at night and ensure you address the right problem that is affecting the brand. Do you need to refresh, reinvigorate or re-invent? • Identify who your core consumer, user or customer is and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to keep diversifying; know your customer and commit to the same promise as when you started out • Start right from the very beginning, and identify what the level of appreciation is for the brand both internally and externally. Who are your promoters, your passives and your detractors? • Look at all the brand touch-points and where the best place will be to focus to get the message across clearly. For example, what is the best form of media? Is it ATL (above the line) broadcast media or BTL (below the line) shopper marketing, retail, packaging • Trend will always influence a brand, but will never replace its DNA, so don’t rely on a new trend to re-invent a brand – it simply won’t work

What’s happening in the future of 1HQ? ? We see ourselves as a leading brand agency, we hope to go global and have a three-year business plan to help us achieve this. We are looking to double our clients, and a good proportion of this will see us expanding out of Europe into Asia and America. We have also just launched our new website, which we hope will continue to serve and develop relationships with existing clients; maintaining high quality and also to attract new clients that are interested in our approach to branding. n For more information, visit www.1hq.co.uk

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Canary-Wharf&City.indd 1

5/26/2010 2:23:45 PM

interview

feature

Midas the

touch

Chelsey Baker speaks to Sammy Lee, the UK’s leading property tycoon, to discover what’s next for the man with the Midas touch

ammy Lee is an extraordinary individual: an inspired visionary for whom everything he touches seemingly turns to gold. Here in the UK he is perhaps best known as the Hong Kong-born entrepreneur and creator, designer and developer behind The Knightsbridge: the awardwinning development which is now recognised as the leading residential development in London, with total sales achieved of over £600m. With a varied career in corporate law, commercial finance, property development, hotel investment and independent media, he has enjoyed unprecedented levels of success; but then he is a man of exceptional insight. Sammy became the corporate finance specialist for a number of Hong Kong- and US-based consortia, including owners of The Renaissance chain of hotels who own the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles of Pretty Woman fame, and he rescued the troubled Sun’s Group Ltd. from liquidation, and subsequently restructured it into a coking coal conglomerate worth in excess of US $150m. His foresight led to his responsibility for overseeing the worldwide Renaissance Hotel chain; for which he turned a listed office block in Holborn into the renowned five-star Chancery Court Renaissance. He also invested in Media 8, a Canadian independent film production and distribution company; his first major movie project, Monster, subsequently won Charlize Theron the Oscar for Best Actress in 2004. By any standard, these are all outstanding accomplishments. Furthermore, his international reach knows no limitation; forays into the North America market led him to develop Trump Plaza in New York for his friend and golfing partner Donald Trump, another gifted entrepreneur who once said of him: “Sammy Lee is a great businessman. He understands people, he keeps them focused whilst being nice (whilst developing) one of the most successful developments in the history of New York City.” However, Sammy’s life wasn’t always so illustrious: Without the benefit of a privileged background and with

a fascinating individual who combines a natural charm with erudition and a steeltrap mind

a scholarship for support, he came alone to England aged just 17. Once here he commenced a panoply of jobs: hotel porter, petrol-pump attendant, barman, shoe-shop assistant, a Burger King chip-fryer and part-time postman; and it was from this perspective that he developed a flair for detail and sheer hard work. He eventually graduated in law and returned to Hong Kong as a fully UK qualified lawyer from which his career took off. Known to value his privacy, Sammy is disinclined to bask in the limelight: “I don’t want to promote myself, it’s not my style. I could be gone tomorrow to start something new somewhere in the world...” – an unassuming sentiment which underlines my delight in securing this interview. The first thing that struck me upon meeting Sammy was his appearance; he has a physical presence that defies his stature; he moves with innate athleticism and possesses the physique and energy of a man half his age. He will readily declare a predilection for golf and badminton, but it came as no great surprise to learn that he is an experienced martial artist. Sammy has extensive training in Wing Chung Kung Fu, Tai Kwon do and Muay Thai; all disciplines that require deep personal commitment, determination and perseverance; characteristics which reveal so much more about the man than a self-evident talent for business. There is something of a dichotomy here; he may be shrewd, incisive and intellectually agile, but there is no ego on display; he is personable, humorous and very approachable. In short, Sammy Lee is a fascinating individual who combines a natural charm with erudition and a steel-trap mind. He possesses the unassuming, easy-going confidence of a man who has nothing left to prove, whilst remaining forever driven by the next big challenge. So what does the future hold for this remarkable man? Well, I understand that he is currently working on a series of exclusive one-off developments in London, set to be amongst the most expensive turn-key residential developments in the world. Moreover, he has innovative plans to surpass the established concept of the private members club. Inspired by the success of The Knightsbridge, he intends to exceed all levels of exclusivity, quality and service and to introduce standards of excellence that will endure throughout the next decade and beyond. n

of ARCHITECTURE THE LONDON

festival

art & culture

feature

Far left: Fresh Flower St. Paul’s Left: From the Series ‘Glass Facades: Mapping the Zone’ 2009 Ignacio Acosta

Below: Interiors at Canary Wharf Headquarters

anywhere in the world. This was just the stimulus he needed to develop the first London Architecture Biennale, but a distinctive event was needed to draw attention to its launch in 2004. True to form, Murray and his team devised yet another original idea, “We turfed over St. John Street and drove a herd of Longhorn cattle down it to illustrate that the plans around Smithfield were created by the needs of the 17th century drovers who brought food into the city,” revealed Murray. Instead of it attracting a few hundred local people as they had hoped for, a crowd of 15,000 turned up. Since then, it has been renamed the London Festival of Architecture, and spread its roots across the whole of London. Such dramatic growth is a consequence of the public’s enthusiasm for the Festival and the support of the City of London, the Arts Council, the London Development Agency and Boris Johnson. This year, the Festival has adopted the theme of ‘The Welcoming City’, with the aim of exploring ways that planning and design can become more welcoming through improving streets, supporting cycling and walking, proposing street installations and drawing attention to public spaces between buildings being as important as the buildings themselves. Achieving all of that is at the heart of numerous performances and exhibitions, across London, including a major installation in Canary Wharf by the photographer, Ignacio Acosta. Born in Chile, Acosta now lives and works in London as a professional photographer where extremely high definition and unusual perspectives characterise his work. Some provide us with internal views that surprise us with

John Ruskin, wrote, “When we build, let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for.” their sense of luminosity and tranquility, whilst others arrest our gaze through their unusual perspectives. Acosta also draws our attention to buildings’ surfaces, reminding us of the oftenoverlooked aesthetic qualities of glass, marble and steel that are in abundance in Canary Wharf. In totality, these photographs are a powerful, memorable reflection of contemporary London architecture and its impact on urban regeneration. n For full information visit www.lfa2010.org

Festival Highlights ‘East of the Tower’ with Sir Terry Farrell, one of the world’s foremost urban planners and architects, discussing a vision of architecture and planning issues east of the Tower of London. Clifford Chance Auditorium, 10 Upper Bank Street Thursday 24 June 6.30-7.45pm

What makes cities sing? An architectural debate with Will Alsop, Mike Davies, Dan Ringelstein and Stephen Bayley Clifford Chance Auditorium, 10 Upper Bank Street, Monday 28 June 6.30-8.00pm Email LFAregistration@cwcontractors.com to reserve your place.

Smart Deco. The new Loewe Individual with unique 400Hz picture quality. What makes a television unique today? Is it a modular design that you can perfect according to your own personal taste? Is it having ﬂexible multimedia options? Or is it simply a question of brilliant images and perfect sound? The answer is that all these features are possible with Loewe Individual. Visit www.loewe-uk.com for details, or contact one of our London Galeries.

Kensington – 237 Kensington High St, W8 Battersea – 89 – 91 Lavender Hill, SW11 Harrods – 3rd Floor, 87 – 135 Brompton Rd, SW1X Selfridges – Lower Ground Floor, 400 Oxford St, W1A Product Design: Loewe Design/Phoenix Design.

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28.05.2010 14:53:01 Uhr

current affairs

feature

MIND YOUR

MANNERS

Have kids today been ruined by bad manners? Josephine O’Donoghue looks at the social etiquette of modern children

ow many times have you been to a restaurant, only to have your meal ruined by badly behaved, noisy children who seem unable to sit still and eat nicely? How many times have you seen kids littering and spitting in the street, whilst using bad language? And how many times have you needed a seat on public transport, only to find cheeky schoolchildren and their bags taking up space without apology? Is it just me, or do children these days seem to behave in a completely different manner than 20 or 30 years ago? According to Christina Hardyment (a domestic historian who has studied three centuries of childcare), it’s true – children’s manners have reached an all-time low this decade. Children of the nineties and noughties have learnt to answer back and challenge adults from the cheeky ‘heroes’ of television and the playground; relaxed parenting has created a misplaced child/adult ‘equality’; and the old style of minding your manners has all but disappeared. Margo Bellew (known more widely as Ireland’s ‘Queen of Etiquette’) agrees with this assertion, stating that children nowadays are “impolite and uncultured”, because their parents are too busy (or too liberal) to teach them manners. Bellew, who has taught generations of people how to behave ‘properly’, argues that it is the hectic lifestyles of parents who both work that mean children are growing up without learning basic manners. “Parents have a big responsibility to teach their children how to be polite,” she says. “Manners are very basic.” Bellew, who also lectures for the Shaw Trust, explains that “manners are the greatest gift a parent can give a child,” and that the modern lifestyle is taking a toll on future generations. But although Hardyment and Bellew agree that children’s manners are getting poorer, Hardyment is quick to point out that it’s not entirely the parents’ fault. “Historically, children learnt good manners in the household,” she explains. “Now children are not in the household for very long before they’re at school. From the age of five, children start learning from the children in their class and how children behave is quite frighteningly out of the hands of parents.”

feature current affairs

However, despite differing opinions on the root cause of bad manners, both women come back to the same central pillar of re-building etiquette: the dinner table. “In every family, meals are the focus of trying to make children behave well,” says Hardyment. “But now a lot of families snack or graze and only get together for Sunday lunch. Very often you’ve got fathers working long hours – they were traditionally the ones who insisted on the way you behaved in connection with the outside world. These days, the child’s window on the world is the television.” Bellew also places strong emphasis on family meals in her book, The Impressive Way To Meet, Greet and Eat for Business and Social Occasions: “I would strongly advise parents, especially those who are both working, to sit down in the evening for a family meal and show children the right way to use their cutlery, behave at a table and how to order a meal.” Harry McGurk, Professor of Developmental Psychology at London University (studying children’s social development) ventures that “Children who are running riot and are being a pain in the neck in a restaurant haven’t saved up their behaviour especially. They are simply transporting it from home to the public arena”. He, like Hardyment, maintains that bad manners stem from the bad habit grazing at home, and that children do not know how to behave because they no longer sit down to a family meal. “In Europe children develop their social repertoire earlier. In this country, we pay lip service to the ideal of the family but we don’t really support it,” he says. So, good manners at the table appear to give children their first constant marker to follow in other areas of day-to-day living. Like Bellew, author Penny Palmano despaired at the bad manners of children in public places and has also written a book Yes Please, Thanks, designed to help parents who have become lost in the child-focused contemporary thinking on parenting styles.

In Europe children develop their social repertoire earlier. In this country, we pay lip service to the ideal of the family but we don’t really support it “I was so shocked by comments made first by David Bell of Ofsted, about young children’s lack of verbal and listening skills, inability to eat with a knife and fork or dress and undress themselves, that I contacted teachers and head teachers from state and private schools,” she explained. “They all complained bitterly that children lacked the basic social skills and had no idea how to respect adults, property or discipline. So, I decided to write a book to help parents along these lines. I think that even if adults know how to behave, they should read the book as it explains how to be a good example to their children.” According to Palmano, children with good manners are generally seen to be happier children because they are more popular and have more friends. Teaching them good manners also teaches them a set of moral values that they can hold on to. “Giving up your seat on the bus to help a mother with a pushchair is a small act of kindness. If we can instil in our children empathy for others and teach them how to ‘do as you would be done by’, we are helping them contribute to a better world.” In their most basic form then, manners are inextricably linked to the morality of everyday living; how can we expect our children to understand, appreciate or act in kindness to others, if they cannot express that same kindness in small actions and polite words? Good manners are one of the central pillars of traditional British society, and certainly a considerate way of living that should not be allowed to fade. As Simon Fanshawe (author of The Done Thing: Negotiating the Minefield of Modern Manners) so aptly states, “Good manners know no boundaries of class, wealth, age, gender or race. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ in the array of their varying expression cross all social boundaries. ‘Please’ is universally polite, however it’s expressed and ‘thank you’ is a gift in any language”. n

SHOPPING SUN, SEA, SAND AND SUMMER STYLE

1 Davina Kaftan £50 Monsoon, Canada Place

With some of the great summer pieces available in Canary Wharf’s shops, like this cute tropical charm for your bag from Aspinal of London and these super cool Ray Ban shades from David Clulow Opticians, make packing your beach bag a lighter task than usual

2 Mindy Swimsuit £149 Myla, Cabot Place 3 Mixed Animal Bangle Set £14.99 River Island, Cabot Place 4 Institut Esthederm Bronz Repair Tanning Cream £49 Space NK, Cabot Place

5 Gold Embellished Sandal £85 Kurt Geiger, Cabot Place 6 Ray Ban £155 David Clulow Opticians, Jubilee Place and Cabot Place 7 Tropical Bag Charm £29 Aspinal of London, Cabot Place 8 Bello Embellished Beach Bag £89 Reiss, Jubilee Place

5 2

SHOPPING 2

the wish is

father to the thought

Discerning dads are notoriously difficult to buy for, but it is after all the thought that counts. With Father’s day on our minds, we have racked our brains for great gift ideas. With a wonderful range of luxurious gifts available in Canary Wharf, from sleek Bang and Olufsen headphones for switched on technophiles to Rolex’s new Oyster Perpetual Submariner divers’ watch from David M Robinson, find the best gift that any debonair dad could wish for.

Father’s Day this year is on 20 June 2010 6











1 Rolex, David M Robinson £3,820 Jubilee Place

8 Black Pepper Shave Oil 30ml box £42, Molton Brown, Jubilee Place

2 Silk Scarf £49, Reiss, Jubilee Place

9 New York Shoe, Church’s English Shoes £225 Cabot Place

3 Classic leather hip flask with carry case £89, Aspinal Of London, Cabot Place 4 Photo Frame £100, Links of London Canada Square 5 Cufflinks £225, Mont Blanc Canada Place 6 ROBERTS Sports 994 Personal Radio £34.95, Waitrose Food & Home Canada Square 7 Signature Washbag £50, Hackett Cabot Square

 Colourful Argyle Socks £10, Gant Canada Place  Black Leather Mobile Power Pack £145, Tumi, Cabot Place  Sweet Lime & Cedar Cologne 100ml £64, Jo Malone, Jubilee Place  EarSet 3 smart phone hands free £180, Bang and Olufsen, South Colonnade  Overnight Bag £75, Ted Baker Canada Place

SHOPPING

THE TASTE OF SUMMER

Having already cornered a delicious culinary market in Canary Wharf, offering a matchless take on sophisticated and modern Japanese dining, Roka has now added a string to its bow with the terrace. Providing all the familiar Japanese classics such as sushi and thick, glistening slices of sashimi, Roka also serves innovative new creations inspired by Japanese ingredients, such as the lusciously unique butterfish tataki with yuzu and shallot dressing and delectable Japanese-European fusion desserts. Now, right in time for the glorious summer sunshine, Roka is opening the terrace, a fantastic outdoor area overlooking the peaceful green oasis of Canada Square Park. With a relaxing, lounge like atmosphere the terrace makes a great place to enjoy the full Roka experience, whilst enjoying the weather on a fine summer’s evening. A great place to meet with friends and colleagues; to relax and revive after a hectic day, or splash out and reward yourself for another great job done. In addition to the already impressive array of delights on offer inside and now outside too, guests can also enjoy one of the fine cigars from the excellent range available from the humidor on the terrace.

The Park Pavilion Canada Square 020 7636 5228

Monday – Saturday: 12noon- 2.30pm and 5.30pm- 11pm Bar Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 12noon - 11pm

NOW OPEN Churchill Place, Canary Wharf

Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am until midnight Sunday from 11.30am until 10.30pm For reservations call 020 3200 2022 www.rocketrestaurants.co.uk

art LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE 2010

This summer, take a closer look at the unique space and architecture that defines Canary Wharf, as part of the London-wide biennial London Festival of Architecture 2010.

EXHIBITIONS

Ignacio Acosta – Mapping the Zone: Reflections on Global Capital Lobby, One Canada Square Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Bromley by Bow Centre – Arteast Community Gallery Canada Place Mall Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm

LECTURES & TALKS ‘East of the Tower’ with Sir Terry Farrell (Terry Farrell and Partners)

Sir Terry Farrell is one of the world’s foremost urban planners and architects. He will be discussing a vision of architecture and planning issues east of the Tower of London.

Clifford Chance Auditorium 10 Upper Bank Street Thursday 24 June 6.30-7.45pm What makes cities sing? Architectural debate with Will Alsop, Mike Davies, Dan Ringelstein and Stephen Bayley

Clifford Chance Auditorium, 10 Upper Bank Street Monday 28 June 6.30-8pm Email LFAregistration@ cwcontractors.com to reserve your place.

onedotzero - citystates09 West Wintergarden Friday 25 June 6.30-7pm Ignacio Acosta - Mapping the Zone: Reflections on Global Capital Lobby, One Canada Square Saturday 26 June 2-3pm Admission free, booking required in advance. Contact: keith.watson@canarywharf.com or call 020 7418 2257

Sculpture from Postgraduate Students of the Royal College of Art Throughout Canary Wharf including Jubilee Park and Montgomery Square Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Becca Williams Window Gallery, Jubilee Walk, Canada Place Mall Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Valery Lippens Window Gallery, Canada Walk Canada Place Mall Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Jo Seong Hee Lightbox Gallery, Canada Walk Canada Place Mall Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm

FILM SCREENINGS

‘Space is limited and unreserved and available of a first come first served basis Mon Oncle (U) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Sunday 27 June 1.15pm (doors open 12.45pm) Running time 111mins Pool of London (PG) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Sunday 27 June 5.50pm (doors open 5.20pm) Running time 85mins

The Long Good Friday (18) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Sunday 27 June 9pm (doors open 8.30pm) Running time 109mins onedotzero – citystates09 West Wintergarden Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June Friday 6.30-8pm Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm London Life Canada Square Park Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June Throughout the day

INSTALLATIONS

The East End in 3D: Time-lapse installation Jubilee Place Mall Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Superblue – Giant Knitting Nancy Jubilee Park Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Public Works – Shred Exchange Reuters Plaza Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm Play Me, I’m Yours (Part of City of London Festival) Jubilee Park & Reuters Plaza Friday 25 – Sunday 27 June 11am-5pm

WALKS

Architecture & Design – A Summer Walk Throughout Canary Wharf Friday 25 June 6-8pm Saturday 26 June11am-1pm & 3-5pm Meet at Canary Wharf Jubilee Line Station (West exit, Reuters Plaza)

WORKSHOPS

British Origami Society Demonstrations Jubilee Place Mall Saturday 26 June, 12-5pm Sunday 27 June, 12-4pm

Thursday 24- Monday 28 June Throughout Canary Wharf FREE

Origami Workshops West Wintergarden Saturday 26 June, 12-5pm Sunday 27 June, 12-4pm Elise Doney & Lucy Hubbard – Building Communities West Wintergarden Saturday 26 June, 12-5pm Sunday 27 June, 12-4pm

PERFORMANCE

DA MOTUS! - ...con tattoo Cabot Square Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 June 1.30-2.30pm Kryptic Movement – Take a Picture Cabot Square Friday 25 June, 1.30-1.50pm Saturday 26 June, 12.30-12.50pm Kryptic Movement – Living the Moment! Jubilee Park Friday 25 June, 6-6.20pm Saturday 26 June, 2.30-2.50pm The Dream Engine Conedancers Montgomery Square Thursday 24 June 6-6.15pm, 7.45-8pm & 8.45-9pm Monday 28 June 6-6.15pm, 8-8.15pm & 9-9.15pm For full details visit www.mycanarywharf.com All details correct at time of publication.

Dan Ringelstein

Auction of Wrist & Pocket Watches Monday 5th July at 11am

A stainless steel automatiíc green sapphire crystal Rolex Milgauss watch. With box and papers.

Estimate £2,800 - £3,500

A stainless steel automatic co-axial Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. With box and papers.

Estimate £700 - £1,000

A stainless steel automatic Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date GMT Master II bracelet. With box and papers.

Estimate £1,500 - £2,000

19 Augusta Street, Birmingham B18 6JA Telephone: 0121 212 2131 www.fellows.co.uk/canarywharf

NEWS New East London Line opens its doors to the capital

The first section of the new £1 billion East London route has opened, much to the delight of many Canary Wharf commuters. The new air conditioned trains will deliver fast and efficient cross river rail travel, making East London and in turn Canary Wharf more accessible than ever before. Stretching from North East to South East, the brand new branch of the London Overground network runs from Dalston Junction to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon, via Canada Water, only one stop from Canary Wharf and connected via the Jubilee line. “This new railway will bring jobs and opportunities to communities up and down the line, massively improving access for hundreds of thousands of people” said Boris Johnson.

Local communities declare Canary Wharf Shavuot celebration a great success

Canary Wharf Group plc and international law firm Clifford Chance LLP have just celebrated the Jewish festival of Shavuot. Each year the local Jewish community is invited to the Clifford Chance offices to celebrate this important festival. The festival of Shavuot takes its name from the Hebrew word for weeks, and marks the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. A great way of involving the local community in life at Canary Wharf, the celebration saw young and old come together to enjoy a special buffet lunch with traditional dairy foods such as cheese cake. Guests included members of Jewish Care’s Stepney Community Centre, East London Orthodox Synagogues and the Menorah Primary School Boy’s Choir, who entertained guests with their singing. This year, the festival began on the evening of 18 May and ended on the evening of 20 May.

Canary Wharf Group’s marathon triumph raises money for charity

Last month several of Canary Wharf Group’s employees successfully completed the 2010 London Marathon. Crossing the finishing line were Paul Coster, Elaine Forder, Craig Grote, Daniel Frayne, Danny Prendergast, Alexander Vasilakis, Simon Howarth and Ben Vickers. Together they raised an impressive sum of over £10,000, which will aid various charities including Help the Heroes, British Heart Foundation, Bowel and Cancer Research and Docklands Settlement. Unfortunately, Eric Zeevan, another Canary Wharf Group employee who was due to run, missed out on the opportunity due to being stranded in New Zealand as a result of the ash cloud. Both Eric and Ben Vickers have pledged to run the Leeuwarden marathon in June and Berlin in September. To support their manager Michael Bryant, who was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer last year, Ben and Eric will be raising money for Bowel and Cancer Research.

events Dancing City

Showcasing the best dance from the UK and around the world, Dancing City is set to bring the parks, plazas and waterfront views of Canary Wharf to life. The event will offer an opportunity to experience creative and surprising choreography. Dancing City is brought to you by Canary Wharf Arts & Events, in partnership with Greenwich and Docklands International Festival. See www.festival.org for full performance details

Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 July Throughout the Day Throughout Canary Wharf FREE

Summer Sounds Music Festival Canary Wharf will celebrate the longest day of the year with a music festival inspired by France’s ‘Fete de la Musique.” The celebration will sparkle with international sounds including Bhangra and Cuban, Brazilian and English music. The festival will feature soloists, string quartets, musical processions and more. Canada Square Park will host a free concert from 7pm to wrap up the performances, featuring the Compass Suite composed by James Morton, Kishon Khan and Kathryn Tickell (currently working with Sting), all coordinated by Alex Wilson and supported by Kinetika Bloco.

Monday 21 June 7.30am – 9pm Throughout Canary Wharf FREE

Food Festival Irresistible international flavour will be on offer during the Summer Sounds Food Festival. Stalls will be overflowing with mouth-watering foods from around the world, including a giant paella, bread and pastries, olives, seafood, cheese and much more.

Monday 21 June 11am – 9pm Canada Square Park Canary Wharf FREE

no limits in great savings now £3,755

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save 25% on all sofas in Bahia leather. We are updating our showroom, so right now you can make great savings on ex-display models. See more in store or go to www.boconcept.co.uk. Offer ends 1st August 2010. BoConcept TCR · 158 Tottenham Court Road · London W1T 7NH · Tel. 0207 388 2447 · www.boconcept.co.uk

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26/05/10 12:44:18

T H E

T R U L Y

M O D E R N

MOTORSHOW The 2010 London Motorexpo will take place against the iconic urban setting of Canary Wharf, showcasing the newest, the hottest and every other motoring superlative around

motoring

his year’s event is the fifteenth to be held and is set to be the UK’s biggest motor show event this summer, with an estimated attendance of over 400,000 visitors. As in previous years the exhibitor line up includes many of the world’s leading motor manufacturers and includes a number of headline grabbing vehicle debuts from the likes of Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Mazda and Volvo to name just a few and more interactive events and test-drive facilities than ever before. A stunning addition to this year’s event will be a showcase of some of the greatest ever Le Mans vehicles in association with BEN – the automotive industry charity and official charity partner of the 2010 Canary Wharf London Motorexpo. It will feature great marques such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Porsche from the historic race’s glorious past. The London Motorexpo is entirely free for visitors to attend, with no tickets or queues to enter and boasts the iconic backdrop of Canary Wharf’s towers as its premium setting. Easily accessible by road, rail, river and air, visitors to the Motorexpo can also enjoy a range of excellent facilities with over 200 shops, bars and restaurants onsite at Canary Wharf, making it a great day out for all the family. The unique format has proved so successful that organisers are continuing with their international expansion; hosting the first Los Angeles Motorexpo earlier this year; following the London event their third annual New York event at the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan; and next year promising the launch of Toronto Motorexpo.

“The Canary Wharf London Motorexpo is a unique and free opportunity for everyone to see the latest vehicles that many of the world’s leading motor manufacturers have to offer,” comments Graeme Carver, managing director of Motorexpo. “Over the past 15 years, as the Canary Wharf estate has grown so too has the Motorexpo seeing its audience figures continually rise. Together with the superb range of vehicles that our motor manufacturers have prepared, it is our stunning urban location, unique free to visit format and ever growing audience which differentiates us from all other kinds of motoring event. It is ultimately this combination that makes us a truly modern style of motor show.” n

feature

A Question Time with Nigel Mansell

NEED TO KNOW © Sutton Images

WHERE: Canary Wharf, London WHEN:

Monday 7 to Saturday 12 June from 10am to 6pm

Sunday 13 June from 11am to 5pm

Get there early to pick up a free copy of The Directory 2010, the official Motorexpo show guide, while stocks last Entry is completely free, with no booking, tickets or queuing; just turn up on the day For further information, visit www.motorexpo.com

President of the 2010 Motorexpo’s youth charity partner UK Youth, British motoring legend Nigel Mansell OBE will be making a special visit to the London Motorexpo. 2010 marks the centenary of UK Youth’s work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the UK, helping them to realise their potential and have their achievements recognised. To celebrate this special anniversary, Nigel Mansell, along with his sons Leo and Gregg and former Tour de France racer Magnus Backstedt, will be a attempting a 1,200 mile bike ride around Britain in just 13 days from 22 July to 3 August this year. Question time with Nigel Mansell will be taking place at London Motorexpo on the 7 June, giving motoring fans an opportunity to ask this motoring hero questions about his racing career, preparation for Le Mans and work with UK Youth. Tickets are £25 each including lunch, and will be available from audience@ukyouth.org For more information, visit www.nigelmansellcyclechallenge.co.uk

feature motoring

Highlights and the hottest cars of the 2010 Canary Wharf London Motorexpo

CAN-AM

The 2010 Can-Am Spyder roadster line-up includes the Spyder RS (roadster sport) and Spyder RT (roadster touring) models. Rideable with a car licence, a dedicated CanAm test drive zone has been prepared.

LEXUS

Experience the full range of Lexus full hybrid systems and try them out for yourself.

NISSAN

Nissan’s legendary sports car range will be on display including the renowned 370z, 370z Roadster and the dynamic GTR.

SMART

The smart BRABUS tailor made concept enables owners to design their own smart car from an array of special colours, bespoke interiors and unique styling options that means there are now thousands of combinations to choose from.

ALFA ROMEO

The stunning, award-winning Alfa 8C Spider and the compact, sporty Alfa MiTo MultiAir Cloverleaf which takes design inspiration from the Alfa 8C supercar.

INFINITI

Infiniti, the UK’s newest luxury automotive brand debuts with the M Line – a powerful, finely crafted, passionately designed alternative to tradition in the performance sedan market.

MAZDA

Mazda goes sporty with the stylish Mazda2 1.6 Sport, the high performing Mazda3 MPS, the iconic and award winning Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe, the Mazda6 with powerful 2.2D engine, the Mazda CX-7 diesel sport and the Mazda MX-5 Superlight concept.

NORTON

Following the sell-out success of the very special Norton Commando 961SE, Norton Motorcycles are delighted to present the all new Commando 961 Sport and Cafe Racer.

TESLA

The Tesla Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds, is the only highway-capable EV for sale in Europe. It is ten times as efficient as rival sports cars and has a range of 230 miles per charge.

BENTLEY

The new Continental Supersports Convertible is a muscular four-seater with distinctive exterior and interior styling, it is the epitome of open-top motoring, a car that can power effortlessly past 200mph and propel you from a standstill to 60mph in just 3.9 seconds.

JAGUAR

XKR with Speed Pack which was first seen this year at the 2010 Geneva motorshow.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The highly appealing and emotionally charged E-Class Cabriolet will join further models from the iconic Mercedes-Benz range, including the all-new SLS AMG.

SAAB

See the all new Saab 9-5 with aircraft inspired instruments focused on your driving position and launch controls on the centre console.

TRIUMPH

A diverse range of sixteen models including the iconic Bonneville; the awesome 2.3 litre Rocket III; the unmistakable Speed Triple and the impossibly good Daytona 675.

BMW

The M3 Coupé with competition package, the new 520d SE Saloon and Z4 sDrive35is, new 3 Series 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon and many more models.

LAND ROVER

Visitors will have the chance to see Land Rover’s latest range and to experience driving in a variety of challenging conditions on their unique demonstration course.

MINI

MINI will be unveiling the new MINI Countryman for the first time in the UK, a whole three months before market launch. Other cars on display include models from the sporty MINI John Cooper Works range and a race-ready MINI Challenge.

SKODA

Discover the top-of-the-range Superb Estate, winner of Top Gear magazine’s Luxury Car of the Year, and the brilliant Yeti, Top Gear’s Family Car of the Year, plus try your hand at rallying on our virtual racer machines.

VOLVO

The all-new sporty Volvo S60 makes its first UK appearance showcasing an elegant new coupe-like design, dynamic chassis and groundbreaking Pedestrian Detection technology.

fashion sunrise beach interiors african inspired health & beauty news & views . .................................................... . .................................

. ...........................

Diamonds are Forever

Made entirely from gold and diamonds, the Eternal Diamond Stiletto by the House of Borgezie has been lauded as the ultimate feminine adornment

he world’s first stiletto to be made entirely from gold and diamonds has been launched by its award-winning British designer, Christopher Michael Shellis, attracting international orders from celebrity A-listers. Each pair of Eternal Diamond Stilettos is painstakingly handcrafted from solid gold, then lavishly encrusted with 2,200 brilliant cut diamonds, totalling 30 carats, by the visionary goldsmiths and stone setters at bespoke jewellers, the House of Borgezie. One of the many patent-pending design

features of the Eternal Diamond Stiletto is the exquisite stamen fluted heel, which draws its inspiration from the elegant stamens of a lily. Reflecting the flawless symmetry that can only be found in nature, the stamen heel gives a delicate purity to the entire shoe. Retailing from £100,000 the Eternal Diamond Stiletto comes with a 1,000 year guarantee, representing a genuine fashion investment that lasts a lifetime. Each pair is as individual as the person for whom they are created. n For further information visit, www.borgezie.com

Porsche recommends

More performance, less fuel. A radical notion we discovered a mere 62 years ago. From the very first sportscar in 1948, Porsche has built its legend on the principle of more from less. Petrol, diesel or full hybrid, the new Cayenne takes this concept to a new level. All models share significant weight savings, improvements in fuel economy and a completely redesigned, lighter four wheel drive system – all thanks to our technology. We call it Porsche Intelligent Performance.

The new Cayenne, Cayenne Diesel, Cayenne S, Cayenne S Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo. From £41,404 to the limits you set. The new Cayenne is now available for viewing at Porsche Centre East London – City Showroom. Call 020 7718 5242 or visit www.porsche.co.uk/eastlondoncity for more information.

Fuel consumption figures for the Cayenne Range in mpg: Urban 32.5-17.4; Extra Urban 42.8 -32.1; Combined 38.2-24.6. CO2 emissions (g/km) 193-270.

Model shown is Porsche Cayenne Turbo at ÂŁ82,594 including 12 months road fund licence and first registration fee.

Porsche Centre East London â&#x20AC;&#x201C; City Showroom 20 Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5NN info@porscheeastlondoncity.co.uk

BELLE Discover individuality in the heart of Greenwich

BELLE 20 % Discount off full-price products with this advert Valid from; 1st May to 31st May 2010.

Photography by Fergus Noone

Velvet • Paige • Odd Molly • Karen Cole • Francoise Pendville • Marilyn Moore • Sita Murt • European Culture and many more Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 11am - 6pm Late Night every Thursday until 8pm

20 College Approach, Greenwich, London SE10 9HY 020 8465 5777 www.bellefashion.co.uk

fashion

concierge

SUMMER SUEDE To offset the understated elegance of spring’s feminine fashions, this month demands statement accessories in vivid colours that promise and beckon a hot and lively Indian summer. With style icon Sarah Jessica Parker already snapping up the gold-studded Domino bag, the vibrant style of Sonia Rykiel’s new accessories collection is perfectly suited to this purpose. Fashioned in sumptuous, soft suede in delicious pinks, purples and greens, this collection is a summer must-have.

fashion

news

GET GRAPHIC

Unearthing inspiration from the unlikeliest places, this season saw several designers producing vividly detailed graphic prints, some stylised and many with a distinct computerised edge, but all fantastic and fanciful. Leading the trend for graphic prints was Alexander McQueen’s highly conceptual hallucination of a primordial world. Featuring stunning prints of all manner of natural wonder from entomology to exoskeletons, McQueen’s designs ranged from dramatic prints of marine creatures, to a subtle watercolour wash of praying mantis. Stand out from the crowd with one of Mary Katrantzou’s vivacious patterns in voluptuous shapes, or give your look a sophisticated flash of colour with one of Mungo Gurney’s beautiful silk scarves. Inspired by the bright lights of vibrant Vegas and Tokyo, the intoxicated fluidity and motion of these colourful creations are sure to set your soul on fire.

Available from Sonia Rykiel 27–29 Brook street, London 020 7493 5255

Sonia Rykiel Bessy Suede Shoe

Sonia Rykiel Baby Scarlett Suede Bag

All available from www.brownsfashion.com

Quote of the month: 1 Creative Archives Mungo Gurney Silk Scarf with vegas lights print

In difficult times fashion is always outrageous

2 Alexander McQueen Agate 3 Mary Katrantzou ‘Lava’ Dress 4 Mary Katrantzou Strapless Fan Dress

MUST-HAVE ITEM

Elsa Schiaparelli

Website of the month:

The Bloom Clog

Teaming a slate blue leather strap (for a hint of this season’s denim trend) with the shoe shape du jour, the Bloom Clog has a lightweight and modest heel, making it (both in practical and aesthetic terms) a winning take on the current clog trend. www.kindredsole.com

www.pollyanna.com

When the clog trend first came stomping into view, I for one was not prepared to fall for their clunky charms. And yet, I must confess that when the delicious new Bloom Clog came teetering onto the summer scene, I was forced to eat my words.

Offering a carefully chosen selection of well-known and “in the know” designer labels from Dries Van Noten to Van Der Straeten, the website for infamous boutique Pollyanna is a hidden gem. With collections divided and displayed in a minimal and modern manner, this is a great website for those who want their shopping experience to be as sleek and serene as the deliciously directional items they buy.

TREND of the month: DENIM This season has seen underrated denim return to the forefront as a major trend. Cute, sassy, playful and chic; denim has taken on every guise imaginable and no summer wardrobe would be complete without at least one wellchosen item. Joseph’s Donegal linen kiki jacket has all the indigo charm of denim, with a simple, sophisticated shape and slightly frayed detailing for a touch of the rustic glamour of the catwalk looks. www.joseph.co.uk

sunrise BEACH Photographer:

Peter Zownir Fashion Editor:

Lucie Dodds

Navy triangle bikini, ÂŁ280, La Perla Mare www.laperla.com

Stripe Cara swimsuit, ÂŁ132, Elizabeth Hurley Beach www.elizabethhurley.com

Navy halter-neck Haiti bikini, ÂŁ145, Melissa Odabash www.odabash.com

Stripe Monaco bikini, ÂŁ145, Heidi Klein, as before.

White cut out swimsuit, £285 , Liza Bruce, 020 7235 8423. White hat, £89 , Melissa Odabash, as before

Stripe dress, £225, Milly at Harrods, 020 7730 1234 White Miguel aviator, £249, Tom Ford at Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge, 010 7235 5000, www.tomford.com

With Thanks to: Jeff at Head South Lodge www.headsouthlodge.co.za Tempest Car Hire www.tempestcarhire.co.za and Digital Brothers Cape Town www.digitalbrothers.co.za

Hair: Yvette Redmond at Tiger Creative using Kiehl’s: weightless curl defining spray super thick volumiser and creme with silk groom. Make-up: Yvette Redmond at Tiger Creative using Sunlea Soin Solaire anti-age SPF 15 Super Fluide Solaire Corps SPF 30, Super Soin Aprés-Soleil Soin Teinté Phyto-Hydratant Phytocernes + Anti-cernes Anti-poches, Baume Efficace Contour des Yeux et des Levres Eau Florale, Phyto-Blush Eclat Phyto-Touches de Sisley, PhytoTouche Or Huile Seche Pailletée Sisley Touch in golden touch Phyto-Mascara Ultra-Volume Phyto-Khol Perfect in Black 01 and Phyto-Lip Eclat soin des levres in 2 hibiscus, all by Sisley. Production: Solar Productions danielle@solarproductions.co.za +27 83 676 1577

64, Orchard Place, London E14 0JW Telephone: 020 7719 9342 Email: admin@faradayschool.co.uk Head: Mrs Sarah Counter

Open events On: tuesday 8th June 2010 9.30 – 11.00am Wednesday 9th June 2010 4.00 – 6.00pm thursday 10th June 2010 6.30 – 8pm

• Come and see our unique site at Trinity Buoy Wharf

• Small classes, friendly faces and busy children create an atmosphere conducive to learning • Conveniently located for Docklands, Canning Town and Greenwich • Transport available to and from Canary Wharf each day • Part of New Model Schools, a not-for-profit organization, with fees of £5,300 pa www.faradayschool.co.uk Independent Day School

A complimentary 5 NIGHTS STAY AT ANY SMALL LUXURY HOTELs OF THE WORLD property TM

San Antonio, Santorini, Greece

Simply by subscribing to this magazine for free Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldÂ is an unsurpassed collection of over 500 hotels spanning more than 70 countries, which together offer an infinite variety of experiences. Whatever your inclination, Small Luxury Hotels of the World is guaranteed to have that exclusive hotel with its own unique character and charm.

how to win

Gran Hotel Son Net, Mallorca, Spain

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Villa Marie, Ramatuelle, Saint Tropez, France

health & beauty

concierge

how to

walk in

Thanks to fashion, heels have never been higher nor more extreme with catwalk models having trouble staying upright last Fashion Week. Louisa Castle learns how to turn her wibble, wobble, whoops into well-heeled wow factor

Heels

ive years ago, few shops stocked anything higher than four inches because women wouldn’t buy them. Now six inch heels with towering platforms and multiple straps are flying off the shelves and we’re all expected to walk like supermodels in them (even though we delight in the fact that even supermodels have bad days!). Now, I love my heels nearly as much as I love my handbags but I suffer from ‘can’t walk in heels days’ on quite a frequent occurrence and always have some flats stored in one of the aforementioned lovely handbags. According to high heel guru, Chyna Whyne, this need not be the case if I learn how to walk in heels properly. Chyna Whyne is a singer and songwriter who has toured and recorded with great artists such as Peter Gabriel, Eric Claption, Bob Dylan and Seal, all the time wearing her heels and suffering in them. So much so that she struggled through years of excruciating back pain until she discovered the Alexander technique – a technique to help you lose the habits that your body has learned over the years and feel more comfortable in yourself. Chyna saw the potential and has taken these learnings, added some of her own and is now teaching women everywhere how to walk in heels safely, effortlessly and pain-free. To be honest, as I set out to visit Chyna, I had come to the conclusion that some people had it (it being the capability to walk effortlessly in heels) and others simply didn’t, at least not without blister plasters and magic gel close at hand. For once in my life, I was hoping to be proven wrong. The technique is really about learning about your body and using it naturally to do what it should be doing if we hadn’t taught it bad habits, so beyond the heels part what you learn will help you with your posture and make you more selfaware and this is what the first part of my session dealt with.

Now six inch heels with towering platforms and multiple straps are flying off the shelves and we’re all expected to walk like supermodels in them Apparently my posture wasn’t too bad as Chyna began gently moving me around and into sitting and standing positions, explaining every step of the way. Gentle is definitely the word to use for this learning experience; simple, calming and happy and Chyna is one of those people who put you immediately at ease with an infectious laugh and bundles of enthusiasm. Having improved my posture and looked at the photographic evidence to believe the difference such a short session made I was now ready to don my heels, about four inches of LK Bennett patent grey leather. Following Chyna’s lead I learned some top tips to staying upright and feeling lighter on my feet not to mention adding that little extra wiggle when required. The tips are really simple, a small angling of your inner thigh, your posture, keeping your head high, swaying of the arms, natural side to side motion and it all came together to boost my confidence in heels and in general. Indeed, take the five week course and you’ll learn how to walk with grace and elegance, how to carry your handbag (that affects your posture), how to stand and sit, pre-highheel wearing feet exercises, how to canter for a taxi and how to enter a room and make a lasting impression, for all the right reasons. Now my lesson is over and I am waved on my way, my posture more positive along with my confidence, I vow to keep up the good work. I just need to keep it up to ensure the new Louboutin’s don’t fail me (or maybe it should be that I don’t fail them) this Ascot ... n For further information on Chyna’s Walking in Stiletto’s courses, visit www.walkinginstilettos.com

a family affair Celebrating three and a half years in Jubilee Place, David M Robinson has been treated to a new look and some exclusive brands. We speak to Sandy Madhvani, showroom manager, about the importance of family, finery and the future

ubilee Place is store number 007 for northerly headquartered family jeweller, David M Robinson, fitting then, that it is a shrine to the most exclusive watch brands, offering the best selection for any James Bond wannabe, and we haven’t even mentioned the exclusive partnership with Vertu phones. As we join Sandy to celebrate the new look store and a showcase of the new season’s Patek Philippe collection launched at BaselWorld 2010, we are greeted and fussed over like a family friend. This is what it is all about according to Sandy, “our values are core to everything that we do, we are a family watch company who deals with family watch companies and passion is catching”. Sandy refers to the glass values tablet that accompanies the Patek Philippe showcase, “these are our values too, so there is a synergy in all of the brands that we carry and all that we do.” Watches are certainly in Sandy’s blood. A trained watchmaker himself, he made the journey to manager at several London showrooms before a chance meeting with John Robinson, Managing Director of David M Robinson, and the opportunity to head up the company’s first London showroom.

He chuckles to himself at this thought and continues, “... it’s been a part of my whole life. My dad and my uncle were in the watch trade, so there was no escaping it for me. And now, my son, who’s only ten, is also hooked. If I have to come in and open up for a VIP anytime, he will come in with me and help to prepare and clean the pieces.” Let’s be honest, having a good watch on your wrist is part of the ‘uniform’ in the City and Canary Wharf, just as the Savile Row suit and the fast car may have pride of place in the collection. David M Robinson has now created a flagship store dedicated to the customers of Canary Wharf, no one needs to travel to Bond Street for the best selections and brands anymore, they are right here on the doorstep, along with (what is arguably) the best welcome and service. “Clients aren’t really clients, they are friends,” smiles Sandy. “I can’t count the number of clients’ weddings and parties I’ve attended, nor how many of my own parties and barbecues they have attended. “If one of our clients’ needs their Breitling for an evening function but are unable to collect it, for example, we will deliver it and make sure it fits perfectly on their wrist ourselves. We are...What is the word? We are specialist watch concierges.

profile

concierge

Photography: Peter Matthews

The Values of a Family Watch Company Independence Tradition Innovation Quality and workmanship Rarity Value Asthetics Service Emotion Heritage

“People trust us; it’s an amazing way to do business and is so easy when everyone shares the passion.” Not only does the new store have a great selection of iconic watch brands, it also is home to an in house watch-maker and expert. The ‘doctor’ has over 30 years experience and having him in-house means that instruments no longer need to be sent to Switzerland to be fixed or enhanced, it can all be done right here. Continuing on the service theme, all of the team go through extensive training on each of the brands to ensure that everyone is up to speed on the latest developments and styles by regularly visiting Basel or the watch companies themselves in Geneva. In all of this Patek Philippe inspired watch obsession, we have forgotten the jewellery side of the equation, which is very remiss of us especially given the stunning designs that adorn the showcases. Expert in-house designer Vix Smith not only provides the creations that you see in store, David M Robinson’s Yellow Box Collection, but also an amazing, personal bespoke service to make sure that you get exactly what you are looking for. “Canary Wharf is an important place on the map as a hub central to the financial and business world,” concludes Sandy. “It deserves a destination store tailored to serve its needs and only its needs. This is what we have created: a team of passionate individuals to take it to another level.” And there’s no denying it, passion is infectious. Who wouldn’t want to work with a company with all the values of a family watch company, and all the knowledge and professionalism of a worldwide name? There’s one other factor here, though, and that’s the sincerity with which all the values and skills are delivered – where else can you get that? n To see for yourself, visit David M Robinson at 4 Jubilee Place call 020 7538 2332 or email showroom manager, Sandy Madhvani on sandy.madhvani@davidmrobinson.co.uk

Lunar pavé bangle and ring Yellow Box collection

interiors

concierge

Must BUY: Harrods

interiors

Make hitting the pillow after a long day at work all the more appealing with Harrods this month. The store will open their brand new Luxury Linens Room on 1 June, showcasing new collections from designer brands such as Etro, Missoni, and Versace, in addition to exclusive collections by Sonia Rykiel and Portault. There’s also a new Classic Linens section opening too... I know where I’ll be spending my hard-earned cash this summer!

news Honey Tree

Planning an impressive summer party, getting married or moving house? Be sure to get online this month and browse though the impressive range of stationery at Honey Tree Publishing. The UK’s first illustrated and personalised stationery website allows you to create your own bespoke stationery from their collection of great hand-drawn illustrations. All stationery is printed at their studio in Somerset on premium card and paper from sustainable sources. There is a free gift-wrap service on all stationery and the company delivers direct to your door. What more could you ask for? 0844 335 0620 www.honeytreepublishing.com

020 7730 1234 www.harrods.com

Illustrated and personalised Correspondence Cards £39 for 25

Crown Paint Calling all eco-warriors … make a difference to your home or office space this month and reduce your environmental impact with a stroke of a brush. If you’re planning a bit of redecoration but consider yourself to be one of the environmentally conscious amongst us, why not try the new earthbalance® paint by Crown? This 99 per cent solvent-free Breatheasy® formulation is manufactured in the UK, and comes nicely packaged in a 56 per cent recycled steel pack that is 100 per cent recyclable. Even the samples are printed on FSC paper and are 100 per cent recyclable too! Enough of the eco statistics – the paints come in a gorgeous range of 24 colours, 18 of which are new and exclusive to earthbalance®. 0870 240 1127 www.crownpaint.co.uk

Covent Garden Collection is by Anne De Solene, from £37.95

must visit: Go Modern

Go Modern is moving! But don’t panic – they’re not going far. In fact, they’re moving to a beautiful three-floor townhouse, 565 King’s Road. As well as showcasing an impressive contemporary European furniture collection, the move will coincide with the launch of a new children’s bedroom collection, new kitchens, walk-in and fitted wardrobes, eco-friendly fires and a great selection of contemporary outdoor furniture and lighting. 0845 652 0332 www.gomodern.co.uk

Crown earthbalance® Hedgerow, £15.98 for 2.5 litres

Guissepina dining chair, £190, by Bonaldo at Go Modern

Fdetail ine

Josephine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue talks to artist Dominic Murray about his career so far, artistic style and day-to-day inspirations

interiors

orking from homes in both England and Spain, Dominic Murray is a modern artist currently exhibiting his work at the Ingo Fincke Gallery in Battersea. Known for his realistic depiction of seemingly ‘uninteresting’ day-to-day objects, his work is striking in both detail and form. But he hasn’t always lived the life of a painter... Having said that he has always been an artist, it’s just that painting wasn’t his first career move. After leaving school at 18, he went travelling before finally falling into a job constructing costumes and props for film and television. Years later, he established his own freelance business employing people working for many West End theatres, the BBC, independent television companies, Disney, and various film companies. However, it wasn’t until 2004 that Dominic started to paint professionally full-time, as he was tired of the long hours of his work. “When I was a child at school I had been selling paintings, so I decided to concentrate solely on this area” he explains. “My mother said I had basically just gone full circle when I started to paint professionally.” Perhaps surprisingly (especially considering the level of detail in his painting) Dominic has no formal artistic training. “It’s a talent you’re born with, not really something someone can create” he argues when I ask about art school. “When I was young I was the cheapest child to keep entertained. A pencil and paper, and I would be quiet all day. “During my years working in the industry, many young hopefuls from art schools came to me looking for employment. There were some very talented youngsters, but there were also many who just weren’t talented, and I thought it a shame they were being encouraged to pursue a career in art, ” says Dominic. “I’m ‘self taught’ in the way that I have read many books and asked many questions on how to actually apply paint. That’s the tricky bit; if you can paint, you can paint, but you need to study how to realise it.” Certainly, Dominic has created something of a signature style for himself, citing clean lines, order and strong shape as the central elements of his work. “Painting realistically is something I find natural, though I do tend to hyper realise things to try and make them even more striking” he reveals. “I compose photo compositions, to use as the basis to

concierge

work from, and play with the colours and light to bring my own interpretation of the subject into the painting. I like to challenge myself technically and am always striving to improve my technique.” Flicking through the online gallery (www.ingofincke. com) many of Dominic’s pieces are a close look at everyday household objects – or as he puts it, “things a lot of people take for granted”. The paintings strive to bring people’s attention to the fine detail and thought that initially went into designing that object, or creating that thing in nature. “An OXO cube, a fork, a glass [...] or things found in nature like leaves [and] reflections,” Dominic says. “I draw attention to their intricacies. Light and shadow play a big part in my work; when I see the way light hits an object, or a person, or a view, that’s what inspires me.” However, Dominic is also careful not to box himself in, and become fixated on one particular style or technique. “I do have other styles of painting,” he reminds me. “The Goats are a prime example, and they have proved popular; I also paint landscapes and figurative work. They are painted in a much bolder style and give me a bit of a release from the more painstaking still life. I have many ideas on new things to try, it’s never boring.” A lifelong passion finally realised in full, Dominic indulges his enthusiasm and talent for art every day now. “I paint every day,” he says, obviously happy that he has now settled in his ideal working set-up. “I finish everything I have to do outside of work by lunchtime, and then devote the rest of the day to painting, seven days a week. My greatest ambition is to be able to earn enough money to continue painting until I can’t hold a brush anymore.” Although reluctant to commit to any solid future plans, Dominic is sure that he wants to “continue to paint and improve what I do”, which can only be good news for the Ingo Fincke Gallery, who happily receive his work here in London. “I have always said that the day I paint the perfect painting is the day I will stop. I doubt that day will ever come which is good as I wouldn’t really know what to do with myself if it happened. Painting is a very personal journey and a very satisfying one.” n For more information, visit www.dominicmurray.com

INGO FINCKE GALLERY “Ingo Fincke was suggested to me by a friend when I first started to paint professionally; they were a good choice and I consider them my London Agents,” says Dominic Murray. “Friendly from the start, enthusiastic and always loyal and trustworthy, they are always willing to try out all different styles of my work and different ideas – we have become friends. They always have a great selection of different artists’ work which keeps people coming in, and they have built up a loyal client base with their friendliness, honesty and professionalism.” For more information, visit Ingo Fincke gallery at 24 Battersea Rise, London SW11 1EE, call 020 7228 7966 or log on to www.ingofincke.com

the trend

This month, Sim Smith takes inspiration from the sun drenched African plains of the Savannah, tobacco coloured sands and indigenous creatures. From polished horn handles to zebra inspired wallpapers this trend will have you experiencing the very best that Africa has to offer safe in the comfort of your own living room Romantic Heroes trimmings, from £38 per metre Mulberry Home, 01202 266800, www.mulberyhome.com

Coral Shell room essence, £8.80, Ortigia 020 7 487 4684, www.ortigia-srl.com

Sussex butler’s tray, £2,850, Ralph Lauren Home 020 7535 4600, www.ralphlaurenhome.com

4006 Fairbanks cabinet in American Walnut by Bill Sofield, £13,965.78, Baker, 020 782 33612 www.bakerfurniture.com Printed cowhide Africa rug, £871, Ligne Roset 020 7429 9670 , www.ligne-roset-city.co.uk

Smoke fired ceramic pots by Joanna Still, from £380, eskandar, 020 7351 7333, www.eskandar.com

interiors

concierge

Horn door handle in dark bronze, £1,200, Soane 020 7730 6400, www.soane.co.uk

Brass Anne lantern in antique bronze finish £2,914, Christopher Hyde, 020 7351 0893 www.christopherhyde.com

Kilim trunk coffee table, £1,595 Andrew Martin, 020 7225 5105 www.andrewmartin.co.uk

Linen Rosenau sofa in cream, £4,667, Boiler Co 020 7352 9578, www.bolierco.com

Bronzé Pioche table lamp, £998, Porta Romana 01420 23005, www.portaromana.co.uk

Zebra (Foil) wallpaper in sepia blue, £107.90 per roll, Neisha Crosland at Turnell & Gigon 020 7259 7280, www.tandggroup.com

concierge interiors

the address book

Sim Smith visits ‘yummy mummy land’ for the day on Northcote Road SW11

La Cuisiniere With shelves piled high with gorgeous bakeware and pots and pans filling the space above my head, I quickly realised that I had entered domestic goddess heaven. You can find everything here from Turkish-style coffee pots to brightly glazed tagines, in addition to the great range of Le Creuset on show. Pieces are also available to hire for specific occasions, and there’s a really useful knife sharpening service on offer too. Due to its huge success, the store has opened two sister branches of equally appealing status; the specialist bakeshop filled with everything you could possibly need to ensure your cakes will be the talk of the town for months on end, and the interiors shop, also based on the Northcote Road, is well worth a visit if you’re gift hunting or looking for a new addition for your home. 81–83 Northcote Road 020 7223 4487

Braemar Antiques An enchanting little turquoise-coloured shop sat on a corner plot of the Northcote Road plays home to Braemar Antiques. An Aladdin’s cave of sparkling chandeliers, old china and decorative trinkets, this is any nostalgic home lover’s dream. The company specialises in 19th century antiques, handpicked by its Austrian owner from all over Europe. There is a charming selection of mirrors, photograph frames and textiles to be seen, but my favourite by far are the delicate pieces of furniture on display; dressing tables, writing desks and the odd imposing wardrobe. An absolute must-visit if you are after something that little bit special. 113 Northcote Road, Battersea 020 7924 5628, www.braemar-antiques.com

Northcote Gallery The Northcote Gallery has become somewhat of an institution on the Battersea scene. It first opened its doors in 1992, showcasing an impressive array of Modern British and international paintings and sculpture. This bright white space, complete with beautiful original floors and friendly resident dog, presents both an ever-changing selection of work by resident artists and an exciting calendar of new exhibitions held throughout the year. There is a lovely outside space to the back, the perfect setting for consultations over warmer summer months, and a great place to let children loose while you’re having a browse. There is a real selection of work on show from beautifully painted landscapes by Dion Salvador Lloyd, to more contemporary works on glass by Tim Garwood. If you’re after an even larger selection, why not pop across the river to their sister gallery on the Kings Road to sample the full Northcote experience? 110 Northcote Road 020 7924 6741 www.northcotegallery.com

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health & beauty

concierge

MUST-HAVE ITEM

health & beauty

news

BI MÂY CÂY · ·

Packaged in a cute kaleidoscope of colours, BI MÂY CÂY is a new set of four delicious-looking pots of different balms designed to soothe the aches and anxieties of day-to-day life. Influenced by traditional Asian medicine, the balms contain a secret recipe using natural ingredients and come in a perfectly portable size. Space NK, Cabots Place East

MAKE THE CUT

MUST-HAVE COLOUR

Providing a cutting edge take on this season’s elaborate lashes trend, Marylebone’s hottest boudoir-cum-boutique, Apartment C, is launching an amazing range of fake eyelashes, inspired by the ancient Chinese art of papercutting, designed by Chinese artist,Ting Yu Wan. Intrinsic as the link between fashion and art is, many believe the origins of paper-cutting lie in beauty rituals, when woman as early as the 6th century used to paste golden and silver foil cuttings into their hair. In turning this refined and complex art form into a beautiful means of self-embellishment, Ting Yu Wan’s inspiring designs bring this ancient art form full circle. Using traditional techniques, Ting Yu Wan has created intricate and delicate designs, twisting and curling like fine wrought iron. Each of the designs depicts an image that has symbolic meaning in Chinese culture: horses for success, peonies for happiness, and good fortune and peach blossom for love and romance. Whatever talisman you are most in need of, each of these designs is guaranteed to symbolise serious style prowess.

NUDE

Directly inspired by the backstage revelries at the catwalk shows and now relaunched, the new Dior Addict Ultra Gloss is even more decadently addictive than before. Providing high shine, great volume and maximum glamour, try one of the gorgeous nude shades in delicate, lingerie-like tones from the Glow range for this season’s nearly naked, barely there, make-up look.

www.apartment-c.com

Available nationwide

treatment of the month:

EQUILIBRIUM VERBIER

MUST-HAVE TREND Well ahead of the current trend for eco-friendly products, Aubrey Organics have been producing all-natural hair and skin care since their launch in 1967. The new Silken Earth Translucent Base is made from 100 per cent natural and sustainable ingredients, including silk powder and tapioca. Providing a light and flawless finish, Silken Earth gives a great, long-lasting finish, perfect for guilt-free glamour. www.aubreyorganicsuk.co.uk

Weight loss, stress management or endurance training; whatever your personal goals, Equilibrium’s fitness retreat in the stunning Swiss Alps can help you to achieve it. Run by a team of experts with small groups of only six to eight people, Equilibrium tailors each retreat to your needs, to ensure that you receive all the support and attention necessary to help you achieve your goals. In addition to regular yoga sessions and a carefully devised nutritional programme, Equilibrium’s fabulous location in beautiful Verbier provides the perfect conditions for getting into peek condition. 1500m above sea level, daily mountains hikes provide a great physical challenge and invigorate body and soul. With the serenity of the Alps and the clean mountain air, breathe easily and embrace a new and improved you. www.equilibriumverbier.com

Brought to you in association with The Wellington Hospital, one of the world’s leading private hospitals. www.thewellingtonhospital.com

MATTERS OF THE HEART Experts at the Wellington Hospital talk to us about trans-catheter aortic valve implantation Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implantation: TAVI is a minimally invasive ‘keyhole’ procedure for treating narrowed aortic valves As many of you reading this may already know, the aorta is the main artery coming out of the heart, carrying blood to the whole of the body (see Figure 1). The aortic valve sits at the junction between the heart and the aorta – each time the heart beats, it contracts, pumping blood though the aortic valve which then opens to let blood through before closing to prevent blood flowing back into the heart.

THE ARTIFICIAL VALVES There are two different types of valve, the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve made by Edwards Lifesciences (www.edwards.com) and the CoreValve made by Medtronic (www.medtronic. com) – both are made up of, or consist of, soft pliable valve leaflets attached to a rigid frame.

In these patients trans-catheter aortic valve implantation is an excellent alternative. The procedure was first performed in 2003 and it is currently reserved for elderly patients and for those in whom the risks of conventional surgery are high. It is limited to these groups because we do not know the long term outcome (5+ years), but this is likely to change as the results of long term research studies become available.

There are two options; the transfemoral and the trans-apical approach. Usually the procedure is performed under general anaesthetic, but sometimes patients can be awake, using a local anaesthetic. The trans-femoral approach is where a wire is passed through a small cut in the skin and into the femoral artery at the top of the leg. The wire is then pushed up the artery to the heart, across the

In some people, the aortic valve can thicken and stiffen over time and this makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood through the narrowed valve. This is what doctors refer to as ‘aortic stenosis’ and patients with this problem can also experience shortness of breath, chest pain on exertion, dizzy spells or collapses and sudden death. Conventional aortic valve replacement surgery is a tried and tested treatment with excellent results in many patients – but it is a major heart operation which involves opening the chest (a procedure known as a ‘sternotomy’) and going onto a heart-lung bypass machine. In some patients, the risks of such an operation are prohibitively high.

THE PROCEDURE

narrowed aortic valve and into the main pumping chamber of the heart (the left ventricle). The compacted replacement valve is tracked along this wire into position where it is expanded into shape, crushing the old valve to one side leaving the new valve in place. In some people the femoral arteries are too narrowed for the artificial valve to be passed through and the trans-apical approach is used. A small cut is made in the left side of the chest, where a wire is passed through, straight through the wall of the heart Figure 1: The human heart Figure 2: Edwards SAPIEN XT Transcathether Heart Valve

into the left ventricle and then across TM

the aortic valve. The compacted replacement valve is then tracked along the wire as per the trans-femoral approach. The hole in the heart is closed directly with stitches.

Side View

The Team TAVI procedures involve a team of experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and anaesthetists who

Top View

all have substantial experience in performing the procedure. For further information and for details

The leaflets are made from bovine or porcine pericardial tissue and the frames, from either stainless steel or nitinol. The valves are compacted

of the consultants carrying out this procedure at The Wellington Hospital, please contact the hospital enquiry line on 020 7483 5148

down so that they can pass through

For more information, visit

smaller incisions.

www.thewellingtonhospital.com

CWpromotion

South Africa 2010 As the World Cup approaches, Dr Wayne Cottrell, of samedaydoctor offers some tips for travelers off to see the ‘beautiful game’ first hand Before you go: Make sure that you are up-to-date with your vaccinations. Both Hepatitis A and Diptheria are recommended for the whole of South Africa and antimalarials for some parts of the country.

If you think you might have been exposed to HIV, it is vital that you see a doctor within 72 hours of exposure in order to assess your risk and start on a course of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if necessary.

If you are combining your World Cup stay with a safari in the northeast part of the country as well as North East KwaZulu Natal, you will need a prescription for anti-malarials. In addition to using anti-malarials, it is important that you also protect yourself against mosquito bites, so remember the mosquito repellent and nets.

PEP is a month long course of antiretrovirals (anti HIV medication) that is thought to significantly reduce your risk of developing HIV after exposure. It is available privately at emergency departments and from HIV clinicians.

Whilst you are there: Despite the ten hour flight, there is absolutely no jetlag as the time zones are similar. This means that you should be able to get off your flight and immediately enjoy the many sights and attractions the country has to offer. Tap water in South Africa is safe to drink but always carry some water with you and keep well hydrated if you go on long walks or climbs. Don’t forget to use a high sun protection factor to protect against sun damage.

Many tourists will be arriving in South Africa for the World Cup, and inevitably there will be lots of sexual encounters

Many tourists will be arriving in South Africa for the World Cup, and inevitably there will be lots of sexual encounters. Always carry condoms with you, just in case. Condoms will protect against most sexually transmitted infections including HIV.

It may come as a surprise that an estimated 5.7 Million people were living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa in 2009, more than any other country.

Remember also that STDs, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and HIV, can be passed on through oral sex alone and often you won’t have any symptoms if you are exposed. It is therefore important to have a regular screen. If you are concerned that you might have picked something up whilst on your visit, we can screen for all STDs and can treat most of them. If you are worried about HIV there is now a test we can offer ten days post exposure that is very accurate, and might give you peace of mind.

Dr Wayne Cottrell is a general practitioner working at Canary Wharf’s samedaydoctor clinic. samedaydoctor is a private same day, walk-in clinic, which provides general GP services including travel and sexual health (STD/HIV testing). Dr. Cottrell was brought up and studied in South Africa. For the duration of the World Cup, Dr Cottrell is available to answer confidential questions by e-mail: drcottrell@samedaydoctor.co.uk

7492 Scope is a registered charity, number 208231. © Scope May 2010

Macmillan has places available in Run to the Beat on 26 September and the Great South Run on 24 October. Or if you are looking to take the next step then you can join Team Macmillan in one of four world class marathons this Autumn: Berlin Marathon – 26 September Loch Ness Marathon - 3 October Dublin Marathon – 25 October New York Marathon – 7 November

run to

change lives

To secure your place in the above runs and for information on packages and how you can help Macmillan make a real difference to the lives of people affected by cancer contact running@macmillan.org.uk or call 020 7840 4915.

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604).

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

Royal RACE DAY!

IT’S A

In partnership with Brakes, the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is one of the most scenic and green summer races in London this year, says Claire Saunders

tarting and finishing in Hyde Park, the 13.1-mile Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon route runs across four of London’s most stunning and beautiful Royal Parks: Hyde Park, St. James’s Park, Kensington Gardens and Green Park. Providing a popular change from street marathons, the Royal Parks race is a refreshing run through the manicured grounds of some of London’s finest green spaces, taking in some of the capital’s most historic landmarks (including Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and the Albert Memorial) en route between parks. The Royal Parks Foundation – the official charity for London’s eight Royal Parks – launched its eagerly anticipated 2010 Half Marathon earlier this year, in partnership with Brakes. The highly sought-after public individual race places in the 12,500-runner race sold out in a little over two and a half hours – just one indication of the popualarity of this fantastic event. In fact, it’s proven so much fun in recent years that celebrities including Gordon and Tana Ramsay, Ben Fogle, Tom Aikens, Tessa Sanderson, James Cracknell, Nell McAndrew, Bill Nighy, Charley Boorman and The Saturdays have all chosen to get involved over the years. Race day, which also features the Brakes Food & Fitness Festival for 40,000 spectators and supporters, is renowned for its carnival atmosphere and gets more popular every year, with runners entering from all around the UK and more than 29 countries worldwide.

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

CORPORATE TEAM ENTRIES: • Corporate teams benefit from entering the race because: “Good food and regular exercise are key components of well-being, and the Half Marathon also offers people the chance to connect with nature and each other – at the same time as raising vital funds for charity,” says Sara Lom, Chief Executive of Royal Parks Foundation. “It’s a top UK sporting event with the ultimate ‘feelgood’ factor for both runners and supporters”. Each year the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, supported by not-for-profit fundraising website virginmoneygiving.com, raises over £2.5m for vital causes around the UK, including The Royal Parks Foundation, the charity which helps protect and enhance the green spaces of London. The race also raises funds for over 160 partner charities, including Asthma UK, Help A London Child, Mind, Right To Play and UNICEF. Those wishing to take part in the event can still enter through race charities and the corporate challenge – so don’t hang around, and secure your place in one of London’s most exhilarating and adrenaline-fuelled endurance events! n For further information, route map, training tips and more, visit www.royalparkshalf.com

RACE SPONSORS Principal sponsor Brakes is joined by other race partners Nokia, Mizuno and Lucozade Sport, who will provide training and sports nutrition advice in the run up to race day. Matt Roberts and British Military Fitness will motivate runners in their quest for the finish line, and Marks & Spencer will help keep the race as green and sustainable as possible.

• Training together is a great way to be healthy, meet people from different departments and foster team spirit • Research shows that exercise helps clear the mind and make employees more productive • The opportunity could make your workforce even more loyal to your business • Your company logo and description will appear on our website, with a hyperlink to your website • Entering a team is a tangible expression of your company’s corporate social responsibility • The entry fee will benefit the Royal Parks Foundation and – if the runners raise funds for another cause on the day – then it will be a double benefit to charity • Even those who don’t fancy running can get involved with supporting their colleagues, helping them fundraise and coming along to cheer for them on race day, whilst also enjoying the free Brakes Food & Fitness Festival • Teams need to have a minimum of 6 runners – larger (or more enthusiastic!) workforces will be asked to sub-divide themselves into teams of 6–11 runners – which also gives you the opportunity to foster a little healthy competition between departments! • All runners must be over 17, agree to the overall ‘Race Rules’ and each runner must complete the full run (so no relays!) Each runner will be supplied with an official number, bamboo race shirt and timing chip before the day, although costume or company t-shirts are also encouraged • A prize will be awarded to the fastest team, calculated on the average completion time of the runners. In addition, all corporate team runners will be eligible for the individual prizes on offer • 6–10 runners £200 per runner (VAT exempt) Additional runners £195 per runner (VAT exempt)

ROYAL PARKS HALF MARATHON ROYAL PARKS HALF MARATHON WITH RIGHT TO PLAY 10.10.10 Run 13.1 miles through London’s iconic parks including Hyde Park, St James’ Park, Green Park and Kensington Gardens. Enter as a team or as an individual with the official charity of the Royal Parks Half Marathon this October and improve the lives of children on Right To Play’s programmes around the world. Run the Royal Parks Half Marathon with your colleagues to foster team spirit and deliver your Corporate Social Responsibility programme. Your company logo and description will appear on our website. All Corporate teams running for Right To Play will be offered branded running vests and the opportunity to man a cheering point on the day with colleagues wishing to support your team. Your team will benefit from: Training tips, free team running vests, fundraising support, post race reception & free massage. Right To Play’s vision is to create a healthier and safer world using the power of sport and play. We work with over 700,000 children in refugee camps, disadvantaged communities and slums, equipping local teachers and coaches with the skills to harness the best values of sport – respect, teamwork, leadership and fair play - to impart life-saving lessons on conflict prevention, HIV/ AIDs awareness, inclusion and children’s rights. Young people that take part in Right To Play programmes are healthier, better educated and happier than their peers. Our goal is to widen access to Right To Play programmes, giving more children than ever before the chance to play and learn through sport. Sign Up Now: £45 per person entry fee £450 fundraising pledge per person

Email: halfmarathon@righttoplay.com 0207 812 0635

WWW.RIGHTTOPLAY.ORG.UK REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1112404

RTP A4 WARF AD.indd 1

27/05/2010 18:06

Help Raise £’s for Hounds in the BUPA Great South Run on 24 October! Join Team Dogs Trust and help us bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. Only a limited number of charity places available so don’t miss out! When you have your place we will send you a fundraising pack and a t-shirt or running vest so you can let everyone know you’re supporting Dogs Trust. We will also be there on the 24 October to cheer you on! Email fundraiseforus@dogstrust.org.uk or call 020 7837 0006

Reg. Charity Numbers: 227523 and SC037843

0136_DGT Great Bupa Race ad (180x131) V2.indd 1

Be a part of it

26/05/2010 21:08

The Royal Parks Half Marathon London Sunday 10th October 2010

To sign up to Team Plan or for more details please visit: www.plan-uk.org/royalparkshalf or search ‘plan uk royal parks’ or call Kevin Machin on 0300 777 9777

By joining our team you will be helping Plan’s work as a major international children’s development agency. We work with children, families and communities in the world’s poorest countries and any funds you raise will help us carry out vital projects. These range from building schools, to drilling wells, to providing access to clean water. So why not grab a friend and sign up to be a part of our team? Charity No: 276035

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

Running the

LENGTH AND BREADTH

Running for several decades across England’s coastline, the Bupa Great North and Great South Runs have gone from being a humble fun run to two of the most iconic long-distance races in the world. Eileen Elliot takes a look at the history and heritage of these great races

he Bupa Great Run franchise first warmed up its muscles with the Great North Run in 1981. Since then, it has grown and moved on in leaping strides to include organised runs in every corner of the country. With the Great North and Great South Runs still the main events and jewels in the franchise’s crown, they have become key events in the nation’s sporting calendar. The Great North Run was first devised as a fun run by British Olympian and BBC sports commentator, Brendan Foster. After running New Zealand’s famous Round the Bays Race in 1979, Foster was inspired by the beautiful scenery to devise a new challenge with stunning views to motivate runners through to a beautiful coastal finishing point. The route of the Great North Run has remained the same from the beginning, taking participants from the heart of northern England’s bustling metropolis, Newcastle, across the iconic Tyne Bridge, through Gateshead

and South Tyneside to the spectacular views of the North Sea coast at South Shields, where the race ends. For the inaugural race, the organisers expected a modest turnout of no more than 5,000 runners, and were pleasantly surprised to find over 12,500 applicants, a staggering 10,000 of whom completed the first ever Great North Run. From these impressive beginnings, the Great North Run has ignited interest and competitive curiosity in potential participants, growing steadily year on year, with more than 50,000 runners applying for the 20,000 places the following year, in 1982. In fact, demand for places has continued to outstrip supply so staggeringly that this year, for the 30th annual event, the Great North Run has seen record numbers of applications; even with the entry cap at 54,000, there have been over 100,000 applicants. The first-time applications have gone into six figures, so this year, to deal with the impressive demand, organisers have drawn a ballot to allocate places to successful applicants.

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

Riding high on the success of the Great North Run, organisers limbered up for new challenges, with a sister race, the Great South Run, starting right at the other end of the country, in 1990. The initial route started in Southampton, but moved the following year to neighbouring Portsmouth, where it has been ever since. The route takes runners on a loop around the coast of one of England’s most historic ports, offering spectacular sights of Portsmouth’s famous naval past, including views of HMS Warrior and HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship, which played an important role in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Smaller than its imposing big sister, the Great South Run will still boast 22,000 runners this year, and is now acknowledged as Europe’s most popular 10-mile race. Over 164,000 people take part in the Great Run events each year, and statistics suggest that each year the composition of runners includes an estimated 70 per cent new participants; which means if past growth is anything to go by, the Great Run is due to continue growing in popularity year on year. In fact, the Great Run franchise has not only grown to include races in Edinburgh and Dublin, but has also now begun worldwide expansion, with events already taking place literally on the other side of the world in Australia. So now, the Great Run not only runs across the length and breadth of the country, but will no doubt soon be running across the four corners of the globe. Both races have seen, and made their

fair share of stars, from élite athletes to celebrity participants, including Hugh Dennis and Gordon Ramsay. Initially, the Great North Run saw home grown winners in both the men’s and women’s races, with Karen Goldhawk (a former South Shields Harrier) the first-ever female winner, and local athlete Mike McLeod winning the first two years in a row. Despite fighting talk at the start from English athletes, it was the late Benson Masya (who died at the age of 33 in 2003 after prolonged ill health) who stole the show. Occasionally losing out to fellow Kenyan, Moses Tanui, Masya won the Great North Run four times (more than any other competitor), and in 1994 set an impressive record of 1:00:02; a record that it took almost ten years to beat, with South African athlete Hendrick Ramaala only shaving one second off the time in 2003. Other stars of the Great Runs include Scottish star, Liz McColgan, who has won the Great North Run three times and the Great South Run twice. Although her number of wins is more modest than McColgan’s, English sporting legend Paula Radcliffe has also been one of the main stars of the Great Runs, breaking Grete Waitz’s 12-yearold record in the millennium year with a new European record of 67:07, and later breaking her own record with a world best and new record of 65:40. This year, the Great North Run will take place on Sunday 19 September and the Great South Run on Sunday 24 October, with both set to be the biggest and best yet. n www.greatrun.org

3 peaks 24 hours

3 Peaks Challenge 4-5 September 2010

redcross.org.uk/3Peaks

big red ride Get on your bike and make a difference

25 July 2010 LONDON to EASTBOURNE or TUNBRIDGE WELLS to EASTBOURNE

redcross.org.uk/BigRedRide

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve raised the challenge. Can your team raise the cash? Ben nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon are ready for the taking

LONDON to E Contact: Lucy Tambyraja

Tel: 0844 412 2877

Email: challenges@redcross.org.uk

Registered charity number. The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1980, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738) Registered charity number: The British Red Cross Society All photographs ÂŠF rantzesco Kangaris.

RUN TO THE BEAT 2010 Have you already signed up to the event or are you looking for a place?

then this will help us to beat blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

2010 is our 50th anniversary and we want We’re want get as many of you as it to be our best year ever! Remember the possible to join our Banana Army running more money raised equals the more lives team on 26 September 2010 and help saved. beat blood cancers. All of our runners receive a high quality Run to the Beat, London’s largest half Adidas running t-shirt or vest, a fundraising marathon that starts and finishes at pack and post race refreshments. London O2 Arena. Music is played all along the route that is scientifically If you would like to enter then please selected to improve your performance. contact Matt Lawley for an entry form: We have charity places available 020 7685 5128 There is no minimum fundraising amount mlawley@llresearch.org.uk per place but if everyone who has offered www.banana-army.com to support us raises at least £100 each

Run to help Rufus get a head start... The National Deaf Children’s Society has guaranteed places in the

Royal Parks Half Marathon. Four babies are born deaf every day in the UK. With every step you run you can make a difference and help a deaf child like Rufus take their first steps towards a brighter future. We will provide you with all the training and fundraising advice you need.

For more information or to register Text: NDCS London plus your name and email address to 80011 Visit: www.ndcschallenges.org.uk/royalparks Email: ndcschallenges@ndcs.org.uk NDCS is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 1016532 and in Scotland no. SC040779. Name has been changed to protect the identity of the child half page half marathon.indd 1

20/05/2010 14:01

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

POUND THE STREETS A half-marathon with live music to motivate you around the 13.1 mile course – is this an easy feat or impossible task? Rebecca Walton looks more closely at Run to the Beat 2010

n 27 September 2009, 15,000 lycra clad bodies (or 30,000 trainer clad feet if you prefer) headed down to The O 2 all geared up to compete in London’s only half-marathon set to music – aptly titled Run to the Beat. All participants are cheered along the 13.1 mile course (which winds through Greenwich and South East London), by some of the best up-andcoming music acts around. 2009 saw London’s very own hip hop master of grime, Bashy, open and start the race, whilst indie pop princesses Von Kleet, the lads from West London, Dega Breaks, and DJ and solo singer Eliza Doolittle kept spirits high throughout the rest of the course. For anyone who thinks a halfmarathon is too much to manage, or is something they haven’t done before, Run to the Beat is definitely the best introduction to marathon running on offer in London. The live music acts are chosen by the team at City Showcase by specific genre, and the musical beats help improve motivation at the many different stages of the circuit. The various beats selected for the race provide a much needed boost by matching an appropriate tempo with each section of the course, thus increasing performance up to a remarkable 20%. “The run will be alive with sound as we deliver a kaleidoscope of motivational tunes along the entire length of the course, which will be stylishly interwoven throughout” says Dr Costas Karageorghis from Brunel University. “The music that will be played during the half marathon will be scientifically selected to lift moods, alleviate fatigue and match the physiological demands of the event, which increases as the finish line approaches.”

Dr Costas Karageorghis has 20 years of scientific research behind him, looking at the effects of music on physical performance. Studies show that running to the beat can help athletes raise their game by approximately ten percent which means that all the participants should be reaching their optimum performance level whilst enjoying the festival atmosphere and carnival crowd. This year the date is set as 26 September and places are filling up fast. Once again, the race starts at the world famous O2 and the 13.1 mile route will be lined with the popular music artists ready to fill runners with the inspiration and strength to get them across the finishing line. Definitely the most fun halfmarathon around, Run to the Beat really is a smile-a-mile event and a brilliant starting point for runners young and old. With scientific research backing the race, even the most unfit amongst us will be able to complete this momentous challenge, along with a good training programme and some good old fashioned persistence. The brilliant team at City Showcase will once again handpick the acts to perform on the route, so why not get yourselves down to the showcase on 8 and 9 May at the British Music Experience to hear for yourself the quality of the performers. Then it’s ready, steady, go – and we will see you at the finish line! n Entries for Run to the Beat are priced at £35 For further information visit: www.runtothebeat.co.uk

Every day

100

people in the UK start to lose their sight

Fight for Sight is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to funding world class research into the prevention and treatment of blindness and eye disease. But we still need to do so much Thanks to our supporters our more. Can you help us to raise vital significant achievements include: funds for eye research? • establishing the UK Corneal Transplant Service enabling We have 40 guaranteed places for over 45,000 corneal the Royal Parks Foundation half transplants; marathon on 10 October 2010. • revolutionising the treatment for children with ambloyopia (lazy eye); and Phone Jo Bell on 020 7929 7755 or email • helping to fund the team jo@fightforsight.org.uk to book your place now! responsible for the world’s first gene therapy clinical trial for inherited eye disease. Registered charity number 1111438

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

FUEL

for life

So, you’ve decided to take on the challenge of a 10k run, but there’s more to it than just turning up on the day. Debbie Fearnley, expert in performance nutrition, advises on your fuel for the race

irst, you need to plan for your big day. The key nutrients prior to racing should aim to top up fuel stores and optimise hydration status. Carbohydrate is the most readily available fuel in your body and is quickly broken down to provide working muscles with energy. Therefore, the key things to consider before running are carbohydrate-rich foods that are low in fat with a moderate amount of protein, and fluid intake. However, many runners report gastrointestinal problems such as stomach cramps and diarrhoea when eating before exercise. The size and timing of the pre-exercise meal can alleviate problems, in addition to low-fibre foods or liquid meal supplements. Research has shown that up to 200g of carbohydrate 3–4 hours before exercise enhances performance (see the table for carbohydrate content of foods). Often it feels better to run on an empty stomach, therefore larger meals should be eaten well in advance, with smaller snacks consumed nearer to the event to allow for gastric emptying. At least 4 hours before exercise you should also aim to drink approximately 5–7 ml of fluid for every kilo of body weight (60kg individual = 300–420ml). The amount of food or fluid you can tolerate prior to exercise depends on the individual, and strategies must be experimented with during training sessions and not just on the day of competition. Nutrition strategies during a 10K run need only focus on minimising the level of dehydration, since water alone is sufficient for exercise less than 60 minutes where pre-race nutritional strategies are adequate. Fluid loss as little as 2% of body weight (only 1.2l in a 60kg individual) can impair

Food Option

performance, so remember to drink regularly throughout to maintain body temperature and concentration. The amount and rate of fluid replacement depends on the individual’s sweat rates. By weighing yourself before and after exercise, you can estimate the amount of fluid lost during a typical run. A 1kg weight loss would suggest a 1L fluid loss. Again, practise strategies during training so that fluid intake becomes second nature and nutrition does not interfere with personal goals on the race day. Afterwards, you should aim to drink at least 1.5 times the amount of fluid lost as sweat (e.g. if 1kg is lost during exercise, aim to drink 1.5l following exercise). Immediately following exercise, there is a 30-minute window of opportunity where the muscles are able to replenish carbohydrate stores more rapidly. It is recommended that athletes consume 1g of carbohydrate for every kilo of body weight. However, appetite suppression is common in runners following a hard race or training session. A liquid form of carbohydrate ingestion (e.g. sports drinks, juices, smoothies, and milkshakes) is advised in this case, or when food availability is limited. Including a small serving of protein (10–20g) at this time may further enhance the recovery process by building the muscles and repairing any damaged tissues (refer to the table for protein content of foods). Carbohydrate and protein content of suggested pre- and post-race food items. n For further information, visit www.noshinfo.co.uk

Approx Carbohydrate Approx Protein Content (g) Content (g)

Sandwich with Tuna or Cottage Cheese

30g

6–10g

Jacket potato and filling (e.g. cottage cheese or tuna)

60g

12–18g

Half Tin of Baked Beans on Toast

60g

10g

2 Crumpets with Peanut Butter

50g

10g

2 Weetabix and Semi-Skimmed Milk

40g

Cereal Bar

20g

Banana

30g

200ml Fruit Juice

20g

Isotonic Sports Drink

40g

500ml of Low Fat Milkshake

50g

18g

Chef advert_Layout 1 26/05/2010 14:24 Page 2

CHEFS UNITE FOR CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA

9 INCREDIBLE RAFFLES. 9 AMAZING CHEFS. 9 FABULOUS PRIZES.

Raymond Blanc Win a five-course meal for four at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

Heston Blumenthal Win a morning observing him in The Fat Duck Experminental Kitchen

James Martin Win the chance to watch Saturday Kitchen live backstage and enjoy drinks with James after the show

Antonio Carluccio Win a cooking lesson for two with the maestro in his very own kitchen

Marcus Wareing Win a masterclass with Marcus, followed by lunch for four at The Berkeley

Ken Hom Win a banquet for four in Ken's Paris pied á terre. Eurostar tickets and hotel included.

Marco Pierre White Win dinner for you and a friend with the man himself at one of his restaurants

Giorgio Locatelli Win a culinary session with Giorgio, followed by lunch or dinner with him at Locanda Locatelli

Antony Worrall Thompson Win a personal cooking lesson for two from the chef

Don't delay, visit www.chefsunite.co.uk today!

Looking for a new

challenge?

Are you active, adventurous and passionate about animals? Then look no further. The Blue Cross has many fun challenges to offer.

Registered charity no: 224392 (England and Wales), SC040154 (Scotland)

M5656/0510

If you’re a runner or you’ve just started getting fit, why not choose to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 10 October. If you’re looking for an overseas challenge, you could join us horse trekking in Peru or canoeing in Tanzania.

For more information please contact Heather on 01993 825567 or visit www.bluecross.org.uk

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

OVERSEAS

Ed Cervantes-Watson discovers that there is something curiously emotive about reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

hether a seasoned climber, trekking in aid of charity, part of a group of friends or work colleagues, or an individual taking a spontaneous diversion from the backpacking trails of East Africa; a photograph below that iconic green and yellow wooden sign announcing you are now at 5,895m AMSL, Africa’s highest point, the world’s highest freestanding mountain, has become one of the most sought after images on the trekking circuit today. At around 11pm on a blustery February evening, I drag myself reluctantly from the warmth and relative comfort of a sleeping bag at Barafu camp 4,600m, emerging into the freezing cold and pitch black Tanzanian night. Time enough for some hot tea, a mouthful of porridge, and a few words of encouragement. Then, carrying little more than

the water and snacks to sustain me for the next 12 hours, and having donned every piece of warm clothing available it’s time to set off up the trail winding its way unseen more than a vertical kilometre ahead. What endures over the next several hours is a mixture of low points and high points, solitude and group camaraderie. Maintaining a tortoise-like pace which has now become second nature courtesy of the preceding days’ mantra-like chants of “poli poli” (slowly, slowly) from the guides, we pause only to gulp down water and admire the vast human snake, illuminated by head torches which now weaves almost uninterrupted back down to camp. We’re getting higher now, the air is thinner, breathing is harder, every footfall heavier. Thoughts of altitude sickness pray unnervingly on your mind, is that a headache, or am I dehydrating? Sip more water.

c o r p o r at e c h a l l e n g e

Passing through the freezing point somewhere around 5,000m ice crystals begin to form over daypacks and outer clothing, I realise that the £5 face buff was indeed the best equipment purchase. Four hours now since we left camp, 3am, and there seems no end in sight, the realisation that we’ve still got at least three hours till sunrise. The trudge continues. It’s getting colder still. Some are finding it harder than others, people are being sent down now, some visibly upset and exhausted, others virtually oblivious as they are half dragged, half pushed down the ash slopes by assistant guides. “5,400m, higher than Everest Base Camp” someone with an altitude watch merrily points out – higher than you’ve ever been. Slowly something begins to change. People are talking again, some are singing, the porters seem to find a second wind – the mood lightens, almost in harmony with the sky turning from black to grey, and then the first hint of daylight. Approaching Stella Point, the sun seems to appear from nowhere – pushing itself up above the cloud layer which obscures the African plains below. A porter thrusts a thermos cap of warm tea in my hand, shakes it, and points along the now almost flat trail which hugs the crater rim around to Uhuru Peak itself. The body is on automatic, the legs feeling strong but the mind drifting. I’m smiling to myself now beneath my buff, shaking partly through cold, partly a surge of adrenalin. People are there ahead of me. It doesn’t matter, I find a couple of other trekkers, a guide and porter from our group and we share our own moment, huddled together beneath that wooden sign. I don’t even notice what it says, I realise everyone is smiling, the porters almost more than me (do they know something that I don’t?). Then the adrenaline abruptly leaves, suddenly it’s cold again, I notice a dull persistent headache, I recall that the top is only half way – I shudder slightly as I calculate the eight hours I spent walking up, and what this translates into walking down. I never like going down, it’s uncomfortable, my boots always hurt, I’m tired. Exhausted. Rounding the corner at Stella Point in daylight now, I can see camp a distant speck far, far below – momentarily I am inexplicably frustrated. Then head down I half run, half jump down the ash slopes which slide away beneath me, I start to enjoy it, feeling stronger as I notice the descent on my watch. I finally roll into camp sometime after 9am, the descent having taken far less time than I had anticipated. Here porters greet us with tea and toast there is much back slapping and exchange of tales on the summit, who made it, who didn’t; who struggled, who found it a walk in the park. Despite having trekked for about 20 hours in the past 24, I don’t want to sleep, I lie in my tent listening to the sounds around me, people returning to camp and I start smiling again. Sitting here in the UK a few months later the experience of climbing Kilimanjaro remains as fresh and evocative as if it were yesterday. Anticipation in the lead up to the trip, the training, the equipment, a frisson of anxiety, the unknown; the physical challenge and achievement; the intensity of

group bonding with other trekkers and local guides; the quality of camping and food; the weather; the views; understanding the importance of porter protection schemes, and responsible tourism and witnessing the positive impact upon local communities. These are all factors which come together to make Kilimanjaro one of the most accessible, non-technical high altitude treks available when undertaken as part of a professionally organised challenge. Sir Edmund Hilary perhaps distils most concisely the experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - “it is not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves”. Action Challenge is a specialist organiser of challenge events across the globe. With a whole range of itineraries in all seven continents, offering some of the world’s best treks, cycling and horse riding adventures, snow events, multisport challenges and sailing. From long-haul expeditions to short-haul events in the UK and Europe, whatever you’re looking for, the Action Challenge team can make it happen. For charities they can put on the ultimate fundraising event and give supporters an experience of a life-time. For business they can organise anything from a long weekend event, to a community project in Africa to create a unique bonding experience for your team or business partners. For individuals and private groups they can provide you group travel with a difference and the ultimate alternative to your conventional holiday that will leave you totally awestruck and wanting to come back for more. n For further information, visit www.actionchallenge.com

London Golf Club Jack’s Inspiration

Jack Nicklaus’ success and vision as the greatest golfer in history is peerless, and was the inspiration for his two championship courses at London Golf Club. Jack’s vision demands the best in tournament golf, which is why we are excited to be part of the oldest Championship of all. Welcome to London Golf Club, host to The Open Championship Regional Qualifying.

To find out more call 01474 879899, or email us at info@londongolf.co.uk www.londongolf.co.uk

London Golf Club, Stansted Lane, Ash, Nr Brands Hatch, Kent TN15 7EH

motoring sport gadgets

porsche cayman wimbledon ................................. latest & Greatest ................................

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THE RETURN OF THE GTO

In Ferrari folklore the initials ‘GTO’ hold almost mythical status for Matthew Carter. Standing for Gran Turismo Omologato, it signified a grand tourer homologated for racing… something special, in other words

he 250 GTO of the 1960s is one of the most beautiful cars ever made and an owner can name his price: one of the 36 made went for almost £16 million at auction a couple of years back. In the interim, Ferrari has used the initials sparingly, thus never devaluing the asset. The only other GTO was the 280 GTO, which appeared in the mid-1980s… but now comes the 599 GTO. This time it’s a road car, pure and simple, but has been inspired by Ferrari’s 599XX, an advanced experimental track car.

It’s also the fastest ever Ferrari road car with a top speed of almost 210 mph and a 0–62 mph time of – wait for it – 3.35 seconds. That’s quicker than quick. Power comes from a 6.0-litre V12 pushing out 670 bhp and is linked to a racing-derived sequential transmission. The chassis has the very latest electronic control systems and the tyres it wears are specially developed for the car by Michelin. It’s extreme, but that won’t stop collectors and enthusiasts scrambling to snap up the limited number being produced… just 599, natch. n

the forgotten

PORSCHE In so many ways, the Cayman is the best handling and arguably the most practical sports car made by Porsche. Why then, asks Matthew Carter, are there so few around?

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TAKE A TEST DRIVE with PORSCHE at canary wharf Visit Porsche East London-City Showroom based at Canary Wharf for a professional, personal service on all new and used cars, including service collection and drop-off. For an alternative venue, hire the spacious boardroom. Watch out for the exclusive calendar of events, including the 40th anniversary of the first Porsche Le Mans 24 hour win, with a display of the historic racer, the 917, a Q&A session with one of the drivers and much more.

IN BRIEF

20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf 020 7718 5242 www.porscheeastlondoncity.co.uk

Car: Porsche Cayman Price: £38,045 Engine: 2.8-litre six-cylinder petrol Power: 265 bhp Drive: Rear-wheel drive

motoring

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Question:

Which is the more scary – a football hooligan in a pair of ripped jeans and a hoodie, or Vinnie Jones in a sharp suit?

Answer:

VJ and the suit. While torn denims and a face-masking top is the standard uniform for many a young yob, there’s something infinitely more menacing about a tough guy wearing razor cut creases.

nd so it is with cars. A tricked up, turbocharged Subaru Impreza painted in team colours and spitting out flames on the overrun might be fun from behind the wheel, but it’s not something to be taken seriously. A Bentley Continental GT wearing a Supersports badge, on the other hand… The Continental GT is the closest Bentley has ever got to producing a car for the common man. At £126,500 it’s affordable in a way that the handmade Mulsanne (£220,000) is not. It’s even better value if it’s a couple of years old. Little wonder, then, that it’s the car of choice for every Premiership footballer, while his WAG loves the open-topped Continental GTC versions; especially if the alloys can be painted to match the lipstick-coloured, ruched leather interior. But the Supersports is a sophisticated thug. Underneath that cool, tailored exterior lurks an iron fist providing motoring with menaces. It started as an experimental project by a handful of Bentley boys who were intrigued to see how far they could go with the Continental. The answer is one hell of a long way. It has been made by engineers, for enthusiasts. The Supersports – the name, by the way, is inspired by the original ‘Le-Mans’ style two-seater from 1925 – is harder, more focused and far tougher than any other Continental. And it’s wonderful. One of the perks of this job is getting to drive a new car every week. You get to drive good ones, average ones and even some great cars. But at the end of the loan, giving them back is no real hardship, as you know something else will soon take its place. Very, very occasionally, though, giving a car back is hard. So it was with the Supersports. I’m still trying to convince myself that a two-seater street brawler with a thirst for fuel that would embarrass a dipsomaniac would be the perfect everyday car.

calibre motoring

The Supersports was born out of a desire to create a Bentley that waved two fingers at everyone. It’s got more power than before – a remarkable 621 bhp has been extracted from the awesomely smooth 6.0-litre W12 engine – and the gearbox has been tweaked to halve shift times (Bentley coyly calls it Quickshift, which must be one of the understatements of the year). The Supersports is also the first Bentley to use FlexFuel technology, meaning it’ll run on petrol or E85 biofuel… though, as a sop to the Greens, it doesn’t really go that far, does it? The chassis has also been modified with a wider rear track, bespoke 20-inch wheels, retuned dampers and anti-roll bars. Lightweight components have been used throughout, while the four-wheel drive system has been tweaked so that more power is fed to the back wheels. Ceramic brakes, meanwhile, mean it stops as well as it goes. From the outside, wider rear wheel arches and smoked ‘brightwork’ underline the toughness of the car, which can be further accentuated if you choose a matt paint finish. But it’s inside where the Supersports becomes controversial. To make the most of the extra performance, Bentley has put the car on a diet. It’s lost 110kgs in all, and most of that has come via removing the rear seats. Completely. This is now a strict two-seater, the place where the rear seats used to be now acting as extra storage space – though it’s not terribly practical as it is dissected by a carbon fibre crossbeam, which gives added strength to the shell. And, despite the price hike, you lose a number of luxury items. If you want to adjust the quilted Alcantaracovered lightweight sports seats (a saving of 45 kg on their own), for example, then you’ll have to do it manually. Who cares? This is a very small price to pay for one of the most dramatic cars on the road today. Performance is literally breathtaking, with 60 mph coming up from a standing start in 3.7 seconds, while the thing has a top speed of 204 mph. It is, they say, the fastest and most powerful road-going Bentley ever made. Pointless performance? While the top speed might be academic in the UK unless you’re on a track day, the acceleration is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Perhaps the most significant figure is not the standing start one, but the time it takes to accelerate from 50–70 mph, typical open road overtaking performance … just 2.1 seconds. Speed, in this case, means safety.

there’s something infinitely more menacing about a tough guy wearing razor cut creases

The effect it has on other road users is pretty spectacular, too. Pounding up the motorway, whatever the Supersports came up behind moved over sharpish. No one tried to block the car’s progress, all preferring to melt out of the way as it menaced them via the rear view mirror. But the Supersports proved to be just at home on twisty B-roads, with levels of grip and poise that defy its bulk. And the ride is simply astonishingly good. This car can be trickled through traffic, soaking up London’s potholes and speed bumps with alacrity, though you’ll need to mind those vulnerable alloys on the capital’s kerbs.

Problems?

Well, the fact that’s only a two-seater might or might not cause concern, but no one can deny its thirst will raise an eyebrow. Bentley claims 17.3 mpg combined, but you’ll only see 14 mpg if you’re lucky. And the cost to brim the 90-litre tank is not for the impecunious. There’s some good news on the forecourt, though. If Autocar magazine is to be believed, Bentley has overestimated the number of buyers looking for a twoseater, and reckons £10k discount is on the cards against a new one. And that’ll buy a lot of fuel. Remember, on the right day and on the right road, you can forgive the Supersports anything. Vinnie Jones, eat your heart out. n

docklandsexperiencea8ad_Layout 1 17/05/2010 09:45 Page 1

Experience the all-new Audi A8 . . .

At Docklands Audi from Saturday 22nd May Never before have luxury, refinement, engineering excellence and advanced integrated technology been brought together in one car with such attention to detail. The result is a driving and passenger experience that words alone cannot adequately convey. So at Docklands Audi we are delighted to have one of a very limited number of A8 demonstrator models for interested parties to experience first hand with a test drive. To make your appointment, please call the Docklands Audi Sales Team on 020 7536 0555 or call into the Docklands Audi Centre today.

Docklands Audi

Marsh Wall, South Quay, Docklands E14 9SL Tel: 020 7536 0555

www.docklands.audi.co.uk

Docklands Audi

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Buy it:

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GET YOUR KIT ON

As the world gets ready to be gripped by football fever, FIFA celebrates the launch of its brand new sport inspired fashion range, right in time for the FIFA World Cup, taking place this month in South Africa. The Spring Summer 10 range is made up of five mini collections, each designed with a distinct and individual identity, taking inspirat on from both key fashion trends and specific stories in football’s fascinating history and development. The five collections are 1904, Editions, Code, Essentials and Event. 1904 is named after the year of FIFA’s inception in Paris and features vintage style and preppy chic with varsity style T-shirts and lightweight knits. Editions celebrates previous World Cup winners, focusing on seven of the most famous nations in football history: Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy and Uruguay. Filled with superb historic details, the collection features the original winning team colours, including white and gold for Brazil and red and white for Italy. Code is a range of urban wear inspired by the youth and energy of street football around the world. Featuring bold and bright colours, the vibrant graphic patterns are inspired by African Bantu art. With great design and a wealth of football inspired heritage behind them, the collections are great for football and fashion fans alike.

Home Gym Office by Phillipe Starck Clebrated French designer Phillipe Starck has just designed a new range of fitness equipment for luxury Italian brand Alias. The range includes jump ropes, gym mats and these sleekly stylish chrome bar bells. Almost a fusion between art and function and surely the perfect adornment to any bachelor pad; once you get a hand on these bar bells, exercise will never be a chore again. www.aliasdesign.it

Say what?

Champions keep playing until they get it right

Billie Jean King

Five things you didn’t know... WAYNE ROONEY

Formerly known as The Half Moon, a pub in Paignton, Devon has changed its name in Rooney’s honour to The Half Roon

Rooney enjoys boxing and is a huge fan of Mike Tyson

Statistics suggest that during the course of an average match, Rooney touches the ball twice with his head, 13 times with his chest and an impressive 90 times with his feet

Rooney made his first national appearance as a substitute for Everton at 16 years old, and scored the winning goal against Arsenal within minutes

Rooney’s childhood hero was football legend and former England and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer

www.FIFA.com

SPECTATOR SPORT From late June right throughout the summer, Canary Wharf will be hosting outdoor screenings of all the best British sporting events. The screenings will be free to attend and take place in Canada Square Park. Starting with screenings of Ascot on 19 June, the events will continue throughout the summer months with screenings of the Wimbledon Championships from 22 June and Formula 1 British Grand Prix on 21 June. Sit out and enjoy the summer sun and catch up with the latest developments at Britain’s most famous sporting events for the perfect lunchtime or after work activity. www.mycanarywharf.com

Who wants to be a

Millionaire? I

Lee Brooks talks to former British number one Andrew Castle about Wimbledon, the world’s most famous tennis tournament, where this year’s winner will walk away with a cool £1million

f there was no money at Wimbledon, everybody would still be there and they’d still want to win it,” says Andrew Castle, who will be commentating for the BBC at this year’s tournament. But for the lucky man and woman who manage to win seven successive singles matches during the Wimbledon fortnight, they will be walking away with a cheque, and a tasty one at that – a record-breaking £1 million. When Australian Rod Laver won Wimbledon in 1968, the first time prize money was awarded for winning the title, he picked up a cheque for just £2,000. In 1999, that figure had increased to £455,000 and now, 11 years later, it has more than doubled, despite the global

recession. And it seems that while the world is tightening its belt, people will still fork out for a day at the All England Club; in 2009, the tournament generated a surplus of £29.2 million and goes some way to justifying how it can warrant offering such huge prize money. Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is generally considered the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club since 1877, and is the only Grand Slam tournament still to be played on the game’s original surface – grass. While there are three other Grand Slams that are on par with the tournament in terms of ranking points, there’s something extra special about Wimbledon that makes it the tournament everybody wants to win.

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“For me, it’s the number one title and the most distinctive of the Grand Slams,” says Castle. “I played there for the first time in 1986 and, since then, they’ve managed to improve the standard of facilities without losing that element of tradition. As a brand, Wimbledon is just phenomenal and it’s the one tournament every player wants to win.”

FEDEDER’S TOURNAMENT In recent years, Roger Federer has made this tournament his own. The world number one and winner of 16 grand slam titles is at his effortless best when he steps out onto the famous Centre Court – the venue which has seen him win seven of the last eight finals – and is showing no signs of letting up any time soon. “It may be a little boring for some people, but not for me,” says Castle of Federer’s utter dominance of the men’s game. “Every time he comes on court, you just don’t know what he’s going to do next. I first saw him when he was 15 and, like a lot of people, I saw a talent that was just phenomenal. I can watch him all day long. I know he lost to Rafael Nadal in 2008, but he came back strongly last year and I just can’t look past him for a winner this time round. “You always have to pick a Federer v Nadal final. Generally, they’re on opposite sides of the draw and, to beat them, people have to step out on court and find something they generally can’t.” On the British front, Andy Murray still represents the best chance of success since Fred Perry triumphed in 1936. The Scot had his best season on the ATP Tour last year, where he reached a career high number two in the rankings, and then reached the final in Australia earlier this year, only to meet Federer in imperious form. “Murray’s had a great return for his efforts and his talent,” says Castle. “He’s been in two Grand Slam finals and the semis at Wimbledon. I think Murray will win Wimbledon one day, but you have to think of Federer and Nadal first because they’re just the two best players in the world at the moment.”

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WILLIAMS’ DOMINATION While Federer dominates the men’s side, it’s more of a family affair in the women’s event. Venus and Serena Williams have won eight of the last ten Wimbledon titles between them and, while they may not show the same sort of form in the tournaments leading up to the event, as soon as they step onto court at Wimbledon, they manage to find an extra couple of gears. “If you have to face a Williams sister at Wimbledon, it’s going to be tough,” says Castle. “They’re so gifted and remain the ones to beat.” But there are others in the mix that could thwart their chances. Belgian Justine Henin, for example, returned to the sport this year with a set goal of winning Wimbledon – the only Grand Slam yet to elude her. “You may as well pen her in the quarter finals straight away, because she’s not going to lose early,” says the former British number one. “If you’re interested in a bet, Henin would be the one. “Also look out for Svetlana Kuznetsova. She’s won Grand Slams before – the French Open and the US Open – so she’s definitely capable. However, sometimes she sprays a few shots which you don’t expect. Even so, I’d put her towards the latter of the tournament.” But whatever the result of this year’s championships, if you’ve got a glass of Pimms in one hand, a bowl of strawberries and cream in the other, and some world class tennis to enjoy, everybody will be a winner, eh? n

If there was no money at Wimbledon, everybody would still be there and they’d still want to win it

Andrew Castle is the lead commentator for the Wimbledon Championships live and exclusive on the BBC from 21 June– 4 July 2010. Andrew is also the perfect choice for hosting corporate tennis sessions, events and award ceremonies. For further information please contact Katie Lydon on 020 8834 8900

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Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice

for wimbledon

Entertain at the most prestigious event in

Canary Wharf has searched all of the options available for entertaining at Wimbledon, and recommends The Wimbledon Club, hosted by Mike Burton Corporate Hospitality

Championships from 21 June-4 July. With

the tennis calendar, the Wimbledon Tennis superb catering and an intimate environment the Wimbledon Club exudes style. The Executive Restaurant has capacity for 140 guests with an exclusive balcony overlooking the practice courts, whilst the ground-floor Garden Restaurant has a private lounge, bar and garden, and can cater for 40 to 60 guests. Along with guaranteed debenture tickets for either Centre Court or Number 1 Court, the Wimbledon Club provides the ideal venue to host your guests and make the most of your time. Full hospitality packages include Champagne and canapĂŠs reception, full complimentary bar, four-course lunch, official tickets and traditional afternoon tea. 020 7223 7769 www.mikeburton.com

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CASHING IN ON THE TREND When former Wimbledon champion, Pat Cash, takes to the court at the Hurlingham Club this month, don’t expect anything other than fireworks. Lee Brooks caught up with the Aussie to find out he’s lost none of his competitive instincts…

at Cash is a trendsetter. The fiery Australian made an instant impact on the professional ATP Tour when he made his debut in 1982 demanding respect with an attacking serve-volley approach. But he’ll forever be remembered by his trademark black-and-white checked headband and earring in the shape of a cross. Not afraid to speak his mind, Cash drew legions of fans around the world as he backed up his talk with a gritty and attacking brand of tennis. He enjoyed plenty of success on grass culminating in his 1987 triumph at Wimbledon where he memorably climbed into the Centre Court stands to embrace his family and coaching team in what became an emotional Wimbledon tradition. Sadly, a series of achilles and knee injuries plagued Cash’s career and the Australian would never return to the dizzying heights of that July afternoon in 1987. But luckily for the fans, the 45-year-old has lost none of his competitive nature and is a regular on the seniors’ tour. This month, he’ll be back in action on his favourite surface, grass.

“It’s always great fun to play at the BNP Paribas Tennis Classic,” said Cash. “The club is absolutely stunning and this year there are some great legends playing. We always enjoy playing some competitive tennis again but the best part is that we can have some laughs on court as well.” Usually the legends matches are a combination of fast-paced rallies with a touch of humour but underneath Cash is adamant they all want to win. “We are always competitive even if it’s just for bragging rights,” he said. “I think the fact that we are all professional athletes means that we never like to lose, even if it is just a game of tiddlywinks, but the difference nowadays is that losing doesn’t matter so much. We can enjoy a good match and then all have a beer together afterwards.” “Something which I think all players recognise is that the British public has a real appreciation for the game and on the whole are a very knowledgeable audience. It is nice to play in front of people who appreciate what you are trying to do.” Cash has fond memories of the Hurlingham Club and clearly isn’t surprised that the tournament is still going strong because he believes it plays a hugely important role for players on the main tour in preparing for this month’s signature event – Wimbledon. And while dreams for another Wimbledon title are all but over, there is one tournament on the seniors’ tour which is almost as special – the AEGON Masters at the Royal Albert Hall which kicks off this December. “The Albert Hall is an awesome venue,” said Cash. “The structure of the hall means the fans are so close to the players and you feel like a gladiator when you are on court. It is slightly different from Hurlingham because we play singles and we go at it very hard but when you couple the legends with the beautiful venue and add a Christmassy, relaxed feeling in the crowd, it is the perfect way for us all to end another busy year.” Away from the court, Cash is a big family man and has recently become a grandfather after his daughter Mia gave birth to a baby girl a few weeks ago. “My family for sure is my biggest passion but outside of that I am a dedicated music fan. I love rock music and even play in a band myself. Aussie rules football comes a close second, although because I live in the UK, I find it tough finding anyone who knows what I am talking about!” n Pat Cash will play in this year’s BNP Paribas Tennis Classic held in the luxurious setting of London’s Hurlingham Club from 15-19 June and the AEGON Masters Tennis held at London’s Royal Albert Hall between 30 November and 5 December. For further information, visit www.bnpparibastennisclassic. com and www.aegonmasterstennis.com

ENJOY THE THRILL OF HORSERACING And meet some of the stars of the turf at our exclusive VIP event

Imagine the roar of the crowd as your horse turns into the straight; the jockey jostles into position and wills the horse to push through to the finish with its head in front.

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If you’ve been fortunate enough to experience the thrill of horseracing and, better still, backed a winner then you’ll know the adrenaline rush it gives you. Well, imagine the thrill of knowing that you own the winning horse. Racehorse ownership is no longer just reserved for the elite. Many partnerships and syndicates are available to help spread the costs but still enable you to enjoy the full involvement of owning a racehorse.

The first winner I ever had was better than taking 10 wickets at a test match Michael Holding, ex-international cricketer and racehorse owner

When you become an owner, you become a member of an exclusive club, and, you’ll be in good company: Michael Owen, Freddie Flintoff, Lawrence Dallaglio and Sir Alex Ferguson are all racehorse owners, as well as Her Majesty the Queen. There’s the fun of buying your horse, picking a name, choosing your colours, watching your horse train on the gallops and, of course, the thrill and anticipation of being in the paddock before and after a race, listening in as your trainer discusses tactics with your jockey. Watching your horse run is exhilarating from the moment the stalls open. Win or lose, the experience is electrifying and, by owning a racehorse, you’re right in the thick of it

EXCLUSIVE EVENT: 28 JULY, 2010

To give readers the chance to experience the thrill of horseracing, we have teamed up with Racing for Change, Sandown Park and Champagne Lanson, to offer a VIP experience at the races on the evening of Wednesday, 28 July, 2010. Held in one of Sandown Park’s finest hospitality suites, we ensure that you will be close to the action and all the amenities; with truly spectacular views of the racing whether it’s on the plasma screens or from the private balcony. Tote betting is within the suite too. For just £25, the usual price of entry only to the racecourse, you’ll be treated as a VIP with a champagne reception, courtesy of Lanson, canapés, and an evening of high-quality horseracing. Channel 4 Racing’s Emma Spencer will be your glamorous host for the evening and you will be in the company of a select band of owners, jockeys and trainers, who will give you their first-hand knowledge and experience of racehorse ownership. Sandown Park is the nearest racecourse to the centre of London and takes just 25 minutes from Waterloo, with fast trains every 20 minutes. So join us for an excellent evening’s racing, enjoy some fantastic hospitality and find out more about racehorse ownership.

Going to the races is fantastic but if you own a horse it just amplifies it Ronan Keating, singer and racehorse owner

Great if you win. Bad if you lose. But still great. James Nesbitt, actor and racehorse owner

Places are strictly limited, so to guarantee your ticket to this exclusive event, go to: www.sandown.co.uk/ cityoffer and type in the following code: SPCITY10. Offer closes at 4pm, Monday, 26 July, 2010

Channel 4 Racing’s Emma Spencer

Equip FP advert3:Layout 1 19/05/2009 13:23 Page 1

Smart Contractors Choose Smarter Solutions

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That’s because Equip Management Solutions is an alternative umbrella company. As a professional contractor you’ll want rewards that are balanced against risk, plus the highest returns possible for all your hard work. Through Equip Management Solutions the remuneration package offered not only enables you to enjoy excellent financial rewards, but it also offers a completely hasslefree service that minimises the burdens that come with running your own show. And that leaves you more free time to secure those lucrative contracts.

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Jamie Carter presents the month’s hottest gadgets

Called to the bar

Apple might be grabbing the headlines with the launch of its iPad, but it’s the iPod dock market that’s really booming. It’s been dominated by budget brands commanding £100 prices until recently, but now the big Japanese brands are beginning to dominate with higher quality efforts. Pioneer’s NAS-5 is such a product, but it goes up against some stiff competition. Panasonic’s compact SCHC40 (£225) has a built-in microphone in case someone calls while your iPhone is ensconced in the 40W dock, while with Yamaha’s PDX-50 (£150) you can keep your iPhone or iPod in your hand – music is sent wirelessly to the 30W speaker unit via a small cradle on the phone itself. The NAS-5 lacks both of those innovative features; it’s all about style and the quality of music. Weighing just 5kg and small enough to fit on a bookshelf (at 42 cm across), the unit

new gadgets

itself is available in metallic red, black, silver or white, though the top’s gloss finish does tend to store fingerprints. On the top is a small flap that hides a connector that will fit iPhones (first generation models being the exception) and any iPod made after 2006. In practice, an iPod Touch proves the best fit. Two 15W front speakers sit behind a black, soft-touch speaker grille, separated by a red LED display – also behind the grille – that shows the time (in standby) or the input you’re using (iPod, FM tuner, line-in, or music Bluetoothed from a phone or PC).

Though it charges an iPhone or iPod sitting in its dock, the former must be in ‘airplane’ mode – a mode that prevents you taking any calls while you’re listening to music – and the latter’s WiFi must be switched off before any music can be played from it. The power of its speakers impresses – they’re plenty enough to grace any living room – and are joined by something rare at this size and price; a 30W subwoofer. That helps lend music a dollop of bass, but subtly so, although using the credit card-sized remote to adjust treble and bass levels does prove tricky. The FM tuner proves simple enough to operate, though we would expect a digital DAB tuner at this price, while a basic alarm clock with snooze, wake-up and sleep functions is useful – though a speaker system of this power and quality does seem overkill for a bedside table. For a living room, though, this one-trick gadget is a treat.

Pioneer XW-NAS5 digital speaker system for iPod/iPhone, £450 www.pioneer.co.uk

Panasonic TX-P42G20 42-inch plasma TV with built-in Freeview HD, £999 www.panasonic.co.uk

3View Freeview HD set-top box, £299 www.3view.com

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calibre gadgets

Core principles

Organic matters

What’s not been said about Apple’s latest suave gadget? Leave aside its 13.4mm depth, its 68g weight and all those lovely Apps, and ask yourself this question: is it any good for use around the office? If you’re used to Windows Mobile or Blackberry and haven’t yet migrated to an iPhone, you’re probably worried about file compatibility. Apple is now selling cheap Apps for its iWork suite of desktop software, which includes the ability to read Microsoft Office documents. Expect a range of Apps aimed at business users, though for now it’s web surfing, video, music and ebooks that it’s best for.

Before the world economy took a turn for the worse, the big Japanese manufacturers were on the brink of launching a whole new flat TV technology called OLED. Although Sony did launch a 9-inch Organic LED screen in 2007, it’s now been dropped, leaving LG’s brand new 15EL9500 the only TV of its kind in the world. A mere 3.2mm thin, this 15-inch HD-ready is unlike any other; think luscious and blur-free pictures, studded with inky blacks and stunning colours. There’s a Freeview TV tuner inside alongside a USB slot, but the major reasons to invest in tomorrow’s TV tech today are the 15EL9500’s unusual style and unbeatable pictures. The downside is the size – and that huge price tag.

Apple iPad with WiFi, from £600 www.apple.com/uk

LG 15EL9500 15-inch OLED TV, £1,900 www.lge.co.uk

Three-into-one

virtual perfection

Three-D is all the rage at cinemas across the UK, and it’s now coming to living rooms, thanks to Samsung’s new 3D Blu-ray deck. One of the first of its kind, it’s able to produce 3D images from special 3D Blu-ray discs. They might be thin on the ground so far – only Monster vs Aliens was available at time of writing – but expect a slew of new releases this year. In all other respects a ‘normal’ player, the BD-C6900 can spin regular Blu-ray discs, DVD and CD. Also able to get online using WiFi, the BD-C6900 can stream video from YouTube and, soon, video from BBC iPlayer.

Finally there’s a television that delivers a picture so stunning that it looks and feels more real than reality. It’s the Samsung LED UE46C7000. With its explosive 3D capabilities and immersive HyperReal Engine, it delivers the world as you’ve never seen it before. Its LED screen amplifies images to such an extent that it’s hard to believe they’re coming out of an ultra-slim TV. Richer colours, smoother motion and mega contrast levels combine to make an unparalleled viewing experience. So whether you’re watching your favourite television programs, web content or a video you shot yourself, it was designed to blow your mind.

Samsung BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player, £349 www.samsung.co.uk

Samsung 46” 3D Freeview HD LED TV £1,999 Exclusive Package Deals at PRC www.prcdirect.co.uk

Panasonic DMP-B100 8.9-inch portable Blu-ray player, £349 www.panasonic.co.uk

Sony Bravia KDL-32EX703 32-inch Full LED TV with built-in Freeview HD, £849 www.sony.co.uk

Immortal World sunglasses with built-in video camera and 4GB capacity, £249.99 www.imortalworld.co.uk

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personal finance

calibre

Golden Retirement Rules

In the tail end of a recession, saving for the future might be the last thing on your mind – but, with forward planning, it’s easily achievable according to financial guru Dr David Kuo of The Motley Fool Retiring rich may seem like a pipe dream when all you seem to hear about is the dire state of the British economy, and the even worse state of the public finances. But with a little planning, it really can be an achievable aspiration for many people. Here are four golden rules that will help you build a decent retirement pot:

Cash won’t cut it The first thing to realise is that you need to make your money sweat a little. This means you need to take a little risk. There is a rule of thumb known as the ‘Rule of 72’ that demonstrates how quickly your investments can grow. The Rule of 72 provides a quick method of estimating how long it will take for your money to double. To work this out, you simply divide 72 by the annual growth rate of an investment. So, let’s look at cash and assume we can get 3 per cent a year from a savings account. Using the Rule of 72, it would take 24 years (72 divided by 3) to double our money. However, what if your expected return was 9 per cent? This is what the stock market has returned, on average, over the last 100 years. Now it only takes your money 8 years (72 divided by 9) to double in value. Let’s assume we’re investing for 48 years. In this time, the savings account might grow 4 times, whereas a stock market investment could multiply 64 times! Now, we are ignoring factors like inflation (reducing the spending power of your money over time), but it does show the much greater returns you can get from investing.

The importance of starting early Consider the case of two people who invest money in the stock market. One is aged 20, the other is aged 40. We’ll assume again that the stock market returns 9 per cent a year. If the younger person puts aside £2,000 a year and

the older person throws £8,000 a year into the fund, who is likely to have more money when they reach 60? By the time both individuals reach 60, the younger saver will have invested a total of £80,000 over 40 years. The older saver will have contributed £160,000, or twice as much. However, because of compounding, the younger person’s pot would have swelled to roughly £730,000. The older person, despite investing twice as much as the younger investor, would end up with about £450,000. So it’s vital to start saving for your retirement as early as possible. Even if you can only put aside a small amount to start with, it will save you from having to invest a lot more later on.

Use your tax breaks As far as investment is concerned, there are two main tax breaks worth using. They are pensions and ISAs. Pensions potentially give you the better tax breaks, but they aren’t nearly as flexible as ISAs. So, increasingly, many people are using both, especially if they have a company pension scheme. The new ISA limit for everyone is now £10,200 a year, which more than covers what most people can afford to put away each month.

Stay the course When it comes to investing for retirement, arguably the most important rule is to stay the course. There are times when the stock market really can struggle; however, when you’re investing for 30 or even 40 years, even long periods like this tend to even themselves out. The best approach for the vast majority of people is to invest a regular amount each and every month for their retirement. Stick to these four golden rules and you should have a prosperous retirement. For further information on how to start investing, visit The Motley Fool at Fool.co.uk. n

Dr David Kuo, director at the popular financial website The Motley Fool www.Fool.co.uk

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WHO’S THE BEST?

CITY or CANARY WHARF In the run up to the London Triathlon, the most hotly contested competition is the corporate team relay. Claire Saunders speaks to last year’s winners and checks out the runners, riders and swimmers

The London Triathlon is one of the biggest sporting events in London in the summer months; capturing the imagination of thousands of athletes each year. This year the event takes place on 7 August at ExCeL London and individual entries are already full. The only way to enter this year’s event is to enter the team relay. All you need to do is find two colleagues who are up for a challenge, pick your discipline and get training. There’s far more at stake than just personal pride. This is the ultimate answer to who is best; City or Canary Wharf? There’s also trophies for the winning teams in the fields of Financial, Legal, Insurance, IT & Telecoms, Marketing and Media industries as well as prizes for the companies who raise the most money for charity. Who knows maybe there’ll be a clean sweep? Who will win the battle and come out labelled the strongest, fastest and fittest? To enter your team now, visit www.londontriathlon.co.uk and let the countdown begin... LAST YEAR’S WINNERS:

TEAM DELOITTE Last year Deloitte won the Corporate Team Relay Sprint title. This summer, the company is entering eight teams and four individual Olympic distance entries, all eager to complete the triathlon with a very personal motivation. Mark Cliff is one of the Deloitte individual athletes taking part this year, looking to uphold the winning streak. He explains his motivation: “A valued colleague and friend of ours, Barclay Webster, was diagnosed with a rare sinus cancer in July last year. Following his diagnosis he has undergone chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy and will undergo further surgery. “Barclay is now recovering from his treatment at home in Edinburgh, gradually getting his strength and energy back and hopes to return to work soon. Although the triathlon has come a bit too soon for him, we decided to get teams together to compete at the London Triathlon and raise money for charities who have supported him along the way.” An enthusiastic entrant, Mark has built training into his daily routine and hopes that this is the winning feather in his cap:

“I have done lots of biking through my commute to work, a few runs to work, and swimming when I can. I probably do 10-12 hours a week in total, constantly working to beat my personal bests. “There is also some internal competition, which I’m sure will build up as we approach the event, particularly with the individual entries.” His biggest challenge on race day will be the swim: “It’s very daunting,” he says. “All those arms and legs and no lanes to guide you or poolside to grab. I’m struggling to see past the swimming, but once I’m out the water I’ll be confident of improving my position.” Deloitte will be raising money for the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Maggies and Macmillan. For more information on how to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/ReadingPensionsTeam-Triathlon www.justgiving.com/DTRBLondonTriathlon-Macmillan www.justgiving.com/DTRBLondonTriathlon-Maggies www.justgiving.com/DTRBManchester www.justgiving.com/Ben-Goodwin

CWpromotion

“We believe that the British Triathlon is a great fit for GE and we are confident that our support could potentially make a real impact on Team GB’s gold medal prospects in 2012.” For further information about GE and their involvement, visit www.ge.com/uk/triathlon This summer, Belron is expected to enter around 150 teams for the team relay with teams from around 22 different countries. Kate Bray is one of the Belron team members taking part: “I have been training twice a week for the race – I’m a comfortable 5k runner but I am trying to run 10k this year. “My biggest challenge on race day will be managing over 600 Belron competitors to compete in the event! Cycling and running is the easy bit for me.

THE CONTENDERS:

TEAM GE CAPITAL & TEAM BELRON GE has recently agreed to become Elite Partner sponsor to the British Triathlon, so involvement in and support of the triathlon is very much part of their agenda leading up to 2012. This summer is the first time that the company has participated in the London Triathlon and they have entered 36 teams. Simon Ramage is one of the GE Capital team members taking part: “I have always enjoyed these types of event as they are much more fun than running alone. I haven’t done as much training as I would have liked – but at my age (49) I am convincing myself that to over-train would be dangerous! “My biggest challenge on the day will be remembering to warm-up properly. Most of the running injuries I have suffered have been due to my failure to warm-up so I will make sure I do this. A good result for me would be a sub-30 minute time – not spectacular by any means but I have to be confident of that. My advice to those facing their first race would be to warm up, take the first mile easy and enjoy it.” “As a proud sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, we wanted to establish an association with an exciting and modern sport which we feel would benefit from our support, our technology and our expertise,” says Mark Elborne, president & CEO, GE UK.

“As a corporate company we take part every year; it’s a great event and it allows people to compete who may not be comfortable competing in all three events. The sprint team option allows individuals from all levels to take part. We all hope for a good result but it’s the taking part that’s the important bit as we all do it to raise money for our Global Charity.” Last year Belron was the largest corporate entry in the London Triathlon and raised over € 500,000 in sponsorship for their charity MaAfrika Tikkun – a charity based in South Africa which works with orphans and vulnerable children in the country giving them vital care and support and the skills need to succeed in life. For further information about Team Belron and how to donate, visit www.belrontri.com As media sponsors for this event the city magazine will be following some of the teams on their journey, offering some advice and publishing all of the results after the event. If you have entered a team, we would like to hear from you, so give us a call and tell us your story...

What are you waiting for? So now that you’ve heard from the competition, what are you waiting for? Sign up today, start your training and you could be the toast of corporate London. Visit www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk to register your entry.

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calibre human resources

HR MATTERS:: Social Networking Clare Murray looks at the rising trend of employees using social networking sites to find out information about potential candidates and the associated employment issues With the phenomenal rise in social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, it has become much easier to find information about potential employees simply by using Google. If an individual has a public profile, this information is available for everyone to see, including potential employers. However, employers need to be careful when using such information as a part of the recruitment process. If you decide not to hire a candidate as a result of what you find on a social networking site, this may result in possible claims for discrimination. Being influenced in the decisionmaking process by information obtained from a website about marital status, religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability may be unlawful. Even gathering such information (without relying on it) may lead to the perception that this affected the recruitment process in some way. Lawyers acting for failed candidates may submit a statutory discrimination questionnaire to ask questions about the recruitment process. In addition, it is open to the individual to make a Data Protection Subject Access Request to obtain any personal information that the company has retained about them; potentially, they may even ask for IT records to check whether certain websites were accessed by the employer.

Covertly checking the accuracy of a candidate’s application by reference to information found on a website may be in breach of the Employment Practices Data Protection Code, (guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office). This recommends that if an employer intends to verify information provided by a candidate, it should inform them about this as soon as possible. In practice, few employers will want to (or be able to) justify the need for online searches of candidates’ public profiles. Given the potential pitfalls, it may be advisable to revise your recruitment policies so as to prohibit such online searches; this policy should explain that using such search mechanisms may be a disciplinary offence. As it can be difficult to assess the accuracy of the information, relying on such sites could cause problems in the future. A better recruitment strategy is to assess every candidate’s skills against the same objective criteria. Interviewers should complete a matrix during the interview and add additional comments where necessary. Having a clear rationale for all recruitment decisions (backed up by a paper trail) should help reduce an employer’s exposure to legal claims. n

Clare Murray is managing partner at employment law firm, CM Murray LLP; email: clare.murray@cm-murray.com. The contents of this column are for general purposes only. Specialist legal advice should be taken regarding specific circumstances.

108

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Holding on to your ID Expats are particularly prone to identity fraud and theft. This may well be because individuals are less focused on identity security when in transit from one place to another but the statistics are shocking CIFAS, The UK’s Fraud Prevention Service reported an increase in identity fraud of 19.86 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 (compared with the same period in 2009). It advises that there has been a surge in identity frauds that make use of the victim›s current address details (which are therefore more sophisticated and difficult to detect since you may have to give your name out to various suppliers in the process of moving, this is worth thinking about). CIFAS advises the following: Don’t tempt those moving into your old address - a replacement storecard or a mail order catalogue arriving at your old address is a gift to a fraudster •

Treat your plastic cards, traveller’s cheques and passports as securely as you would cash. Avoid keeping them in bags such as rucksacks that can easily be opened without you noticing

•

If you plan to be away for some time, inform your bank and other relevant organisations

•

Make sure any post sent to your address is dealt with securely. Consider contacting the Royal Mail about its ‘Keepsafe’ service

•

At work, double check that your records are kept in a secure location

After accidental Americans, accidental Britons? We wrote last month about the phenomenon of accidental Americans who discover that they have citizenship of the US without being aware of it. They can also discover that they should have been filing US tax returns. This idea has apparently travelled. Within days of this magazine going to press, the economics editor of one our major national newspapers blogged about this idea also applying to UK citizens. In attempts to bring down the UK’s deficit no stone is likely to be left unturned in the search for tax revenue. As many as 5.5 million Britons now live abroad so the revenue potential is considerable. It was even postulated that some high earners could seek to revoke their British citizenship. This being the UK, various tax accountants were wheeled out to say there would be practical difficulties. It might not surprise you to learn that the actual tax records of UK citizens living abroad are not very conclusive. Doubts were also expressed about whether HMRC would have staff with the ability to handle some of the issues involved.

Founded just 12 months ago, The Forum for Expatriate Management already has over 4,000 members who collectively manage over one million expatriate moves. Members come from the leading blue-chip employers of international assignees both in the UK and globally. The Forum also has extensive databases of useful technical information including country guides to over 100 worldwide locations. Membership is free.

global living

the

calibre

RISE OF GLOBAL

MOBILITY

For global living international executives keeping up to date with the latest news is important

Mobility

is here to Stay

The expatriate world is awash with surveys. As in most industries they are generally published for marketing purposes with companies keen to demonstrate that their services are still relevant but, occasionally, says Brian Friedman, a survey is published that is genuinely thought provoking

he recent PWC report ‘Talent Mobility 2010’ falls into that category – a report drawn together from a number of sources, including PWC’s annual Global CEO survey. Despite the worst recession since the 1930’s, or more likely because of it, PWC believes CEO’s will be looking much more seriously at the deployment of their people in future and, as such ‘Talent Management’ is a piece of jargon that is permeating the expatriate management community. The increase in staff being offered international assignments grew by 25 per cent in the first decade of this century and PWC predicts that it will rise by a further 50 per cent in the next ten years. Assignments will cover a whole range of circumstances including extended business trips and weekly commuting. Whilst technology allows for much more flexible deployment of people, the report indicates that this will not detract from the requirement for people on the ground. If you count yourself part of the millennial generation, none of this will be news. The new era of professionals regards overseas assignments as a rite of passage and an integral part of a career. According to the survey 80 per cent of you want to work abroad and 70 per cent want to use a non-native language. 94 per cent of respondents to PWC believed that they are more likely to work across borders than their parents.

What will also be interesting is where those assignments are likely to be. Cities such as Mumbai, Dhaka and Sao Paolo will eclipse those of New York, London and Paris in terms of population. Previous generations of expatriates may have regarded overseas postings as a short cut to riches. This is unlikely to be the case in the future. Companies will become much more savvy at devising more cost effective methods of remuneration. Put simply, your pay on an international assignment is more likely to be linked to the country you are going to rather than the country you are coming from. As we have mentioned before on these pages, the compliance aspects of global working are complex. At the time of going to press the new Conservative/Liberal Democratic coalition government in the UK is determining an annual quota of nonEU entrants allowed to work here. PWC believes that this is very much for the short term. It believes that recent market dramas have actually forged a better relationship between government and business that is likely to develop. There is huge scope for better cooperation on tax issues. Whilst a global tax treaty is unlikely in the near future, there is a distinct possibility that there will be more consistency between governments. This would then be accompanied by more sophisticated collection and enforcement services. We live in hope... n

For more information, visit www.totallyexpat.com

80% of you want to work abroad and 70% want

to use a non-native language

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The official climbing season for Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic landmark Mount Fuji opens in July, marking the perfect time to visit Hot Fudo, a visionary new restaurant at the foothills of this majestic mountain

lurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor space, architect Takeshi Hosakaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative igloo like structure utilizes and works with the natural elements outside. The space is open to the elements almost all year round, as its complex curved and undulating shape keeps the restaurant at a comfortable temperature and fills the space with fresh mountain air, reducing the energy consumption caused by air conditioning and heating. Whilst elegantly answering questions of ecology and practical comfort, Hosakaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design

also delivers aesthetic joy to delighted dinners. The restaurant lets in the elements, in a manner that allows the guest to enjoy them as spectators in a comfort zone. The carefully considered lighting plan allows guests to feel the full affects of the changes in natural light throughout the day, whilst the open shape lets in the rain and fog, allowing guests to enjoy the gentle sound of raindrops, and feel in harmony with their surroundings whilst protected and cosseted from the elements outside. n www.hosakatakeshi.com

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Wharf Newspaper

Terrace opening from May 13th with special BBQ grill menu on Thursday through Saturday evenings

Four Seasons Hotel Canary Wharf I 46 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London E14 8RS I Tel: 020 7510 1858 I http://www.fourseasons.com/canarywharf

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EASTERN FLAVOUR

travel

news DRINK IT Up Be the first to stay at The Yeatman, the newest luxury hotel in beautiful Oporto, opening in early July. Built into the hillside in a terraced effect to mirror the undulating vines of the Douro Valley beyond, The Yeatman offers spectacular views of the winding river and the steep, cobbled streets below. A UNESCO’s World Heritage city, Oporto is steeped in culture with plenty of historic buildings and picturesque sights, perfect for city breaks and relaxing retreats alike. Located in the heart of the city’s famous port-making district, It is the perfect place for wine connoisseurs. Guests will have the opportunity to learn about unique grape varieties, different wine styles and the local history of the port trade at weekly wine and cookery events. Learn from award-winning Portuguese chef Ricardo Costa about food and wine pairing, or let the sommelier pick the perfect partner for your meal from the impressive 25,000 bottlestrong cellar, boasting the best list of Portuguese wines anywhere in the world. And for those who have reached their wine-loving limits, you can even recover with vine inspired treatments at The Vinotherapie Spa.

IT’S ONLY ROCK AND ROLL Described as the “most extravagant creative enclave in existence”, Eden Rock hotel has opened the luxurious Villa Rockstar on the glorious island of St. Barths. The star of the show is a state–ofthe-art recording studio, perfect for those who always had a hunch they could have been the next Mick Jagger, if only they had had the time... And when it is time to soothe your creative soul, relax like a rock star with the infinity pool, a 20-seat Cinemascope screening room and butler service to take care of your every need.

This June, the United Arab Emirates will be graced with the unique style and flavour of London’s award-winning modern Chinese restaurant, Hakkasan. Opening in the opulent Emirates Palace Hotel, the restaurant will be led by Lee Kok Hua from Hakkasan London. Featuring Hakkasan’s signature dishes (like the decadent Peking duck and Royal Beluga caviar), the menu will also feature some innovative new dishes created by the new chef. www.emiratespalace.com

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S T Y L E

squared Visiting Paris in the springtime, Penelope M Walsh slips into the lap of luxury at the stylish Hotel Square

riving along the banks of the Seine, past Paris’ most iconic sights, gloriously bathed in spring sunshine, the intriguing exterior of Hotel Square appears as if from nowhere. Hidden from the hustle and bustle of the city, yet standing right in the heart of it, is a three-storey triangle awash in waves of smooth, gray granite. The gentle curves of the hotel’s facade mimic the soothing, relaxing ocean, washing

over the prow-like building, and give a small taste of the relaxing luxury on offer within. A labour of love for Parisian restauranteur Patrick Derderian, Hotel Square is a culmination of its creator’s love of design and attention to detail. From bathrobes with built-in ties, to the fluid curves of the Indian rosewood doors, everything has been created and perfected under Derderian’s watchful eye and exacting specifications. Welcomed and ministered to by the

charming and attentive staff, as they take my baggage, and the weight off my shoulders, I feel ease and comfort wash over me, like arriving home after a long journey. Within minutes of arrival, I feel reassured that life will be so decadently easy and that all my needs will be met with personality and style. In fact, with inbuilt motion sensors, even the lifts are so obliging that I don’t have to lift a finger to summon them. In a city awash with luxury hotels, this is one of only three to have been awarded five stars. Located on the glamorous right bank, a mere ten minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower, the hotel stands on the site of the old springs of Auteuil (a favourite haunt of the stars of Paris’ literary golden age – Balzac, Flaubert and Maupassant). With the Bois de Boulogne (Paris’ answer to Hyde Park), the Museum of Primitive Art (a new edition to Paris’ already extensive offering of art galleries and museums), and Avenue Montaigne (the home of haute couture) only a stone’s throw away, you are ideally situated to explore and indulge. Each of the boutique hotel’s 22 rooms (including six suites) are singular in their style and also their shape. Decorated in an elegant palette of ivory and grey, the curved panorama of windows floods the suite in soft daylight, and amidst the orchids and rosewood flourishes of elegance, the curved cloth-clad walls lend the room a feeling of intimate enclosure and comfort. Personal and familiar touches mingle with the elegance of the design. From a handwritten card with the day’s weather left on the pillow, to the small collection of CDs placed by the Hi-fi (a rather retro touch, that feels

travel

as if the selection has been handpicked for each guest), there is a sense of being a personal guest in the private home of Paris’ most stylish hostess. With a unique emphasis on art throughout the hotel, guests can enjoy collections of contemporary art (handpicked by Derderian) from balconied walkways overlooking the immense 200 square metre central hanging space, from the Salon Blanc (a gallery space also suitable for intimate functions) or from the hotel’s restaurant Zebra Square, whilst indulging in the works of art plated up and laid in front of them, created by renowned French chef, Thierry de Burlot. Focusing on the imaginative use of seasonal produce and a spectacular selection of seafood, Zebra Square offers an array of beautifully presented and creatively conceived culinary delights, perfectly paired with a plethora of fine French wines. Begin as the French do with an aperitif from the extensive list, and an amuse-bouche to tease your taste buds. Try the oeufs Toqués: a rich soup of gooey golden egg with seasonal ceps, whimsically presented in an eggshell with a toasted brioche soldier. Move on from the initial excitement and titillate your taste buds with the main event: beef so tender the knife slides through it, letting loose the sweet juices of the delicately seasoned meat. Or let the head chef take you on a whirlwind tour of the Orient, with crisp tempura, delicate crystal rolls or the delicious Asian fusion of generous slices of succulent sashimi, served with piquant Korean pickled cabbage, presented with understated elegance on a banana leaf. Filled up with the joys of a magnificent menu, nothing can round off a Square meal better than

connoisseur

the thick, syrupy tar of the high quality legendary Parisian espresso on offer. If the indulgence of dinner leaves you wanting either further indulgence or further relaxation, treat yourself to both at Spa Square Nuxe. The renowned spa brand offers a range of beauty treatments for the face and body, using natural ingredients and traditional techniques. Unwind in the warm amber glow of the treatment room and fall into a blissful trance with a relaxing massage. As you make your way to bed, already rested and refreshed before you have even got under the covers, you might not feel like going home, because to some extent, it may feel like you already are. n

Above left to right: Hotel Square Exterior, Lobby Bedroom Zebra Restaurant Spa Square Nuxe Opposite: Spa Square Nuxe

Within minutes of arrival, I feel reassured that life will be so decadently easy and that all my needs will be met with personality and style

For information visit www.hotelsquare.com

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A Long Weekend in

New York

Although the exchange rate is not as favourable as it was a few years ago, New York is still a great value, short break destination. To Annabel Goldie-Morrison it remains one of the most intriguing cities on earth

hen looking for somewhere to stay, location is everything, and the iconic New York Palace reigns over midtown Manhattan from its prime position on Madison Avenue and 51st Street, with Central Park, Broadway, the Rockefeller Plaza and some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest shopping just a short stroll away. The Tower Rooms, occupying the top 14 floors, have a dedicated reception and expert concierge, and the views from the rooms are superb. The vast St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral appears to be a

miniature toy far beneath you, and the Rockefeller Center provides an illuminated, craggy Art Deco mountainscape at night. The rooms are comfortably elegant, a perfect home away from home, and the discreet service makes this giant 899room hotel feel intimate, personal and private. Just a block away is the Rockefeller Center and the Top of the Rock observation deck. This is a highly recommended alternative to wasting hours queuing to go up the Empire State Building, and a great way to get your bearings on the first day of your visit. Atop this Art Deco masterpiece,

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850 feet above sea level, you get a panoramic view of the ‘City That Never Sleeps’ and its many famous landmarks. Great ocean liners inspired the design of the observation deck, and this is a fitting metaphor when you are floating above New York with unobstructed views in all directions. For a long weekend visit, it is advisable to do the bulk of your shopping on the Friday or Monday, as the main streets get extremely crowded at weekends and the experience quickly stops being enjoyable. Luxury department store Barney’s is a mere step from the New York Palace and, just a block away, 5th Avenue is home to all of the top fashion houses from Gucci to Pucci, as well as Abercrombie & Fitch, Sephora, Saks and Bergdorf Goodman. The iconic Bloomingdales store is also nearby on Lexington Avenue. Saturday morning is the time to head uptown to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, probably the greatest museum in the world, where you can spend anywhere between an hour and a month. From here you can stroll through Central Park, get some fresh air and do a spot of people watching. Central Park Zoo is a delightful experience – small but perfectly formed – with a tropical hothouse full of rare and colourful birds flying around your head, rare snow leopards and red pandas, cheeky penguins and an endearing sea lion show. Walking back from Central Park towards Times Square, Ruby Foo’s (Broadway at 49th St) serves fantastic Pan Asian food and is an ideal en route lunch stop. After this, it’s worth spending a few minutes absorbing Times Square – Piccadilly Circus will never seem the same again! On Sunday spend a day away from the extravagance of Midtown, and take the subway down to the southern tip of Manhattan, and from here you can take the free Staten Island Ferry. The hour-long round trip allows fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and a different perspective of the Manhattan skyline. Once back on terra firma, it’s worth exploring the Financial District, a far cry from the regimented grid plan of Midtown. The streets are more haphazard, and the buildings considerably older. A walk down Wall Street is essential, and other worthy

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sites include the Stock Exchange and Ground Zero. From the Financial District you can walk north, or hop back on the subway for a couple of stops, to SoHo. The shopping experience here is somewhat different to Midtown; there are shabby but characterful side streets, little cafés, boutiques and independent stores, as well as brands including Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, Prada, Banana Republic, Vera Wang and Miu Miu. If Downtown sounds more your scene, or if you’d like to split your time between Midtown and Downtown, then check into Soho House – part private members’ club, part swanky hotel, located one block south of the Midtown/Downtown divide (14th Street). In the heart of New York’s hyper-trendy Meatpacking District, Soho House has a bohemian loft feel to it, with big baroque carved beds and egg-shaped tubs. The rooftop pool boasts views across the West Village and the Hudson River, and the Cowshed spa is the ideal retreat after a busy day of shopping and sightseeing. New York is a city of history, intrigue, architecture, invention, entertainment and more than 8 million people from all over the world. It’s hard not to get caught up in the rush, and a short stay will certainly leave you wanting more. n

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Opposite: The Penthouse, New York Palace From top to bottom: Courtyard, New York Palace Manhattan skyline from Central Park St. Patricks Cathedral

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Because some secrets are meant to be shared Re-discover Dublin this summer at the city centre’s most prestigious address The Shelboure Hotel. Located right on Dublin’s doorstep, The Shelbourne Hotel is the perfect location for exploring the city - from chic boutiques, art and culture to gourmet restaurants and theatre. Enjoy our exclusive packages from just €89.00 per person sharing per night. For bookings please call +353 1 6634500 or book online at www.TheShelbourne.ie quoting reference P91 to avail of this special offer.

The Shelbourne Dublin, A Renaissance Hotel 27 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland www.theshelbourne.ie www.renaissancehotels.com

destination...

travel

connoisseur

Dublin

Eileen Elliott makes it her business to explore the pleasures of Ireland’s culture rich capital and delights in all things green and ‘minted’ WHAT TO SEE: A city brimming and bustling with culture and history, there is no better way to ensure that you get the most out of Dublin than with the Dublin Pass. Providing discounts and offers throughout the city, the pass will be celebrating its fifth birthday with more partners than ever before, including City Canal Cruises, Dublin’s famous The Church Bar and Restaurant and much more. With a wealth of great writers haling from Dublin, its unique influence has had a revolutionary impact on modern European literature. Joyce’s ground breaking work, Ulysses, follows one day in the life of Leopold Bloom; a day that is now celebrated every year on 16 June, now known as ‘Bloomsday’. Events take place throughout the week, following this famous character and writer around their equally famous terrior. June is also a great time for cricket fans, with a titanic clash taking place between Ireland and Australia on 17 June. A chance to see the Irish team

on their green home turf, the RSA Challenge also offers great corporate entertaining, and a luxurious package can be organised through the Irish Cricket Association. www.dublinpass.ie www.visitdublin.com www.cricketeurope4.net/irishcricket

WHere TO EAT:: In Dublin, everything is infused with a sense of culture. At The Merrion, even afternoon tea now comes with the guilt banishing bonus of being a cultural activity. Inspired by their extensive collection of contemporary Irish art, The Merrion’s Art Tea features witty interpretations of works by great Irish artists, beautifully represented in the form of delicious cakes and sweets. Michelin-starred Chapter One Restaurant offers a special dining experience, serving stylish French inspired cuisine using local Irish ingredients, in the beautiful surrounds of fine art and authentic granite walls.

Restaurant Bon Appétit

The sleek, tranquil setting of the restaurant makes it a great place for a business lunch, or to wine and dine clients with the six course menu at the intimate and exclusive Chefs Table made from volcanic rock. For a decadent dinner, try one of the ten course tasting menus in the sophisticated Georgian dining rooms of Restaurant Bon Appétit. Opened in 2006, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star the following year, making it the fastest Star ever awarded to a restaurant in Ireland. www.merrionhotel.com www.chapteronerestaurant.com www.bonappetit.ie

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WHERE TO STAY::: Set in the heart of Georgian Dublin, The Shelbourne Hotel has received many awards and accolades for its fantastic service, including being ranked 13th best business hotel by Condé Nast in 2009. The hotel offers an impressive array of facilities for business users including 13 conference suites, each with a unique history, such as The Constitution Suite, where the Irish Constitution was drafted in 1922. The hotel’s unique place in Irish history also extends to the remarkable roll call of guests, which includes William Thackeray and Seamus Heaney. And as if that wasn’t enough, the hotel even boasts Ireland’s beast cocktail bar, No27 Lounge and Bar. Alternatively, located in the trendy Temple Bar district and owned by Irish rock royalty, U2’s Bono and The Edge, The Clarence oozes sophisticated cool. Decked out in American white oak and Italian limestone, this stylish boutique hotel offers its owners unique vision of how a luxury hotel should be: intimate, idiosyncratic, unstuffy and contemporary. www.marriott.co.uk www.theclarence.ie

Shelbourne Hotel

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WHERE TO PLAY:::

Mint Bar

Raspberry and Apple Mojito

When hours in stuffy board rooms have left your mind like cotton wool, escape to the greenery of a spectacular golf courses. Only an hour away from the city, in the picturesque village of Killenard, The Heritage Golf and Spa Resort boasts a spectacular 18 hole, championship golf course. Using over four decades of experience, the course was designed by international golfing legends Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes. If a touch of intemperance is more likely to draw you in than the call of the great outdoors, head to The Mint Bar at the Westin Hotel for a night of guaranteed decadence. An intimate yet stylish bar carved into the existing structure of the city’s old bank vaults, it is certainly the best place in Ireland to drink your hard earned cash. Serving an extensive list of cocktails including an unbeatable mojito, The Mint Bar is also home to the ‘Minted’ Cocktail: vanilla infused vodka, 200 year old cognac and flakes of 23 carat gold, served in a crystal glass with chocolate truffles. Costing a cool €500, it is the most expensive cocktail in the country. www.thewestindublin.com www.theheritage.com

DON’T MISS::: A trip to Dublin would not be complete without a visit to some of the great retail delights on offer. Head down to Grafton Street to check out the vast array of boutiques and chic shops, offering everything your credit card could fear. Don’t miss Brown Thomas, the Godfather of Dublin department stores, which has been going strong since 1849. The stylish store offers a great selection of the biggest and best fashion and beauty brands around and even a Crème de la Mer treatment room. Or if unknown one-offs that everyone will envy are more your style, visit the Cow’s Lane Fashion and Design Market. This sprawling mass of stalls, selling an eclectic range of stylish must haves, is a Mecca for Dublin’s fashionistas and a great place to discover up and coming design talent or a unique gift. And if after all that shopping, coffee is not the kind of pick me up you have in mind, you are in the right city. Head to The Old Jameson Distillery and let one of the knowledgeable guides walk you through what the three simple ingredients of water, barley and yeast can become when mixed with a little Irish charm with a tour and tasting. www.brownthomas.com www.jamesonwhiskey.com

Jamesons

City Airport offers up to seven direct flights daily Monday-Friday, one on Saturday and three on Sunday

For more information, schedules and to book your flight visit www.londoncityairport.com

declare your

independence

Small independent luxury hotels. Memorable experiences.

Small Luxury Hotels of the Worldâ&#x201E;˘ Book your summer beach escape at www.slh.com/beachescapes

SLH Beach ad 210 x 297.indd 1

25/5/10 17:29:08

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connoisseur

Destination...

Deauville Eileen Elliott makes her way to the glamorous French resort of Deauville

What to see::

Jump for joy

Where to eat:

Such a sanctuary of elite sophistication as it is, no trip to Deauville would be complete without a visit to the races. With world famous Royal Ascot taking place across the Channel at the same time, the Deauville Race Course has done its best to outdo their English neighbours with The Grand National Jumping. The event will take place from 11-13 June, with other races taking place throughout the months of July and August. www.deauville-cheval.com

Starry eyed

The only one of Deauville’s great restaurants to have been mentioned in the Michelin Guide, L’Etrier is a fantastic place to enjoy dinner under the stars. Decked in regal crimson stripes, the restaurant is both elegant and cosy. Under the direction of Eric Provost, it serves elaborate and creative creations using local and seasonal produce. On a beautiful summer evening, sit out and enjoy an aperitif of a cocktail or champagne in the secluded garden. www.etrier-deauville.com

ier Ho

Where to play::

udart

Lucky numbers

Where to stay:

New style

Be the first to stay in the new Les Manoirs de Tourgéville, opening this month, housed in the former mansion of the famous French film director Claude Lelouche. Set to become one of the most luxurious hotels in Normandy, as well as the original mansion, the hotel compound includes five new Norman style manor houses spread over the beautiful parkland, offering panaoramic views of arker P the surrounding countryside. th e © Elizab Activities on offer will include golf, horse riding and polo. www.lesmanoirsdetourgeville.com © Patrick

Le Bris

A sojourn in Deauville is all about flashing the cash, and what better way to do so than with an evening in the Casino. The Casino Barriere de Deauville boasts an impressive array of games of chance to test your luck as well as several bars and nightclubs. The O2 Sofa bar has oxygen, making it a perfect place to revive your spirits after the shock of either huge wins or loses, depending on how the dice roll.

his month, CityJet launches a brand new route from City Airport to one of France’s most popular holiday destinations, Deauville. So popular amongst the Parisian elite that it is often referred to as Paris’ 21st arrondissement, Deauville boasts a generous offering of beaches, world class heritage sites (including the Bayeux tapestry), unrivalled luxury and pleasure pursuits.

Don’’t miss:

Fire wall

This year Deauville is celebrating its 150 year anniversary and will be hosting fantastic events and celebrations throughout the year. With the beach such an iconic part of Deauville’s vista, the town will be hosting a spectacular anniversary event on the beach in the th Parker © Elizabe evening on 19 June. One of France’s most influential contemporary composers, Pascal Dusapin, will work with the famous pyrotechnicians Group F to create an exhilarating sound and light show and a breathtaking © Eli zabe th Pa 800m wall of fire. rk er

www.deauville-2010.fr

CityJet offers four direct flights a week to Deauville, from £59 one way (incl. taxes)

For more information, schedules and to book your flight visit www.londoncityairport.com

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Awnings Shutters crafted to measure

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020 7538 1022 share our vision

www.docklandsblinds.co.uk 188 Westferry Road, Docklands, E14 3RY

food & drink

connoisseur

FRIDAY FIZZ

food & drink

news

STRAIGHT FROM THE ALGARVE

Al Grelha alfresco grill has opened at The Gun. Grab a glass of sangria or a cold beer from the outdoor bar and choose from a menu inspired by owners Tom and Ed Martin’s childhood memories of Portugal. In keeping with other traditional Portugese restaurantes, the focus of A Grelha is fish. Purchased daily from Billingsgate, diners can take their pick from the fresh fish counter, including whole sea bass, red snapper, dourade or Portuguese sardines. Whilst you watch and wait for it to be cooked in front of you on the large barbecue, sit back and enjoy a sensational starter such as fresh palourde clams in white wine, garlic, coriander and lemon or traditional chourico sautéed in red wine. Must-try mains include cataplana, a rustic Algarvian seafood stew, served in a copper pot of the same name for two or more to share, or for carnivores amongst us, classics such as spicy chicken piri piri, or a hanging skewer of lamb espetada. What better way to end your meal than with divine desserts such as authentic pastel de nata, custard tart, or selection of Portuguese cheeses. To accompany the delicious dishes, there is a carefully chosen selection of Portuguese and Mediterranean wines, chilled beers on draft including Super Bock, Sagres and San Miguel, as well as fruity red and white sangria. Where better to soak up the sunshine during the great British summer?

Kick-start your weekend with one of the most exclusive champagnes in the world. Renowned for its fine bubbles, velvet texture and freshness, the Krug Grande Cuvée is part of the “Thank Krug it’s Friday” offer at Battersea Pie Station in Covent Garden. Unwind every Friday throughout the summer months with a glass of Krug and gourmet British pie for £25. Choose from a range of specially created pies to suit your élite fizz, including a gourmet Fish pie, Lamb and Coriander and a flavoursome Butternut Squash and Goat’s Cheese. www.krug.com

SWEET TOOTH This summer’s ultimate sweet fix, Whoopie Pies at Harrods Food Halls are divine cake-sandwiches, filled with luscious fresh cream and topped with a cute edible couture adornment. Indulge in four exceptional flavours, including Red Velvet made with chocolate cakes, peanut butter cream, burgundy fondant and topped with sugar hearts, or try Cherry Extravaganza with fresh cherry cream finished with a dazzling fondant glaze. Share Whoopies with friends or alone for more personal decadence. www.harrods.com

A Grelha at The Gun, 27 Coldharbour, Docklands E14 9NS www.thegundocklands.com

BIRLEYS COMES TO CHURCHILL PLACE Birleys, one of Canary Wharf’s longest and most established food retailers is opening it’s newest branch in Churchill Place at the beginning of June. Serving fresh made-to-order salads, soups, hot and cold speciality sandwiches, breakfast items and drinks it will be the sixth Birley location across the estate. The Churchill Place branch will be open Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm and offers comfortable seating both inside and outside. www.birleysandwiches.co.uk

Food lingo: lassi A traditional Indian drink, Lassi is a divine blend of yoghurt with water or milk and Indian spices. Traditional Lassi is flavoured with ground, roasted cumin, while sweet Lassi is blended with sugar or fruits and is also extremely popular.

Quote:

Website of the month:

Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody Samuel Pepys, 17th century London diarist

www.formanandfield.com

NEWS:

A gourmet mail order deli specialising in fresh, traditional fare from small British producers, Forman & Field has a mouth-watering selection, including veal and suckling pig, oysters, quiche and paté. Prepared fresh to order in peak condition, the perfect Sunday roast or show-stopping party food is delivered quickly and efficiently by overnight courier.

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food & drink

connoisseur

HOME from HOME This is the strapline for Greenwich Inc’s latest eaterie, fitting then that its home is in the exclusive Pan Peninsula development. Louisa Castle pops in to the brand new Tompkins restaurant for a tasting

ompkins doesn’t actually open to the public until 11 June, but we were lucky enough to be invited to an exclusive sneak preview tasting prepared by head chef Rory Lumsden. The concept and cuisine is based on the great steak houses and brasseries of New York City; there’s brunch menus, a la carte menus, plats du jour, a room service menu for those who live there and whole section dedicated to eggs. As you approach the restaurant and glance through the floor to ceiling windows the decor is an eclectic mix; vintage portraiture on the walls, antique clocks, post-modern billboard size black and white prints, and furniture at home in Elle Deco. But when you enter the establishment it is the greeting that is most impressive. An incredible solid ash, eight metre long bar with bronze front, backed by ceiling high book shelves, packed with bottles of all shapes of sizes and three waterfall Tom Dixon chandeliers to add to the drama. NYC here we come... Look to the left and there’s the lounge area, divided into smaller home-lier areas, a space to sit, eat, drink and chat, a sophisticated mezzanine destination spot reached via a grand staircase and there’s a lift that takes you directly up to the top floor and panoramic bar, Attic. To the right is the eating area with open kitchen and doors to the extensive outdoor seating area. Scene set, now for the show – the food. Our tasting menu was pre-arranged, chef clear on what he wanted to showcase. We began with an elegant endive and blue cheese salad served with walnuts, a light opening scene, more creamy than overpowering cheese. This was closely followed by crab cakes with aioli served on a bed of mixed salad. The breadcrumbed parcels were a good size and the light flaky Cornish crab actually tasted of crab, unlike some places where it’s a game of hunt the crab. The second act, for me, stole the show; baked duck eggs with Brioche soldiers, mushroom duxelle and cream. Not one for the fainthearted or those on a diet (don’t tell my personal trainer) but absolutely melt-in- the-mouth gorgeous. Comfort food it is, the soldiers taking you back to childhood, the naughtiness a real treat. Act three was lemon sole with capers and brown shrimps grilled with parsley and lemon, a zesty, flavoursome dish. Followed closely by Wiener Schnitzel, milk fed veal escalope, breaded and served with buttered mash and spinach. Here, the veal was tender and tasty and the buttered mash definitely deserved its buttery title. The final act was a selection of British and French cheeses, served with oatycakes grapes and a plum chutney, all served at room temperature. The encore came to a standing ovation however, chocolate fondant with pistachio cream. I am not a particularly chocolatey girl but as soon as the outer cake was broken and the chocolate flowed out I was tempted to try a little, then a little more. You can be an angel and you can be a sinner dining here, if you’re not good with temptation though it could be tough. n

Tompkins Pan Peninsula Square 020 8858 2437 www.tompkins.uk.com

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020 7345 0345 | reservations@ dockmastershouse.com 1 hertsmere road | london e14 8jj www.dockmastershouse.com

food & drink

connoisseur

Emma Fitzmaurice pops along to Canary Wharf’s newest dining destination, Rocket, family business and threestrong mini chain now on the map at Churchill Place

tarted in 1999 by Duncan and Anna Watts with Amit Joshi, the Rocket philosophy, (according to the trusted internet) is to provide good food and drink in a friendly and welcoming environment while keeping prices as low as possible. Quite a statement. A week after the official launch my colleague and I stroll down to see what the newest kid on the block has to offer. It’s a Tuesday evening and just about the first of the days so far that have been warm enough to catch a cheeky drink after work al fresco. Outside space here is on two tiers, downstairs for drinks and snacks on the terrace or outside dining upstairs with great views of West India Docks. The style is classic, unfussy and relaxed. Heading through the downstairs bar area people are readily tucking into the bar menu and there’s a welcoming gentle bustle. The bar menu changes each week with separate afternoon and evening menus, special pizza boards and a couple of great sharing platters. Upstairs life is a little calmer and the quirky interior is the first thing to catch the eye. Designed by Watts himself, his inspiration is in injecting

an element of fun into it, for the customer and the staff. There’s floor to ceiling library wallpaper, old-fashioned portraiture on the ceiling, Eames-esque Dar chairs, open wine cellars and a handy sign on the loos that says quite simply ‘loos’. Having said all that the feeling isn’t one of over-design or pretension: couples sit happily amongst work outings and business diners seem comfortable eating alone. And now for the food. To start we shared the Cold seared spiced rare beef with sweet lemon and chilli sauce (£6.75) and tasted the traditional Burrata mozzarella with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and toasted ciabatta (£6.50). The rare beef was peppered and flavoursome but the showstopper was the Burrata – fresh Italian cheese made from a mozzarella outer ‘shell’ but with a mozzarella and cream runny centre. Indulgent and delightful. To follow came the Smoked chicken and caramelised baby onion pizza with roasted cherry tomatoes, rosemary and fresh rocket (£12) and a Fish and chip salad on a bed of rocket, red onions and fried capers, tartare sauce and green herb dip (£14.85).

A word to the wise, the pizzas are plate and stomach fillers, but ours was devoured nonetheless, the sweet, smokey and peppery flavours complimenting the traditional Italian base. Curious as to what a fish and chip salad entailed it was really a refreshing affair, three pieces of lightly herb-battered fresh fish served on the same peppery rocket and a tangy green herb mustard dip. Burrata, pizza and fish filled stomachs didn’t stop us from trying out the dessert menu. One banana, mascarpone and vanilla ice-cream filled crepe (£5.50) later our gastronomic journey was complete. For anyone out there with a sweet tooth, this is the dessert for you, enough to make even the blackest day blue again. As we contemplated wending our way home, the restaurant was full and still buzzing, a great thing to see on an ordinary Tuesday evening. The latest kid on the block has style, substance and a sweet tooth. n

Above clockwise: Rocket, Churchill Place, Restaurant Braesola with Jerusalem artichoke crisps pizza Ground Floor bar

For further information, call 020 3200 2022 or visit www.rocketrestaurants.co.uk to book online

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American

Smollensky’s

Reuters Plaza, E14 020 7719 0101

Argentinian

GAUCHO CANARY

29 Westferry Circus, E14 020 7987 9494

British CANTEEN

The Park Pavilion, Canada Square 0845 686 1122

Gastro Pub The Fine Line

29-30 Fisherman’s Walk, E14 020 7513 0255

WAHACA 40 Canada Square, E14 020 7516 9145

THE NARROW

Middle Eastern

44 Narrow Street, E14 020 7592 7950

Indian

European

The Battery

34 Westferry Circus, E14 020 8305 3089 Docklands Bar and Grill

Royal Victoria Docks Western Gateway, E16 020 7055 2119

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Jubilee Place, E14 020 7719 6408

REEBOK RESTAURANT

16-19 Canada Square, E14 020 7719 6408

French

CafÉ Rouge

29-35 MacKenzie Walk, E14 020 7537 9696 Davys Wine Bar

31-35 Fisherman’s Walk, E14 020 7363 6633 PLATEAU

Canada Place, E14 020 7715 7100

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MEZ RESTAURANT

571 Manchester Road, E14 020 7005 0421

Memsaheb

Nina’s TAZA express

65 - 67 Amsterdam Road, E14 020 7538 3008

322 Burdett Road, E14 020 7093 3552

Aniseed Bar & Indian Restaurant

Oriental

Carribean

2 Yabsley Street, E14 020 7515 8177

Mexican

27 Coldharbour Lane, E14 020 7515 5222

25 Westferry Road, E14 020 7517 9233

Chef ColLin BROWN

Chuchill Place, E14 020 3200 2022

THE GUN

THE PARLOUR

40 Canada Square, E14 0845 468 0100

Rocket

TiffinBites

Jubilee Place, E14 020 7719 0333

Italian/Pizza

ITSU

Level 2, Cabot Place East, E14 020 7512 5790 ROKA 4 Park Pavilion, Canada Square 020 7636 5228

AMERIGO VESPUCCI

Royal China

25 Cabot Square, E14 020 7513 0288

30 West Ferry Circus, E14 020 7719 0888

CARLUCCIO’S

SRI NAM

2 Reuters Plaza, E14 020 7719 1749

1 North Colonnade, E14 020 7715 9515

Gourmet Pizza

Seafood

Jamie’s Italian

Marriott Hotel, West India Quay 22 Hertsmere Road, E14 020 7517 2808

18-20 Cabot Square, E14 020 7345 9192 Churchill Place, E14 020 3002 5252 LA FIGA

CURVE

FIRST EDITION

25 Cabot Square, E14 020 7513 0300

45 Narrow Street, E14 020 7790 0077

Spanish

Pizza Express

Turnberry Quay E14 020 7987 5511

Cabot Place East, E14 020 7513 0513 QUADRATO

The Four Seasons Hotel 46 Westferry Circus, E14 020 7510 1857

EL FARO

Turkish Hazev

2 South Quay Square Canary Wharf, E14 0207 515 9467

food &drink

connoisseur

The Grape Vine In the first of a regular column, the wine experts at Waitrose Food & Home share their knowledge and their recommendations. We begin with Mike Carpenter, WSET certified Waitrose wine specialist, with a trip down memory lane and a visit to Marigny Brizay

A VIP WORLD CUP PARTY AT TOMPKINS Running from 11 June to 11 July, the 2010 World Cup is set to ignite global football fever. If you want to experience the exhilarating atmosphere without the crush, Inc Group will be kicking the tournament off with a great food and drink package at its stylish new waterside restaurant and bar, Tompkins. Set within the groundbreaking Pan Peninsula development in Canary Wharf, head down to Tompkins and for just £50 per head enjoy the perfect football finger food package (including mini burgers, chicken wings and onion rings ), Stella and Becks beer, house red and white wine and soft drinks. All events run from one hour before kick-off until final whistle. To get into the mood, Inc Club is running a competition of its own. On Thursday 8 July, as the World Cup heads towards its climax, one lucky person will have the chance to enjoy a fabulous VIP party at Tompkins with nine friends and receive £500 worth of delicious finger food and pitchers of ice cold beer. For more information visit, www.greenwich-inc.com

how to win To be in with a chance of winning email your name, address and telephone number to competitions@runwildgroup.co.uk with TOMPKINS in the subject bar. The closing date for entries is 28 June, 2010 Terms & conditions: The first correct entry drawn will win our first prize and the next two the runners-up prizes. The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into.

n a previous life, I had a share in a holiday home just south of the Loire valley. It was a perfect cottage in a tiny hilltop village called Faye La Vineuse, near the market town of Richelieu, built by the famous Cardinal of the same name. 20km away, just over the department border in La Vienne, was my closest vineyard in a village called Marigny Brizay. The vines grew around the typical Loire château in rolling hills and as you can imagine, I visited on a regular basis and grew to know the owner. Said owner, Frederic Brochet is incredibly passionate about all his wines, slowly converting them all to organic and the symbol he uses on his boxes is a line drawing of a head of a pike. Why? ‘brochet’ is French for pike. We stock his Sauvignon Blanc - ‘Le S’. Sauvignon Blanc is the white grape that makes the famous Sancerre and Pouilly Fume from the Loire, just over the border. This wine has all the hallmarks of a superbly balanced Sauvignon as you would expect from Sancerre, but at a more reasonable price. The hallmark nose of gooseberries and hint of elderflower has an underlying flinty fresh quality to it. Depth and complexity on the palate tells you that Frederic has barrelfermented this to give it this added quality. This wine is ideal with oysters, shellfish and fish, grilled chicken and of course, at this time of year, asparagus. Marigny Brizay Try a bottle, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and if you ever find yourself anywhere near Marigny Brizay, take time out to spend some time at the château sampling and buying Frederic’s superb wines. n Ampelidae, Le ‘S’ Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Bin 7376247) £11.99 (Price correct at time of print)

For further expert advice, visit Waitrose Food & Home, Canada Place, Canary Wharf or call 020 7719 0300

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Outdoor dining at Docklands Bar & Grill

Y O J EN ESCO ! FR AL INING D

New Spring Menu Enjoy our new Spring Menu with delicious dishes including smoked eel and rhubarb and apple trifle.

Terrace Now Open Make the most of the sunshine with some Al Fresco dining, The Terrace at Docklands Bar & Grill is now open and barbeque is back on the menu.

Call 0207 055 2119 or visit docklandsbarandgrill.co.uk

Docklands Bar and Grill, Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London, E16 1AL

Meet at Crowne Plaza London - Docklands Day Delegate Rates from £45* Take advantage of our meetings offer with a special day delegate rate of £45 at Crowne Plaza London - Docklands. Upgrade to include a BBQ for all your delegates for ONLY £10 per person. *Offer available until 31 August 2010.

Call 0207 055 2130 or visit crowneplazadocklands.co.uk Crowne Plaza London - Docklands, Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London, E16 1AL

out about

City Scenes Drop by the Frontispiece Gallery in Canada Place mall on your lunch break, and see the work of celebrated Turkish artist, Dilek O’Keeffe. Having moved to London 15 years ago, O’Keeffe is inspired by contemporary life and visual media, painting in a striking televisual style. Spirituality, illusion, lights, politics and consumerism have all been the subject of her work in the past, and this exhibition includes her London cityscapes, featuring St. Paul’s Cathedral and Canary Wharf.

out & about

connoisseur

Pop Under The Hammer Own a piece of pop history at the Popular Culture: Rock and Pop Memorabilia sale at Christie’s South Kensington, bursting with objects to cater for collectors of all ages, representing icons of music from 1950s to the 1990s, as well as present-day superstars. Highlights range from the largest single-owned collection of The Who memorabilia ever to come on the market, an acoustic Yamaha FG-340 guitar once owned and played by George Harrison, and a Gibson Les Paul guitar with sunburst finish, owned and played by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols circa 1975/76. A must for pop culture fanatics or those wanting to spoil a loved one. Christie’s South Kensington 24 June at 12 noon www.christies.com

31 May–14 June, Frontispiece Gallery www.dilekokeeffe.com

Raw Talent First held in 1768, the world-renowned Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition continues an annual tradition of displaying works of relative unknowns, famous artists and members of the Academy in equal billing. The theme for the 242nd exhibition is ‘Raw’, attracting around 11,000 submissions in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film, which have been sifted through to make it onto the prestigious gallery’s walls. With the majority of works on sale, you can even take your favourite piece home. Royal Academy of Arts 14 June–22 August 0844 209 1919 www.royalacademy.org.uk

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connoisseur out & about

London Flavour

Spirit of Summer

Direct your rumbling stomach to Regent’s Park for four days of al fresco gluttony as more than 40 of London’s best restaurants, including a flurry of Michelin stars, show off their culinary handiwork. ‘Taste of...’ has become a nationwide phenomenon, with events taking place in cities all over the country. Of these, the London event in Regent’s Park must be one of the most enjoyable. Work your way through a range of miniature speciality dishes – visitors can sample seven or eight small courses in a meal – hot off the plates from Le Gavroche, Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Cafe, L’Atelier du Joël Robuchon, and Theo Randall.

Once a low-key afternoon event, the Marylebone Summer Fayre has become an atmospheric street festival that’s not to be missed. Organised by the Howard de Walden Estate in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust, there’s something for everyone, whether it’s dining al fresco, dancing in the street, relaxing in the park to the sounds of the concert with a glass of Pimms and a hog roast, or simply wandering the streets and picking up great gifts from the vast array of stalls. Divided into colour-coded zones, the Fayre has an Orange Zone that’s sure to be the first stop for parents, with everything from bike rides, a bungee trampoline and World Cup penalty shoot-out to keep the kids entertained. The Blue Zone boasts live music as well as plenty of al fresco dining and drinking spots, while the Green Zone hosts a farmers’ market full to the brim with local, seasonal produce.

Regent’s Park 17–20 June www.tastefestivals.com/london

Jewel in the Crown This June, Kensington Gardens will provide the stunning backdrop to Art Antiques London, a new art and antiques fair aimed at both the seasoned connoisseur and novice admirer of beauty and opulence. Art Antiques London will be held in a beautiful custom-built marquee opposite the Royal Albert Hall, adjacent to the site of the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Fair’s participants are leading specialists in a wide range of disciplines, including furniture, paintings, jewellery, Böttger White Meissen Porcelain, Coffee Pot and Cover, gilded with Chinese figures and Magicians, c. 1718–1720. Every object exhibited at the Fair is rigorously examined and vetted for quality and authenticity, so collectors can be assured they can buy with confidence. 10–16 June, Albert Memorial West Lawn Kensington Gardens www.haughton.com

Marylebone Village 13 June, 10am to 5pm www.marylebonevillage.com

Finch and Co

Your chance to savour Winston Churchill’s favourite Cuban cigars when 50 Romeo y Julieta Piramidos, preserved in pristine condition for almost 60 years, go under the hammer at C. Gars Ltd’s vintage cigar auction at the Boisdale Belgravia. Over 150 lots of the most exquisite aged, rare and vintage Havana cigars will be on offer with Brian Ebbesen, formerly of Christie’s, conducting the auction from 7pm in his own inimitable style. A Champagne and canapé reception from 6pm let’s you indulge in some of the finest English Market Selection UK regional edition Havana cigars.

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Holly Johnson

138

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Step into the world of an action computer game, with the ultimate paintball and laser experience at Bunker 51, says Claire Saunders

Imagine a day where you’re suddenly transported to the future – a future where you’ll join an élite special force team, receive your mission, gear up with the most technologically advanced equipment, and enter into the adventure of your lives, as you battle it out to save the world from imminent nuclear disaster. If you’re one of the many who loves the adrenaline rush and escapism of video game adventures, a paintball or laser tag encounter at Bunker 51 is the ultimate experience. Bringing all the action you love from computer games to life, Bunker 51 is a decommissioned Cold War Nuclear Bunker with fully immersive gaming ‘storyline’. Located a stone’s throw from The O2 in North Greenwich, Bunker 51 is a brand new state-of-the-art paintball and laser tag facility, hidden deep under The Raceway. It boasts the largest indoor laser tag facility in UK, with 15,000 sq ft of purpose-built playing fields and is the only indoor multiuse facility running paintball, laser tag, airsoft and indoorkarting in the same venue. Sessions run for two hours, with a 30-minute ‘mission briefing’ beforehand, where participants are kitted out in a special ops uniform and tactical kit. All game zones are built to film-set design quality, with a theme based on a 1950s underground nuclear bunker, and designed to look and feel like a computer game. Each player is given two technical pieces of kit before play begins; a body vest and a laser or paintball gun. The laser guns fire laser beams of infrared light – and when the light hits the sensors on an opposing players vest, their vest vibrates and creates an explosion sound effect – a great option for all ages over six. The paintball guns feature unique powdered-fill paintballs, which leaves the game zones clean, dry and unaffected by wet mess common in all other paintball sites. This allows groups playing laser tag to immediately follow a paintball group and still be playing in a clean environment, not covered in paint! Bunker 51 is a fantastically versatile space that has been popular for a range of occasions including product launches, birthday parties, stag and hen parties, departmental challenges organised between work colleagues, social club events, school and youth groups, and games for friends getting together. And with such a realistic and adrenaline-fuelled experience on offer, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular corporate events in the Docklands! For more information, visit The Paintball Centre Wood Wharf Business Park Preston Road Canary Wharf, E14 9SF www.thepaintballcentre.com

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LONDON Homes&

PROPERTY Showcasing the finest homes in your area

Covering The City, CANARY WHARF, DOCKLANDS & SE LONDON

KnightFrank.co.uk/Sales

Arran House E14 An attractive and light apartment located on the third floor of a well maintained purpose built development. Presented in good order throughout, the flat profits from a private balcony with views over the inlet. Leasehold £400,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Mercury Court E14 An extremely spacious two bedroom penthouse apartment situated on the top floor of a well maintained gated development. The property is presented in excellent order throughout and profits from a large terrace with river views. Leasehold £850,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Victoria Wharf E14 Spacious and light two bedroom apartment located on the first floor of well maintained gated development. Presented in good order, the property benefits from two balconies which give views over both the river and Limehouse Basin. Leasehold £575,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Basin Approach E14 A substantial four bedroom duplex penthouse which has been refurbished to an exceptional standard. Situated on the top two floors of a sought after portered development, the apartment benefits from a wealth of outside space. Leasehold £1,450,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

Riviera Court, St. Katharine’s Way E1W Lovely two double bedroom two bathroom 3rd floor riverside apartment based in west Wapping close to St Katharine’s Dock and a short walk to Tower Hill and The City. Offering 1119 sq ft / 104 sq mtr and boasting a good size reception room with a separate fitted kitchen and a private terrace and lovely views of the river Thames. £625 per week Knight Frank Wapping Lettings 020 7480 6848 wapping@knightfrank.com

Freetrade Wharf E1W

Lexington Building, City Road EC1Y Modern split level two bedroom two bathroom apartment located in this popular 24 hour portered development next to Old Street underground station. This bright flat has a fully fitted kitchen, two bathrooms with showers, nice wooden floors, terrace with roof top views and available furnished. £595 per week Knight Frank City Lettings 020 7606 1560 gary.hall@knightfrank.com

Gallery Lofts, Hopton Street SE1

Lovely one bedroom apartment set in this secure 24 hour portered development moments from Limehouse DLR. This 7th floor modern flat has a smart fully fitted kitchen, bathroom with shower, wooden floors, parking and a balcony with stunning views of the river. The block also boasts a swimming pool, gym and sauna. Available furnished.

Stylish two bedroom, split level loft apartment located in this outstanding development next to The Tate Modern and River Thames. This beautiful 1450 sq ft apartment has been finished to a high standard boasting open plan reception room with double height ceilings, mezzanine level, multiple terraces and impressive views

£330 per week

£1,500 per week

Knight Frank Wapping Lettings 020 7480 6848 wapping@knightfrank.com

savills.co.uk

Keepier Wharf, E14

Hanover House, E14

Reception room n kitchen n 2 double bedrooms n 2 bathrooms n utility room n parking space n concierge

Reception room n fully fitted kitchen n 3 double bedrooms n 3 en suite bathrooms n powder room n balcony n underground parking n concierge

Guide £1.2 million Leasehold

Guide £1.3 million Leasehold

Lauren Ireland lireland@savills.com 020 7531 2500

Westgrove, SE10

Sanctuary Court, E1W

Guide £2.7 million Freehold

Guide £350,000 Leasehold

Lauren Ireland lireland@savills.com 020 7531 2500

Charlie Fisher cfisher@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Hermitage Court, E1W

Halcyon Wharf, E1W

3 reception rooms n kitchen n 6 bedrooms n 4 bathrooms n study n garden

Reception room n kitchen n 2 double bedrooms n 2 bathrooms (1 en suite) n storage room n protected parking n porter

Reception room n kitchen n bedroom n bathroom n balcony n daytime porterage

Guide £499,999 Leasehold

Reception room n open plan kitchen n bedroom n bathroom n storage cupboard n protected parking n concierge n south facing balcony with river views Guide £575,000 Leasehold

Charlie Fisher cfisher@savills.com 020 7456 6800

savills.co.uk

Pan Peninsula, E14

Reception room n open kitchen n 2 bedrooms n 2 bathrooms n communal gardens n lift access n 24hr porter n parking n river views n communal facilities including: gymnasium, swimming pools and residents’ cinema. Guide £600 per week Furnished Stefan Saul ssaul@savills.com

020 7531 2500

Canary Riverside, E14

Reception room n separate kitchen n 3 bedrooms n 3 bathrooms n separate w.c. n terrace n communal gardens n lift access n 24hr porter n parking n river views Guide £1,350 per week Furnished Stefan Saul ssaul@savills.com

020 7531 2500

Carillon Court, E1

Tower Walk, E1W

Guide £275 per week Furnished

Guide £1,500 per week Unfurnished

Chris Morris cmorris@savills.com 020 7456 6800

New Providence Wharf, E14

Swan Court, E14

Reception room n open kitchen n 1 bedroom n 1 bathroom n lift access

Reception room n separate kitchen n dining area n 1 bedroom n 1 bathroom n pool/gym/sauna n landscaped grounds n water gardens n views of garden and river Guide £295 per week Furnished Laura Tatham ltatham@savills.com 020 7531 2500

2 reception rooms n separate kitchen n 5 bedrooms n 2 bathrooms n utility room n roof terrace n garage

Reception room n separate kitchen n 2 bedrooms n 2 bathrooms n lift access n 24hr porter n allocated parking Guide £730 per week Part furnished/unfurnished Laura Tatham ltatham@savills.com 020 7531 2500

A SHORE INVESTMENT

Claire Saunders looks at holiday homes by the sea and discovers the developments at Fistral Beach

aute couture Cornish-based developer Acorn Blue is offering holiday-makers on the Cornish coast the chance to transform their holiday into the ultimate lifestyle investment. With a choice of four exclusive developments – Zinc, Azure, Cribbar and Pearl – buyers can choose from a range of stylish holiday homes overlooking the world famous Fistral Beach on Headland Road; North Cornwall’s ‘Millionaire’s Row’. These landmark schemes offer a new standard of beachside living, complete with striking

architecture and chic design; a calibre of beachside properties not seen in the UK coastal market ever before. From the initial concept through to interior design, each new home is designed to maximise the development’s unique location, complementing the luxurious lifestyle of its residents. The four contemporary and design-led schemes offer the most desirable new-build apartments in Cornwall. Each development is located on Headland Road and offers stunning views of Fistral Beach, Newquay Links Golf Course and the Atlantic Ocean. Yet each

homes & property

scheme is individual by design and offers a unique living space that has been created by different architects. These four stunning developments offer a range of styles, from the contemporary modern apartments at Zinc and the boutique homes at Pearl, to the amazing views from the private terrace at Cribbar. Those with large families or who enjoy entertaining friends may also want to consider the stunning five-bedroom penthouse at Azure, which occupies the entire fourth floor. Alongside being a great British holiday destination, the properties offer attractive rental opportunities for savvy investors due to the strong holiday rental market. Acorn Blue is offering a 6 percent rental return for three years on selected apartments. Of course, Newquay is perfectly positioned to take advantage of North Cornwall’s road, rail and air infrastructure. So if you’re looking to make the move from holiday to holiday home, one of Acorn Blue’s stylish beachfront properties is may just be the answer. Prices at these four developments range from £199,950 for a two bedroom apartment to £525,000 for a three bedroom apartment. Prices for the penthouses range from £395,000 to £1,350,000. n

CORNWALL: AN INVESTINATION Savvy buy-to-let investors should turn their sights to locations such as Cornwall, the Cotswolds and the city of Cambridge, according to leading agents and lenders. While London continues to be a popular investment area, those on the lookout for new investment opportunities should consider UK “investinations”. These locations will benefit from universal appeal and will always be popular due to their heritage and thriving tourism market. In the case of Cornwall, the property market is strengthening and demand for a high quality product which caters to both residential and rental requirements is increasing. Newquay has a range of delights to attract tourists including stunning scenery, vibrant amenities and spectacular beaches. The local area of Fistral Beach is packed with things to do such as surfing, cycling, golf, horse-riding, fishing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, powerkiting and coasteering. Locally, enjoy shopping, seasonal food and drink, the Tate St Ives, the Minack Theatre and the Eden Project. View from Azure balcony

For further information on any of the developments, call 01637 876 000 or visit www.acornblue.co.uk

Typical interior at Zinc

149

ESTATE AgEnTS SALES £1,600,000 Leasehold

The Penthouse, Vanguard Building, Millennium Harbour, E14 Alan Selby and Partners are delighted to offer for sale this Spectacular rare to the market Penthouse located within the Prestigious Millennium Harbour Development. The Penthouse boasts a wonderful, spacious and airy living space with its double height windows and ceilings. The property features Marble flooring throughout both the reception and the kitchen and boasts a new solid wood floor throughout the rest of the apartment. The kitchen is fully fitted to a very high standard and boasts a breakfast bar that was recently added by the current owners. The master bedroom features access to its own private terrace as well as a brand new high specification en-suite and separate fitted dressing room. Bedroom two is also a spacious double room with both en-suite bathroom and separate walk in closet as well as access to the main terrace. Bedroom three comprises of yet another double room and ensuite shower room. The mezzanine area offers magnificent views and an ideal office space or T.V room. The two spacious sympathetically landscaped terraces offer superb direct river views as well as featuring outdoor lighting. Indeed this Desirable Penthouse offers the height of Luxury Living in the heart of the city.

• Spectacular Three Bedroom Luxury Riverside Penthouse • Two Large terraces offering Panoramic views of the river, canary wharf and the city. • Magnificently presented throughout • Stunning Direct views over the River Thames • Featuring a Double Height reception with Mezzanine area • Luxury Fitted kitchen • En suites to all three bedrooms • Wired for Bang and Olufsen throughout including both Terraces • Superb Master bedroom with private Terrace, brand new en-suite and dressing room • Excellently located for Canary Wharf • Two Secured Parking Spaces • 24 Hour concierge • Luxurious Leisure Facilities

020 7519 5900 www.alanselby.co.uk

lAnd & dEvElopmEnT conSulTAnTS

“The only source of knowledge is experience.” Albert Einstein

For independent, expert sales advice contact your most experienced local agent. Call 020 7519 5900 or visit www.alanselby.co.uk

Established 1975

ALAN SELBY AND PARTNERS

Tel: 020 7519 5900 Fax: 020 7538 0139 www.alanselby.co.uk info@alanselby.co.uk Millennium Harbour, 22 Westferry Road, Isle of Dogs, E14 8LW

ESTATE AgEnTS SALES £485,000 Leasehold

£320,000 Leasehold

Pierpoint Building • Two bedroom/two bathroom • Direct River Views • 3rd floor • Balcony • Secured parking • 24 hour concierge/Leisure Facilities

Tyndale Court • Two bedroom apartment • 1st floor • Fitted kitchen • Off street parking • Walking distance to Mudchute DLR

£250,000 Leasehold Seacon Tower • One bedroom • 3rd floor • Direct river views • Luxury limestone bathroom • Balcony • 24 hour concierge/ Leisure facilities

020 7519 5900 www.alanselby.co.uk

lAnd & dEvElopmEnT conSulTAnTS LETTINGS £595 Per Week

£255 Per Week

The Landmark, E14 • A brand new two bedroom apartment • Situated on the 28th floor • Offered fully furnished to include flat screen TV • High specification with wood flooring • Stunning dock and Canary Wharf views • Floor to ceiling glazing • Balcony • Two luxury bathrooms • Comfort cooling • 24 hour concierge • Secured parking

Ontario Tower • A modern studio / suite • Situated on the 21st floor • Solid wood flooring throughout • Comfort cooling • Unfurnished • High gloss fitted kitchen with walnut finish • Luxury Italian marble bathroom • Stunning views of the River, Canary Wharf and towards the City • Secured parking • 24 hour concierge • Leisure facilities

£260 Per Week Lockesfield Place, E14 • A modern one bedroom apartment • Offered fully furnished • Large private terrace • Recently fitted kitchen • Contemporary style bathroom • Wood flooring throughout • Close proximity to Island Gardens DLR station • Secured parking

ALAN SELBY AND PARTNERS

Tel: 020 7519 5900 Fax: 020 7538 0139 www.alanselby.co.uk info@alanselby.co.uk Millennium Harbour, 22 Westferry Road, Isle of Dogs, E14 8LW

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homes & property

ELECTION Now the election hype is over and we settle into a coalition government, John Kennedy, partner in Knight Frank, Canary Wharf takes a look at how this will effect the housing market

he election took place against the background of a cooling housing market. This slowdown has been apparent since early March, with the flow of actual mortgage lending for house purchases declining by 21.3 per cent in March, and mortgage approvals for house purchase declining by 16.3 per cent in April on the same basis (Bank of England). Although house prices have been relatively resilient we do seem to be in a new phase for the market with prices becoming more volatile on a month-on-month basis. Against this more uncertain backdrop we need to consider how the political landscape will impact on the market. The fear at the current time is that the electorate has unwittingly created the conditions for a housing market reversal. The logic for this argument is that a hung parliament and the forming of a coalition government causes a lack of investor confidence in the UK’s willingness to tackle the budget deficit in a meaningful way, which in turn pushes the pound lower and increases yields on UK gilts. This could put pressure on the Bank of England to increase the UK base rate before it would ideally like to have done

so – increasing the costs of mortgages and undermining affordability in the market. It doesn’t sound an appetising prospect, but on Friday 7 May, the day after the election, we saw how quickly it could become a reality. As soon as the financial markets realised that a hung parliament was the result of the election – the pound duly fell, even against the sickly euro, and UK gilt yields rose. We ought not to get too concerned about inflation concerns. While the pound did fall, it is still stronger than it was in mid-March. Additionally there remains a degree of space capacity in the economy which should help contain inflation growth over the short term. The Bank of England’s decision to keep the UK base rate at 0.5 per cent in May was unsurprising, there was little chance of a surprise move so soon after the election. Despite the fact that the bank is well aware that there would be a fiscal squeeze under just about any government coalition, which would temper some of the inflationary pressures in the economy, there is still the issue of the weaker pound sucking in inflation through higher import prices. So the response of the foreign exchange markets is critical to the future direction of UK

interest rates. The seriousness of the current concerns over the impact of the coalition government and also the Euro crisis is underlined by an increasing number of reports that point to the volume of bank lending to consumers, businesses and each other, beginning to tighten again. With more significant issues at stake, it seems unlikely that any government will devote as much attention as it might have done to legislation related to the housing market. However, there are still some issues from the manifestos that might make the first Queen’s Speech. As both the Lib Dems and the Conservatives agree on the need to abolish the unloved Home Information Pack, this would be a simple change to enact which it could be argued would increase flexibility in the housing market. With the Lib Dems unable to capitalise on their apparent surge in popularity during the election campaign, it seems unlikely that their proposed “Mansion Tax” and VAT on new-build housing will see the light of day – much to the relief of estate agents and housebuilders. The fairly radical Conservative plans for

overhauling the planning system may just feature – but they would seem an easy candidate for delaying if they proved a sticking point with the Lib Dems. We can at least say with more confidence that the current trend towards a twotier market, split between an active mid and upper end and a more depressed lower end, will continue. Mortgage availability will remain tight over the next two years, especially as the banks begin to repay government loans extended through the Special Liquidity Scheme at the height of the credit crunch. The banks will also continue to ration mortgages using sharply differentiated lending rates depending on deposit levels. Despite all the uncertainty we find ourselves in after the election, with the assumption that the Conservatives and the Lib Dems are able to work something out, we stand by our current forecast that house prices in the UK will end the year 3 per cent lower when compared with the start of the year, and that prices in the central London prime market will rise by 3 per cent. n Knight Frank Canary Wharf 18/19 Cabot Square 020 7512 9955 www.knightfrank.co.uk

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SALES e14

e14

millharBour

£420,000

• Two bed/two bath sub penthouse apartment • 7th Floor 951 Sqft • Full length terrace with Courtyard and Dock Views • 24 hour Concierge • Walking Distance to Canary Wharf

e16

western Beach

£419,950

• 2 Bed Warehouse Conversion • Large Terrace • Open Plan Living area with seperate bedrooms • Fully Fitted Kitchen • Built-In Wardrobes • Floor to Ceiling Windows • Allocated Parking • Full Residencial & COMMERICAL Permit

Properties Urgently Required £370,000

• PANORAMIC DOCK VIEWS • Stunning 7th Floor Luxury Apartment • 880sqft • Large Balcony with Superb Dock Views • Allocated Underground Parking • Close to Excel Exhibition Centre • Short walk to West Silvertown DLR

Call for a FREE Valuation

£349,000

e14

Pan Peninsula

colemans wharf

e16

£290,000

• 19th Floor Studio • Balcony with Canary Wharf views • 24 Hour Concierge • 50th Floor Cocktail Lounge • Private Cinema • Residents Gym with Swimming Pool • Minutes walk to Canary Wharf

ontario tower

£370,000

• Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • First floor • Furnished to a high standard • Open plan living room • Central cooking area • 24 hour concierge • Easy access into the City

e14

wheat sheaf close

£300,000

• Two Bed/Two Bath Dockside Apartment • Parking • Walking Distance to Canary Wharf • Minutes walk from Mudchute DLR

se10

£285,000

• 8th floor studio flat • Open plan kitchen/living area • Fully fitted kitchen • Stunning views of the Millennium Dome • On-site leisure facilities • 24 hour concierge • Closest station is Blackwell DLR

www.movello.com

oxyGen BuildinG

Greenwich view

£250,000

• One Bed 9th Floor Apartment • 522 sq ft • Furniture included • Balcony with Greenwich Views • Open plan kitchen • Next to Greenwich Station

LETTINGS E14

E14

nOVA Building

£400/wK

• Two bedroom duplex apartment • Two Bathrooms • Direct water views • Fully Furnished • 24 hour concierge • Gym on site • Balcony • Stunning river views • Close to DLR stations

E14

OriOn POint

£400/wK

• Two Bedrooms • Two Bathrooms • Balcony • Close To Transport Links • 24 hr porter • Gym • Swimming pool • Jacuzzi

£375/wK

Pre Qualified Buyers and Tenants E14

E14

£360/wK

• Two Double bedroom apartment • Two Bathrooms • Popular The Lighthouse Development • Third Floor Apartment • Balcony • Views across Marina • Secure Parking • 24 hour concierge

city tOwEr

sEAcOn tOwEr

£375/wK

• Two Bedrooms • Two Bathrooms • 16th floor Apartment • Corner Balcony With Stunning River Views • 24 Hr Concierge • Residents Gym • Walking Distance to Canary Wharf

Properties Urgently Required for

• Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Fully furnished • Direct water views • Secure parking • 24 hrs Concierge • Residents Gym • Close to Mudchute DLR

luminA Building

gAinsBOrOugh hsE

E14

E16

AlAsKA APArtmEnts £360/wK • Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms (both with showers, one en-suite) • Sub-penthouse • Spacious open plan living area/kitchen • Stunning views of Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome • Storage space

sE10

£350/wK

• Very spacious one bedroom apartment • One bathroom • Seperate WC • Available furnished • Large open plan living room • Fully equipped kitchen • Storage space • Great size balcony • Third floor • Concierge • Walking distance to Canary Wharf

grEEnwich ViEw • Two bedrooms • One bathroom • Balcony • Furnished • Parking • In centre of Greenwich • Close To Greenwich Station

£330/wK

London's Finest Properties

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Atlanta, Deals Gateway SE13

• Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • On-Site Swimming Pool & Gymnasium • 24hr Concierge Service • 10mins Walk to Greenwich • Nr. Deptford Bridge DLR

£250 PW

Let

E LIF

The Landmark, Marsh Wall E14 • One Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 8th Floor • On-Site Gymnasium • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. South Quay DLR

£350 PW

Heligan House, The Watergardens, E16

LIF y tb

Alaska Building, Deals Gateway

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Ontario Tower, Canary Wharf E14

• Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • On-Site Facilities • Allocated parking • 24hr Concierge • Nr. Deptford Bridge DLR Station

• Studio Apartment • Fully Furnished • 18th Floor • On-Site Health and Fitness Ctr • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. Blackwall DLR

£285.00 PW

£285 PW

WE URGENTLY REQUIRE MORE PROPERTIES THOROUGHOUT LONDON FOR AWAITING TENANTS AND PURCHASERS

Eden House, The Watergardens, E16

• 5th floor • 2 bedroom/2 bathroom • Nearly 1,000 sq ft exc. terrace • Overlooking landscaped gardens • Secure underground parking • Moments for Canada water tube

• 4th floor • 2 bedroom/2 bathroom (one en-suite) • Direct views over tranquil landscaped gardens • Secure underground parking • Moments from Canada Water tube

£515,000

£395,000

The Aurora Building, Blackwall Way, E14

• 12th floor one bedroom apartment • Stunning uninterrupted views • Large wrap-around balcony • Secure allocated parking • Moments from Blackwall DLR

£349,950

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Seacon Tower, Hutchings Street E14 • Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 13th Floor • Gymnasium & Spa Facilities • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. Canary Wharf DLR

£350 PW

LIF y tb

New Providence Wharf, Canary Wharf E14 • Two Bedroom Apartment • Furnishings Optional • Balcony • 16th Floor • Allocated Parking • 24hr Concierge Service

£450 PW

New Providence Wharf, Fairmont Avenue, E14

• Two bedroom/two bathroom • Beautiful views over landscaped gardens and O2 • Superior level of specification • Secure underground parking • 24hr concierge and health suite

£495,000

Sales | Lettings | Corporate Services | Property Management www.liferesidential.co.uk

Central London 020 7582 7989

West London 020 8896 9990

Docklands 020 7476 0125

Deptford & Greenwich 020 8692 2244

PR I

£ 1 CES 99 FRO ,9 M 50

Canalside luxury living, just 25 minutes from Canary Wharf imagine living in a calm, canalside location that’s only a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Canary wharf. Silver wharf is a landmark development in a tranquil location on the Limehouse canal. with intelligently designed one and two bedroom apartments and duplex apartments featuring luxurious and contemporary interiors, Silver wharf is a cut above the rest.

parking for added peace of mind and all apartments come with a private balcony or terrace overlooking the canal. and the views of Canary wharf and the City from the higher floors will leave you in no doubt that everything the capital has to offer really is right on your doorstep. Call us today to experience the tranquillity of waterside living.

there’s also a landscaped roof terrace for making the most of the summer, secure underground

SilverWharf Limehouse Cut e14

Marketing Suite now open Book By appointMent on:

0800 954 0405

www.silverwharf.co.uk

THE free KNIGHT FRANK APP FOR iphone. MAKING GLOBAL PROPERTY SEARCH EASIER.

WUNDERBAR You can also take advantage of our award-winning global residential search at knightfrank.co.uk

Features include Award winning global residential search tool Search for the latest property by country, region or postcode Find properties for sale or to rent from around the world, or near you, using iPhone GPS functionality Save your favourite properties, publish them on Facebook and share them with family and friends Search for property by lifestyle Selection filters by currency and price Call or email the agent directly with a touch of a button View the property’s image gallery, floor plans and high quality brochures Locate your nearest Knight Frank office

iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc..

For more information please visit knightfrank.com/iphone

Career in the City?

It’s all about connections Get to know Stanmore Place: a stylish new neighbourhood of contemporary apartments in the picturesque London Borough of Harrow. Canons Park tube is just a few minutes walk away, giving you a direct Jubilee Line journey to the West End, City and Canary Wharf.* High specification fitted kitchens and bathrooms ■ Best of town and country: shops, restaurants, parks and golf courses ■ Landscaped lakeside setting ■ 24 hour concierge service† ■

1 bed apartments from £235,000 2 bed apartments from £335,000 3 bed apartments from £380,000

Telephone 020 8952 2853 Email: sales.stanmore@stedwardhomes.co.uk Sales & Marketing Suite open 7 days a week, 10am - 6pm, and until 8pm on Thursdays. † 24 hour concierge available on completion of development. * From Canons Park www.tfl.gov.uk Prices and detail correct at time of going to press Computer enhanced image of entrance to Stanmore Place, for illustrative purposes only.

www.stanmoreplace.co.uk A Joint Venture company owned by the

Prudential & Berkeley Homes

homes & property

Using a Property Search Consultant Jonathon Hopper, managing director of Garrington, looks at the importance of exerting your buying power

or most people contemplating a property purchase, the internet is the usual starting place, which is quickly followed by dialogue with estate agents. The conventional model of estate agency, however, is designed to suit the needs of people who have property to sell. Traditionally, buyers in the UK have been left to fend for themselves. Buying a house is the largest financial transaction most people will ever make; property search consultants help redress the imbalance and exert their ‘buying power’. Finding yourself the most suitable property and being 100% confident in your decision is a tall order. Everyone knows that house hunting is a very time-consuming and often stressful process. For many years, we have entrusted stockbrokers to buy our shares and barristers to represent us in court, yet few people consider getting professional help for one of the most complex things of all – buying property. However, increasingly those in the know are now often leaving it to professional property search consultants like Garrington, to oversee the entire process for clients treating the service as an investment in knowledge versus the cost of moving.

There are a number of benefits to using a property search consultant, which include the following: • Experience and knowledge are channelled into satisfying individual requirements, in terms of location, price, architecture, internal configuration and onward use of the property/ properties. A home has to ‘feel’ right and an investment property has to make sound financial sense.

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• Search consultants only work for buyers and will search out and secure a property that meets their client’s exact needs.

• Search consultants have unparalleled knowledge of the property market, together with an extensive network of contacts. This enables access to properties often before they reach the open market and those that are either discreetly available or off-market. • Expert knowledge of the property market enables a search consultant to advise on the best areas to source the right property, and most will arrange an orientation tour to assist clients with focusing on area. • The provision of professional, impartial and non-emotional advice ensures wasted time and stresses are eliminated. • Conducting an in-depth search, previewing all properties and showing clients only the handselected best also ensures a client’s time is not wasted viewing something that is unsuitable. • Once the right property is found, search consultants handle all negotiations and, using extensive negotiating skills, can save clients a significant amount of money. • Proactive liaison between all parties during the conveyancing process to ensure that a transaction is held together right up to completion – clients make the decisions and search consultants do the work. • Normally search consultants offer additional services for clients should they need assistance with refurbishment, interior design, removals, or indeed anything to do with their property purchase. So, before buying your next property, carefully consider the benefits of buying professional knowledge and giving yourself a clear advantage over your own competition – the unrepresented buyer. n Garrington finds and secures prime properties throughout the UK. For further information, call 020 7099 2773, visit www.garrington.co.uk or email info@garrington.co.uk

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Motorexpo 10 The world’s leading maNUfacturers park up

SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES Galahad Clark follows in his forefather’s footsteps

DESIGNED AND HANDMADE IN HOUSE PLATINUM 3.01ct D COLOUR VSI CLARITY www.hirshlondon.com

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MAPPING THE ZONE Acosta photographs Canary Wharf

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2010

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