CW OCT 09

contents COVER STORIES 10 POKER FACE Do women play a better game?

28 ISLAND ADVENTURE Explore the tranquil beauty of Thailand

20 HITTING THE SLOPES Luxury ski chalets

37 FIT TO TRAVEL? The evolution of the travel suit

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F E AT U R E S 14 THE FEAR FACTOR Is the nation running scared?

17 MADNESS IN THEIR METHOD The green entrepreneurs 33 DISCOVERING PERU Heather Ridley travels from Lima to Machu Picchu 42 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Claire Adler meets the premier family jewellers 50 FASHION Happy Birthday Jaeger 59 FOCUS ON GREENWICH Meet the female entrepreneurs

70 THE TREND Sim Smith presents the latest in interiors news 84 AN EPIC JOURNEY Richard Warren finds out more about the Rallye Gazelles 86 FORMULA ONE NEWS Lawrence Barretto checks out the Abu Dhabi course 89 THE MASTERS The must-see tennis tournament of 2009 98 SET IN STONE Josephine O’Donoghue learns more about the lost art

62 GOING, GOING, GONE Bonhams Profile

REGULARS

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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MOTLEY FOOL

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GADGETS

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CITYLIFE RECOMMENDS

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MOTORING

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WHAT’S ON

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CULTURE

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PROPERTY

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FOOD & DRINK

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OTR costs include: VAT at 15%, delivery, PDI, first service, number plates, valet, 12 months’ road licence and a full tank of fuel.

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Poker face Poker has long been a man’s world, filled with cigars, tuxedos and beer – but things are changing. Emma Mills reports on the women that are turning the red and black world of poker a nice shade of pink

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oker is a game best played late into the night, with some cold beer, strong whisky and a lot of money.

It’s long been a great opportunity for male bonding, and a way to win over the guys you couldn’t outrun on the football field.

It’s the perfect occasion for a testosteronefuelled display of one-upmanship, and some ‘Men Only’ banter.

Oh yes, like anything remotely good fun, poker is a most definitely a man’s world.

Ask a man when he learnt to play poker and he can’t tell you; like being able to kick a football and throw a punch, it’s something men were sort of born knowing how to do. It’s part of their genetic makeup. Ask a woman where she learnt to play and she’ll know exactly the date, time and what she was wearing.

Poker player and writer Donna Blevins recalls her early experiences of poker.

“Poker was a guy’s game – their night out…they hastened to tell me there was a lot of drinking, cigar smoking, joke telling, swearing and releasing of various bodily gases. A female at the game would just wreck it. It’s a male bonding kind of thing, I was told.”

But what happens when you drop a woman into that mix? Aside from less gas emissions and filthy banter, what happens to the game? Ask a man and he’ll tell you that she probably won’t know what she’s doing, which makes the game kind of dull, and easy to win. And, actually, even if she does know what she’s doing, she’s still easy to beat.

Right?

Wrong. And this is exactly where men get tripped up, and where women have the unequivocal advantage. Male players

simply don’t see women at the poker table as players, or god forbid, dangerous opponents. We are table candy, banter fodder, beer waitresses and casualties of a war we apparently don’t understand. But most of all we are invisible. Men don’t see players, they see women. What threat could we possibly cause?

Quite a lot actually. Firstly, women have a natural intuition that they can use to their advantage – they see through the banter to what’s really happening. And this means they can work out the small signs (known as tells) that men give quicker than their male opponents. Their natural predilection for empathy means they can often pick up on when a man is worried, or annoyed, despite it not registering on their faces.

Mistresses in the art of persuasion and cunning they can also use this to their advantage, foxing men with little acts of uncertainty or confusion. In fact pretending a hand is bad, when it’s good and vice versa is a great way to ensure men have no absolutely idea how to play a woman.

Women also don’t have to deal with a loss of machismo when they lose their chips or money, which makes them fearless, and therefore dangerous, players. Recklessness, not usually a good quality when it comes to money, is great here. The less bothered you are about spending (and losing) your money on a hand, the more likely you are to look like someone who means business – and women are very good at spending money!

The undisputed godfather of poker, Doyle Brunson, is keen to point out that these particular qualities mean women are actually some of the best players around. “Look at Jennifer Harman. She’s a lovely girl. But on

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lifestyle Five Ways to Beat the Boys (or Five things For the Boys to Look out For) 1) Dress to impress: I’m not suggesting dressing like a high class escort, but playing on your female attributes, helps distract male players. They can’t help it.

2) take your time: Don’t start like you know what you’re doing. Take your time to see how everyone else plays, and how they play you. Look for things such as when they raise, what hands they raise on, and what makes them fold. Most of all pay attention to how they treat you, and initially play into that, losing or folding the odd big hand (even when you shouldn’t). Then slowly improve the way you’re playing, and test the players with incremental raises.

3) Flirt:

the table she is just ruthless,” he told The Sunday Telegraph, for which he once wrote a poker column.

“I mean she’d drink your blood to win a pot. In saying that, I’d do the same to her. I mean I’d drill the gold fillings right out of her teeth if I could.” Brunson is clearly no fool, treating Harman with the kid gloves she deserves. And this is interesting, especially considering that Harman is reckoned to be one of the most beautiful players around, with killer blonde hair, a ‘good rack’ and a lazy Texan drawl. Harman uses her womanly wiles to lull men into a false sense of security, while following it up with a dynamite instinct for poker.

Daniel Negraneau, perhaps the world’s best poker player agrees: “Jennifer is already among the greatest players in the world – men or women. She’s a killer. A pit bull in a Chihuahua’s body.”

Being good-looking does seem to work well for female poker players; men tend to lose the plot entirely when faced with a pretty girl. And that’s a great thing, says Annie Duke, a world renowned player whose poker winnings exceed $3.6m. “When you put a woman at a poker table some men become unhinged,” she told Bluff Magazine.

“They forget they are playing a ruthless game in which emotion should be separated from strategy. They forget the gender of your opponent should make no difference to how you play the game. And that’s a good thing for girls.” n With thanks to www.pokerpages.com

Flirting with men on the poker table usually works well, admiring their decisions, being impressed when they win, telling them how clever they are, how big their (chip) stack is – all good ways to get their minds off poker and onto something else.

4) talk a lot: Good poker players are usually silent; many listen to music on headphones to keep their focus. Talking, especially aimless babbling, distracts them and reassures them that you’re not serious and don’t know what you’re doing.

5) Face it: A poker face is usually one that doesn’t give anything away, and women are pretty good at it.

However, the reverse of a poker face – oddly timed smiles, winces, frowns, raised eyebrows, head shakes – can lull men into a false sense of security, and could help convince them to bet high into your pocket aces.

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FACTOR planned public spending and huge waste on largely fantastical risks. Out of context, such fear promotes hysteria – one useful to people in power to control people without it.

As Gardner notes, “…in Western Europe the death toll due to international terrorism between 1968 and April 2007 was 1,223.

That is six percent of the number of deaths caused every year in Europe by the naturally occurring radon gas that few people pay the slightest attention to.”

Radon, after all, is not much of a headline.

The media too must take some blame for our state of fear – media moguls will

hype a scare story because it sells, just as good news does not. According to one 1997 study, American magazines (and this is no less true of other national media) talk disproportionately of murder, car crashes, overdosing on illegal drugs and other traumatic injury – events at the very periphery of everyday experience – and barely mention heart disease, stroke or smoking, ailments and activities that kill vastly more people. Figures highlight some scary relative risk but rarely the absolute risk that takes account of a whole population.

Why? Because then invariably the risk is

vanishingly small – and the story with it.

Indeed, all sorts of people have motives to promote fear. While police forces might be thought of as wanting to show crime figures falling, it does them no harm to play on fears (or not to counter those propagated by a crime-obsessed and willfully-bleak media) given that their under-powered budgets are often linked to perceived need. Scientists too may ring alarm bells if it means the increase of a research grant or some notoriety. Even organisations typically regarded as forces for good are not above massaging the facts into a more striking, news-worthy and lucrative shape, among them charities, NGOs, environmentalists (who have saddled much man-made activity, be it the use of pesticides or nuclear energy, with connections to illness or levels of risk that do not reflect the facts) and the pharmaceutical industry. This often massages statistics to show symptoms (such as obesity) as diseases in their own right, rather than what they are: a condition that may or may not cause disease (such as a heart condition).

Given these influences, what is anyone to conclude other than that the world is a dangerous place but that we are all going to hell in a hard-cart anyway? It is no surprise that most people end up fearful – for themselves, their children, their health, their communities. It is a perfect feed-back loop, with a fearful populace seeking confirmation of its fears.

Unless, that is, it decides to break the loop. With what? A determined scepticism?

A devil-may-care attitude? A pair of media blinkers? A readiness to read between the lines? A brave acceptance that your reaction may be unconscious and consequently wrong or at least biased?

Perhaps the most basic lesson of whatever insight this catalogue of unfounded fears provides could even be misconstrued as an encouragement to stop reading right now and put this magazine down. Just maybe too much information is a bad thing. 

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business

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method IN THEIR MADNESS Cool and green – a paradox?

Josh Sims finds out

Eric Ryan & Adam Lowry

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oth in their mid-30s and brainy, clean-cut all-American business types, it is perhaps no surprise that Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan might receive fan mail. That the card should be made of cut-up packaging is perhaps a little unusual; but that it should express deep love for their range of household cleaning products is plain off the wall.

And yet this is not unusual. Method, Lowry and Ryan’s eco-friendly brand of floor polishes, disinfectants, leather cloths and other friendly cleaners seems to attract fanatical adherents. Converts talk of having ‘a Method home’.

Indeed, in taking a stance in an industry that has done its best to ignore the need for a green alternative to the toxic chemicals we routinely douse our homes in, Lowry and Ryan have also made products more typically associated with chores decidedly hip and desirable. Their safe liquids, sprays and gels come in the kind of sculptural, minimalist packaging – some styled by New York design maestro Karim Rashid – that appeals to the design-conscious iPod generation.

And they are as new wave in their business practices – using solar energy, supporting workers rights and fair wages, and so forth – as their products.

They are, in fact, the Ben and Jerry’s of the toilet bowl – with a loo cleaner made not from toxic bleaches but from natural lactic acid, wipes made from inherently sustainable bamboo and packaged in the world’s first fully-recyclable film pouch and a mop for the floor made from the recyclable, corn-based plastic everyone told them it could not be made from. They have the same sense of fun as the ice cream duo too. ‘Does your home have a chemical dependency?’ asks one Method ad’s tag-line; ‘You may not know what your bathroom tiles taste like, but your kid does’, states another.

“A lot of customers buy our products because they look cool. But the reason why most of them stay loyal to them is because they’re green,” reckons Ryan, an ex-advertising executive who speaks of Method being “an organisation of fun”, whose

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business

Method collection UK

employees gather for a “Monday huddle” to crack jokes and talk business. “People may not want to sacrifice it, but fashion is fleeting. So what grounds the customer is the awareness that ‘hey, this product is actually much better for me, my family and the planet’. We’re really trying to bring together both style and substance but there’s a real cause behind the brand.”

In many ways their products’ designer aesthetic is a cynical one, an admission that few people are likely to be converted to using green cleaning products on ecocredentials alone: stylish design is a Trojan Horse to get them into the homes of people more concerned that they smell nice or match the kitchen cupboards.

But it is working. Just five years ago Method recorded sales of $15m. This year, following its launch in the UK, they were around $100m.

“When you’re David against Goliath, the likes of giant companies like Unilever and Proctor & Gamble with endless dollars to spend, you’re never going to win playing their game,” says Lowry, an ex-chemical engineer and climate scientist who worked on the Kyoto Protocol and whose official business title is now Chief Greenskeeper (Ryan’s is Ripplemaker). “You have to redefine the game.”

That said, their beliefs have had to be strong to even get their brand this far. First

off, there have been factories to persuade.

“Normally they solicit a brand for business but with Method we had to make the sales pitch to them: I’d walk in, tell them we had no money to buy shelf space in stores, show them a rendering of a funky bottle that’s hard to make and tell them we wanted to fill it with a substance others were convinced could not be made. Oh, and that we didn’t expect to sell much,” says Lowry.

Resistance from manufacturers has been followed by doubt from retailers.

According to Lowry, with sales of household cleaning products in decline, the market offering nothing distinctive and the major manufacturers leveraging their might to minimize retailers’ profit, interest in anything new, green or not, have been at an all-time low. Finally, consumers have had to be lured into a new way of thinking too.

“There is still this widely-held misconception that ‘green isn’t clean’, that such products don’t work,” explains Ryan.

“A lot of that comes from the big companies who are constantly drumming on about ‘new and improved’, that they deliver superior cleaning power,” he adds. “There is the sense that buying a green cleaner must mean some kind of trade-off – that it doesn’t work as effectively. And we grew up with a lot of these old brands and so we don’t look at that as evil as they potentially are – there are chemicals in those products that really shouldn’t be there.”

It is only convention, the twosome argue, that has so far stopped the major players from seriously tackling the green market.

“There has been a lot of apathy too, a lot of saying ‘green cleaning products can’t be made’ or sitting on the sidelines asking ‘is this green thing really going away or is it going to stick around?’” says Lowry. “We don’t want to wait to see if green thinking becomes the norm – we want to create the change to make it happen. Now those giant companies are realising there is a market for green products, they’re going to try to outmethod Method.”

That, potentially, is good for the planet. It proves a big problem for Method. But the duo draw a parallel between their company and Apple, the hip computer brand that keeps being imitated but is always innovating to stay one step ahead. “From air fresheners to candles, stainless steel polishes to surface sprays, the products are all conversation pieces,” says Lowry. “They’re a way to bring a little bit of delight into a daily drudgery, and that alone is a powerful thing. And they’re green too, of course. But that really shouldn’t be the issue. At the end of the day, all cleaning products should be green.” n For more information, visit www.methodproducts.co.uk

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OF THE BEST

WINTER SKI CHALETS For the most luxurious ski breaks over Christmas and early 2010, book now to secure the best chalets in Europe CHALET BLANC Owner run Chalet Blanc is the perfect luxury ski retreat with lavish en-suite accommodation, huge living areas with stylish interiors, hot tub and sauna. Based in the beautiful resort of Châtel and part of the largest interlinked ski area in the world, there’s over 650km of pistes to explore and enjoy through France and Switzerland. Five star service is at the heart of the Chalet Blanc offering, with chauffeur driven vehicles, ski guiding, award winning wines and gourmet cuisine served by the professional chef all included as standard.

For an extra indulgence try heli-skiing, Swedish massage or even a champagne reception served at the top of the mountain by your very own ski butler!

For more information, visit www.chalet-blanc. co.uk or call Jo on 0033 624 231 480

CHALET DE LA CLOCHE

In the heart of the world’s finest ski region of Val d’Isere and Tignes, Cloche offers a superb alpine experience, providing all the amenities and services of the most exclusive boutique hotels within a modern chalet. The luxurious and contemporary interior is the ultimate in comfort and style. The large bedrooms have plasma TVs, stylish en-suite bathrooms and balconies (offering awe-inspiring views across the snow-capped region), and there is a private spa with pool, steam room and hot tub.

Four professionally trained staff (including butler and chauffeur), can meet every requirement, whether it’s collecting ski-passes, booking helicopter rides or just going for a shopping trip in one of their luxury vehicles.

A private chef will create sumptuous menus to order, meeting the highest restaurant standards. An extensive wine cellar and open bar caters for all your liquid ‘après ski’ entertainment, and the huge HD screen with Bose AV sound system, Sky, DVD or CD will complete the perfect fun filled atmosphere.

For more information, call 020 8853 0636, email info@ski-base.com or visit www.ski-base.com

citylifepromotion

CHALET AMAZON CREEK

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CHALET LA NORJEANNE

In the Les Bossons area of the Chamonix Valley, Chalet Amazon Creek sleeps up to ten guests in five individually designed bedrooms furnished with bespoke pieces, opulent fabrics and all with en-suite bathrooms (complete with L’Occitane products).The luxury travel company’s flagship chalet boasts spacious living areas, a cinema room and a fully equipped luxury spa with hamman steam room, sauna, sunken jacuzzi and outdoor hot tub. A champagne reception and warm welcome awaits you from the experienced chalet staff, there to take care of your every whim during your stay. Experience the chef’s culinary delights, served to you in the stunning dining area and allow Amazon Creek’s highly qualified ski instructors to organise all aspects of your winter sports requirements with the complimentary ‘winter sports programme’, designed to help you improve your skiing or snowboarding technique and get the very best from the mountain.

Relax in a steaming Jacuzzi with a glass of champagne as the sun sets behind the mountains and reflect on the day’s excitement on the slopes; curl up in an armchair by a roaring log fire with a slice of delicious home-made cake; have a sauna and a relaxing massage in the comfort of your own private chalet; or nip out for a bit of après-ski before enjoying pre-dinner drinks and canapés on the balcony, followed by a gourmet candle-lit dinner overlooking the beautiful snowcovered valley 1000m below. If this sounds like an appealing end to a hard day on the slopes, then the choice is yours at Chalet La Norjeanne; a chocolate-box style traditional chalet in the exclusive resort of Verbier, Switzerland.

With space for 14 guests, a cinema/playroom with DVD, surround-sound and Nintendo Wii, a spa with sauna, steam room, and an outdoor Jacuzzi, the chalet is perfect for corporate groups or families, providing enough space and facilities to keep everyone entertained. The staff members include a professional chef, two chalet hosts and a chalet manager who is available 24 hours a day.

Bookings made by 1 November will receive a 10% discount or free airport transfer.

For enquiries call 0208 144 1728, email ski@skiextra.co.uk or visit www.skiextra.co.uk

For more information call 01344 894 576, email enquiries@amazoncreek.co.uk, or visit www.amazoncreek.co.uk

MAISON VILLAGE

Mountain Retreats is a small, privately owned luxury ski chalet operator based in the exceptional resort of Chamonix MontBlanc; a vibrant cosmopolitan ski area that draws visitors from all over the world. The concept is simple: high quality service, gourmet food, fine wines and flexibility, which combined, create the perfect chalet atmosphere Originally a 19th century tower and barn, Maison Village has been carefully restored maintaining its shape and character whilst offering a chic and contemporary interior.

It unites modern design with traditional

alpine materials. It is a ski-in ski-out chalet, situated at the bottom of Les Grands Montets in Argentiere next to the Chosalets ski area. The chalet has five sumptious en suite bedrooms, Italian kithen, Philippe Starck bathrooms, as well as wifi, satellite TV, DVD player and music system. The master bedroom even has its own private deck with jacuzzi.

Ideal for groups of 10 guests, Mountain Retreats also include champagne and canapés, free bar, ski guiding, the services of a professional chef, concierge service, and a private chauffeur on call from 8am till midnight.

For more information, visit www.mountainretreats.co.uk or call Veronica on 01635 253 946

THE ULTIMATE GETAWAY

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hether you’re looking to relax in a stunning, beachfront villa in Sete, unwind on an idyllic yacht in Antigua, or push your limits with a thrilling skibreak in Chamonix, Amazon Creek have everything you need to enjoy a bespoke and unforgettable trip. Amazon Creek combine the first class service and creature comforts similar to that of a luxury hotel, with the comfort and privacy of staying in your own villa or chalet, to ensure you’ll experience wonderful holidays in style.

Chamonix has become recognised as one of Europe’s leading wintersports destinations thanks to its breathtaking scenery (the resort lies at the base of the majestic Mont Blanc) and numerous skiing opportunities. The winter sports programme at Amazon Creek offers complimentary ski-hosting designed to help guests improve their skiing or snowboarding technique. Ski-instructors provide instruction over the first four days of the week, focusing on lower intermediates at the start of week and more advanced intermediates and advanced skiers as the week progresses. This is the best way to get to know the mountain,

beat the queues for everything from boot fitting and equipment hire to the booking of ski lessons and the lifts. The Amazon Creek team is also on hand to arrange lessons (with the most experienced bi-lingual instructors in the valley) for children of all ages, beginners and those with more experience.

The combination of the surrounding culture and unique cosmopolitan atmosphere makes for an ideal location for Amazon Creek’s three beautiful chalets; Amazon Creek, Baby Bear and the latest addition, Baloo. Amazon Creek’s properties are all built by prestigious regional architects to reflect the beauty of their surroundings and the luxurious chalets are no exception.

Deluxe touches to the chalets include spas with saunas, hot tubs, swimming pools, massage treatment room and a surround sound cinema room.There is a full driver service within the resort and complimentary ski hosting is included in the holiday, so no nasty surprises! With a weekly guest count of up to 22 across the three chalets, this is the perfect place for anything from a romantic getaway to family trip or corporate/client entertaining.

However, if the idea of sitting back and relaxing with a glass of chilled white wine, looking out onto the glistening waters

Chamonix

Richard Warren considers the very best ways to get away from the City in style for a bespoke luxury break

of Corsica’s jade green coves or the Caribbean’s flawless islands appeals to you more, then Amazon Creek’s brand new, sleek 77ft sailing yacht may be of interest. This custom-built yacht, designed by a renowned naval architect, boasts four elegant cabins accommodating up to eight guests in comfort and luxury. Swallows and Amazons will be available for charter from Christmas 2009 and will sail the Caribbean during the winter and the Mediterranean during the summer months. The passionate, enthusiastic and experienced crew (including a highly skilled captain) are keen to share their knowledge of sailing and the local areas as you indulge in the fully catered journey. A variety of activities are organised, from snorkelling to wakeboarding, and even inflatables for kids!

When the day draws to an end the bright, contemporary interior offers the perfect environment to relax in and the fully integrated entertainment system provides everything needed to keep any member of the family content!

Living the London lifestyle can sometimes take its toll on your body, mind and soul, but Amazon Creek offers a great solution to this problem with their yoga and fitness retreats based in Chamonix and Amazon Creeks beachfront villas in Sete. The fitness retreat is tailored to your individual ability and is suitable for all ages. With the surrounding natural beauty of either the Alps or the golden stretch of sandy beach in Sete as a backdrop to your workout, you can increase your cardiovascular performance, tone your muscles and improve your flexibility through a varying schedule of exercises. Amazon

Creek’s yoga retreat focuses on improving your yoga technique alongside general fitness, including all the special features of the fitness retreat.

Amazon Creek are extending their portfolio of properties in summer 2010 when their five bedroom villa will be completed in the vibrant Mediterranean island of Corsica. Approximately 15 minutes from the cosmopolitan town of Porto Vecchio, the villa is set in private, tranquil surroundings. This truly exceptional villa will include a luxury swimming pool, cinema room and spa – the perfect setting to appreciate the outstanding sea views and beaches of Corsica. n For more information on all these retreats, visit www.amazoncreek.co.uk

Breakfast table in Villa Frankie, Sete Villa Frankie, Sete

Photo Nicholas Claris

travel

Swallows and Amazons, Corsica / Antigua Living areas in Amazon Creek

Chalet Amazon Creek at sunset

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ALPINE LUXURY

Ferme Du Ciel - Image Exterior Chalet

Introducing Ferme du Ciel; why would you go anywhere else?

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his winter, indulge in the opportunity to get away from the doom and gloom with a ski break to the Alps.Treat yourselves to a well-deserved break in the exclusive luxury of Ferme du Ciel (the designer boutique chalet), and you’ll never want to leave!

Ferme du Ciel offers superb service in a relaxed environment tucked away in the picturesque Samoëns region – only one hour from Geneva. Chalet owners Andy and Su will tailor their services and activities to meet any requirements, from short breaks to fully catered chalet hire for several weeks.

The luxuriously furnished ski accommodation boasts five large en-suite bedrooms alongside a family suite, and can comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests.

The interiors are stylish and extremely comfortable; a real home from home. En-suite bathrooms house walk-in rain showers and fluffy towels; vital for the end of a hard day’s skiing. In the evenings, guests can relax in the double height

beamed living room, beside the 360 degree open fire; enjoy a delicious meal prepared by a personal chef; or kick back in the sauna or Jacuzzi. For those having a day off skiing or staying in for the night, the chalet provides a full entertainment centre including a huge flat-screen TV, Xbox, DVD library, Sonos music system, PC and WiFi. A stunning architectdesigned renovation, Ferme du Ciel is a traditional Savoyard farmhouse positioned above the award winning heritage town of Samoëns. The farm enjoys sensational views of the picturesque Giffre valley, and is nestled in the stunning mountains of the Grand Massif.

Close to the Grand Massif Express gondola, the chalet is ideally located for skiers and walkers to enjoy all that the French Alps have to offer.

Locally guests can enjoy exceptional skiing on over 260km of powdery pistes (and plenty of off-piste skiing too), family activities, alpine walks and a wide range of adventurous

pursuits. Alternatively, visitors to the area can simply relax and appreciate the stunning scenery whilst enjoying fine wines and fantastic food.

Samoëns is a beautiful, authentic French alpine farming town that has maintained its traditional charm and character, whilst offering a selection of shops, bars, restaurants.

Close to Ferme du Ciel, guests can enjoy the local market, or visit the ancient chapel overlooking the chalet.

The Grand Massif is renowned for its snow-sure records where skiing is available from December to April throughout the excellent linked areas of Samoëns, Flaine, Morillon, Les Carroz and Sixte. n

Ferme du Ciel drawing room

For more information on Ferme du Ciel, to arrange transfers to Geneva Airport or the slopes, and for details on the 360 tour, visit www.fermeduciel.com, email info@fermeduciel.com, or call 07733 100 020 Contact us ASAP to book for Christmas, or to check availability

Ferme du Ciel luxury ensuite bathroom

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THE SKI SEASON STARTS HERE For those looking for picturesque alpine wintersport (without the Val d’ Isere price tag), head to Paradaski for some of the best skiing in Europe

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f you love The Three Valleys and Espace Killy but fancy a change, then try the Paradiski area.

Never heard of it? Well, it’s the ski area that separates The Three Valleys and Espace Killy. Formed four years ago, when the ski areas of Les Arcs and La Plagne were linked via the world largest cable car (the Vanoise Express) it has become incredibly popular with discerning skiers.

The newly combined area is huge; with 144 lifts and 425km piste it has the same excellent quality skiing as its (perhaps more famous), neighbours – but it’s style is different. There are a total of 19 resorts or villages all linked with both high altitude treeless bowls and extensive forest slopes with beautiful treelined pistes, leading to hidden mountain restaurants or small mini resorts or villages.

This is a ski area where you can not only blast the runs or take the big off-piste

challenges, but you can also mosey along the blue pistes and ski through the trees to a hidden restaurant, take some time out, relax in the sun and then ski on to another village for coffee or a beer before skiing home.

If you’re tempted, the next question is where to stay out of the numerous resorts and villages and we have found a real gem; a private, luxury, catered chalet owned and expertly run by Steve and Debbie.

Their chalet is magnificent; located right by the piste with absolutely stunning views on three sides across the Tarentaise valley, with Mont Blanc as the backdrop. It is newly renovated and has all you’d expect of a luxury Chalet; en-suite bathrooms, top quality cuisine and wines, hot-tub, and all those little extra luxuries you need for that perfect holiday. In addition, it has arguably the best location of any chalet in Paradiski, situated by the piste with ski in ski out access

in the small resort of Les Coches.

And why Les Coches? Well this quaint resort which is linked to the even quainter farming village of Montchavin (also skiable) was once a sleepy corner of La Plagne; however this is where the link to Les Arcs was built and these two resorts now find themselves at the very centre of Paradiski. All the new investment of express lifts, and snow cannons has happened here and yet the resort is still charmingly unaware of its new status.

This, among other things, has a practical advantage: the prices are still reasonable.

A 7-night stay at Pisteside (widely considered the best chalet in Les Coches), during the main season costs less than £695 per person. We recommend that you give it a try, before things change. n For more information, visit www.pisteside.com or call 01730 301973

dream catchers

Creating dreams with you, for you, by us. www.mydreamcatchers.com info.mydreamcatchers.com

Contact: 07706 100258

travel

27

HOURS IN....

CALGARY Stephanie Baxter explores the Canadian city of Calgary

P

robably most famous for the Calgary Stampede or the 1988 Winter Olympics, Calgary more than likely usually doesn’t feature on most people’s list of places to see in their lifetime. And let’s face it, the city on its own is not the most exciting place in the world; it’s certainly not as cultured as Rome, as cosmopolitan as New York, or as chic as Paris.Yet considering its location very near to some of the most amazing sights in North America, Calgary does seem to possess some charm. And if you’re willing to venture a bit further afield than you might normally do on a stopover, it’ll all be worth it.

8:00am: BREAKFAST IN THE CITY With a fairly early start to the day, it’s essential to get a good breakfast before an activity-packed day. Head over to Avenue Diner on 8th Avenue S.W. for what has been hailed as Calgary’s best breakfast. Both the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and the Classic Waffle will do just the trick in setting you up properly for the rest of the day.

9:00am: A DRIVE THROUGH BANFF NATIONAL PARK Heading out of the city, a drive through Banff National Park affords the first glimpses of that stunning scenery. This is Canada proper, in my view; complete with bears, moose and wolves. Although you’d be more than lucky to catch even the smallest sight of wildlife of that nature, just knowing they’re out there somewhere is an exhilarating feeling.

11:00am: CANOEING ON LAKE LOUISE Arriving at Lake Louise in the National Park, be sure to get your camera at the ready, because what you’re about to see is one of the most beautiful sights you will have ever seen, guaranteed. Walking from the car park, the lake appears as if from nowhere, and it is

more than enough to render you speechless.

I was literally transfixed for a good few minutes. The best thing you can do to take it all in is to rent a canoe, row to the middle of the lake and marvel at the beauty of this natural wonder. The colour of the water is simply breathtaking.

12:00pm: LUNCH AT THE FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE This beautiful lakeside hotel, complete with resident dog, Sonny, is the perfect location to take in more of those idyllic views over a light lunch. The Lakeview Lounge is, as the name suggests, a lounge with the best views of the lake, and offers a tempting menu which includes many speciality teas, such as the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Organic Signature Blend, as well as appetising dishes such as the Asparagus and Snow Pea BBQ Duck Salad or the Smoked Gouda Reuben.

7:00pm: DINNER AT JULIUS CAESAR’S STEAK HOUSE Steak is to this part of Canada as pasta is to Italy. If you can look past the gimmicky faux marble columns and other themed décor, you’ll find the best in the city at Julius Caesar’s Steak House. The wine list is rather impressive, too.

10pm: AFTER-DINNER COCKTAILS AT MING If you have any energy left after such a jampacked day, the Martinis at Ming on 17th Avenue S.W. are well worth staying awake for, and are the perfect nightcap for a welldeserved sleep.

1:00pm: MOUNTAIN-VIEW HORSE TREK Near to Lake Louise are Brewster’s century-old stables, where you can take a trek through the alpine forest on horseback. Taking between an hour and a half and two hours, this is the ideal way to see Mount Fairview and Mount Victoria, as well as taking in more views of the Lake.

4:00pm: COFFEE BREAK IN BANFF On the way back to the city through the National Park, Banff town is a must-see stop to experience a quintessential town of the Canadian Rockies, and you’re more than likely to see at least one Stetson-clad cowboy type.

There is an endless choice of coffee bars in which to recharge before the rest of the drive home; Mountain Mercato with its fabulous espressos, and Second Cup with its lovely little cakes will not disappoint.

Mountain Louis 1 from Cory Pass

Canoeing Lake Louise

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Lake Louise, Banff, Rocky Mountain

Sixth

Heaven

Island of Koh Samet

travel

29

The word ‘Thailand’ for many of us probably conjures up memories of student backpacking adventures on-the-cheap. In the first of a threepart series, Kate Harrison reveals a more comfortable way to relive those days…

O

n arrival at Paradee resort in Thailand, guests are invited to choose from a range of specially blended soaps to have in their rooms. Amongst the twelve on offer are tumeric honey, dark chocolate and orchid. It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to use dark chocolate soap, let alone chocolate soap for that matter.

You may not be so surprised to learn then, that ‘Paradee’ translates as ‘The Sixth Heaven’.

Nor is Paradee a particularly everyday experience in any respect. Located on the island of Koh Samet off the Eastern coast of Thailand, the resort is situated in a National Park region on a narrow isthmus between the east and west-facing beaches of the secluded Ao Kiew. Pure unspoilt beaches fringed by palms and flanked by expanses of coral reef and the sheen of aquamarine.

Not a road in sight on a denselyforested island for the most part inhabited by birds and small lizards; just a handful of private villas, sun, sea, and sand. Could there be a better place for a bit of romantic seclusion?

Not a detail has been overlooked or a penny’s expense spared at this resort.

Let’s begin with the rooms.

Each villa, at one hundred square metres, has separate living and ‘vanity’ rooms, as well as a bedroom. The latter is sumptuously furnished with cathedral-style ceilings and super king-size beds with duckfeather pillows, in addition to all the usual five-star luxuries of plasma-screen TVs and so

on. The bathrooms are spacious with large sunken baths and open-air rainfall showers, and the majority of the villas also have their own ‘infinity’ Jacuzzi pool. Finally, every villa has a private terrace with sun-loungers where you can relax and enjoy the sea vista, or arrange a candlelit dinner.

While all of the villas contain these not-so-basic features, for those guests of a more decadent persuasion, certain exclusive villas will provide everything they might need. Chief of these is the Paradee Suite villa - the ultimate in comfort and pleasure that the resort has to offer. In a secluded location at the north end of the east-facing beach, guests at this villa will enjoy full-time butler service to cater to their every whim. The Suite villa has its own sala for outdoor spa treatment or private dinner or else just for simple relaxation.

With a private cocktail bar and walk-in wardrobe area thrown in, as well as the breathtaking ocean views from the elevated beach-front Jacuzzi pool, even the consummate luxurist would be hard pressed to find anything wanting.

The gourmands are probably wondering about what food is available at the resort, and they too will not be disappointed. The resort has a restaurant serving only the highest quality cuisine all day, everything from fresh local seafood to the finest Wayagu beef. Guests may sample Thai and Asian Rim cooking specialties, as well as international dishes.

The setting itself combines the informal and the elegant, open as it is to the sea breezes.

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travel

31

GettinG there Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, flies twice a day from London to Bangkok. A return flight starts from £384.

For information on schedules and fares visit www.jetairways.com or call 0808 101 1199.

Paradee villa interior Paradee Suite

However, for those guests who are disinclined to eating in such a setting, private meals can be arranged on an individual basis.

Such candlelit occasions may be held in guests’ private rooms, by the pool, or even on the beach to watch a glorious sunset, and menus can be tailored to the wishes of the diners.

However, no example of the comforts to be had at Paradee would be complete without a mention of what is perhaps its chief attraction: The elaborate but secluded resort spa, which contains four double treatment rooms themed around the four elements - earth, wind, fire and water.

Each features its own outdoor bathtub, outdoor rainfall shower and relaxation zone,

Paradee beach

outdoor sala for treatment, a manicure and pedicure salon, and a spa boutique. In addition to this, the wind and fire treatment rooms have their own private steam rooms. In the spa, guests can enjoy body wraps, herbal presses, steam baths and traditional Thai massage, amongst other services. As with catering services, guests may arrange with the spa for a sunrise or sunset massage on the beach if they so wish. All body treatment products used in the spa have been created exclusively for Paradee, and facial treatment products are from Margy’s of Switzerland and Pevonia.

For the less laid-back amongst you, the resort’s location provides plenty of opportunity for activity. Guests are provided with complimentary kayaking along the coast or snorkeling if they choose. There is also the

chance to go windsurfing or catamaran sailing, and the vast lengths of secluded white sand beaches give ample opportunity to go swimming. For those interested in marine life there is a PADI-certified diving centre for novices and old-hands, deepsea fishing trips, as well as a sheltered rocky beach which you can investigate at your leisure, and you can even charter a ship to make your own trip around the island.

To ensure that guests’ stay is as convenient as possible, the resort has all facilities you would expect. Every room has a work desk with free internet access, as well as free internet use in the stunning library. A ninety-five square metre function room close to the west-facing beach caters for any meeting requirements, and the adjacent terrace which can accommodate up to eighty

guests lends itself to banquets, conferences and cocktail parties.

As would be expected of a fivestar resort, you can enjoy twentyfour hour room service, as well as babysitting services and a fitnesssuite. At the Pool and Sunset bars you may sample a wide range of fine wines, cocktails and cigars.

The resort’s green credentials are also impressive; it is entirely environmentally-friendly, care having been taken when the resort was constructed not to damage any of the native plant life or landscape - several of the rooms are built around large trees or rocks. As such, Paradee remains a haven for wildlife.

This secluded haven is reached by an exhilirating twenty-minute speedboat ride (arranged by Paradee) from the coast close to Rayong. After the 2-3 hour drive from Bangkok to Rayong, this is a refreshing way to arrive at the stunning beach hotel and the most glamorous way to start any luxury break. n Prices at Paradee, Koh Samet, start from 17,800 Thai Baht (approx. £313) per room per night, based on two sharing a Garden Villa on a bed and breakfast basis in October 2009. Price includes tax and service charge. Book online at www.paradeeresort.com

travel

33

PERUVIAN

Cuzco Peru

Heather Ridley flies to Peru to experience the culture, cuisine, history and mystery of the Land of the Incas

10 09

C

rumbling temples and lost cities ripe for the exploring, towering Andean mountaintops and traditional panpipe music floating on the breeze – is this what Peru brings to mind? If so, it certainly won’t disappoint, but today’s Peru offers even more.

Take your pick from a plethora of cultural, historical, culinary and adventurous delights; hiking in the breathtaking central highlands of Huaraz, soaking up some sun on the country’s northernmost beaches, sampling seafood delicacies in Lima’s fashionable suburbs or careering around the desert

in a dune buggy at the oasis playground Huacachina. The Land of the Incas is a treasure trove just waiting to be discovered and the only problem is finding enough time to fit it all in.

Whether you choose to take it easy and stay in one place, or tackle a whirlwind multi-destination tour, every Peruvian break will begin with a descent over the country’s vibrant and fascinating capital city, Lima.

From April to December the Pacific coastline is swathed in a bank of coastal fog, obscuring the city until it pops into breathtaking view just before landing.

Before hitting the city’s sights and sounds, I headed straight to the Miraflores Park Hotel (www.miraflorespark.com); the clear choice if you like your South American adventure to come with a side of luxury and comfort. It sits in an exclusive residential area of the fashionable Miraflores district – a hub of business, entertainment and culture – and is the epitome of Limeño style. It is sleek, modern and boasts breathtaking views of Lima and the Pacific Ocean from its rooftop pool.

There is no better way to shake off the effects of the long-haul flight than a swim, before indulging in Miraflores Park’s ‘Bath Butler’ service. My bathroom was transformed into a haven of candlelight, rose petals and scents of my choice whilst I sipped on a Pisco Sour and felt the stress of life back home slip very quickly away. Peru’s famous sour cocktail – made from Pisco, lime juice, egg whites, syrup and bitters – is a taste well worth acquiring and will become your favourite holiday tipple in no time.

Lima has a lot to offer; numerous museums showcasing treasures from the pre-hispanic world; imposing colonial plazas in which to soak up the capital’s rich history; and fantastic shopping centres. I took in the dilapidated colonial grandeur of the bohemian Barranco district over a feast of Ceviche and sweet potato (a delicious local delicacy of raw seafood salad with finely sliced onion and lime juice) and enjoyed an atmospheric visit to the Monastery of San Francisco – which houses an eerie collection of bones in its catacombs – before heading north in pursuit of the sun.

I had my sights set on Máncora, a small beach resort near the border with Ecuador which I had heard was a year-round sunshine paradise. The rumours were true and I spent two days on Máncora’s sweeping white beach enjoying sumptuous freshly caught fish and refreshing Peruvian Pilsener whilst the roaring Pacific waves crashing onto the shore. The resort isn’t yet equipped with any high-end accommodation, and was definitely the most

rustic destination on my itinerary, but I was charmed by its cosy beach bungalows and lazy hammocks and was definitely in the holiday mood by the time I left.

After a stop at the fascinating pre-Inca city of Chan Chan on my journey south, it was time to get back on the road and take a short internal flight to the jewel in Peru’s crown – Cusco. The journey is a popular tourist route, and it’s no wonder that this magnificent city attracts visitors in their millions. Cusco sits cradled in the Andes at over 3,000 metres above sea level and was capital of the Inca Empire until the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrived there in 1533. The city remained prosperous and politically significant throughout the Conquest and the combined remnants of both pre- and post-Columbian civilizations make it an unforgettable destination; many buildings in the old centre boast the characteristic Inca foundations of enormous perfectly tessellating grey stones but are topped with colonial arches, intricately carved balconies and tiled roofs.

The first port of call after checking into my hotel was a first floor cafe in the Plaza de Armas, Cusco’s beautiful central square, to sip on a Coca tea. Andean people traditionally use Coca leaves – in Mate (tea) and by chewing parcels of leaves – for energy and to cope with the extreme conditions in which they live.

Having encountered the unpleasant effects of Cusco’s high altitude on my last visit, I knew how important it was to take it easy for a day and allow my body to adjust to breathing the thin air. Delicious coca tea is great for helping with altitude so I wiled away an hour or so admiring the fantastic views before attempting to scale any of Cusco’s steep cobbled streets or stone staircases.

Next, a wander through Cusco’s shops; days could be spent here perusing lovely boutiques full of the highest quality Alpaca clothing and accessories. Though the weather is largely warm and sunny, temperatures can plummet at night so make sure you treat yourself to a super-soft Baby Alpaca sweater

Eduardo Saldarriaga

Genivs Loci

Miraflores Park Hotel swimming pool on 11th floor

Miraflores Park Hotel bath butler

and wrap up. A drive into the surrounding hills or a visit to the awe-inspiring Saqsaywaman Inca fortress will inevitably afford a sight of these iconic Alpacas and Llamas grazing.

People from around the globe find their way to Cusco and never leave. This strong ex-pat community has turned the city into a culinary melting pot and fantastic local specialities are blended with European influences. A delicious Alpaca steak, accompanied potato gratin (Peru boasts over 400 varieties of potato), enjoyed on a leafy heated patio in San Blas, and was a real highlight of my stay. The adventurous will try Cuy, which in the indigenous Quechua language means Guinea Pig. I finally took the plunge and was pleasantly surprised by the meat’s delicate flavour. But I wouldn’t recommend this local delicacy if you’re squeamish, as the guinea pig comes roasted whole – complete with teeth!

Besides the city’s own numerous attractions, Cusco is the gateway to Peru’s most famous sites – the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Named after the explorer who came across the famous lost city in 1911, the Hiram Bingham train (www.orient-

travel

Ancient Inca walls as foundations of modern Cusco, Peru, South America

Eduardo Saldarriaga

Peru Rail Andean Explorer and Urcos Bridge

express.com) is a truly magical way to reach the world-famous Inca citadel. This journey evokes all the romance of old fashioned rail travel and every opportunity for comfort and luxury has been attended to. After enjoying the delicious brunch, I made my way to the Observation Car and admired the soaring landscape as we sped past ancient terraces and through rocky passes. Many passengers tour Machu Picchu in the afternoon before taking the train back to Cusco the same evening, treated to a gourmet dinner and cocktails once back on the train. Instead, I opted for an overnight stay in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Hotel (www.sanctuarylodgehotel.com).

My mountain-view room at the Sanctuary was equipped with a terrace overlooking the peak of Huanya Picchu (Young Mountain) so I spent a relaxed afternoon admiring the breathtaking mountain skyline and went early to bed, lulled to sleep by the sounds of jungle wildlife. This luxury hotel is the only accommodation adjacent to the ruins – the majority of visitors stay in the hectic and tourist-ridden town of Aguas Calientes below – and as such it offers the priceless opportunity to beat the crowds. The hotel offers a wide range of hikes, and on the first tour of the morning it is easy to imagine that you are with Hiram Bingham himself, emerging from the jungle and discovering the mysterious citadel for the first time.

35

If you aren’t yet ready to head back to Cusco, a train to Ollantaytambo (a wonderfully preserved Inca village and site of a legendary battle with the Spanish) followed by a leisurely drive back down the Sacred Valley affords opportunity for stops at some of the area’s most beautiful and fascinating sites. Admire the brightly coloured traditional woven dress of the Quechua people as you stop at imposing salt pans and mysterious amphitheatre-like structures at Moray. These terraces are thought to be farming experiments used by the Incas to determine optimum cropgrowing conditions.

Though Lima and Cusco are must-see stops on any Peruvian itinerary, the country has so much more to offer if you have the time.

Arequipa, a colonial beauty, is the starting point for trips to two of the world’s deepest canyons and is prime wildlife-spotting country – Vicuñas, Condors and Alpacas can all be found in the surrounding area. Majestic Lake Titicaca spans the border with Bolivia and is a fairyland of sparkling azure water and magical floating islands. I chose to stop off for a private flight over the famous Nazca lines en route back to Lima and marvelled at the mysterious line-drawings in the desert, pointed out by the pilot, as we wheeled giddily through the sky.

A dream trip to suit anyone’s tastes can be crafted from Peru’s abundance of sights and activities. If you’re looking for a stylish, relaxing break with a heavy dash of mystery and culture, Peru is the place for you. A land of extremes, it has everything to offer, and I would thoroughly recommend a detour off the beaten track to add a touch of Indiana Jones adventure. I arrived back in London relaxed, revitalised and – after all that time at altitude – feeling fitter than when I left!

Who can argue with that? n For more information on travelling to Peru, visit www.peru.info

Plaza de armas in Lima, Peru

fashion

37

FIT TO

TRAVEL? T

Josh Sims examines the concept of the ‘travel suit’ and asks whether it’s possible to reconcile style and practicality for a first class journey?

he jet set had the glamour of flying down to a tee. Travelling with enough luggage for each to fill the hold, arriving spruced and smooth after cocktails in first class, they touched down as elegantly as their 747 took off. How things have changed; in the age of ‘squeezy jet’ and the one or two-day business trip to press the flesh and sign the deal, you are more likely to arrive looking like a bag of rags.

The answer, fashion brands once told us, was the so-called ‘travel suit’, designed with high-tech fabrics to carry you neatly from flight to meeting to dinner and back onto the plane home.The problem was that these pioneering suits looked as shiny as the aircraft. Not anymore. “Travel suits as a category has been around for a while but fabric performance has improved so much that today’s travel suit really is something different,” suggests the experts at Ted Baker, whose latest venture in the market, the Ultimate Travel Suit, incorporates a NASApatented inter-lining that allows the suit to be warmer in winter and cooler in the summer.

“But it’s still true that you get what you pay for – less expensive travel suits can still feel and look cheap. It’s all about being willing to invest in the technology.”

That technology is providing the four holy grails of travel suits, if not all in one item: stain-repelling fabric, climate control, crease resistance and toughness, the latter

Ermenegildo Zegna’s Micronsphere Traveller Suit

Ted Baker

two qualities being the most desirable. Wool blended with Tefon fibres may allow it to shrug off liquids more easily – ideal for those for whom imbibing copious amounts of wine are part of the job; varying blends of silk and cashmere can increase breathability, thus allowing your suit to stay fresher for longer; and other designs, such as those that from Marks and Spencer which won the Queens Award for Enterprise, or from Burton, are even machine washable, being made from a

yarn that can withstand the spin cycle, is fastdrying and ready to go with a light press.

George at Asda’s Ultimate Suit, launched last year, tries to do it all. It blends wool with polyester and Lycra to help it retain its shape after washing, has a Teflon coating, a lining with an anti-bacterial finish and ‘sweat patches’ to absorb underarm perspiration – grim, but functional, fit-for-purpose. Indeed, perhaps it is small wonder than Rohan, a company best known for its professional outerwear, has also launched its own travel suit, also complete with silver micronembedded fabric to fight off the whiff of 12 hours on a 747 or that particularly intense round of negotiations.

Travel-friendly qualities are not only a concern for just the mass-market. Suits of superfine fabrics may comprise yarns too fragile to undergo processes applied to some travel suits, but Paul Smith’s London line uses a wool spun to give rapid creaserecovery. Similarly, fabric mill and menswear label Ermenegildo Zegna has a Micronsphere Traveller suit, which uses fabric nanotechnology inspired by the way dirt floats on lotus leaves without impregnating the surface until it is washed away. “Men want innovative clothing that performs for them, especially in business when it’s often important to arrive looking immaculate,” states Zegna’s CEO Gildo Zegna.

But for most business travellers, the key issue is one of remaining crumple-free, either to arrive fresh after a long journey or in order to allow the packing of a suit in hand-luggage that will unfold as though fresh from a steam-clean.While some are put off the more all-performing travel suits by the amount of synthetic fibres that are used, those that seek to provide a no crumple zone can now do so by employing 100% natural fabrics; thus, in some eyes, the latest crease-resistant fabrics allows these suits to retain a high quality image.

That is the thinking behind the suits ideal for travel from Savile Row stalwarts Gieves & Hawkes. Certainly Savile Row tailors,

more used to working with heavier woollen and tweed clothes in the traditional English style, have had to adapt and even improve their techniques in order to use finer, lighter weight, specially developed fabrics. Ede & Ravenscroft, for example, uses a plain weave, two-fold warp and weft fabric that is naturally springy, to help maintain shape after extensive wear.

Indeed, the techniques used to develop some travel-friendly fabrics may be patented and closely guarded, but many are oldfashioned rather than futuristic. English mills, for instance, often ‘cross-breed’ the kinds of coarse yarns not usually used in top-end tailoring but more typically used to make carpets, spinning them very slowly so that the strength of the yarn is retained but the resultant cloth is lightweight. Such coarse fabrics retain a sharp appearance, combat wear and tear, and allow for faster recovery when creased.

For some, the temptation is to contrast these fabrics with the soft and fluid variety more often used for luxury products and find them wanting. But increasingly travel fabrics also undergo a high pressure process called paper pressing to retain the sheen more typical of pricier cloths. But that is not enough for all. Some gents will just never be convinced by the very idea of the travel suit, deeming the fabric too light, the touch too rough, the tech too gimmicky.

Their answer? Buy two pairs of trousers for your suit and travel with the second pair (because it is the trousers that tend to take the biggest hit through travel) or opt for a dark, half-lined blazer in wool and mohair, one that can easily be folded with minimum creasing and looks good with grey flannels. In a worst case scenario, and assuming you have time before your meeting, hang your crumpled suit in the bathroom with the hot shower on full – the steam can work magic on all but the deepest creases. Remember to take it off first though: it is one thing to arrive creased, quite another to do so dripping. n

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Jet Airways is an airline with whom air travel really is as pleasant as it looks on the advert…

WITH ME

‘I

ndia’s Best Domestic Airline’ Award, winner several times over; chosen as ‘World’s Second Best Airline’ by readers of Which Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler Magazine; and holder of several further awards in both national and international competitions. So what is it that’s so special about Jet Airways?

Jet Airways can be justly named as India’s premier airline, since it has the largest domestic network, flying to sixty-three destinations across India and beyond. Jet Airways connects to a destination on average every five minutes.

Alongside operating flights to a host of international locations in East Asia and the Gulf, the airline runs daily flights to India from London Heathrow, with two to Mumbai and one to Delhi, and from the latter onwards to forty-three domestic locations. In addition to this, through a code-share with Brussels Airlines, UK passengers are able to fly from Birmingham and Manchester too. With a combined fleet of 109 aircraft and a schedule of over 484 flights daily, this Indian airline’s fortunes are on the rise.

Travelling in a Jet Airways First Class cabin really is a kingly experience. When the airline calls it a ‘suite in the sky’, this is no exaggeration. The cabins are twenty-six square feet in area, privately enclosed by dual sliding doors, containing a twenty-three inch flat screen television, personal hanging wardrobe, dual credenza and ottoman. The seats themselves, designed by BE Aerospace, offer variable lumbar support and an eight-point massage system.

Laptop power and in-flight phones able to send email and SMS are also available in the cabins. In terms of entertainment passengers may choose from a range of two hundred hours of films, both Hollywood and Bollywood, television and short programming. Such space could even be used for a private dinner or business meeting during the flight.

Jet Airways lounge

However, passengers who do not require their own private cabin but still demand a certain level of extra luxury will find the Premiere (Business) class ideal. The seats have been designed ergonomically to facilitate personal comfort, and are able to convert electronically to a 180 degree angle, forming a 73 inch flat bed. Extra privileges for passengers in this class who wish to work whilst onboard include larger tables, laptop power, telephone facilities and email and live-text news. Premiere class also includes a bar area where passengers may help themselves to food and drink throughout the flight.

Many would say that the best thing about Jet Airways though, is the food and drink. Prepared to rigorous standards, Indian in-flight cuisine is designed and catered for by Kensington’s Bombay Brasserie (part of the luxury Taj Group). Michelinstarred chef Yves Mattagne has also been recently appointed to design a new menu to include more Western dishes. All food served during flights is fresh; well-presented; offers a choice of Indian, Western and vegetarian;well-balanced; creative; served when customers want them; and finally tastes delicious! However, it’s not just the food to get excited about though, for Jet Airways are passionate about wine too. Wine portfolios are updated twice per year, with only the premium quality wines selected by a panel of senior executives. Krug Grand Cuvee may be ordered in First Class and Dom Perignon in both First and Premiere classes. 

Jet Airways first class

Jet Airways first class cabin

OFFER To celebrate its recent addition of an extra flight from London to Bangkok via Mumbai, Jet Airways is offering Economy Class tickets on this route for only £384 return (for flights commencing on or before 15 October 2009).

For more information, visit www.jetairways.com

THE FAMILY

Jewels

Some of Bond Street’s biggest names are familyowned jewellers, with far more colourful stories to tell than their corporate-run counterparts, says Claire Adler

F

rom childhood prodigies, to raw ambition and an unerring sense of duty, London’s most successful family jewellers always seem to be brimming with stories.Whether they’re from modest or grand beginnings, all bear the hallmarks of an enduring commitment to be the best.

Alisa Moussaieff is one of the most mysterious and powerful bosses on Bond Street. One jewellery industry insider values her Mayfair shop window displays alone at “in

the region of £50m” – defying onlookers to only imagine the logistics and cost of her security operation. But this is all a far cry from the company’s lowtech beginnings in the 1850s, when Alisa’s grandfather rode his camel alongside a caravan of nomads across the deserts of Arabia, spending days and nights searching for ravishing pearls from the Persian Gulf. Today, Moussaieff’s stores attract an exclusive coterie of enthusiasts partial to diamond jewellery with price tags in the millions.

fashion

Left to Right, Franklin Adler, Carlo Adler, Allen Adler, Sharon Adler and Leyla Adler

A rare gift for horsewhispering in 19th century Turkey might seem an unlikely key to a glittering future in the fine jewellery world, yet it helps to explain how the house of Adler began. When Jacques Adler moved from Austro-Hungary to Turkey in the 1870s, word got out that the sultan’s horse was ill. Jacques secured the job of stable chief, later leveraging his royal connections to help his son Edouard establish himself as court jeweller.Years later, Edouard’s favourite grandson Franklin, aged 19, left Istanbul for Brighton to begin his higher education with a bright academic future. But when his grandfather died, his father summoned him back to Istanbul to help run the business and he duly complied.

Today Franklin Adler, based in Geneva, runs the company while his wife Leyla is the creative brains and their Harvardeducated son is CEO. “I remember my grandfather Edouard Adler was so domineering; he was like a Prussian general in our shop in Istanbul. No-one dared contradict him except for me.

Even when my father was 39, my grandfather didn’t allow him access to the safe,” remembers Franklin. Indeed, members of long-established family businesses

often talk as if their ancestors are still watching over them.

In a roomy office behind William & Son on Mount Street, the luxury emporium owned

by William Asprey (the 7th generation of the Asprey family in the business of luxury goods) this is quite literally the case. Huge paintings of William Asprey’s father, John, and grandfather, Eric, adorn the walls.

In the late 1990s Boodles, the British family jeweller founded in 1798, called in luxury branding specialists Walford Wilkie to transform its image from traditional country jeweller to Bond Street knockout. In the process, Boodle & Dunthorne became Boodles minus the crown logo.

“My father who died in 1992 would probably be turning in his grave if he knew I’d got rid of the Boodles & Dunthorne crown,” smiles marketing director Michael Wainwright, joint managing director with his brother Nicholas. “We regularly receive letters from private equity groups asking for stakes in our business, but my father would never have sold out. In 1976, my father almost acquired a site on Bond Street where the Hermès store is now. For us, finally being in this location is the fulfilment of

a life’s ambition. I’m confident my two nephews will continue in the business.”

In contrast to companies where the younger generation follows the path of their parents, it was the young Harry Winston who spearheaded the success of his father’s business. Aged 12, Harry Winston gazed into a pawn shop window and bought a green stone for $25. Two days later, his astonished father, a Manhattan jeweller, sold the stone for $800 – a dynastic moment if ever there was one.

Aged 13, Harry was advising his father on gem quality.

Family businesses often bring a sense of continuity. The company in itself is a precious heirloom to be treasured for the next generation.

“A family member knows in their heart that one day they will possess something very special,” says Laurence Graff, who began a life of poverty, only to become one of the richest men alive, opening diamond jewellery shops in over 25 coveted locations round the world and scooping up four Queen’s Awards. “The main problem with working with family is that there aren’t enough of them. Sometimes I wish I was an Indian with a huge family around me to join

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the business. Trust is everything in our business.”

In the past year, “at least five” children of Tony Hirsh’s original clients have come to either his Hatton Garden or Burlington Arcade store for engagement rings. Four years ago, his son Jason came into the business, having trained at the Gemmological Institute of America and Asprey in New York.

Sometimes, the story of a family business comes full circle. In 1948, Robert Holt came to England as a refugee from Austria aged 16. He began working as a diamond polisher in a factory where the coronation diamonds were being prepared.

When the Queen paid a visit, his socialist tendencies got the better of him, he refused to wear his new overalls and he was fired. As fate would have it, the lease on a nearby shop was ending and the tenant offered Robert the premises. A day after opening the shop, a Brazilian man came in and offered him a pile of rocks. He sold all of them the following day. The site was to become the home of Holts, Hatton Garden’s first ever gem cutting facility and the precursor to today’s award winning Holts jewellery store.

In 2006, Robert’s son Jason Holt was honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion for creating the Holts Academy of Jewellery.

“When we had tea with the Queen, my father reminded Her Majesty that they had met before and that he had polished her engagement ring. He also explained why he wasn’t wearing clean overalls when she came to visit,” smiles Jason. n

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THE EXPERT FACTOR Kate Hughes reveals her top winter skin secrets...

Y

our new winter skin routine this time of year is particularly stressful for your skin. Dry after summer sunbathing, and then irritated by colder weather, it’s time to give your skin some TLC. Here’s expert advice on how beautiful flawless skin can be yours with the latest non-invasive dermal procedures.

MEDICETICS

At Medicetics all clients have a detailed skin analysis and consultation using an advanced medical imagery device to see what state their skin is in. A tailored treatment plan is recommended based on ingredients rather than brands.

I talked to Dr Vicky Dondos and asked her what the three most common complaints are: •

•

•

Pigmentation of the skin (freckle like brown marks on the face) Cause: Too much sun exposure in your youth, the ageing process, contraceptive pill, pregnancy, hormone imbalances, or genetics.

Treatment: IPL laser pulsed light over three treatments, three weeks apart; there is no down time with the IPL treatment.

Wrinkles, fine line and sagging of the skin Cause: Collagen break down and loss via repeated sun abuse, dehydration, the ageing process, pollution or smoking.

Treatment: Botox and/or fillers (injected into the skin), and prescription creams. Botox injections are recommended every three months for the first year and twice a year thereafter. Tretenone prescription cream will improve your skins cellular turnover.

Dry, Dull skin Cause: This is almost always a result of a build up of the top layer of dead skin cells; this can be due to central heating, exposure to the sun, airconditioning, smoking, alcohol or general dehydration.

Treatment: Medical microdermabrasion, skin peels and/or miso therapy hyurolonic acid injections.

Microdermabrasion and various skin peels provide deep exfoliation. The miso therapy is totally painless as the needle penetrates only the top skin layer; these three treatments make the skin wonderfully soft with a fresh glow.

OBAGI-VITAMIN C SERUM

For all skin types and facial areas, the serum protects the skin from the sun’s damaging rays, prevents premature aging, and protects against future damage while firming the skin and evening out the tone resulting in skin that looks and feels healthier. £50 - £120 www.healthxchange.com

PRODUCTSAGERA

The Phyto Lightning Cream has been developed for long term lightning of facial and hand pigment, and is also a fantastic moisturiser.

£48.00 www.agerarx.co.uk

EPIONCE-LYTIC LOTION

This treatment is recommended for normal/combination to oily, acne prone skin. The product eliminates skin imperfections and uneven skin tone by removing dead skin cells and unclogging pores. It’s also an effective treatment for premature skin aging. £44.00 www.epionce.co.uk

46

competition

win

Suave suiting

From Torquay to Tokyo, the suit is our uniform. Whether you’re addressing a conference or eating at a good restaurant, chances are you’ll be wearing a suit. A Charles Tyrwhitt suit is something special. Attention to detail is something we’ve insisted on since the company began (which is quite a long time). We use nothing but the finest suiting fabric and everything from the stitching to the buttons is second-to-none.

A

SHARP & SUAVE Charles TyrwhiTT brings luxury TailOring TO Canary wharf English Suits

Blue LOGO

The mark of the traditional gentleman, a three-button English suit like this is a design classic.

The cloth is woven in Yorkshire by weavers who have been in business since 1905, before it is cut for the perfect fit. As if it’s not elegant enough, the matching waistcoat will help slim the frame.

74

Italian Suits The secret behind our Italian suit is the marvellous crease-free fabric which is perfect for travelling in. The fibres are twisted in a rather special way which prevents wrinkles and so, no matter how long you’ve spent crammed into a plane cabin, you’ll still look well-groomed.

www.ctshirts.co.uk | 0845 337 3 337

Charles Tyrwhitt suits are the mark of the traditional gentlemen. Especially popular amongst the City professionals are the three-button English suits; a White LOGO design classic. The cloth is woven in Yorkshire by weavers who have been in the business since 1905, before it is cut for the perfect fit.

FOr mOrE inFOrmaTiOn, visit WWW.ctshirts.co.uk

Black LOGO

Black Label Suits The suit for the modern man, a Black Label suit is the epitome of a sleek, contemporary look.

The two-button jacket with peak lapel has a more tapered fit than our classic suit and the fabric is a breathable mix of wool and mohair.

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A ChArCoAl Stripe engliSh Suit Jacket EN053DGY £290 £145.00 Trousers

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EN067DGY £100 £49.00 Sky Mini Gingham Non-iron Classic Shirt SN103SKY £70 £34.95 Navy Spot Woven Tie TW358NVS £50 £24.95

We are giving one lucky reader the chance to Win a bespoke charles tyrWhitt tailored suit valued at £225.

To be in with a chance of winning, email your name and contact number to competition@runwildgroup.co.uk with ‘Charles Tyrwhitt’ in the subject bar. The competition closing date is 31 October, and the Editor’s decision is final.

Terms and Conditions: by entering this competition you are agreeing that your details can be used by both Runwild Media Group and Charles Tyrwhitt for marketing purposes. Your details will not be disclosed to third parties.

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lifestyle

BOKKS Collections Classic

49

IT’S ALL IN THE BOKKS If the gift is representative of the giver, BOKKS London represents the crème de la crème says Rebecca Walton

T BOKKS Cigar Collections

BOKKS Collections Luxury Travel for Him

BOKKS Jewellery Collections

his October will see the launch of the eagerly anticipated BOKKS London, one of the world’s most luxurious gifting companies, combining leading luxury brands, exclusive experiences and a truly innovative gifting service. With style input from Dustin Hoffman, Prada and Gucci designer Neil Barrett and supermodel Veronica Webb, it really is the best of the best.

For all those looking for a beautiful birthday gift, an unusual Christmas present or suitable client gift, BOKKS London can help. Probably the best luxury gift purveyor, BOKKS combine the world’s leading luxury brands, experiences and exclusive designs, with an individually tailored consultative service, innovative packaging, and a glamorous delivery experience.

“Masterminding the perfect gift for that special person is now a luxury you can enjoy” says Walter Bugno, Chief Executive of BOKKS. “All too often we are constrained by a lack of time, a lack of realisation about what is available, or simply, hesitation about selecting the perfect gift. Not any more”.

Clients can enjoy the greatest of ease when purchasing the perfect gift online, in-store or even in their own home or office with a BOKKS consultant. The vast collection of luxury products offers a fantastic range of ideas, even for the man or woman ‘who has everything’.

As any time-starved City worker knows, gift shopping (particularly at Christmas) is a task often neglected, and can result in sub-standard gifts or impersonal choices. BOKKS has therefore assembled a dedicated team of experienced and informed VPA’s (Very Personal Assistants) who operate out of the BOKKS Luxury Boutique. With access to all the major luxury brands from around the world, every customer is assured that the perfect gift can and will be delivered no matter the time frame or location. All gifts are hand-delivered by the BOKKS Bellhops; white gloves and all, this charming delivery will complete the experience in theatrical style.

And for the truly unique gift clients can select one-off exclusives and limited editions from BOKKS Privé, choose personally recommended gifts from the BOKKS Style Ambassadors from the BOKKS Curated range, or create oncein-a-lifetime experience packages with BOKKS Epic. n For more information, visit www.bokks.co.uk

Happy Birthday Jaeger

celebrating

125

years in fashion

Photography by: Anthony Edwin Fashion Editor: Lucie Dodds

Black shearling shrug £499, and black leather gloves £99

Silk shattered glass print dress £399, Black Velvet de Luxe 66 tights £18, Wolford www.wolford.com Black suede cuffed Belvedere ankle boot £665, Rupert Sanderson www.rupertsanderson.co.uk 020 7491 2220

Black leather jacket ÂŁ399, black leather and patent belt ÂŁ99

Black shearling shrug £499, black jumpsuit £350, black leather gloves £99, and black and tan quilted leather stilettos £170

All clothes and accessories Jaeger A/W2009 0845 051 0063 www.jaeger.co.uk Hair: John Birchall at Marcos + Trump, 146 Colombia Road E2 using Kevin Murphy Anti Gravity Make-up: Ruth Warrior @ One using Guerlain, L’Or Radiance Concentrate (Primer) Parure Gold foundation Precious Light concealer Le 2 mascara Rouge G lipstick Russian Doll Radiant Blush Ombre Eclat 4 Shade Eyeshadow

Chiffon nude and black spot shirt £150, black zip narrow trousers £180

BELLE Discover individuality in the heart of Greenwich

Steve Nyman Photography

Velvet • Paige • Odd Molly • Karen Cole • Marilyn Moore • Sita Murt 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

AUTUMNAL HUES

DESIGNER CRUMPET

An easy way to spice up any outfit. This season is all about prints and Crumpet’s signature scarves are some of the best around; with tiedye, leopard, scottie dog and butterfly prints galore, you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Cashmere stoles by Crumpet, £197 www.crumpetengland.com

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British Brand Oscar London has bought out a new range of high quality, luxury tops perfect for the new season. Offering a range of autumnal hues that feature this season’s colour palette trend, the tops come in Noir Black, French Navy, Gunmetal Grey, Light Ivory & Mulberry Purple. The ultra luxurious, super soft tops are warm and yet thin enough to remain breathable indoors; perfect as transition pieces or under heavier garments during the winter season.

V-neck t-shirt by Oscar London, £39.50 www.iwearoscar.com

TRANSITION ON TREND Shift from autumn to winter with style this season with our favourite ontrend pieces

LOVE LEATHER

Leather is a key look this season. A good leather jacket can be worn over everything from grungy jeans to a cocktail dress and keep you warm. We particularly love this cropped style by Mike & Chris.

Leather jacket by Mike & Chris, £670, available at www.net-a-porter.com

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Experiment with fashion hoisery which is set to be huge this season. Team with shorts or a dress for a multitude of fun looks.

Selection of tights by Topshop, starting from £8 www.topshop.com

CASHMERE COZY The DKNY cozy is the most versatile item for this season.

Wear it as a scarf, jacket or jumper - with 12 different ways to wear it, you’ll never look the same! Perfect to take you from day to evening and inject a shot of colour into your winter wardrobe, the perfect investment piece.

Long sleeve cozy by DKNY, £160, 020 7499 6238, www.dkny.com

localfocus

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BUSINESS IS

BOOMING Sara Uzel meets some of Greenwich’s leading female entrepreneurs

BABANYA is a clothes shop in the heart of Greenwich that has a fresh perspective on clothing, by providing “individual and personal fashion that allows you to be yourself ”. Caroline Auckland was inspired to create the company from her enjoyment of clothes and fashion along with the realisation that “there was no shop in Greenwich providing relaxed yet contemporary fashion”.

To ensure that each customer receives a unique shopping experience Auckland buys only six items of each style.

Auckland carefully sources her collections “ensuring that each brand brings something slightly different to Babanya”.

The shop stocks many high-end brands such as Marc

O’Polo, White Stuff, Hobbs, Oui Set, Part Two and In Wear. “We are keen to ensure that whether looking for a casual t-shirt or a dress for that special occasion we can provide it. My target clientèle is women who want to be able to buy exciting fashion that can give them a versatile wardrobe. Our aim is to provide a personal and friendly service whether people want to buy one item or a complete outfit”.

Auckland describes how having a good business plan is crucial to turning initial ideas into a tangible business, “It was down to having a clear focus of what I wanted to achieve and having the drive to implement it.” Auckland hopes to expand the shop in the future, enabling them to offer a wider selection of fashion and accessories. Her advice to other entrepreneurs wishing to open their own shop is to “have a good business plan and don’t give up when times are tough”.

Visit www.babanyatheshop.com or call 020 8293 1600

SO ORGANIC was founded

by Samantha Burlton along with her husband Stuart. The store provides everything needed to live a completely organic lifestyle, from organic make-up to washable nappies. So Organic believe that “organic living is much more than just a food choice; it’s a truly complete lifestyle decision that affects everything you buy. Our aim is to make organic alternatives as accessible as mainstream products so that it is quick and easy for customers to go organic from top to toe.”

Burlton ensures that So Organic does not sell anything they would not recommend to a friend by rigorously testing each product before they go on sale. Burlton explains the reason for their impartiality when making recommendations: “We are not tied to any one brand so customers can be sure that we are suggesting the best product for them.”

Burlton’s enthusiasm and inspiration for the business originate from the difficulties that she encountered when shopping for organic products herself. “When I started to shop for organic alternatives to my everyday toiletries and cleaning products I found the experience time consuming and difficult. I wanted the same convenience and quality shopping experience when buying alternatives as I did when purchasing mainstream brands”.

One of the brands stocked

is Ecover, who design their product bottles to be reused. So Organic operate the only refill centre in the Greenwich area, where customers are able to bring back their empty bottles to be refilled. Burlton says “refills are cheaper than buying a new bottle so people are able to save money and help save the planet by diverting all those bottles from landfill”.

By the end of October So Organic will include organic beauty rooms which will offer a full range of beauty and body treatments from facials to hair removal all using organic products.

Visit www.soorganic.com or call 0800 169 2579

Beauty and the Bib specialises in unique designer bibs for babies which are sold online and in store in Greenwich, along with a range of other baby accessories. The company is run by Lara Boyle and her husband Kieran, who used their personal experiences of bringing up four children as inspiration for the business.

The company’s most iconic design pivots around the basic shape of a strawberry, which they now sell in 17 different colours. Boyle explains the inspiration behind the initial idea: “It stemmed primarily from my frustration, when my children were dribbly babies, at the lack of creativity, design and originality in baby bibs in general. A strawberry is such a plump, lush, mouth-watering fruit and its shape lends itself perfectly to a baby’s bib. It’s sweet, attractive and colourful by nature... just like all babies!”

Boyle grasped this initial idea by setting up a small stall every weekend in the “deep entrepreneurial incubator that is Greenwich market”.

Boyle now thinks globally not locally: “I am taking more of a managerial role, getting back to design and not unpacking all the boxes”. The Boyles now supply some very successful high street stores, including Harrods and Harvey Nichols, and plan to open a second shop soon. Lara explains, “We want to build on and consolidate our brand, protecting our designs, pushing the boundaries of bib design and moving forward with an eye on the pack behind us”. Boyle advises other entrepreneurs to: “Be brave, expect things to go wrong because they will. Keep your cool. Don’t ever attempt to sell anything unless you believe in it. You need a passion for your product or service. Be prepared for criticism and even some resentment. Take advice, be nice to your accountant, your bank manager and your lawyer! Take pride in your achievements and celebrate your success”.

Visit www.beautyandthebib.co.uk or call 020 8469 0065

Belle is a clothes shop with a difference; it stocks unique and vibrant clothes from all over the world. Its founder Karin Tearle strives to ensure the boutique’s individuality by sourcing her brands from all over, thus bringing an eclectic mix to Greenwich’s doorstep.

Tearle describes her method for sourcing: “I am always on the lookout for unusual new designs and we’ve recently found a wonderful leather goods brand called Cheet from Battersea.

Sourcing from all over the country means we are able to provide variety.” Tearle looks back at the initial concept behind the business, where she realised a gap in the market for “a much-

needed, high-end boutique in Greenwich town centre, giving local customers the opportunity to purchase distinctive clothing in a homely and welcoming environment”. Tearle created this perfect environment by acquiring the lease of a threestorey Georgian house in the heart of Greenwich.

Tearle views the prospect of being responsible for all decisions as an exciting one due to her plans for the future of the company: “Despite the downturn in the economy I would like to think I can buck the trend in a small way. I want to continue to source new brands whilst retaining our popular mainstays and filtering out those that have had their day.

I want to keep my customers motivated and pass on my enthusiasm. I am making plans to introduce a loyalty scheme and I also want to expand our mailing list so as to keep customers aware of previews and promotional events”.

What advice would she give to other entrepreneurs? “A good business plan is vital. It is also very important to be on the shop floor. Know your customer”. n Visit www.bellefashion.co.uk or call 020 8465 5777

62

culture

GOING, GOING...

GONE! Where else would you be able to bid on a real dinosaur skeleton, the world’s rarest classic cars or relics from epic historic explorations? For some of the most unusual, unique and valuable purchases, head to the auction house, says Kelly Green

T

he success of online auction giant eBay has foregrounded auction selling as a fun and profitable business over recent years; but using auctions as a method for buying and selling goods is certainly not a new phenomenon. Records of auctions date back to 500 B.C, when, according to Herodotus, auctions of women for marriage were held annually in Babylon. Thankfully the days of auctioning potential wives are behind us, and today human beings are one of only a very few products that you will not be able to find at auction!

The oldest auction house in the world, the Stockholm Auction House, was established in Sweden in 1674; with Sotheby’s holding its first auction in 1744, Christie’s, established around 1766 and Bonhams in 1793. British auction house Bonhams was expanded during the 1850s to handle all categories of antiques including jewellery, porcelain, furniture, arms & armour, and fine wines; and today, Bonhams is active in over 70 categories.

Holding over 700 sales a year (more than any of its rivals worldwide) Bonhams is the first choice for collectors and highbrow buyers in the City.

However, alongside all the stunning antique treasures and hundred-year-old porcelains, Bonhams also specialises in one-off auctions for some of the most unusual, rare and even unique pieces from around the world. Setting itself well above its rivals this year, Bonhams

is due to auction one of only three Tyrannosaurus Rex specimens ever discovered, on 3 October. The company’s first Natural History auction, the magnificent dinosaur will be sold at The Venetian in Las Vegas and is expected to sell for millions of dollars.

The exceptionally rare 66-million year old Tyrannosaurus skeleton was excavated near Buffalo, South Dakota over 15 years ago, has been prepared by scientists and technicians at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, and contains approximately 170 bones.

This particular specimen is roughly equal in size to another Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton which sold for $8.3 million in 1997. “Bonhams & Butterfields’ fall auction celebrates the art of natural wonders and the continued excitement associated with a possible new discovery,” said Thomas Lindgren, co-director of Natural History at Bonhams & Butterfields.

In amongst thousands of other treasures, Bonhams sold a fully restored 1940 Hawker Hurricane MkIIA last month, a former WWII fighter plane, as part of its Military and Aviation Collectables auction. Also last month, the auction house sold a 2008 replica of a customised Mini Cooper S given to George Harrison by legendary manager Brian Epstein in 1966 as part of the Bonhams annual sale at Goodwood Revival.

The world’s fastest growing auction house, Bonhams is a name recognised across the globe not only for the finest arts and antiques, but for some of history’s most precious artefacts and treasures. n For more information, visit www.bonhams.com Bonhams, New Bond Street 101 New Bond Street London W1S 1SR 020 7447 7447 Bonhams, Knightsbridge Montpelier Street London SW7 1HH 020 7393 3900

Barbarella – from £375

The ‘it’ bags

F

or Autumn/Winter, Aspinal of London is the place to go for bags of style – from the up-to-the-minute biker bag to the ultraluxurious and tactile Buffalo bag. These are both covetable new additions to the growing Aspinal of London range, joining the ranks of it-bags such as the Brit and the Barbarella and modern day classics including the Eaton and the Manhattan clutch … n

Aspinal of London Cabot Place West 020 7719 0727

BRIT TOTE – from £325

Xxxxxxxx - £xxx

Biker - £675

Brit Cosmetics Bag - from £80

HEAVEN SCENT

V

anilla & Anise, the latest fragrance from The World of Jo Malone™, transports you to the floral valleys of Madagascar, and captures the extraordinary, fleeting moment where the rare vanilla orchid blossoms at day break. The fragile cream and white flowers found on the vanilla vine are a precious discovery; only one or two appear in the morning, and seemingly vanish by late afternoon. Let your senses be enticed by bergamot, neroli and star anise, a touch of spice sparkling above transparent layers of delicate vanilla orchid and frangipani. n Jo Malone Jubilee Place 0870 192 5391

Vanilla & Anise Cologne £64 (100 ml) £32 (30 ml).

WARDROBE MISTRESs

Glitter glaze dress £65 Metal Bangles £14 Ruffle shoes £120

T

his season French Connection has Autumn fashion wrapped up in style - from sharp tailoring to sparkle, shine and all things fine.

Sequins adorn dresses and mini skirts in patchwork style embellishment in a bold array of colours from blue, gold, pink and green. Embellishment continues onto vintage style tops and batwing dresses – giving a nod to the 80’s. The classic tux has been cropped and given exaggerated shoulder detail, whilst blazers have a masculine, longer line cut with a low rise double-breast finish Accessories add the perfect finishing touch to all outfits with 80’s inspired over sized clutch bags adorned in sequins or all over sequin purse bags with fine chain straps. n French Connection Jubilee Place 020 7512 9110

RAINDROP BAG – £35

SEQUIN SPIRIT DRESS – £260

ZOLA DRESS £160

Black tuxedo £110

RAINDROP TOP £95

Pony Coat - £350 Karen Millen Jubilee Place

RECREATE THE LOOK

T

his season the chic ‘wet look’ trend is making a huge comeback.

Leather is no longer limited to the biker wardrobe, as this winter the girls are coming out clad in some of the most stylish and alluring leather pieces; ‘wet look’ lycra makes an appearance in leggings; studded accessories provide an added edge; and glossy sequins bring the style to blazers, dresses, tops and skirts.

Ranging from skirts and shoes, to waistcoats and handbags, carrying this style is easily accomplished with a range of designers showcasing more feminine styles in leather; look out for fitted jackets, pencil skirts and Brogues. Exhibiting the trademark blacks, greys, charcoals and whites, popular looks for this season include a sequined blazer with skinny jeans and t-shirt, the monochrome dress, or the more formal leather trousers with a fitted shirt and a waistcoat. Studs are key for any catwalk copied look, and sequins take you through into the night for a polished evening look.

Choosing a studded slouch leather handbag, smooth studded gloves or glamorous heels edged with metal studs will put you bang on trend all season long.

Sudden - £195 LK Bennett Jubilee Place

St Lucia - £45 Dune Cabot Place West

Pewter Sequin Jacket - £60 Dorothy Perkins Canada Place Studded Gloves £59.95 Karen Millen Jubilee Place Shimmer Panel Dress - £150 Whistles Jubilee Place

Pauley Studded hip belt Black £59.00 Resis Jubilee Place Cabot Place West leather waistcoat £110 River Island Cabot Place West

BURWOOD W £190 Church’s Cabot Place East

biker - £675.00 Aspinal of London Cabot Place

KURT GEIGER STORE NOW OPEN

S

ince first opening its doors on Bond Street in 1963, Kurt Geiger has become Europe’s leading luxury footwear retailer. Playing host to the very best of Kurt Geiger’s women’s and men’s own label brands - Kurt Geiger, KG by Kurt Geiger and Carvela – the boutique has an offering to suit all tastes.

Kurt Geiger focuses on high-quality and inspirational designs, while its diffusion line, KG by Kurt Geiger, offers a more contemporary feel for the young, fashion-conscious customer. Carvela has developed a dedicated following injecting individual style and glamour into its collection season after season.

KURT GEIGER Promenade Level Cabot Place East 020 7673 9869

KG by Kurt Geiger Hiraani £130

KG by Kurt Geiger lychee - £130

KG by Kurt Geiger hollis £130

KG by Kurt Geiger sLUMBER £150

Carvela andy £100

KG by Kurt Geiger DOLLY £100

Carvela Library - £75

Carvela sIZZLE £160

Receive up to 20% off when quoting Canary Wharf 10

51-55 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8AG 020 7739 7162 Bathroom Showroom Opening Hours: Mon - Fri: 7am - 6pm Saturday: 8am - 3pm

THE DIARY

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Sim Smith searches out the latest store openings, interior design services and exhibitions this month...

The Hepworth, Wakefield, UK photographed by Alessandro Milani

This month the Design Museum will celebrate the work of one of the most important architects working today in Form Matters. This major exhibition will for the first time showcase David Chipperfield’s work in the UK, spanning his entire catalogue of projects to date. His renowned designs including the Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach, Germany, winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize for Architecture 2007 and The Hepworth Wakefield gallery, which will be examined through the use of new and archive models, sketches, drawings, photographs and film. Tickets cost £8.50.

21 October 2009 – 31 January 2010 Design Museum Shad Thames London, SE1 2YD 020 7940 8790 www.designmuseum.org

The Affordable Art Fair is back this autumn for its 10th anniversary.With over 120 galleries in attendance and a ceiling price of £3000, the fair exhibits work from established and up-andcoming artists as well as recent graduates.The huge variety ensures there really is something for everyone and there are plenty of workshops and demonstrations on offer too.

Tickets cost £12 on the door.

22-25 October Battersea Park London 020 8246 4848 www.affordableartfair.co.uk

Award winning interior designer Charlotte Crosland has launched a new online interior design consultancy.

Working alongside her main business, this service enables clients to work on a room-by-room basis. Infamous for her stylish mix of traditional and modern interiors, Charlotte’s design advice and creative ideas will turn a client’s initial brief round in just four weeks, including a custom made room design, floor plan and colour scheme.

Peony scent diffuser, £22.00, The White Company

Charlotte Crosland

,

The first KENZO store to carry the KENZO MAISON line has opened in Mayfair! The space, designed by Creative Director Antonio Marras and architects Beltrame & Gelmetti will feature antique items, found objects and bespoke pieces alongside seasonal collections. The store launch will see the first UK appearance of ‘Beea and the travelling flock’, a reinterpretation of KENZO MAISON’s pagodon pouf. This design is based on a flock of 100 nomadic ewes, 99 white and the hundredth infamous black sheep.

enquiries@charlottecroslandonline.com www.charlottecroslandonline.com

Why not pop into The White Company, do a spot of shopping and show your support for Breast Cancer this month. The company have created two exclusive pink products to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer, one of the UK’s leading charities committed to fighting this form of the disease through research, campaigning and education. Choose from luxurious pink cashmere socks and delicate peony fragrances with a percentage of all sales going directly to the cause.

0845 678 8150 www.thewhitecompany.com www.breakthrough.co.uk

This autumn, perfumer Lyn Harris will launch a selection of fragrant teas to be sold in Miller Harris stores alongside her exquisite collection of fragrances.

Thé Bigarade, Thé Violette and Thé Sauvage will be added to the current range of fragrant teas launched last year. Black and Oolong teas sourced from the finest tea gardens in the East have been blended with essences of bergamot, rose and cardamom resulting in a delicate yet flavoursome collection perfect for those autumnal months. For the full teatime experience why not visit the Miller Harris tea room to sample the new collection of aromatic teas and delightful miniature cakes.

Miller Harris 21 Bruton Street London, W1J 6QD 020 7629 7750 www.millerharris.com

Adaman tine IV by Be £2,600, Pieroni Co lla Pieroni, mixed media, 66 ntempora ry Art x 47 cm

Sheepskin Beea and the travelling flock pouf, KENZO

Kenzo Maison 31 Bruton Street Mayfair London, W1J 6HH

Thé Bigarade, Thé Violette and Thé Sauvage, £16.00 each, Miller Harris

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THE TREND

Sim Smith looks at the return of quintessential British Luxury...

F

allen russet leaves now adorn our paths, crunching under foot. Days are getting shorter and the nights are drawing in and there is a distinct sense of seasonal change in the air. It is no surprise, therefore, that our minds focus inwards, to our homes, families and friends. Autumn is a time for hibernation, for preparing for the cold winter months ahead, a time to fill our homes with comfort, richness and luxury.

Take inspiration from grand stately homes and old hunting lodges, from rugged Highland landscapes and bracing winds to roaring fires and flickering candle light. Look back to traditional British heritage, to a time of refinement and discernment where the highest standards of quality, style and craftsmanship were of the essence.

With a history rich in the practice of mastercraftsman, from silver smiths to cabinet makers, saddle makers and blacksmiths, quintessential British brands are still working with trades which one would hardly expect to exist in the 21st century.

Furniture takes on worldly forms in heavy, intricately carved mahogany, natural rose wood and pale oak. Hand dyed calf skins enrobe buttoned sofas and comfortable chairs in deep saturated tones of mulberry, auburn and tan. Upholstery is strong in Shetland plaid and ancient tartan fabrics and drapery delicate, in beautiful floral linens coloured with muted tones of sage, rose and amber.

Rosewood and brass hinged boot jack, £145, Purdey (020 8499 1801; www.purdey.com)

Walnut wood walking stick, from £350, Purdey (020 8499 1801; www.purdey.com)

Antique bouquet, from £35, The Real Flower Company (01730 818300; www.realflowers.co.uk)

Plain chocolate assortment box, £32 for 520g, Charbonnel et Walker (020 7491 0939; www.charbonnel.co.uk)

100% Linen Secret Folly fabric from the Secret Garden Collection, £98 per metre, Mulberry Home (01202 266800; www.mulberryhome.com)

Stainless steel and chequer leather Hip Flask, £105, Purdey (020 8499 1801; www.purdey.com)

Sterling Silver Marmite Lid, £65, Hamilton & Inches (020 7589 3215; www.hamiltonandinches.com)

100% Wool Shetland Plaid fabric, £79 per metre, Mulberry Home (01202 266800; www.mulberryhome.com)

100% Wool Ancient Tartan fabric, £89 per metre, Mulberry Home (01202 266800; www.mulberryhome.com)

The Bond Street hamper, £150, Fortnum & Mason (0845 300 1707; www.fortnumandmason.com)

Solid mahogany Brodsworth bed, from £7,350, And So To Bed (0808 144 4343; www.andsototbed.co.uk)

Amtico Brintons Crucial Trading Dalsouple Karndean Luxaflex Pergo Porcelanosa Vincent Sheppard

Japanese Panel

Amtico and Wood

Stripes

Blinds and flooring We’ve got it all covered

Est. 1881

470-480 Roman Road London E3 5LU 0800 716 783 www.abbottsflooring.co.uk

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Heavy brass lanterns hang from vaulted ceilings with elegant reading lights dimmed below. Ambient evening lighting is made even more intimate by candlelight filling the room with creamy notes of myrrh, neroli and musk. Sit for an evening and enjoy a game of backgammon with friends, indulge in handmade dark chocolates newly opened from a box tied with satin ribbon and drink out of heavily cut crystal tumblers.

Wake up to Darjeeling tea and ginger biscuits or Grand Cru Champagne and smoked salmon. Fill the house with beautifully scented bouquets overflowing with the finest scented roses, fragrant garden herbs and foliage that seem to have been picked from the field’s only moments before. And when out in the fields, because after all it is the hunting season, don’t forget to slip your hip flask into your pocket, grab hold of your walking stick and embrace all of the beauty that this season has to offer. 

Great Ormond Street (c.1890) wallpaper in Cappuccino, London Wallpaper Collection, £53 per roll, The Little Greene Paint Company (0845 880 5855; www.thelittlegreene.com)

Polished alligator Havana backgammon set in brown, £9,000, Asprey (020 7493 6767; www.asprey.com)

Polymer gravure etching ‘Kate’ by Tracey Emin 2006, £2,500 The Fine Art Partnership (07970 105508; www.thefineartpartnership.co.uk ) Rare enamel, Limited Edition Halcyon Days box, £1,800, Holland & Holland (020 7499 4411; www.hollandandholland.com)

Natural rosewood and polished calf leather Quiver Klismos chair, £7,900 Soane (020 7730 6400; www.soane.co.uk)

Crystal Square Spirit Set, £70, Royal Doulton (www.royaldoulton.com)

Sterling Silver napkin ring, £585 each, Holland & Holland (020 7499 4411; www.hollandandholland.com)

Champaca fragranced candle, £38, Ormonde Jane (020 7499 1100; www.ormondejayne.com)

Dark mahogany and hand-dyed goatskin leather Bear Sofa, £14,200, Soane (020 7730 6400; www.soane.co.uk)

Brass Smarti Major swing arm floor lamp, £850.65, Besselink & Jones (020 7351 4669; www.besselink.com)

U R B A NI NT ER I OR.C O.UK

020 7739 4644

27- 33 B ET HNA L G RE E N ROA D L O N D O N E 1 6 L A

LUXURIOUS B AT H ROOMS | K ITCHEN S | IN TE RIORS

Urban_0001_CanWharA4June_F2.indd 1

14/5/09 16:26:51

TOP TIPS FOR INTERIOR DECOR From the experts at Chameleon Designs •

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Evaluate your home and make a list of priorities. Does your home need more living, sleeping or storage space?

Good storage makes a home feel more spacious; get rid of things that are unnecessary, be ruthless, and store things in the room where they will be used.

A coat of paint and attention to detail is the quickest way to turn your home into a dream. Neutrals will make a space feel clean and light, but give your home added wow factor with carefully chosen accent colours or surfaces.

• •

•

Lighting is one of the cleverest tools for updating an interior, avoid single pendants only, but add layers of light with side lamps, up-lighters and directional fittings which can be used to add mood.

Use mirrors to maximise light and space – hanging one opposite a window to double light in a room.

In a hallway, opt for a signature piece, a light fixture or piece of furniture.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to a new kitchen (which should be roughly 5% of the total value of your property), start with a good spring clean, repaint existing door fronts, and change dated handles and splash backs.

Ensure bathroom seals are intact, use a grout whitener, and scrub away lime scale.

•

Re-design your bedroom with smart storage, from built in wardrobes or a clever partition for a separate dressing area.

An interior decorator/designer can help you with pulling this all together, giving you that cohesive feel that you are looking for. They have the skills and knowledge to source materials and find reputable trades, deliver a project to you, making sure your budget is adhered to. n

For more information, contact Emile Azan (Associate, British Interior Design Association) Chameleon Designs 020 8473 1363 / 07956 020273 emile@chameleondesigns.org www.chameleondesigns.org

When you need shade from the Sun or shelter from the rain, we have the solutions. Do you need more covered space, want to dine alfresco with out the worry of rain clouds spoiling the occasion or do you need to protect your loved ones and your furnishings from harmful UV rays?

SBI has a range of top quality products that will add style, sophistication and value to your property.

If you want to use a local family run company that believes in traditional service and has been trading since 1998 with thousands of satisfied customers through out the South East look no further.

Call 0800

0742 721

for your FREE home consultation & SAVE £££’s in our Autumn SALE

Visit our on line showroom

www.sbiproducts.co.uk A w n i n g s • Pa t i o Ro o fs

• C o n s e r v a t o r y B l i n d s • C a r p o r t s • Solar W i n d o w F i l m

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The ADDReSS BOOK Sim Smith wanders down the interiors trail on Cheshire Street, E2...

1 Ella Doran Ella Doran is a signature stop off on the Cheshire Street route and just to make sure you don’t miss it, it’s the shop with the bright yellow bench outside. Famed for her textiles and photographic prints, this shop plays homage to the world around us, transforming the mundane into works of art.

From printed meadow melamine tableware to record sleeve wallpaper, Ella views everything as a blank canvas just waiting to be brought to life. Choose from a range of tablemats, coasters and roller blinds which can be customised with a print of your choice. If you have children of your own or need to find something for a little one, Ella’s children’s books and giftware are given their very own special section in the store making it easy to find the perfect gift.

2 HanDmaDE The door to this shop was closed but there was a friendly message in the window asking to ring the bell.

Curious as ever, I had to go in so pressed the bell and waited. Inside were smooth ceramics in pale cerulean tones and soft woven Turkish textiles piled high on thick wooden shelves. On speaking to Piyush Suri, the founder of the brand, I learn that the shop was more of an organisation aiming to promote both talented UK designers and those from further afield, predominantly from Turkey and India. An avid supporter of fair trade, handmade pieces and traditional craft, Piyush aims to showcase an eclectic mix of traditional and ethnic works with a contemporary twist.

The result is unique, affordable and stylish.

3 JoHnston arcHitEcturE & DEsign A smart exterior leads into this small white showroom. To my left is an inbuilt book case jam-packed with research books on designers, architects and spaces; and to my right, on the spiral staircase, I’m greeted by one of the studio architects. Johnston architecture and design offer custom

built design work to both residential and mixed-use buildings in London, working with everything from small extensions to large scale refurbishments. The company prides itself in balancing modern design and historical context proving sympathetic to previous foundations and surroundings of sites and buildings. This approach enables a true marriage of old and new and promotes traditional practices which are so unusual in contemporary design. The staff are friendly and extremely knowledgeable and offer a bespoke design service to all clients.

4 labour & Wait Step back in time, to the long gone days of housewifery and scrubbing bushes, of tool sheds and handymen.

This simple little store with its kitchen larder style set up endorses traditional design and craftsmanship that has been lost by so many of the modern high street shops. These timeless products, including enamel frying pans, hand-knitted tea cosies and porcelain measuring spoons, are not the throw away items we have become accustomed to but investment pieces that will only get better with age. Form is not compromised over function but instead fused to make truly charming yet practical pieces of design.

Even the staff seem like they have been pulled out of 1950s suburbia with their dark brown aprons and eccentric thick rimmed glasses. A cult store for real home bodies and cleaning geeks, this is one of my favourite recommendations.

5 mar mar co A great space adorned with fuchsia pink and pale grey wall stickers and exclusive furniture, Mar Mar Co proves a clear extension of its graphic designer founders Mark Bedford and Marianne Lumholdt.

From gilded spoons in the shape of woven twines to simplistic enamel pendant lights

and quirky porcelain teapots, there is an emphasis on design, timelessness and a sense of the unique. Although, technically it is a homeware store, there is something special in the assorted mix of treasures that one can find dotted on table tops and window sills. These products are pieces that make up the fabric of day to day living, miniature art works for everyday consumption. Pick out something really individual here and you know you’ll have it for life.

6 russEll robErts If you’re after some retro classics, head down to Russell Roberts. Specialists in mid century modern design, there is a wide variety of pieces on show from artwork to lighting, tables, seating and accessories. The majority of pieces hail from Europe, highlighting classic design from Denmark, Italy, Germany and Spain.

For all design aficionado’s, there are some great pieces to snap up including aluminium chairs by Charles Eames and beech and elm tables by Hans Wegner and Ercol. The store boasts original art works including hand signed lithographs and vintage enamel signs and for that all important touch of quirk there’s a mounted deer head on offer too!

7 sHElf Behind this tangerine tinted exterior lives a retro lifestyle store with a difference.

White letter press ceramics decorate every surface in an array of different sizes and typesets.

Vintage style books in bright patterned covers sit alongside embossed notebooks and wooden ornaments. Framed prints are boldly hung, emphasising brilliant colour combinations and sharp black outlines against white painted walls. Although there are other lifestyle pieces on show there is a clear preoccupation with all printed matter, stamping, typescript and lettering. A definite must see if you have a similar penchant or just fancy a nose around.

G DGETS GADGETS JAMIE CARTER CHECKS OUT THE HOTTEST NEW TECHNOLOGY

FORTUNE TELLING

Whichever company comes up with a product that creates home cinema sound without the wires – or a huge subwoofer – is going to make a fortune. Could this Blu-ray system from Sony be that product? Perhaps. It’s a 2.1 system, so there is a subwoofer to cater for, but its two speakers can deliver ‘virtual’ surround S-Force Pro sound. It could be worth an audition. Comes with iPod cradle, AM/FM tuner and Blu-ray player.

Sony BDV-Z7 Blu-ray Home Theatre System, £600 www.sony.co.uk

THREE’S A CROWD

It wasn’t going to be long until all the fuss about 3D movies spilled over into digital photography. The first of its kind, Fujifilm’s Real 3D W1 digital 3D camera is also the complete package; it prints, as well as takes, 3D images. Its two lenses shoot ever so slightly different images, which are spliced together to create the illusion of depth. No spectacles or 3D-TV needed – the Real 3D W1 has a massive 203mm display on which to view your futuristic snaps.

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

A true slice of French fancy this month comes in the unusual shape of these opulent speakers from Cabasse. Standing 1.4m tall and the result of many years of research, La Sphère was developed by Cabasse and French designer and architect, Sylvain Dubuisson. The speaker enclosure is made from materials developed for the European space programme, and comes in any colour you want – just two of the many reasons why La Sphère costs a whopping sum.

Cabasse La Sphère loudspeaker, £108,000 www.cabasse.com

Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W1 digital 3D camera, £999 www.fujifilm.co.uk

BLACK AND BLU

After its dalliance with the now obsolete HD-DVD format, Toshiba has swallowed its pride to embrace the Blu-ray on its latest laptops.

And a good job too, because it allows the 18.4-inch Satellite P500 to double as a powerful home entertainment machine. Using an Intel Core 2 Duo chipset and equipped with Harmon Kardon speakers and a widescreen Full HD screen for travelling, the P500 can be linked to a HD Ready TV. If you have a Toshiba TV, it can even controlled by the same remote.

Toshiba Satellite P500 multimedia laptop, £TBC www.toshiba.co.uk

BORDER CONTROL

Despite their suave slimness, LCD TVs have always had one major problem: light. Effectively one huge light that’s always on behind the picture, these flat tellies haven’t been able to produce realistic black. Step forward LED tech, used here by LG to help produce more dynamic images by the switching of a series of lights when needed to show true black.

Just 2.9cm in depth, LG’s SL9000 ‘Borderless’ TV lives up to its name; both the 42-inch and 47-inch have virtually no frame, making them look like one continuous slab of glass.

LG SL9000 Borderless LED TVs, £1400-£1600 www.lge.co.uk

LOTUS

Blossoms

We’ve been looking forward to the arrival of a Lotus that promises to be as good at the everyday stuff as it is in the fun department. Shane O’Donoghue was one of the first to get behind the wheel of the new Evora...

T

he lithe Lotus Elise is a common sight in London. Despite its makers devoting long hours to developing a car that excels on the race track, it’s actually rather good around the City too, with instant acceleration and a compact size allowing you get the most out of any gaps that open up in traffic. Just ask Eren Ellwood, our esteemed Group Publishing Director, who has the hard-topped Exige at his disposal.

However, as much as we love that car – and boy do we love it – there’s no denying that it’s more than a little compromised in the

pursuit of driving enjoyment.

You’d have to be pretty determined to drive an Exige on the motorway for long periods, and you wouldn’t dare ask the in-laws to get in for a spin.

Still, this little car is more than a bit responsible for the buoyant mood (and bank balance) at Lotus and there’s finally time to go ahead and develop something more mainstream; a car that might tempt the odd Porsche Cayman or 911 buyer. That car is the new Evora and it’s finally here.

Firstly, get yourself into a Lotus dealer if you want to

know how good the Evora actually looks, as pictures don’t do its complex curves and vents any justice. Suffice to say it gives the impression that it’s way more expensive than it is and turns heads accordingly – as any self-respecting sports car should. It also makes the right noise. That’s thanks to the 3.5-litre V6 sitting behind the cabin. Take it from me: this Toyota-sourced engine has never sounded so good. At idle it’s quiet, though that changes to a satisfying rumble once you’re on the move and then to a spine tingling wail when

motoring

you really want to see what it can do.

The six-speed manual gearbox changes gear as quick and slickly as you would want and the pedals are perfectly spaced and beautifully weighted. The brakes are outstanding; not only do they allow fade-free stop after stop on a challenging road or track, but you can instinctively feel how hard you can push the middle pedal before summoning the help of the anti-lock brakes.

Just as impressive is the Evora’s incredible stability under braking. It seems unfazed by road camber, potholes or

even streaming wet tarmac.

Saying all that, it doesn’t detach the driver from the conditions and road surface like many modern cars do; rather, it involves you intently, but it’s good to know that you have a few electronic safety nets to rely on if you misjudge a sharp corner or need to make an emergency manoeuvre.

So it’s as good to drive as any past Lotus then, which is nice when you have an open road or track at your disposal, but what about the rest of the time? Let’s be honest, even the keenest drivers spend most of

their time on regular roads at normal speeds so this is where the Evora needs to excel. And it does. This is the first Lotus in a long time that can be described with such words as ‘refined’ and ‘comfortable’. Seriously, there’s no imminent disclaimer. When you’re ambling along, the engine is relatively quiet, wind and road noise are kept commendably low and the suspension does a fine job of soaking up bumps and road undulations.

In terms of luxury, the Evora’s interior is a significant step up from its predecessors’.

Leather and aluminium abound, but in a very Lotus-like minimalist manner. And that’s not just a nice way of saying

79

bare; it’s quite well-equipped.

The option that requires the most thought is perhaps rear seating. However small the space is back there, it’s a unique option for a mid-engined car and if nothing else, gives you more space for your luggage.

One of the biggest questions the Evora has to answer is: how does it compare to the Porsche alternatives? Lotus says that it doesn’t care, as Porsche makes tens of thousands of cars every year and the Evora will always be much more exclusive. We say that the new coupé is just as good to drive as its German adversaries and our guess is that you’ll be seeing plenty of Evoras on London’s roads soon. n

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A MONSTER HIT It might have a silly name, but Skoda’s new Yeti is a seriously capable machine, reasons Matthew Carter

I

wonder how long it took someone in the Skoda marketing department to think this one up. Here we are driving the brand new Yeti, a ‘faux-by-four’ crossover that blends 4x4 looks with road car manners. And where are we’re doing it? Loch Ness. Yeti; Nessie; geddit?

Muddled mythical monsters and daft car name aside, there’s some logic in being up in the Highlands. The roads are

wonderful and, post the summer holiday, are also largely free of caravans and lumbering motorhomes. And there’s the chance to drive the Yeti off-road along the banks of the Loch…

In fact, we go one better.

Although it’s around 850ft deep in the middle, Loch Ness has reasonably shallow banks allowing us to drive through the water in places.

Armed with a four-wheel drive version of the chunky

Skoda complete with an offroad button (optional on most models, standard on the top of the range Elegance) to bring various electronic traction aids into play, we inch our way down a steep and muddy slope towards the water’s edge.

As we start heading down, Skoda’s version of Hill Descent Control starts braking the wheels to maintain a steady speed of 10kph, though as the slope gets steeper even that’s a

little too fast. Fortunately the Yeti has another electronic trick up its sleeve.

Against all logic, I knock the gearlever into neutral and gently press the brake until the desired lower speed is reached.

Then, removing both feet from the pedals, I let the Skoda crawl down the hill. In neutral, with no engine braking. It doesn’t seem natural.

At the bottom of the hill, I stick it back into first and wade out to drive a few hundred yards along the edge of the Loch with the water lapping at the bottoms of the doors. OK, it’s not very deep but you can’t do this sort of thing in your Golf or Focus.

The irony is that even though the Yeti is remarkably accomplished off-road, very few owners will get close to exploring the limits of its abilities. Indeed, the vast majority of Yetis will be sold with twowheel drive only and will venture no further off the highway than the municipal car park.

And there’s nothing wrong with that, for the Yeti is equally at home on the tarmac as it is up to its axles in mud. While

far from beautiful, the Skoda has a reassuring solidity. The short overhangs front and rear enhance its off-road ability but give the Yeti a look that’s more purposeful than pretty.

Still, this does translate into a higher than usual seating position which, on road, allows drivers better visibility all round.

In many crossovers, however, this usually goes hand in hand with less than settled driving dynamics; brisk cornering invariably owes more to sailing as you tack the car around bends.

Yeti is different. Blessed with German know-how – Skoda is owned by Volkswagen and the Yeti owes much to the VW Tiguan – there’s precious little body roll when pressing on.

Four-wheel drive here helps, but even the two-wheel drive versions hold their own.

Nor does Yeti lack on the performance front. There’s a wide choice of engines, and even the entry-level tiddler – a 1.2-litre turbo-charged petrol unit – develops a healthy 105hp. But for serious ‘Q-car’ performance there’s the punchy 160hp 1.8 TSI petrol engine or,

better still, the potent 170hp 2.0-litre diesel, though these two units are available in four-wheel drive only.

But perhaps the best and most surprising feature of the Yeti is the way it rides. Over even the roughest broken tarmac, the car is supremely comfortable.

Couple this with a roomy and practical interior and exemplary build quality and you’d be forgiven for thinking Yeti ought to have a far more prestigious badge on its nose.

Mind you, Skoda has started to apply some prestigious prices to its cars. Although the range starts at £13,725, the top Elegance model will set you back more than £22,000, even if it does come with leather trim, heated front seats and the full off-road kit. Plunder the options lists by adding sat nav, a full length glass roof or park assist – where the car parks itself – and you’ll spend even more.

However much you spend, though, you won’t be disappointed. It might not be a car for the fashion conscious, but it’s a seriously capable machine for all roads and all conditions. Yeti: great car, abominable name. n

For all things Porsche.

Breathtaking design, innovative engineering and a virtually limitless number of options to choose from.

Contact us about the Porsche range including our Porsche Approved used cars.

Prepare to be inspired.

Call 020 7718 5242 or visit www.porsche.co.uk/eastlondoncity

Porsche Centre East London - City Showroom 20 Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5NN info@porscheeastlondon.co.uk

HERE COME THE

Girls

“T

Off-road rallies in the Moroccan desert on quads and trucks; nothing to guide you but a compass and co-ordinates; a week-long test of endurance, with nobody to rely on but one of your mates; sound like fun lads? Well, sorry to disappoint, writes Richard Warren, this challenge is for ladies only

Team 206 - Prize gala

he Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles has a magic formula.

Like a rare perfume, the ingredients are secret and impossible to imitate”. This is how Dominique Serra, founder of the Rallye Aïcha, describes her creation, and you can certainly understand why she’d describe taking part as so special.

Picture this: seven days offroad in a truck; racing through remote parts of Morocco; and with no question of GPS. Just good old-fashioned navigation, yours to find your way through a landscape of breathtaking beauty, and all the time knowing your rivals are out there racing towards the very same goal as yourself.

Yet somehow it’s clear that one of those secret ingredients still hasn’t been mentioned.

For the twenty years this rally has been running it has remained open only to female participants. In this respect it is certainly unique, with such events traditionally being markedly all-male. The Rally of the Gazelles is another matter, as its founder makes quite clear:

“It makes women more beautiful and brings their true potential to light”. The race is about the development of certain values; commitment, audacity, determination, courage, generosity and solidarity.

It would certainly be hard to deny that this rally has not struck a chord with many women.

During the two decades it has been running the rally has drawn women, from as young as eighteen to sixty-five, from thirty-three countries from around the world. Nor are participants from just one walk of life.Teachers, photographers, journalists, managers, financial planners, pilots, actresses and students; their occupations are as varied as the countries they come from.

The rally is in the spirit of its founder. “Every year, every participant, every actor with any degree of involvement, needs to be proud of having taken part in this event”, says Ms Serra, who continues to direct the annual contest.

Assiduous and passionate about what she does, Ms Serra,

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Live from the rally - On the beach

who is director of Maienga (an international event management agency), has strong roots in Africa. With her mother hailing from Algeria and her father from Morocco, she spent much of her early years in the open plains which border the SubSaharan desert.

Before we nod in hearty agreement to such admirable ideals though, it might pay for any would-be Gazelle to hear the challenge of the Rallye Aïcha in full. The rally takes place over seven days through the Moroccan desert, and each team of two has to reach a set of defined check-points along the way. This year the route starts at El- Hazbane under the High Atlas mountain range, and then goes northeast to Nejjakh, before turning southwest and running adjacent to the Sahara toward Mhamid. Beginning at 6am every morning, participants draw lots to determine which check-points they must reach that day. With only the help of a 1:100,000 scale map, a compass and a ‘RoadBook’ containing the geographic

co-ordinates of check-points and finish lines, the women must plan their own routes. Average driving time is between 10-13 hours per day. And one more thing; whoever clocks up the least mileage wins, not the fastest.

Participants are also expected to respect the local environment and population, in keeping with the spirit in which the rally is undertaken, for this is also an important part of what the event is all about. For the past three years Rallye Aïcha has been producing an ecological report for each contest, detailing total carbon dioxide emissions, water and energy consumption, and production of waste substances.

All emissions are offset through participation in Arthus Bertrand’s ‘Action Carbone’ Association (www.actioncarbone.org), helping to finance the ‘Green Coal’ project in the Saint Louis region of Senegal.

In addition to this, the rally event has become closely involved with charity projects in Morocco, something which has increased as the rally’s profile

has over the years. In 2001 the association ‘Heart of Gazelles’ was officially created to oversee charitable works connected with Rallye Aïcha. It has worked closely with the Moroccan government on improving healthcare and educational opportunities in Morocco during recent years.

One of the major successes of the event has been the medical caravan established at annual rallies since 2001. In a country where free healthcare is not available to a large part of the rural population, this has proved to be of great aid.

Those dwelling on the course circuit are fifteen days from the nearest hospital and to pay for a medical consultation and treatment can cost half a month’s salary.With fifteen doctors and six logistics operatives available on the rally circuit, in 2009 this itinerant service was able to provide 4,582 people with medical care.The caravan will be in operation again this coming year.

Another example of someone whom the Gazelles have helped is Ghita, a young girl from

Skoura in the Ouarzazate region of Morocco. Despite having passed her exams to go on to school she found herself, like many children in rural Morocco, unable to attend since she lived 7km from the school and had no means of transportation. As part of the Gazelles’ ‘Picala’ project (Berber for ‘bike’), one hundred bikes were purchased for Ghita and her fellow schoolchildren, meaning that they could attend school after all. The purchase of a bike would otherwise have cost her family a month’s salary.

If you’re looking for an adventure which offers something more, and think you have the ingenuity and endurance to compete, and perhaps even win, as well as the will to aid and respect others, then why not go ahead and become a Gazelle this March? A rare and inimitable experience awaits you. Unless that is, like many others before you, once does not prove to be enough. n For more information, visit www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com

THE RACING ISLAND Abu Dhabi welcomes Formula 1 to its shore for the first time next month, so Lawrence Barretto speaks to racing star Bruno Senna to get the inside line on the circuit

E

ver since Bahrain hosted the first Formula 1 race in the Middle East with an impressive facility, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been itching to throw its name in the hat and show the world that it can do even better.

Now, five years later, the cosmopolitan metropolis gets its chance at the seventeenth and final round of the Formula 1 World Championship – and boy has it delivered the goods.

Not to be outdone by its desert counterpart, Abu Dhabi wasn’t interested in building just another race circuit. Oh no; it wanted to build an entire world. So it did. Next month, on 1 November, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will take place on Yas Island; a 25km² purpose built mini-city.

Located between the coast and city of Abu Dhabi and Dubai,Yas Island houses a range of world-class hotels, theme parks, golf courses, mega malls, apartments and villas, the world’s first Ferrari theme park (Ferrari World, featuring the world’s fastest roller coaster) and, of course, the Yas Marina race circuit.

The track clearly benefits from the expertise of worldrenowned track designer Hermann Tilke who seamlessly combines the twisty Singaporestyle street circuit with a Monaco-style marina. Bruno

Senna, nephew of the late, great Ayrton, is hoping to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and compete in Formula 1 next year, and a few weeks ago was lucky enough to drive the circuit before giving us his inside line on the circuit.

“I’m really impressed with all the work that they’ve done there,” said Senna who has been racing in the Le Mans Series this year to hone his racing skills.

“The circuit is super impressive and its undulating nature is sure to create a real spectacle when Formula 1 arrives in the city for the first time.

“The teams will have a real challenge trying to set the cars up as there’s a mix between fast, wide parts of the circuit combined with a tight marina section where the guard rails are quite close, so it’s very much like a street circuit. There’s also the unique feature of the pit lane which is a tunnel that actually goes under the track and is quite tight. I’m pretty sure there’ll be mayhem in there.”

Senna continues: “I think we’ll be in for some decent racing and overtaking too as there are two occasions where long straights, one of which is the longest straight in Formula 1 at 1.2km, are sandwiched between slow corners giving drivers the opportunity to overtake.”

Determined to deliver the best ever Formula 1 race, Abu Dhabi has agreed to host the sport’s first twilight race. With

Yas Marina Circuit

a start time of 5pm, the race will start in the daylight and end under floodlights at night.

“The drivers are unlikely to have experienced anything like it before,” said Senna. “So they will be unsure how their body will react, how tough it will be to make big decisions as conditions change and simple things like what visors should they use during the race”.

Away from the on-circuit action, the drivers can enjoy the luxury of the Marina Hotel which overlooks the circuit or stay on their private yacht which can be moored at the iconic Yas Marina which is adjacent to the circuit.

Abu Dhabi is intent on putting on the ultimate show

and after a season which has seen six different winners from four different teams, a Force India hauling itself off the back row of the grid to qualify on pole position and challenge for victory at the Belgian Grand Prix,the departure of the BMW F1 team, and the Renault ‘crashgate’ scandal (involving Nelson Piquet being instructed to crash his car deliberately at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix); finishing with the most impressive circuit in the world hosting an equally impressive race will be the perfect tonic to an exhilarating year. n For latest news from Bruno check out www.twitter.com/BSenna

sport

Brazilian racing driver Bruno Senna at circuit SpaFrancorchamps May 8, 2009 in Spa, Belgium

Yas Marina Hotel

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ROYAL TENNIS As the tennis season draws to a close, Lawrence Barretto looks ahead to the feast of tennis on offer at the Royal Albert Hall in December

Masters Court

F

rom the days of John McEnroe bellowing “You cannot be serious!” at an umpire over a dubious line call to Marat Safin smashing the hundredth racket of his career, to even nice guy Roger Federer using a choice word of his own during his US Open final defeat last month – tennis has always been a passionate and highly competitive sport with little room for good humour and entertainment. But as the old saying goes, ‘one mellows with age’ and that’s definitely the case on the ATP Champions Tennis tour which culminates later this year with its showpiece event – The Masters at the Royal Albert Hall.

Bringing together the game’s biggest and most famous personalities for a roundrobin tournament in December, the world’s best retired tennis players travel the world entertaining the masses while showing that they’ve still got the talent by entertaining crowds with some high-quality tennis and on-court banter.

In recent years the likes of McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Pat Cash, Paul Haarhuis and last year’s champion Cedric Pioline have been joined by newer faces such as Goran Ivanisevic, Pete Sampras, Marcelo Rios, Greg Rusedski and this year on debut, two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter for a feast of tennis at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

Now if you’re thinking this will be a bunch of OAPs hobbling around a tennis court gently tapping the ball back and forwards, you’re very much mistaken.

The players still take great pride in their fitness, reputation and ability to perform, generating a high standard of competitive tennis – so much so that many have suggested McEnroe could still be a force on the pro-tour despite turning 50 in February of this year.

To ensure a high quality affair, players must have been ranked number one in the world, reached a Grand Slam final or won

a Davis Cup as a singles player as well as having retired from the professional circuit.

The event runs over six days with two groups of four competing in a round-robin format with the top two contesting the final on the Sunday. In between the singles, a mix of competitive and exhibition doubles matches take place where the players can relax and take it a little less seriously.

Heralded as “tennis’s greatest entertainer” Mansour Bahrami is the real draw with a range of unusual and breathtaking exhibition shots ranging from a power shot through his legs to the drop shot which bounces back over the net due to excessive backspin. The crowd are never sure what he’ll do next, be it serve with six balls, a cheeky underarm serve or deliberately missing a smash, so you’ll be in for a royal treat. n The event runs from 1-6 December; to purchase tickets, visit www.themasterstennis.com

Set at the top of an amazing lighthouse-style building providing spectacular panoramic views across the City and Docklands, The Battery offers a truly unique events space. With floor to ceiling glass walls on three sides, this stunningly refurbished venue possesses an understated chic with its granite and glass bar. Menu options feature a range of delicious modern European fare together with an extensive wine list. Completing this truly one-of-a-kind offering is the Canary Wharf Pier immediately outside which gives guests the option to arrive by river. Maximum capacity is 150 people.

The Battery

34 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London, E14 8RR Nearest station: Westferry (DLR) Contact: + 44 (0) 20 8858 2437 Email: info@greenwich-inc.com website: www.incgroup.co.uk

Tompkins is the exciting new restaurant set within the groundbreaking Pan Peninsula development in London’s Canary Wharf. Despite its cosy and intimate home from home feel, this spectacular venue can comfortably accommodate up to 200 guests.

Designed along the lines of New York’s Grand Central Station, with parquet flooring throughout and generous use of steel, glass, marble and walnut, the eatery features a spectacular sweeping staircase that leads to a cocktail mezzanine bar complete with illuminated cube bar. A winning combination of ‘50s style with a contemporary edge, this über chic location is complemented by exemplary service and a menu that pays homage to the great steak houses and brasseries of the Big Apple. Patio heaters on the delightful waterside terrace enable the party to continue outside.

Tompkins, Ground Floor, 3 Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf, E14 9HN Nearest station: South Quays (DLR) Contact: +44 (0) 20 8858 2437 Email: info@greenwich-inc.com website: www.incgroup.co.uk

win

competition

THERE IS NOTHING SHARPER...OR FASTER IntroducIng Henry Herbert

H

enry Herbert is the new ‘fabulously British’ bespoke suit tailoring service that speedily scooters to you anywhere in London, around the clock, on a Vespa (or by plane, train or automobile for everywhere else)!

Henry Herbert tailors use their fleet of Vespas to visit and measure up customers throughout London; any place, any time.

Carrying tape measures, chalk and the finest selection of wools, linens and silks (from the UK’s most traditional and longestablished mills), Henry Herbert tailors will come to you whenever you need and wherever you are, to measure and make up perfectly fitting bespoke suits.

This is a new service that has quickly established itself with a reputable client base, from government ministers and city chairmen, to musicians and comedians. Founded by Charlie Collingwood, who was frustrated with the inconvenience, expense and inaccessibility of Saville Row tailoring, Henry Herbert was created to save you time and money.

The tailors can be at your doorstop in no time at all to ensure a more personal and professional styling experience.

Using traditional tailoring and the most experienced pattern cutters and seamstresses, every bespoke Henry Herbert suit is handmade in England, with prices starting from just £495. n

To book an appointment, please call Henry Herbert on 020 7727 2485, or email cc@henryherbert.com For more information, please visit www.henryherbert.com

win!

Scoot over Saville row! Henry Herbert SaveS you time and money by coming to you!

Henry Herbert is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a bespoke suit worth up to £2,000. To be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize answer the following question:

Who founded Henry Herbert?

Email your answer to: Competitions@runwildgroup.co.uk with Henry Herbert in the subject line.

Please include your name, address and contact number Closing deadline is October 31st 2009 and the Editor’s decision is final Terms and Conditions: By entering this competition you are agreeing that your details can be used by both Runwild Media Group and Henry Herbert for marketing purposes. Your details will not be disclosed to third parties.

91

culture

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On

Screen

Cat Hughes previews the latest releases

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS Set in the present day, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is a fantastical tale of morality.

Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is blessed with extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, but he is cursed with a dark secret. A thousand years ago the Doctor made a bet with the devil, known as Mr. Nick (Tom Waits) and won immortality. Many years later Doctor Parnassus stuck another deal with the devil. He traded his immortality for youth, on the condition that when his daughter Valentina (Lilly Cole) reached her 16th birthday she’d become property of the devil. Forever the gambler the Doctor renegotiated with Mr. Nick and now, to save Valentina, Doctor Parnassus must seduce five souls before the devil. With the help of Tony (played in turn by Heath Ledger, Jonny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a neverending surreal Narnia-like landscape which is accessed through a mirror.

Sadly, of course, this picture is better known as the late Heath Ledger’s last film.

He accidently overdosed on prescription drugs and tragically died last year, whilst the film was still being shot. This left Gilliam and his crew scrabbling to save the film, but the cavalry came to the rescue in the form of Depp, Law and Farrell, all of whom play alternative-dimension aspects of Ledger’s character Tony, in the surreal world within the mirror. And it’s thanks to Gilliam’s determination and the men who replaced Ledger that this talented actor’s last performance has been preserved.

OUT 16 OCTOBER

Sponsored by

0871 200 2000 www.cineworld.co.uk 11 Hertsmere Rd, West India Quay

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL

Also out this month Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as US Marshall Teddy Daniels. Daniels is hunting for a murderer who has escaped from the Shutter Island hospital for the criminally insane, but his job is made harder by an approaching hurricane (9 October). Jennifer Aniston and Martin Sheen star in Brand New Day, a film that sees a man who writes a self help book on bereavement, while coping with the recent loss of his wife. This turns him into a self-help guru and at one of his lectures he meets a woman and falls for her. This in turn helps him deal with the fact he never got over his wife’s death (9 October). Up is Pixar’s latest film; this animated adventure sees a 78-yearold man who abandons his quiet life and embarks on a series of adventures with an eight year-old wilderness explorer (16 October). Taking Woodstock is an account of the birth of the famed Woodstock festival based on a memoir by Elliot Tiber (30 October). Michael Jackson’s This Is It is a rare behind the scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed his sold-out concerts that would have taken place in the London’s O2 arena (30 October).

The Times BFI London Film Festival is UK’s top festival for film, and in its 53rd year it has once again picked the best films from around the world.This year’s line up includes The White Ribbon, which won Palm d’Or at Cannes; prison drama The Prophet; Bunny and the Bull directed by Mighty Boosh’s Paul King; and Mugabe and theWhite African, a documentary shot undercover in Zimbabwe. A special mention should also go to Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl directed by 100-year old Manoel de Olivera from Portugal.

No doubt the stars will be out in force to promote their latest films and support the festival, but one star will be busier than others. George Clooney is showcasing no less than three films. He is the voice of Mr Fox in Fantastic Mr Fox, Wes Anderson’s stopmotion animated film of Rolad Dahl’s classic children’s story. From a fox Clooney turns into a US special forces operative trained in paranormal techniques in the satire The Men Who Stare At Goats and finally he takes up the role of a management consultant in Up in the Air. Stars set to join Clooney on the red carpet include Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Ray Winstone, Dominic Cooper, Clive Owen and Julianne Moore.

The festival will show 15 world premieres and 23 European premieres from 191 features. There will also be 26 documentaries and 113 shorts from 46 countries. But the best thing about the London Film Festival is how it mixes first timers and respected film makers showing the best work of their careers so far. This year’s festival is not to be missed!

THE TIMES BFI 53RD LONDON FILM FESTIVAL RUNS FROM 14-29 OCTOBER

©2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

London Marathon, The Twenty-Fourth Mile

Twelve to One, 11/7/09, Trafalgar Square from the Fourth Plinth

Fortnum and Masons, the Ice Cream Parlour

Polo, Changing Ponies

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STILL REFLECTIONS Carol Cordrey examines the rich appeal of Nick Botting’s art

H

aving lived in London most of his life, Nick Botting has an intimate knowledge of how its people work and play within and around the city.

His informal, softly defined interpretations of daily life gently invite us into his scenes so that we feel like warmly welcomed guests. As we settle down to contemplate each view, we find little formal detail and architecture but plenty of fascinating atmosphere and activity - the beating heart of a place - to absorb our thoughts.

Nick is a consummate observer of people and it is their informal, off-guard moments that he particularly likes to capture. Indeed, he frequently goes to extreme lengths to secure unusual viewpoints of his chosen scenes, the London Marathon being a perfect case in point.

The typical, cramped image of thousands of runners snaking their way along London’s streets was not for him. Instead, he scrambled up to a high balcony early in the morning to gain a bird’s eye view of the first flock of runners, the gathering supporters and the policemen casually chatting as the race unfolded. Simple outlines of viewers moving into position and runners battling with exhaustion make this picture pulsate with anticipation, and that mass of zingy, lime green foliage gives it an appropriate degree of excitement. Features such as Cleopatra’s Needle and Big Ben are delicately portrayed so that we have just enough information to identify this scene as The Twenty-Fourth Mile

along Victoria Embankment.

A similarly precarious position was occupied for Twelve to One,11/7/09, Trafalgar Square from the Fourth Plinth. Nick had successfully applied to be one of sculptor, Antony Gormley’s, volunteer living monuments on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square. Each of the 2,400 such monuments of this One & Other project was raised in turn onto the plinth clutching whatever they wished to accompany them for their one hour experience; the volunteers could be motionless or do anything they wanted to, provided it was legal! The statues are normally the focus of the public’s attention but Nick – loving to be different - reversed those roles and produced a scene from a statue’s perspective.

Having squeezed himself onto the plinth with his folding stool, portable easel and paint materials, Nick was fully aware that, “it would take just one gust of wind to lose the lot!”. Fortunately, he didn’t, and to the cheers of the crowd as he applied the first rapid strokes of paint, Nick created this fleeting, historic record of a moment in Trafalgar Square when all the plinths were adorned with figures of distinguished men.

Another famous London location is the department store, Fortnum & Mason, renowned for its grandeur both within and without.

Nick’s depiction of its Parlour Restaurant gives us a fly-onthe-wall opportunity to see customers relaxing and enjoying its popular ice creams, cakes and drinks. The distinctive, mosaic, zig-zag design of the counter illuminated by those retro lights gives the

composition an instant sense of place whilst the dominant, foreground figure picked out in vibrant green arrests our gaze and adds a contemporary twist to this otherwise most traditional of venues.

People at play on the outskirts of London is the subject of several paintings in this exhibition. Polo is generally identified with glamorous people, charging horses and frantic mallet waving but Nick cleverly balances those elements with the relaxed, pensive ones that allow us to ease ourselves into these pictures and soak up the atmosphere as well as the action. In Polo, Changing Ponies we sense the tension in the groom’s rigid stance as a player springs onto a fresh pony, the inquisitiveness of the little white dog and the analysis of play by the other observers. In The Polo Match, Figures in Red and Blue, the background of competitive, heart-pounding play contrasts dramatically with the relaxed poses of the mounted, waiting grooms, the nonchalant seated figures and the standing female dressed entirely in blue. Nestled against the distant trees we have the reference point of the Prince Consort’s Statue, painted in Nick’s subtle signature style, which reminds us that we are not at just any polo club; we are enjoying the combined excitement and tranquility of the lush surroundings of Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park on a warm, summer’s day. n Still Reflections by Nick Botting 15 October-6 November Portland Gallery 8 Bennet Street London SW1A 1RP

St James Senior Boys

Best Ever Results

GcSe: 100% Pass, A*ABC 94%, A*A 57% a level: 100% Pass, ABC 90%, AB 70%

St JameS Independent School for SenIor BoyS, twIckenham IS to move to aShford In 2010

St James Senior Boys School has been in Twickenham since 1996. It has occupied the delightful Pope’s Villa site on the banks of the River Thames and has become a wellrespected school in the local community.

Its distinctive philosophical approach to education, its deep care for all pupils, its concern for universal values and life-skills, the importance of teaching students the ability to be still and to cultivate reason, marks it out as a school which is trying to respond to the needs of a society that seems to have lost its way.

All this, plus the delivery of academic are interviewed by the Headmaster and and sporting excellence with a reputation selection takes into account character, for first-class drama and music! interest and enthusiasm. St James’ strength in the sciences will continue It is no surprise that the school has with the creation of new laboratories; experienced unprecedented demand for Classical Studies, through Greek, Latin this philosophically inspired education and Sanskrit, will provide the foundation and this has led to the need for more for sound language development; spacious premises, which have now been and mastery of speech will help boys found at Ashford in Middlesex – the site to become leaders in their respective of the former St David’s School. fields.

St James will move into the magnificent Sport features strongly in the curriculum.

Victorian building, set in 30 acres Yrs 7 to 9 have three Games afternoons of grounds, in September 2010. It is per week and an array of challenging only 8 minutes down the line from adventure pursuits is offered to the more Twickenham and the station is just a senior boys. couple of minutes from the school gates.

St James will be looking to bus boys in St James believes that the step from from local areas. boyhood to manhood requires the ability to reason, a large heart to care for others St James does not base its admissions and a willingness to be yourself. It is an solely on the entrance exam. All candidates education for life!

OPEN DAYS: thursday evening, 5th nov, 6pm - 9pm Saturday morning, 7th nov, 9.30am - 1pm entrance eXam: The 11+ Entrance Exam will be held at Twickenham on 21st and 22nd January, 2010

Open days and tours will take place at the Twickenham site in the first instance but there will be opportunities to see the Ashford site later this year (See our website www.stjamesboys.co.uk for information) Parents are also welcome to visit the school for a tour during a normal school day to connect with the ethos and meet boys and staff. Apply for an appointment to Colin Matten (Admissions Tutor) 020 8744 1441.

REGISTER YOUR SONS NOW FOR ENTRY IN SEPTEMBER 2010 (ASHFORD) St James Independent School for Senior Boys, Pope’s Villa, Cross Deep, Twickenham, TW1 4QG Tel. 020 8744 1441 admissions@stjamesboys.co.uk www.stjamesboys.co.uk

C A NARY WHA R F art sculpture in the workplace Wendy Taylor CBE: The Seed Series FREE Until 27 November 2009 Lobby, One Canada Square

Wendy Taylor CBE, one of the UK’s pre-eminent living sculptors, will be speaking about her latest exhibition, The Seed Series in the lobby of One Canada Square at 1.15pm on Tuesday 13 October.

Please call 020 7418 2257 to book a place.

The Seed Series features bronzes of nuts, seedpods and fruiting plants, each of which captures minute detail.

“These are the sculptural equivalent of minutely observed botanical paintings. Form and surface are as true to nature as it is possible to achieve in patinated metal,” says curator Ann Elliott.

window galleries A showcase for up-and-coming artists, designers and crafts people in Cabot Place East and Canada Place Retail Malls.

26 September – 30 October Caroline Saul Caroline Saul is a designer-maker working with recycled plastics; her work is an exploration of colour, texture, material, patterning, shape and form.

Caroline currently works with post-consumer plastic milk bottles collected from households and cafes to create recycled new material, this is then transformed into sculptural vessels - ‘Bulbous Forms’. www.carolinesaul.co.uk

Tom Leighton Tom works with urban landscapes creating digital collages of city environments constructed from elements of Tokyo, New York, Geneva and Paris. www.tleighton.com

The Community Gallery Situated in Canada Place Mall, the community gallery is devoted to work produced by local art projects.

1 October – 4 November Rooted in the Earth To coincide with Green Canary Day is a display about ‘Rooted in the Earth’, a Bank of America 2009 CREATE Art Award commission by artist Joshua Sofaer. During this summer a ‘carpet bed’ was planted in a park in each of the 5 host boroughs of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each spelt out the name of a local person chosen from nominations by members of the public for the contribution they make to their communities.

Frank Whipple Carpet Bed, www.rootedintheearth.co.uk

Museum Gardens, Tower Hamlets, E2

Christ Church College, Oxford

SET IN Josephine O’Donoghue meets stonemason and sculptor Nick Simonin to find out more about an ancient art in modern times

N

ick Simonin is a stonemason; an artist bringing ancient skills to the modern day, in order to conserve the past and create new masterpieces for the future.

Something of a dying art form, the trade of a stonemason requires intense passion, dedication and discipline; and without these skilled professionals, some of the greatest architectural creations would fall into ruin and disrepair. I caught up with Nick to learn more about his work, and the value of this ancient art form.

Josephine: Why did you decide to become a stonemason/sculpture?

Nick: I had come to a crossroads in my life, and the chance to engage with an ancient and complex craft, offering both creativity and discipline, was just what I needed.

Josephine: What kind of stonemason are you?

Nick: I was trained as a stonemason/carver and a

conservator. This encompasses a working knowledge of geology through production of architectural stonework, to the present problems of appropriately and sensitively looking after our built heritage.

Josephine: Where did you train?

Nick: I trained at Weymouth College in Dorset. The course offered the qualifications package I was looking for and there were also numerous firms in the area to work for alongside the training.

Josephine: What did the course/apprenticeship involve?

Nick:The course involved going back to the very beginning of the stonemason’s craft, and learning how to square a rough block by hand, using traditional tools and techniques to achieve a perfect six-sides worked block.

This is the same technique a Norman mason would have used 800 years ago, using pretty similar tools.The technique of ‘boning in a block’ for example, stretches back as far as ancient Egypt (where

craftsmen would flatten the stone with boning-rods).The course progressed through architectural skills including stone-work, free-carving, letter-cutting, Architectural history, practical and conservation theory, geometry, geology and project management.

Josephine: What does your job entail?

Nick: I am employed at the moment by the artist Anish Kapoor, as a stone carver and art technician. This involves working closely with him through the ongoing process of creating a sculpture made, from quarried block to a gallery-ready piece.

At times it can involve working from models and drawings, and as an unfolding dialogue with the artist. This is the time-honoured tradition of the artisan and the studio system, which stretches back through history; Rodin, Bernini, Michelangelo all had incredible visions and teams of skilled craftspeople would create the works of art under the close scrutiny of the artist.

Josephine: Do you think that it is a dying art form?

Nick: I think in many respects this is the case, but there are so many factors at work that it is a complex problem; one which our increasingly media and technology saturated society just does not have the time for.

These skills are widely used today, but spiralling costs of extraction and production mean that without intense mechanisation of all elements of the process, large jobs cannot be viable, cost-effective and profitable. The grandiose projects of the past only exist due to very different sensibilities being embraced.

The concept of a building taking 50-100 years to complete is so alien to us today that it is incompatible with current development practise.

Josephine: Do you also work on historical building restoration?

Nick:Yes, I have worked on buildings, from small village churches, to palaces and other buildings of national historic importance. The tasks have ranged from pointing, to replacement carving and masonry. I once made two double and triple stack ornate chimneys for a Grade I Cotswold mansion; I have worked on Corfe Castle (on various conservation projects); I have carried out a large amount of replacement stonework for Berkley Castle; worked on spire restoration at Christ Church College, Oxford; and taken part in the Bath Spa restoration. The most famous building I have worked on is probably St Paul’s Cathedral.

Josephine: What are you working on at the moment?

Nick: I am currently working on a large project in pink marble for Anish Kapoor.The stone comes

culture

from Portugal and when it was delivered to London it weighed 22 tonnes.We have removed 12 tonnes and still haven’t finished.

We are also working on Alabaster carving projects. Securing this job with Anish Kapoor, who is unquestionably at the top of his game, has been one of my greatest achievements. It has created an unrivalled opportunity for me to develop and gain valuable experience. In the future, I would like to concentrate on my own work, deepening my understanding of form and explore what it really means to be an artist.

Josephine: What is your greatest career ambition?

Nick: To develop enough skill, sensitivity and vision so as to profoundly affect people through the medium of sculpture.

Josephine: What examples of stonemasonry and sculpture inspire you?

Nick: The dedication, skills and visions of the medieval masons and architects are truly phenomenal, and they will always have my deep respect.

Also, as young boy, I vividly remember being moved by works of Henry Moore. I had not known things like that existed! I definitely told myself that I wanted to make things myself one day. I am

also inspired by the work of Constantine Brancusi, Jean Arp, Sergio Camargo, Joseph Beuys, Matthew Barney and my boss, Anish Kapoor.

Josephine: Do you take private commissions?

Nick:Yes I do. Commissions range from repairing old buildings, to realising other people’s sculptural dreams in stone for them, to the production of my own sculptures. I am currently putting together a body of work to exhibit.

Josephine: Why is it important for Britain to maintain traditional skills such as stonemasonry?

Nick: I feel it is extremely important. The potential in following through a measured process of learning and self discovery are more vital now than they ever have been.

Perhaps a sound practical education could stem the flow of apathy, ignorance, and instant gratification which are the cornerstones of the disturbing ‘entitlement culture’ destroying the minds and futures of our young people. We all 2009 project for Anish Kapoor

99

are responsible for the health of future generations, and our obsession with instant results is suffocating the training and aspirations of our young people.

Many things do not benefit from speed and take time to develop and perfect; sculpture, art, literature and music are but a few examples of those things which need to slowly grow through skill, experience, and patience. The arts require a diligent application of thought and effort in a lengthy process and a lifetime’s work. Traditional skills are under siege and the world will be a lesser place when they are all gone.

Josephine: Why do you think sculpture has recently become more popular in the corporate environment than copies of paintings?

Nick: Often art in a corporate space is chosen solely based on company budgets, or to soften what are harsh, professional environments. I would say this position denies a world of possibilities for companies to express their often unique products and ethos with a similarly unique piece of well conceived sculpture. Individually commissioned sculpture offers so much more than printed art for the sake of filling a space.

Josephine: So why do you think sculpture is better suited to high-end corporate environments?

Nick: I strongly feel that the effects of sculpture on the viewer are often more visceral, immediate and accessible. The potential to transform and hold a space, coupled with the geological uniqueness of a piece stone, conveys a sense of awe and grandeur which lends itself to the high-end corporate environment. n For more information, or to commission a sculpture, contact Nick Simonin on 07504 525 827 or via email morwenna13@btinternet.com

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food&drink

WIN

BOHO GRANDEUR HITS SHOREDITCH

T

he Shoreditch sister to the cult Notting Hill branch of Beach Blanket Babylon, houses a restaurant, bar, cocktail lounge and dancefloor on two elegant floors, each with their own allure. Occupying a converted Victorian warehouse on the Bethnal Green Road a stroll from Liverpool or Old street stations, it is designed in sympathy with its warehouse roots, crossing them with a Boho 70s chic and Grand Chateau style.

High ceilings, a large central marble bar, and banquette seating on various raised levels give Beach Blanket Babylon Shoreditch its trademark feel, and offers the perfect place to catch up with friends over their legendary cocktails or delicious menu. 

www.beachblanket.co.uk

WIN! We’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a meal for four at Beach Blanket Babylon Shoreditch, with all drinks and cocktails included (total value up to £300).

To be in with a chance of winning, email your name and contact number to competitions@runwildgroup.co.uk with ‘BBB’ in the subject bar. The competition closing date is 31 October, and the Editor’s decision is final.

Terms and Conditions: by entering this competition you are agreeing that your details can be used by both Runwild Media Group and Beach Blanket Babylon for marketing purposes. Your details will not be disclosed to third parties.

For just £40 per person our Christmas package includes: • Free drinks between 6-11pm Single spirits and mixers, draught beers, house wines and soft drinks

• Professional DJ Playing all your party favourites

• A delicious Christmas buffet • Party hats, crackers and poppers We are taking bookings now so to avoid disappointment contact us to reserve your party date. Booking deposit required £5 per person balance payable three weeks in advance of event.

T: 020 7537 3903 E: linda@majingos.net W: www.astons-bar.com Funky Fridays and South Quay Soul on Saturdays visit the Aston’s website for more information

food&drink

101

A CORNER OF MANHATTAN Jessica Harrison and Heather Ridley spend an evening in Canary Wharf’s newest restaurant and soak up the New York bistro atmosphere

C

anary Wharf’s newest eatery, Lower East, is a bistro/ dance-bar/cocktail bar/weekend hang-out; sound like they’re trying to do too much? That’s what we thought.

Oh we of little faith! They pull it off, and they do it in style.

Perfect comfort food, brunch and roast dinners, are served at the weekend; there’s a bar snack and candy selection to satisfy any nibble craving; and from Thursday to Saturday a DJ plays until 2am. The clean lines of the dark wood fittings, contrasted with the menu scrawled in red across the mirrors, balance Parisian chic and New York Bistro, while the seating ranges from high stools along a sweeping bar, to cosy booths or lantern-lit wooden tables on the riverside patio. Whether you’re after a night of Manhattans by the riverside or ‘proper’ food in welcoming surroundings, Lower East is ready and waiting to cater for your needs.

Michelle Moreno is Lower East’s irrepressibly charismatic manager from Cardiff. She has been involved in the opening of 17 restaurants so she certainly knows a thing or two about creating great food and a fantastic atmosphere. This latest venture opened its doors 6 weeks ago and already the place buzzes with a throng of post-work suits, groups of friends catching up over a bottle of wine, and even a few couples on cosy dates.

On arrival we were warmly greeted by the beautiful hostess and ushered to the bar to begin our evening with a cocktail. Both the Mojito and Bellini were delicious and we soon worked up an appetite. Michelle tells us that they believe in creating quality food which is responsibly sourced. Though the menu is short, it is packed full of flavour and sticks to what they do best: New York style steaks and chops and French-influenced entrees and appetisers.

To start we went for the succulent crab cakes with shredded cucumber salad and aioli (£7.00), and the rich warm goat’s cheese with potatoes, tapenade & candied walnuts (£5.00). Both were skilfully balanced dishes which showcased quality ingredients and a flair for presentation. In order to put Lower East’s American and French influences to the test we took on one of these nations each.

I plumped for the 8oz steak of juicy Hereford Beef served on a pleasingly hefty board with fries and peppercorn sauce (£16.00).

The meat was cooked to a perfect pink in Lower East’s language and I followed it up with an all-American baked cheesecake and raspberry sorbet dessert (£6.00). Our knowledgeable waiter had no problem convincing my dinner companion to order the Lemon Sole special served with split capers and almonds (£14.00), and proved his worth as the inventive dish went down a storm. This was followed by a crunch-topped black cherry and pistachio crème brûlée (£6.00) which would hold its own against any in France. All of this was

Lower East Bistro

Lobster and chips

Monkfish

accompanied by a pleasant Chardonnay from the first section of their wine list. The wines are divided into ‘Thrifty’, ‘Decent’ and ‘Very Good’ – an amusing nod to the nation’s current preoccupation with economising and Lower East’s seat at London’s financial centre.

Along with co-manager Richard Moore, Michelle singled out Canary Wharf as an underrated and often-ignored area of the capital.

“You don’t realise how residential it is,” she says. “We want to create somewhere with a community feel where people want to come and hang out. And how many places in London can you eat right on the river?” It’s true that the view over the river is great – with all the lights of the City and the Gherkin in the distance you feel at once away from and part of London’s buzz. She explains that the inspiration for the restaurant are the bars and Bistros of New York, where the hungry or thirsty can eat, drink or snack at any hour of the day or night. They’ve succeeded in transporting that philosophy to Canary Wharf, and seem to be reaping the rewards. n www.lowereast.co.uk

D

INING IN STYLE

After a long spell as a dancer in the world famous Bluebell Show in Las Vegas, Pamela Schneider returned to England to begin life as an independent businesswoman. Having made a success of herself teaching aerobics, Pam chose to use her extensive knowledge of food and wine to enter into the volatile world of catering. Having visited Canary Wharf in the early nineties Pamela instantly recognised the potential of the area and snapped up a prime location in Cabot Square in Canary Wharf.

With its unique ambience and diverse menu, First Edition has established itself as one of the top independent restaurants in Canary Wharf. The consistent quality of their food and service as well as their ability to adapt to modern trends has been the main driving force behind 15 years of success in an area predominantly made up of highly competitive chains.

Whether you’re looking to have a quiet breakfast, an informal business lunch, an evening of fine dining or a fun night at the bar with friends, First Edition can provide the exclusive and inviting feeling that can only be found in an independently owned establishment.

Don’t miss the great Steinlager promotion running throughout October every Wednesday; buy 8, and get 2 free!

25 Cabot Square Canary Wharf, London, E14 4QA 020 7513 0300

Restaurant listings Argentinian GAUCHO CANARY 29 Westferry Circus E14 020 7987 9494

Carribean CHEF COLLIN BROWN 2 Yabsley Street E14 020 7515 8177

European GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN Jubilee Place E14 020 7719 6408

French CAFÉ ROUGE 29-35 MacKenzie Walk E14 020 7537 9696 PLATEAU Canada Place E14 020 7715 7100

Gastro Pub THE GUN 27 Coldharbour Lane E14 020 7515 5222

THE NARROW 44 Narrow Street E14 020 7592 7950

JAMIE'S ITALIAN Churchill Place E14 020 3002 5252

Indian

PIZZA EXPRESS Cabot Place East E14 020 7513 0513

DOCKMASTERS 1 Hertsmere Road E14 020 7345 0345 THE ROGUE TRADER 25 Westferry Road E14 020 7517 9233 TIFFINBITES Jubilee Place E14 020 7719 0333

Italian/Pizza AMERIGO VESPUCCI 25 Cabot Square MacKenzie Walk E14 020 7513 0288

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

Middle Eastern MEZ RESTAURANT 571 Manchester Road E14 020 7005 0421 NINA'S TAZA EXPRESS 322 Burdett Road E14 020 7093 3552

Oriental

CARLUCCIO’S 2 Reuters Plaza E14 020 7719 1749

ITSU Level 2, Cabot Place East E14 020 7512 5790

GOURMET PIZZA 18-20 Cabot Square E14 020 7345 9192

SRI NAM 1 North Colonnade E14 020 7715 9515

Seafood CURVE Marriott Hotel, West India Quay 22 Hertsmere Road E14 020 7517 2808 FIRST EDITION 25 Cabot Square Canary Wharf E14 020 7513 0300

Spanish EL FARO Turnberry Quay E14 020 7987 5511

WATER, BARLEY, HOPS & YEAST ALL SOURCED FROM THE PUREST PLACE ON EARTH – NEW ZEALAND KEEP IT PURE WWW.STEINLAGERPURE.COM

Now available at First Edition Every Wednesday in October we will give you 2 complementary Steinlager Pures for each bucket that you buy at

Conditions Apply

First Edition Restaurant and Wine Bar 25 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4QA Tel: 020 7513 0300 E-mail: first.edition@btconnect.com

overseas transfers xxxxxxxxxx

Dear Clare I work in HR in the London branch of an international company; we need to bring over some IT specialists from our Canadian office to work in the UK for a year or so. Can we do this?

Thanks, Helen

Dear Helen,

The rules have recently changed in this area, so our Head of Immigration, Edward Wanambwa, has kindly helped with the answer to your query.

Unless the IT specialists are EEA or Swiss nationals, the most likely way into employment in your UK branch is the Intra Company Transfer (ICT) route; this is a sub-category of Tier 2 of the points-based immigration system. The ICT route will avoid the requirement to advertise the IT jobs to resident workers within the UK and EEA before offering them to your colleagues, provided they will not be replacing “settled workers”.

Martin’$ Money Matter$

Losing in With Profits Martin Bamford, Chartered Financial Planner, Informed Choice

i

’m not a particularly big fan of ‘With Profits’ as an investment concept.

In theory it’s not too bad; a diversified portfolio of investments with actuarial ’smoothing’ applied to deliver less volatility to the investor. In practice it can be a nightmare.

Even as world stock markets continue their recovery, With Profits funds are likely to remain behind the curve (again). Up to five million people are invested in With Profits policies that are “doomed to fail”. There are three main ways to lose when you invest in With Profits.

1. low or nil annual bonuses

Part of the reward for investing in With Profits should be an annual bonus, which is applied by the insurance company once a year, depending on how the fund performed and how generous their actuary is feeling. Once added, these bonuses can’t be removed.

Unfortunately, the insurance company is under no obligation to actually pay an annual bonus each year; and when times get tough and investment markets fall in value, the annual bonus is usually one of the first victims.

2. reDuCeD final bonuses

Whilst annual bonuses are

If the UK branch has not already registered as a sponsor with the UK Border Agency (UKBA), it will need to do so and then issue your colleagues with Certificates of Sponsorship before trying to employ them in the UK. The UKBA may investigate (including a visit to your offices) to satisfy itself that the UK branch is operating legally in the UK, is “dependable and reliable” and is capable of carrying out its sponsorship duties. If satisfied, it will licence the UK branch to issue Certificates of Sponsorship.

Even if the UK branch is licensed, the IT specialists must, themselves, meet certain criteria before a Certificate of Sponsorship can be issued. They must have worked for your organisation overseas for at least the last six months and they must be skilled. When calculating whether they have enough points to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, the UK branch must consider matters such as their level of qualifications, prospective earnings, and maintenance funds.

The last step, assuming your colleagues have sufficient points and the UK branch has issued a Certificate of Sponsorship, will be for your colleagues to obtain entry clearance in a local UK Embassy in Canada to allow them to travel to and live in the UK to take up work.

If the UK branch does not wish to become a sponsor, other routes may still be available, for instance if your colleagues would qualify as highly skilled workers, under Tier 1 of the immigration system.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Best wishes, Clare

Clare Murray is managing partner at specialist employment law firm, CM Murray LLP. To submit a query, 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

guaranteed not to be taken away in the future, the final (or terminal) bonus can be removed or reduced without warning. These final bonuses can make up a large share of the total return you might get from investing in With Profits. Recently we saw some of the funds managed by Phoenix remove the final bonus altogether; while Standard Life cut the final bonus payments by around 9% for pensions and 18% for endowment policies.

Hanging in there for the prospect of a juicy final bonus is a factor that encourages some investors to overlook miserable annual bonus rates. It is important to understand that your terminal bonus can go up in smoke on the whim of the insurance company.

elsewhere. Designed to ensure that you do not leave the fund with more than your fair share of the assets, MVRs can be a strong disincentive to leave at all. The recent global financial crisis meant that in some cases MVRs of up to 30% have been applied to With Profits policies, and investors faced with the prospect of penalties of this magnitude have had a really tough choice to make Not every With Profits fund is that bad. A few have actually managed to do what they originally set out to achieve; provide low volatility returns combined with exposure to the sorts of investment performance you might expect from the stock market. n

3. Market value reDuCtions (Mvrs)

Martin Bamford is site editor of BrilliantWithMoney and a Chartered Financial Planner at Informed Choice.

These are the bane of your life when you want to leave the insurance company and start

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business&finance

Dr David Kuo, Director at the popular financial website The Motley Fool – Fool.co.uk

WhaT Brokers really Mean

H

ave you ever watched stock markets reports on television?

Not those easy-to-understand ones on the BBC, but the ones shown on specialist business channels such as Bloomberg and CNBC that are dedicated to hard-core investors.

Often, market experts and brokers will offer insights into shares, sectors and markets.

But it’s almost as though they are speaking in a foreign tongue. Or as Spock of Star Trek might say: “It’s English, but not as we understand it!”

And even though I have been involved in shares for many years, I still find their language baffling.

As a simple person, I can comfortably grasp the concept of “buy” and “sell” recommendations. A “buy” means the shares probably look cheap, so it’s time to wade in. The opposite of a “buy” is a “sell”.

This usually means the shares may look overvalued, so it may be sensible to pile out and take some profit.

At a push I can even understand a “hold” recommendation. It means hang on to the shares if you already own some. Mind you, if you don’t already own any shares then it may be a good idea to sit on your hands. It probably means something may happen to the shares but it is not entirely clear whether it will be good or bad.

However, other broker-inspired babble can sometimes cause eyes to glaze over.

Thing is, brokers have a tendency to speak in mysterious tongues. For instance, what does it mean when a broker recommends a “firm hold”? It sounds more serious than a “weak hold”. But isn’t a hold just a hold? And how does a “hold” differ from “neutral”, which is another popular broker recommendation?

Another fashionable reference by brokers is “equal weight”, which I assume is related by marriage to a “hold” or “neutral”. That said, it does feel less forceful than a “firm hold” but carries more conviction than a

“weak hold”. That is unless you don’t have any shares at all, in which case you may need to buy some to bulk up your holdings. But heaven forbid if you “overweight” or indeed “underweight” in the shares!

“Accumulate” and “add” are two other recommendations that need further qualification. Do they mean you need to buy more if you already have a few shares, but don’t buy any if you don’t already own any?

In which case, should you “avoid”, which is another common broker recommendation.

“Underperform” and “outperform” are two more curious recommendations. In the case of underperforming, does it suggest the shares will underperform the sector or the entire market? But if a share is expected to underperform, then shouldn’t a sell recommendation be more appropriate? After all, why would you own a share that is going to fare worse than other stocks?

Truth is, brokers are often reluctant to issue sell recommendations for fear of upsetting corporate clients by issuing unfavourable reports. Consequently, there are more buy recommendations than advice by brokers to sell shares. That may also help explain why recommendations not to buy shares are dressed up in fancy euphemisms that to all intents and purposes mean a sell.

Another thing to bear in mind is that a lot of the recommendations that we read in newspapers and magazines or hear on telly are already quite old. So by the time you and I hear about them, their tips already have whiskers on.

As I see it, broker recommendations are meaningless unless you spending time reading the accompanying notes that detail the analysts’ research. To simply act on a oneword recommendation is dangerous. It may be a short cut, but a short cut to losing money.

Participating in online forums such as discussion boards and blogs are a good alternative if you want to learn more about investing in specific companies. They are

usually populated with both fans and foes of a company whose collective knowledge is staggering. It’s also a good way to get a balanced view from which you can draw your own conclusions as to whether to buy or sell a share. n For guidance on specific shares or sectors, visit The Motley Fool discussion boards at Fool.co.uk

C A NARY WHA R F n e ws And the Winner is….

The Canary Wharf Film Festival 2009 wrapped up in fine style at the East Wintergarden last month, with director Keith O’Shea claiming the coveted Golden Canary Award for best film with his moving documentary Dear Matthew.

The Festival, which is sponsored by Canary Wharf Group, featured 25 UK and international short films in contention for the top prize, along with one-off screenings, pitching sessions, a Film Quiz and even a bike ride from Canary Wharf to Hackney along Regent’s Canal.

Other winners included Samuel Tholley, who took

home the Tweety Canary Award for special achievement during a workshop to support young local filmmakers and Emily Howells and Anne Wilkins, whose A Film About Poo won the ‘Sing like a Canary Award’ for being the audience favourite during the festival.

Bollywood Stars in Canary Wharf

A stunt in Houseful, the big-budget Bollywood film by Sajid Khan

Some of Bollywood’s biggest stars were recently in Canary Wharf for the filming of a blockbuster film called Houseful.

Directed by Sajid Khan, a well known Indian Television Personality, Houseful is a romantic comedy starring Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Riteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone and Jiah Khan.

It is the first Bollywood film to be made at Canary Wharf, which has been the setting for a number of high profile movies in recent years, including Batman Begins, Basic Instinct 2 and Run Fat Boy Run. All proceeds from film location fees go to local charities and the Canary Wharf Film Fund, which encourages East London youngsters to get into filmmaking and media.

On Your Bike….

With cycling growing in popularity amongst Canary Wharf workers Peter Kyte, Managing Director of Canary Wharf Management Limited is encouraging cyclists to use the secure cycle parking compound in Canada Square Car Park.

Around 16% of people travelling to Canary Wharf cycle or walked in 2008, up from 11% the previous year.

“With campaigns led by the Mayor of London and London Borough of Tower Hamlets, cycling is clearly growing in popularity. Since 2007 we have offered those coming to Canary Wharf somewhere easy and safe to store their equipment, including lockers for helmets and other accessories. It’s an innovative approach to storage which is being looked at by other parts of London,” he said.

The service has space for over 400 bike stands and costs around £20.73 per month, inclusive of VAT. Interested bikers can contact the Car Park Office on 020 7418 2752.

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health&beauty

TEETHING PROBLEMS SOLVED Going to the dentist, one of life’s biggest dreads, is losing much of its fear factor thanks to ground-breaking new treatments introduced by a leading cosmetic dentist; Sarah Hamilton finds out more

T

he process of teeth whitening is a routine procedure compared to the latest offerings from Harley Street cosmetic surgeon Dr. Tariq Idris. His innovations include a treatment called the ‘contact-less smile’ which involves applying a new surface to the front of the teeth with a material as thin as a contact lens; this can give the perfect smile without having to drill away the teeth.

Tariq explains, “Traditionally a considerable amount of filing needs to be carried out, but now we can utilize the latest skills and technology to do away with most of the drilling”. He adds, “I love seeing the expression on a patient’s face when they first look in the mirror; we often have tears of joy.”

Tariq’s other ground breaking tooth replacement technique ‘Instant Implants’ uses innovative titanium implants which are fixed in just minutes; this procedure can now set millions in the UK free from the inconvenience and embarrassment of wearing dentures.

“Dental implants have been around for some time but the new short procedure takes only minutes and is virtually painless, with the new teeth able to be used in just hours.” The

conventional operation for implants involves more surgery and is therefore associated with pain and bruising – it can also be many months before the teeth can be used and they are also considerably more expensive.

Tariq has treated a number of high profile celebrities such as former England rugby star and presenter Matt Dawson, singer Charlotte Church and a number of footballers including, Steven Gerrard. Berkshire born Dr. Tariq Idris operates in dental practices in Harley Street as well as in Leeds and Manchester, and is leading the drive for a greater awareness of the latest techniques.

Dr. Idris is passionate about his work; “So much fear, trauma and stress is experienced by people visiting a dentist that some people will avoid us like the plague. I have been involved in developing ground breaking techniques for the past fifteen years to make visits less traumatic and easier. There are so many better options available now thanks to extensive research into materials and a greater awareness within the profession.” n For further information, call 0800 0850027 or visit www.instantimplants.co.uk and www.harleydentalsuite.co.uk

FACT FILE TiTanium implanTs 13 million people in the UK wear some form of denture and many suffer acute embarrassment and discomfort. Implants were conceived in Sweden over 40 years ago, made of titanium alloy they actually bond with the bone, but the procedure can take up to 18 months to complete and involves a considerable amount of surgery.

With the innovative design of the new implants and the minimally invasive surgery needed, these new ‘Instant Implants’ can be put into immediate biting function and it’s sometimes possible to provide the complete service in a single visit.

Dr. Idris says: “I am determined to help promote these new techniques and am really excited by the results that they achieve. There really is no need for people to suffer anymore.

These new techniques will solve people’s problems with far less trauma and much quicker.”

These pioneering titanium implants are individually tailored to fit patients and provide immediate relief and a whole new lifestyle.

Veneers Porcelain or ceramic veneers have been used for over 20 years to give that perfect ‘Hollywood’ smile.

Traditionally the surface of the tooth was filed away (this was known to cause sensitivity and a worrying risk to the nerve of the tooth) and the veneers were 1-2mm thick.

This new technique requires little or no drilling at all. The material is less than half a millimeter thick, but still strong enough to withstand forced biting thanks to the latest high strength bonding agents.

cityliferecommends

citylife

recommends

WINTER FESTIVAL One of horseracing’s most prestigious events is the three day Winter Festival at Newbury Racecourse (26-28 November).

With three days of thrilling jumps and racing, this fixture is renowned as the start of the Winter Social Scene. Friday features Gentlemen’s Day and the Hennessy Gold Cup culminates on the Saturday.

For more information call 01635 40015, email info@newbury-racecourse.co.uk or visit www.newbury-racecourse. co.uk/winterfestival

THE PERFECT CLUTCH Lily Wigglesworth Bags was born out of a passion for all things beautiful; a truly fabulous and vibrant collection of clutch bags, ranging from leading brands to quirky emerging designers, you’re bound to find something you love.

The collection changes regularly so keep revisiting to find the latest styles.

THE WELLINGTON CLINIC The Wellington Clinic is the best kept secret in Chelsea.

Hidden behind a black door is the most exclusive luxury dental clinic in London; receive the finest dentistry with the latest techniques available today, from a routine check-up or clean, to a complete smile makeover.

63a, King’s Road London, SW3 4NT 020 7148 7148 www.thewellingtonclinic.com

AN A-Z OF POSSIBLE WORLDS An A-Z of Possible Worlds is a luxury box set of 26 individually bound stories. Each is a separate literary work, one for every letter of the alphabet, set in a myriad of imagined worlds.

The beautifully crafted box, makes this the ideal literary gift, a real treat for book lovers. Each set is part of a limited edition, and is signed by the author.

www.lilywigglesworth.co.uk Available from 31 October

EXCLUSIVE BOUTIQUE Don’t miss a chance to purchase a uniquely made Celestial Globe with pure gemstones and mother of pearl arrangement. The Globe shows all 88 constellations and as well as looking superb in any home of office, can be used by astronomers as a practical tool.

It has a working compass and a solid brass stand.

Celestial Globe, £95 www.exclusiveboutique.co.uk

PISTESIDE This delightful privately run catered chalet is considered the best in Les Coches. It has all luxuries including en-suite bathrooms, quality cuisine/wines and hot-tub, and is located by the piste at the centre of the Paradiski area. This ski area is huge (La Plagne & Les Arcs) offering 144 lifts, and 425km of piste. Snow is guaranteed due to the height of the runs, 2 glaciers and 470 snow cannons!

Luxury chalet, quality skiing.

Perfect! www.pisteside.com

109

C A N A RY WHARF EV E N TS

Canary Wharf Comedy Club Tuesday 27 October 2009 7.15pm (Doors 6.15pm) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Tickets: £10 – Book early to avoid disappointment Line up*: John Fothergill, Dave Fulton, Josh Howie, Pete Johannsen and Charlie Baker MC

The Canary Wharf Comedy Club is back and raring to go after the summer break. It’s sharpened its pencils, done its homework and is ready to begin the new term. Top of the class comics include John Fothergill and Dave Fulton and newcomers to Canary Wharf Pete Johannsen and Josh Howie. The comedy nights always sell out so it pays to book early.

Tickets: Visit www.ticketweb.co.uk or call 0844 847 2268 (Booking fee applies) On the door, subject to availability * Line up correct at time of publication

Green Shoots at Canary Wharf Green Canary Day Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October 2009 10-4pm Fri and 10.30-4.30pm Sat Throughout Canary Wharf FREE

Those interested in being more environmentally-friendly are encouraged to head for Canary Wharf on 2 and 3 October. Canary Wharf Group will be hosting the eighth annual Green Canary Day, with a range of free activities encouraging ecoaware practices in the workplace, home and community.

Highlights include birds of prey on display at Canary Riverside, electric vehicles in Reuters Plaza and don’t forget to pick up your free Green Canary Day bag, whilst stocks last, to help encourage plastic bag free days. Bring the whole family on Saturday and enjoy face painting, children’s workshops and more.

John Garwood, Canary Wharf Group Company Secretary said: “Canary Wharf is well known as a thriving business district and we are also striving to become one of the UK’s best examples of environmental regeneration.”

This year’s event also invites local children 16 and under to come up with ten words explaining why ‘it’s good to be green.’ The prize is a bicycle and safety accessories worth £500 from Evans Cycles in Canary Wharf.

Acoustic After Hours with…

Dodgy Wednesday 28 October 2009 7.45pm (Doors 7pm) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Tickets £16 – Book early to avoid disappointment

Urban Sounds Every Monday in October Throughout Canary Wharf 12.30-1pm and 1.30-2pm FREE

Free performances from up-and-coming acoustic musicians liven Canary Wharf lunchtimes in October. All donations collected go to the local charity Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders.

For more information visit www.mycanarywharf.com

The definitive line up of Nigel Clark, Andy Miller and Mathew Priest are back... Across Dodgy’s six-year rise to fame they released three albums and 12 Top 40 singles, including the unforgettable hit ‘Good Enough’.

After an extremely successful set of reunion shows last year and invites by XFM & Radio 2 to record live sessions, the world was reminded of Dodgy’s extensive back catalogue and witty charm! So here they are back on the road - enjoy their Canary Wharf pitstop.

Tickets: Visit ticketweb.co.uk or call 0844 847 2268 (Booking fee applies) On the door, subject to availability

...at Canary Riverside’s latest restaurant.

A four course gourmet dinner for 10 people in our private dining room including a champagne reception and a special selection of wines during the meal.

To enter, please email your name and telephone number to reception@lowereast.co.uk Closing date 31.12.09

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what'son

events

Our guide to this month’s top events

113

From 10 September

9-11 October

EVENT

EVENT

TLSEE

CYCLE SHOW 2009

This is afternoon tea with a difference. TLSee is destined to be a stylish occasion where timehonoured traditions are married with world-class service levels. Enjoy the effortlessly stylish backdrop of Swissôtel, Temple – where fine china and crisp drapery are the order of the day – and the only decision to make is which Twinings tea you will have to accompany your TLSee.

With a comprehensive range of the world’s best brands exhibiting, BMXaerial displays, commuter and mountain bike test tracks, and appearances from some of cycling’s best known names.

Earls Court www.cycleshow.co.uk

www.tlsee.co.uk

1-31October

14 October – 7 November

ART & EXHIBITIONS

ART & EXHIBITIONS

SUBODH GUPTA

DUFFY

Describing himself as “the idol thief”, Subodh Gupta is one of the most exciting and audacious contemporary artists to have emerged in recent years.

Brian Duffy was one of the most dynamic and inventive photographers of the 1960s. Together with his friendly rivals Terence Donovan and David Bailey, he made up the ‘Black Trinity’.

Working class, glamorous and hard working, they brought new, irresistible vigour to fashion photography.

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what'son

Our guide to this month’s top events

14 October – 10 January

15 October – 4 November

ART & EXHIBITIONS

ART & EXHIBITIONS

ED RUSCHA

VANESSA GARDINER

The Hayward Gallery presents a major retrospective of Ed Ruscha’s paintings, in celebration of his 50-year career.

Ruscha is regarded as one of the world’s most influential artists at work today and this exhibition traces the development of his paintings across five decades.

Gardiner’s exhibition brings together work inspired by coastlines of County Mayo, Argolis in Greece and stretches in Cornwall.

113 Upper Street London, N1 1QN 020 7704 1131 www.hartgallery.co.uk

Southbank Centre www.haywardgallery.org.uk

14 October – 21 November

15-18 October

ART & EXHIBITIONS

EVENT

ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE: A SEASON IN HELL

FRIEZE ART FAIR

Alison Jacques Gallery presents a new interpretation of the work of acclaimed and controversial American artist Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989). Bringing together a range of works in a variety of media, the show includes rarely seen collages as well as photography.

16-18 Berners Street London, W1T 3LN 020 7631 4720 www.alisonjacquesgallery.com

One of the world’s most influential contemporary art fairs. The selected galleries will present outstanding work by over 1,000 of the world’s most innovative artists and these works will be presented alongside Frieze Art Fair’s unique curatorial programme of artists’ projects.

Regents Park www.friezeartfair.com

Celebrate the festivities Docklands style at Museum of London Docklands Museum of London Docklands is celebrating this festive season in style. We have a variety of exclusive Christmas packages for up to 600 guests all organised in our historic Grade I listed building. Book your Christmas event with us and you personally will receive a Christmas treat from us to you.

To book or for further information contact:

020 7001 9816

specialevents.docklands@museumoflondon.org.uk

feeds the mind

www.searcys.co.uk

events

xx

16 October - 20 December ART & EXHIBITIONS SOPHIE CALLE The Whitechapel Gallery presents the first UK retrospective of leading French contemporary artist Sophie Calle. Sophie Calle’s work involves encounters with strangers that are both deeply personal and revealing of broader social issues.

Whitechapel Gallery 77-82, Whitechapel High Street 020 7522 7888 www.whitechapelgallery.org

22 October MUSIC BLUESMIX PERFORM LIVE AT THE GORE HOTEL London-based band, BluesMix, will perform exclusively in Bar 190 at The Gore Hotel, in what promises to be an amazing show of rhythmic groove.

Bar 190, The Gore Hotel 190 Queen’s Gate Kensington, SW7 5EX 020 7584 6601 www.gorehotel.com

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property

ASK THE EXPERTS… …At the UK’s largest property exhibition opens in London in October

T

he Property Investor Show & OPP Live at ExCeL London (22-24 October) will be the major new event of the 2009 property exhibition season. Here, for the first time, the UK’s premier ‘investor’ and ‘trade’ shows come together to create the most comprehensive property investment exhibition ever presented in this country.

The Property Investor Show, staged annually in the UK for almost a decade, is firmly established as the benchmark property investment event and will be the ‘must attend’ event for 2009, for anyone serious about making money from UK and International property investment.

It is the destination for sourcing investment property to buy and it is designed to cater to all levels of property investor from the novice to the seasoned investor.

Access to accurate information is critical to successful investing and, with over 150 exhibitors and over 120 seminars, debates and workshops on offer, investors will have the opportunity to identify the expertise and advice needed to make the right decisions.

Approximately 50 per cent of this year’s show will be dedicated to property outside the UK. The exhibition provides the opportunity to compare established overseas markets such as Spain, France and the USA with newer locations like Cyprus, Slovenia, Morocco, Turkey and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, there will be the opportunity to look further afield, to long-haul destinations such as Australia, Brazil, Thailand, the Caribbean and Borneo. Additionally, international agents and developers alongside specialists who can advise on the process of

buying, selling and even moving overseas will all be on-hand.

The expert-led seminar program is also established as a major feature of the show. The speakers and workshop leaders are carefully vetted ensuring potential investors gain real insight and understanding from each session visitors attend.

The Ask the Experts panel debate (Thursday 22nd at 1.30pm) will offer the opportunity for visitors to meet and question four of the UK’s leading property journalists including Peter Conradi, property editor of the Sunday Times Home Supplement and Andrea Watson, property editor of the Sunday Express.As many sessions will be fully booked before the exhibition opens, visitors are strongly recommended to book seminar tickets online before arriving to avoid disappointment.

The Property Investor Show and OPP Live is the only major property exhibition taking place in London this autumn. The show is the leading event for high-end, first-time investors and savvy second-home buyers. n The Property Investor Show and OPP Live will take place at ExCel, London from 22-24 October 2009 Visitors can register online for FREE show entry at www.propertyinvestor.co.uk/london Early registration ensures visitors receive all pre-show news and offers – also saving time on the day of the show.

119

savills.co.uk

Pan Peninsula, E14

£370,000

New Providence Wharf, E14

World-class architecture 8th floor 1 Canary Wharf bedroom apartment, waterside location, canarywharf@savills.com signature restaurants, with panoramic 020 7531 2500 views over London. Offering a balcony, car parking, 24 hour concierge and gym.

A 2 double bedroom apartment with generous terrace overlooking superb water gardens, boasting a reception room, fully fitted kitchen, large terrace, lift and protected parking

Pan Peninsula, E14

Keepier Wharf, E14

2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment on the 29th floor of this waterside location, car parking, private cinema, spa, 50th floor cocktail bar with panoramic views over London.

£665,000 Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

New Providence Wharf, E14

£2,800,000

An Impressive and Immaculately Presented Canary Wharf Penthouse Apartment. Located in the canarywharf@savills.com popular New Providence Wharf development 020 7531 2500 this spacious penthouse occupies the premier position on the 18th floor.

Refurbished to a very high standard, this exceptional 2 double bedroom contemporary styled riverside apartment measuring very near to 2250 sq ft offers both spacious and practical living space.

West India Quay, E14

£475,000

Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

£1,250,000 Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

£3,400,000

A contemporary styled 3 bedroom duplex Canary Wharf penthouse apartment located in a prestigious canarywharf@savills.com landmark development. 24 hour porterage and 020 7531 2500 protected allocated parking.

savills.co.uk

Halcyon Wharf, E1W A 1 bedroom river view apartment with an open plan kitchen looking onto the reception room and floor to ceiling glass windows this apartment makes the most of the river views.

Millers Wharf, E1W

£575,000 Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7456 6800

£1,150,000

Osprey Court, E1W A 1 bedroom apartment in this much sought after St Katharine Dock development, offering a reception room, balcony, protected parking and porter.

£625,000 Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7456 6800

Pierhead Wharf, E1W

£695,000

A spacious 2 bedroom apartment overlooking Docklands the Thames and Tower Bridge Entrance hall, docklands@savills.com reception room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms (master 020 7456 6800 bedroom with en-suite shower room), bathroom, balcony, protected parking and porterage.

A bright, spacious south facing penthouse Docklands apartment with a balcony in this popular docklands@savills.com central Wapping development, comprising 020 7456 6800 2 en-suite bedrooms, guest cloakroom, porter and protected parking.

Bermondsey Square, SE1

London Wharf, E14

£1,250,000

An impressively refurbished terraced house Docklands set in this beautiful square. This town house docklands@savills.com is ideally located for access into the City, 020 7456 6800 Canary Wharf and the West End, and offers 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a garden and parking.

A beautifully presented warehouse conversion that has been refurbished to a high standard, boasting 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a kitchen and laundry area, studio, protected parking and a balcony.

£2,500,000 Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7456 6800

property properly.

Moving home can be one of the most stressful things you can do. But do it properly, with the right team, and everything falls into place. With over 450,000 visits to the website last month and 75 offices in the UK alone, Savills can market your property to a wider audience.

The result? More sellers, and more buyers. Do it properly. Talk to Savills.

sold

Berkeley Tower, E14 Guide £1.45 million

sold

Chinnocks Wharf, E14 Guide £525,000

sold

West India Quay, E14 Guide £1.05 million

sold

Pan Peninsula East, E14 Guide £325,000

sold

Naxos Building, E14 Guide £895,000

sold

Port East, E14 Guide £460,000

We have the poWer to move you.

Savills Canary Wharf 4 Westferry Circus Canary Wharf London E14 4HD 020 7531 2500 canarywharf@savills.com

savills.co.uk

Savills Docklands Execution Dock 80 Wapping High Street London E1W 2NE 020 7456 6800 wapping@savills.com

savills.co.uk

Dundee Court, E1W

£500 per week

Pierhead Wharf, E1W

£325 per week

2 bedroom 2 bathroom 2nd floor apartment Docklands in this central Wapping warehouse conversion docklands@savills.com generously proportioned with private parking, 020 7456 6800 lift and porterage. Furnished.

1 bedroom 1 bathroom 1st floor spacious Docklands apartment situated at the rear of this docklands@savills.com warehouse conversion featuring a balcony 020 7456 6800 off the reception room, private parking and porterage. Furnished.

Tower Bridge Wharf, E1W

Ontario Tower, E14

£450 per week

1 bedroom 1 bathroom 2nd floor apartment boasting excellent Thames views including Tower Bridge and further enjoying a balcony over the river, private parking and 24hr security. Furnished.

Docklands

docklands@savills.com

Studio apartment boasting unobstructed views of Canary Wharf and the City, located on the 11th floor of the sought after development. Furnished.

Canary Riverside, E14

£345 - £2,900 per week

New Providence Wharf, E14

020 7456 6800

Selection of apartments located in this Canary Wharf prestigious development in the heart of Canary canarywharf@savills.com Wharf with balcony, private parking, 24hr 020 7531 2500 security, day porter, communal gardens, access to leisure facilities (subject to subscription) and river front. Furnished.

£260 per week Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

£445 per week

14th floor 2 bedroom 2 bathroom spacious Canary Wharf apartment with views of the river and canarywharf@savills.com Canary Wharf, balcony, 24 hour porterage, 020 7531 2500 private parking, use of gym facilities.

Convenient for Blackwall DLR. Furnished.

Lettings LETTINGS

Landmark, E14

from £350 pw

Anchorage Point, E14

£450 pw

A superb two bedroom apartment in the Anchorage Point featuring A selection of one and two bedroom off-plan apartments within this eagerly Humber Road, SE3 £369,995 St Johns Park, SE3 £335,000 St Josephs Vale £310,000 hard wood floors throughout, balcony and river views. Heron Quays awaited stunning new development promising luxury and convenience in a Two bedroom, two bathroom purpose built flat situated in the ever Situated in the heart of the Westcombe Park area we strongly urge an First floor one bedroom converted apartment offering stylish walk to CanarypopularSt Wharf.Joseph’s Available Furnished. prime position just minutes from for Canary Wharf. include gym, Vale development so this flat is sure to prove immediate appointment to view ideally located Westcombe Park Facilities contemporaryliving with 24hr all the charm ofDLR, the era.short Accommodation popular with the city professionals. and Maze Hill BR. comprises lounge to front, immaculate kitchen and luxury bathroom. concierge and video entry. Available from November 09.

Bartholomew Court, E14

£550 pw

Chandlers Mews, E14

£750 pw

Spectacular three bedroom, three £309,995 bathroom apartment featuringSE3 a Stunning refurbished a dualSE13 aspect mezzanine £285,000 lounge, Eltham Road, SE12 Lee Terrace, £460,000mews house Dacreoffering Gardens, huge wrap around balcony boasting views over the river Thames three double bedrooms, one en-suite plus family bathroom.

Two balconies, Hall floor two bedroom conversion represents one not to be missed. In Three bedroom garden flat offered with sole use of an 80’ private Purpose build maisonette with accommodation set over three levels addition there the is a pretty 30’ private garden and off street parking. garden. A short walk from the village, the propertyflooring, also benefits from afloor heating, andgivessurround a great feel ofsound, light and leisure space. A facilities location which popular towards Dome andrear Canary Wharf. marble under andis secure The property is conveniently located for local shops and BR stations.

20’9 reception room, modern fitted kitchen, off street parking. with first time buyers. parking. Moments from Canary Wharf early viewing highly recommended.

Belgrave Court, E14

£950 pw

Berkeley Tower, E14

£2,900 pw

Superb two SE13 bedroom two bathroom apartment in prestigious Canary A fantastic£449,995 four bedroom, Church four bathroom penthouse Shell Road £395,000 Braxfield Road SE4 View House SE4 apartment £329,900 Riverside with spectacular river from floor to Aceiling available to let.

All rooms boast anopportunity excellent view. this Reception room A attractive bay fronted Victorian home. Lounge withviews doors dividing, charmingwindows a very well presented three bedroom period terrace A wonderful to purchase unique four bedroom quality fitted kitchen/diner which leads onto rear in a very popular roadfeaturing and is offered with no detached family house, locatedthe on a River quiet street close to all the local looking West & towards thea secluded City oflawned London over thehouse, riversituated Thames. floor toonceiling windows overlooking Thames garden, three good size bedrooms. going chain. amenities and benefits from no on-going chain Canary Wharf DLR. towards London. Available Now.

Canary Wharf Office - 020 7715 9700 docklands.lettings@kingsturge.com Canary Wharf Office - 020 www.kingsturge.co.uk 7715 9700 With London offices in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath and Greenwich docklands.lettings@kingsturge.com www.kingsturge.co.uk

With London offices in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath, Brockley and Greenwich

Sales LETTINGS

Pan Peninsula, London E14

from £240,000 Leasehold

Ability Place, E14

from £250,000 Leasehold

A selection£335,000 of one and two bedroom apartments We currently have a selection of apartments within this Humber Road, SE3 £369,995 available St Johns Park, SE3 St Josephs Vale in this riverside development. £310,000 Twosauna bedroom, twohealth bathroomspa. purpose built flat situated in the ever Situated in the heart Westcombe ParkBallymore area we strongly urge an First oneheart bedroom converted apartment offeringinclude stylish Amenities a gym, pool, and Hotel-style concierge luxurious, highof the specifi cation development atfloor the popularSt Joseph’s Vale development so this flat is sure to prove immediate appointment to view ideally located for Westcombe Park contemporaryliving with all the charm of the era. Accommodation service offers a ground fl oor meeting room and business support facilities.

24hr of Canary Wharf.

Access to gym, pool, spa, restaurant, cinema, popular with the city professionals. and Maze Hill BR. comprises lounge to front, immaculate kitchen and luxury bathroom. security, underground parking close to South Quay DLR. cappuccino bar and cocktail lounge!

New Providence Wharf, E14

£300,000 Leasehold

Jefferson Building, E14

£339,950 Leasehold

Eltham Road, SE12 £309,995 Lee Terrace, SE3 £460,000 Dacre Gardens, SE13 £285,000 A stunning one bedroom riverside apartment set just a 5/10 min walk to Fantastic two bed apartment in the ever popular Millennium Harbour.

Hall floor two bedroom conversion represents one not to be missed. In Three bedroom garden flat offered with sole use of an 80’ private Purpose build maisonette with accommodation set over three levels Canary Wharf’s restaurants shops. boasts Great location within walk to feel Canary Wharf. addition there is a pretty bars, 30’ private rear garden andand off street parking. This development garden. A short walk from the village, the property also benefits from a minutes andgives a great of light and space. AThis locationproperty which is popular property conveniently located for local shops and pool.

BR stations.

20’9 reception room,wood modern fitted kitchen, off street parking. with first time buyers. 24 hr concierge and leisure aThestate ofis the art gym and waterside The apartment boasts benefi ts from river views, secure parking, floors, luxury bathroom, contemporary style kitchen and a balcony. facilities. We strongly recommend viewing.

Belgrave Court, E14 Leasehold Port East Apartments, E14 £975,000 Leasehold Shell Road SE13 £395,000 £650,000 Braxfield Road SE4 £449,995 Church View House SE4 £329,900 A attractive bay fronted Victorian home.5th Lounge withapartment doors dividing,in Canary Riverside A charming aisvery well presented three period terrace wonderfulpenthouse opportunity to purchase this unique bedroom This luxury two bedroom floor presented A bedroom fantastic three bedroom Aduplex apartment in four a Victorian quality fitted kitchen/diner which leads onto a secluded lawned rear house, situated in a very popular road and is offered with no ondetached family house, located on a quiet street close to all the local in excellent condition and offers views of the River Thames. warehouse conversion. Dock facing and offering many original features garden, three good size bedrooms. going The chain.development amenities and benefits from no on-going chain offers security, concierge, proximity to a Virgin Active Health Spa and the best - the Port East development is set near the heart of Canary Wharf, near restaurants in Canary Wharf. Includes one secure parking space. transport and bars/restaurants. Boasts concierge & one parking space.

Office - 020 7715 9700 Canary Wharf Office www.kingsturge.co.uk docklands.sales@kingsturge.com www.kingsturge.co.uk London offiinces in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath and Greenwich With With London offices Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath, Brockley and Greenwich

London's Finest Properties

Hopton Road, Royal Arsenal SE18

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We urgently require 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments for awaiting, company and professional tenants.

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Ontario Tower, Canary Wharf E14

• Riverside Studio Suite • 4th floor • Outstanding design • Exceptional specification • 24hr concierge, room service and leisure facilities • Moments from Blackwall DLR

£260,000

Wotten Court, Virginia Quay E14

• Two Bedroom/Two Bathroom 9th Floor Apartment • Fully Furnished • River Views • Secure Underground Parking • Nr. East India DLR

£375 PW

41 Millharbour, Canary Wharf, E14

• One Bedroom/Two Bathroom (one en-suite) Apartment • 2nd floor • Spacious layout • Excellent order throughout • Balcony with views over tranquil gardens • 24hr concierge

£265,000

Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping High Street, E1

• Two bedroom/Three bathroom (two en-suite) 4th floor apartment • Stunning river and City views • Very spacious and in excellent order • Allocated parking • 24 hr Concierge • Moments from tube and the City

£619,950

Marina Heights, Limehouse Basin, E14

• 3 bed/3 bath (one en-suite) • 6th/7th floor duplex apartment • Unparalleled marina/ Canary Wharf views • Two entrances • Large wrap around terrace and balcony • Enviable location

£699,950

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

Buying a property?

You need a Buyer’s Agent not an estate agent Recent SucceSS StoRy The specialist team at Paper Rocket recently found & negotiated the purchase of a 2 bed apartment in Docklands for a busy city couple Alex and Kerry

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KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

The Forge, Westferry Road, E14 A brand new two bedroom duplex apartment on the Isle of Dogs. Island Gardens DLR is 7-8 minutes walk away, and Canary Wharf Jubilee Line is only three/four stops away.

Accommodation comprises of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and large open plan reception with fully fitted kitchen with wooden floors throughout. This property is available fully furnished and parking can be obtained at an extra cost. £300 per week Knight Frank Canary Wharf Lettings 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

The Grainstore, Western Gateway, E16 A Luxury modern fully furnished apartment.

Accommodation comprises of fully fitted modern kitchen leading into the spacious reception area. Light and airy bedroom, bathroom with power shower. This brand new apartment offers clean living in the sought after location of the Royal Docks. Situated within close proximity of the Excel centre, DLR and Jubilee Line, this property has excellent transport links. There is also a 24 Hour Porter. £200 per week Knight Frank Canary Wharf Lettings 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Seacon Tower, Hutchings Street, E14 A stunning two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with two balconies offering breathtaking views of Canary Wharf and the City. The property is furnished to a very high standard and also benefits from a fully fitted kitchen. Ideally located for the City with easy access to the Riverline, DLR and Jubilee Line. The development also benefits from a state of the gym and 24 hour porterage. £450 per week Knight Frank Canary Wharf Lettings 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

No. 1 West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, E14 A one double bedroom apartment featuring a brand new open plan kitchen and floor to ceiling windows with South facing views over Canary Wharf and the Dock. Ideally located within easy reach of West India Quay DLR and Canary Wharf Jubilee Line station. Local entertainment includes a number of local bars, restaurants, cinema complex and local health clubs. The apartment is furnished to a high standard and available now. Viewings are highly recommended. £425 per week Knight Frank Canary Wharf Lettings 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

KnightFrank.co.uk/Sales

Belgrave Court, Westferry Circus, E14 Wonderful four bedroom penthouse situated on the top two floors of a well maintained portered development.

The duplex apartment benefits from panoramic views from all principal rooms as well as the private wrap around balcony. Leasehold. £2,950,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Discovery Dock Apartments East, E14 Situated on the third floor of a modern portered development, a stunning three bedroom, three bathroom apartment which has been finished to an extremely high specification and benefits from fantastic views of both Canary Wharf and West India Dock.

Leasehold. £975,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Basin Approach, Limehouse, E14 On the canal just along from the Limehouse Basin with stunning Canary Wharf views, a spacious townhouse of approx 228sqm. Impressive top floor reception room with balcony and four bedrooms. Leasehold. £1,100,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

New Providence Wharf, Fairmont Avenue, E14 A light and well proportioned two bedroom, two bathroom apartment located on the ninth floor of this desirable portered riverside development with off street parking and wonderful views overlooking the Thames and the O2 arena. Leasehold. £475,000 Knight Frank Canary Wharf Sales 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Docklands office 57 Amsterdam Road, London E14 3UU e docklands@hollandproperties.co.uk t 020 7538 5554

Surrey Quays office 192 Lower Road, Surrey Quays, London SE16 2UN e surreyquays@hollandproperties.co.uk t 020 7231 8160

Port East Apartments E14 Large 1 bed apt. Warehouse conversion. Original features.

Furnished. Dock views. Porter. Secure parking. Ideal for Canary Wharf & amenities. £390 per week 020 7538 5554

Ferry Street, E14 Spacious four double bed house. Kitchen/diner, reception, garden, balcony and parking space. Leisure facilities & close to DLR and amenities. £520 per week 020 7538 5554

Pierhead Lock, E14 Large three double bedroom split level apartment. Large storage room. Furnished. Secure parking. Porter. Walking distance to Canary Wharf. £400 per week 020 7538 5554

Naxos Building, E14 Large one bedroom furnished to a high standard. Ground floor.

Patio area. Concierge. Secure parking. Gym facilities. Short walk to Canary Wharf. £280 per week 020 7538 5554

Marina Point, E14 Spacious two bed two bath apartment. Furnished. Wood flooring.

Secure parking. Located next to Crossharbour DLR and amenities.

Galleons View, E14 Two double bedroom two bathroom apartment. Unfurnished. Wood flooring. Balcony. River views. Secure parking.

£290 per week 020 7538 5554

£295 per week 020 7538 5554

Perry Court, E14 Large two bed two bath apartment. Wood flooring. Balcony.

River views. Furnished. Secure parking. Next to river boat service. £310 per week 020 7538 5554

Cumberland Mills, E14 Two bed two bath ground floor apartment. Secure gate development. 24hr porter. Parking. Large terrace. Partial river views. Close to amenities. £295 per week 020 7538 5554

Capital East, E16 Superb and spacious three bedroom apartment. High specification. Furnished. Balcony. Dock views. Porter. Parking. Next to ExCel & DLR. £470 per week 020 7538 5554

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS

www.hollandproperties.co.uk

CANARY WHARF CITYLIFE OCTOBER 2009 ART • INTERIORS • FASHION • MOTORING • BEAUTY • SHOPPING • BUSINESS • GADGETS • FOOD & DRINK • UK & INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY

I S S U E 51

CANARY WHARF CITYLIFE

OCTOBER 2009 • ISSUE 51

POKER FACE

Do women play a better game?

METHOD IN THEIR MADNESS

Entrepreneurs go green

THE LEATHER LOOK

On trend fashion shoot

PERUVIAN ADVENTURE

From Lima to Macchu Piccu

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UK & International