The City Magazine June 09

THE CITY MAGAZINE june 2009 ART • INTERIORS • FASHION • MOTORING • BEAUTY • SHOPPING • BUSINESS • TECHNOLOGY • FOOD & DRINK • UK & INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY

I S S U E 20

june 2009 issue 20

ECological Recession green debt peaks

Grand Millennium Hotels WiN VIP TICKETS

OMANI OPULENCE

Our guide to holidays in Muscat

ALL THAT SPARKLES

Coutts London Jewellery Week

HOT PROPERTY

UK & international

In partnership with

Exige S The Lotus Exige S from £34,333 MRSP* Lightweight model with a heavyweight punch…

Weighing in at just 935 kg you could assume that the Lotus Exige S may lack in punch. You would be assuming wrong.

The core principal of a True Lotus is performance through lightweight. If our Engineers don’t feel it is essential for an item to be in the car, it doesn’t go in.

The materials we use are designed and modified for optimum performance and durability.

The Lotus Exige S is the purest of the breed. Design follows function over form, tactile yet beautiful.

Intensely involving, responsive and exhilarating. It is extreme performance at its most addictive.

Performance 0-60 mph 4.5 seconds Max Speed 146 mph (235 km/h) Max Power 220 hp at 8000 rpm (164 kW) (223 PS) Max Torque 158.6 lbft at 5500 rpm (215 Nm)

Lotus Cars Limited Potash Lane Hethel Norwich Norfolk NR14 8EZ Tel: +44 (0)1953 608000 www.grouplotus.com

Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km): Urban 23.7 (11.9), Extra Urban 43.5 (6.5), Combined 33.2 (8.5). CO2 emissions: 199 g/km. * Terms and Conditions apply

RWM advert.indd 2

Model shown is Lotus Exige S in chrome orange lifestyle paint with extra cost forged wheels

April 09 Final ad OL.indd 1

28/04/2009 14:31:52 21/5/09 17:09:12

Model shown is Lotus Exige S in chrome orange lifestyle paint with extra cost forged wheels

21/5/09 17:09:12

BOSS Store london 18-31 Eldon Street +44 (0) 844 847 9202 BOSS Store london 85 Queen Street +44 (0) 844 847 9294

Boss the city 300509.indd 1

29/05/2009 12:34

contents 36

34 COVER STORIES

88

50

F E AT U R E S

14 MOTHER NATURE REFUSED CREDIT Global ecological debt peaks

19 RETURN OF THE GlASS CEIlING? Women and the recession

41 GlAMOUR & SpARKlE Coutts London Jewellery Week

36 OMANI OpUlENCE Kate Harrison discovers the best of the best in Muscat

23 VISIONARY CREATION Peter Millican talks about Kings Place

46 TURNING HEADS Claire Adler meets Louis Mariette

41 All THAT SpARKlES Coutts London Jewellery Week

24 A NATURAl SElECTION Looking back at the achievements of Darwin

75 GRAND MIllENNIUM HOTEl Win VIP tickets

34 BUSINESS TRAVEllER Cat Hughes travels to Antwerp 36 OMANI OpUlENCE Kate Harrison discovers the best of the best in Muscat

88 THE CUTTING EDGE Tom Saunders spends the day with The Blades 94 ARTSCENE British icons inspire pop art 98 SWEET NOSTAlGIA Sarah Collinson explores the British love of sweeties

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

Smart Contractors Choose Smarter Solutions

And we know you’re smart.

But when it comes to choosing smarter salary solutions maybe it’s time to consider an alternative.

That’s because Equip Management Solutions is an alternative umbrella company.

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

Would you like to retain up to 85% of your gross earnings, and more?

Contact Equip Management Solutions now.

Management Solutions

Call: + 44 (0)1483 230426 Email: enquiries@equip-ms.com www.equip-ms.com

Minimise Your Tax. Maximise Your Earnings.

contents 84

72

23

REGULARS 10

EDITOR’S LETTER

20

BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS

75

COmpETITIONS

76

GADGETS

78

mOTORING

94

CULTURE

97

FOOD & DRINK

107

mOTLEY FOOL

108

CITYLIFE RECOmmENDS

113

WHAT’S ON

117

pROpERTY

Editor issue 20 Finally summer is here, and June is going to be full of sunshine and sparkle as Coutts London Fashion Week kicks off. We look at the range of glittering events held throughout London for Jewellery Week (p. 41), Claire Adler meets luxury milliner Louis Mariette (p. 46), and Lucie Dodds presents some of the most stylish swimwear available this season (p. 50).

For those looking to get outdoors as the weather improves, check out our water sports feature (p.91), or for some time off work, we recommend travel in Fez (p. 29), the Seychelles (p. 30), Antwerp (p. 34) and Oman (p.36).

On p. 14, in current affairs, we look at the UK and worldwide ecological debt; how much equity is left in our planet? Sarah Collinson looks at the effects of the recession on the female population on p. 19 and Peter Millican tells us more about the multi-functional and environmentally friendly Kings Place development on p. 23.

Why not spend some time this summer re-vamping your home; don’t miss out interiors pages this month (p. 72) as we reveal how recycled and second-hand materials can create truly unique surroundings. Later on, Sarah Collinson looks at the British nostalgia for old fashioned sweeties (p. 98) and we check out the fabulous singing waiters of Bel Canto in the City (p. 103).

Enjoy!

THE CITY MAGAZINE

june 2009 issue 20

Lesley Ellwood ECologiCal RECEssion green debt peaks

gRand MillEnniuM HotEls Win Vip tiCkets

oMani oPulEnCE

Our guide tO hOlidays in MusCat

all tHat sPaRKlEs

COutts lOndOn JeWellery Week

Hot PRoPERtY

uk & internatiOnal

THE CITY MAGAZINE Private Marina Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Sultanate of Oman

famous for business

fabulous for fashion

SHOE AVAILABLE AT REISS

OVER 200 SHOPS, CAFéS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS, ONE ICONIC LOCATION

www.mycanarywharf.com

CITYLIFE MAGAZINES Editor: Lesley Ellwood Editorial Director: Kate Harrison Deputy Editor: Josephine O’Donoghue Arts Editor: Carol Cordrey Motoring Editor: Matthew Carter Beauty Editor: Kate Hughes Fashion Editor: Lucie Dodds Finance Executive: Kätlin Maasik Sales Director: Eren Ellwood P.A. to Sales Director: Ella Kilgarriff Graphic Designers: James Britton, Hiren Chandarana, Victoria Wren, Jenisa Patel PR & Marketing Manager: Rebecca Walton Managing Director: Giles Ellwood P.A. to Managing Director: Charlotte Evans

020 7987 4320 020 7005 0045 cw@runwildmedia.com www.runwildmedia.com

RUNWILD M

E

D

I

A

G

R

O

U

P

16 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf, London E14 4JB RunWild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and RunWild Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE: Claire Adler is a London based freelance journalist, specialising in jewellery, watches and luxury. Her work has appeared in the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Times, Spectator Business, Wallpaper*, Intelligent Life and House & Garden. She also writes for fashion news service WGSN, hotel magazine IN London and magazines published by Bentley, Harrods and Watches of Switzerland, amongst others.

Jamie Carter is a freelance journalist based in Cardiff. Specialising in gadgets and technology, Jamie has written for the likes of T3, Home Cinema Choice and The Guardian as well as a number of websites. He writes on flatscreen TVs for What Video and What Plasma magazines and away from technology is also a regular contributor to BBC History and Real Travel magazines.

Martin Bamford is one of the youngest and most successful financial planners in the UK. He runs his own firm of financial advisers – Informed Choice – and regularly contributes to various financial publications. His personal finance book The Money Tree, published in 2006, is a best seller.

Kate Hughes has an established reputation as one of the UK's leading celebrity hair and make-up artists. A regular guest beauty presenter on television, she has worked with a wide selection of actors, presenters, musicians and models.

Kate's hair and make-up consultancy, 'It's All About You', transforms women for weddings, special occasions and red carpet events.

Dr. David Kuo is one of the UK’s leading financial experts, and is head of Personal Finance at Fool.co.uk, the country’s top website for independent financial comparison. As well as providing daily comment and financial news for BBC London, he presents Money Talk – Fool’s weekly podcasts which cover all aspects of personal finance.

UR B A NI NT ER I O R.C O.UK

020 7739 4644

2 7- 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 I TCHEN S | IN TE RIORS

Urban_0001_CanWharA4June_F2.indd 1

14/5/09 16:26:51

MOTHER NATURE refused credit

feature

15

As governments around the world seek to rectify the economic crisis, a much bigger problem lurks all around us. Without the possibility of a bailout for nature, the world is slipping further into ecological debt, placing an intolerable strain on the environment. Investigating the effects of our unsustainable demands on the planet Josephine O’Donoghue asks: who ate all our ecosystems?

THE CONCEPT ECOLOGICAL DEBT: the consumption of natural resources that exceeds the ecosystem’s regenerative capacity, or where resources are non-renewable.

The concept is based on comparing the biological and physical capacity of an eco-system with the size of the ecological footprint of society on that eco-system in order to determine the rate at which it is depleting natural resources. At the highest level this is calculated for the whole world as an eco-system and a credit or deficit position can be established.

EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY: the concept of ecological debt is the basis for Ecological Debt Day (aka Earth Overshoot Day). This is the specific date in each year on which the sum of global renewable resources has been consumed for that year. The date is calculated using the size of the global ecological footprint of society for that year (the total area required to sustainably support society’s consumption), divided by the global biological and physical capacity of the globe for that year (the amount of area actually available to feed that consumption), and multiplied by the 365 days in a year.

HOW MUCH EQUITY DO WE HAVE IN OUR ECO-SYSTEM? Leaving aside the more obvious threat to humanity from global warming as a result of atmospheric pollutants and carbon emissions - if human life is to be preserved on this planet, then society must at some point begin to live a sustainable lifestyle.

That is, to live within the means of the global eco-system so as to ensure the continuation of life in the long-term.

This seems obvious, and certainly it is a relatively straightforward logic.Yet, by developing highly-demanding industries and unsustainable economies too quickly, the world has been consuming more natural resources than can be renewed. For the last twenty years, the planet has been living off an ecological ‘credit card’.

Having become dependent on the shortterm benefits of an unsustainable lifestyle, the already developed nations of the West have continued to expand their economies to such a degree that it is now almost impossible to voluntarily introduce ‘green’ measures to restrict the over consumption of resources.

For example, the worldwide consumption of electricity is forecast to jump from 10 543-billion kilowatts in 1990 to over 30 116-billion kiilwatt hours in 2030 – most still from non renewable sources.

In an attempt to demonstrate the seriousness of the situation, the world’s first Ecological Debt Day occurred in 1987 and, showing no signs of slowing down, has been moving earlier into the year with alarming regularity. The date fell on 9 October in 2006 and 23 September in 2008.

According to the 2005 Footprint of Nations UN report, the global human population is now so big that “the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available”.

In addition to the unsustainable structure of the global economy, our over-reliance on natural fossil-fuels and the continued abuse of natural resources (such as deforestation and overfishing) seems to suggest we are already past the point of returning to a balanced use of resources year on year.

Andrew Simms, Policy Director and Head of the Climate Change Programme at the New Economics Foundation (NEF) explains that “by living so far beyond our environmental means and running up ecological debts, we make two mistakes. First, we deny millions globally who already lack access to sufficient land, food and clean water the chance to meet their needs and secondly, we put the planet’s life support mechanisms in peril.”

But, whilst the world seems undeniably bound for environmental bankruptcy with particularly unfair charges applied to newly developing

nations – what part has the UK played in the emergence of the ecological crisis?

If you thought the global Ecological Debt Day was worrying, then the UK’s record is even more of a concern.You may not realise, but two months ago the UK used up its annual ecological allowance – that is to say, our ‘pot’ of natural resources for 2009 was used by 12 April.

Obviously, the UK is still functioning as normal each day; we’re all still driving our cars to work, powering our homes and industries with gas and electricity, and buying vast amounts of food at the supermarket – so what are we living off for the remainder of the year?

According to the ‘ecological debt’ theory we are living off resources which should be set aside for future generations. As one of the most long-standing developed nations, the UK has been dipping into future allowances of resources for a lot longer than the combined ‘world’ figures show – for over four decades now we have been using future generations resources. As a result, we are exhausting UK stocks of resources and now import the vast majority of our natural resources. According to government statistics, imports of natural resources rose for a fifth consecutive year to a record 296

THE UK IS CLAIMING TO SHOW INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP, BUT REPRESENTS A DEEPLY UNSUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR THE WORLD TO FOLLOW. million tonnes in 2007, up four million tonnes (1.4 per cent) on the previous year.

“We are consuming more and more, and as our eco-systems become more stressed the day on which we effectively go beyond our environmental means, is moving ever earlier in the year” reveals Simms. “In 1961 it was 9 July, but this year it fell on Easter Sunday, 12 April – a date now synonymous with over-indulgence in more ways than one.

At a time when the UK is claiming to show

international leadership, it represents a deeply unsustainable model for the world to follow.”

WHAT OTHER BAD HABITS COMPOUND OUR ECO-DEBTS?

According to the NEF, in the UK one of the chief causes is the nation’s rising dependence on imports (both food and energy). For the last few decades, in spite of increased agricultural productivity, national food self-sufficiency has been in longterm decline. The country is increasingly dependent on imports at “precisely the time when, for several reasons to do with climate change, competition for energy resources, economic instability and changing consumption patterns, the guarantee of the rest of the world’s ability to provide for us is weakening”.

Strangely, the UK has managed to get itself tangled in what the NEF calls a “bizarrely wasteful” web of international trade. Each year close to identical amounts of identical goods are imported and exported; for example, in 2004 exactly the same amounts of gingerbread and fresh chicken were exported – and then similar goods from different sources were imported. In 2007, the UK exported 1.8 million tonnes of essential oils, perfumes and toiletries, while importing 1.5 million of the same goods. Not only is this a huge waste of transportation costs and fuel, but it also

encourages a reliance on other nations when the UK already has the capacity to rely on homeland production.

Next to the unnecessary trade in manufactured goods or raw materials, fishing is another obvious cause for ecological debt in both the UK and the rest of the world.

Overfishing is an abuse of nature that has left numerous species once common (such as cod in the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, and blue-fin tuna in the Mediterranean) now seriously depleted in number and struggling to survive. It is clear overfishing can now only continue for a short time, while there is still a possibility of numbers increasing during a fishing ‘break’, the level at which we have been harvesting fish in recent years may have already crossed the line of sustainability. In some species, numbers have fallen by around 90 per cent in just 50 years; in these cases, eventually only small, juvenile fish remain, causing once rich stocks to become unviable.

Though not the main problem in the UK, deforestation is one of the main contributors to global ecological debt; the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation states that roughly 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed every year which is extremely damaging to the future of the planet. Almost 20 per cent of the Amazon Rainforest, known as the world’s ‘lung’, has been felled and deforestation can cause the elimination of up to 100 biological species a day.

It goes without saying that consumption of natural resources is particularly high in the West, and because the global economy is still overwhelmingly fossil-fuel dependent, the associated increase of greenhouse gases (and the consequent impact on global warming) provides another startling indicator of ecological debt. In contrast, developing nations such as Kenya use a tiny fraction of the world’s natural resources.

The documentation of ecological debt helps to illustrate the disparity between industrialized nations and developing nations, who despite making up larger sections of the global population, actually consume much less in terms of resources.

With the growth of industry in India and China – nations who have previously underused their ecological allowances – the global ecological debt is increasing at a faster pace.

This puts additional pressure on the UK and western nations to re-assess their use of natural resources – not only have they overused their allowances for decades, but there is no longer an ecological ‘overdraft’ leftover by developing nations.

ECONOMIC RECESSION VERSUS ECOLOGICAL DEBT CRISIS

Whilst governments around the world spring into action to approve and activate financial bailouts for the banking crisis, the

feature

far more serious problem of ecological debt and its attendant issues of climate change and energy scarcity is left to crumble further. Recent research by the NEF reveals how what were the urgent energy and climate change crises of a few years ago have been eclipsed by the official responses to the current banking crisis.

“In responding to the financial crisis, the Government assessed the scale and nature of response needed to prevent the collapse of the banking system, now they need to assess the scale and nature of the climate crisis and respond accordingly to prevent catastrophic global warming,” says Simms. “So far, they have

IN 2007, THE UK EXPORTED 1.8 MILLION TONNES OF ESSENTIAL OILS, PERFUMES AND TOILETRIES, WHILE IMPORTING 1.5 MILLION OF THE SAME GOODS shouted fire but failed to get the water hoses or fire crew needed to put the global fire out.”

The proportion of ‘green’ spending which improves sustainability varies enormously

across the globe; for example, research from HSBC shows ‘green’ spending in the USA at 12% of GDP, Germany at 13% and South Korea at a rather impressive 80%. The international average falls at around 15% but the UK plans to invest just 7% of its economic stimulus package (excluding the direct bank bailouts) in green measures that would improve our sustainability.

Rupert Read, speaking on behalf of the Green Party, says of the recent G20 summit, “Reading their final communiqué, one would have no idea that the world faces an unprecedented environmental crisis which threatens to extinguish civilisation within a century or so, if it is not checked. They seem content to try to jump from the frying pan of financial and economic meltdown into the fire of the climate meltdown that carelessly-renewed economic growth would bring about.”

THE EFFECTS OF ECOLOGICAL DEBT

It has already been established that ecological debt can be measured and that prior to the actual exhaustion of the earth’s resources, the impact of associated phenomenon like climate change and energy scarcity will become more and more evident. Countless examples throughout the history of the earth demonstrate that nature reacts to the abuse and plundering of the global eco-system.

Changes in UK weather seem to be reflected across the globe where the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has noted a particularly large increase; in natural disasters from extreme weather – in October 2007 they recorded over 410 disasters, “56 per cent of which were weather-related, consistent with the trend of rising numbers of climate change-related disasters”.

In 2006, the IFRC recorded 427 natural disasters, a rise of 70 per cent in the two years since 2004. According to the 2007 IFRC World Disasters Report, in the space of ten years the number of natural disasters increased by 40 per cent from the previous decade, while the number of deaths caused by disasters doubled to 1.2 million

17

people from 600,000.

Recent natural disasters attributed to climate change include Hurricane Katrina in the USA (2005, killed +2,500), Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh (2007, killed 10,000) and Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (2008, killed 146,000).

We can also look forward to temperature rises bringing the possibility of tropical disease to the UK, and across the world, rising sea-levels, oxygen depletion, extreme weather occurrences, glacier retreat and irreparable damage to eco-system balance. With all this in mind, how can our current consumerdriven economies and global environmental balance ever be reconciled?

WHAT NEXT?

The reality is that every day we are running up huge ecological debts in almost everything we do; from powering our homes to driving our cars, importing unnecessary foods to draining our dwindling fuel supplies. The impact of our ‘regular’ lifestyle is felt across the globe, but have we gone too far to change?

In the wake of the unexpected banking crisis, Simms asks “What else, that we currently take for granted, might be more vulnerable than we realise and prone to sudden collapse?”

Perhaps the current banking crisis is the violent wake-up call that the world needs to put greener measures into action.

Bankrupting the biosphere simply isn’t an option if human society is to continue living on Earth for any great length of time. “Uncontrolled growth of financial debt is currently laying waste to large parts of the global economy” says Simms, “An explosion of ecological debt looks set to do the same to a biosphere friendly to human civilisation. The difference is – nature doesn’t do bailouts”.

Be our guest! miss Don’t Don’t out

miss out

NEW IDEAS IDEAS FRESH FRESH KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE MEANINGFUL NEW MEANINGFUL MEETINGS MEETINGS

FREE FREETO TOREGISTER REGISTER FREE TO FREE TOATTEND ATTEND

Less Lessthan than 33weeks weekstotogo! go!

Business Travel Market is new. A fusion of conference and exhibition for anyone who Business Travel Market is new. A fusion of conference and exhibition for anyone who manages, buys, books or arranges corporate travel. manages, buys, books or arranges corporate travel.

Meet up to 500 of the top corporate travel buyers from across Europe, 3,000 travel Meet up to 500 of the top corporate travel buyers from across Europe, 3,000 travel arrangers, industry professionals, and up to 100 exhibitors for two days of new ideas, arrangers, industry professionals, and up to 100 exhibitors for two days of new ideas, fresh knowledge and meaningful meetings. fresh knowledge and meaningful meetings.

Attend visionary addresses by leading industry figures or select from 30 seminars, Attend visionary addresses leadingon industry figures or buy select from 30 seminars, way to business travel in, workshops and panel sessionsby focusing the best workshops panel sessions focusing on the best way to buy business travel in, and after a and recession. and after a recession.

Free travel Free travel to the show to the show

Your time is an investment; we intend to use it well.

Your time is an investment; we intend to use it well.

Register free at www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk Register free at www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk

PLATINUM SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

feature

19

RETURN OF THE GLASS CEILING? Sarah Collinson asks whether the economic recession means the professional gender gap in the UK is widening again

A

ll’s fair in love and war…but not, if we believe the hype, in a recession.

We are all suffering at the moment – businesses are folding, inflation rates are at rock bottom, and people are losing their jobs with alarming frequency. But if you look beyond the general statements of doom, there is one group we are told is bearing the brunt of the crunch more than others – women.

In January, Cabinet Ministers called for focused government spending on women, as it was expected that they would suffer far more than men in the coming months. This prediction

was supported by an excess of damning press reports and sensational statistics, leading to a general view that women are having a pretty bad time.

The Trade Union Congress proclaimed that female redundancy was rising alarmingly faster than that of men, and The Sunday Times reported that senior women ministers were appalled by the level of female unemployment.

A Pricewaterhouse-Cooper survey claimed the recession would stop women getting to the top, and The Guardian even published a comment by Community Secretary Hazel Blears which suggested that female suffering in a recession is

inevitable as, “women bear the brunt of economic hardship”.

We believed that every employed woman should dread a call into the boss’s office and avoid sick days even if in the throes of swine flu. The working fairer sex appeared to be doomed.

But if you dig beyond the hype you’ll discover the reality is not so bad for us working girls.

New research has suggested that the original female redundancy figures were misleading and that women’s total employment has actually risen since Christmas.

Forecasters are also predicting that the recession could help shatter the corporate glass

ceiling as employers shy away from the testosterone-fuelled business model that provoked the crisis (maybe believing things might have been different with a few more ‘Lehman Sisters’).

Many women are actively thriving in the new climate and have eagerly risen to the challenges of a failing economy. Female entrepreneurs particularly are dealing with the difficulties of a recession far better than their male counterparts. Women are generally more cautious about bank borrowing and will follow more conservative business models than men, meaning that they are not over-stretched and have foundations strong enough to weather the storm.

Other women are taking a different approach and have seen the credit crunch as the perfect opportunity to seek out a new career. Many have taken voluntary redundancy from the corporate world, turning instead to smaller companies or social enterprise in search of more fulfilling employment.

So while men fear the unexpected and the potential of life taking a different route, women are adapting to the new climate and are taking the recession in their stride. Of course there are some women whose careers will have suffered over the last months but they will no doubt be getting on with life, enjoying time with friends and family, and looking for the next opportunity. n

BUSINESS&FINANCE

news NOKIA OFFER APP STORE ALTERNATIVE Nokia opened its online software and content store at the end of last month, hoping to follow the success of Apple Inc’s App Store. Nokia, the world’s largest handset maker, said its Ovi Store was opened globally to some 50 million phone users, putting it in front of any other rival store. Apple has sold only around 20 million iPhones in comparison. Nokia said clients in eight countries can pay for purchases through their phone bills, and AT&T was planning to make the store available in the United States later in 2009.The store is open globally online, and applications can be bought with credit cards.

UK PROPERTY MARKET RECORDS SHOW FOUR MONTHS IMPROVEMENT The average asking price of a property in England and Wales increased by 2.4%, or £5,000, during the four weeks to 9 May, to stand at £227,441, according to property website Rightmove.The Rightmove group stated that sellers may be pricing their homes at higher levels due to concerns about the extent to which their equity has been eroded, making it difficult for them to trade up the property ladder.The rise in asking prices, which followed a 1.8% increase in April, led to a further reduction in the annual rate at which prices are falling, with this easing to 6.2%, down from 7.3% during the previous month.The Council of Mortgage Lenders last week reported a 29% jump in mortgage lending to people buying a new home during March and The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said inquiries from potential buyers rose at their fastest pace in almost a decade in April.

PAY POINT REPORTS INCREASED PROFITS Electronic payments firm PayPoint Plc a 19% increase in like-for-like pretax profit and said it was confident of opportunities for further growth in the coming year.The firm, whose services include bill payment terminals and ATM machines, stated that pre-tax profit for the year ending 29 March was £35 million ($56.1 million) on revenues 7% higher at £224 million.Trading since the end of the period has been in line with the company’s expectations, PayPoint said, with the bill and general payments business (accounting for 44% of revenue) remaining robust in the recession as consumer discretion in expenditure was limited.

business

21

BArclAycArd to pilot A VisA corporAte cArd for deloitte Enabling cost effective remote network access for Deloitte employees, Barclaycard is launching a Visa corporate card. As well as being a standard Visa Corporate card, this innovative new card enables Deloitte employees to remotely access their company IT system via a virtual private network (VPN).The card has a keypad and LCD screen embedded into it, to allow users to enter their PIN and generate a one-time use passcode.This passcode is then authenticated, in this case, by Deloitte’s VPN. In addition the card ensures that cardholders have the convenience of only having to carry their Corporate Barclaycard, without the need to carry a separate security token or device.The technology that the card uses was developed in conjunction with EMUE Technologies.

fAceBook receiVes $200 million inVestment

sAntAnder to re-BrAnd in 2010 Santander has announced that it plans to re-brand all its businesses (including Abbey, Bradford & Bingley, and Alliance & Leicester) in 2010 to adopt the Santander global brand and name.The move will deliver a significant advantage for customers as they will be able to use 1,000 branches from early 2010, rising to 1,300 by the end of 2010.The change also reflects Santander Group’s policy to operate under a single brand.

As a global brand, the flame logo and the Santander name is now seen in over 40 countries around the world.

One of the key drivers in implementing the brand change has been the switch to Santander’s global IT platform, Partenon.

At the end of May Facebook announced that Digital Sky Technologies (DST), one of the leading internet investment groups globally with significant stakes in Eastern European and Russian internet businesses, has made a $200 million investment in Facebook in exchange for preferred stock, representing a 1.96% equity stake at a $10 billion valuation. In addition, DST has indicated that it is planning to offer to purchase at least $100 million of Facebook common stock from existing common stockholders that would facilitate liquidity for current and former employees’ vested shares in the company.The details of the plan are expected to be announced to eligible participants during the summer. Consistent with Facebook’s practice with other recent investors, DST will not be represented on the Facebook board or hold special observer rights.

A jump in profits for Virgin AtlAntic Virgin Atlantic has reported a jump in profits in the year to the end of February, improving the recent airline records. Annual pre-tax profits reached £68.4 million ($109 million), nearly double the £34.8 million seen in the year earlier.The company said the results had been helped by a rise in premium fare passengers.The results contrast to British Airways which reported an annual loss before tax of £401m last week.The airline is 51%-owned by Sir Richard Branson and Singapore Airlines owns the remainder.

Meridian F80. Listen closely.

The Meridian F80, developed in collaboration with Ferrari, represents 30 years of audio research and manufacture condensed into a small and beautiful shell. It’s a complete system: a CD and DVD player with iPod connectivity and AM/FM/DAB digital radio.

You’ll be amazed that something so compact allows you to hear more of your music, recovering buried information from the recording and producing a sound full of detail and depth. But then it shares the same technologies as Meridian’s flagship components and loudspeakers: sound systems so advanced that if a microphone can detect it, the system can reproduce it.

Hearing really is believing.

www.meridian-audio.com

Produced under license of Ferrari SpA. FERRARI, the PRANCING HORSE device, all associated logos and distinctive designs are trademarks of Ferrari SpA. ‘iPod’ is a trademark of Apple Inc.

To arrange a demonstration of the F80 in the comfort, convenience and – most importantly – the actual acoustic environment of your own home, call 0800 242 5795 or email meridian@thomasfairchild.co.uk

www.thomasfairchild.co.uk • 0800 242 5795

interview

23

VISIONARY CREATION The man responsible for the Kings Place development, Peter Millican talks to us about his innovative ideas and multi-functional City construction

P

eter Millican bought a piece of land just north of King’s Cross ten years ago. Last year, his property company, Parabola Land, finally declared the development built on that land finished – and so, after nearly a decade, Kings Place finally joined the business, cultural and public landscape of the City.

Costing £96 million and taking four years of building work, Kings Place is the combined effort of a dedicated team of architects, planners, engineers and builders.

Architects Dixon-Jones were selected from a shortlist of three companies, and their experience in public buildings, attention to detail, high standards and innovative ideas made them the ideal choice. A beautiful piece of architecture, the Kings Place office/arts building comprises a towering atrium, curved glass frontage and canal-side piazza.

Inside, the office space lies alongside two concert halls, three

rehearsal rooms, a lecture hall, a sculpture court, an art gallery and a restaurant; quite a collection.

“During the planning stages we researched similar building developments in Japan, the USA and Europe” says Peter, “I wanted to create a building that united aspects of an office space, a public space and an arts space.

A development like this improves the local area and we had a lot of input from local residents, musicians and artists. The planning and building proposals were modified several times to take into account the local input.”

In the first six months, Kings Place solidified its arts reputation by selling over 50,000 tickets to events held in the basement concert hall. “We always planned a concert hall as part of King’s Place” reveals Peter, “but the design, shape and location changed along the way.” The fusion of work and leisure environments in new

developments is slowly taking off, but according to Peter these buildings have the potential to improve the City immeasurably.

These locations create a much improved working environment – people will enjoy going to work and continue to spend time in the City once the working day is over.

Before construction began in 2004,The Guardian Newspaper Group signed up to pre-let 50% of the office space, whilst the remainder of the tenants came in towards the end taking areas of up to 10% of the total office space.

“The last of the tenants moved into Kings Place by Christmas 2008, so we’ve been going for six months now,” says Peter. “The success of Kings Place is down to several factors; we have a great mix of business and art tenants, we’re right on the major transport links in London, which is an immediate advantage, we’ve been conscious of environmental concerns in

London, we’ve provided beautiful public spaces and it’s a really nice place to work”.

Kings Place is also a model of environmental virtue, and Peter is understandably proud of the ‘green’ features within the development.The building uses displacement ventilation which generates large amounts of fresh air whilst decreasing the amount of electricity needed.There is also a triple glass wall running along the west side of the building which provides insulation to warm in winter and cool in summer.

“Planning is always torture” explains Peter when I ask about hurdles along the way. “We went through numerous consultations, but thankfully we didn’t hit any major brick walls in the process. It’s always easier to build in an area that is currently redeveloping; it’s an opportunity to be part of a change for the future, and this is going to be an important part of the City”. n For more information on Kings Place, visit www.kingsplace.co.uk

A NATURAL SELECTION James Littlewood takes a look back at the scientific discoveries and achievements of Darwin in the 200 years since his birth

culture

W

hen describing the impact that Darwin’s work has had on the thinking of mankind, it is hard to resist the temptation of hyperbole, so I’m not going to try.

No list compiling the most influential human beings of all time would be complete without the mentioning of a certain Charles Robert Darwin. He was only one of five British non-royals to have been honoured with a state funeral in the nineteenth century and rests in Westminster Abbey, not far from Isaac Newton. Now in 2009, 200 years have passed since his birth and we’re still talking about him; the BBC has produced a series of TV and radio programmes to celebrate the contribution of one of the greatest Britons of all time.

Seminal is a word often bandied around when eulogising, however it seems unlikely there can be much disagreement that On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (to give Darwin’s most well-known book its full title), meets the criteria. In fact, it is conceivable that Darwin may have been responsible for the most (r) evolutionary non-religious or legal text the world has ever seen. The assertion that all forms of species had evolved over time from common ancestors was one that provoked outrage from various areas of nineteenth century society and most notably the Church whose creationist story was turned on its head by Darwin.

A name somewhat less familiar to the world outside the scientific community might well be that of Alfred Russel Wallace,

Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos in the HMS Beagle is up there with 1066 and Henry VIII a contemporary of Darwin who should be recognised as the co-discoverer of the theory of natural selection. Fifteen months prior to the publication of On the Origin of the Species in August 1958 Darwin and Wallace co-published a paper setting out their vision of the theory of natural selection. It is unclear why Wallace is rarely credited with the genesis of the theory especially when throughout the nineteenth century natural selection was officially referred to as the Darwin-Wallace theory

and some of the highest honours Britain offered were bestowed upon him. It could be that during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the theory of natural selection began to become unpopular among biologists who favoured such long debunked ideas as neo-Lamarckism, orthogenesis or mutation theory.

It took until the modern evolutionary synthesis of the 1930s and 1940s for the theory of natural selection to be re-accepted as the principle mechanism of evolutionary change, by which time a new generation of biologists had come along and in the days before recorded sound and pictures, received knowledge was more likely to go awry; it must have been merely presumed that the idea was first captured in On the Origin of the Species and Wallace was somewhat overlooked by posterity.

Having an enticing back story has probably done no harm to the acceptance of Darwin as the father of the theory of natural selection. Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos in the HMS Beagle is up there with 1066 and Henry VIII in terms of belonging to that select group of historical events about which people can genuinely tell you a thing or two. The time spent on HMS Beagle was undoubtedly crucial to the formulation of Darwin’s theories although he returned from its 5 year voyage some twenty years before On the Origin of the Species was published. He was in fact on board the voyage as much as a companion to the captain Robert Fitzroy than as a naturalist. Darwin published the journal that he had kept during the voyage on his return which became known as The Voyage of the Beagle and brought Darwin great renown as a writer.

It is fitting that as 200 years of Darwin are being celebrated a plethora of titles on the man and his theories has been prompted as Darwin himself was in fact such a prolific author. Everything from earthworms to coral reefs, barnacles to emotion has been covered in the Darwin canon; he may be thought of as something of a Victorian David Attenborough in that respect. Among the more interesting titles produced this year are an attempt at finding links between his life and that of Abraham Lincoln who shares his birth date of 12 February 1809, an edition of his letters from his time on HMS Beagle and also a title on how Darwin’s theory of evolution was shaped by his hatred of slavery (Darwin’s Sacred Cause by Adrian Desmond and James Moore).

25

There are events running throughout 2009 to celebrate the bicentenary of Darwin as well as the BBC’s specially produced content, the highlight of which may be considered to be Darwin 2009 Festival taking place in Cambridge from 5-10 July featuring talks, debates, exhibitions and performances.

That 200 years on, fresh material may still be found on which to develop new ideas and launch research is fitting tribute enough to this giant contributor to human thought. Whether exclusively his idea or not, Darwin’s contribution to the theory of natural selection may be considered significant enough to secure his place as one of Britain’s greatest sons. n For more information on the Darwin 2009 Festival, visit www.darwin200.org

xx

xxxxxxxxxx

HOME SWEET HOME

Tom Hubbard-Green looks at the growing numbers of ‘twentysomethings’ living at home with Mum and Dad

L

ast month the Office for National Statistics released a report which declared that nearly one in three men aged between 20 and 34 are living with their parents. While the figure is lower for women of the same age group (with 18 per cent of them living at home) these two groups combined add up to nearly three million young people that are still living at home with Mum and Dad. The twenty-something that lives with their parents has been a figure of ridicule for decades, but with the economic situation in the UK still looking bleak for graduates it seems that an increasing number of people will be forced to stay at home with their parents. In reality, the comic stereotype hardly seems apt for these people when we consider that many of this group have no real desire to stay at home, but are bound by the impossibility of gaining a foothold on the property ladder.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE HIGHER AMONG 16 24 YEAR OLDS THAN ANY OTHER OLDER AGE GROUPS; THESE STATISTICS HAVE RAISED CONCERN ABOUT A ‘LOST GENERATION’ OF YOUNG PEOPLE The Social Trends report states that nearly 40 per cent of young people cite the high cost of moving out as a major barrier to leaving their parental home and 44 per cent blame the lack of affordable housing for their predicament. These worries are confirmed by a 2007 Eurobarometer survey which

found that young adults living in the rest of Europe also felt that they could not afford to move out from under their parents’ wings.

Although the increased cost of living and property scarcity are undoubtedly a problem there is another large contributing factor to this growing number of stay-at-home twenty-somethings; the increased number of people in further education. There are four times as many people in higher education today as there were in 1970 – 2.5 million compared to just 621,000 forty years ago and when we consider these figures it is perhaps not as surprising to read that more than half of men aged between 20 and 24 live with their parents – an arrangement that is a practical necessity for the financially hard-up undergraduate.

However, the survey also found that although more people were entering further education and going to university, unemployment rates were higher among 16 – 24 year olds than any other older age groups. These statistics have raised concern about a ‘lost generation’ of young people comprised, for the first time, not only of those without jobs but also those in employment who are unable to find a way to move on to the property ladder.

With the job market no longer offering so-called ‘jobs for life’ and the economy making the threat of redundancy a real possibility for thousands of workers, there is an understandable degree of trepidation to enter into binding contracts that are hard to justify for those who feel that their job is no longer secure. This, it seems, is the core of the issue and until faith is restored in the UK economy we can expect the ranks of the stay-at-home twenty-somethings to grow ever larger and decidedly less comical. 

Villa Freya, Sete, France

Welcome to Amazon Creek. We specialise in bespoke, luxury holidays with an emphasis on first class personal service and tailor made activities. Our exceptional standards, caring staff and attention to detail will provide you with a truly memorable holiday this summer.

Our stunning beachfront villas offer a complimentary water sports programme, providing waterskiing, kayaking and sailing. Each villa is equipped with a private pool, cinema room, gym/games room and sauna.

Freshen up in the Alps by booking a week in Chamonix this summer. Chamonix bookings will be offered at half price for a limited period when booked in conjunction with our villa package.

Please telephone +44 (0) 1344 894576 to discuss your holiday or email: johanna@amazoncreek.co.uk

www.amazoncreek.co.uk

THE_CITY_210x297mm_MAY_2009.indd 1

27/5/09 17:30:18

experience india and nepal…

Book an India or Nepal adventure in June and take a friend for

30% off!

Plus go online for your chance to win a trip for 2.

For more info, bookings and brochures... www.intrepidtravel.com/citymag call 0207 354 6169 visit 76 Upper St, London, N1 0NU

Lotus Silverstone

launch event 6/7 June 2009

Get ready to GO...

Discover the newest Lotus Franchise at the Home of British Motor Racing NEW AND USED SALES // PERFORMANCE TUNING // SERVICING AND ONE HELL OF A TEST DRIVE! To celebrate the coming together of two of the greatest names in British Motorsport, Lotus Silverstone is offering: Exclusive behind the scenes tour* Lotus Exige S test drive on the Southern F1™ test circuit* £99 Lotus A Service – save £50 £50 health check includes free Lotus evening track session Free Autotest drive in a Lotus Exige

*PRE-REGISTER TODAY FOR AN EXCLUSIVE CIRCUIT TOUR AND TEST DRIVE: call 08443 728 246 or visit www.lotussilverstone.co.uk

Lotus Silverstone, Units 41-42 Silverstone Circuit Northamptonshire NN12 8TN Opening hours: Saturday 6th June 9am - 6pm Sunday 7th June 10am - 4pm

travel

ARABIAN

NIGHTS For some, Morocco may conjure images of Sam’s Bar, Tommy Cooper and Rommel-inspired midnight flight; but for others it’s about something else.

Kasha Van Sant sinks into the heart of Fez

I

t is dusty and warm and the weather, despite having been morose, has turned for the better. Weather patterns assimilate for days on end, or so our trusty guide Hassan informs us.

“Now we have a few days of sunshine to enjoy.”

I am glad to hear it as I put my bag down in the cool hospitable foyer of Sofitel Palais Jamai, nestled in the old town of Fez. Hassan is very insistent upon the fortune of this locale, right on the cusp of the Medina or old citadel; apart from being fair game for the hawkers who can smell ‘wealthy tourists’ as they ‘clack clack’ down the labyrinthine cobbled streets, this is the place to be.

From the balcony of a beautiful hotel room, I gaze wistfully at the charcoal fires from the potteries swirling skywards into the dusky sky and anticipate the call to prayer. Without stating the obvious Fez is not Marrakech, nor is it Tangiers or Casablanca. It slips under the radar and therein lies its charm.

Relatively calm, it is a gemstone. The weary crew have much to see and we dine in the hotel after drinks in the saloon bar; our very own Sam tinkling the ivories and motioning to the barman for more drinks. Dinner is tagine and vegetables or bastilla – sweet pigeon or quail pastry. The Sofitel Palais Jamai may not know it, but it has struck a blow for dying taste buds everywhere, as I unveil a fish tagine.

The next day, after a sightseeing tour through the ancient Medina adorned in his white djellaba, Hassan navigates us away from the cries of “beautiful ladies”, to the Royal Palace, the old Jewish Quarter and the Synagogue complete with its old caretaker and ancient bridal cleansing pool.

The Bou Inania Medersa mosque with its intricate woodwork and lunch in the ice cool grandeur of the Palais Mnebhi are the perfect antidote to the sun. A visit to the tanneries, seeing the wooden crafts at the Fondouk elNejjarine follows.

If by day one you haven’t tired of the repetitive cuisine, indulge in more vegetarian starters at the divine Riad Maison Bleue, with its stunning architecture and its bulging visitors book, sit back on sumptuous cushions and rouse yourself into debating the trip back home... n www.atlas-blue.com www.maisonbleue.com www.sofitel.com

From top left clockwise: Détailed architecture in Fès, Fès, Palais Mokri Fès, Marché du Mellah Fès

Must have accessory: Yarok Chill After sun for those sun parched locks. Perfect if you are contemplating a trip to the hammam or a soak in the supersized Sofitale Palais Jamais bath tubs. Available from www.puresha.com

29

Seychelles Sanctuary Claire Rutter takes a look at the tranquillity and beauty of this Indian Ocean idyll

I

n a world which may seem a million miles away, The Four Seasons Resort in the Seychelles is beckoning. Opened at the beginning of this year, this new luxury resort is set in an isolated position overlooking the paradise bay of Petite Anse.

The intimate resort includes 67 villas and suites, along with 26 Four Season Residences scattered down the tropical hilltop into the resort’s private horseshoe beach. Each villa sits upon stilts in a secluded position amidst the coconut, mango and cinnamon trees, accessed only by a wooden path. With views over the lush forested landscape and the Indian Ocean, each of the private accommodations is equipped with an infinity-edge plunge pool and open-air shower. Guests can call upon the 24-hour room service and dine on the decking or pay a visit to one of the restaurants on site.

Whether you fancy shisha and pre-dinner cocktails watching the sunset, or an array of antipasti and mezzĂŠs over looking the pool, The Four Seasons Resort caters for every desire. It has two restaurants open for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering a Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring a vast variety of seafood, tapas, and antipasti alongside south-east Asian dishes.

Champagne breakfasts and candlelit dinners can be made to order, as well as picnic baskets to enhance a day trip experience.

On an island that is home to many rare indigenous plants such as the Jelly Fish Tree and the carnivorous Seychelles Pitcher Plant, the resort is located 30 minutes drive from Mahe International Airport. Guests can

travel

31

Unwinding at the Spa is no tall order, with stunning views of the ocean from each of the five spa pavilions. Perched at the top of the hill, the international treatments are enhanced by local ingredients (many of which use the island’s herbs and spices such as cinnamon, frangipani and lemongrass) and native practices from India alongside other Asian traditions. Massages, wraps, facials and hydrotherapy baths are offered for supreme relaxation. Couples can enjoy these spa experiences together in the double room which is equipped with a steam room, outdoor bath and indoor massage beds.

The yoga pavilion is available for use under soak up the sun by the main outdoor pool private instruction or individual sessions and or on the private beach where the private is accompanied by optional workshops and bay is protected by an outer reef keeping retreat programmes that emphasise local the shoreline calm and serene. Those after herbal traditions and cultural significance. daytime shade can de-stress in one of the Staff members are always on hand to five cabanas which are nestled amongst the provide the best service, catering for every tropical trees. To add need, from personal more strings to its bow, training to barbecue Each villa sits upon the resort houses a boat trips on the Indian library, art gallery and stilts in a sEcludEd Ocean. The Four Seasons luxury spa. But for the position amidst thE is renowned for its high more energetic, the coconut, mango and standards of hospitality.

Four Seasons makes cinnamon trEEs. Markis Iseli, general sure there is plenty manager says: “Our team on offer to keep you is very well educated in occupied with its own water sports pavilion, the expectations of the Four Seasons guest walking trails and fitness centre. and the intimate size of the resort enables The water sports pavilion has its own us to really maximise the service we can PADI dive centre, with certified instructors offer.” Thanks to such meticulous attention alongside state-of-the-art equipment to to detail, guests can take advantage of extras ensure you make the best of the underwater such as guided tours, shopping expeditions world the Seychelles has to offer. Guests are and golf trips to truly spoil themselves and invited to enjoy Takamaka Bay as the nearest make the most of their precious time off. n secure diving location and tranquil beachside escape – motorised water sports are only available off-site. www.fourseasons.com/seychelles

PLANS Bedroom, Grand Millennium Dubai

Exterior of Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur

Stuck for inspiration for your summer holiday? Travel east and experience the magic of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, says Josephine O’Donoghue

D

on’t panic. Although summer has arrived, it isn’t too late to bag yourself a warm, relaxing and totally luxurious summer break. Finding a good hotel can often be a challenge, particularly when travelling to a city or country you haven’t visited before; how can you be absolutely sure of booking excellent service, beautiful surroundings, luxurious accommodation and gourmet cuisine at a new hotel?

This is where an outstanding reputation is vital – and for those in search of the very best, why not indulge yourself by choosing to stay at the 5* Grand Millennium Hotels, from the Millennium and Copthorne Hotel group. Perfectly suited to those guests who are connoisseurs of the finer things in life, these hotels are absolutely exquisite, from the stylish interiors to the indulgent international cuisine.

DUBAI The most populated city in the UAE, Dubai embodies the very essence of extravagance and luxury.The Grand Millennium Dubai is one of four incredible Grand Millennium Hotels in the world and the first Grand Millennium property in the Middle East. Reflecting the trend for unique high-end developments in Dubai, the hotel boasts distinctive designs, innovative technology, multiple dining venues and exceptional luxury in all rooms and suites.

Located between Mall of the Emirates and the Ibn Battuta shopping mall, and adjacent to Dubai media city and internet city, Emirates Golf Club and The Montgomery, this hotel is ideal for those who want to experience the very best that the city has to offer.

For those in need of a little extra indulgence, the spa facilities at the Grand Millennium Dubai are second to none; including an outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, Hammam steam baths, sauna, a full menu of spa treatments and hydrotherapy, there is plenty to help you unwind. More energetic activities can be found in the fitness centre, and of course, guests can take part in golf, indoor skiing, scuba diving, horse riding, tennis and sailing, all in the local area.

The ultimate luxury can be experienced in the hotel penthouses (think private jacuzzi, Egyptian cotton sheets, stunning interiors, fresh flowers, incredible views) and to further enhance your stay, the hotel also offers VIP guests a range of additional services including personalised spa treatments, desert safaris, wadi bashing, dinner in the desert under the stars, limousine transfers, secretarial and butler services – guests will want for absolutely nothing.

travel

33

Spa Lounge, Grand Millennium Beijing

BANGKOK Bangkok is a vibrant Asian city that never sleeps. A wonderland of temples, markets, palaces, restaurants and shopping centres, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Well worth a visit, but guests in Bangkok must ensure that their hotel acts as a welcome retreat – somewhere to escape the bustle of the city, the heat of the day and the stresses of travel. The Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok is the ideal choice; located in one of Bangkok’s prime central areas (only 30 minutes from the international Suvarnabhumi Airport) the hotel lies adjacent to the subway and skytrain stations: just one stop to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and the Emporium department store.

Featuring a glass façade in the shape of a sail, the hotel houses 325 rooms and suites all decorated with a luxurious contemporary Thai twist. VIP guests should choose the Presidential Suite; 200 sqm in size, the elegant suite fits high profile guests who demand only the best, with guaranteed privacy and butler service.

Leisure is a key part of your stay at the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit and the wide range of decadent spa treatments are bound to leave guests feeling calm and tranquil. The spa presents secrets and science of ancient and advanced body treatments from Dermalogica and PanPuri (a local premium product with the finest Eastern botanical ingredients).

One of the most popular leisure pursuits at the hotel is the unique rooftop golf course; why not treat yourself to a game you’ll never forget? Make sure you put aside time on your visit as the entire roof of the hotel’s car park has been designed as a deluxe mini-golf course, with eighteen challenging holes!

The only hotel to house a rooftop mini-golf course, this is an absolute must.

Lobby, Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok

BEIJING For an exotic trip to the Far East the most discerning guests will require the perfect balance of luxury accommodation, local cultural influences, relaxing surroundings and excellent facilities. Located in the very heart of China’s capital city, the Grand Millennium Beijing offers 521 grand and spacious guest rooms designed specifically for the ‘luxury traveller’. Situated close to the vibrant commercial centre of the city, this hotel is a clear choice for those looking for a relaxing, yet interesting break in China.

Widely considered one of the best hotels in the city, the Grand Millennium Beijing offers three spectacular levels of spa and fitness facilities and several restaurants offering a wide ranging selection of international cuisines. We recommend spending some time at the Oxygen Club with their cutting edge facilities and exercise equipment, 25 metre indoor lap pool and sauna and steam rooms, before heading to the award-winning Spa by MTM – choose from five treatment suites – Happiness, Health, Wisdom, Beauty, and Energy where therapies are centred on massage, body scrubs and bathing to offer a blissful well-being journey to your body, mind and spirit.

KUALA LUMPUR The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur’s longstanding reputation as one of Malaysia’s premier hotels makes it an obvious option for the discerning traveller. Situated in the heart of the downtown business, financial, entertainment and shopping district of Kuala Lumpur, the hotel is always a good choice, whether travelling for business or for pleasure.

The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the Hospitality Asia Platinum Award for Service Excellence, the Hospitality Asia Platinum Award for Best Executive Club Lounge and Business Techonology Review Award for Best Business Hotel.

Over 450 luxury rooms and suites benefit from the consistently high level of personalised service and hotel guests are spoilt for choice with three outstanding restaurants. For those in search of a lively social scene, the Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur houses Pulse, the most happening party venue in the city, with spectacular entertainment by top bands and celebrity DJs and a superb menu offering a selection of tapas as well as signature cocktails. n Millennium & Copthorne Hotels are a four and five star international hotel chain offering over 120 hotels across 18 countries. For more information visit: www.millenniumhotels.co.uk

Antwerp is the home of the famous Flemish artist Rubens.

In his time Antwerp was at the forefront of art and fashion, and today is no different. Art still holds a key position in the city’s culture, as does fashion – with many couture houses making their home in this historical city.

But Antwerp also has a lot more to offer, as both the second largest port in Europe and an important international diamond centre.

Where to stay?

BEd, BATh & BREAd

If you want a change from generic soulless hotel chains, then book a room or apartment at Bed, Bath and Bread. The small hotel’s interiors are chic and homely, and it almost feels as if you are a guest in someone’s house. There is also a studio apartment on offer for those staying longer than a few days. Prices are very reasonable, which will keep the finance department happy. www.bbantwerp.com hoTEL JULIEN

Antwerp’s Town Hall, and the symbolic statue of Antwerp

BUSINESS TRAVELLER: Antwerp Cat HugHes discovers a city full of art, fashion and fantastic food

Located in the heart of the old city, Hotel Julien is modern and fresh, and its décor marries old with new. The hotel sits within the walls of two historical Flemish townhouses, where crisp linen contrasts with old oak panelling. There is also a book and DVD library and a bar on the first floor with a garden; the perfect place for a relaxing evening drink. www.mrandmrssmith.com

travel

seal The deal hecker dinner Wine BAr

This is the regular haunt for the international set, foodies and wine lovers. This bar offers some unique experiences, including the speedy 3,000 seconds lunch menu and the four course Surprise Menu, based on the wines you select. Alternatively you can sit in the garden and enjoy 12-25 different dishes with accompanying wines. Prices start from €15. www.hecker.be Statue of Rubens and Cathedral of our Lady

Fine dinning Sir Anthony VAn dijck

Located in the historic part of the city, this restaurant was restored by the famous antique dealer Axel Vervoordt. It was given a Michelin star but surprisingly, they gave it back as the establishment wanted to appeal to a broader clientele.

The menu is typically European; one dish to try is the Sea bass with Champagne. www.siranthonyvandijck.be lux

Housed in what was once the residence of a Polish shipping company, Lux’s interiors are stunning. Marble columns, mosaic floors and an orante staircase dominate the space. The menu is typically Belgian, dishes include River Eel in Chervil sauce and Tenderloin with gravy and fries.

Cathedral of our Lady

www.luxantwerp.com

spa le Boudoir

This spa is located in the heart of Antwerp and with a food bar in the centre of the ground floor you would be forgiven for thinking this is a café. Le Boudoir likes to give you the whole experience – food, beauty and wellness – and they offer a range of treatments that can be customised. www.leboudoir.be dAy tripping

If you only have a short time for sight-seeing then the architecturally stunning St Paul’s Church in Veemarkt is a must.

Its most distinctive feature is the Calvary, a magnificent work of art depicting Christ on the cross.

The church houses numerous paintings, some by Rubens, van Dyke and Jordaens.

In 1968 a fire tore

35

through the church and local people risked their lives to save these priceless works from the inferno.

Shop till you drop

Antwerp is a one of the best shopping cities in Europe; if you are looking for fashion the majority of well known brands are located in and around Lombardenvest. If you want a bargain head to Lables Inc, one of the best places to pick up your favourite labels for a fraction of the price (www.labelsinc. be). If you want something a little different head to Walter for cutting edge fashion, art and furniture. www.waltervanbeirendonck.com

Travel accessory When you’re jet-setting around the globe, visiting one client after another, you need your jewellery with you, no matter which country you go to. After all, the right accessory can turn a plain outfit into something fabulous. And the best way to keep you jewels safe is in an Asprey jewellery roll.

Jewellery Roll, £350 020 7493 6767 www.asprey.com

Kate Harrison flies to Oman to experience the grandeur and luxury of The Chedi Hotel in Muscat

O

ver half a century after the explorer Wilfred Thesiger first entered Oman, the country still remains largely unknown to us in the West. However, in the last couple of years travellers have started to embrace more of the Omani culture, and this beautiful country is becoming an increasingly popular sunshine destination for western tourists.

Located on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula, this diverse country encompasses sublime rugged mountains, spectacular deserts, mesmerising salt flats, medieval cities and over a thousand miles of perfect sandy beaches. However, it’s not just the stunning natural environment that attracts visitors; Oman also boasts over 5,000 years of historical and artistic culture. This is the country where the prophet Job endured a lifetime of torment (and apparently lived to the incredible age of 203); where the Queen of Sheba had her legendary palace; where Alexander the Great had his headquarters; and from where Sinbad the Sailor set sail in a dhow.

The capital, Muscat, is everything we don’t usually expect from the Middle East.

A very different package from fashionable fast-paced Dubai and business-driven Abu Dhabi, Muscat is an intriguing mix of old and new. The area comprises three small towns spread along 35 miles of coast; Muscat itself, where the old port and Sultan Qaboos’s palace (Al Alam) are located; Ruwi, which is home to a large number of hotels and the central business district; and Muttrah, which is crammed full of interesting souks and authentic bazaars.

Essentials

Lobby, The Chedi

WHERE TO STAY

For a five-star experience in Muscat, The Chedi Muscat should be your first (and last) thought. Situated in a serene spot alongside the crystal waters of the Gulf of Oman with a backdrop of the Haajjar Mountain range, it is the perfect traveller’s haven. Only short drive from the international airport, the luxury hotel offers 156 rooms ideally suited to both business and leisure travel.

The ultimate luxury experience is to be found in the Chedi Club Suites, which comprise a spacious bedroom, stylish sitting room and lavish marble bathroom complete with a sunken terrazzo bathtub and rain shower. Guests in the Chedi Club Suites enjoy inclusive airport transfers, continental

Suite Bedroom

Markaz Al Bahja Shopping Mall & Cinema Complex

nal

tio rna Inte eeb irpor t A As S

Muscat City Centre

H Golde

Burj as Sahwah Roundabout

Al Matar Roundabout

travel

breakfasts, pre-dinner cocktails in the Library, laundry services and mini-bar. With personal service of the highest standard, guests want for nothing.

For authentic Arabian cuisine The Chedi is, naturally, highly recommended. Make sure to dine in The Arabian Court with traditional Arabian dishes and water pipes.

Alternatively, The Restaurant serves Arabian, Mediterranean, Asian and Indian cuisine; the Beach Restaurant serves seafood; The Lobby Lounge is perfect for a cocktail or two, and the poolside cabanas serve lighter menus.

WHERE TO RELAX

The Spa at The Chedi Muscat is, in a word, divine. With seven individual treatment rooms (including four suites with sunken baths) it is a pampering sanctuary. Guests may choose from an extensive menu of treatments, but the Signature treatments especially popular at the Spa include The Ocean Ritual (3 hours including an Aromatherapy Foot Polish, Ocean Bath, Sea Mineral Body Scrub, Seaweed Body Wrap and Chedi Massage), and The Omani Bliss Ritual (2 hours including Aromatherapy Foot Polish, Balinese Massage, Traditional Body Scrub and Floral Bath). And when your massage or facial is over, why not pop into the cosy nail lounge for an indulgent manicure and pedicure?

entials

SHOPPING

VISAS In order to encourage tourism, Oman relaxed its visa regulations in 2001. Visas are still required (except for citizens of other Gulf countries) but it is now possible for most foreign nationals (including those from the EU, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand) to obtain a twoweek visa at Muscat’s Seeb Airport, or at border crossings.

Tourist visas obtained through the sultanate’s embassies abroad are valid for three weeks. Visas are still obtainable through Oman’s bigger hotels and tour companies. You can apply in advance or get one at the airport on arrival.

For any further enquiries, contact the Embassy of Sultanate of Oman, 167 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 (020 7225 0001, www.omanembassy.org.uk)

Muscat, like many cities in the Middle East, is a great place for a spot of retail therapy. Oman is particularly well known for its curved, silversheathed khanjar knives and silver jewellery. It’s also a good location for very well-priced gold and frankincense, so shopping for gifts shouldn’t be a problem.Visit Amouage for perfumes, the Bait Muzna Gallery for collectable art, and the Omani Heritage Gallery and Muttrah Souks for traditional crafts and gifts. n For more information on The Chedi Muscat, visit www.ghmhotels.com

Club Suite

LEISURE

Chedi Pool

If, after a few days of total relaxation, you’re in need of something a little more energetic, there are plenty of activities on offer ranging from local cultural tours to desert excursions.

Why not spend a night in a Bedouin-style tent in the sandy desert or exploring wadis (valleys) in a 4x4. Numerous challenging mountain routes await those who enjoy

GULF OF OMAN

H Crowne Plaza Muscat H

Al Qurm Darsayt

MUTTRAH Al Qurm Nature Reserve H

Children’s Museum Sayh al Malih Roundabout

Intercontinental Muscat

Al Qurm Roundabout

H

Grand Hyatt Muscat

STREET 68

18T H NOV EM BER

Natural History Museum

H The Chedi

ST.

Shopping Centre M Q. City Plaza

Oman Museum

Al Udhaybah

AS

nal

atar dabout

outdoor sports and hiking, and ecotourism ventures are becoming increasingly popular as tourists discover Oman’s unique geology, varied bird life and shifting desert sandscapes.

For those particularly interested in the culture and recent history of Oman, then Muscat’s breathtaking five-towered Grand Mosque is a must-see. Built in 1995 with private funds from Sultan Qaboos, it is one of the world’s most stunning new buildings.

Constructed from gold, copper, polished marble and smooth Omani sandstone, the domed prayer area has a space for 5,000 devotees to gather beneath the world’s largest chandelier (made in Italy). Covering the floor is the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, which took 600 Iranian weavers four years to finish.

37

SU

N LTA

Al Ghubrah

ST. QA BO OS

Al Udhaybah Roundabout

Muscat Holiday Inn

Al Ghubrah Roundabout

As Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Al Khuwair

T

Shopping A Malls LN AH

Khawlah Hospital

Shopping Complex

H ST. Al Wutayyah Roundabout

Sultan Shopping Centre

Industrial Area

H

AL GUBRA

H S T.

RUWI

H

Wadi Aday Roundabout

Al Wutayyah

MUSCAT

H Sheraton Oman

Sidab H

Ruwi Roundabout

Al Wadi al Kabir Roundabout

Capital A Yatch Cen

H Radisson SAS

Al Hamriyah Roundabout

Majan Hotel Ghala Roundabout

Gold Souk Muttrah Souk

H

Al Burj Roundabout

Royal Hospital

H Golden Tulip Hotel

Bayt al Falaj Roundabout

Al Falaj Hotel H

DA

Madinat as Sultan Qaboos St.

H

Bawshar Roundabout

H AL QURM HEI G

S RO AD

Marina A Marina S

Al Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex

Al Bustan

MUSCAT

Main Road Other Road Hospital H

Hotel Attraction

AL

BU

ST AN

ST .

H

Al Bustan Roundabout

38

travel

MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE

Al Husn Hotel Infinity Pool at Night Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Sultanate of Oman

Kate Harrison explores the tranquillity and beauty of the Shangri-La’s Al Jissah Resort and Spa in a relaxing break from life in London

F

or those in search of the ultimate luxury travel experience, with exceptional service, stunning surroundings and indulgent spa treatments, the Shangri-La group of hotels offers the very highest standards in countries all over the world. Travelling to Oman, I stayed at the Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, a luxurious three-hotel resort village and signature spa in the Sultanate’s capital of Muscat.

Located on the sparkling bay of Al Jissah the hotel is tucked away in a sublime desert setting of dramatic rugged mountains and glorious sandy beaches. Set amid 124 acres of ocean and desert scenery, the resort is just fifteen minutes away from the Sultanate’s capital of Muscat.

The beautiful resort complex comprises three hotels: Al Waha (The Oasis), which is an ideal family getaway choice, Al Bandar (The Town), which is situated in the heart of the resort, and Al Husn (The Castle), which is the most luxurious choice – an exclusive six-star hideaway.

For an opulent holiday, worthy of the majestic surroundings make sure to book one of the 41 beautiful suites and enjoy traditional Omani elegance, alongside modern additions including broadband Internet access, flatscreen televisions and DVD entertainment systems. Guests in Al Husn suites enjoy panoramic sea views which may also be

savoured while soaking in a bubble bath, and have the added advantage of a full personal butler service.

The ultimate choice is The Royal Suite; inspired by the famous seventeenth century Omani castle at Jabreen, the elegant interior evokes the traditional luxury of Arabian royalty, and offers Muscat’s most exclusive and privileged guest accommodation, including a private elevator and butler service.With panoramic views of the Gulf of Oman, and a separate sitting room and dining area, the Royal Suite is also ideal for intimate gatherings, entertaining or early evening drinks.

Dining is a thoroughly pleasurable experience, with a wealth of choice. Head to Al Waha to enjoy the Latin flavours of Samba, or pick up a child-friendly meal at the Surf Café.

Al Bandar is home to Capri Court, serving delicious and contemporary Italian cuisine, alongside Mediterranean Tapas, and Sablah – an outdoor dining experience complete with live entertainment. Al Tanoor features an evocative Arabian atmosphere that creates an engaging dining experience at each of the many open culinary stations. Don’t miss Sultanah, a stylish restaurant with a luxury cruise theme, and Shahrazad, the only authentic Moroccan restaurant in Muscat, which serves traditional Moroccan dishes in a stunning and elegant evening setting.The resort is also home to Xyro, a premier nightclub which features signature cocktails and DJ entertainment.

Al Bandar Hotel Piano Lounge Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Sultanate of Oman

Of course, it goes without saying that no holiday is really complete without a couple of calming spa treatments to help you unwind from the hectic pace of everyday life. CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, claims to be “the most extensive and well-appointed private spa in Oman”, and with twelve treatment villas the spa goes to great lengths to create a sanctuary of personal rejuvenation and relaxation. We tried the traditional Rhassul treatment (45 mins) which has been a part of beauty and health therapy for centuries and uses the healing benefits of mineral-infused mud. The therapy was traditionally used to protect the skin from the sun, soften and remove dead or dry skin, refine pores or re-sculpt the body by removing excess body fluid. Relax and spend time in the Rhassul while your body takes advantage of this cleansing treatment. n For more information on the Shangri-La Al Jissah Resort and Spa, visit www.shangri-la.com

business

39

BUSINESS TRAVEL MARKET

ARRIVES IN CANARY WHARF

B

usiness Travel Market will take place at London’s ExCeL (17-18 June) offering two days of conference and exhibitions to gather new ideas, fresh knowledge and attend meaningful meetings.

The event has been created in response to what buyers and suppliers of business travel need in the current market and will showcase the present and future of business travel in a fusion of conference and exhibition.

Visitors will see the latest products, listen to market trend forecasts and talk to the people who shape business travel.

Business Travel Market is the only corporate ‘travel & meetings’ event in the UK to offer a fully hosted buyer programme. Up to 500 specially invited corporate travel buyers from across Europe are joining 3,000 travel arrangers and up to 100 exhibitors including the leading travel brands such as Qatar, British Airways, Accor and Eurostar.

During the event four visionary addresses will be given by leading industry figures, whilst 30 seminars, workshops and panel sessions will look in detail at different aspects of how best to buy business travel in, and after, a recession.

Every conference session is free to attend, whilst the conference programme itself is divided into five streams, with the content of each being specially structured to meet delegates’ individual knowledge requirements and expertise.

One stream, entitled Building Blocks, is designed especially for those in smaller organizations and those requiring an insight into the more basic principles of corporate travel.

This is an ideal opportunity for PA’s, those working for companies with smaller travel budgets, and those new to business travel to meet the people who shape business travel; to share best practice and to discuss solutions with those who can provide them. 

COMPETITION: Canary Wharf Magazine has teamed up with Business Travel Market to offer two lucky readers a special,VIP hosted buyer package at the event, each worth over £500!

PLUS Entry into the “SMASH HITS” themed party and VIP after show party to meet to meet our special 80’s musical guests.

The Prize includes: • Return air or first class rail travel to London • One night’s accommodation, including breakfast, at a fourstar hotel close to ExCeL or in Central London • Courtesy transport between arrival airport/station, hotel and event • Complimentary entry to all conference sessions • Online diary to arrange appointments with sponsors & exhibitors • Entry to all sponsor receptions and networking events • Access to the VIP Hosted Buyers Lounge, sponsored by Qatar Airways • Complimentary refreshments from the Garden Terrace, sponsored by Kingfisher Airlines • Access to the Business Lounge, sponsored by Eurostar • Entry into the “80’s” themed party of the year, and the after show party to meet to meet our special 80’s musical guests. *Full T&C’s available at www.businesstravelmagazine.co.uk/d_ hosted.asp. By accepting the VIP hosted package, buyers commit to attend a minimum of four pre-scheduled appointments during their visit using an online diary to which they are given passwordprotected access.

To enter, please e-mail city@businesstravelmarket.co.uk with your name, position, company name and telephone number, or you can register as a visitor to Business Travel Market at www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk Closing date: 14th June 2009 The editor’s decision is final

Made to Measure - Off the Peg - Accessories - MarcWallace.com

MW - City Advert.indd 1

24/3/09 15:01:48

T GLITTER

&

T

GLAMOUR Head to the prestigious COUTTS LONDON JEWELLERY WEEK to discover a whole new world of precious treasures and dazzling new designs

T

he award winning Coutts London Jewellery Week returns 14-18 June 2009 with a week of celebrations, featuring big name designers such as Stephen Webster and Shaun Leane, whose highly-coveted jewels are worn

by A-Listers including Christina Aguilera, David Bowie and Liv Tyler. Alongside the traditional names, Coutts London Jewellery Week will also play host to some of the rising stars of the London jewellery scene, including designers Amanda Brighton and Assya.

Take this opportunity to find out more about London’s unique history with the jewellery trade, learn more about The Goldsmiths’ Company at their ‘Day of Knowledge’ or perhaps try a jewellery-making class to create a unique piece of your own.

Exhibitions include Treasure, with forty of the London’s hottest new designers, and Creation II, which highlights the work of twelve of the UK’s best contemporary jewellers.

UNCOVER SECRETS IN HATTON GARDEN Running from 11-13 June, the Hatton Garden Festival offers members of the public unprecedented access to the area, showcasing the diverse expertise within London’s historic ‘jewellery quarter’ with behind the scenes insights into individual workshops.

Ranging from techniques handed down through the generations, to the latest technology, visitors can follow a trail between different ‘hubs’, each of which offers an insight into the variety of styles and crafts that make up London’s jewellery industry.

Don’t miss Saturday 13 June, where the festival will take on a street-party feel, with jewellery-making demonstrations in the street, children’s workshops, costumed actors, musicians, a fine food market, and a host of jewellery themed walks, talks and workshops – ideal for family groups.

One of the stand-out attractions during the three-day festival will be the installation of an outdoor manufacturing tent on 13 June; visitors will be able to walk through the creation of a piece of jewellery, with Hatton Garden

gemstone experts (from Holts Lapidary), polishers engravers (RH Wilkins) and setters (Embee) on site. Experts will be on hand to talk about each stage of the process and there will be a prize draw to win one of the pieces created on the day.

TREASURE IN COVENT GARDEN Treasure is an exciting exhibition of over fifty of the country’s most exciting contemporary jewellery designers, returning to Coutts London Jewellery Week with a three-day showcase at The Flower Cellars in Covent Garden.

Open to the public from 12-14 June, Treasure celebrates innovation in jewellery design, showcasing pieces made using cutting-edge technology and unusual materials. For many, jewellery is more than the creation of individual pieces readyto-wear, and Treasure is keen to evolve the debate around the boundaries between jewellery, sculpture, art and design.

Treasure at the Flower Cellars offers a rare opportunity for trade buyers, collectors and the public to meet the designers involved in the exhibition and find out

more about the contemporary jewellery scene. Jewellery will also be on-sale, with prices starting from just £20.

Visitors will also have a chance to get lucky during the exhibition with chances to scoop the Treasure Pot; the largest collection of designer jewellery ever to be assembled.

Entrants can win one of twenty pieces of stunning jewellery ranging from fashion pieces to diamond-set fine jewellery. The draw will take place at The Flower Cellars on Sunday 14 June.

Stumbling across buried treasure is everyone’s dream and visitors to London would be mad not to visit The Flower Cellars during Coutts London Jewellery Week.

HOT HOTEL DEAL The Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill is a luxurious five star hotel which has partnered with jewellery designers Wright & Teague to create the ultimate package for jewellery lovers; and the first 25 packages booked will receive a piece of jewellery from the their collection! An overnight stay in a King Room, with full English Breakfast in The Montagu restaurant and a ‘Jewellery Cocktail’ costs just £295 per night.

Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill 30 Portman Square, London, W1H 7BH www.hyatt.com

CATWALK COUTURE David Marshall is planning to showcase his exceptional collection on the catwalk during Coutts London Jewellery Week as part of High Carat Rocks with Couture Frocks. This very special show will feature key pieces from the spectacular David Marshall London Collection and will be held in the magnificent Livery Hall at Goldsmiths’ Hall, one of London’s finest hidden treasures on 10 June.

CARNIVAL TIME! Following its hugely successful debut last year, the Elizabeth Street Carnival is returning on 10 June, with retailers creating special jewellery-themed windows and special displays for the Belgravia street party. A treasure hunt in the area is also planned, with one lucky winner taking home a goodie-bag packed with pieces from local retailers.

SPARKLING JEWELS Exquisite jewellers Tach embody the world

jewellery Argent Coloured Drops in 18ct

of the exceptional, the extraordinary, the refined and the glamorous. From bejeweller ‘handbag hooks’ to glittering cocktail rings, Tach represent luxury at the highest level. Visit the Tach boutique on 10 June (11am-8pm) to explore a truly inspirational jewellery collection and enjoy a glass of champagne as you discover this season’s musthave pieces. Those visiting the store from 6-8pm will be able to meet Denni Dellessort, an independent expert and a renowned gemologist. All purchases on 10 June will receive an exclusive 10% discount.

RSVP is essential due to limited places –call 0207 495 7123 to reserve your place.

RISING GEMS Ten of London’s most talented emerging jewellery designers, including SHO Jewellery, Leblas, Carla Shanks and Missoma, will create a one-off collection for Coutts London Jewellery Week in collaboration with Enlightened Swarovski Elements and the World Land Trust. An in-store cocktail event at Liberty, Regent Street will showcase the collection, which will be based around nature’s Hidden Gems.

STEPHEN WEBSTER Stephen Webster will officially open his new Mount Street store during this year’s Coutts London Jewellery Week. A star-studded ribbon cutting ceremony is set to take place on 11 June.

EXCLUSIVE AFTERNOON To celebrate the launch of Coutts London Jewellery Week, The Metropolitan has teamed up with luxury Italian jeweller Pomellato to create a truly sparkling Afternoon De-Light menu, inspired by signature pieces from Pomellato’s collections. Guests can expect low-fat cupcakes adorned by edible gems plus each

person will also be eligible to win their own beautiful Pomellato ring.

The afternoon de-light menu will be served daily from 3-6pm from 4-14 June in the Met Bar

THEO FENNELL RECEPTION Theo Fennell will be hosting a party to celebrate their partnership with the Royal College of Art for the fifth consecutive year. Judges will pick winners for awards in Overall Excellence, Best Work in Silver and Best Work in Jewellery from students of the Goldsmithing, Silversmithing and Metal Work courses.

The winners will form an exhibition in Theo Fennell’s flagship store on 10 June; the star attraction at a private champagne reception for friends of the brand, clients and press to admire.

ARGENT OF LONDON Argent of London will be unveiling the winner of their competition to find the 2009 Young Jeweller of the Year, at a champagne reception on 10 June with the winner’s work showcased and sold at their showroom on Old York Road, Wandsworth and online for the next 12 months.

THE GOLDSMITHS’ COMPANY Creation II: An Insight into the Modern Artist Jeweller is the Goldsmiths’ Company’s summer exhibition, with each featured jeweller accompanied by a series of short documentary films examining their careers.

There will also be an opportunity to meet the speakers directly. In addition, The Goldsmiths’ Company will also be hosting their ‘Day of Knowledge’: a series on 12 June.

STUDIONORTH StudioNorth, run by a group of Royal College of Arts graduates, strives to re-establish the relationship between maker and client. It looks to attract clients with an interest in the making of the jewellery that they buy or who appreciate the personal contact with the maker in a very individual environment.

Throughout Jewellery Week there will be a new contemporary jewellery exhibition by artists such as Katja Bremkamp, Tina Lilienthal and Chrysanthe Staikopoulou on the theme of ‘Alice in Londonland’. n Visit www.londonjewelleryweek.co.uk for more information about the Hatton Garden Festival

Theo Fennell

43

Millennium Hotel Paris Opéra - Lobby

“

CITY STYLE

”

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels hold the best addresses in two of the most magnificent cities - London and Paris. The Millennium Hotel London Mayfair and the Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge offer undivided attention to those seeking a luxurious break in London. For those venturing into Europe - the Millennium Hotel Paris Opéra is the perfect choice for a romantic retreat.

Champagne

◆

Fine Dining

◆

Breakfast

◆

City Centre Location

Exclusive offer to Canary Wharf magazine readers To discover more about Millennium & Copthorne Hotels luxurious 2 night offer visit: www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/canaryw

MILLENNIUM HOTELS AND RESORTS

MILLENNIUM Millennium Mayfair Hotel - Avista Restaurant

COPTHORNE

Millennium Knightsbridge Hotel - bedroom

Millennium Mayfair Hotel - exterior

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels are an international hotel chain offering over 120 hotels in 18 countries www.mil lenniumhote ls.co.uk

Diamond Drop Deco Earrings

TIMELESS

DESIGN Renowned jeweller David Marshall presents his stunning collection of timeless treasures Diamond Feather Pendant

Roccoco Pearl Necklace

T

he name David Marshall London may be new to fine jewellery enthusiasts, yet the man behind this recently launched label has 25 years experience in designing and creating bespoke and ready-towear pieces.

David Marshall’s fine jewellery (now available directly from www.davidmarshalllondon. com), is making waves on the fashion scene as it combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, and showcases the most magnificent diamonds, pearls, sapphires and other rare coloured gemstones.

Inspired by a family friend who was also a jeweller, David started his career with a jewellery apprenticeship before opening his own workshop, working independently and undertaking trade commissions for other major jewellery houses.

This allowed him to develop his design and manufacturing skills.

David’s first eponymous collection quickly earned the respect of his peers, as it received the most recent Luxury Jewellery of the Year award given at the UK Jewellery Awards, for “celebrating the luxury of precious stones and metals”.

In order to truly represent the

David Marshall at workbench

very best in British design and manufacturing, David insists that each and every piece that bears his name is finished to exacting standards under his own watchful eye in his London workshop.

Taking his inspiration from the beautiful and unique stones in his collection, as well as seasonal colours and elements of nature, the results are breathtaking. These are unique pieces, designed to become the heirlooms of the future.

To coincide with Coutts London Jewellery Week, David Marshall London is introducing two new collections. The Deco Collection’s diamond pendant, earrings and bracelet are inspired by the geometric stepped forms and sweeping curves characteristic of the Art Deco design period, while the exquisite Diamond Feather Collection takes its cue from the magnificent winged goddesses of ancient Greece and the graceful curves of the swan.

Other spectacular creations include the ravishing Damask Diamond necklace, with its blossoming centre of 18.90 carat pear-shaped morganite, surrounded by 9.17 carats of diamond-set petals and leaves, graduating in colour from pink to white.

But diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend – the elegant and clean lines of baguette cut

diamonds enhance the Homage man’s wedding band while elegant cufflinks in platinum or 18 carat gold are set simply with diamonds for a sartorial statement. Those with a taste for the whimsical may prefer wittily engraved hermit crabs or dragon cufflinks to inject personality into an otherwise ordinary dress shirt.

There is no doubt that this newly-launched collection, backed by the expertise of a talented and experienced craftsman has resulted in jewellery that will stand the test of time and continue to delight its wearer each and every time it is worn. n To view and purchase from the collection, visit www.davidmarshalllondon.com or telephone +44 (0)20 7269 9944.

David Marshall A Rare Event Ring

TUR Louis Mariette Princess Neptune

G N I N

HEADS

Fashioner of fantastical headpieces and a judge on the current series of Britain’s Next Top Model, Louis Mariette tells Claire Adler his creations lead such glamorous lives they could use their own passports

lifestyle

47

Louis Mariette

I

t is 10 o’clock on a Thursday morning when Louis Mariette welcomes me into his flat and studio, just off Sloane Square.

His own ‘noughties’ version of a Mohican hairstyle looks about 20 centimetres high; he is wearing a very open neck tiger print shirt with black leather trousers; and he is barefoot.

There are lit candles everywhere, lining the stairs which we descend, into his white studio – a space filled with Louis’s sparkling designs and an abundance of magazine cuttings.

Whether it’s putting the final touches to a £2m headpiece bejewelled by Bond Street jewellers Boucheron at the Lanesborough Hotel (in the presence of two burly bodyguards), dreaming up a spectacular underwater photo shoot for a headpiece dedicated to the unrivalled beauty and ethereal aura of Princess Neptune, or simply serving me still water (in a martini glass on a round silver tray accompanied by grapes and a diamond crystal the size of a fist), Louis Mariette adores a touch of drama.

When the Chapeau d’Amour headpiece was transported to New York for a Platinum Guild International event in 2005, it had its own first class seat; and running the London marathon this year in aid of The Children’s Trust, Louis donned micro-mini yellow shorts, yellow knee socks, a banana belt and carried maracas.

It all feels slightly bonkers – and it is – but Louis is also a driven, funny, charming man and it will come as little surprise to anyone who has met him, that he was offered the job as a judge on Living TV’s Britain’s Next Top Model without so much as a screen test.

The man judging alongside George Clooney’s ex-girlfriend Lisa Snowdon and fashion photographer Huggy Ragnarsson, loves to talk.

“I had to be careful not to topple over in some of my outfits,” he laughs. “I wear some fantastic ethnic jewellery influenced by an indigenous Chinese tribe and I could just about hear the soundman asking me in my ear where I was planning to put my microphone. Many outfits I wear are crystallized artworks, embellished with hand appliquéd crystals by couture fabric makers Chrisanne who provide fabric for Jimmy Choo and Matthew Williamson.”

Currently collaborating with the Royal Opera House, Louis Mariette’s hair jewellery and one-off headpieces have graced the windows of Harrods, an exhibition at the

New York public library, a charity event at 10 Downing Street, Boucheron and Jaguar launches, Formula One parties in Monaco and Elton John’s Oscars party. Gwen Stefani, Alex Wek, Kate Moss and Stephanie Seymour are among those who have worn his creations, while pop star Pink is a regular client. She sports bejewelled glasses, commissioned from Louis, in her recent video.

“My creative vision – pardon the pun, as they are bejewelled glasses – came from Pink herself,” he says. “When I design for Pink, I always think of her explosive energy, her distinct, dynamic image and her bold I’ll-do-what-I-want attitude. She delivers her

As A child i often collected precious stones, seedpods, cActus flowers And beAds And trimmings from locAl tribes. i found the incredible pAlette of colours And textures in beetles, butterflies And drAgonflies A dAzzling AssAult on the senses look with perfection, with a killer voice and performance – how could I ask for more?”

So how does a boy born in Malawi, who grew up in Botswana and Swaziland, surrounded by the endless species of flora and fauna which still fuel his creativity, land up as an international milliner and TV personality?

“My god is Sir David Attenborough,” he says. “As a child I often collected precious stones, seedpods, cactus flowers and beads and trimmings from local tribes. I found the incredible palette of colours and textures in beetles, butterflies and dragonflies a dazzling assault on the senses.”

But it was soon after the family acquired their first television when he was a young boy in Swaziland, that Louis had an inkling of his future career.

“I remember watching Diana Ross singing the blues. I turned round to my mum and said: “Mummy I want to be a dress designer.”

Then came Dynasty; I used to love seeing Joan Collins as Alexis in her ruthless and glamorous outfits,” he recalls.This year Louis finally fulfilled his childhood ambition and dressed Joan Collins with one of his own designs.

Louis’s passion means his mind is often on the job. “I sometimes see women in the street and want nothing more than to give them a makeover,” he says. “One of my clients is a lady I originally kept

seeing around the streets of Chelsea and eventually approached because I noticed how marvellously stylish she was – always wearing white pancake make-up, a slash of red lipstick and amazing hats. I invited her to visit my studio for a glass of champagne.

It turned out she was Princess Sabina von Stentel of Germany, and she remains a loyal client and muse to this day.”

One of the highlights of this season’s Britain’s Next Top Model is when aspiring supermodels are tasked with what seems an impossible mission. They have to recreate the original underwater photograph of Louis’s giant bejewelled crown, entitled Princess Neptune, embellished with scallop shells, pearls, roses, corals and starfish, originally captured in an extraordinary feat by underwater photographer Zena Holloway at Pinewood Studios, the location for many James Bond films.

“The models have a matter of seconds to swim down into a pool and into the headpiece which is floating in the water, flick their hair and dress into position like a mermaid, open their eyes, look at the camera and strike the pose. They have to nail the shot while holding their breath and not being able to see a thing.

It’s extraordinary,” says Louis. n The fifth series of Britain’s Next Top Model is on Living TV on Monday evenings at 9pm.

39 Balls Pond Road, London, N1 4BW | 020 7254 5108 office@ptinteriors.co.uk | www.ptinteriors.co.uk

311 Essex Road, London, N1 2YG | 020 7354 8958 showroom@ptkitchens.co.uk | www.ptkitchens.co.uk

Patek Philippe Ladies’ Twenty~4 in yellow gold.

Ref. 4907/1J £13,860

Patek Philippe Ladies’ Nautilus in white gold.

Ref. 7010/1G – 001, with diamond bezel, £22,440

Ladies’ Nautilus Ring in white gold, featuring 60 diamonds. Ref. 275.9750/1 £5,280

Patek Philippe Grand Complication in platinum.

Ref. 5970P, featuring Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar and Moon phases, £92,400.

David M Robinson Presents The 2009 Patek Philippe Exhibition

D

avid M Robinson is delighted to be able to welcome the highly anticipated 2009 Patek Philippe Exhibition launched at Basle Switzerland earlier in the year, to their showroom in Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf from 2-5 July.

This year Patek Philippe showcases a range of exquisite legendary timepieces in 18ct rose gold, alongside a new Officer style Calatrava and the long-awaited new Ladies’ Nautilus collection. The highlights of the show this year are a number of celebrated Patek Philippe watch models in new rose gold versions, which radiate the magical warmth of this precious metal.

Particularly noteworthy is the new Officer style Calatrava (Ref. 5153) which marks the long-awaited comeback of this quintessential round timekeeping instrument – with a hinged cover that protects the sapphire-crystal case back – a timeless classic.

And finally, one not to be missed any for ladies who in the past years have missed a distinctively feminine Nautilus; Patek Philippe introduces the new casually elegant Nautilus for ladies in white or rose gold, with diamond-set or satin-finished bezels.

David M Robinson, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf 020 7538 2332

Patek Philippe Calatrava officer’s watch. Ref. 5153 £17,160

INDUSTRIAL SWIMWEAR Photography by: Zownir Fashion Editor: Lucie Dodds

Grey bandeau tank swimsuit £40 Princess Tam Tam at John Lewis 020 7629 7711 Tan suede Reese boots £565 Jimmy Choo www.jimmychoo.com

Cream ruffle Mimi bikini top £59 and bottoms £59 Myla www.myla.com

Black mesh cut-out Lora swimsuit £125 Agent Provocateur 0207 243 1292 www.agentprovocateur.com Black Samoa stilettos £450 Jimmy Choo as before

Black tie-front plunge tank swimsuit ÂŁ175 Wolford 020 7529 3000

Model: Palloma at Premier Model Management. Thanks to Jon. Hair: Choccy at www.onemakeup.com using Paul Mitchell Make-up: Ruth Warrior at www.onemakeup.com using Clinique Assistant Stylist: Carolyn Duffy Thanks to Rudi at The Truman Brewery www.trumanbrewery.com

Brown tank swimsuit ÂŁ295 Eres at Fenwick 020 7629 9161 Tan Seattle strap stilettos ÂŁ575 Jimmy Choo as before

More than just a t-shirt....

versatility born from simplicity

www.iwearoscar.com

brilliantly

fashion

bespoke

Engagement Rings of London

Liz Tyler

Stand out from the crowd with a unique ring from Engagement Rings of London.

Our distinctive and stylish range includes original designs from the romantic Art Deco, Edwardian and Victorian eras, through to stunning modern designs.

Beautifully sculpted individual engagement and wedding ring sets by Liz Tyler. Created in gold and platinum set with certificated fine diamonds and fabulous coloured gemstones.

Engagement Rings of London at The London Diamond Bourse 100 Hatton Garden London EC1N 8NX 0207 193 4412 contact@engagement-rings-of-london.co.uk www.engagement-rings-of-london.co.uk

Contact Liz on 01258 820 222, or to view collections please visit www.liztyler.com

Luke Rose Jewellery

Rumour

Luke spent 10 years as head designer at prestigious jewellers Jess James in Soho before setting up his own workshop. Luke now works to commission on exquisite diamond pieces for his fast growing client list.

Rumour was founded to provide busy professional people with an excellent bespoke jewellery service, helping you create a unique piece of fine jewellery to your exact specification. The quality to match Bond Street Jewellers but without the price tag.

Call 0207 738 6682 or visit www.lukerosejewellery.com

Futuro Futuro Bespoke Jewellers, are dedicated to both design and diamonds, as well as offering Hatton Garden’s first design studio where your ideas can be brought to life in 3D, at no extra charge to you. Visit us today and soak up the knowledge of our friendly and experienced sales consultants..

57 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8HP 0207 404 6801 0207 404 6796 sales57@futuro.co.uk www.futuro.co.uk

Westboune Studios, 242 Acklam Road, London W10 5JJ Tracy: 020 7183 6888 sales@rumouronline.com

57

PHILLIP BODENHAM IS THE…

CITY style SPY

OOH LA LA Always on the lookout for somewhere that’s as good for cocktails after work as it is for food, Spy checked out St Germain, the French style brasserie near Farringdon tube. In the black stunning monochrome room, we started with the espresso martinis, giving us a much needed lift from the caffeine and alcohol. The food was excellent – good hearty French inspired dishes, and seasonal produce. The poached eggs with asparagus were a delicious dish, as was the steak tartare and the veal. All in all, two thumbs up for food and atmosphere (and a whole hand for espresso martinis).

89-90 Turnmill Street, Clerkenwell, EC1M 5QU, 0871 971 4660 www.stgermain.info

STYLE ADVICE

Let’s face it, from time to time we all get stuck in a style rut, and even fashion royalty consult personal shoppers to get the season’s trends just right.

You don’t have to have a date with the red carpet to treat yourself to a session with your own personal stylist. House of Fraser have an impressive Personal Shopping service that will leave you feeling like you could give Carrie Bradshaw a few pointers. By appointment only (0844 800 3718 / city@hof.co.uk) sessions are generally 2.5 hours and include a full consultation, champagne and personalised shopping in all departments: the ultimate retail experience.

Lovely Locks

News reaches Spy that City women have caught onto some new hair products from Tara Smith (hair-stylist on Sex and The City and editorial contributor for Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue). Her celebrity name-checks tick that ‘insider’ box too; she’s styled Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan and Anna Friel. So, I’m letting you know about her rather clever new range that comes in handy travel sizes – the result of her international job. The range includes Straight Away (shampoo and conditioner to combat frizz and leave hair silky straight), Big Baby (a combo gentle enough for daily use and the conditioner doubles up as a leave in conditioner) C Curls (for smooth, curly hair), and Feed The Root (to hydrate hair and scalp).

Get it from www.cultbeauty.co.uk and www.tarasmith.com

QUICK FIX

I have had some odd and intriguing invitations in my time but most recently I was invited to come and have a ‘gut lift’ treatment. I was told that many City men are starved of gym time and still filling up on lunches on expenses; with summer fast approaching, this is essentially the lazy man’s sit up. Electrodes are attached to your stomach which tightens the stomach muscles intensely; post session (they recommend ten, one every other day) there was definitely a positive change which I’d recommend to anyone who is feeling the trouser pinch after an undisciplined winter.

Karine Jackson 24 Litchfield Street Covent Garden WC2H 9NJ 020 7836 0300 www.karinejackson.co.uk

“Darling, if you use our expenses

to pay back national debt, how can I afford to update my wardrobe?!!

”

Dress to impress with our summer offer At Dress2kill, we’ll make you a beautifully hand crafted bespoke suit without compromising your pocket. We have managed to source some of the finest Super 120 lightweight fabrics from traditional Huddersfield mills and can now offer readers of The City Magazine a bespoke lightweight suit for an incredible £375 (just under half price!). This is an outrageous offer and only available whilst stocks last.

All you have to do is call us on 020 7928 9558 to make an appointment, quote “The City Magazine summer offer” and we’ll help you decide on a style that suits you from our comprehensive range of fabrics.

For more information on the services we provide, please visit www.dress2kill.com.

This offer lasts until the end of June 2009.

D2k ad The City Mag.indd 1

BESPOKE

6/5/09 18:52:13

RIGHT ON TIME CHERRY BLOSSOM Inspired by Japan and kimono embroidery patterns, Cherry Blossom uses a stylised cherry blossom motif in all the pieces making it a gorgeous feminine choice for summer. These blooms create a youthful and fresh appeal to fashion’s eternal fascination with florals. Cherry Blossom includes a pretty pendant, earrings and ring available in rose or white gold – these are very versatile and easy to wear.

Make sure you’re on time for your flight this summer holiday with this exquisite new addition to the stunning range of De Beers delicate and intricate Cocktail Watches. Brilliant and baguette cut diamonds set in white gold and a mother of pearl face, ensures this Art Deco inspired, Swiss-made watch is a truly timeless piece. Available with three straps, a striking black satin sari, plain black satin or a pretty pink snakeskin strap.

A blossom circular pendant with natural pink and white diamonds on a diamond chain in platinum, £48,000

De Beers 13 Royal Exchange 020 7929 2777 www.debeers.com

Boodles 2-3 Royal Exchange 020 7283 7284 www.boodles.com

WE’REgoing ALL on a summer holiday

Whether it’s an exotic cruise, adventurous road trip, city break or tropical island getaway, the Royal Exchange has everything you need for the perfect escape this summer

ICE COLD Paul A.Young Fine Chocolates is the UK’s finest artisan chocolaterie and for a limited time only, Paul’s ice-cream is now back in stores ready for the long hot summer we have been promised. Paul churns the ice-cream daily using all natural ingredients; lots of double cream, chocolate and interesting flavours such as sea salted caramel and chocolate brownie. New flavours for 2009 include Garden Mint with 70% dark chocolate and Basil & Berries with white chocolate. Also new are dark chocolate sorbets.

Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates 20 Royal Exchange 20 7929 7007 www.paulayoung.co.uk

THIS IS KEY The new Tiffany Keys Collection is inspired by keys from the Tiffany & Co. Archives.The work of skilled goldsmiths and silversmiths, these exquisitely crafted vintage keys originally locked jewellery and keepsake boxes, albums, diaries and steamer trunks, as well as private clubs and country manors.

Reworked in the Tiffany Keys Collection, each key pendant can now carry a special significance to the wearer. From romantic heart-shaped keys to luxurious keys set with sparkling diamonds, you’re bound to find the ‘key’ look for every individual.

Tiffany & Co. 9 Royal Exchange 020 7409 2790 www.tiffany.com/uk

STEP BY STEP Pretty Ballerinas are the ultimate staple shoe in the summer wardrobe; simple, elegant and ohso-comfortable, they are perfect for any holiday outing with lots of walking and sight-seeing. Pretty Ballerinas have been making cute pumps and flat shoes since 1918, and some of the models have remained unchanged in style and popularity for over 40 years.We love the selection of bright summer colours, especially Amy in orange, Rita in yellow and Rosario in orange.

MODERN CLASSICS

Pretty Ballerinas from €109 Pretty Ballerinas 30 Royal Exchange 020 7929 6994 www.prettyballerinas.com

TRAVEL CHIC Smythson is celebrated for iconic leather travel accessories and have added to their extensive range with the new Coral and Peppermint collections for summer 2009. We love the Weekender; a striking combination of luxurious horse hair fabric, contrasted with vibrant coral leather, perfect for a last minute getaway or an overnight stay with a friend. Other travel accessories include travel wallets, passport covers, jewellery rolls and makeup brush rolls.

Weekender Bag in Coral, £1,200 Smythson 7 Royal Exchange 020 7621 1037 www.smythson.com

The Bulgari Bulgari collection is based on graphic and aesthetic motifs emblematic of the Bulgari style.The hallmark of this stylistic evolution is the characteristic repeated inscription “BVLGARI BVLGARI,” which is finely reproduced on new, broad circular elements with an open and slightly curved structure. Small and large circular elements mounted on soft chains harmonise with each other to compose necklaces, bracelets, and pendant earrings in white or yellow gold: modern classics.

Bulgari 15 Royal Exchange 020 7283 4580 www.bulgari.com

IN THE SHADE No holiday is ever complete without a cool pair of shades to finish an outfit. The latest collection from Cartier offers a feminine take on a glamorous style – perfect for the radiance of summer. The cut of these round or pantos-shaped sunglasses attracts the light through vast, graded lenses in shades of brown or smoky-grey. The Cartier collection embodies a sixties and eighties feel, crafted in exceptional materials – a must have item.

Cartier 1 Royal Exchange 020 7312 6923 www.cartier.com

AGENT PROVOCATUER || ARTISAN | BOODLES || BULGARI || CARTIER || CHURCH’S || CROCKETT & JONES || DE BEERS || GRAND CAFÉ AND BAR || GUCCI || HERMÈS || IMPERIAL CITY || JO MALONE || L’OCCITANE || LORO PIANA || LULU GUINNESS || MILLEPERLE || MOLTON BROWN || MONT BLANC || NAPKET || OMEGA || PAUL A. YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES || PAUL SMITH || PAVAROTTI’S || PENHALIGON’S || PRETTY BALLERINAS || ROYAL EXCHANGE JEWELLERS || SAUTERELLE || SEARLE & CO || SMOKER’S PARADISE || SMYTHSON || TATEOSSIAN || THEO FENNELL || TIFFFANY & CO || Vilebrequin || WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND || WINT & KIDD

Royal Exchange, Bank, City of London, EC3V 3LR

www.theroyalexchange.co.uk

health&beauty

63

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL COMPANIONS Kate Hughes presents these summer travel saviours. Travel in style with sublime lotions and potions – everything you’ll need to soothe, smooth and protect sun-kissed skin for that radiant summer glow

BAGGAGE RECLAIMED The Qudra Beauty Case has thought of everything to ensure your beauty essentials stay intact. £85, www.beauty-boxes.com

WHAT A SOFTIE Elemental Herbology’s Beach Prep: Radiance body polish contains fruit enzymes and sea salt to effectively shed dead skin cells. It will leave your skin beautifully smooth and exfoliated. £25, www.spacenk.com

GET READY TO GLOW The purify face-care kit from Como Shambhala is their first skin care range. This handy kit contains a botanical cleanser, daily hydration and daily nourishment – all you need for healthy skin on holiday. £15, www.comoshambhala.bz

SATIN SMOOTH SKIN Don’t forget to pack travel essentials from Aromatherapy Associates; these four travel bath and shower oil blends create an aromatherapy experience to suit every need.

BRUSH UP This luxury leather brush roll from Aspinal London comes with seven brushes – a must-have for your make up bag. £130, www.aspinaloflondon.com

£23.60, www.aromatherapyassociates.com

BRONZE GODDESS Sun Indulgence lotion for all over, this new sunscreen from Estee Lauder incorporates the latest UVA technology and smells fantastic too! £20, www.esteelauder.co.uk

the city xx xxxxxxxxxx PROMOTION

your way to beach fit for summer 2009 As January detoxing and New Year’s fitness resolutions become a distant memory, many of us are beginning to panic about shedding our clothes on the beach this summer.

Jane is offering a free trial to all readers.

Please call quoting ‘The City’ and book your trial

With little time until the ‘big reveal’, you might be planning to disguise cellulite with carefully worn sarongs and cover-ups.

However, it really isn’t too late to get your body ship-shape.

Jane Dowling, personal trainer to the stars, owns Fitness for Every Body, a boutique Power-Plate studio near trendy Bermondsey Street. Jane promises to deliver beach-beautiful bods with her fat busting Beach Fit course, designed specifically for time-poor individuals, is tailored according to each person’s fitness level and body shape.

As the Power-Plate vibrates between 25-50 times per second, a 20 minute Beach Fit class is equivalent to over an hour’s workout in the gym. If you want to increase fat burning, decrease cellulite and tone up, this is an effective, efficient exercise regime which will make anyone proud in a bikini.

Combine the Beach Fit plan with additional aerobic exercise and a food diary to monitor nutritional intake, and power your way to firmer thighs, bums and tums. Kelly Brook eat your heart out!

Jane’s Beach Fit classes run at specified times Monday - Saturday.

Classes must be booked in advance by contacting the studio on 020 7403 9988.

More information can be found at www.fitnessforeverybody.co.uk

BRIDALBEAUTY

health&beauty

65

Kate Hughes shares her top tips and secret services for perfect wedding day beauty WAX IT The boutique waxing salon offers virtually pain-free waxing by experienced staff in the most luxurious surroundings; perfect for prewedding preparations.

MASK IT The new Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask works to preserve the skin’s micro flora and pH, whilst promoting cell renewal to create younger looking skin. A highly active treatment mask, it is like having a professional facial in a bottle, perfect for busy brides.

020 7590 0050 www.2strip.com

www.elemis.com

ALL MADE UP It’s all about your hair and make-up. This bespoke make-up consultancy provides hair and make-up by celebrity artists for weddings, special occasions, and make-up lessons.

POLISH IT Microdermabrasion is a treatment every bride should have; this non-invasive facial removes the top layer of dead cells from the skin, leaving the face fresh and glowing. The facial also helps make-up to stay on longer, and is suitable for any skin type.

07802 819 508 www.itsallaboutyou.uk.net

020 7402 2033 www.medicetics.com

BLEND IT Prescriptives have created a foundation to perfectly match any skin tone, from a pale ivory to deep ebony. A Custom Blend Analyst will hand-measure, handmix and hand-make your foundation to exactly match your skin’s colour and tone, while special treatment benefits such as Oil Control, Moisture Rich and Firming can be added to match your specific skincare needs.

Custom Blend Foundation, £44 0870 034 2566 www.prescriptives.co.uk SCENT WITH LOVE This gorgeous new fragrance by Crabtree & Evelyn has a unique scent of orchid and orange blossom with a woody musk, making it elegant but sexy.

India Hicks Island Night, Eau de Toilette, 100 ml £36 0800 111 4406 www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk

REFRESH The perfect size to fit inside a suitcase, the Travel Scent Surround Kit from Jo Malone includes a travel candle and linen spray presented within a chic black case. Whether you’re getting ready for the big day in a hotel room, or travelling on honeymoon, this is a wonderful way to refresh your surroundings, creating peace and tranquillity.

Travel Scent Surround Kit, £54 020 7720 0202 www.jomalone.co.uk BRONZE IT The Monoi Oil Bronzer is a velvety, tinted powder whose formula allows gradual colour build-up and an even, flawless result. The Sunglow Light Shade is ideal for light skin tones, especially those that have not been exposed to the sun, while Sunglow Warm is best for a deeper tan look; perfect for a beach wedding!

Monoi Oil Bronzer, £13 020 7581 6455 www.korres.com

66

health&beauty

Be seduced at

STOKE PARK Kate Harrison discovers that Bridget Jones is not the only one to fall for the charms of Stoke Park

N

estled among 350 acres of historic parkland sits Stoke Park Club, an imposing eighteenth century mansion, complete with dome and impressive stairway that leads to a grand entrance guarded by stone lions. Steeped in history and used as the location of many iconic films (Goldfinger, Bridget Jones and Wimbledon to name but a few), Stoke Park is the ideal location for a truly relaxing weekend break.

Offering panoramic views of the finest English countryside, it is easy to unwind on the terrace of the mansion house. Lakes stretch across the parkland and golf course as far as the eye can see, and if you’re lucky enough to be sitting at the right angle you may even catch Windsor Castle floating above the courtyard fountain in the distance.

For golfers, the club is a place of pilgrimage, and played host to the most memorable game of golf in cinema history, when James Bond defeated Goldfinger back in 1964.

Today, the 27 hole Championship course looks absolutely beautiful with its manicured fairways. It is considered one of the finest

parkland courses in the country with good reason. Although originally considered a prestigious golf club, Stoke Park now offers an array of sporting facilities and with 13 tennis courts (six of which are Wimbledon specification grass courts), Stoke Park is also home to tennis enthusiasts.

For those who are looking for something a little more leisurely paced, an afternoon wandering the club grounds is an absolute must.The estate dates back to the Doomsday Book and the heritage trail maps out a walk around the most impressive landmarks throughout the grounds.

Set back from the Mansion house, the contemporary Pavilion building houses awardwinning SPA SPC, which offers the abandoned partners of golf fanatics luxurious surroundings in which to be pampered. A host of treatments are on offer in comfortable surroundings, and the deep relaxation room is a true haven where hours can be lost in slumber. SPC has developed its own treatment and skincare ranges which are inspired by spa influences around the world and are used in treatments.

Stoke Park offers an array of dining options to suit your mood.

The Orangery provides a more relaxed atmosphere, whilst the Dining Room is a more formal affair with a menu full of traditional British cuisine, all with a slight contemporary twist, served in intimate room enjoying views of the golf course and lake. A maze of ornately furnished drawing-rooms, cosy lounges and relaxed private bars, the Mansion is quintessentially English and those looking for a more traditional experience must book themselves into the Mansion bedrooms. Each room is individually decorated with antique furnishings and an elaborate floral décor, with the piste de résistance being a period-feature bath complete with copper legs.

The recently completed Pavilion hotel has a different atmosphere altogether. Large, airy bedrooms

are tastefully furnished with an eclectic mix of new and old; antique Chinese alter tables sit comfortably alongside pop art Playboy cover posters. The result is a luxurious and relaxing setting in which to unwind.

With its centuries-old history and proximity to London, Stoke Park offers a retreat for those who are looking for a sporting weekend or merely an opportunity to relax and take in some magnificent country views. n For more information visit www.stokeparkclub.com Stoke Park Club Park Road Stoke Poges Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG 01753 717171

as individual as you are Simon Taylor Furniture producing Hand Made Furniture in England, for over 20 years

www.simon-taylor.co.uk Workshop and Showroom: Cane End Lane, Bierton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP22 5BH

Tel: 01296 468152 Fax: 01296 398722 Email: information@simon-taylor.co.uk KITCHENS

BEDROOMS

BATHROOMS

STUDIES

BUY BRITISH FULL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

68

fashion

ASCOTGLAMOUR Ascot Ladies’ Day wouldn’t be complete without a stylish statement hat or fabulous fascinator; we talk to couture milliner Ilda Di Vico about her mesmerising creations

I

f you met Ilda Di Vico you would take your hat off to her – literally, because without a second thought, you would opt for one of her fabulous designs in place of any hat you have ever worn before.

Ilda discovered quite by chance that she had a natural flair for designing fantastic hats. Give her a length of Italian straw, some French Lace, maybe a silk rose, or even some strips of leather and she will twist and tweak, fold, fiddle and manipulate to produce a one-off design you will not see anywhere else.

“For me Royal Ascot is all about the fashion and enjoying a time where you can get away with wearing the most amazing hats and fascinators; you want to

create the WOW factor”.

Ilda believes that a beautifully designed hat can transform the wearer to an elevated sense of confidence, sophistication and flirtation. Always experimenting with different material, Ilda is able to create hats that are custom-made and designed to suit individual needs. She has an eye for fine detail and the ability to create strong visual statements.

Her hats are wonderful, wacky, quirky, elegant and unique. She favours sweeping angles dramatically shading part of the face, straw waves with perfect silk flowers, dramatic curves with luxurious feathers, unusual shapes and trimmings, lace, frayed straw edges and even

Swarovski crystals.

She has created many award-winning hats and to say she is in constant demand is an understatement. Her list of clientèle (which includes a number of celebrities) is fast growing, so book in advance to avoid disappointment. Whether you’re putting together the perfect outfit for a wedding, luncheon, garden party, special occasion or a day at the races, Ilda Di Vico stocks a wide range of award-winning hats straight from the shelf or custom made, just for you. n To contact Ilda call 07786 241887, email ilda@ildadivico.com or see examples of her work at www.ildadivico.com

Project9

17/02/2009

15:25

Page 1

G E T T I N G

I T

R I G H T

S I N C E

120 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 3LS 509 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Pinner, Middlesex HA5 4JS Telephone: 020 7486 3080 http://www.halcyon-interiors.co.uk email: info.@halcyon-interiors.co.uk

1 9 8 1

HOME COMFORTS Think ahead of time, and install a warming stoved before the winter months set in.The Conmoto Balance log burning stove is created

by German design legend Peter Maly.The Balance is a 7kw stove, with modular log storage units, benches, drawers, and multi-media units.The modular units are available in steel, walnut or oak. Flue connection of the stove is either through the top of the stove or alternatively through the back of the stove. Balance stove and modular units are available wall mounted or free standing.

Encompass Furniture presents the hottest new trends for your home this summer

CUTTING EDGE LOUNGE ABOUT For long summer afternoons lounging outside, check out the Sunday modular sofa by Royal Botania. Luxurious exterior sofa produced in super-strong COAXXS fibre, available in cappuccino (featured), fondant and black. Cushions are available in a wide range of colour finishes. COAXXS fibre has a natural look and feel, yet is one of the most resistant synthetic fibres available today for outdoor furniture. Also shown is the Shady X-Centric cantilever parasol, also available from Royal Botania.

WATCH OUT The Big TV watch from LIP is a 1975 design by Roger Tallon, creator of the iconic TGV high speed train. LIP is France’s largest and oldest watch maker and first started producing watches for the French army during WWI. During the 1970’s, LIP took the then unprecedented decision to employ industrial designers who had never been involved in watch design.

The result was a legendary collection of authentic 1970’s modern design watches and chronographs, which are as relevant today as they were 35 years ago.

Encompass re-launched the LIP 70’s collection of watches at 100% Design in 2008.The watches can be viewed and purchased online at www.vavawatch.com

AL FRESCO LIFE One of the most influential companies that Encompass represents in the UK is the Belgian company Royal Botania, who over the last 15 years have established themselves as one of the leading suppliers of premium design exterior leisure furniture to private homes and prestige hotels worldwide.The Alusion extendable table and white carver chairs designed by Kris Van Puyvelde and Frank Boschman; perfect for summer. Royal Botania showcase an extensive collection of modern, contemporary and classical exterior furniture, all available though Encompass.

This is just a taste of the stunning product range we offer.

Visit our extensive showrooms to see much more.

The best in bathrooms since 1876

143-145 Kew Road Richmond-upon-Thames Surrey TW9 2PN Telephone: 020 8940 7554 Fax: 020 8948 8200 E-mail: sales@original-bathrooms.co.uk Website: www.original-bathrooms.co.uk

city ad.indd 1

29/5/09 13:24:08

ROOMS

RECYCLED

Chair from The Strarta collection

by Ryan Frank

Josephine O’Donoghue explores the endless possibilities of second-hand and recycled interior design

T

he act of recycling gets a ‘thumbs up’ for all sorts of good reasons; besides being green, which is obviously great, recycling and buying secondhand goods ensures an individuality that simply cannot be copied. Today, we live in a world of Ikea, Heals, Habitat and Laura Ashley – interior chain stores which create room after room in alarmingly similar styles across the UK. Where have our personalities, eccentricities and styles disappeared to when decorating our homes?

In the wake of inspiring television programmes such as Kirstie’s Homemade Home and Grand Designs, I went in search of some recycled gems for a unique

interior style. From lighting to furniture, linens to glassware, the possibilities really are endless.

LIGHTING Recycled lighting can be a work of art.

Madeleine Boulesteix makes beautiful chandeliers from recycled glass, teacups, cutlery and all sorts of other bits and pieces.

“I started making chandeliers after finding about forty facetted glass drops in a pile of rubbish” she says, “When I started to gather other things to make a structure with, I discovered that all the things I needed were already there just waiting for me to assemble them. I searched in charity shops, car boot sales and scrap metal yards. I prefer to work with things I’ve found and let their qualities dictate what happens. A piece begins with a really simple set of ideas, a shape, a colour combination and the objects

Lots Road Auction

Lots Road Auctions

I want to use. I liked the idea of making something opulent – a chandelier – but out of humble objects”.

Madeleine offers a range of chandeliers from the small jelly-bowl lanterns to the much larger 8-cup Boulesteix chandelier.

For more information or to commission a chandelier, visit www.madeleineboulesteix. co.uk FURNITURE Whatever the style or colour scheme of your home, auctions are a great place to find

interiors

Lots Road Auctions

hidden gems for the house. Remember not to be too rigid with a theme or colour, as this can create flat and boring rooms.

A second-hand chair can be coupled with an antique writing table, and a Victorian side-table could look great with a modern vase placed on it – there’s no reason not to blend styles and colours if they look good together.

Lots Road Auctions (020 7376 6800, www.lotsroad.com) is a great place to begin as they sell both antique and contemporary furniture, alongside art, carpets, textiles and decorative items. Auctions take place on a Sunday; Contemporary and Traditional Furnishings and Decorative Items starts at 1pm followed by the sale of Antique Furniture, Paintings, Carpets and Works of Art at 4pm.

If you’d like to purchase furniture created from recycled wood, then up-and-coming designer Ryan Frank (www.ryanfrank.net) is good choice for contemporary homes. His ‘Strata’ collection is built from the waste wood salvaged from battered old office desks.

Sustainability and reclamation are the driving forces behind the work of this talented designer; he has become popular choice in the last few years, known for functional, ecosensitive and unique design.

Why not try making your own mosaic tiles, table, or artwork for the wall? This is a

Lots Road Auctions

great way to recycle chipped crockery and can result in a totally unique and rather personal piece of interior design. Emma Biggs (as featured on Kirstie’s Homemade Home on Channel 4) is running courses throughout the summer and more information can be found at www. mymosaicworkshop.com ACCESSORIES Known for “sustainable luxury” Fandango Interiors (020 7726 1777, fandangointeriors.co.uk) is a treasure trove of recycled and second-hand home accessories. The shop mixes well known designers with one off or anonymous pieces; you will often find creations from Arne Jacobsen and Charles Eames but there are no guarantees as to what will be on any given day.

Fandango also restores and updates many of these hidden gems.

Of Special Interest (020 8340 0909, www.ofsi.co.uk) is a vintage interiors shop established stocking old and antique wardrobes, chests of drawers, cupboards and dresser bases, alongside mirrors and chandeliers; well worth a visit, especially for feminine shabby chic styles.

Glass bottles may seem like rubbish but over in London Fields they are being transformed into tiles and bricks. At the Green Bottle Unit (www.freeform. org.uk/GBU, 020 7249 3394) designers have developed a process for producing frosted glass from wine bottles, crystal decanters and television screens. Tiles come in a variety of colours and cost £5 to £10.50 per tile. n For more information on using recycled materials in building and construction, visit www.ecoconstruction.org

Lots Road Auctions

Lots Road Auctions

73

CITY_LIFE_outlined.indd 1

27/5/09 16:22:32

THIS SUMMER’S CROWD PLEASER

MILLENNIUM HOTELS AND RESORTS

MILLENNIUM

COPTHORNE

WIN VIP tickets to Michael Jackson and a luxury stay in London!

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels are offering you the chance to win a pair of VIP tickets to the hottest show in London this summer Michael Jackson’s - “This is it” tour. Plus a VIP stay in London.

Prize ■ Win a pair of tickets to see Michael Jackson in concert this summer at the 02 Arena*

■ Limo ride to and from the 02 Arena - with champagne and canapés

■ 2-night bed and breakfast stay at the Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge

■ Dinner in the award-winning MU Restaurant at the Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge

TO ENTER: Simply email your full name, address and day time telephone number to: competition@runwildgroup.com, stating “Michael Jackson competition” in the subject line

By entering you are agreeing for your details to be used by RunWild Media and the Millennium & Copthorne Hotel Group for marketing purposes.

They will not be disclosed to third parties. The closing date for entries is the 1st July 2009. Full terms and conditions are available on request. * Winner will be drawn by 8th July and notified thereafter of the winning concert date.

To view our current offers visit: www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/specials

G DGETS GADGETS JAMIE CARTER PRESENTS THIS MONTH’S TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

LIVE MUSIC ON THE GO

If the iPod just doesn’t do it for you, there are plenty of other top-ranking MP3 players looking for a place on the daily commute. Cowon’s D2+ claims to bring a ‘live’ feel to tunes for as long as 52 hours from one charge. With a 2.5-inch touchscreen, SD card slot to expand storage by 32GB, and huge file compatibility, this is one for serious musos.

Cowon D2+ Portable Media Player (16GB) £159.99 www.amp3.co.uk

HI-DEF HEADS ONLINE RECESSION-BUSTING BLU-RAY

The first brand to bring Blu-ray to the UK was Samsung, and it’s back with a new budget deck that’s packed with extra features. Invest in a Wifi Dongle (a £50 upgrade) and you can stream extra content from the new format’s interactive BD-Live platform (although that will depend on what discs you have). A great introduction to Blu-ray.

What do you do with music and movie clips downloaded from the internet, or from your camcorder? Get hold of LG’s latest plasma and all you need do is put it all on a USB memory stick and slot it in the side. Able to play almost any file format, this excellent Full HD screen’s meaty speakers also makes for a half-decent hi-fi.

LG 50PS7000 50-inch plasma TV £1,000 www.lge.co.uk

Samsung BD-P1600 £170 www.samsung.co.uk

HI-FI LIKE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD

Part of the Fujitsu-Ten audio group, Eclipse has built these TD712zMK2 loudspeakers over five years using engineering resources from Toyota and Fujitsu, with the result being an unusual look designed for speed and accuracy. A favourite of John Williams and Michael Nyman, this high-end brand claims the TD712zMK2 – which come with integrated stands – will give you hi-fi like you’ve never heard.

Eclipse TD712zMK2 loudspeakers £5,000 per pair www.eclipse-td.net

DESK TIDY

All-in-one computers have been available from Apple for yonks, but the PC world is now getting in on the act. Viewsonic’s new VPC100 has a 19-inch LCD screen and measures just 35mm in depth, but still manages to pack in an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, 1GB memory, a 160GB hard drive, wireless internet access, a webcam, speakers and even a 4-in-1 card reader.

Running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, this could be a real Mac-beater.

Viewsonic VPC100 All-in-One PC £499 www.viewsoniceurope.com/uk

gadgets

77

MEDIA MUNCH

With music, photos and even video now usually stored on home computers, a new revolution is starting that could finish the silver disc – home networking. The new Popcorn Hour A-110 HD Networked Media Tank, with 1TB of storage, can take almost all digital files stored on a PC, digital camera, USB mass storage device or even directly from the internet. It can even cope with high definition video and work completely wirelessly with an optional £40 adaptor.

Popcorn Hour A-110 Networked Media Tank (1TB) £304.99 www.amp3.co.uk

ACCESS ALL AREAS

The legendary Walkman has been making a comeback recently with a series of great looking updates from Sony, with the new X-Series leading the charge. Built around an exceptionally clear three inch slim touchscreen technology called OLED, the phone-sized X-Series can play all music formats and even stream video from YouTube, download podcasts and browse the internet using Wi-Fi connectivity.

Sony NWZX1060B X-Series 32GB Walkman £249 www. sony. co.uk

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Taking two bags to the airport? With Live Luggage’s new Hybrid PA soft-top bag, you can motor through to check-in with just the one.

Using a clever three-bag zip system, an overnight bag and laptop bag can be removed from the main case and zipped to each other. Able to take around 95 litres combined, the luggage weighs around 23kg, but don’t worry too much about hauling it through the airport – the motorised wheels and anti-gravity handle on the Hybrid PA bag guarantee a stress-free journey.

Live Luggage Hybrid PA Bag £295 www.liveluggage.com

HANGING ROUND THE HOUSE If you’re looking to extend the digital revolution to other rooms in your house besides the lounge, Toshiba’s latest tiny telly is a great option.

While its built-in Freeview TV tuner covers the essentials, it’s the built-in DVD player that helps make this a one-box solution extraordinaire. Also available in white.

Toshiba 19DV555DB 19-inch LCD/DVD combi £240 www.toshiba.co.uk

GENTLE GIANTS

With gentle curved edges and a ‘penciled’ black extruded aluminium finish, you won’t find Panasonic’s new CHT range of plasmas available on the high street.

Available in 50-inch and 65-inch, these high-end monitors are strapped with 18bit chipsets for high definition perfection and aimed at the most discerning videophiles. And they’re just in time – home cinema doyen Pioneer has stopped making its famed Kuro plasmas. Long live the king?

Panasonic TH65VX100 65-inch CHT plasma screen £7,999 www.panasonic.co.uk

SHOW

STOPPER Visitors get to see – and try – the latest cars and bikes for free, while the carmakers meet real customers ready to splash the cash. Little wonder the Canary Wharf London Motorexpo is such a hit

S

ales are down, factories are lying idle and global car companies are on their knees. The economic crisis has led one big name manufacturer to abandon Formula 1, and others have threatened to do the same; while closer to home the British Motor Show is on ice.

But out of all the doom and gloom comes a ray of sunshine. For the fourteenth year on the trot Canary Wharf will be turned into a motoring mecca. From 8-14 June more than 325,000 visitors will make a bee-line for the London Motorexpo where they’ll get the first chance to see cars and bikes so new they’re not even on sale yet.

The first London Motorexpo took place in Canary Wharf in 1996 and has grown every year since. The 2009 edition is 35 per cent bigger than last year and is supported by major manufacturers like Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and GM. “Its success is comparatively easy to explain,” says Motorexpo boss Graeme Carver. “The manufacturers like it because it’s held in front of the right audience: it attracts car buyers. Even in these straightened times cars will be sold at show.

“And the visitors love it for two reasons.

Not only do they get to see some pretty exotic machines, but there’s no charge to come and have a look. Visitors can pop down in a lunch break or after work… and if they see something that takes their fancy they can come back as many times as they like.”

John Edwards, MD of Land Rover UK, said: “The London Motorexpo is a unique

event which offers us an ideal opportunity for showcasing our new model line-up to the British public for the first time.”

It’s all very different from the early days.

Carver remembers the first show with fondness. “I’d been working with the Canary Wharf estate for a number of years and came up with the idea of a mini motorshow on the site to provide a little entertainment. That first year we had about 29 cars from five manufacturers supplied by local dealers.

“It was small but I realised how huge it could become at about 11am on the first day. I was talking to a salesman from the local Porsche dealer when a visitor came up and handed over his credit card. Pointing to a 911, he told the salesman to take £5,000 as a deposit on a blue one, then left his business card and asked to be phoned when the car was ready.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Little wonder that Carver has been able to take the concept to other major world cities. As soon as the London Motorexpo closes its doors, the Toronto Motorexpo opens for business, and there are other Motorexpos in Los

motoring LAND ROVER & RANGE ROVER Land Rover is a regular at Motorexpo and this year has chosen to showcase its new 2010 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, plus the new Discovery 4 before they go on sale in the UK. Significant improvements to these vehicles include two new refined and powerful engines offering improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions, striking exterior design changes and completely redesigned interiors. Also on show will be the Freelander 2 TD4_e, Land Rover’s most fuel-efficient vehicle to date and the world's first SUV featuring intelligent stop/start technology. Best of all, Land Rover will be offering visitors test drives of the new Freelander 2 TD4_e on road and will also showcase the capabilities of its vehicles on ‘Terrapod’ – the man-made off-road demonstration unit.

MERCEDES-BENZ Fancy checking out the brand new Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupé as tested on page 80 of this issue? The impressive Coupé – and its saloon equivalent – will be given its UK debut at Motorexpo where test drives can be arranged. Mercedes will also be showing the latest developments from its smart city car range. Both the new diesel and hybrid drive smarts will be there: the diesel has the world’s smallest direct injection diesel engine producing just 88g/

79

Other highlights •

BMW will be showing its brand new Z4 sports car, which is the first BMW roadster to feature a retractable hard top rather than a fabric roof. The flagship model is powered by a 3.0-litre twin turbo engine delivering a heady 306 bhp.

•

If you’re looking for cheap motoring look no further than the Suzuki Alto, the Japanese firm’s latest city car. Powered by a highly efficient 1.0-litre three cylinder engine, the Alto produces just 103 g/km of CO2 and attracts annual road tax of a mere £35. Best of all Suzuki is participating in the Government’s scrappage scheme, making it possible for you to drive away a brand new car for £4,795.

•

Aston Martin will also be there, as will Saab who’ll be showing the brand new 9-3X crossover. With no London Motor Show planned for 2010 and, frankly, unlikely for the foreseeable future, make sure you don’t miss Motorexpo, the only show that comes to you!

km of CO2 and returning an exceptional 85.6mpg… enough to drive from Dover to Prague without refuelling. The petrolpowered smart micro hybrid drive (mhd) features stop/start technology to lower CO2 emissions to 103 g/kms: perfect for the City.

VOLVO Volvo’s safety credentials are well known but that won’t stop the Swedish company demonstrating its latest technology. At Motorexpo this will include the chance for visitors to crash a new XC60… well, nearly. The XC60 has Volvo’s City Safety technology onboard which is designed

to bring the car automatically to a halt if an accident is imminent. Visitors can experience it first hand as they pilot the car towards another one – though for safety’s sake, the second car is an inflatable.

TESLA One of the most intriguing cars on display will be the Tesla, the all-electric two-seater with performance to shame many a supercar. Tesla will use the event as the platform for an interactive display of the Roadster – giving potential UK customers one of the first public opportunities to test drive the most efficient high performance production sports car on the planet. The Tesla display will be located within the superb marble lobby of the Canary Wharf Estate’s primary building, One Canada Square.

VISITOR FACTS What:

London Motorexpo

When:

Monday to Sunday 8-14 June

Times:

10 am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday 11am to 5pm, Sunday

Where: All over the estate, including Jubilee Gardens, Reuters Plaza, Cabot Square and One Canada Square Cost:

Free

THE

LoNG& WINdING

road

Eren Ellwood takes the Lotus Exige S out into the country to push the limits of the A-roads

T

o say I was looking forward to spending this month with our Lotus Exige S is an understatement. When it was agreed we would take the Exige out of the City and into the countryside I thought that all my prayers had been answered.

If you read last month’s story on the car you may remember that we were under strict orders from Lotus to take it fairly easy by keeping the supercharged coupé under 4,500rpm.

Frustratingly, that’s just half its

rev range. So if you’re thinking it’s no coincidence I waited until after its first service and for those restrictions to be lifted before taking it out on some of the UK’s best A-roads, you’d be correct.

My first trip was a drive down to Kent to the swooping and historic Brands Hatch race circuit. Once home of the British Grand Prix, it’s a track that plays a key role in Lotus’s racing heritage. Indeed, the very first Grand Prix held at Brands, back in 1964, was won by the great Jim Clark in a Lotus-Climax.

motoring

I started out on a familiar route so I could get the most accurate picture of the Lotus’s performance. And what a picture it was. When I heard others describe the car’s handling as if it’s on rails, I thought they were exaggerating. Far from it – truth be told the Exige has got more cornering ability than a greyhound on steroids.

And the acceleration is something else, too. It might only have 1.8-litres at its disposal, but Lotus has supercharged the engine to develop a heady 220bhp. Put that sort of power in a car that weighs next to nothing and the result is explosive.

Now I know the car a little better, I push the Exige harder and harder and it responds by letting me know I’m in safe hands. Its cross-country pace is breathtaking while the performance, grip and steering feedback are unbelievable.

My only worry is whether the stupid grin I wear whenever I’m behind the wheel will become permanent.Would I be going too far in labelling the Exige as a precision instrument? Not far enough – it’s more like a laser guided missile.

On another notable journey this month I found myself driving to Thorpe Park for a 30th birthday… and, yes, I know I’m still a kid at heart! Instead of taking the motorway, I took a detour through some Surrey back roads; by the time I got to my destination I’d had a thousand thrills and none of Thorpe’s extreme rides could compete. I couldn’t wait for the drive back. Let’s face it; the Exige is the modern man’s (and woman’s) roller coaster and the UK its playground.

On another trip I took the opportunity to put Lotus’s claimed 33 mpg combined figure to the test. I filled the tank with £40 of BP’s finest and took a day trip to Bath. Four hours there and two and a half back, a round trip of 300 miles – and all on the same tank. Considering my right foot wasn’t trying to win any awards from the environmental department I was impressed.

I’ve done the same trip in a Bentley which used virtually as much fuel in one overtaking manoeuvre as the Lotus did

81

for the entire journey. When it comes to running costs, the Lotus is the ultimate affordable performance car.

While we’re on the subject of long drives, I've read a lot of criticism about the Exige’s lack of creature comforts. Sure, the seats aren’t as padded as your average hatchback and there’s no recline option, but this isn’t a car meant for cruising. Instead you spend every minute of the journey engaged by the drive so, by default, you never have enough time to consider if you’re comfortable or not.You simply don’t go from A to B! It’s been nearly ten years since I felt attached enough to a car to give it a name! I’m not proud to admit I once had a black Fiat Punto 1.1 with wheels and tints which I called the Black Knight.

How embarrassing (and worse still that it’s now in print!)

Anyway I now call upon the brains of London to save this Lotus from such ignominy and help me come up with a suitable name.

E-mail over your ideas and the lucky winner whose name is used will be guaranteed a place on our forthcoming Lotus track-day and an opportunity to take an Exige around Silverstone race track. n E-mail us at lotus@runwildgroup.co.uk

THE NEED FOR

SS SS SSPEED SPEED Goodwood announces the 2009 Festival of Speed and promises epic feats of endurance Grand Prix (despite his broken wrist), to Mick Doohan’s brave return to motorcycle racing in 1992 (without full use of his right leg), there are numerous inspiring tales of outstanding performance.

Running from 3-5 July, the Festival of Speed will honour the true motor-sport heroes who made that extra push in the pursuit of victory. Motor racing legends and modern day stars are expected to line up at the celebrated 1.16 mile hillclimb, in a tribute to great feats of endurance in competition.

“It will be fabulous to have so many great cars and drivers here at Goodwood to celebrate our endurance theme for 2009” says Goodwood Festival of Speed founder, Lord March, “I look forward with much anticipation to seeing some of the great endurance drivers, riders and machines in action”.

Festival of Speed 2008 - Land Rover Central Display with Goodwood House

FESTIVAL TIME ‘True Grit – Epic Feats of Endurance’ has been confirmed as the theme of the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Highlighting the drive and determination of motor racing’s greatest heroes, the festival celebrates those who overcame physical, mental and mechanical barriers in their quest for motoring glory. Ranging from Jackie Stewart’s spectacular victory at the 1968 German

MACHINES & MODELS The selection of cars and motorcycles at the festival is expected to feature a magnificent collection of the world’s finest competition cars and motorcycles. In action, on two-wheels and four, the festival will host a range of exciting, adrenalin-filled machines from early Grand Prix and endurance machines, to off-road and contemporary racers.

ANNIVERSARIES Also in attendance will be the centenaries of Bugatti, Audi and Morgan, 50 years of both Mini and the Daytona Speedway, 40 years since Jackie Stewart and Matra’s dominance in motor sport, plus 60 continuous years of both the Motorcycle World Championship and the most famous endurance race of them all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The legendary chopperriding Hollywood icon of Western counterculture Peter Fonda is due to attend this year’s Festival of Speed to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of his influential film Easy Rider.

He will be reunited with a chopper motorcycle as used in the classic movie, and will ride up the famous Goodwood 1.16-mile hillclimb at the festival. Peter Fonda’s bike will be one of a number of custom choppers due to appear at the 2009 Festival of Speed; a dedicated class of custom choppers, including Zeroesque and Speed Demon, will form part of the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe,’ an annual vehicle design concourse at Goodwood for the rarest and most beautiful and motorcycles from around the world.

ATTRACTIONS A host of attractions make the Goodwood Festival of Speed help make this the most exciting

motoring

83

Festival of Speed 2008 - Red Arrows

Festival of Speed - Sir Stirling Moss in the Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner

festival with its 2007 car as part of the 40th anniversary of Sir Frank Williams involvement in Formula One.

Cartier Lawn overview

celebration of motoring this year; alongside getting close to the action-packed hillclimb and paddocks, festival-goers will be able to relish some of the most stylish vehicles ever designed at the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance.

Look into the future of personal transportation at the BP Ultimate FoS-TECH technology pavilion; see many of motor sport’s famous faces up close; swoon at the mouth-watering display of supercars in the world’s finest moving motor show; witness the exciting sideways action on the Forest Rally Stage; and become part of the action at the off-road activity fields and Junior Festival of Speed.

FESTIVAL PROMISES The Festival of Speed’s ability to attract the top works Formula 1 teams makes it a unique event, and already several teams have indicated their intention to attend this year. Nowhere else in the world can you get so close to the latest and greatest current F1 cars and drivers.

DON’T MISS: Scuderia Ferrari: The much-loved F1 team will be here from Italy to demonstrate one of its latest cars.

McLaren-Mercedes: Last season’s car is in action all weekend, with current World Champion Lewis Hamilton at the controls. He will also be driving Ayrton Senna’s 1988 McLaren MP4/4.

BMW-Sauber: One of the likely challengers for the F1 title will be present over the Festival weekend, showcasing its latest car.

BIG NAMES Make sure to look out in the paddock for familiar F1 faces, such as Sir Jackie Stewart, David Coulthard, Murray Walker, Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Patrick Head, Ross Brawn, David Richards, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, all of whom have attended the Festival in recent years. With no World Rally Championship date clash this year, most of the few remaining top WRC teams are expected to be on hand to provide a thrilling demonstration of sideways driving; BP Ford, Stobart Ford and Citroen have confirmed their attendance.

INTERNATIONAL STARS There will also be a number of current Le Mans cars on the hill. Heading the list will be the new Audi R15, building on Audi’s impressive history by producing the first dieselpowered car to win the great race way back in 2006, and is still the car to beat. Joining Audi will be Aston Martin Racing – the works outfit that took the GT1 class victory in 2007 and 2008, recapturing the famous British marque’s Le Mans success of the 1950s – with their latest Gulf-liveried DBR9. 

To order advance tickets to the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009, please contact the Ticket Hotline on 01243 755055 or visit www.goodwood.com

COMPETITION:

WIN

Red Bull: The beautiful 2009 car will smoke its tyres all weekend

Goodwood Festival of Speed Hospitality Package • One pair of admission tickets to the Festival of Speed on Saturday 4 July • Lunch and tea for two on Saturday 4 July in a lovely hospitality location • Two Festival of Speed Souvenir Programmes accompanied by an ear piece radio so that all the action from the day can be heard whilst moving around the event • One Festival of Speed Souvenir poster

Toyota: The latest car should be in action, demonstrating its pace and power

To be in with a chance of winning, email your name and telephone number to goodwood@runwildgroup.co.uk

Brawn: It is hoped that the newest F1 team in the pit lane will attend with a static display.

Williams-Toyota: The British team will be at the

Competition closing date is Friday 26 June and the Editor’s decision is final.

STAR TURN Bigger, better and cheaper than the model it replaces, the new Mercedes E-class Coupé is a class act, reports Matthew Carter

I

n the old CLK, Mercedes-Benz had a popular coupé that, it seems, could have sold in even greater numbers had it been called something else. Some potential customers thought it was related to the C-class and felt it should have a smaller price tag as a result.

Now, after two generations of CLK, the latest Mercedes coupé addresses that problem by calling itself, more accurately, the E-class Coupé… though to confuse matters slightly, prices for the newcomer are around five per cent lower.

And that makes the car something of a bargain. Based on the new E-class saloon, the Coupé is not conventionally pretty but is a handsome beast none the less. From the front, saloon and Coupé share the same angular lines and diamond shaped lights.

But from the windscreen backwards, all is changed. The Coupé has a dramatically arching roofline, long doors and a rakish flare over the rear wheels that resembles a bulging muscle. The CLK was, frankly, a little effeminate, but the new Coupé has clearly spent time lifting weights at the gym.

It’s bigger than the CLK too, which means more room in the rear for two adults. Knee room is excellent though headroom is limited if you’re tall. Getting into the back is easy, thanks to the design’s lack of a B-pillar.

And it looks just great when all the side windows are lowered.

That extra space in the cockpit is also helped by the thin front seats which, despite their lack of bulk are supremely comfortable and supportive. They have stylish integrated headrests and are mounted lower than in the saloon, for a more sporting driving position.

What’s perhaps the most remarkable feature of the newcomer is its aerodynamic efficiency; with a drag figure of just 0.24Cd, Mercedes claims it to be the most slippery production car in the world. Mix in a bunch of new and highly efficient engines, and the E-class Coupé can be seen as perfectly in tune with these environmentally conscious times.

Especially when it comes to the E250 CDI. The first models to go on sale here are powered by six or eight cylinder engines.

Petrol versions include the gruff V8-powered E500 – huge fun but thirsty – and the capable

if soul-less 3.5 V6 E350 CGI. Better is the E350 CDI diesel; part of M-B’s range of BlueEfficiency engines, the big diesel delivers plenty of poke but lacks a little character.

No, the stand out engine has only four cylinders and displaces only 2.2-litres, and won’t be here until September. But, thanks to twin turbos, the E250 CDI diesel has plenty of power and torque yet promises excellent fuel consumption and commendably low emission figures.

Like the other models, top speed is limited to 155 mph, and while it takes 7.4 seconds to sprint to 60 mph it pumps out just 135 g/km of CO2. The E350 CDI, in comparison, takes a barely quicker 6.7 seconds but spews out 179 g/km.

The only fly in the four-cylinder ointment is the transmission. The vast majority of Mercs sold in the UK are automatics, which in the smaller models means an elderly five-speed box – bigger-engined models get a newer and much slicker seven-speed auto.

Potential E250 owners should take some brave pills and go for the excellent manual, it’s really no hardship.

motoring

Yes it does sound like a four-cylinder when pushed hard, but unless you must have the creamy smoothness of a V6, it’s hard to ignore the smaller, cheaper, alternative.

Whichever engine is chosen, the E-class Coupé is much more sophisticated and mature than the old CLK. Every version gets what M-B calls its Agility Control chassis. It’s essentially an active damping system which monitors the way the car is being driven and softens the dampers when cruising along a motorway, but stiffens things up as soon as the driver starts getting racy.

The result is a superbly compliant ride, with excellent stability and composed cornering. Those who want more can go

85

for a £500 Dynamic Handling Package which tightens things up even more as well as quickening gearshifts and sharpening throttle response.

Needless to say, the E-class Coupé is crammed with safety equipment such as M-B’s new Attention Assist which recognises signs of drowsiness. If it thinks the driver is about to nod off it sets off a gong and displays a steaming cup of coffee on the speedo suggesting that a refreshment break might be in order.

Other safety systems include Pre-Safe which realises when an accident is imminent and sets up the car for impact by closing windows and tightening seat belts. Pre-Safe and Attention Assist are standard but others, such as Adaptive Highbeam Assist which automatically dips and adjusts the headlight beam depending on oncoming traffic, are optional. Go for the lot, and it’ll cost.

There’ll be two grades in the UK, the SE and the racier Sport. The SE is more luxurious with full leather, heated front seats and climate control. But for an extra two grand – taking the E350 CDI to £35,280 for example – the Sport is a transformation.

You get a full AMG bodykit, sports suspension, bigger wheels, intelligent lights with LED daytime running lights, sport seats in M-B’s Artico trim – a man-made leather that feels just like the real thing – and sports brakes. Go for an automatic V6 and you also get paddle shifts for the gloriously smooth seven-speed gearbox.

Both versions are well equipped as standard – better equipped than the old CLK in fact – but that doesn’t mean M-B has abandoned the traditionally long options list.

Among the desirable options is the £1,300 full-length glass panoramic sunroof – it even closes automatically if it starts raining – but as with the safety equipment, care is needed if you don’t want to break the bank.

There are sportier rivals out there – the more nimble BMW 3 Series instantly comes to mind – but for a measured, mature and highly capable mile-muncher, there’s little to touch to new Merc. 

LONDON THROUGH A LENS The unique cultural, political and social history of our capital is brought to life this month in a fascinating photographic exhibition

T

his isn’t a showcase of tourist hotspots, a roll-call of famous Londoners or even a chronological survey of photography in the capital. Some well-known names crop up, both in front of and behind the camera: the Beatles, the Kray brothers, Thurston Hopkins, Terry Fincher and Terry O’Neill to name but a few.You might spot a couple of famous events, such as the Battle of Cable Street in 1936 or the Poll Tax Riots in 1990; not to mention some iconic structures including the Daily Express building, Trellick Tower, Eros and Petticoat Lane Market.

But the great and the good, and the landmarks of history and architecture are matched by anonymous Londoners doing everyday things. Route-masters and riots, funfairs and football crowds, buskers and bombs, pop stars and policemen, traffic and towers, squatters and stilt walkers; they all take a bow.

Some pictures depict a recognisably modern city; some seem to come from another lifetime. Some people are

posing for the photographer, but many are oblivious to the camera’s eye. The sources of the images are equally varied too – Fleet Street newspapers, commercial photography agencies, private collections, photojournalism magazines (notably the ground-breaking Picture Post) – all are a tribute to the richness and diversity of Getty Images’ holdings.

The result is a portrait of London, but an idiosyncratic and inevitably incomplete one, where celebration and protest, the individual and the crowd, the momentous and the mundane all have their place. The exhibition is entertaining and surprising, and reveals how much the capital has changed. Most of all, it captures something of the endless variety and interest of life in London.

“Think of it as an idiosyncratic photo album, amassed by a very long-lived relative with wideranging tastes and a somewhat odd sense of humour” says Cath Phillips of Time Out and Editor of the accompanying book.

The exhibition has been produced by London’s largest

independent photographic gallery, Getty Images Gallery.Their new outlet in Canary Wharf will complement their flagship space near Oxford Circus and promises to provide visitors with a feast of stunning photography, all of which is for sale.

Exhibitions will change regularly at the gallery and draw on the unique archives of Getty Images. Prints are available to purchase across all subjects from iconic film stars, pioneering reportage, awardwinning sports photography and cutting edge contemporary material. Each image is printed by traditional methods to museum and archival standards in the gallery’s own darkrooms and available in a variety of sizes. Retouched by hand and with a choice of frames if required, the images will enhance any space, whatever the style. n Getty Images Gallery Cabot Place East, Canary Wharf Opening times: Mon-Sat, 10am–6am, Sun and Bank Holidays, 12pm – 6pm www.gettyimagesgallery.com

xxxxxxx

87

All images © GETTY IMAGES

THE CUTTING

EDGE

Tom Saunders goes behind the scenes of the world’s most unique corporate events team – The Blades

T

en years ago, two Royal Air Force Wing Commanders were sharing a bottle of wine during a well earned break from military operations. With approximately 8,000 flying hours between them, two OBEs, a Distinguished Flying Cross and a command tour of the Red Arrows, they were looking for a new challenge.

After a few glasses, they produced a seemingly impossible vision; why not take a team of the finest military pilots, create the world’s first formation aerobatic airline and use this unique asset as an unrivalled business communication tool promoting excellence, precision, leadership and teamwork to a global audience?

At some point late in the evening the wine ran out, and Wing Commanders Chris Norton and Andy Offer still had work to do in Iraq and Afghanistan commanding their

Harrier Squadrons – Number 1 (Fighter) and IV (Army Cooperation) Squadron respectively. However, the seed was planted and five years later – nearing the end of their service careers – the pair pulled the cork of another bottle of Burgundy...

When Chris and Andy presented the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with a request for an Air Operators Certificate (AOC - the document which legally entitles commercial airliners to carry passengers) for a close formation aerobatic team, they were practically laughed out of the office.The requirements for an AOC are notoriously stringent (and expensive) with passenger safety being, understandably, the CAA’s foremost concern.

The list of documents, guidelines and procedures which need to be adhered to runs into volumes and has caused many fledgling airlines to fall at the first hurdle.

lifestyle

89

Aviator

Blades Break - Jamie Hunter Cowes

Blades Pilots- Tyson Sadlo

Chris Douglas Barclays Summer Ball 19 June 2008

Fortunately for Chris and Andy, they are not men who are daunted by hurdles and in 2005, 2Excel Aviation Ltd was born.They purchased four Extra 300LP composite aircraft – world class high-performance machines capable of flying at 300 mph and manoeuvring at plus or minus 10 times the force of gravity.

All that remained was to find the right pilots to fly them – and who could do better than the best? The Red Arrows of course.

Since then, The Blades, under parent company 2Excel have flown over 300 displays and been viewed by 18 million people at international events such as the Cannes Advertising Festival and the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix and UK events including Cowes Week and T4 ‘On The Beach’. The Blades can provide an event enhancing ‘wow-factor’ almost anywhere in the world; with live commentary and real time footage live-linked from the cockpits to screens on the ground, audience involvement within the show is unparalleled. Utilising their AOC, the Blades have carried over 1,000 corporate flying event passengers and reached hundreds of millions of people through the media.

The past year has not been easy for any businesses but 2Excel have ridden the storm almost completely unscathed. The diversity of services offered by the company that has kept 2Excel alive during the recession.

The public thirst for spectacular air displays has maintained a steady stream of bookings whilst the global reach and unique allure of the heritage behind the team has ensured that businesses and corporate clients keep coming back to 2Excel for bespoke events.

The Blades will even customise the livery of their Extra 300 aircraft to match a client’s corporate branding.

Until recently, the Blades have been sponsored by Barclays, acting as a flying billboard in front of live audiences. Chris Norton is currently diversifying even further and is in negotiations with a large defence company to provide a specialist airborne testing platform – his ambitions for the company are seemingly limitless.

Based at a small, unassuming grass airfield in Northamptonshire, 2Excel have created an ethos of sheer professionalism; a miniature squadron combining the military ‘can-do’ attitude with first-class hosting and presentation. The team employ a small army of hostesses, all recruited from the airline industry with excellent service credentials.

The hostesses will offer you welcome drinks and canapés before helping you into your parachute and strapping you into your aircraft for the flight of your life. There is nothing that the team will not do to impress and entertain their audience.

At the corporate event I attended recently, guests were treated to private air displays from a helicopter display team and, of course, The Blades. They engaged in laser clay shooting, a rally driving simulator and were given teamwork and leadership tasks to complete under the guidance of a Special Forces Colonel. Each of the 40 corporate guests also flew with the Blades and had the opportunity to fly in a Tiger Moth and a Robinson helicopter over the Northamptonshire countryside; truly a day to remember. n For more information on 2Excel Aviation, events or corporate sponsorship, visit www. theblades.biz , email info@2excelaviation.com or telephone 01604 671 309

Photography: RYA/Paul Wyeth.

MAKE A

sp

Niall O’Donoghue hits the water this summer with a range of adrenalin boosting water sports

A

s the local gym looms and we eye-up the efforts of other gym-goers, it’s possible that the daily exercise routine (carefully maintained all through winter) can become unbearable as soon as summer arrives.

With all that glorious sunshine outside, our muscles ache in pre-emptive protest as we haul ourselves towards the exercise bike, suddenly foreseeing several months more of monotonous indoor exercise. Surely, there’s another way?

Fortunately, there is another route to a fit and healthy lifestyle – and one which avoids the confines of an indoor gymnasium, without calling for various wonder pills, herbal teas or dodgy looking protein shakes.

With the UK scrabbling hopelessly for a handful of those first summer rays, a schedule bursting at the seams, and the next pay day an infinite distance away, an energetic, unusual and fun activity seems almost impossible to fit in without bags of time and money.

However, with activities ranging from scuba diving to power-boating, and waterskiing to windsurfing, the water offers a whole new alternative to the gym.

A great way to break the exercise routine (not to mention a great warm up for the bikini season) water sports needn’t be a long-term or expensive commitment.

Fully equipped water sport locations can be found in the heart of the Docklands, on the south coast (less than two hours away from London), and further around the UK. The Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre (www.dswc.org) is based at the west end of Millwall Outer Dock and provides recreational water activities for both adults and children including sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and dragon boating. Social sailing is also extremely popular, with special Twilight sessions on a Wednesday night – perfect for showing off new skills and relaxing after a hard day at the office (much more fun than a few solitary laps in the gym pool).

sport

91

h s lA For those already in shape who want to trade in the rowing machine for the real thing, challenge yourself by taking control of a sailing yacht (www.uksa.org) or power-boat (www.powerboattraining.co.uk), or perhaps work those muscles with a tough session of windsurfing (www. ukwindsurfing.com).

Want to take the kids too? Inflatable toys, rafting boats and other fun activities can be found in abundance at water sport centres.

If it’s your first time with water sports, there are lots of ways to start. Try a day at the leading UK teaching centre, Bray Lake (www.braylake.com); located near to the Thames with access from the M4, M25 and M40 just west of London, it’s a convenient choice for trying out windsurfing, dinghy sailing, kayaking and power-boating. For those who develop a taste for the sports then perhaps a longer weekend trip would suit; visit www.rya. org.uk and www.britishwaterski.co.uk for information on UK-wide locations.

So take a dive this summer, and discover a whole new genre of active holiday options and weekend adventures. n

Mayfair City Hampstead Chelsea

Achieve your fitness goals with Matt Roberts Personal Training Matt Roberts clients benefit from: • Bespoke one-to-one sessions in a private environment.

• Highly qualified trainers supported by the Matt Roberts Academy.

• No joining or membership fees.

• Our in-house team of specialists – which includes physiotherapists, dietitians & biomechanical analysts.

• Spacious training centres in prestigious locations – Home service also available.

• Matt Roberts performance based clothing line.

Quote ‘Vicinitee’ to receive your initial consultation free of charge and 10% off training courses. Call 0207 491 0944 or go to

www.mattroberts.co.uk to find your nearest centre.

www.mattroberts.co.uk

020 7491 0944

info@mattroberts.co.uk

Commercial Cars & Couriers Tel: 0207 790 1144 or 0207 790 3939

• 24 Hour Mini Cabs, Chauffeur Service and Nationwide Parcel Delivery • Reliable Service with experienced drivers • Established over 30 Years • New Accounts Welcome with online booking

• GPRS Based system with integrated GPS vehicle tracking • Sat Nav in every vehicle • All areas covered • Credit & Debit Cards accepted in vehicles PCO Licence Number 1346/02/05

Fax: 0207 423 9488 | admin@commercialcars.co.uk | www.commercialcars.co.uk

call 0845 603 7979 or visit www.johnlewis.com/sfb

ArtScene

by CAROL CORDREY - carol@artalone.com

GUY PORTELLI British music icons inspire modern pop art in the Dragons’ Den

G

uy Portelli admits to always having been “a wild child”, but after thirty years as a sculptor and becoming a respected member of the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal British Society of Sculptors, he made his wildest move of all by entering BBC television’s Dragons’ Den. He didn’t just survive, he received a roar of approval from the dragons for his innovative pop icon sculptures which will be in a selling exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries this month.

Artists are not renowned for their business acumen, but with Guy Portelli the dragons were confronted by a very different animal.

He prepared his business plan and pitch with extreme care, knowing that his work would be rated by the dragons in front of six million viewers, including fellow artists.

“I knew that if I went into the Den, I had to win,” he reflects.

Failure to win their support would have ruined his artistic reputation as well as his long-held dream of sourcing funding for creating these distinctive, high quality sculptures. They represent a fascinating crossover between art and music which Guy first conceived about thirty years ago while studying at Kent’s Medway College of Design, “I made my first one when I was seventeen, combining sections of John Lee Hooker seated on a chair and playing his guitar. I made other musicians too and they were hugely popular but expensive to create,” recalled Guy. He stifled the dream until about a year ago when he awoke on Easter morning and decided to present his concept inside the

Dragons’ Den. Within a mere four weeks of applying, Guy found himself on the programme. Standing by his sample, lifesize, pop icon sculpture he asked for an investment that he had calculated would cover the cost of the project and that the dragons would be willing to part with. It proved to be such a winning formula that viewers saw the dragons competing for Guy! “He was very focused and knew his market.

We’ve invested in Guy and just let his creative genius flow”, recounted Peter Jones with genuine delight.

Duncan Bannatyne however, was stunned when Guy declined his higher offer of £90,000 in preference to £80,000 jointly provided by Theo Paphitis, James Caan and Peter Jones – an investment triumvirate that Guy considered ideal.

Needless-to-say, Guy left the den a very happy man; but wanting the dragons to feel they had bought into the project emotionally as well as financially, he asked them to name their music icons. As a result, Led Zeppelin (for Peter Jones) and Elton John (for James Caan) will be among the show’s eighteen sculptures produced in various editions.

All of them show the characteristics and symbols of the respective musicians, for example, Imagine incorporates John Lennon’s trademark, circular glasses, and the striking, mixed media Night & Day recalls both Sinatra’s song and his associations with the Mafia through playing cards, casino chips and a gun.

Clockwise from left: Post Punk, Excess, Mod Rock, Night & Day All images by James Gilham

The troubled but talented singer, Amy Winehouse, is wittily portrayed in burlesque style in Excess whilst two of the other pieces in Guy’s new body of work look set to become his own iconic sculptures: Mod Rock is full of the energy and colour of The Who’s dramatic stage performances when legs leapt around the stage; and Post Punk is a stunning recreation of the Sex Pistols, whose controversial rendition of ‘God Save the Queen’ connects with the sculpture’s form of a defaced Royal Mail stamp.

In stark contrast, Rocking Chair Blues is pared down to the essential features of the late John Lee Hooker’s rhythm tapping feet, heavy lips and downcast eyes of his doleful blues performances. James Caan’s admiration for Guy Portelli’s work is clear: “We’ve invested in something we’d all love to own ourselves,” he beamed enthusiastically. “And I’ll definitely do another of Guy’s shows.”

Ensuring that the exhibition will be a defining and all-embracing celebration of the genre, Guy has invited others to exhibit their pop icon work alongside his.

The Mall Galleries’ walls will be hung with photographs, paintings and prints by luminaries such as Terry O’Neill, Albert Watson and Sir Peter Blake RA; and in an intriguing twist, prints by a pop icon who became an artist – the late John Lennon.

It took thirty years and three dragons to breathe fire into Guy’s concept but Theo Paphitis feels the timing is unquestionably perfect: “Guy’s work provides optimism in a time of gloom, and quality art in a time of diminishing assets.” The story of this “wild child” looks as if it is going to have a well-deserved, fairytale ending. n

Heart Throb: the golden age of the pop icon 25 June – 3 July Mall Galleries 17 Carlton House Terrace The Mall London SW1Y 5BD www.mallgalleries.org.uk Tel: 020 7334 3922

City Art & Framing The Galleries 13 Artillery Lane, LONDON E1 7LP (Opposite Liverpool St Station)

Fine Art for the working environment

Try our frame making service from bespoke to budget frames at competitive prices – let us quote you.

cityart

and framing Tel: 02072472320 www.cityartandframing.co.uk info@cityartandframing.co.uk

Restaurant listings

American

Italian

Dollar Grills and Martinis 2 Exmouth Market Farringdon, EC1R 4PX 020 7278 0077

Refettorio 19 New Bridge Street, EC4V 6BD 020 7438 8052

Hawksmoor 157 Commercial Street, E1 6BJ 020 7247 7392

British Canteen 2 Crispin Place, E1 6DW 08456 861 122 Beach Blanket Babylon 19-23 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA 020 7749 3540

French Coq D’Argent No.1 Poultry, EC2R 8EJ 020 7395 5000 Les Trois Garcons 1 Club Row, E1 6JX 020 7613 1924 Sauterelle Royal Exchange, EC3V 3LR 020 7618 2483

Gastropub Duke of Cambridge 30 St Peter’s Street, N1 8JT 020 7359 3066 The Peasant 240 St. John Street, EC1V 4PH 020 7336 7726

Greek Mezedopolio 14 Hoxton Market, N1 6HG 020 7739 8212

Lena 66 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3JT 020 7739 5714 Volupté 9 Norwich Street, EC4A 1EJ 020 7831 1622 or 020 7831 1677

Japanese Saki 4 West Smithfield, EC1A 9JX 020 7489 7033

Mexican Green & Red 51 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA 020 7749 9670

Middle Eastern Kenza 10 Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YP 020 7929 5533

Modern European One Lombard Street 1 Lombard Street, EC3V 9AA 020 7929 6611 Rhodes Twenty Four Tower 42 Old Broad Street, EC2N 1HQ 020 7877 7703 Smiths of Smithfield 67-77 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ 020 7251 7950

Spanish Moro 34-36 Exmouth Street, EC1R 4QE 020 7833 8336

Bar listings

Balls Brothers 5-6 Carey Lane, EC2V 8AE 020 7600 2720 The Big Chill Bar Dray Walk, off Brick Lane, E1 6QL 020 7392 9180 Bonds 5 Threadneedle Street, EC2R 8AY 020 7657 8088 Cellar Gascon 59 West Smithfield, EC1A 9DS 020 7796 0600 Cicada 132-136 St John Street, EC1V 4JT 020 7608 1550 Fishmarket Champagne Bar Great Eastern Hotel Liverpool Street, EC2M 7QN 020 7618 7215 The Gherkin Bar & Restaurant Levels 39 & 40 30 St Mary Axe, EC3A 5AA 020 7071 5009 Grand Café & Bar The Courtyard Royal Exchange, EC3V 3LR 020 7618 2480 Harry’s Bar 5 Abchurch Yard, EC4N 7BA 020 7623 2355 Light Bar 233 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6PJ 020 7247 8989 Match EC1 45-47 Clerkenwell Road, EC1M 5RS 020 7250 4002 Ortega 27 Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR 020 7623 1818 Vertigo 42 Tower 42 25 Old Broad St, EC2N 1HQ 020 7877 7842 The Worship Triton Court 14 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1BR 020 7330 0920

NOSTALGIA Sarah Collinson explores the magical world of old fashioned sweets, from fruit pips and bootlaces, to sherbet dips and pear drops; and questions whether we’ll ever outgrow our childhood favourites

W

e’ve all done it.

I did it today. In fact, I’ve done it for the past three days and I’ll probably do it tomorrow.

You head down to the corner shop at that terrible time of 4.30pm when lunch is a distant memory and supper is too far away to be of any comfort.

You head purposefully for the ‘healthy’ section with those virtuous cereal bars, bags of trail mix and boxes of apples.

You take one step; you take two.

Suddenly, something shiny catches your eye and innocently turning to look, you’re confronted with an avenue of treasures – bags of Haribo, tubes of wine gums, twirls of liquorice, pink Starburst, yellow Jelly Tots and red Skittles.

You stop. You look back at the granola bars. There’s a moment of indecision. Then you grab the fruit pastels, throw the money at the counter, trying not to catch the shop-keepers eye because you really shouldn’t be buying anything this childish while wearing a suit, and run for the hills.

Everyone knows that children like sweets; they look pretty, taste sugary and are so brightly packaged that kids flock to them like magpies. A recent study from the University of

Washington even established a link between children’s sweet preference and their growth, claiming a biological need for sugar for the first time. This is a pretty convenient excuse for kids wanting to explain the fizzy cola bottles in their school bag but, unfortunately for adults, the study continued to say that this ‘need’ should reduce after the age of 16.

It’s pretty much expected that, either by design or choice, adults should lose their childhood sweet tooth. We have no ‘biological need’ for sugar and it’s expected that our palates should have become more sophisticated, craving savoury delicacies and fine wines over a handful of dolly mixtures.

More importantly, we know exactly just how bad sweets are for your health. The main ingredient of refined sugar has zero nutritional value (you may as well be eating the wrapper) and will build up as glucose until it is stored as fat.

It plays havoc with your energy levels, causing fast boosts and big slumps which can leave you feeling tired, irritable, unable to sleep, and can even lead to serious disorders like diabetes.

But the British adults still buy sweets by the ton.

The UK is consistently the leading confectionary market

in Europe with each person buying an average of 26.5kg of sweets and chocolate each year.

Although a lot is probably bought by children (they must meet that ‘biological need’ somehow) you cannot discount the persistence of the adult consumer.

Some of us buy them to feel nostalgic or retro, and some to cheer up a dreary day.

Some want a bit of harmless rebellion against the consistent expectation that we should always be ‘grown up’ and sophisticated, and others just love the taste. Despite the childorientated marketing and the

food&drink

Hope & Greenwood

knowledge of the health risks we are still buying sweets…and it’s not something we should be ashamed about.

Sweets have always been a part of British culture for adults as well as kids, and we should defend this rather than being embarrassed. Whilst we are rarely internationally applauded for our cuisine, British sweets enjoy a reputation as being among the best in the world.

The corner sweet shop has been an icon since the days of glass jars of mint humbugs, and they are thankfully surviving even in the face of all the Tescos

and Sainsburys. For those experiencing a sugar craving in London, stop by at Hope & Greenwood – a nostalgic sweetie shop, the old fashioned store not only stocks a mid-

British authors have also recognised our national sweet tooth – gobstoppers were part of the daily diet of the characters in JustWilliam, cakes and sherbet formed the backbone of midnight feasts of Malory Towers, and there was definitely at least one ‘Land of Sweets’ up the Faraway Tree. Admitted these characters were all pretty young, but older figures were similarly sugar-fixated with Caractacus Potts from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang crashing a sweet factory to showcase his Toot Sweets and Mary Poppins offering spoonfuls of sugar to anyone with a cold.

We all have memories of the sweet stuff – sucking pink rock at the seaside, Werther’s Originals with grandparents, overdoing orange and yellow sherbet dippers at school discos – and there’s no reason this has to stop when you’re old enough to drive.

On the day that sweet rationing ended after WWII, adults joined the children’s rush to buy, with male city workers queuing in their lunch break to get their hands on boiled sweets and 2lb boxes of chocolate, despite prices having almost doubled.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we should overload on sugar for the sake of British traditions.

The health risks of overindulging are real and, as adults, we should appreciate them fully. Many doctors blame sweets for the increased obesity levels is the UK, and according to the British Dental Journal, tooth decay is

The UK is consisTenTly The leading confecTionary marKeT in eUrope wiTh each person bUying an average of 26.5Kg of sweeTs and chocolaTe each year boggling range of treats, but also retro pieces such as old Ladybird and Enid Blyton books.

Kids’ amazement will double as their father buys bag after bag of his school day favourites!

putting 30,000 children a year in hospital. But all of this doom and gloom shouldn’t be blamed on sweets as unfortunately there are vast quantities of sugar in common processed foods like

99

white bread, ready meals (even the ‘healthy’ ones) and fizzy drinks. At least sweets are honest about what they are – a sugary treat that is far from healthy but is fine to choose once in a while.

So next time you get tempted into the sweet aisle for a little treat, don’t feel embarrassed about buying something you should have grown out of ten years ago. Go mad; buy a big box of jelly beans for the office and watch how quickly they vanish! If Willy Wonka could legitimately spend his adult life prancing around a chocolate waterfall, we certainly shouldn’t feel guilty about snatching that last fruit pastel. n

For old fashioned traditional British sweets, visit A Quarter Of, www.aquarterof.co.uk and Hope & Greenwood, www. hopeandgreenwood.co.uk Hope & Greenwood Covent Garden 1 Russell Street London, WC2B 5JD Hope & Greenwood @ Selfridges London 400 Oxford St London, W1A 2LR

the coolest card in town this summer...

be part of

london’s most powerful network as featured in

Vicinitee VIP members gain access to an exciting world of exclusive concessions and privileges. They think big, they work hard and they want to shop, dine, go out, work out and party with the absolute minimum of hassle. In short, they are living life to the full and don't want anything to get in their way.

As a club, we retain the right to be exclusive and we make no apologies for that. We provide the perfect opportunities to relax and spend time with other like-minded people and our events provide the ideal platform for this with regular invitations to exclusive parties and events - ranging from the simple & elegant, to the wild & extreme. Our parties are by invitation only and take place in stylish London locations or at famous sporting and social events, with the added beneďŹ t that our members may bring their guests to most events.

Vicinitee VIP members are kept up-to-date on Club activities with regular emails, which inform them of up and coming events, member deals and services. On joining, we also provide a handy pocket guide containing comprehensive listing on exclusive Vicinitee VIP venues and services where preferential rates apply.

Vicinitee_VIP_DPS_JUNE_09_revB.indd 1

‘Discounts at hundreds of shops, bars, restaurants and services, ‘Slap’ on the counter goes my card; ‘‘Ching ching’’ goes the discount’ THE SUNDAY TIMES, STYLE

‘So much free champagne you could bathe in the stuff’ CARTIER INTERNATIONAL

‘Discounts at big-name fashion stores… free drink every day of the year… access to the best parties and events in town’ THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

Our association with The Renaissance Club, means Vicinitee VIP members enjoy access to hundreds of exclusive deals, brokered with London’s leading bars, restaurants, retailers, nightclubs and essential services - enhancing your lifestyle whilst saving you time & money. We only form partnerships with companies that members have requested, or that we would use ourselves. Now the legwork has been done – all you have to do is go out and enjoy the affiliations and the privileges arranged on your behalf.

The beauty of Vicinitee VIP membership lies in its flexibility - no matter what you are looking for; a health club, a bar, a restaurant, a taxi, film premieres, a tanning studio - they are all available to you, at exclusive rates, using your VIP membership card.

Take your first step to membership, visit www.vicinitee.com/vip and benefit from our special launch promotion.

23/05/2009 14:47:21

The newly launched Lovage Indian Restaurant & Bar is a stone’s throw from Shad Thames and the picturesque views of Tower Bridge, Lovage Indian Restaurant exudes the kind of upmarket ambience that is unparalleled in the Square Mile.

Lovage is a contemporary Indian restaurant and bar that offers wonderful cocktails and cooking, combining many of your favourites from the Indian repertoire, along with modern and subtly spiced dishes.

Whether you are looking for a relaxing meal, a family night out, a romantic dinner for two, a business meeting, or even a party gathering to celebrate those special occasions such as birthdays and other celebrations, we are here to cater for your needs.

SE1’S BEST KEPT SECRET

13 – 15 The Circle Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2JE 020 7403 8886

WWW.LOVAGERESTAURANT.COM INFO@LOVAGERESTAURANT.COM

The Supper-ano’S Is it dining or is it opera? Kasha Van Sant finds out more

T

hat was my first thought when I decided to step inside Bel Canto near Fenchurch Street. I soon discovered that it was both. Not only did my companion and I get a threecourse dinner, we got a song with our supper too. And I don't mean a raucous bawdy music hall tune or some twee background warbling.

I mean full blown arias courtesy of the trained soprano and tenor waiters and waitresses in attendance.

This is an interesting concept, it dares to be different and it could all go horribly wrong, but it doesn't and especially not in its Parisian setting. There’s a touch of the theatrical, with quirky period costumes adorning the walls and sumptuous red velvet curtains denoting the entrance to the dining space. A concert piano sits in the corner and is studiously attended by a trained classical pianist for most of the duration of the meal.

We sampled the Lyric Menu (£55), my starter was Salmon gravadlax, warm toasts with cucumber granite whilst my companion had the Foie Gras medallions, warm toasts and caramelised figs. In each case the toasts were light and crispy in contrast with the soft creaminess of the silky foie gras and the smoky pepper encrusted salmon. The caramelised figs and the cucumber granite added astringency and sweetness to cut

through the richness, and cleanse the palate.

In between each course the vocal talent, Christina Petrou and Nora King would tell us about the arias they were singing. The Flower Duet from Lakmé and La Bohème

by Puccini amongst other classic tunes that were thrown into the mix.

Prime beef fillet, dauphinoise potatoes and port wine glaze made for a delicious main course; as did the pan fried cod fillet served with roast vegetables, lemon and chive butter. Like the musical menu, which changes on a daily basis, the food menu is simple, not over fussy but classical representation of its genre that most people will recognise.

The sopranos and tenors at Bel Canto are lively, impassioned and expressive and their informative nature makes this a dining education. I cannot help thinking that camaraderie is what this is all about, it would be a fantastic place for a party!

Dessert came in the form of panna cotta with rhubarb and mango chutney and iced honey nougat with red berry coulis. I left feeling satisfied, entertained and with a desire to indulge in some operatic moves of my own!

The supremely talented singers at Bel Canto are going from strength to strength, appearing on BBC2 television programme

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is last month. And, as the restaurant grows in popularity, the team of artists is also growing with singers travelling from all over the world to work in this unique setting. Whether you’re out with friends or planning a special event – the team are happy to assist in any surprise parties, personal performances or celebrations – or alternatively, why not buy a Bel Canto voucher for a special event? The possibilities are endless.n Bel Canto Mark Lane, EC3R 7AA

xxxxxxx

xx

cucina italiana

Based in the heart of Shoreditch, Lena evokes traditional Italian concepts, executed in the unique style of the area.

Cocktail bar & lounge downstairs with live jazz Thursday, Friday & Saturday See website for set menus & seasonal offers Produce this advert on arrival to redeem free glass of prosecco Lena Restaurant | 66 Great Eastern St, London, EC2A 3JT | 0207 739 5714 | www.lenarestaurant.com

the heart of Shoreditch, Lena evokes traditional Italian concepts, executed in the unique style of the area. talian values of passion, pride and family are at the core of Lena and reflected in the welcome, service and most importantly, the food. Le

rs a menu that changes to reflect the best of the season’s offerings, sustainably sourced from Italy and local producers to create timeless Great Eastern Street, London, EC2A 3JT | 020 7739 5714 | reception@lenarestaurant.comsite by propeller

Learning a language?

Consider it child’s play.

Think about how you learnt your native native language language as as aa child. child.

The world was your classroom, but there there were were no no lessons. lessons.

You were an active participant in the the process process of of learning, learning, but it all seemed like fun and games. Like Like child’s child’s play. play.

That’s the secret to Rosetta Stone.

Stone. We We unlock unlock your your brain’s brain’s natural ability to learn a language. language. You’ll You’ll learn learn through through engaging, interactive activities activities that that encourage encourageyou youtotothink thinkinin the new language. And just like a child, child, you you won’t won’t memorise memorise or translate. You’ll have fun as you you progress, progress, and and you’ll you’ll find find it easy to achieve your language learning learning goals. goals.

SAVE

10% PLUS FREE P&P Quote ‘city6’ ‘cw5’

100% GUARANTEED

SIX MONTH MONEY-BACK

OVER 30 LANGUAGES AVAILABLE

0800 1228 0800 005 005 1225 RosettaStone.co.uk/city6 RosettaStone.co.uk/cw5 Free call

©2009 Rosetta Stone Ltd. All rights reserved. Patent rights pending. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer. Prices subject to change without notice. Six-Month Money-Back Guarantee is limited to product purchases made directly from Rosetta Stone and does not include return shipping. Guarantee does not apply to an online subscription or to Audio Companion purchased seperately from the CD-ROM product. All material included with the product at the time of purchase must be returned together and undamaged to be eligable for any exchange or refund. Postage & packing is only valid on standard delivery within the UK.

business&finance

107

ImmunIse your portfolIo agaInst recessIon

by DR. DAVID KUO at the financial website the Motley fool – fool.co.uk

I

f there’s one lesson we can take away from the recession it is that economic downturns affect everyone. What’s more, a stock market crash should be viewed as an opportunity to buy shares that you once thought were too expensive. It’s also a good time to review your portfolio and look for fresh investments to improve your wealth.

Since 1 September 2007 the FTSE 100, which is the index of the UK’s 100 biggest companies, has fallen by around 30 per cent. In other words, the top 100 businesses in Britain have lost a third of their total value. This is due to a combination of factors, but the most important is because investors reckon companies will make lower profits.

But if you’re not an investor, it’s natural to ask how a stock market crash could affect you if you have never bought shares. Truth is, even if you’re not directly invested in the stock market, the fall in the value of shares could still impact your pension, your wage packet and your job security.

The reason is quite simple. The stock market is generally a good barometer of the state of the economy. It is also the first to recover in times of recession because it is seen as a forward indicator. Put another way, investors look ahead at what they expect to happen and not at what has happened in the past.

Of course there will always be disagreements when shares rise after a protracted period of falls as to whether the improvement is a genuine recovery or merely an artefact. Arguments over

whether it is a bear market rally or the start of a bull market will never be settled until it is settled.

Interestingly, while looking at the FTSE will give a broad overview about the health of the economy, it doesn’t always tell the whole story. For instance, not all shares have fallen 30 per cent over the last 20 months.

Additionally, those companies that have fallen by less, or not at all, are generally regarded as being recession-proof.

Food and drink don’t go out of fashion in a recession too. After all, we need to replenish ourselves. This could explain why supermarket giant Morrison’s, food processor Unilever and fast-food chain Domino’s Pizza have fared well. Elsewhere, soft drinks makers Britvic and A.G Barr have held their own in the last 18 months.

Tobacco shares are also worth considering, as every smoker knows giving up the habit is not easy regardless the state of the economy.

the stock market is a good barometer of the state of economy...and it is the first to improve, as investors look ahead at what they expect to happen, not at what has happened in the past Consider shares in gold producer Randgold Resources; they have almost doubled. This is hardly surprising given that gold is seen as a safe bet in troubled times.

So with the market in turmoil and worries over global currencies and company profits, many investors have flocked to gold to seek solace. This move to gold has pushed its price up from $650 an ounce to $900 – a rise of over 30 per cent over two years. Ironically, the rise in the price of gold is the roughly the same as the fall in the value of shares, which is why some observers claim gold and shares are negatively correlated. When one goes up the other goes down and vice versa.

The pharmaceuticals industry is also considered to be immune from macroeconomic events. Consequently this sector has been robust in the economic downturn. In fact shares in AstraZeneca, the UK’s second largest drugs maker, have improved as the economy deteriorated.

I appreciate not everyone will be keen on investing in cigarette makers, but shares in British American Tobacco, which I own, are holding firm in this recession.

As you can see from this selection, not all companies are similarly affected in a recession. Some even relish an economic downturn, which is why recessions can be lucrative for those prepared to hunt around for bargains in readiness for the recovery.

It is important not to look upon economic downturns – the boom and bust cycle or bear markets – as something that will damage our wealth. Instead see them as opportunities, because, just as night follows day, a bull market follows a bear market. And not being exposed to shares could damage your wealth. n

citylife

recommends

Interiors Style

Sun Protection

Bibliotheque specialise in porcelain tiles, man-made stone and mosaics, as well as the fusion of porcelain tiles with metals creating an incredible 3-dimensional decorative effect.

Visit one of the three showrooms to view an array of products available to everyone from the DIY enthusiast to commercial architects.

Bare Escentuals presents a revolutionary mineral powder sunscreen. Do away with heavy, greasy lotions and lightly dust this SPF30 mineral sunscreen across your skin. The mineral formula includes micronized titanium dioxide which instantly shields against UVA/UVB rays to help prevent premature skin ageing and sun damage.

www.bibliotheque.co.uk

£22, www.bareescentuals.co.uk

Perfect Smile

Travel Essentials

B Dental is a new luxury dental practice in Islington that offers the full range of specialist dental services. All specialists are in-house so even the most complicated treatment plans can be coordinated and carried out under one roof.

What’s more they’re open 7 days a week, perfect for the busy city professional.

From luxury cosmetic brand Space NK, this smart wash bag contains Eau de Toilette, Shave Cream and Body Wash, all infused with the woody oriental notes of this classic scent.

Perfect for popping into your overnight bag, no man should travel without the essentials.

B Dental 61 Islington Park St, N1 1QB 020 7226 8074 www.bdental.co.uk

£30, www.spacenk.co.uk

Barbeque Must Have

Hike, Bike, Run, Swim

Jamie Oliver’s Real Tomato Ketchup is a summer time must-have. From a small converted coach house in deepest Suffolk, (affectionately known as the Saucery) comes a secret recipe of herbs and spices which elevates the humble tomato to become the perfect sauce for fry-ups, mash, and fish and chips.

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live or what you do; anyone can get involved! We have a whole range of events for 2009. Challenge yourself and help support the children and young people with lifelimiting and complex health conditions at Richard House.

£3.50, www.jamieoliver.com/jme

Please contact Please contact events on events@richardhouse.org.uk quoting CWM Registered charity number: 1059029

cityliferecommends

Picnic Hampers Thanks to delivery service Easy Picnic, you can now enjoy picnics delivered anywhere in London; including the parks! The hampers contain yummy food and wine for two, such as a selection of antipasti and cheese, fresh French baguettes, smoked salmon, strawberries, chilled white wine or champagne, as well as plastic cutlery and glasses, paper table cloth and napkins.

Hampers, bronze (£25), silver (£40), and gold (£60) www.easy-picnic.com

Montblanc and UNICEF The Montblanc Meisterstück ‘Signature for Good’ special edition has been designed with a 14 carat nib and golden inlay in the distinctive shape of the olive bush from the UNICEF logo and a precious blue sapphire in the top of the cap.

The purchase of each writing instrument will benefit children without proper access to education. www.montblanc.com

Intrepid Travel

Must Have Bag

For travellers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world of adventure travel.

With a huge variety of tours available travellers explore the world's most amazing places - discovering real people, real cultures and incredible real life experiences along the way!

The Enid bag’s silhouette draws on the art of corsetry with its distinctive hand-stitched corded leather. The frame lends structure to the soft goatskin leather body and the wide opening reveals sumptuous peach silk lining and ample space beautifully organised with ruched pockets; the perfect handbag for any occasion.

www.intrepidtravel.com

Large Enid, £895 Small Enid, £775 www.smythson.com

Whisky Lovers

iBling

Whisky lovers must try the exquisite range of recently released malt whiskies named ‘Jura Paps’ which have been inspired by the mystical Paps of Jura – a trio of Scottish mountains. With just over 1,300 bottles available, the magical trio is destined to delight whisky collectors, enthusiasts and connoisseurs, and will provide the ultimate gift for Father’s Day.

These limited edition pieces have been specifically created to raise awareness and donations for the Elton John Aids Foundation. The design is a celebration of the remarkable work that Sir Elton John and team have achieved to date in supporting people living with and affected by HIV and Aids around the world.

www.isleofjura.com

16GB, £449.99 8GB, £399.99 www.goldgenie.com/elton-john-ipodstarburst

109

Give a child with a cleft a second chance at life The Smile Train provides life changing free cleft surgery for children in developing countries which takes as little as 45 minutes and costs as little as £150.

It gives desperate children not just a new smile – but a new life.

I want to give a child a second chance at life.

Please tick:

■ £150 Surgery for one child ■ £75 Half the cost of one surgery ■ £30 Medications for one surgery ■ £___________ (We’ll gratefully accept any amount) Z09061U151FAN06

Address Postcode Email

Telephone

Charge my gift to my: ■ Visa ■ Master Card ■ Maestro Card No. Valid From

Exp. Date

Issue No.

Signature

✁

Your support can provide free treatment for poor children with clefts and other problems.

Mr/Mrs/Ms

■ My cheque is enclosed, made payable to The Smile Train UK Send this coupon with your donation to:

The SmileTrain UK, PO Box 583, Northampton NN3 6UH ■ Tick the box to make every £1 of your gift worth at least 25p more for FREE. I am a UK taxpayer. Please treat all donations I make or have made to The Smile Train as Gift Aid donations for the past six years until further notice. You must pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax that The Smile Train reclaims on your donation in the tax year. Currently 25p for every £1 you give.

These details, including your email address / telephone number, may be used to keep you informed about our future developments.

If you do not want to receive such information please tick this box

Donate online: www.smiletrain.org.uk OR call: 0870 127 6269 Registered Charity No. 1114748

© 2009 The Smile Train.

business&finance

111

EQUIPPED WITH SOLUTIONS Claire Rutter finds out more on effective tax planning for smart contractors & how they can save more money to enjoy life

I

n this economic climate we all want to make the most of the money we earn and as a contractor setting up your own business can be a daunting experience.

If you choose to go it alone, you can either operate as a sole-trader or set up and work through a limited company. It is worth noting that most UK recruitment agencies will only work with limited companies and not sole traders, but also remember that working through a limited company brings with it a number of legally required administrative and financial tasks.

pay a contractor through the PAYE scheme.

This should be considered carefully as expenses are often used to increase returns, opening the contractor up to liability, as it is potentially an abuse of dispensation agreements.

However, an innovative solution is presented by Equip Management Solutions.

According to the alternative umbrella company their method is hassle free. Using a Limited Company and an employment benefit trust (EBT), their solution can provide benefits on gross billings, of up to 85%. However, no strict guarantee can be

We offer a packaged solution to the contractor that provides flexibility to absorb the rate reduction, yet still retains the same or more of the equivalent take home pay that contractors are used to The other options are to work through an agency through their payroll service or through a professional employment agency.

These employment agencies are referred to as umbrella or alternative umbrella companies and working in this way reduces a large amount of administrative work for the individual. The responsibility is therefore removed, leaving you time to enjoy your days off work.

Traditional umbrellas will generally issue invoices to the recruitment agency and will

assured as personal circumstances need to be considered.

Equip Director, Darren Marley said: “With businesses facing difficult times, what’s usually first to suffer is the services provided by the contractor. Projects are either put on hold or they will be asked to take a reduction in rate. Equip offers a packaged solution to the contractor that provides flexibility to absorb the rate reduction, yet still retains the same or more of the equivalent take home pay that contractors are used to”.

Using a company such as Equip MS, there is no need for contractors to retain a UK limited company. Therefore the administrative burden that comes with running your own company is reduced.

Each month, the employment company also has the option to contribute funds to the company’s employee benefit trust (EBT).

As an employee you are able to receive discretionary funds from the independent trustees of the EBT. When using a solution such as this, all earnings are subject to tax; This scheme is registered with the HMRC so full disclosure is made on all income received.

Many umbrella or management companies have an IR35 risk, but Equip MS is not caught under this legislation. Included in the solution is insurance for each contractor, covering professional indemnity, employers and public liability. Equip MS offer a personal business manager who provides personalised support. If you want to minimise your tax, and maximise your earnings with as little hassle as possible, speak with Equip MS. n READER OFFER

for a limited time only, equip ms are extending a special offer to the readers of canary Wharf magazine and the city magazine. the first 100 contractors who sign-up to take advantage of this service will receive a £250 cash bonus!

For more information visit: www.equip-ms.com

NEW BULL MARKET IN SHARES OR JUST A LOAD OF OLD BULL? Are the good times on their way back? The S&P 500 has continued to rally and the general feeling is that ‘the worst is over’

T

he last few weeks has seen an impressive run up in the global equity markets, the S&P 500 has gained over 37% since the March market lows and the general feeling is that ‘the worst is over’ and the good times are back.

Before I go any further and give you my reading on the current situation, let me say that I am not a bull or bear; I don’t get paid to sell shares, I don’t have to give the mainstream view, and I am not a doom and gloom merchant. I trade markets both long and short and I am happy to switch between the two; nor do I just trade stocks – I am happy to trade stocks, commodities, currencies and bonds. For example, I am currently short T Bonds, long Sugar, long Cotton, short Cocoa, long the Canadian Dollar, long NASDAQ 100 and short Yen to name a few trades.

My aim is to stick to the facts of what I see is happening, rather than emotions and what many think should happen.

The overall trend for most global stock markets has been, and is still down; if we look at the S&P 500 it would have to close at over 1200 for a long term buy signal to be given and we are quite a way off from this at the moment (currently 900). The FTSE 100 would have to close over 5200 to give a buy a signal.

What we have witnessed is a classic bear market rally – these up moves suck new buyers back into the market and allow the smart money to sell out. This rally started as they always do, when the majority doesn’t expect them, and are

very pessimistic. Of course, shorter term traders can profit from these moves; I did very well from trading Bank Of America during this rally, a stock which I think is now a long term disaster but I was happy to ride if for a few weeks and make over 100% profit. I will most likely be short again and ride the stock down again in the coming months. Goldman Sachs was another profitable trade moving for $74 to $140 in the space of just over a month.

This rally started with the US Financial stocks reporting better than expected earnings, I use the word earnings loosely as if it was not for the government bailouts (TARP) money, most of these financial companies would be bankrupt today.

Also many one-off items and accounting changes helped to make these banks look far stronger than they really are. This has bought the financials some time, but what about the next quarter – and the one after that?

We are now moving into the seasonally weaker time of the year and this lasts until around mid October before we see a traditional year-end rally. What we may see between now and that time is a lot of range trading for major indices. There is a high probability that the S&P 500 will go back to reach the March lows again before 2009 is out; this could happen around September to October as the reality sinks in that quick fixes don’t last!

Another factor helping markets and the banks is the near 0% interest rates around the globe. Many are putting money back into the stock market because keeping money in cash is providing negative returns if you account for inflation.

Many are puTTing Money back inTo The sTock MarkeT because keeping Money in cash is providing negaTive reTurns if you accounT for inflaTion The idea that the March low was a bottom and we are now just going to go straight up is not what happens in the real world. From experience, lows take time to form with lots of false starts which will cause maximum pain for most investors.

For the next few months the best opportunities could be in soft and agricultural commodities as well as looking at individual shares both long and short, and ignoring the over all indices.

Many of the soft commodities have come back to life such as Soyabeans, Cotton and Sugar. There has been little interest in commodities apart from Oil and Gold over the last few months. Many were burnt from the massive falls last summer and are in no hurry to get back in. However, this is where I see opportunities. n

Vince Stanzione has produced a home study course to teach private investors how to benefit from trading financial Spread Bets and Fixed Odds. For more information please visit www.fintrader.info

what'son

Our guide to this rd_dec shirt month’s top events

Until 5 June EVENT

FIN, FUR & FEATHER Featuring Helen Musselwhite, Catherine Rayner, Sonia Rollo, Rose Sanderson and Helen Thorpe. This show aims to bring together artists whose work is inspired in very different ways by the animal kingdom.

180 Lower Richmond Road, SW15 1LY 020 8246 4840 www.wills-art.com

6 June

events company.qxp

04/11/2008

11:24

113

Page 1

THE SHIRT COMPANY The PerfectWhite Shirt. Simple.

Versatile. Essential.

A chameleon, the perfect white shirt comes in many guises, all of which have certain things in common. The perfect white shirt fits well, its sleeves are long and well shaped, its top button thoughtfully positioned.

Its colour is a bright, complexion-flattering white.

The fact that it is made well - and made to last - goes without saying.

EVENT CHARLOTTE STREET FESTIVAL Head to the Charlotte Street Festival for fine, fresh food and family entertainment. Several restaurants including Chez Gerard, Bam Bau, Andreas Greek and Bertorelli will be taking part in festival.

The perfect white shirt is a classic.

No one said it has to be plain.

www.charlottestreetfestival.org

Tel: 0845 1192 343

www.theshirtcompany.com 5-14 June

7-11 June

EVENT

EVENT

OLYMPIA INTERNATIONAL ART & ANTIQUES FAIR

GRADUATE FASHION WEEK

This is the largest international art and antiques fair, and brings together 250 of the world’s best dealers and galleries of fine art who will exhibit an array of unique pieces such as Art Deco jewellery, old masters and a diverse range of furniture.

The biggest showcase of young and up-and-coming fashion and design talent; this year Graduate Fashion Week will feature more than a 1000 of the finest BA Degree fashion students from over 50 universities. This is one of the few fashion events open to the public.

Olympia Way London W14 8UX www.olympiaartsinternational.com

Warwick Road London SW5 9TA 08705 125 240 www.gfw.org.uk

8 – 14 June

9-12 June

EVENT

EVENT

COUTTS LONDON JEWELLERY WEEK

CRAFT CENTRAL

Discover the beautiful and glamorous world of jewellery. Coutts London Jewellery Week has a whole host of events going on across London to celebrate jewellery, jewellers and designers. Highlights includes: the Hatton Garden Festival (13 June) and Treasure, an event that will showcase the best of visionary design, cutting edge technology and new talent. www.londonjewelleryweek.co.uk

Celebrate Coutts London Jewellery Week at Craft central with an exhibition featuring 15 shining jewellery talents.

You can also mingle with the designers at the informal ‘Meet the Maker’ event.

33-35 St John’s Square, EC1M 4DS 020 7251 0276 www.craftcentral.org.uk

what'son

Our guide to this month’s top events

9-19 June

11-14 June

DANCE

MUSIC

JEWELS

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/YAN PASCAL TORTELIER

This is the Royal Ballet’s new production of Balanchine’s Jewels.

The three act ballet is set to the music of Faurè, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky and it is inspired by the romance of glistening emeralds, dazzling rubies and sparkling diamonds.

This performance from the highly acclaimed London Symphony Orchestra features Ravel’s Ma Mère l’oye and Shèhèrazade and Debussy’s Prèlude á l’après-midi d’un faune and La mer. There will also be a free pre-concert performance by Guildhall pianist Diana Ionescu.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD 020 7304 4000 www.roh.org.uk

The Barbican, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk

12-28 June

Until June 14

DANCE

ART & EXHIBITIONS

THE KING AND I

IRENE SCHEINMANN AT THE PORTLAND GALLERY

Staring Daniel Dae Kim and Maria Friedman, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I is in the Royal Albert hall for a limited season of only twenty performances. This play is a well loved story of a British widow and governess, Anne Leonowens who is brought to the court of Siam to tutor the King’s children.

Scheinmann’s collection of paintings are inspired by landscapes, rocks and the human body. She convoys her personal vision by infusing the real with the imagined. The cracks in the rocks and the patterns in nature present new images which are then translated into paintings, prints and other mediums.

Royal Albert Hall Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP 020 7838 3100 www.royalalberthall.com

Portland Gallery 8 Bennet Street, SW1 1RP 020 8332 1200 www.portlandgallery.com

Sensational Summer Nails with Bio Sculpture Gel an cle ably s t e pli for Ap com &

Fu & nct fas ion hi al on ab le

Discover th of an advan e difference ced nail trea your natura tment as a coating to l nails to st rengthen an d condition them…

tly instan Dries UV lamp r unde

le, rab e & u D xibl oof fle p-pr i ch

le vailab rses a ed nail u o c l Nai xperienc ians lls – ic w ski ers and e e techn n n Lear or beginn f

For your closest salon and information on training courses biosculpture_ABSO191.indd 1

So da aks o ma ff ge wi to th n na tur o al n

Ove colo r 100 shim urs, de mer licate s, F ren ch &

Cle ar

ail

s

- www.biosculpture.co.uk • call 0845 331 2347 22/4/09 14:59:01

events

115

15 June - 12 July

ART & EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE

BRITISH COUNCIL COLLECTION

MINCEMEAT

The British Council Collection is to go on show for the first time. The exhibition features works from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Each item will have the price paid for the art and a ‘passport’ will show where the works have been shown since their date of purchase.

Mincemeat is the latest production

by Cardboard Citizens, the UK’s only homeless professional theatre company. This play is the story about a no-body who become a somebody and in doing so changed the course of the Second World War. This is the true story behind The Man Who Never Was.

77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX 020 7522 7888 www.whitechapel.org

© Dee Conway

Until 14 June

Cordy House Shoreditch, EC2A 3BS www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk

17-18 June

17-23 June

EVENT

ART & EXHIBITIONS

BUSINESS TRAVEL MARKET

POOR. OLD. TIRED. HORSE

This is a new event that aims to breathe new life into industry events by showcasing the best business travel has to offer. Highlights include a talk from BBC’s Mark Bailey on staying fit whilst travelling as well as how to save money on travel.

This exhibition takes an imaginative and expansive look at text-based art practices from the 1960s to the present day. In particular the exhibition focuses on Concrete Poetry, a movement that flowered in the 60s, which is now largely forgotten.

One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL 020 7602 1407 www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk

ICA The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH 020 7930 3647 www.ica.org.uk

20 June

OYSTER

EVENT LA NOUVELLE BANDE DESSINÈE: ÈMILE BRAVO & EMMANUEL GUIBERT

Luxury Travel & Diving

Two French award winning graphic novelists will be talking with Paul Gravett about their books, which have been translated into English. Gravett will also be signing books.

ICA The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH 020 7930 3647 www.ica.org.uk

30 June - 4 July

SEA THE WORLD

DANCE SISI LARBI CHERKAOUI/ ANTONY GORMLEY/ MONKS FROM THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE

Diving offers an unrivalled experience combining tranquillity, adrenalin, exercise and relaxation.

Save precious time and learn the theory and pool skills with us and complete your course in warm waters.

We offer:

© Hugo Glendinning

Private and group PADI courses An intergrated travel agency Regular group trips for adults, family’s and children To book a course or for further information

please call 0792 051 6006 or visit www.OysterLtd.com

U 455X

The monks return to give UK audiences a second chance to see this stunning collaboration. Performed by 17 monks from the original Shaolin Temple in China, along with Larbi himself, Sutra is a fascinating exploration of the philosophy and faith behind the Shaolin tradition, its relationship with Kung-Fu. Sadler’s Wells Theatre Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TN 0844 412 4300 www.sadlerswells.com

Until October

W E IGH T L O S S

ART & EXHIBITIONS INDIAN SUMMER The British Museum and HSBC are collaborating to being a season dedicated to Indian culture. A unique programme of exhibitions, installations, lectures, film and performances, highlights include Garden and Cosmos, The Royal Paintings of Jodpur, an Indian landscape and a specially commissioned space showing India’s biodiversity.

British Museum Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG 020 7323 8181 www.britishmuseum.org

H E A LT H Y E AT I NG

T R A I N I NG SU PP ORT

The Ultimate Convenience, The Pure Package does the hard work for you, each morning you wake to your day’s food freshly prepared. We do all the cooking and preparation delivering three tailored guilt-free meals and two appetising snacks to you daily.

Whether you wish to lose weight, increase your energy levels, run a marathon or take the pressure off after having a baby, The Pure Package can help you achieve your goals through a perfectly balanced diet.

The team of nutritionists, dietary therapists and chefs have designed a range of dietary programmes to meet your needs.

Until 31 August

Keeping healthy has never been so easy and delicious!

ART & EXHIBITIONS ETHELBURGA TOWER: AT HOME IN A HIGH RISE Photographer Mark Cowper took photos of his own home and that of his fellow residents’ in Ethelburga Tower in Battersea. Taken from the same position in same room, these photographs provides a life affirming view into the way we live today.

Geffrye Museum 020 7739 9893 www.geffrye-museum.org.uk

“So tasty… I lost one stone in 4 weeks… boy was it worth it!” Eve Magazine “Impressive… a godsend... saves you time and stress… mouth-watering.” Tatler “Perfect… created by a nutritionist to suit your needs, then you sit back and wait.” The Times

Until 27 September EVENT BUTTERFLY JUNGLE Take a magical journey this summer, as the Natural History Museum comes alive with the brand new Butterfly Jungle. Travel from the dark depths of the forest floor, to the heady heights of the tree canopy, and experience the magic and beauty of live butterflies and other rainforest creatures.

“The bliss of waking up and finding an entire day’s supply of healthy food on your doorstep is hard to describe – It’s all delicious… this is the Rolls-Royce of diets” Telegraph

The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD 020 7942 5000 www.nhm.ac.uk

Until 10 October

PRE & POST BABY SKIN & AGEING ENERGY DETOX & CLEANSE

ART & EXHIBITIONS SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE EXHIBITION This exhibition is an engaging introduction to the life of the world famous bard.

It explores the history of the globe’s unique theatrical space, the costumes, music, special effects and printing. The exhibition also regularly organises public dressing demonstrations during afternoon matinees.

Shakespeare’s Globe 020 7401 9919 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT www.shakespeares-globe.org

The diet delivered to your door Te l : 0 8 4 5 6 1 2 3 8 8 8 i n f o @ p u r e p a c k a g e . c o m w w w. p u r e p a c k a g e . c o m

PP Canary Wharf_half page vertical.indd 1

9/12/08 11:00:12

Don’t let cutting the grass bug you!!!

Roof Gardens. Patios. Balconies. Children’s Play Areas. Dog and Pet Runs. Sport Surfaces. Exhibitions. Walkways.

Swimming Pool Surrounds....etc Easigrass...Will plan, design, prepare, install and finish your ‘garden’ to the highest of standards and specifications. Leaving you the durable ‘all weather’ leisure surface for you to enjoy.

No more..Mowing, Raking, Weeding, Feeding. A beautiful lawn with no more worries.....

365 days a year for everyone to enjoy.

Take a look at our website for details then email or call us for a free survey, Site plan, samples, estimates and installation schedule….

Call on us 0845 094 8880 or visit www.easigrass.com

KnightFrank.co.uk

Carronade House, Wapping E1W

Whitehall Cottage, St Katharine’s Dock E1W

A recently refurbished top floor one bed apartment with mezzanine level offering good space and light. In a terrific location a few steps from Wapping tube station and just around the corner from the amenities of Wapping Lane.

53 sq m (570 sq ft)

Situated on the south side of the inner dock, a terraced cottage which was substantially remodellled in 2000 extending the accomodation to sitting room, kitchen/ dining room, two bedrooms, bath and shower room, terrace, separate garage. 112 sq m (1,208 sq ft)

Leasehold: 101 years

Freehold

Guide price: £305,000

Guide price: £745,000

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 sales@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 sales@knightfrank.com

Stockholm Way, Wapping E1W

Dunbar Wharf, Limehouse E14

Within a small pupose built block, a most attractive light and bright flat in excellent order. Entrance hall, dual aspect reception room, open plan kitchen, bathroom, small balcony, garage parking space, lift.

59 sq m (636 sq ft)

A spacious 2 bedroom flat, with sweeping river views, in superb order with plenty of outside space, reception room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms and 2 balconies 106 sq m (1144 sq ft)

Leasehold: 109 years

Guide price: £675,000

Guide price: £335,000

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 sales@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 sales@knightfrank.com

Share of Freehold

KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

St Pancras’ Chambers, Euston Road NW1 Magnificent Grade 1 Listed development

A impressive selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments set in this magnificent Grade 1 Listed development currently undergoing a £150 million refurbishment. With a choice of large lateral conversions in the old state rooms on the second and third floors and double height duplex and triplex apartments on the fifth and sixth floors. This landmark development has to be the most convenient location for anyone travelling to and from Europe and offers a mixture of original period apartments and very contemporary units. Available on an unfurnished or furnished basis also boasting the use of the facilities in the 5 star hotel which will be opening in the near future.

Prices from £600 per week

Knight Frank City gary.hall@knightfrank.com 020 7606 1560

KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

The Penthouses, 28 Park Street SE1

Stunning, Penthouse apartments overlooking the River Thames New, duplex, air-conditioned Penthouses with terraces. London Bridge Station and Borough Market only 200m. Tate Modern/Bank of England - ten minutes. Private residential entrance hall; direct lift to 6th floor. Interior designed by the up and coming - Natalia Higgins of Natalia Design to tasteful contemporary standards. Double height ceilings and unrivalled panoramic terrace views of London skyline and River Thames. Complete with fully fitted kitchens and bedroom cupboards, stone flooring under-floor heating, individual air-conditioning, stunning bathrooms with TV’s automated lighting controlling systems. 24/7 security and CCTV security video access and surveillance and secure private drive.

Offered fully furnished from ÂŁ625pw

Knight Frank Wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848

Tower Bridge Office 020 7407 3173 towerbridge@hamptons-int.com

www.hamptons.co.uk www.hamptons.co.uk

River View Heights, SE16

£1,250,000 Share of Freehold

Empire Square West, SE1

£699,000 Leasehold

A two bedroom, 1561 sq ft riverside penthouse, boasting roof terrace and two large balconies, with views from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf. Porter and underground parking.

A stunning 19th floor, 818 sq ft apartment within this Berkeley homes development, boasting superb views across South London from both the balcony and roof terrace.

Cardamom Building, SE1

St. Andrews Wharf, SE1

£635,000 Leasehold

A centrally located 1109 sq ft two bedroom apartment within a warehouse conversion in Shad Thames, with original character, porter services and allocated parking.

A well presented and much improved fourth floor warehouse apartment retaining original features, overlooking St Saviours Dock, including allocated parking.

Property Property address address

Q Q Q Q

Tem Temdo doetetex exeu eufeugiam feugiamquat quatlumsan lumsanullutatem ullutatemquam, quam, qui qui tem tem vent vent in in eugait eugaitacilis acilisalit alitiliquam iliquamillut illutvullan vullanhenim henimiusciliquis iusciliquis et et niamet niamet augue augue dolorting dolortingexercincil exercinciler ersi. si.

Theed Street, London, SE1

A three bedroom, double fronted, Georgian house less than 300m Tem etetex feugiam quat lumsan ullutatem quam, Temdo do exeu eustation feugiam quat lumsan quam, qui qui tem tem from Waterloo with over 1,200ullutatem sq ft of accommodation, euguerit volesed tat lor am duipsummod tio eum velit, summy vent euguerit volesed tat lor am duipsummod tio eum velit, summy vent in in including two/three receptions and a basement. eugait eugaitacilis acilisalit alitiliquam iliquamillut illutvullan vullanhenim henimiusciliquis iusciliquis et et niamet niamet augue augue dolorting exercincil er si. dolorting exercincil er020 si. 7407 3173 Tower Bridge Office

Antonine Heights, SE1

towerbridge@hamptons-int.com

£329,000 Leasehold

Firstname Surname Firstname Surname A 10th floor one bedroom apartment with far reaching views Office House Department 01403 262828 towards Canary Wharf, within a modern OfficeLondon London House Department 01403 262828Galliard Homes development, having lift and underground parking.

Email Emailhorshamcountryhouse@hamptons-int.com horshamcountryhouse@hamptons-int.com

£415,000 Share of Freehold

Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

Room Room descriptor descriptor / feature Room Room descriptor descriptor / feature Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Double fronted house Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Original character Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Three bedrooms Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Re-fitted bathroom Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Two/three receptions Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor • Basement room Room descriptor Room descriptor • Wine cellar / feature • Rear garden/ feature Room descriptor Room descriptor • Freehold

Prince Regent Court, SE16

£349,950 Leasehold

A well presented two bed 1st floor riverfront apartment within Price Price on on application application a gated development, having views of the Thames from both Freehold Freehold reception and master£945,000 bedroom, and gated parking.

Freehold

Anexpanding expandingnetwork networkof ofover over 70 70 offices offices -- local, local, national national and and international international An

Tower Bridge Office 020 7407 3172 towerbridgelettings@hamptons-int.com

www.hamptons.co.uk www.hamptons.co.uk

Tea Trade Wharf, SE1 Riverview Heights, SE16

£490 per week £725 per week A stunning two double bedroom duplex penthouse apartment situated An outstanding riverside duplex apartment within close proximity in the heart of Shad Thames.

The apartment boasts a 32’ reception to Shad Thames, boasting three roof terraces with river views, room, two bathrooms, guest wc, two balconies, HD Home Cinema contemporary decor featuring a stylish glass staircase leading to spacious System and a secured underground car park space. Furnished. reception room and kitchen dining room. Allocated parking. Furnished.

Millennium Square, Tea Trade Wharf, SE1SE1

£895 per week £800 per week A beautifultwo twodouble bedroom apartment offered inapartment excellent order A spacious bedroom two bathroom throughout boasting reception room with wood floors, modern with balcony offered in excellent order and arranged within a open plan kitchen and balcony, two double bedrooms and prestigious warehouse development. The apartment benefits contemporary bathroom. Comes with parking. Furnished. from 24 hour concierge and allocated secure parking. Furnished.

Caraway Apartments, SE1 £380 per week B5 Lloyds Wharf £650 per week Tempus Wharf, SE16 £575 per week Caraway Apartments, SE1 £550 per week A well presented one bedroom apartment boasting wood floors, A superb spacious two bedroom duplex apartment boasting original A beautiful two bedroom two bathroom in stylish furnishings, parking space, porterapartment and use ofoffered communal excellent order and boasting wood floors, exposed brick, small leisure complex.

Furnished. balcony with river views and communal terrace. Furnished.

An exceptionally spacious twoshared doubleterrace, bedroom apartment wood floors, exposed beams, secure car park space withdaytime two ensuite bathrooms and a guest cloakroom. Offered and porter.

Furnished. in excellent order throughout and boasting two balconies, allocated parking and communal lesuire complex. Furnished.

iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor iptor // feature feature iptor iptor // feature feature iptor iptor // feature feature iptor iptor // feature feature iptor / feature

tion tion

ational ational

6 Victor Wharf , SE1 £490 per week 17 New Globe Walk £525 per week The Circle, SE1 bedroom, two bathroom property £380 per Merganser Court, E1W This modern two double withweek Superb two bedroom apartment situated on the third £475 floor per of aweek

A oneplan bedroom apartment boasting reception roomon with open living/dining room to kitchen is situated thewood second floors pretty communal Situated in floor inand thisbalcony sought overlooking after development on Clink St.garden.

Furnished. the heart of Shad Thames. Furnished.

A beautiful development one bedroom next apartment boasting spacious prestigious to the river Thames and the Globe bedroomThe andproperty receptionboasts roommodern both with direct access to Furnished.

Theatre. decor and balcony. balcony overlooking St Katharine’s Dock, parking and porter.

Furnished.

One address. Thousands of properties. www.hamptons.co.uk Onenetwork address.ofThousands of properties. www.hamptons.co.uk An expanding over 70 offices - local, national and international

City Office 020 7236 8398 city@hamptons-int.com

www.hamptons.co.uk

Monument Street, Cliffords Inn, EC4EC3

Upper ThamesEC3 Street, EC4 Mitre Street,

Ludgate Square, EC4 EC1 Featherstone Street,

Mansell Street, E1 Garden Walk, EC2

£340,000 £595,000Leasehold Leasehold stunning top floor apartment one bedroom apartment anon the A superb 2 bedroom in this popularwith block abundance ofof natural light, a recently fitted shower and western edge the City, with a southerly aspect androom beautiful improved ooring, makes this the ultimate City bolt hole. views overflSt Dunstan’s Church.

£425,000Leasehold Leasehold £395,000 Located in Ludgate Square, just around the corner from the An impressive apartment within this popular development new London Stock Exchange and St Paul’s Cathedral this offering stylish contemporary accommodation on oneisfloor smart, firstentrance floor apartment. with itsmodern own street and private car parking.

perty address

£899,950Leasehold Leasehold £399,950 With views towards Shakespeare’s Globe andan theabundance Tate Modern, highly A stunning two bedroom apartment with of this natural sought rarely two bedroom at has direct river light onafter theand third flooravailable of this converted teaflwarehouse, awayviews from and beautifully presented accommodation in the heart of EC4. busyoffers traffic and adjacent to the Gherkin.

£450,000 £390,000 Leasehold Leasehold A smart two bedroom apartment a private contemporary apartmentwith located in theterrace heart ofand westerly aspect towards City.

The development also Shoreditch.

Finished to athe high standard the property enjoys access provides a daytime concierge and a communal roof to a private balcony and a communal roof terrace. terrace.

Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor / feature Q Room descriptor / feature Property address Room descriptor / feature et ex eu feugiam quat lumsan ullutatem quam, qui tem vent in Q Room Room descriptor / feature descriptor / feature cilis alit iliquam illut vullan henim iusciliquis et niamet augue Q Room Room descriptor / feature descriptor / feature Tem g exercincil er do si.et ex eu feugiam quat lumsan ullutatem quam, qui tem vent inQ Room descriptor / feature eugait acilis alit iliquam illut vullan henim iusciliquis et niamet augue Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor / feature Q Room descriptor / feature dolorting exercincil er si.

Room descriptor / feature et ex eu feugiam quat lumsan ullutatem quam, qui tem Q Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor / feature t volesed tat lordoam duipsummod tiolumsan eum velit, summy vent Tem et ex eu feugiam quat ullutatem quam, quiin tem Q Room descriptor / feature Room descriptor / feature cilis alit iliquam vullan henim iusciliquis et augue eugueritillut volesed tat lor am duipsummod tioniamet eum velit, summy vent inQ Room Room descriptor / feature descriptor / feature eugait g exercincil er si.acilis alit iliquam illut vullan henim iusciliquis et niamet augue Room descriptor / feature Q

Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

dolorting exercincil er si.

FetterThames Lane, EC4 Upper Street, EC4 Firstname Surname

£550,000 Leasehold £325,000 Leasehold A superb two bedroom apartment in this popular block on don House Department 01403 262828 With easterly river views towards Southwark Bridge and the Office London House Department 01403 262828 western edge of the City, withthis a southerly and beautiful additional basement storage, 5th flooraspect apartment would shamcountryhouse@hamptons-int.com rshamcountryhouse@hamptons-int.com Email horshamcountryhouse@hamptons-int.com views the overultimate St Dunstan’s Church. make City base or rental investment.

e Surname

Q

Q

Portsoken Street, E1 Barbican, EC2 Price on application

£310,000 Leasehold Leasehold £565,000 A oneduplex bedroom flatain this portered on the and eastern the Price on application This offers lovely view overblock the garden the edge lake. of The Freehold City.

In need ofFreehold some the property an interior remains true modernisation, to the Grade II listed heritage,would with amake smart excellent rental investment or City base. modern kitchen and 60’s bathroom suite.

An expanding network of over -70local, offices - local, national and international An expanding network of over 70 offices national and international

City Office 020 7236 8399 citylettings@hamptons-int.com

www.hamptons.co.uk www.hamptons.co.uk

John Trundle Court, Middlesex Street, E1 EC2

HolbornSquare, Viaduct,EC4 EC1 Ludgate

£290 per week £330 per week A recently refurbished studio apartment in the Barbican Estate.

A larger than average studio apartment with wood floors, offered The apartment benefits from a private balcony overlooking the on a fully furnished basis situated only minutes to Liverpool Street communal gardens and fountains. station and Spitalfields market.

£750 per week £395 per week Situated within St Sepulchres Church itself, this was once the A well situated one bedroom apartment in this small abode of the Rector. Set over three spacious and bright floors development located in a quiet street, moments from St Paul’s this three bedroom property offers flexible accommodation. and Blackfriars.

High Timber Street, EC4 Folgate Street, E1

Leyden Street E1 Barbican, EC2

£345 per week £460 per week A one bedroom apartment in this new riverside development close A two bedroom two bathroom apartment in this popular Spitalfields to St Pauls, Blackfriars & Canon Street. Furnished to the highest development benefitting from a 24 hour porter and a small standard and available shortly. communal gym.

£895 per week £550 per week An immaculate two bedroom duplex apartment in this quiet City A stunning modernised two bedroom penthouse triplex street, minutes from St Paul’s. Ideal located for the City and the apartment in excellent condition with original kitchen and West End. bathroom and a northwest facing terrace.

iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature iptor / feature

tion

ational

Banner Street EC1 £475 per week New Bridge Street, EC4 £420 per week Creechurch Lane, EC3 £595 per week Banner Street, EC1 £895 per week Incredibly well presented, bright two bedroom apartment.

A superb two bedroom apartment which has undergone complete

A stunning penthouse apartment the centre of The City.

Benefi ting from equal sized roomssituated and twoinbathrooms.

Bright This apartment has been designed to the highest specification with reception with Juliet balcony and tasteful furnishings. a private terrace and views of The Gherkin.

A stunning 1800Finished sq ft apartment in this quality converted tea warehouse, refurbishment. to the highest including marble finished to an impeccable with plenty of natural light, floors with stunning viewsstandard of St Paul’s Cathedral. interior designed and bespoke kitchen.

address.

Thousands properties. www.hamptons.co.uk AnOne expanding network of over 85of offices - local, national international An expanding network of over 70 offices - local, national and and international

128

property

June Hot ProPerties

A

B

C

D

A. St Pancras’ Chambers, Euston Road NW1

B. River View Heights, SE16

A impressive selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments set in this magnificent Grade 1 Listed development currently undergoing a £150 million refurbishment.

A two bedroom, 1561 sq ft riverside penthouse, boasting roof terrace and two large balconies, with views from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf. Porter and underground parking.

Prices from £600 per week – Knight Frank 020 7606 1560

£1,250,000 Share of Freehold – Hamptons International 020 7407 3173

C. The Penthouses, 28 Park Street SE1

D. Bickley BR1

New, duplex, air-conditioned Penthouses with terraces only 200m from London Bridge Station and Borough Market, and offering 24/7 security and CCTV security video access and surveillance and secure private drive.

A stunning two bedroom period apartment set in beautiful communal gardens and situated a few minutes from Bickley and Chislehurst stations, this magnificent property is located in a quiet road and offers a garage and off street parking.

Prices from £625 per week – Knight Frank 020 7480 6848

£1,450 pcm - heath estates 020 8463 9955

heath

ESTATES

Greenwich SE10

2000pcm

Birling, West Malling Kent

2500pcm

This stunning 2 double bedroom 2 bathroom apartment has uninterrupted views of the river and Docklands. Located close to Greenwich Village with a pleasant riverside walk to Cutty Sark DLR. The accommodation is of a very high standard and comprises huge open plan lounge diner with beautiful double aspect bay windows, oak flooring, subtle lighting, semi open to well designed and fully equipped kitchen, Concierge, private secure underground parking.

A truly exceptional and lovingly restored wing of this imposing country house accessed via gravel drive and electronic security gates. Although totally refurbished to a high standard the property has managed to retain many original period features. Dining hall, large well fitted and equipped kitchen breakfast room, Utility room, fabulous drawing room with double doors open to garden, Cloakroom, Snug/study room, 5 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.

Off road parking for four cars. Enclosed garden.

Blackheath Borders

Bickley BR1

2000pcm

A wonderful three/four bedroom period house situated in a much sought after pretty tree lined road within a short walk of Blackheath Village and station. Through lounge/diner with wood floors and two period fire places, well fitted and equipped modern kitchen with access to urban style garden, cellar, large master bedroom with builtin wardrobes, two further double bedrooms, fourth single bedroom/ study, bathroom w/c with shower facility, 2nd sep w/c. Gas central heating, many original features permit parking.

£1450pcm

A stunning two bedroom period apartment set in beautiful communal gardens. Situated a few minutes from Bickley and Chislehurst stations, this magnificent property is located in a quiet road. The rooms are elegant and very spacious with bedroom 1 measuring 23’8 x 14 and bedroom 2 15’ x 14 and a kitchen that features a larder.

Garage, off street parking, gas central heating and an entry phone are some of the features offered in this unique residence.

heath estates (London) limited 23 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, London, SE3 0TJ Tel: 020 8463 9955 Mob: 07796 444 403 Fax: 020 8463 9952 lettings@heathestates.eu sales@heathestates.eu management@heathestates.eu www.heathestates.eu

Next issue...

July

I

n July, don’t miss our feature article on the real Africa, looking at the West’s relationship with this beautiful and diverse continent. We will also be talking to a group of young entrepreneurs about their cutting edge ideas; looking at the new business opportunities available thanks to the 2012 Olympics; and finding out more about classical music and opera in the modern age. In addition to business and finance, international travel, interiors and fashion, we will also be taking part in a cake-decorating class with Mich Turner, checking out the latest film releases, and burning rubber with our Lotus column.

For this and much more be sure to pick up a copy!

Exige S The Lotus Exige S from £34,333 MRSP* Lightweight model with a heavyweight punch…

Weighing in at just 935 kg you could assume that the Lotus Exige S may lack in punch. You would be assuming wrong.

The core principal of a True Lotus is performance through lightweight. If our Engineers don’t feel it is essential for an item to be in the car, it doesn’t go in.

The materials we use are designed and modified for optimum performance and durability.

The Lotus Exige S is the purest of the breed. Design follows function over form, tactile yet beautiful.

Intensely involving, responsive and exhilarating. It is extreme performance at its most addictive.

Performance 0-60 mph 4.5 seconds Max Speed 146 mph (235 km/h) Max Power 220 hp at 8000 rpm (164 kW) (223 PS) Max Torque 158.6 lbft at 5500 rpm (215 Nm)

Lotus Cars Limited Potash Lane Hethel Norwich Norfolk NR14 8EZ Tel: +44 (0)1953 608000 www.grouplotus.com

Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km): Urban 23.7 (11.9), Extra Urban 43.5 (6.5), Combined 33.2 (8.5). CO2 emissions: 199 g/km. * Terms and Conditions apply

RWM advert.indd 2

Model shown is Lotus Exige S in chrome orange lifestyle paint with extra cost forged wheels

April 09 Final ad OL.indd 1

28/04/2009 14:31:52 21/5/09 17:09:12

VICINITEE june 2009 ART • INTERIORS • FASHION • MOTORING • BEAUTY • SHOPPING • BUSINESS • TECHNOLOGY • FOOD & DRINK • UK & INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY

I S S U E 20

JUNE 2009

ECological Recession green debt peaks

Grand Millennium Hotels WiN VIP TICKETS

OMANI OPULENCE

Our guide to holidays in Muscat

ALL THAT SPARKLES

Coutts London Jewellery Week

HOT PROPERTY

UK & international

In association with

the city