Vicinitee Feb/ Mar 09 by Runwild Media Group

VICINITEE

STUNNING RUBELLITE WITH DIAMONDS

sold exclusively in HIRSH stores

TO SET THE HEART RACING

where every piece is a work of art 56-57 BURLINGTON ARCADE PICCADILLY LONDON W1J 0QN TEL 020 7499 6814 www.hirsh.co.uk

9 HATTON GARDEN LONDON EC1N 8AH TEL 020 7831 3333

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 ART • INTERIORS • FASHION • MOTORING • BEAUTY • SHOPPING • BUSINESS • TECHNOLOGY • FOOD & DRINK • UK & INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY

E T E R N A L

I S S U E

february/march 2009

Jobs in Jeopardy How safe is yours?

Streep’s Ahead

Meryl Streep talks Doubt

Business Traveller

The delights of Warsaw

HOT PROPERTY

UK & international

London’s most powerful network

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w w w. c a n a l i . i t

122 New Bond Street London W1 Tel. 020 7499 5605

Liverpool St (18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31 Eldon St) London EC2M Tel. 0844 847 9390

BOSS Store LONDON 18-31 Eldon Street 0844 847 9202 LONDON 85 Queens Street 0844 847 9294

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contents 24 26

36 COVER STORIES 19 Jobs in jeopardy Is your job as safe as you think? 24 business traveller The delights of beautiful Warsaw 98 streeps ahead Meryl Streep talks to us about Doubt

F E AT U R E S 26

Orient express In the final installment Josephine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue shops till she drops in the city that never sleeps

right on form There is more than meets the eye to Bernie Ecclestoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter Petra

30 chalet stay or chalet go A look at the very best ski resorts

72 Fashion Boudoir Lingerie

36 Holy moly The perfect selection of Easter break destinations

87 mothers day Our ultimate gift guide for what to buy this Mothering Sunday

62 luxury investment The trend of investment with pleasure

91 winter skin The best winter skin savers for him and her

65 tale as old as time The latest Montblanc timepieces

100 artscene Monarchy in the UK

57 INTELLIGENT DESIGN An interview with the multi talented Marc Newson

contents 44 50

103 REGULARS 8 EDITOR’S LETTER 22 MOTLEY FOOL 40

MOTORING

50 gadgets 95 Competitions 97 CULTURE 103

FOOD & DRINK

108 life coaching 110 citylife recommends 112 WHAT’S ON 116 PROPERTY

TUESDAY 16TH JUNE TO SATURDAY 20TH JUNE 2009

IF YOU BOOK ONLY ONE HOSPITALITY EVENT THIS YEAR, MAKE IT ROYAL ASCOT.

Book before the 31st March and receive 5% off all hospitality packages (subject to availability, excludes Thursday 18th June). Hospitality packages start from ÂŁ200 plus vat. Attire: Vivienne Westwood. Hat: Stephen Jones. Photography: Finlay Mackay

Call 0870 727 4321, email hospitality@ascot.co.uk or visit ascot.co.uk. Quote City on booking.

Editor Welcome to Vicinitee Magazine, sister publication to our established online community website Vicinitee.com, the most powerful network in London today. After many months of hard work and planning, we are delighted to announce that Vicinitee VIP, our new and eagerly awaited lifestyle membership club, will now launch at the beginning of March. Many of you will have seen our adverts in earlier editions of the magazine and for those of you who have already registered your interest; you will be notified by email of our launch details. Please visit our website www.vicinitee. com/vip to see our range of desirable offers, concessions and privileges that membership offers. The success behind ‘Vicinitee VIP’ is due to our team working extremely hard to negotiate and broker exclusive deals with leading companies in every sector; we take no commission thus enabling you to save money or spend more where you really want to knowing you have the best deal possible. Members of ‘Vicinitee VIP’ will have unlimited access to money can’t-buy offers, personal invitations to high profile events and access to over 400 exclusive deals not only within London’s leading bars, restaurants, retailers and nightclubs but also throughout England and around the world - enhancing your lifestyle and saving you thousands of pounds. One event not to be missed this month is our exclusive ‘Vicinitee VIP’ Launch Party on 26th March 2009 at one of London’s most exclusive private member’s clubs – Jalouse, W1. This special evening will showcase a stunning fashion show by top celebrity designer Charles Svingholm, who will preview his latest collection. Tara McDonald will also be making a special appearance on the night and performing some of her recent hits. Tara is the vocal talent and song writer behind the massive hit “My My My” from Armand Van Helden as well as “Feel The Vibe” from Swedish maestro Axwell. Furthermore, we are also very proud to have Team Modena at our launch party who are currently preparing for the 2009 Le Mans Series. Antonio Garcia and Leo Mansell will be driving the new Ferrari GTC GT2 car and former World Champion Nigel Mansell will also be joining the race management team. Vicinitee is delighted to again be an official partner of Team Modena this year and we look forward to bringing you regular updates on how the team progress throughout the series. For those of you attending our ‘Vicinitee VIP’ launch party, you will also have the opportunity to meet representatives of the team as well as get up close and personal with their race prepared Aston DB9 which delivered several podium positions for the team last season. Please note that our launch event is by invitation only as places are strictly limited to Vicinitee VIP members and their guests, so don’t forget to register your interest now to avoid disappointment. To find out how you can receive your VIP card, please visit www.vicinitee.com/ vip or email vip@vicinitee.com 23536_ETERNAL_canarywharf

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Page 1

Giles Ellwood Managing Director RunWild Media

E T E R N A L STUNNING RUBELLITE WITH DIAMONDS

sold exclusively in HIRSH stores

TO SET THE HEART RACING

where every piece is a work of art 56-57 BURLINGTON ARCADE PICCADILLY LONDON W1J 0QN TEL 020 7499 6814 www.hirsh.co.uk

9 HATTON GARDEN LONDON EC1N 8AH TEL 020 7831 3333

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 ART • INTERIORS • FASHION • MOTORING • BEAUTY • SHOPPING • BUSINESS • TECHNOLOGY • FOOD & DRINK • UK & INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY

Richard Fischer Marketing Director Vicinitee.com

VICINITEE

Keep reading and we’ll bring you closer to the space around you.

I S S U E

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009

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Different fuel. Same spirit. The new Cayenne Diesel. From the beginning, the Porsche Cayenne has redefined the limits of performance. Now the Cayenne offers a new kind of performance; a 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel engine which, despite its 240 hp and 550 Nm of torque, delivers more than 30 mpg. So the Cayenne’s range extends to around 621 miles on a single tank.

The Cayenne Diesel. From £495 per month to the limits you set. Cash Price

£39,859.00

Deposit

£11,071.08

Amount of Credit

£28,787.92

Total charges

£6,075.37

First Monthly Payment

£570.00

35 Monthly Payments

£495.00

Guaranteed Minimum Future Value

£16,968.29

Total Amount Payable

£45,934.37

Typical 8.9% APR For further information on the Porsche model range or to arrange a demonstration call your nearest Porsche Centre.

Porsche Centre East London

City Showroom

68-70 High Street, Stratford London E15 2NE Tel: 020 8519 9999 www.porsche.co.uk/eastlondon

20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf London E14 5NN Tel: 020 7718 5242 www.porsche.co.uk/eastlondon

Model featured is the Cayenne Diesel at £43,547.00 including metallic paint, 20" Cayenne SportDesign wheels, stainless steel skid plate (front), side running boards, 12 month road fund licence and first registration fee. Fuel consumption figures for the new Cayenne Diesel in mpg: Urban 24.4; Extra Urban 35.8; Combined 30.4. CO2 emissions (g/km) 244. The Guaranteed Minimum Future Value is the value of the vehicle at the time your contract ends. Advertised finance offer available on a Cayenne Diesel model with 12 month road fund licence and first registration fee through Porsche Financial Services on a Porsche Preferences Plan, at participating Porsche Centres. Image shown for illustrative purposes only. Terms and conditions apply. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. All finance subject to status to over 18’s only. Subject to availability. £75 acceptance fee is included with first payment and £25 option to purchase fee is included in Guaranteed Minimum Future Value. Contract is based on annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Excess mileage will be charged at 20p per mile. Porsche Financial Services, Bath Road, Calcot, Reading, Berkshire, RG31 7SE. Registered in England number: 3708834. Porsche Financial Services Great Britain is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

CITYLIFE MAGAZINES Editor: Lesley Ellwood Editorial Director: Kate Harrison Deputy Editor: Kasha Van Sant Editorial Assistants: Stephanie Baxter, Josephine O’Donoghue Art 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, Mandeep Kalsi PR & Marketing Manager: Rebecca Walton Managing Director: Giles Ellwood P.A. to Managing Director: Charlotte Evans

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

RUNWILD M

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 City offices. E-mail city@runwildmedia.com for further details. For other readers, 6 & 12 month subscriptions are available at £15 & £25 respectively, to cover postage and packaging. For details of subscriptions and advertising, please contact us on 020 7987 4320.

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.

The ENgineers of communication Forward-looking technology. Extraordinary materials. Timeless design. Created by Porsche Design Studio.

porsche design Mobile phones

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feature

School of Rocks

Diamonds are forever...aren’t they? Investigating the depletion of natural gemstone resources Josephine O’Donoghue discovers that we are experiencing a global shortage

oloured stones tend to dip in and out of vogue; Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Ritchie gave them a boost with coloured diamond engagement rings (J-Lo’s pink rock was estimated to cost over £1million), Katie Holmes reinstated sapphire studs as the epitome of elegance at her wedding to Tom Cruise, and Britney Spears popularised the precious stones Tourmaline and black Chinese agate. Whilst the classic white diamond will never go out of fashion, it seems that coloured stones are growing in popularity and will remain in style for a lot longer than the short seasons of their past. “Movie stars and celebrities want coloured diamonds because no one else has them,” explains Carol Woolton, jewellery editor of British Vogue – so is value beginning to grow from rarity and exclusivity rather than carat weight? why so rare? Since 2005, the value of coloured diamonds has rocketed by 300%, taking their place as one of the most popular investments for the super-wealthy. World renowned jewellers such as Tiffany & Co. and Cartier responded to the change in demand with coloured diamond collections including Cartier’s Inde Mysterieuse collection where the smallest piece (a pair of yellow rose-cut diamond earrings) was valued at over £169,000. So why are coloured diamonds so rare – and consequently, so valuable? Roughly 0.001% of every 80,000 carats of rough diamonds mined is coloured. Resulting from naturally occurring chemicals and processes in formation, there are a range of possible shades.Yellow diamonds reflect the presence of nitrogen; blue is born from an excess of boron; pink

and red are created by manganese; and green diamonds are caused by exposure to naturally occurring radiation from elements such as uranium. “Each coloured diamond tells its own story,” reveals Alan Hart, minerals expert at the Natural History Museum, “thus giving us insight not only into its formation but also to the deep Earth processes that took place when the gem was formed”. These diamonds are more than just jewellery – they’re a piece of the earth’s natural history. The unique shades and tones found in coloured diamonds also make them extremely personal to the wearer; according to Melvyn Kirtley, Tiffany & Co.’s head gemmologist, “Coloured diamonds are so immensely rare, so remarkable, and although people are more aware of them today, they are still a bit of a secret, something intensely personal.You have to discover them for yourself, and, when you do, they open up another world.” So, whereas white diamonds have connotations with engagement and are very traditional, coloured diamonds give wearers the chance to exhibit elements of individuality and independence in their appearance. argyle pink diamonds Buying from a reputable dealer is essential when sourcing the perfect coloured diamonds, as the stones can also be coloured artificially. Calleija is the international award winning Australian Fine Jewellers, specialising in the rarest pink diamonds, naturally and ethically sourced from the Argyle Mine in Western Australia. According to geologists, naturally-formed Argyle Pink Diamonds have a remaining supply of just 10-12 years left, and with only one in every thirty million carats being the elusive pink colour, Calleija’s signature

pink diamond jewellery has become extremely coveted. “The rarity of an Argyle pink diamond elevates its value to twenty times that of its white equivalent and has led to a worldwide pink diamond demand, with discerning collectors prizing these rare gems as sound investment pieces,” says John Calleija, Owner and Chief Designer, “It is expected that the Argyle diamond mine will be exhausted within a decade or so, resulting in these magnificent treasures becoming even more valuable and sought after over time. Pink diamonds will never be commonplace. Their rarity, desirability and value are only set to rise.” other rare stones The newest collection from Calleija also features a rare selection of the very finest pink diamonds, ranging from a delicate blush colour to a deep purple pink – and rarest of all, the red diamond which is considered priceless by many. However, coloured diamonds aren’t the only super-exclusive rocks on offer to those in search of a unique and valuable rock. Tanzanite is one of the rarest minerals on the planet and is found in just one place; the Meralani Hills of northern Tanzania, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Discovered just over 40 years ago, the rich blue tanzanite is exceptionally precious, and over 1,000 times rarer than diamonds. Expert geologists estimate that there are only 15 years of supply left, meaning that tanzanite is not only a great investment for future years, but also an important addition to any jewellery collection. Limited to a 5km strip of the area where it was first uncovered, the stone is certainly rare - an early

feature

These diamonds are more than just jewellery – they’re a piece of the earth’s natural history. advertising campaign proclaimed, “There are only two places in the world you can find tanzanite: Tanzania and Tiffany”. In the last five years tanzanite has steadily increased its presence in high-end jewellery boutiques; Theo Fennell’s tanzanite pieces start at £50,000 but Fennell himself is more concerned with the “imperial richness” of the stone, rather than its monetary value. Established in 2003, The Tanzanite Foundation promotes mining the stone

with ethical business practices. Successfully repairing the reputation of the stone (after sales profits were linked with Al-Qaeda at the turn of the century), they now ensure that methods of practise and conduct are standardised and invest in sustainable projects developed in harmony with the indigenous communities in Tanzania. Theo Fennell, Tiffany & Co., Boodles and The Ritz Fine Jewellery all work in association with The Tanzanite Foundation. Fennell goes on to explain that “One of the great mistakes and irrelevances of jewellery buying today is the idea that cost is everything; so things sadly get distinguished by price rather than beauty. This can lead to a cock-eyed system where not very rare stones

become super expensive – diamonds over tanzanite for example – or standard rubies become more important than a very bright tourmaline, which is far rarer.” So it seems, with the current supply of these lesser-known precious stones dwindling, serious investors, jewellery lovers and super-wealthy celebrities alike should move away from the conventional white diamond and look for something a little more exclusive. A mark of style and elegance, a tiny personal charm or a valuable possession – however you choose to wear your jewellery, a distinctively coloured stone provides the opportunity to be unique. After all, jewellery is not about carats; it’s about emotion, and the wonderful way it makes you feel. n

DIAMONDS

GEMSTONES

Engagement Rings

B B

•

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F F

FINE JEWELLERY

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Celebration Pieces

J J

We specialise in private commissions of fineINE jewellery. Using ESPOKE EWELLER Y the services of a designer and using your own ideas we can design the piece together, and ESPOKE INE EWELLERYa qualified gemmologist will select stones to suit your budget. Established in 1995 we are based in the City of London and operate on an appointment basis. Please call us to find out more.

WWW.HOFERANDCO.COM WWW .HOFERANDCO .COM +44 (0)20 7404 7899 LONDON EC1 7899 +44 (0)20 7404

LONDON EC1

Regeneration Games Chris Baraniuk looks at small initiatives with big ideas to beat the 2009 economic crisis

veryone tends to agree that the quickest way out of the economic downturn will be to somehow kick-start business regeneration. Though a task much easier said than done, especially when no-one’s sure if we’ve seen the worst of the crisis or not, there are a number of small but inspiring initiatives that have been bubbling away over the past few months to help businesses, large and small, get back on track. Back in the middle of December, the banks agreed as an industry to pro-actively help small businesses experiencing the

bite of recession by promising changes such as meeting with managers in person, switching accounts within 5 working days and even helping to revise business plans and economic projections if such measures were necessary. Over the Christmas period, however, much of the reality of the slump in the retail sector hit small business-owners hard, and now it looks like innovation could be the key to rebooting the economy. attracting talent At the Skills London 08 event at the close

of last year, a company called Gateway media unveiled a novel way of attracting teens to careers in the City: an interactive game modelled on popular ITV quiz show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The game aimed to redress the perception that only investment bankers work at Canary Wharf by getting the players to guess the jobs of real employees (from a diverse range of backgrounds) who are working in the Canary Wharf Tower. “The exhibition gave us an opportunity to highlight the huge range of jobs available and the diverse backgrounds of people working there,”

business&finance

says Howard Dawber, Strategic Advisor for Canary Wharf Group Plc of Canary Wharf Group. “And this computer game made just the right impact”. Alongside ideas such as this, there have been a couple of small, tentative initiatives around the country which could provide a good example for bigger, city firms. For instance, ScrapShop (www.scrapshop. co.uk) is the name of a website set up to allow firms to exchange or sell excess stock with other businesses, in an effort to squeeze the most out of resources even during times of economic despair. The site has a strong eco-friendly slant to its project too, so businesses can, maybe for the first time, regain profits while simultaneously reducing their waste output. The ScrapShop model has plenty of potential for expansion, and is one of those great but simple ideas that could make a real difference for ailing firms. government schemes There are rays of hope, even coming from big businesses. German airline giant Lufthansa has just announced plans to run a series of workshops to encourage and aid businesses in making the most of flights between Inverness and Dusseldorf. The workshops are to be held in the north of Scotland, but like ScrapShop, this is a case of one business diversifying and stimulating others in an effort to achieve joint commercial success. In contrast, an instant remedy will be the government’s new business loan schemes. At the time of writing, the government looks poised to introduce further measures to re-inflate business confidence by offering more loans to firms teetering on collapse. According to reports, ideas currently being floated include: potentially releasing some £200bn of toxic assets from banks’ balance sheets; offering to help top companies buy commercial paper on the markets; and extending the lifetime of the special liquidity scheme, which was due to expire in January. There are also reportedly ideas at work to try and redraw and improve the bail-out for RBS and the newly-formed conglomerate, Lloyds Banking Group. This comes, of course, as an additional band-aid to the pre-announced plan to

guarantee up to £20bn of lending to smaller and medium-sized businesses. As the plan was announced there were voices who said it would not be enough, but the implication is that the government is continuing to think of new ways to stimulate regeneration. The three subschemes in the £20bn loan plan target both existing and new loans. Companies with a turnover of up to £500m can apply for funds under the central scheme, but there are other schemes for smaller businesses (with a turnover of up to £25m), who will be able to borrow up to £1m with 75% guaranteed by the government itself. Gordon Brown has also told the Financial

Times that he wants banks to “come clean” concerning the level of bad assets in an effort to introduce as much transparency into the crisis as possible. The sum of all this seems to be that a combination of small-scale, but effective innovation and a rapid acceptance of what needs to change in order to survive the economic downturn is what businesses are emphasising right now. The message seems to be that ‘the sooner we get on top of things and start coming up with clever new ideas, the sooner we’ll be out of the woods’. And, as ever, the onus is on both government and firms to mend and make do until things pick up again. n

CARE Challenges The City Leading overseas development agency CARE International is laying down the gauntlet for the City, in the shape of the CARE 24 Peaks Challenge on 27-28 June 2009. This is the ultimate UK Mountain Challenge: 24 Peaks in 24 hours! An opportunity to challenge yourself - and challenge poverty.

The Challenge

The Charity

The Challenge will take teams up 24 mountain peaks around the stunning Lake District, taking in infamous mountains such as Scafell Pike, Hellvellyn and Great Dodd along the way. A far cry from the office: throughout the challenge teams will be amid some of the most breathtaking scenery in the UK.

CARE works in around 70 countries helping 65 million of the world’s poorest people find a route out of poverty. CARE’s long-term programmes tackle the deep-seated causes of poverty and they are always among the first to respond with emergency relief when disaster strikes.

Afterwards, celebrations and awards will take place at a well-earned dinner and reception where teams can exchange walking boots for dancing shoes along with other teams from the City.

In emergency situations, CARE remains with communities to help them rebuild their lives long after the cameras have gone. Challenge participants can be sure their money is going where it’s needed most, as ninety one pence in every pound raised for CARE goes directly to fund their poverty fighting programmes.

The CARE 24 Peaks Challenge is undoubtedly demanding - an opportunity to test yourself and your colleagues; an opportunity to achieve the ultimate. With 14 years’ experience of organising and running outdoor fundraising events, the CARE Challenge Team will be there to support teams every step of the way, with training advice, fundraising support and an exceptional event.

“The 24 Peaks Challenge is possibly the most demanding event in the CARE Challenge Series, and we think City workers have the necessary determination and sense of competitive fun. It’s set to be a fantastic teambuilding and networking event and a great fundraiser for CARE, so we’re urging everyone in the City to challenge poverty and challenge themselves.” Michele Evans, CARE Challenge Manager

How to take part

For more information or to register...

Teams of 4-6 walkers will be given the task of climbing 24 Peaks in the Lake District in 24 hours and raising a minimum of £6,000 to support CARE’s work.

W > www.carechallenge.org.uk/24peaks

If you and your colleagues have what it takes, visit the CARE Challenge website, where you can register your team today!

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T > 020 7934 9470 E > challenge@careinternational.org CARE International Reg Charity No. 292506

11/02/2009 14:33:07

business&finance

Jobs in Jeopardy

In worrying times of economic uncertainty, Josephine O’Donoghue considers the measures needed to ensure continued job security and professional reputation whilst riding out the recession Is your job safe? Even if you think it is, are you being given the opportunity to move up the career ladder – or are you one of the many thousands of professionals in danger of being stuck fast in the same old position? Dramatic statistics illustrate that UK unemployment is rising at its fastest rate in 17 years. In mid-January, reports came in that unemployment in the UK hit 1.92 million in November (up 131,000 in three months), not including all the job cuts since then (27,000 lost with the closure of Woolworths for example). With 2 million now unemployed in February, the prospect of unemployment is fast becoming a reality, even for the most skilled professionals. “This

is very worrying news at a time when highly skilled workers are losing their jobs in their thousands across the UK,” says Peter Skyte, the Unite Trade Union’s national officer for the IT sector, “Any cuts in the UK would mean the loss of highly skilled workers, precisely those which the UK and the economy can ill afford to lose.” Official figures have also revealed that there were 530,000 job vacancies in the last three months of 2008, a sharp drop of over 69,000 from the previous quarter and the lowest figure since records began in 2001. So with increasing redundancies in the City, and the job market narrowing (with a large number of the unemployed population now over-qualified), -qualified), how might you hang onto your job successfully?

Derek Pilcher, Managing Director of TheLadders.co.uk (the UK’s leading senior executive careers website) has collated an essential checklist to help highlevel workers feeling threatened by the uncertainties of the current market. “It is easy in these turbulent times to panic about the stability of your job and perhaps act in haste,” David explains, “Employees need to keep their options open but at the same time they mustn’t lose focus on the job they are already doing. Be prepared at work to put that bit extra in and voluntarily take on a little more responsibility so that you are indispensable. Keep networking in your businesses’ industry and don’t be tempted to run away and hide from the current

business&finance

climate – embrace it and you will come out fighting on the other side.”

that you have a continuously evolving C.V. to impress your boss. For those only just out of university or for new graduates it is essential to stay openminded. If your dream job just isn’t available then why not take a more general role in the industry and move across when the economy brightens again. Working abroad or volunteering could help widen your range of skills and experiences, particularly helpful for competency tests during future recruitment. Alternatively, this lull in the job market could be the perfect opportunity to enrol on a Masters course – this will help avoid a period of unemployment on your C.V. and offer a more advanced skill-set to future employers.

add some value Perhaps the most straightforward way to keep your current position is to contribute towards and improve company projects – what does your company lack, now that it has down-sized, and how can you use your specialised skills to help fill this particular gap? As your extra effort begins to create positive results, remember to be more proactive and ask to be involved in bigger projects. In order to avoid any nasty shocks, remember to assess your sector regularly. In a recession, banking and finance will typically make up around a third of all job losses, with the retail and construction don’t panic industries close behind. The public sector Redundancy rumours are rife in the is also at risk – local government jobs are workplace, particularly now as the UK no longer the safe bets they were once slips into a full economic recession. Advice considered to be. Engineers however are in from Professor Cary Cooper (Professor an excellent position, “Demand is up 19% of Organisational Psychology and Health this year and is set to outstrip supply by 23% at Lancaster University) is not to panic, by 2010,” says Chris Cole, the managing and think logically: “Don’t bury your head director of Darwin Park Recruitment in the sand, but do something positive,” Consultancy. Meanwhile sales, marketing he directs, “One of the greatest sources and customerof stress in facing roles are this scenario The realiTy Ty is ThaT T haT jobs are haT deemed a far safer is the lack of less secure Than ever and choice than the control, so start shorTT Term conTracT Trac s are racT HR, finance, and taking control much more common. IT roles which by looking at are set to feel the what jobs are crunch. around, both internally and externally. The reality is that jobs are less secure than ever don’t stagnate and short-term contracts are much more If you are in the early years of your career, common. If managers are made redundant, be sure to keep on moving; staying in then their PA or secretary’s job is also your present role for too long is not vulnerable.” always a good idea, even in the current For those who do decide to look for climate. Recruiters often categorise slow another job, subtlety is the key. Belinda movement as lack of drive or ambition. “It’s Lighton of Knightsbridge Secretaries advises very important to keep up momentum,” job-seekers to “Work out what you like maintains Max Williamson, a director of about the job, what you’re good at, update CareersInAudit.com, “In an economic your C.V. and start looking around”, but she slowdown, a promotion might not come. If warns against asking around at the office. “If you cannot see the next step in the UK, you you are really concerned about the rumours, can look overseas and leapfrog it.” Russell then you can perhaps ask your boss directly, Hobby, an associate director at Hay Group, but make sure you have prepared the an HR consultancy advises that “China, questions in advance and, more importantly, the Middle East and India are growing fast are prepared for the response.” Allison [although] we expect that to slow in a few Leach (manager of the secretarial division years”, so work overseas for a short time of Joslin Rowe recruitment agency) says and move back when growth picks up. If that “It is important to get as much advice as working overseas is out of the question, possible, perhaps register with two or three continue to search out training or promotion employment agencies and take a good look opportunities with your current employer, around the job market to see what is out or enrol in an evening or weekend course so there”. n

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business&finance

SPRING CLEAN YOUR FINANCES The first day of spring this year falls on 20 March. It is also the Vernal Equinox, which is when the Sun is directly above the equator. On this day, night and day are equally long

by DR. DAVID KUO Head of Personal Finance at money website Fool.co.uk

egend has it that on this day you can balance an egg on its end. I neither have the time nor the patience to test the legend to destruction, but you are more than welcome to try. Personally, the only time I ever want to see an egg standing on its end is when it’s hard boiled, in my egg cup and next to a plate of wellbuttered toast. For some people, though, spring doesn’t properly start until the clocks go forward, which happens on the last Sunday in March. And spring is that time of year when the grass always appears to be greener and the sun seems brighter. Traditionally, spring was the time of year when people stopped eating their winter stores and farmers began planting new crops. Sitting on a combine harvester is fine if you are a farmer. But for most of us spring is better suited to reviewing finances because the new tax year is just around the corner. So, it is an ideal opportunity to brush cobwebs off those oft-neglected areas of personal finance. And where better to start than by getting rid of those nonmortgage debts. If you have debts, whether they are bank overdrafts, personal loans or unpaid credit card bills, begin by itemising every outstanding loan. Review the interest rates on each loan and list them in order, with the one bearing the highest rates first. Next, throw as much as you can afford at this debt until it is cleared, while making minimum payments on the rest. Then tackle the next one and the one after that until you are debt free.

The name for this technique is snowballing. That’s because just as snowballs get bigger and bigger as they roll down the hill, so debts gets trampled and obliterated at a faster rate the more you apply the technique. It makes sense to review your mortgage at this time too. Interest rates are at their lowest for decades, and if you believe that this is unlikely to persist for long then now could be a good time to get a fixed-rate

If you don’t already have a portfolio of shares, then now could be a great time to dip your toes in the stock-market waters. With interest rates wallowing at levels not seen for centuries, buying shares makes sense if you think of investing as being a part-owner in a business. Remember that while there may be an air of despondency around us, not all businesses are suffering. Some aren’t

Sitting on a combine harvester is fine if you are a farmer. But for most of us spring is better suited to review finances because the new tax year is just around the corner. mortgage. You may have to pay a little more for fixing your rate, but at least you will know where you stand for the next few years - it makes household budgeting so much easier. Review your savings, and find out if you are squeezing the most out of your cash reserves. If you haven’t used your ISA allowance this tax year, then do so without delay. You still have time to get your application form in for the current tax year. Bear in mind that your ISA is there for both planned and unplanned expenses. And by putting your savings into an ISA wrapper you get the interest free of tax. If you own shares, then scrutinise each company in your portfolio. Decide whether it still makes sense to hold the shares or whether it is better to invest your money in a different company.

suffering at all, and these champion shares should emerge from the downturn as stronger businesses. It is often said that there are just two rules to investing we need to know. The first rule is never to lose money. The second is never to forget the rule number one. Over the last decade many of us have, perhaps unintentionally, lost money because we have thought that the rising value of our homes is a one-way bet to greater wealth. So make this spring a time to restore wealth by cleaning up finances. The Motley Fool can show you how to pick shares, but don’t expect us to show you how to balance an egg on its end. n

Fool.co.uk Seriously good with money

RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY MANICURE OR FOOT ACUPRESSURE TO THE VALUE OF £50 The Six Senses Spa will help you de-stress from your hectic lifestyle and save you up to £50. Simply book a Dreamtime Facial or a Six Senses Signature Holistic Massage and receive a complimentary Manicure or Foot Acupressure.

The Pan Peninsula at Canary Wharf hosts the ﬁrst internationally acclaimed Six Senses Spa in the United Kingdom. Following the Six Senses philosophy of using natural and environmentally friendly products, the spa is conceived to rejuvenate and revitalise, making your visit a unique, memorable and an enlightening experience. Skilled therapists create personal and individual sensory journeys through many forms of holistic treatments based upon healing and well-being. From the comprehensive holistic menu you can select Six Senses signature treatments, or perhaps a speciﬁc therapy within the Express Retreat or Thermal Suite. A limited number of exclusive spa memberships are available. To take advantage of this exclusive offer mention “Canary Wharf Magazine” at the time of booking, and present this advertisement to the reception on the day of your treatment. Treatments are subject to availability. Refer to our website for terms and conditions. Offer valid from 4th to 30th March 2009. Six Senses Spa at Pan Peninsula 2 Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 9HA, UK Tel: +44 207 531 2320 reservations-panpeninsula-spa@sixsenses.com www.sixsensesspas.com

China Dominican Republic Greece Jordan Maldives Mauritius Oman Portugal Qatar Spain Sri Lanka Thailand United Arab Emirates Turkey Vietnam aboard Christina O Under Development: Brazil Egypt France India Malaysia Morocco Panama

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BUSINESS TRAVELLER: warsaw Cat Hughes discovers that Poland’s capital Warsaw is no longer a cold, grey, broken post-communist city, but an international cosmopolitan metropolis While Western Europe has been feeling the chill of the economic recession, Poland has so far come out relatively unscathed; and in some cases has largely prospered as numerous Western Eurpean businesses relocate to the country because of its cheap labour and office space. Where to stay? Le Meridien Bristol

This Warsaw institution sits on ‘Royal Route’, a fashionable road which runs through the heart of the old city. The hotel boasts some rather important neighbours – the Presidential Palace being just one of them. The guest rooms are truly

unique and all have internet access. The award winning Malinowa Restaurant is definitely worth a visit, offering a wide and impressive choice of gourmet and innovative Polish cuisine. www.starwoodhotels.com Mercure Warszawa Fryderyk Chopin

Situated at the beating pulse of the business district, the Mercure Warzawa Fryderyk Chopin is quirky and colourful. All rooms have Wi-Fi internet access and fax machines. The hotel boasts two French restaurants – the first dedicated to traditional French food and

the second to pastries, cakes, tea and fresh bread. www.mercure.com

Fine Dining Sense

Sense is one of the hottest restaurants in town. It has a flirty, fun outlook, as the menu suggests, with a range of eccentrically named noodle dishes such as ‘Wok and Roll’ and ‘Lady Duck’. Sense is also famous for its cocktails – you can’t go to Poland without trying a Polish mojito. Or if you have an adventurous streak why not try ‘Bondage James…Bondage’, a cocktail made from cinnamon

vodka, vanilla vodka, lemonade, lemon sorbet and blended fresh strawberries.

www.sensecafe.com.pl

Downtown Restaurant

This award-winning restaurant, headed by executive chef Thorsten Hoeck, is located in the Intercontinental Hotel. Downtown is famous for its brunch and business lunches,

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From clockwise: Mercure Warszawa Fryderyk Chopin, The Palace of Science and Culture, Mercure Warszawa Fryderyk Chopin

political and media figures. In this bar you can seal the deal in style to the background of soothing piano music. www.starwoodhotels.com

Spa Escape

available from Monday to Friday and it also offers an extensive variety of international food. warszawa.intercontinental.com

Seal the deal The Column Bar

Famous for its cocktails and live music, The Column Bar is popular with Warsaw’s high society and leading business,

from brands such as Bulgari, Chopard and Girard-Perregaux. The boutique also sells Vertu mobile phones and Japanese Mikimoto pearls. Definitely a place to see and be seen!

The Warsaw Marriot Spa

Day Trip

The Warsaw Marriot is unmissable, in the literal sense of the word, the glass and steel tower literally dominating the landscape. The spa offers a whole host of soothing treatments from massages to facials, and the state of the art fitness centre will certainly get your heart rate going. But if spa treatments and running kilometre after kilometre on the treadmill is not for you, the Warsaw Marriott also has an 18 hole indoor golf course.

The Palace of Science and

www.marriot.com

Shop till you drop The Hermitage Boutique is an elegant and prestigious store selling jewellery and watches

Culture

This is Poland’s tallest building and offers great views of the city. The building was a ‘gift’ from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland, but it became a symbol of communism and repression, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, the building is protected and is a popular tourist destination. There is a lot to see inside including; the Sala Kongresowa, a theatre based on the La Scala and the Comrade Brezhnev room (used by Brezhnev before he famously staggered to

address the crowd gathered in the Sala Kongresowa). Travel Accessories The Aspinal Executive Laptop Briefcase comes in London Black English bridle leather and will make you the envy of the boardroom. With butter-soft cobalt suede lined pockets and protective padding on the base it can be carried by hand or over the shoulder. A stylish accessory for the discerning business traveller. www.aspinaloflondon.com

taste of the

ORIENT

The Oriental Hotel Lobby

Travelling back in time, Josephine O’Donoghue travels from Singapore, through Malaysia and Thailand, in search of colonial glamour on the Eastern and Orient Express. In this, the last in a three part series, she arrives at the world-famous Oriental Hotel and shops ‘til she drops in the city’s famous markets

BANGKOK

nown as the other city that doesn’t sleep, Bangkok seems to have existed on a continual round cycle of noise and activity for as long as anyone can remember. A metropolis of shops, bars, street-vendors, temples, palaces, massage parlours, backpackers, and markets – Bangkok is truly a traveller’s paradise. As my Mum and I left Hualamphong Station and the Eastern & Oriental Express behind, I breathed in the familiar warm air and absorbed the sounds, excitement and atmosphere of this unique Asian city. Back in one of my favourite destinations, I sat with a happy grin on my face as our chauffeur-driven Mercedes sped past recognisable sights on the way to the Oriental Hotel. The Oriental Hotel is quite simply like none other. Our stay was so far from my previous experiences of Bangkok, it wasn’t long before I felt like a newcomer discovering the wonders of the Thai capital all over again. Positioned high above the Chao Phraya River on the 15th floor, our Superior River Wing room offered a stunning view of the sprawling city below. As night fell, the illuminated buildings across this urban expanse began to glitter, and boats covered in fairly-lights twinkled at us as they crossed back and forth across the water. The Superior River Wing room offers a comfortable hideaway in the centre of this

‘TIL YOU DROP

fe b/ m a r 09

The original front and entrance of the Oriental Hotel

The Oriental Spa

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The Bamboo Bar at the Oriental Hotel

busy city; genuine teak and traditional Thai silks decorate the space, and fresh flowers and fruits are replenished daily. A personal butler is on call 24 hours a day providing everything from a turning-down service and refreshments, to restaurant bookings and local tourism tips. Spending a little time in our room turned out to be the perfect environment in which to settle into the city; I ran a deep luxurious bubble bath in the huge marble tub and listened to the relaxing Mandarin Oriental spa CD through the hidden Bose speakers in the en-suite bathroom. With the lights down low and the aromatic fragrance of lotus flower and ginger in the air, this was an ideal tonic after several cramped showers on the Orient Express. Revived, and anxious to get out into the city during the evening I jumped into a cab with my Mum and we were soon deposited at the top of the Khao San Road. Now, for those of you who didn’t spend gap-years / university holidays / backpacking adventures passing through the Khao San Road, it’s not usually the kind of place you think of re-visiting with Mum. After a strange first hour of acclimatisation (including a stop at the Silk Bar for an authentic Singha beer) she soon relaxed, posing for photos and haggling for carved elephants and beaded jewellery alongside the rest of the backpacker community. Whilst not the most elegant area of Bangkok, it’s a great place to get used to haggling and the constant arrival of new backpackers keep souvenir prices at rock-bottom. We awoke early the next morning and spent some time exploring the hotel; renowned across the globe for an incredible literary history, the Oriental has hosted some of history’s greatest authors over the last 120 years. A favourite haunt for celebrated writers such as Joseph Conrad, Somerset

Maugham, James Michener, Graham Green and Nöel Coward, today the hotel honours their unique past with the Authors’ Lounge, Authors’ Residence and Oriental Reading Room. Ten of the hotel’s thirty-four suites in the Authors’ Residence have been named and decorated after the authors who have resided at the hotel over the decades, including a pink and feminine Barbara Cartland Suite and a rich blue Joseph Conrad Suite decorated with dark wood and raw Thai silks. Each Author’s Suite houses a complete collection of the named author’s work for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Afternoon Tea in the Authors’ Lounge is something of an institution at the Oriental Hotel and guests travel from far and wide to sip the Oriental blend and sample the delicious miniature scones. Colonial glamour in its essence, the fine china and soft music created a more languorous world in which every moment and every bite can be savoured. In order to achieve complete selfindulgence (a mission very important to us on this trip) a visit to the Oriental Spa is an absolute must. We made a bee-line for the newly built Ayurvedic Penthouse for a Keraleeya Abhyangam treatment which aims to balance all three levels of physical, mental and spiritual well-being, creating deep relaxation and a sense of grounding. Including a foot bath, head and shoulder massage, a full body massage and a body scrub, this treatment gives an overall feeling of harmony that remained with us throughout the day. A rather distinctive type of massage, this treatment used deep strokes, rhythm, speed and pressure to loosen ‘ama’ (toxins in the body) and leaves one feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Of course, it’s impossible to visit Bangkok and not get drawn into the hustle, bustle and excitement of the shopping scene. Whether

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Sala Rim Naam Restaurant

you’re looking for ‘authentic’ souvenirs, designer handbags, CDs, cosmetics or jewellery – Bangkok has it all. The large shopping malls Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery are perfect for high-end shopping; the six-story Siam Discovery Center was built in 1997 and runs on a ‘one floor, one concept’ basis, which groups similar stores on one floor. EGV’s Grand cinema (with personal waitress service) and Gold Class Theatre are also located on the sixth floor. For those shopping for traditional Asian souvenirs, furniture, textiles and handicrafts, head to the weekend market at Chatuchack where over 15,000 stalls cater thousands of locals and tourists who pile in every Saturday and Sunday. In this crowded Aladdin’s cave, visitors can find anything from hill-tribe crafts to live animals. Make sure to stop at the Vintage section of the market for retro Vivienne Westwood and Miu Miu, or unusual garments from Hong Kong, Korea and Tokyo. Time out from the shopping scene is an absolute must, and we found the perfect place to take a breather: The Jim Thompson House. Located opposite the National Stadium on Rama I Road, this is the home of a self-made American entrepreneur who was the founder of the world renowned Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company. A serene hideaway sheltered

The Authors’ Lounge

Of course, it’s impossible to visit Bangkok and not get drawn into the hustle, bustle and excitement of the shopping scene. Whether you’re looking for ‘authentic’ souvenirs, designer handbags, CDs, cosmetics or jewellery – Bangkok has it all. from noise by the waterways and trees, this traditional Thai house and outbuildings were re-constructed from all or parts of six separate old houses that were brought from various parts of the country to the present location. We took a guided tour around the house and famous art and antique collection before taking a leisurely stroll in the gardens and popping into the on-site restaurant for a spot of lunch. Whilst not quite as tranquil as the Jim Thompson House, the Grand Palace is a popular rite of passage for most, if not all, visitors to Bangkok. A majestic, glittering estate of palatial buildings, temples and courtyards it is simply breathtaking. The Grand Palace (พระบรมมหาราชวัง – or Phra Borom Maha RatchaWang if you really want to impress your friends) is a complex of royal and sacred buildings in the heart of Bangkok and can be accessed by road or river taxi. Serving as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the eighteenth century onwards, the estate also houses the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand: Wat Phra Kaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha). Do take care when leaving the Grand Palace and temples however; even though a tuk-tuk may seem a fun idea, most drivers based in this tourist area will refuse a straightforward journey and insist on creating a vastly over-priced tour

including tailors with whom they have a hefty commission. The most efficient way to travel in Bangkok is by river-taxi or metered taxi cabs (do not accept a price with a taxi driver on departure as this will always be two or three times the normal fare). Our final night in Bangkok, and the final night of our incredible journey in Asia was celebrated with a delicious meal at the Oriental Hotel’s Sala Rim Naam restaurant. The hotel’s signature Thai restaurant, this venue is so ornate is resembles a small but beautiful Thai palace. Serving fine Thai cuisine and wines, we were presented with a mouth-watering gourmet taster menu whilst enjoying the region’s most spectacular cultural performance and dance show. Bringing traditional Thai folklore to life through dramatic dance and vibrant costumes, it really was the perfect way to spend an evening getting to know the local culture. After an incredible ten days in three beautiful countries, it was sad to say goodbye to Asia – but having just scratched the surface of what this diverse continent has to offer, I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re back on a return visit. n For more information on the Oriental Hotel, visit www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok or call +66 (2) 659 9000

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CHALET STAY O Eagle Eye Restaurant

Sarah Collinson travels the globe in search of the Best Winter Skiing with a twist, and found some rather unusual ways to enjoy the snow

CHALET

La Clusaz

ow is officially the time of year to go skiing. Christmas is all about escaping the realities of a dreary British winter for sunny beaches, and New Year wouldn’t be New Year without a sleepless two day trip to a chic European capital…but now the snow is at its best and we are all heading in droves for our annual trip to the mountains of Europe and North America. The routine rarely differs. Days will be spent on groomed slopes and in mountain restaurants (definitely where I will be found at the slightest hint of snowfall), and evenings will revolve around great food and even better wine. You will re-discover a childhood love of hot chocolate, someone will invariably forget their ski pass and everyone will go home with that two-tone goggle suntan that shouts “Yes, I’ve been skiing…aren’t you jealous?!” These trips are fantastic, but they are in danger of becoming a bit repetitive, especially if you go on several skiing holidays a year.You can vary the resort and time of year (minus 20 degrees in the Rockies

in January is a very different experience to sunny late-March in the Alps) but the basic holiday model stays the same. If it has reached the stage where you can’t differentiate one holiday from the next, and you’re not sure if that great day when you got down a black run unscathed was in Val d’Isere or Courcheval, it’s probably time to step out of the traditional mould and make your trip a little bit different. Thankfully there are numerous different activities that will keep you on the snow but will bring a bit of variety into the standard skiing timetable. None of them require any prior experience and work particularly well as a mid-week break (especially if your thighs are struggling with the relentless exercise by day 3). Snowshoeing is easily dismissed as a boring option, but it’s a fantastic way to travel through the winter landscape and experience the mountain tranquillity that is destroyed on crowded pistes.You can make tracks through unbroken snow on any terrain and get access to areas and wildlife rarely seen on the standard ski-paths. For

travel

Y OR

T GO? Massif des Aravis

You will re-discover a childhood love of hot chocolate, someone will invariablY forget their ski pass and invariablY ever one will go home with that everY two-tone goggle suntan... a gentle introduction to the sport follow a short route to an isolated lunch spot and eat in a location only accessible by snow shoe or telemark. The French area of Massif de Aravis boasts Ve La Marie a Nore – a hidden chalet restaurant that is a 30 minute snow shoe from civilisation. Enjoy a peaceful hour long trek interspersed with a fantastic Savoyard fondue, leaving enough time for a couple of runs (or time in the sauna) later in the day. A slightly more exhilarating option is ski jouring – the unusual but surprisingly fun Finnish Olympic sport where you are pulled on skis behind a horse.You control the speed and direction via reins and can get up to some impressive speeds even through deep snow. It has become popular in France over the past 20 years and is a great option for the late afternoon. The village resort of Le Grand Bornand offers a fantastic beginners’ service where riders are taught the actions and commands and are met at various points with steaming Vin Chaude or hot chocolate. One word of warning…being pulled behind a horse is surprisingly un-energetic so

remember to wear lots of clothes (or drink more vin chaude) to avoid getting cold! Along the same line is dog sledging – an iconic Canadian activity where a pack of blue-eyed huskies pull a sledge among snow-capped fir trees.You can cosy-up in the sledge with layers of furs or, for the more enthusiastic among you, stand on the back with the driver shouting traditional commands and directing the reins. Banff National Park in The Rockies offers some of the best routes and you can pass through dense forest (with a high potential of encountering elk on the way) and cross vast frozen lakes. Again the realities of the wilderness are thankfully kept at bay with the attentive dog sledge team who will provide hot apple cider and snacks, with the ride culminating by a roaring camp fire. I know there are some among you that will blanch at these options – you can’t think of anything worse than sacrificing precious skiing time to be pulled along by animals or walk on shoes resembling tennis rackets. There are, however, a few options that mean you can step out of the confines of the usual

piste-lift rigmarole while staying on your skis. The easiest option is of course simple off piste. This is unfortunately already a popular alternative for more competent skiers, so take it beyond the usual accessible routes and hire a guide to tackle infamous runs like the Vallee Blanche in the Chamonix Valley – a route only accessible via an exposed icy path with a 2,000 ft drop to the valley floor. Alternatively take a ski-skidoo tour where a team of guides and drivers will pull your party to untracked snow only accessible to a select few. However the definitive experience of the off-piste world has to be heli-skiing. An activity that should only be attempted by the most competent skiers, it is the absolute height of bespoke luxury, as a personal helicopter takes your party to various deserted mountain tops and collects you at the bottom to fly you to the next powder paradise. Kicking Horse in British Columbia is a particularly good location. The relatively undeveloped resort offers 2000km of potential heli-skiing slopes and the Swiss-

travel

Le Village de Lessy

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

groomed between 5 and 9pm) and then head back up the lift to eat melted reblochon and charcuterie in Restaurant Chalet des Praz and drink vin chaude under the stars. Europe For more information on the Massif de Aravis, Le Grand Bornand, La Clusaz, Manigod and St Jean de Sixt resorts, visit www.aravis.com For more information on Vallee Blanche, visit www.chamonix.com

Sarah travelled with Swiss Airline from City Airport. The airport offers a fifteen minute check-in time, making it the ideal choice for time-pressed travellers. SWISS flies to Geneva from London City Airport 23 times per day from only £69 return. The group stayed at the newly opened Village de Lessy which comprises 139 apartments set within ten traditionallystyled chalets. The apartments face the slopes and owners have only a short descent before walking to the shops, ski hire shop, restaurants and ski lifts. To book visit www. cgh-residences.com or call +33(0)4 50 33 10 96 Full Moon Skiing takes place at La Clusaz and accommodation is available at Hotel Beauregard. To book visit www.hotelbeauregard.fr or call +33(0)4 50 32 68 00

mountain guide headed company, Purcell Heli-skiing, offers an unrivalled service (they took our party up for a second day free of charge when the weather on day one was not up to scratch). Stay in the Vagabond Lodge – a beautiful rustic lodge with roaring fires and an outdoor hot tub – and round off your day at The Eagle Eye, the highest restaurant in The Rockies that brings evening diners up the mountain via gondola (fitted with blankets and candles) for a five course gourmet meal finished off with Canadian Ice Wine. For another twist on the traditional try Full Moon Skiing at French resort La Clusaz. It only happens a few times a year (to coincide with the full moon and perfect weather conditions) but getting the timing right is worth it. When the moon is full the resort lifts all re-open from 9pm until 1am and skiers of all ages venture up the mountain to ski by moonlight. The only other lights come from the mountain bars and restaurants that open late with select menus, buzzing atmospheres and dancing on the piste.Your first moonlit run will be slightly hair-raising, but once your eyes adjust it is a truly fantastic experience and the moonlight makes the snow almost glow beneath your skis. Get there early to enjoy the pistes at their best (the slopes are

Le Village de Lessy pool

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

North America More information on the Banff National Park can be found at www.banffnationalpark.com Visit www.kickinghorseresort.com for details on the Kicking Horse resort in British Columbia and the Eagle Eye Restaurant For more information on Purcell Heli-Skiing, visit www.purcellhelicopterskiing.com For more information on the Vagabond Lodge, visit www.vagabondlodge.ca

Tel: 0870 200 4949

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CHAUFFEURING - We specialise in providing the highest quality in private transport. All our drivers are fully trained and offer a five star plus service to complement the luxury service we offer - from a Rolls Royce Phantom to the new Mercedes S or E-class.

CAR HIRE - We offer the most luxurious range of performance and executive vehicles, whether it’s a Ferrari, Range Rover or Mini Cooper S convertible... Cruise Express is the answer. It’s not just a car you hire but a lifestyle.

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Charming Chamonix In the next part of our Best Winter Skiing, Sarah Collinson discovers the ultimate skiing destination that ticks every box

Chalet Amazon Creek, Les Bossons

lanning a skiing trip is always a bit of a decision minefield, with so many choices to be made to ensure the perfect break – Europe or North America, somewhere you’ve been every year since you were five or somewhere entirely new, bigger choice of slopes or bigger choice of après-ski? It seems there is never a way that you are going to tick every box.You can only have challenging slopes or ‘family skiing’, gourmet restaurants or heady nightlife, but never both. When it comes to skiing, it would appear that you are never going to be able to have your cake and eat it. So how are you supposed to please everyone in your party or provide enough variation to keep the holiday interesting? There are, thankfully, some resorts that really do have it all. Chamonix, for example, comes in at the top of that list. Nestling at the base of the majestic Mont Blanc the resort is a mere morning’s travel from London, making it suitable for young family

members or business professionals with only a weekend to spare. There are three exceptional skiing areas (Balme, Le Grand Montets and Vallee Blanche) meaning that, in this case, ‘varied skiing’ really is what it says on the tin. The après-ski is every bit as diverse as Chamonix’s slopes, with options to suit every preference from relentless partying in lively pubs, to chilled evening drinks in relaxing wine bars. The gourmet culture, however, is something that will appeal to everyone. In Chamonix, good food is as much a part of skiing as the snow, and even the mountain restaurants, such as the precariously perched Panoramic, offer dishes worthy of a top city eaterie. The tartiflette always goes down a treat and the pierre chaude, a hot stone brought to your table to cook meats, is a fun dining option for groups. If you need a break from the Savoyard trends, however, (after four days, another meal whose main ingredient is cheese might get too much) there are

Photography: Sarel Jansen www.sareljansen.com

numerous other culinary options from oriental to Mexican fare. Fine wines abound on every menu but for the best cocktails head to the Clubhouse, an opulent private members bar set in an Art Deco mansion. The town centre also boasts live music venues, night-clubs and even a casino, meaning that your evenings will be anything but dull. When looking for a place to stay you can easily find rooms in the busy central resort. Alternatively, choose a more luxurious option with one of the beautiful Amazon Creek chalets. Amazon Creek is a luxury travel company offering bespoke holidays. Their fully-staffed flagship property, Chalet Amazon Creek, is nestled among beautiful woodlands and offers gourmet meals, a cinema room, a spa with a hammam, sauna and sunken Jacuzzi, and beautiful living space for up to ten people. Wake up to tea or coffee served in your bedroom before enjoying a delicious breakfast and breathtaking views of the

Aiguille du Midi. A driver will take your party to the slopes in one of the private Land Rovers, and after a full day’s skiing, you can settle down with a glass of wine from the superbly stocked wine cellar or revive aching ski legs with an in-chalet massage back at the chalets. Amazon Creek also offer guests airport transfers, together with a bespoke ski-programme for the ultimate hassle-free holiday. Chalet Baby Bear, just a stone’s throw from Amazon Creek, is similarly luxurious with fresh pastries and bread being delivered to your door each morning. It sleeps up to four, making it the perfect option for a romantic break or family holiday. The chalet also boasts a superbly equipped modern kitchen. Its two double bedrooms combine a traditional chalet feel with luxurious design and finish. The two chalets can be rented

together meaning that the needs of even a large group can be catered for. For self catering parties, Chalet Anchorage is the perfect option for relaxed groups of friends and family. It sleeps up to ten guests and offers fantastic views of the Aiguille du Midi (the starting point for the Vallee Blanche) and impressive roaring fires. Amazon Creek are extending their portfolio of properties this summer with two contemporary beachfront villas in Sete, the first of their two 77ft sailing yachts ready for the Mediterranean and Caribbean waters in Winter 2009 and further stunning properties in Corsica and Antigua for 2010. n For more information on Chamonix, visit www.chamonix.com and for further details on the Amazon Creek Chalets, visit www.amazoncreek.co.uk

stay WIN! Aforweekend 4 people

Amazon Creek are offering you the opportunity to win a long weekend stay for up to four people in Chalet Baby Bear in April. This package includes airport transfers, champagne reception, breakfast and chauffeur driven in-resort vehicle.

To enter, please email your name and address to:

babybear@runwildgroup.com Competition closing date 31/03/09. All runners up will be eligible for a special reader offer rate, if you do not wish to be contacted with this please indicate in your email, your details will not be used or stored for any other purpose

Holy Moly! Easter is a great time to travel, either in the form of a sneaky break over the four-day weekend or an extended holiday. Stephanie Baxter has the perfect selection of seasonallyappropriate destinations to get you in the Easter mood Brussels, Belgium Easter is, without a doubt, the opportune time for gorging on chocolate, especially if you’re one of those über self-controlled people who’ve decided to give it up for Lent. It is a well-known fact that Belgium produces some of the best chocolate in the world, so what better place to enjoy your Easter eggs than in Brussels, home to Belgium’s leading chocolatier, Neuhaus? The original shop, opened in 1857, is still there today in the Galerie de la Reine and is a perfect place to stock up on all sorts of Easter goodies. It’s even worth visiting just for a peek at their window displays. But be warned – they are likely to turn sworn chocolate haters (if there is such a thing) into raging chocoholics. If you can tear yourself away from the consumption of said chocolate, Brussels boasts some of the biggest Easter Egg

hunts known to man. At Bruparck, for example, you can join in the search for some 20,000 eggs. For a bit of culture and something a bit more “grown-up”, try one of the many Easter services at the Basilique National du Sacre-Cœur, the fifth biggest church in the world. The architecture is truly stunning, and the panoramic view (from the walking area towards the top of the cathedral) exquisite. The cathedral is also home to an exhibition on the history of the basilica and a museum of religious art, which boasts an extensive collection of marbles, bronzes and stainedglass windows, as well as 250 paintings and sculptures from the contemporary art collection of the Bruges diocese. Travelling on the Eurostar, you could be in the city in just under two hours, making Brussels the perfect destination for an Easter weekend getaway (www.eurostar.com).

Seville, Spain The Spanish are known for their vibrant displays and processions connected to religious events, and this is never more apparent than during Holy Week, the seven days leading up to Easter Sunday, and therefore signifying the last week of the life of Christ. Seville, in particular, embraces this in the form of a week of real celebration of what Easter means to its Christians. The Traveller (www.the-traveller.co.uk), the UK’s leading specialist in archaeological, historical and cultural tours, is offering a nine-day trip to Seville during Holy Week, packed full of fascinating visits and activities for the keenest of culture vultures. Being led by Dr Warwick Orr, author and lecturer in Spanish, Catalan, analysis and logic at the Anglo-American Institute in Barcelona, you will experience the very best that Seville has to offer during Holy Week, including the

travel

Clockwise from bottom left: Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See (Seville), Old city of David (Jerusalem), Neuhaus Galerie de la Reine(Brussels), Holy Week Procession (Seville), Grote Markt (Brussels), Royal Alcazar gardens (Seville), King David Hotel (Jerusalem), Plaza de Espana (Seville)

processions of ‘La Estrella’ (‘The Star’), ‘La Expiración’ (‘The Expiration of Jesus Christ’), ‘La Santa Cruz’ (‘The Holy Cross’), Jesús del Gran Poder’ (‘Jesus of Great Night’), ‘El Santo Entierro’ (‘The Holy Burial’) and ‘El Resucitado’ (‘The Resurrected Christ’). The tour will also give you the chance to explore some of Seville’s most architecturally impressive sights, such as the palace of the Countess of Lebrija, which boasts the most extensive collection of Roman mosaics in Europe, and the Cathedral of Seville, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, as well as giving you a flavour of much more of the sights, sounds and tastes of Seville. Jerusalem, Israel There is one location in particular that is the most appropriate and relevant place to be at Easter time. Jerusalem provides the dramatic backdrop for the entire Easter

Story, from Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city on Palm Sunday, right the way through to his resurrection on Easter Sunday. I have never been to Jerusalem, and was therefore ignorantly unsure as to how many, if any; places within the Easter Story are known as exact locations in modern Jerusalem. Knowing my vicar to be somewhat of an expert on the subject, I emailed him to find out. The information he provided me with was astonishing. Whilst we cannot be 100% sure of the crucifixion site (although there seems to be only one credible location, on which now stands the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, containing both the place of crucifixion and the place of burial), many of the places where Jesus spent the last week of his life have been accurately located and, better still, can be visited. The Mount of Olives, particularly, is a key site, since it is unlikely to have changed

location geographically (as my vicar told me, “Mountains don’t usually move!”) and has numerous connections with Jesus’ whereabouts in the final week, including his entry into Jerusalem, the various teachings during the Passover week, and his betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives.You can also trace the route to his trial across the Kidron Valley to the High Priest’s house, the steps leading to which are still there and can be climbed even today. This makes Jerusalem a destination of historical interest, as well as religious fervour, best experienced at Easter. The famous King David Hotel (part of The Leading Hotels of the World at www.lhw. com), located in the heart of the city and overlooking its ancient walls, is an ideal base from which to explore the sights of Jerusalem, and is popular with tourists and VIPs alike from all over the world. n

the hottest card to hit london this winter... Vicinitee VIP members gain access to an exciting world of

We only form partnerships with companies that members

exclusive concessions and privileges. They think big, they

have requested, or that we would use ourselves. Now the

work hard and they want to shop, dine, go out, work out

legwork has been done – all you have to do is go out and enjoy

and party with the absolute minimum of hassle. In short,

the afﬁliations and the privileges arranged on your behalf.

they are living life to the full and don't want anything to get in their way.

Now that we have our launch party conﬁrmed, we are delighted to announce that ‘Vicinitee VIP’ will fully launch

As a club, we retain the right to be exclusive and we make no

at the beginning of March. For those of you who have

apologies for that. We provide the perfect opportunities to relax

already registered your interest; you will be notiﬁed by

and spend time with other like-minded people and our events

email of our launch details.

provide the ideal platform for this with regular invitations to exclusive parties and events - ranging from the simple &

Don’t delay register now!

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 beneﬁt 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. 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.

Vicinitee_VIP_DPS_FEBMAR_revE.indd 1

london’s most powerful network

VIP Launch Party

26th March 2009 @ Jalouse, W1

...just got hotter! One event not to be missed this month is our exclusive ‘Vicinitee VIP’ Launch Party on 26th March 2009. To celebrate the launch of ‘Vicinitee VIP’ a private party will be held at one of London’s most exclusive private member’s clubs – Jalouse, W1. The evening will showcase a stunning fashion show by top celebrity designer Charles Svingholm, who will preview his latest collection. Tara McDonald will be making a special appearance on the night and performing some of her chart hits. Tara is the vocal talent and song writer behind the massive hit "My My My" from Armand Van Helden and other hits, as well as "feel the vibe" from Swedish maestro Axwell. Vicinitee is delighted to again be an ofﬁcial partner of Team Modena and those attending the private party will be able to meet the team and get up close and personal with their race cars on the night. The event will be hosted by presenter and entrepreneur Chelsey Baker.

Event Sponsors

Register now to avoid disappointment as this event is by invitation only and places are limited to Vicinitee VIP members and their guests. www.vicinitee.com/vip

RUNWILD M

london’s most powerful network

13/02/2009 17:45:44

THE GENEVA EFFECT It may be one of the most expensive places to go in all of Europe, but Geneva does seem to have that certain “Je ne sais quoi”, says Stephanie Baxter

he world and his wife seem to be in Geneva; the UN, International Red Cross, International Labour Organisation, World Health Organisation and World Trade Organisation amongst others, all have their headquarters there. It should come as no surprise, then, that Geneva plays home to one of the five major auto shows in the world, opening its doors to hundreds of thousands of motoring enthusiasts every spring – the only motor show in Europe to do so annually. This year the 79th International Motor Show runs from 5 – 15 March at Geneva Palexpo across seven exhibition halls all

packed full with the industry’s big names. For 2009, the leaders of the organising team have developed a new display, specifically devoted to the presentation and promotion of electric and other alternatively-powered vehicles. With all eyes on Geneva during this time, it seems only right that the motor show do their bit to be “green”. swiss appeal So what is it about Geneva, then, that makes it such a favourite place for anyone and everyone to be? Much of it has to do with its location, because while it is a people-packed cosmopolitan city, it’s also

surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery that Europe has to offer, with Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps providing a true aesthetic feast for the eyes. As only Switzerland’s third largest city (and not the nation’s capital, as is often incorrectly thought), and with its relatively small population of 186,825 (June 2008), Geneva doesn’t have the over-crowded feel that so many European cities seem to possess, despite the fact that it is an extremely popular destination for tourists. Much of its appeal also stems from the “olde worlde” charm that Geneva has retained despite being a vibrant city

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where progress is top of the agenda. In the Vieille Ville, or Old Town to those not so acquainted with French (which you really ought to brush up on, since Geneva is located in Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland), quaint shuttered houses and sidewalk cafés lining cobbled streets can be easily found; so too can the pièce de résistance, the Cathédral St-Pierre. A trip up the some 157 steps in the cathedral’s northern tower provides a spectacular city panorama for your viewing pleasure. When it comes to hotels Geneva has an abundance of them. Among the most notable is the Hôtel Beau-Rivage, which treats its guests to the most stunning views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. Located on the shores of the lake itself, the hotel is conveniently situated in the city centre, just 5km away from the international airport. Unsurprisingly it is a favourite with many royals from around the globe, even the very first glimpse of the lobby, with its immaculate mosaic floor, gentle fountain and towering marble columns and balustrades cannot fail to impress. The hotel even plays home to Geneva’s branch of Sotheby’s, which, in 1987, sold the Duchess of Windsor’s jewels for millions of pounds. things to do The Hôtel du Parc des Eaux-Vives, on the other hand, is set back from the hubbub of the city and draws upon the peace and tranquillity of the park. This beautiful 18th Century mansion boasts five sumptuous guest rooms and two suites, each one uniquely designed and decorated, but all carrying the hallmark quality of luxury that the Hôtel du Parc des Eaux-Vives evokes. It is also somewhat renowned for its top-notch cuisine, which is served in both its brasserie and its finedining restaurants. Top of the sightseeing agenda should definitely be the city’s famous, and the world’s tallest, fountain, the Jet D’eau. Shooting water into the air to an incredible height of 140m with a more-than-impressive force of 1360 hp and at a speed of 200km/ hour, this truly is an amazing sight. After all, where else can you see 7 tonnes of water being shot upwards into the sky at any one

Clockwise: Geneva International Motor Show, Hotel Beau-Rivage, Geneva International Motor Show

time? It is, perhaps, best viewed from the air, so when coming into land at Geneva airport, be sure to keep your eyes open for it. Whilst Geneva is not usually listed among the shopping capitals of the world alongside New York, Paris and Milan, it is actually somewhere that could give any of these more well-known destinations a run for their money. Obvious retail highlights

are Geneva’s world-class watchmakers and chocolate shops (both perfect as last-minute stop-offs where one is guaranteed to find much-anticipated presents to take home), but the boutiques and fashion outlets are more than enough to whet the fashion appetite. If all that isn’t enough, the lake offers some great water-sports including rafting, sailing and waterskiing for the daring to try their hand at. Furthermore, because Switzerland is fairly small, you could easily take an extra few days to explore the rest of the country. n

Premiere at Porsche:

Cayenne with diesel engine

motoring

From February 2009, Porsche will offer a Cayenne with a diesel engine and thus extend its range of engines for the four door, all-wheel drive car further, once again. This decision was taken in response to changed legal regulations especially in European markets, resulting in tax incentives for vehicles with diesel engines. Furthermore, the Porsche stake in Volkswagen Group, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest manufacturer of modern diesel engines for passenger cars, has opened up new opportunities to utilise sporty compression-ignition technology. Porsche will equip the Cayenne with a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine with 240 hp supplied by Audi AG, a subsidiary of the VW Group. The average consumption of the Cayenne Diesel is 30.4mpg Combined (9.3 litres/100 km) with emissions of 244 g/km CO2.

The spontaneous throttle response and high torque characteristics of this diesel engine deliver the required performance levels for an athletic all-terrain vehicle such as the Cayenne. The substantial maximum torque of 550 Newton metres complements the sports-oriented chassis dynamics and provides a high degree of control to offer driving enjoyment typical of Porsche. In response to customer demand, the new Cayenne model will initially be offered in Europe. Preparations for market introduction in other countries are underway. The Porsche Executive Board is confident that it will maintain the long term market success of the Cayenne series with the lowconsumption V6 turbo diesel. In the last financial year 2007/08, 45,478 units of this series (which currently incorporates five different models) were sold - more than ever before in a financial year.

With the introduction of the Cayenne Diesel, Porsche is consistently continuing its commitment to reduce fuel consumption. As early as Spring 2007, the sports car manufacturer had equipped the new generation of the Cayenne series with engines featuring petrol direct injection that consume up to 15 per cent less fuel in real-world driving conditions. Since the summer of 2008, Porsche has also offered the most recent generation of the 911 series with direct-injection petrol engines. The sports car manufacturer is also working on another Cayenne variant with hybrid drive that will exceed 31 mpg, and which will be launched onto the market at the end of the decade. The new Cayenne with diesel drive will be arriving at Porsche Centres from February 2009. Equipped with the proven Tiptronic-S automatic gearbox as standard, it costs from ÂŁ40,250. Customers will also be able to explore the dynamic attributes of the car, and develop their own skills behind the wheel, courtesy of a Driving Experience Programme at the new Porsche Driving Experience Centre at Silverstone. n For further details, contact the New Car Sales Team at Porsche Centre East London on 020 8519 9999 or on email info@porscheeastlondon.co.uk

CUT it The easiest way to lower emissions is to turn off the engine when you’re stopped in traffic. But it helps if your car is more intelligent than you, says Matthew Carter

few years ago – during the last recession, in fact – a mate of mine hit on a great way of saving a bit of cash. Every time he stopped at a red light or joined the back of a queue of traffic, he switched off. He reckoned that if he wasn’t going anywhere, there was no point in having the engine slurping fuel. At first I wasn’t sure whether he was being clever or just mean: he’s one of those blokes who’s always last to the bar and first to leave, usually just before his round is due. For a couple of weeks, everything went well and I began to think he’d hit on something. Until that fateful wet Wednesday winter’s night when his car refused to restart. The battery, you see, had had enough of constantly being asked to churn over the starter motor. That evening, with the heater on full blast, the wipers doing their thing and the radio blaring, the battery went on strike. Stuck at the head of a queue of rush hour traffic in a broken down car is not the way to endear yourself to fellow motorists. He eventually got going again thanks to the AA, but never again did he turn off the engine in the middle of a journey.

I thought of him the other day as I sat at a red light in Earls Court. They’d just changed, so I pulled on the handbrake and put the car into neutral. And as I did, the engine cut out. Don’t worry, it was meant to. When the lights turned green, I dipped the clutch ready to slot it into first and the engine magically started again. Simple. And yet it's anything but. To create the latest (deep breath) Freelander 2 TD4_e Stop/ Start, Land Rover boffins have had to develop a new heavy-duty starter motor, new ring gear, new clutch and a beefier battery. And that’s before they started on comprehensive changes to the electronics. It works. Claiming this as the first SUV in the world with Intelligent Stop/Start, Land Rover reckons it improves fuel consumption by 4.5mpg overall and by as much as 20 per cent in heavy traffic. Equally important, it reduces CO2 emissions by 8%, making the 4x4 more acceptable in the city. Well, slightly more acceptable: the TD4_e sees its CO2 emissions cut from 194g/km to a still high 179g/km. No free road tax here. But there’s no denying it’s a step in the right direction. Stung by the anti-4x4 backlash, Land Rover’s Stop/Start technology – currently only available on the manual 2.2-litre dieselpowered Freelander – is just the first in a raft of ‘sustainable engineering technologies’ designed to keep the company in business. Other technologies around the corner include hybrid drivetrains and electric rear axles. It’s simplicity itself in operation. As soon as the vehicle has come to a halt and the gearbox put

motoring

into neutral, the engine cuts out. As well as producing no emissions whatsoever, a calming hush descends on the vehicle. Besides, sitting in neutral with the handbrake on is good driving practice. And when it’s time to head off again, the moment the clutch is depressed, the starter motor churns a couple of times and the engine restarts. In fact, that’s the only real criticism of the system: two turns of the starter motor before it catches is one too many. What’s really clever, though, is the way the system keeps tabs on what else is going on. In a conventional car, when the engine stops so too does the water pump. This Freelander, however, has an auxiliary pump which continues working when the engine has been shut down so maintaining the temperature in the cabin. But let’s say it’s the middle of a heat wave and the air conditioning is blasting away. In these conditions, the system monitors the voltage drain on the battery and if it reckons keeping the cabin cold might run the battery down it prevents the engine from stopping. Nor does killing the engine interfere with what you’re listening to on the radio or cut your Bluetooth phone conversation. Life continues, in other words. Land Rover is not the first to unveil Stop/Start technology. That honour goes to Volkswagen, which tried the technology some years ago before the world was ready, while BMW and Mini both have similar systems today.

But what makes the Land Rover system so impressive is that it does not compromise the Freelander’s allterrain performance. The centre of London might be lacking in suitable mountain climbing opportunities… but that didn’t faze Land Rover. In a bid to liven up a couple of hours of city stop/ start crawl, Land Rover had taken over Battersea Power Station and built a tricky 4x4 course within. Some might see Freelander as a soft-roader, competing with the likes of the Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4, but they’d be wrong. Using Land Rover’s clever electronic Terrain Response system you tell it what ground you’re on – soft sand, grass, mud and rocks and so on – and it works out the best distribution of power to keep you moving. The Battersea course held examples of virtually every off-road surface you’re likely to find other than water, and nothing, bar driver incompetence, stopped it. Be under no illusion: Freelander is a true Land Rover. And it’s also miles ahead of the original Freelander, a car that didn’t enjoy the best reliability reputation in the world. Freelander 2 is handsome, roomy, reasonably refined and appears well built. The arrival of Stop/Start technology – it’ll be a standard fit on all diesel manuals when sales start next May – simply adds another string to its bow. Wonder if my mate is ready to try Stop/Start again…n

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motoring

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It’s been one of the coolest cars in Tokyo for years, but has never been officially sold outside Japan. Now that’s about to change as the next generation Nissan Cube is due soon and Europe can finally discover why it’s hip to be square, says Matthew Carter

motoring

he Cube was originally created for people who weren’t interested in cars, but simply needed something to get from A to B. Nissan designers clearly took design inspiration from a kindergarten art class and developed a box on wheels. But the moment the Cube was launched it became a cult car. That led to a clamouring from both Europe and America, but building the car with left-hand drive wasn’t possible. The original Cube had unique asymmetric rear styling with a wraparound rear window on the nearside to give drivers a better ‘overthe-shoulder’ view. It was a feature that couldn’t be changed for left-hand drive markets without totally re-engineering the car. And that’s now been done: the new generation Cube retains the asymmetric rear for both left- and right-hand drive markets. It’s also been given a styling makeover that introduces a few curves into the mix: the side windows, apparently, have been inspired by digital photo frames. Power will come from a 1.5-litre diesel or a 1.6-litre petrol unit with a CVT automatic gearbox while there will be a whole portfolio of exterior body graphics to personalise the car still further. The only bad news is that although it’s already on sale in Japan, we won’t get cubed until November. n

It was a feature that couldn’t be changed for left-hand drive markets without totally re-engineering the car.

Fly with The Blades

2Excel and PRE Ltd are offering a prize for 2 guests to have a lifechanging flight with The Blades, to meet the pilots at their home base near Northampton and to fly exhilarating but serene formation aerobatics with them. Share this truly unforgettable experience with the comfort of knowing the Civil Aviation Authority has approved the airline and The Blades’ every manoeuvre. Most pilots in the RAF have not done what you can do with The Blades.

To enter Simply answer the following question:

Q. Who approves every single Blade manoeuvre? For more information: The Blades | www.2excelaviation.com | or just Google ‘Blades’ Vicinitee | www.vicinitee.com PRE | www.preltd.co.uk

Email answers to: blades@runwildgroup.com

RUNWILD M

GADGETS JAMIE CARTER presents this month’s technological highlights

BEYOND BLACK

With flatscreen TVs now mere commodity items there’s little kudos to a gloss black plasma or LCD TV. That is, unless, you settle on a limited edition colour of the best plasma TV around. Pioneer’s stunning ‘Kuro’ range of super-thin (64mm) plasmas now come in both Pure White and Beige Grisé and use a one-cable connection to a separate media box – making them ideal to hang on a wall. Pioneer KRP-500AW & KRP-500ABG Pure White / Beige Grisé plasma TVs £2500 www.pioneer.co.uk

RINGING THE CHANGES

Modern handsets might be technologically advanced, but where’s the style? Destined to appeal beyond the tech-savvy sector, this new range of fashion phones pays homage to the Italian designer, Joe Colombo, but technology hasn’t been forgotten. On board these white or coral red phones is an answering machine, phonebook for up to 100 contacts, hands-free operation and a choice of polyphonic ring tones. Colombo Phone £39.99 www.magicboxproducts.com

HATCHING A PLAN Using the most rigid form known to nature, Eclipse’s egg-shaped TD510 speakers are designed especially for music perfectionists. Promising the most pure stereo and immense scale to music, Eclipse’s eggs are already the reference speakers at London’s Royal Academy of Music, and also used by the likes of John Williams, Randy Brecker and Michael Nyman. Eclipse TD510 Time Domain loudspeakers £1700 a pair www.eclipse-td.net

IPHONE AT HOME

A perfect companion to an iPhone, Logic3’a new i-Station25 is for those who want a little bit more than just a portable iPod speaker. From the i-Station25 it’s possible to watch music videos, movies and podcasts direct from an iPod or iPhone, with LED lights glowing when the speakers are best positioned. There’s even a video-out port for connecting the i-Station25 to a TV. Logic3 i-Station25 £69 www.logic3.com

FEELING BLU Renowned Japanese brand Denon has unleashed a ‘baby’ Blu-ray player that offers most of the high-end features found in its pricier DVD2500BT and DVD-3800BD decks. The DVD1800BDSP includes 1080p upscaling from DVDs alongside the very latest hi-def sound formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Perfect for pairing with a Full HD flatscreen TV or projector, the DVD1800BDSP also includes a SD card reader for downloading online extra features now offered by some Blu-ray discs. Denon DVD1800BDSP Blu-ray player £600 www.denon.co.uk

gadgets

SUPPORTING ROLE Internationally renowned Studio Conran and Alphason have teamed up to design a new range of luxury AV furniture for the living room. Combining real wood veneers with satin white is Contemporary Natural, a ‘media cabinet’ with huge, but discreet storage space, and doors that just need a tap to open automatically. Alphason Conran Contemporary Natural media cabinet £599-£899 www.alphasondesigns.com

THIN ON TOP

Hanging a flatscreen TV on a wall can be a messy day’s work for at least two people – and as a consequence, most of us simply don’t bother. Philips thinks it has solved that problem with this 38mm deep, 16kg LCD TV. Light enough to be hung by just one person; ‘Essence’ comes with a ‘smart’ levelling bracket as well as a separate media box for housing all the cables. Philips ‘Essence’ LCD TV £2,000 www.philips.co.uk

BEDROOM ANTICS Fully equipped for the digital age, LG’s PC12DAB is aimed squarely at bedside tables. It’s armed with an alarm clock and snooze, a digital DAB radio, an iDock for housing an iPod, a CD player and a USB port for attaching MP3 players – or even a memory stick packed with MP3 files. Despite the tech, the emphasis is on style, with a cool pulsating red glow around its rim. LG PC12DAB £150 www.lge.co.uk

LOWERING THE TEMPO

WORKSTATION

That doyen of tech-cool, Apple, has started selling the ultimate upgrade for Mac laptop users – a stunning 24-inch LED Cinema Display. With built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers in aluminium and glass enclosure, the LED Cinema Display includes an integrated Mini DisplayPort for connecting-up – and charging – a MacBook laptop, meaning regular commuters can permanently leave their laptop’s power cable in a work bag. Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display £649 www.apple.com/uk

Add your own soundtrack to a stunning scuba dive with this unique iPod accessory from H20 Audio. Its iDive 300 waterproof casing lets you take your own tunes 300ft down – and even allows control of the iPod’s click wheel or touchscreen. Made from durable polycarbonate and complete with a locking cam knob and seal, the iDive 300 enjoys ‘Made for Apple’ certification – and its video functionality really comes into its own during long decompression sessions. H2O Audio iDive 300 £350 www.h2oaudio.co.uk

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property

PADS FOR LADS Stephanie Baxter takes two hours out of her day to live the highlife in what’s been dubbed ‘The Ultimate Bachelor Pad’

back, to give maximum impact. As I step ’d like to think that I’m not a particularly materialistic person, and as I have chosen outside on to the terrace, which boasts an outside sofa of all things (!), the view takes my love for my job over money, my my breath away. Surely these are the best thoughts of owning my own property, views of London; they are 180° and fully let alone a swanky London apartment, are uninterrupted, and treat you to the sight of very much far away. Perhaps that’s why, when top landmarks such as Harrod’s, the Royal standing in the hallway of The Penthouse Albert Hall and the London Eye, to name in Kingston House South, Knightsbridge, I just a few. On seeing this, I don’t know how appear completely open-mouthed at my first anybody could want to live anywhere else. taste of real luxury everyday living. When chatting to Stephen With crocodile-printed From a central calf leather floors in Sellar, who forms one half control pad that of the ownership of mdesign the hall, walnut units in fits in the palm of British interior design and the kitchen, silk carpets your hand, you can property development in the bedrooms, and control everything, company (alongside his the Aquatelevision in from lights to the brother, Paul), I ask him the ensuite bathroom window blinds to whether the dreaded credit downstairs, I’m already in love with the place. the TV that moves in crunch has affected business Nothing can prepare me, and out from behind for the company. “The though, for what comes the leather panelling market of really top-end property,” he replies, “is next. Upstairs is a large of the main wall in and extremely elegantlyfairly immune to the credit the living room. dressed entertaining crunch to a certain extent. space, flanked by an enormous terrace So mdesign’s clientele isn’t really affected which spans the entirety of two whole by or involved with it, thankfully.” Indeed, sides of the apartment. The glass doors mdesign certainly seems to be going from which usually separate the inside of the strength-to-strength, completing around one property every month. apartment from the outside are folded

Furthermore, within the last few months one of their apartments in Orchard Court, Portman Square was named ‘The World’s Best Apartment’ at the International Property Awards. High praise, indeed. But if the splendour of The Penthouse here in Knightsbridge is anything to go by, then it’s hardly a surprise and is, in fact, well-deserved. This apartment, on the other hand, has been called ‘The Ultimate Bachelor Pad’; when you consider the gadgets this place has, it’s easy to see why. From a central control pad that fits in the palm of your hand, you can control everything, from lights to the window blinds to the TV that moves in and out from behind the leather panelling of the main wall in the living room. From that same control pad, you can see who is standing outside the front door via a doorspy camera, as well as view CCTV images of the whole property, all of which can be accessed securely over the internet while you’re away. For further security, entrance to the apartment comes in the form of a customised biometric fingerprint scanner. This is real James Bond stuff. In terms of interiors, most of the things that you see in an mdesign property are bespoke, individually-made pieces. The electro-polished, stainless steel balustrade that runs along the staircase, for example, was Head of Interior Design, Georgina Wood’s own creation, inspired by a simple pattern that she happened to come across in a magazine. It is somewhat of a work of art in its own right, but when you can

see its influence working its way into little features around the apartment, such as the curtains, and even the glasses; it’s a stroke of design genius. The wallpapers, especially, are to die for, all of them sumptuous silk damask that oozes pure opulence. The high quality of the design does not, however, eradicate that lived-in, homely feel that is often absent from so many newly-renovated, empty properties. This apartment has been made to look and feel like a home; kitchenware, towels, vases of flowers, artwork, toiletries, alcohol in the bar and even books and laptops have been carefully selected to ensure authenticity, as well as making it absolutely ready to move into with no hassle. “Because these kinds of properties are often second or even third or fourth, homes for our clients, and because they are very cash wealthy and extremely time poor, we make sure that they have everything they’ll need and that everything is finished to an amazing standard when they take possession of the property,” says Stephen. This means that everything you see comes with the apartment.

All of this, naturally, comes at a price. “So, exactly how much are we talking?” I ask, sheepishly. Deep down, I know the price tag will be huge, but that doesn’t stop a little gasp escaping when I’m told that The Penthouse is on the market for £6m. But, on reflecting on the cost, I realise that it’s not just an apartment that you’d be buying into; it’s a lifestyle. Everything about it – the location, the interiors, the gadgets, the terrace, etc – seems to radiate success, it’s a marker that shows you’re doing well for yourself. As I head home to my family’s lovely, albeit somewhat smaller, house in Surrey, I cannot help but wonder what it would be like if I was on my way home to The Penthouse. If I had the money, I’d certainly buy it tomorrow. But actually, I am happy with my lot. I like my family’s ‘lovely, albeit somewhat smaller, house’. That’s good news for you though; The Penthouse is still up for grabs. n www.mdesignlondon.com 020 7258 8500 info@mdesignlondon.com

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lifestyle

Intelligent Design

Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos 561 Clock

Marc Newson is arguably the world’s most bankable designer, says Claire Adler. February sees him launch the Qantas A380 at London’s IMAX theatre. That is, of course, if he can find a spare moment between his G-Star clothing ranges, Dom Perignon champagne buckets, a speedboat, an astronomical clock for Jaeger le Coultre and his own Ikepod watches.

f you find time management a challenge, or have trouble working on multiple projects, take advice from Marc Newson. “Focus on one thing at a time,” is his top tip. He should know. “My greatest satisfaction comes from working on a variety of different projects,” he says. Newson typically juggles 15 projects at any one time. “What drives me is the desire to create things that don’t exist,” he says. As creative director of Qantas Airways, Australian born, London and Paris based Marc Newson, 45, has been responsible for creating everything from the interiors of an entire fleet of planes to the Qantas first class airport lounges in Sydney and Melbourne. But then there have also been the Nike trainers, Biomega bicycles, surfboards, jeans, a concept jet, cookware for Tefal, binoculars and telescopes for Swarovski, perfume bottles, champagne coolers for Dom Perignon and bags for Samsonite. Not to mention a sub-orbital spacecraft. In 2006 Newson was awarded the title of Royal Designer for Industry in the United Kingdom and named Designer of the Year

at Design Miami. In 2008, he was awarded the London Design Medal and nominated Designer of the Year at the London Design Festival. Newson also holds adjunct professorships at Sydney College of the Arts and at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. One of Newson’s greatest achievements is to comfortably straddle the worlds of mass manufacture, complex and highly demanding technical work and high art. When asked about the moment in his career that was the real turning point, the commission that made him jump for joy when he’d put the phone down, Newson becomes thoughtful. “It’s been a slow, consistent progression,” he muses. After studying sculpture and jewellery at Sydney College of the Arts, Newson started out designing furniture, creating products in considerable numbers for Italian companies including Cappellini and Alessi, and later moving onto more experimental projects like a concept car for Ford and a concept plane at the invitation of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, which was later shown at London’s Design Museum.

Sue Stafford Power House Museum

Richard Allen and Andy Tan

G-Star ar14hr

Ikepod Watch

Quantas Airways A380 Skybed

But for all Newson’s understatement, there is little question that events in 2006 propelled him to A-lister design status. Firstly, a shiny 20 year old piece of sculptural furniture, the Lockheed Lounge designed by Newson - one of 13 in existence - was snapped up at Sotheby’s for just shy of a cool $968,000. It broke all records, becoming the highest price ever paid at auction for the work of a living designer. At that year’s Design Miami fair, Newson produced 12 Chop Top tables, all of which sold out in 20 minutes at an estimated $170,000. That same year Larry Gagosian, the most powerful art dealer in the world, made contemporary art history when he welcomed Newson’s work into his New York gallery space, elevating design into the rarefied world of art. The limited edition creations Newson showed there were monumental marble pieces that appear light and mobile. At a time when prices for art were exploding, this led culture vultures the world over to question how product design had made its way into an art gallery. Either way, one by-product of these phenomenal successes was a renewed interest in Newson’s watches. Originally

Dom Perignon Champagne Bucket

My greatest satisfaction comes from working on a variety of different projects launched in 1994 in collaboration with Swiss businessman Oliver Ike, the watches became a hit with design-conscious watch aficionados. A decade later Ike filed for bankruptcy. But when art and watch collector Adam Lindemann bought the remains of the company, the watches were relaunched at Art Basel Miami Beach 2006 and are enjoying a renewed interest. Newson also fulfilled a personal ambition when he was commissioned to create the 80th anniversary Jeager-LeCoultre Atmos clock. The Atmos clock’s uniqueness derives from the fact that it runs on one hermetically sealed capsule of gas which expands or contracts, depending on the temperature.

The Atmos has reappeared in various incarnations over the years, but the essential mechanical principles remain the same. Watches were one of the first objects Newson tried to design as a young boy and his long held admiration for the Atmos led him to contact Jaeger-LeCoultre and offer up his own design. The result is a paradigm of eco-conscious design to say the least. It would take 180 million of the Marc Newson-designed Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clocks to burn the same energy as one 50-watt light bulb. The Marc Newson Atmos clock is now an official gift of the Swiss Confederation. Past recipients of Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clocks include the Queen, Churchill and JFK. Unsurprisingly then, Newson counts the clock amongst the designs he is most proud of, alongside his Event Horizon table and large Voronoi shelf. He’s currently beavering away on an astronomical version, the Atmos Calibre JLC 566. But Newson’s most ambitious project to date, he says, is the interior of the Qantas Superjumbo A380. “Aviation is the holy grail of design,” he muses. “It’s the most challenging and restrictive kind of design. There is little space for creative expression. It’s a highly regulated industry. Sometimes it feels like working in the military, but the parameters help me to be more creative.” Possibly the greatest struggle he faced on this project was tackling how to shave an inch off the width of the back of the cheapest seat in the cabin. "It doesn't sound like much. But it's mindbogglingly difficult, and that extra inch makes a big difference. It could save someone from having to bend their knees throughout a long-haul flight," Newson told the International Herald Tribune recently. How comforting to know that both economy and upper class passengers will benefit from the talent and insight of this design visionary. n

Architecture

Konstruktions

Interiors

020 8944 9050 Wimbledon Village www.kubikonline.co.uk

SPRING SIMPLICITY Celebrating the

LULU GUINNESS 125th anniversary

RARE TREASURES

of its foundation, The new Lulu Guinness

A TROPICAL BREEZE collection, Holiday Bulgari has chosen An exclusive collection of 18-carat white, yellow or rose gold cufflinks,

Resort, is inspired to support the Save

As the weather starts to changefeatures and all chance of sunshine the Rare Stones collection unusual (or unusually sourced) by an unusual and disappears, it’s heartening to maintain at least a tiny taste of precious and semi-precious stones. The individual cufflinkeclectic settingsmix areof the tropics. Luxury brand l’Artisan Parfumeur is releasing worked around the stones to keep them as close as possible to their 1940s and 1950s a new scent this season perfect for bringing a touch of the bags, dresses natural the days goldinvaries in Fleur shadesdetoLiane suitiseach A natural exotic tostate grey and autumn London. ‘a stone. icons. This addition to by anya perfumer smart ensemble, the Rare fuses scent stolen on his travels’ whichStones draws itscollectionand chic yet fun inspiration from the sophisticated flowers on the Island Bahia in spring gift. individuality with stylingof in theHonda perfect Panama. The vibrant tropical island is permanently scented

with wild fragrances of leaves, sap, bark and wood earth and Rare Stones Collection, £POA the nearby ocean; reflecting this Tateossian beautiful natural environment, ¼ Royal Exchange 020 3434 Fleur7283 de Liane is exhibits facets www.tateossian.com of green, floral, aqueous, woody and mossy undertones. The new perfume, created by Bertrand Duchaufour forms the latest addition to the collection Odeur volée par un parfumeur en voyage.

the Children Rewrite the Future campaign. The symbol par excellence of Bulgari’s commitment to this collection is a project (and a tribute to fusion of beautifullythe silversmith origins of textured fabrics, appliqué embroidery, SotirioandBulgari) willall befeaturing a silverquirky details. The Colour Flash Elongated Pollyanna is a bright and dramatic clutch bag ideal for ring designed especially for the a glamorous evening party. The Elongated Pollyanna clutch is a new shape in Save the the collection and iscampaign, also availablefeaturing in a varietythe of other colours. The Colour Children Bulgari ring, logoandengraved A Save Flash features shadesChildren of aubergine black withinside. embroidered flashesthe of lime, £200 fuchsia and purple bringing back into collection. simple, fun modern andthechic design, Bulgari the silver ring is the perfect 15 The Royal Exchange Colour Flash Elongated Pollyanna, £195 finish to a casual yet stylish day020 7283 4580 www.bulgari.com Lulu Guinness time ensemble. 23 Royal Exchange 0207 626 5391 www.luluguinness.com

Fleur de Liane 100ml, £70 L’Artisan Parfumeur 4 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3131 www.artisanparfumeur.com/uk

Strike a

ideas

POSE FRESH

The Royal Exchange presents the best of glamour and style in the wake of London Fashion Week; hereatare our best buys for staying vogue A beautiful choice for an autumn engagement, De Shop ‘til you drop the Royal Exchange forinthe best in bright

PERFECT SOLITAIRE

Beers presents the Forever Ring. A choice of beautiful new styles and must-have accessories this spring season engagement solitaire diamonds in a variety of weights, these are the latest additions to the DeBeers Bridal Over a century ago, in 1904, Louis Cartier Collection, with stones guaranteed with the De Beers made a major breakthrough in the watchMarque. With unrivalled expertise in the selection and making world by creating one of the first specification of fine diamonds for over a century, De ever wristwatches designed primarily for Beers offers the most authoritative diamond knowledge Are you stressed, over-tired, run-down or over-worked? With natural pilots in flight.With its visible screws, raised in the world. leaf watch from the bezel and ridged bracelet,grape the Santos is Ardeche region of France and lychee extract, All diamonds above .20 carats that pass the De Beers Something of a naughty treat, originally native a truly classic masculine timepiece, echoing to Southern China, the Purify range gives the skin stringent specifications are microscopically branded with Agent Provocateur boost with products rich in antioxidants. After a long hard a presents time whenawatches werea daily flaunted as status the De Beers Marque. Completely invisible to the naked dual-sided of erotic symbols. The Santos watch pioneered the range revives the body by boosting microcirculation day, the Unwind eye, this microscopic etching ensures that each stone willcollection literature. tales design of lustofand the day and represents an massage early retain its identity as a De Beers official diamond, andThese is through with active ingredients of pine bark extract and expression the Art Deco style. whilst raspberry oil, shea butter and inca inchi oil hydrate the catalogued in the De Beers Diamond registry, providing adventure will take you out of your dailyoflife, galangal, This variation in pink gold surrounded by an additional level of protection and security. injecting a little pleasure into repetitive nights body and lock in moisture. Uplifting remedies to treat the entire body, black rubber illustrates the spirit of the with the other half. A flip-sided volume, Soixtante four unique ranges of products provide the opportunity to create your Forever Ring, prices starting from £1,150 Santos de Cartier collection into the twentyNeuf comprises a ‘pink’ half of titillating tales from own bespoke rescue-range. first century.

PARISIAN STYLE

SOIXANTE NEUF

UNWIND & PURIFY

De Beers the boudoir and a ‘black’ side of stories with a distinctly darker 13, The Courtyard, Santos nature. Illustrated throughout with the erotic line drawings of Watch, David £11,250 Prices range from £18-£30 Royal Exchange Molton Brown 020 7929 2777 Bray, this book is written for the modern woman. Boutique Cartier www.debeers.com 27 Royal Exchange 1 The Courtyard, Royal Exchange 020 7621 0021 020 7312 6923 Soixante Neuf, £16.99 www.moltonbrown.co.uk www.cartier.com Agent Provocateur

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Masterpiece Creation

Spring Chic

Montblanc’s new Grand Tourbillon Heures Mystérieuses marks the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of renovated manufacture in Villeret. Particularly noteworthy are the three movable compensating weights with the Minerva arrow, which can be pushed to and fro on the curved arc of the tourbillon cage to obtain perfect equilibrium. The Heures Mystérieuses created sensation when they first appeared, as the pendules mystérieuses have hour and minute hands that appeared to float freely in mid-air. When viewed in parallax, they still do, and hover in mid air above their reflections. The design is still the same as that shown, but with a mirror finish to the dial. Definitely one of 2009’s most fascinating new products.

“The Enid is named after my great-grandmother, the celebrated British playwright, Enid Bagnold” says Samantha Cameron, “She was admired for her avant-garde style and the success of her career at the time.” Chic and sophisticated, the Enid bag silhouette draws on the art of corsetry with its distinctive hand-stitched corded leather and the frame lends structure to the soft goatskin leather body. Finished with a shagreen grey and brushed gold clasp, the bag’s wide opening reveals a luxurious peach silk-lining and ample space beautifully organised with ruched pockets. Small Enid Bag (pictured), £775 Large Enid Bag, £895 Smythson 7 Royal Exchange 020 7621 1037 www.smythson.com

Grand Tourbillon Heures Mystérieuses, £POA Montblanc 10-11 Royal Exchange 020 7929 4200 www.montblanc.com

Light & Bright Loro Piana’s elegant SS09 collection uses the brand’s trademark cashmere and silk mix in its lightest version, as the central component of design. Light and wrinkle-resistant, the smart casual pieces become ideal companions at work, when travelling and in leisure time. The Caban Promenade Jacket is a particular favourite for spring; a vivid orangey-red, this light jacket will take you through the last chills of winter, April showers, and into the spring time sunshine. Finished with white buttons, it looks chic and sophisticated with a simple white shirt, silk scarf and understated jewellery. Loro Piana SS09, prices vary Loro Piana 2 – 3 Royal Exchange 020 7398 0000 www.loropiana.com

Love Gold Since its creation in New York in 1969, the Cartier Love bangle has become synonymous with Cartier, and the bangle itself is now seen as a mythical bracelet. It is a sign of passion, a collection, a word – but above all, an emotional bond between two people and their commitment. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton handcuffed their passion and locked it with a Love bracelet, and Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti also choose to be united for life with a Cartier Love bangle. These sensational couples, perpetually in love, inspired Cartier’s creation in gold. Cartier Love Bangle, £4,250 1, The Courtyard, Royal Exchange 020 7312 6923 www.cartier.com

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www.theroyalexchange.co.uk

Luxury investments The rarefied world of luxury likes to believe it’s immune from the credit crunch. And it seems that, while most of the Western world tightens their purse strings, some of the most privileged people in the world are combining investment with pleasure, says Claire Adler

any of the finest luxury brands in the world are understandably reluctant to comment about whether now is a good time to invest in baubles. When probed about whether they had noticed a trend for wealthy customers to view jewellery as an attractive form of investment – as an alternative to say, property and equities – Chanel, Cartier and Leviev all declined to comment. Christies’ head of jewellery Francois Curiel recently advised leaving investing in jewellery to professionals only. Yet dazzling sales of top end jewellery in Paris recently suggested that some people are putting their financial faith in precious jewels. The Biennale des Antiquaires is the most prestigious fine art and antiques fair in the world. Held in Paris every second year,

it features the most spectacular jewels from the haute joaillerie houses. Much of the jewellery at the recent show incorporated extremely rare and valuable gemstones, particularly at Harry Winston and Cartier. Harry Winston alone had transported approximately 60 pieces totalling over $80m to the exhibition, including a 47.41 colour change sapphire necklace from its Incredibles collection. Meanwhile, Cartier interspersed world class jewellery with Cartier Tradition – or historical – pieces. All jewellers reported strong sales at the show. But when a Harry Winston necklace and bracelet totalling £996,900 were rumoured to have been snapped up by one buyer at the show’s preview the night before the opening, there was speculation that this was part of a growing trend towards buying

feature purchase was an investment. The diamond cluster bracelet, bearing 200 diamonds set in a complex three-dimensional setting, won the Best Jewellery Design of 2007 award in Wallpaper* magazine. The highlight of the colour changing sapphire necklace, which sold for £568,100, was the Sri Lankan sapphire pendant, which changes its appearance from blue in daylight to purple in incandescent light. Elsewhere, purveyors of luxury at the highest levels do seem to be definitively focusing on the very top end of the market. Rather than making attempts to project an image of immunity to economic downturn, brands now appear to be appealing to a wider audience at the highest levels to protect themselves from it. Till recently, Cartier used to bring out high end jewellery every two years. Now it’s every year. Tiffany, Leviev, Boucheron, Chanel, Dior and Harry Winston are channelling huge resources into frequently transporting one-off jewels to bring them to a wider audience the world over. Tiffany has also been focusing on its wealthy core customers by separating stores into massaffluent and fine jewellery. Meanwhile, despite redundancies at its London headquarters and workshop, king of diamonds Laurence Graff recently delivered a $75 million necklace to New York for the opening of his enlarged Manhattan flagship store. It is the only necklace made from the Lesotho Promise, an enormous diamond the 15th largest ever found - which has been cut into 26 different gems, including this 76 carat pendant drop. “In a downturn, people continue to buy jewels: it’s a safe place to put your money,” Graff told the Financial Times recently. “You put your money in the stock market and suddenly it can be gone, but if you put it into treasure, historically, that’s the safest place to store your wealth. I always advise people when you’re up, buy jewels – women in particular, because a piece of jewellery is hers: of all the goods that you can invest in, a house is shared property, as is art, but a ring or a necklace is a different story.” Another Bond Street boss who believes now is a good time to invest in jewellery is Alisa Moussaieff. A woman whose mere window display was recently estimated by one jewellery industry insider to be worth in the region of £50 million, Moussaieff remains reserved but upbeat. “The mood in the current market is lousy,” she said, in the run-up to Christmas at an instore reception welcoming the new face of her brand, model Tamara Ecclestone. “Prices have dropped to more sensible values; people

Opposite: Padparadscha necklace, by Harry Winston Below: Blue rough stone,

Emerald, opal bead and diamond platinum bracelet and Chimera brooch, by Cartier

are down to earth and showing interest. There is a demand for unique and beautiful products as a classic, long lasting and tangible asset. In today’s uncertainty, people are looking to diversify their portfolio.” Such is Moussaieff’s confidence, that in early November the company announced it had purchased a rare 39.19 carat rough blue diamond, calling it “one of the most important to come to the market in the last 15 years”. During the last 12 months, Moussaieff also purchased a unique 6.04 carat emerald cut Vivid Blue diamond which joins another spectacular stone owned by the company - the world’s largest certified red diamond, the 5.11 carat Moussaieff Red. Thanks to the increasing scarcity of polished coloured diamonds on the open market, Moussaieff believes that rare coloured rough diamonds will continue to appreciate in value and that the market for them is liquid.

Diamond and color change sapphire drop necklace

When it comes to the question of long term investment, Alisa Moussaieff, whose family has been in the business for 120 years spanning three generations, is unequivocal. “We have seen a drop recently in the diamond wholesale list and we may see further depreciation. At the moment inflation has come down but from past experience, it will raise its ugly head again. Nobody can predict when prices will reach rock bottom. But diamonds are not a short term trade; they are long term investment pieces that maintain their value.” The good news is that many believe now is the moment for some old-fashioned, gentlemanly haggling. Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza advocates negotiating diligently. “For the most expensive pieces, it is good to have an objective advisor to guide you. The piece should satisfy both the consumer and investor in you,” he says. n

watches

WATCH THIS SPACE Josephine O’Donoghue finds out more about the luxury online marketplace showcasing the most sought-after and rare watches available today; GlobalWatchMarket.com

s the ultimate status symbol, particularly for men, the right wristwatch is absolutely crucial – an adventurous Rolex Submariner, a luxurious Breitling Emergency or a classic Patek Philippe – your watch speaks volumes about your character. For the discerning buyer, a selection of some of the most coveted watches in the world can be found on the Global Watch Market website; Rolex Daytonas with stainless steel straps, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, a range of watches by Richard Mille, and beautiful timepieces by Tag Heuer have been amongst the most popular in the last year. At Global Watch Market, buyers, sellers and horology enthusiasts share a passion for luxury timepieces; after years interacting with watch vendors, private sellers and watch purchasers, creators of the site understood a growing need for seamless interaction between all parties. Based on this vision, watch expert Erran David created Global Watch Market in order to enable those who are passionate about high-end watches to find timepieces they will enjoy and appreciate for many years to come. Through the creation of the online forum, the Global Watch Market allows buyers and sellers an opportunity to connect with each other, with no additional costs or ‘middle-men’. Perhaps surprisingly, the Global Watch Market does not sell watches; rather, the company’s simple mission is to bring buyers and sellers together in

one place where safe and secure transactions can take place. The site works by charging sellers a monthly fee (the size of which depends upon the amount of watches listed) and there is no charge for buyers to use the site. Private sellers may list one watch at a time for no charge. Users on the Global Watch Market can purchase securely via PayPal, contact the seller to arrange payment or visit the seller’s own website and pay through another site. Buyers and sellers will be reassured to know that the Global Watch Market does not tolerate the sale of fake watches and the website works hard to promote a safe environment for online watch sales. A huge success in the short time since its launch, the site has been online since mid-2008. From a humble beginning with just a few hundred watches on offer, today the site has almost 30,000 watches listed from sellers around the world. This is estimated to double by the end of 2009. The site is managed by a dedicated and multilingual team who are always on hand to help both buyers and sellers with a high level of expertise in the field. The website features a ‘Live Help’ tool where users can enter into a live chat conversation with one of the team. So, for those in search of a particularly rare timepiece, a special gift for a loved one, or just a bit of friendly expert advice, the Global Watch Market is the first-stop for the serious watch buyer. n For more information, visit www.globalwatchmarket.com

watches

TALE AS OLD AS TIME Stephanie Baxter takes a look at Montblanc’s newest arrivals

ith sales of luxury pens and watches reported to be plummeting, and with supposed falls in sales of 12% in the last quarter for Richemont, the luxury goods group – whose brands include Montblanc, among others – would appear to be under a certain amount of strain. Yet if Montblanc’s newest pieces are anything to go by, it seems that they’re not going to let a recession stand in the way of continuing to deliver watches that are, quite frankly, par excellence.

Montblanc Star Eternal Lady Diamonds Automatic

History The company was founded in 1906 through the meeting of minds of Hamburg stationer Claus-Johannes Voss, engineer August Eberstein and salesman Alfred Nehemias. Eberstein, Nehemias and Voss understood that the newly-invented but still primitive fountain pen could be used anywhere without the use of the inkwell – unlike the fountain pens of the day – and, as such, they created the first fountain pens with their own ink container. Having established their own factory in Hamburg for the sole purpose of the production of their new invention, the first pens were launched in 1909, just three years after the idea’s first conception, under the name ‘Rouge et Noir’. Having been inspired by Stendhal’s famous novel of the same name, the first pen was made of black ebonite with a red cap and it sold extremely well. The new-andimproved ‘Montblanc’ fountain pen that hit the market a year later was even more successful, bearing what is now the hallmark emblem of the Montblanc white star on its cap. Today, the white star can be seen in the form of a uniquely cut diamond that graces the caps of the pens in the ‘Etoile de Montblanc’ range, as well as on the watch-faces of some of Montblanc’s most stylish pieces. The success of the first pens meant that Montblanc soon began to enjoy recognition around the world, with outlets being opened in Paris, London and Barcelona after the success of the Berlin, Leipzig, Berslau, Hanover and Bremen branches, and new products were added to the range including ink, writing paper and mechanical pencils, all bearing the trademark white star symbol. It was the ‘Meisterstück’ fountain pen, however, that cemented Montblanc’s legendary status. With the number 4810 engraved to the nib, a nod towards the height of the eponymous mountain in the Savoy Alps, the pen came with a lifetime guarantee, reflecting the confidence of the company’s quality. It was this model that earned Montblanc the honour of being immortalised in the New York Museum of Modern Art, where the ‘Meisterstück’ was placed on permanent exhibition.

Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph Open Date

From the production of the very first pens, therefore, the company has grown and expanded into a tour de force of the luxury goods industry, promoting the lasting values of quality and traditional craftsmanship.The latter of these values is never so apparent than in Montblanc’s recent acquisition of Swiss watch company Villaret, producers of exclusive handmade watches that use uniquely traditional techniques to create just 250 watches a year. Here are some of our favourite pieces. Montblanc Sport Chronograph Automatic As the name might suggest, this is a watch that is ideal for sports. Driven by a mechanical movement with an integrated chronograph function, it is one of the most reliable watches to be found; after all, in sport, accurate timing is crucial. It is also able to store energy, and has a guaranteed power reserve of 48 hours when worn regularly.

Montblanc Sport Chronograph Automatic

Durability is a necessity when it comes to sports watches, and the Sport Chronograph Automatic does not disappoint in this field. It has a tough stainless steel case and black DLC (“Diamond-Like Carbon”) coating, the latter of which is often used in motorsport to give high resistance to valves, piston pins and camshafts against mechanical stresses and corrosion. There are even protusions on the side of the case to give maximum protection to the crown against any impact or knocks. Furthermore, the watch face is made from scratch-resistant, convex sapphire glass to ensure that it keeps looking its best. The Sport Chronograph Automatic is a particularly good choice for skiers, since not only is it water-resistant, the glass on the face has an antireflective coating on both sides, which makes for easy time-telling in even the brightest conditions on the slopes. As well as being a high performer, the watch looks great, with its black case, bezel, dial and alligator leather strap; it screams serious sportsman. Montblanc Star Nicholas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph Open Date Montblanc themselves declare this new piece to be somewhat of a “genuine rarity”; the design, certainly, is unique, with its 18 carat red gold case made with traditional cold-forging methods, brown alligator leather strap with a double clasp in red gold, and crown embellished with inlaid mother-ofpearl Montblanc emblem. What’s even more unique is the stainless steel and platinum limited edition version, of which there are only 25. Both versions, however, benefit from the same internal mechanisms, which follow this theme of inimitability. The stopwatch function, for example, unlike conventional chronographs, does not involve hands revolving round the main dial, counters and subdials, but features two small calibrated discs from which the elapsed seconds and minutes can be read off with the help of fixed hands. This is sophisticated watch-making at its best.

Montblanc Star Eternal Lady Diamonds Automatic Everybody knows that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, so the new Star Eternal Lady Diamonds Automatic is the obvious choice for any sparkle-loving female. The watch has a white gold case that is set with no less than 275 Top Wesselton brilliants, and the bezel is adorned with a further 42 diamonds. The mother-of-pearl dial is also decorated with an abundance of them; it is encircled by a rim of 80 diamonds and features a wisp-like cascade consisting of 218 diamonds that gently descend in a contour in the shape of the Montblanc emblem. The Star Eternal Lady Diamonds Automatic is finished with a beautiful white satin strap and 18 carat white gold pin buckle. Whilst this watch may represent a nod towards cutting-edge fashion, it does not compromise on the traditions of the time-honoured method of Swiss watchmaking; it sports a large second hand and an automatic mechanical movement, and the regular oscillations of the balance and the finely-decorated rotor can even be viewed through the transparent sapphire glass back. n www.montblanc.com

Global Watch Market W E IGH T L O S S

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. Keeping healthy has never been so easy and delicious!

“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

Global Watch Market brings you a collection of watches guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning tastes. Navigational features allow you to explore our new and used inventory with ease, and find the exact watch and features you want. From long forgotten vintage time pieces to fresh designer collections, Global Watch Market has it all.

“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

At Global Watch Market, we make finding your perfect watch easy. PRE & POST BABY SKIN & AGEING ENERGY DETOX & CLEANSE

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Right on Form Kasha Van Sant discovers that there is more to Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter than meets the eye

nless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you won’t be aware that Petra Ecclestone comes with an envious pedigree. With a Formula 1 mogul father and former model mother, she didn’t look out of place in the sumptuous surroundings of the Lanesborough Hotel where we were scheduled to meet. I wasn’t sure what or who to expect, but as

I never judge a book by its cover despite the aesthetic appeal of its jacket, I was sure Bernie’s girl would cement herself firmly as a success in her own right. She’s young and beautiful, so copious paparazzi shots on the social scene weren’t about to throw me. I was much more interested in her clothing label FORM. I had heard ramblings about a collaboration with

interview

I think that because people see me as a 20year-old and a daddy’s girl, they don’t take me seriously. So that’s hard to break through Savile Row tailor Edward Sexton. “It’s not really a collaboration, he just kind of does the pattern cutting, somebody else will do the designs and then he just turns it into a 3d creation.” I stand corrected, so how did this come about? “He has made all the suits for my dad for the past 30 or 40 years, so I’ve known him since I was born, so I thought Edward was the right guy to do the job.” Petra elaborates that being a family friend allows her to be honest with Edward and that his advice is just that, he doesn’t give direction. “We’ve got quite different tastes that we incorporate. Obviously I’m quite modern and funky, so we use the both to work together so it’s quite old-fashioned with a modern twist.” I assume that this is the crux of the male orientated FORM brand? “Exactly. Everything’s crafted to the best standard so that it’s really luxury. That’s the kind of market that we’re going for.” And the inspiration? “The heritage of Formula 1. So if you look at the detail of the silhouette, the shoulder pads and the streamline of the jackets, that’s the basic look. The sort of Ayrton Senna look, really old, retro racing drivers, and then making the pieces look

modern.” Having billed and cooed at the collection - she has it right on cue. But logistically, this must be a challenge, sourcing materials etc? “It’s hard because you’re working two years ahead and you have to think about the trends and what’s going to be in fashion. So you source as many materials and fabrics as possible and then lay them down to see that they have a different feel and look.” Having just turned 20, this is admirable stuff, nepotism aside! Childhood dreams meant following her mother’s footsteps into the modelling world, this she did for a few years.

“I also wanted something that I could see future-wise for the next ten years, like “this is what I want to do and this is what I’m passionate about”, so I kind of knew that I wanted to do something creative, and build my own brand.” Petra had her first real taste of fashion from her A level studies after studying Fashion, Art and Photography, not to mention creating things from an early age. So how does it feel to be doing what she wanted? “I’ve always wanted to be in control and I’ve always had an image of what I’ve wanted to do so when I finished school, I was

playing around with either womenswear or menswear. I chose menswear, and that’s the start of that, about 2 years ago.” So what’s a typical day? “I start brainstorming and I start picking stuff out of magazines and old archives that I go to at my dad’s office at Formula 1; I start by looking at really old pictures. When I go on holiday I take loads of pictures; anything can inspire me, like colour palettes from holidays, or what I see on the streets, or music. Anything really.” Does creative block rear its head? “It’s hard with menswear because you can’t experiment as much as with womenswear, so it’s like, “What can I do? What can I reinvent?” “ With a team of five in their twenties and thirties, I wondered about the youthful Ecclestone’s leadership style. Strict perhaps? “I can be, but I like them to come to me if they’ve got questions, to feel easy and let them tell me anything. But if they’ve done something wrong, I think I should let them know about it.” And the challenges about her role? “I think that because people see me as a 20-year-old and a daddy’s girl, they don’t take me seriously. So that’s hard to break through.” This brings me rapidly on to comparisons to a certain Ms Hilton. “I think she’s cleverer than people give her credit for. And what she’s done is incredible. She’s built a name and a brand for herself, and I give all my respect to her, and I think she’s done an amazing job, but what we’re doing is completely different.” In conclusion Petra has wisely absorbed her father’s advice about how “not to trust people and to know that you can’t really have friends in business,” so she has carved out a niche which she is more modest about than she should be. In typical style she adds, “We’re the 3rd best-selling in our department, actually,” after Armani and Dolce & Gabbana that’s impressive. Apart from retailing in Harrods, a Berlin location is on the cards. It all goes to show that Petra’s down to earth manner is the by-product of an old head on young shoulders! n www.formclothing.co.uk www.lanesborough.com

lifestyle

THE HIRSH STORY We get to know the history of Hirsh and take a look at the 2009 cufflink collection

irsh is well-renowned for its beautiful jewellery, not merely because of its quality, but also because of its individuality. As well as carefully sourcing the finest gemstones from all over the world, each piece of jewellery is uniquely created by their expert design team who are constantly creating innovative designs for over 1500 individual pieces every year. The result is that each client can possess a unique piece of jewellery that will last for generations. It has been almost 30 years since the company was established by Anthony Hirsh in 1980. The first store was opened in Hatton Garden, and it wasn’t long before it became known as “the finest jeweller in the city” – one that made the most beautiful pieces of the finest quality. As the company grew, a flagship store was opened in 2000 in the famous Burlington Arcade in the heart of the West End. Furthermore, Hirsh became somewhat of a family affair when in 2005 Jason-Paul Hirsh joined his father’s company after having been awarded a degree in Gemmology from the G.I.A and having worked for a prestigious jewellers in New York. Today Hirsh continues to make stunning pieces that ooze elegance and opulence. Their newest collection of cufflinks, for example, made in either 18 carat white, yellow or rose gold, reflect the hallmark quality of craftsmanship and innovation of design that Hirsh is so famous for. www.hirshlondon.com

Bravado: Diamonds, Sapphires or Rubies in a combination of different metals show off a real strength of character.

Basilisk: White Gold with Emerald eyes or Rose gold and Ruby eyes both smothered in diamonds.

Inverse: Bold bi-colour links with a curved shape, polished outside and brush finish on the inside.

Bullet: As smooth as a flying bullet, clean lines and a delicious brush finish.

Cartridge: Brushed gold with diamond accents – home or on the range.

Unique-Links: From the bespoke HIRSH cufflink line that promises the world’s only pair for each design. Turtle and Mustang are the two newest pieces featuring carved tourmalines in 18ct white gold.

L MYLA Purple silk and lace ‘Angelica’ teddy £179, www.myla.com

Boudoir

ingerie Photography by: Ryan Sullivan Fashion Editor: Lucie Dodds

DAMARIS Cream silk and sequin Tullet bra £109 and cream silk and sequin Tullet bow-back brief £109, Damaris, 020 7524 7505 www.damaris.co.uk High back satin chair £999, Hyde House.

JANET REGER Mint Katrina camisole £173 and matching French knicker brief £119, Janet Reger www.janetreger.com Velvet sofa £2,225, Hyde House

PRINCESS TAM TAM Pale pink and leopard print body £55, Princess Tam Tam at John Lewis, 020 7629 7711. Lace-top Seidenglatt 15 stay-ups £11, Falke, 020 7493 8442. Shagreen headboard £1,400, cushions £95 all Hyde House.

BEAU BRA Heavenly silk and lace trim bra £67 matching boyshort £46, Beau Bra, www.beaubra.com

LA PERLA Powder plunge bra £150 and powder embroidered brief £84, La Perla, 020 7291 0930, available from Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. Lace-top Seidenglatt 15 stay-ups £11, Falke, as before. Satin button cube seat £299 Hyde House.

Model: Johanna @ Premier Model Management. With thanks to Sissy Hair and Make-up: Liberty Shaw at Frank Agency All bespoke British made furniture and full interior design service by Hyde House, 01284 330098. For more information and to view the full range of furniture please visit www.hydehouse.co.uk

PhilliP Bodenham is the…

CITY style SPY

SHARPEN UP

New year, new you. In the face of what’s going on in the city, take my advice. It’s all about looking clean, sharp and polished. Not only will you look ahead of the game, but should the worst happen, you’ll be putting your best forward. 2009 sees two major trends still around in suiting – the clean, lean sharp look (which implies the same about you and works well in the city) as championed by Hedi Slimane a few seasons back and is still all the rage, and a roomier silhouette best seen at YSL, which is bang on trend and for extra style points. I love the Fitzgerald at Brooks Brothers, based on the suits worn by JFK, which features wider shoulders with a slimmer body, narrow lapels and flat fronted trousers, at £599. Marc Jacobs, Brad Pitt and Ashton Kutcher are fans. Best of the rest can top tip be seen at Canali and HUGO BOSS. buy from the stores as you’ll get a better

Brooks Brothers, 1 Lion Plaza, Old Broad St, EC2 T: 0203 238 0030 www.brooksbrothers.com

choice from wider ranges and benefit from staff with a more in depth knowledge.

BABYLON In the interest of bringing you the best yet coolest places to see and be seen in the city, and as Spy can be a bit of a bar fly at times, chum and I headed over to the Shoreditch branch of Beach Blanket Babylon which just opened a couple of months ago. Seated at a banquette beneath a rather genius chandelier by Jonathan Coles and overlooking the room and central bar we did in fact begin to feel like the ‘Porn star’ cocktails that we were getting through at quite a pace. It was quite a scene; razor sharp, slick haired city boys mingled with polished popettes and fashion types. Scallops, crab salad, duck and lamb cutlets were all delicious and without fault. Staff were friendly when noticed and steadily the crowds swelled as did our interest in the cocktail list designed by Allan Gage. All in all a brilliant way to spend a Friday night. Go. Beach Blanket Babylon, 19-23 Bethnal Green Rd, E1. 020 7749 3540

GREAT GRENSON There’s a return to proper shoes happening, don’t you know. I’m seeing more and more lace ups and brogues which is a good thing. Grenson has been championing this for a while and the cool British brand is on the upswing. These toecap Oxfords (called Kent) have a slight Italian feel bringing them into the now and are from the handfinished Rose collection. They’ll look great with your suit and at the weekend with jeans, making you stand out from the ubiquitous white pumps / trainers crowd. Available in black too. £240. Grenson store Andaz Hotel 40 Liverpool St, EC1 020 7436 8090.

LUST SEIKO’s watches are always on the money but when I first glimpsed the new Spring Drive Chronograph’s sleek steel lines, heard about it’s dizzying technical features (it’s full on, plus uses the basis for all mechanical watch technology, a mainspring, but in a new time regulation way to deliver one second per day accuracy and rather brilliant glide motion hands) then felt the weight of it on my wrist, I knew it meant business and I was hooked. Just the right message you might want to send out. Blow the bonus and buy it at £4200. The Premier Automatic (£695) and the Arctura Kinetic Chronograph (£496) also both come with top of the range features and are excellent pieces. Available at Goldsmiths Bishopsgate (020 7283 6622) and Fleet St (020 7405 1696) www.seiko.co.uk

SCRUB UP January is always a good time to polish up, so Spy headed to The Citypoint Club, beneath the tower of the same name behind Moorgate station. It’s one of the best I’ve been to – gender neutral with a great balance between the spa offering lots of grooming options, plus pool and the usual steam room and sauna you’d expect, with a fully equipped gym. Neither spa nor gym were better than the other which was unusual, both were excellent. Having spent half a day there and thoroughly enjoying myself I floated out and couldn’t recommend it more. Half day package is £120 and the alpha male package £130 (see website for details). As a bonus from them to the City readers book either for £90 in February. Just quote ‘City style spy’ when you book. And don’t say we don’t look after you! The City Point Club, One Ropemaker St, EC2Y 9AW Tel 020 7920 6200 www.thecitypointclub.co.uk

oh…and let me know if you see anything rather cool and stylish in the city! p.bodenham@runwildgroup.com

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LUXURY BOUTIQUE TO LET

ADJACENT TO HERMÈS AND OPPOSITE LOUIS VUITTON 1 4 / 1 5 R OYA L E X C H A N G E , B A N K , C I T Y O F L O N D O N AGENT PROVOCATEUR, ARTISAN FINE ART, BOODLES, BULGARI, CARTIER, CHANEL, CHURCH'S, CROCKETT & JONES, DE BEERS, GUCCI, HERMÈS, JO MALONE, L'ARTISAN PARFUMEUR, L'OCCITANE, LORO PIANA, LULU GUINNESS, MOLTON BROWN, MONT BLANC, OMEGA, PAUL A. YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES, PAUL SMITH, PRETTY BALLERINAS, ROYAL EXCHANGE JEWELLERS, SEARLE & CO, SMOKER'S PARADISE, SMYTHSON, TATEOSSIAN, THEO FENNELL, TIFFANY & CO, WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND, WINT & KIDD IMAGE COURTESY OF ARTISAN GALLERY, 35 ROYAL EXCHANGE

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C O N TAC T W I L S O N M c H A R DY F O R D E TA I L S 0 2 0 74 3 9 1 6 6 6

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93 THE STRAND WC2R 0DW TEL: 020 7836 7881 35 BLOMFIELD STREET EC2M BD TEL: 020 7588 8038 83 CHEAPSIDE EC2V 6EB TEL: 020 7600 7366 81 GRACECHURCH STREET EC3V OAU TEL: 020 7929 0838

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fashion

10.70ct stunning pink sapphire ring POA David Morris www.davidmorris.com

Silver Conifer cardigan £260, John Smedley, 24 Brook Street, W1, 01629 534571 www.johnsmedley.com

Peppermint make-up brush roll £195, Smythson www.smythson.com

Faux pearl leather and faux black snake bespoke Berkeley dressing table £1,299 matching stool £300 and mirror £360 all Hyde House, 01284 330098, www.hydehouse.co.uk

Gold stilettos £398, Brian Atwood at Matches www.matchesfashion.com

ladies

Boudoir Luxuries

Pink crystal Ami clutch £485 and Casablanca stilettos £612, Gina www.gina.com

Pastel leather luggage tags £39, Thomas Lyte, 020 7751 8844 www.thomaslyte.com Cream clutch £445, Marc Jacobs at Matches www.matchesfashion.com

Halen bag £375, Anya Hindmarch www.anyahindmarch.com

Pink Tambour St Valentin watch £1,620, Louis Vuitton, 020 7399 4050 www.louisvuitton.com Suki heart string £35 and brief £40 both Agent Provocateur, 020 7243 1292 www.agentprovocateur.com

Evelyn suspender £79 and thong £49 and Faye lace suspender £59 and thong £49 all Myla www.myla.com

fashion

Red calf leather swag bag £42, Thomas Lyte, 020 7751 8844 www.thomaslyte.com

V-neck Country jumper £110, John Smedley, 24 Brook Street, W1, 01629 534571 www.johnsmedley.com

Exclusive traditional barbers hair cut £50, wet shave £35, deluxe shave £55. Spa express treatments (20mins) from £28 all at The Barber at Alfred Dunhill, Bourdon House, Mayfair, W1, 0845 4580779 www.dunhill.com

Gents

Dressing

Red Sentryman pen £305, Dunhill, 0845 4580779 www.dunhill.com

room

Leather Backgammon set £1,670, Dunhill, 0845 4580779 www.dunhill.com

Brown crocodile Blackberry case £70, Smythson www.smythson.com

Red ostrich cardholder £465, Cartier, 020 3147 4850 www.cartier.com

Argyle Gamsberg cardigan £155, John Smedley, 24 Brook Street, W1, 01629 534571 www.johnsmedley.com

Red calf leather money pouch £42, Thomas Lyte, 020 7751 8844 www.thomaslyte.com

Brass palladium and Bordeaux galuchat desk clock £850, Cartier, 020 3147 4850 www.cartier.com

famous for business

fabulous for fashion

OVER 200 SHOPS, CAFÉS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS, ONE GREAT LOCATION

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fashiontv

i love fashiontv FASHION TV SKY CHANNEL 261 UNIQUE FASHION CHANNEL DEDICATED 100% TO BEAUTY AND STYLE DISCOVER ALL THE NEW FASHION COLLECTIONS LONDON & WORLDWIDE FASHION WEEKS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE FASHION TRENDS WATCH FASHION TV IN THE UK SKY 261 & IN UK (BROADBAND PLATFORM) FAHIONTV are delighted to be a media partner at the ‘Vicinitee VIP’ launch party at Jalouse on 26th of March 2009. www.ftv.com

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< ILIANA DRESS £179, Hobbs, www.hobbs.co.uk

£18, L’Occitane, uk.loccitane.com

< BURNT ORANGE AND TARNISHED SILVER BEADED NECKLACE, £42, Toast, www.toast.co.uk

< AVA LONG SILK NIGHTDRESS £65, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com

MAMMA

EMPIRE GLASS FLOOR LAMP £295, The White Company, www.thewhitecompany.com

Mother's Day gift ideas that will make your mum proud! < MACRAME BAG IN SLATE £95, Nougat, www.nougatlondon.co.uk

HAND-TIED BOUQUET £POA, Jamie Aston, www.jamieaston.com

SPACE NK LAUGHTER DELUXE COLLECTION £125, Space NK, www.spacenk.co.uk

£35, Ian Mankin, www.ianmankinonline.co.uk

BUNCHED ROSES CUP AND SAUCER £12, Laura Ashley, www.lauraashley.com

WILDFLOWER RED CUSHION <

CHERRY BLOSSOM CARESSING PEBBLES

Simply Spa-vellous

Kate Hughes gets to grips with her top five places for rest and rejuvenation in the capital

THE SPA AT chancery court 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN 020 7829 7058 www.spachancerycourt.com

THE SPA AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL 66 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LA 020 7235 2000 www.mandarinoriental.com This award winning spa offers the ultimate urban escape with an exclusive selection of pampering rituals designed to de-stress and revitalise. In this calm and relaxing atmosphere guests are encouraged to book “time” rather than a specific treatment. My therapist looked at all aspects of my lifestyle and tailormade a treatment for areas where I most needed it. Verdict: This was probably one of the best and most relaxing and corrective massages I have had.

The spa offers an experience of spiritual wisdom and cultural philosophies designed to realign your body and rejuvenate your mind. The spa’s rich Asian-influenced interior is stunning and boasts a teak and gold leaf relaxation room. Verdict: The Ayurvedic and holistic treatments help create a blissful cocoon of calm.

beauty

ELEMIS DAY SPA

USHVANI

2/3 Lancashire Court, London, W1S 1EX 0870 410 4210 www.elemis.com

1 Cadogan Gardens, London, SW3 2RJ 020 7730 2888 www.ushvani.com

The newly refurbished day spa offers a sensory space for men and women to escape the stress and pressure of everyday life.Your suite becomes your private

sanctuary, where your therapist delivers lifestyle solutions tailored to you. Verdict: The spa menu is extensive and the day rituals are a must!

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Ushvani is a unique and luxurious day spa inspired by the healing traditions and philosophies of South East Asia. This truly fantastic spa offers blissful tranquillity, and using expert therapists creates the perfect fusion of spa indulgence, restorative therapies and supreme service. Verdict: I left the spa feeling rejuvenated and thoroughly pampered.

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beauty Enlightenment Day Moisturiser £32 PsyDerma by Dr Linda Papadopoulos Based on the ‘healthy mind means healthy skin’ philosophy, this cream leaves the skin wonderfully hydrated. www.psyderma.com

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WINTER PROOF YOUR SKIN Kate Hughes chooses her favourite potions to weatherproof skin from the elements

Confort Extreme Day Skin Care £92 Sisley If your skin feels dry and sensitive this is the one for you! Expect smooth calm skin. Stockists-020 7591 6380

LXP Moist Softening Serum £160 Sk-II This lavish serum replenishes essential moisture leaving the skin with a healthy glow. www.sk2.com

for hEr Cell food £38.50 Elemental Herbology All natural parabens free serum to boost, protect and repair undernourished skin. www.spacenk.com

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ith the ski season now in full swing, many are already looking forward to a short break abroad to indulge in winter sports and après ski. However, five fun-filled days in the snow can be easily ruined by a simple lack of preparation as enthusiasts go straight from the office to the slopes without giving any thought to how their bodies might cope with this physically intensive sport. Jane Dowling, Fitness for Every Body, has designed a 4 and 6 week Snow-Fit programme specifically for time-poor professionals keen to enjoy an injury free winter break this season. Under Jane’s guidance, clients at her Power-Plate studio in SE1 are instructed during 20 minute classes which concentrate on specific areas including balance, flexibility, strengthening the core and major muscles in the back and legs. Jane comments: “The Power-Plate vibrates between 25 and 50 times per second, which means our twenty minute Power-Plate classes are equivalent to over an hour’s workout in a gym. A combination of exercises specifically tailored to strengthen legs, core and improve balance, will prepare key muscles for any winter sports holiday.” She adds: “There is a strong misconception that the Power-Plate can be an ‘easy alternative’ to spending hours at the gym, which is not the case at all. If used properly, the Power-Plate is a very efficient way to improve body performance - especially for professionals with very little spare time on their hands.”

Jane’s Snow-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

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culture

Screen

Kasha Van Sant and Cat Hughes preview the latest releases

Gran Torino Clint Eastwood hasn’t been in the directorial saddle since Oscar®-winning Million Dollar Baby. So all eyes (including mine) were peeled to see what he would bring to the table with his latest offering, Gran Torino. Eastwood portrays recent widower, Walt Kowalski - a gnarled and inflexible Korean War veteran living in a changing world, where his principles and prejudices are threatened by his immigrant neighbours. A retired car worker, his only pride and joy is the Gran Torino which evokes the envy of his neighbours, including that of the young hoods next door. Events take an unprecedented turn after Kawalski takes matters into his own hands, with disastrous gun-toting consequences. Kawalski’s political incorrectness is possibly a barometer of the age, but does little aside from invoking the odd gasp and snigger in the auditorium. Sadly, Gran Torino holds no surprises and could very easily be a paler shade of Unforgiven with its undertones of hero worship and correction of lawless behaviour. Close your eyes and Walt Kawalski transposes quite easily onto Pale Rider’s Preacher or Dirty Harry’s Inspector Callaghan. But before the die-hards spit out their tobacco in fury, stop and ponder awhile – despite his age, Eastwood, ever the formulaic rule breaker, can still hold the attention, unlike his supporting cast. 3/5 Director: Clint Eastwood Running time: 117 minutes

Also on this month The popular Shopaholic novels have been given the Hollywood treatment, Confessions of a Shopaholic sees Isla Fisher play Rebecca Bloomwood – a NYC girl who likes shopping a little too much – snag a job working for a financial magazine. But her finances take a turn for the worse and she tries ever more hilarious ways to get out of her predicament. (February 20). The world of banking is in the dock again in

The International. Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, this thriller sees an Interpol agent spearhead an investigation into one of the world’s most high-profile banking institutions – in an attempt to expose them for arms broking, corruption and murder. (February 27). Starring Emily Blunt and Paul Bettany, TheYoung Victoria will focus on the first turbulent years of Queen Victoria’s rule and her legendary romance

and marriage to Prince Albert. (March 6). Marley and Me, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, is the story of a family who knew nothing of the good things in life until they meet a neurotic dog. (March 13). The Boat That Rocked charts the story of a pirate radio station broadcasting rock and roll in 1966. This ensemble comedy focuses on the music, the people who are spinning it and a romance on the ship. (April 1).

streep’s ahead Meryl Streep has had a long and illustrious career; her latest success Doubt sees her star alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman as an accusatory nun. She talks to us about Oscars, dragon ladies and discipline

eryl Streep’s thirty year career has seen her achieve a record 14 Oscar nominations, the record previously held by Katharine Hepburn with 12. The 59 year old chooses her roles carefully, from lonely housewife Francesca Johnson in The Bridges of Madison County, to her portrayal of the author Karen Blixen in Out of Africa, as well as troubled Sophie Zawistowski, the survivor of the Nazi war camps in Sophie’s Choice or now as John Patrick Shanley’s finger-pointing nun, Sister Aloysius who puts Father Flynn’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) fate in the balance in Doubt. Did you enjoy playing a nun? I loved the nun’s outfit. No bad hair days!

Your character sees the world in a very black-and-white way don’t you think? She deals with the world in a very black-andwhite way. I’m not sure that she sees it that way. But she has found that it’s most effective to keep the strictures of the church, to keep to the dictates of her faith, to keep children in line, to keep the school running to tow a very hard line, and to make it right, clear, exactly what is expected. Did you like her? I liked her, yes! I think she wouldn’t mind being characterised as a dragon, but she sees herself as protecting these flowers, these children. She’s at the gate. She sees herself as either… you open the door this much. I think she’s seen this evil before.

interview

Have you ever been characterised as a dragon? Huh? In The Devil Wears Prada, yeah! Did you ever get taught at school by such a strict disciplinarian? Yes, I did. I did have one very harsh teacher. I’m sure everybody did. It was algebra. A man. Very strict. Italian. Hard-nosed. And people were scared in that class, but people paid attention, and people learned algebra. People really learned in that class. I had other favourite teachers that everybody loved. I remember nothing. So I mean there is something to focusing the mind, there is something to having discipline in a class. How did you prepare for role of Sister Aloysius? I just met some of the retired nuns, the remaining Sisters of Charity. There aren’t very many. They’re in their seventies, eighties, nineties. I went to two different retirement homes, had a couple of meals there, spoke with the nuns. Then I spoke with Sister Peggy. She was the model for Sister James. She was John Patrick Shanley’s teacher, in the first grade, when he was six years old. She was around. She’s in her seventies. She’s an inspiring character. Does religion play a role in your life? I follow no doctrine. I don’t belong to a church or a temple or a synagogue or an ashram. You said before age is humbling.What did you mean by that? Well, aren’t we all grateful to be alive? I’ve lost a lot of people in my life and I’m very grateful to be here. That’s what I mean. Do you feel that actors can retire? Sure. People talk about it. People always think about retiring. I don’t really. In our business, you’re not kicked out necessarily.

There’s been a lot of Oscar talk around Doubt. Do you still get excited at getting nominated? Yes. I get excited. I get intimidated. Hollywood to me is what it is to you. It’s something other than what I am. I sit outside it. Where do you keep your Oscars? Up on a high shelf. One of them is a really terrifying colour now! How do you stay so grounded? I don’t have a production company, I don’t have a staff. I have one assistant and she doesn’t read any scripts. I read the few things that I think will interest me, and I pick from them. My agent sends me the things he thinks are

well written, because I get mad when he sends me crap! But he also sends me some funny, offbeat things. What do you think about roles that are offered to you now? I think the parts for women my age are wilder, more extreme. The protagonists of a romantic comedy – something very conventional – are written for younger women. I’ve always thought of myself as a character actor, anyway, a theatre or repertory actor – someone who does a lot of different things, and I’ve always liked to. Even when I was younger, I took on some things that were odd – like Lindy Chamberlain [from 1988’s A Cry in the Dark]. One review said ‘The wilful destruction of her beauty.’ I’m interested in people’s lives and I like to investigate the truculent ones, the difficult ones. Do you always find it easy to get into a role? It’s more difficult to start because I doubt myself. I always go through a period, after

I’ve taken a job…I think about it for a while, then get ready and prepare. And then I stop thinking about it and then the time comes to start. I then just fall apart –I think ‘I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t have a character. I don’t know why I’m here. Why did they hire me? Why did they want me to do this? I don’t know how to do this?’ It’s really weird. I’ve done it for enough years that my husband has pointed out the pattern and said to me: ‘You always do this.’ I say ‘No, I have never felt like this! It’s this project!’ He just goes on the golf course to get away! What keeps you sane? I’ve saved my money and I’m alright. When I was younger, it was more terrifying but not really. I don’t think I ever had a good sense of how on the edge of the abyss I was.You have optimism when you’re younger and I wasn’t afraid. Also, I live simply. I don’t buy a lot of fashion! How do you manage your career and your personal life? That’s a day-to-day question! Everything is a balancing act in life, and everybody has to have a sense of humour about what it takes. Really, being an actress in film, if you have a certain amount of success – even if it’s moderate success – you have a life that’s friendlier to your family because for large parts of it you’re unemployed. So you’re home. I’m home more than most working mothers. It’s the equivalent of flexi-time…except I’m employed and I think I’ll never work again. And then I get another job and I work for four months, and then I stop. n

ArtScene by CAROL CORDREY - carol@artalone.com

Monarchy in the

UK London’s Portland Gallery is synonymous with the highest artistic standards but its reputation reaches royal heights this month with a dual exhibition of work by Philip Jackson and Alexander Creswell, both recipients of royal commissions.

hilip Jackson is one of Britain’s most distinguished sculptors and his commissioned memorial to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother will be unveiled in The Mall later this month. His representational sculpture can be seen in public works all over London and in locations as widespread as Geneva, Manchester, Argentina and York but he also creates distinctive, stylised figures which were inspired by a visit to Venice over twenty years ago. The trip had a profound effect, stimulating study of Venetian culture and how its people could carry out unconventional behaviour and betrayal behind Carnival disguise, especially masks. Nonetheless, their clothing and body language were vital clues to their identities so, back in his studio, Jackson experimented with creating, “impressionistic sculpture that looked back with 21st century eyes to that tradition”.

The Grandees (detail)

The masks and theatrical clothing imbued his new, faceless figures with an “other worldliness” and they were an immediate success. They also developed into one of Philip Jackson’s hallmarks. It is his new range of such figures that will be introduced at the Portland, but this will not be a genteel meeting; prepare yourself for an exhilarating confrontation with sculpture that you will never forget! Sculptures will range in scale from 8” to 8ft, one of the biggest being, The Grandees; how fittingly formal, powerful and aloof they appear with those golden faces staring dismissively above and beyond our heads. Also seated on a base will be Dangerous Liaison where tension and drama are implied by the patina of the bronze, the recoiling figure and the clenched fists. But does the title hint at a sexual liaison or a

Chanting Cimarosa

culture

political one? Are they “eye-balling” each other or smiling beguilingly behind those masks? Upright but equally striking is Chanting Cimarosa, her swan-like neck and delicate fingers suggesting youth which is reflected in Jackson’s choice of light patina for this piece. He created her for outdoors, ideally placed where sunlight could penetrate overhead branches and flicker on her vast skirt to suggest her progression to the rhythm of her singing. It’s a tour de force of femininity whereas The Don’s dominant scale, confident pose and black patina suggest to any man that he’s met his match. All the figures are fascinating, but as Philip Jackson puts it, “Long explanations spoil the mystery for people to unravel”. So I shall leave you to carry on where I’ve left off. Like Philip Jackson, a holiday experience was the catalyst for Alexander Creswell’s foray into a new type of art, in his case, marine painting, and his recent, great success with this genre will be on show at the Portland. Creswell had gained international acclaim for his breathtakingly beautiful watercolours of old buildings and this led to a royal commission to record both the devastated and subsequently restored rooms in Windsor Castle resulting from the 1992 fire. In 1998, he accompanied H.R.H. The Prince of Wales as Official Artist. But in the summer of 2008 his renowned ability at depicting the beautiful lines, detail, character and atmosphere of buildings was applied to the parallel features of magnificent Classic Superyachts which were racing in Cornwall and St.Tropez. Being a keen sailor himself, seeing those elegant old ladies in their fully restored glory, slicing through the waves at great speed, enticed Creswell to hitch a boat ride to take him up close and personal for preparatory sketches and photographs for future paintings. The boat became his very wet, floating studio yet he recalls it as a thrilling experience,

101

Clockwise from left: “’Some of them had masts as tall as Mariquita Quarter-wave churches so they felt like huge buildings Mariquita in a Squall off Falmouth Tuiga & Moonbeam IV off St. Tropez crashing by!” In contrast to Creswell’s architectural subjects, his marine paintings had to be injected with movement and drama but his personal experience of sailing was invaluable in recreating that, for example, in Mariquita Quarter-wave. Similarly, in Mariquita in a Squall off Falmouth the testing weather conditions are palpable through the grouped crew and soaked, steeply angled deck. Representing the less demanding moments of sailing is Tuiga & Moonbeam IV off St Tropez, the keynote here being elegance portrayed in those spectacularly lit, geometric sails, ultra-slender hulls and immaculately attired crews. Now that’s the life on the ocean wave that appeals to me! n

Philip Jackson, The Mysteries of Venice Alexander Creswell, Chasing the Breeze 19 March-9 April Portland Gallery 8 Bennet St. (off Arlington St) St.James’s London SW1A 1RP Tel: 020 7493 1888 www.portlandgallery.com

ciTy wine and wisdom quiz in association with paul cluver wines

do you know your fiTou from your fTse?

To chase away The winTeR Blues, vivaT Bacchus is launchinG iTs fun filled wine and wisdom quiz

There’s a great £5,000 charity prize and a meal worth £600 up for grabs, cases of Paul Cluver wines for the runners up, a case of champagne prize draw for all participants and many more prizes

www.vivatbacchus.co.uk/winequiz due to popular demand entry is extended to 28 february initial rounds will be held each Tuesday evening from the 17th march

Restaurant, Grill and Bar

food&drink

103

The Italian Job Ella Kilgarriff discovers the passion of Italy

ena, situated in the heart of Shoreditch is named after owner Alex Foley’s Sicilian mother, and, as intended, evokes all the authentic Italian flavours within a vibrant and unique area of London. As soon as you enter the restaurant you immediately get a sense of simplicity and warmth. The décor is clean throughout with a white and green sage colour scheme, open fireplaces and sporadic tiled walls. The mixture of cosy sofas and wooden seating adds a heart-warming and elegant kitchen feel to the place. There is also a lower level bar, which is open from Thursday to Saturday nights. The bar takes its inspiration from an Italian cocktail bar with banquette seating and a deep plum theme. A relaxing atmosphere is enhanced with live jazz, soul and blues from a few of London’s jazz musicians. The warmth of Lena’s decor is echoed by the waiting staff, who made my dining partner and I feel very welcome as soon as we walked through the door. With this in mind we were extremely excited about what delights the food would hold. We weren’t to be disappointed, as the menu is composed of traditional Southern Italian favourites with a modern twist, and a wide selection of wines to compliment each dish. Our attentive waitress recommended the 2005 Salentino Rosso, ‘Passamante’, Li Veli, Puglia, Italy (£23.50), a fullbodied, smooth wine which made the perfect partner. To start with I had Parma Ham with Mozzarella from the specials board (£8.50). Both ingredients were beautifully fresh with the mozzarella oozing a depth of flavour to appease even the sternest palate. My partner chose the soup of the day, which was Borlotti Bean, a warming, simple broth (£5.50).

For the main course I opted for Pan Fried, Encrusted Salmon and Sprouting Broccoli (£14) with a side order of Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (£3.50) and Grilled Vegetables (£3.50). The salmon was beautifully tender, the whole dish just overflowing with flavour – simply divine, and highly recommended. My partner chose the Beef Fillet, Porcini Mushrooms, Pears and Parmesan shavings (£19). The beef, ordered medium-rare, was cooked to perfection, and so full of flavour and depth it may not have even needed the pear to accompany it. The meat was complimented with a side order of green beans which were fresh and well seasoned (£3.50). We couldn’t refuse any of the desserts, even though we felt ourselves getting fuller by the minute; such was the allure of Lena! So, for dessert I had Frangipane tart with fresh pears (£6) and my partner had Tiramisu and Tuile (£6) with a glass of dessert wine, 1995 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC ‘Occhio di Pernice’ (£7.50) which finished off the meal nicely. This was truly delightful food, with great ambience in a vibrant location. I couldn’t help but sit and muse about how wonderful eating with Alex Foley’s mother Lena would be. It looks like now I know! n Lena 66 Great Eastern St London EC2A 3JT 020 7739 5714 www.lenarestaurant.com reception@lenarestaurant.com

MEETING NICOLE We catch up with designer Nicole Farhi to talk about everything from Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day to restaurants

interview

nyone who’s vaguely interested in clothes will have heard of Nicole Farhi. She has, after all, been wowing the fashion world with her stunning designs for almost 30 years. The Niçoise-born wife of British playwright David Hare has been dubbed as ‘beautiful, nonchalant and ageless’ (Cecilia Walden, The Telegraph). Nicole started her career in Paris as a freelancer before moving to London to work with Stephen Marks at French Connection. In 1982 her own label was launched, and since then Nicole has been producing world-class designs that have sashayed down many a catwalk and which are world-renowned for their layering, relaxed tailoring and knitwear. This year sees the 20th anniversary of Nicole Farhi menswear, with this season’s look moving towards ethnic prints and colours, and natural materials such as cotton and linen, giving a nod towards the vibrancy of India. Nicole Farhi has never been a one trick pony, and is also making a name for herself in the sphere of homewares. She certainly has many strings to her bow. We find out more.

our 20th anniversary of menswear this year. I am not sure I am a pioneer but we produce clothes that people love and trust and we have a very loyal customer base. The collections are always different but the attitude remains the same season after season; the woman has a mixture of softness with a masculine edge, she is a confident woman who wears her clothes rather than letting them wear her, she knows herself and does not follow trends.

There appears to be a trend of fashion designers pursuing other areas of design. How easy has it been to make the transition from clothing to homewares? Well, 2009 is the 10th anniversary of homeware for Nicole Farhi. So we’ve been doing it for 10 years now, obviously. We have our own dedicated store on Clifford Street, just around the corner from Bond Street with one-off antiques that I have collected and sourced from around the world. I am a sculptor and have fashioned all my homeware in the same unsymmetrical dimpled coloured glass and tableware. Great fans of the brand include the editor of Vogue to the Gallagher brothers.

What advice would you give to an up and coming fashion designer? Simply be true to yourself as a designer and

You often do these things ahead of trend; do you consider yourself a pioneer? We have recently celebrated the 25th year of womenswear and are now celebrating

How did the decision to branch into the restaurant and dining world come about? Nicole Farhi is a Fashion Lifestyle brand and the restaurants are a natural extension to our profile. We have 3 restaurants – Nicole’s, under the Bond Street store, is a smart and sophisticated space with an award-winning Mediterranean menu and excellent service. 202 in Notting Hill and the fashionable meatpacking district in New York are concept stores, some of the first of their kind, combining clothes, antiques, homeware and food.

105

a person, and always remember to be true to your customer. Where do you take inspiration from? I am not inspired by ‘the outrageous’ My designs are wearable and luxurious. I create a sophisticated and elegant collection – I do not design to shock. I’m also inspired by the intelligent man and woman, those who know how to look stylish and chic. They are the kind of people I like to design for. But most of all I am inspired by my love for what I do. I enjoy designing a collection that makes people happy. It still excites me to see my customers wear my designs. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, can you tell us how you usually celebrate this special day? My advice for Mother’s Day from my own experience is to go shopping with your mother to buy her something; my mother never liked any item of clothing I bought her! As she lives in Nice I send her flowers, but when I am there with her we always go out to lunch in the Old Town of Nice for perfect French cooking. www.nicolefarhi.com

Nicole Farhi Award winner • Eight time nominee for the British Fashion Awards British Classics Award 1989 • Contemporary collections 1995, 1996, 1997 • Menswear Designer of the Year at the 2000 FHM Awards • British Designer of the Year at the 2001 Maxim Awards • ‘Fifi’ award for the Nicole Farhi Homme fragrance • Lifetime Achievement prize at the First Women Awards • Entrepreneur of the Year at London’s Francais of the Year Awards • Honorary CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for services to the fashion industry

Restaurant listings

American

Italian

Hawksmoor 157 Commercial Street, E1 6BJ 020 7247 7392

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

British Canteen 2 Crispin Place, E1 6DW 0845 6861122 Paternoster Chop House Warwick Court Paternoster Square, EC4M 7DX 020 7029 9400

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

The Zetter 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, EC1M 5JR 020 7324 4455 Volupté 9 Norwich Street, EC4A 1EJ 020 7831 1622 or 020 7831 1677

Japanese

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

Saki 4 West Smithfield, EC1A 9JX 020 7489 7033

Cicada 132-136 St John Street, EC1V 4JT 020 7608 1550

Mexican

Fishmarket Champagne Bar Great Eastern Hotel Liverpool Street, EC2M 7QN 020 7618 7215

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

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 Light Bar 233 Shoreditch High St, E1 6PJ Tel: 020 7247 8989

food&drink

107

Chocolate Heaven Nothings says indulgence quite as well as a sumptuous chocolate pudding Dark CHOCOlaTE MarquisE, raspbErry anD MinT buTTEr sauCE A frequently requested delicious and decadent chocolate pudding, this is a hit for all occasions when you need to impress!

METHOD DARK CHOCOLATE MARQUISE 1

Grease the loaf tin, then line with cling film leaving enough cling film to overhang the tin by half on either side. 2 Melt the chocolate and glucose together gently over a bain marie (saucepan with hot water in). 3

Once the chocolate has melted, stir in the soaked and squeezed out gelatine.

4 Now beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture as well. 5 Finally fold the soft whipped cream to the mixture. 6 Pour into the tin and tap down a few times so the mixture has got into all corners and has no air bubbles. 7

METHOD RASPBERRY AND MINT BUTTER SAUCE 1

Put the raspberries, water and icing sugar in a small pan and bring to the boil slowly, simmering for 10 minutes only

Remove from the heat and liquidise. Now pass it through a fine sieve

Add the lemon juice and whisk in the butter a knob at a time

4 Stir in the mint and allow to cool.

IENTS

INGRED 1 100ml 50g 25g

x x x

spberries Punnet ra Water ar Icing sug Â˝ lemon of e ld and ic Ju ust be co butter (M Unsalted bes) t to 1cm cu ed and cu cut up in lk remov ta (s es v Mint lea s) thin strip into very

Run a palette knife across the top of the tin so the chocolate has a smooth edge and fold in the cling film to cover the marquise.

8 Refrigerate overnight or for at least eight hours until firmly set. 9 When needed take out from the fridge and slice into portions using a long knife that has been dipped into hot water as this will give you a nice clean slice. Pour over the raspberry and mint butter sauce.

IENTS

INGRED 600g 50g 4 6 1 litre 1

x x x

chocolate ality dark Good qu lucose water Liquid g k in cold leaves (soa e n ti t) a el ou G ueeze ft then sq first till so ) n te ea s (B Egg yolk eam Double cr af tin lo g Bakin asing tin ghtly gre li r fo il O to line tin Clingfilm

Alternatively, if you would prefer to book some delicious food, catered for by delightful people, then give deWintons a call on: 020 7627 5550 or e-mail: info@dewintons.co.uk www.dewintons.co.uk

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lifestyle

Playing the Blame Game It seems that the natural human response when we discover we are landed in a crisis is to find someone to blame by Raj Persaud, Consultant Psychiatrist

ankers have recently found themselves a natural target for the stocks – not the usual ones they trade in; but more the medieval ones in which the pilloried could be trapped and pelted. How soon before the Square Mile does something similar as a craven banker’s way of apologising to angry customers? As a psychiatrist I am used to patients coming to see me and announcing in their opening line that there is nothing wrong with them. Instead it’s their spouse, their kids, the boss at work and a whole host of other people on whose shoulders the burden of responsibility rests for their distress. The stark reality is that, much as I would like to, I can’t go about treating the world in order to ensure the patient feels better.The only person we can change is ourselves.The good news is that in response to personal change, others tend to transform too. No matter how much opprobrium we throw at the bankers, part of the mess arises from the fact that we, the general population, borrowed too much based on a mistaken idea that our homes would continue rising evermore in value. The housing bubble may appear at first glance to have been stoked by banks’ over-willingness to lend to those who couldn’t really afford to borrow. But to be strictly fair, the bankers reasoned that even if the mortgage was defaulted upon, the house or the asset on which the money was lent would still have gone up in value and it seemed that the risk was minimal. But there are also psychological roots to this crisis. Why for example do bubbles burst over and over again with the same inevitable ‘shock’ consequences? If you are in a room with balloons bursting every few seconds you would get used to it. Indeed you should come to expect every balloon that you encounter to burst. House prices have risen fast before and then plummeted. Why do we fail to learn the lessons of history – repeatedly? According to the latest statistics the US Housing market rose an average of 1.4%

annually for the three decades before the beginning of the new millennium. But with the start of the new century they behaved like a greyhound that discovers the trap door is up and the hare has got an unfair head start. They raced away to a stunning hike of an average 7.6% annually from 2000 to the middle of 2006 when they began to stall. From mid 2005 to the middle of 2006 when the market was its most feverish prices rose an average of an eye-watering 11%. It also seems that history repeats itself, in that the bubble bursts just after a period of the fastest inflation.Indeed we only have to go back just a few years to witness the last financial bubble that burst with explosive consequences. This bubble was the Dot Com boom and bust. From the start of 1998 to the start of 2000, the AMEX Internet stock index increased nearly 600%. However, by January 2002 it had basically returned to its 1998 valuation. One would have thought with that bubble so fresh in recent financial memory that we would not make the same mistake in the same decade? Are there psychological factors which might explain these puzzling phenomena? Roger Altman, who was US Deputy Treasury Secretary in the early 1990’s, writing in the current issue of the erudite journal

There are several psychological phenomena which might assist us in understanding the current financial crisis and help us in our own personal recovery. One example is something that is referred to in psychology as the ‘law of small numbers’ – which basically means that we tend to focus on recent experiences rather than take into account the whole of the past. So, in the housing market, the fact that the price was going up in recent years meant we paid more attention to that than what happened to house prices historically over the last three decades.They often surged up but they also plummeted afterwards. Another interesting psychological phenomenon is ‘overconfidence bias’, the tendency we have to be overconfident in our investments and therefore not to diversify appropriately.There is a lot of psychology going on here, but it is in part linked to herd mentality.We assume that others know what they are doing when we face uncertainty and if they are all piling into the housing market we make the big assumption that they know something we don’t.We use their behaviour as a cue to our own.Therefore this produces massive surges in market movements that don’t reflect underlying fundamentals. The bottom line really is that in order to make wise investments in the future

In a classic pattern of overshooting, markets are swinging from euphoria to despair. Now, the psychology of financial institutions has swung to a conservative extreme. They are overhauling their credit-approval and risk-management systems, as well as their leverage and liquidity ratios. Foreign Affairs acknowledges that psychology is a key issue and points out that while countries like China will also be adversely affected by the current worldwide crisis, because customers in the west are less inclined to buy Chinese products as indeed they are to buy anything at all, China is likely to be much less adversely affected compared to us. This is partly because the average Chinese household saves an incredible 40% of its income. How much of your income do you save?

and learn from the mistakes of the past you need to be aware of your own psychological vulnerabilities. These include a tendency to not spread risk enough, to assume others must know what they are doing, and to not pay enough attention to the overall history of the market as opposed to the recent past. n Raj Persaud consultant psychiatrist www.drrajpersaud.com

interview

109

Meet a self-made millionaire Josephine O’Donoghue chats with Vince Stanzione about his self-made wealth, trading on the stock market and the economy today

ith a huge mansion in Mallorca, millions in the bank and a dream lifestyle, you’d be forgiven for thinking Vince Stanzione was some sort of celebrity. In fact, he made his fortune by spread betting on the stock-market and developing his knack of predicting trends into a wildly successful trading system. We decided to find out more. What is your background in economics / the stock market? I left school at 16 with a few O levels and managed to get a job as a junior at NatWest World Money Centre in Foreign Exchange in 1985 on the grand salary of £100 a week. From there I worked up and in less than 2 years I was trading multi-dollar positions for a large American Bank both in the UK and then in the USA. I trained on the job as well as studying everything I could in the evenings and weekends. I was always good with computers and would use the banks computers to programme my own trading systems. Describe your trading style Trend following; all my money both in business and trading has come from seeing trends and getting in on them. I don’t claim to be first in or first out but the bit in the middle, which in many cases is a big

bit, is where I make my money. Also unlike most I don’t mind making money both from going short (betting things to go down) or long (betting things to go up). In many cases I have a spread of trades and trade pairs for example: Short US$ Index – Long Gold; Short Tiffany & Co. – Long McDonalds, which was one of my actual trades in 2008. How did you develop your trademark betting style and method? It was a build up from the knowledge I amassed whilst trading in real life situations. I have also always had an interest in psychology and why people act the way they do. Markets are all about psychology, crowds and perceptions – why does a

bottoms of markets; I trade with trends and with what’s happening rather than what should be happening I have been around a long time and seen plenty of people and systems come and go, yet I am still here, so that tells you something. Another main difference is my systems adapt to various markets such as commodities, shares, currencies and indices – trends are like fashion; they change and you need to adapt with them.

...in less than 2 years I was trading multi-dollar positions for a large American Bank... barrel of oil cost $40 and then a few months later it’s at $147? It’s all about perceptions, greed and fear. I read various books and papers mainly from the 1900 to 1960 period and realised that nothing was new in markets and what happened in the past would repeat. How is your method of training different from the rest? Many try to predict and be clever by calling tops and

How long did it take to perfect your system? It’s taken a good 10 years. I am now at the point where, while I may make a few minor tweaks, the core system has not changed over the last 2 years. While every trader wants to improve and every day is a learning process you have to resist the temptation to keep messing with what’s working. What are your predictions for 2009 – will there be a crunch for everyone or

will you still benefit from the changing market? There are always opportunities in markets, especially for trading both on the up and down. I don’t make predictions; rather I let my systems tell me what the trends are. Right now I am buying agriculture and soft commodities such as soyabeans, wheat, corn, coffee and cotton. After a large sell off in the second half of last year these prices are starting to recover. Can you offer any tips to anyone interested in spread betting? Invest in education (and I am not saying that just because I have a course!). I would have paid anything to have learnt the information in my course rather than have to go through the pain and suffering of losses to learn it the hard way. Once you have studied hard, then start trading with a few small bets and work up from there. Also start reading about psychology, understand your own, and understand crowd psychology. n To find about more about Vince's course visit www.fintrader.info

citylife

recommends

Take a bow

Canary Wharf Cup

Get rid of your winter blues by looking towards the warmth of spring and summer with the Ted Baker Spring / Summer 09 collection. Bows feature heavily in the womenswear collection, adding a touch of playfulness to its garments, bags and jewellery.

The David Beckham Academy has organised a football tournament on May 13th 2009: For £1,000 entry fee you can test yourselves against footballing legends. Compete in a team of 7 with your colleagues, invite 7 spectators, receive a professional photograph, and a chance to win the trophy.

www.tedbaker.com

Don’t worry, be happy If you’re feeling a bit glum, Clinique’s ‘Happy’ Gift Set is bound to cheer you up no end. The citrusy fragrance of the included perfume, body cream and lip gloss will leave you feeling bright and perked up for the rest of the day. £32

Good hair day Conveniently located near Canary Wharf, just two minutes from Bermondsey station, the Lounge Hair Salon offers a great range of very reasonably priced cutting, styling and colouring services for both men and women, ensuring that you will leave looking and feeling your best. 020 7237 2624 www.theloungehairsalon.co.uk

www.clinique.co.uk

Shall we dance?

Glam up

For those of you who’d like to try something different, get fit and have a great time why not give some Ballroom or Latin dance lessons a try? Simply Dancing Partners offers group classes, where you can request a dance partner in advance. The private lessons really are a must and the team of highly experienced instructors will have you dancing the Argentine Tango like a pro.

Make a fresh start with Hobbs’ spring collection. Easy-towear separates, beautiful summer dresses, sharply tailored jackets and attentiongrabbing accessories all add instant style. With the emphasis on quality, cut and finish, every carefully crafted piece is guaranteed to blend seamlessly into any wardrobe.

020 7736 4493 www.simplydancingpartners.co.uk

www.hobbs.co.uk

For further details, please contact Anthony White on 020 8269 4620 or 07738 503 467 awhite@aegworldwide.co.uk www.thedavidbeckhamacademy.co.uk

cityliferecommends

Food, glorious food

Go Boldly with Tumi, Canary Wharf

Rocket (City) Adams Court, Old Broad Street London, EC2N 1DX 020 7628 0808 citybookings@rocketrestaurants.co.uk www.rocketrestaurants.co.uk

Tumi Cabot Place East Canary Wharf London E14 4QT 020 7513 2456

Rocket in Adams Court has two lively wine & cocktail bars and a fabulous restaurant. The restaurant is excellent value for money serving 13” pizzas and a tasty selection of fresh salads and grills (two courses and a bottle of wine costs on average £50 for two).

Take a break If you have trouble deciding what to do with your annual leave, then 20 Days is the tool for you. This members-only club made up of like-minded 20 and 30 somethings, helps you make the most of your annual, weekends and bank holidays by organising a variety of breaks both abroad and in the UK, from skiing in Europe to surfing in Cornwall, as well as trips to all the big events such as the Henley Regatta and Cartier Polo. www.20days.co.uk

Pink indulgence Whoever said that chocolates have to be for a special occasion or be bought for you by a loved one? It’s always good to indulge yourself and what better way to do that than with some of Hotel Chocolat’s gorgeous Pink Champagne Truffles? These tantalising little treats are dusted with strawberry powder to give them a subtle hint of fruitiness. Perfect for a night in under the duvet. £6-£15 www.hotelchocolat.co.uk

If you travel on shorter overnight trips or within Europe frequently, this limited colouring Alpha Continental 20” CarryOn is a must-have. Meeting BAA Size regulations it offers a slightly wider front than Tumi’s other 20” wheeled carry-on. Made from Tumi’s signature ballistic nylon, its main compartment expands 2.5” and features a removable garment sleeve. £484

Antioxidant-Rich Cherries! A recent study discovered that just 30ml of CherryActive Concentrate has greater antioxidant power than 20 average portions of fruit and veg*! CherryActive can be mixed with water to make a delicious cherry juice or added to your favourite fruit juice, smoothie or natural yoghurt. Great for Adults and Kids alike! Available from health stores, Waitrose Canary Wharf or www.cherryactive.co.uk (£13.65 for 473ml) *8260 ORAC units for 30ml CherryActive Concentrate v 1750 ORAC units for 5 average portions fruit and veg (source: Brunswick Labs, USA)

Bubbly on the go Transporting Champagne can risk a broken bottle or lukewarm bubbles! Such woes can now be a thing of the past, thanks to Swaine Adeney’s new classic Champagne Traveller, which is created with solid brass fittings, boasts a stainless steel cooler and is housed in a case of the finest quality hide. It ensures the bottle is kept secure, at the right temperature and beautifully presented. £1950 www.swaineadeney.co.uk

111

what'son 3 Feb - 14 March

6 - 28 February

EVENT

THEATRE

TRACES

THE WATER’S EDGE

Les 7 Doigts de la Main (The 7 Fingers) a young French-Canadian company, have pioneered a whole new brand of circus. Their show Traces was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival in 2007, and now it comes to London for the very first time.

Set deep in the Massachusetts woods a lakeside mansion slides into disrepair. Echoing Aeschylus’ Agamemnon The Water’s Edge moves between American naturalism to Greek tragedy, where revenge and murder lurk unseen.

Peacock Theatre Portugal St WC2 0870 737 0337 www.sadlerswells.com

Arcola Theatre 27 Arcola St E8 2DJ 020 7503 1646 www.arcolatheatre.com

12 February – 17 May

Portrait of Mary Hill, Lady Killigrew 1638

18 February – 17 May

ART & EXHIBITIONS

RODCHENKO AND POPOVA: DEFINING CONSTRUCTIVISM

VAN DYck AND BRITAIN This sumptuous exhibition brings together some of the finest and most magnificent paintings that van Dyck produced during his years in Britain. It also reveals his continuing visual legacy through portraits by artists from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, including Sir Joshua Reynolds.

The Tate Modern takes a look at the lives of Liubov Popova (18891924) and Aleksandr Rodchenko (1891-1956), pivotal figures in the debates and discussions that defined Constructivism. Tate Modern Bankside SE1 9TG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/modern

©Tate

Liubov Popova Painterly Architectonic 1918

Our guide to this month’s top events

Tate Britain Millbank SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/britain

24 February - 31 May

22 February

ART & EXHIBITION

EVENT

HATS: AN ANTHOLOGY BY STEPHEN JONES

THE ROMAN CITY

In association with radical hat designer Stephen Jones, the V&A will present an ‘anthology of hats’ ranging from a 17th century puritan’s hat to a 1950’s Balenciaga couture piece.

Travel back 2,000 years to the days of Londinium and discover the remains of one of the fort gates, parts of the city wall and the Temple of Mithras revealed by the bombing of the city in World War II.

Victoria & Albert Museum Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 www.vam.ac.uk

Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN 020 7001 9844 www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Until 1 March

ART & EXHIBITIONS

TAKING LIBERTIES

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY: IAN FLEMING AND JAMES BOND

In this free exhibition, the British Library presents an insightful perspective on the 900-year struggle for Britain’s freedoms and rights. The British Library St Pancras 96 Euston Road NW1 2DB 020 7412 7676 www.bl.uk

To celebrate the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth, Imperial War Museum London has produced the first major exhibition devoted to the life and work of the creator of secret agent, James Bond. A last chance to see the show. Imperial War Museum London Lambeth Rd SE1 6HZ 020 7416 5000 www.iwm.org.uk

what'son

events

Our guide to this month’s top events

113

27 February - 1 March

5 - 14 March

EVENT

THEATRE

THE BABY SHOW

PIED PIPER

The Baby Show is back at ExCel offering hassle free shopping and great value on a variety of products from retailers such as Mothercare and Baby Planet. Special guests include, sleep specialist Jo Tantum and baby nutritionist Annabel Karmel.

Inspired by Robert Browning’s poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Pied Piper is a bold contemporary, hip-hop performance that pushes street dance to the limits.

ExCel Royal Victoria Dock E16 1XL 0871 231 0844 www.thebabyshow.co.uk www.excel-london.co.uk

Barbican Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk

28 February

Until 7 March

EVENT

THEATRE

THE STARS

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Ever wanted to find the Plough and ended up just seeing stars? After this practical workshop you’ll never be confused again. Come and learn about the key stars in our skies and how to use the Royal Observatory’s new Prime Skies mobile-phone project.

The Royal Shakespeare Company and production director Conall Morrison present one of Shakespeare’s most comical plays. The flamboyant Petruchio wins the unruly Kate’s hand in marriage. Will his unconventional methods succeed in curing her temper and scolding tongue?

Royal Observatory Blackheath Avenue Greenwich, SE10 8XJ 020 8312 8575 www.nmm.ac.uk

Novello Theatre Aldwych WC2B 4LD 0844 4825170 www.rsc.org.uk

3 - 7 March

7 March

THEATRE

EVENT

HIPPOLYTUS

PUCCINI’S MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Goddess Aphrodite is furious at Prince Hippolytus’ refusal to worship her, so she takes her revenge on the Prince by employing the secret lust of his stepmother Phaedra. This presents a fresh interpretation of Euripedes’ horrifying tale of a family torn apart. Greenwich Theatre Crooms Hill SE10 8ES 020 8858 7755 www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

On screen at the IMAX, Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, the original Butterfly of the production when it opened the 2006-07 season, returns to the title role of the late Anthony Minghella’s stunning production, a new classic of the Met repertory. BFI IMAX 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk South Bank Waterloo SE1 8XR 0870 787 2525 www.bfi.org.uk

7 March

8 March

EVENT

UPFRONT PRESENTS COMEDY MIX

THE BELLES OF BOW

Rich Mix presents a cutting edge line-up of some of the comedy circuit’s sharpest comedians. Including Choice FM’s Wayne Rollins and loud mouthed Midlander, Annette Fagon. Rich Mix 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Rd E1 6LA 020 7613 7498 www.richmix.org.uk

Follow the footsteps of Sylvia Pankhurst, who chose East London as the starting point for her Vote for Women campaign. This guided walk highlights the supporters and workplaces, including the location for the famous Match Girls strike of 1888. Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN 020 7001 9844 www.museumoflondon.org.uk

what'son

Our guide to this month’s top events

11 March - 21 March

12 March - April 4

EVENT

ART & EXHIBITIONS

ISADORA / DANCES AT A GATHERING

JEREMY BARLOW

Exciting Royal Ballet performances choreographed by the masters of the 21st Century, both works bring out the passion and drama of Kenneth Macmillan and Jerome Robbins.

Popular artist Jeremy Barlow returns for a solo exhibition featuring 20 new oil paintings inspired by his recent tours of Italy and France. See the show at Llewellyn Alexander Fine Paintings. 124 - 126 The Cut Waterloo SE1 8LN 020 7620 1322 www.llewellynalexander.com

14 - 29 March

15 March

EVENT

MUSIC IN THE MIX – SUNDAY FREE JAZZ

020 7240 1200 www.roh.org.uk

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL LONDON 09 The eagerly anticipated Flamenco festival is back in Sadlers Wells. Highlights include Spanish superstar Estrella Morente and a flamenco version of Carmen. Sadler’s Wells Rosebery Ave EC1R 020 7863 8198 www.sadlerswells.com

Soweto Kinch brings new flavour each week to the Rich Mix Bar with a selection of guests including Femi Temowo and Zed U. In the Mix 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road E1 6LA 020 7613 7498 www.richmix.org.uk

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what'son

events

Our guide to this month’s top events

115

15 – 29 March

Until March 15

THEATRE

ART & EXHIBITIONS

SOOTY IN SPACE

BABYLON

Sooty is back with for another adventure with Richard Cadell, Sweep and Soo. Join the group as they explore Mars, the moon and a space station on their magic rocket.

For two thousand years the myth of Babylon has haunted the European imagination, the Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel have inspired artists, writers and film makers. Now archaeologists have pieced together the ‘real’ Babylon.

Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, 020 8688 9291 Alban Arena, St Albans, 01727 844488 Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, 08700 131 030

British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG www.britishmuseum.org

17 March - 4 April

19-22 March

EVENT

THEATRE

INDIAN AND OTHER BIRDS

ANTONIO GADES’ CARMEN

Indar Pasricha Fine Arts is holding a solo exhibition, Indian and Other Birds, by leading ornithological artist Hermann Heinzel. Highlights include a portrait of a Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), caught in its eyrie on a mountain ledge; one of Heinzel’s rare oil paintings.

The acclaimed Antonio Gades Company presents a powerful re-staging of Gades’ all-time classic Carmen. Featuring a cast of 26 singers, musicians and dancers, Gades perfectly captures the essence of Bizet’s love story, while adding his own modern twist.

22 Connaught St W2 2AF 020 7724 9541 www.ipcontemporary.com

Sadler’s Wells Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TN 020 7863 8198 www.sadlerswells.com

21 - 22 March

Until 28 March

EVENT

ART & EXHIBITIONS

CRUISE AND TRAVEL EXHIBITION

ALASTAIR MACKIE

The Daily Telegraph is bringing the first and only cruise show to ExCel, where you can discover everything there is to know about the world of cruising. Choose from many destinations from the Caribbean to the Arctic or enjoy a taste of sailing on tall ships.

British artist Alastair Mackie presents a new group of three major sculptures, highlighting the tensions between natural and constructed structures. Mackie has constructed a model house made from the wood pulp of abandoned wasps and hornets’ nests.

ExCel Royal Victoria Dock E16 1XL 0871 231 0844 www.excel-london.co.uk 0871 230 7158 www.cruisingshow.co.uk

David Roberts Art Foundation Fitzrovia 111 Great Titchfield St W1W 6RY 020 7637 0868 www.davidrobertsartfoundation.com

Until 29 March

13 April

ART & EXHIBITIONS

MAGNIFICENCE OF THE TSARS

ANDREA PALLADIO : HIS LIFE AND LEGACY

The grandeur of Imperial Russia will be captured in this display of dress and uniforms worn by the Tsars, their courtiers and officials for over two centuries. Victoria & Albert Museum Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 www.vam.ac.uk

Supported by Castello di Reschio, this is the first exhibition dedicated to the architect in London for more than 30 years. Palladio was one of the greatest Italian architects and his work has continued to resonate over five centuries. Royal Academy of Art Burlington House Piccadilly W1J 0BD 020 7300 8000 www.royalacademy.org.uk

Properties in Turkey Luxury Apartment, Istanbul, Turkey £1,800,000

This brand new, spacious 4 bedroom ground floor apartment is located in the very prestigious 'Ciftehavuzlar' area on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Only a 45 minute drive from both the city’s major airports, it is located on the coast with a tremendous view of the Princess Islands, and is also within walking distance of a very popular shopping and eating district. This is a great opportunity to own a rarely available property in the heart of Istanbul. Property fact sheet: • 3,875 ft² • Large entrance • 4 bedrooms (1 ensuite) • 2 bathrooms - 1 WC • Reception room • Large living room • Kitchen • Laundry room • Large terrace • Built - in climate control system • Electrical lock system • Finger print recognition (Biometric door locks) • Large residence garden • Residence pool • Communal function room • Underground parking (3 private car park spaces)

Holiday Apartment, Princess Islands, Istanbul, Turkey £230,000

Holiday Home, Gallipoli, Turkey £95,000

This ground floor, 3 bedroom apartment is located on the Princess Islands in the Sea of Marmara and has stunning views of the Asian coast of Istanbul. It is an ideal holiday retreat, situated on an island that prohibits any motor vehicles, allowing you to fully enjoy its natural beauty. Regular passenger boats take you directly to the other islands, the Anatolian and the European sides of Istanbul so you are never far from the city life.

This compact 3 floor, 4 bedroom seaside terraced house with amazing views of the Dardanelles Straight, would make a perfect holiday home for anyone trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Situated a mere 20 minute drive from central Gallipoli and a 25 minute drive from Dardanellia, you can enjoy the region’s diverse culture and its historic sites. Gallipoli is known for its proximity to the ancient city of Troy with its legendary wooden horse.

Property Fact Sheet: • 3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms • Large living/dining room • Terrace • Kitchen • Residence pool • Gym • Residence garden • Private concierge and security

Property Fact Sheet: • 3 floor house • 4 bedrooms • Living room with fireplace • Kitchen • 2 bathrooms • Balcony with barbecue facilities • Garden • Residence pool • Parking

For more information call Joanne on 07595952670

property Providence Square reception room

117

Providence Square Terrace

ON THE MARKET

St Saviours Wharf reception

Stephanie Baxter puts the spotlight on the UK property market, thanks to the Hamptons 2008 analysis and 2009 predictions

t’s no secret that the property market has suffered a lot over the past year. With such a troubled economy, it was only a matter of time before the big slump came. And what a slump it was. House prices have fallen by around 25% since the peak of the market in July 2007, and the number of completions in the last year was at its lowest for a decade, meaning that 2008 was one of the worst years in which to try and move house for many, many years. And there’s no prizes for guessing why; banks’ stricter lending criteria, lack of liquidity, job insecurity and a general lack of confidence in both the market and the economy have all played their part in it grinding to a virtual halt. The rental market, too, has not been without its problems. While at the beginning of 2008 people were turning more towards rental properties as the sales market slowed, prices became more sensitive and there was soon more property available than tenants wanting to rent. The result was an average rent drop of between 5% and 10%. Turning to look at what’s in store for 2009, then, the most crucial thing will be to ensure that confidence in the property market starts to grow again. This should, according to Hamptons, happen as a result of the “Bank of England base rate cut and Alastair Darling’s decision to support the banking community”. Of course this will take time, and is also highly dependent on mortgage availability, unemployment levels, the severity and length of the

high street recession and overall global economic outlook. However, provided that the recession doesn’t snowball even further, buyer levels should remain fairly constant throughout the first part of the year, and move towards a rise in late 2009. The reason for this will be two-fold; firstly, because those who need to need to move but have previously delayed because of lack of confidence should start to act, and secondly because first-time buyers should be motivated by drops in interest rates, the lowest house prices in four years and, we hope, increased access to mortgages. In terms of development and investments, it is expected that there will be a 5-10% decrease in 2009, with distressed stock becoming widely available, with as much as 40% discounts in some cases. Indeed, elsewhere we have already seen instances of “extras” being thrown into property deals such as these, with cars and gym memberships among some of the items used to lure potential buyers. Property investment, therefore, should pick up. Among top investment spots in London will be Islington, Paddington and Clapham, whilst elsewhere in the country will include Windsor, Bath and Oxford. The rental market should also improve after a slow period in the early part of the year. Higher end properties will continue to be particularly difficult to rent out, with activity being chiefly restricted to the lower end of the market, especially in

one and two bedroom properties because a number of first-time buyers will continue to rent instead of buy before the market starts to pick up again. The number of rental properties on offer should, however, decrease, provided that the Bank of England makes another interest rate cut and consequently increases confidence. The corporate sphere is the biggest worry for this year, due to the sheer volume of redundancies at most major city banks. So, the outlook is tenatively optimistic; as Martyn Stubbs of Phillips & Stubbs estate agents points out: “While the economic picture may be still grave, local market activity in the housing sector is far from moribund.” And he notes that there have already been signs of increased activity so far this year. In fact, the News at Ten reports an increase in sales prices for the month of January as I write.Things might be looking up after all. n

Stake your Place in Europe’s Most Exciting Investment Market Buying off-plan property in a market where values are appreciating is a guaranteed way to ensure an immediate return on your investment. No market in Europe is enjoying the same level of growth as that of North Cyprus. With revived reuniﬁcation talks now taking place in Cyprus, property prices in the North are poised for a

boom. Whiterocks offers investors the chance to purchase superior property in order that each of our clients may capitalise on the push toward reuniﬁcation. Thanks to a world ﬁrst partnership with market leaders Group RCI, investors in Whiterocks can expect maximum occupancy rates for their properties. A two bed, two balcony luxury

apartment at Whiterocks can be bought from £85,000. Investors should anticipate annual rental returns of up to £13,000 - a yield of 15 % thanks to Group RCI’s global marketing network.

Predicted 15% Annual Yields

“At the moment property prices in the North are half of property prices in the South of the island, and a third of that in Spain. Should reuniﬁcation happen, property prices, along with tourism are likely to rise rapidly, so would-be early birds should start thinking about investing now.”

lovethefestivalhall.org.uk

Daily Telegraph Online, June 12 2008

An investment in the right place at the right time. Today is the Day to Make Your Best Investment Yet Though property in North Cyprus has been enjoying fantastic appreciation in recent years some investors have been reluctant to invest because of the political climate. But the election of Demetris Christoﬁas to the Republic of Cyprus presidency in February 2008 has turned sceptics into optimists. He joins his TurkishCypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat as the second piece of a

pairing determined to solidify a solution to the political situation in Cyprus. They have already met more times this year than their long standing predecessors met in their entire political careers. Since September 3rd 2008, the date on which negotiations officially began, Christofias and Talat have been holding regular meetings in order to work out the specifics of a blueprint for reunification.

£12,000 Worth of Furniture, Fittings and Equipment is Included in the Price.

When the gap between the two sides of the island closes so too will the difference in property prices, and it is the early bird investors who are set to gain most from the union.

Five star luxury throughout. Visit www.whiterocksbafra.com for full details of the ﬁxtures, ﬁttings and equipment included.

lovethefestivalhall.org.uk

The Whiterocks resort has been designed by Blue C’s major shareholder, IDL (EU) Limited, a team of highly respected, award-winning architects who have worked with some of the most distinguished names both on the high-street and in property development, in the UK and overseas. Their experience and expertise, combined with Blue C’s incontestable initiative in developing

unrivalled property the world over, are the foundations on which the Whiterocks resort is based. Blue C believes that their Whiterocks resort raises the standard for property in North Cyprus, and the company is adamant that they are uniquely positioned to provide uncompromising quality and speciﬁcation, making Whiterocks a far more lucrative investment opportunity than any other

property currently available in North Cyprus. These high calibre properties represent a level of quality that will both immediately attract holiday makers, thus securing lucrative rental returns, and also endure well into the future, thereby granting the possibility of reselling the property in years to come.

Unprecedented capital appreciation forecast

Invest Now Before Prices Rise

lovethefestivalhall.org.uk

Thanks to a world ﬁrst partnership, Blue C Developments are delighted to be able to offer all of our clients the advantage of using an industry leading rental corporation, Group RCI, to manage the bookings on each apartment and, crucially, to maximize the monthly yield that each of our investors receives on these fantastic properties. Group RCI manages a network that includes over

3 million members and accesses a massive number of international databases, extending the advertising reach of these fantastic properties and ensuring that each property will be bringing in rental returns for the vast majority of the year. Group RCI offers our clients a hands off investment opportunity, with all aspects of the property’s maintenance and management taken care

of. Each investor is guaranteed 70% of the monthly rental returns on their property. But that’s not all. With reuniﬁcation now in sight, your £85,000 initial investment could grow to £190,000 in less than two years, as the disparity between property prices in Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus closes.

Not Just an Investment – a Continual Source of Income!

propertysecrets* * unveiling the truths of property investment

CYPRUS PR O PE R T Y M A R K E T PR O F I L E W h a t a uni t ed Cyp r us w oul d m ea n for p r op er t y i nv es t or s

Register online at www.whiterocksbafra.com for your free copy of property secrets comprehensive market proﬁle on Cyprus. quote ref: BLUECCWM25

AS KI N G AN D A N SWERI N G A LL THE KEY I N VEST MENT Q UES T I ON S Published November 2008