Society Living Magazine Issue 005

ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER 2009

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LIFE ON THE COAST

SOCIETY Living Kelly Hoppen interior designer

TO THE STARS

PANAMERA POWER NIMBLE AND POISED

GREEN SOPHISTICATION FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY

BREAKING ALL THE DIET RULES

Champagne style and

elegance WORLD GOLF SPOTLIGHT ON THE COAST

LIFESTYLE GLAMOUR PERSONALITIES STYLE LEISURE GASTRONOMY

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EDITORIAL LINES September 2009

Contents 12

GLAMOUR DIGEST Chic style and stunning fashion trends

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CITY LIGHTS Cosmopolitan chic – capital of style and celebrity

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BIG SCREEN Behind the scenes in the world of movies

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MUSIC NOTES Rock snippets from around the globe

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CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT Kelly Hoppen: interior designer to the A-list

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SOCIETY Costa glamour… mixing business with pleasure

Moving forward...with plush new offices

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KRISTINA SZEKELY’S DIARY Queen of Marbella social scene

A

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ON THE ROAD Porsche Panamera: best of both worlds

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FASHION FLAIR Elegant touch of tradition

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CELEBRITY SHAPE-UP Valuable advice from trainer to the stars Nicki Waterman

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LATEST TRENDS Tips, trends and new sensations in makeup and skincare

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ASK THE SURGEON Cosmetic treatments: your questions answered

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GOURMET CLUB Gastronomic delights in a relaxed setting

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FINE DINING Exotic tastes…and creative cuisine

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TABLE TALK Restaurant news and culinary titbits

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RESTAURANT GUIDE Highly recommended for gastronomic pleasure

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ON THE FAIRWAYS Top stars head-to-head on the Coast

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NOTICEBOARD Business and other news from around Spain

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SNAPSHOTS Your view… special moments and occasions

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IN THE STARS Astrologist Russell Grant looks into the future

nother sparkling Costa del Sol summer is now drawing to a close (autumn in Spain officially begins on September 22) and it is time to enjoy what, for many of us, is our favourite month. The temperatures are dropping to more pleasantly moderate levels, the beaches, restaurants, and roads are less congested, and we have seen the first signs – at least in a global context – of the so-called green shoots of economic recovery.

As always, September is a pivotal month for business on the Coast: after the traditional summer hiatus (for those enterprises not directly related to tourism) it’s time to raise the shutters, dust off the cobwebs and get back down to business.

At Bespoke Media (publishers of Society Living and Beautiful Home), we are delighted to be raising our own shutters at new offices in the bustling La Colonia commercial plaza at the western end of San Pedro de Alcántara. We barely had time to take the foot off the accelerator this summer – with so many dazzling soirees to cover for our pacesetting Society pages – and the rapid consolidation of a magazine that is still only on its fifth edition created an urgent need for bigger and better office space – with new-look branding and a fresh, revamped image.

Also fronting a special studio at the new Bespoke premises is our star fashion photographer C J Hadlow; while we are pleased to welcome to the editorial team Ruth Jones, who many of you will already have seen out and about this summer covering parties and events. Another change this issue is the introduction of names to the Society coverage, by popular demand!

Other than that, you will find all your favourite sections: elegant fashion styles; valuable health & beauty advice; in vogue news and titbits about celebrities, music and movies; exquisite fine dining; an exclusive preview of the Porsche Panamera; and information about how to reserve your VIP package for the Volvo World Match Play Championship on the Coast next month.

In short, another stunning issue of Society Living reinvigorated after summer and with the same commitment to quality and staying abreast of latest trends. We hope you enjoy it, and welcome your feedback.

Publisher Andy Clark andy@societylivingmagazine.com Advertising Director Fay Jones advertising@societylivingmagazine.com Tel. 617 651 732 Advertising Representatives Lyndsay Tyer lyndsay@societylivingmagazine.com Lisa Mitten lisa@societylivingmagazine.com Administration info@societylivingmagazine.com Tel. 952 838 000

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Editorial editorial@societylivingmagazine.com Features Editor Jessica White features@societylivingmagazine.com Contributing Editors Samantha Jones, Peter Leonard Contributors Russell Grant, Ian Kuah, Nicola McGeorge, Linda Mindel Carvell, Micky Reynolds, Kristina Szekely, Nicki Waterman Cover photograph Photography by Cj Hadlow Photographers Toni Cochrane, Johnny Gates, CJ Hadlow, Ruth Jones, David Toms, John J Wood

Society Living is published monthly by: Bespoke Media S.L. CIF: B92998483 Local No 25-26, C.C. La Colonia San Pedro de Alcántara 29600 Marbella.

Tel. 952 784 207/952 838 000 www.societylivingmagazine.com Depósito Legal: MU-1588-2009 Production Opus 1 Design design@societylivingmagazine.com The views and opinions expressed by contributors to Society Living may not represent the views and opinions of the publishers.

Bespoke Media takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements or advertorials in this magazine.

No part of Society Living may be reproduced or copied in any way without the prior written consent of Bespoke Media.

GLAMOUR DIGEST RUSSIAN-INSPIRED MAKEUP Guerlain has presented the autumn 2009 limited edition makeup collection, created by Oliver Echaudemaison – who was inspired by Russian beauty Natalia Vodianova, the face and muse of the brand. Colour, energy and joy are the themes of the collection, in which items are named Volga Princess, Russian Doll and Tsarina, and the rich palettes and shimmering shades include retractable eye-liners, lipsticks and a lip balm which “protects, nourishes and beautifies – an alliance of treatment and makeup”. www.guerlain.com

CHIC STYLES AND ALLURING IDEAS FROM THE WORLD OF FASHION...

PLUS OTHER IN VOGUE NEWS FOR TREND-SETTERS COMPILED BY JESSICA WHITE

SUNGLASSES REMINISCENT OF THE ‘60S AND ‘70S The stylish new collection of sunglasses for women from Gucci is definitely created to make any head turn. Unmistakable icons for the prestigious brand, they are inspired by the famous Gucci Flora print, which was created in 1966 for Princess Grace of Monaco when Rodolfo Gucci had a scarf made for her as a present after her visit to the store. The frames are inspired by vintage shapes and have the Gucci name written on the arms. Also in the collection are the seventies-inspired glasses with the double G emblem on the arm – available in a range of colours including gold and turquoise sky blue.

Available at Eyedonist, Marbella: Tel. 952 858 904 12

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GLAMOUR DIGEST

CLASSIC AND CUTTING-EDGE WATCH DESIGNS Bell and Ross has been producing watches since 1992 when a team of designers and aircraft specialists joined up to create a watch perfectly suited to their professional needs. They created four collections, BR Instrument, Professional, Classic, Vintage, to cater for divers, astronauts, pilots and other professionals, while a recent addition to the collection is one for women featuring BRS ceramic cases and diamond bezels, which looks elegant yet still retains the original shape. This Tourbillion watch from the BR Instrument range is available in four different models and is water resistant to 100 metres, and the strap is offered in rubber or alligator skin. www.bellross.com

THE ULTIMATE WARDROBE STAPLE Ugg boots are the ultimate must-have item in any wardrobe for autumn and winter, and they are available in a range of colours and styles – ensuring that every outfit is catered for. These Bailey Button boots are calfheight, are made from twin-face sheepskin and have been updated with a wooden UGG logo button and elastic band closure. Worn up or cuffed down to change the style, the boots also have a soft foam sole covered with genuine sheepskin and flexible sole for extra comfort. UGG Australia has been producing boots, slippers and casual shoes for many years, ensuring that all products are “fashionable, comfortable and attainable”.

Available from Twist Boutique, San Pedro: Tel. 952 781 493 Shoe, Gibraltar: Tel. 00350 200 48480 Elle Morgan, Laguna Village: Tel. 647 869 831

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LONDON CALLING

Dance me to the end of Love: One of Jack Vettraino’s most famous paintings, which also inspired the title and inspiration for Leonard Cohen’s haunting song.

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LONDON CALLING

Cosmopolitan

Chic

LINDA MINDEL CARVELL BRINGS US UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE NEWS, TRENDS AND GLAMOUR FROM THE CAPITAL OF STYLE AND CELEBRITY

T

he highlight of my month was meeting the great Jack Vettriano. I’ve been buying prints of his paintings for over 10 years, and have seen him in Knightsbridge, where he lives, when he’s not in his other homes in Edinburgh and Nice.

Jack is now the highest paid painter in the UK, even though the Royal Academy and the Tate still don’t show him. You may not know his name, but you’ll certainly recognise his paintings from postcards like “Dance me to the end of Love”. Jack’s the chap who painted “The Singing Butler”, but needed money to live, and so sold it 20 years ago for £3,000.

In 2004, it sold at a Sotheby’s auction for £750,000. Jack now sells his paintings for a minimum of a £275,000, and his originals are bought by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Tim Rice, Terence Conran and Alex Ferguerson.

I met him at the elegant Malmaison boutique hotel in Charterhouse Square, where he was holding an exhibition. I dressed all in black, because that’s what many of the women in his paintings wear. It worked. He gave me a hug, told me he loved my Manolo Blahnik stilettos, and suggested that I look him up next time I’m in Nice.

He doesn’t do email, but now sells off the web, where he has a massive virtual gallery, showing all his work (www.jackvettriano.com), and where you can order whatever you choose.

His paintings are tremendously stylish, often sexy, and so is he. He’s now in his fifties, not classically handsome, is refreshingly politically incorrect, smoulders with sex appeal and is extremely likable.

Hollywood heartthrob Leonard DiCaprio, who recently split from gorgeous on-offmodel girlfriend Bar Refaeli, is in town to film his latest project, Inception. I saw him with his mother at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, where he dressed down, wore a baseball cap and sported a fashionable stubble.

Leo told me that he loves London, because he “can walk around unrecognised, ride my bike

Leonardo DiCaprio: Loves going unrecognised around London because he’s not hassled.

Eva Green: Fancies the tapas at The Providores and Tapa Room in Marylebone.

and not get hassled”. He likes clubbing, and has been seen with a parade of scrumptiouslooking women (such as Cameron Diaz) at The Collection in Chelsea, Maddox in Mayfair and Chinawhite in the West End. He prefers to keep a low profile, and doesn’t want to be snapped by the paparazzi, so his minders make his bookings for him at the last minute.

Which only makes it tougher for the bevy of beauties who hope that Leo will single them out for attention!

Move over Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson: there’s a newer, younger domestic goddess snapping at your heels. Beautiful author and food writer Sophie Dahl is coming to BBC Two with a brand new TV series for next year.

Reese Witherspoon: Stocks up on Lauduree Macaroons from Harrods when she’s in London.

Made by Jamie Oliver’s Fresh One Productions, the series will feature Sophie whipping up recipes, and reminiscing on her own personal food memories.

The blonde, six-foot tall (1.8 metre) former model, who is the grand-daughter of the celebrated children’s writer Roald Dahl, has famously reduced her once Rubenseque body to a slender size 10, and lives happily with the small, but brilliantly-talented, jazz singer and pianist Jamie Cullen.

Whether Cullen will croon while Sophie whips up a yummy treat, is what I want to know!

I adore the wonderful Science Museum in South Kensington, even more so since it has thrown open its children’s play area to grownups, with free Friday night events, for adultsonly, from 6.30 until 10 pm, with live music and alcohol, The £4 million gallery features 50 interactive exhibits, and is a great pick-up place for discerning singles!

Other museums that hold late nights, often with live music, drinks, special performances, etc., that are worth checking out are the V&A, British Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern.

Cultural vultures like moi are delighted that the National Gallery has become the first major art collection to allow iPhone and internet users the right to zoom electronically into any picture in its archive.

Their new website contains 12,000 images, 18 hours of audio and 200 videos. It raises the bar for cultural websites, giving an instant look at a worldclass collection of western European paintings.

I have it on my iPhone, and it was a joy to zoom in and out of the works by Vermeer and listen to the expert commentary, while sipping an iced-tea at the Serpentine Café in Hyde Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon!

Gwyneth Paltrow has designing ambitions. The Oscar-winning actress has teamed up with the French fashion jersey brand ZOEtee to create an exclusive collection of seven garments. societylivingmagazine.com

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LONDON CALLING Far East. However, our new fashionable trio promise that they only use cloth that is 100 per cent made in England.

They made the handsome morning suit, black tie and ushers’ outfits for Joe Cole’s wedding to Carly Zucker; designed the clothes for the boy band Blue; and have supplied suits for Josh Hartnett, Imran Khan, David Schwimmer and Damon Albarn.

Start saving now, chaps. You’re worth it.

Prices for ready-to-wear suits start from £1,250 (www.stowersbespoke.co.uk).

Woody Allen’s love affair with London continues. The bespectacled director is shooting his new, as yet untitled film in 52 different places around the capital.

Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Frieda Pinto and Naomi Watts have all been spotted with Allen in areas around Chiswick, Notting Hill, Bethnall Green and Holland Park.

Sophie Dahl: The blonde beauty is tipped to be the next domestic goddess (photo courtesy of BBC).

Paltrow’s tall, lean and leggy good looks complement the collection, which focuses on easy dressing for day and sleek, glamorous designs for evening, in hues of grey, black, crème and camel.

The range will only be available online from the upmarket Matches boutique (wwww.matchesfashion.com), with prices from £100 to £595.

Because of Gwyneth’s publicity appeal the collection will probably sell out, which will be good for Kids Company, as all proceeds go to them – Gwyneth’s own choice.

Hugh Jackman, Jude Law and Princes William and Harry are just a few of the high-profile chaps who look pucker in suits and black tie from Stowers Bespoke in Savile Row. The company is the brainchild of three tailors, Ray Stowers, Brian Jeffrey and Brian Pussey, who all worked together at Gieves & Hawkes.

Savile Row is the heart of British tailoring, but even they sometimes use fabrics from the

Antonio Banderas: Charming locals in London while filming Woody Allen’s new film.

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Hugh Jackman: A fan of Savile Row’s Stowers Bespoke suits.

I spied Woody and the crew opposite film director Richard Curtis’s house in Notting Hill, where he was filming, much to the delight of the locals.

Another New Yorker who loves London is Meryl Streep. She’s an absolute hoot, playing the lofty television personality and cookery writer Julia Child in Nora Ephron’s new film Julie & Julia.

Streep says she landed the role by accident. “I had bumped into Nora at the theatre one night. I had worked with her before in Heartburn and Silkwood, and she told me that she was planning to direct a film about Julia Child.”

Meryl, a huge admirer of Child, immediately went into “Julia mode”, for about ten minutes, which totally dazzled Nora, and got her the role.

Streep reminds me of Helen Mirren. Both actresses never merely imitate a character: they totally inhabit it, which results in brilliant performances.

This is the sixth film that Meryl’s made in 18 months. “It’s a miracle,” she laughs. “Being employed at 60, and still happily married to the same man for 30 years!”

V&A Café: A beautifully artistic pit-stop for late night cultural events.

It’s always great fun seeing where the movers and shakers dine out in London.

Stunning Eva Green says that the fish is amazing at St John in Smithfield, and fancies tapas at The Providores and Tapa Room in Marylebone.

Justin Timberlake’s a fan of the upmarket Tamarind restaurant in Mayfair. “If you like Indian food, there’s no better place than London,” he told me, when I ran into him at Guy Ritchie’s pub, The Punchbowl.

Cuban ballet sensation Carlos Acosta believes that Floridita in Soho is the best Cuban restaurant in London, where they have live bands and delicious daiquiris; Samuel L Jackson likes the duck at Hakkasan; and Jason Donovan enjoys hanging out at Kensington Square restaurant, and the organic Whole Foods Supermarket on Kensington High Street.

Like moi, Reese Witherspoon is a fan of the delicious, hand-baked Laduree macaroons in Harrods. We were both stocking up on the classic vanilla, rose and raspberry flavours – with a few of the new seasonal peppermint, coconut and lemon grass thrown in for good measure!

Linda Mindel Carvell is a London-based style and celebrity editor, who contributes to glossy magazines round the world. She also does a monthly “Postcard From London” broadcast for Talk Radio Europe on The Hannah Murray Programme.

Meryl Streep: Marvellous in Julie & Julia playing the lofty, legendary food writer Julia Child.

Opening hours: Monday-Tuesday 10am -7pm Wednesday-Friday 10am-8pm/Sat: 11am-3pm

Also stocking: Darling Ya Ya Seven Carling Ese O Ese Holster Vintage Dior Ugg

NEW SEASON RANGE NOW IN

CC La Colonia, S. Pedro de Alcantara (next to Passion Cafe)

Tel: 952 781 493

BIG SCREEN

Movie lines WHAT’S ON SCREEN THIS MONTH… WHAT’S BEING FILMED AT THE MOMENT… AND WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE… MICKY REYNOLDS LOOKS INSIDE THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF MOVIES

QUICK CLIPS A major court battle has just finished and Warner Bros. have lost the Superman Origin rights. The family of the superhero’s co-creator, JERRY SIEGAL, have successfully recaptured the major rights to the franchise. These include Superman’s origins from the planet Krypton, his parents, Superman as an infant, the launching of the infant Superman into space by his parents as Krypton explodes and his landing on Earth in a fiery crash.

But DC Comics own other elements like Superman’s ability to fly, the term kryptonite, the Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen characters, and Superman’s powers and expanded origins.

As the two sides do not see eye to eye it could be the end of the Man of Steel on the silver screen as we know him.

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BIG SCREEN It’s gonna be all change for the next Pirates of the Caribbean voyage. Now onboard in the director’s chair is ROY MARSHALL, who of course worked the same role for Chicago. The proposed plot suggests that Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa meet up in the newly founded New Orleans then both set sail to find the Fountain of Youth. JOHNNY DEPP is already signed up and GEOFFREY RUSH has stated he’s available if needed.

Meanwhile, Pirates’ producer JERRY BRUCKHEIMER has acquired the feature rights to the graphic novel World War Robot, in which a small band of humans and robots face off in a battle on Earth, the moon and Mars. He is currently involved in half a dozen projects for Disney, with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice both in post production, while he is working on National Treasure 3 & 4 plus Pirates and another project with Mr Depp – The Lone Ranger.

KATE BECKINSDALE looks set to return as vampire warrior Selene for Underworld 4, the first in a brand new trilogy of the centuries-old feud between a race of aristocratic vampires and their one-time slaves, the Lycans. She

MOVIE OF THE MONTH DISTRICT 9 How times change: only two months ago there were several candidates for movie of the month – roll on September and no film seemed to grab the prerelease headlines.

Enter District 9, a sci-fi offering with an unknown cast and a first-time director that has taken the States by storm, raking in $37 million on its first weekend of release last month and displacing GI Joe at the top of the US box office charts in the process.

Debut director NEILL BLOMKAMP made his name working with JAMES CAMERON on the sci-fi TV series Dark Angel between 2000 and 2002 and had another great, PETER JACKSON, sitting alongside him in the producer’s chair while making this movie.

Twenty-eight years prior to the beginning of the film aliens contact Earth and, while its inhabitants wait for either a hostile attack or for giant advances in technology, neither comes. Instead, the extraterrestrials that arrive are refugees, the last survivors of their home world. They are set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s slum-like District 9 as the world’s nations argue over what to do with them. Their fate is handed to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company that is only interested in trying to make a profit out of the aliens’ awesome weaponry work. Tension between the two parties comes to a head when an MNU field operative contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. He quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable – as his new DNA could be the key to unlocking the secrets of the alien’s technology.

While on the run he is forced to seek refuge in the run-down shack of an alien who says he can reverse the transformation if they can get to the alien mother ship which is hovering above the planet, but they need to distill fuel from scavenged space ship parts scattered around District 9. With the fuel they can fill a shuttle and reach the mother ship but MNU and a local group of thugs have other ideas for the transforming human.

Without giving away the plot the film ends leaving the door open for a sequel.

Starring SHARLTO COPLEY, JASON COPE, NATHALIE BOLTT, SYLVAINE STRIKE

didn’t appear in the last film of this franchise, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, but she did provide Selene’s voiceover in the beginning and end of the movie.

Paramount have announced that a sequel to G.I. Joe, The Rise of Cobra, is set to go into development soon. The recently released actioner clocked up $100 million worldwide during its first month of release. The entire cast is contractually obligated to return for a second film and includes CHANNING TATUM, CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON, SIENNA MILLER, DENNIS QUAID and MARLON WAYANS The latter has also been summoned by Sony Pictures along with brother SHAWN to reprise their roles for a sequel to White Chicks. In the 2004 original they portrayed a couple of fumbling sibling FBI agents disguised as two white girls whose job it was to protect the two spoiled daughters of a tycoon from a kidnapping plot. Another brother, KEENEN IVORY, will direct.

The Twilight Saga update: lots are offering their services for this popularity-growing franchise – movement started on set last month on the third film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and newcomers who will join the original crew of ROBERT PATTINSON, KRISTEN STEWART and TAYLOR LAUTNER include CATALINA SANDINO MORENO (Maria Full of Grace) as the leader of a newborn army of vampires and 14-year-old JODELLE FERLAND (Silent Hill) as a just turned vampire; while BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD (daughter of RON) has replaced RACHELLE LEFEVRE as Victoria as she has too much on to commit herself to the franchise. The second film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, is in post-production and will be released worldwide in November.

While his daughter is on the blood sucking Twilight Saga RON HOWARD will direct The Parsifal Mosaic, which is based on ROBERT LUDLUM (author of the Bourne series of books) novel. A CIA operative believes he witnessed the execution of the woman he loves. The twist is she was fingered as a KGB double agent. Casting auditions are currently taking place.

Shooting starts this month on a 20th Century Fox reboot of the Predator franchise. In Predators, a group of humans becomes stranded on the alien’s planet where they discover unspeakable horrors, not all of which are provided by the planet itself.

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ will produce but no cast has been announced.

The above mentioned producer last month started work on Machete with an all-star cast that includes DANNY TREJO in the starring role plus ROBERT DE NIRO, JESSICA ALBA, MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, STEVEN SEAGAL, LINDSAY LOHAN, CHEECH MARIN, DON JOHNSON and JEFF FAHEY. The plot: after being betrayed by the organisation that hired him, an ex-Federale launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss. The film was originally a trailer in the RODRIGUEZ / QUENTIN TARANTINO Grindhouse / Planet Terror 2007 collaboration.

SIX OF THE BEST INTERNATIONAL RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER ■ Adventureland – 11 September (24 September in Spain) A comedy set in the summer of 1987… a recent college grad takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.

JESSE EISENBERG, KELSEY FORD, RYAN REYNOLDS, KRISTEN STEWART ■ Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – 18 September (4 December in Spain) 3-D animated feature based on the popular 1978 children’s book by JUDI and RON BARRETT. A young inventor turns his town upside down when he causes giant-sized food to fall from the sky like rain. Voices of BILL HADER, ANNA FARIS, BRUCE CAMPBELL ■ District 9 – 4 September (18 September in Spain) For synopsis see Movie of the Month ■ Dorian Gray – 9 September British film adaptation of the OSCAR WILDE 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. A corrupt young man somehow keeps his youthful beauty eternally, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all. BEN BARNES, COLIN FIRTH, BEN CHAPLIN ■ Fame – 25 September (30 October in Spain) An updated version of the 1980 musical movie that spawned a TV series following local talent attending the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. MEGAN MULLALLY, KELSEY GRAMMER, BEBE NEUWIRTH, CHARLES S. DUTTON ■ Surrogates – 25 September (22 October in Spain) Sci-fi thriller set in the near future where humans live in isolation and interact vicariously through surrogate robots, which are betterlooking versions of themselves. Several humans are murdered and their surrogates destroyed; a cop investigates the crimes through his own surrogate. BRUCE WILLIS, RADHA MITCHELL, ROSAMUND PIKE

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BACKSTAGE PASS

Music notes D

id you hear what happened at the Benicassim festival? On the Friday, headliners the KINGS OF LEON had to cancel their set due to strong winds. Officials cordoned off stages as the wind grew dangerous and evacuated some areas where festival-goers were camping. The night before LIAM GALLAGHER stormed off stage during the OASIS performance after the band’s PA system packed up twice. This was the third time they had had the same problem in the space of a few weeks: in Manchester (where they offered 70,000 fans a refund) and also at Wembley Stadium.

On the 8th of this month the prestigious Mercury LP Prize will be awarded; nominations include FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, LA ROUX, THE HORRORS and KASABIAN, but as everyone knows the judges of this award, for some unknown reason, usually pick one of the lesser known bands (and this year’s include SPEECH DEBELLE, LISA HANNIGAN, LED BIB and SWEET

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GIGS, GROUPS, GOSSIP... MICKY REYNOLDS BRINGS US UP TO DATE WITH ROCK SNIPPETS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BILLY PILGRIM). The winner of this annual award will receive a £20,000 cash prize. Surprisingly missing from the list were LITTLE BOOTS and silly LILY ALLEN, who expressed her feelings about not being nominated on her Twitter blog: “im like gazza, the judges hate me, but the people, dem love me .....” (11:42 AM Jul 20th from mobile web ) Taking of which, the Twittering silly apologised on the site about crying on stage at a gig in Finland as she had hurt her back the night before in Sweden while having a good old-fashioned sesh. She Twittered, “watching skream and benga, raving my t*ts off.” – so, she didn’t have a lot to drink then.

She has been saying she would do it for ages and now NELLY FURTADO will next month fulfill a long-time dream: the Canadian songstress, who has sold 15 million albums during her career,

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will release an album, Mi Plan, in Spanish.

A major reunion in the pipeline – THE JAM? PAUL WELLER and BRUCE FOXTON buried their differences when the latter attended the funeral of the former’s father in May. They have since been in the studio together and the wheels of the gossip wagon have started rolling. THE JAM, who were one of the major players of the late 1970s new wave/punk scene, split in 1983.

KYLIE MINOGUE is converting to Catholicism so she can have a traditional church wedding with her Spanish boyfriend at the Parador de Cardona, a ninth century castle on the Costa Brava. She is also buying a luxury villa near his home town of Tossa de Mar. The 41-year-old singer has been dating the model since last November.

The general public were knocked back by the death of

MICHAEL JACKSON but musicians all over the world felt the same way when LES PAUL passed away on 13 August. This guitar pioneer was one of the most influential men in modern music and worked with the Gibson Guitar Company, which manufactured the pioneering Les Paul Goldtop model in 1952. The Les Paul Standard, first released in 1954, is still a top-selling guitar today. He received numerous honours during his lifetime, including being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1988 by axe legend JEFF BECK. RONAN KEATING wants to star in a QUENTIN TARANTINO movie… a small role would suffice – let him get shot in the first couple of minutes (any chance of using real bullets)?

A high-pedigree super group calling themselves the CROOKED VULTURES have formed with FOO FIGHTERS front man DAVE GROHL, his buddy JOSH HOMME (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) and JOHN PAUL JONES of LED ZEPPELIN. They made their live debut in Chicago last month and are currently recording in LA. They have also launched a MySpace page and a Twitter account although there was no music on line at the time of going to press.

PUSSYCAT DOLLS member KIMBERLEY WYATT has admitted that tensions are growing within the group due to NICOLE SCHERZINGER and it’s only a matter of time before they go their separate ways (as mentioned on these pages in June). The latter is more interested in her debut solo album and has asked TAKE THAT’s GARY BARLOW to pen some songs for it – he’s gonna be a busy boy as CHERYL COLE has also asked him to write a few tunes for her first solo offering.

MILEY CYRUS has auditioned to play Batgirl in the next Batman movie; the sequel to the Dark Knight starts filming next year.

The nicest guy that this writer has ever met in the biz, ANDREW WK, releases his new album, 55 Cadillac, on 7 September and it only took him two hours to record it. This is the kind of guy who, while singing We Want Fun (theme from the first Jackass movie) at the 2002 Madrid Festimad weekend, was pulling members of the audience on to the stage while a security guard was pushing them

back off – so he kicked him into the crowd and carried on pulling more people up. Then, at the Reading festival a few months later, after his set he went out into the crowd to sign autographs – a real man of the people!

Britain’s Got Talent runner-up SUSAN BOYLE, who is currently recording her debut album, is set

to tour the States towards the end of the year. World leaders really like her as she has recently been an important weapon in the war against terror. Young extremists are thinking twice about blowing themselves up because they now know what a virgin looks like (said

by SEAN LOCK on TV show 8 Out of 10 Cats).

BEATLES fans take note: BBC Two and BBC Four (UK satellite channels) are broadcasting a Beatles Week starting on 5 September. Shows include The Beatles on Record, focusing on the history of the group in the studio; The Beatles: The First US Visit; Storyville: How The Beatles Rocked The Kremlin; and Timewatch: Beatlemania, the inside story of the rise and fall of the phenomenon. For more info go to www.bbc.co.uk.

ANTONY COSTA is worried that BLUE fans might react to an acting role he did before the band’s reunion when he played a pervert who douses a prostitute in petrol on the UK TV soap Casualty… worried fans will be upset – have they still got any?

WILLY DE VILLE, founder of seminal punk band MINK DE VILLE, has died aged 58. Over the years Spanish radio stations played many of his songs, maybe because in his 1977 hit Spanish Stroll he sang a few lines in Spanish.

VICTORIA BECKHAM, a judge on American Idol… this line’s been used before but can you imagine being told by her that you have no talent. When her sons found out she was be on the show one of them asked her what song she was gonna sing.

Q U O TO RO C K T H E RO C K Rock legends STATUS QUO are playing in Gibraltar on 10 September to celebrate the Rock’s National Day. They do not really need an introduction and this is the final leg of a five-date Spanish tour. The gig is taking place in the Ocean Village car park, which is situated close to the Victoria Sports Stadium (on the right-hand side after you have crossed the runaway on entering Gib). Costa del Sol rock band NATURA will kick off the show at 8pm with QUO due to plug in one hour later.

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.es, who have

local outlets in every town (Marbella’s is at the FNAC store), or direct from the Englishspeaking hotline on Tel. 633 327 722. Admission is ¤40 in advance or ¤45 on the night.

As for the Coast, nothing really happening this month: LEONARD COHEN is in Atarfe (Granada) on the 13th but there is a big one in Madrid on the 29th – GREEN DAY. Also, tickets are up for grabs on 2 September for MARILYN MANSON’s December gig in Madrid Tickets for all the above can be purchased locally; for more info go to www.ticketmaster.es.

GOING GREEN IS EASIER THAN IT SEEMS Each month in Society Living, Micronetics LEDs SL (importer) are going to help you to reduce your impact on the environment and your wallet. All you have to do is change a light bulb. It is as simple as that.

This month we will be focussing on the fluorescent tube light.

These can be found in factories, offices, hospitals, schools, underground parking, hotels and restaurants, to name just a few.

Traditional fluorescents are rapidly becoming more obsolete and inefficient, while the mercury pollution will have a negative impact on the environment.

By converting to LED with Micronetics LEDs SL, you will reduce maintenance costs and, at the same time, it can provide you with savings in replacement costs and energy consumption.

Due to the fact that there is a huge reduction in heat during operation, Micronetics LEDs SL can now offer some amazing performances, such as 240cm long 2900lm at a consumption of only 36W. Sizes available: 60cm, 90cm, 120cm, 150cm, 180cm, 200cm, 240cm.

■ Advantages of T8 LED tube / T5 LED fluorescent tube light: ■ Can be a direct replacement of conventional T series fluorescent light ■ Long lifetime – 50,000+ hours (5+ years) ■ No UV or IR radiation ■ Easier on the eyes, as they are flicker-free ■ No noise ■ Solid-state, high-shock or vibration-resistant ■ Low power consumption, high intensity ■ Maintenance-free, easy installation LEDs are highly desirable in museums, art galleries and cosmetics counters where UV or IR radiation is unfavourable.

Micronetics LEDs SL stock a full range of colours: daylight white, warm white, blue, red, green and yellow.

LEDS ARE THE FUTURE; THE FUTURE IS NOW!

Micronetics Inc Ltd www.eco-led-lights.com email: ea@micron1.com

CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT

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CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT

‘‘

It is always a challenge working with celebrity clients…

In our initial discussions, she told me she wanted the house done similar to my own place in London. We only had five weeks to transform the Beckhams’ place

’’

The Kelly Effect IN THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW NICOLA MCGEORGE TALKS TO AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGNER KELLY HOPPEN ABOUT THE BECKHAMS’ L.A. PAD, HER GEORGIAN TOWNHOUSE AND EVEN MEETING THE QUEEN

K

elly Hoppen is an interior designer to the A-List, not to mention luxury retailer, author. educator and innovator. She is just the kind of inspirational figure our youth of today should be aspiring to replicate, instead of idolising the WAG culture. We should be celebrating successful, glamorous, alpha females like her, a woman who started her career in her teens. “I got my first job when I was 16, which was designing a kitchen for my stepfather’s friend,” she recalls. “It basically involved buying a kitchen and having it fitted. I was paid about £1,500 or so, which seemed like a lot back then. Since then, I have only ever worked in my own business; this has probably resulted in my success.”

She was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where her father worked in the fashion

industry and her mother was a businesswoman specialising in antique maps of Africa and books. While still a child, she and her family moved to London where she continues to reside. She has been twice divorced. Her first marriage was to restaurateur Graham Corrett, father to her daughter Natasha, now 25. Her second marriage to investment banker Ed Miller brought stepdaughters actress Sienna and fashion designer Savannah Miller into her life. Since then Kelly’s relationships have included footballer Sol Campbell, hairdresser Nicky Clarke and, recently, reports of a liaison with Guy Ritchie.

Now with over 25 years in the industry, her name has become synonymous with an aesthetic of simple sophistication and a lulling play of textures. “I love neutrals and think that a home

needs to have neutral colours on the walls for tranquillity and calm,” she says of her signature style. “I use a lot of vintage pieces, art and flowers to accessorise and bring life to a room.”

Kelly Hoppen Interiors saw a turnover of 18 million pounds last year. While the world has fallen into recession, she shows no signs of slowing down. About 80 per cent of her work is abroad: the Middle East, Russia, Europe and North America. “I have so many projects, which I’ve loved designing, including BA’s first class cabin and Yoo Properties at The Lakes.

For BA, taking inspiration from the style and quality of a Rolls-Royce car interior, I used Connolly leather, burr walnut effect, velvet and cashmere-soft fabrics in a colour palette of deep blue, rich red and camel to design the first class cabins.” www.societylivingmagazine.com

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CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHT Her fierce and dedicated work ethic won her the “Oscar” of the design industry, the Andrew Martin Interior Designer of the Year award, in 1996; but she is most noted for her celebrity clients such as Elton John and the Beckhams. I am dying to ask her about working with Victoria.

Was she a nightmare? Was she completely controlling or would Kelly even be able to talk to me about it? We all know how celebs like to slap down those confidentiality contracts. Luckily she was happy to share. “It is always a challenge working with celebrity clients… In our initial discussions, she told me she wanted the house done similar to my own place in London. We only had five weeks to transform the Beckhams’ place, so it was a lot of pressure but it was amazing that we were able to pull it off! Victoria is one of my best friends and I really wanted everything to be perfect.”

‘‘

There are many collaborative projects between Stephen and I; our most recent one is his London flagship store on Mount Street.

It has been a fantastic experience working with Stephen; he is a genius and one of my closest friends so it was natural for us to work together again on the London store

’’

So was that the highlight of her career? “I’ve had a really amazing career and to this day I love what I do, but receiving an MBE was definitely the most incredible experience of my career – a proud moment. I was thrilled when I heard and it was hard keeping it a secret as I couldn’t tell anyone for days. When I went to meet the Queen in March, it wasn’t actually my first time as I’d met her before, but when I walked up to her to receive my award I felt honoured. The Queen was very pleasant and said I had done well – an incredible moment.”

I bet many of you don’t even realise that Kelly has even worked her magic here in our own Puerto Banús: she designed the celebrity jewellery store Stephen Webster. “Marbella is a beautiful place full of tradition and culture.

Puerto Banús is a great place to shop,” she comments. “There are many collaborative projects between Stephen and I; our most recent one is his London flagship store on Mount Street. It has been a fantastic experience working with Stephen; he is a genius and one of my closest friends so it was natural for us to work together again on the London store. The design is totally eclectic at Mount Street and different to the Marbella and Hong Kong shops whilst still reflecting Stephen’s personality and rock star chic.“ Many interior designers do not actually practise what they preach. They fill their clients’ homes with a diverse mix of styles all vying for attention while their own abode completely opposes this ideology. I was eager 26

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The Stephen Webster Boutique in Puerto Banus exudes luxury, with his stunning jewellery displayed amongst blackened coral within floating glass fish tanks. Whilst chain embellished chairs, mother of pearl framed art work and dramatic chandeliers create a truly opulent setting Photo by Conrad. C. Jones to find out if her home was basked in neutral colours and a juxtaposition of different textures. “I have really enjoyed designing my home in Notting Hill – it was a challenge designing it all in just five months but I’m really happy with the results. My house is a Georgian townhouse, which I gutted completely.

I wanted to make my own mark in the interior.

It is now very eclectic; every room has a sliding door with a six-foot vertical handle running from the top to the bottom. I have also used a lot of black wood and neutral colours. On top of this I have gone for concealed lighting wherever possible – with shafts of light coming up from behind walls.”

With her over-subscribed design school and successful opulent product range is there anything left for her to conquer? “To carry on doing what I love for as long as possible and

hopefully have a TV show in the near future.

We have 50 new products out in September from furniture to accessories at Maison et Objet. I have a new range of candles and taps and I’m launching a range of Shutters soon at B&Q and Utterly Shutterly.” It seems nothing can stop this ambitious woman; she proves that the world of design has no boundaries.

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There are many benefits to owning one of these fabulous chairs: it can improve your posture, relieve back and neck tension, and help to loosen tight muscles.

It is available in a range of different models that will fit perfectly into the home, meaning you can relax and enjoy the benefits whenever you choose.

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SCENE & HEARD

Karen and friend

Stephen Webster team: Anna, Juan Jesus, Moira, Stephen, Maria, Assia, Vincente

Glamorous launch party for celebrity jeweller Jeweller to the stars Stephen Webster celebrated the opening of his Puerto Banús store by inviting the crème de la crème of Marbella’s social scene to a glamorous party in the luxurious surroundings of Olivia Valere. Champagne and cocktails flowed as guests were able to admire pieces from the spectacular collection, which presents luxurious designs inspired by rock and nature. A further highlight of the evening was a surprise performance by singer Mica Paris and live entertainers The Gents, both of whom were especially flown to Spain for the superb event.

Photos: Ruth Jones

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Stephen, Rimma and Illona

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Chris, Mary and Stephen

Mica Paris gives a superb performance

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Kristina, Stephen and friend

SCENE & HEARD

Rimma and friends

The Gents with CJ, Ruth and Liza

Maria, Assia and friend

Juan Jesus and Kate

Annette and friends

Svettana, Natalia and friend

Good attendance of guests

Anna and partner

Alelena and friend

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SCENE & HEARD

Sizzling fashion show in glamorous setting Agent Provocateur brought an extra glamorous touch to the jet-set crowd of Marbella with a dazzling fashion show at the über-stylish beach club Nikki Beach. The concept of the show – Rich and Famous – fitted perfectly into the venue’s beautiful surroundings, where stunning lingerie-clad models showcased the latest creations from Agent Provocateur’s swimwear and summer collections. Agent Provocateur comprises 40 stores worldwide and recently opened a Puerto Banús boutique which is decorated in boudoir style, with luxurious furnishings to complement the lingerie and indulge the customer.

Photos: Ruth Jones

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SCENE & HEARD

Jeannine, Alex, Ramin, Eduard and Pia

Monica, Aaron and Nicola

Excellent turnout of guests at the event

Louise and friends

Shane, Vincent and Natalie

Glamorous guest list

Anna, Janey and friends

Guests enjoy catwalk show

Russell and Sofia

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SCENE & HEARD

Glamorous guest list for the event

Superb performance in Buddha’s poolside setting

Show-stopping Marbella performance by international star International R&B superstar Alexander O’Neal attracted over 400 people to boutique beach club Buddha Beach where guests were treated to a complete evening’s entertainment which included a three-course dinner, live DJ, superb opening set from local star Yanela Brooks, and show-stopping performance from Alexander O’Neal which included his major international hits from the ‘80s such as Fake, Saturday Love, Criticize and If You Were Here Tonight, which had the enthusiastic audience dancing between the tables.

Photos: Johnny Gates

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COSTA GLAMOUR ... MIXING BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

Excellent attendance for the concert

Great musical atmosphere

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Alexander O’Neal with Buddha Beach partners Claire and Ian

SCENE & HEARD

Memorable show by Alexander and Yanela Brooks

Alexander mingles with guests

Helena and friends

Buddha partners Rob and Ian with Alexander

Ingela and friends

Exotic party setting

Beaux and Martzio

Girls add a glamorous touch to the party

Yanela Brooks gives a breathtaking performance

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SCENE & HEARD

Showroom concept with a twist Grupo Guarnieri hosted a special cocktail at its new San Pedro-based BMW and Mini showroom to present an innovative new concept of “Cars & Art”. The well-attended event featured a fusion of top of the range car models, including a 3 Pagani masterpiece, and works of art by some of the area’s best-known artists including Alejandro Hermann and Osvaldo Lobalzo.

Photos: Johnny Gates

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SCENE & HEARD

Special celebrations in a fabulous beachside setting Natasha and Thierry Benillouche held an exclusive private party in the luxurious surroundings of Buddha Beach to celebrate the birth of their son Alexandre. Guests – many of whom had flown to Spain especially – were treated to the finest champagne and a sumptuous buffet to celebrate the special occasion.

Photos: Cj Hadlow

Translation: Elene

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•QUALITY •DESIGN & •FUNCTIONALITY 50% off all VIPP products We are moving back to our headquarters in San Pedro and invite you to take advantage of many ‘‘good deals’’ we have during the month of September in our shop at Centro Idea, especially on classic and modern garden furniture.

Polígono Industrial de San Pedro • Carril de Picaza, 17 • E-29670 San Pedro de Alcántara Tel.: +34 952 92 78 11 • Fax: +34 952 92 78 12 • Monday-Friday: 10-18 • Saturday: closed

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GRAB A ‘‘GOOD DEAL’’ IN CENTRO IDEA

SCENE & HEARD

Luxury Italian accessories brand arrives in Banús

Tod’s – the Italian fashion and accessories brand which specialises in luxury artisanship – celebrated the opening of its second boutique in Spain with a glamorous evening cocktail in Puerto Banús hosted by Tod’s general brand manager Claudio Castiglioni and partners of Tod’s in Marbella, Paolo Orefici and Ruben A. Vidiella Salgano. During the event, guests were treated to superb hospitality and an exclusive demonstration by a Tod’s artisan who showed the process of creating the fabulous handmade accessories.

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SCENE & HEARD

Colourful stage performances at Hotel Don Carlos

Gala dinner to celebrate belly dance extravaganza The luxurious setting of the Don Carlos hotel provided the setting for Marbella’s sixth annual Belly Dance Festival where an excellent attendance of guests enjoyed superb dance performances from both groups and individuals. The Byblos Lebanese restaurant in Elviria was the main sponsor of the gala event and laid on a delicious selection of authentic Lebanese specialities throughout the evening, a highlight of which was a special prize-giving for the night’s best contenders.

Photos: Ruth Jones

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Event organisers present awards

COSTA GLAMOUR ... MIXING BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

Faye, Daniel and Marisa

Sylvia and friends

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Owners of Byblos restaurant and event sponsors Elaine and Maurice

Presentation of awards

Memorable performances by younger dancers

Jose, Susana and friend

Comperes add a lively touch

SCENE & HEARD

Vivien, Judith and Ceris

Cristian, Sandra, Arturo Reque, Berta and Carla

Cristian

Top artist’s Marbella exhibition features stunning view of Spain Bucharest-born artist Cristian Stancu presented his new collection of watercolour and ink drawings in the Garum restaurant salon on Marbella’s Paseo Marítimo. A former professor of fine arts at the Faculty of Arts in Bucharest, who moved to Marbella three years ago, his latest show presented last month featured the themes of horses and olive trees, demonstrating the clear influence that southern Spain has had on his work – which also includes mural painting and wall decoration with gold leaf.

Photos: Johnny Gates

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Sandra and Cristian

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Cristian, Sandra, Loli and Vicente

Lola and husband Andrés Diaz, Cristian, Arturo Reque and Juanita

Pablo, Nhung, Cristian, Marisa and Angela

Cristian, Sandra and Garum’s Timo

Bernardino, Raquel, Loli, Cristian, Sandra and Raúl

Mike, Ann, Dan, Cristian and David

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SCENE & HEARD

Jenny, Suzy, Marcus, Heidi, Sophie

Maria and friend

Superb opening party for Banús fitness studio Princess Studios hosted a glamorous launch party where guests were invited to view the state-of-the-art studio located in the Marina Banús shopping centre, opposite El Corte Inglés. Champagne and drinks flowed during the evening as the Princess Studios team – who offer the latest classes, straight from LA – treated guests to demonstrations from their complete timetable, which includes Pilates, pole dancing, Thai fit, yoga, belly dancing, aerobics, hip hop and much more.

Photos: Johnny Gates

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A glamorous occasion

COSTA GLAMOUR ... MIXING BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

Nicola and friends

Excellent turnout of guests

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Hannah and friend

Jane, Fay and friends

Suzy and Kristina

DIAMONDS AT THE RIGHT PRICE Anthony’s Diamonds & Pawnbrokers (Est. 1983) Avda. Ramon y Cajal 40 – 29640 Fuengirola – Malaga Tel/Fax: 952 588 795 – Mobile: 609 529 633

email: diamonds@anthonys-diamonds.com

www.anthonys-diamonds.com

SCENE & HEARD

Chris, Ellen, Benedict, Sophie, Maggie, Alex

Fabulous summer fireworks parties Bora Bora – the popular San Pedro beach club and restaurant – hosted a series of fabulous fireworks parties to celebrate the height of the summer. In addition to the spectacular displays, guests attending the special events enjoyed Bora Bora’s superb cuisine in the charming al fresco setting.

Photos: Ruth Jones

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Hannah and Chris

Laura and Matias

Rob and Hannah

Javi, Gemma. Laura, Juan Luis

Pierce, Aaron, Saffie, Orly, Bonce

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SOCIAL SCENE

Kristina Szekely’s REAL ESTATE IMPRESARIO, INDEFATIGABLE PARTY-GOER, PATRON OF THE ARTS, GENEROUS CHARITY SUPPORTER… KRISTINA SZEKELY IS THE QUEEN OF MARBELLA SOCIETY

T

here are encouraging signs of recovery around the world at the moment, and that is great news for the Costa del Sol real estate market. People are still not always sure if this is the right moment to sell, or buy, but there is certainly business out there: you just have to be willing to adjust prices.

I am now often asked, “Do you think prices will go down further?” While no one can be completely sure, I do think that at these current levels you can’t go wrong. Even if prices fall another two or three per cent, if you don’t buy now you may not find what you want when, or if, they do fall. People say, “I might wait until later”, which is fine: we need clients later as well! As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

I have spent a lot of time this summer in our Puerto Banús offices. In fact, when I don’t have an event to attend I may even be there until midnight when we close, talking to people from all walks of life and different countries – many of whom are curious to meet me after seeing me interviewed on various TV programmes about the beautiful homes we have here in Marbella.

What I have noticed is that we have a very mixed clientele, perhaps even more so than before. There are some more Russians, and quite a lot of people from the Middle East – and it’s nice to see them coming back again. Many have shown an interest in buying, and hopefully they will be returning after Ramadan in September. They represent a big injection of economic strength for Marbella, whether it be renting, buying properties, shopping or dining out. There has also been some growing interest shown by visitors from Northern Ireland.

With such a lovely summer here, they gain a very favourable impression and bring their friends with them. New people are discovering the attractions of Marbella and saying, “Wow, why didn’t we come here before!” It’s a truly unique place, with unique people. And the sea has been especially beautiful this year.

I think sometimes people don’t realise that, in what is really a very small town, we have the best of everything: shops, sporting amenities, top services, and all at a very high level. In fact, a new OpenCor

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PHOTO TONI COCHRANE

DIARY

supermarket opened in Playas del Duque this summer, with the help of our intervention, and they only locate themselves where they are 100 per cent sure of success!

It seems as though every time I go to the Port I see new brands opening shops, some I would never have imagined being here. I went to the opening of Tod’s last month, and I know some top jewellers from Hungary who want to establish themselves here. All these new shops opening up is fabulous.

There are people starting businesses all over.

Even we are thinking about opening a furniture shop in the premises above our Benabola main office. Or if someone has another idea for a new business, please do contact me.

On the social scene, I loved summer dinning under the stars and the moon – at La Meridiana, Babilonia (Olivia Valere), the Polo House, Incosol and Suite del Mar – and it can be fun for a change to eat “espetos” (sardines) in the fishing harbour (from the USP Hospital towards Marbella), as well as dining at friends’ homes – all wonderful summer events.

I enjoyed a performance of Carmen at the Marbella theatre; I went to the opening of Artique in Puerto Banús, where they had some beautiful art deco pieces, of an exceptionally high standard; and I thoroughly enjoyed my friend Tom Cowsert‘s

exhibition in Guadalmina. In Sotogrande, there was a stunning Dior fashion show in the gardens of a private home. It was quite innovative how they used illuminated umbrellas to light up the models, and they had the most gorgeous outfits.

The gala season also continued in August. The most important was Concordia at the beach club of the Hotel Marbella Club. Princess Marie-Louise of Prussia always organises a stunning party: it was a beautiful summer night, with lots of people, great entertainment, and some guests even making generous outright donations to the association, which raises funds for AIDS patients.

My first gala as president of Marbella Rotary Club had nearly 450 people and I received a lot of compliments. Our first Rotary meeting after the summer will be at Puente Romano Hotel on 1 September, and continuously after that every Tuesday, with a cocktail between 8.30 and 9pm followed by the meeting between 9 and 10pm.

All Rotarians are welcome and if anybody would like to join any of the evenings, please call us and let us know.

Mario Guarnieri from the BMW dealership organised a new way of exhibiting: sports cars mixed with art, on this occasion the Pagani and artists Alejandro Hermann and Osvaldo Lobalzo – with everybody dressed in white.

This year the annual fight against cancer gala was held at the High Care Clinic, and hosted by Dr Hernán Cortés-Funes, one of Spain’s most eminent oncologists. There were 300 people attending but it seemed more intimate than in previous years, almost like a friends’ party – perhaps because it was held in the clinic’s lovely gardens.

Of all the parties, however, the one that really stood out was the spectacular official opening of the Finca Cortesín hotel. There were different “stations”, like in the US, with each offering appetisers of pasta, seafood, sushi, salads, etc., a big jazz band and singers from St-Tropez. It was a magical night, absolutely out of this world.

Later this year, from 29 October to 1 November, the Finca Cortesín golf club will be hosting the Volvo World March Play Championship, so the Coast will once again be in the international spotlight.

In the meantime, I am very positive about how things are going, and I’m sure we’re going to have a good autumn. To finish off, I would like to offer some examples of our best offers: apartment, frontline beach, three bedrooms, furnished, never been rented, ¤370.000; one villa in Nueva Andalucía, 1,200 square metre plot, 450 square metres built, ¤1,200,000 (price can still be negotiatiated), with lots of light and views.

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EVENTS & SOUND

Best of both worlds

Porsche Panamera

ON THE ROAD

Nimble and poised RACING DRIVER, MOTORING AUTHOR AND PHOTOJOURNALIST IAN KUAH PROVIDES SOCIETY LIVING READERS WITH AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW OF THE EAGERLY AWAITED PORSCHE PANAMERA

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tyling is a personal thing, but if a Porsche fails the driving dynamics test then it truly is a dead loss. At this crunch point, the Panamera not only rises above all expectations: it also comes up with a few surprises to boot.

However, the model that was the great surprise to the seat of my driving pants was not the bombastically quick, all-singing, alldancing 4WD, PDK-equipped Turbo, but rather the rear-wheel-drive, naturally aspirated Panamera S. Apart from having just 395bhp and 500Nm of torque to propel 1,770kg, the Europeanspec, entry-level Panamera S has a manual sixspeed gearbox, with PDK as an option.

Being a Porsche, its pedals are perfectly arranged for heel-and-toe-work and the naturally aspirated V8 engine is gutsy and responsive. The 5.6 sec 0-100km/h time and 285km/h top speed are not too shabby but, as is frequently the case, stopwatch numbers do not tell the whole story.

Real world flexibility is far more important, and a relevant comparison with the smaller, lighter Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which has similar power to the Panamera S, was a real eyebrow raiser.

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ON THE ROAD

Aesthetically, the hunch-backed form of the Panamera is an acquired taste that some will never acquire. But there is no getting away from the fact that, in driving dynamic terms, this first attempt at a four-door saloon has all the hallmarks of another relentlessly thorough Porsche engineering job.

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In its original 4.3 litre form, the V8 Vantage is powerful enough at the top end of its rev band, but is seriously torque deficient low down. The current 4.7 is just about adequate in this respect, but could still be better.

In parenthesis, with just 100cc more, the 300kg heavier 4.8 litre Porsche has bags of low speed grunt and never feels underpowered or lacking in torque. It’s direct-injection, drysumped DOHC V8 motor also eats the Aston V8 for fuel economy, despite carrying a much heavier car on its back.

The Panamera S is a big car, both in length and width, and on small roads it never really shrinks around you like some other big cars do.

Rather, it astonishes with its nimbleness, grip and poise, and you soon learn that you can lean on it really hard in the bends.

Unlike the 4WD version, whose road-holding limits are beyond what you should responsibly be looking for on a public road, you can play with the Panamera S. Trail braking into bends, moving the tail gently outwards and then squeezing on the power as you come off the heel and toe is quite satisfying for the experienced driver and, as I said, this base model is not exactly lacking in power or torque.

My test car had the optional air suspension, which is standard gear for the Turbo. The clever active roll bars that de-couple on straights to the benefit of ride quality conspire with the air suspension to remove all vestiges of roll in the bends.

In the course of my conversation with Weissach suspension guru, engineer Georg 56

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Wahl, I raised the issue of the cornering roll clearly seen in the video footage of a Panamera cornering hard.

“Aha!” he said, “what you saw is the 1.5 degrees of roll resulting from tyre wall deflection. The suspension itself has zero roll. The steel sprung version, however, rolls about 1.5 degrees. Add tyre wall deflection to this and you end up with near three degrees of roll on the limit.”

Having been a passenger in both front and rear seats on rough and smooth test roads at Weissach some months before, I was quite prepared to be impressed, but the four-door Porsche delivered way beyond expectations in both ride and handling on real world roads.

Comfort mode cossets, as you would expect of a Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-Series.

However, what surprised me was that, while Sport mode improved body control over undulations, it did not put an edge on the ride as some rival systems do. And this is with the optional 20-inch wheels that the suspension was calibrated for from day one.

The bigger surprise was that Sport+ mode was still comfortable where the equivalent systems in BMW M and AMG cars move up to downright stiff on this setting.

Driving the impressive new E63 AMG the day after simply underlined the superiority of the Panamera’s chassis comfort, although admittedly the Porsche belongs to the size and price class above.

The secret, of course, is in Porsche’s unique twin-chamber air suspension design. Where you would increase the spring rates in a conventional suspension system, you increase

the air pressure and rubber wall thickness in an air suspension system. However, thicker walls introduce a mechanical stiffness that negatively impacts on the secondary ride over small deflections.

This is the reason AMG use steel springs for the front suspension of the E63 AMG, as the front end load is constant. The rear, which requires selflevelling to cope with varying passenger and luggage loads, retains air suspension.

Porsche side-stepped this issue by using a twin-chamber air spring. In Comfort or Sport mode, the large air volume of both chambers is employed, but when you move to Sport+ an internal valve switches the system to one chamber, with a setting equivalent to three times spring rate of Comfort, while dropping the ride height by 25 millimetres.

This effectively gives you a limo or a sports saloon on call at the touch of a button, with no compromise; while at the other end of the versatility scale the air suspension allows you to raise the ride height 20mm above normal to clear ramps.

Where the Panamera S is quick, the 1,970kg Turbo is seriously quick; 493bhp and 700Nm of torque is fed to all four wheels, guaranteeing perfect traction off the line. With the optional Sport Chrono Package, 0-100km/h is dismissed in 4.2 seconds, while the other benchmarks of 160km/h and 200km/h are passed in 9.0 and 13.9 seconds respectively. Top speed is 303km/h.

The seven-speed PDK gearbox keeps the twin-turbo motor in a boosting frenzy when you have your right foot pinned to the carpet.

The seamless surge of acceleration only really

ON THE ROAD

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ON THE ROAD tapers off past 240km, after which it climbs more slowly, but still resolutely, towards the 300km/h mark.

Fall into a gentle cruise on the autobahn and the Turbo motor is turning just 2,800rpm at 200km/h, or 3,200rpm in the naturally aspirated version with PDK. The lower geared six-speed manual will be doing 4,200rpm at this speed.

The Panamera Turbo is a truly awesome car, yet it is almost too capable. In this respect it reminds me of the Bugatti Veyron, whose seven-league boots and towering abilities are well beyond the roads it prowls, not to mention the skill level of the vast majority of its owners.

Because of that, the entry-level Panamera S six-speed manual is the more engaging steer. It is fast, but not too fast, and requires a level of driver input that is sufficient to be entertaining when you are in the mood, but not too demanding when you just want to get from Ato-B in comfort.

Comfort is certainly a Panamera strong suit.

Whatever you might think of the Panamera’s looks, its plush, ultra-modern interior is a masterpiece of design, ergonomics and build quality. A huge amount of attention has been paid to details.

Open a door and examine the areas around the shuts not normally seen by occupants. The use of materials like rubber, plastics and metal, and their finishing around the glass and locks, is

TECHNICAL FILE Porsche Panamera (Turbo) Engine: 4.8L twin turbo V8 Maximum Power: 500 PS (493 bhp; 368 kW) Maximum torque: 700 Nm (71 kgm) Transmission: 7-speed PDK Performance: Vmax: 303 km/ h, 0-100 km/h: 4.2 sec Fuel consumption (combined): L/100km CO2 emissions: 286 g/km Fuel tank capacity: 100 litres Price: ¤135,000 (approx.)

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simply top class, as is the way the interior trim has been designed, specified and assembled.

Whether you are in the front or rear of the cabin, the seats are very comfortable and supportive in all the right places. This is a relatively low car, but thanks to the slightly ungainly rear roofline the Panamera largely avoids the scalp bashing you can experience if you are not careful when entering the rear of a Mercedes CLS or VW Passat CC. Headroom in the back is very good and, at 1.7 metres, I had plenty of air above my head, along with generous legroom, even with a tall person sitting comfortably in the front seat ahead.

Aesthetically, the hunch-backed form of the Panamera is an acquired taste that some will never acquire. But there is no getting away from the fact that, in driving dynamic terms, this first attempt at a four-door saloon has all the hallmarks of another relentlessly thorough Porsche engineering job.

Unlike the Cayenne, which shares significant amounts of its structure and major components with the VW Touareg, the Panamera is a real clean sheet of paper car, something that is becoming increasingly rare these days because of cost considerations.

In performance, ride and handling, the Panamera trumps highly acclaimed super saloons like the ageing BMW M5 and the brand new E63 AMG, while offering limousine class ride comfort and a fabulous interior and

hatchback load versatility. It truly does provide the best of both worlds.

However, its unique, avant-garde looks, and the sheer depth and breadth of its talents, put the Porsche Panamera in a class of its own. In the final analysis that is a good thing, and Porsche’s first ever four-door saloon is all the better for it.

FASHION FLAIR Dress – Lauren by Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles ¤225 Hat – Marina Rinaldi sale price, El Corte Ingles ¤69.60 Bag – Carolina Herrera, El Corte Ingles ¤490 Necklace – Agatha, El Corte Ingles ¤32 Bracelets – Agatha, El Corte Ingles ¤32 each Watch – Mont Blanc, El Corte Ingles ¤2900 Styled by Francesca Sellitri – Personal Shopper at El Corte Ingles

An elegant touch of TRADITION At this gorgeous time of the year, when days are meant for having fun and enjoying the sun, there is no better place to go than a polo match.

Dress up in this season’s finery from some of the Coast’s leading boutiques and sip Pimm’s and champagne while watching the players – and horses.

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FASHION FLAIR

Photography by Cj Hadlow Tel. 952 784 838 Mob. 622 227 006 Alter Ego Productions

Gilet – Lauren by Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles ¤185 Shirt – Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles ¤130 Trousers – Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles ¤240 Boots – Michael Kors, El Corte Ingles ¤275 Watch – Mont Blanc, El Corte Ingles ¤1950 Sunglasses – Ray Ban, El Corte Ingles ¤129 Bag – Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles ¤445 Styled by Francesca Sellitri – Personal Shopper at El Corte Ingles

Hair, makeup and styling by Laura Dee Shelley Tel. 663 310 342 lshelleymakeupartist@google.com Editorial Coordination: Jessica White Model: Natasha Franken (Target Models – www.targetmodels.com) Shot on location at Santa Maria Polo Club, Sotogrande

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FASHION FLAIR

Dress – Starlet ¤60 Jacket – Starlet ¤55 62

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FASHION FLAIR

Cardigan – Twist ¤79 Leggings – Twist ¤20 Necklace – Twist ¤75 Bracelet – Twist ¤59

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FASHION FLAIR Top – Twist ¤79 Leggings – Twist ¤20 Necklace – Twist ¤79 Bracelet – Twist ¤45

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FASHION FLAIR

Dress – Starlet ¤100 Necklace – Agent Provocateur ¤120 Bracelet – Agent Provocateur ¤90 w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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FASHION FLAIR Dress - Elle Morgan ¤149 Hat - Elle Morgan ¤75 Ring – Elle Morgan ¤75

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FASHION FLAIR

Dress - Elle Morgan ¤199 Jacket – Twist ¤99 Bracelet -Twist ¤110 w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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FASHION FLAIR Jacket – Itsomi ¤530.50 Dress – Itsomi ¤319 Bag – Elle Morgan ¤250

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FASHION FLAIR

Dress – Aftershock original price £74.99, sale price £37.49 Bag – Aftershock £53 Bracelet – Aftershock £25.99 Boots – Starlet original price ¤120, sale price ¤60 w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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FASHION FLAIR Dress – Nina B ¤329 Jacket – Nina B ¤550

Dress – Ikonia ¤48 Bracelet – Aftershock £9.99

Boutique Contacts Aftershock Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel. 00350 20060100

Ikonia Boutique Puerto de la Duquesa Tel. 952 892 970

Agent Provocateur Muelle Ribero, Puerto Banus Tel. 952 810 171

Itsomi Blue Sotogrande, Sotogrande Tel. 956 616 584

El Corte Ingles Puerto Banus Personal Shopper – Francesca Sellitri Tel. 679 673 555

Nina B C/ Las Malvas, Nueva Andalucia Tel. 952 907 020

Elle Morgan Laguna Village Tel. 647 869 831

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Starlet Puerto Banus Tel. 952 907 601 Twist CC La Colonia, San Pedro Tel. 952 781 493

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ELLE MORGAN LOUNGEWEAR & LEISUREWEAR – NEW STORE NOW OPEN! Unit 1 (next to Terra Sana), Laguna Village, N340 Estepona Heidi Klein Vivarini OndadeMar Elizabeth Hurley Michelle Jonas LA Ted Baker Bibi Alhaja Jewellery The Branch UGG now in stock

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SALES STARTS FRIDAY 3rd JULY

MASSIVE REDUCTIONS

HEALTH & FITNESS

Celebrityshape-upwith

Nicki Waterman TOP TRAINER TO THE STARS OFFERS USEFUL ADVICE FOR A HEALTHIER AND FITTER LIFESTYLE – AND VALUABLE TIPS TO LOSE THOSE EXTRA KILOS We reveal how Cheryl Cole and Beyonce look great in their bikinis BEAUTIFUL BOTTOMS – BEYONCE KNOWLES, 27 Whether on stage or on the beach, Beyonce loves showing off her curves. A long-time champion of hourglass figures, Beyonce said recently: “I think it’s important to look like a woman. It’s sexier when it doesn’t look like you go to the gym all the time. I feel best when I’m not really thin and not really heavy – when I’m curvy.” But the Bootylicious babe admits that keeping her curves in the right places takes self-discipline. “I’m a natural fat person just dying to get out,” she says. “I’m not one of those people who doesn’t have to work at it. I can’t eat what I want, and I can’t not go to the gym. If I have a really long day of dancing in rehearsals, then I’ll run maybe three miles (five kilometres) – if not, then I’ll run six.” And Beyonce has learned to balance between eating healthily and treating herself. “I go through phases,” she says. “But right now I’m being good and eating veg and drinking water. If I snack it’ll be fruit or yoghurt-covered almonds.”

How you can get Beyonce’s bottom: Hit the road running – burns upwards of 475 calories an hour. Jogging three times a week will also tone up your glutes (bottom muscles).

Banning chocolate and burgers will only make you crave them. Try halving the number of unhealthy treats you consume; you’ll halve your calorie and fat intake and find it far easier to maintain.

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A F LAT STOMACH AND A CURVY BOTTO..M. ON THE BEACH

AMAZING ABS – CHERYL COLE, 26 Cheryl doesn’t leave anything to chance when it comes to staying in peak bikini shape. Last month the X-Factor star was rumoured to have visited Harrods and bought a £36,000 vacuum exercise bike designed to target fat on the tummy, thighs and bottom. Not that the pop star seems to need any help – her amazing abs are worked daily by vigorous dance routines for Girls Aloud. She said: “Try intense dancing for eight hours a day – I mean, no normal human being is not going to drop weight, are they, really?” Despite constant speculation about her weight Cheryl believes that staying in shape doesn’t have to mean missing out on your favourite treats. “I believe you should pig out once a week,” she says, “I usually do it on a Sunday because that’s also my hangover day.” The star, who was recently pictured tucking into a full plate of ham, egg and chips, said she dislikes getting too skinny.

“I hate looking thin. I don’t want to be up and down like a lollipop lady. It’s not a good look.”

How you can get Cheryl’s abs: Hit the floor – you don’t need to practise for eight hours; even a moderate dance workout burns seven calories per minute and also improves your flexibility, posture and stamina. Vigorous dancing such as salsa aerobics burns as many as 100 calories in 10 minutes. Pedal power: Forget the pricey bike Cheryl bought; pedalling on a normal two-wheeler or a stationary exercise bike shifts up to 700 calories an hour and will flatten jelly bellies in no time.

HEALTH & FITNESS SWAP… TOMATO PASTA SALAD WITH 304 CALORIES AND 12 GRAMS OF FAT PER 200-GRAM SERVING FOR… A THREE BEAN SALAD WITH 140 CALORIES AND 3 GRAMS OF FAT PER 200-GRAM SERVING

BREAK ALL THE DIET RULES!

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DID YOU KNOW?

t’s time to throw away that diet book and ditch the dreary rules that have you reaching for the biscuit tin in despair – we have the tips that will help you lose a dress size with minimal effort!

In a survey by a well-known chocolate maker in the UK, over half of the women questioned said they would choose chocolate over sex. While a 54-gram bar of Dairy Milk will give you 280 calories, 20 minutes of sex burns around 90!

Rule 1: Less calories = more weight loss?

Many women believe that the fewer calories they consume the more weight they will lose, but studies have shown that women who cut their calorie intake dramatically to less than 1,200 a day produce less of an appetiteregulating hormone called Leptin and double their hunger levels as a result! Instead you should quit calorie counting and eat a balance of wholegrain carbs, fruit and veg and lean protein. Also concentrate on creating muscle through exercise as this will increase your metabolism and help burn calories more efficiently.

CUT IT OUT! Cutting back on liquid calories in drinks appears to lead to greater weight loss than cutting the same number of calories from food. Giving up your squashes, fizzy cans, juices and smoothies and switching to water may lend a special helping hand to speeding up summer weight loss.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Rule 2: Don’t eat after 6pm We’re constantly told not to eat anything, especially carbs, after 6pm – a little difficult for those of us not even leaving the office until that time. Luckily a study at the Dunn Nutrition Centre in Cambridge found that eating a large meal late at night didn’t make the body store extra fat. Actually, depriving yourself for so long can make you crave sugary foods instead as your blood sugar levels go crashing down. The key is to eat five or six smaller meals over the course of the day to keep your blood sugar stable and beat any midnight binges.

Rule 3: Ban bread Bread and other carbs are the mortal enemy for dieters. Plans such as the Atkins diet and the Zone diet have instilled an irrational belief that eating carbs will make us fat. In fact, there’s little research to prove that they cause excess flab, and eating carbs is a good way to fill us up, provide fibre and reportedly increase our serotonin levels for a natural mood boost.

Rule 4: Don’t do dessert Eating calorie-laden desserts is not going to help you lose weight, right? Wrong. Saving space for a small dessert can help you to control the amount you eat in your main course, while certain desserts may actually be a dieter’s best friend. A recent study by the Robarts Research Institute in Canada found naringenin, a flavonoid which gives citrus fruits their bitter taste, makes the liver burn fat instead of storing it after a meal. Lemon sorbets all round!

Question: I’m trying to diet but feel so tired, I keep snacking! What can I do?

Nicki says: Unhealthy snacking will cause your blood sugar levels suddenly to rise and then plummet, causing you to feel tired again.

You should switch to a low glycaemic index (GI) diet, as these foods will keep your blood sugar levels steady and prevent you snacking.

Try porridge, followed by a tuna pitta wrap for lunch. Take a multivitamin, too, as 40 per cent of UK women are deficient in iron, which leads to feelings of tiredness.

Rule 5: Fat makes you fat Admittedly some fats are going to lead to weight gain, but not if you choose healthy, unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, olive oil and oily fish, and slash your intake of saturated fats and trans fats found in butter, red meat and processed foods. Your body needs a minimum of 50-75 grams of fat a day to give you energy and keep your organs functioning properly. Fats can also help keep your skin, hair and nails strong and supple, and maintain a healthy fertility.

I’d love to hear from you, so email me your questions, tips and diet success stories to me at www.nickiwaterman.com

AND FINALLY… Adding Tabasco sauce or another hot chilli sauce or mustard at main meals has been shown to speed up the amount of calories you burn by up to 15 per cent for up to three hours after eating. w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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LATEST TRENDS

health&beauty COMPILED BY NICOLA McGEORGE PHOTOS CONRAD JONES

Each year the organic and natural skin care market moves on in leaps and bounds. Where in the past there was only a limited selection you can now find products that fight ageing, cellulite or even acne. Nowadays more and more of us are looking

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at the back of our products to see just exactly what ingredients we are putting on our skin. Here is my pick of sophisticated green products that actually work and don’t look and feel like they have been created in somebody’s kitchen.

NATURE’S best

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LATEST TRENDS TOP NEW RANGES, TREATMENTS AND NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MAKEUP, SKINCARE AND FRAGRANCE COMPLETELY NUDE Nude Skincare is synonymous with high-performance, results-driven skincare and sustainable, ethical values. Funded by Bryan Meehan of Fresh & Wild and Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson, they have pioneered the use of pre and probiotics in anti-ageing skincare. I tried out the facial scrub and loved the milky porridge texture which exfoliated and softened my skin, leaving my complexion even-toned. The delicious Body Moisturising Cream smells of my old garden back in England. With ingredients such as shea butter and sesame oil, it sinks in beautifully and doesn’t leave behind any greasy residue. Nude is tested on supermodels, not animals. www.nudeskincare.com

FLOWER POWER The mixture of sun creams, chlorine and too much sun is the perfect recipe for clogged up pores. If this is the case, I highly recommend filling up a bowl with hot water and adding Dr Hauschka Facial Steam Bath. After around five minutes apply the previously prepared Cleansing Clay Mask onto your moist skin. This is one hard-working, deep-cleaning treatment. The one thing I notice that people find difficult with the Hauschka range is the lack of night creams – Hauschka just don’t recommend it. However, they have now introduced their anti-ageing range and the Regenerating Serum is recommended for night-time use. The serum regulates the moisture content of the skin, leaving you with skin that feels fresh, firm and revitalised. Now there is no excuse not to try Dr Hauschka.

Stocked at El Corte Ingles; or visit www.drhauschka.com

INTELLIGENT NUTRIENTS Horst Rechelbacher, who gave us Aveda in the ‘80s, has now launched Intelligent Nutrients, a hair and body range.

They offer organic food-based products that can be used both internally or externally. You can even drink the Intelligent Nutrients’ hair spray. Apparently, if you add a little sparkling water, it tastes like Grappa, as the alcohol is made from organic grapes. I rate the Certified Organic Hair and Scalp Treatment Oil, which contains none of the petrochemicals that are often added to conditioner to help them slide easily through the hair. It managed to detangle my bale of straw (yes, that’s my hair), adding softness and shine. For once it actually felt like real hair.

GREEN SHOOTS Every year I suffer from heat rash and surprisingly it’s actually not just the sun that causes it. The mixture of sun cream and the heat will have me scratching in no time at all. I have tried even the most sensitive sun creams and still come up in lumps. A few months ago someone recommended Green People’s No Scent Children’s Sun Lotion SPF25 and what do you know: not a bump in sight. A life-saver. Other top sellers include the Aloe Vera Shower Bath, while the Foaming Hand Sanitizer is a perfect chemical-free way of preventing the spread of swine flu.

GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT If you suffer from inflammatory conditions such as acne, eczema or rosacea then Dr Alkatis Organic Soothing Gel is a godsend for you. This is a “living” skin care line, which means that none of the ingredients or the finished products are heated above body temperature, to avoid compromising the active components with traditional soothing and pain-relieving extracts. The Soothing Gel’s key ingredients include Organic Aloe Vera Gel and Witch Hazel, Greater Nettle, Myrrh, Sweet Weed, Balm Mint and Sea Oak, while its antibacterial properties also make it perfect for sensitive skin and post waxing, electrolysis or any hair removal procedure. Another star of the range is the ultimate therapeutic, Organic Universal Mask, which nourishes, soothes and calms inflamed skin www.alkaitis.co.uk

SEE THE LIGHT Neom Organic Aromatherapy Treatment Candles are made with 100 per cent natural vegetable waxes and pure essential oils. By not using paraffin wax and synthetic fragrance like the majority of candles on the market, you can rest assured that there will be no black soot or toxins floating around your room. Not only do they add light to your life but they will also lift your mood. Tranquillity with its English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine is perfect for that “me time” when you need to wind down, while Revitalise sharpens the mind with Thai Lemongrass, Mint and Rosemary. Perfect for when I am suffering from the dreaded writer’s block. www.neomorganics.com w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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Ladies’ pamper packages Pamper parties are available for you and your friends.

We offer a complete range of hair and beauty services designed to suit your needs.

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LOCAL TRENDS

health&beauty ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

PHOTOS DAVID TOMS

THIS MONTH NICOLA MCGEORGE REVIEWS THE WOOD HAIRDRESSING SALON, AND FINDS OUT ABOUT THEIR LEGENDARY HAIR-UP DOS, WEDDING FEVER AND, ARGUABLY, THE FINEST SALON INTERIOR ON THE COAST

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stressed out yummy mummy stomps into the salon on the verge of tears; the kids have been playing up, her husband isn’t helping and she hasn’t one ounce of energy left for tonight’s big party. The team at Wood gently sit her down, massage a hair treatment into her locks and then hand her a much-needed glass of wine. Within minutes she is relaxed and laughing again.

It is little touches like this that set this salon apart from others “It’s all about the experience,” explains Zoë. “Your husband or your friends can chill out outside with a magazine or have a drink at our bar while they

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wait for you. As for the distinctive interior design, I asked Jonty from Richard Lewis Interiors to create something that was modern yet classical at the same time. I wanted something different from the normal salon look and that would make clients happy.”

Three talented hairstylists and a renowned nail therapist make up this unique team, which is headed by Zoë Woods. Having owned one of the top ten Redken salons in the UK she certainly knows her stuff. “Hairdressing runs in our family,” she muses. “It used to be my mum (Myra Addison), my auntie and myself working alongside each other, before I dragged my mum off to Spain. We have worked on numerous shows, fashion shoots, photographic work and competitions, which has always kept us moving and inspired us. I am pleased with how my life has gone in this industry; my reputation is so important to me and I always care about what I do.”

Myra describes her style as modern and wacky and Zoë’s as refined and sophisticated, while the latest addition, Michele Edney, adds her own distinct flavour. “But we adapt to whatever our client needs,” adds Zoë. A perfect example of this is that I end up with an elegant half up do while our photographer David, to his delight, walks out with dreadlocks.

Not content with just colouring and cutting, the team can also do photographic makeup, weddings, colour analysis and nails.

“We have trained in everything,” laughs Myra.

“It keeps us on our toes and then clients do not need to go elsewhere.”

Weddings are another strong point. Myra says. “A lot of salons are frightened of up-dos.

If you have a staff of 30, at least 20 of them will go and hide at the mention of a wedding.

We love them and can cater for the whole bridal party, from hair to makeup. ”I can guarantee their hairstyles stay all night, even after a mad evening of dancing. I may have looked a little worse for wear but my hair was still in perfect condition.”

If your hair is on the thin side or you are fed up with waiting for it to grow, Zoë is

one of the best extension technicians on the Coast. Using Great Lengths, she customises them so they are extremely fine and natural looking. The problem is that the effect is so realistic none of her clients will admit to having extensions.

The salon also offers non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as botox, fillers and thread vein removal by Dr Gustavo Andriani. And, of course, no place of beauty would be complete without a nail specialist. With a loyal fan base, Lesley Lewis has been on the Coast for 17 years and is trained in all systems, though she favours Bio Sculpture. As for her pedicures, Zoë says that they leave her walking on air.

As I watch numerous clients skipping out of the salon with bouncy, shiny hair Myra turns to me and says, “Still, after all these years, nothing makes me happier than sending a client out the door looking beautiful.”

■ For more information: Tel. 952 771 791 / 645 089 399

Inside Urbanisation La Alzambra next to Dreamers disco in Puerto Banus ✭ Aerobic ✭ Step ✭ Spinn ✭ Pilates ✭ Yoga ✭ Box ✭ Strength ✭ Free parking ✭ We also have a kids park ✭ and much more

Tel: 952 907 090 info@qi-sport.com

LOCAL TRENDS

Ask the surgeon ...

CONTINUING OUR REGULAR SERIES OF ARTICLES ON LATEST TECHNIQUES AND TRENDS IN COSMETIC SURGERY, MARCO VRICELLA, CHIEF COSMETIC SURGEON OF ARIA MEDICAL GROUP, ANSWERS SOME COMMON QUESTIONS

Q

I am interested in breast augmentation but am confused as there are so many types of implants available – can you help me please?

A. Breast augmentation is one of the most

commonly requested procedures and you are right – there are many sizes and shapes of implants available, which give your surgeon the ability to choose the style which will give you the effect you are hoping to achieve. In general, there are two shapes of implant – round and anatomical (or teardrop). Anatomical implants are used when the patient is looking for a very natural-looking result. Those people who want a full and rounded look with a good proportion of upper fullness will usually need round implants. Your surgeon is also able to choose, in discussion with you, the type of projection the implant will have. This is the height of the implant and there are many projections available.

Your surgeon is also able to suggest where the incisions should be made. The three choices are:

1.

2.

3.

In the sub-mammary fold, beneath the breast Around the nipple, or In the armpit

He will also explain whether the implants should be placed in front of or behind the muscle, again depending on the amount of glandular tissue you have and what you are hoping to achieve. As always, the best possible advice will be given to you at your consultation. Your surgeon will examine you and talk to you about the look you want to have after surgery and will then explain what type of implant he thinks is best to achieve this.

If you have a question you would like to ask our panel of cosmetic surgery experts, write to: editorial@societylivingmagazine.com

ARIA MEDICAL GROUP British General Medical Council Registration Number: 6104241 Spanish General Medical Council Registration Number: 280840139 Tel. 952 895 088 / 671 639 353

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Q

How do I go about finding a reputable surgeon?

A. This is a very good and often asked

question. Some basic things to ask your surgeon before deciding to go ahead with surgery are: ■ What is your experience of doing this type of cosmetic surgery?

■ How long have you been a plastic surgeon?

■ How many of these operations do you carry out each year?

■ Are you a member of the GMC (General Medical Council)? If so, what is your registration number?

■ Do you have any additional certification/qualifications that make you more experienced in performing this operation?

■ Are you on the Specialist Register for Plastic Surgeons?

■ Can I see some “before and after” photographs of patients you have operated on?

■ Can I speak to any of your past patients?

LOCAL TRENDS

health&beauty The QUEST for

perfect skin

NICOLA MCGEORGE VISITS THE NEW DERMALOGICA SKIN BAR AT EL CORTE INGLÉS, COSTA MARBELLA, TO FIND OUT WHAT IS BEHIND ALL THE HYPE

s ’ OFFER READERS age into El Corte Inghle

this p nt wit that take icroZone treatme rs e d a re 0 M 5 t ry rs ta The fi limen e a comp will receiv e value of ¤50. trials, to th

egular readers will know that I am not easily swayed into using different skincare products. Yes, I will test them in order to review them, but I have a system that works for me and always go back to it. Why would Dermalogica be any different? I obviously know a lot about the range and am well aware of its celebrity following. Victoria Beckham calls the MultiVitamin Power Recovery Masque her little ambulance in a tube, while Danni Minogue is a fan of Demalog.

The bar itself is state of the art and all staff are hand-picked, professional aestheticians who will not sell you a product without a skin mapping. Their free skin mapping service segregates your skin into 14 zones and helps to determine your exact skin type and find products designed to match your needs. This is fantastic. Think how many products you have purchased only to get home and realise it doesn’t agree with you.

R

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I sat down and was offered a bottle of water to help rehydrate my skin, while I filled out a form stating what I wanted to change about my skin. Easy: fewer sun lines around my eyes.

Lee O’Brien, director of Dermal Group Spain, cleansed and exfoliated my skin before putting on some scary looking goggles to take a closer look. “Well, you have blackheads around your t-zone,” she commented. “You are also very dehydrated on your cheeks and the eye area.” I was given a prescription list of which products she recommended for my skin type and, most importantly, the time of day I should use them.

Lee then applied them all onto my skin.

“A lot of people want to know what their moisturiser feels like before they buy it,” she explained. “If you buy two or more products at the bar we can offer you a Dermalogica MicroZone treatment. These are the new era of skin care designed for those who are always on the go. These quick pick me up treatments are designed to target specific concerns with

maximum results in the minimum of time. For instance, we get a lot of women coming in here that are on holiday and they have had a major breakout. We put a mask on for them and some serums and when they leave the pimples are near enough gone.”

I left with enough samples to last me two weeks and decided to properly give Dermalogica a go and see if Lee could really convert me. Well, after the first week my skin tone evened out and I was able to wear a lot less makeup. I had numerous comments about how well I looked, how glowing I was, and one friend even asked if I had had an eyelift. Hmmmm! As much as I wanted to hit him I had to agree my skin looked amazing. By the second week I had to admit defeat and have now bought the whole range. Thanks Lee… I think!

■ Dermalogica Skin Bar at El Corte Inglés, Costa Marbella Tel. 952 909 990 www.elcorteingles.es

Shanti Som Health & Beauty Academy, Bel Air, Estepona

Hair extension specialists So good, no one knows!

Manola Santana Tennis

Before

Istán Kings Palace

Aloha

‘‘WOOD Le Village’’ San Pedro

Coral Beach

Mosque Olivia Valere

La Trinidad

Puenta Romano Hotel Marbella

Tel: 952 771 791/645 089 399 After

GEL Nail courses available

zoewoods0@gmail.com ‘Le Village’ Local No 12 Ctra. Istan, 29600 Marbella (next to Olivia Valere Nightclub)

GOURMET CLUB THE SCHILO EXPERIENCE

Culinary delights in a relaxed ambience WORDS JESSICA WHITE PHOTOS RUTH JONES

A

fter hearing and reading about the last visit to Schilo restaurant at Finca Cortesin, I was the first to volunteer my editorial services and be the next representative to try the sumptuous degustación menu.

Schilo Van Coevorden had once again asked Society Living to invite a group of guests who were sure to enjoy the gastronomic delights he would prepare for us. I personally couldn’t wait to taste the delicious dishes I had heard so much about and I was, secretly, hoping we would be given the other tasting menu to the one my colleagues had enjoyed previously, so that this time I could enthral them with tales of what we ate.

The menu is described as a “unique tasting experience with flavours from Asia, the Middle East and Europe”, and we certainly were not disappointed.

The group of people was very easy to select as, like me, they had already heard much about the restaurant and its talented chef, and wanted to sample his clever concoctions.

‘‘

Mau – As a food lover it is the best place to come on the Coast

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The 10 of us were seated in the middle of the restaurant so we could see the kitchen and what the chefs were preparing but still benefit from the ambience in the restaurant. The maitre’d described the meal to us and explained that the sommelier had chosen wines to suit every dish. One of the guests didn’t eat meat while another didn’t eat fish, so Schilo presented them with a variation of what the other guests were given – something all the diners felt was a lovely touch.

‘‘

Maria Rogers – The dessert can only be described as a masterpiece

’’

What we ate: ■ Snacks, canapés and babaganoosh – an Arabic dish made from aubergine ■ Smoked duck spring roll ■ Pannacota made from tofu with caviar and gold leaf ■ Green tomato gazpacho with cucumber sorbet and octopus salad ■ Foie gras gyoza with sesame and truffle sauce ■ Soft shell crab ■ Lamb chops with rice, vegetables and corn foam ■ Lychee with ice cream of sake ■ Chocolate mousse decorated as a beach with a coffee bean in a shell

GOURMET CLUB

The evening was another complete success and everyone agreed that the restaurant was one of, if not, the best they had ever had the privilege of visiting. The atmosphere was relaxed and, having never met before, everyone left as friends rather than guests, a sure sign that we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

A culinary delight, the different tastes and flavours produced in the dishes were outstanding and the ambience of the restaurant made it a truly memorable night. The fact that you can see what the chef prepares in the open kitchen, and you can tell that each dish is created with skill and flair, makes it a great experience and one I am sure we will all try again.

‘‘

Jane – The pannacota was such a clever, delicate dish and the gazpacho gets 10/10

’’

‘‘

Ruth – The lamb chops were definitely my favourite course, they were so succulent

’’

Who attended: Maria Rogers – manager of Stephen Webster Maria Rzhevskaya – actress and singer (featured on Society Living’s August front cover) Slava Rzhevskaya Mau Sardo – owner of Domosat Emma Sardo Jane Clark – owner of Twist Boutique Andy Clark – publisher of Society Living and Beautiful Home magazines Jessica White – features editor of Society Living Fay Jones – sales director of Society Living Ruth Jones – photographer

www.societylivingmagazine.com

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FINE DINING

BORA BORA

Elegant beachside dining fused with exotic tastes PHOTOS DAVID TOMS

I

t holds the reputation as one of the prettiest seafront stretches in Marbella, with a manicured promenade, generous sea views, which often extend as far as the coast of Africa, a wide sandy beach and a good selection of chiringuitos and beach restaurants. But the jewel in the crown and one of the names most synonymous with San Pedro beachside is Bora Bora – the popular beach club and restaurant located in the picturesque Linda Vista area at the far end of San Pedro beach.

Bora has remained something of an institution on the Coast for years but its recent renovation, changes to the overall concept and improvements to the menu now provide an even more sought-after beachside experience.

Bora Bora occupies extensive grounds which sprawl from the broad, sandy beach with palmshaded beach beds, through the attractive restaurant and bar area, on to lush gardens with a giant swimming pool.

There is an impressive choice of areas to choose from, whether you’d like to spend a relaxing day at the pool or beach, sip cocktails and drinks in the lounge bar, or enjoy an al fresco fine dining experience by day or night with attentive service and a charming setting.

The menu at Bora Bora features all the trappings of a classic Mediterranean beach restaurant – fresh, healthy ingredients, an abundance of fish and seafood – but also offers a distinctly Italian flavour. “Sapore di Mare” (Taste ■ Bora Bora Paseo Marítimo San Pedro Tel. 952 789 100 Open daily for lunch and dinner

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of the Sea) appears across the front of both the daytime and evening menu; it is definitely worth sampling something from the excellent fish and seafood selection. The evening menu includes some slightly more elaborate dishes although house classics and the most popular dishes feature across each.

A typical culinary outing to Bora Bora might begin with something from the choice of colourful salads which includes classics such as Caesar, Nicoise, Caprese… as well as more unusual numbers such as the Tommy Salad – smoked salmon, fruits, manchego and French dressing – or the exotic lobster salad with potato, kiwi, pineapple and curry vinaigrette. Other enticing starters include steamed mussels, clams in white wine and bass tartar.

During the day, diners can choose from a good range of classic beach dishes – grilled tiger prawns, crayfish, sea bass, salmon, bream and sole – and the magnificent mixed grilled “seafood festival”, which is a sure talking point around the table and perfect to share.

The more sophisticated, although nonetheless delicious, main fish dishes blend European with more exotic flavours in creations such as the salmon “Samoa” style with a spicy tomato sauce; turbot with mustard and curry sauce; cassolet of monk fish and mussels in coconut sauce; and Mauri-style crab in spicy sauce.

The delicious seafood risotto is interestingly served with saffron and chilli; while the decadent lobster risotto is prepared with coconut and pineapple. Another must at Bora Bora are the fresh pasta dishes: spaghetti “Bora Bora” with seafood and crayfish; fresh beef ravioli with tomato, mushroom, chilli and piemonte cheese; prawn ravioli with tomato and goat’s cheese; and ricotta tortellini with pine nuts and honey.

The meat dishes are served elegantly and are characteristically Mediterranean in style. Choose from the classic veal escalope in lemon or Marsala sauce; succulent sirloin in cream and mushroom sauce; tartar of fillet mignon; and racked loin of lamb with sage and rosemary.

Last, but by no means least, is the highly recommended list of wines, combining an excellent choice of Italian, French and Spanish from their most prominent wine regions, with a good selection of champagne for an added touch or special occasion.

FINE DINING 14 ON THE QUAY

Creative cuisine in a chic marina setting PHOTOS JOHN J WOOD

O

ne of Gibraltar’s special charms is that it has managed to maintain an appealing balance between tradition and modernity. In recent years, as the institutional stand-off with Spain has eased (the Spanish foreign minister made an historic visit to the Rock this summer), as the real estate market has not only resisted, but also confounded, trends elsewhere and as the weakening pound has enhanced its status as a shopping paradise, Gibraltar has quietly flourished – establishing itself as a fashionable and cosmopolitan destination for visitors from the Costa del Sol seeking new experiences, or simply a chilled-out weekend getaway.

■ 14 on the Quay Queensway Quay Gibraltar Reservations: Tel. (+350) 200 43731 Open seven days a week, closed Sunday night 92

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Obviously, one of the more pleasant experiences of living in southern Europe is fine dining, especially al fresco during the warmer months, and this is one area where the new Gibraltar shines.

Situated on Gibraltar’s prestigious Queensway Quay, the 14 on the Quay restaurant brings together all the ingredients that discerning diners seek for a memorable gastronomic experience: relaxing and expansive setting overlooking the marina; simple yet elegant ambience, with stylish table settings, entrancing paintings from Bali and an open kitchen; flexible opening hours (11am to 11pm) and menu, including light dishes, exquisite a la carte and weekly specials. And, most importantly in today’s economic climate, reasonable prices.

In fact, owner and head chef Mike Forster does sometimes rue the fact that the restaurant looks so classy and trendy that some people strolling along the picturesque quay,

admiring the multi-million-pound townhouses and luxury boats lining the waterfront, have the wrong perception – and keeping walking.

“Some people think it’s posh and expensive,” he says, “whereas we’re not. We’re exceptionally well-priced.”

Originally from Cardiff, Mike worked in various top restaurants in Kent and London – Langan’s (where Richard Shepherd, one of Britain’s first Michelin-star chefs, taught him that the secret to success is consistency), Le Souffle, Le Caprice, The Ivy, Stephen Bull – before moving to Hong Kong where he was able to fulfil his passion for Asia and Asian cuisine. He returned to the UK five and half years later, and was offered a job as head chef at The Caleta Hotel in Gibraltar. During his six years there, he became the first chef to obtain two AA Rosettes. Then, last October, he and a business partner from Denmark took over 14 on the Quay, located in the midst of an attractive promenade, also including a curry house, Spanish meson, pub-style eatery and chill-out lounge, ideal for a pre-dinner glass of champagne or a late-night cocktail.

The 14 on the Quay menu is varied and ample for all tastes and budgets, including one of Mike’s special creations featured here, a main course brochette of king prawns and exotic fruit with a Thai fruit salad; and, pure joy for dessert lovers, a warm baked chocolate pudding with coconut ice cream and cardamom biscuits.

Another speciality, for starters, is the mixed game terrine of wild boar (imported in bulk from the UK, as is the lamb), venison and quail served with apricot chutney.

Clients are welcome to pop in for a midmorning coffee or afternoon tea (free wireless internet is available); and the restaurant is also ideal for business lunches and special celebrations.

Avda. Mar del Sur, Torreguadiaro, Cadiz.

Tel: 956 615 833 Plaza de los Naranjos, Puerto Sotogrande.

Tel: 956 790 392

S OTO G R A N D E ■

ESTEPONA ■

SAN PEDRO ■

P U E R TO B A N U S ■

s t n a r u a t s e R

N U E VA A N D A L U C I A ■

MARBELLA

Oriental THAI GALLERY Location: Puerta de Banús Tel. 952 818 392 Creative cuisine with professional service and lively atmosphere.

Open daily for dinner.

International BUDDHA BEACH Location: Urb. Marina Villa (beachside) Tel. 952 813 882 Luxurious Balinese setting with al fresco restaurant serving an appetising selection of dishes FROM TRADITIONAL MEDITERRANEAN TO A WIDE SELECTION OF INTERNATIONAL CUISINE ranging from fresh seafood platters to Thai fusion cuisine, sushi, salads and lighter SOTOGRANDE CASARES WEST OF SAN PEDRO creative dishes. A “snack and wrap” menu can be enjoyed from International International Italian Buddha’s beach beds.

Guide to fine dining

KE BAR

SCHILO

LA PAPPARDELLA

Location: Frontline port Tel. 956 793 333 Chic venue ideal for watching the world pass by with snacks and full meals.

Location: Ctra. de Casares Tel. 952 937 800 www.fincacortesin.com Gourmet Asian-fusion cuisine created by world-class chef Schilo Van Corvorden at the Finca Cortesin hotel and golf resort. Superb service, elegant setting and excellent wine list.

Location: Laguna Village Tel. 952 807 354 Popular Italian restaurant group which made its mark in London and Puerto Banús. Extensive list of dishes made using finest Italian ingredients, and great service. A fine dining experience in chic, luxurious surroundings.

FLAHERTY’S Location: Frontline port Tel. 956 790 390 Lively Irish bar and restaurant with well-priced snacks and full dishes – fun ambience and live music evenings.

BENAHAVIS International TABERNA DEL ALABADERO Location: Crta. de Ronda Km. 167 Tel. 952 812 794 www.alabaderoresort.com Creative inexpensive cuisine, in elegant surroundings including stunning garden setting .

BUBBLES Location: Plaza Antonio Banderas, TIBV Tel. 606 070 979 Superb international cuisine and cocktails in stunning Balinese roof terrace setting (adjoining al fresco lounge bar and stylish nightclub). Menu includes selection of hot and cold starters, creative sushi and sashimi, fresh fish and delicious meat dishes.

Excellent service from multilingual restaurant team.

NUEVA ANDALUCÍA International MAGNA CAFÉ

SAN PEDRO

Location: Magna Marbella Golf, Tel. 952 929 578 www.magnacafe.com Exquisite cuisine in stunning surroundings. Bar and large terrace with breathtaking views.

International

EL GIRASOL

Location: Avda. del Prado Tel. 952 813 859 Superb service and excellent Location: C.C. La Colonia food from award-winning chefs Tel. 952 781 583 Michel and Paul. Attractive www.passioncafe.eu Fresh and creative food served surroundings and pleasant patio throughout the day. Fantastic terrace overlooking golf valley. breakfasts, salads, wok dishes, Open every evening for dinner. fajitas, burgers, wraps and sandwiches. Daily specials and STARZ MARBELLA superb evening menu. Eclectic Location: C.C. Centroplaza décor and pleasant ambience. Tel: 952 816 313 www.starzmarbella.com International food with all-day PUERTO BANÚS breakfast and extensive lunch menu. Open Monday to Italian Saturday 8.30am–5pm. Free wifi.

PASSION CAFÉ

MACCHERONI Location: Jardines del Puerto Tel. 951 703 175 Fashionable pizzeria serving authentic Italian specialities.

Takeaway available. Open every night from 8pm.

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TERRA SANA Location: near Andalucía Plaza Tel. 952 906 205 The in place to be seen.

Renowned for its tasty and healthy dishes.

New tapas menu in the lounge/bar every day

EAST OF MARBELLA ■

FUENGIROLA ■

BENALMADENA

EVITA BY BUENOS AIRES Italian Location: Avda. del Prado Tel. 952 929 620 Superb Argentinean cuisine.

Friendly and efficient service.

Golf views on a beautiful terrace. Open every night from 7.30pm onwards.

Italian REGINA’S

TERRAZA DUAL

s t n a r u a Rest

Location: Marbella Mar Tel. 952 925 250 www.terrazadual.com Great service and attractive surroundings. Home-made dishes. Take away also available.

DA BRUNO

Location: near Andalucía Plaza Tel. 952 814 529 Elegant surroundings with highquality Italian dishes ranging from traditional to creative. Open for dinner, Monday to Saturday.

Location: (also San Pedro, Marbella and Cabopino) Tel. 952 857 521 Fresh and fabulous Italian food served in lively surroundings.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

YANX CAFÉ

BAYRES

Location: Centro Plaza Tel. 952 818 861 www.cafeyanx.com A prized location and lively atmosphere make this a great choice all-round.

Location: opp. Marbella Club Tel. 952 863 922 Authentic Argentinean cuisine including meat specialities fresh from the grill. Attractive décor, including cocktail bar.

Oriental

MARBELLA

THAI BANGKOK

International

Location: Plaza de Las Orquídeas Tel. 952 813 603 Traditional Thai and Asian cuisine made from the freshest ingredients.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

ZOZOÏ

GOLDEN M ILE

Location: Plaza Altamirano Tel. 952 858 868 Old converted house provides perfect atmosphere for cuisine with a difference.

Oriental

SANTIAGO

SUKHOTHAI Location: Marbella Mar Tel. 952 770 550 Fabulous Thai cuisine, with intimate surroundings and cosmopolitan décor.

TAI PAN Location: Puente Romano Tel. 952 777 893 Enjoy cocktails at Polynesian bar before sampling oriental cuisine in beautiful surroundings.

International VILLA TIBERIO Tel. 952 771 799 Highly popular restaurant set within stylish surroundings, al fresco at its best.

VICTOR’S BEACH

Location: Paseo Marítimo Tel. 952 770 078 www.restaurantesantiago.com Considered the “dean” of Marbella restaurants, specialising in fish and seafood from throughout Spain as well as wide range of international dishes.

GARUM Location: Paseo Marítimo Tel. 952 858 858 www.garummarbella.com Great for drinks, snacks and à la carte dining. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner Open seven days.

THE ORANGE TREE Location: Orange Square Tel. 952 924 613 / 680 224 457 Creative contemporary cuisine, with innovative new menu every six weeks. Open daily for dinner from 6.30 till late; early evening menu until 8pm.

Location: El Ancon Playa Tel. 639 553 088 A Costa del Sol institution, popular with visiting celebrities BECKITT’S and residents alike.

Location: C/ Camilo José Cela Tel. 952 868 898 SUITE www.beckittsmarbella.com Location: Hotel Puente Romano Creative cuisine and fine wines in Tel. 952 820 900 a relaxed and friendly atmoStunning restaurant and lounge sphere. Excellent service. Open serving superb Moroccan and daily for dinner from 6.30pm Mediterranean cuisine in with “early bird menu”; seasonal luxurious surroundings. specials and full à la carte.

w w w. s o c i e t y l i v i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

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S OTO G R A N D E ■

ESTEPONA ■

SAN PEDRO ■

P U E R TO B A N U S ■

TERRA SANA

BYBLOS

Location: Nueva Andalucía Tel. 952 906 205 Freshly made, lovingly prepared food which uses the best possible ingredients. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Location: Elviria Tel: 952 836 208 Traditional Lebanese cuisine including a wide variety of vegetarian dishes..

Italian

NIKKI BEACH

Location: Hotel Don Carlos (beachside) Nikki’s signature “global” cuisine ZAFFERANO served in luxurious beach club Location: Calle Gloria 12 surroundings either on the palmTel. 952 863 125 Beautiful renovated old town shaded al fresco terrace, or from one of the oversized beach beds. house with modern Italian cuisine in elegant surroundings. An extensive choice of international dishes inspired by Nikki’s Excellent service and worldwide locations including presentation. first-class sushi platters, creative salads and a fine dining menu.

CASA NOSTRA Location: C/ Camilo José Cela Tel. 952 861 108 MIJAS COSTA Local dining institution since 1988, with extensive selection International of superb Italian cuisine.

MIJAS PLAYA SOL I LUNA Location: Las Lomas de Marbella Club Tel. 952 866 627 A fusion of fine Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in a tranquil al fresco setting. Special menus, wine tastings and weekend buffets are a highlight.

French CASANIS Location: Calle Ancha 8 Tel. 952 900 450 Exquisite bistro serving menu del día as well as à la carte, aperitifs and cocktails. Open Monday to Saturday for dinner.

Location: La Cala seafront Tel. 952 493 749 Popular restaurant overlooking the sea, with entertainment and dancing every evening. Superb food in elegant surroundings.

VALPARAISO Location: Ctra de Mijas Tel. 952 485 996 Excellent Italian and international cuisine served in charming and elegant surroundings.

THE TERRACE

International

Location: Golf Hotel Tamisa Tel. 952 585 988 www.hoteltamisagolf.com Stunning views across Mijas Golf.

Extensive à la carte and moderately priced menu of the week.

Ideal for business meetings, weddings, events, fashion shows.

FUSION

FUENGIROLA

EAST OF MARBELLA

Location: Entrance of Urb. El Rosario Tel. 952 839 910 www.fusion.es Comfort food with a modern twist. Innovative dishes served from early morning to late at night. Open every day.

International PUEBLO LÓPEZ

Location: off C/ Valencia Tel. 952 471 929 Well-established, family-run restaurant in charming Pueblo López cobbled courtyard offering excellent, well-priced BONO’S BEACH Location: Costabella beachside international cuisine.

Tel. 952 839 236 www.bonosbeach.com MIJAS PUEBLO Fine cuisine in a stunning location on one of the most International beautiful beaches in Marbella.

VILLA VARSOVIA THE BEACH HOUSE Location: frontline beach Elviria Tel. 952 839 458 www.thebeachhousemarbella.com Idyllic location by the sea with stunning sunsets over one of the Coast’s best beaches. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

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Location: Crta. Mijas, Km. 4.2 Tel. 952 590 727 Polish and international cuisine – original creations, well-priced and generous servings – in a relaxed and comfortable setting, with easy parking and live entertainment twice a week.

N U E VA A N D A L U C I A ■

MARBELLA

EAST OF MARBELLA ■

FUENGIROLA ■

BENALMADENA

s t n a r u a Rest

LOS BOLICHES

BENALMÁDENA

Vegetarian

Indian

VEGETALIA

NIRVANA

Location: C/ Santa Isabel 8 Tel. 952 586 031 www.restaurantevegetalia.com Salad buffet with hot dishes of the day at lunchtime; a la carte selection in the evenings, fresh juices and homemade desserts.

Closed Sunday and Monday.

Location: Altos de Higueron Tel. 952 568 564 Wide selection of excellent, moderately priced Indian cuisine in friendly atmosphere.

Oriental THAI LANNA

LA CARIHUELA Spanish RÍAS DE GALICIA

Location: C/ Francisco Cano Tel. 952 587 139Exquisite selection of well-presented Thai dishes in attractive ambience, with friendly and attentive service.

Location: Paseo Marítimo Tel. 952 385 974 / 629 535 887 www.riasdegalicia.es Basque and Galician cuisine in frontline beach setting. Extensive à la carte selection and moderately priced menu del día .

International

BAR PLAYA

Location: Edif. Sierra Mijas Tel. 952 664 004 Superb, well-priced Danishstyle dishes, including traditional open sandwiches.

Location: C/ Bulto Tel. 952 386 235 Cosy, family-run establishment specialising in home-style fish and seafood dishes, and varied tapas… excellent quality and moderately priced.

Spanish

GIBRALTAR

LA GAMBA DORADA

International

HAPPY DAYS

Location: Avda. Jesús Cautivo Tel. 952 477 267 The best seafood in town, in pristine surroundings with professional and friendly service.

O’REILLY’S

Location: Ocean Village Tel. + 350 200 67888 Authentic Irish bar experience offering prime location and MESON BRAVO superb menu served on terrace or Location: C/ Francisco Cano indoor upper deck. Mix of Tel. 952 585 417 traditional Irish dishes and local Wide selection of traditional cuisine, popular draught beers and Spanish and original international good wine list – all at moderate cuisine for all tastes. prices. Live sport shown on full HD audio and visual systems.

Oriental

MAKATI TEPPANYAKI Location: Edif. River Playa Tel. 952 580 640 www.restaurantemakati.com Superb Japanese cuisine in chic surroundings with excellent service – moderately priced but ample dishes.

14 ON THE QUAY Location: Queensway QuayTel. (+350) 200 43731 Relaxing setting overlooking the marina, with flexible opening hours (11am to 11pm) and menu, including light dishes, exquisite a la carte and weekly specials – at reasonable prices. Open seven days a week; closed Sunday night.

Restaurant Villa Varsovia International and Polish cuisine

Enjoy a new experience… with some traditional favourites

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Tuesday Flamenco Night 9pm Thursday Jazz Night with Dorothea 9pm Menu of the Day 3 courses

¤9.95 1-4pm Tuesday-Saturday

Tel. 952 590 727 Crta. de Mijas-Fuengirola, Km. 4.2

Chef Pawel Dziedzicki with his team

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TABLE TALK

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R E STA U R A N T RO U N D - U P

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he Costa del Sol might be best known for sun, beaches and glamorous parties but it is also a paradise for discerning foodies who delight in fine cuisine. This month we continue a new section on restaurant and gastronomic news from along the coast.

VILLA VARSOVIA The complete dining experience It is sometimes tempting to return to the same favourite restaurants, especially if they’re within walking distance from home – or waddling distance after an ample feast and another penultimate bottle of wine.

But the Coast is internationally renowned for having more dedicated gourmands per square kilometre than any other part of the world (or was that Ferraris!) – and we’re an adventurous lot, always keen to discover another fine establishment to tantalise our taste buds.

Villa Varsovia hits the mark on every count. In the first place, it is about four kilometres up the Mijas road from Fuengirola and only about 20 minutes from Marbella – with ample and easy parking.

Second, the restaurant fulfils discerning diners’ desire to try something different: the owners and manager Maugoshia Stominska Chapman are Polish, chef Pawel Dziedzicki and his team are from the famous Tiffany’s restaurant in Warsaw, and the menu is a mix of 102

original, traditional and rare dishes from Poland as well as international favourites.

And third, well, there could be a few sub-categories here…

A former villa (as its name implies) the establishment offers a relaxed atmosphere, with various terraces and corners to enjoy an intimate dining experience.

For those seeking a more social outing, they have excellent entertainment: on Tuesdays, modern flamenco seen in few other venues (check out ); and on Thursdays, some great jazz,

swing and soul by superb performer Dorothea.

And for the many people whose social life is sometimes curtailed by responsibilities at home, Villa Varsovia is proudly dog-friendly:

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there is a special terrace for diners bringing their pets, though reservations are essential.

Then there is the food… The meal begins with a complimentary appetiser: on a recent visit it was the famous Polish sausage Kabanosy; the previous month, smoked eel pâté – perhaps savoured with a glass of chilled Ywiec beer.

From Tuesday to Saturday, 1-4pm, clients can opt for the exceptional

(in quality and quantity) menu of the day, for ¤9.95, perfect for business lunches (they also cater for private parties, associations’ meetings and other celebrations).

As for the extensive a la carte, covering all tastes from committed carnivores to vegetarians, the starters include Polish Easter soup (with boiled egg and sausage), Polish dumplings with wild mushrooms and cabbage filling and Kashubianstyle herring, with raisins, tomatoes and onions; the mains vary from Polish-style marinated duck with baked apple and cranberry sauce to salmon with capers and dried tomato sauce on a bed of green beans; and the desserts include

poppy seed and nut cake and panna cotta with wild berries.

Finally, the wine list… the house red wine, for example, is an excellent and well-priced Ribera del Duero 5 or you can savour a bottle from Antonio Banderas’ own bodega, Ribera del Duero Anta 10. For those who haven’t made the visit as designated driver, or designated drivers who have stoically stayed on non-alcoholic drinks so far, Mau and her team – as to be expected! – offer a selection of 15 different vodkas, including the Ubrówka buffalo grass vodka.

All of this means, of course, that Villa Varsovia will immediately be added to your list of favourite restaurants and you’ll be tempted – very much tempted – to return.

But there will still be much more to discover on a subsequent visit!

Villa Varsovia – Tel. 952 590 727

ON THE FAIRWAY

Top international stars head-to-head on the Coast IT ALL BEGAN IN 1964 WITH ARNOLD PALMER’S 2&1 VICTORY OVER NEIL COLES AND NOW, 25 YEARS LATER, THE WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP MOVES AWAY FROM WENTWORTH FOR THE FIRST TIME – TO FINCA CORTESÍN ON THE COSTA DEL SOL

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ponsored by Volvo, following the 21st and final Volvo Masters at Valderrama last year, the ¤3.25 million World Match Play Championship (29 October-1 November) will bring together 16 of the world’s leading stars in a novel new round-robin format: four groups of four players representing all the continents and main tours, with the winners progressing to the semi-finals, and ultimately the final on the Sunday.

Since Palmer’s inaugural win, players from 10 different countries have won the title, with the champions’ roll-call including the finest players of their era: from Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus to Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els – the most successful participant.

As the defending champion (the event was not held last year), South African Els was the first qualifier for the 2009 championship, while Australian Scott Strange joined him when he won the Volvo China Open earlier in the year.

The next group of players qualified last month from their official world ranking position after the US PGA Championship,

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covering each of the six main regions: Paul Casey (Europe – the 2006 winner); Retief Goosen (Africa/Middle East); Tiger Woods (North America); Camilo Villegas (South America); Yang Yong-Eun (Asia); and Geoff Ogilvy (Australasia).

Another four players (not already qualified) will earn a place from the world rankings as of 28 September, irrespective of their nationality. At the time of going to press they were: Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Henrik Stenson and Steve Stricker (Sergio García had slipped to one place back).

And the final four will qualify from their positions on the European Tour Race to Dubai order of merit as of 5 October. Late last month they would have been: Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher. The Coast’s two local stars, Alvaro Quirós and Miguel Angel Jiménez, will probably have to win an event over the next few weeks to gain a place in the field.

Not all players are expected to accept their invitations – Tiger Woods “appearance fee”, for example, would no doubt be prohibitive – but the organisers are making every effort to entice as

many as possible, offering luxury accommodation in the Finca Cortesín complex and a programme of extra-curricular activities including day-trips into the Andalucian hinterland for wives and families.

ADVANCE TICKET DISCOUNTS Top Spanish website GolfinSpain is the exclusive agent for advance ticket sales (as it was for the last six Volvo Masters), and is offering 10 per cent discounts on the standard prices. The discounted price is ¤26 a day (¤22 for seniors); or ¤74 for a week’s pass (¤57 for seniors). There will be free admission for children 12 and under, accompanied by an adult. Advance ticket sales will be available until 22 October.

Unlike for the Volvo Masters, tickets this year will not specify the actual day, meaning fans can choose to attend on the Thursday or Friday, when all 16 players will be in action (competing against each of the other three players in their group), on the Saturday for the 36-hole semifinals (four group winners) or on the Sunday (36hole final, and play-off for third).

More information: www.golfinspain.com; or Tel. 952 474 848

ON THE FAIRWAY

VIP CLUB Also available are “Match Play Club” VIP packages. This includes exclusive admission; VIP car parking; full use of the Match Play Club (an entertainment facility set up within the hotel, close to the 18th green); access to an exclusive garden viewing area at the 18th; access to an on-course VIP unit (with views of the second and sixth greens); continental breakfast on arrival; complimentary bar throughout the day (excluding champagne); and buffet luncheon and afternoon refreshments.

The prices (per person) are: Thursday ¤300; Friday ¤300; Saturday ¤225; Sunday ¤150; four-day ¤825.

More information: www.volvoworldmatchplay.com

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NEWS UPDATE

Noticeboard

ROUND-UP OF BUSINESS, CHARITY, CULTURAL AND OTHER GENERAL NEWS FROM THE COSTA DEL SOL AND ELSEWHERE IN SPAIN

MARBELLA REVIVAL INAUGURAL EVENT TO FEATURE CLASSIC CARS, SPORT AND SAILING

The streets of Marbella will be taken over by a parade of stunning classic cars next year when the inaugural Marbella Revival event hits town. To be held over seven action-packed days, the event will include a race involving vintage cars; a polo tournament in Sotogrande; a race day with The KTM X Bows & Dream Team; an

international hole-in-one golf tournament; a parade by classic cars; air races and regattas; and “exotic” car races. Organised

by Imagine-It Entertainment and scheduled for next May, the event coincides with the European Formula One season.

More information: www.marbella-revival.com

WOMEN’S GOLF BANESTO TOUR IN MÁLAGA Sixteen top foreign golfers joined their Spanish colleagues – many from the Ladies European Tour – when the fourth leg of the national Spanish Banesto Tour was held at Málaga’s Parador course. In spite of the strong overseas contingent, the title was eventually secured by local star Laura Cabanillas, while second place went to Marta Prieto and 2004 Ladies Italian Open winner Ana Belén Sánchez, from Málaga, was third.

(Photo Fernando Herranz)

RUTH JONES OUR NEW SOCIETY PHOTOGRAPHER

EQUILIBRIUM SHARING YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORKLOAD Living in a fast-paced environment, trying to successful balance work, a social life and family commitments, can take its toll. Many have difficulty finding a balance between these aspects of modern living, and end up under unnecessary strain. The team at Equilibrium offer a unique concierge service, individually designed to put the

balance back into people’s lives. Their services include grocery/household shopping; collections/deliveries; organising flowers and gifts; and unoccupied home care (making your home appear lived-in while you are away).

For more information contact Lisa on Tel. 686 939 989; www.equilibriuminspain.com

Society Living is pleased to welcome a new photographer to our team, Ruth Jones, who has been out and about covering the Coast’s packed diary of glamorous and chic parties and events this summer. After studying her “passion” for photographer at the University of Leeds, Ruth travelled and gained work experience working alongside a professional photographer before arriving on the Coast with the aim of “creating beautiful photography and starting my career in the Spanish sunshine”. Her artwork portfolio – individual, stylish and unique – concentrates on many different areas, from contemporary urban street landscapes to bright and beautiful natural portraiture, and specialises in newborn and child portraits.

Her enthusiasm and fresh outlook shine through in her photography, which can be seen in this month’s Society coverage and other features in the magazine. She is available for portraiture, commissions and events photography.

More information: Tel. 634 803 532; ruthjonesphotography@hotmail.co.uk;

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NEWS UPDATE

LINEA DIRECTA NIGHT-TIME ASSISTANCE FOR MOTORCYCLISTS

FOX ME UP YOUR PERSONAL ENTOURAGE Have you ever looked at the likes of Mariah Carey, who never leaves the house without her personal team of beauty stylists, preening her to perfection, and thought, “I wish I could have that.” Well, now you can! Fox Me Up’s vision is to make mobile styling and beauty available on call, in your home, hotel or yacht, on location or for events and parties, without time-consuming journeys to the salon.

Heading the team is celebrity makeup artist Georgina Shaw, who has worked on supermodel Claudia Schiffer, Girls Aloud

PET POWER PHOTOGENIC PETS… AND LOOKING FOR A HOME Toni Cochrane, the Marbella-based photographer who conceived the idea of Society Living’s photogenic pets competition earlier this year, would like to hear from other owners interested in having their pets photographed with a view to being featured in future issues. Contact her on Tel. 952 865 509 or visit www.tcfotografia.com This month we feature another great image, of Anna and her Shetland sheepdog Benji.

We are pleased to offer space in these pages to Costa associations looking after and trying

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Agent Provocateur and OK Magazine. “To ensure the highest quality professional service we’ve scoured the fashion and beauty industry to hand-pick the best stylists for our team,” she explains. “We offer spray tanning, reflexology, hair styling, nails, makeup and personal styling.” They are available as a team or individually. Fox Me Up are your personal entourage to make you look and feel fabulous.

(Nicola McGeorge) For prices, availability, group discounts and more information: Tel: 678 188 063;

to find homes for abandoned or mistreated animals. If you would like contact details for your association included in this new section, email: editorial@societylivingmagazine.com ADANA: Open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on weekends and public holidays, the Adana kennels always have dogs seeking good homes. Anyone looking for a pet or planning to visit the kennels can contact Marjorie Bedford: Tel. 952 797 405 or 636 934 146.

F.A.M.A.: A ladies lunch in aid of the F.A.M.A dog adoption charity (buffet lunch including half a bottle of wine, for ¤18) is being held at El Potro Restaurant in Urb. Sierrazuela (El Coto, Mijas Costa) on 16 September starting at 12 noon. There will also be some stalls with handbags and nearly-new clothes “at great prices”. For more information or to book a place call Pat Coleman on Tel. 620 354 885.

Meanwhile, the charity is looking for a home for Star, a cross breed of approximately 18 months “who has a fantastic, loving and calm nature and will really blossom in a loving home”.

If you are interested in Star, contact Pat Coleman (see number above) or if you are looking to adopt a different dog visit the adoption tab at . They are also always in need of new volunteers to join the small team.

Insurance market leader Línea Directa has recently presented its new Night-time Assistance for Motorbikes service, “a practical solution to help reduce the high accident rate for two-wheel vehicles”. The only one of its type in Spain, the service offers motorcyclists the possibility of being transported home free of charge when they have consumed alcohol or feel unwell. It operates throughout Spain between midnight and 7am, covers a radius of 25 kilometres from the pick-up point, and applies to both people and the motorcycle.

Línea Directa Aseguradora has also launched fully comprehensive insurance with excess and extended third-party insurance for motorcyclists; as well as an insurance policy for electric motorcycles and courtesy motorcycles.

Well aware of the difficulties foreign residents in Spain have to face (“not only as a result of language problems, but also due to their unfamiliarity with Spanish legislation and the correct steps to be taken in the case of an accident”), Línea Directa offers clients the possibility of taking out insurance and carrying out all procedures in their own language, 24 hours a day.

More information: Tel. 902 123 104;

IN BRIEF ■ FOOD & SUN: The first edition of the Food & Sun Festival will be held in Marbella from 1 to 6 September. The aim of the festival is to highlight the variety and quality of Marbella’s culinary establishments.

More information at the Marbella Town Hall website: www.marbella.es ■ FILM FESTIVAL: Created as a platform for independent film producers and emerging talent to showcase their work to an international market, the fourth annual Marbella International Film Festival will be held from 1 to 4 October.

More information: www.hotellorcrimar.com ■ HOME THEATRE: Xaviera Hollander is presenting the musical show “Tallulah and the Boy” at her home theatre in Rocio de Nagueles, on 23, 24 and 25 October. Transport can be arranged from Marbella town.

More information: Tel. 952 857 575; ; www.xavierahollander.com/tallulah-dahling

SCENE & HEARD

SNAPSHOTS As it is not always possible to cover every party, launch or general celebration we would like to in our Society pages, the Snapshots section features other events along the coast – and further afield. If you would like your special occasion featured in the magazine, send us a selection of high-resolution photos and a brief write-up about the event (maximum 50 words), by 10 September (for the October issue) to: editorial@societylivingmagazine.com

Luci celebrates special birthday at Banús beach club Mistral beach was the stunning setting for the “sweet 16th” celebration of Luci Nicole, daughter of resident Puerto Banús actor and radio presenter Kane Mclean. Many well-known expat friends and family were there to share in the festivities. Fine food and copious amounts of champagne flowed as singer Tabitha Beza wooed the crowd; while a fly-by overhead reminded everyone who’s special day it was.

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VIP guests support charity campaign in Marbella Fischer Car Group, together with Patricia Nahmad Collections, Neuhaus Jewellery and Hotel Incosol, sponsored the Keren Hayesod opening campaign for 2009. Organised by the Jewish community and held at Hotel Incosol, the gala raised funds in aid of the fund, which supports housing, school, hospital and forest projects in Israel. The Fischer Car Group presented a selection of its exclusive cars to guests, who included the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, Dan Meridor, the Israeli Ambassador to Spain, David Broza, and Kika Caracuel from Marbella Town Hall. The 350 guests enjoyed a fantastic ambience in the hotel’s spectacular marquee, and a magnificent fashion show by Patricia Nahmad Collections, showcasing her 2009 summer collection and jewellery from Neuhaus.

IN THE STARS

In the stars ... with Russell Grant VIRGO August 24th – September 23rd

CELEBRITY STAR Keanu Reeves Born 2 September 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon; and raised in Canada.

Understated actor, known for his deadpan delivery style and his varied roles in both big-budget and more obscure films. Chosen by People magazine (1995) as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.

The discrepancies between your income and that of a friend could cause some tension on the 3rd. The 4th demands you to be more assertive in a relationship; try to remember your sense of humour.

You may have to revise your budget around the 7th.

A colleague’s lack of consideration gets under your skin on the 11th.

You need to be more consistent about a romantic relationship on the 15th. It may feel as though you’re being crushed beneath a tremendous weight on the 17th; remember to breathe. The 18th finds you thinking of new ways to have fun; make more time for pleasure in your life. A writing project will prove fulfilling around the 20th. Having a child or embarking on a romance on the 21st could have a dramatic effect on your life. Say what you mean and mean what you say on the 22nd. The 23rd forces you to cut back on luxuries. It will be much easier to get your voice heard on the 29th.

LIBRA September 24th – October 23rd It’s hard not to be irritated at a self-important authority figure on the 3rd. The 4th brings an end to a work project, putting you in the path of bigger and better things. You may have to revise the way you communicate with others; adopt a more assertive approach. Beware of putting a loved one on a pedestal around the 11th or you could set them up for failure. A pessimistic attitude will impede your progress at work on the 15th.

Depression could rear its ugly head on the 17th; you may want to consider getting treatment for this problem. A welcome opportunity to spend more time on your own arrives on the 18th. You could come across some privileged information on the 20th; keep it to yourself for the time being. Having a secret gives your spirits a lift on the 21st. A clandestine business meeting around the 22nd could result in increased fame and fortune for you. Don’t try to bully a relative on the 23rd into doing something against their will. Obey your intuition with regard to a writing project on the 29th.

Horoscopes SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

October 24th – November 22nd

November 23rd – December 21st

December 22nd – January 20th

Keep your opinions about an argumentative expert to yourself on the 3rd. Good news regarding a child, lover or creative project could reach your ears on the 4th, prompting you to step up your efforts in this area. The 7th prompts you to reconsider the way you’ve handled a problem with a relative or neighbour. Don’t trust an authority figure’s promises on the 11th. Friends may accuse you of behaving irresponsibly around the 15th.

It feels as though nobody understands you on the 17th. The 18th is good for having a calm, rational discussion with your critics; keep an open mind about their advice. Joining a humanitarian organisation on the 20th will be a good use of your time. A teaching opportunity could be offered to you on the 21st; this job could have a profound and positive effect on your outlook. Beware of divulging a secret on the 23rd.

Friendships go more smoothly starting on the 29th.

Sarcasm could put a dent in your love life around the 3rd. A youngster’s accomplishment is cause for celebration on the 4th; don’t let work get in the way of this joyous party. You may want to reconsider whether you want to maintain a troubled friendship on the 7th.

Don’t give in to selfish desires on the 11th. Abandoning professional duties could result in disaster around the 15th. If you’re unhappy at work, you need to have a serious talk with your boss on the 17th.

A new carer opportunity could arrive on the 18th, allowing you to leave a difficult situation for a much more rewarding one. Be sure to exercise diplomacy on the 20th, especially when dealing with your peers. The 21st favours business ventures related to art, music and entertainment. Improving your work habits has impressive results on the 22nd. Don’t be swayed by popular opinion on the 23rd. It becomes much easier to make decisions regarding your career around the 29th.

Establish some firm personal boundaries with your boss on the 3rd. News about a property deal improves your home life on the 4th but could create problems around the professional front. You could get contradictory information from your boss on the 7th; ask for a clarification to be put in writing. The 11th finds you over-extending yourself. Be realistic about what you can afford on the 15th.

Adopting a more charitable outlook will help fight depression on the 17th. The 18th invites you to take an advanced class or get your degree. Let a skilled person teach you the ropes around the 20th. The 21st is good for restoring a beautiful but shabby work of art. Any contract you sign on the 22nd could prove restrictive.

Don’t take advantage of your authority on the 23rd. The 29th has you reconsidering some long-held political or religious beliefs.

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IN THE STARS

Horoscopes In the stars ... with Russell Grant PISCES

ARIES

January 21st – February 19th

February 20th – March 20th

March 21st – April 20th

Beware of going ahead with a work project on the 3rd without fully understanding the instructions. A cheque could finally arrive on the 4th, enabling you to afford some more work supplies. The 7th invites you to revise some political or religious beliefs. Be honest with a loved one who seeks your opinion on the 11th. Severe attitudes about personal indulgence could be affecting a love relationship around the 15th.

The 17th invites you to give more than you receive. The 18th marks an exciting new phase to a sexual relationship.

Enhancing your appearance on the 20th increases your sex appeal. A generous gift, grant or scholarship allows you to make an exciting change on the 21st. Gloomy thoughts about a debt will make it hard to achieve financial independence on the 22nd. Attempts to reform an egotist will fall on deaf ears on the 23rd. The 29th prompts you to move forward with a program of financial reform.

A heated exchange on the 3rd could be evidence that someone has a crush on you. Results from a personal improvement program are impressive on the 4th but a loved one may feel threatened by them. You may have to revise a retirement or savings plan on the 7th. Don’t ignore your work responsibilities around the 11th. An arrogant colleague or know it all neighbour may try to discourage you from going your own way on the 15th.

A restrictive relationship is starting to chafe on the 17th. The 18th marks a new phase in a partnership, one that involves more input from you. Have a heart to heart talk on the 20th with someone you’ve been warring with. A relationship becomes much more tender and affectionate around the 21st. Don’t let somebody else’s pessimism slow your progress on the 22nd. The 23rd warns against lending or borrowing money. Little details won’t escape your attention on the 29th.

Miscommunications abound with a romantic or business partner on the 3rd. You’ll get a welcome opportunity to wrap up a bureaucratic matter on the 4th. Talks with a close partner continue to be strained on the 7th. Don’t promise more than you can deliver to a child or lover on the 11th. Playing the martyr won’t win you any friends with colleagues on the 15th so just grit your teeth, keep your head down and focus on the job in hand. Don’t jump to conclusions when you hear office gossip on the 17th.

The 18th is ideal for launching a job search, exercise regime or both. A medical consultation is favoured for the 20th. Your hard work pays off in the form of a plum assignment on the 21st. Pay careful attention to a colleague’s warnings on the 22nd. It’s difficult to strike a balance between your personal and professional lives on the 23rd. Work gets easier on the 29th.

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

April 21st - May 21st

May 22nd – June 21st

June 22nd – July 23rd

Heated arguments with a colleague could make your workplace highly uncomfortable on the 3rd; bite your tongue. A group association comes to a close on the 4th, giving you more time for intellectual pursuits. Don’t get too attached to a project at work on the 7th, as you will soon have to revise it. You may feel caught between a female relative and a larger than life authority figure on the 11th. Resist the urge to look the other way at a friend’s erratic behaviour on the 15th.

An intervention may be necessary on the 17th. The 18th is good for launching a creative project, conceiving a child or adopting a pet. You’ll get exciting news about a writing project on the 20th. An influential teacher could prompt you to develop your artistic talent on the 21st. Take your need for leisure time seriously on the 22nd; continuing to put your desires aside will result in misery. Beware of straining yourself at the gym on the 23rd; gentle exercise is best. A postponed get-together could be rescheduled for the 29th.

Disagreements over ethics could disrupt a romance on the 3rd. A work assignment comes to a successful conclusion on the 4th but leaves you feeling a bit empty inside. An on-off relationship occupies your thoughts on the 7th. Exaggerated claims could get you into trouble on the 11th; adopt a more modest attitude.

Making friends for professional advancement will backfire on the 15th.

Steer clear of an angry authority figure on the 17th.

Property matters are highly favoured on the 18th; this is a great time to buy or sell a home. Organising a family get-together will be a good use of your time on the 20th. The 21st is perfect for spending quality time with your lover. Take an older relative’s advice about childrearing on the 22nd. Resist the urge to buy a child’s affection on the 23rd. If you’re looking for a roommate, advertise for one on the 29th.

You could get into a shouting match with a housemate or relative on the 3rd. The 4th brings an end to a wild adventure, but friends may not be willing to discuss your antics. It may be necessary to re-arrange some things at home on the 7th. Don’t spend your money on outrageous luxuries on the 11th. Stern words could be exchanged between you and a protégé on the 15th.

A difference of opinion strains relations with a relative or neighbour on the 17th. Sign up for a class on the 18th; it will provide the intellectual stimulation you crave. The 20th is perfect for revising a story, article or screenplay. Be sure to praise a loved one for all of their hard work on the 21st. Don’t tease a colleague on the 22nd. Take a relative’s feelings into account before adopting changes on the 23rd. It will be much easier to get your ideas across on the 29th.

AQUARIUS

LEO July 24th – August 23rd It’s hard to disguise your irritation toward a noisy neighbour on the 3rd. Settling a debt gives you more time for solitary pleasures on the 4th. Beware of sending personal emails at work on the 7th. Avoid drowning depression in a shopping spree on the 11th.

Trying to rein in an erratic person will be fruitless on the 15th; just stay out of their way.

Having to rein in your spending could make you angry and resentful on the 17th. The 18th attracts a new source of income; get into the habit of putting a set percentage of your money into a savings plan each payday.

Negotiating a raise is favoured for the 20th. A colleague could give you a beautiful token of their esteem on the 21st. Be willing to defend your beliefs in a public forum on the 22nd, even at the risk of looking unpopular. Summon your willpower to defeat a bad habit on the 23rd, or your health could be compromised. Be sure to save all of all your receipts on the 29th.

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