International Lifestyle Magazine

International

Lifestyle

Magazine

Welcome

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i and welcome to the latest edition of the newly named, International Lifestyle.

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elcome to the latest edition of Costa Blanca Lifestyle Magazine.

The magazine has come a long way and we now have readers and advertisers from around globe andtothe time seemed right tocelebrates recogniseour this.

Number 6 and we gothe from strength strength.

This magazine first year, and it has been tough, but we cannot tell you how much fun it has

or how what many you brilliant we world, have met the way.

There haveyou Itbeen is amazing canpeople do in this youalong can horse trek in Peru, beenride blood, and Zealand, laughter along the way. been negacan the sweat, rapidstears in New you can stopThere off athas a ranch in USA, tivitycan but learn the strength of in ourAndalucĂ­a, magazine is that we are about positivity, belief you to cook the point is, the world has so much and achieving our goals. to offer and sometimes, just sometimes, choosing the right vacation for you and your family can be the start of something much bigger, a real life Every edition gets better, more feed back and more readers and our on line changing experience, so be bold and try something a little different! edition is growing daily, so much so that we are now attracting clients from around the globe some of which you will see within this magazine, and it has You also abe drawn to the front cover is a fantastic piece of artalsomay attracted very special connection with which Jelly Belly.

work by Helen Layfield, one of our monthly contributors to the magazine.

She works in Spain, butsohaving travelled livedand in Africa Theylives readand our magazine and were impressed by theand content design for that we have she nowpulls become the distributor of their brandand newfeelings Sports Beans many years, on her own life experiences to create which is very exciting news. fantastic pieces and she works on private commissions as well as holding classes here in Spain, take a look at more of her work within this edition.

We have launched our new nutrition site www.nicholsons.tk where you can visit read more about with stacks information, products a Enjoytothe magazine andnutrition pass the links on toofall your contacts, andand rememgreat connection with people like Amazon and Fair Trade Products allowing ber, you can download the articles, print them off or email them to others you to purchase on line.

who may be interested and with more and more videos being uploaded, you reallythe getcrisis a sense of beingbythere!

In short, is overcome positivity and belief. So lets keep going, lets all keep believing and more importantly, spread the word!

The Editors

Enquiries Advertising Sales 00 646 653283 110 00 34 34 690 806 Email cblmedia@gmail.com

The Cover Art by Helen Layfield

Photography and Design by Julian Nicholson julianleefree@hotmail.com

Contributors

Costa Blanca International

Lifestyle

Lynn Nicholson Julian Nicholson Bob Hare Helen eld HillaryLayfi Szwed Roald Goorman Dr . Jean Millar Mike Peter Reed CIWF.Org Colin Harkness Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, Ph.D Richard PeterTheiss Blake

Magazine

The Costa Blanca Lifestyle Magazine and its Officers accept no responsibility for the accuracy of advertisers’ copy, their work, services or goods. Whilst we do our best to ensure content is correct, we cannot accept responsibility for admissions or errors. All materials with Costa Blanca Lifestyle Magazine are the property of Costa Blanca Lifestyle Magazine and any unauthorised reproduction whether in whole or part is strictly forbidden.

International Lifestyle Magazine cannot be held responsible for any copyright infringements resulting from embedded videos or music submitted for inclusion within the digital edition and any such claims should be directed to the individual concerned Costa Blanca Lifestyle is a trading name of International Lifestyle.

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Take at look at what New Zealand has to offer. What an amazing destination with breath taking scenery and a zest for life that actually gave birth to Extreme Sports. We bring our spotlight to just a few of the incredible businesses that operate there and take advantage of what this beautiful nation has to offer!

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zine Maga

Heartf elt Pas sion

Twisting and snaking mountain roads, spectacular views, great food, great people, passion, beauty, sun, sea, freedom.... welcome to Ducati Tours Italy... need we say more?

What better way to see this famous old land than on a beautifully crafted and designed motorcycling legend. Some people have really tough jobs!

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by R whichof natu tinctio w tu g y ha do u si in y. ex ea yo be t to stem raph not ost wan many one with to sa the em ical sy of RTS White, otog in m ld are to wan also d s. “ , r th had s, at or ey hy. How s has face cade greed ith ph t he sharks Vaon fo ecolog heis Gre seem e, th is w de w s, w imal ey reas up the hard T on the is wha ies of “Darth few down to s in th people r hom onder heis all. m re an an or th y a ei is a Ric DVD rd T t he 0 spec as the them ed It is proble gh that nd th ve to w price obably I messing acted icha t enjo e ou 36 w ed ed a ge, bu t of &R nt and iss wha t enou als ar d you ha ider th none pr would rm e co releas this pa ore than ely view evolen is a fla werlson es y The , ns ic? conis no e anim p, an al is icho an or fo It com n W s just at co up po m it m th on N m ard d e e d so un , to d , rbar . w es Sou Lynn shap sharks a whe f ha ler here all of th is unfort evil an media large an ious an Rich of th s Fin ally stop bowl of der ho at be ba fin soup te e t m ai me t el n by ut k rk a hi of tr th on th is os t ne te tu so e mys I t w k ub Sha ts ac uce th it. I w would ongs shar the m arks in ry ca that e ci d in Writ s ar is “Am t white – fear fear is s at th it upon tacks. r fin of sh ng a, or raye le no do also ve ith grea shar od ur l ei rt yi a pr to ks w bu st to d th bo has that my e Jaw taking ark at s not grea of shar it is po e. Whi ks are ions w tity (the it’s pripaid not be y tail pa r your at an he sh se one it d der” how te imag te shar interact n iden one of ld a bo into d then about hat clot est an very ily adm ke hi wou of pupp u orde pite ng an man onto l nt w e bigg ok of Des accura great w Human of mista lion – tical read sneaki done ged re yo . bow bo , th s I lear d in dras for n to sea befo drag st from t have know tacks, to find walking sharks an predator nters. y case al or been fishing ty So, this fir ught, no book ark at world r ca ok- ful with riabl a se e hu ea al have arci y side s are e ould sh com ciated yself lo ld selectiv e inva an for arks mmerci their sc ark’s rk I sh ad ever avoid re in th ct I be sh ar ou m m so ha d co te ks sh S hu Iw as . rs, to re how to nt whe ks in fa things that I fin t said, e that shar kes a urces) eat whi , while numbe t white r slow nt I lear s shar e bad s later ht. Tha up clos what mista food so ns of gr and so their e grea this thei populear ou e en y ear, e lig l th er on, ar tio ek th dd to reat g th mar why to w danger out al any ye fferent nsid them ldwid pula t ab ew you co me reas es, The po d wor n still th rs to se ket. A lancin r as to mos ledge now, m s in a di to vi mar t ca of ba clea duce r so own ey ia ache hen ly re d mea ens po e black ’s way comes know it is only creature a cage but w how fo ed an r, ge br The m the re d to th ld s e be d fa r tu in hu an it bo fin es t an ve too ar em – na and es. res ws fo , ge at th ing r, ever a step e creatu ffy or ha e crim not he in the also and ja uction ators – es h g od neve still be to thes e not flu from th ho does immin rhaps teet of repr ex pred ld g wou is doin they ar s away this, w when sw at, or pe terest, rate ns of ap e ere latio an in man caus ply turn do with Jaws of bo be of e side taking then th m just yone si deal to mind) t th rth ar st er t ea ur e ever a grea (in yo nd ov ed to on th has d track ling a ha e do ne tures w ea soun or dang e, but ese cr th sea is just mod put that all, if G r afte

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cati duce Ferrari an d Tusc to 2400 Eu d Mount ains. an 7 ros, Norm book Ni ed be ght Tour available ally 28 7th fore 1s : 00 Eu t April Get a re April for ros If you 5 ducti 2009 on of nights. relik e the some 300 look Euro of an the gu changes s if y of e. somet ys at Du g. start/en the tour ca s hing d date bu out fo ti Tours or th t need to know r you. e m to So, if ake and they ur duratio n let will try new you want ex to fe to wo el for on perience rk ce, ge or yo the wind Tusc u wa in yo t in any, ur ha you wi touch wi nt to be ir as able th Du ll wish a you ha cati Tour to use yo totally s an ur bik d done www. e it soon d head duca off titour Tel: (+ er! to s.c Fax: 39) 340 76 om (+ email 39) 0583 77364 :ducat 05 itours@ 0718 gmail .com

Sharks all over the world are feared and misunderstood, we talked to Richard Theiss about their plight and have featured a short trailer of his new DVD looking at Shark conservation and the problems this great animal faces....read it, watch it NOW!

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Ranching Holidays have to be one of the best ways to escape the daily routine, a trip back in time to simpler technology, basic needs plus a whole lot more. Read all about it in this feature article on one of the finest Ranching Holiday destinations the world has to offer!

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Final Warning Written by Lynn Nicholson & Richard Theiss, with photography by RTSea Productions and Greenpeace

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veryone has a fear in some shape or form and I readily admit that my fear is that of sharks. It comes from sneaking into see Jaws at the cinema when I should not have done and then taking it upon myself to read every book known to man about shark attacks. I learnt how to avoid shark attacks, I learnt what clothes not to wear, I learnt where in the world to find the biggest and most dangerous sharks in fact I become a walking book of knowledge about all the bad things associated with sharks and it is only now, many years later that I find myself looking at these creatures in a different light. That said, I would never, ever, get into a cage to view them up close that would still be a step too far, but when you consider what man is doing to these creatures and how for some reason, just because they are not fluffy or have huge brown eyes, everyone simply turns away from these crimes. The media has a great deal to do with this, who does not hear the sound track (in your mind) of Jaws when swimming in the sea or dangling a hand over the side of boat, or perhaps that is just me, but we do need to start taking an interest, after all, if God put these creatures on the earth then there International

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is a reason for them being here, and all we are doing is messing up the ecological system of the ocean.

We contacted Richard Theiss, of RTSea Productions who has just released a DVD on the Great White, you view the trailer here on this page, but here is what he had to say.

“Amongst all of the more than 360 species of sharks, the great white shark is unfortunately viewed as the “Darth Vader” of sharks – the most evil and malevolent of them all.

Despite how it is portrayed in the media, this is a flawed and inaccurate image. While no doubt a large and powerful predator, great white sharks are also very cautious and selective hunters. Human interactions with great white sharks are invariably cases of mistaken identity (the shark mistakes a human for a seal or sea lion – one of it’s primary food sources).

The populations of great white sharks have been drastically reduced worldwide and so, while commercial fishing for fins and meat can still threaten their numbers, their scarcity also emboldens poachers to seek the great white shark’s teeth and jaws for the black market. Add to this their slow rate of reproduction – nature’s way of balancing the populations of apex predators – and it becomes clear as to why

the numbers of great white sharks have plummeted by as much as 90% in some areas of the world. One of the most magnificent and most misunderstood animals on the planet, the great white shark, like all sharks, plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem – and its fate is in jeopardy. It’s staggering to consider that sharks, which have existed for hundreds of thousands of years as one of nature’s most important ocean predators, are now faced with extinction at the hands of man in just the last few decades. “ It is down to greed in most situations, and lets be honest what problems in this world are not down to greed? And if it is not enough that people seem to want to hang the jaws of these animals around their home, they also want to eat Sharks Fin Soup, and you have to wonder why. How many tourists actually stop to consider the price an animals has paid to produce this bowl of soup, none probably or they would not be buying it. I wonder how many would enjoy a bowl of puppy tail pasta, or would that be barbaric?

So, before you order your bowl of sharks fin soup, consider this first.

Sharks are caught, dragged onto a boat and their fins are

cut off. More often than not they are not dead when their bodies are thrown back into the sea. Without its fins the shark simply sinks to the bottom of the ocean where it dies a slow death, often starving to death. Such a horrible death for such a magnificent creature! Imagine the moment for these animals... for a moment when their body hits the water again that they think they will be safe, only to realize that they can no longer swim, and end up dying in an ocean, which was just moments earlier their safe haven, and is now their doom.

Shark fins, once they are harvested, are then dried to be sold in markets to individuals and restaurants to be made into shark fin soup and sold to the public for as much as $350 per bowl! The shark fins don’t even add any flavour to the soup. Chicken or pork are used to flavour, the fins are for texture only. What a complete waste and does anyone consider the actual impact of this bowl of soup?

Illegal shark fining has a detrimental impact on ocean ecosystems; sometimes with a direct impact on fish stocks.

Many sharks are top predators and as such their eating habits keep the structure and species composition of marine ecosystems in balance. Removal of sharks from an ecosystem can have complicated and unexpected results.

For example, it has been found that the removal of tiger sharks from a tropical ecosystem resulted in a decline in the tuna population. The decline was because the sharks had kept populations of other predators of tuna in check.

The problem here is that whilst people continue to purchase sharks fins the fishermen continue to earn a very good living out of it. . While the body of the shark is worth almost nothing, sets of shark fins sell for US$700 per Kg. That is 70 times the value of a kilo of tuna, and with the economy growing in China the demand for this soup is growing by 5% a year, eventually there will be nothing left and then what?

You can do a lot to change this, you can visit sites like RTSea Productions and educate yourself, you can go to Greenpeace and read more about what is going on and of course you can stop buying products containing shark products. It is your call, but if people do not make a stand then things will change but not in the way that any of us want to see no matter what your opinion on shark fin soup.

Here is how to contact Richard and buy his DVD. Richard Theiss RTSea Productions rtsea@sbcglobal.net http://www.rtsea.com http://www.igws.us http://rtseablog.blogspot.com 949-733-8572 Phone 949-294-9876 Cell

Richard Theiss International

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R e t r o F r e e z e

Check out Smeg’s full range of FAB appliances on the new micro site, www.smegretro.co.uk, which has been specifically designed to showcase its iconic range of Retro designs.

Smeg CVB20 freezer starts from £1,100 (incl. VAT) The existing Smeg FAB28 refrigerator starts from £1,100 (incl. VAT)

n I t Ge Flow The : ictures olson P h ic N n

Liquid

tures

Adven

; Lyn Words

W

hen you think of relaxing the last thing that would ever come into your mind is white water kayaking, but stick with me on this!

I have talked before about ‘flow’ the process of being so far into an activity that you can allow no other thoughts to enter your head, you need every brain molecule to be focused on your task, you will automatically reject any thoughts of work, social problems, anything. This is truly relaxing; this is being in the flow. When you step out of the flow you feel relaxed, revitalised and energised and if you combine this with white water kayaking you can also add exhilaration to the list, and the adrenalin achieved from the element of fear will give you an additional lift!

Now, before you think this is just for Olympic champions you would be wrong. It has no age restrictions and everyone has to start somewhere, even Olympians, so you can participate as an individual or as a family, the point is, this is truly a method for total mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

Liquid Adventures, based in the beautiful surroundings of the potomac river near Washington DC, offer you the opportunity to learn or to simply develop your skills.

They offer kayak lessons at every level, and when you go out for your first time on the river, it is already an adventure just to be there. You spend an entire 4 hrs being carried on an unfamiliar medium of water. You are closely guided but no one can do it for you. As you progress in skill, you will want to test your abilities and experience more strong sensations in new places on the river.

Eventually, in a year or two you will progress up to the intermediate and advanced programs and take trips further afield. You have to “discover the wonders of Canada” (and West Virginia and Mexico and Colorado) after having a thorough introduction to the basics of Kayaking in DC. Most students first start exploring West Virginia for white water not far from the DC area. All the trips are fully instructional, and there are always new adventures and more challenges around the corner.

You can experience the thrills and of course, in Canada you are surrounded by the fantastic scenery that Mother Nature provides, it will give you an opportunity to really take a moment and appreciate the world for what it really is, beautiful. There will be no traffic, no ringing phones, no deadlines just you, the river and the land.

The great thing about Liquid Adventures is the fact that International

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all the staff have a love for the river and the adventure that goes with it and they combine their passion and their instructing skills to ensure that you have a truly fantastic experience.

They are all avid paddlers, each with their own special interest in one of the variety of white water disciplines, whether river running, down river racing, slalom paddling, or playboating. On every class or trip, they dedicate their time to providing expert and sensitive kayak instruction .

Your first experiences on the river may set the tone for the rest of your paddling lifetime. Liquid Adventures want to be sure that you have a fantastic time and using patience and insight, they will stick with you until you have achieved your goals.

So, get into the flow, do something incredibly different and at the same time, discover the wonders of Canada away from tourist buses and holiday reps. www.liquidadventures.org info@liquidadventures.org Tel : 301 – 229 - 0428

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Blue Piano Tunic £85 / €144 (eire) Spring / Summer 2009 Monsoon

palF edisnI eht morF c motsuc ssadab a no yawhgih eht nwod gnippir kniht uoy fI s ehT .ssenisub nwo ruoy gninnur yrt ,edir llirht etamitlu eht tih dna temleh a no parts ot elpoep emos sevird taht tirips wal ht morf ssenisub a dliub dna lla ti ksir ot elpoep rehto sevird d yeht—tiart eno tsael ta erahs sruenerpertne dna srekiB .pu .esimorpmoc tuohtiw ,yaw eT luaP fo daeh eht edisni uoy sekat emitefiL a fo ediR ehT –ekib suomaf tsom s′dlrow eht snur eh woh uoy swohs dna tS llaW emos t′nsi sihT .sreppohC ytnuoC egnarO ,ssenisub nisub od ot woh uoy gnillet tucriah 002$ a dna tius ycnaf a ni drah eurt a morf modsiw ssenisub erocdrah ,elttorht–lluf si .ruenerpertne ruoy ni gniveileb dna sksir gnikat tuoba si ssenisub a gnitratS uaP ,sedaced owt tsomla rof ybboh a sa sekib no gnikrow ret enom tnemeriter sih detsevni dna ksir taht ekat ot dediced ,.rS y ,reppohC naciremA hctaw uoy fI .eiluaP nos sih htiw CCO ib tseb s′dlrow eht fo eno emaceb ylkciuq maet CCO eht taht wonk t′nod uoy ,wohs eht dehctaw ylno ev′uoy fi tuB .srotac ,ssenisub eht tliub ,.rS ,lutueT luaP hcihw nopu seulav ssen snwod dna spu eht seganam eh woh ro ,ereht teg ot koot eh .ruenerpertne na wohs noisivelet eht dnoyeb uoy sekat emitefiL a fo ediR ehT enisub lufsseccus a gninnur fo stlob dna stun laer eht uoy eht tog s′eh tuB .ecaf ruoy ni dna ,hsarb ,duol si ,.rS ,lutueT

drah sekat tI .ediryoj emos t′nsi ssenisub a gnidliub esuace dna sehcnup gnikat snaem tI .krow drah erom neht ,kro er′uoy tahw ni gniveileb dna ,yaw ruoy ti gniod ,kcab gnitti .yad yreve fo dnoces yreve gnio -nuR .pu evig reven dnA .ti ta drah kroW .evol uoy tahw o .emitefiL a fo ediR ehT SI ti tub ,ysae t′nsi ssenisub a gni

-isub lufsseccus a nur ot sekat ti tahw no ecivda ssenisub trams ,hguoT reppohC naciremA wohs CLT tih eht fo rats eht morf–ssen gib otni nar yeht fi detadimitni gnieb rof enoemos emalb yldrah dluoc uoY -lwocs yltneuqerf ,deoihcatsum dna evissaM .yella krad a ni lutueT luaP eh ,gniglub specib deoottat htiw eet sseleveels a ni tuo dekced dna ,gni sih wollof ohw elpoep fo snoillim eht sa tuB .erugfi gnisopmi na sekirts luaP ,wonk reppohC naciremA wohs ralupop s′CLT no ssenisub ylimaf .llew sa namssenisub taerg a tub ,yug ecin a ylno ton si .rS ,9991 ni kroY weN etatspU ni sreppohC ytnuoC egnarO gnidnuof ecniS -repo sulp–nosrep–07 a otni ybboh a morf ssenisub eht nworg sah lutueT -trats secirp liater ta raey a sekib motsuc 051 slles dna secudorp taht noita maet sih dna lutueT .serugfi xis ot gnitalacse ylkciuq dna 000,03$ ta gni ,hgrubweN ni sretrauqdaeh dlrow rieht morf sreppohc rieht lles ylno ton SU eht ni krowten pihsrelaed yrtnuocitlum a tuohguorht tub ,kroY weN ni sreppohc dnik–a–fo–eno tseb eht dliub snos sih dna luaP .daorba dna .ytsenoh dna ,ytivitaerc ,noissap delavirnu htiw dlrow eht taht selpicnirp ssenisub eht setadicule lutueT ,emitefiL a fo ediR ehT nI -moc ,trams siH .eman dlohesuoh a sreppohC ytnuoC egnarO edam evah llams dna gib htob sessenisub rof skrow modsiw ssenisub esnesnom

yeht fi detadimitni gnieb rof enoemos emalb yldrah dluoc uoY rf ,deoihcatsum dna evissaM .yella krad a ni lutueT luaP gib cib deoottat htiw eet sseleveels a ni tuo dekced dna ,gnilwocs oep fo snoillim eht sa tuB .erugfi gnisopmi na sekirts eh ,gni naciremA wohs ralupop s′CLT no ssenisub ylimaf sih wollof namssenisub taerg a tub ,yug ecin a ylno ton si .rS luaP ,wonk weN etatspU ni sreppohC ytnuoC egnarO gnidnuof ecniS 07 a otni ybboh a morf ssenisub eht nworg sah lutueT ,9991 raey a sekib motsuc 051 slles dna secudorp taht noitarepo sulp erugfi xis ot gnitalacse ylkciuq dna 000,03$ ta gnitrats secirp h dlrow rieht morf sreppohc rieht lles ylno ton maet sih dna rtnuocitlum a tuohguorht tub ,kroY weN ,hgrubweN ni sret dliub snos sih dna luaP .daorba dna SU eht ni krowten pihs ,noissap delavirnu htiw dlrow eht ni sreppohc dnik–a–fo–eno .ytsenoh dna ,yti p ssenisub eht setadicule lutueT ,emitefiL a fo ediR ehT nI an dlohesuoh a sreppohC ytnuoC egnarO edam evah taht sessenisub rof skrow modsiw ssenisub esnesnommoc ,trams oh dnahtsrfi nrael lliw sredaer ,ereH .yrtsudni yna ni llams dna ed dna drah gnikrow yb ssenisub lufsseccus yleuqinu a tliub itaerc derettefnu gnicarbme dna gnigaruocne ;srehto morf ti ed dna rebmem maet yreve rof selor denfied–llew gnihsilbat rfnoc dna tciflnoc tsenoh gnisu dna ;rehto hcae troppus yeht iL a fo ediR ehT .etavonni yltnatsnoc dna smelborp evlos ot yreve taht sseccus ssenisub ot ediug slian–sa–hguot ,trams a .daer dluohs ruen egnarO fo rednuof eht si ,)YN ,yremogtnoM( rS ,lutueT luaP tom motsuc fo sredliub reimerp s′dlrow eht fo eno ,sreppohC rofeb pohs noitacirbaf leets denwo–ylimaf a nar ylremrof eH gnidnuof yllautneve ,ybboh a sa sekib motsuc gnidliub nag h ssenisub sih dna eh ,2002 ecniS .9991 ni sreppohC ytnuoC .reppohC naciremA wohs CLT tih eht fo tcejbus eht

dnahtsrfi nrael lliw sredaer ,ereH .yrtsudni yna n yb ssenisub lufsseccus yleuqinu a tliub lutueT wo -ruocne ;srehto morf ti gnidnamed dna drah gnikro gnihsilbatse ;ytivitaerc derettefnu gnicarbme dna gnig -dnamed dna rebmem maet yreve rof selor denfied–lle dna tciflnoc tsenoh gnisu dna ;rehto hcae troppus yeht gn .etavonni yltnatsnoc dna smelborp evlos ot noitatnorfno ediug slian–sa–hguot ,trams a si emitefiL a fo ediR eh .daer dluohs ruenerpertne yreve taht sseccus ssenisub o fo rednuof eht si ,)YN ,yremogtnoM( rS ,lutueT lua reimerp s′dlrow eht fo eno ,sreppohC ytnuoC egnar -maf a nar ylremrof eH .selcycrotom motsuc fo sredliu -dliub nageb eh erofeb pohs noitacirbaf leets denwo–yl egnarO gnidnuof yllautneve ,ybboh a sa sekib motsuc gn -isub sih dna eh ,2002 ecniS .9991 ni sreppohC ytnuo naciremA wohs CLT tih eht fo tcejbus eht neeb evah sse .reppoh palF edisnI eht mor -suc ssadab a no yawhgih eht nwod gnippir kniht uoy f ruoy gninnur yrt ,edir llirht etamitlu eht si reppohc mo emos sevird taht tirips waltuo emas ehT .ssenisub nw rehto sevird daor eht tih dna temleh a no parts ot elpoe dnuorg eht morf ssenisub a dliub dna lla ti ksir ot elpoe

Read It! If you think ripping down the highway on a badass custom chopper is the ultimate thrill ride, try running your own business. The same outlaw spirit that drives some people to strap on a helmet and hit the road drives other people to risk it all and build a business from the ground up. Bikers and entrepreneurs share at least one trait—they do it their way, without compromise.

The Ride of a Lifetime takes you inside the head of Paul Teutul, Sr., and shows you how he runs the world′s most famous bike–building business, Orange County Choppers. This isn′t some Wall Street guy in a fancy suit and a $200 haircut telling you how to do business. This is full–throttle, hardcore business wisdom from a true hardworking entrepreneur.

T

ough, smart business advice on what it takes to run a successful business–from the star of the hit TLC show American Chopper You could hardly blame someone for being intimidated if they ran into big Paul Teutul in a dark alley. Massive and mustachioed, frequently scowling, and decked out in a sleeveless tee with tattooed biceps bulging, he strikes an imposing figure. But as the millions of people who follow his family business on TLC′s popular show American Chopper know, Paul Sr. is not only a nice guy, but a great businessman as well.

Since founding Orange County Choppers in Upstate New York in 1999, Teutul has grown the business from a hobby into a 70–person–plus operation that produces and sells 150 custom bikes a year at retail prices starting at $30,000 and quickly escalating to six figures. Teutul and his team not only sell their choppers from their world headquarters in Newburgh, New York, but throughout a multicountry dealership network in the US and abroad. Paul and his sons build the best one–of–a–kind choppers in the world with unrivaled passion, creativity, and honesty.

In The Ride of a Lifetime, Teutul elucidates the business principles that have made Orange County Choppers a household name. His smart, commonsense business wisdom works for businesses both big and small in any industry. Here, readers will learn firsthand how Teutul built a uniquely successful business by working hard and demanding it from others; encouraging and embracing unfettered creativity; establishing well–defined roles for every team member and demanding they support each other; and using honest conflict and confrontation to solve problems and constantly innovate. The Ride of a Lifetime is

a smart, tough–as–nails guide to business success that every entrepreneur should read.

Paul Teutul, Sr (Montgomery, NY), is the founder of Orange County Choppers, one of the world′s premier builders of custom motorcycles. He formerly ran a family–owned steel fabrication shop before he began building custom bikes as a hobby, eventually founding Orange County Choppers in 1999. Since 2002, he and his business have been the subject of the hit TLC show American Chopper.

Starting a business is about taking risks and believing in yourself. After working on bikes as a hobby for almost two decades, Paul Teutul, Sr., decided to take that risk and invested his retirement money to start OCC with his son Paulie. If you watch American Chopper, you know that the OCC team quickly became one of the world′s best bike fabricators. But if you′ve only watched the show, you don′t know the business values upon which Paul Teutul, Sr., built the business, the risks he took to get there, or how he manages the ups and downs of life as an entrepreneur.

The Ride of a Lifetime takes you beyond the television show to show you the real nuts and bolts of running a successful business. Paul Teutul, Sr., is loud, brash, and in your face. But he′s got the kind of real–world business insight you can′t get from a seminar or a business degree.

So put on your boots and tighten up your chinstrap, because building a business isn′t some joyride. It takes hard work, then more hard work. It means taking punches and hitting back, doing it your way, and believing in what you′re doing every second of every day.

Do what you love. Work hard at it. And never give up.

Running a business isn′t easy, but it IS The Ride of a Lifetime.

Heartfelt Passion

When you think of Ducati you think of Italy, so where else would you go for a holiday where you can pick up a Ducati and set off to enjoy the sites, the food and the people of Tuscany, and our research led us to Ducati Tours.

For many people who own a bike finding the space to actually be able to enjoy it without having to dodge traffic, breath toxic fumes and battle against speed cameras and the ever growing big brother attitude to trying to enjoy yourself can be difficult, but in much of northern Europe the density of population is lower therefore, there is much less traffic on the roads to contend with, just the open space to really enjoy the connection between man and machine (I include women here!)

Now think about the weather. So many countries are inhibited by god awful weather and it is no fun at all riding in rain, but Italy offers long summer months and beautifully warm evenings so your time is extended to really get to enjoy the mountain roads, to be able to stop and take in the view, to pause for a moment for a meal and conversation, in fact, it is simply perfect. You will also find that the Italians are passionate about Ducati so you will always be met by a smile and enthusiasm, rather than the usual tut of International

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annoyance from those around, that in itself is refreshing.

Joining Ducati Tours you will be able to explore Italy whilst having the opportunity to ride Ducati motorcycles, including the Superbikes, something a little different from the usual Seat hire car! This way you really feel like you have been away and spent your time doing something a little different and remember, even if you have your own bike you can contact Ducati Tours and they can give you a different price for bringing your own bike, but then you still get to enjoy their experience and knowledge to have a really great time.

Ducati Tours take their business very seriously, fun is obviously top of the list but so is luxury and comfort. Hotels are all of very high quality, such as the Villa Di Piazzano, take a look at www.villadepiazzano.com and all their Ducati bikes are immaculate; no one wants to be seen on some old dog or stuck on the side of the road no matter how great the scenery!

Go to the web site to check out all the tours available but remember there is also a link to special events where you can find additional trips and for your diary here are a couple of dates to note:-

Ducati Ferrari and Mountains. Normally 2800 Euros reduced to 2400 Euros, available 7th April for 5 nights.

Tuscan 7 Night Tour: Get a reduction of 300 Euros if booked before 1st April 2009 If you like the look of any of the tours but need to make some changes e.g. start/end date or the tour duration let the guys at Ducati Tours know and they will try to work something out for you.

So, if you want to feel the wind in your hair as a totally new experience or you want to be able to use your bike for once, get in touch with Ducati Tours and head off to Tuscany, you will wish you had done it sooner!

The only tour company that we know of that has one of these!

www.ducatitours.com Tel: (+39) 340 7677364 Fax: (+39) 0583 050718 email:ducatitours@gmail.com

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TRIUMPH “Supreme Temptation” Seductive summer lingerie is in two-tone flower patterned lace.

Plunge bra with bow trim £26.50; hipster short £15

Words: Lynn Nicholson

Harissa who?

W

hen the good people at Steenbergs told me they were sending a selection of Arabian spices I set to work to design recipes that could incorporate these unusual blends into every day cooking and my research took me all over!

What became really evident was the amount of time spent preparing the spice mixes to go into some pretty basic recipes, but the secret of the fantastic tastes and aromas came from the effort put into the preparation of the spices which is a major benefit when you already have them, blended in an airtight jar! I would also like to point out here that the size of the jars sent from Steenbergs are fantastic value for money, averaging around ÂŁ2.00 a pot, these will last you for ages and will certainly get your family and guests talking about your new style of cuisine and really, when you look at the quality of the contents it is just not worth your while to start buying ingredients and trying to mix it for yourself!

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The ingredients are all organic, so you know its good and further more, having been to a spice market in a Bedouin town, you can be sure what is in the jar is clean and not full of dust and heavens know what else!

My first tip is to open the lids and smell. The mix of the ingredients alone makes you instantly hungry and then you will start thinking of ways to use the spices. Then read the ingredients. Some you will obviously know and some will be unfamiliar, but that is part of the fun, go with your instinct and use them wherever you want. Cooking is about having fun, ok, sometimes thing’s may not work out, but that is the secret to becoming a good cook, you develop your own recipes, some you use over and over again, some you simply never, ever mention!

Do go to the website and look at the spices you will find a stack of info and simply tons to choose from, but do try something different!

Vegetable Curry

Saudi Style Rice

Now I do not know if this spice is actually meant for this, but the point is you can turn something very basic into a mouth of exploding spices, so I do not care if it is right or not, all I know is it tastes fantastic.

You will need:-

Basically, sweat one onion with garlic and celery in a large pan using a slug of olive oil. Now add, now I used a tablespoon here but it is down to taste you can always add more later!, the Ras al-Hanut spice (this has so many ingredients its amazing!) and quickly whip it around in the veg and oil. Now add a jar of tomato puree and the same jar again, fill with water and put into the pan. Add chopped potatoes, bite size, cauliflower, leeks, carrots in fact, all kinds of veg into the pan and now top up with boiling water to ensure that it is all covered, add salt and pepper and let it simmer until it is cooked. If you want it thicker, add a little flour and water.

Serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and some pitta breads.

Pitta Bread Dips You know, you can change the plainest of foods into something really great with a simple sprinkle of spices, I used pitta breads, sliced in half and then drizzled with Olive Oil and then a good sprinkling of the Organic Harissa with Rose (this has become my favourite) and then popped them under the grill for a few minutes. Serve these cut into wedges with dips, fantastic and of course, you can do this with any of the spices to make a selection of flavours I tried it with chermoula and this was a great hit, in fact, if you get this spice, use it with little roasted potatoes, part boil them and then bang them around in the saucepan to get them a bit spiky and then put in a good slug of olive oil, add a spoonful of chermoula and then mix around and then put them in the oven to roast, these taste and smell fantastic and if you have any left you can mix them the next day into a potato salad, the spice and the mayonnaise work a treat.

3 cups of rice (I use a tea cup as a measure) 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil 1 Onion Sliced 2 Chopped Cloves Of Garlic ½ Cup of golden raisins 2 Tablespoons of tomato puree 2 Teaspoons of the Tunisian Spice Salt and Pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons of toasted pine nuts (do this in a dry pan, but watch them, they turn from toasted to black in a second!)

2 Tablespoons of toasted sliced almonds.

Ok, this is super simple, but the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water and let it soak for 15 minutes.

In another pan, cook the onions and garlic in the oil until soft but not brown.

After the rice has been soaking put it into the onions and garlic along with the tomato puree, raisins and the spices, including salt and pepper.

Add enough water to cover and simmer for 10 minutes, but check that it does not become dry and add more water if needed. Cook until the rice is tender.

Serve and sprinkle the nuts over. Serve it alone or with anything you fancy!

Hot Sauce Now this uses the other Harissa spice, without the rose.

The reduction in cooking makes this a really hot sauce, and brings all kinds of things alive or it can simply be a great dipping sauce. The other great thing is that this will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks!

Jar of tomato paste Half a jar of water (use the jar of tomato paste as a measure) 1/2 teaspoon harissa 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 -20 minutes. Stirring frequently. Once ready you can serve it, or let it cool and put it in the fridge.

Steenbergs Organic Tel 0044 (0) 1765 640088 www.steenbergs.co.uk

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P

eru is still regarded as a mystical destination, somewhere you go when back packing around the world and more and more companies are setting up businesses allowing even the most naive of travellers the opportunity to venture further afield, and discover this spiritual destination finding a way to absorb the high energy of Peru.

There is so much to see in Peru and it is important that you spend the time with someone who can enhance your experience, you need to use your time wisely to really capture what Peru holds and our research found Perol Chico, a company that offers you a deep knowledge and understanding, whether you are looking for a single day or a twelve day tour, they live, feel and breathe Peru.

The company is named after land purchased for the business and here you can take horse riding treks across Peru using the owners much loved Peruvian Paso horses and if you want to do something really special then you should consider the twelve day trip across the Sacred Valley.

Perol Chico’s main ranch and riding operation is located in the mystical Sacred Valley of the Incas, between Cusco

was looking for Vilcabamba, the last hiding place of Manco Inca. There is still some debate over the true nature of Machu Picchu, but majority opinion holds it is a royal retreat and sacred centre begun by Pachacuti in the mid 1400s and occupied until shortly after the arrival of the Spanish.

Machu Picchu is filled with astonishingly beautiful structures that blend harmoniously with the surroundings. From every perspective, the buildings and stones mimic the shapes of the surrounding mountain peaks. The carved stone Bingham dubbed the Intiwatana, the Hitching Post of the Sun, abstractly echoes the shape of Huayna Picchu. Archaeologists argue this stone does not play the same role as other intiwatana stones at sites like Pisac, but do agree it held special significance as an element of mountain worship. They also agree it is not a sundial.

One of the most beautiful structures at Machu Picchu is the Temple of the Sun, a solar observatory that features the finest stonework of the site. Bingham called its north wall “the most beautiful wall in America.” It is built on a natural rock structure, partially encircling the top of the structure. Here the rock has been deliberately cut to form a ledge that bisects the sunlight passing through the east-

Mystical Journey A look at Peru as an adventure holiday destination with Perol Chico, words by Lynn Nicholson

and Machu Picchu. The dramatic scenery of snow capped mountains, deep blue lagoons, and spectacular flora and fauna makes this valley the prime base for adventure tourism in Peru.

The Sacred Valley rides are offered from April until the end of October, and may include side trips to fascinating Inca sites such as Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Pisaq, Chinchero and Sacsayhuaman.

The riding season in the Sacred Valley is limited due to frequent rain between November and March, which causes the trails to become slippery and too dangerous to ride.

Perol Chico has therefore recently expanded to include a new riding and breeding establishment close to Arequipa, the “city of eternal spring”, where most of the breeding stock is kept.

Due to its geographic location, the weather conditions in Arequipa are much more favourable for riding at that time of year. These rides combine the equestrian exploration of merciless desert land and the abundant wilderness of the South Pacific coastline. They may also include visits to historical sites such as the Convent of Santa Catalina, the 17th century Mill of Sabandia and the famous mummy of Juanita, to name a few.

The history of Peru is amazing and of course for many tourists the main attraction is Machu Picchu.

The site was discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, who International

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ern window at sunrise on the winter solstice. Underneath, the rock structure forms a cave, misleadingly named the Royal Tomb by Bingham. No burial has been found in the cave. Archaeologists now think the cave represents the sacred heart of the mountain.

Machu Picchu is a photographer’s delight. The combination of sun, stones, mountains, and buildings result in shadow dance that lasts all day.

Perol Chico will give you more than just a vacation it will give you education and a feeling of gaining a depth of understanding of a country whilst being at one with a beautiful horse and anyone who has spent time on a horse will tell you that you that by the end of your time with your horse you will have made at least one new friend!

There is much to learn, just from visiting the web site of Perol Chico, so take the time to click on and read about the beautiful country, the history and the background and breeding programme of the Peruvian Paso horses and consider the adventure of a lifetime.

Ranch: (+51) 01.994147267 / 84.984624475 mailto:info@perolchico.com www.perolchico.com

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Fine Tuning the Consumer Words: Mike Peter Reed

I

n order to escape the matrix you need to acquire an understanding and a comprehension of marketing. Tactics and strategy therein. Even then, the fallout will be all around you. Some can grasp the psychology, others cannot. Forewarned is forearmed.

Let’s start with the Concise Oxford English Dictionary definition of marketing: “the action or business of promoting and selling products or services”.

Pretty innocuous, huh? Note that marketing is an action or a transaction (business). It is not based on luck or ideas but on doing. Promotion. Part of that promotion may be an advertising campaign, but don’t be misled. Marketing and advertising are not the same thing. Marketing determines the positioning of the product or service, advertising is an attempt to drill the marketing message deep into your brain with something memorable. Then, when you are in the supermarket aisle pondering over which brand to buy ... it’s hoped the message will activate that part of your psychology which identifies with the brand position that has been marketed. If you identify with the brand you are more likely to select it. Cold hard logic should not apply. Marketing appeals to the emotions. This is where the war begins. Between brands competing for your attention, your vocabulary, your brain capacity. Between the brands

and your own sanity, your own outlook on reality. There are about 170,000 words in common use in the English language today (source: askoxford.com) and a typical adult has a vocabulary of anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 words (so a google search tells me). A large supermarket could feasibly stock over 40,000 product lines (source: Tesco.com). Do you see the problem yet? If an average person has a vocabulary of up to 20,000 words then who is going to remember 40,000 branded product names? Even allowing for brand extension (there are 12 types of Crest toothpaste listed at crest.com for example) there are still thousands of brands and registered trademarks competing for your brain cells. Even where a brand is represented only or predominantly by a logo (Nike or Apple for example), at some point you still need to say what the logo represents or word-of-mouth marketing will fail. And word-of-mouth is the ultimate make-or-break of a brand. Remember Ratners? Or do you remember how Ratner referred to his product as “total crap”? That was in 1991. In today’s on-line world such a comment would

likely spread globally in hours. It would be spread in blogs, tweets, Facebook status updates, who knows what else.

And companies know this (or should know this). Which is why shills and sophisticated astroturf campaigns have also moved on-line. Whilst advertising and sales talk to a prospect is hardly a crime, shills and astroturfing are dubious at best. A shill is someone who acts as an enthusiastic customer in order to entice others. On-line this could be a favourable review of a product by someone on the company payroll, though how would you ever know? You wouldn’t. Which is why there is safety in numbers. Which is why shills can and do spearhead astroturf campaigns which will provide the volume of positive reviews you might want to see before purchasing a product. Of course, you can’t beat a sober product trial and your own opinion - but if your own opinion is the opposite of “the crowd” will you be able to overcome your self-doubt? People naturally want their own views corroborated. Will you take the red pill or the blue pill?

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Organic Wines in Spain

Colin Harkness is a wine writer and broadcaster living on the Costa Blanca.

T

here was a time when the term Organic Produce was strictly the preserve (home-made and bottled in recycled glass of course!) of the woolly-hatted, 2CV driving, Bohemian-dressed, slightly odd, friends of the Earth, communicating with nature types. In truth, in those days the quality of the organic vegetables and fruit that were to be found was not straight out of the top drawer, to put it kindly. The organic yoghurt was just about passable (as long as you passed it quickly after its consumption!) and the wines were of variable quality – varying between undrinkable and barely acceptable!

The intervening years have seen huge strides forward in terms of quality and availability as well as reaching a far more reasonable price point. In the UK there are whole areas set aside in supermarkets that are dedicated to organic produce, farm shops are doing a roaring trade and people are thinking green.

It is the same with wine. Whilst the quality of organic wine may not have quite reached the heights that a waitress in one of my restaurants suggested by mistake once, when she asked me to take another bottle of that ‘orgasmic wine’ to table three, there has been stunning improvement! Indeed there are many world-famous producers who have seen the potential, in terms of saving the planet and in

market demand, and have turned at least some of their attention to making environmentally friendly wine, if not moving to wholly organic winemaking.

For me it’s all most encouraging. Whilst it’s true that I used to drive a 2CV this was more of an economic necessity than an altruistic calling but I’ve always been interested in living longer. I believe in the natural way as the ideal path towards achieving that wholly selfish goal, so for me organic is good – provided it is good!

In a country where spraying heaven knows what chemicals on the land has always been seen as the norm and where it was, up until only a few years ago, practically impossible to buy a free-range egg and where this remains the case re free-range chickens you might expect the production of organic wine to be some way down the list of priorities.

You’d be wrong though as Spain has strongly embraced the ecological ideology when it comes to wine production and the result for lovers of wine is a healthy, organic paradise.

Top quality organic wine is here to stay in Spain and recently I’ve been enjoying some excellent examples and am delighted to see that more and more producers are expanding this growing fraternity. Their motives are two fold – they want to produce good quality wine to sell and

therefore to satisfy an increasing consumer demand and they genuinely care about the land that they are leaving to their heirs.

Bodegas Los Frailes, Denominación de Origen Valencia makes perhaps the best organic wine in Spain, it’s the best I’ve tasted, but it’s a very close fought race with Bodega Bajoz, DO Toro; Bodegas La Purísima, DO Yecla; Bodegas Heretat de Tavernes, also DO Valencia; and Bodegas Juan Porsellanes, Alicante all biting at their heels. I’m sure there are many others too, and it will be my pleasure to discover them!

I’ve been to Bodegas Los Frailes Miguel will always give you a super welcome and the wines are really top quality.

I don’t mean top quality for organic – I mean these wines have reached an excellent standard compared to all Spanish wines not just the organic fraternity. Their whole range, all red for the moment but whites will follow, is organic their top wine being Trilogia, several of which sit in my cellar right now. There is another one, recently on the market, called MoMa – I’m expecting to receive a couple of bottles and I can’t wait!

Very, very close to the above portfolio of wines is Ouno from Bodega Bajoz, DO Toro. These wines were sent to me out of the blue as extras to some others that Bajoz had

sent when supplying one of our wine tastings with classical music. It is a rich, full flavoured wine with dark berry notes and it really does make excellent drinking, with or without food.

Bodegas la Purísima is a cooperative winery in DO Yecla.

Together their membership owns some 60% of all the land under vine in the DO. According to their principal winemaker, Pedro, their organic range will be increased over the years as the bodega has decided to go the ecological route using the excellent pest confusing wraps that are placed every two or three vines, replacing spraying. Again, super, organic wines.

Finally, for now at least, there is a tiny production as yet of wines made by Bodegas Juan Porsellanes, out of Benissa, Alicante. This building magnate owns over a million hectares of land which is dedicated to organically grown fruit crops, and olives. The Olive Oil is truly excellent and the one dry red and one dessert white wine currently made are following suit.

My advice is for you to join the bourgeoning group or organic wine drinkers here in Spain, and starting with above will really show you just how enjoyable such wines can be.

W

hen living in London in his early teens, Bob attended a Qabalah school that aimed to teach its pupils the esoteric arts. The knowledge to penetrate the veils of reality. A mix of eastern and western philosophies that fused Kabbalah with yoga. (This was well before Madonna and the like made Kabbalah popular). It was this journey that planted the seed for ‘destination unknown’, the debut album from A Cuckoo (aka Bob Bradley). Described as the reminiscent echoes of a dusty sepia tinted past. The mojo magazine said “..reassuringly old fashioned. It would seem impolite if it wasn’t available on 78.” Stories of Magic and love interwoven between complex yet familiar melodies and nostalgic instrumentation such as music boxes, mellotrons, and woody acoustic guitars and strings.

This was by no means Bob’s first musical escapade. He had already spent time touring the world with a number of successful British art rock collectives. Most notably, the blue Aeroplanes and the house of love. He has also penned a handful of top tens for some very successful pop artists such as Gabriella Cilmi. But it is within the film and television industry that his musical knowledge was truly nurtured. Bob has scored soundtracks for a very long list of film and television shows for the likes of the BBC. It earned him a royal television award and equipped him with all the musical abilities necessary to create the A Cuckoo project.

Already, A cuckoo’s debut album has received critical acclaim. The track ‘the girl from my dreams’ was used by o2 for their massive bluebook ad campaign. He was invited to record a cover for the Mojo magazines ‘Beatles White album’ supplement along side Paul Weller and Ron Sexsmith, receiving warm compliments such luminaries as Duke Special and Shawn Lee. His record company, Le Grand Magistery (home of Momus, Stars etc.) already has a 2nd release planned and bob has already recorded much of its material in the gothic settings of Whitby and Sibiu. “The next album will be even more cinematic, very gothic but still nostalgic. My recent work with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra has led me down a more filmic, instrumental path. There will still be vocals, but they will be used more as an instrument this time around.” describes Bob. Destination unknown is available from iTunes, Amazon & Darla etc..

The 2nd album is due for release this Halloween

acuckoo.com Darla.com (search A Cuckoo) Myspace/cuckooshome

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a d i m u o r C Pe de ynn s: L d r Wo

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ith so many cultures around the world comes a fantastic selection of cooking, using ingredients that we are probably familiar with, but ingredients that are used in a whole new way. Having researched the area I was fascinated by the history of food from Peru and wanted to share some of the history and recipes with you, and these are recipes that you can easily prepare but as with all foods I think it is important to have a basic understanding of the background of the ingredients, so I hope you find this as interesting as I did.

The first inhabitants of Peru are believed to have migrated from Asia around 6000 B.C. These early nomadic tribesmen relied on the hunting of animals and the gathering of fruits and plants to survive. By 5000 B.C., small communities were established and the early cultivation of cotton, chilli peppers, beans, squash, and maize began. Most of the early settlers lived near the coast, where the wet climate allowed for planted seeds to grow.

One of the world’s most popular vegetables, papas (potatoes), were first grown in Peru. The earliest remains of potatoes have been discovered at archeological sites in

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southern and eastern Peru, dating as far back as 400 B.C. Y.You can read more about the history of the potato in back editions of the Lifestyle Magazine. Avocado pits have been discovered buried with mummies dating as far back as 750 B.C. The Incas came to power in the 1400s. They survived mostly on maize and potatoes that they planted on terraces that they carved out of steep hillsides (which can still be seen today). Their empire was short-lived, however. In 1528, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro discovered Peru and was intrigued by the riches of the Inca Empire. The Spanish helped to introduce chicken, pork, and lamb to the Incas. In return, the Incas introduced the Spanish to a wide variety of potatoes and aji (chili peppers). As the Spanish gained control, they demanded that the natives grow such European crops as wheat, barley, beans, and carrots. As European disease struck the Incas and a shortage of labour arose, slaves from Africa were brought over to work on the new plantations. Africans contributed such foods as picarones (anise-sweetened, deep-fried pastries made from a pumpkin dough), to the Peruvian cuisine, as

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g fr bein ed Lem f e s o n y njo will Half a inding ly r thin that e f g o y r d ce ve thing oo rich e rol lly g ced e t s rea of salt ion sli e, som ole s n ss c inch arge o chee e l a l ted se One of gra ric or u e , m 4oz ed! f tu cream Metho ho k lt d me d pinc of thic Mix th r o e e t v o o G pin ley, ga lime juice w n, c s). fa l a rlic, ch it a s p e H illies, h the onion bowl. uce inute em a ion! potato ggs t p s sli e h p pper, m t e o Place and sa ces, oil, pa in a ut 20 , cut rge led m t rs h lt in a e o m e 6 la rd boi h b e fish in just la mixing d a ce t der (a eel th a shall e a r r l g e 2h , p enou ow gla the lim ice th ol. P l ten es, ss or c e-juice gh to hold n ju em wi d ato il unti to co t o era o o it in a c m h p m o o h s t e t m ix l b e e e p t t u single mic dish le re ove a M tely co th he nd otato ide. o t b c a layer r li u e , v it m ered w . e juice Scr water the p set as ombin es and ith the The fish mu . Pour if , n y w C e l c c h d c t i o s essar mixtur ver tig n wit n, allo rs, an bowl, ion sl ide. e. Add t be nd nsta i t. severa htly with p y. m ore Dra quarte ixing dd on set as w hea ring co elts a la l A m m r cooke hours (or o stic wrap a into small d salt. ell and over lo m. Sti eese n v d d refrig ernigh .� (Ma h e k t In a per, an . Stir w skillet d crea until c t , nough.) Se e certain it ) until the fi erate for l i a n o e t e e pep mixtur a larg eric, a w hea to b onion ring rve on lettu has marina sh is “soft to h s, th ce lea t stir ixture toes a y l the t oil in e, turm over lo t ves ga ed long n m nd/or in strips of e w a g s r n g o e c pe ish e orn on d ll H d- Serves 4 che ookin . the co pper, and s ed with ot a s an har to 6. weet p h b t Add inue c mooth otatoe . Do n . i w otat s s ish m i n con ure is oked p inute r e a v g r t m o e mix the c out 5 and s. S b toe owl n its a b t Add ugh, a dle. po ng ct o i r e v o e f u r r r th will c a se r th pe t ove e hot. r just e or i sfer to . r r o u s n ixt sa gs Tra d egg ion m tatoe y thin o e n n l i p bo nkle o hile so ma ad. i w Spr iately t with sh bre a e d e e r g e fr m s is th som i h Now th T wi . is n w 6 v ery mu is really big o es in Spa v r You w ch in Peru a in, but Se ill nee ls enjoye o . d:d Small cup of did Polynesians from the Pacific Islands, the Chinese, and uncoo Cinna ked mo the Japanese. of cinn n powder, a white rice. a ls mon s The Peruvian cuisine largely consists of spicy dishes that cookin ticks to o try and ge g. t a cou put in originated as a blend of Spanish and indigenous foods. ple 3 clov with th e e s rice w Such dishes are often referred to as Criolla, or Creole. Aji 1 can hen of (chili) is the most popular spice in Peru and is used in a Half a evaporated cu m variety of ways to give food extra flavor. Mint, oregano, A knob p of sugar ( ilk s o ame s basil, parsley, and cilantro are also included in Peruvian Half a f butter ize as c the ric u dishes, particularly soups and stews. Aside from spices, e cup) others p of raisins , . a g ain, sa however, potatoes, rice, beans, fish, and various grains me siz e as th are essential staples (foods eaten nearly everyday) in the Metho e d Peruvian diet.

Boil th e Meats and fresh fruits and vegetables are the basis of the sticks rice in 2 cup o s f tropical Peruvian diet. Bananas, plantains (similar to the and co cinnamon ( of water wit h the s if o availa k a cco banana), and yucca (similar to a yam) are readily availu After t b he rice rding to pac le), and clo gar, ves, able, and therefore are eaten in great quantities. Inhabitkage d has fin milk, b ire is ut ants of the tropical region also enjoy a variety of fish, wild refrige ter, and rais hed cooking ctions. , add t ra in h game (such as boars, monkeys, pigs, deer, and chickens), Sprink te, covered, s. Let cool, and th e le cinn until re e amon and plenty of rice, oh and of course the odd guinea pig. n desse a d y to powde rt r on to serve.

So, here are some recipes for you to try and no you will not Makes bowls. p and 4. serve find any guinea pigs on the ingredients list!

Enjoy! in

Arroz con Le c (Rice and M he ilk)

Anyone For Cocktails?

9K Gold Cocktail Rings from ÂŁ155 Also come in yellow gold

Time&

Space

!

Words: Lynn Nicholson

W

hen you mention hiking to people they tend to think of hippies traipsing through the countryside, making tents, eating mung beans and singing camp songs, but there is so much more to hiking, in particular the health benefits.

The secret of good health comes not only from eating well, but the whole package, the mental, the emotional and the physical and for those of you who feel that sweating in a gym simply is not an option then you should seriously consider hiking, for this is exercising whilst taking in plenty of fresh air and it gives you time to think, to clear your head of the daily rubbish we all collect and store, resulting in stress, that has a serious effect on our health. Lets also consider that women are always told to consider osteoporosis and to look for ways to prevent it, yes you can buy into medication and expensive drug options but hiking will help prevent it naturally. The gentle force of gravity helps to increase bone density and slows the loss of calcium, so you can strengthen your bones and make them less susceptible of breaking, and taking a hike will have a gentler effect on your body than walking on the pavement.

So, if you are looking to change how you look and feel you need to organise yourself on a hiking trek, and what better place than New Zealand in particular, Hiking New Zealand.

Established in 1993, Hiking New Zealand Ltd. is one of New Zealand’s leading eco-tourism, wilderness hiking companies and winner of the NZ Tourism Distinction Award for winning awards in three consecutive years.

Founded by Mark Brabyn, his vision was to offer visitors New Zealand walking tours using tourism to support conservation. Daniel and Anne Murphy bought into the business at the beginning of 2005 and they too have ensured the business has remained true to the founding principles.

Hiking New Zealand specialises in providing small groups with comprehensive tours incorporating: sightseeing, wild-

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life viewing, hiking and adventure activities such as kayaking and caving. Over the years they have expanded to promote what they believe are the best of New Zealand’s hikes and adventures.

All the hikers share the passion for active travel, wild places and their conservation, travelling in small groups and having fun with like-minded people.

They are committed to using the business to support conservation and environmental projects. To date over NZ$60,000 has been donated to New Zealand’s endangered Hector’s dolphin, through their Wildlife Research Fund.

Active hikers who are familiar with the tracks and love to share their knowledge of New Zealand with you run Hiking New Zealand. Whether you like camping, a luxury lodge or sleeping under the stars; whether you want to walk all day or just a few hours; whether you want a three day or 20 day tour, Hiking New Zealand has it all.

The point is, if you never take a moment out of your life to really appreciate what the world holds for you, if you never move away from your computer or simply turn off your cell phone you will find that you miss out on so much. As the saying goes “If you don’t make time how will you ever have time?”

Understanding yourself is so important in maintaining good health and having the peace and quiet to really listen to your own personal needs is essential. No loud music, no sweaty gyms, no running through the street breathing in the toxins of traffic, just you and nature. Perfect.

Contact Hiking New Zealand, let them know what you are looking for and they can direct you to the perfect hike.

What are you waiting for?

Hiking New Zealand Ltd. PO Box 93, Lyttelton, New Zealand Ph +64 3 384 3706, Fax +64 3 3766 483 www.HikingNewZealand.com info@hikingnewzealand.com

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Adventures to suit everyone!

Request a free adventure-packed brochure: www.HikingNewZealand.com info@HikingNewZealand.com

+64 3 384 3706

Diamond Collection www.janeheart.com

888-703-0503

Telephone: (+51) 01.994147267 / 84.984624475 Email: info@perolchico.com www.perolchico.com

info@wetnwildrafting.co.nz

www.wetnwildrafting.co.nz

Freephone: 0800 462 7238 New Zealand: +64 (0)7 348 3191 / +64 (0)7 349 6567 Wet’n Wild Rafting,2 White Street,PO Box 601,Rotorua,New Zealand.

The Video Surf Report

There Can Be No

Reason!

Words: Lynn Nicholson

Here we are in the year 2009. You would think that we, as a civilised nation, would have moved on a little, now I know some things have changed, I mean, and not wishing to sound cynical here, you can buy popcorn you can make in a microwave and you cannot smoke in public areas because you may cause other people harm with your smoke and yet, somehow, really important things slip through the net.

When I was at High School, and this was many years ago, I was signing petitions for banning the Seal Hunt in Canada. I remember the images, the horrifying man standing over a baby seal, the whole class was in tears, how could man do this and what for? There was mention of culling the numbers but this was a cover to hide the fact that the seal cub fur was for the ‘rich’ who wanted to walk around in seal cub fur coats. I have never to this day understood why anyone would want to wear something like this.

I mean surely if it is about culling then you would remove the oldest, not the cubs, oh of course, no one wants to wear an old seal coat do they?

The figures are horrifying, up to 330,000 harp seal cubs are murdered every year, and this is what PETA had to say.

“The Canadian government allows club-wielding sealers to kill baby seals in front of their mothers after they have started molting their white fur, when they are just 12 days old-yes, seals can legally be killed before they are even 2 weeks old. The difference between bashing in the head of a 12-day-old seal and a 13-day-old seal is lost on most people, and opposition to the seal slaughter is growing.

Here in the U.S., the sale of seal fur has been banned since 1972. Belgium and the Netherlands have passed laws banning the importation of seal fur, and the European Union (E.U.) is considering similar legislation. Just last week , a committee in the E.U. Parliament voted in favor of a strong prohibition on trade in seal products-this brings Europe one step closer to a complete ban.

But Canada isn’t taking this lying down. In a misguided and dirty effort to make the slaughter seem more palatable, they’ve implemented new “standards,” including re-

quiring that sealers wait 60 seconds before skinning the seals in order to “ensure” that they are dead. I’m sorry, but bludgeoning gentle animals, impaling them, dragging them across the ice, and ripping off their skin after a 60-second pulse check-if anyone is actually watching-does not fit any realistic definition of “humane.” And the new regulations don’t require a speck of oversight.

What the Canadian government actually supports here is the biggest marine mammal slaughter in the world. However, let’s not isolate them, anyone wearing a seal cub fur coat is also responsible, I mean, they create the demand so they are just as guilty.”

I have always believed that if these people desperately

want a seal cub fur coat they should go out there themselves, take a lump of wood and kill their own seal cubs, let them take responsibility for their revolting wardrobe. How many of them could do it, none I bet, they choose to look the other way getting their nails done ready for a charity dinner that night when they can publicly donate money to a cause. It is all about ego at the end of the day, but lets not even get started on that.

Look at the pictures and take action.

Canada is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics and so the world will be looking at them, so now is your chance to do something. Write to The Vancouver Olympic Organzing Committee and get them to do something. contact the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee

A Place at Your

ace P

Words: Lynn Nicholson Pictures: River Valley

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wner Brian Megaw says, “When I look around me at these green clad hills, the tree covered ranges, and the magnificent river canyons, I don’t need to remind myself what an incredibly beautiful place that we have here at River Valley Lodge. We are so lucky to live here, and are pleased to be able to share all of this with you.”

When I found River Valley Rafting I was searching for companies who offered not only fun but also were involved with protecting the environment at the same time, not simply as a gesture but really doing something to make a difference and I loved the way they expressed how they wanted to find the areas they used better than when they had found them.

River Valley operates beside the Rangitikei River, down in New Zealand, one of the worlds’ most beautiful places.

Visitors are able to have a huge amount of appreciation of the unspoiled and unpolluted landscape. River Valley is committed to minimising and mitigating the impact of their operations on this environment. They have introduced a comprehensive environmental plan, through independent carbon credits. They also encourage their business partners and clients to embrace the environmental vision.

They work to develop systems that will minimise their environmental footprint which will ultimately extend beyond the recycling and tree planting programmes they already have in place.

It is easy to see how serious they are and you can go to the web site to read a lot more, but here are some of the achievements to date.

Commissioning of a state of the art sewage treatment plant that treats the water waste to an extremely high standard and then disperses it to the areas of native plant regeneration.

Meeting of their goals to plant a minimum of 200 square metres of native trees and shrubs per annum - in addition most of these plants are transplanted seedlings grown at River Valley within their own gardens and transplanted.

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Ongoing opossum control. While the results of this are anecdotal, there appears to be an explosion in the native bird population around the Lodge.

All the staff are committed to the programmes and want you to have fantastic fun whilst getting to know the area and the positive affects you can make whilst with River Valley, but also when you leave. So, now you have to decide what you would like to do and this can be difficult!

The great thing about River Valley is that you can choose to be as active or as relaxed as you want I mean you simply have to close your eyes and ask yourself what it is you want to achieve as part of a break from the frantic lifestyle we are often all hurled into, so with your eyes closed what do you see?

Are you cruising down a beautiful river absorbing the energy of the immense cliffs around you?

Are you saddling up your horse ready for a sunset stroll?

Are you finally reading that pile of books you have stashed away with a glass of wine?

Maybe you can see yourself completely full of adrenalin as you raft through a Grade 5 rapid?

Are you sitting in a hot tub, letting the stresses of life just slip away.?

Are you meeting new friends with new views and opinions?

And finally imagine this, you can hear the sound of the river, the cicadas chirruping in the summer, native birds calling to each other in the dawn chorus, the harsh cry of a New Zealand Falcon silencing them as it flies overhead.

Nothing else, just the sounds of nature.

So, before that image slips away, make a difference. Everyone deals with problems and stress so much better if you clear the way, take a moment and grab opportunities to recharge. What is the worst that can happen except that maybe you will learn to relax!

Here are some of the activities you can take part in, but contact the guys at River Valley Rafting and let them know what you are looking for and they can help you get the best out of your time with them.

White Water Rafting Scenic Rafting Horse Trekking Ranqitikei Headwaters Golf Hikoi Guided Walk Mokai Gravity Canyon Fly Fishing Inflatable Kayaking Multi Day River Trips Contact: www.rivervalley.co.nz

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& Conviction

Courage

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T

he image of a horse, in any form, is striking and when you consider that the animal is a symbol of travel, power and freedom, giving you the power to use your talents and skills, you can understand what it was that made Jane Heart change her career and follow her heart.

Jane used to work in New York, for companies such as Saks, Gucci and Neiman Marcus but one day decided to simply ‘go for it’ and follow her heart.

She took her passion for horses and jewellery and created her own business, now incorporating other collections Jane has a strong client base and one collection, the Star Collection went to a party before the Emmy’s where all the actors - male and female - loved the designs.

The great thing about the designs is that they are very versatile, you can wear them for everyday or you can really dress up an outfit for evening wear, and when it comes to buying gifts what can be better than something a little different and personal and all Jane Heart copyright designs are original, classic, and collectable. They are manufactured in Arizona and are of excellent quality, detail, and workmanship. Each piece is stamped on the back with the heart shaped Jane Heart logo and is hand fabricated and polished by hand after casting.

I was really drawn to the Chihuahua range, with a little girl myself who is completely in love with Chihuahua’s these would maKe a perfect gift that will last forever, but there are always new ranges arriving so keep looking.

Jane was able to announce last year that her licensed jewellery for Barbaro will see a portion of the proceeds benefit the Fund for Laminitis Research at the University of Pennsylvania school of Veterinary Medicine, helping to find a solution for the many horses who suffer from this. Along side this Jane has a personal goal to establish the Jane Heart Foundation that will help both animals and people in need, and if that is not enough, Jane also plans to write her first book to be titled, Follow Your Heart – Follow Your Dreams, which will document her personal journey, something that we here at Lifestyle will be looking forward too, after all, life is a journey and you need to live it to the full.

You can visit Jane and see her designs at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas between 15th and 19th April. Check out full details at www.worldcuplasvegas.com.

Here the best horses and riders from around the world compete every two years for dressage and jumping.

Jane Heart PO Box 6399 Scottsdale, Az. 85261 jane@janeheart.com www.janeheart.com Phone: 480-998-0503 1-888-703-0503 Fax: 480-596-9248

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A

s someone who knows me will tell you, I am not particularly big on meat eating, but I understand that many people do like to eat meat but it is also very important to me that if you are going to eat meat that you take time to know where the meat has come from and that it was reared correctly and had access to the outside world, and it was one comment within the web site of J Bar L Ranches that really caught my attention, that they care for their animals taking into consideration the body, mind and soul of the animals, but before we get too far let me give you a little background on the ranch.

This is an authentic working ranch south western Montana. The ranch is surrounded by 5 mountain chains and sits in one of the most scenic and undeveloped valleys in all of Montana. They run over 1000 head of cattle and nearly 30 horses. What sets them apart from other working ranches is the level of deluxe accommodations. Basically you can enjoy the reality of the ranch and retire to total comfort at the end of the day! This also extends to the western saddles used, only the best to ensure comfort throughout the day, essential if you have ever spent a long period of time on the back of a horse! The guest homes date back to the turn of the 20th century when the first settlers came into the Centennial Valley. The valley has not changed much since then. However, under current ownership the homes have been very tastefully restored and make for a totally unique experience. The ranch has nearly 100% rate of returning clientele each year so they must be doing something right, and with guests limited to only 4 to 8 each week this is a very personal experience, no mass bookings just the opportunity to work on the ranch and experience the true life of a modern day cowboy.

So, as we started to say, this is a working ranch and as a holistic nutritionist myself, I was very interested to learn that they take a holistic approach with their animals, and if you are not sure what that means let me explain.

Unlike the hideous factory farms around the world, mainly put there to create equally hideous produce, these cattle are raised on thousands of acres of pristine Montana pasture land, no hormones, antibiotics or feedlots are used and so because they are grass fed they produce healthy meat high in Omega 3 fatty acids. When their time comes they are dealt with in a very humane way which then ensures that the meat is far tastier because even if you do not accept it meat that is produced in a stressful environment will taste a whole lot different.

Here animals are able to connect with the land, breath in fresh air and live in social groups. They have interaction with humans who are there to care for them and take care of all their needs.

This ranch is run by Bryan Ulring and owned by Peggy Dulany who both clearly have an understanding of what is right in the world of animals, and they take the view that all animals deserve respect and understanding, and you know, just by connecting with them, that all the staff and guests share the same views.

If you are looking for a break that will take you right into the heart of the countryside and where you can spend your days on horse back, or in the hot tub!, and at the end of the day gather around a huge table to discuss your day, make new friends and get back in touch with nature, this is definitely the place, and what a great place to take your family and show them how animals should be treated, remember, changing the future comes in educating your children, and you could pick up a thing or to also!

Contact Details J Bar L Ranches, LLC www.jbarl.com info@jbarl.com

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ountry C Go Wild in the

Words: Lynn Nicholson Pictures: Wet’n’Wild

T

here is much to rafting that needs to be considered obviously there is excitement, there is relaxation but the most important aspect is teamwork. By working within your team you can gain experience and with experience comes confidence until in the end you are absorbing the exhilaration and thrill of natures powerful forces at work, where you have to give respect or it will knock you down!

Wet ‘n’ Wild will take you through the whole process and they are equipped to cover everything from your transport, your equipment for rafting and camping, plus they have experienced and professional rafting guides, and most important they have excellent cooking skills because you will have an enormous appetite at the end of the day. Mix into this the good humour and their unlimited patience and you can guarantee you are going to have a great time, and we have not even mentioned the fantastic landscape around you. New Zealand has so much to offer, but the landscape is stunning, it is the reason so many films are made here, and with Wet’n’Wild you can be on your own film set, just let your imagination run wild.

Wet’n Wild specialises in one-day trips on the Kaituna, Rangitaiki, Lower Rangitaiki and Wairoa rivers, and in multi-day rafting expeditions, that include a range of overnight to five day expeditions on the Motu and Upper and Lower Mohaka Rivers, so whatever your level you can find something for you. The point is, talk to them first, let them know where you are at and go from there, no matter how experienced your guides are they all started out just in the same way you did, at the beginning.

The web site is great for information and in particular a guide to the actual grades of the river, which will help you to make a decision as to which trip to take.

Basically, these are the five different grades of river commercially rafted in New Zealand, and the one grade that isn’t. Do speak to Wet’n’Wild before booking to confirm

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“Wet ‘n’ Wild will take you through the whole process and they are equipped to cover everything from your transport, your equipment for rafting and camping, plus they have experienced and professional rafting guides”

you are making the right choice.

They recommend that grade 5 be rafted only by people over the age of 13, grade 4 over 10 years old, grade 3 over 8 years old and grade 2 over 5 years old. The grades are as follows: Level 1- Calm, rippling water, rafted for social value only Level 2 - Rippling, cascading white water.

Level 3 - Adventurous white water, 1-2 metre waves, manoeuvring to negotiate the rapids is required.

Level 4 - Exciting, challenging, difficult rapids with precise and sequential manoeuvring required.

Level 5 - Adrenalin rush, thrilling and very powerful rapids.

Complex, precise and powerful sequential manoeuvring is required.

Level 6 – Lets not even go there!

Reaching new levels of experience, really understanding what you can achieve is a fantastic method to really push you forward, I mean if you can do this you can do anything right? So, grab your bag, your family, your friends or just go for it yourself and see where the adventure takes you!

Contact Details Phone New Zealand: +64 (0)7 348 3191 Freephone: 0800 462 7238 Email info@wetnwildrafting.co.nz Fax +64 (0)7 349 6567 Address Wet’n Wild Rafting, 2 White Street, PO Box 601, Rotorua, New Zealand.

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It Starts with T a p a s T

here is much talk about learning to cook, to getting back to basics in the kitchen and the world suddenly seem to be awash with cookery schools, but if this is something new to you then quite honestly, some of them look terrifying, which is why we loved the Cooking Holiday Spain.

The web site is great, loads of information, loads of recipes and stacks of ideas for the individual, groups and businesses.

This is what Sergio Rifugio, the General Manager, had to say about his cookery school.

The concept “CookingholidaySpain.com” was born out of my great passion for anything to do with cooking, food, wine and everything that is connected with the gastronomic world.

After many years involved in the tourism industry we realised that there was a demand for a smaller, more personalised operator who could offer a more unique experience, one far different from those encountered from large coach companies, therefore, we are a company believing in personalised, quality and hands-on service to all our clients insuring our promises are kept! Thus, more often than not, tourists come as clients and leave as part of the family!

There is no limit to passion and this is something that I love to share during your stay with us: “Cooking is the pleasure of a satisfying meal in good company.”

In cooking we are only an extension of other people. One does not become a good cook in a vacuum, and certainly not overnight. It is a rather long process made up of exposure to good and talented cooks.

Most of us have been moulded by someone we admire.

My mother was my first mentor. Her food was simple, wonderfully honest, tasty and generous, and it is exactly on this basis that our cooking demonstrations are based.

Our high quality personalized gastronomic service will bring you closer to a world of Andalucían flavours, which are healthily Mediterranean and innovatively creative. I am sure that there will be something for everyone here, and

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the enjoyment I got from planning and producing these memorable holidays will be shared by you too.

I wanted to share one of Sergio’s recipes with you. It displays fresh ingredients, with limited skill needed, but you create a fantastic vegetarian dish. Give it a go when you can.

STUFFED AUBERGINES Serves 6 Ingredients: 6 medium, firm aubergines, washed and cut lengthwise 2 tbsp bread crumbs 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely diced 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 25g sultanas 12 tbsp olive oil salt, pepper 150g Emmental other tasty cheese, grated

Preparation: Place the aubergine halves in a shallow oven-proof dish.

Gently make a few deep slices in the flesh, add a pinch of salt and drizzle with oil. Bake in medium oven until tender.

Remove and allow to cool slightly. Carefully remove the flesh with a spoon. In a bowl, finely chop this flesh and mix well with the beaten egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Fill the aubergine shells with this mixture and drizzle over some oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in a moderate oven (200oC) for 20-25 minutes and brown under the grill for a further 5 minutes.

If you are looking for additional information for yourself or maybe you are looking at a corporate event or incentive programme for your business contact

COOKING HOLIDAY SPAIN LTD. Urb. Torremar Calle Roma 9 Benalmadena Malaga Spain Tel. 0034 637 802 743 info@cookingholidayspain.com International

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Free Flowing Creativity words: Helen Layfield

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am often asked about abstract images and how they are produced. A lot of people assume abstract art to be simple and easy whereas due to the very personal nature of the art form it can in fact be extremely detailed and complex. I don’t want to discuss abstract art as a whole but to concentrate on one aspect only – free flow drawing and painting. Free flow abstraction concerns creating a visual image instinctively. The beauty of free flow drawing and painting is that there really are no rules, any medium can be used on any surface, on any size and format. The image can start small and grow or can start large and be cut down.

In essence free flow images are our subconscious and intuitive side brought out as a visual image. It is best not to start with any preconceived ideas or plans but to make the first mark and develop the image intuitively – not trying to create any understandable image or symbols. Images can be incredibly simple and beautiful almost meditations of the soul or can be detailed and complex. Black and white or multifaceted colour images will create different moods, as will the different use of line, shapes and spaces, and of course each viewer will read the image differently.

Free flow techniques are often used in therapy and confidence building as it taps directly into our subconscious.

However I use the techniques to encourage students to understand the relationships between: • Tonal differences – lights and darks, shapes and shadows and reflections and how they work together to create different moods.

• The importance of mark making and the different relationships not only between different marks but between strong sharp lines and washes all which can create impressions of drama, tension, delicacy, movement to name but a few.

• Colours – how do colors work together, when you put certain colours together why do some move forward, some back, some appear so much more dominant even thought there is a smaller proportion of colour. Which work well together, which clash. How does colour and its tone and depth affect the way the viewer reads the image.

By using free flow to understand tone, line, mark making and colour we take away the problem of for example, getting the exact tones marks and colour of a bright red apple.

Instead we can consider our response to the apple - its so big and juicy I want to just take a big bite! How do we express that emotion or feeling visually ? Of course each person will do that differently and therefore our images then become really exciting and interesting and above all are about how we as individuals not only see but feel about what we draw or paint.

I have included a variety of free flow images that I hope will inspire you to try free flow abstraction for yourselves.

Contact Helen at: artofdrawing@ymail.com

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www.ducati.com

C / M a y o r, 5 . C a s c o A n t i g u o . A LT E A . 9 6 5 8 4 2 0 7 8 w w w. o u s t a u . c o m

The concept “CookingholidaySpain.com� was born out of my great passion for anything to do with cooking, food, wine and everything that is connected with the gastronomic world.

COOKING HOLIDAY SPAIN LTD. Urb. Torremar Calle Roma 9 Benalmadena Malaga Spain Tel. 0034 637 802 743 info@cookingholidayspain.com

“ A Unique Ranching Holiday Experience ” Email: info@jbarl.com web: www.jbarl.com 406-684-5927 - Twin Bridges (October – April) 406-276-3583 -CentennialValley(May–September) PO Box 168, Lima, MT, 59739

“Connect with the spirit of the River”

White Water Rafting Scenic Rafting Horse Trekking Hikoi Guided Walks Inflatable Kayaking Fly Fishing Mokai Gravity Canyon Photography Workshops Art Retreats Corporate Conferencing & Retreat Corporate Adventure Packages Massage

thelodge@rivervalley.co.nz - www.rivervalley.co.nz - telephone: +64 6 388 1444

our private Savannah

Words: Roald Goorman

Lawns I

n previous articles I’ve been writing about xeriscaping.

One of the cornerstones of Xeriscaping is the reduced water use. Now, a nice green lawn as they exist in England doesn’t quite fit the bill in this dry climate, does it?

The fact that most people like lawns, is because these create open spaces in the landscape, interspersed by copses of trees and shrubs. In a way, most gardens are designed (if they are designed well) as our subconscious savannah.

In parts of the US and the north of Europe, because of the rainy climate, it’s easy to maintain green lawns yearround, without much additional water,just natural rainfall. But here in Spain, and mostly so , here at the Costa Blanca with

only 230 mm rainfall a year at most, that would need a substantial amount of irrigation.

However, within the concept of xeriscaping and water saving it’s still perfectly possible to create open spaces with lawns, albeit with a difference. I will discuss here some examples of lawns that can cope quite well with the unforgiving climate of the Costa Blanca.

After all, Savannahs with the vast open expanses of grassland exist mostly in the drier parts of the world, where forests cannot survive.

The natural grassland: This is a type of lawn very similar to the real savannahs of Africa. It consists of drought tolerant grasses that are left to grow wild and are only mowed at the onset of the dry season. Such a lawn can be filled in with Pennisetum species, typical grasses from the African savannah and very suitable to our climate. Pennisetum clandestinum, known as Kikuyu to the English speaking world and as Grama gruesa here in Spain, is a coarse broadleaf grass that grows very fast and is very drought tolerant. They cover quickly large expanses of terrain. They can be intermixed with clump forming fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) to add some vertical effect. In autumn you can sow wildflowers to add some colour during the autumn and spring.

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The Lawn substitute: This type of lawn consists of drought tolerant broadleaf plants, rather than grasses. Foot traffic tolerance varies per plant species. Common plants in Spain are Vygies (Carpobrotus edulis) and Ice flowers (Aptenia cordifolia), but actually most members of the Mesemb family will perform very well as a lawn substitute. Foot traffic tolerance however, is almost nil, so it’s mostly a visual effect, with the abundant spring flowering as a plus.

Another good lawn substitute would be creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), which does resemble a nicely clipped lawn, and is very tolerant of foot traffic. As a nice extra it exudes a strong aromatic smell, when walked on. For very shady areas you can use kidney grass (Dichondra repens). Not an actual grass but a member of the bindweed family, it will perform very well as a joint filler of a flagstone terrace or pathway. It can also be used to cover open soil in shady borders. As a plus it sustains light foot traffic.

The reduced lawn: This is essentially a normal lawn, only its surface is greatly reduced, to reduce water use. This type of lawn ideally consists of warm season grasses like Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) or Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum), which are both quite drought tolerant. Irrigating once a week in summer, after establishment of this lawn would suffice.

For shady spots you could use St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), as they are quite shade tolerant.

This type of grass can be found often in hotel lawns or other public spaces, as they are very tolerant of heavy foot traffic. Reduction of surface is achieved by planning island borders within the lawn, planted with drought tolerant trees and shrubs. Also by filling in the lawn with flagstones, like an open terrace or a pathway you can greatly reduce the lawn area, while still maintaining the open airy feel.

Want to know more about lawns and their uses in the xeriscape? Feel free to contact me at mediterragarden@ gmail.com

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American Diner White coffee machine £799.99 by Jura; American diner ceiling pendant £45 by Linea; Large station wall clock £40 by London clock; Espresso cup & saucer £3.50, Coffee cup & saucer £4, Side plate £4.50 All ‘Daley’ by Aaron Probyn for Linea