How did you get into fashion Julia?
My mother was a textile designer, so I grew up with an awareness of fabrics, colours, patterns and the allure of clothing…

What was the inspiration for Fashionvilla Marbella?
We are German, but we had a family home here in Marbella, and we had the idea to create a unique multi-brand experience for women living in and visiting Marbella. We wanted to offer women beautiful clothes that were not from the high street, or high fashion either – a happy half-way, and items you can’t find in other stores!  That was 7 years ago!

What makes fashion in Marbella different?
Because of the amazing climate, and the sunlight, people in Marbella tend to wear brighter colours – and the style is generally dress up, rather than dress down.  At cocktails and launches in northern Europe, jeans and boots are seen, but here it’s cocktail dresses.  Galas however, in Germany, are much more formal than here!

Can you describe an average day in your Fashionvilla world?
My days – and timetables vary enormously – which is great, no boring routines for me!
Sometimes I am up at 6am doing paperwork and planning outfits for my shows, searching the web for new brands and accessories. Then I have fittings with models, attend to clients during our normal opening hours, and then more often or not I have social engagements in the evenings – our own Fashionvilla events, charity dos, dinners, etcetera – nights at home are rare for me!

What is your personal fashion weakness?
I just love jackets – I have to keep buying them – blazers, military style, classic, edgy:
A good jacket can totally make an outfit!

What do you just love about Fashionvilla?
It is simply wonderful to help other women fulfill their dreams – you can see their confidence grow when they find the right outfit- change your style, change your life – it is so true!  Also, many of my lovely clients have become special friends – which is fabulous!

What does fashion contribute to our lives?
Look good – feel good!  Fashion gives women confidence and an outfit can totally change a woman’s body image.  A simple accessory can transform an old dress or suit into something really fashionable.  Fashion is a kind of magic wand to transform people, moods and add fun and colour to life!

What are your top 3 recommended fashion buys this season?
I would have to say animal print, outdoor jackets and blazers… there I go with the jackets again!  And slim fit trousers in black or camel… eternally elegant.  Oh!  And let’s not forget fur!  A fur hat, gloves, scarf or bag – that is a must this winter!

What is your ultimate fashion fantasy?
I am a big fan of Georgio Armani, so I would love to be involved in an Armani fashion show  – that would be a dream!
Fashionvilla currently has fantastic winter looks at sales prices…

Call Julia on Tel:   696 424 388

Checkout the new website, www.fashionvillamarbella.com

Bioenergy expert Micheal O'Doherty

Would you like to face 2012 with renewed health and vigour?  Then “Take Control of your Health” a seminar being held on 4th February at the Kempinski Hotel Estepona is for you. This one-day seminar will equip you with invaluable skills allowing you to transform stress into vitality and better health and creativity – for yourself, and others.

The seminar is led by Michael O’Doherty and Tom Griffin, both internationally-respected pioneers in health care and founders of Plexus Health care. With clinics in Ireland and London’s Harley Street, Plexus Health Care counts many celebrities among its clientele.  Famously, Michael O’Doherty was credited in restoring health to international dance legend, Michael Flately, when a debilitating virus left him lethargic, confused and unable to walk.

Life Skills
Imparting simple tools to allow individuals to manage the stresses of modern life, O’Doherty and Griffin have an impressive 22-year background in improving the health and lives of thousands of people around Europe. “Those attending will also be given the opportunity to develop a career in one of the most exciting, integrated healthcare systems in the world today. Respected Sotogrande-based nutritionist, Claudia Norris, will be a guest speaker on the day.

The Take Control of Your Health seminar runs from 10.30am – 5pm, and will cover the following

• Tom and Michael’s Journey (History of the Plexus Healthcare System)
• The cause of Illness
• Understanding the body from an Energy Perspective
• Stress and its effects on the body
• Children’s Healthcare (Learning and Behavioural difficulties)
• Emotional Health
• Therapist Training Information
• Family Healthcare
• Foods to Beat Stress with Sotogrande-based nutritionist Claudia Norris

Energy Shift
The primary aim of Plexus Health Care is to locate energy imbalances in the body using a series of unique hand movements.  The therapist then proceeds to rebalance the energy systems, which in turn unlocks the body’s natural healing process.  Treatment is given over four consecutive days in a relaxed environment with music that has been found to enhance the effect of the therapy.  The therapist also advises the patient on lifestyle issues such as diet, exercise, visualization and rest to help the individual take steps to better health.

Bionergy Benefits
Bionergy therapy is particularly effective in the treatment of children with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and ADD.  The therapy tackles the root cause of such conditions, which can often be attributed to trauma at birth causing imbalances in the body’s electrical system that, in turn, can create imbalance in the left or right side of the brain.  Children are treated with leading techniques, including sound therapy and parents are fully involved in the process of healing and recovery. The Plexus Health Care system can also successfully help children suffering from exam stress, asthma, eczema or burnout.  For more information visit Michael O’Doherty’s website www.justimagine.ie

1-Day Health Care and Education Programme, 4th February 2012, Kempinski Hotel Estepona

Entry Fee – 50 Euro per person To reserve your place contact Gillian at gillianmcclafferty@gmail.com Tel: 0034 664 561 773.

Marbella makes a bid to stregthen its position as a luxury destination at FITUR, Spain’s largest tourism trade fair, currently being held in Madrid. marbellas.com reports…

Marbella’s Mayor has a hectic agenda at this year’s edition of FITUR, the 4 day trade fair running in Madrid until Sunday. Mª Angeles Muñoz has been busy with back-to-back meetings with Russian and Saudi Arabian authorities, as well as members of Spain’s national government.  Among the Mayor’s aims are securing greater funding for Marbella, in tune with the real rather than the registered population of the town, an issue she discussed with the Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria.  The Mayor also had the chance to greet Prince and Princess of Asturias, Don Felipe and his wife Doña Letizia, special guests at the opening of the Feria Internacional de Turismo 2012.

Forum for International Brands

The Mayor has signed an agreement with representatives of luxury development La Zagaleta, located in Benahavis, close to Marbella, to hold a Forum for International Brands during the Marbella Luxury Weekend, the second edition of which will take place again in Puerto Banús in  the summer 2012. José Luis Hernández, councillor for Tourism stated, that luxury shopping  in Marbella was one attraction that could help the town shrug off seasonality and create a year-round influx of visitors.

The new initiative is a bid for Marbella to be associated with the world of business and foreign investment, and will take advantage of the presence of a number of leading international brands at the events planned for the Luxury Weekend to showcase the city’s attractions. José Luis Hernández, said, “One of our objectives this year is attracting business tourism to Marbella, and we want to showcase our city as a place which offers great possibilities and guarantees to foreign investors.

Marbella has also flagged up its Andalusian cultural heritage and festivals – in particular Semana Santa – as a distinguishing feature which sets the town apart from other Mediterranean destinations.

For more information:

www.fitur.com

If a glass of bubbly makes you feel effervescent, then Marbella is the place to be… despite global economic gloom, the champagne lifestyle in the coast’s jewel in the crown is positively brimming over with a host of new venues in which to sip the finest of French tipples. Louise Cook Edwards pops the cork on Marbella’s new champagne bars…

Champagne is good for you. It’s official, so cracking open a bottle and enjoying a glass of fine French fizz is one great way to toast the new year, boosting your endorphins with that all important feel good factor, while maintaining a reasonable level of damage limitation in terms of the effects of alcohol. Yes, research has shown that two glasses of champagne a day may actually be good for your heart. It’s true; scientists at Reading University have shown that the polyphenols in plant chemicals found in the red and white grapes used in Champagne production positively affect levels of nitric oxide which, in turn, controls our blood pressure… And this is true of all types of sparkling wine, including cava, and Prosecco, so not just the more costly French variety…

This gem of wisdom can only be good news for Marbella’s hedonistic party crowd as the glitterati shimmy between one cocktail party and the next clinking designer flutes, or stepping out with a glamorous friend or two to hit one of several spanking new champagne bars in our jet-set paradise.

No doubt with Christmas in mind, the fabled Marbella Club Hotel recently relaunched the legendary Champagne Room, with a complete refurb by the establishment’s suave and supremely talented interior designer, Jean-Pierre Martel. Imparting his own inimitable brand of sumptuous quality and style, the result is a contemporary classic – perfect for the hotel’s eclectic blend of guests -including a firmament of stars and minor royals  – so this is one place to be served a perfectly chilled glass of Krug, Cristal or Veuve Cliquot while indulging in people watching of the highest order. The venue was recently the scene of the launch of Prince Alfonso Von Hohenlohe, the making of a legend, a new documentary movie about the Marbella Club’s highly regarded founder, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe. Complete with members of the Hohenlohe dynasty, and a smattering of the local jet-set, the event was hosted by the most established face at the Marbella Club, Count Rudi von Shonberg, Alfonso’s cousin who has long been an integral part of the legendary hotel. www.marbellaclubhotel.com

Shopping with Style

Also opening in time for the Christmas rush was a welcome addition to the newly revamped department store El Corte Inglés Costa Comercial Centre, Puerto Banús. With a ground floor that can now match London or New York department stores, the Möet Hennessy themed champagne bar languishes in a quiet corner next to the gourmet club. Where better to take time out from a frenetic session of retail therapy than this haven of quiet effervescence.

This champagne bar keeps regular El Corte Inglés hours – from 10am, so it is ideal for a post- breakfast Buck’s Fizz, a pre-lunch aperitivo or a wind-down drink at cocktail hour. www.whatshot.es

Marbella’s ‘In’ Restaurants

Enjoying much success as one of the “in” restaurants of the moment in Marbella, Nueva Kaskada clients are frequently offered a glass of bubbly on the house as an effervescent start to a gourmet meal of signature cuisine from chef Ewald Fichthaler.  The restaurant has a cosy fireside bar – the perfect place for a pre-dinner drink or a night cap following a Fichthaler feast. New on the bar menu is an exclusive tipple that will appeal to fashionistas – champagne, wine and vodkas from avant-garde designer, Christian Audigier are now available with champagne at 130€ a bottle.  In rosé or premier cru varieties, Christian Audigier comes in the coolest possible bottles, adding a little extra colour to your champagne lifestyle… www.nuevakaskada.com

Nicol’s is a new champagne bar for the real connoisseur that knows a jerobaum from a Metusalah… The bar, which is located in the Edificio Coliseum on the Golden Mile offers a selection of well-known brands of Champagne, from Mumm and Veuve Cliquot at 20€ a flute,  through Louis Roderec Rosé at 1300€ a bottle, Krug Clos du Mesnil Brut at a  cool 2150€ the bottle.  The bar also purveys a selectin of specialist whiskies, Rums and spirits, and among the bodega of wines you will find the king of Spanish vintages, Vega Sicilia Unico 1996, at 360€ a bottle.  Nicol’s is clearly for a clientele of expensive tastes – with the only things “para picar” or to nibble on, 50 gr of Rio Frío caviar at 405€ or a plate of jamón Ibérico at 40€.  Tel: 951408690

Frontline 5 Star

For sipping fine champagne with a 5-star view to match, we can highly recommend Restaurant Chateau Mona Lisa. With a frontline Puerto Banús location, this respected French restaurant has just celebrated the arrival of a new house champagne… none other than Gosset Gran Reserva – a deliciously light champagne that presents none of the acidic fizziness of more popular brands. 

Made at the oldest winery in the celebrated French region of Champagne, according to a strict charter of excellence, Gosset is lauded worldwide as an exclusive and exquisite choice.  At 95 euros for a bottle of perfectly chilled Gosset, whether you own a superyacht, or not, you can afford to push the boat out at Chateau Mona Lisa… and to add to the experience, try and bag the front table upstairs which gives you a window onto the world of luxury yachting like no other…

www.chateaumonalisa.com

Don’t miss out on your chance to win one of three fantastic luxury hampers – a  handsome payback for doing your Christmas Shopping in Puerto Banús. The clock is ticking!

Aretusa, Chateau Mona Lisa and Carpaccio restaurants are getting into the spirit of Christmas with some generous gifts to Christmas shoppers this week in luxury shopping haven, Puerto Banús.

Showing more than a sprinkling of good will, around 50 businesses in the world famous leisure port have prepared a selection of irresistible gifts to package up into three luxurious Christmas hampers that will be raffled among their faithful clientele in an exciting draw on Thursday 22nd December at 6pm on the Muelle Ribera Levante, on the eastside of the frontline port, close to Restaurante Chateau Mona Lisa.

Blue Gourmet, which comprises three successful restaurants on the frontline of Puerto Banús is delighted to be offering its customers the chance to win a meal for two in each of their quality restaurants, Chateau Monalisa, Aretusa and Carpaccio.  The coveted Christmas hampers will be replete with a range of desirable luxury goods from the various boutiques, perfumeries, bars, restaurants and luxurious establishments participating in the Christmas hamper giveaway.

Get Shopping & Get Lucky!

Shoppers are not too late to enter this exceptional draw.  Simply head down to Puerto Banús for some seasonal shopping, not forgetting to stop off for some festive fare at the restaurants listed, and if you may still be in time to be gifted with a ticket for the lucky draw!

Coinciding with the day that the Spanish National Lottery dishes out millions to winning ticket holders of the famous “Gordo” prizes, 22nd December could just be your lucky day!

Boland Is Back! Maurice Boland returns to the airwaves with new Costa del Sol radio station iTalk.fm Following a year of soul-searching, larger-than-life radio host, Maurice Boland is back on the airwaves with the launch of his new station italk.fm.  Louise Cook Edwards talks to the Coast’s beloved and berated Irish media star about his return to the public domain.

Love him or loathe him, Maurice Boland is the self-confessed “Marmite” of the Costa del Sol’s media..  12 months on from his shock departure from TRE, the station he founded a decade ago , following an alleged indiscretion with  a teenage girl, Boland has bounced back with a smart new radio station located in a suite of offices within the 5-star Kempinski Hotel Estepona.   Already notching up impressive interviews with key celebrities such as Stephen Fry and Sinead O’Connor, is it onwards and upwards for the man who loves nothing more than talking on the radio?

LCE. How does it feel to be back in action on the radio with a brand new station?
M.B. As I said at our opening cocktail reception I could never believe a year down the line that I would be standing here with such a big turn out launching my new radio station iTalk FM its simply unbelievable.

LCE. You have been through a tough time emotionally – what did you learn in the past year?
MB. I learnt who were my friends and who were my enemies – simple as that.

LCE. You are a very religious man  - do you think we suffer for our mistakes in this life, or when we meet our maker?
MB. It’s up to us to face up to our mistakes in life and do the best not to make them again.

LCE. If you could go back in time, would you change anything?
MB. One or two things…

LCE. Starting afresh feels good – why have you gone back down the same road – ie launching another radio station?
MB. Radio/TV entertainment is all I know and I hope I’m good at it. Radio is a great passion of mine – not just the performance but the writing and designing programmes. Creativity plays a great part in my business and I always enjoy launching new ideas for shows, and allowing and watching novice presenters developing. I have seen a few of my protégés develop into talented radio presenters. Currently Pippa Jones, who started with me only a few weeks ago and had never sat behind a microphone, is showing favourable signs of becoming one of our leading broadcasters.

LCE. What will make iTalk.fm different and a success?
MB. It’s down to three important points Experience; Leadership and The Professionalism of  iTalk.fm’s presenters. For some reason it seems that everyone thinks they can become a radio boss or broadcaster after 5 minutes in the business and it shows as we all know only too well. So yes I hope the combined years in the business of my team will help guide iTalk FM to the success I know it should be. The coast’s media has lost a lot of its audience to the recession.

LCE. Do you think those boom days with half a million Brits living here are ever coming back?
MB. No I don’t believe they will…but business will recover in a good way in time but not as we long-time residents remember.

LCE. 2012 is around the corner – what challenges do you think the Costa del Sol will have to face next year?
MB. Financial survival!
LCE. If you were Mayor of Marbella what would you do  to attract investment and new foreign residents?
MB. Tax free incentives. The name Marbella conjures up success overseas and I would capitalize on that by encouraging big companies to host more seminars here etc. I spoke with the Town Hall in that past about trying to host some kind of UK TV awards here as many of the soap stars love coming to Marbella.

LCE. And with the new government in Spain – how quickly do you anticipate seeing a change for the better?
MB. Today I interviewed an Irish expert on Ireland’s economy (also in crisis) He predicts a recovery in 12 years! I hope he’s wrong but certainly it won’t be overnight.

LCE. What is your personal wish for 2012?
MB. I have many! Obviously the good health and happiness of my family, the success of iTalk.fm and some light at the end of the tunnel for the recovery of the European economy.

www.iTalk.fm
Broadcasting 24 hrs a day on 88.5 FM from Gibraltar to Motril with some of the Coast’s best loved presenters including Maurice Boland, Stephen Ritson, Rosalind Scott-Gibb and Barrie Mitchell.

The Red Penguin Art Gallery is 1st Commercial Art Gallery within El Corte Inglés in Andalucía. marbellas.com joined artists for the Colourful Launch

Serious art lovers and Marbella’s creative elite were out in force to celebrate the launch of the new Red Penguin Art Gallery at El Corte Inglés in  Marbella. Some 200 guests enjoyed the spectacular collective exhibition entitled Identity which kickstarted what promises to be an exciting new venture bringing quality international art into the heart of the resort.  Some of the artists featured were present at the event, mingling with guests and discussing their works as a violinist kept the tempo up on an electrifying debut night for the cultural venue.
Showcasing a wealth of quality art from upcoming and acclaimed Spanish and International artists, with  “Identity”, a collective exhibition of 18 ground-breaking talents, the Red Penguin Art Gallery is launching as it means to go on, as a dynamic gallery which acts as a creative platform for talent,  ideas and diverse cultural interests including not only art itself but also: Vintage Objects and Collectables, Art & Design Books & Magazines, Art Consultancy, Art to rent for companies, Decorative artistic painting, Education, workshops, lectures & events.

Drawing on a wealth of knowledge and talent, the Red Penguin Art Gallery will work in close collaboration with four other galleries based in Barcelona, New York, Amsterdam and Beijing creating a broad international platform for the exchange of some of the world’s most exciting artistic talent.

A Haven of Style and Talent
Owned and managed by Dutch art experts, Joris Marjot and Loni Olfers, both of whom bring to the new venture extensive careers in art & design. Joris is a talented interior designer who has decorated a plethora of luxurious homes, hotels and temples of style, while Loni has successfully managed several art galleries in Holland and Spain.  Passionate about raising the cultural and artistic game in Marbella – to help the city compete on the world stage as a high calibre destination for international tourism, at Red Penguin Art Gallery, they will be doing everything possible to put Marbella on the cultural map, with a presence at the top art fairs around the globe, and contributions to new art magazine Artmosphere.

As Loni Olfers states, “Art and creativity are important to the economic recovery of Marbella, and we have a major project underway that will help to make Marbella more beautiful by transforming the streets and empty shops and offices with the help of the Town Hall, and business and creative community in the town.
“At Red Penguin Art Gallery we scour the world  – and the web – to tap into rising talent. We dig deeper and get fully acquainted with the artist, their work and methods to make sure only top quality art and design is on show in our gallery. We are looking for work that will stand the test of time, and gain in value. The Red Penguin Art Gallery is within the Centro Comercial El Capricho on the 2nd floor of El Corte Inglés.  The first professional art gallery to ever have a presence within El Corte Inglés departments store in Andalucía and only the second in Spain following the launch of a similar venture in Madrid, the Red Penguin Art Gallery is excited about working alongside the store’s interior designers and sourcing art works for their clients.

Stellar Artists
Among the artwork on display at Red Penguin Art Gallery’s inaugural exhibition will be works by Joseph Klibansky.  A hot new talent working in new media, aged just 27, Kibansky’s work has already been acquired by Sotheby’s for 34,000€ – the highest yield ever for such a young artist. Present at the launch, the artist Joseph Klibansky currently based in Amsterdam said he was “happy to help  stimulate the cultural landscape in Marbella”.  Also present were artists Felix Muyo,  Russel West and Jacinto Moros.

The artists featuring in the inaugural “Identity” exhibition include: Antonio Puri painter and mixed media; Barbara Nanning glass objects; Berend Strik photography with embroidery bordado; Corneille painter; Debra Franses Bean Artbag; Jacinto Moros Sculptures; Jerome Esch photography: Joseph Klibansky new media, Gary Edwards photography, Kantcho Kanev paintings mixed media; Lu Luo   mixed media: Nicole Montagne template press Plantilla de prensa; Odile Kinart sculptures; Otto Bachorik sculptures; Paul Smulders mixed media; Peter Pollág paintings and sculptures; Robert Hromec engraved paintings; Russell West painted sculptures; Zhuang Hong Yi mixed media.

www.redpenguinartgallery.com
Red Penguin Art Gallery, 2nd floor, El Corte Inglés, El Capricho, Bvd. Alfonso Von Hohenlohe, 2, 29600 Marbella.  Tel: +34 664340107  +34 639616300.
Opening Hours: 11am  – 9pm – throughout December.

Marbella and Malaga are great for shopping, but if you want the full-on retail therapy experience in the run up to Christmas, then head to Madrid and shop ’til you drop. From the pijo paradise of Calle Serrano, to funky Fuencarral, whatever your tastes and budget, Madrid is shopping heaven. Report:  Louise Cook Edwards  Photography: Brands & Gary Edwards

Madrid, if you do not know Spain’s capital, is a city that manages to be cool, friendly, fashionista and classic all that the same time. Famed for its vibrant night-life, late night summer terraces and hedonistic spirit, when it comes to shopping, Madrid certainly doesn’t disappoint. In the age old, bright lights big city tradition, Madrid is a buzzing metropolis filled with breathtaking buildings, magical cityscapes, and iconic attractions which serve as an alluring backdrop to some good old retail therapy.

From the pijo paradise of Calle Serrano, to funky Fuencarral, whatever your tastes and budget, Madrid is shopping heaven. No provincial capital can ever compete with the shopping opportunities afforded by the capital city – and as Spaniards were recently voted the coolest nation in Europe, you can officially call Madrid the capital of cool. Commonly known as the biggest urban shopping area in southern Europe, there are even shopping and gourmet tours you can take to squeeze the maximum retail value out of your flying visit to Madrid.

Sophisticated City Shopping

But for those who like to pound the pavements freestyle, in search of shopping mecca,  Calle Serrano is a great place to start to get you in the madrileño mood.  Forming the hubb of Madrid’s most exclusive neighbourhood, the Barrio Salamanca, this area is home to all the finest designer names, art and antique shops, and the finest brands in the world.  In Serrano you will find international superstars such as  Prada, Ferragamo, Armani, and Yves Saint Laurent, along with Spain’s most celebrated home-grown fashion brands including Loewe, Manolo Blahnik, Carolina Herrera, Carrera & Carrera and Roberto Verino – all huge brands outside the Iberian peninsula. Serrano is also home to one of Zara’s flagship stores – the high street giant started with humble origins in Galicia, and is now in approximately 100 countries worldwide.

C/. Serrano is a wide avenue, buzzing with traffic, and home to the classic Spanish clique, los pijos, here you will see more well-groomed girls and slick hair señores per square metre than anywhere else in Spain.  With a Sloaney English country style, pijos are always immaculate, and shopping for well-cut conservative clothing is high on their list of priorties.

Together with C/ Serrano, neighbouring street, C/. José Ortega & Gasset forms part of Madrid’s Golden Mile. Also brimming with first class brands such as  Chanel, Tiffany & Co, Burberry, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Kenzo, Escada and Hermes, so this privileged neighbourhood is designed for the well-heeled shopper who doesn’t mind paying the premium for the latest in designer fashions. This is also the street to find a flagship Lladró store, if you are passionate about Spain’s most famous brand of decorative porcelain figurines. You’ll find Lladró at C/ Serrano 68.

Peppered with chic cafes and bars, in Calle Serrano you can make a day of it, stopping for lunch and coffee breaks as the mood takes you. There is also a branch of Spanish department store El Corte Inglés, where you will find plenty of designer buys, and a very good perfumeria.

Urban Street Style

New and exciting on the retail scene is the bustling pedestrianized shopping area forming a triangle between the Gran Vía, Corrdera Baja de san Pablo and Calle Fuencarral. Funkier, edgier and aimed at a younger, trendier crowd, this area is brilliant for low-key urban chic, with plenty of jeans stores – such as Diesel, Replay and Levi’s, along with colourful grunge from Desigual, and the latest in trainers from The Puma Store, Adidas and Foot Locker. There are plenty of quirky clothes stores, and great accessories around  -especially in C/ Corredera Baja de San Pablo, with La Tienda de Lolita, Femisa Objetos-Perdidos with some vintage items to be had at Biba Vintage on C/ Velarde, 1.   Also in this neighbourhood  at Fuencarral, 27 is is a fantastic Swedish sweet shop Oomuombu. A  superior chuchería, this candy store lists the ingredients of all sweets, and also serves frozen yogurt.

Close to the funky Fuencarral triangle, you will reach Chueca, also a trendy patch of 21st century Madrid.  Peppered with boutiques, shops, trendy little hotels and restaurants, this area was once a gay stronghold, but has mellowed into a melange of styles and themes. English jewellery designerKaren Hallam has her studio in Plaza Chueca, nearby is trendy T-shirt emporium, El Tintero in C/ Gravina, while Aldaba in C/ Belen 4 is a haven of household gems.

The historical part of the city centre is, as you might expect, populated with many souvenir shops and tourist traps, but it certainly merits a visit.  In the Plaza Mayor itself is an historical sombrería, or hat shop named La Favorita where you can pick up a genuine fedora, o sombrero  de fieltro o cordobés…  The Plaza Mayor is beautiful at Christmas and is peppered with stalls selling Christmas trees, trinkets and traditional figurines for the Belén, or decorative Nativity Scenes that you find in homes  all around Spain.  You will also enjoy the inviting aroma of roasted chestnuts sold all over the city centre throughout the chilly Madrid winter.

Close to the centre is the famous Rastro – the flea market to end all flea markets. This one stretches out across a whole neighbourhood of Madrid south of the Plaza Mayor. Every Sunday – and  also on public holidays.  Here you will also find antique shops  selling among other things,  great art deco finds.

A Classic Hotel for Christmas (or pre Christmas) in Madrid

The fabulous Gran Hotel Conde Duque is an atmospheric hotel in which to spend some time Christmas shopping – during the coming Puente de la Constitución 3-6th December 6th is a public holiday), or to have a memorable Christmas getaway in Madrid.  With double rooms from a reasonable 80 euros a night, this is one luxurious place to stay for service, style and value for money.   The Gran Hotel Conde Duque has a fantastic offer in the pre-Christmas period, particularly for culture vultures.  They are offering a special package which includes a two night stay for two, two buffet breakfasts (one of the best in town!) and two tickets for the Russian Imperial Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker – at the nearby Compac Theatre on the Gran Vía, all for an incredible 130€.

Centrally located close to C/ Princesa  and the Gran Vía, the Gran Hotel Conde Duque is a haven of comfort, style and good service.  You can also opt to use the services of the hotel’s personal shopper – or take one of three tempting tapas routes  – with a guide – through different neighbourhoods of Madrid.

For further details or reservations please see www.hotelcondeduque.es or call Tel: 91447 7000.

For a full report on the hotel, one of marbellas.com’s favourites in the capital, don’t miss our complete review right here Hotel Conde Duque Madrid on marbellas

A Time for Reinvention! Inspiration & Reinvention Networking Groups Launch in Marbella Spain

Following the global energy shift of 11.11.11. signifying a time of interconnectedness, the buzzword of the moment seems to be Reinvention as the world looks to solutions to age old problems, and we human beings seek greater meaning and fulfillment in our everyday lives.  The good news is that a powerful group of highly professional and motivated individuals from London will be bringing a raft of reinvention skills to the Costa del Sol with the Inspiration & Reinvention Group project – launching in Spain in Thursday 17th November with a weekend of inspirational workshops from leaders in their fields.  marbellas.com reports.
On Thursday 17th November Spain will be the first mainland European country to have an Inspiration and Reinvention Group. Inspiration and Reinvention Groups are part of a UK / European Transformational Movement started by Debbie Arnold and Caroline Sheridan, now joined by many leading Inspirators, Motivators, Coaches, Healers and Teachers.

Launching outside UK

Debbie & Caroline decided that the first launch outside of the UK would be in Marbella as they felt that Spain and Andalucia in particular has an amazing energy.  The meaning of Andalucia ‘walking in light’ also resonated with them as their mission is to enlighten and empower individuals to find their purpose and passion and to fulfill their potential as human beings.  They also importantly believe that this new Movement is not just about ‘Personal’ development but that in 2012 we are now moving into an era of ‘us’ development. They and their Partners and Associates are all working towards building communities of people who collaborate and cooperate, who inspire and are inspired by others.  Inspiration and Reinvention Groups will be launched in 50 cities / locations during 2012.

The New  “We Generation”
Inspiration and Reinvention Group Meet Ups are for people who want to make a change in their lives, find their purpose or passion, inspire and be inspired, design the life they want, monetize their knowledge, earn money while they sleep and learn about new ways of being.  Their overriding message is that collaboration, connection and sharing are paramount to our survival and wellbeing and Inspiration and Reinvention Groups are making a major contribution towards this shift from only thinking about ‘me’ to thinking about ‘us’.

Debbie & Caroline pre-promoted the launch of Inspiration and Reinvention Groups in October 2011 with Talks to networking groups including Women in Business Spain and  they were interviewed about their plans on Talk Europe Radio.  During their visit they appointed local business woman Susan Hunter as their International Representative and Jo King as their IRG Partner in Marbella.  Jo King is an Inspirational Speaker and award winning Motivational Teacher who has created her own form of body confidence therapy and she will be running regular IRG meetings and workshops in Marbella during 2012.

Debbie, Caroline and Guest Presenter Simon Jordan of Simon Jordan Marketing and Simon Jordan TV will be in Marbella from 17th – 19th November. Their programme is to launch the MARBELLA INSPIRATION AND REINVENTION GROUP on Thursday 17th  November 7pm – 10pm at Hotel H10 Andalucia Plaza, Nueva Andalucia and together with Jo King they will be running a Mezze of the Power of Reinvention Workshops at the Hotel on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November.  It is possible to book for individual workshops, or one or both days.

With a host of corporate and creative experience between them, the founders and speakers of IRG are well placed to help their members facilitate positive changes in their lives and the workshops lined up for the launch weekend are designed to set the process of change in motion. See www.inspirationandreinventiongroups.com for full details.

Contact: Susan Hunter  susan@susan-hunter.com or Tel:  670 637 386 for bookings.

An interview by Louise Cook Edwards with Wendy Salisbury, best selling author of the Toyboy Diaries, on the launch of her first novel “Blood on the Sand” on Amazon and Kindle.

LCE: What prompted you, as an English woman, to write a book about bullfighting?

WS:  Blood on the Sand is essentially a love story.  In the 1960s, when I was 18, I came to Andalucía for an extended holiday.  My parents had already built a villa in Las Chapas and my sister had married a local Marbella boy.  First I got a job with the architect who designed Puerto Banus then I met two journalists commissioned to write the biography of Manuel Benitez El Cordobés, the most iconic matador of the time.  They needed an interpreter!  I sort of fell into their laps.

LCE: Did you know anything about bullfighting at the time?

WS:  I was already a true aficionada. I’d seen my first fight when I was 9. Love it or hate it, la tauromaquía is an ancient art, an integral part of Spanish culture.  The drama, the power, the sights, the sounds, the smells…  All those dashing toreros in their exquisite suits of lights! My pre-pubescent heart pounded with a passion yet unknown!

LCE:  How did you and the journalists research the biography?

WS: I set off with Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins to Córdoba where we joined El Cordobés’s entourage.  We traveled round Spain with him for the season of 1965.  Manolo, as he was known, was at the top of his game. Always surrounded by clamouring fans, fighting daily in a different city.  We interviewed everyone he’d known as a gypsy orphan boy in Palma del Río and the book ‘…Or I’ll Dress you in the Mourning’ became a global best seller.

LCE: What was Manolo like as a person?

WS: The most charismatic ‘nutcase’ I’ve ever met – before or since!  He had such charm, such joie de vivre, yet he faced death every afternoon.  He was exceptionally brave, always striving to please the crowd.  His style was random and exciting, not classical like Belmonte or Manolote.  He loved and respected the animals and treated them with nobility. He became the highest paid matador in history yet he was still illiterate.  His parish priest travelled with us teaching him to read and write.

LCE:  Life must have been very intense.  What did he do to relax?

WS: He’d bought himself a 6-seater plane, a Piper Aztec, and he was learning to fly.  We used to buzz around from city to city.  On rest days, we’d hang out on his ranch, having long lazy lunches then we’d ride out to visit the breeding herd. At night, he’d play his guitar and we’d dance flamenco under the stars.  It was a very heady time for me. There were always friends, relations and hangers-on around.  But we did get time alone together…

LCE: Did you fall in love with him?

WS: I suppose so, in a way.  He wasn’t the type of man you could just take or leave.  You had to get involved!

LCE: And your novel Blood on the Sand? How did that come to be written?

WS:  It was a story that had lain dormant inside me for over 40 years.  When the season of 1965 and my job as interpreter ended, Manolo asked me to go with to South America.  My father wouldn’t let me.  So I came home to London, married and divorced twice and I now have 5 grandchildren.  I decided to write my version of events imagining what might have happened had the English girl married her torero.

LCE:  Would that have been a happy life?

WS: Not at all! The story became unbelievably complex full of twists and turns.  It surprised me even as I wrote it!  El Macho, the central character, is really an anti-hero – a savage womanizer with a very dark side.  The young girl, Cassi Samuels, is ill-equipped to cope with it.  She goes from trauma to drama and back again, but she’s feisty, believes in the power of love and ultimately survives in the face of gut-wrenching adversity.

LCE: And Manolo himself?  Did you ever meet again?

WS: Yes! Two summers ago in Marbella he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.  I met him backstage at the bullring and we reunited with hugs and kisses.  It was wonderful to see him again.  It gave me some closure too. He’s married with 5 children now but for 73, he still looks great!

LCE: Do you still visit Marbella?

WS: Absolutely. It’s my home from home. My sister and her family live here and I come to relax whenever I can.  I wrote Blood 0n the Sand on the terrace of my late parents’ home near Torre Real. The Spanish edition La Inglesa y el Torero came out last year and I hope the English version available now on Amazon Kindle will give everyone who buys it a ‘bloody’ good read!

www.WendySalisbury.com