chiswickmagazine.co.uk • October 2017 M A G A Z I N...

chiswickmagazine.co.uk • October 2017 M A G A Z I N E

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Chiswick MagazinePWR MediaUnit 22, 205 Chiswick High RoadChiswickLondonW4 4HH

t: 020 3623 0567e: [email protected]: chiswickmagazine.co.ukTwitter: @chiswickmag

EditorKatie [email protected]

Advertising Sales ManagerAnnmarie [email protected]

PublisherPaul Williams

Design and ProductionPaul Williams and Catherine Clarke

Chiswick MagazinePWR MediaUnit 22, 205 Chiswick High RoadChiswickLondonW4 4HH

©PWR Media 2017

Dear Readers,

On our front cover we have Mahtab Jamali, Founder, Designer and Face of Katayoon London. Find out more about Mahtab and her fabulous evening wear in our fashion pages.

We also take a look into Celebrity Beauty regimes, whilst discovering a few of our own. Including Ark, Tropkia and Northern Soap; we found these beauty products to be great for short travel trips and a fun way of applying face masks.

I catch up with Jean-David Malat, Art Director of the Opera Gallery in Mayfair, to enjoy the fantastic artwork, and I got to steal half an hour out of dancer and model Harry Parr’s day to talk about his career.

The topic of renting in London is an area that we’ll all have a story to share about. With newcomers to London and renters moving up to 4 times in the space of a year due to housing conditions and sharing with unlikely characters, we’ve sourced some advice from well known renting website easyroomate.com, to help make that all important decision of what area is for you. And if London isn’t for you, we’ve had a look at some other great cities to live, work and study in.

With Halloween creeping up at the end of the month, we have some great ideas for Halloween gifts and list some fun places to dine to celebrate this spooky time of year.

In our Wellbeing pages, we look into the fears and self doubts of the human mind and the way music is used for therapy.

I wish a happy month to you all for October. We hope you enjoy, and we thank you for your continued support of the magazine.

Love, Katie

Cover image:

Hair & Make up: MEM Hair & Beauty (16 Devonshire Rd, Chiswick, London W4 2HD) / Instagram: @mem_salon / 020 8742 0054Dress: Katayoon London / Instagram: @katayoonlondon / www.katayoonlondon.com / Email: [email protected] Model: Mahtab Jamali / Instagram: @mahtab.jamali / www.mahtabjamali.com / Email: [email protected]

Contents:

• Beauty 4• Culture 12• Fashion 22• Living 34• Style 40• Wellbeing 50• Curated Homes & Lifestyles 58• Travel 76

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BODY BRUSH REGIME FROM ARK

Body brushing is one of those beauty rituals that we should commit to doing daily but somehow gets pushed to the bottom of our to-do list at the end of a busy day, sometimes slipping off the end. The benefits are endless – detoxifying, ridding skin of dry patches, smoothing cellulite and even banishing ingrown hairs, so if there’s one purchase we should be making, it’s a good body brush!Thankfully, British brand ARK Skincare are here to help with their brand new Massaging Body Brush (RRP £15), the perfect tool for achieving glowing, smooth skin!ARK’s new Body Brush has a dual action with massage nodules and bristles that work together to shed dead skin cells and encourage cell renewal, resulting in smoother and brighter skin. The combined brushing and massage action aids vascular blood circulation which helps reduce the appearance of cellulite, and can also prevent ingrown hairs, whilst leaving skin feeling invigorated. Brush all the toxins and dead skin away, then massage in the beautiful smelling oil for extra smooth skin and a lovely relaxing aroma.While you can dry brush before bathing or showering, you can also use the brush as part of a dedicated body regime. Just remember to always brush in the direction of your heart. Start at your feet and work up the body using upward strokes. Brush the abdomen and chest in clockwise sweeps and pay special attention to the back of thighs and buttocks, which are prone to cellulite. Aim to use for a minimum of 3 minutes, 2-3 times a week! Enhance the effects of your body brushing by following with a cold shower or at least a quick blast, which will shock your system and get it working into overdrive, aiding detoxification.Next, switch to a lovely hot shower to boost circulation, lathering up with the ARK body beautiful Vitality Hand & Body Wash (RRP £28). Packed with sea minerals, coconut and shea butter, it maintains the integrity of the skin’s natural moisture barrier, gently cleanses without irritation and conditions the skin’s surface. All the while, the 100% natural fragrance of palmarosa, rosemary and clary sage along with soothing ylang-ylang, jasmine and mimosa will boost your mood.Finish with the award-winning ARK body beautiful conditioning oil (RRP £35), ideal for use with body massage to lock in essential moisture. A combination of sacha inchi seed, Abyssinian and sweet almond oil provide antioxidants, soften and condition the skin leaving it nourished and radiant. The 100% natural fragrance transforms your regime into a spa-like experience thanks to an expertly blended combination of over 25 essential oils. A creamy-sweet, floral heart of Rose, Jasmine and Orange Flower with a hint of green and soft citrus notes in Mandarin, Lemon and Patchouli, is peppered with Cinnamon, Clove and Bay Spices. Precious woods and resins of Rosewood, Labdanum, Frankincense and Myrrh finish the fragrance perfectly enveloping you in a warming, soothing glow.

Beauty Beauty

ARK: Vitality Hand & Body wash

ARK: Body Beautiful conditioning oil

ARK: Massage brush

chiswickmagazine.co.uk | October 2017October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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Celebrity Beauty

1. Lady Gaga: A tape for removing make-upBelieve it or not, the American pop singer and songwriter uses tape to remove her eye make-up. Since glitter is specially very difficult to remove, using a tape does sound like a good option. Fabric tape is the most efficient and useful in this case. Here’s a word of caution - Do not try this trick if your skin is sensitive or prone to redness. Stick to your make-up remover and remember the skin around your eyes is extremely soft and delicate. Any routine must be thought through, unless you are Lady Gaga herself!

2. Julia Roberts: A pan full of olive oilThe actress with the ‘million-dollar smile’, Julia Roberts has been written about and revered for her acting as much as for her beauty. The famous Hollywood actress is known for hits like Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride and her performances in movies like Erin Brockwich have been critically acclaimed too. But did you know that Julia Roberts soaks her hands in olive oil to improve the moisture content of the skin? In order to rejuvenate her skin, Ms Roberts is known to dip her hand in olive oil every week. Olive oil is rich mono saturated fatty acids and this make the oil a very good choice for moisturising dry skin.

3. Miranda Kerr: Lip balm for eyesAustralian model and the ex-wife of Orlando Bloom, Miranda Kerr has been one of the more popular angels of Victoria’s Secrets. Ms. Kerr applies lip balm as a shimmery highlighter around her eyes. A lip gloss helps clog our pores. Try dabbing some lip balm around the corner of your eyes and you will know how this helps. Who would have thought of yet another crazy use of the lip balm!

4. Denise Richards: Avocado and olive oil for hair conditioningAmerican actress and former fashion model is known for her lustrous hair and good looks ever since she hit the runway in America. Denise, who was briefly married to Actor Charlie Sheen, is known to combine avocado with a tablespoon of olive oil for deep conditioning results for the hair.

Beauty Beauty

5. Sienna Miller: Ketchup to undo effects of henna!Yes, that does sound bizarre. But if stories are to be believed, it is said that the British-American actress once accidentally used henna on her blonde strands. She wanted to get rid of the colour and the only way to do this, hold your breath, was to soak her hair in ketchup. That’s a new remedy to wrong hair colour.

6. Teri Hatcher: Red wine bathAmerican actress and star of TV series Desperate Housewives, Teri Hatcher uses red wine in the bath to soften her skin. Wine contains tartaric acid, an alpha hydroxyl which can exfoliate and give a boost to your skin.

Call them quirks, if you will, but these beauty rituals are not what ordinary people would ever think of indulging in on a daily basis. Here is an article full of interesting beauty routines followed by some of our favourite celebrities around the world!

Lady Gaga

Sienna Miller Denise Richards

7. Lisa Rinna: Cinnamon Oil for a poutLove getting the perfect pout for your selfie? Well, here’s a beauty tip from American actress and television host , Lisa Rinna. Add cinnamon oil to the lip gloss and the result will be a pumped up pout. You can thank us for this later.

8. Catherine Zeta Jones: Fruits for the teethWe know that eating a variety of fruits is beneficial to the body. But, if you’re Catherine Zeta Jones then you wouldn’t stop at just eating these fruits. The Welsh actress is known to apply fruits on her teeth and rubs them to clean and whiten her smile. The juice or the pulp of various fruits contain malic acid which act as astringents and help lighten up the surface stains.

Catherine Zeta Jones


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Beauty Beauty

TropikaEagerly anticipated

Northern Soap to launch at Marks and Spencer

Tropika Skin Cleansing Oil £17.99

Tropika is hand-luggage friendly at 100mls and has a travel hook. It’s made with superior virgin coconut oil and sunflower and olive oils. It’s also a two-in-one so a perfect travel companion, as it melts away make-up with just a few drops (the silky oil emulsifies upon contact with water) and it also hydrates the skin so it glows. It can also be used as a facial, by massaging in to the skin and then using a warm cloth to remove it.

Quickly becoming a beauty favourite, Northern Soap by Natura Siberica will be available at selected Marks & Spencer stores and online from 31st August2017. This unique and distinctive face care essential features highly absorbent activated carbon to draw impurities from deep within the skin and is filled with the unique properties of traditional wild harvested Siberian herbs and berries from the remote landscapes of Northern Siberia. Siberia is the birthplace of Natura Siberica, a beauty brand that is rapidly gaining notoriety here in the UK. With products created largely from natural and organic ingredients and a firm commitment to supporting local tribes and environmental sustainability, consumers are embracing their wide range of naturally better products. Best used twice a week for a

deep cleanse, Northern Soap will compliment any existing skincare regime leaving you free to continue with your daily cleansing ritual. Apply the soap to the skin using the small sponge included within the packaging before washing off to reveal softer, more luminous skin. It’s rich and powerful ingredients such as Sea-Buckthorn Oil helps to regenerate the skin as it softens, tones and nourishes. Siberian Cedar Oil contains Vitamin E and Vitamin P which help to moisturise and strengthen the skin. Abundantin benefits, wrapped up in beautiful and efficient packaging and all at an affordable price, it is not hard to see why northern Soap is the best-selling product within the Natura Siberica range.


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October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.ukBeauty

The Perfect Travel Accessory: Rosalena Skincare Presents Their Summer Lovin’ Duo

Award-winning, 100% natural skincare brand Rosalena, is delighted to introduce their Summer Lovin’ duo, the perfect travel accessory including the summer essential Frank & Sense Face Oil and the revitalizing Goodness & Tonic Face Mist.

The travel friendly duo is the go-to skincare for healthy, glowing and refreshed summer skin. The G&T Face Mist comes in a handy, portable 50ml aluminium bottle and is composed of an uplifting blend of floral waters designed to rejuvenate, tone and stimulate both the skin & the mind. It includes Rosalena’s trademarked ‘PlantPreserve’, a unique plant-based, paraben-free ingredient that preserves water-based products naturally. It is perfect to apply in transit, poolside, post-workout or anytime you need a refreshing pick-me-up!

The Frank & Sense Face Oil comes in a travel friendly 15ml bottle and is designed to deliver intense rehydration after sun exposure. It is a high quality treatment to cope with any

extremely dry skin conditions. This summer essential face oil incorporates a potent botanical blend of skin-repairing plant oils, which can effectively reduce the affects of UV rays and absorb free-radicals. The natural anti-inflammatory ingredients can tame redness, calm skin, rehydrate and repair leaving with you a healthy glow. It includes organic essential oils: Frankincense, Sandalwood Mysore, Cape Chamomile, Neroli and Rose Otto.Rosalena Skincare’s Summer Lovin’ Duo retails at £58 and is available at select stores in the UK and online.

For more information, visit www.rosalena.co.uk

Instagram: @rosalenaskincare

Twitter: @RosalenaOils

Facebook: Rosalena Skincare

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Culture Culture

Harry Parr is an English dancer and model from Southampton. Harry first became interested in dance at the age of 5 and took Jazz and Street dance classes and when he was sixteen went to Hampshire youth dance company and discovered contemporary dance.

His next move was to London, where he attended West Thames College in Isleworth continuing his training in Contemporary dance and Jazz. “When I finished at Isleworth, I went to Leeds to attend the Northern School of Contemporary dance, training there in the day and spending my evenings taking Ballet classes. It was there I realised I wanted to learn more of Ballet and decided to go back to London and auditioned for Rambert School in St Margarets.”

Harry was accepted and is now about to start his second year there. A day at the school includes classes from 9-5.30pm, including contemporary and Ballet, and students continue to practice into the evening and focus on individual Choreography.

“I auditioned for the Lucy Paler Dance Company in November 2016”, explains Harry. “Since joining the company I performed a piece called ‘How am I not myself’ at the Resolutions Festival in Feb this year, and performed it again at the Rhoda McGaw theatre. I have since choreographed with two new members, forming a trio of dance bodies, and performed at the Blue Elephant in Camberwell”.

Also finding success as a model this year Harry says, “A friend of mine saw an advert for dancers to apply to be models, so I put myself forward and it ended up being for fashion designer Craig Green and his SS17 campaign. I went for it and I got the shoot.” This modelling job led onto another Craig Green campaign for AW17 and a Craig Green and Moncler Lookbook shoot.

But, it was a tough decision to take up the modelling role. “I was apprehensive about modelling at first because it didn’t really feel like me. People are often shocked when they find out I’m a dancer - they don’t put me down as a dancer.”

Having recently attended an intensive specialist dance course in Amsterdam, Harry worked with renowned dancer Marguerite Dolan in Ireland at Brookdance, a rural retreat for young dancers and professionals, followed by a trip to the Edinburgh Festival to watch dance and theatre.

From Isleworth to Leeds to Ballet Rambert - Harry doesn’t mind where his career takes him, he’s passionate about movement and his career continues to thrive.

Harry ParrHarry talks to

Chiswick Magazine about his career


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Culture Culture

The Opera Gallery has 11 contemporary art galleries worldwide located in New York, Miami, Monaco, Singapore, Venice, and Geneva. Exhibiting inspiring and delicate work from talented artists across the globe.

Starting out in Paris, Jean-David studied to be an actor at Cours Florent drama school and found work as a model and actor in Theatre and a TV series. Unfortunately, there was little money in it at the time, and a rethink gave aspiration towards the fashion industry.

Becoming a fashion designer in 1999, Jean-David moved to London, and in 2005, along with business partner Gilles Dyan made the move from fashion to art.

Jean-David explains, “I knew an old art dealer who told me of his personal story about the connection with art and fashion, and how he would exchange a suit for a painting. Customers were paying with paintings and his collection grew to be so large that he became an art dealer.”

“Chagall, every painting is a story of his life, and I am lucky to work with his art work. When I was young I would go with my mum to a new art museum every Wednesday and created an open mind toward art. I never knew it would be my job one day,” explains Jean-David. “It’s a moment of his life that he’s shared for people to see, it’s a moment from his soul.”

“London is the best city in Europe and I feel at home here. The wet weather doesn’t bother me because in Paris it’s very similar and I love the West End theatre,especially Les Miserables and The Lion King. I live here with my six-year-old son, and the rest of my family live in France, so I’m at home in both cities.”

Jean-David receives 8-10 applications a day from artists via Facebook and LinkedIn, but there aren’t many rules to finding

new artists. “If we see something we like, we’ll ask to meet the artist. It’s always good to meet an artist with an interesting story, as that gives the piece of art work personal significance to the artist.”

Jean-David is the Art Director for The Opera Gallery, Mayfair, London and is an art dealer and curator. For a full list of Exhibitions and artists visit www.operagallery.com.

Upcoming highlights at the Opera Gallery starting on the 2nd October; British artist David Kim Whittaker.

Joe Black - Colour Spectrum 02

Joe BLACK Made in China Communist 9 SoldiersMixed media127 x 105 x 7.5cm WHITTAKER

‘Self Portrait Four, Jewel Box

30 Minutes with Jean-David Malat


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Culture Culture

MAIL BOXES ETC. Operating Under New Ownership

Lyons Business Services Ltd, took over Mail Boxes Etc. in Chiswick, and has over 20 years’ experience with 4 other branches situated in Paddington, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington and Crawford Street. I met with Marika, the manager of Mail Boxes Etc. in Chiswick, who has been an employee of Mail Boxes Etc. for four years. We talked about the changes that have been introduced to improve business, and to expand their range of services for customers.

A main issue that came up was that many people don’t realise Mail Boxes Etc. offer postal services. This includes stamps, franked mail, registered, special, recorded and international postal services. Meaning you’ll avoid the queue at the post office. They also offer shipping services that include; express, overnight, and International express with DHL, UPS, FedEx and Parcel Force, that many people are not aware of. Their shipping prices compared to other shipping companies are extremely reasonable. The best part of Mail Boxes Etc. in Chiswick is the friendly team and service you receive when going there for your postal requirements. Whether it be sending gifts abroad to family and friends or all your work and business needs.

Other services include Packaging Supplies in store. Everything from boxes, packing tape, tubes and jiffy bags and then Packing Services for fragile items such as art, antiques, specialist packing and electronic equipment. From here you’ll also be able to buy stationery supplies, have access to faxing services and you can open a business account with them.

As Mail Boxes Etc. is a mail receiving service for business, they as usual, offer mailbox rentals with 24-hour access, mail forwarding and parcel receiving services. As well as all the above there is access to printers and getting your Passport Photos.

Mail Boxes Etc. Chiswick has extended their hours to benefit customers who work 9-5 hours through the week. Their new opening hours are from 8.30am – 6.30pm, Monday to Friday and 10am-5pm on a Saturday. These hours are allowing people to pop in before and after work and valuably have the option to pop in on a Saturday.


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Culture Culture

Spooky but Sophisticated Halloween Gifts

DINE ON THE DARK SIDE THIS HALLOWEEN WITH GORDON RAMSAY’S STREET KITCHENS

Cat Tote Bag, £15, available from the National Theatre Bookshop:

shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk

A fun and cheeky tote made of 100% fairtrade cotton, this contemporary design adds some fun to your shopping.

Black Cat Brooch, £5, available from the Imperial War Museums Shop:iwmshop.org.uk

Lucky black cat brooches were carried by many front line soldiers in the First World War. Luck and superstition was an integral part of trench life. This black cat brooch is made from black acrylic.

Yayoi Kusama Small/Large Soft

Sculpture Pumpkins, £150, £300,

available from the Tate Shop: shop.tate.org.uk

Showcase well-known artist Yayoi Kusama’s famous sculptures this Halloween and keep these contemporary pumpkins on display all year round.

Featuring the hallucination-inspired spots frequent in many of her works, Yayoi Kusama’s famous pumpkin sculptures have been described as alter-egos of the colourful and obsessive artist.

This Halloween, Gordon Ramsay’s Street Kitchen restaurants will unveil the dark side of dining with eerily gothic banquet experiences. From 27 – 31st October, guests visiting Bread Street Kitchen and Heddon Street Kitchen will be immersed in a unique and theatrical setting where a host of dark dishes with innovative, showstopping cocktails and the macabre, fantastical décor will fully immerse guests and intriguing dishes will be available alongside with mystical cocktails, to offer the ultimate culinary Halloween experience.

HEDDON STREET KITCHENAt Heddon Street Kitchen, guests can indulge in a spooky five-course banquet with a cocktail at the Kitchen Table. Throughout the meal, sitting alongside the kitchen, diners will interact with chefs and witness the magic that goes into crafting each eerie dish. The five-course Banquet is available for 6 to 10 guests for lunch and dinner at £50pp, with the additional option of the bespoke Bacardi cocktail pairings.

BREAD STREET KITCHENThose looking for the ultimate Halloween dining experience can also head to Bread Street Kitchen, where equally atmospheric décor will transport guests to the dark side. Head Chef Paul Shearing has created a darkly delicious menu of braised veal shin with smashed pumpkin and black garlic sauce, beautifully paired with the Twilight Tea cocktail, a goblet of Grey Goose, pumpkin purée, lapsang tea and orange bitters. To finish, a decadent chocolate fondant with cherry sauce is delivered, oozing to the table. The menu will be available as either a pre-bookable dining experience, or individual dishes are available as an a la carte option in the main restaurant. At Bread Street Kitchen, guests are invited to pre-book a space at the communal supper-club style table, where they will enjoy the full and exclusive five-course Halloween menu for £50pp, with

the additional option of cocktail pairings available on the day. Alternatively, groups of 8 of more can dine on a three-course menu for £37pp.

BOOKING DETAILS To book either Heddon Street Kitchen or Bread Street Kitchen from 27 to 31 October, please visit:https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/heddon-street-kitchen/whats-on/halloween/ https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/bread-street-kitchen/whats-on/halloween/ or email [email protected].


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IT’S A MIRACLE!The Winser London Miracle Collection has becomea go-to capsule of the ultimate in flattering,comfortable and confidence-boosting styles.The perfect workwear solution.

Created by expert designers with couture expertiseand cut from Winser’s exclusive stretch jersey Pontedi Roma fabric, the Miracle Collection flatters allshapes and sizes.

The double-knit viscose mix fabric acts as a figureshaperand allows for structured styles that havewelcome stretch, suitable for a busy day at theoffice, for formal occasions or for cocktails.

WWW.WINSERLONDON.COM

Miracle Pencil Skirt £89Miracle Colour Block Pencil Skirt £89 worn with The Tilda Silk Shirt £165

Grace Miracle Dress £150

Grace Colour Block Dress £150

Fashion Fashionchiswickmagazine.co.uk | October 2017October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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Miracle Dress £139

Miracle Shift Dress £135

Miracle Shift Dress with

Guipure Lace £150

Short Sleeve Miracle Dress £99

Emma Miracle Zip Dress £135


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Georgette Chiffon Bell Sleeve Dress £150 teal

Miracle Hourglass Dress £150

Georgette Chiffon Bell Sleeve Dress £150 black

Miracle Colour Block Flared Dress £139


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Emma Miracle Trousers £99 worn with Silk Striped Shirt £99

Miracle A Line Skirt £89 & Audrey Cashmere Scoop Neck Jumper £129

Miracle Leggings £89 & Merino Wool Roll Neck Jumper £79

Emma Miracle Pintuck Capri Trousers £79 & Reversible Cape £125


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Fashion Fashion

KATAYOONThe founder and couturier, Mahtab Jamali, has utilised elegance, meticulous attention to detail and a devotion to the empowerment of women through style to create Katayoon London, a luxury British fashion house. With no more than a Macbook and a dream, Ms Jamali created the Katayoon brand from her bedroom in London and continues her success with a small team, delivering high end designs to the runway with every collection.

Ms Jamali is well-known as a luxury fashion designer within the UK and Middle East, where she has established her name through her luxurious demeanour, style and grace. Her designs have reached the dressing rooms of palaces all over the Middle East. Including Middle Eastern royalty, Mahtab also dresses high profile clientele internationally.

Katayoon London specialises in made to measure Evening Wear & Prét-á-Porter ladies clothing along with bridal dresses. The luxury and intimacy of the Katayoon experience begins with the first point of contact by creating a bespoke dress making experience for the clientele, boasting a quality of production to make women look and feel wonderful. The dresses emanate our core values of style, elegance, strength and power; every garment that is created by Katayoon is rich in these ideals.

Inclusive of direct orders made by clientele via email and Katayoon London’s new online store; the brand is also sold in leading retail shops around the world – Al Ostoura in Kuwait, Per Lei Couture in Doha, Mimosa in Saudi Arabia and Harvey Nichols UK.

Ms Jamali’s fashion and lifestyle blog will be launched later on in the year www.mahtabjamali.com. You can shop the collection at Harvey Nichols online or directly on the Katayoon London website www.katayoonlondon.com

As a special collaboration with Katayoon London and MEM Hair & Beauty salon for Chiswick Magazine, we will have an exclusive pop up sample sale with limited pieces of our collections at MEM Hair & Beauty (16 Devonshire Rd, Chiswick, London W4 2HD) to RSVP with your interested with your name and email address to [email protected] and we will email you with more details about the sale.

Hair & Make up: MEM Hair & Beauty (16 Devonshire Rd, Chiswick, London W4 2HD) / Instagram: @mem_salon / 020 8742 0054


Living Livingchiswickmagazine.co.uk | October 2017October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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VanderhurdEXPANDS AND REFURBISHES STUDIO SPACE

Internationally acclaimed design studio, Vanderhurd, has expanded and refurbished its showroom in order to house an ever growing collection of bespoke rugs, carpets and textiles.

Through the refurbishment, the showroom’s natural lighting has been vastly improved while its displays offer easier access and greater visibility, providing the perfect space for clients to discuss their projects, whether they are choosing new colourways or creating an entirely bespoke design. The expansion takes the space from 27 square metres to a spacious 52.

In the early 1960s renowned antiques dealer Geoffrey Van, father of studio Creative Director Christine Van Der Hurd, operated his business on Portobello Road – welcoming an array of actors, lm producers and Royals, and helping to establish what is now one of London’s most respected hubs for art and antiques.

In 1969 Geoffrey Van and his wife discovered and

purchased a property on Portobello Road, not far from his thriving antiques dealership. With an exceptional eye for detail, he went about laying marble oors and sourcing antique church doors, transforming the property into a beautiful family home.

This space has remained in the family, with Christine Van Der Hurd operating the Vanderhurd studio from it for the last 10 years. By retaining its original architectural features, the newly refurbished space both honours and cele- brates its former lives while offering a refreshed, contemporary feel.

Vanderhurd’s A/W 2017 rug collection, From the Point, will be shown for the rst time at this year’s Decorex Interna- tional (17th – 20th September, stand A21A), alongside a brand new fabric design and fresh new fabric colourways.

The studio is open by appointment.

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Living Living

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO RENTING IN LONDON IN 2017

UK’S TOP CITIES TO RENT IN FOR WORK AND STUDY

Looking for a place to live can be daunting. This is especially true when it involves looking for a property to rent in London, the capital of the UK and undeniably one the world’s most popular cities. With nearly 8.7 million people living in the capital in 2017 and many thousands more coming here to work, study and for tourism, finding affordable accommodation might not seem straightforward at first. This EasyRoommate guide will help you find your ideal place to rent in London – one that suits your needs and your budget.

Why rent in London? Why wouldn’t you!London is a place that does not really need introductions. One of the world’s most visited cities, it is a global financial, business, innovation and cultural centre. Incidentally, London is also one of the word’s greenest capital cities too – with nearly 47% of it classified as ‘greenspace’ and home to over 8 million trees, London is more of an urban jungle than a concrete jungle. Traditionally divided into North and South by the river Thames, the capital in 2017 is constantly evolving, with new developments, regeneration and restoration projects taking place all over the city.

Finding your perfect London boltholeIf you’re planning to rent an apartment in London, cost and location will probably be your main criteria. Despite being a capital city, plenty of cheap flats to rent in London are still available – you just need to know where to look!

Those flicking through their first ‘Rent London’ search results pages could instead do well by visiting the London Rents Map site set up by the city’s Mayor. The facility is designed to give those looking for houses and apartments to rent in London an up-to-date visual price guide by the borough – simply pop in your desired area and a type of property you’re hoping to live in.

Consistently ranking as one of the best countries to live in, the UK is ‘topping the charts’ once again, in the most recent report produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The country sees many thousands of people travel here for work, study and tourism every year. And whilst the capital is the obvious hot-spot for those looking to improve their academic profile or further their careers, the country offers plenty of truly excellent opportunities outside the capital too. Renting in the UK is a great way of exploring the many career and study options that are on offer here. EasyRoommate property and roommate finding service makes it easy for you to pick the best of them to help you make the most of your chosen path.

Best UK cities for top pay rates and affordable professional rentingIf your job search is focused around your salary, then you won’t be surprised to hear that London tops the list of best-paying cities in the UK. With the average salary approaching £45k, your expenses though will be pretty hefty, too. Renting costs, however, do vary across the capital, and it is possible to snap up a pretty swanky room to rent for a reasonable price, if you’re prepared to travel a little.

When living in the capital is not a priority and you don’t mind a small drop in your salary in return for much more favourable rates for renting in the UK, the top towns to consider are: Crawley, Slough, Reading and Aberdeen. According to the recent report by the Cities Outlook, other top UK earner locations include Oxford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Derby, Luton and Edinburgh. Flatshare options and spare room rental are popular choices in all of these destinations, so head over to the EasyRoommate search facility to find your perfect coop in a top-paying UK location.

When it comes to the cost of renting in the UK, some cities are so popular with tenants that, despite receiving a lower paycheck, you may well find yourself forking out London rental rates. Oxford and Cambridge, for example, have rental properties that are at the same price level as properties in the leafy London suburbs of Zones 4 and 5. Overall, according to the Valuation Office Agency, rents in the northeast of the country are about one third of those in the capital and the south. Kingston upon Hull tops the cheapest UK rental costs list, with other budget-friendly locations Burnley, Stoke-on-Trent, Barnsley and County Durham, following closer, to name a few.

If you have (a bit of) cash to splashThough traditionally one might assume that North of the river is a more expensive part of the city for apartments to rent in London than the South, in 2017 this really is not the case. Flatshare London is a popular option for those seeking the perfect balance between location and cost. Central London, of course, is the prime location to be if you like convenience and don’t mind compromising on space. Though if you plan on renting alone, it can get quite pricey for anything bigger than a shoebox-sized studio. Travel Zones 2 and 3 are the most in demand amongst those needing access to central London, be it for work or study. Prices here are quite reasonable given that you are right near all of London’s best spots, and you’ll be saving a considerable amount on travel costs. If, however, space and tree-lined streets are a must-have on your list, head further out to Zones 3 and 4. Here, it is much easier to find apartments to rent in London and flatshares are plentiful.

Property to rent in London on a budget – it’s possible!With so many looking to rent a room in London, the demand is definitely higher than supply, so if you’re house-hunting in this part of the world, be prepared to act swiftly. Cheap flats to rent in London are particularly in demand as thousands flock to the capital for work.

East London probably boasts the biggest room-rental stock. Located next door to the glossy Canary Wharf, the smart Docklands offer excellent transport links and access to the city. Whilst the youthful and trendy Shoreditch is popular with those looking for cool as well as convenient and affordable places to rent in London. Still feel you’ve not got quite enough cash to rent an apartment in London? Whitechapel offers more affordable rents whilst still maintaining good transport links with the city.

Cheaper flatshare London options can be found, if you venture even further afield – Zones 5 and 6 offer excellent value for money when it comes to rent in London. The South London borough of Croydon might not have been the first choice of location for apartments to rent in London in the past, but this Greater London suburb is currently undergoing significant redevelopment. Sleek, purpose-built apartment blocks located right near the East Croydon train station, a major transport hub, are an ideal place to rent a room in London without breaking the bank.

And whether you already know where you intend to look for flats to rent in London or you’re still trying to figure out your perfect location for cheap flats to rent in London, let EasyRoommate help you find your new home in the capital.

Best UK student rental citiesThe UK’s best universities list, somewhat predictably, starts off with the all-time favourites Cambridge and Oxford, according to the Complete University Guide 2017. The London School of Economics, Imperial College London and St Andrews University complete this Top Five Universities list. The prestige factor attracts students from all over the globe, and naturally, the cities in turn become some of the more expensive locations for renting in the UK. If a Top Ten University degree is what you’re after, but paying top rental rates is not an option for you, Durham University is definitely worth considering. With some of the country’s lowest rates for renting in the UK, County Durham may well be the perfect location to start your search.

The UK’s most affordable five university cities are Glasgow, Nottingham, Newcastle, Manchester and Coventry. Surprisingly, London made it to the Top Ten most affordable student cities for renting in the UK, according to the QS Best Student Cities guide.

Most fun UK university citiesUniversity years, however, aren’t supposed to be just about studies and budgeting. If you like to ‘live a little’, here’s our shortlist to consider:

London tops the list once again. Here, excellent education is perfectly balanced with fun, culture and an opportunity to have an excellent social life. Though rental rates might make a bit of a dent in your budget, you can always supplement your income with a part-time job – pay rates here are the best in the UK.

Consistently topping a number of Best Student Cities lists, Newcastle is lively, welcoming and … well, often quite tipsy. The local nightlife and bar scene effortlessly propel it to the top in the UK for social life (according to the Student Experience Survey).

And if cheap rent, a good education, a great social life and plenty of funky bars to unwind in after lectures are still not enough, perhaps Nottingham will be your UK’s top place to rent. Named by The Independent as the ‘horniest in the country’, this university city just might surge to the top of all Best University lists very quickly.


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Style Stylechiswickmagazine.co.uk | October 2017October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

Alesha Dixon x LittleBlackDress.co.uk

SS17 Collection Announcement 4th April 2017 marks the launch of Britain’s Got Talent Judge and singer, Alesha Dixon’s exclusive SS17 clothing collection with online fashion brand LittleBlackDress.co.uk.

Alesha joined the brand’s board of Directors in 2015, continuously adding her unique and fantastic style and ideas to the occasionwear destination.

The new collection is perfect for those Spring and Summer special occasions. Alesha’s 9 piece collection is designed to make women feel fabulous at their next event and incorporates many of the season’s key trends with florals, lace, sheer overlays and vibrant colours all making an appearance

Charity is essential to both LittleBlackDress.co.uk and Alesha, which sees £1 from every dress sold donated to Refuge.The charity has been working with the brand since the beginning of 2016 and helps women and children who have suffered from domestic violence, which affects on in four women.

Style Stylechiswickmagazine.co.uk | October 2017October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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Recipe Time Take Control of Your Fear and Doubt

by Inner Space www.innerspace.org.uk

RHUBARB AND CUSTARD

For the braised rhubarb10 sticks of fresh rhubarb2 vanilla pods3 oranges200g sugar100g water5tbsp grenadine

METHOD:

1. Firstly cut rhubarb into 2inch batons and put into a vac bag along with the water, sugar and grenadine.2. Cut down the vanilla pods and scrape out the seeds, put the pods and seeds into the bag.3. Using a peeler- peel 1 orange and remove the zest, then add to the rhubarb. Cut the oranges in half and squeeze all the juice into the bag.4. Vac the bag and then cook in a sous vide for 12-16mins at 74 degrees.5.Once cooked remove from the sous vide and leave to cool on side for 10 mins before placing into the fridge.

FOR THE SYRUP:Cut open the bags of rhubarb and using the liquid in the bag place in a pan with 200ml of 22% stock syrup, which consists of 44g of caster sugar and 156g of water. Once the syrup starts to form big bubbles cool then place in a bottle.

FOR THE MERINGUES:1. 50g egg whites2. 100g caster sugar3. ¼ tsp cream of tartare4. Using an electric whisk- whisk the egg white until foamy then add the cream of tartare, once at a stiff peak slowly add the caster sugar until the mixture is smooth and shiny.5. Place in a piping bag and pipe small 1 inch round meringues on a silpat and place into a oven pre-heated at 73 degrees cook for at least 5 hours minimum or for best results overnight. The meringues will be glass like to touch.

FOR THE SET CUSTARD:500g whole milk500g double cream12 egg yolks (212g)180g sugar2 vanilla pods10 gelatine leaves (soaked in water)

In a pan bring the milk, cream and vanilla to the boil, whilst the mixture is coming to the boil whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl. Once the milk/cream has boiled add half to the egg mix and whisk well then add back to the pan, and cook until the cream anglaise is made. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine and add the leaves to the mixture. Pass and set into moulds and place into the fridge for at least 1 hour.

FOR THE SHORTBREAD BISCUITS:375g butter165g caster sugar540g plain flour

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth, stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Roll the paste into 1½ inch balletines and place in the fridge overnight.2. The next day cut shortbread into 3mm slices and cook on a silpat at 170 degrees for 5-8mins or until golden brown. Remove and place onto a wire rack and dust with golden caster sugar.

FOR THE ICE-CREAM:400g sugar 200g trimoline35g milk powder680g egg yolk1800g whole milk1200g double cream4 vanilla pods6 coffee beans

Bring mixture to 50 degrees then pour ½ of the mixture to Mix together then return to pan and bring to 70 degrees and hold it for 5mins always scraping the bottom. Pass and cool, once cool place into pacojet beaker or churn in ice-cream maker.

Doubt! No matter how confident or how successful we are, almost all of us have moments of self-doubt. Fear! We all have fears, fear of heights, failure, success, rejection, the unknown, the spider in the bathroom. Now, sometimes fear and doubt can be useful. They can caution us to be careful, and help us weigh up risks, have back up plans and be prepared to do things differently.

But more often than not, fear and doubt simply hold us back and shrink our world. How? When fear shows up, we ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or we ‘Find Excuses And Reasons’ to hide under the covers of life and stay right where we are. And fear often acts like a magnet. By focusing on the fear, we unconsciously act in ways that are connected to the fear, thus making it real. It’s not real until we make it real. The same happens with doubt. Doubts often become self-fulfilling prophecies. Believe you can’t and you most likely won’t! That’s because doubts overshadow our confidence and scramble our head. Then we find ourselves making mistakes. And there are times when we convince ourselves, before we start, that we shouldn’t even try!

Now, it’s OK to have self-doubts and feel fear but it’s not OK to let it get the better of you and get in the way of your career, relationships and personal growth. So, how about taking control of your fear and doubt before it controls you!

Tackle Fear and DoubtWhen you see a fear or a doubt coming at you, tackle it. Even if you’re feeling a little scared, it doesn’t mean you’re not smart or strong enough to hold your ground and take it down. After all, what is fear and doubt? They’re just thoughts. So, come on,

tackle those thoughts. Challenge your thoughts: Is what I’m fearing or doubting really real? Is it based on reality? If it were to become reality, how bad would it be? It’s not the end of the world, is it?

Shift Your Thoughts Think: ‘I am bigger than my fears.’ If you can imagine all kinds of fearful things, you also have the capacity to think better, stronger thoughts. And when it comes to your doubts, confidence is just a thought away. Think: ‘I have the capacity and the capability to do and be whatever I choose.’ ‘Anything is possible if I put my mind to it.’ Believe you can and you most likely will.

Take ActionThink of when you first learnt to walk, how many times did you fall? If you had let frustration and disappointment beat you, you’d still be riding around in a pushchair! So, listen to those little tugs of fear and doubt, and if they’re rational, honour it and step back. But if it’s something you really want to do, then reach beyond what is comfortable and go for it. Taking action in opposition to doubt, or in spite of your fear, helps you to overcome it.

Just remember, every minute you spend in fear and doubt, is a minute you could have invested in planning, preparing, thinking and doing something constructive. So, let go of your fears, drop your doubts and give yourself the best chance of success.

Visit www.innerspace.org.uk or call 020 7836 6688 for free talks and courses in London.

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SIX WAYS IN WHICH MUSIC CAN IMPROVE WELLBEING

By music therapist Dr Stella Compton Dickinson

Absolute silence is extremely rare. Music is all around us, it is made up of vibrations of different frequencies, heard in the sounds of nature, the sea, the birds, even the electrical sound of the fridge has a frequency that hums. Within the universe, the musical elements of ‘time’ and ‘rhythm’ are involved in, for example, how the earth and the moon interact with the cycle of the tides, day, night and month. These rhythms and energies may affect our bodies; for example, women often feel more full and bloated at full moon.

In eastern philosophy the mystery of the beginning of all life is understood as starting when a single vibration began, to which there was a response thus creating a resonance. People may either ‘resonate’ in harmony with each other or grate on each other’s nerves. The way people interact with each other is called the ‘psychodynamics’. Music has dynamics too, meaning whether it is loud (and scary or emboldening) or soft (and gentle or tremulous) or anything in between.

1.Music Listening: Music is an art form available to almost every human being. Anyone can explore safe and appropriate ways in which music can lift their mood. In public places, such as certain London Underground Stations, classical music is played to enhance a calm mood across a busy, crowded environment where people might otherwise get stressed and then become more aggressive. Healthcare practitioners frequently use music to

Wellbeing Wellbeing

stimulate a better ambient mood, for example in a secure hospital unit, however the same piece of music will affect individuals in different ways.

2.Music to promote memory and life review: Pre-recorded music has associations to times and places in our lives. If we hear a song from a different time in our life it can bring back all those old feelings. It may be very romantic, sad, happy or funny. Music can make us feel nostalgic and it can therefore make us laugh or cry, feel warm and loving or uncomfortable and full of regret.

When we work therapeutically with recorded music it is important to understand the client’s taste and let him choose music that has significant meaning to him, rather than imposing a personal choice that may mean nothing to him, this may otherwise simply be perceived as controlling.

When working with elderly people, if they hear a favourite old song this can bring back happier times and they can then often recall the lyrics which may not have been thought about in ages - then the individual can enjoy sharing their memories. This is important in helping the individual to have a sense of continuity across their life-span and then to orientate them to all that they have done decade by decade.

3.Music and Movement to reduce anxiety: Whether music is

played on a hospital ward, in a Zumba class, a Pilates class, a religious ceremony, or a military cavalcade with men and horses - music underpins the movements and pace of events through the tempo, rhythms, mood and harmonies.

Running and exercise releases endorphins that are known as ‘happy’ hormones.A play list of suitable tracks can energize and then calm people, for example during physical exercise classes followed by relaxation and meditative music to finish.

I always encourage my clients to develop a varied exercise routine because using our bodies can calm our minds, improve co-ordination and balance and reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Without physical activity one’s thoughts and worried feelings may get caught up and these can start to fester inside us. These experiences need an appropriate outlet or otherwise they can make one feel sick or wobbly.

Often this sort of mental difficulty of anxiously avoiding difficult social events for example, can be misunderstood as simply a digestive or eating problem. This sort of anxiety is unprocessed energy, which can be expended in music therapy because clients move about the room to play drums or tuned percussion or smaller instruments, rather than just sitting in a chair. Moving and being creative can help people to extend themselves and to be more spontaneous in having fun, and then they frequently want to start to understand themselves better.

Music Therapy is used to help people who suffer with Parkinson Disease. Try singing a gentle tune if you need to help a person with Parkinson’s to walk. The chances are that their shuffling gait may extend towards becoming proper steps if you find a suitable mood, tempo and tune.

Music can also be used in a manipulative and negative way to whip up a fanatical group consciousness in a crowd, as if they have lost their individual will to choose. Alternatively, to bond together such as at a football match, when part of the crowd may start to act as one in chanting for their team.

4. Learning a Musical Instrument for global mental improvements: Practising a musical instrument is associated with enhanced verbal ability, the ability to work things out and improved motor co-ordination. This is because a lot of components and hours of discipline are involved in becoming accomplished on an instrument. The degree of success depends on many factors including the teaching techniques, the levels of parental support for the child, or for an adult learner to have both a witness to his efforts as well as undisturbed practice time. I have taught my instrument, the oboe, all my adult life and I apply some neuro-scientific therapeutic principles to this teaching.

Let me tell you the story of Irvine (not his real name). Irvine was eleven and had just scraped into the school where I taught. He had tried the drums at primary school and this had done nothing for him. A child needs to find the right quality of tone in choosing his instrument. Irvine was an unusual and sensitive child, he didn’t seem to have a sense of rhythm, and so I worked to instil a steady pace demonstrating firstly so that he could copy me. As a music therapist I knew how to find his inner rhythm and pace. Even when he had learnt only two notes we could play a duet together as I created harmony around his two long notes. So, he learnt to read music whilst feeling safe and supported, at the same time as blowing and moving his fingers. There is a lot to think about. By the end of his first year he had moved academically from the bottom of the lowest set of kids in his year into the top set. Individual instrumental lessons gave him the confidence he needed to be better co-ordinated physically, with improved attention span and greater ability of mental processing.

5.Music Making with others for improved sociability: Irvine was an unusual child that had difficulties socialising but then he

found that he was needed in the school band, so he started to make new friends and this helped build his self-esteem. He had a new hobby and could play in the local amateur orchestra and go on tours with the youth orchestra; music helped him to learn to bond with his peers in a shared activity and goal. Irvine used to struggle with his academic work but he got into a good university to train in an unrelated subject and instead of being the odd one out, he became the admired super-star when playing his English Horn (Tenor Oboe) in the University Orchestra.

When I was travelling to Canada via Newark New Jersey airport back in 2004 I met a man who said his daughter was learning the oboe because it is almost ‘an automatic ticket to an ivy league university’ (Harvard or Yale). I don’t know if that is true but one of my first ever pupils is now a famous scientist and he went on to work at Harvard after Cambridge University.

6.Musical Improvisation in music therapy for improving and sustaining mental health: The greatest form of improvised music is Jazz, and we can learn a lot about the structure of improvised music from great musicians such as Miles Davis. Music Therapy in the United Kingdom is a masters level training and central in this model is jointly creating improvised music that fits the mood, time and place. The music therapist is a skilled musician but she does not show off, she is there to help the natural creative abilities of any individual start to come through. This is wonderful because all patients can have a go - even if they have never seen a real musical instrument. This experience can be exciting rather than frightening when it is offered sensitively and with respect.

Music Therapy is particularly effective for people who live with schizophrenia; it helps with mental organization because music alone can cross the bridge between the two hemispheres of the brain, thereby integrating emotional responses and cognitive thinking processing. Once a person has expressed their inner feelings non-verbally through jointly-creating music within a trusting therapeutic relationship –then they may be able to more easily recognize what they are feeling and start to find the right words to be able to talk about their problems and thereby receive help from others.

ABOUT THE AUTHORDr Stella Compton-Dickinson is a London-based Health and Care Profession council registered music therapist, accredited supervisor, professional oboist and lecturer, UK Council for Psychotherapy registered Cognitive Analytic Therapist and Supervisor. She is author of The Clinician’s Guide to Forensic Music Therapy (Jessica Kingsley Publishers), and has her own private practice and twenty years’ experience in the National Health Service as a Clinician, Head of Arts Therapies and Clinical Research Lead her research was awarded the 2016 Ruskin Medal for the most impactful doctoral research.

Web: www.stellacompton.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/NorthLondonPsychotherapyTwitter: twitter.com/StellaCompton12 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-stella-compton-dickinson-4a475311/Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Clinicians-Guide-Forensic-Music-Therapy/dp/1849057109/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494421287&sr=8-1&keywords=stella+compton+dickinson


Game of Thrones – what can the Hound teach us about phobias and how to deal with them?

The penultimate season of Game of Thrones (G.O.T) has just finished and personally I am counting the months until next season.

George R. R. Martin has created a scary and traumatic world, and it’s amazing that every character in it isn’t suffering from a phobia, anxiety issue or major trauma.

Sandor Clegane (played by Rory McCann), has developed and grown over the seasons and his journey has also illustrated in detail how a phobia can start and impact a person’s life.

Sandor Clegane (played by Rory McCann), better known as the Hound, is as tough as they come - but when he sees fire he becomes a terrified wreck. Classic phobia symptoms.

The series introduces the Hound’s fear of fire in the first season. Little Finger Petyr Baelish tells Sansa that Sandor’s brother Sir Gregor (the Mountain) got revenge on him for stealing his toy:

“Gregor never said a word. He just grabbed his brother by the scuff of his neck and shoved his face to the burning coals and held him there while the boy screamed as his face melted.”

In season two, in the battle of the Black Water as Stannis tries to take Kings Landing, the Hound is fighting and is charged at by a man on fire. You watch him shift from a brave warrior to being frozen by fear. Suddenly he just packs it all in, leaves the battle, quits his job, and walks out of the city.

We see his fear again when he fights Beric Dondarrion. Beric uses a flaming sword, and you can see the shock in the Hound’s face before he starts to fight. This is when Aria realizes he has a fear of fire.

So, can you be that tough, strong and fearless and still have a phobia?

Yes, a phobia has nothing to do with how tough or how smart you are. It starts with an experience which triggers the brain to link fear to an event or object. I have worked with all sorts of very tough guys, martial arts experts, military men, and Special Forces guys; they have done and seen things most people would find terrifying, yet have a phobia of something most people wouldn’t be bothered by, like spiders, or going in a lift. This is because phobias are not based on logic.

With the Hound, it is very obvious what started his phobia, but for most people it is not always that clear, it could be almost anything. If, for example, you have a fear of flying, it could be that as a young child you experienced a turbulent flight and in that moment your mind linked flying to danger. Or it could be

that you were watching a TV show where somebody falls off a cliff and in that moment your mind creates a fear of heights. Even watching how your parents reacted to a spider could be enough to create the same fear in you. If this fear is deep enough, whenever you encounter that thing again you will have the same emotions and feelings around it.

Could the Hound remove his phobia?

Yes – and the first step is to help him create a place of safety in is mind. Clegane says to Brienne “safety, where the F~#@ is that?” and that suggests to me that right now in his subconscious mind, there is a pattern recognition system running, where he see’s fire and reacts with fear and because of this, his mind tries to make him run. One way to create safety so it’s easier for him to let go of his fear, is to create a trigger for safety that is linked to positive feelings and emotions.

The key is to think of or imagine times when you felt completely calm. It could be sitting on beach, or with family or friends, basically anything that makes you feel relaxed and safe. Now imagine going back to that time and notice all the images, feelings and sounds that go with this event. When you have fully connected to this positive event, squeeze your fist to create a link between the emotion and the gesture, and as the emotion fades release your fist. Keep repeating this as many times as you like and then test it by squeezing your fist. Notice what you feel. If it’s strong enough, just the act of squeezing your fist in future will bring back that feeling of safety.

Once we have done that, we can now re-educate his subconscious to see fire and not become terrified. One way to do this through ‘cross lateral stimulation.’ Basically, if you focus on your fear while doing the exercises described below, the mind cannot hold the fear and focus on the exercises at the same time, so the mind starts to let go of the fear. This is most effectively when done on the first, or trigger, event. In the Hound’s case, it would be going

back to when his brother attacked him.

To do this, look straight ahead while thinking about your fear. Now, allow your eyes to move slowly from left to right passing between the bridge of your nose. Keep repeating this left to right process, while thinking about your fear, and you’ll notice your phobia reduce in intensity. Another way to help the Hound would be to reduce the intensity of the images he links to the phobia. This could be done by making the event funny, because it’s very hard for the mind to hold two opposite emotions at the same time. If you play around with the event and make the images small, remove the colour and run it backwards, or give it Mickey Mouse ears and circus music, it changes the dynamics. Keep playing with the images until the feelings associated with it are reduced.

If Sandor were real we could completely remove his phobia and you never know, he and Drogon the dragon could become the best of friends.

ABOUT THE AUTHORChristopher Paul Jones, aka The Breakthrough Expert, is a therapist based in Harley Street who specialises in helping people let go of their fears, anxieties and even their phobias; from a fear of public speaking to anxieties around work, Christopher has helped 100s of people ‘let go’ and get their lives back. He even cured his own morbid fear flying, to the extent he was able to take a sightseeing flight through the Pyrenees – strapped to the OUTSIDE of a helicopter!

www.christopherpauljones.net

Tweets by @breakthruexpert Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChristopherPaulJonesTheBreakthroughExpert/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christopherpauljones?trk=hp-identity-nameYouTube: www.breakthroughexperttv.com

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You Collect Art... Kourosh Mahboubian Short Bio, July 2017

Kourosh Mahboubian’s parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins were art dealers and he was born into the business. From the beginning, the art world has been a backdrop in his life, shaping and guiding his vision. In 1988 he founded Cyrus Gallery, in New York, representing a stable of successful artists and also dealing in blue chip modern and contemporary art. The gallery eventually absorbed his family’s ancient art business too. He closed Cyrus Gallery in 1993 and has continued since then, under the name Kourosh Mahboubian Fine Art, as a private dealer, advisor and collector, specializing in contemporary and emerging art and photography. In 2017, he became a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America. Based in New York City, he offers his international art business clients the expertise, perspective and experience that come from thirty years of professional service in this field.

(For more information on Kourosh Mahboubian Fine Art please visit http://mahboubianfineart.com)

Contact Information:

Kourosh Mahboubian Fine Art

100 Bank Street, # 5G

New York, NY 10014

[email protected]

+1 212-844-9860

Curated Homes & Lifestyles Curated Homes & Lifestyles

Five Thoughts on Building an Art CollectionBy Kourosh Mahboubian

You’ve built a beautiful home and you want to fill it with art. Here are five important points to think about.Growing up in a family of art dealers, I watched my father and his friends build a number of incredible collections. There was such a broad diversity of subject matter. From antiquities and Islamic art, to tribal masks, old master paintings, impressionist works and modern and contemporary art, each collection bore witness to the story of a unique collector. I came to understand that a good collection is greater than the sum of its parts. I also discovered that the best ones are often assembled with extraordinary passion, over a lifetime, by people of ordinary means. Today when clients ask me for advice on where to start collecting, I think back to those early lessons. It may seem obvious, but if you’re going to buy art to put in your home and look at every day, you should choose pieces you’re passionate about. Your collection should reflect your life and your aesthetic, not choices made by others. Remember, too, that a good collection takes time to build and grows with you.

Once you’ve figured out what drives your passion, there are five basic points to consider: what to buy, where to find it, whom to buy it from, how much to pay for it, and what you’re going to do with it once you own it. You should seek advice about these issues from knowledgeable people and educate yourself as much as possible before spending large sums.

1. What should you buy?At some point you will have to make your first purchase. Hopefully it will be something you feel you just can’t live without. My wife and I bought a piece of art together for the first time during our honeymoon, years ago in Buenos Aires. Our hotel was located next to an architectural design shop. Each time we passed the shop’s window, we were drawn to a fabulous panel made of thick red Plexiglas with arrays of multicolour optical bubbles carved into it. We didn’t know exactly what it was, but it was beautiful and we wanted it, so we figured out how much we could afford to spend and decided to enter the shop. To our delight, the panel was within our budget. It turned out to be a sculpture by the renowned Argentinian artist Rogelio Polesello. We bought the piece knowing that we would have taken it even if it were nothing more than a cool piece of Plexiglas.

As your collection grows past that first piece, it is likely that a theme will emerge, maybe even without your planning it consciously. A collection that is built over time will reflect the changes in your life. It will also turn a cold space into a warm home with a soul, particularly if you collect a variety of styles. There are no rules, but never buy something you don’t love; never buy art assuming it will go up in value; and if you disagree with your spouse or partner on aesthetics, take turns choosing pieces rather than settling on a compromise each time.

2. What is the market?When you know what you’re looking for, you still have to look in the right places to find it. There are local and international auction markets as well as retail markets, which consist of art galleries, artists’ studios and art fairs. Hand in hand with these are the primary and secondary markets. The primary market represents any art that is new and being sold for the first time, usually in a gallery or an artist’s studio. The secondary markets are the auction and retail markets dealing in second-hand art. The majority of the world’s most important and valuable art gets traded only in the secondary markets and most artists are not successful enough to have a reliable secondary market. Studying auction results is a good way to learn about the market. All of the houses advertise upcoming sales on their websites and publish catalogues both online and in print. Sales are open to the general public and there is usually a preview period beginning a few days before the sale when anyone can go and inspect the pieces. If you’re going to want to bid, you should contact the auction house during that period, to register for a paddle or bidder number. There is a fairly high transaction cost, called a premium, when you buy or sell at auction. The premium is the auction house’s share and is calculated as a percentage of the hammer price. There is typically a 24% to 26% buyer’s premium. There is also usually a seller’s premium that can be from 5% to 15%. If a painting sells for a hammer price of £10,000, with a buyer’s premium of 25%. The buyer will pay £12,500 to the auction house. If there is a 6% seller’s premium, the seller will receive £9,400 and the auction house will keep £3,100 as its fee. Don’t forget that VAT, shipping and insurance will raise the costs even further. There are many more places to see and buy art than just galleries and auction houses. There are countless art fairs taking place around the world throughout the year. Go to as many of them as you can. Get to know a few artists and visit their studios. They will introduce you to other artists. The art schools in every city have exhibits of their matriculating students’ work. These are where many top galleries scout their future stars. You can take advantage of the opportunity to buy those artists’ works for low prices.

3. From whom should you buy art?Dealers and art advisors are invaluable sources for information and can provide you with all the services you need. A dealer will sell items he has available to sell, but does not charge for advice. An advisor will charge a fee for her time and give impartial advice and guidance on art that other people are selling. A good advisor will educate you, do your research for you, prevent you from making costly mistakes and potentially save you some additional money by negotiating better prices for you.There is a common misconception that the auction price represents the true market value of a piece of art. However, auction prices can fluctuate drastically from day to day for reasons like bad weather, that have little to do with the true nature of the market. While there

Combining works from different periods and styles can make a collection more interesting and dynamic. Clockwise from top left: a graffiti painting by Indie 184, a wood sculpture by Tyrone Mitchell, an Italian antique marble table, a wire and paper sculpture by Trevor Oakes, and a 14th C. bronze Buddha from Thailand.

British artist, Lucy Sparrow, sews felt facsimiles of items that our culture considers popular everyday products, such as breakfast cereals, soaps and even weapons. www.sewyoursoul.co.uk


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are some good deals to be found at auction and times when a posh gallery will charge you a higher price, it’s wrong to assume that these conditions are the norm. You should also consider factors such as convenience and the level of service provided. Many galleries will allow you to take a piece on approval, to see how it looks in your home before you decide to keep it. They will also usually take care of details like framing and hanging or installing a piece for you. Auction services, on the other hand, do not extend much beyond the saleroom.

4. How much should you pay for it?The best way to make a good investment is to do the research and then make an informed decision. You can usually determine a fair price for any artwork by digging a little online and then asking a couple of experts. Make a point of looking up auction prices for similar pieces by the same artist, on one of the databases like artnet.com or invaluable.com. Then, compare prices for similar pieces in all of the appropriate markets. The librarian at an art library can point you good reference materials.If you’re buying at auction, set yourself a price limit ahead of time so that you don’t get carried away in the bidding. Remember to include the

Curated Homes & Lifestyles

buyer’s premium, as well as any VAT and shipping or export costs you may have to cover in your budget. If you are buying from a gallery, you can ask for a discount and try to negotiate a better price. Most galleries will negotiate to a certain level. Dealers generally have agreements with artists that make it hard to provide big discounts on primary market works. However, they may have substantially more room to negotiate on secondary market pieces.

5. You’ve bought the art. Now what do you do with it?Once you’ve bought a piece of art you need to ship it home safely, ensure that it is properly framed and installed, that it is properly conserved, catalogued and insured and that you have it appraised periodically. Collection management is a broad subject and will be covered in future articles. However, for our purposes here, if you bought your art from a gallery, the gallery will likely provide you with plenty of support for all your needs. If not, an art advisor can help you manage the tasks you feel uncomfortable handling on your own. Now live with your art. Move it around the house to see how it looks in different settings. Try combining pieces of different periods, styles and media together in the same space. Consider your framing options for wall art. The standard height for hanging pictures is 150 cm from the floor to the centre of the piece but this is not a rule. Don’t worry about what other people will think. Only your eye and your sense of aesthetics will determine what’s best. Enjoy building your collection!

A piece of tapestry or fiber art can add a feeling of warmth to any environment. Seen here is Drap I Mes (Cloth and More), 2011, by Spanish artist Josep Grau Garriga.

This iconic image from Bruce Davidson’s Brooklyn Gang series hangs on the walls of many museums, yet, is accessible and understandable on all levels. Photography is more affordable form of art to collect. www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/bruce-davidson/

Salvador Dali’s Lobster Telephone, 1938 is a rethinking of objects we use every day, in this case a telephone, as art.

This living room corner comes to life with the combination of an Eero Saarinen Womb Chair, a Karel Appel print, an old marine painting and an eclectic grouping of items found in antique shops.

October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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Jolie Interior designer www.joliekorek.com

Your home should be a balance of function and art. Everything from furniture, & lighting to pottery & books project and intellectual and emotional sensibility alongside a dose of function and practicality. This is the essence of Jolie Korek & Co. interior design firm.

Jolie elevates the creative process. Through trust and conversations, she creates spaces that are organic to there settings and owners. A natural modernist her interiors and all that comes with them are beautiful, warm, personal and tailored to convey a modern casual harmony.

Korek has been an interior design professional for over 20 years and is an affiliate member of ASID. She has received kitchen design awards from Sub-Zero, Miele, and Thermador. In 2016 she was a finalist in the Hampton Cottage and Garden IGA awards (Innovation In Design Awards). Photographs of her work have appeared in Great American Kitchens, Kitchen Trends magazine, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Metropolitan Home, Hampton Cottage and Gardens & most recently NY Spaces. She has participated many times in Holiday House a


prestigious design show-house to benefit breast cancer research. Korek created the set and staging for the 2015 motion picture No Letting Go filmed in her home. She received her interior design degree from Parsons School of Design, Manhattan.

This American 19th century Tudor was designed to emulate the English Cotswolds manor homes. Korek’s furnishings juxtapose the Cotswold traditional architecture. Through the use of rich materials, she is able to create more depth and comfort in her modern design. In addition, Korek updates antique and mid-century furnishings with modern materials, giving them a highly unique, rather than a manufactured feel. Korek considers the kitchen just another living space in a home, and exhibits that concept flawlessly in this mid-century Tudor. Just as the other rooms are filled with furniture, Korek treats each item in the kitchen as a separate object, giving it a warm and inviting ambiance.


illesleyBiographyillesley (Peter Burgess) trained at the Royal College of Art and went on to study painting with Patrick Gozzo in Aquitaine, France. He has won several prizes for his painting and other work. illesley lives and paints in West London. His paintings are in collections in the United States, France, and the UK

Contact Details – for sales and portrait commissions

Telephone: 07798 522072

Email: [email protected]

website: www.illesley.com

Oil Painting Expertise – the oil painting school taught by Peter in Chiswick

www.oilpaintingexpertise.com

Exhibitions and Awards2017 – LeDame Gallery at Melia White House (Solo exhibition)

Altered Blues, The Levison Collection (Solo exhibition)

2016 – Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (sold on opening day)

Not One But The Other, Olympus Project Space, London

London Art Studio, Chiswick

Curated Homes & Lifestyles Curated Homes & Lifestyles

2015 - OCAS, State Media, London (First Prize)

Duplicata, Rye Creative Centre

2014 - MOMA Wales, Machynlleth (Highly Commended)

2013 - OCAS, Vellum Gallery, London

MOMA Wales, Machynlleth

2012 - Open Studios, The School Creative Centre, Rye.

2011 - Passez l’été a Larresingle, Gers.

Rome and More, Fishbourne Roman Palace.

2010 - Lieux d’Arts, Fumel

SynOnymeS, Sos / Larresingle.

2009 - Centre Andre Malraux, Agen

Summer Exhibition, MOMA Wales, Machynlleth

Exposition de l’été, Lieux d’Arts, Mezin.

2008 - La Nature Humaine, Centre André Malraux, Agen.

1996 – BIMA Award

Pavilion des Nouveaux Createurs, Cannes

1995 – Royal College of Art Summer Exhibition (Adobe Prize for Innovation)

Vasari Exhibition, National Gallery (Sainsbury Wing)

AIRPORTS, STATIONS, LIGHT, 2016, 115 x 130cm, oil on canvas

Gallery of Tears, 2016, 45x35cm, oil on canvas

Hot House, 2016, 60x73cm, oil on canvas

Memory (everything must go), 2016, 52 x 60cm, oil on canvas

Pilgrimage Places #1, 2016, 50 x 73cm, oil on canvas

Weybridge Interiors, 2017, 55x42cm, oil on canvas

Danse Pseudo-Expressioniste, 2017, 50x60cm, oil on canvas


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Michael Purves, 2009, oil on canvas, 90cm x 130cm

Zoe Lewis Playwright, 2009, oil on canvas, 121cm x 78cm


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Bella Seated, 2017, 60x50cm, oil on canvas

Captured Rose, 2016, 50x60cm, oil on canvas

Yellow Dress #2, 2015, oil on canvas paper, 49x56cm Emma, 2014, oil on canvas, 46 x 38cm

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Ryan Frahleigh young tea aficionado and student in Surrey uni on life in London and tea

Ryan is a student at the University of Surrey in Guildford reading Law and International Relations. Hailing from Connecticut, he moved to Detroit, before entering the University of Surrey where he is entering his fourth year of calling Guildford home. If you were to meet him, you might think he’s from the Home Counties, based on the accent, his tea obsession almost guaranteeing him British citizenship, belying the fact that he’s a red, white, and blue American with a keen eye for all that’s great, strange, and different about this little island.

When he’s not studying, Ryan spends his time working in marketing and advertising, and getting lost in the Surrey Hills, scouting out the best Thameside pub.


Living as a student in England is quite a different experience than of a college student in America. There are no roomates, nor are there fraternities or sororities. That certainly doesn’t mean there’s no social fun at university here. On the contrary, you’ll come to find it’s quite a lot better.

So long as you meet the deadline to apply, The University of Surrey, where I am studying, will guarantee housing for the year. The accommodation is dotted over the Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses, only a short walk from each other. It is is arranged into bands, A the cheapest, F the most expensive, and D the most common, with pluses and minuses to each, but I ended up in band D making all my American friends jealous because we get our own bathrooms. That’s right, the full shower, toilet, and sink. The rooms are arranged into flats of seven students who share a communal kitchen and dining area, so we don’t feel isolated and someone is always hosting a party or arranging to go out to an event together. It’s a great way to meet people and still have your own space, and unless requested, the flats are mixed gender, giving you even greater opportunity to mix in new social circles.

As much fun as the flats are, most students choose to move on in their second year. But if you really can’t tear yourself away from your new-found home, no worry, no

because the uni endeavours to guarantee housing for two years (and at least the first year) for all non-EU students, though most choose to find accommodation with their friends elsewhere. Luckily, at Surrey, the accommodation office will help find a place, or recommend an estate agent. The university also also reviews rental contracts to ensure that they are fair.

I chose to live with one of my friends, and one of his coursemates, so we walked into Foxtons and explained what we were after. A few short months later, we found ourselves moving into a lovely grange house built in the 1860s, just the sort of place Americans love to see when they come across the pond. It’s great to be able to manage your own house, choosing our own décor. Of course, if things go sour, we can always rely on the accommodation office as well as university housing, but living on your own in dorms or in a flat with with friends you choose, in my opinion, is truly a better experience than any fraternity could be in America.

http://www.surrey.ac.uk/accommodation/

Feel free to email me at [email protected] or [email protected].


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Maddy art Mad Art to cut out and collect

Discovered at Chief, the cool Chiswick hipster coffee shop, 26 year old Maddy is quirky and fun, just like her colourful graphic art which she encourages readers to cut out and box frame. Start your Mad Art collection now.

weeping tiger // full of colour and life, she watched patiently. without fail, those moments of melancholy slowly seeped their way into the foreground, of

spitting vile + venom wherever they could. they left their mark. undeniably. fading. slowly. again a surge. of pain and emptiness. for what. for who.

Curated Homes & Lifestyles October 2017 | chiswickmagazine.co.uk

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Travel Travel

THE GREATEST DANES:Take a trip to Aarhus

In a small corner of Denmark, it’s possible to walk through a rainbow, marvel at a giant boy, travel back in time, and walk an infinite bridge – all in the space of a weekend.

Copenhagen has long been a favourite destination from the UK, but the charms of Denmark don’t stop there. In fact, just three hours north, at the end of a rather lovely train journey lies Aarhus. The second-largest city in Denmark, it has the feel of a much smaller town, with a city centre which is walkable to most destinations. For those a little further out, join the city’s residents and get on your bike. There are thousands of them in the city and many free to hire by leaving a small deposit.

This year Aarhus is a European Capital of Culture (the other is Paphos in Cyprus) and as such the programme of events is packed. The city had a solid foundation for the planners to build the programme on, however. The rainbow is one of Aarhus’s most striking landmarks. Called “Your Rainbow Panorama”, it has sat high over the ARoS Art Museum since being created by Danish-Icelandic artist, Olafur Eliasson in May 2011. In the entrance gallery it’s clear that many people rush to the tenth floor to find out what walking through the rainbow feels like. It’s no wonder as throughout the day, when looking up they would see people silhouetted against the colours, bringing the building to life.

It’s worth holding off, however, and starting at the bottom of the building, working through the galleries. Many people shake their heads at modern art, others use stronger language, but somehow ARoS managed to present modern art that anyone can enjoy, even if they can’t quite fathom the meaning (it’s explained on the panels beside each painting, sculpture or installation anyway!). It’s quite startling to see the original Marilyn Monroe screenprints by Andy Warhol here, the scale surprising and the colours much more vibrant than they look on paper. This gallery always has a crowd, and it’s not really for Marilyn, it’s for the 5m-high boy crouching in the corner. Ron Mueck’s Boy is hyper-realistic sculpture and the boy looks as if he will stand up and stretch, crashing through the ceiling at any moment.

There are special exhibitions for the ECoC year, focusing on the garden – a theme familiar to us all.Once at the top it’s time to get inside the rainbow panorama. Watching the city change as you walk through the changing colours is unlike any other experience and enjoyed by all ages, with children charging around and keen photographers trying to capture the experience. Aarhus might be one of the most family-friendly city breaks in Europe. Apart from the activities at ARoS, the experience of immersing themselves in Denmark’s past gets their little imaginations running wild. This happens at Den Gamle By (The Old Town). With some clever forward thinking, when old buildings were to be demolished in Denmark, they were brought here and reassembled to save them for future generations. The project began as far back as 1909 with buildings from the 1700 and 1800s being brought here. It has expanded over the years to include a section showing Denmark in 1927 and more recently completed, the groovy 1974 section – with shops, cars on the streets, and faithfully recreated apartment buildings of real people that showed how Danes lived and shopped.

Under construction now is a 2014 section, which might seem strange to us, but will give the young children walking about in Den Gamble By today, the fuzzy nostalgic feeling I had from 1974 at some point in the future. For the Aarhus 2017 European capital of Culture year, it has added The Aarhus Story, a journey deep underground through the city’s history from Viking times to the present day. It has a mix of the usual tableaus alongside rather impressive technologies where pictures tell you their own stories and a full-sized steam train. The planners of Dokk1, a new building at the waterfront, have

the young and the young at heart in mind. Surrounding the brand-new building, which houses the city’s library as well as administration and other offices, are the most imaginative playgrounds imaginable. Giant bears holding a slide and forests to explore, as well as boards on springs to bounce between – and there’s no restrictions on play. These are also for the young at heart. The library itself is like no other, spread throughout the building and, it seems, the library that Barack Obama will take inspiration from for the library that all Presidents build once they are out of office.The whole dock area is being regenerated, with a giant planet housing the Climate Planet, a spectacular show designed in conjunction with NASA that also provides some sobering information about what we are doing to the planet. Denmark is taking moves to increase sustainability. For example if you find that your plastic bottle of water is slightly more expensive at the checkout, it’s an additional deposit levy that encourages people to take their bottles back to shops, deposit them and be given a voucher to spend on their subsequent shopping. Also at the docklands, a new development called Aarhus Ø is a beautifully laid-out mosaic of housing (for all budgets), allotments, canals, and places where residents and visitors can relax and enjoy the architecture and view across the water, creating a city within a city. Further out of the city is The Infinite Bridge that was initially commissioned for Sculpture By The Sea in 2015. A wooden circular structure, it sits in shallow waters on the Thors Møllebæk River and is the prefect viewing point over the city, the forest, and sea.

City breaks are more than just cultural experiences, however. Aarhus has some impressive gastronomy but for most pockets, taking a wander down to the recently opened Aarhus Street Food near the bus station and the main Strøget shopping street is an ideal option. The disused bus garage has a world of food under its roof – from Caribbean Street Food to freshly made popsicles in a massive range of popsicles to Danish traditional favourites such as Tarteletter – creamy chicken served in pastry cases with asparagus and topped with parsley.

It’s relaxed, laid back, and for a family on a budget it’s inexpensive for Scandinavia. Aarhus was named not only the best shopping city in Denmark, but in northern Europe. From the main streets, with some names we recognise but largely pleasingly unfamiliar, to the expansive and upmarket Bruuns Galleri mall, but it’s the small, pretty streets of the Latin Quarter, the Aarhus Central Food Market and the shops of Jægergårdsgade that set it apart. Exploring Aarhus is easy on foot or by bike if your inclined, and by far the best way to chance upon streets like Møllestien, tucked away just off the city centre. This is a small slice of residential heaven, with what were called “outhouses” or “booths”, originally tint one-storied houses to let with one or two windows and a door. The houses here provide one of the city’s most picturesque streets with hollyhocks and rambling roses providing even more colour.

Where to stayFor a central location try the Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel. Good for couples and families, with a hearty breakfast on offer, it’s within walking distance of most main attractions, and only five minutes’ walk from the central railway station. www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-aarhus

Don’t missRemember to buy an Aarhus Card. This will give free admission to more than 20 experiences, including all the major attractions as well as free bus travel in Aarhus andthe Central Denmark Region and discounts on shopping. It’s available for 24, 48 or 72 hours. www.visitaarhus.com


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Travel Travel

COULD YOU TAKE ON THE

PANAMA CANAL CHALLENGE?UK adventurers will take on killer

crocodiles, man-eating jaguars and lethal snakes over four days along the Panama Canal next summer

Love the outdoors and a challenge? How about a trip of a lifetime for

adventurers and fitness enthusiasts in a magical location?

Next summer sees the launch of the brand new ‘Panama Canal Challenge 2018’ adventure holiday spread over four days along the Panama Canal and dedicated to outdoors lovers, adventurers and those who love a ‘mud run’ race with a difference.

Launched by UK firm Rat Race Adventure Sports, it is tipped to put the Panama Canal on the adventure tourism map.

Due to take place in the sweltering heat of Central America next summer (exact dates will be finalised in September), which represents the evolution of adventure races as UK participants gather together to

seek ever wilder, yet achievable, physical challenges.

And whoever does reach the finish line

first could also be a world record holder - as the 48 mile long Panama Canal zone, one of the world’s most famous trade routes, has yet to be traversed on foot.

The four-day escape will see up to 200 fun and fitness loving Brits gather and celebrate all things adventure while taking part in the race. The festival is the brainchild of Rat Race founder Jim Mee, based in York. He expects interest in the central American experience to be high, with the event coming as part of a four day adventure travel tour.

He explains: “Make no mistake, this

is a true adventure holiday. But it’s also a challenge most people can achieve. We’re not throwing competitors into the Amazon basin, where they are a seven-day trek to the nearest hospital! This is a week-long trip including travel and something truly epic - a celebration of the spirit of adventure.”

Part of the route follows the famous canal itself and part of it goes into pristine primary jungle. Other sections will need to be navigated via kayak as competitors take to a crocodile-infested lake in the central section of the Canal zone. Meanwhile racers will also cut a narrow swathe through otherwise impenetrable forest.

Jim adds: “All participants will be

given a thorough advice pack and health and safety is a priority. But yes, this is a trip for those looking for something really unforgettable. There’s a growing body of travellers out there who want to push the envelope, and it’s not necessarily about the arduousness of the challenge, it’s about going to places they would never have dreamed of going and achieving something truly memorable. They will be proud of their accomplishment and will literally never forget this type of experience.

“Everyone’s heard of Panama, but not

many people from the UK have been there, unless you work in banking or shipping, even though it’s relatively easy to fly there. And the Panama Canal is such an exotic setting; there’s jungle, there’s lake, there’s crocodiles, and there’s the really cool urban landscape of Panama City. It’s an untapped adventure zone!”.

Costs: Approx £2,000 which includes

transfers, hotels, tours, and the festival party. Flights are not included - flights from London to Panama, via Madrid, cost around £350 per person and it’s also only a three-hour flight to Panama from Miami.

Proposed itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrive in Panama, transfer to hotel in Panama City. Optional sea kayaking excursion or canal tour.Day 2 – Transit of the entire canal in a boat, with briefing, registration and kit checks for competitorsDay 3 – The event: Bus to the start at Agua Clara Locks. 11km run. 20km kayak paddle. 35km jungle trek/ road run. Finish Miraflores Locks near Panama City.Day 4 – Rest day followed by potential for further excursions. End of event festival partyFor dates and to find out more go to: http://ratrace.com


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