In June I appeared on a local radio show called Profiles. Inspired by the iconic Desert Island Discs and hosted by Gillie Revill, this Talk Radio Europe programme profiles guests while allowing them to make a selection of six of their favourite songs.

I thought it would be fun and have to admit that the real draw was the chance to have a selection of my all-time favourites played. A bit like having your own show, and for the many frustrated DJs out there (myself included) it’s just the thing.

I’m too much of a talker to get very nervous, so I settled in and let Gillie ask me about my life and times – meanderings that have taken me via Holland, South Africa and Portugal to Spain. I suppose it’s not surprising that I ended up in a cosmopolitan place like Marbella, given that I feel pretty international myself. (more…)

In a world saturated with self-proclaimed experts and art dealers few can truthfully claim to be buyers and sellers of Picassos, Chagals and Kandinskys. For Helly Nahmad, it is part of a proud family dynasty that spans over 50 years.

A man with such a diverse background could not do something banal for a living. Born in Lebanon of Syrian origin, Helly Nahmad grew up in Italy before living in France, Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, and now in Marbella, Southern Spain. The result is a lively and inquisitive personality that has served him well, for it is his ability to connect with a broad range of people that has proved a particularly valuable asset in his unique line of work.

“My family set up the business when I was still very young, so I grew up with it and was exposed to it for as long back as I can remember,” says Helly. “My uncles, who still play a very active role today, chose to locate their first gallery right next to La Scala, in Milan.” It was from here that they built up one of the most renowned art dealerships in the world – one that specialises exclusively in the very pinnacle of art and the very greatest names. (more…)

Nestled amid undulating terrain halfway between Marbella and Sotogrande is Finca Cortesin, a country club where golf and the art of refinement take centre stage.

For those fortunate enough to call it home a country club is not only a good address, but also a privileged environment to live in. Many pretenders have sprung up around the world over the years, but the characteristics of a true country club are space, quality and planning – the latter courtesy of a master plan.

The reason why country clubs are so desirable is that, unencumbered by the normal limitations of city planning, its developers can create an idyllic environment in which security, living and entertainment go hand in hand. For this reason golf is an almost integral part of country club life, not only because a golf club and its clubhouse provide a sporting and social hub for a private community of this kind, but also because the sense of living enveloped within the greenery of beautifully kept fairways adds considerably to one’s quality of life. (more…)