Vanilla can easily be described as one of the coolest new eateries in town. Descending steps from street level you have the impression of entering a club, a sensation that is enhanced as you step into the Vanilla Lounge, the bar and lounge area that makes up the ‘vanilla flower’ as it were. Following this theme the tones are soft creams, diffused with coloured lighting that creates a wonderful blend of vodka bar cool and retro futurism. Call me crazy but the latter always gets me a little excited. No dreary standard contemporary décor here then; that interior designer was not hired for the job. (more…)

At once mysterious and welcoming, Thailand is a tropical paradise with hidden depths beyond its beaches, spa resorts and nightlife.

Typically South East Asian, Thailand is the confluence of three great cultures. Dominated for centuries by the neighbouring Khmer, the people of Thailand have also been strongly influenced by India and China. From early Hindu influences through to Buddhist conversion, the Thai have borrowed from their Indian and Chinese neighbours to create a distinctive identity of their own. While many of these traditions may have their origins in the India of classical times, and while a large percentage of the population is of Chinese extraction, the resulting mix is a spicy blend that can be rightly labelled as Thai.

The Thai, or Siamese, state was established when the country broke free from the yoke of its Khmer masters and established the first of several dynasties, the Sukhothai, in the 13th century. From then on, the nation became a major power in the region, eventually even wreaking its revenge on the Khmer as the 15th century Kingdom of Ayutthaya invaded modern-day Cambodia and destroyed the old Khmer capital at Angkor. Smaller kingdoms competed for power until the nation was finally unified in the late 18th century and bordering areas incorporated under King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty that rules to this day. (more…)

With an ultramodern project designed by American architect Daniel Libeskind, the man charged with designing the new World Trade Centre site in New York, Marbella has attracted a project of true architectural significance.

One of the leading architects of our time, Daniel Libeskind has also added to an already impressive list of great American designers. A sought-after guest lecturer at universities around the world, his work is inspired by the possibilities of a new era in which technology, media and novel materials are pushing the definitions of conventional living spaces towards new boundaries.

Noted for his impressive public and commercial projects, Libeskind also brings the expressive freedom of these genres into the design of private homes, as in the case of the Libeskind Villas in Marbella. Offering the kind of quality, comfort and luxurious living environment expected from a modern villa these homes reject rectangular spaces, conventional materials and construction techniques in favour of the angularity of a new age. (more…)

Photography Wilderness Safaris & Caroline Culbert

It is hard these days to see and experience the Africa of old, as described by the likes of Ernest Hemingway in the days of the classic safari, when wildlife roamed the open African savannah and tom-toms sounded from within hidden villages. Fortunately there are still pockets where Africa lives on in all its glory.

One such pocket, indeed a sizeable one, is Namibia. Situated to the northwest of South Africa, this is a country that stands out for its peace, stability and relative prosperity. Quite in contrast to most of the continent, it is not plagued by coups d’etat, unrest and famine, but has enjoyed many years of growth, building on natural resources such as minerals, its wildlife and scenic beauty, and a population that is small enough in relation to resources to allow a good standard of living. (more…)

Marbella is best known for its luxurious seaside resorts, but travel just a little inland, into the foothills of the mighty mountain ranges that run parallel to the coast, and you will find some truly gorgeous boutique hotels set amid the beauty of Andalusian nature.

One of the finest of these is Hotel Hermitage, a gem of a rural hotel surrounded by lush green countryside just a short distance from the pretty white village of Casares. From this vantage point the land sweeps gently towards the sea in a carpet of undulating green that turns to hues of ever-changing blue at the coastline. You feel like you’re surveying the world, and indeed on clear days Gibraltar and North Africa come into broad view, yet in reality this peaceful spot is no more than a quarter of an hour from the coastal resort town of Estepona, itself just a short distance from Marbella.
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