Perhaps it’s a generational thing but I’ve never really gotten poetry. With few exceptions poems to me seem a random jumbling of words that speak of self-indulgent rambling in the same pseudo-intellectual manner of abstract art. If you can’t discern deep and poignant meanings from a wild array of painted dashes then chances are you won’t be able to feel the pained emotions of the poet either. Apologies to all true poetry lovers, but this kind of navel gazing ain’t for me.

And yet, we all know that words can stir emotion like few other means of human expression. Perhaps only music and art can convey feeling with the same intensity – and it is therefore from the most unexpected sources that I have come to enjoy poetry. Like when a sentence in a book suddenly causes you to sit up and ponder it, quite apart from the overall story, or when you hear certain parts of a song. The latter may be good, bad or indifferent, but can stand out for the poignancy and feeling of a single line. Read the rest of this entry »

So there I was, quietly enjoying a drink at Bar El Casar in the little village of Benahavís where I live, when I got talking to the bar’s proprietor Chuck and fellow local resident Daren. Word had got out to them that I write restaurant reviews for Essential Marbella Magazine, so when they started comparing notes on what the perfect hamburger should look and taste like it ended in a hamburger cook-off challenge – with yours truly as the judge. Read the rest of this entry »

Though set in the midst of peaceful rural country, Calitri is a convenient point from which to explore surroundings that include Vesuvius, Naples, Amalfi, Positano, Salerno, Capri, Benevento, Monte Casino, Herculaneum, Bari, Puglia and the Adriatic Coast, to name a few. You’ll be able to reach most of these places in little more than an hour, but if you just want to cruise around the countryside and go for a short trip to visit local towns there is also plenty to see.

At little more than a quarter of an hour’s drive from Calitri, Melfi is just such a town. Situated at the base of the heavily forested Monte Vulture, this ancient town traces its roots to pre-Roman times when it formed part of the ancient region of Lucania. Touched also by the Samnites and classical Greeks, it was long a quiet little town within Roman Italy before the fall of the Roman Empire changed the landscape considerably and added further elements to the mix. Read the rest of this entry »

I like a lot of Italian things: cars, furniture, clothes, art, etc. What all of the above have in common is design, that special Italian flair for creating things that are pleasing to the senses, and the eye in particular. But, as in most countries, there are two sides to Italy. One is a world of elegance and sophistication, reflected in the fashion of Milan, the architecture of Florence, the monuments of Rome and the uniqueness of the Venetian thalassocracy.

The other Italy is an earthy world inhabited by real salt-of-the-earth people whose priorities in life are not being stylish and sophisticated but enjoying food, family and the simple pleasures in life. It is within this category that most Italian food falls, for where other countries have a rather clear distinction between haute and peasant cuisine, Italian gastronomy is remarkably homogenous. Read the rest of this entry »

Post by guest blogger Claire Jamison

On Friday 24^th August, Marbella’s first ever Fashion Week was held at the trendy Nikki Beach club. With seven exciting designers, super hot models and a location that screams glam, MFW truly was a fashionista’s paradise.

With the sun setting in the distance, this beautiful backdrop for the show helped create the effortlessly cool, trendy atmosphere. Already known as a famously glamorous Marbella venue, Nikki Beach provided a perfect outdoor fashion show location complete with champagne cocktails. Read the rest of this entry »