Watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff is a man fascinated by both culture and technology. As an engineer and enthusiast of Russian tradition he is perfectly qualified to marry the best in modern precision engineering to an artistic vision laced with the distinctive touches of his motherland. The result is a remarkable collection of timepieces that are fast gaining a reputation for Russian excellence in design and jewellery.

Trained as an engineer, Alexander Shorokhoff was working in Moscow when selected to become one of the first professionals invited to study abroad at a free market university. In his case, the road led to Frankfurt, where he would subsequently become involved in watch making. “It was a fascinating new experience and one I took to very naturally,” says Shorokhoff. “Even when I was studying engineering in Moscow I always had a fascination with design, geometry and architecture, so working with watches was a perfect environment for me, as it combines both the technical and the artistic sides.” Read the rest of this entry »

Seating just 24, this most elegant of restaurants offers big city sophistication and Michelin-style cuisine in an ambience of tasteful exclusivity.

To walk into Oyarbide is like stepping into the home of a famous chef. In fact, it is nearer to the truth than you would imagine, for this exquisite restaurant is a project of love for renowned Basque chef Carlos Oyarbide. Having operated leading restaurants in different parts of Spain, including his signature two-Michelin star establishment in the millionaire’s suburb of Moraleja – where bankers, television stars and the likes of David Beckham were among his regular clientele – he has now settled in Marbella, seduced by the weather and lifestyle of the famous resort town. Read the rest of this entry »

No need to remember the days when luxurious yachts sailed into Puerto Banús marina and an international jet-set gathered at this famous resort’s stylish venues to party in style in one of Europe’s most exclusive locations. No need to remember because those days are back!

They say the world is your oyster, and for those who can afford it the southern coast of Spain is a particularly attractive one. If you have the means to enjoy it, Puerto Banús alone offers an experience to rival the best in the Mediterranean, the Aegean or the Caribbean. Read the rest of this entry »

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.
Read the rest of this entry »

Those who know me well can testify to my obsession with the fact that our railways are ridiculously under-used.

However, one of the best things about being a journalist is that, while others might fume and fulminate at their local bar against the various aspects of modern life that they find infuriating, we are granted a platform to express our views! Read the rest of this entry »