April 2020

Like Rowan Atkinson on his moped I drove the Subaru WRX STI “damn hard”, testing this much loved, iconic rally car on the Hill Track at Millbrook Proving Ground, around country lanes and cobbled streets in old English towns. At first I confess I was not a fan. It was a saloon with a spoiler you could see from space, dressed in electric pearl blue and it’s brutal. More importantly it made me feel like a ham fisted and footed fool on my first drive. The clutch bites down in a millimetre, whilst the accelerator in race mode goes straight to 4000 revs at the slightest encouragement.

Bentley Motors, founded 10th July 1919, is entering its 100th year of creating the world’s most iconic Grand Tourers, and the British luxury brand is honouring decades of innovation, achievement and craftsmanship by releasing a short film ‘Together we are Extraordinary: The Story of Bentley Motors.’
From W.O. Bentley himself, right up to the new Continental GT, the film touches upon the extraordinary characters, sporting achievements and successful models through the decades.

Here’s why my new Formex watch made my (every) day: an unaltered customer review by Robert Block, California, USA, a software executive and passionate watch nerd…

There is a quiet revolution underway in the streets around us. Silent and efficient personal electric vehicles glide through the city, the choice of more and more people as a way of getting around. They are improving congestion, improving air quality and improving people’s physical and mental well-being. Ah, you say, that’s all well and good but we can’t all afford Teslas. Revolutions rarely work top-down. Except, electric cars are not the transformation we are talking about. We mean E-bikes.

SAP Extreme sailing Team made history today in Cascais, Portugal, as they smashed the record for the fastest speed ever recorded in the 12 year history of the Extreme sailing Series™.
Shooting straight off the startline, the Danes set a new speed record of 36.4 knots in the first race of the day, only to sail even faster in the race that followed. They clocked a top speed of 37.9 knots in the day's second race, an insight provided by SAP.
Previously, the record was held by Red Bull sailing Team when they hit 36 knots in Sydney Harbour, Australia, in 2016.

My eyeballs shook so violently the natural reaction was to close them, but nothing was going to stop me seeing this extraordinary experience.  At the same time I just thought thank goodness they are my own teeth otherwise I would have swallowed them.  Mind you it took a couple of hours before they stopped making their presence felt.  Not far off the mark is the experience of being in a rear end accident that just goes on and on.

Oriental Fashion Show Paris - The Jewel Of The East
Ambitiously positioned smack bang in the centre of Couture Fashion Week, when the world is watching Paris almost as much as the World Cup -the two events being ironically similar in levels of drama and exhibitionism - the Oriental Fashion Show bursts onto the scene and certainly attracts attention.

Hypnotherapy has moved on in leaps and bounds since the days of chaise-longues and swinging watches.

It’s true that other regions in Italy are lusher, have taller mountains, more fertile valleys and a more temperate climate. But in Tuscany and Umbria the serenity and joy of their rolling landscapes, their winding lanes and their cypresses pointing in silhouette to the heavens are harder to challenge.

As a culinary destination Southern Africa is not only stimulating but offers some of the finest hotels, food and wine experiences going, in some of the most beautiful surroundings.  The lovely Cape Dutch architecture, some dating back to the 1600s with their period charm set in what are essentially English inspired gardens have every desirable luxury.  On offer are also tempting spas, friendly and attentive service, and every activity you could possibly wish for from great diving, whales and dolphins, boat trips, horse riding including Polo, together with excellently organised Safaris.