Funny Women finalists Domestic Goddi will be appearing at the Londa Hotel in Limassol Cyprus for a night of hilarious comedy on 24 April. Comprising of BBC Comedy Award winner HELEN O’BRIEN and Stage Award nominee GENEVIEVE SWALLOW, the talented duo promise unique sketches and a uniquely ironic look at coping with 21st Century living.

The one night show in April is the latest in a four year series of comedy shows at the Londa Hotel staged for both guests and local clientele. The shows also raise funds for the Cyprus Anticancer Society. The Londa has an exclusive partnership with leading promoters of female comedy, Funny Women, resulting in a very popular series of events at the hotel featuring some of the UK’s top comedians.

Gathering inspiration from a variety of television shows, adverts and stereotypes, Domestic Goddi promise a night of seamlessly funny sketches.

The event will be kindly supported by M.Y. Bunkers, a Limassol-based marine fuel services company that provides unique fuel management services to the international shipping industry. Tickets cost €10.00 and all proceeds will be donated to the Cyprus Anticancer Society, www.anticancersociety.org.cy. To see Domestic Goddi perform, please contact Mr George Ellinas, tel: (+357) 25 865 555. The show starts at 8.30 pm in the Alpha Omega Ballroom.

Jochen Niemann, General Manager of the Londa comments, “We’re delighted that we have been able to attract this unique act to Cyprus to perform at the Londa. Our award-winning* contemporary boutique hotel with its lively outlets is the perfect place for this type of entertainment, and our exclusive partnership with Funny Women means that the Londa is the only place in Cyprus to see some of the best names on the comedy scene.”

Funny Women runs the UK’s only dedicated new talent competition for female comedy talent and is now in its 8th year. Their awards have become a platform for launching the careers of a great number of artistes.

All Funny Women events aim to raise money and awareness for causes that affect women.
For more information visit www.funnywomen.com www.londahotel.com www.mybunkers.com

Four very different writers will gather in a historic country house hotel, which may or may not be haunted by Thomas Hardy, for a weekend of literary discussion. Sounds like a good start for a whodunnit by Agatha Christie!

The idea, however, is far from bumping each other off (whilst leaving a host of fascinating clues, plausible motives, dodgy alibis and smoking red herrings). The purpose is to entertain and enlighten guests by sharing the secrets of their writing success.

“Summer Lodge has close associations with Thomas Hardy,” explains General Manager Charles Lötter. “He lived nearby and the hotel is at the very heart of the Wessex landscape he immortalised. The village pub, the Acorn Inn is featured in his novel ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ as ‘The Sow & Acorn’. What’s more, in his capacity as an architect, Hardy was asked to design the upper floor and the drawing room of Summer Lodge by the 6th Earl of Ilchester in 1893. So you could say the house is haunted by him – although I’ve yet to bump into him myself”.

This gave the team at Red Carnation Hotels, the luxury collection of five and four-star family-run boutique hotels that owns Summer Lodge, the idea for the Writers’ Weekend. Guests will have the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from four very different practitioners.

Roger Collis is an actor, broadcaster, writer and master raconteur who has earned world-wide recognition as a business travel guru through his weekly column, ‘The Frequent Traveler,’ in the International Herald Tribune

Marcelle Bernstein is a much acclaimed novelist, nonfiction writer and journalist. Several of her novels, such as “Body & Soul” and “Sacred & Profane”, are best-sellers and were made into into successful feature films and television dramas.

Eric Clark is a respected investigative journalist who has delved into the seedier aspects of crime and drugs. His gripping thrillers “Black Gambit” and “Chinese Burn” have proven particularly popular.

Jim O’Connor is an advertising copywriter who has promoted everything from boutique hotels to fork lift trucks, Clover Low Fat Spread to Palmolive Soap, Cornish Pasties to Australian rum.

The Writers’ Weekend package includes:

* Two nights accommodation in a Classic Double Room
* Full English Breakfast daily
* Welcome Champagne and Canapés
* Attendance at three Writer Workshop sessions over two days
* Three-course dinner on the Saturday evening
* Teas and coffees during workshop sessions
* Complimentary signed-copy of a book by Eric or Marcelle

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, set in four acres of perfectly maintained gardens, is the epitome of the English country house in the picturesque Dorset village. This luxurious 24-bedroom five star hotel has swiftly earned a reputation as one of England’s finest country house hotels. With a world-class spa – including indoor heated pool and rejuvenating body and beauty treatments – and an award-winning restaurant and extensive wine list created by one of the world’s best sommeliers, this hotel is the perfect short break getaway. Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa is a member of Relais & Châteaux.

• To book the Writers Weekend package contact the hotel directly on +44 (0) 1935 482000
• Rates are from £221 per person per night, inclusive of VAT and based on two adults sharing a Classic Room. Subject to availability and terms and conditions.
• For further details visit www.summerlodgehotel.co.uk

Hold your religious ceremony on site or pop to the local town hall serenaded by mandolins and guitar. This is the ideal venue for all those of you wishing to tie the knot in intimate and truly charming surroundings. For further details and to view go to the following link:

www.weddingsmadeinitaly.co.uk/weddingcollection/details2.asp?propid=348

Award-winning travel company Robert Broad Travel are offering a unique short break to watch Andrea Bocelli in  Stockholm this April. The 3 night package costs £699 per person and includes flights, concert tickets, walking  tour and 4* accommodation.

Marketing Manager Oliver Broad comments “The Tuscany packages to see Andrea Bocelli perform in his home town sold  out so quickly, we are pleased to be able to now offer this excellent alternative and at great value for money!”

This is a fantastic opportunity to see Andrea Bocelli perform live at Stockholm’s impressive Dome arena. He has  never performed in Sweden before so the concerts are bound to generate a fantastic atmosphere with superb  musicianship from the Stockholm Concert Orchestra.

Stockholm itself is a beautiful and stylish city with a wealth of sights, and spring is a lovely time to visit.
Accommodation is at the stylish and contemporary Clarion Hotel (recommended by Kirsty in our office), well located  for the concert and to explore the city. 2nd category tickets are included in the package price with the option to  upgrade to first category seats at a supplement.

Famous around the world for its works, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Photographie d’Arles – ENSP -has commissioned 6 of its students to take a series of photos to showcase the variety of scenery and lifestyles of the French seaside in an original artistic vision.

This project has been initiated and supported by ATOUT FRANCE – France Tourism Development Agency, with the goal to open a new window onto French society, away from the usual clichés. The aim of this project was also to help young people to promote their talent. The students have now become professional, some of them working on the international scene.

74 photos selected from hundreds of shots will be on show from 1st to 7th of March at the National Geographic Store in London. This gallery has been chosen because of its commitment to the art of photography and travel.

A jury of 17 travel writers and photographers have judged these photos and have voted for 3 awards: the most original photo, the most artistic photo, and… the most Frenchie photo.

These awards will be presented at an exclusive and informal party on the evening of 2nd March at the National Geographic Store.

“FRANCE BY THE SEA”

At the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STORE

REGENT STREET, London

1 – 7 MARCH 2010

A slideshow of these photos “France By The Sea” can be seen on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmkbvi0oKHk

Durham Mysteries 2010 – Ten stories, two thousand years in the making

Anticipation is building for one of year’s most exciting dramatic performances. Durham Mysteries will see a major revival of a traditional mystery play cycle, specially written for Durham by 10 creative practitioners from across the UK including the likes of David Almond (Skellig) and Ian McMillan (BBC Radio 3).

Still performed in UK cities such as York and Chester, Mystery Plays are one of the earliest forms of live theatre. Their resurrection in Durham, while celebrating the city’s faith-based history, will see a contemporary ‘retelling’ of traditional Mysteries stories over three nights from May 27 – 29 at venues across the city involving everything from dance and opera, to musical theatre, film and new media.

For more information and tickets please visit www.durhammysteries.co.uk

Where to Stay details: www.thisisdurham.com

Durham Mysteries play synopsis

Noah and the Fludd by David Almond,

Profile: Novelist, playwright and short story writer. His most famous work is Skellig, which he has adapted for stage and radio, and which was recently adapted for television. He has also written two original plays, Wild Girl, Wild Boy and My Dad’s a Birdman. Both adaptations and original plays have been widely performed.

Play: Geordie / north eastern version of Noah and the Flood, spoken in rhythmical direct funny northern speech with a homemade look and feel.

Abraham & Issac by Toby Hulse

Profile: Nationally acclaimed writer and director known for his stage adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World.

Play: A new version of the Old Testament story for the Durham Mysteries 2010, written by the children of Durham aged three to seven.

The Miracle of Lazarus by Judy Upton

Profile: Award-winning theatrical playwright, who has written extensively for stage, screen and national radio.

Play: This is a modern day, dramatic, modern dress interpretation of the Miracle of Lazarus rising from the grave, with startling choreography.

The Harrowing of Hell by Chris Hannan

Profile: Award winning novelist, whose plays have been staged by both the RSC and National Theatre of Scotland.

Play: Presenting a contemporary vision of hell and redemption, utilising a mixture of music and theatre.

‘Heaven’s Got Talent’ or The Fall of Lucifer by Gavin Williams

Profile: Award-winning short film, comedy and horror writer

Play: With God absent from Heaven – attending to the furthest reaches of the universe – the host of angels decide to celebrate His creation with a cosmic talent show!

The Creation and Fall of Man by Em Whitfield Brooks,

Profile: Freelance operatic composer, singer-songwriter and director

Play: A large-scale performance, where visual splendour would be of equal importance to dynamic music, physical theatre, inclusive singing and accessible movement, performed by participants of all ages and abilities from across the community.

God’s Day Off by Ian McMillan

Profile: Comedy writer and BBC Radio 3 presenter. Ian is also poet in residence at Barnsley Football Club

Play: A specially commissioned story written by comedy writer Ian McMillan. This comic play, written in rhyming verse with songs and monologues follows God on His day off as he traverses the North of England.

The Crucifixion by Timothy Craig Harrison,

Profile: Musical composer, who has composed extensively for a wide variety of musicians ranging from school ensembles to cathedral choirs.

Play: Unique musical vision of the crucifixion utilising biblical text and dance.

Cain and Abel by Ellen and Fred Phethean

Profile: Newcastle-based poet and author Ellen Phethean and her son, DJ Fred Phethean

Play: An innovative and urban account of the story of Cain and Abel using a mixture of music, theatre and dance.

The Nativity ‘Who’s the Daddy’ by TIN Arts

Profile: TIN Arts are an arts development company who prepare, devise and create participatory arts activities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy as a participator and as a viewer

Play: Musical and dance performance exploring the Nativity from a different standpoint, examining the role of Joseph in one of the greatest stories ever told.

The winners of the annual UKinbound Awards were announced last Thursday 4 February 2010 during the UKinbound

Convention Gala Dinner held at Carlton Towers in Yorkshire.

Voted for by members of UKinbound, Awards were introduced for the first time this year for each UKinbound Member

Category as well as a special Individual Personal Achievement Award.

The winners were:

Tour Operator of the Year
Angela Shanley Associates

Accommodation of the Year
Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill

Attraction of the Year
Hampton Court Palace, Historic Royal Palaces

Destination Marketing Company of the Year
Visit Kent

Service Provider of the Year
Itinerary Planner

Individual Personal Achievement Award
Mr John Boon

Rita Beckwith, Chairman of UKinbound, presenting the Awards ,said:

‘UKinbound is delighted that its members have taken the time to nominate their peers in recognition of the

outstanding services they provide to the inbound tourism industry’.

The Gala Dinner also included a charity prize draw in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care with a range of fantastic

prizes donated by UKinbound members including: Barcelo Hotels and Resorts, Shakespeare’s Globe, Ramada Jarvis

Hotels, Golden Tours, Dewynters Tourism, Ascot Racecourse, Planet Hollywood, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Orient

Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises, City Cruises, Bicester Village and Millennium and Copthorne Hotels.

Film clips are the stars of the show in an unusual exhibition, `Vienna in Film’, May 27-Sep 19, 2010, when the Wien Museum takes a look at Vienna’s role on the silver screen.

The Vienna in Film exhibition at the Wien Museum shows the city in cinema clips dating back a century. Changes in the fabric of the city and the way it is perceived are highlighted in sequences from popular and lesser-known movies from the early days of cinema to the present day. The exhibition also takes a fresh and at times critical look at the way some established city landmarks are portrayed.

Clips from Austrian and foreign films form the backbone of the show and make for a refreshing new take on the exhibition format. Clips are sourced from works including Erich von Stroheim’s drama The Wedding March (1928), post-war masterpiece Abenteuer in Wien (1952; directed by Emile Edwin Reinert), Willi Forst’s Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume (1957) and more contemporary works such as Nordrand by Barbara Albert (1999) and Antares by Götz Spielmann (2004).

Film clips are the stars of the show in an unusual exhibition, `Vienna in Film’, May 27-Sep 19, 2010, when the Wien Museum takes a look at Vienna’s role on the silver screen.

The Vienna in Film exhibition at the Wien Museum shows the city in cinema clips dating back a century. Changes in the fabric of the city and the way it is perceived are highlighted in sequences from popular and lesser-known movies from the early days of cinema to the present day. The exhibition also takes a fresh and at times critical look at the way some established city landmarks are portrayed.

Clips from Austrian and foreign films form the backbone of the show and make for a refreshing new take on the exhibition format. Clips are sourced from works including Erich von Stroheim’s drama The Wedding March (1928), post-war masterpiece Abenteuer in Wien (1952; directed by Emile Edwin Reinert), Willi Forst’s Wien, du Stadt meiner Träume (1957) and more contemporary works such as Nordrand by Barbara Albert (1999) and Antares by Götz Spielmann (2004).

Kick off your painting week by making paint. Not to be thrifty but to ensure an exact match for the spectacular landscapes in Andalucia that you are about to draw and paint. Relax at a luxury eco retreat in the heart of the ‘Parque Natural Sierra Maria-Los Velez near Almeria and let your creative juices flow.

The natural park is in the north of the province of Almeria in Andalucia and is straddled by the four towns and villages which make up the ‘Comarca de Los Velez’. Maria, Chirivel, Velez Rubio and the beautiful Velez Blanco, crowned with the 16th Century ‘Castillo de Los Fajardos’. The natural park is also home to two UNESCO world heritage sites.

Rainfall is an annual average of 400mm, and receiving over 3100 hours of sunshine a year it is Andalucia’s sunniest province. The eco retreat is a ‘carbon neutral’ guest house sitting in a valley of almond and pine. Heat and light from the sun, thermal winds and wood from the land combine in a system of solar panels, wind mills and fires to cook and create energy. Rain water is harvested from the roof. Waste water is managed and utilised through a system of reed beds and a grey water recovery system is used to irrigate the dry land.

This is a unique painting course dedicated to painting nature and representing the landscape based on direct observation in the open air – ‘En Plein Air’ hence the making your own paint. The trick is to find a fine grained patch of earth, free of organic material such as leaf litter or plant roots. This material is then put through a riddle to take out any stones that are too big. Next it is placed in a mortar and pestle to be ground down into a fine powder. At this point, if you should so choose, you can blend your pigment with others you have collected or with bought non organic mineral powders. The binding agent useded is Gum Arabic, similar to what you would find in a water colour tube. It can be made into a paste similar in consistency to mayonnaise, the whiter the mineral the more chalk is in the mix and the more opaque is the paint. The next stage is to apply the mix as a ground for painting the immediate landscape for an exact match and a satisfying way to start your painting journey.

If you like the idea of staying in a luxury eco retreat in a spectacular setting but don’t want to get your hands dirty making your own paint then why not try one of the other unique painting courses on offer? Choose from botanical illustration, architecture painting course or why not combine walking with painting where you’ll follow the local shepherds paths stopping to paint when you feel inspired.

1 week painting courses are priced at £802

3 night / 4 day painting courses are priced at £297

Prices include:
Accommodation
All meals
All soft drinks with meals (glass of wine with dinner)
Painting materials
Painting tution