We’d like to introduce everyone to our Apprentice, Jenny Norman, who started with us today. She passed through the tough testing programme and we hope you’ll get to know her well over the next couple of months. She’s intelligent and polite, quick witted and charming and we’re sure she’ll be an invaluable member of the SORTED team. Welcome Jenny!
Finca La Gloria is a beautifully restored farmhouse set in private grounds just 10 minutes drive outside the white village of Jimena de la Frontera, in the province of Cadiz. The house is only 20 minutes by car from Sotogrande, which is convenient for golf and polo. We are also only a 20 minute drive from Gaucin, and an hour to Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz.
There is an Andaluz style central courtyard with lemon trees and fountain, as well as a large shaded outside terrace for dining and entertaining, a 10x10m swimming pool, chiringuito (pool bar, fridge/icemaker and barbecue) and music system/iPod connections for the terrace and pool area.
Olive, fig, almond, pomegranate, eucalyptus and citrus trees grow in the garden, and there is a large area of lawn winding all the way around the property for children to play.
The meadow is fenced off from the garden, and is home to 2 young donkeys and their mother, as well as 2 elderly Shetland ponies – they all enjoy being fed fruit and vegetables by young children. We also grow our own organic salad, herbs, tomatoes and vegetables in season.
Birdwatchers will enjoy seeing all sorts of migratory birds – hoopoes, swallows, eagles, vultures and in spring the meadows are full of wild flowers.
The overall décor is natural, comfortable and romantic with everything you need for relaxing and entertaining.
There is also a casita (guest cottage) a few steps down from the dining terrace. It has a large bedroom with double bed, private bathroom with walk-in shower, small but fully-appointed kitchen, comfortable living room and a small private terrace at the back. There is a plasma TV, music system and iPod docking.
There is a separate laundry room and drying area at the side of the guest cottage.
The main house has a large salon with fireplace leading to the master bedroom also with fireplace, handmade marble bath, king sized bed, mosaic bathroom with walk-in shower, Moroccan style polished plaster walls and subtle romantic lighting. There are fitted wardrobes and plenty of storage.
The second bedroom has a king sized bed, bathroom with walk-in shower, again with handmade mosaic flooring and Moroccan style polished plaster walls. There is a walk-in wardrobe.
The tower bedroom has two single beds, wardrobe and desk, and has a lovely elevated view over the pool. The bathroom to the tower bedroom is located just below, and is mosaic with Moroccan style polished plaster walls. This bathroom is shared with the small but very sweet single bedroom next to it.
All the bathroom fittings, including the casita, are of the highest standard, and water pressure is powerful. All the bathroom floors have underheating. There is air conditioning throughout, but rarely needed due to the breeze and ample shade, however it can be useful in the height of summer (july/august). The house is also fully centrally heated, and has two fireplaces.
The kitchen is Bulthaup with Gaggenau appliances. There is a built-in coffee machine, steam oven, regular oven, dishwasher, fridge and icemaker.
Main house:
Master double bedroom and ensuite mosaic bathroom with underfloor heating, containing large power shower double basins, hand carved freestanding marble bath sits in a corner of the bedroom by the fireplace. Fitted wardrobes. About the Mosaic Tile
2nd double bedroom and ensuite mosaic bathroom with underfloor heating and power shower. Walk-in wardrobe.
1 twin bedroom with separate shower room
1 small single bedroom (baby/child/nanny room)
Fully air-conditioned (reversible system for heating), TV, Bose stereo/DVD, iPod docking stations throughout, full size American pool table.
Swimming pool (10 metres square), shaded dining area and terraces.
Casita:
Living room, small but fully appointed kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, double bedroom, terrace. The living room contains two sofas, both of which unfold into spare beds if needed. There is a plasma-screen TV and music system with speakers.
There is a garage and storage at the top of the driveway to the house.
http://www.rusticaltravel.com/spain/villa-rental/andalucia-ronda-mountains-grazalema/rd25.html
or
http://www.rusticblue.com/luxury_villas_private_pools_spain_zc91.htm
SORTED’s favourite teen idols could be forced to fork out over £600,000 in damages as a a US boyband, who also have five members, has filed a lawsuit, saying that they owned the name ‘One Direction’ first.
The other One Direction formed in 2009 and also claim that they registered the name with US Patent and Trademark Office before the X-Factor runners up even met.
Writing on their blog, the US One Direction attempted to soften the blow of the lawsuit by stating that they:
They wrote: “To protect our rights, we reluctantly have filed a lawsuit. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to negotiate a reasonable compromise with the handlers for the band. They chose not to use a different name. They chose to press ahead, using the exact same name, One Direction, setting up the current difficulties and confusion in the United States.”
The blog added: “The British boy band is well funded and high profile. They have Mr Cowell’s enormous resources behind them. We on the other hand do not. In our view, we were here first. We have rights. We have talent, and we have heart. We are standing up for all of the above. Not having money does not take away your rights or make you ‘less than’.”
We wonder if ONE DIRECTION, who are currently reducing teenage girls across America to tears, are in tears themselves. If so, we know that their fantastic PA Shareena, will be on hand with tissues and tea.
A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012)
Jack (Simon Pegg) is a children’s author turned crime novelist whose detailed research into the lives of Victorian serial killers has turned him into a paranoid wreck, persecuted by the irrational fear of being murdered. When Jack is thrown a life-line by his long-suffering agent and a mysterious Hollywood executive takes a sudden and inexplicable interest in his script, what should be his big break rapidly turns into his big breakdown, as Jack is forced to confront his worst demons; among them his love life, his laundry and the origin of all fear.
Written by Crispian Mills. Directed by Crispian Mills and Chris Hopewell.
In cinemas 8 June 2012
In December, 2006, the busy people at InPhonic, a Washington D.C. area Internet company, had their way with “Walt’s” car. They snuck into the car park and plastered Walt’s prized Jaguar with post-it notes. It took 2 hours and 14,000 multi-colored post-it notes and the result resembled, well… a car covered in post-it notes.
Sky has unveiled plans for a major investment in feature-length British films for television. The new productions will be broadcast by Sky from 2013 and form part of Sky’s commitment to increase investment in home-grown programming to £600 million by 2014.
The investment has two distinct strands, according to Sky: new films for family audiences on Sky Movies and new documentary filmson Sky Atlantic.In the first area, Sky says new productions are already in development but that it is also seeking submissions for further projects (funded by a dedicated, six-figure development budget). Its advice to producers is that it will “prioritise projects that appeal to the whole family, with an emphasis on new, cinematographic quality content which matches the scale and ambition of recent home-grown commissions such as Treasure Island andNeverland. Green-lit features will have budgets of around £5m.”
In the second area, Sky Atlantic HD will introduce a new peak time strand in early 2013: “Up to 12 peak time landmark documentaries will form the backbone of the new slate. With the ambition for Sky Atlantic HD to become the home of gold standard documentary films, the brief is going out to the world’s best documentary makers to come to the channel with bold ideas.”
Commenting on the new tranche of funding, Sky’s Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch said: “We know British programming resonates strongly with our customers so we’ve been building our capability and credibility in this area. We see a real opportunity in British films, where we’ve already invested millions in three feature-length productions with Sir David Attenborough. Now we intend to green light more family films for Sky customers and help more of the best documentary makers to bring the films they most want to make to the screen.”
SORTED will be approaching Sky re: employment opportunities, but writers, take the bull by the horns as now is the time to submit your treatments!
Is it just us, or did the Antics Roadshow recreate that cocky Darryn Lyons from Big Pictures paparazzi?
Regardless, it looks like someone whacked him – any photos?
LA PAs at work
This BBC Business Daily radio programme lauds the PA – and about time too!
Recorded at the Office event at Earl’s Court, it discusses how PAs are The People People with great skills, great contacts and just general greatness! Finally it’s being realised that PAs are not glorified secretaries, but talented people who enjoy a varied workload and are very positive about their career choice.
The Power of the PA is recognised too, not just for influencing decisions, but with actual purchasing power.
The programme obviously features trends from the corporate market, but many of the premises are more relevant for Private PAs – what we know about Private PAs is they’re extraordinarily resourceful, valuable members of a team, business or family.
It’s noted that technical skills are taken as a given – any PA worth their salt can manage outlook on the move, but what is recognised is that PAs are the eyes and ears of their employers while being loyal and efficient.
Private PAs are more mobile and independent than their corporate cousins and every PA that SORTED represents has these attributes and more. On top of that, they’re jolly nice people who care about others.
So a big shout out to the BBC for FINALLY recognising a career that is too often demeaned.
Listen here BBC iPlayer – Business Daily: Personal Assistants.
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