LONG leisurely lunches are a favourite past time in the Costa del Sol

LONG leisurely lunches are a favourite past time in the Costa del Sol. Whether it is a friendly meeting, a leisurely weekend brunch, a family gathering or a romantic interlude, everyone loves a place where the cuisine is superb, the atmosphere relaxed and lunch is a pleasure that stretches on far into the afternoon.

Those insearch of such a placehead to the Marbella Club’s legendary Beach Club, celebrating its 50th anniversary this July.

This is a place where time stands still and guests can enjoy the truest form of pleasure – sun, spectacular food, fabulous service and a selection of the most famous cocktails on the coast.

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this is the place to be to see the boats, the people and the water.  Sophisticated, yet relaxed, the Beach Club is an exclusive place where eating al fresco is an art form.

Beyond the setting and service, the Beach Club is truly legendary for its gourmet buffet. This is where Head Chef, Juan Galvez really lets his Mediterranean imagination go, creating an unparalleled selection of international cuisine including, European, Asian, Lebanese and traditional Spanish dishes.

Guests can select from freshly shaved Iberico ham, salads, prawns, tabouleh, hummus and an incredible assortment of fresh fish and seafood, such as salmon, tuna, bass or the fish of the day which is cooked to order.

Roast meats, are all individually carved and steaks are cooked to diners liking.  Sea food salads, lobster, Andalusia Gazpacho, pasta, vegetables, pasta and the chef’s choice of the day all feature on the buffet and can be mixed and matched with as many combinations and as often as people would like.

One may not be able to fathom having an appetite for dessert.  However with such an incredible selection, dessert is a must.

Home-made ice creams, sorbets, yoghurts, pastries, creams and custards are all on display.

The Chef´s famous chocolate mousse is a favourite among those with a sweet tooth.  A wonderful selection of fresh fruit and cheeses complete the experience.

The hotel’s Beach Club Buffet is outdoor dining of celebrity status, which is why so many famous names choose to dine at the club. Lunching at the Beach Club Buffet is one of the many luxurious experiences that cannot be missed when visiting the Marbella Club and the Costa del Sol.

Marbella has all the sun, sea, sand and reality TV stars you could possibly handle at the moment

Marbella has all the sun, sea, sand and reality TV stars you could possibly handle at the moment as The Only Way is Essex crew, Kerry Katona and… Mel B's sister Danielle Brown… are living it up at the Spanish beach resort.

Seeing that the TOWIE cast were there, Kerry obviously hopped on a plane to take advantage of the paparazzi following them, and maybe find out the secret to their BAFTA win… or perhaps it was a pre-booked holiday all along.

She hung out with Danielle - who shares the same management company - in some skimpy bikinis and matching straw hats, smiling and playing up to the cameras and enjoying any attention thrown in her direction.

Still, the sun and fun should help her get over her recent split from boyfriend Dan Foden. She told OK magazine:

"I won't lie, I am gutted. I had a good cry, rejection is a horrible thing. I honestly believe that I will be a lonely old lady stinking of cat wee with 17 cats and that I'll never find anybody.

"I'd been single for a year so when it came to dating someone new I was really excited.

"As soon as I get my hopes up, I get slapped in the chops. I do miss sex but it's not just that - it's having a kiss and a cuddle or lying on somebody's chest.

"I keep thinking, does anyone ever want me? Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. In my case it never does."

Hey now, Kerry, don't say that, maybe it's time to go after one of the TOWIE hunks - they like just as much attention as you do!

European Commission is pursuing legal action against 27 Member States for failing to comply properly with their obligations under EU law.

In its monthly package of infringement decisions, the European Commission is pursuing legal action against 27 Member States for failing to comply properly with their obligations under EU law. These decisions cover many sectors. They aim at ensuring proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses. The Commission has taken today 320 decisions, including 6 complaints taking Member States before the European Union's Court of Justice. In this package, 1 decision relates to failure to respect a previous Court ruling and might imply financial penalties.

Failure to respect deadlines for implementing Directives
The Commission has also adopted decisions to request Member States to adopt implementing measures for Directives where the deadline has already passed and warned Member States that if they fail to do so they may not only be referred to the Court but also that the Commission intends to request the Court to impose a financial penalty on the Member State concerned. Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Commission may now request the Court, the first time the case is referred to the Court, to impose financial penalties in cases where Member States have failed to implement Directives within the deadline agreed by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

Formal complaints before the Court of Justice (Art 258)
In accordance with the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Commission has decided today to take several Member States to Court for failing to comply with their legal obligations under EU law. Before referring a Member State to the Court, the Commission first requests information from the Member State concerned and then, if necessary, formally requests the Member State to comply with EU law. Around 95% of infringement cases are resolved before they reach the Court.

Animal health (France): The European Commission has decided to refer France to the Court of Justice of the European Union because it has not withdrawn national measures obstructing the trade of sheep and goat milk and products derived from such milk. France refuses to apply European regulation arguing that EU measures on scrapie control were not complete and thus it had to adopt its own national rules. See IP/11/601

Taxation (France): The Commission has decided to refer France to the EU's Court of Justice for discriminatory taxation of foreign pension and investment funds in breach of EU rules on free movement of capital. In particular, France does not grant a withholding tax exemption on dividends distributed by French companies to pension and investment funds established in the EU and in the European Economic Area (EEA) whereas it grants such an exemption if the pension and investment funds are established in France. See IP/11/603

Taxation (Spain): The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the EU's Court of Justice concerning its illegal application of a reduced rate of value added tax (VAT) to general medical equipment, appliances to alleviate animals' physical disabilities and substances used in the production of medicines. These goods do not qualify for a reduced VAT according to the rules laid down in the VAT Directive, and the application of a reduced VAT rate may distort competition within the EU. See IP/11/605

Environment (France): The Commission is taking France to court for failing to comply with EU air quality limit values for airborne particles known as PM10. France has so far failed to effectively tackle excess emissions of these particles in several zones across the country. See IP/11/596

Environment (Czech Republic): The Commission is referring the Czech Republic to the EU Court of Justice over its failure to meet the European requirements on biocidal products. Despite earlier warnings the Czech Republic has not added acrolein, a substance used in certain biocidal products, to its national list of active substances that are covered by biocides legislation. See IP/11/591

Environment (Ireland): The Commission is referring Ireland to the EU Court of Justice over industrial installations operating with outdated permits. Under European law, new permits should have been issued by October 2007. However the permits of at least 17 Irish livestock installations have not yet been reconsidered or updated. See IP/11/593

Enforcing Court rulings
When, despite a first ruling by the Court, a Member State still fails to act, the Commission warns the Member State in writing. In case of continued lack of appropriate action by the Member State, the Commission may take the Member State back to Court, and can request the Court to impose a lump sum penalty and/or a daily penalty payment on the Member State concerned. This procedure is based on Article 260 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Environment (Ireland): A year and a half after a previous Court ruling, Ireland has still not adopted the necessary measures to ensure that septic tanks go through adequate checks and inspections in order to protect human health and the environment. The Commission is therefore referring Ireland back to the EU Court of Justice and asking the Court to impose a lump-sum fine of €2,7 million and a daily penalty payment of €26 173. See IP/11/592

Background on legal process
Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFUE) gives the Commission the power to take legal action against a Member State that is not respecting its obligations under EU law.

The infringement procedure begins with a request for information (a "Letter of Formal Notice") to the Member State concerned, which must be answered within a specified period, usually two months.

If the Commission is not satisfied with the information and concludes that the Member State in question is failing to fulfil its obligations under EU law, the Commission may then send a formal request to comply with EU law (a "Reasoned Opinion"), calling on the Member State to inform the Commission of the measures taken to comply within a specified period, usually two months.

If a Member State fails to ensure compliance with EU law, the Commission may then decide to refer the Member State to the Court of Justice. However, in over 90% of infringement cases, Member States comply with their obligations under EU law before they are referred to the Court. If the Court rules against a Member State, the Member State must then take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment.

If, despite the ruling, a Member State still fails to act, the Commission may open a further infringement case under Article 260 of the TFEU, with only one written warning before referring the Member State back to Court. If the Commission does refer a Member State back to Court, it can propose that the Court imposes financial penalties on the Member State concerned based on the duration and severity of the infringement and the size of the Member State (both a lump sum depending on the time elapsed since the original Court ruling and a daily penalty payment for each day after a second Court ruling until the infringement ends).

In the specific case of Member States that have failed to implement Directives within the deadline agreed by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, the Commission may request the Court to impose to impose a financial penalty on the Member State concerned the first time the Court rules on such a case, rather than when it is referred back for a second time. This possibility, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, is laid down in Article 260 (3) of the TFEU.

The European Commission said Thursday it will take the Spanish and French governments to the European Court of Justice over tax issues

The European Commission said Thursday it will take the Spanish and French governments to the European Court of Justice over tax issues

The number of British tourists to arrive on the Baleares between January and April this year is up 25% higher than last year according to the regional tourism and employment department.

The number of British tourists to arrive on the Baleares between January and April this year is up 25% higher than last year according to the regional tourism and employment department.

The four months saw 245,850 British tourists arrive on the islands, with the increase on Ibiza particularly strong, up 37.4%.

Data from the Spanish Airports Authority, AENA, shows that 214,035 British tourists arrived on Menorca, up 24.1%, and 8, 286 on Menorca, up 19.1% and 23,529 on Ibiza, up 37.4%.

The numbers were released in London last Thursday and Friday which saw a special promotion at Canary Wharf as part of the ‘A Taste of Spain’ campaign organised jointly by the Spanish Tourism Office in London, and British Airways. It had a golf simulator and an Ibiza DJ among the attractions, with gastronomy too.
Other regions took part in the presentation, such as A Coruña, Andalucía, Asturias, Comunidad Valenciana, Galicia, Canarias and the Basque Country.

The Director of the London Tourism Office, Ignacio Vasallo, said that the numbers of British tourists heading for the Baleares were back to the level seen before the recession.

Thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days, over fears the city will be hit by a huge earthquake.

Thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days, over fears the city will be hit by a huge earthquake.

The panic was sparked by rumours that seismologist Raffaele Bendandi, who died in 1979, predicted the city would be devastated by a quake on 11 May.

Officials have insisted quakes cannot be predicted and special programmes have run on state TV calling for calm.

Experts also say there is no evidence Bendandi even made the prediction.

But many people said they were leaving the city to be on the safe side.

There are reports of an 18% increase in the number of city employees planning to stay away from work.

"I'm going to tell the boss I've got a medical appointment and take the day off," barman Fabio Mengarelli told Reuters.



The date is not there, nor is the place”

Paola Lagorio
President, La Bendandiana
"If I have to die, I want to die with my wife and kids, and masses of people will do the same as me."

Another Roman, Tania Cotorobai, told Reuters she planned to spend Wednesday in the countryside.

"I don't know if I really believe it but if you look at the internet you see everything and the opposite of everything, and it ends up making you nervous."

Other people were more sceptical, or said they would make the most of the capital being slightly quieter.

"It's all just stupid - but anyway if it does happen it would be a good thing, tidy things up a bit," said Augusto Costa.

While Franceso Verselli said that Rome would be spared because it was home to the Pope: "Wherever the Pope is, nothing will happen."

'Urban myth'
The rumours have been circulating on the streets and online for months that the Eternal City is facing imminent destruction.


Who was Raffaele Bendandi?

Born in 1893 in central Italy
In November 1923, he predicted a quake would strike on January 2, 1924
Two days after this date, it did, in Italian province of Le Marche
Mussolini made him a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
But he also banned Bendandi from making public predictions, on pain of exile
Can earthquakes really be predicted?
They were based on work by Bendandi, who was knighted by Mussolini in 1927 for his prophetic meteorological skill.

He was said to have used his theory that the movement of the planets caused seismic activity to accurately predict a 1923 quake that killed 1,000 people.

According to the rumours, before he died he pinpointed 11 May 2011 as the day Rome would be totally destroyed - to be followed by two more catastrophic events in May 2012.

Italian concerns have been heightened after the deadly quake in L'Aquila in 2009, and reports that scientist Giampaolo Giuliani had been trying to warn officials in the days before.

But the president of the Osservatorio Geofisico Comunale, the foundation that honours Bendandi, said they had no record of the much-discussed prediction and have dismissed it as an urban myth.

"I can say with absolute certainty that in the papers of Raffaele Bendandi there is no provision for an earthquake in Rome on the 11 May 2011," Paola Lagorio told Abruzzo in March.

"The date is not there, nor is the place."

Tommaso Profeta, head of Rome's civil protection services, told La Repubblica he had received a lot of calls from concerned Rome residents but that there was no danger.

"That said, our plan is to be prepared for natural disaster."

The earthquake in Spain has helped to grow the legend of Raffaele Bendandi, the self-taught Italian whose earthquake predictions are still causing panic today.

As the earthquake struck yesterday, there was a sigh of relief in Rome, whose residents had mounted a mass evacuation following claims of a 1915 prediction by Mr Bendandi that the “big one” would wipe out the Eternal City on May 11, 2011.
Mr Bendandi, who died in 1979, never provided any scientific proof for his theory that the movements of the moon and sun, as well as other planets in the solar system, exert a gravitational influence on the movements of the earth’s crust.
However, he became hugely famous in Italy for the accuracy of his predictions. He predicted the earthquake of January 13, 1915 which killed 30,000 people in Avezzano.
He also forecast the quake of May 6, 1976 in Friuli which killed 1,000 and left another 45,000 homeless.
Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator, took Mr Bendandi seriously enough that he made him a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy, but also banned him from making any public predictions, on pain of exile.

Born in 1893 in the central Italian city of Faenza to a poor family, Mr Bendandi was sent after elementary school to pursue a course in technical design and became a watchmaker’s apprentice. However, he nursed a passion for astronomy and geophysics and built his own telescope and seismographs.
However, Italian seismologists insisted that there were no grounds for worry in Rome yesterday, and also said that there was no link between Mr Bendandi’s supposed prediction and the earthquake that struck Spain.
“There is absolutely no link between Spain and Italy, geologically, or with the prediction of an earthquake in Rome,” said the Italian National Institute of Geology and Vulcanology.
“The earthquake in Spain was not very strong in itself, but it was close to the surface,” said Alberto Michelini, a seismologist at the institute. “The quake happened on the coast, a zone which has not had strong quakes in the past. It is close, however, to the point where the Eurasian plate meets the African plate,” he added.