Freshly Social

The security industry in South Africa has its work cut out in 2010. Security is perhaps the biggest concern around the Fifa World Cup set to take place later this year. Security companies will be hoping to cash in on the demand by foreigners for their services, particularly in light of recent reports that some countries are seriously considering additional measures above Fifa’s security plan.

Australia, New Zealand, Italy and Germany have confirmed that they plan to either bring their own extra security personnel or hire a South African security company during the tournament. Paranoia around safety at the 2010 World Cup escalated following the attack on the Togo soccer team in early January at the Africa Cup of Nations, held in Angola.

The world’s most controversial and entertaining car magazine show, Top Gear, returns to South African shores this week with the 3^rd annual MPH Live show which takes place at Grand West in Cape Town from Thursday to Sunday. The adaptation of the television show to a live theater style performance has come together seamlessly and its popularity continues to grow. Let’s take a look at what exactly it is that draws over 350 million viewers to this show worldwide.

The Presenters:

The team of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond are the ones that managed to turn an ordinary BBC Top Gear car show into a worldwide hit. The opinionated and often crude personality of Clarkson is cleverly complimented by Hammond’s razor sharp whit and willingness to challenge everything Clarkson says. Together, the banter created between the two presenters is what provides the very core of what the show is all about.

Plans to bulldoze Earls Court complex and turn it into an extensive residential area are set to cause a stir in the Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham property markets in the next few years.

In early January 2010 London based developer Capital and Counties bought the Earls and Olympia exhibition centres which are both situated on the 26 acre area of land that will be redeveloped.

The Earls Court Exhibition Centre was opened in 1937 and has hosted a range of events since then. As the largest exhibition venue in Central London it is one of the UK’s most popular concert arenas. With a capacity of 19 000, the concert hall has seen some history’s most legendary music acts.

It’s not only make-up artists and plastic surgeons that rub shoulders with celebrity’s requiring their services. The rich and famous are above many things such as public transport and queuing for clubs, but the law is not one of them.

Those in the legal profession, from legal translation agencies to lawyers, get their fair share of encounters with famous personalities. No one likes a fallen star, but celebrities must face the music when flashing lights become those of police and not paparazzi.

Over the years many famous faces have appeared on mugshots all over the world. For some celebrities a run in with the law spells a shameful end to a career in the spotlight, while for others it can be an effective publicity stunt.

Shepherd’s Bush estate agents looking to target a young professional market would do well to mention the benefits of living near the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in 2010.

The historic live music venue has been entertaining Londoners since 1903 with a variety of the world’s most legendary performers from Charlie Chaplin to Kylie Minogue.

The architecturally magnificent building seats only 2000 people, making for intimate performances which allow fans to experience their favourite artists in a way totally different from bigger concert halls or stadiums. Located near the landmark Shepherd’s Bush Common, the venue is accessible by tube or car with plenty of parking nearby.

A number of killer performances scheduled for at Shepherd’s Bush Empire for 2010, here are some which are not to be missed.

When trying to convince you to invest, a Fulham estate agent will highlight the numerous perks of the area such as the good bus and tube routes, the green spaces, and its close proximity to shopping and dining on King’s Road.

What they might neglect to mention is that the West London district is the neighbourhood of choice of Britain’s own version of iconic chef Julia Child, Antonio Carluccio. The Italian-born chef’s life shares some parallels with the inspiring story of Child, which was recently been documented in the acclaimed film Julie and Julia. The film stars Amy Adams and Meryl Streep in the respective roles. Streep was awarded a Golden Globe for the performance this week.

Born in South Italy Carluccio moved to the UK in 1975 where he worked as a wine merchant. He went on to manage and then own the Neal Street Restaurant, where he mentored a young Jamie Oliver at the start of his professional career.

When we see a new style of shoe plastered on billboards, we always vow that we will never become a sheep to trends, but most of us end up buying that particular shoe a few days later. The same applies to music, food and even property. Property trends change annually, and what might have been in last year, could be so average this year. As younger professionals begin to shop around within the property market this year, we look at what trends are current as well as what is now merely last year’s news.

There are still various claims as to the status of the property market and if the selling of homes and apartments in London is increasing or plummeting. Every UK news report tells a different tale and London property market analysts all predict various trends for the forthcoming year. The truth is that as unpredictable as the market might be, individuals will still sell their homes and keen buyers will still continue to purchase homes in 2010.

If ever we needed reason to travel and venture into the wild, Avatar is it. Watching the film and considering its message is inspiration enough to immediately pack some bags and head to a naturally beautiful destination somewhere in the world, such as the Iguazu, Denali, or Kruger national parks.

Mind-blowing special effects and beautiful scripting aside, James Cameron’s blockbuster smash Avatar was thought-provoking in terms of our connection to the earth. The film depicts a future time in which humans, having utterly destroyed their own planet, travel to distant planet Pandora to conquer and pillage their resources.

The indigenous inhabitants of Pandora, the blue Na’vi , have a deep and spiritual bond to their natural surroundings. Their profound respect for their planet is sharply contrasted with the generally aggressive and callous nature of most of the human characters.

2009 proved to be yet another fruitful and successful year for top London law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. The highlight of the year would have to be winning the bid to be the official legal representative of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

After a grueling selection process undergone by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) in February, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer were selected out of numerous London Law firms to advise on this prestigious event. Working with foreign countries could prove to be challenging for the firm because of the change in law terms and legal translations, however, with the outsourcing of a legal translation agency this shouldn’t be a problem.

London management group chair Tim Jones said: “The appointment fits in with our commitments to the broader London community and we think that it is a sound business decision to be involved in the setting-up of the world’s largest sporting event.”

One wonders why Victoria Beckham felt the need to blow £1 million on a shopping trip in Milan when she is well established in London, also known as shoppers’ paradise. The spice girl turned style icon brought home loads of designer shoes, handbags and dresses but, as any central London estate agent can tell you, she could well have stayed in her home country.

Part of the reason why central London property is in demand is the area’s big city life conveniences such as close proximity to Oxford and Regent streets. Shopaholics and those who tend to spend flock to London to indulge their habit, particularly round this time of year.

All that clever consumers want for Christmas is some cash to keep for post festive season bargain-hunting at their favourite London shop. For the duration of January most department stores, designer outlets, high street shops and vintage boutiques cut their prices drastically. The endurance of crowds and queues is not ideal, but definitely worth acquiring five or six items for the price of one.