Tarifa, the coast of light!

Golborne Place is now running in to the Autumn term and everyone is returning from their holidays. We thought we'd share with you a little gem of a place called Tarifa, on the southern most part of Spain, where Moni has just returned from looking particularly relaxed and sun kissed. She's also spent the holiday period catching up with family...

Moni with her nephew, Sergio (so cute!)

Whilst with her sister in Malaga they took yoga class in the area of Estepona. Moni loved the classes and recommends, if you're in that part of the world and in need of a great teacher, to contact Kathrin Sattmann. M: +44 6789 73369 E: sattmannk@hotmail.com

After some family time Moni headed down to the south coast to visit Tarifa, which sits on the Costa de la luz in Cadiz, or the coast of light, named quite obviously for its stunning light.

 Moni describes it as a place where bohemia meets traditional Spanish life. Ideal for surfers, wind surfers, beach bums, yoga enthusiasts and history lovers. Tarifa receives the hot winds from Africa and the cooler winds from the Atlantic as well as being the location where the Med meets the Atlantic, hence the numbers of surfers descending on the town throughout the year.

Looking out to sea from Tarifa sits the north coast of Africa. So close you can almost touch it! Here's a view of the Rif Mountains from Tarifa's coast...

After her beautiful trip, Moni has a few personal recommendations, in case you are tempted by the stunning landscape!

YOGA

Whilst in Tarifa Moni came across the EcoCentre where she discovered the work of Kundalini Yoga and Sat Nam Rasayan Meditation with Inaki, a teacher specialising in yoga for wind and kite surfers as well as for people from all walks of life. Inaki describes the meditation technique as 

"a powerful and sophisticated healing art....It is like opening up to a dimension of sensitivity and inner silence that is who you really are - and always have been - and at the same time a wholly new way of relating....It helps to release tendencies and limitations in body, mind and emotions - the common reasons for sickness."

The Ecocentre also offer many other types of yoga as well as meditation and capoeira classes and runs education projects, a restaurant with organic foods and regular music events, where she came across the talented singer Rocio Madreselva giving a special and intimate performance. 

www.tarifaecocenter.com

And for those who have a particular love of Vinyasa Flow/Ashtanga Yoga Moni also recommends Tarifa Yoga where she took classes with a lovely lady called Silvia.

HISTORY

In Baelo Claudia, just outside Tarifa, lay the most comprehensive remains of a Roman City on the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, no where else can you see such a complete view of a Roman City. For information on opening times and more on the history please see the website 

www.tarifaspain.net/roman-ruins-baelo-claudia-bolonia.html

ACCOMMODATION

If you want to see stay in town definitely check out La Casa Amarilla

In Tarifa's Natural Park you can find Cabanas, wooden holiday chalets in which to enjoy the bohemian side of nature loving Tarifa. 

From the Costa Sur website

Another great place is The Hurricane Hotel which is a little bit out of town but closer to the beach of Valdevaqueros, it's where Moni took her Vinyasa Flow/Ashtanga Yoga classes with Silvia, mentioned above.

 Tarifa is easy to reach by car, just 45 minutes from Gibraltar airport. 

Balanced and energised, Moni is now back teaching Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis and Teacher Training at Golborne Place. Welcome back!

Timon of Athens with Karis Scarlette

We're very proud at Golborne Place to have Karis Scarlette, of Everybody Ballet, teaching private and duet classes in our Notting Hill studio. Not only because she's a lovely lady who is super talented, but also because she is currently starring in the National Theatre's 'Timon of Athens' production with Simon Beale and Ciaran McMenamin.

Karis leading a workshop at the Galle Children's Festival

After having her blossoming Ballet career cut short at The Royal Ballet due to injury 5 years ago, Karis has gone on to teach students of all ages and abilities with the wonderful Everybody Ballet. In early summer this year, Karis was happily surprised to receive a call from renowned Principal of The Royal ballet, Ed Watson, to ask if she would join Nicholas Hytner's production of Timon for the Ballet sequence. Not only has Karis come back to performing Ballet, but she has also turned her hand to acting, performing as various extras throughout the play. Karis said of her new challenge,

           "It's very similar to staging a ballet obviously, but it's a lot of fun having the opportunity to take on other characters that you wouldn't necessarily find in classical ballet productions. Plus working alongside big names in the business such as Simon Russell Beale and Ciaran McMenamin is really inspiring. The camaraderie has been excellent!!"

Scene from Timon of Athens

We're thrilled Karis has had the opportunity to perform again on the big stage and in her own words "tie up loose ends of my performing career which came to end very abruptly. For me, it's bittersweet closure!!" With fantastic reviews of the play already, it's an absolute must see!

Karis warming up before the opening, already covered in bruises from the fight scene!

Karis has just finished her August run at The National Theatre but will be joining the cast again in October for another run of shows. To buy tickets and get a view in to the making of Timon of Athens, take a look at The National's website:

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/video/the-making-of-timon-staging-the-play