Back in the 1990s, when I was an energetic young journalist covering Russia and eastern Europe, there emerged the phenomenon of the ‘Biznessman’ or ‘Biznesswoman’. These characters, generally male, would huddle in hotel foyers wearing leather jackets and tell me about their money-making schemes. They didn’t make much sense to me, but I assume they paid off. Central Europe has been transformed and Russia seems to produce a new billionaire every day. So, ten years later, I have decided to become a Biznesswoman. I’m not sure that I will wear a leather coat or huddle in a hotel, but faced with a husband who thinks that writing books on wine and water is a money-making scam and children who insist on horse-riding, tennis and piano lessons – and that’s just on a Wednesday – there was no option.
My first ‘bizness’ is probably the one I am most excited about. It is called Renew Retreats. I came up with the idea soon after finishing my latest book, To Hell in High Heels. Never mind hell; I was taken to bed with a kidney infection, felt run down and ready to die. I looked around for a spa retreat that would rejuvenate me and found nothing that I fancied. So today with a few of the most inspirational women I met during my research for the book, including Tina Richards, a top London holistic dermatologist and Anna Cooper, a jet-setting yoga guru and psychotherapist, together with my friend and neighbour Mary Lesault, we have come up with the ideal five-day spa retreat.
Ten lucky women will gather at Le Couvent in Hérépian in the first week of May and be treated to massages (one rather exotic one involving a Kansu bowl and warm oils which I have tried and it is mind-blowingly good), yoga, one-to-one dermatological consultations, nutritional advice and inspirational talks by moi on, among other topics, how to unlock your inner French woman and anti-ageing tips. For more information you can visit our glorious pink website.
The other ‘bizness’ is more prosaic, but may prove more profitable. After seven splendid summers in Sainte Cecile, we have decided to take the children on a Grand Tour of Europe next year. This will include visiting my mother near Rome, my cousin in Stockholm, Bea’s best friend Norrie in the Savoie and anybody else willing to give us a bed for the night. To help pay for this jaunt we are going to rent out the house for the summer. I hope it is a good idea. If anyone you know would like to stay in an old stone farmhouse with a swimming pool and only cicadas for company (as well as Max the cat and Wolfie the dog obviously), you can find out more at www.creme-de-langeudoc.com by clicking this link.
Now where did I put that leather jacket? Maybe I can find a pink one….
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2007
Spot on H. The only thing I have noticed about ageing is that my make-up/toilet bag gets bigger by the year. I am armed to the point of addiction. I even have a two-phase eye make-up remover which beggars belief as to the utility of the second phase – eye laser surgery? I am not giving in without a fight and when the products refuse to work I will happily lie down under the surgeon’s knife and talk him through it.
I had dinner last night with a beautiful Swiss woman in her sixtys who scoffed several times throughout the evening about face lifts and botox and she could. She had one of those amazing oval faces with large beautiful brown eyes and a head of thick gray hair which she wears in a ponytail. I, on the other hand, have not been so genetically blessed and so will go down kicking and squeeze everything I can out of what is out there on offer. Julesritter.com
What about us blokes?
Hello Mr M
We are in fact planning a ‘blokes’ or couples retreat as you are not the first to ask. It will be next year some time, I’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile two places have already gone on the May one!
Hx
Your spa sounds wonderful. I could use it right now. We have had 10 days of temperatures colder than minus 10 Celsius(that is the high) and no end in sight. Perhaps you could visit Canada to promote your new book and enjoy this weather as well.
Have linked to the Renew website a couple of times, and each time it hung my whole PC and I had to crash and reboot!
Think it needs looking at…..
I was curious because we live a couple of minutes away from Le Couvent in Hérépian.
Hi Jacqui – how annoying, I have forwarded your message to my webmaster. The couvent has its own website too, http://www.couventherepian.com
Hx