Oz in Spain

Crocodile Dundee (back) in Los Angeles

By NED BELLY

MOST OF US have no option of avoiding income taxes. The authorities will either nab us at source (IRPF/PAYE) or, if autónomo (self-employed), we will be required to present a rigorously-monitored folder of documents every three months to report revenue, justify expenses and hand over collected IVA.

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Michelle Obama… just a “normal” tourist

AFTER SETTLING into her luxurious accommodation at the Villa Padierna hotel, Michelle Obama and her entourage headed to Marbella for a walk around the Old Town and later dinner at a local restaurant on the first evening of a controversial  four-day visit to the Costa del Sol.

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Peter Andre on whistle-stop tour of Gib

IT WAS THE eve of ex-wife Katie Price’s UK nuptials with cage-fighter Alex Reid – but Peter Andre seemed to have other more pleasant things on his mind as he made a quick trip to Gibraltar. (more…)

Vibrant Cuban rhythms in Marbella

STUNNINGLY TALENTED singer, pianist and composer Yanela Brooks has a deep passion for music that began when she studied the genre from the age of seven at an academy in Cuba. Later forming a band with 12 other girls before graduating, she was always destined for success.

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Australian model woos Marbella

SHIRALEE COLEMAN was doing the customary Australian working holiday tour of Europe when she found herself in Marbella last year. (more…)

Kristina Szekely: queen of the social scene

THEY ARE A SELECT GROUP. Costa del Sol personalities whose names have become synonymous with Marbella glamour… one-time Puerto Banús resident Sean Connery; the late Deborah Kerr and James Hunt; Kevin Keegan; Julio Iglesias, Dolph Lundgren and Málaga-born Antonio Banderas (who still own homes in the area)… (more…)

High-performance Jiménez triumphs in Dubai

Dual role as promoter of Open de Andalucía at Aloha in 2008 (Photo: Josele Sánchez)

By PEDRO BOLICHERO

IT WAS TOWARDS the end of 2003 and the Coast’s favourite golfing son, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, was mingling with guests at a presentation lunch in the La Quinta clubhouse. He stopped to chat with a group of local journalists, including yours truly, who noted that the golfer’s 40th birthday was coming up (5 January) and made some jocular remark about getting old (he himself having passed the milestone several years before). Feigning indignation, Jiménez retorted, “Old? What do you mean – not at all!”, winked and moved on to a less incriminatory group. (more…)

Birthday celebrations at MC Cafe

RODDY SHASHOUA jetted in from Miami to celebrate his birthday at Marbella’s MC Café, where 80 guests enjoyed a sparkling champagne reception followed by a superb three-course lunch. Entertainers Carlos and Pilar performed great hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s, as guests took to the floor to dance the afternoon away. (more…)

Third Oscar nomination for Penelope Cruz

SPAIN’S MOST INTERNATIONALLY renowned actress, Penelope Cruz, has received her third career Oscar nomination: best supporting actress for Nine.

Pe, as she is affectionately known in Spain, was first nominated in 2007 for best actress for Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver. She missed out that time (though current boyfriend Javier Bardem did break through as the first Spanish actor to win an Oscar, as supporting actor for No Country For Old Men) but last year triumphed for her supporting actress role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

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Debut in Australia

PEDRO MARTÍNEZ de la Rosa, one of Formula 1’s nice guys and (with Antonio Lobato) the only member of last season’s commentating team for La Sexta that made their TV coverage bearable (the OzinSpain household depends exclusively on Spanish Digital+ channels) will be back in the driver’s seat this year as BMW Sauber’s second signing after Kamui Kobayashi.

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