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12 Days of
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GrandEdition 9
November 2009 - January 2010
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50
play
42 New games
Adrienne Brookbanks gives you her choice of the
hottest games at GrandPrivé.com as well as tips
for playing online slots
Contents
promotions
22 Festive Gambling
icon
10 Festive bells and wedding fever
go together this season as
royalty and celebrities hook up
winners
Last year’s 12 days of festive gambling proved so popular
we had to run it again. So get
all the rewards you deserve
with our 12 Days of Festive
Gambling!
at GrandPrivé.com lately
GrandPrivé.com’s massive
Win a trip to Rio promotion
starts on 4 November.
40 Announcing the winner of the
28
34 Find out what the New Year
November 2009
Previous
48 Ring in the New Year – celeb-style!
fun
14 Grandtrivia
18 In anticipation of our great new
We look at where the stars celebrate New Year
luck
54 Most New Year resolutions don’t last.
GrandPrivé.com shows you how to keep
those gaming resolutions
means to different cultures
around the world
54
50
envy
ultimate party. Rio in February
means only one thing – Carnival!
win a trip to Rio competition
we give you the recipes for
some delicious and best-known
Brazilian dishes and drinks
GrandPrivé.com slots challenge
Grand Edition 9
28 Its hot, it’s colorful, it’s the
32 Win a trip to Rio!
38 A look at who has been winning
4
travel
58 our gambling horoscope November 2009 to
Y
January 2010
Regulars
6
welcome
8
pitboss
9
letters
52 gadgets
57 puzzle
62 talk
Next
Proudly GrandPrivé.com
5
welcome
by Adrienne Brookbanks
Celebrate the festive
season in style
Samba with Jack Frost, embrace the winter chill and get
ready for the biggest gaming season you’ve seen at
GrandPrivé.com! Although we host massive promotions
all year round, it’s pretty well-known that we save the most
extravagant giveaways for the festive season. Sit back
and start celebrating 2010 with your gambling group that
knows all the right moves.
Throughout 2009, you took part in the
competitions. You were online and gaming up a storm so you know what we are
about. Flamboyant tournaments, flashy
prizes and elaborate holidays are our
promises to you. No pretence, no hidden
clauses, only Dreaming, Daring and Playing.
2009 has been a fast-paced year, filled
with bumps, hurdles, new innovations
and excitement – it all feels like a bit of a
whirlwind. A while ago I read a popular
blogger who wrote that his experience of
2009 was that of doing something just for
the sake of getting it done, so that you can
move on to things you would much rather
be spending your time on.
The worldwide economic crisis has set a
tone of negativity throughout the majority
6
Previous
of this year, but it is steadily sorting itself
out. People have taken, and still are taking
action and even though some were hit
hard, global stability is certainly in sight.
Everything in life is cyclical and the global
economic cycle is much like the gambling
cycles that you and I experience. Many
players can testify that after a losing streak,
they would suddenly strike it rich. Many
lottery ticket winners also claim that they
seldom won anything big before hitting
million dollar jackpots.
Why is this? Is it because of sheer random
luck or is it because karma knows when
you need a boost? We are human and it’s
not in our nature to stay in the same, safe
routine. We need bridges to cross, things
to look forward to and some extra nudges
along the way to keep us having more fun, having more thrills and
winning more. It’s why we live and what we need to be able to reflect
on years past.
This year has been exceptionally lucrative at GrandPrivé.com for
players while the rest of the planet might have been moping and bean
counting, people at GrandPrivé.com have been living the high life with
tangible winnings and great rewards.
One of the recent competitions that you took part in was the
Slots Championship, which gave away US$50 000 cash to gamers who
could spin the reels and stay on top of the leader board. We saw the
previous Slots Championship winner enter the competition and end up
in fourth place, giving another player access to huge winnings and the
honor of being the GrandPrivé.com Slots Champion for 2009.
Besides the Slots Championship, GrandPrivé.com also hosted
Gone In 2009, where we sent players LCD TVs, laptops, camcorder sets
and cash just for being online and gaming. We also celebrated the
eighth birthday of our flagship casino, Casino Grand Bay, during the
first quarter of the year and 16 players were sent on cruises to exotic
destinations.
You might think that we’re a bit worn out, disgruntled or down right
fed up with all the large promotions happening at GrandPrivé.com, but
instead of winding down this event-filled year with rest, we’re rolling
out the red carpets and setting up the big party celebrations.
The Rio Carnival competition kicked off on 4 November and one player
(plus a partner) will be winning the holiday of a lifetime to the Carnival
in Rio de Janeiro next year! You’ve also got the popular 12 Days of
Festive Gaming to look forward to from 1 December, where you will get
rewards, bonuses and loyalty points on the days leading up to the New
Year.
It’s going to be a riveting year end and an amazing festive season.
GrandPrivé.com Casinos is where you want to be to keep winning!
Enjoy
Adrienne
Next
Managing Editor: Editor: Proofreader: Contributors: Adrienne Brookbanks
Danette Breitenbach
Marilyn Farquharson
Roy Johnson
Linda Shaw
Monica Guy
Nicci Botha
Madelaine Page
Giselle Willcox
Photography: Elite Photo Agency,
Shutterstock
Stockxpert
Design and Layout:
Leani Thomson
GLL Production Designs
Publisher: John Woodford
Magazine is published by
Primedia Publishing, for and on
behalf of GrandPrivé.com.
The views expressed in this publication are
not necessarily those of GrandPrivé.com, the
publisher or its agents. While every effort
has been made to ensure the accuracy of its
content, neither GrandPrivé.com, the editor
nor the publisher can be held responsible for
any omissions or errors, or any misfortune,
injury or damage which may arise therefrom. All rights are reserved. No part of this
magazine may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical; including photocopying,
recording or using any information storage
or retrieval system without prior permission
from GrandPrivé.com, which owns
the copyright on all content and the
distribution list.
fun
by Danette Breitenbach
Every cloud has a
silver lining
As the end of year approaches you can
almost feel the world give a collective
sigh of relief. Yes, it’s been a tough one
with most of us having to tighten our
belts a notch or even two.
I was one of these people who, while
not losing my job or house or anything
that radical, was also not on the
scale of those individuals who are so
wealthy that recession was just a word
and nothing else.
In the process of my belt tightening
exercise I learnt a valuable lesson
though. I found out what is of
importance to me and what is just
a nice to have.
8
before. Some of them (especially in the
beginning) really did not pass the taste
test (the wine came in handy here dulling the taste of burnt bits and pieces),
but eventually I began to get it right.
Today I am rather proud of my cooking
accomplishments and I enjoy inviting
my friends over to share in this newfound passion of mine (they did return
as the cooking got better).
What is also great is that I have been
able to mix my original passion; wine
collecting with this new found passion.
For example, I am a lover of good wine.
I also like to eat out. However I realised
that while eating out was a nice to
have, I did not want to compromise
my wine collection that I have, over the
years, worked so hard to assemble.
Having a passion for something is
what can keep you going during the
hard times. We at GrandPrivé.com are
always looking for ways to excite our
players and allow them to continue
their passion for playing despite the
hard times. This year we have also
looked to lift spirits with promotions
that have been rewarding as well as
fun.
The solution: I kept buying my monthly
wine, but instead of eating out I began
to investigate cooking websites and
programs on television. I began to
experiment and cook some dishes at
home that I would never have tried
We took Magazine to another level
by making it truly accessible to all
GrandPrivé.com players by putting
it online. We then took that one step
further and added competitions in the
magazine that you could enter and
Grand Edition 9
k for
s
Brookbank
More ban
pitboss
by Adrienne
November 2009
Previous
win various prizes through our
Magazine website.
As the year draws to a close we continue giving you a well-deserved break
from the world outside by introducing
new games, competitions and just
plain, well, entertainment.
Enjoy our Prestige promotion and Slots
competition as well as our 12 Days of
Festive Gambling – a day by day count
down that lets you win all the time and
will keep you smiling and winning this
festive season. Enter our Rio Carnival
competition, while cooking up some
awesome Brazilian food and drinks and
playing online at GrandPrivé.com.
So here’s to maintaining old passions
and discovering new passions.
Here’s to the cliché of the silver lining,
a festive end to 2009 and a new beginning with 2010 for everyone.
Happy New Year
Danette
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Proudly Grand
August 2009
WINNING LETTER – 50 000 loyalty points 275
Your article More bank for your bucks was very
interesting and enlightening. I have been gambling
online for some time now but have been a bit nervous about the online banking options. Your article,
however, set out everything in clear language and
as a result I am now no longer terrified of online
banking options, but instead a confident user.
Here’s to my account growing with success in your
fabulous promotions. I must just add that I love
your promotions with their themes. I don’t know
who thinks of them, but apart from being exciting
cos I might win, I love the pictures and the description of the places you can go to or the things you
can win. I am a fan of all your promotions – whether
long or short duration – and always enter. If you
don’t enter you cannot win hey?! And my winning
day is coming... soon so watch this space.
- Louise M, US
RUNNER-UP LETTER – 30 000 loyalty points
I am a great fan of GrandPrivé.com and
Magazine. I am a bit of a techno junkie so I will
admit that my favorite is the gadget section of the
magazine. The last issue (August – October 2008)
had to be my all time favorite gadget section. The
combination of the retro with new technology just
did it for me. I loved the record coasters so much
that in fact I have purchased some. Thanks and
thanks for an entertaining publication.
- Beamme up
41
GOOD JOB
I have just been on the Magazine website and it looks
super. I checked out the articles and the competitions
and love that the site is so informative, but user-friendly.
I love the magazine itself and the way the pages flip
over like a real magazine. Well done on a great job.
- Leigh H
NO KICK IN THE HEAD
I absolutely loved and loved some more your article
and quiz on the Rat Pack. Their music is my all time
best – with songs such as The Lady is a Tramp, and I’ve
Got You Under My Skin. I was thrilled when my grandchildren took me to Vegas recently for my birthday
and then to a Rat Pack impersonators show. I felt like I
was back in the day of Sinatra and Dean Martin all over
again. Thanks for adding to these great memories with
your great magazine and also for your promotions and
competitions. I do so enjoy these and always participate – but don’t tell my grandchildren. LOL
- Rat Pack Gran
We love hearing from you so keep your letters rolling in. Remember this is your magazine so we want to hear from
you – good or bad! In fact we will reward you for writing to us. You can WIN 50 000 loyalty points if your letter is
selected as the winning letter and the runner-up letter will receive 30 000 loyalty points. Write to us about any
issue related to GrandPrivé.com and Magazine and you could be one of our winners.
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Proudly GrandPrivé.com
9
Changing tradition
The British royal family – Prince Andrew, Princess
Anne, Prince Charles and wife Camilla and all their
children – usually gather with the Queen and
Prince Philip at the Norfolk estate for the festive
season to enjoy a traditional turkey dinner.
Festive bells and
wedding fever
There may just be more than
kissing under the mistletoe this
festive season.
As we head into 2010, rumors of royal and celebrity weddings are
flying – from Eva Longoria Parker and hubby Tony renewing their
vows, to the British Prince William and Kate, and Monaco’s
Prince Albert and swimming sensation Charlene to wed to the
reconciliation of Prince Andrew and ex-wife Fergie.
10
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
As the family usually guards its privacy during the
festive season, it came as a great surprise when
the Queen decided to break with royal tradition to
invite Prince William’s girlfriend Kate for Christmas
day.
This is seen as a serious indication of how close
Kate has come to the royal family – and their acceptance of her as the next Queen of England.
This invitation has further fuelled speculation of a
royal engagement. To many it will be about time as
the two have been together for eight years already,
since they started dating as students at St Andrews
University.
Regardless, the bets are out there, offering odds of
11 to 8, that Wills and Kate will get engaged before
Christmas.
But this is not the only break in tradition. While
Kate has been included, Prince Harry has excluded
himself. It does not seem that Prince Harry will be
sharing in any celebrations with his family this festive season. Rumor has it that the 25-year old Prince
wants to spend quality time with ex-girlfriend
Chelsy Davy.
They split up a few months ago and since then
Harry has done everything in his power to get
Chelsy to give him a second chance.
Although they have had secret dates at Harry’s
Clarence House recently, they are hoping that a
sunny holiday – something Chelsy loves – will bring
the spark back into their relationship.
Prince Harry has decided on a sunshine break in South
Africa where hopefully the couple will have more
privacy.
In another break with tradition speculation is also running high that a reconciliation between Prince Andrew
and his ex-wife, the Duchess of York is on the cards.
Andrew and Sarah (Fergie) got divorced in 1992, but
have remained such close friends that they may just
as well get married – something the Queen as well as
Prince Philip are very keen on. They don’t want him to
marry someone else, especially since Fergie turned her
life around, earning the respect of every member of
the royal family.
So if the rumors are true, Sarah may also be spending
Christmas with her ex’s family – for the first time in 10
years.
Next
Proudly GrandPrivé.com
11
icon
by Madelaine Page
Another Grace Kelly
Not once, but twice
Across the English Channel in Europe, Monaco’s
Sovereign Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock,
former South African Olympic swimmer, are saying very
little about wedding bells.
While not royal by blood, not to be outdone, celebrity
royals, Eva Longoria Parker and husband, Tony, are
making plans to renew their vows. The 34-year old
Desperate Housewives’ star and 27-year old basket ball
player got married in July 2007.
It is well known that the Prince adored his mother, the
late Oscar winning actress Grace Kelly. Charlene has the
class, beauty, style and the right credentials to bring the
same glamour to this little kingdom.
She has been at his side at all social events for the past
few years, so, for many, it is only a question of time before the Prince, who turned 50 last year, and his 30-year
girlfriend tie the knot. If all goes well, an announcement
could also be made before the year is over.
Should they announce their engagement as expected,
chances are that the wedding will take place in
September next year.
She now says the wedding went by so fast and everything was surrounded by such a frenzy that they want
to do it again. But this time they want a more intimate
ceremony.
Asked why, Longoria replied that they want to repeat
their vows to show how much they still love each other.
Together for six years and married for two, she says their
relationship has never been stronger. It gets better
every day and that is why they want to repeat their
vows.
With their obsession with Christmas lights at their home
in San Antonio, Texas, this festive season may just be the
time to tie that knot. Apparently they leave no stone unturned to make sure that they outshine any other house
in their neighborhood in the lighting department. They
even hire professionals. They will, therefore, already have
the right setting in place and what better way to make
sure your wedding vows – and Christmas lights – get
noticed.
Alternatively they may decide to team their renewal of
vows with one of Longoria’s Celebrity Casino Nights in
Texas. The inaugural charity poker night for Eva’s Heroes
was started to help the developmentally challenged. A
pre-poker dinner usually gets guests in the mood to buy
big and raise the pot to raise funds. Just imagine seeing
two of the hottest people in the world say “yes” to each
other again while raising money for the needy.
This New Year’s may see more than just the ringing in of
2010, it will signal in the sound of wedding bells across
the globe.
12
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
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Next
fun
Compiled by Danette Breitenbach
Top 20 Games
Biggest wins
Some of the biggest wins by players over the house include:
• Event: Super Bowl 20 (1986)
Prop bet: Would William The Refrigerator Perry score a
touchdown?
Odds: Opened at 20 – 1… closed all the way down to 2 – 1
Result: He scored a TD in the third quarter.
Vegas loss: Some estimate upwards of a half-million dollars
on this bet alone.
Note: The prop bet that spawned the prop betting frenzy
every after.
1. Snow honeys
2. Big Top
3. Lumber Cats
4. Thunderstruck
5. Look 1
6. Spring Break
7. Carnaval
8. The Great Galaxy Grab
9. Agent Jane Blonde
10. Summer Holiday
11. Sterling Silver
12. Silver Fang
13. Lady of the Orient
14. Scoop the Cash
15. Adventure Palace
16. Aces and Eights
17. Cashapillar
18. Wealth Spa
19. Stash of the Titans
20. Ladies Nite
• Event: Super Bowl 42 (2008)
Action: Overall Super Bowl betting
Vegas loss: over $2.5 million
Note: Worste loss since figures began being tracking in 1991.
• Event: 1998 NBA Champs
Winner: Chicago Bulls; Bulls going for three straight titles; six in
eight years.
Future Odds: Amazingly, the Bulls were small favorites to win the
title vs the entire league (the odds were better on the Bulls than
all other teams combined)… that didn’t stop the public from
betting the Bulls huge – giving the books enormous exposure,
and ultimately, a huge loss.
• Event: 1996 World Series Champs
Winner: NY Yankees
The Yankees had not won the World Series since 1978, but every
year the Yankee nation would bet big future money on them
winning it all. But as the years of failure went by, the odds drifted
upwards – till finally some sports books were offering 10 – 1 on the
Yanks winning it – which they did in 1996, giving the players a big
payout.
(Source: http://pregame.com/)
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
Next
Trivia
Compiled by Danette Breitenbach
Talk about luck
To goal or not to goal
“Everything in life is luck” – Donald Trump
It must be one of the most stressful jobs in the world.
Being a football coach often means living on the
edge, and even someone like Sir Alex Ferguson is not
always safe. Odds on the next manager to get the
sack in the English Premier League (football) are:
“I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you dislike?” – Jean Cocteau
“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I
work, the more I have of it” – Thomas Jefferson
5/2 P. Hart
4/1 P. Brown
5/1 A. McLeish
7/1 G. Zola
7/1 R. Benitez
8/1 G. Megson
12/1 D. Moyes
14/1 M. Hughes
16/1 R. Martinez
16/1 S. Allardyce
16/1 M. O’Neill
20/1 M. McCarthy
25/1 S. Bruce
33/1 C. Ancelotti
33/1 R. Hodgson
40/1 H. Redknapp
50/1 A. Wenger
50/1 O. Coyle
50/1 T. Pulis
66/1 A. Ferguson
“The only sure thing about luck is that it will change”
– Wilson Mizner
“A man’s gotta make at least one bet a day, else he
could be walking around lucky and never know it”
– Jim Jones
Movies with the word gamble
• Gambling Divinity (2002)
• The Gamble (1998)
• Gambling Man (1995)
• The Gambler Returns (1991)
• The Gambler from Natchez (1954)
• The Gambler and the Lady (1952)
• Gambler’s Choice (1944)
• Gambling Lady (1934)
• The Gamblers (1919)
• The Gambler (1916)
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
Poker record
The record for hosting the most players
in an internet poker room was recently
set when 307 016 players played poker
at the same time at 42 814 tables. The
record has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Next
Feijoada
This black bean and pork stew was created by
slaves in colonial Brazil, and today it is a traditional
dish. The original pig ears, tails and feet have been
replaced with pork sirloin and sausages.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb of varied pork sausages, (prefer smoked
sausages) sliced
1 lb of pork tenderloin
some slices of bacon
1 can of black beans (15.5 oz)
2 tbs vegetable oil
salt, garlic, chopped onions and six bay leaves (bay
leaves give a special taste to feijoada)
eat and drink!
Dance, samba, jump, sing,
And if you want to experience the greatest carnival in the world, remember our Rio promotion on
page 32. But in the meantime we thought it would be a great opportunity to practice. So we selected
some of the best-known Brazilian dishes and drinks for you to make. Then go to GrandPrivé.com and
play our newest addition: Mardi Gras Fever Video Slot. Olé, olé.
Previous
PREPARE
Add black beans to a medium-sized pot with oil,
salt, garlic, chopped onions and bay leaves.
Cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat and
set aside.
In a separate pan fry, cubes of pork tenderloin and
slices of bacon with salt and garlic.
Add all the sausages and cook on medium-heat.
Add the cooked meat to the pan with the black
beans and your feijoada is ready!
You can add some pepper sauce to your feijoada if
you wish.
Hint: to make the feijoada creamy, liquefy 1/2 cup of
black beans in the blender and add to the feijoada.
SERVE
Serve with white rice, collard greens and seasoned
manioc flour. Serves 6.
Next
fun
Compiled by Danette Breitenbach
Picanha*
Picanha is tender beef that is grilled in Brazil. It has
a layer of fat, which should be removed only after
grilling.
INGREDIENTS
one entire piece of picanha
rock salt
garlic paste
PREPARE
Cut the picanha into 2 inch-thick beef chunks.
Leave the fat layer on it (just remove after grilling).
Rub the rock salt on the meat alone or with garlic
paste.
Arrange the meat on skewers directly over the grill
Cook the meat to your preference.
In the Brazilian way, you can slice the outer layers
and keep the rarer meat in the grill for more cooking.
Caipirinha
Before serving the “Feijoada”, you can serve a caipirinha
as an appetizer.
SERVE
Serve with white rice, vinaigrette, or your preferred
sauce.
* You can find picanha in most European countries
by the name of cap of rump, also called Tri-Tip. In
USA, you also can get picanha, which is one of the
best cuts of beef.
INGREDIENTS
1 lime quartered
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 shot of cachaça
1
/2 cup of ice cubes with water
PREPARE
Place the lime and sugar in the bottom of a glass
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, crush and mash
the limes
Pour the liqueur and ice
Stir well
SERVE
Decorate the glass with a slice of lime.
20
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
To make a carnival batida you will need a knife, ice
crusher, electric blender, a 3-inch food strainer, a cocktail
shaker, a pitcher., and your creativity to decorate.
You can add as much liquor as you want or make it
alcohol free. These carnival batidas are good not only
during the summer, but also for those chilly winter
nights. So get mixing and create your own batidas.
Happy carnival.
CARNIVAL DRINKS
(Source: cookbrazil.com)
The Rio Carnival and drinking sees 160 million
Brazilians partying for a week making some of the
best tropical recipes in the world. The traditional
carnival drinks are called batida and are easy to
prepare.
Carnival batidas can be prepared with any fruit
available. The basic “formula” includes at least one
fruit, an alcoholic liquor, dairy beverage, sugar and
ice.
Carnival batidas are made of fresh tropical fruits,
fruit juices and purees, sweetened condensed
milk, peanut butter, Nesquik, coconut milk, and ice
cream syrups in any flavor.
Gaseous drinks and sparkling water are used to
make batidas smooth.
Alcoholic batidas, are made with the traditional
Brazilian sugar cane liquor cachaça. You can also
use champagne or wines for more delicate carnival batidas.
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21
promotion
by Adrienne Brookbanks
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
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promotion
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
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27
travel
travel
By Nicci Botha
By Nicci Botha
It’s hot, it’s colorful, it’s the ultimate party.
Rio in February means only one thing – Carnival!
Even if the babes were a figment of some song writers’ imagination,
Rio isn’t – it’s real, it simmers and with a steamy seductiveness about
it that doesn’t just come from the South American sun.
Sultry, flashing eyes, a wink and a beckoning finger send out promises of your wildest dreams. The people of the city are exuberant
and embrace life with both arms, but when Carnival hits town in
mid-February, the place literally sparkles.
So party hard! All inhibitions are swirled away by elaborate headdress, sashaying hips and glamour, glamour, glamour where everyone loves everyone else as Carnival takes over. Drag artistes stir it up
with some of the hottest girls in the world.
Astrud Gilberto immortalised The Girl from Ipanema and
Barry Manilow, Lola the Showgirl – making both ladies
quintessential Brazilian icons where teeny bikinis, bronzed
bodies and bared bellies reign supreme.
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
The camaraderie surpasses all expectations – it’s a time where the
rich mingle with the poor; gender, color, age and orientation are not
an issue and nothing matters besides having a good time.
The carnival in Rio is, a melange of all the cultures making up Brazil
that come together in a joyous, riotous parade where Samba is king.
Derived from the Angolan word semba, it started out as an impassioned plea to the ancestors for salvation – almost like a call to
prayer.
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29
travel
By Nicci Botha
Cariocas (residents of Rio) honor the ritualistic movements of their largely African roots as dancers rhythmically writhe their way through the streets. When
the streets became too crowded, Carnival had its own
special temple built. The half-mile long Sambodromo is
specially designed to give participants a chance to strut
their stuff.
This procession gives a new meaning to organised
chaos. But it is highly organised with jingling jangling
tambourines, banging drums – all 250 to 350 of them –
multi-hued glitter, sequins, masks and exposed nipples
all merging into one slick, smooth operation. Behind all
this merry-making is months of preparation.
Like your favourite team, each troupe has its own color
and flag. These ferociously competitive Samba Schools
are made up from local neighborhoods – the movements are carefully choreographed and everyone
knows exactly where they fit in. Months of discussion
have gone into costumes... songs... music and choreography – each made unique by a chosen motif. The flag
bearer is the leader of each troupe, the most spectacular
and triumphant of all, she is accompanied by a
30
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
charming companion who guides her through the
moves. There is a very obvious, tongue-in-cheek attitude
about the whole thing. An irreverence and an allure that
just draws you in.
But wait... there’s more... if you can’t make it to the main
event, there’s no excuse not to join in. The whole city is
alive with entertainment, you can just hang out in the
nearest square or corner and watch as blocos, formed
in the favelas (shanty towns), have a block party with
energy. You’re more than welcome to belt out the lyrics,
even if you don’t know the words, and do your own version of the samba. Anything goes!
The exhibitionism preceeds the 40 days prior to Easter
when all fleshly pleasures are forgone in an act of
penitence in traditionally Catholic countries. So why not
make hay while the sun shines? It’s an extravaganza of
all the things your parents told you not to do – eat, drink
and be merry.
Four days before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, the keys of the city of Rio de Janeiro are
handed over to Fat King Momo (God of Mockery) by the
Previous
mayor of the city and the frivolity begins. In 2010 the
Rio Carnival starts on Saturday, 13 February and ends
the following Tuesday – known as Fat Tuesday – not
due to the pounds you’ve probably piled on – or Mardi
Gras.
Flesh... meat... hello! Carnival, or carneval to use the
totally correct pronunciation, literally means going
without meat. Surprisingly this is in strong contrast
to what Brazil is famous for – good quality beef. The
local cowboys or gauchos made BBQ famous with
their skewered meat. In just about every ‘burb, Churrasqueiras are where you’ll be able to sit back and relax
as waiters work the room – serving up juicy morsels
directly from the flames to your plate – until your belly
is bulging and you shout, “Enough!”
When in the city make like the locals. Rio food is about
as diverse as the many cultures that make up the city.
Pork and beans or feijoada dates back to slavery days
when African plantation workers made the cast-offs of
their masters’ meals theirs. Offal such as pigs’ ears and
tails were mixed with black beans and lined many a
hungry stomach.
And when your throat is dry from all the singing and
dancing stop off at one of the roadside stalls, they are
abundant, and slake your thirst with a caipirinha. This
frosty alcoholic drink is concocted from sugar cane
spirits, known as cachaça, pronounced with a hard K
to start with, the rest of the letters will softly linger on
your tongue, much like the lime flavouring, and is not
at all for the faint-hearted.
As you would expect, such a colorful nation has tons
of tropical fruit. Bananas, mangoes and strawberries
are in abundance but one of the unique choices is
gurana – the pick-me-up found in many energy drinks
currently on the market. A sip of this is sure to pep you
up and put a new spring in your step. Portuguese
influence comes in with pastels and empadas. These
mini, fried pies are stuffed with a combination of
shrimp, meat or cheese. For food on the move this is
a popular option, not only at Carnival time, and Rio
residents regularly munch on them as a version of the
Golden Arches.
Smile! Rio Carnival should be high-up on your bucket
list, a once-in-lifetime experience not to be missed.
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31
After the first three rounds, the top 100 players from
round one, two and three will be making their way to the
final winner takes all play-off round. This last lap kicks off
on 7 January and skilled gamers will be battling it out for
the Grand Prize.
Win
a trip to Rio
The trip to Rio de Janeiro
The ultimate winner (plus a partner) will be experiencing
the most outrageous carnival in the world first hand. You
will be jetted from anywhere in the world to Rio and stay
in a luxury hotel from 13 to 17 February 2010.
During this time you will be able to take part in the
biggest street party in the world. Join the euphoric
celebrations with enough spending money to ensure
that you and your partner eat, drink and party like stars!
Shows, parades, balls, glittery costumes, fabulous floats
and elaborate dance routines – be part of it all at the
Rio Carnival! Of course, if you’re unable to attend this
magical event you claim the cash equivalent of $10,000
if you win.
Runners up prizes
As always, we want to make as many players as possible
winners so the runners up of this competition will be winning these great prizes:
• Second runner-up will receive $4 000 cash
• Third place gets $3 000 BONUS money
• Fourth wins $2 000 in BONUS money
• Fifth wins $1 500 in BONUS money.
Weekly promotions to keep you winning
We’re going to keep you having more fun, having more
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Samba Sunday is giving away $250 bonus money to the
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Put on your party shoes and bring your A-game
because it’s going to be one helluva competition! We can’t
wait to announce the ultimate winner 18 January!
GrandPrivé.com’s massive Win a trip to Rio promotion starts 4 November and players
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at the Rio Carnival!
We know our players like to live life in the superfastlane so we’ve set up the most luxurious,
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people each year. Samba dancing, partying and
mayhem is yours when you win this holiday of a
lifetime!
32
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Three Rounds. One Play-off. One Winner.
The competition has three rounds and a final play-off
round. At the end of each normal round of play, the winner will be walking away with a whopping $6 000 cash.
Second runner up gets $5 000 bonus money, third place
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$3 000 bonus money and the player in the fifth position
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spot prizes for other gamers scattered throughout the
leader board.
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travel
by Nicci Botha
We start in the East
1 January is not necessarily New Year for everyone. In
China, the lunar calendar determines when Yuan Tan
occurs, somewhere between mid-January to February,
depending on when the new moon appears. In this case
painting the town red takes on a whole new meaning.
This enlivening color is splashed onto front doors as a
symbol of good luck and joy. Chinese families will also
put away knives prior to the festivities to avoid their
good luck being chopped away.
Ringing in
the changes
The first day of the lunar New Year is called Sol-nal in
Korea. Families reconnect with each other at the home
of the patriarch in new clothes to indicate a new beginning, but at the same time honoring their ties with their
ancestors through memorial rites. Younger members of
the clan bow their heads to elders as a mark of respect
and wish them good luck for the rest of the year. Symbolic items such rakes and sieves adorn walls and doors
to ward off evil spirits.
In Vietnam, it’s called Tet, and is a respite between harvesting and sowing crops. To celebrate this rest period,
valuables such as copper and silverware are polished and
debts are paid back to ensure a fresh start.
Cambodia favors the Indian calendar, declaring New Year
according to Gregorian dates, normally 12, 13 or 14 April.
Instead of a single day of celebration, this involves three
days, and Chaul Chnam Thmey or New Year’s Eve is the
night before the predetermined date.
April is also the month Burma favors New Year (Maha
Thingyan), but using a fixed zodiac calendar, this
celebration happens on 16 April – another three-day
affair – which involves prayer, fasting and having fun.
As a precursor and welcoming gesture to the monsoon
season, temples and houses are cleansed with water.
If you’re an Arian, you can celebrate with the Pakistanis.
Again, based on astrological charts, the moving of the
sun from the sign of the fish to that of the ram marks the
end of a long, hard winter. March is when this culture celebrates Nowrooz or New Day with the ritualistic burning
of a pile of logs to cast out evil from the previous year.
New Year’s Eve, no matter when you celebrate it, is a time to shake off the old and bring in the new.
People normally wish each other luck for the forthcoming year and this usually involves some sort
of tradition. Magazine takes a trip across the globe, following the sun and experiencing these
different traditions.
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
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35
travel
by Nicci Botha
In the West
January becomes more significant as you move further
west. Many European countries use patron saints as
a means of goodwill. Greeks have chosen St Basil, as
one of the founders of the Greek Orthodox Church, he
is remembered for his acts of charity. He’s believed to
have died on 1 January. The Greeks may be renowned
for breaking plates, but in Denmark, the amount of
shattered crockery you find on your doorstep indicates
the number of friends your and the regard you’re held
in. The more the better!
Belgians also pay homage to a saintly soul, referring to
New Year’s Eve as Saint Sylvester Vooranvond. Poland
uses the same occasion to pay tribute to the self-same
name. Saint Sylvester was an old-time hero and a pope
to boot – he vanquished a dangerous dragon. And no,
there was no fairytale princess who needed rescuing,
neither was he green, lived in a swamp nor had a talking donkey side-kick... In case you were wondering.
But green is significant to the Romans, when
January Kalends comes around, gifts are exchanged,
each representing a wish to the receiver. Sugary
goodies represent, among other things, peace, while
precious metals mean prosperity. Waltzing across to
Austria, verdant hues take another form; the meal
celebrating the coming of the New Year is concluded
with a peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf
clover. Preceded by suckling pig, this is the dinner of
choice on this occasion.
Speaking of things porcine, the Germans play the
New Year’s game of luck by dropping pieces of hot
metal into cold water to see what the future predicts.
Whatever shape it forms will forecast your hopes and
dreams for the future. Pigs mean food on the table
for the rest of the year, a bow-shaped object, a ring or
heart for example, foretells love and marriage, something resembling a vessel tells of a journey.
A fellow known as Jack Straw, made from the substance that his name suggests, is sacrificially paraded
through the streets of Hungarian towns. He represents
Previous
all the bad stuff you may have done in the last
year and is burned to cast this off.
The countdown to midnight begins when the
minute hand strikes 12 of the witching hour.
In the United Kingdom, it’s a case of a dark-haired
man crossing the threshold with a lump of coal at
precisely midnight. At the first tick of the clock he
has to rush out the back door and reappear at the
front, boding well for the rest of the year.
Each and every part of the globe has a way of ringing
in the changes, different, but strangely the same in the
intentions behind them: forgetting the past and moving on to the future.
Happy New Year everybody!
Moving to more tropical climes, the Portuguese
and Spaniards will eat 12 grapes for every strike
of the bell; this is expanded by Peruvians, who will
eat one extra for good luck.
Flowers, candles and jewellery are the gifts
offered up to the local goddess of water, Yemanja,
in Brazil on New Year’s Eve, as voodoo cult priestesses, in blue and white attire, push out the boat,
literally, from the famed Ipenama coastline.
Cape Town, in South Africa, celebrates New Year –
not once, but twice. Here 2 January is an unofficial
holiday, where colorful minstrels parade through
the streets, dancing and making merry.
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37
winners
by Adrienne Brookbanks
A thousand thoughts race through your mind at
once and you want to jump up and down, take a
screen shot, call friends, make lists of things you
want to buy…but you get a brain freeze and
simply stare and your massive winnings so it
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Winners at GrandPrivé.com casinos always seem to
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Gold in a single spin
Jerry R is one of the gamers who we have been seeing
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playing Couch Potato (a classic 3 reel slot game that consistently receives great reviews) when he hit gold.
Jerry’s story is a bit unbelievable: he won US$75 000 on a
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Whose been winning?
Playing one of your favorite games at GrandPrivé.com and
suddenly hitting a huge jackpot can feel like an unexpected,
uncontrollable adrenaline rush.
38
Grand Edition 9
November 2009
Previous
Couch Potato wasn’t the only game that paid out for
Jerry in the past few months. Towards the end of summer,
Jerry won a staggering $23 450 on Mardi Gras Fever
Video Slot. This festive game can get you winning up to
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Play Mardi Gras Fever Video Slot on Monday, 7 December
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Stephen W is living proof that new games at
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Stephen won $18 000 within the first few hours
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Pamela M wins $99 600
Pamela is one of those gamers who found a lucky game,
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Pamela won $50 700 on Lady of the Orient on
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Lady of the Orient is a beautifully crafted 5 reel, 20 pay-line
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Adrian K managed to get his name shouted from
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Golden Goose Winning Wizard video slot. Adrian
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Other games who got our jaws dropping were Robby P,
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We never get bored announcing winners at
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take your share of all the money that is paying out!
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39
winners
by Adrienne Brookbanks
The new Slots Champion knocked out all competitors.
Spinning reels and
winning bells
GrandPrivé.com challenged all the slots fanatics to spin the reels, earn points
and claim the title of the ultimate slots champion! Gamers were dropping it like
Tyson, cashing in like Hulk Hogan and showing their slots skills to claim the title
and take their share of US$50 000 Cash.
Pamart claims the title and wins $30 000
Since the get-go, Pamart was gaming up a storm at GrandPrivé.com Casinos to earn enough points to claim this title.
This player claimed and held onto the number one spot throughout almost the entire competition. Other gamers
tried to overtake this player, but Pamart wouldn’t budge or slide down the leader board.
Pamart was announced as the ultimate winner of this competition and walked away with a staggering $30 000 cash
on 1 October, claiming the title and enough winnings to buy a personalized boxing ring.
Our runners up
GrandPrivé.com always tries to make
winners out of as many people as possible. Well done to these runners up who
also walked away with huge cash and
bonus prizes:
Daz was in second place and won
$10 000 cash, kboy, who was in third
place, reeled in $5 000 cash, Aquitania
(who claimed the previous Slots Championship title) won $3 000 cash, StevieG
earned $2 000 cash and Patton2b walked
away with a $1 000 bonus.
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This competition was only a month long
and many gamers had to show true skill,
ambition and dedication to make their
way to the top. Patton2b, who ended in
sixth place, moved in on other big players towards the end of the competition.
Playing slots and earning points
has never been this competitive and
lucrative. Congratulations to everyone
who took part and stay tuned for
the next Slots Championship
competition!
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fun
The winter months are upon as, giving
us even more time to spend snuggled in
GrandPrivé.com’s comfy casinos.
Check out the picturesque ski resort in
Snow Honeys Video Slot and get all the
Free Spins you can handle with the ice age
themed Wooly World Video Slot. Find out
which games can earn you huge winnings
and Dream, Dare and Play
more with hot games this season!
Adrienne Brookbanks,
is a cut throat game
reviewer and is on a
mission to give you the
inside scoop on all the
great games. Get her
take on the popular
games this quarter!
Tips for playing
online Video Slots
Play the games that are hot.
GrandPrivé.com releases four new
games every month and these games
are known to pay out well so
download new games, try them out
and you could be winning more!
by Adrienne Brookbanks
Level 2: You are now up against six enemies
(in the form of ninja monkeys). You have to
defeat three ninja monkeys to move to the
final level.
This new 5 reel, 15 payline Video Slot has a funky
martial arts theme that will get you in the mood
for combat, kicking butt and winning! Kung
Fu Monkey offers a Wild, two Scatters, Multipliers, Free Spins and an interesting 3 level bonus
feature.
In Level 1 and Level 2 you will see a ape that
is impossible to beat – the huge ape. Luckily
this ape is the big guy that dishes out Free
Spins before you hop back to the normal
game.
Chinese Gongs and Chinatown
Scatters
One of the Scatters is the Chinese Gongs symbol.
If the Chinese Gongs appear anywhere on reels
1 and 5 you will instantly be rewarded with 10 Free
Spins (where your wins are doubled). The other
Scatter symbol is the Chinatown logo and this
Scatter is even more lucrative. If the Chinatown
logo spears on reels 2, 3 and 4, the Kung Fu Monkey
bonus screen opens up.
Level 3: If you manage to progress to the
final level, you will see the Big Bad Boss
gorilla. In Level 3 you are close to freeing the
hostage, all you have to do is choose a selection of martial arts combination techniques,
beat the gorilla and release the hostage.
Easier said than done? You’re going to have
to try it out for yourself but, trust me, the
rewards are worth it.
Free the hostage!
The second screen bonus game gives you a
chance to fight your way through pugnacious
primates try to free a hostage to win rewards.
There are three levels in this game:
Get ready to win up to 25 000.00 in the base
game, 50 000.00 on Free Spins and 8 250.00
on the bonus game. Feel the adrenaline rise
as you make your way through the meanlooking gorillas, aggressive monkeys and
fierce but funny ninja monkeys with this fun,
oriental-themed Video Slot!
Level 1: The first level has you, the player, up
against some angry looking baboons. If you are
able to defeat the three baboons, you will progress to the next level.
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fun
by Adrienne Brookbanks
Log Roll feature
This colorful video slot looks
as if it is set in a pine plantation that’s ready for harvesting. Symbols that you can
expect to see include logs,
wooden letters, tree tractors,
a wooden house and cats that
look as if they’re hard at work.
The cat with a checkered shirt
is the Wildcat, which will help you
build winning combinations. There are
two Scatter symbols in this game (the tree
symbol and the log symbol) and each one has its
own identity, advantages and rewards opportunity.
When three or more trees appear across your
reels, the exciting Tree Climb feature will be
triggered. If the log symbols appear on reels 1 and 5
in partnership with the lumber cat symbol
on reel 3, the Log Roll feature is
triggered.
Tree Climb feature
During the Tree Climb
feature, you will be presented with a choice of
three cats to take part in
the “Tree Climb”. If you
picked the winning cat,
you’ll be rewarded with
even more prizes.
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Once the log symbols appear
on reels 1 and 5 and the Wild
symbol (the lumber cat with
the checkered shirt), the “Log
Roll feature” follows which
means that you get 5 Free
Spins. During this feature, the
lumber cats expand and fill your
reel, giving you more opportunities
to win big.
Besides all the abovementioned features, there
are also the normal Gamble feature that let you pick
the right color and suit to double or quadruple your
winnings.
I liked this game because of the different features
that it offers. Video Slots become engaging when
they incorporate little bonus games that are related
to the main game and this Video Slot is a good example of innovative slots at GrandPrivé.
com!
Lumber Cats offers 5 reels,
20 pay lines, a wide betting range
and many surprise elements
that will keep you guessing and
watching your screen. The coin
betting ranges of 0.01 to 0.25 and
you have the option to play up to
200 coins per spin.
Previous
out for are the Bourbon Street symbol and the Jester
Symbol because these logos will complete your winning
combination.
Instead of getting a return ticket to New Orleans, get
ready to crack your knuckles, shake the tension out of
your arms and experience the huge festival right from
your computer!
Mardi Gras Fever is a 5 reel, 20 pay line Video Slot that’s
all about music, picnics, parades, drinks and partying. The
graphics on Mardi Gras Fever are noteworthy and the
game is set up to make it look like you are standing in the
middle of a balconied street where the party is happening. The unique color scheme of deep purples, greens and
gold set it apart from other games and draws your attention to the different symbols on your reels.
What the two Scatter symbols mean for you
The jackpot in this game isn’t huge (it’s only 2 000
coins) but the two bonus features, coupled with the
two Scatters, make up for it because they allow you to
win big. The two Scatter symbols that you should look
Bourbon Street symbol: If you get three or more of
these Scatters on your reels, the Mardi Gras Fever bonus
game will be activated. You will be presented with 12
windows, each of which has an amount stored in it. You
are allowed to select three and you will be able to win
up to 12 000 coins.
Jester symbol: Get three or more Jester symbols anywhere on your reels and you will be rewarded with
5 Free Spins with a 10 x multiplier. You can win up to
200 000 coins on Free Spins (as opposed to 12 000 coins
in the Bourbon Street bonus game).
Get into the swing of things with this festive slot game
and earn some quick winnings with Mardi Gras Fever!
Next
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fun
by Adrienne Brookbanks
game. During this bonus
game, you will be placed
in front of an ice-capped
castle with 12 wooden
windows. A young rabbit
sits outside a castle with
a pile of snow balls. When
you select a window,
somebody opens the window and the rabbit throws
a snow ball at the person.
Join the ladies on the slopes
at this virtual ski-resort in
this 20 pay line Video Slot
that offers many chances
to win! The holiday
jingle, winter theme and
majestic mountains in the
backdrop will get you in
the festive mood – and the
special bonus game will get
you in the spending mood!
The Ski Resort symbol is also a
Scatter and you can score up to
30 Free Spins with a 5 x multiplier. If
you get five of these on your reels, you
will get a 100 x multiplier boost!
Yes, there are tanned ski
instructors (as anybody could have
guessed from the name of this game),
but “snow honeys” also refer to the other
characters in the game: Mounties, bears and snow
bunnies.
The Castle Symbol and Ski resort logos are both Scatters
and they can give you gigantic winnings. Earn 2 x, 10 x
or even 100 x your original bet (which could result in a
20 000 coin winning on a single spin).
Castles hold the key to great winnings
Get 3, 4 or 5 Castle Symbols (one of the Scatters) on your
reels and you will be catapulted to the Hide and Seek
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The maximum amount of Free Spins that you can get is
15, and these Free Spins can retrigger more giveaways.
Travel back in time to see prehistoric creatures, glaciers
and age-old winnings! The characters in this game
include big tusked cartoons and cavemen that are
trapped in an ice block. This Ice Age themed video slot
offers 5 reels, 20 pay lines and the nifty pick feature to
keep you entertained throughout your winnings.
Pick the animals that hold Free Spins
The cool part of this game is the “pick” feature. How it
works: get three or more Scatter symbols, the wooly
mastodon, on your reels. This opens the Free Spins
selection screen where you will be confronted with an ice
block in which you can vaguely see five animals (they’re
trapped in the ice, you see?). Your mission is to pick the
three animals that will give you the most Free Spins.
Win 100 000.00 on Free Spins
The maximum bet of 50.000 means that you are able
to win some pretty big rewards on this game. Earn
up to 50 000.00 in the base game. On freespins earn a
very significant 100 000.00.
The game is pretty and the characters remind me of
“Scrat” (the cute squirrel in the Ice Age movies that
continuously tries to protect his prized acorn nut).Watch
out for the cheery caveman symbol, if he appears on
reels 2 and 4 you are able to build winning combinations (and all your wins get quadrupled!).
Snow Honeys has great graphics and the winning is
quick and easy. Whether you are a newcomer to
GrandPrivé.com or one of our veteran gamers – this
Video Slot is timeless and will be enjoyed by all.
Enjoy Snow Honeys with bets from as little as 0.01 up
to 0.50 and achieve wins of up to 20 000.00 in the base
game, 100 000.00 on Free Spins and 10 000.00 on the
bonus game.
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47
envy
envy
envy
by by
Monica
Guy
Monica
Guy
by Monica Guy
Ring in the New Year
– celeb-style!
You know who they are. They live their lives among glamour and glitz, they revel
in idle abundance and easy prosperity, they possess, flaunt, parade their heaps
of wealth and pampered beauty, they’re the high-rollers, the big shots, the wellheeled, the deep-pocketed, the jet-setters, the socialites.... and you can’t see them
making any goody-goody New Year’s resolutions.
They’re the ones who really know how to party –
big-style. And what bigger, better, excuse for a party
than the start of a fresh New Year? So when the ball
drops on Times Square and a wave of fireworks explodes overhead, where are these movers and shakers
shakin’ their booty?
Sin City
Sparks of rivalry fly higher than any pyrotechnics in
Las Vegas, where all the hot-shots compete to host
the hottest New Year’s bash. In previous years Pammy
Anderson has strutted her stuff at the exclusive, threelevel silver-and-white club Pure, while down the road
you’d find Mariah Carey at the 10 000 square feet Tao
Nightclub, Kevin Federline at Tangerine, the Backstreet
Boys at Body English, Kanye West at The Palms... and
at the ritzy Privé club in the Planet Hollywood Resort
and Casino you could have rung in 2009 alongside
not one, but three stars: actress and TV show host
Denise Richards, pop singer and actor Lance Bass and
hip-hop icon DMC.
In fact, it’s hard not to rub shoulders with the beautiful
people in Vegas – the multitude of clubs, bars and casinos means it’s party central. Hundreds of thousands
of revelers pack out The Strip for the extravaganza
firework displays, which explode simultaneously
all over the city. There are rock concerts, motorbike
stunts, state-of-the-art light shows, cameras, noise,
music....can you take the pace? This year promises to
be even bigger and better, so grab some cash and
get out there ready to party the last night of the year
away!
And don’t forget about the stars and studs who like to
try their luck at the gambling tables while out making
merry. George Clooney has been spotted in late-night
poker sessions with fellow heart-throbs Brad Pitt and
Matt Damon; in fact, he even tried to build the Las
Ramblas casino resort in Las Vegas, although his plans
eventually fell through. Matt Damon himself, allegedly
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49
envy
by Monica Guy
an excellent poker player, starred in the cult poker movie Rounders, while Matthew Perry (Chandler in Friends) has been spotted
on an exclusive VIP weekend in Vegas’ Bellagio, a casino that’s
also hosted Demi Moore. Ben Affleck’s a regular at The Palms,
seen playing poker until dawn with US$1 000 chips; at the same
swish casino, Bruce Willis has at one point been down $100 000
at the craps table – guess that’s small change to a celebrity like
him!
And it’s not just in Miami’s exclusive clubs that you’ll
find celebs – South Beach is the true epicenter of
beach-side glamour. It’s here that Christina Milian and
Dre of Cool & Dre, Caleigh Peters and Sean Stewart
among others have been snapped strolling the streets
on New Year’s Day, before heading back to the swanky
Art Deco oceanfront Setai hotel, whose rooms on New
Year’s Eve go for between $1 200 and $4 100 a night.
Get into one of these hot-spots on New Year’s Eve, and there’s
no limit to your luck – both at the tables or at celebrity spotting.
Down South
New York
While Sin City is big, bright and beautiful, it’s not the only
place you’ll find the world’s big, bright and beautiful people
ushering in the New Year. New York, which pulsates with an
electric vibe every day of the week, is positively frantic on the
biggest party night of the year. You can get an all-access pass
for Times Square if you like, but if you want to stand out from
the crowd splash out on a ticket for hot clubs like Marquee,
which last year hosted a shindig starring TV host Mario Lopez.
Other sexy social spots to stake out are BLVD, Slate, Home and
Guesthouse.
It isn’t far from Manhattan’s madness to Atlantic City’s classy
hotel and casino Borgata, where celebrities including Drew
Barrymore and Jon Bon Jovi have been seen gambling the
night away. A cool 161 000 square feet, this super-casino
boasts 4 100 slot machines, 200 gaming tables and a separate
85-table poker room amid the building’s gleaming floors,
elegant archways and tall marble columns.
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November 2009
But if you’ve got cash to splash and a tan to keep topped
up, you’ll be heading out to the hotspots at New Year
– literally. The southern hemisphere gets packed out
with VIPs eager to bring in the New Year in bikinis and
sunshine, preferably in the most exotic of destinations.
Last year Beyonce and hubby Jay-Z rang in the New Year
on Nikki Beach in St.Barts in the Caribbean – or rather,
aboard their luxurious 50-foot yacht ‘Galaxy’, which allegedly goes for $200 000 a week. George Clooney was
spotted engaging in some serious New Year’s Eve revelry
in Cabo St Lucas along with Cindy Crawford, Rande
Gerber and Kid Rock, while Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
preferred to have a quiet one away from the crowds at
an exclusive Four Seasons Resort on Costa Rica’s hot and
steamy coast.
Miami
Over in Australia, you’d have found sexy starlets Paris
and Nicky Hilton whooping it up at Sydney’s Bongo Virus party; further south in Melbourne, tennis stars Maria
Sharapova and Andy Roddick are known to frequent
the exclusive VIP Mahogany Room in the dazzling
Crown Casino, one of the largest casinos in the southern
hemisphere.
Shuffle down south and you’ll find Miami pulsating with celebrity-hosted New Year parties. Mansion’s 2009 SoBe Lifewater’s jungle-themed party was seriously spiced up by lesbian
lovers Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson – as if the flying
lizard-like aerial performers and body-painted dancers weren’t
enough. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, Maroon 5’s Adam
Levine and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs have all rung in the New Year
at LIV Nightclub inside the super-glam Fontainebleau Hotel.
So there you have it – if you’re looking to add a splash
of glamour and glitz to your New Year’s Eve, if you
want to party among the party people and fly among
the high-flyers, then forget your plans for the sofa,
TV and a packet of crisps: get out there to the world’s
swankiest clubs and casinos and let loose. Start as you
mean to go on!
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51
gadgets
gadgets
by Roy Johnson
by Roy Johnson
Fun at home
Home entertainment is big and it is set to become even bigger.
So hold on to your hats as we take a look at some of the best in
home entertainment on offer and – some of these are not yet on
the market – the shape of things to come.
Paper computing
A while back we covered the
Livescribe Pulse, a “smartpen” that can
record text and audio while you are taking
notes by hand on paper. You can then move
those digital files onto your PC or laptop.
The original version of the Pulse was a bit
limited in memory, but now there is a 4GB
version available for US$200 or a standard
2GB model for $170. This is a very handy
device to have for work or home use and
really solves the problem of how to manage handwritten notes on paper without
cumbersome scanning.
www.livescribe.com
Virtual pets in 3D?
Sony is still one of the big names in home entertainment and advanced gadgets.
What it has put out as a prototype is a 3D display unit, revealed to the public at
the Tokyo Digital Content Expo 2009. This is a neat tower-shaped unit about a
foot high that displays a 3D image that can be seen without special glasses and
from any viewing angle. This demo version has 24-bit color and a small 96 x 128
pixel screen. It’s early days yet, but watch out for this technology going into production in larger sizes and offering digital photo frames or (maybe) video in the
near future. Even if they just stick to displaying virtual pets, as in this demo model,
it would be great for the children. Of course, Sony has also demonstrated a 3D
system that works with glasses, but this toy has a better way of doing 3D without
the usual limitations. See the review at www.engadget.com
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Home entertainment options
Throw out the bookcase
For better or worse, books are gradually going the way
of 12-inch vinyl records. The Amazon Kindle e-reader,
currently in the DX version, is the big name in this area
but a number of other manufacturers and online bookstores are jumping in. At the top end, there is an upcoming e-reader from Plastic Logic, the QUE proReader, that
will hit the market next year. It has 3G connections and
hooks up to Barnes & Noble’s growing range of e-books.
Thin as a piece of cardboard – just about – it has a
touchscreen display in A4 size and the claim is that you
can do more than just read a book – it will have some
basic document editing abilities as well. Meantime, at
the entry level, there is the Ectaco jetBook Lite. At just
$149, it certainly is the least expensive option but it has
only a five-inch screen and limited onboard memory.
Apart from the well-known Amazon Kindle, Sony also
has an e-reader. There will be plenty happening in this
space in the near future and a variety of devices to suit
different needs.
www.plasticlogic.com/ereader
www.ectaco.com
With flatscreen and digital TV becoming the standard,
some of us are in limbo – do we keep separate systems
for playing DVDs and content off a hard drive or get
everything on to one system? This is the area where
media players or media streamers provide a very useful compromise. With a back end that connects to the
home PC network via Ethernet or USB and a front end
that outputs HDMI for current TV screen models, these
useful devices can also work straight from a hard drive,
using a standard connector. The problem has been the
significant price tag but some vendors will soon be
launching devices in the $130 range. One example is the
upcoming 1080p Box Office media player from Patriot.
With growing numbers of people storing movies on
hard drives and home servers, this is a simple way to
play the film without the hassle of going through the
computer software.
www.patriotmemory.com
Moving the cinema
Unless you are adept at burning disks or can carry your collection around in something that looks like a lunchbox,
it can be annoying if you want a selection of films, but you are visiting friends or family – or just moving to another
part of the house. Portable hard drives make it easy to carry digital media around and they also give the added
benefit of backing up what you own, just in case your puppy eats your favourite DVD. LaCie is a company that specialises in this sort of equipment. Alongside a large range of portable hard drives that go up to 1TB size, LaCie also
offers some high-end media players under the LaCinema banner. These go for anything from $80 to about $500,
depending on just how many features you need – including remote controls for easy viewing. With 1TB of mobile
storage (about 100 DVDs) and a top-end media player, you can take the cinema with you, instead of taking yourself
to the cinema.
www.lacie.com
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53
luck
by Madelaine Page
Making your
resolution stick
Britney Spears is a great example of someone who took her New
Year’s resolutions and changed her whole outlook on life.
Ok, she may still worry a bit, but she looks
much happier; she smiles a lot and she has
kick-started her career big time. Unfortunately she has not been able to stop biting
her nails – but perhaps that is this year’s
resolution.
New Year resolutions are mostly about
breaking old habits or starting new ones to
improve yourself. The date means that hope
and magical thinking play a role as well
and this is why millions of people all over
the world start their year, year in and year
out with resolutions. These vary from losing
weight, to getting their finances in order to
making more money, to going greener, to
getting in shape (join the gym), to relaxing
more and to stopping smoking, drinking or
partying. The list goes on, but these are some
of the more popular.
Unfortunately most of these resolutions do
not survive a quarter of the year. We suggest
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that instead of making your resolution hard work;
you make it fun. Take gambling for instance.
• Not everybody likes reading, but what if
reading could double your chances of
winning? Study the strategies, get tips and
learn how to make the best decisions to put
you on a winning path.
• If you are an avid player, stop for a moment and
make your resolution to learn a new game, or
new slot game. There are plenty of hot games
and slots.
• Keep your eyes and ears open for promotions – to
get a little something extra. In order to attract
players, casinos and on-line sites often run special
drawings, tournaments or double point days.
(See our 12 Days of Festive gambling promotion to
get an early start on your resolutions on page22.)
• How long are you going to play
and with how much money (the
ability to say enough when reaching a winning or losing limit)?
Players who set a limit on how
much they are prepared to lose, or
can afford to lose, avoid financial
or emotional disasters.
• Take some of your winning money
and buy something you’ve always
wanted – thus creating positive/
tangible memories of your gambling experience.
• Successful gamblers keep a log
book. If you don’t know this yet,
the law allows you to deduct
gambling loses up to the amount
of your winnings. But you can
only make use of this if you have
documented your losses. Let’s
face it; this must be the smartest
resolution of them all.
Your resolution
This is a wonderful resolution to
start 2010:
“I will play clever and yes, I will
better my techniques. I will bet in
a way that will keep my bank manager happy. I will accept my losses
with grace and I will definitely
not begrudge others their
good fortune. I will introduce
at least one person to
on-line gambling.
Or better still, I will find a
gambling buddy to help me
stick to my resolutions.”
“I would like to stop worrying so much
because I worry all the time. And
learn how to be happier, just in
general. And to stop biting my nails!”
– Britney Spears
• Talk to fellow gamblers. You will find out that the
most successful ones usually have a game plan.
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luck
by Madelaine Page
Celebrity New Year resolutions:
EVA LONGORIA PARKER –
“To give up meat.”
FERGIE – “It’s always the same: to
work out more and eat healthier. I’m
trying to go organic, eat rawer.”
ASHLEE SIMPSON – “All my focus is
on my son. Every day, being a better
mom and learning with him. It’s an
incredible experience.”
SPENCER PRATT – “To stop eating
pizza every day. I think my wife (Heidi
Montag’s) resolution will make that
happen. She says she’s going to cook.”
CARMEN ELECTRA – “To have more
fun! I was just with Jenny McCarthy not
too long ago, and she said, ‘Carmen, life
is supposed to be fun.’ And I remembered that, it stayed in my head. And
that is my goal.”
JAMIE FOXX – “I’m looking for the right
woman. I need a magnifying glass! I’m
trying to find that rare jewel.”
STEPHANIE PRATT – “I’m making my
boyfriend quit smoking. I’m lazy – that’s
all I’m doing!”
COOLIO – “No bills. Live off other people.
We’re in an economic crunch right now,
so I’m not trying to pay any bills. I want
somebody else to pay my bills, so you get
me like 10 [women] with money. Nah, I’m
just kidding.”
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KANYE WEST – “My resolution is to be as
nice as possible to the press.”
JENNIFER MORRISON – “To learn
Spanish faster. I started doing the Rosetta
Stone program a year ago. I’m getting
there, but I want to get a little more
focused.”
AISHA TYLER – “To be happier! I’m a
pretty happy person, but I try to be as
happy as I can.”
BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN – “It seems to
be to stop smoking every year. We’ll see
how it goes this time.”
KATHY GRIFFIN – “To eat more carbs!”
KIM KARDASHIAN – “Probably just to
continue last year, which was to get in
shape and stop eating sweets. I think
I’m going to continue that because I
broke it a little bit.”
CAMERON DIAZ – “I have always had
the same New Year resolutions: to
stop smoking, to start wearing a bra
and to stop shopping.”
DAVID ARCHULETA – “I would like
to learn more about the music
business that I have gotten into.
I would like to get more involved in
the writing side of music, and also
I’m learning more things about performing and meeting a lot of new
people that I can learn from.”
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luck
luck
by Linda Shaw
by Linda Shaw
Your lucky stars
ARIES
21 March – 19 April
Parents, authority figures and assorted nosy parkers
are interfering in your life. Some maturity is needed
to handle this. Are you throwing tantrums because
you’re unsure of yourself? Or are you allowing them
to state their case, before moving on? The universe is
simply asking you to question your choices. And with
all the melodrama at home and at work, it’s hard for
you to focus. Give yourself strict gambling hours, and
keep track of your winnings. The lover is prospering,
so money is available if not always precisely when
you want it. November and January offer better
career deals, showing you where to improve. There’s
recognition and approval – increasing your confidence and chance of success. November is marvellous. You deserve a little of that.
Lucky numbers: 3, 5, 18, 21, 28
Lucky days: Tuesday, Saturday
TAURUS
20 April – 20 May
November is a fantastic month – one to capitalise
on. The earth energy supports your innate wisdom,
as your practical abilities become prize possessions.
Your 2010 ambitions are taking off early, spending
the next few months germinating and exploring.
The career is about to show you what all the hard
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November 2009
work was about. Commitment is the next step; to
your game, your convictions, the people in your life.
Between 26 December and 15 January your money
planet charges off on a mission of its own, leaving
behind innovating thinking and courageous moves.
Trust is needed here; although when something
feels strange, back away at once. Your greatest flaw is
your determination to be right. Remind yourself that,
sometimes, true rightness only reveals itself when all
the cards have been dealt.
Lucky numbers: 1, 3, 12, 16, 27
Lucky days: Wednesday, Friday
GEMINI
21 May – 20 June
Money, amazingly, is the root of all love, entertainment and success. The planets want you wealthy
enough to manifest all desires. Between 1 November
and 20 December, your luck is rushing about, hunting
high and low for new ways to create abundance. Try
different things, except between 26 December and
15 Janaury when reliable routines are hopeless and
courage is vital. Early December demands physical
expressions. Make time for exercise, walking round
the block between games. And when you’ve done
that, spare a moment for a fragmented love life.
Hiding from pain doesn’t mean you won’t feel pain.
Besides, every relationship brings equal potential for
joy. After 20 December the planet of fire and passion
Previous
Your gambling horoscope from
November 2009 to January 2010
starts looking for trouble and hoping for fun. Any
lies will be discovered. In short, don’t do anything
even vaguely dodgy from mid-December to midJanuary. Unless you want to be caught.
Lucky numbers: 3, 4, 24, 28, 32
Lucky days: Wednesday, Thursday
CANCER
21 June – 22 July
Finding a secure core amidst the madness of daily
life is your lesson. Your career has gone berserk, for a
start, leaving you with more financial uncertainties
than are comfortable. Not that you’re really concerned. But you will have to wait until mid-January
to find a definite path. The love life is better, except
in December, when nothing works, and you’re learning to appreciate love as it is, rather than as you’d
like it to be. The planets of lust and wildness are
everywhere, pounding on your door, demanding
attention. Let them in. In November you can’t fail,
and after that, your instincts will be so fantastic you
won’t give failure a thought. December is difficult,
but not impossible. The family, of course, needs
more of your time. How about actually opening that
diary and making some plans? By mid-January all
you’ll need is an enormous pot to rake in the bucks.
There’ll be plenty. Luck is saying yes.
Lucky numbers: 8, 13, 19, 21, 40
Lucky days: Monday, Saturday
LEO
23 July – 22 August
The social life is usurping all your energy and stealing all your time. Nothing wrong with that, as long
as you’re making some time for yourself. Love is
delirious and extremely naughty. Do your very best
to stay away from friends’ lovers. Share gambling
tips in December and January, and use November
for building up your stash. Meanwhile, how about
using that wildly lascivious streak to make some
money? Creative instincts are at their peak, and if
you can step away from your need to control and
trust yourself you’ll be enormously pleased with the
results. The last two weeks of January will seem slow
and frustrating – excellent training for patience and
discipline. Travel is likely then, too, so take a laptop.
And try to behave. You know you can.
Lucky numbers: 5, 7, 9, 23, 32
Lucky day: Saturday, Sunday
VIRGO
23 August – 22 September
Excellent. The planet of hard work and endless criticism is giving you a break after a very long year of
abuse and trial. Breathe a sigh of relief. Of course, the
drama will be back for a last thrust between April and
July; after which it really will leave you alone so make
the most of this time to explore your options and
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59
luck
luck
by Linda Shaw
by Linda Shaw
maximize your gifts. You’re one of the lucky ones who
are able to survive and even flourish in trying times
and able to create magic in good ones. Best of all, you
get to shine while others are still learning the rules
– specificically 20 December to 15 January, when
the planets desert you, leaving nothing but fabulous
instincts and extraodinary luck to pull you through.
Meanwhile November is a happy, successful month;
the kind you mistrust, but shouldn’t. December and
January have their own stresses, with additional
planetary strangeness tilting you off course. Not that
you’re disturbed. You have creative genius combined
with practical brilliance. You will always make a plan
(except perhaps in the love life, which needs work
and the occasional apology).
Lucky numbers: 2, 6, 12, 18, 29
Lucky days: Wednesday, Friday
LIBRA
23 September – 22 October
November is superb. After that the planets slow
down, taking longer to bring you what you want.
Not a terrible thing. You simply need to shift your
approach. Plans are long term and progress is measured. One good thing: you have more free time.
When you’re gambling, play with a friend, bringing your social life home. The love life improves in
January, bringing contentment and a wonderful
tolerance for each other’s peculiarities. One thing
though: December brings wild, risk-taking mad
moments. January is more cautious; sometimes
even nervous. Try spreading your risks, making sure
you have back-up or a sane partner. There’s money
to be made, but only if you listen to your instincts
instead of that much noisier ego. In November,
you’ll be happier playing alone. That argumentative
streak is sneaking out. Leave it to play by itself.
Lucky numbers: 1, 7, 9, 19, 22
Lucky days: Friday, Tuesday
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Grand Edition 9
November 2009
SCORPIO
23 October – 21 November
Watch your neck and throat. They’re vulnerable now,
needing comfortable positions, particularly when
gambling for long hours. That wonderful Scorpio
discipline evaporates in December, leaving you with
scattered thoughts and fuzzy directions. Now’s your
chance to tune into the cosmos and get creative.
Besides, your love life is fabulous, sustaining you
through those frightened moments. By
15 January the structure has returned and once
more you know what you’re doing. Still your
personality is changing and your desires along with
it. Be willing to experiment until you find your new
niche. November starts early, settling you into a completely different space, offering untried gambling
options and unusual techniques. The career’s going
well, and the love life keeps you on your toes. Meanwhile, there’s money to be made – but only if you’re
flexible and willing to change. Not a terrible request.
Lucky numbers: 2, 8, 22, 35, 44
Lucky days: Friday, Saturday
SAGITTARIUS
22 November – 21 December
November is superb. Early December is madly entertaining. By mid-December, though, the planets
move into ‘stall’ position, leaving you wondering
what’s happened to your carefully laid plans. Don’t
fret. The process is in motion – just taking a little
longer than you’d hoped. Focus on home and family until 20 December, after which you’ll have some
time for yourself. You’re not the type to sit about
gambling for hours at a time. You seize your
moments, switching games and sites until you’re
bored and coming back at different times as
the mood descends. Once you understand that
about yourself, you can plan your life around your
Previous
gambling sprees. January is personal pleasure
month. You get to do whatever you like – without
any complaints from anyone. The planets are right
behind you, shoving you towards success. After 15
January though, the planets become a little snippy,
demanding adult choices and responsible
behavior. But there are plenty of fun moments
before that. And quite a few after.
Lucky numbers: 5, 6, 11, 15, 25
Lucky days: Wednesday, Thursday
CAPRICORN
22 December – 19 January
One of the downsides of wealth is that you’re
forced to pay attention to it. Sounds strange,
doesn’t it? And since you’re far too anxious about
your money, you’re liable to sabotage your big
moment. Don’t do it. Either get someone to manage your money for you, or learn something more
about the markets. In fact, both. Your money planet
jolts forward on 2 December after months of
languishing. Your judgement is fabulous and
your instincts keen. Bring friends and lovers into
your circle, spreading the luck around. January
continues the lucky streak, especially before the
15 January, but even so, drama with jealous friends
and demanding loves creates friction – if you let it.
The fact is relationships are being tested, while money is plonked on your doorstep, waiting to be noticed.
Pay attention. You can have it all, if you’re careful.
Lucky numbers: 4,16,18, 24,35
Lucky days: Saturday, Monday
AQUARIUS
20 January – 18 February
Laptops out. Travel is on the cards and lucky
surprises (money) are the virtually guaranteed in
November and the first half of January.
December is more demanding, wanting you to
take a second look at morality, spirituality, family
values and things you’d rather think about
some other time. A turning point for love is
20 December and will affect your mood and lift
your luck quotient. Still, there’s a blue moon (two
full moons in one month) and one eclipse in December, bringing magic, opportunity and loads of
courage. Over Christmas and New Year take a few
breaks and ask for less. Instant gratification
(an Aquarian favorite) is delayed between
26 December and 15 January – annoyingly transformed into ‘rewards only when you behave’. The
second eclipse on 15 January 2010 brings to light
‘that which has been hidden’. So if you’ve got any
secrets, hide them in a better place.
Lucky numbers: 5, 8, 17, 22, 34
Lucky days: Satuday, Sunday
PISCES
19 February – 20 March
You’re not safe to be let out alone in
November. Take someone sane with you and
combine your skills to whip up some magic. Your
judgement is fabulos, but only if you pause for
breath before throwing your money at every
passing movement. By December you’ve sobered
up, to the extent that transformation (for the better, obviously) is your only concern. You’re throwing out anything that no longer serves you. You’re
independent, and determined to take charge.
Excellent. Even so, don’t expect any great wins
before early January. December is for exploration
and fun. But by January, you’re implementing
longer-term goals. Your social life, meanwhile, is
whizzing along, and your love life almost makes
sense. For a change. Nice.
Lucky numbers: 7, 9, 14, 16, 35
Lucky days: Thursday, Sunday
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61
talk
by Giselle Willcox
Priced to party
Did you know that the most expensive party in the world was
thrown by the Sultan of Brunei? He threw the party of parties
in 1996 to celebrate his 50th birthday.
I
’d also celebrate turning
50 if it meant I could have
had Michael Jackson
performing at my party – for a cool
US$16 million. Then add a little caviar,
some chilled champagne and a few
other delectable delights and you
have a little shindig setting you back
$27.2 million.
If the Sultan had wanted to go big,
which clearly he did, he might have
opted, say, for the world’s most expensive caviar. A little fishy, you think,
to pay $700 an ounce for fish eggs?
Probably not so for the Sultan, who,
if he had been prepared to party,
would have been paying around
$25 000 a kilogram.
Now had you, in the spirit of the
world’s most expensive party, wanted
to send the Sultan, you guessed it, the
world’s most expensive birthday card,
you could have done so for around
UK£30 000. Because this is how much
the world’s most expensive birthday
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Grand Edition 9
card was expected to fetch back in
2001. Joan Hardee was given it for her
70th birthday. It consisted of a Damien
Hirst painting with a personalised
‘happy birthday’ dedication in the
corner of the painting.
But for most women, cards are easily
outdone. If you want to impress
a lady, then send her a box of
chocolates. And if you really want to
impress her, then send her the finest
chocolates ever. To do this, you’ll
need to go to MarieBelle in New
York. Because at MarieBelle – and
for $15 000 – you can buy the most
expensive box of chocolates in the
world. But you’ll also have to throw in
the cost of a trip to the Big Apple to
get your hands on the Big Chocolate.
Because to feed this particular fetish,
you’ll have to make the purchase in
person! And you’ll have to pay cash.
extravagance. The world’s most
expensive cigar brand, La Excepcion.
Discontinued in 1985, it made La
Excepcion’s ‘Jose Gener Gran Gener’,
its top cigar ever, a collector’s item. It
is a full-flavored, medium-strength
Havana cigar, of which there are very
few left in the world. Planning to
party with one of these babies? You
can. For $682.80 a pop.
And if Christmas isn’t the biggest
party of them all, then why not make
merry with the world’s most outrageous Christmas tree? If you do, then
a six-metre Christmas tree from
Soo Kee Jewellery in Singapore
can be yours – along with 21 798
diamonds. And a price tag of
$1 005 000.
Heaven
ho-ho-ho
help us!
And while you’re about
buying, you might want
to indulge in the ultimate
November 2009
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