Vale do Lobo – Concert on the Course

Saturday, 11th July will see the wonderful Algarve Orchestra return to Vale do Lobo for the annual Concert on the Course – one of the resort’s most popular events that combines the beauty and elegance of
the unique setting of the 18th hole of the Ocean Golf Course, by sunset, with a truly magical repertoire of classical sounds.

This year’s special guests will be renowned conductor Laurent
Wagner and Fausto Corneo – clarinet soloist – and performances
will include; Small Suite by Claude Debussy, Concert for Clarinet and Orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Midsummer Night’s Dream
by Felix Mendelssohn.

The Concert on the Course event commences at 20:30h and lasts approximately for an hour. Tickets are priced at €25
(half price for under 16s) or €23 to Proprietors’ Club members
and are available from Vale do Lobo Resort Reception.

You can also contact IRG for your ticket; please send an email to info@irgportugal.com or call us at +351 289 397 653

Nuno Durão – IRG’s Very Own Rugby Star

Nuno Durão

We have already reported on this blog about Nuno’s rugby career but it makes us proud to see that his talents on the field do not go unnoticed!! And even better when praises come from sports journalists like in this case: http://ur7s.com/news/265/hosts_cra_portuense_victorious_at_el_puerto_sevens .

We look forward to more positive reviews on Nuno.

It seems we have quite the sports stars in the IRG team!! – I myself hope to make it to the next Olympics – then again, not really!

 

 

Mario Sardo – It’s all about Cricket! … well, and property!

Mario Sardo

Mario Sardo

IRG’s Mario Sardo is the company’s cricket star and he plays for Barrington’s Cricket Club in Vale do Lobo.

Not possessing any knowledge about the sport or its rules myself, I will of course refrain from making elaborate remarks on the team’s techniques and/or tactics but can say that although the outcome of the matches hasn’t been favourable to the team, their on ground determination has already sparked media interest and very positive reviews for these newcomers to the Portuguese cricket league.

Barrington´s third match of the of the season will take place this Sunday against the Portuguese national champions in Lisbon. We will keep our fingers crossed for the team’s success but hope at the same time that our Mario Sardo does not give up his day job as Property Consultant for IRG.”

IRG embraces Social Networking

Well, we couldn’t really escape it! We, like the rest of the world, are becoming increasingly aware of these networks’ outreach and have decided to assess its potentials, which we understand are enormous and worth exploring.

And the choice is a difficult one. There are endless social media tools available out there that we can all benefit from.

Being a company focused on luxury real estate, connected with several international networks, tools like Twitter and Facebook are a great way to communicate with those partners.

Twitter’s microblogging, for example, can be a great marketing tool. Many real estates use it to promote listings. With Facebook you may launch a topic for discussion with your network partners, where everyone can join in, make suggestions and who knows help you solve a problem or clear a doubt much faster than before.

But these are merely two of the tools available and those in the industry really need to have a look at the offer and determine which one, or which ones will benefit them the most.

At IRG we have decided to give Twitter and Facebook a go. Though taking baby steps still, we are determined to find out how far these two can take us.

You can follow us on Twitter on http://twitter.com/IRGIntlRG or join IRG International Realty Group on Facebook.

Cocktail Nights at Couleur France

Couleur France

At 6pm, there will be drinks. There will be 6 tapas. It will be on the 6th day.

Couleur France is the place to be on a Friday night. Located near Almancil, it is now recognised as one of the top 20 restaurants in the Algarve by Michelin. It is the time to explore Couleur France.

Chill in the champagne bar, relax and unwind in the gardens and celebrate the start of your weekend.

Brazilian jazz is sure to put you in the party mood, enjoy the champagne, caipirinhas, a great wine or beer.

Their Chef, John Thompson, will be creating a new food scene each Friday with tapas, tasters, tempters and delights all included in the price of your drink.

For more information have a look at the Inspirations Newsletter.

Mario Sardo: Cricket for Charity

Mário Sardo (front row, first left)

Wormsley Cricket Ground

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Cure Leukaemia Charity Cricket Day at the Paul Getty Estate in Buckinghamshire.

Cure Leukaemia is a registered charity which was founded in October 2003. It was set up to support an innovative center for Clinical Haematology at the University Hospital Birmingham known generally as the Leaukaemia Centre. This centre aims to provide new drug and transplant therapies for leukaemia patients. It is being achieved by providing support for an established team of world class scientists and clinicians who are working together to develop new and highly effective treatments for leukaemia. In addition, the Leukaemia Centre strives to support patients and give access to information and resources.

Since 2004 £3.2 million has been raised by the charity. This has been spent on the new Leukaemia Centre, the funding of fourteen research nurses, statisticians and coordinators and equipment as well support for the patients. The results are startling and have attracted nearly £12 million of pro bono drugs donated by pharmaceutical companies for clinical trials which will benefit patients who are part of the trials at the Leukaemia Centre.

Wormsley has been described as the most beautiful cricket ground in England and anyone who has played cricket there will never forget the experience. Sir Paul Getty was a devotee of all things English, especially the most English of games, cricket. His vision and creation of an Arcadian cricket ground at Wormsley was a source of joy to him and his family. Her Majesty The Queen Mother, Sir John Major, Michael Caine, Dennis Compton and Brian Johnston were amongst those that enjoyed play at the inaugural game in 1992. Since then Wormsley has seen great winnings from many players including 100’s from Brian Lara, Graham Gooch, Imran Khan, Andrew Flintoff and Mike Gatting.

The Cricket Day was attended by leading Warwickshire county cricketers, the club’s chosen charity for 2009. Guests enjoyed Pimms and Lemonade under the marque, overlooking the immaculate field of play and the sloping Chiltern Hills beyond. Red Kites wheeled overhead, floating on the air currents while the matches unfolded on a perfect summers afternoon.

A grand auction was held aiming to raise further support for the new leaukeamia center which included Stanley Matthew paintings, signed limited edition print of Warwickshire players and a signed 20/20 Warwiskcshire County Shirt to name but a few items. The Exclusive Vale do Lobo Golf Resort & Spa kindly offered a weekend for two including a round of golf and spa treatment which will be auctioned off at the Cure Leukaemia Christmas Ball in December when the charity hopes to raise more support for this much needed cause.

Mario Sardo
Senior Property Consultant at IRG International Realty Group

Quinta do Lago Wine and Food Event

From June 5th to June 7th Quinta do Lago will host the first wine and food festival. It will take place in Quinta Shopping and will provide visitors with an insight into Portuguese wine and Portuguese gastronomy.

 Among other activities it will have:

•  Wine tastings
• Wine workshops
• Live cooking
• A golf tournament
• Dinner tastings

 For more information on this event please go to www.sensusvini.com.

Carina’s romantic weekend suggestion: Quinta do Mar da Luz, Lagos, Algarve

Carina de Sousa and partner

Pool at Quinta do Mar da Luz

As a birthday present from my partner João, I received a voucher for a romantic weekend at Quinta do Mar nestled on the stunning Lagos coastline, western Algarve.

We arrived within just a half an hour’s drive at this amazing Hotel and we were absolutely fascinated with the traditional Algarve architecture, beautifully landscaped gardens, modern facilities and breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel’s manager, Dona Conceição and staff were very friendly and always there to cater for our every need with a smile.

On Saturday night we went for dinner at a local restaurant in Luz, the well-known fishermen’s village located only a few kilometers from Lagos city. Afterwards, we went for a pleasant stroll in Praia da Luz. On Sunday morning we enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast on the garden deck terrace overlooking the lovely gardens and sea views.

Before our journey back home we toured around this magnificent tranquil retreat feeling very relaxed in such a peaceful atmosphere.

The Algarve clearly has hidden paradises waiting to be discovered!

Carina de Sousa
Marketing Coordinator at IRG International Realty Group

Luxury Food on Sale

For a week, some of Lisbon’s finest restaurants will be serving their best dishes at a very affordable price.

It’s the Lisbon Restaurant week, which has been going on since May 21^st and has already been extended up to June 4^th, due to the great success of the initiative.

The goal behind the idea is to give everyone the chance to try great cuisine at a price everyone can afford.

The first restaurant week took place in New York in 1993 and 90 restaurants participated. Nowadays, over 10.000 apply but only those that meet the high standards are selected.

Below are the Lisbon restaurants that are part of this Lisbon Restaurant Week.

 Ah! Almost forgot: Bon apetit!!!

1. A Varanda- Hotel Ritz (só jantar)
2. Alecrim às Flores
3. Alma
4. Aviz
5. Bocca
6. Casa da Comida
7. Clara
8. Coisas de Comer
9. Comida de Santo
10. Conventual
11. Cop´3
12. Eleven (só almoço)
13. Faz Figura
14. Flores- Bairro Alto Hotel
15. Gemelli
16. Il Gattopardo
17. L´Appart- Tiara Park Atlantic Hotel
18. Lord´s Bistrô
19. Mezzaluna
20. Olivier Café
21. Quinta dos Frades (só almoço)
22. Spot São Luiz
23. Suite Food and Dance- Casino de Lisboa
24. Taberna- El Corte Inglês
25. Varanda de Lisboa-Hotel Mundial
26. XL

IRG’s Client Referral Programme

Ole Jespersen, Managing Director of IRG International Realty Group

At IRG International Realty Group we always try and provide our clients with excellent services but perhaps one of the true tests of an excellent real estate company is when your client is prepared to recommend you to family, friends or other businesses.

We are proud to have built our strong reputation both national and internationally on such personal recommendations, with a significant percentage of our business coming from client referrals.

We are extremely appreciative to our clients for their continued business with us, and for recommending IRG International Realty Group to other potential clients looking for quality advise, full service and a professional attitude. We have therefore decided to introduce a “Client Referral Program” for us to acknowledge the benefits gained from your positive word of mouth and direct referrals.

Therefore if you are happy with our levels of service you have received from us, and you recommend us to other clients; if your recommendation leads to us gaining business as a result, we will reward you, as a way of saying thank you. The rewards are in the form of wine presents, luxurious weekends or longer stays in international resorts.

For more information about our “Client Referral Program” please contact:

IRG International Realty Group

Ms. Sandra Évora

IRG Head Office Lisbon

Avenida da Liberdade nº230-1º 1250-148 Lisboa

T.: +351 210 305 022

E.: sandra@irgportugal.com

W. www.irgportugal.com