London Fashion Week's Finest...?!

Now I don't claim to be anywhere close to in touch with fashion, but come on!

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Tom "Peanut" Lee entertains the crowds at the fringe

Congratulations Tom Lee aka peanut for a cracking performance. Was great to see you even though for a brief time at Edinburgh. Think some of these photos show you at your best....Stud!

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The Countdown Begins...

With the countdown to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa already underway in the office (632 days!) – we think it’s time to highlight and praise the talented footballers Africa has produced over the last few decades.  Each week we see the talent of today’s young African contingent gracing the Premiership – from your Adebayor’s to your Zakora’s - but what about the sporting legacy left to them by the original African Allstars?…

Eusebio (Mozambique) - Eusebio was a star for Benfica and Portugal throughout the 1960s, winning the Golden Boot at the 1966 World Cup and scoring the two goals that gave Benfica the 1962 European Cup. Until recently, Eusebio was Portugal's all-time top scorer, hitting 41 in 64 games. For Benfica he struck an astonishing 727 goals in 715 matches!

George Weah (Liberia) - Arsène Wenger brought Weah from Tonnere Yaoundé to Monaco in 1988 and even now says the Liberian is the purchase of whom he's most proud. With AC Milan he won Serie A twice and was voted European and World Footballer of the Year. He could have played for France but turned down repeated requests in order to represent Liberia, where he led them to an improbable qualification for the 1996 and 2002 African Cups of Nations and within a point of the 2002 World Cup finals - but also funded the FA from his own pocket.

Roger Milla (Camerooon) - Voted African Footballer of the Year in 1976 and won the African Cup of Nations in 1984 and 1988. He was 30 when he appeared for Cameroon at Spain 1982 and went on to score four goals at Italia 90 and was one of the tournament's great successes. He also played at USA 94, scoring against Russia at the age of 42 to break his own record as the tournament's oldest goal scorer.

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New Bond film scenes in Bolivia, or are they?

Here in the office, we're all as excited as you obviously are about the new James Bond film, coming out in November. According to the film, part of his mission takes place in Bolivia. In reality though, they actually did all that filming about 50 miles from the Bolivian border in Chile. They claim that film permits were almost impossible to obtain for Bolivia. We can only deduce one thing from this, that Quest groups are even more intrepid than 007!

Here's a taster though...


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How are you earning money for your gap year?

Car washing, begging letters, long term loans from the parents, a combination of all of the above?!

We hope the earning (and saving) is going well and want to help where we can. For example, one student came to see us today and was offered a place on one of our Villa Maria teams. She's hoping to earn her money working in a nearby shop, and is waiting to hear back from them shortly. So I hope it helps if she lets them know her gap year organiser is plugging them on our website.

For all your baby shopping needs in South London, look no further than Petit Bateau on the Northcote Road, Clapham!


How can they say no to you now!
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Chinese Proverb of the week

Check back next week for yet another gem.

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Let's hear it for our paralympians

I'm sure we're all extremely proud of our athletes' achievements in the Olympics this year. Those 19 golds weren't the end of it though, check out the table for the paralympics

Didn't we do well, again!

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£10 million for a dead shark in a tank?!

Modern artist Damien Hirst is surely going to be celebrating this week, after selling about 50 of his pieces at Sothebys for a total of £70million, including his famous "Kingdom" piece - a dead tiger shark preserved in a tank of formaldehyde.

The question I have is where would you want to display this in the house?! A bit much for the lounge, a bit disturbing for the kitchen. It might work in the bathroom I guess, at least people wouldn't linger too long in the bath...!

Anyone who is tempted by something similar though hasn't left it too late, as the auction continues today and tomorrow in Sothebys - check out the collection:

http://www.sothebys.com/
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Something to bring a smile to your face on a monday morning

I have no idea who this child belongs to but it was shown to me over the weekend and it made me laugh.


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Only 162 days until the 2009 Rio Carnival...

...and they've already started rehearsing!

Music, costume designs and dance routines are decided 5 months before the carnival parade itself, nowhere else is partying such serious business.

As a teaser for the Quest group taking part in the parade next year, here is a look at what what they need to be ready for...


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