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News from Wendy and the timeforone.com teamFresh thinking and ideas to explore what the world has to offer in your own time - that was the very reason I began timeforone.com. With many a solo experience under my belt while travelling and working around the world, it seemed natural to begin a guide, and find a reviewer panel to look for great places with warm atmospheres open to individuals. At timeforone.com we find places to either enjoy your 'me-time' or meet new folk. So when we come across an interesting idea we try it out, on our own of course, and pass the ideas on to you. To receive updates and copies of the editor's blog, please sign up to the site. If you'd like to, you can read more about us and our story. 
It’s summertime Baby! Yeah!3rd July, 2008 |
And what does this mean? It is time for you to get out and journey to that destination that will leave your fragmented self feeling renewed, refreshed and oh, so satisfied.
For the aqua adorer in youSummer equates with fun in the sun and in the water…doesn’t it? Check out: AdventureYogi
Run down?: Become a WaterYogi in Sardinia. Begin your day with a revitalizing yoga class followed by a delicious brunch accompanied by picturesque views of Corsica. Decide which water sport to revel in: sailing, diving, kitesurfing or maybe you just want a pleasant swim in the unspolit waters of the Mediterranean. You be the judge.
Don’t wait: The adventure begins 31 August.
Bonus: If surfing is your water sport of choice, a SurfYogi holiday is available with a special offer for timeforone.com members  Remember to sign in to view full features. Click here for more info on AdventureYogi... For the animal lover in you Ever dream of tracking gorillas in Rwanda??? Dream no more.
Check out: Face Africa
Run down? This is a relaxed and casual holiday where you can meet like-minded adventurers as you trace gorillas and chimps in East Africa. Indulge in a safari, you may meet lovable animals like lions, elephants, zebras and gazelles. Put the icing on the cake of your escapade with a swim in Lake Bunyonyi.
Don’t wait: Avoid the rain and book now for August or September.
Bonus: Special offer available for timeforone.com members. 
Click here for more info... For the altruistic angel in you
Is it time for you to give back to the world? A trek to Kenya is the ticket.
Check out: Skills Venture
Run down? Use your business skills to aide entrepreneurs in Kenya. Share your tools in a one-on-one environment that is chilled and fulfilling. While on your benevolent stay, time is available to enjoy game drives, guided nature walks, rock climbing and the businessman/woman’s favourite pastime, golf.
Don’t wait: Good to go anytime of year, however large crowds start to lift around September. 
Click here for more info... For the lapper of luxury in you Isn’t basking in luxury what a holiday is all about? Why not detox in luxury too…
Check out: Yogahikes
Run down? Think Ashram, California, but with tasty vegetarian Tuscan cuisine sans alcohol to keep the spirit of detox. Rise and shine hikes are led through the countryside followed by a silent yoga class to maintain the meditative state achieved during the hike. Retire in the evening to your private room in a deluxe 16th century wine and olive estate.
Don’t wait: This only happens twice a year and May has come and gone so book for September pronto.
Click here for more info... No waiting around, take the summer for yourself! And please mention timeforone.com. Wendy and the timeforone.com team x |
bTWEEN 200820th June, 2008 timeforone.com will be participating in the bTWEEN conference at theManchester Museum of Science and Industry. Come and join in or watch on line.
May time Me time!2nd May, 2008
Fingers crossed the sun is coming out and the bank holiday weekend can spring into action. If you’re in London this weekend you can still get the holiday vibe. timeforone.com is full of inspiring ideas to step into on your own. Our reviews are free to read with a simple sign-in, if you have questions, ask us attimeforme@timeforone.com i skate 
If you fancy livening up Friday night and you enjoy skating and a breath of fresh air, take to the streets with the London Friday Night Skate. Tonight they plan to head up to Arsenal, and around the stadium at half time - anyone experienced enough to keep up the pace is welcome, even cyclists join in. The meeting point is Wellington Arch at 8pm (they announce at 5pm whether the weather will permit). Read our review and one man’s inspired evening, where you can link through to their site to check the updates. For beginners there’s also the slower paced Sunday Rollerstroll. Get your skates on. i explore 
Transform your experience of the Capital with a Soundmap walking tour, Brick Lane is the latest release in the series of charismatic, downloadable audio tours following adventures through Soho, Brixton, Camden and Chelsea. Perfect for the long weekend when you can catch a quieter moment to yourself in town. Our readers receive a discount and the download will cost just over a fiver. Click here to read our review and get going. i escape Wondering why you didn’t plan ahead? We’ve found mini-breaks and longer adventures all to be enjoyed for one. Here’s an idea for later this month, up in the hills of Italy, with or without yoga. In Sabina are running a very special "Vinyasa Flow and Beyond" retreat between 17-24 May at their beautiful and tranquil hillside paradise outside Rome. 
The retreat classes will be led by the highly experienced team behind Goa's Flying Monkey Yoga, Alison Hawkins and Oskar Nery, and promise to develop personal yoga practice as well as offering lots of fun. Vinyasa Flow is based on Astanga Vinyasa, Anusara and traditional Hatha Yoga principals, and is a strong, dynamic and fluid style suitable for all levels. During the week participants will also be able to attend a series of separate workshops focusing on particular groups of postures including hip openers, back bending, spinal alignment and rotation, and inversions. 
As always, Giulia and the In Sabina team will also be on hand to organise massage, treatments, activities and excursions, and meals will be provided from the organic kitchen garden. It promises to be both a stimulating and relaxing week. And, if you want to enjoy In Sabina but don’t fancy the yoga you can still attend the week at a reduced rate. Read more about the retreat in our review of In Sabina here. To find out more and to make a booking please contactgiulialandor@tiscali.it – don't forget to mentiontimeforone.com Here's to a great Bank Holiday Weekend for you all. Wendy and the timeforone.com team x |
16th April, 2008  | | |
Just taking a little time for one... Sometimes, to make the most of life you have to act a little spontaneously, or opportunistically one might say. We at timeforone.com select opportunities for you. Close to home or far away, it’s very simple - you just need yourself to decide. Our reviews cover everything from the simple pleasures in life to the once in a lifetime trips. Where do we find our inspiration? Not only do we experience our own solo adventures, we love to hear yours, and now we’ve taken to asking inspired individuals all about their time for one. So read on for inspirational ideas, and our interview with Tom Savage, the 2007 young entrepreneur of the year. Fresh air for one...
Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House: Simple, natural and free - a dose of me-time on London’s doorstep. Next time you notice the sun is out (and the hail is at bay) you can take fresh perspective over and above London. Hampstead Heath is a holiday in itself, trails within the park lead you to Kenwood House where you can take a coffee, lunch and look around the exhibition if you wish. Read our review.
Fresh fitness for one... 
WildFitness in Crete: this team are bringing the tricks from their African camp to a hillside hamlet in Crete this June. Getting fit is a choice you have to make on your own, but once you’re there this holiday offers team support in a beautiful and de-toxing environment. Our readers benefit from a £100 discount . Read about it here. Fresh moves for one... 
Fancy learning to dance in a group environment with professional standard partners? Across London, Simply Dancing Partners run dance courses that are brilliant to approach on your own. In fact, if you do have another half, we advise you leave them at home and enjoy the professionals. Our readers get their 1st class ½ price when buying course of 6. Read our review Fresh thinking for one... 
Stimulate your mind and join the Dana Centre in South Kensington for stimulating discussions on hot topics. We have loved our evenings here – it’s a great place to go on your own, buy a drink and settle down at one of the tables for the interactive discussions. You can fuel any interest here with unusual discussions on the science of life. Next week’s topics cover virtual identities, counting music and enhancing bodies. Read about it here Remember you can read all our reviews and use our special offers for free as a signed-up reader. As always, please ask for any sign-up support and ask any questions. And finally, who better to inspire you to get out there and do your own thing than Tom Savage, 2007 Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Here are his thoughts: An interview with Tom Savage It takes an inspiringly entrepreneurial and independent-thinking character to have created 3 successful companies by the age of 27, having already left one very successful career in the city and advised the cabinet on social reform. Living in a house of six, Tom Savage shows that he’s able to share his time with long-standing friends while still making time and loving doing his own thing. timeforone.com aims to revolutionise the concept of being on your own. How do you feel about times on your own? Well, the Dalai Lama said: “Spend some time alone every day.”
It’s suggested you give yourself one hour on certain days to do an activity you truly enjoy. Work on a hobby, do some exercise, go for a walk, or read a book. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you enjoy it. These breaks will help you renew your energy and concentration. Or even try doing nothing; try sitting in a quiet room thinking about nothing for at least 20 minutes, twice a day. It’s common now for maxed-out professionals to be turning to daily meditation to lower blood pressure, prolong concentration, and crank up creative juices. Almost all entrepreneurs share similar behaviours - breaking out and do their own thing. In all senses – how I live my life emotionally, professionally and spiritually, all my friends would accuse me of being independent. Accuse you of being independent? That implies it to be a sin of some sort! I love spending time on my own I’m not very good at being pinned down professionally or anywhere by people telling me what to do. I live with six people, I love communal living and I love my friends. My best friends and I lived together at university and have done for over a decade now. You live a busy life and must need to take some time, and you’re obviously aware of this citing the Dalai Lama. So where’s your favourite place to go on your own? Hampstead Heath - the highlight is Parliament Hill - where if you walk back along the ridge you can see an incredible natural version of a church nave in which the leaves fold out into layers of rich autumnal colours. And then there are Kew Gardens in London, and the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh from my time at University. How about indoor places? I would go to the cinema – but not the pub. I’m a member of the Electric Cinema which is ideal, and it also gives access to the private Soho House areas which are good on your own. Do you like travelling for fun on your own? I love travelling, for many years I went backpacking, and then to Madgascar, twice, and India, but I find that travelling I prefer the company of people I have deep relationships with as opposed to the meeting and greeting new people every day. So I don’t travel by myself for pleasure, I prefer to have a solid friend, the rock of someone. But then again, travelling on your own can be a good thing, or to do something specific that you’re interested in but your friends aren’t. I went to Goa recently on my own and wondered ‘How do I get an in with everyone?’ Then I met someone on the beach within the first couple of days and spent two weeks with them. You wouldn’t be able to manage that depth of relationship travelling with someone else. So you don’t like travelling solo for fun but you went to Goa on your own for 3 weeks? Well, I was on my way to meet friends, and had that time there, but as I say, it’s a good situation to be in if it works. How about your own travel company, how does Blue Ventures cater to individuals wanting to step into a travel experience on their own? Blue Ventures is an incredible destination or a journey. It’s designed for individuals, and it’s somewhere you can meet 15-20 like-minded others and do something different but hugely valuable. I developed the organisation with Alasdair Harris, one of my best mates from university. So how else do you take time to balance out such a busy city schedule? I retreat to a thatched cottage in Wiltshire, it belongs to a friend. I take three days and use the time to be alone. Essentially people run try to run away from the fact that there are times in life when they’re ‘on their own’. There’s no need for this attitude, and it’s important to maintain calm in life. What advice would you offer to any aspiring entrepreneur out there? 1) Just do it.
2).Work out quickly how to monetise your business.
3) It is essential that within 3-5 yrs you can be running a business that allows you to take year long holiday and still have the company grow in your absence.
4) Ration time and focus time. Delegate wherever possible. Imagine your time is worth £100 an hour and only do tasks valuable to that. Remember business is not about making money. Every day is about growing yourself personally, professionally and spiritually. But money is the engine-room. Thank you Tom. So, timeforone readers - it's time for you to get out there and do your own thing! Wendy and the timeforone.com team x inspire others - forward this to your friends! | 
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It's all about me...27th March, 2008 timeforone.com is bursting with ideas for ways to revitalise your life and reconnect with your passions. Better still – we personally review and write about places to enjoy on your own so there’s no need to wait around for anyone! Indulge in yourself and take some time for one…. If you picked up a leaflet at the Vitality Show, here are the links to see the full articles, scroll down to read the calendar of holiday ideas thoughout the year. (Make sure you're signed up and in, we're adding those who signed up at the show but you can do it yourself if you've beaten us to it!)
Millers Academy
Inspiring and informative events held in the lavish, antiques filled Miller's residence. Here you'll find a sociable meeting of interested minds where captivating lectures cover arts, philsophy and sciences along with dinner and drinks. Miller’s is the kind of establishment that makes you rejoice having left your friends behind in the pub to find the more stimulating side of London. timeforone.com readers attend without membership, for a discounted price of £30 lecture, drinks and food. Why not attend female war reporter, Christina Lamb’s talk on 15th April?
Time for a run?
To round off your training regime, and add a dose of outdoor vitality why not join a timeforone.com led training run? Founder Wendy (a qualified PT) leads regular runs for those who are looking for a cardiovascular workout. No need to wait for others, just join in.These runs will cover Regent's Park and Primrose Hill and strecth to Hampstead Heath according to energy levels! Email 'I'm interested!' and anything else you'd like to ask to wendy@timeforone.com and we'll let you know where and when.
Good vibes
Funky fitness sessions to spice up your London routine. This effective toning in regular bites of 25 minutes fits nicely into a half hour lunch. No shower required and the instructors treat you like a member of the family. Each session has no more than 5 individuals and thevibrations make for a good giggle shared by all. After your new adventures around London why not retreat to the comfort of your own home and have Beautopia’s spa delivery, one of a variety of soothing and nourishing treatments, safe in knowledge that afterwards you can simply roll over and drift away. timeforone.com readers get free grooming goodies! 
Simply dancing partners
Group dance lessons where your partner knows their steps! Dance is a fun way to add a touch of vitality to life, and with these classes you can rely on experienced partners, so there’s no chance of having your feet trodden on or having to dance with a partner of the same sex! Courses run across central London and teach you a combination of two dance styles. timeforone.com readers try their 1st class ½ price when buying a course of 6.
Fancy trying golf? Metrogolf in Paddington has offered our readers a free half hour lesson or an hour on the simulator. Read about the indoor golf centre here and just mention us to claim your session for free. Urban gentry
Love fashion, art, design, food and other cultural treats? Walk on the Style Side! London’s creative core is yours to explore with an Urban Gentry insider guide. If you’re visiting London on business or leisure or you’re a city dweller interested in connecting with contemporary, fashionable London, let Urban Gentry’s experts create your own private, personalised tour. You can choose from one of Urban Gentry’s “Ready-to-go” tours, or they’ll create a tailor-made experience based on your interests. Open up the capital to discover charming enclaves, new galleries, multi-layered communities and innovative boutiques. This is London uncovered, your way. timeforone.com readers save 15% 
www.timeforone.com’s away for one offers a world of reviewed holiday ideas for individuals – ideal for ‘me-time’. Sign up and read the site for free.
Ever crave a weekend away, somewhere not too far, where you can rejuvenate and nourish yourself? Pilates en France offers year round retreats with a personal welcome, homemade food, and one-to-one pilates either on a daily basis, or as part of a group week. An ideal hillside escape for one. timeforone.com readers skip the single supplement.
AdventureYogi
If you’re looking for chilled out & responsible travel combined with adventure sports, AdventureYogi is your holiday. WaterYogi in Sardinia, SurfYogi in Morocco, SkiYogi, SafariYogi, it’s yogi paradise. Relax, unwind, drink that glass of wine, chill out and hang out with the excellent AdventureYogi team who are well experienced in all of the above. timeforone.com readers benefit from £75 off SurfYogi.
Face Africa
Take an adventurous and thought provoking trip with Face Africa this August in Uganda/Rwanda. Like-minded, young-at-heart adventurers observe and commune with gorillas, track chimps on foot, take part in a great East African safari and swim in Lake Bunyonyi, where the water is clear as gin and the living is very easy. timeforone.com readers enjoy a £50 discount.
The Hill that breathes
For lovers of the holistic lifestyle and not yoga at dawn, the Hill that Breathes offers seriously good yoga and activity holidays in a non-serious environment. You’ll find a variety of inspired weeks focusing on activities from Tai Chi to the famous F**k It week between April and November, along with organic food and individuals taking a dose of mountain me-time. And with 100 acres of wooded paradise in the rolling Italian hills, there’s enough space to have time to yourself as well as enjoy the relaxing company of others.
Florence house
Balance the mind and replenish your spent energy. Florence House is a divine escape on the brow of Seaford Head in Sussex. This restored 1920's country style home is a much loved venue for life-enhancing workshops and retreats. Yoga, meditation and nutritional courses are on offer along with massages and therapies. There's plenty of space for quality time for one amongst five acres of gardens and the surrounding coastal paths. timeforone.com readers benefit from a 10% discount - why not try the yoga & holistic nutrition weekend on April 4th-6th?
Ulpotha
Fly far away and revitalise with nature. At Sri Lanka’s ayurvedic village - Ulpotha (see top image), individuals retreat into a community lifestyle that is simple yet richly unique. Luxury becomes the holistic approach to life, food, treatments and exercise giving your body the chance to flow with nature's rhythm. It actively preserves Sri Lanka's cultural heritage. The excellent yoga classes, lakes and surrounding hills offer you the chance to be as involved or relaxed as you wish.
Around the world for one13th March, 2008
Know where you're going next?12th March, 2008
one you, one life, timeforone.com29th February, 2008
A daily dose of time for one13th February, 2008 As editor of a site all about ‘me-time’ I know a fair amount about finding places to take myself for some quality time for one. Which I'm learning is an entirely different matter to finding time to do so.
So recently, feeling just a touch overworked and light deprived only 6 weeks into the new year, I prescribed a course of time for me - an hour a day, and a double dose at the weekend. I was determined to find that balanced, ‘excited about life’ feeling I knew so well in early Jan.
It’s hard work letting go of all the things you think you should be doing I soon learned. So first off, it seemed logical to focus my attention on a life-saving issue that had somehow found itself on a far from urgent ‘to do’ list. After several elbow clipping experiences on my new bicycle route to work I booked a cycle lesson to reassess my options. My first dose of time for one was to be via the government’s initiative to get London cycling. I would hope the ‘eco cool’ movement should do this naturally, but the government’s offering also safens-up self-taught city riders like myself. Time for one-to-one. At 2 hours a session, I wondered whether I could be better off studying a map for 5 minutes and re-routing myself. Patience is a lesson I must learn. I couldn’t have imagined how beneficial time with a cycle guide who analysed and corrected my style could improve this daily task and make it so much more enjoyable. With only one lesson behind me, I can already see my 9 lives were up long ago. And as I suspected, I learned I needn’t take the lorry route with there being a less time and life consuming route to hand. My cycle instructor – Stuart – was also full of laughs. These sessions are unlimited, they allow as much time over a series of weeks as you need. Where to find it http://ctc.org.uk/
Once again a couple of days later, I had shrunken back into my busy, busy, all-about-work schedule when I remembered my promise to myself. A Wednesday evening it was, and I know of a local pub that offers regular salsa classes. With Cuba being on my holiday hitlist this seemed perfect preparation. Spontaneous salsa enthused friends are hard to come by in my experience so I set off on my own, time for one - learning salsa in a group along with a glass of wine. It wasn’t my first experience of this dance, sometime ago I reviewed Simply Dancing Partners, a fresh thinking dance company that promises to provide you with a variety of experienced dance partners. Back then I found it a godsend to know that I wasn’t going to end up leading a girl, or failing to dance due to a man standing on my feet with 2 left ones. And I was reminded of that value as I stood in the class imagining my partner. No joke, the teacher explained that due to the imbalance in numbers I should follow the steps with my hands in the air wrapped around my choice of invisible friend. So for 10 minutes I danced with Daniel Craig and then it was time to dance with a rather bandy legged man who reminded me of the side stepping style we practise as toddlers when learning to dance. Besides that it was genuinely good fun, mainly because I had no expectations, and was entertained by a boisterous Cuban teacher. However, if I were planning, and actually wanted to learn to dance it I’d definitely opt for Simply Dancing Partners – read for yourself. Realising I was on to a good thing and feeling energised by my time for one I decided to up my dose of weekend me-time and take off to a health farm down in Taunton, Somerset. My choice was ruled by accessibility - by car in 3 hours from London, and entertainment -a variety of fun exercise classes throughout the day.
Unfortunately I discovered I hadn’t quite let go as one should when on a retreat. I should have noticed when I crept into the wifi zoned meeting room at 7am with my laptop and coffee, but it became alarmingly clear while drying my hair with a very slow hair dryer, head upside down and reading my blackberry. Next for the website I’ll be locating and researching crackberry check in programmes, I recall a hotel out in Chicago starting a trend in that facility. The retreat seemed to work for others around me. It seems a common gift nowadays to send mum to a spa for a night and I overheard calls home to check in on the kids but I accept that's more natural than my work obsession. There were other people on their own and they seemed to know just how to let go and laze around the pool. It was my fault entirely, I just hadn’t quite let go and no surprise knowing that my 24 hours would be up soon anyway..
Which brought me to thinking of Ulpotha, with no electricity I found myself naturally letting go up in the Hills of Sri Lanka. Sometimes it takes putting real geographical distance between yourself and what you need to break away from. Which should mean that time spent on a conervation project with Blue Ventures is a sure bet. Of course I can't skip off to the furthest point of Madagascar every time I fancy a break, so for now I am going to begin a varied course of early morning and late evening triyoga sessions, and enjoy a little peace in this city. And I really am.
Happy New Year!10th January, 2008 Keep all those promises to yourself and get everything you want out of 2008. timeforone.com will keep you updated with great ideas to explore on your own. Sign-up and let them roll in.
Sod xmas, I'm doing my own thing!14th December, 2007
Creative use of 'me-time'15th November, 2007 | | | Where to find me-time in a busy city? timeforone.com Call us selfish but here at timeforone.com we like to take some regular time out for ourselves. We've over-indulged in recent weeks and it's left us groomed, pampered, well-fed, and all the wiser for it. We're not all that greedy though, we're happy to share the tips with you. Brunch for one at Daylesford Organic in Petersham Nurseries. A weekend garden retreat in Maida Vale, read about our reviewer's experience and get a taste for yourself.  Play for one at Metro Golf and land yourself in Palm Beach Fancy learning on a range of world-wide courses in the heart of London? Improve your skills and then take them onto the green. Read about our experience 'for one' at Metro Golf. 
Away for one with in:spa Fresh air and fitness in the rolling hills of Yorkshire or morning meditation in Morocco. Healthboosting holidays are a must as winter sets in. At in:spa there's a welcoming feel and friendly folk to hand help you achieve the goals. Read more.and receive free membership to in:spa UK events and classes. 
Spa for one at the Berkeley
The picture says it all, what more could you need? Yes, there's manicures and massages too. Read a review. You can never have enough...hair-spa for one at Hari's 
Treatments like viagra for hair! Read a review.
Karma-spa for one in ChesterOur reviewer visits an award winning hotel spa to see how a business trip can be creatively combined with me-time. Read his review.
The message is simple - indulge in yourself. Wendy x |
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A small bite of the big apple3rd November, 2007 Call me ambitious but it felt like the right thing to pop over to NYC, on my own, and see what a girl can find to do over here. Though it goes beyond girl's stuff. I've also interviewed a varied enough crew of New Yorkers to find out what anyone, of any walk of life, can step into on their own over here. My first feelings were that it was one of the easiest, most open cities I've ever landed in. Then I realised that I've been doing this for long enough to find places quickly and that's just why I'm creating this guide, because it's a topic I have an eye for and I feel overwhelmingly passionate about. You can read in detail all about the places to dine, the places to find a comedy act, to join a non-self worshipping yoga class in a couple of months but to give you a taste should you need a hint or two now, I'm writing this from Think Coffee which makes me think; sofas, readings, cheese and wine tasting, music sessions, fresh organic food, writers typing, inspired staff and a barista class to make you a coffee pro at home. That's a lot for a coffee shop. And yet just a teeny bite of a big apple. Oh, and after dining on my own on the first night, I ended up on a Tribeca radio show. Stepping out on your own opens up a very interesting world. Take a look at our latest reviews and you can read about our adventures.
If you really want to stay on your own17th October, 2007 I met a fascinating individual the other day. An interior designer who's rather passionate and protective over his 'me-time', sometimes telling his partner and friends that he's working for the day when in fact he's enjoying his very own brunch, or gallery viewing. He revealed to me an entertaining strategy for keeping it to himself. Whenever he's enjoying his own space and a cocktail, say at the Covent Garden Hotel, and someone attempts conversation with, 'And what do you do?' He relies upon, 'I'm a tax lawyer' to put a simple end to the matter. Personally I love the unexpected encounters, but if you'd rather keep yourself private it's one worth trying.
Sunday 'me-time'14th October, 2007 Maybe it has something to do with interviewing Ben Saunders (youngest solo skier to the North Pole) last week, or simply the Sunday morning sunshine that encouraged today's 'me-time' moment - running through Primrose Hill on my own, and discovering the training park at the bottom. A great find. Interviews and more inspiration to follow soon..
29th September, 2007 That autumn glowLooking in the mirror and wondering where the summer tan went to? timeforone.com has the ideas that'll get you glowing again faster than Ready Break and feeling good from the inside out. Cast you eyes below and click through to read more in the site. table for one at Ooze
Reviewer MIchael Kennedy discovers a speedy risotto stop with a warm Italian welcome. 
away for one in the mountains Mountaingirls get to grips with real climbing in Chamonix 
Pampered and groomed in your own private room, a visit to this urban spa is sure to add a glow to your city routine. 
That all should get you glowing. And it really is far more fun than a bottle of fake tan ;-) Enjoy Wendy x |
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Feel good - for free!7th September, 2007 Like many of you, I’ve been on holiday. A wifi working holiday sharing a friend’s house tucked into the hills of Vence. Yes, here at timeforone.com we do have friends too ;-) Laughter, wine, cheese and team failure to navigate sailing boats has led to fun all round.
Late one afternoon as the sun set down, my mountain bike and I went on an adventure up the winding roads and into the local village. Like a sadist I thoroughly enjoy the uphills, then comes the joy of flying down the other side. I had a gem of a timeforone moment listening to a busking saxophonist while I stopped for water by the Place centrale. Looking around the square a routine French scene was winding down the day with books, boules and rose. All looking beautifully at peace - the groups, the individuals, and I suspect that the dames and monsieurs sitting at tables enjoying the paper and a coffee all to themselves have been friends since childhood and were simply choosing their daily dose of me-time.
For me, the jazz, the lifestyle, seated-dancing on my bike, I couldn’t have enjoyed the moment more, utterly contented by absorbing myself into one of my favourite foreign experiences.
This led me to thinking what timeforone.com is all about, feeling complete in your ‘me-time’ moments, and how often these may be free - we’re not about forcing boutique chic where it’s not needed. But when you do want it we know where to find a warm welcome. We’ll help you indulge as feels right. Which is why amongst our selection we would recommend you pop in to Inner Space for the calm room at lunch time, or a free meditation course to help retain your inner balance in this city, or join the Serpentine running club on Saturday mornings in Hyde Park, where they allow you to simply run along with friendly banter, or from me personally, hire a bike and cycle along the Southbank and finish up by exploring and lunching at Borough Market on a weekend.
Quality me-time.
Times to share and times to enjoy solo. They both deserve love and care. So maybe go and hop on a bike and enjoy the freedom and freshness. I love both the shared and me-time, and luckily I can navigate a sail boat perfectly well on my own! Enough from me, the newsletters below offer the chance to hear from some timeforone.com reviewers on their adventures. These are experiences worth every penny, in venues where warmth and smiles come for free. W x
A tourist in your own town16th August, 2007 | | |
For those of you not on holiday, you really do deserve to be ;-)
So with August at it’s slowest, it’s a perfect time to indulge in some me-time treats, and take a mini holiday or two inside of London. To help you on your way timeforone.com reviewers have been out and about on solo adventures, testing venues to find the best atmospheres to approach on your own. You can read them all in each latest review section, where you'll find a diary in each of our brilliant finds. Some our favourite recent moments can be found in... table for one
Barrafina where Cleo Sheehan found herself playing tourist in her own city. 
play for oneCastle Climbing Centre where Michael Beeman got to grips with abseiling the walls of a listed building – a cultural and sporting outing in his new home town. 
spa for one
Spa LONDON where Claudia Irwin tucked herself away one Saturday morning, to be pampered in original Turkish style. 
away for oneGo on then....if you really need to get away for quality me-time, beautiful scenery and a purpose to your trip we've a rare find w ith all the above that barely requires spending a penny. Walking an historical trail, with all sorts of friendly folk along the way - the Pilgrimage to Santiago is dotted with complimentary hostelleries. Our reviewer Miguel Cunat has just completed his 2nd leg (of the journey that is ;-) and added his solo perspective to the site. This is just a taste of our latest reviews, there's plenty more inspiration in timeforone.com. Explore the site and then explore the city, the world, who knows... Have fun Wendy x
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A fresh take on summer23rd July, 2007 | | |
There are days when you want to slip out of your grey rut, wearing your coolest underwear, into somewhere new, somewhere to indulge in the best of everything - without answering to anyone. And so, isn’t it lucky that you’ve heard about a nifty little website, called timeforone.com that selects the finest venues specifically for going solo? From our treats, it’s your pick - a little like looking into a chocolate box... My favourites this month are: - a lunch-break tasting at Pearl in Chancery Court
- a revival experience next door at one of the city's most indulgent spas
- 25% off August safaris with Face Africa
- timeforone discounts on Yogoloji breaks - UK and away
Lunch for one? This month's first temptation starts with lunch at Pearl, impossible to resist with a tasting menu of finest French cuisine and service at the counter. A bite-sized experience, tailored to 45 minutes, if that’s all you have. Just because you deserve to sit surrounded by pearls, with a sommelier at hand. 
Spa for one? From there, it’s a mere hop downstairs to the The Spa at Chancery Court (work can wait..) where, before treatments begin, you can retreat to the relaxation rooms, tune your electric lounger - with headphones, and laze while you read. Then in your own time, take your choice of world treatments, the ultimate indulgence could find you with 2 massage therapists at one time. You want more? There is no more, anywhere. 
Away for one?Still looking outside at the grey sky? Freshness, energy and beautiful surroundings is what we’ve found for all our holidays. August offers a chance to Face Africa and track mountain gorillas, camping under the wide skies of the Rwandan wilderness, swimming lakes and enjoying the experience of small group travel led with passion. Face Africa have offered 25% off timeforone member bookings in August.
If you’re looking a further ahead to book in some pampering time Yogoloji are offering timeforone members discounts on a choice of retreats around the world - ideal for the solo spa seeker… Close to home Yogoloji will be at Grayshott Spa and an 'intro to yoga' long weekend in mid September The only way to approach your mat for the first time! Gr ayshott Spa has been rejuvenated, revitalised and re-energsied, so you can enjoy amazing therapies and spa facilities, daily workshops and meditation techniques to apply to your life when you return.
Or Yoga in Sandy Lane-style in September A villa retreat with golf course, tennis court and an individually tailored tennis programme And catching the summer later in the year - A November retreat in Canal Om, Chile If you like retreating, this is Latin America's best kept secret! This ten year project, built on a promontory overlooking the Pacific brings you archery and tennis courts, thalasso spa, sauna, fresh water and salt rock pools, a boating lake, cactus gardens, meditation hall, daily yoga and therapies ...even an ostrich!
All with the benefit of 'Frien ds of Yogoloji prices' offered when booked through timeforone. 
For fresh ideas and a taste of adventure, whether you're in or out of the city, check the site for regular updates and inspiration. And when you come across a good thing, we hope you'll share it with us too.
Enjoy yourself Wendy x
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When I first began timeforone.com I hoped to find in London the places with that warm, social feel, just like I’d experienced travelling the world on my own. Life was liberated and fun in the open communities of Brazil, during the jazz festival in Tobago, and pretty much everywhere the sun lives……. With such fast-paced living it’s taken some hunting in London but there are gems to be found and now the sun’s appeared the time has come to get yourself out there! Embracing this philosophy and doing my own thing has opened my world up to all the diverse experiences I thought this city had to offer, not to mention new people I wouldn’t have met simply sitting in my local every night. So here are some tasters if you’re wondering how to make the most of London, on your own but not alone...  Dance classes that really get you moving- play for one? Last week I discovered real dancing. If you paid for a Spanish language lesson you wouldn’t expect to sit chatting to a monolingual Brit, so why suffer dance partners with worse dance skills than your own? Bruised toes and girls leading girls no longer! My first session with Simply Dancing Partners gave me, as part of a group, 90 minutes one on one with matched dancing partners who knew their stuff. Strictly Come Dancing partner Hanna Haarala led step by step through Salsa and a Viennese Waltz. Real dancing and real learning. Whether you are male or female you will be guaranteed a team partner who can dance. Call Jenni at Simply Dancing Partners to find the style and location right for you and when you quote timeforone your first lesson will be half price if you choose to buy a course of 6 after trying it out.
 Lazy Days in the Sun- play for one?
My favourite new area in London for summer is Primrose Hill. Just a hop behind Regent’s Park it’s ideal for gazing out across the city, breathing fresh air and enjoying a paper while you soak up some rays. Perfect for ‘just me’ time. Complete the experience with a Melrose and Morgan (right) picnic bag for one. You’ll get enough to keep your taste buds tickled all afternoon long. Order your bag beforehand quoting timeforone and they’ll make sure you get a pack of yummy homemade cookies in the bag. Read about the deli and their picnic specials in playforone  Counter culture- table for one? Solo dining has taken a trendy turn in London, and about time too. The rest of the world stops for a solo bite at ease- think of the French café culture- no lack of confidence in going solo over there. timeforone.com have lightened the load of choosing a venue to suit with the web’s only communal and counter dining search. So whatever the reason, a bite on the way home from work or your new discovery on business in New York let us know where your favourite is this week. Or for our suggestions search counter and communal dining situations in tableforone. One of our favourites is l'Eau a la Bouche(above), a continental cafe with a neighbourly feel and Broadway Market alongside.
Need more sun, far away? away for one... Stressful work this web guide business, so in March I popped over to Ulpotha- a Sri Lankan ayurverdic village spa for daily yoga, lazing by lakes, waking every morning to find monkeys playing by my hut, living off the land eating only lush, organic, grown food, plus massages, treatments and so much more. All solo. Though in great company. Book for next season at Ulpotha starting in June and receive a £50 weekly discount quoting timeforone. Read about Ulpotha in away or spaforone Whenever you're in a solo moment, make the most of it and check out dining, entertainment, holidays and spas all inside timeforone.com On your own but not alone. Have fun! Wendy x |
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