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As sure as daybreak, The Riviera Woman is here!

Are you a twenty eleven woman or a two thousand and eleven kind of person? However you say, the most important thing is to live it. What a year 2010 was and where did it go?  From one second to the next we are into a brand new year. But what does that mean? Does a new year mean a better year?  This year, 2011 is going to be a better year, not because the politicians say so or the stock markets or the banks for that matter but because we want it to be better. We have to take all that we learnt last year and build a bigger, brighter and more solid future for ourselves. Only by helping ourselves can we be in a stronger situation to help others.

In The Riviera Woman land, 2010 was quite a year. I want to take you on my brain train... I hope you don't mind. I want to thank all those who took part in the Anna Fill Interviews. I have been so inspired. We've had a woman sailing around the world to raise awareness 'protect our oceans', women and men who have written books, an ambassador on a mission to change the image of a country, designers, creators, artists. And in 2011 there will be more.

In the Chatroom feature, we have laughed and cried and been to some amazing places. Women and our first Chatroom boys (Mark Dezzani and Jody September) have come together to chat and share a point of view. There have been some challenging times in getting last minute replacements and experiencing the usual filming dramas but all came to be and after the usual 'Lights, Camera, Action' came the 'It's a wrap'.

I would like to mention a forum I attended called 'Peace and Sport'. This organisation uses sport to promote peace and harmony in the world. Since 2007, the organisation has achieved impressive results. I spoke with Paula Radcliffe, herself a former Olympic champion about her involvement. In my article Peace and Sport, I reported on HRH Queen Elizabeth II, who in her Christmas Day message also makes reference to the values of using sport to unite communities. What a positive way to find more peace in 2011.

I cannot thank enough all the writers who have contributed their experience, recipes, knowledge and stories. Just to name a few, thank you to Tanya Leslie in Paris who shares her passion of films, Matthew Moss who writes so entertainingly about art, Julia Moore always gives us a new insight to female antics and making we women proud. Many thanks to Diane Messias for her funny off-the-wall articles and to Sarah Bartlett who has never failed us with her monthly Horoscopes. Kate Cobb has helped to put the 'B' into Women and Business and Deborah Sheffield has put the 'W' into Wine with her monthly wine tips. Her company Corkers Fine Wines gave us the bottle of Champagne to give away this December. Winner soon to be announced. Chris France contributed his first article to The Riviera Woman in December and raised a few comments! Well Chris... if you take on a Riviera Woman, she will oblige!

As far as travelling we have been from St. Tropez to Sanremo and back again. Brigitte Bardot's exhibition in St. Tropez was a classic tribute to her and Susan Boyle raised the roof in Sanremo during the Music Festival. We've been to festivals in Cannes, the Taste of Japan at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco was outstanding and so much more. I haven't time to reminisce too much as I have 2011 to think about now. But honestly, we live in a fantastic part of the world.

We've had so many winners in our competitions. Thank you to all who participated and won.  Here is a reminder of all our competitions. Talking of winners: We have two prizes to give away from Christmas. The Christian Dior Lipstick was won by: Linda Hall and the Champagne goes to: Julia Nolet.

I do want to say a few words more to some special people, my friends who have kept me going through those times when I asked 'What's it all about?' I wasn't being weak, just human. It happens occasionally. So the final few carriages of thoughts and my sincere thanks go to Deborah D'Alessandro for being my pick-me-up when going went tough and to Wendy York, The Riviera Woman co-editor for keeping me balanced and focused and finally to someone who gets very little attention and a great deal of flap during technical nightmare scenarios, my website maestro Graham Trott. There are so many many more I would like to mention but I promise you I haven't forgotten, my train is now pulling into the station...

Happy happy new year and I am so looking forward to making The Riviera Woman bigger and better For You and About You.