And so with May on the horizon, the jolly old season of British sporting events begins - time to clip-clop around grassy racetracks in unsuitable footwear, dress-up in pretty summer frocks with Ranulph Fiennes-type thermals underneath and negotiate how to kiss people 'hello' when they've got a veiled flying saucer atop their barnet.

In amongst the sailing, flower shows and grunting-tennis, there is of course the glamorous world of polo. Despite it looking fantastically thrilling, I've never really understood or got into polo (besides the excellent Jilly Cooper novel!)

But there's nothing I don't understand about the following words, 'Polo's hottest horseman'. For this is how an article in Vanity Fair in 2009 described Nacho Figueras; captain of the BlackWatch polo team, Ralph Lauren model and known as 'Beckham of the polo world'.

And on Saturday 18th May Figueras himself will be found thwacking balls at Cowdray as he captains the South American team as they take on the Audi England team at the 6th Annual St. Regis International Cup. This is a classic 'season' event; there will be Perrier-Jouët champagne swilling, divot stomping and guests slightly clueless about why there are no left-handed polo players. (Yup, left-handers are banned for safety).

The match continues the St. Regis' long standing commitment to polo - a love affair that began in 1904 when the Astor family (who founded The St. Regis in New York city) would host glamorous tea or supper after matches at Governor's Island. No doubt enjoying a Bloody Mary or two, the cocktail so brilliantly invented in the hotel's bar.

www.stregispolo.com

St. Regis Hotels & Resort offered all Vanity Fair A-List readers the chance to win 2 VIP tickets to the 6th Annual St. Regis International Cup on Saturday 18th May at the St. Regis hospitality marquee including Bloody Mary cocktails, Perrier-Jouët Champagne and The St. Regis Afternoon Tea. This prize also includes a stay at The St. Regis Florence, Italy (a historic palace on the river Arno, designed by Renaissance master Brunelleschi and minutes away from the city's museums and the Ponte Vecchio) for 2 nights for 2 people including breakfast. Don't miss out on future offers, sign up to the A-List.

You might not have heard of Valmont, but this Swiss skincare company began it's life in 1905 as a health clinic nestled above Lake Geneva.

It was here that guests including Ingrid Bergman and Coco Chanel would alight lured by treatments - that were terribly innovative at the time - including specialized diet, hydrotherapy and 'air baths'. Can you picture the glamour; padding around in fluffy robes alongside actress Claudia Cardinale or writer Marcel Pagnol.

Then in the 80s, the clinic became solely dedicated to plastic surgery. As well as performing operations, the surgeons began experimenting with post-surgery products to heal and repair scarred skin. And so Valmont - a cosmetic cellular brand was born, using a DNA of ingredients including salmon roe, bovine and jelly fish collagen and local glacial water.

The family owned brand has recently arrived in London town, choosing Harrods' Urban Retreat as the prime spot from which to deliver facial treatments (for just one week every month) and to sell the anti-ageing products. Book in post-holiday for a miraculous wrinkle-reducing collagen-mask facial to hydrate poor old sun damaged skin.

But if you can't get to Harrods, Valmont has just launched Time Master. A month long home treatment that re-arranges the mechanics of skin cells - a bit like sorting out your cupboards - in order to… yes - turn back the clock.

Maybe one day wrinkles will be seen as a sign of beauty. But for now they're not. So Valmont, here we come.

www.urbanretreat.co.uk/beautique/brand/Valmont

By Bridget Arsenault

If the past few months are any indication, it would seem that someone keeps forgetting to crank on the heat in the U.K.

Fortunately, the same can't be said of Portugal's Atlantic Coast, where the five-star Oitavos hotel has launched a new surfing package taught by four-time national champion Ruben Gonzalez. The challenge begins at Guincho beach (fun fact: it was a location used in the Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service). Portugal's Silver Coast is where American surfer Garrett McNamara broke the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed last November - a terror-inducing 90 metres, but thankfully Guincho is a top desination for surfers of all levels.
 
But having surfed only once before, I certainly wasn't courting the big waves. The white frothy peaks a few feet high sufficed as challenge enough for me. Taking his time, Ruben warmed me up with a gentle jog up and down the sandy beach. And after choosing my lead leg (left) I hoisted myself up and down on the board, perfecting my (wishfully) graceful ascension. And only then did we venture into the water. Under Ruben's watchful eye I spent over two hours leaping through the waves.
 
Looking over my shoulder as a wave chased me down, there was a moment of fear, followed by pure unadulterated elation - wind in my hair, flanked by cliffs and natural sand dunes. There is quite possibly no better feeling than soaring through the ocean.
 
Post surfing, it was time to get back to the hotel and put my weary feet up beside the infinity pool. Although the picturesque Cascais is a quick drive away (or continue the fitness tip and the concierge will kit you out with a bicycle, helmet, local map and cold bottle of water) there's no need to ever leave the hotel. The Ipsylon Restaurant delivers Portuguese treats with added flare; cheese with homemade jams, grilled spicy blood sausage with pineapple or local oysters with ponzu sauce and wasabi tobikko. Of course saving room for the hazelnut praline and mango mousse served with coffee and spices ice cream. Well, after all that hard work…
   
www.theoitavos.com