Indulge Autumn 2014

the quarterly, quality, life & style magazine

Issue No.10Autumn 2014€4 - where sold

indulge / Autumn 2014 – 1

A note from the editor

Contents/Autumn 2014

I love the Autumn. Maybe because it signals my birthday and soon it will be Christmas, my absolute favourite time of year.

Maybe it’s the reinvention; the new trends, new boots, jeans and jackets, hot food, fresh olive oil, the theatre in full swing again, the nesting, the rainy days and the chance to stay home and cook hearty meals for friends, and switch back to my beloved red wines.

Or being able to read without sunglasses, being at a comfortable temperature, having the windows open at home and hearing the birds playing in the courtyard (no AC yippee) and having frizz-less hair; and make up! Oh! I can wear make-up again without it melting off my face and permanently looking bedraggled.

I’m also super happy because with this Autumn issue we have more pages, more space dedicated to art and style, food and drink and new sections to share with you. The beer-can chicken is a good recipe for those days when the sun insists on coming out and the BBQ kings can once again be let loose, we celebrate Oktoberfest, because, well, why not?

Read about Maltese music and check out some bands that will broaden your horizons. Start a new hobby, learn more about wines, spend some time closer to nature and capture your memories on film…..invest in you.

Keep being spoilt with good news, reviews and recipes daily at www.indulge.com.mt

And you know what to do now….. flick through and fantasise about your next chance to indulge.

2 Discover 3 artist’s work

5 Christine teaches us the proper Etiquette in Galleries and Exhibitions

8 How to hang pictures

10 Martin is Gearing up for Panto

13 Heard about the new restaurant drawing the crowds?

14 Life long learning – is it time for you to try a new hobby?

15 Our DIY Diva Lisa, upcycles a chair for her new home

18 Jean-Marc shows us how to create a great study/home office

20 Take a sobering city break to Berlin

23 Ed Drinks – and shares his love of beer

26 Monique creates a meal using Cisk as the main ingredient

30 Carole navigates the Wine List

33 A lingerie lesson for women from the experts, Piccinino

34 ….and how to wear a suit for the men

36 Jean Pierre regales The Golden Age of Film in Malta

38 We whet your appetite with an excerpt from the novel, TWO

40 New dad Adrian chooses a suitable car

42 Self defence as an art – Judo is on Phil's mind

46 Learn about Maltese music with Reuben Zahra

48 Chris turns us on with new toys

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indulge / Autumn 2014 – 32 – indulge / Autumn 2014

Art

Jesmond Vassallo is a visual artist who works in fine arts, painting, graphic

arts and sculpture. His main interest as a person working in pictorial language is figurative, representational art.

Jesmond’s earliest reference to the Maltese landscapes were those of rooftops that dated from 1996-1998, not very bright in colour and quite cubistic in nature, inspired by the works of the late Esprit Barthet. A Bachelor of Arts degree in History of Art at the University of Malta, followed, and this led to his graduation in 2000. He later pursued his studies in fine arts at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Carrara, Italy, for four years, followed by an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, during which he also underwent an apprenticeship period with Venice-based, professional etching printer Diego Candido Cattarin.

Since then, drawing has allowed Jesmond to be freer in his approach to Maltese landscapes, composition being varied with each work and more nature, architecture and colour being added gradually. He likes to describe each landscape he attempts to paint with a

personal vision, rather than rendering it in a realistic manner. Closely observing old and contemporary masters in Italy, as well as cultivating friendships with other painters both locally and afar, has allowed him to change his style and allow for more criticism that has raised the standards in the quality of his artworks. A ten day artistic visit to Milan in 1998 left Jesmond deeply connected with Pawl Carbonaro, who was also present on the trip with the History of Art students. Since then, the two developed a close relationship and this soon led Jesmond to periodically work as his assistant printer.

Jesmond Vassallo’s travels with old companions from the Accademia has allowed him to find authentic spots like that of “Le Tre Cime di Lavaredo”, amazing and inspiring sceneries that he later paints. On the spot, with the oak gall ink and drawing book he carries with him, he draws what inspires him. Then weeks, sometimes months, later, he reinterprets the drawing in paint, reworking the landscape from memory. As Pierre Bonnard recounts, “And after drawing comes composition. A well-composed

painting is half done.” Jesmond recounts the many times he felt a painting to be incomplete, oftentimes destroying, repainting, re-destroying and balancing the artwork until he feels it is complete.

Jesmond is currently based at Studio 10, Triq il-Parsott, Mosta Industrial Estate, mainly producing an etchings series, drawings and other commissioned works. His next exhibition, ‘Landschaft 2014- An exhibition of studies, drawings, prints and oils inspired by Maltese landscapes’ will be held at the German Maltese Circle, Messina Palace, 141, St Christopher Street, Valletta from the 1st until 31st October 2014. Opening hours of the German Maltese Circle is Monday to Friday 9-12.30, 16.30-20.30, Saturday 9-13.00 and telephone number is 21246967. Jesmond may be contacted by email [email protected].

throughout the years, there have been many foreign artists that have taken

a liking to the Maltese Islands. Many of these artists have taken the decision to move here permanently. One of the qualities that Malta brings with it is the sunlight and warm colours of the historical architecture that most artists also paint. This was the main reason why Macedonian artist, Goran Cejkov, moved to Malta seventeen years ago.

Goran Cejkov’s oil paintings are photorealistic art pieces that have a very contemporary, clean cut, appeal. He has mastered light and the different day and night light projections on different landscapes, predominantly architecture of churches and fortifications found throughout the various historical cities in Malta and Gozo. Most of the landscapes that he’s painted include Valletta and the Three Cities, Mdina and the Gozo Citadella, amongst others. A big number of his art pieces have been commissioned to suit client's

requirements and amongst many of his commissions, were those unusual scenes, like those of the Swiss Alps and super-yachts. His artworks have taken to the likings of both traditional and contemporary art lovers.

Each and every artwork that Goran prepares involves a long process, which Goran has become very accustomed to. Almost like a ritual. He starts off with the canvas, which he stretches himself, then covers in acrylic gesso, drawing the scene upon drying and outlining with the same acrylic gesso, and finishes of by painting in oils. He has mastered the skill so beautifully that one would only see the stylised 3D effect that make his works appear almost like a jigsaw puzzle, from close up. It’s of no surprise that Goran’s earlier artworks were, in fact,

3D sculptures. Mainly of wood, metal and stone.

Goran Cejkov studied economics at universities in his homeland, Macedonia. His passion for creating art, however, meant that he would later give up economics for art. In 1994, he opened his own art gallery, ‘Gallerium’, where he would exhibit his own stone sculptures. During this time, he exhibited some of his artworks at the National Gallery of Macedonia and upon arriving in Malta, he exhibited his works at the National Museum of Fine Arts, in Valletta. This was later followed by an exhibition at the NATO headquarters in Belgium.

These days, Goran Cejkov would be found working full time on his artworks, selling his artworks solely through Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema.

GorAn Cejkov

Sponsored by

jesmond vAssAllo

ChrIStINe profIleS three ArtIStS


Art

PAul sCerri

Christine Xuereb eXPlAins etiquette At eXhibitions & GAlleries

Art

Earlier on this year, I visited the ‘Xebgħa Nies’ exhibition at the St James

Cavalier Centre for Creativity. A lot of great artists participated and amongst them was Paul Scerri whose ceramics figures captured my attention enough to write about the artist and his artworks.

Paul Scerri usually starts working on a preconceived idea, always revealing the truth in terms of attitude and behaviour of certain people, particularly where injustice and narcissism is concerned. He expresses certain elements with symbols and metaphors that he learnt through his own experience towards humanity. Paul tells me how he prepares his own clay body, and when working on the build-up of the sculpture, he uses the coiling technique and works in stages so that the clay holds itself and hardens, and at this point, he carves away the necessary details. Each piece is biscuit fired, at circa 1100°C, before the glazing, which would vary from pouring to spraying, taken from his own recipes. Others, however, are fired at a very low temperature so that they just harden and allow other applications, sometimes re-firing three to four times. When precious metals are applied, they are fired at 860°C in a local reduction, always using a gas burning kiln.

Paul’s artistic journey started with his studies, under the late Chev. Esprit Barthet, at the School of Arts in Valletta.

This followed with ceramics and life studies courses at the Accademia di Belle Arti Pietro Vanucci in Perugia, followed by the Istituto Statale D’Arte G. Ballardini in Faenza, and ceramic tile design and decoration in Imola. Discipline, technology and respect for the clay and glazes were amongst his greatest learning acheivements. At the Comune Municipale in Faenza, he was awarded with first prize in Ceramics in the “1o Concorso Avis”. On his return to Malta, he took to teaching and adapted all that he learnt from the ceramic courses to teaching the local community at the Art and Design Centre in Valletta for about four years.

As was the case with most artists who taught art for a living, teaching alone did not feel like enough and he wanted to widen his horizons. For Paul, it was the private sector that interested him and he started work in the ceramic manufacturing industry, taking responsibility for the design and technology. The chemistry of ceramics is quite complex and in the tile manufacturing industry, one needs to be accurate as surprises during the firing process is unacceptable. Decoration is the most difficult part of ceramics as it enhances or ruins the sculpture, so working in this sector has given him the discipline he needed in order to refrain

If there were any rules to follow whilst visiting art exhibitions and galleries, I

would say that there may be a few that would mean a lot for the artist exhibiting, as well as for the curator or gallerist. They are generally things that might not come to anyone else’s mind so easily.

Getting on the invitation list Artists, curators and gallerists usually

make up a list of clients or people that are generally interested in art. These are the people that they usually invite to the exhibition openings. So if you’re interested in following exhibitions, do frequent galleries and request to be on the mailing list.

Upon receiving invitation

Nowadays, not many people reserve or send their regrets for not being able to make it to an exhibition. One has to understand that most exhibition openings involve catering and the organiser needs to know approximately how many people will be attending in order to order the right amount of food and drinks. There are various means of letting the organisers know whether you’d be attending or not and usually, there would be the contact details for RSVP on the exhibition invitation. Likewise, if you find out about an exhibition through a friend, the organisers would be more than happy to host you, but they’d need to know in advance so it would be best to reserve your place.

Time of attendance

Invitations always come with the time of opening and it is the general rule to make it on time. Many openings come with an opening speech by a minister or an art academic who do not usually have much time on their hands. Asking them to wait for more guests before they would do the speech would be quite rude. If one has no option but to come late, it would be

nice to excuse yourself to the artist or the organiser. Exhibition openings do not last longer than three hours and doors usually close after three hours, depending on the venue.

Etiquette at the exhibition opening

If there is an opening speech, guests usually wait for the speech to finish before they would venture to look at each artwork. As with all social events in Malta, you’d usually know most of the people attending and you’d probably like to catch up on discussions. It would only be respectful to spend time looking at the artworks rather than spend the night in discussion, unless it is related to the artworks. Still yet, it would be best to discuss art after you’d spent enough time looking at the artworks. If you do manage to catch the artist’s or curator’s attention, it would be more than appropriate to tell them what you think of the artworks or the exhibition as a whole. If they seem to be taking care of sales though, I would not interrupt unless you would want to buy something yourself. There would usually be a guest book where you could also write down your thoughts and if this is not available, there would be a facebook event page where you could put down your thoughts. It is sometimes the case that the exhibition is overcrowded and the artworks cannot be looked at very well. Coming back to the exhibition at a later date is advised.

Procedure of buying an artwork

It is usually the case that the artwork you’ve been eyeing gets sold before you manage to get to reserving it, so it is important that you approach the artist or the curator/organiser to reserve it right away. If they are talking to a guest, gently make a gesture to grab their attention and let them know that you’d like to reserve an artwork. It would be expected that you hand in a deposit, either cash or cheque, so it is

important that you attend exhibitions with a sufficient amount of cash, or a chequebook. If you could pay it all there and then, that would be even better. You could leave your name and contact details so once the exhibition is over,the artwork can be delivered directly to you. If it is the case that you don’t have either cash or a chequebook on you, you can always give the artist or organiser your details to contact you if the artwork does not get sold on the night.

Taking photographs of artworks

Every artist has his own ideas about this. Whilst you may want to take a photograph in order to show it to a friend for a second opinion, there are artists who do not usually like to have their artworks appear online for copyright reasons, so chances are that they might not like the idea. It would be best to ask before you attempt to photograph a piece. Taking photographs with other guests would be a different matter, unless there are signs around saying otherwise.

After the exhibition opening

Artworks are best appreciated when there are not many people around. It is usually in silence that one would be able to immerse themselves and understand composition and the concept behind the artworks so it is advisable to revisit. Sometimes, exhibitions also include artist talks and closing parties. Artists appreciate all the publicity they can get so if you have any means of doing so, especially if you’d recommend it, do so. Sharing by word of mouth, or a simple social media share, is more than enough, but if you own a blog or have access to any other media, mentioning the exhibition would be more than appreciated by the artist. Artists need all the exposure they can get.

from the unnecessary ‘accidents’. This did not stop him from continuing his studies and updating his knowledge in the field. He regularly attended various workshops in Spain and Italy. He now holds the position of a part-time lecturer in ceramics at the Faculty of Education within the University of Malta. His exhibitions in Italy and locally, date back to 1985.

Paul Scerri invites you to see some of his artworks at Opus 64 Gallerie as well as at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts in Valletta and encourages you to interpret the portrayal of his scultpures, which are products of his imagination, gained through his own experiences with human nature. Paul also has his facebook page under the heading of ‘Paul Scerri Ceramics’.

Christine is usually found at her art gallery together with her girls, selling other artists’ artworks, or curating art exhibitions.

She would be found indulging in sweets until she’d realise that she had enough.


MSV lIfEArt

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car or taking the holiday of a lifetime? Lifestyle goals might seem out of reach and that’s what they’ll continue to be unless you do something about them. The good news is that you can – Just stop dreaming and start saving!

If you put aside a little money regularly, it’ll soon add up to a lot. To make sure you have enough for what you aim for, you need to think carefully about what you want to achieve and by when, and plan your savings accordingly.

When putting money aside over a medium to long-term, it makes sense to use savings plans that are designed to help you reach your goals. At first, putting aside money regularly for many years might seem like a heavy commitment. But if you’re planning to buy a new home or to take a holiday of a lifetime to mark a special occasion, you’re looking at saving regularly for a number of years. A properly structured savings plan will help you do that without putting a strain on your current lifestyle.

MSV Life can help you plan your savings to suit your particular lifestyle and goals, with products that can help you save towards the holiday you’ve always dreamt of, a car or a house, or even to put some money aside for a comfortable retirement.

MSV Life offers flexible plans which allow you to make regular contributions for a minimum of six years. Saving over a longer term would ease the load of your payments, or help you reach even greater goals. The MSV FlexiPlan and the MSV Retirement Plan are designed for this purpose.

The MSV FlexiPlan offers certain guarantees on the money you invest if the plan is held for the full term. The MSV With Profits Fund, in which the plan invests, distributes regular tax-free bonuses (in terms of current tax legislation) which are added onto your investment. These returns are smoothed by spreading the Fund’s profits over good and bad years. This plan allows you to save in a disciplined manner on a regular basis, and comes complete with life protection, which you may increase for greater peace of mind.

For retirement planning, starting to save early makes all the difference. The sooner you start saving, the less you will have to put aside each month to build up the funds you need to maintain the lifestyle you want. The MSV retirement plan gives you potentially greater returns as it enables you to invest in bond and equity markets.

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To find out which savings plan is right for you, contact MSV Life on Freephone 8007 2220 or visit the Customer Service Centre in Floriana or Regional office in Birkirkara. You may also contact one of MSV Life’s Tied Insurance Intermediaries. To learn more about MSV Life’s contact points visit www.msvlife.com or Facebook page MSV Life.

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Dates Twice weekly, 4:00–6:00pmLocation St Luke rd, GuardamangaTeacher Nenad Ignjatov, a professional artist holding a Master of Fine Arts and Painting, from SerbiaPrice €200 per month, per person First sessions are freeContact info 99307915 or email [email protected]

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indulge / Autumn 2014 – 9

Art

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Art, as in paintings, or even photogra-phy, hanging on our walls at home,

or even at the office, can at most times pose a problem as to 'how or where' to hang them.

The joy of purchasing a new piece of art can quickly turn to stress when it comes time to hang it. How high should it be mounted on the wall? How can it be arranged with other pieces to create an inspired statement?

When you’re ready to hang the art, the next step is choosing where each piece should reside. Hence, here below, I shall propose a few helpful rules of thumb, namely:

• Recruitahelperwhocanholdpiecesagainst the wall before you begin hammering in the picture hooks. Then you can take a step back to see what the space is going to look like with the piece there. You get a sense of the proportions and colours, and see it against all the other design elements that may be present, such as windows, a wall light, besides possible other wall hung frames.

• Whenhangingasinglepieceonawall,the centre of the picture should be about 150 cm off the ground, which places it at eye level.

• Whenhangingapairofworks,oneabove the other, treat them as one large picture (whether they’re the same or different sizes). Find the centre point between them, and use the same 150cm rule.

• Forspacingbetweenartonthesamewall, generally calculate about 5 to 8cm between larger pictures. If they’re all smaller family photos, you may leave approx 3 to 5cm between them. That goes for the spacing above, below, and on either side of each frame.

• Whenarrangingmultiplepieces,don’tjust think in terms of a grid.

What’s really becoming popular are salon installations, as one may find in restaurants or lounges — a group of often disparate images or frames, clustered

together. Such installations often stretch from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.

Best is to start in the middle and work your way out. It’s something you feel proportionally, or you can decide depending if you wish Aunt Mary should be next to Uncle Joe ??

A fundamental aspect to enjoying your chosen art, hanging on your walls, is no doubt, the lighting of these items. In general, not much importance is given to this aspect, yet I assure you that lighting should be a planned installation, and not just a casual one!

The most important tip is to have fun when hanging art, and not to worry too much about getting things perfect. Put your mind at rest, that you are not doing any structural damage to your walls, and your house isn’t going to fall down if you don’t hang the pictures right the first time!

I think a lot of people like moving pictures around, just like they move furniture around to freshen things up and the positioning of a new picture, can change the whole feeling of a room.

how to hAnG PiCturesJean-Marc Bianchi tells us

Jean-Marc Bianchi pursued his interior design studies in Rome and has gained 30 years experience

creating unique designs for businesses and homes across Malta. He offers a vast range of knowledge and solutions to meet the needs and tastes of his clients.


tHEAtrE

the 2014 to 2015 theatre season has officially begun with an opening

concert at the Teatru Manoel on the 3rd of October. The previous season did not seem to stop with the Malta Arts Festival, Shakespeare performances at San Anton in the month of July, also Pjazza Teatru Rjal was in full swing all throughout the Summer making Valletta feel very alive.

Here we are again writing for the Theatre page for this next quarter, however this time we are going to discuss two issues - How do you get into the local theatre? And - Preparing for Panto.

How do you get into the local theatre? I often get asked the questions, how did you get into the local theatre and how can I get involved? Well since I got involved, times have changed as no drama schools existed then and it was more by word of mouth or you were spotted in some school production. Now the scene is completely different so I therefore approached two individuals Denise Mulholland, who was a teacher at Stagecoach , and Andre Aguis from Masquerade to see how they got involved in the local theatre scene. I also spoke to MADC Public Relations Officer, Alan Meadows on how one can get involved.

Denise Mulholland, a Scottish native, acts and directs in the Maltese theatre and moved to Malta almost 9 years ago. Her involvement in the Maltese theatre scene started before that when she sang in Malta whilst still studying at the Royal College of Music in London. This was at the invitation of a girl who had rooms next door to her in the student halls… a pianist by the name of Rosetta DeBattista! Denise came over and sang at the Teatru

Manoel with the MPO and fell in love with the island. From the year 2000 onwards she gave Summer workshops for various theatre schools which helped introduce her to the Maltese theatre scene. When she then finally decided to move here permanently, she was given a job by Edward and Marika Mercieca at Stagecoach and that really helped her integrate into the Maltese theatre.

Andre Agius got into the local theatre through Masquerade who gave him the opportunities and the right tools to enhance his abilities as an actor and also to grow as an individual. He made his stage debut in 'Seussical the Musical' playing the role of 'Jojo' at the Manoel theatre, and several opportunities followed after that which included 'A year and a Day' which was performed at the Arcola theatre in London as part of the NT connections festival, 'Daikin' in 'The History Boys' , ‘Brett’ in 13 The Musical, lead boy in 'The curse of snow white panto' and 'Michael' in Festen, the first play at Masquerade's Blue Box. Andre's latest production was playing 'Man' in Tender Napalm both here in Malta and also at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year, Andre also completed a 2 week acting summer school at Rose Bruford College in the UK. Thanks to Masquerade, Andre went on to play roles in films like Largo Winch, Agora, The Devil's Double, Adrift: 47 days with sharks and BBC's The Whale.

The MADC (Malta Amateur Drama Club) since 1979 has held a One Act Festival encouraging new talent, not only on stage but also with directing, lighting and all other aspects of the theatre. It was and still is a spring board for aspiring actors and directors with a love for theatre, who have not taken on a major role on stage.

The festival is held in nid September and it all kicks off with a call for directors through the MADC newsletter, website or MADC facebook page requesting anyone interested in directing a One Act play (about 30 minutes long) to contact MADC. Here they encourage you to either choose a play from the vast library MADC has, or ask you to find a play of your own or encourage you to write your own. You are helped or mentored all the way by meeting up with experienced directors and also the club’s Artistic director. Once the directors and plays are found a call for auditions is then put out again through social media.

So it is a golden opportunity for anyone interested in getting their foot in the door and treading the boards. Auditions are held and depending on the various plays, they would be chosen to take part in one of the six plays. Four weeks of rehearsals and the competition starts. So not only are you taking part in a play, but also there is an Award for the best Director/Best Production/Best Actor/Best Actress/Best Promising Actor and Best Promising Actress. The list of winners from 1979 reads like a Who’s Who of many of Malta’s leading actors and directors.

For further information go to the MADC web site www.madc.com.mt and register and you will then be kept abreast of what is happening theatre wise and

also you will kept informed on when their auditions for their forthcoming plays are being held.

This year’s One Acts awards went to: • Best Director: Justin Camlleri • Best Production: James Sultana• Best Actor: Jacob Falzon • Best Actress: Maxine Aquilina • Most Promising Actor: Keith Barbara • Most Promising Actress: Isabelle

Catania

It is this One Act Festival that distinguished the Malta Amateur Dramatic Club from other theatre companies. Also as a club there are many social events and activities that bring members together, with the younger ones mingling with the more experienced.

Preparing for PantoThis year’s MADC Panto at the MFCC is Merry Poppins and the Panto at the Teatru Manoel is Pinocchio.

Merry PoppinsPreparation for MADC ‘s Panto

2014/2015 “Merry Poppins “started when their Panto for 2013/2014

RapunzelStiltskin was still being staged at MFCC. The work and preparation has increased ever since MADC took over the Annual Christmas Pantomime at the Manoel from the British Forces in 1979, its Christmas Panto has grown in size and popularity, especially since it moved to the MFCC Ta’ Qali so preparations start a year before.

Ernest Camilleri is busy designing all the costumes for the show and making sure that the most exotic and outrageous costumes are designed for Alan Montanaro to step into as the one and only DAME MERRY POPPINS with a great supporting cast with a healthy mixture of new and old faces.

Jean Pierre Busuttil is back again this year, but in the role of the Baddie with his accomplice wife Katherine Brown playing Lord and Lady Richmond. Joining them will be Taryn Mamo Cefai as the Princess, Alexander Gatesy Lewis as Dark Duke Derek (DDD), Joseph Zammit as Bertu, Francesco Nicodeme as Governor Banks, Katja Brauneis as Mrs Banks, Luke Saydon & Mandy Random will play the teenagers Mikey and Jane Banks, Chiara Hyzelr and Steffi Thake as Double Daisy! Plus a chorus line of 20 very talented and promising performers.

Merry Poppins is written and directed by Malcolm Galea, together with his creative team of Paul Abela as Musical

Director, Roger Tirazona as vocal coach Alison White as choreographer and Claudio Apap as set designer. Bookings are now open on www.madc.com.mt

PinocchioFM Theatre Productions are once

again producing the annual Christmas Pantomime at the Manoel Theatre and this year’s is Pinocchio, which is penned by Edward Mercieca. The stellar cast is led by Edward himself as Dame Saltimbocca and the cast includes, David Chircop as Jimmy, Niki Andrejevic as Principal Boy Fonzi, Renato Dimech as Geppetto, Tara Zammit as The Evil Sorceress, Maxine Aquilina as Principal Girl Esmeralda, Joe Depasquale as the Evil Stromboli and Michael Mangion and Antonella Mifsud as the idiotic henchmen, Fusilli and Fettucini! Together with a vibrant and energetic chorus of singing, dancing guys and gals.

The creative team cannot be stronger with Chris Gatt in the Director’s seat, together with Kris “Krispi” Spiteri as the Musical Director, that Peter Pan of choreographers, Jean Marc Cafa’ in charge of dance and Cathy “Irish” Lawlor as vocal coach! Denise Mulholland will be designing an incredible array of costumes, which will surely be a veritable feast for the eyes. Noel Zarb will be in charge of making Edward look as outrageous as possible with his Dame’s costumes, whilst Colin Grech will run the show as the incredible stage manager that he is! The soundmeister is none other than that wizard of the mixing desk, Sergio Costa. All in all an A team in theatre production!

The story takes the audience through a whirlwind adventure from our heroes’ village to Pleasure Island, across the ocean as well as inside a huge whale! The laugh out loud story is peppered with the usual dose of local and political satire, a must for local audiences! Pinocchio can be described as interactive Panto! Or an iPanto!

Bookings on www.teatrumanoel.com

Martin Azzopardi is an actor, fitness instructor and masseur. When not treading the boards or the (tread) mill, he treads water on his boat and loves the sea.

mArtin AzzoPArdi Goes bACkstAGe for the new seAson of theAtre

Andre Aguis


food & drInkCHArIty

Home-Start is a service that originated in the UK in 1973 by a group of

professionals who recognised the importance of practical and emotional support to parents in the first years of their children’s lives. Home-Start Malta, supported by Aġenzija Appoġġ and sponsored by HSBC Malta Foundation and Shireburn Software, started operating in 2006 from a humble office in Cospicua.

Trained volunteers visit families and provide the necessary practical and emotional support. Home-Start Malta provides one-to-one support for parents who have at least one child under 5 years of age in their own home. Parents and volunteers often develop a deeply trusting relationship, which can lead to powerful change within the family.

Why it matters?The first five years of children’s lives

are vital for their development. Being a parent isn’t always easy and sometimes certain life situations can throw them off course and everything else takes a back seat. Never mind how willing the parents may be to give their children the best opportunities. In real life circumstances reality may be very different. Home-Start volunteers are parents themselves and understand how challenging it can be. During their visits, volunteers work on the parent's existing skills helping them cope with the stresses of life to ensure that children’s needs are being met.

There is no typical Home-Start family. Families could be facing isolation and loneliness, physical and mental health problems including post-natal depression,

the pressures of rearing twins and triplets, relationship problems, general concerns about their children’s development as well as lack of budgeting and parenting skills.

What do Home-Start volunteers do?

The Home-Start organiser interviews and selects any prospective volunteer. Every volunteer attends a preparation training course which lasts 40 hours over a span of 10 weeks. After training and an individual follow up meeting, volunteers are carefully matched with a family. All of them benefit from constant support from the organiser, who accompanies them to the initial meeting with the family and is always just a phone call away. Constant communication is kept with all volunteers to ensure that the best possible service is offered to families. Once a month volunteers participate during a support group where apart from sharing experiences, they also receive further training.

The average time of involvement of a volunteer with a family varies greatly from just a few weeks to several years. Each volunteer has one or sometimes two families spending about two to three hours per week with each of them.

There is no specific duration of the visit. Each family has its own needs and the service is offered accordingly. Some families might also be supplied with two volunteers for a short while until the situation is more manageable.

Volunteers get to know the parent’s situation and offer support in an informal manner while encouraging structure,

I 'm asked almost daily for restaurant recommendations; different occasions

demand a different location. Is it a work thing, are you entertaining foreigners, what sort of food, is decor/service important, which location or type of location, inside/outside, what sort of price point? And the list goes on.

Now I have a favourite half dozen places (indeed a favourite dish or two in each) that when our schedules allow, we sneak off to. One is for special days, one for lunches with the girls, one for any occasion and a couple for when you just don't want to cook, or you have a craving. Now we have found a place that is walking distance (albeit in flat shoes and up hill) from our home. Having seen a few friends record their visit on facebook, I didn't want to miss out. The Fork & Cork is nestled in the stairs of Rabat, with outside tables overlooking the countryside and inside tables having the stunning light to marvel at.

We arrived on a mid-week evening and there were two large tables set up for groups, one inside and one out, and a half dozen tables that could seat 4. We took a table inside as I have a thing about smoking. I hate it. And people who smoke

think because they are outside its OK to light up, even when others are eating, at the same table or otherwise.

We took the table that is positioned under the centre piece and spent a good while marvelling at it, wanting to steal the wine racks and copy the pitted metal bar, until the cork covered wine list and menu arrived.

The wine list had a few of our favourites, which is always a good sign. The main menu had starters ranging from ceviche to slow cooked pork rillettes and Burrata cheese salad, John chose the ceviche of salmon with an anchovy and squid mayonnaise. The ceviche was topped with leaves and shoots and the plate artistically decorated. I abstained from a starter; I had seen the desserts.

As my main I had the veal cutlet with a parsley and garlic gremolata. This was advertised at 350g, which I stated was too much for a girl, and promptly, pretty much polished it off. The meat was so tender and it melted in my mouth, so it didn't feel like I was eating something quite so big. A bowl of home made chips and wonderfully al dente vegetables accompanied the meal and these got their fair share of attention.

John ordered a steak, a medium rare steak. And guess what he got? A medium rare steak. That's rare, normally it's over cooked. It was topped with a carrot and mustard butter. Genius combination. We managed most of the meat and a polite portion of the sides, and we were glad we brought the car, though I'm sure you could have rolled me down the hill.

So you'd think I would stop there and digest the evenings fill, wouldn't you? I know me better and I knew that the banana parfait/panna cotta/pineapple carpaccio with coconut flakes and sorbet/chocolate mille feuille needed me to test them. I did just pick one, and didn't cajole

John into pretending he wanted one so I could sample it. The banana parfait won. Plump, soft, moist, light, and with the nut brittle that accompanied it, I got my crunch factor.

Serving a selection of platters too, this is somewhere I can see myself on a rainy Sunday afternoon, with the papers, a bottle of Primitivo, and maybe a friend or two.

routine, discipline and a positive ambience. Some examples include:

• Offering a listening ear to the parent

• Helping in establishing a routine according to the family’s needs

• Accompaniment during outside visits, including medical appointments

• Discussing with parents different methods for better communication with their children and encouraging family time

Home-Start does not offer material help apart from a ‘swap and change’ service which encourages the mothers to exchange any items such as toys which they no longer need.

Home-Start Malta also ensures that once yearly an activity is held for all the families receiving support. All families look forward to this event as it is a way of spending some quality time with their own families while also socialising with others who are in similar situations. Some of them suffer from social isolation and others rarely enjoy a day out together as a family due to financial restraints.

ChArity beGins At home

monique ChAmbers finds A new PlACe to eAt for Any oCCAsion

Are you interested in becoming a volounteer for Home-Start Malta, or interested in getting more information about our service? Contact us on 21678043 or 99018398 or send us an email on [email protected].

For more information visit our website www.appogg.gov.mt and like us on our facebook page Home-Start Malta.

The meal was well priced so The Fork & Cork will be filed under the good for groups of friends/work colleagues, good for visitors you have to take to Mdina anyway and cosy enough for a romantic evening.


HobbIES & lEISurE

Boost your confidence!The Helen O'Grady academy offers a development programme targeting adults wishing to develop acting skills, whilst giving their confidence and communication skills a boost.

Participants enjoy the challenge of performing in front of their peers, others may wish to have the confidence to contribute more at meetings, discuss effectively, strike up conversations at parties - but don't know how to go about it!

The group dynamic determines the workshops; topics tackled are at an adult level and give students on-going confidence and increased skill in verbal communication in a fun-filled environment.

In the words of one student “I quickly made new friends and slowly but surely, started developing my self-confidence. The lessons offer you an opportunity to rediscover the child within”.

Dates: every Monday from 7pm, Venue: Sliema, Costs: €100 per term + €12 registration fee

Website:www.helenogradymalta.com

Get all in a latherThe Soap Making Workshop is for the creative genius and takes skill and imagination to another level. You will experiment with colours, perfumes and shapes, to create the most awesome looking handmade bars. The workshop is ideal for small groups of those with patience and a willingness to understand the various materials.

Take away your own handmade goodie bags at the end of each workshop.

Price: €25 per person (adults/ 12 years and older), Duration: between 90 -120 min

Contact: [email protected] or call on +356 99883675

Create Christmas Craft Create a variety of Christmas themed projects including cards and ornaments, as well as items to decorate your Christmas table. Through this course you will learn about card making, cottage craft as well as knitting. You will be introduced to the colourful world of a variety of hobby crafts that you may wish to explore further.

This course is ideal for teens and adults with a maximum of 6 in each class.

You can benefit on a 10% discount on items bought from John C. Vella for the duration of the course.

Dates: from 5th November, Duration: 5 weekly sessions of 2 hours, Price: €60, Venue: John C. Vella, Creative World of Crafts, 95–99 Constitution Street, Mosta

Facebook: Art, Hobby & Needle Craft Courses (Malta)

Contact: Maria Baldacchino on 9943 3388 or [email protected]

French Cooking with AlexIf you like to cook and enjoy French cuisine you can combine both passions by joining one of Alex‘ classes.

Alex will provide you with a fantastic opportunity to learn and enjoy authentic French cuisine in Malta. He even offers home lessons if these are more convenient.

Learn how to prepare a 3-course meal, using fresh local, seasonal and easy-to-find products. Classes are followed by lunch served with drinks (cold beverages, French wine, tea or coffee), either in the kitchen or in the garden. The duration of a class is typically 4 hours (including the lunch).

Cooking lessons offered all year except for Christmas holidays.

Minimum class size: 4 students, Prices: €40-50

Website: www.cookwithalex.com

Hum and strumEver wanted to play the guitar? Take classical and acoustic guitar lessons by a professional, qualified and experienced teacher. Lessons are held daily from 5pm onwards in Santa Venera. All ages accepted (6 years+) and individual attention is guaranteed.

Learn how to read sheet music, be able to play songs with appropriate strumming/fingerstyle patterns, and have the opportunity to be certified by foreign examiners.

Website: www.guitarlessonsmalta.com

Contact: Alison Galea on 79455148 or alisonpace028@ gmail.com

Drawing & paintingStudyinginmalta.com offers various vocational and non-vocational courses such as one from Surikoff Fine Arts School with short courses and private tuition as well as courses lasting one academic year and leading to Diplomas in Fine Arts.

The short courses last 3 or 6 weeks with a total of 12 hours.

Website: www.studyinginmalta.com

Workshop f/1.4Masterclass in black and white film photography

Ede books is organising short photography courses for people who wish to get a start in film photography or who are interested only in a particular aspects of the process, such as film development or hand printing. These modules can also be combined into a full overview of the film photography process.

More information: www.edebooks.eu/short-photography-courses

kAte wi tells us how to Get on Course for A better future

StudyIng? Use these foods to stimulate your brain

The right nutrition won't make you smarter just like that, but it will increase your power of concentration and efficiency. The following foods are both, delicious and great energy suppliers.

Sweeten up!Chocolate isn't just great in taste, it even positively affects your mood. Its natural ingredients encourage the production of endorphins and improve your reaction time, especially dark chocolate which is rich in flavanols. These increase your brain's perfusion and therefore your cognitive ability. So to say, chocolate is just passive brain training.

Fatty fish.Oily fish gives you omega-3 fatty acids. Which is actually one of the base components of our brain and the nerve tissue. The acids are tremendously important for your brain nerves, as they support their communication. In case you dislike fish.

Go nuts!Nuts are just the most perfect energy snack. They contain vitamin B, minerals, antioxidants and the nerve neurotransmitter choline (especially walnuts) that helps to prevent tension and decreasing concentration. Cashew and Brazil nuts contain magnesium - best de-stressor ever.

Tea and coffeeTea is quite a panacea for your body and brain. Catechin, which is ingredient of many varieties, helps to prevent calci-nation of the vessels. Green tea has a calming effect, while black tea – containing theine – inspires. Theine is similar to caffeine in coffee, but is ingested and degraded more slowly. That means you'll have a longer effect out of it.

But if you're a lover of coffee, don't worry. You don't have to miss it, as it still fuels your brain sufficiently. Even so take care – consuming too much of these stimulants can change to the contrary and make you too nervous.

Kate Wilschewski is a vegetarian food lover who enjoys exploring new recipes and ingredients. Apart from that she indulges in sitting on the beach with a good friend or book and a glass of wine while watching the sunset.


HoMESHoMES

this intriguing Castle built in 1579 with its dramatic medieval architecture is

set on over 8200sq. meters of landscaped gardens. The castle is situated on the rural side of Malta. It boasts of nine bedrooms, three of which are in the turrets, and it houses three bathrooms and one shower.

Built as a residence of a Conventual Chaplain of the Order of St John, Don Matteo Pisani, it is believed the castle was used for guard duties and once as a brothel during its long and diverse history.

During the 18th Century, four turrets were erected and these are said to have been where young knights had illicit meetings.

Like many other buildings in Malta, it was acquired by the British military during the Second World War and at the end of the hostilities, was turned into a residence once more.

Since 1969, it has been a family retreat, providing refuge from long English Winters. It is now available for exclusive hire for family holidays and big house parties.

There is a vaulted dining room, a spacious sitting room and a more formal dining area through the magnificent entrance hall. The castle is approached through the arched portico in the boundary wall whilst a flagstone path

beneath a canopy of bougainvillea takes you through another archway past a small fountain to the front door. The main hall on the ground floor is dominated by a stone table, which seats sixteen.

Three ante rooms branch off the hall in-cluding a TV room, video room and cloak room. Following through one finds a large butler's pantry and a washroom, leading through the main kitchen, which has an outside dining area. Adjoining the kitchen is the dining room with a low vaulted ceiling and a massive open fireplace.

An ancient stone spiral staircase connects the Castle's three stories. On the first floor is the stunningly high ceiling sitting room laid out in the shape of the Greek cross, overlooked by charming minstrel’s galleries. On the other level is a double bedroom with adjacent dressing

room and bathroom. Across the gallery,

the two bedrooms share a dressing room.

The staircase continues to the

battlements and four turrets, three of

which are single bedrooms and the fourth

a shower room, all sharing wonderful

views of the Castle grounds. The walled

garden has arbours, pergolas and an

impressive avenue of cypresses reflecting

the earthy mysticism that pervades Malta.

A recently installed swimming pool

can be enjoyed for much of the year.

The ancient and the modern sit together

in this Mediterranean haven, making a

tranquil and luxurious place for a great

family home.

The house is for sale via Malta Sotheby’s International Realty – maltasothebysrealty.com

SAlVAgIng furnIturE HAS bECoME A bIt of An obSESSIon. up-CyClIng ItEMS IS quICk And doESn’t CoSt MuCH – And In tHE End, you HAVE tHE fEElIng of SAtISfACtIon And A unIquE pIECE!

tAke A look AroundbubAqrA tower

our diy divA, lisA browninG, shows you how to uP-CyCle A ChAir in one Afternoon

The name of this area originated from Bubakra (from Bakkar), literally meaning 'to wake up early'. With the surrounding area consisting of mainly fields and rural areas, the people of this area used to "get up early to start working their fields".

Unique occasional furniture by the renowned Tom’s Company at HENRI Luxury Gift Boutique, including designer chests and drawer units with the trademark colourful, idiosyncratic style one associates with the renowned brand. HENRI Luxury Gift Boutique, Mdina (next to Palazzo Falson). For more info tel: 2010 6307

heNrI luxury Gift Boutique, Mdina

1. Lightly sand the wood and wipe clean.

2. Paint, making sure to get into all the joints and corners. Add coats to get your desired coverage.

3. While the paint is drying, position the pattern of your fabric to be symmetrical on your seating pad.

4. Pin in place – I suggest doing this around the sides.

5. Turn over the cushion pad and tightly fold the corners in and secure. I find a staple gun really handy for this. You can use glue and studs.

6. Now secure the rest of the fabric, making sure there are no visible creases.

7. Place the pad in place and voilà! You have a new piece of furniture.


HoMES

In today's 'fast' way of life, working from home seems to have become a

common occurrence.

This is no doubt due to the conveni-ence of various means of communication. So, if you are one of those that does work from home, or if you pursue a space/or time consuming hobby, then you must

avail yourself of some space within the home, to be 'ear marked' as one's territory.

A priority would be, to not need to always have to clear away all relevant paraphernalia regularly. This re-organisation of space would present you with a considerable psychological advantage of a separate work area.

The colour you choose is a major factor and giving it a decent lick of paint could be one small brush for you, one giant makeover for your home. Before you start popping paint cans you'll be asking yourself which colour you should be choosing for this new space.

Most studies have shown that green focuses directly on the retina, making it the easiest colour for the eye to see. This makes it an ideal colour to choose for your study, home office or library as it helps with reading, relaxing and concentration.

There are a large number of greens available from Dulux Paints which include a range of Lime Zest shades, the classy Jungle Fever, a gorgeous shade of Olive Green, a sea green aptly named Grecian Spa and chalky, soothing Sea Urchin. Refreshing those walls of yours is easier than you

think and is a very clear example of minimum effort, maximum outcome. So go on, pop that paint can open and get that elbow grease going - you'll be thanking us once you're done!

Dulux Paints are available from C. Chircop in Qormi, KHS Hardware in Zabbar and Vee Gee Bee in San Gwann, or can be ordered from any leading paint store.

You may even find that by a change of use of a particular space, and besides possibly saving space, that you may even be able to take advantage of natural daylight, if positioned close to or under a window, when working during the day, at home.

Assuming that there may be no 'spare' room to create your home office/study area, concentrate on possibly an unused area, such as under a staircase, or modifying a cupboard, by installing shelves within the space, and creating a 'desk' area, with all necessary office stationery placed upon these shelves. Above the work surface, a pin board or a magnetic board could also prove useful. Should you require a larger desk surface, consider installing a work surface that is hinged vertically, such that you can 'drop down' ( similar to an ironing board ), when required!

Finding the right space may not be easy, but walk through the various rooms, including the kitchen, and you may well notice a 'space' that can be made use of. Papers, and other office stationery could also be neatly 'stacked' away in attractive boxes, offering various colour coding, or even leather bound.

Fixing a wide shelf along a wall, at work surface height, can provide for a display area, besides a place to sit at, as well as storage for files, magazines, books, a sound system, speakers, lap top/printer, as well as a dedicated desk light. If a wall is not available, then span across an alcove, or even the end of a corridor, with a sturdy work surface, and suspend below this surface a line of drawers/or even open wire baskets/or plastic storage bins, both of which operate on appropriate runners fixed to the underside of the work surface.

In a living room or a dining room, this would not only serve as your home of-fice/study area, but could also double up as a sideboard at mealtimes. Cutlery/table linen could be stored in one of the draw-ers, whilst writing materials/paper work etc in another. Similarly, if space is really tight, besides being a desk in a bedroom, it could also double up as a dressing table. Using this arrangement, rather than free standing furniture, not only makes efficient use of space, but it also increases the apparent size of the room.

Added guidelines for even further success in creating this space, would be a touch of colour, pattern or even textured materials. Needless to say, that services, such as appropriate electrical outlets, would no doubt add to the efficiency of the space allocated. Mirrors and even more important, good lighting, especially over the work surface would provide a total solution.

CreAte A home offiCe/study AreA

mdinA GlAss

New lanterns from the recently introduced Textured Range by Mdina Glass, available in various shapes, 9 colours and a choice of real leather or rope handles. The contoured design of the glass plays wonderfully with light as it passes through the glass and casts wonderful reflected patterns on walls and surfaces.

Check out the new Textured Range at Mdina Glass outlets. Lantern prices start at €37. For more info tel: 2141 5786.

JEAn–MArC bIAnCHI tEllS uS How to


trAVEl

berlin for beGinnersmonique ChAmbers is moved by A City breAk to berlinberlin is just a 3-hour flight away with

an almost daily schedule on AirMalta to Tegel; the new airport is yet to open, this fact, you will discover from almost every conversation you have with any taxi driver, shop assistant and tour guide.

Once there, there is more to see then the Wall and Checkpoint Charlie; indeed, the latter I recommend you give a miss. It’s cheesy and makes a mockery of the original. The Wall is omni-present, even though just a fraction physically remains, the site is marked by cobblestones and a metal strip, and is conspicuous by its vertical absence. The sections that remain, however, are marred by mindless graffiti –basic tagging – which just shows a lack of understanding of what happened here. I think a whole stretch, i.e. the wires, walls etc., should have been kept to understand the scale of an escape, and perhaps teach the taggers a lesson that would be etched in their memories and

enable them to realise that some walls are sacred.

Tiergarten is a gigantic park, which is such a treat to visit. The beer garden is worthy of more than one trip, even on a short trip. Traditional foods and beers are available to enjoy on the wooden pub benches which spread from the bar itself to the waters edge. The café itself is decorated with simple galvanised buckets filled with flowers, geraniums and forget -me –not’s spilling over the edges; the staff young and friendly, attentive and cool.

The lake offers the chance to hire a rowing boat and pretend to be Ratty and Mole, or the Owl and the Pussycat; whichever takes your fancy. The boats are available to hire till late in the evening and I can’t think of many more things that are as fun or romantic!

If doing the work yourself isn’t your thing, trips are available on the river on

varying shapes and sizes of craft. We opted for a solar powered river cruise. For goodness sake! If they can offer solar powered cruises in Germany, why can’t we with our sunshine quota! The ride was smooth, sleek and silent. It made for a serene view of the city centre, moving, even at slow speed. You could see the bullet holes where people tried to swim the border on the banks of the river; it is the saddest trip you will ever take, but one you need to.

The food in Berlin is amazing. Quality is key and they have a strong focus on local ingredients and seasonal foods. Paula Saal – an old Jewish girls school, is now an art space and restaurant where you can test my judgement. Another great place to eat is the roof of the Reichstag. The top floor houses a restaurant which has a great view over the city, with an unshakeable eerie feeling. The Berlin Tower, the city’s iconic building, has a restaurant which revolves while eating,

great view, great food. You do feel a bit like you are stepping into a old sci -fi movie, the décor is very dated - almost back in fashion.

Talking of fashion, this is a great place to shop. The vintage stores have been depleted of stock but the high street and young designers are rampant. The shopping centres and department stores super-civilised; food courts which distract you from the task in hand. They will wrap and ship for you too, making indulging super easy. Hackesche Höfe

is a sweet set of squares interlinked and restored to their former glory. Tiled facades and cafe society, boutiques and bars, this is where you would want to spend 24 hours of your trip and much better than Gendarmenmarkt which is a sweet square but not the most beautiful square as it is billed to be. And what is the main draw to this area for tourists? The Chameleon Cabaret. I had imagined a smokey den with Liza Minelli-esque starlets and glamour, but it turned out to be an utterly modern evening with a fantastic gymnastic show. (How do people know they can do that with their bodies?)

There is so much to see with a multitude of museums housing rich exhibitions to appeal to a wide variety of tastes; Egyptian, David Bowie, Hai Wei Wei, Goya and Dali. Indeed while we were there, there was one showing alcohol, drugs and smoking in Islamic art.

Music is also celebrated widely and the Philharmonic is a definite – but do book in advance. Live bands and international stars are promoted widely. Take a chance and go see a band you you’ve never heard of. The Germans have an eclectic taste and you just don’t know what you are going to find.

Getting around is relatively easy, the waterways and walkways get you up close; buses and rickshaws are pretty easy to navigate. You could, of course, take a tour in a Trabi.

My lasting musing of Berlin is that everything was something, nothing just is. This is definitely a city to visit at least once in your lifetime. Even though, the lessons of the period have not be learned by the rest of the world, here there are constant reminders, and the sadness, the shame, the desperation to move on are in your face even when covered in the glitz and gloss of a 21st century metropolis.

“ There is so MuCh To see wiTh a MulTiTude oF MuseuMs housing riCh exhiBiTions To aPPeal To a wide varieTy oF TasTes; egyPTian, david Bowie, hai wei wei, goya and dali.”

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food & drInk

At Talbot & Bons, Skyparks, we understand how precious free time

is. Open for breakfast right through till late, we serve a range of food and beverages to a range of people.

Go far from the madding crowd and join us for artisanal beers, antipasto, ambiance; live music and quality food, which attracts the people you want to be with.

Let us introduce you to Italy’s finest beers; the four great ladies of Amarcord. Whether you are a gentleman that prefers blonds or brunettes, there is one here to suit you.

GradiscaA bright coloured beer that forms a light, compact head. The flavour is full and rounded, with a pleasant taste of hops and a delicate scent of flowers. It presents the palate with a pleasantly fruity aroma accompanied by a refreshing aftertaste of hops that makes it particularly refreshing.

MidònaStability is key. Designed and created for those who love concreteness. Golden with a fine and compact head, an intense aroma of malt and hops and a full rounded body with a persistent finish.

VolpinaThe redhead with a strong character, who seduces at the first taste, as this double malt has a ruby red tone and is rich with spicy aromas that surround the palate. An intense beer that plays the notes of grain and the aromas of caramel and spices.

TabachèraA very bold beer, full-bodied, for those who love strong emotions.

It features full, unique notes of liquorice, and is the perfect meditative beer. The rich flavour, full and round, ripe fruit notes are released, which end in a harmony of sweet flavours and is reminiscent of hazelnuts.

And for the special lady, why not try the Amarcord Special Reserve. Made with the purest spring water, light in minerals and absolutely uncontaminated, it rises abundantly from the brewery’s own spring in Italy’s Central Apennine Mountains. A blend of two different types of hops, selected to bring out the best aroma and flavour, Acacia and Wildflower honey from the Apennines to give this rare and exclusive ale its soft and rounded taste. The cold-pressed juices of sour cherries and sloes, special varieties of fruit growing wild in the woods around the brewery and picked by hand in late Spring, fruits that impart the most authentic flavours of nature and tinges of rosé to make this ale unique in all the world.

Talbot & BonsSkyParks Business Centre

Malta International Airport - Malta Phone: (+356) 99 258 258/2123 4834

www.talbotbons.com/

meet uP & wind down hAvinG A beer After work is somethinG to sAvour

food & drInk

when we think of cereals, what springs to mind is most likely bread

and breakfast and baking. These are all part of recent history compared to the use of cereals for brewing beer. Beer is probably the first use of many of the cere-als we are in contact with today, and this helped shape the world as we know it.

A very weak beer was a neat way of keeping the bacterial content of water to a minimum, particularly when the need for storing water arose. So as boring as it sounds, the first beers were produced as a survival mechanism rather than a means of lowering one’s standards at the pub.

Now that we’ve acknowledged beer as an essential link to the survival of our species, we can focus on the precious liquid as a source of olfactory indulgence and as a social lubricant. Let’s start with the latter.

Shaping the world as we know it might sound like an exaggeration, however we have a history of a few millennia of warfare to think about. The poor could afford weak beers while the rich obtained their liquids from the more crafty of brewers. These brewers found that multiple fermentation, careful selection of ingredients, and tweaking the brewing process itself could all help produce a much more alcoholic beer. And the Lords and Ladies who quaffed their fill of these potent tipples took more belligerent decisions than they would have, had they been sober, causing history to pick the more bloody path available to it.

Beer is also much maligned for its association with big bellies, pub fights, beer pun t-shirts and waking up next to someone you wouldn’t normally have breakfast with. Considering the sheer size of the beer industry, having a questionable underbelly has quite the statistical imperative. This is the huge dark cloud, to which there is a shimmering, silver lining.

Away from the mass-market, industrial-ly produced, sports-sponsoring, commer-cial beer, nestles an incredibly passionate cohort of brewers. These range from the

Belgian Monks who have been produc-ing precious liquids for centuries to the unbearably hip micro-breweries that are pushing the boundaries of the beer world every day.

The range of beers that is available as a result of this rapidly growing supply of talent is now quite astounding. About a decade ago I visited a pub that served four hundred different beers. This number has more than doubled since. Attempting to sample as many of the beers in the pub as possible is not a good idea, especially since this spread of brands and varieties also brings with it a broad range of alcohol content.

This part of the world of beer is why it holds its head high. It is richly peppered with delights that every gourmand ought to try. Sometimes it takes a little bravery.

heAd held hiGh

The first time an artisan beer was suggested with my oysters and cockles, i was slightly hesitant. i trusted the man who recommended this combination and the liquid that poured out of the 75cl bottle was amber and slightly cloudy. The result, however, made my mouth a better place and so my adventures with artisan beers commenced.

Ed drinks

www.firebox.com

24 – indulge / Autumn 2014

food & drInk

A couple of places that value beer more than most have recently popped up in Malta and this will hopefully help stimulate a more developed beer culture. Unlikely as it sounds, Good Thaimes in Gzira has a lovely selection of Belgian and German beers, as well as a few of the more popular ones from Thailand, Singapore and Japan. Another well curated selection is available at the charming jazz bar in Valletta that goes by the name of Django. Both places are informal and welcoming and the staff are keen enough about their beers to help guide your journey to a more informed and decidedly happier palate.

So if you’re feeling bold, or you’re a wine snob who looks down on beer as an inferior liquid, start tasting beers you’re

not quite used to. Check the alcohol content and move along this scale progressively. You’ll soon be able to tell plenty about a beer from its colour, its scent and the way it keeps its head after you’ve poured it into the right glass. Then there’s the wonderful world of beer and food matching, one that is exciting, never-ending, and very, very personal.

So the next time you decide to take beer a little more seriously, thank it first for being an essential key to your very existence and then sip deeply, smelling the froth as you do so, and marvel at this most noble use of cereals, yeast, water, and plenty of love and passion.

Cheers.

Alcohol – More specifically ‘ethanol’ - the clear liquid in beer that’s a result of fermented sugars. Varies from as little as 3% to 15% by volume.

Ale – A beer fermented with top-fermenting yeast. Usually fermented at a higher temperature than lagers and served a little warmer, too.

Barley – A cereal that is used as a base malt in many beers.

Body – The consistency, or mouth-feel, of a beer. It is one of the many ways to describe a beer and can range from thin to full-bodied.

Beer Kettle – A container in which unfermented beer, or wort, is boiled.

Carbonation – One of the many ways in which bubbles are added to beer.

Colour – Another way of describing your favourite beer. Darker beers are normally a result of roasted or caramelised malts.

Draught beer – Beer drawn from a keg rather than poured out of a bottle or aluminium can.

Fermentation – The process by which yeast transforms fermentable sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide (the gas in beer bubbles).

Filtration – Many beers are filtered to remove the little bits of yeast that give beer a cloudy appearance. Not all beers undergo filtration. White beers, for instance, are usually quite cloudy.

Hops – A vine that produces little cones that are added to beer during various parts of the fermentation process. They add bitterness, flavour and scent to beer and the hops used are responsible for many of the unique flavours that vary from one beer to another.

Lager – A bottom-fermenting yeast is used to produce lagers. The word stems from German and indicates that the beer has been stored for a while, usually at a very cold temperature, resulting in a clear beer with a cleaner flavour.

Malt – The starch in barley is insoluble. Malting is the process that turns these into soluble sugars that yeast can feed on.

Oxidation – You don’t want this to happen to your beer. When beer is oxidised it tastes awful.

Primary Fermentation – The bulk of sugars are converted into alcohol and CO2 during this first phase.

Secondary Fermentation – This is a slower process and is a more complete one, usually by the addi-tion of further yeasts. It contributes significantly to the final character of the beer.

– Perhaps it is obvious that quality water is a crucial ingredient to the production of a quality beer. The water source used for brewing also contributes to the specific flavour of the finished product.

Mini glossary of beer terMs


food & drInkfood & drInk

embrACe the Chillmonique mAkes reCiPes with Cisk

Best beer batterThis is great for fish or vegetables and will coat a half kilo. If making a treat for the ladies, swap the beer for Champagne.

130g all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 tbsp lemon zest

660ml Cisk

Beer braised vongoleThis is one of those dishes that suffices as a starter or light lunch if served with spaghetti.

60ml olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 finely chopped red onions

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

A good handful of fresh basil and thyme leaves

660ml Cisk

A dozen vongole per person

MethodHeat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onions and garlic. Add the vongole and seasoning. Scatter the basil leaves and then the beer. All of it.

Cover the pot and bring to the boil, cooking the vongole till the shells open.Serve those which have opened and discard those which remain closed. Serve with leaves and beer bread.

sobering beer breadUse to mop up the juices of your vongole, to accompany your beer can chicken or just when you need fresh bread fast!


3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

330ml Cisk

2 tbsp olive oil, exra for greasing

MethodPreheat the oven to 200°C and coat an 8” cake tin/loaf pan with oil.

In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre. Pour in the beer and oil and mix well and pour into the tin and bake for 45 minutes (until golden brown). Serve warm.

Beer can chickenThis is so one for BBQ kings! For those of a delicate disposition, roast the bird on a rack (breast–side down) with the beer and a knob of butter in the tray.

330ml can of Cisk

Medium chicken

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

MethodCoat the bird inside and out with the oil and seasoning.

Take a few sips of the beer and leaving it at least half full, put the bird’s cavity over the can.

Organise the coals to leave a clear space directly above the can and bird.

Close the BBQ lid and cook for at least an hour. Carefully remove the can (it will be hot) and leave the bird to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

get sloshed – marinade for fish & meatsBe generous and slather on pork, chicken and fish. Leave for at least 30 minutes.

30ml olive oil

60ml Cisk

15ml lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1.5 tsps salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 tsp mustard

Few basil leaves, torn

Leaves from 1 stem of oregano

Leaves from 1 stem of thyme

MethodWhisk the wet ingredients and then mix in the dry. Use to marinade white fish and meats.


food & drInk

CelebrAte oktoberfest every dAywE bECAME AddICtEd to prEtzElS on our trIp to bErlIn, And HAVE bEEn MAkIng And bAkIng tHEM EVEr SInCE. tHE SAuSAgE MACHInE IS A nEw AddItIon to tHE kItCHEn gAdgEt CupboArd And onE tHAt tAkES A bIt of prACtICE!

mdinA GlAss

Part of the new Textured Range from Mdina Gass, these handmade glass drink dispensers are great for general use or for entertaining in style, indoors or out. They have a capacity of approx. 2.5 litres and come with a stainless steel tap and cork lid for easy access.

Available from Mdina Glass outlets. Price €80 each. For more info tel: 2141 5786.

Prize pretzelsI sometimes inject Philadelphia into the ‘fat’ bits. But don’t tell anyone.

100ml cups warm water

1 tbsp sugar

2 tpsp salt

15g yeast


60g unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil

650ml water

150g baking soda

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water

Rock salt or seeds

MethodCombine the warm water, sugar and salt in your mixer bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook

attachment, mix on low speed and then after a few seconds, turn up the speed and mix till the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line 2 small-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil.

Bring the 650ml of water and the baking soda to the boil.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Now pay attention. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle (using a cheffy action) with the rock salt. Bake until dark golden brown, needs (approx 12 to 14 minutes). Transfer to a cooling rack and serve while warm or cool.

sensational sauerkrautThis is the dish of the moment as it’s a probiotic and a good source of vitamin C. Make it now and it will take you through the Winter.

You will need a large pot and a plate that fits inside it, a cloth and large weight (I use wine bottles.)

1 kg white cabbage

3 tbsp salt

3 apples

5 cracked juniper berries

For flavour, you can add onions, garlic, seaweed, grated carrots, Brussels sprouts even!

MethodShred the cabbage and mix with the salt - the salt draws water from the cabbage and creates the brine in which it ferments and sours without rotting. Next add slices of apple and cracked juniper berries. Put the mix into the pot, leaving 2" at the top. Cover with a wet linen cloth and place the plate on top. Put the weight on top of the plate. This will force the brine to rise high enough to reach the cloth.

Leave the sauerkraut to ferment, but skim off the scum from the surface every other day. Replace the damp cloth frequently.

At 16°C, the fermenting process will take at least a month. A higher temperature will speed up the process, but the flavour will not be as good, so do be mindful of its position. Once fermentation is finished, place the sauerkraut in a pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and ladle the hot sauerkraut into sterilised jars.

simple sausagesMany people don’t eat sausages because they are unsure of the ingredients or have an aversion to fat. Making your own is easy and allows you to create your own combinations. You don’t need a sausage machine, and frankly, patties are easier, though the mess and fun of a sausage machine/caser are also worth it. Using dried fruit instead of fat helps the sausages remain moist.

2kg ground lean ground pork

20ml Balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp cold water

2 tbsp mustard

4 tsp salt

1 tbsp crushed garlic

1 tbsp diced onion

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed

2 tbsp crushed chili peppers

3 tsp cayenne pepper

50g dried fruit, finely chopped

MethodMake sure the meat is cold; mix the herbs and spices with the water and Balsamic vinegar, and then add this and the fruits, mix well. Either form into patties and dry fry or case and leave to ‘dry’ for an hour or so before cooking/freezing.

Sausage machines and casings (meat and vegetarian) are available on Amazon. For a vegetarian variety, the meat can be replaced with a mix of chopped nuts, mashed beans and pulses/cheese/tofu.


food & drInk

how to Choose A wine thAt you will be more likely to enjoythe main choice is obviously

already between a white, rose or red wine. But after things become a bit more complicated, especially if you don’t find the wine or grape that you usually buy on the wine list or in the shop.

The first two questions, which will come to your mind, are probably which country and which grape?

I just actually had this discussion with a customer. I asked what type of wine they normally chose, so have the knowledge of the colour; then down to style, a dry, fruity, sweet, and how about the structure: with oak or not, if red with tannin, and what level of intensity: light, medium or full body?

These few questions help to see what type of wines to orientate the choices towards. It is probably the same type of question a shop attendant, sommelier or waiter will ask you . However, in a supermarket it might become a bit more difficult.

Let’s try to create some families for you to identify with so you have at least a list of grapes and countries you may be more likely to enjoy than others.

Why is the country of origin an important criteria?

The fruitiness of the grape is influenced by the sun/light and temperature intensity of the country.

The hotter the country is the more fruitiness intensity you will have expressed in the grape so in the wine.

Countries are usually referenced as Old Word which includes Europe and New World with Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia etc., but we can also split them in three areas depending on the heat and sun intensity:

Cold: France, Germany, Italy, Europe in general, New Zealand

Medium intensity: Spain northern area, Malta, Sicily

Hot: South Africa, Australia, California, Chile

Here’s a shortlist depending on specific criteria:

White wines:

Fresh, light, dry • PinotBiancoorPinotBlancnooak

fermentation or oak ageing: Italy, Germany, France: Alsace

• SauvignonBlanc:France,NewZealand• Riesling:Germany,Austria• Vermentino:NorthwesternItaly

Southern France• Viognier:France,Italy,Spain,

Switzerland, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand

Fruity, medium intensity, not dry• SauvignonBlanc:Chile,Malta• Girgentina:Maltaindigenousgrape• Chardonnay:Malta,Chile

Strong fruitiness, off-dry to sweet• Gewurztraminer:FranceAlsaceregion,

Germany, New Zealand

More character, medium to full body, dry• Chardonnay–oakedchardonnay:

France, Malta, Australia, California• CheninBlanc:FranceLoireValley,

South Africa fruitier than the French

Various Types of Sweet White Wines• Moscato:MoscatoinItaly,Moscatelin

Spain and Portugal. Produced in Italy, France, Spain and Rutherglen, Australia

• Tokaji:famousHungariandessertwine

Ice Wines made from grapes that are frozen on the vine: Canada, Germany

Late harvest• Pinotblanc:Austria• Riesling:France:Alsaceregion,Canada• Viognier:France,SouthAfrica,Australia• SauvignonBlanc:FrancelikeSauternes,

Monbazillac, Jurançon

Rose wines:

Dry, fresh• Grenache:France:Provence,• CabernetSauvignonandMerlot:Claret

from Bordeaux, Spain• Sangiovese,Syrah/Shiraz,Mourvedre,

Carignan, Cinsault, Pinot Noir are other types of grapes used to make Rose wines: Originally can be from New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, California

Medium-dry or medium sweet• Shiraz:Australia,Chile,Malta• FrenchRoseD’Anjoumadeoutof

Grolleau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis, Gamay, Malbec grapes

• Zinfandel:SouthAfrica,America,Australia

Red wines:

Light to medium body, not too much tannin• Gamay:BeaujolaisandLoireFrench

regions• PinotNoir:FranceBurgundy,Chile,

Western Germany, Northern Italy, South Africa, Australia, California (USA), Oregon (USA) and New Zealand

• Merlot:FranceStEmilion,ChilefromApalta and Colchagua Valley, Northern Italy and the warmer areas of Southern Switzerland, California and Washington on the American West coast

• Gellewza:Maltaindigenousgrape• Tempranillo:SpainRiojaandRibera

del Duero, Portugal Douro Valley, New World: in California, Argentina and Australia

• Sangiovese:Chiantiwines• CabernetFranc:France,Chile,alsoinItaly,

New Zealand, Australia, South Africa

Medium to full body, with tannin• Pinotage,acrossofPinotNoirandCinsaut:

South Africa• Carmenere:Chile• CabernetSauvignon:mostplantedgrapein

the world: Australia, California, France, Chile

Full body with medium to strong tannin• Shiraz/Syrah:Australia,FranceCôte-Rôtie,

Hermitage and Saint-Joseph appellations, Chile and Argentina and Western United States in California, Washington and Oregon,

• Malbec:Argentinaassinglegrapewinesandpartof blends in France, California, Australia and New Zealand

This is a very general view as each wine will vary from another due to many criteria such as soil, weather conditions, density of planting, winemaking techniques, aged time, etc., that’s why choosing wine can seem a bit complicated, but it is also why it is so fascinating.

ARKADIA FOOD STORE PORTOMASO

NOT JUST YOUR ORDINARY DELICATESSEN

2138 2333

Carole rondot explains

A little memory card you can use for RED wines

Ascending order of intensity and structure of the wines

A little memory card you can use for White wines

Ascending order of fruitiness intensity and structure of the wines

Light Medium Intense

Light Medium Intense

Pinot Noir Merlot Tempranillo Gellewza

SangioveseCabernet

Franc

PinotageCabernet

SauvignonCarmenere

Shiraz Malbec

Dry white wines

Pinot BiancoSauvignon

blancRiesling Girgentina

Vermetino Viognier

Chenin Blanc ChardonnayOaked

Chardonnay

Sweet white grape or wine

MoscatoGewür-

ztraminer

Tokaji Ice wines Late harvest


StylE

ChArles&ron malta’s prime fashion exports, match dress, body shape and occasion flawlessly.

the Charles&Ron (C&R) woman is a modern woman with a great sense of

style and class. She is feminine, outgoing and not afraid of a bold print,” designers Charles and Ron tell us. And we couldn’t agree more.

But they also think that the C&R woman has another trait: she wants to connect with our country.

It’s a matter of national pride, but while Dolce&Gabbana capture the essence of the Mediterranean – a world that is em-bedded in our genes – it takes someone who knows Malta to truly capture the island’s aesthetic and its women’s needs.

This is not just done by fact that their ‘Valletta’ collection uses the Triton fountain, Renzo Piano’s iconic parliament building and our beloved balconies in the designs, but also by the fact that their clothes are built to be light, to billow in the wind, and to make the most of the colours we already associate with our country.

Their clothes are also created to suit different women of different shapes and different ages.

“we always think of the woman who is going to wear our clothes before designing them,” explain Charles and Ron. “Where can she wear this? How can we make her stand out? Does it have the right balance of practicality and style?"

“When it comes to fashion choices, one must be brutal before not after the person has worn something – that’s how you can make sure that you always look your best.”

For this reason C&R has created an array of garments that accentuate any assets – from tiny waists to big busts to never-ending legs – without putting those bits a woman would like to hide in focus.

“For example, our Triton Fountain A-line dress is perfect for the woman who has a tiny waist but bigger hips. It puts all the focus on her midriff,” say Charles and Ron. “It’s perfect for a garden party, a summer stroll in Valletta or just a day of busy shopping in Sliema!"

" “On the other hand, our long, Maltese balcony dress with integrated shawl is ideal for a wedding: it’s simple, comfortable and an instant point for conversation. It also makes the most of the hourglass figure and its design elongates the legs."

“The short, colourful parliament dress is also one of our favourites. It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t have big breasts but has stunning legs. With the right pair of shoes it can be the perfect party dress and we always tell our clients to team it with a simple handbag to let the dress do all the talking!”

The aim of C&R as a brand, is to ultimately make the woman who trusts them with her outfit feel comfortable in her own skin, and as they put it, “nothing dresses a dress up better than confidence!”

You can visit the Charles&Ron flagship store at the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Attard or shop online at www.charlesandron.com

PiCCinino Give us A lesson in linGerieStrapless Bra: What’s the point of wearing something strapless if the straps are showing!! A strapless bra is an underwired bra with wide sides, no straps or removable straps, and a hook back. They can include rubber strips or silicone stitched to the upper and lower edges of the bra to keep it secure on the body. It is a must-have when wearing anything strapless or anything that could show your straps.

Shapewear:Shapewear has long been a Hollywood secret. Through thick and thin, celebrities like Jessica Alba, Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow have bodyshapers to thank for their svelte figures. Shapewear will not only help you lose those 2 sizes but it will also give your body a nice, smooth shape.

Backless/Multiway Bra:Multi-function, multiway push up stretch bra. This bra has 18 different styles of fastening to match your top or mood. This bra also comes with coloured and transparent straps. A hugely versatile addition to your lingerie drawer.

Another option is the stick-on bra. These bras are backless, strapless, wonderfully lightweight and dramatically curve-enhancing.

PAOLA, HAMRUN, VALLETTA, GOZO, SLIEMA, TIGNE, BAYSTREET & MOSTA.


StylE

CArinA tAkes us throuGh this seAson’s hottest styles for women

mr riGht tells us how to weAr A suit

City Conciergeyour Keys to Malta

Every season I wrack my brain to see how I can be on trend without

breaking the bank and making use of past collections by integrating them with the new ones. Here are the key trends we will see through the start of the new season.

Long & lean. Introduce a-one-colour pants & top ensemble or an all-in-one for an effortless look.

Shearling jacket, shearling anything really but if you buy 1 piece, let it be a jacket! Be it aviator, gilet or biker, this piece will help you make a statement!

A-line mini subtly flared from the waist, this dress makes a comeback.

Cable knit dress – slouchy, baggy & deconstructed, make it work by wearing high-heeled sandals.

Embellished dress, best done at Katranzou. This is the cocktail dress of the season. Pair with Chelsea boots and line up for the epitome of cool!

Skirt suit – don’t just leave this for 9 till 5, get yourself one in a dramatic colour and wear with flats.

Grey as we might feel during the Winter months, the colour is dominant this season and is a firm favourite of mine.

However….. block colour, bold colours popped up in many collections. Work it in the unusual combination of claret and blue!

Print always manages to resurface and this season designers have not let us down. Mash up different prints and enjoy.

Keep it plain & simple. This trend comes as a relief to all the embellish-

ments and styling dilemmas. Less is definitely more!

Boots – knee length, ankle, suede, patent, leather just get yourself a pair and get ready to chase over the puddles!

Red carpet – anything but mermaid effect goes. Leave those for the pageant girls. The serious fashionistas will opt for sheer tattoo-like long gowns.

f irst impressions count, and this counts in any scenario. A well-dressed man immediately gains respect. Putting a

suit on is easy, wearing a suit well, is an art.

Buy the best suit you can – either ready made – and then have it tailored, or made to measure. There is still no better place then Saville Row in London for this, the tailors there will make a suit you ‘own’ and not just have.

Styles of jackets vary, but today, double-breasted suits are not really worn. A single-breasted suit with 2 buttons is the most stylish, 3 button can be carried off by those who are over 6ft and can be worn with a waistcoat. A single button suit is more for the younger man and perfect for any age for the evening.

A well fitting suit is essential. Here are some tips on how to test yours:

1. When standing, a quarter inch of your shirt collar and a half-inch of your shirt cuffs should be visible.

2. Sleeves should have no creases where they join the jacket and the back; across the shoulders should not be taught.

3. Shoulder pads should be sloping downwards; if you have big shoulders, the pads should be small.

4. Your jacket length should just cover your behind and when you raise your arms, should still cover your stomach.

5. Wear your suit with the bottom button undone when standing, and undo all when sitting. A single button jacket should not be done up.

6. With a patterned shirt, wear a less patterned tie. Your pocket square should not be the same as your tie, but should coordinate with it. For business, a woven silk tie is best.

7. Belt your trousers with a smart, unpatterned belt. Your tie, tied in a Windsor knot, should half cover the buckle.

8. Trousers vary in style, for business, choose a straight leg. These should not be tight anywhere and hang well, showing their shape, from your waist and not below.

9. Your trousers should just settle on your shoes, leaving enough length to still cover your socks when seated.

10. For shoes, choose Oxfords, brogues or penny loafers are fine. In America and Italy, gentlemen wear more casual, brighter shoes, often in the creative sector or at night. You do not have to follow this trend.

this new one-stop Concierge offering a wide range of services to both locals and tourists. The Concierge’s customer ser-

vice desk is located at the main entrance of The Plaza Shopping Complex. Serving as a focal point for the centre, The Concierge performs a multitude of functions that greatly complement and enhance the existing products and services already found at The Plaza. Strategically located and attractively designed, the City Con-cierge desk is manned by polite, attractive and dedicated staff who assist Plaza visitors with any queries and needs they may have.

The various services available at City Concierge include Tourist Information, tickets for shows, events & theatre, personal shop-per service, restaurant reservations, excursions and yacht charters, taxi booking, vehicle rental, hotel accommodation, Go Mobile and Vodafone bill-paying facility, Gift Vouchers, a range of corporate services, event organisation and recommendations to profes-sionals in practically any field like personal fitness trainers and corporate service providers. The Concierge was the brainchild of The Plaza’s Marketing Team, who identified a number of desired services to help ease the burdens of today’s demanding schedules.

Over and above that, the Concierge provides many services that are at client-based locations such as Yachts and Yacht Marinas, Hotels ands Holiday Homes. All services are personalised and tailor-made to suite the client’s needs and requests.

City Concierge can be described as a one-stop shop for the busy city-slicker who wants things done for him or her in a profes-sional and efficient manner, or for the untiring traveller who needs local travel tips and a range of personalised travel services, for the young office executive who wants her hair appointment, spa time and manicure appointments sorted plus a range of Friday Night cocktail dresses with matching shoes & accessories laid out for her by a personal shopper.

At City Concierge, we know your needs and understand your time constraints. You need a Birthday Gift picked out, a Taxi sent to pick up a friend from the airport, a bouquet of flowers delivered for Mum, to drop off your shopping bags while you hustle through Sliema and 4 tickets for the Panto. And you want it done yesterday!

Consider it done already whilst you attend to that all important business meeting over a coffee at The Ferries. We’ve got your hassles covered. Trust us. You’ll never know how you managed without us!

You may contact us by phone on 79579838 or email [email protected]. www.cityconciergemalta.com

Carina is a self-taught stylist and fashion event organiser. She owns Malta's leading modelling agency, Models M.

She loves dogs, especially Cody, her 10 year old mongrel.

"I indulge in designer clothes, shoes, bags and jewellery. I'm a complete fashion addict!"


fIlM

A Golden AnniversAry for mAltA’s film industry

jean pierre borg celebrates

together with Malta’s 50 years of Independence, this year also marks

50 years from the setting up of Malta Film Facilities (MFF) and the construction of the shallow water tank at Rinella. Until the appointment of Malta’s first film commissioner in 2000 and the eventual setting up of the Malta Film Commission in 2005, this facility had singlehandedly sustained the local film-servicing industry with a myriad of productions shooting on our shores. While many productions were drawn to Malta to film water-based scenes in the controlled environment afforded by the tanks, other productions used MFF as a base while shooting all over the island’s stunning locations.

In 1963, a British special-effects expert, Jim Hole, was working on the Viking saga, The Long Ships, when a storm off the Spanish coast destroyed the production's floating sets and models. An unfortunate

circumstance for Hole sparked off a chain of events that led Malta to host one of the largest filming tanks in Europe.

In an exclusive interview aired on TV in 1997, Paul Avellino had explained that working in Spain on The Long Ships with Hole, was Captain Bill Warrington. Like Hole, Warrington was a special-effects expert who had already worked on a long list of films including Malta-shot Malta Story and The Battle of the River Plate. Avellino adds that Warrington had also served time as a commando in Malta, making him very familiar with the islands. After the damage, incurred by the storm, Hole decided that he needed a solution to film on water in a safer and more con-trolled environment. Avellino claims that it was Warrington who, upon witnessing the destroyed sets, suggested they should consider building a marine film tank in Malta. The fact that the Maltese Govern-

ment had at that time initiated many fiscal incentives aimed at encouraging various industries to set up shop in Malta, only helped to further make the prospects more enticing.

Avellino at the time, worked as a Construction Manager with a local construction company. On one particular morning, he was given a sketch of what was labelled an Olympic swimming pool. Although dubious about the shape, Avel-lino set off to design this oversize pool only to eventually discover that he was actually designing a marine film tank. Hole had hesitated in mentioning the actual purpose of the tank for fear the quotation would be blown out of proportion just because it was related to the film industry.

In selecting the site, the Government’s priority was to give due consideration to the fact that special effects, smoke and explosions are the order of the day on

most film productions. In order to mitigate as much as possible any inconveniences to neighbouring communities and not to adversely affect tourist destinations, the Government offered a remote piece of land in Rinella stretching between Fort St Rocco and Fort Ricasoli.

It thus happened that in June 1964, Avellino’s company commenced con-struction on a film tank which, at that time, was to become the largest of its kind in Europe. Besides assuring the safety of filming in a controlled environment, this tank was ingeniously designed so as to capitalise on the natural horizon provided by the Mediterranean thus enabling the water, sky and horizon to blend seam-lessly, eliminating the need of a false backdrop.

This was the start of the Malta Film Facilities Ltd which, as a subsidiary of the British-based special effects company

Trading Post Ltd, became effectively the first film-servicing company in Malta. No sooner had construction on the tanks begun that news started to trickle in about three films which were going to be shot in the tanks soon upon their completion. Malta Convoy, which was to star John Wayne, and another film based on a Jules Verne novel never materialised, but the third film, a Cold War drama called The Bedford Incident placed itself in history as the first film to use the tanks.

Naturally, while Maltese locations kept attracting a portion of the productions shooting on various locations in Malta, the new water stage aided considerably by contributing to the appeal of filming here. While films such as The Bedford Incident (1965), Murphy’s War (1971), Orca (1977), and the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) came specifically and solely for the tank, countless other productions found in Malta an attractive situation where the diverse locations and the Film Facilities complemented each

other. Oscar nominee for best foreign feature film, Kon-Tiki (2012), and Tom Hanks’ Captain Phillips (2013) are among the most recent films to make extensive use of these facilities.

The founding of the Malta Film Facilities coinciding with the acquisition of Inde-pendence seamlessly shifted the incentive for foreign productions from one based on British Forces’ support to one related to this new film-making facility. To date, the tanks at Rinella form a significant part of a range of elements which give Malta the edge over many other locations world-wide where it comes to film-making.

Jean Pierre Borg has for the past years been researching on the films that have been fully or partly shot in Malta. For more information, curiosities and trivia about the Maltese film industry, contact the author on 79710271, email [email protected] or visit the ‘Filmed in Malta’ Facebook page.

Courtesy of the Malta Film Commission, © 2012 Nordisk Film

Courtesy of the Malta Film Commission, © 2013 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Images Courtesy of the Malta Film Commission

The filming of Zeplin – Courtesy of the Malta Film Commission


bookS

the well of seCrets

the villagers of Raven’s Cove didn’t have any secrets. If they felt the need to get

any unpleasant thoughts out of their head, they would yell into a hole which was dug at the foot of one of the mountains, and there it would stay, echoing inside the mountain but not heard by anyone else. Parents told their children that this hole was for adults only because children shouldn’t have secrets, and if they had something that they thought was a secret, they should tell their parents about it, and then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore for sure.

Vermillion couldn’t tell his friends what happened that night either. They would tell their parents, he thought to himself, and if their parents heard they would think he was crazy and, worse, they would be angry with him for not telling them sooner.

The next day, Vermillion was playing with his best friend Ea when he decided that he was going to visit the Well of Secrets.

Ea was a girl of Vermillion’s age, and she was the youngest daughter of a farmer who kept a farm just a few doors away from Vermillion’s father’s farm.

She was pretty, her skin so white that in the brightest of summer suns she appeared almost invisible, like the rays would just move through her. And in the same way, her hair was smooth and thin, and every time Vermillion saw her, either in times of great winds or of great heat, he thought it would either fly away or burn in the sun.

They were playing a game similar to ‘I Spy’ that day, like they always did in the summer afternoons. Only they don’t call it ‘I Spy’, and they always end up finding the same things, but they play it again and again anyway, almost as if they don’t realise they’re seeing the same things each time.

Ea was lying on the grass, and she said “dragon”, then “castle”, “hurricane” and

Vermillion knew she was looking up at the clouds in the sky. Vermillion didn’t want to lie down. He was sitting up, be-cause it was as though the secret couldn’t let him do anything else.

Vermillion was angry, because this was their first day of summer, when they didn’t have to make their way to school, and he wanted to enjoy it, and all the days ahead. And seeing Ea on the ground, as if nothing at all had happened, like the world was just going on as usual, made him feel more alone than he’d ever felt before.

He didn’t feel like playing the guessing game either, so he tried to talk about other things. He told Ea about the venison stew they had for breakfast that morning, and she told him that he was lucky, because her father only ever let them eat venison when the entire family was over; it was one of those big dinners that only happened once a year.

They also talked, like they always did, about what could be outside Raven’s Cove. They asked themselves, like they always did, why their parents never told them anything about the world outside the two mountains.

So they invented their own versions.

Vermillion imagined that instead of the black-and-green Raven’s Cove, the outside world would be bathed in yellow, red and blue.

“There are huge markets that stretch across many pathways and streets, not like the poky markets here, selling rotting vegetables,” he told Ea. “They sell all sorts of things, stuff we can’t even imagine. Apples that grow back as soon as you’ve eaten into their core, spinning tops that light up when you spin them hard, and then they show you a picture of the future, which would be as high as you are — ”

Ea shook her head when he said this, and she said, “No, after the forests end outside the gate, after there are no more trees, and then the path isn’t made of soil

or pebbles anymore, everything is water. The ground stops being the ground and just becomes one river after another, piled on as if on top of each other to make one giant river, and then you’ll have to swim, and then you have to forget about everyone and everything and your body won’t feel heavy anymore — ”

Though his mother spoke to him about the water outside Raven’s Cove, just at that moment he couldn’t bring himself to imagine that what Ea was saying was at all true. It just didn’t feel true. He couldn’t imagine all this water, he couldn’t imagine where it would come from, and how people could live just by swimming.

It would usually then be Vermillion’s turn to say something new. To say more about how he imagined the world outside of Raven’s Cove to look like. But all he could put at the front of his mind was the secret: what happened the night before hung over him like a ghost. So he talked about ghosts, he talked about monsters and trolls that he imagined would be looking in the shadows outside Raven’s Cove.

Ea laughed when he said this.

“You sound like our parents, always going on about how scary it is out there — ”

“Ea, how do you get rid of a secret?” Vermillion suddenly said.

Ea looked surprised by the question. She gave him a look, like she didn’t quite understand what he was saying.

“How do you mean, get rid of a secret?”

“I don’t want to think about it any more, but at the same time I don’t want anybody to find out … what should I do?”

The boy sighed — perhaps it was the first time that he ever sighed so deeply and seriously — and fixed his eyes on the soil.

“There’s only one way to do that, you know,” Ea said. Vermillion’s expression quickly changed: he was delighted that there was something he could do, anything at all.

“You could always tell your secret to the well — ” Ea said.

“Which well?”

“The Well of Secrets, of course! My dad told me about it once and I haven’t forgotten about it ever since … it’s somewhere far into the Eastern Mountain but I’m not sure where — let’s go find it, it’ll be an adventure!”

The thought of letting his burden drop down the fabled Well of Secrets made Vermillion quietly happy, and for a moment he didn’t worry about what his parents would say if they found out he had gone beyond the Eastern Mountain. He looked at Ea and saw that she was smiling. It was a mischievous smile, like she cared more about the adventure itself than the reason Vermillion was on it.

“But do you know where it is?” Vermillion asked his friend, half wanting her to say no and half wanting her to say, like there wasn’t any doubt at all, yes.

(That was the thing with adventure — it felt nice to think about, but then when you thought about it some more you realised that really, all you wanted to do was go at it without any worry or fear, like it wasn’t an adventure at all.)

“I know enough,” Ea said, which was the last thing Vermillion wanted to hear but, feeling the secret weigh more inside him with each passing moment, Vermillion felt he had no choice but to say: “Let’s go.”

As the two made their way up the Eastern Mountain, Vermillion realised that the name made the large grassy hill — for that is all it was — seem bigger than it was. From a distance it looked intimidating, but now that Vermillion and Ea had decided to climb it, it seemed less daunting with each step. The only trouble, for Vermillion, was locating the steady bits of rock to find purchase. The grass that covered the hill during summer made it look like a large green mound, and the worried, still scared Vermillion pictured himself stepping into a hole at any moment.

Ea, however, just glided ahead. One moment, Vermillion saw her large blue skirt billowing into distance, the blue dancing around the green like a cape; then, she would disappear ahead and call out to him to catch up.

When Vermillion looked back, he was surprised to see how far ahead they had gone already. He remembered that his mother told him how the huge rivers outside Raven’s Cove were like that — “you could swim ahead for only a few minutes and then, when you looked back you’d see that the shore, the houses and the people you were talking to just a few moments before would have become like ants …” Vermillion had never seen those rivers, so he liked it when his mother told him how she had visited at a time before he had come into the world and, so, a time he couldn’t picture except as airy pictures, except as memories that had a habit of disappearing as soon as he tried to give them shape in his mind.

in a distracted moment, as vermillion was trying to run ahead and catch up with ea through the slippery grass, he looked over his shoulder to the foot of the mountain and saw that the gate to raven’s Cove, which was built to stand between the southern and eastern Mountains, was about the size of his hand. he stood for a moment and mimed opening it, and then he moved his index and middle finger up and down like — this — thinking what it would have been like to go away, not just to the well of secrets but away from raven’s Cove too.

“What are you doing?” Ea shouted — from where, Vermillion couldn’t exactly tell at first, but when he looked around he saw her as a speck of blue and red light ahead, in another arc of grass that must have formed part of a second, hidden layer of the mountain.

“I’m dreaming!” Vermillion shouted back.

When the two finally caught up with each other they found, to their surprise, that it was getting dark. They met in a small clearing and Vermillion thought that it looked like a familiar spot, from a distance: small trees hung their branches low onto the high, sharp grass.

“What had it been?” Vermillion thought to himself. “Was it a picnic? Or did we go horse riding here? Or did I come here to

pick fruit with mother some day?” But even though Vermillion felt — down to his bones — that he had been there before, he knew that they were too far away from Raven’s Cove for that to be possible. And as the two of them stepped into the clearing, Vermillion and Ea suddenly felt the place grow dark. The trees, their bark a rich brown and their leaves as green as the fresh, sharp grass suddenly took on a darker colour, becoming more like an inky mass dipping into a black pool.

Unsure of what he was supposed to do next, he stepped into the clearing, and suddenly felt Ea’s arm grip his. She was supposed to be his guide, but from the desperate way she tugged at his arm, and by the way she let out a gasp the moment that the cosy little clearing became a pool of shadow, Vermillion knew that she was as scared as he was. Frozen in horror, the boy thought that if he took another step forward, he’d be swallowed by the blackness.

He tried to look at his friend, to determine what they should do next — because Vermillion was a boy, and boys always find it hard to tell girls that they need help — but he could see only half of her face: all that they had now was thin streaks of moonlight, that escaped through the gaps in the leaves and branches to make strange shapes all around them.

But the next thing Vermillion heard didn’t scare him. Ea’s voice rang loud and clear through the darkness, though what she said remained as mysterious as everything they had seen in this strange forest.

“I knew it!” Ea said, letting go of Vermillion’s arm and stepping into what Vermillion guessed to be about the centre of the little clearing. He could see her blue dress through a jagged crescent of light, the shadow of leaves and conifers growing sharper as the darkness deepened, allowing the moon to shine its way through the wood.

“Knew what?” Vermillion said. “Kn-know what?”

“Vee, this is the well! That’s what I had found so strange about what my father had said to my mother,” Ea said, stopping to catch her breath. “He said that the well wouldn’t be just some hole in the ground, but that it would shape itself for you…”

Vermillion finally realised what it was they had to do.

“So we just have to wait for it to get completely dark.”

© Teodor Reljic

ExCErpt froM ‘two’ by tEodor rElJIC, publISHEd by MErlIn publISHErS


CArSCArS

I sometimes cannot help but think that certain cars define their particular

segments and that most other cars in the segment are inevitably compared to the platonic ‘form and function’ which the defining car possesses. I see the BMW 3 Series as the default executive saloon, the VW Golf as the sterotype hatch-back and the Nissan Qashqai as the Compact SUV. The MX5 is the par-excellence ‘two seat roadster’, the Smart for two is the defining super-compact city car and the list goes on. These brands have been around so long and they’ve got it so right version after version that any other carmaker wanting to tap the market or enter a particular segment shall have a very hard time doing so. Kudos to the likes of Skoda and Kia who managed to successfully enter incredibly difficult segments with the Octavia and the Yeti on the one hand and with the Sportage and the Cee’d on the other hand.

Budget aside, I honestly cannot think of a better car than the BMW 320 Diesel not only within its segment but across most other segments too including bigger and smaller cars. Since 1975 the 3 Series has been the default saloon for

those wanting an executive car with space, comfort, looks (subjective I know), drivers enjoyment and involvement and rear wheel drive fun. It is neither too big (5 Series) and nor too small especially in station wagon form. It is efficient, it is fast (enough) and it is undeniably well engineered. It comes as a coupé as a saloon, as a convertible and more recently as a GT. And if you don’t mind not deflowering a car, the used market offers a 3 Series for most (if not all) budgets. Which is why when the time came to change my wife’s car I mentioned the 3 Series knowing that there is little if anything not to like. Her reply was a simple ‘forget it’. She won’t even consider it.

There I was, thinking I knew quite a lot about cars and slightly less about women. Seems I know nothing about either. My wife is pregnant, and by the time this article is published we’ll be negotiating night shifts, bottles, nappies and feeds.

She currently drives a previous generation BMW X3 which is relatively high in mileage and we considered buying a new car to have the peace of mind offered by a warranty. So before setting out on the car hunt, I asked her to list her top ten priorities and her budget. The way I see it, if we’re buying a new car we’re entitled to have at least nine out of ten boxes ticked. She listed the following:

• High up from the ground to be easy to load and unload

• Relatively big loading capacity (circa 500 liters seats not folded)

• Safe

• Fun to drive

• Economical (her job involves daily site visits around the island)

• Looks good

• 4 wheel drive (to tow campers when we go on road trips and to tow my race car when needed)

• Fast

• Must have panoramic sunroof

• Must have manual transmission (we had endless arguments in this respect)

High up from the ground means she wants to stick to the tried and tested Compact SUV. Added to the above criteria she set herself a maximum budget of 40,000 Euro. I carried out some research for the ‘default’ mum-mobile within (and hopefully below) the set budget and came up with two acronyms: MPV and SUV. MPV’s were immediately dismissed as ‘boring’ by the wife. As to SUV’s we came up with a list ranging from the Kia Sportage starting at circa 25K to the Range Rover Evoque which you just about manage to buy with a 40K budget. In between there were the likes of the super good looking new Nissan Qashqai, the Mazda CX5 (five star scorer in most reviews), the Ford Kuga, Hyundai IX35, the Volvo XC60 and the ‘old’ Freelander. Some of the above she dismissed purely on looks. Fair enough I thought to myself. I’d do exactly the same.

So we started visiting showrooms. I won’t go into the merits of who was friendly, who actually went out of their way to help us and who just couldn’t be arsed whether we do buy a car or not. I shall, though, strongly recommend that most dealerships in Malta educate their sales reps as to the specs and options on each model they offer.

Out of the criteria listed by my wife it seems that in particular two of the criteria are oxymoronic, mutually exclusive as it were. If you want 4wd very often you cannot spec a manual. If you want the larger engine, it must be auto. And in the case of the Volvo XC60 (which is a beautiful and fantastically priced car) you simply cannot spec manual with the local importer. Car after car, it seemed that if you want to enjoy driving, want a powerful car, and need to spec 4wd and manual there isn’t a new car for you on the market. Added to this, two of the options in particular (Panoramic Sunroof and/or 4WD) seemed to blow every budget out of proportion.

Another immensely frustrating experience when car shopping in Malta is that we had to go to each and every showroom, Saturday after Saturday to find out prices, specs, options, availability in stock, warranty periods etc. In the golden age of technology, where apps on smartphones are able to prevent heart attacks, and start wars, is it so damn impossible to be able to do the homework from the comfort of my home? Why on earth can’t car dealers in Malta offer an honest, down to earth online published price list with a list of specs and a ‘build your car’ possibility as is the case in every other civilised country around the world?

I won’t deny that I enjoyed the ‘second honeymoon’ with my wife since she’s been pregnant, going out early on a Saturday morning, visiting car showrooms and then going out to lunch somewhere quiet and discussing the cars we would have seen on that same morning. On the other hand though, I am very disappointed at how under developed the car market is on the whole in Malta. We found it so difficult to buy a new car that the decision we have taken is to stick to the ‘default’ Compact SUV – the BMW X3 which we already own. In reality the only box it doesn’t tick is the sunroof. And I’m pretty sure that baby will keep me and my wife occupied with so many other things (and vice-versa) that the last thing we’ll all be missing is the green-house effect.

AdriAn musCAt-AzzoPArdi finds the PerfeCt mum-mobile

Adrian Muscat Azzopardi is a car enthusiast with a weakness for light-weight British sports cars. In his spare time he indulges in buying, racing and writing about cars and particularly enjoys road trips to Sicily where he takes part in various competitive motor sport events. Feel free to join Facebook.com/MaltaCarForum where members can discuss anything car related and follow his blog.


Sport

History of judoJudo has its origins in jujitsu, a fighting art that can be traced back over a thousand years in Japanese history. One of the principles of judo is that a stronger opponent can be defeated by turning his strength against himself. In 1911, judo became integrated into the Japanese education system

Modern developments in judoThere have been two main developments in judo since its inception. The first was the introduction of weight categories. In the early days, weight differences were not considered important. Everyone fought everyone else, and, if two combatants were equally matched in skill, the bigger man normally won. Initially, there was much opposition to the introduction of weight categories, with some masters fearing that it would mean the end of judo as a skillful art. In the end, it was the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic Games which helped to bring in this important reform. At first there were three weight categories, but later this was increased to five. Men's judo was first included in the Olympic Games in 1964 and became a permanent part of the Games in 1972. In 1992, women's judo also became part of the Olympic Games.

The second development was the teaching of judo to children. At first, it was thought far too dangerous to teach children because they would not have the self-discipline to avoid using it outside the club. Nowadays, many clubs are composed mainly of junior members.

Are there different styles of judo?There are different styles of judo. With its inclusion in the Olympics, there has been a shift towards a contest - style practice. In clubs where this style is taught, practice consists mainly of continuous contest. Other schools stress skill, practicing repetitive movements until they become instinctive, and the development of speed through practice with little resistance. Such clubs usually also teach the kata, which are prearranged detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs.

How long does each contest last?Each bout lasts 5 minutes for men, and 4 minutes for women. One contestant, called judoka, wears a blue uniform, the other wears white. In order to win, a judoka must score an ippon - worth10 points - or amass 10 points. If neither judoka is successful at the end of 5 minutes, the bout is awarded to the contestant witht the higher score. If the score is tied, the match is extended by a further 5 minutes, the 'Golden Score', and the judoka who scores the first point wins.

Where does a bout take place?Matches are contested on an 8 by 8 metre square tatami mat. This is bordered by a 1 metre boundary danger area coloured red, which alerts the contestants that they are about to go out of bounds. Outside the danger zone is a further 3 metre outer

safety zone. In the centre of the the mat are two tapes 4 metres apert, one blue and one white. This marks where the contestants stand for starts and re-starts.

How is judo scored?An ippon is the equivalent of a knock-out in boxing, and immediately ends the bout. An ippon can be scored in three ways, by pinning your opponent to the ground for 25 seconds, throwing them with control force and speed onto their back, or by forcing them to surrender by applying a stranglehold or arm lock. Contestants signal their surrender by tapping twice on the mat with a hand or foot, or by calling “Maitta!”.

A waza-ari, is awarded when a throw meets three of the four criteria for an ippon, or for holding the opponent on the ground for 20 seconds. The award of a second waza – ari wins the bout.

A yuko is awarded when a contestant either completes a throw with two of the four criteria needed for an ippon, or holds the opponent to the ground for 15 seconds. A yuko does not contribute to an ippon, being used only to determine the winner if neither combatant scores an ippon.

What equipment do I need to do judo?You will need a judo uniform, or judogi, consisting of a loose – fitting cotton jacket and trousers, and 3 metre long belt, or obi, which is wrapped twice around the waist. The belts are of different colours to denote rank. The student ranks are called kyu.

Phil Gibbs desCribes

judo

How CAn I StArt?There are currently six judo clubs in Malta. Contact the Malta Judo Federation – tel. 21319944 – email [email protected] in the first instance. They will direct you to your nearest club.

dId you know?

Phil Gibbs is a qualified rugby referee, cricket umpire, and weight-training instructor. He plays for Malta Marauders Veterans rugby team.

A white belt is worn by

beginners, and progress

through different colours

according to country and/or

age until black belt is reached.

A black belt is awarded when

a student is considered to have

'graduated' to expert. There are

10 further expert ranks of black

belt, called dan.

The first 5 dan are coloured

black, the 6th, 7th and 8th are

red and white, and 9, 10 are

red. Although it is theoretically

possible to progress above 10th

dan, it has never happened to

date. There have only been

fifteen 10th dan awarded in

the history of judo.


HobbIES

Sea SquillUrginea MaritimaA spectacular bulbous species with the 100cm-tall stem supporting many flowers. This is a very common species and is usually seen in arid and coastal areas.

Here, the stem is heavily backlit with sun. An exposure compensation of - 2/3 was used to eliminate the over exposure of the white flowers. This species offers many opportunities for different perspectives.

• Shutter speed 1/320• Aperture Value f/6.3• ISO Value 200• Focal Length 400mm• Shooting Mode AP

Bracket FungusGanoderma sp.This species of fungus derives nutrients from the trunks of trees it grows on, and consequently is found in wooded areas and large gardens, such as Buskett and San Anton. Since woodland is uncommon in the Maltese islands, this is not frequently encountered.

Trees support a multitude of other life forms like insects, flora and fungi. They can provide the observant photographer with year-long project.


Canon unleashes the EOS 7D Mark II, the ultimate DSLR to capture action other cameras simply miss.

Completely rebuilt and redesigned, the EOS 7D Mark II delivers all the performance of its predecessor – and much more. Made for life’s fastest moments, the camera can capture an incredible 10 frames per second (fps) without a drop in resolution, and together with a new 65-point cross-type AF system¹ and Dual DIGIC 6 processors, the EOS 7D Mark II sets a new benchmark for electrifying speed and power.

Designed to help you capture the perfect moment in outstanding quality,

the camera boasts a new 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a native ISO 100-16,000 range, expandable to ISO 51,200. Together with an advanced high-resolution 150k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and inno-vative flicker detection, the EOS 7D Mark II ensures beautifully exposed images. Completely adaptable to the way you shoot, the camera offers customisable body controls and a new viewfinder which provides approximately 100% coverage. With pro-level movie features, including live, uncompressed HDMI output and Dual Pixel CMOS AF technol-ogy, the EOS 7D Mark II helps you discover new levels of expressive creativity.

Capture split-second actionThe EOS 7D Mark II excels in high-speed situations, shooting bursts of an astonishing 10 full resolution images in a single second, thanks in part to a newly designed shutter and mirror drive mechanism, with an incredible 200,000-cycle shutter durability.

Clarity, detail and colour like no otherWhether you’re shooting indoors or outdoors, under natural or artificial light, consistently accurate exposures are achieved with a new 150k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor – the first in an EOS to include infra-red and flickering light sensitivity. A new cutting-edge flicker detection feature ensures images are only shot when light levels are at their brightest level – intelligently analysing the light source and detecting flickering light the eye simply can’t see.

Cinematic movies in your handThe EOS 7D Mark II builds on its predecessor’s movie reputation with a new suite of pro-standard recording features. Superior AF performance is executed by Canon’s unique Dual Pixel CMOS

AF technology, so you can shoot with smooth, accurate focus. In a first for EOS, both Movie Servo AF speed and tracking sensitivity can be customised, giving you complete control for pull-focus effects and transitions between subjects. The camera captures every split second of the action in Full HD quality, with a choice of frame rates from 24p to 60p for smooth movement and slow motion effects.

Your camera, your wayThe EOS 7D Mark II is engineered to shoot in the most demanding situations, with improved weather resistance and a tough magnesium alloy chassis – as well as built-in GPS and a digital compass to help you track your adventures.

EOS 7D Mark II key benefits:• Capture fleeting moments, no matter

how fast the action • Exhibition-quality images you’ll be

proud to display • Adaptable and customisable. • Explore new levels of in-camera

creativity • Put your imagination on the big

screen, with cinematic movie capture

¹Number of available AF points, cross-type

points and Dual Cross-type AF points vary

depending on the lens

Avantech Building, St Julian’s Road,San Gwann SGN 2805www.avantech.com.mt | Tel: 21 488 800

CanonMalta.com

Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus Rubber RosusThis is the tallest species of flamingo with an average height of 110-150cm and a weight of up to 4Kg. It is the most widespread of the species being fund in most of Southern Europe, parts of Africa and Southern Asia. It is a scarce migratory visitor here, usually seen singly or in small flocks along the coast. Some have stayed in local reserves for some months.

This photo is made because of the light and the full and perfect reflection.


Vagrant HedgehogErinaceus AlgirusBesides bats, the main land mammals are hedgehog, the wild rabbit and the weasel. It is not too difficult to encounter these and do not seem to hibernate here. The season for reproduction is from October to March with litters of 3 to 8 young produced. This species can be found in France, Spain and North Africa.

Taken with available light. Used tripod and mirror lock because of slow shutter speed.

• Shutter speed 1/125• Aperture Value f/8• ISO Value 200• Focal Length 180mm• Shooting Mode M

Many will have the idea that nature photography is not possible or

very difficult on our islands, but this is a misconception. Natural subjects can be found all around us, if only we look hard

enough. Even a small patch of garden will produce opportunities for the attentive photographer, with a multitude of wild flowers and insects to start off with. When the photographer ventures

out into the field, many opportunities will present themselves, with literally hundreds of species of wild flowers, insects and reptiles, small mammals and birds becoming potential subjects.

GettinG Close to nAture guIdo bonEtt SHowS uS How to tAkE tHE pErfECt pICturE

All text and images are taken from The Natural History of the Maltese Islands book published by BDL.

The new EOS 7D Mark II – built for speed


MuSICMuSIC

Can you briefly describe Malta’s folk instruments?The protagonist is probably the bagpipe, known as iż-Żaqq. The instrument is crafted from local cane and fitted with a goat or calf skin. It is very similar to the Aegean bagpipe from the Greek islands. The Żaqq was traditionally accompanied by it-Tanbur (tambourine). Another percussion instrument is iż-Żafżafa. This friction drum is played by rubbing your hand along a length of cane tied to a skin stretched over a pot of large can. The Żafżafa creates a base tone which never fails to amuse. In fact this instrument is played during the village carnival which traditionally was also the stage for the cane flute il-Flejguta. The Żummara (reed pipe) was popular among children because it is very simple to craft and is closely related to similar instruments all across the Mediterranean. Malta also has its own Lira – a bowed instrument with 3 strings which only survives in 19th century iconography and literary references. Last year I commissioned the reconstruction of this instrument in Italy. Hopefully I will learn how to play it and include it in my music.

Is there a local following of Maltese folk music?

As artistic director of Għanafest I am very happy that the festival attracts an audience of around 3000 people every year. This is a great opportunity to experience Maltese folk music in all its different styles as well as concerts by bands from other Mediterranean countries.

Your Nafra folk ensemble has been invited to perform all over Europe as well as in Tunisia, Egypt, India and Hong Kong. How is Maltese folk music received by the international audience?

My interest in Maltese folk music is to retrieve unique ‘raw materials’ for new music. As a composer I am not particularly interested in the conservation of folk music as a museum artefact. Music needs to appeal to today’s audience, especially within the network of international festivals. My goal is to create

great music with a distinct Maltese/Mediterranean character. If the music is good, the audience will appreciate it and respond positively.

Your folktale project, Ħrejjef, has become a popular international export. Can you tell us more about this interdisciplinary performance?

Ħrejjef is a storytelling cycle featuring the narrative of four Maltese folktales accompanied by a digital animation sequence and a live piano soundtrack. Last year we presented Ħrejjef at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC (USA) and it’s becoming a popular project with festival promoters. The digital animation developed by Martin Bonnici imitates the aesthetic character of shadow puppetry and the illustrations by Nel Pace are based on decorative motives of Maltese filigree, lacework and tberfil. The piano score on the other hand is contemporary and has no reference to folk music. I like crossing over different genres as well as

developing interdisciplinary projects that

appeal to a wide audience.

Are students aware of

Maltese folk music? How can

children learn how to play a

Maltese folk instrument?

The curriculum of the Maltese language for secondary schools includes a section on Maltese culture which comprises Maltese folk music. Last year I kick started a project in collaboration with St James Cavalier and l-Akkademja ta-Malti for form 1 and form 2 students with a presentation on Maltese folk instruments and the Maltese folktale project as a 3D cinematic

experience. Learning how to play a traditional instrument is still an unsolved matter. Malta is probably the only country in the world which does not foster the pedagogy of its own traditional music. One of my goals is to entice the local authorities to establish a music heritage institution that promotes the instruction of Maltese folk instruments.

reuben zAhrA tells us About mAltA’s folk instruments

CHECk out tHESE otHEr MAltESE MuSICIAnS’ fACEbook pAgES And youtubE CHAnnElS

The Nisġa Project’ stems from a reaction to a general constraint felt in the arts: the notion of compartmentalisa-tion of the arts towards popular media. ‘Nisġa Project’, as the name implies, is a ‘weave’ that brings together different people with different backgrounds to participate in collective creativity through diversity. ‘Nisġa Project’ has developed its own sound out of a melting pot of different genres and style; from Middle Eastern influences to Flamenco, Jazz and local Maltese traditional instruments.

Simon Sultana Harkins: percussion, Annemarie Spiteri: vocals, Owen Grech: guitars, Michael Spiteri: bass guitar, Francesco Sultana: woodwinds, percussions and backing vocals, Maria Pia Meli: Tanbur

Kantilena presents a brand of modern and contemporary folk with traditional roots. The band consists of four core members: James Baldacchino on violin, Albert Garzia on accordion, Alessandro Lia on voice and piano and Drinu Camilleri on voice and guitar. “Kantilena’s music is funda-mentally Maltese”, explains Baldacchino. “However we are also inspired by various sources, including music from other countries and cultures. We’ve been told a few times that our music sometimes reminds people of Jewish music or Balkan or Sicilian.”

KażinSka is a contemporary sextet playing traditional "Marċi Brijjużi". The KażinSka Project is the brainchild of Justin Galea. The KażinSka idea stemmed from two previous con-certs by local ska group Zalza Kukkanja of which Justin, is also band leader. Having been classically trained as pianist as well as playing the flute with a local band club, Justin has devel-oped a passion for Maltese music and is involved in a number of creative projects all year round. The music of KażinSka, as

the name suggests primarily focuses on ska music as well as on the traditional banda marches. During the debut concert in Isla’s magnificent Gardjola Gardens supported by the Malta Arts Fund as well as their appearance at Lissen Festival 2012, KażinSka managed to attract a numerous audience which participated and interacted with the band and the music.

Trania is the result of an artistic collaboration between musicians Walter Vella, saxes and flutes, Jason Fabri, percus-sion and Mark Attard, keyboards. Coming from different musical backgrounds these three musicians are working to create contemporary Maltese and Mediterranean sounds and rhythms, where creativity blends with tradition. With their vast musical experience and exposure, ranging from Rock to Reggae to World Music and Jazz, they believe that contem-porary Maltese ethnic/folk music should not be confined within the island’s borders for its inspiration. North African, Middle Eastern and Sicilian sounds have a heavy presence in their music, and the combination of these gives Trania a very distinct musical identity.

Brikkuni' is an uncompromising contemporary Maltese pop band treading the fine line between art and kitsch. They have been active for the past seven years and have 2 releases under their belt. Their first, 'Kuntrabanda' has already worked it's way toward cult status on their native island. 'Trabokk', the band's sophomore effort released in the winter of 2012 cemented their reputation as, possibly, the only local act capable of infiltrating the mainstream whilst staying true to it's independent roots and no holds barred attitude. Front-man Mario Vella often cites troubadour Fabrizo De Andre and film-makers Pier Paolo Pasolini and Emir Kusturica among his major influences.


gAdgEtS

we are living in a technological era. Every week there are new concepts

and start-up companies with almost sci-fi tech gadgets – and with The Internet of Things movement – devices are all going to get an upgrade. Let’s see what’s new in the world of gadgets and tech.

SenseSense is a sleep focused product and app created by Hello. It is part of the ‘smart technology’ bundle of products currently trending which offer new ways to track health. The sleep tracking kit (which includes the bedside hub, the pillow tracking attachment and app) hit $1.3m in its first week on Kickstarter, and made quite an impression versus other similar apps and products. So what separates Sense from the rest? Similar to other products, Sense monitors the surroundings in the bedroom, as well as people’s sleep patterns. It then combines the surrounding environmental data (sound, light, temperature, etc) along with your sleep patterns to determine in what conditions you sleep best.

Sense’s real unique feature is the Smart Alarm, which will wake you up when you ‘should’ be. So if your alarm is set at 7am, but by 6:50am you’re about to slip into a deeper sleep, the Smart Alarm will wake you prior to that, so you don’t wake up feeling tired. It’s a revolutionary idea, and it’s not perfect. The reality is that the biggest problems with sleep i.e. insomnia, cannot currently be cured or aided by such devices. Another example is sleep apnoea, which is a condition where the walls of the throat relax and interrupt breathing. Sleep apnoea can shorten life spans despite there being several treatments for it, the problem is diagnosing it, which none of these sleep tracking products do. All that being said, if you’re looking for a better night’s sleep, then this would definitely be the tech for you. Sense will start shipping in November for just over €100.

TouchPico ProjectorTouchJet brings a new twist on hand held projectors; the ability to turn a flat

surface into an interactive screen. It’s an Android system that offers the combined experience of a desktop, mobile device and projector. How it works is all through an infrared switcher and a pen-like device which is easily mapped through the projector, allowing users to interact with the newly formed screen. The only real flaw with this great product is that using the device can be a little awkward as its angle lens and short projection means you can’t stand directly in front of the flat surface as you’ll block the projection.

On the plus side, this thing is small enough to fit in your pocket, has an 854 x 480 pixel, 80-inch image, and comes with HDMI, audio ports and built in Wi-Fi. At roughly €400 a pop it’s not cheap, but then again the possibilities are endless, be it in a business, creative, entertainment or educational sense – there’s a lot that can be done with it.

Action’s RocketSkatesBefore the very title of this cartoon tech leads you astray, let me say that this is not a Looney Tunes start-up company, and yes you read it right the first time, skates with ‘rockets’. The inventor felt that there was a gap in the market for urban and city dwellers who had short distances to travel and would rather rocket down the street than stroll. The product comes with either a large or small ‘foot plate’ and is completely hands free. For

direction, acceleration and breaking it’s simply a matter of leaning or shifting the users’ weight. Action is the first to provide smart wearable transportation and promises that the skates would fit almost any shoe and size. But no, they don’t have rockets attached; instead you have a 50 W Brushless motor on each skate with a range time of 90 minutes and a max distance of 10 miles, which is accompanied by a lithium ion rechargeable battery pack. That’s not all. The RocketSkates have an accompanying app which will enable users to track routes, see distance travelled, geo-gaming and of course a dashboard of updated information on the RocketSkates themselves. There are three models to choose from, but unfortunately they are all pretty pricey, with the lowest model starting at €400- €600. Action started mass production in September and is hoping to rush and hit stores in December.

MinipressoCoffee lovers rejoice, for the coming of Minipresso is here. What is it? Well it’s a hand powered portable espresso maker which makes instant hot espressos, and it fits in your bag/ brief case neatly at 25cm tall and weighing 363 grams. Unlike the rest of the competition, there are no batteries or plugs; instead the device relies on users pumping the designer product for their shot of coffee; so one shot of coffee means 13 to 16 pumps. The Minipresso comes with capsule or ground coffee option, the 2.8 ounces of water storage, as well as a cup as part of the package. The Minipresso machine creates coffee at 116 psi, which is the same pressure produced by traditional espresso machines, so users know that they are getting the same espresso experience. The device is not dishwasher proof and Hong Kong designer Wacaco recommends cleaning after every use. The plus side is that this beautiful designer delight can be purchased/ preordered for around €30, which is part of a limited introductory pricing scheme.

Google these items for the local distributor details.

Chris de miColi investiGAtes the lAtest teCh CrunCh

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Indulge Autumn 2014