Vida Magazine - August 2010 by Focused Knowledge Ltd

August 2010 - Issue 07

www.vida.com.mt

Sir Elton John Live in Malta

September 26th at The Granaries

SUMMER FUN SPECIAL

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Life in Sliema The overcrowded seaside gem Controversy in person Emy Bezzina interviewed

Broke this summer? Take a break on home grounds When the holiday’s over

keep smiling

COMP ET

CASH VOUCHERS!

FLIGHTS & EVENT TICKETS!

NEW! - Bookworms’ delight

ITIONS

WIN!

Nightlife Heroes

Cyclists’ mishaps with soldiers and gypsies

Bearing Fruit

6 Pages of Fashion

Rocking Holidays

• Refreshing recipes • Cooking oils • Waxing and shaving • Waterproofing your home • Tech & gadgets • Gardening • & More...

first edition

ST ANNE STREET, FLORIANA TEL: 2122 2949, 2123 3715 I HILTON MALTA, PORTOMASO I 45 ZACHARY STREET, VALLETTA I www.victorazzopardi.com

vida.com.mt Issue 08 - August 2010 Vida Magazine is a monthly lifestyle magazine distributed to all households in Malta and Gozo. It aims to empower the people to lead a better, healthier and happier life. Publisher

Editorial

Summer days can really be a nightmare on these islands - the heat, the humidity, the glare and the throngs of tourists tend to get to our collective tempers. The funny thing, though, is that visitors seem to love it and we keep getting more each year. What is it they like about Malta? What keeps them coming back? Malta has been blessed in many aspects, and as much as we may claim that we cannot ‘function’ in the intolerable heat, we cannot deny that the higher temperatures are one of the main factors which attract a substantial number of tourists year in year out. Couple this with some great beaches, good food and night-long entertainment and you can see why we are attracting more sun worshippers. This month, however, our thoughts lie with those working in the entertainment industry, which is at its peak during this season. Even though this helps our economy greatly, life is not always a bed of roses for them. The perceived glamour quickly wears off when you combine the long and inhumane hours with having to deal with drunk and disorderly revellers on a nightly basis. Vida is now in its eighth issue and our first anniversary is fast approaching. We want our second year to be even better than this one so this month we have enlisted you - our faithful readers - to help us out. Please take a few minutes and send in your thoughts through the questionnaire on page 29 or the online form. You can win €100 while helping us make you even happier every month. Enjoy the issue.

Richard Muscat Azzopardi

VIDA IN SEPTEMBER... • Back to School Special • What’s this MP up to? • Autumn fashion

Focused Knowledge Ltd Pitkali Road, Attard ATD 2214 Malta, Europe Tel: (+356) 2339 2403 Fax: (+356) 2141 9089 Managing Editor Richard Muscat Azzopardi editor@vida.com.mt News & Features Editor David Vella david@vida.com.mt Editorial Assistants Claire Camilleri - claire@vida.com.mt Sarah Micallef - sarah@vida.com.mt Layout & Design Kevin Abela Alexia Baldacchino studio@vida.com.mt Advertising Mexelene Davison - mexelene@vida.com.mt Maria Pillow - maria@vida.com.mt Sabrina Wingfield - sabrina@vida.com.mt Tel: (+356) 2339 2333 sales@vida.com.mt Cover photo Sir Elton John It is understood that all material supplied by agents (printed or otherwise) to promote their products is supplied with all necessary permissions for reproduction. Whilst great care and attention has been taken by the editorial team to ensure accuracy of text, advertising and other published matter, we disclaim all responsibility for any omissions and errors. The editor and publisher do not necessarily agree with views expressed in articles, adverts, letters, or other content appearing in this publication. Distributed by:

Sarah Micallef

Summer Nights Heroes

Holidays on the Rocks

Beating Monday and Post-Holiday Gloom

An Epic Experience

Richard Muscat Azzopardi

Rocking Holidays

Vida Shopping & Leisure

Sliema – The Place to Be?

Service with a Smile

David Vella

Claire Camilleri Claire Camilleri

Amy Colman

Jane Vella interviews Rudolf Grima

Updates

Health and Beauty – Bearing Fruit

Letters

Ask the Experts

Harking Back to the Great Siege

The Cosmic Citizen

Fashion Fairground

Books Page

Vida Clicks

The Count of Malta’s Special Singer

Training Ship St. Paul Not for Profit

Movies in August

Forty-Four Ed Eats

Events in August

The Queen Mum of Pop

Miriam Dalli interviews Emy Bezzina Sarah Micallef

NEW

Contents

National Book Council Joyce Guillaumier Mark Camilleri

Cyclists Raring to Go Lifecycle Challenge

Peter Dacoutros Keeping it Short

Wishing Upon a Shooting Star

As Hazardous as Jellyfish

e your pace a room

letters

July 2010

- Issue

STAR LETTER Your say

The writer of the Star Letter wins a €100 voucher to exchange for any product or service advertised on Vida*.

Dear Editor,

footage of eight o’ clock news during ll as we watched the tba foo g yin pla s A few week s ago, ive siness representat 15-year- old bu my the t, d en an ev s al MP pe the ty Ap e World Cup Chari it on Facebook . the Vida Magazin eady read about alr d ha he t tha d son sai r taken the ok but I had neve a lot about Facebo rson and I I had been hearing website. I admit I am a very busy pe to catch this stopping ne alo let plunge to try out sk, de to sit down at my book pages. barely have time ding on their Face friends are uploa news to learn the ed ne t up with what my no d that my son did me that I However, as I realise ent, it dawned on e’s interesting ev d on this zin are ga sh is ma ur ich yo wh t on abou ch more informati mu on t ou ng . ssi am mi a profile I decided to set up website everyday. e next day king up friends. Th and I I spent an hour loo d’ me pte ce ‘ac list s The first evening nd d added to my frie pages, catching up with many people I ha ir going through the ir children, spent three hours to – their jobs, the up are s nd frie l oo ily sch fam n old ow me my so at up k wh loo r, as well more. I decided to sons and daughte their homes, and my t tha red ve co out dis nd d an fou s I . ge ars pa ’ ye ers for e memb been using this sit their of all ve rts ha pa s d ew are ph sh day as my ne I lived with every ite le bs op we pe e g Th un e. yo that these n to exist befor never even know ich makes lives which I had ’t judge them, wh esn do t tha rm tfo , and if they’re nd mi ir the gave them a pla on n express anything thout feeling intimidated. them feel they ca , wi mment back easily criticised they co ther ildren had their mo s t suddenly my ch ge tha pa ir ing nk the thi ess d I starte o can acc n’t Facebook users wh th the site. I could wi g among the list of lin bb da t ren only pa once teenagers e sam the and that I’m not the be ok f – will Facebo their help asking mysel parents, and even rents, their grand still feel realise that their pa to their personal shrines? Will they ess r of being fea ut tho wi ely teachers, have acc fre ssing themselves comfortable expre table? r ne din the at d chastise

Letters

T. Borg Mosta

I would like to express how much I love your magazine. I look forward to it every month and I have kept every copy! In the January issue I read about the lovely couple who tragically lost their baby, a story that made me realise how important it is to live day by day and appreciate our life and our families. The feature on abuse in massage parlours, published in the February issue, made me more aware of the problems I may be faced with in the future, even at work. People underestimate these problems and do not take them seriously. As a result, girls like me usually end up trapped and unprepared to deal with such matters. The March issue alerted me on the perils of using shiny lip gloss in summer. I was never aware that by applying more lip gloss in summer I was placing ‘a magnifying glass over my lips’, exposing my skin to the harmful effects of UV rays. The April issue made me embrace and appreciate my freedom. The feature ‘Life after prison’ illustrated that once lost, it is very difficult to regain freedom. In the May issue (besides making my mother’s day gift’s choice much easier) I found the ‘Children and language’ article very interesting. The June issue kept me up-to-date with the World Cup 2010 news and allowed me to have a ‘good’ football conversation with my boyfriend (who was incredibly surprised with my knowledge). Last but not least, the July issue improved my way of dealing with panic attacks. When I read Janet Silvio’s article on panic attacks I felt a sigh of relief as it described exactly what I have recently been through. I have just finished my exams, and unfortunately, it was my first time experiencing and enduring panic attacks. Thanks to this magazine, I am now more aware of how to deal with this problem. It is important that this magazine keeps reaching my doorstep because it is not just a magazine - it is so much more! Priscilla Zammit Zabbar

My picks

Overcoming my panic attacks

Dear Editor ,

Although I find all of Vida Magazine’s features very interesting, each time I find myself tearing out and keeping some of the pages I particularly like.

Being stuck at home with a fever in this heat is no fun so I was greatly relieved when my partner brought me the new edition of Vida (it took him a good half hour to relinquish it, but that’s another story).

The July issue was full of such pages. I kept the Gardening section because it gave some very useful information about watering trees. I also kept the article about Anna Mallia because I admire her for her outspokenness.

I really enjoyed reading the magazine, especially ‘Fighting the Dragon Inside You’, the feature on panic attacks. I had a similar experience. It happened to me - the sudden, overwhelming feeling that I was going to die, that I was going to leave my then two-year-old daughter motherless. The chest pains and shortness of breath were awful.

The property page was interesting as I found a nice house to view. Then came the Motoring page – it had lots of good tips about driving holidays and I have been thinking of touring Sicily – soon, I hope! The Special Feature about Comino was full of information which I was not aware of about the tiny island, so on my next trip I will definitely see more than just the Blue Lagoon and Santa Maria Bay. I have even kept an advert for a very special looking restaurant which sounds like the perfect spot for a birthday dinner! Regards Anne Marie Grima Attard

Send your letters, questions to the experts and suggestions to The Editor, VIDA Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214, or by email on yoursay@vida.com.mt. * See page 53 for more info.

A loyal reader

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Hospital tests showed that despite my fears (my father had died of heart related problems at a very young age) I was fine. When the cardiologist reassured me that there were no physical problems, I realised I was having panic attacks. I was determined to overcome this condition. When I felt the onset of an attack, I would take ‘time out’, breathe deeply and psyche myself up into thinking that it wasn’t going to kill me. I managed to overcome this problem without professional assistance but I urge any reader for whom such a method doesn’t work to talk to their doctor. And don’t rush for the pills - get out of the house and exercise, even if it is just a ten-minute walk. This will help to clear your mind. There are also plenty of herbal remedies, which I thought were complete tosh - but I wouldn’t be without my evening primrose oil for anything in the world! R. Williams Mellieha

ask the experts

Ask The Experts A.C asked: I am 18 years old and a month ago I have been diagnosed with diabetes. Since then I have gained seven kilos. Does insulin make you gain weight? What can I do to lose the extra weight? Intensive insulin therapy causes an increase in body fat. In fact, patients on intensive insulin therapy are more likely to experience weight gain. Weight gain is also documented as a side effect of insulin. This is especially the case in those patients who had very poor glucose control prior to starting treatment. In such cases, the restoration of glucose control will cause abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body with the resultant increase in body weight. The efficient use of calories during insulin therapy may also contribute to an abnormal increase in weight. Losing weight requires dietary and lifestyle modifications. You should be very careful with your diet at this stage. It is very important to have a professional dietician’s advice about the dietary modifications required and the accurate control of the daily calorie intake. Do not try to minimise the daily food intake by fasting for long periods while on insulin therapy otherwise you’ll risk having a sharp drop in the blood sugar levels with resultant dangerous effects. Regular exercise is also essential to help lose the weight gained. Dr. Malcolm Paul Galea, MD Mrs L. Sciberras asked: Two walls in one of my new apartment’s bedrooms are slightly mouldy (faint yellow spots). Both happen to be the inside of external walls. I checked the external walls for cracks but there seems to be no damage. What can I do? As a first step, the external walls should be properly checked for very fine hairline cracks, which could be the result of long-term settlement. If such damage is not traced, then the most probable factor for the ‘faint yellow spots’ could be the lack of cross ventilation. This can be solved by having two ventilation holes situated in opposite corners (diagonally positioned) of the room, to maximise cross ventilation. Perit Joseph Attard, B.E.&A. (Hons.) A.&C.E.

S.E asked: The developer of the apartment block I live in retained the airspace and has plans to build two more units on the roof. He has also kept the common parts’ electricity bills registered on his name. Is he obliged by law to pay a share of the common parts electricity bill? Can the residents sue for damages?

The fact that the developer has reserved the right to develop the airspace does not automatically imply that he has to pay a share of the common parts. The airspace as such does not automatically constitute part of the common parts except those parts of it which are intended for common use, if any exist. My advice would be to constitute an Owner’s Association which would be the first step towards regulating your position at law and strengthening your position. The Condominium Act provides that where the airspace over a condominium is owned by an individual owner and not collectively by the owners of the individual units, he or she may extend the common parts at his or her own expense to serve the separate units he or she constructs on the airspace. In this case his or her share of the expenses relating to the common parts shall, unless it is otherwise agreed, be redistributed between the owners according to the proportion that the new units are of all the separate units in the condominium. Dr. Adrian Muscat Azzopardi, B.A., M.A., LL.D

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• Dining out • DIY

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August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

updates

NOT FOR PROFIT Maltese voluntary organisations Training Ship St. Paul

Sea Cadet Corps - Malta GC Unit It all began... in 1962 in HMS Phoenicia at Manoel Island. That’s when the Maltese unit of the UK’s Sea Cadets was inaugurated. Sea Cadets is the UK’s largest maritime youth NGO.

Our mission is... to assist children in their character formation, developing their leadership skills by using a nautical theme based on the traditions of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Our ‘enemy’ is...

lack of funds meaning certain projects and activities take longer to accomplish.

We have...

around 50 young members with 20 adults training them. Boys and girls aged 10 or older can join us. The Sea Cadets is a uniformed and disciplined organisation. Cadets are divided into three sections Junior Cadets are between 10 to 12 years old, Sea Cadets are 12 to 18 and the Royal Marines Cadets are 13 to 18.

Our greatest achievement is...

remaining a full

member of the UK Sea Cadet Corps.

We are currently... working on the preparations for our annual training camps in UK and our forthcoming inspection by the Area Officer (Cdr Langley Royal Navy).

www.maltaseacadets.com | oicmalta@hotmail.co.uk Gun Powder Magazine, Rinella Bay, Kalkara. KKR 1501. T: 9947 6119

Harking back to the Great Siege

he Great Siege of 1565 is undoubtedly one of the most renowned milestones in the history of Malta and its people, but few would imagine it can also be the main source of inspiration for a metal band.

Pro Patria, the Latin phrase meaning “For the love of my country”, is the title of local metal band Memento Nostri’s first album. It also defines the mission statement of this revolutionary band, which finds its roots in these artists’ love for culture and history. The upcoming album, due to be released later this month, recounts the story of the Great Siege through a concoction of Metal, Maltese Folk, Ottoman Folk, Classical and Neo-Classical music. It portrays the victorious feat of the Maltese people and the Knights of St. John, who ruled over the islands when the Turkish fleets reached our shores. This tale of war, romance, hardship, celebration, prayer and victory gives Memento Nostri the unique sound that has already been highly acclaimed by several international pundits who have had the opportunity to listen to the first single “Decimation at the Gates”. The promo album is not simply an introduction to the band’s music. The band members - Michael (vocals and guitars), Alexia (vocals), Mark (guitars and orchestrations) and Rex (bass guitar) - along with their management, believe that their music is also a great platform to promote our strong culture and history through art. “Pro Patria” will be launched during a special live performance on Saturday, August 21st at the Monte Kristo Estates, Hal Farrug. The band will also be launching the music video of the of the album’s title track during the same evening. A number of themed events will also be presented before the band takes the stage. All proceeds will go to “Puttinu Cares”, the non-profit organisation that helps families who have children suffering from cancer. www.myspace.com/mementonostrimalta

Vida scours the web for interesting content on a daily basis. Here are a few of the websites which caught our fancy this month. The best thing we can do about Ed’s website is let him tell you about it: “Hi, I’m Ed. And welcome to all you parents and grandparents out there who want to help your children read better. Ed’s Reading Room is a free reading skills resource for parents, grandparents and teachers who want to encourage boys and girls to read more by exploring exciting, recently published books, discussing them and learning from them.” www.edontheweb.com Etsy is a website in which individuals can buy and sell handmade or vintage items as well as art and craft supplies. Items on sale range from art and photography to clothing, jewellery, beauty products and toys. Aptly referred to as “a crafty cross between Amazon, eBay and your grandma’s basement”, Etsy also features an artisan community and

blog, as well as related events pages and tutorials. www.etsy.com Karen Borg, a Vida reader from Qormi, suggested a website that brings together a growing group of users who try to track down the movement of Euro notes. They use this website to register the serial number of Euro notes before spending them. If the note has already been recorded by another user the site produces a report with the number of kilometres it has travelled and how long it took to get there. “Since joining the site I made new friends and increased my knowledge of various locations in Europe,” Karen explains. www.eurobilltracker.com

Suggest your favourite sites (and tell us why you love them): yoursay@vida.com.mt

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

updates

Cyclists raring to go Upon accepting to dedicate 12 days, braving rain and shine, to cycle 2,000 kilometres on European roads, you must really be convinced of your cause. The 60 cyclists who will be taking on the Lifecycle Challenge this month are hoping that their efforts convince Maltese people to donate money in aid of renal patients. The 12th edition of the Lifecycle Challenge starts on Saturday, August 14th in Venice. The Maltese cyclists’ long voyage will take them across Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium, France and England, until they reach Old Trafford, the legendary stadium of Premier League football club Manchester United. “We are all willing to sacrifice so much to complete this challenge,” explained Alan Curry, Lifecycle Challenge co-founder and spokesperson, “all we are asking the Maltese people is to give some money, even if it is just the price of an ice cream. Even the smallest donation will make a big difference in renal patients’ lives.” The Lifecycle Foundation was established in 1999 to raise awareness on the plights of people with kidney failure. In order to survive these patients need to undergo dialysis several times a week. This treatment, which takes several hours, is necessary to clean the patients’ blood, a function that would normally be performed by the kidneys. All funds donated to Lifecycle are used to help these patients make this treatment less uncomfortable and painful.

Here’s how you can help: • Donate money online on www.lifecyclechallenge.org. • Send a cheque, payable to The LifeCycle Organisation, to LifeCycle Malta c/o Renal Unit, Mater Dei Hospital, Tal-Qroqq, MSD 2090, Malta. • Send an SMS to Lifecycle’s mobile donation numbers: 5061 7370 - €2.33 5061 8920 - €6.99 5061 9229 - €11.65 • Donate through our landline numbers:

Did you know? • In 2007, one of the photographers accompanying the Lifecycle team cycling from Bucharest to Berlin was held up by a group of local gypsies riding a horse-drawn cart. They immediately snatched his camera. Desperate to stop them from leaving with the expensive camera and hundreds of photos of the event, the volunteers tried to negotiate. The robbers accepted to ‘sell’ it back to them for €100. It ended on a comic note with the photographer asking the retreating gypsies for a VAT receipt! • Before every Lifecycle Challenge, three committee members visit all the roads the cyclists will be passing through. They also inspect the accommodation facilities for every night (which are usually schools or similar venues which local communities allow the cyclists to use for free) and look out for difficulties the cyclists may come across. The entire route has to be covered in the shortest time possible to cut down expenses - they travel until midnight every day and wake up to continue their work early the following morning. • A volunteer accompanying the cyclists, Edward Mercieca, lent his camera to another volunteer to take a photo of a building in Damascus. Soldiers stopped him as the building turned out to be a military installation, and they subsequently arrested Edward, the owner of the camera. He was released several hours later, after the Maltese consulate phoned Syria’s Foreign Ministry! • As the 2008 Lifecycle Challenge cyclists reached their final destination – King Hassan II’s Mosque in Casablanca – local police informed them that they needed a special permit to reach the mosque with the bicycles. Panicked, the back up team met the local police commissioner, who immediately accepted to give the cyclists a regal welcome. Police stopped traffic and accompanied the cyclists towards the finish line, with Maltese volunteers and Moroccan onlookers cheering them on!

5004 9065 - €10.00 5004 9060 - €20.00 5004 9063 - €50.00 For more information contact Lifecycle by email on info@lifecyclechallenge.com or by calling 7990 3961.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

updates

KEEPING IT SHORT ... When I was a child I wanted to become the Pope! When I’m old ... very old, I’ll probably still be presenting TV programmes. I am a very shy and timid person unbelievable as it may sound. I wish I were less of a perfectionist - I’d suffer less. I would never be a politician.

Peter Dacoutros

The first meal I cooked was baked macaroni. The best fruit in the world is Maltese oranges. The most difficult vegetable to cook is a weed! The most disgusting food is jellyfish stew. The shortest recipe in the world is one of mine! My television programmes are informative and entertaining. My recipe books are ‘cannot do without’ stuff. My favourite Maltese dish is a mouth-watering ‘hobza biz-zejt’. My favourite Greek dish is a good moussaka made in Greece by Greeks! Spices are a way of making the same boring dish taste different. Ordering a fillet of beef cooked ‘very well done’ is madness. A meal I would never serve is tripe. My recipe for success is working hard and doing things right. I get in trouble when I’m irritated and I don’t think before I speak. The ingredients for world peace are less greed. Malta’s biggest problem is the ‘suq ha mmorru, kollox jghaddi’ (let’s get on with it, anything goes) attitude. And the solution is to do things the proper way. Maltese people amaze me when they unite during national events. If I were a Greek mythological god I’d be Dionysus, god of food and wine. If I were a magician I’d make Malta the cleanest place in the world! I dream of a tranquil life, day after day.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Wish upon a shooting star I

f, as the legend goes, dreams come true when we wish upon a shooting star, then this month we’re in for a real treat. If you have never spotted a shooting star whizzing by, try your luck between August 9th and 14th, when the night skies come to life with the annual Perseid meteor shower. The Perseid meteor shower is caused by the periodic Comet SwiftTuttle. Within its orbit, Comet Swift-Tuttle passes in the vicinity of the Sun every 133 years, leaving a wide trail of gas and dust in its path. The comet’s path crosses that of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun, plunging the Earth into the trail of gas and dust left by the comet every year, explains Professor Frank J. Ventura. As the dust particles hit the Earth’s atmosphere they become heated and light up to produce meteors, or as they are commonly known, ‘shooting stars’. Locally, the shower is called ‘St. Lawrence’s Tears’, explains Tony Tanti, the Astronomy Society of Malta’s spokesperson. “St. Lawrence is believed to have been martyred by the Romans in 258 A.D on an iron stove. He is the patron saint of Birgu in Malta and San Lawrenz in Gozo. In this Gozitan village, legend has it that if you fast on the feast of the martyr and then wander into the countryside you should find tiny pieces of coal – the coal on which St. Lawrence was burned.” The meteor showers vary in intensity, with the majority of the meteors expected to be visible on the night between August 12th and 13th. Observers may expect to see between 40 and 60 meteors an hour between midnight of August 12th and the pre-dawn hours of August 13th. “There is no particular preferred location from where one can see the meteors” Professor Ventura maintains, “however, it is important to find a place with a clear view of the sky in the north-east and where the sky is as dark as possible. The presence of artificial lighting severely restricts the number of meteors which can be observed. Fortunately, this year there will not be any interference from the Moon and hopefully the sky will remain clear and cloudless on the night.” The Astronomy Society of Malta is organising an observing session at L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha on the night of August 12th to 13th. For more information contact the society on info@maltastro.org. www.maltastro.org

updates

As hazardous as jellyfish With all the media attention they’re getting, jellyfish may easily be mistaken for the public enemy number one of any beach goer. But are they really the Maltese beaches’ greatest peril? There are many other health hazards to watch out for while basking in the sun along the scenic Maltese coasts, explains Gemma Sirol, the Commissioner of the First Aid and Nursing section of the St. John’s Ambulance service. Rocky shores can be a danger if anyone falls or slips. Falling on sand is not as risky. However, these beaches can have broken glass, tins, burning charcoal, and other rubbish buried in the

Taking the kids to the beach? • Make sure they wear rubber shoes on sandy beaches • Avoid taking them to slippery rocky shores • Never take swim armbands/rings off children who are not yet able to swim • Don’t leave them unattended in the sea or on the beach • Provide good sun protection at all times • Avoid taking children to the beach between 11:00hrs and 15:00hrs • Keep children away from sandy beaches on windy days

sand. “When we dispose of our litter on the sand,” Sirol maintains, “we are creating hazards that are much more damaging than a jellyfish sting.” The first aider adds that playing football or other ball games on the sand with other bathers close by can also be dangerous. The sea itself can create accidents too. “People should not be ashamed to say that they are not able to swim. Whoever is unable to swim should have the right protection.” Boats and jet skis have to keep their distance from swimming zones while swimmers must be careful to keep out of sea crafts’ path.

Lifesaver A basic first aid kit in your beach bag can come to the rescue if you or someone in your company gets hurt. Gemma Sirol recommends adding a large bottle of water and some vinegar (to treat jellyfish stings) when taking a first aid kit by the sea. This, however, is useless unless you know how to use it. St. John Ambulance offers regular first aid courses to the public. For more information call 21 245 740 or send an email on training@stjohnambulancemalta.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

health & beauty

Bearing Fruit The sweetest and healthiest food T

by Sarah Micallef

he health and dietary worlds’ worst-kept secret has got to be the importance of fruit in our diet. It has been proven on an alarming variety of levels that consuming five portions of fruit a day is incredibly beneficial to our health, but in what ways, exactly? Nowadays, our bodies need more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than ever before - what with our busy schedules, increased pollution and heightened stress levels. Eating fruit can help us handle all that better; giving us the nutrients we need to face today’s fast paced lifestyle as well as helping to prevent future illness. The vitamins found in fruit such as oranges, citrus fruits and strawberries (vitamins C, A and E) are extremely beneficial, as they protect our bodies from damage due to cancer-causing free radicals. Pollution, sunlight, smoking and alcohol are all external factors that can generate free radicals, but a diet rich in fruit will supply the body with the necessary antioxidants to fight them off, as well as helping to prevent premature ageing. In addition, the bright colours of fruits are also beneficial. The same colourings that make blueberries blue, strawberries red and oranges well, orange, are called phytonutrients – tremendously powerful antioxidants that join in the fight against free radicals attacking and mutating cells. Another great feature of fruit is fibre, which aids in the regulation of the digestive system. The majority of fruits function as laxatives, not only helping to expel waste efficiently, but also preventing colon and bowel cancer. And that’s not all. Studies carried out at Vanderbilt University in Nashville have shown that it isn’t just our bodies that benefit, but also our brains. Researchers at the university found that people who included fruit juice as part of their daily diet ran a significantly lower risk of being afflicted with Alzheimer’s as they got older. In fact, people who drank fruit juices three times a week reduced their risk by 76%.

Your 5-a-Day

Here are some tips to help you get your daily five servings of fruit: • Add dried berries to your cereal in the morning. • When making fruit salad, make more so it will last you a couple of days. • Snack on an apple on your way to work. • Enjoy small pieces of fruit as snacks throughout the day. • Make or buy a natural fruit smoothie. • Try to include fruit in your cooking. • It’s also a good idea to have a bowl of fruit near the TV, instead of popcorn or sweets.

The Benefits

Consuming five portions a day reduces the likelihood of the following afflictions: • Stroke and other cardiovascular diseases • Type 2 diabetes • Mouth, stomach and colon or bowel cancers • Coronary heart disease • Kidney stones and osteoporosis • Alzheimer’s disease

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

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Join BOV Club on *Gift offers are available to new BOV Club members attending post-secondary institutions or the University of Malta on a full-time basis, in receipt of a stipend and whose application form is received by the Bank until the 31st October 2010. These offers are also available to students who proceed to the University of Malta and renew their BOV Club membership within the offer period. Gift models may vary slightly from those illustrated and cannot be changed. Prices are correct as at the time of printing and any changes to the Retail Price will not effect the price to be paid by students. Club Start members are not eligible for the gift offers, unless otherwise stated. Loans and Credit Card facilities are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from your BOV branch. Terms and conditions apply. ** Voucher can only be redeemed against books (excluding Melitensia and textbooks), and not in conjunction with any other offer. ***When vouchers are redeemed within the sale period the full cost of the item will be charged. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Zachary Street, Valletta VLT 1130 - Malta

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special feature

Summer nights heroes! T

he best thing about summer is that after a day’s work there are still several hours of outdoor fun to look forward to. Be it a couple of drinks with friends at the bar, a lavish meal in a seaside restaurant, an evening at one of the outdoor festivals, or a night out at the club, there’s always a good excuse to stay away from our stuffy homes. There are some workers however, who can’t enjoy the summer vibe as much as we can. Here’s to our heroes – the ones who keep the summer nights alive!

DJ Squeak Club DJ

I am not a full-time DJ. I just enjoy doing it in my free time. I’ve tried to introduce music which was previously not very popular in Malta and I was surprised with how quickly clubbers started loving it. It is great when you see that people are appreciating your effort, especially when you’re not doing it for the money. Since it is not my full-time job I cannot afford to sleep in after playing a mid-week set at 03:00hrs. I still have to wake up early and go to work! I also have to spend long hours researching the scene abroad and looking for new tracks. If you don’t work hard, you won’t move ahead. Playing the same tracks over and over again gets boring and the crowd won’t appreciate that. I also think it is important to give a bit of a show. Nobody likes a ‘stand-behind-theturntables-and-stare-DJ’!

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Jessica Micallef Dancer I love dancing so it is not like any other job for me. It gives me free access to many parties and the opportunity to experience the best of Malta’s great clubbing scene. The downside is that you have to give your best and party on even when you’re not in the mood - you have to keep on dancing no matter how hot it is, or how tired your feet are. The crowd is always different, with lots of surprises in store. Once, an English chap, drunk off his face, tried to come up on the small platform I was dancing on. The bouncers stopped him. This is when he decided to start pushing the platform around the club, with me still on top of it trying my best not to fall off. The people laughed at his antics and I played along, but the bouncers weren’t happy and kicked him out!

Dominic Micallef Club owner

I started working in clubs when I was 16, but before that I already had quite a good idea of the scene as I used to help out in my family’s popular club in Rabat. When I turned 22 I took over the operation of the club and a few years later I also started managing the open-air space of another club in San Gwann, turning it into an open-air club in its own right. I can’t imagine myself working outside a club scene. I adore the feeling I get when, after a week of hard work, I see the crowd dancing the night away in my clubs. Malta can become the world’s best clubbing destination if we improve the current clubbing regulations and zoning. We already have the necessary leisure and entertainment venues. We just need to extend clubbing hours, reduce bureaucracy, keep our public places clean and increase international marketing.

special feature

Kris Spiteri Musician

Daniela Psaila Barmaid in a club After a day at home, I love working at the club in the evenings. It is not easy to manage taking care of my baby son during the day and working behind a bar almost every evening but where there’s a will there’s a way. I enjoy working as a barmaid because I love meeting new people. In fact, I hate it when we have a quiet night and I have no one to serve. I wouldn’t dream of working in a factory or office and spending hours faceto-face with a machine or a desk. Serving in a club is not always plain sailing. Sometimes I get guys who offer to buy me drinks to try and hit on me. I quickly tell them that I’m married to get rid of them. They don’t always get the message though.

The best thing about being a musician is the chance to make music with different artists and to constantly develop artistically with my fellow band members. Having an audience who appreciates music is an added boon! I am currently playing with ‘The Residents’ and ‘Rug’, and I can assure you that each and every gig is a memorable one. The first gig I ever played with my first band ‘Syndrome’ will always stay with me. Playing with ‘Noir’ at the Jazz festival and each and every show of the musical I composed, ‘Porn’ were also unforgettable. It’s not easy to earn a living by playing music in Malta, and that is why there are only a few full-time musicians around. Finding work is very difficult, having to play songs which are ‘too’ commercial can be annoying, and keeping up with new songs and styles is somewhat hard. Worse than this is the fact that Maltese musicians do not even have a code of ethics. The status of a musician is not even recognised or protected as a profession. There’s no insurance for your gear and no assurance that you will work for a long time in one place. It’s pretty much a matter of luck.

Simon Tonna Bar owner I love it when I see my customers having a great night in my bar. It gives me great satisfaction. The problem with owning a bar and being the bar man at the same time is that you don’t get any time off in the evening. It also means that I have to miss out on many evening events which I would otherwise love to attend.

Maurizio Azzopardi Restaurant Owner and Chef There’s no better feeling than the one I get when clients tell me they really enjoyed the meal I prepared for them. I try my best to make my guests have a good time because if they leave with good memories, they’re sure to return for more. That is why I am disappointed when people fail to understand that quality dishes need more time to prepare. I try to avoid serving pre-cooked meals. Preparing fresh dishes from scratch will take a bit longer, especially when there is a large table to serve.

Christian Xerri Taxi Driver in Paceville

Working in a busy entertainment area like Paceville has its advantages – people you know are always walking by. I enjoy the fact that I get to meet lots of people while I’m working. However, when I have an off day, I try to keep away from Paceville and opt for quieter venues. Otherwise I would feel like I’m still at work! I cannot understand why people say that hiring a taxi to go back home after a night out is expensive – we do not mind paying for expensive drinks in clubs and bars but then we’re not ready to pay a bit more to avoid the dangers of driving when we’re tired or under the influence.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

special feature

Holidays on the rocks by David Vella

ills, home loan repayments, a business deal gone wrong, wage cuts, a new baby in the family - any of these and you’re stuck on the rock, with no time and money for that long-awaited trip to the airport to board a plane and get away from it all. As your friends talk excitedly about their upcoming holiday abroad you sit in silence, hoping for time to fly to better days, so that you too, can fly away. Cheer up. The Maltese Islands may be small but they’re not short of opportunities. Here are some ideas to help you ignore your broken wings and hop to a cheaper holiday close to home.

Go for luxury

You do not have to go to Paris or to Vienna to spoil yourself with a five star luxury holiday break. You have just had a baby and taking a newborn, a pram and a large bag full of baby stuff abroad is too much of a hassle. Or you may have to check on your business at least for an hour every day. If money is not a problem but leaving the country is, try one of the local fivestar hotels. Most of them offer more than enough to keep you busy for a weekend or more – hours reading and lazing by the pool with your mobile phone switched off, indulging in extravagant meals, pampering yourself with massages and more.

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Moreover, if you’re into luxury hotels it makes more sense to enjoy one in Malta rather than abroad – how much time are you going to spend enjoying your hotel if there’s a whole new country for you to discover just outside the lobby? If you cannot afford the expensive hotel rates, don’t give up. Keep your eyes open for weekend break deals – many hotels offer them through their websites. Otherwise try booking Maltese hotels through international websites such as booking. com, lastminute.com, laterooms.com, and many others. During the odd months you can easily grab a bargain – and with less guests in hotels you’re more likely to get revitalising spas all to yourself and that little extra attention from the staff.

Seaside holidays

If you live inland (not that anywhere is far from the coast in Malta) consider spending a week or two in a seaside area. Rent an apartment in St Paul’s Bay, Marsalforn or Marsascala and be closer to the sea and to the summer nightlife. Alternatively, if you have friends who own a ‘boathouse’ (these small summer homes are the closest you can get to the shore without wetting your feet), check if there are any days when they will not be using their property and ask whether you can rent it. You’ll get your own summer home for a few days and they will get some extra cash.

special feature Team up, rent a villa

Many luxury homes in Malta are offered to let, even for just one weekend. You can find large penthouses with pools and amazing views, cosy farmhouses lost in the countryside, or breathtaking villas in some of the island’s most exclusive areas. Unfortunately for the cash-strapped you and me, the weekly rent for these properties is breathtaking too. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy a week in one of them. Team up with your friends, three or four couples, and hey presto – the rent is suddenly down by 75%. Most of these places have at least three bedrooms and living spaces large enough for three or more couples or families to share. You can take turns cooking and cleaning, and have lots and lots of time to relax and enjoy your family and friends.

A different Gozo

Gozo is the most obvious domestic holiday choice to residents on mainland Malta. Don’t be fooled into thinking that there’s nothing in Gozo you haven’t already seen during the million times you’ve been there before. The trick is to go off the beaten track and explore this island’s lesser-known wonders. Get good hiking boots, hire a mountain bike, or a jeep, and lose yourself in the countryside’s narrow lanes – always make sure not to tread on farming land, steal crops, or damage rubble walls and wild plants. Alternatively visit the quaint streets of some of the quieter villages, like Gharb, Ghasri and Kercem. If you want an agro-tourism experience, spend a day with local Gozitan farmers – feeding hens and rabbits, collecting eggs, milking and shearing sheep, learning how to make the traditional ‘gbejniet’ (cheeselets), and sharing the daily offering of the farm’s kitchen. Contact Ager Foundation (7901 7017), a non-governmental organisation set up to help farmers promote eco-tourism in Gozo, for more details on these experiences.

Under the stars

Camping is another affordable option if you want a break in the countryside or by the sea, with lots of adventures in store. Nothing compares to waking up to the chilly, pure morning air at sunrise, as you sip a cup of coffee or tea, with water boiled on your very own campfire. Do not buy tents, lamps, and other equipment before your first camping experience. If you do not like it, you’re going to be stuck with lots of stuff which is rather useless anywhere else. Try borrowing a tent from a friend. Some shops rent out tents and equipment – another good option for first timers.

Comino

Camping tips

A few days in the smallest of the inhabited islands of Malta will give you more than the crystal waters of the Blue Lagoon. The only two accommodation options available are camping at Santa Marija beach, or booking a room in the island’s one hotel. Discover the tower, the coves, the cliffs and much more.

With over 15 years camping experience in various locations in Malta and Gozo, Chris Mangion’s word of advice may save you a few nasty surprises: If you are camping for the first time, try just one night first. When you get used to it, stay longer. Choose areas where trees can protect you and your tent from the sun and wind. Avoid hunting seasons unless you want to wake up to the sweet sound of gunshots. Think before you pack your food. Prepare a menu so that you pack what you will use last at the bottom. If a large group of persons is camping, prepare activities – hikes, games, or whatever the group likes - otherwise it might get boring. Take lots of wood for fire and don’t expect to find it at the campsite - you need dry wood not branches cut off trees.

Make sure you have a good supply of water to clean, wash, cook and drink. Check your equipment before you leave. Tents, cooking utensils, lighting, sleeping bags and everything else must be working properly and in good condition. Cooking on open fires might not always be possible. Take a stove. Close all tents and storage boxes during the night. Pay particular attention to food containers – rats can smell your packed meals from miles away. Clean before you leave and do not leave garbage bags at the campsite.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

real life

Life,ove&

Beating Monday and post-holiday gloom

by Claire Camilleri

Once you’re at work, taking short breaks during the day gives the brain the much-needed rest it craves to last the long hours that you spend working. It’s a good way to recharge your energy and helps get you through the day. Even if your list of things to do is never-ending, they certainly won’t be done properly if your brain is exhausted. This is why it’s better to get up from your desk and take a little walk outside every now and then, all the more so if you work in “Planning a an office with hardly any natural light.

s I sit at my desk after a long weekend break I find myself wondering ‘how am I going to get through this day?’ This is a question I seem to ask myself practically every Monday morning, but even more so today, as it’s not only Monday but it’s also my first day back after a holiday. Once we enter the working world, our lives experience a number of changes which are sometimes hard to cope with. Personally, dealing with the fact that I can no longer have those morning lie-ins is what triggers my blues initially, and as the day goes by I find myself remembering what I did during my weekend away, and the blues just get bluer.

mid-week activity gives you something to look forward to”

It is for this reason that I’ve decided to share a few tips that help me get through my Monday and post holiday feelings, in the hope that they may make yours a little easier. They’re certainly no permanent life-changing remedies, but a few ideas will help those days go by faster. Firstly, make the most of your days off. Don’t simply waste your weekend doing nothing. After that long awaited lie-in regaining the energy you would have lost during the working week, get up and enjoy a day out. Catch up on the things that you would have left pending during the week or just enjoy doing things that you can’t do between Mondays and Fridays.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Planning a mid-week activity gives you something to look forward to, even if it’s simply catching up with some friends for a drink. This somehow makes the week seem shorter and therefore gives you less reason to dread it, as it becomes more than just a week of work and sleep. The change of scenery is always helpful when meeting friends, since the only people you tend to see during the week are your colleagues. Job permitting, listening to music at work goes a long way towards lifting your spirits. However, this only refers to those who aren’t easily distracted, and would obviously mean using headphones so as not to disturb those around you. Socialising with colleagues is an essential factor in helping you to foresee getting through the week. According to Ingrid Grech Lanfranco, counselling psychologist and family therapist,

real life

“maintaining good relationships with colleagues is of utmost importance to create well-being at the workplace. Being friendly with your workmates results in a better working environment as well as better productivity and less employee turnover too.” Going for a morning jog or session at the gym are great ways to kick start your Monday mornings. It may be terribly hard getting out of bed, but a good exercise session before heading off to work releases those happy hormones called endorphins which may be the key to getting a happier start to your week. The dreaded Monday morning feeling is somewhat amplified when returning from a holiday. After the planning, excitement and anticipation of the trip, returning to reality can be somewhat disappointing. Besides trying some of the tips already mentioned, the following can be helpful when suffering from post-holiday blues. Compile memories of your holiday by printing your photos and putting them in an album accompanied with captions. This will keep you busy for a while and once you are done you can have

a look at them whenever you feel those post-holiday blues kicking in. They’re sure to remind you of that pleasurable feeling you had whilst you were on holiday.

“a good exercise session before heading off to work releases those happy hormones”

Planning another holiday, even if in a few months’ time, will give you something new to look forward to. Even if it’s a short weekend getaway, the thought and planning will keep your mind occupied…until the next holiday is over that is!

Finally remember you are not the only person feeling miserable on a Monday morning. These blues are a common feeling that most people still haven’t been able to beat, however as Ms. Grech Lanfranco rightly says “if we take care of our physical and mental health to avoid stressing ourselves too much through the year, then Mondays and holiday blues might not be so blue after all.”

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

travel

An Epic Experience by Claire Camilleri

©fotogeorgeburggreaff.nl

still remember my first holiday…a family trip to California when I was three years old. Since I was still rather young and my mother wanted me never to forget the fun things we did whilst we were away, she decided to help my sister and I create a diary filled with pictures and captions about our trip. From then on every time I went away I made my very own mini holiday diary. My most recent travel experience was a somewhat different one. It was my first time going on holiday for work. However I still created a mini holiday write up of my experience. I had the pleasure of being invited on the latest (and largest) addition to the Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) freestyle cruising fleet, the Norwegian Epic. The concept of Freestyle Cruising refers to the fact that we could plan our stay as we please as guests are given complete flexibility and freedom. There are no set dinner times or specific attires. However should guests prefer a particular restaurant, bookings may be made throughout at booking stations in key areas of the ship. As we reached Rotterdam port we were impressed by the immensity and beauty of the virgin ship that waited there for its first ever guests to experience all that it has to offer. Walking on we were

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

overwhelmed with excitement as we came across various friendly faces who guided us to our room… and what a room that was! The ship includes 34 different types of staterooms which are designed and finished to the finest detail. The Norwegian Epic has also introduced a new type of accommodation for solo travelers. These studios are uniquely designed and priced for people travelling alone and also include private access to the Studio Lounge. It also comprises of suites and Villas on two private decks at the top of the ship which features a private pool, two whirlpools, gym, sauna, sundeck, indoor/outdoor dining, bar/nightclub and concierge lounge. The ship is also the first to introduce Spa Balcony and Spa Deluxe Balcony Staterooms as well as Spa Suites with complimentary access to the spa. The Mandara Spa is the perfect opportunity for a relaxing treat as it offers over 50 treatments for both men and women and also includes a selection of treatments for kids and teens. The Norwegian Epic offers more than 20 dining options and 20 bars and lounges. These vary from an excellent steakhouse and a buffet restaurant serving fresh, prepared-to-order food to Italian specialities, French cuisine, Chinese dishes, teppanyaki restaurant, sushi and sake bar, American favourites, Asian-influenced cuisine and

travel

©fotogeorgeburggreaff.nl

Photo by Ken Howard ©BMP

Besides the numerous bars and restaurants, the Epic Casino and various clubs keep adults well entertained until the early hours of the morning, whilst kid-friendly areas such as the Kids’ Crew facility and exclusive teen lounge keep youths occupied “the all day. Nickelodeon at Sea performs multiple shows Norwegian Epic throughout every Norwegian Epic sailing.

24/7 pizza delivery and room service. It also includes the first Ice Bar in the cruise industry. NCL’s Ice Bar features a bar, walls, tables, stools, glasses and life-size sculptures all made from ice.

The entertainment on board was fantastic. On one of the nights we were invited to watch the Blue Man Group, an excellent international group of entertainers. They includes the first Unfortunately since the weather was still somewhat are best known for their theatrical shows combining Ice Bar in the wintery we did not have the chance to use any of the music, comedy and multimedia theatrics keeping the cruise industry” outdoor facilities. This was a pity since the ship has an crowd involved and amused throughout the show. The expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest Spiegel Tent which is the only “big top” at sea hosts bowl slide at sea The Epic Plunge, as well as an extreme Cirque Dreams & Dinner. This original dining experience rock climbing wall and the first ever abseiling wall at sea. involves artists performing in the air, while juggling dinner courses with music and acrobatic imagination. Other performances I would have liked to have had more time to experience all the include Legends in Concert, Second City Comedy Troupe, and different options available as unfortunately we were only there for Howl at the Moon Duelling Piano Show which gives the audience 2 nights. However I will definitely go back sometime soon as the the opportunity to choose any song they’d like to hear the duo play, trip will be cruising in the Mediterranean to and from Barcelona in something I truly enjoyed. summer 2011 after spending a year in the Caribbean. Additional highlights include bowling lanes in two venues and a mixed-use sports deck which give guests the opportunity to experience eight different athletic activities including ice skating. Special thanks to Cruises International Malta for making this trip possible.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

Stuck without soap and fresh water? TENA MOUSSE & TENA WASH CREAM • 3-in-1 spray-on wash mousse and wash cream cleanses, restores and protects

On the beach? Camping? Music Festivals? Barbeques? The answer is Tena Mousse & Wash cream Apply, massage and wipe off for a perfectly hygienic wash. www.tena.co.uk available from all leading pharmacies

even the most delicate and fragile skin. • Mild, surfactant-free emulsion is ideal for cleansing when soap and water are not available and replaces them along with other conventional skin conditioning products. • Easy apply and remove foam with a soft wipe or wash glove. No need for timeconsuming rinsing and drying. • Does not run off the skin.

travel

Rocking Holidays by Richard Muscat Azzopardi

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

travel

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

travel

hen most people think of getting away on holiday they start dreaming of luxury hotels, never-ending beaches, snow capped mountains or quiet lakes. Others will plan visits to every historical site and museum in the area, making sure not to miss a single mummy or palace. An increasing number of travellers of all ages, however, are making trips all over Europe (mainly) in search of rock festivals. The origin of these festivals can be traced back to the sixties - and whereas the most famous one ever to be held was Woodstock, it all started off with the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 which featured acts such as the Mamas and the Papas, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Who. Held two years later in the Summer of Love, Woodstock, however, achieved worldwide legendary status and is still one of the most recognisable festivals of all time - despite only having been held three times in over 40 years. Festivals are usually held over a number of days (2-3) and include several acts performing simultaneously on various stages. The stages tend to be themed, so you might have an indie stage, a stage for up-and-coming artists and the main stage where the headliners will be wowing the crowds throughout the night. In most festivals you can buy separate tickets for each of the days, but others force you to buy a bulk ticket for the duration of the festival. After years of postponing, this summer I decided to take the plunge and plan my holiday around one of these festivals. I was unsure which one to choose, however a number of factors were pointing in the direction of Hard Rock Calling - held in Hyde Park, London. The major clincher was the lineup, which included Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, The Hives, Crosby Stills & Nash and The Gaslight Anthem to mention but a few of the major acts. The fact that it is held in the centre of London and we could therefore spend the mornings roaming about the city and the evenings in a comfortable hotel also appealed to the lazy tourist in me. Thanks to the support of the local franchise of Hard Rock Cafe, we were lucky enough to be hosted by Hard Rock Cafe for the duration of the festival. This meant we could access a chill-out area in between acts - including delicious Hard Rock food and cocktails. We were accompanied by Alexia Vella and her partner, who were the lucky winners of Hard Rock Cafe Malta’s annual competition for an all expenses paid trip to London for the event.

From a Legendary Burger to Hyde Park via Hard Rock Cafe

“What started with a Legendary Burger at Hard Rock Valletta Waterfront, became an amazing three-day festival in London. The Hard Rock Calling Competition featured five guitars, one of which was plugged into an amplifier. Participants had to choose a guitar each, and the lucky person whose guitar was plugged in, in this case me, was the winner. We got to fly to London to receive 5-star treatment at Hotel Intercontinental, a stone’s throw away from the concert venue, along with access to the Hard Rock VIP area whilst enjoying more than 40 performances over three days of rocking bonanza. Exceptional service, food and drinks in the VIP area, exclusive Hard Rock memorabilia, fake tattoos and thousands of people later, led to unforgettable memories and the experience of a lifetime. Special thanks go to Elenor Cassar and the team at Hard Rock Café Malta for the impeccable organisation of the competition.”

Alexia Vella

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

travel Rock Werchter (Belgium)

Festival Internacional de Benicassim (Spain)

Mark and Christine Debono

Martin Lane

Rock Werchter is the ultimate experience for people who are willing to give up everyday luxuries and replace them with good music and fun atmosphere for a short while. Unlike most of the British rock festivals, Rock Wercther impressed us with its organisation. Getting there and away from it was painless and well explained. The main thing we loved about it is that the stages were very close and major artists never clashed. The is more impressive when you consider the quality of the lineup - this year we caught Green Day, Pearl Jam, Pink, Skunk Anansie, Paramore, Florence and the Machine, 30 Seconds to Mars, Stereophonics, Jack Johnson, Faithless and many more. We appreciated that the only alcohol sold on the premises is beer, a fact that reduces drunkenness and the added tension that would surely arise given the volume of people around. The area is well stocked - there is a market for all the basic necessities and food stalls are abundant. Rock Werchter is really an adventurous getaway for outgoing people - it makes you appreciate the luxuries you have back home while offering a friendly atmosphere and most importantly some smashing music. We’re already looking forward to our next visit! www.rockwerchter.be

Wacken Open Air (Germany)

Noel and Vica Mifsud We booked for Wacken last year because it was Wacken’s 20th anniversary, many of our friends were going and the line-up was simply irresistible. The world’s metal greats were there: Heaven and Hell (which also was Ronnie James Dio’s last ever European gig. Dio died on May 16th of this year), Motorhead, Doro, Cathedral, Testament and Saxon played alongside other new established and upcoming bands like Lacuna Coil, Dragonforce and Epica.

Noel (right) with Greg Christian fromTestament

Unlike most other festivals Wacken is in the middle of the small town it takes the name from. But unlike other countries, here you’ll get the whole town participating in these few days of feasting. Some offer food and drinks at lower prices, while others even offer the use of their bathroom against a small fee. The organisers also offer other benefits that are probably non-existent in other festivals, such an on-site supermarket, safety boxes, a special camping area for families with kids, a medieval village, which offers sports and games, food and drinks of the period, a wrestling tournament and a circus. Oh and of course this year’s line-up is a blast, featuring the likes of Iron Maiden, Motley Crue and Alice Cooper all on one night. We already said we’ll take a break next year, but come December we’ll definitely be checking out the line-up.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

It is well priced and a ticket includes nine days of camping and a fashion and cinema mini festival. You would want to camp there for the full nine days since there are lovely never ending beaches just fifteen minutes away from the campsite. Make sure to go there well stocked because there isn’t a camping shop to be found for miles! Benicassim is situated comfortably between Barcelona and Valencia - both well connected aerially to Malta. The towns of Castellon and Oropesa del Mar are quite close and offer a glimpse into traditional Spanish life.

www.fiberfib.com

Wacken must be one of the best organised festivals in Europe. Toilets were always clean, which is a big achievement in itself if you keep in mind that there were over 70,000 attendees. Food and drinks are relatively expensive but not exorbitant. The sound inside the festival arena is of very good level and although one might get bands clashing in their playing time, when you consider that there are more than 80 bands playing over a period of three days, this is to be expected.

www.wacken.com

Travelling is an experience which starts with a dream sometimes months before you actually leave and generally ends with the humid, warm, sticky wind which penetrates your clothes as the plane opens back in Malta. I generally prefer the road-trip type of holiday, experiencing as many places as possible over the period of time available whether by car, by bike or using public transport. This summer, I wanted to try something ‘different’. I opted for the four-day Festival Internacional de Benicassim which is held on the sunny Mediterranean coast of Spain and is now in its second decade. It attracts some of the major names in music, but still respects the roots of festivals as we know them and introduces a host of up and coming acts every year. One advantage is that it is a relatively ‘small’ festival which makes it possible to get up close and personal with most artists. It is well attended by revellers of all ages and the music lives on till the early hours of the morning.

Glastonbury (UK)

David Spiteri

I first visited the trendsetter in European festivals in 2009. Even though you can get yourself luxury accommodation, the majority of the 150,000 ticket holders who descend on central England will be roughing it up in little tents - I rented out a camper with a few friends to make life a bit easier. This year we enjoyed a rarity - a dry camping site. Glasto might be known for its knee-deep mud, lack of public conveniences and hygiene in general but it is famed for the vast selection of quality musicians performing on stage artists and music aficionados alike must do Glastonbury at least once in their life. Most, including myself, return. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

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LEISURE

Contents: Vida survey Win â&#x201A;Ź100

Waxing vs shaving

The perfect invite

A well-oiled machine

Nightlife

Summer refreshers

Dining out

Pepper-grilled steak Summer Cooking Special

Are you Maltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Kitchen Star? Win 2 flights

Freezing Tomatoes Gardening

Getting ready for the showers DIY

Managing Vacation Leave Work & Training

Music on the Move Tech & Gadgets

Classifieds

Competitions

Only for Kids

The ideal choice for students Money Matters

Company news Company News

A new dining experience for all the family Sea Port Franchising Ltd, the Maltese operators and franchise owners of the legendary Hard Rock Café, have just launched Cave Forest, a new restaurant that is set to become the in-place this summer.

peace without losing sight of their children, explained Arthur Gauci, Sea Port Franchising Ltd’s chief executive officer. Cave Forest is also the ideal place for kids’ parties and other events.

Cave Forest Restaurant offers a unique experience, where guests can dine in the enchanting surroundings of a typical jungle, with gushing waterfalls and the sound of wild animals in the background.

Sea Port Franchising Ltd launched the first Hard Rock Café in Malta 10 years ago. Since then it has invested over €3 million in this brand, making it one of the most popular entertainment brands in Malta. The company is now planning to continue developing its brands, including Hard Rock and Cave Forest, by opening up new outlets in other European countries.

The specially-designed play area includes games, chutes and slides aimed at firing up children’s imagination. The menu includes an extensive list of dishes, including pizzas, pasta, salads, grills and fish, all served in a refreshing Mediterranean style. Special sections dedicated to healthy eating and treats for kids are also available. Prices start from as little as €3.75.

Win a Ford KA at The Point!

For more information on Cave Forest, and for reservations, call 21360011 or email onsales@caveforest.com.mt.

Centrally located at Baystreet Complex, St. Julian’s, the restaurant is one of the few catering establishments in Malta offering a food service that includes a children’s play area within the restaurant itself, and which is clearly visible from the entire dining area. This gives parents and guardians the chance to dine in

The summer sales at The Point Shopping Mall are now on. As part of the summer campaign, many of the shops at The Point are offering up to 50% off on many items. Shoppers also have the opportunity to participate in a summer promotion with loads of fantastic prizes including a Ford KA Grand Prix. Log on www.thepointevents.com for more information.

Refreshing a hotel for healthier holidays! Sometimes we don’t need a sightseeing or adventure holiday abroad. When work and other personal duties seem to invade all our space, we long for a few days’ break, with time to… well, to do nothing but relax and feel healthy again. At the picturesque Xlendi Bay, the new management of the Hotel Xlendi Resort & Spa is upgrading its facilities and services to give guests the best opportunity to unwind and revitalise body and mind. The latest upgrades place this popular hotel at the forefront of the medical, health and social tourism niche market. Besides 12 new deluxe suites equipped with all the luxuries one can imagine, the new wing of the Hotel also features an indoor heated swimming pool, a fully equipped state-of-the-art gymnasium with professional supervision, a Health and Beauty Centre managed by qualified therapists and personnel under the supervision of a Medical Practitioner, as well as a clinic offering nutritional and other medical services by professional consultants. All these services will be fully operational by the end of September. The Health and Beauty Centre offers various Jean D’Arcel Spa Treatments and products. The deluxe suites overlooking the bay are not the only rooms offering a heaven of comfort and relaxation in the hotel, explains Managing Director Mary Rose Vella of All Seasons Holidays Ltd., the company that has taken over the operations of the Hotel. “Most of the one bedroom suites in the hotel’s older wing are being upgraded to high standards, with new bathrooms, deluxe upholstery, curtains and linen, and a digital TV system with over 200 channels. The few remaining rooms will also be upgraded before the end of summer.” The hotel is also in the process of installing walkin baths, new panoramic elevators and specialised elevators for disabled persons’ comfort.

26 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

The hotel’s public areas and kitchens have also undergone major refurbishment works. This project is expected to be completed by the end of September. The next step is for the hotel to reduce its carbon footprint by investing in solar water heaters and photovoltaic systems to maximise the use of alternative energy sources. Another future project is to launch a new leisure centre to offer all guests, adults and children alike, fun opportunities including play areas, a crazy golf course and other games. This investment was made possible after the new management obtained EU Structural Funds earmarked for the embellishment of local hotels. “Our aim is to make Hotel Xlendi Resort & Spa one of the leading quality hotels in Gozo,” Ms Vella maintains. The new management team includes Charmaine Vella, Operations Manager, Dr. Renzo Pace Asciak, Health & Business Development Consultant and Tony Coleiro, Chartered Consultant in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism. T: 356 21564614 / 5 www.hotelxlendi.com

Chain Supermarket outlets in Fgura, Zabbar and at The Point, Sliema are launching great offers and discounts for their esteemed clients this summer. The scheme is very simple and easy. Ten points are awarded for every €10 spent when shopping at any of the Chain outlets. Every 300 points collected can be exchanged for either a €10 fuel voucher or a €10 top-up card. With every 500 points collected, clients get a €20 shopping voucher redeemable at any Chain outlet. Chain Supermarket currently also has various special offers including the ‘One Plus One Free’.

All the outlets have a fresh fruit and vegetables section, a fullyequipped butcher offering fresh meat cuts and ready-packed meat and poultry and a delicatessen counter displaying an extensive range of antipasti, cheeses and cold cuts produced by renowned international brands. They also have a perfumery stocked with the latest fragrances, gift packs and an extensive range of makeup products. For more information on the Chain Supermarket outlets and their current offers call 2256 2256.

Ikil Tradizjunuluj

Kitchen open all week: 12pm - 12am Free Parking (12 hours) at Vivaldi Hotel

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email: theumawalter@yahoo.com

Do you want to inform the public about your company’s latest developments? Include your company news in Vida Shopping & Leisure, the pages read by over 162,000 families every month. Contact us for more information: T: 2339 2333 E: sales@vida.com.mt

UK - Malta - UK

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With Malta’s small market, importing a whole trailer of products or raw materials may not always be financially viable – Fahrenheit’s road freight groupage service to and from UK is an affordable solution.

For more information on any of our road, air and sea freight services, contact our Sales Team on: T: (+356) 2339 2339 E: sales@fahrenheit.com.mt vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 27

Company News

Exceptional offers at Chain Supermarket

Homes & More

Reach everyone

Property & Homes

Towel rail

162,000 copies

Under floor heating products

Advertising in Element fire place

REALLY pays offâ&#x20AC;Ś Supplier:

Contact our Sales Team NOW To include your products and services in this issue, call us on 2339 2333, or sales@vida.com.mt

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info@tekno.com.mt

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For all kinds of mattresses + free delivery

2 pillows FREE with single size 4 pillows FREE with double size 5 pillows FREE with king size

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Caligari Street, Zabbar Tel: 2166 6488 | 2189 5224 By sending in a questionnaire you are giving Focused Carmel Street, Fgura Mob: 9982 Knowledge 3470 Ltd permission to store and use your contact details.

28 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

WIN €100

Your Vida! Help us make it better and better

We believe that Vida belongs to you, our esteemed readers. We’re receiving hundreds of letters and emails from you every month – we appreciate your comments and suggestions. We are happy that you love Vida. Our aim is to keep it that way, which is why we need your help. We are inviting you to fill in this questionnaire. Tell us what you like and what you would like us to change. We’re not fishing for compliments – we know we’re not perfect. Your honest opinion is very important to us.

All those who fill in the questionnaire and send it to us will enter a draw to win a €100 cash voucher to exchange for any product or service advertised on Vida. You can fill in the survey online: www.vida.com.mt/survey. This too would get you in the draw to win our prize!

QUESTIONS: Name three local magazines you read regularly: Do you read foreign magazines? If yes, name your favourite ones: No

Yes:

Name your three favourite articles from the ones published in Vida this year:

Name your three favourite sections in Vida Shopping & Leisure:

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy reading Vida? 1

10 I love it!

I do not like it

On a scale of 1-10 how likely are you to recommend Vida to a friend? 1

Would not recommend it

Would insist they read it!

In your opinion, on a scale of 1-10 how reliable is Vida’s advice? 1

I don’t trust Vida yet

I feel Vida offers very reliable information

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like Vida Shopping & Leisure? 1 I skip these pages

10 I read it all

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you look forward to Fashion Fairground, Vida’s fashion pages? 1

I skip these pages

They’re the first pages I turn to

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you follow the tips and ideas presented in Fashion Fairground? 1

I don’t care

When I go shopping I look out for the fashion items shown in Vida

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you like the interviews in Vida? 1

I avoid them

I love reading them

On a scale of 1-10 how much do you like Vida’s page layout and design? 1

It is confusing

Which new features/topics would you like to see in Vida?

What do you dislike about Vida?

How often do adverts presented in Vida help you decide what products or services to buy? More than twice in every issue At least once in every issue Not in every issue Rarely Never

Name the adverts featured in Vida this year which you found to be most useful?

Is there anything else you would like to say about Vida?

Name: Address: Tel: Mobile:

ID Card Number: Email: Age: Occupation:

Send your questionnaires to: Survey Competition, Vida Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214 All questionnaires should reach our offices by no later than Monday, September 6th, 2010. By sending in a questionnaire you are giving Focused Knowledge Ltd permission to store and use your contact details.

I wish all magazines were as good

Waxing vs. shaving Shaving

Waxing

By far the fastest, easiest and most painless technique. Contrary to the old wivesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tale that shaving makes the hair grow back darker and thicker, research has shown that this is in fact not so. Since shaving cuts the hair off at the skin surface, it is unable to affect the follicle and can therefore not make it any thicker. What it does do however, is give the hair shaft a blunt tip as it grows back, often making it more noticeable and courser to the touch. With shaving, the hair tends to grow back within a very short amount of time, so it would need to be done daily.

Through this method, warm wax is spread over the skin, embedding the hair in the direction of the hair growth. As the wax is pulled off by means of special wax strips, the hair goes with it. The advantage with waxing is that the hair takes weeks and sometimes even months to grow back, and when it does, it tends to be sparser. The downside to this is the pain, and waiting for the hairs to reach an appropriate length (about half an inch) in order to be waxed. Waxing is usually done by trained professionals, but packs are also available to buy for home use. If you do opt to do it yourself, make sure you know what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing though, as accidents involving burnt skin are very possible!

TREAT YOUR FEET From heel to toe prepare your feet for summer. Use Scholl Cracked Heel to repair rough dry and cracked skin. Works in 7 days, fragrance free, dermatological tested, hypoallergenic and suitable for diabetes and sensitive skin. Condition and treat discoloured toenails with Scholl Healthy Nails. A 3 in 1 system to brighten, whiten and condition toe nails caused by nail varnish or thickining of the nail. Scholl Cracked Heel and Scholl Healthy Nails are available from all Scholl Centres and leading pharmacies.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 31

Health & Beauty

The bikini season is well and truly upon us and hair removal is ever more important. With a number of options to consider from - shaving, epilators, waxing and depilatory cream - for the temporary removal of hair, it helps to know the facts. The two most common techniques are shaving and waxing.

The perfect invite For more formal events, some rules of etiquette should be adhered to when writing the invitation:

Weddings

ents regarding decorations made all the important arrangem Having booked the location and lly best sent out around usua are s ation Invit e your guests. and food, it is now time to invit ts from abroad. gues cting ten if you’re expe six weeks in advance, or eight to

• Write all names in full, with middle names included. If space is an issue, it is best to omit the middle name altogether rather than writing an initial.

invitation is ordered. be agreed upon first, before a single The number of guests to be invited must e only the nearest invit to ate gathering, care should be taken If the wedding is to be a small, intim parents’ friends and the ly, fami and ds frien le’s coup besides the and dearest. If the wedding is larger, ed. business acquaintances can also be invit e are a large number of it all depends on style and budget. Ther When it comes to invitation design, are in possession of a and or a loved one could spare the time businesses that cater for this. If you nal touch! perso a add to sure – s ation made invit creative flair you can also opt for hand itionally, the parents lly sent from the bride’s residence. Trad As for the wording, invitations are usua ive, with the creat more be can s ation invit but nowadays of the bride would issue the invitation s. couple issuing the invitation themselve everything else on your or wrong way to go about it - as with Remember, there’s never a right way n!). reaso in (with want big day, it depends on what you both

Products available from La Gatta Blue Grotto Avenue, Zurrieq T: 2164 1417 www.lagattaboutique.com

• For church settings the wording should read: “request the honour of your presence” • For non-religious settings the wording is slightly different: “request the pleasure of your company.”

Bedsid

e box €38

der kit Weeken €25

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ifts s & G Product

32 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

tion

celeba

Cooking oil is an essential ingredient in a wide variety of dishes. There are a large number of different vegetable oils available on the market including olive oil, palm oil, soybean oil, canola oil, pumpkin seed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil to mention a few. These oils differ not only in terms of flavour however, as each possesses different nutritional benefits. Here are a few:

Sunflower Oil

First made in Canada, canola oil is reputed to be one of the healthiest oils around due to its low saturated fat content and high omega-3 content. It is considered beneficial for heart health as it is considered to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Sunflower Oil is low in saturated fat and high in Vitamin E. It is also high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Sunflower oil is usually the oil of choice used for snack foods such as chips.

Olive Oil

Corn Oil

Corn oil is extracted from maize. Due to the fact that it is low in saturated fat, it is often used in a variety of margarines. It is however high in omega-6 levels, which when consumed excessively may increase the probability of a number of diseases and of depression.

Olive oil comes in an assortment of varieties (extra virgin, virgin, extra light and refined) and can also enjoy different flavours. Of all varieties, extra virgin olive oil is the most common. The great thing about olive oil is that it is the healthiest out of all oils and goes perfectly with the majority of our Mediterranean dishes. Clinical research has also shown that olive oil can promote heart health and aid cholesterol regulation.

Oil Storage When it comes to storing, all oils (refined or not) are affected by exposure to light, heat and oxygen. Oil that has gone off loses the majority of its nutrients, so it is always best to keep it in a cool, dry place. Alternatively, oil can be kept in the refrigerator – although it should be returned immediately after being used. If you do opt to keep it refrigerated, some oil may thicken, but it should retain its liquid nature upon warming to room temperature. Moreover, different types of oils possess different expiration dates. Refined oils (which are usually high in monounsaturated fats) can keep for well up to a year with the exception of olive oil, which will keep for longer – up to a few years. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats have shorter life spans, keeping for about six months.

Saturated fat is fat that contains triglycerides (made up of saturated fatty acid radicals). Monounsaturated fats on the other hand, are fatty acids that are deemed comparatively healthy. Foods high in monounsaturated fats reduce lowdensity lipoprotein (often called ‘bad’ cholesterol particles), while possibly increasing high-density lipoprotein (or ‘healthy’ cholesterol particles). Here are the saturated and monounsaturated fat properties for sunflower oil, olive oil, lard and butter:

Fat

g 14 g 39 g 63

73g 45 g

26 g

Lard Butte r

100

Fa t

10 0

Tot al

Applying heat to an oil can significantly change its characteristics and, as a result, its nutritional properties. All oils described above virtually lose most of their health benefits when heated to their smoking point. The smoking point varies with each oil, from 107°C in sunflower oil to 266°C in safflower oil. For this reason, care should be taken when selecting cooking oil – it is important to match the particular oil’s heat tolerance with your cooking method.

ed t a r tu a g S 10

Monounsaturated Fat 84g

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 33

Food & Drink

Canola Oil

Sunfl ower oil Olive oil

A well-oiled machine

Night life all DRINKS

€1.50

till midnight

Bottle of Smirnoff Vodka & Mixers

€49

all night

Tray Vodka Energy Drink €9.90 all night

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Clint Galea 9943 7945 t: 27 322 727 email: derby@melita.com

www.havanamalta.com

Cooling Wednesdays - Every Wednesday

Epic Fridays Every Friday

5th August 2010

Ghaxaq Ground - Ghaxaq

FREE ENTRANCE Mink it Saturdays Every Saturday

Dj Ruby & Joseph Armani Show time: 21:00 - 00:30 hrs

Mink Bar & Club Level 2,Bay street Complex. St. Julian’s www.minkmalta.com

Dondisko Tuesdays 17 aug and 14 sept

in aid of www.pureruby.com www.josepharmani.com

Summer refreshers With the heat of summer in full swing, we’re always looking for tasty ways to refresh ourselves. Without a doubt, summer is the perfect time for fruity and tropical cocktails, wine, fruit juices and lemonade. Here are a few of our top picks: Sangria

Food & Drink

The fruity Spanish favourite, Sangria is available to buy ready-made from most supermarkets, but if you really want to get creative and impress everyone at that upcoming barbecue, it’s dead easy to make yourself! All you need (and feel free to double this recipe should you see fit) is a bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel or Shiraz work best), a lemon, an orange, two tablespoons of sugar, a shot of brandy, your favourite fruit cut up into wedges, and two cups of ginger ale or club soda. Simply squeeze the lemon and orange into the wine in a pitcher, tossing in the fruit wedges when done, and add the other ingredients. Sangria is absolutely heavenly when really cold, so make sure to serve chilled.

Alcoholic Cocktails

Everyone’s got a favourite cocktail, but come summertime, many of us go for tropical varieties such as Sex on the Beach and Pina Coladas. Sex on the Beach is one of the easiest cocktails to make, and if you’re entertaining, you’d do well to make a large pitcher of the stuff – it goes fast! Here’s how: mix a bottle of vodka with the same amount of peach schnapps, and add as much orange juice, pineapple juice and cranberry juice as you see fit. Add crushed ice and enjoy! The Pina Colada is the more tropical of the two, and is usually best made in singles as it requires blending. Mix 1½ oz light rum with 2 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz cream of coconut, half a banana and half a cup of ice in a blender for 20 seconds. Pour and enjoy.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Not all cocktails have to include alcohol of course, and the variety of fruit juices you can make is endless. Why not make your own lemonade or blend some of your favourite fruits with some crushed ice and stick in a cocktail umbrella? It’s sure to cheer you up and cool you down!

Best of the summer wine

In the heat of summer, regardless of what’s on the menu, most of us tend to go for white wine as opposed to red. Here are the main varieties: The principal wine of Burgundy in France, Chardonnay goes best with fish and chicken dishes. Despite being a dry wine, it is often wider-bodied than other varieties and boasts a rich citrus flavour. Sauvignon Blanc is a versatile wine which is great with seafood, poultry, and salads. The most popular varieties of sauvignon blanc come from Bordeaux, New Zealand and Australia. Dominating flavours in this wine include apple, pear and tropical fruit. Pinot Grigio is great because it goes well with anything. Coming mainly from Venice as well as Germany, Austria and Australia, Pinot Grigio is crisp, dry and aromatic. Riesling goes well with fish, chicken and pork dishes. Made from the German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, Rieslings are slightly sweet and fresh, improving in taste as they age. Gewürztraminer is best sipped alongside pork dishes. Mainly made in Alsace, Germany and the United States, its flavour comprises hints of rose petals, peaches and spices. vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 35

Dining out Gozitan Ftira

Local Cheese / Tuna / Anchovies

Food & Drink

Turkish Kebabs Pizza Our pizza comes in normal & super size pizza.

Gente di Mare R I S T O R A N T E

Shellfish night every Tuesday.

Great VALUE FOR MONEY BBQ every Thursday.

ount on

5% discation of this t presen . n o p u co

email: debonofranco@gmail.com

Karlu Galea Street, Victoria, Gozo (next to Arkadia) 2156 5216

Fenkata Maltija

Maltese bread with tomato paste Bigilla with Maltese galletti Butter beans Spaghetti with rabbit sauce Fried rabbit in garlic and wine (chips and salad) Maltese sausage / Gozo cheese / Peanuts Helwa tat-tork Fresh Fruit Bananas / Apples / Kiwi / Oranges / Water melon / Grapes / Pearls and much more Coffee of your choice Espresso / Cappucino / Instant coffee

€17.48

36 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

5, Xatt il-Palm Bahar ic-Caghaq 2137 7939 | 9946 8958

Opening times Tuesday to Sunday Lunch: 12:00 – 15:30 Dinner: 19:00 – 23:00

Xatt is-Sajjied, Marsaxlokk 2746 8775 | 9923 0713 This Summer, beat the heat and join in the fun with our lively fenkata nights at Ta’ Marija! On Thursday nights, Ta’ Marija restaurant have introduced their traditional Fenkata night, at just €22 per person. This is proving to be very popular, along with their regular Saturday buffet dinners andSunday buffet lunches at €20.50 per person. What’s more, on these three days, the fifth person dining eats free! (Conditions apply.) So why not indulge in Maltese tradition as only Ta’ Marija restaurant knows how? Ta’ Marija’s appeal combines the elements of excellent Maltese cuisine served with a modern touch, a professional, yet friendly service and a memorable, lively atmosphere. Family-run for the past 45 years, this unique, lively restaurant provides a very professional yet friendly service that leaves all clients with a smile. But the award winning restaurant Ta Marija is not just about good traditional Maltese food - every Wednesday and Friday evening you can also join in their Maltese Extravaganza Night that includes traditional music and dancing. So why not try something different this summer?

Ta’ Marija Restaurant, Constitution Street, Mosta. 2143 4444

www. tamarija.com email: info@tamarija.com

ern n y ot also why

om om

Pepper-grilled steak

with summer salad

Food & Drink

In these hot months we get the urge to spend as little time in our hot kitchens as possible. This is where outdoor cooking and barbecues come in. If you’re tired of the old burger and sausages idea though, here’s a recipe that’s delightfully light and summery, but will still give you your protein fix.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 large garlic cloves, chopped 1 ¾ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 ¼ tsp sea salt 1 ½ inch thick sirloin steak Vegetable oil spray 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 cup chopped rocket ½ cup diced red onion ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 3 tbsp chopped pitted olives 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 jalapeño chili, seeded & finely chopped

Directions:

Mix the garlic, pepper and salt together and rub into the steak. Let it stand at room temperature for an hour. Spray your barbecue grill with vegetable oil spray and prepare it on medium heat. Grill steak as desired – usually about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare preference (our recommendation). Let it rest for 10 minutes. Mix all the remaining ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the steak and arrange on plates. Spoon the salad over it and serve. Serving Tip: This dish is best enjoyed outside, in the warm summer breeze. Couple with a glass of your favourite wine and a few close friends and you’ve got a very happy afternoon on your hands.

Cooking Tip: Want a tasty side dish to go with your juicy steak? If you’re an onion lover, this one’s for you. Upon starting up the barbecue, wait for the flames to dissipate a little and place a couple of mediumsize onions (complete with skin) on the burning embers. Leave them there while you barbecue your meat and remove them after half an hour or so. Upon taking them out, simply peel and eat as is – the taste is extraordinary!

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 37

Food & Drink

Are you Malta’s Top Kitchen Star?

Win two flights to any European destination!

LetsGoDine.com and VIDA Magazine team up for this summer’s greatest culinary competition!

We all have our signature dish – a recipe that delights any guest, or a family favourite meal passed down from generation to generation. The LetsGoDine.com team knows that all the dining enthusiasts out there are constantly in search of ultimate dining experiences. They also know that all food lovers enjoy experimenting in the kitchen as well. Just because you are not a trained chef doesn’t mean that you’re not the kitchen star we are looking for!

How can you become Malta’s Top Kitchen Star?

Send in your signature recipe for a meal serving 4 persons. Include a list of ingredients, the method, cooking time, a short description of the dish, and your signature recipe’s name. Log on to LetsGoDine.com, become a registered member and send in your signature dish. For more information send an email to win@letsgodine.com.

What can you win?

A team of LetsGoDine.com chefs together with some of Malta’s top food and wine experts will choose the most original, yet tasty dishes presented. The creator of the best recipe wins the top prize – two Air Malta to any European culinary destination. The choice is endless - dinner on the Eiffel Tower or the London Eye, wine tasting in Tuscany, or a Tapas night in Barcelona to mention a few! Several other runners-up will receive gourmet hampers courtesy of the LetsGoDine.com Shopping Cart and Dical.

Let’s go dine on TV!

The LetsGoDine.com team knows how to have fun in the kitchen! The team together with their acclaimed affiliates at ITS and the Malta Chef’s Society, are working on a TV series for this Winter’s local TV season. Dining enthusiasts will be able to learn culinary secrets, food and wine matching perfections and the ‘behind the scenes’ of some of Europe’s most exquisite restaurants. Are you a star chef with TV charisma? Do you think you’ve got what it takes to present your signature recipe to all of Malta? We’d like to hear from you! Send us a thirty-second video clip and tell us why you have a passion for cooking and media. Be unique – film in your thirty-second clip in a kitchen, while preparing your BBQ or even while supermarket shopping! Come October you might be waiting for the ‘Lights, Camera, Action’ cue thanks to LetsGoDine.com and VIDA Magazine.

Letsgodine.com – log on now

Register to become a LetsGoDine.com member for free and get a Privilege Card which entitles you to discounts on gourmet hampers, culinary trips and wine collections, as well as monthly newsletters, free and unlimited access to LetsGoDine.mobi and the chance to take part in all LetsGoDine.com competitions.

Letsgodine.mobi

The LetsGoDine.com team know that true dining enthusiasts get sudden cravings to go out for lunch or dinner, a mid-morning snack or a midnight meal. You might not always have access to your laptop and end up trying to remember the name and number of your favourite restaurant or trying to think of where you can go while driving around the island in circles. Now, thanks to LetsGoDine.mobi you are only a mobile click away from your next great dining experience. Search for restaurants according to their locality or type of food at any time of the day and use the call function to directly reserve your table. Registered LetsGoDine.com members get free access to LetsGoDine.mobi functions. Isn’t that just great?

38 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

The Watermelon Month August is watermelon month for the LetsGoDine.com team. Log on to www.LetsGoDine.com, read our watermelon articles and try out our twist on watermelon recipes - the ideal treat for our hot summer days. Here’s one of the many recipes you’ll find on our site:

RECIPE: Watermelon Gazpacho Why not serve gazpacho at your next summer gathering? Start your meal with this easy, intriguing variation of the world popular cold soup, with a LetsGoDine.com tried-and-tested twist. Ingredients • 305 g 1/4-inch-diced watermelon • 475 ml orange juice • 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil • 1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice • 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice • 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice • 6 g garlic cloves, minced • 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional) • 45 ml fresh lime juice • 8 g chopped fresh parsley, basil or cilantro • Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method Process 1/2 cup of watermelon, along with the orange juice and oil, in a blender or food processor until pureed. Transfer to a medium bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for one hour. Preperation time: 20 minutes Start to finish time: 80 minutes Servings: 16

Summer Fun vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 39

Gardening

Freezing tomatoes

There is a debate about which are the best tomatoes to freeze. The popular answer is that those which are oval and contain less water, like the Roma varieties which are very common in Malta (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tadam zenguliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) are supposed to be better. However any tomato variety can be frozen successfully. There is more than one way to freeze tomatoes - whole or cut up into small wedges, peeled or unpeeled, fresh or blanched, with or without seeds and juice. Whichever way you prefer, you need to freeze them when they are still firm and unblemished. Just wash them well under running water to remove any pesticides which may still be on the skin and pat dry with a paper towel or kitchen roll. Decide whether you want to freeze them with or without their peel. To peel, just plunge them in boiling water for half a minute or slightly more and the skin should come off easily. The parts which are resistant to pulling can be scraped off with a sharp knife. I do not go to the bother of peeling because after freezing the peel comes off easily if you place the tomatoes under hot water in the sink. Do not peel cherry tomatoes - it will take ages. Ideally use freezer bags which can have the air extracted to elimi-

40 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

nate air pockets, but this is not critical as long as the bags are very well sealed. I never freeze tomatoes whole because cutting them up into pieces saves freezer space and makes it easier to store the frozen packets. If you have the time for it, peel and cook the tomatoes with some garlic and add your favourite herbs, typically basil and mint, and then freeze the sauce when it has cooled down. You can vary this sauce as you wish, by adding peppers and courgettes and then blending. This serves as a very good base for any number of dishes which you can then enjoy in winter, when fresh tomatoes are only available from greenhouses, starved of the sunshine that gives this fruit its excellent flavour. If you are more enterprising and have the time for it, prepare your Bolognese sauces, adding minced beef or pork to the tomatoes and garlic. It will come out tasting very good once defrosted. Frozen tomatoes can be placed straight into boiling water when they are taken out. Remember that they contain a large percentage of water, so adjust your sauces and stews accordingly. It is a good idea to allow the tomatoes to thaw in the hot pan before deciding whether to add water or not.

by Gnome-de-Plume

There are many tomato varieties on the market and they are not expensive. Now is the time to think about freezing some tomatoes for later use in soups, stews and sauces. Naturally, once frozen they cannot be taken out of the freezer and used to replace the fresh product as they become mushy and lose their appearance.

Freeze the tomatoes in portions which you will be using at any one time, since it is uncomfortable to separate large quantities into smaller ones once they are frozen. In theory, frozen tomatoes should last a couple of years but I would aim at finishing the freezer stock at the latest by this time next year, when you can once again buy cheap fresh tomatoes and repeat the operation.

by Gnome-de-Plume

Gardening

Getting ready for the showers September, and the first rain showers, are round the corner. Have you started getting your home ready for the winter months yet? Here’s a checklist to help you make sure all the nooks and crannies of your home keep out the cold and rain:

DIY

The roof. Right now it’s on fire but soon it will be the only thing between you and the rain. Or is it? Now’s the time to check it out. A roof may crack even if you only a fresh coat of roof insulation last summer. Many Maltese homeowners are opting for bitumen or synthetic rubber membrane to waterproof their roofs – even these will need maintenance after a few years. Pay particular attention to edges, corners and the welded seams between the different pieces of membrane as these can crack and let water in. If you have never applied any waterproofing compound or membrane to your roof consider finding a waterproofing material with insulating properties to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer as well. The walls. Cracks in outer walls are also likely to be sources of dampness and mould in your home. Some may be so big that they also let water seep into your rooms. Checking party walls may be particularly difficult as these overlook neighbouring properties - craning your neck over the edge of the roof to inspect a high wall is not the safest option. If you have too many cracks or if your internal walls are becoming mouldy consider contacting a professional painter to fill in the cracks in your outer walls and apply a fresh coat of exterior paint. If you can afford it you can also consider insulating your party walls with any of the various types of rubber or bitumen membranes available on the market. Doors and windows. Make sure that all your doors and windows close tightly and do not let in cold air or rain. The more cold air they let in, the more difficult and expensive it is to keep your house warm. The rubber lining around aluminium window panes may need to be replaced. Wooden windows may have to be sanded down and re-painted. The putty strips round windowpanes tend to crack or fall off. Sometimes you have to replace that too. Do not paint over the new putty before it dries - it may take weeks to do so. Another way of protecting your doors and windows from rainwater is to install awnings. Most ironmongeries supply cheap galvanised metal awnings cut to size which you can easily fix to the outer walls, above the windows and doors. Drains and gutters. Regularly sweep your roofs, terraces and balconies as autumn approaches. If you don’t, the first rain will take all the dust, dry leaves and anything else in its way down the drain. Needless to say, opening clogged drains and gutters is not the most enjoyable task. Sometimes it also comes hand in hand with wet carpets and floating furniture as the trapped water on your roofs and terraces finds its way inside the house. If you have steel or plastic grating to stop leaves and other objects from running down the drains, clean them too as these can get blocked and obstruct the water flow.

The well. Finally, if you have a well and use it regularly, in August it is probably almost empty. Pump out any remaining water, clean it the residues at the bottom and check whether it needs any repairs in time for the first storm.

42 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

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44 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Managing vacation leave Work & Training

We love it when we don’t go to work and get paid just the same. Our annual 24 days of paid vacation leave are a blessing from above. Some make sure they don’t waste one hour of their entitled leave. Others are so busy at work they barely manage to use half of it. There are many factors to consider when deciding when to go on holiday or simply when to take some time off. Don’t forget that our absence might affect our place of work’s operations as well as our colleagues. When going abroad, particularly if tickets are non-refundable, it is best to check with your boss/colleagues first. See whether anyone else has booked time off during the period in which you intend to travel and consider the business’ needs - if your company is busiest around December, don’t take an extended Christmas vacation. Also, it is best to inform everyone at work of any travel plans a few months in advance so staff adjustments, if necessary, can be arranged. Be smart and economical with your leave. If a public holiday falls on a Tuesday for example, it’s a perfect opportunity to take Monday off and enjoy a long weekend. If you’re planning a longer holiday, try to include as many weekends and public holidays as possible. In the beginning of the year, pinpoint days which you know you’re going to need leave for without a shadow of a doubt – family members’ birthdays, anniversaries or other occasions. Once you add these up, you will have a clearer idea of what you can take off in addition. Save some for emergencies. You really never know when something’s going to come up and take you by surprise, so it’s always best to have some leave stashed away for such instances. Don’t leave it all till the end. It really is best to take days off here and there rather than saving it till December. You risk losing it if your company doesn’t carry it over to the next year, and even if it does, making the most of your leave means a generally better year and a less stressed-out you!

Prices Starting From €530 inc. Installation (12,000 btu) Super Silent Units Best value for money Mitsubishi Compressors Guaranteed after sales service 5 years Compressor Guarantee

T: 2723 4567 www.clima755.com Email: info@clima755.com

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 45

Music on the move Tech & Gadgets

Now Playing Nowadays, it is a common occurrence to repeat something to someone a number of times before realising they’re plugged into their music player, and can’t hear you for their headphones. To many of us, music is a large part of our lives – helping us to relax and wind down or simply giving us something to do as we wait for the bus. The music players available on the market are numerous, starting with the outdated tape and CD players and moving on to mp3 media players. Digital audio players (or DAPs) are most commonly categorised by storage media: Flash-based players: These non-mechanical devices utilise music files on internal flash memory through their memory cards. As technology advances, the storage available on these devices keeps getting larger, today reaching up to 64 GB. Due to their solid state nature (they do not possess moving parts) they use up less battery power and may be more resilient in terms of knocking around. In addition, these players are often the smallest and lightest in size. Hard drive-based players: These read audio files off a hard disk drive (or HDD). These kinds of music players normally have much higher storage capacities, going up to as much as 500GB. Size-wise hard drive players are bigger and they have a much shorter battery life. MP3 CD Players: This variety of music player is relatively new on the scene, and can decode and play MP3 files from CDs. In terms of price, they’re often cheaper than their flash and hard drive counterparts, but may skip when roughly handled and are also bigger in size. Networked audio players: These connect to a WiFi network from which they get their audio files. USB host players: These players read music files off USB flash drives.

Your choice of music player depends on the capacity you’re looking for as well as your budget. If you’re an avid music fan and insist on carrying thousands of songs in your pocket, you need one with ample storage space. If you’re looking for a smaller number of songs on the other hand, a vast memory won’t be such an issue. Either way, if budget is an important issue you might want to look into combining your needs by buying a mobile phone which plays music too, which would save you money as well as space in your bag!

Datax July winners:

46 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

1st prize 2nd prize 3rd prize

Angele Caruana, Balzan Alison Baldacchino, Gudja Stephen Abela, Mosta

Tech & Gadgets

MPOWER TUNING

Increase power (BHP) Provide better fuel economy Improve performance and handling

Hurry and try this out now. Only limited stocks available at a special introductory offer. Call Cyber Pass Ltd. on 9982 5283 or 9986 9878 for an installation or for more information send email on

mpower@cyberpasstg.com.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 47

27259 Re

Property & Homes

Your Perfect Partner

St.VeneraApartment’s layout is in the form of entrance hall, living room with front balcony, 3 bedrooms, bathroom & a K/D room. €134.521 Ref: 041-att-03117 Call Dorian: 99052937

Mellieha- Apartment comprising of a hall which leads you to an open plan K/L/D area with front balcony, 3 bedrooms & bath. €160.000 Ref:002att-00433 Call Kris 9999 0008

Marsascala - bright squarish layout consisting of 3 bedrooms, sitting, kitchen with built in appliances, shower room, bathroom & use of roof. €115.000 Ref: 057-fgr-03999 Ivan:99052923

Naxxar- 2 bedroom Apartment, main with ensuite, having a large open plan, L/D/K, a utility room & bathroom. €106.180 Ref: 058-SPB-04064 Call James:99053931

Zejtun - Maisonette comprsing of massive K/D, living, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 yards & roof with airspace. €116.490 Ref: 065-att-04100 Jonathan:99052935

Bugibba - 2 bedroom Maisonette with jacuzzi bathroom and 2 ensuite, walk in wardrobe and internal yard. €112.000 Ref: 045-att03575 Josephine: 79311177

Siggiewi- Apartment having an open plan K/L/D room, 3 bedrooms, front balcony, storage room and use of roof. €90.000 Ref: 031-stj02312 Call Dorian: 99052937 Paola - 2 bedroom Maisonette. Property has a seperate kitchen, spacious living area and a backyard / garden with fruit trees. €89.000 Ref: 001-fgr-03835 Ivan:99052923 Xemxija- Maisonette overlooking Xemxija bay inclusive of a front patio, large K/L/D, one bedroom, bathroom and a washroom. €99.000 Ref: 035-att-03054 Josephine: 79311177

Paola- Apartment’s layout is in the form of a corridor, bathroom, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, K/D, terrace, front balcony & use of roof.€112.000 Ref: 041-att04062 Call Kris 9999 0008 Birguma -Apartment comprising of a large hall, L/K area, corridor, 3 bedrooms, ensuite & bathroom.€163.800 Ref: 041ATT-03710 James:99053931

St.Venera- Apartment comprising of an open plan K/D/L, 2 bedrooms, ensuite & bathroom. €110.062 Ref: 041att-03448 Call Kris 9999 0008

Zebbug-H.O.C with original features, 4 bedrooms, K/D, millroom, courtyard, terrace and roof with own airspace & a 2 car garage. €185.100 Ref: 068-att04114 Lara:99052920

NAXXAR- Two bedroom Apartment, main with ensuite, having a large open plan, K/L/D, a utility room & bathroom. €106.180 Ref: 058-spb-04065 Mario: 99052928

Qormi - Ground floor Apartment comprising of separate living, 2 bedrooms, with a well sized back terrace plus washroom. 98.500 Ref: 065-att-04058 Jonathan :99052935

Zebbug - Penthouse accomodation in the form of an entrance hall, open plan K/L/D, 1 bedroom, bathroom & 2 terraces. €105.000 Ref: 026-spb-02833 Call Lara:99052920

Xemxija - Sea front 1 bedroom Apartment having a layout comprising of entrance open plan, K/L/D, shower/bathroom and a bedroom€124.000 Ref: 058-spb-03968 Call Mario: 99052928

Bugibba -Apartment comprising an entrance hall, K/L/D, 3 bedrooms,2 bathrooms, boxroom & internal balcony. €106.000 Ref: 012-spb-02602 Call Josephine: 79311177

St.Paul’s Bay Apartment includes combined K/L/D room, bathroom, 3 bedrooms & front balcony with side seaviews. €113.000 Ref: 012spb-02377 . Call Mario 9905 2928

Attard- Maisonette comprising of an entrance hall, K/D/L, 3 bedrooms, main bathroom, small back terrace, and ensuite & a 1 car garage. €225.000 Ref: 002-att-03059 call Dorian: 99052937

St.Julian’s Apartment comprises of an open plan L/D, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom & 1 car lock up garage - €109.000 Ref: 003-stj-02282 . Call Kris 99990008

Attard | St Paul’s Bay | Fgura E: info@coldwellbankermalta.com

48 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

T: (+356) 2339 2339 | F: (+356) 2339 2247 | M: (+356) 9999 0008

www.coldwellbankermalta.com

27259 Remax Upgrading/Do#624DC6 7/13/10 9:22 AM Page 1 M

CY CMY

Property & Homes

special report

Luxuriously finished apartments in Misrah Kola, Attard Property & Homes

2 bedroom apartments Prices starting from â&#x201A;Ź109,500 (LM47,000)

3 bedroom apartments Prices starting from â&#x201A;Ź125,800 (LM54,000)

Direct from Owners!

Call owner - 7959 4184 (Available for viewings Monday to Saturday) vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 51

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Property for sale

Valletta - Expertly converted 17th century Palazzo with underlying flatlet. Features ‘Piano Nobile’. 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Can also be let furnished & with garage. Call 9947 1250. €2,800 monthly, negotiable.

Attard - Misrah Kola - Maisonettes/apartments in a block of beautifully laid out residences. Direct from owners. Phone 9930 0527.

Classifieds

Attard - 4 plots on 3 roads (3 corner plots) with MEPA permit for 23 apartments - P.O.R. Call 7905 6660. Mellieha - Large 3 bedroom maisonette. Must be seen. €125,000. Negotiable. Call 9982 7074. Msida - Last remaining 3 bedroom apartments in block. Finished. €104,800 (Lm45,000). Call owner on 7905 6660. Senglea - 1 bedreoom maisonette. Near Gardjola Gardens. Price €35,000. Call 9944 2993 / 9920 8205. University Heights, Msida. 150sqm 3 bedroom apartment, roof, washroom. Priced to sell. €128,000. Freehold. Call 7905 4112.

Vehicles for sale For Sale

Learning to read and write in English and Maltese, Small Groups, Locality – Paola. Call 7926 0818.

Car Tyres - For all types of new tyres at competitive prices, express fitting and puncture repairs. Call David for more information - 2131 6058 / 7931 6058.

Services

Sony Cybershot - DSC H7 Unwanted gift- Brand New 15x optical zoom, 8.1 mega pixel, Full HD 1080,ISO 3200, (+ Sony case, T.V. adapters, Lens-hood & Remote) €250, price negotiable Call: 9982 6054. Tourna Grips – Discover for yourself why top pros depend on the non-slip quality of the Tourna Grips. Used on both tennis and squash rackets. Starting from €2.50. Call 9982 1286.

To book your advert you can: • Send the details and photos you wish to include in the advert, together with a cheque payable to ‘Focused Knowledge Ltd’, by post to:

CLASSIFIEDS, Vida Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214.

• Send the advert details and photos by email followed by a cheque sent by post to the same postal address above.

classifieds@vida.com.mt

• Visit our offices at Pitkali Road, Attard, and ask for our Sales Team to book your advert and pay in cash or by cheque.

52 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Private Tuition

Subaru Vivio - 1990. White. Good Condition. Call 7944 6180.

Property to let Mellieha - New penthouse with spectacular views, fully furnished and airconditioned.Kitchen,living/dining room,2 bedrooms,2 bathrooms (1 ensuite) and 2 large terraces. Available for long let.€750 monthly. Call 9923 8014.

Designer Wedding Gown Size 8, bought for €1,300, sale price €300. Call 9940 6744 Mexican Pine coffee table, side tables and coat hanger with drawers. Call 9940 6744. Vineyard poles – Large quantity available. Call 9988 7911.

All bookings and payments must reach our offices by no later than 10 August 2010. Bookings that reach our offices after this date will be published in the following issue.

Dancers needed for freestyle and choreographies. Male and female. Send an email with picture and details to sabwingfield@hotmail.com or call on 9989 5183. Models wanted – Male and female models between the ages of 18 and 50 wanted for advertising and fashion magazine shoots. Send recent photos (close up and full body shot) to fashion@vida.com.mt. Indulge in relaxation! BodyComfort Mosta are offering a holistic approach to beauty and wellbeing. Spend €15 to get a free scalp massage. Call Professional Ambulance Service, Transportation of Patients to & from hospital, homes, airport & others- 9922 6325.

From

€10 / issue

Approx. 15 words

With 162,000 copies BOOK these classifieds NOW 2339 reach

all Maltese families

2333

July Winner!

Complete this Sudoku game and send it to us by post or via email. The correct answers will enter a draw to win a €100 voucher to exchange for any product or service advertised on Vida*.

2 4

7 7

9 6 4 8 3 9 2 1 7 6 6 2 8

Another chance to

1 5 5 9 4 7 2 2 9 4 1 4 7

WIN:

The winner of last month’s Vida competition is Kim Zarb, from Naxxar. Her sudoku solution was randomly drawn from the competition entries received last month. In the other competition, the correct answers were pages 8 and 73. These two pages featured images of Shrek, a green ogre and protagonist of the animated movie Shrek Forever After.

July’s solution

In which page of Vida can you find a Nobel Prize winner?

Here’s another chance of winning the €100 voucher*. Just answer this question, send us your reply, and enter the draw to win.

All competition replies should reach our offices by Tuesday, August 10th. Send your entries to Competitions, Vida Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214, or by email on win@vida.com.mt.* * See bottom of page for more information on the prizes. By sending in an entry to any of Vida magazine’s competitions, you are giving Focused Knowledge Ltd and carefully selected partners permission to store and use your contact details.

NNG COMPETITION

Steve Agius is the winner of last month’s Joseph Calleja Concert Competition. He won 2 VIP tickets to the Joseph Calleja Concert at The Granaries, Floriana. MECCA COMPETITION The winner of the Mecca Competition, in which readers were asked to come up with a slogan for Mecca Enterprises’ toyshop, will be announced next month. The jury is currently going through the hundreds of entries received to select the winning slogan.

SUGGESTIONS & QUESTIONS COMPETITION Brian Borg, one of the readers who suggested the Vida team to include a feature on safety at the beach (see page 8), is the winner of this month’s Suggestions and Questions Competition. He wins a €100 voucher. Suggestions and questions to the experts (see page 5) published will enter a draw to win a €100 voucher to exchange for any product or service advertised on Vida*. Miriam Dalli and Jane Vella, two of our regular contributors, are waiting for your ideas as well. Let us know who you want them to interview.

Vida vouchers for August’s competitions are valid at: 202 Jewellery, ACH Foods & Beverages Ltd, BOV, Chain, Clima 755, Cyberpass, Fahrenheit Freight Forwarders, Fapi Motors, Flock Image, Gente di Mare, Havana, Hotel Xlendi Resort & Spa, JGC Ltd, JWT Caruana, La Gatta, Lo Zingaro, Mink, NnG, Panama Jack, Pergola Club Hotel & Spa, Solana Hotel, Remax, Splash ‘n’ Fun Water Park, Sylvia Bazaar, Ta Dernis, Tal-Lajku Kebab House & Confectionery, Ta Maria Restaurant, Tamashii Gifts, Tekno Airconditioning, Tewmi, Transport Malta, V. Azzopardi Jewellers.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 53

Competitions

S N O I T I T COMPE

Only for Kids

Fun in the Water

Kids

As summer holidays are in full swing and we’re all busy building sandcastles, collecting seashells and swimming like fishes; it’s a great time to think about taking up a water sport. Water sports are a great way to have fun and keep fit in summer and there are many different ones. Here are a few, some you may know about and some may be new. Canoeing or Rowing: A canoe is a small, narrow boat, usually big enough for one or two people. The difference between canoeing and rowing is that on a canoe, you face the front whereas in a row boat, you face the back. In Malta, canoeing (organised by the Malta Canoe Federation) is practiced in Msida, Marsamxett, Birzebbugia and Ghadira. The traditional ‘regattas’ held at the Grand Harbour on national holidays are Malta’s most popular rowing competitions.

Canoeing

Sailing: When sailing, the stronger the wind, the faster you go. The sails on the sailing boat are made of large pieces of fabric that catch the wind and make the boat move. Sailing is popular in Malta but is a hard sport to master, so it usually takes lots of experience, and could be dangerous in a storm.

Waterpolo: Water polo is a team sport, similar to handball. The big difference is that players play games in a special water polo pool. There are six players and a goalkeeper on each team, and they play by swimming, keeping the ball away from members of the other team and scoring. Snorkelling: Snorkelling allows you to see the underwater world and all its different fish using goggles, a snorkel and usually flippers. In Malta you can snorkel almost anywhere, seeing as we have no real tides, hazardous currents and known dangerous fish. Scuba diving: Scuba diving requires training

Waterpolo

Snorkelling

Sailing

and special equipment that lets you breathe safely underwater. It’s the same as snorkelling, letting you see everything underwater, but allows you to go deeper. This means it is also more dangerous.

Fishing:

There are different kinds of fishing, including hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping. The most common method for leisure is angling (that is, using a fishing rod and bait). The kind of fish you catch depends on the place and time you go so see if you can get some tips for good spots from someone who knows their stuff!

Surfing: Surfing is when you balance on a surfboard (usually standing) as it moves the length of a breaking wave. In Malta, it’s not the most common sport as we don’t get proper tides. We do however have the chance to go wind surfing, a variant of surfing in which the surf board is connected to a rotating sail that is held upright by the surfer.

54 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Surfing Fishing

R W

W N

C W

B W

G W A

N W

A W P

V M

B M

R W Q

V W

M N

Q W O

M M

K M

H W

C W N

W G

N M V

N W

Secret Word: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is the first water sport many of us master.

. Grima

Luke Sultan

Liandra Borg

Aiden Bezzina

Send your competition replies, together with your name, surname, age and contact details (address, telephone number, email address), to: Kids Competition, Vida Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214 by no later than Tuesday, August 10th 2010.

mit Mangio

Shaizel Bezzina

Janna Cisnerzo

Daniel Farrugia Gayle Casha

Amberlynn Bonello

We have hidden the names of 9 different water sports in the grid. Find them all, including the secret word and send us the solution by post. The correct answers will enter a draw to win a €100 voucher (see page 53 for more info).

Do you practice any water sports? Send us a drawing of your favourite water sport to be in with another chance of winning the €100 voucher.

Rachel Zam

Shanise Bezzina

Kids Competition

Another chance to win

Kids

aP arn

trin

Jake Mangio

Canoeing Kayaking Sailing Water polo Snorkelling Scuba Diving Fishing Surfing

Ashley M

Last month we asked you to send us drawings of your favourite beach. Here are some of the entries we received:

a Ruth Grim

Word Search Competition !

Martina Farrugia

July Competition

WINNER! Alethea Zerafa, 7, from Mosta is the winner of last month’s competition. Her picture was drawn from the many entries we received last month.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010 55

Money Matters

BOV Club - The ideal choice for students Students - deciding on which course to take up and the subjects you choose to study for the job you’d like for the rest of your life are mind-boggling tasks. You will be faced with new opportunities, exciting challenges, new friends... and finally bigger and better financial requirements! BOV Club gives you an array of financial benefits, allowing you to concentrate on your studies and talents whilst enjoying student life to the full.

The benefits: BOV Club members can apply for the BOV Student eAccount which gives you a premium interest rate when compared to a normal savings account. The eAccount allows you to manage your finances through various alternative channels which offer you the flexibility and convenience of being able to bank in real time 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the use of your own debit card, the BOV 24x7 services and ATMs. The BOV 24x7 services are being offered to students, aged 18 and over, who receive a regular stipend, free of charge for the first year. This suite of services allows you to access your bank accounts via Internet Banking, Telephone Banking and Mobile Banking 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A Customer Service Centre is on stand-by, making your life easier and giving you the freedom and flexibility to manage your banking requirements wherever and whenever you want. Students aged 18 years and over and earning a stipend can apply for the free BOV Cashlink Visa Debit Card. On the other hand, students under 18 years of age can apply for the free BOV Cashlink Electron Debit Card. Both cards allow you to effect purchases locally, internationally and over the internet from the funds available in your Bank of Valletta account. If on the other hand you require a BOV Credit Card, you can apply for a fee-free BOV Visa Classic or BOV MasterCard with a credit card limit of €500. This offer is only available to students over 18 years and earning a monthly stipend. Students receiving a regular stipend can apply for an unsecured Student Loan of up to €5,000 at very competitive interest rates. These are to be used to finance the purchase of a computer, study costs and other personal requirements. The student loan carries no

advances processing fees, and you will incur no extra costs. Students over 18 years of age can have the term of the loan to purchase a new vehicle extended to 7 years. BOV Club members under 18 years of age can apply for an unsecured Student loan in the name of their parents/legal guardians. If you are aged 18 and over and have started thinking about purchasing a house, then you can apply for a BOV Home Loan without being charged processing fees. Do you wish a well-deserved holiday or want to participate in a student exchange programme? BOV can help you out by offering you preferential exchange rates on the purchase and sale of foreign currency notes and other foreign related transactions. To add to all of these benefits, new BOV Club members attending a post-secondary institution or the University of Malta and those renewing their BOV Club membership upon attending the University of Malta are eligible to choose from one of our Great Gifts*. Further details may be obtained through the BOV Club website at www.bov.com/bovclub, by emailing us on bovclub@bov. com or by visiting the BOV Club group on Facebook. Eligibility If you are aged between 16 and 25 and attend a post-secondary institution or the University of Malta, you may join BOV Club by filling in an application at one of our branches or online at www.bov. com/bovclub. Alternatively, for further details you can call our Customer Service Centre on 2131 2020 between Mondays and Saturdays, from 08:00hrs to 20:00hrs (excluding bank and public holidays).

* Gifts are available until the 31 October 2010. Terms & Conditions apply. Personal Loan and Credit Card facilities are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from your BOV branch. Terms and Conditions apply. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Zachary Street, Valletta, VLT1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is licensed to conduct Investment Services business by the Malta Financial Services Authority

56 vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

special report

The place to be?

Living in Sliema

by Amy Colman

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

special report

ne of its most plausible meanings is ‘peace’ and ‘serenity’, a description which, according to many people, takes on quite an ironic tone today. What was once a summer resort for the bourgeoisie has slowly turned into a budding commercial and residential hub. But what is it really like to live or work in Sliema? How is the town’s skyline changing and how is this affecting residents? And what does the future hold for this coastal gem? Sliema lies in the Northern Harbour area, which is home to 30% of Maltese households. Its population stands at approximately 14,0001, the majority of which live in flats or penthouses. In fact, this town has the highest number of such residences on the island, both occupied and vacant. And as we speak, many more are being built.

“those living in close proximity to high buildings often end up in perpetual shade” - Adrian Gatt

The city’s skyline has drastically changed in the past thirty years due to high-rise condominiums, new shopping venues, refurbishment projects, hotels, and more. Adrian Gatt, chairman of the Sliema Residents Association (SRA), and Joe Morana, Public Relations Officer of the same organisation, explain that these changes have caused Sliema to “lose a lot of its character, all in the name of progress. The residential units, commercial outlets, offices, entertainment areas and tourist lodgings have increased drastically, eating away at most of Sliema’s grand internal gardens and bringing along a large number of vehicles, polluting the air in the process.” The Tigne’ and Qui-si-Sana areas have been particularly affected by this intense urban development. According to official statistics, together with the Southern Harbour area, the Northern Harbour area – which includes Sliema – has the highest life satisfaction rate. However, Adrian Gatt insists that the quality of life of many residents is not as good as the figures indicate. “The views from within the heart of the town have long disappeared and those living in close proximity to high buildings often end up in perpetual shade, especially during the winter months. Having said this, the SRA does not oppose economic development, as long as it does not negatively impact the quality of life of the residents. In other words, it has to be sustainable.” Nikki Dimech, mayor of Sliema*, understands the residents’ concerns, but adds that all major cities around the world have high-rise buildings. “Unfortunately, in Sliema, land is very limited and therefore the only option is to go up. Sometimes the Sliema Local Council gets the blame for new big projects that MEPA approves. However, we can only object to a project, we don’t have the final say.”

“Building sites are the biggest headache,” Dimech adds, “they cause a number of inconveniences, such as traffic and parking problems, tower cranes, dust and environmental issues. In the years to come, the “the number of number of residential properties is going to increase drastically residential properties and Sliema is going to be overpopulated. This will have an impact on the environment, the traffic flow, water and electricity is going to increase consumption, and many other factors.”

drastically and Sliema is going to be overpopulated”

Having said that, measures to improve the quality of life for Sliema residents are in the pipeline. These include the Residential Parking Zone project. Dimech explains that Sliema residents will - Nikki Dimech surely gain from this scheme, since they will be allowed to park in any parking space in any street in Sliema. The Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs and the Local Council have also launched a long-term plan to revive the Ferries and the promenade. “The kiosks on the promenade, previously an eyesore, have been given a major refurbishing and the controversial fairy-lights project will be the cherry on the cake, since all trees in Sliema are going to have wonderful LED lights affixed to the branches. The last project, planned for next year, is converting part of the playgrounds in Independence Gardens into an indoor and outdoor area with new and safe swings and flooring.” Without a doubt, Sliema has changed throughout the years. Its drawbacks and perks are those typical of any major city in Western Europe. Many issues are being addressed, while others come with the territory. Despite everything it has its charm, which draws hundreds to its streets every day. What more can we say? Sliema - you either love it or hate it.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

special report Samantha 22, student Apart from the fact that it’s a nightmare to find parking, there are many advantages of living in Sliema. I’ve always lived in Sliema and I love it for the simple reason that it’s central and everything is within walking distance, from supermarkets to shopping centres to our scenic promenade and beaches. Sliema is not just a town – it’s a friendly and safe neighbourhood. I would never consider moving to another locality.

Francis 86, pensioner It’s a pity Sliema lost most of its beautiful houses. Some had lush front and back gardens, with large windows overlooking the sea. When I was a teenager we used to love swimming, and jumping three or four storeys off the Chalet building! In the evening the Chalet transformed into a buzzing hive of dancing, live music and lots of people dressed in their best clothes. There used to be live music at the Plaza and the Regent halls too. Sliema also had three cinemas – the Carlton, the Majestic and Gaiety. Young men and women gathered at the promenade to mingle with the crowd in the hope of meeting their sweetheart! The budding lovers would then go down to Qui-Si-Sana in search of a quieter spot. Today I still enjoy going out for walks on the promenade in the evening. Everything has changed, except for the sea, which will always retain its magical tranquillity.

Nicola, 39, property agent Our office is located on Tower Road. The major problem we face everyday is parking. The traffic getting in and out of Sliema has become a nightmare too. Sliema remains a sought-after locality – it has all one needs within walking distance. It does not really need promoting with the locals. You either like the hustle and bustle of it or you just don’t. Personally, the only reason I would ever move to Sliema is to downsize and make life easier for my kids, who are 13 and 9. But then again, in a few years they will be driving and I would be stuck in the city! There are plans for pedestrian zones, traffic diversions, more apartments and fewer houses – is this good or bad? Time will tell, but upon remembering all those beautiful houses on Tower Road which no longer exist, one feels like crying. Who knew what was going to happen when that first house was demolished? What were they thinking?

Claudia 38, manager When I was a child we used to spend entire days by the sea. Living in Sliema made it easier as the beach is just a short walk away. Having Paceville close-by was a boon when I grew older – it was easy to join friends at different entertainment places. I cannot imagine myself trying to find parking in the centre of Sliema to go shopping – the only way to avoid this hassle is to live in the area. Going out for a walk along the promenade at sunrise before going to work is the most relaxing way to start the day. There are still a few streets where one can admire the typical Sliema town houses. These quaint homes bring joy to me whenever I walk by. * The views expressed in this article are those of the Mayor of Sliema and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Sliema Local Council 1. Situation on 31 December 2008, Demographic Review 2008, NSO

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

interview

Service with a smile Three years ago, a hotel night manager decided that he’d had enough of going to sleep at nine in the morning. It was definitely time to leave the front desk behind, and look to pastures new. While still in hospitality, he insists it really is quite different. Jane Vella meets wine bar owner Rudolf Grima, “I am the to discuss the challenge of being your own boss, but I’m boss, finding dedicated staff, and what makes it not ashamed to all worthwhile. serve

people”

udolf’s wine bar in Rabat was originally opened by a friend. “I used to come here for a drink every now and then. And I saw its potential,” he recalls. “I was at the point where I needed a change, so I went to the wine bar to speak to my friend and asked him if he would let me take over. And he agreed.” Being your own boss is definitely a challenge. “I couldn’t divide myself between two jobs, so I gave up the hotel job a month before I opened the wine bar.” I ask him if at any time he thought he’d made a mistake. Rudolf shakes his head. “I believed in the bar. You need to go for your goal, believe in it, and work hard for it.” “I gave the place my personal touch. I knew I was going to spend most of my time here, so I wanted to make it a second home,” says Rudolf. “In the beginning people used to say they were going to a wine bar. Now they say they’re going to Rudolf’s place. I like that.” A bar owner’s job involves working while others are enjoying themselves. So what makes it all worthwhile? “It is not an easy job. However, when you see that people are satisfied, when they keep coming back again and again, that makes all the difference.” Most people consider a job in the catering industry as a temporary one, to get through the summer, or a stepping-stone onto better things. How difficult is it to find dedicated staff? Rudolf admits that the first year was very difficult, with a high staff turnover. “People would come and try out, and leave after a couple of weeks. Finding those people who were ready to pull their weight and do their part was not easy.”

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

The type of waiting staff required depends on the type of establishment. “In a wine bar, you have a relaxed atmosphere. So staff should be welcoming and lively. They have to be friendly, without being over - familiar,” he says, adding that it’s important to be genuine, and humble. “Humility is a beautiful thing. I show my staff that it’s important because I do the same work. I am the boss, but I’m not ashamed to serve people and to take away their empty plates.” Rudolph explains that all types of catering outlets, even fast food franchises, should try to give you that warm feeling, making you want to be there. “If you’re going to pay money, why shouldn’t you enjoy the atmosphere as well?” He also likes to involve his clients to make them feel more welcome. “I update the wine list about once a year. Sometimes clients ask me whether I have any items that are not on the list, and I’ll give them something new to try. I also ask clients for their opinion on new recipes before I include them on the menu. It’s like you let them in on a secret, making them feel at home.” Rudolph adds that his mother also has a hand in some of the recipes, including many clients’ favourite, the chutney dip. Unfortunately, his lips are sealed to the ingredients. With the wine bar’s responsibilities, Rudolph doesn’t often have time off, but every now and then he does ‘escape’. I ask him if he finds himself over-critical over the food and service of other establishments when he gets a chance to be served himself. “I’m always critical of myself. Sometimes I annoy my staff,” he admits. “So when I see something I don’t like at another bar or restaurant, it annoys me too.”

interview

“Mum used to give me 10c a day, which I used to buy a tuna roll and a bottle of cola.”

So what bothers him the most? “I can’t stand it when the waiting staff doesn’t acknowledge you when you go in. It is so important,” he says. He describes an episode when, together with a group of friends, he went to a restaurant to find a waitress clearing a table, which she continued doing without looking up. “You need to speak to people when they walk in to your place - a simple, ‘hi, can I help you? Do you mind waiting a minute?’”

Besides his day job, a few years ago Rudolf spent a term as the mayor of Rabat. “With my current job, it’s impossible to be a mayor as well. But I do find time to be a councillor,” he says. “A mayor’s job was like a full time job even back then when the responsibilities were much less. Nowadays it’s more than a full time job.” Rudolf says that the satisfaction of forming part of the local council is that you are taking part in a discussion. “It is like cooking. The extra ingredient that you add can help the dish be that little bit tastier.” Believe it or not, Rudolf also finds time to enjoy hobbies unrelated to business. “I enjoy collecting antiques, though I confess it’s an expensive hobby!” he says, laughing. The first item he bought was an old lamp from the Valletta open market when he was just 11 years old. “The lamp cost 75c of the Maltese Lira. Mum used to give me 10c a day, which I used to buy a tuna roll and a bottle of cola. I spent a week and a half without lunch at school because of that lamp!”

Rudolf ’s favourite pasta

Ravioli in Mushroom, Walnut and Cream Sauce (Serves 2)

Ingredients: 300g ravioli ¼ cup walnuts, chopped ¾ cup fresh cream ¼ tsp black pepper 200g mushrooms, sliced 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Cook pasta as per package instructions. In the meantime, heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and walnuts in the oil until mushrooms are golden brown. Add fresh cream and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Lower heat, and when cream stops simmering add the pepper and Parmesan. Stir until sauce is smooth. Be careful not to allow the sauce to boil. Drain pasta, pour sauce over it and serve immediately.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

personalities

Love to Hate

The Cosmic Citizen Emmy Bezzina on abortion, divorce and cosmic realism

Emmy Bezzina is aware that his unconventional methods mean that he is loved by some and shunned by many others. Miriam Dalli speaks to the lawyer who believes the silent majority has been behind him all along, though not yet ready to come forth.

pon deciding to interview lawyer Emmy Bezzina, I did not foresee the sheer range of issues he would broach, ranging from cosmic realism to abortion, divorce and the church. I was admittedly lost for words on more than one occasion throughout – not that I needed to say much; Dr. Bezzina can speak endlessly of issues he is passionate about.

Dr. Bezzina declares that addressing a press conference isn’t easy: “You require audacity to be ready to speak out for what you believe in. I consider press conferences as extremely important, because in today’s world the media is the true government of any country.”

in today’s world the media is the true government of any country

The lawyer known for his unusual antics puzzled me when, half way through the interview, he pulled out a tape recorder and began recording our conversation. This instantly brought to mind a recent incident which took place in court, in which Dr. Bezzina was reprimanded by a magistrate for tape recording court sessions. His immediate response was that he records every court sitting he is involved in. This is the same lawyer who regularly addresses press conferences regarding cases in which he is defense councel. I could not help but ask him whether he is attention-seeking: “Yes, I seek attention, but only in cases where the authorities act outside their remit by trying to exert undue pressure on certain legal cases, as is the case of Alain Schmitt,” he replies. Alain Schmitt is the French sect leader who was detained in Malta pending extradition procedures as he was wanted in his home country on kidnapping, torture and extortion charges.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

We get to the crux of the issues he is most vociferous about, starting from his position on the Church in Malta. It is his belief that the Church wants to dictate how our country moves forward, mentioning the Bishop of Gozo as an example: “The Bishop of Gozo wants to speak about everything.” My immediate question follows: “Isn’t it his right to do so?” “Yes,” he retorts, “but the Bishop can’t dictate what people should or should not do. Members of the clergy are common people and they don’t have a right to impose themselves onto others!” The outspoken lawyer caused quite a stir when he invited Dr. Rebecca Gomperts over to Malta. Dr. Gomperts is the Dutch doctor who launched the world’s first abortion boat, known as Women on Waves. He defends his action by maintaining that although abortion is illegal in Malta, those who afford it can still have an abortion by going abroad to Sicily or the United Kingdom.

personalities

The controversial Lawyer Emmy Bezzina is the eldest of six siblings. In November 1976, he obtained a Diploma as a Public Notary, a year later graduating as Doctor of Laws at the University of Malta. It was 33 years ago that Dr. Bezzina started his private practice as a litigious lawyer and law consultant. In January 1978, he set up his own Law Office, of which he is the Principal. Two years later he obtained a Diploma in Sacred Theology and later he obtained a further Diploma in Canon Law covering Marriage Procedure, Jurisdiction and Jurisprudence. Emmy Bezzina entered politics and contested the General Elections in 1987 and 1992. Currently he describes himself as a liberalreformist democrat and in the run up to the European Parliament Maltese Elections in 2004, he founded the ALPHA Liberal Democratic Reformist Political Party of which he is now Chairman. Emmy Bezzina is married and has five children.

Name: Emmanuel Bezzina k/a Emmy Birthplace: B’Bugia Age: 60 Feels like: 42 Current job: Lawyer Dream job: International ambassador Facebook or Twitter: Facebook Favourite Colour: Lilac Favourite Film: Gladiator Favourite quote: “Do unto others, as you would have

them do unto you”

Loved by: “Half of the Maltese population who admire me.” Hated by: “Those who hate my guts.”

“Members

At this point he makes an interesting suggestion: We move to the topic of divorce, about which of the clergy are “There are a number of movements which are able Emmy Bezzina is tenacious. He states that for the common people to target the 20% floating voters on our island. If past thirty years he has been highlighting the need for enacting divorce legislation. He continues to and they don’t have these small parties are able to make a coalition and join forces then we stand a good chance of offering assert that our politicians are hypocrites when a right to impose something new to this country. I don’t necessarily they propose a law in favour of co-habitation themselves onto have to be the leader of this new group.” without realising the chaotic situation our country others!” is presently in. “Today, since we are part of the The lawyer who once dreamt of being a Prime Minister European Union, whoever gets a divorce from another now delves into another pet topic of his – cosmic realism. He Member State can register that divorce in Malta and his tells me that when people say that he is a cosmic divinity he smiles, status would be recognised,” Dr. Bezzina affirms. “Things are “I don’t have one particular religion or one particular belief. I keep getting worse now, because it is simply becoming a question of myself open to different opinions, different religions and different discrimination between those who can get a divorce from another beliefs. In this way I feel that I am a citizen of a cosmic village. The Member State and those who can’t afford to do so.” problem with our country is that we still believe that we are the centre of the Universe.” I ask about the Alpha Party, which Emmy Bezzina launched a few years ago. He assures me that his political party is still up and running, maintaining “we have around 400 members.” My retort comes swiftly - so how come we don’t get to see any of the other Who do you love to hate? Who do you members? “Unfortunately I end up being the main spokesman on want Miriam to interview? Send you r most issues because whilst a lot of people tell me that they agree suggestions to yoursay@vida.com with what I have to say, most of them are afraid to voice their .mt and get in the draw to win €100. thoughts and opinions,” he insists. I ask him if he will stand for the coming general election to which he answers in the affirmative.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

fashion fairground

Your Guide to being Festival Fabulous

With festival season upon us, many music-lovers and all round party people alike will be descending upon any one (or more) of the best events the music business has to offer this summer. With your tickets purchased, camping gear and ear plugs at the ready, the only thing left is what to wear. So, seeing as we’ll be flocking there anyway, might as well flock in style, right?

Lacey Lady We’re all going for ladylike glamour this month as we accent our style with dabs of crochet and lace. Don’t be fooled however, as it’s not all sunshine and homemade muffins here – worn with this season’s denim, military-inspired gear or anything made of leather; this look is more braveheart than sweetheart.

DO: Incorporate trend-tickers with comfortable garb. Biker boots teamed with pretty

dresses are always a surefire winner – glam and grunge make for an easy festival look. Other looks that lend themselves particularly well to the muddy (or sun-drenched) fields include boho, vintage and military chic.

Mango Area

DON’T: Wear sandals. Ever. Speaking from experience, if you don’t mind the dirt, I’m pretty sure you would mind the missing (or at the very least, badly bruised) appendages. Flip flops are the worst – keep them for the beach.

2 3

DO: Be bag smart.

DON’T: Take anything valuable. A festival

DO: Consider the climate. If you’re off to the

Whereas a fanny pack may not ever be in the running for any type of fashion award, keeping your essentials safe at all times is a must. Invest in a bag that you can keep close to the body and doesn’t open easily for your money, phone and allimportant wet wipes!

is not the place for your designer shades, one-of-a-kind dresses and heirloom bracelets. When packing an item, consider how you would feel if you lost it – if it involves tears, it’s best to leave it at home.

UK, chances are the festival will be a wet one, so team your wellies with faded denims (shirt or shorts – take your pick) and parka for rain-proof chic. If you’re heading to a warmer country, make sure you incorporate a hat and sunnies into your festival wardrobe. Do keep in mind (particularly if you’re sleeping in a tent) that temperatures may drop at night, so pack accordingly.

DON’T: Opt for a high-maintenance hairstyle. No matter how careful you promise yourself

DO: Wear makeup. No one wants to look like the

you’re going to be, chances are by the end of the first day you’re going to come out looking as if you were dragged through a hedge backwards. Go for easy, no fuss hair – festival favourites are messy plaits, shaggy waves and casual updos. If you do fall prey to a frizzy hair disaster, worry not – that’s what hats are for. exhausted, unwashed mess they doubtlessly are by the end of the weekend, do they? Having said this, keep the makeup simple: concealer for dark circles, a touch of blusher for a healthy flush, some good waterproof mascara and a dash of colour on the lips. Intelligently applied makeup will have you looking (almost) as if you’ve had a great night’s sleep in no time.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

New Look

Wardrobe Diaries Name: Daniela Vella

Describe your style in 3 words: Quirky, pretty and girly.

Favourite item of clothing: A pair of blue and white striped shoes with red bows from Office. Most expensive piece: My charm bracelet. Best bargain buy: Heart shaped ring watch from Topshop sale. 3 items everyone should own: A pair of comfy high heels, dangly earrings, a cute Alice band. Ultimate fashion rule: If you don’t feel that it’s you… don’t wear it!

What’s in your wardrobe

Ours is constantly overflowing, but we simply can’t resist fresh ideas from your fashion diaries! Send us your ideas, tips, questions, even photos, on fashion@vida.com.mt, or to Vida Magazine, Pitkali Road, Attard, ATD 2214

fashion fairground

Ruching & Ruffles It’s all about flirty ruffles and ruching this month, seen anywhere from dresses to bags and even shoes. Ruching in all the right places is not only immensely flattering but also adds a touch of movement to an outfit – straight and plain is just too, well, straight and plain! Pull & Bear

Zara

The Jumpsuit

Zara

New Look

Get ready to romp around in this season’s onesies! Admittedly, they do slightly remind me of the pyjamas with feet I happily sported as a young ‘un, but if anything, that adds to their appeal rather than diminishes it – fashion is so much better when it’s fun anyway. Aside from the obvious comfort factor, the jumpsuit or cut-off playsuit ticks all the right boxes for the summer’s ethnic vibe. Coupled with wooden jewellery and your favourite espadrilles, you can do no wrong.

Zara

My Silver - fine jewellery - 183, Constitution Street, Mosta T: 2702 2323 E: mysilvermalta@gmail.com W: www.mysilvermalta.com

Mango

fine jewellery

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

fashion fairground Hair by Julianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ciseau, Triq il-Ballut, Attard T: 21415368

Halterneck romper - Victoria and Co. Naxxar Road, Birkirkara T:21490820 Jewellery - Zsa Zsa Fine Costume Jewellery St. John Square, Valletta T: 21227128 Shoes - Darmanin Footwear Valletta T:21421383 /4

Make up by Diandra Mattei using Givenchy T: 79828414 Photography by Jacob Sammut Carabez - Pearl Works T: 79857733

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Model: Christine Mifsud

Dress - Area Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 99044752 Bangle- Zsa Zsa Fine Costume Jewellery St. John Square, Valletta T: 21227128

Dress - Victoria and Co. Naxxar Road, Birkirkara T:21490820 Jewellery - Zsa Zsa Fine Costume Jewellery St. John Square, Valletta T: 21227128 Shoes - Darmanin Footwear Valletta T:21421383/4

cinema

Through the Lookings Glas

Styling by Sarah Micallef & Claire Camilleri Photography by Jacob Sammut Carabez - Pearl Works T: 79857733 Hair by Julian’s Ciseau T: 21415368 Makeup by Diandra Mattei using Givenchy T: 79828414 Model: Christine Mifsud Dress – Blush & Panic Shoes – Monsoon Ring – Accessorize 67

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

cinema

Dress – Monsoon Bracelet – Blush & Panic Shoes – Monsoon

Dress – Blush & Panic Bangles – Accessorize Shoes – Monsoon August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

Dress & Necklace – Area Shoes – Dorothy Perkins

Dress – Monsoon Bangles – Area Shoes – Monsoon Ring – Accessorize

Dress – Area Bangle – Blush & Panic Necklace – Monsoon Shoes – Dorothy Perkins

fashion fairground The Plaza Shopping Complex, Sliema T: 21315454 We also sell BIRKENSTOCK sandals Visit our facebook page on Panamajack malta to view more styles

PANAMA JACK SHOE SHOP

Spinning Jewelry’s Composable Earring Collection YOUR DESIGN - YOUR STYLE

oday, style is an even more highly complex concept than ever before, and fashionistas are always on the look out for the indefinable item which is above all personal and individual. Style is an overall look, which expresses your personality right down to the ring on your finger or the earring you wear. Spinning Jewelry has created a unique concept, giving you the opportunity to emphasise your style, and support it with unique and self designed, solid silver jewellery. With Spinning Jewelry, you can design and re-design rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings according to the latest trends, to suit your mood, personality or the occasion. The concept of customising your own jewellery, and being able to adapt it to your different outfits and moods, has become as popular in Malta as it is all over the world. “202 Jewellery’s unique environment encourages the customers to get in touch with their inner designer, allowing them to touch, feel, try on exquisite handmade Jewellery, and enjoy the interactive, relaxed atmosphere. This is something that has to be experienced in person.” Spinning Jewelry has extended the market concept of composable jewellery in Solid 925 SILVER from its famous Ring collection to a full range of jewellery, including Bracelets, Necklaces and the ever growing composable earrings. To view and form your favourite combinations, both 202 Jewellery of Bisazza Street, Sliema & Merchants Street, Valletta are open from Monday to Saturday between 09:30 to 19:00hrs. As a Special Introductory offer, when composing your own combination of Hoop + Pendant Earring till August 15, you will be given a FREE Pendant worth €22.

View catalogue on www.ktm.com To place an order email us on sales@fapimotors.com

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

books

Tribute to a Master

News from Bookland

wo months ago, Nobel literature laureate Jose Saramago passed away at the age of 87. The Portuguese author was born in a peasant family in 1922. He published his first novel Land of Sin in 1947. His situation in life greatly influenced his writings and political views. The human condition was a persistent theme in his writings.

• Amazon.com launched the new Kindle DX e-book reader. The renowned company decribed the product as having an improved electronic ink display, with 50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images. The device will sell at $379. Steve Kessel, Amazon’s Senior Vice President, asserted “There’s no turning back ... you’ll find it easier than ever to read wherever you happen to be, whether it’s outside in bright sunlight or under the low light of your living room.” • Stephanie Meyer has done it again! It looks like she’s got another smash hit on her hands, as in a matter of three weeks, her latest release The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - an Eclipse Novella, has sold more than one million copies in the United States. • Next month, Stephen Hawking is publishing, in conjunction with the physicist Leonard Mlodinow, The Grand Design. Stephen Hawking strongly believes that man is very close to understanding, not just the workings of the universe, but also its very beginnings. Hawking’s A Brief History of Time sold no less than ten million copies. for book worms only

What is an ISBN? If you take a close look at the backpage of a book, you will spot what is known by book producers as an ISBN. An ISBN is essentially a product identifier used by publishers, booksellers, libraries and internet retailers for ordering, listing, sales records and stock control purposes. The ISBN identifies the publisher as well as the specific title, edition and format. www.isbn-international.org

A communist militant since 1969, Saramago sometimes sparked controversy with his political views. He harshly criticised democracy and on several occasions challenged the views of the Roman Catholic Church. Indeed, his novel The Gospel according to Jesus Christ sparked off a huge polemic, portraying Jesus as a fallible human being. Saramago described himself as “someone who, when he writes, lifts a stone and shows what is underneath. It is not my fault if monsters come out of there from time to time.”

FORUM

Traditional book or e-book? Marisa Attard, Artist and book illustrator Nothing beats holding and reading a traditional book - it’s just something I’ve grown up with and love. That said, e-books are very easily available and the interactive ones for children offer a different experience altogether. Josanne Cassar, Deputy Editor/Features The Malta Independent I don’t think anything can ever really replace the feel of a book. For people who love to read, there’s a sense of anticipation when you buy a new book and start reading which triggers all your senses. I love the smell of bookshops, for example, and enjoy the texture of the pages on my fingertips as I leaf through a book. Most of all a traditional book is like your very own secret. Even as a child I remember escaping mentally into the story and blocking out everything around me, taking my latest precious book with me everywhere I went to continue reading. No matter what advances are made through technology, I doubt whether the tangible comfort and emotional connotations of a physical book could ever be duplicated. Trevor Zahra, writer and book illustrator I’m still like a bloodhound: I like to smell books, paper, binding, ink, lamination... they all have a unique aroma of their own which spells, let’s have fun! I don’t have much experience of e-books and so I haven’t acquired their smell, yet! But I’m sure that e-books will prove most practical and useful in the very near future, and I look forward to have some of my books transported into this medium. But as for myself I guess I will stick to my bloodhound technique!

The National Book Council (NBC - Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb, in Maltese) aims to promote the book in all its forms, support its producers and increase awareness about the benefits of books. Its activities include the National Book Fair and the National Book Prize. The Book Fair, which attracts large crowds annually, is held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in November every year. The NBC collaborates with local councils, schools, private and public agencies to popularise readership. Its achievements include the publication of a guidance manual to standardise the production of books, the setting up of an online archive of all Maltese books in print and multiple summer reading campaigns. The NBC is chaired by Dr Gorg Mallia, with Sergio Grech as executive Director and Joe Debattista as secretary. The members are Marisa Attard, Henry Cachia, Priscilla Camilleri, Charles Casha, Victor Fenech, Victoria Galea, Martes Paris, Joanne Sciberras, Trevor Zahra and Dr. William Zammit. The National Book Council can be reached by email on info@ktieb. org.mt. www.ktieb.org.mt.

The books pages in Vida are coordinated by the National Book Council. Watch these pages for titbits of information from the world of books and reading!

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

culture by Joyce Guillaumier

The Count of Malta’s special singer Peire Vidal in Malta

f I were to ask you whether you have ever heard of Peire Vidal, I’m sure that many would answer in the negative. I wouldn’t blame you either, seeing as he lived between 1175 and 1205 and that many of us don’t know about his link with Malta.

Peire Vidal is one of the most renowned troubadours of the Middle Ages. Troubadours were poets who composed and sang verses about love, some with a serious, intellectual tone, others in a lighter, humorous style. They were very popular in the courts of European kings and lords between the 12th and the 14th century. Peire Vidal, the son of a furrier from Toulouse, was one of the most prominent singers of his time. Considered to be the jester amongst the troubadours, he introduced a more familiar tone to his songs; one minute sounding ‘wolf-like’ in his love for his ‘she-wolf’, the next complaining of having been dismissed for stealing a timid kiss from his beloved.

“As an invariable gallant he saw many escapades”

He was associated with Raimon V of Toulouse, Viscount Barral of Marseille, King Alphonse II of Aragon, Boniface of Montferrat, Manfred I of Lancia (himself a troubadour), and Enrico Pescatore, the Count of Malta in the early years of the 1200s.

It was in 1976 that Professor Joseph Brincat of the University of Malta published Vidal’s original poems in Melita Historica. They were reproduced in their original language - Langue d’Oc (also known as Occitan) and translated into Italian by Prof. Brincat himself. Vidal is known to have written these poems whilst he was staying in Malta, at or in the vicinity of the Castrum Maris, the fortification which existed where the city of Birgu now stands. Up to that time, Malta had been mentioned several times within literature, such as in Homer’s Odyssey in Greek Literature, in Cicero’s dramatic defence1 and in the writings of the poet Grattius Faliscus2, who wrote about coral-hunting in Malta during Roman times. The island was also mentioned in the writings of three Muslim poets3 who were either born here or brought up on the Island in the Middle Ages. Even though these writings did mention Malta, none of them were actually written here. This only happened when Peire Vidal was hosted here in 1204 -1205 by Count Enrico Pescatore. Vidal composed a number of songs glorifying his host, entourage and the land which welcomed him. These works can be said to have placed Malta on the cultural map of Europe almost as soon as Neo-Latin literature began to flourish. According to Professor Brincat, “the intrinsic value of these poems is very high whilst they became the very first poems written in Malta in a Romance Language.”4 In fact, the troubadours showed that it was possible to write poetry in a language other than Latin. Vidal’s fantastic poems, which reflected the poet’s own extraordinary and extravagant character, suited this new trend admirably. The works he composed here were expected to sing the praises of his host which he did accompanied by musicians, during and after banquets presided over by the Lord and Lady who had commissioned him. Peire was considered to be a great gossip and it is said that he had a sharp and slanderous tongue. It is also said that he might have taken part in the Third Crusade, criticising those who preferred home comforts to the perils of a long and arduous journey – although there are those who insist that this is what he himself did! What is for certain is that he did travel widely – visiting Italy, Spain, Hungary and Malta. Through his travels he gained influential patrons, including Richard the Lion-heart (Coeur de Lion). As an invariable gallant he saw many escapades – mostly romantic and sentimental, which he later expounded in his poems, notable for being very personal and making use of simple language.

Sadly, it seems that our country was the last place where Peire Vidal can be traced, having most probably died somewhere between Malta and Thessalonica in 1205/06. Vidal’s portrait in a 13th century chansonniere.

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

culture

Enrico Pescatore, Count of Malta

When the Normans conquered Sicily in 1091, they also acquired Malta. However, Roger I did not exile the Arabs who had governed the island for more than 200 years. Instead, he allowed them to rule over Malta in his place. It was only when Roger II came to the Sicilian throne in 1127 that he officially annexed Malta to the Sicilian reign. Under successive kings, Malta continued to live in relative peace until friction broke out between Tancredi, who had been crowned king in 1190 and Enrico VI who had married Costanza, daughter of Roger I to become the legitimate heir to the throne. In the meantime, Tancredi donated the island to Admiral Margarito da Brindisi in recognition of his valour and for fighting alongside him in the war against Enrico. When Tancredi died, his wife Sibilla did not oppose Enrico’s claims and it was thus that Enrico acquired the throne of Sicily. Malta however remained in the hands of Margarito’s heirs, including Enrico Pescatore’s wife. Pescatore was from Genova. He was an admiral and a pirate count, wielding great power in the Mediterranean which had become a theatre of war between the navies of Genova, Pisa and Venice. Enrico turned the island into an economic and military staging post. In 1204 Enrico Pescatore conquered Syracuse, later defeating the Venetian Navy in Tripoli and eventually attacking the Turks and the Saracens, even conquering Corfu` and Crete. Malta gained peace and economic growth during his rule and although practicing feudal laws, which today are considered intolerable, he was able to give the island a standard of living which was envied by bigger states and cities. His invitation to the best troubadour available proves his importance and standing in the Medieval era.

“Malta gained peace and economic growth during his rule”

References 1.Verrine, ii2, 176, 183; II4, 38-39, 103-4. 2. Bonanno A., Roman Malta, 1992, p25. 3. Amari M., Storia dei Musulmani di Sicilia, Catania 1933; Cassar Pullicino G., Kitba w Kittieba tal-Malti, I Malta 1962; Wettinger G., and Fsadni M., Peter Caxaro’s Cantilena Malta 1968. 4. Prof. Joseph Bonanno, The first Romance Poems Written in Malta, Sunday Times Of Malta, January 1998, pp 32-33.

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August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

cinema

August at the Movies By Mark Camilleri

Film of the month

The A-Team In a nutshell

A is for August. And for action, apparently. Leading the way this explosive month is the big screen adventure based on the hit TV series that ruled the 80s.

Why we’re hyped

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the series was so appealing, but the mix of action, comedy and four likeable misfits worked brilliantly. The theme song helped too, as did the black van with the red stripe (at least one replica of which can occasionally be seen on Maltese roads, possibly delivering bread). Running for five seasons, and rerun countless times on Italian afternoon TV, the series has seeped into popular consciousness, making the general idea well known even to those who’ve never sat through a single episode. Four Vietnam veterans, jailed for a crime they didn’t commit, break out and live on the run as ‘soldiers of fortune’ (whatever that means). “If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team” (cue music).

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Who’s in it?

Mr. T isn’t in it at all however, despite him still being around and active

The original cast were not asked to reprise their roles, but apparently have tiny cameos. Mr. T isn’t in it at all however, despite him still being around and active. However, the roles seem to have been wonderfully re-cast. Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Batman Begins) is Hannibal, the silver-haired leader of the pack. Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Valentine’s Day) is the sharply dressed womaniser Face, and Sharlto Copley (District 9) is the certifiably insane Murdock. Martial arts tough guy Quinton Jackson fills the delicate role of B.A. Baracus, and seems to have the look pegged, although the attitude will be a harder act to follow. Jessica Biel (The Illusionist) wades through the testosterone to add a much-needed feminine touch. The film was directed and partly written by Joe Carnahan, who previously gave us Narc and Smokin’ Aces. Veteran composer Alan Silvestri whipped up all the action music, including an obligatory adaptation of the instantly recognizeable theme music. This should be fun.

cinema

Other Releases: Salt

It’s sometimes tempting to dismiss Angelina Jolie’s acting talents because of how insanely attractive she is, but her roles have been varied and acclaimed over the years, and her output consistently successful. Here she stars as Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who is accused of being an undercover KGB agent. She must use her skills to stay on the run until she can clear her name, as the whole nation hunts her down. It’s sort of like the Bourne trilogy, but with a nicer silhouette

The Expendables In a nutshell

When I was a teenager, our local video rental store didn’t believe in organising shelves according to genre, or even alphabetically. Instead, they had a Bruce Willis shelf, a Schwarzenegger shelf, a Stallone shelf, and so on. Genius, I thought. The only problem is that they’d need at least three copies of this film.

Why we’re hyped

I doubt anyone is expecting any fine acting or masterful use of the English language here. But this promises to be bad, but in a good way. If you feel like a couple of hours with a grin plastered on your face, feeling like you’re in a mechanic’s garage in the early 90s browsing the posters while he changes your oil, this might do the trick. The title refers to a group of highly-dangerous mercenaries who are assigned to overcome a South American dictator. Or something like that.

Who’s in it?

The cast list reads like a who’s who of action heroes from the past twenty to thirty years. Sylvester Stallone gets top billing since this was his idea and he partly wrote the screenplay and directs it. Jason Statham, who has recently been very busy with the Transporter and Crank films, is one of the newer action guys on the list. Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, Hero, Lethal Weapon 4) adds some martial arts expertise to the arsenal, and veteran wrestler Steve ‘Stone Cold’ Austin adds some brute strength. Reborn star Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2, The Wrestler) and Dolph Lundgren, the towering Swedish brick wall who shot to fame as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, are also on board. Schwarzenegger comes out of retirement to play a cameo role, in a scene with probably the most accomplished of the cast, the inimitable Bruce Willis. Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme were both offered roles, but allegedly turned them down. Pity. This promises to be what popcorn and big screens were made for.

Knight and Day

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz reunite after their great work on Vanilla Sky, but this time there’s less talk and more action (as I mentioned, a recurring theme this month). As with Salt above, the Knight in question here is a secret agent with too many people chasing him. He bumps into a leggy blonde and as their attraction escalates, she becomes tangled in his worldwide action-packed manhunt. It’s a frequently used formula, but it often delivers the goods.

The Last Airbender

Audiences might be losing their patience with M. Night Shyamalan. After his excellent first few films, his last two were quite a mess - the weird The Happening, and the unsalvageable Lady in the Water. He now turns to material he hasn’t conceived of himself, and has chosen to adapt and direct the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The ‘avatar’ was dropped from the title for obvious reasons. It’s a fantasy adventure about a gifted but rather unsettling twelve-year old who has the ability to control all four elements. This could go either way.

Marmaduke

If you’re browsing through the action and looking for something to treat your children to (after taking them to see Toy Story 3, of course), your best bet this month is the accident prone Great Dane Marmaduke. Starting life as a comic strip, the crazy canine can now wreak havoc on the big screen, in what looks like a cross between Marley and Me and Scooby-Doo. All movies released locally by KRS www.MarksMovieMarks.com

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

eating & drinking

eats

Forty-four

Two Twenty-Two Rating:

222 Great Siege Road, Valletta T: 2733 3222

include a vast, if at times incongruous, selection of dishes. The chef, few years ago a plan was described to me by larger than life and most entertaining of manner, introduced himself someone who I regarded as something of as Richard. He claims to have worked with a host of famous a visionary. Barely out of his teens, he chefs around the world and treated the most famous rooms was already a successful retailer, an excellent in London, New York and Amsterdam to his culinary communicator and a wholly remarkable mine individual. Desmond described his plan to topped, quite treats. Living up to all this will be quite a feat. turn what was basically a tunnel in the unfairly I I turned up, accompanied by a most interesting Valletta bastions into the coolest of venues, one that Scotsman, for an early dinner with a rather would defy definition because it was more than a thought, with remarkable view. We sat on the upstairs terrace restaurant, a wine bar or a lounge and yet did all that divine duck where the view was deemed remarkable even by a with less fuss than either of them alone. The ambitious most interesting Scotsman. A lovely young lady by the project, aided and abetted by the creativity of Chris breast surname (honest truth ahead) of Goodenough took our Briffa and the use of some unprecedented structural orders and left us with a cue for a host of scholarly jibes that wizardry, bore the curiously named ‘Two twenty-two’. A cruel we quite naturally resisted. twist of fate led to the untimely passing of Des and he now caters for a host of more angelic patrons (who I’m sure are also better dressed My guest was easy to please provided the choice did not include any since his arrival). meat or fish. The chef sent up two lovely salads, both dressed to kill and mine topped, quite unfairly I thought, with divine duck breast. Two twenty-two has now passed on to new management and a new The Scotsman did not react to my decidedly better deal and tucked cast runs the show in the kitchen, too. The menu has changed to

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

eating & drinking

into the salad with little grunts of appreciation. So far, so good. We shared our appreciation for all things nerdy, politely expressing dissenting opinions about music and film (am I the only one to agree with Cronenberg casting Marilyn Chambers in Rabid?) and had even more heated debate my about our reading material.

a flavour as imposing as Gorgonzola to rib-eye but how was the man to know? Neither of us was deterred and we tucked in, happy with our food and the diversion it had caused.

massive rib-eye peeking out at us from its prosciutto crudo cocoon

Ms Goodenough put an end to our altercation, delivering our main courses and allowing the good man Richard to explain. My erstwhile colleague and current dining companion was pleased with the food displayed in front of him, a picture-perfect veggie stir-fry accompanied by coconut rice. He was less pleased with my massive rib-eye peeking out at us from its prosciutto crudo cocoon. Two species he would never consume sat proudly, wrapped in an intimate embrace. As I cut through, a creamy layer was revealed, the prosciutto having concealed a generous measure of melted Gorgonzola. This was an item that was not on the menu, one that Richard decided I might like. It turns out that I would never add

Totally satiated and happy to sit back and watch the sky turn an unnatural shade of indigo, I opted out of dessert while the Scotsman yielded to gentle pressure and allowed Richard to surprise him. The cheesecake he delivered had been lovingly made by his own hands and had set not more than an hour before our arrival. It took all the pride I could muster to refrain from going back on my word and begging for one.

We paid just over €30 each and that included several pints of beer and a couple of stiff drinks at the end of the meal. We were treated kindly, fed amply, and charged reasonably. If that is not a ‘Goodenough’ reason to return, I don’t know what is. Ed eats. That’s all he does. He accepts no invitations and turns up unannounced to keep this column free from bias. Readers of the column hardly ever agree with him and yet Ed eats on.

August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

events Sunset, Skywatching and Rural Life

Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park, Ghajn Tuffieha – August 13th, 18:45 till late

This event includes a walk through one of the park’s scenic trails at sunset, and a visit to an organic farm. Participants will be invited to taste local wines whilst enjoying the shooting stars gracing the sky on the night of the Perseid meteor showers (see page 10 for more information). They can also buy local food products from the Manikata Farmers Cooperative. Tickets cost €5 and can be booked by email on walks@ majjistral.org. The first 30 persons who book get a complimentary ticket courtesy of the Malta Tourism Authority. © Christian Falzon

St James Cavalier - Valletta - July 2nd to August 9th.

Opening Times: Monday & Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00, Wednesday to Friday 09:00 – 21:00, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 – 21:00.

Theatre

Sports

Culture & History

Sunday 1st Blood Donation Mobile Unit - near Parish Church - Marsascala - 08:30 to 13:30

www.majjistral.org

Annual Exhibition - Malta Photographic Society

Events The Great Farsons Beer Festival – Ta Qali Park – Ta Qali – 20:00

Exhibitions in August

Art & Crafts Exhibitions - Art Club 2000

Village Feast of the Annunciation – Balzan Village Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Fgura Village Feast of St. Joseph – Qala - Gozo

Ministry for Gozo Hall - Victoria, Gozo - July 31st to August 25th. Art Club 2000, St Publius Street – Mellieha - August 28th to September 8th.

Village Feast of Our Lady of Pompei – Marsaxlokk

Opening Times: Victoria: Monday to Friday 08:30 - 13:00. Mellieha: Monday to Sunday 18.00 - 22.00.

Village Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes – San Gwann

Pictures of the Floating World - (curated by) Heritage Malta

Gozo Area Exhibition Hall - St Martin’s Quarter, Cittadella, Gozo - August 6th to October 29th. Opening Times: Opening Times: 09:00 17:00 (last visit at 16.30hrs)

Village Feast of St. Dominic - Valletta Tuesday 3rd Rod Stewart Live in Concert – The Granaries – Floriana

After Caravaggio - (curated by) Olaug Vethale

Poetry Meeting by “Ilhna Poezija” – Gnien San Girgor – Zejtun – 19:00

Malta Maritime Musuem - Vittoriosa Waterfront, Vittoriosa - August 15th to September 18th.

Thursday 5th Delicata Wine Festival – Upper Barrakka Gardens - Valletta

Opening Times: 09:00 - 17:00 (last admission 16.30)

MIB Village Edition – Ghaxaq Ground – Ghaxaq – 21:00

Unframing Migrants photographic exhibition by Cassia Puekert

Friday 6th ABBA UK Live in Concert – Ghaxaq Ground – Ghaxaq – 20:30

Heritage Malta Head Office - Old University Buildings, Merchant Street, Valletta - August 16th to September 26th. Opening Times: Monday to Friday 09:00 -16:30 (last admission 16:00)

Village Feast of St. Peter – Birzebbugia

Village Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord – Lija

Delicata Wine Festival – Upper Barraka Gardens – Valletta

Clubbing

Music

Saturday 7th Faithless Live in Concert – Gianpula Fields - Rabat Delicata Wine Festival – Upper Barraka Gardens - Valletta Sunday 8th Blood Donation Mobile Unit – close to parish church – Dingli – 08:30 to 13:30 Village Feast of St. Lawrence – San Lawrenz – Gozo Village Feast of St. Gaetan – Hamrun Delicata Wine Festival – Upper Barraka Gardens – Valletta Lejla Mgarrija – Mgarr Parish Square – Mgarr – 19:00 Tuesday 10th Village Feast of St.Lawrence - Birgu Wednesday 11th Malta vs FYR Macedonia - National Football Team friendly match National Stadium - Ta’ Qali Thursday 12th UN World Youth Day - Various international events Friday 13th Sunset, Sky Watching and Rural Life – Majjistral Nature and History Park – 18:45 World Youth Day Event Kummissjoni Djocezana Zghazagh – Mgarr Square – Mgarr – 20:00 Saturday 14th Akon Live in Concert – Ta’ Qali Rabat - 19:00

Blood saves lives.

Please donate!

Blood Donation Centre in Guardamangia opens 7 days a week from 8am till 6pm.

More information may be obtained from: www.blood.gov.mt email: nbts@gov.mt Fixed line: 220 66 209 Mobile: 79 307 307

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

events

this month Fund Raising

Business Events

Kids & Family

Blood Donation Mobile Unit – Ghadira caravan site – Ghadira – 08:30 to 13:30 Sunday 15th Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady – National Holiday and Village feast in various localities (see Event of the Month on facing page) Blood Donation Mobile Unit – Ghadira caravan site – Ghadira – 08:30 to 13:30 Thursday 19th Ghajnsielem Fest – Ghajnsielem Friday 20th Ruby & Friends Boat Party – Captain Morgan Europa 2 Boat – The Strand – Sliema – 20:00 Saturday 21st Malta Summer Grand Carnival Weekend 2010 – Bugibba Main Square - Bugibba Sole Music Festival – Gozo Sunday 22nd Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady – Village feast in various localities (see Event of the Month on facing page) Malta Summer Grand Carnival Weekend 2010 – Bugibba Main Square – Bugibba – 19:30 Blood Donation Mobile Unit – next to Manikata church – Manikata – 08:30 to 13:30 Village Feast of St.Leonard – Kirkop Village Feast of St. Pius X – St. Lucija Village Feast of St. Helen – Birkirkara

Fairs

August 2010

Blood Drive

Village Feast of Our Lady Star of the Sea – Sliema Village Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes – Paola Exposed – Dance Production – Madliena Cottage – Madliena – 21:00 Saturday 28th PrideVille Goes Sexy Beach – Maya Beach Complex – Ghadira Bay – Mellieha – 16:00 to 00:00 Sunday 29th Blood Donation Mobile Unit – close to parish church – Siggiewi – 08:30 to 13:30 Village Feast of Our Lady of Loreto – Ghajsielem – Gozo

Village feasts galore!

Various localities in Malta & GozoSaturday

July

Sunday August 15th

The Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady is by far the most popular village feast, celebrated in no less than 10 different localities in Malta and Gozo.

Event of the month

It is also a national holiday, the remembrance of August 15th 1942, when war-torn Malta was saved by the arrival of merchant ships laden with supplies. They were the only survivors of a larger convoy of navy and merchant ships forming part of ‘Operation Pedestal’, a daring mission to provide much-needed food and oil supplies to the islands. Before reaching Malta, the convoy had to navigate through the fierce attacks of the enemy bombers, warships and submarines in the Mediterranean Sea. Hundreds of soldiers and sailors died and several navy and merchant ships were sunk or damaged beyond repair, but the few that made it to port provided enough supplies to boost the islands’ resources and the Maltese people’s morale during the country’s worst moments of World War II. The ‘Santa Maria Convoy’, as the mission is popularly known, went down in history as one of the greatest feats of the Allied forces during World War II. The anniversary of this historic event is marked with official ceremonies commemorating the fallen victims of World War II and the success of Operation Pedestal. The religious feast of the Assumption of Our Lady is also celebrated in Attard, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Mosta, Mqabba, Qrendi and Victoria (Gozo). The feast is celebrated a week later, on August 22nd, in Dingli, Mgarr and Zebbug (Gozo).

Village Feast of St. Julian – St. Julian’s Village Feast of Maria Regina – Marsa Village Feast of St. Joseph – Manikata Village Feast of St. Dominic Vittoriosa Village Feast of St. Bartholomew Gharghur Village Feast of St. Paul – Safi Opening of Wine Exhibition Kumitat Festi Esterni and Local Council – Qormi Gharb Day - Gharb Tuesday 31st Philatelic Meeting by “Filatelija Zejtun” – Zejtun Local Council - Zejtun

To include your events in this page email all the required details on claire@vida.com.mt or call 2339 2274, by Monday 9th August 2010.

‘ABBA UK’ Tribute Band Live in Concert

Ghaxaq Ground, Ghaxaq - Friday August 6th, 20.30 till late

After the hit film ‘Mamma Mia’ brought ABBA songs back to life, fans all over the world began to play them again. Maltese fans will get the opportunity to watch ‘ABBA UK’ Tribute Band, the 2009 Platinum award winner for Best ABBA Show. This event is being held in aid of Puttinu Cares. Mro. Joe Brown Band will also be entertaining the crowd with 60s and 70s hits. Entrance is free. So to all you Dancing Queens come and join an evening of fun for a good cause.

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August 2010 | Issue 08 | vida.com.mt

events

The Queen Mum of Pop Elton John - Live in Malta - September 26th

orn Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25th, 1947 in Pinner, Middlesex, Elton John taught himself to play the piano at four years old. Having been introduced to rock music by his mother Sheila, he went on to attend the London Academy of Music. The name ‘Elton John’ is actually a combination of the names of two members from his first band Bluesology. In 1968 he met Bernie Taupin, who would become his long-standing writing partner.

donating profits from his singles to charity, establishing the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992. At Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, he performed a new version of Candle in the Wind which sold more than thirty million copies upon its release. All profits from the single went to a charity established in Diana’s name. He was later knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his musical achievements and charitable contributions.

John has been referred to as the ‘Queen Mum of Pop’ because of his outrageous stage outfits and persona. His career took a nosedive in 1976 through a number of unsuccessful albums, drugs and a public statement of his bisexuality. In 1984 he married recording-studio worker Renate Blauel, a union which earned him much criticism from the British Press and ended in divorce less than five years later.

In 2001, John released Songs from the West Coast, which was commended as a return to his “1970s sound.” Three years later, Elton and his band started performing The Red Piano show at the Caesars Palace Colosseum in Las Vegas which proved immensely popular. On December 21st 2005, John married his long-term partner David Furnish at a civil ceremony held at 17th century Guildhall in Windsor, England. He will be releasing his new album, ‘The Union’, in October.

In the first years of the 90s, John was treated for alcoholism, drug abuse and bulimia. He announced his homosexuality and started

Quick Quotes “The great thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star.” [About Madonna] “Anyone who lip-synchs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot. That’s me off her Christmas card list. But do I give a toss? No.” “I’ve always wanted to smash a guitar over someone’s head. You just can’t do that with a piano.” “I’ve dodged so many bullets. Not just because of unsafe sex, but because of the amount of drugs I did, the amount of alcohol, the amount of work I was doing. I started the Elton John AIDS Foundation because I got so lucky.” “The singles chart is not one I’m going to be in very often any more, so my view is to make records that fit my age.”

vida.com.mt | Issue 08 | August 2010

Elton John is returning to Malta for a concert at the Granaries in Floriana on September 26th. He will be performing alongside Ray Cooper, who has shared the stage with a number of the world’s best artists. Tickets starting from €35 are available from all Vodafone, Agenda and Exotique outlets or from www.nngpromotions.com.

WIN

Answer our question and you can be the lucky winner of 2 VIP tickets to watch Elton John Live in Concert! What is your favourite Elton John hit? And why? Send your answers by email to win@vida.com.mt by no later than Tuesday August 10th, 2010. (Last month’s NNG competition winners are listed on page 53.)

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