www.sundaycircle.com
Interview
AUGUST 2013 – ISSUE NO. 224
WHO THE HECK?
MEET RED ELECTRICK See page 28
Lucrezia PIAGGIO
Spotlight THE JOBLESS GENERATION
An in-depth look at Youth Unemployment See page 14
Exclusive
The Italian actress on her life in front of the camera, graduating as a lawyer – and following her heart all the way to Malta See page 6
PLUS
EATING OUT SPECIAL EDITION: YOUR LEADING RESTAURANT GUIDE Free inside this month’s issue of Sunday Circle
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BAG E I D GOO ONATauEse &D od c 9 a go age 1 to
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CONTENTS INTERVIEWS
YOUR
LEADIN
G RES
TUARAN
T GUI
EATING OUT PULL-OUT EDITION 2013
6 LEGALLY BLONDE
WIN GREAT PRIZES
10 IN SAFE HANDS
DE
Don’t miss the Sunday Circle Eating Out 2013 pullout with this month’s edition, featuring lots of great reviews of some of Malta’s top restuarants and many fantastic prizes to be won
Italian actress Lucrezia Piaggio speaks to Martina Said about her life in front of the camera, graduating as a lawyer – and following her heart all the way to Malta
LUXURY
FEATURES
True to authentic Italian style and craftsmanship, Marco Bicego jewellery is the ultimate definition of accessible luxury
The veterinary profession in Malta is at a difficult crossroads. Philip Leone-Ganado meets the men keeping our animal companions hale and hearty
SOCIETY
SUNDAYCIRCLE.COM & SUNDAY CIRCLE COMPETITIONS* 19
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14 THE JOBLESS GENERATION
Youth unemployment is back in the news. How can it not be? It’s affecting more than 5.6 million people in Europe...
MUSIC
23 TENOR BOY
Martina Said meets Cliff Zammit Stevens, Malta’s up-andcoming-tenor who is already winning over audiences with his larger-than-life personality and passion for opera
28 BAND OF BROTHERS
Katryna Storace meets five-piece band Red Electrick, who are bringing a dash of colour to the local music scene
TECHNOLOGY * Please be sure to include your email address and mobile number in your entries. Whenever you enter one of our competitions, your contact details will automatically be added to our mailing list to receive our promotional material and latest offers. Kindly indicate if you do not want to receive this information.
42
33 THE DIGITAL CURRENCY
Following the setting up of the first and only hedge-fund for the digital currency in Malta, Philip Leone-Ganado looks into the phenomenon that is the Bitcoin
39 DROPS OF OPULENCE ART
42 ARTISTS ON A JOURNEY
Good friends Ryan Falzon and Sabrina Calleja Jackson speak to Martina Said about their latest artistic project that saw a historic windmill transformed into an art space
HEALTH & BEAUTY
46 GOING DIGITAL
Dental and Implant Surgeon Jean Paul Demajo on the art of digital dentistry
TRAVEL
52 SAIL TO SICILY
The island of Sicily is just a stone’s throw away – with its magical waters, delicious cuisine and beautiful landscape, it holds something for everyone
REGULARS
5 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR 20 C BEAUTY | 49 PAPARAZZI
SHOPPING
56 HI TECH | 58 FOOD & DRINK
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: Katryna Storace, the editor, Sunday Circle, Network Publications Ltd, Level 2, Angelica Court, Guzeppi Cali Street, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX 1425, or email: katryna@ networkpublications.com.mt. The editor reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and where space is limited. For advertising enquiries email: renee@networkpublications.com.mt or call: 2131 6326/7/8. Artworks should be sent to: martinau@networkpublications.com.mt. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in the Sunday Circle are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor and publishers cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome, but cannot be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The editor is not responsible for material submitted for consideration. The Sunday Circle is printed by Progress Press and distributed free with The Sunday Times every month.
The 2013
Bank of Valletta 26-29 September
VENUE: BOILER’S WHARF, SENGLEA Newly Refurbished
OPENING:
BOAT SHOW MALTA 2013
Thursday 26 Friday 27 Saturday 28 Sunday 29
18 00 - 22 00 18 00 - 22 00 10 00 - 13 00 & 17 00 - 22 00 10 00 - 21 00
FEATURING: Over 70 Exhibitors Product Launches Marine NGOs Live Entertainment
Contact Eric for more info on 7925 9627 or eric@circleeventsmalta.com
Boat / Yacht Sales Boat Chartering Fashion Shows Children’s Area
A word from
the editor As August scorches on, here at Sunday Circle we’ve prepared a sizzling hot summer issue jampacked with fresh content for your enjoyment – whether you’re reading this from your deckchair on the beach, or from the comfort of your air-conditioned room. Meet budding star, Lucrezia Piaggio, our cover girl this month, who has recently relocated to Malta to be with her love of three years; and Cliff Zammit Stevens, Malta’s very own tenor boy making it big in the UK.
On a more serious note, we take a look at the youth unemployment crisis currently hanging over Europe, and the rise of the digital currency: the Bitcoin. Other stories this month include an interview with the boys of local band, Red Electrick, and a feature on the Xarolla windmill that has recently been converted into an open art studio. Inside this issue you will also find a pull-out of our annual Eating Out Special Edition, which makes the perfect guide book to some of Malta and Gozo’s hottest bars and eateries. The August issue brings with it the sense of an ending: for me, at least. This will be my last issue as editor of Sunday Circle. These have been two intense and colourful years working alongside some of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting: journalists, editors, designers... All the while, I have learnt a thousand valuable lessons that I will carry with me into the future. And so, from here, onwards...
THIS MONTH ON THE COVER PUBLISHER John Formosa Network Publications Ltd www.sundaycircle.com
Interview
AUGUST 2013 – ISSUE NO. 224
Renée Micallef Decesare
WHO THE HECK?
MEET RED ELECTRICK See page 28
Lucrezia PIAGGIO
Spotlight THE JOBLESS GENERATION
An in-depth look at Youth Unemployment See page 14
Exclusive
The Italian actress on her life in front of the camera, graduating as a lawyer – and following her heart all the way to Malta See page 6
PLUS
PUBLICATION & SALES MANAGER
EATING OUT SPECIAL EDITION: YOUR LEADING RESTAURANT GUIDE Free inside this month’s issue of Sunday Circle
COVER PERSONALITY
EDITORIAL Katryna Storace EDITOR
Martina Said ASSISTANT EDITOR
Philip Leone-Ganado IN W tastic a fan
AG DIE B GOO NATEe O caus &D od a go e 19 to
see pag
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ART & DESIGN Sarah Scicluna Jessica Camilleri
Lucrezia Piaggio
SALES & MARKETING
COVER PHOTO
Marisa Schembri
Steve Muliett PHOTOGRAPHY
Chantal Busuttil www.cbmakeupandsfx.com MAKE-UP
Martina Said
ART DIRECTION
FEATURES SALES MANAGER
Sasha Miceli Demajo SUPPLEMENTS SALES MANAGER
Jessica Borg SUPPLEMENTS SALES COORDINATOR
Martina Urso SALES ADMINISTRATOR
cover story
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Sunday Circle | August 2013
LEGALLY LEGALLY BLONDE BLONDE P hotograPhy
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August 2013 | Sunday Circle 7
cover story
A
s a young girl, Lucrezia Piaggio had no intention of becoming an actress. A stroke of luck, as it were, landed her in a completely unanticipated role – one she had never dreamed of – leading to a series of fortunate events that would eventually bring her to Malta. I meet the young Italian beauty who, in the blistering August heat, looks fresh-faced and youthful with her sparkling blue eyes and broad smile. And in spite of her thick Italian accent, which she willingly pokes fun at, she makes an honest job of conversing in English. She takes me back to her first acting job – one that, in her own words, “simply happened.” “I was at an airport leaving Morocco and a photographer approached my mother and asked her if he could take pictures of me. I was 12 at the time and my mother wasn’t sure she could trust him.” Lucrezia’s mother, a dentist by profession, turned the photographer down, burying the opportunity, only for him to call again sometime later, asking her to reconsider. After much thought, they gave it go – and today, Lucrezia and the photographer who scouted her share a close friendship.
You can feel on top of the world one day and down the next – there are lots of insecurities with this job
At age 12, she modelled school bags in childrelated commercials. Only three years later, some pictures landed in the capable hands of a cinema agent who invited her to undergo a few castings. She eventually landed her first film role in 2002 – a lead role playing the main actor Massimo Boldi’s daughter, Lorella, in Natale sul Nilo (Christmas on the Nile). “This film was considered important in Italy, released once a year at Christmas time, so it was a great opportunity for me. We spent one month filming in Madrid and one month in Egypt, and I fell in love with the job. I then started studying acting, and it became my dream...” she says, adding, “I was lucky though.” She has since gone on to work on other films, namely Natale a 4 Zampe and Il Soffio dell’ Anima, a host of commercials, as well as TV series such as I Cesaroni and I Fratelli Benvenuti. Transforming into an entirely different person for a film role is what she loves so much about acting. “It is my passion to wake up in the morning, go on set and become someone else. I enjoy studying and getting to know the background of a character, and especially enjoy roles that are different from who I really am – such as a criminal, for example,” she explains. One of her most challenging roles to date, however, was that of “Luna” in a romantic drama film based
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Sunday Circle | August 2013
interview on a true story, Il Soffio dell’ Anima. “The producers were husband and wife – and also the main characters in the film. I played the wife and enjoyed getting to know her, spending time with her and studying her for a long time. It is a beautiful love story and it was a joy to play her part.” While the world of films hasn’t yet ceased to thrill the young actress, Lucrezia admits there are downsides to the job. “You can feel on top of the world one day and down the next – there are lots of insecurities with this job because you never really know when you’ll get work. You need to have a backup plan.” Her “back-up plan”, in fact, took shape when she began to attend University to study law – a course which she recently graduated in. She says she never harboured a desire to become a lawyer, but wanted to enter a profession that would make her “useful” to society. How did she keep up with acting and studying at the same time? “There were times when I’d be working really hard and times when I’d have no work at all, so I had to take the opportunities that came my way. But It was difficult doing both and hard to separate the two. Acting is very intense and sometimes, I would go home at night still pumping from a day on set, so it wasn’t easy to study.” In spite of everything, however, she made it to the end of her studies – and to our shores. What brought her here? “I came to Malta for love,” she says without hesitation, “– I met my boyfriend on a film set five years ago, where he was working behind the scenes. We fell in love and after living together in Italy for three years, we decided to move to Malta.” Lucrezia grew up in a small town in Rome, Santa Marinella, and was raised in a tight-knit unit of her own that emphasised the value of family. She says that family is paramount to her and would willingly put everything else aside to put her family first – including starting one of her own. She recognised the importance of honouring this value from her early acting days too: “Family is important in this job and my parents have always helped me – it is the most wonderful job in the world but it could be dangerous. Not everyone has good intentions.” With a heap of achievements behind her, at 27, Lucrezia has reached the proverbial crossroads and is unsure of her next move. She would like to try her hand at acting locally, although her inability to speak Maltese – so far, at least – keeps her back. “Thinking about the future can be troubling – there are no excuses now that I’ve finished studying and graduated. But I believe that sometimes, opportunities just happen and things fall into place. Right now though, I’m on holiday and trying not to think about it,” she jokes. Just like her first acting job that was a matter of chance and luck, there’s no doubt that countless opportunities lie ahead. Her love of cinema, photography and art promise to take her places, even if she hasn’t found her direction just yet: “The best part of life is waking up in the morning and doing something that you like,” she reflects; “I don’t know what yet –but something will happen. August 2013 | Sunday Circle 000
Masthead feature
July 2013 2013 000 10 Sunday Circle | August
feature
In Safe
HanDS
It’s made remarkable strIdes In recent years, but the veterinary profession in Malta is at a difficult crossroads. PhiliP leone-Ganado meets the men keePinG our animal comPanions hale and hearty
Thirty years ago, when many of Malta’s most experienced vets were still taking their very first steps into the profession, there were only three animal doctors on the whole island. Today, there are 60, working in private clinics, government departments and shared practices, looking out for everything from cats and dogs, to tortoises and snakes, and pigs and cows on farms. “When I started out, it was mostly about food-producing animals,” says Victor Vassallo, president of the Malta Veterinary Association (MVA). “Today the people looking after pets are constantly increasing, but there aren’t enough vets for large animals.” Trudging around muddy farms taking care of cows may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of vets, but everything to do with food production involves a vet at some stage in the process. “It’s what I call romantic vet work,” says Trevor Zammit of the San Frangisk Animal Welfare Centre, who worked for years with farming co-operatives before entering private practice. “You’re up very early in the morning,
seeing to 200 cows a day: administering medicine, helping them to give birth. It’s very hard and very smelly work, but it’s incredibly satisfying.” Even away from farms, the life of a vet is nothing if not varied. “Animals come in and we need to make them better,” says Victor. “There’s nowhere else for them to be sent. So we do a bit of everything: dentistry, gynaecology, orthopaedics – whatever’s needed.” And while you’d think that working with patients who have no means of telling you what’s wrong with them would present a unique challenge, it’s actually the owners that prove hardest to deal with. “Animals are the easy part; you read them like an open book,” he laughs. “But you need incredible people skills if you’re going to make it as a vet.” In fact, the most common ailment vets have to deal with is not what you might expect. “Definitely obesity,” says Victor. “People think fat animals are cute, but for us, it’s a disease. The problems it leads to are huge: diabetes, liver disease, arthritis...” August 2013 | Sunday Circle 11
Masthead feature It’s not malice, of course, that leads anyone to over-feed their pet, but people are quite often unaware of what their animals need. For example, summer often sees a rise in animals needing treatment between overheating or dehydration, and open doors and windows adding to the numbers of animals being hit by cars or falling from heights. Lack of awareness is particularly problematic when it comes to exotic pets, Trevor explains, a broad category which for vets includes nearly anything that’s not a cat or a dog: fish, tortoises, reptiles, chinchillas – even insects and giant snails. “It’s difficult for these animals to get diseases because they’re often kept alone, so a lot of the problems we face have to do with management: things like temperature, humidity, and nutrition. Animals can’t ask for what they need, so everything depends on the knowledge of the owners, and owners often become knowledgeable only when it’s too late.” That “too late” remains the hardest part of a vet’s work. “Telling an owner you can’t do anything more for their pet never gets easier,” says Victor. “Sometimes owners come in expecting the worst – sometimes they don’t. Pets are part of the family; they make their presence felt. It’s very hard when suddenly they’re no longer with you.” Adds Trevor: “You can’t run a hospital without a box of tissues handy.” He believes that something like the mandatory dog licences in Denmark – not with the purpose of identification, but a way of adequate knowledge and responsibility to care for an animal – could dramatically improve the wellbeing of our pets, and put the emphasis back on protection and prevention, alongside care. At the welfare centre in Ta’ Qali, in fact, education is a large part of the work being done: symposia are organised for the general public and for school children, and a large number of veterinary students come to the centre for work experience, from places as far-flung as Poland, Brazil, and Colombia. “We have a higher volume of animals than is the average for European hospitals [some 40 are hospitalised at any one time] so they get a lot of hands-on experience, and they get to see things they wouldn’t see at another hospital.” The existence of a fully-staffed hospital offering 24-hour treatment and July 2013 2013 000 12 Sunday Circle | August
hospitalisation for sick animals is testament to how far the profession has come. There are now more vets and clinics in Malta – and more expertise – than ever before. And yet a stumbling block still looms: because now, the limit on further progress is not knowledge – it’s money. “People come in with a lot of expectations, but they don’t realise how much an MRI or CT scan actually costs,” says Victor. “It’s a vocational profession, but you have to make a living somehow.” The broader economic situation inevitably proves a hindrance in itself. When people are unemployed or struggling to make ends meet, medicine and treatment for their animals begins to seem like an unaffordable luxury. This is by no means a uniquely Maltese situation. Surveys in the US have shown that practices which have invested heavily in new equipment have struggled while those investing in marketing and advertising are thriving. As a result, chains of veterinary hospitals have emerged as part of massive complexes incorporating groomers, kennels and anything else your pet might need. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing,” says Victor. “When things become corporate the driving force becomes profit, and you lose that human element.” In contrast, most clinics in Malta are still run by the vets who own them, with some now coming together in shared practices to split the risk and investment. “At heart, we’re fixers. We like to be given a problem and fix it. When advertising becomes the focus, there’s always the temptation to entice people with things they don’t really need.” But if the veterinary profession is going to keep developing, the resources have to come from somewhere. Pet insurance – recently introduced in Malta and quickly gaining popularity – is one very promising possibility. “In other countries it’s pumped a lot of money into the profession,” says Victor. “Just like human health insurance allowed the opening of private hospitals and clinics, it would allow us to invest in new equipment and carry out new procedures.” In the years to come, we can expect to see greater specialisation, and maybe even the emergence of specialised referral clinics, while the will and enthusiasm to offer everbetter service and ever-more advanced procedures remains undimmed. The future well-being of our pets and animal companions, it seems, is in safe hands.
Sliema, Saint Anne Square Valletta, Merchant Street Tel: 22584434 www.diesel.com.
SOCIETY
THE JOBLESS GENERATION 14 Sunday Circle | August 2013
SOCIETY
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IS BACK IN THE NEWS. HOW CAN IT NOT BE? IT’S AFFECTING MORE THAN 5.6 MILLION PEOPLE IN EUROPE... W ords
In Malta, the scale of the problem is nowhere near the dire reality in Spain or Greece, where around 60 per cent of young people are unemployed. Yet still, 16.1 per cent – and rising – were without a job in January 2013, as opposed to just 6.4 per cent among the general public. That translates to 5000 young people out of education and training, and nearly half dependent on social services.
BEYOND THE FIGURES For young people, the step into the job market can be extremely difficult. The familiar Catch-22 – needing experience to get a job, but needing a job to get experience – ultimately reflects the reluctance that many companies have to hiring young workers with less skill and experience, as opposed to people with an established track record elsewhere. Job mobility may be on the increase, which is most certainly welcome, but where does it leave those without a foot on the ladder? Unemployment figures may not be telling the whole story. For example, approximately 14 million people in France alone are not technically considered unemployed, but are nonetheless without a job – it’s just
P hiliP l eone -G anado
that they’ve given up on looking. In Malta, where the cost of living and the tendency of young people to live at home for longer makes it relatively easier to survive without a full-time wage, this category should not be far from our minds. And what of the many who, through no choice of their own, are on short-term or part-time contracts?
“ IN MALTA, THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM IS NOWHERE NEAR THE DIRE REALITY IN SPAIN OR GREECE
“
According to Eurostat figures, more than 5.6 million people, or 23.5% of the under-25 labour force, are jobless across Europe, while youth unemployment in the Eurozone is even higher at 24.4 per cent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has referred to it as Europe’s most pressing problem, warning of the possibility of the euro crisis spawning a ‘lost generation’: young, highly-educated people entering a market that offers them very little hope.
by
Crucially, what of the highly-educated university graduates working in jobs far below their skills and qualifications? A 2011 OECD study estimated that as many as 25 per cent – 65 million – people in the EU may be overqualified. It may seem churlish to complain about not having the job you want when so many don’t have a job at all, but underemployment is just as pernicious a problem as actual unemployment: experts estimate that the EU is missing out on tens of billions of euros every year from unrealised economic output.
UNDEREMPLOYED & UNDERVALUED In a sense, this waste of potential feels like the worst part of the crisis: this should be the dawn of Malta’s most educated and enfranchised generation, globally connected and ready to change everything. University graduation figures, while still lagging behind EU averages, continue to bloom, and new opportunities for international mobility have led to a huge wave of young people venturing abroad to read for postgraduate degrees. Yet for many, while the path to higher education has been made easier than ever before, graduating with a Masters degree or PhD is now inevitably accompanied by a sinking sense of: what now? It would be hard to gather detailed statistics on the number of graduates in jobs unsuited to their qualifications. By way of example, a 2012 tracer study of graduates from the Faculty of Arts found that while 76.7 per cent were in full time employment, only 62.9 per cent felt that their job matched their expectations. This is particularly relevant within the context of an earlier study by the Student Advisory Services in 2004, which found that 40 per cent of graduates were engaged in employment which did not require their qualifications. The best that could be said for them was that the actual experience of obtaining a qualification – any qualification – had served as an asset in their job hunt. The stories are easier to come by: graduates – and anyone who has spent any time with them – know the problem is not being overstated. One person I spoke to, having obtained a Masters degree in the humanities from a major UK university, and after months of looking, could only
August 2013 | Sunday Circle 15
SOCIETY find a job here in Malta after applying for a number of vocational correspondence courses in a field completely unrelated to her years of advanced study. Another Masters graduate told me he returned from abroad only to find that the best job available to him was the very same job he had held as an 18-year-old, before starting his first degree.
THE RISE OF THE INDIGNADO Ironically, more people are returning to university for further degrees as a result: better to study and feel as if you’re achieving something than to slave away at a dead-end job, or suffer the humiliation of continual rejection from the sort of jobs you are best equipped for. And yet that could just perpetuate the cycle. You can’t blame the generation of indignados (that visceral Spanish term for the outraged) for feeling that they’ve been had. At worst, they’re actively paying for a situation created by their parents’ generation; at best they were simply promised a state of affairs – and instilled with a set of priorities – that is completely out-of-step with today’s realities. Cynicism, resentment, anxiety and depression are all common consequences of long-term underemployment. “The effects are much longerterm than people think,” says Daniel Feldman, who has written books examining the phenomenon. “Even after people get re-employed in better jobs, they still don’t devote the same level of organizational commitment. They always keep looking over their shoulder for a better deal.” So who’s to blame? Where do we go from here? Certainly the idea of a mismatch between degrees and the needs of the market, as suggested by the director general of the Malta Employers Association recently, is no myth. For example, while Malta has the highest proportion of students in the arts and humanities of any European country (18.1 per cent), yet only 9.4 per cent are studying engineering, manufacturing and construction, and only 1.2 per cent are in courses related to the service industry. But that is little consolation for those already struggling in the job market. Now, the EU has set aside €6 billion for a youth unemployment reduction programme, focusing on countries where the rate exceeds 25 per cent. Locally, meanwhile, a €2 million plus initiative set to be launched next year aims to guarantee that every single young person is in education, training or employment. Yet these schemes risk faltering at the blocks if they do not recognise – as many have so far failed to – the importance of ensuring not just employment, but adequate employment. And if that happens, then the promise of an entire generation might just be relegated to the realm of the frustrated might-have-been. 16 Sunday Circle | August 2013
“MORE PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO UNIVERSITY FOR FURTHER DEGREES: BETTER TO STUDY AND FEEL AS IF YOU’RE ACHIEVING SOMETHING”
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We thank our readers for their generous donations last July to the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation, which was a real success! Find out more by logging on to sundaycircle.com for last month’s winners.
WIN A GOODIE BAG & GIVE TO CHARITY * How? Choose one of these three payment options to participate and you could win yourself an incredible bag of treats. Each entry must be a minimum of €2.33 (one entry) and a maximum of €4.66 (two entries)
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1. SAMSONITE DAY TRIP
2. TWO FERRY TICKETS TO SICILY
3. €300 VOUCHER AT THE SICILIA OUTLET VILLAGE
4. VERY IRRÉSISTIBLE GIVENCHY: L’INTENSE
Its sleek contemporary design combines lightness with strength, while its diverse colour palette gives it a wider appeal. Samsonite quality guaranteed, Day Trip comes with a five-year worldwide warranty. In case of space shortage, the expand ability feature offers substantial extra capacity – €99.
Escape to Sicily aboard Virtu Ferries for a wonderful break on this neighbouring island. For more information about Sicily and places to visit, see page 52.
€300 worth of vouchers to be spent at the fantastic outlets of Sicilia Outlet Village, including Gucci, CK Jeans, Desigual, Lacoste and Adidas. To read more about the Sicilia Outlet Village go to page 52. www.siciliaoutletvillage.it
Dabbed delicately onto the pulse points, the sensuous texture of this unforgettable fragrance brings forth the full elegance of its floralchypre-musky trail – 30 ml Eau De Parfum €60.
THIS MONTH’S CHARITY: THE LADYBIRD FOUNDATION
The Ladybird Foundation was set up as a NGO in April 2012 with the aim of realising the dreams of terminally, critically or seriously ill children. Some of the wishes we’ve been able to grant so far include trips with the family to Euro Disney, Germany and Old Trafford. Each wish costs around €4,000 and funds are always needed to continue making dreams come true. For more information visit www.theladybirdfoundation.org
THE NIVEA 5X5 CHALLENGE
The Ladybird Foundation is planning the massive Nivea 5X5 challenge on 22 September 2013, which will see five teams each with five ordinary people attempting grueling endurance feats in five different disciplines on the same day. Participants will run, cycle, walk, swim or kayak around Malta. The aim is to collect €100,000. More information on the challenge and how you can help is available on TheLadybirdFoundation Facebook page.
August 2013 | Sunday Circle 19
*Winner will be drawn by lot. Closing date 30 August
SUNDAY CIRCLE IS GIVING AWAY FOUR FANTASTIC PRIZES TO ONE LUCKY READER THIS MONTH, WHILE HELPING OUT A CHARITY CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS – HAVE YOU DONATED YET?
BEAUTY FOREVER BEAUTIFUL Let’s face it: we all wish our make-up to last longer. Diego Dalla Palma and Chemimart have recently launched the new parabens-free 2013/2014 Autumn Winter Timeless Collection: a first for Diego Dalla Palma, and an innovation for the industry. The Timeless Collection is a gorgeous range of make-up, featuring the following products among many others: A compact foundation with sun protection –gives a natural, even and radiant colour while covering minor imperfections of the face. An eye pencil – with a medium-soft, comfortable consistency that adds intensity to the eyes. A matte lip gloss – with pure colour that leaves lips soft for a subtle and comfortable final effect. A nail varnish – with a new, professional formulation that is ultra-technological and ultra-performing, for brilliant colour. The collection is available in a limited range of colours that capture the mood of the upcoming Autumn/Winter season, on shelves in September. Diego Dalla Palma is exclusively distributed by Chemimart | Tel: 2149 2212.
ALL YOUR SKIN’S NEEDS Skinactive14 is the new day and night regime from Skin Doctors containing a potent mix of active ingredients to treat 14 universal skin ageing problems, from dry and dehydrated skin, deep wrinkles, plump sagging and fragile skin, to uneven skin tone and enlarged pores. Skinactive14 intense day cream also includes SPF 15 to protect against UVA and UVB. In a trial survey carried out on 200 consumers using Skinactive14 for 28 days, 96 per cent claimed to have increased hydration in the skin, while 90 per cent noticed a visibly more even skin tone. The majority also observed less wrinkles and visibly more radiant skin. Skinactive14 intense day cream and Skinactive14 regenerating night cream can be applied to face and neck on clean skin every morning and evening respectively.
THE SCIENCE OF YOUTH Skin Doctors has launched YouthCellTM: a revolutionary anti-ageing skincare range combining the best that nature and science have to offer. The range includes Youth Activating Cream, a daily moisturiser for the face and Youth Activating Eye Cream, used to accelerate the anti-ageing process around the delicate eye area. YouthCell includes PhytoCellTecTM, a novel plant stem cell technology which harnesses the power of a rare Swiss apple. YouthCellTM also includes three patented antiageing peptides: Matrixyl 3000, Renovage and Chronodyn. This powerful combination works not only at a cellular level to “teach” the skin how to be young again, but also on the skin’s surface to treat the already visible signs of ageing. Skin Doctors is exclusively distributed by Chemimart Ltd. | Tel: 2149 2212. 20 Sunday Circle | August 2013
AGEING GRACEFULLY Don’t fight ageing – love your skin and age beautifully. Purchase your Environ Ageing Well Gift Collection during August. Each collection boxed-set contains a 30 ml Ionzyme Focus Hydrating Serum; 30 ml Intensive Colostrum Gel; 5 ml Ionzyme C-Quence Eye Gel; Intensive Hydrating Oil Capsules x10; and 10 ml Evenescence C-Boost. Each pack also includes The Beauty of Ageing Booklet published by Marie Claire for only €89, with a value of over €168. While stocks last. For your nearest Environ stockist please phone 2131 3208 or 9929 2388.
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MUSIC
TENOR BOY WHOEVER SAID THE OPERA WAS FOR OLDIES? MEET CLIFF ZAMMIT STEVENS, MALTA’S UP-AND-COMING TENOR WHO AT 24 IS ALREADY WINNING OVER AUDIENCES WITH HIS LARGER-THAN-LIFE PERSONALITY AND PASSION FOR OPERA
W ords P hotograPhy
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August 2013 | Sunday Circle 23
music
When young and upcoming tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens was approached by British producers to play the lead role of “Alfredo” two years ago, in the famed Giuseppe Verdi opera, La Traviata, he was both humbled and confused. It was his first job as well as his dream role, but – tempted as he was – Cliff followed the advice of his trusted tutors and turned it down. Only recently did he come to terms with the decision, after realising that the demanding role would have most likely damaged his voice. “Letting go of my dream role was tough, but in a way I’m glad I did because I wasn’t prepared for it,” he says. “If you rush your career in this field, it won’t last long.” He has since gone on to perform at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London and in a master class for Robert Sutherland, the ex-accompanist of world-renowned soprano, Maria Callas. Last year, he enjoyed great feedback for his recital held at the Office of the Prime Minister at Castille. His career, it seems, is on the right course. Having recently graduated with a first class honours from the Royal College of Music in London, and close to completing a Master’s 24 Sunday Circle | August 2013
programme from the same College, Cliff is ready to put all his hard work into action. But the hard part, he believes, is yet to come. Cliff’s enthusiasm for music sprouted at a young age, encouraging him to attend a local musical theatre arts school. His first major role was the Lion in The Wizard Oz, aged 11 – an experience that sparked his love for the stage and performing. When did he turn his attention to opera? “My teacher, Gillian Zammit, approached me after a performance and encouraged me to take voice more seriously,” he explains. “But I loved musical theatre and wasn’t sure I wanted to start out in opera so young, as I was aware that straining the voice early on with the demands of opera could lead to problems later.” After much consideration, however, Cliff followed his teacher’s advice, beginning formal training with her at 14, eventually auditioning at the Royal College of Music. “People told me I was being too ambitious, but I kept my motto in mind: dreaming is succeeding.” Following the news of his acceptance into the College, Cliff made the much-anticipated move to London.
People told me I was being too ambitious, but I kept my motto in mind: dreaming is succeeding
“
“
“I was 19 at the time and happy in my job here, but within the first month of being in London, I completely fell in love with opera,” he says. “I have no musical background and it isn’t something that runs in my family either, so when I got there and was exposed to so many incredible things – coaches, professors, libraries – I took it all in.” Moving to a big city with little experience was daunting at first. But Cliff is not one to shy away and he was that much more determined to prove his worth. “I always managed to come first in my year in final recitals so something good was coming out of it,” he jokes. He adds that personal experiences growing up helped mould his character into what it is today, helping him deal with the pressures of the industry and with difficult people who have tried to break his spirit. “Growing up alone and raised by a single mother was difficult on me; seeing families around you and people enjoying a different life to yours makes you realise something is missing,” he says. “But it’s all made me a stronger person – this whole journey has been an experience.”
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appreciate it,” he says. “I always make sure they come to my recitals anyway,” he adds somewhat cheekily.
I’ve never questioned what I’m studying – it is what I want to do and I will keep working to make it for as long as I can
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MUSIC
Opera is arguably a genre of music often associated with older generations, and it isn’t that common for a 24-year-old to be passionate about it. Does he think opera could find an audience in younger people or is there a generation gap too wide to close? “Opera is often regarded as old, elite and difficult to understand – but if people can see how powerful classical music is, they will appreciate it more,” he explains. “There are so many elements that need to come together when performing opera – the musicians, the composers, the singers – because the performance is always live with an orchestra. The composers were simply geniuses,” he adds. He considers the first big step is actually making the effort to attend an opera – “I can understand people not liking the music as a genre but the attitude can be changed with a growing number of young artists who attract people their age and older too.” While this “generation gap” is not as strongly felt in London – Cliff explains that scores of young, talented people are trying to make it there in the classical industry – there is room for greater open-mindedness on our island. “People have this image of a big lady and an old man singing opera, but that scene is changing. All my close Maltese friends were not into it, but hearing me perform and talk about it, they’ve learned to
Six years after his move to London, and on the brink of completing his studies, Cliff is setting his sight on a job with an opera house. “It is a perfect opportunity,” he says, “because you get paid while at the same time you get more tuition and perform with leading singers and performers of the moment.” Meanwhile, Cliff is enjoying work with a small yet inventive touring opera company – PopUp Opera – dedicated to making opera more accessible to and enjoyable for the public. He says that working while studying is an absolute must to get by due to financial pressures. “Money is an issue while studying abroad – there was a time last year when I was really low on money and lost my voice because of the stress. It can be very tough,” he says. Did he ever question his decision to move abroad for a career in opera? “I’ve never questioned what I’m studying – it is what I want to do and I will keep working to make it for as long as I can,” he says. “But I do question where I’m living. I’ve learned a lot here, but I’d like to try out in different countries too, maybe Vienna or Germany. I want new ears to hear me and new points of view and criticism.” Cliff takes to the stage to enchant listeners with his voice and presence, hoping to take audiences on a journey with him to a different place and time. “Performing is the best part of it all – it is incredible that people appreciate what you do and be moved by it in the process.” Cliff’s recital will be held on September 7 at 8pm at Archbishop Square, Mdina, featuring soprano Louise Adler and pianist Laila Barnat. Tickets are available from www.ticketline.com.mt
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August 2013 | Sunday Circle 27
MUSIC
S R E H T O R B F O D N BA P ho to gr aP hy
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28 Sunday Circle | August 2013
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b Ur r -ยง - s ty lin g
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USIC SCENE WITH M AL C LO E TH TO R U BRING A DASH OF COLO K IC TR EC EL ED R E C IE . WITH A HOST OF NEW FS IF R FIVE-P AR IT U G EN IV R D POP MELODIES AND , VOCALIST MATTHEW TO D AR THEIR MIX OF POWER W R FO K O LO LINE, THERE’S LOTS TO PE PI E TH IN TS C JE O PR KATRYNA STORACE LL TE G R O B R TE PE T ARIS JAMES BORG AND GUIT
It’s been six years since the boys of Red Electrick – formerly, Drive – hooked up and started to play music together. The five-piece – made up Matthew James Borg on vocals and keys, Peter Borg and Jonas Delicata on guitars, Ivan Borg on bass, and Raphael Tonna on drums – needs little introduction. And if you’re thinking that that’s quite a few Borgs for one band: there’s no relation – by blood, at least. All five, however, have long been good friends, and their bond today might best be described as brotherly. “We’ve been together a long time – we love each other, we fight…” says Raphael. “Being in a band is like being in a marriage – without the sex. It requires a lot of tolerance.”
Indeed, the band’s so-called love affair has proven itself more enduring than the initial excitement of infatuation. With one debut album and a full-length EPK recording behind them, Red Electrick has continued to morph and grow, all the while with substantial success. “When we started, we were a band of 19- and 20-year-olds, meeting up everyday to play music in a garage,” Raphael reflects. “When you’re 24 and older though, things change – you start work, your routine changes – and you have to balance the band with other things.” In reaction to growing pressures, Peter and Raphael tell me that the band, which they self-manage, has become more focused in recent years. August 2013 | Sunday Circle 29
MUSIC
“BEING IN A BAND IS LIKE BEING IN A MARRIAGE – WITHOUT THE SEX” Peter recently set up his own recording studio, Railway Studios – a move that has really influenced the way the band writes and records music. “The writing has really changed. Whereas before, we’d write our songs in the garage, we now meet up at Peter’s and work on the idea in the studio. It’s a mixture of jamming and pre-production recording,” says Raphael. “In the studio we have a lot more access to different sounds, and can explore our ideas further.” This new process is opening lots of doors for the band creatively, although Peter believes that bands should be cautious of becoming too reliant on studio recording. Very often, bands have a very unrealistic image of themselves and find that they cannot replicate the sound achieved in the studio during a live performance. “Recording your music is important,” he says, “but I feel that a lot of bands record before they’re ready. I think in our case we all knew our instruments very well before we entered the studio. I don’t think you need to be technically great to write good music, but you need to be good at what you do and I think that is really lacking today.” The band’s first full-length album recording, Vine Lady (2010), has been well received locally and abroad. Featuring pumping, catchy numbers such as ‘Who the Heck is REK?’ and ‘The End of It All’, it remains one of most exciting projects to emerge on the local pop scene. Peter is comfortable with the “pop” label and with the band’s commercial success. “We like good pop songs,” says Peter, and refers me to some of the band’s influences: The Eagles, The Beatles, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Biffy Clyro. “When we write songs they are usually ear-friendly. It’s how we express ourselves naturally. But we also have other influences – such as Led Zeppelin – which softens the cheesiness in our music.” In the year following the release of Vine Lady, the band gigged in many venues around Malta and on tour, abroad. “ We began to realise that many venues asked for an acoustic set-up – so we started performing the songs acoustically. We would jam freely while performing, and the songs started to fall into place with different arrangements,” says Raphael. This was the beginning of the Unplugged Sessions project. “When we got back from a few gigs in London, we wanted to work on a short YouTube project, featuring short videos of us performing the acoustic songs,” Peter explains. “We spoke to local cinematographer JP Gatt and the project evolved into the EPK we released last year.” Recording the EPK was a liberating experience for the band, who used the acoustic set-up as an opportunity to explore their songs further. “When you remove the boundaries, the music really takes you places,” Raphael enthuses. In the album, he points out, the song ‘Make Up Your Mind’ was performed as a simple acoustic song, while in the EPK, it opens up into a delicious guitar solo with some memorable licks. The 30 Sunday Circle | August 2013
Unplugged Sessions was also the perfect occasion to incorporate some new material, including the incredibly catchy single ‘Paul’. Red Electrick’s appeal is upped by the band’s willingness to embark on such projects and to throw the net outside their comfort zone. Their recent collaboration with Big Band Brothers on Ftakar 3 – a Malta Arts Festival commission – is testimony to this. “What’s interesting is that we weren’t the obvious choice, as we consider ourselves more of a commercial band,” says Peter. “But I think we proved that we can pull it off.” The band performed some of their songs accompanied by the different sections of the brass band, while performing a couple of traditional Maltese numbers together with Big Band Brothers. Peter feels that these sorts of collaborations are vital to the growth any musician or band, and can result in some exciting outcomes. “Working with the Big Band Brothers was great,” says Peter. “We really respect Daniel and the band treated us with utmost respect. We were very involved in the final project, and we also realised that our music works really well with a brass section, and will incorporate this element into our next album.” So, is there a new album in the pipeline? Definitely, says Peter, but he emphasises that this has no longer become the all-encompassing goal of the band. The boys are more interested in working on a project-by-project basis, and exploring the different opportunities that come their way. They have just finished working on a short video, The Runaway, directed by Colin Azzopardi and JP Gatt. “The song is inspired by the Tarantino Pulp Fiction sound – the so-called telecaster twang – that Pete has been working around for a while,” says Raphael. “It is, in my opinion, a perfectly chiselled song and I feel it really represents what the band is all about right now.” Speaking to Raphael and Peter, one gets the sense that every step the band has taken has been calculated one: these boys have collectively managed to realise their dreams, while keeping their feet firmly rooted to the ground. This, perhaps, is their greatest success. The trick? Communication. “Communication is the best way to keep the bond alive,” says Peter. “Everyone has issues, ego and pride, but when you can talk it over – that is what keeps us together.” Mixing friendship and business can make things harder – and much more rewarding in the long run. “We may have our arguments and our differences…” says Raphael, giving Peter a sideways look. They both laugh. “But, at the end of it, I cannot imagine looking up from my kit and not seeing Peter standing on my right, every time we play a gig.”
TECHNOLOGY
THE
FOLLOWING THE SETTING UP OF THE FIRST AND ONLY HEDGE-FUND FOR THE DIGITAL CURRENCY IN MALTA, PHILIP LEONE-GANADO LOOKS INTO THE PHENOMENON THAT IS THE BITCOIN
I
find myself on the seventh floor of the Portomaso Business Tower, sitting in the offices of Malta-based financial brokerage Exante Ltd. It looks exactly like you’d expect: slick suits, glass-and-chrome tables, computer screens displaying complex charts for futures, options, stocks
and precious metals. I’m offered a Perrier. This is not familiar terrain for someone who doesn’t know a stock from a bond. But then, the reason I’m here is itself not familiar terrain for even the most seasoned of investors: the world’s first, and so far only, Bitcoin hedge fund.
August 2013 | Sunday Circle 33
TECHNOLOGY Until now, Bitcoin has pretty much been the exclusive domain of online enthusiasts. “What’s special about Bitcoin is that it has no value beyond people actually wanting it,” Mark, 21, a local Bitcoin user tells me. “All the people using it the moment are genuinely interested in what it’s going to become. It’s quite a geeky thing: it’s very cool to have a completely separate economy; I think it’s pretty unique.” It’s not difficult to see why the concept has taken root so quickly in the online community. Bitcoin embodies the same libertarian, anti-establishment philosophy that the internet values so highly: transactions are anonymous, all records public, assets cannot be frozen, and the coding that underpins the entire system is opensource. It’s proving a saviour, for example, for Iranian students living abroad, who cannot receive or send money home. Instead they are buying Bitcoins with cash and transferring it to their families who cash it out ten minutes later on the streets of Tehran. The parallels to the use of Twitter in the 2009 protests hardly need to be spelled out. But now, the same values that have made Bitcoin so popular with the counter-culture are making waves in the world of mainstream finance. “The world’s in desperate times,” says David Pulis, accounts manager at Exante. “Across Europe, people have seen how their wealth can take a tumble if the banks fail. They’re fed up of other people taking decisions that affect their money. They don’t want anyone getting between them and their wealth.” Exante’s Bitcoin fund – registered and licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) – has been trading for just over a year, and aims at bridging the gap between the online currency and mainstream investors. “At the moment, there’s no way for institutional investors
to register Bitcoins as they would other securities, so we offer the opportunity to invest in Bitcoins through the fund,” Pulis explains. Exante also ensures the security of investors’ digital wallets, and assumes liability if security is somehow compromised. With an eye-watering minimum investment of $100,000, the fund is most definitely not for people of my ilk. But I still struggle to understand who would be willing to invest such vast amounts in Bitcoin. “There is a growing distrust in traditional means of storing wealth,” Pulis believes. “Traditional securities are just not that secure anymore: pension funds have closed down, the real estate bubble needs no explanation,” he continues. With Bitcoin advancing in leaps and bounds, and guaranteed against quantity of easing, it is perfectly placed to step into the gap. Still, it’s not for the faint-hearted. Bitcoin remains incredibly volatile: at time of writing, its value against the dollar had fluctuated by more than 10 per cent in three days. A major announcement could still cause a massive surge or slump; whether it’s a government officially regularising it (or making it illegal, as Thailand seems to have done in the last few days) or the creation of a new ETF, as investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (of The Social Network fame) are attempting in the US. But in principle, the more currency is released into the system, the less the price should be affected by demand and as part of a diversified portfolio of investments, Bitcoin has the unique advantage of being uncorrelated with other types of securities. As for the man in the street, online retailers have been accepting Bitcoins for years – for anything from clothes and music downloads to luxury real estate – and a number of brick-and-mortar businesses are now doing the same. In Berlin’s Kreuzberg district alone, for example, more than two dozen hotels, bars and restaurants take Bitcoin as payment: staff generate a QR code which customers
ACROSS EUROPE, PEOPLE HAVE SEEN HOW THEIR WEALTH CAN TAKE A TUMBLE IF THE BANKS FAIL. THEY’RE FED UP OF OTHER PEOPLE TAKING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR MONEY
34 Sunday Circle | August 2013
TECHNOLOGY
What is Bitcoin? A DIGITAL CURRENCY CREATED IN 2009. ALL TRANSACTIONS TAKE PLACE ONLINE AND WITHOUT A CENTRAL AUTHORITY. MONEY IS PASSED DIRECTLY TO OTHER USERS USING P2P SOFTWARE, SIMILAR TO THE TECHNOLOGY USED TO SHARE FILES AND TORRENTS. IT’S ANONYMOUS, THERE ARE NO FEES, AND THERE’S NO WAY FOR ANYONE TO FREEZE YOUR ACCOUNT.
scan with their smartphones, completing the transaction in seconds. A company manufacturing Bitcoin ATMs has already shipped 300 units to 30 different countries. “At the moment, there are just high-level investors and committed believers,” says Pulis. “But when Bitcoin enters the real world and people can see the concrete ways they can use it, it will become real for them.” All the infrastructure of an effective currency will soon emerge around Bitcoin, he believes: banks will trade in it, credit cards will be issued, and so on.
ON THE ONE HAND IT’S GREAT BECAUSE THEY’RE PUSHING BITCOIN INTO THE MAINSTREAM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE NOVELTY WILL BE DESTROYED; IT’S GOING TO BECOME LIKE ANY OTHER CURRENCY
Where do Bitcoins come from? BITCOINS ARE ‘MINED’ BY USERS APPLYING THEIR COMPUTER’S PROCESSING POWER TO SOLVING CERTAIN ALGORITHMS, WHICH RELEASE NEW BITCOINS, LIKE A BANK MINTING MONEY. THE RATE OF RELEASE IS CONTROLLED AND PREDICTABLE: THE MORE ARE RELEASED, THE HARDER THE MINING ALGORITHMS BECOME. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BITCOINS IN CIRCULATION CAN NEVER EXCEED 21 MILLION. THAT NUMBER WILL BE REACHED IN 2140.
How much is 1 Bitcoin worth? RIGHT NOW,
$105.70 OR €79.60
What can you buy with Bitcoin? PRECIOUS METALS FROM BITCOINCOMMIDITIES.COM
Though not everyone would be thrilled to see that happen. “On the one hand it’s great because they’re pushing Bitcoin into the mainstream,” says local enthusiast Mark. “But at the same time, the novelty will be destroyed; it’s going to become like any other currency.” Nobody can really say where Bitcoin goes from here. Its growth seems assured, for now at least. But can it survive or will it prove to be just another bubble? Can it maintain its identity or will popularity be its death-knell? I’m willing to give it a go. I may not have $100,000, but my new Bitcoin wallet now has a single shiny coin in it. If the time comes for us to buy beer with Bitcoins, I intend to be prepared.
36 Sunday Circle | August 2013
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True To auThenTic iTalian sTyle and crafTsmanship, marco Bicego jewellery is The ulTimaTe definiTion of accessiBle luxury W ords
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M artina s aid -§- P hotograPhy
“Every stone on this bracelet is faceted and cut specifically for this design,” says Marco Bicego, designer and director of the jewellery line that boasts the same name, while he gently handles a stunning bejewelled bracelet from the Murano Collection. “It is very solid, but do you see how light it is?” Inspired by the brilliant colours of Venice’s Murano Glass, the collection is visually dazzling and encased with precious stones. “The stones are roughly cut, so that they still look natural and solid. I like each stone to look irregular – it makes each piece one of a kind,” he says. This collection is one of many, each another feather in the designer’s cap and distinctive in its own way. Yet across them all are special touches that mark the designs as Marco Bicego’s – such as hand-woven gold coil strands that are wrapped around a gold core, and an old handetching technique that gives a textured finished to the precious metal. “We try to maintain a balance between industrial and artisanal work. We take great pride in the artisanal aspect and like to inform our clients about these values, so that they can appreciate the standard of our work.” Marco is the second generation member to continue the business, set up by his father in 1958 in the north-eastern city of Vicenza, known as
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M arc c asolani
the “yellow gold city”. Although he’s been familiar with gold and jewellery from a tender age, Marco pursued other areas of interest that were not related to his current field. “Designing jewellery was not something I thought I wanted to do, but after high school I started making my own prototypes and discovered a real passion for it.” By the 1990s, Marco took the reins from his father to manage the brand himself. In 2000, he enforced a rebranding exercise, injecting the company with a renewed flair for exquisite Italian design, while improving communication with customers and consumers. “I stuck with the traditional element of yellow gold that my father passed on to me, but I added my own personal touches and impressions to create something different that will appeal to people’s different ideas of luxury. The jewellery we make is not about trends, but about smart and casual timeless pieces.” He has been making his way forward ever since – exploiting the “Marco Bicego style” to its fullest, using 18 carat yellow gold, diamonds and coloured precious stones in a variety of styles that ranges from youthful and stylish to classy and classical. He is faithful to his roots and heritage, but innovative and in-keeping with contemporary taste. He has bridged the gap between precious jewellery and accessible luxury. August 2013 | Sunday Circle 39
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LUXURY
I belIeve the mInd Is lIke a basket – you throw thoughts, memorIes, Ideas and everythIng else In there then pIck them out when you need, one at a tIme
“We create jewellery for everyday use, but there are other pieces that are one of a kind. There’s nothing I like seeing more than a woman wearing Marco Bicego jewellery for casual, everyday situations, because the whole point of buying jewellery is to wear it, not to leave it locked up in a safe for a special occasion,” he explains. “I like to create pieces that can be worn all the time and enjoyed on any occasion, as well as pieces that are timeless so that they can be enjoyed for a long time. I believe trends are for fashion, not jewellery.” The jewellery line is represented locally by Classic Jewellers and Marco explains that the partnership between the companies, which has been thriving for seven years now, is solid and pleasant. Marco’s inspiration ranges from travels and nature to blissful childhood experiences, such as fishing and picking mushrooms. “Nature is my home,” he says. “I believe the mind is like a basket – you throw thoughts, memories, ideas and everything else in there then pick them out when you need, one at a time. Sometimes ideas for new designs are triggered by the simplest things. But we also make sure to challenge ourselves and the company every year in order to grow.” Marco admits that the style of his designs is bold and forward, especially for everyday use – but that is precisely the intention. “The jewellery pieces we make is not classic: you either like them or not. They are still unique, and that is what makes them stand out.” August 2013 | Sunday Circle 41
art
ARTISTS ON A JOURNEY Good friends ryan falzon and sabrina Calleja jaCkson pooled in their love for art to add a spot of Culture to the town of zurrieq, transforminG a historiC windmill into an art spaCe W ords
by
M artina s aid -§- P hotograPhy
by
n icky s cicluna
A windmill has a strange way of taking you back in time – perhaps it’s something to do with the withered exterior of the antique stone, the surrounding catacombs, or the thought that it was once a key player in the bygone trade of the miller. But, nevertheless, one thing is certain: it simply looks magnificent. It had been a while since I last visited a windmill – too long, in fact, to remember. I arrive in Żurrieq, early on a bright morning and there it is, Il-Mitħna tax-Xarolla, looking old and worn, yet imposing and timeless in a village centre. I meet artists Ryan Falzon and Sabrina Calleja Jackson who, in recent months, undertook an initiative to use the windmill for another, somewhat different, cultural purpose: an art space. “I visited an open studio in Berlin and saw first-hand what it’s like to create art while people watch,” says Ryan. He explains how the notion of the “locked up artist”, working in isolation, had been circling in his mind for a while. “I also noticed many exhibition halls here are cold and bare so we wanted to push this ‘open-studio’ idea, to get people closer to artists.” The choice of location is certainly unique – although Ryan and Sabrina explain the opportunity to use the historical landmark really was a matter of chance. “We came across a call for ideas, issued in the Żurrieq local council newsletter, to increase culture in the village for locals and tourists. We submitted our ideas and they were well-received, so we got permission from the local council to use the windmill as a space for artists.”
42 Sunday Circle | August 2013
“I visited an open
art
studio in Berlin and saw first-hand what it’s like to create art while people watch�
August 2013 | Sunday Circle 43
ART
We helped create a link between history and art; a re-enactment of the windmill, with a contemporary touch
The artists were also careful to respect the natural form of the building without impacting or damaging the interior. “We didn’t change anything on the inside of the windmill – we used boards, easels and tables and made sure to hang paintings without ruining the stone. The curator of the windmill was very kind and helpful, leaving it all in our hands: there is mutual respect.” After a few months of preparation, Ryan and Sabrina hosted the first exhibition inside the windmill, titled Titlaq/Tasal, which dealt with the theme of journeys. “It was an interdisciplinary project between young artists and upcoming authors, as well as established ones,” says Sabrina. “The whole time, while setting up, we kept the original idea in mind of sharing the space with as many artists as possible, so people were free to come and work inside the windmill too.” Six writers – Ryan Falzon, Nigel Baldacchino, Leanne Ellul, Marie Gion, Simon Sultana Harkins and Martha Vassallo – and five artists – Ryan Falzon, Sabrina Calleja Jackson, Fabio D’ Amato, Sarah Maria Scicluna and Andrea Zerafa – each contributed by drawing on their own experiences to portray their understanding of the theme of journeys. “My work focused on lino prints, Sabrina’s on drawings, and the other artists used mixed media, collage and an installation. The exhibition was co-ordinated by Glen Calleja,” says Ryan. Did working inside the windmill affect the outcome of their work? Sabrina explains how, as an artist who works on site-specific projects, she is influenced, even if only on a subconscious level, by the location. “I explored the idea of rotation, the motion of a windmill, and applied it to my drawings.” How did the windmill lend itself as an exhibition site? “Visitors liked that we didn’t simply rent a room or a garage and that we integrated the space with the work,” says Ryan. “We started working on the theme in April and got repeat visitors since then, which is a good sign.” They add the initiative brought new life to the village, making it a win-win situation both for artists looking for places to work and exhibit, and for the residents of Żurrieq. “Some visitors told us that thanks to the exhibition, they returned to visit the windmill after many years, bringing back childhood memories. We helped create a link between history and art; a re-enactment of the windmill, with a contemporary touch.”
2Built in 1724 under the magistracy of grand master Manoel de Vilhena, the Xarolla windmill is centrally located between Hal Safi and Żurrieq, flanked by catacombs dating back to Roman and Punic times. It was originally one storey high, but another level was added later to accommodate the family of the miller. The windmill was severely damaged by bad weather in the late 70s and could no longer be used as a residence, but was restored to its original splendour in 1996. “It was used as a central meeting point during the time of the knights and is being used again as a meeting point now for artists, collectors and like-minded people to exchange thoughts and ideas,” they explain. “The windmill is in very good condition – we only needed to clean up the rooms that had items belonging to the windmill on display for an exhibition.” 44 Sunday Circle | August 2013
Even now that the exhibition is over, Ryan and Sabrina still head over to the windmill on weekends to paint and work in inspiring surroundings. They explain that their initiative to encourage an open studio kind-of-set-up is working, as interested passers-by have stopped by the windmill to simply observe artists in the process of working and to discuss art. “An elderly man around 75-years-old, walked in one time, being an artist himself. He showed interest in what we were doing – we talked about his art and ours, which is interesting, because you get a different perspective on things when you meet people from different walks of life,” they explain. The first exhibition at the Xarolla windmill enjoyed a positive turnout, which makes the two promising artists hopeful for future plans inside the windmill. They are, however, taking things one day at a time, and admit they will move on to another interesting venue if the opportunity arises. Like artists on the move, I ask. They nod in agreement – mulling over the term, perhaps already thinking of their next move, their next destination... their own journeys.
HEALTH
GOING DIGITAL Dental anD Implant Surgeon Jean paul DemaJo on the art of DIgItal DentIStry
Not so long ago, say 60 years, dentists – or so-called barber dentists – used to extract teeth and place them in a showcase outside their clinic to lure potential patients requiring difficult extractions. A candle would illuminate the extracted bloodstained tooth and a sign would welcome them in. Gone are the days of barbaric dentistry: in with the age of digital dentistry. Every profession owes most of its advances to computers. This is the same with dentistry. Conventional methods are fast dying out, being replaced by new digital techniques. A large field of digital dentistry lies within CAD CAM or computer-aided dentistry and computeraided manufacturing. This encapsulates the production of crowns and bridges, as well as allowing for the fabrication of surgical guides aiding implant placement. Clinical dental chair-side CAD CAM equipment (Figure 1)
1
A chair-side CAD CAM unit
4
Software used to produce a surgical guide
Areas of digital Dentistry: • CAD/CAM and intraoral imaging – both laboratory- and clinician-controlled • Caries diagnosis • Computer-aided implant dentistry – including design and fabrication of surgical guides • Digital radiography – intra oral and extra oral, including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) • Lasers • Shade matching
is used to take digital photos of your teeth. Thousands of these photos shot in seconds are saved together giving a three-dimentional image of the patient’s teeth. With the help of specific dental software, these images are then used to design the crowns and bridges. At this stage patients sitting in the
2
3
A CAD CAM milling unit
A milled all-ceramic metal-free crown
The material comes in pre-fabricated blocks of conventional metal-ceramic or all-ceramic metal-free blocks. The data is then sent by wifi to a milling unit (Figure 2). The milling unit cuts or mills the block into the designed tooth saved on the software. In this manner, the crown or bridge is ready in minutes. This method of delivery allows for the same day/appointment service of completing ones crown (Figure 3). With the introduction of cone beam computational tomography or CBCT scans, radiology has also benefited greatly. As opposed to conventional CT scans, this 3D data is acquired using lower radiation doses more specific to dentistry. Using the software (Figure 4), the data is used to design and produce a surgical guide (Figure 5). The surgical guide is used to place implants without the need of incising and suturing the gums up as in conventional implant dentistry. The advantages are great: higher precision, close to no bruising and improved overall results are but a few to mention.
Digital dentistry is highly advantageous to the patient as it offers them quick, custom-made, patient-specific solutions using only the latest in dental technology. Ask your dentist what’s out there for you! 46 Sunday Circle | August 2013
dental chair may view the design and request some modifications. The length, width and angulation of the designed teeth are some of the modifications patient may wish for in order to achieve the set of teeth they have always desired. Once the design is agreed upon, the type of material is chosen.
5
The surgical guide
Dr Jean Paul Demajo has trained in London working in private practice in Malta
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1. Freda Briffa, Philippe Lonfat & Sasha Miceli Demajo 2. Robert Galea, Martine Vella, Maria Wallin, Alex Frendo, Becky Cilia, Michael Bianchi & Biljana Boric 3. Franco DeGabriele, Maria Wallin, Biljana Boric, Eman Schembri, Dacha Micallef, Nicky DeGabriele & Alex Frendo
4. Ritienne Grech, John Manche, Kevin Naudi & Brian Cremona
5. Nicky Scicluna, Kira Drury & Gayle Zerafa
6. Alastair Zammit, Joseph Zammit & Joseph Vella
• 1: Vivaldi Golden Tulip, St.Julians, Settimo Cielo BBQ launch held on 4 July. • 2-3: Guests enjoying an evening out at the Marquis Terrace, Dragonara Casino, St.Julians in July. • 4-5: Skagen launch held during a lovely reception at The Lido, Tigne on 9 July. • 6-7: Gasan Zammit Motors Ltd held an exclusive party at Charles Grech Cafe, Valletta, to launch the new Jaguar F-TYPE on 12 July. • 8-10: Chemimart hosted the Diego Della Palma launch at The Palace Hotel, Sliema on 9 July. • 11: Malta Baby & Kids Directory Best Mum & Dad Awards, presented by Mrs Michelle Muscat & hosted by Baystreet Complex on 11 July. • 12-13: A reception and viewing of Pippa Toledo's new collection held at Pippa Toledo Studio, St.Julians. * For inclusion in Circle Paparazzi contact Marisa Schembri on marisa@networkpublications.com.mt ** For more Paparazzi photos log on to www.sundaycircle.com
8. Graziella Fava, Shasha, & Pierre Fava
7. Mark Gasan, Becki & Josie Licari, Timmy Grech & Manfred Galea
9. Anita Attard, Adriana Farrugia, Renee Micallef Decesare, Pierre Fava, Edmund Vassallo & Ray Falzon
11. Denise Briffa, Antonella Bonello, Michelle, Soleil, Etoile Muscat, Lydia Gravina & Andrea Critien
12. Carina Camilleri, Gloria Beacom & Caroline Mercieca
10. Gianluca Oddi, Graziella Fava, Pierre & Patricia Fava
13. Caroline Paris, Vicky Lauri, Noelene Miggiani, Yvonne Desira Buttigieg & Pippa Toledo
14. Monica Stivala, Daniela Cachia Zammit, Alice Borg Olivier, Josette Bianco, Roberta Caruana Stivala
17. Ann Marie Sciberras, Janika Casolani & Erika Cassar Rouvelas
15. Nicky Stivala , Petra Cuschieri, Christine Grech
18. Clara Fenech, Joanna Azzopardi & Marie-Claire Portanier
Circle Paparazzi
• 14-16: Guests were hosted to the opening of the Swarovski Crystal Forest outlet at Baystreet to view the new collection on 31 July. • 17-18: Joanna Azzopardi organised a 20th Anniversary St.Joseph, Sliema School Reunion on 24 July at the Roof Top of the Hotel Juliani, St. Julians. • 19-20: BOV celebrates over 3,265 years of service with 125 employees in July. • 21-22: Fashion show with a difference by Kelly, held at Karen's home by the pool on 3 July. • 23-24: Chemimart held a dinner at The Palace Hotel, Sliema on July 25 to launch a range of products by Skin Doctors. • 25: Jazz on the Fringe festival on the 15 July held at Phenicia Garden Rotunda. • 26: Cars International Ltd launched the new Opel Mokka at the Merkanti Bay Hilton Hotel. * For inclusion in Circle Paparazzi contact Marisa Schembri on marisa@networkpublications.com.mt ** For more Paparazzi photos log on to www.sundaycircle.com
21. Consuelo Scerri Herrera, Karen Calleja & Sandra Herrera
19. Justin Tabone, Horace Laudi, Mario Falzon & Franco Xuereb
20. John Caruana, John Mangion, Mario Gouder, Marvic Doughty, Julian Curmi, Anthony Scicluna, Christine Farrugia, Odilon Scerri, Simone Dimech, Catherine Formosa & Peter Paul Borg
22. Julia Calleja, Steffie Cassar Torregiani, Anna Padovani, Karen Calleja, Marisa Grima, Sonya Gauci, Yvonne Desira Buttigieg, Martina Herrera, Noelene Miggiani & Zoe Calleja
24. Kelly Perkins, Andreas Petrou, Lucienne Vassallo, Edmund Vassallo, Fiona Galea Debono, Gunther & Renee Micallef Decesare, Damien Cassar, Veronica Grech Sant & Ryan Perkins.
16. Lueder Stercken, Adrian Stivala, Aaron Mifsud
25. Diane Boyd, Justine Storace, Madeline Tabone & Rachel Bezzina
23. Andreas Petrou & Graziella Fava
26. Edmund Gatt Baldacchino & Hernan Utermann
Sail to SICILY TRAVEL
The island of sicily is jusT a sTone’s Throw away – wiTh iTs magical waTers, delicious cuisine and beauTiful landscape, iT holds someThing for everyone
It’s easy to forget just what a gem the island of Sicily is. Maybe because of its vicinity to Malta, making it incredibly accessible thanks to the excellent connections provided by Virtu Ferries. Or perhaps it’s because we take its existence for so granted: we all know at least one person who’s visited once in their lives. Preconceptions aside, Sicily is an island that is always there to be rediscovered – very often, again and again. With a population
of 5 million, it boasts a wonderfully diverse landscape, featuring gorgeous coasts, traditional hill-top towns, and even a volcano. There are lots of architectural sites dating back to Ancient times, as well as UNESCO heritage sites and the picturesque Iblei mountain range, together with other stunning sites of natural beauty. And that’s not to mention the amazing cuisine, including local specialities such as the Limoncello, Torroncini and Pasta di Mandorla.
GETTING THERE Getting to Sicily has never been easier: travel aboard Virtu Ferries. The M/V Jean De La Valette is a state-ofthe-art passenger and car catamaran that gets you there in just 90 minutes. It is the largest high-speed catamaran operating in the Mediterranean and one of the largest in the world. The vessel carries 800 passengers and boasts six air-conditioned lounges with reclining leather seats, so that you can travel in complete comfort. Alternatively, enjoy the sea view on deck, or grab a bite to eat in the café onboard. The M/V Jean De La Valette performs over 800 voyages yearly, between Malta and Sicily. If you’d like to enjoy a late summer escape, then Virtu Ferries also has a September/October schedule, with crossings every day of the week except Thursdays and double trips three times per week.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP Sicily is also renowned for its fantastic shopping. If you’re pressed for time, make sure to stop at the Sicilia Outlet Village. With over 100 shops boasting international brands from designers such as Gucci, Versace, Trussardi and Calvin Klein, to high-street brands Guess, Desigual and Mango, the Sicilia Outlet makes shopping fun. Stop for a quick espresso in between shops in one of the surrounding bars, or end your day with a tasty dinner at one of Village’s restaurants. What’s more, there’s up to 70 per cent discount in shops all year around. www.siciliaoutletvillage.it 52 Sunday Circle | August 2013
TRAVEL
SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE The island’s varied landscape makes it the ideal location for adventure-seekers. Drop in to Parcallario Adventure Park in the Iberian Mountains, or enjoy the thrills of Etnaland. Take a safari and explore regions such as Ragusa, Modica and Noto in a 4X4 vehicle. Discover caves, mountains, lakes and forests, while stopping to dine in a local, family-run agriturismo. For nature and wildlife aficionados, the nature reserves are not to be missed. The Madonie Regional Natural Park covers 39,972 acres and is located between Palermo and Cefalù. At its heart is the Madonie mountain range, boasting some of the highest mountains in Sicily inhabited by wolves, wildcats and eagles as well as being a habitat to the rare, nearly-extinct Nebrodi fir tree. The Nebrodi Natural Park encompasses the Nebrodi and is one of the largest protected parks in Sicily. Whatever you do, don’t forget to pack a good pair of shoes and a camera to capture the moment!
A TASTE OF SICILY Sicily offers some of the best cuisine that Italy has to offer. The best way to sample some authentic flavours is to embark on a Sicilian Flavours Gastornomic tour and taste some of the finest delicacies out of the Marzamemi, Pachino and Modica regions. September heralds the grape harvest – the perfect time to sample local wines at their tastiest. Bronte, Capitale del Pistacchio, is the place to be in September and October – pistachio time – with a Sagra del Pistacchio held between 27 and 30 September.
SPORTS FOR ALL Upon arrival in Modica, the proud, prosperous and ancient city that is one of Sicily’s baroque gems, sightseers could take a moment to visit the impressive monument of San Giorgio’s cathedral, which was built after the earthquake of 1693, before heading off to a football training camp session with Carmel ‘Buzu’ Busuttil. Cycling enthusiasts can enjoy a trek along the Chiaromonte/ Giarratana area, north of Ragusa, ending at the Pantalica nature reserve. A large part of the route is along a disused railway track (without metal rails of course) but including several unlit tunnels and winding above a valley floor. The pace is fast, and cyclists can speed past lovely valleys, misty countryside and relics of the bygone steam age.
win
Eager golfers mustn’t forget to pay a visit to the recently-opened five-star golf resort in Donnafugata, Southern Sicily, replete with two championship courses. For those keen to test the slopes during the winter months, there is no better time to visit mount Etna. The treeless upper slopes of the volcano are perfect for snowboarding and alpine skiing and the lava bumps and high-altitude winds make Etna the perfect place for kite skiing also. Last but certainly not least, Sicily is home to a variety of motorsports, including off-roading and quad bike adventures, available to enjoy in both summer and winter months. Virtu Ferries offers planned itineraries for such adventures at modest prices, guaranteeing an unforgettable adventure no matter what sport you choose.
two ferry tickets to sicily, courtesy of virtu ferries, and a 300 euro cash voucher to spend at the sicilia outlet village. turn to our goodie bag competition on page 19 to take part.
August 2013 | Sunday Circle 53
business
DARING TO
DREAM
This year’s NaTioNal eNTerprise supporT awards compeTiTioN hosTed by the Ministry for the econoMy, investMent and sMall business saw a number of brilliant projects being put forward. Katryna storace catches up with this year’s winners
Mr Klaus M. Pedersen – Internationalisation Manager – The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry receiving the prize from Hon. Dr Christian Cardona Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business (onlooking Mr Noel Bartolo Director Small Businesses and Crafts)
S
o metimes, a good idea can go a long way. That, in essence, is the spirit of entrepreneurship and enterprise. But good ideas remain, well, good ideas, unless they are put into action, and, as many successful entrepreneurs will tell you, this is what sets the dreamers apart from the doers. Very often, however, a little bit of support from the right entities can help bring a project into the daylight, spread its roots and hopefully yield fruits. This is essentially the aim behind the National Enterprise Support Awards competition (NESA), an initiative intended to boost visibility and awareness of assisting and promoting enterprise and entrepreneurship. Considered as the national phase of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA), the competition seeks to highlight some of the most exciting entrepreneurial 54 Sunday Circle | August 2013
Mr Vincent Bonello – Mayor, Ħamrun Local Council receiving the prize from Hon. Dr Christian Cardona Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business (onlooking Mr Noel Bartolo Director Small Businesses and Crafts)
activities taking place, while trying to attract and inspire future entrepreneurs. With prizes totalling €65,000 this year, NESA also offers a much-needed cash injection to the winners, as well as Europe-wide exposure when they represent Malta in the EU-wide European Enterprise Promotion Awards in Vilnius, Lithuania next November. THE OBJECTIVES OF NESA ARE: 1. To identify and recognize successful activities and initiatives undertaken to promote enterprise and entrepreneurship 2. To showcase and share examples of best entrepreneurship policies and practices 3. To create greater awareness of the role entrepreneurs play in society 4. To encourage and inspire potential entrepreneurs.
The competition has two categories: firstly, for Local Councils, and the other, for public authorities, national organisations, publicprivate partnerships, educational programmes and business organisations. There were ten contenders this year: five Local Councils and five entities, including one college. Councillor Cedric Valletta, who is himself an entrepreneur by training and practice, steered the Ħamrun Local Council to victory with the project “Increase the Economic Activity of the Ħamrun Business Environment,” which competed in the category “Improving the Business Environment”. “The project has two parts,” Cedric explains – “firstly, what was actually done; and secondly, what we intend to do in future.” “Our aim was to organise various activities in different parts of Ħamrun to attract shoppers to the Ħamrun centre.” These included the Chocolate Festival, the Christmas Carnival,
business
These awards help you To share and work on your idea, by offering you funds To develop and implemenT iT a re-enactment of the French-Maltese blockade, Jum Il-Ħamrun celebrations, and some other peripheral activities. Cedric feels that the impact of the project has been positive, on both the residents and the business community, although he admits that there is still much to be done in this regard. The next step, says Cedric, is to look at what can be done to enhance and increase participation and also to facilitate accessibility. “We have the idea of developing a Ħamrun map application for smartphones.” This will be a first-time for a local council in Malta, and is still quite a new concept, even at European level. Cedric is confident, however, that it is only a matter of time before this idea will be taken up at national level. “The idea is for businesses to make their presence more felt while further promoting our activities. Businesses will be able to promote their enterprise at a small premium.” How has winning the NESA 2013 competition helped – and how will it continue to help – the Council to put into action its ideas? “It motivates you. These awards help you to share and work on your idea, by offering you funds to develop it and implement it. I do encourage participation.” Cedric is also upbeat about competing in the EEPA as Malta’s representative. “As a small city, we need to enhance our connections. It’s a great opportunity for networking with other local councils at EU level. It does help to give another dimension to Ħamrun and its residents.” The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry scooped the first prize in the alternative category for their project “Internationalisation Survey”. Led by internationalisation manager, Klaus Pedersen, and director general, Kevin J.
Mr Klaus M. Pedersen – Internationalisation Manager – The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise
Ħamrun Councillor Mr Cedric Valletta and Ħamrun Mayor Mr Vincent Bonello
Borg, the project focuses on collecting data with the final aim of building a reliable database to map the business activities of Malta-based businesses overseas. “This project started with collaboration with Malta Enterprise – we were asked where in the world we should focus to expand our businesses,” Klaus explains. “We soon realised that there wasn’t any reliable data. The only available data that shows which markets are important to Maltese businesses are trade statistics. Our point, however, was that around 80 per cent of our economy is based on services, and thus, trade statistics may be misleading and skewed.” On this premise, the Chamber took it upon itself to devise a survey and to set out to quiz local businesses in three particular areas: where do they do business; what kind of business and in what sector; and where would they like to do business in future. The Chamber branched out to all businesses, not just their members, to avoid bias and to pull in rich and realistic supply of data. “So far we’ve interviewed some 670 companies, and have accumulated around 4,500 entries in the database,” says Klaus. “We wanted the interviews to be quantitative and qualitative, so they were carried out face-to-face or over the phone, which makes the whole process a lot more time-consuming.” That said, however, both Klaus and Kevin believe that this was the only way to ensure a good response from the local business community. During the second part of this project, the Chamber intends to interview at least another 330 more companies to reach the set target of 1,000 interviews. Once the target is reached, another report will be produced and used to help individual companies in their specific internationalisation requirements and to constructively
contribute to the national dialogue about the internationalisation of Malta based companies. Klaus maintains that the survey has already begun to yield results, on two important levels. “On a macro level, we have now gathered data on the different markets and sectors that Maltese companies do business with or would like to do business with. We are now in a position to offer analysis, and it is a valid instrument in trade promotion,” he says. “On a micro level, we also know the names of the companies and where we want to expand. This information is confidential and cannot be shared with third parties. However, it is information that can be used internally – we can go in, find the specific needs of a company and assess the situation individually.” Both, he explains, are invaluable in helping local businesses to become internationalised. Both men believe that this survey could, and, more importantly, should be carried out in other countries, to replace the less reliable trade statistics. Competing at European level in the EEPA will be a great opportunity to promote the Chamber’s work and to network with the rest of Europe. “I believe the first step is knowledge,” says Klaus. “Once you have gathered and started to process that information, then do you realise how important it is, and how far it can take you.” The two runners-up in NESA 2013 were the Mellieћa Local Council and Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry with yet another interesting project. St Thomas More College won a consolation prize. For further information, contact the Commerce Department on 2569 0310 / 2569 0350 or email on amanda.a.cassar@gov.mt Facebook page: National Enterprise Support Awards August 2013 | Sunday Circle 55
HigH TecH
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56 Sunday Circle | August 2013
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WIN A €200 SHOPPING SPREE AT TOWER SUPERMARKET!
E
Sunday Circle is offering the winner a total of €€200 to spend at Tower Supermarket in High Street, Sliema. Taking part is easy: all you have to do is find 20 letters that have been placed on the products over the following four pages. Once you’ve found the letters, place them in the empty spaces to the right to form the slogan. Rules & Regulations: Entries to reach us by September 10, 2013. Late entries will not be considered. The prize is not exchangeable and the voucher must be redeemed during a shopping expedition at Tower Supermarket. The winner will be notified by phone. The competition is not open to employees of Network Publications or Tower Supermarket Complex or their families.
H A O ER TO TO E F R E R T IN Y U N D A D A LI L E B T M E Name: Tel/Mob:
I.D.:
Address:
Email:
Send entries to: Sunday Circle Shopping Spree Competition, Level 2, Angelica Court, Guzeppi Cali Street, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX 1425, or submit this form online on sundaycircle.com
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Carmelo Abela Marketing Ltd., Triq l-Intornjatur, Mriehel By Pass, Birkirkara. Tel: 2148 0201.
Get bubbly with kinnie kiss Kinnie Kiss is a fusion of distinctive bitter sweet tang of Kinnie with the feisty character of Prosecco - a truly fizzycal attraction! The perfect drink for every occasion. METHOD Take a long drink glass or goblet, put in some ice and add 2 part of Prosecco and top up the glass with Kinnie. Additionally you can add some soda or sparkling water for that extra fizz.
58 Sunday Circle | August 2013
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Trade Enquiries:
Crown Cold Stores Limited
Tel: 21441471, 21440299 E-mail: crown@go.net.mt August 2013 | Sunday Circle 59
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4 portion packs for freshness & convenience High source of fibre Suitable for vegetarians Tomato & herbs contain olive oil Visit: www.cbiscuits.com
Sunshine Snacks has a wide range of oven baked snacks, popcorn as well as potato based fried snacks. Visit: www.cbiscuits.com
The traditional digestive (wheatmeal) biscuits with smooth plain or strawberry yoghurt cream filling. Visit: www.cbiscuits.com
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Mojito – THE trendiest cocktail this summer Would you like to prepare a perfect Mojito? Havana Club provides you with the necessary high quality tools: lime squeezer, muddler, glass & of course a bottle of Havana Club 3 anos. Recipe: 5cl Havana Club Rum, ½ Lime, 2 teaspoons sugar, 10 Mint leaves, Ice, Splash of Perrier Method: In a tall glass, muddle sugar with lime juice and mint. Add Havana Club Rum , top up with Perrier, fill with ice and stir lightly. Havana Club is marketed and distributed by FBIC Ltd, Mdina Road, Mriehel, Tel. 2381 4444
60 Sunday Circle | August 2013
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Trade Enquiries: J.P. Caruana Tel: 2123 8244 - Web: www.jpcaruana.com
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NATURAL - LIGHT - DELICIOUS These words not only describe the company’s philosophy regarding its products, but identify how Loacker wafer biscuits and chocolate specialties are made with natural ingredients and delicious taste
try it, feel it.
Premium brands: Albert FS Manduca | Tel: 2123 3909
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August 2013 | Sunday Circle 61
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GIve your kIDs a heaLThy smILe … with Colgate
oPeN aLL Day
Tel: 2123 4501/ 2144 5728 Email: showroom@petroleamalta.com Web: www.petroleamalta.com Like us on Facebook
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62 Sunday Circle | August 2013
Children of varying ages have different needs for dental hygiene. Colgate Junior cover these necessities with specific products for each age, developed with the help of paediatric dentists. Colgate Junior help protect kids’ teeth against cavities and bad breath and come in fun and tasty flavours to encourage your young ones to brush regularly… at least twice a day. Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes, the best start for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Distributed by von Brockdorff Imports Ltd | Tel: 2123 2141
aJaX CuCINa
Ajax Cucina is specifically designed to give exceptional cleaning results in your kitchen. It dissolves oil stains, stubborn grime, burnt grease and food residues. It is also excellent for cleaning pots, pans, stainless steel, ceramic, fridges, cookers and anything else that requires Ajax cleaning power. Ajax Cucina brings splendour to your kitchen and leaves a pleasant scent of cleanliness. Ajax is a Colgate Palmolive Quality Product distributed by von Brockdorff Imports Ltd. Tel: 2123 2141
Saving for your future is about seeing the bigger picture
No matter what you want to save for it is never too early to start saving for your future.
Talk to us now for more details For more information on our range of Savings Plans contact us today on freephone 8007 2220, visit our website at www.msvlife.com, contact any of our Tied Insurance Intermediaries, your Insurance Broker or visit any branch of Bank of Valletta or APS Bank.
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MSV Life p.l.c. is authorised by the Malta Financial Services Authority to carry on long term business under the Insurance Business Act, 1998. Bank of Valletta and APS Bank are enrolled as Tied Insurance Intermediaries of MSV Life p.l.c. COM210513
Come and see where smiles are made and Celebrate PlaY! Bring your kids and participate in the fun, view the new 2013 novelties and for a little break, our cafeteria offers a broad range of snacks at family friendly prices. Playmobil FunPark, HF80, Industrial Estate, Hal Far t: 2224 2445 e: funpark@playmobilmalta.com opening hours: Mon-Sun 10.00 - 18.00 by bus: Route no. X4 by car: Proceed to the Airport then follow the signposts
JOIN OUR FUNPARK FREE
PAGE NOW!
ACCESS AT THE PLAYMOBIL FUNPARK
www.playmobilmalta.com August 2013 | Sunday Circle 63
eating out
The
Chophouse best for beef
Perched high above the Sliema side of Marsamxett is The Chophouse restaurant. With a unique view, most remarkable at twilight or after dark of Malta’s walled capital city Valletta – a UNESCO world heritage site – dining out on The Chophouse deck is like being on the deck of an ocean liner. The Chophouse offers a succulent choice of prime cuts of Angus and Scottona beef grilled on Malta’s largest, charcoal burning open grill. These choice breeds and cuts – dry aged in-house – are selected for their unique marbling which ensures a delicious, moist texture and delectable taste. Local favourites such a stewed rabbit and brain fritters are also on the menu. Not many can enjoy a heavy starter before a juicy steak and the summer menu has been planned to include an appetising variety of light fish dishes. These range from classic dishes like Mackerel Escabeche and Prawn Tempura with pineapple and red bell pepper chimichiurri sauce, to our flavourful Chophouse Fish Cakes and Calamaretti in padella. For the very lightest of starters, a Carpaccio of Salmon with sweet melon does the trick. Mussels and Razor Clams with barley and fresh herbs combine to make a delicious soup. Chophouse carnivore favourites Duck liver pate’ with caramelised onions and peppered Beef Carpaccio are menu fixtures. The Chophouse offers free parking to its patrons at The Point car park, with a sheltered passage right through to the restaurant elevators.
The Chophouse, Tigné Point, Sliema | W: www.chophouse.com.mt | T: 2060 3355 | E: info@chophouse.com.mt 64 Sunday Circle | August 2013
Fanghi D’Alga GUAM - Seaweed Mud Cream Available from all leading pharmacies and beauty salons
CELLULITE TREATMENT facebook.com/guammalta Distributed by Liberty Business Culture Ltd. tel : 2141 0008