www.sundaycircle.com
NOVEMBER 2013 – ISSUE NO. 227
Interview
EYES ON THE BALL Malta international footballer André Schembri See page 42
Exclusive
GERARD JAMES
BORG
on Eurovision success, turning his hand to novel writing – and the perennial attraction of gossip and scandal See page 20
PLUS
Life after Scoliosis surgery See page 99
Feature
NOT fOr SALE The dark reality of human trafficking – and one local creative response See page 29
Breguet, the innovator.
Invention of hand-guilloché dials, 1786 Around 1786, Breguet created a resolutely new style by introducing dials adorned with gold or silver guilloché work. Today, this form of authentic hand craftsmanship is still one of the distinctive characteristics of a Breguet watch. A heritage proudly perpetuated in the Classique 7337BR model with its silvered gold dial adorned with five different hand-guilloché patterns. History is still being written…
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CONTENTS REGULARS
7 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR 12 C BODY | 14 C FASHION 16 C STYLE | 135 PAPARAZZI
SHOPPING
104 HEALTH | 114 BABY ON BOARD 131 CAFÉS | 138 HOME LIFE | 140 CIRCLE LOVES | 142 FOOD & DRINK 144 FASHION
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INTERVIEWS
MUSIC
He’s best known for penning Eurovision hits. Now, his debut novel aims to be just as glamorous. Gerard James Borg tells Philip Leone-Ganado about writing, Eurovision success – and why he remains fascinated by gossip and scandal
Fresh from four months in Denmark, and with a new single and international tour just round the corner, local indie rock band nosnow/noalps refuse to sit still. Sarah Borg is brought up to speed
20 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS 35 LAW OF THE SEA
Dr Ann Fenech has long since established herself as one of Malta’s leading maritime lawyers. Now she’s taking the plunge into politics
42 EYES ON THE BALL
In a country where stiff competition is a daily reality, what’s it like to stand above the rest? Rachel Agius meets André Schembri, professional football player
63 A DASH OF COLOUR
The world of Elisa Von Brockdorff’s art and photography is a strange and colourful one, where the everyday is reconfigured into something new and unfamiliar. David Schembri dives in
FEATURES
55 OUR CHANGING LANGUAGE
Maltese adaptations of English words may rub language purists the wrong way, but we may just need to get used to them, says Rachel Agius
81 SAILING BEYOND YOURSELF
For Ben Stuart, sailing is a way of giving disadvantaged youths a second shot at life. When the limits of your world are the edges of a ship, he tells Sarah Borg, it becomes a lot easier to focus on what matters
SUNDAYCIRCLE.COM COMPETITION* WIN A LUXURY HAMPER P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd. is giving one lucky reader a wonderful opportunity to WIN a gorgeous hamper from their exclusive selection of delicious treats, decadent luxury chocolates and fine wines and spirits only available from The Store in San Gwann. For details on how to participate, visit www.sundaycircle.com * 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.
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SOCIETY
29 NOT FOR SALE
There are 2.5 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, mostly women and children. Philip Leone-Ganado investigates human trafficking in Malta – and one local theatre group’s creative response
77 GREEN SILENCE
You can be arraigned for simply admitting to smoking marijuana, yet in many social circles, its use is the most open of secrets. Are we guilty of collective hypocrisy, asks Philip Leone-Ganado?
119 A SCOUT’S HONOUR
There is more to scouting than salutes and parades, Chief Scout Arthur Azzopardi tells Philip Leone-Ganado – it is an empowering experience with many life lessons to offer
92 SCALING MOUNTAINS HERITAGE
58 AS ABOVE SO BELOW
With a centuries-old collection of art and artefacts atop a maze of underground catacombs and shelters, Philip Leone-Ganado finds at the Wignacourt Museum layer upon layer of history, art and culture
POP CULTURE
87 AN APP FOR EVERY SEASON
Rachel Agius takes a look at the wonderful world of apps – and how they are changing the way we work, play, learn and simply kill time
STYLE
70 WINTER WONDERWEAR
Stylists Claire, Nicole and Sandro – the Clouded Revolution – tackle the dilemma of ‘fashionably freezing’ as they display the latest in outerwear
SPORTS
124 NEED FOR SPEED
Steve Camilleri and Luke Bezzina are distinguishing themselves as two of the brightest young talents in Maltese sprinting — and the established order is sitting up and taking notice
HEALTH & BEAUTY
99 MY TWISTED SPINE
Faye Formosa’s decision to undergo surgery to correct her scoliosis was the only way of taking the fate of her health into her own hands, Sarah Borg finds out
110 SMILING WITH CONFIDENCE
A confident smile is a necessity in today’s life. How often have you thought of fixing your teeth?
112 SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL
Consultant plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon Raymond Debono gives advice on how to keep safe with non-surgical cosmetic treatments
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: Philip Leone-Ganado, the editor, Sunday Circle, Network Publications Ltd, Level 2, Angelica Court, Guzeppi Cali Street, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX 1425, or email: philip@networkpublications.com.mt. The editors reserve 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. 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.
IL-PIAZZETTA, TOWER ROAD, SLIEMA SLM1605 – Tel: 21 338 248 - 8, ZACHARY STREET, VALLETTA VLT1131 – TEL: 21 225 342 - ARKADIA-GOZO
FURLA.COM
A WORD FROM
THE EDITOR It seems the cold weather has finally caught up with us all at once. Perhaps inspired pre-emptively by the thought of cups of tea and long weekend afternoons, this month we’ve leapt headlong into a variety of social issues. With 2.5 million victims worldwide, and the Maltese government only recently playing catch-up to bring its legal and support framework in order, the dark world of human trafficking is one. And as Daniel Holmes has his ten-year prison sentence for marijuana cultivation confirmed at appeal, the question of whether our openness about the drug has rendered its legal status obsolete is another. As always, there’s plenty of space for lighter topics. The popular local indie rock band nosnow/noalps bring us up to speed with their everevolving sound and exciting new artistic endeavours; André Schembri gives us an insight into the world of the professional international footballer; and if you’re eyeing up smartphones in anticipation of the Christmas season, our light-hearted peek into the often bizarre world of apps should be right up your street. In our cover story, we met Gerard James Borg, the Eurovision lyricist. Having just released his first novel, he had as much to say about his love for gossip and scandal as we imagine will soon be said about the novel. This and more inside. Thanks for reading.
THIS MONTH ON THE COVER
PUBLISHER John Formosa Network Publications Ltd PUBLICATION & SALES MANAGER Renée Micallef Decesare
www.sundaycircle.com
NOVEMBER 2013 – ISSUE NO. 227
Interview
Feature
NOT FOR SALE
EYES ON THE BALL Malta international footballer André Schembri See page 42
The dark reality of human trafficking – and one local creative response See page 29
EDITORIAL Philip Leone-Ganado EDITOR
Sarah Borg Rachel Agius ASSISTANT EDITORS
Exclusive
GERARD JAMES
BORG
on Eurovision success, turning his hand to novel writing – and the perennial attraction of gossip and scandal See page 20
PLUS
Life after Scoliosis surgery See page 99
Marisa Schembri
Jessica Camilleri ART DIRECTION
Victoria Hotel, Sliema LOCATION
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boDy 1. DefenDing against Daily life
The incredible reparative action of CICAPLAST from leading dermo-cosmetic brand La Roche-Posay is being extended to the hands and lips with CICAPLAST Mains and CICAPLAST Levres. Tested on the most demanding hands and on the most vulnerable lips, these products offer a healing action together with a long lasting protective barrier effect. Available only in pharmacies. For more information: larocheposay@prohealth.com.mt or visit the Facebook page at La Roche-Posay Malta.
2. a brightening boost
Decleor’s Prolagene Lift is a fragrance-free eye cream with a double-action formula to lift the eye contour area and boost luminosity. The L-PROLINE Complex and Natural Eye Tech Peptide help combat signs of ageing by re-energising the support fibres and reactivating the microcirculation, reducing puffiness and smoothing wrinkles. Eye Light Technology which combines optical agents with pearlescent particles brightens dark circles and restores luminosity to the eye area. Exclusively represented by C+M Marketing Ltd Tel: 2142 4079.
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Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana showcase their talent in its most potent form with the new Dolce&Gabbana Pour Femme Intense. Inspired by the richness and depth of signature eau de parfums of the past, Intense is a heady celebration of the power of scent to evoke, to incite and to command. Combining orange blossom and tuberose, neroli and green mandarin, the result is an intense fullbodied feminine signature that turns-heads and intrigues. Receive a luxury gift when purchasing Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense. For local trade enquiries, call freephone VJ Salomone (Marketing) 8007 2387.
4. Multi-tasking skincare
Practicality dictates that a skincare product needs to perform many functions. New skincare category initiated by CHANEL, the CC CREAM is the perfect beauty product
for the modern woman. In a simple and fast easy to use, it provides a Complete (C) Correction (C) care for the complexion. Both rich and light, it provides maximum comfort and long-lasting coverage, for a natural-looking finish. The skin is dressed to perfection. With a delicate scent, the soft, sheer, velvety texture is truly surprising. Neither too much nor too little. Chanel is distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd.
5. revitalize anD rejuvenate
Shiseido presents an advanced 24hr skincare cream to fight premature aging signs, such as dehydration, fine lines and uneven texture. Bio-Revitalizing Complex targets early aging signs, from deep within the skin to prevent signs of aging at an earlier stage than ever before. Skin becomes smooth, dewy and fine lines are smoothed away to reveal a younger looking skin. Exclusively represented by C+M Marketing Ltd. Tel. 2142 4079
6. Protection froM the eleMents
Specifically formulated for skins in their mid 20s to early 30s, Shiseido’s IBUKI is a skincare line that will breathe new life into unpredictable skins. A multi-functional moisturizer, Protective Moisturizer SPF 15 is specifically formulated for daytime use, with additional protection against external aggressors such as UV-rays and air pollution. This protective moisturizer protects against the rigours of daily life, bringing dull skin back to life and evening skin out while leaving a lasting moisturizing effect.
7. the iDeal all-rounDer
Vichy is proud to launch IDEALIA BB CREAM – combining the very best in beauty care, makeup & sun protection in one product. 6 proven results: instantly illuminates the skin, provides hydration, smoothes wrinkles, refines skin texture, reduces blemishes and protects from UVB/UVA. Available in 2 shades to suit your skin tone, its light & comfortable texture provides natural, transparent coverage for a flawless, luminous complexion. Discover the new IDEALIA BB CREAM in your pharmacy. Email us on vichy@prohealth.com.mt or SMS 7980 6836. Facebook: Vichy Malta.
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12 Sunday Circle | November 2013
5
Fashion Bringing vintage Back
autuMn in Print
Spread over 60 square metres of floor space, the Warehouse Group Vintage Store offers hand-picked clothing & accessories dating from the 1970s - 1990s by top brands like Diesel, Fred Perry, Levis, Dockers, Martins, Cinnamon, Sendra, Redskins, Kookai and Stylelab. A tailoring service will also be available, allowing you to customize the garment to your specifications. Find out more on www.facebook.com/thewarehousevintage, by calling 22584446 or visiting The Warehouse Vintage at the Savoy Arcade, Republic Street, Valletta.
Far from being simple decoration, carefully calibrated geometric effects can serve as distinctive formal elements. The Autumn/Winter collection from MAX&Co. combines sophisticated graphics and precise lines give rise to a pure, dramatic aesthetic code. White, black and red are the only colors utilized for defining these blocking effects in which more dense grills have been alternated with more rarefied ones in a play of eye-catching interlocking patterns. Exclusively at MAX&Co. High Str Sliema Open Monday to Saturday 09.30 to 19.00hrs
PriMo eMPorio oPens at Bay street
The first Primo Emporio store in Malta, a luxury Italian menswear fashion outlet, is now open on Level 1 at Bay Street, St Julian’s. The fashion store showcases their autumn-winter collection and includes aselection of both casual and formal wear, footwear, and an impressive range of accessories, from socks and underwear to bags and briefcases. For more information on the Primo Emporio product range visit www.primoemporio.it/ and for the latest on the Bay Street store visit the Bay Street’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/baystreetmalta.
hanDMaDe, with heart the PreMier DiaMonD collection
The Premier Cut Diamond has taken the original classic brilliant cut diamond design, with 52 facets, one step further. With 82 facets, the brilliance of this new, patented cut will take your breath away. The Premier Diamond Collection - classic diamond jewellery featuring IGI certificated Premier Diamonds, designed to sparkle with fire and life from every angle of every facet. The perfect gift of love. For more information visit www.vascas.com.mt or Vascas Enterprises in Naxxar.
MeXX celeBrates 15 years
During the month of November, MEXX will be celebrating the 15 anniversary of its launch in Malta. A Dutch brand with international renown, MEXX’s first store in Malta was opened in 1998. With stores in Mosta, Tigne Point, St Julian’s and Valletta, the brand continues to offer great quality and value with even more passion. To celebrate 15 years of unwavering commitment to quality, MEXX are giving back to the customer through a series of events throughout the month as well as discounts and special anniversary promos that are sure to please loyal customers. The events are taking place as follows – 14th November, 5pm at MEXX Tigné Point; 21st November, 5pm at MEXX Mosta and 30th November, 3pm at MEXX Bay Street.
14 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Italian brand K di Kuore offers customers a dazzling variety of handmade 18 karat gold and diamond jewellery. The care and quality that goes into these lovingly made items is the main characteristic of these fine, distinctive pieces making such jewels truly unique. Indulge in a truly precious accessory or treat a loved one to a timeless piece that will endure and enchant. Available at RAPHAEL AZZOPARDI, 6 Triq l-Uqija, Ibrag Tel: 2137 3812.
Receive your luxury gift when purchasing Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense. Ask in-store for details.
Offer valid from authorised outlets. Until stocks last. Trade Enquiries VJ Salomone Marketing tel: 8007 2387
sTyle
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Inhale the scent of Victory with INVICTUS, the new masculine perfume by Paco Rabanne. This sensually fresh scent sets a modern vision of virility. Invictus is an unexpected clash of worlds, powers, sensations and values: a thrill of pure freshness in the top note faces the sensuality of the guaiac wood in the base note. INVICTUS - the essence of the Champion. Exclusively distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Limited Tel: 2133 1553.
iT sTyle launched in Bay sTreeT
The new IT Style store opened at the end of October to much interest from local fashionistas. Home to IT Style cosmetics and the Italian costume jewellery brand, Dudu, IT Style in Bay Street is the newest and latest addition to the impressive list of brands represented by Michele Peresso Group of Companies. Both the cosmetics and the jewellery are produced in Italy, distinguishing them from other similar products produced outside the EU. For further enquiries please call on 2385 9389 or visit us on Facebook – IT Style Malta / Dudu Malta.
QualiTy comes sTandard
a flash of sensualiTy
Anticipation. Excitement. The cool rush of power a woman feels when dressed in a pair of sexy shoes. Introducing Flash, the second fragrance from Jimmy Choo. Evoking a sophisticated, urban woman who is provocative, rebellious, and magnetic, this floral Eau de Parfum is effervescent and sensual. Pink pepper, tangerine, and strawberry open the fragrance with a fresh, sparkling introduction. Heart notes of strong, exotic white flowers reveal a sexy character. A base of white powdery woods leaves a lasting impression, both seductive and modern. Jimmy Choo Fragrances are distributed by Chemimart. Tel: 2149 2212.
classic sTyle wiTh a conTemporary calling
Italian leather specialists Coccinelle have been creating bags, shoes and accessories which perfectly represent the contemporary woman for over thirty years. The Coccinelle woman is dynamic, chic and modern and her Coccinelle bag is always in fashion, elegant, functional, and practical. For this Autumn and Winter collection, Coccinelle is offering an irresistible mix of rationality and sensuality, metropolitan esprit and the need to be seductive. The brand also boasts a vast and varied selection of bags, purses and fashion accessories to be found at the new shop in Tower Road, Sliema, which will definitely delight. Coccinelle is represented by P. Cutajar & Co Ltd. 16 Sunday Circle | November 2013
With a long tradition of exceptional quality, it is no surprise that Bruno Magli has been a favourite among an international customer base for over 70 years. Bruno Magli footwear is an Italian luxury brand and its creations are conceived and created for the refined, elegant woman. The shoes are rigorously hand-made by expert craftsmen and every single detail is made with scrupulous care, ensuring that customers’ expectations continue to be exceeded for years to come. Exclusively at Stivaletti – Tower Road, Sliema. Tel: 2132 2638.
sarTo presenTs d&g
One year after opening its St Julian’s store, SARTO exclusively presents Dolce & Gabbana, strengthening the bond between fashion, art and craftsmanship so clearly described by the name SARTO itself. Well known for its strong cultural appeal, the Italian fashion house will be bringing a touch of Mediterranean roots to their line. The women’s collection emphasizes the strength and confidence of the female figure, accenting her outfit with rosary beads and religious jewellery. For the men’s collection, Dolce & Gabbana take an absolute devotion to tailoring as a way of representing the strong Sicilian dedication to family, religion and most of all...love. With a vision for quality, VF Group continues to invest in international brands like Dolce & Gabbana.
178, Marina street, pietĂ seafront st anne street, fLoriana i teL: 2010 3715, 2010 2949 i www.victorazzopardi.coM
BOUQUET collection
cover story
20 Sunday Circle | November 2013
cover story
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS He’s best known for penning tHe eurovision Hits Desire anD seventH wonDer, anD now His Debut novel aims to be just as glamorous. gerarD james borg tells pHilip leone-ganaDo about writing, eurovision success – anD wHy He remains fascinateD by gossip anD scanDal. P hotograPhy by S teve M uliett a rt D irection by J eSSica c aMilleri h air by n aDia at P rive
I’ve been in Gerard James Borg’s apartment less than three minutes before he offers me a Martini. When I politely decline, he seems genuinely disappointed. “I thought it would have been fitting,” he shrugs as he pours me a glass of water. Fitting, he means, because we’re here to discuss Sliema Wives, Gerard’s new novel: all glitz, glam, and scandal in high society. But perhaps fitting also because as our interview begins, I get the sense that Gerard himself has walked straight out of the pages of his own novel. Sharply dressed and immaculately groomed, here is one – he seems to project – with a taste for the finer things in life. In person, he comes across as energetic, larger than life, as if he’s constantly struggling to contain himself: on more than one occasion, he leaps out of his seat to punctuate a point, or vividly act out part of an anecdote he’s relating.
Locally, of course, Gerard’s name is inextricably linked with the Eurovision Song Contest. As a lyricist, his songs have represented Malta in the finals on five separate occasions: an 8th place finish with Claudette Pace and Desire in 2000; 2nd place with Ira Losco and Seventh Wonder two years later; then On Again, Off Again, Vertigo, and Vodka. He has also written lyrics for over forty songs in national finals across Europe, placing 3rd in the Netherlands and Norway, and 2nd in Iceland, among others. But Sliema Wives takes its cue from a different vein of Gerard’s writing endeavours: in particular, he explains, a weekly newspaper column he used to write, entitled Private Eye. The series took the form of restaurant reviews-cumcelebrity interviews, with Gerard touring the island’s wine bars and eateries in the company of well-known local personalities – from Simon Busuttil to Moira Delia – asking the sort of “juicy” questions that conventional interviews shy away from. Would you rather be felt up by your husband or David Beckham? Would you rather slap Claudette Pace or Angie Laus? That sort of thing. “People responded really well to the style,” Gerard laughs. “It wasn’t the prim and proper interviews everyone was used to: it was edgy, witty and full of gossip. When that finished, many people asked for more, so I found myself thinking – why not a book?” Four years later, that book is Sliema Wives. It tells the story of five local women nominated for a prestigious Woman of the Year award in an international lifestyle magazine.
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 21
COVER STORY “They all know each other, but they’re all jealous of each other, so what we get to see is the bitching and the backstabbing that goes on behind the air kisses,” Gerard explains. “There’s lots of scandal and intrigue, and also scenes of everyday life – but the sort of everyday life that doesn’t often come to light. I think we all love to read about how other people behave, or rather, how we like to think they behave.” Each of the five women represents a trope of some kind, from the snobby aristocrat to the nouveau-riche whom the others never quite accept. “I had a lot of fun creating the characters: although completely fictitious, each one was inspired by a mix of several people... and some imagination,” Gerard says with a hint of mischief. Ultimately, however, all draw their inspiration from the same source, which in turn underpins the entire novel: the upper-crust, code-switching stereotype of the Sliema pepe. Gerard deflects any questions as to whether his portrayal is more satire or celebration – “I want people to take from it whatever they’d like,” as he flittingly puts it. He certainly recognises that the stereotype is a pervasive one: launching into storytelling mode at the slightest prompt, he animatedly tells me about a woman he met recently who’d only just moved to Malta, but who was already aware that Sliema had a reputation as the posh part of the island.
I wanted the book to be entertaining, juicy, and revealing. People will recognise elements of themselves and their relationships in it But by that same token, he admits that he doesn’t see anything to it beyond “a fun part of life in Malta”. I have a bit more luck drawing him in to a response on whether he sees any part of himself in the stereotypes he examines. “Actually, people do often guess that I’m from Sliema,” he says (he was actually born and raised in Floriana). “But I think it’s just because I feel more comfortable expressing myself in English – even though I’m perfectly capable of speaking Maltese.” The book does aim to touch upon some serious issues. “Unhappy marriages, for example,” says Gerard. “It’s a reality many people are living, but you’d never know it because they’re in conscious denial, or they’re showing a different face to the world.” But it is the book’s lighter elements that the author is keen to emphasise, and he does so with no apologies for the frivolity. “I wanted the book to be entertaining, juicy, and revealing. People will recognise elements of themselves and their relationships in it, but I didn’t want to end up writing some sort of philosophical novel. Who am I to profess?” 22 Sunday Circle | November 2013
COVER STORY It’s an emphasis on popularity – and why not, commercialism – that derives from his songwriting exploits. “A mistake a lot of people make is to think of lyrics as poems. I can’t stand dramatic, soppy lyrics,” he says, emphasising his point with a gagging gesture. “I want to make music for today, music people can understand. People don’t want to hear difficult words. It’s a song, not a life lesson.” Instead, with a background in PR and sales to fall back on, Gerard’s first thought is always the artist and their target audience. One of his successful recent collaborations, in fact, was with an Icelandic all-female rock band called Elektra. Their manager contacted Gerard looking for a song specifically to create a stir, and when Gerard found out that two of the band members were gay, the concept for I Don’t Do Boys was born. The content of the song itself should be discernable from its title, while the music video – which amassed over a million views on YouTube – follows suit, with a spin-the-bottle party that descends into something altogether more Bacchanal. Does Gerard enjoy the shock factor? “There’s a fine line between vulgar and sexy,” is his answer. “It’s like a lady, the way she dresses can be really tarty, or it can be really sensual.” As for the Eurovision – where dwell, some would say, the experts at toeing that line – Gerard still remembers the first time he heard the theme song playing live at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, the year he was there with Claudette Pace. “I actually had to make a dash for the bathroom,” he laughs. “The butterflies in my stomach were just too much!” It was rivalled, perhaps, by what he calls the rush of euphoria that accompanied placing 2nd with Ira. “But the best part of taking part is the people you meet and the contacts you make. Thanks to the Eurovision I’ve had the chance to co-write with the person who wrote Euphoria and with someone who once wrote a number 1 hit with Westlife.” He’ll be back, of course. He already has a number of songs lined up for next year’s Malta Song for Europe competition, in fact. But first, there is Sliema to consider – and a new medium with which to try and captivate and entertain.
Sliema Wives, published by Midsea Books, will be available at leading bookshops from early November. A portion from each sale is being donated to charity.
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24 Sunday Circle | November 2013
BISAZZA STREET, SLIEMA
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Trade Enquiries VJ Salomone Marketing tel: 8007 2387
SOCIETY
NOT
FOR SALE THE UN ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE 2.5 MILLION VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING WORLDWIDE, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WITH TRAFFICKERS RAKING IN $31.6 BILLION EVERY YEAR. PHILIP LEONE-GANADO INVESTIGATES HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN MALTA – AND A LOCAL THEATRE GROUP’S ATTEMPTS AT A CREATIVE RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 29
SOCIETY
L
ast year, Raymond Mifsud was jailed for 11 years for his role in an international human trafficking ring. Mifsud had lured girls to Malta under the pretence of offering work in a restaurant, only for them to be locked in a farmhouse and forced to have sex with men for €35. If they refused, they were moved to a strip club, or sold to someone else for €1,200 – to settle expenses. The ring was burst open when one woman managed to place a call to her family back home. Many are not so lucky. It was only in 2012 that the US state department, in its annual report on human trafficking worldwide, upgraded Malta from its Tier 2 Watchlist category. Still, the new rating – Tier 2 – reflects the fact that the country “does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.” In fact, Malta is recognised in the latest report as a source, transit, and destination country for women subjected to sex trafficking and recently, there has also been added concern that African migrants could be vulnerable to trafficking within the country, or that Malta may be a transit country for African women subjected to sex trafficking in continental Europe. But apart from Raymond Mifsud, the list of human trafficking cases that have actually made it before the courts in recent years is not an extensive one. In 2011, two Maltese nationals and two Romanians were charged with the trafficking of three identified victims from Romania, who had been recruited for sexual exploitation while on holiday in Greece. Last year, an ad hoc police investigation discovered three Chinese individuals employed irregularly and under poor working conditions in a massage parlour and restaurant. One of the victims, a female, was also being asked to provide sexual services to clients. That same year, a Filipino young woman employed by a foreign family in Malta, managed to communicate her plight to an NGO through her laptop; the social welfare agency was alerted and the victim helped to flee the house. For every case that comes to light, there are many more that remain hidden, masking the scale of the problem and making it difficult to detect emerging trends. Dr Lara Dimitrijevic, a local lawyer with experience in the field,
30 Sunday Circle | November 2013
explains that for victims of trafficking, seeking help can be extremely difficult. “Many of the trafficked victims are instilled with fear by their traffickers – they don’t trust the authorities out of fear of arrest or deportation,” she says. “Moreover, they are often controlled and not left alone for a minute.” Women are often cut off from outside communication, their documents confiscated, and threats against them or their families are commonplace. Compounding the problem, the victims themselves may not always recognise the situation they’ve found themselves in. “Some are in denial, while others understand what’s happening but believe that it’s only temporary, until they pay off the debts they incurred in travelling here.”
“ they are often controlled and not left alone for a minute ” Dimitrijevic, who is in the process of setting up a foundation to give a voice to women in situations like these, recalls one case of a 15year old girl she encountered personally while working with migrants in detention centres. “I remember she used to carry her teddy bear with her everywhere she went. She had been abandoned by her family, and as I worked with her and built up confidence and trust, I started to notice certain worrying signs,” says Dimitrijevic. “How did you come here? A nice lady paid for me. What about when you got here? A woman was going to meet me. How would she recognise you? They sent her a photo.” “I tried to open her eyes, suggesting that maybe they wanted her for something else, but she wouldn’t believe it. In fact, she found the idea funny.” But when the girl left detention, she found a man waiting for her on the outside. “I lost contact with her and some time later, I was contacted by the authorities in another country, where she had come forward after escaping from the brothel where she had been forced to work.”
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SOCIETY
Actresses in TAC Theatre’s production of Inoccent Flesh
“It’s difficult to move on, but with support from all quarters, I have seen it happen” For the women who come forward, the proper protection, support and empowerment is crucial. “What they’ve been through destroys their entire self-worth,” says Dimitrijevic. “It’s difficult to move on, but with support from all quarters, I have seen it happen. They’ll never forget, but they can make a successful life for themselves, which would have been inconceivable while they were trapped.” But all too often, women find themselves victimised further, dragged before a court or summarily deported. “Before taking a decision to repatriate, we have to make sure that they’re not going to face further persecution from the authorities, or from their family and community,” she explains. “Many former victims find themselves shunned for having worked as prostitutes, even when it was against their will. At a legal level, last month saw the publication of a bill transposing a 2011 EU anti-traficking directive into law and providing for more stringent penalties for traffickers. For victims who cooperate with the Maltese authorities, there is legal protection, medical and psycho-social support and shelter. Victims are offered a two-month reflection period in which to decide whether to cooperate with the authorities, in which case they are given a six-month temporary residence permit. If they are willing to testify in a criminal trial, they are also eligible for witness 32 Sunday Circle | November 2013
protection. Procedures are also being developed for identifying victims among potential asylum seekers. For now, lack of widespread awareness remains a critical stumbling block. And one local theatre group are attempting a creative response to precisely that problem with a staging of Innocent Flesh, a new play by American writer Kenyetta Lethridge. The play is inspired by what the author witnessed while working with young runaways, and tells a story of human trafficking, sex with strangers, rape, abortion, molestation and, most importantly, cries for help. “Theatre has been tackling social problems for hundreds of years,” says producer Wesley Ellul of TAC Theatre. “If we can open the public’s eyes to these realities which are happening just down the road, and if the public help in addressing these issues of people being kept against their will, we can help stop it.” While the play is originally set in Lethridge’s native Los Angeles, the group drew inspiration for their bilingual adaptation from local realities. “I encountered one story of a group of girls being pushed into a black van outside a club in Paceville,” says Ellul. “The van had no plates, and the girls weren’t happy to get inside. When it was reported this to the police, they just said: ‘These are dangerous people, don’t mess with them’.” The group worked with Dr Dimitrijevic in researching the piece, and for her part, the lawyer believes projects like this can play a vital role. “Theatre is very emotional, and a great visual way of getting to someone at a much deeper level; it has the capacity to unlock the taboo that surrounds human trafficking,” she says. “This is a way of engaging other spheres of society beyond the occasional case in the news.” Innocent Flesh is being staged at the Vault Theatre at Valletta Waterfront on November 10th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. Tickets can be bought from www.ticketline.com.mt and proceeds from programme sales will go to the Women’s Rights Foundation.
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INTERVIEW
LAW OF THE SEA DR ANN FENECH HAS LONG SINCE ESTABLISHED HERSELF AS ONE OF MALTA’S LEADING MARITIME LAWYERS. NOW SHE’S TAKING THE PLUNGE INTO POLITICS
“I feel that [Fenech] has the charisma, integrity and correctness to be well involved in the PN.” A few days later, she announced her intention to run for President of the Executive, which she did uncontested, and was duly confirmed in the role.
W ords
THE PARTY LINE Which still begs the question: why enter politics? “I’m still asking myself that, and I still haven’t found an answer,” she smiles. But being born into a political family (her father Alfred Bonnici served as Speaker of the House as she was growing up) clearly played a part. “Mixing with people and being at the service of your country was part of my forma mentis from a very young age, and the aftermath of the election brought home the idea that perhaps I was ready to give something back.”
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P hiliP l eone -G anado
P hotoGraPhy
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J ean M arc Z erafa
When Dr Ann Fenech accepted an invitation to appear on television the day after the general election, she hardly expected it to kick-start a political career. But appearing on a discussion programme running in parallel to the vote-counting process, her comments and analysis on the day caught people’s attention. And as the extent of the Nationalist Party’s defeat became apparent, and people started calling for a breath of fresh air, that breath started to look more and more like Dr Fenech. Before then, Fenech was best known for her work as one of Malta’s top maritime lawyers: she is the President of the Malta Maritime Law Association and a council member of the European Maritime Law Organisation as well as a managing partner and head of marine litigation at Fenech and Fenech advocates. Yet suddenly there was talk of her contesting the leadership election – talk which she quickly quashed, but not before a Facebook page supporting her had gathered over 3000 members. “The other mentioned contenders all share part of the faults of the past government, especially when it comes to a personal contact level,” the administrator, a member of the party executive, told me at the time.
But with the party having just suffered a crushing defeat, was there not a sense that she was boarding a sinking ship? Fenech’s response is uncompromising. “The PN has always been a great party, and it will remain a great party,” she says. Her analysis of the defeat – now just as in the report she co-authored in its aftermath – is that the government was a victim of its own success. “While the rest of the world was sinking rapidly, we witnessed no fall-out of the financial crisis; in fact we registered record employment. Because the government was such a huge success at running the country, national issues were off the table, so everyone was looking at personal issues,” she says. Indeed, her conviction that the PN, even as it stands, remains the country’s best option is built – not unexpectedly – on a belief that the Labour government has shown itself over the last eight months to November 2013 | Sunday Circle 35
INTERVIEW
Obviously Malta did the right thing by saving life at sea, however if we are to follow the same rules and procedures, following the salvage they should have been taken to Lampedusa
36 Sunday Circle | November 2013
be unfit for purpose. “The Labour rallying cry, which they took to every town and village, was transparency, meritocracy and accountability. Now we’ve seen them repeatedly chuck that into the bin.” She lays out a ferocious record of indiscretions: questionable board appointments, promotions within the Armed Forces, even the Home Affairs ministry chief-of-staff Silvio Scerri’s run in with a security guard at the Isle of MTV concert. “The majority of those 36,000 voters are intelligent people,” she says. “I expect they are rather disappointed at having been hoodwinked.” With her professional focus on maritime law, Fenech reserves particular criticism for the government’s handling of the summer’s immigration flare-ups. “The PM should have immediately flown to Brussels and demanded in the most diplomatic manner to have one-to-one discussions across the table. I think that would have been preferable to taking to Twitter and telling Cecilia Malmstrom to take the migrants to Sweden.” She rejects any suggestion that
the PN displayed inconsistency in opposing the pushbacks but later questioning the manner in which Syrian refugees were brought in to Malta after being rescued on the high seas. “We were totally against the pushbacks because according to international convention, we had to process these unfortunate victims of circumstances because they were in our territory. But on the last occasion, obviously Malta did the right thing by saving life at sea, however if we are to follow the same rules and procedures, following the salvage they should have been taken to Lampedusa,” she insists. “If you’re going to cite international convention, you have to cite it all the way.” ON THE HIGH SEAS While on the subject, Fenech also draws attention to the little-discussed aspect of the commercial vessels that often find themselves caught up in the political wrangling. “As a shipping lawyer, I was not keen on how the government tried to put a dark shadow on the captain of the Salamis.” As ships get more sophisticated, she explains, it’s not unusual
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INTERVIEW to have an enormous container ship on the high seas with a crew of less than 20. “Can you imagine the dilemma of a captain who is obliged by sheer human compassion as well as international law to pick up these hundreds of people, and then somehow take care of them with such a small crew?” As the topic turns more fully to maritime law, Fenech’s manner changes completely, and she is clearly not unaware of the shift. “I’m very much a maritime lawyer,” she says. “I’ll remain that forever because I’m so passionate about what I do.” The maritime sector, she explains, is a diverse and dynamic one, and Malta is well-placed at the heart of it: with over 49 million tonnes registered under its flag , Malta is currently the largest ship register in Europe. “We’re truly a maritime nation. Our geographical location lends itself to our maritime destiny.” As a result Fenech’s shipping work sees her involvement in collisions, towage operations, pollution, cargo disputes, defaulting owners, financiers, charterers, marine casualites, arrest of ships, with a heavy overlap with the energy sector. She has frequently assisted with the drafting of a number of shipping related laws and procedures. One interesting consequence of Malta’s place within the international industry is our role in major international issues – including piracy. “With so many ships registered under the Maltese flag, a fair amount of them traverse the east coast of Somalia and the west coast of Africa,” Fenech explains. “We recognise that there may well be an international organisation masterminding everything: as they’ve grown more sophisticated, they’ve ventured west further and further from Somalia. The entirety of the Indian Ocean will soon became a red alert area. It’s impossible, given the geographical size of the area, for any naval force to control.” The only option for merchant vessels became the carriage of armed guards, but fearing an arms race with the pirates, the International Maritime Organisation – originally against the idea – has left the issue up to individual states to regulate. For its part, Malta is leading by example. “A legal notice was promulgated in March of this year, which provides for the licensing of private maritime security companies, and which is currently being fine-tuned. Malta is the first state in Europe to have this legislation. It’s considered very pro-active further confirming Malta’s role within the shipping industry.” And Fenech believes that Malta’s maritime reputation – which she has had some role in shaping – remains its strongest asset in maintaining its competitiveness. “We’ve striven for many years to make sure people consider us to be among the best,” she says. “There’s two levels to this: service providers like myself and my colleagues have given our very best and have performed very well indeed but also the regulators and regulation. Our regulators have ensured a high regulatory standard while at the same time being open to business and not overly-bureaucratic, which is the perfect medium.” 38 Sunday Circle | November 2013 000
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DIALOGUE WITH NATURE
culture
There are two things French painter Zoe Chomarat is passionate about: animals and painting; and by taking full advantage of her love of the latter, she is helping raise money for abandoned animals through her exhibitions. “I observe nature, absorb it, and my imagination does the rest,” she explains. Zoe has become fond of the natural daylight of Malta, especially on a clear day with a fresh mistral blowing wind. Artist: Zoe Chomarat, website: www.zoechomarat.com Exhibition: “DIALOGUE WITH NATURE” Dates: Saturday 23rd November – Saturday 30th November, 2013 Venue: St. John’s Cavalier, Ordinance Street, Valletta. In aid of: SPCA
Tapping into a variety of mediums and using different techniques, depending on the subject that has inspired her, Zoe is sure of one thing, colour is essential for her work, it means life. Her admiration towards the work and effort of the S.P.C.A has impelled Zoe to hold an art exhibition of which the proceeds will go to help support the lives of the cats and dogs that inhabit these humble lodgings. November 2013 | Sunday Circle 41
INTERVIEW
Eyes on the Ball In a country where stIff competItIon Is a daIly realIty, what’s It lIke to stand above the rest? rachel agIus meets andré schembrI, professIonal footballer, to talk about football, the journey to the top and how a lIttle support goes a long way – and some more football P hotograPhy
42 Sunday Circle | November 2013
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S teve M ulliet
INTERVIEW
It’s a grey day when I meet André Schembri at the National Stadium. Sporadic rain showers make the air humid and carry the rich scent of earth and grass up to our seats in the VIP section. Currently playing with AC Omonoia in Cyprus, Schembri is also part of the Maltese national team and is back home for a short visit. At 27, he is not exactly a teenager but you wouldn’t think it to look at him. Wiry and narrow-shouldered, he exudes an almost childlike enthusiasm for his lifelong passion. “I’ve loved football ever since I can remember,” he says. His grandfather, father and uncles are or were all avid fans and players in their own right. “I would watch matches on television with my dad and ask him whether he thought I was good enough to be like the players on TV.” I wonder what his response was when Schembri beams – “He always said yes”. And given the evidence, it seems Dad was right. At age 20, Schembri scored the two goals that led the Maltese national team to a victory against Hungary in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match. This result was considered a historic achievement, breaking the Maltese team’s 13-year long dry spell between competitive victories. After this, his international debut, German club Eintracht Braunschweig came calling, and he answered. What followed was a number of transfers to clubs in Austria, Hungary, Greece, and Cyprus, where he plays today. Each transfer is difficult for Schembri – “Your team becomes your family,” he says, “You spend as much time with them off the pitch as on it.” But leaving Greece, he admits, was the hardest. “I would have liked to stay there longer but the country’s financial situation meant that priorities changed.” November 2013 | Sunday Circle 43
INTERVIEW
Schembri goes from a soft-spoken, almost shy young man to a real athlete; self-assured and with a spring in his step
A quick attacking midfielder with a flair for the spectacular, Schembri has recently raised his profile among local fans with a series of impressive performances in World Cup qualifying matches: marking Andrea Pirlo with such dogged persistence that the Italian great made special mention of it in his new autobiography; or a blistering run against Bulgaria that saw him take on three defenders from a standing start before his powerful shot unfortunately came back off the post. For AC Omonia, a majestic solo goal a few months ago – which saw him collect a ball over the top, roulette a defender, and chip it high over the keeper – showed Cypriot fans exactly what he’s capable of. Through all of this, his family’s support has always been important to Schembri. He has spent the past six years abroad, playing with different clubs, and I ask how his parents reacted to his choice to dedicate himself completely to the sport. “I was studying at the time, at MCAST, when I approached 44 Sunday Circle | November 2013
them about it,” he explains. What followed was more a declaration than a request. He wanted to give up school to pursue his dream fulltime. “It was difficult for them at first,” he says, “and I understand why.” Local culture gives great importance to academic qualifications and a stable job. When their son wanted to become a professional footballer, Schembri’s parents put aside this thinking and gave him their blessing. After watching him in action, one cannot imagine anything he would be better suited to. The change that comes over him as we move from the stands to the pitch to take some pictures is immediately evident. Schembri goes from a soft-spoken, almost shy young man to a real athlete; self-assured and with a spring in his step that has nothing to do with the newly rejuvenated turf beneath his feet. Clad in his Malta colours, there is no doubt that the pitch is where he belongs as he skilfully manipulates a ball in our search for the perfect shot.
When I ask about the perks of being a pro footballer, he cracks a smile. “I have walked into cafes and gotten free coffee,” he reveals. “Especially in Cyprus, I’ve gotten a lot of respect for what I do.” And it seems that respect has been well-earned. Schembri regards each transfer as another step up. Each club he has played with has offered him invaluable learning opportunities. “The aim is to reach the top.” The top, however, is not measured in the number of goals, an easy assumption to make. “The most rewarding part of it all is playing well. Giving your best and working with your team to achieve your full potential, as individual players and as a team,” Schembri says. To him, he says, football is not just a job. It is, cliché as it may sound, a way of life. I ask him what he enjoys doing in his spare time. Aside from reading and the ubiquitous technological pursuits of our age, it’s pretty much all football. No other sport come close to it for Schembri and it is clear that this obsession runs deep.
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Schembri remembers what it was like to want to do something unconventional and to have to convince others that it is the right thing to do. To the young hopefuls in similar situations, he has a few words of advice. “Stick with it,” he says unflinchingly. “If it is your dream and football is something you know you want to pursue, don’t give up.” Schembri has a word for parents too. “Support them,” he advises. “They need you there for them if they are going to succeed.” While it may be difficult to ignore the priorities ingrained in us by our society – go to school, get a job – Schembri’s story is proof that stepping off the beaten path with a healthy dose of ambition can be the ultimate motivation. His own family has been instrumental in his success although he does not forget the sacrifices his nearest and dearest have made. Being far from home is taxing and he tells me how his fiancée still lives here, making their relationship a long-distance one, with all the challenges that that entails. “But I hope that she will be able to join me soon, wherever I may be,” he smiles. His friends too have had to adjust. “I see them only a few times a year now,” he says, a sad note in his voice. Some have inevitably dropped by the wayside. The ones he does remain in touch with, however, have proven their worth – not everyone can keep a friendship alive under such circumstances. As we wrap up our interview, the rain eases up. I catch Schembri looking intently at the field. I almost feel like I’m intruding on an intimate moment. It is evident that this young star is exactly where he wants to be. Through his hard work, unwavering perseverance and a lot of help from his loved ones, he’s firmly on track to achieving his goals. Recognized by the European football community, it seems like there is nothing to stop André Schembri from scoring a place among the greats. September 2013 | Sunday Circle 000
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Clockwork Dreams TIME PIECES HAVE LONG HELD HIGH ESTEEM IN THE PUBLIC EYE: AN OBJECT OF BEAUTY, A SYMBOL OF SOCIAL STANDING AND, ULTIMATELY, A PRACTICAL, USEFUL THING THAT MANY WOULD NOT GO THE DAY WITHOUT. RACHEL AGIUS MEETS RENOWNED DANISH DESIGNER CHRISTINA HEMBO TO FIND OUT MORE P hotograPhy
by
S teve M ulliet
hristina Hembo has taken that ethos and built a business on the idea that people need not break the bank in order to own beautiful things. Tall, slender and with an immediately evident passion for what she does, Christina seems to have done it all. She is currently on her fourth visit to Malta, a holiday destination popular with her whole family. We sit right across from a display case filled with Christina Watches pieces, a glimmering selection of charms, watches and other jewellery that seems both wearable and glamorous, without ostentation. Christina talks me through the ideas behind Christina Watches and the various collections available. “From the beginning, we wanted to create something that people could afford,” she
tells me. The business plan was unusual and, some might say, counterintuitive. “We wanted to sell more, earn less,” she explains. With stores around the world selling her jewellery, there’s no doubt that the plan seems to have worked. The company itself has humble beginnings. Christina was finishing her studies in design at the University of the Arts in London when she met Claus, the man who would be her husband and business partner, in 2002. Starting a business had always been a dream of hers and together they began coming up with ideas. Launching a new brand is a risky endeavour and both were aware of the competition they were facing. “There are lots of quality brands out there,” Christina explains, “So a new brand needs something with which to draw people’s attention.”
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 49
LUXURY
The customer needs to feel the quality, the passion, the attention to detail in the product... They must be able to feel the love that went into it It is testament to the quality and beautiful finish of the final product that Christina’s work has drawn some rather royal attention. “I have designed watches for the Queen and Prince of Denmark,” she says. “They can be seen wearing them in publicity photos!” Queen Margrethe II was so taken with the piece that she requested a different coloured strap to go with her watch. “I sent her six for Christmas,” Christina laughs. “She was very pleased.” Of course you don’t have to have blue blood to appreciate the passion behind the pieces and her hard work has not gone unrecognized. Between 2008 and 2010, Hembo received an award a year for her business endeavours. In 2010, her celebrity status and popularity enabled Christina to be voted into 3rd place in the Danish incarnation of ‘Dancing with the Stars’, an appearance that had more influence on Christina Watches than she could have imagined. Another contestant on the same show was Michael Rasmussen, a Danish cyclist whose brush with a doping controversy left him without many career options. Once Rasmussen’s ban was lifted, Christina took what might be considered a risky decision. Together with Danish telecom provider Onfone, Christina Watches became a main sponsor for a competitive cycling team which would be named Christina Watches-Onfone, with Rasmussen in the role of manager. The team has big dreams and a number of wins under their belt already, including winning the Tour ta Malta 2012.
That something was good quality at an affordable price. Handmade in Switzerland, the first watches for ladies were released in 2004 and the men’s selection in 2006. Since then, the company enjoyed impressive progress. 2010 saw the new Christina Collect series launched. This combines a leather bracelet with a small but crucial bit of hardware, something Christina calls a T-Bar. This allows the wearer to transform their watch into a unique and personalised piece of jewellery by attaching the bracelet to the watch face easily and without tools. From then on, the client is the designer. They can select the colour of the bracelet, the charms they add and even what the watch face looks like. Christina shows me how the face of the watch screws off, revealing a row of tiny glinting diamonds. “This system is patented,” she beams, showing me how one can add or remove the diamonds and gems before locking them safely back beneath the face. These endless customization options proved very popular with customers. “I am aiming for these pieces to have a classic look with modern touches,” she says, “Being able to change the look of the jewellery makes it possible to give an older piece a completely new look without having to buy a new watch.” 50 Sunday Circle | November 2013
As we round off our interview, I ask Christina what the hardest part of her job is. I fully expect the answer to be a variation on ‘finding inspiration’. It turns out, it’s the opposite. “Choosing one idea to develop is the hardest,” Christina says. “There is inspiration everywhere but not enough time to see all these ideas through.” Architecture, nature and even dancing, a world she was introduced to while wearing flowing dresses and heaps of makeup in front of a live audience; all these things are sources of inspiration. Once that one idea is selected, a long and careful process of development begins. “There is not one single piece made by Christina Watches that is not completely, one hundred percent the best it could be,” she says. “Nothing reaches our stores if I am not entirely satisfied with its appearance and quality.” This is obviously an important point for her. “The customer needs to feel the quality, the passion, the attention to detail in the product,” she insists. “They must be able to feel the love that went into it.” That love is what is also expanding the Christina Watches line. A selection of rings, new designs for charms and a silk necklace debuted in October, giving customers even more ways to personalize their adornments and update their older pieces. Christina Hembo continues to strive towards new designs that retain the hallmarks of the brand – style, high quality and affordability.
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FEATURE
OUR CHANGING
LANGUAGE Frejm? Xawer? Maltese adaptations of english words May rub language purists the wrong way, but we May just need to get used to it. rachel agius takes a closer look at the way english and Maltese are adapting to Modern realities – and changing before our very eyes. If you’ve lived here long enough you will have heard two very important assertions. The first is that the Maltese Islands are a gem in the Mediterranean, land of milk and honey or any similar derivative accolade. Given the low crime rate, the good standard of living and that warm, crusty Maltese bread, it is hard
to argue. Malta is a temperate island paradise. The other thing you’re likely to hear is that, despite being surrounded by water, it is well connected to anywhere that’s anywhere. The sizeable population of expats on the Continent is testament to this – mama’s rabbit stew is only a short flight away.
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 55
FEATURE
This accessibility is heavily dependent on another point of Maltese pride. Most of us are fluent in both Maltese and English, to varying degrees, and this makes us an interesting group of people from a linguistic perspective. Children are taught both languages from an early age and are exposed to television and radio programming in Maltese and English. Some families lean more towards the use of one language over the other but many use both in their daily interactions. This fluency has contributed significantly to our having populated the translation division of the European courts in Brussels, despite using a language we share with less than half a million native speakers. It also makes employment in English-speaking sectors abroad fair game.
Despite contradicting attitudes, what is happening to our languages is entirely predictable. Maltese words are being absorbed into the local variation of English and English words are being subjected to the phonetic and orthographic rules of Maltese. And while some language ‘purists’ shudder when they spot words like onlajn (online) and hendbeg (handbag) or overhear phrases like ‘Hi orrajt love?’, the fact of the matter is that our languages are doing what languages have always done – they’re adapting. Onlajn and orrajt have become Maltese and English (by way of Maltese) words respectively. And when two languages live in such close proximity for so long, a little crosspollination is almost guaranteed.
Despite their seemingly peaceful coexistence, our relationship to these languages is somewhat polarized. Some would consider English the tongue of the superior-in-every-way British colonizer, associated with good breeding, respect and class while Maltese belongs to the riffraff, the poor, the vulgar and the common. Others would fiercely defend the Maltese language as the ultimate representation of patriotism and freedom from oppressors, accusing English speakers of abandoning their heritage and hard-won independence.
Language, stripped down to its most basic functions, is a vehicle for thoughts and ideas. It moulds itself to our communicative needs – words exist because an object, emotion, thought or feeling needs to be expressed. Because of our bilingual language environment, it seems inevitable that words are used outside their normal linguistic context, even if a perfectly suitable word exists within it. Then there is the ‘flavour’ of the language. Many people who are predominantly English speaking will admit to using Maltese profanity when the need arises. Similarly, many local writers prefer to use English in their work, partly to reach a wider audience and partly because, in our modern age, it has adapted to include words related to technology and other fields more quickly than Maltese has. It’s a matter of feelings as well as function.
Most of us are fluent in both Maltese and English, to varying degrees, and this makes us an interesting group of people from a linguistic perspective From a linguistic standpoint, our two national languages make strange bedfellows. One a Germanic language, the most widely spoken in the world and heavy with associations to royalty, colonization and Shakespeare. The other spoken by a few thousand people, tangling European and Arabic influences into a medley of Romanic and Semitic sounds that leaves non-speakers picking up stray words here and there while understanding very little. They both use the Latin alphabet though Maltese throws in a few silent letters, dots and dashes for good measure. The word order in English is relatively fixed while a Maltese sentence can be put together in a number of different ways and still retain the same meaning.
56 Sunday Circle | November 2013
So what are we to do? Should our languages be kept a safe distance from each other? The bad news is that we couldn’t, even if we tried. Formal language tuition does separate the two – Maltese and English lessons do not generally mix. But once those classes let out and those kids hit the playground, there is no control over how they speak. And perhaps there shouldn’t be. Language is after all a form of expression. Dictating how people speak would involve dictating how people think and that is an idea generally frowned upon in democratic society. The good news is that language undergoes this evolution, absorbing and rejecting words, rather quickly. The worst possible outcome for the purists is that these words stick around long enough to be officially recognized. Another possible result is that these words burn out quickly and are replaced by some other, equally hybridized alternative for us to tut-tut over. Either way, these little changes in our languages have happened before and will continue to do so. No use getting worked up. It’s not wertid.
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HERITAGE
As Above So Below WITH A CENTURIES-OLD COLLECTION OF ART AND ARTEFACTS ATOP A MAZE OF UNDERGROUND CATACOMBS AND SHELTERS, PHILIP LEONE-GANADO FINDS AT THE WIGNACOURT MUSEUM LAYER UPON LAYER OF HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE P hotograPhy
courtesy of
t he W ignacourt M useuM
The narrow streets of Rabat are picturesque enough to wander for hours. The winding medieval core sits comfortably alongside the cars, bars, and trappings of modern village life. It’s easy to forget that below your feet, a whole new world of catacombs and shelters persists unchanging. Standing in the parish square on a blustery autumn afternoon, it almost becomes possible to tear back the layers in your mind, to peel through history like an onion. It’s an image that remains in my mind as I step out of the square and into the quiet environs of the Wignacourt Museum. Below the ground I stand on is a sprawling underground complex of Roman catacombs and, deeper still, World War II-era air-raid shelters. Around me, spread over two floors, is the museum proper, a Baroque chapter house of the Knights of St John repurposed to host a vast collection of paintings by Mattia Preti, Antoine Favray, and other Maltese and European artists, along with numerous relics of the Knights’ occupation of our islands. Finally, there’s the centre that holds everything together, the Grotto of St Paul where, according to Christian tradition, the apostle spent the duration of his three-month stay on the island, and from where he began preaching Christianity.
INSIDE THE MUSEUM In 1600, I’m told, a Spanish hermit named Juan Beneguas Da Cardova came to the grotto and used it as a base for spreading his devotion to St Paul. The grotto became an important site of pilgrimage, putting it on the radar of the Grandmaster of the time, Alof de Wignacourt, who acquired the land in 1617 and built a chapter house on the site for the chaplains of the Order to protect and promote the grotto.
58 Sunday Circle | November 2013
“ It almost
HERITAGE
becomes possible ... to peel through history like an onion �
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 59
HERITAGE curious work painted in monochrome on a wood panel. Because of this, and the piece’s small size, the speculation is that the painting was made for the artist’s own personal worship.
WHAT LIES BENEATH From the museum we make our way below ground, the change in temperature immediately palpable. Beyond the grotto itself, with its imposing statue donated by the Grandmaster Pinto, we head deeper still, down a narrow flight of rock-hewn stairs, into the war shelters, relics of the Second World War. In total, the complex comprises some 50 rooms, and may have housed as many as 400 people.
We want to create a laboratory for contemporary art, using the fabric of the place to inspire new works of art, and in turn developing its narrative through other artistic media That chapter house, now the museum, is where my tour begins. I’m shown around by Michelle Galea, assistant curator, who explains that the museum reopened in late 2012 after a thorough renovation. Before 1981 (when it first started operating as a museum) it had been used as a store, office space, and even as a school, when the one nearby proved too small. “Visitors still occasionally point out a particular room and tell us that it was their classroom when they were younger,” she tells me. Today, vestiges of the building’s original function remain. One room, identified as the treasurer’s bedroom, still features the loft that would have been used by the occupant to securely store the money in his care. The baroque chapel used by the chaplains for their private devotions – built in such a way as to flood the upper corridor with light – remains consecrated and in use. The building itself is not the only thing the knights left here. Among the relics are a portable altar from one of their galleys, thought to be one of the last surviving examples; embroidered vestments used by the chaplains and decorated with the respective Grandmasters’ coat of arms; a luxurious sedan chair used by the Inquisitor; even the shoes of the future Pope Alexander VII, who resided in Malta as inquisitor. One of the main draws is naturally the collection of art, which takes in everything from 16th century Byzantine paintings to 19th century sketches by Giuseppe Cali, Vincenzo Hyzler, and others. The highlight, perhaps, is an exhibit of work by the great Mattia Preti. The works displayed date from Preti’s later period, where his art had turned inwards, focusing on face and expression. Particularly notable is the Madonna of Sorrows, a 60 Sunday Circle | November 2013
As we turn a corner, I’m confronted by a vast corridor, with small rooms and even other corridors branching off in every direction; the impression of a village street is somewhat disconcerting, so far underground. The impression is compounded by the fact that each room is numbered, like a house, and some are even tiled and painted. “The government only provided the main corridor, but families had to pay to have their room excavated,” Michelle explains. “So there’s a big difference between the rooms depending on the family’s means.” Closer to the surface, but further back in time, we wander into the labyrinth that is the Roman-era catacombs. Here, just beyond the limits of what was once the Roman city of Melite, is where the dead were buried – Christian and pagan alongside each other, with no hint of the friction that existed in Rome and elsewhere. In narrow stone tombs, human remains are still visible, though many have been looted. Quite morbidly, it’s not only, as I originally imagine, over thousands of years, but even since last year’s reopening, with some visitors fancying a human bone the perfect souvenir.
ART FOR NOW Today, the Wignacourt is also looking resolutely towards the future. Emerging from below the ground into the central courtyard, I sit down for coffee with Marc Cabourdin, the Wignacourt’s artistic director, who lays out his vision for the space. “We want to create a laboratory for contemporary art, using the fabric of the place to inspire new works of art, and in turn developing its narrative through other artistic media,” he explains. To date, there’s been live music and even stand-up comedy in this same courtyard, and last month the museum teamed up with indie-folk band Stalko to create an innovative series of performances delicately pairing old and new: an intimate acoustic gig intercut with a curated tour wending its way through the museum, shelters and catacombs. Even more ambitious plans are afoot, from a writers’ lab to a children’s community choir. As part of an artist-in-residence programme, the museum recently organised a number of workshops, bringing an established visual artist into contact with local children and stay-at-home mothers. “We encouraged the mothers to bring in items from their everyday lives, and used them to create art,” Marc explains. “The project gave them a sense of work and empowerment that many of them felt they were lacking.” “We want to provide artists with new opportunities to develop their ideas, but at the same time we want to create new audiences and give something back to the community,” says Marc. For all its history, the Wignacourt has no intention of remaining frozen in time.
6, Uqija Street, Ibrag (down the road from Ibrag church) - T. 2137 3812 - E: info@raphaelazzopardi.com www.raphaelazzopardi.com
ART
a dash of colour THE WORLD OF ELISA VON BROCKDORFF’S ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY IS A STRANGE AND COLOURFUL ONE, WHERE THE EVERYDAY IS RECONFIGURED INTO SOMETHING NEW AND UNFAMILIAR. DAVID SCHEMBRI DIVES IN P hotos
of
E lisa
by
J acob s ammut
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 63
ART
I
t is hard not to notice Elisa von Brockdorff. First, the hair. It’s brown, red and purple fading into pink – right now. Then, there are the pictures. It is actually a case of whichever you see first, though, as the photos Elisa takes are, like the artist’s locks, colourful and striking, popping out at the viewer. Her photos – such as the weird and wonderful fashion shots recently exhibited in C – like her hair, want you to look at them. Elisa has been in love with colour and creation since she was a child; she still is, and her images – which have been toned down from the bright hues of her early work – feature colour. “I don’t shy away from colour,” she smiles, the red velvet cake she’s ordered in front of her as we speak. “When I was young I used to want to make things. It was just the question of putting things together; it was more craftbased than art-based,” Elisa says. Her idea of art at the time was that it was about drawing still-lifes, which, she admits somewhat sheepishly “wasn’t the epitome of excitement” for her.
When I was young I used to want to make things. It was just the question of putting things together; it was more craft-based than art-based Things changed in her teens, at a brothel in Valletta. “I saw this exhibition organised by START, Malta at a brothel in Valletta, and there was a series of installations. When I saw this kind of contemporary art I was exposed to something I hadn’t been exposed to when I was younger… when you make something out of nothing or from found materials, that was really exciting. I started looking up other work and I started realising there were different forms of art. That started filling in the missing link,” Elisa says. After finishing her psychology course at university, she enrolled into MCAST for a diploma in art and design, which she then topped up with a two-year MA in Fine Art at the University of Creative Arts in Canterbury. 64 Sunday Circle | November 2013
ART these pictures take familiar objects – toys, cutlery, electrical equipment – and frame them in unconventional ways or settings. As a result we get pictures of a toy soldier poised for battle over a stack of plastic forks, small toy houses in the countryside, pink disposable wine glasses growing out of a garden... you get the picture. This kind of photography in turn dovetails with the other branch of her artistic practice – installation art – which is built on very much the same principles that she employs in her staged photography, involving the repetition of lots of mundane objects, which she sometimes customises herself. Her latest installation, as part of the Din Mhix Tazza project, consisted of 200 jars with architecture men inside, placed in neat little rows. This, and other projects – like that time she painted 300 items of cutlery for an installation – take up a large amount of time because of the sheer scale she is working on. “Sometimes you just put things together, sometimes you have to make them. I always do these repetition things, so they tend to take a lot of manual work, and while I’m doing them I always think ‘what the hell was I thinking’, you know? In Bormla, I had to stick the men in one by one, and your fingers don’t fit, so I had to get these long tweezers to dip his legs his glue, put him in the glass, keep it for thirty seconds… there were 200 of these. But then I do it, and I never learn… I keep doing it. In the end I feel satisfied with what I see,” the artist says. She admits that her work would be more expensive to do were it not for bargain shops like Tal-Lira and eBay – and she’ll sometimes wander into a shop to see what, if bought in bulk, could turn into an interesting artpiece. The primacy on what the artwork will look like is not accidental. During her postgraduate studies, she realised there was a risk of overdoing it with “writing essays” rather than “doing the actual work”; something she sought to find a balance once she left the campus.
Around that time, she ditched painting and drawing in favour of photography when she noticed that objects in her surroundings were rich in photographic potential. “I was excited to be finding abstract things in my surroundings, for which I used to use my point and shoot camera – it was 3.1 megapixels. I used to go around taking photos with that. I used to feel a bit stupid, using that camera for artsy stuff,” the photographer says. She graduated from that camera to a digital SLR, which then was upgraded to the professional kit she now uses. “It’s true when they say that it’s not about the camera but it’s how good you are – or how bad you are – but it does help, let’s face it,” Elisa says of her camera. As her kit evolved, so did her method. “I think I came to the point where I needed a challenge to do something a bit more, and that’s where the staged photography came into it, because I wanted to kind of create, not just kind of take a photo of what I see…but to create the world I photograph, even if it’s in combination with something that already exists,” Elisa says. It is perhaps this kind of staged photography that is the most distinctive feature of Elisa’s output so far. Often featuring brightlycoloured objects (more often than not coloured that way by her), 66 Sunday Circle | November 2013
“I realised that with art it’s good to have a concept and something to sustain you – you need something to support what you’re doing. However I think there also has to be an element where the person can identify with the artwork; even if the person doesn’t have an art background. Before, I think I was trying to load it with too much explanation. Now if I go, say, to a gallery to see other people’s art, if the work attracts me, it speaks to me. Aesthetically it has to give you that thing,” Elisa says. More recently, Elisa has started to take pictures of people in a fashion setting – which sees her working in a team – her recent collective C, where she worked with five other people, is an example of that. “In fashion, people can’t do anything on their own, and that’s good because everyone puts in their input and the result is usually stronger,” Elisa says. Looking forward – she thinks she might still work with human subjects, but “maybe with some importance given to objects as well”. She is also conscious of her maturation as a photographer. “When it comes to colour, the palette is maturing; I’m toning it down and desaturating it; the tonalities are being transposed slightly,” she says of her newer work. Looking back, she’s recently been weeding out her portfolio on a website called DeviantArt, which was hip and happening when she started out. “I’m not so keen on preserving the past. If I look at stuff I did six, seven years ago, I can tell it’s amateur. It would be really sad if the work I did then were better than what I’m doing now”.
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LUXURY
It takes years for a blend to reach sIngle malt status — whIsky that Is produced In an IndIvIdual dIstIllery but placed In a varIety of casks and mIxed wIth the same malt of dIfferent maturIty. ewan gunn, dIageo’s global whIsky ambassador talks sIngle malts “Drinking whisky is an experience,” Ewan affirms. The humble ingredients creating this blend are barley, water and yeast, and the production stages are always the same, but depending on the methods used during the process, the flavour of the single malt is determined, creating unique blends endowed with layers of flavour, which hit you gradually, when you take your time. “For that nutty trait, distillers will leave the blend for a short time in the fermentation stage and they will leave it for a bit longer when they seek those fruity hints,” Ewan explains, adding that when the blend is left for an even longer time, a floral, sweet trait is the result. The temperature of the still during the distillation process will also determine whether the whisky is full bodied or a light blend. The process takes 5 to 6 days and a minimum of 3 years for maturity. During these years, the blend inhabits the walls of casks made from either American white oak which would have held another blend, such as Bourbon, prior to the single malt, or European red oak; a cask that, similar to the former, would have housed another spirit, such as a Spanish sherry. All of these practices contribute to the characteristics of the whisky, creating a “journey of flavour”.
Ewan explains, so the way we react to a blend depends on the kind of emotions it summons.
“It is important to strike a balance between the flavour and the maturity age,” Ewan says, as in this case, older isn’t always a good thing. “Usually, there aren’t age labels on whisky bottles, but when a label is added, the age always reflects the least mature malt used.”
Even the way it is taken depends on subjective preference — “there is no wrong way to drink whisky.” In his case, Ewan prefers adding “a splash of water because it opens up the true whisky, making the flavours more pronounced.” When it comes to food, there are so many “weird and wonderful ways” to enjoy it. Oysters with the single malt Talisker or crème brûlée with Dalwhinnie served ice cold from the freezer.
A single malt whisky with character will have the unique flavour of that distillery with a maturity that does not overpower it. Once this is accomplished, then it is up to the individual to decide which blend is the best. “Our sense of smell is correlated with memory,”
There are no rules, except, Ewan says, “to experiment, and try as many of the single malt blends” — start with Cardhu or Dalwhinnie which are more accessible blends and “raise the bar” with each new single malt experience.
Organised by M. Demajo (Wines & Spirits) Ltd., the event took guests on a single malt experience in the space of one evening, through three different rooms at the Intercontinental. Welcomed with the “Walk on” cocktail, guests were treated to a lecture by Ewan Gunn, one which invited discussion about the process, the flavours and the nature of the single malts. Dining in the second room, guests were then led into the third — a space that allowed them to go on a journey of flavour through 6 different single malts. Starting with the softest then gaining momentum, they experienced each one under Ewan’s professional guidance. 68 Sunday Circle | November 2013
LUXURY 1. dalwhinnie
2. lagavulin
3. Craggenmore
Nose: A big, crisp, dry and very aromatic nose with hints of heather and peat. Body: Light to medium.
A much sought-after single malt with the massive peat-smoke that’s typical of southern Islay with a dryness that turns it into a truly interesting dram.
Nose: A complex of sweet floral fragrances, riverside herbs and flowers with some honey and vanilla.
Palate: Smooth, soft and lasting flavours of heather, honey sweetness and vanilla followed by deeper citrus-fruit flavours and hints of malted bread.
Nose: Intense peat smoke with iodine and seaweed and a rich, deep sweetness.
Body: Firm, rounded, light to medium.
Finish: Long, lingering, surprisingly intense finish that starts sweetly, then gives way to smoke, peat and malt.
Body: Full, rich. Palate: Dry peat smoke fills the palate with a gentle but strong sweetness, followed by sea and salt with touches of wood.
Palate: A strong malty taste with hints of sweet wood smoke and sandalwood. Finish: A long malt-driven finish with light smoke and hints of sweetness.
Finish: A long, elegant peat-filled finish with lots of salt and seaweed.
4. Talisker
5. oban
6. Cardhu
Award-winning Island malt bottled at above average strength with a comforting smooth afterglow.
A bustling seaside resort has grown up around Oban ™ distillery in the two centuries since it set up home in a fishing village. The West Highland malt is still produced in the same unhurried, traditional fashion.
Nose: At full strength, heady, nose prickle, pear drops and tightly integrated heather, resin and sweet honey-nut notes. With a little water, still harmonious, allowing some malt-cereal, soft, spicy wood, moorland and faint traces of wood-smoke to appear.
Nose: Rich sweetness and fruits — oranges, lemons and pears, with sea-salt and peaty smokiness.
Body: Soft, pleasing, medium.
Nose: Peat-smoke with sea-water saltiness, the liquor of fresh oysters, a citrus sweetness. Body: Full. Palate: Rich dried-fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and strong barley-malt flavours, warming and intense. At the back of the mouth is an explosion of pepper. Finish: Huge, long, peppery finish with an appetising sweetness.
Body: Full, rich. Palate: Mouth-filling late autumn fruits and honeysweet spices, followed by a smoky malty dryness.
Finish: Long, smooth-sweet finish with oak-wood, dryness and a grain of salt.
3
Palate: Well-balanced, smooth mouth feel; short punch, sweet and fresh, then a pronounced drying effect. Finish: Quite short, some lingering sweet smoke in the attractive, drying aftertaste.
4 5
2 1
6
www.demajowinesandspirits.com
style
Winter Wonderwear Fashion stylists and bloggers Claire, niCole and sandro – the Clouded revolution – taCkle the dilemma oF ‘Fashionably Freezing’ as they display the latest in outerwear
t
here’s nothing quite like the capital city on a Sunday morning. Valletta’s always a hustle and bustle on weekdays but Sunday morning sings a different tune, almost a villagey one, with locals chatting on the church steps or heading out for the paper amidst the sound of church bells and the flutter of pigeon wings.
Nicole coat, blouse, jeaNs, clutch bag – tommy hilfiger shoes – bata Necklace – marks & speNcer saNdro coat, shirt – tommy hilfiger blazer – marks & speNcer jeaNs – pull & bear shoes – bata claire coat, trousers, bag – tommy hilfiger shoes – bata
70 Sunday Circle | November 2013
style
Synonymous with Valletta is a visit to Caffe Cordina, still an obligatory coffee stop for shoppers and office dwellers to this day. Unfortunately, frequent visits can often tarnish the patina of its beauty. It dawned on us as we snaked our way between the bars and waiters into the inner sanctum of the café how undervalued its interior is. The classic, French-style wall panelling, the dusty pastel colour palette and the hazy aura created by the mirrors, amongst other things, have guaranteed Caffe Cordina’s resilience against the unforgiving flow of time. Nowadays, in our quest to discover new and exciting places to dine and wine, we often disregard the long-standing establishments in favour of newfangled, sometimes quickly-fading, trendsetting locations. Yet there is something entrancing about these places of heritage which pulls you back towards them, like the smell of your grandmother’s cooking. It is a mixture of charm, nostalgia and tradition that, whether Maltese and proud, or a tourist trying to capture the local spirit, draws people to their intransient atmosphere.
The climate has yet to reach single-figure degrees, but eventually there will come a time when our attire goes slightly south of fashion. We’re talking Ugg-boot-andsweatpants territory. However, there has never been a better time to feel cold than Fall/Winter 2013-14. The endless variations of the quintessential coat are not only warm, but also intriguing. Be it shape, cut, colour or length: you name it, it’s probably on the racks. In fact, the selection is so vast it might drive you crazy. This is where we intervene, in the hopes that our outfits provide you with the much-needed inspiration to grace your wardrobes with the ultimate outer layer. Starting off with a boxy style, like the Tommy Hilfiger coat worn by Claire, this statement shape looks great for the office worn over tailored trousers. The greatcoat, worn also by Nicole (note the shearling detail and leather straps) is a must-have piece that effortlessly takes you from day to night. Here’s a bonus styling tip, pro bono, for both men and women: draping a coat over your shoulders (even over a blazer or jacket) will put a stylish spin on your getup.
Claire: SunglaSSeS – Tommy Hilfiger
The endless variations of the quintessential coat are not only warm, but also intriguing
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 71
style Some occasions will obviously call for something less formal and stately than an overcoat. The shorter lengths found in peacoats, their double-breasted cuts and fur collars give a slightly more everyday feel. If you want real weekend casual, then go for the army-green parka, which dates back to the Second World War. What better way to wage war against the cold than with a fishtail jacket lined in fur? Then comes the pièce de resistance, the cold-buster that packs a punch: the tartan coat. Pair it with jeans, skirts, dresses, or anything really (except the aforementioned Ugg boots and sweatpants. Have a bit of self-respect). There is one item, timeless as dust, that cannot be left unmentioned: the leather jacket. This season, leather, in all its colours and forms, reigns supreme. As a jacket, or as trousers (worn by Nicole in skin-tight black and by Claire in rich burgundy), highshine has never been this highimpact. And can we also talk about Claire’s colourblock, oh-sosixties coat? The structured and minimal shape is the ultimate in streamlined chic. Take a leaf out of Nicole’s book and don’t sacrifice colour for the sake of warmth. There are many a great option in the bold and bright department. You have no excuses.
sandro: Coat, sCarf, jeans – Pull & Bear shirt – Marks & sPenCer shoes – Bata
niCole: toP, leather trousers, Parka, Boots, neCklaCe – Pull & Bear
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Claire: dress, Coat, Boots, neCklaCe – Pull & Bear
This season, leather, in all its colours and forms, reigns supreme
style sandro: Leather jacket, jeans, beanie – PuLL & bear shirt – Marks & sPencer shoes – bata sungLasses – toMMy hiLfiger cLaire: coat, shirt, trousers – Marks & sPencer shoes – bata sungLasses – toMMy hiLfiger
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 73
style
Must Haves
(from left to right) bag: tommy hilfiger, necklace: markS & SpeNCer, sunglasses: all tommy hilfiger, shoes: bata
With many thanks to our photographer Stefan Balzan and to Caffe Cordina, who have allowed us to use their spectacular surroundings as a backdrop for our sartorial shenanigans, we leave you with one thought: nothing keeps you warmer than other people’s company.
cns x
Claire, NiCole aNd SaNdro Share a paSSioN for ClotheS aNd Style whiCh they deCided to Share with the world through their blog, the Clouded revolutioN. take a look at their Site aNd faCebook page to fiNd out more about theSe freelaNCe StyliStS aNd faShioN loverS. www.cloudedrevolution.com & www.facebook.com/thecloudedrevolution
all items are available from marks & spencer, pull & bear, tommy hilfiger & bata
74 Sunday Circle | November 2013
MASTHEAD SOCIETY
Green Silence YOU CAN BE ARRAIGNED FOR SIMPLY ADMITTING TO SMOKING MARIJUANA, YET IN MANY SOCIAL CIRCLES, ITS USE IS THE MOST OPEN OF SECRETS. IS OUR SOCIETY GUILTY OF COLLECTIVE HYPOCRISY, ASKS PHILIP LEONE-GANADO?
Let’s talk about weed. Well, we’re all doing it already. Right now, it’s because Daniel Holmes – the Briton sentenced by our courts to over 10 years in prison and handed a €23,000 fine for marijuana cultivation – has just had his appeal rejected and his sentence confirmed. But in general, it’s probably because to most people, marijuana simply isn’t a big deal.
According to the 2011 UN World Drug Report, 4.5 per cent of the Maltese population have taken marijuana at least once in the previous year – or rather (pertinently given the repressive climate) admitted to taking marijuana. Among young people, the figure is even higher: 7.8 per cent of people under 24 have taken it in the last 30 days. To put it another way, if you have 15 or 20 friends, one of them is probably a smoker.
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 000 November 2013 | Sunday Circle 77
SOCIETY And odds are, if it’s not you, you know who it is. It’s usually not much of a secret. Marijuana is by nature a social drug and, not unlike alcohol, for most recreational users the experience is enhanced by sharing with friends. Discussion is part of that. Even if you’re in a social circle where marijuana has never been brought up, you must still be aware of its ubiquity. 39 per cent of young people locally feel they could easily get hold of it within 24 hours. An article on online magazine Salon last month questioned why, unlike their male counterparts, “female stoners” cannot be open about their weed use without being judged, casually taking the first part of that premise as given and leaving the law out of the question entirely. Marijuana-related paraphernalia like water pipes and herb grinders are sold openly, presumably benefiting from the social fiction that we have no idea what they’re going to be used for outside the shop. In pop culture, it’s everywhere. When Lady Gaga decided to dress as a marijuana leaf (if marijuana leaves wore nipple pasties) for Halloween last year, it caused quite a stir – but only for the fact that Rihanna chose the same outfit, not for any effect on the stars’ teen audiences. In film and TV, it’s come to a point where the question of whether a portrayal is celebration or examination seems superfluous, just as it would be with people sharing a bottle of wine, or stepping outside for a cigarette. When James Franco, Seth Rogen et al smoked their way through the apocalypse in last summer’s This is the End, we accepted it as par for the course. Try any of this level of openness with regards to cocaine or heroin and the difference becomes clear: we may not fan ourselves in moral outrage anymore, but at the very least you could expect, quite rightly, column inch upon column inch discussing social implications.
It’s hard to think of a law that is flouted with as much regularity and as much nonchalance, by otherwise normal, law-abiding citizens 78 Sunday Circle | November 2013
MASTHEAD It’s almost easy to forget that possessing marijuana remains – by law and by the severity of its application – an extremely serious criminal offence, with sentences often comparable to those relating to harder drugs. Not just that: simply admitting that you have smoked in the past, as an unfortunate individual found out last month, is enough for charges to be brought against you without any other evidence. It’s all a bit bizarre. It’s hard to think of a law that is flouted with as much regularity and as much nonchalance, by otherwise normal, law-abiding citizens. Perhaps the closest we could come is speeding, and there, ironically, the inherent risks are high and the penalties nominal, the exact opposite of marijuana use. Last week, MaltaToday columnist Raphael Vassallo questioned whether his extensive coverage of Daniel Holmes’ case (and the broader issues that surround it) might not have stiffened the judiciary’s resolve and inadvertently led to harsher treatment for Holmes. His concern was responsible and not unfounded, but it paints a bleak picture of the situation the country is in: the coverage had not been gratuitous or inflammatory; one could say that it quite accurately reflected public mood. If there is now a legitimate worry that the media’s response to public mood might actually push the authorities further in the opposite direction, you have to ask whether we’ve reached a point of no return. The current legal regime suggests a dark taboo surrounding marijuana that simply doesn’t exist. Our casual openness shows that the severity with which the law views it no longer tallies with how the man in the street views it. The debate over decriminalisation will continue, of course, and the worldwide trend seems clear: the UN has already recommended decriminalisation as the most positive way to move past the failed war on drugs; 17 American states have enacted decriminalisation legislation; and Uruguay recently became the first country in the world to licence and enforce rules for the production and sale of legal marijuana. But it seems that, in the meantime, people have gone ahead and made their minds up for themselves. When a law is honoured, as it were, more in the breach than in the observance, the purpose of its continued existence has to come under scrutiny. To uphold a system based on what we think society should be like, ignoring what it actually is like, is not only paternalistic, but sadly hypocritical. September 2013 | Sunday Circle 000
Sailing Beyond Yourself
FEATURE
FOR BEN STUART, SAILING ISN’T JUST A HOBBY – IT’S A WAY OF GIVING DISADVANTAGED YOUTHS A SECOND SHOT AT LIFE. WHEN THE LIMITS OF YOUR WORLD ARE THE EDGES OF A SHIP, HE TELLS SARAH BORG, IT BECOMES A LOT EASIER TO FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS
Ben Stuart’s eyes are enriched with a crystal blue hue, so clear you’d think the colour of the sea took over from all those years he spent sailing; smiling eyes, that prove how using your passion to help others is a great formula to happiness. “I could spend my life on a boat,” Ben confesses. Discussing his
project at the Birgu Marina, he explains how he set up the Malta Sail Training Association (MSTA) “to provide life skills, personal development, teamwork, empowerment and the promotion of individual responsibility” by organising sail training trips for young people.
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FEATURE Seven years ago, when Ben started working in Birgu, he noticed the constant lounging about of youths who should have been in school. When he asked them what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives, the sense of apathy that came across was disconcerting. After several discussions with the locals, Ben came to the conclusion that classroom-based education was too theoretical, inhibiting many students from thinking outside the box. “What frustrates me about Maltese society is that people don’t allow others to grow in their own way,” he says. “They end up killing people’s initiative and drive to accept responsibility which stops them from becoming productive members of society.” Responsibility is a key word for Ben, who is driven by a strong obligation to bring up Maltese youths as responsible human beings who do what needs to be done, no matter how intimidating the world may be. Instead of being demotivated by the sense of apathy, Ben decided to create an experience that would place those involved “outside of their comfort zone; showing them an environment that challenges them physically, emotionally and enables them to have a collaborative experience with different cultures.” Ben started small, simply by asking the local councils of the three cities to send out flyers, and it came as a surprise when 35 people applied for the 15 spaces he had available. He recalls being called by one angry woman whose child had not made it for that first trip — “it was nice to be shouted at,” he laughs, adding how that waiting list gave him the motivation to organise more trips. Four trips have been organised so far, the furthest being to the Baltic Islands for a racing competition. Jac Dougal and Luke Scicluna, two young men with some sailing experience who took part in that competition, also joined us at the Birgu Marina to relate their experience. Jac is quick to say how the competition part of the adventure was quite forgotten once they were there. “Having to communicate with 40 people coming from different countries was a culture shock at first, but it gives you beneficial social tools,” he says. “We sailed, we cooked and we cleaned,” Luke explains. The boat they were on was divided into three watch groups and each one would have a specific time slot for its 24-hour requirements. “A boat never stops,” Ben is quick to add, “which makes for a great analogy for life.” Even if you’ve never sailed, you pick things up easily, Jac explains, since you are practising what you are being taught and you are focused solely on those tasks, so “you feel free”. “When you’re on a boat,” Ben adds, “the weight of your life lifts. Your world is there.”
Having to communicate with 40 people coming from different countries was a culture shock at first, but it gives you beneficial social tools 82 Sunday Circle | November 2013
This is a team building experience where you are “sacrificing yourself for the benefit of the boat”. Ben explains how on a boat, you cannot easily avoid tasks or people, as we are often guilty of doing in our everyday life, instead, you’ll find a “condensed community” which will impel you to communicate and assume responsibility, otherwise the boat, and everyone on it, will suffer. Moreover, you can tangibly see your contributions “because the world around you is very small.” You are also continually put in different roles — from watch group member to team leader — so you’re less willing to criticise those around you because your turn will come in that same role.
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MASTHEAD Contradictory emotions often ensue. “You feel powerful because you are in control of the boat, but you feel vulnerable, insignificant, when you realise how small you are compared to nature,” Luke explains. “On land you tend to forget what nature throws at you because manmade things distract you.” On the boat however, Ben describes how everyone starts to fit into the rhythm of nature — “when it is stormy you fight and when it is calm then you relax.” The Baltic adventure was only one of Ben’s endeavours so far, since he has also sent four wheelchair-bound individuals to sail the ship Tenacious around Sicily by collaborating with Inspire’s Nathan Farrugia and another group on the historical vessel Florette, which can be admired at the Ta’ Xbiex marina. Ben’s project started with him giving underprivileged youth, who were placed under court order, this extraordinary experience through inclusion for a collaborative effort, rather than focusing on them individually.
When it is stormy you fight and when it is calm then you relax His tear-stained eyes recall one particular girl, a 16-year old on medication who was removed from the care of her family. She had gone through a turbulent time and hadn’t been witnessed smiling for a very long time, but during Ben’s sailing adventure she was captured laughing at the top of the mast. “There was another girl, a strong-willed 15 year old who was adamant on her decision to quit school.” Her worried parents contacted Ben who gave her the opportunity to sail for an afternoon at the helm of a boat weighing 400,000 tons. By the end of that afternoon, she told Ben: “this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Now enrolled at the Maritime school, she has finally perceived the practical use of mathematics in the world, Ben explains. “It does not need to be your life,” Jac adds, “but it helps you in life.” With such success stories, Ben has proved his project is a very valuable contribution to Maltese society and he can now make a case for funding — which is essential for this project to sustain itself. “Ultimately,” he confesses, “the aim is for Malta to have its own boat,” which could be leased, bought or built from scratch by volunteers. “Imagine if the elderly population with trade skills would teach the youth their trade through apprenticeships programs; imagine having our own Maltese crew sailing the world, representing our island” — this, Ben explains, is his ideal vision for his project. Full of hope, backed by his wife and under the guidance of the MSTA committee, Ben is now planning a trip for Easter of next year. Often, we sacrifice the adventure in life to get where we want to be, he explains in conclusion, but witnessing the grandeur of the world at your feet is enough to spark anyone’s want for exploration, whether it is a physical voyage or that of the self.
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10:00am - 6.00pm daily and 10:00am - 2:00pm on Saturday facebook.com/meimalta September 2013 | Sunday Circle 000
POP CULTURE
AN APP FOR EVERY SEASON Rachel agius takes a look at the wondeRful woRld of apps – and how they aRe changing the way we woRk, play, leaRn and simply kill time In this day and age, technology can do almost anything. Visit Mars? Check. Surgical procedures performed by robots? Been there, done that. A little closer to home, personal technology may not be sending us into space or saving lives but thanks to a vast library of applications, there is little we cannot do. Just over 5 years ago, Apple launched its ‘App Store’ and offered users a choice of 500 downloadable applications, or ‘apps’ for short. In due time, other tech giants like Windows, Research in Motion (the brains behind the Blackberry) and Google rolled out their own app platforms and the industry has never looked back.
Today the number of apps is approaching the 3 million mark and this sheer volume, coupled with the fact that anyone who’s anyone has a smartphone these days, means that there is a niche for every app you can think of. Some are informative. If you would like to find out the temperature in Sri Lanka, just because, you can do that at the tap of a screen. Planning a holiday has never been easier – most airlines have their own dedicated app so you can keep track of prices on the go and websites like Trip Advisor mean that thousands of reviews and recommendations are right there in the palm of your hand.
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pop culture Sports fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to keeping score and keeping up to date on fixtures and statistics. Even health care has gone virtual. A variety of apps exist to help patients keep records of blood pressure, blood glucose and any other number of important stats. For the really keen, some companies sell equipment that measures these levels and automatically syncs the data to a smartphone and can even send your doctor a copy of the results. Students can also pick and choose from apps that organise a class schedule to ones that help turn a phone into a deck of flash cards, a useful memory aid during exam time. For the budding astronomer, there is even an app that lets you identify the celestial bodies right above you by holding up the phone in front of you as you gaze upwards. If that isn’t just a little bit of magic then I don’t know what is. Some apps have contributed to or perhaps simply amplified our increased interest in connectivity. Facebook has made its mark on mobile platforms via its app – which has seen many updates since its admittedly clunky beginnings – while Twitter’s fame and popularity depend almost entirely on access through smartphones and tablets. Instagram, an app which can turn even the most mundane snapshot into a carefully tweaked masterpiece, has become a staple on many phones. The gym bunnies and fitness fanatics can share their workouts, jogging routes and personal bests to any social network they please, from right within apps like RunKeeper or Endomondo. We are obsessed with sharing and these apps know that. Then there are the odd ones. Just like the Internet itself, the realm of apps is filled with as many silly, pointless or just stupid offerings as there are useful or informative ones. Take for example the app called ‘I Am Rich’. With a $999.99 price tag, its only function was to create a button on the screen, presumably impressing upon anyone who comes across it that the owner is indeed rather wealthy. It only lasted a day in the Apple App Store but in that time, 8 people purchased it. That number is both impressive and a little ridiculous. The next app is probably more satisfying on the larger screen of a tablet but even for journalistic purposes, it proved too unpleasant to test. If you find joy in ridding yourself of zits, pimples, spots or whatever else you like to call such skin imperfections, this is the app for you. Its concept is as simple as it is repulsive – a cartoon zit appears once you launch the app and you can then pop the thing by pinching the screen. Other apps fall squarely in the ‘creepy’ category. Some use geolocation to reveal where, in relation to the user, women can be found. One, called ‘Girls Around me’, was pulled from the Apple App Store for connecting Foursquare check-ins to public Facebook data, effectively making the app a tracker for people who do not necessarily know that they are being tracked. The app’s potential for abuse is clear and despite the efforts of the app’s defenders (stating that people who are unaware of or generous with their privacy settings have it coming) it was removed. Differences between this sort of app and dating apps like Blendr or Grindr lie mostly in the implied consent given by the user when they sign in – people on dating sites are looking for a date while those who check-in at a favourite coffee shop with friends are not expecting their data to be exploited for potentially inappropriate attention from strangers. Not that there’s anything wrong with dating apps per se but informed consent to the sharing of data is an important consideration when determining which apps are just a bit of fun and which pose a serious threat to safety. Apps can range from the invaluable to the mundane to the slightly menacing, from the completely free to the costly. With such a broad reach, it comes as no surprise that they have become a staple for smartphone users. And as smartphone memory increases exponentially, there seems to be no limit to the number of apps eagerly downloaded. Who knows, a few years from now we could be hearing a new sort of folk wisdom – an app a day keeps the boredom away. 88 Sunday Circle | November 2013
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Love. Passion. Rock.
MASTHEAD
DLS PRoDUCTIoNS BRINGS To LIFe The CLASSIC TALe oF CARMeN IN AN exCITING AND oRIGINAL NeW MUSICAL PRoDUCTIoN A timeless tale of a fight for love, brought back to life in 21st century New York. Based on George Bizet’s opera, Carmen: The Rock Musical is a new original musical, which tells the classic story of how Carmen, played by Tezara Camilleri, finds herself caught between two lovers. Ryder and Pierce – Samuel Mamo and Andrew Barberi – battle it out to try and win over Carmen’s heart. Who gets the girl? Who succumbs to the madness of true love? Who gets caught in the fire of emotions? This same fire will burn on through song, dance, and live rock music, with a strong all-singing, all-dancing cast of 30 people belting out tunes from Queen, U2, Pink Floyd and Guns n’ Roses, among others. Carmen: the rock musical will be staged at the Catholic Institute in Floriana on the 22nd, 22rd and 24th November at 8pm. Tickets and further information from www.dlsdrama.com, tickets@dlsdrama.com or by calling 79848788 Carmen | The Rock Musical is sponsored by FIMBANK plc, Mediterranean Bank, Corrieri Cilia Legal, RVC Event Services, C. Camilleri and Sons and Besteam Audio, together with Hydrolectric, DanielM Photography, General Soft Drinks and Continental Cars.
September 2013 | Sunday Circle 000
MUSIC
92 Sunday Circle | November 2013
MUSIC
SCALING MOUNTAINS FRESH FROM FOUR MONTHS IN DENMARK, AND WITH A NEW SINGLE AND INTERNATIONAL TOUR JUST ROUND THE CORNER, LOCAL INDIE ROCK BAND NOSNOW/NOALPS REFUSE TO SIT STILL. SARAH BORG IS BROUGHT UP TO SPEED P hotograPhy
by
With beach stained hair and salty complexions, Nick, Benji and Mai have that infectious enthusiasm that comes along with a life marked by the highs and lows of struggling artists. “We were just at the beach,” Nick says, to shoot a music video for their new single, as he is quick to explain. It’s been an eventful year for nosnow/noalps, the indie rock band whose single Cherry Tree has been playing all over the local music stations. They spent a whirlwind four month trip in Denmark, new members have joined the band, some have left, and with their latest single, N.E.W. they are embarking on a three-week tour that will see them playing in London, Italy, Copenhagen and undoubtedly, Malta. Right now, they’re coming off a high note from last month’s Notte Bianca when they played a live gig at the Manoel Theatre. “This was not an acoustic session” Benji explains, “but a live set where the sound was amazing”. Recalling the ecstasy of playing to a packed house, they went back to that night, when the historical walls of the theatre reverberated with their sound. “The response from the audience was uplifting”, Nick recalls, giving them the affirmation to take on the coming tour with boldness. Their eagerness to establish nosnow/noalps internationally was tainted earlier this year when they moved to Denmark. There they spent four months struggling to make it in a country where the competition is much fiercer than what they had ever experienced. “We went there with a specific plan in mind”, Nick explains. “We had contacts,
N icky S cicluNa
we had friends there” but still, they had to alter their plans completely when they learnt the reality of the situation. It was a shock for them all – “a difficult time”, Nick recalls – and one that caused considerable tension in the band and separated the ones who were committed to nosnow/ noalps from those who weren’t. “Denmark was tough and it was a time to come together” Benji adds, yet despite these being gruelling months, he notes how there was still a “vibe” everyday, which rendered their stay there exciting. It was here that they met Mai, a Danish part-time student who has joined the band to sing and play keys. It was also during this time that the band members came together to produce new songs. “Our debut album, Romantikpolitik was out in 2011”, Nick explains, and now that there were new band members — with Benji taking on the drums and with Mai on board, joining original members Nick and Sarah, the latter of whom still performs with the band during the Maltese gigs — they wanted to reflect this through new material. Their time in Denmark was spent recording demos, from which their latest single, N.E.W. has emerged. The song, which includes the sound of bassist Alan Portelli, recounts this chapter in their lives — the new members which will take the band’s sound in another direction, their experiences, and the road ahead, where they are ready to establish themselves on a larger scale. November 2013 | Sunday Circle 93
MUSIC “We need to get goose bumps to know for sure that a song is ready” Nick says, adding that the approval of their producer David Vella, “who is more like one of the band” is another sure sign for them to release new material, with high hopes their fans will love their music. Their fans will only have to wait a bit longer for the band’s new EP, which is set to be released next year, and although they’re still working on wrapping it up, they’ve already established its title. “Our next EP will be called Go, go, go, go” Benji says, “because ever since Denmark we’re on the go, go, go, go to reach our targets” – of which one is their tour, starting on the 7th of November, and taking them from Malta to London, Italy and then back to Copenhagen. The band discovered that London is hard to book a gig in, but instead of bowing down, they organised Malta takes London, a night at Water Rats in King’s Cross where they chose other Maltese bands to join them on the 15th of November for a night of music. Then there are the gigs in Italy, of which they have high hopes, since the band has teamed up with an Italian agency who will give them the publicity boost they have been looking for. “This is definitely a more professional tour” Nick says, adding his excitement about the exposure they hope to attain. “It’s about trying to get the right people to promote your music,” he adds. “Italy looks very bright for us and we can’t wait to take our music there”. All of them are also looking forward to going back to Copenhagen and to Christiania — Free Town — where music and the arts are a constant presence, thus creating “an amazing vibe,” as Benji recalls. “Touring is the best time of my life” Nick is sure to add. “It is a time where you get to visit new places, where you meet new people and you
get to play your songs to new crowds.” Their hope is to one day be able to tour constantly, to dedicate their time solely to nosnow/noalps and ultimately, to sustain a long career in music. “There have been several occasions where spontaneous collaborations have occurred during our live shows” Nick explains, and he hopes touring will lead to more of these, so that they can collaborate “with as many talented people as possible.” The new members have also added another pool of talent to nosnow/ noalps. Mai describes her musical background in Soul Funk and Blues; this, added to Nick’s Punk background and Benji’s Heavy Metal experience has led to another direction in their sound, they all agree, rather than to creative differences. “It’s important the fans love our music” Nick says while describing the band’s close relationship with their local fans. “We keep close to our fans and we often end up becoming friends with them.” Such proximity has in fact prompted the band to create an app on their Facebook page so that, while they are on tour, people will know what they are up to. This set, tour dates booked and with youth on their side, the band members are now ready to thrust nosnow/noalps to new places and new crowds. Joined by Bertram Cachia from Bridget Bone who will be coming on tour with them as their bassist, they’ve set themselves up for higher risks but as every music artist knows, “you go big or you go home”. nosnow/noalps will next be performing locally on the 29th November at Murella Piano Lounge in Marsalforn, and on the 30th November at Coach and Horses in Msida
Benji Cachia, Sarah Snow, Mai Skjødt Micheelsen, Nick Morales 94 Sunday Circle | November 2013
promotion
the living room
IS BACK
Far From spelling the end oF Face-to-Face Family interaction, technology is actually bringing us all together in the same physical space again – and with services like melita’s tv everywhere, we could be seeing the start oF a living room renaissance. I sabella R oss
When I look around me, I realise that Maltese families are happily spending more and more time together in the living room. It hasn’t been like this in years. Up to a decade ago, whenever we’d go to each other’s houses, the teens would lock themselves up somewhere as far as possible from the socialising zone of the house, watching television in the bedroom or making landline calls in whispers. That era is thankfully on its way out. Children and teenagers are spilling out of their rooms and into the family room: and it’s mostly thanks to technology. Family members are being brought together just as they were in the 1960s when the television box was a major trophy in the household. We’re watching much better, bigger, and more sophisticated television sets than ever before, but it’s not just the screen. We’re gathering in the living room clutching our connected devices. The way I see it, it’s like the cosy living room ambience is making 96 Sunday Circle | November 2013
a comeback as a family home entertainment hub, with the help of some modern tech miracles. I take it from my family: after a day at work, school, errands, and lunching and dining at different hours, we all trickle down to the living room. The TV is on, but it isn’t the focal point of the room. We’re all media multi-tasking: talking on the phone, texting friends, Facebooking, Twittering, or watching different channels on tablet. Just a few years ago, we’d be talking about last night’s TV show the next day at work or at school, now, we’re having those conversations live while watching TV, using social media, text and instant messaging. Why should we sit obediently watching the adverts, without doing something else at the same time? To a certain extent, we’ve mastered the art of screen juggling. And all this is done in a communal setting. Far from pulling family time apart, technology is actually having the opposite effect.
PROMOTION
We’re all media multi-tasking: talking on the phone, texting friends, Facebooking, Twittering, or watching different channels on tablet Television and internet service providers are now offering luxury home entertainment. There was a time when we had to rush home to catch our favourite programme on the box. Then along came video recorders which allowed us to tape TV shows. Nowadays we can catch up on TV shows in our own time by using on-demand services. I am no IT guru, but at the touch of a button and with a fast broadband connection, I can now get my favourite series on demand, rent movies on demand, use Facebook on television – all this while sprawled comfortably on the sofa. And I’ve just installed Melita’s TV Everywhere app, which means we can all watch different channels, on different devices, all at the same time, thanks to an app. It feels very much like three people reading three different books at the same time in the same room, but instead it’s live TV. Which means, that because I am hooked on Food Network, I am as I type watching
the Barefoot Contessa from the corner of my eye while my husband watches Sky News on his iPad, and my son – with his earphones permanently stuck to his head – does not need to miss a minute of Game of Thrones on his own tablet. I find it makes my life so much easier that I can do the online shopping on my iPad – and as everyone’s in the living room, they can all chip in with their monthly snack requests. We’ve also done some communal clothes-shopping – like when we went on a skiing holiday and we found this bargain site selling cheap (ish) thermal outfits. Everyone looked up from their gadget and started firing sizes and colours – a hullaballoo ensued because I tried to convince the rest to get the same colour scheme so we won’t get lost (out-voted). “You look like a snapshot of the future family,” said a visiting friend the other day. I begged to differ: we are a present tense family.
TV EVERywhERE NOw aVaIlablE fROM MElITa Melita has launched its new TV Everywhere service, available through an app which brings live TV to smartphones and tablets. Every member of your family is free to watch whatever they want, on their favourite personal smartphone or tablet. TV Everywhere is free to all FibrePower Entertainment Pack customers for the duration of the BETA testing period on up to two additional screens in addition to your normal TV screens. 30 channels are available including local favourites TVM, TVM 2, NET TV and ONE TV, Italian channels, news channels including SKY NEWS and CNN, and
entertainment channels including BBC Entertainment and Melita More. More channels will be added. The app is free of charge and to login customers simply need to type in their MyMelita username and password. Customers who do not have a MyMelita account can register for free. The Beta version of the Melita TV Everywhere app is compatible with all Apple iPhone or iPad devices and with Android smartphones and tablets running software version 4.0 or later. www.melita.com
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 97
an infusion of fl avours AvAilAble in: Peppermint
English Breakfast
Rooibos & Honey
Chamomile
Peach Black Tea
Lemon & Lime
Raspberry Green Tea
Earl Grey
Jasmine
HEALTH
My TwisTed spine Faye Formosa’s decision to undergo surgery to correct her scoliosis was the only way oF taking the Fate oF her health into her own hands. deFying the risks and enduring the slow paced liFe she must lead during her recovery, she speaks to sarah Borg aBout the experience which aFFirmed her resilience P hotograPhy
by
J ean M arc Z erafa
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 99
HEALTH
D
espite Faye’s inability to be around huge crowds for the next couple of months, it is an indisputable fact that her presence would stand out anywhere, thanks to the regal manner in which she holds herself, with impeccable posture that would make our own physiotherapists beam. Pacing around the curvy garden path, Faye’s smile exudes hope but her eyes are filled with the caution that has taken over her life for the last few months after her scoliosis surgery. “It all started in 2011,” when at 24 and suffering from ostensibly common back pain, Faye went to a spinal surgeon, only to be told that she would have to undergo surgery due to Scoliosis. With her spinal cord having an extensive curve that would get worse every year, Faye had to accept the high risks of the surgery and insist on being operated sooner, rather than later, to avoid further complications as she got older. 100 Sunday Circle | November 2013
After two years and countless X-ray monitoring sessions, Faye underwent a posterior approach surgery last June. “At 25, I was already considered to be quite old to have this surgery,” she explains, as with advancing age the risks are much higher. Her father accompanying her to the last minute on that day, she went into the ward “with a 48 degree curve and uneven shoulders” and came out three inches taller. “Everything seems so low when you get to walk again,” she says, and at the mention of the word she recalls waking up after the surgery and asking the first person she saw whether she would be able to walk again, since paralysis was one of the major risks of this surgery. Her words are still tainted by the overwhelming sense of fear and the worrying that consumed her for months, and while admitting to suffering from the most common of fears — “I’m scared of needles and blood” — her attitude on the day was anything but fearful. “I spent the night before the surgery pacing the quiet corridors of the ward,
At 25, I was already considered to be quite old to have this surgery
health with everyone around me sleeping while I was a nervous wreck,” but she went into surgery feeling peaceful, knowing that this was the best option for her because if left untreated, scoliosis can lead to further deformity as well as early degeneration of joints and breathing difficulties.
LIVING WITH ScoLIoSIS If left untreated
scoliosis
Scoliosis occurs when the spinal column curves and twists, rotating the ribcage as it does so and resulting in an unevenness that ranges from slight to being quite evident in some cases. There is this common misconception that scoliosis is caused by the person doing something wrong but in fact, the cause is not known in the majority of cases, though doctors say it tends to run in families. In Faye’s case, she had no family history and one possible explanation provided was that of her having grown tall in too short a time, resulting in a curve to the spine, rather than it growing straight. Scoliosis is more common in females than in males, and while for some people it would be enough to perform certain exercises or, in the case of a more evident curve, wearing a back brace, for others surgery is the only way to make their spine straight. “Many things change once you have the surgery,” says Faye. While some things are much simpler to carry out, such as raising the height of one’s sofa or bed, others proved to be more difficult since they involved her having to learn to perform the simplest of tasks from scratch. “You cannot dress yourself, you cannot lift anything heavier than a small bottle of water and you must avoid crowds,” since during the first six months after the surgery the metal is still fusing to the bones. “You cannot twist for a while” she adds, “and you can only bend with your legs not your back”. She proves her adherence to the rules when she bends in this same manner to pick up a paper the wind had carried away from her hands. Other milestones however, such as walking, needed to be performed as soon as possible — steps which were taken on the fourth day after her surgery by a “rather stiff” Faye supported by two physiotherapists. “You become wholly dependent on those around you to help you with the merest of tasks; on your mother to brush your hair and your father to help you get out of bed.” At this, Faye insists on the importance of having a strong support system for anyone undergoing such a major operation and she explains that while she is grateful for the exceptional surgeons who performed the surgery successfully and the caring staff of the hospital ward, she knows that having the support of her family and her loved ones was an essential aspect for her smooth recovery so far. With a strong support system, Faye felt impelled to recount her personal experience when her surgeon asked her to share her story during a meeting for patients who would be undergoing this same surgery. “Even though I had the support of those closest to me and I trusted the surgeons, I still sought to understand exactly what I would be going through; I needed to hear it from someone who had also done the surgery.” The meeting was her opportunity to give the support to the patients and the parents who are all living with the burden of knowing they themselves or their children would have to go through major surgery. “I was very emotional during my speech,” she recalls, nonetheless, she remembers encouraging those listening to face the surgery now, rather than postponing it because things could further complicate themselves. Slight hints of insecurity, such as her self-consciousness with the metal rod showing on her spine due to her petite frame, are issues she will gradually learn to deal with, now that the worst part of her journey is over. Standing up, with her ballet pumps supporting her now stronger frame, she ends her story by expressing hope that those suffering from scoliosis take the right measures, encouraging those going in for surgery to be resilient in their decision to undergo the procedure now, rather than taking the road of procrastination and increasing the risk of complications. 102 Sunday Circle | November 2013
can lead to
further deformity, early degeneration of joints breathing difficulties
&
Source: National Scoliosis Foundation
Scoliosis
&
affects 2-4% of people worldwide
is more common
IN FEMALES
than in males
In more than
80% of cases the cause of
Scoliosis is ?????? (unknown)
TREATMENT
DEPENDS ON patient’s...
age
the degree of the curve
how much more he/ she is likely to grow
the type of Scoliosis
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oFFer
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LINE CONSISTS OF: vitalizing day care spf 15 vitalizing nigHt care eye care line filler
Distribution By: Noriva Ltd | Tel: 2141 3112, 2123 7351, 2131 3909 | Email: info@noriva.com.mt | Web: www.sanssoucis.com
& Health BEING
WELL-
AT SUNDAY CIRCLE, WE BELIEVE THAT WELLNESS IS KEY. THIS GUIDE BRINGS TOGETHER ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ABOUT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
BUPA HELPS PROTECT YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET — YOUR HEALTH Health is a treasured asset for everyone. As Malta’s leading provider of health cover, Bupa Malta offers affordable solutions that give you access to a wide range of benefits covering a number of private medical insurance plans. We have designed our health covers to suit the needs of Maltese families; whether you’re only just starting to think about having children, you have a growing family or you have no more late night feedings, we have the right health cover to suit your family. Bupa Malta is part of GlobalCapital plc’s portfolio of insurance operations within the Maltese Islands. Bupa Malta was the site of Bupa’s first international business in 1971 and nowadays, the group has over 12 million customers in 190 countries. Protect your health. Protect your family’s health. Bupa Malta helps people lead longer, healthier, happier lives. GlobalCapital Health Insurance Agency Limited acts as an insurance agent and is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority.
GLOBALCAPITAL HEALTH INSURANCE AGENCY LIMITED Tel: 2134 2342 | Web: www.bupa.com.mt
LISSE DESIGN KERATIN THERAPY
BLEU & MARINE
A keratin treatment for all hair types, this product’s effect is better and longer-lasting with each application. Eliminating frizz and with results lasting up to 3 months, this Keratin therapy is combined with the properties of oils: the KeraCollagen complex for smoothness and Babassu, a precious oil with extraordinary emollient properties from the Amazon that leaves your hair with that shiny look.
For pigmented skin care, Bleu & Marine is a maximum-strength cosmeceutical professional treatment. This product is combined through a number of properties including Vitamin C, grape juice and an exclusive botanical composite with lightening properties such as Arbutine.
Conforming to European and international standards, it is 100% safe and Paraben free.
The treatment, which provides a longterm lightening effect, is very safe since it contains only botanical extracts, and it is paraffin and paraben free.
AVAILABLE only from professional hair salons.
CORTEX LTD Tel: 2146 5893 Email: robert@cortexltd.com 104 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Results seen from first application
BLEU & MARINE Tel: 9921 1470 Email: blueandmarine@gmail.com
HEALTH
global anti-aging A breakthrough in cosmetic dermatology, LIERAC has launched the PREMIUM RANGE offering skincare to correct all visible signs of aging — wrinkles, sagging, and uneven complexion and in the case of eyes — puffiness and dark circles. The range consists of the REGENERATING SERUM, the EYE CARE cream and the VOLUPTUOUS CREAM, all containing pure hyaluronic acid to provide instant hydration, smoothing and plumping. They also contain extracts of rare black flowers to enhance the skin’s radiance. Pharma.mt Ltd tel: 2133 7008 | Web: lierac.com.mt Facebook: Lierac malta
Mayfair CliniC laser annual Privilege Card Mayfair Clinic by Audrey Aquilina is now launching the Full Body Combo Offer. Now is your chance to be hair free and benefit from Full body combo laser hair removal by Candela GentleLase Alexandrite. For just €399 you would be entitled to unlimited laser treatments for a whole year. Other offers include the removal of bikini line and underarms at €50. Call Mayfair Clinic for a complimentary laser consultation and test patch to learn more about their removal and other offers mayFair CLiniC tel: 2749 2799 | mob: 7714 2934 email: mayfairlaserclinic@gmail.com | Web: www.mayfairlaser.com
bottega verde Discover the best of Nature! Coming from the heart of Tuscany, Bottega Verde offers you more than 300 natural active ingredients. Bottega Verde believes in harmony, balance and wellness and surrounds you with the essences of Nature. Bottega Verde — you, naturally beautiful! Available from Daniels Shopping Complex Hamrun. New Sliema outlet opening soon! bottega verde tel: 2722 3331
the faCe is a Canvas — learn Make-uP artistry the Professional way Face 2 Face Academy offers professional courses carrying the prestigious VTCT certificates and diplomas, including: · · · · · · · · · ·
Personal make-up course Fashion & media make-up course International make-up artist diploma Theatre & film special effects Design face & body art Airbrush courses Aromatherapy massage for partners Fantasy hair design for performers Diet & nutrition Manicure/pedicure/waxing courses
FaCe 2 FaCe aCademy tel: 2137 0257 | mob: 9942 8828 email: faceart@maltanet.net Web: www.face2faceacademy.com Facebook: Face 2 Face academy malta November 2013 | Sunday Circle 105
HEALTH
Taking healThcare To a new level Atlas launches new Personal Case Management and Wellbeing Cover This new optional extension, offered by AXA PPP healthcare in Malta, gives members access to several innovations in the local market.
•
Personal Medical Case Management. Being diagnosed with a serious medical condition is extremely stressful. AXA PPP healthcare have teamed up with Medix Medical Services to provide a unique service to its clients, now available in Malta. This is much more than a second opinion service. An independent case manager with access to a global team of specialists will be assigned to the member’s case and will provide a better understanding of the medical condition, reassurance of the diagnosis, help to make the best treatment decisions and a choice of the most appropriate facilities and doctors. The case manager will be there for the individual over a period of time while implementing the best treatment plans and most important of all, aftercare, to ensure the results are as expected. The service is completely independent from AXA PPP healthcare or Atlas so it will give objective recommendations for the best treatment, regardless of your policy cover. Medix’s experts are doctors who are globally renowned in
•
•
•
various specialist fields of medicine and have been carefully selected based on their level of excellence, professionalism and personal service skills. Chronic conditions. Traditional policies do not cover management of chronic medical conditions. This extension gives cover for outpatient routine follow up consultations and tests for a number of very common chronic conditions including asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, angina, chronic pulmonary disease and more, with an annual limit. Vaccinations. Another first for Malta, cover for the cost of any vaccines, as well as fees for medical practitioners, or nursing charges for administering the vaccines, is covered. Childhood vaccinations, as well as those expensive vaccinations in preparation for long haul travel, will be covered up to an annual limit. Additional accommodation. Lastly, the new wellbeing extension will give cover for any extra charges for an adult relative staying in hospital with a child under 18.
Atlas Healthcare has again been able to tap into AXA PPP healthcare’s international networks to provide its personal case management cover while also covering those extras not normally available. Cover is available for individuals and groups on different levels of cover with different terms and conditions. For more information contact Atlas Healthcare or your intermediary. Call Atlas Healthcare on 2132 2600 or visit atlas.com.mt
Atlas Healthcare Insurance Agency Limited is authorized under the Insurance Intermediaries Act 2006, to act as agents for AXA PPP Healthcare Limited and is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. The policies are underwritten by AXA PPP Healthcare Limited.
106 Sunday Circle | November 2013
HEALTH
Helping make milk mOre readily digeStiBle LactaseBiotix assists in the digestion of milk and dairy products for people with lactose intolerance. A combination of lactase enzyme and a potent probiotic blend — formulated to prevent gas, bloating or diarrhoea, Lactase enzyme improves lactose digestion in individuals who have difficulty in digesting lactose in milk or dairy produce. Lactobacilli bacteria create lactic acid by helping to break down lactose and other complex carbohydrates found in dairy products and other foods. Pharma.mT LTd Tel: 2133 7008 Web: www.pharmamt.com
Stellina’S lifeStyle CHangeS Stellina’s Lifestyle Changes is composed of professionals in the fitness industry, who have come together to offer the best way for you to change your lifestyle for the better. Our team includes 2 state registered nutritionists, qualified trainers, persons qualified in both nutrition and training and the services of a psychotherapist. Over the past months, our team has helped hundreds of people to change their lifestyle both in Malta and in Gozo. The first step in changing yours is to come to our FREE consultation where you will learn how you can succeed in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Quaker Oat SO Simple mOrning BarS Quaker Oat So Simple range of Morning Bars caters for consumers seeking healthier breakfast options when on the go. The five bar multipacks are available in all leading stores in four flavours: Golden Syrup, Strawberry & Yoghurt, Raspberry & Pomegranate and Fruit Muesli. Oat So Simple Morning Bars are a good source of fibre and are packed with oats and wholegrain goodness. These new Oat So Simple Morning Bars contain no artificial colours, preservatives or flavours.
If you would like to be part of our winning team’s success stories like Amber Bondin, Julie Pomorski, Heinrich Camilleri and Katia Desira contact us now. STeLLina’S LifeSTyLe ChangeS Tel: 2167 8456 | mob: 7967 8456 email: stellina@lifestylechanges.eu facebook: Stellina’s Lifestyle Changes November 2013 | Sunday Circle 107
HEALTH
Taking The challenge At Challenger Fitness Centres, we believe in giving our clients the choice to workout at the time and location that best suits their lifestyle and this is why we have 4 strategically placed gyms — Qormi, Paceville, Cottonera and Valletta — with early opening hours and late night closings. At the moment, we are offering new recruits
a special price of €170 for a one year subscription.
This membership includes: - The use of all 4 Challenger gyms. - Professional personal trainers that can create customised workout plans for you. - Free advice on nutrition and health training programmes. - The use of facilities, including sauna, steam room, swimming pool and more. - Free weights and/or resistance machines providing the flexibility to train to your own needs. - A wide range of cardio equipment.
Tropicana Juice Tropicana juice is the only authentic juice brand. The range, made from 100% pure squeezed orange, has no sugar, water or colouring added, thus tasting fresh and genuine. Tropicana juices are gently pasteurized and packed to seal in all the flavour and nutrients. One glass of Tropicana Orange juice provides:1. A day’s supply of Vitamin C 2. 1 serving of fruit Tropicana juices, the healthy drink during any time of the day.
SenSiTiVe To gluTen?
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6am-10pm – Sat 8am-4pm Sunday and Public holidays 8am-12pm Free WiTh every neW member Till end oF The year Challenger Tel: 2149 7265 email: challengermalta@hotmail.com Web: www.challengermalta.com 108 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Feeling bloated and uncomfortable? You may be suffering from a fairly common condition onset by NON-COELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY (NCGS). Various symptoms could include frequent stomach aches, headaches, intestinal irritation, fatigue, nausea and many other disorders. Consult your doctor for further advice. Discover the benefits of a healthy, gluten-free diet. Schär and DS are Europe’s No1 in Gluten-Free food. vJ Salomone ConSumer lineS lTd Tel: 2122 1094 | email: consumer@vjsalomone.com Web: www.schaer.com
HEALTH
With you eveRy step of the Way
Rehabilitation theRapy
elmo insurance Limited takes pride in delivering a comprehensive range of new health insurance Plans for you, your family and your employees.
When physical injury occurs, prompt medical attention followed by physical rehabilitation is necessary since the latter helps patients regain their functional abilities quicker. Livelife, the first private Rehabilitation Centre in Malta, offers rehabilitation services of the highest standards. Our experienced staff, state of the art equipment (some of which is unique in Malta) and tranquil surroundings, help our patients work towards a full recovery within the shortest time possible. LIVELIFE also offers preventative services thanks to gym and pool memberships, Activity Classes, Physiotherapy advice and kinesiology support.
We recognise that everyone’s needs are different and that is why our health insurance plans offer various tailor made, flexible and affordable options for personal and business insurance. Our plans offer you the comfort of knowing that should hospitalisation be required, you would have immediate access to private medical treatment at any hospital or specialist of your choice.
Some of Livelife’s support services include: • POst ORthOPAediC OPeRAtiOns • POst ResPiRAtORy COnditiOns • POst CARdiAC COnditiOns • sPORts injuRies • PReventAtive RehAbiLitAtiOn you may visit our website www.elmoinsurance.com for further details or you may call us on 2343 0000 for an appointment with one of our professional representatives. elmo insurance Ltd. is authorised to carry out general insurance business and is regulated by the Malta Financial services Authority. Registered address: elmo insurance Ltd, Abate Rigord street, ta’ Xbiex XbX 1111.
Elmo Insurance Ltd. Tel: 2343 0000 Web: www.elmoinsurance.com
the Alter-G treadmill represents the next stride in physical therapy and athletic training. this cutting edge technology enables patients to exercise in comfort and rehabilitate with confidence, while maintaining their natural gait to avoid bad habits that may lead to further injury. Alter-G reduces stress on joints. Call us now for your consultation.
LIVELIFE Tel: 2133 9000 | Web: www.livelife.com.mt November 2013 | Sunday Circle 109
Smiling ConfidenCe HEALTH
with
Dental anD Implant Surgeon Dr Jean paul DemaJo on the many facetS of achIevIng the perfect SmIle
A confident smile is a necessity in today’s life. How often have you thought of fixing your teeth? there are many aspects in a set of teeth which lead to a beautiful smile — tootH CHArACter 1.
Colour: even colour or are they mismatched?
2.
Contour: Do your teeth look similar or do some stand out?
3.
Angulations: Are your teeth protruding or are they twisted out of the arch due to crowding?
4.
Symmetry: Do your teeth look right or are some misaligned?
5.
occlusion: How do you bite together? Do your upper and lower teeth come together as they should?
Note colour, shape and size
Colour With today’s technology, one finds several tooth replacement materials — out with the conventional use of gold and other heavy metals and in with the use of non-metallic ceramic material. It is incorrect to say that conventional materials aren’t good — they have an excellent track record — but the general consensus is that all-ceramic (metal-free) or as we know it, porcelain teeth, offer superior aesthetics than any other tooth restorative material. Different porcelain colours may be mixed and adapted to replicate the exact colour of your natural teeth. A clever dental technician, in particular a ceramicist, is fundamental in achieving this. It is of utmost importance that you discuss this with your dentist and ceramicist.
Side view pre-treatment
Contour this may be adjusted with the help of veneers, crowns or onlays. For example, a narrow looking tooth that jars with the rest of your teeth due to its size and shape may be wrapped with a veneer to help it look normal in size, shape and form. White resin restorations or fillings may be stuck on to a rotated tooth to make it look straight again. these are relatively simple methods offering significant results.
Side view pre-treatment
tootH AngulAtIonS
Post-treatment with 6 anterior Ceramic crowns
It is never too late to obtain the results you always desired. What’s important is to weigh out your options, to take an informed decision, then, trust your dentist with this decision. Better late than never. Ask your dentist! 110 Sunday Circle | November 2013
teeth may look protruded or pushed backwards, crooked or dead straight. the bite may not look normal; the lower jaw may be protruded or the top jaw retruded. teeth may be crowded or spaced out. these are common complaints dentists hear from anxious parents or conscious children. this is where orthodontics comes in. “ortho” meaning normal and “dontic” meaning tooth is the art of tooth straightening to achieve the normal smile we all deserve to have. As advantageous as it is to align one’s teeth, orthodontics may take a very long time with monthly appointments possibly spread over a period of as long as two years. Although it is a painstaking process, orthodontics remains the best way to align ones’ teeth, especially if they are untouched, un-restored virgin teeth. For those who do not wish to go down the road of braces, then cosmetic dentistry comes in.
Dr Jean Paul Demajo has trained in London and works in private practice in Malta.
heaLth
Not Just a supplement Breaking new ground, the omega 3 moPL™ herring Caviar nutritionaL suPPLement from tom oLiver nutrition is Like nothing eLse on the market.
Triple The FaTTy acids
no Fishy odoUr and no Fishy bUrps
The Omega 3 MOPL™ Herring Caviar – developed in collaboration with the best in field expert – Prof Dr Alvin Berger – is the first of its kind, offering a unique nutritional profile of Omega 3 DHA and EPA: essential fatty acids that help support healthy skin, joint health, brain function, good vision, weight management and a healthy heart. It contains 300mg/g of DHA, an important fatty acid in supporting healthy brain function, three times more than other Omega 3 supplements.
Known as ‘the silver of the seas’ in Norway, the use of herring’s caviar brings further new benefits such a decreased odour and no unwanted aftertastes making it easy to fit the Omega 3 MOPL™ Herring Caviar into you daily routine. The formula is held in small capsules also making the supplement easier to swallow. Meet the expert: Tom Oliver will be available in Holland & Barrett Malta on Friday 15th November from 3pm – 7pm (St Julian’s) and Saturday 16th November from 9am – 1pm (Attard). Web: www.tomolivernutrition.com
acceleraTed absorpTion and acceleraTed UTilisaTion The outstanding benefits of the Omega 3 MOPL™ Herring Caviar are not limited to these essential fatty acids. This premium marine bio-active oil sourced from Herring Caviar is a rich source of phospholipids which help the accelerated absorption of nutrients into the body. Phospholipids are the key building blocks of our cell membranes; they create new cell membranes and also maintain the proper functions of our existing cells. The supplement also contains Choline from marine lecithin which helps support a normal lipid metabolism, maintenance of normal liver function, and the breakdown of amino acids.
environmenTally Friendly and sUsTainably soUrced This is the world’s first accredited sustainably sourced Omega 3 product. It is formulated using herring caviar oil extracted from the roe of Norwegian herring from MSC certified fisheries and Friends-of-the Sea certified fish oil. The herring caviar comes from fish that have already been harvested, therefore no additional emissions are caused by fleet operations in gaining access to the raw product, making it an extremely eco friendly supplement. November 2013 | Sunday Circle 111
Beautiful beauty
SAFE &
Consultant PlastiC ReConstRuCtive and aesthetiC suRgeon Raymond debono gives adviCe on how to keeP safe with non-suRgiCal CosmetiC tReatments.
The festive season is coming and some may start making preparations to look their best for the various activities and parties. This article aims to help you make the right decisions through the over-promising and sometimes unreal advertising you may come across regarding nonsurgical cosmetic treatments. Botulinum toxin Provided good standard medicine is used the result after botulinum injection for a particular problem is completely dependent on the skills of the professional giving you the injections. Therefore results may vary significantly from professional to professional depending on the level of skills, training and qualifications. In other words, the result of botulinum toxin is not like a magic medicine that works on everybody equally but is very heavily dependent on the professional that gives you the injections. For the best result, you need to choose the best professional to administer the medicine for you. FillerS There is a wide range of fillers that vary in quality (degree of purification) and duration (how long they last). Nowadays the most popular fillers are hyaluronic acid based but there are first-, secondand third-generation hyaluronic acid fillers. The price of the different types generally varies according to the level of purification and the generation. So when you are comparing prices you need to know
what you are paying for: a cheaper price is not necessarily the best if you are getting a lower-generation filler. Again, as in the case of botulinum toxin, your result after fillers is also heavily dependent on the skills of the doctor injecting the filler. Fillers of lower quality are more likely to produce complications such as granulomas (lumps), redness and excessive swelling, allergic reaction, skin discolouration and collections of pus like material.
PeelS and laSer treatmentS In general all peels and laser treatments to the skin run the risk of producing pigmentation and prolonged redness of the skin. Pigmentation is more likely in people with darker skin types than in the very pale skin types. Treatments suitable for people of northern origin are not necessarily good for Mediterranean type of skin. Lasers are of different types and the type of laser has to be specific for the particular problem to be treated. Enquiring on the type of laser and then looking it up is a very good precaution to ensure you are going to be treated with the right type of laser. There are commonly five types of laser: Alexandrite (hair removal), Nd-Yag (hair removal and thread veins), Fractionated CO2 (skin resurfacing), Erbium (skin resurfacing) and Q-switched laser (tattoo removal). For example there is no point in treating tattoos unless a Q-switched laser is available. Chemical Peels can cause similar problems as lasers unless administered properly.
Summary In summary before accepting non-surgical cosmetic treatments you need to know: • • • • • •
if the person that is going to administer the treatment is fully qualified if the treatment offered to you is the correct one for the problem you want to treat if the right medicine or device is going to be used whether the treatment is effective and worth it what the fall-back plan is if problems occur where or who you’ll be referred to if there are serious problems
To answer these questions you need to allow a cooling-off period to give yourself time to do your research. Do not rush into anything. Raymond DeBono is a Consultant Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon in private practice in Malta and the UK. His main interests include facial and nose cosmetic surgery. plasticsurgeonmalta@gmail.com 112 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Learn to Love Yourself
NOVEMBER GIFT
Escape to a world of harmony and total relaxation. Radiance Facial De-stress Head Massage Energising Full Leg Massage Use of Spa Facilities Dur 85 min 70 €
LADIES IN LUXURY
Experience the revolutionary skin analysis system. Expert advice on how to maintain and protect your skin against further damage. An opportunity to learn about the products prescribed and tailor-made solutions. Anti Aging Cavitation Facial Ultrasound Body Firming Use of Spa Facilities Dur 120 min 95 €
25 %
discount
SPA CELEBRATION
Treat yourself to all things you deserve. Hand Paraffin Treatment Hot Stone Back Massage Reflexology Use of Spa Facilities Dur 55 min 55 €
MEN’S RITUAL
Our team has designed an anti-stress ritual using effective relaxation techniques and soothing medicated oils to offer indulgent and stress relief. Stress Buster Massage Gentlemen's Express Facial Use of Spa Facilities Dur 120 min 100 €
Say goodbye to unwanted hair! Free IPL patch test in the month of November Only. Discount on all pre-paid sessions. Valid till the end of November. For a confidential consultation call Lotus Spa on 21 370163.
From buggies, cots and maternitY Wear to cLotHing For Kids, sundaY circLe Has put togetHer a compLete guide For parents or parents-to-be out tHere LooKing For tHe best products For tHeir cHiLdren
Innosense® Innosense® is a carefully researched and expertly developed complete range of practical feeding products with everything you need to feed the way it comes most naturally to you and your baby. Every woman is different and deciding how to feed your baby is your decision. We have a range of products to help make breastfeeding a little bit easier. Expressing milk supports breastfeeding in many ways. It ensures your baby can be fed with your milk at each feed, giving you time to rest as it allows dad or grandparents to share in the feeding routine. When bottle feeding, it’s important to keep the teat full of milk to reduce the risk of wind. Our revolutionary Innosense® bottle’s offcentred teat makes it easier to keep it full of milk while hardly tilting the bottle at all. This results in a natural and relaxed feeding angle. MOTHErCarE Sliema, Tel: 2131 5122 | Valletta, Tel: 2123 6717 | B’Kara, Tel: 2149 4555 Gozo, Tel: 2156 0021 | mothercare@camillerigroup.com | www.mothercare.com.mt
fIt for every step!
There is no such thing as an average foot and every child should be individually fitted when it comes to shoes. To ensure the best possible fit, Start-rite makes shoes in whole and half sizes, as well as in different width fittings. Trained staff will measure both feet for length and width, thus guiding you towards the style most suited to your child. Customised fittings by Start-rite ensure excess pressure is never applied to your child’s delicate feet. Start-rite shoes are available from all Scholl Foothealth Centres in Sliema, Valletta, Fgura, Mosta and Abela’s Health and Beauty Centre, Gozo.
PHarMa-COS LTD Tel: 2144 1870 | Web: schollfoothealthcentre.com/footwear/startrite 114 Sunday Circle | November 2013
ClothIng for lIttle rasCals!
iDO is the line of children’s wear delivering designs from newborn to 16 years old. It is meant for dynamic children who play, romp and have a thousand things to do. Offering trendy garments, which respect the needs of children, iDO delivers material of quality, durable and safe, with chemical tests conducted by qualified laboratories on fabrics. iDO is a line of Miniconf, a company that has been delivering clothing for babies and children for forty years. iDO 166, St. Joseph High Street, Hamrun Tel: 2123 2889 | Email: ido@jjscerri.com | FB: iDO Malta
promotion
piTTer paTTer BaBieS & KidS More than just a baby store, Pitter Patter Babies & Kids is a parent store offering the best of what is out there when having a baby. Their latest brand is Mutsy, a luxury range offering a range of products from birth to early childhood at affordable prices, including full stroller systems that offer practicality, style and are developed with the child’s safety in mind.
are you pregnanT? Stem Cell Banking: Cryopreservation of 3 units in one service Cord Blood Banking Cord blood stem cells – 1 unit • Fully Automated Technology – Biosafe technology • More than 2000 units processed with Sepax successfully transplanted Cord Tissue Banking Wharton’s jelly stem cells – 1 unit • Lifeline’s Methodology has been filed for an international patent Vascular stem cells – 1 unit The 1st bank worldwide to offer: • Two products from cord tissue • Cryopreservation of MORE viable stem cells
associaTeD Drug co. LTD Triq l-esportaturi, mriehel Tel: 2277 8000 | email: lifeline@associateddrug.com
The MaTerniTy Shop Pregnant? Nothing fits anymore?
Mutsy’s latest designs, travel systems igo & evo, cater for today’s modern and mobile parents, offering a number of choices from compact combi strollers, to the ultralight Lite carry cot or the roomy Comfort carry cot. With features such as fully adjustable seat back and leg support, efficient tranformation from pushchair to pram, leather-look features, front wheels that swivel 360°, a total weight of just 8.2kg, plus various optional extras to suit your lifestyle.
piTTer paTTer BaBies & KiDs Triq gorg Borg olivier street Victoria, gozo | Tel: 2155 4114
The MaTerniTy Shop Sale StartS tomorrow! Maternity Outerwear Maternity Underwear Toys New born baby Clothes & Gifts Prams, Pushchairs & Cots High Chairs Walkers The maTerniTy shop 183, old railway Track, st.Venera (joins with Psaila Street B’kara)
Tel: 2148 4075 / 2148 9322 Web: www.specialDeliveryshop.com
Daniels shopping complex, 114 st. Joseph high road, hamrun | Tel: 21223939 email: pitterpatterkids@gmail.com Web: www.pitterpatterkids.com November 2013 | Sunday Circle 115
Over 400 models in store Fluless gas fireplaces also available
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Eco Pedal Guide, a small dial on the console, lets you know how efficiently you are driving based on the position of the throttle pedal – small, smooth inputs give a higher eco rating than sudden, heavy inputs. The presence of this guide can help you to develop better, more efficient driving habits. Tailored specifically for the European market, the Nissan Note promises to be a popular B-Segment car for the urbanite, the family and those who like a little more comfort during their drive. Bringing high-end specs to a mid-range budget, the Note is sure to strike a chord with those looking to upgrade their driving experience. The standard entry model of the Nissan Note is well equipped with electric door mirrors, front and rear power windows, cruise control, speed limiter, daytime running lamps, radio CD, 15” alloy wheels, body coloured mirrors and door handles and much more at an affordable price from €13,500. For more information or to book your test-drive today, please visit the Nissan Motors showroom located on Antonio Bosio Street, Msida, call 21334196/ 99463750 or visit www.nissan.com.mt. November 2013 | Sunday Circle 117
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SOCIETY
A Scout’s
HONOUR There is more To scouTing Than saluTes and parades, says chief scouT arThur azzopardi – iT is an empowering experience wiTh many life lessons To offer. W ords
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November 2013 | Sunday Circle 119
SOCIETY
When Arthur Azzopardi finds out that I used to be a scout in my younger days, he’s keen to hear my thoughts and experiences. Because the way he sees it, scouting has a bit of an image problem. “When people think of scouts, they tend to think of uniforms and parades, but that’s only because that’s what gets most publicity,” he tells me. It’s strange, because for the large number of people who’ve been involved in scouting at some point in their lives, the reality is quite different. Scouting in Malta dates back all the way to 1908, with the establishment of the 1st Sliema Scout Troop – which holds the distinction of being only the second ever scout group to be set up outside Britain, just one year after Robert Baden-Powell organised the first experimental scout camp on Brownsea Island. Since then, scouting has grown worldwide to a vast movement of 36 million members, and the Scout Association of Malta now comprises 40 groups across Malta and Gozo – and over 3,800 members, up from 2,600 in 2007. 120 Sunday Circle | November 2013
“Scouting is fun,” Arthur says simply when I ask him to describe what it’s all about. “If it weren’t, I wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t have the numbers we do.” He finds it hard to break down what the experience consists of. “It’s very difficult to compare it to anything else,” he says. “It’s life”. It’s perhaps easier to explain what children – and their parents – can actually expect when they decide to enrol. All groups hold a minimum of one weekly meeting, incorporating games, talks, and regular outdoor activities, and it is these outdoor activities which remain the core of the scouting experience: hiking, camping, navigating, cooking, swimming, climbing, abseiling, navigating, kayaking – all will be familiar to anyone who’s had a brush with scouting. In this technologically-connected age, getting children active and out of the house is an achievement in itself. But ultimately, Arthur explains, all the fun is just the beginning. “Everyone enjoys camping,” he says by way of example. “But pitching a tent or working on a pioneering project also teaches you how to work well in a team.”
Similarly, when new Cub Scouts join up, one of the first things they’re taught is how to polish their own shoes. “It’s a small thing, but it instils the importance of looking after your own possessions, which is an important part of teaching self-sufficiency.” The organisation’s guiding philosophy, Arthur explains, is embodied in the scout sign – a three-finger salute with the thumb resting on the little finger. “The thumb and little finger represent the reef knot, a symbol of unity and friendship,” he says. “The three fingers represent our commitment to helping children to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually.” It is a testament, perhaps, to the formula’s success that it has persisted largely unchanged through so many years – and unceasing social sea-changes. But the organisation has not refused to move with the times. Both boys and girls are now accepted, for one, as part of the group’s commitment to remain open to children of any background, culture, or creed.
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SOCIETY
The move into adulthood doesn’t bring an end to the scouting experience, but simply a shift into leadership, training a whole new generation. “We work very hard to avoid becoming elitist, only available for the families who can afford to pay a lot of money for activities or uniforms,” says Arthur. “We want to entice the whole cross-section of society.” Moreover, the traditional motto – Be Prepared – has given way to a new one: Creating a Better World. It is a shift that emphasises scouting’s move away from its quasi-military roots to a holistic training programme for children and young people.
122 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Today, the Scout Association of Malta is lobbying for the work it does to be officially recognised by the Ministry of Education as a non-formal education programme. In a world where giving children a competitive edge is such a priority, it’s not hard to see how the skills developed, organically, by the scouting programme – from leadership and self-expression, to planning and managing stress – adapt seamlessly to so many aspects of adult life. “When I meet people who used to be scouts, they always mention it to me or say that they know someone who used to be a scout,” says Arthur. “That’s extremely rewarding for me; it shows the feeling of affiliation that scouting engenders.” For many scouts, in fact, that feeling of belonging is so strong that the move into adulthood doesn’t bring an end to the scouting experience, but simply a shift into leadership, training a whole new generation. “Our leaders come from all backgrounds: some are bank messengers, some run multi-million euro companies.” That said, leaders are precisely what scouting in Malta currently lacks: while figures in most areas compare more
than favourably with other European associations, the ratio of leaders to members is at the absolute bottom of the pile. On the one hand, the anomaly speaks volumes about the Maltese association’s capacity to do much with little; on the other, if the situation is not remedied, Arthur fears that efforts to grow and improve could be limited. He is, understandably, keen for more adults to take the plunge and volunteer some of their time for scouting. “Many of our leaders came through the ranks,” he points out, “but many others had a quick brush with scouting and were sucked in.” For scout leaders, the payoff for putting aside free time that could otherwise be spent on a part-time job or with their families is much the same fun and engagement treasured by the scouts themselves, but more than that, it’s an opportunity to contribute to something enduring and empowering. “We know that if we implement the training programme effectively, we can make children into better people,” says Arthur. “There’s a huge sense of pride that comes from knowing you’re creating memories that will last a lifetime.”
CULTURE
Incite Motion opened its doors in 2008 aiming to develop dance and dance education, striving to offer more than ordinary dance lessons. The school endeavors to educate dancers through creativity, appreciation and performance, providing a holistic dance education. Quality professional training ensures that each student progresses steadily and develops as a performer. All tutors at Incite Motion are highly qualified and experienced and often organize workshops with guest artists and examiners, both foreign and local, offering students diversity in their dance training and contributing towards their artistic and aesthetic development, thus developing their performance skills, giving them a wider perspective of dance. This year marks some important milestones for Incite Motion. They are celebrating their 5th anniversary in brand new, state of the art studios in Tigne, Sliema. The studios aim to provide a home to nurture versatile dancers both artistically and academically, leading to professional internationally recognized qualifications as well as opportunities within the school’s dance company. Milestones is the show being put up this year on the 30th November at 19.30 and 1 December at 18.30 at St Monica’s School theatre, Gzira. For more info visit www.incitemotion.com or email info@incitemotion.com
Raymond DeBono is a Consultant Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon in private practice in Malta and the UK. His main interests include facial and nose cosmetic surgery. plasticsurgeonmalta@gmail.com November 2013 | Sunday Circle 123
SPORTS
NEED FOR For a number of years, we’ve been wondering ‘Who’s next?’ as the face of men’s sprinting in Malta. In 2013, we’ve seen Steve Camilleri and Luke Bezzina emerge as the cream of a crop that’s not short on talent. In doing so, they’ve breathed new life into a scene that had subsisted on the strength of the usual suspects for a number of years, as the younger competitors never quite managed to completely eclipse them. However, our two young sprinters had already given ample notice. Luke Bezzina, 18, was making a name of himself with some blistering starts, and Steve Camilleri, 21, had placed second to Malta’s eventual Olympian, Rachid Chouhal, in the 2012 National Championships. 124 Sunday Circle | November 2013
It hadn’t been the first time that some young gun had shown promise, falling short of actually taking over from the old guard. Would it be different this time? Both sprinters took on their preseason with gusto, although they weren’t free of setbacks. Steve tells me about the build-up to his season: “I was in very good condition through my pre-season training. When intensity in my training increased, I picked up an injury”. He would not set the world alight during his winter competitions, but put in some solid workmanlike performances through pain. Luke had some decent races, and seemed to be improving with each competition. No one really expected them to break the eleven second barrier, except maybe their respective inner circles.
SPORTS
SPEED “Coach Zeljko and I put in great effort, planning for the season to be successful, particularly from pre-season training,” Luke explains, “and I kept delivering in training and competitions”. As the season picked up steam, it became apparent that Steve and Luke weren’t simply candidates for the National Team – they were also threatening the 11 second mark in the 100-metre dash. It was only fitting that they’d both end up breaking it in the same race, with an identical time – a finish too close to call. That race put both Steve and Luke in some pretty select company locally, and promised many more exciting duels to come. By the time the National Championships came around, Steve and Luke were jockeying for position on the GSSE relay team, the
STEVE CAMILLERI AND LUKE BEZZINA ARE DISTINGUISHING THEMSELVES AS TWO OF THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG TALENTS IN MALTESE SPRINTING – AND THE ESTABLISHED ORDER IS SITTING UP AND TAKING NOTICE PhotograPhy
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opportunity to run the individual dash events... and bragging rights. With four sub-11 second sprinters in the field, Steve won out with his best performance to date. He’d later complete a sprint double with a win in the 200 metres. Luke had enough of an edge on the rest of the field to establish his credentials as an individual competitor in Luxembourg. “Winning the 2013 100 metres National Championship was the highlight of my career so far,” Steve explains, “but doing well when I represent Malta abroad is what I am after”. He’d soon get his chance... National team duty means a lot to the lads, and they both wax lyrical about the experience. “Competitions always prove that we are stronger than we know,” says Luke. “It’s a privilege to compete November 2013 | Sunday Circle 125
SPORTS
It’s a privilege to compete for my country. When I stand there on the starting line of the race, with the Maltese cross on my chest, the world shuts down and all I focus on is that finish line for my country. When I stand there on the starting line of the race, with the Maltese cross on my chest, the world shuts down and all I focus on is that finish line. It has been a childhood dream to compete for my country and now I am fulfilling it”. Steve agrees – “It’s everything. It’s what I’ve been looking for since I was a child. I’ve always wanted to give something back to my country, and this is the least I can do.” Both would go on to medal at the GSSE in Luxembourg, sharing the spoils as relay team-mates. Perhaps most encouraging is the very fact of their age. Out of the GSSE sprint finalists, Steve and Luke were the youngest and already very competitive. Also, with a Cypriot sprinter embroiled in a doping scandal, we may yet see their final tally revised. For most athletes, that would be a fitting climax to the season. For our lads, it was only the opening salvo in a tough summer of work on the European circuit.
acknowledges it as his strength but actually spends more time explaining how he plans to address his weaknesses. “I am currently working more on finishing power which will improve my overall technique for next season’s races”, he explains, rather ominously. And that’s pretty much what occupies their thoughts right now. Having enjoyed a few weeks of rest and recovery, both are back on the track with their mind on quicker times and next year’s finish lines. “I look forward to defending my 100 metres and 200 metres gold medals at next year’s National Championships,” Steve tells me. “I’m equally excited about next year’s Malta International Open. Our association is really trying to attract foreign competitors, and I’ll definitely enjoy battling them on our home turf.”
I switch gears for a minute, and ask them a question that most lay folk consider. Is speed a matter of talent or hard work? “It’s mostly hard work,” Steve concludes. “Talent is important in every sport, but year-round commitment is the difference between success and failure. Dedication and self-discipline play a very important role”. Hardly a surprising answer, considering Steve is more about fire than flash.
I ask Luke about his goals for 2014, knowing he’s a few years younger and still coming to grips with his freshman year at University. He’s already set his sights on long-standing Junior records in both the 100 metres and the 200 metres, and a World Junior Championship berth. “Personally I am more of a day-to-day guy though!” he quips. Both athletes are committed to running for Malta as long as they are able, and aren’t shy about saying so. As my time with them draws to a close, I ask them how it feels to take the torch from the older generation of sprinters.
For his part, Luke quotes his dad. “Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy”, he muses. I’m not done with the talent bit though, and ask them to identify their strengths. I’m surprised that Steve doesn’t highlight a particular physical attribute. “My die-hard attitude during training is my greatest strength. I love the feeling of pushing my body to the limit”, he tells me. Luke, notorious for his quickness off the mark, quickly
As the elder statesman, Steve replies with some poise. “I still need to work harder before I feel like I’ve taken the torch. Darren Gilford, Rachid Chouhal, Mario Bonello and Nicolai Portelli took sprinting to another level in Malta. I have a lot of respect for them and what they did, I’ve learnt a lot from them.” As he rolls out his ‘who’s who’ list, I have no doubt that before long there’ll be at least two more names added onto it.
126 Sunday Circle | November 2013
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FEATURE
128 Sunday Circle | November 2013
No Bed Of Roses
FEATURE
FLORISTRY COURSES THROUGH THE VEINS OF ALEX AZZOPARDI, THE FOURTH-GENERATION FLORIST WHO IS TAKING THE FAMILY BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL – IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY IN A TRADE WHERE THE COMPETITION IS FIERCE AND THE PRODUCT LIFE IS SHORT W ords
The only way to remain competitive in this industry is through a strong website and an app,” Alex Azzopardi, the man behind Flowerland, explains. Nowadays, he believes, it is not viable to grow flowers locally, since international competition has become fiercer and the Maltese are becoming more selective in their flower preferences. Unlike some other countries, Malta has limited land space to grow flowers or other crops, thus limiting the amount of flowers that can be exported and the competitiveness this brings with it This wasn’t always the case. Alex’s greatgrandfather started the business back in the years following World War II, and Alex recalls a time, in the 70s, when his grandfather Ludgardo Borg secured a deal with London’s Covent Garden to start exporting locallygrown flowers, “after investing in the first ever cluster of greenhouses on the Maltese islands” – a deal that ceased once it stopped being financially viable. Besides the disadvantage of limited land area, Alex also points out how the Maltese are now asking for specific flowers, ones that go beyond the local gerbera or carnation. To accommodate these requests, which were becoming increasingly frequent, the company turned to cut flowers, imported from Holland, to provide their clients with more variety. “Most Maltese are still going for bulk when it comes to bouquets,” he says. “Whether it’s a wedding day occasion, Mother’s Day or just to say thank you, we have been creating designs for every occasion.” Alex explains how in today’s world, a person with a business in this industry cannot simply be a florist; instead one must take on other roles, since the shelf life of a flower is limited. “In this trade, you must think strategically and have detailed projections of how your business can sustain itself, especially when
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the flower culture in Malta is not as strong as one would hope.” He describes how while in some localities the purchasing of flowers has increased, in others it has gone down. The concept of buying flowers is still considered a luxury, Alex explains, rather than a product that is bought regularly with the groceries, as one finds in other countries, such as the UK.
When you’re looking for detail, you go to the florist, not to the supermarket Local florists work by seasons, pertaining to specific occasions in the year. This in mind, Alex’s business employs people who focus specifically on flower arrangements according to specific occasions. The significant ones — the ones which involve thousands of flowers — include the expected fourteenth day of February, where in their case, more than 15,000 roses are imported and set in bouquet designs which would have been established back in June. “We have some clients who book their Valentine’s Day bouquet right after Christmas,” Alex notes, adding that they usually employ people for an extra pair of hands to help with the cutting, the arranging and the finishing details of such bouquets. Another significant occasion is Mother’s Day, where bouquets are constructed with a use of mixed flowers, both foreign and local, the latter of which include carnations, gerbera, Lilium Gypsophila and gladioli. Then there is the season of the summer feasts, a time imbued with tradition and history that is complimented by flowers of which 98 per
cent are locally grown, since these flowers are in their peak season. Flowers used during this season include the chrysanthemum as well as gerbera and carnations. “When you’re looking for detail, you go to the florist, not to the supermarket,” Alex says and with the website and a few other projects up his sleeve, he hopes to instil the flower culture in more of the locals, where they opt to go to the florist for that added detail. Coming from a family of florists, Alex feels impelled to succeed in his business ventures, to sustain what his greatgrandfather began. “The dose I experienced when I was just a kid was of great use,” he explains, especially when he took more of a prominent role in the business back in 2009. “The business has stood the test of time,” says Alex. But for this to continue, the latest technologies must be implemented in a trade that has always been around. Besides the website and the app, Alex has been looking at modern ways to grow flowers, including the method of hydroponics, where crops are grown through water, without the use of soil, and vertical farming, where the use of land is multiplied when growing crops — a method that is ideal for countries with limited land area. It will be a while before such projects are taken on however, for now, Alex is focusing on the targets he has set for the next couple of years. “I want to see our business excel, despite the international competition,” he says. For the near future, meanwhile, he is focused on the coming holiday season – Christmas – and all of the activities which will require a number of floral arrangements, from fresh cut flowers to artificial pieces. November 2013 | Sunday Circle 129
BRING OUT THE MOUSTACHE IN YOU! THE FROTHIEST, TASTIEST CAPPUCCINO IN AN INSTANT Visit facebook.com/NESCAFE.MT
CafÉs Whether it’s a mid-morning espresso, a lazy afternoon capuccino - or perhaps even a quick bite to eat, there’s nothing quite like sitting in a cafÉ and Watching the World go by
Mangano CafÉ A space that celebrates the contemporary spirit and suggesting that ‘Made in Italy’ quality but with an international look, Mangano Café is the place where the unique taste of the award winning “Medaglia d’Oro” coffee is served by professional people. Situated in Malta’s famous downtown, Mangano Café is open all day from breakfast to dinner, and on to glamorous party nights, serving a variety of freshly prepared meals and the best ever cocktails.
Mangano CafÉ | Tel: 7969 5050 address: Mangano Café level 1 Baystreet
warM and Cosy Welcome to the world of McCafé. Indulge your senses with a delicious variety of pastries and accompany this little special moment with a cup of coffee or frothy cappuccino, brewed from freshly ground coffee beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Alternatively, try our refreshing Frappé, Latte or Mocha. With a warm and cosy atmosphere and the smell of freshly baked pastries filling the air, McCafé is the perfect place for a quick coffee to boost your day or one to unwind. With five McCafé stores situated in Baystreet, Sliema, St Julians, Malta International Airport and Gozo, you are spoilt for choice.
MCCafÉ Web: www.mcdonalds.com.mt
Xpresso CafÉ and Bistro at palazzo de piro Xpresso Café and Bistro, by Infinitely Xara at Palazzo de Piro Cultural Centre in Mdina offers the same high standards in catering and hospitality as The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux, operators of the Palazzo. With magnificent views of the island, fine architectural heritage and a passion for culture and art, Xpresso Café and Bistro is the perfect spot for a light snack, lunch or dinner and a get together with friends.
Palazzo de Piro CulTural CenTre | Tel: 2010 0560 email: info@xarapalace.com.mt | Web: www.palazzodepiro.com
CafÉ with history No visit to Valletta is complete without stepping into the City’s iconic, Caffe Cordina. Founded in 1837, the cafe has retained the original traits the family established over 175 years ago. Now in its fifth generation, the café, situated in a historical palazzo, includes a restaurant, tea room, pasticceria, coffee bar and gelateria. Known for its delicate sweets and savouries, most of which are derived from the family’s original recipes, the café’s menu caters for quick snacks, business or a la carte lunches.
Caffe Cordina | Tel: 2123 4385, 2124 1359 email: info@caffecordina.com | Web: www.caffecordina.com November 2013 | Sunday Circle 131
EVENTS
VIVANDA 2013 the gastronoMiCal feast of the year
CirCle events, in Collaboration with the Malta Chefs assoCiation, are bringing you vivanda — a Culinary feast where over 250 Chefs, loCal and foreign, CoMe together with industry insiders and foodies to Celebrate the Myriad of flavours found in the Mediterranean Cuisine. Between the 14th and 17th of November, the interior of the Bay Arena in St. Julians will be turned into a culinary battlefield on one side and an exhibition of food, drink and the entities relating to the industry, on the other. Concurrent with Vivanda you will find Malta Kulinarja, where food enthusiasts, aspiring chefs and curious spectators will be able to witness several food competitions, as local and foreign chefs will prepare dishes to win prestigious awards. Competing under various categories within strict time limitations, chefs will be judged on technique, presentation and taste by representatives from the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) to win awards, including the coveted ‘Chef of the Year’. The large scale of the Bay Arena has also played a key role in providing space for the Chefs’ Parade. Held on Friday and Saturday evening, the parade will give visitors the opportunity to watch the mechanics of a restaurant unfold in front of their eyes, as a team of chefs will prepare dishes which will then be served by waiters to 80 people. Both chefs and waiters
will remain under the watchful eye of the judges, while visitors can choose to dine for a fee of €35, of which most of the proceeds will go to the Community Chest Fund. The Health Promotion department is also expected to contribute to the 4 day affair, through lectures about food in relation to health, exercise and chronic illnesses. On Thursday and Friday, Home Economics students will be given talks on the mentioned themes and also judged in a competition of their own by the WACS, as they will be asked to come prepared with a dish they deem to be a quintessentially healthy Maltese meal. Visitors are invited to attend similar talks on Saturday and Sunday. The grandness of the premises also allows for exhibitors coming from the food and drink, culinary and hospitality industry to display what they can offer to those working in the sector and to visitors who are curious to know more about certain products, methods or equipment. Vivanda promises to be the culinary affair of the year, where talent and technique are on full display, giving visitors the insider peak at the methods of some of Malta’s best chefs. Open from the 14th to 17th November Location: The Bay Arena, St. Julians. Entrance fee: €2.50 Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday: 10.00 to 22.00, Sunday: 10.00 to 21.00 Park & Ride available at the Luxol grounds with a shuttle bus operating every 15 minutes. For more information, send an email to info@circleeventsmalta.com For more information about Vivanda, please visit www.circleeventsmalta.com and to learn more about the food competition, please visit www.maltachefssociety.org
132 Sunday Circle | November 2013
s l i a t k c Co
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1. Joanna Camenzuli & Evan Calleja
2. Charles Azzopardi & Vanessa Borg 3. Gerard & Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley,
Karl Engerer & Marisa Schembri
4. John Formosa addressing the crowd at the BOV Boat Show alongside Charles Borg & Gavin Gulia
5. Christine & Arthur Podesta
6. Marisa Grima, Charles Borg & Caroline Paris
• 1-5: BOV Valletta Boat Show organised by Circle Events at Boiler's Wharf on the 26 September. • 6-7: Opening reception of the new Armani outlet at Baystreet in October. • 8-9: AX Construction’s new brand identity launched at the State Hall, The Palace, Sliema • 10-11: A new five star hotel for boats, Laguna Marina opened by the President Dr. George Abela on 26 September • 12: Melita recently hosted executives from professional firms, gaming and financial services for a lunch time party to launch the new co-location and data centre in Madliena. • 13: The Middle East Business Council within the Malta Chamber of Commerce, was recently launched at SmartCity Malta • 14: The Bailliage National de Malte, organised a night of splendour to feast on food and wines at the Grill 3301 at the Corinthia Hotel St George's Bay on 18 October. * For inclusion in Circle Paparazzi contact Marisa Schembri on marisa@networkpublications.com.mt ** For more Paparazzi photos log on to www.sundaycircle.com
8. Angelo Xuereb, Denise Xuereb & John Soler
12. Marie Grima, Luigi Fenech Adami, Roland Scerri & James Church
9. Ruben Paul Borg, Claudio Bugeja & Chris Micallef
7. John Aquilina, Jonathan Shaw, Simon Galea, Daniele Panzani, Joseph Borg & David Aquilina
10. Dean S. Bucknell, Dr. George Abela & Stephen Xuereb
13. Anthony Tabone, Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Banna, Dr Chris Cardona & David G. Curmi
11. Stephanie Cassar & Mario Cassar
14. Peter Brown, Alex Marcar, Maureen Gatt & Kathy Brown
15. Rosalie Mifsud, Rebecca Farrugia, Charles Caruana & Lindsey Gauci
18. Nicky Vassallo, Rebecca Vassallo, Shaun Cardona, Andy Vassallo, Angele Vassallo, Mark Vassallo, Lisa Pecorella, Miriam Vella & Damian Ebejer
16. Vivian Scicluna & Tony Zammit Cutajar
19. Damian Ebejer, Ira Losco, Demi Van Rooy, Mark Vassallo, Jose' Herrera MP & Mario Hammett
Circle Paparazzi
17. Lisa Abela, Sarah Zammit Cutajar & Denis Zammit Cutajar
20. Helena Schembri, Giselle Camilleri & Rachel Said
•15-17: Guests mingle at the opening of the new Coccinelle Store, Tower Road Sliema on Friday 1 November • 18-19: Exhibition held at Vascas Naxxar Outlet on 25 October • 20-21: Guests were invited to MAX&Co to view the Autumn/Winter collection on 9 October. • 22-23: Official Inauguration of LIST Roma in at the Duke Shopping Mall, GOZO in October. • 24- 25: M.Demajo (Wines & Spirits) Ltd. hosted a tasting of The Secrets and Pleasures of Single Malt Whisky on 30 October • 26-27: Michele Peresso Fashion Ltd. celebrated the opening of IT Style & Dudu at The Point , Sliema on 29 October. * For inclusion in Circle Paparazzi contact Marisa Schembri on marisa@networkpublications.com.mt ** For more Paparazzi photos log on to www.sundaycircle.com
22. Katrina Pavia, Gaby Curmi, Biljana Boric & Katya Gineve Scicluna
25. Alfred Braddick, Vassilis Veliskiotis, Matthew Miceli Demajo, Matthea Mercieca & Ewan Gunn
21. Nicole Farrugia, Sandro Rizzo, Claire Galea & Giselle Camilleri
23. Michelle Muscat, Jean Camilleri, Giuseppe Bruno, Marisa Grima & Clare Agius
26. Noelene Miggiani, Marisa Grima, Caroline Paris, Daniel Azzopardi & Bianca Darmanin
24. John Attard, Charles Dimech & Lee Stivala
27. Michael Peresso Jnr., Christina Peresso, Michelle Muscat, Victoria Pace Peresso, Emanuel Peresso & Noella Peresso
HOME LIFE THE PERFECT KITCHEN APPLIANCE Featuring a generous 72L cavity and an A energy rating, the Smeg SFP140 single electric oven is the perfect kitchen appliance: you can program it to have your dinner ready as you walk in the door, and it cleans itself too! The Smeg 60cm “Linea� Pyrolitic Multifunction Oven in stainless steel, features Touch control with easy guide colour display, 46 automatic programmes and 10 customisable recipes. Also comes with five special functions including: Warm, Defrost, warm dishes, Rising, Rotisserie with SmartSense cooking, which allows you to input the type of food, its weight and how you want it cooked for the time, temperature and cooking function to be automatically calculated - it will even tell you which shelf to cook on, guaranteeing great results even for less experienced chefs. A unique and stylish selection of conservative and colourful desktop accessories by Giorgio Fedon 1919, for the most important and prestigious corporate gifts. All products are made of genuine leather. The ideal choice for your business or home office.
See the entire range of Smeg Appliances at the Forestals showroom in Mriehel. For more information please call on 23436000 or send an email to info@forestals.com
NomAdA by GAmAmobEL SPAIN.
Available online or at our outlet store.
Modular sofa available in fabrics and leather, various sizes on request. A perfect solution to create an informal chill-out space at home.
www.goldengate.com.mt
Available from B4 Group, Mosta, Tel: 2143 2003, Fgura, Tel: 2180 1092 www.b4.com.mt
GIvE THEm A bREAK SENd THEm To ART LESSoNS. ART will teach children to see and interpret the world from a different perspective. They will see that not everything is based on rules and correct answers but it can be a feeling, an interpretation, an idea. As their work unfolds they can explore the various effects they create. ART can make vivid the emotion that neither words nor numbers can express. They can learn to say what they cannot say in other forms. Art lessons for all ages, including adults are given at the Vee Gee Bee Art shops. Call on 2138 5584 / 2122 4585, email vgbart@vgb.com.mt or visit www.vgb.com.mt for more details.
138 Sunday Circle | November 2013
Foppapedretti eSPANSIVA is an elegant, stylish and modern clothes hanger/rack decorated with taste for the entrance of your home. This item is also equipped with a bar which can be pulled out up to 80cm which is perfect when needed and easy to hide.
PeTROLeA ShOWROOM Valley Road Msida
OPEN ALL DAY
Tel: 2123 4501 email: showroom@petroleamalta.com Like us on Facebook
Visit our showroom during the month of October and November and view our selected our each showroom the month of saleVisit items, with during an individual coloured October and November view our selected price tag marked withand a matching discount sale items, each with an individual coloured as price per below. tag marked with a matching discount as per below.
Ponsomby Street, MostaMST MST 4032 4032 Ponsomby Street, Mosta T. 2143 2143 6186,2143 21432951 2951 T. 2143 2571,2571, 2143 6186, E. info@vct.com.mt E. info@vct.com.mt W. www.vct.com.mt W. www.vct.com.mt Showroom Opening Hours.
Mon to Fri: 08.00 - Hours. 18.00 Showroom Opening 08.00 - 20.00 MonThur: to Fri: 08.00 - 18.00 09.00- -20.00 12.30 Thur:Sat: 08.00 Sat: 09.00 - 12.30
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 139
CIRCLE LOVES
GIve your kIDs a heaLThy smILe … with Colgate Children of varying ages have different needs for dental hygiene. Colgate Junior covers these necessities with specific products for each age, developed with the help of paediatric dentists. Colgate Junior helps 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.
Get YOUR NAILS NOtIced For classic, French, decorated or trendsetting nails look no further than Elegant Touch. Easy to apply, natural comfortable fit, perfect for up to seven days. Also available in the Elegant Touch range: Nail Treatments, Nail White Pencils, Nail Files, Nail Clippers, Emery Boards, Tweezers, Scissors. Elegant Touch products are distributed by von
Brockdorff Imports Ltd.
Distributed by von Brockdorff Imports Ltd Tel: 2123 2141
Tel: 2123 2141.
*Offer valid on products bearing the promotional sticker until stocks last.
Cleansing Lotion 200ml
FOR HER Soothing D/S Day Cream 50ml
Moisturising N/C Day Cream 50ml
FOR HIM
*Available Value Packs Cleaner 200ml & Soothing Day Cream for Dry to Sensitive Skin 50ml Cleanser 200ml & Moisturising Day Cream for Normal to Combination Skin 50ml
ClEansER & MOIstuRIsER ValuE PaCK
was nOw Offer also applies on €7.73 P&N Cleansing Lotion & D/S Day Cream TWIN PACK
RRP
€5.73
140 Sunday Circle | November 2013
GIFT PACKS
CHOOSE FROM A RANGE OF OVER 17 GIFT PACKS!
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.
O on AT NE P p Va r L FR lid es A til e Y EE l e n MO E nd ta BI NT of tio L R N n ov FU A em of N be t NP CE r 2 hi A s 01 a R 3 - S dv K e .C irc rt . le
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
NE W
1.2.3. Novelties Wild Life Camping Gameboxes Construction Racers Advent Calendars Dragons Pirates Fairies Princess
Shopping Mall
Playmobil FunPark Malta
www.playmobilmalta.com
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 141
FOOD & DRINK
ABSOLUT MANGO ABSOLUT MANGO brings you the true taste of Mango. It is aromatic and juicy, with a pronounced and genuine character of ripened mango. As with all members of the ABSOLUT VODKA family, ABSOLUT MANGO is made from all natural ingredients and contains no added sugar or sweetener.
Stir lime juice and sugar, superfine in a chilled highball glass. Add mint leaf. Muddle. Fill with crushed ice. Add ABSOLUT Mango. Stir. Fill with crushed ice. Top up with soda water. Garnish with mint leaf and mango.
GOLD MEDAL 2013 SOMMELIER CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION
Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2013 Ruffino Import Company, Rutherford, CA
ABSOLUT MANGO MOJITO 4 Parts ABSOLUT MANGO 2 Parts Lime Juice 1 To Taste Sugar, Superfine 1 Part Soda Water 1 Mint Leaf 1 Slice Mango
An extra treat from Devon 142 Sunday Circle | November 2013
FOOD & DRINK
C
November 2013 | Sunday Circle 143
FASHION BUrTON
Burton believes in combining accessible style with great value. We want fashion to be easy and comfortable as well as stylish. We pride ourselves on great fit, fabric and detail which can easily be added and combined to update any contemporary wardrobe. We embrace our British tailoring roots but we also understand the importance of kicking back in great pairs of jeans and a hoodie. We love a good laugh and we love our sport, but we also know the importance of “looking the business”. Burton, The Strand, Sliema. Tel 2258 2731 Burton, Merchants Street, Valletta. Tel 2258 2751
MarElla Marella offers a complete and diversified collection with a fresh and contemporary feel in line with today’s moods and lifestyle. Coats, jackets and suits are a must, to be combined with easy chic separates, seducing and easy to wear proposals for refined, dynamic and positive women who want to like themselves and be liked. Every season, other collections are presented alongside the main line. Tricot, underlining the pleasure of wearing knitwear, the Sport collection dedicated to leisure time, the Accessories line to personalise one’s look. Marella, Bisazza Street, Sliema. Tel 2258 2788
ClarKS KIDS Taking their inspiration from utility styling as well as from outdoor active wear, Clarks’ Active Retreat range ticks all the fashion boxes for autumn winter 2013. On-trend details include hiker boot eyelets, cup soles, and vibrant pops of colour. Reflecting the theme of Active Retreat, Clarks First Shoes Crazy Cake, walker for girls and Crazy Crew, walker for boys, combine the softest leathers with the coolest colours to create gorgeous looking shoes that also help little feet develop healthily and happily. Clarks, OVS, Tagliaferro Centre, High Street, Sliema. Tel 2258 2777 Clarks, Merchants Street, Valletta. Tel 2258 2727 Clarks, Tower Road, Sliema. Tel 2131 4674 (Adults Only) Clarks, Pavi Shopping Complex, Manwel Dimech Street, Qormi. Tel 2258 2778 (Adults Only)
BICE, Old Treasury Str, Valletta | Tel: 2123 9885 | Email: bicemalta@gmail.com 144 Sunday Circle | November 2013
THE
AUTUMN COLLECTION
VALLETTA | SLIEMA
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