Pink (May 2017) by Times of Malta

ISSue151â&#x2C6;« May2017

YOU TUBER FOR A LIVING DIGITAL INFLUENCING IS A DAY JOB

Colourful women FROM A BURLESQUE GODDESS TO THE RICHEST HEIRESS

MOTHER SUPERIOR More than a music teacher & mentor

THE TRAUMA OF HAIR LOSS

Put purple in your make-up

BUILDING CONFIDENCE AFTER GOING BALD

Freeze your Fat

INSIDE

May 2017

20 31

FEATURES 12 PrivateEye the new me Cancer journey is a confidence boost 20 WomensWorlds parent-daughter powerhouse Cultivating a passion for sailing 26 LifeStyle sister act Maternal instinct in a choir director

FASHION 36 ShowStopper rock the boat The long and short of summer style 47 FashionStory starring Stella Digital influencer on dream job

HEALTH 52 BeautyParlour the colour purple Royal hues reign 59 InThePink into the deep fat freezer Suck your jiggly bits into an ice vacuum 62 HealthBites 65 OnForm fitness misfits Wasting time working out 67 PinkShrink saying it how it is The value of feedback 69 ParentingTips looking after you! Mums should nurture themselves

REGULARS 9 EditorsNote 10 MailShot 31 WomanKind the richest heiress Edwina Mountbatten 54 ThinkPink health & beauty 71 GirlTalk travel alert Your hotel should be better than your home 73 ThinkPink fashion, food & things 76 TableTalk tropical touch Cauliflower and cannellini bean curry 79 WomenOnWheels in the comfort zone Suzuki Baleno 80 StarGazer the future is pink Horoscopes 81 SnapShot a leading lady Undine LaVerve

COVER Photography Andre Gialanze ∫ Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] ∫ Hair Screen, Zabbar ∫ Make-up Chris Attard, Franks ∫ Model Michela @ Supernova MM, wearing jacket, €80; top, €39; shorts, €39, all Oasis..

6 ∫ Pink May 2017

EDITORSNOTE

There is nothing political in this issue of Pink, which comes out a couple of weeks before the snap elections. To be honest, I wasn’t into rounding up the female candidates, for example, and getting their views. This time round, so much more is at stake that turning it into a gender issue – something that is happening all too often, to the point of pathetic – just wouldn’t cut it. Anyway, who cares about their electoral manifestos and proposals, plans and promises when we ﬁrst need to clean up our act so badly and then build the basics once again. Our house is not in order, and before the unruly tenants leave and we tidy up the mess, it’s pointless talking about the gaudy designer piece of furniture and expensive antique to decorate the dirt. It’s a strange time to be in election mode, but here we are, with all the disruptions and the unease this is bringing about. I recall exactly where I was and what I was doing the last time round not so very long ago. My head was

buried in someone’s lawn and it remained there in silence for a while as I collected my thoughts and moved on to face the lunch party that continued around me without much ado. The fact that no one really reacted at the announcement of the results only served to heighten my anxiety and detachment. I had been feeling alone in my thoughts and views for a while… But that was just the start of more ‘isolation’ over the last three years as people around me, like me, have been swept up in the economy-is-good mantra, happy to close an eye as long as they too could beneﬁt from it. And it’s been such an eye-opener… It was only then – with solid reinforcement over these last three years – that I truly understood how much money talks on this island, and how greed and corruption are part of our DNA. Others have explained this more eloquently and deeply, but I can’t be bothered. It’s just too depressing to dwell on. Shortly after that election, I could have started doing my I-told-you-so dance, but my horrid expectations were actually surpassed – not just met – and that has taken the joy out of the jig. Months back I wanted to write about – what you could call petty in hindsight – experiences involving the police. For some reason, these notes fell by the wayside. But already then, I was hit by the deeper meaning of seeing a car turn a twolane main road into one and block traﬃc by parking outside a pastizzi place – or was it rabbit? – on a double-yellow line.

Imagine just stopping your car in one of two lanes on a main road, so everyone has to stop behind you; imagine doing that to conveniently pick up your greasy lunch; imagine being a policeman in uniform, supposedly facilitating traﬃc and not causing congestion and accidents; and imagine that said policeman starts grimacing and gesturing violently when someone hoots to point out the havoc he has caused. So, what does that have to do with the price of eggs? Well, back then, it was clear to me that I couldn’t take this at face value. This went beyond one man ﬂouting the law when he was duty-bound to uphold it and being all cocky about it too. Beyond this man – and there are other instances of his colleagues driving motorbikes and speaking on mobile phones wedged between their helmet and ears – this is an example of how wrongdoing, a sense of impunity and attitude to boot seep down into the man in the street when the core of a country is rotting. This is the crux of the problem. If there is decay at the top, it spreads, and, at best, a laissez-faire attitude follows. Over these last years, the idea of moving country has actually been expressed in the household, although it’s a thought that is unlikely to materialise. Nonetheless, when you’re entertaining such considerations, even just for temporary consolation, you know you’re not in a great place and that, no, it’s not the best time for Malta. But still, you will choose it over any other.

May 21, 2017 ∫ Pink is a monthly magazine ∫ Issue 151 ∫ Executive editor Fiona Galea Debono ∫ Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Printing Progress Press Ltd ∫ Production Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Contributors Chris Attard, Maria Cachia, Tezara Camilleri, Edward Curmi, Claire Diacono, Mary Galea Debono, Marisa Grima, Jeﬀrey Muscat, Donatello Pisani, Helen Raine, Stephanie Satariano, Virginia, Shelley Von Strunckel ∫ Design Manuel Schembri ∫ Photography Jonathan Borg, Andre Gialanze, Matthew Mirabelli, Chris Sant Fournier, Mark Zammit Cordina ∫ Advertising sales Veronica Grech Sant [2559 4706; veronica.grechsant@timesofmalta.com].

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

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Pink May 2017 ∫ 9

MAILSHOT

THE LETTER THAT TICKLED PINK TWO SIDES TO IT Dear Pink, I was born with a chemical imbalance and diagnosed at a much later stage in life with bipolar disorder. It’s called that because it has two sides to it; one which is extremely high and the other that is extremely low. In a nutshell, the road in between does not exist. Thank God, today, with medication, that inner balance, which is much needed to make tough decisions, take a stand and continue with life, has been regained. Meditation too has helped me a great deal, especially when my thoughts are racing at I don’t know what speed an hour – or a minute! It isn’t easy to accept this, or any other condition, be it mental or physical. By accepting that I needed help because my life had become unmanageable, I started the road to recovery. I also found very helpful the Bipolar Self-help Group, which has given me that extra oomph to come out of my comfort zone. There is nothing shameful in asking for help. Thank you, Pink. MARIA CASSAR, VIA E-MAIL

The writer of the letter of the month wins a Coach New York eau de parfum, courtesy of Chemimart; PLUS a selection of Deborah Milano make-up products from A.M.Mangion Ltd.

A CELEBRATION OF VALUES Dear Pink, there has to be; there must be feedback after having read the 150th issue of this fabulous magazine. What a celebration of values, knowledge, experiences and women. Tremendous! All the features written and presented in this magazine are such a revelation of honesty and reality; an encouragement to achieving what might seem diﬃcult and unattainable to some of us. Most of the write-ups inspire conﬁdence and, in their stark reality, exude tolerance, hope and a determination to succeed. Well done to all the team, including our dear editor, who has been understandably shaken by her bad experience in London. I read all and I loved all, though I must admit I was impressed with the feature Dancing with AI [WomensWorld, April 2017]. The whole concept and ITS projections was new to me and they are remarkable and so very interesting. There is always a learning facet and it is wonderful to be studying, experimenting and attaining such outstanding results on this virtual reality project. What a splendid means of communication and interaction! One is never too old to learn new things and use them. I will close with Dr Vanessa Camilleri’s own words: “Our projects in VR target human behaviour … to change … the way humans interact with the real world after they have experienced the virtual world”. One cannot wait to know more and look forward to the exciting future of virtual reality and technology. MARIANNE PORTELLI, VIA E-MAIL

WRITE IN AND WIN

ACCEPTING MY CURVY BODY THE WAY IT IS Dear Pink, I always enjoy reading your articles, which vary from lifestyle tips to delicious recipes and fashion-related stories. In the February 2017 issue, I was highly intrigued by The Snuff of Dreams [ArtyFacts], written by the talented Caroline Paris, who never fails to impress me with her articles and blog posts. Before this article, I didn’t know what snuff boxes were even though I’ve seen them in various antique paintings. For me, this collectible piece is not only an old object found in museums, but also a slice of history, which reminds me that Malta has passed from one ruler to another, leaving such treasures on our island. Another article that, in a way, contrasts, but has similar traits to this, is Fun, Cool, Easy [SnapShot, February 2017] – the interview with model Gigi Hadid. Gigi wanted to bring the Californian style to other parts of the world, and in doing so, she is spreading a different look all over. I personally admire her, because even though she was criticised by a lot of people for gaining weight, she keeps on pursuing her career and Tommy Hilﬁger has surely helped her. Gigi admits that her body shape is different from the other models and states that it wasn’t always accepted in the fashion industry. Thanks to people like Caroline and Gigi, I have learnt to see my different characteristics as a way to distinguish myself from others and to accept my curvy body just the way it is. DEBORAH ELLUL, VIA E-MAIL

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We want to hear from you. Send us your feedback on Pink and any stories that may have touched you in some way, and you stand a chance of winning Giorgio Armani Sky di Gioia eau de parfum, courtesy of Chemimart; PLUS a selection of Deborah Milano make-up products from A.M.Mangion Ltd. Write to Pink, with your contact details, at Allied Newspapers Ltd, 341, Strickland House, St Paul Street, Valletta VLT 1211, or send an e-mail to pink@timesofmalta.com

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10 ∫ Pink May 2017

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PRIVATEEYE

12 ∫ Pink May 2017

PRIVATEEYE

THE

NEW ME

Pauline Bonnici was “born again” after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She has gone from almost refusing treatment not to lose her hair – and her identity – to finding a wig of curls that helped her heal, and now, sporting a silver-blonde crew cut that she loves and is happy to show to encourage others. She tells FIONA GALEA DEBONO her cancer journey has been a leap in confidence.

t’s hard to understand how someone faced with a life-threatening disease can be most concerned about hair loss and looks. But this is the case time and time again. And it was no different for Pauline Bonnici, who actually considered declining treatment for breast cancer to keep her curls. “If I had a choice, I would not have done it. After the lumpectomy, I was actually hesitant to undergo chemotherapy and radiation,” she admits. “The idea of losing my hair was what shocked me most after the diagnosis and the hardest thing to overcome on this journey. I took it very badly and cried so much. I didn’t want pity and attention from people I’d meet because I was bald. At the same time, I didn’t want to hide from the world to avoid this.” Moreover, Pauline explains: “I loved my hair. I never had one curl out of place. It was always neat and I took care of it. It really deﬁned me, although I laugh at myself now. “I was always the Pauline everyone knew; the Pauline with the long, curly, light brown hair. I wouldn’t have changed it for anything and I would never have dreamt of having such short hair.

“AT 51, I FELT LIKE 70. I’D LOOK AT MY MUM, WHO IS 85, AND THINK SHE LOOKED BETTER THAN ME. IT’S DEMORALISING WHEN YOU’RE FIGHTING A DISEASE, BUT YOU DON’T SEE ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WAY YOU LOOK AND FEEL”

“The thing is curly hair ‘ﬁlls you up’ more; so, it makes more of a difference if you suddenly don’t have it!” Then there’s the psychological side to it all: “When your nails and facial hair fall out due to the treatment, you do not feel like you’re improving. You’re supposed to be getting better, but you feel like you’re deteriorating. “At 51, I felt like 70. I’d look at my mum, who is 85, and think she looked better than me. It’s demoralising when you’re ﬁghting a disease, but you don’t see any improvements in the way you look and feel.” Luckily, Pauline did her own research, although this is not always advisable, and informed herself about the possibility of losing her nails, so it did not come as a shock. The possible loss of eyelashes was also bad news, but her family doctor, whom she visited every week, also for moral support, encouraged her in advance to tattoo her eyebrows to avoid further trauma. Pink May 2017 ∫ 13

PRIVATEEYE Spot the diﬀerence: Pauline Bonnici’s natural hair… and not!

“They saved me, honestly,” she says. “It didn’t look like a wig and that’s what I wanted. It didn’t just cover the baldness, it was easy to use and you couldn’t tell when I was wearing it,” she continues. “It was only then that I started treatment. And I can safely say the wig helped me heal.” During treatment, Pauline would shower in the morning, put on some light make-up, wear her wig and be able to carry on with her day. Of course, there were times when she felt cold because she was used to her long hair, covering and warming her neck. But only then would she remove the wig and replace it with a cosy cap. Although it took a while to get to that stage, Pauline has now gone a step further. She is smiling conﬁdently as she sports a silver-blonde crew cut – a far cry from the locks that deﬁned her throughout her life and the loss of which proved to be as problematic as the illness.

“It dIdn’t look lIke a wIg and that’S what I wanted. It dIdn’t juSt cover the BaldneSS, It waS eaSy to uSe and you couldn’t tell when I waS wearIng It”

Pauline also took up the advice to look for a wig before her hair fell out, so her natural style and colour could be matched. The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, through a project that provides wigs to patients suffering from hair loss, did not have one with curly hair at the time. They were rare to come by until TV personality Clare Agius took the initiative to chop off her long locks and donate them to the project, getting the ball rolling for others to follow suit. Wig consultant Ian Miller had searched and searched for hair that would match hers until he came up with the right ponytails, mixed them together and, eventually, she got her new crown of ringlets. Pauline is eternally grateful for MCCFF’s donation because she had had to stop work due to her illness and her husband had also just had an accident so money was tight. 14 ∫ Pink May 2017

Today, Pauline cannot express the “happiness” her brush with cancer has brought into her life. Understandably, she struggles to explain the paradox, but in a sense, it is also clear why the mother of three has found a new lease of life in her diagnosis and treatment. “My experience has made me look at life differently – in a positive way. I was always optimistic, but never this much…” The experience has also brought her even closer to God, whom she had neglected for a while… he has sent her plenty of signs that he is around, starting from detecting the lump in her breast. Pauline was at work, dusting a shelf, when she happened to knock the upper part of her breast against a metal arm. As she rubbed it to ease the pain, she felt a tiny lump. “Had I not hit that awkward area, I’d never have felt it, not even in my own examinations. It was a sign from God, saying ‘hello, I’m here’; a wake-up call. Since then, God has been by my side like my beloved husband,” Pauline says. “Another message from God reached me some weeks ago when my husband received a call from hospital to pick up a gift he won when he bought a lottery ticket during a visit to his mother. “We drove there and he asked me to go in and collect it while he waited in the car. When I opened the gift, I found a small statue of Jesus, with a crown of thorns and blood running down his face. He was looking at me as though he was saying: ‘I’m still here.’ I really feel he is following me everywhere and sending me signs to show me. You take Jesus for granted and then you realise you need him and he shows you that he is there.” Pauline says God was with her because her lump was so small it could so easily have been missed, but instead, it was caught early. In fact, both her family doctor and the specialist thought it was harmless, but suggested an ultrasound as a precaution, although there was no urgency.

PRIVATEEYE Three weeks later, at her appointment, Pauline was told she had to have an immediate mammogram, which was followed by a biopsy. The results arrived after two weeks and she had a lumpectomy. Today, Pauline is over her fear of mammograms and will do whatever needs to be done. She recently received a private message from someone whose mother did not want to do chemo due to consequent hair loss, but she strongly encouraged her to do it if she needed it, pointing out how fast her hair was growing back. Today, Pauline is a new woman, having made giant strides from not wanting to lose her curls at all costs to owning and flaunting her short hair. When Matilde Balzan, the coordinator of the MCCFF wig project, phoned her to a do a video clip for Clare’s initiative, she cried with joy. “I couldn’t believe how far I had come from the shock of the treatment because I didn’t want my hair to fall out to suddenly wanting to show myself to help others. It was a drastic change in confidence; from one extreme to the other. “When my hair started growing again, I started to feel a new me emerge; I started to like it. The time had come to put away the wig and to dye my own hair. Although I had kept the colour code of my previous hair, I told my daughter, who is also a hairdresser, that I wanted something different; something that would boost my confidence. I went for the silvery-blonde colour of the moment and I’m very happy with it.” Ironically, now that the curls are starting to emerge, they are actually bothering her. Even though it’s really short, she has to blow-dry it and is excited to give it a style.

“Never have I carried a brush! Look at me now,” she says ﬁshing into her bag for one. Pauline recently went to Lourdes – sans the curls and the wig. “I just want to put it away now and accept the new me.” She’s even changed the sunglasses she used to wear and has ditched the hoop ear rings for smaller pearls, adapting herself to her new self. “My husband is even getting jealous because he says I look younger,” she laughs. “The truth is we met on a blind date 30 years ago and I had short hair back then, so it is rekindling feelings of the past. He loves short hair and he wants me to leave it as is. “I’d marry him again. He has been everything. He has seen me in pain, and maybe he has cried behind my back,” Pauline says. “You come to a point when you’ve given up on making it. Then you look at your family and you ﬁnd courage inside to get up on your own two feet.” Pauline feels born again. “I used to look at myself in the mirror during treatment, see myself changing [ for the worse] and ask: ‘Who’s that? It’s not Pauline!’ Now I look at past photos and I say: ‘Who’s that? This is me now!’”

The Wig Project Since Clare cut her hair to donate it to the MCCFF, a number of women, who have curly hair like her, have also come forward and taken the plunge. As a result, at the moment, there is enough curly hair for wigs for patients, but there is need for grey and white hair, both straight and curly, says Matilde. Most women From top left: Ian Miller and Matilde Balzan, Moira Albani and Davinia Anne Axisa, who both cut oﬀ their curls, and Clare Agius, who has moved on to wearing a wig to make a fashion statement and in solidarity with those who have no choice.

Pink May 2017 ∫ 15

PRIVATEEYE dye their hair nowadays, so this is scarce. The demand for this type of hair may not be that high, but a couple of wigs need to be created for when the need arises. Once the ponytails are received, Ian and Matilde clean them by removing all the baby hair, group them in bundles of the same length and colour, pack them in separate packages and ship them off to the wig factory to be returned to Malta for the people who need them here. “This process takes time, and since the demand for wigs has exploded and we have to keep up with it, we are kept on our toes from one consignment to the next to avoid that patients wait. “We do understand that whoever suffers from hair loss, including children, be it through chemotherapy, alopecia, lupus, or any other condition, will be desperate for a wig, so at times, we work round the clock to put our clients’ minds at rest,” says Matilde. The MCCFF is grateful to Maltapost and Carmelo Caruana for sending the packages for free, keeping the

expenses down, while President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has insisted that the wigs be given for free to all those who need them for medical reasons without asking for a means test. Check out www.mccff.org.mt/servizzi for a feature demonstrating how best to cut hair for this cause, as well as instructions on where to send the donated hair.

Gone today, hair tomorrow After she chopped off her coveted curls to donate them to the MCCFF for patients who have suffered hair loss, Clare recently bought her own and has moved onto the next phase of her initiative, which sees her wearing a wig herself. “The intention is to show solidarity with those who have to face change in such adversity,” she says. “It’s about giving confidence to those who have to wear a wig not only because of chemotherapy, but also alopecia and other hair-loss conditions… “I hope that when I wear a wig, it will encourage those who need to wear one too. I want to help remove the stigma,” says Clare. “Abroad, it is fashionable for people to wear wigs, so let’s wear ours with pride. Losing hair can be very traumatic; after all, beautiful hair contributes significantly to the way we look and we may not feel as good without it… But we must find other ways to feel lovely…” The message is not to look at others, who are wearing a wig, with pity, but to compliment them instead, and help build self-esteem, says Clare.

The changing faces of Clare Agius: wig wearing can be fun and fashionable.

16 ∫ Pink May 2017

PRIVATEEYE

Scissor sisters Moira Albani and Davinia Anne Axisa are among those who were inspired to part with their curls and donate them to the MCCFF wig project. The last time Moira Albani, 44, cut her hair short was some 28 years ago. She had always had a good relationship with her curls, difficult as this sort of hair may be, and was never one to straighten it, managing to maintain it with the many products out there nowadays. Acknowledging that curly hair is quite hard to handle when short, she says she was inspired by Clare and wanted to do the same good deed. It was hard seeing her locks drop off, but Moira, a principal officer in a government department, found rewarding the knowledge that “someone in need out there might make use of it”. At the end of the mission, she felt fine and satisfied. “To encourage others to do the same, I would say they can always regrow it with a little patience, although I’m getting used to mine as it is. “People love it and say I look younger. It gives you a feeling of empowerment from within,” she adds. While most people with curly hair try everything to straighten it, Davinia Anne Axisa, 34, has always liked hers. It has also been her way of accepting herself, even

though she admits she was always tempted to straighten her ringlets once a year. Two years ago, Davinia, a support worker at the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers, who is also a make-up artist, felt the desire to help others and has had it cut several times for the cause. However, it was Clare’s gesture that encouraged her to go really short this time. “Since I have quite a full head of hair, I was a bit afraid as I couldn’t imagine the outcome,” she admits.

“TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME, I WOULD SAY THEY CAN ALWAYS REGROW IT WITH A LITTLE PATIENCE, ALTHOUGH I’M GETTING USED TO MINE AS IT IS” “The most diﬃcult moment was cutting the back part of my hair shorter. I was so nervous that I was sweating. The satisfaction, though, lies in the fact that I did go for a shorter cut even though I wasn’t really comfortable doing it and without knowing if it would suit me. And the most rewarding part was that I did it for a good cause.” Davinia is very happy with the mission accomplished because, ultimately, she has always loved a challenge. To others considering chopping off their tufts, she says: “Just listen to your heart and go for it. Sometimes, a style can change the perception we have of ourselves.”

Pink May 2017 ∫ 17

WOMENSWORLD

Parent-daughter

powerhouse

Few may know that Malta holds the title for Female Optimist World Champion 2016. Well, her name is Victoria Schultheis, and her family, in Malta since 2011, is known in the local sailing scene and beyond as the three siblings continue scooping up awards in the sport. Pink talks to the mother-daughter duo, a powerhouse of sailing passion and promotion of the sport.

20 ∫ Pink May 2017

WOMENSWORLD ANDREA SCHULTHEIS may have grown up on a tennis court, but she caught the sailing bug from my husband and their kids have joined them on boats since they were three months old, developing their own passion for the sport when they moved to Malta.

o you think many Maltese are aware that your daughter Victoria is the female Optimist World Champion 2016 – that the title is, effectively, held by Malta? If not, what does that say about the popularity of sailing in general on the island, among children, and in particular, females?

Sailing in Malta faces the same competition with other more recognised sports like football, tennis etc… as in other countries. This is particularly sad as Malta provides

almost perfect conditions for sailing all year round. Also, the acceptance of females still needs to increase in sailing as in many other sports.

spend two to four days per week on the water. The school programme during the week has to be intense in order to leave the weekends free for sailing.

All your three children are talented sailors. What about their mother? And if you have no particular interest in the sport, how did their passion for it start and grow? Who planted the seed and why?

As a mother, how do you balance your daughters’ sports, academic and social activities? How do you prioritise and what is your message to other mothers, who are juggling all?

Our family is very sports oriented. I believe that sport should be a strong element in daily life, in particular during the delicate phase of childhood and puberty. I personally grew up on a tennis court and caught the virus for sailing from my husband. The kids used to join us on sailing boats from the age of three months onwards and developed their passion for this on their own when we moved to Malta in 2011.

The priority is still the academic programme, which, with good organisation and planning, gives room for training and travelling. Sports and social activities are combined in the training and regattas by socialising with national and international sailors in Malta and abroad. It’s always a pleasure to see how many international friends our children meet again during our annual international regatta, Euromed, held in Malta in December and on other occasions.

“I BELIEVE THAT SPORT SHOULD BE A STRONG ELEMENT IN DAILY LIFE, IN PARTICULAR DURING THE DELICATE PHASE OF CHILDHOOD AND PUBERTY” When children are successful in sports, it is often also thanks to their parents’ contribution, commitment and, sometimes, sacrifices. To what extent have you played a role in Victoria’s achievements and how? What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for her to succeed?

I try to support all our kids to enjoy their interests with as much effort as possible and provide opportunities for them to be active in sailing as long as it ﬁts into our family schedule. I also try to give them emotional and mental assistance to achieve their goals. If there is any sacriﬁce to mention, I spend less time on the tennis court, but as a result, I gain more time together with the kids. Victory comes with hard training. Talk us through a day in your lives.

Usually, the kids have a pretty normal day, including long hours of school, homework and afternoon activities. They do physical sport in the morning and after school ends in the late afternoon. In addition, they try to

Does there come a time in a child’s life when sports must inevitably become a sideline, or can this actually be avoided?

Naturally, school exams and professional development eventually reduce the room for sports, especially if social activities become a priority. Nevertheless, with dedication and focus, the two can still be combined if there is interest in keeping up the sport activities. In the end, however, it is a very individual decision to be made by the adolescents themselves. How involved are you in other areas of Victoria’s life, and when do you keep your distance?

Victoria is a very independent and conﬁdent teenager, who approaches me for advice if she feels like. Do you accompany her and watch her compete and what’s your pep talk to her before a race?

Before races, we talk about everything but sailing. Essentially, she is on her own on the water and has to make Pink May 2017 ∫ 21

WOMENSWORLD her own choices. The more independent she is, the more she can concentrate on the important decisions during racing. As a photographer covering regattas, I have the opportunity to be on the water and watch her and the other sailors competing. Would you say that sailing has taken over your lives and what is the good thing about that?

sailing makes up a fair part. I’m very happy that we all enjoy it and can make a family activity out of it. How important is sport in general in a kid’s life?

It plays an important role to stay healthy and agile. A focus on sports

“I BELIEVE THAT THE SKILLS, ATTITUDE AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL ATHLETE WILL ALSO SUPPORT HER FUTURE LIFE OUTSIDE THE SPORT” and a healthy life supports children along their way to growing up, helps them make the right choices and enjoy their life. numbers of international sailors coming to Malta for sailing clinics and regattas, organised by the MYSC, deﬁnitely underline that. If we could overcome the lack of infrastructure and manpower, compared to other European locations, and have more ﬁnancial support, the country would succeed even more.

If Victoria were to lose interest, what would you say, given she is so talented?

Obviously, it would be sad if she were to stop using her talents. Losing interest is not necessarily ﬁnal, though. I would say: ‘Take a break from racing and have fun experiencing its leisurely side.’ As a mother, I believe in providing opportunities, leading by example and trying to give guidance. In the end, the priorities for life have to be set by these growing young adults for themselves. Do you feel that sailing is going strong enough in Malta – as much as it should in a Mediterranean island, which offers good conditions for the sport almost all year round? If not, are you doing anything about it, and if so, why?

With the Malta Young Sailors Club, we are constantly encouraging children from the age of seven onwards to take up the sport. We are supporting the young sailors to have 22 ∫ Pink May 2017

Can you see your daughter reaching higher international heights in sailing as she grows older, and how much will you be ‘investing’ into seeing her dreams come true?

fun out on the water, to take on challenges and gain self-conﬁdence, as well as to make their own decisions and handle the consequences. Sailing courses are offered during the summer holidays and regular training camps are organised throughout the year. Sailing conditions in Malta are great throughout the year. The positive response and increasing

Obviously, the decision to go further within the sport of sailing depends on her determination and vision. After the Optimist dinghy, she has now moved on to the next class, the double-handed 29er, a development class for the Olympic 49er skiff. As long as it complements her school education and professional development, I am happy to support her in any possible way. Anyhow, I believe that the skills, attitude and characteristics that deﬁne a

WOMENSWORLD

successful athlete will also support her future life outside the sport. Have you ever been worried about Victoria out at sea, or do you feel confident that she has what it takes to battle the elements?

Boat handling and safety procedures are an essential part of the sailing courses at the MYSC, beginning at an early stage and continuously monitored by the coaches. In addition, our children learned swimming at a young age. The fact that safety on the water is a priority, combined with experience and ﬁtness, give me conﬁdence that she will manage. Overall, sailing causes much less injuries than other sports. How do you feel when she wins and what makes you most proud?

Of course, I am very happy for her, in particular when she is giving her best and is happy with her own performance. More than that, I am proud of her achievements based on her own conﬁdence, willpower and decision making.

Sailing champion VICTORIA SCHULTHEIS acknowledges that her mother’s support, motivation and contribution to her success are invaluable. However, the driving force and enjoyment of the sport should come from the sailors themselves.

As the Maltese female world champion, do you think you have inspired other girls in any way?

I believe it is important for girls to see that anyone can achieve great things if they work for it. Not only boys can get the job done. Are girls a rare breed at sea and how does that affect the competition?

Yes, I strongly encourage Maltese females to take up the sport as we do not have many, although a few girls do sail here in Malta. I think sailing, in general, is not very present in Malta, even though we have amazing conditions all year round; it is not promoted by schools and other social programmes. What would you say to encourage those who have picked up the sport, or are toying with the idea?

The MYSC has a few open days and summer sailing, where children could try it out. I think that if you are having fun when sailing, you should deﬁnitely continue. Sailing is a great sport that encourages not only ﬁtness and being active, but also requires your mind to make quick decisions.

Deﬁnitely not a lot of girls take up sailing as a sport, especially in Malta. I did most of my training for competitions with boys, which helped me improve a lot.

You live and breathe sailing. But what’s the biggest drawback of the sport, if any? And are there ever any times when you want a break from it all?

Do you think more Maltese females should take up sailing, and if the numbers are low, why is that?

The biggest drawback would probably be in the winter when the weather and water are cold, even though winter here is much warmer than in Pink May 2017 ∫ 23

WOMENSWORLD other countries. In those moments, I am not excited to go on the water. However, once I start, I don't regret it and I enjoy myself. You are the champion, but in a sense, so is your mother, who has tirelessly supported you. How would you describe her contribution? Would you say she is a driving force, and has she ever pushed you too hard?

My mother supports and motivates me immensely and does a great deal of the work needed to travel with the boat and organise training and regattas. However, I think the driving force and enjoyment of the sport should come from the sailors themselves. Do you think a parental push in sports is important for children to succeed, or is there a fine line between that and putting them off?

I do believe there is a difference between parents constantly pushing their children and sailors just going on the water. and enjoying themselves. Although I do think it is important to have a push, not just

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“I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR MOTHERS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN’S SPORT, BUT MOST OF THE MOTIVATION SHOULD COME FROM THE CHILDREN” from yourself, to continue working hard even though you might not want to there and then. You’ll be glad you did it afterwards. Your year as Female Optimist World Champion is about to end. How has it been?

It’s been a great year, although I took a break after the Worlds. I started sailing a new class introduced to Malta, a doublehanded boat, in January, and since then, I have continued training and working hard.

participate in international regattas and meeting new friends. How did you spend Mother’s Day and where do you think you would be without your own?

I made her breakfast in bed in the morning. I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am today if it weren’t for my mother. She has contributed so much time and effort to my well-being, including sailing. What is your message to the mothers of children practising sports?

I think it is important for mothers to encourage their children’s sport, but most of the motivation should come from the children. And to couch potatoes?

You cannot compete in the 2017 Worlds next month because you are over 15. How do you feel about that? What are the challenges ahead?

I am obviously going to miss the Optimist class. However, I’m looking forward to sailing the 29er and continuing to

I know the feeling of waking up and not wanting to get out of bed and staying in all day. In the long run, however, you’ll probably regret not getting anything done when you could have done something effective. I deﬁnitely feel much better at the end of the day after I get out of the house.

11, Tower Road, Sliema F: Coccinelle Malta

LIFESTYLE

SISTER ACT You could say Sr Beniamina Portelli has some 60 ‘children’, members of the St Monica Choir she directs – not to mention the ones she has taught piano to since she was 18. Now, aged 84, the modest Augustinian nun reflects on her role as another mother and mentor… while her choristers, former students and colleagues continue to sing her praises.

Beniamina Portelli is used to being the one to push her students to bring out their potential on the piano. But today, she is the one to need a push to show her own talent and play as she poses for a photograph in action. When she does, with reluctance, the music ﬁlls the room, ﬂies out of the window and whirls through the corridors of St Monica School in Mosta, where the 84-year-old Augustinian sister has been giving piano tuition for decades and founded the prestigious choir in 1964. She may have been unwell and is feeling physically frail, but you wouldn’t tell as her body moves to the music and she hits the right notes in the most natural way. That old-school, feel-good factor engulfs you the minute you enter the convent. That almost tangible sense of discipline and dedication sends you on a nostalgic journey down memory lane, especially if you attended a Church school. The indefatigable Sr Beniamina is the embodiment of these feelings, a rare breed, and in the words of Sr Vania Bonello, to

26 ∫ Pink May 2017

whom she taught piano from the age of seven, “unique and irreplaceable”. It is only through the other persons in the room that an idea of the achievements of the humble sister – and the talent that the school has churned out – starts to be formed; she prefers to stay in the wings, and although she loves music, she won’t be drawn into blowing her own trumpet. “She is an expert and we don’t have anyone like her,” continues Sr Vania, referring to out her sense of sacrifice and commitment. “Her charisma is out of this world. I’m observing her teach and it’s amazing.” In fact, Sr Beniamina is known for her passion for music and for bringing it out through body language. From first-hand experience, Sr Vania tries to express this zeal and how she has passed it on. But it’s her motherly traits that are the focus in the wake of Mother’s Day – traits that have ‘raised’ the 60 choir members for over 50 years, and that seem to have been “amplified” in her. Her leadership has seen countless choristers attend rehearsals, free of charge, every Saturday afternoon for years. She treats them as her children and they look to her for guidance as they would a mother. “She worried for us in the same way a mother would, and her eyes would light up in the same way too when the results came out,” says Sr Vania. She had “an iron hand in a velvet glove”, meant business and got results. Her track record, in fact, is a string of distinction grades in her students’ exam results over the years. But you wouldn’t get that out of her if you tried. Neither would anyone know that Sr Beniamina was the first person to sit for an international exam in choir conducting and pass. Actually, it goes even further: no one even knew she was being examined until the last minute.

LIFESTYLE

“SHE WORRIED FOR US IN THE SAME WAY A MOTHER WOULD, AND HER EYES WOULD LIGHT UP IN THE SAME WAY TOO WHEN THE RESULTS CAME OUT” Sr Beniamina Portelli

This is not only an example of her life on the side lines, but also of her courage – she sat for such an important exam alone, without any support, because everyone was left in the dark. In the airy oﬃce, a long showcase houses some prestigious trophies and awards, but in truth, they are “nothing”. After all, it was God who gave them to her, she insists, adding that she will go back to nothing. “My brother [Fr Dominic Portelli, the former spiritual director of the choir] would say: ‘What do you need to do this for?’ I keep hearing his words in my ear,” she continues, looking up at his image with devotion, almost

seeking absolution from him for talking to Pink about her life. Sr Beniamina does acknowledge that she has felt like a mother to many – and that’s because “I gave so many students piano lessons, which normally last at least eight years. With music, you don’t change teachers every year and a long-standing relationship is built”. In many cases, it continued as many of her students moved on to join the St Monica Choir, which Sr Beniamina set up over 50 years ago, when she decided to introduce some singing to break the monotony of the regular end-of-year concert for pianists. She Pink May 2017 ∫ 27

LIFESTYLE still part of it. It hasn’t been just about piano lessons, but also guidance, she concurs. In fact, it’s not the first time Sr Beniamina would spend half a day counselling a student at her table. After all, she acknowledges, as a teacher, she was dealing with teenagers; at that vulnerable, critical stage. She’d deal with friction between young couples, and sometimes, they would be happier to confide in her than in their parents, in some cases feeling more comfortable and less afraid. “I used to try and help,” Sr Beniamina says, playing down her role. “I would pray a lot and they would listen…” Apart from the success of many of her students, who include renowned pianist Simone Attard and soprano Claire Massa, and those who won scholarships and even made it overseas, the satisfaction also lies in the fact that many still stay in touch and visit her. When they return to perform in Malta, they inform her to keep the date free and she attends their concerts. In some cases, such as Massa’s, who got her diploma from the music school, she is now teaching her children… And the generations have rolled on. Just like a mother, Sr BeniSt Monica Choir through the ages. amina keeps all the photos of her ‘children’s’ performances throughout the years, and leafs through her photo books with pride. “I don’t even have this gathered a group of children… and picture of my daughter, but she the rest is history. One of the oldest has kept it,” points out Ms Mulchoirs in Malta, it has gone from vaney, who has been clinging to strength to strength, performing her skirt since she was 12. both locally and overseas. “She instilled lots of values, Back then, on Mother’s Day, which you carry with you for the little children would hold a life. There is always the prayer at flower during the concert and go the start, the advice to obey our down to the audience to hand it parents, the spirituality, the Mass over – “to lots of tears”. Many for the choir…” remained in the choir and, evenDue to her age – she was tually, some of those choristers recently hospitalised – Sr Benibrought along their fiancés and amina thinks she will have to step then their spouses. down, exit the stage and close a long and fruitful chapter. Although the emotion on her face is visible, “SR BENIAMINA HAS she says she is not nostalgic and WITNESSED WEDDINGS BETWEEN CHOIR certainly has no regrets. “I’ve had a long life and, thank MEMBERS, AND BEFORE THAT, COURTSHIP, God, I have always done what I wanted to do.” ABOUT WHICH, LIKE ANY OTHER MOTHER, SHE WOULD BE CONCERNED” Nevertheless, it must be a hard move for a woman who is known to have never ever let down a student through Sr Beniamina has witnessed weddings between choir thick and thin. “I remember turning up for tuition and members, and before that, courtship, about which, like being told she was indisposed only to see her coming to any other mother, she would be concerned. give me a lesson,” says Sr Vania. “I always worried when they were dating…,” she But the journey isn’t over yet. A seminar on voice admits, that maternal instinct kicking in throughout her technique by evangelist and tenor Nicholas Mulroy is teaching career. “I’d keep a watchful eye, but I was also being organised and will culminate in a concert by the pleased they met in the choir because I knew my children St Monica Choir at the Mdina Cathedral on June 8, where and their families…” She knew it was good match. he will sing and conduct… as will Sr Beniamina. Susan Mulvaney is one of the first choir members, A fitting swan song? In chorus, they reply: “We will who was around before 1964. Now a grandmother, she is never let her go!” 28 ∫ Pink May 2017

WOMANKIND

THE RICHEST HEIRESS MARY GALEA DEBONO chronicles Edwina Mountbatten’s colourful life from a pleasure-seeking woman to a woman with a mission.

n the past, especially in the decades preceding World War II, the launching of an upperclass young lady into English adult society was no small matter. It was a social event of as much importance for the personal future of the debutante as for the prestige of her entire family. The gossip columns in the newspapers had a ﬁeld day describing the celebrations and dissecting the protagonists. In the 1920 season, one of the participants of the dozen or so debutantes was Edwina Ashley, described by the press as the “richest heiress”. Her fortune came from her grandfather, Ernest Cassel, whose wealth was such that he was cultivated by kings and governments both in England and abroad. In his own country, he was known as “Windsor Cassel”, a veiled hint to his close relationship with the Royal House. Edwina loved her grandfather; he ﬁlled the gap left by her ever-absent parents. In her childhood, she saw very little of her mother, who spent most of her time travelling abroad, and even less of her mother and father together. In all of 1908 and 1909, for example, she was only with her mother for 12 weeks. This failure to bond with her meant not only that she had a less than perfect childhood, but also that she herself never learnt to internalise her role of

With their daughter Pamela.

Edwina and Louis Mountbatten.

related to every royal house in Europe. They had met at a party on the Vanderbilts’ yacht at Cowes. Dickie, as Mountbatten was known among his family and friends, immediately fell under her spell and was to remain in awe of her all his life. The wedding of Edwina and Louis was a lavish celebration, choreographed by the bridegroom with his characteristic obsession for detail. Edwina had seven bridesmaids, while

“THIS FAILURE TO BOND WITH HER MOTHER MEANT NOT ONLY THAT SHE HAD A LESS THAN PERFECT CHILDHOOD, BUT ALSO THAT SHE HERSELF NEVER LEARNT TO INTERNALISE HER ROLE OF MOTHERHOOD WHEN SHE BECAME ONE” motherhood when she became one. When her own two girls, Patricia and Pamela, were born, Edwina too, like her mother, parked them with carers, while she embarked on a programme of nonstop travelling. Luckily, they had an intelligent and caring governess whom they could trust. In 1922, Edwina married Louis Mountbatten, who, although deﬁnitely not as wealthy, could boast that he was

the bridegroom’s best man was none other than his cousin, the Prince of Wales. The guest list included royalty, Maharajas, the Aga Khan and aristocrats, as well as politicians, inﬂuential people and the fabulously rich. The marriage of the Mountbattens makes an interesting study in the nature of marital relationships. Although every intimate attachment, by its very nature, remains to a large extent a closed Pink May 2017 ∫ 31

WOMANKIND secret to outsiders, there is no shortage of sources, in the form of letters, diaries and press reports that shed light on the intricacies of the unorthodox rapport of this couple, which even their contemporaries found puzzling. Janet Morgan, in her biography Edwina Mountbatten – A Life of Her Own, manages to unravel, without speculating, the truth behind what might on the surface appear as unusual behaviour. Edwina’s married life can be divided into three phases. In the first years leading to World War II, she seemed restless and bad-tempered; even unhappy at times. She travelled frantically, either with her husband or on her own, chaperoned, as was the custom then, by a reliable person. When the couple was at home, they lived a public life, always surrounded by people. They spent every evening running from one engagement to another – dining in private houses or at restaurants, going to the theatre, dancing or meeting friends at Mayfair nightclubs. Edwina seldom went to bed before 3am. In spite of this addiction to hedonistic entertainment, she was lonely and the couple had frequent quarrels. Louis was gauche with women. He was “inexperienced and clumsy” and “lacked sexual assurance”. She soon turned to other men. Rather than labelling these liaisons as ‘affairs’, Morgan describes them as “attachments” because it is difficult to conclude how far they went. Some of these intimate friends were men who simply acted as escorts on public occasions such as parties. Others like Bunny Philips, were good-looking young men, in many ways similar to her own husband, with whom the intimacy went deeper. Louis knew about them, but tolerated them. Although the knowledge that she was unfaithful “made him feel inadequate”, he accepted the situation because, as he often admitted, he adored her. “You happen to be my first, principle [sic] and truest friend,” he assured her. With the outbreak of World War II, Edwina began to involve herself in the war effort. She gave up one of her residences to be used as a hospital and another as the headquarters of the Fourth Division; she joined the Red Cross and took a two-week intensive course in first aid and she sat on many relief committees. 32 ∫ Pink May 2017

With Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in India, in 1947.

tedium. It was the inability to assert herself and be her own self that had made her restless and unhappy. Work gave her something that neither her children nor her many superﬁcial interests had been able to give her. Neither is it true, as contemporaries often hinted, that they stayed together because Louis needed the money and Edwina proﬁted from his connections. Her husband adored her and if he accepted her lovers it was not because he did not care. “We have had our ups and downs… but I wouldn’t marry anyone else if I had all my life to live over again,” he told her. When the war was over, Edwina continued to visit hospitals and war camps and help prisoners of war. She was now a totally different person, thoroughly absorbed in her work and her husband

“IT WAS NOT SEXUAL FRUSTRATION THAT HAD ALMOST DESTROYED THEIR MARRIAGE. HER AFFAIRS HAD BEEN JUST AN ESCAPE FROM TEDIUM. IT WAS THE INABILITY TO ASSERT HERSELF AND BE HER OWN SELF THAT HAD MADE HER RESTLESS AND UNHAPPY. WORK GAVE HER SOMETHING THAT NEITHER HER CHILDREN NOR HER MANY SUPERFICIAL INTERESTS HAD BEEN ABLE TO GIVE HER” Edwina took her work very seriously, was very efficient and got things done. The fact that she had many contacts also helped. Her total dedication and leadership skills meant that she had a good rapport with her dependents, who found it easy to take orders from her. There was no more time and energy for non-stop partying. From a pleasureseeking woman, Edwina turned into a woman with a mission. She rose quickly in the hierarchy of the organisations to which she belonged, so much so that in the New Year Honours List of 1943, she received the CBE. With this change of lifestyle, the Mountbatten marriage relationship matured. Work gave Edwina the independence that she had lacked and for which she had craved. For the first time, she felt she was in charge and in control. It is true that Louis’s interest in women was only romantic and sentimental. But it is equally true that as Bunny, who was one of her lovers, confided in him, Edwina too “found love-making tedious”. It was, therefore, not sexual frustration that had almost destroyed their marriage. Her affairs had been just an escape from

was very proud of her achievements. He expected to be given a senior post in the Mediterranean Fleet and, with this in mind, Edwina found a house in Malta and was preparing to negotiate the lease with the owner when, one week before Christmas Day, he was informed by Downing Street that he had been appointed Viceroy of India. This was a crucial moment in the history of modern India and the Mountbattens were to be the last Viceroys. Edwina was not overenthusiastic about this new post; she hated oﬃcialdom and wanted to go on with her relief work. But once she had accepted her position, she did her utmost to make a success of it. She understood the importance of good behaviour and example, and was determined to be innovative in her approach to her vice-regal duties. When India became independent, the Prime Minister was Jawaharlal Nehru. Edwina worked closely with him and they saw each other frequently. They became good friends, and by the time the Mountbattens left, this friendship had developed into something much stronger. Only the thought that they could go on

In Malta in 1932.

writing to each other and the prospect of seeing him again consoled Edwina. Edwina and Nehru both needed each other. She could confide in him her deepest thoughts and feelings; he found in her someone who was ready to listen. Their letters to each other reveal the depth of their feelings for each other. But their relationship, although very intimate, remained a romantic one. Nehru respected Louis and he would have considered any friendship that was more than platonic as disloyal. Louis spent a lot of time in Malta. His first visit was in 1926 when he was appointed Fleet Wireless Officer with the Mediterranean Fleet. Edwina joined him for short spells, but always found an excuse to leave and Louis got used to it. At first, they lived in Casa Medina. Edwina invited her friends to dinner, went to parties at Admiralty House and suppers at the Union Club, watched polo and spent time swimming and sunbathing on their yacht Shrimp, but after a month, she had had enough and left for Paris.

“MALTA DID NOT AGREE WITH HER HEALTHWISE. ‘MALTA SAPS ALL OUR ENERGY AND AMBITION PARTICULARLY IN THIS WEATHER AND WE ALL BECOME COMPLETELY GAGA,’ SHE WROTE IN HER DIARY” They returned in 1931 and she brought her two daughters, but complained that Malta did not agree with her healthwise. “Malta saps all our energy and ambition particularly in this weather and we all become completely gaga,” she wrote in her diary. Having visited all archaeological sites, entertained guests and attended dances of “unbelievable tediousness”, she decided that she had done her bit and left. In 1949, when they were living at Villa Guardamangia, she hosted Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip for a month. But to Nehru she wrote: “One feels one’s brain shrinking and even one’s energy to ﬁt the tiny island.” Only the promise of a reunion with Nehru kept her going. Louis, the Navy and Malta served merely as the outlet for her frustration. They left the Island for the last time on December 10, 1954, with gun salutes, cheering crowds on the fortiﬁcations and… some tears. Edwina had always had poor health and she had driven herself hard. She was advised to slow down, but instead, in 1960, she made a long trip to the Far East. In North Borneo, she collapsed during a party and died in her sleep that same night. Beside her bed was a pile of papers. They were Nehru’s letters – her daily bedtime reading.

SHOWSTOPPER

ROCK THE BOAT In denim, khakhi and red.

Photography Andre Gialanze Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] Hair Screen, Zabbar Make-up Chris Attard, Franks Model Michela @ Supernova MM

36 ∫ Pink May 2017

Top, €29.95; jeans, €55; shoes, €65, all River Island ∫ dress [worn underneath], stylist’s own.

SHOWSTOPPER

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Pink May 2017 ∫ 37

SHOWSTOPPER

Top, €17.99; pedal pushers, €25.99; scarf, €9.99, all Orsay ∫ bag, €35.99; shoes, €35, both River Island.

38 ∫ Pink May 2017

SHOWSTOPPER Bikini top, €30; bottoms, €18.99, Women’secret ∫ jacket, €89.99, Corteﬁel.

Pink May 2017 ∫ 39

SHOWSTOPPER

Kimono, €60; bikini, €35; shorts, €28: shoes, €35, all River Island.

40 ∫ Pink May 2017

SHOWSTOPPER Versace zip-up, €502; Versace jeans, €184; Roberto Cavalli bikini, €177, all Rebelli.

Pink May 2017 ∫ 41

SHOWSTOPPER Top, €21.95; jeans, €26.95, both Lulu Boutique ∫ bag, €24.95; shoes, €47, River Island.

42 ∫ Pink May 2017

SHOWSTOPPER Dress, €75; jeans, €55; shoes, €35, all River Island.

Pink May 2017 ∫ 43

FASHIONSTORY

live life in exactly the same way as others on YouTube and Instagram do. How did it all start, and when it did, did you think you’d attract any/many followers – 63,000 YouTube subscribers, to be precise, and over 7,000 likes on Facebook? It started quite a while ago, actu-

ally, mainly just doing hair videos for my friends. At the time, I was happy when my video reached 100 views, so this is all very new and surprising.

“IN A WORLD THAT IS TRYING IT’S HARDEST TO BE ‘PERFECT’, I VALUE THE IDEA OF BEING DIFFERENT; A BIT OF A WEIRDO”

Photography Andrew Borg Carbott

What do you think attracts viewers to what you have to say? What’s the secret to creating interest and online success – and maintaining it? I would

think my general attitude towards everything probably helps – staying humble, not taking myself too seriously, being adventurous. Why do you think the 27 facts about you had over 33,000 views, and six months later, if you had to add another, what would it be? Many people have

STARRING

Stella

At 18 years old, Stella Cini is a full-time digital influencer and vlogger with a phenomenal 63,000 subscribers. She tells Pink she’s living the dream job, but she knows it’s a fragile area and won’t ever take her weird self too seriously. How would you describe life without the internet and social media? Could you even imagine it? Personally, I

can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like, especially for me.

asked me lots of questions about myself, so I think the views are mainly from those who are curious about me in general. The 28th fact would be that I am now a full-time social media inﬂuencer and YouTuber, basically living the dream job. You’ve called yourself a “complete weirdo”. Is it part of the image? In a world that is trying it’s hard-

est to be ‘perfect’, I value the idea of being different; a bit of a weirdo. How does it feel to be called an ‘influencer’ – and at 18 years old? I myself don’t call myself that; I

mostly just post what I like and it seems to inﬂuence people, which I’m totally cool with. Who is your audience and who would you most like to reach out to and ‘influence’? My main view-

ers are teenage girls and young women, and I guess those are the people I mainly want to ‘inﬂuence’ since I myself fall into that category. How does it feel to have brands knocking at your door to endorse their products? It’s honestly a very mind-

blowing thing, to say the least. Given that these are your tools, can you get yourself to see anything negative about YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat…? Social media in general, I think, creates

a sort of virtual image of what reality should be like, and that might have a negative impact on anyone who doesn’t

Why do they choose you? Would you have the same feedback if you had the charisma, but not the looks and the model potential? Again, I think my attitude probably

affects their decision to reach out to me since the way Pink May 2017 ∫ 47

you present yourself, I think, trumps your looks. Although yes, my image and appearance probably help. Do you ever draw the line as to what you would promote and endorse? What’s a no-no? I

do, a lot. Anyone who disrespects me, or reaches out to me in a manner that is unprofessional, or downright rude, or even sexist doesn’t even get a reply from me.

“I TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET READY, NOT BECAUSE I NEED THAT MUCH TIME, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE I GET DISTRACTED. A LOT! A LOT OF MUSIC AND DANCING IS INVOLVED. HAIR AND MAKE-UP PROBABLY TAKE UP TO 15 MINUTES. OUTFITS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ALWAYS BRING ME UNNECESSARY STRESS AND CAN TAKE UP TO A DAY TO PLAN’”

Photography Andrew Borg Carbott

FASHIONSTORY

But hair is your obsession. Do you think it can make or break someone, and what do you do to your own to have it the way you like it? Yes, I am

a bit of a hair freak, but I’m smart enough to realise that it’s not a crucial thing for survival and there will probably come a time when I will shave it off just because I feel like. You probably never look like you’ve just walked out of the shower. How long does it actually take you to get dressed? How much effort and time goes into doing your make-up and how far in advance – honestly – do you plan outfits? I take about an hour to get ready, not because

I need that much time, but simply because I get distracted. A lot! A lot of music and dancing is involved. Hair and makeup probably take up to 15 minutes. Outﬁts, on the other hand, always bring me unnecessary stress and can take up to a day to plan.

Are there really people out there who hang onto your every word when it comes to deciding about hair, makeup etc…? Can you relate at all to that – the fact that some people don’t have a clue about these things? There are

Does what you do put you under pressure to always look groomed – even if you run down to the grocer? Would you feel liberated if you could relax about your appearance, or do you detest the natural look? I try to live a pretty relaxed

quite a few people who follow my every step very literally even though I encourage them to do whatever they feel like and be creative. Mind you, I then do the same with fashion tips as I’m quite lost in that area.

lifestyle, so I never really bother when it comes to going out. I embrace the natural look and encourage everyone to also be OK with it. It’s very relieving to be comfortable in your own skin.

There’s a strong element of fitness in your vlogs. How important is exercise in your life and what’s your regime?

I’m not going to claim I’m the ﬁttest, or healthiest person, but I do value a healthier lifestyle and try to stay active and on my feet. A good hike is something I really enjoy, and although I do it mainly for the sights, the actual activity doesn’t hurt. It’s a win-win! 48 ∫ Pink May 2017

Do you think many people have no clue how to apply make-up and should no one be seen dead without it?

There are some people who are better at it; there are some who aren’t. And actually, I’m trying to cut down on all the cosmetics, so the less make-up, the better! What does it take to create a make-up tutorial for YouTube? Do you rehearse it, or do you get it right

FASHIONSTORY the first time over? I do make-up videos sporadically, and I only ever do them when I’m in the mood for one. I usually just go for it and hope for the best.

some form of abuse or bullying? If so, how do you deal with it? Actually, you’d

be surprised at how nice people can be. I get hate comments here and there, but nothing that particularly affects me, and if I do bother to respond, around ﬁve other viewers also respond and come to my defence, so it’s pretty good so far.

What would you say is the make-up look of the summer? Bare. Freckles and

a nice tan are all you’re going to need. If you had to choose between great make-up, a great outfit, or great hair, which would you go for? Probably a

great outﬁt. Are too many people doing the same thing as you? In pretty much the same way, with the same way of talking and tackling the same ‘frivolous’ subjects? Is there fierce competition with other influencers, or do you work in harmony?

“I GET HATE COMMENTS HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING THAT PARTICULARLY AFFECTS ME, AND IF I DO BOTHER TO RESPOND, AROUND FIVE OTHER VIEWERS ALSO RESPOND AND COME TO MY DEFENCE, SO IT’S PRETTY GOOD SO FAR”

I encourage everyone to give social media a go and I’ve collaborated with other influencers, so to me, it doesn’t make much of a difference. I do draw the line at copying other influencers, or not crediting work. We’re all trying to work in the same field, so there’s no reason to make it nasty. You’ve ‘exposed’ yourself on YouTube and other social media and that means you may have been on the receiving end of

Can vlogging be a full-time job, or does one have to have a day job, so to speak?

If you have a strong enough following, then sure, why not? Have you ever thought of what it would be like if the views started decreasing… What next? I’m very aware that this is a

very fragile area to work in – at any moment, this could fall apart for me, which is why I try not to take it too seriously. If anything ever does happen, I’ll probably take up hairdressing full time. Where do you think this whole phenomenon is going? Will it kill fashion magazines, or can they collaborate and live in harmony, like you are doing with Pink? I think that if everything progresses

equally and all magazines are up to date with all things on social media, then yes, there’s no reason for them to fail.

BEAUTYPARLOUR

THE COLOUR

purple

It may be too bold for you, but in reality, the colour of royalty, luxury, and power suits every skin type and tone. International make-up artist and beauty consultant Gianluca Oddi shows Pink how to take the purple plunge this season. The trick is in the blending…

hroughout history, purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority, possibly because the rare occurrence of this colour in nature made it one of the most expensive dyes to create. Well, now, if we follow the season’s make-up trends, particularly those established by Diego dalla Palma’s Spring/Summer collection, its electric version has also found its way onto our lips. Admittedly, it may not be everyone’s ﬁrst choice, but believe it or not, purple suits all skin tones and types, according to international make-up artist and beauty consultant Gianluca Oddi. And it’s not surprising when considering that the colour purple combines the calm stability of blue and the ﬁerce energy of red; and that light purple hues represent feminine energy and delicacy, as well as romantic and nostalgic feelings, while bright hues suggest riches and royalty. “Purple goes with all eye and hair colours, it is for all ages and it is bold, attractive and elegant,” Gianluca says, adding that, of course, it complements green in particular. “The concept behind Diego dalla Palma’s creations is that we should all open our minds to something new. Many people are afraid of colour in make-up; I would encourage them to get over these fears and remember that make-up is an accessory at the end of the day, so everyone should be playing with it, using it, and mixing and matching colours,” Gianluca insists. And the bottom line is that there is always a way to wear a colour that you

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Gianluca Oddi

think doesn’t suit you. If you want to stick to the trends, but think these ‘riskier’ colours are not for you, the secret lies in blending and matching with other shades, he explains. Among his tips for getting the purple – and intense pink – look right, Gianluca advises to “avoid overloading with lots of colours and making it look heavy. “It’s not easy to get it right, but the trick is to focus on one single point. When creating your own canvas, always concentrate on your best feature and enhance it. After all, this is about make-up, not cover-up!” The truth, at the end of the day, is that the nude trend is over and its back to bright lipsticks. They are the protagonists when it comes to make-up application, balanced out by the lines on the eyes – the Eye Powder Kajal

being another must-have in any handbag. Then there’s also the toffee rose blush mousse, which also contains active ingredients similar to clay, allowing it to absorb sebum secretions and meaning it is even good for oily skins. It can be applied on the lips and eyes, apart from the cheeks. So, if you still can’t get yourself to do the electric purple, plumped-up lips, just add that pop of colour in your eyeliner, or that bubble pink for those subtle, shimmery cheeks. And remember the message you won’t even realise you’re sending out. Purple has a variety of effects on the mind and body, including uplifting spirits, calming the nerves, creating feelings of spirituality, increasing sensitivity and encouraging imagination and creativity…

MORE TOP TIPS • The Oh My Lift! Super Heroes Mask can save you from wrinkles and the loss of elasticity, tone and density. • Always prepare the canvas – your skin – with a serum, and use a make-up primer. • Because matte lipsticks need a smooth surface, and can bring out cracked and flaky lips, these need to be nourished and hydrated. Use the Sugar Lip Scrub to exfoliate and Peach Lip Balm to hydrate and smoothen.

THINKPINK HEALTH & BEAUTY

1 PORE PERFECTING Experience a matte and flawless complexion with Clarins Pore Perfecting Matifying Foundation. It’s an ultra-light, naturally covering foundation, which helps to ‘blur’ out unevenness and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while boosting the skin with hydration for supple and flexible make-up that lasts all day. Available from Clarins authorised outlets, Clarins products are exclusively distributed by von Brockdorff Imports Ltd.

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2 CELEBRATING MALTA A perfume that celebrates Malta and encapsulates the rays of the sun, the smell of the waves and the intensity of this magic land, Aqua di Malta is a unique fragrance, harmonising the many souls of the island. Absolutely unisex, it instils emotions in both men and women, awakening memories and yearnings. Aqua di Malta is exclusively distributed by Chemimart [2149 2212].

3 ACTIVATING SKIN METABOLISM For over 50 years, Thalgo has been driven by the belief that marine nutrients have the power to activate skin metabolism. For the first time in cosmetics, Thalgo has shown that Marine Cellular Nutrition directly activates the cutaneous synthesis of proteins that are key to youthful-looking skin. The result is Prodige des Océans. Thalgo has recently been relaunched by VJ Salomone Marketing.

From perfumes with a Malta touch to whatever your complexion could ask for to remain flawless, here is everything you need to know about beauty this month.

4 NEW APPROACH TO SKIN

Chanel Research has taken inspiration from atypical locations, called blue zones, characterised by populations with exceptional longevity. With Blue Serum, it’s not about combating ageing, but rather about wellness, with a new approach to skin youthfulness. Women become active participants in their own beauty. Compatible with any skincare line, Blue Serum initiates the daily beauty ritual. Chanel is distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd.

5 INSPIRED BY MEDITERRANEAN LIGHT

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Mare di Malta has just been launched, and it looks and smells amazing. The perfume was conceived by Wings Group, developed in Milan by Betafarma, a top research laboratory, and is exclusively distributed in Malta by the Vivian Corporation Group. As the Italian entrepreneurs behind the fragrance put it: “Mare di Malta draws its inspiration from the Mediterranean sunlight, the wind’s dance and the water’s foam…”

6 IDEAL COVERAGE For the past 35 years, Dermablend by Vichy Laboratoires has provided the ideal coverage for most complexion flaws – from redness and dark circles to uneven complexions, vitiligo, hyperpigmentation and even scars. It also effectively covers up veins, stretch marks and tattoos. Today, Dermablend is still unrivalled when it comes to corrective foundation, leaving skin looking natural, luminous and flawless, while helping rediscover the pleasure of make-up. 54 ∫ Pink May 2017

THINKPINK HEALTH & BEAUTY

1 BOOST YOUR FAVOURITE CREAM Choose from four new boosters, including Hydra+ hydration booster, Nutri+ nutrition oils, Defense+ antioxidant oils and Lift+ firming solution, designed to customise your day and night cream. Available from all leading salons and spas, contact Beauty Culture Group for trade enquiries. www.beautyculturecentre.com

2 FIRST INJECTABLE TREATMENT Vivian Corporation’s ever-growing wellbeing portfolio now includes Allergan’s Juvederm Volite, which was recently launched during a seminar for med-aesthetic doctors. Juvederm Volite is the first injectable treatment designed to improve skin quality, smoothness [absence of fine lines], hydration and elasticity for up to nine months with just one treatment session. Containing hyaluronic acid, it is injected within the dermis and can be used to treat the face, neck, décolletage and hands.

3 ACTIVE RELIEF OF ACUTE PAIN

Ever thought of being able to boost your favourite creams; of a one-treatment injectable for improved skin; or a serum to counter over-day ageing? Well, here they are! And don’t forget to pamper your feet… and provide relief for pain and inflammation.

Whether you’re an athlete, or just accident prone, you’re probably going to need Olfen Gel, which actively relieves acute pain and reduces inflammation. Used for the treatment of pain, swelling and inflammation in a variety of conditions affecting the muscles, joints, tendons and soft tissues, it is applied to the affected part three to four times.

4 INDULGE YOUR FEET Indulge your feet in the shower and bath with the rechargeable, waterproof Velvet Smooth Wet & Dry Pedi. It has roller heads specifically designed for use on both wet and dry feet and you can choose between ‘gentle’ and ‘intensive’, based on the level of exfoliation required. Enjoy soft and beautiful feet after only one use. Velvet Smooth is available from all leading supermarkets, pharmacies and Scholl Foothealth Centres.

5 SKIN THAT IS TRANSFORMED

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Vichy Laboratories has shown that as a woman ages, skin can look healthy and radiant in the morning, but as the day goes by, it takes on a tired look, with more pronounced wrinkles, a dull-looking complexion and sagging features. With Liftactiv Supreme – a new generation of anti-ageing care specifically created to counteract over-day ageing – skin looks more youthful. And thanks to Liftactiv Serum 10 Supreme, a star product, skin looks illuminated and plumped after just 10 minutes! vichy@prohealth.com.mt

INTHEPINK

Into the deep fat freezer This new fat-freezing fat reduction procedure is growing big. HELEN RAINE prods the pros and cons. Are you ready to let your jiggly bits be sucked into an ice vacuum and wait for your body to eliminate them.

bikini season approaches, you might be thinking of shedding your winter ‘layer’… and as we all know, that requires diet and exercise [yawn]. Still, short cuts to weight loss are almost as tempting as a bag of Twistees – the latest one to promise the slimmed-down Earth is fat freezing. The technique will allegedly banish pockets of fat without surgery, pain [unless you count the damage to your wallet], or downtime – but will it really do the job without damaging the goods? THE SKINNY ON FAT FREEZING The basic premise is that it will ‘freeze away’ soft pockets of fat. We’re talking your bingo wings, lower tummy, love handles and banana roll [under-buttock area] – anything ‘rolly’ that will ﬁt in or under an attachment to the ‘cryolipolysis machine’. Said attachment sucks in your wobbly body bit using a vacuum and then freezes the ﬂesh. When it defrosts, the fat cells alone go to adipocyte heaven and, over the course of a few months, your body eliminates them. It might sound gruesome, but the process was approved in Europe in 2009.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN? Aficionados report that the procedure really doesn’t hurt [although having a roll of belly fat sucked into a vacuum machine isn’t exactly comfortable either]. The biggest inconvenience is that you have to lie in one spot for the duration of the treatment. The preparation is also a bit fiddly and invasive; you’ll be marked up with a felt pen [a trauma in itself, since the therapist will be graffitiing your least favourite anatomical areas], then swaddled with an antifreeze membrane before the attachment is fitted. There will be a few seconds of freezer burn as the ice vacuum sucks in your jiggly bits and then you go numb…

“AT THE END OF THE TREATMENT, THE AREA WILL BE A BLUSHING SHADE OF RAW MEAT AND HAVE THE CONSISTENCY OF A FROZEN HAMBURGER” While you’re waiting, you can watch a movie, surf the net, or have a little snooze. At the end of the treatment, the area will be a blushing shade of raw meat and have the consistency of a frozen hamburger. Your therapist will massage the skin back into life [reports on how much this hurts vary from ‘not at all’ to ‘worse than Pink May 2017 ∫ 59

INTHEPINK Fat freezing also requires some cooperation in terms of diet and exercise; if you freeze off your fat in anticipation of a special occasion like a wedding, but go on an extended pastizzi and ice cream binge while lounging about on the sofa for the next two months, it isn’t going to be a roaring success. However, if you have a persistent chubby area, such as a tubby tummy, that you can’t lose no matter how many crunches you do, this technique might indeed do the trick. COLD FACTS The general consensus so far is that fat freezing has limited side effects, especially when compared to procedures like liposuction, which have resulted in up to 100 deaths per 100,000 procedures, according to US FDA reports. Longer-term studies are required to understand whether organs like the liver are likely to be affected by a glut of dead fat cells arriving all at once. Some people report that fat ‘melted away’ in an irregular way, leaving dents or dimples, but a good therapist will anticipate problems like this and work to avoid them. There are also reports that nerves can remain numbed for weeks, if not months. Other side effects can include redness, swelling, tenderness to the touch, cramping and itching, but long-term issues are rarely reported. Some people have complained that far from being back to normal the next day, they are bruised and sore for several weeks, making normal exercise diﬃcult if not impossible [which, if you exercise regularly, might well defeat the purpose]. One of the biggest complaints is that for people who are generally fatter, the results are not obvious. The treatment may work best and be most cost-effective for those with niggly ‘problem areas’ rather than on people who need to lose a lot of weight. It is certainly not a treatment for obesity and is not intended to help people lose weight, or get healthier. For that, we’re back to that tired but effective mantra – eat less, do more exercise.

“FAT FREEZING ALSO REQUIRES SOME COOPERATION IN TERMS OF DIET AND EXERCISE; IF YOU FREEZE OFF YOUR FAT IN ANTICIPATION OF A SPECIAL OCCASION LIKE A WEDDING, BUT GO ON AN EXTENDED PASTIZZI AND ICE CREAM BINGE WHILE LOUNGING ABOUT ON THE SOFA FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, IT ISN’T GOING TO BE A ROARING SUCCESS”

giving birth’] and there will be a ‘bit of bruising’ [also varying from ‘a hint of blue’ to ‘smacked about with a cricket bat’]. Results aren’t instant as it takes a while for your lymph system to kick out the deceased fat cells – you won’t see any effect for a month and the fat loss peaks at eight weeks. Sometimes, repeat treatments are required, but the results are supposed to be ‘permanent’, presuming you don’t pile on a lot more weight. ICE POP PATENT Fat sculpting was discovered when doctors at Harvard University realised that children who regularly ate ice pops had less fat in their cheeks. That’s because fat is more temperature sensitive than skin; fat cells die before other cells when exposed to cold [this is known as ‘apoptosis’]. The technique can’t remove as much fat as liposuction would – it only works on the fat it has direct contact with – but clients report seeing results on speciﬁc problem areas.

HEALTHBies

Herb Garden

THE HERB OF THE WOUNDED By medical herbalist Doru Prodan, member of the British Herbal Medicine Association

eatme

PHYSALIS I’m packed with good stuff Native to south America, physalis, scientiﬁcally known as Physalis peruviana, is a tasty fruit, also known by a variety of names such as Aztec berry, Barbados gooseberry, and strawberry tomato. it is closely associated to the tomatillo and the Chinese lantern, also members of the genus Physalis. small and round, it is a stockroom of several healthpromoting nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Yarrow, whose Latin name is Achillea – and more common versions are Nosebleed, Soldier’s Woundwort and Stop-Bleeding Herb – is one of the oldest medicinal plants known to humankind. Its documented use dates back 60,000 years. In fact, it was with yarrow that the goddess Aphrodite healed Achilles’ grievous wound. Although remembered for its use on injured men, it has equally been a great support to women over time, helping with typical feminine problems such as period blood ﬂux. The tender leaf of yarrow was called Supercilium Venus [the eyebrow of Venus] and it was dedicated to this goddess of love, beauty and grace. Renowned for improving circulation, it also has historical recommendations for diarrhoea, biliary colic and stomach cramps. Traditional herbal medicine also used it to improve appetite and

My nutritional information Consuming 140g of this fruit supplies 3.92mg of vitamin B3, 1.4mg of iron, 15.4mg of vitamin C, 0.154mg of vitamin B1, 15.68g of carbohydrate, 56mg of phosphorus, 50mg of vitamin A, 2.66g of protein and 0.056mg of vitamin B2, 0.98g of total fat and 13mg of calcium.

How to eat me Consume raw in fruit cocktails, fruit salads, in cooked dishes, or processed into jams. The fruit is also perfect for snacks, as well as for making puddings, pies, sauces, jellies, ice cream, preserves, chutneys and glazes for meat and seafood. As a dessert, physalis can be stewed and it can also be dried into tasty ‘raisins’. They make an attractive sweet when dipped in chocolate and rolled in sugar. 62 ∫ Pink May 2017

settle digestion. In laboratory experiments, a yarrow infusion was found to have anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing action. Yarrow can be used for external wounds with great benefit as it stimulates tissue healing and new cellular growth. However, this tea can also be used for people with ‘internal damage’, such as in their digestive tracts and all the way up to full-blown ulcers. Mostly used in tea form, yarrow can have a deeper effect in tincture form when it comes to chronic disorders that need to be treated over a longer timeframe. Both a wounded soul and body can benefit from this amazing natural healer. However, always seek advice from a professional practitioner before taking any herbal remedies.

Tettiera Tea Log The world of tea offers consumers as much variety as that of wine. The centuries-old production of this healthy beverage has grown and evolved and is only getting stronger. Today, the focus is on the two most popular tea varieties – black and green teas. Hundreds of teas are made from the same varietals of the Camellia sinensis and are classified by the process used to make them. Although methods of processing black tea may vary from country to country, the process always involves five equally important stages: plucking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. Black tea can be described as malty, full-bodied and brisk because of all the rich flavours that develop during the oxidation process. Some popular black tea varieties include Assam, Darjeeling and Ceylon tea. On the other hand, green tea is generally described as unoxidised tea and mostly resembles the original unplucked leaf. The process involves plucking, a short withering period, rolling and drying. Green tea comes in different shapes – flat, curled, rolled, needle-like and in twists. When preparing a cup of green tea, pay attention to water temperature. Too much heat will kill the amino acids that sweeten it. Oversteeping will also make it astringent and bitter. Visit www.tettiera.com for more information on the world of tea.

1,571

babies in Malta were born to a parent of unknown nationality in 2016, up nearly 200 per cent over figures from 10 years ago. This translates into one out of five babies, official figures show. The phenomenon has been steadily on the rise for the past decade.

ONFORM

FITNESS MISFITS DONATELLO PISANI from The BodyForge comes up with eight golden rules in the gym, learned from observing people working out over the last 25 years – and making a mess of it. It’s time to see the error in our ways.

orrifying mistakes are being made over and over again by people who ‘work out’. People who have been going to gyms for years still don’t have even the basic movements ﬁgured out correctly. Yes, we have all seen those infamous Gym Fails videos on You Tube, where people are completely messing up exercises – and endangering themselves and others in the process. The thing is… it’s just not funny. After all, the basic reason for enrolling in a gym is to learn how to do things properly to get to where you want to go.

Remember, low-intensity cardio workouts that just make you sweat don’t work. Classes that make you go through the motions without individual attention don’t work. They may work in the beginning because doing any kind of activity instead of nothing is going to have some effect – but you’ll plateau in no time. So many people think they could just go to a gym and wing it. But there are so many things that are wrong with this type of thinking. Here is something that should be written on the wall of every gym:

“SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY COULD JUST GO TO A GYM AND WING IT. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE WRONG WITH THIS TYPE OF THINKING” Going to the gym should not be just about leasing equipment, or taking up classes for an hour, after which you go home sweatier, but none the leaner or the wiser.

“Do not touch the weights unless you have been taught how to use them correctly.” Being able to grab a weight is no indication of your knowledge in handling it, and resistance training

without coaching is almost like giving a child a gun – something bad is going to happen sooner or later. So here are eight golden workout rules: 1 If you can’t squat your own body weight properly, you have no business being under a squat bar. 2 If you can’t hold a plank properly for at least 30 seconds, don’t try to do push-ups. 3 Barbell curls are not limbo exercises. 4 Bench presses are not four-inch movements. 5 Deadlifts are not back-curling or speed-thrusting exercises. 6 Stop trying to do the stuff you see the pros doing on videos. 7 If you honestly want to do things right, and you want to get where you deserve to be, ﬁnd a coach who knows his stuff. 8 Learn things the right way. Invest in yourself and in your education. Otherwise, stay home, eat cookies and watch TV from your couch. The world would be a safer place – for you and for others. Pink May 2017 ∫ 65

PINKSHRINK

SAYING IT HOW IT IS Dott. EDWARD CURMI lists the three golden rules about feedback.

eedback is one way of improving communication between two persons. It has the power to help you express how you perceive, understand and experience another person’s behaviour. When you give feedback appropriately, it can clarify a situation, reinforce a relationship, prevent future conﬂict and help the other person. There are two simple ways of giving feedback. On the one hand, you may choose to reinforce positive behaviour through appreciation. And on the other, you may resort to the use of constructive criticism. HOW TO GIVE APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK When you give feedback, be it appreciation or criticism, three golden rules need to be followed:

Always give feedback to the person directly and, ideally, not in front of others. Passing on feedback through third parties is never a good idea as the message may get distorted. Also, most people prefer feedback when it is one to one as this avoids unnecessary shame or embarrassment. Make it a point to give feedback immediately, or as close as possible to the event. It is pretty useless giving feedback a couple of days or even months later as it loses its effect. When giving feedback, it is necessary that you state facts and the consequences of those facts in the most descriptive and concise manner.

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Apart from these three golden rules, here are some more considerations worth using when giving feedback to others: Always give feedback about realistic matters. If you plan on giving positive or negative feedback, make it a point to do it about something that can change. If it is unattainable, do not bother pursuing it. Learn how to use the right words when you are preparing to give someone constructive feedback. Make use of examples and, if possible, do not use a tone that is insinuating blame or shame.

Before you give feedback, make sure you are emotionally and mentally ready for a reaction. Seeing as feedback is a delicate matter, you have to know when it is the right time to give it to another person. WHY DO MOST PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO GIVE FEEDBACK? The most common answer is that people are afraid of others’ reactions when they choose to give feedback. This is because it may make the atmosphere less stable and cause the eruption of strong emotions. It may destroy a relationship and create misunderstandings or misinterpretation. This mentality needs to change as a person who has the courage to say it as it is shows character, assertiveness and possibly a need to want to reach out and understand better the situation. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU ARE RECEIVING FEEDBACK? Ironically, too often, we worry about how we give feedback to others. However, receiving feedback is just

“A PERSON WHO HAS THE COURAGE TO SAY IT AS IT IS SHOWS CHARACTER, ASSERTIVENESS AND POSSIBLY A NEED TO WANT TO REACH OUT AND UNDERSTAND BETTER THE SITUATION” as tricky. When someone gives you constructive feedback, ideally, you do not go on the defensive and become all judgemental. Stay calm, take a deep breath and ask for more information in a genuine way. As you think about the feedback you have just received, it might be a good idea to conﬁrm whether you are understanding what the other person is telling you. If you agree with the facts, state it. If you need further clariﬁcation, just go on and ask it in a curious and respectful manner. Dott. Edward Curmi is a registered clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and author of the book Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, and its sequel More Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, available from Agenda Bookshops.

Pink May 2017 ∫ 67

PARENTINGTIPS

LOOKING AFTER YOU! Being a mum is a tough job; being a dad is too, but in honour of Mother’s Day, which has just passed, educational and child psychologist Dr STEPHANIE SATARIANO celebrates all the mums out there [dads, you’ll have your time too], stressing on the importance of self-care and making time for you.

JOB DESCRIPTION Skills required: personal chef, housekeeper, chauffeur, doctor, personal shopper, tutor, nurse, therapist. Sick days: you will have to work. Holidays: still have to work. Working hours: Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Salary: you’ll cover all expenses.

roviding 24/7 care and love is part of the deal when you become a mum; being there as and when your children need is essential to helping them grow into socially responsible and happy adults. But what about you? Does being a mum mean that’s the end of ‘you’ as an individual? No, it shouldn’t. Yes, having a child means a complete life change; from the moment you find out you are pregnant, life is never the same again, and you start sacrificing immediately. But it’s important to not lose ‘you’ in this rollercoaster of a journey. Compassion, love, nurture, care are all amazing qualities in a mother; and it is just as important to offer those traits to yourself as well as your family. But it’s not easy. First, you have to find the time to do it. Being a mum in today’s world typically means juggling a career too, and it’s usually way too tiring to even think about the logistics of fitting in ‘me’ time, let alone actually doing it. The second issue is often guilt. Mums tend to find it easier to sacrifice themselves than to take care of themselves. However, to be the best mum you can be, you need to be feeling the best you can be. It is well-established that maternal

stress and mental health difficulties have significant repercussions on the whole family and, most noticeably, on the children. Plus, taking some small snippets of time to spoil yourself has ripple benefits across your whole family life. It requires conscious effort, but you’ll quickly see the benefits on you and your family. Just bear in mind, psychological theory suggests that it takes three weeks to ingrain a new habit into your life; after that, it just fits into the daily schedule. Spa days, weekend breaks, lunches with friends, and even a yoga/Pilates class all sound unreasonable and unimaginable. Try fitting them into your day on a regular basis.

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT LOSE ‘YOU’ IN THIS ROLLERCOASTER OF A JOURNEY” So how can you give you some extra TLC, without neglecting what it takes to be the mum you want to be? These are some activities mums tend to successfully implement and reap benefits from: • Get moving: try to join a class you enjoy; find a sport you like; join a yoga or Pilates class; or even just start walking or running regularly. Whatever it is, do something that gets your moving and gets your endorphins pumping. Research constantly reiterates the importance of exercise and its beneficial impact on our physical and mental health. Start off small; a 10-minute walk to the shops or parking that little bit further away. • Good morning me: before you get out of bed and start the madness of the day, take five minutes to find out how you are, and give yourself some TLC. Set an intention for the day, and offer

some words of gratitude for the things you are happy for. • Sleep: get as much as you can. This is not always easy with little ones; but when they are asleep – sleep! Try to avoid “getting stuff done before the kids wake up”. Most things can wait; your health and well-being can’t! • Fuel up: like your car, you need to put the right energy source into your body to keep it working optimally. The world of nutrition is booming, and we know more now than ever before the beneficial [and damaging] effects of different foods. So, fuel up on those foods that are going to help you feel good. None of these may apply to you, and that’s fine. But the take-home message is to try and find the time and space to look after yourself, even if it is just five minutes a day of a mindfulness practice. A little bit of self-care will have a positive impact on your whole family. Pink May 2017 ∫ 69

GIRLTALK THE VIRGINIA MONOLOGUES

Travel ALERT circumnavigate: verb sail or travel all the way around [something, especially the world]; to go around or avoid [an obstacle]; to avoid dealing with [something diﬃcult or unpleasant].

didn’t know there was actually a verb for travelling around the world, but I suppose there would be. It’s quite a feat after all, and it certainly deserves a place inside a dictionary. I used to want to see the world – all of it, including the good, bad and even the ugly parts. That used to be my mission, or life statement: we’re here on borrowed time, life is short, so see as much of the world as you can. Seize the moment, grab the opportunities, go wherever you can, at least once. Nowadays, although in theory I tell myself that I still want to, reality is quite different. Whenever the chance to go somewhere presents itself, I create obstacles and avoid thinking about it. Perhaps you could even say I ‘circumnavigate’ the issue, although I’m not entirely sure that is right. Bottom line – I seem to have lost the travel bug, or perhaps I never

really had it. Like many things, perhaps it was all in my head. In my mind’s eye, I will one day see Cuba, Vietnam, New Zealand and South America. I’ll get lost in Japan, explore Australia and the Far East and take the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. But when it comes to travelling the world, I suppose there’s a world of difference between talking the talk and walking the walk.

travelling to the far-ﬂung places of my imagination. I am happy to go away for three- to four-day stretches frequently, but anything longer is ‘extra’, unnecessary and not something I am comfortable with at all. And comfortable is probably what it all boils down to and is the operative word here. I was never your average backpacker and won’t go anywhere unless I’m absolutely comfortable. What exactly is the point of going away otherwise? Holidays are meant to transport you to a better place. Sleeping in a room that is inferior to the one you’re accustomed to is not my idea of fun.

“HOLIDAYS ARE MEANT TO TRANSPORT YOU TO A BETTER PLACE. SLEEPING IN A ROOM THAT IS INFERIOR TO THE ONE YOU’RE ACCUSTOMED TO IS NOT MY IDEA OF FUN” And one day, you wake up and you realise you are not really that kind of person after all, and that, in all likelihood, you never were. Nowadays, I ﬁnd myself wanting to travel less and less and the thought of travelling for longer than a week ﬁlls me with dread and anxiety, which naturally rules out

Some people argue that you go away to see a new place and that your hotel room and bed are just a somewhere to put your head at night, but I beg to differ. The hotel room is your home away from home and you can’t possibly relax on holiday if you’re unhappy with your surroundings. Pink May 2017 ∫ 71

GIRLTALK Comfort doesn’t come cheap, so unless you’re prepared to shell out thousands on hotel accommodation, then going abroad for three weeks or longer becomes an impossibility and out of the question. If a three-day hotel stay will set you back €500, then three weeks is likely to cost you 3,500, which is pretty steep for one holiday. After all, once you’re paying for a good hotel, you want to enjoy it. At that sort of price, I’d sooner stay home and watch the Travel Channel. I thought about this recently when I spent three days abroad. When quizzed on my return as to where I had gone and what I had seen and whether or not I had gone here, there and everywhere, I confessed that I had done absolutely nothing except lounge around by the pool, eat, watch TV in bed and enjoy the luxury of my hotel room – in short, relax. Had the hotel room been a dump, I’d have been miserable. I’d have been constrained to stay out all day and the thought of returning to my room would have ﬁlled me with dread and panic. Instead, as I contemplated my

“HAD THE HOTEL ROOM BEEN A DUMP, I’D HAVE BEEN MISERABLE. I’D HAVE BEEN CONSTRAINED TO STAY OUT ALL DAY AND THE THOUGHT OF RETURNING TO MY ROOM WOULD HAVE FILLED ME WITH DREAD AND PANIC” surroundings, I realised why hotel rooms are so important and how we should strive to turn our homes – or at least our bedrooms – into luxury hotel rooms. And I came to the conclusion that these little extras are key to a woman’s happiness: • a magnifying mirror perched on top of a sink, in a well-lit bathroom; • a fabulous bathroom with a shower and a bath [separate]; • a bed you just sink into and an abundance of the most comfortable pillows; • great TV; • a kettle close enough to be able to make a cup of tea as soon as you get up without having to cross country [and a minibar full of your favourite treats]; • a closet that lights up when you open it.

And, of course, room service, maintenance service, a lift that takes you down to the pool, a choice of ﬁve restaurants – these all help. I realise I’ve gone off point, digressed, circumnavigated perhaps? I also know that a part of me still craves and misses places I have never been to – if that is even possible. I think it is. In the same way that they say there is our double out there somewhere, I also think there are places we have travelled to and lived in, in some other life; a place where we have yet to return to, in that very The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or The Hundred-Foot Journey kind of way. The thought that our life could have been so different if we had been born somewhere else always intrigues me… ginantonic@live.com

THINKPINK FASHION, FOOD & THINGS

From cars to classic chronographs, customised, complimentary eyewear services and convenient, easy-to-carry bottles, it’s all listed down here for anyone to indulge.

1 DEVOTING MAY TO FASHION The long-awaited month of May has arrived, signalled by bright and breezy days. Fashion lovers and enthusiasts have already started planning their new outfits in anticipation of the highly acclaimed fashion events… The preparation is part of the fun! As per tradition, Kind’s will be sponsoring the biggest fashion events, namely Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Malta and The Pink Fashion Show, partly sponsored by Renault, a few weeks later. All Kind’s choices reflect personal preferences. No doubt, cars are a necessity that also reflect lifestyles and aspirations. Some might go as far as to claim a car is a fashion accessory, since car design has become dynamic, sleek, stylish and even sexy! Cars thrill the senses. Fashion is intended to give everyone access to that daily dose of joy and fun in a more affordable way. This is the objective behind Kind’s participation in fashion events year after year.

2 A STATEMENT TIMEPIECE

2 3

The Classic Petite Melrose is the neatest classic, yet it is a statement timepiece that truly reflects the design approach of Daniel Wellington. Defined by its contemporary look and sophisticated design, this 32mm watch is a must-have. The beautifully crafted mesh strap is soft and lightweight, and ensures the watch sits comfortably on your wrist. Made from stainless steel, the mesh strap is available with a silver or rose gold plating, and its length can easily be adjusted. With its undeniable elegance, this is the kind of watch that looks just as good for a night out as it does in broad daylight. It is available from Sun Lab at The Point, Plaza, Valletta, Baystreet, Paola and Arkadia, Gozo, and VIP in Sliema and Valletta.

3 EYEWEAR STYLE EXPERT ADVICE Join O’hea Opticians on June 3 to let the Silhouette eyewear style expert, Angelica, create a look that is uniquely yours, using her customisation skills: lens shape and size, frame style and size, frame colour and lens treatments. This is a complimentary service, provided by an eyewear professional. Call on 2131 5590 for a free appointment at O’hea Opticians 191, The Strand, Gzira.

4 A NEW HANDY MINI SIZE

San Michel, one of Malta’s leading table water brands, has recently extended the range of bottle sizes available through the launch of a new handy mini size 33cl bottle. It’s a more convenient and easy-to-carry bottle size, which is more suited to and in line with today’s on-the-go lifestyles. This mini bottle format makes it easy and convenient to carry around for all-day hydration and is especially suited to fit in lunch boxes. San Michel table water is bottled, produced, marketed and distributed by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, member of the Farsons Group.

5 LEATHER CHRONOGRAPH This 40mm Ancher chronograph features a matte dial, numeric indexes and three-hand movement. The top subeye displays military time, while the lower subeye tracks seconds. The subeye at the 9 o'clock hour tracks minutes in conjunction with the stopwatch function, while stopwatch seconds are recorded with the traditional second hand. A quick-release pin construction makes it easy to interchange the leather strap with any 20mm standard strap. This Skagen watch is available from Sun Lab at The Point, Plaza, Valletta, Baystreet, Paola and Arkadia, Gozo, and VIP in Sliema and Valletta. Pink May 2017 ∫ 73

TABLETALK

TROPICAL TOUCH INGREDIENTS Serves 4 For the curry 2 red onions, finely sliced ¼ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 1 bay leaf A pinch of lime powder A pinch of turmeric 300g cauliflower, cut into florets 2 plantains 200ml coconut cream 100g cooked cannellini beans [chickpeas or lentils] For the salsa 100g physalis berries, outer skin removed and finely chopped A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped red onion A drizzle of olive oil

76 ∫ Pink May 2017

MARIA CACHIA sources plantain and physalis to prepare a cauliflower and cannellini bean curry, with onion and coriander in the fruity salsa. METHOD For the curry In a pan, sauté the sliced onion and, once translucent, add the allspice, nutmeg, bay leaf, lime powder and turmeric. Add the cauliflower florets, the chopped plantains and the coconut cream. Season and cover the pan so that the florets and the plantains start to steam. After a couple of minutes, add the beans. Cook until the plantain can be cut with a fork. Add more coconut cream if needed. For the salsa Mix together the berries, onions and coriander. Drizzle a little oil and pour on top of the curry. Serve with rice.

WOMENONWHEELS

IN THE COMFORT ZONE Despite her apprehension, when TV personality Tezara Camilleri finds herself behind the wheel of the new Suzuki Baleno, she automatically remembers how to drive a manual car… And it is an effortlessly fun ride to boot.

fter driving the same car day in, day out, who wouldn’t want to test drive a brand spanking new one? Earlier this month, I made my way to the Industrial Motors Ltd showroom in Msida… I wasn’t entirely sure what the plan of action was and what car I was going to drive, but make no mistake about it – as soon as I got a call asking me to pop by, I was excited. Truth be told, my excitement was short-lived. When I got to the showroom, the sales rep handed me the keys to a new silver Suzuki Baleno 2017 and said: “Go on and enjoy!” That was easy for him to say – he hadn’t been given the keys to a very shiny manual transmission car after having spent the past four years driving an automatic! So, there I sat in an unfamiliar, yet rather comfortable, car seat, and from the corner of my eye, I spotted something I’ve become highly unaccustomed to over the years – the gear stick. That’s what happens when you’ve been driving an automatic car. I had not touched a clutch, or gear

stick, in a long time, so in short, I was expecting the worst. I took a few deep breaths, tried to recall my dead-on-arrival manual driving skills and turned the key in the ignition. You can only imagine my surprise when I successfully put the car in ﬁrst and started what would be a very smooth journey. I decided to take the car for a spin on the Coast Road, and after a few minutes, it was as though I automatically [excuse the pun] remembered how to drive a manual car. The gear stick is conveniently

“HONESTLY, THE DRIVE WAS SO EASY, I BARELY EVEN REALISED I WAS SWITCHING GEARS AT ALL” positioned in such a way that very little effort is needed to switch from one gear to another. Honestly, the drive was so easy, I barely even realised I was switching gears at all. My favourite thing about the Suzuki Baleno was deﬁnitely the inbuilt touch screen, which has multiple features, such as hands-free phone control via

Bluetooth, audio controls and a navigation programme. One feature that really tickled my fancy is the Smartphone Link, which syncs a smartphone to the screen and allows access to the apps from the phone by using the touch screen of the car. Super cool! For a medium-sized car, I have to say I loved the space in the Suzuki Baleno; it is super spacious, but not big enough to make someone used to a far smaller car feel uncomfortable. My life was also made much easier when it came to parking because the inbuilt screen automatically switched to camera mode and I could see the exact position of my car from the front and the back, allowing me to manoeuvre and park effortlessly. Of course, I had to check the size of the boot before I gave the car back because that little voice in my head kept recalling my nanna questioning if a buggy and multiple grocery bags would ﬁt. The answer: they would, with ample space for the kitchen sink! I was also pleased to notice an emergency tyre repair kit back there, for those pesky pothole-related accidents. So, you see, the unfamiliar was scary at ﬁrst, but thankfully, I was given a car that took absolutely no time to get used to. Pink May 2017 ∫ 79

STARGAZER

THE FUTURE IS

PINK ARIES MARCH 20-APRIL 18 After long weeks of discussion about the structure of your life, potential changes in how you live, work and the balance between the two, little has been decided. Obviously, you’re frustrated. Happily, sudden events during June’s ﬁrst half enable you to turn ideas into action. Be bold. You can rethink things that don’t work, but can’t return to ideas or offers you rejected. And ignore those who advise caution. The higher you aim, the more you’ll achieve, often to your surprise and delight.

CANCER JUNE 21-JULY 21 Planning ahead may be a virtue, but because the pivotal Cancer New Moon isn’t until June 24, either crucial facts will be elusive, or you’ll be unsure what’s wise. Actually, that’s best, because what you learn, who you meet, or the ideas you encounter, some totally unexpected, could transform your thinking, or your perspective. The trick is to adopt an easygoing attitude. Do that, and also, regard June as a period of exploration and you’ll enjoy the process of discovery it’s all about.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 22-OCTOBER 22 However carefully you’ve organised plans, personal, social, or professional, early June’s events will usher in changes as thrilling as they are unexpected. Respond swiftly, but don’t commit. It’s too early. Instead, show interest, and if you’re short of facts, or want to get to know the individuals involved better, say exactly that. This is a period of exciting but disruptive change and others will be delighted to explore along with you. And plans? They’ll be ﬁnalised, but probably not until late in the month.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 21-JANUARY 18 Between certain long-standing arrangements coming undone and more recent plans also falling apart, you could worry things are going wrong. Yet at the same time, amazing and unexpected ideas and offers are coming your way. Ordinarily, you’d take time to check these out. Instead, move swiftly, knowing you’ll learn about these as things progress. This may rouse uncomfortable feelings of vulnerability, but soon, you’re reassured by what you’re experiencing and the brilliant way things are coming together. 80 ∫ Pink May 2017

According to astrologer SHELLEY VON STRUNCKEL… TAURUS

GEMINI

APRIL 19-MAY 19 In late April, a combination of events and pivotal conversations made it clear changes in long-standing arrangements were inevitable. While, initially, you battled these, a combination of discussions and your own experiences revealed they weren’t just wise, but also beneﬁcial. Still, you’re concerned about disruption, or the costs. Raise these concerns openly and you’ll receive clear and surprisingly creative answers. Better yet, these will relieve tensions with others, allowing you to rebuild important relationships.

LEO

MAY 20-JUNE 20 Because late May’s Gemini New Moon kick-starts a cycle of exploration, you’ll begin June brimming with exciting ideas. Some will fall into place swiftly, while many will inspire others, enough you’ll work together to make them reality. True, this will require a combination of ﬂexibility and imagination. While these come naturally to you, as a Gemini, you’ll often have to win others over to your plans. Next, you’re reviewing issues in your personal life. Changes are needed, but fortunately, decisions can wait until July.

VIRGO

JULY 22-AUGUST 21 As a Leo and a ﬁre sign, you’ve a talent for turning the most challenging situations to your advantage and, usually, making the process fun. Yet what and, often, who you encounter during May will slow your pace, enough that you’ll begin June behind schedule and questioning your plans. Actually, that’s good, because early June’s amazing events could change everything. Knowing that, explore ideas or offers, and even encounters that, initially, seem unappealing because, often, they’ll turn out to be happy surprises.

SCORPIO

AUGUST 22-SEPTEMBER 21 There’s been talk of alterations in your domestic and working life and your priorities for months. While you’ve made a few changes, you’ve been unsure about others. The fresh perspective that comes with late May’s New Moon boosts your conﬁdence, so as ideas and offers appear during June, you’re eager to explore them and will adopt many. The trick is to get involved but, with the foundation of arrangements still shifting, sometimes several times, put off ﬁnalising plans until you know more.

SAGITTARIUS

OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 21 While, as a cautious Scorpio, you’re wary of unexpected offers, those ideas that appear in late May and blossom during June’s ﬁrst half are as good as they seem. True, they would mean altering familiar elements of your life and, in some cases, making major changes. This seems worrying, but certain arrangements and alliances are, clearly, more of a burden than an asset. Letting these go frees you to pursue passions – creative, romantic, or personal – you’ve long dreamt of. Now you can.

AQUARIUS

NOVEMBER 22-DECEMBER 20 For ages, you’ve been talking about certain ideas, plans, or projects, but things have never come together. Now, the powerful Sagittarius Full Moon on June 9 get things going. But you’re uncharacteristically anxious. Discuss these feelings and you’ll soon realise you’re venturing into new or unfamiliar territory. Usually, you’d just plunge in. Instead, invest time in talking things over with those whose wisdom you trust. They’ll guide you through those doubts and, better yet, you’ll learn a lot in the process.

PISCES

JANUARY 19-FEBRUARY 17 By no means are you rigid in your thinking or approach to changes. On the contrary, you’re among the ﬁrst to discover, and get involved with, new ideas and interesting people. Yet what arises in early June could seem overwhelming, enough you want to take time to address your questions. That isn’t possible. Instead, you’ll be learning something new each day, either about practical matters or the people involved. Plans will be settled in stages. Once you understand that, you’ll enjoy the process.

FEBRUARY 18-MARCH 19 The changes you’ll be experiencing in your personal, relationship, or working life are best understood if you go back to the powerful events and shift in your perspective and priorities, triggered by late February’s Pisces eclipsed New Moon. At that time, you began a process of exploration. This climaxes with events in June. Some are clearly connected to those past decisions; others seem sudden. But they’re all about breakthroughs, as necessary as they are timely, and in seemingly ﬁxed elements of your life.

Visit www.shelleyvonstrunckel.com to learn more and order your own chart.

SNAPSHOT

A LEADING LADY As a pioneer in Malta’s emerging burlesque scene, Undine LaVerve has become synonymous with the art form she so loves and that has turned into a lifestyle. She tells Pink how burlesque made her fall in love with her body and about her upcoming theatrical debut in Steve Hili’s Adult Panto.

Who would you say has influenced you most in life and why? I would

have to say that my mother is as much a part of the mastermind behind my performance and projects as I am; she’s always right there by my side with both advice and a helping hand and, somehow, she’s always right! But, artistically, I don’t have a direct inﬂuence; I take inspiration from a variety of sources, including old movies, metal music, legends of burlesque, musical theatre and books, among many things… Inspiration often strikes when I’m on the road.

hen did you first take up burlesque?

I started taking burlesque classes back in 2010 with Liv Yorsten, a Canadian performer, who was living in Malta at the time. It didn’t take long for me to realise that I wanted to become a burlesque performer myself, so when Liv left Malta, I kept going, developing my style and learning more about the art until I became completely consumed by it.

What’s the burlesque scene in Malta like? Burlesque is booming all over the

world. In Malta, the scene is still young and fresh, but the country is receiving the art form with a lot of enthusiasm and love. It’s a privilege and a pleasure for me to build a scene where there wasn’t one before. In fact, I am proud to say that I produce monthly shows at Electro Lobster Project, showcasing great local and international burlesque and variety talent. I also teach burlesque classes, which means that new Maltese burlesque talent is growing. Moreover, this October, Malta will welcome its ﬁrst ever MalTease Burlesque Festival, so stay tuned; we’ve been busy cooking up something very exciting for you, my little rock!

starters, it has allowed me to travel the world and perform in many different countries and venues, from theatres to underground bars. It’s also through it that I’ve met some exceptional individuals and brilliant artists whom I now call friends, including Steve Hili from the Adult Panto. It has opened my mind and a whole new world for me, and made me think differently. Through burlesque, I have found my existential freedom. And now, every time I see something sparkly, I try to think of a way I can use that said object in a costume.

“IT HAS OPENED MY MIND AND A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR ME, AND MADE ME THINK DIFFERENTLY. THROUGH BURLESQUE, I HAVE FOUND MY EXISTENTIAL FREEDOM. AND NOW, EVERY TIME I SEE SOMETHING SPARKLY, I TRY TO THINK OF A WAY I CAN USE THAT SAID OBJECT IN A COSTUME” You’ll soon be making your theatrical debut in Adult Panto. What can you tell us about your role? This year’s

You have taken the art of burlesque and turned it into a lifestyle. What can you tell us about this? For me,

burlesque is not just an art form… It’s had a huge inﬂuence on my life. For

Adult Panto is set to the theme of Little Red Riding Hood, but it is unlike any version you have ever seen before: Steve Hili’s writing it, after all! I will be in charge of all the fun dancing that you’ll see in the show; and we are ramping up the satire… Without giving anything away, the songs chosen will not be your traditional burlesque Pink May 2017 ∫ 81

SNAPSHOT tunes either. Everything is done with a purpose in this show, and the songs we chose this year will really make you laugh. I will be doing more than just dancing this year, though. I am an integral part of the action… As Steve puts it: ‘Magical Undine’. I will play numerous characters and help the show ﬂow by impersonating a mischievous pixie, popping up in various guises, and ensuring the adventures never cease. My expertise, at least according to Steve, is going to come in very handy this year… And when satire meets burlesque and is engulfed by naughty silliness – boom!

Burlesque and theatre may seem to be worlds apart to some. Is this the case?

I don’t think they are; or, at least, they shouldn’t be. Many big burlesque shows in the UK and the US use big theatres as venues and burlesque can be very theatrical… In itself, the art encompasses not only dancing, but also acting and singing. It’s a multidisciplinary art. I am happy to see burlesque involved in more theatrical productions like the Adult Panto, in fact.

“I GENUINELY FEEL HAPPY, STRONG, POWERFUL, SENSUAL AND OH-SO FEMININE ON STAGE, AND IT STAYS WITH ME OFFSTAGE TOO. BURLESQUE IS MY SUPERPOWER AND MY EMANCIPATION” What are you most looking forward to when it comes to the Adult Panto? To

What is the biggest lesson the stage has taught you?

the fun, the jokes, the lewd naughtiness and all the general madness. We’re also all a little bit scared… Expect the unexpected and more!

To be free and to love myself the way I am. Through burlesque, I have learnt conﬁdence of both body and

spirit. I love my body and I genuinely feel happy, strong, powerful, sensual and oh-so feminine on stage, and it stays with me offstage too. Burlesque is my superpower and my emancipation. The stage is a catalyst for that. What is your life motto?

My motto is to act Life. I am an existentialist and I believe that we create our own life’s path with our actions and decisions. I believe in taking action instead of watching life pass me by. If I believe in something, or want something, I will go for it. Oh, and to look fabulous while I’m at it! This year’s Adult Panto in Summer – Little Red Riding Hood is being produced by Ants in Pants and will be held at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, on June 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25. For tickets, visit www.kreattivita.org, or call on 2122 3200. Photography Ove Nordström