EBM Magazine #09

N o0 9 / J U N E 2 0 1 9

BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE

MAGAZINE

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No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 3 Laferla Insurance Agency Ltd. is enrolled under the Insurance Intermediares Act, 2006, to act as an Insurance Agent for Mapfre Middlesea plc (MMS). MMS is authorised by the Malta Financial Services Authority to carry on both Long Term and General Business under the Insurance Business Act, 1998. Both entities are regulated by the MFSA.

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EDITOR'S LETTER

Finally - the heat is on! Or did we get excited too early? This issue is about Summer and all the activities and events of the season. We started by organising one hell of a photoshoot in Manila, Philippines. Our cover boys, Johan and Valentin talk about their relatively new, but very successful business. They mention how it all started and how the name Dilanti came about, as well as what it is like to run a company together even though they are literally in different countries and time zones. We also had the pleasure of working with fashion photographer Cholo Dela Vega, from Manila.

EBM Magazine EBM No 09 / SUMMER 2019

We got chatting with Erik Bergman; one inspirational Swedish gentleman, who has quite the experience in affiliate marketing. He also talked to us about his incredible journey towards helping people with his new project.

We also had the pleasure of meeting three incredible ladies. These best friends are successfully conquering the gaming industry after only being here a few years. And we cannot fail to mention the wonderful Mel - the chef behind the delicious food at NAAR, the restaurant with the great view, music and atmosphere. Mel is a seasoned traveller (the pun is intentional), and those travels are the recipes to her incredible dishes.

Powered by

We surely have not forgotten about fashion and style! In this issue we cover the Fashion First event organised by EBM. Just like last year, we had the pleasure of seeing Charles & Ron’s new collection, and in addition to that we also got to see men’s wear collection by David Catalan - a Spanish designer based in Portugal. Rae McGrigor talked to us about her style; quirky, interesting and inspiring. Rae was photographed by Mark Arrigo, who currently lives in the UK. He is one talented Maltese photographer.

Sun and sea, the ingredients for a perfect day off – we talked to Simon and Daniel about their passion that turned into a job on the water, and the perks of working with boats. Who doesn’t like Champagne? And how about a beautiful trip to Champagne to visit the three most famous champagne cellars. Martin Pettersson had the pleasure, and we are here to enjoy the story with a bunch of great photos from this beautiful trip. We want you to be in the great shape for those beach days, whether they are active or lazy ones. Swim and run is quite a thing and Matthew Camilleri teaches us how to do it right.

In case you forgot about those photos from our Masquerade Ball by EBM – they are here, for you to see! It was a different kind of party at one of the most spectacular venues – Palazzo Parisio. Talking about Summer parties - we present to you four DJ’s from this little rock playing all Summer long. Find them, follow them!

We hope this issue will be your perfect reading material for your beach or pool days. Enjoy it and enjoy Summer!

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 hello@ebmmagazine.com  @ebmmagazine  @ebmmagazine #ebmmagazine

Julia Boikova Editor

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CONTENTS

52

The Wow Factor Delivered

10

56

Just a little bit extra

18

22

Dilanti Media Conquering the market one continent at a time

Hublot Luxury brands are synonymous with status and prestige. Locally, no other company quite spells Luxury as Edwards Lowell

Passion, Strength & a Pragmatic Approach:

60

28

Naar Restobar A Mediterranean take on sustainable cooking and the jungle roots of NAAR’s vegan menu

From making big money to giving it all away: The evolution of Erik Bergman

34 44

Meet Rae A conversation with a unique and totally unexpected style icon

Fashion First at Palazzo Parisio A fashion day to remember

48

Up close & personal with designer David Catalán

50

The genius artistry of C&R once again at Fashion First

The Oceanline Experience with Daniel Ashforth

Long live the beauty of Champagne!

Travel tips

64

Meet the three best friends who talk about the perfect ingredients for a glowing CV

26

Jugs, Mdina International & Venues Box all you need to know about team building

Sun, sea & sailing away the blues The creation of a memorable Summer

68

U Bistrot

72

Last night a DJ...

76

EBM's Masquerade Ball

80

Shift Work

82

Patrick J O’Brien

84

An expert’s guide to the best tips and advice

Home away from home

Meet some of the hottest names on the scene

A night of intrigue at Palazzo Parisio

...and how to survive it

A life in charity milestones

Get your exercise fix and do it well!

88

Henry the ‘Dishjockey’ Fusing Scandi & Mediterranean cuisine with love

F O R E WA R D

About six years ago, in April of 2013, to be precise, Martin launched EBM. Having identified the need for an innovative local events company it was the most logical thing to do. Soon after, I joined forces with Martin and we formally started Ambassadör Events together and the rest, as they say, is history.

The company has grown exponentially over the past few years; we now have seven different brands within the company, and a lot of different projects going on within each brand. In total we are nine full time employees, plus another ten or so people who are actively working with the company. We have mainly four different types of projects. B2C (EBM), B2B (corporate events), Marketing (EBM Magazine) & Key Projects (Showers, iGaming Idol, venuesinmalta.com).

We believe that it’s the fairy dust that makes the events stand out and we try to encourage the team to break barriers and think outside the box. Boasting more than 500+ successful events to date, I believe that going the extra mile in the way we operate is the reason why people tend to like what we do, including this very publication, which has become a benchmark for similar publications on the island.

And now, after a long, cold and windy winter, summer couldn't be more welcome.

And what a summer we have ahead of us, with an action-packed event calendar.

We kick off with the opening of the new lido Nine Lives in Bugibba on the 1st of June, followed by the popular return of the EBM Sundays at Skybeach from the 9th of June. Showers takes place on the 6th of July, and then we also have a few more surprises in store for you in July and August to keep you entertained throughout summer.

As if that wasn't enough, we are also extremely excited to launch our new flagship project iGaming NEXT, a new, very exciting conference taking place at InterContinental Arena on the 10th of September. To summarise, our energetic team will not be bored during the coming months of preparations. This, the 9th issue of EBM Magazine is going to be on display at all these events and more as we expand our distribution. It is a perfect summer read, whether by the pool or by the sea, covering some fabulous summer activities and featuring insightful business reads. It's really amazing for us to work on this project and see it progress every issue with amazing content, design and photography. All this gives us a huge sense of pride. Shout out to editor Julia for doing a great job! I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I have!

Grab a copy of EBM Magazine from the hottest spots on the island GZIRA Dr Juice · The Grassy Hopper · The Ladybird · White Sheep

NAXXAR Palazzo Parisio

SALINA Salini Resort

SLIEMA Café Cuba · Charles Grech · Compass Lounge · Dr Juice · Freemyme · Giorgio’s Cafeteria · Hammett's Gastro Pub · Just Burger · Mint · New York Best · Palazzo Violetta · Pure

ST JULIAN'S Cavalieri Hotel · Crust · Dr Juice · Fat Louie's · Hush Restaurant · Intercontinental · New York Best · Pippa Toledo · Rocksalt · Tiffany · U Bistrot · Vivaldi Hotel · Westin Dragonara

TA' XBIEX Beans Café · Genki · Pasta & Co · Royal Malta Yacht Club · Waterpolo Club

Pierre Lindh

Martin Pettersson

Managing Director, Ambassadör Events

Head of Sales, Ambassadör Events

 @pierreobv

 martin@ambassador-events.com

VALLETTA Casa Ellul · Charles Grech · City Lounge · Cru Wine Bar · Kingsway Valletta · Lot Sixty One

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DI L ANTI M E DI A

CONQUERING THE MARKET ONE CONTINENT AT A TIME

Dilanti Media is an innovative online marketing company operating in multiple industries.

Run by individuals with many years of experience from the casino operator, digital marketing and affiliate industry, it is the result of a partnership between two old friends, Johan Styren and Valentin Alsen. Here we speak to these forward-thinking industry players to discover more about their journey and long-standing partnership‌ Interview by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Cholo Dela Vega

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C O V E R S T O RY

Prior to launching Dilanti, Johan had worked within the Online Gaming industry for 10+ years, starting at Unibet in London. He reckons that his three years in business development there were the best education ever for what was to come next. When he moved back to Sweden, he was introduced to two entrepreneurs who wanted to launch a mobile casino. Fast forward a bit and after six years as CEO at LeoVegas, growing the company from just four employees to a 500+ workforce, and valued at over 1 billion dollars, Johan decided that his mission was complete, and it was time for early retirement. Bets were placed by his friends that his retirement wouldn’t last longer than a year or two before he would embark on his next project - it lasted six months.

During his very short ‘retirement’, Johan spent a lot of time travelling and it was during a trip to Curaçao that he ran into an industry friend, Valentin Alsen.

Valentin started his gambling career at Betsson and with his many years of experience from search engine optimization and online marketing, he was a front figure in getting the online operator to start working with SEO in the first place.

In 2014 he moved to Catena Media where he was head of SEO and a key part of building Catena. At this point in time, the employees of Catena Media fit into a 3-bedroom apartment and he was given the task to transform a small group of friends into a professional SEO department, with easy scalable and future proof processes. After 3 years at Catena Media developing the SEO department and which included being part of the listing of the company on the Nasdaq stock exchange, it was time to move on. What the next project would be was not clear until he meet Johan Styren on his visit to Curacao.

Tell us about the concept of the company and how the name came about…

Johan explains, “The concept of the company is simply to work smarter and do things better than our competitors. While most of the successful companies in the industry originate from founders with in-depth knowledge of SEO, Casino or whatever it might be, we feel that there is a huge opportunity in not just combining people with the right skill sets, but also build an organisation better than all the other competitors.

“While a lot of other companies measure their success in the number of employees on their payroll, we measure it in our ability to keep the number of employees down. We only want a small team of the very best people and strive to automate everything that doesn’t require innovative thinking.

“We strive to keep ourselves at the forefront and ahead of the competition. That brings us to the story of the company name. When we first started out, we hadn’t really decided on a name, so we took our first employees out on a sailing cruise in Curaçao and simply said that before we get back from this trip the company needs to be named.

“It turned out one of the other guests on the boat was a Google executive who quickly got into the naming process.

We described how we wanted to be ahead of the competition and at this point the locals got involved as well. Long story short, the word ‘dilanti’ is Papiamento, the local language in the Caribbean islands Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao and simply means ‘ahead’.”

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What were the greatest strides as well as the biggest challenges you’ve encountered so far?

“Our constant challenge is deciding on what not to do. Our business model presents not only so many opportunities with new markets within gambling, but also other industries to explore or by simply reselling our technical product to other affiliates. At times we have said yes to a few things too many, simply out of our enthusiasm for doing things and have had to learn the hard way that you simply can’t do it all,” Johan replies with a wry smile.

So, Johan you are more known for building organisations while Valentin is the techie wizard – your views on creating a successful business from each of your perspectives.

Johan promptly responds, “From my perspective, it's always been about understanding the gaps and potentials in the industry and then seriously ask yourself ‘can we do this better?’ If the answer is yes, then surround yourself with exactly the right people and go for it. I do believe I have an eye for people’s potential and an ability to put the right pieces together to build success.”

Valentin says, “For business in general I agree with Johan on the combination of good understanding of your industry to be able to see gaps and being able to determine if you can do things better together with having the right people around you.

“For me the right people don’t always have to be the ones who are the very best within the field, but the ones with the best attitude and true passion for their work.

“Then for us specifically at Dilanti Media our success has derived a lot from having a technical approach. We have been able to automate most of our work such as product optimization based on data reports and SEO, things that we know for a fact that our competitors have big groups of people working on. Not only does that require managing and paying for all that personnel, but more importantly our automated systems work while their employees sleep.

“We have also been very open to not do everything in-house but instead integrate service providers which we believe are some of the best at what they do. Being open to incorporating the services of other business such as Ahrefs.com, RankChecker.io, Bing and others has not only increased our pace of growth but has also led to relationships from which we have gained invaluable insights.”

From an investor’s or employee’s point of view, why would a start-up be more attractive than say bigger companies? What’s the ultimate attraction?

“If anything, it’s our genuine ambition to create the most attractive workplace there is in this industry. Part of that is simply offering a fast-paced environment where people with ambition really have the

potential to grow. But it’s also about sharing the upside of when the company does well. Our first year of business, 2018 was a major success, so for our Christmas party we decided to take the whole company to the Caribbean for two weeks. We share the hard work, but we also share the success.

“From an investor’s perspective the attractiveness of our business model is our ability to scale business without scaling operations, simply due to our focus on technology and automation,” Johan says.

More to the point, what do you believe is that one single element that makes Dilanti Media so attractive to its client base?

“Our focus on automation means we allow ourselves to reach outside of traditional markets and even start new markets on clients’ demands, within a very short amount of time,” Johan explains.

They say that you should choose your business partner as you would choose a spouse, which is probably why most business partnerships collapse.

How easy is it to share your vision with ‘another’ and still make it work?

“In our particular case we very much share the vision of our company and all in all we are very in tune as individuals, we simply get along really well. Having said that on a professional level our skill sets could not be more different. For us that has been a perfect match since we really complement each other’s skills,” Johan says.

Does the fact that you mostly work on two different continents and therefore you’re not in each other’s pockets all day long help in maintaining a good relationship, or is it a hindrance?

“It’s naturally a challenge in some cases, like when someone needs a cover photo of us and we actually need to be in the same place,” Johan laughs referring to this very magazine’s cover shoot, “but then again, when we do meet it’s at conferences in the most amazing places across the world. We certainly don't have much chance to wear each other out, so I wouldn’t rule out that the distance actually helps.”

What would be the one single valuable piece of advice you’d give anyone interested in launching a start-up?

“Talk to people who have started businesses before,” Johan wisely says before continuing, “in my experience entrepreneurs are very willing to help new entrepreneurs and there are many pitfalls that can be avoided in this way.”

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Finally, looking ahead, what are you forecasting for Dilanti Media for the next business year in terms of growth and development, as well as any challenges or changes you envisage?

Valentin says, “We have battled some difficult but fun technical challenges, due to our decision to enter so many new markets like the US market. With regard to the US market specifically, we had to significantly increase the capabilities of our technical platform, to be well prepared for this already very competitive market, and for which we foresee the competition increase at a fast pace as more states regulate online gambling. With these technical challenges now behind us, I am forecasting exciting times with further fast paced growth for Dilanti Media just as we have previously seen in our already established markets.”

“We are growing our business in a few new markets including Germany, Japan, India and Spain, but the big one is the US. It’s challenging because it requires us to apply for a number of licenses, but it also requires for us to significantly broaden our contact net with completely new operators and a gambling culture that is completely different from a European one,” Johan ends on a bright and ambitious note.

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BIG BANG UNICO 42mm Photography by Kris Micallef | Model Rikard Rinaldo

The Hublot Big Bang watch with a Unico manufacture movement — an undeniable success has now been redesigned on a smaller scale, to have a diameter of 42 mm.

Making this watch the perfect choice for gentlemen to downsize and for ladies’ wrists.

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DESIGN

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Edwards Lowell is the official retailer of Hublot watches in Malta.

In 2010, Hublot launched its new manufacture movement, the Unico chronograph, which was fitted in its iconic Big Bang model in 2013. A really Big Bang! Fully designed, developed, machined and assembled

by Hublot’s own engineers, micro-mechanics, and watchmakers, this chronograph movement went under the endearing codename of calibre Unico HUB 1242.

This flyback chronograph, which can be reset at any time, is one of a kind in the industry. It stands out because of its double clutch mechanism and column wheel which can be seen from the dial side also having a removable platform escapement.

Five years later, the watchmakers from the Nyon manufacture have reworked the structure to offer us an all new Unico movement that is slimmer, giving it perfect dimensions for the 42-mm case of the new Big Bang. Introducing the calibre HUB1280.

Just like its big brother, it keeps its double clutch mechanism and its column wheel can still be seen from the dial side. But, thanks to the removal of the platform escapement and the introduction of a new, flatter, self-winding system, it is 1.3 mm thinner (for the same 30-mm diameter).

Building on the styling, reliability and robustness that made the HUB 1242 (8.05mm thick) such a success, the architecture of the new HUB1280 (6.75mm thick) has been entirely redesigned to facilitate its assembly and improve the wearer’s view of its operation through its dial and its windowed back cover. Technical innovations for which four different patents have been filed, including an oscillating seconds clutch and an adjustable ball-bearing chronograph friction system. The total number of components has increased from 330 to 354 parts; the new calibre having 43 rubies compared with 38 in the previous model. The Pellaton self-winding system has been replaced by a double reversing switch with ball-bearings. The power reserve remains the same at 72 hours.

The arrival of this new manufacture chronograph movement enables Hublot to offer its Big Bang flag-ship model in this new 42-mm version.

Its diameter has gone from 45 mm to 42 mm and the thickness of its case has been reduced from 15.45 mm to 14.5 mm. These dimensions mean that the watch can now be worn both by ladies and gentlemen: Big Bang 42 mm is unisex! A lifestyle positioning that is enhanced by the different versions available, including Titanium, Ceramic and King Gold finish. Big Bang is opening itself up to a new world, and its dimensions are 42 mm!

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“Our Unico manufacture movement is THE motor that defines our house, which we have developed fully ourselves.

It means a lot to us. Seeing its further development today in terms of its dimensions and its technique shines a light for Hublot into the future. Its new proportions make it accessible to even more of our customers. This is an achievement that we are very proud of!”

Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot.

DESIGN

BIG BANG UNICO TITANIUM AND TITANIUM CERAMIC

BIG BANG UNICO KING GOLD AND KING GOLD CERAMIC

Reference

Diameter Thickness Water Resistance Case Bezel

Glass Case Dial Movement

N° of Components Frequency Power Reserve Strap

Reference

Diameter Thickness Water Resistance Case Bezel

Glass Case Dial Movement

N° of Components Frequency Power Reserve Strap

441.NX.1123.RX (Titanium) 441.NM.1123.RX (Titanium Ceramic) 42 mm 14.50 mm 10 ATM (100m) Satin-finished and polished titanium Satin-finished and polished titanium or satin- finished and polished black ceramic Black composite resin lower bezel with 6 H-shaped titanium screws Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment back Satin-finished titanium with sapphire crystal Mat anthracite grey skeleton HUB1280 UNICO manufacture self-winding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel 354 (43 rubies) 4 Hz (28’800 A/h) 72 Hours Black structured lined rubber straps Titanium deployant buckle clasp

441.OX.1123.RX (King Gold) 441.OM.1123.RX (King Gold Ceramic) 42 mm 14.50 mm 10 ATM (100m) Satin-finished and polished 18K King Gold Satin-finished and polished 18K King Gold or satin- finished and pol-ished black ceramic Black composite resin lower bezel with 6 H-shaped titanium screws Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment back Satin-finished 18K King Gold with sapphire crystal Mat anthracite grey skeleton HUB1280 UNICO manufacture self-winding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel 354 (43 rubies) 4 Hz (28’800 A/h) 72 Hours Black structured lined rubber straps 18K King Gold and black-plated titanium deployant buckle clasp

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PEOPLE

PASSION, STRENGTH & A PRAGMATIC APPROACH: THE PERFECT INGREDIENTS FOR A GLOWING CV Imagine you had to have an entertaining conversation with the cast of Sex and the City; except that there are only three of them and they’re not actresses, but three very real, flesh and blood women, whose sense of self is so strong, they’re not really bothered whether they’re liked or not. So, what’s the similarity? Not only passionate about their successful careers, but also witty, warm and brutally honest, these three women are the perfect poster girls for the sisterhood – that great big, nurturing network made up of only females and was naturally the main theme of SATC. We got together with these remarkable ladies to track their professional journey and discover why female relationships are so valuable to thriving in a modern world. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Anneli Nilsson, Nina Brydolf and Anja Wunderlich …

All three hail from an iGaming background. Anneli who is Swedish, is a recruitment consultant, while Nina who also hails from Sweden is a gaming company COO and Managing Director and Anja, a German, is Head of Operations for an online casino. At some point both Anja and Nina were Anneli’s clients, a relationship which soon blossomed into a close friendship.

Anneli is the only one who is actually self-employed, something which she says happened when she was made redundant in 2016, “I was working as a consultant as an aside to my full-time job as a COO for an iGaming company, and when the business was outsourced to India, I was made redundant. In hindsight, it actually was the kick I needed in the butt, to get out there and do what I had wanted to do for a long time,” she says.

Words by Giselle Scicluna Photography by Julia Boikova

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PEOPLE

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PEOPLE

With CVs that read like a dream, and careers which make the dreaded ‘glass ceiling look like a tea party, what have been the greatest challenges so far? Anneli is quick to interject, “The fear of failure, I guess. I’ve always believed in myself, but what if I fail? So sometimes, it feels much safer to not take the next step. Yes, pushing myself out of my comfort zone is the greatest challenge of all.” “But I think this is not just endemic to being self-employed, I think the fear of failure is a huge stumbling block even when you’re an employee, because unless you actually take the plunge and move forward, no matter how risky the move, you’ll never grow,” says Nina.

Anja has a different take to this, which the others jokingly say is because unlike them she is German, “I think that the main challenge is to make myself heard,” Anja says, “I don’t want to make this about feminism, it’s not, but the further up you go on the career ladder the more you’re swimming against the tide. That said, I don’t believe that this is mainly because I’m female, but I think that it’s more because it’s a very, very competitive environment.” They all agree that while gender equality has been a long time coming, the tide is slowly but surely turning. However, Anneli points out, “We have to admit that the lack of numbers of women in power is not always down to inequality. Sometimes, women simply do not want to engage in certain roles, preferring to give their full attention to family. So, to be honest, I think it’s quite useless whining about this state of affairs, when only a very few are willing to make that change.”

Between them they have three very different, distinct careers; what made them gravitate towards their particular roles? Candidly Nina adds, “You know when people have a calling, something that you always know that you want to do? Well, I never had that, I never thought I wanted to do this or that, so I just thought to myself, until and if I get my calling, I might as well build my CV and make a career, and that I guess is how my whole career has progressed. To this day, there is no role in particular which appeals more. My roles have taken me from sociology, taking care of kids, working in a prison, a programmer to Digital Director for CocaCola Europe and I’ve loved them all, but only for two or three years.

I tend to feel stagnant after a while and sorely need a fresh challenge, which is also the case for my personal relationships.”

Anneli says that she wholly identifies with this, “I need to have a lot going on, all of the time. My career has taken me from a professional horse vet's assistant to working in nightclubs to ending up as a C-level executive in the gaming industry. Music has also featured hugely in my life, singing and song writing, and I have horses, which are a great passion of mine. So, during my career I have made a lot of transitions.”

Anja on the other hand feels that she was always focused on what she wanted to do, “I have a degree in business management, though I did specialise in event management, which gives vent to my creativity.

However, like many others, I got into iGaming by coincidence due to me being German. Within 3 years of arriving in Malta I was in a senior position and have held roles such as Operations Manager, Key Official, Head of Regulatory Compliance, initiating and building up a B2B Start-up company and being a Managing Director thereof since then. I am good at what I do and I love it, because every day is giving me a different challenge!”

With such colourful career histories to date, what has been the highlight so far? “This might sound like a cliché but I grew up in an environment wherein it was drummed into me that I could be whatever I wanted to be, but on the other hand this same environment did not really nurture that mindset,” Nina muses, “so I think that actually being able to be brave, grow stronger and succeed despite the circumstances is my greatest accomplishment.” Anneli continues in the same vein, “I come across this very often when I’m giving career advice. Some people are simply happy to complain about their circumstances but are not willing to be brave and make the necessary change. This is not rocket science, but plain common sense.”

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Common sense and being straightforward to the point of bluntness is an attribute all three ladies share. Are they such good friends that they don’t mind telling it like it is to each other? Anneli chuckles, “All the time!

We’re always arguing because we’re brutally honest with each other, we get pissed off at one another but then we simply move on. We need to do this, as we have no one else we can depend on, no family, except ourselves and our small circle of friends.” However, they do have a selection of furry babies at home, except for Nina who jokingly admits that she can barely take care of herself, let alone take care of a pet. Anja is the proud owner of two dogs and a cat and Anneli has three cats and a horse, which she says takes up to three hours of her time every day.

Anneli’s devotion to her horse sees her rise at an ungodly hour, 4.30 a.m. to be precise, which is obviously not conducive to a hectic social life and late nights, though she does throw caution to the wind every now and again. Nina and Anja on the other hand, love socialising, though in Anja’s case she does this in what seems as two very different dimensions, “Well, I have what I call my ‘formal and posh’ fun nights out, which usually involve work dos and then there’s my much less staid biker events and metal concerts,” Anja says, herself a motorbiker.

Is there something which each of them would have done differently along the way? Any regrets? “No, because I’m actually living my dream now,” Anneli says, “Last year I got my recruitment licence and it’s all very exciting. I’m rebranding as well, I’ve signed up for a course to learn even more about HR, so things are looking quite good. Perhaps, I should have saved a lot of money along the years,” she says though not very convincingly. Nina says, “I worked so hard to accomplish something that to date I still don’t know what it is, that I never really took the time to be irresponsible; you know, footloose and fancy free and I think at some point in your life I think you need it. So, I’m lacking that balance and it’s only now that I’m learning to let my hair down a little bit.” “There was a time in my life that I was working too hard and not getting paid for it accordingly. Actually, I was close to a burnout and I did manage to put a stop to it, that’s when I stepped down from being a Managing Director, but in hindsight, I wonder if I would have been where I am today if I had not bitten the bullet and toughened it up for a while. Still, I let it take over my life for too long. It is important to set boundaries and find a work/life balance even when you’re at the top,” Anja says.

Does having a high-flying career impact on intimate relationships? “My ex used to complain that I cared about my job more than I cared about him,” says Nina, which prompts both Anneli and Anja to exclaim, “Me too!” and “Mine too!” Nina continues, “Thing is, it was probably true,” to which we all burst out laughing. Jokes apart, Anja says, “I find that especially here in Malta, men are intimidated by career women,” which in a nutshell, quite sums up the situation on the romantic front.

Do they believe they make great leaders? “Actually, I do. A good leader is someone who respects their team and believe that their input is as equally important as yours. I believe in helping them grow, so, I say to my team that I want them to aspire to one day have my job, because that is what motivates them to become better at what they do,” says Nina. “When I started out in Costa Rica as a president for an investment company, I was overwhelmed with new tasks every week, so I had to set up a team and quickly. So, you learn that you can’t manage every department, so you bring in experts. I want people to be better than me and that way it’s a lot less hassle and stress. That said, I don’t expect any less from anyone than I would expect from myself, though I do expect a lot from myself,” Anneli says adamantly. “I treat my guys, like Nina said, as my equals. I feel it’s important that they are able to communicate anything and let me know whatever it is that might not be working for them. I need them to take my instructions but not be afraid of me,” Anja says.

Is there any circumstance or event which would take priority over their careers? “Honestly? If I fell in love, I would give all this up in a heartbeat,”

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Anja Wunderlich

Anneli Nilsson

says Anneli. Would she give up her career for a relationship? “No, not for just any relationship, but I would for real love. My parents were in love and they were in love every single day for thirty-two years. If I could have that, which I have never had with someone, then I think it would be worth it. To be fair, to have this kind of career was never my ambition, I fell into it, so yes, maybe this is why I would put love before everything else,” she candidly says. “When I started my career, I was so driven that it never occurred to me that I would want to give it up for anything, so maybe that’s the difference between me and Anneli. This was something that I had planned to do at all costs, but nowadays I do think differently about it” Anja says. “I can’t for the life of me identify with all this,” says Nina, “I seem to be the only one who despite the glowing CV, lacks direction or purpose, maybe I’m not all that super-talented after all and that’s why I haven’t found my calling,” complains Nina with tongue firmly in cheek, to which Anneli promptly replies, “Oh yes you are! Let me tell you; if you were a horse, I’d be the first to buy you and I only buy winners!”

So, what would these three lovely ladies suggest to anyone who wants to be successful? Anja’s advice is quite straightforward, “It’s simple really. If it makes you happy, just go for it, don’t hesitate.”

“I think that self-belief and shutting down naysayers who will inevitably tell you that you won’t or can’t make it, is what puts you on the path to achieving success,” says Nina. And Anneli? “Don’t let mediocrity define you and never make losing or failure an option.

You might not always succeed but always set the bar high and try to aim for excellence every time,” she says. And with such a powerful statement we conclude our interesting conversation with these three exceptional women, whose sense of solidarity and camaraderie and their capacity for telling it like it is, warts and all, makes them fascinating interview material - pity that we only had time to just barely scratch the surface…

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A Mediterranean take on sustainable cooking and the jungle roots of NAAR’s vegan menu Words by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Julia Boikova

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Balluta Bay, NAAR Restobar is the closest to an ultimate multi-sensory epicurean experience you can get anywhere on the island. From warm family dinners at the restaurant, to euphoric lunches with friends, refreshing dips and cocktails at Neptunes poolside and spontaneous twilight raves in the sea-side lounge, NAAR will give a soul to any plan.

Business Partner and Executive Chef, Mel Agius Millo and her team ensure that the place runs like clockwork; from breakfast to lunch to dinner and beyond, while still coming up trumps with their innovative food and drink creations. Young and dynamic, NAAR’s food is inspiring, exciting and highly insta-grammable, as many of its loyal patrons can confirm. We met up with Mel on a fine sunny morning at her stomping ground, to better understand the unique concept of NAAR… First, a little about Mel herself. After cutting her teeth with some of the finest chefs in some of the best kitchens in Malta, Mel has spent the best part of the last ten years travelling to the most far-flung places on earth, savouring exotic and little-known cuisines in Asia and the remotest corners of South America, including the Amazonian jungle. Sampling these foreign cuisines, eating with the villagers she came across in some of the world’s most isolated places, what did she find as the most impressive? “The flavours! The sheer flavour of the simplest of foods. Their ability to combine so many herbs and spices and elevate simple ingredients to a symphony of pleasurable taste,” she says with pure enthusiasm.

Inspired and strongly committed, NAAR continually strives to interpret this in their menu, combining Mediterranean tradition with an exotic, tribal twist to create the most wonderful, gastronomical dishes for their many patrons.

Not only has NAAR imported the simple, yet extraordinary craft of turning simple ingredients into veritable feasts, but also adopted the laudable philosophy of sustainable and mindful cooking, instilled in its whole team.

So, what exactly does this mean? “In simple terms, it all boils down to creating food without waste or harm. We believe first and foremost in promoting vegan foods. As it stands, our world is going through a rough time; we’re overproducing and over wasting, throwing away so much food that this is not sustainable any more. If I know that, for example I need just a kilo of a particular foodstuff, why buy more than I need? Then it comes down to using

whatever you have in its entirety. Say, if you’re roasting a chicken, why throw away the carcass when this can be utilised to make a good stock?” she explains. “In Colombia for example, whatever is left over from a family dinner is recycled as compost in their back garden, so literally nothing is ever wasted. Sadly, this mindset is sorely lacking in Malta.

"This year NAAR has also banned plastic straws from the premises, opting for biodegradable ones and then, only when the customer requests it for their drinks or cocktails. Last year I visited the Galapagos Islands and it was an eye-opener.

They have a zero-plastic policy in place, which might sound like an impossible venture, but there you go, they still manage brilliantly! No packaging, no bags. Instead they package food in banana leaves and any other material which is not harmful to food but is obviously, biodegradable,” she claims in awe.

suppliers who grow pesticide-free, organic vegetables, fruit and herbs which makes such a huge difference to the finished product.”

NAAR also caters for our four-legged friends, which given that Mel is a huge animal lover comes as no surprise at all. So, what’s on the menu for furry visitors? “We make doggy biscuits and muffins, in-house and from scratch,” she laughs at my astonishment. Inhouse and from scratch? “Yes, of course. Bear in mind that dogs have very specific diets, so everything is cooked with coconut oil, we use spices like turmeric, which is very good for them, as is peanut butter. No salt, no sugar and no preservatives, so they’re very healthy for them.”

Inevitably our conversation turns to NAAR’s new menu, which includes a full separate vegan menu with a tantalising selection of sexy sounding vegan options, including Pumpkin & Cashew Ravioli, Yellow Thai Curry and the fabulous Aubergine Boat to name just a few.

This menu, which was introduced a year ago became an instant hit, “Since then we have watched the demand grow in such a way, that even non-vegan customers have been known to order a full vegan meal,” Mel says happily, “About forty percent of our customers are vegans, so looks like we are definitely on the right track.”

However, the general perception of vegan food is one of bland and boring dishes, so combating this mindset could prove to be quite difficult.

How does NAAR view this? “That is such a mistaken notion, vegan dishes can be the most flavoursome and colourful with a variety of exciting textures and nuances. The vegetables are the stars of the dish, and not treated as an afterthought. A truly good vegan recipe will play on the senses, through spices and herbs and lends different sensations to the palate; crispy, sweet, moreish, smooth – you name it and with a little TLC it can be done magnificently."

Soon NAAR will also be launching a special seasonal menu, which aims to focus solely on fresh, seasonal produce, dramatically reducing the usual airmiles involved in producing a dish from its original terroir to plate. But being on an island of such a diminutive size, would sourcing of the freshest, best ingredients pose a problem?

“We really do our best to promote Maltese farmers. There is some really good produce out there, so we source from four different

Getting to know NAAR’s concept and spirit behind it, I sense that it’s a true reflection of its team - innovative, gregarious, vibrant and highly attuned to the environment it inhabits.

What are the plans for NAAR in the very near future? “We will continue innovating. We want to show people that there is a different way to think about food. You must understand that every one of us can make a big difference and, as a restaurant, we feel responsible to empower people to make those choices, open their mind to a more sustainable, plant based food and maybe even get inspired to make lasting changes to their lifestyle. We are also working on creating regular events where like-minded people come to chill, eat, drink and dance and enjoy a beautiful soulful sunny vibe of Malta,” she ends with a smile.

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FROM MAKING BIG MONEY TO GIVING IT ALL AWAY:

THE EVOLUTION OF ERIK BERGMAN Interview by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Kris Micallef

Erik Bergman is a well-recognised name within the industry. The original co-founder of Catena Media, one of the world’s leading online generation companies, his story reads like a modern, rags to riches fairytale of the twenty-first century. From his humble beginnings to the selling of a multi-million-dollar company on the Stock Exchange, and all before age 30, Erik has experienced what most people can only dream of in a whole lifetime. In our interview he talks candidly about his rapid rise within the industry, the pitfalls of making big money and conversely the financial freedom this engenders when contributing to the greater good…

Then at 19, the year he graduated from school, his winning streak started to unravel, and he found himself back at this parents’ house, simply because he could not maintain the lifestyle he was just getting accustomed to. He tried to launch a career in party planning, a move in which he says he failed abysmally. But in 2008, when Erik was 20, he partnered with Emil Thidell, a childhood classmate and a computer genius, who was curiously born on the same day, and at the same hospital as Erik. All they knew was that they wanted to start their own company but had no idea as to how and what kind of company that would be. Not a very encouraging start, but they persevered.

By his own admission, Erik Bergman was a very lonely kid. With hindsight, he believes that his inability to interact with his peers, stemmed from the fact that he tried to put on a façade. Inevitably he came across as an insufferable know-it-all, something which young kids do not take kindly to. But things soon changed. His family moved to the outskirts of a more affluent area, a move which saw Erik attend a new school wherein his classmates all came from rich backgrounds.

“It was a blessing in the sense that it was a fresh start,” he says, “but while I did manage to make friends, the richest kids in town actually, I felt that I did not belong. From a financial perspective I had nothing of what they had, but I was obsessed with fitting in, so whatever little money I had, I spent on stuff which I thought would make me look like their equal.”

After a couple of failed business ventures, including the not very original idea of printing taglines on men’s underwear, they finally settled on opening their web consultancy agency, which attracted a few clients, though was far from being a money-making venture. It was then that they decided to start building websites, a project which was the early foundation of Catena Media. In 2010, Erik and Emil together with Johanna, Erik’s then 19-year-old girlfriend took the plunge and moved the business to Malta.

Erik felt that while he was part of this very close group, he felt inadequate, a feeling which was further exacerbated by the usual ‘young men’ banter. Effectively it boiled down to some very noxious shaming, “How can you live in that house? How can you drive that shitty car? In many ways having money became a proof of self-worth, effectively an obsession which took over my life,” he says remembering that time, which soon led him to his first forays in the gaming industry.

He started playing poker at just 16, something which he was good at.

At 18 he started to make big money, which turned him overnight from the poor kid to a very rich one. “I wanted everyone to see that ‘hey, I’m not the poor kid anymore!’, so I started spending all my money on things which clearly said that I had gone up in the world. The fast car, the apartment and the clothes which I thought created the identity I had always dreamed of. That said, it was not a very genuine place to be, I created a self-image which was completely fake,” he says.

The story of the rapid rise of Catena Media within the gaming industry is well-known; from a two-man show to a lucrative multimillion company floated on the Stock Exchange, which naturally begs the question – why did Erik let go of a lucrative business which he co-built and which proved to be so successful? “I think that it was because it was so successful that I eventually had to let go. I believe that to me what’s interesting about the Catena story, is not the success, but the sacrifices that had to be made to get there. I barely remember 2014 and 2015, it was too high paced. Both Johanna, who was working for the company at that time, and I, were burnt out and it was taking a huge toll on our relationship,” Erik says, “I pushed the both of us harder than what made sense and ended up treating people around me in ways which I’m not proud of, all with the goal of making money.

I was killing myself and I sure wasn’t happy. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved, but the pace just wasn’t sustainable.”

The company was soon floated on the Stock Exchange and made Erik more money than what he says he’ll ever need. Candidly, Erik admits, “Financial freedom has a lot of value to it, but it doesn’t fix what’s not functioning in your life. You’d think that once you have the money, the No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 29

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rest will all fall into place; well, it doesn’t.” Taking a step back and trying to make sense of the high-octane life he had lived for the previous few years was the next natural step, but retirement was not something which sat well with Erik, a situation which led him to his next great venture – great.com which is a highly controversial charity project.

How did great.com come about? “The idea has been with me for a very long time. I come from a family for whom charity and helping each other out is part of our makeup. These are values which in my search for status and identity I had ignored. So, I reasoned, if making money is not the solution, then what is? How can I with my knowledge of making money and passion for building things, can I give scope to the values I had been brought up with? I could run a charity, but I have no idea how to go about that, so, after exploring a multitude of ways of how I could do my bit, I eventually focused on what I do best. At great.com we are not looking for donations, but rather building on the same concept as Catena Media, doing commission-based marketing, except that ultimately, we will give all our profits away,” Erik says matter-of-factly.

What kind of charities would be eligible for donations from great. com? “Extreme poverty is the driver of the world’s worst ailments; from disease to child trafficking and everything in between, but you

have to be very careful in certain situations so as not to exacerbate particular issues. Throwing money at a cause without addressing the root problem will not help the plight of those who are suffering. For example, we are giving away mosquito nets. Yes, mosquito nets,” Erik says seeing my astonished expression, “They are the best solution towards curbing malaria, which in certain countries is the number one killer. If you have a family where the breadwinner succumbs to the disease, then extreme poverty cannot be avoided, which obviously will give rise to plenty of other tragic situations. So, we aim to help those organisations which are highly efficient and data-driven, in the sense that they can demonstrate tangible results and are transparent. People, including myself, end up not giving because they don’t trust and don’t have enough knowledge, and this is something which at great.com we are trying to address.”

But there’s more to Erik than just being a savvy businessman and philanthropist; one of his great passions is dancing, which he says he does all the time. And it’s not just any old dance, but the bachata, kizomba and zouk; dance styles which although quite similar to salsa, are slower but much more evocative and sensual. “Basically, it’s following your partner’s breath, it all boils down to intuition and for me since I’m very connection-driven, it’s a creative playground, with very few rules and limitations, so I’m very passionate about it,” he says. On the other end of the spectrum, Erik is also passionate about motocross and Thai boxing, quite a huge departure from dancing, “What I think is that I have this huge need to punch people in the face and fast driving a motorbike,” he laughs, “while at the same time I have this need to connect with other people, a contradiction perhaps, but there you go!”

Dancing and punching people aside, what’s the way forward for Erik?

“What I’m really looking forward to is getting a business partner on board, someone who can take care of the commercial aspect of great. com, someone who resonates with the idea of building a company to give it all away while doing this from a healthy and sustainable business perspective, where the focus is not extreme growth but rather extreme wellbeing for everyone involved in the project. A CEO kind of

person who will help me build this, so I can focus on the charity aspect and be able to communicate these things, so hopefully I can reach a lot more people. Maybe a person reading this article? The idea is to build this over the next 50 years, because this is something that I want and need to do for the rest of my life,” Erik says.

The time has come to bid Erik goodbye, but as I ponder on our conversation, I realise that sometimes you meet people who inadvertently restore one’s faith in human nature, of the nobility of the human spirit and how if we all ignored our material distractions, the world would be a much happier place indeed. So, thank you, Erik!

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Interview by Giselle Scicluna Photography by Mark Arrigo

Raewyn McGrigor, or Rae as she is better known, represents everything we all aspire to be when we grow up. A dedicated patron of the arts, as well as a huge supporter of live performance artists, she is a unique personality, whose intrinsic age-defying style has seen her fronting designer campaigns, shining like a beacon in a fashion landscape that is dictated by social media phenomena and its demands for us to conform.

But there is more to Rae than meets the eye; a freelance mother and baby coach by profession, she has travelled the world for more than 25 years, dispensing advice and tender, loving care to fledgling mothers, facilitating the not always easy process of mother-baby bonding. But that must be another story for another day. Today, we meet up with Rae, at her charming house in Valletta to try and discover all about her iconic sense of style…

I find Rae sat at a sewing machine, sewing away at a cloud of black organdie flounces, which she explains is a fifties-style petticoat which she needs to go with a dress she has left behind at her native New Zealand. “Oh, it’s not a problem,” she laughs at my quizzical expression, “I can definitely find something else to wear it with.” And just like that, we launch into one of the most warm and delightful interviews I’ve ever had the pleasure of conducting.

So, was Rae always this stylish? Is it something that’s intrinsic to her?

“My mother was a seamstress and growing up in the 50’s in my native New Zealand, there weren’t the resources we have today, so she would make her own dresses as well as the same dress in the same fabric and style for me. I loved it for a while, until I was about eight, when I had to put my foot down, ‘No! This must stop’,” Rae giggles at the memory.

“Don’t get me wrong, my mother was very stylish, very artistic, so she was always very well turned out, but even at that age, I knew that what I wanted was different.”

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Did she want to be different? “No, not exactly. It was more a question of knowing what suited me. Growing older I was a very shy, selfconscious teenager, very athletic, so even for our school dances I stuck to the image I had in my mind and one which I knew flattered my physique. So, more than anything, I always had a clear picture of what I wanted,” she says.

And today, a long way away from her childhood and teenage years in New Zealand, how would she describe her style? “I don’t consciously go out shopping for a look, but inevitably I always come across something that stands out and then I have to have it. I start thinking this goes with this and that and build a whole look from that one single item. For some reason these unique pieces find me,” she says with a laugh. So basically, what Rae is saying is that she builds a whole ensemble from

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a single item of clothing, a handbag or a pair of shoes? Curiously, she says that she is definitely not a big shoe aficionado, “Probably because I have always been a very active person, always on the go, so heels are not very practical and therefore I wear them very rarely.”

Rae says that she loves uniforms, which quite explains her, bold, sleek style. Tailoring? “Yes, I do like a style that is streamlined to the body, a statement piece. That said, at the other extreme, I also like big, oversized pieces. Quite a contradiction, I know, but there you go! I think that my wardrobe contains quite a variety of styles and colours, so I dress according to my mood.”

Owning such a colourful, drop-dead gorgeous wardrobe, what would Rae say is her most expensive purchase to date? “Oh, I can’t tell you

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that. I actually have quite a lot of expensive items, which I didn’t spend a lot of money on,” she smiles, “For example, I have this extraordinary, highend fashion house black dress which I bought on the Portobello Road that was a sample, but which I got for a bargain price. A sample wouldn’t fit everybody, so luckily, it was up for grabs and it just happened to fit me.

For instance, my Japanese shibori kimono, is a vintage, a unique artisan piece where they embellish the fabric by shaping the cloth and securing it, before dyeing,” hurrying off to get this exquisite masterpiece from her closet. “Usually, these things are simply hanging on a rack, overlooked by everybody else.”

Rae admits that not only is she a collector of remarkable vintage pieces, but she is also one who does not regularly ‘de-clutter’ her closet. “Why should I get rid of clothes which I love? If taken care of properly, good quality pieces will last a lifetime and with a little thought they can be re-worked over and over again. Of course, I get rid of everyday items regularly; stuff like cotton shirts, t-shirts and everyday clothes which must be laundered frequently,” she says.

As an accomplished seamstress herself, Rae is partial to a bit of customising shop bought clothes, hence the black petticoat. She readily admits that she also likes a bit of flounce, perhaps a throwback to her childhood in the 50s.

“Huge petticoats were all the rage back then! We all had these beautiful dresses with a cinched in waist and billowing petticoats underneath.

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The only problem was that at the time fabrics were mostly of the scratchy variety,” she giggles, “as I got to know well on a hot and sunny day on my way to the city. It was sheer hell walking and I was in such a state, that my mother made me take the petticoat off and hid it in the rafters of the wooden hut which served as a bus shelter. On our way back, we went looking for it and obviously it was still there.

Who would’ve thought to look for a petticoat in a bus stop!”

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style choices, would never wear? “I would draw the line at anything that’s low-cut. It’s just that the whole sexy, too-much-flesh on show is just not me.” Was she always this conservative in her taste? “Yes, even back in my schooldays, I was always the one who excelled at sports, never the girlie type and I was really very shy to wear something like that with confidence.”

Is there anything she would consider as a huge fashion faux pas?

Getting to know Rae, with her wonderfully warm and open personality,

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her answer doesn’t quite come as a surprise, “There’s no such thing as a fashion sin. As long as someone is comfortable in what they’re wearing and they’re happy, then no, I don’t think there should be rules as to how we dress. Personally, I think that clothes really express personality and if these are worn with confidence, who are we to judge?”

And if clothes are a mirror to our personality, what do Rae’s clothes say about her? Is she as bold as her clothes make her out to be? “No, I’m more passionate than bold and that is something which I had to

quash for many years. But now, I think that the older I get the less I feel responsible for what other people think. I’m just being me,” she says.

Should there be such a thing as age appropriate fashion? “I don’t believe so! I think we should be conscious of not appearing as a mutton dressed as lamb, but as long as we’re conscious of our body types and what’s flattering and what’s not, I don’t think age should be restraining in terms of having fun with fashion. And, at the end of the day, fashion should be a source of fun, joy and pure self-expression,” Rae tells me before we walk out into the sunlit streets of her beloved Valletta.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

juliabka.com

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"STYLE IS SOMETHING EACH OF US ALREADY HAS, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS FIND IT." Diane von Furstenberg

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FASHION FIRST AT PALAZZO PARISIO

Words by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Silver Portugov

EBM’s extraordinary Fashion First at Palazzo Parisio Cutting-edge fashion and a delicious party vibe, has been for the second year running the winning combination for EBM’s Fashion First, held on the 19th of May at the magnificent Palazzo Parisio. With internationally renowned local designers Charles & Ron, as well as Spanish designer David Catalan, showcasing their latest collections for the Spring/Summer 2019 season, the event can be easily rated as a huge success.

But, in keeping with EBM tradition and their incredible talent for infusing their events with an extra dose of glamour and va-va-voom, Fashion First was not the standard, run-of-the-mill fashion show. We speak to EBM’s lovely Debbie Cooper, who as Project Manager oversaw the event, to discover what actually went down on the day…

So, what's changed from last year?

This year we had a foreign designer fashion show as well as Charles & Ron. We also had an Art Exhibition by Helene Flipo. The panel was bigger, and we managed to expand a bit more into beauty and skincare. To the delight of attendees, we also had a makeup workshop by Chantal Busuttil as well as more pop-up stands based on fashion and beauty. We also included lunch sittings to enable guests to relax and make it more of a day event.

Tell us more about the panel and what was discussed on the day…

The panel consisted of Chantal Busuttil (makeup artist), Dr Joanna Delia (cosmetologist), Elleria Janas (skincare formulator), Shanel De Battista (fashion influencer) and Bruno Carvalho (David Catalan’s assistant), so we had a very broad mix of fashion and beauty experts, which was very well received. The questions by the audience mostly focused on how the panellists got their start in their respective industries and what tips would they recommend to anyone interested in the field, as well as how all sectors are influenced by current fashion trends globally and locally.

What was it like on the day?

The day started out quite chilled with people enjoying lunch in the garden and browsing through the pop-up shops. Our DJs were playing some awesome tunes to get the summer mood going. The guests attending the panel discussion were very interested in learning from the panellists’ expertise, and obviously with such beautiful collections on the catwalk, the fashion shows were a sensation. The vibe then moved into a party swing as the sun set on the Palazzo gardens and on another successful Fashion First event.

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH DESIGNER

DAVID CATALÁN Words by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Silver Portugov

David Catalán, is founder, creative director and main designer of the David Catalán fashion brand based in both Oporto, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain. His collections are inspired by a modern culture, with sporty silhouettes and superposition of layers, all of this bound together with an innovative character in search for new techniques and creation of new materials. Here we discover more…

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What prompted your interest in fashion?

From an early age I was studying interior design, which lead me to explore stuff connected to design, and I fell in love with fashion design.

How has your work evolved since you first began?

I started doing womenswear, but gradually went on to design for men. I love it, it's challenging but fulfilling, because it's more structured an I have more rules to break.

What would you consider as the most important aspect of your creative process?

I feel inspired by urban tribes or silhouettes from specific costumes, then I work around that.

How would you describe your designs in general?

Oversized, colourful, authentic.

How would you describe the man or woman who wears David Catalán?

Energetic, artistic, joyful.

Tell us about the collection you’ll be showcasing at Fashion First 2019.

It's a summery collection, inspired by the 50s, about western clothing meets the space race.

If you had to create just one single one-off piece, for whom would it be or who would you want to showcase it?

Maybe a power suit, for David Bowie, would have been wonderful.

The best highlights of your career...

Being laureate of La Maison Mode Méditerranée à Marseille, Revelation young designer in MBFW Madrid and the Future of Fashion Program, just to name a few.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I hope I'll still be doing showrooms in Paris, like I am now and maybe presenting there as well.

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The genius artistry of C&R once again at Fashion First Words by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Silver Portugov

Having taken the Maltese and international fashion scene by storm, fashion duo Charles & Ron are revered for their sheer talent and determination, pushing boundaries in their designs while staying true to their Mediterranean roots. Through their meteoric rise to fame, they have quickly become a household name, recognised for their genius artistry, continually injecting their designs with a touch of theatrical effect, but which incredibly still make for highly wearable creations. And now for the second year running, C&R has pulled out all the stops for Fashion First, the unforgettable fashion extravaganza organised by EBM, which combines the best fashion talent with their unique brand of entertainment. We watched in awe as C&R’s fabulous S/S 2019 collection aptly named ‘316KM2’ unfolded before our very eyes… But what’s the inspiration behind such an iconic collection?

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Spring/Summer 2019 Collection “316km2” 316km2 might be a small size for a country but it is enough for Charles & Ron to be inspired over the past years. This season is no exception and staying true to their Mediterranean roots the designers drew inspiration from Malta & Gozo’s towns and villages which are mostly built in limestone and often painted in a mishmash of pastel colours.

traditionally associated with the islands like the Maltese falcon and the dolphin fish.

This set the tone for the colour palette of the Spring/Summer 2019 collection.

Sunburst Orange, Sunflower Yellow, Light Sky Blue, Lilac and Mint. All paired with the C&R staple shades of black and white.

Charles & Ron used silk, chiffon, soft tulle, light wash denim, cotton knit and a newly introduced embroidered denim fabric. The beaded gowns are all hand-stitched and just like all the other graphic print designs, they are designed in house.

Charles & Ron juxtaposed these urban colour inspirations with drawings of some of Malta’s most iconic animals. Some species endemic to the islands like the wall lizard and the freshwater crab and some others not, but typically and

The new collection is paired with large shopper style bags in matching prints and the handmade leather bags and belts are made from finest Italian leather. Shoes, boots and custom jewellery pieces are also all designed by C&R.

Finding a balance between urban areas and nature is difficult anywhere, let alone in one of the smallest countries in the world, so a spotlight on some of these animals which risk extinction is important.

Soundtrack for the show was a special edit by the Gozitan band The Travellers and consists of a mix of tracks from their latest albums.

C&R commented: “A summer day on Malta or Gozo might take you from a village to a bar and later, a beautiful beach. We wanted this collection to truly capture the spirit of island

life. Small towns, villages and iconic spots like Gleneagles Bar in Gozo Harbour, really capture that spirit. Images of the bar, pictures from beautiful Xwejni Bay, traditional house façades and the idea of putting some iconic animals in the spotlight, set us off on the design journey for Spring/Summer 2019”

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THE

WOW FACTOR DELIVERED Words by Giselle Scicluna

Team building, staff incentives, team cohesion, developing and sustaining high performance teams are no longer new buzz words, and JUGS Malta’s 19 years+ in the industry is testament to this. From knock your socks off parties, to adrenalin pumping team builds or team development days out, paired with training, they’ve done it all and how! And now they have more exciting stuff coming up with newly launched Venues Box and learning and development experts Mdina International.

So, what is new on this front? What can we do to continue to wow and engage our teams year in year out?

EBM met up with Josef Gafa` director at Jugs Malta, one of Malta`s leading teambuilding and conference organisers to find out more about what`s hot on the block when it comes to teambuilding and training in Malta, the Med and beyond!

We’ve taken teams abseiling, we’ve built boats, raced cars, took ships out to sea at battle, thrown huge parties with unbelievable entertainment, you name it, we’ve dreamt it and done it. In other words, fun is the backbone of our strategy! The trick is to continually keep things fresh and to do so means keeping tabs on our audience and understanding what makes people tick. Let’s face it, the workforce has changed over the last decade. We talk about millennials with reason, there are differences in what the workforce expects, how they react and what makes them buzz.

We are constantly evolving and growing our offering and bring in the necessary partners where required, to ensure we deliver top notch, as per usual obviously. We’ve just launched an overseas division, Venues Box and the feedback has been great. Yes, we are now taking teams overseas and no, price is not prohibitive! JG

Taking teambuilding incentives to new destinations for that added wow factor Venues Box is a joint venture between JUGS Malta and Chris Fenech who brings with him years of experience in incentive travel.

The subsidiary was launched early last year, and they have since whisked close to 11 management teams from local companies away for some incredibly unique and memorable company teambuilding and incentives trips, to various overseas destinations including Sicily, Budapest Madrid and Valencia!

We have sun, sea, great venues, great entertainers….

So why take your team overseas?

Well, in a nutshell, what’s not to love about an all-expenses paid holiday, while getting to know your colleagues, courtesy of your lovely boss?

But, apart from the travelling buzz, incentives which involve overseas travel have been proven to instill a feeling of “healthy” competition among employees, whereas monetary incentives may actually have the opposite effect and can do more harm than good. Employees working

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towards a target which they will all enjoy equally; will ensure they work more efficiently and cohesively in order to earn their incentive.

Incentive travel tends to foster a stronger team cohesion and provides a good platform for people to discuss business matters in a relaxed and informal environment. This gives employees a fresh perspective of their colleagues and helps in creating memories and friendships. The ultimate goal is for the team to feel re-energized, which all results in increased productivity at work. CF Naturally, everyone wants to be recognised and appreciated for their work and those rewarded with a travel incentive are very likely to develop a deeper sense of loyalty towards their employer. We are all acutely aware, that when an employee feels appreciated, they become more engaged and motivated, which results in improved productivity.

This demonstrates why travel incentives shouldn’t be considered a one-off investment, but part and parcel of the company’s strategy, because ultimately, the increased productivity will lead towards future sales and profitability. In addition, it will help retain your best staff – your achieving staff – in your company, as a rewards scheme that offers travel incentives is considered a big perk by staff.

Where have you been so far and what are the most popular destinations…

Destinations with direct and short haul flights such as Budapest, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid, London and Munich have been amongst the most attractive for company incentive travel in 2018 and 2019 and are expected to remain at the forefront in the coming years.

For longer stays (5 nights or more) then exotic Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Marrakech, Bangkok and New York / Las Vegas are usually the ones which are received with most excitement. For that “out of the box” solution with pizzazz, we are also able to throw in whale watching in Iceland or Safari in Kenya which can even be done over a 5 day / 4 night stay. CF In the near future, the focus is also going to be on unique and exclusive experiences as well as traditional travel destinations and this would include trips which include Eco-friendly VIP Glamping as well as spending a night or two in uncommon accommodation such as igloos.

What are the main challenges when creating a teambuilding trip abroad and what operational aspects are taken into consideration?

One of the greatest challenges is finding the right timing to organise a teambuilding incentive trip. Traditionally, the summer months when business is slower tends to be a preferred period by companies, but realistically this may clash with employee holiday time and could be counterproductive. On the other hand, winter then limits the number of destinations that can be considered for the teambuilding trip due to weather considerations. The length of the trip also needs to factored in when trying to balance the organisation of an overseas event with the need for round-the-clock operations for certain companies. But a solution can always be found; weekend travel or alternatively by backto-back trips with half the team participating in each event are always an option.

Staying local, we have news of a new training programme you and Mdina International are offering that most companies can benefit from, tell us more…

Whilst incentive travelling is all fun and games, on the home front we also wanted to put a programme forward that addressed the differences that HR have highlighted when it comes to managing and motivating staff from various generations. Whether we like it or not, the generation gap is well alive and kicking and to this end we worked 54 - EBM MAGAZINE - No 09

closely with our training partners at Mdina International to create a team building and training program based on a generational impact study carried out by Business Leaders Malta. JG. Myra Pearson, CCO at Mdina International talks more about the latest teambuilding training programme.

The Generational Peepshow – what a revelation!

Generational differences can often lead to needless conflict amongst team members, which over time, can erode employee morale and even affect the bottom line. HR managers, talk shows and pod casts have all spoken out about the differences. Most tend to highlight challenges with the younger generations or what they call ‘millennials’, sometimes creating an ‘us and them’ mentality. Others outline reasons for challenges that ‘millennials’ have today, such as upbringing, education or social networks.

The Generational Peepshow is backed up by research and delves into a clear understanding of the different generations. The term ‘millennials’ in itself is very generic and often not well-defined. In effect there are what are known as Generations X, Y and Z, Z being the generation that are currently moving into employment. There are clearly similarities among different generations, but there are also key differences that can be explored.

While most generations think they are effective communicators, different generations make use of multiple channels to get their message across at the workplace. Research has in fact shown that one third of generations X, Y and Z use social media and instant messaging to communicate daily with colleagues and clients.

It is no surprise that the younger generation have a stronger desire and need for a work-life balance, something that research has in fact proven.

People attending the generational Peepshow of all ages have not only come up with solutions, but also reflected on the negative and positive aspects of such trends.

So how do these generational differences affect the bottom line?

It all stems from a range of barriers that we create amongst different generations. We fail to understand the different generations and generate mutual feelings of disconnect. This creates friction at the place of work which affects employee morale and motivation. These behaviours take a toll on people and managers alike, affecting such things as retention, synergy and productivity, three key items that have an impact on the ultimate performance. MP

So where does the Generational Peep Show come in?

With the support of HR, the Generational Peep Show is designed to help teams recognise the role of generational differences in their office behaviour and the ways in which to recognize and utilise the strengths of each. It ultimately all boils down to fostering open communication and mutual understanding and putting yourself in the other generations’ shoes so as to understand their perspective and reasoning.

The generational peepshow is an interactive session where people are empowered to focus on solutions that fit the companies’ needs such as: training and development strategies, communication amongst and across teams and challenge the current status and current thought process. It all boils down to approach, because ultimately, what worked in the past does not mean will work today! MP www.jugsmalta.com

TEAM BUILDING

Myra Pearson (Mdina International), Chris Fenech (Venues Box) & Josef Gafa (Jugs)

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J U ST A LI T T L E B IT EXTRA THE OC EANLINE E X PER IENC E

INTERVIEW BY GISELLE SCICLUNA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIA BOIKOVA

Daniel Ashforth comes from a long tradition of boat builders. His dad and uncle are still working in the trade today, building boats in the more traditional way with wood in the business their dad (Daniel’s grandad) started over 50 years ago in Frinton on Sea in Essex in the UK. From a very young age he was kicking around the workshop and learning the craft but was mostly being ordered to either sweep the floors or being told off by his uncle for causing some kind of mischief. But it was also around this time that he found his passion for boat building. Fast forward a few decades and with a booming business to his name, we speak to Daniel to help us charter his journey from the family’s workshop in Essex to Oceanline, the yacht brokerage firm he founded three years ago in Malta…

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So, how did it all begin?

“I think I was about 17 when I thought it would be a good idea to buy some old run down boats from around the local village and tow them home behind by Ford Escort van and dump them on my dad’s nicely cut lawn,” Daniel laughs, remembering, “I made a hell of a mess restoring them to what I thought was a presentable order! Then I stuck a big FOR SALE sign on the side and hoped to flog one on to anyone whose eye it caught while driving past the house. I did manage to sell a few, however, there was one client who asked for a sea trial before purchasing and upon putting the boat in the water and telling him to prepare for the ride of his life, we turned to starboard and the boat went off to port, crashing us straight into the biggest boat on the quay.

Needless to say, that sale never happened! It was shortly after this that I felt it would be best to get a job with a local boat builder and give my dad his front garden back.”

What had finally prompted the move to Malta?

“After learning boat building for several years and becoming sick of the smell of fibreglass, I moved to Malta in order to pursue a career as a Yacht Broker. Luckily, I was able to start off a Brokerage career with Sunseeker Malta and London Group straight away, where I stayed for a number of years and enjoyed much success as a Yacht Broker. I joined Mersenne Group as General Manager / Sale Director owned by a UK based Hedge Fund (Ocean Wood Capital Management) with offices in Malta, and who I had sold a number of boats to during my Sunseeker days. We built a very successful boutique marina (Laguna Marina) located at Valletta Waterfront and sold a number of boats through Mersenne Yachts, which was a brokerage business I created as a sister company to the marina business. The natural step from there was to create my own business, and Oceanline was born,” Daniel says.

Oceanline’s client list reads like a who’s who of quite famous people. How did Daniel manage to grab the attention of such clients in what is effectively such a competitive business?

Daniel explains, “Being a Yacht Broker in Malta and the high value of the Yachts you are selling, you naturally get to meet some of Malta’s most famous and wealthy people. Like in most businesses, reputation is everything, followed closely by how quickly you can sell what’s in front of you. When this process is carried out successfully time and time again, you find that these people seek you out when they wish to buy or sell a boat. Thankfully, today at Oceanline we enjoy much repeat business because of this.”

Oceanline is one of Malta’s leading international yacht brokers, selling boats all over the world, from local 40ft sports cruises to 120ft super yachts.

What’s the one thing that he believes has uniquely contributed to this success?

“Oceanline is very much an international yacht brokerage and this helps us sell locally owned boats to people all over the world. We have sold boats in Malta which we shipped to Norway. We have done deals where the owner was African, buyers from the UK, boat located in Italy, and with the final destination being in Turkey. Being known for this ability to sell worldwide and being a pure Yacht Broker with no brand

preference makes Oceanline International very attractive to many boat buyers and sellers. Oceanline’s biggest ever deal was brokering a deal for a four deck 115ft Super Yacht located in Twain, which we sold to a shareholder of SeaWorld in Florida for $6,000,000. Somehow, we managed this after one year, hundreds of emails and phone calls, three trips to Twain and then shipping the yacht across the world to Florida to deliver the boat to her new owners,” he says with pride.

Over the years, Oceanline has grown and evolved into a success story; any landmark moment during this incredible journey?

“After two years of operations and steady growth, long term friend and hugely success businessman Shaun Taylor became a 50% shareholder in the business,” Daniel says before continuing, “Shaun was the founder of one of the first currency companies for Foreign Exchange (HIFX).

With capital injections from both myself and Shaun, our plan is to grow Oceanline into a local and international brand on the world stage.”

Together with Oceanline’s Managing Partner Mario Camilleri, who is also the developer of the award winning 5-star Cugó Gran Macina Hotel we have made the necessary arrangements for the Oceanline charter fleet to moor directly outside the venue.

How does Daniel envisage this development?

“The Oceanline charter fleet is located at the Cugó Grand Macina waterfront where we have the capacity for six charter boats to be moored. Mario is a huge boating enthusiast who brings a vast amount of boating knowledge to the business and is the proud owner of one of our charter boats, ‘Magica’, a Sunseeker Predator 62, so this should be a great move for the company,” he says.

Oceanline’s charter division now boasts a 20-yacht strong fleet, including your latest acquisition of a brand new Axopar 28. What can one expect when chartering a boat from Oceanline?

With an enthusiasm that’s infectious, Daniel says, “The Charter Division of Oceanline has been operating with great success for two seasons now. Coming into our third season and the acquisition of a brand new Axopar 28 TT, we anticipate a very busy season ahead!

We have experienced a high number of preseason bookings and more and more boat owners are contacting us to get their boat onboard. We have professional and experienced skippers and a fantastic catering service, ensuring all of our charter clients enjoy their special day out at sea to its fullest. Oceanline has a close relationship with the iGaming industry which ensures the most cost-effective solutions for client entertainment and team building events.”

An Oceanline experience is renowned for offering just that little bit extra to its clients. How do they manage this?

“Simple really. Oceanline is a business built with energy but runs on passion and therefore going that extra mile to ensure you are offering the best experience ever is always a given,” Daniel concludes.

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LONG LIVE THE BEAUTY OF

CHAMPAGNE!

Words by Martin Petterssen / Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Martin Petterssen

I am one of those people who believe that, “You don’t always need a plan, sometimes you just need champagne”, so it was a great pleasure when late in 2018, an invite by Demajo Group to take part in a champagne tasting trip landed in my inbox. Including a visit to the much renowned Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon and Moët & Chandon chateaus, our three-day trip was looking fantastic and boy, did it live up to my expectations!

As a group of ten we flew to Paris and then travelled by car through the pretty French countryside to Reims, where we were staying, a city which is very close to the Champagne district. As soon as we reached our hotel we relaxed for a while and after a lovely dinner, we set out to explore the city. Reims is an amazingly beautiful place, with a rich history and traditional architecture, home to one of the biggest cathedrals in France. Reims cathedral is bigger than the Notre-Dame de Paris and in ancient times, for a thousand years, the kings of France were crowned there. Although Reims does not qualify as a nightlife hub, the city boasts of a vibrant restaurant and bar scene, which we explored, even if for just a few short hours.

Next on our itinerary was a trip to Champagne. Bright and early the next morning we were driven to this world-renowned district.

All the champagne producers in the world are based here, and no type of bubbly can be labelled as champagne if it is not produced

within this region. On our first stop we went to the picturesque Abbaye Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers, the abbey where the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon, one of the very first pioneers who created champagne, is buried beneath the stone floor.

Then we proceeded to the good stuff! Champagne tasting at Dom Pérignon, where one of the highlights was the tasting of Dom Pérignon Plénitude 2 (P2). The beauty of P2 is that it is aged for around 10 years longer than normal Dom Perignon before bottling, making it some sixteen years old. The aging results in a rounder palate and a more intense flavour with a generous bouquet. The P2 is an extra brut champagne, which makes it the ideal choice for pairing with food.

After that we explored a bit of the Moët & Chandon underground tunnels which are a staggering 28 km long, originally built in 1743 in the village of Épernay. We also visited the pretty humid cellars, which are kept at a constant temperature all year round. This ensures that the quality is sustained for a long time. It’s also important that champagne is kept away from sunlight, which is why most champagne is bottled in dark glass, to protect the contents from harmful UV rays.

So, the conditions for underground production and storage are perfect.

After a short rest at the hotel, in the evening we were treated to an exclusive Moët & Chandon champagne tasting dinner at the Résidence de Trianon, which is housed in a magnificent castle, an No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 61

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architectural complex which is said to have been designed by French decorator and miniature painter, Jean-Baptiste Isabey. Composer Richard Wagner was received at the Trianon by music lover and seasoned connoisseur Paul Chandon de Briailles. Legend has it that it is here that the composer found inspiration for his opera ‘Tristan und Isolde’. Needless to say, we had a fantastic dinner prepared by the Trianon’s outstanding chef; amazing food from different terroirs, both land and sea, with different types of Moët vintages perfectly paired to the dishes. All in all, a memorable night indeed!

Next up was a day dedicated to exploring Veuve Clicquot, with a first stop at their cellars. 24 km long, these tunnels have very quaintly shaped ceilings, which are an attraction in themselves. But a visit to Veuve Clicquot would not be the same without some fine champagne tasting at the same cellars, after which, we were invited to a super exclusive champagne tasting lunch, with lots of courses served with different vintages at the Veuve Clicquot hotel, Hotel du Marc. Hotel du Marc is a super cool boutique hotel, which was the former residence of Madame Clicquot herself. A beautiful hotel with a quirky decor and lots of history, solely reserved for guests of Veuve Clicquot.

So, what’s my verdict after enjoying the iconic vintages of these three prestigious chateaus? Well, Moët & Chandon is a great champagne and suits many different occasions. Dom Pérignon is the prestige brand of Moët & Chandon and suitable for big celebrations or food pairings where price is not an issue. Veuve Cliquot is the trendier and more modern feel champagne and in my book, it is best bang for the buck.

But all good things must come to an end. On our last night, to round up such a fantastic trip, we visited a local place and enjoyed some terrific French food and wine; a change from all the extraordinary bubbly we managed to guzzle during those three days.

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SUN, SEA & SAILING AWAY THE BLUES THE CREATION OF A MEMORABLE SUMMER Interview by Giselle Scicluna

Simon Bradburn has been around water ever since he can remember.

Growing up in Africa, Zimbabwe to be exact, his earliest memories are of trudging off after school to the pool or the local lakes on a daily basis. During his twenties, his love of boats saw him working on racing boats in Greece, where surrounded by the crystalline waters his affinity with the sea grew. Later on, with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering under his belt which he achieved in the UK as a mature student, he spent the best part of six years working in the oil and gas survey industry. However, his fascination with water endured…

Back from his stint in the oil and gas survey industry, Simon returned to the UK where he worked for the defence industry, gaining valuable qualifications as a diving and power boat instructor.

In 2013, Simon moved permanently to Malta where currently he runs a dive boat charter for technical divers, works as a diving instructor, as well as offering boat delivery services. But his true passion is yacht chartering…

Simon offers unique charter trips for those who would love to experience a more relaxed, laid back and romantic sailing trip.

Chartering overnight trips to Sicily and Italy on his sailing boat as well as day charters around Malta’s coast, for groups of up to 15 people he says that the experience between a sailing boat and a motor boat is quite different. Simon has been boating for 30 years and sailing for 10; can he explain the difference for the uninitiated?

“I grew up around motor boats; racing, Ribs and cabin cruisers and while I still love going fast and thoroughly enjoy the excitement of high speed, I think once you have experienced the sheer joy of sailing it’s very hard not to fall in love with it. There is something so pleasurable about all aspects of sailing such as steering the sailing boat, trimming the sails, handling the ropes or just sitting and enjoying the sailing, that it is always an unmatched event,” he says.

But what was the turning point which made Simon decide to acquire a sailing boat and start organising charters for a living? “In not so many words, I got a divorce and divorce like many other lifechanging situations, made me stop and take stock,”

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he says with a smile, “and, here I am!” So effectively, this is what made Simon decide to acquire a sailing boat and organise charters for a living? “That and my love for the sea; having a boat on top of it and diving below its surface is sheer happiness to me. I cannot imagine ever not being near water and ultimately, what’s better than having your life passion and your work in the same place?

What’s the attraction of chartering a sailing boat? How would Simon describe the experience? “It is one of the most relaxing and peaceful experiences there is; no engine noise, just gliding along and definitely no rush to get from A to B. It’s a memorable, unforgettable event; incredible ever-changing seascapes to delight the senses plus the light wind keeps the heat down even in high summer. The boat comfortably caters for up to 15 guests allowing for an intimate gathering of family and friends to mingle on board,” Simon duly explains.

As a seasoned sailor, which would be his ideal sailing destination?

“That would have to be the Caribbean, no two ways about it! So many lovely islands to explore, that would be like a dream come true,” he says.

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U Bistrot HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Words by Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Veleria Zammit

Right on the iconic corner of buzzing Balluta Bay lies an oasis of informal charm that certainly needs no introduction. U Bistrot has been welcoming its loyal patrons to a rich seasonal fare in rustic country-style atmosphere for a number of years now and, recently, a series of renovations have taken this wonderful dining experience to a whole new level. The brilliant makeover unveiled stripped pale woods, a quaint upended floral ceiling and the most comfortable seating you can hope to come across in such a venue. The finished ambience is reminiscent of a homely country house living room where one can simply relax and enjoy the selection of expertly crafted dishes.

We speak to Darko, U Bistrot’s utterly charming manager, to tell us all about the decision to redecorate what was already a very attractive eatery. So, what’s the concept behind the new makeover? “It’s quite simple really. We want our clients to feel that they are close to nature. Just like our food the interior reflects the true heart of our restaurant - chic in its effortlessness and rich in authenticity, generous and warm, always happy to welcome you and your family. Of course we had to work with limitations of space so we had this great idea to use the ceiling as a central floral feature, giving the space a lighter, airier touch.”

To this end, they have succeeded brilliantly. The profusion of floral designs and compositions gives one the illusion of having their meal right in the middle of a garden conservatory and elevates your gastronomic experience that is very special in itself. The menu changes every month and the food is sourced locally from seasonal produce. Support for local farmers, concern for the environment and food origins have been the driving force behind menu development from the very inception of the restaurant. There is always an opportunity to try something new here, which is why the locals flock to this place at all times of day. One can expect to find anything from an indulgent brunch with runny Eggs Benedict and Tiramisu French Toast, to fresh fish, Prawns Sauté in Pernod, indulgent homemade pasta dishes, roasts and nutritious salads. Many of the dishes can be adapted to gluten free and vegetarian requirements.

Ultimately it is the kind of place where food and service are the stars of the show but without any needless ceremony or exuberant prices. It is the kind of place that will make you feel chic whether you are eating pancakes in your pyjamas or sipping a cappuccino with your designer bag and a pooch in your lap… A place that you will love to share with your friends and loved ones over and over again.

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NAAR EVENTS

More than a restaurant - this famous summer hang out spot that will send you on a carefree mediterranean vacation.

Feel the time slow down with cocktails and shisha on one of the comfortable sofas overlooking Balluta Bay. Let the scents of exotic fruit, salty sea breeze and mellow house beats take over your senses. Live bands and Djs to keep you dancing and singing along every weekend as well as cool themed in-house events. It is a perfect place for a bottomless lunch, spontaneous or planned private celebration or fun corporate gigs.

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LAST NIGHT A DJ… The summer clubbing season is right around the corner, with several events happening in a number of hotspots across the island and beyond. We looked up some of the hottest names on the circuit right now and this is what we found out...

Words by Giselle Scicluna

THE INCREDIBLE ARTISTRY OF MELCHIOR SULTANA Melchior Sultana is a multi-talented artist. As a multiinstrumentalist playing guitar, piano and bass, he is involved in various projects from classical to contemporary to Live band and electronic music productions. Melchior Sultana performed live at some of the most prestigious places from Café del Mar in Malta to Panorama Bar, Berghain, IPSE in Berlin and Rex Club Paris. Previous works show the wide musical vocabulary of this artist and his open mentality approach to music… Join us as we delve into the beautiful world of this crazily gifted artist…

Your stage name is your real name?

Yes, interestingly enough, most times when I’m performing overseas, I get asked all the time if it’s a made-up name.

How long have you been practicing your artistry?

Close to 20 years. Started early on making music with my first vinyl release at age 14, if I remember well.

How would you describe your style?

Music from the soul. Categories are made by the shops in order to help you find the music you’re after, but unfortunately a lot of people who should know better fall into this trap of categorisation, so it would be wrong to label what I do by giving it a title. I consider myself a contemporary artist using the instruments that are available in my time. It can be a drum machine and a saxophone improvising over it. If it captures a feeling, then it’s music…

Soul music!

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How does it work - electronic music + classical music? Tell us a bit more about this unlikely combination…

An instrument is a tool, an extension of the soul. Doesn’t matter if it’s electronic or acoustic. Then of course there’s the knowledge; I take what I learned and am still learning from a lot of greats from the worlds of jazz, funk, house, classical and so on and blend them in what I do.

and appreciated internationally. I don’t want to be part of the scene in Malta but perform only for a select few who are genuinely organising events to push the music and trying to shake things culturally.

Name a few favourite gigs abroad?

Panorama Bar in Berghain, Rex Club, Paris and a very recent gig in Tresor/Globus, Berlin.

What inspired you throughout your career?

When playing abroad you start quite late at night, or to put it better, early in the morning?

Music moved something inside me from early on and I wanted to capture that same feeling and make others feel what I felt. That it is still the same principle I adhere to today. If your music is not moving something inside others, then it’s just a mixture of sounds staked together.

Yes, depends on the country. For instance, the gig at Tresor started at 01.00 and finished at 08.00, while the other room kept going till 10.00 or more. So, my performance was at 3.30, a time which would be considered late in Malta.

You play abroad more often than here, how come?

Any gigs planned for this summer?

It is what it is, I am very happy, I am supported

A couple that I am waiting to confirm and working on doing my first label night in Germany.

MUSIC

THE FABULOUS MISS TIFFANY

Introduced at a very young age to the sounds of soul, Tiffany Pisani has always had a vested interest in good music. Growing up in Malta, Tiffany’s taste grew to include the Techno and House sounds that were developing in the region as part of the bigger revolution of the late 90’s, with influences from across the globe. Due to her modelling career wherein, she successfully won Britain’s Next Top Model in 2010 – Tiffany has had the chance to showcase her musical tendencies at many after parties in London, Ibiza and around the world, bridging the gap between modelling and music fanatic… Ladies and gentlemen, meet the fabulous Tiffany…

How long have you been a DJ? 4 years now…

How did you start out?

My mother was into music, so I have been exposed to it from a young age. I am selftaught, endlessly watching YouTube and then later on asked some friends for tips.

Have you always played the same style of music or has your style evolved?

I always adapt myself to my surroundings depending on what event or club I am playing at. My favourite music is tech house and souls full house.

Do you record your own music?

I do occasionally and tweak tracks to my taste.

Do you think it is harder to be a female DJ or is it an advantage since there are not many female DJs around (especially seriously stunning ones)?

I think it’s much harder being a female DJ as you are judged much more than a male. I thrive

on breaking boundaries, so it does not bother me and I really enjoy seeing other female DJs, though I also know many great male DJs.

Your main career used to be modelling, now it’s playing music - which one is your favourite?

I love a balance of both. I also organize small events such as ‘the guest list’ in Marrakech and also host my own radio show during summer. Apart from that my partner and I have a cabin cruiser which we rent out and I am currently in the process of captaining it.

How do you manage late nights? Does it affect your relationship?

I am very fortunate that my partner is amazing, and he supports everything I do! He also loves to come hear me play so I really can’t complain.

You play a lot abroad when travelling, do you find club owners where to perform gigs, or do they find you?

They usually find me, or I bump into them abroad. Generally, I get booked for a gig then I end up getting booked for more gigs at the

same event. Seems like many industry people are always at the same gigs.

Favourite gig your ever played?

In the Caribbean on a beach party in Curacao.

You are playing at Glastonbury this year; how do you feel about it?

I am absolutely ecstatic about it!

Do you know which stage you will be playing at and how big will the crowd be?

The crowd will vary between 2 to 6 thousand people and I will be playing on several stages throughout the festival.

Dream gig in 5 years?

I love to travel so the more countries I get to visit and play at is a dream come true.

Favourite music to listen at home?

I love 80s and 90s music. I like to dance around to these songs at home especially while I’m cooking.

No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 73

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH CARL BEE He’s the guy who over the years has attracted crowds in their thousands every weekend across the island’s hotspots and further away from our shores. Meet the larger than life Carl Bee and follow his deeper, darker, wilder beats which have set a whole generation on fire…

Tell us about where did the name Carl Bee come from?

There is no specific reason or thought behind it really :) My real name is Carlo Baldacchino, so I shortened my name with the first initial of my surname, then I came up with BEE, simply because I didn’t like just the initial letter after my name on an artwork, so I added double E...

That said, I’m afraid of bees but I love honey.

How long have you been a DJ? I started at a very young age on a natural flow, I was 15 years old when I was having DJ lessons with my cousin Adrian, who at that time was a resident DJ in local clubs such as Axis & Tremors (both venues are now closed unfortunately), However, I’ve been influenced by my father who also happened to be a DJ in the 60’s & 70’s, so basically I grew up in a musical family, listening to different music genres all day long!

Is this a full-time job? Tell us more ...

Well, tell us everything!

Yes, I work as a DJ, producer and promoter. It’s quite challenging, but unlike other businesses this requires 24/7 focus, in different environments! It’s something that I always wanted to do since the very beginning. Now, for me, it’s more of a lifestyle thing.

I wanted to be part of the music industry, DJing came first, then I started to produce my own music, and also my own parties, after which eventually, I created my own weekly summer club night Gringos and many other one off events.

What’s in the pipeline with those kick ass labels?

I just had my second solo release on Carl Cox’s 74 - EBM MAGAZINE - No 09

label INTEC, which is one of the leading Techno labels in the world. I’m quite happy that within less than a year, I had 2 releases with them. Also, a few months ago I did my debut on Joris Voorn’s label Green with the track called “Pacer”, which made the top 20 in the Beatport chart and also made it with the top 50 tracks of 2018 in the Melodic Techno Genre and numerous amount of features like on DJ Mag and MixMag. I have also had constant DJ support from Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Danny Howard on BBC radio 1, Solomun, Joris Voorn, Adam Beyer, Marco Carola, just to name a few.

Regarding upcoming releases, I have a 2 track EP with Jon Rundell , another collaboration with the legend Sandy River (Kings of Tomorrow), under his more underground alias Mysterious People and a follow up release on Joris Voorn’s, Green Imprint.

I’m working every day on new music, so something new will be coming out as we speak!

What is your weekly schedule like?

Do you manage to get enough sleep?

Yes, I do! I’m quite a day person, especially during week days. I wake up early around 7:30am, have breakfast and head to the gym for a good work out.

I try to fit at least 4 days of training a week. By 11am I’ll be ready in the studio for the next 7 / 8 hours... even more sometimes. Obviously, I stop for lunch and a coffee break which also serves as a breather!

You have a beautiful girlfriend of 12 years, how are you managing a relationship while working at night over weekends? Plus, as a DJ you probably get hit on a lot?

Yes, as you said, we’ve been together for 12 years now. It’s tough for both us but luckily, I have someone who fully understands my lifestyle, which

is not easy. Zvetlana is definitely one in a million.

It’s the loyalty and respect we have for each other that keeps our strong relationship going. After a full day’s work, we dedicate the evenings for each other, we cook together, dine and enjoy some down time. I think it’s very important to keep work and private life quite separate, everything requires its own timing and attention.

Important ingredients for when working nights and keeping your body happy?

Sleep is definitely a must and also being healthy helps a lot!

Where are you playing this summer?

Another busy Summer is definitely ahead.

Gringos every Sunday Night at Uno Village will be my main weekly residency. I’ll be playing again in Ibiza and London plus we’re currently closing some more European dates!

I’m also playing at the big festivals, which are happening in Malta like ABODE on the rock in Gozo, Annie Mac’s Lost and Found Festival, Summerdaze Festival and Elrow.

Have you ever worn a stripy yellow/ black t-shirt while playing at a gig?

Not really, I’m quite in love with plain black t-shirts. Though once I had to wear a Bee costume for carnival, so not sure if that can qualify as wearing stripes…

Dream gig to play?

Time Warp and Awakenings are GOALS!

MUSIC

MAPPING THE JOURNEY FROM MALTA TO BERLIN WITH DJ MATO Say hello to Mathieu Fabre (a.k.a MATO) MATO ventured to London & Berlin to refine his sound. For the past 7 years, he’s kept one foot in Berlin's club culture and the other deep in Malta's energetic nightlife scene . We spoke to MATO to discover more about life on the decks

How long have you been a DJ? My best friend’s father had a pair of turntables that I started messing around with in my early teens. Then, I actually started playing music for people when I moved to Panama a year later.

Have you always played the same style of music? What other styles have been part of your DJing journey, and do you still play them?

My music style has most definitely evolved quite a lot over time. It’s very hard for me to pinpoint a certain style, but in general, I like to play dance music. It’s very important for me to put quite a variety of genres into my sets, which is why I really enjoy playing longer sessions.

Can you name any artists who inspire you?

Many artists over the years have inspired me, but in more recent years, I’d say Zip, Ryan Elliot, Margaret Dygas, and Leo Pol.

Where did the name MATO come from?

MATO is a nickname I had when I was younger, though I’m not really too sure from where it came about.

You share your time between Berlin and Malta - why Berlin and not anywhere else on the continent?

After spending a year or two in Malta, I felt like there was a limit to what I could achieve here. Soon after Berlin came into the picture.

Originally, after many frequent visits to Barcelona, I was quite sure that I wanted to move there. But during the summer of 2011, I met some people who advised me that if I was looking to learn more about music and club culture, I should move to Berlin.

Has living in Berlin had a big impact on your career in music?

Definitely! When I moved here it was a big wake up call. I’ve always said Berlin is like my university.

For the past 7 years I’ve spent my winters in Berlin and my summers in Malta. Winters were like my learning period and summers were more for practical reasons, due to the fact that I used to play way more often in Malta then in Berlin.

How do you try to keep your body happy while working nights – basically playing music till the early hours of the morning where there is plenty of alcohol around?

choosing your nights wisely in that respect. In terms of exercise I like to dance a lot, I also enjoy playing football and basketball but most of all by keeping a positive mindset.

Tell us more about your new record?

Euphoria Records is quite an historic label, how did that come about?

It came about through meeting Adam Collins, one of the boss owners of Euphoria Records after I found all his old gems on Discogs under Omni A.M. We got in touch, shared some music, and straight away there were talks about a release on Euphoria. After some time going back and forth between LA and Berlin, we’ve become great friends and we finally managed to wrap up this release! Seeing as this record has been in the pipeline for the past 3-4 years now, I’m very happy it’s finally out.

Dream gig to play?

I would be in a space station with my closest homies and a shit ton of records.

Well, obviously not getting intoxicated every time you play music! It’s important to start No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 75

EBM's

M ASQUERADE B ALL A NIGHT OF INTRIGUE AT PALAZZO PARISIO

ANOOSHA IFTIKHAR MATTEO GIORGI

LILYANA LLIEVA

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ELSA ALLEN IGOR SAMARDZISKI

ŽANETA INTAITË

JOHAN EMERÉN

RACHEL ZC NICK HLADNIK

NAVARRO NAVARRO

LINDA GILLICH & FRIEND

MARIA MÖLLER PIERRE LINDH

ARABELLA LOWELL MALCOLM LOWELL

MAX LION HENRY PETERSEN

MARTIN PETTERSSON JUSTINE PERGOLA

CHRIS MIZZI

MARTIN PETTERSSON LILYANA LLIEVA

LINDA GILLICH & FRIEND

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JUSTINE PERGOLA RACHEL ZC

ANASTASIA SANKO

KAHINA MARWAN ALNAAS

NICK HLADNIK

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MÁRK MOLNÁR KATERINA AVDEEVA

DOMINA RIZKOVÁ KURT PISANI

DEBBIE COOPER ANDREW MILNER

JAMIE LANISTER

ANA MARIA VELEZ MATHIAS HITZFITZ

ŽANETA INTAITË JOHN PAUL BARBARA

ALAN FITZPATRICK

MAX LION

SILVER PORTUGOV

PIERRE LINDH

ALEXANDRA VELLA

No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 79

H E A LT H

SHIF T WORK AND HOW TO SURVIVE IT Words by Dr. Fiona Ambery

There are an ever growing number of businesses that 21st century consumers expect to be available 24/7. According to the National Sleep Foundation in the US about 15% of people do shift work and that number is steadily increasing. While many of these workers are in traditional shift work environments like the emergency services, medical care and air travel, here in Malta, betting companies and numerous bars and clubs that cater for tourists and locals who want to party until the sun rises, are expecting their employees to work outside of the traditional 9-5 daytime shift.

Shift-work takes many forms and variations; for some, it is a bar shift that starts at 6pm and finishes at 2am. For others the shift lasts the whole night and after the last exhausted punter has left at 5am, the staff are required to clean up and close up before getting back to their beds.

Organizations that want to provide a 24 hour service typically split the day into three 8 hour shifts and workers spend a week on each shift, ensuring fairness and minimizing the impact that night work may have on family life. For the young and the healthy, shift work provides flexibility, the opportunity to make the most of the sunshine and spend the day on the beach. It is also, for some, part of a calling – being a nurse, a doctor or a policeman is more than a job and shift work is an integral part of the role.

There are, however, some negative psychological and physical effects of shift work, particularly in the long term. It’s probably not a big surprise to find that the most common problem reported by shift workers is ‘tiredness’ but ‘Insomnia’ is also a major issue. Some shift workers claim to get one or two nights of decent sleep (7-9 hours) a month while the rest of the time their sleep is a series of unsatisfying power-naps that leave

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them exhausted. The consequences of this constant level of sleep deprivation range from mild to severe, with about 10% developing full blown ‘Shift Work Disorder’. Sleep deprivation may lead to decreased productivity and poor concentration, the worker’s family and social life are often negatively affected and mental health disorders including depression and substance abuse are common. Ironically, the sorts of jobs that require shift-work are unfortunately those which require the highest levels of concentration, such as medical professionals.

Even getting home from work can be a challenge with shift workers 40% more likely to have an incident of ‘drowsy driving’ or be involved in an accident.

the same unusual hours. If you can exercise together and meet for a drink then you will be able to overcome some of the social isolation and get the exercise you need to encourage sleep when you need it.

There are a number of ways in which you can ameliorate the negative effects of shift work without resorting to medical interventions.

• If you are likely to be a long-term shift worker and you have a responsible employer then ask them to invest in a light box at work.

Research (Eastman, 2008) has shown that 15 mins exposure during break on a night shift can improve sleep the next day. The study also asked people to wear dark sunglasses on the way home from work and to sleep strictly from 8.30am to 3.30pm.

• Younger people adapt to shift work better than the old and the longer you do shift work for, the more harmful it becomes.

• Eat healthily and try not to eat too much while you are on a night shift. The temptation to eat sugar to stay awake is massive but research shows that it is much better not to eat large meals during the night and ingesting too much sugar will keep you awake later, when you need to sleep. Rates of diabetes and obesity are significantly higher in shift workers.

• Try to exercise while you work – tiredness can make you feel like you don’t have the energy to exercise but walking around and upstairs during your shift can make it easier to sleep the next day.

• Find a shift-buddy: someone who is doing the same shift cycle as you so that you can keep

• Use alcohol and caffeine wisely and do NOT use any stronger (and illegal) stimulants or depressants. Alcohol may feel like it’s helping you sleep but it isn’t – you’ll go to sleep quicker but it reduces REM sleep and overall sleep quality, leaving you more tired in the long run.

Try not to drink caffeine in the 4-5 hours before you need to go to sleep. Substance abuse and addiction can cause long-term psychological damage to shift workers.

• Interestingly, one study found that it was very important for your shift cycle to be ‘clockwise’, that is, if your work hours change they should go from mornings to evenings and then from evenings to nights NOT the other way round.

Apparently, this is a more natural progress for the body to follow.

So the take home message is, enjoy your shift work , take advantage of the flexibility it gives you to maximise your time in the sunshine – but take care of your mind and your body.

Contact: fiona.ambery@gmail.com

label.com.mt | ď‚‚ @labelmaltaa | ď…­ label_malta

PEOPLE

PATRICK J O’BRIEN A LIFE IN CHARITY MILESTONES

Words by Giselle Scicluna

Patrick O’Brien is one of life’s rare creatures. Not only does he occupy the important role of European investment services company Exante’s Communications Director but is also the Gaming Industry’s local Charity Ambassador. But Patrick’s charity work goes way beyond than just paying lip service to a number of initiatives; he tirelessly promotes corporate social responsibility and has been involved on numerous projects to that end. We speak to Patrick to help us map the journey so far…

You have worked closely with outgoing President HE Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca during her tenure and I believe you have a very good relationship with HE. How do you believe she has changed our perception of charity? “HE Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca made it OK to talk about vulnerabilities and issues in our society. She included all and inspired people young and old to be proud of who they are and that nothing was impossible. She will be remembered for making herself accessible to all and that is no mean feat!” he says with pride.

From a more personal perspective; what inspired you to immerse yourself in so many charity initiatives? “My inspiration comes from the fact that I myself grew up in a difficult background,” Patrick says before continuing, “After my parents separated when I was three, I lost a brother through a horrific drowning accident at an early age.

Today, I still remember that grief. My father, prominent as he was, was a difficult man. I felt the sense of exclusion from a young age and up until his death we never spoke. This made me very much in touch with my emotions and always wanted to care and give comfort to those in need. I am an open book and have no shame, but I feel shame when I see homelessness, bullying, and other social injustices.”

Her Excellency has been described as ‘The People’s President’. As someone who has worked with her on a regular basis, how would you describe her? “Simply, Her Excellency is a force of nature! A genuine person who used her role for the betterment of others,” Patrick says with a smile which clearly belies his admiration for the President. The latest initiative by HE was ‘il-Gardina’ (the garden) project. Inaugurated just a few weeks ago, ‘il-Gardina’ is an exquisite outdoor area adjacent to the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre, a space wherein cancer patients and their relatives may find serenity, a peaceful haven which provides a breathing space from the trials and tribulations they must face on a daily basis. Designed around the 82 - EBM MAGAZINE - No 09

concept of a contemporary garden, it caters for the needs of people of all ages, from a designated play area for very young children to comfortable seating wherein one can just relax or read or listen to music, away from the hectic and sterile atmosphere of a hospital ward.

Patrick was involved in the project from the get-go. What was the aim of this project and just how difficult was it to get it off the ground?

“The garden was the idea of Her Excellency. My involvement came in raising funds to bring it to fruition. It was difficult, but with the help of many, things quickly came together. I am grateful to all those in the gaming and business sector, and especially to my boss and CEO of Exante, Alexey Kirienko, who allowed me the time to raise funds and whose company sponsored the major part of the project,” he says with genuine gratitude.

‘Il-Gardina’ is a huge project. Just how important do you personally believe this project is for oncology patients? Clearly speaking of a project that is very close to his heart, Patrick says, “Very important, we all deserve quality of life and a place to be surrounded by loved ones. The Garden provides this space and serenity. You know, in times of pain and sorrow, nature helps us to be at ease. For patients this place means comfort.” Any similar projects on the cards? With his typical enthusiasm he says, “Many! Now I am working on the

PEOPLE

idea of refurbishing and helping to create more atmosphere in public nursing homes in Malta. I was disgusted recently to visit some homes and see our older generation sitting there, withering away in those drab and grey environments with nothing to do. That, if we’re ‘lucky’ enough to manage to live that long, could well be us one day…”

As someone who has worked tirelessly these past years towards charity and therefore is more informed of the inadequacies within the community, what do you think is the most pressing issue that should be urgently addressed? “I believe that the idea that any child here in Malta who does not have the opportunity as others because of his or her background is shocking. We are a small island and as

such we are obliged to make sure that we incorporate the idea of CSR into educational projects.”

With regard to charity work what has been the most memorable day for you so far? Thinking for a moment Patrick says, “Memorable…

It must be when I attended a breast cancer event last year where two boys who had lost their mother through cancer approached me and asked for a selfie. I said, ‘with me?’ (I avoid selfies like the plague), and they said ‘Yes, we want to show it to our mum who is in heaven, because you have helped us’. That, in a nutshell, explains my reasoning to continue…”

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FITNESS

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FITNESS

AN EXPERT’S GUIDE TO THE BEST TIPS AND ADVICE Words by Matthew Camilleri | Photography by Jacob Sammut

My name is Matthew Camilleri a physiotherapist, IRB certified strength and conditioning coach and The Running SchoolTM certified running and bio-mechanics coach. I am the managing director of The Physio Specialists, a health-care and rehabilitation brand boasting a wide-array of treatment options for both athletes and non-athletes.

Swimming and running are two sports that have been practiced by humanity since the dawn of time. Whilst pre-historic references exist which allude to both swimming and running, the first kept records of swimming and running date back to 1896 at the first modern Olympic games in Athens. At these games, participants completed a variant of the breaststroke in swimming and a 24.85 mile marathon in tribute of Pheidippides (the world’s first ever, pre-historic, marathoner). Both sports have been practiced competitively for hundreds of years and nowadays countless distances, races and variants of the two disciplines exist.

staggering 600 calories whilst swimming for an hour will burn something in the region of 700 calories. Whilst this number will vary depending on intensity and bodyweight, that’s a serious calorie burner across the board!

Although many people associate running with strengthening the legs and swimming with strengthening the arms, the benefits of these sports are much further reaching. Both swimming and running will involve and tone the core muscles, lower and upper back and glutes! So if you’re looking for a great way to burn calories and get stronger at the same time, swim-run could be the physical activity for you!

Swimming and running are two sports that have been practiced by humanity since the dawn of time. Whilst pre-historic references exist which allude to both swimming and running, the first kept records of swimming and running date back to 1896 at the first modern Olympic games in Athens. At these games, participants completed a variant of the breaststroke in swimming and a 24.85 mile marathon in tribute of Pheidippides (the world’s first ever, pre-historic, marathoner). Both sports have been practiced competitively for hundreds of years and nowadays countless distances, races and variants of the two disciplines exist.

Combining swimming and running into a sport such as Aquathlon (a continuous, two-stage race involving swimming followed by running) or simply integrating both into your weekly programme can be extremely beneficial! The two disciplines complement each other very well. Running is a higher impact, lower-body heavy discipline whilst swimming allows for an intense cardio-vascular work-out that is lower impact and works the upper-body harder. Secondly, the ideal build for distance swimming and running is relatively similar with both requiring lean, flexible frames with low body fat. Aquathlon as a discipline therefore requires both upper and lower body strength and high levels of cardio-vascular endurance and of course, serious mental strength! Let’s explore the two disciplines in a bit more detail….

Swimming and running are two great ways to burn calories and strengthen almost every muscle in the body just before the summer season hits us once again! Running at a moderate pace (10km/h) for one hour will burn a

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FITNESS

RUNNING Running is one of the most inclusive and easy to practice sports around.

All you need to do is pop on a pair of trainers and head outside right?

Unfortunately not! Whilst running seems like a relatively straight-forward sport, the majority of us have never been taught how to run and therefore run with relatively poor form which could easily lead to injuries. As weekly mileage increases, factors such as running mechanics, the individuals strength and conditioning, running pace, between run recovery, mobility and even footwear have a huge role to play in injury prevention.

Strength and Conditioning (S&C) for runners is probably the biggest factor in injury propagation (and potentially prevention). The fact remains that far too many runners either under-value or completely ignore their S&C sessions and run all week round instead. This is due to the common myth that strength sessions will make a long-distance runner bulkier and therefore slower. Nothing could be further from the truth though.

The reality is that with the correct exercise selection and correct load monitoring, S&C can make a runner faster and less prone to getting hurt! I make sure that all my running clients are completing at least two S&C sessions weekly, in combination with the correct pre-run activation protocol and post-run mobility / cool-down routine.

If longevity and performance are high-up on your running goals list, get yourself off the tarmac and in the gym for at least a couple of sessions a week!

are built to have great water drainage, impeccable grip (both in wet and dry conditions) and overall comfort for long endurance events. It is important to note that swim-run shoes will be a more neutral type shoe though, doing away with a lot of the cushioning and arch support which many typical running only shoes provide. This is often not much of an issue though, especially when we keep in mind that the run portions of these events is often not longer than 8-10 kilometers.

As one would expect, the most common running injuries occur around the lower body, mainly at or around the knees and ankles. Tendon based issues at the peroneal and tibialis tendons (around the ankles), the achilles tendon (the thick band-like structure behind the heel), patellar tendon (just below the knee bone) and the insertion of the ilio-tibial band (outside of the knee) are the most commonly injured. Tendon based injuries will often occur over time rather than spontaneously and are normally related to doing too much too fast without allowing the body adequate time to adapt and recover.

Selecting the correct increase in running distance,

The second key (and often under-valued) factor in running is biomechanics. Biomechanics basically refers to the way in which the body moves and interacts with the world around it. Another related and important term is movement health. Movement health refers to our ability to move in various ways to complete the same task, therefore the higher our movement health the less likely we are to get injured whilst moving. The more complex the movement-based task, the greater the importance of great bio-mechanics. Whilst some runners naturally have excellent running mechanics without any coaching, the vast majority will have sub-optimal and occasionally downright dangerous running technique. Some key-factors to look out for when it comes to running mechanics are foot landing technique, stride length and over-stride, pelvic control, spinal alignment and arm movement. Whilst this sounds like alot to think about during running, the good news is that it can be easily coached.

Runners are absolutely obsessed about what running shoes they purchase, train in and race in. Whilst selecting the correct shoe for you is definitely important, S&C and biomechanics hold much greater value and will give alot more return on investment than constantly buying the latest pair of kicks! That being said, running shoe selection should be an individualised process based on thorough examination of the runner. Factors such as running technique, plantar pressure foot scanning and clinical examination should all be taken into account. Most popular brands have a wide portfolio of shoe types to select from ranging from highly cushioned to motion control to neutral footwear; please pick smartly and do not base your decisions on which one has the coolest colour-way!

Interestingly enough, companies such as Inov-8, Icebug, Salomon and Vivo have started developing shoes specifically for swim-run events. These shoes 86 - EBM MAGAZINE - N 09 o

Isabella Mess & Ed Clark

monitoring loading and gradually increasing said load and correct between run recovery techniques are all key to avoid these pesky tendon injuries.

One key muscle group to be considered in the injury prevention of tendon, joint and muscular injuries for runners are the gluteal muscles. If you’re sitting down reading this article, they are the group of muscles you are currently sat on. The glutes have a huge role to play in protecting and controlling the hips, knees and ankles both during day-to-day life and especially during running. One of my go to glute exercises is the “Captain Morgan”. Basically, the non-working leg is lifted off the floor with the knee resting against a wall. The working leg is bent slightly from the knee, foot set firmly on the floor in a single leg stance position. Next, slowly hinge down from the hip, keeping the lower back straight as far as your range of motion allows. Keeping the lower back straight, hip-hinge back up to the starting position. Two sets of ten repetitions if it’s your first time, progressing up to three sets of fifteen repetitions for the more experienced.

Did someone say glutes on fire?

SWIMMING Swimming is often recommended by health-care professionals as a low impact form of cardiovascular activity which can allow an individual to keep moving without the excessive stress and strain on joints. That being said, swimming can be seriously taxing on the muscles and cardiovascular system and carries it’s own injury risk. Once again, the prime culprits leading to swimming injuries are overly-demanding swimming programmes, incorrect technique and a poor S&C regime.

When is comes to swimming, going from zero to hero is definitely not recommended! Diving straight into hundreds of laps a week is a great way to burn out early and will almost definitely be accompanied by injury!

Instead, plan ahead by starting a tailor-made S&C programme a few weeks before commencing your swimming programme. Start with low to moderate swimming volume in the pool and increase distance covered by 5-10% weekly.

Learning some basic skills will also greatly ameliorate the swimming experience. First and foremost is the ability to correctly time your breathing

to both swim comfortably, as well as boost performance. Coordinating breathing with movement can be tricky until you get used to it and will negatively effect performance if not done correctly. Whilst workshops and coaching clinics exist, focused on helping swimmers breathe better, simply practicing the breathing motion whilst holding onto the side of the pool with arms outstretched can really help in coordination and neck mobility.

Learning to coordinate upper and lower body movements in the water is also very important. Keeping legs behind the body and maintaining as slim and streamlined a position as possible will help to reduce drag and make strokes more efficient.

The demands on the body for a swimmer compared to a runner are obviously very different and therefore injury types vary between the two disciplines. Swimmers often present to my clinic with either lower back, neck or shoulder injuries. Amongst these lower back injuries are often the most challenging to manage and require the longest recovery time. Preventing low back injuries requires a good balance of mobility (flexibility) and stability (strength) exercises. Practicing various forms of Pilates and Yoga can be used to attain this balance but one of my favourite stability exercises is the dead-bug (and its many variations). Lie flat on your back with your arms held out in front of you pointing to the ceiling. Then bring your legs up so your knees are bent at 90-degree angles. This is your starting position, and it’s vital to get your back as flat against the floor as possible. You shouldn’t be able to get a hand in between your back and the floor, and you need to maintain this position. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg at the same time, exhaling as you go. Keep going until your arm and leg are just above the floor, being careful not to raise your back off the ground. Then slowly return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite limbs. The dead bug might seem quite easy for the first couple of reps, but if you keep your core engaged, move slowly and avoid raising your back off the ground, you’ll be surprised how hard it is. Aim for three sets of five to 10 reps on each side, or just keep going until the shaking in your abs gets too much.

For more information on improving your running technique, strength and conditioning and tips on how to avoid or treat common running and swimming related injuries contact Matthew Camilleri - Physiotherapist at The Physio Specialists.

No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 87

FOOD

HENRY

the ‘dishjockey’

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FOOD

FUSING SCANDI AND MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE WITH LOVE Interview by Joanna Delia / Giselle Scicluna | Photography by Julia Boikova

As Henry Petersen’s mother once said, “Raising children, having food on the table every day creates happiness... having good food creates tranquillity.” This is a philosophy that Henry, religiously adheres to. A great home cook, his love of food goes way beyond than simply preparing meals for his young family. In his book, food signifies more than just nourishment, but represents the joy of sharing nature’s abundance with friends and loved ones alike.

Henry was brought up in a tiny village between a mountain and a fjord in the Faroe Islands, one of 15 siblings. He met his wife Joanna ten years ago and since then has made Malta his home. Truth be told, they are as different as it gets... but they also share many loves, with food being one of them!

Brought up seeing his mother prepare food for their large family from scratch... baking all sorts of bread, cakes and biscuits, one of his fondest memories is the sweet smell of freshly made piles of pancakes, ready on the table for when the swarm of mostly rowdy siblings came home from school.

Fishermen friends would drop huge basins of almost live fish on their doorstep, and their ‘chatla’ was always filled with animal carcasses in various stages of cured-ness. The Faroese are also experts at food preservation methods such as salting, smoking and preserving food in vinegar. Henry is true to his roots and the slow cooking methods he has grown up with and is never more relaxed than when he is patiently waiting for lamb to roast for 6 or 7 hours or for red cabbage to simmer for an entire morning in a mix of wine and sweetened berries.

On his arrival in Malta, he discovered a whole new world of simple Mediterranean cooking. He discovered fresh herbs and how the simple preparation of well-chosen fruit and vegetables from JeanPaul, with the everpresent olive oil from his friend Marika can make one’s taste buds explode. He soon started experimenting; taking elements of childhood flavours and combining them with his newlyfound Mediterranean culinary knowledge.

Mixing boiled fermented fish with freshly poached pears was one such experiment.

Nowadays, Henry can’t eat potatoes without treating them to the Full Monty - boiling, sautéing and then finally roasting them with thyme and rosemary; a far cry from typical Scandinavian preparation. He bakes bread regularly... using varying quantities of live yeast and loading them with seeds and herbs and discussing baking processes with bakers and friends alike. He learnt what ‘al cartoccio’ and ‘al sale’ means and has discovered that the best salads are ultimately the product of a cook’s colourful imagination combined with good taste buds.

Henry literally prepares food from scratch, for impromptu guests several times a week.

Knowing just how important entertaining and cooking is for Henry, Joanna designed their small but very functional kitchen to face the dining area but elevated above it, just like a stage or DJ stand! That way Henry can cook to his heart’s content but still be able to interact with the company present. This elevated position, wherein Henry can oversee to both his culinary expeditions, as well as his guests, has earned Henry the affectionate nickname of ‘the dishjockey’!

No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 89

FOOD

POACHED EGG ON A REMOULADE, AVOCADOS & SLICE OF HOMEMADE RYEBREAD WITH PICKLES ON THE SIDE

Pickles:

Ryebread drylur:

1dl water 1dl white vinegar 4 tablespoon sugar Add salt and pepper

Bowl of mixed seeds: sesame, pumpkin etc. soaked in hot water for an hour

Thinly slice cucumber, leave for a day in a closed container

Remoulade: 2dl Mayo 2 teaspoons capers 1 small (boiled) carrot 5 slices pickled cucumber 1/2 onion 1 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon curry powder Pepper and salt Blend all the vegetables and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

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1/2 litre tepid water 125gr wheat flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 500 gr Dark Rye Flour Mix wheat flour, salt, soda and baking powder together, add to water and mix.

Combine seed mix and Rye flour, add enough so the dough is not sticky. Let dough rise for 1 hour and put in a preheated 200°C oven for 60mins.

FOOD

DECONSTRUCTED PARMAGIANA 2 medium size aubergines 1kg ripe tomatoes 3 mozzarellas Handful of oregano Handful of basil Parmigiano shavings Slice aubergines no thicker than 1cm lengthwise, pan-fry for 5 mins then put in the oven for 30-40 mins until golden brown, don’t forget to season with salt.

Roughly chop tomatoes and cook in a pan for 30-40 mins, add oregano and other herbs like basil and parsley. Slice Mozzarella length-wise

at 1cm thick. Place slice of mozzarella on top of slice of aubergine, add tomato sauce and roll together. Seal with a toothpick. Repeat process with the rest of the ingredients, then place under the grill for 5 mins.

Plate it, add handful of parmigiana shavings on the top and serve with the smile!

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FOOD

NORTH ATLANTIC FISH CHEEKS WITH SIDES: 8 large fish cheeks 300g asparagus 400g potatoes 250g beetroot 200g fresh Ricotta For great flavour, make sure to get 8 fresh cheeks from any large white fish. Pan fry in butter and olive oil for 1-2 mins on each side. Season to your liking.

Asparagus: Melt butter in a skillet with medium-high heat. Stir in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add asparagus, and sautĂŠ for 10 minutes, turning asparagus to ensure even cooking.

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Beetroot, potato & ricotta salad mix: Boil potatoes and beetroots separately for 20mins, cut into quarters, add olive oil and pop in the oven 40-45min at 180C (depending on oven/grill). Add a dash of olive oil and Italian herbs. Only mix when cooled down, as the beetroots give a lot of colour.

Let cool for 5-10mins, scatter fresh Ricotta on top and serve.

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BROADSIDETERR ACE.COM No 09 - EBM MAGAZINE - 93

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

JUNE 03

Object, Objetc, Objecc (exhibition) Spazju Kreattiv, Castille Place, Valletta, Free, 3rd May - 16th June . Mon 09:00 – 17:00hrs . Tue – Fri 09:00 – 21:00hrs . Sat – Sun 10:00 - 21:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

10

11 16

12 13

Non-Aligned Networks (exhibition) Valletta Contemporary, 15, 16, 17, Triq Lvant (East Street), Valletta, Free 24th May - 28th June . Tue - Fri 11:30 – 19:00hrs . Sat 12:00 - 17:30hrs www.vallettacontemporary.com

01 30

Master of Fine Arts in Digital Arts Exhibition 2019 St James Cavalier, Castille Place, Valletta, Free . Mon 09:00 – 17:00hrs . Tue – Fri 09:00 – 21:00hrs . Sat – Sun 10:00 - 21:00hrs

14

www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

04

Gurrumul (classic music concert) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, Free, 19:00hrs

14

09

Van Gogh and the Japan

(art exhibition on screen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam) Eden Cinemas, St. George's Bay, St. Julian's, €7 | €12 . Tue 4th June - 20:15hrs . Sun 9th June - 15:00hrs www.edencinemas.com.mt

05

Royal Shakespeare Company: The Taming of the Shrew

(theatre on screen live) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €15.00, 20:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

06

14

06 30

Portraits: My own Heterotopia

(visual art) Spazju Kreattiv, Castille Place, Valletta Free, 6th June - 30th June . Mon 09:00 – 17:00hrs . Tue – Fri 09:00 – 21:00hrs . Sat – Sun 10:00 - 21:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

08

Bruce Dickinson (concert) Sir Temi Zammit Hall, Msida €40 | €50, 20:30hrs www.showshappening.com

Sinderella - The Adult Panto

(comedy show) Spazju Kreattiv, Pope Pius V Street, Valletta, €10 | €20, 14th - 30th June

05

(starring Marc Martel) Grand Harbour Marina, Vittoriosa, €15

14 16

Caravaggio the Soul & the Blood

(Art Film tells the story of Caravaggio’s artworks) Eden Cinemas, St. George's Bay, St. Julian's, €7 | €12 14th June - 20:30hrs | 16th June - 18:45hrs www.edencinemas.com.mt

15 16

The Legendary Capella Symphony Orchestra St. Petersburg (classic music concert) Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, €10 18:00hrs

05

06

21

22 23

27

www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

Dara O Briain: Voice of Reason InterContinental Malta, Saint Julian's €45 | €55 | €65, 20:30hrs www.showshappening.com

Doctor 3 - A Jazz Concert

06 07

12 13

Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta €15, 20:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

29

Met Opera Summer Encores: Roméo et Juliette (C. Gounod)

(opera on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €10 | €12, 17:300hrs www.kreattivita.org

29

Met Opera Summer Encores: Roméo et Juliette (C. Gounod) (opera on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta €10 | €12, 17:300hrs www.kreattivita.org

Once Upon a Showers

(event hosted by EBM) Café Del Mar, St Paul's Bay, €50 | 14:00hrs

The King is Back - The Elvis Show Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta €40 | €50, 20:00hrs www.showshappening.com

Miss Universe Malta 2019 Hilton Malta, St Julian's €20 | €25 | €30, 20:30hrs

Met Opera Summer Encores: La Bohème (Puccini)

(opera on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €10 | €12. 17:30hrs www.kreattivita.org

21

National Theatre Encore: The Audience (theatre on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €10 | €12. 18:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

25

National Theatre Live: The Lehman Trilogy (theatre on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €15. 20:00hrs www.kreattivita.org

25 28

15th Kinemastik International Short Film Festival Msida Bastion Historic Garden, Triq Vincenzo Dimech, Floriana, 19:00hrs www.kinemastik.org

31

Royal Shakespeare Company: Measure for Measure

(theatre on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €15. 20:00hrs

Teatru Manoel, Valletta, €10 | €20, 21:00hrs

National Theatre Live: Small Island (theatre on screen)

Spazju Kreattiv, Castille Place, Valletta, Free, 5th July - 4th August . Mon 09:00 – 17:00hrs . Tue – Fri 09:00 – 21:00hrs . Sat – Sun 10:00 - 21:00hrs

www.showshappening.com

www.teatrumanoel.com.mt

27

Institute of Creative Arts Festival

www.showshappening.com

Trio Immersio - double concert

(classic music concert) Teatru Manoel, Valletta, €10 | €25, 20:00hrs

(music concert) City Theatre, Triq l-Ifran, Valletta €50 | €60 | €70, 20:00hrs

www.kreattivita.org

www.showshappening.com

20

Jose Gonzalez Live in Malta

www.taomalta.com

Rock the Fort Celebrates Queen www.showshappening.com

EBM Sundays at SkyBeach (event) Intercontinental, St. George's Bay, St. Julian's, Free, 6th June - 25th August Every Sunday 12:00 - 21:00hrs

Departures: Pawlu Grech, a life in perspective (piano recital by

www.showshappening.com

www.kreattivita.org

04

Cathedral Museum, Triq San Pawl, Mdina, €15 . Wednesday 12th June - 20:00hrs . Thursday 13th June - 20:00hrs

www.ticketline.com.mt

An Evening with Mozart

(classic music concert) Teatru Manoel, Valletta, €10 | €25, 20:00hrs

The Trio Petrakis / López / Chemirani (live Mediterranean music)

Ramona Zammit Formosa, exhibition of Maltese artist Pawlu Grech) Palazzo De La Salle, Valletta, €10, 20:00hrs

www.kreattivita.org

03

J U LY

www.showshappening.com

www.kreattivita.org

24

Eden Cinemas, St. George's Bay, St. Julians, €7 | €12 . Tuesday 11th June - 20:15hrs . Sunday 16th June - 15:00hrs www.edencinemas.com.mt

Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route

(exhibition, visual art from Australia) Spazju Kreattiv, Castille Place, Valletta, Free, 10th May - 23rd June . Mon 09:00 – 17:00hrs . Tue – Fri 09:00 – 21:00hrs . Sat – Sun 10:00 - 21:00hrs

Romeo and Juliet (ballet on screen)

www.kreattivita.org

AUGUST 10

Met Opera Summer Encores: Aida (Verdi) (opera on screen) Spazju Kreattiv Cinema, St James Cavalier Castille Place, Valletta, €10 | €12. 17:30hrs www.kreattivita.org

24

Joseph Calleja 2019

(Joseph Calleja, Andrea Bocelli & Malta Philharmonic Orchestra) Fosos, Floriana, Malta, €80 | €150 | €220, 20:30hrs | www.showshappening.com

Your online swimwear store specialized in Brazilian Design Visit us at: St.George's Bay, Entrance from Holiday Inn Express, Malta - 1st Floor, St Julian's STJ 3310, Malta | www.paixaofruit.com

Malta ‘19

10.09.19 INTERCONTINENTAL ARENA MALTA igamingnext.com 96 - EBM MAGAZINE - No 09