Globe Magazine June 2022

JUNE 2022 Nº 224 / FREE COPY Globe Magazine Gibraltar www.issuu.com/globemagazineonline

Contents / June 6

KEEPING AN EYE ON DIABETES

32

ANNE-MARIE VALVERDE (DESIGNER)

8

LAUNCH OF GIBRALTAR ‘THEN & NOW’

36

DAD’S KITCHEN: HAM COOKED IN COLA

ALEX VALLEJO: ‘I’LL SEE YOU SOON’

38

THE BEST RECIPES OF OUR CUISINE

40

WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWN TOWN?

20 DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN’S RIDE

42

THE PURGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY

25 M.A.G. BLUES NIGHT

46

CLUBHOUSE GIBRALTAR INITIATIVES

30 BASKETBALL LEGEND CARLOS CABEZAS VISITS WESTSIDE AND BAYSIDE SCHOOLS

48

THE MEMORY PROJECT

50

THE AZATA GOLF TROPHY

10

14

QUEEN’S JUBILEE STREET PARTY

16

INTERVIEW WITH PHILIPPA SHAW

Credits Globe Magazine June 2022

Victoria House, 26 Main Street, GIBRALTAR Tel: (00350) 20041129 · Mailing Address: 4 Laburnum Lodge, Montagu Gardens, GIBRALTAR

Front Cover Model: Sofia Camporese @sofia. camporese · Photographer & Creative Direction: Charlene Figueras @charlene_figueras · MUA: Nyree Chipolina @nyreechipolinamakeupartist Dress: Anne Marie Valverde @mayhem.knits Headress: Philippa Shaw @philflowerpower

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GLOBE MAGAZINE is published by Globe Magazine Registered • Address: Suites 31 & 32

The views and opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent

the views of the publishers.

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Globe Magazine Gibraltar

GLOBE MAGAZINE 5

Keeping an Eye on Diabetes A QUARTER of people are not aware that diabetes can affect your eye health, a new survey reveals ‘SPECSAVERS ÓPTICAS’ surveyed 40 customers to support World Diabetes Day, as it looks to raise awareness of the eye condition, diabetic retinopathy.

People with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that damages the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye called the retina.

This occurs because the retina at the back of the eye is supplied with blood by a delicate network of blood vessels. Diabetes can cause the blood vessels to become blocked or leak, meaning the retina cannot work properly because it is not receiving a good blood supply. Left untreated, it can lead to complications resulting in sight loss.

and can lead to problems with your vision and even sight loss.

‘Some people who have diabetic retinopathy can also develop diabetic macular oedema. The macula is the part of your retina you need for reading, driving and seeing faces, however over time, the disease can destroy the sharp vision in this part of the eye leading to partial vision loss or even blindness.’ (1) As diabetic retinopathy is a serious condition it is important to monitor any changes in your vision and get them checked by your optometrist. The warning signs include:

PERSISTENT FLOATERS

BLURRED VISION

Nerea says: ‘Floaters are spots in your vision and usually look like black or grey specs or cobwebs that drift about when you move your eyes. Most people will experience floaters in their vision at some point in their life – particularly as we reach older age as the jelly-like substance in our eyes becomes more liquid.

‘Blurred vision can be caused by many things and it is vital you get it checked out,’ says Nerea. ‘Blurry vision can also be a symptom of diabetes which can resolve when blood sugars start to reduce after diagnosis and starting treatment.

It can also lead to dimmer vision, as if you’re wearing sunglasses, or struggling to see when it’s dark, which are important signs not to ignore.’

‘If you notice more eye floaters than usual, a sudden onset of new ones, flashes of light in the eye or darkness on any side of your vision, you must get it looked at immediately as in some cases it can be a symptom of diabetic retinopathy.’

To prevent this from happening, ‘Specsavers Ópticas’ is highlighting the importance of regular eye tests and the warning signs in our eyes which could indicate a risk.

Nerea Galdos-Little, store director of ‘Specsavers Ópticas’ in Marbella explains: ‘As retinopathy develops, blood vessels can weaken, bulge or leak into the retina and can be referred to as non-proliferative retinopathy. However, if it worsens, some vessels can close off which causes new ones to grow, or proliferate, on the surface of the retina. This is known as proliferative retinopathy 6 GLOBE MAGAZINE

(1) https://www.macularsociety.org/macular-disease/macular-conditions/ diabetic-macular-oedema/#:~:text=Diabetic%20macular%20oedema%20 (DMO)%20is,known%20as%20diabetic%20macular%20oedema

Awareness of the eye condition is more important than ever, with cases of diabetes on the rise. According to the WHO, the number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. If left untreated, diabetes can damage the heart, kidneys, feet and eyes – potentially leading to diabetic retinopathy.

There are Specsavers Ópticas stores in Marbella and Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. They offer digital retinal screening, which is provided as part of a standard eye test. This takes a detailed picture of the back of your eye allowing the blood vessels to be monitored more closely – helping to detect any signs of diabetes that might be present. For more information or to book an appointment visit www.specsavers.es

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Launch of Gibraltar 'Then and Now' Inspired by the online community and the sharing of historical photographs, Robert set out to investigate Gibraltar’s changing landscape over the years THE BOOK ON the Rock’s changing landscape ‘Gibraltar Then & Now’ was launched at the John Mackintosh Hall on Tuesday 10th May evening. The Minister for Culture and Education, Professor John Cortes launched

the publication alongside GCS CEO Seamus Byrne and the author Robert Santos.

The author outlined his research and explained the inspiration for his publication, which

came about after encouragement from the online community and the sharing of historical photographs. The book has over 200 pages of photographs, anecdotes of Gibraltar’s landscapes and streetscapes

and chapters dedicated to districts around the Rock and bygone times, which will offer a nostalgic journey for many and certainly be enjoyed by all.

The

Julia and Jessie Horne Photographer: Joelle Ferrar · Makeup: Francesca Ferro

In Loving Memory of Jessie Horne, whose beauty shone from the inside out 8 GLOBE MAGAZINE

book

has

dedicated

chapters to the various districts across the Rock, with a focus on Main Street; an area which has been heavily photographed over the years and therefore provides a well-documented archive of the urban landscape.

Robert began this project as a hobby, enthused by identifying buildings in historical pictures and how those locations compare to our streetscape today. The book is not only an enjoyable read but also a

contribution to preserving our history and heritage.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be going to the Prostate Cancer Gibraltar Charity.

Books at £20 can be purchased at

The John Mackintosh Hall, The Gibraltar National Museum and The Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

For further information you can contact the Development Unit on 20049161 or email: development@culture.gi

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Alex Vallejo I'll see you soon Text by Jay Callejon

WHEN SOMEONE HEARS the word virtuoso, the first thing people tend to think about is classical composers such as Bach, Mozart and many more; but what some do not realise is that in this day and age, we have virtuosos from different musical genres and instrumentations.

As an example, although known for his incredible singing and range, Prince was able to play at least twentyseven instruments with an astonishing degree of technique, with his guitar playing being out of this world.

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Gibraltar does not fall behind on the world stage of musical virtuosos.

Although there are a few we could talk about, we are here to introduce a young and incredibly talented guitarist, who has already wowed at an international level, performed in festivals with musicians double his age and won awards! Who is this incredible musician, you may ask? ... probability is you have already heard his name, seen him perform or even met him; he is none other than Alex Vallejo.

With childhood influences ranging from slash, Guns n Roses, Alice in chains, Pantera, nirvana and Pearl Jam; with current inspiration derived from artists such as Animals As Leader, Plini, Ambrose Akinmusire, Intervals, Guthrie Govan, Caspian and Mustard service.

Starting classical guitar lessons at the age of nine, he performed his first concert in 2013 at the age of fifteen, winning the singer/songwriter competition that same year.

By 2016 Alex had already performed as lead guitarist on the National Day stage and the GMF as part of Midriff, 40 Steps and the Guns ‘n’ Roses tribute band.

Armed with a First Class BMus, MA (Research), Kaye Prize for best string player, and currently a PhD student, soon-to-be Dr Vallejo has been keeping himself busy.

His session work includes artists such as Kill the Silence (post-rock/metal), Alex Tracey (pop), lead guitar for the house band for Isaac Saierre (RnB), and studio work for Samuel Villagomez (track - let love be ft. Aurelia) and has performed throughout the UK. His publications also include The Development, Mechanics, and Compositional Uses of Virtuosic Electric Guitar Techniques, 2020 and Rock Guitar Virtuosos: Advances in Electric Guitar Playing, Technology And Culture (In Press) with Dr Jan Herbst to be published by Cambridge University GLOBE MAGAZINE 11

Press. Adding to this incredible musical CV, he was also a delegate and speaker at the International Progect Conference 2021 hosted by the University of Ottawa.

In addition, he has released his EP ‘A Series of Endings’ (2019) and Summertime (single 2021) Alex is just a typical Gibraltarian with fantastic talent, qualifications, technique and experience; he enjoys a variety of activities and hobbies, which include Philosophy of Religion, Science and Aesthetics, video games and strategy board games, Art (mainly artists like Sorolla, Lucian Freud and John Wentz)

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and cooking.

Recently he has been extremely busy composing, writing and recording his first album named “I’ll See You Soon”; a ProgRock album influenced by his childhood and upbringing in Gibraltar.

This album counts with the collaboration of his UK band, composed of an array of incredible musicians and will be launched in Gibraltar this Summer!

If you would like to experience this incredible and emotional show (which we highly recommend you do), then go ahead

and purchase your tickets online via www. buytickets.gi; or feel free to check out his Facebook page and event page: Alex Vallejo – I’ll See You Soon – Album Launch.

The event will take place on Friday 1st July at the Ince's Hall Theatre, kicking off at 19:00... many of us have had the privilege and honour of performing with Alex, and I (as many others) will not be missing this audio/visual experience.

If you love music, virtuoso musicians, emotional melodies, and incredible musicianship, then come down and join all of us for what i

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Queen's Jubilee Street Party at Governor's Parade On Saturday 4th June, the party came to town with the Queen’s Jubilee Street Party at Governor’s Parade

SATURDAY 4TH JUNE SAW a busy Governor's Parade with a Street Party/Family Fun Day organised by the Rotary Club. There was no admission fee, but donations went to Rotary charities.

The charity benefiting from this event was CYE-CYL; the event was sponsored

by Trusted Novus Bank going on all day until late The event organised by The Rotary Club of Gibraltar included fancy

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dress, music, food and drink. The party started at 12 noon and continued until late. The Governor Sir David Steel was in attendance and judged a children’s fancy dress competition.

There was live music with a DJ throughout the warm afternoon; face painting, a bouncy castle, silhouette painting and many other activities.

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Interview with Philippa Shaw (Florist, Upcycling Furniture and Home Décor) Flower arrangements for all occasions from birthdays to weddings and new borns traditional and quirky! Philippa Shaw (aka Phil) adores creating anything and absolutely loves upcycling and swimming in the sea any season

What’s your first artistic memory?

Decorating my bedroom using upcyled materials, shame no mobiles back then!! Quite funny was all red and white! Much to my parents delight.

Its exterior boasting curved gables I remember; Its Jacobean style is a vivid image imprinted; the trees so lushly green and majestic too.

What’s your inspiration and where do you find it?

My inspiration usually comes when I look at a piece of discarded furniture or driftwood, I visualise the potential of the transformation I may bring to life with a lick of paint or simply adding flowers or plants.

But seriously my very first memory was the wonderful task of choosing the fabrics for the interior design of the soft furnishings for The Rock Hotel rooms many moons ago.

So I love collecting discarded furniture, especially antiques.

Sanderson fabrics were my absolute favourite for their iconic florals, rather distinctive.

As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

When did you first become interested in creative crafts?

Daydreaming one day at the beach looking at a piece of rather peculiar looking driftwood!

My love for flowers and nature took off during the period I worked with interior design and later at a well established flower shop.

I love flowers and trees for their natural elegance and shapes, forms and unique vibrant colours, as I love colour.

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Most of my home furniture, I’ve transformed from furniture people have discarded.

How did you learn these skills?

Most of the skills and painting techniques for furniture I’ve developed myself over the years.

I taught myself typography too.

I’ve always loved to personalise outfits and presents as I didn’t have the funds as a teen but I also eventually had the privilege of

attending a floristry course in Uk, at Easthampstead College.

As an attendee of this course, I was exceedingly fortunate to take part in and complete, in the beautiful grounds of this Victorian Mansion, rich in history but mostly I remember its architecture and exquisite interior.

When it comes to bridal flowers I take a look at their face and instantly I’m inspired and the ideas flood into my mind.

Are there any colours/ textures you prefer using?

I love any wood, driftwood, wicker, bamboo and colour, any

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colour!!! Hahahaha - Leaves, rocks, stones. I collect driftwood and love adding flowers or plants to them.

What can you tell us about the cover collaboration?

I asked Charlene to show me the dress, as I wanted to see the style and colour and so as not to colour clash too when choosing the flowers but as soon as I saw 18 GLOBE MAGAZINE

the delicate dress and it’s vibrant colours, I was instantly inspired with a vision of the flowers I wanted to use and the shape I would create.

It’s funny how I visualise it in my head and it comes out exactly the same, I actually visualised the model in my mind and she was almost exactly as I had imagined she would be.

What are you working on at the moment?

Just finished decorating beautiful wedding decor and at the moment I’m going to start renovating an antique piece of furniture with great sentimental value.

A never ending green wall of plant in my home and also have several on going projects at school.

Any future plans you can tell us?

Confidential hahah!

I’m working on something very special…watch this space.

Where can Globe Magazine readers follow your work?

I have a personal page on Facebook, don’t really post much it’s called Flower Power and have one on Instagram called philflowerpower

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Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride The sixth Distinguished Gentleman's Ride Gibraltar was held on Sunday 23rd May with fun prizes, which included ‘Best Facial Hair’ up for grabs

SUNDAY, MAY 23RD saw the return of polished chrome, rumbling engines and dapper motorcycle riders as they came together for the sixth consecutive year to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research and Mental Health awareness.

The ride, which takes place annually in over 100 countries across the globe, has been one of

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the major motorcycle events on the Rock since 2016.

This year riders gathered as from 12 midday at ‘Timeout Café and Bar’ with the actual ride set to start at 3pm from the same location and finishing at Ocean Village where prizes were given. ‘Timeout Cafe Bar’ offered a Paella for x50 with all proceeds going towards the "DGR Gibraltar 2021" funds...

Prizes were given for Most Money Raised, Most Dapper Gent, Most Dapper Lady, Best Bike and Best Facial Hair.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded in Sydney, Australia by Mark Hawwa. It was inspired by a photo of TV Show Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. Mark decided a

themed ride would be a great way of connecting niche motorcycle enthusiasts and communities while raising funds to support the men in our lives.

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride unites classic and vintage style motorcycle riders all over the world to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men's mental health.

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Since its inaugural year in 2012, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has run on the last Sunday of September. For nine long years, many of the riders have steadfastly ridden in rain and wind; totally dedicated to raising funds and awareness of prostate cancer and men’s mental health.

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However, 2020 came, and the entire fabric of ‘DGR’ changed for a moment. Riding solo, they raised an incredible amount for ‘Movember’, and came closer together as a community, sharing their stories and connections to the cause. In 2021, they celebrated 10 years of DGR.

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride from 2021 permanently moved to May The new May date will open up the riding season for many of our dapper folks in the Northern Hemisphere and those in the Southern Hemisphere will still

be able to keep relatively dry and enjoy the day. This is a significant change that has been decided on due to overwhelming feedback from riders and volunteer hosts from around the world, based on the impact that the weather has had on the safety of events in recent years.

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M.A.G. Staged A Great Blues Night Text by Joe Adambery - Photographs by Mark Galliano Photography

ON FRIDAY 13th May last at the Inces Hall, the Musicians Association of Gibraltar (M.A.G.) hosted a very successful ‘Blues Night’, which saw a practically full house enjoying various bands in concert. The show was part of a trio of entertainment evenings as the Association seeks to widen the scope of concert offerings, designed to reach a wider audience and raise funds for their noble projects like purchasing musical instruments and recently donating £2000 towards the new theatre.

MAG compere, Jess Scruton White introduced all the acts and listed aims and achievements of the Association, leaving no one in any doubt that they are here to stay and doing a good job in promoting local talent while also increasing the youth and the public’s awareness of our developing music culture. She took on a song too and also filled in the inevitable gaps as stage equipment was reset between each act.

The music kicked off with the ‘MAG Blues Band’ whose young line-up consisted of two guitars, drums and two female backing singers supporting the three female vocalists who each took on different songs. The opening song was the Etta James classic ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ and the audience responded warmly. Jess Scruton confidently belted out the second vocal and the third song was taken on by young singer Eve Belilo (MAG Stephen Belilo’s daughter).

Song four was from ‘Porgy and Bess’ the classic ‘Summer Time,’ which could have been spiced up a bit, before the final song GLOBE MAGAZINE 25

‘Tennessee Whiskey’ put the true ‘Blues’ seal on a set which might have drawn deeper from the genre.

No complaints though it was a tidy opening set.

The next band ‘Chaos Theory’ made a snazzy entrance with black hats a-la ‘Blues Brothers’ stomping out ‘Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.’ Their second number was the steamy Joe Cocker classic ‘You can leave your hat on’ which showed that they meant business. They transitioned from

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song to song seamlessly. A ‘Thin Lizzy’ classic followed called ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ and then the singer led a loud cheer for war-torn Ukraine. ‘While my Guitar gently Weeps’ got an energetic treatment followed by a Muddy Waters classic ‘Hoochie Coochie Man.’ Their rousing finale ZZ Top’s ‘Sharp dressed Man’ got good acclaim. The band’s set was memorable for its good song choices and because they obviously enjoyed putting on a show to impress, which we

the audience heartily approved.

Well done guys.

Power trio TCB (Tonna, Calderon and Bugega) came on next determined to blow the roof away with their opener ‘Sweet Home Chicago.’ They quickly crossed the Atlantic to rely on John Lennon’s ‘Come Together’ and back again to stateside for ZZ Top’s ‘La Grange’... a true ‘Blues’ belter.

An old Spencer Davies classic ‘Gimme some Loving’ saw them rely on British R’n’B to keep up

the momentum until their epic finale, a very good take on Joe Cocker’s ‘With a little help from my friends.’ Their rendering of this classic saw a well measured vocal from Jonathan Bugega and great Keyboard playing from Chris Calderon. They displayed great dynamics throughout the tempo changes and keyboard textures and truly won the audience over with their strong finale to the set.

There was great expectation for the final act, a ‘Gary Moore

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Tribute Band’ featuring guitarist extraordinaire Kevin Victor and vocalist Jesse Sampere, with William Menez on bass, Kayron Posso on drums and his wife on occasional keyboards. From the opening number Kevin was in command of the tone and the style of the late great Bluesman. He held the audience spell bound with his exquisite playing and finesse.

There was universal agreement at the Inces hall that we had just witnessed something truly special and those plaudits also have to be shared by Jesse, who took on the impassioned ‘Gary’ vocals, mostly from the catalogue of the greatest Gary Moore album ‘Still got the Blues’ and also featuring some earlier classics too.

There was also a guest guitarist, Christian Correa, who Kevin graciously let play the best known guitar lines from the classic ‘Still got the Blues for you’. But I’m sure no one would deny me that the essence (‘duende’) of the 28 GLOBE MAGAZINE

‘Blues night’ belonged to Kevin Victor, who took us to ‘Blues heaven’ with his lyrical playing.

You could have heard a pin drop in between his phrasing. Yet the man is quietly unassuming with no airs or poses...he just let his guitar do the talking instead; memorable indeed.

The overall presentation, lights and continuity were well up to scratch and MAG have to be congratulated for hosting this ambitious show on which they worked hard to impress. There were a couple of encores of course but how do you follow some of the best Gary Moore guitar classics? Years rolled away for me as I remembered when I saw the late Blues hero on stage at the London Hammersmith Odeon in the 80s. I like to think that he would have been smiling down at us last Friday. Well done all who played and sung their hearts out.

Respect and looking forward to another one before the year is out.

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Basketball Legend Carlos Cabezas visits Westside and Bayside Schools WESTSIDE AND BAYSIDE schools, in conjunction with the Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association, were delighted to host basketball legend Carlos Cabezas.

Last Friday, over 150 students and members of staff gathered at the school’s sports hall to learn first-hand about the journey and challenges of professional sportsmanship. In the audience were Year 10 Physical Education GCSE students as well as Year 9s who have opted to take on the subject next September. A

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number of Gibraltar’s basketball youth players were invited to join the event.

Better known for his time playing for Unicaja de Málaga (20002009), Carlos Cabezas was an integral part of the Spanish National Team. Cabezas won the gold medal with the senior Spain National Basketball Team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

He also won the silver medal at the EuroBasket 2007, and the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2009. As a player, he has played in the Spanish league, Russian

Super league and in France. More importantly, in 1998 he became a world champion at 18 years old, making his visit very relatable to Bayside and Westside students.

Carlos Cabezas addressed his young audience by sharing with them his experiences during his time as a professional basketball player as well as the challenges he faced in his journey. Mr Cabezas emphasised the importance of dedication and consistency in all areas of life in order to achieve your goals. Additionally, he spoke about resilience and how vital this

had been in overcoming obstacles over the years. He recalled fondly how his parents, especially his father Carlos Cabezas Snr, a former basketball player and coach himself, had played an integral part in his career.

The presentation was followed by a question and answer session, with the questions ranging from “Who is the most famous person you have played against?” to “What is your most memorable moment of your career?” Finally, the students were treated to a display of his skill and ability as

well as a chance to challenge Mr Cabezas to a ‘one on one’.

Teachers Monica Brown and Adam Cassaglia, said: ‘It was encouraging to see how enthusiastic and interested our students were in learning more about Carlos Cabezas’ career.

In just under 2 hours that his visit lasted, Carlos Cabezas

undoubtedly left an indelible impression on our young students and athletes. He raised the profile of local basketball and gave his audience an opportunity to appreciate how hard work, dedication and resilience pays off. All who attended were very grateful for his visit and hope to see Carlos Cabezas back in Gibraltar soon.

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Anne-Marie Valverde (Designer) Introduce yourself to our readers.

Coming from an Art and Design background, I spent 8 years working as a Graphic Designer. I decided to leave that position when I became pregnant wanting to dedicate myself to being a full-time mum.

It wasn't until my daughters, now 8 and 6, commenced full time education that I returned to work. I did contemplate returning to Graphic Design but I felt from my past experience as a Designer that this would impose greatly on my family life and would eventually make me unhappy. As fate would have it posts for SNLSA (Special Needs Learning Support Assistant) became available so I decided to do a QCF Teaching Assistant qualification online and applied for the job. I've now been an SNLSA for over 3 years and consider myself blessed to be working with children.

What’s your first artistic memory?

My aunts and uncles, along with my late father, Joseph, owned the photography studio ‘Gibcolour’ before the digital age; a time when photographers needed to have a clear vision of composition and lighting prior to taking a shot.

It's here where my love for visual creativity was nourished and I learned to trust my instincts with the creative process. At the studio my dad would often draw my portrait teaching me different techniques and blending skills. I 32 GLOBE MAGAZINE

came to the realization at a very young age that being creative and working with my hands made me very happy.

When did you first become interested in Knitting/ crochet?

Both my grandmothers were knitters and crocheters and I remember my grandmother Anita knitting with super large 'old school' needles. I was always mesmerized at the speed in which her fingers would move and the fact that she could do this whilst chatting and watching T.V without once ever looking down at the project (a skill i am yet to master).

My maternal grandma Maria, along with my grandfather, lived with my parents, brother and I growing up and had trained as a seamstress so i would often come home from school to layers of beautiful fabric soon to be turned into curtains or dresses.

I found both my grandma's abilities of turning fabric or yarn into garments magical and I guess here is where I first fell in love with fibre arts in general.

How did you learn these skills?

Funnily enough even though both my grandmothers were skilled in these crafts it wasn't until I entered

Westside School that I was taught the basic stitches of crochet by Mrs Wood. I remember that same afternoon making my fist trip to Princess Silks and purchasing the most flamboyantly colourful yarn and my first hook which I kept in an old Whether's Original tinbox. From this moment on I was hooked and I kept crochet as a hobby on and off throughout my teenage years. It was upon my return from University that I really started to experiment with patterns and became more adventurous and confident in my projects. This continued when I became pregnant wanting to create beautiful items for my daughters to wear. It was after the birth of my youngest daughter that I suffered from Post Natal Depression (PND) and anxiety that I really threw myself into crocheting to distract myself from my racing mind.

The motion of counting rows and stitches repetitively became like meditation and to this day I attribute overcoming PND to both crochet and yoga.

What’s your inspiration and where do you find it?

It may seem unrealistic but I truly draw inspiration from every aspect of life. From being inspired by the geometric shapes in tiles to create crochet patterns to being in awe with the colour contrast of moss growing on walls and though I am not too keen on technology i must admit the capability of capturing anything that inspires you in the moment

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Sofia. With her being away in the UK and not due to arrive until two days prior to the shoot I knew alterations were not going to be possible. Unable to go to the shoot myself, as it took place during school hours, the head piece and make up remained a mystery to me up until the end.

Once I received some of the photos of the shoot during my lunch break I was blown away at the final result of all our efforts coming together. It was such an amazing experience collaborating with these wonderfully talented women and I can't wait for us to work together again.

with the click of your phone is quite handy.

Are there any colours/textures you prefer using?

I love working with more than one texture so I choose projects that I can really go crazy with. Mixing fibres like yak silk, suri alpaca and 100% wool are amongst my favourites but i've also used plarn (plastic yarn) and rope.

Holding multiple strands of different textured yarns is very effective to create chunky, interesting knits. Sometimes creating texture is more about the stitches used rather than the type of fibre and the one scarf I’ve knitted that always seems to wow everyone is done using brioche knitting. I must admit the most playful garments and the ones I love the most have been created by destashing my leftover yarn to make room for new yarn. I've learned immensely through this process as it's 'forced' me to mix colours that 'technically' or normally would never go together and have resulted in some interesting and beautiful pieces. For me there are no rules in knitting or crochet it's all about experimenting and enjoying the process.

What can you tell us about the cover collaboration?

After seeing me with one of my scarves whilst picking up our daughters from ballet, Charlene Figueras and I got talking knits and fibres. Being a fashion designer herself we began talking creativity and possible projects.

She had a vision of getting a team together for a Spring shoot so we discussed flowers, colours and everything between.

From the very beginning I think Charlene had a very clear idea of the kind of shoot she wanted to achieve so she brought the team 34 GLOBE MAGAZINE

together. The funny thing is, to this day the whole team have not met in person, all our ideas were discussed via Whatsapp. I was to create a crochet dress for our model Sofia Camporese with Nyree Chipolina doing makeup, Philippa Shaw doing the hair piece and Charlene capturing the magic as our photographer.

We explored possible colours and styles but everything was

left pretty open. It was during this process that i came across a Moroccan tile with a very intricate motif reminiscent of traditional granny squares used in Afghan blankets. The colour combination was stunning and i was eager to try and incorporate elements of the colour and style into my creation. The biggest challenge was ensuring the dress was a right fit for our model

What are you working on at the moment?

What am I not working on! I have at least 12 works in progress going on at the moment but what I’m most excited about is designing and writing my own patterns.

It's been a process going from knitter/crocheter to designer.

Making garments available for different sizes is quite a challenge and though I am no where near the kind of designer I hope to become I am loving the journey the craft is taking me on.

Any future plans you can tell us?

Right now, my main focus is on becoming a pattern designer.

However, in the future I would love to hold workshops and teach others these beautiful crafts and encourage the younger generation to learn these dying arts.

Where can Globe Magazine readers follow your work?

When I’m not working I’m either knitting, crocheting, spending time with my family or doing yoga so I don't leave much time for social media. I do have an Instagram @mayhem.knits for those who wish to check out my work.

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Dad's Kitchen Ham Cooked in Cola Text and Photography by Mark Montovio

Mark Montovio shares some of his much loved local and world recipes opening up possibilities for making each dish to suit a variety of families, different tastes and particular dietary needs.

Combining his love of different cultures and world cuisine he is also committed to preparing meals which are nutritious, tasty and good to look at, with minimum waste and using seasonal produce.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN the case that whenever I have mentioned ham cooked in cola, only those who have never tried this, raise an eyebrow at the idea but it really works! No one who cooks it, cooks it just once. It eventually becomes the way you prepare a ham joint.

Although boiling it the usual way in a large pot works well, it can be absolutely magical prepared in a slow cooker. We have to remember that cola has that element of sugar which works beautifully with the saltiness of the ham and when the liquid thickens and caramelises, the flavour can be quite intense, magically transporting you straight to southern USA. Finished off in the oven, covered with a glaze of mustard and honey, is the crowning glory.

The origin of the recipe is not clear and it feels very much like an urban legend, but a number of high profile TV personalities, like Nigela Lawson and Jamie Oliver, have been huge advocates of this recipe, which can be served warm with vegetables, as part of a salad, or as a luxurious filling in a sandwich.

Cooking the ham is a straight forward event and most of the 36 GLOBE MAGAZINE

joints we can purchase locally will have cooking instructions based on weight. Literally all you do is substitute the water required for the size of joint with cola, and of course this can be cherry cola too, or Dr Pepper, and you could even do half cola and half beer. You may find as you cook, that much of the liquid evapo-

rates and topping up with water will help.

Whatever drink you use will already have the required amount of sugar, and a number of different flavours, but it is always great to add a star anise, a bay leaf, black peppercorns and an onion.

Once the ham is cooked, and on average simmering a joint with a tight lid on for about three hours is about right, you drain and discard the cola. and allow the ham to cool. In the meantime, you preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).

Once the ham is cooled, you remove the skin, leaving some of the fat behind, and you score it.

At that point you can brush over the glaze mixture and put it into the oven, cooking it for 25-30min until it is golden brown, brushing the glaze over regularly until it is all used up.

The glaze again is very much up to individual taste but I like to use a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of ground ginger, a tablespoon of dark soy sauce, a tablespoon of mustard, two tablespoons of demerara sugar and four tablespoons of runny honey. The finished product should boast a shiny, sticky glaze all around the ham.

I have no preference when consuming the ham, and I have even used leftovers in croquetas, but on this occasion, boiled potatoes, carrots and fried slices of plantain, made it a perfect meal.

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The Best Recipes of our Cuisine Lamb Chops with Hummus & Roasted Tomatoes Introduce a Little Sunshine to Your Day Whatever The Weather with Mediterranean-Style Lamb Chops Served on A Bed of Hummus, Roasted Tomatoes, Olives and Feta Serves: 4 Preparation: 35 minutes Cook: 15 minutes plus marinating and resting INGREDIENTS 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling - 4 garlic cloves, crushed - 8 lamb chops - 200g mixed cherry tomatoes on the vine - 40g pine nuts - Handful watercress - 12 black olives, pitted and halved 50g feta, crumbled - Handful fresh mint, finely chopped, to serve - 2 flatbreads, warmed, to serve FOR THE HUMMUS 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed - ½ lemon, juiced - 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped - 1 ½ tsp tahini - 1 tbsp olive oil HOW TO MAKE IT 1. Mix the oil and garlic together

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then rub half over the lamb chops. Season well, then set aside to marinate. Heat oven to 220C. 2. Put the tomatoes on a baking tray then drizzle over the remaining oil mixture and season. Cook for 8-10 minutes until soft, adding the pine nuts for the final 2-3 minutes to toast. 3. Make the hummus by blitzing all the ingredients together with 2-3 tbsp water until smooth. 4. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat and cook the lamb for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Hold the fatty side of the meat against the pan for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Cover and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. 5. Spread the hummus over a platter or four plates and top with the tomatoes, a drizzle of

olive oil, the lamb and watercress. Scatter over the olives,

pine nuts, feta and mint, and serve with the flatbreads.

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What’s Happening Down Town?

1 Henry Sacramento with Hawk Hayes 2 The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo met the athletes of Special Olympics Gibraltar at No 6 Convent Place to congratulate them on their achievements at the Special Olympics Malta Invitational Games 2022 3 The Special Olympics football team won gold at the Malta Invitational Games 4 Colour Sgt Malcolm Head and Sgt Ivan Massetti joined the Infantry Hockey Team, made up of players from all branches of the Infantry, for the three day competition at Aldershot Hockey Ground 5 Kevin Bossino will be the new CEO of the Tourist Board. He will take up his post on the 1st of September 6 The GHA congratulated District Nurses, Anne Marie Hemmi and Dominic Roman on their recent retirement 7 Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron Took Ownership of HMS Cutlass 1

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The Purge of Social Media in the 21st Century The cause was something more insidious: the physical toll of living almost entirely in a virtual world

THE PANDEMIC in many ways has forced most of us online at incomparable rates. It’s where we’ve worked, taken classes, attended parties, and gotten lost in 2020’s voracious news cycles. But our bodies were not designed to primarily exist in virtual space like this, and as our collective digital time creeps upward, something called cybersickness seems to be leaking into the general population.

Social media is a rapidly growing aspect of everyday life in the 21st century. More often than not, social media is the first information we consume when we wake up and the last information we consume before we go to sleep. It fills the micro-moments of our day. People of all ages are using social media, no matter how little they know about the online world, the main one being Facebook.

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people sharing and commenting on our posts. But for all the glamour, excitement, and ‘hoopla’ surrounding social media, there is a dark side.

For most people, the first thing they do when they get out of bed in the morning is check their phone: for updates, for statuses, for anything and everything. It seems like our entire life revolves around our phones. In today’s digital world, they allow us to do almost anything!

With the opening of an app, you can deposit a cheque, order a meal, hail a ride to the store or forgo it in order to shop at home, or most likely, navigate the multitude of social

media sites that have become our way of life.

These days, nearly two-thirds of the population use social media and this number increases among teens and young adults; 78% of 18-24-yearolds use ‘Snapchat’, 71% use ‘Instagram’, and 68% use ‘Facebook’ (Pew Research Center, 2018).

We’re drawn to its convenience and excited about the prospect of other

Research has found that the persistent use of social media increases the likelihood of depression and anxiety (Twenge et al., 2018).

Social media is widely associated with ‘cyberbullying’, leads to feelings of loneliness and being left out, and causes us to make unfavourable and unrealistic comparisons, each of which negatively impacts our sense of happiness and well-being.

SOCIAL MEDIA’S IMPACT ON ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

While the younger crowd is more susceptible to the influence of social media, the extent to which social media is inserted into our lives is a bigger cause for concern. Unlike

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laptops or desktops, smartphones allow instantaneous access into the intimate lives of anyone with a social media account, so we’re set up to continually compare ourselves to others from the moment we wake up to when we go to bed.

A simple scroll through someone’s Instagram or Facebook profile will likely lead you to make broad conclusions about his or her life and where it’s headed.

Nice car, he must have a better job than me.

His girlfriend’s prettier than mine.

I wish I could go on some of those exotic vacations he constantly posts.

Nothing is ever good enough!

The majority of people in cyberspace are strangers to us, as being friends on Facebook is the most impersonal and superficial kind of friendship, so why should one care what he or she had going on in their life? How logical is it to compare one’s life with someone else’s on cyberspace? All

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it does is make one feel bad about oneself by bringing out one’s own insecurities. But with social media, it’s difficult not to make these comparisons. Social media use has also been known to lead to feelings of loneliness and being left out in much the same way.

Comparing oneself to other people will make you feel insecure about the number of friends you have since others on social media may have more friends than you. Or when other people post pictures with their girlfriends/boyfriends or going on adventures with friends, you may feel left out by thinking you don’t have the same kind of relationship with the people in your life.

Cyberbullying has also become a hallmark of social media use that is meant to intimidate social media users through embarrassing or harassing behaviour. This can be done in many ways, such as by starting and spreading rumours,

sharing embarrassing or intimate photos, and creating a fake profile with embarrassing information.

It is easier to say mean things to someone from behind a computer screen than it is face-to-face, which is why it has become so prevalent.

As a parent, while you may want to block or at least severely limit access to your child’s social media pages, this is unrealistic and infeasible.

You don’t avoid, you monitor and develop a plan so that social media use doesn’t control your life or the life of your child.

Here are five ways to lessen the negative effects of social media use: 1. Ensure a healthy balance – Put the phone down and go to a friend’s house for some face-to-face time. There is nothing wrong with indulging in social media now and then, but when it takes over every waking hour, that’s when you need to reflect and make some changes in your life.

2. Turn off the notifications – Since social media use is largely informal and, ultimately, unimportant, there is no reason to allow social media to interrupt your day by bringing you constant notifications.

3. Limit the number of profiles you have – Do you really need six social media accounts? Two or three should be enough. Ditch the rest and you will see a significant improvement in the number of hours you spend on social media.

4. Set a time to be on and off social media – Setting a timeframe to use social media can loosen the grip it has over you. It will also make you more productive, less stressed, and help ensure a healthy balance.

5. Be honest with yourself – If scrolling through Facebook for the hundredth time today makes you anxious, irritated, or depressed, put down the phone and do something else with your time. Be honest with yourself and disengage from social media use when you start feeling discouraged or aggravated.

Adhering to these simple rules will undoubtedly provide you with a more fulfilling and better perspective on life. Remember the reason you initially signed up for social media? – To have fun and engage with friends. When this becomes no longer true, it is time to rethink your use of social media.

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ClubHouse Gibraltar initiatives during Mental Health Week received full support and participation from GHA and Care Agency ON WEDNESDAY 11th May 2022 Clubhouse Gibraltar held an information stall at the Piazza to create Mental Health awareness in the community, as part of the events organized for Mental Health Week 2022.

Clubhouse Gibraltar was very well supported by its members, GHA and the Care

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Agency, who also participated and supported the event. Both agencies are working closely with Clubhouse Gibraltar for the benefit of the members, service-users and for the community in order to provide better services and support for the people, who are affected by mental health problems.

This year, the theme is ‘Loneliness’. Loneliness affects millions of people and is a key driving many people to poor mental health. During the Covid pandemic, loneliness has been exacerbated due to isolation and restrictions to keep everyone safe.

Our aim for the week is to raise

awareness of how loneliness impacts our mental wellbeing and practical steps that we can take to address it. The interest shown by the members of the public and the support received from the community was very impressive. The key message from Clubhouses all over the world is ‘WE ARE NOT ALONE’.

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The Memory Project The Memory Project, a dance theatre piece directed by Zoe Bishop, took place at a packed John Mackintosh Hall Theatre Text by Mark Montovio - Photographs by Mark Galliano Photography

IT AIMED TO RAISE AWARENESS of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and to raise funds for the charity GADS, a total of £3,006.25, after the director felt that she had to put her personal experience of the illness to good use.

A challenge which I felt met more than its expectations, the performance involved seventeen local women aged twenty to late sixties. Assisted by her sister, Nicola Bishop, Zoe created the 35-minute piece in collaboration with the cast, and it turned out to be a beautifully moving, powerful, thought provoking and engaging performance.

Over two months, the cast had the opportunity to discuss issues related to memory and identity, and the piece came together organically, flowing seamlessly on the day.

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The choreography was superb and the choice memories’, many of which I have the privilege of music, including excerpts of spoken word, to share. Indeed, I feel that one of the aspects that worked so well was the fact that the could not have been more appropriate. participants were not just there because they The opening section set the scene, establishing were seasoned performers. They were well the quality and intensity of what was to come known women who have made contributions and for me it stood out greatly. Four women to society, and had many links to others with a simultaneously share memories of different strongly forged sense of identity. The audience experiences whilst other performers continue was connected to many on that stage and that in the background. I felt this to be a very is what added intimacy and intensity to the poignant reflection of life, the recollection performance. of stories, each at their own pace, whilst the world continues oblivious to the plight or Shared memory counts when making delight of those reliving those memories and connections with others and identity is reinforcing their essence as they did so. Davina crucial to the self, and to being. In my role as Barbara’s mesmerizing voice resounded in the a therapeutic counsellor, therapeutic progress auditorium, and Conchita Triay’s presence and wellness depends on the recollection on stage was strikingly powerful, aware as of events, the unfolding of memories, the I am that she is an unyielding ‘holder of unravelling of their relevance and meaning,

and indeed whilst many memories bring about joy, and reinforce connection, many others cause distress and breed isolation, and some are a creation of our own, false and unreal, but still with power over us.

Throughout the piece, performers related to each other and explored connections, leading up to the final celebratory dance. It was a celebration of life which is finite, a celebration of existence which is finite, but a celebration of remembrance which is not. For as long as

someone is alive in the heart of another other, those memories are vivid and full of life. We are left with the feeling that life is a complex, transient journey of emotions and that it is our duty to make the most of each and every moment. No better saying fits here than, ‘que me quiten lo bailao’, and when this cruel illness strips people of every single memory making them lose their sense of identity, perhaps it is up to those who love them to keep that flame of memory alive in their hearts for them, so that the person they were, and what they

represented, is not lost in spite of the fact that they themselves have no recollection.

I very much look forward to having the opportunity of living this performance close up one more time, because I am sure that there are still many layers to work through. It was a privilege to be a witness to this superb production and to see Daphne Alcantara on stage, a tireless warrior, reminding us that we cannot turn a blind eye to this very important social issue.

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The Azata Golf Trophy MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE, who participated at Azata Golf; we certainly hope you all had a great day!

A special thanks to Golfinfo.com and Cudeca for their speech about raising money for the Charity. Open to Med Golf Members, your top six scores could qualify you to play San Roque Old Course and Valderrama for the finals! For more information and how to enter, click the link below: https://bit.ly/3smj9Ae

• 3rd: Frank O'Hara - 37 points

Golf Resort on the 28th of May 2022.

Best Team Pairings • 1st: Adrian Dyer & Peter Jackson - 46 points • 2nd: Joshua Hunter & Javier Hunter - 41 points • 3rd: Viv O’Reilly & Howard Thomas - 41 points

There was also an option available to come just for the tournament or stay 1 or 2 nights at the 5 star Barceló Montecastillo Golf Resort Not a member yet? Click the link below to join Med Golf, and receive your membership card and member shirt at our next event!

Holiday Golf Corporate Challenge League Standings: • https://bit.ly/390FQTK

Join here: https://bit.ly/3Aopvlx

See below the results and a huge congratulations to all the winners!

The Race to San Roque League Standings: • https://bit.ly/3L1uf3X

Membership Benefits: https://bit.ly/3qVdQYl

Best Individual • 1st: Adrian Dyer - 41 points • 2nd: Joshua Hunter - 37 points

The Race to San Roque and The Holiday Golf Corporate Challenge continued at our next Med Golf event at the Barceló Montecastillo

Happy Golfing!

The Med Golf Team Med Golf | The Home of Membership Benefits!

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