indulge Summer 2012 issue 6 by indulge magazines Malta

the quarterly, quality, life & style magazine

Issue No.6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Summer 2012 â&#x201A;Ź4 - where sold

A PROMISE TO SHARE A LIFETIME...

OF MOMENTS YOU’LL ALWAYS TREASURE...

VICTOR AZZOPARDI JEWELLERS

TRUSTED FOR GENERATIONS

GIFT LISTS LIST GIFT YOUR ASION Y OCC N A FOR FREE

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/ AN INVESTMENT FOR LIFE

OUR LIVES REVOLVE AROUND MOMENTS THAT TAKE OUR BREATH AWAY. THIS IS WHY WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION. VICTOR AZZOPARDI JEWELLERS, HAVE ALWAYS PUT QUALITY TO THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR PHILOSOPHY. BE IT THE WIDE SELECTION OF FINE PORCELAIN, LIMOGES AND BONE CHINA, THEIR IMPECCABLE COLLECTION OF FLAWLESS DIAMONDS OR THE EXQUISITE OFFERING OF FULL LEAD CRYSTAL, VICTOR AZZOPARDI JEWELLERS HAVE THE PERFECT TOKEN OR GIFT TO MARK THAT SPECIAL OCCASION, ONE WHICH YOU WILL CHERISH FOREVER. NO WONDER WE HAVE BEEN TRUSTED BY GENERATIONS FOR GENERATIONS. WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU OVER, SHOW YOU AROUND AND CONSULT YOU IN CHOOSING THAT PERFECT GIFT LIST WHICH IS SURE TO INSTIL CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND YOUR GUESTS.

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life & style

CONTENTS SUMMER

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR The Summer seems to have taken ages coming, and this edition felt the same. But now both are here, so get a cocktail, or take a recommendation from Michael Tabone on the perfect Summer wine, pull up a sun lounger in your outdoor space and improve it with Jean-Marc Bianchi’s suggestions, pop on your shades, and relax into the articles with us. Learn, laugh, coo and covet.

Amber Knights get’s up close and personal with 3 local artists

An Olympic free day in London

Learn how to take the perfect Summer photos

Never a cross word?

Home-made take away food

Is this the last of the Summer Wine? Michael Tabone introduces some options

It’s behind you! Martin Azzopardi gives us a review of the last season, and a few listings for the future

You can pretend there is sand in your eye when you cry at Pierre J. Mejlak’s short story

Jean-Marc Bianchi takes us into the garden

Malcom Naudi invites us to a Grand Prix

Be safe on the water says Ben Stuart

Gadget boy John de Giorgio messes about on the water

Phil Gibbs shoots from the hip

Try out my recipes (there are more online), live vicariously through the reviews and book your own experience, mentioning indulge for extra special treatment. The Summer will be over before you know it, but we are already planning the Autumn issue so you and quite a few more like you, will have something to look forward to. My, don’t we spoil you! Do let us know if there is anything you’d like to read more about, and of course, any feedback on the magazine is welcome.

Monique x monique@indulge.com.mt +356 99891722 IndulgeMagazineMalta www.indulge.com.mt

indulge is brought to you by Compass Rose Marketing & PR, Il-Fanal, 37, Main Street, Gharghur. Designed by Porridge Printed by Print It Distributed by Maltapost For advertising enquires, please contact sales@indulge.com.mt To list events, please contact events@indulge.com.mt All information is correct at the time of going to press. The editor does not accept liability for the opinions expressed nor the accuracy of the information.

Amber Knights takes a look at 3

ARTISTS’ WORK

Laura Peischl

hotography began in the late nineteenth Century, not that long ago, however its progression from its infancy to where it is now, is incredible. 10 years ago who would have thought that advancements in technology and photography would have evolved to the point where one can capture and manipulate imagery in the palm of your hand? This is where Laura steps in, she is one of the pioneers of what is referred to as mobile photography or iPhoneography. This is a whole new realm within photography as it only started to take off in 2009. iPhoneography is a movement in itself and has progressed to where it is today through technology and the demand for social media. One may think that there isn’t much technique to taking photographs with a mobile phone however Laura’s images are nothing short of wonderful, the intimacy between the photographer and the subject is very evident; her talent is undeniable. Capturing images with a phone allows Laura to be discreet, yet get up close and personal. It takes

6 –indulge / Summer 2012

guts to snap at such close range and can sometimes be invasive, but it’s the excitement and spontaneity of doing this that makes them so special. Laura wanders the streets of Valletta, her favourite location, seeking that special, genuine moment that she can capture on her phone. With her talent for predicting a wonderful shot, Laura will spend time waiting for the right moment and through this inadvertently builds a relationship with her subject. This is very evident in her work, her images elicit feelings and emotions and capture a mood in a fleeting moment; naturally one’s experience with her photos is individual and up to the viewer to interpret, Laura finds the varied responses fascinating and very gratifying. Laura accumulates images and then translates them into phenomenal and unique pieces of art through clever manipulation of her mobile photography applications. As she explains, a photograph cannot be ‘forced’ into something through editing, it has to find its own way naturally.

Over the years Laura’s style has progressed and she has found herself caught up with a passion for street photography. She feels it is mostly a male dominated field as men tend to document an image; her approach is contrary to this, she reaches a personal level with her audience and strives to capture the emotion of that brief moment. Laura wants to make a difference as a female photographer in the world of street photography, she feels that art should make you happy and be enjoyable, thus she endeavours to make her images speak for themselves. Laura has exhibited both in Malta and America and has won numerous competitions for her images. If you think that you would like to learn about iphoneography or expand on your knowledge, Laura teaches online courses for both beginners and advanced at www.thecompellingimage.com To get in contact with Laura or see some of her work, you can do so on her facebook page or by accessing the following page: www.flickriver.com/ photos/isnob/

Clemens Hasengschwandtner Bright, bold and exceptionally eye catching best describes Clemens’ paintings. They are undoubtably impressive and immediately captivate you. Clemens started painting about 15 years ago. He initially came to Malta to work in tourism however he soon found himself making his living as an artist. His distinct style developed quite early on and has now become his trademark; there is no question that he successfully forges a reputation with the viewer with his colourful pop art. Pop art has been around for a long time and was a style that emerged as a response to abstract expressionism. It is defined by the use of images that characterise the realities of everyday life and popular culture. A balance between impulses and interests of Clemens are what bring together his contemporary paintings; through his work he emphasises the banal elements of society, through realism combined with abstract substance. never mixed and are all defined by a black outline, all produced in acrylic paint. What is most beautiful about some of Clemens’ work is his commissions which he adapts into a ‘life diary’, he incorporates a person’s life experiences into the painting, which leaves them with an everlasting personal image of days gone by. Aside from his paintings Clemens has also worked on sculptures, that are beautifully carved out of Maltese limestone. These days he produces less of them and is instead developing wooden designs which he cuts, sands, primes and then paints.

Clemens develops his paintings into a story, he compels you to ‘read’ and lose yourself in the painting, at first glance his paintings look like a detailed explosion of vibrant colour but drawn in by intrigue, one can start to engage with the scene and a story unfolds. He enjoys depicting fairytales and mythology in his paintings and he tells me that it often helps people identify with them.

Figures are the main focus of his work, his themes range from scenes of everyday life to the extravagantly provocative. His zany images are brimming with humour, wit and playful nudity with a combination of delightful detail. Clemens paintings display energies and feelings that he cleverly transmits through his brush. His block colours are what give his paintings such an impact, they are

Clemens is a happy person who projects his state of mind onto his work, he finds his work to be a reflection of himself. He is optimistic and likes to make the best out of life, dedicating the majority of his time to paintings, and sometimes spending up to 16 hours a day 7 days a week working on them. Clemens work is on permanent exhibition at Il-Forn wine bar and art gallery in Birgu, it’s his showcase, his gallery and the place where it all started! You can find Clemens at ilForn or on facebook or you can email him at clem@onvol.net

indulge / Summer 2012 – 7

Jennings Falzon The young fresh talent that he is, Jennings is already making his mark in the Maltese art circle through his sculptures and paintings. He has participated in collaborative exhibitions and is also making a name for himself abroad. Coming from a family of artists allowed him to be exposed to the creative process from a very young age; it is what led him to study 3 dimensional design and obtain a degree in fine arts

His use of earthy colours emphasise the harmony between the organic materials and its subject. There is a tendency for society to presume a form but Jennings likes to take that form and manipulate traditional media through unexpected means, the end product truly capturing the essence of his subject and providing it with a different outlook that may otherwise seem ordinary.

Sculpting has always been related to stone and wood work however due to shifts in modernism, nowadays there is much more freedom for artists and their materials. His sculptures are constructed from natural mundane materials that produce an organic masterpiece.

The physical presence of his work is undeniable and yet Jennings comes across as a placid, unassuming person. He admires all the great Masters such as Rodin, Michelangelo and DaVinci but is equally inspired by artists like Nicola Hicks and Patrick Doherty.

Jennings is driven by the fantasy world and uses fantastical concepts in his work. His mind is fertilised with ideas that stem from dreams and eventually his work matures into a wonderful creation and engaging piece of his personal vision. A number of his sculptures are made of stone but his preferred materials are twigs, linen cloth, and barbed wire to name a few.

The bulk of his work focuses on religious themes depicted in the form he feels best represents them, there is no sugar coated approach, he creates an unpredictable, unconventional piece that speaks volumes about its subject. His forms are semi preconceived nevertheless, the final product speaks for itself. In some cases he allows the natural shapes of the materials to dictate the theme and interprets his work post production. The aesthetic result of each of Jennings sculptures is an organic entity in its own right.

His subject matter varies however the focus of his work is based around the human figure which he likes to manipulate into an abstract form. Jennings is equally skilled in painting, his oil paintings are distinct and he invokes intrigue through his distinct brush strokes.

8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

For more information on Jennings you can visit his website at www.jenningsfalzon.com

Amber Knights is a creative mother of three whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chaotic life includes juggling kids, animals, and art with a good sense of humour.

Monique Chambers PICKS OUT ACTIVITIES FOR A PERFECT DAY...

IN LONDON

Stay in Luxury

Arrive in style Why not have a chauffeur for the duration of your stay? May be more expensive and less entertaining than a London cabbie, but definitely more convenient +44 208 641 1740

Hand made shoes Madame? Before you hit the shops, make an appointment with Selve (www. selve.co.uk) and have your feet measured for bespoke shoes. You will be able to order subsequent pairs online for around £350 with their ‘customise your own shoe’ shop from the comfort of your own home! For inspiration on your style, why not visit the Christian Louboutin exhibition at The Design Museum?

With just two rooms, 40 Winks is likely to one of the smallest boutique hotels in the world but what it lacks in beds it certainly makes up for in character. Designed by David Carter this quirky resting place is ideal of anyone who is looking for an eccentrically English hotel in the heart of London. Their unique combinations of high fashion and shabby chic have made this hotel a favourite for celebrity and fashionistas. Are you cool enough? +44(0)20 7790 0259 www.40winks.org

The V&A Fashion Galleries have an exhibition of beautiful ballgowns, red carpet evening dresses and catwalk showstoppers. Displayed over two floors, ‘Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950’ will feature more than sixty designs for social events such as private parties, royal balls, state occasions and opening nights. www.vam.ac.uk

indulge / Summer 2012 – 9

Have an alfresco lunch Yalla Yalla, the authentic Lebanese and Middle Eastern street food restaurant has opened a pop-up Bedouinstyle tent on the Southbank for the Summer months. Choose a Wrap, mezze, dips and salads to savour while sitting under draped lighting inside the tent, in the open space. Open daily 10am10pm. The Southbank (behind the Royal Festival Hall), Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. www.yalla-yalla.co.uk No reservation required!

Pick up a picnic Have brunch The food and flavours at The Lawn Bistro chef Ollie Couillaud, are French based but not fussy and with a set lunch menu at just £22.50 for three courses, it’s worth a visit. 67 High Street, Wimbledon Village, London SW19 5EE www.thelawnbistro.co.uk

Gourmet mini-market, Bayley & Sage is filled with fresh seasonal produce sourced from the best British suppliers, with more than 100 cheeses from the UK and Europe, artisan breads and tasty sandwiches and salads that are made in their kitchen daily. Fill a basket, head to one of the many green spaces, and fill your tum! 60, High Street, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Village, London SW19 5EE www.bayley-sage.co.uk

Chauffeur and shop Hire a Ferrari or a Bentley to cruise around the capital? +44 0207 625 9400 and to avoid difficult parking and buying the same outfit as anyone else, explore other areas of London to find unusual, handmade and vintage clothing and accessories. Camden Passage has Kirt Holmes jewellery studio www.kirtholmes.com and the fabulous Frost French boutique as well as a branch of eco-store, Planet Organic just around the corner on Essex Road.

Shake, rattle and rock ‘n’roll!

An expert mixologist will demonstrate how to create gorgeous classic cocktails and then you get chance to sing in a private karaoke booth, for just £35 per person. Call Lucky Voice +44 20 7439 3660

10 –indulge / Summer 2012

A tailor made suit sir? In his shop on Islington’s Upper Street, Charlie Allen offers a full bespoke tailoring service where each suit is a commissioned piece of work, designed according a customer’s precise predilections. Each suit is completely hand-made, right down to the buttonholes, and is a unique garment, perfectly fitted to the customer, which will last a lifetime and can even be passed down through the generations. Starting price £1500.

Dine out Spilling onto St John’s Square is Bistrot Bruno Loubet, offering signature rustic style dishes include English asparagus with green gazpacho sauce; Lobster salad, salted watermelon and curried yoghurt dressing; and Chilli poached pineapple with passion fruit jelly and green tea. Bruno even infuses his own cordials for summery signature cocktails – try the Provence, with lemon, orange, lavender, rosemary and Vermouth. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. St John’s Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RJ. T: +44 207 324 4455. www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com

But if you want a more refined start to your evening, celebrate Bubble Hour, the ultimate Happy Hour with a divine Bellini or a glass or two of one of the many fizz’s in stock at the longest bar in the world! St Pancras Champagne Bar - Sunday – Tuesdays, from 7pm till closing.

Dance your shoes off The Black Cotton Club gives you the chance to wear your finest vintage and dance to music from the 20’s to 40’s - all on original 78 rpm records. www.ladyluckclub.co.uk indulge / Summer 2012 – 11

Tutorial:

SUMMER LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY brought to you by Avantech and Canon

Photography needs light – and great photographs need the right light. With 12 hours or more of daylight in the summer, it is important to understand how the light affects your images.

This tutorial will talk through how light changes and how to take advantage of it: Ç 5IF HPMEFO IPVST Ç 4IBEPX QMBZ Ç $IBOHJOH MJHIU Ç 8IJUF CBMBODF Ç 4IPPUJOH NPEFT

However, you might have more or less than 60 minutes available – it depends where you are in the world. Close to the equator, the sun rises quickly and you will have less than an hour of golden light. Near to the poles, there are times when the sun never rises much above the horizon and the golden hour can last all day.

THE GOLDEN HOURS

SHADOW PLAY

In photography, only two of the daylight hours are considered special – the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. These are called the golden hours.

As well as a warm light, the low sun of early morning also throws long shadows. These bring out the texture of rough surfaces, especially the fronts of buildings, monuments and statues. Landscapes of hills and fields also benefit from the low angle of the illumination.

When the sun rises or sets, it is near the horizon. This means that the light travels through more of the atmosphere than when the sun is overhead. Water particles in the air absorb and scatter blue wavelengths. The greater the distance the light travels through the atmosphere, the less the amount of blue light reaching the ground. This is why early morning and late evening light is warmer – it takes on a golden hue which suits many subjects such as landscapes and buildings.

12 –indulge / Summer 2012

As the sun rises in the sky the shadows become much shorter and stronger, and are generally less attractive. To eliminate these harsh shadows which can become particularly noticeable under the people’s eyes, you can turn on the flash to fill the shadows in and provide a more even light. Later in the day you may have to position your subject in the shade to avoid them squinting and provide a softer light.

CHANGING LIGHT The quality of daylight changes through the day. Outside the golden hours, the early morning and late afternoon sunlight still retains a warm colour, though more muted. Bright sunlight in the middle of the day is much bluer, with more contrast and throws unattractive, short shadows. Cloud cover will soften all these effects and give the most even light. In addition, the sun appears to move across the sky during the day, so the front of a building that is in shadow in the morning might be bathed in sunlight in the afternoon. The direction and angle of sun depend on the time of year. Charts and calculators are available which give you this information for any time of day, latitude and longitude. If you are on an organised tour, you might have only a few minutes to take photographs. However, if you are staying in the same place for a few days, it is worth going back to the same subjects at different times of day to see if the picturetaking opportunities have improved when the light illuminates it from a different position.

paper is suitable although an 18% grey card is ideal). The camera uses the data from this image to set the white balance for future photographs. You need to repeat the procedure each time the lighting changes.

WHITE BALANCE The colour of light is given a value â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the colour temperature. This plays an important part in digital photography, though you might be more familiar with the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;white balanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The human eye â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and brain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is very adaptable to the changing colour of light. A sheet of white card will appear white whether you are looking at it outdoors in daylight (bluish), or indoors under the illumination from a tungsten light bulb (yellowish). Photographic media is not able to adapt in this way. It has to be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;balancedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to suit the colour temperature of the prevailing light. The sensor in your camera can be balanced for a wide range of colour temperatures at the touch of a button. Settings include Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater and Custom. You will notice that there settings for Daylight and Cloudy. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because the colour temperature of the light is different in cloudy conditions to normal daylight. If all this is a little confusing, you can set Auto White Balance (AWB). This analyses the light reaching the sensor and sets an appropriate value. However if you want to be certain of the white balance you can use custom white balance; take a photo of a white subject (a piece of white

SHOOTING MODES Photographing on a beach can sometimes be a little tricky using your cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s automatic mode. The white sand reflects a lot more light than an average subject, making the camera think that the scene is bathed in very bright light. The exposure is reduced accordingly, giving a darker result than you might expect. The Beach Scene Mode on IXUS and PowerShot cameras compensates by increasing the exposure, letting you concentrate on capturing memorable photos. For great shots without the effort, PowerShot and IXUS models have Smart Auto mode with Scene Detection technology that detects up to 32 scenes automatically and applies the best settings for the optimum result â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smart enough to detect the lighting conditions from bright daylight to cloudy, backlit to blue sky. Once the conditions are detected, the relevant settings are applied. For example your camera will deepen the blue of a sky to emphasise the colour. When shooting in a sunset orange tones are emphasised to make the golden light even stronger.

You can also check the exposure of an image after you have taken it using the histogram facility on your camera (details available in your instruction manual). This creates a graph that shows the distribution of all the tones in the image. If all the tones are bunched to the left the image is underexposed; bunching to the right demonstrates overexposure. Tones spread across the graph, with few or any touching the left or right edges, indicate a well-exposed image. 0QFOJOH IPVST Mon-Fri 8am - 4.30pm Avantech Building, St. Julians Road San Gwann SGN2805 Tel: +356 2148 8800 Fax: + 356 2148 6899 Email: info@avantech.com.mt 8FC www.avantech.com.mt

ENTER THE PHOTO GALLERY Now you understand why light plays such an important part in photography at this time of year, it is time to get out and put your knowledge into practice. So take your camera out and capture images. Visit the canonmalta.com Facebook page and participate in the photography competitions that are run regularly with great prizes to be won.

indulge / Summer 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13

AT THE BEACH We offer a full service beach club in an idyllic location, with outstanding service, great restaurant serving local,fresh produce, and all the comforts of a home away from home. Book a table for lunch, a Mandalay for the afternoon, a watertaxi to and from your boat by calling Baia Beach Club, Armier Bay.

John de Giorgio TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT TABLET AND DISCUSSES

Tel. 21573421. Last orders 10pm. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in Winter. Assaggi food and wine has relocated www.baiabeachclub.com

Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy?

for the summer, you can now find us in Sliema, Tigne at Assaggi al mare at The Lido, Qui si sana,Tigne (right underneath the new swings)

Le Bistro restaurant at Radisson Blu Resort, St.Julianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, is open 24 hours a day and offers a brand new exciting menu with food options for all dietary requirements. From snacks and fresh salads that you can mix and match to Angus beef burgers, deliciously baked pasta, fresh fish and a delectable choice of desserts, Le Bistro has something for you! As summer is fast approaching, you can enjoy al fresco dining on the terrace enjoying the beautiful sea view. Le Bistroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You Chooseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lunch menu means you can enjoy any two courses for â&#x201A;Ź20 per person including a bottle of mineral water.Â At Le Bistro, the choice is yours. Book now on 21374894 SBEJTTPOCMV DPN stjuliansresort-malta

ablets have been around for many years but, despite

We have a great new summer menu, the Apple iPad being less than a year old, Apple have fresh and light. Serving Sicilian revolutionised the tablet market in the way they did Smartphones with the iPhone. cuisine, Carpaccio of octopus, chorizo chili and lime dressing, After various failed attempts by various manufacturers at Occi di lupo pomodoro basilico, developing a competitor, enter the Samsung Galaxy, which Melenzane e ricotta salata. Bistecca is carving significant market share and the battle lines seem tagliata limone, rucola e pepe nero ,drawn: iPad or Galaxy? Each device has certain advantages over the other and the competition is driving innovation in and fresh fish, and wood oven pizza. the market. Â We explore the two devices and provide you

We are open for lunch and dinner with some tips to allow you to make your choice. from Monday to Saturday, and The Galaxy tablet runs Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Android operating system Sundays for lunch. The lido is the which, while having less applications available than the iPad perfect place to spend the day by the to date, is more open and supported by various hardware pool or by the sea, using the super manufacturers. Â Get into summer mode! Complement comfy sunbeds, drinking cocktails your outfit with the perfect PARFOIS by the lounge bar, and eating Applications Adoption of tabletsBags is being driven not just by their accessory. of varied shapes and delicious, fresh food at Assaggi convenience and usability on-the-move sizes, from sugaryfor pastels to bold computing but al mare. also by the applications available. While exact figures for prints, matching jewellery, scarves, available applications are inconsistent, no one doubts that Parking provided at the Fortina hotel sunglasses, and sandals; all today. the iPad has a muchwatches bigger choice of applications carpark reflecting this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest trends. Find us on our website for more Usability The Summer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;12 collection is available The usability that Apple has become famous for is not details www.assaggialmare.net at Republic Street, Valletta and missing in the iPad. The Galaxyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Android operating 21336625/77338855 Arkadia, Gozo.

system is designed for phones and does not scale well to a tablet. The iPad comes out first in usability of the features and the seamless synching available with iTunes far ahead of theBaia Galaxy. For the thirdisyear running, will be delighting

We offer a full service beach club in an idyllic location, with outstanding service, great restaurant serving local,fresh produce, and all the comforts of a home away from home. Book a table for lunch, a Mandalay for the afternoon, a watertaxi to and from your boat by calling Baia Beach Club, Armier Bay.

John de Giorgio TAKES THE PAIN OUT OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT TABLET AND DISCUSSES

customers with their menu of food and activities. The Keyboard freshest food presented as beautifully as the exquisite Both devices use a virtual keyboard and the iPadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigger dĂŠcor of thescreen beachmakes club typing facilities, menu a lotincluding easier, especially initems landscape mode. for babies and children, a big screen for sports fans and loungers with linen-clad waiters attending to your drinks and snack needs, as well as the Sunday afternoon WHAT IS A TABLET? parties for the chic. The coolest way to arrive is by boat, tablet computer is a fland at touch-screen where a Baia ribAwill ferry you to land back again. device designed mainly for browsing, e-mail, social

Try the seared scallops with and a honey and dressing, networking, media, alllime while on the move. Apple iPad or Having tiger only prawns a virtualand keyboard, or fusilli with steamed a freshtablets mint are optimised for consuming information rather Samsung Galaxy? pesto or a Baia burger with a choice of cheese and sides or the fillet, which will keep you going past sundown. Leave space than creation. Essentially, a tablet is more than for a Sgroppino or two, though when you are at Baia, you will feel no need to leave.aDonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just the day, spend your phone, butspend less than a laptop. Summer. Reservations - T: +356 21570942, E: TBSBI!CBJBCFBDIDMVC DPN Tel. 21573421. Last orders 10pm. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in Winter. www.baiabeachclub.com

ablets have been around for many years but, despite the Apple iPad being less than a year old, Apple have revolutionised the tablet market in the way they did Smartphones with the iPhone.

After various failed attempts by various manufacturers at developing a competitor, enter the Samsung Galaxy, which is carving significant market share and the battle lines seem drawn: iPad or Galaxy? Each device has certain advantages over the other and the competition is driving innovation in the market. Â We explore the two devices and provide you with some tips to allow you to make your choice.

14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

The Galaxy tablet runs Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Android operating system which, while having less applications available than the iPad to date, is more open and supported by various hardware manufacturers. Â

Applications Adoption of tablets is being driven not just by their convenience and usability for on-the-move computing but

John de Giorgio has been a gadget-man as long as he

To keep the grey cells working in the heat, try this crossword. Answers will be online at www.indulge.com.mt soon – if you can’t wait!

Clues - Across 1. Noble French wine enjoyed by hypochondriacs, reportably? (9) 6. I leave head cook in the restaurant! (4) 9. ‘From the river winding clearly down to tower’d ********’ (The Lady of Shalott) (7) 10. Spanish city home to the Alhambra Palace (7) 11. Jacques **** - M. Hulot’s creator sounds scruffy (4) 12. Cook beat the old menu (5,1-4) 14. There’s equal atmospheric pressure all along this line (6) 15. Early model harpsichords with only one string per note (7) 19. In The Guianas I promoted lizards (7) 20. Roman emperor - a usurper, do we hear? (6) 23. Famous American actress, movie lead in ‘The Naked Maja’ (1922-1990) (3,7) 25. Himalayan bovines - talks a lot! (4) 27. Table centre-piece electroplated, turning green (7) 28. Being intellectually accomplished, has to die true to form (7) 29. Card game depending on luck for a change (4) 30. Shallow cups for wine-tasting - or could be vast stein! (9)

Clues - Down 1. Prepare to shoot dog in Manhattan perhaps (8) 2. Jazz legend and first man on The Moon (9) 3. **** - Brazilian football legend in the top eleven (4) 4. Bring a tea urn and in it a splendid cake (6) 5. Liqueurs such as Advocaat (3-5) 6. Cautious about Italian lady of rank bringing dry white wine (10) 7. Muse - source of poetic inspiration in the opera Tosca (5) 8. Ship of The Desert arrived and shortly left (5) 13. Italian artist and rouÈ who painted ‘The Entombment of Christ’ (1571-1610) (10) 16. Famous conductor to read quickly in Italian primarily (1867-1957) (9) 17. Most indomitable when his trade is disrupted (8) 18. Capital place for sprouts? (8) 21. Jewish bread roll bowled a member over (5) 22. In France I must have mostly Welsh gems (6) 24. A period return, say, to Wembley for instance (5) 26. Barely visible, as an artist’s model might be (4)

JOEVMHF 4VNNFS ½ indulge / Summer 201215 – 15

Summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here H undreds of combinations for the 100 days of Summer, be white, be bright, shine with metallics, be pretty in pastels, make a statement with patterns.

Texture is important; choose from floaty or fitted. Layers of differing fabrics take you from day to night, smart to casual. Dress up or dress down with the right accessories.Travel, sail, party. Whatever your season holds, be confident in SportMAX. Sportmax is available exclusively from Maxmara on Tower Road in Sliema

16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

MAXMAR A . C OM MAXMAR A . C OM

46-48 | Tower Road | Sliema | Tel: 21 341 961 46-48 | Tower Road | Sliema | Tel: 21 341 961

One heck of a

LADY

he Grand Harbour is, amongst many superlatives, reputed to be the most beautiful harbour in the world. What better home for a totally teak brigantine to call its home? A brigantine is a type of boat built with a narrow hull and two masts, both of which have square rigs. The Stereden Ann Esperanz is 100 feet long with a jacuzzi and generous saloon space on deck, with 2 ensuite guest berths down below. The 100 ton Â teak wonder looks straight off a film set and you feel like a film star if you are honoured enough to be invited on board.

18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

Charter her and her crew for a day and be treated to a sumptuous buffet with first class service; be the envy of every yacht owner and glide over the sea with the incredible square rigging aiding your journey. Charter her for a week and see if being a land lubber is ever as much fun. The term ‘attention to detail’ has never been more valid than for the designers of this craft. The smooth, sweeping lines, the ridiculous beauty of the smallest parts; the light switches - almost invisible because they are teak, yet so memorable because they are so unusual, the cleats, the portholes, the painstakingly coiled ropes. You cannot resist but touch, stroke, mentally photograph. The elegance and grace of her is reflected by the crew. Discreet yet friendly, respectful and knowledgeable, pose any question about her and you will get your answer as if they are talking of their own child, ask if you may take the wheel and this request too may be answered, even if for the brief moment it takes to have it recorded.

Chartering the Stereden Ann Esperanz with crew will cost €2000 for a half day €4000 for a full day €25,000 for a full week T: +356 2010 619 E: info@stereden-ann-esperanz.com W: www.saemalta.com

indulge / Summer 2012 – 19

MONIQUE MAKES

TAKE AWAY RECIPES Perfect for posh picnics

Chunky chicken terrine Ingredients 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed 8 large asparagus 6 spring onions, sliced 200ml apple juice 3 leaves of gelatine a handful of dill roughly chopped seasoning

TAKE A TIP FROM US 8IFO ZPV UVSO PVU B terrine, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remove UIF DMJOH Ă&#x201C;MN 'JSTUMZ slice, using a serrated knife, and then take it off.

20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

Method Heat the apple juice and dissolve the gelatine leaves. Place the cooked, cubed chicken into a bowl with the spring onions and dill. Season with salt and pepper and mix together. Slice the cooked asparagus into rounds. Line a bread tin with cling film, and add about a half cm of the juice / gelatine mix. Add some chicken and onion and some more juice mix. Scatter some asparagus and repeat the process using all the juice mix. Cover the overhanging cling film and lay a plate on top. Set in the fridge overnight. Serve with new potatoes that have been parboiled, then, using a skewer, make a hole through each potato, then thread a rosemary stalk (leaving a few leaves on at one end but covered in foil) and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove the foil but serve with the stalk still in for a flavourful and more interesting side dish.

Basil ice cream This is an addictive flavour, this recipe makes 1 litre, double up straight away I say! It can be virtually fat free if you use no fat ingredients such as Philadelphia Light and Total 0% fat yoghurt.

Striped starter Ingredients 2 each of yellow, red and green peppers 1 aubergine 220g Feta or Mozzarella cheese 4 tbsp chopped fresh basil 2 tbsp grated Parmesan 2 tbsp pine nuts Olive oil seasoning Method Slice the peppers and aubergine to make wide ribbons and roast in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil at 220Â°C for 15-20 minutes. While still hot, place the peppers in a bowl and cover in clingfilm for a few minutes till cool enough to handle. Gently remove the skins.

Ingredients 1 handful of fresh basil leaves 500g caster sugar 1.25kg Greek-style yoghurt 250g mascarpone or cream cheese Method Pulse the basil leaves and caster sugar in a food processor until a rough powder is achieved. Add the mascarpone cheese and the Greek-style yoghurt and combine. If using an ice-cream machine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; follow the basic setting instructions. If churning by hand, pour mixture into a large container and freeze for one and a half hours. Whisk up again and return to the freezer. Repeat this step till the ice cream is the desired texture (2- 3 sessions). Decorate with basil leaves.

Cut the Feta into 1cm wide slices. Make a pesto from the basil, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil, season to taste. Oil or line a bread tin with cling film, then use the aubergine to make the outer shell, leaving enough to overlap the bottom once filled. Brush with the pesto mixture and add a layer of pepper, then pesto, then Feta etc, till all the ingredients are used up. Close the terrine with the aubergine and allow to set in the fridge till required. Gently remove and slice, serving on a bed of rucola or watercress salad.

Cool and fun ice cream bowls or vibrant candleholders? Only your imagination will limit what these versatile glass pots can be. Check these out, and much more in the Mdina Glass Lifestyle Collection for this summer. Call: 2141 5786 for more info or shop online at www.mdinaglass.com.mt

indulge / Summer 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 21

MICHAEL TABONE SUGGESTS

WINES FOR SUMMER In my opinion Summer is no time to drink great wine. I say this for a number of reasons but the 2 main ones are first the concept of occasion and secondly the question of temperature. The hot months bring with them outdoor living. Days at sea or on the beach. BBQs etc. None of which provide the ideal circumstance where to really appreciate the finer wines of this world. For consultations and to purchase selected wines visit www.michaeltabone.com

22 –indulge / Summer 2012

Especially on the hotter days, and at outdoor functions, it is practically impossible to serve and more importantly, keep wine at the right temperature. Yes, one can chill red wine before serving, but temperature, especially on the really hot days can change very quickly. I remember once in Bordeaux on a very abnormally hot June day in 2005, we served really top wines, none of which could be

appreciated since the wines where changing from around 16°C to 30°C in a few minutes after serving. Never had I seen so much great wine being wasted. Having learned from experience I suggest that you reserve your great reds to the more appropriate months . Great white wines also suffer in the hotter months and although not as difficult as reds, they too suffer if served too cold or too warm, so I try to avoid them as well. Well, you may ask...What do we drink? Don’t despair! The idea is to drink simple wines that are not complicated and less fussy if handled in a ‘Summery’ fashion which makes them ideal for the various occasions and functions. Here are a few recommendations.

On the beach On a boat The first wine that comes to mind here is Sparkling Wine. Prosecco has now become very popular and one can find a huge selection locally. Champagne is always welcome. Try to find something which is not too bubbly. Sparkling Rose, especially if slightly sweet, makes a nice sipping wine, particularly before lunch. For whites, opt for the unoaked, lighter stuff. Pinot Blanc from Alsace, Vermentino from Tuscany, Fiano from Campania. Or some of the superb Ernest Loosen wines from Germany. For reds go for light bodied reds that you can serve chilled. A particular favourite of mine on these occasions is Lagrein from northern Italy or one of Cabernet based reds of the Loire.

Rose is a very versatile wine that can range from the slightly sweet to the more full bodied style. Anjou is of course the most popular Rose in Malta, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other areas. There is some nice Rose coming from Chile and Argentina. Also from Southern Italy and Sicily. Try Rose de Provence or Clairet from Bordeaux. This latter resembling more a light red wine.

Formal outdoor dinners Since more than likely the service of wine will get more attention, this is an occasion where one can delve deeper into one’s cellar and open some of the better reds. Again, not the greatest but for example the medium to upper ranges of Bordeaux 2004 are now drinking very well. Even some of the better Ribera del Duero or Super Tuscans. Barbera from Piemonte , lightly wooded, is always nice on such occasions too.

BBQ Grilled food and the ambience that a real fire gives, I think is one summer occasion where red wine is called for. Avoid the heavy full bodied reds and opt of the medium to light bodied reds such as the lesser Bordeaux or Burgundy from France. Even maybe the lighter Cote du Rhone, Scansano or Chianti from Tuscany… For those that like New World Wines try Pinotage from South Africa or a Carmenere from Chile. Nothing complicated to suit the casual ambience that a BBQ naturally has. indulge / Summer 2012 – 23

TIPS ON THROWING

arbeques are less formal than normal al fresco dining; you can invite a few more people, seating can be less organsed and the whole event will usually last longer than a regular meal.

THE PERFECT BARBEQUE

If you are starting your barbeque during the day, do make sure there is adequate shade for the sun-shy. Order ice cubes in bulk and have lots of cold water available. Do decorate your table, the garden, pool area or terrace with lanterns, serviettes, cushions etc., it’s still a party after all! Plan seating in smaller groups in various areas. Of course, you can sit around a table, but don’t restrict yourselves to it. Have cushions and loungers in smaller groupings around your space. Marinade your meats in advance and prepare salads etc., early so you just have to take off the covers and serve when your guests arrive. Plan a variety of meats and be sure to have a vegetarian option. If you have a pool, have floating candles ready for the evening and hibiscus flowers or imitation water lilies for the day-time. And have piles of beach towels available in case your guests take a dip. Have sunscreen and mosquito spray at the ready – and it is also wise to have burn cream close by. Check out our favourite al fresco and barbeque recipes online throughout the Summer: www.indulge.com.mt/ foodanddrink

THE ORIGINAL BACARDI MOJITO RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1 Part BACARDI Rum 3 Parts Club Soda 12 Mint Leaves 1/2 Lime 1/2 Part Sugar SERVING INSTRUCTIONS Place 12 mint leaves, 1/2 part sugar and 1/2 lime in a glass. Muddle well with a pestle. Add BACARDI, top off with club soda, stir well and garnish with sprigs of mint or a lime wheel. P.Cutajar & Co Ltd are importers and distributers for Bacardi

24 –indulge / Summer 2012

MONIQUE CHAMBERS VISITS LUPANARA AND DISCOVERS A DEN OF INEQUITY

t’s no secret that I love Vittoriosa, and (almost) everything about it. The traditional architecture, the simple life, the friendliness of the people, the marina and the glamour and clamor that it brings, and the sheer beauty of having Valletta as a backdrop. There are a couple of points where I just have to stop and breath in. I feel so lucky to have this live postcard on my doorstep. Explore a bit, the hawkers and the old fashioned tradesmen are a part of every day life and not just a tourist attraction; smile at the kids playing innocent games in the streets, the retired dock workers chatting and sipping tea, whiskey or wine all through the day in the square. This is Malta, the real Malta. The Malta tourists are discovering, the savvy developers have snapped up property in, and restaurateurs have set up business in. One such restaurant is Lupanara, which has to have one of the best locations in Malta. Tucked in under the iconic Fort St Angelo, the form hewn out of the rock giving it a cosy and intimate feel, although it has plenty of outdoor space with a faultless view from any aspect for Summer days and nights. Jazz plays on a Wednesday evening, but this restaurant doesn’t need gimmicks. Parking is easy (drive through the arch and head to the end and over the little hump bridge) though dragging John away from coveting the super yachts was difficult. Another way to arrive is with a rib, a water taxi or small speedboat. You can literally berth outside the restaurant, the height of cool!

We were greeted and seated and offered menus. The wine display is impressive as is the choice. My usual favorites were on there but we decided to have the Antonin Chardonnay 2009, as the chef is renowned for his fish. He showed us the display and talked us though the treatments he would be happy to bestow upon them. At first glance of the menu, I knew we would be in trouble. In many places, one or two things catch your eye, here, there were many, many, more. With bikini days looming, I decided on the prawn risotto with a shot of vodka. This combo, in fact almost anything cooked with vodka, takes on a smooth taste without the burn the drink itself would give. The risotto portion was the perfect size, the prettiest pink, and full of flavour that made me stop chattering for its duration. John opted for the seafood linguine, a naughty treat for him, but he claimed it was ‘worth any pennace’. The seafood varied and evident, calamari, vongole, prawns, mussels, scampi, he was convinced the perfectly cooked pasta must have been cooked in fish stock or bisque, the flavour was so deep and the texture deliciously glutinous. For mains, I‘d been seduced by the Scorpion fish whose ugly exterior promises white thick flesh with a particular flavour when simply cooked. John had the pork fillet with a porcini and thyme sauce; the waiter gave in to his instance in having a honey and mustard sauce with it too. We pretty much demolished the ribboned,

roasted vegetables and oven baked potatoes that came on plates of differing shapes. A birds eye view of the table would have shown a Krypton Factor style puzzle arrangement. I caved in at the sound of the dessert choices, I got as far as chocolate and nut brownie ‘just coming out of the oven’ and was sold. It came topped with cinnamon ice cream which although ‘unseasonal’ worked well to balance out the bitter of the chocolate without leaving me thinking I would soon be buying/wrapping/opening a mountain of presents. Poor John just had to look on while I enjoyed and cooed about how good this was. By this stage I was full, and pleased we hadn’t arrived on the speedboat and had a short walk to the car. Letting John gawp at the boats for longer than is polite was now not an issue, I’d smugly rub my belly and let him have his just desserts.

Lupanara is set in the bastions of Fort St Angelo in Birgu – aka Vittoriosa. An amazing setting for those seeking somewhere slightly off the beaten track with a relaxed atmosphere, extensive wine list and exceptional, well priced food. Reservations: 2180 3086, 99526500, 99449086.

indulge indulge / Summer / Summer 2012 2012 –25 – 25

A SHORT STORY BY GEORGE DOUBLESIN

DOWN TO EARTH

do not recall how it came about but one day, sitting at table for supper, I found myself describing the joys of heaven in terms that my three year-old daughter Sarah would understand.

As waves of delight rippled all over her dainty face I racked my brain for elements that might fit her childish concept of heaven. Of course there had to be flowers and thousands of balloons in all shapes and sizes. And the place had to accommodate all the known animals (known to three year-olds that is). And, of course, Sarah would often point out problems – lions for instance. How would lions behave in paradise? Would the rabbits and hamsters be safe with them around. I came up with a new breed of lions that ate grass. Then there was a problem with the garden itself – a huge garden which one hardly saw the limits of. A child could so easily get lost in such a huge garden. But I was prepared for this problem too and trotted out a stud of horses – very clever horses – who knew each child by name. Not only that these horses also knew the whereabouts of all the mums and dads at any given moment. And it was their most pleasant duty to carry the child back to her parents, on horseback there was no need to say. Most of all Sarah enjoyed my further refinement. They were to be winged horses, roaming all over the huge garden, greeting children by name and offering them rides – or should I say flights – to any part of the garden. “Could I ride them papa?” “You most certainly could darling.” “And where would I ask my horse to fly me to papa?” “Why, right round the garden, of course. And the next time round you could ask him to criss-cross.” “And then, when I’m feeling sleepy I would tell my winged horse to fly me back home.”

26 –indulge / Summer 2012

“There won’t be a home to fly back to Sarah, heaven will be home then.” “But I want to come back to our home papa, when I’m tired and sleepy” By now I was at a loss for words. All my flights of fancy forgotten I was baffled by the fact that my little daughter should want to come back down to earth each night, to this hedged-in flat where there was precious little room for her to play. “Why would you want to sleep here Sarah, when you can sleep in the garden with Jesus and the angels?” “Because I like my home.” There was never a less articulate reply. But it sent a shiver down my spine. I looked slowly around the kitchen, which is where the family took its supper unless we had guests – which we seldom did in those days. The laminated plastic was peeling off the dressers. Our vegetable rack was a wreck and so was our fridge, which was far too small and we ought to have traded in. A dozen things about the house needed fixing and by the time I did so score more things would fall apart. We were continually running out of storage space so that crates and boxes were left lying in the corridor. But my child would want to come and sleep here at night, even if it meant flying back daily from heaven on the winged horse. It was then that the full force of my little daughter’s compliment hit me. In spite of my sense of failure, in spite of my self-criticism, in spite of it all I was, somehow, providing for my Sarah a home that vied with heaven. I gathered the sleep-ridden child in my arms and as I carried her to her cot I began to feel a sort of cosy warmth that I must have felt once, many years ago, when a child myself.

MARTIN AZZOPARDI GIVES US

A REVIEW AND VIEW OF THEATRE Another three months have gone by and here we are in the beginning of Summer and although the curtain is about to go down on Teatru Manoel’s performance season for 2011-2012. It has once again offered its audiences an eclectic programme of quality productions. The motto inscribed on the entrance to the Theatre “for the honest entertainment of the people” has been fulfilled for yet another year. The inscription was put there by Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena who commissioned and funded the building back in 1731 and after whom the Theatre is named.

part from all the action on-stage in the main auditorium, Sala Isouard and the Studio Theatre over the 10 month performance season, activities behind the scenes, too, have been plentiful. The Theatre appointed Simone Spiteri as its Drama Consultant to advise and oversee the drama content of the Theatre programme and Rosetta De Battista as the Education Consultant. Rosetta devised and launched the very successful Toi Toi programme aimed at developing the Theatre’s audience by, amongst many other projects, introducing children from as young as a few months old, to the joys of music and performance. Further infrastructural work was carried out on 81 Old Mint Street, the building adjoining the back of the Theatre which houses rehearsal studios, dressing rooms and the Studio Theatre. The plan is that this building will be fully functional by the end of the calendar year. Another very significant project initiated over the last few months was the search for a suitable climate control system. In such a historical and delicate structure as the Theatre’s this is a tricky endeavour, therefore, and in order to minimise any risks, simulated tests are being carried out by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Malta before the system can be installed. Although the curtain is about to go down on the 20112012... season at Teatru Manoel the curtain stays firmly up on other activities at this country’s national theatre over the summer months. There may not be anyone treading the boards but the place is still a hive of activity. For a start, media campaigns have to be planned for each of the forthcoming shows. Next season promises to build on the previous one by offering an even more diverse programme of quality performances ranging from drama (in both English and Maltese), musical concerts and recitals

by both local and foreign musicians to the traditional pantomime, musicals and opera as well as the international baroque festival in January which has over 15 different events over 3 weeks. Besides being a performance venue, the Theatre is also somewhat of an architectural museum piece in itself. The building is over 280 years old and a fine example of baroque architecture. It is in fact the third oldest working theatre in Europe. As with any building, but especially one this old, maintenance needs to be carried out constantly so the summer months are spent undertaking works which would otherwise not be possible with an audience in the building. The most notable current event is the opening of the refurbished Theatre museum which includes a newly designed audio tour of both the museum and the auditorium. The museum which is next door to the Theatre has been upgraded to include, through the use of screens and hand-held audio devices, more comprehensive information (in different languages) of the Theatre’s history and development as well as numerous images and film footage of past performances and events. This new tour allows for a constant and smoother flow of visitors which is particularly advantageous during the busy tourist season in summer. One last stop in the Theatre complex is of course the Costume House. This houses roughly 14,000 pieces of costume which are constantly being hired out to individuals, theatre and film production companies. The process of laundering, mending, archiving and creating new costumes is ongoing. Our tour of Teatru Manoel comes to an end and no sooner is the final “Break a leg” uttered at the last season’s performance that vocal chords are already being warmed up for the next one. Here are the last few dates in the Calendar

indulge / Summer 2012 – 27

On the 8th July 2012 at the Manoel Theatre Pearls of the Romantic Final Concert of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Violin and Friends International Music Festivalâ&#x20AC;? and Prize Giving Ceremony ofâ&#x20AC;&#x153; Malta International Music Competitionâ&#x20AC;?. Best of romantics and classics will be presented to Maltese and foreign music lovers. Compositions of G. Bizet, Fr. Kreisler, J. Brahms, G. Faure and others are going to be performed by: Italian flutist Rita Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcangelo and pianist Giuliano Mazzoccante, Swiss pianist Katja Avdeeva, German and Ukrainian Natalija Raithel (violin), Halina Zhuk (cello) and Volodymyr Baran (violin). This Gala Concert will include performances of the Prize Winners of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Malta International Music Competitionâ&#x20AC;?. For more info, please visit: http://vfimf.com Although the Malta Theatre scene is quite The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts have come up with a fantastic programmes for all three : The Malta Arts Festival, The Malta Jazz Festival and the Malta Folk Music Festival. All take place in the early summer months and there must be something amongst this programme that appeals to you as its varied from Theatre to Music...etc etc... I have listed each festival separate and entered all information day by day... The Malta Arts Festival The Malta Arts Festival, which will be held between the 1st and 18th of July 2012, has an extensive programme of excellent artistic events including music, theatre, dance and a visual arts exhibition. The Malta Arts Festival has invited top performers of international repute in its constant commitment to present to its audiences events of the highest quality. Foreign and Maltese artists are expected to appear on the Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s platform in a three-week extravaganza of artistic events. The Festival direction is confident that the programme of events, covering an array of diverse styles and genres, will appeal to audiences of all demographics. Sunday, 1 July Enrico Dindo plays Bach Opening Concert Programme includes Cello Suites: No. 2 in D minor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BWV 1008 No. 4 in E flat major â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BWV 1010 No. 6 in D major â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BWV 1012 Venue: St. Lawrence Basilica â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Birgu Time: 19:30 Entrance: Free

28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;indulge / Summer 2012

Sunday, 1 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monday, 9 July Theatre Week The Malta Arts Festival is proud to present a programme of workshops, talks, demonstrations, and performances conducted and performed by distinguished theatre makers and ensembles including Odin Teatret, Thee Llanarth Group, Eugenio Barba, and Phillip Zarrilli.

Sunday, 1 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday, 7 July â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Making The Body All Eyesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Wednesday, 4 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, 22 July WiÄ&#x2039;Ä&#x2039; Imb WiÄ&#x2039;Ä&#x2039; A visual arts exhibition presenting self representations by ten local and international artists raising general questions of identity within social, historical and gender-related contexts. Artists: John Paul Azzopardi (Malta), Zarko Baseski (Macedonia), Vince Briffa (Malta), Joseph Calleja (Malta/ UK), Dominique de Beir (France), Khaled Hourani (Palestine Territories), Davor Ljubicic (Croatia), Ă&#x2026;sa Riton (Sweden), Raphael Vella (Malta), Elisa von Brockdorff (Malta)

Body, breath, activation, and performance

$VSBUPS Austin Camilleri

An Intensive six-session beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workshop conducted by Phillip Zarrilli assisted by Jeungsook Yoo. The workshop is part of Theatre Week

Venue: Upper Galleries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St James Cavalier, Valletta Launch: 4 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 21:00 Opening Times: Daily â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 09:00-13:00 Entrance: Free

Venue: TBC 1, 4 July: 17:00-20:00 2, 5, 6, 7 July: 07:00-11:00. Participation fee: â&#x201A;Ź200 Single sessions (for observers): â&#x201A;Ź10 daily

Thursday 5 July & Friday 6 July The Beckett Project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Happy Days The Llanarth Group

Monday, 2 July & Tuesday, 3 July The Chronic Life Odin Teatre Leading contemporary theatre ensemble Odin Teatre present their latest collective production as part of Theatre Week. Actors: Kai Bredholt, Roberta Carreri, Jan Ferslev, Elena Floris, Donald Kitt, Tage Larsen, Sofia Monsalve, Fausto Pro, Iben Nagel Rasmussen, Julia Varley. Dir: Eugenio Barba Venue: The Radisson Hotel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ballroom, St Julians Time: 21:00 Entrance: â&#x201A;Ź15, concessions â&#x201A;Ź10 Tuesday, 2 July & Tuesday, 3 July On Dramaturgy A two-session work demonstration conducted by Eugenio Barba based on Julia Varleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solo performance Ave Maria. Actress and director explain and discuss the dramaturgical process leading to the creation of performance. The event is organized in collaboration with the University of Malta. Venue: Aula Magna â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Valletta Campus, University of Malta, Valletta Time: 10:00-13:00 Entrance: â&#x201A;Ź25 (including both sessions)

Stripped of everythingâ&#x20AC;Śmarooned, in a barren landscapeâ&#x20AC;Śburied up to her neck in the worn-out detritus of post20th century recession-riddled lifeâ&#x20AC;Ś Winnie must â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;go onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; because she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t not go onâ&#x20AC;Ś Happy Days is the Llanarth Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest addition to the Beckett Project and will be premiĂ¨red in Malta during the Malta Art Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre Week. Actors: Patricia Boyette, Andy Crook Dir: Phillip Zarrilli Venue: Couvre Porte, Birgu Time: 21:00 Entrance: â&#x201A;Ź15, concessions â&#x201A;Ź10wvv Saturday, 7 July Violin and Piano Recital Emerging Artists Series Violin: Jean Noel Attard Piano: Joanne Camilleri Programme includes: Bach ChaconneÂ for solo violin Brahms SonatensatzÂ for violin and piano Camilleri Due CantiÂ for solo piano Lutoslawski PartitaÂ for violin and piano Piazzolla Histoire du TangoÂ for violin and piano Venue: Music Room â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St James Cavalier, Valletta Time: 11:00 Entrance: Free

Saturday, 7 July & Sunday, 8 July The Beckett Project – Four Short Plays Ohio Impromptu, Not I, Act Without Words I, Rockaby The Llanarth Group The second part of the Beckett Project in Malta features four celebrated Beckett shorts. The evening is presented as an exclusive thespian/gastronomic event in collaboration with Palazzo de Piro in Mdina. A unique experience where spectators will walk from one performance to the other while sipping wine and eating .Patrons are advised that because of the nature of the event they will be standing during the performance of the four short plays. Venue: Palazzo de Piro, Mdina Time: 20:00 Entrance: €35 (including performances and menu) Sunday, 8 July Batera Duo Emerging Artists Series 4BYPQIPOF: Philip Attard Piano: Christine Zerafa Venue: Music Room – St James Cavalier, Valletta Time: 11:00 Entrance: Free Monday, 9 July Performing Beckett – Symposium A day long symposium focusing on issues of musicality, embodiment, and consciousness in the performance of Beckett. Concluding event for Theatre Week. 4QFBLFST: Anne McMullan (University of Reading), Nicholas Till (University of Sussex), Phillip Zarrilli (Exeter University), Jeungsook Yoo (Llanarth Group and East15 Acting School) A work demonstration by members of the Llanarth Group including Patricia Boyette, Andy Crook, Phillip Zarrilli, and Jeungsook Yoo will conclude the symposium. Venue: Chamber of Commerce, Valletta Time: 10:00-17:00 Entrance: €25 (including lunch break) Monday, 9 July Bombyx Mori The Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company $IPSFPHSBQIZ: Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak In “Bombyx Mori” (the silkworm in Latin), the senior sister of “Toros”, the dancers reach into the depth of the

labyrinth in which we are getting lost, in order to seek for that which went missing. “The Mystery Sonatas” of Heinrich Ignaz Biber are weaved into this unique journey. Venue: Argotti Gardens, Floriana Time: 21:00 Entrance: €20, concessions €15 Tuesday, 10 July Simon Schembri & Quatuor Parisii Guitar and String Quartet Recital Programme features Joseph Vella’s String Quartet Op. 33 Venue: Auberge d’Italie, Valletta Time: 21:00 Entrance: Free Wednesday, 11 July Ftakar 2 A Malta Arts Festival Commission The Big Band Brothers Dir: Daniel Cauchi The second edition of the successful Ftakar launched last year by the Malta Arts Festival. The Big Band Brothers perform some of the most popular Maltese pop classics. Ftakar 2 is dedicated to one of Malta’s most remarkable songwriters, Alfred C Sant. Venue: Argotti Gardens, Floriana Time: 21:00 Entrance: €15, concessions €10 Thursday 12, Friday 13, & Saturday 14 July Old Salt: (A) Portrait of Seamen A Malta Arts Festival Commission The rubberbodies collective The rubberbodies collective latest creation is a devised outdoor visual-theatre performance bringing together artists from Mediterranean lands, merging cultures and heritage, recounting, in the process the Island’s tales of the sea. Actors: Rebecca Camilleri, Ira Melkonyan, Ada Wendy Moira, Rochelle Gatt, Annabelle Galea 4POBS "SUJTU $PNQPTFS: Mario Sammut, Musicians: Ana Topalovic, Lucie Kucharova, Rahia Awalom, Pauline Denize, Fine artist: Matthew Pandolfino, Historical Research: Liam Gauci, $SFBUJWF 8SJUFS: Dr Arndt Kremer. Dir: Jimmy Grima Venue: Grand Harbour Marina, Birgu Time: 21:00 Entrance: €15, concessions €10 Sunday, 15 July Wayne Marshall Organ Recital World-renowned virtuoso organist performs on the organ of the Church

of St Augustine in Valletta. The Recital inaugurates the recent refurbishment of the pipe organ built in 1952 by the Mascioni firm of Varese, Italy. Venue: St Augustine’s Parish Church, Valletta Time: 21:00 Entrance: Free Monday, 16 July FEW Trio Two Mediterranean musicians, a guitarist and a double-bassist, both specialists of fusion in word music, meet an Indian tabla player. Three artists at the top of their art, three different stories to build, maybe, a new universal musical language. Guitar: Louis Winsberg %PVCMF #BTT: Renaud Garcia-Fons 5BCMB: Prabhu Edouard Venue: Argotti Gardens, Floriana Time: 21:00 Entrance: €20, concessions €15 Tuesday, 17 July A Thousand Thoughts Kronos Quartet As one of the most celebrated string quartets of all time, the California-based Kronos Quartet embodies a spirit of fearless musical exploration. The Quartet’s sophomore performance at the Malta Arts Festival promises to be an aural spectacular not to be missed. Venue: Argotti Gardens, Floriana Time: 21:00 Entrance: €20, concessions €15 Wednesday, 18 July Kronos Quartet Residency: Focus on Composers A one-day Kronos residency for composers Venue: TBC Time: TBC Entrance: €50 Wednesday, 18 July Porgy and Bess Wayne Marshall conducts the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in Gershwin’s all time favorite Porgy and Bess in concert version. Sopranos: Angela Renee Simpson, Indira Mahajan, Tenor: Ronald Samm , Bass-baritone: Kevin Short, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra – Leader: Marcelline Aguis, St. Monica Choir – Choir Mistress: Sr Benjamina Portelli, Mirabitur Choir – Choir Mistress: Simone Attard Venue:Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta Time: 21:00 Entrance: €25, €20, concessions €15 indulge / Summer 2012 – 29

Martin Azzopardi is an actor, fitness instructor and masseur. When not treading the boards or the (tread) mill, he treads water on his boat and loves the sea.

On the 19th 20th & 21st July 2012 The Malta Jazz Festival The Malta Jazz Festival – the 22nd edition of the Malta Jazz Festival at Ta’ Liesse in Valletta’s Grand Harbour. This Festival is a cocktail of different musical styles including vocal jazz, flamenco, hard-bop, fusion and Latin jazz. Thursday 19th July

Friday 20th July

Line-up: Paul Giordimaina [piano], Mario Aquilina [doublebass], Noel Grech [drums], Rino Cirinnà [tenor sax]

Line-up: Terri Lyne Carrington [drums], Dianne Reeves [vocals], Tineke Postma [saxophone], Josh Hari [bass], Nir Felder [guitar], Helen Sung [piano], Tia Fuller [saxophone]

Paul Giordimaina is an important figure in Malta’s local music scene. He performs regularly on the local club circuit and he is also familiar to Maltese jazz-lovers as the host of the long running jazz radio programme Jazzline. Paul has performed numerous times at the Malta Jazz Festival and this year he returns with his favorite rhythm section - drummer Noel Grech and bassist Mario Aquilina. They will be joined by Italian saxophone player Rino Cirinna on some numbers. This collaboration, featuring one of Italy’s most important saxophone players, will mark the start of a cultural exchange between the Malta Jazz Festival and the Sergio Amato festival in Canicattini Bagni, Sicily Thursday 19th July Line-up: Jeremy Pelt [trumpet], J.D.Allen [tenor saxophone], Danny Grissett [piano], Dwayne Burno [doublebass], Gerald Cleaver [drums] Thursday 19th July Line-up: Al Di Meola [guitar], Gonzalo Rubalcaba [piano], Kevin Seddiki [guitar], Fausto Beccalossi [accordion], Peter Kaszas [drums] Friday 20th July Line-up: Tigran Hamasyan [piano], Sam Minae [bass], Nate Wood [drums]

Saturday 21st July Line-up: Carlo Muscat [tenor sax], Alex Bezzina [trumpet], Joe Debono [piano], Matyas Szandai [doublebass], Lionel Boccara [drums] This group was created as part of the Malta Jazz Festival’s initiative to create collaborations between Maltese and foreign jazz musicians. It highlights Malta’s younger generation of jazz musicians, represented here by the up-and-coming Carlo Muscat and Alex Bezzina. Tenor saxophonist Carlo Muscat, an architect by profession, is quickly establishing himself as a major voice on the local jazz scene. After several years of studies with Vinnie Vella Snr., Carlo started gaining experience in the local club circuit. He recently performed at the Manoel Theatre with Dominic Galea. Trumpet player and composer Alex Bezzina is based in London. Saturday 21st July Line-up: Will Vinson [alto sax], Lage Lund [guitar], Joe Martin [bass], Adam [drums] Saturday 21st July Line-up: Chano Dominguez Flamenco Sketches

www.maltajazzfestival.org

30 –indulge / Summer 2012

Please enjoy all these productions and the Malta Arts Festival. Have a good summer and I look forward to unfolding the new seasons programme’s in our September issue. Important web addresses to check the starting times, booking online and other important information. indulge@ www.indulge.com.mt/events Teatru Manoel www.teatrumanoel.com.mt St James Cavalier www.sjcav.org Teatru Aurora www.teatruaurora.com MADC www.madc.biz Eden Cinemas www.edencinemas.com.mt Masquerade www. masquerademalta.com Malta Folk Music Festival www.maltafolkmusicfestival.org Malta Culture www.maltaculture.com Ticket Line www.ticketline.com.mt

Dates to put in your diary for the Future 13th October “Turandot” Teatru Aurora 19th to the 21st & 26th to the 28th October MADC present “Calendar Girls” Teatru Manoel All information is correct at the time it went to print, for updated information, please check the relevant web. To list events in this magazine or in our interactive indulge@ calendar, please email events@indulge.com.mt

#00,4 ART, DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY AND URBAN CULTURE ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN

Authors: Cees W. de Jong, Alston W. Purvis, Jan Tholenaar Publisher: TASCHEN Hardcover + Image database 250 x 317 mm 360 pages, Multilingual Edition: English, French, German

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Transit book is a culmination of the online and on-site Transit urban art project. This stylishly designed book â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;art studyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; traces the quiet tension arising from the Valletta City Gate project. David Pisaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evocative photographs closely, though obliquely, capture this slowly changing landscape, while Elise Billiardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some fey and faint, others concrete as can be â&#x20AC;&#x201C; explore themes of urban belonging and flux. Illustrations and installations presented in the book are works of artist Julia Pallone.

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This exuberant selection of typographic fonts and styles traces the modern evolution of the printed letter, reproducing pages from exquisitely designed catalogs. Also included are borders, ornaments, initial letters and decorations, and many spectacular examples of their use. Victorian fonts, spectacular in their complexity, are accorded a prominent place. In addition, examples from lithography and letters by inscription carvers and calligraphers are also included and described.

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Beautifully edited career retrospective of the respected and influential documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark (b.1940). This book presents for the first time a selection, made by Mark from her own archive, of the strongest pictures of Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 40-year career, drawing from emblematic series such as Falkland Road, Indian Circus and Twins, as well as a selection of previously unpublished images.

Personal and public, intimate and revealing, kitchens can bare our souls if we let them. This collection of photographs and essays â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one facet of the multimedia project â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;TkeÄ&#x2039;nir â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kitchen Workâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; takes the Maltese kitchen as a starting point for some striking images and inspired insights. Featuring photography by Gilbert Calleja and Ruben Buhagiar, and essays by Glen Calleja and Elise Billard, the highquality coffee table book is a record of a wide-ranging project, which spanned from June 2010 to June 2011.

indulge / Summer 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31

I want to call out to Samirah

winner of the Sea of Words Short Story Award

By Pierre J. Mejlak (translation: Antoine Cassar)

. I’m not dead. And I’m not going to die. I’m sure I’m not going to die. Because I’m still conscious. My brain is working. So I’m ok. And now the pain has receded to the point where I can hardly feel it. I’m fine. I’m just a bit dizzy, and extremely tired. And I’m a little cold. But it’s that comfortable kind of cold, the kind you feel when you’re running a fever, climb into bed and snuggle up under the covers, hugging yourself, with your thighs against your chest and your lips stuck to your knees. Now I’m trying to move my legs, but even as I imagine them pressing against my chest, nothing has moved. I try again, for the millionth time, to open my eyes, but I can’t. Or maybe they’re open but I’m seeing only darkness. Could I possibly have gone blind? No. How can that be? And I’m going through everything over and over again, because it’s all very clear. Up until the moment it happened. My brain’s working perfectly. And to prove it to myself I’ll work out my usual math test. The famous four out of six. One goes and leaves two. So that makes it four and two sixths ... four and one third. Right? See, there’s nothing wrong with my brain. And that was evident even before I did my math test

32 –indulge / Summer 2012

because I can remember everything. Like my name. My mother’s and my brother’s. Our home address. My telephone number, the VKJ 382 on my license plate, Samirah’s address, the way to her house. I can see The Three Lions bar, after which you take a right turn and find yourself in her street. I remember my car, driven by Samirah. The music of Ali Farka Touré blaring out of the speakers. The blinding light of that huge truck, coming straight at us. The car mounting the pavement. Samirah’s scream. The fence erupting, the clatter and jolt of the smash. That’s it. And then here. In this comfortable cold, this strange dizziness, this lethargic heaviness. So if I can remember everything, how come I cannot see, hear or smell a thing? And why can’t I speak? I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Maybe I’m not even breathing. Could I be dead? No. I can’t be. And Samirah? Where did they take Samirah? I want to call out to Samirah. Was she injured? She must have been, at least a little. But she can’t be dead! No, no, that’s impossible. I pray to God she’s not badly hurt. No, Lord. Not Samirah. Not now. No. I feel like I’m falling asleep but I don’t want to sleep. Because if I fall

asleep I might not wake up. And I can remember a film, where someone was calling to someone not to fall asleep. I can’t remember which film. Or maybe it was a book. He kept telling him, “Don’t fall asleep, don’t fall asleep”, because he was afraid that if he let him sleep he’d never wake again. But - wait - where am I? In a hospital? But then wouldn’t I be hearing some noise? Like doctors and nurses talking or moving about, or the noise of stretchers being pushed along the corridors, or the bell of the arriving lift, the ringing of a phone, the sound of a wheelchair, or at least of doors opening and closing? Where am I? No, I won’t fall asleep. No matter what. I don’t want to sleep. I’m trying to remember what Samirah was saying just before all this happened. Probably some anecdote about her family. Yes, she was telling me about her cousin Rashidah, who had invited her to their house for the feast of Eid. And Samirah wanted to take me with her so I would see where she came from. Yes. She was telling me something about Rashidah. But I can’t remember exactly what. Because by then we had already been blinded by the lights of the oncoming truck. I wonder what she was going to tell me.

As soon as I see her I’ll remind her and she’ll tell me all about it. Because I’m sure everything is going to be fine. I’ll be by her side in no time, and we’ll pick up where we left off. Or maybe I’ll wait till we’re together in bed. With her back pressing against my chest, like two spoons, and our feet locked together, like a battery slipping exactly into place. That’s how I love to listen to Samirah’s stories. And now I’m thinking about our last night together, when I told her I’d like to visit her country and to meet the cousins she talks about so much. I want to see how they celebrate their Eid. To relive a tiny part of her countless stories. Like the one when she wore a flowered dress, and they went to her uncle’s courtyard, where the men had killed a sheep, and they prepared the meal. I’m trying to remember the cousins’ names. Ahmed. Fatime. Jihan. Zahra. The cousins with whom she used to go to her grandparents for a little pocket money. And the games they would play in her uncle’s courtyard, surrounded by olive trees. There with the smell of dinner as it cooked wafting over them - they’d play and run after each other. And how they would paint one henna after another on the palm of their hand. “Ah, the fun we used to have!” I hear her telling me, in her tender, gracious voice, just like her, with her hands holding mine around her chest. One day she’ll paint a henna on my palm too, with flowers of all sizes. I had told her about our Easter, our Easter cakes, and Easter meal, and the Pope’s blessing, and how everyone would stop chewing so as not to miss any of his ten words in Maltese. And there she laughed, the laugh I loved so much. Her mushroom giggle! Because the first time I heard it was just after we had finished eating a mushroom pizza. And the Good Friday procession, and the seven visits, and the washing of the feet. The Resurrection, and the tradition of running at full speed with the statue lifted up high. And she listens attentively, wishing that the following Easter she’d live all this with me. And later tell her mother all about it. And that leads me to think of Rida - her mother - and how I had never expected her to be so nice. Of the first night I slept at their house. Of the second and the third. Of six months later. Of the time when Samirah and I helped her make pastilla, and of the long chat we had when we’d finished

the pie and Samirah went to do the dishes. That day when I told Rida that my mother wasn’t very happy about me dating Samirah. And Rida told me how religion, sometimes, has a habit of driving people apart, instead of bringing them together. And that it shouldn’t be that way, because all religions are about one thing - love. She had told me something that I wanted to remember so much, so I could say it to my mother, but I can’t remember it now. But I do remember how she had squeezed my hand that night - as if I were hers - telling me not to give up because nothing changes faster than people and the way they think. And I can hear my mother’s voice. “Marry anyone you like, a Japanese, Russian, gypsy, but not a Muslim.” And how I tried to tell her that what she was saying just didn’t make sense. I had never expected it of her, because in all my life I had never known her to lack good judgment. She had always been much smarter than other women her age. But when it came to Samirah she disappointed me big time. How could anyone think that being a Muslim meant being dirty? Or that they wore layers of clothes on top of each other? Or that they swam wrapped up in a sack? Or that Muslims cooked in the bedroom? How could she possibly think like that? How could I have been so wrong about my mother? At school I used to be so proud of her, because compared to the other mums, she was amazing. Because while others used to leave the Jehovah’s witnesses outside or drive them away, my mother would throw them a little party. Later she asked me about Samirah’s father. When I told her that she didn’t know him, I saw in the expression of her face that she had got her answer, the answer she had been looking for. And I felt like asking her about my own father, but for once I held back.

a thousand. And when I hinted at this to Samirah, she understood everything right away, and never said a word against my mum. Every time she saw me getting angry, she would calm me down. I wonder what my mother would say if she were to know that it was Samirah who chose and bought her my Christmas present, after a whole week of looking for it up and down the city. If I let myself go I’ll fall asleep. But I don’t want to sleep. I want to stay awake until I can hear a noise, any noise. Until I open my eyes and see where I am. Perhaps I’m next to Samirah and I don’t even know it. Maybe Samirah is by my side, saying “don’t sleep, don’t sleep”. And there’s no way I’m going to disappoint Samirah. Sometimes I wish I had been born in Samirah’s country. Ideally on the streets close to hers. Somewhere between the large bamboo curtain shop and the tea shop, where Samirah says - her uncle spent most of his life solving the world’s problems. Perhaps we would have played together as children. Things would have been so much easier for us. And at Eid we would all have gone to their place, to her uncle’s courtyard, or they could have come to ours.

Another time I had shown her some pictures of Samirah. Some of when she was still a child, taken during Eid. And there’s one where she’s taller than all the cousins, with her huge, black eyes. She was wearing a jellaba, which someone had made her specially for the occasion. She was the most beautiful one on that day and everyone had said she looked like Barbie and called her ‘Barbie Jellaba’. But my mother didn’t think she looked like Barbie. She only said one word. ‘Interesting’. And she left to take down the laundry, knowing that with one word she had pronounced indulge / Summer 2012 – 33

Time is passing by and still no sound. I want to hear Samirah’s voice. And feel her hands on my face ... her gentle fingers on my lips ... her smell ... The pain seems to be returning, I’m starting to become confused. The void around me squeezes me from all sides. Like a boy blindfolded and thrown into the middle of a mischievous mob. I recall a similar game we used to play as children. But I don’t remember blindfolding the boy in the middle, so I can’t understand why he never had any idea who was pushing him around. I’m tired. I know that if I relax, if I stop thinking, I’ll fall asleep. And I don’t want to sleep. Because if Samirah comes while I’m asleep she won’t wake me. And now I’ve made up my mind that as soon as I see Samirah, the first thing I’ll do is tell her that I love her. Then I’ll tell her that she did nothing wrong. That tonight the fault was mine as much as hers, that actually it was the truck driver’s fault, blinding us with his bright lights. And that I shouldn’t have let her drive. And the car, whatever’s left of it, is not important. The important thing is that we’re both safe and sound. I’ll tell her again that I love her, and that, no, I could never imagine life without her. And one day when we have children, we’ll take them to her country, for the feast of Eid, so that they too will go to her uncle’s courtyard, and run and play with Amal, Farid and Habib, in that joyous cacophony which, sometimes, in the peaceful quiet of the car on Sundays, she misses so much. But we must have been hurt. Both of us. Because we were brought to this hospital. Maybe we lost consciousness with the smash. We must have been taken out of the car and brought here. They put me in one place, and Samirah in another. Or maybe we’re side by side but neither of us knows it. Just the thought that Samirah may be lying close to me excites me. I’m trying to will my hand out from under the blanket, stretching it out to touch Samirah, and when I think that I‘m actually touching something, I realise

that my hand is still lying where it was, under the blanket.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time.”

And I’m thinking that if we’re in hospital, then they must have called home. They must have found my ID in my wallet, or something in Samirah’s bag. Or maybe they found my mobile, and all they had to do was to dial ‘mum’. And if they called both of them, then probably they’re both out there right now, waiting to see us. My mother on one side, hers on the other. I wonder if they’ll recognise each other. Whether they’ll realise whose mum the other is. Will they be alone? Or will the emergency room be full of people even at this hour? I feel as if I’m about to fall asleep. There’s this terrible weight, pressing on me.

Then nothing. After a while, the woman continues.

And now there’s a doctor, one of many working here, and he’s calling them by their name.

“I’ve heard many nice things about you.” “About you too.” Then nothing again. Two hearts beating the same hope. “How happy they were together!” “They are, they are.” And they both stare at the reflection of the light on the floor tiles, unable to believe where they are. “He loves you very much, you know? He talks about you often.” Time passes. The other woman remains silent, then speaks.

“Mrs Vella? Mrs Azzi?”

“Lately he was staying at your house more than at mine.”

And they fly off their chairs, look at each other and move closer to the doctor. He’s telling them what happened. He asks them to wait and goes back inside. And the two women, woken by a chilling telephone call in the middle of the night, sit down back on their chairs. They’re both crying and looking at each other with haunted eyes. The one closer to the door gets up and moves closer to the other woman, who’s sitting beneath a noticeboard full of posters about the effect of drugs and about pregnancy. The other woman begins to weep more intensely, and the woman wearing an abayah holds her hand. And now they’re crying together. They both pray fervently for those they love so dearly not to be taken away from them. Not yet. No.

“It’s my pleasure. He’s a good boy and easy to love.”

“To think we had to meet here,” the woman dressed in black is saying, as she wipes her nose with a wet tissue. “Who would have imagined it?” the other replies, her eyes blood red and her hands shaking. “Who would have imagined it?”

“Your daughter too, from what he says.” “Samirah loves him. I never saw her so happy.” “I don’t remember him so happy either.” And with those words, she breaks into tears again, and the other woman puts her arms around her and comforts her. And they both close their eyes and give a silent prayer. And now the door opens again, and the doctor comes out, his face pale and drawn. They stand up. “Would you care to follow me? I’d like to talk to you.” And again they hold hands, squeezing them tightly, and follow him. And I see them, hand in hand, entering the doctor’s office - and now I really want to call out to Samirah.

With this short story Mejlak won the prestigious Sea of Words European Short Story Award, organised annually by IE Med and Anna Lindh Foundation. Since then, the story has been published in a number of languages, including Spanish, Catalan and French, and read at numerous literary festivals in Europe and the Middle East. It was published in its Maltese original in “Dak li l-Lejl Ihallik Tghid” (what the night lets you say), Mejlak’s latest collection of short stories published to critical and popular acclaim in June 2011. Mejlak is published by Merlin. For more information visit pierrejmejlak.com

34 –indulge / Summer 2012

Thanks to the generosity of Switch Design and Brand Strategy and E-motion, New Leaf have set up the first donation box at the entrance of the National Library of Malta to encourage visitors to contribute in a monetary way to this cause. On a larger scale, there is a list of equipment, which is required for the preservation of the books in question. This, together with a membership form and further information, can be found on the newly launched website www.newleaf.org.mt, designed by Immediastudio.

Long gone are the days where we all sit inside wrapped in our favourite duvet, with a mug of hot chocolate and a good old movie to enjoy. The days are longer, the smiles are brighter and dreams of beach days are finally within reach. Instead of blowing away the cobwebs or dusting sand between our toes there is one place, in the heart of our capital city Valletta, which has not experienced a good dust-off in decades if not centuries. It is not the actual physical building that is mostly crying for attention and help, but rather the literary richness stored inside it. The National Library of Malta was built by the Knights of St.John and is still considered to be one of the greatest contributions they gave to Malta. It was not, however, until they had left that this building started serving its purpose as the National Library in 1812. It now houses a priceless collection of some of the most prestigious books, incunabula and illuminated manuscripts worldwide. The National Library is also home to the oldest

known document in Malta, from 1107- which is a charter issued by King Baldwin of Jerusalem, confirming the donation of property to S.Salvator de Monte Tabor. Most of these treasures have been untouched and unmoved for over 200 years and are now in desperate need of new life. New Leaf is a new NGO set up with the mission to preserve this barn of knowledge, which we are so fortunate to have in our country. There are hundreds of thousands of books that need thorough and immediate attention and many others that require dusting and cleaning. Founded by four book lovers who were almost moved to tears at the sight of all of the majestic beauty ageing away, New Leaf is now recruiting time volunteers who share their passion for books and knowledge, to support this cause. Primarily New Leaf is asking for volunteers to help out with cleaning the less damaged books, digitising the hand-written library cards to create a database and to contribute in local and central public lending librariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; initiatives.

It will, without a doubt, take more than a lifetime of literary spring cleaning sessions for New Leaf to complete the journey, however, each and every book saved is one which will be able to tell its story to future generations and thus calls for celebration and gratitude. The first preservation project concerns the first edition of the EncyclopĂŠdie, ou Dictionnaire RaisonnĂŠ des Sciences, des Arts et des MĂŠtiers written between 1751 and 1772 which comprises 28 volumes, 11 of which are plates and all need preservation at some degree or another. Next time you happen to be in Republic Street, Valletta, why not visit the National Library of Malta? Let the authentic fragrance of the books inspire you and take you time to appreciate the heritage and the history present in words all around. Before you leave do not forget to give a donation in aid of the books, and if that experience has been cathartic, contact New Leaf and join the cause.

Find out how you can help by visiting www.newleaf.org.mt

New Leaf

indulge indulge / Summer / Summer 2012 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 35 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 35

JEAN-MARC BIANCHI SAYS

LIVE OUTDOORS D

espite having edured a rather ‘wet’ Winter this season, here in Malta, we are blessed with numerous days of bright sunshine, and what better time of the year than to enjoy this benefit from June to September. And where best to enjoy it, if not out doors? Designing outdoor living and entertainment spaces is not achieved simply placing a weather resistant table, a couple of chairs and an umbrella, and ‘Hey presto’, it’s done! Like most things, careful planning, and purchases are very much the priority when embarking on designing this part of your property. Not taking into consideration the introduction, or any existing swimming pool, there are ways of enhancing your outdoors, and I list here a few aspects that will enable you to plan accordingly. A good deck layout would be a starting point, which will include privacy, shaded areas, seating arrangements, and above all, what would it all look like at night time.

36 –indulge / Summer 2012

Jean-Marc Bianchi pursued his interior design studies in Rome and has gained 30 years experience creating unique designs for businesses and homes across Malta and offers a vast range of knowledge and solutions to meet clients tastes and needs.

Privacy is one fundamental element that will make your outdoors feel more like a calm sanctuary. Building up high walls might not necessarily be the only solution. You could try and create fences using a combination of wood (or wood like) trellises, embellishing them with a grapevine or other climbing clematis. Neatly trimmed hedges and trees also add to creating secluded areas. Another consideration would be to place a form of ‘removable’ screens, in wood / bamboo or canvas, in strategic locations that would also offer an element of shade, besides a visual interest. Being outdoors, exposed to the elements, would most definitely warrant a degree of shade. Shade is essential if we are to make ourselves comfortable during the hot summer months. While most of us enjoy warm sunny days, the option of taking refuge from the sun is a must in any outdoor space. Whether you set up simple umbrellas, install awnings or build a gazebo, make sure that you offer at least an area that can remain shaded, taking into consideration the sun orientation in relation to your outdoor space. Wherever possible, try to create seating areas, and not just located in one area. Introducing garden benches, or using low stone walls

as seats by simple placing plain / coloured cushions along the top, adds that welcoming touch. Colour, besides the foliage, can well be introduced through the soft furnishings, as well as the garden furniture itself. So set yourself a scheme, and then go out and look for the ideal components and accessories. The whole concept may look very attractive and bright during the day, but what happens after the sun sets, and your guests are about to arrive! Lighting, too often an afterthought, needs to be addressed at the initial stages of planning. Candles and garden ‘fiaccoli’ are very effective in creating atmosphere, but need to be supplemented by careful artificial lighting, especially in strategic places, such as stairs, exits and change of levels and pathways. Indirect lighting (hiding the actual source), can add stunning effects when concealed within shrubbery or to highlight a wall or water feature. Large, and small planters, available in various shapes, can add interest to your outdoor space and can be used as dividers, enabling to create a dining area, a pathway, or lead you to the pool deck.

Be original and make an impact with colour, innovation and award winning designs. Mdina Glass produces specialised, tailor-made and handcrafted installations for indoor and outdoor surroundings... whetherfor your private residence or business. Call: 2141 5786 or visit www.mdinaglass.com.mt for more info.

Enjoy your summer outdoors.

indulge / Summer 2012 – 37

Luxury Starts Here

^ƉĞĐŝĂů KĐĐĂƐŝŽŶƐ WĂĐŬĂŐĞ ^ƚĂƌƚ ǇŽƵƌ ŚŽŶĞǇŵŽŽŶ ŝŶ ƐƚǇůĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ƚƌŝŵŵŝŶŐƐ͘ zŽƵƌ ƚƌŝƉ ŽĨ Ă ůŝĨĞƟŵĞ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞŐŝŶ ŝŶ ůƵǆƵƌǇ Θ ĐŽŵĨŽƌƚ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ĨŽƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘

DĂůƚĂ /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ŝƌƉŽƌƚ ƉůĐ͕͘ >ƵƋĂ >Y ϰϬϬϬ͕ DĂůƚĂ Tel: ;нϯϱϲͿ Ϯϯϲϵ ϲϮϵϮ ͬ ϲϬϭϲ Freephone: ϴϬϬϳ ϲϲϲϲ Fax: ;нϯϱϲͿ ϮϭϮϰ ϯϬϰϮ Email: ŝŶĨŽΛůĂǀĂůĞƩĞĐůƵď͘ĐŽŵ ǁǁǁ͘ůĂǀĂůĞƩĞĐůƵď͘ĐŽŵ

DID YOU KNOW?

There exists an online support service for children & youth

id you know that children and youth could contact this support service via email, one-to-one chat and forum?

Kellimni.com is a local NGO, created through a joint effort between SOS Malta, Salesian’s of Don Bosco, Agenzija Zghazagh and Agenzija Appoġġ, who are seeing the realisation of setting up a local child and adolescent online support service, under the guidance of Child Helpline International. The service being offered is encompassing mainly on a child and adolescents online support targeting more youths and adolescents through www.kellimni.com. The Kellimni staff can be reached through email, chat and forums for support. Kellimni.com is aimed at children and youths who want someone to listen to them and who can provide assistance. It will allow service users to express their concerns and talk about the issues directly affecting them. Young people need to know that they are not alone, that someone outside of their immediate surroundings cares about them, that their life can be free from pain and fear. The service is providing an opportunity to all young people to reach out for help and support through frequently and easily accessible channels of communication.

how to avoid a situation arising to bullying or other dangers such as internet grooming. One will also find real case studies of situations that many teens can relate to, such as peer pressure, problems with one’s perception of their identity, fear of making mistakes, problems with communicating and talking about how they feel, bullying, insecurities and changes that happen during puberty. The main features however, and its purpose as a ‘helpline’ is reached from the ‘Talk to Us’ section. We offer online support through email, chat and forum. Our chat feature launched in May 2012 and the forum will be launched soon. The user will email us and tell us about their problem or anxiety. Sometimes they might just want reassurance, other times it may be a serious call for help. As a parent, friend or caregiver, you can also use this service to obtain support for your child or a child you know is perhaps in danger or in need of help. The support is given by a team of professionals and trained persons forming the Kellimni Team and in certain cases, one may be referred for further therapy offered through Kellimni.com. Kellimni.com – because no child deserves to feel alone.

When one arrives at the Kellimni Homepage, they will see a colourful, eye catching set-up. The site allows a certain degree of interactivity. The user can change the language, music and the wallpaper and personalise it a little to their liking. Tabs let one flip between other pages of the site easily. Apart from some online games, interesting clips in both Maltese and English about common teen problems can be found in the ‘Videos’ section. There is also a very useful Q&A section for better understanding of one’s doubts and fears, tips on better communication with parents for example, or

indulge / Summer 2012 – 39

DRIVE IN STYLE THE 2012 HONDA ACCORD The 2012 Honda Accord is as reliable as its renowned Honda counterparts but comes with all the fun, useful gadgets and German styling to compete with its rivals. The Accord’s cockpit surrounds you with all the space and technology you need, giving you the best possible combination of comfort and control. Fitted with an LCD Multi-Information Display, dual zone climate control and audio, the Accord is sure to be your perfect companion during your journey from a meeting to another as well as relaxing Sunday drives. The Accord was designed with clever thinking features to ensure that no space is wasted and no opportunity to create a better functioning environment is missed. The Accord’s smooth and responsive drive is all down to the clever coupling of technology and engineering. It comes with a redesigned double wishbone front, multi-link rear suspension for greater stability and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to provide extra grip and more control when braking. Years of experimentation and development have gone into the latest generation of I-VTEC engines, which are fitted into the Honda Accord and provide a great driving experience and improved fuel economy. The Accord has been awarded a Euro NCAP 5 star rating and is available in Malta in 2.2 I-VTEC or in 2.2 I-DTEC. Call the Honda showroom on 22781 222 to book your test drive now or visit the Honda showroom in Mriehel to experience it for yourself. For more information you may also visit www.honda.com.mt.

Euro 2012 Tips on the go The Euro 2012 is on, and it’s time to place your bets whilst the odds are in your favour. You’ll be keeping your eye on every game as the teams progress through the stages so why not cash in on the way. Receiving tips and predictions on the go for a head’s up on where to wager. The iPhone App “Euro 2012 Tips and Predictions” gives you quick and easy access to all the analysis you need to place an informed bet on players, points and teams and be a part of the action while the tournament progresses. If your business would benefit from an app visit ww.justsomecoding.com

MALCOLM J NAUDI LOOKS AHEAD TO THE MDINA GRAND PRIX

his is the fourth consecutive year the foundation is organising the GP for classic cars and the second consecutive year on a 2.2-km circuit around the outskirts of Mdina. Building on the experience gained last year, this year’s GP is to be bigger and better than ever, starting with the hill climb for classic cars at Mtahleb, with the kind co-operation of Rabat council. Both local and international participants with pre-1976 cars can apply to enter the Concours d’Elegance. The registration form can be downloaded from http://www.vallettagrandprix.com. The foundation has set up a committee headed by Toby Ross who will be responsible for this part of the event. Among the novelties this year are the attendance of celebrities and members of the international media including some from Japan, Italy and the UK. With the assistance of the Malta Tourism Authority, efforts are being made to attract members of the media from Germany, Spain and Russia. The circuit is to be further upgraded, with greater safety features introduced. There are going to be better areas of hospitality for the public, with new grandstands erected below Mtarfa, better facilities for the media and a better organised paddock that may be increased to host over 80 cars. When the GP was held in Valletta, in 2009 and 2010, it was compared to Monte Carlo. “We are not trying to imitate anyone,” a spokesman for the Valletta GP foundation said. “What is so unique is that you are racing in a place that was built in the 13th century. There are the bastions, which are impressive, and we are confident that the circuit below Mdina will provide an unforgettable experience. Although there are only a few houses in the vicinity of the circuit with some farmers, you can’t imagine the support they give.” Past entries have included sports cars, two-seater racers and other classic cars built between 1910 and 1975 as well as single-seater racing cars dating between 1930 and 1960. Members of the foundation visited the Paris Race Retro and to Retromobile show in the UK earlier this year. As a result of these visits over 40 people from France and the UK have expressed interest in coming over. Ten of them have already confirmed by registering on the foundation’s website. Two Italian participants plan to bring over their Ferraris. The circuit officials – Chief Steward, Chief Marshal and Clerk of the Course – have been identified and are expected to be confirmed after the Festival of Speed on 7 June at Hal Far. There were also some 25,000 spectators at the 2011 event spread across the event and more are expected to attend this year.

Malcolm J Naudi has been writing about the car business for over 25 years and is a pioneer of motoring journalism in Malta.

indulge / Summer 2012 – 41

The GP will be held no matter the weather. A spokesman for the foundation said that the odd local shower would not deter the participants and last year, despite some heavy downpours, the racing went ahead with some spectacular outcomes.

MDINA GP 2012 PROGRAMME 8-10 October Overseas participants are expected to arrive in Malta. They will be entertained with cultural visits, including guided tours of Valletta, the Three Cities, Gozo and a boat tour of Grand Harbour. Thursday, 11 October A hill climb for classic cars will be organised at Mtahleb in the afternoon, with an onsite barbeque and entertainment. Friday, 12 October, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Following the great success of the Concours d’Elegance in 2011, this glamorous event will once again be held on Cathedral Square, Mdina. The Island’s best classic cars will be joined by the overseas participants. A festive atmosphere is guaranteed, with live classical music and owners in period attire. Saturday, 13 October Morning practice starts at 9 a.m. Participating vehicles will be timed in the afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m. to determine their best performances and, hence, the winner of the event. Sunday, 14 October The culmination of the Mdina GP is race day with some 80 cars expected to take part. They are to be divided into several groups according to their category. These have yet to be established, depending on the amount and type of applications received. Each participant will have two runs in the morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and two runs in the afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. There will also be demonstration runs for classic supercars and motorbikes.

TAXIS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Just Some Coding’s new Local Cab app is a time saver for anyone on the move around Malta. The sleek and click to call interface shows a list of taxi firms within a chosen radius. So if after work drinks turn in to an after dark party, you’ll have a list of local cab firms at your fingertips to get you home. What’s more, the app works offline and in the UK and US so regular travellers never need to worry about queuing for a cab at the airport again. Listing is Free, so just submit through the App and we will add it. To find out about apps for your business, visit www.justsomecoding.com

42 –indulge / Summer 2012

BEAUTY IS NEVER JUST SKIN DEEP. Beneath a beautiful body is innovative technology and engineering excellence. The Jaguar XF, for a fast moving world.

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BEN STUART GIVES US TIPS TO BE

SAFE AT SEA Summer is here again. Boats are being put in the water, families turn towards the beach, swimming, wakeboarding ... do people still ski? (just incase I shall keep it in)... Jet ski etc.. So, having checked the various aspects of your yacht or powerboat and ensured that everything is in order, it is a good time to revisit the rules of the game and highlight a few salient points. To my mind they revolve around three main areas in no particular order;

Licensing Obviously fundamental but increasingly more important with societies’ growing obsession with paperwork and validation; Are you properly qualified for the boat you will be driving? Is the vessel registered etc... Oh yes... Is all that paperwork onboard? Pointless having it if you can’t use it. I say this because Transport Malta have requested it in the past when stopping a boat. – Not that I know from personal experience of course.

the one hand and knowledgeable, thoughtful and responsible behavior on the other grows in parallel. So, onto a brief intro to the rules of the game with a few guiding points that I try and stick to. The Participants; Regulation is in the very professional hands of Transport Malta. The Players; You, me and everybody who swims, dives, powerboats, works or otherwise utilizes the sea.

Of course I haven’t mentioned the army gunnery range at Pembroke. We have to maintain a safe distance from shore or risk coming under fire. The AFM will fly a red pennant ashore on the days that they are using it (it is quite small so it is best to use a pair of binoculars).

Safety Is your boat properly prepared a, to go to sea and b, for an incident, do you have a VHF, is it working? Do you have the correct quantity of buoyancy aids, First aid kit? These all sound very obvious however I can guarantee that the Oracle (everyone has one – mine is embodied in the svelte figure of my wife) will find the one thing I don’t have.

Respect There is a lot of etiquette involved on boats and the sea. Whilst some of it relates to tradition, most of it it is not just born of politeness but also out of necessity. The easiest way of ensuring safety is to respect anyone/thing in the vicinity by slowing down, keeping a fair distance and minimising disturbance. As more people take to the seas, with faster, bigger and more powerful boats, the need for regulation on

44 –indulge / Summer 2012

There are three swimming zones in St. Julians Bay and one along the Sliema front. However it is an area where you are likely to encounter paragliders, swimmers, snorkelers, paddle boats and man’s own mechanical impression of a mosquito; jet skis. You will also probably encounter a couple of stationery fishing boats too. This glorious Dr. Seuss melee does, as with most things on our island, work in harmony for the most part. I have also encountered a couple of boys swimming out on a lilo (one of those heavy duty navy blue ones which are great but at the same time do nothing for visibility).

The guiding points. The first being that; NO vessel of any type is to be used within a swimming zone. Strictly speaking this also takes into account vessels at anchor who might have (due to a change in wind for example, or an anchor dragging) swung across the demarcated line. As in recent years Transport Malta will be monitoring these areas and have been known to issue a fine if a vessel is within the swimming zone.

An area that undoubtedly will be used by (to my estimate) 85% of all boats in Malta is the harbour entrance and the approaching waters from Pembroke down past St. Julians and Sliema/ Tigne. This deserves particular attention in everyones mind as it suffers from the morning and afternoon ’rush hours’. If you really wish to be particular why not print out Local notice to mariners number 31/2012 and keep it on board. It gives you all the details of the swimming zones around malta. – in a neat compact 56 pages no less. Alternatively, just give yourself, and other craft users, space.

112 is the national (and European) emergency number.

Likewise, as on land, drink driving is also an issue. Visibility is also something that is understated but deserves a moment of consideration. I read in a study done on motorbike accidents, that the most common statement from the drivers of cars involved is “ I didn’t see him” or “it came out of nowhere”. According to the study this held true regardless of the speed at which the motorbike was travelling although, admittedly none of the bikes were being PUSHED. This was regardless of how bright the apparel (one of the benefits of doing my childrens homework is my increased vocabulary) on the individual at the time. The study goes on for quite a bit, however for me the point being that we have to be AWARE and ALERT to what is going on around the (in this case) boat at all times… and yes, strange but true, even infront of the boat when we are driving along – and especially when the trim tabs are up and we are heading past Sliema.

With all this yearly flurry of activity from us responsible boat owner, I can tell you that the Ports & Yachting Directorate of Transport Malta has also been gearing up for the summer. They are responsible for the regulation of all maritime leisure activities in Maltese waters. This involves the installation, maintenance of swimmers’ zones, speed markers and any other buoys that need placing. Whilst that is going on, the ‘wardens of the sea’ are keenly sharpening their pencils, stocking up on Bic biro’s and practicing whipping out the Book of Fines whilst smiling at you. So the world remains in harmony and we take to the sea for the most glorious part of the year. I do hope you enjoy it. I trust that we will all behave with the knowledgeable, thoughtful and responsible behavior that the sea requires us to have. It is useful to bear in mind 119 which is the number used to contact the authority for any incident/ infringement.

Ben Stuart, General Manager at Grand Harbour Marina, talks to us about the pleasures and practicalities of yachting in Malta.

indulge / Summer 2012 – 45

John de Giorgio wishes

HE COULD TEST OUT ALL THESE GADGETS FROM John de Giorgio has been a gadget-man as long as he remembers with a longstanding interest in how things work. He has run a software company for the last 29 years, keeping him close to technology

OVERBOARD DRY BAGS These bags would come in handy for any water based day out. With an innovative Fold Seal System™ contents remain 100% dry. Overboard Bags are durable, wipe-clean and easy to store when not in use. Available in various sizes you’re sure to find an Overboard that meets your needs and there is a rugged backpack with loads of compartments and an internal zip pocket for the land and sea adventurer. Starting from €20 for a 12 litre bag.

46 –indulge / Summer 2012

Jet outta here! How much would you pay to be able to jet out of the water like a superhero? To get to the giddy heights of 10 meters, it will cost you a hefty €125,000. The JetLev Flyer will project you out of the water at speeds of up to 35km/h. In case you’re wondering how this revolutionary personal flying machine works, a carbon-fibre JetLev is tethered via a flexible supply hose to a separate boat-like unit containing a 4-stroke engine. This whooshes pressurised water into the jetpack, which then generates thrust by nozzle reaction force. Not exactly rocket science.

For the ultimate in impressing yourself, onlookers and sealife, how about a Bond-like Seabreacher X. Just €70,000, it’s cheekily decorated like a shark, whale or giant fish, this state-of-the-art submersible can whizz around above and beneath the water, and even perform acrobatic stunts as it breaches the surface. US coastguard inspected, the custom-built Seabreacher X utilises a 260hp supercharged engine to sustain impressive speeds of 50mph above the surface and 25mph below. Chasing dolphins, searching for monsters and checking out mermaids has never been easier. Okay, so the Seabreacher X can’t dive more than 5ft, but who cares when you’re breaking the surface, popping the lid and ordering your food from Baia Beach Club? The Seabreacher’s amazing power and manoeuvrability is achieved by way of a fully vectored thrust system that mimics the tail articulation of sharks and dolphins. In fact it’s so powerful it can even leap clean out of the water. It has amazing tech on board including a GPS and on board stereo system.

Don’t believe me? Look at this:

I don’t know why restaurants don’t use these BBQ Branding irons, they could put any message they liked on your steak, though I guess one word would be over used ‘enjoy!’ Just €20, I think every home should have some.

This VW Camper tent would surely making camping more fun? Easy to put up (so they say) and big enough to stand up in, if you aren’t too tall. Different colours available from €250 indulge / Summer 2012 – 47

S & D Yachts Ltd S & D Yachts Ltd Tel: (+356) 2133 1515, 2133 9908 Mobile: (+356) 9947 7753 Email: info@sdyachts.com Tel: (+356) 2133 1515, 2133 9908 Mobile: (+356) 9947 7753 Email: info@sdyachts.com

PHIL GIBBS EXPLAINS

CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING Phil Gibbs is a qualified rugby referee, cricket umpire, and weight-training instructor. He plays for Malta Marauders Veterans rugby team.

8IBU JT UIF PSJHJO PG DMBZ Â˝ QJHFPO TIPPUJOH Clay - pigeon shooting, formerly called inanimate bird shooting, is the art of shooting at special targets, called clay pigeons, with a shotgun. It dates back to the mid 1880s, and was developed as an alternative to using live birds as targets. In fact, the machine launching the clay is known as a trap, the targets are still often referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;birdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and hits as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;killsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

8IFSF BOE XIFO EJE JU TUBSU From the late 1880â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s until the outbreak of the First World War, pheasant and grouse shooting in England and Scotland enjoyed a level of popularity that has never been rivalled since. During Victorian and Edwardian times, lavish hunting parties were legendary occasions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the number of birds killed were vast. As well as possessing the correct social standing, the ability to shoot well was a prerequisite to being invited to attend a shoot on the great estates. Consequently, clay pigeons made it possible to prepare for the day with practice and instruction.

8IBU XBT #BMM 5SBQ Prior to the advent of clay targets, the game of â&#x20AC;&#x153;glass ballâ&#x20AC;? shooting had been carried out in England, but the game was not particularly popular, as the traps used at the time only fired the balls straight up in the air, and consequently were much easier to hit than a flying bird. However,

it did gain a measure of popularity in the United States, where Charles Portlock of Boston is credited as the originator of the sport in 1866. The first competitive shoots were held in Boston in 1867. Adam Bogardu invented the first catapult launcher in 1877, which coined the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ball Trapâ&#x20AC;?, and these were used at shooting shows. Glass ball shooting matches between two shooters drew huge crowds and were played for high stakes, making the top guns extremely very wealthy. They sometimes lasted for several days.

8IFO EJE UIF VTF PG DMBZT BOE USBQT CFHJO The first clay target, a flat disc, appeared in England between 1883 and 1887. The clay pigeon was thus born and led to the development of the pastime of clay â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pigeon shooting. To cope with the increasing level of demand, numerous shooting schools in London installed traps and towers that would enable them to simulate the flight of different game birds. This, in turn, resulted in a diverse range of targets, and led to the introduction of a new discipline in its own right. It was given the name of Sporting Clays, and the first British Open Sporting Championship was held in London in 1927. In the same year, a Frenchman called Emile Laporte invented the first mechanical throwing device, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hand Trapâ&#x20AC;? in 1927. . The trap had a spring-loaded throwing arm, and could throw the target for distances of up to

135 metres. The spinning action of the target was imparted by the trap arm and its running rail helped to maintain a reasonably stable flight trajectory for at least the first 50m. The early 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s saw the development of automatic traps powered by 12 volt batteries, enabling shooting ground to position traps in more realistic positions. This development enabled Sporting to grow into the most popular clay target discipline in England. 90% of clay pigeon shooters choose Sporting, as it is a discipline whose variety and unpredictability make it great fun. It can be a test of ability or a competitive challenge, and it appeals to all ages and both sexes.

8IBU FYBDUMZ JT Âż4QPSUJOHĂ&#x20AC; The discipline of English Sporting has more followers than any other. It originated to simulate live quarry shooting, which accounts for some of the names commonly used on Sporting stands, such as Springing Teal, Driven Pheasant, Bolting Rabbit, Crossing Pigeon, and Dropping Duck. To mimic the movement of different quarry, it uses a variety of different - sized targets thrown at different trajectories, angles, speeds, elevations and distances. Competitions feature a given number of stands each of which has a predetermined number of targets, all travelling along the same path and speed, either as singles or doubles. There are a number of competitive variations of Sporting. indulge / Summer 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 49

"SF UIFSF PUIFS GPSNT PG DMBZ ½ QJHFPO TIPPUJOH

Who decides when the UBSHFUT BSF SFMFBTFE

Apart from Sporting, there are many other different forms of regulated disciplines using standard size targets. These which can be divided into two groups, Trap and Skeet.

Targets in the shotgun events are released on the shooter’s orders. If they are not released immediately after the order is given, the shooter may choose not to shoot, and lower his or her gun. For a target to be regarded as hit it must have at least one piece broken from it.

5SBQ Targets are thrown either as singles or doubles from one or more traps sited at a minimum of about 15m ahead of the shooter, and are generally fired away from the point of firing at differing speeds, angles and elevations. The most common disciplines in this group are:- Down-the-Line (DTL) Single Barrel, Double Rise, Automatic Ball Trap (ABT), Olympic Trap, Double Trap and Universal Trench.

Skeet Although the word Skeet is a Scandinavian word, the discipline was developed in the USA. Targets are thrown in singles and doubles from 2 trap houses - high and low - placed 40 metres apart, at opposite ends of a semi - circular arc on which there are seven shooting positions. The targets are released at set trajectories and speeds in a combination of singles and doubles, adding up to a total of 25 targets per round. Variety is achieved by shooters moving round the seven stations in a semicircle. The main disciplines in this group are English Skeet, Olympic Skeet and American (NSSA) Skeet.

8IBU LJOE PG HVOT DBO CF VTFE Shotgun event competitors may use any double-barrel shotgun as long as its calibre does not exceed .12-gauge. Automatic shotguns with a magazine capacity of two cartridges are also permitted. Trap guns have longer barrels than skeet guns, because accuracy is required over a longer distance. For the same reason, trap guns have a tighter choke than skeet guns, meaning the internal barrel diameter is smaller.

8IJDI EJTDJQMJOFT XJMM * TFF BU UIF 0MZNQJDT UIJT TVNNFS With Malta being represented in the Olympics this year, you will enjoy watching it more if you know something about the format used. The three disciplines used in the Olympics are Olympic Trap, Double Trap and Olympic Skeet. The single-target Olympic trap discipline has been an Olympic sport for men since 1900, and a women’s competition was introduced in 2000. It is considered to be more difficult than most other trap versions because of the distance between shooter and target is greater, and the speed of the clays is faster. A trench in front of the shooting stands hides 15 traps arranged in 5 groups of 3, at heights of between one and three metres. Competitors do not know in which order the traps will release. They are allowed one shot.. Shooters take turns to shoot at a target each, before moving in a clockwise direction to the next stand in the line. Targets for each shooter are thrown immediately upon his call and are selected by a shooting scheme that ensures all competitors receive exactly the same target selection, but in a random order, from any one of the three traps directly in front of him. Olympic Trap clays are set to travel 75 to 80 metres at varying heights, and with a maximum horizontal angle of 45 degrees. Each competitor receives 125 targets in the qualification round for men and 75 for women, and 25 additional targets in the final round for the six best shooters. In 2005, the final rules were changed so that only one shot

can now be taken at each target, as opposed to two in the qualification round. Double trap was introduced to the Men’s Olympic programme in 1996. A women’s event was also introduced in the same year, but was discontinued in 2004. The layout of double trap shooting is similar to that of Olympic trap. It also has three traps, but they range in height from 3m–3.5m. Shooters fire one shot at each target from a position 15 metres behind the trap house. The two clays are released simultaneously and follow set trajectories, usually 35 degrees to left and right of straightaway. The shooter is allowed one shot at each target. There are 75 doubles for each competitor, followed by a 25 double shoot – off between the top six shooters. Olympic Skeet uses two throwing machines at different heights to launch a series of 25 clays in a specific order, some as singles and some as doubles, with the shooter having a fixed position between them. Men’s competitions consist of five such series, while women’s have three. The top six competitors then shoot an additional series as a final round, on targets filled with special powder to show hits more clearly to the audience. Skeet shooters can fire just once at each target. The discipline differs from English Skeet in that the targets travel farther, the release of the target can be delayed up to 3 seconds after calling and the gun-down position is compulsory, meaning the gun cannot be premounted on the shoulder as is an option in the other version. There is also an eighth shooting station, midway between the two houses. The event was introduced in 1968, and until 1992 both men and women were allowed to participate against each other. However, in 1996 women were excluded, which caused much controversy at the time, as the reigning Olympic champion was a Chinese woman. In 2000, a female only skeet event was introduced.

HOW CAN I TRY CLAY-PIGEON SHOOTING IN MALTA? Contact the Malta Sport Shooting Federation (MSSF) - email msf@melitanet.net, which has a membership of over 200 enthusiasts. Alternatively, call instructor Horace Agius on 79822474 email grezzjya@gmail.com. The cost of 25 targets is around €15.

50 –indulge / Summer 2012

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