Sunday, November 8, 2009
Feature
Homes - Create more office space at home
IT seems inevitable that at some point, part of our homes will be given over to a study area complete with a PC for either family or business...
DIY - Measuring up to the job
You won't get far doing DIY if you can't measure properly but it's actually surprisingly easy to get measurements wrong, wasting time and...
DIY- Patching up the ceiling plaster
If you've got a damaged ceiling, whether it's cracks from people walking on the floor above, water damage from a leak or just bulging plaster from...
Homes - Tile your way to bathroom bliss
Updating or completely revamping a bathroom needn't be expensive -there are plenty of retailers offering a wealth of products to suit every taste...
Homes - Get it down in black and white
The world of interiors can be a little confusing sometimes, with the trends changing as rapidly as high street fashions.
That's fine if you've...
Nature through dance
Rhythmic Earth - what an ideal name for Olivia Dow's school show this year. The discipline with which the students danced this year was no...
Prison break at Fort St Elmo
1978 was the year that The Deer Hunter won five Oscars; Halloween scared our socks off, setting the benchmark for the slasher movie, audiences...
Glories of Garda
Driving along the precarious winding roads and through tunnels cut into the jagged mountains reminded me of a scene from The Italian Job.
But it...
Motoring - Car Briefs
New Bentley Continental Flying Spur range
Bentley is revising its Continental Flying Spur range with two distinctive models. The 12-cylinder...
White magic
Turn your rooms on to summer by taking a shine to white. White paint, fabrics and furnishings could give your rooms a perfect summer look and...
Preparing for painting
Two weeks ago we looked at how to estimate how much paint you need before decorating, and this week, it's another part of preparation that isn't...
Have your paint quantity covered
One of the most important considerations before any decorating job is how much paint you actually need. As a rough rule of thumb and assuming...
The GO Malta Television Awards - And the winners are…
The stage was set to thrill, literally and figuratively. The judges – all of whom have impeccable credentials – could finally sit...
Portrait of a ballerina
Come October all her friends will be heading off to University in Tal-Qroqq but Sarah Lanzon,18, is instead flying out to Manchester for a three...
Get to grips with grout
The obvious starting point is to lay the first row of tiles flush along one wall. This is fine if your walls are straight and square but most...
Event brings streets alive
The summer months in Malta are characterised by an array of festivals and concerts. Some of them have become yearly events with household names...
Festival reflections from Turin
Running in a time frame that was almost parallel with that of the Malta Arts Festival was Piedmont's theatre festival Teatro a Corte, entitled as...
Antwerp - a city of surprises
When Napoleon Bonaparte visited Antwerp in 1803, he did not mince his words with his opinion of the city as "the most backward provincial nest I...
The benefits of snacking
Around 96 per cent of people admit snacking in secret, but a new UK report from Kellogg's says eating three meals and two snacks a day is nothing...
Motoring - Total driving pleasure
The 308 is Peugeot's latest offering to the family hatchback segment, a rival for the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf and -...
Achieving the right effect
There are also lots of modern paint effects that aren't a blast from the past and can be used to create a stunning feature wall.
Like most DIY...
Competition - Tribute concert
Would you like to go to Joseph Calleja's tribute concert to Pavarotti on July 12?
Enter this competition and you could be doing just that if you...
Rocking the MCC for charity
It is time once again for FM Theatre Productions' annual musical extravaganza at the Mediterranean Conference Centre entitled Vocal Aid. The...
A brave new green world
Here's a thought for you this morning. If you had a choice between two houses: an in-your-face imposing villa full of high-tech gadgets and...
Wardrobe wizardry
It's difficult to love something that holds all the horrible secrets of those unwise shopping sprees, and often messes up your...
Force countering force
Over the years I have come to know the Aquilina brothers who run Miranda Publishers very well. The Aquilina duo is a formidable one that over the...
Homes - Stylish rooms for smart children
New parents always want to give their baby the red carpet treatment when it arrives in the world and that means preparing a beautiful nursery....
Getting rooms in focus
Holiday photos are a lasting memory of happy times with family and friends. But don't waste them by keeping them in albums, boxes or on the...
Romantic bond with crystals
Jacky Menhennet's beads caught my attention a long time ago, long enough for me to realise that this woman, who claimed beading was just a hobby,...
Sounds and flavours of the Mediterranean
Whether it's wine, Medi-terranean food, the festa atmosphere, traditional music, or art and history you are after, next weekend will offer a...
Reaching for the stars
Each year some of Malta's talented up-and-comers depart to make their ways in the world. Jo Caruana spoke to three friends all off to the UK with...
A fight for life
How would you feel if you had to fight for your life every single day? How would you live your life if you are suffering from an incurable...
The thrill of the grill
Country style pork with southern barbecue sauce
(Serves 8)
For the rub:4 tbsp light brown sugar2 tbsp paprika1 tbsp garlic granules1 tbsp chilli...
Pointe of perfection
Where do I begin / To tell the story / Of how great a love can be? For this is a story of a love. Of love between a man and a woman. Of a woman's...
Something old, something new...
Being old, wrinkled, lined and somewhat cracked is not a personal selling point. To admit even to possessing any of those characteristics in this...
The eyes have it
With such an abundance of styles and trends on the shelves, a fabulous pair of sunglasses is surely the easiest way to make an individual...
Skin care - Body lotion: Sometimes your body screams for it
Knowing how to take care of your skin is something everyone should know, not only when you have a problem skin. You should have a few of the basic...
Nature at school
Organising an activity day in a school is no mean feat, so deciding to dedicate one whole week to extra-curricular activities is even more...
Italian National Day celebrations
Have you ever wished to celebrate Italian National Day all'Italiana but never quite made it to the VIP guest list? Well, this is your lucky year...
Confessions of a beauty queen
Much fuss is made annually over who represents Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest - no qualms about that, but few are aware that it's not just...
Homes - Dine out on dining room décor
The dining room may be the centre of family activity or the hub of social gathering. Whether you're redoing the entire room, or just adding...
The changing face of Birmingham
It may be somewhat difficult to think of Birmingham as a tourist place. Almost automatically, the name takes you back in time to the industrial...
Travellers' showcase
April has, for the past 15 years now, become associated with Malta's biggest travel-related event of the year: Amitex, the Air Malta International...
Spring an Easter lamb surprise
Easter is a great time to celebrate with family and friends. There's no better way than getting everyone together for a lunch of roast lamb...
Elegance, colour to light up red carpet
On the eve of the Oscars, Hollywood is primping for its annual red carpet fashion parade where stars like Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman are...
Exercise may ease menopause symptoms
A regular brisk walk may help women going through menopause improve their mental well-being, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that...
The good & the bad
The old saying rings true: anticipation makes the wait worthwhile. What an eventful year 2007 was, in the field of entertainment... From Queens...
Eat to feed your face
Skin is the biggest organ in the human body – it covers the entire body and has a surface area of around two square metres. Consisting of...
Long and winding road to Israel
There is still a debate regarding the true reason behind declining The Beatles' arrival to perform in Israel. The common story behind it was...
DIY - Space-saving ideas for the bathroom
In lots of homes, especially conversions, bathrooms are shoehorned in and thus lack space - and, often, light as well. If this applies to your...
A special tribute to Joseph Calleia
Following the success of the 30th anniversary screening of Midnight Express at the Old University last month, Cinema Forum Group, Malta's new...
Motoring - Car Briefs
Vauxhall launches new green version of the Astra
Vauxhall has announced the latest addition to its range of low-CO2 cars, the Astra Ecoflex. It...
Reaching 100
Ask any local theatre company what's holding us back in Malta and their reply will probably include the word "volume" - or rather the lack of it....
Car Briefs
Specification changes for Renault Clio range
Renault has announced specification changes for its Clio line -up. The Clio three-door range will...
Tiles and tribulations
For a quality kitchen or bathroom floor that's attractive, hard-wearing and will last for years, nothing beats ceramic tiles. Stone floors can be...
Motoring - Car Briefs
Jeep launches new Cherokee
Jeep has given its off-roader Cherokee a refresh for 2008. Taking styling cues from the original Cherokee, the all-new...
The women of Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty in Malta
Krista Decesare
Age: 21Profession: University studentSize: 6
"I am the freckled one of the campaign... you know ... we have to accept ourselves...
Car Briefs
New addition to Toyota RAV-4 range
The RAV-4 is getting a new addition to the range in the form of a sports-orientated SR180. The SR180 is...
Problems with paintwork
Like most DIY tasks, painting can be a bit of a minefield for beginners, but it basically boils down to a few simple rules of preparation and...
Motoring - Car Briefs
Ford confirms details of the all-new Focus RS
Enthusiasts will get the clearest view yet of the new Focus RS at this month's British...
Help your hair beat the heat
Hair care becomes a worrisome factor for both men and women as the heat of summer increases. There is no wonder that you may even consider shaving...
Homes - Through the looking glass
Few of us can claim to have enough space in our homes and we're always searching for ways to stretch our rooms to meet our growing demands. But...
DIY - A different approach to painting
Bagging
One of the techniques we covered last time was rag rolling. A similar effect can be achieved with a scrunched up plastic bag (or a...
Top tips for summer health
Fresh air, sunshine and warm weather - the joys of summer! So far so good, but there are other unwelcome symptoms of sunny days - from pesky bugs...
Under the Sicilian sun
Sicilian delights are rumoured to leave a deep impact on tourists. Kurt Bugeja Coster has indulged in the traditional cuisine, explored the...
The girls are back in town
For six seasons Sex and the City was a television sensation. Now it has just made the jump to the silver screen and thousands of people can't wait...
Relaxing cultural getaway
Barcelona could be described as one of the cultural capitals of Europe, elegant and sophisticated yet with a relaxed Mediterranean attitude that...
The yin and yang of life in China
Life is what you make it, or so they say. In China, life can be gauged in terms of yin and yang, at one go opposing forces but also complementary...
Mediterranean: the recipe for mums-to-be
Eating a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy could ward off asthma and allergies in babies, according to new research. We serve up some delicious...
Bedrooms that dreams are made of
While extensive renovations can be expensive and time consuming, bedroom makeovers are a simple way to update the look of your room without costly...
Reel life for Maltese film-makers
The world of local film has hardly ever been reeling. Over the decades it progressed in fits and starts, as different production houses eked out...
Make sure you put safety first
It's a sad fact that DIY can be dangerous - every year, hundreds are seriously injured from taking insufficient safety precautions - but it...
All the saints in heaven above
They stand to attention, some still semi clad, the rest waiting for colour to liven up their snow-white apparel. Frozen in motion, they stand...
Top notch
If there is a car that fits a brief to rise to a number of occasions, the Opel Astra Notchback is certainly one. Sleek, elegant, dynamic, sturdy...
Best actor, actress races tighten
For weeks, Britons Daniel Day-Lewis and Julie Christie have looked like sure bets to win the coveted best actor and actress Academy Awards, but in...
COUNTDOWN TO THE OSCARS
The race for the Oscars entered the home straight this week as nominees for the 80th Academy Awards were unveiled amid uncertainty about how...
Updates in medicine
New drug shows promise in treating hot flushes
The experimental drug desvenlafaxine may offer an alternative to hormone treatment for hot...
How balanced are you? - Take the happiness quiz
You're late for work and everything is going wrong. You spill tea over your skirt and can't find your purse. Do you: (a) Burst into tears and...
Things to do, places to go this Christmas
TodayˆˆThumbelinaSt Agatha Auditorium, Rabat
Thumbelina is a fairytale ballet based on the story of Hans Christian Andersen, the classic...
Bypassing the fat
The F2 Diet changes the balance of food intake, making plant-based foods the mainstay. The conservative recommendation of five portions of fruit...
Saab goes back to sporty image
The first Saab car was revealed to the automotive world on June 10, 1947 in a staff canteen at the aircraft company's Linköping headquarters in...
All hail! Madonna
A s soon as we arrived at Wembley Stadium's gates at 4 p.m., we ran out onto the pitch, put down our markers and waited with anticipation for the...
Get-up-and-go Greece
My first, and only package holiday on a Greek island some years ago hardly lingers in the memory as a pleasant affair. I remember the place as...
Car Briefs
New Mini Crossover Concept to debut at Paris
Mini is to unveil its new Crossover Concept at the Paris Motor Show in October. It is a design study...
DIY - Planning a new bathroom
Like kitchens, bathrooms add value, especially when your home's up for sale. The nicer, more modern your bathroom is, the quicker your home's...
Motoring - Tough little car
The new Fortwo is here and the unsuspecting might need more than a second look to spot the difference between it and its much loved predecessor....
The celebration continues... big time
From the smallest child to the biggest kids of all ages, Disneyland Resort Paris has been turning dreams into reality for the past 15 years and to...
Young at heart
Mercedes is introducing its newest member of the coupe family, as the CLC. The German carmaker is keen to distinguish this new car from the rest...
Splendid things in life
When you stop and think about it, it can be difficult to pin down what splendour truly means to us as individuals. However, in the hands of...
Motoring - Ibiza's moment in sunshine
There were bold words greeting the arrival of the new Seat Ibiza. This is the first Seat to be developed with the Spanish arm of the VW Group...
Functional rather than cool
It's quite an odd experience to be listening to singers crooning about riding in their Chevys, and rather depressing when you consider that...
Breathtaking nature
Neatly ensconced in the Alps, combining Swiss perfection with Italian taste, is the skiing resort of Livigno. But Livigno is also a summer...
Motoring - Practicality on wheels
There's a steadily growing market for vehicles like the Berlingo, particularly as families are beginning to seek alternative options to the...
How to have a happy, healthy holiday
Sunstroke, stomach upsets, dehydration and insect bites are all ailments experienced by holidaymakers from time to time. But with a little...
Motoring - Car Briefs
Land Rover planning new seven-seater
Land Rover is planning an eighth model line for 2012, which will be the first all-new vehicle under new...
Al Maha - a wonder of the desert
It needs little introduction because its greatest ambassadors are those who have already had the pleasure of enjoying Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa...
About diet fitness
You need not starve yourself to get a healthy body, says Catherine Tyler. It is a conscious and consistent effort with a penchant for discovering...
Best feet forward
Without proper shoe support your body can be put under extra strain. And we all know about the perils of squeezing one's tootsies into fashion...
Car Briefs
Citroen reveals new C5 TourerCitroen has released details of the new C5 Tourer. The Tourer stands at 4.83m long and 1.48m tall, gaining 5cm and...
Footsteps to health
Diseases, disorders and disabilities of the foot or ankle may affect the quality of life and mobility of thousands. However, many are unaware of...
Motoring - Car Briefs
New Ferrari California revealed
Ferrari has revealed its new California, the latest addition of new generation Ferraris launched in 2004 with the...
Tight tummy tips from a medal-winning mum
Olympic Gold medallist and working mum of two, Denise Lewis OBE, believes the key to a happy home life lies in finding a realistic balance between...
Car Briefs
Audi reveals new generation A3
Audi has released details of its new generation A3. As with the new A4, the A3 has a number of minor exterior and...
Yachting - The 'diva' premieres in Milan
The latest model in the luxury motoryacht range created by the famous Italian shipyard Pershing is currently on display in a setting that is truly...
Let's face the music and dance
If your child is into team sports, swimming, gymnastics or ballet enrolling them in some programme or other is as easy as pie. In truth, not all...
Spring-clean, it's in your genes
Does your heart lift at the thought of that ritual spring-clean and clear up that's supposed to blow away the winter cobwebs? There's no need for...
Weekender-Emirates Airline Anniversary - competition
Win a flight to the fascinating city of Dubai
Dubai, the second largest of the seven Arab Emirates was once a small trading post whose...
Bringing the Bible to life
The cinema has long since ceased to be a place for mere entertainment; these days there are numerous lessons to be learned from many of the films...
Vienna: The feel good city
A famous Viennese song begins: Im Prater blühn wieder die Bäume (Trees at the Prater are in flower again). Resonating the world over, it...
Run for your life... A healthier life
It is getting more and more difficult to ignore the message that is coming from all sides reminding us that exercise is a necessary part of...
Joy of motion
As the sun rises over yet another closing week, a group of 12- to 16- year-old dancers are just about to warm up for this evening's and tomorrow's...
The charm of children's cinema
The big screen lures thousands, including those of a young and tender age, to the cinemas every single day. However, March 1 is a bit more...
Make friends with the right food
Although many doctors dismiss food allergy symptoms as mainly in the mind, it is thought that up to 40 per cent of people are sufferers with two...
Voluptuous Valencia
Valencia, Valencia, Valencia... You can spend hours attempting it, but it'll never sound like the Spaniard's pronunciation of the place. It's got...
Smile, it's good for you
In a world where stress levels are spiralling and taking time out from the daily grind is more luxury than routine, the health benefits of having...
Walking with pedometer spurs modest weight loss
People who strap on a pedometer and strive to walk more each day can probably expect to lose a modest amount of weight, a research analysis...
Our search for happiness
Everyone wants to be happy. That's why people go on diets or spend too much money for clothes - because they think it will make them happy! But...
A man for all time?
When I emerged from the Metro at Simonis, the leaf-strewn Parc Elisabeth was shrouded in mist and I could not make out the Koekelberg Basilica at...
'WITHOUT JAMES BROWN THERE'D BE NO HENDRIX!'
Rick Rubin, Chuck D, Mick Jagger and other music stars give thanks and praise to the Godfather...
RICK RUBIN
It's hard to put into words what...
Life made easy with F2
ˆˆ"Anyone who imagines dieters can turn to recipes for every meal hasn't tried to diet or doesn't have a life," says Audrey Eyton in the...
Foster carers
Steve and Sally have no children of their own. They have known Samantha, 14, for the past 10 years and have been her legal guardians and foster...
Are skinny celebrities risking their lives
Your looks
It doesn't take a genius to work out that severely limiting calorie intake will deprive your body of vital nutrients. Carbs, fat and...
Soggy beds
If you've ever been woken up in the dead of night to the sound of "I've wet the bed", you are not alone. Approximately 40 per cent of parents of...
Model of the moment
If you are an aspiring model looking to break into the industry - or even looking to find out if you have what it takes, you are certainly in the...
Don't be a victim, protect yourself
Did you know that cardiovascular diseases - including heart attacks and strokes - are the world's largest killers? Risk factors for heart disease...
Motoring - Edgy new looks
There's no getting away from the fact that much of the Lancer's appeal lies in its close styling ties to Mitsubishi's road-runner Evo model. Some...
Scenic splendours
It's sometimes said that you should never achieve your dream - because then the anticipation is gone, and more often than not the result is never...
Chefs on the starting blocks
In July, 20 chefs pit their skills against one another to win the Bocuse d'Or Europe title. Beyond the competition, the Bocuse d'Or Europe is an...
Safe coffee treats
Coffee needn't just come in a cup, it can be used in a whole range of mouth-watering ways. We find the best coffee-flavoured delights from...
Fish for compliments
There's plenty of fish in our seas - over 100 varieties of fish and shellfish - but few of us eat the recommended two portions a week. Turn on to...
It's time for salad days
Salads are the stars of summer and nowadays there's a combination to suit every taste. We pick out two that are bursting with fresh, seasonal...
We all scream for ice cream
Ice cream has to be one of summer's essentials - whether it's that cornet melting deliciously in the heat of the sun, a snowy dollop on top of a...
Durable Duran Duran
Indeed these Brummie lads have certainly come a long way from playing in their hometown of Birmingham, to touring the world in sold- out...
Go it alone - gladly
For many so-called singletons the idea of packing a little suitcase and going off on holiday alone is daunting to say the least. But with the...
Out of this world
Salt, the Maltese band that won the best newcomer award at the Bay Music Awards 2007 and was nominated for best newcomer at the Malta Music...
Protect yourself from the sun
The rise in the incidence of skin cancers over the past decades is strongly related to increasingly popular outdoor activities and recreational...
Motoring - Goodbye bummus numbus
Twice in my life I've been in an Opel. Once in my aunt's Vauxhall Nova (Vauxhall is the British badge for Opel; Nova is the predecessor to the...
Fashion brought to life
Whenever an event, especially a fashion-related one comes up and I am invited, I always panic. Oh my God what am I going to wear? What colour? Do...
World Blood Donor Day
This annual event highlights the role blood donors play in saving the lives and improving the health of millions and creates awareness about the...
Summer's coming!
Summer can be a great time for kids, parents, and families as a whole. A little time spent in planning can make the difference between a...
Motoring - Street runner
It is no insult to say that we knew what to expect from the Kuga. It is based on the class-leading Focus chassis (although both lengthened and...
Adjusting to changes
Sarah's* story:
ThiS is my second relationship since breaking up with Saviour* , and perhaps I was even more cautious about introducing Steve to...
Motoring - An excellent companion
The new C5 might be a bit confused about its roots, but one thing is certain: it's excellent
Citroen, it seems is on a bit of a roll. Not only...
A helping hand for sufferers
There are no ME specialists in Malta so a diagnosis is never really on the books. Getting an early diagnosis can help since once the sufferer is...
Motoring - Spoilt for choice with Fiat 500
Here's a number to get you thinking: 500,000. It's the approximate number of different Fiat 500 variants available. That includes all the colour,...
Homes - The safe way to DIY
Ladders
Lots of DIY accidents happen when people don't take care while on ladders and, obviously, the higher the ladder, the more dangerous it...
Your Voice
At Weekender we have decided to provide more voice, space and professional advice to our readers. How? If you have any difficulties or questions...
We have to help our kids
With the end of the scholastic year already in sight it is difficult to keep the contents of your child's lunchbox interesting. In our family,...
Be a pastas master
Pasta is great as a mid-week stand-by meal, but if you've never moved away from the standard spaghetti bolognese or carbonara, it's time to...
The airline with flying colours
Since it started operations in Malta 10 years ago, Emirates Airline has put Malta on its vast route network map, connecting the island to key...
No new sins please we are catholics
While discussing the relationship between media technology and culture I, half jokingly, tell my students that humanity is lucky that laptop...
Gone but not forgotten
I have to start this article by confessing that I have always questioned the validity of a collective art exhibition commemorating somebody,...
Motherhood without guilt
Gender equality may have come a long way since the days when women were considered the "weaker sex". Nowadays we are encouraged, or rather...
Diet books - Scam or helpful?
So you binged on food and drink. How desperate are you now? Perhaps you have joined the gym, and are paying a membership for an activity you know...
Faith, hope and devotion
This year, the Catholic Church is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. Most events that took place in...
On turning 30
Antonio Tufigno
There has always been a sort of personality cult associated with numbers, something inches deeper than the venerable tombla...
Love stories
Valentine's Day? This year it has me slightly off kilter. By the time the masks of revelry and prinjolata cleared the shelves for the customary...
Not just another brick in the wall
Lego's colourful bricks that have inspired children's imaginations worldwide celebrated their 50th anniversary this week after resisting fierce...
SALE INSANE
The soles of my feet are aching, a pint-sized teen with lip piercings like miniature swords is giving me the evil eye because I just snatched the...
Boost your memory
When thinking about memory a good place to start is the brain where the process of remembering things actually happens. Different types of...
This Lion has teeth
Many, many years ago, just after I had had my very first music review published in these hallowed pages, one of my bluestocking great aunts,...
A night at the Oscars
It's difficult to think of a celebrity who hasn't glowed in the spotlight wearing a Valentino gown - Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer...
Happy YOU Year!
Thousands of us leap into the New Year with lofty promises to ourselves. We will lose weight, make money and have sex twice a week. We swear to...
SOUL BROTHER NUMBER 1
Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, James Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least...
Inside the male mind
1WHY ARE MEN SUCH HYPOCHONDRIACS? ˆˆ• What's he thinking?
Men are used to being looked after when they're ill because boys...
Five-star destination
There is a lot of talk about the phenomenal economic growth that China is experiencing and the effect this development is having on the rest of...
Every child matters
Foster care is all about giving children and young people a chance. Due to a variety of reasons, many children are forced to act older than their...
Edutainment
We're half-way through the first term of the scholastic year and the thrill of going back to school has long since faded. If your child's interest...
The young and the sexy
A couple of weeks ago, I was in St Julians with a few friends, outside a bar, sipping a drink when I did a double-take. Coming up the stairs...
Wet & wild
Before its recent surge in popularity, kite-surfing was an early 1980s' thing, when it was known as fly-surfing or kite-skiing. The sport requires...
Restoring rhythms, renewing lives
Imagine the engine of a car - it does not only need fuel to run, but also sparking plugs to kick it into action. The heart is similar - coronary...
Know your risk!
We have all tensed our abdominal muscles when parading on the beach in a vain effort to draw in that growing waistline. We all know how tiring...
Learning or schooling?
The new scholastic year is upon us; state schools open their doors to students on Monday and Church and independent schools will follow suit over...
Learning in, with and through drama
With his arms outstretched, miming a glide, in the style of L'Aeroplanino, I could easily imagine a younger Alan Montanaro whizzing through an...
When it takes two, baby
Twins have definitely been in the news lately. With the birth of Brad Pitt's and Angelina Jolie's additions to their already large brood earlier...
Violent femmes
Although women are more likely to be victims of domestic abuse, female perpetrators are not unheard of either. And when women are the...
Shattered peace
The notion that domestic abuse "happens abroad" and is "not really a problem here" has probably never reflected the reality of many women's lives....
Playing it safe
Young people are particularly vulnerable to sexual ill health, and there are a number of very good reasons why. Many are simply unaware of the...
The greatest show on earth
The Maltese Olympic delegation began their journey to China amid much excitement and jubilation. And why not? Here were six people, all at the top...
Real women, real beauty: It's time for the fightback
We live in a world where there seems to be one model for beauty: tall, thin, blonde, young. But it seems that finally the foundations are being...
Wild boys never lose it
Ensconced in a lavish armchair in his suite, Nick Rhodes is satisfied after the show the night before. The pits of his eyes enhanced with make-up,...
More than skin deep
As barometers all over the islands hover closer to 40oC than 30oC we are gripped by a collective urge to bare as much skin as possible as we...
The difference a day makes
World Youth Day is the largest youth event in the world and will be the largest one Australia has ever hosted. Through this experience, young...
The dark side of the sun
Overexposure to sunlight is widely accepted as the underlying cause for harmful effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Lawrence Scerri...
Just say no
Today, drugs continue to destroy lives, generate crime and threaten sustainable development. But we also have a better understanding of how to...
Summer starts here!
For kids, summer is a time for endless days of fun at the beach and lazy afternoons with friends. Meanwhile, parents' thoughts should turn to...
Once is not enough
Sandy Calleja Portelli learns that while it is hoped that World Blood Donor Day (being celebrated today) will create wider awareness of the...
Time for a story
Storytelling is a powerful medium. A well-told story can inspire action, foster cultural appreciation, expand children's knowledge, or provide...
Teaching beauty
Our image-obsessed age has transformed the idea of basic good grooming - that's keeping hairdos in good shape, a regular facial plus mani and pedi...
Forming new ties
Sometimes when parents break up, or someone passes away, mum or dad may eventually start a new relationship. This is how people come to have...
Sail away on cruise holidays
Holidaymakers are taking to the high seas in record numbers as the boom in cruise holidays continues. Jennifer Grech is not concerned about what...
The problem with ME
The name for the illness Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) was coined by Melvin Ramsay way back in 1956 following his observation at the Royal Free...
Huffing and puffing
The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) estimates that more than 300 million people worldwide have asthma. Locally, a national health interview...
Benign homage to the beauty of the human
A scrambling audience fought its way in to take a seat in Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University of Malta where Roberto Benigni, now Dr Benigni,...
The battle of the book
The future of books and copyright is a question that concerns us all. At a time of exponential growth of electronic and television networks, books...
Your voice - Food for thought
"We're calling our kids smart because they have access to a computer in their classroom but our smart kids may not live beyond a certain age...
Foreign films for the soul
Film has long been the medium of the people - a form of entertainment that breaks the barriers of class, social status, gender, race or religion...
More than words
Speech and language, feeding and swallowing come naturally for the larger majority of us. However, there is always that small percentage of people...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I left my husband 10 years ago because he wouldn't get help for his alcoholism. We separated and I've since been living with another man. He'd...
A PASSION FOR TRUTH
The muted colour scheme of the clothes belies the richness of the experience awaiting anyone who visits the Last Supper depiction. This is being...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My daughter has a new boyfriend who has stayed with us several times over the last couple of months. My husband and I have been quite happy...
Remembering Ġemma Portelli
Last week Malta was rocked by the news that well-known actress Ġemma Portelli had died aged 75. The country was in mourning for it had lost...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I know I am not a tidy person and I've had a tendency, for many years, to just stuff things into cardboard boxes and pile them up. As a result,...
30 - You're no longer a hero
Living in an old, humid house means that my body keeps constantly reminding me that I need to go for a check-up and a quick change of filter, oil...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I moved into my boyfriend's flat about 18 months ago and I thought we were really happy together. Then, about four weeks ago, he asked me to...
Bridging cultures
Every year, the European Union chooses a theme for a campaign aimed at raising public awareness on a specific issue making the headlines. This...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My son and his wife are in a terrible state having recently lost their baby to a cot death. We are all so shocked and can't believe that it has...
The January blues tools
The festivities are over and 2008 looms ahead like unchartered waters... Here, Jo Caruana discovers the tricks and tips that could make it your...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My husband and I have two children - a boy of eight and a girl of five. We've been married six years and before we were married, I think he was...
Viva Valentino
In the fashion A to Z, V stands for Valentino - and a whole lot more: elegance, femininity and glamour, with a capital G. For the past 45 years,...
Quiz - New Year Resolutions: Have you made yours yet?
Instructions
Read the following carefully because this is rather an unusual quiz. First, we'll start with the answers (we said it was unusual)....
Pictures worth a thousand words
For the second year running The Times has put a selection of the best photographs taken in 2007 in a book; a fabulous idea that was extremely well...
Surviving Christmas
One annual tradition, worth giving a miss, is the festive falling-out with the other half. Ten days of booze; rich food; in-laws; and the Boxing...
Self-help - Every cloud has a silver lining
With so many books and articles, preachers and teachers talking about forgiving and the ability to say sorry, we've become absolutely removed from...
Relationships - Beware what you say. Beware what you hear
Listen to this. A novice asks the prior: "Father, can I smoke while I pray?" He was severely admonished. A second novice asks the same prior:...
Eating for you
There's no denying that food isn't what it used to be. Once (albeit a good while ago) all we ate was meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts and eggs and...
Relationships - Making life miserable
We live in a time in which happiness is adulated. We believe that happiness is our aim in life. Or so we want to believe. Abandoning that desire...
School and the less than eager
The second week of school my son got a birthday invitation which launched the party circuit during which friends get the chance to celebrate what...
Signals - 50 mugshots at City Gate
Ġ: I don't care what people said. I asked what you think.
J: Ok Gieżu. The best thing that has happened to Valletta in the last 100...
Street life - A 15-hour walk in Milan
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name; and they're always glad you came. To return to a city you know well for only 24 hours...
Signals - Slaves of the craves
Ġ: I'm sure I've told you Jież, about Woody Allen's equating the existence of God with trying to find a plumber on a Sunday.
J: I...
Street life - Wishing it would rain down
The circumstances of life, random and unpredictable despite all analysts and futurists, have brought me back to these shores. No matter the...
Signals - Giving the people the Kitsch they want
Ġ: Jież what do you think is the most abused word in our society?
J: Democracy?
Ġ: Ehe, anything else?... Ok, let me just say...
Street life - Mushrooms for all
They say it is a Karl Johan svampar year out here in the Stockholm archipelago; the Karl Johan svamp is nothing less than the king of mushrooms -...
Signals - On the hedonistic treadmill
Ġ: I knew it! I said it! Now that it's published and tops the bestseller list maybe they believe it...
J: When you calm down maybe you'll...
Street life - Il fiore del mondo - innit!
On our way to Peter's Pool, Delimara, this week we came across three rather disgruntled Portuguese teachers. True, the Portuguese are not known...
Signals - Speaking softly of the dead
Ġ: Bob Dylan was spot on when he sang that the times they are a-changing; I remember the time when, in a month, like in the film, I had four...
Street life - Underwater letters of thanks and complaints
Saul Bellow, as you may know (reader already dozing off on a plastic sun bed at the fake beach club by the sea where a million chubby children are...
Signals - Not a dirty old man
When the second half of the Ġieżu-Jież team, Jesmond Mula, was singing "I'm glad I'm not young anymore", Ġieżu Casha was...
Street life - Bus tickets and other titbits
July has been bursting at the seams with activity; both the high brow and the mono brow have been situationists of sorts, acting out their roles...
Signals - The pantomime island
Known as the ĠieżuJież, the inseparable duo of Gieżu Casha and Jesmond (Jież) Mula, go on walks around the island casting...
Street life - The living is not so easy
It's summer, perhaps the best time of summer, and it is slipping by, soon to be forgotten. In a few days the schoolchildren will invade all...
Signals - A promenade island!
Ġieżu Casha and Jesmond (Jież) Mula have been friends since tan-nuna (pre-primary education). Both are opinionated pensioners,...
Street life - Daily bread
It may take more than a perfect spring morning to put a real smile on a Parisian face, but then again perhaps not... It was Maurice Chevalier who...
Signals - The goddess of immediacy and the paperless office
Arrchibald McLeish, a minor American playwright, in February 1933 recorded the following: "Industrialisation is moving toward a degree of...
Street life - The silly season
A Californian setting sun, I am told, is that much more beautiful because of the visible pollution in the air - it produces a haze which enhances...
Signals - Banking on the bridge over troubled waters
Being hoisted to the boardroom of the APS Bank in Floriana is a pleasant sensation. Their lift combines practicality with aesthetics, not an easy...
Street life - Last look from LAX
It's Monday, almost 9 o'clock in the evening; I am sitting at LAX waiting for the BA red-eye flight to board. For those not familiar with...
Signals - Get me to the church on time
When you read this the probability is that I will be at the wedding. My part is secondary? No. A cameo role? Not even. Then what? A walk-on? A...
Street life - LA confidential
Los Angeles is still cooling down after the Santa Ana wind that blew in from the desert and heated up the citizens. Naturally there were...
Signals - Want to know why?
It took less time to decide on a name for this column than to drive from north to south of Msida. (According to the grapevine, after all the...
Send in the clown
Italian comedian, actor and director Roberto Benigni was in Malta this week, during which time he received an honoris causa in recognition of his...
Street life - Scene X
Los Angeles. The first language we hear is Espanglish. Tienes comida? asks the man at immigration. The small, brown woman shakes her head and...
Childhood obesity - When bigger is not better
Childhood obesity is a growing problem. We all recognise the need to take strong action. Schools are playing a central role in fighting childhood...
Street life - Completely bored?
If you are bored it is not because you are boring. Version 1: It all began with a band called Joy Division. Version 2: It all began in a band club...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I don't laugh very much because my teeth are so bad. Most people think I am simply miserable and quiet ‒ but the truth is I am...
Street life - The non-chattering classes
How hard it is to escape from places! However carefully one goes, they hold you - you leave little bits of yourself fluttering on the fences,...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I was asked to go into my son's school last week and was horrified to learn he has been bullying some of the younger children. I had no idea....
Street life - That's Entertainment!
I am in a situation, it reminds me of the absurd experiment that invariably fails, in which you are asked to close your eyes, empty your mind and...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My boyfriend proposed to me last night and I accepted. However, when I told my mother she got really upset and tried to convince me that he...
Street life - From Saul to Paul
Blessed be He that brought Saul, or rather St Paul, to our shores, albeit through the intervention of a raging tempest that led to shipwreck and...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. I'm not sure what I can do to make my mother appreciate me. I got a first class honours degree from university. I have a really good job ? I'm...
Street life - Keep freaking me out
There are many ways to freak me out. One would have thought that in this day and age of laissez faire and anything goes nothing would disturb,...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. After a messy, complicated separation my self-esteem was very low and it took me three years to feel ready to start dating again. Getting dates...
Street life - The capital gains
What is it about homecomings? Always the joy and the dread. The commingling of these emotions spurs us forward then pulls us back. When we're out...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My ex-husband is a heavy smoker. This does not bother me at all. However, what makes me see red is the fact that he smokes when our...
Street life - The kindness of strangers
I'm not quite sure what all this frequent flying is about. Perhaps I did in the 1990s but as the years roll by I hold nothing but contempt for...
The Fiona Caine column
Q. My husband walked out on me two years ago, leaving me to look after our children. I have had almost no contact with him since then and it has...
Street life - Last diary entry
Once again it is time to seal another diary, and so it is with an extra dash of sentimentality that I do so, for in 2008 the Danish capital that I...
Partying for two - The pregnant girl's indispensable guide to surviving the Christmas season
Christmas parties don't sound like so much fun when you've got a figgy puddy stuffed up your (not so little) black dress, your swollen ankles just...
Street life - Go north and hygge
"Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." So said Sżren Kierkegaard. How apt that Denmark's gloomiest...
Relationships - Gender issues
There's always something about manhood and womanhood that fascinates me - the beliefs and ideas they generally hold about life, love, work and...
Street life - Another Bloody Mary
Why is it that one of my largest fears about returning home is the lack of the fine cocktail bars? Could it have something to do with vice? Or is...
Relationships - Helping kids succeed with their homework
One common difficulty faced by many parents is that of helping their children successfully with their homework. For some parents, homework has...
Street life - The small stories
In Del Sentimiento Trágico de la vida, Miguel de Unamuno, the Spanish poet, essayist, novelist, philosopher, playwright and journalist,...
Relationships - Surviving anorexia
Eating disorders are various, and so are the persons who suffer. Eating disorders are often associated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia and...
London calling - Cleaner wanted: apply within
As I already confessed to you readers last week, I am nowhere near what one could in any way consider to be a tidy person. On the contrary, I have...
London calling - When the cat's away
When Significant Other is away - like he has been for about four of the last six weeks - any form of routine that we have set up over the last...
London calling - The mother of all binges
Oh the irony of all! On the weekend during which the question I - and many other Maltese living in London - have been asking for years (where can...
London calling - Move over Madonna
One of the few things that I still like about being in this city is the fact that I have at my disposal every sort of musical entertainment...
London calling - Barcelona: The Musical
Condensing a whole summer's worth of fun does sound a bit sad, I know, but it was either that or nothing, so at Significant Other's proposal to...
London calling - Meet the parents
There was very little planned for the Bank Holiday weekend. I had been invited to a friend's house for a small "party" to celebrate his nephew's...
London calling - Trip down memory lane
I've been feeling a bit nostalgic recently. I think it's because Significant Other is away in Madrid working, which means I spend more time on my...
London calling - A matter of principles
You've got to watch the Olympics opening ceremony," said my Friend Who Freelances and is therefore lucky enough to be able to spend afternoons at...
London calling - Shopping for bicycles
Way back in my youth, I used to be brilliant at birthdays. Not mine - I usually get someone else to think of that - but others'. Weeks before the...
London calling - Summer days are here again
How depressing! Just when the temperature soars to where it should be at this time of the year (around 30 degrees, and, guess what? I'm loving...
London calling - A postcard from the city
As anyone who has ever spent any time in this city will know, out there on the street, things can sometimes get a bit surreal. Every day, from the...
London calling - The bells are ringing
It's Bridezilla Central at work at the moment, with one of the girls getting hitched in Italy in a couple of weeks' time and another who has just...
London calling - Game, set, murder
Even after sitting through the whole four hours and 48 minutes of the Nadal-Federer final at Wimbledon, with four people trying to explain the...
London calling - Holiday dramas
Iwould suggest that those of you who don't want their Saturday morning ruined by my volcanic rage stop reading now. The editor's request for 350...
London calling - Home again
It seems that I've spent most of the time I've been back in town stuck in traffic jams. The drive back from Terminal 5 to my home took three hours...
London calling - The weather report
Afriend who now lives in the US, and who reads my ramblings online as a means of catching up with the goings on in my life, when we met up...
London calling - Things aren't quite what they used to be
Back in London, for the last few months, there's been a lot of talk of "credit crunch" and of a pending economic crisis. House prices are dropping...
London Calling - A special anniversary
SIgnificant Other and myself are still at that point in our relationship where we celebrate the anniversary of the day we met every month. That...
London Calling - Somebody, please, stop the music
Last Saturday, instead of wasting time at home sitting in front of the TV watching the Eurovision Song Contest, my tush was perched on a cushion...
London Calling - Bitter about flying cheap
Readers, I am livid. I am sure that if I looked closely into my computer screen this morning, I would see green smoke coming out of my ears, and...
London Calling - Sun and Sex And The City
Significant Other is convinced that I'm lying about the weather in Malta. Out of our four visits there together, it was only when we came there...
London calling - Drama in Chelsea
Kings Road in Chelsea used to be a great place for people watching. Back in the days when I first arrived here, it was one of the city's funkier...
London Calling - Happy days are here again
I have not felt this relaxed in what feels like years. Neither the incessant rain (we are now on day three - I know I go on about this, but it...
London calling - A fun day out
if there is one good thing to be said about marital crises (and there was a mammoth marital crisis going on this week, believe me, though you...
London calling - The PC job interview
Bad news. My assistant at work has handed in her notice and will be leaving in three weeks' time. Her boyfriend works shifts and she would like to...
London calling - The road to China
Had it not been for the snow last Sunday morning, I would have gone to the Free Tibet march as planned, but being such a drip at the first sign of...
London calling - Elections again
"Oh no! Not more election talk!" I can almost hear you say as I write this, even though there's a three day gap between my actually sitting down...
London calling - The First Lady visits
On paper, there couldn't have been a better weekend to come back to: four consecutive days off to enjoy the first days of spring. There was a long...
London calling - On the buses
AS possibly one of four or five male 40 somethings on this island (I mean Malta as I am once again writing from here this week) who does not own a...
London calling - The morning after
Surely those of you with some semblance of a life have had enough of politics by now, and would be happy not to hear the words "cliffhanger",...
London calling - A not so clever idea
Flying back on the Election Special flights is a bit like flying back home for Christmas. Everyone and his or her brother or sister takes...
London calling - Decision time
I'M afraid to say I slept through the tremors that supposedly "rocked" London in the early hours of Wednesday morning. In fact it wasn't until the...
London calling - On vacation
I know that it might not sound like a lot to you, but being out on a terrace at 7a.m. on the first day of my holiday, with all of Balluta Bay...
London calling - Looking forward to
You could tell that there was a distinctive lack of Americans at London Fashion Week this season. Unlike last September, when la Wintour and her...
London calling - My unfunny Valentine
One good way to make these dreadful and never-ending winter months seem less so - I find - is to have target "dates" to look forward to. Once...
London calling - There's a maggot in my risotto
Warning: If you're a bit delicate of stomach this morning, or if you're reading this at table - please stop now, as you might be disturbed by the...
London calling - Celebrity sucks
Apologies! I am once again kicking off this column with statistics: In 2006, the results of a survey making the news showed that about 30 per cent...
London calling - The quality of life
According to statistics (though I beg you not to ask who they are released by, for I have no clue), next Monday - the last one before the end of...
London calling - The building next door
It's about time I introduced you to The Building Next Door (TBND) - and in the process, have a good moan about it. Today is the perfect moment to...
London calling - Out with a boom
It's funny now that I'm back at work, the 10-day break for the holidays seems like only 10 minutes. All those wonderful hours - most of which were...
Paris - Perfect every time
"What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?" That's the tagline of Before Sunset, filmed entirely in Paris, where Jesse and...
London calling - And so, this is Christmas
Christmas Day turned out to be a lot better than I could have hoped for. It did feel quite strange at first, not being with my family and friends,...
London calling - The man on the moon
In my life, football stands somewhere on the scale between watching paint dry and a trip to the dentist (which, regretfully, I'm due this week -...
London calling - Paceville from afar
Halfway through my staff Christmas dinner last Friday my phone went off. I normally wouldn't take a call in such circumstances, but upon seeing...
London calling - In pink marble heaven
Sunday. Day of rest. My first alone in more than two weeks. No factories, no e-mails, no plans, except to meet an old friend for lunch to catch up...
London calling - Working in Milan
As if being away from home for such a long period of time didn’t make things confusing enough, Editor has now gone and moved my deadline...
London calling - Working in Milan
Here's a quick run through how each one of my days has been since I arrived here in Milan last Sunday night: Wake up at some point between 7 and...
London calling - Not quite ready to go
I must first of all apologise to all the people I made tentative plans to meet during my short visit there last week who ended up not even getting...
London calling - It's nice up north
Seeing as it had been more than a year since I last saw my goddaughter - and that I hadn't left town for more than two months (which after more...
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