FIRST Magazine FEB MARCH 2023 Issue No340

ISSUE 340 FEB MARCH 2023
A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD

“
IwouldliketocommendtheMaltesePresidencyandIanpresonaly,for
hisprincipledposition.Februaryisnotthemostconvenientmonthof
beingPreisdentoftheSecurityCouncil.Itrequirescharacter,requires
fulrespecttotheprinciplesofthisorganisationandtheUnitedNations
Charterand itrequiresstamina.Ian you have alofthisand your
GovernmentandDiplomacyhasheldthisPresidencyinaverycapable
wayandIappreciatewhatyoudidtodaytoholdthismeetingonthe
UN SecurityCouncil.
DmytroKuleba
MinisterforForeignAfairsofUkraine
PressremarksofMinisterDmytroKulebafolowingMalta’sUNSCPresidencyEvent
ontheanniversaryoftheRussianinvasioninUkraine

EDITORIAL
“Life will win over death, and light will win over darkness.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
TRIBUTE
A HERO AMONGST US
Great people of great Ukraine! Today is a great holiday. And I’m in a great place. The Great St. Sophia Cathedral.
In the cathedral, which was founded a thousand years ago, on the field of the sacred battle where the army of Kyivan
Rus’-Ukraine defeated the Pechenegs. In the cathedral, which was not destroyed by the Horde invasion or the Nazi
occupation, which withstood in spite of everything! Today we all believe in a new victory for Ukraine. And we are all
convinced that we will not be destroyed by any horde or evil. We are enduring dark times. And on this bright day, most of us
are not in bright clothes. But we are fighting for a bright idea. On the bright side. And the truth, people, the Lord and the holy
heavenly light are on our side. The power of the patron saint of the human race – Oranta. She is above me. She is above us all.
The unshakable pillar of the Church of Christ, the unbreakable wall of the main stronghold – Kyiv, the Unbreakable Wall of
the State. As long as there is Oranta, there is Sophia, and Kyiv stands with her, and the whole of Ukraine stands with them!
Above the image of Oranta are the words from the Psalms: “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very
break of day, God will protect it.” On this Great Day, we all believe that our dawn is coming soon. Oranta in Latin means
“one who prays”. We have all been praying for the last two months. And in the Resurrection of Christ, which symbolizes the
great victory of life over death, each of us asks the Lord for one thing. And speaks the same words to heaven.
The words of a great and united prayer. Great and Only God! Save our Ukraine!
(Extracted from Easter congratulations by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 24 April 2022.)
ON THE COVER: Johannes Vermeer, Girl with the Red Hat, 1664-67, National Gallery of Art, Washington.
THIS PAGE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photography taken from the photostream of the President of Ukraine, FLICKR.
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FIRST MAGAZINE SINCE 1993. ISSUE NUMBER 340.
3

CONTENTS
6
16
Iconic Maltese Modernist Artists. Pawl Carbonaro, Abstract Landscape,
2012, 56 x 43cm, oil on canvas. Photograph courtesy Kite Group.
37
LA DOLCE VITA. London. Inside Chelsea’s iconic Cadogan, A Belmond
Hotel – Oscar Wilde’s famous haunt. Photography © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.
42
SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023.
Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes. Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran,
Islamic Republic Of, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture,
Sony World Photography Awards 2023.
THiS
IS
WiNE
14th chapter in
this issue
EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS WINE. The Brunello Generation II.
Vitaleta Chapel, San Quirico d’Orcia. Photography Kristof van Rentergem.

26
55
CONTENTS
JUST DESSERTS. Easter Weekend Dessert Ideas.
Photography Heather Barnes.
WORLDPRIDE – PROMOTING PRIDE SINCE 2000.
Photography Anna Kucera courtesy Sydney WorldPride. Ben Graetz as Miss Ellaneous.
CONTENTS
[ISSUE 340. FEB MARCH 2023]
6
LA DOLCE VITA
Travel London.
Inside Chelsea’s iconic Cadogan Hotel,
Oscar Wilde’s famous haunt.
16
MODERNIST ARTISTS
Iconic Maltese Modernist Artists.
26
WORLDPRIDE
Worldpride Awareness and Europride.
34
BEAUTY
The Definition of Red.
CHANEL Makeup Spring Summer 2023.
37
PHOTOGRAPHY
Revealing Images.
Finalists from the Sony World
Photography Awards 2023.
42
THIS IS WINE
The 14th Chapter in This is Wine: Its
Storied Place and Taste.
The Brunello Generation II.
55
DESSERTS
Easter Weekend Dessert Ideas.
Time for Pavlova, Strawberry Shortcake
and Easter Butter Cookies.
62
HEALTH & FITNESS
Success.
Open Goals to Get in Shape.
66
ACTIVE AGEING
Ageing Obsessed.
Independent Living in Gozo.
Optimising Opportunities in Old Age.
72
ART
Blockbuster Vermeer.
A Landmark Exhibition.
78
TRAILBLAZER
The Incredible Mileva Maric Einstein.
62
Health&Fitness. HOW TO GET IN SHAPE
SUCCESSFULLY. Photography Chris Barbalis.
72
BLOCKBUSTER VERMEER. The Landmark
Exhibition. Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes
Vermeer. Mauritshuis, The Hague.

LA DOLCE VITA
6
This page: This penthouse at The Cadogan enjoys iconic top-floor scenery. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

“I have the simplest of tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”
Oscar Wilde
LA DOLCE VITA
BELMOND CADOGAN HOTEL
Oscar Wilde’s Chelsea Haunt
The Cadogan first opened as a hotel in 1887, nestled within the 93-acre Cadogan Estate, and from the outset
attracted creatives and glitterati. Indeed the hotel has a storied past full of glamour, intrigue and at times,
scandal. The Cadogan has always played host to London’s most fashionable guests, most notably, the socialite
and actress, Lillie Langtry who lived in the hotel where she famously met and entertained the Prince of Wales
and became friends with the legendary and flamboyant Irish Playwright and author Oscar Wilde. The
Cadogan is best known as where, in 1895, the police arrested Wilde on charges of “gross indecency”. Nearly a
century later in the 1980s, supermodels would seek sanctuary at The Cadogan, far from the prying eyes of the
media and comforted by endless cups of English Breakfast Tea. In 2019 The Cadogan, a Belmond hotel,
reopened its doors following a multi-million-pound historic, nearly five-year, renovation. 75 Sloane Street, an
address rich in heritage, has played host to socialites, artists and aristocrats throughout history and the
reopening set the stage for a new ‘cast’ of guests to play their part.
Photography courtesy Belmond.
7

LA DOLCE VITA
8
This page: Guest area inside The Cadogan. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

LA DOLCE VITA
Above: The Hotel Bar – the chairs upholstered in purple, referencing Oscar Wilde’s
smoking jackets. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart. Above and below right:
Cadogan’s tea lounge – perfect for an afternoon tea. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen
Cathcart.
The Cadogan Estate covers 93 acres of the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including
residential properties, offices and retail space, and has
been under the same family ownership for almost 300
years. The Foundations of the Estate were established
in 1717 when Charles, second Baron Cadogan, married Elizabeth
Sloane, daughter of Sir Hans Sloane, having purchased the Manor of
Chelsea in 1712. This part of London has remained under the
stewardship of the Cadogan family ever since.
The company owes its origins to Sir Hans Sloane, a renowned society
physician, naturalist, and collector, who purchased the Manor of
Chelsea to house his collection of over 70,000 items, including books,
coins, medals and drawings – he would bequeath the collection to the
British nation, providing the foundation of the British Museum, the
British Library, and the Natural History Museum, London. Sloane died
without any male heirs, leaving his estate to two daughters.
In 1777, Charles Sloane Cadogan – then Earl Cadogan – granted a
lease to architect Henry Holland to create the first-ever purpose-built
new town. “Hans Town” provided attractive Georgian terraced houses to
people of moderately affluent means. As London swelled during the
industrial age, the 5th Earl Cadogan, George Henry Cadogan, decided
on a comprehensive redevelopment. He commissioned cutting-edge
architecture and a new red-brick style that became synonymous with
the area: Pont Street Dutch. In 1868 Sloane Square Station opened
followed by the completion of the riverside embankment in 1874.
9

LA DOLCE VITA
Above: The inviting bar at The Cadogan takes you back to the early 20th century.
Photograph © Belmond/ Martin Scott Powell. Left: Artwork fills spaces inside
The Cadogan. Here in this staircase artwork by Lisa Krannichfeld.
Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.
From 1877 to 1900 much of the modern Estate took shape.
Cadogan Square – the “jewel in the crown” of the new
development – the Royal Court Theatre at Sloane Square
and Hotel Trinity Church on Sloane Street were built under the 5th
Earl’s auspices. Chelsea has a bohemian history and has long been a
haven for artists, authors, musicians and designers from Dante
Gabriel Rossetti to The Rolling Stones and Vivienne Westwood.
Jane Austen stayed in Sloane Street with her brother Henry whilst
writing Pride and Prejudice, and poet and writer Oscar Wilde
called the borough his home.
In 1887 The Cadogan Hotel opened and instantly attracted
London’s most fashionable guests. While living in the hotel the
socialite and actress, Lillie Langtry famously met and entertained
her lover the Prince of Wales and became friends with Oscar Wilde.
In 1895 Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan on charges of “gross
indecency” and taken custody in room 118. Now part of the Royal
Suite, step inside and you’ll spot that the bedroom is marked 118.
10

LA DOLCE VITA
Top left: Penthouse living room. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.
Top right: Living room inside a Deluxe Junior Suite. Photograph © Belmond/
Mattia Aquila. Left: Inside the Penthouse at The Cadogan. Photograph © Belmond/
Mattia Aquila. Above: Views from the Penthouse at The Cadogan across Cadogan
Place Gardens and London’s iconic skyline. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.
Today The Cadogan celebrates British culture, design and
quirky eccentricity. The hotel’s 54 rooms and suites
provide a stylish retreat in the heart of the city, with
spacious rooms that are a little ‘house’ in themselves; many have
views over Cadogan Place Gardens and offer spacious living rooms
with working fireplaces and dining areas as well as large bathrooms
with deep freestanding baths and a specially designed champagne
and book holder for relaxation. With private access to the hotel
through 21 Pont Street – the private entrance marks the former
home of Lillie Langtry – and a key to Cadogan Place Gardens,
guests of the hotel can truly feel like a Chelsea resident.
12

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LA DOLCE VITA
Top: A plush king-size bed in a Junior Suite, with hardwood floors, marble bathrooms and wonderful city views. Photograph © Belmond/ Martin Scott Powell. Above left: The
Royal Suite has one of the most dramatic histories. The bedroom is marked 118 – the famed room where Oscar Wilde was arrested. Today the suite honours this past while offering
every modern indulgence; from the expansive marble bathroom and immaculate living room to the inviting dining space. High ceilings frame the fireplace, while views of Cadogan
Place Gardens from the bathtub enchant. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart. Above right: A Deluxe Room. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.
Chelsea is a hive of artistic endeavour; it is
home to major institutions of
contemporary theatre, art and music. The
hotel reopened with over 400 pieces of original
artworks by predominantly British artists
including a painting by Simon Casson, taking
pride of place in the hotel lobby and depicting the
history of Cadogan Estates. Five female British
Artists were also commissioned to create
statement artwork in the guest rooms, inspired by
the botanicals in the private gardens.
Indeed the scene is set for a dramatic entrance
through the grand doors off Sloane Street, past the
roaring fireplace and up the sweeping staircase,
through the bronze cast of 600 books, to the rooms
and suites. A truly British residence, every detail of
the hotel weaves the past together with the present;
carefully placed antique artefacts sit alongside
commissioned modern art and bespoke,
handcrafted furnishings. Today, The Cadogan’s
stylish house staff, dressed in uniforms inspired by
1960s King’s Road fashion, greet guests through
the doors off Sloane Street, inviting them in for a
piping hot cup of tea, keeping fashionable
traditions alive.
ABOUT BELMOND: Belmond has
been a pioneer of luxury travel for over
45 years with a portfolio of one-of-a-kind
experiences in some of the world’s most
inspiring destinations. Since the
acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in
Venice in 1976, Belmond has continued
to perpetuate the legendary art of travel.
Its portfolio extends across 24 countries
with properties that include the
illustrious Venice Simplon-Orient-
Express train and Italian hideaways such
as The Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina.
14

MODERNIST ARTISTS
16

“Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal.”
Egon Schiele
MODERNIST ARTISTS
A COLLECTOR’S VOICE
25 Modernist Artists
"My viewpoints as regards local art are known to those who know me well. I have often gone against the grain and
dethroned the accepted market leaders of the day. I ascertain and fully believe that five of these 25 artists are the pure
innovators of Maltese modernism, (and two of them the absolute originals). However, I do not intend to reveal names
in this book as it’s not my autobiography", writes art collector Joseph Agius in the introduction to his book
25 Modernist Artists, published by Kite Group. An exploration of modern art in Malta, the lavishly illustrated book
provides a 360-degree view of the profiles of artists who helped shape Maltese modernism, fusing it into the fabric of
our centuries-old artistic tradition and making it, in Schiele’s words, “eternal”. Photography courtesy Kite Group.
Opposite page: Josef Kalleya, Face, 1935, 25 x 36cm, mixed media on paper. This page: Josef Kalleya, Vestis Honoris, 80 x 80cm, mixed media on board.
17

MODERNIST ARTISTS
Top left: Carmelo Mangion, Deposition, 30 x 24cm, oil on cardboard.
Left: Giorgio Preca, Still Life with White Dove, 50 x 70cm, oil on canvas.
Above: Victor Diacono, Nativity, 55 x 26cm, patinated plaster.
in the early 1990’s, I wouldn’t have
wagered one cent that one evening in
“Back
November 30 years later, a book authored by
me on Maltese modernist art would be officially launched. The
foundations for 25 Modernist Artists lie in those years in which
I was still under the effect of the preceding decade, one that
had begun with high expectations and ended with dark
disappointment. Although I tried to find escape from this
predicament through voracious reading and listening to music,
I felt that there was much that was missing in my life in the
form of a passion, a new direction.
November 1992 was indeed an auspicious month as a friend
of mine invited me to a collective exhibition of ceramics in
which she was participating. It was here that the embers of a
new interest were ignited, which fed on a flaw in my character
that has its origins in my late father’s side of the family – that
of being hoarders and collectors.
18

MODERNIST ARTISTS
Above: Pawl Carbonaro, Ta’ Ċenċ Cliffs, 60 x 42cm, oil on canvas.
Left: Gabriel Caruana, Self-portrait, 2015 21.5 x 28.5cm, felt pen on paper.
Istarted buying art as if there was no tomorrow, visiting the
studios of Gabriel Caruana, Raymond Pitrè, Antoine Camilleri
and other artists all in the space of months; thereafter, my
collection went from strength to strength. All three artists became
great friends, sharing anecdotes on the local art scene, their likes and
dislikes, and stories about the origins of modernism in Malta. It was
an eye-opening spate of years for me as I travelled abroad
extensively, taking in all that I could as regards the international art
scene.
Last November as well, I started the process of giving up my prized
possessions through an auction at Obelisk Gallery, Attard, as, like 30
years ago, I feel the need to move on, to follow new paths, to
discover new itineraries, to let go of the past. Each of these pieces in
my collection is an entry in my biography, evoking memories of
friendships and of friends who are no more.
20

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MODERNIST ARTISTS
22
This page: Willie Apap, The Descent from the Cross, 1964, 120 x 162cm, oil on canvas.

MODERNIST ARTISTS
The embers of these writings that
eventually were to be the basis
of 25 Modernist Artists were
originally kindled for a Maltese artrelated
Facebook page I administer. In
2014, I realised that the literature
available on the protagonists of Maltese
modernism didn’t address and satisfy the
local collector’s and art aficionado’s thirst
for concise information on particular
artists; knowledge that could honestly
reflect a collector’s tastes and that could
offer alternative views to those of an art
historian or an art critic.
It could be a result of my formal
education that I was never one to take an
officially accepted opinion as bible truth;
I always treated mainstream ideas with a
lot of skepticism. I valued and still value
others’ opinions but relied more on my
personal gut, (and informed), feeling as a
collector.
I must not fail to mention that these
articles were also based on long-term
friendships and discussions with some
of the artists featured in this
publication. These conversations
occurred mostly during the last eight
years of the 20th century; anecdotes
were shared, describing in detail
decades-old events that involved these
same artists and their colleagues, amid
a trail of animosities, mutual likes and
dislikes, and life-long friendships.
While penning these articles for Times
of Malta for a series entitled 20 th -
century artists who shaped Maltese
Modernism, on which most of these
essays are based, I tried to keep my
‘bias’ in check to offer the readers a
balanced view.
The reader might ask: why these 25
artists? This publication is already hefty
as it is. Besides, 22 of these artists were
featured in the original series and
another two in interviews I had
conducted on behalf of the same
newspaper. The Toni Pace essay is the
only one written specifically for this
publication. It follows that there might
be space for the writing of a sequel to
this publication to include other worthy
Maltese artists.
It was decided, together with Kite’s
Gordon Pisani and editor Patrick Galea,
that in an attempt to create a loose
timeline, a chronological, rather than
an alphabetical, order was to be
followed – so Josef Kalleya, the oldest
of the artists portrayed, features first
and Pawl Carbonaro, the youngest,
features last. In this way, a sequence
and an indication of the dynamics
involved in the development of Maltese
Modernism could be deciphered. Thus,
an unintended and, therefore, fluid
cross-reference also occurs organically.
Top left: Antoine Camilleri, Annunciation, 2001,
45 x 60cm, incised clay and colour on panel.
Left: Richard England, Manikata, 22 x 18cm,
pen and oil pastel.
23

MODERNIST ARTISTS
Above: Raymond Pitre, Splash, 80 x 120cm, oil on canvas.
Acommon denominator that runs
through in the choice of artists is
that despite a strict academic
training that generally didn’t allow
transgressions in favour of then current
international modernist thought, most of
these pioneers had transcended this, some
of them after much personal upheaval
and studies away from these shores, and
they eventually managed to broaden their
perspectives. These enterprising
innovators delivered our country from
the boredom of insularity and opened the
vistas to the possibilities of change and
transformation, amid even the most
revolutionary and ‘heretic’ of all
discourses.
It was very difficult to choose which
artworks to go for, as the quality found in
private collections is indeed of the highest
level. This new photographic
documentation might aid the public to reevaluate
and re-think the relativity of
artistic pre-eminence as regards our
country’s modernism, and to redefine the
notion of what constitutes artistic
originality, especially in the milieu of
20th-century international art. Our
island’s insularity might have somehow
obscured the bigger picture, especially the
European and the North American one. I
hope that 25 Modernist Artists will go
some way in addressing this.”
25 Modernist Artists, by Joseph Agius.
Editor Patrick Galea. Foreword by Maria
Cassar. 336 pages, hardback, published by
Kite Group, www.kitegroup.com.mt
24

WORLDPRIDE
“But I think it’s important for people to remember that there was a time when being gay was a
dangerous thing in America, and back in those days, you could be arrested, beaten, tortured, abused,
killed even. And even for my friend Christopher Flynn, who was the first person that I knew was gay
that I ever met growing up in Michigan, I think about how difficult life must have been for him growing
up, to have to hide everything, and to not be who you are, and to fear for your life, and to be bullied. It’s
important for me that people recognize how far we’ve come and how lucky we are.”
Madonna
26

AWARENESS
WORLDPRIDE AND EUROPRIDE
This page: Sydney WorldPride, Ben Graetz as Miss Ellaneous. Photography Anna Kucera.
WORLDPRIDE
InterPride was founded by Marsha H Levine and the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators
(USA) in 1982, and has grown into a global network of over 400 LGBTQIA+ member organisations from over 70
counties. It is the international organization that advances the Pride movement by coordinating with global
partners. WorldPride is a global LGBTQIA+ festival that has been staged since 2000, with cities competing to host
the event. WorldPride aims to promote and advocate for LGBTQIA+ human rights around the world. The right to
host it is licensed by InterPride which has representatives from nearly every Pride organisation around the world.
The first WorldPride took place in Rome in July 2000, followed by Jerusalem in 2006, London in 2012, Toronto in
2014, Madrid in 2017, New York in 2019, and Copenhagen in 2021. Host cities continue to be selected by the
members of InterPride with WorldPrides usually held every two to three years. In 2019, Sydney Gay and Lesbian
Mardi Gras was successful in winning the bid to host this year’s WorldPride in Sydney, having competed against
Houston, USA and Montreal, Canada. Photography courtesy Sydney WorldPride 2023.
27

WORLDPRIDE
In 1982, the National Association of Lesbian
and Gay Pride Coordinators was formed in
Boston, USA, with an initial membership
of six USA Pride organizers. The
organization was originally known as the
National Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride
Coordinators (NAL/GPC), before changing the
name to International Association of
Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators (IAL/GPC) in
October 1985, then to International Association
of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride
Coordinators at the conference in West
Hollywood, California, and eventually to
InterPride in the late 1990s. Over time
membership grew to include Pride organizers
around the world and in 2021, membership
totaled over 300 organizations from more than
60 countries. This growth has been matched by
increasing diversity of membership. Since 2015,
non-North American members have grown from
21% to 49%. This trend primarily reflects
increased participation from Oceania and Global
South (Africa, Asia, and South America),
with Pride gaining a presence in locations where
it was previously absent or underdeveloped.
There has also been significant growth in
structures that gather Pride organizers together
at a national or international level.
At the 16th annual conference of InterPride,
held in New York in October 1997, InterPride’s
membership voted to establish the “WorldPride”
title and awarded the inaugural WorldPride to be
held in Rome in July 2000. The event was put on
by the Italian gay rights group Mario Mieli along
with InterPride, and 250,000 people joined in the
march to the Colosseum and the Circus
Maximus. It was one of the biggest crowds to
gather in Rome for decades, and among the
scheduled events were conferences, a fashion
show, a large parade, and a concert featuring
Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, RuPaul, and
Geri Halliwell.
The next WorldPrides would be held in
Jerusalem in 2006, London in 2012, in Toronto in
2014, and in Madrid in 2017.
In 2019, New York and the world celebrated
the largest international Pride celebration in
history: Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC
2019, produced by Heritage of Pride and
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the
Stonewall uprising, with five million people
attending in Manhattan for Pride weekend alone.
The event was held in conjunction with
Stonewall 50, a celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of June 28,
1969, which occurred in New York City’s
Greenwich Village neighborhood, an event
widely considered to mark the start of the
modern Gay Rights Movement (now more
commonly referred to as the fight for
LGBTQIA+ rights).
In August 2021, for the first time, WorldPride
was held in two cities in two countries –
Copenhagen in Denmark, and neighbouring
Malmö in Sweden. This coincided with two
LGBTQ anniversaries: seventy years since the
world’s first successful genital reconstructive
surgery in Denmark in 1951; and fifty years after
Gay Liberation Front’s Danish chapter was
founded in 1971. The Crown Princess of
Denmark was the patron of the event, making
her the first ever royal to serve as patron for a
major LGBTQ event.
Above: Luna Park. Photography Vincent Rommelaere @australiaunseen. Below: Render of the Sydney Opera House
lit up with a Progress Pride Flag to mark the start of Sydney WorldPride.
31

WORLDPRIDE
EuroPride 2023
“Worry about becoming a human being and not about
how you can prevent others from enjoying their lives
because of your own inability to adjust to life.”
Harvey Milk
Above: Coogee Rainbow. Photography Vincent Rommelaere @australiaunseen.
In October 2019 InterPride chose Sydney, Australia, to host WorldPride 2023, the first time
WorldPride was to be held in the Southern Hemisphere or Asia Pacific region. Sydney WorldPride
2023 was held this February 17th to March 5th, in line with the traditional timing of the Sydney Gay
and Lesbian Mardi Gras and in the heart of the Australian summer. It coincided with the 50th
Anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week, the 45th Anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and
Lesbian Mardi Gras and the 5th Anniversary of same-sex marriage in Australia. According to the bid
document, the stated objective of WorldPride Sydney 2023 was to celebrate the diversity of culture and
identity in the Asia Pacific region, shine an international spotlight on First Nations culture, and draw
attention to LGBTIQ+ human rights abuses.
EuroPride is a pan-European
international LGBTI event
featuring a Pride parade, hosted by
a different European city each year. The
EuroPride licence is owned by European
Pride Organisers Association (EPOA), an
umbrella organisation for European Pride
organisers. (In comparison, WorldPride
organised by InterPride, of which EPOA is
a part, is an international Pride event that
promotes LGBTI issues on an
global level). EuroPride was first
celebrated in London in 1992, attended by
estimated crowds of over 100,000. Since
then it has continued to grow both in
number of participants and political
significance, though not always at the
same time. In 1997 in Paris over 300,000
people marched to the Bastille. In 2011
around one million people attended Pride
festivities in Rome by the Coliseum. Some
smaller-scale EuroPrides have also taken
place, such as in Warsaw, Poland, where
10,000 people braved the streets of still
conservative ex-communist country to
hold an important political demonstration
that proved to be a turning point for
LGBT rights in Poland. In 2015,
EuroPride took place in Riga, Latvia, the
first time in a former Soviet country, and
in 2022 it took place in Belgrade, Serbia,
the first time in south-eastern Europe.
This year EuroPride 2023 will take place
September 7-17 in Malta. In October 2020
three bids went forward to a EPOA vote at
the Annual General Meeting and Malta
Pride won the bid with 54% of the votes,
versus Belfast Pride 29% and Rotterdam
Pride 18%. “Having anti-discrimination
laws introduced in the Maltese
Constitution in 2014 was unquestionably
one high point in the development of
equality for the LGBTIQ+ Community in
Malta. But many more changes have been
achieved and it’s no surprise that since
October 2015, ILGA-Europe ranked Malta
first place in its annual review of the
human rights situation of LGBTIQ+
people in Europe since 2016”, wrote Malta
Pride in the EuroPride 2023 application
and bid book. “According to the 10th
ILGA-Europe benchmark, Rainbow
Europe 2020, Malta by far offers the best
situation to its LGBTIQ+ Community with
regards to human rights and full equality
when compared to other European
countries where ‘decline is indeed clearly
noticeable’, Malta has ranked first since
2016. For sure, it has been a long journey...
Malta became independent in 1964, but it
still took until 1973 before the
Government decriminalised
male homosexuality and harmonised age
of consent... Since then, several important
milestones were reached that brought
Malta’s LGBTIQ+ rights up to the highest
standards.”
32

BEAUTY
34

BEAUTY
CHANEL MAKEUP
THE SPRING-SUMMER 2023 COLLECTION
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Photography CHANEL.
That is especially evident in LES
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The palettes’ red shades - which can be
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Chanel is distributed by
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35

PHOTOGRAPHY
Above: Photographer Zhu Zhu, Life or Death, 2023. Series: Nature East Africa. Copyright: © Zhu Zhu, Canada, Shortlist, Professional
competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.
SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023
REVEALING IMAGES
Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the internationally acclaimed Sony World Photography
Awards is one of the most important fixtures in the global photographic calendar. Now in its 16th year, the
free-to-enter Awards are a global voice for photography and provide a vital insight into contemporary
photography today. For both established and emerging artists, the Awards offer world-class opportunities for
exposure of their work. The Awards additionally recognise the world’s most influential artists working in the
medium through the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award.
Above: Photographer Tariq Zaidi. A man carries a large fish through the auction area of the Hamar Weyne Fish Market, in the Heart of
Mogadishu, Somalia. Copyright: © Tariq Zaidi, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World
Photography Awards 2023.
37

PHOTOGRAPHY
Above left: Photographer Andres Gallardo Albajar, Muralla Roja, 2023. Series: Muralla Roja by Ricardo Bofill.”As the sun was coming out
and the day was taking over, I started to feel that my visit was coming to an end, but I was running high on excitement and everywhere I
looked I found interesting new photographs.” Copyright: © Andres Gallardo Albajar, Spain, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture
& Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023. Above right: Photographer Lee-Ann Olwage, Michealle Naeku, 2023. Series: The Right
To Play. Portrait of 12-year-old Michealle Naeku, a student at Kakenya’s Dream school in Enoosaen, Kenya. Naeku is an avid reader and
dreams of becoming a nurse. The flowers are used to create a playful world where girls are shown exuding pride and joy. In this way the
flowers are also used to reclaim their futures and dreams, and to re-imagine the narrative of child marriage. Copyright: © Lee-Ann
Olwage, South Africa, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023
The World Photography Organisation has revealed the finalists and shortlisted photographers in the
Professional competition for the Sony World Photography Awards 2023. Now in its 16th year, the Awards’
Professional competition rewards exceptional series of work both for technical skill and an original approach
to storytelling. The winner of Photographer of the Year 2023 is chosen from the Professional finalists and
announced on 13 April. A selection of images by finalists and shortlisted photographers will be exhibited as part of the
Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House, London, from 14 April-1 May 2023. With over 415,000 images from
over 200 countries and territories submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2023, over 180,000 were entered into
the Professional competition – the highest number of entries on record. Three finalists, as well as five to seven shortlisted
photographers, were chosen in each category, ranging from Architecture & Design and Landscape to Wildlife & Nature
and Still Life.
38

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PHOTOGRAPHY
Above: Photographer Ebrahim Noroozi, Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes, 2023. Series: Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes. A girls soccer team poses for
a photograph while wearing a burqa, Kabul, Afghanistan, 22 September 2022. Series Description: A number of women and girls who
used to play sports pose for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved. They hid their identities with their burqas, the robes
and hood that cover the face, leaving only a mesh to see through. Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Finalist,
Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023
According to Mike Trow, Chair of the Jury, “Finding original and different viewpoints photographically is
challenging – but ever more rewarding as photographers embrace global visual trends and at the same time
explore their own culture and history. In 2023 we have come up with another exciting and challenging set of
competition winners from across the globe and covering such a range of narratives... from bold takes on architecture
to empowering documentary work, daring portraiture and beautiful and heartfelt creative work... They covered the
profound and ongoing discussions around narrative truth and agency in art, as well as wider environmental, political
and societal viewpoints. I hope those who get to see the work can get a sense of why we chose what we chose and can
see how photography talks to all of our own personal experiences of life.”
40
Above: Photographer Sriram Murali, The Forest Comes Alive at Night, 2023. Series: Billions of Synchronous Fireflies Light up a Tiger
Reserve. Millions of synchronously flashing fireflies light up the forests of Anamalai Tiger Reserve while the stars twinkle above. This
image was created by stacking several photographs taken over a 16 minute period. Copyright: © Sriram Murali, India, Finalist, Professional
competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

Gold
MELITA Gold
MALTA
This issue is available in four denominations; 1oz-€100,
1/2oz-€50, 1/4oz-€25 and 1/10oz-€10.
Melita coins are legal tender and classed as investment
gold, and their price is based primarily on the spot price
of gold on the international markets. These bullion coins
are exempt from any Value Added Tax.
Each coin is set in an individually numbered sealed
card that certifies the coin within.
Available online at www.maltacoins.com or
Lombard Bank, 67, Republic Street, Valletta
Real size illustrations
Weight Alloy Diameter Quality Face Value Thickness Edge Year of Issue
1oz 31.103g (1oz) Fine Gold 999.9 34mm Proof-like €100 1.78mm Milled 2022
1/2oz 15.55g (1/2oz) Fine Gold 999.9 27mm Proof-like €50 1.40mm Milled 2022
1/4oz 7.77g (1/4oz) Fine Gold 999.9 22mm Proof-like €25 1.06mm Milled 2022
1/10oz 3.110g (1/10oz) Fine Gold 999.9 16mm Proof-like €10 0.80mm Milled 2022
in collaboration with
www.lombardmalta.com • www.maltacoins.com

THIS IS WINE
The fourteenth chapter in This is wine: its storied place and taste.
“Fruit of the earth, work of human hands,
blessed be God forever”
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO – TUSCANY – ITALY
THE BRUNELLO GENERATION II
This page: The region of Montalcino may seem rather unvaried as it conjures up images of gently rolling hills peppered with pines and olive groves crowned by medieval
hamlets so familiar in our travels around Tuscany or as seen on wine labels up and down the region, but for one of the smallest DOCGs, Montalcino is also one of the most
diverse in soils, varying altitudes, sun exposure, and microclimates belying the real state of affairs and resulting in a diversity of wines. Montalcino, Province of Siena.
Photograph Rob Allen.
42

BRUNELLO
ou could be forgiven if, in the fame and calibre of Brunello di Montalcino, you considered
their wines to be rather homogenous, since we are talking of one grape variety, the
Sangiovese, with strict winemaking standards grown in a DOCG region which is relatively
small in comparison to say Chianti or the Super Tuscan Bordeaux-style blend of wines. But the
overriding Brunello feature is rather the opposite. Brunello comes in a diversity of styles and
flavour profiles some of which can be comfortably drunk in their youth due to their immediate
and generous approachability; others require somewhat more cellaring to really come to their own
exuberant expression; and others still remain reserved and austere until well into their old age a few
decades later when they blossom into a tertiary complexity of gamey undergrowth and minerality
that can equally rival high-end Bordeaux or Burgundy, writes Kris Bonavita.
Essentially the main characteristic that defines these
families of wines, or groups of styles, over and
above a vine grower and winemaker’s choices, is the
specificity of terroir. An anomalous term that can be
roughly explained as the different raw elements: geography,
geology, height from sea level, soil type, sun exposure, and
microclimate which help determine the chief characteristics
of the grapes grown and their specific and identifiable
expression as a unique wine. The region of Montalcino may
seem rather unvaried as it conjures up images of gently
rolling hills peppered with pines and olive groves crowned
by medieval hamlets so familiar in our travels around
Tuscany or as seen on wine labels up and down the region,
but for one of the smallest DOCGs, Montalcino is also one
of the most diverse in soils, varying altitudes, sun exposure,
and microclimates belying the real state of affairs and
resulting in a diversity of wines.
FIRST A BIT OF GEOGRAPHY
The region, about 40 kilometres from Siena and
about the same distance from the Tuscan coast, is
made up of unspoiled countryside of mainly twothirds
hilly country and one-third flat land. Due to it being
historically and economically almost forgotten in time from
just about the medieval period, most of the villages and
hamlets remain rather well preserved in an idyllic landscape
jigsaw puzzled with a large percentage of woodlands, olive
groves and vineyards only to be broken by the occasional
farmstead, chapel or abbey.
The region, with only 15 percent taken up by vines
(around 5000 acres), is roughly square, delineated by rivers
with four major slopes rising to form a ridged peak.
Enjoying a more Mediterranean climate than the rest of
Tuscany, ie dryer and sunnier, the shallow soils and high
altitudes benefit the already acid-prone Brunello grape due
to strong diurnal temperatures, with a large difference
between the hot dry days and cold nights, resulting in wines
which no matter the ripeness level achieved maintain a
strong backbone of reserve and acidity necessary for longer
aging and better complexity, and creating a balance between
the approachable ripe tannins people so enjoy in a wine and
a more refined racy profile consummate with a thirstquenching
and lengthier and silkier feel to the wines overall
appreciation.
No major geological survey has been undertaken of the
DOCG’s soil types, but judging from individual studies from
single winemakers, the variance in soils is high - for
example, the Banfi estate estimate that close to 30 types of
soils can be identified in their vine holdings. Italy of course
has an infamously complex and dynamic geology, shaped by
mountains rising formed from ancient sea beds as a result of
the African plate gate crashing into the European one
forming the backbone of both the Apennine range up and
down the peninsular and the Alpine range separating the
country from continental Europe. Within this setting the
region of Montalcino has undergone various cycles of
elevation and submergence; meaning that even
mountainous regions have layers of ancient sea bed
interspersed with ancient alluvium as lands rose and sunk,
while the middle altitude slopes and ridges have been
subject to landslides of older higher altitude rock debris and
erosion of glacial deposits, where the lower lands have
deeper layers of more recent and deeper layers alluvium silts
and soft clays.
Not every slope or ridge was subject to the same geological
story and Montalcino is a testament to that as the region is
pockmarked with isolated zones of differing soils even
within close proximity, so neighbouring vineyards may have
different soil profiles resulting in different wines. However,
in broad brushstrokes, we can cautiously generalize that the
higher the altitude the older the rocks and soils. Centering
around the town of Montalcino itself the high-altitude
vineyards are more than likely to have shallow and less
fertile soils on bare rock (which counter intuitively is exactly
what produces very good wine) composed of well-draining
ancient Cretaceous stony gravel, schist, fossil/lime rich
harder clays, and some sand. The middle slopes and ridges,
diverging away from the town where a good number of
vineyards are situated, have some of these mountain-laden
rocks and gravels due to landslides but are more likely to
have calcareous soils from the more recent Miocene and
Oligocene period with layers of ancient alluvium of yellow
clays. In contrast, the lower lands and valleys sporadically
between these slopes have the more recently formed
geological soils with deeper richer alluvium of soft clays,
mud, sand, and marine sediment from the relatively younger
Pleistocene and Pliocene period.
This alone results in various categories of expression of
Brunello wines as each soil type results in a different style
which with time and familiarity can be comfortably
distinguishable upon multiple tastings. I should also say that
while soil type and altitude are two of the main elements in
determining a wine’s shape and feel, the various
microclimates that the region enjoys ensure that while each
vintage may have an overriding characteristic, for example,
in a ripe balmy vintage (2016), a dry very hot vintage
(2017), a cool classical vintage (2013) or a mild wet vintage
(2014), you do get variations as various micro-regions, sun
exposure and elevation ensure different zones have the
advantage in different climatic conditions in any given year.
43

THIS IS WINE
This February Biondi-Santi, the legendary Brunello producer, announced the release of its
newest vintages of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2016 and Brunello di Montalcino
DOCG 2017. The first use of the word ‘Brunello’ dates back to the mid-19th century, when
Clemente Santi won a prize for his ‘vino scelto’, made entirely from the Sangiovese Grosso
varietal grown on his land in Montalcino. In 1888, his nephew, Ferruccio Biondi Santi,
produced the first wine officially known as ‘Brunello di Montalcino’. Since then, the Biondi-
Santi name has been synonymous with excellence and is one of the world’s leading lights in
the ‘Made in Italy’ movement, loved by both collectors and the most respected wine critics.
In 2016, Christopher Descours’ acquisition of Biondi-Santi opened a new chapter in the
company’s story with the introduction of important research and development projects
both in the vineyards and the winery. These projects aim to further build on the excellence
that has always been associated with Biondi-Santi.
This page: Biondi Santi vineyards view. Photograph courtesy Biondi Santi / Itaca Comunicazione.
44

BRUNELLO
45

THIS IS WINE
The region of Montalcino, about 40 kilometres from Siena and about the same distance
from the Tuscan coast, is made up of unspoiled countryside of mainly two-thirds hilly
country and one-third flat land. Due to it being historically and economically almost
forgotten in time from just about the medieval period, most of the villages and hamlets
remain rather well preserved in an idyllic landscape jigsaw puzzled with a large
percentage of woodlands, olive groves and vineyards only to be broken by the
occasional farmstead, chapel or abbey.
46
This page: San Quirico d’Orcia. Photograph Lennart Hellwig.

BRUNELLO
FAMILIES OF WINES
However, over and above this
variation, a general feel of how to
distinguish and enjoy the various
expressions of Brunello can be broadly and
cautiously determined as follows.
The upper vineyards centred around the
town itself are known for their larger more
structured wines with a tannic profile that
tends to be reserved in their youth. A
complex mineralize inflection is the most
identifiable feature over and above a more
level primary fruit-centred and secondary
wood and spice profile. These wines tend to
be the most age-worthy and have a structure
and body allowing for the largest complexity
without detracting from the refinement and
silky tannins that are a trademark of
Brunello.
The slopes and ridges especially to the
southwest of Montalcino have a family of
wines which are more fragrant and
exuberant with a strong secondary profile of
wood, leather, baked spices nicely entwined
with rich layers of fruit and some minerality.
These wines tend to be a bit too ethereal in
their youth but with some cellaring develop
into an effervescent display of complexity
both in aromas and flavours extremely
enjoyable even if still quite pricey. Tertiary
layers do develop with time but the overall
savoury leathery streak of bitter-sweet
Mediterranean herbs and gamey undertones
is the chief characteristic of these wines. You
get some of the finesse of the higher altitude
wines, even quite classical in profile, but the
general shape is more rounded.
The deeper soiled lowland vineyards tend
to produce a rich flavoured, somewhat
rugged without being rustic, blend of
primary fruit flavours, maybe less precise or
peaked - ie a mix of red fruit flavours with
some tertiary clayey soft tannins in the midpalate
for weighting, and depending on the
winemaker's penchant for oak, a secondary
profile of wood and spice may be present
(although despite the trend in the 90s to
over oak winemakers tend to be more subtle
in its use today). These wines are more
approachable in their youth and can be due
to ripe tannins less racy, maybe even flabby,
but are overall good value fare that fall into
the pop-and-pour restaurant table variety.
Notwithstanding this very generalistic
division upon multiple tastings, Brunello
can also be further divided into families of
wines following similar patterns. Indeed
various wine authors have their own
theoretical or geographical divisions of the
region which take into consideration other
elements, however I am rather keen on
discerning the various personalities of wine
the 'hard way' ie slowly but surely tasting for
oneself the 200-plus producers of Brunello
as a long term bucket list.
FOR CONSTANT REVIEWS ON
WINES AVAILABLE IN MALTA
AND GOZO FOLLOW US ON
INSTAGRAM/FIRSTTHISISWINE
47

BRUNELLO
Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino 2017
€64, exclusively represented by Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s
Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Brunello di Montalcino
2017 has a fragrant floral
soft textured gravelly bouquet of
geraniums, cherry blossoms and red
orchard fruit. The attack is Amarone
cherries and black currants with
savoury textures of wild grasses and
liquorice oil pastilles, camphor and
mint finish. This is not as steeply
tannined as you would expect from
a hot vintage. Even if there is a
modicum of reserve it is more to do
with the relatively young age of the
wine which I believe needs more
time than the 16s to flesh out and fill
in. With a good few hours decant
the fruit opens up to reveal peaked
and precise layers of berries and
cherries spiked in baked spices and
dry dusty tannins, a charming
characteristic of Colombini, which in
good time will blossom into gravy
notes of dry bitter herbs, animal
hide and game from the clays.
With even more time, gilded
mirrored mahogany tones of
beeswax and wool French polish
held together by a racy seductive
grip of soft mid palate tannins with
good bearing lending themselves to
a raspy wild cherry pie crust pastry
finale. This has somewhat the upper
slope elegance of a Burgundy
premier cru in its finesse.
I am a big fan of Colombini for the
sheer subtlety that goes a long way
in producing a wine with effortless
charm (fun fact a wine made entirely
by women). You don’t necessarily get
the high-octane classical reserve of a
Gaja or the effusive exuberance of a
Ciacci Piccolomini but rather the
grand dame finesse of a deep
secondary profile slow moving
crescendo with an evolution in the
glass of repeated movements of
ever more subtle but complex
conceits, like some grandiose piano
concerto.
I don’t understand the critic ratings
on this wine, the popular ratings are
closer to my call. Very fine indeed.
Supplier details: Vini e Capricci has
a vast selection of Brunello and
Italian wines.
Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s,
Gozitano Agricultural Village,
Mgarr Road, Xewkija Gozo.
Tel 00356 2156 3231.
Web viniecapricci.com
49

THIS IS WINE
Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2017
€60, exclusively represented by Mirachem
Silvio Nardi 2017 is amarone
cherries, marshmallow and
almonds on the nose. The
attack likewise is tart red cherries with
a filigree of light textures laced in
bittersweet wild almonds in the mid
palate to slowly evolve into a balsamic
red flowers, endive and flint finish.
Suavely monolithic at this stage with an
outer bearing of steep summery
tannins and ethers rearing to unfold
but still tightly woven into the structure
rather than the body of the wine
typical of the best of the 17s.
The year could be dubbed a
Mediterranean vintage with early
harvesting of small berries the order of
the day, the result of hot drought
conditions where leaf management and
water reserves were crucial even if a
welcome September rain jumpstarted
the final days to create wines with good
tannic profiles that need time.
After a few hours breathing, a kirsch
like mouth feel, Seville orange rind,
anise and grasses with wind brushed
oregano, thyme and red peppers, dark
forest fruit and wood in the cherry. Still
a bit of heat and high energy from the
hot vintage but perfect for aging.
The brightness of the fruit speak of
chalky soils and sandstone rocks; the
gravel schists, quartz and sands play
their part in the balsam fragrance and
palatable finesse; and the toasted
confection of fresh nuts, raw cinnamon
and vanilla bean are probably from the
French oaking as opposed to the more
subtle neutrally inclined Slovenian fare
in the later barreling. Finely sculpted
and linear in shape this sings terroir
from the get-go and reminds me of
Gaia’s own stellar blend from a
different but similar array of holdings.
Nardi’s vines are partially from the
Casale del bosco Poggio Doria holding
far northwest of Montalcino giving the
wine its elegant finesse, classical ethos
and sandy aromatics; a signature of the
cooler terroir of this part of the region.
While some grapes come from the
Manachiara coveted high altitude
warmer and dryer fields southeast of
Montalcino, giving their healthy share of
power, structure, length and breadth.
Supplier details: Mirachem has a vast
selection of Brunello and Italian wines.
Mirachem, Mira Building,
Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara.
Tel 00356 2148 8590.
Web wine.mt
50

BRUNELLO
Vigna Paganelli, Tenuta Il Poggione, Brunello di
Montalcino Riserva 2015
€54.28, exclusively represented by Farsonsdirect
Il Poggione Vigna Paganelli Riserva
2015 is pipe tobacco, cocoa nibs,
ripe strawberries and geranium
flowers on the nose. The sweet entry
is wild visciole cherries and red
currants with a mid-bodied fleshiness
ending in a flinty fragrant finish. Upon
breathing, more intense gravel floral
notes accompanied by a larger
secondary profile of animal hide,
hazelnuts, prunes, bittersweet herbs,
grasses, coffee grind and liquorice oil,
signs of deep roots and upper slope
intensity. Warm scents, brilliant fruit
and balsamic ethers speak of the
chalky but clayey ripe but racy stellar
vintage. The schists underlie the floral
and dusty minerality, while a bodied
tautness typical of the gallestro clays
add their generous dose of dry
underbrush, wet undergrowth and
even white poultry game in good time.
As such this is drinking splendidly
even at this early stage for a broadshouldered
vintage that can spend
decades in the bottle at ease. The
precision is there in droves marking off
the south westerly fleshier wines of
Sant Angelo in Colle in contrast to the
northern purist refinement of Gaia or
the serene Colombini and rather
having more in common with the Sant
Antimo star Santa Caterina holding of
Ciaci Piccolomini a bit further east
known for its fragrantly lush and subtly
effervescent concentration.
Part of the secret to this candid
complexity and high critic and popular
ratings lies in the venerably old vines
lying in good terroir; another part can
be attributed to the probably
legendary 2015 vintage where a wet
and cold winter ushered in a
temperamental spring which was just
what the doctor ordered before a dry
piping hot summer would bring all the
ripeness one could wish for without
losing the essential raciness bestowed
by the cold nights on elevated fields.
August provided a welcome reprieve
not without its fair share of hail
resulting in a small yield of powerfully
structured and flexibly big tannins racy
ripe wines. A wonderful rendition of
the fabulous year.
Supplier details: Farsonsdirect has a vast
selection of Brunello and Italian wines.
Farsonsdirect, The Brewery,
Mdina Road, B’Kara.
Tel 00356 2381 4444.
Web farsonsdirect.com
51

THIS IS WINE
Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2015
€ 52.57, exclusively represented by Charles Grech Ltd
Marchesi Frescobaldi’s
Castelgiocondo 2015 is
sugar frosted almonds and
red bramble berries on the nose. The
entry is damson plums and red
cherries with a weighty mid palate
bodied soft texture, ending in a baked
spice, wood ember, touch of iron
finish. With a few hours decant,
candied orange peel, Vermouth
bittersweet herbs and spices;
oregano, anise, vanilla, cinnamon and
clove sport the ancient alluvium and
oaking, while a dash of rose petal
Turkish delight dulcet and jammy
wafts mark the optimum ripening of
this stellar vintage.
This is very much primary and
secondary at this stage with a
flattering generosity masking the fact
that this is still quite young by Brunello
standards and can comfortably cellar
to a gilded profile of tertiary
complexity if given half the chance.
Ribbons of satiny textures to the
tannins speak volumes of the deepish
galestro clays that form the heart and
soul of this wine justifying its good
popular ratings while the spice
inflected ancient sands add layers to
the secondary profile to make this
seem richer than a normale.
Reminds me somewhat of the
generous Poggione in its profile and
shape sharing a similar geography
southwest of Montalcino in the village
of Castelgiocondo where a 300
metre altitude ensures the acidic
backbone is there to accompany the
advantageous ripening edge that is a
characteristic of this family of Brunello
wines. This would explain how with a
normally reserved broad-shouldered
vintage like 15 you get some of the
rich approachability more common to
the legendary 16 in this neck of the
woods.
Very good value and worth buying
and cellaring, this is only going to get
better in a decade to come.
Supplier details: Charles Grech has a
vast selection of Brunello and Italian
wines.
Charles Grech, Palazzo Ca’ Brugnera,
Valley Road, B’Kara.
Tel: 00356 2144 4400
(Sliema 00356 2132 3731,
Ibragg 00356 2137 8609,
Ta’ Xbiex Seafront 00356 2131 5064).
Web charlesgrech.com
52

BRUNELLO
Marchesi Antinori Pian delle Vigne Brunello
di Montalcino 2014
€48, exclusively represented by S. Rausi Trading Ltd
Antinori’s Pian delle Vigne
2014 is soft berried and
stoned red fruit, vanilla bean
and dry leaves on the nose. The entry
is a medley of red cherries and
currants with a mid palate soft
fuzziness drifting into a thirst
quenching cool waters finish. Tart but
sweet acids add an element of effusive
restraint helped by the yellow clays,
touch of gravel flintiness, and iron
fillings from the limestone soils. The
shape of the wine and baked spice
aromatics also call to mind some
deeper soils with their fair share of
silts. Upon breathing, a more
prolonged finish with stronger cherry
and forest fruit flavours; coffee grind,
fennel or anise and tobacco also make
their mark.
2014 was a wet but mild year with
rains throughout the growing and
harvesting season with delayed
ripening graced by an Indian summer
reprieve in September that saved the
vintage, creating wines with good
acidity, bright fruit and soft classical
tannins. This sports these
characteristics quite earnestly but the
sherry like textures with sweet
overtones suggest that despite this
being a cool year the south-western
sunny exposure and light coloured sun
reflective soils give this wine a ripening
advantage even if overall this feels
quite autumnal.
The Pian delle Vigne Antinori estate
lies 6km south west of Montalcino
with clay, limestone, sand and fine
gravel soils and forms part of the
same family of wines sharing its
geography, such as Frescobaldi’s
Castelgiocondo and Tenuta Luce,
known for their primary flavours and
textural exuberance of deeper soils
with good aromatics from the sands
and gravels more generously open in
their youth due to a warmer micro
climate and softer clays, yet still
retaining a modicum of finesse in the
tannic profile and shape of the wine
which advantageously ripen faster
than the rest of the DOCG, a sunny
edge in cooler vintages.
Supplier details: S. Rausi Trading has
the full portfolio of Marchesi Antinori
Wines.
S Rausi Trading Ltd, Empire Stadium
Str, Gzira. Tel 00356 2131 6210.
Web srausi.com/shop
53

SUNKISSED
IN CRETE,
HARVESTED
BY HAND
This olive’s “natural juice” has all its ingredients
intact thanks to the diligent process it undergoes
from cultivation to pressing. Cultivated in Sitia,
on the island of Crete, in an area world-famous
for the quality of its olive oil, the olive trees
grow in excellent soil conditions and in a
special microclimate. Obtained through cold
extraction and solely by mechanical means a
few hours after harvest, this Extra Virgin Olive
Oil is produced exclusively from the superior
“Koroneiki” variety which offer a superb balance
between bitter, spicy and fruity flavours and a
distinct emerald shade.

DESSERTS
“A party without cake is just a meeting.”
Julia Child
Easter Weekend Dessert Ideas
“Let everything you do be done in love. ” 1 Corinthians 16:14
Easter lunches, bring families and friends together, most often as a result of near heroic feats of
preparation, planning and anticipation long forgotten in the kitchen. Finish off a heavy Easter meal
with a light Pavlova, or wait until teatime for some indulgent Strawberry Shortcake and Easter
Butter Biscuits.
PHOTOGRAPHY KAROLIN BAITINGER, HEATHER BARNES, ANITA AUSTVIKA.
55

DESSERTS
PAVLOVA
Pavlova, the classic meringue-based dessert topped with whipped cream and fruit, is guaranteed to please. Even if your meringue
does not work out quite right and does not look "perfect", quick decorating with whipped cream and fresh fruit can hide any
"defects". A true pavlova has a soft layer in the middle produced by the addition of vinegar, corn flour, or both to the egg whites and
sugar that would otherwise give a crisp result. Free range or organic eggs tend to have thicker egg whites which give a better result.
6 egg whites
330g caster sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
pinch salt
300ml cream, whipped
berries and fruits as desired for topping
1. Preheat over to 120C (100C fan-assisted).
2. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar slowly, beat to dissolve after each addition. Beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Add cornflour, vinegar and salt, beat one minute.
4. Spoon or pipe mixture onto baking paper on a greased baking tray to create a 20-25cm circle, building up sides slightly.
5. Bake until dry, roughly 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and cool in over with door ajar.
6. Transfer to a serving dish and top with freshly whipped cream and berries and fresh fruit, of your choice.
56

Gio. Batta Delia
ESTABLISHED 1901
MOB: 9989 6286
FACEBOOK GIO. BATTA DELIA 1901

DESSERTS
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
The name shortcake is derived from the old English cooking definition of short which refers to
something made crisp with the addition of fat, like shortcrust pastry. Although shortcake and
cake look similar, the texture is different – while shortcake tends to be more crumbly and crisp –
with a crumbly scone like texture – cake tends to be light and airy.
1kilo strawberries, halved
55g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1L cold cream (500ml for shortcake, 500ml for whipping)
600g plain flour
3tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1. Mix halved strawberries with sugar and allow to sit to let out juices (macerate).
2. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted).
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Cut in cold butter to small chunks.
4. Add 500ml cold cream, mix with fork until a rough dough. Add more cream or milk as needed if mixture too dry.
5. Turn dough onto floured surface, roll out square, about 2cm thick. Using a 7-8cm diameter cookie cutter cut circles from dough, place on greased baking sheets
roughly 4-5cm apart. Reroll dough scraps and repeat.
6. Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and brush rounds. Sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake until edges are firm, puffed and browned slightly – roughly 12 minutes.
7. For serving whip remaining cream. Split shortcakes in half, place bottoms on dessert plates or serving dish, add whipped cream and strawberries. Cover with
shortcake tops, then a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries to finish. Serve immediately with remaining cream and strawberries to pass around. For a more
dramatic effect add an extra layer of shortcake and finish with a whole strawberry.
58

DESSERTS
EASTER
BUTTER
COOKIES
Easy biscuits that are fun to decorate with family and friends
with either a quick lemon icing or vanilla sugar paste.
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
30g cornflour
300g plain flour
FOR ICING (ALTERNATIVELY USE SUGAR PASTE)
1–2tsp lemon juice, sieved
250g icing sugar
(different food colouring if desired)
60
1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 4 minutes. Continue to beat, add in eggs
one at a time, and vanilla.
2. Whisk in cornflour and flour until mixture comes together.
3. Roll out between two pieces of baking paper to about 5-6mm. Refrigerate for at least 30
minutes.
4. Heat oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted). Remove top piece of baking paper and stamp out
with cookie cutter shapes. Re-roll with off-cuts and repeat to use all cookie dough.
5. Bake on a lined baking tray until lightly browned - roughly 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking
tray and transfer to a wire rack to allow to cool completely.
6. FOR ICING Mix icing sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add about two tablespoons hot
water little by little to a smooth stiff icing. Add more lemon juice and hot water as needed. Too
much water will make it runny. Pipe icing or spread with a spatula. (At this stage icing may be
divided into separate bowls, to add food colour if desired). ALTERNATIVELY ICE COOKIES
WITH SUGAR PASTE (FONDANT ICING) Roll out fondant to about 2-3mm thick, cut to
shape using cookie cutter shapes. Brush cookies with sugar syrup or honey and top with fondant.

INDIA COLLECTION
Gio. Batta Delia
ESTABLISHED 1901
MOB: 9989 6286
FACEBOOK GIO. BATTA DELIA 1901

HEALTH & FITNESS
The problem is specific goals are all-or-nothing: you either achieve the goal or you fail.
WHEN YOU SET AN OPEN GOAL, YOUR FOCUS IS ON YOUR STARTING POINT,
FROM WHICH YOU CAN ONLY BUILD AND MAKE PROGRESS.
WANT TO EXERCISE MORE?
TRY SETTING OPEN GOALS
The most common New Year’s resolution – set by 59% of us – is to exercise more. But our research
suggests the way we typically set goals in exercise often doesn’t work. So, what should we do instead?
Our research interviewing elite athletes suggests one possibility is to set open goals instead writes
Christian Swann, Associate Professor in Psychology, Southern Cross University.
Photography Etienne Girardet and Chris Barbalis.
62

HEALTH & FITNESS
Specific goals can actually put us off. Generally we’re
advised to set specific, or SMART, goals (where
SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic and timebound). Aiming to walk 10,000 steps
per day is a common example.
This advice is typically based on goal-setting theory from the
1990s. However, that theory has now evolved, with research
now suggesting specific goals in some cases can actually put us
off.
One problem is specific goals are all-or-nothing: you either
achieve the goal or you fail.
That’s why you might feel you’ve failed after “only“ recording
9,000 steps when your goal was 10,000. In reality, 9,000 steps
might actually be an achievement (especially on a busy day) –
but because you didn’t reach your specific target, it can feel
disappointing.
When you stop making progress towards your goal, or start
to feel like you’re failing, it’s easy to give up – just like many of
us do with New Year’s resolutions.
One alternative is to set what’s known as an open goal.
WHAT ARE OPEN GOALS?
Open goals are non-specific and exploratory, often
phrased as aiming to “see how well I can do”. For
example, professional golfers in one study described
performing at their best when aiming to “see how
many under par I can get”.
When colleagues and I interviewed elite athletes about
exceptional performances, a Mount Everest climber
described how: I was just thinking, ‘Oh I’ll just see how it
goes and take it as it comes.’ I climbed higher and higher and
the climb had got more and more engrossing and difficult
and all-encompassing really […] until I discovered that I’d
climbed like 40 metres without consciously knowing what I
was doing.
Open goals don’t just work for elite athletes – they work well
in exercise too. One study found insufficiently active people
performed better (in this study that meant they walked
further) when pursuing open goals than they did with SMART
goals.
63

HEALTH & FITNESS
Open goals aren’t just good for performance – they are also much more psychologically
beneficial than SMART goals.
PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS
OF OPEN GOALS
Open goals are non-specific and
exploratory, often pen goals
aren’t just good for
performance – they’re also
much more psychologically beneficial
than SMART goals.
Indeed, the elite athletes who first
reported open goals described how they
were an important part of experiencing
flow – the enjoyable, rewarding state
when everything just seems to click into
place and we perform well without even
needing to think about it.
Follow-up studies found open goals –
compared to SMART goals – make
walking more enjoyable, make people
more confident and make them feel they
performed better. That boosts motivation
and suggests open goals can help people
stick with exercise routines longer.
One participant said open goals “took
away the trauma of failing”.
WHY DO OPEN GOALS
WORK DIFFERENTLY TO
SMART GOALS?
There’s another important
difference between open and
SMART goals. When you set a
SMART goal, you’re
identifying something in the future you
want to achieve (“I want to be able to
walk 10,000 steps every day”).
So pursuing SMART goals is about
reducing the gap between where you are
now and where you want to get to –
you’re always lagging behind where you
want to be. That can make it feel like
your progress is slow, and slow progress
doesn’t feel good.
When you set an open goal, your
focus is on your starting point. If your
goal is to “see how many steps I can
reach today”, then as your step count
rises, it will feel like you’re making
progress. You may start to think, “Oh,
I’m already on 2,000 steps… Now it’s
3,000 steps… Let’s see how many I can
get to.”
Rather than comparing against where
you should be, you’re constantly
building on your starting point.
That makes the process much more
positive – and the more positive we feel
during exercise, the more we’ll want to
do it again and again.
To set your own open goals, think first
about what you want to improve (for
example “being more active”). Then
identify what you want to measure,
such as your daily average step count.
Phrase your goal in an open-ended,
exploratory way: “I want to see how
high I can get my average daily step
count by the end of the year.”
And then get started! With an open
goal, you’re more likely to see progress,
enjoy the experience, and stick with it
until you’re ready to set – and achieve –
more specific goals.
This article first appeared on
The Conversation.
64

ACTIVE AGEING
66

TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OLDER POPULATIONS,
RESEARCHERS AND MEDIA SHOULD STOP FUSSING OVER AGEING
AGEING OBSESSED
ACTIVE AGEING
The world seems to be obsessed with ageing. The media is plagued with articles about the costs of growing
older, the cure to ageing and secrets to ageing successfully. Alongside these concerns, we strive to age
gracefully or become “cognitive super-agers” - people whose brains function like those of a much younger
person, writes Najmeh Khalili-Mahani, Researcher, Director of Media-Health/Game-Clinic laboratory,
Concordia University. Not everyone fears ageing. There are also those who embrace it, and suggest that,
instead of viewing ageing as something to overcome, we should view it as “second adulthood” – an
opportunity in life after retirement, to complete, consolidate and share experiences of lives that were
meaningfully lived. But even in embracing ageing, we seem to be defensive about it.
AGEING STEREOTYPES
IN MEDIA
The media is largely responsible for
creating and driving ageist
stereotypes of older adults. An
analysis of more than one billion entries in
British and American media databases found
that negative ageing descriptions were six
times higher than the positive descriptions.
The study found that negative descriptions of
older adults tended to be physical, like
portraying them as frail. On the other hand,
positive descriptions tended to be
behavioural, such as portraying older adults
as caring.
Visual representations of ageing create good
and bad stereotypes. Images of active and
happy older adults create positive ageist
stereotypes, while images of vulnerable and
frail older adults create compassionate ageist
stereotypes that are patronizing. These
positive and negative stereotypes have cultural
and political implications that determine how
societies care for their older generations.
For example, a study about how older adults
were portrayed in news media covering
disasters in Canada showed a mismatch in
communication between journalists and the
older individuals whose stories were
reported. The media portrayed older adults
on a spectrum from vulnerable to heroic. By
focusing on narratives of the brave older
adult fighting for their home, journalists
diverted the attention from the real need for
disaster relief.
COVID-19 exposed the consequences of
media ageism as well. One study found that
news coverage of older adults in New
Zealand treated them as a nameless,
homogeneous group who were at risk and
passive. The consequence of such messaging
became evident in high rates of insensitive
and stigmatizing comments about older
adults on Twitter. A cross-cultural study in
the UK and Colombia showed that the older
adults were also angered by the protective
ageism exercised during COVID-19. Our
own investigation of the reactions on the
social media to mainstream media articles
about how older adults were coping with
COVID-19 stress showed that older adults
strongly objected to the writers' assumptions
about their coping needs. We also found a
generational difference between parents and
children in understanding older adult coping
resources.
SUCCESSFUL AGEING
The concept of successful ageing can
be traced back to researchers John
Rowe and Robert Kahn. In their 1987
study on different types of ageing, they defined
two distinct types: successful ageing (high
functioning and low risk for developing agerelated
deficits) and usual ageing (healthy but
high risk for developing age-related deficits).
They called on other researchers to seek
interventions that increased the likelihood of
belonging to the successful ageing group.
Helping older adults age successfully is now
a worldwide research initiative. In 2021, the
World Health Organization (WHO)
announced a collaboration with the United
Nations' agenda called the Decade of Healthy
Ageing to improve the lives of older people
and their communities. According to the
WHO, healthy ageing means the ability to
maintain mental and physical capacity for
staying mobile and active, making decisions,
building and maintaining relationships, and
contributing to society.
At first glance, concerns with ageing seem to
be motivated by a good cause, but upon closer
inspection these concerns can be problematic.
By overemphasising healthy ageing, those who
are unable to age successfully are implicitly
stigmatized. As gerontologist Tracey Gendron
argues in her book Ageism Unmasked,
overstating the necessity of retaining
independence and functionality in later years
of life gives rise to ageism.
THE CATCH-22
Robert Neil Butler, the founding
director of the National Institute on
Ageing in the US, coined the term
Ageism in 1969. In his highly cited article
Age-Ism: Another Form of Bigotry he wrote:
"We have chosen mandatory retirement from
the workforce and thus removed the elderly
from the mainstream of life. Ageism is
manifested in the taunting remarks about "old
fogeys” in the special vulnerability of the
elderly to muggings and robberies, in agediscrimination
in employment independent of
individual competence, and in the probable
inequalities in the allocation of research
funds." Ironically, to further emphasize the
necessity of increasing funding for studying
ageing, Butler reverted back to highlighting
the narrative of age-related deficit: "persons 65
years of age and over account for 25% of all
public mental hospital admissions."
This is the catch-22, or the double bind
created by paradoxical messaging from the
same source. Like Butler, most researchers
that focus on ageing justify their proposals
based on age-related deficits. In a recent
literature review of assistive information
technologies for healthy ageing, we found that
the narrative of ageing as a vulnerability or
impending cost dominated the rationales for
conducting research.
MIND THE LANGUAGE
Amultinational study of self-ageism
shows that self-ageism - internalized
prejudices against one’s own age - is
culturally grounded. Yale health professor
Becca Levy has extensively researched the
adverse effects of self-ageism on both mental
and physical health. Beliefs about ageing shape
all aspects of our lives. Negative stereotypes of
ageing mean older adults are less willing to
seek help when they need it. Ageism and a
lack of age-friendly communications alienate
older adults from participating in research
about their health. This makes them shy away
from seeking care, or participating in research
that can benefit them.
Those who study successful ageing are well
aware that age - as a generalizing variable -
does not predict the capacities or needs of
older study participants. But then why do we
keep using age as a numerical or categorical
index?
This catch-22 is a conflict in communication
- the words researchers use to communicate
their goals matter. If researchers wish to
address the growing needs of older
populations in a meaningful way and create
effective assistive care strategies, they should
stop sampling by age and start sampling by
needs instead. To lock individuals into the
narrative of age as a vulnerability means
inevitably creating ageist stereotypes. This
article first appeared on The Conversation.
67

ACTIVE AGEING
DAR PADOVA
DAR PADOVA IN GOZO – NOW FULLY REFURBISHED
WITH NEW SERVICES AND CLINICS THAT WILL CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY
Through the services provided at Dar Padova, Gozitan elderly people
are now obtaining the health care services according to their needs
and closer to home.

PROMOTION
DAR PADOVA IN GOZO – NOW FULLY REFURBISHED WITH
NEW SERVICES AND CLINICS FOR THE ELDERLY
Independent Living and
Active Ageing in Gozo
Active Ageing and Community Care offers a variety of services aimed at helping
older adults remain living as independently as possible in the community. In this
regard, a multidisciplinary clinic was opened at Dar Padova in Għajnsielem Gozo,
where various services are being offered to help Gozitan elderly people and their
families have a better quality of life at the heart of the community where they live,
writes the team at Active Ageing and Community Care.
With an investment of €140,000, Dar
Padova was extensively refurbished in
2022, to offer new facilities that will
continue to improve the quality of life for the elderly. A
Dementia Activity Centre and a Night Shelter were
already present prior to this refurbishment exercise. The
Dementia Activity Centre is run by staff who are
proficient and trained in dementia care. This centre
helps reduce caregiver stress, whilst therapy is offered so
that persons suffering from dementia can remain active
in a safe, secure and dementia friendly environment.
On the other hand, the aim of the Night Shelter
service is to offer a secure and protective
environment during the night to older persons who
live alone and who, for various reasons, may feel
insecure in their home.
However, since Active Ageing and Community Care
always strives for excellence, the premises were
radically refurbished, and more services and new
clinics have now been added. The modernisation of
the facilities was carried out with the aim of
continuing to strengthen the services linked to the
care of the elderly in Gozo. Besides better facilities for
the Dementia Activity Centre and Night Shelter users,
new services were introduced including Phlebotomy
Services, Domiciliary Nursing and Caring Services, a
Vascular Clinic Service, Podiatry Services,
Occupational Therapy Services, Domiciliary Dietitian
Services, Clinical Nutrition Services and
Psychotherapy Services. The rooms that are being
utilised as clinics are equipped with the necessary
medical equipment to enable the professionals to
deliver their services to the highest standards. In fact,
for the vascular clinic, a doppler vascular ultrasound
was purchased.
The Silver-T Service is another new service
being offered. This is a transport service
which is free of charge and is offered to
older persons to conduct their daily errands within
the community, without having to depend on their
families and friends. This service is also offered to the
elderly that need transport to attend to appointments
at the clinics in Dar Padova.
The Dementia Intervention Team is now providing
community-based services to Gozitan people with
dementia and their caregivers through the services of
specially trained nurses that are now working from
Dar Padova. A holistic assessment of the caregivers’
and care recipients’ situation is carried out at the
person’s residence so that a care plan is tailor-made
for each case.
Through the services provided at Dar Padova,
Gozitan elderly people are now obtaining
the health care services according to their
needs and closer to their home.
All Gozitan senior citizens, over 60 years of age, are
encouraged to make use of the services available at Dar
Padova. Further details are available online on
www.activeageing.gov.mt, on telephone numbers
153/22788900/22788238 (Gozo), email on aaccservices@gov.mt
or visit Ċentru Servizz Anzjan in
Gozo in the Citybel Complex, Level 3, Saint Martha
Street, Victoria, Gozo.
69

Optimising Opportunities
in Old Age
The concept of active ageing has only been
established in past decade, however one questions
what is truly understood by the implications of
active ageing – namely, health, participation and
security. Effectively, older adults in this day and age
are encouraged to be more active, yet the intrinsic
meaning merits attention to optimize opportunities
in old age. Moreover, active ageing should be
understood within domains that link quality-of-life
and aspects that interrelate the conceptualization
of how we perceive old age, writes Noel Borg,
Chief Operating Officer, CareMalta Group.
PROMOTION
In all care homes, managed by CareMalta, we promote and enhance the concept of active
ageing in order to improve the quality of life of each resident and to promote healthy living.
Through different activities organized, residents are encouraged to participate to fully engage
in wellness.
This year is the 30th Anniversary of CareMalta Group, and over these past thirty years, we
created exceptional services for the elderly. As a company, CareMalta gains the residents’ full trust
and remains the leader in care by ascertaining that each and every member of the team works each
day with a proper sense of integrity, where quality is non-negotiable, and where safety is central in
all practices.
OLD AGE IS A BLESSING
The appreciation of old age in our
societies is based on values, however,
ageism is the agnostic catalyst to the
comprehension of this. We live in an era that
despite setting an active ageing perspective,
limits the same notion though ageist
methodologies.
Older adults are a wealth of information and
knowledge, thus the applicability of such is our
responsibility. To nurture and flourish
knowledge is the basis of why older adults are
fundamental. To have older adults contributing
to society is beyond tangible understanding.
NOT BE A TABOO AND
NOT A BOUNDARY
Old age should be sought as a
complement in one’s life. A person does
not opt which path of life he lives, but
rather seeks to evolve from birth till old age.
This leads to set key aspects upfront in realizing
that everyone can contribute, in every stage in
life. Potential of life is crucial in active ageing.
Everyone can contribute if the contribution is
aligned with a person’s potential.
REALISTIC GOALS TO ACHIEVE
ACTIVE AGEING
We cannot place older adults under
one umbrella. As we age, every
person has more distinctive
features, and more individualization of self,
especially though the expression of identity.
Therefor every person should be geared to
contribute and express one’s strength where he
or she can succeed. Futile approaches to active
ageing need to be streamlined, to ensure that
every older adult has realistic goals in
achieving the status of active ageing. We
should not lead to a false misinterpretation on
one’s own understanding, but rather
consolidate different approaches in attaining
holistic outcomes.
ABOUT NOEL BORG, COO, CareMalta
Group. Qualified as a nurse by profession and
having worked in the cardiac intensive care unit
at Mater Dei Hospital, Noel Borg joined the
group in October 2005 as a staff nurse and later
on as a deputy manager. In 2010, Noel was
appointed as Facility Manager of Casa Arkati,
Mosta where he was responsible for the overall
management of the home and later in 2012 he
was appointed Nursing Manager of Zammit
Clapp Hospital Residential Home. After four and
a half years, he was promoted to Senior Nursing
Manager of CareMalta Ltd until 2022. Today
Noel occupies the role of a Chief Operating
Officer. He is also appointed as a non-executive
Director with HILA Ltd. and CareMalta Group
Ltd. Noel holds a Diploma in Health Science
(Nursing), BSc. (Hons) Nursing, International
Diploma in Human Resources and Personnel
management and Masters of Arts in Bioethics.
He also graduated at post-graduate level in
Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management.
Noel is also a member of the Military and
Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem,
and a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta
in both the faculty of Health Science and Faculty
of Social Well Being.
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VERMEER
72

“You’re so calm and quiet, you never say. But there are things inside you.
I see them sometimes, hiding in your eyes.”
Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring
RIJKSMUSEUM LANDMARK EXHIBITION
VERMEER
VERMEER
ohannes Vermeer is famous around the world for his paintings of calm scenes in domestic settings,
his unprecedented use of bright, colorful light and his convincing illusionism. In contrast to
Rembrandt, Vermeer left a remarkably small oeuvre with about 37 works. As his paintings are
generally considered the most prized treasures of every museum collection, Vermeer paintings are
rarely lent out. And this is what makes the Rijksmuseum’s retrospective exhibition to the 17th-century
master – currently running until 4th June 2023 – so spectacular. Never before have so many paintings by
Vermeer been brought together in one place. Photography courtesy Rijksmuseum.
This page: Mistress and Maid, Johannes Vermeer, c. 1665-67, oil on canvas. The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.
Facing page: Girl with the Red Hat, Johannes Vermeer, 1664-67. National Gallery of Art Washington.
73

VERMEER
This page: View of Houses in Delft, known as ‘The Little Street’, Johannes Vermeer, 1658-59, oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Gift of H.W.A. Deterding, London.
74

VERMEER
Above: The Milkmaid, Johannes Vermeer, Johannes Vermeer, 1658-59,
oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Purchased with the support of
the Vereniging Rembrandt. Right: Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes
Vermeer, 1664–67, oil on canvas. Mauritshuis, The Hague. Bequest of
Arnoldus Andries des Tombe, The Hague. Bottom right: Girl Reading a
Letter at an Open Window, Johannes Vermeer, 1657-58, oil on canvas.
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden.
The Rijksmuseum’s landmark Vermeer
exhibition is the biggest-ever exhibition
devoted exclusively to the master painter of
Delft. At least 28 paintings out of Vermeer’s
very small oeuvre have been loaned from
museums and collections from Europe, the United
States and Japan. In many cases, this will be the first
time they are exhibited in the Netherlands. In an
extraordinary gesture the Frick Collection has lent all
three of its Vermeer masterpieces to the
exhibition: The Girl Interrupted at Her Music, Officer
and Laughing Girl, and Mistress and Maid. The
Rijksmuseum exhibition will be the first time that all
three paintings are shown together outside of New York
since they were acquired more than a century ago.
Two paintings have undergone extensive examination
at the Rijksmuseum prior to the exhibition. A team of
leading curators, conservators and scientists worked
together closely to conduct new research into Vermeer’s
paintings using the latest available technology. The
insights gained shed new light on Vermeer’s life and
work, his personal circumstances, the artistic choices
and motivations for his compositions, as well as the
creative process behind his paintings.
Additional highlights include The Girl with a Pearl
Earring (Mauritshuis, The Hague), The Geographer
(Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main), Lady Writing a
Letter with her Maid (The National Gallery of Ireland,
Dublin, Woman Holding a Balance (The National
Gallery of Art, Washington DC), The Glass of Wine
(Gemäldegalerie, Berlin), Young Woman with a Lute
(Metropolitan Museum, NYC) and The Lacemaker
(Louvre, Paris). Works never before shown to the
public in the Netherlands will include the newly
restored Girl Reading a Letter at the Open Window
from the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.
The Rijksmuseum itself owns four masterpieces by
Vermeer: The Milkmaid, The Little Street, Woman
Reading a Letter and The Love Letter.
75

VERMEER
Top left: Girl Interrupted at Her Music, Johannes Vermeer, 1659–61, oil on canvas. The Frick Collection. New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr. Top right: The Glass of Wine,
Johannes Vermeer, c. 1659-61, oil on canvas. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Gemäldegalerie. Above left: Officer and Laughing Girl, Johannes Vermeer, 1657-58, oil on canvas.
The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr. Above right: Woman Holding a Balance, Johannes Vermeer, c. 1662-64, oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art,
Washington, Widener Collection.
Taco Dibbits, General Director
Rijksmuseum says that “this
exhibition offers an unprecedented
opportunity to experience such a
large number of Vermeer paintings
come together in one place. It is an exciting
prospect for the public and all Vermeer lovers,
as well as scientists, conservators and art
historians. We are extremely grateful to the
partnering museums and organisations who
have made this exhibition possible with very
exceptional and generous loans.”
In conjunction with the exhibition the
Rijksmuseum launched the digital experience
Closer to Johannes Vermeer, available for free to
all Vermeer lovers around the world. The
digital experience transports visitors into the
artist’s universe, packed with fascinating stories
and facts about Vermeer and his work. This
interactive journey of discovery includes all 28
Vermeer paintings in the Rijksmuseum
exhibition plus the nine additional works
attributed to the artist. The experience also
offers a rare opportunity to compare recurring
motives throughout Vermeer’s paintings:
pearls, yellow jackets, curtains, maps, use of
the ultramarine, etc. Utilising the latest
available technology, for the first time visitors
will be able to zoom in on the tiniest pigment
particles in pin-sharp detail via ultra-high
resolution photographs of some Vermeer
paintings.
The exhibition is on at the Rijksmuseum in
Amsterdam until 4 June 2023 and will be the
only venue.
76

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TRAILBLAZER
EINSTEIN’S FIRST WIFE
The Incredible Mileva Maric ´
Atrailblazer in her field, Mileva Marić-Einstein was one of the first female physicists in the world and Albert
Einstein's first wife, and there is evidence that she contributed significantly to his research, including his
theory of special relativity. Mileva Marić was born in Serbia in 1875 to wealthy parents, and in 1892 had
special permission to attend physics lectures – at the time reserved for boys. By 1896 she was admitted to the
Polytechnic Institute in Zurich's physics-mathematics section with four other students – all men – including Albert Einstein. The
two would become inseparable – spending hours studying together. Writing to Mileva in 1900, Albert wrote “I look forward to
resume our new common work. You must now continue with your research – how proud I will be to have a doctor for my spouse
when I’ll only be an ordinary man.” By December 1900 they would submit their first article, but only under Albert's name. A
2015 biography suggests that Mileva probably wanted to help Albert make a name for himself, so that he could find a job and
marry her. A letter from Albert to Mileva in March 1901 makes it clear that they collaborated on special relativity: “How happy
and proud I will be when the two of us together will have brought our work on relative motion to a victorious conclusion." In
1901 Mileva got pregnant and gave birth to a girl – this is only accounted for in letters to Albert. Then in 1903 the two got
married, and while Mileva stopped studying, in the evenings they would still work together. But by 1914 things would change
dramatically after a long affair between Albert and his first cousin Elsa Löwenthal. In 1919, Mileva agreed to divorce Albert with
a clause in their divorce stating that if he ever received the Nobel Prize, she would get the money, which she did.
78
This page: Milena Marić Einstein and her husband, 1912. Credit ETH Bibliothek Archives Zurich.

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