-an OD of Love-

One in 10 hospitality workers has suffered violence from customers flouting the smoking ban, a new survey reveals London, UK - 03 October 2007 - Since the smoking ban came into force in June, over 10% of hospitality workers have suffered threats or actual violence after asking customers to stop smoking. A survey of over 5,000 hospitality workers, published today , reveals shocking testimonials from workers who report being hit, spat at, strangled and sexually abused. The survey included responses from all areas of the hospitality industry including chefs, restaurant managers, hotel managers and waiting staff across the UK. It found that over 40% of respondents reported asking customers to stop smoking after the ban came into effect and many have suffered abuse as a result. Personal testimonies include: "When I told him to put his cigarette out, he pulled down his pants and started masturbating in front of me." "I was told by a female customer that she’d make a sexual c...

Well I’m back to my lovely country Malta after a much considered necessary, holiday and given that I don’t have a tendency to go to cinemas when I’m abroad and I was looking for a relaxing friday evening, my choice fell on what I thought at first an easy romantic comedy by the name of No Reservations at my favorite movie complex in Valetta. In a couple of words the reason why I really loved this movie is because it made me feel sorry for not persisting my career as a chef and then again the reason why thank God I quit doing it. The reason being that some people think that they can instruct someone so passionate about his job the way he or she should do their dishes. Mind you it did at sometimes made me remember how good it feels during the service hours when one is just pushed to the limit to get the dishes to the customers fast. Another reason why I enjoyed watching it is that it is sumptuous celebration of the most important things in life, succulent food, fine wine, fantastic music ...

I’m writing this from the apartment which for my compagni di viaggio and I shared the last days free of charge. It is a little after midnight. It feels very, very strange to be going, but I have this strange sensation that I will be back. I guess it’s not that strange, knowing me, considering that I pretty much feel like I’m a part of this place. The families who for the last days made all their best to accommodate us and never making us feel hungry threw a dinner for us last night which was lovely… Stefano and Valentina made the first course, which consisted of gnocchi with a lovely sauce with walnuts and cream)… Camille and Louisa made tiramisu from scratch, and oh my goodness was gorgeous and the sausages stew and salads. There was lots of wine to go around. It was bittersweet, this last evening together. I hated all of this in a way because I do not want to leave them, but it felt so wonderful to be so loved and taken care of once again. These people have been a big part of my life...

One of the reasons why I love the summer season in Malta (even if my favourite season remains winter) is that one is spoilt for choice when it comes to going out at night with the various activities that are being organized by the tourism ministry or by individual entertaining troupes. These weekend was one of those particular weeks were I had not to go to some particular activities for the reason that or I was too tired or the tickets were sold out a few days sometimes hours after they open at the booking office. Even if it is not my usual cup of tea to listen to pop music especially when you keep listening to it 24/7 on whatever radio channel you tune to, I had to go to Fosos Square last Thursday to be in what has been described as the event of the year, that is the Isle of MTV. One of my favourite Maltese bands, Winter Moods marked the start of the show and from the bottom of my heart I wish that some big record company owner notice how hard working versatile, and ambitious this ban...

No good or bad review for an avid fan like me of the now made it to the 18 th series that is 10 long years cartoons show (which took the world by storm wherever it has been transmitted) will stop me from making it to the cinema to finally see the new stretched to 80 minutes episode which is called simply The Simpsons Movie J ...from the trailer alone I can see that this is a film that's so funny it could endanger your health , the problem is that the jokes come so thick and fast, you almost need an interval to recover from them...well what can a humble men like me say more...I’m definitely going to see it for at least once..(Friends know why I said for at least once...). It takes a wide screen to fully capture Homer’s stupidity and the movie does it...this particular guy has to save the world from a catastrophe that he has created himself

I had to spend a couple of days in hospital and even if my ward was located in the Karen Grech side of St.Luke’s hospital, the reason of my stay was definitely not because I was expecting a baby (even if sometimes I look like I'm carrying one). Well hospitals, I don’t believe they are the best places were on one can take holiday, even though all the nurses, carers and doctors do their best to make such an anxious moment look like a pleasure trip as possible. So looking at the positive side I said to myself that I would have some time to read a couple of books. Well that was the idea but luckily thanks to my friends I didn’t have much time to read infect I didn’t even finish one book since whoever I told about my mishap came to see me in hospital ( a friend also came especially from Gozo) or bombarded me with text messages some from as far as Dubai thanks guys and gals for making me feel so warm and taken care of...and as I like to put it a friend is someone who can see the truth an...

A new day comes, it doesn’t ask. It just walks in, where it left you last. And you never know, when it starts until there's fog inside your heart I'm not alone, Cause then I'd know, I was down because I couldn't find, a friend around To love me like, they used to do used to do Something's missing And I don't know how to fix it Something's missing And I don't know what it is No I don't know what it is Something's different And I don't know what it is No I don't know what it is I'm sick of the shopping malls I searched for joy, but I bought it all It doesn't help the pains and a thirst I'd have to drown first to ever satiate I can't be sure that this state of mind, is it one of my own design I wish there was an over the counter test, for loneliness.

The following are some pictures again taken with my mobile phone so please excuse the lack of quality of the Milorda Gardens in San Maison. This is one of my favourite gardens and in my opinion the best place to be in on a summer afternoon or even winter... I was there yesterday to attend to the launch of the new poetry book Hbula Stirati, which I am still reading and so far it has left me without adjectives to describe it, it is really good poetry book and it’s great that the authors have gut to publish similar books and hope they keep them coming. I also had the opportunity to meet Kevin Saliba one of the author which I love what he writes and I tend to check his blog because he always manage to bring back the good memories of the past Sa Maison Gardens The Sa Maison Garden is a small, pretty garden mostly known for its military heritage. The garden is also known as ‘il-Gnien tal-Milorda’ (Her Ladyship's Garden) in memory of Lady Julia Lockwood, who resided the...

Everyone has his or her own interpretation of what a tribute band is or should be. In my humble experience, a tribute band is usually headed by a decent singer that can hit a majority of the notes of the singer he/she is trying to imitate and a capable band that is typically nowhere near the skill level of the band they are copying but does a decent job mimicking their heroes. Overall, most tribute bands do a fairly decent job at paying homage to the musical past of some of the top legends in music and, for the most part I am satisfied paying 10 or 15 bucks to see them as they are adequate and I may never get an opportunity to see the real deal anytime soon so I am pacified. Sometimes you run across a tribute band that really rocks and exceeds your expectations such as the Van Halen tribute band the Atomic Punks, the All-Female AC/DC tribute band Hell's Belles or the Led Zeppelin tribute band No Quarter. All three of these bands rock and they each have exceeded my expectations and ...

So many of the old classic rockers (and by that we mean the folks dominating FM radio in the late 60s and 70s—and for that matter, now) choose to rest on their success, to simply parrot their past triumphs on record and wallow in the past in concert. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, if you still enjoy playing the old stuff, and it comes through in your performance, who's to say you shouldn't play it? But it leaves an artist, no matter how great, in the uncomfortable position of being a nostalgia act and let’s face it, artistically irrelevant in the contemporary music landscape. Robert Plant, who shall forever have the title "former Led Zeppelin front man" attached to his name, despite having not been in that band since 1980, is not one of those artists. A fascination with world music, especially that found in Northern Africa and the Middle East, that dates back to his Zeppelin days has ensured a degree of adventurousness not often found in so-called "herit...

You're every line, You’re every word, You’re everything. In this foolish life, and through these foolish times It's has to be you that make me sing. You're a falling star; You’re the getaway car. You're the line in the sand Before I get too far. You're the deep blue sea, on an August day. And you're the perfect thing to say. And you play you're shy, but it's kinda cute. When you smile at me you know exactly what you do. Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true. ’Cause you can see it when I look at you. You're a carousel, ...

I’ve been meaning to post this blog long time ago, infect the day I received an invitation via email from Kevin Saliba (one of the poets) to mark the launch of a new poetry book called Hbula Stirati by 5 poets next Saturday the 21st of July in one of my favourite garden, the one I say is in San Maison but everyone says it is in Floriana. (Tal Milorda Garden) It could be that just like G’Mangia we are being influenced to erase these little suburbs from the books but anyhow that‘s a different story. If just like me you enjoy Maltese literature and in this case Maltese poetry with a little extra spice I recommend you check Hbula Stirati. And even better why not attend the launch and get hold of the book itself which should be available by next Monday. Who know maybe one day you would be reading my flyer advertising the launch of my book. It has been in the pipeline but I’m too lazy to do it...

I made yesterday a cinema night and it was funny how all films showing at my favourite complex were all sequels. Once a movie makes it big at the box office, the film makers tendency is to extract as much money as possible from the series or trilogy proposed. I was in a fairytale mood (if one can figure out what that is) so my choice and my date’s fell on Shrek the Tired, sorry I meant the Third. I settled in my seat, enjoying the good sight lines and the excited anticipation of the children, when a little voice behind me said, “Have to turn off the mobile now, it's gonna start" to the guy next to her, who being my age was probably her dad.”The child, a girl, couldn’t have been more than seven. Even in this era, seven is too early for biting wit. Then, as the movie began, I realized that this girl represents what DreamWorks Animation, the producer of this most lucrative of franchise animated features, envisions its audience to be. Tiny, but now too wise then our generation’s...

Even if due to working late I was not able to attend the launch of Pierre J. Mejlak’s latest work of art, today I managed to get my hands on a signed edition of Rih Isfel from Merlin Library and I found the book very intriguing and it kept me hooked till the last page and I had to keep on reading it to find out how it is going to end. I simply loved it especially since it is a twisted plot and I love twisted ends...I stop here it’s all yours to discover...do not miss it!

I don’t need to look back A new day is breaking I feel better and it’s so good this way I don’t mind where I get taken The road is calling Today is the dayI can see It took so long to realize I’m strong Not to compromise Now I see what I am What is holding me down Ill turn it around I finally see the dawn arriving I see beyond the road I’m driving Far away and left behind Its a new horizon and I’m awaken now Oh I see myself in a brand new way The sun is shining The clouds are breaking I can’t lose now, threes no game to play I can tell There’s no more time left to criticize I’ve seen what I could not recognize Everything in my life was leading me on But I can be strong I finally see the dawn arriving I see beyond the road I’m driving Far away and left behind