The Carriage

Sumptuously situated on the fifth floor of Valletta Buildings in South Street, this quality restaurant has long been known for the excellent quality of food which it dispenses.

Add that to the stunning location and to the excellent silver service and you have a cocktail which truly demonstrates that eating out can really be that special occasion. The Carriage is also renowned for its considerable menu but its specialty is fresh fish which is a definite must have for all who savour an appetite for the marine.

La Mère Restaurant

A fascinating journey through Indian, Arabian, Mediterranean and Maltese Authentic Homemade Cuisines. La Mère wears its heart on the menu and ‘Love Your Food’ is the given command before your step through the door. There is a mesmerising variety of dishes to choose from. Also, a rarity in Malta, you can also bring your own bottle of wine at a small charge of €4.50.

Open daily from noon till 3pm & 7pm till 10:30pm (closed Monday lunch & Sunday dinner)
174, Merchant Street, Valletta | Tel: 21223256 / 99494721 | info@lamere.com.mt

Giannini

Another classy restaurant located at the end of South Street facing Manoel Island, Giannini is a favourite for those who like to have class married with style. The windswept location is also extremely romantic and the silver service on offer shows that one can truly have the best quality in Malta. The restaurant’s menu is also highly commendable and very desirable in every sense with a wide variety of meats and fish which are served quite delectably.

Rubino

Located in the heart of Old bakery Street, this fine restaurant has been on the top table for a number of years now. It has recently changed ownership but is still consistently one of the best restaurants on the island. Prices may be high and rather on the extravagant side but the quality of the food is absolutely something else. Homemade food is one of Rubino‘s specialties and the choice of ingredients and the way the food is presented is truly eclectic to say the least. This one is certainly a restaurant to visit.

So there you have three of the best restaurants in Valletta which are certainly worth a visit. Others which spring to mind are the Blue Room at the bottom of Republic Street if you want some good quality Chinese Food as well as Café Premier if you are looking for something light. The Manoel Theatre Restaurant is also a good bet if you want to tuck into a nice dinner after an event there.

In today’s day and age, the buy to let market is increasing at a substantial rate so property management does come into question and is a serious issue by any account.

First of all one has to keep a property clean and habitable so it is important to paint the inside walls at regular intervals.

Electrics and plumbing should also be kept up to scratch so that there will be no messing around when new tenants come in the property to live in it and perhaps may encounter problems. It is crucial that everything functions and is in good working order as these issues will definitely crop up when rent is due, for example.

Condominium maintenance is probably the single most important issue in property management and here we encounter such problems as cleanliness of the stairs, lifts and other common areas. A property management company will definitely keep these up to date and as clean as possible and there is the elimination of the hassle one encounters to collect money from residents for this maintenance especially is these are away and do not have an interest in keeping the areas spick and span.

There are several property management companies on the island but among these one finds Cresta Property Services which may be found at www.crestaservices.com. This company is led by a well known specialist in the property field who is Ivan Azzopardi and who brings about a wealth of experience in this area. The company deals with all sorts of property including villas, apartments, maisonettes and the like and offers a comprehensive service backed up by a wealth of experience.

Property management is definitely the next big thing in the market and this area can only grow accordingly. One feels that this area is severely neglected in Malta as everyone seems to be much more focused on the actual purchasing of the property leaving the maintenance out of the picture. It would be wise to invest in proper property management as this will also increase the value of the property for after sale.

Lately he has been in the news for taking a strong stance against the Prime Minister particularly over the botched public transport reform where he also attacked Transport Minister Austin Gatt but was also in the news over the Delimara power station extension where he campaigned strongly against the use of heavy fuel oil, uselessly as it appears as this went through Parliament anyway.

Debono is well known for his uncompromising stance on various issues including the right to be assisted by a lawyer throughout police interrogation as well as libel laws which he has worked assiduously upon. In fact, Debono was also instrumental in drafting a law on political party financing which however did not see the light of day due to it being changed considerably before it came up for a vote in Parliament.

However Debono will undoubtedly be remembered for his strong position against the Prime Minister especially regarding the splitting of the Justice and Home Affairs ministries which eventually brought about the promotion of three new Parliamentary Secretaries to Ministers. Debono is currently a Parliamentary Assistant within the Office of the Prime Minister but his further contribution to the portfolio is definitely in doubt.

Debono has stated categorically that he will not continue to support the government and will vote against it in a confidence vote thus effectively robbing the Prime Minister from his one seat majority. The lawyer has even hinted that he might emigrate from the country if the strong campaign against him is to continue. He appears to be steadfast in his determination to see this issue out and will not be brooking any sort of deal with the PN from which he has effectively resigned some months ago.

Visit my friend’s blog for the latest on Franco Debono‘s adventures, views and opinions.

For example in Malta school failure was not very long ago rated as (41,6%), the very last country of Europe with regards to this indicator as per reliable studies in 2007.

Source: click here to open pdf (page 5)

As parents with some background in education and very concerned about pedagogy, my wife and me were doing some research trying to understand which of the existing educational models incorporate the concepts that many of the authorities in education agree today as essential in the kids’ education to prepare them for success in life, such as emotional intelligence, social intelligence, multiple intelligence, etc.

We discovered Waldorf education as one of these models, recommended by very expert people in the field. An educational model with the aim to prepare the person, not just to match in the society, but to be able to develop all her potential.

We would like to have this option for the education of our children in Malta, and we are looking for parents interested in this model of school.

You can find more info about the Waldorf school model at http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/ and if you are also interested in this type of education please contact Julián Sáez using email: waldorfmalta@gmail.com

Breakfast is a treat with all sorts of delicacies offered including a full English breakfast if you’re game for that one.

The staff at the hotel are garcious and charming and you can ask for anything you want as they will always be there to help out and always do so with a smile. An attractive feature of the hotel is the vintage cars collection with three models on permanent display dating from 1919 to 1927.

The rooms are comfortable and spacious with cleanniness quite the order of the day although I have been in more luxurious places but I would say that its just about right for its price range. There’s also the possibility of taking a walk in the area close to the hotel with some fine scenery all around. For those who enjoy soaking up the sun and taking a well deserved dip, there’s a large pool with an ample sun deck where you can lounge away to your heart’s content.

One can also choose to sample lunch or dinner by booking on a half board basis where the fare is served through a buffet so for a relatively cheap price you can eat as much as you like. The Tate Lounge Bar is also a fine area where one can wind down with a drink and socialize accordingly with major sports events also shown on the big screen. The Bella Vista Hotel truly has something for everyone.

Within the Maltese legal system it is the only institution in Malta authorised to award the degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D). This is still required today in order to qualify as an Lawyer, Magistrate or Judge in The Republic of Malta.

In addition to being a teaching institution, the Law Faculty serves as the national centre of excellence for research into Maltese Law.With such a large faculty, many University students study law and train to become lawyers.

Different firms specialize in different aspects of law and it’s important to know who specializes in what discipline. The different specializations within the Maltese Legal system include:

• Banking, insurance and financial services,
• Commercial litigation,
• Company law,
• e-Commerce and IT
• Family law,
• iGaming,
• Intellectual property,
• International law,
• Shipping,
• Taxation law.

The larger firms, such as Camilleri Preziosi Advocates, Ganado and Associates, Fenech and Fenech Advocates, Mamo TCV Advocates tend to have members with skills spanning across several disciplines, whereas smaller firms may only have expertise in one or two areas. Some firms specialize in a particular area, for example Zammit and Associates concentrate on business law and WH Law have found a niche working with the iGaming and IT-related sector, which is thriving in Malta. Smaller firms tend to concentrate on civil law and litigation for individuals and smaller businesses.

Many firms are geared up for foreign clients with correspondents in many countries abroad. Help us build a comprehensive list of lawyers in Malta, by leaving your feedback below!

There are various types of ballet dancing but the most popular one which is generally taught in Malta is the classical format. Here dancers perform to a set piece of music which is normally a classical piece.

However more modern styles have been introduced in the past years. Some schools also offer contemporary ballet where the movements are much more complex and strenuous with dancers having to be of a certain age to perform this demanding style.

Ballet dancing was introduced in Malta in the earlier twentieth century when a number of Russian émigrés who fled from the Russian revolution in 1917 found refuge on the island. For many years, a school was run under the patrimony of Princess Nathalie Poutiatine which school still bears her illustrious name. Thus ballet teaching in Malta has concentrated chiefly around the Russian style and the schools generally offer this type of instruction.

There are several schools in Malta which are situated in the Sliema-St Julian’s metropolitan area. Sliema boasts two of the most renowned, the aforementioned Princess Poutiatine and the Nathalie Bayona school in Old College Street. Mary Jane Bellia has her school in Gzira close to the Msida border in Nazju Ellul Street while the Pellegrini Petit sisters operate a huge school in San Gwann, close to Mater Dei Hospital. Fees are generally on the high side as ballet dancing is very much viewed as an exclusive pastime normally reserved for the upper middle classes although competition has also brought about a correction in costs.

In March the Royal Commonwealth Society launched an exciting new project, the Jubilee Time Capsule. This is a unique social archive that aims to tell the people’s history of the last 60 years through a range of innovative media. Next year the Capsule will be presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to mark Her Diamond Jubilee.

The RCS wants stories from all over the Commonwealth, and Malta is no exception!

They want to hear your stories about an event in the last 60 years that was important to you, your family, your community, or Malta. Maybe you have a story about Independence Day in 1964, Festa celebrations in your village, a family wedding or a special birthday. You can upload a photo, a video, an audio recording or a written piece. Simply visit the Jubilee Time Capsule website, www.jubileetimecapsule.org, and follow instructions to enter your story.

For further details see jubileetimecapsule.org, or email us at jubilee@thercs.org.

I had the opportunity to visits the restaurant recently and can safely say that I was pretty much impressed with all that was going on.

The menu was widely varied and included tapas as well as a vast selection of pizzas with innovative ingredients. I selected an Amigos Nice’n Spicy and was not disappointed by the quality of the pizza base as well as the taste of the hot ingredients which can be a bit spicy for some but were definitely just up my street!

There is also a vast selection of salads which are ideal for those who are on a diet or wish to watch their weight too. The interior décor of the restaurant is extremely cool with a lot of pictures and a colour scheme which is soothing to the eyes. Amigos has also recently opened a new restaurant in Wilga Street Paceville where it continues to cater for younger clientele and boosts the culinary options in Malta’s hottest nightlife spot.

Locations:

Sliema
55 Sir Adrian Dingli Street
Opening times:
Mon – Thu: 12.00pm – 11.30pm
Fri – Sun: 12.00pm – 12.00am

Paceville
11 Wilga Street
Opening times:
Mon – Thu: 12.00pm – 2.00am
Fri – Sun: 12.00pm – 5.30am

In recent history, the castle has formed part of a hotel, the Selmun Palace which has even seen several ugly accretions in the form of nondescript buildings spring up behind it. The hotel was for a few decdaes the property of the Maltese national airline, Air Malta but after several years of running at a loss, it is now for sale although the asking price which is reputed to be several million Euros has not brought forth any offers.

The castle also includes a garcious chapel close by which is contemporaneous to the castle and is still in relatively good condition. There is also a restauarant named De favray which is renowned for its excellent cuisine although it is not known if this is still in operation. The castle is popular also as a wedding venue with several high profile weddings having been held there and with its luscious grounds and wonderful atmosphere, it is surely a beautiful event for those lucky enough to enjoy it.

Unfortunately, the castle is in dire need of proper restoration as it has been left to its own devices in the past months and has undoubtedly suffered from exposure to the elements. It is a monument which is crying out for restoration as it is one of the most important prevailing castles in the Maltese islands of which there are percious few.