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this week
What
a week!
Claire
Xuereb, recently returned from a degree course in Switzerland,
is revenue manager for AX Hospitality. Zillah Bugeja takes a look
at the diary of this dedicated dynamo
Monday
My job is revenue manager for AX Hopitality, which basically means
looking at ways in which I can increase revenue for the Suncrest
Hotel, the Victoria, Sunny Coast and eventually the Verdala. I've
been career oriented since I was little, having worked in all departments
at the Suncrest since I was 14 during summer holidays, and gained
all the experience I could from my father. So I was excited about
doing a degree course in hospitality and tourism at the Glion Hotel
School in Switzerland. I came back last December and got straight
down to work. Revenue manager is a new post in the industry, which
covers food and beverage marketing and product development.
My mind gets in gear on a Sunday evening for the week ahead. Breakfast
is cereal to give me energy, and I drive down the coast from Mosta
to Qawra. Every day we have a briefing at 9am to see what's going
to happen. Right now my day is full of Freddie Portelli, who I'm
sure is Elvis Presley reborn – I'm trying to make my first
project, Freddie on Friday nights at It-Tokk, a big success.
The morning was spent checking up on how the weekend went. I'm still
trying to understand lifestyle trends, how the young spend their
money, that kind of thing.
Every so often I treat myself to lunch at Cascades, otherwise it's
at the canteen together with management.
A normal day's work ends at 7.30pm but Mondays tend to carry on
till 10.30pm. I had dinner at 8pm, doing two things at once, adjourning
my father about my day, he fills me in with what he's done, and
my mother the same. After work, went walking in the Ta'Xbiex area
with a friend. I actually hurt myself, I'm not used to walking in
flat shoes so I pulled a muscle, and we had to ask a bus driver
who was off duty to give us a lift back to the car.
I go walking for pleasure and to de-stress. I'm not concerned about
my weight, I eat like crazy and it's one thing I love doing. I love
going out for dinner, especially themed concepts behind the whole
experience. You live once and I like to live well.
Tuesday
Had to starve myself for 12 hours for my operation! Up at 7.30 and
by 7.55 was at Capua. I've never had an operation on my teeth before.
My tooth was probably ruined by the chemical-rich water on the cruise
liner I've recently worked on, and by all the rich foods I'd eaten
there. I had done a course of root canal treatment, translating
the report as I went from the ports in Spain to France. I recently
ate a ‘galletta' and the thing opened up completely! Needing
to do a lot of speaking in public, I decided to do something about
it, so a call to Dr Mark Diacono was made and the result was this
operation at 9am. The surgeon realised I don't drink alcohol, a
tiny bit of anaesthetic and my eyes went crossed! I refused a general
anaesthetic, so I was awake for three hours, seeing all those hands
and instruments, the needles too! I try not to take medicines so
that my body won't become immune to them – more of my long-term
thinking. I prefer to try and control myself.
After the operation, all I could do was spend the day asleep while
I was convalescing.
Wednesday
Back home. I work on a laptop so my office was transferred to my
bedroom. I contacted journalists to see how they had enjoyed the
Freddie Portelli night. Part of my job is trying to establish relations
here, after having been away so long. Being home felt very good.
My mum was delighted I was at home, and spent the day baking biscuits,
in particular ‘biskuttini tar-rahal'. We made a breakdown of
the costs, comparing different recipes, and had a good laugh.
Having lived on my own for three years, I love to hear all the small
household noises that signal home, a tap dripping, pots and pans
knocking against each other, that kind of thing.
Normally on Wednesdays I'd go to kick boxing lessons at the Westin
Dragonara. It's just something I've discovered I enjoy. I'm strong
by nature, I like high kicks, so this was one of the first things
I enrolled in on my return, a self defence tool that gets out all
the anger.
Thursday
Took liberty to wake up later, I never get to sleep before 2am normally,
because of my lifestyle. At 10 I called the dentist to tell him
how I was faring. I was so frustrated that I couldn't talk or eat
properly, it's holding me back from something I love. My friends
brought me some soft apple pie, at least!
Stayed home all day, working from home. Before I left Malta four
years ago, there were only two TV stations, the media has improved
dramatically. I never normally get the chance to watch TV so I watched
from beginning to end, zapping channels, to see where I can infiltrate
with some promotions of mine. I hate wasting my time – that's
where the doing two things at once comes into the picture.
In my spare time, graphic design is one way I relax. I'll just draw
whatever comes to mind and it inspires me. If I hadn't gone into
the hospitality industry I think I'd have opted to go into advertising.
I miss the friends I made during the course, we had so much in common:
ambition, perceptions, lifestyles – and being away meant we
were all totally ourselves. So I receive 20 emails a day from them,
they get flagged and replied to on Sunday – and that helps
keep me going. They are all surprised how quickly I started work,
while they're all still enjoying a break. My calendar of Switzerland
and my graduation photo are other inspirations that keep my spirits
up.
Friday
Very excited about the second Freddie Portelli night at It-Tokk,
because it's my baby, my first project. The first night on the 16th
was a success but tonight I felt helpless, hardly being able to
talk. I still bothered all the staff with a stream of phone calls
to see how sales were going.
I managed to visit the Victoria Hotel to check out how the antiques
and fine arts exhibition was going, as well as the display of the
Verdala mansions, and to make contacts. I've found that in Malta,
you almost rely on your relationships with people in the business
world.
Food was only soup and anything I could munch from one side. We'd
normally go to Tattinger's on a Friday. I love to dance, it's a
means of relaxing and expressing myself, I just love it, dancing
to any music.
Saturday
Treated myself to a good breakfast, normally don't stop for lunch
on Saturdays, just take the opportunity to catch up with friends.
Francesca came home at 1pm and we went for a drive, driving is one
of my hobbies. It was off to Sliema for coffee and a chat. Then
I went to the hairdressers, had my hair done curly because of my
face so that the swelling wouldn't show, it was like a Charlie's
Angels style. Got lots of compliments from everyone except my mum.
Did some clothes shopping in my own time. I prefer to shop alone,
I buy what I want immediately, having taken notes during the week
of what is missing from my wardrobe. That little notebook goes with
me shopping, I find that organising makes my life easier.
The mobile's going 24 hours a day, naturally, with friends calling,
so it was off for another coffee, then time to wash and feed the
car. Half an hour of family time and by 9pm we'd met up for dinner
at the Blue Room. It was so packed we had to eat at a tiny table
by the side, but I'm not fussy, I love to enjoy the whole dining
out experience. Complaining about little things is not worth the
hassle. Being in the trade one is observant, but I've learned to
put that to one side and enjoy the evening, which I'd like to say,
was good.
We all went for a drink at Prime and Jude (I think it's called),
a bar in Rabat. Having been away for so long, I have to go with
the flow about where's trendy and cool. Back home about 4am.
Sunday
I'm very lazy on Sundays. Woke up at around 11am, I try not to ruin
the whole day because it's special, more of a family day which I
missed when I was away. Lunch is always at home, and before that
it's visiting the grandparents. We're a big family, on dad's side
alone there are 40 cousins, so Naxxar is full of relations and I'm
like the Pope, always waving.
After lunch, started waking up my friends. I then spent the whole
day very pleasantly catching up with my brother who has recently
returned from his studies in Manchester. Richard picked me up from
the Victoria Hotel and we drove to Fontanella. Passing by the Verdala
hotel, we got excited about this new family venture, the first where
Richard and I will be actively taking a hand.
At Fontanella, we bumped into more family who were surprised to
see a sister and brother together. After I had my favourite chocolate
cake we walked through Mdina, laughing, because we must have looked
like any other couple. We picked up Richard's girlfriend and went
to mass in Valletta, after that Richard and I saw What Women Want.
Jokingly, he said, ‘I thought you were going to kiss me!',
because that's what all the other ‘couples' were doing!
We had a good laugh, I was taken back to my car, and my mind went
into gear again in preparation of a week of work.
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