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Day: 14 October 2021

Halloween fun for little ghouls and ghosts

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/10/2021

The Monaco City Hall is planning a range of Halloween events around the Principality, ensuring there will be more treats than tricks and heaps of fun to be had by all.

Halloween, believed to have stemmed from the ancient Celtic festival of Samaïn, has in recent years become a popular holiday in Monaco. Long celebrated by the Americans, the Halloween tradition of children dressing up in scary costumes demanding sweets with the cry of “trick or treat” has now infiltrated society on this side of the pond making it a much-anticipated night in the autumn calendar.

The Monaco Mairie is joining in the celebrations by organising events on 31st October where kids can gather in all their frightening best at the Princess Antoinette Park and the Monaco Media Library in a safe and sane way.

Princess Antoinette Park is hosting the 11th edition of the Great Halloween Game. School children in Monaco, aged 3 to 12, are invited to come on Halloween day from 2pm to 4:30pm to play for their treats. Costumes are encouraged and sweets will be up for grabs to all who attend. Due to health regulations, reservations for 15-minute spots are required before 4pm on 29th October whilst space is available. Three- to six-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. To inscribe, visit the website at https://www.laboitedejeux.net/halloween.

Meanwhile, the Monaco Media Library will welcome kids for Halloween themed activities at the Princess Caroline Library from 28th October to 5th November. Children will be creating a “haunted house” book, playing games, taking part in parent-child workshops, scary story-readings and movie-watching. They even provide the popcorn. Kids over 10 can participate in an evening games night playing Obscurio, Mystérium and Mystérium Park. Space is limited and registration is required. For more info, go to www.mediatheque.mc

 
 
Photo by Julia Raasch on Unsplash
 
 
 

New site identified for Ni-Box bowling alley

by: Cassandra Tanti
14/10/2021

The government has revealed that Zac Saint Antoine in Cap d’Ail is likely to house Monaco’s bowling alley when the Ni-Box is demolished to make way for more housing in the Mareterra district.
During National Council budgetary debates earlier this month, councillors raised the subject of the demolition, which was first mentioned during a town council meeting last July.
On 6th October, some councillors had expressed concern about the future of the bowling alley, a popular hangout for the Principality’s youth.
The government was able to provide an update on the situation.
“I can confirm that, in view of the demolition of the Ni-Box, a relocation site has been identified on the ground floor of the Zac Saint Antoine in Cap d’Ail, Marquet side, in the immediate vicinity of Monaco,” said Minister of State Pierre Dartout. “A call for expressions of interest will be published very soon, with a view to selecting the future operator. In the absence of appropriate candidates, the current bowling alley operator has undertaken to move the establishment to this new premises and to continue its activity.”
Ni-Box, which currently houses the eight-lane bowling alley, the Munchkins Club, arcade games and pool tables, was developed by the Pastor Group and inaugurated in 2010.
Within the same building is a McDonalds eatery and a Star Bucks on the rooftop terrace.
The entire structure will be demolished to create a new residential building as part of Mareterra, the new waterfront eco-district in Monaco that is due for completion by 2025.
Portier Cove Mareterra, as it is also known, will feature more than 100 luxury apartments and villas, a marina, restaurants and shops across a space of 60,000sqm. The cost to develop the new district is estimated at around €2 billion, with €800 million being spent on the maritime infrastructure alone.
 
Photo of Ni-Box after its inauguration in 2010
 
 
 
 

Monaco hosts first ever Nature Weekend

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/10/2021

The Principality will come alive this weekend with a large programme of activities dedicated to gardening, biodiversity and understanding nature.

With sunny skies forecast, it is a great opportunity to get the family outdoors this weekend for a nature-themed event encompassing a long-list of activities.

On 16th and 17th October, free entertainment will be on offer by the gardeners of the Department of Urban Planning, including visits, workshops and games, free of charge and without the need to reserve.

Participants will get a “passport” which can be completed at the end of each activity and surprises will be reserved for kids in the various green spaces.

The programme is diverse and interactive. It includes a land art workshop in the garden of Villa Paloma at the New National Museum of Monaco with the theme ‘Art and Garden’, and visits and workshops about ‘biological control’ at the Princess Grace Rose Garden with a release of auxiliary insects.

Tree pruning demonstrations will be held at the Japanese Garden showing the importance of pruning to maintain balance between roots and branches, and a treasure hunt in Monaco Ville near Porte Neuve will explain the stages of ‘tree diagnosis’ by examining trunks, roots and leaves.

There will also be workshops and games around composting and mulching, with the creation of a small pallet composter and distribution of mulch bags at the UNESCO gardens as well as the creation of a green wall at the Promenade Honoré II where tips on how to create one’s own wall will be given.

Finally, at Larvotto, there will be a tree planting session carried out using cranes and mechanical shovels and an introductory course on repotting, cuttings, the composition of green plants and edible flower tastings at the Pépinière Domaniale de Monaco, located in Saint Laurent d´Eze.

The schedule will run both days from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm.

 

 

Photo of the Japanese Garden by Monaco Life 

 
 

Close but no cigar for Roca team in Madrid

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/10/2021

AS Monaco put forth a gallant effort but couldn’t quite take it over the line for the win against Real Madrid at the WiZink Centre Wednesday night. The final score was 86 to 94.  

The Roca Team were not on their best form on Wednesday night when they faced off against Real Madrid in a tough Turkish Airlines EuroLeague match on the road. There were some magic moments, but all-in-all, the team was outclassed by their opponents, giving them something to strive for this season.

The starting line-up was strong, made up of Paris Lee, Mike James, Danilo Andjusic, Donatas Motiejunas, and Jerry Boutsiele.

Madrid took the lead from the start, with the Roca team falling behind an astonishing one to 13. Andjusic stopped the haemorrhaging with a three-pointer followed by another two-pointer on its heels. This did nothing to deter Madrid, who took control again and in two minutes and widened the lead to six to 25.

They bounced back a bit in the second quarter, outscoring Madrid 27 to 21, but this still sent them into the locker room behind 39 to 51.

The second half saw the fire return to AS Monaco and they slowly began to claw their way out of the hole. Most of the third quarter, the two teams went head-to-head on shots, keeping Monaco within striking distance.

Mike James took the proverbial bull by the horns and scored a massive 14 points on his own in the third, bring the score to 65 to 72.

In the final quarter, Monaco managed to even things up, but the Spaniards were too good. In the end, the score sat at 86 to 94 – respectable considering how far they had to come to get there.

Monaco made 30 shots out of 63 on the night going 13 for 30 in three-point range. They captured 29 rebounds, made 22 assists, stole the ball nine times and picked up 10 strays.

Mike James was high scorer with an incredible 24 points, Donta Hall was next up with 12, followed by Will Thomas with 11.

The Roca boys return on Friday at 7pm for more EuroLeague action against Barcelona at Salle Gaston Médecin.

 

 
 
Photo by Manuel Vitali/Communication Department. Written by Monaco Life with press release
 
 
 

MEB consolidates ties with Italy at business fair

by: Cassandra Tanti
14/10/2021

The Monaco Economic Board (MEB) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Italian Nice, Sophia-Antipolis, Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce at the Monaco Business fair, further strengthening their relationship. 
MEB Executive Director General Guillaume Rose and Agostino Pesce, Director General of the Italian Nice, Sophia-Antipolis, Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce, formalised the coming together of the two at the Monaco Business fair on 6th Octoberat a ceremony attended by many key figures. Founded in 1997 and recognised by the Italian government and France, this Italian Chamber of Commerce offers a gateway to doing business in Italy by acting as a facilitator.
The two shared a stand to promote the agreement’s potential to local businesses. Key players in both countries’ economies complement each other which, along with close integration of Monaco’s economy in the region, plays a major role in its growth. Last year at the same event, MEB signed a similar agreement with Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce andIndustry.
MEB and the Italian Chamber of Commerce were also partners at a conference on the theme ‘Italo-Monegasque business relations and opportunities’.
The agreement is another string to MEB’s bow in its relations with Italy, which also includes Monaco’s well established diplomatic and consular network and the Destination Monaco Ambassadors Club comprising captains of industry with strong links to the Principality, as well as Italian entrepreneurs and their representatives who are settled in the city-state.
In December, the MEB is organising a major business forum in Monaco in partnership with the Destination Monaco Ambassadors Club, providing member companies with more opportunities to grow their business with its big neighbour.
 
Photo: Guillaume Rose, MEB Executive Director General (right) and Agostino Pesce, Director General Italian Nice, Sophia-Antipolis, Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce (left) signing a cooperation agreement watched by (l-r) Laura Gaggero, City of Genoa Tourism Deputy; H.E. Mr Giulio Alaimo, Italy’s Ambassador to Monaco; Michel Dotta, MEB Chairman; François-Xavier Le Clerc from Monaco’s Business Development Agency. Photo by MEB/Carte Blanche. Written by Monaco Life with press release