Midsummer Meeting by the Mediterranean

The midsummer meeting of the Costa Press Club was held in the attractive surroundings of LaKala Beach restaurant in La Cala de Mijas. It was an ‘Open Mic’ event for members who wanted to grab centre stage for a few minutes and tell everyone about their latest projects or whatever was close to their hearts.

Before the dinner and speeches, however, Neil Hesketh took the microphone to deliver a moving and personal tribute to the club’s late president, Jesper Sander Pedersen, who died in May after a long spell in hospital. Now acting president until the committee can be reconstituted, Neil recalled that Jesper had been involved in the initial preparations for the event before he became ill, and had always particularly enjoyed the club’s midsummer parties.

He also recounted how the last time he had talked to Jesper was at a chance encounter in Málaga when they briefly touched on a topic of interest to them both, and agreed to continue the discussion at a later date – leading Neil to end his tribute with the reflection that one should always ‘have that conversation’, and not leave it until it is too late.

The event then got under way, with a truly delicious meal prepared by LaKala Beach chef Michael Da Costa, and Open Mic talks on various themes, from a presentation by Wendy Cowham of The Costa Connection magazine (available now from an outlet near you, and at www.costaconnection.online) to an account by Joan Fallon of progress on her latest book, a historical novel involving ‘love, politics, suspense and injustice’ and called ‘The Winds of Change’ (out soon).

Chris Chaplow entertained members with his contribution, entitled ‘Clickbait – the curse or the scourge of the modern web?’ Clickbait, he mused, had been described as ‘a headline that intentionally over-promises and under-delivers’, such as a recently seen one which lured readers to click on a link that promised to ‘reveal the trick’ of shopping in Mercadona without paying for a plastic bag – and which, after a long article interspersed with ads and videos, recommended finding an empty cardboard box near the milk shelf.

Georgina Oliver also amused the gathering with what she called a ‘self plug’ about what it takes to be a ‘tricultural journalist’. Describing herself as a Franco-Brit Malagueña with a red-hot passion for an ‘Andalucian beau’ she met when she was 17, and also for newspapers, she illustrated her talk about her career, delivered in true-to-character trilingual fashion, by fishing out of her handbag a two-pin Spanish plug.

To round off the evening, a prize for the best summer party look was awarded jointly to Louise Cook Edwards and Gary Edwards, who were suitably attired for a media event in matching newsprint-themed outfits.

Photos

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