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Windstar Sail Cruises Reviews
Year Started: 1984
Ships in Fleet: 4
Category: Upscale
Summary: Three small (200, 200 and 350-passenger) sail-rigged motorized sail ships. Great open-air sailing with port-intensive itineraries - and now three former Seabourn yachts.
Windstar Cruise Ships
Regions:Caribbean, Central America, Mediterranean
Good for: Group. Singles. First-time Cruisers.
Regions:Caribbean, Central America, Mediterranean
Good for: Group. Singles. First-time Cruisers.
Regions:Caribbean, Mediterranean, Scandinavia
Good for: Group. Singles. First-time Cruisers.
User Reviews
My wife and I spent a week on the Windstar Sprit cruising from Athens (7/14/2012) to Istanbul (7/21/2012). We had a very good time (A-), but the heat was terrible with the temperature over 100 degrees most days. There are not many online reviews of the Windstar line or this itinerary, so I hope this review helps. We are not "cruise people" and the only other ship we have been on is the Disney Dream with our children.
The Sprit is a motorized sailboat which carries about 140 passengers and 96 crew. It is much smaller than a large ship such as the Disney Dream. On average, the sails provide 20-30% of the propulsion.
The atmosphere is very casual with no formal dinners or theme nights. For dinner, they request men wear slacks and a collared shirt. You can visit the bridge anytime the boat is sailing. The crew members are almost always willing to talk to you and answer questions. The average passenger is about 50 years old and most are married couples ranging in age from 25 to 70. There were a few teenagers and a few friends traveling together.I did not meet any passengers who were traveling alone. During our trip it was 100+ degrees most days and you needed to be somewhat physically fit to tolerate the heat and climb the ruins. The few passengers over 72 y/o struggled at times on some of the tours.
It is easy to meet other passengers. At dinner you are asked if you want to sit with another couple. Tours typically have 5-20 people and you quickly get to know your tour mates. Almost all the passengers were very friendly and would stop and to say hello if they saw you while exploring a museum or local street. We had prolonged conversations with about half the other passengers by the time we left the boat.
This is an American boat serving English speaking passengers. All transactions are in US dollars, no language other than English is spoken, and the food served is typical for an American restaurant. More than half of the passengers came from the USA with a few Australians, English, and Canadians. Maybe 10-15% of passengers did not speak English as their first language. Despite sailing from Greece to Turkey, there was not a single passenger from either country.
A typical day begins with an early breakfast in port. Tours provided by the boat leave between 8:15 to 8:30 am. On any given day, about half the passengers go on the tours provided by the boat and the others explore the ports or set up outside tours on their own. Most tours return in time for lunch which is served from 12 to 2 pm. About half the passengers returned to the boat to eat lunch and the others ate at local restaurants. A few tours extend into the afternoon and included lunch. Most passengers explore the ports or visit local beaches during the afternoon. The boat leaves port between 4 and 11 pm so it can arrive at the next port around 7 am. Dinner is served between 7 and 9 pm. Many dinners extend past 10 pm and most passengers seemed to go to bed shortly after dinner. This is not a party boat. Although there is some entertainment, few passengers spend the evening dancing or stayed up late.
Room - (B+) almost every cabin is identical. The cabins on deck 1 (one up from the engine deck) are a bit less expensive than those on deck 2. I saw no reason to pay the extra money to be on deck 2. The rooms are about 10 by 20 feet with a queen size bed (or 2 small singles), a built in dresser, 2 closets, other storage and a small but very functional bathroom. A small refrigerator containing water and soft drinks (included) and beer and alcoholic beverages (not included) is provided. Although not luxurious, the rooms are very nice and we found ours to be very comfortable. The only thing missing was a couch (only a small chair was provided.
Food - (A-) breakfast is served in the veranda (on deck 4) and includes many cold items, fresh squeezed juices, fresh baked croissants and other items, and a hot food station. Eggs, pancakes, etc can be ordered from the staff. The breakfasts were very good with a few exceptions such as the dry bacon. Lunch was served buffet style in the veranda and the quality of the food was variable. Dinner was served in the dining room (on deck 3) and was usually very good to excellent. The dinner cuisine was modern American with 4 courses. One night there was an excellent buffet (with some local foods) and barbeque around the tiny pool (deck 4). Breads were good to excellent, deserts were at times a bit weak and the appetizers served before dinners were only fair. The meat was almost all frozen and imported from the USA except for some fresh fish the chef obtained at the ports. The beef was top choice (Angus) and excellent. Most of the produce was obtained in Athens and Istanbul. Overall, we enjoyed to food.
Service - (A) was almost always excellent and the crew tried so hard to please you. Our cabin steward always had our room clean when we returned from a meal or excursion. He was always concerned that we had what we needed in our refrigerator and room. The on-board tour guides were always helpful and informative. The only significant flaw in the service was the difficulty I encountered obtaining soft drinks (and refills) at dinner. The service staff were all men from Indonesia and the Philippines. The officers were mostly British except the captain who was American. The engine crew were all men from eastern Europe. There were only a few female crew members: a first officer, the spa staff, a few reception desk and boutique ladies, and Elsa the spunky Greek tour guide.
Tours - (A) 1 to 4 tours were offered at each port. We found Windstar phone support in the USA was not good and they did not know much about the tour packages. There is no need to book the tours in advance. They almost never sell out and on-board destination manager is very helpful in explaining what each tour involves. Most tours are $49 to $99 and cost about twice as much as what it would cost for you to set up the same tour on your own. For example, the Delos (a ferry ride from Mykonos) tour was $89 each. A couple we meet took the ferry to Delos ($20), paid the Delos park admission ($6) and found a good guide who spoke English ($12) for $38 each. The tour guides provided by the boat are usually excellent and you have to decide if it's worth the hassle and risk (knowing where to go, finding a good guide) of setting up a tour on your own.
Here is a list of the attractions we explored (A=highlight not to miss, B=very nice, C=average):
Athens (before cruise) - City A. Stayed at the AVA Hotel and Suites (15 rooms, Plaka, A-) which was 3 blocks from the Acropolis. This was the top rated Athens hotel on TripAdvisor with a great location, big room (not really a suite), and a very good breakfast (included). We enjoyed our stay, but the bathroom was too small for me to call this a 5 star hotel - 4.5 stars would be more accurate. 1.5 days gave us just the right amount of time to see the major sites in the Plaka area (B+): Acropolis and the Parthenon (A) - get there early to beat the crowds and heat, New Acropolis Museum (A), Ancient Agora (B), Hadrian's Library (C+), Roman Agora (C-), Temple of Zeus (C-). It was hot.
Mykonos - town (B). Ferry to the small island of Delos (A) which was a port city of 30,000 people 2000 years ago. Nice ruins and a small museum. It was hot.
Santorini - is a spectacular sight with steep cliffs rising from the sea. The boat ancores at the capital of Fira (B+). Skip the donkey ride at Fira and use the cable car. Island overview and Oia village tour ($99, B+) was nice and drops you off at Fira. A cab trip to Oia village (picturesque whitewashed houses) would have been cheaper and almost as good. It was hot.
Rhodes - Although the Colossus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, there is not enough is left to justify a visit to the site. The walled medieval city of Rhodes (A-) is easily accessible from the dock including the 14th-century Palace of the Grand Masters (B). The Scenic Drive to Lindos Tour ($69) takes you to the summit of the Acropolis (A-). This is the perfect place to take a donkey ride up to the Acropolis, especially when it's hot (5 euro, ignore Elsa's bath mouthing of the Donkey rides). It was hot. Bodrum - a Turkish port town (C). We skipped the Windstar tours here since the sites are easily accessible and the tours do not take you around the city. For half the cost of a tour, we took a cab ride (30 euro) to the ancient theater (C), Myndos Gate (C-), and what's left of The Mausoleum of Mausolus (B) - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Bodrum Castle closes for lunch, so we returned to the ship to eat. In the afternoon, we toured Bodrum Castle, which is primarily a Museum of Underwater Archeology (A-). We rented an audio guide that was reasonably good. It was hot.
Kusadasi - the town is nice if you like buying carpets, but otherwise not a very exciting a place to visit (C). The highlight of the trip was our tour of Ephesus and it's Ancient Houses ($79). Ancient Ephesus (A) was a town of 250,000 about 2,000 year ago which declined due to Malaria and was eventually buried under mud from earthquakes. About 1/7th of the town has been excavated and you feel like you are walking through history. The Terrace Houses (A+) were owned by the wealthy and are remarkably preserved with their fine decorative mosaics and frescoes give a fascinating insight into ancient lifestyles. Don't waste your time on the tour that goes to Ephesus and the "Virgin Mary's home" since it does not include the Terrace Houses. If you must see a home selected through the vision of a 19th century nun, get the all day Concierge Tour that includes everything. It is hard to believe, but only half of the passengers went to Ephesus. After the tour, the guide brings you to a carpet-making demonstration (nice) which then turns into a hard sell to buy carpets (the boat gets a kickback). It would take hours to bargain them down to a good price, you can't return the carpet, and you feel trapped since you ordered free a free drink and food. If you escape without buying a carpet, they try to sell you jewelry as you try to find your way out the maze of similar looking doors. Our guide saw us and helped us find the disguised exit.
Istanbul (after cruise) - City (A). Stayed at the Millennium Suites (7 rooms, Sultanahmet, B) which was 3 blocks from the Acropolis. This was the top rated Istanbul hotel on TripAdvisor with a great location, big room (not really a suite), and an OK breakfast (included). Although they try very hard, our bathroom was not very nice and was undergoing some repairs. TripAdvisor called this a 5 star hotel - 3.5 stars would be more accurate and I might look elsewhere. 2.5 days gave us just the right amount of time to see the major sites in the area, most of which are covered by the Museum Pass: Topkapi Palace (15th century palace, A) and Harem Tour (not on pass, A+), 15 minute tram ride to the Dolmabahce Palace (not on pass, 19th century palace, A-) - get there early for the limited number of entries with only guided tours provided, Hagia Sophia Museum/Church (B+), 25 minute tram ride to the Chora Church and its beautiful mosaics (B+), Blue Mosque (free, C), Mosaic Museum (C), Grand Bazaar (lots of junk, D). A little less hot.
To Whomever it may concern,
I was not going to send this email but after calling to try to get my rehearsal dinner dress back that I left in the ship and I was put on hold for 15 min and then transferred to a voicemail of who NEVER Called back. I am extremely upset that it has been 2 weeks and no one has even attempted to return my call. Not to mention we never got a call after the trip asking us why we chose to get off the ship- the only reason I can think this courtesy call never happened is because windstar must get unhappy people getting off the ship all the time.
My husband arranged our honeymoon with a travel agent and by looking at the windstar website, They told us it is a "high-end" special way of traveling with beautiful wind sails, special treatment of guests, and wonderful food, not to mention stopping at wonderful ports in Italy and Croatia. From the moment we stepped on this boat, we were dissatisfied (this is an understatement) They were working on the ship fixing it when wegot on the boat- we could not even see out our window for the first day, the wind sails were NEVER put up as described in the website, and it was an old rusty ship. as We walked in, we signed up for a free treatment head-massage and continued on to our room, of which the TV was broken and the guy just told us that he couldn't fix it.
We then went to have a bite to eat. I have never been so disgusted by food in my life, it was like pre-heated convolecent home food. I ate bread and butter for the first two days. A complete disappointment because we came to Italy to eat food! Then we come to find out that we can only eat in the "nice" restaurants only once or twice the entire trip.
That night we went to a raffle in the spa and I won a free head massage. I made an appointment for the next night. Our friends had also purchased a massage for us which I scheduled at the same time. The next day I was excited to get off the boat and see Italy and eat REAL food, we ordered breakfast- completely un edible once again. We went upstairs to meet our tour guide and the cheesy announcer says that because there is a union problem we would be circling the island of Capri all day long.
I was soo depressed I went back and slept all day and eat the most disgusting cheeseburger of my life- I don't understand how someone could even mess up something that simple.
We got our "free" 2 limit DVD's and watched scratched old movies. I was excited for a free scalp treatment- so I went. The guy was soo creepy and he put you in front of a mirror and told you to close your eyes. I was soo creeped out after this 15 minute treatment that I gave my free massage that I won at the raffle back and told them to give it to someone else at this point I cancelled my massage that our friends had purchased for us.
That night we ate one more disappointing meal at the supposed "nice" restaurant. Totally depressed, we went back to bed- in which our ship mate walked in on us 3 times the final walk in was at almost 10p.m. I can't believe that it would even be acceptable to any hotel to just barge in at that time.
The next day we watched pure Kaos waiting to get off the boat in Taoromina, the tour guides were yelling into their phones trying to find more tour guides, they were loading people onto the wrong places, and it was a complete mess. We met another couple who had had a similar experience and we decided to get off the boat, Our final experience was arguing to get our passport back without signing some poor form to not get your refund back, which makes us think this is a thing that is not out of the ordinary.
This experience is honestly nothing of what it portrays on the website and I am completely and utterly dissatisfied, with the whole experience even afterwards when I called to get a special dress back. We could have been on a much nicer ship for less with the best food and entertainment for less than half the price. working in an industry with membership and treating people with the best customer service- I am shocked that your company would not have a policy that gives people who get off the ship early a courtesy call to see how you can improve or ratify the situation- especially since it was so bad that people would let that much money be at risk.
With this email I am requesting it to be sent to the managers of your company and for someone to send my BCBG white Rehearsal dinner dress back to us- as well as to indemnify our ruined honeymoon.At this point in time, I would not reccomend WindStar to anyone who asked me- in fact I am so un-happy I would go out of my way to make sure someone I know did not get on any of their ships.
Just returned from Windstar's Costa Rica cruise and wanted to share our experience. We went right after New Year's, which is normally one of the slowest weeks for cruising. We only had 56 passengers on board – no crowds here! Mostly couples on board - a few newlyweds and the majority were in their 50s & 60s. We were somewhere in between and enjoyed the variety of ages and backgrounds. Never felt the cruise was dominated by any one age group.
This was only our second cruise, first was on a larger ship to Alaska. I think the small ship experience has spoiled us! Truly, bigger ships still may be a better idea for families with children and multi-generation groups. You might also be bored if you are looking for exiting nightlife and shows. There were many times we were the only ones in the lounge or casino but that seemed to pick up a little towards the end of the week. I enjoyed the feeling of being on my own personal yacht and the quietness provided a much-needed break from the real world. Plus, quieter evenings ensured we ready for earlydays at port!
A concern I had before the trip was whether the service would be too "over the top". I enjoy good food and pampering, of course, but didn't want it to be overdone. I was relieved to find that the staff was very attentive but weren't tripping over themselves and treating you like royalty. Very nice people that seemed to enjoy what they do.
The ship itself was nice. Not new but everything seemed well maintained. Our stateroom was plenty big. Two closet areas, cabinet space and room under the bed for suitcases. The bathroom was laid out well with lots of storage and room to get ready. We especially enjoyed the flatscreen TV and DVD player to catch up on movies we don't seem to have time to see at home.
The food was fantastic. A full breakfast was served each day in the Veranda where you could choose from indoor or outdoor dining. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, omelets were available every day and made-to-order. They also had a full buffet of fruits, pasties, yogurt, cereals and oatmeal to choose from. I found everything to be very tasty and fresh. They also serve a Continental breakfast by the pool for several hours during the morning to take care of the early/late risers. I didn't find these items to be quite as good (milk wasn't too cold) but was convenient.
Full lunches were served every day in the Veranda. Salad bar, meats & cheeses, fruits, desserts were available in the buffet. Could also order specialty sandwiches. A hot buffet was prepared each day and was different ethnic foods (Mexican one day, Indonesian another day). The last day of the cruise, there was a nicely done beach barbeque with a variety of grilled foods & salads).
Dinners were wonderful and served in the dining room. There you could choose between a table for 2, 4, 6, etc. There were 5 courses (starter, soup, salad, main & dessert) and could choose one or more items from each category. Menu changed every day but there were a few "standards" like grilled chicken & salmon that were available every day. As a vegetarian, I was happy to see a good selection of things I could eat. The meals were filling, but I never felt that they overloaded people to the point that lots of food was wasted. On most nights, they also had dining at Candles available (unless too windy). A few tables are set up on deck with white tablecloths and yes, candles, and they serve the same menu all week (seafood, fish & steak). My husband said he enjoyed one of the best fillet mignon's he ever had. Atmosphere was romantic and something different to try – no additional charge.
We also tried room service a couple times during the week and found the meals to be hot and tasty. It was nice to have this option available 24 hours a day. They will also serve popcorn to go with your movies!
Did want to comment on the dress code since that was a topic I was interested in before we went! Very casual during the day. Most people were off to see a port and dressed appropriately for whatever activity they were doing. We saw a lot of sport sandals and walking shoes. It does get hot during the second half of the trip so lots of tank tops and shorts worn as well. At night, people were well-dressed but not dressy. For men, mostly Dockers or linen pants. No shorts were allowed (or noticed). Most wore polo type golf shirts or button up shirts (like Tommy Bahama, Hawaiian print, or long sleeve dress shirts). I did see sandals on men at night, and they looked fine. Many also wore loafer-type shoes. For ladies, lots of sundresses were worn. Also saw pants and capris with nicer tops (no jeans). The dress seemed to get a little more casual by the end of the week when we wanted to wear the dresses and jewelry found at port! I wore sandals with a heel (which many also wore), but also wished I had brought a dressy, flat sandal. One evening was more casual when they did a poolside party for dinner. To summarize this LONG review, I would definitely take Windstar again. Only con would be lack of choices at some of the ports. We like to do our own research & planning so I was able to book other tours I was interested in. I enjoyed everything onboard (food, service, staff, atmosphere) and would have a hard time cruising with anyone else!
Our family of five (two parents, three teenagers) just finished a week of cruising the Southern Caribbean on Windsurf and found the experience deeply disappointing. The ship is certainly presentable enough, but one has to question the five star rating. There is peeling paint and varnish all over, the teak is in serious need of attention, and the boat looks just a bit shabby.
As other reviewers (and even the cruise line) will tell you, nobody in his right mind boards the Windsurf for traditional entertainment. The only show is a once-a-week very hokey review put on by the cabin and mess stewards -- most high school talent shows are better staged.
The main activity unique to the Windsurf is its connection to the sea and the water through its sail propulsion and its watersports marina. At least last week, however, the boat wasn't sailing much of anywhere. In fact, only three of the ship's sails were in any semblance of operation and the crew was apparently ignorant of how to trim them. This ship was built with the world's most advanced computerized masts and booms by Club Med. Unfortunately, under the newmanagement, nobody knows how to use them, rendering Windsurf just another steamship.
More to the point, we learned to our horror that we were sailing to some of the world's prettiest islands and beaches, but our ship would take us only into some of the world's ugliest container ports. That's right -- no beaches, no anchorages, no watersports, unless you want to buy overpriced and poorly designed shore excursions. Try two hours in a bus and one hour of kayaking for $100/person. It would have been easy for the ship to lower some boats and take us to those gorgeous beaches we passed, but that was not on the agenda. In other words, we spent day after day tied to a dead ship in HORRIBLE commercial ports.
Since I know the islands pretty well, I got good at hiring a cab to take us to great resorts, where for the price of lunch we could actually take advantage of those gorgeous beaches. However, that's not what we paid Windsurf's prices for.
This cruise line clearly has little regard and less respect for its customers. They own a magnificent ship (with decent food and cabins), cruise through paradise, and drop their passengers in the middle of hell.
Our cruise on the Windsurf was wonderful. Were there one or two things I could pick at? Sure - nothing's ever perfect but I have to say we all left the ship thrilled with our cruise and wanting to go back. The experience was great and we were very well satisfied.
We were a group of friends made up of 3 couples traveling together and all agreed that:service was excellent, with very friendly and attentive staff who remembered all our first names after our first interaction. food was excellent a lot of the time and at least good all the time. cabins were roomy and well - designed; we had room to easily store everything (and we packed heavily). NOTE: the bed linens and towels were great - they had recently done an upgrade in that respect and it definitely showed (I'm picky about sheets). the itinerary was excellent with no lame stops. We did a shore excursion through the boat and also did a few on our own...all were fun. the relaxed dress and free-style dining was a really nice feature...we enjoyed the restaurant but felt like the service in the Bistro was a little better and preferred it. One other small positive point: one of the couples in our group was a gay couple and we never experienced any taint of oddness or discrimination on the part of anyone on board at all, I'm glad to say.
We were very pleased with just about everything but there were minor things they could do to make a great thing slightly better. I did not think the couple who performed in the Compass Rose bar at night were any good at all (they sang cheesy songs to recorded tracks) until I was there at the cocktail hour - they sang relaxing songs with an acoustic guitar and were wonderful. I say DROP the tracks and stick what you're good at. I HIGHLY recommend Windstar.
My husband and I just completed this cruise (May 18 - 25th) and had a wonderful time. We arrived in Athens a day early and were able to wander around the Plaka and have dinner at a scenic taverna that evening, spend the night, go on a city tour of Athens (including the Acropolis/Parthenon) that morning and then board the Windspirit after lunch. We had been told that was all we needed to do in order to see the best of Athens and I believe it. Some people on our cruise had spent more time there but they had used it as a base to travel to neighboring sites.
Some advice about the ports (and the tours offered by the ship):
Mykonos: The tour to nearby Delos is worth it. Delos was revered by both the Greeks and the Romans as the birthplace of Apollo and served as a major trading port to several ancient civilizations. Wear sunscreen and a hat ---NO SHADE. The tour goes until lunchtime and you can either return to the ship for lunch or eat out. We had already decided to eat "local" whenever possible toget as much of the experience as possible (BTW the food on the ship is excellent). Afterwards, there is time to visit the shops or the beach; the ship doesn't sail until late.
Santorini: Because this route arrives here on Monday, the ruins at Akrotiri are closed. The only tour available takes you to the picturesque town of Ia (or Oia in some books). Visit the town on your own --- don't bother with the tour. This is one of the two big regrets of our cruise (the other was not staying longer in Istanbul). This tour took us to the highest point of the island, the Profitis Illas mountain, where you can see both sides of the island, which was not uninteresting but it was a big time-waster considering that the ship has to set sail at 4:30 pm in order to make Rhodes by the next morning (shortest port time on the cruise) by the time we arrived in Ia, we only had an hour and a half to see it. Another couple invited us to rent a taxi with them to go directly to Ia instead of the tour and we declined. Big mistake on our part; they had time to see the whole town and do some shopping as well.
Rhodes: We took the tour to the Acropolis at Lindos and enjoyed it. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the area and from what I heard later had good advice about places to eat and shop in the town after the tour. Once on our own, we paid the admission so we could walk on the top of the walls around the old fortress (again, no shade, need good sunscreen and a hat) and visited the "Palace of the Grand Master" at the fortress -- probably the worst of the sites we visited because the pamplet and the signs explained little about the displays and the docents (if you could call them that) just said "I don't know" about everything we asked. Perhaps they didn't speak English but if so, they were among the few people we met who didn't.
BTW: We shared Rhodes and Bodrum with the passengers on the sister ship Windstar (the Istanbul-to-Athens route). We didn't have many opportunities to interact with them, but it was neat to see the two ships side-by-side in the ports.
Bodrum: The most relaxing and longest tour of the cruise. We hesitated taking this tour because it takes up the whole time the ship is in port and is the most expensive but it was worth it. We were broken up into groups of only 10 and taken to the port-side Museum of Underwater Archeology. Very few of the artifacts there are reproductions and span several centuries and civilizations. Then, we were escorted on board a small sailboat (called a "gullet") and taken to a quiet cove where we were invited to change into bathing suits and swim (water was a little too cold for me though) and sunbathe while the crew fixed us a wonderful lunch of local dishes. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and sunning on the gullet. We needed that after 3 days of sight-seeing. When we got back to the ship, we were entertained by a troup of local dancers along with a belly dancer in the ship's lounge and then it was time for the pooldeck BBQ. Tons of fun and great food and dancing under the stars. We also got the see the Windstar put up her sails and head to Santorini; good picture taking opportunity since you can't really get a good picture of the Windspirit with sails up. Many of us agreed that this was the best day of our trip.
Kusadasi & Ephesus: Before starting the cruise we booked a tour from a local company called byzance. We can't say enough great things about them and the tours they provided. Guide was waiting for us at the port, ready to begin our day. I requested that we try to avoid the ship's buses, and they did everything possible to make sure this occurred! It was a pleasure to enjoy the same places that the ship offered at our own pace, staying as long or as short as We wanted for a fraction of the cost! The fact that we were "alone" made it much more personalized. On most of our tours, we had around 30 people and each and every one of them RAVED about the great time they had. It always seems there is usually someone who may have a concern or complaint, however this was not the case with byzance. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We will most definitely use them on future cruises and from comments made from our group, I can assure you they will also! Their web site is http://more.at/byzance
The Sea Day: We needed this time off at this point. We were just about "ruin-ed out" and needed a break. We took the tour of the galley that the Chef offered and had massages in the beauty salon. The dinner that night included beef tenderloin and lamb chops --- both were excellent and we celebrated over a bottle of champagne our last evening on board with two other couples we had become fast friends with.
Istanbul: You will regret it as we did if you do not spend a couple of days here. We used byzance here too. I could not be happier with the service we received from guide, I have never had a more positive experience with any company of any kind -- EVER! I don't know what more I could say. We had to leave very early the next morning after our arrival so we only had time to see the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia and walk through a small part of the Grand Bazaar. That means we missed Topkapi Palace entirely (it takes 4-5 hours to tour properly) and several other places we wanted to see. This is definitely on our list of places we wish to re-visit one day.
We later debated "what if we had taken the Istanbul-to-Athens cruise instead?". The other route no doubt saw more port time at Santorini (& would have been there when Akrotiri was open) but on the other hand, their Sea Day came early in the trip instead of at the end when we felt we really needed it to recover and appreciate Istanbul. The choice is yours.
I hope this helps anyone considering this cruise. It was the trip of a lifetime for us and we have wonderful memories of the people we met and places we visited.
We enjoyed our second Wind Star trip in five yrs. The second was just as good as the first...maybe better...same islands as before with LOTS of time on the islands. St. John, St Barts, St. Martin., Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Tortola....lots of beach time and the islands were not busy..
The ship is still romantic and clean...food was very good to great...our waiter was a young man who really "babied" us...even saved us a table at the bar-b-que on deck one night when it was a bit crowded...We love the Wind Star experience..maybe the bigger Wind Surf next Time????
My wife and I just returned from 2 weeks on Wind Surf, sailing from Venice to Nice with stops at Rab and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Corfu in Greece, Taormina in Sicily, Sorento, Civitacecchia in Italy, Banifacio in Corsica, Portovenere and Portofino in Italy, St. Tropez, and Monte Carlo in France.
Having sailed on two of Windstar's smaller ships, the Wind Song in Tahiti and Wind Star in Costa Rica, we were familiar with their program of open seating and informal dress in the dining room , as well as the open bridge and no tipping policies. We were deligjhted to find all of these characeteristics in place on Wind Surf as well as a very friendly and communicative captain who gave informative talks throughout the cruise. Andres, the host, (Wind Star does not employ cruise directors) was especially helpful as he was well informed about alternatives to the excursions at each port of call.
The food program on Wind Surf was creative with many unexpected treats such as crepes for breakfast prepared to order on deck, lobster barbecue at lunch on deck, and a sushi bar at cocktail time.
With 300 passengers and 15,000tons, Wind Surf has amenities not available on the smaller ships, which include a very well equipped fitness bar, a third dining area, The Bistro for dinner by reservation, two pools and two hot tubs.
We were delighted with the ship, the very friendly and accommodating crew, and the outstanding itinerary.
A Solid 8.5 - 9.0
Just returned from the Wind Surf, traveling from Cozumel to Honduras and Belize. A good mix of mostly US passengers, where average age was around 55 or so. This was a very good mid-level to semi-luxury cruise, with exceptional food and service from a continually smiling crew. With two restaurants, they served excellent tasting food (A solid 10), with a flair for presentation and options. The Bistro offers a nice alternative, although somewhat difficult to get a reservation there since some passengers book there every night on their first day, leaving few daily openings per the posted regulations. Also, it seemed to us and others that starting dinner service at 7:30 was a little late since it took about 2 hours to complete.
Rooms were larger than expected, with plenty of closet and bathroom space, and well appointed. The bed was fairly hard, although we slept well most nights. The hot tubs were great, but the pools were small and rarely used. Exercise room was very functional and the spa was nice. Several bars to choose from and great food during happy hour.
Main complaints were around the shoreexcursions, as the ship enjoys charging about double what you can book them for on your own. Also, choices were limited in Honduras, or very expensive ($400 pp for one tour to see some Mayan ruins that included air). Diving was $120 for most 2-tank dives ($200 for some specialty dives), although local operators typically charged $50-60. Some pasengers seemed irked by traveling to a 3rd world country like Honduras, but we thought it to be interesting. Also, if you are not on one of their pricey shore excursions, you are not allowed on the first tender to shore each day, even if you are waiting first in line. Also, we left port each day around 5:00, meaning we had limited time to visit a port after an excursion, and were contantly looking at the watch.
Drinks were also fairly pricey ($5 for a US beer), small and some tasted watered down. Room service was very fast with same great food as the restaurants. The Internet service only worked for one day, which presented other inconveniences.
A nicely laid out ship with two elevators for the elderly or tired. Casino was nice but not used much. Some of the senior level crew seemed to have an attitude to passengers, but others were truly great and made it clear they enjoyed their job.
Made lots of new friends, and did enjoy our vacation, but will likely try their smaller ships or Star Clippers as that is more our style.
The Wind Star cruise had some nice aspects - good service by the crew and fairly good food (although a little dull). The shore excursions offered were also well-done.
I really didn't like the evening entertainment. It was generally one bad singer singing folk songs or similar - nothing you could dance to, or even tap your fingers to. I found the nights endless on this ship. Also, the crowd is not that friendly. I'm in my mid-fifties and certainly don't consider myself a hell-raiser, but this ship was pretty boring. If you want to go to bed at nine, this may be for you.
The Wind Star skipped a port that was on the itinerary, one that I really wanted to visit. The substitute port was not up to par. The Windstar ships frequently skip ports because of weather, so don't place all your hopes on seeing one place on the itinerary.
All in all, I don't think I would sail with Windstar again.


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Richard DesLauriers was one of several law enforcement officials at Fenway Park Saturday afternoon, invited by the Red Sox to honor the officials for their handling of the Boston Marathon bombings and the capture of one of the suspects.
It was the Red Sox' first home game since the Marathon, and the law enforcement officials were welcomed as heroes.
But as soon as the first pitch was thrown, DesLauriers was gone. He had rejoined other members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force and state, local, and federal investigators who are continuing to work on the case.
DesLauriers, the special agent in charge of Boston's FBI office since 2010, says he would rather be working behind the scenes than making public appearances. But in the days after the bombing, he became a familiar face to the public, after announcing that the FBI would take the lead role in the case.
"I like to win and I hate to lose, and I try to bring that competitiveness to the workplace and apply it to my mission within the FBI, whatever that mission might be at any given time,'' DesLauriers said in an interview with the Globe.
In what was perhaps Boston's most intense week of law enforcement activity, DesLauriers, a Massachusetts native who grew up in Longmeadow, was at the center — his trademark calm and "bookish" personality set the tone for the 100-hour-long investigation: the painstaking analysis of the crime scene, the scouring of countless video and photo images.
"He's precise, and there's a need for precision in this type of thing," said Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, who worked alongside DesLauriers throughout the investigation. "When we made decisions, he would say we had to regroup, this is team work," Davis added.
"It was a hectic week, and we were working with a variety of partners," DesLauriers said. "And I was emphasizing the message we were one team fighting one fight and we would do everything we can to ensure that justice was served."
As the public hungered for answers after two days of silence from the FBI, it was ultimately DesLauriers' call to release photos of the two suspects. That decision has been called a turning point in the investigation, one that "flushed out" suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev from hiding.
US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, who partners with DesLauriers in federal cases, said, "he's very straight-laced, by the book, a real G-Man when you think of the FBI."
DesLauriers has emerged as perhaps one of the most high profile FBI supervisors that Boston has seen. His arrival in 2010 was marked by the announcement of the "Operation Ghost Stories" investigation he helped oversee — the arrest of several Russian spies and their family members who had been living anonymously in the country, some in the Boston area.
He was the local FBI leader during the arrest of reputed gangster James "Whitey" Bulger in 2011. And he announced on the 23d anniversary of the notorious Gardner Museum art heist in March that the FBI has determined the identity of those involved in the theft, and that agents had traced the paintings to Philadelphia, where they may have been as recently as a decade ago.
Despite successes, his office has also faced criticism.
The FBI is conducting an internal investigation — and Congressional inquiries have been made — into a controversial relationship between the agency and Mark Rossetti, a violent Mafia leader and suspected killer who was secretly working for the FBI as an informant, possibly in violation of the agency's guidelines.
His office's intelligence on the bombing suspects is also likely to come under Congressional scrutiny: The FBI had been warned by Russia in 2011 that Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older of the two suspects, had turned to "radical Islam," and the agency investigated him and his family, but Tsarnaev reportedly fell off their radar.
The question of when the identity of the bombing suspects was known, and the decision to release the suspects' photos to the public Thursday, will also probably be reviewed.
In an interview Saturday, DesLauriers would not address questions related to the investigation of the Marathon bombings.
In describing DesLauriers, friends and associates said he has a strong "moral compass," and his calculating, quiet demeanor in investigations and at press briefings is characteristic of the 53-year-old family man — a father of a teenage boy, and a graduate of Assumption College and the Catholic University of America in Washington, where he earned his law degree in 1986.
At Assumption he studied political science and minored in history, graduating in 1982.
"It would take an awful lot to rattle him," said the Rev. Brian O'Toole, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Gardner, who roomed with DesLauriers during their years at Assumption.
"He just assesses things, he's always been that way."
O'Toole said DesLauriers and their circle of friends were typical college students, attending parties and dances and playing intramural sports.
DesLauriers, a conservative in his politics, would debate more liberal friends.
The only time O'Toole said he saw DesLauriers lose his cool, he said, was after the attempted assassination of President Reagan.
"He slammed the door. He was very upset," O'Toole said. "The injustice that happened there, at that time, he just couldn't fathom it, why would anyone do this."
Assumption president Francesco C. Cesareo said DesLauriers has remained involved at the college and was already scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the May 11 commencement.
"He has a moral compass, a moral focus," Cesareo said.
As a 26-year veteran of the FBI, DesLauriers spent most of that time in the counterespionage unit, transferring between bureaus in Boston, New York, and Washington.
He was the FBI's deputy assistant director heading counterintelligence operations when he was named special agent in charge in Boston in 2010 – just as the storied Operation Ghost Stories investigation ended.
"It was my desire to get back to Boston, this is my home," he said.
The attacks at the Boston Marathon were also personal for DesLauriers, a sports fan and an avid runner.
"The fact that a marathon with such a cherished tradition like the Boston Marathon, the fact that there would be acts of violence against runners and spectators, at such a wonderful event, I found it particularly galling," he said.Milton J. Valencia can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @miltonvalencia.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, are devastating illnesses for both the victims as well as their families. More than seven million women suffer from eating disorders. These illnesses are most common among girls ages 12 to 25, but can occur in younger and older women, as well as in boys and men. Untreated, eating disorders can lead to serious life-long health problems and death. Since not all health care professionals are trained to treat eating disorders, ask your health care professional for a referral to a specialist if your teen exhibits any of these behaviors or symptoms:
Parents can do a lot to discourage unhealthy eating behaviors and encourage positive body images among their teens. Try these approaches:
Sources: American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders and the Harvard Eating Disorders Center
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd, Rm 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
1-800-421-4211 (toll-free)
Offers comprehensive information on mental health conditions for all age groups, as well as fact sheets and links to community and other resources.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
Box 7
Highland Park, IL 60035
Provides information about eating disorders, telephone support via a hotline and referrals to support groups and physicians nationwide.
Presented by the National Women's Health Resource Center, Inc.


text:
I love the week of Valentine's Day. Yes party day makes for a crazy afternoon, but it's the week that we read one of my FAVORITE books...Pinkalicious!! I just adore this book. How could you not with this amount of pink in one place? Even my boys get into it. I had a little giggle today when after reading her call herself "Pinkerbell" one of the boys spontaneously yelled "Red-erbell" after she turns red. haha. Our theme for this week and last is cupcakes, so this fits perfectly. I use and just adore this little pack from First Grade Fanatics...
Click HERE to grab your copy.
We are also reviewing long a word families this week. I made a little gameboard for practice that matches our theme and thought I'd share as a freebie.
That's it for now Pink-tastic friends. Enjoy your Valentine's Day!!!


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More posts
- With Chicken Albufera
- Fruity full body long lasting balance.
- Dark core with light ruby rim. Nose of cream, cassis, blackberry, lavender, , and some green chilli note.
- Light ruby red with lightening on the rim. Medium bodied legs. This baby is showing her age. Barnyard, rustic, soy nose initially. brushed off after an hour plus aeration. Bitful amount of tannins, dry
- Dark purple. Nose of ripe currants, herb, anise, florals, cocoa powder, menthol, rustic, sugar cane. Caramelized blackberry, smoky oak, espresso, tea, cherry liqueur. Very chewy, currant flavored tannins, velvety, plush, rich, great balance and structure. Full bodied, Long finish of dense cigar smoke, red cherry, tea leaf, cut wood.


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From 8.30pm Tuesday 19 March 2019, the Central Library will close until further notice. Central Library closure
Summary of the petition 'Johnsonville Shopping Centre resource consent'.
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RSS feeds are available for ePetitions, news and public input sections.


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Is Mitt Romney playing with fire in his dealings with Donald Trump?
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee will appear with Trump, the pugnacious real estate mogul and reality television star, at a fundraiser Tuesday in Las Vegas. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a nemesis of Romney's throughout the Republican presidential primary, will round out the group.
Steve Marcus / Reuters
Real estate mogul Donald Trump's ties to presidential candidate Mitt Romney run deeper than most run-of-the-mill supporters of the former Massachusetts governor.
Setting aside Gingrich's own bombast, it's Trump who could prove the bigger long-term headache for Romney. The latest example of that came Tuesday morning, when Trump said he's still unconvinced that President Barack Obama was born in the United States, further linking Romney to that sentiment in a subsequent tweet from his @realDonaldTrump handle:
@BarackObama is practically begging @MittRomney to disavow the place of birth movement, he is afraid of it and for good reason. He keeps using @SenJohnMcCain as an example, however, @SenJohnMcCain lost the election. Don't let it happen again.
It's become clear that Trump's ties to Romney run deeper than most run-of-the-mill supporters of the former Massachusetts governor. Romney and Trump appeared together when the "Apprentice" host made official his endorsement on Feb. 2. Since then, Trump's become an involved surrogate for Romney, doing radio interviews and robocalls during the height of the GOP primary. He's also hosted fundraisers for Romney, most notably one on Ann Romney's birthday that netted the campaign $600,000.
"Donald Trump is playing an extremely important role, which has been acknowledged by both Ann and Mitt Romney, which has been acknowledged by them in election night speeches," said Michael Cohen, a spokesman for Trump, in an interview.
Former Sen. Blanche Lincoln and former Rep. Tom Davis talk about the pros and cons of Mitt Romney associating himself with Donald Trump.
Romney put some distance between the two men, though, before taking off for Colorado late on Monday night. "You know, I don't agree with all the people who support me and my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in. But I need to get 50.1 percent or more and I'm appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people," he told reporters aboard his campaign charter plane.
Romney was burned back in April when conservative rocker (and campaign supporter) Ted Nugent called Obama "evil," and said if the incumbent were to win re-election, "I will be either be dead or in jail by this time next year."
FIRST THOUGHTS: Playing the Trump card
Democrats stoked that story in the media, forcing Romney to personally address the Nugent controversy; now, it appears as though they're hoping for another opportunity to do the same with Trump.
That is, when — not if — Trump goes off-message, Romney will have to answer for the controversy. His campaign won't have the luxury of shrugging off a figure like Trump, who's undeniably much closer to the Republican nominee than Nugent.
"It raises a question, that's come up before during this campaign, as to whether Gov. Romney will embrace these extreme voices in his party, or stand up to them," Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Friday on MSNBC.
Ben LaBolt, National Press Secretary for the Obama campaign, joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss the President's political strategy, as well as new poll numbers that show a tight race between Obama and Mitt Romney.
And already, the Obama campaign released a video on Tuesday bracketing the fundraiser this evening, contrasting Romney's relative silence toward Trump with the actions taken by Republican nominee John McCain in 2008 to shun extreme voices in the GOP.
For now, the Romney campaign has emphasized its singular focus on the economy, casting media firestorms around Trump or Romney's previous work at Bain Capital as nothing less than a distraction.
"In a world of record job loss, record home loss, more people falling into poverty than time since the Depression, I don't think this stuff matters," said a Romney aide. "I would think the last few weeks would be a good lesson in that. From the anniversary of the Osama bin Laden killing to gay marriage, this election is just about one thing: are you happy with the economy and who do you think will do a better job?"
But the irony for Romney is that, for a campaign that prides itself on discipline and focus, its association with Trump threatens at any moment to knock the candidate off-message.
- Consider just a small sampling of the things Trump has recently said:
May 22: Trump said on CNN that invoking Obama's association with the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright in the campaign, which Romney had disavowed, is fair game. "These tapes are devastating for the president. I mean, Rev. Wright is an angry man. He's extremely angry at the president," Trump said on CNN. "I see nothing wrong with using it."
May 22: Also on May 22, Trump stoked the flames of "birtherism," skepticism of whether the president was born in the U.S., despite Obama having released his long-form birth certificate a year earlier, showing he was, in fact, born in Hawaii. Trump tweeted: "I wonder if @BarackObama ever applied to Occidental, Columbia or Harvard as a foreign student. When can we see his applications? What do they say about his place of birth."
May 7: Trump suggested, during the Chen Guangcheng incident, that the United States' economic tension versus China could translate into an actual war in due time. "It's not a war with bullets, but it's certainly a war," Trump said of those economic tensions. "Maybe someday, it ends up with bullets because, frankly, they're building a military like you wouldn't believe."
And there are more politically substantive examples of Trump breaking with Romney and the GOP.
"I just think it's very dangerous," he said of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposals this March on FOX. "Already, the Democrats are just starting to write their campaign literature based on this plan. I think it's very dangerous for the Republicans."
Cohen said that Trump didn't presume to speak for Romney.
"Donald Trump is his own individual, and he will make statements that he feels are accurate, are on the minds of other Americans and are significant in showing the voters who the real Barack Obama is," he said. "Whatever questions will be posed to Gov. Romney and the Romney camp, they are certainly entitled to answer as they see fit. The current president and vice president don't agree on all topics. Not all Republicans agree with all Republicans, and not all Democrats agree with all Democrats. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."
And to Trump's credit, he's never been known as a shrinking violet. His views have certainly been publicly aired at this point, and voters may be able to better distinguish between his headline-grabbing comments and the more staid sentiments of Romney.
But in a campaign cycle driven by grievance politics ("When will Mitt Romney/Barack Obama apologize for…?"), it's difficult to imagine Romney not having to answer for some outburst of Trump's between now and November.
"He'll stand up next to Donald Trump, and he'll talk about why he wants to be president, and why he believes the economy needs to be turned around," Romney adviser Kevin Madden said Friday on MSNBC of the way Romney would relate to Trump. "Anytime that something goes off of that – or something where Gov. Romney would disagree – he's going to make that very clear, just as he has in the past, and he'll do it in the present, and he'll do it in the future."
NBC's Garrett Haake contributed to this report.
Andrea Mitchell talks with Kevin Madden, a Romney campaign adviser, about Donald Trump's involvement in Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, and whether or not Trump will help or hurt Romney's chances come November.


text:
At 11:15 a.m. Friday, aerial applicators were given the go-ahead to fly and spray fields.
"We don't know how long the okay is for, but pilots will be in the air as long as possible. There's a lot of spraying that needs to be done, so hopefully we'll knock a lot of the work out," says Mark Hartz, treasurer of the National Agricultural Aviation Association.
Before taking off, Hartz suggests aerial applicators call their county sheriff to inform them of the flying ban being lifted.
Despite a distance of several days from the devastating terrorist attacks on the east coast, confusion still reigns across the country. Even the Delta has seen its share.
On Thursday morning, almost as fast as they got into the air, aerial applicators were yanked down again. With jobs to be done and crop problems arising, the grounding of agricultural airplanes is "pathetic," says one pilot in Arkansas.
"Early this morning I was given a press release that said the national air-space system was to be re-opened at 10 a.m. for commercial and private planes. Around 8 a.m., I was told by the FAA safety office in Little Rock that there was confirmation that the opening applied to agricultural aviation as well," says the pilot.
With that confirmation, the pilot and his colleagues began calling other aerial applicators with the news. When the clock struck 10, many were in the air and spraying. Then, around 10:30, "we got a message that oops, agricultural applicators weren't covered. So now we've got to shut it down. We're way behind on spraying. We've got the boll weevil eradication program to work on, we've got rice that needs spraying, we've got soybeans with worms, and there are all kinds of cotton fields needing defoliation. We need someone with common sense to give us the go-ahead to get back in the air."
Mark Hartz, treasurer of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, agrees.
"Ag aviation isn't a threat to anyone. It's hard to highjack a single-seat aircraft, you know? There have been some concerns that biological terrorism might be one of the reasons we've been grounded, but I feel that won't happen. We need to get back in the air," says Hartz, who also operates Grand Prairie Dusters, Inc., 8 miles southeast of Stuttgart, Ark.
"We were told we could get in the air at 10 a.m. At 10:33 we got a call from the FAA to put the planes back on the ground. We have no idea what's going on. This was supposed to have been cleared at the highest levels of the FAA. We were told – no, we were assured -- the commencement of planes flying was supposed to include applicators. We've got jobs in progress that need to be completed but they told us not to leave the airplanes running because it might be a while," says Hartz.
Apparently the yo-yoing of aerial applicators was a result of miscommunication between FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and their field offices. According to several agriculture pilots, they were told there was a misinterpretation of "what was meant by the skies opening up to air traffic."
It's odd, says Hartz, "because the FAA field office in Little Rock assured us ag pilots would be allowed back in the air. But they were obviously mistaken. It doesn't sound like we'll be in the air anytime soon. This is causing quite an uproar within our industry."
Hartz says he knows there are some frustrated pilots whose first reaction to the news has been to say, "To hell with it. I'm behind and have a job to do and I'm going to keep on flying." He hopes such pilots quickly change their minds.
"The NAAA doesn't take that position because that's an unlawful act. And anyone thinking about staying in the air should keep in mind that any plane flying illegally is subject to being shot down."
There have been reports of several instances where general aviation aircraft have been escorted out of the sky at the behest of F-16's. Hartz thinks common sense will prevail. "But if someone is flagrantly violating this order, there will likely be severe penalties. This is nothing to mess with. We're calling other pilots and getting the word out. There's a very good network of applicators and it doesn't take long for the news to get out."
On the crop side, Hartz says calls to aerial applicators are coming in from cotton farmers wanting their fields defoliated. Cotton – much of it already in bad shape – will quickly get worse, "if we can't spray defoliants. I have conveyed that to our executive director. It's time for us to get back to work. We don't want to appear unpatriotic, but enough is enough. I mean they're playing football this weekend. We're trying to get the Delta congressional delegation to do something."
The cotton crop
Recently, Arkansas farmers have shifted away from aerial application to ground rigs, says Bill Robertson, Arkansas Extension cotton specialist. But this year the crop has gotten taller and more tangled than usual. Many farmers – even those who normally use ground rigs -- were planning to use aerial applicators because the cotton is so unruly.
With aerial applicators grounded, farmers will likely fall back on their ground rigs.
"But it's a trade-off and one that we have to keep a close eye on. In south Arkansas, we can't afford to lose any cotton and by driving a rig through, losses will definitely happen. Things are drying off now. I can't think of many fields we wouldn't be able to drive through. But even with fenders on, some cotton is going to be knocked off. If we have to go another few days without aerial applicators, it'll get ugly. Farmers may just have to grimace, shut their eyes and just run the ground rigs," says Robertson.
Will McCarty, Mississippi Extension cotton specialist, agrees and says a similar situation is apparent on his side of the Mississippi River. There is one key difference, though: there's still plenty of wet fields in Mississippi.
"The grounding occurred Tuesday. Monday was a good day and lots of aerial applicators did a lot of work. Then, over the last three days we've had some of the best weather to defoliate and we still can't do it.
"After all the rain in the southern and mid-portion of Mississippi, the cotton has been beaten down and is matted. The ground is wet over much of the state and ground equipment hasn't been an option. Not having aerial applicators in the sky is going to put us even more squarely behind the 8-ball in preparing the crop for harvest."
From the central Delta to Natchez, the ground should be dry enough in the next couple of days to get grounds rigs in, says McCarty. But the plants are so matted and wrapped up that ground rigs will damage the crop. And some of the cotton is so badly matted that rigs won't be able to run. Some farmers will have little choice but to wait until aerial applicators start flying again, he says.
Another point of expediency is the tropical depression currently swirling around the Gulf of Mexico. Right now, it doesn't appear that the state will stay dry for too much longer.
"We need to get the leaves off this cotton as fast as possible to allow sunlight and air penetration. The grounding of aircraft is definitely having a significant impact on our cotton."
Boll rot situation
South of the Arkansas River, boll rot is very bad, says Robertson.
"This morning, I spoke with a farmer from Desha County that said the boll rot was still progressing. I saw some of the worst boll rot in that county that I've ever seen. Last week, I looked at a field that had 1,200 pound yield potential but two-thirds of the bolls were rotted. It was locking and rotting as fast as it was opening."
Things have turned out dry since then and it seems to Robertson that some of the boll rot has stopped. But in speaking with farmers in southern Arkansas, "I keep hearing that rot is still moving up the plant. I was in Ashley County to put out a test. The samples I was checking were about 40 percent open. Three-quarters of the open bolls were rotted. I've seen other fields worse than that. The later fields will come through a bit better. But if it turns wet again, rot will kick up. We need it to stay dry with low humidity."
All the news isn't bad. In some areas above the Arkansas River cotton is looking great. In Crittenden and Poinsett Counties, Robertson has heard of dryland yields as high as 800 pounds.
In Mississippi, McCarty says the main trouble areas are still south of Highway 82. From Highway 82 to Highway 6 damage is still bad, although not to the extent further south. North of Highway 6 cotton damage is scattered.
"Since Monday morning, the humidity has dropped, the sun has been shining and the wind has been blowing. Temperatures have dropped a little because humidity has come down. That's helped the cotton. The cotton is fluffing and color should be helped," says McCarty.
However, restoring the crop to its original promise won't happen. The current weather may fluff some bolls, but it won't restore the sprouted seed to its original state, says McCarty.
"Seed value is shot. Seed in early-opened bolls has deteriorated to the point where much of it will be rejected and the rest will be discounted."
In terms of the boll weevil eradication, the grounding of planes could be significant, says McCarty.
"We can't get ground rigs in without tearing up the wet soil and crops. The only thing that can be done right now is running mist trucks around the edges and in some places it's too wet to do that. We're losing money with the aerial applicators on the ground. If planes don't start flying soon, I guarantee there will be areas we'll have to spend money on next year to control weevils that we wouldn't have if not for these terrorist acts."
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The Palmer House Inn is Open for the Holidays
Many of our fine Falmouth restaurants are open and serving Thanksgiving Dinner.
Christmas is beautiful at the Palmer House Inn.
This lovely old Victorian is decorated and looking festive throughout the holiday season on Cape Cod.
New Years is also a wonderful time to be in Falmouth.
Many of our restaurants host a special evening of entertainment and fun.
When your evening is complete, you have just a short walk back to the Inn and your cozy room.
Call us at Tel. 508-548-1230 for restaurant recommendations and to make reservations.


text:
In the FCS Huddle: North Dakota State is a lot like 'Bama
Philadelphia, PA – If North Dakota State wins a national championship again this season and Alabama doesn't, maybe the Bison should earn a visit to the White House, as the Crimson Tide did once again earlier this month.
The Bison, the "other" Division I champions, are trying to do the same as Alabama - deliver on a national title three-peat. If they pull it off, they would be the second program to do so on the FCS level, following Appalachian State's title run from 2005-07.
As they embark on similar pursuits this coming season, North Dakota State and Alabama are alike in many ways.
It starts at the top with the head coaches, Alabama's Nick Saban and NDSU's Craig Bohl. Saban has won four BCS national titles, including three with the Tide over the last fours years. He's the best in the FBS.
Bohl has made a case for being the best coach in the FCS, and a national panel agreed last year when he was named the 2012 Eddie Robinson Award recipient. He's taken the Bison from the Division II level to the top of the FCS twice in a nine-season span, including four seasons of double-figure win totals.
The last time we saw Alabama, the Tide was rolling in over the Notre Dame front seven (you might remember Manti Te'o on the ground). With the behemoths up front, there's no reason for 'Bama not to rely on a power running game. Despite a recent injury to 2013 commit Derrick Henry, running back T.J. Yeldon is coming off a huge freshman season.
NDSU definitely does the same with its ground game. The Bison have posted 10 straight seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher, and they have had a pair in each of the last two years. Last season's two-headed monster of Sam Ojuri and John Crockett will be back this season along with All-America left tackle Billy Turner to bulldoze some holes.
Each team returns a fifth-year senior quarterback who has been the starter on back-to-back national championship squads, although Brent Musburger seems to have a preference for the girlfriend of a certain signal-caller. But A.J. McCarron of Alabama and Brock Jensen of NDSU, similar in size and composure, both tend to play well in the bigger games. They've been in plenty of them.
Alabama and NDSU actually matched each other last season by leading the FBS and FCS, respectively, in total defense and scoring defense. Eerie.
The Bison, who go with a 4-3 base alignment, might have the better unit this season with the return of cornerback Marcus Williams and a dynamite unit of linebackers (Grant Olson, Travis Beck and Carlton Littlejohn). Linebacker happens to be the strength of the Crimson Tide's 3-4 defense as well.
With the 'Bama name, Saban attracts premier recruiting classes every year. The Bison are catching up in that regard as the two straight titles are starting to pay dividends in the level of recruits.
You know they love their football at Bryant-Denny Stadium when over 100,000 pack the stands for an Alabama home game. Don't take anything away from the 19,000-seat Fargodome, which has become the place to be in the FCS with Bison faithful packing it and raising the decibel level quite a bit.
Even if you're looking for the negative, both powers have lost one game in each of their two straight title seasons, and they've all been at home. Which only means they haven't lost on the road in that time.
North Dakota State and Alabama - NDSU even more so - are prohibitive favorites to three-peat this season. Maybe Nick Saban could ask President Obama for a few more hall passes for the Bison.


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Reduction of matrices to canonical form under generalized Lorentzian transformations
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blocks have 1/2 canonical blocks canonical form canonical matrices center block characteristic polynomial Corollary corresponding factor define vj diag diagonal blocks direct sum DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY elementary divisors exists a standard exists a vector finite number form a standard hence imply index 4k invariant subspace iy(j J-isotropic subspace J-Lorentzian matrix J-orthogonal complement J-orthonormal basis J-skew matrix J-symmetric and J-skew Lemma 9 MacDuffee MATRICES TO CANONICAL minimum polynomial nilpotent J-skew matrices non-principal diagonal non-singular matrix non-zero J-value obtain a vector odd order orthogonal matrix permutation matrix positive definite principal diagonal proof of Theorem pure imaginary characteristic real vectors reduction of J-symmetric secondary diagonal set of index set of real standard set symmetric and skew T-symmetric matrix Theorem 13 thesis University of Wisconsin vector in N((A vectors of index vk+1 vk+2 yx Jy zeros elsewhere


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Harvey and Mike answered your questions on everything today -- including the 911 call from Tiger Woods' home last night, the new alleged mistresses who surfaced and why he was admitted to the hospital under "OD."
Also: Harvey's plea to "Dexter" star Michael C. Hall, "Jersey Shore" controversy and The Hoff's 911 call.
Plus -- Why winning on "The Price is Right" was wrong for Evan.
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Bode Miller Isn't Alone – The 5 Most Outrageously Insensitive TV Interviews
02.18.2014 | By Mariana Dussan | 4 Comments">4 Comments
Journalism is all about getting the full story, but what happens when this practice pushes the boundaries to the point of insensitivity?
Right after winning bronze medal in the super-G race in Sochi on Sunday, U.S. skier Bode Miller spoke with NBC's Christian Copper, who wanted to get an emotional story out of the athlete, but instead set him to tears on national television. Read More


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Start Your Business in Canada to Immigrate
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Joined: 26 Oct 2010
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 4
Quote Reply
Topic: Start Your Business in Canada to Immigrate
Posted: 26 Oct 2010 at 8:03pm
My firm works with immigration lawyers and their clients who are looking to establish citizenship based on setting up a business in Canada (we write business plans for this purpose).
The program is called the Provincial Nominee Program (or PNP), and each Canadian province has its own program and its own rules. It may be something worth considering. Being of South African descent myself, I've seen many friends and family members immigrate over the years based on the same premise.
There doesn't seem to be too much discussion around this option in the forums, and I'm wondering if people are aware of this option?
warren llorente
Joined: 29 Jan 2011
Location: south africa
Posts: 1
|Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jan 2011 at 2:01pm
Hello Mr. Cohen,
this offer sounds interesting. How is the criterea exactly?
Kind Regards,
Warren Llorente
South Africa
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 35
|Quote Reply Posted: 01 Feb 2011 at 3:55pm
The Easiest way to Canada is under the Canada Investors Visa Immigrant Investor Programs , either Quebec or Canada Federal Investor Visa.
This only applies to Business People and Directors with a High Net Worth of a minimum of
No age limitation, no diplomas required, no quotas , fast processing ( 12 to 14 months)
For complete details and to ask for an Investor Immigration Brochure, please visit :
Canada Investors Visa 2017
..canadainvestorimmigrationvisa.com/ and follow the link to the official website
PS - For Investors with no management experience and at least 500,000$ US of Net Worth , you have the possibility below ( only for the USA)
We also offer a lower requirement EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa for the USA ( click to download the Brochure in pdf)
Edited by immigrationVIP - 18 Mar 2017 at 6:58pm
Joined: 26 Oct 2010
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|Quote Reply Posted: 03 Feb 2011 at 4:20pm
Dear Mr. Llorente,
Firstly, my apologies for the delay in replying to your post; I had been away with no Internet access.
Each Canadian province has its own rules for their entrepreneur programs. The more popular provinces have higher investment requierments. Do you have a particular province in mind? I can send you some preliminary information to start, and we can take it from there if there is an interest on your part.
Also for clarity, I am not an immigration lawyer or a consultant, I merely help people with their business plans and getting their businesses established. I am connected to many lawyers, however, and I can refer you to one or three that meet your needs, once you know better what those might be.
Kind regards,
Phil Cohen
Strategic Element
Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 35
|Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 2017 at 6:54pm
Canada Investors Immigrant visa conditions for South Africans wanting to Immigrate to Canada as investors are available at ..canadainvestorimmigrantvisa.com/quebecimmigrantinvestorprogram/canada-investors-visa-for-south-africans
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Sunday, March 17, 2013
Who Are the Next Inspirations?
Musker also talked about the early days of his career, particularly his time with Eric Larson and being taught by Jack Hannah.
Listening to Musker and staring at the young students in the audience, I started wondering about the next animators who would serve as inspiration.
Animators were pretty much invisible through the greatest part of what we call the golden age. Bill Tytla got some publicity in Time magazine at the time of Dumbo's release and many of the Disney crew were anonymously featured in the live action portions of The Reluctant Dragon, but it really wasn't until Disney moved into TV that behind-the-scenes material started to appear. When Disney was publicizing the initial release of Lady and the Tramp, there were segments with Frank Thomas, Milt Kahl, Woolie Reitherman, etc. Those shows, and Bob Thomas's book The Art of Animation were really the public's first view of the people who made the characters move.
The TV audience for those shows (as well as Walter Lantz's copycat segments on The Woody Woodpecker Show), was the generation that grew up to enter the animation business in the '70s and '80s. At the same time they were entering the business, others in their generation were writing about animation history, further publicizing animators, and not only those at Disney.
In the '90s, the TV generation had risen to prominence in animated features. Glen Keane, Andreas Deja, Eric Goldberg, etc. were all used to publicize the films on their release and then appeared in DVD extras. These are the people that the Sheridan students were familiar with and who were featured in John Musker's talk.
But who are the animators who have risen to prominence in animated features in the last 15 years? I'm not talking about directors (though only Pixar has really publicized them to the point that they have independent reputations). Since cgi has taken over feature films, are there any cgi animators whose work is known to the general public? The same question can be asked about stop motion animators.
At Sheridan, it's been clear to me for years that the students seem to gravitate more to design than to story or animation. There are relatively few who have stories they're desperate to tell or characters they want to bring to life. I wonder if the flood of "Art of" books is responsible for this in some way. It's one of the few places where animation artists get credited, but the books are mostly pre-production art.
Whatever the reason, I think that the writing of history and publicity is having an impact on students' career aspirations. Without animators as examples, there are fewer who aspire to follow that path. There are fewer "ignition moments," when someone sees an animator bring a character to life and is struck by the desire to do the same thing.
This may be happening at the various online animation schools where students are interacting with working animators. That's all to the good, but it doesn't reach the same number of people who see a DVD extra or work credited in a book.
In thirty years, when the audience for John Musker's talk is firmly established in animation, will there be any star animators known outside the studios? While there were always star animators even if the public didn't know about them, I'm convinced that the lack of publicity does impact their number.
If I'm right, then that's something that animators can do to maintain the health of the field. Animators, publicize yourselves! What shots have you done? What moments have you given audiences? The more that human faces can be attached to performances that audiences remember, the more likely that we'll get more of those performances in the future.
16 comments:
- Kara said...
I'm actually really interested in seeing that too. Even just a few years difference means a huge shift in what influences people's work - especially since the 90's was a huge hodge podge of anime, western cartoons, mixes of the two and when 3D really started becoming a big thing. People just a few years younger than me have completely different influences outside of the typical disney works, and with the internet you can see work from all around the world. It's going to be an exciting future for animation.
- March 17, 2013 12:29 PM
- Martin Juneau said...
Overseas animations studios seems to get too much credits than real animators in the past three decades if i'm not wrong, but it don't stop to tough there's again great animators talents somewhere these days who do something else than stock key poses from model sheets and be able to entertain once. Not a easy job, but sometimes effort worth the due.
- March 17, 2013 4:00 PM
- Jonah Sidhom said...
In terms of animators that inspire me, the ones whose work I actually know are basically all from Pixar. Carlos Baena and Victor Navone have both provided some insightful tutorials on their blogs which feature some of their animation. They basically explain their process for certain shots. I know a lot of students frequent those tutorials, so my guess would be that their work is the most recognizable (in terms of matching animation with a name) to a lot of students of computer animation.
- March 17, 2013 9:20 PM
- J Caswell said...
I couldn't agree more. I'm convinced the public still thinks Walt Disney creates these movies.
- March 17, 2013 9:21 PM
- chris said...
In 15 years, the animators that students will be familiar with are the ones working on the web.
Doing web cartoons gives a person the chance to own their material, and also to exploit their own name as a creative force.
- March 18, 2013 1:41 PM
- Floyd Norman said...
Clearly, animators never had a high profile in the media. Not even the Disney masters. Yet, in spite of this, the public became aware of a few. Especially in the late eighties and early nineties.
Today's CGI motion pictures have succeeded in making animators truly invisible. Nobody knows who animates these films nor do they care to know. It's truly sad.
- March 18, 2013 2:54 PM
- Pete Emslie said...
I agree with what Floyd just said. CG animators, no matter how good they are, can never have their work picked out and recognized because they're working within the confines of a pre-determined model limited in movement by its rig. I don't believe that the movement and acting can ever be enough to distinguish their animation from anybody else's in the film.
In contrast, the traditional animators who worked for decades at Disney, Warners and MGM, while trying to adhere to the house style and stay on-model with the characters, couldn't help but inject something of their own style into the animation. That's because a drawing is as personal as ones handwriting, therefore to those with a trained eye, the animation of Ward Kimball, Milt Kahl, Ken Harris, Hawley Pratt, etc. becomes quite identifiable with the artist's hand.
For instance, in "The Jungle Book", a film I know very well, I could likely identify who was principal animator on most of the characters in any given scene. I can identify whether a scene of Baloo was animated by Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, or the one scene I know to be done by Milt Kahl. To a lesser extent, I could possibly identify the animator in many of the scenes from a more recent Disney film like "The Little Mermaid". (I can certainly tell a Glen Keane scene of Ariel from one done by Mark Henn. I prefer Henn's, by the way.)
But CG animation inherently all looks the same due to the pre-existing rigged model that levels the playing field. While I can well appreciate the talent and effort in a Pixar film, I wouldn't be able to name a single Pixar animator's individual scenes. I really don't see any CG animators ever reaching the same heights of personal glory that traditional animators have long enjoyed. Too bad.
- March 18, 2013 4:33 PM
- JPilot said...
Mr. Incredible: You mean you killed off real heroes so that you could *pretend* to be one?
Syndrome: Oh, I'm real. Real enough to defeat you! And I did it without your precious gifts, your oh-so-special powers. I'll give them heroics. I'll give them the most spectacular heroics the world has ever seen! And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that *everyone* can have powers. *Everyone* can be super! And when everyone's super...
[chuckles evilly]
Syndrome: - no one will be.
(Just thought I'd share that.
Replace "real heroes" with "traditional animators"
and replace "powers" with "talent"
and replace "super" with "artist"
and replace "inventions" with "software"
Oh and replace "heroics" with "animationsssss".)
- March 18, 2013 5:28 PM
- Thea said...
I've been craving for a long time a site like dribbble, but for animation and film. Something where motion artists can show off snapshots of what they're working on, and "like" others' work. Vimeo is probably the closest thing to this, but instead of snapshots or shots of only a few seconds, you have full-length work, which increases the browsing commitment.
I also think it would be really cool to have a database like IMDB for animated or FX films, but which breaks down a movie shot-by-shot so you can see who did what. Or how cool would it be to watch a movie and have the animators' names pop up on screen for every shot you see? It wouldn't help out just fans of animation, it would help out animators themselves. How many animators remember working on a movie, but can't recall which exact shot it was they finished?
- March 18, 2013 6:05 PM
- Thea said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 18, 2013 6:05 PM
The only people who care about the "hand of the individual artist" are other animators. Most people just want to be told a good story. There's PLENTY of lousy ACTING in hand drawn animation, just as there's PLENTY of lousy acting in CG animation. And at this point, I'd say there's just as much good cg acting as there is traditional animation acting. Most great animators want to bury themselves in the CHARACTER, and not show off their animation. Certainly directors don't care, because the differences can be distracting from the film.
The parts matter less than the whole, and the whole is strong character in a story well told (in a story worth telling).
I wish animators would stop wanting to know "who did what" because of what something LOOKS like and instead asked "who did what" because the ACTING was so great. I understand the sentiment, but it's really a silly argument.
- March 19, 2013 11:33 PM
- Floyd Norman said...
An interesting argument but I'm not sure I buy it. In the arts we care a good deal who wrote a book or who directed a movie. In animation it's only natural for professionals to focus on who did what. Sure, the story is what matters, but those involved in the creative process should never remain invisible.
- March 20, 2013 12:43 PM
- Thad said...
I agree with Floyd Norman and Pete Emslie. (Although, for the record, Hawley Pratt never carried the official title of 'animator' to the best of my knowledge. But his point still stands. You can still can tell a Freleng cartoon laid out by Pratt from another layout man just by looking at it.)
Anonymous, whether you like it or not, telling who did what by what it looks like is just as much a part of animation study as what it feels like. There is no one reason why people study the work of animators like Bill Tytla, Ward Kimball, Frank Thomas, Freddy Moore, Ken Harris, Rod Scribner, Emery Hawkins, Bobe Cannon, Jim Tyer, Johnny Gent, Dick Williams, Bob Jaques, Glen Keane, Bill Plympton, et. al. The fact that discerning characteristics in timing, phrasing, volume, emphasis, or posing exist is because of what you're looking at: the drawing!
The ethical dilemma many of us have with CG and the digital era is that all of that distinction is being wiped out by the technology. By its very definition, technology aims to replicate the human hand and obliterate any traces thereof.
This doesn't mean that skill is thrown out the window in the new era, nor that the new films lack what the old ones had. But I had a similar argument on Michael Sporn's splog with well-meaning people, and try as they might, no one could name a star animator in the big modern CG features. Can you even tell a Pixar from a Sony from a Dreamworks movie any more?
The homogenization is what's scary.
- March 20, 2013 3:25 PM
But in order to recognize the individual styles of the animators you have to actually study them as well as study the animation process. I far as a layman is considered, who animated what doesn't matter. It's all just one big work of art.
I would guess that someone who studied or worked on computer animation might be able to recognize certain animators' work but if you have an inherent basis against it when it probably would all look the same.
I agree with Mark, its mostly publicity.
- March 22, 2013 11:54 AM
considered ^^^ concerned
basis ^^^^ bias
- March 22, 2013 1:04 PM
- Dragos Stefan said...
I don't think the next inspirations are to be found only among lead animators on high-profile features.
When I think of next inspirations, independent artists like Don Hertzfeldt, Joan Gratz, Georges Schwizgebel come to mind. The individual auteurs with strong style, or the small studio created by few guys, were not very present in the "good old days" but they are now and will become more and more important as an influence.
- April 02, 2013 12:05 PM


text: I was born in 1954 into an artist family. At that time, my father had written about thirty songs for Yves Montand including A Paris that wanted to sing Danny Kaye. If my first memories are in music, the second are on his distant journeys. I was captivated by his stories in China and the remote regions of Korea and Russia. This is one of the reasons why in 1979 I became a photographer reporter and traveled a part of the globe to discover different cultures.In 1978 filmmaker Chris Marker introduced me to Marc Riboud. He taught me the job of photo-reporter. My steps then took me ten times to Australia where I watched camels caught by Ian Conway and his team. I caught the shark with Vic Hislop when he captured them for the artist Damien Hirst, then I stopped for a while to live with the North Queensland Aborigines. Of all that I made a book.Between each trip I was always in New York. This is where I met the controversial forger David Stein who made a series of fake Andy Warhol exposed in the MOMA in 1989 and on which I published dozens of great reports. And it was in Chistie's that I saw Malcom Forbes acquire a Faberge egg for the sum of one million eight hundred thousand dollars. At the end of the sale I approached him like all the journalists present but I was the only one to ask permission to photograph him with his entire collection and I was the only one to whom he gave this authorization. My photo went around the world and was published by Life Magazine and even distributed a time by the prestigious Magnum photographer agency."Stéphane korb defender of all freedoms, especially his own," wrote photographer Marc Riboud.After 20 years of instructive travel at the crossroads of photojournalism and international publications, I always refer to what Ansel Adams said: "You do not take a picture, you make it". It's also to have greater control over what I do that I added brushes to my Leica. I use the techniques of pop art and street art mixed with the image report by artisanal process to produce works on my memory and the collective memory.I wrote songs with my father in 1985 and published the texts and photographs of several books: Australian spirits on the tracks of Australia (Ed Romain pages 2000), Yves Montand (Ed.Jean-Claude Gawsewitch 2011) Keys for Japan (Memoires of artists edition 2014)YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE AN EXHIBITION OR SELL MY WORKS : CONTACT ME BY THE SITE http://www.korb-art.com


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Samsung Galaxy S7 Hybrid Case design of Cartoon, Illustration, Poster, Animated cartoon, Fiction, Anime, Art, Fictional character, Games with pink, orange, black, red, gray, white colors.
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Make your Samsung Galaxy S7 uniquely yours.
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I bought this skin some months ago now. It fits well and looks wonderful, it even has the extended hex background pattern that the movie spidey has. I'm writing this review as I'm returning to buy another. I dropped my Ipod badly, as a result the case should have been damaged but the skin took 99% of the impact. The result is paying out £5 for a new skin instead of £100 for a new Ipod. These skins are the business!mark verbitsky, United Kingdom


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S. H. Fernando Jr.'s Coconut Custard Pudding
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This Coconut Custard Pudding from S.H. Fernando Jr.'s Rice & Curry is a tropical take on a caramel custard. Instead of cream or milk, this recipe calls for thick coconut milk, resulting in a rich custard full of caramelized coconut notes, accented with nutmeg and cardamom. A scattering of crushed cashews are sprinkled on just before serving to add a crunch to the creamy custard.
What Worked: Delicate, smooth, and eggy with a soft notes of nutmeg, this custard is set off beautifully by a sprinkle of crunchy cashews.
What Didn't: While the recipe worked wonderfully, we must warn you that grating jaggery is...well, we'll just say watch your fingers.
Suggested Tweaks: Keeping with the tropical flavors of this dessert, we can see how serving it alongside slices of mango or fresh coconut would only make it that much more enjoyable.
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Rice & Curry to give away.
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