text: Sep 9, 2011 00:26 Learning on the run Learning on the run Third-round pick Wilson getting quick introduction Sheldon Mickles| Advocate Sportswriter Sept. 09, 2011 Comments Saints LB Martez Wilson (95) runs to the ball during training camp practice Monday at the team training facility in Metairie.In a short period of time this month, New Orleans Saints rookie linebacker Martez Wilson learned a lot about defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Wilson, the first of two third-round draft picks for the Saints this spring, didn't really get to know his new defensive boss for more than three months because of the owners' lockout of players. So there was a lot of catching up to do for Williams, who likes to ride rookies mercilessly. When Wilson signed his contract on the third day of training camp and walked onto the practice field for the first time, he was officially indoctrinated. Wilson became Williams' pet project, much as free safety Malcolm Jenkins was in 2009 and Patrick Robinson was a year ago. But Wilson also learned something about Williams as well. "I was told that if he's not on you he doesn't like you," a smiling Wilson said. "The veterans told me that if he says something to you that means he likes you. I think he expects me to do well and use my athleticism." Athleticism was one of the things the Saints scouts noticed about the former University of Illinois standout, who packs 252 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame. Case in point was his 40-yard dash time of 4.49 seconds, which was the fastest of all linebackers at the NFL combine workouts in February. However, injuries and inconsistency during his college career, which was spent under the watchful eye of former Saints defensive coordinator and Illini coach Ron Zook, conspired to lower Wilson's draft stock. Still, the Saints decided to take a shot on Wilson. One of the reasons was that his size was comparable to former Saints strongside linebacker Scott Fujita, who was missed last year after he left to sign a huge contract with the Cleveland Browns. The Saints think Wilson has the same skills and ball instincts as Fujita, but he has to learn the position because he played middle linebacker at Illinois. Because of that, he and Williams know it's going to be a process. "Each and every day, I'm trying and I'm getting better," Wilson said. "We, as coaches, try to put as much external stress on them as possible so the game is simple," Williams said. "If he can block me out, if he can block out the stress of somebody constantly riding him, on game day he'll play pretty good. "I'd rather him be uncomfortable in practice," he said, "so I'm not uncomfortable on game day." Wilson has seen extensive playing time with the second-team defense behind five-year veteran Will Herring and has recorded 10 tackles in three preseason games, including five on Aug. 20 at Houston. "Each preseason game is more than just a learning experience for me," Wilson said. "It's a chance to build more confidence for the coaches to have in you and respect from your teammates as well." The transition from the middle to the strong side has been tough considering Williams and linebackers coach Joe Vitt, who may be the most animated and excitable coaches on Sean Payton's staff, are watching his every move. "The biggest thing is now I'm near the line of scrimmage on almost every play in certain defenses, so I have to learn how to use my hands even more forcefully and more aggressively, and other things like that," Wilson said. "Sometimes you're man to man with the tight end, sometimes you have a big tackle fan out on you. "So it's a matter of using your power and your strength as fast and as aggressively as possible," he said. "That's been the biggest adjustment for me. As camp has gone along, I've gotten better at it, and I just have to keep improving. I'm learning how to do things better, and that's what the coaches expect of me." About two weeks into camp is when most rookies' heads usually start spinning, which is precisely how it felt one day to Wilson. "It kind of got me one day," he said with a laugh. "Some of the older guys, some of the vets, talked to me and told me to calm down and I would have a better day the next day. "I've learned to try and slow everything down and learn one thing every day," Wilson said. "You can't learn everything at once like I was trying to do. You want to be so good so early as a rookie that you put a lot on yourself, and you just have to learn not do that." When asked about playing for both Zook and Williams and their levels of intensity, Wilson couldn't help but grin. "Coach Zook had his moments, but he ain't Gregg Williams," Wilson said. "Gregg Williams is a whole new ballgame. Defensive players need a coach like that because defensive players are supposed to be aggressive. "If your defensive coordinator is aggressive and he expects that in practice all the time, you're going to definitely do it in a game." More Saints stories His first step — getting on the field — complete, Saints rookie Andrus Peat focuses on his footwork to get where he needs to go Jul 3, 2015 20:51 Joel a. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com John Jenkins feels 'ready to take off' in third year with Saints Jul 2, 2015 10:48 Joel a. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com Saints QB Drew Brees happy for Anthony Davis' new deal with Pelicans, tells story of wife painting unibrow on son Jul 2, 2015 10:48 JOEL A. ERICKSON Even with Jimmy Graham gone, Saints tight end Josh Hill doesn't see big changes ahead Jul 2, 2015 00:06 Joel a. Erickson| email@example.com Early returns have been impressive as Saints rookie Stephone Anthony settles in at middle linebacker Jul 1, 2015 00:53 Joel a. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com Former Saints coach Dick Stanfel, who directed team through final four games of 1980 season, dies at age 87 Jun 29, 2015 20:23 Nick Underhill| firstname.lastname@example.com Happy to be back in New Orleans, Dennis Allen hopes to help the Saints improve on defense Jun 28, 2015 21:23 Nick Underhill| firstname.lastname@example.com Saints quarterback Drew Brees 'very convinced' he'll win another Super Bowl Jun 27, 2015 16:26 NICK UNDERHILL Saints quarterback Drew Brees drops 24 spots to No. 30 on the NFL Network's Top 100 players list Jun 26, 2015 15:20 Nick Underhill| firstname.lastname@example.com New Saints wide receivers coach John Morton ready to lead, mold wide receivers: 'I'll do whatever it takes to get them ready to play' Jun 26, 2015 15:20 Nick Underhill| email@example.com Saints mailbag: Is Brandin Cooks or Joe Morgan going to be New Orleans' true stretch-the-field player? Jun 25, 2015 10:25 NICK UNDERHILL Jairus Byrd looking to bounce back in second season with Saints Jun 24, 2015 00:37 Nick Underhill| firstname.lastname@example.com Analysis: There could be much more at stake than expected in Junior Galette's NFL disciplinary meeting Jun 24, 2015 15:04 Nick Underhill| email@example.com Ahead of Junior Galette hearing, Saints send beach fracas video to NFL for review Jun 22, 2015 16:14 Joel A. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com Father's Day 2015: An extra special holiday for first-time dad Mark Ingram Jun 22, 2015 16:14 Joel a. Erickson| email@example.com No more gibberish: Saints' revamped offensive line working to build chemistry Jun 24, 2015 00:29 Nick Underhill| email@example.com Ready for football season? Running back C.J. Spiller may be ready and six other takeaways from Saints minicamp Jun 22, 2015 23:42 Ted Lewis| email@example.com Mannings looking forward to spending time together before season Jun 22, 2015 23:42 Lori Lyons| Special to The Advocate Biggest storylines from Saints' minicamp: New wrinkles on offense, bottle attack on Ryan Griffin, latest on Junior Galette injury, more Jun 22, 2015 13:40 NICK UNDERHILL Document explaining Tom Benson ruling unveils new info into mostly secret court process Jun 22, 2015 13:40 by ramon antonio vargas and jaquetta white| email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com Ted Lewis: After Saints, Pelicans owner Tom Benson ruled competent to conduct business, now what? Jun 22, 2015 13:40 by ted lewis| firstname.lastname@example.com Elated by fatherhood, new contract, Cam Jordan focuses on living up to his own expectations Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Joel a. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com Saints introducing several new concepts to their offense Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Nick Underhill| firstname.lastname@example.com Sean Payton offers support for Tom Benson: 'He's been a fantastic owner' Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Advocate story Photos: Saints wrap up mini-camp under brutal heat Jun 29, 2015 22:38 Advocate story Jairus Byrd appears to be held out of Saints' final minicamp practice Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Advocate story Lewis: Saints optimistic NBA champion Alvin Gentry is right man for Pelicans job Jun 22, 2015 13:40 by ted lewis| email@example.com Saints notebook: Ryan Griffin meets with media after being attacked with champagne bottle Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Nick Underhill and Joel A. Erickson| Advocate sportswriters Junior Galette hoping to put turbulent offseason behind him Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Joel a. Erickson| firstname.lastname@example.com Receiver Josh Morgan has made a good first impression at Saints minicamp Jun 22, 2015 13:40 Advocate story Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe

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GAME NOTES: The struggling Colorado Buffaloes continue to search for answers, as they take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a Pac-12 Conference conflict at Wells Fargo Arena.
Colorado just hasn't been the same since leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie (14.7 ppg) suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this month. The Buffaloes have lost three of their last four games, falling to 15-5 overall and to a pedestrian 4-3 in conference play. They will begin a three-game homestand against Utah next.
Arizona State had a run-in with the Utes on Thursday, and the Sun Devils were able to escape with a 79-75 victory in that duel, improving to 14-5 overall and 4-3 in league action in the process. Up next is a trip to Berkeley to take on California.
Although Arizona State swept the season series with the Buffaloes last year, the all-time series between the teams is tied at 4-4.
The Buffaloes really could have used Dinwiddie on Thursday, as they tangled with the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats, and fell hard in a 69-57 final. Colorado connected on only 38.5 percent of its shots from the floor and had 16 turnovers compared to a mere six assists.
Colorado isn't an overly impressive offensive team, especially without Dinwiddie. The Buffs are just 10th in the Pac-12 in scoring (74.6 ppg) and 11th in field goal percentage (.446). The hope is that continued defensive strength (67.9 ppg, .425 FG percentage) will allow them to overcome the loss on offense. Josh Scott (14.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg) has become the team's top offensive weapon and he performed well against Arizona, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Xavier Johnson (10.3 ppg) will also be called upon to put forth efforts like he had on Thursday, when he dropped in a game-high 21 points.
Jahii Carson was at it again, tallying 23 points to pace Arizona State in its recent win over Utah. The Sun Devils trailed 41-37 at halftime, but shot 59.1 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes to push their way past the Utes.
On the season, the Sun Devils have enjoyed a sizable scoring differential (+10.2) by averaging 76.8 ppg and shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, while limiting foes to 66.6 ppg and 40.4 percent shooting. Carson (18.4 ppg, 4.6 apg) is the leader for the squad in more ways than one, topping the team in scoring and assists, while oftentimes carrying the offense by himself. Jermaine Marshall (15 ppg) joins Carson as another strong scorer in the backcourt. Up front, Jordan Bachynski (12.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 4.5 bpg) is the man to watch, as he is nearly averaging a double-double this season and is the nation's leader in blocked shots.
The Buffaloes are clearly missing Dinwiddie's leadership, perhaps more than his scoring ability. Either way, Colorado just doesn't have enough to contend with Carson, Bachynski and company.
GAME NOTES: The struggling Colorado Buffaloes continue to search for answers,
as they take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a Pac-12 Conference conflict
at Wells Fargo Arena.
FACTS & STATS: Site: Wells Fargo Arena (16,110) -- Tempe, Arizona.
Television: Pac-12 Network. Home Record: Colorado 12-1, ASU 10-1. Away Record:
Colorado 3-2, ASU 3-2. Neutral Record: Colorado 0-2, ASU 1-2. Conference
Record: Colorado 4-3, ASU 3-3. Series Record: Series is tied, 4-4.
Saturday, January 25, 7 p.m. (ET)
Arizona State 76, Colorado 71
Former Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart, Eric Crouch and Rashaan Salaam are among 76 Football Bowl Subdivision players on the ballot for election into the 2016 class of the College Football Hall of Fame.
The regular season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has reached its midpoint, with 13 races completed and 13 to go before the championship Chase begins.
The Houston Texans have signed defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick, who played last season with the New Orleans Saints.
The Toronto Blue Jays activated catcher Dioner Navarro from the 15-day disabled list following a 2-0 loss to the Washington Nationals in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader.
Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, the team said.
The Montreal Canadiens revealed on Tuesday that defenseman Jeff Petry has agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension.


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Obama briefed on missing AirAsia flight 8501U.S. President Barack Obama wasbriefed on the disappearance of AirAsia flight 8501 on Saturday,said White House spokesman Eric Schultz.
White House: Obama vetoes Keystone XL pipeline billPresident Barack Obama onTuesday vetoed a Republican bill approving the Keystone XL oilpipeline from Canada, the White House confirmed.
Obama believes no law needed for parents to vaccinate childrenU.S. President Barack Obama believes there should not need to be a law to get parents to vaccinate
President Obama signs disaster declaration over deadly Texas stormsU.S. President Barack Obama on Fridaysigned a disaster declaration for areas in Texas hit
Obama administration to start new group to advise on veterans issuesPresident Barack Obama'sadministration on Friday will announce the creation of a newadvisory group
Obama to host Britain's Prince Charles at White House in MarchPresident Barack Obama willmeet next month with Britain's Prince Charles and his wife,during
Obama says position on Keystone XL pipeline has not changedPresident Barack Obama said on Friday has position on the Keystone XL oil pipeline has not changed, as the Republican-led U.S.
Obama to pledge $3 billion for international 'green' fundPresident Barack Obama on Friday will announce a $3 billion U.S. contribution to the green climate
Obama signs bill fixing Medicare doctors' payU.S. President Barack Obama signed abill into law on Thursday that repairs the formula
Obama offers federal support to Texas in wake of floodsPresident Barack Obama saidon Tuesday that he had spoken with Texas Governor Greg Abbottand assured
Obama says Ebola fight not close to being overPresident Barack Obama urged Congress on Tuesday to approve a $6.18 billion request for funding
Obama makes Alaska's Bristol Bay area off limits for oil drillingPresident Barack Obama onTuesday designated the fish-rich Bristol Bay area of Alaska "offlimits
Obama vetoes Keystone pipeline approval billPresident Barack Obama onTuesday swiftly delivered on his vow to veto a Republican billapproving
Obama to pledge $3 billion for international 'green' fundPresident Barack Obama on Friday will announce a $3 billion U.S. contribution to the green climate
Obama says volunteers in Ebola fight need support, not restrictionsPresident Barack Obama said on Tuesday that health workers volunteering to help treat Ebola
Americans may still see some Ebola cases, Obama saysPresident Barack Obama said on Wednesday that Americans may continue to see individual cases
Obama says shocked, saddened by Amtrak derailmentPresident Barack Obama saidon Wednesday that he and his wife Michelle were shocked anddeeply
Obama says world needs to learn from 'wake-up call' of EbolaPresident Barack Obama said on Wednesday that he was bringing back nearly all U.S. troops fighting
Obama does not support Senate Keystone bill: White HouseA White House official said on Tuesday that President Barack Obama does not support legislation in the U.S.
Obama notes concerns over 'extraordinarily dirty' Canada oil extractionPresident Barack Obamaon Friday repeated concerns that the Keystone XL crudeoil pipeline project


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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- A six-member task force appointed by New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch has made recommendations to improve the implementation of Common Core standards throughout Westchester County and all of New York State, according to CBS New York.
Some of the recommendations include allowing teachers to argue against termination based on students test performances as well as delaying the phase-in of Common Core regents exams until 2022 instead of 2017, CBS New York reported.
- 1 Briarcliff Resident Uses Appearance On ABC-TV Show To Help Fight Bullying
- 2 New Scam Showing Up On Facebook Could Cost You Lots Of Money
- 3 Teenager Identified In Fatal Sprain Brook Crash
- 4 Rain Could Spoil July 4 Events, Celebrations In Briarcliff
- 5 Three Hospitalized After Serious I-87 Crash Involving Tractor-Trailer, Car


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4,431 Matches for Kathy Reed
Katherine A. Reed 27 yrs, error
Temecula, CA|San Marcos, CA|Oceanside, CA
Katherine A Reed is 27 years old. She lives in Temecula, CA. She has also lived in San Marcos, CA and Oceanside, CA. She works as a Homemaker. Country And Rock is her favorite band. Katherine's a big fan of Fox News, Desperate Housewives and Brothers And Sisters. On the web, Katherine goes by the aliases error, kat_reed_20, katherine_o9 and kat_reed_88.What is PeekScore?
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Kathy Reed 53 yrs, cheshire__kat
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News Media Claims Global Warming Driving Shark Attacks
'As warming is expected to increase, it will likely bring more sharks farther north and entice more people to get into the water'
Supreme Court Derails EPA's Anti-Coal Agenda
'No regulation is appropriate if it does significantly more harm than good'
Overheated Global Warming Models 'Will Take Down' Climate Science
'You cannot look at this picture and not admit a tragedy is occurring'
Who's LYING?! Satellite Data Shows No Global Warming For Nearly 19 YEARS
'For 222 months, since December 1996, there has been no global warming at all'
UN: Don't Eat Hamburgers, They Hurt The Environment
'Not eating a hamburger is an effective way to save [water]'
NOAA: 15 Years With No Global Warming Was An Illusion
'This latest analysis from NOAA will be regarded as politically useful for the Obama administration'
Minimum Wage Supporters Encouraged By New Corporate Welfare Bill
'Its the latest evidence that working people are winning'
RIsing CO2 Levels Making The World Greener
NASA warned that atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide reached new levels during March, levels the space agency says is a harbinger of dangerous global warming that could be on the horizon.
Scientists Struggle To Explain Away US 'Hurricane Drought'
'No way anyone wants to suggest that is 'consistent with' expectations'
Five Ways Humans Made The Earth Way Better Since The First Earth Day
Yes, mankind can damage the environment, but we can also make the planet a much better, greener place to live
Global Warming Apocalypse! CO2 Emissions INCREASE Under Obama
'It's all over, guys. Global warming has won'
Scientists Say New Study Is A 'Death Blow' To Global Warming Hysteria
This study 'basically eliminates the possibility of catastrophic climate change'
Obama To Force More CO2 Reductions For No Benefits
Good news, it'll only cost billions of dollars a year
Studies: CO2 Emissions Are Greening The Planet
'Global Greening is the most important ecological trend on Earth today'
White House: Don't Mention Temperature When Analyzing Global Warming
'It would prove that the assessment of climate change impacts of federal actions… to be a complete and utter waste of time'
What Is The 'Right' Way To Repeal Obamacare?
Conservative policy experts debate the best free-market alternatives to Obamacare
Is Privatization The Key To Minimizing Future Port Disputes?
'We should privatize as much of it as we can'
Classification: Averting A Massive Marijuana Headache Could Bring Congress To That One Word
'Reclassifying marijuana is absolutely warranted'
Experts At Odds Over Whether To Regulate Ridesharing Or Deregulate Taxis
Experts agree that ridesharing and taxis should face similar regulations
HOT AIR: Scientists Say NOAA/NASA Fudging The Facts On 2014 Record Warmth
'I am embarrassed by the scientific community's behavior on the subject'


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Varied menu for all the family - We have a fussy eater in our group and all enjoyed a lovely meal in pleasant surroundings
We've been regular visitors to Sunset Beach for quite a few years and made very little use of the Oasis Restaurant before they introduced their Early Bird menu, which wasn't on offer in previous years.
We had lunch on the day we arrived, which we both enjoyed, and went for 2 early birds (mixed reviews).
The early bird menu has...
Great food - big portions and reasonably priced! Only ate here for our evening meal once so cant comment on breakfasts but would definitely recommend. Good quality for a hotel restaurant!!
On our first night at the Sunset Beach Club we tried their Oasis Restaurant, and we are so glad we did. The seafood paella was served at the table and was outstanding. The staff were friendly, multi-lingual, and very helpful. There was also a free dinner show with a wonderful singer.
Thank you for choosing to eat in our restaurant and for taking the time to write such a complimentary review of your experience.
I'm delighted you enjoyed the seafood paella and the live entertainment and hope we'll have the pleasure of welcoming you back again soon.
Kind regards,
Justin Thompson
Community Manager
Food in this restaurant inside the Sunset Beach Club complex
was perfectly ok but short on selection. However in its favour the evening entertainment was very good. 3 consecutive
evenings of good singers
Stayed at sunset beach club and ate in the restaurant 5 mornings, 1 evening and 1 lunch. The only thing I can really recommend is the pizzas, everything else was very average. If you have a massive appetite in the mornings then the buffet breakfast could be for you - lots of choice and you can eat as much as...
Thank you very much for taking the time to write a review here on Tripadvisor. I'm very sorry that your experience did not live up to expectations and will be sure to pass on your comments to our restaurant team so that they can use these to improve food and service quality for future guests.
Kind regards,
Justin Thompson
Good selection on main courses. Prices during the early bird special offer great value.
We ate there a few tines and the food was really tasty and the service was fast and courteous.
Good food and good value, very pleasant service and full attention to detail at all times. Food hot and well served. Waiters friendly and helpful.
make sure you eat here, lovely food , lots of it and the best time is the early bird menu between 6-7pm entertainment starts from 8pm too! food is well cooked, presented and lots of choice
We stayed at this hotel but did not have meals included. We tried Oasis for dinner one evening and it was very good. The food was fresh and delicious. They even had entertainment that evening which was good and not overpowering. We never tried The Oasis for breakfast as we always ate in our own suite. I would recommend this...
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review of your experience in our Oasis Restaurant during your recent visit. I'm delighted you enjoyed your evening meal and hope you'll come back and visit us again soon.
Kind regards,
Justin Thompson
Community Manager
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Hotel Paseo del Arte, Madrid
- Free WiFi
- Airport within 5 mi/8 km: Madrid (XOC-Atocha Train Station)
Main amenities
- 260 smoke-free guestrooms
- Restaurant and bar/lounge
- Breakfast available
- Fitness center
- Self parking
- Limo/town car service
- In-room childcare
- Air conditioning
- Daily housekeeping
- Car rentals on site
- Computer station
- Front desk safe
What's around
- In Retiro
- Prado Museum (0.4 mi / 0.7 km)
- Reina Sofia Museum (0.2 mi / 0.3 km)
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (0.5 mi / 0.8 km)
- Plaza Mayor (0.8 mi / 1.4 km)
- El Retiro Park (0.7 mi / 1.1 km)
Stayed 1 night on my way to Zaragoza, very nice hotel, good service and comfortable rooms…
Arrived after travelling from Australia. I was able to walk with my luggage from Athocha…
Enter dates to check prices
Hotel Info: 866-539-8117from $76
- Standard Double Room Single Use
- Standard Room, 2 Single Beds
- Family Room, 2 Bedrooms (Non Refundable)
- Standard Double Room Single Use
- Deluxe Room, 2 Single Beds, Corner (Single use)
- Standard with Child Extra Bed
- Superior Twin Room, Terrace (Single use)
- Superior Twin Room, Terrace (Non Refundable)
- Superior Twin Room, Terrace
- Superior Double Room, Terrace (Non Refundable)
- Triple Room (Non Refundable)
- Superior Double Room Single Use, Terrace
- Superior Double Room, Terrace
- Twin Room (Single use)
- Superior Double Room Single Use, 1 Double Bed, Terrace
- Superior Twin Room, Terrace (Single use - Non Refundable)
- Twin Room (Single use - Non Refundable)
- Standard Double Room
- Family Room, 2 Bedrooms
- Triple Room
- Deluxe Room, 2 Single Beds, Corner
- Standard Twin Room, 2 Single Beds
- Superior Double Room Single Use, Terrace (Non Refundable)
- Standard Double Room (Non Refundable)
- Club Room Single Use
- Superior Room, 1 Double or 2 Single Beds, Terrace
- Standard Double Room Single Use (Non Refundable)
Recommended hotels
At a glance
Key facts
Hotel size
- This hotel has 260 rooms
- This hotel is arranged over 8 floors
- Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out time is noon
- Express check-in/out
Required at check in
- Credit card or cash deposit required
- Government-issued photo ID required
- Minimum check-in age is 18
Travelling with others
- Babysitting/childcare
- Pets not allowed
- Free WiFi in public areas
- Free WiFi in rooms
- Self parking *
- Accessible parking
Other information
- Smoke-free property
Nearby Four Star Madrid hotels
In the hotel
- In-room childcare (surcharge)
- Breakfast (surcharge)
- Restaurant
- Bar/lounge
- Room service (during limited hours)
- Fitness facilities
- Conference space size (feet) - 431
- Conference space size (meters) - 40
- One meeting room
- Computer station
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Luggage storage
- Wedding services
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Year Built 2006
- Elevator/lift
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Television in lobby
- Disabled parking
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
In the room
- Climate control
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Soundproofed rooms
- Bathtub or shower
- Bidet
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- 26-inch LCD TV
- Satellite TV channels
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
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Special features
DiningTrazos - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Hotel Paseo del Arte, Madrid's small print
Also known as
- Hotel Paseo del Arte
- Husa Paseo
- Husa Paseo Arte Hotel Madrid
- Madrid Husa Paseo Del Arte
- Husa Paseo Del Arte
- Husa Paseo Arte Hotel
- Hotel Paseo del Arte Madrid
- Paseo del Arte
- Paseo del Arte Madrid
- Hotel Husa Paseo Del Arte Madrid
- Hotel Husa Paseo Del Arte En Madrid
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Mandatory fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at check in or check out:
- All citizens of Spain will be charged the national value-added tax
Optional extras
Late check-out can be arranged for an extra charge of EUR 60
Self parking costs EUR 26.00 per night
Rollaway beds are available for EUR 40 per night
Breakfast is offered for an extra charge of EUR 17.50 per person (approximately)
We have included all charges provided to us by this hotel. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.


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Hoping for Some Fireworks in DC — Brandon Crawford
Rough series in Miami. We never seem to play the Marlins very well. I'm not sure what it is. A lot of people asked me about Carter Capps, the Marlins reliever who drags his foot off the rubber before he throws the pitch. And he throws 100. I've hit against him twice and seen six pitches, all strikes. I swung at five. Didn't make contact once. It's hard to pick up the ball. In my last at-bat, I swung at two sliders that I think bounced in front of the plate. His strange delivery is legal, I'm told, because he doesn't push off again after he leaves the rubber. It's all arm. I don't know how you learn to pitch like that or how stressful that must be on an arm.
One of the things that's special about this Giants team — and you've heard me say this before — is no matter how things are going for us, we stick together. Staying connected is really important for the type of guys we have on this team. For instance — and I'm not sure when it started — but before every game I shake hands or fist-bump every player and coach on the team, including the relievers heading out to the bullpen. We have all kinds of crazy handshakes. One isn't even a handshake. Shawon Dunston, one of our coaches, once came up to me and clapped me simultaneously on the chest and back, so that's our thing now, with him saying, "Let's go, Barry Larkin!'' (his nickname for me.) You have to be a little cautious with the starting pitcher, especially if it's Vogey. I might give him just a light fist tap, which he'll accept with a kind of "don't bother me'' look. (I have no crazy handshake with Buster. He's not into it.)
The point is we make an effort to remind each other that we're in this together. On the road, when we have time for dinner, a bunch of us end up going out together. I'm sure we'll do that tomorrow night for July 4th. We play here at 11 a.m. so we have plenty of time to meet for dinner. No definite plans yet but usually somebody will start inviting people and it ends up being most of the team. Maybe even Belt will come. Sometimes he goes off on his own to a movie without telling anyone. We'll probably watch fireworks from the hotel.
Answers to your questions!
When you are on the road, who watches the kids when you and Jalynne go out? Do you have help on the road? The only time we'll go out is if family comes with us to watch the girls. But even then, usually we don't go out. Jalynne brings the girls so I can see them, which means I want to have dinner with them. Jalynne's twin sister, Janelle, and her husband and baby joined us in Miami because we had an off day there on Monday. But we all ate together. Jannelle and her family are going to move in with us this month and stay for the rest of the season to help with the girls and keep Jalynne company.
Do you guys eat out every meal, or do they feed you in the clubhouse when you are on the road? They feed us in the clubhouse — and we eat out. Depends on the time of the game. Today we have a 6 p.m. game, so I went to the mall next to the hotel for lunch with Buster. Then we'll eat something in the clubhouse after the game.
Any outstanding restaurants you would recommend? Capitol Grille is always a good spot. There's one of those in almost every city we go to, it seems. The truth is I'm not very picky.
I saw on Strickland's Instagram that Heston bought a bottle of Blue Label for everyone on the team after his no-hitter. . . . Are you a big whiskey guy? Blue Label is definitely a treat for a whiskey fan. I'm not a big drinking guy in general. I've never tried Blue Label, but I might have to now for Heston. Cain got us watches for his perfect game in 2012. It's nice of the pitchers to acknowledge us.
How early are players supposed to get to the park before the game? For a 7:15 game I get to the park at 2:15 so there's time to get treatment in the training room and work out before batting practice, which is around 4:30.
Did Morse get any flack for his plaid jacket? He doesn't really surprise us with any of his outfits, so I don't even remember the plaid jacket.
Has Jalynne ever taught you some gymnastics moves? With some of the amazing plays you make at shortstop, I joke that, "Well, his wife was a gymnast at UCLA, he probably picked up some moves." lol! She's told me the names of a couple of the moves that look like something I've done on the field. She didn't teach me any of them, though.
Do you, Belt, and Panik (I suppose Duffy too!) hang out at all outside of games/practice? Seems like you three are pretty close, especially with the Crawnik infield, chemistry-wise. We're all close, and we do go out on the road when there's time. I'm not sure it adds to our chemistry. Marco Scutaro and I had great chemistry and we never hung out off the field. I think we all know each other pretty well just by being teammates. Maybe we hang out because we're all in the same age range, though somebody reminded me earlier this season that I'm oldest of the infielders. I'm 28. Belt's 27, Joe's 25 and Duffy's 24. And Buster's 2 months younger than me.
I was curious of how you got to the Oracle Stadium so fast after just finishing a game, get cleaned up, drive over. Good maneuvering through traffic.
How did you get so good at hitting? Did the Giants recommend any batting mechanics changes when you were coming up the farm system? Is there a Giants Way for hitting? There were definitely a lot of recommendations, which happens with anybody who struggles in the minor leagues. I'm sure even Buster got recommendations a couple of times, though nothing drastic, I'm sure. But I got plenty. I changed my batting stance a few times, for example. You just kind of have to find what works for you. You piece everything together and just make it your own because there's no single approach that works for everybody. There's no Giants Way. The coaches are really good at recognizing that every player is different, every swing is different.
I use video to watch pitchers before facing them. You can look at a scouting report and see he's got a fastball, slider, change-up. But you want to see what his pitches are doing. And you want to look at what he throws in different situations. Once the game starts, you don't think about it a whole lot. You just kind of react. But at least you have a better plan going in.
I also watch my own at-bats sometimes, though at this point there isn't anything drastic I'm going to see. Every now and then you'll see something small you need to adjust. Fortunately there hasn't been a whole lot of that this year. Recently, though, I've been doing something that Bam-Bam found on film that I didn't see. It's great to have another set of eyes.
Can you confirm Baggs' statement about Belt never wearing a protective cup?
It's true. Not all players wear cups. Most outfielders don't because they don't get ground balls that are going to take a bad hop. The infielders who don't wear them either REALLY trust their hands or they've never been hit there.
I've always wondered if the bat boys traveled with you? No. The home team provides bat boys.
Was the team surprised that there seemed to be as many Giants fans as there were Mariner fans when you played in Seattle? Yes, we were really surprised. We never get that kind of applause in batting practice — even at home! We were walking out to stretch and getting a standing ovation from half the crowd. It was crazy. We don't go to Seattle very often so maybe all the Giants fans in the area came out.
The Good (Greyson), the Bad (Blanco's concussion) and the Ugly (Jurassic World) — Brandon Belt
Let's catch up on a few things now and I'll answer questions in the next post. I'm hoping to get this out before game time. There's no batting practice but I've already been out in left field taking field practice. I'm starting out there today. The baseball commissioner is coming to the clubhouse before the game for a short Q&A. So not sure I'll get this finished.
First, Greyson. He now has six teeth with two more coming. He's eating more real food. We went to Chik-Fil-A yesterday and we gave him a little bit of chicken. He loves chicken. He loves applesauce. I'm not sure we've found something he doesn't like. We give him one of our french fries now and then. If you don't give him something we're eating, he gets mad at us. So we have to give him what we're eating. I know — great parenting strategy. I don't do it if we're at home. I just let him get mad. But if we're at a restaurant, I'm like, "Here take anything you want. Just be quiet.''
I haven't written since I hit Gregor Blanco with a ball. I still feel terrible about it. I can't believe it even happened. Outfielders are running through all the time when we're throwing the ball around the infield. Gregor usually looks in at me, and sometimes he'll catch the ball on his way to the outfield. Or he'll wait for me to throw then run through. For some reason he didn't look in, and for some reason I threw the ball thinking he was through, and it just hit him.
Oh, I can't tell you how terrible I felt. I had flashbacks about when it happened to me. He shook it off and played. But he told me later he felt dizzy and didn't want to say anything because he didn't want me to feel worse than I already did. That was nice of him, but I want HIM to be OK. We had a day off the next day and the day after that, Gregor came up to me in batting practice and asked, "How did you feel when you had your concussion?''
Well, that's a sign right there. You know he doesn't feel right. I said, "You need to tell the trainer, so he can properly treat you for this.'' A concussion is something you don't want to mess around with. It's your brain. You take another shot to the head after you've had one concussion and bad stuff can happen. Just to make sure, I went to the trainer myself. I just wanted to make sure they knew something was going on with him and he needed to be checked. So he went through the tests, and they realized he did have a mild concussion. I hated that so much. Fortunately, it didn't take him too long to get back.
I hate to admit I did it one other time in my life. Little League practice. I was playing shortstop and taking relays from the outfield. I just turned around and chucked it home, and I hit my best friend in the head. He was halfway to home plate. He was fine — although we didn't pay much attention to concussions back then. He had a big knot on his head. I think I've reached my lifetime limit on hitting others in the head and getting hit in the head myself.
Movie Reviews!
Jurassic World. I watched it after we got to Seattle last week. A group of us — Maxwell, Duffy, Romo, I think — had all planned on going at 9. But I had something to do, so I went by myself at 10. I had asked Chad Chop (our batting practice pitcher and video replay analyst) if he wanted to go but he said, "No, it's the same thing they did before.'' He was right. I thought I was going to love it because I love Chris Pratt. He's one of my favorite actors. I loved him in The Five Year Engagement. That's a sneaky-funny movie. So Chris Pratt is still pretty funny in Jurassic World, but the overall acting wasn't very good. Maybe it was the writing. There was a lot of cheesy writing in there. The story is they have this theme park based on their dinosaurs where fans can kind of interact, like in a petting zoo for the baby dinosaurs. The main part of the story is they made an animal with a genetic mutation. Basically if they put this hybrid animal next to a T-Rex, you can't tell the difference. But supposedly it's bigger and has more teeth. And of course this thing gets loose and it's running through the park filled with 20,000 people. It's just the same plot they've done before. Nothing different. Completely predictable. You knew the guy and the girl were going to make out at some point, and they did. You knew they were going to catch this animal, but that people were going to get eaten along the way. Towards the end, I thought, "Is this all that's going to happen? I'm bored.'' It's a really lazy script.
Grade: D+
Spy: This was a much better movie. I really like Melissa McCarthy, except in Tammy — I walked out of that one. But everything else she's really funny. In Spy, she's a spy's assistant back in the office looking at satellite video and saying "There's people coming down this hallway, so take that hallway,'' telling him what to do. The spy ends up dying out in the field, and she goes out and does all this spy stuff. At first I thought they were trying too hard to be funny. Then it got better as the movie went on. Jason Statham is hilarious in this movie. I didn't even know he was funny. He always does the action movies. I was pleasantly surprised.
Grade: B+
Thanks for reading. Next post: Answering your questions.
Steph, LeBron and Talking Turkey — Brandon Crawford
I started this post yesterday and didn't get back to it. So I'll try to finish this morning and see if it can get posted before game time. (I don't post them myself.) Day games after night games are kind of rushed. Always such a fast turnaround. You sleep and then you're back on the freeway heading again to the park. BUT . . . it's great weather today, a sell-out crowd and we're playing baseball. No complaints.
I'm a huge Warriors fan, and Jalynne and I were lucky enough to go to the game Sunday night. Getting a hold of tickets isn't the easiest thing, but my agent used to work with Bob Meyers, the Warriors' GM, so that was my connection. We raced over to Oakland after our game and got there around 5. It was cool to get kind of the VIP treatment. We parked in the special access lot — pulling in right behind Floyd Mayweather. At the security entrance, he was waiting for his whole posse to get together, so he told Jalynne and me to go ahead of him. Pretty cool.
We had great seats — directly across from the Warriors bench, 20 rows up. It was fun just to be a fan — to be one of the watchers instead of a guy being watched. Curry has to be the most fun athlete I've ever watched. What impressed me about him is what impresses everyone about Curry — his quick ball handling, his vision on the court and then how quick his shot is — it's unbelievable. When you don't think he's able to get a shot off, he not only gets it off, he makes it.
And then LeBron. I don't know if people grasp how big he is if you've only seen him on TV. He's so big and he's so quick. I think that's why he's able to make things look so easy. He's able to back you down, but if give him too much room, he can blow by you, too, because he's that quick. At one point I looked up at the scoreboard stats and he had something like 8 assists, 20 points and 8 rebounds — he almost had a triple double at halftime! And everyone else on the team had zero assists.
We'll be on a plane to Seattle tonight during the game. I hope we land in time to watch the second half. We'll all have our iPads and headsets on while we're riding the bus to the hotel. Let's hope they clinch tonight.
OK, should we talk turkey taps? Seems to have attracted a bit of attention after our White House visit and Matt Duffy doubled over. It was from a sneak attack by Cain, who landed the punch as he passed by. Some people who saw it on TV thought it was me because I was standing next to Duffy. I'd have to have really flexible Inspector Gadget arms to reach Duffy. And the evidence is stacked against Cain. When Morse was here, Cain gave him a little reach-around on camera. I put a clip of it on Twitter. He and Belt lead the team in turkey taps. It happens a lot when there's a big group because you can't really tell who's doing it. I do get Belt a lot, but he's gotten better at blocking it, so it's not so fun anymore. Why do we do it? I don't know. We have a lot of characters on this team who like to keep things fun and relaxed.
Turkey tap aside, it was really an honor to go to the White House again. Not many people get to go inside and meet the president. We took a train to Philly after that. I wish we could travel more by train. We had a chartered train to Philly, which means we had a whole train to ourselves. I think it was four or five cars. One car was for players who didn't have their wives on the trip. Another car for players with their families, then the dining car and the coaches up font.Unlike flying, as soon as everybody boards the train, we leave. On a plane, it seem like it's an hour before the plan takes off. I'm sure it's making sure the plane is safe, but it was a nice break to take the train. We took it from Philly to New York, too.
In New York, Jalynne and I decided to see a play on the off day, Monday, but not many theaters are open on Mondays. We went to Phantom of the Opera along with Chad Chop and his wife, and Hunter and his girlfriend. Hunter had made dinner reservations for all of us but when we found out it was a 20 minute drive there and 20 minutes back — and theater was just a five-minute walk from our hotel — the Chops and Jalynne and I decided to play it safe and just grab dinner nearby so we wouldn't be late for the show. We ended up having pizza across from the theater. We're not picky, so it was perfect for us. In New York, you're supposed to get pizza anyway.
We had a hitters' meeting before the game today. Nobody's freaking out. It's baseball. It's a long season. We'll get it going. This happened last year in June, too. Everybody wasn't hitting all at the same time. Last year ended up all right.
Thanks for reading. Next blog: I'll answer your questions. Keep them coming
It Always Comes Back Somehow to Hair Gel –Brandon Crawford
As we watch the weather here in Colorado this morning, I'm going to try to get a blog post written. I know it's been a while. It was great to be back in the Bay Area even if just for a three-game series. Of course, when a series against the Dodgers turns out the way that one did, AND you start the week with an off day, you're talking about a pretty great four days.
Jalynne flew up with just Braylyn — easier to fly with just one kid, and her parents took care of Jaydyn — and we went to the Oakland Zoo on the off day (Monday). We wanted to do something Braylyn would enjoy, and she loves seeing animals. The Oakland Zoo is perfect because it's not too big. It's just big enough that we were there for a couple of hours and then it was nap time. (For everybody.)
Somebody tweeted the next day about seeing me and Belt at the zoo. I was like, "Belt didn't even tell me he was there! How did we miss him?'' Then I figured it out: I had tweeted out a photo of Braylyn, Jalynne and me — with giraffes in the background.
Now we're back on the road. I got a great surprise on the last road trip. We flew into Houston, and when I opened the door to my hotel room, there was Jalynne waiting for me. Her parents were taking care of the girls in LA. She spent two days with me in Houston before we went on to Cincinnati.
I've said this before, and almost every player will tell you the same thing, one of the toughest things about being a professional baseball is being away from your family. So Jalynne really brightened the whole road trip by surprising me.
It's been great to see us turn the season around the way we have. I definitely feel good at the plate. This is probably the most consistent stretch I think I've had in my big league career — overall, not just offensively. I've had stretches where I've hit really well, such as April 2013 and a few other month-long stretches. So it's hard to say if this is the best I've ever hit. But I do feel good at the plate.
Now it's a matter of continuing to stay consistent throughout the whole season, just for one month at a time. The way to do it? One game at a time. It's a cliche, but really it is as simple and as difficult as that. It's a day to day game. You can feel great one day and then feel like you can't hit anything the next. That's just the way that game is.
It happened recently to me. When we were playing the Padres here, we were facing Cashner, who throws in the mid 90s with good off-speed stuff. For some reason, I just felt locked in against him. The next night we faced Kennedy, who I've faced a bunch of times, and for some reason I could not play off any of his stuff in the dirt, and I was just mis-hitting his fast ball. That was just one game to the next.
But unlike when I was younger, I don't worry about how I hit the night before, or how I hit the past week. I just think about, What I can do tonight? If you're on a good roll, you can start thinking, Oh, I don't need to work on anything. But this game will humble you if you take that approach. You can never take anything for granted.
One of you asked if I have a preference of where I hit in the lineup. I think second is the best spot to hit. Here's why. If you come up with a runner on base, it's usually the lead-off guy — who's going to have some speed. So the pitcher is worried about him, which means he might leave an off-speed pitch up, or throw more fastballs in order to give the catcher a better shot at nailing the runner if he steals. Off-speed pitches can end up in the dirt, and they're slower getting to the plate. In the two slot, you also get pitched to more because the three-four-five hitters are hitting behind you.
I hit second a lot in the minor leagues, and I liked it. But we have a strong No. 2 in Joe Panik. At this point, I don't really care where I hit. I just try to have a good at-bat.
Another reader asked if I had fun shooting the TV commercial with Ahmed Fareed and Dave Feldman. I really did. I'm not a big commercial person or someone who tries to get in front of the camera and do any acting. But that was probably the most fun I've had doing a commercial.
The ad guys had an idea of what they wanted do, but we could kind of ad lib however we wanted. Ahmed and Dave are really funny guys. In one commercial, which I don't think has aired, they're working on a handshake like the players have with each other. We did three or four takes, and each time they had a different handshake. I can't remember if it was Dave or Ahmed, but he ended one handshake by tapping the other guy on the nose. I was supposed to be serious and say something like, "Oh, that's terrible.'' But I couldn't get it out because I was laughing so hard.
We shot the hair gel ad last. I'm telling Ahmed that he needs more gel in his hair. We could do just one take on that one because once the gel's in his hair, you can't take it out and do another take. It was hard to to keep a straight face on that one, but I knew I had to.
Someone else asked if my production at the plate has earned me new respect in the clubhouse. I hope not. I hope my teammates have always had a lot of respect for me. We're getting word we're starting soon. This is going to be a long day! Thanks for reading!
The Answer Man — Brandon Belt
I'm still getting jabbed about my around-the-horn throw that went between Crawford and Panik and sailed into left field in Cincinnati. They both just stood there. Watched it go by. Making me look like an idiot. I have to catch every ball they throw, no matter where it is. And they can't move an inch or two? It makes me crazy that when MLB network shows one of our double plays, they cut it off right before I catch it. I don't know why first-basemen get no credit. Not everybody can do this job.
Actually pretty much anybody can do this job. OK, so that's probably why.
I returned from the road trip Sunday night to an empty house. I hate it. It's different when you're by yourself in a hotel room. But to go home to your house and it's completely empty, man, that's brutal. I've been sleeping all day basically. On Monday, our off day, Haylee called and said, "You didn't just get up, did you?'' I'm not going to tell you what time it was, but I told her there was nothing to do, so why not stay in bed? It really is like a part of you is gone when your wife and kid aren't there. We played in Houston, near our hometown, so Haylee just stayed there. We have just a three-game homestand before going back out on the road, so it wasn't worth traveling all the way here. I'll see her and Greyson next Wednesday. I'll be so happy. If Greyson's asleep, I'm waking him up, for sure.
I try to Facetime with him when I'm away, but it's hard because he tries to eat the phone. He says da-da-da-da-. That's pretty much the extent of his end of the conversation. But he always smiles when he sees me, so I'm pretty happy about that.
A few of you asked for photos, so here they are.
OK, I'm answering questions today:
What do you and the base runners talk about at first base? In Cincinnati, I asked their shortstop Zack Cozart what happened between last year and this year at the plate. He really struggled last year, and this year he's hitting almost .300. He said pretty much what I always say: so much of performance at this level comes down to confidence. And the more experienced you get, the more confidence you get. That's why I was able to stay confident during my slump. I'd been through it before, and I knew it would turn around. A lot of guys at first base this year said, "Congrats on the World Series.'' I talked to Morse a lot when he was here. He was telling me how awesome it was to be back here and how much he enjoyed his time with the Giants.
Now that Vogey shaved his beard, are you next? No. I feel manlier with the beard. It gives me a better jaw line. So it's staying.
Losing the ball in the lights on a toss from Casilla? That's the first time it ever happened on a throw from a pitcher. I think he was testing me. He knew I could catch an easy ball thrown over there, so let's see what ball I CAN'T catch. So he threw into the lights. Nah, I just think he was trying to be careful in his throw and it just happened to go a little high into the lights. I kind of knew the direction and just threw my glove out there. You can't catch what you can't see.
Who do you pal around with? Usually my family's with me, so we might go to eat with Bumgarner and his wife, Ali. We don't get a whole lot of time with our families so when they're with us, that's who we're with.
If we're on the road and the wives aren't with us, I might go to the movies with Javy and Kontos. We're the movie guys. I didn't go to the movies on this road trip, but I watched one on the plane home and went to the theater on the off day (Monday) in Walnut Creek. My reviews are at the end of the blog.
How do you keep pressures on the field from affecting your family life? I'd say at some point everybody goes through a time when something that happens at work affects your home life. But you just try your hardest not to let it. When i go home and see the smile on my kid's face, and see my wife again, it kind of just makes everything else go away for a while. I'm not going to lie, there are times when I might have snapped at Haylee because of something that happened here at the ballpark. But overall I think I do a pretty good job of separating. I love playing baseball. I love it as much as anything in the world. I just don't love it more than my family. So I try to keep that in perspective and realize there's a separation.
What did you do for your birthday? It fell on an off-day, so I did a signing in San Jose for about an hour, then we all hung out with my host mom. It was just a relaxing day. Exactly what I wanted.
Taste in music? I like everything. But I'd have to say my favorite band is Chevelle.
Most embarrassing thing you've done? I don't embarrass easy. Things that might be embarrassing to someone else probably isn't going to bother me.
Do you hear conversations between the runner and first base coach? I certainly try!
Sequence of getting your rhythm back at the plate? Once you get your mechanics back, power follows. When you're in a slump, you go back to basics: just getting your bat on the ball. Just getting hits. You start hitting line drives. Then the line drives start to carry a little bit farther and little bit farther. You start getting extra-base hits, and those extra-base hits start turning into home runs. The last past two or three weeks, that's exactly what happened to me.
Is there a sign when you know you have it all going? When I'm hitting line drives to all parts of the field.
Favorite city to play in? I like St. Louis. I like the ball park. Great atmosphere. I also like playing back home in Texas. That's always good.
Favorite baseball movie? I loved, when it first came out, The Rookie. That's right up there with Sandlot and Bull Durham.
Favorite cultural night? I'm still waiting for Texas night.
Movie reviews:
Whiplash: It's about this kid who's a drummer. You can just tell he wants to be the greatest drummer that ever lived. He just has this drive that's beyond comparison. The story kind of relates to anything in life you're passionate about. I can relate it to baseball. If you want to be the best, you have to have that drive and just beat yourself up to get there. That's what he did. There are times in the movie when he's drumming so much, his hands are bleeding all over the drum set. I'm not saying that's what has to happen to be the best, but you have be willing to go through hell. You find with a lot of guys in the big leagues. The teacher in that movie is ruthless, but he's the kind of guy you want because he demands the best. I never had a coach as ruthless as that, but I had a bunch of coaches who wanted the best of out me like that teacher did with his students. I loved the end of the movie. The kid was just going crazy on the drums, putting in one of the best solo drum performances ever. So even though the teacher tried to screw him over, I think the kid couldn't help but see where it got him.
Grade: A+. I'd watch it again.
Ex Machina: Basically it's about artificial intelligence. This guy gets chosen to go to this research facility where they're testing these robots. He wants to see if these robots can pass some kind of test where the human interacting with the machine forgets that that it's a machine. It's kind of a thriller-type movie with all these twists. There were moments when I thought, "If it ends this way, I'm not going to be happy.'' But it had a good ending.
Grade: B+/A- I saw it in Walnut Creek on the off day. I saw by myself, which is the way i like it. Some people get weirded out going places by themselves, but i love it. I'm around people all day, so it's nice to go by yourself and just enjoy the movie.
Thanks for reading. I might have gone on a little too long today. Sorry!
Keep the questions coming!
Always Making Adjustments — Brandon Crawford
Wish we could have kept the win streak going so Willie Mays could have had a happier birthday. But with 10 wins in the last 14 games, we're climbing out of the hole we dug for ourselves last month.
I didn't get a hit today, but with my 3-for-3 yesterday my batting average is higher right now than my career average, and somehow I'm leading the team in home runs and RBIs. I'm pretty confident I will not be holding that spot when the season's over. I know my strength is defense, but I always expect to contribute at the plate, too. I know it's in me to hit higher than .250.
So, like every hitter in here, I'm always trying to make myself better. So last month, when — despite the home runs — I found myself swinging and missing more than usual, I needed to figure out why. I realized I was getting a lot more off-speed pitches than usual. It started with that first series on the road against the Padres. I had seen mostly fastballs in our season-opening series against Arizona. So when the Padres went with mostly off-speed stuff, I wasn't really prepared. Then other teams started doing it, too.
Usually, about 60 percent of the pitches I'd see would be fastballs. I knew I wasn't seeing that many, so I went and looked it up. Sure enough, fewer than 50 percent of the pitches were fastballs.
So I had to adjust. I had to get better at handling off-speed pitches. It's tough to practice that, though, because in almost every batting practice you're seeing only fastballs. You can program the pitching machine in the batting cage to throw whatever you want, but I don't find it really useful. You know the pitch is coming and you can just sit on it. You get into that rhythm, and it's not realistic. Although . . . having said that, I am sitting on the change-up or curveball more. And if I get a fastball, I can still try to take it.
Chad Chop has helped me get better. He's one of our batting practice pitchers. He joined the Giants last year, and he's little younger and stronger than the other ones we have. So I've gotten him to mix the pitches up to me. He'll toss in a change-up or curve among the fastballs. And he's a lefty. It's probably why I'm hitting left-handed pitchers better.
Glad to see my fellow Brandon get his rhythm back, as he talked about in his blog post this week. He went 2-for-3 today, crushing a double and triple to the wall, and is 6-for-13 with four doubles and one triple in his last four games. He knows I carried Team Brandon (our hitting group) last month. I told him he had to step up in May. I'm happy I could give him the motivation he needed.
Thanks for coming out to all the games and sticking with us through a rough month. It's a long season, and I think sometimes people — even in baseball — lose sight of that.
And thanks for reading!
All About Rhythm — Brandon Belt
Sorry I haven't blogged much. When the team's struggling, and you're not helping to score any runs, there's not much to say. You don't want to sound all cheerful and happy because it wouldn't be real. But you don't want to make too much of a dry spell, either, because you know it's going to pass.
Having said that, few things are worse for a hitter than opening the season and falling almost immediately into a slump. You haven't built up any numbers yet. There's no cushion in your batting average to absorb the dip in production. All you see is the dip. So everything just looks brutal. If you slump in the middle of the season, it doesn't hit your average as hard.
For me, like most players, hitting is all about rhythm. When I get into a good rhythm, I can stay on a good streak for a long while. I was on a great streak coming out of spring training. The groin injury the first week of the season put me on the sidelines for a few days. You never think you're going to be affected by an interruption like that, but hitting is such a complex thing, physically and mentally. One thing is a little bit off, and suddenly you're struggling.
But it's part of baseball. It happens. You know you'll get out of it. But it's never as quick as you want. I'm happy to be swinging the bat well again. I'm seeing the ball. I feel good out there. I know if I keep hitting the ball hard enough, good things will happen.
What matters most is that, as a team, we're turning things around. We're winning again and climbing up the standings, which all of us knew would happen. It's in our DNA. And soon we'll be getting some big guys back — Hunter, Cain, Peavy — and that will be a huge lift.
We have our batting groups again this year, and again we have Team Brandon. There are three groups, and I'm the captain of one of them. So in the draft I'm pretty much obligated to pick Crawford first. I haven't looked at the standings for April yet, but I know he helped us a lot with his home runs. I'll keep you posted.
I'm sorry I have no movie reviews. With Greyson, who is now eight months and desperate to start walking already, I'm not going out a lot. I want to spend every minute I can with him. I wanted to go to the movies in Colorado and just never did. I bought I Love You, Man in the hotel. I've seen it a hundred times and still think it's hilarious. But I fell asleep and didn't finish it. The life of a new Dad, I guess. Haylee and Greyson will go to Houston with me, and Haylee will head to Lufkin for a little while. She will be very happy to get some help from the grandparents.
Thanks for reading. And ask some questions so I have something to write about!
Guest Blogging — Brandon Hicks!
Just like old times. Guest blogging again.
It's great to be back with all the guys. There's still sort a Brandon row in the clubhouse — we're within a couple lockers of each other but not adjoining like in SF. (I am happy to report we have not revived the Brandon handshake. It was not the greatest handshake, as the other Brandons will tell you. In fact, it kind of gives you an uncomfortable feeling when you do it.)
To refresh your memory, I was sent to Triple A in mid-July. I watched the World Series from my home in Galveston, Texas, with my girlfriend and a buddy of mine. We parked ourselves in front of the TV every evening.
I admit it was a little difficult at times. I wished I could have been there and been a part of it. But of course you're rooting for the guys you battled with earlier in the year. What stood out for me about the team was their fight — their ability to never give up or give in. They had their backs against the wall a lot of times and kept on pushing. That's just the type of guys that are in there.
I'm really proud to have contributed during the first half of a championship season. There's a lot of satisfaction in that. Plus, I'll get a ring, which is every ballplayer's dream.
When I arrived at camp a couple weeks ago, a few guys did a double take. They didn't really recognize me. I've got longish hair now. I haven't cut it since last June. Not sure why. I've never really had it long, so I thought, "Why not do it now?'' It kind of got a little curly on me, though.
I'm not comparing myself to Pagan. He's probably got the best hair on the team. But I might be in Crawford territory. He gave me some of his product the other day to use. It turned out all right. Gave it that wet look he likes before the game.
Here's a photo of the two of us. See if you can guess which Brandon is which. (Hint: I bulked up.)
Hope to see you here in Arizona. And I really hope to see you in San Francisco.
Here's our better side . . .
Nori, Casey and a Tap on the Shoulder-Brandon Crawford
Games haven't started but there have been 150, maybe 200, people at Scottsdale Stadium just to watch practice. I guess coming off a World Series championship, we should have expected good crowds, but you're still surprised to get that kind of support. I heard when Madison walked off the mound yesterday after pitching BP, he got a big round of applause. (I wasn't in that hitting group, so I didn't have to face him.)
Nori Aoki is in my group, so I'm starting to get to know him a little. His English isn't very good, though it's much better than my Japanese. He clearly has a good sense of humor. We've been hitting him fourth in the group because we tell him he has the big power. He laughs and says, "Big guy! Big power!''
I've been around new third-baseman Casey McGehee since before camp officially started. We took grounders on the back practice field together. There's not much a shortstop and third-baseman need to do as far as adjusting to each other. I just need to get a read on what his range is on balls to his left. After just a few ground balls over there, I'll be able to read it pretty well.
Communication between a shortstop and third-baseman isn't as involved as between a shortstop and second-baseman. Casey already has asked if I'd give him a head's up on breaking balls. (From my position, I can see what pitch the catcher is calling, and the third-baseman can't.) Pablo wanted a head's up, also, on breaking balls. I alert them by just making a little noise. I don't know exactly how it affects their positioning, but maybe they're a little more ready down the line.
People ask if we come into spring training focused on improving any particular facet of our game. I really don't. The only thing I want to improve, overall throughout the season, is consistency. I've had a lot of hot streaks and cold streaks in my career, which happens to everybody in baseball. So it's a matter of keeping the cold streaks as short as possible.
So how do I do that? That's the big question, right? I have to recognize more quickly when there's something I need to change. I went through two bad months last season — July and August — before I realized I my hands were all over the place. I don't know if I was getting tired or trying to do too much, but I would kind of lose track of where I was holding them from at-bat to at-bat. They'd get too high. Too far back. And I'd get trapped. I wasn't as direct to the ball.
So in September, I began again to do that little tap on my shoulder, which I did throughout 2013. It reminds me where my hands need to be — lower and closer to my body. And I had a great September.
Everything's good with the girls. Jaydyn's walking (she's almost 1). And Braylyn's crazy, running around all over the place (she's 2). She goes to the gym with Jalynne and does some toddler gymnastics. But we think she's going to be too tall for gymnastics, though. She's in the 80th percentile of height and weight for her age, so she's projected to be around 5-feet-8 or -9.
Check in tomorrow or the next day for a special guest blog from the third Brandon. He has a new look, inspired by someone he admires and clearly wants desperately to emulate . . .
Long National Nightmare Is Over — Brandon Belt
Yes, the blog is back.
This was supposed to be posted on Tuesday, but the posting got screwed up and here it is now:
Today was the first official day of spring training. Everyone is here. We had a great team meeting first thing in the morning. Bochy talked and Hunter talked. It If we weren't already pumped to go after another World Series title, we are now. I love spring training personally. It's good to see the green grass again and get back on the field and feel it beneath your feet. As much as we all work out in the off-season, nothing gets you into baseball shape like playing baseball.
One of the things we do in the first few days here is sign baseballs, jerseys and photos that the community relations department uses through the season to try to fill all the requests for charitable donations. They set up a bunch of tables in a hallway near the clubhouse and we sit there before or after practice and just sign. I'm in the midst of signing 27 dozen baseballs. Hunter has to sign 43 dozen. The bigger the star, the more baseballs you're asked sign. Travis Ishikawa said he used to sign one dozen balls. This year he signed 20-something dozen.
We're also asked to make a few appearances during spring training.
"There's a barbecue here at the park,'' Bobby from community relations said as I signed the baseballs, "or an event at the local zoo, but you have to drive out there so it'll be more consuming.''
"And a lot cooler!'' I said. "I'll do that one.''
You know what my favorite zoo is? The one in Omaha, Nebraska. They have all these different sections so when you go to see the water animals, it's like a swamp area with alligators and beavers. It's low lighting so you feel like you're in the swamp at nighttime. They have all these little bridges and the animals swimming underneath you. It's awesome.
Another thing about spring training is you're back with all your teammates. We saw a lot of guys at FanFest but now we're really together. And there are more guys. Brandon Hicks! The third Brandon. I was happy to see him back and happy to be able to use our Brandon handshake. It's a pretty easy handshake. Kind of feminine actually. We tried to make it as awkward as possible.
For whatever reason, spring training also means — for me — watching a lot of Shark Tank. I'm too busy in the off-season to watch, but here it's like the best thing to watch after practice. It's kind of Shark Tank non-stop on X-box video. I like the feel-good stories about people who bring stuff in and make a company out of it. I love the brutal honesty the Sharks have with these people. It's hilarious sometimes. I like rooting against some people and rooting for other people. Haylee hates that I watch it all the time. But she's just as bad with HGTV. Every time I come home, HGTV is on. She used a lot of the info when we built our house. But we're done building our house, so I'm not sure why she still needs to watch it.
I did take a break to watch the Oscars, or at least about half of it. I thought it was boring. It took them like an hour and a half to do six awards, and they're mostly awards nobody cares about. And I wasn't as interested as I usually am because I didn't see most of the films because it turns out when you have a baby, you don't go out as much. That's my excuse for getting one pick correct — just Patricia Arquette. Me and the academy do not agree on a lot of things.
I saw two movies when I was in San Francisco for FanFest. Here are my reviews.
The Kingsmen: It's about this secret, kind of James Bond organization. This kid's dad was a part of it, so they kind of recruited the kid to be a part of it as well. He goes through all these tests and ends up being a spy. It was a less cheesy version of a spy movie in that they didn't follow the same storylines that most spy movies follow. A more adult version. The acting was great. Samuel L. Jackson had a lisp, though I'm not sure why he found that necessary for the movie. Otherwise there were a bunch of English people.
Rating: B+
Jupiter Ascending: Honestly to this day I still have no idea what I watched. It's about this girl played by Mila Kunis who is a reincarnated Queen of the Universe. Her kids weren't dead so they could take control of the universe, I guess. Channing Tatum is protecting her so they can get her back to power, I think. Honestly, it was a weird movie. There's a lot of detail in it. It was very confusing. They colonize planets. It was a forgettable movie. It really was. Pretty cool special effects, that's about it. I think it would have been kind of a cool movie if you knew what was going on.
Rating: C-
Finally, just want to say how happy we all are that Bochy is fine and back on the field. He's the leader. He's the guy who gets the best out of his ballplayers. We've got to have him at the reins if we want to go out there and win another championship. He's the one who sets the tone. That's why, I think, when new guys like Casey McGehee and Nori Aoki show up, they fit in so quickly. The rookies, too. They figure out real quick we have a pretty special bond in this clubhouse. Everyone fits in, which is why we've been so successful.
OK, Hunter is giving me a hard time about getting back to signing baseballs. He's been flying through his. So I'm diving back in. Then heading home. Shark Tank is cued up and waiting.


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The Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach Opens
Tuesday March 4th, 2014 - 8:58AM
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MIAMI BEACH, FL—The Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach has opened. It is owned and operated by Singapore-based COMO Hotels and Resorts.
Located on Collins Ave. and 24th St. in South Beach, the 74-room hotel occupies an original 1930s Art Deco building and features a private pool with cabanas, a rooftop COMO Shambhala spa and a private dock on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Interiors are by the Italian designer Paola Navone, who preserved the hotel's Art Deco exterior and other features, such as the lobby's terrazzo floor, and contrasted it with contemporary interiors in shades of peppermint green and gray, with surfaces of white marble and chrome.
The hotel has two restaurants, including The Traymore, showcasing Floridian seafood such as stone crab, Key West pink shrimp and yellow tail snapper. At the poolside restaurant—open only to hotel guests—diners may enjoy pizzas from the brick oven or graze on crudo while relaxing in a cabana. The rooftop COMO Shambhala Urban Escape has four treatment rooms, hydrotherapy pool and juice bar with views of the ocean. Therapies include the company's signature COMO Shambhala Massage as well as the COMO Shambhala Sun Soother. Each morning complimentary yoga is offered on the spa terrace overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.
Tags: The Metropolitan by COMO • Miami Beach • Hospitality • Openings •
Social media… Everyone's doing it. Or are they? At the recent NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, the moderator of one of the sessions asked how many of the hotel executives on the panel were active on social media.
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Ce magnifique hôtel est situé à proximité du centre, mais dans un quartier calme de Prague, offrant à ses clients le... Plus d'info »
Welcome to Akcent hotel! Newly reconstructed Akcent hotel is a modern 3-star budget hotel with a friendly... Plus d'info »
We are located in the historical city centre where you find all the famous tourist sites and also bars, pubs, clubs,... Plus d'info »
The Perfect Days Apartment can be found in a quiet street in the centre of Prague, just 200 metres from the Vltava... Plus d'info »


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software jobs
Web Developer
UCLA Health- Los Angeles , CA
development environment Expert knowledge of software such as Adobe Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, Visual Basic Studios and related tools. SharePoint and InfoPath...9 days ago from UCLA Health
Web Developer
Scom- Stamford , CT
to UI, user interface development including software design patterns, MVC architecture, and deployment architectures * Deep knowledge of web UI architecture and presentation layer...5 days ago from scom
Web DeveloperNEW
Reliable Software Resources- Camden , NJ
Themes, Plugins, and Widgets Proficiency in software engineering best practices and the ... mailtomamatha.brsrit.com E.O.E Reliable Software Resources is an Equal Opportunity...2 days ago from Dice
web developerNEW
Reliable Software Resources- Troy , MI
merit and business needs. Reliable Software Resources Inc. have been in the ... intelligence services across all leading software platforms including MicroStrategy,...2 days ago from Dice
Web Developer
Strategic Software Solutions- Swiftwater , PA
We are searching for an experienced Web Developer to assist our client, an international pharmaceutical company, in a variety of e-Commerce Web Development projects. This...23 days ago from Dice
Web DeveloperNEW
Cats Software- Minneapolis , MN
CATS is growing, and we're looking for talented individuals to join our team. If you're eager to continue to develop new skills, share existing ones with others, and collaborate...20 hours ago from CATS Software, Inc.
Web Developer
Rocket Software- Waltham , MA
Software is a leading global developer of software products that help corporations, government agencies and other organizations reach their technology and business goals. 1,200...5 days ago from Rocket Software
Web Developer
United Software Group- San Diego , CA
Diego, CA Duration - 12 Months Engineer-Java Software: We are looking for a Senior Web ... Required Skills and Experience: 5+ years software or web (agency or product is fine)...8 days ago from United Software Group, Inc
Web Developer
Software Guidance & Assistance- Irving , TX
Software Guidance Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Web Developer for a contract assignment with one of our premier financial clients in Irving, TX. Responsibilities...6 days ago from Dice
Web Developer
Software Guidance & Assistance- Irving , TX
Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Web Developer for a contract assignment with one of our premier financial clients in Irving, TX. Responsibilities:...7 days ago from Net-Temps
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