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We have been able to reserve some rooms in a wide range of hotels:
Two hotels are very close indeed to our congress venue at VenueSIX10 on South Michigan Avenue: both were built as hotels and are landmark buildings: The Blackstone Chicago Hotel (beautiful breakfast room, and the ballroom is a 'must' to admire); and The Hilton Chicago (indoor running track and swimming as standard).
Then we have reserved rooms in two other rather wonderful smaller hotels, The Freeland Hotel (a classic 1927 building, just north of the river) and The Blake. Both are downtown as well, and full of character and originality – the Blake is a 10 mns or so walk to the congress venue while the Freeland probably up to 20 mns walk away.
We have also reserved a handful of rooms at the nearby basic and good-value Travelodge on the same block as The Blackstone so very close to the congress venue.
Prices per night:
The Blackstone – deluxe single or double or with Lakeview King (if available): $249; book by June 6
The Hilton – standard single/double: $229; triple: $254; quad: $279; book by April 30
The Freeland – double room: $175; quad (private or shared per room) $200; book by May 25
The Blake: single room: $189; double room $209; book by April 11
Travelodge – standard single/double: $139; deluxe single/double: $149; book by May 23
All prices will be subject to a 16.40% tax. This will increase to 17.40% in May.
How to book:
The Blackstone: book online by clicking here, or call free from the US (800) 468-3571 or +1 (312) 447-0955 from abroad;
The Hilton: click here to book online;
The Freeland: email Megan Moran at email@example.com quoting NPSA or call her at +1 (312) 288 7551;
The Blake: by email: contact Gina Sacomani at email@example.com, click here or call +1 (312) 986 1234;
Travelodge: email email@example.com quoting NPSA 2016, or call free 800-578-7878 from the US
Click here for a map of downtown Chicago showing the venue and the above hotels.
Chicago Getaway Hostel, 616 W. Arlington Pl. Chicago, IL 60614; Phone: +1 (773) 929-5380; www.getawayhostel.com; contact: Mathew Meadows; Email: email@example.com
A Hip Hostel in Chicago's Historic Lincoln Park! The Chicago Getaway Hostel reinvents the hostel for a new generation of travellers. Pairing hotel-style services with friendly fewer-frills affordability, this fresh alternative in Chicago's trendy Lincoln Park elevates the experience with a roster of fun, free daily social events, a chef-calibre communal kitchen and services and amenities that delight. From free continental breakfast to free WiFi and linens, bike rentals to guitars, Chicago Getaway is the Windy City's most popular and highest-rated hostel.
Holiday Jones, 1659 W. Division St. Chicago, IL 60622; Phone: +1 (312) 804-3335; www.holidayjones.com; contact: Michael Downing; Email: email@example.com
Welcome to Holiday Jones Chicago Hostel! We offer our guests a boutique hotel experience at a fraction of the price while providing a fun and social atmosphere where travellers can connect. Located in one of Chicago's trendiest neighbourhoods and only 10-minutes from the city centre Holiday Jones is the ideal place for visitors that want to experience Chicago like a native. Our guests enjoy free WiFi, complimentary breakfast, and fresh linens & towels. Guests rest securely knowing we have 24-hour reception and security, key card entry to all rooms, and individual lockers in all shared rooms. We also provide free luggage storage on the day of your arrival/departure. We offer guests a variety of amenities including access to our large common room. With a communal kitchen, foosball table, cable TV, guest computers, board games, and plenty of seating, guests at Holiday Jones will find it easy to relax and meet other travellers. Our bright and airy lobby offers an excellent place for business travellers to work and a restaurant/lounge. Our friendly staff are here to welcome you to Holiday Jones and Chicago. From directions to the most popular tourist spots, to dining and shopping recommendations off the beaten path, we are eager to share our knowledge of the city with you. Located in the Wicker Park neighbourhood, Holiday Jones is surrounded by cool bars, nightclubs, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries. We are just a block from the Division Blue Line station which makes getting downtown and to the airport simple and fast. We encourage you to check out our website and stay like a native at Holiday Jones!
Hostelling International, 24 E. Congress Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60605; Phone: +1 (312) 360-0300; www.hichicago.org; contact: Emily Piga; Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Affordable dorm-style accommodation in renovated historic loft building in downtown Loop. A/C, self-serve kitchen, meeting rooms, free wi-fi, cafes, 24-hour access. 500 beds. Semi-Private rooms and limited private rooms. Educational and recreational programming. Continental breakfast included. VISA, MC, Amex
Urban Holiday Lofts, 2014 W. Wabansia Ave. Chicago, IL 60647; Phone: +1 (312) 532-6949; www.urbanholidaylofts.com; contact: Michael Downing; Email: email@example.com
Urban Holiday Lofts is located in the heart of the Chicago's Bucktown neighbourhood. With spacious loft-style rooms at very affordable prices, our guests enjoy a unique and authentic Chicago experience in a district full of popular restaurants, bars, shops, theatres, and art galleries. Located just minutes away from the Damen Blue Line stop and the hip 6 Corners intersection, Urban Holiday Lofts is just a short train ride away from downtown Chicago and the city's most popular sights. Urban Holiday Lofts is easily accessible from the airports and bus/train stations by public transportation, and there is also free parking available nearby. Our friendly staff are available to help you plan a memorable trip to the Windy City and are always willing to provide recommendations of places to go and things to see! We also offer many great amenities including free Wi-Fi, breakfast, linens and towels, kitchen, pool table, arcade games, lounge, and coin-laundry. When you stay at Urban Holiday Lofts, you'll stay like a native in Chicago.


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Entertainment Weekly have the first shots I've seen of Sookie's newest complication, Alcide Herveaux:
He doesn't look like my mental image of him from the books in that shot, but I have no prior experience of Joe Manganiello, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Also, Tara is the subject of this week's HBO teaser, along with new character Franklin Mott:
I thought he'd be older-looking.
When I think about what I read, I always think I don't read much by female writers, however it appears that this is not always the case. Not sure why I don't perceive it that way.
Karen Rose – I Can See You
There seems to have been a concerted effort by the publisher of these books to move them out of the romantic suspense category and firmly into thriller/suspense. I can understand why, as I expect it increases the potential audience by quite some amount, but I'm not convinced. I have enjoyed every one of Rose's previous books, but I'm a bit of a romantic suspense fan anyway. In this book, the main storyline revolves around Eve, who also featured in the early novels Don't Tell and Nothing To Fear. Scarred from her earlier ordeal, she is working on her thesis about a Second Life-type game, but breaks the rules around her test subjects when she becomes concerned one may have been murdered. The investigation lands her in the orbit of a detective who has been trying to avoid her, due to his own issues. Eve is a believable and likeable heroine, whilst Noah is sufficiently dark and brooding to be attractive as the hero, whilst never being too dark. The central mystery was well-plotted, and although I had an idea who the killer was, I changed my mind a few times as the twists developed. I'm eagerly awaiting the next novel, Silent Scream, which is due next month.
Linda Fairstein – Hell Gate
The latest Alexandra Cooper novel sees the Assistant District Attorney investigating human trafficking and political corruption, but does not feature any courtroom action at all. While this has never been a huge feature of the series, there's usually been a court scene of some kind. I do enjoy the history lesson which Fairstein weaves into her novels, but in this case, it seemed like the plot had been contrived around the setting, and I missed the tension of the early books. I had figured out the bad guy by about half way through, and there was nothing afterwards to make me think I may be wrong. I also wonder how much longer the Cooper/Mike tension can be built before it ends up dominating everything else, and I felt as though the final pages were an afterthought to add more of this, rather than being necessary to the main story. Overall, I was a bit disappointed by this book, but I still look forward to next year's installment.
Jilliane Hoffman – Pretty Little Things
It's been a while since we had a new book from Jilliane Hoffman, so I was a little surprised when this popped up in my 'Recommendations', but I had enjoyed her previous novels, so it went in the basket without me even looking to see what it was about. I'm impulsive like that! From the beginning it was very clear to me where the plot was going, and I have to give a lot of credit to the author here, as so often when technology is included in a plot, it's done in an unrealistic way, or it's clear the author doesn't really understand it. In this case, I think the research which has obviously gone into this paid dividends, as none of the tech details jarred with me. The central plot, of girls being lured away by people on the internet who may not be what they appear to be, is not new but was believably written. I also did not have a clue who the bad guy was, right to the end. The main character was likeable and his connection to the case was well plotted, and I finished the book in one day, as the pacing didn't let up, and I wanted to read more. I think this was probably my favourite of the three books listed here, although it's quite a different kind of thriller to the Karen Rose book. I definitely hope we don't have to wait several years for another one.
Recent Readings 1 – Lee Child, Janet Evanovich, M R Hall
I have read a huge pile of books recently, because many of the authors I like put out new books around March time, so I thought I'd do some quick reviews of a few at a time.
Lee Child – 61 Hours
I love Jack Reacher. I have read every book in the series, and I'm still astounded that Lee Child is British, because it never seems to slip into his writing. Apparently, he said in a radio interview recently that his image of Reacher is similar to Lawrence Dallaglio, which is about as close as anyone's ever come to my mental image of him. In this book, Reacher is stranded in the ice and snow of South Dakota after a bus crash, and soon comes to the attention of the local police, who are dealing with an unfamiliar situation. Reacher proves useful as ever, and makes time for some telephone flirtation with a woman doing his old job, but never loses focus on the big picture. The ending is a cliff hanger, and the best news of all is that there is another book later in the year, so we don't have to wait until next March.
Janet Evanovich – Three To Get Deadly
I'm re-reading this series from the start on my iPod, because my old paperbacks of the early books have long since given up the ghost. These are the ideal books for me when I'm not feeling great as they never fail to make me laugh a lot. I love how Stephanie is completely incompetent, but lucks into information and situations despite her lack of skill. In this book she's looking for a local store-owner, who is loved by everyone, who has gone missing after a minor traffic offence. As ever, there is more to the story, including drug dealers and a crazy church leader, and Stephanie is soon in over her head. I'm also glad that the film of the first book is finally being made, but I will be very interested to see who they cast as Ranger and Morelli, as I think they may be even more important to get right than Stephanie.
M R Hall – The Disappeared
This is the second novel by M R Hall featuring Jenny Cooper as a West Country coroner. I enjoyed the first book, The Coroner, although Jenny was somewhat annoying, but this time I found the story too far-fetched to make up for her shortcomings as a character. There's also a definite political tone which runs through both books, and while this usually wouldn't bother me too much, I found it stood out too much when I was already distracted by the main character. In this book, Jenny is persuaded to look into the disappearance of two young Islamic students, against the wishes of the Home Office and some scary (but superficial) Intelligence officers. She's also supposed to be investigating the death of a young girl who turns out to have high doses of radiation on her body. The conclusion of the story was rushed, for me, and too much time spent on Jenny's many emotional issues. Overall it was one of the least enjoyable books I've read recently, and since I gave up on James Patterson, that doesn't happen very often.
Dancing With The Stars Season 10 Week 2
The meltdowns have started early this year, or the producers needed a ratings bump, as there were bust-ups of varying degrees in almost all the VTs.
Shannen and Mark – The jive didn't suit her, she couldn't keep up, and there was a lack of energy in all her movements. Plus the costume was just odd.
Aiden and Edyta – I feel bad for the poor guy, he looks terrified, mostly of Edyta. Needs to work on finishing lines but in fairness to Edyta, he had good feet. The routine wasn't exactly inspired, but he got through it.
Evan and Anna – He is really showing his potential, he was confident and at ease. There was much better projection to the audience, but his feet did need work. Also, I'm with Len on all the flashy stuff – he didn't need it.
Niecy and Louis – A good week for these two, proving some couples can get along. Good characterisation from her, the frame was a bit loose at times, and she probably needs to stop singing all through the dance but a good effort.
Jake and Chelsie – Either his shoulders were really up, or his jacket was not fitted properly, but it made him look very awkward. Not enough energy or sharpness, but basic steps were there.
Buzz and Ashly – Better than the latin, but a lot of walking around Ashly. I can't really remember anything else about it.
Nicole and Derek – Bad song choice, and even stranger choreography by Derek. Lots of it didn't look like a jive, but her footwork did seem good and she's sharp. How bad are the rest of this year's celebs, if she comes across as strangely likeable? At least we didn't have to put up with the grinning boyfriend in the audience this week.
Erin and Maks – I thought their fight did them some good, unlike most of the couples, Maks needs a partner who pushes back. She has grace, and good lines. She's also confident, and if she cleans up the footwork could be very good.
Pam and Damien – Much calmer this week. They need to focus on more content and less fluff but not terrible.
Chad and Cheryl – He came over a lot better than a lot of people this week in his VT, but that wasn't terribly hard. Needs to work on his arms and posture before he does another ballroom. There were a couple of errors, but nothing catastrophic, and he looked a little more at ease. Len was harsh.
Kate and Tony – Wow. If she can make Tony quit, how evil is she?! I understand that teaching styles and learning styles can conflict, but she didn't seem to give Tony a chance, and he's about the most easy-going pro on the show. She was awful this week, she had no confidence in what she was doing, which won't have helped with the nerves. Bruno says she needs acting lessons, but I think she's enough of a drama queen and needs to concentrate on the basics and technique, not more performance.
The pro dance in the results show was fabulous, and was helped in that direction by the appearance of Maks's chest, but I always feel better when I've watched Maks and Cheryl dance, and in fact all the dancers looked good. I enjoyed seeing Anna with Derek as well, very different to watching her dance with Jonathan:
And then we said goodbye to Shannen and Mark. I feel bad for Shannen, as she was far from the worst, and she wasn't even the least likeable celeb.
True Blood Season 3 – Waiting Sucks Part 2
HBO have unveiled another of their teasers for True Blood Season 3. Is this Sam's brother?
Dancing With The Stars Season 10 Week 1
Oh, trashy Friday night TV, I have missed you! Nothing sets me up for the weekend like a couple of hours of complete escapism, and for the last three months, I've had to do without. But now, DWTS is back, and so life can return to normal.
There's a bit of a change to the show this time round – less couples, new co-host and some changes to the set – no longer will the couples return back stage after they have danced, now they are put in a big glass room just behind the audience, so they can be seen all the time. It's a bit odd. We also have new graphics for the judges scores, which I don't think really add anything.
On to the dancers.
First up were Cheryl and Chad, with the cha-cha. Apparently Chad likes to dance after he has done something good in his football games (I know nothing about NFL, so I'm not even going to try to sound like I know), but then he gets fined a lot, so he's doing the show to allow his to have fun. Or something. Anyway, he doesn't like it if Cheryl says he's doing well when he isn't, which is great, because Cheryl immediately tells him he sucks, and should do it again. Overall I thought he came across well in the VT, he comes somewhere between Warren and Jason on my football player scale for now. The dance was ok for the opening number. It was a little hesitant in places, but Chad generally had good rhythm, and didn't forget what he was doing. Good start overall.
Next out, Shannen and Mark. Shannen is very nervous about performing live, and is threatening to break out in hives, which would look lovely on TV! She's a bit gangly in training. They are dancing the Viennese Waltz, which is never fantastic on DWTS, and her dress is a bit witchy, which is a little distracting. She messes up a few times, probably due to nerves, and she needs to get her arms under control, but she did better than I thought she might.
Now for my highlight of the night, Maks and Erin. They start off well when she tells him she had asked for Tony, which really sets the tone for them as a couple, and it's clear they've hit it off. She seems capable and quick at picking up the steps, so they could turn out well. She looks fantastic in the cha-cha dress, and her legs seem to be about 6 feet long, they look like they are having a lot of fun, and she's keeping up with Maks. Best of the three dances so far.
Jake and Chelsie are next, and about 2 minutes into the VT I am sick of the rose overload. He does nothing to really distract me from this, as he seems to have the charisma of a door panel, and then they continue the rose theme into the dance. The VW can be sickly sweet at the best of times, and this is right up there in 'sugar' terms. He seems stiff and a lot of the time poor Chelsie is pushing him around quite hard. Not impressive.
Niecy and Louis are a start contrast to Jake and Chelsie. She's never going to be described as dull, but is also not at all irritating. She seems to be picking up the dance ok, but the actual performance could have been better. She looked the part, and most of the time, she had the character, but it was a little slow. There was a lack of hip action, which I think was because she was placing her feet too precisely, and not really getting into the dance floor, but overall not bad.
Next, we have Evan and Anna, my early tip for the win. He has very strange hair, which seems unreal. He moves just as well as I expected, and Anna seems to have caught a break here. Their VW is good, but it's a good style for him anyway, and Anna has worked with his strengths. His arms are fantastic, and he finishes every line but, as the judges note, he needs to remember his feet and finish those lines too. If he can bring a bit of personality, then he's still my tip for now.
Our first real stunt casting sees Buzz Aldrin take to the floor next with Ashly. It's about what I expected, and he doesn't really dance so much as step around with his hand on his hip. There's no actual cha-cha in any of what he does, but he looked to be having fun.
Nicole and Derek follow, and much is made of the fact that she doesn't do this kind of dancing, so she isn't a ringer. No, really. She's not. Their VW looks wonderful, but it's a lot of showy stuff, and it looked to me more like a Dmitry dance than a Derek one. There's no footwork to speak of, but it get s a lot of marks from Carrie-Anne and Bruno, despite Len being correct in the points he made. I think she's going to be this year's Mya.
Next we have Aiden and Edyta, and I'm already worried, as Edyta seems to be wearing a coat, which is never a good sign. Anyway. Aiden. Wow, I got so distracted, he is just lovely. Sadly, though, Edyta has gone straight for gimmicks, and doesn't really give him a chance to show what he could do. The coat was exactly what I expected, and gets pulled off to show one of her typical non-existent costumes, and the dance is too much about her, plus there's a knee slide! Overall Aiden was a bit hesitant, and didn't really get the fun element, but he did what he was given. Len hated it, which was a given, but I hope they do a proper dance next week, as I'd really like him to stay around for a few weeks.
Kate and Tony follow, and I am fascinated by her attempts to move parts of her face. They are completely frozen. Also, she appears to be a different person to the one in the clips. That's some serious makeover. Tony is as lovely as ever. She is very nervous in the dance, and makes a few mistakes but it wasn't terrible. She needs to stop counting in her head and feel the music, which will help it flow more.
And so, to our final couple, Pamela and Damien. Damien is lovely, but Pamela appears to be completely insane. She doesn't really seem to be picking up the dance that well, which may be due to her having the attention span of a four-year old. When they take to the floor, she certainly looks the part, but it's clear that her hair did far more dancing that she did. There was a lot of hair being flung about, but not an awful lot of cha-cha. Still, it was fun to watch!
I have no idea what they dance next week, as I am trying to stay away from all the US sources, so I don't get any spoilers!
True Blood Season 3 Hype
These make me very happy.
Season 3 Poster:
HBO Promo Teaser:
Apparently HBO will be releasing one of these each week, after each Season Two episode they reshow. Much as I appreciate this one just for the Eric-ness of it, I am really looking forward to seeing Alcide and Debbie just to see how well they fit with my mental pictures of them.

subset: commoncrawl


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As we wove our multi-faceted tapestry together, every nook and cranny, every little stone and brick, every tree and water body spoke to us, lending form to this edifice. It has been a labour of love, learning and understanding which we hope will permeate and resonate within you, culminating in an experience of a lifetime.
Replete with experiential activities like cultural immersion, yoga and ayurvedic healing capsules, adventure, nature and temple excursions, sojourns to local tribal villages for glimpses into community living and livelihood, we seek to make holistic customer engagement the pivot of our present enterprise and future growth.
It has been a tantalizing, humbling, euphoric journey thus far, to weave a tailor made surreal holiday experience for each of our customers by pushing the envelope just that little bit further. As we tread into our next venture we hope that you too would not want to miss it for the world, just as we do!!


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The Challenge
Each year 25,000 adults in New York State die from smoking and 389,000 kids now under 18 and alive in New York will ultimately die prematurely from smoking.
New York spends $8.17 billion caring for people made sick from smoking. NY residents' state and federal tax burden from smoking-caused healthcare expenditures is $883 per household.
In 2013, New York State received more than $2 billion in tobacco revenues but spent only $39.3 million on tobacco prevention.
While New York State's overall smoking rate has dropped much faster than the national average, some population groups are benefiting less from this progress. Limited funding prevents reaching the most vulnerable populations with the highest rates of smoking. Increasingly, the burden of tobacco taxes falls most heavily on the poor, less educated and those with mental health challenges.
Accomplishments Across New York State
Adult smoking has declined faster in New York (−29%) than in the United States (−9%) from 2003 to 2010.
Smoking declined by 70% among middle school students and 54% among high school students from 2000 to 2010. These declines outpaced national declines.
Last year, over 150,000 people received help from the New York State Smokers' Quitline.
In 2003, the expanded NYS Clean Indoor Air Act was enacted and is one of the most stringent clean indoor air laws in the nation.
Over 460 municipalities in New York State have passed regulations restricting tobacco use in outdoor recreational areas.
What's Next For NY Tobacco Control?
Tobacco control programs play a crucial role in the prevention of many chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness. Comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs like the one in NYS prevent kids from starting to smoke, helps adult smokers quit, and serve as a counter to the ever-present negative influence of the tobacco industry.
There are still 2.4 million smokers in NY that need help – we must continue to invest our dollars wisely by supporting tobacco control in NYS. With additional resources, we could increase community level interventions, implement strategies to address disparities in smoking rates, and target anti-smoking media messages where the need is greatest – those with low incomes, limited education and mental illness.
For more information, download:
NYS Leading the Way Towards a Tobacco-Free Society (PDF)


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Leadership at the Indy 500 for the teams who get themselves on the victory podium is specific and definite. There is a common thread to the behavior of leaders in the complex sport of auto racing. The 2011 Indy 500 showed that when good decisions are made the giants of the sport can be toppled. Some of the enclosed information is drawn from Performance at the Limit, a book written by a friend of mine, Richard West.
If we consider that successful auto racing teams achieve performance levels at the limits of their financial, technological and human potential, lets ask the question, how do they do that?
The motor sport industry encapsulates many of the challenges faced by today's manager across many different types of organizations and sectors. Challenges such as increasing knowledge creation and transfer, working in global and virtual teams, managing across boundaries, enhancing innovation and creativity, accelerating speed to market, effective execution of strategy, creating transformational change and, above all, through all of these challenges, creating sustained levels of performance that competitors are unable to match.
What does the behavior of motor sports leadership look like:
They make a decision, live with it, and if it is the wrong one learn from it as quickly as possible and move on. Change for the sake of change is not embraced. It has to be realistic change for the sake of performance. The key for maintaining success is to actually disbelieve in the sustainability of your own performance. To continually feel that you could have done it better, and to continually strive for the unattainable goal.
Success requires a 'portfolio of leaders'. In affect these teams succeed because there are individuals throughout the organization who are willing and capable to accept the responsibilities of leadership regardless of their formal authority.
All too often organizations lose sight of the external relativity of performance and focus too heavily on performance enhancements relative to their own internal benchmarks; in auto racing, performance benchmarking is always relative to the competition and a team's performance is only as good as the last race. These factors create a context where there is no let-up in the search for both short - and long-term performance gains.
There is the constant pressure of competition and for successful motor sports teams a key issue is that standing still, means going backwards. Auto racing teams combine many different resources such as human capital, technology, marketing and finance to achieve a performance outcome that hopefully is superior to those of its competitors. The best leaders in auto racing integrate by providing flexibility and clarity for those within the organization. Successful auto racing teams are almost diametrically opposed to the big-business model. Nothing will be achieved through oppressive bureaucracy and burdensome processes.
Auto racing leaders look for people who think laterally, who never accept that something is impossible and who are prepared to work hard. They would be individualistic in their thinking, but team players in their action.
Auto racing is a complex and dangerous sport and its business model requires specific leadership, skill sets and attitudes. Successful auto racing teams have internal organizational speed of operations by combining two key elements; 1/ having the right people in the right positions doing the right things, and 2/ by removing the speed bumps that slow them down.
The auto racing high performance model when overlaid over other industry models might just be the ideal model for organizations that believe that the speed of business will continue to get faster in the next decade.
Derek Daly
Source: Performance at the Limit, Richard West


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Beach, please!
Ladies, soon it will be summer time! Aren't we all super excited about spending sunny days by the pool or even better, at the beach? Here are a few stylish items I have put together to create the perfect look for beautiful days by the water. From skin care to accessories and swim wear, everything you need to be beach ready is on this list!
Luli Fama Bikini Top & Bottoms
We can't talk about stylish beach items without presenting a super cute bikini first. Ladies, meet the Luli Fama Bikini and all of its beachy features. Straps are in right now when it comes to swim wear. I love the visual interest straps can bring to a bathing suit. This Luli Fama Bikini top is just too cute! It has convertible straps, so you can create your own look and avoid tan lines by moving the straps around. It also comes with removable soft cups, for support. Now can we please talk about this sexy bikini bottom? The kaleidoscope pattern is a little funky and very colorful, which is perfect for summer! Straps in the front, rushed brazilian back, amazing!More Details
Simplicity Women's Beach & Poolside Swimwear Cover up Dress
I just love this Simplicity Women's Beach & Poolside Swimwear Cove Up Dress! It is so sexy, beachy and very practical! It is offered in various styles and colors, but my favorite is this floral design on aqua blue. Fringe is a trend that we have seen a lot this fall, and why not continue this trend by a little touch of fringe on a swimsuit cover up? Also, it is made mainly of polyester, which means it does not wrinkle! Just throw it in your luggage, and head on to the beach, not worrying about having to iron it! And the best thing has to be the price! Super inexpensive for a stylish item that will complete your beach look.More Details
Ted Baker Women's Riesling Sandal
Ok, I have got to confess my new obsession : Ted Baker. Ted Baker is a British luxury retail company. It is now international, for every woman's happyness! Ted Baker offers funky, colorful, beautiful stylish designs that will make a woman dream. These sandals are no exception. They are elegant, simple and a little funky. I love the nude ones with a touch of animal print, which is perfect for the beach. Made of leather, they will be durable as well as practical as they act as a neutral and go with everything. Ted Baker Women's Riesling Sandal is the essential beach sandal!More Details
Pom Pom Tassel Floppy Hat
This is no surprise, I love Betsey Johnson and her designs! I just had to include a Betsey Johnson stylish item on my Beach list, so here it is. The Pom Pom Tassel Floppy Hat is like the cherry on my sunday. You now have your amazing bikini, your cover up dress and your sandals, top this look off with a stylish summer hat! This Pom Pom hat as embellishments that comes in two colors : turquoise of fuchsia. I love the turquoise as I find it looks very beachy. It is made of straw and is one size fits all. Betsey suggests to pair it with a wedge sandal, which I think is also a great alternative.More Details
Diane Von Furstenberg Women's Haley Sunglasses
Diane Von Furstenberg is a former princess, turned high fashion designer. Her head office is based in New York, in the fashionable meat packing district. She is known all over the world with stores in over 70 countries. I love her designs and the fact that they are unique and different, just like those sunglasses. The Diane Von Furstenberg Women's Haley Sunglasses are a perfect addition to the stylish looks on my Beach list. The plastic see-through frame makes them easy to wear and light, great for the beach. Not to mention the studded rhinestones that add a nice detail to the sunglasses. If we have to protect our eyes with sunglasses, I want to wear those!More Details
Dylan's Candy Bar Beach Towel
How appropriate is a colorful beach towel during summertime? Perfect! I just love Dylan Lauren's fun designs and this towel represents the essence of fun. We all need one to dry off from the pool or the beach, so why not make it super lively with Dylan's Candy Bar Beach Towel! It is made of 100% cotton, super soft and very cute! Show off the Dylan's Candy Bar famous logo on this rainbow-like beach towel and why not bring candies to the beach, while at it?More Details
Magid Seashell Canvas Tote
Now, how do you carry your sunglasses, hat and towel to the beach? You put everything in this beautiful Magid Seashell Canvas Tote bag! A tote is just the perfect bag for going to the pool or the beach. Just throw everything you need in there, and done! This one is very cute with its sand-like color and cotton rope handles, very beachy! And for a little spark of color, it has a lime green interior with a seashell print on the side. Just how I like it, practical and stylish!More Details
Shiseido – ''Ultimate Sun Survival'' Kit (Limited Edition)
Shiseido, for those who do not know, is a high end cosmetic company that originated in Japan. It offers a wide range of amazing beauty and skin care products. If I was going to make a Beach list of everything you need for beautiful days under the sun, I had to include a skin protection kit. I chose Shiseido's 'Ultimate Sun Survival' Kit as it is a safe buy and includes everything you need to protect your skin from sun damages. You will find in there a sun protection lotion, a UV protector, an anti-spot serum, an eye cream as well as a brightening mask. All wrapped up in a stylish make up case. Don't forget, you cannot just look stylish at the beach, you have to protect your skin as well!More Details


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Choosing a business security solution is one of the most important decisions you will make. A-One Security is local family owned business that provides professional service and ongoing support of your security system for peace of mind. We've served Oklahoma City for over 30 years and are dedicated to our customer's satisfaction.


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Halloween is almost here and cupcakes are a great to make for any occasion! These Halloween cupcake ideas could be used for classroom treat, a Halloween dessert or a fun Halloween party.
Classic pumpkin cupcake; Ghoulishly Glowing Cupcakes; Knife In My Heart Cupcake; Orange Velvet Cupcake; Bloody Cutcakes; Spiderweb Cupcakes; Monster Cupcakes; The Witch is Dead Cupcake; Jack Skellington Cupcakes; Polka Dot Halloween Cupcakes


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3 Apr
Hollywood comes out for Kerry.
Hooray. And soap opera and dangdut stars entertain election crowds here. So, what's different? What's new? Bugger all as far as I can tell. For a deep and meaningful analysis of the ramifications of the Indonesian elections, look elsewhere.
A news item in today's Jakarta Post says that not even American oil execs are anticipating civil unrest caused by exitable excitable crowds of Indo electors. Blasé? Moi?
The election won't upset tourists either. Following the introduction of a pay-on-arrival tourist visa for those from privileged 21 countries ~ if you're not, visit an Indonesian embassy abroad to get your visa, tourist arrivals are down 10.27% in February. The ostriches in the government say there's no correlation. Oh yeah? So, where are the backpackers then? Why is the hotel occupancy rate down? And why is unemployment up?
The movie that changed my life
I can't say that any movie has changed my life. (A book, Dice Man, once nearly did, but that's another story which I'm never going to relate in public.) With pirated DVDs available here for Rp.10,000 ( less than £1, more than $1), I'm building up a nice library of films I enjoy rewatching. One I'd love to get hold of is Belle De Jour because I've never worked out the ending. Now someone has adopted the title as his/her blog nôm de plume, and folks are getting in a lather about his/her identity. Given the many levels of 'reality' in the film, I would suggest that this blogger's tale of everyday prostitution is totally fictional. Oh, and I've yet to read it. If you want to, I suggest that you try linking from the Guardian's weblog section.
The Sixth Stone
Ian Stewart loved R'n'B and honky tonk piano as played by Meade Lux Lewis. Forget the controversies, the drugs, the rumours about Mars bars and remember the music. The Rolling Stones were a London band and I was there-abouts.


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Last Updated on
Sometimes you just have to give in to those cravings. You want to make it worth it so I firmly believe that you should combine two of your favorites into one. I did just that with these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies. They are an easy, ooey gooey brownie that absolutely no one can resist. Even my husband who isn't a chocolate lover couldn't walk away from these. They are just that good.
This may contain affiliate links.
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
We literally always have a large bag of Peanut Butter Cups in our pantry. It doesn't matter if it's the middle of the Summer or Christmas Eve, they are always there. Both of my girls, four and one, love them and they are a great incentive for getting tasks done. A little bribery never hurt anyone before right? They work even better on my husband when it comes to things like our Walk in Closet or DIY Sandbox.
These brownies consist of only two ingredients, Betty Crocker Brownie Mix and Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures. I used Betty Crocker's Fudge Brownies and followed the package directions exactly. Just before I stuck the brownies in the oven I strategically placed Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures throughout the mix so that every brownie would have at least one peanut butter cup in them once they were cut.
While the brownies were cooling I placed chopped peanut butter cups on the top, similar to a cookie crumb layer. Except that this was a peanut butter cup layer of deliciousness. It is important to do it while the brownies are still hot because you'll need the peanut butter cups to melt onto the top of the brownies so that they won't all fall off the second you try to cut them into bars.
Have you ever seen such ooey gooey deliciousness?! I promise this one of those recipes that's worth the extra calories. If you're sweet tooth is a driving force in your life you may also like…
Reese's Pieces Mini Bundt Cakes


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Today I want to share with you 5 great tips on how to start your family history. I got inspiration for this blog post from a BBC article (here) to which I have added my personal experience in collecting family history and stories.
1)Write down everything you and your close ones know
Try to remember as much as you can about your family. Write down all the possible information you can easily and quickly gather: places, dates, and the stories important to your family that were shared with you. When you have done that, start asking your close ones that you can easily approach (parents, siblings, grandparents) what they know and the stories they can remember. This will help you validate the info and stories you remember, and learn new or forgotten ones. As the genealogist Sara Khan said, "If your grandparents can tell you about their grandparents then you will have access to a hundred years or more of family history".
2)Record everything you can…but respect boundaries
It is important to record as much information as you can. If you are not used to interview people, it is better to use a voice recorder when talking with your relatives. Remember that a voice recorder might not be liked by everyone, so bring with you pen and paper every time. Finally, ALWAYS respect your relatives will if they want to keep something off the records. If you have never conducted interviews I strongly suggest you to read this post on how to do it to avoid the most common mistakes!
3)Gather physical clues
Documents such as certificates, letters, and photos can help you rebuild you family history and collect the most important stories. When digital cameras did not exist, pictures were taken only in special occasions. You can use those photos to elicit memories in your relatives and gather the stories of the events and people behind a photo.
Remember to research archives and the public registry, but keep in mind that you will be able to get certificates from the Register Office only back to 1837 (link to the Register Office here). For earlier documents, you might have to go to parishes and local municipalities.
4)Share with your relatives the stories you have collected…it will speed up you research!
Involve your relatives in collecting the stories of your family. This will be great to speed up the research and to make it very enjoyable and gratifying. Your relatives will be able to add their stories and collect memories from others relatives maybe distant from you. Internet has made this very easy, and you will be able to record memories of people living far away without virtually moving from you house! Read how I started with my relatives the story of my family in this post
5)Keep your family history updated
What is the present today becomes the past tomorrow. It is important that once you have recorded the events belonging to the past you continue with your relatives in keeping track of the important events of your family: marriages, big celebrations, births, family reuninons…This way the future generations will have a detailed story of their family…all thanks to you!


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We'd like you to join us in congratulating the European All-Stars team for their flawless showing at the Guild Wars 2 International All-Stars Tournament at gamescom in Cologne, Germany! Through superior team strategy, top-tier individual skill, and strong player rotations, the European All-Stars team managed to take home the gold without dropping a single game during the tournament.
European All-Stars Team Roster
- Helseth – Mesmer – Livestream channel
- Denshee – Elementalist – Livestream channel
- Sizer – Thief – Livestream channel
- ROM – Warrior – Livestream channel
- Tage – Guardian – Livestream channel
Europe has definitely raised the bar in Guild Wars 2 competitive play, and we look forward to seeing how players from all regions evolve over the next few months as they begin training for the Guild Wars 2 World Tournament Series.
We'll see you on the battlefield!


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Another year has gone by, and once again, Brewgrass tickets have sold out quicker than Keanu Reeves driving a city bus. Yet during Asheville Beer Week, there are two beer festivals occurring, and tickets are still available to both.
First, coming up this Saturday is the Just Brew It Homebrew Festival being held at the Wedge Brewery as part of Asheville Beer Week. I went to this festival last year, and it was the best bang for the buck fest I have ever been too. Sixteen dollars gets you three hours of drinking many different varieties of beer. And this isn't just any beer that you can pick up at the store or your local brewery. These beers have all been handcrafted by local homebrewers, so you are likely to see a variety of original, and often whimsical styles that you would not see a bigger brewer take a chance on. Tickets are on sale through Friday.
And the big event on the last weekend of Asheville Beer Week is the Beer City Festival. I recall many people last year, and some this year as well complaining about not getting Brewgrass tickets, but we have this great festival celebrating local and regional craft brewing and somehow there are still tickets left. I would argue that Beer City Fest is in a better location in the heart of downtown, and has a greater variety of music (come on people, Yo Mamma's Big Fat Booty Band is playing). Tickets are available at Barley's, Bruisin' Ales, and some local breweries through the end of the day Thursday, and there may be some tickets at the fest on June 2nd.
Wondering how to get to these festivals? Asheville has revamped their bus system, with an increased frequency in heavily used corridors, night service in more areas, and the buses are free until June 8th. I plan on taking advantage of this myself, and I hope many of you will do the same.


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January 30, 2015
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Dusty :: Adopted!
Dusty is a 13.2hh Buckskin Paso Fino gelding born in 1995.
Dusty came to us because his owners could not keep weight on him even though they tried.
He'd had his teeth floated and been vaccinated in May of 2015, but he only weighted 600 pounds.
We wormed him and feed him a good balance of senior feed to put his weight back on.
The difference is amazing. (See below.)
He seems to be putting weight on well.
He has a marvelous tail.
He has a docile personality, just a sweet little horse.
He will only be able to have children ride him due to his size.


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Is Chris Froome ready?
For once, Chris Froome (Team Sky) goes into a Tour de France (July 1-23) looking vulnerable. We're used to seeing him dominate pre-Tour stage races, but this season he is without a win altogether and could only manage fourth at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
These results have inevitably triggered questions regarding whether he is at the optimum level necessary to win what would be a fourth Tour de France title, but Froome himself has retained a calm public demeanour, insisting that he has no concerns about his form. We'll find out soon enough how accurate this assertion is.
>>> Tour de France 2017: Latest news, info and videos
There is no ambiguity surrounding the strength of his team, however, which is so chock-full of talent like Geraint Thomas, Paris-Nice winner Sergio Henao and Milan-San Remo winner Michal Kwiatkowski that no room could be found for British stalwarts Ian Stannard and Peter Kennaugh.
The usual suspects
A familiar assortment of riders frustrated in recent years in their attempts to defeat Froome are again planning on taking the race to him.
We're itching to see whether Nairo Quintana (Movistar), for whom finishing on the podium at the Tour behind Froome has become habit, will (as his team are insisting) be as strong as usual, despite having ridden the Giro in May. If he isn't, teammate Alejandro Valverde – who hasn't been out of the top eight since 2013 – is an able deputy.
For what feels like the umpteenth time Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) is also among the pre-race favourites. Despite his underwhelming from and the fact he hasn't mounted a genuine yellow jersey challenge since before his doping ban, such is his history and experience of winning that he can never be discounted as a threat.
A more recently established Tour stalwart is Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), whose runner-up finish was also his third successive top ten, and proof that he possesses the climbing skills, intelligence and daring to potentially become the first French winner in 32 years.
Can Richie Porte come of age?
Overall victories at the Tour de Romandie, Tour Down Under, as well as a very impressive display of strength to finish runner-up at the Dauphiné earlier this month, has led some to declare that Richie Porte (BMC) could even be considered the favourite to win the yellow jersey.
That seems a big statement, however, for a rider whose highest Grand Tour finish in ten attempts across his career is still only fifth place (at last year's Tour).
>>> Richie Porte: 'Chris Froome obviously didn't want to see me win. You don't forget that for July'
Many of those past shortcomings can be put down to youthful inexperience, riding as a teammate and simple bad luck, but there is a feeling – perhaps reinforced by his slightly tetchy response to being attacked on the final stage of the Dauphiné – that he struggles under pressure.
Nevertheless, off the back of some career-best form, and having finally cracked the top five of the Tour last year, this feels like Porte's moment to fully deliver on his potential. With the additional narrative of the old apprentice Porte looking to usurp his former master Froome, we should be in for some thrilling drama.
Youthful challengers
As well as the familiar, older riders we're used to seeing battling for the yellow jersey, there are several younger riders who could upset the established order this year.
Simon Yates, for instance, has developed considerably since his last appearance here two years ago to the extent that a top five challenge is realistic, even if his similarly youthful 27-year old Orica-Scott teammate Esteban Chaves may lack the form to make much of an impact on his debut Tour.
Fabio Aru (Astana) may no longer be eligible for the young riders' white jersey, but he will still only be 27 when the Tour starts and is making just his second appearance. Recent results, including fifth overall at the Dauphiné and victory at the Italian national championships, suggest he's nearing the same form that saw him win the Vuelta a Espana in 2015.
An unusual route
One of the main talking points concerning the route has been its lack of major mountain top finishes.
There are only three in total – stage five to Planche des Belles Filles (where Team Sky and Vincenzo Nibali asserted their authority in 2012 and 2014 respectively), stage 12 to Peyragudes and stage eighteen to Col d'Izoard, of which only the Col d'Izoard has been assigned the most difficult 'hors categorie' status.
>>> Tour de France 2017 route guide: every stage
That's not to say that there isn't a awful lot of climbing this year – it's just that the big mountains are to be tackled further from the finish than usual. The first week ends with a pair of stages in the Jura mountains that feature 10 climbs between them; there's an intriguing looking Pyrenean stage 13 that crams three mountains into just 101km of racing; and the day before the huge finish to Izoard is features the monolithic hat-trick of the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Télégraphe, and the Col du Galibier.
Sprinters showdown
The news that Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) will ride the Tour means that the big three of he, Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) and André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) will once more duke it out in the bunch sprints.
Their fortunes have alternated in recent Tours, with Cavendish winning four stages last year, Greipel four in 2016 and Kittel four in 2015.
It's unclear which, if any, of the three are likely to dominate the sprints this year, with Cavendish battling for form and fitness having suffered from glandular fever, and Kittel and Greipel having had inconsistent seasons.
What is clear, though, is that they'll have plenty of opportunities, with at least eight stages looking likely for bunch sprints.
A peloton full of stars
Such is the prestige of the Tour that it's not just the world's best GC riders and sprinters that turn up to compete, the peloton's best of every discipline.
World champion time-triallist Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin) will go for yellow in the opening 14km time-trial (and later for victory in stage 20's 22.5km effort), against the likes of silver and bronze medallists Vasil Kiryienka (Sky) and Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar).
Classics specialists like Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) and Greg van Avermaet (BMC) will have their eyes on punchy uphill finishes like stage three's in Longwy, and rolling days like stage fourteen's to Rodez.
Michael Matthews (Sunweb), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) and Arnaud Demare (FDJ) are among the high calibre sprinters who would be in the mix on days potentially too undulating for the pure sprinters, such as stage sixteen, while the recently-crowned British champion Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) is always a good shout on potential breakaway days like stage 15 in the Massif Central.
And, of course, the peloton's chef superstar and world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) will be frequently the centre of attention, whatever the terrain is.


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Beta glucan -- also known as beta glucans, beta glycans, beta 1,3 and lentinan -- is a polysaccharide compound derived from plant sources. Beta glucan is sold in both extract and powdered form as a dietary supplement that manufacturers claim can enhance your health and prevent the development of certain diseases. Beta glucan powder and beta glucan extract share the same properties and, while some research indicates that supplementation with either yields health benefits, both also may cause side effects. Speak to your doctor before using beta glucan powder or beta glucan extract for any medical condition.
Origin and Function
Both beta glucan powder and beta glucan extract -- beta glucan in a liquid form -- are derived from the cell walls of plants such as oats, wheat and barley; from baker's yeast; and from certain species of fungi, such as mushrooms. Beta glucan may inhibit cholesterol absorption in the digestive system and stimulate the production of immune system enzymes and proteins in both animals and humans.
Beta glucan supplements are used by alternative medicine practitioners as a treatment for high blood cholesterol and as a way to stimulate the immune system. Beta glucan powder, taken in the form of capsules or tablets, is most often used by people trying to lower their cholesterol levels, while injections of beta glucan extract has been used as an experimental treatment in patients suffering from immune-suppressing conditions such as cancer, HIV, AIDS and during recovery from surgery or physical trauma.
Side Effects
Beta glucan powder supplementation is not connected to any known side effects, however further study is needed. Beta glucan extract injections may cause vomiting, diarrhea, extreme fluctuations in blood pressure, headache, rashes, fever, chills, joint pain and excessive urine production. Do not use any form of beta glucan supplement if you are pregnant or nursing. If you use beta glucan capsules, do not take more than 15 g daily. Beta glucan use should also be avoided by people taking immunosuppressant drugs such as cyclosporine, prednisone, corticosteroids, azathioprine or mycophenolate since beta glucan may interfere with these drugs' function.
Dietary supplements like beta glucan extract and beta glucan powder are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. This means that the claims made by supplement manufacturers are not supported by unbiased, clinically tested scientific evidence, and that the FDA does not monitor the products' safety, effectiveness or purity. Speak to your doctor first if you are interested in using beta glucan supplements.


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|Of the three original Eagles, Andy Mamedoff seemed to garner a few "firsts" among the American pilots serving in the RAF. He was the first and only one of the original three to be transferred out to another squadron, 133, and at the same time was promoted to B Flight commander, the first American to be granted such authority in an American unit. He was also the first American pilot during the war to marry an English girl. Sadly, all three of these firsts would soon be punctuated by his untimely death. What follows is a brief piece on Mamedoff's wedding.
|From the left, Vic Bono toasts Mamedoff and his bride, Penny Craven.
|Quoted from Vern Haugland's The Eagle Squadrons, pp. 58?-59
"Shortly before leaving 71 Squadron for his new assignment with 133, Andy Mamedoff had become the first of the Eagles to take a war bride, Penny Craven, a member of the Craven cigarette family. Best man Vic Bono suggested to the squadron that since most of the pilots were on readiness and unable to leave the base for a social occasion, they might take their Hurricanes up and honor the couple with a fly-past right after the church ceremony at Epping.
"Two of the pilots, Bill Geiger and Ed Bateman, flew over the little town first. The bridal party rushed out from the inn where Robbie Robinson, 71 Squadron intelligence officer, was host at the luncheon. The other pilots came thundering over minutes a few minutes later.
"'It was a market day,' Bono recalled. 'Never before had planes flown over at such a low altitude. Pigs and lambs scattered everywhere, leaving the marketplace a wreck.'"
NOTE: While Bono is seen here as Mamedoff's best man, it is very likely that Red Tobin would have been given the job had he survived to see the wedding, given what he and Mamedoff went through together in getting to the RAF in the first place. Tobin died mere weeks before the wedding. However, it might not have been possible even if Tobin had survived due to Mamedoff's recent transfer into 133 Squadron and a different airfield. Regardless, it is rather sad to see Mamedoff present without Red Tobin at his side.


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The labyrinth has one well-defined path that leads to the center and back again.
2018-2019 Schedule of Labyrinth Walks
Walks are held in Congregational Hall from 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month (second Tuesday in September and January). A guide is available from 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
September 11
October 2
November 6
December 4 (candlelit)
January 8
February 5
March 5
April 2
May 7
Walking the labyrinth is a very individual experience. You honor God with this walk and provide a pathway to prayer. Consistent walking may deepen your compassion, lessen your judgments, increase your patience, and enable you to find your purpose in life to share with the world.
Come with others to celebrate the space centered in quiet and light. Your walk may offer clarity for life direction, healing of grief, identification of a turning point, or a calming of noise from daily demands. Intentional walking allows the labyrinth to be a prayerful tool to bring awareness to your questions and concerns.
Your walk will involve four stages:
- Remembering: In preparation, remember you are blessed. Count your blessings if you are waiting to enter the labyrinth.
- Release: At entry, clear your mind, focus on breathing, and walk with intention. This stage ends at the center.
- Receive: At the center, sit or stand and take what is offered in this space. Pray or listen to the silences. Stay as long as you want.
- Integrate: Leaving the center, follow the same path outward. Symbolically, you are moving into the world with what insights you have received during the meditative walk.
The Labyrinth is available for walking at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church at specified times.
The labyrinth is also available to rent for a workshop or retreat.


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I used to see English translation of Sun Quan's biography from Record of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) long time ago. Now, I found that the link was already dead. Luckily, I had saved whole letters of the translation at those time. I think that it might be useful to drop here again, otherwise it probably die with the external link.
I couldn't remember the translator's name. In case of knowing his/her name, please give him/her a credit by post here.


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EHN welcomes draft WHO guidelines on sat fats & trans fats
May 29th 2018
The European Heart Network welcomes the draft WHO guidelines on saturated fatty acid and trans fatty acid intake for adults and children. This detailed, up-to-date review of the latest evidence by WHO, along with the clear message conveyed by the draft recommendations, is a most welcome contribution to the ongoing commentary about this issue.
Here is the EHN comment on the WHO draft Guidelines.


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Building Scaffold Board Bookcases
So GD has been super clever and busy the past couple of days and our book cases are made and in situ.
|levelling the shelve
|The wood arives
The alcoves in our new cottage are fairly narrow, the fireplace and hearth are deep but there are false walls beside the deep central recess which made it almost impossible to get ready made book cases. We also needed them an odd width to most we found online, to top it all off the walls actually differ in measurement all the way up. So GD found a company selling off scaffolding boards really cheap, he measured up, ordered what he needed and then went to work sawing, sanding and assembling our bespoke bookcases.
|Bookcase full of GD's river cottage
|preparing the oil
We have no worries of anyone ever stealing them, they weigh a ton! and they fit in by a whisper. GD just used screws he already had to assemble and the only outlay was ten pound for some new jigsaw blades. And here the bookcases are, rustic and adding a nice grounding feel and they smell wonderful of wood and orange, we have lightly oiled the wood with olive oil and orange essential oil. This room is such a nurturing peaceful room, a simple space just to be in.
|Vegan yoga reading corner (mine)


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D.C.'s Green Parking Reform Takes Root
"In a first for a big east coast city, Washington, DC, is putting the ideas of celebrated parking reformer Professor Donald Shoup to work. Spurred by concerns over game day traffic surges caused by the opening of a new baseball stadium, the city council recently created two performance parking pilot project zones. The most important provision of the legislation is that 75 percent of the meter revenue, after initial expenses and maintenance, "Shall be used solely for the purpose of non-automobile transportation improvements in that pilot zone." This includes a menu of transit, bicycling and pedestrian improvements including sidewalk widenings, traffic calming, separated bikeways and real-time information signs for buses and trains."
"The project is especially exciting, because once parking money from the pilot zones begins to translate into actual neighborhood improvements, DC voters will want more parking reform and parking revenue return in their neighborhoods."
"The force behind the legislation was Council Member Tommy Wells, whose campaign slogan, "For a Livable and Walkable Community," is prominently featured on his web site. Wells says he held "over a dozen community meetings and town halls" to build a consensus around the plan. His work seems to have paid off. The new zones and especially the revenue return provision have been cheered by the press and local livable streets advocates, including those at Greater Greater Washington.org."
Thanks to John Kaehny


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North Carolina fans held up "STU" signs during a moment of silence for the late Stuart Scott before the Tar Heels' basketball game against Notre Dame on Monday night.
North Carolina fans held up "STU" signs during a moment of silence for the late Stuart Scott before the Tar Heels' basketball game against Notre Dame on Monday night.
UNC fans hold "STU" signs during moment of silence for Stuart Scott. pic.twitter.com/CEFVDAQfEV— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2015
Great support from the student section tonight for Stuart Scott. #booyah pic.twitter.com/MxoLWsK99G— Bubba Cunningham (@BubbaUNC) January 5, 2015
The moment of silence was shown live on SportsCenter at 6:55 p.m. ET, the show on which Scott made his name as a broadcaster the past two decades. North Carolina is also wearing a special patch in honor of Scott.
Special patch will be worn on @UNC_Basketball jerseys to honor memory of Tar Heel alum @StuartScott. Game is 7p ESPN pic.twitter.com/Q7wZRR6GVV— Jay Levy (@JL23TV) January 5, 2015
Scott died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 49.
The gregarious broadcaster graduated from North Carolina in 1987 and made no secret of his support for the school, especially its basketball team, over the course of his career. He hosted the team's annual kickoff event, "Late Night With Roy," multiple times over the last decade.
Before the North Carolina women's team's game on Sunday, head coach Sylvia Hatchell, herself a cancer survivor, remembered Scott in her pregame speech:
In a statement released Sunday, the North Carolina athletic department also spoke fondly of Scott:
He loved his home state and his alma mater. Stuart taught us that sports is about joy and laughter, not just achievement and results. More important, he showed us how to fight with dignity and honor. He blazed a path in broadcasting that is often imitated, but never duplicated. His legacy will live on in many ways – as a friend, a son, a father, a professional and forever, a Tar Heel.
Various NFL and NBA teams held moments of silence in honor of Scott on Sunday, and thoughts and condolences came in from across the sports world all day long.
Scott is survived by his two daughters, his parents, his three siblings and his girlfriend.
- Ben Estes


text: To purchase a Blowouts Four Pack, purchase a Gift Certificate for $110 and write Four Pack in the memo and we will honor it at your next visit. Call us to book your appointments! North Providence 401-270-4242 Call us to book for your bachelorette parties, weddings, holiday parties, girl's night out and everyday glamour!If you don't see the time you would like online, please feel free to give us a call and we will work some magic for you!Give us a call if you would like to book more than one appointment at the same time and we will do it for you!


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Most Recent Cupcakes
Posted on | March 29, 2013
Salted Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes
Do you like sweet and salty combo? Well, if you do, than don't skip this great recipe for Salted Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes. Delicious combination of chocolate and salted caramel will make your mouth water. Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with Dulce de Leche (or Caramel) Frosting, garnished with grated dark chocolate, Dulce de leche drizzle and sprinkled with some coarse sea salt, are overwhelming.
Find the recipe at : chefpriyanka.wordpress.com
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