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Submit your review
Candy Nathe and her team were amazing. She gave us excellent advise in preparing our home for sale and kept us up to date on every showing that happened throughout the selling process. Candy's experience and expertise in the local market are unsurpassed and that allowed her to sell our very unique property in record time.
Hands down Candi Nathe is the best of the best. She has helped our family find our forever home and Vacation River home. She is honest, organized and hard working. She makes the buying experience easy and goes above and beyond to make it happen. Thank you Candi!
What my husband and I thought was going to be a long dreadful experience with buying our first home, Julie made it so stress free and just an all around great experience! She was always quick to get back to us with our many questions, told us what to expect or what we needed to prepare for as we were so anxious. Since this was for our first home, we valued her opinion on things and she was genuine in making sure we bought a home that we were going to be happy with, not just the first thing we looked at and thought we liked. I would highly recommend Julie to anyone looking to buy or sell a home!!
I cannot say enough good things about the Florida Heritage Real Estate Group family! My husband and I were searching for our first home and Julie was an absolute delight to work with! She provided us with numerous listings to look at and didn't get frustrated when all of them weren't exactly what we had in mind. When we decided that maybe building would be a better fit for us, she found us a handful of properties to go look at and was able to snag the one we fell in love with for a great price! We are looking forward to creating tons of memories in our first home but will definitely be listing with Florida Heritage Real Estate Group when the time comes to grow our family!
Candy Nathe is one of the most fabulous people you will ever meet. I called her from out of state on Thursday requesting to meet her on a Sunday. We needed to move quickly for a job. She had a perfect selection of homes for us and had us to closing in under 30 days. Wish I could take her back to our old house to sell it for us. We felt like we had found our first friend. There is no way to compliment her professionalism and attention to our needs. There is no possible way anything could have been better.
Florida Heritage Real Estate Group is a great place to work! We are one big, happy family! We meet weekly to network and discuss our clients needs, we share ideas and experiences that make us all better at our profession. We are always there to support one another and offer help when needed. We love what we do!
Julie Buckingham with Florida Heritage was phenomenal. She responded quickly and kept us up to date with everything that was going on. She made our experience a nice, stress-free (as stress-free as it gets) experience. I would highly recommend using her.
If you are looking for excellent customer service, and a highly reputable realtor, please don't look any further. My husband and I had the pleasure of being referred to Candy Nathe, one of this company's wonderful realtors, and she was so much more than we could have ever asked for. My husband and I just recently got married and the transition has been wonderful, but when we found out that we were expecting our first child we knew that we had to take action and get into a new home as soon as possible. We wanted something we could move into quickly and wasn't too far from our family or jobs. As newlyweds, soon to be parents, and soon to be first time homeowners, we had no idea how crazy our life was getting ready to be! Candy was not only informative, but she was patient, understanding, and new exactly when to take charge of a situation. We really couldn't have asked for a better realtor! She has not only earned our business for the next time we have to buy a house, but from here on, we will be referring everyone we know to her. You just don't find the kind of customer service you get from her anymore, and it was a breath of fresh air. Thank you Candy, for everything you did and continue to do for families like us!
Sherman Milton of Florida Heritage Real Estate helped my wife and I purchase our first home. I chose Sherman to make our dream become a reality based on his work-ethic. I promise you no other realtor will work harder for you than Sherman. From answering calls and text messages late at night to attending numerous real estate seminars to better understand every little detail of the real estate process, I was very impressed with Sherman and highly recommend him for any of your real estate needs.
Sherman M. was my realtor and he was phenomenal. He's extremely knowledgeable of the Tampa Bay Area and made purchasing my first home stressless. Anytime I had questions or concerns he was readily available to assist me. Sherman is excellent at his job and I'd recommend him to anyone looking to purchase or sale real estate.


text: January 2015 Download PDF Here MMS NEWS Marin County GPCI fix We think we've earned your membership Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 14 PFMC grant proposals due April 2 Applicants LOCAL NEWS Marin General Hospital earns "Top Performer" recognition CMA NEWS 2015 new health care laws Top Stories from CMA ALERT RESOURCES CPR: CMA Practice Resources Dementia Care conference coming in February 2015 Childhood Obesity Bay Area Annual Conference CLASSIFIEDS ABOUT MMS MMS NEWS Marin County GPCI fix In 2014, during one of the most dysfunctional Congresses in history, CMA won passage of California-only legislation that reformed the outdated California Medicare payment localities and brought substantial payment increases to physicians in 14 counties, including Marin County. CMA believes this will maintain and improve access to physicians. > Over the next decade, more than $1 billion in additional payments will be made to California physicians through Medicare FFS, Medicare Advantage and private contracts tied to the Medicare Fee Schedule. Starting in 2017, the new law phases in the new payment rates moving the current county-based payment localities to a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) system: Medicare pays hospitals this way. Physicians will be paid according to their local costs to provide care, and the payments will be updated annually to reflect the rise in local practice costs. > Depending on the economy, the new law will increase payments to Marin County physicians from 5.1% to 10.1% or more. Thirteen other counties receiving payment increases are included in this legislation (El Dorado, Monterey, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma and Yolo). > The legislation establishes a payment floor for rural California physicians set at current levels so when another recession hits, payments will not go down. :: We think we've earned your membership Have you renewed for 2015? Below are some of the reasons we think we've earned your membership. We want you to rejoin, or join, MMS! > Prop. 46 was defeated (NO: 67% YES: 33%)! CMA-MMS spent $8 million of CMA reserves and raised $52 million to protect MICRA. > The GPCI inequity for Marin County has been permanently solved. (See story above.) > CMA held off a 10% Medi-Cal cut for three years, ensuring the cut would not have to be repaid. > Among many other examples, legislative advocacy kept optometrists from practicing ophthalmology. Click here to join MMS or to renew your 2015 membership online. Call Rachel Pandolfi at 707-525-4375 if you need a copy of your dues invoice. She can answer your questions, or handle payment over the phone. :: Save the date: Legislative Advocacy Day April 14 MMS members are invited to CMA's annual Legislative Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 14, at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. Attended by several hundred physicians, this conference provides an opportunity to meet with local legislators regarding pressing health care issues after morning speeches by CMA's president, Dr. Luther Cobb, and Dustin Corcoran, CMA CEO. This year's keynote speaker is expected to be Governor Jerry Brown, followed by a political panel discussion and afternoon sessions with local legislators in their offices. For more information, visit www.cmanet.org/events or contact Cynthia Melody at 707-525-4375 or firstname.lastname@example.com. :: PPFMC grant proposals due April 2 Nonprofit health organizations in Marin County are encouraged to apply for Community Grants from the Pacific Foundation for Medical Care. The grants, generally in the $10,000 range, are awarded twice a year by the nonprofit foundation to support local projects that enhance health services. The application deadline for the next round of grants is April 2. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 707-525-4281 or email@example.com. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org. :: Applicants Adrianna Browne, MD, Dermatology*, 535 Miller Ave., Mill Valley 94941, Johns Hopkins Univ 2007 * = board certified LOCAL NEWS Marin General Hospital earns "Top Performer" recognition MGH was recognized as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission as part of its 2014 annual report, "America's Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety," for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care. The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma, stroke, venous thromboembolism and perinatal care, as well as for inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations. For more information about the Top Performer program, visit the Joint Commission's website. CMA NEWS 2015 new health care laws The California Legislature had an active year, passing many new laws affecting health care. In particular, there was a strong focus on scope of practice for allied health professionals, prescription drug abuse, public health issues and health care coverage. The following article from Sonoma Medicine provides summaries of the most significant new health laws of interest to physicians: download PDF or link to online article. :: Top Stories from CMA ALERT CMA Alert is a biweekly newsletter for members of the California Medical Association. Read the current issue here. Articles include: CMA files amicus brief to protect patient privacy in Oregon prescription drug database case CMA files brief in Medicaid case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court • Insurance commissioner issues emergency regulation requiring health insurers to have sufficient networks Insurance commissioner issues emergency regulation requiring health insurers to have sufficient networks Governor's January budget proposal leaves state's woeful Medi-Cal reimbursement rates untouched • Meet and interact with internationally lauded authors at the 2015 Leadership Academy Disneyland measles outbreak continues to grow; physicians advised to look for signs of the disease in patients How to request an IMQ physician surveyor for your hospital accreditation survey • 100,000 Covered California enrollees being transitioned into Medi-Cal managed care in January U.S. Supreme Court to hear ACA subsidy case on March 4 Deadline approaching for physicians wishing to opt out of new United Healthcare Medi-Cal managed care network CMA creates new resource summarizing Medicare incentive and penalty programs CMS to hold Medicare claims for first two weeks of January CCalifornia ACEP publishes safe prescribing handout for patients RESOURCES CPR: CMA Practice Resources CPR is a free monthly e-bulletin from CMA's practice management experts that focuses on critical payor and health care industry changes and how they directly impact the business of a physician practice. Each issue includes tips on reimbursement and contracting-related issues along with information on the latest practice management news. Read the current issue here. Titles include: Be prepared for Covered California changes in 2015 Verifying your patients' eligibility and benefits in 2015 may save your practice thousands of dollars Potential Medicare pay cuts coming in 2015; participation selections due Dec. 31 CMA creates new resource summarizing Medicare incentive and penalty programs DHCS identifies glitch in UCR web app for CHDP primary care rate increase payments Don't miss out on increased Medi-Cal payments! Deadline to attest is Dec. 31 Annual Medicare benefit changes • New Reassignment of Medicare Benefits (855R) enrollment form coming DMHC audit finds Anthem, Blue Shield Covered California directories misleading and violate state law Duals project sees additional setbacks Medi-Cal provider training announced Reminder: Anthem expanding its Medi-Cal managed care network The Coding Corner: CPT 2015: Summary of additions and revisions Dementia Care conference coming in February 2015 The California Partnership to Improve Dementia Care is presenting a one-day conference, Dementia Care California: Sustaining Momentum and Success, in Sacramento on Feb. 23, and in Pasadena on Feb. 25. The program will look at where things are now and how to bridge the gap in transitional care for persons with dementia. Physicians, nurses, nursing home administrators and social workers are encouraged to attend. Continuing education credits will be available for nursing home administrators, nurses and social workers. The featured speaker will be G. Allen Power, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester, and author of Dementia Beyond Drugs and Dementia Beyond Disease. For more information or to register for the event, click here. :: Childhood Obesity Bay Area Annual Conference This annual conference, to be held March 6 and 7 at UCSF Medical Center, brings together local stakeholders in childhood obesity prevention to promote innovation and provide insight into work being done on this critical issue. The program features keynote presentations, professional panels, breakout sessions, networking events and a garden tour, plus a locally-catered breakfast, lunch, and wine reception. To get your tickets visit: www.coba2015.eventbrite.com. CLASSIFIEDS Medical condo for sale Located on South Eliseo Drive in Greenbrae. 415-435-8589. MMS members get free classifieds! MMS members can place free classified ads in News Briefs or Marin Medicine. Cost for nonmember physicians and the general public is $1 per word. To place a classified ad, contact Susan Gumucio at email@example.com or 707-525-0102. ABOUT MMS The Marin Medical Society, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association, supports local physicians and their efforts to enhance the health of the community. Founded in 1898, MMS is affiliated with the California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Visit us at www.marinmedicalsociety.org. © 2015 MMS, 2901 Cleveland Ave. #202, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 January 23, 2015 MMS News Briefs 0 Comment Read More »

subset: commoncrawl


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I recently launched a bullet journal eBook, 21 Days To A More Creative And Purposeful Bullet Journal. If you've been struggling to start a bullet journal, stay up to date with your planning, reach your goals, or find inspiration, this bullet journal eBook is for you!
Free Printable Bullet Journal Tracker : Track Your Moods And Gratitude Practice
Keeping up to date with mood and habit tracking in the bullet journal can be a challenge. To simplify things, I've designed a tracker that combines both gratitude and mood tracking in one printable. You can download this printable bullet journal tracker for free from my Planner Lovers Resource Library!
Daily Journaling Practice In Your Bullet Journal : How To Get Started
A daily journaling practice in your bullet journal is a wonderful way to clear the mind and record the events of the day. Through journaling, you'll gain clarity and valuable insights that will help you process thoughts and emotions. I'm sharing my tips for getting started with a personal journaling practice. Plus, I have designed a floral journaling template that you can download for free when you subscribe to the Planner Lovers Resource Library.
April Exclusive Planner Kit for Bujo and Planning – Sneak Peek!
I'm so excited to let you know that I have just released the April exclusive planner kit on Patreon! This is the fifth collection of bullet journaling and planner printables that I have designed for members of my Patreon community. Every month I have so much fun working with my community to come up with a range of printables that are practical and inspiring! If you haven't joined yet, you can choose a reward tier here and unlock all of the printables released so far.
March Exclusive Planner Kit – Sneak Peek!
My March exclusive planner kit has just been released on Patreon! The new kit for March contains printable goodies for bullet journaling and planning including a Mood Tracker, bullet journal Index, hand-drawn mandala and more.


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Welcome to the 2nd season of the podcast! Hear about our new format and other juicy tidbits
On this Episode, QoH interviews an influential member from ZRPG's history
This episode focuses on the convoluted final plotlines of Old ZRPG: The Confined Life, The Disciple, and Sailing to Paradise Island.
In this Episode, QoH interviews Tabasco!
In this episode, QoH and Tabasco and Tophu talk about the most successful mainplot on old ZRPG - A New Kakariko!
Our first historical interview! We talk about all things Tophubot, and there's a little surprise in there for you too.
In this episode, Tabasco and QoH discuss the board's first proper main plot and things that were going on back then.


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Stuzo is the leading provider of personalized, frictionless commerce technology solutions, powered by its
Open Commerce Platform, software services, and
insights platforms. Stuzo's services include Open Commerce implementation and operationalization, mobile/digital product strategy, product design, and product engineering. Stuzo's Convenience and Fuel Retail insights platforms include its Market Insights Platform, Consumer Insights Platform, and Future Vision Insights Platform.
There is a solution to every problem. The answer is always, "We will." The only question is how.
Change is the only constant. Progress is the only option. We invest in change today.
Technology moves at breakneck speeds. Winning = Velocity (Starting + Doing + Improving) > Everyone Else
Excellence is in the details. From first impression onward, the details ensure we deliver solutions that delight.
Embrace your inner nerd. With our strengths combined, together we'll make history.


text: "Two of my favorite people and favorite musicians; Mary and Steve Thornburg!! They are pros who want their audience to have a good time, music is swingin' and perfect for whatever you have in mind." Karrin Allyson FIVE-TIME GRAMMY® Nominee "This band really grooves! They've mastered a wide variety of styles and make sure everybody […]Read More


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Downtown Cantina is a brand new restaurant in the heart of downtown Weatherford specializing in Craft Tacos and Margaritas made with locally sourced ingredients aimed towards community oriented tastes and experiences. Tacos. Beer. Tequila. Mas. OPEN LATE. As the official "hangout spot" for WFC you can swing by during any of our away games and view them live on their in-house TVs while enjoying an ice cold drink and some of the best tacos in town. Downtown Cantina will host all of WFC's away games, and any special events the team plans. Growing up with a passion for soccer the Downtown Cantina managment team is a wonderful addition to the WFC family, and excellent ambassadors for anyone looking to learn more about the wonderful and exciting world of soccer! Stop by anytime for the best tacos in Weatherford, a refreshing drink, or a friendly chat! You'll find exactly what you're looking for at Downtown Cantina.
Tuesday - Thursday: 11am - 2am
Friday - Saturday: 11am - 3am
Sunday - 11am - 2am
Monday - CLOSED


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'The very best of pretty much everything': Why I'd choose an apartment over a house any day
The woman looked at me with such terrible pity in her eyes, I swear tears weren't far away.
"Oh, my dear," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "You live in Sydney in a unit? How terrible! Why don't you move here, where you could maybe afford a house?"
I looked around at the scruffy little settlement somewhere in outback Queensland, with a hapless horde of rundown houses probably worth no more than $100,000 each, and shook my head. She misinterpreted the gesture. "I'm sure" she whispered, "a bank could lend you some money."
Even today, it's hard to persuade some people that apartment living is actually a choice, freely and gleefully taken, with its ups far outscaling its downs, and a style of life that frequently fills me with great joy.
The times are far behind us when a unit was a mere stepping stone to a terrace or a quarter-acre block. Now, the only thing a unit is a path to is a bigger, more expensive and more glamorous apartment in a better part of town.
Good, well-designed apartments today offer the very best of pretty much everything. There's the views you can afford from being up higher, the kind of light that house dwellers only dream of, and convenient one-level living – perfect for kids, cats and elderly relatives alike.
You don't have to spend every weekend mowing the lawn, clearing the gutters or fixing a leaking roof either. All that stuff is done by building or strata management, and so much more cheaply than it would cost you as an individual.
There are often wonderful, time-saving communal facilities too, like garbage-disposal chutes in the corridor, a nice lobby for meetings, maybe a gym and pool and garden. And lots of neighbours to socialise with if you want to, let in tradies, feed the cat, recommend cleaners and share a glass or two of wine, but so much privacy if you don't.
An apartment also means you can afford to live in your preferred location, perhaps with cafes and bars and restaurants, or near schools and parks, or closer to work.
Security and safety are huge pluses as well. You can lock up and leave when you go off travelling with no worries or fears.
Sceptics will talk about problems of noise in apartment buildings and interfering committees. In an apartment, you can ask that "interfering committee" to issue warnings and breach notices and have noisy neighbours fined.
In some cases, the fines have mounted up so much that the crazily loud problem people end up moving on. Probably to a house.
Of course, apartment living can't always be idyllic, but then life generally rarely is.
There have been well-aired problems with defects, shoddily built buildings and flammable cladding. But if you have those problems in an apartment, you don't have to face them alone. In a house, the worry and cost fall solely to you.
On the top floor of a boutique three-level block, this north-facing, recently renovated apartment has lots of natural light and 144 square metres of living space.
"This is bigger and better in every way than newer apartments in the same area," says BresicWhitney Glebe agent Chris Nunn, who will lead it to an April 13 auction with a $1.45 million guide. "It has the advantage of bedrooms at opposite ends of the apartment, and feels very luxurious."
The apartment – also with double parking, lift access, and a storeroom – is close to transport and parks and has a large outdoor terrace.
Milsons Point
On the 18th floor of the 'Grandview' building, this spacious four-bedroom apartment has beautiful views of the Opera House and bridge, an indoor heated pool, gym and concierge service.
The apartment itself has lofty ceilings, large formal dining, lounge and casual living areas, a vast eat-in kitchen and ducted air-conditioning and heating throughout.
Close to Milsons Point station, ferries and cafes, it goes to auction on April 13 with Tim Foote of Belle Property Mosman who has put the price guide at $3.3 million to $3.6 million.
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the north-east corner of Mirvac's 'Oceanpoint' has stunning harbour views from its position on the tenth floor, the second highest level, of the block.
It has 151sqm of living space, as well as lock-up storage and two car spaces, while being close to the Edgecliff shopping centre, the train station and buses.
Agent James Dunn of Richardson & Wrench Double Bay says the price guide is $2.8 million for its auction on April 10.


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This Erbario Toscano Pomegranate & Liquorice home fragrance refill offers a fresh, fruity scent to adorn your home in luxurious sweetness. Made in Italy this exciting refill bottle is a great stock-up option or an excellent gift idea for your loved ones.
Please use the chart below to convert between standard size formats
All of our reed diffusers are one size, please check an item's specific volume and measurements.
If you require any additional help or information, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated customer care team, Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm (GMT).
Customer Services Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Customer Services Telephone:+44 (0)191 211 2331


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Which browser i need to use from the the below list, if my requirement is to write a functional/acceptance test for testing entire web application
Codeception supported browser list 1) Phpbrowser2) PhantomJS3) Chrome (using Chrome driver)4) Firefox (GeckoDriver)
Phpbrowser and PhantomJS are headless
In case you face issues with pop-ups using PhantomJs then refer to this
Hi @anas_qa, thanks for your response and here are my concerns,
PhantomJS - its development has been suspended - http://phantomjs.org/ - so how much we can rely on this. And also in my case(in my project), its not supporting javascript as well as model popups.
By the way i will go through the PhantomJs refereed link.
Hi @somayajulu
Thanks for the info regarding Phantom; i wasn't aware about this, sadly tho
Then i believe both will not work for you.
I remember that one day i used chrome headless, it's nothing more than a quick config and running chromedrivers without selenium
Check this for more details
Not sure if it's going work with you but give it a try as per a kind of a recent issue it's for a specific chrome version (61).


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The Best Place To Buy Or Sell Your Antiques And Collectables
90x Swansea Strong Beech Castellated Back Church Chapel Chairs - Surrey
DescriptionFrom St Nicholas on the Hill and St Jude, Swansea, these sturdy beech early 1960's chairs have an attractive dentil moulding back support. All of these chairs have had their seats and top rails sanded and refinished and have hymnbook racks at the back.
Height Width Depth
82 cm 42 cm 45 cm
Seat Height
44 cm
Click on this link to see all items from Church Antiques
Click here for more products from this seller
Delivery notes** WE DELIVER. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION. **
Located Betchworth, Surrey
Contact notesCall 01737 844264 and ask for Lawrence, Annie or John.
Or email firstname.lastname@example.com
|£39 +VAT each
|90 — Price is per unit
If this item is sold please tell us!
Report listing as sold
Occasionally, listings can remain on our website even when sold, if the owner forgets to tell us.
If you have been in contact with the owner and know this item is sold, then please use the form below to tell us.


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Welcome to The Cats Pajamas, your one stop shop for apparel, embroidery, sublimation and rhinestone design needs!
We are delighted to share some of our favorite designs with you, so come on in and sit down! Put your feet up, have a cup of tea and browse to your heart's content.
We have a brand new Apparel section where you can purchase ready to wear items featuring our designs. It is, however, your responsibility to ensure you purchase the correct size, as we cannot offer refunds on custom made items.
For the crafters among you, be sure to browse our Embroidery, Sublimation, Rhinestone and Vinyl Design sections – these designs are for you to make at home! If there is a design you would like to see included in this section, please let me know – we will be happy to consider it for inclusion. Please keep in mind that in this section you are ONLY purchasing a download file. It is to be used with the appropriate embroidery, printer or cutting machine, and you are NOT buying an actual product. Due to the nature of these products no refunds will be given if you, the buyer, cannot use the product. You are free to use the design on any item you make for resale, but please give credit to the design team here at The Cats Pajamas. You may not resell, gift, trade or exchange these downloads. All rights are reserved and held by The Cats Pajamas.
Thank you for shopping with The Cats Pajamas!


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Guest Book
>Guest Book
Surrounding Area
Access Statement
Guest Book
This has been the most wonderful base for our holiday. This really is the most beautiful cottage. We have loved biking Carsington Water, Tissington & High Peak Trail. We have had all meals outside on the lovely patio in the sun. We do hope that your special cottage gets the owner it deserves.
-April 2015
Simply perfect. Came to relax and enjoy the Peaks. Cottage exceeded expectations, beautiful, comfortable and walks from the doorstep.
-February 2015
Lovely and relaxing cottage. Thank you for letting us share your little bit of tranquility.
-August 2014
This is our 3rd visit and we simply love Barnwood and the surrounding area. When are you going to get that 5th Star! You definitely deserve it.
-July 2014
Lovely cottage, homely, comfortable and warm and in such a beautiful setting.
-April 2014
Cottage amazing, views stunning - perfect place to relax and unwind. A thoroughly enjoyable week and a peaceful haven to return to every night.
-August 2013
What a wonderful week. We have eaten outside on the rose scented patio most evenings. If you are cyclists or walkers this is the place to be! Traffic free trails on the doorstep. We hope to be back soon.
-July 2013
This is our 2nd visit and it felt like coming home. Sitting out in the peaceful courtyard garden has been a joy. We have renamed Carsington Water, Lake Garda as the water was sparkling in the sun. We always find something new to explore and enjoy in the picturesque area.
-June 2013
Our Spring Holiday sprung a surprise - the coldest March for years!! However after sampling the beautiful peaceful area we returned to a lovely warm and comfortable cottage - one of the best we have ever stayed in.
-- March 2013
Another fabulous stay at Barnwood. We hope to return again in the Summer - the cottage and area is hard to beat.
-- March 2013
Had a lovely stay here over Christmas. The cottage is wonderful - everything we could need.
-Dec 2012
We have thoroughly enjoyed our week at this beautiful cottage. We do not know how you get a 5* but you certainly deserve it. Everything has been what we hoped for and more. The welcome goodies were delicious.
-September 2012
What a wonderful holiday that we'll remember forever! Brilliant cottage in a beautiful area - so much to see and do!
-August 2012
The cottage provided a fantastic base for cycling and walking, and provided an extremely comfortable and luxurious welcome after our days excursions. The cottage lacked for nothing whatsoever and there were unexpected extras that made our stay even more special.
-August 2012
Our 2 week's stay in Derbyshire was wonderful, but our stay in Barnwood made the visit exceptional. This is by far the nicest place we've stayed in 10 visits to England.
-Colorado, USA
This is our 4th time here and it was so nice and enjoyable. The beds are really comfortable and the house is snug and warm
-Aged 12 - August 2012
I can see why so many people return! The cottage was well equipped and the 'goody box' a lovely suprise. We found lots to do, the mills and river walks were a real joy.We would recommend the cottage, area, pub and the lovely hosts of Barnwood to anyone.
-July 2012
This is our 3rd stay at this wonderful cottage, we just love it. It is so cosy and furnished beautifully.
-May 2012
4* - Ridiculous! Should be 5*. One of the best holiday cottages we have experienced...
-May 2012
The cottage is exquisite. Beautifully furnished with high quality furnishings and literally everything one might need.... Oh and breakfast on the patio overlooking the hills opposite was just fab!
-March 2012
We had a fab few days pottering and exploring the local area - you are so lucky to have such beauty on your doorstep.
-March 2012
We've had a fantastic weekend in the Peak District whilst staying at this lovely cottage. None of us want to leave and we will definitely be back.
-March 2012
The cottage is perfect, warm, comfortable, beautifully furnished and a great location.... I am sure that we will be back soon!
-October 2011
Excellent! So much room, yet still so cosy. Really liked the furniture, so different. Patio great for breakfast and evening drinks and nibbles.
-Sept 2011
Barnwood Cottage exceeded our expectations, and we will be back...
-August 2011
Thoroughly enjoyed our time here - great bolthole after the insanity of Alton Towers! Agree with all of the other comments - great attention to detail and loved the welcome pack. Hope to return but judging by these comments we'll be up against stiff competition for space!
-June 2011
Another perfect holiday, so glad we came back for 2 weeks. The cottage was as beautiful as we remembered.
-June 2011
What a wonderful place to base ourselves to discover the joys of Derbyshire. Well worth travelling 12,000 miles to get here!
-Melbourne, Australia
We enjoyed nothing better than sitting on the patio in the evening or early morning, looking at the perfect view and listening to the birds..
-July 2010
We have had a fantastic holiday - thanks. We couldn't believe how close the cycle paths were, and we've done some great walks.
-April 2010
The cottage is the best we've ever stayed in - we didn't want for anything.
-April 2010
It hasn't simply been comfortable, it has an edge of luxury. When you can drag yourself from the huge bed, or off the tempting sofas - the area is well worth wandering through
-March 2010
It really is the most beautiful accommodation we've ever had the pleasure of staying in. We love the decor, the location and the wonderfully warm welcome we received.
-March 2010
What a wonderful cottage - warm, stylish and very cosy - lovely location.
-Valentine Weekend 2010
Barnwood Cottage had everything we picky Americans needed!
-Nashville, Tennessee
Barnwood has exceeded all expectations.
-Jan 2010
The master bedroom is like a boutique hotel room
-Dec 2009
We had a wonderful stay and although we intended to eat out each evening, we found ourselves drawn back to the sunny patio and BBQ!
-April 2011
© Copyright Barnwood Cottage 2009 |
Web Design Lincoln


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Fix: 'Red X Volume Icon' in Windows 10
If you get a red x volume icon in the lower right corner of your screen in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 than this is the tutorial you should read. Many users have issues with the red x volume icon in their system right after they upgraded to Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
The red x volume icon usually appears in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 when either you have a hardware issue and your speakers are not working or in most of the cases there is a software malfunction after an update of the operating system due to the fact that not all the drivers you had are compatible with the new Windows 10, 8.1 or Windows 8 operating system you newly installed on your device.
How to fix the 'red x volume icon no sound' in Windows 10
- Check compatibility in Device Manager
- Check physical connection
- Adjust system volume
- Check audio drivers
First option: Check compatibility in Device Manager
- Before we go to the software part of this red x volume icon we will first have to check if your hardware is operating in the necessary parameters.
- Move the mouse pointer over the lower right side of the screen for the "Charms" bar to open.
- Left click or tap on the "Settings" feature you have in the charms bar.
- In the search box, you are presented in the "Settings" feature you need to write "Device Manager".
- After the search is finished you will need to left click or tap on the "Device Manager" icon.
- If you are prompted by a window you will need to type in the administrator account and password to go further with the steps below.
- Double click (left click) on the "Sound, video and game controllers" feature in the device manager window.
- In the expanded menu in the "Sound, video and game controllers" feature look to see if you have there a sound card and if it is properly installed.
Note: if it is not properly installed you will see a yellow sign next to it or you won't have a sound card present in that menu.
- If you have a yellow sign next to the sound card you will need to left click on that icon.
- Left click on the "Properties" feature after you clicked on the sound card.
- Left click or tap on the "General" tab you have in the properties window.
- You will have a box under the "Device status" feature and you will see in that box what exactly the issue with the sound card is.
Note: In most of the cases you will need to update the sound card driver .
Updating drivers manually is very annoying, so we recommend you to download this driver updater tool (100% safe and tested by us) to do it automatically. Thus, you will prevent file loss and even permanent damage to your computer.
Second option: Check physical connection
- Check if you have made the proper connections to the speakers and the audio system.
- Check the wiring from the speakers to the Windows 8 or Windows 10 device.
- Check the HDMI cable if you have one on the audio system.
- If you have a USB connection to the audio system you will need to check if it is plugged correctly to the device.
Third option: Adjust system volume
- Check and see if your audio system is plugged into the power socket and if it is lighting up.
- Check and see if your audio system has the volume to a minimum or disabled completely.
- Move the mouse pointer to the lower right side of the screen to open the Charms bar.
- In the Charms bar you will need to left click or tap on the "Search" feature.
- Type in the "Search" feature "Adjust system volume" and wait for the search to finish.
- Left click after the search on the "Adjust system volume" icon that appeared.
- In the new feature that you opened, you will need to increase the volume by moving the slider all the way to the upper side of the bar.
- Be sure you don't have your "Mute" button enabled because this is very common in this situation.
Fourth option: Check audio drivers
- Go on the manufacturer's website and see if the driver for your audio card is compatible with the Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating system.
- If the driver is not compatible you will need to download the latest version of the driver for Windows 8 and install it to your system.
If you don't want to manually download the necessary drivers, you can always use a tool such as TweakBit Driver Updater that will automatically download and install the missing drivers for you.
Note: some functions of this tool may not be free.
Now that you have your red x volume icon gone in Windows 8 or Windows 10 you can go and listen to some relaxing music or perhaps even watch a movie. Write to us below for any other issues that you encounter on this subject and we will help you as soon as possible.
Other sound issues and their fixes
For other audio issues, the fixes may be more complex as the issue may be other than the ones listed above. Some system errors or incompatibilities may give you the 'red x volume icon' or simply sound not working. If you have upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 9.1 or ten, or from 8.1 to 10, you might encounter these issues. For this, check the list of fixes below and see which one may solve your specific problem:
- Full Fix: Sound Problems in Windows 10, 8.1, 7
- FIX: Sound is not working in Windows 10, 8.1
- How to enable system sound on Windows 10, 8, 8.1
- How to fix no sound after adding the second monitor
- No sound after installing NVIDIA Graphics Drivers [Fix]
Don't forget to let us know in the comment section if you fixed the issue and which solution helped you.
READ ALSO: How to Fix 'Error 651′ in Windows 8.1, Windows 10
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2014 and has been since revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.


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Lecturer presents to the world
Academics from all over the world are revisiting their teacher training curriculum following a series of presentations from a Trafford College lecturer.
Childhood Studies tutor Dr Controllah Gabi called for better pastoral training for teachers among members of the British Educational Research Association at the University of Manchester on Thursday 12th September.
Findings from his paper, The Fully Functioning Student, show nine out of ten HE students felt pastoral support – integrative help with academic, health and social wellbeing – was essential their overall learning experience, with one in three claiming to perform better when they felt their lecturer was caring.
Dr Gabi said: "Students have two aspects to them – the human being and the student. They are humans before they are students, and it is important that in education we do not overlook the human in the student.
"At Trafford College Group we have a fantastic pastoral care team and we already integrate pastoral care into our pedagogy - in other words, we are not just interested in teaching the student, we are interested in developing the whole person – a well-rounded learner. We just hope this research will influence other colleges and universities in adopting this humanistic approach."
One of Dr Gabi's other research papers on child refugees, presented to academics from the European Early Childhood Education Research Association in Greece in August (20-23), resulted in the formation of a special interest group of international academics to look at how best to incorporate the teaching of children from refugee backgrounds in teacher training. His aim is for graduate teachers to be sufficiently equipped to support learners in a classroom that is increasingly becoming global in composition.
The team, which includes academics from Australia, the United States, Sweden and Finland, are putting together a bid to UNICEF for funding into further research on the experiences of children from refugee backgrounds across the world.
"The College is already using my findings enhance the curriculum, particularly in the delivery of Global Perspectives on Childhood. While child refugees may be physically included in a classroom, they can still in effect be excluded by lack inclusion in the core activities of education settings owing to practitioners' lack of knowledge about how best to educate them," he added.
Dr Gabi, is the author of several papers in the British Educational Research Journal and last year published Amazon best-seller The Dissertation.
"Thanks go out to the students who contributed. As well as receive knowledge, students at Trafford College are proud to be part of the generation of knowledge that will shape curricula in future."


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Chess Middlegames Books
1 Item(s)
Grid List
45 Practical Methods to Gain the Upper Hand in Chess
Opening preparation is useful, but understanding the middlegame is much more important. This book, an improved edition of a Russian classic, teaches amateur chess players 45 extremely effective skills in a crystal-clear manner.
Techniques of Positional Play
1 Item(s)
Grid List


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Welcome to the newest edition of the Social Media Weekly Roundup. I hope you enjoy this week's edition.
4 Criteria for Choosing Successful Content Marketing Topics – Iterate Marketing from Iterate: "There's no magic to choosing the right topics—just a few criteria and some additional research. All of the data points you uncovered when researching segments and personas are relevant to your audience. But information that's relevant to your audience doesn't necessarily make for good content topics. Further, some seemingly-relevant ideas just aren't a good fit for your brand."
Plan the Ultimate Pinterest & Instagram Strategy from Tailwind App: "'Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.' That quote is so good that it's often misattributed to Sun Tzu, military philosopher and writer of The Art of War. It tells us two important things."
9 Ways to Refine Your Twitter Ad Targeting from Social Media Examiner: "Want to reach better-qualified leads with your Twitter ads? Looking for ways to improve your ad targeting? Twitter provides all of the tools you need to put highly tailored ads in front of the people most likely to click on them. In this article, you'll discover nine ways to target your audience more effectively with Twitter ads."
How to Use Facebook Insights and Analytics to Boost Your Social Media Marketing Strategy from Buffer: "Facebook Insights is one of the most powerful Facebook analytics tools available. When you dive into your Facebook Insights, you'll receive a wealth of data to help you understand more about your Facebook Page. With so many different data-points available to measure — such as Likes, engagement, reach, and demographics — Insights will help you to understand how your content is resonating with your audience, how your Page is growing and provide you with an awesome overview of how your Facebook strategy is performing. This complete guide will cover everything you need to know about the key sections of Facebook Insights and share tips to help you become proficient with Facebook analytics.
How to Create a Brilliant Newsletter People Want to Read from Content Marketing Institute: "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but newsletters are hot right now. They receive far less attention than the latest whizzy technology, like live video, personalization, and interactive content. But that doesn't mean they're not incredibly popular and incredibly powerful."
Frances Caballo is a social media strategist and manager and the author of six books on social media. Click here to schedule an appointment with her.


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Retractable Seam Ripper
Never lose the cap for your seam ripper again!
This fantastic seam ripper features a blade that retracts into the non-slip ergonomic handle that works for right-handed or left-handed crafters! The Swiss #12 stainless steel blade is curved for easier ripping and locks in place for reliable safety. Measures 4 3/8" long with blade retracted; 5 5/8" with blade extended.
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The month of October brings shopping bonanza for the customers, as the three e-retail giants start their festive sale. Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm mall will hold their festive sale in October. Maha Cashback sale by Paytm Mall is about to start on October 9th. Ending on October 15th, the seven-day sale will bring a number of deals and offers for the buyers on a wide range of products. The purchases made on ICICI bank debit and credit card will be eligible for an additional 10% discount. This discounts will also be available for EMI transactions.
There will be a flash sale during all the sale days from 2 PM to 6 PM. There will also be a Re. 1 deal and there will be new products added to this every day. Along with this, Paytm will also offer Golden hours price drop which will be available from 8 PM till midnight. During the sale, there will be amazing deals on mobile phones like no-cost EMIs, cash-backs up to Rs 12,000 and also exchange values up to Rs. 21,000. A number of smartphones will be on good discounted price and Apple's 10th-anniversary phone, iPhone X will have a cashback Rs. 12,000. Vivo smartphones will have exchange offers.
Paytm mall sale will overlap the sales of the other two e-retail giants, while Amazon's sale will be held from 10th to 15th October, Flipkart's Big Billion Days sale will be from 10th-14th October. Certain Smart Televisions will be priced under Rs 20,000 in the sale. There will also be monetary benefits clubbed with the purchase of the bikes and scooters available on the platform. Clearly, the month of October has many deals and offers for the customers. All discounts and deals will be revealed once the sale is on.
Searching for new things, she has found herself as a writer. In the midst of day to day routine life, she finds her peace in reading and painting. With a passion for reading, she believes in learning new things to add value to her own as well as to the lives of others around her.


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Facts for the Visitor
Visas, Climate, Currency - all you need to know for your holiday in Mauritius
Visa Requirements
Holders of the following passports do not require a visa to enter Mauritius when travelling as a tourist: United Kingdom; United States of America; Canada; Australia; New Zealand; Ireland; Belgium; Netherlands; Italy; France; Germany; Spain; Switzerland; South Africa.
If you are a passport holder from another country, please contact your local Mauritius High Commission or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements, as citizens of certain countries are required to obtain visas before travelling. Please note that if you are applying to the Embassy for your visa, some visas can take a long time to be processed so please do take this into consideration, as it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa in place before you travel.
Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Mauritius and have sufficient blank pages for entry/exit stamps (at least 2).
PLEASE NOTE: Countries can change their entry requirements at any time. Travel Butlers try to ensure that the information displayed here is correct, but the onus remains with the traveller to verify the information with the relevant High Commission or Embassy and ensure that they can comply with current passport and visa requirements.
Medical Considerations
You are advised to contact your doctor or clinic around 4-8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations and to get their professional medical advice regarding travel to Mauritius.
To help avoid heatstroke, drink plenty of bottled water/fluids, and keep out of the midday sun.
There is no risk of malaria in Mauritius, however cases of dengue fever transmitted by mosquitoes have been reported. Try to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible - wear loose long-sleeved clothing and trousers, and use a repellent on clothing and exposed skin.
Stonefish stings are rare but can be fatal. Seek urgent medical attention if you are stung. Many hotels stock anti-venom serum.
There is no risk of yellow fever in Mauritius, so a yellow fever vaccination is NOT required for travellers whose sole destination is Mauritius. However, in accordance with the Mauritius Ministry of Health regulations, Mauritius requires all travellers over one year of age arriving from a yellow fever risk country, or having been in transit longer than 12 hours at the airport of such a country, to have a yellow fever certificate. These countries, according to the Mauritius Ministry of Health, include Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, Zambia and Tanzania. For the full list of countries that the Mauritius Ministry of Health deem as being infected areas, please check here:
language and people
As with all the Indian Ocean islands, the Mauritian Creole is the lingua franca on the island. It is based on French, but contains vocabulary and syntax from the African and Asian languages that slaves spoke in the 18th century. The official languages of Mauritius are English and French, with the latter being more widely spoken and dominating the media. Other languages on the island are those of the immigrants and slaves who were brought to Mauritius from Asia. These include Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Arabic, Cantonese and Mandarin.
They use the Mauritian rupee. Mauritian rupees do not circulate outside Mauritius so that you can only change money on the island. EURO/GBP or US$ travellers cheques and cash can be changed in the banks but please note that the exchange rate for traveller's cheques is much better than for cash. There are banks in the airport and also in Grand Bay and in other major towns on the island. Major credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted in restaurants and hotels and also in some shops and supermarkets. In addition you can use credit cards to obtain cash in the banks or use them together with your PIN number to get money from cash dispensers.
Find out more about the weather on different parts of the Island and the best time to visit Mauritius.
phone coverage
The International Dialling Code for Mauritius is +230. City codes are not required. The Mauritius emergency telephone number is 999 - Fire, Police, Ambulance.
The power supply is 240 volts and the power sockets use the British 3 pin standard.
time zone
Mauritius Standard Time is 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) and they do not operate Daylight-Saving Time.


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CNET December 10, 2013
How do you feel about in-flight cell phone calls?
Dear CNET members,
{Extraneous Deleted}
In October the US Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave the green light to allow the use of electronic devices from takeoff to landing, which allows you to play games, read books, listen to music and videos, and so on. But what it doesn't allow is voice calls or mobile broadband services. However, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is considering also lifting this ban — which would mean that at above 10,000 feet, the person next to you could break out his cell phone and start chatting with his buddies about what a great partying week he had.
I don't know about you, but I'm not too keen on hearing everyone's conversations throughout my flight. And the great news is a chairman of the House Transportation Committee agrees with me (OK, he's not exactly agreeing with me, but I share his opinion). As he says, flights are noisy enough without having to listen to a plane full of passengers shouting to be heard on their phones. He has introduced a bill that would prohibit passengers from making in-flight cell phone calls on commercial aviation flights.
So what do you think of all this? Do you support a bill to prohibit cell phone calls in planes? Why or why not? Do you even think the government should be involved in this at all or should it be left to the airlines to decide? If the ban was lifted, what do you imagine would happen? More air rage and scuffles among passengers? Or maybe nothing — people will be respectful and everyone will be able to take advantage of it. Check out this CNET article titled "New House bill seeks to ban in-flight cell phone calls" and share your thoughts!
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Why can't the airlines decide? I'd much rather have free wifi.
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Israeli jets carry out strikes in Gaza
Exchange of Israeli air raids and Palestinian rockets over Gaza border has been one of most intense in recent weeks; The Israeli military said 45 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israeli territory from across the Gaza border [Anadolu]
more on Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli jets carry out strikes in Gazatoday
The fallacy of Israel's human shields claims in Gaza 2 days ago
Jared Kushner 'annoyed' with Kuwait's Palestine resolution at UN last week
Living under siege in Gaza: 'We live in a prison 'last week
Israeli jets have attacked 25 targets linked to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, after the group launched rockets and mortar shells at Israeli territory, the military said.
Three Palestinians were lightly injured during the attacks in the early hours of Wednesday, residents said. The exchange was one of the most intense recent barrages of rocket fire and air strikes.
No casualties were reported in Israel. Air raid sirens and Israeli phone warning applications sounded throughout the predawn hours.
The Israeli military said 45 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israeli territory and said its Iron Dome anti-missile shield intercepted seven rockets.
While Hamas praised the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel on Wednesday, it did not take responsibility for them.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said it was time for new rules of engagement, where "bombing is met with bombing".
"It's the Israeli occupation that started the escalation.The resistance has warned against continuing to target civilians, fishermen, farmers, and resistance positions.
"It's time to … present new rules of engagement: bombing is met with bombing. Whoever began the escalation should be responsible for the consequences.
"The resistance is not interested in a new war at all, but we always want to defend the Palestinian people.
"The peaceful demonstrations in all forms will continue on the eastern border and the Palestinian resistance will be ready to protect Palestinian civilians and defend them."
Palestinian rocket fire came hours after the Israeli military said it struck Hamas infrastructure in response to "arson balloons" launched from Gaza into Israel.
Israel has carried out air raids in the Gaza Strip over the past few weeks, saying it was retaliating for Palestinians setting fire to Israeli land. In recent weeks, Palestinian protesters have used flaming objects attached to kites to set fire to agricultural land just over the border fence with Israel.
Israel has three options in Gaza OPINION


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How to Write a Bestselling Novel – an Interview With Natasha Lester
It's interesting now that I'm doing more historical research. Each story comes out of the research that I've done for the previous book. So The French Photographer came out of something I found when I was researching The Paris Seamstress, and my 2020 book came out of something that I found when I was researching The French Photographer.
Mel An Interview with Natasha Lester. We're talking about Natasha's books, The Paris Seamstress and The French Photographer. You can listen to the podcast here.
Natasha I'm quite fashion obsessed, particularly in vintage fashion. I've loved vintage fashion for a long time, and I'm a self-taught fashion historian. I've never done anything academically in the area but I read widely about fashion history and it's a passion of mine, so I always like to include it in my books. All of the dresses the main characters wear are based on genuine pieces from the time and I do describe them in a little bit of detail, which a lot of readers comment on.
When it came to writing The Paris Seamstress, which was an entire book about the birth of the ready-to-wear fashion industry, that was my dream come true. I could let my passion for fashion roam completely wild. I did a lot of research into the birth of ready-to-wear in the late 1930s and early 1940s and looked at some of those designers who really led the way in that industry – many of whom we don't hear of anymore, which is such a shame. They were absolute trailblazers for their time and some of their clothes are so iconic. They still haven't dated. They're timeless, they're classic.
Mel Your idea and your inspiration for this came, in part, from a podcast you were listening to on early New York. I was fascinated when I heard that.
Natasha This book was a little bit torturous to start. The very first germ of the idea – even before the podcast – was I'd been to see a documentary Dior and I, which was about Raf Simons and his tenure as the head of Christian Dior. I loved the documentary and the gowns were amazing.
But while I was watching, I had this very clear vision in my head of a mother and daughter working together in a Parisian atelier. But whilst that was in my head, there wasn't a story. It was literally just a one-scene vision. I thought, 'I can't really do anything with that. I need a story.' And I didn't have one.
And so I played around with writing. I like to do what I call my pre-first draft, which is 20,000 words that I knock out in November and then let sit for a couple of months before I see what story is in there.
So I'd written this 20,000 words and I still didn't know what the story was. I was starting to panic. And that was when I happened to sit down and put on the Bowery Boys podcast, which is a podcast about New York. This particular episode was about the Garment District in New York. It's kind of a broad episode – it covers a lot of fashion history of New York. One of the little snippets in there was that it was really the Second World War that allowed New York and other places around the world to find their own fashion industry, because Paris was suddenly shut off from the rest of the world because of the German occupation. Up until then, everything that anyone wore anywhere in the world was a direct knockoff of a Parisian design.
I knew that Paris had been heavily copied but I didn't realize the extent to which it had happened. Young girls – and the Stella character in The Paris Seamstress – were employed to go along to the Paris fashion shows and sit in the audience, subtly sketching the designs into their program and basically then sell them on to the department store buyers in the USA. They would then make up their own genuine Chanel copies.
Once that whole copying industry was shut down by the war, everybody else around the world had to discover their own fashion sensibilities and start to allow designers to design clothes within their own country. So it was that podcast episode that made me think, 'Okay, I can take that vision I've had of the mother and daughter sitting in the atelier, and attach that to a story about the birth of the ready-to-wear industry in New York in the 1940s. That can be my character's journey.'
Mel This is a new way of research. There a lot of people out there doing our research for us nowadays, aren't there?
Natasha Yes, absolutely. Podcasts are amazing. I realized when I was struggling to start The Paris Seamstress that I had been spending so much time writing that I hadn't been getting out and doing other things to spur on my own creative inspiration. I hadn't been going to galleries, I hadn't been going to the theatre, I hadn't been listening to podcasts, I hadn't been reading widely. I made a deliberate choice to sit down and listen to my podcast and do things just to keep those creative juices flowing. We are so lucky. There are so many different things that you can do these days if you are having a creative drought.
I also had a fabulous trip researching this book. I actually hired a private tour guide in Paris to take me around the historical fashion area, which is called Le Sentier. She was amazing, so she got me into an atelier. I spent a couple of hours there watching the women at work and it was really interesting. Up until that point, my intention for Stella, the main character, was that she would be a traditional seamstress – using needle and thread, or a sewing machine.
But the atelier that I visited makes the silk flowers for couture dresses. I hadn't realized that that was a separate part of the fashion manufacturing process. There are seven traditional metiers in Paris attached to haute couture – leather work, flower work, lace work, embroidery, etc. I was in one of only two existing flower work studios, watching the women make these amazing flowers. It is incredibly complicated and incredibly amazing to look at. I just sat there for hours, snapping photos, asking them questions about what they were doing.
My guide also took me around the Marais area in Paris, which is a big setting for the book. There are lots of old nobles' townhouses in the moraine called hôtels particuliers, and one of those is essential kind of setting in my book. A lot of those amazing houses were abandoned and derelict during the Second World War.
My guide took me to places that I didn't know existed, like the theatre of the Palais Royale. We walked through the courtyard of the Palais Royale on our way to the Frontière, and there was a waiter outside sweeping the path. My guide started chatting to him – she obviously knew him – and it transpired that he had the keys to the theatre of the Palais Royale. He asked whether I would be interested in going in and having a look, and I said, "Yeah, that sounds great" – not really having any idea what I was about to stumble upon. We walked up this amazing, winding staircase, got to the top, walked into theatre – and I think I literally stood there immobile for five minutes looking around. It was the most gorgeous, splendid, amazing place. While I was standing there, an entire scene for the book appeared in my mind. If I hadn't gone there, I would never have found that place. Moments of serendipity that you haven't planned are an amazing part of on-the-ground research, and they set book apart and make it better.
Mel Putting in the effort, putting in the research, mulling over ideas, and letting your subconscious do some of the work brings out a much better product.
Natasha Ninety percent of the work of a novelist is thinking time, not actual writing time. As I mentioned before, I do a 20,000-word pre-first draft in November every year – and then my three kids are off on school holidays for the entirety of December and January. It actually works quite well because it means I don't write at all over that time. Those 20,000 words just sit in my head and starts to unravel into a story, rather than a mess of words that I would never let anyone read.
I sit down in February when the kids go back to school, and I write a first draft. Then every time the kids have school holidays, I aim to finish a draft that I can let sit for two or three weeks. I think about it and come back to it with fresh eyes. I can't finish a draft and then look at it again the next day and see the problems inherent in it. I need to step away and have that thinking time. That's where the most valuable ideas occur. I also always take a good month off around July.
Every year I don't write that's my research time. I'll go away overseas and do on-the-ground research, and also just sit for a couple of weeks at home and read lots of books related to the different themes and ideas in the novel. In the course of those years, I'm not actually doing any writing at all – but that's the most valuable time.
Even when I'm doing the dishes, I have a notepad in the kitchen. I tend to find that every time I'm doing something mundane, when my mind's not occupied, that's where you have all the ideas. Or walking, or during meditative yoga. I'm the world's worst meditator because I literally lie there with a million different scene ideas happening in my head. That's where the work of writing occurs. It's when you're doing the thinking, having the ideas. Then really it's just a matter of sitting down at your desk and turning those thoughts into words and sentences.
Mel Did you go to New York for research as well?
Natasha Yes! I hired a guide there who was a specialist in New York's garment district. He took me around the historical garment district, which is quite near Times Square. There's not much left there now – a lot of it is moved out of the city – but you can still see the old buildings that used to be clothing factories. I also went to the Parsons School of Design archives, because they hold the collection of Claire McCardell fashion illustrations. I sat in there for a day looking over all of her illustrations through the 1940s, just to see how she used to draw, because every illustrator is different – particularly for her, working in space where it's a quicker process than couture, say. She didn't have the time to watercolor – they're really just pencil sketches with swatches of fabric attached to them and written details about the bottoms and the belts and that kind of thing.
Mel The buildings in those places in those places so lovely. You talked about your beautiful lodgings in Paris.
Natasha They're just so lovely. The Marais has restored those buildings and returned them to their former splendour. What I love most about them is that from the street it's just a set of wooden double doors and you don't know what's behind them. Then you open the doors and traditionally you enter into a courtyard, not the house. The courtyard is usually a beautiful, formal, manicured garden, and behind that is the house. It's stone and it's just so amazing and there's sense of anticipation as you open the wooden doors and step through into the courtyard, and look at what lies behind that.
Mel Does your work mean there's a resurgence of sagas in the publishing industry?
Natasha Yes, I think there is. At the Romance Writers Conference last year, if you looked at the list of publishers and agents who were attending, many of them mention family sagas. I love those kinds of stories. I love writing anything that takes place over a large period of time and involves multiple generations of family, multiple locations around the world… They're wonderful stories that literally sweep you away and that's what I aim to write. Hopefully I'll sweep one reader away, at least.
Mel I wonder whether it's because of what's happening in the world – whether we're actually closing down and wanting to see some more romance?
Natasha The news is so depressing lately, and you have to make yourself watch because you have to know what's going on in the world and to be the advocate for change in the areas that most affect you – particularly with everything that's happening with women at the moment. It's all really important but it is hard to always be struggling and fighting and looking at what's happening and despairing. You research something like the Second World War and see all of the terrible things that happen and think, 'How can we ever let something like that happen again? Why don't we learn from history?' Then you see the evidence all around you of us not learning from history. It's really quite sad. I think that's probably the hardest part of the research for me – that sense that we don't learn and we keep making the same mistakes. I feel like sweeping everybody up and passing them some of the things that I've read – if everybody sat down and read this, surely we wouldn't still be doing these things.
So yes, maybe it is something like that. I love to read books that help me to escape from all of that, just as I love reading books that are realistic and set in the nitty gritty of what's happening right now. It helps you reinvest and inspires you to keep fighting. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that we need to have both, the escape and the reality.
Mel I wanted to talk a little bit about the writing process, which you touched on already. You've got intricate plots and dual narrators – it must take a lot of work.
Natasha Again, if I knew how I did that, I'd be a much better writer. I'm an inveterate pantser – no matter how hard I try to plot, it doesn't work. My ideas don't like to be forced. They like to unfold page by page, as they do for a reader. I have to unravel it – what is the plot, what is the story? At first I didn't even know this book was going to be a dual narrative. At first it was purely a historical story. The contemporary narrative got written later and then threaded in throughout the story. I don't recommend doing it that way, but that's just how it works for me. I just write my first draft and get it all out.
I'm working on 2019's book, which is called The French Photographer at the moment. Because if worked for The Paris Seamstress, what I've done is just written the historical storyline first and then written the contemporary storyline. In the second draft, I start to look at how those two storylines can be woven together. If I was to write a few chapters of one and then think, 'Oh, the contemporary storyline should come in now,' and write a few chapters of that, I would lose the thread. I need to be immersed in one storyline until I've nutted it all out, and then immerse myself in the other storyline. So the first draft is historical storyline, then the contemporary storyline. Draft two is threading them together and adding in all the research that I've done. Draft three is making sure the plot is working and the pacing is working and all of that. That's about the point where I do a bit more planning. I have a couple of charts and tools that I sit down and do to make sure that the narrative has enough tension and the pace is working. That comes quite late for me. I don't know that I recommend following me. It's been a bit chaotic, but it works, so I have to go with it.
Mel A couple of comments on your blog were, 'How could you possibly write six drafts? That's so many.' There seems to be this idea that you can chuck something out in a couple of drafts and it's good. And I really want to dispel that myth. The process is hard. Sometimes things don't work and you've got to get back to the drawing board.
Natasha Absolutely. My first book was thirteen drafts. Since then I have gotten a little bit quicker, but it's still constant rewriting. I know there are some writers who do their first draft and send it to their publishers. I think those writers do more planning and spend more time on that first draft. My first draft is an eight-week rush to get it all out before I lose the story. So it's very messy. I don't even do a spellcheck of it. I think multiple drafts is absolutely the way to go, because you have to keep pushing yourself to make it the best you can be. I never want to make it 'good enough'. I want it to be the best I can possibly make it at the time, and for me that only comes about through a constant process of rewriting and revising.
Mel Perseverance is just the key to writing life.
Natasha: Absolutely. As a writer, you also need to get used to rejection because it happens all the time, even when you're a published writer like I am. I've been rejected by other overseas publishers with A Kiss for Mr Fitzgerald and Her Mother's Secret. Last year I also changed things around with the way my rights are managed. Little, Brown – a major publisher in the UK – made me an offer to publish all four of my historical novels, which was great. A couple of weeks later Grand Central offered to publish The Paris Seamstress, so it will be out in the UK and the USA as well as Australia and New Zealand this year, which is very exciting. I can't even imagine how it would feel to hear that there are people on the other side of the world reading my books.
Mel International rights become quite complicated.
Natasha Absolutely. Even if you go in with the best of intentions and the best advice, it still might not work out. You have to be prepared to constantly reassess the way you're managing your subsidiary rights – audio and everything else. If you're pressured to make changes, it can be hard. It often means that you've got to take rights off some people to give them to other people. The biggest thing about being a writer is understand that you are managing your own business and you have to be across every part of that business. It's not just the writing – it's the marketing, the publicity, the contracts, the legalities, the selling of your rights and your products and your creative output. And you have to constantly be assessing every part of that to make sure it's working the right way. Sometimes you have to make decisions that aren't nice and they're really hard, but you just have to have faith in yourself. You know in your gut what the right thing to do is, and you just follow that through.
Mel Have you also sold your ebook rights?
Natasha Yes. Hachette have bought rights here in Australia and Little, Brown in the UK. I've also got The Paris Seamstress coming out in audio on the 27th of March. I love listening to the audition for the narrator – it's really fun because your book becomes a different thing when it's spoken aloud. It's no longer just the words on the page.
Publishers jumping on audio rights is starting to become much more common, particularly as audio is starting to pick up and increase market share. It's still quite tiny but the growth is massive. I'm a huge fan of audiobooks. I always have one to listen to in the car. It's becoming more common to have a simultaneous release because readers can get the book in whatever format they want. I don't care which method people use to listen or read it – whatever works best for them.
Mel I should imagine that the meatier sagas would make great listening.
Natasha I've listened to bits of my previous books and you can easily get swept away. It is a different kind of experience to read the words on the page. We're really interested to see how the narrator works with The Paris Seamstress because her audition was amazing.
Mel You sometimes teach with the Australian Writers Centre.
Natasha Yes. I cut back a bit on teaching last year and then even more this year, just because teaching is often weekends and weeknights – and publicity events are also nights and weekends, so something has to give. But teaching is the thing that always inspires me and reminds me how lucky I am. When I started out I had some great people teaching me, so if I can return the favor to anybody I would love to. I am teaching a course for the Australian Writers Centre in Sydney in April. I've also got a couple more coming up. My plan is to run a writing retreat on the east coast, probably somewhere in New South Wales. I've been getting quotes in from venues. It's just a matter of finding the time to sit down and go, 'Yes, that's when I can do it,' and getting it all locked in.
Mel Tell us about The French Photographer. Have any podcasts or documentaries dropped out of the sky to inspire you?
Natasha The French Photographer will be out in late March, 2019. It's interesting now that I'm doing more historical research. Each story comes out of the research that I've done for the previous book. So The French Photographer came out of something I found when I was researching The Paris Seamsrtress, and my 2020 book came out of something that I found when I was researching The French Photographer. Each book is inspiring an idea for the next, and in each book I bring back the main character from the previous book in a bit of a cameo role. It's a bit of continuity. People who've read the books really like to see them pop up again, albeit briefly.
Mel It's been a privilege to talk with you, and I wish you all the best for The Paris Seamstress and The French Photographer.
Natasha Thank you so much.


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How to remove a certain social network from the footer? Go to the back office of your eshop, open the list of your modules and search for the keyword "social". You should see at least two modules: Social media follow links Social media share buttons If you want to remove some social networks from the […]Read More
How to edit the footer of Prestashop 1.6 and the text "© 2014 Ecommerce software by PrestaShop™"? That will be showed in the next steps: At first, you need to log into your back office and open Localization > Translations For "Type of translation" choose "Installed modules translations". Select the theme which you use and […]Read More


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The early 2000s was a simpler time; quite literally The Simple Life made Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie reality TV icons, Tiger Woods was smashing records not his Cadillac Escalade SUV, Finding Nemo was released and the Nokia 3200 was all the rage (those changeable cases though).
I'm going to do an Anastacia (the singer, not the brow queen of Beverly Hills) and look back at 10 early 2000s fashion trends through rose tinted glasses.
1. Bucket Hats and decorative plasters
2. Pointy shoes paired with flare jeans (bonus points for dirty-looking denim and a singlet dress)
3. Chopsticks with fake hair scrunchies
4. Soul patches for the soulless
5. Juicy Couture tracksuits for when you want to be brand loyal and comfortable
6. Handkerchief hems
7. Camouflage used, ironically, to stand out
8. Not-so-corporate ties
9. Denim, denim and just a touchmore denim
10. Skinny (sometimes sparkly) scarves for when you only want to be a little warm
In compiling this list I have realised that one post is probably not enough. I still need to unpack my unfulfilled desire for a Von Dutch trucker hat.


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Recent Posts
MDM Group Closes on Five Acre Parcel at Miami WorldCenter Site.
March 6, 2017
MDM Group, one of Miami-Dade County's most respected developers, today announced that it has formally closed on the five-acre parcel in Overtown which once housed the original Miami Arena. The seller is Old Arena LLC, led by Nitin Motwani.
Located at NW 7th Street and 1st Avenue, the $45 million acquisition is a next step in the process of developing the Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter Hotel & Expo Center, bringing to downtown Miami the world class conference and exposition center long-sought by local leaders.
This landmark hotel and convention facility is slated to be built in two phases. The initial phase of the construction will include the 600,000 sq. foot conference and exposition space along with 1,100 hotel rooms. The second tower will consist of 600 hotel rooms, and will begin shortly after construction commences, making a total number of hotel rooms to 1,700. MDM expects to break ground towards the end of 2017.
"We have been passionately working on this project and are thrilled to be another step closer to creating a hotel & conference center that will continue to further the City of Miami's stance as a true global destination," said Joseph Herndon, Director of Development, for MDM Development LLC. "The property will be a transcendent step for the community, not only bringing thousands of jobs, but literally hundreds of thousands of visitors to area businesses."
"MDM enjoys a long, successful history of building developments that improve South Florida neighborhoods while creating thousands of jobs for local residents," says Nitin Motwani, Managing Partner of Miami Worldcenter Associates. "The Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter Hotel & Expo Center will continue MDM's track record of transformative development, following the firm's past success in Brickell, downtown Miami and Dadeland. This transaction is a positive step forward for MDM, Miami Worldcenter and Miami as a whole."
Marriott Marquis Miami Worldcenter Hotel & Expo will be a game-changer for the community in the Park West area of downtown Miami and the region overall. It will help bring the same energy and excitement MDM Group has generated throughout all its projects including Dadeland, Brickell's Financial District, and downtown Miami's urban core.
The development is expected to generate thousands of jobs during construction phases and it is expected to pave the path for hundreds of both direct and indirect career opportunities once the hotel and conference center is fully operational.
Once completed, the hotel and expo center will also induce demand for approximately 4,200 hotel rooms, which will be provided both by the on-site hotel, along with other properties within a short distance from the hotel and conference center.
The project has been designed by leading Miami architects Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates (NBWW). RTKL, the globally acclaimed creative services organization, is the development's interior design firm.
MDM Group has been collaborating with key community partners, including CareerSource South Florida, Miami Dade College, Miami Dade Public Schools and Goodwill Industries, among others, to ensure the community's involvement with development of the hotel.
Founded in 1990, MDM Group began with the acquisition of the Miami Marriott Dadeland, along with the subsequent acquisition of the Datran I and II office complexes that same year. The development of the Courtyard by Marriott Dadeland solidified MDM's role in the evolution of Dadeland into a vibrant business, retail and hospitality center. In 1998, MDM Group embarked on the visionary development of the JW Marriott Hotel Miami (the first luxury-branded hotel on Brickell Avenue) and Barclay's Financial Center, a mixed-use facility in the heart of the Brickell financial district. This project was also a catalyst, serving as the key factor in the overall development of the Brickell Avenue corridor. Subsequent to that, MDM pioneered the development of mixed-use communities within the downtown core, with the unprecedented $1 billion Metropolitan Miami project, also designed by NBWW, and includes the JW Marriott Marquis Miami.


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