text:
Looking Back and Thinking Forward
Read what former students had to say about their experiences at the HSMC Historical Archaeology
Field School…
The HSMC field school launched my now 23-year career in archaeology, first as a student and then as a teaching assistant. It remains among my fondest memories of my college years, and I regularly rely on skills and knowledge that I first acquired there. The expert faculty did a wonderful job of teaching me what I needed to know to start my life as an archaeologist. To this day, when I approach an archaeological problem, I start by thinking: "The St. Mary's way is the right way."
David Gadsby, Ph.D.
Archaeologist, National Park Service
HSMC Field School Class of 1994
I wanted to be an archaeologist and Dr. Garry Wheeler Stone told me that…Historic St. Mary's City was the only place where I should do my field school. The experience I gained there was amazing and, having been a part of numerous other field schools, I can honestly say none will prepare you better for a career in archaeology. I also spent my four years at HSMC volunteering in the archaeology lab obtaining invaluable hands on experience that still serves me every day.
Michelle Sivilich, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Gulf Archaeology Research Institute
HSMC Field School Class of 2000
[The St. Mary's City program] marked a turning point in my career for it introduced me to teaching through historic sites and inspired me to become engaged in historic preservation…. it turned my career from classroom teaching to teaching via museums and historic sites.
George McDaniel, Ph.D.
Director Emeritus, Drayton Hall Plantation
HSMC Field School Class of 1974
I… had one of the most exciting summers that one could possibly have. You learn why the past matters to the present and the future through 10 weeks of hands-on history. If it weren't for my HSMC experience, I might not be pursuing archaeology as a career.
Katherine Boyle
Graduate Student of Applied Anthropology and Historic Preservation, University of Maryland
HSMC Field School Class of 2013
The summer field school was a life-changing experience! The historical research and analysis skills I gained became fundamental to my professional pursuits. In addition to working in the field and in the lab, I took on a special project on clothing and textiles, deciphering 17th-century wills and estate inventories. Being able to place St. Mary's City in the context of colonial social history helped me build transferable proficiencies across other periods of American history, up to the 21st century. You don't need to be planning a career in archaeology to reap enormous benefit from this program!
Sally Sims Stokes, M.A., M.S.
Academic Director, CUA-LIS Art and Museum Libraries Institute
HSMC Field School Class of 1974
It was the beginning of my life as a professional archaeologist. The richness of the site and enthusiasm of the staff were instrumental in inspiring me to pursue a career in the field.
Jennie Cosham
Archaeological Registrar/GIS Technician, Maryland Historical Trust
HSMC Field School Class of 1989
Realizing that at the bottom of each excavation pit was soil that had been tread upon by seventeenth-century colonists was the most invigorating moment of my Historic St. Mary's Field School experience because, at that moment, the past almost completely surrounded me and I truly loved it. After the field school, I knew [my future goal of] studying India using an interdisciplinary approach—history, archaeology, and religion—would be life-changing and that I would love every minute of it.
Sabrina Wandres
St. Mary's College of Maryland Class of 2017
HSMC Field School Class of 2016
My field school experience opened my eyes to the powerful ability material objects have to convey stories from the past. My previous history studies had all been conducted through documents and images. Learning to recognize and date ceramic and glass shards and begin to make assumptions about the people who left these objects behind truly brought the past to life. It is through broken objects dug up from St. Mary's dark yellow clay that I developed a love of using things to help people learn about the past.
Illene Frank, M.A.
Chief Curator, Connecticut Historical Society
HSMC Field School Class of 1994
While archaeology was always my path, having a chance to work on such an extraordinary 17th-century site made it clear to me that this was the period and material culture that I was truly passionate about.
Aaron F. Miller, Ph.D.
Associate Curator of Visual and Material Culture, Mount Holyoke College Art Museum
HSMC Field School Class of 2001
[The] St. Mary's Field School was, and is, a place where students, advocates, and professionals come together to learn and enrich our understanding of our past. My choice to attend was, by far, the best decision in my life, as it provided the skills, experience, and confidence to enter the profession. More importantly, my St. Mary's experience was why I was hired by a contract firm of archaeologists, historians, and forensic professionals! On a personal level, the friendships that grew from the experience have lasted my lifetime—friends that share the passion for archeology, anthropology, and history.
Douglas Crawford
HSMC Field School Class of 1981
The field school has helped me fully understand and appreciate the archaeological process, as well as give me the tools and skills necessary to further pursue my career in archaeology.
August Rowell
St. Mary's College of Maryland Class of 2018
HSMC Field School Class of 2016


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By Patti Shaffer
At Little Rhody Rescue & Quarantine, owner Kate Healey Dubuque rescues dogs in dire need of "forever homes"— dogs from shelters that are slated for euthanasia. Dubuque runs the day-to-day business single-handedly out of her home in Harmony.
Working alone, she feeds, washes, launders, cleans up after, medicates, and exercises the dogs. She cares for and attends to the needs of every dog, every day, seven days a week. (Three veterinarians Dr. Lauren Keene; Dr. Alfred Parrillo, Dr. Mary Ann Allen, all from North Smithfield Animal Hospital generously assist her whenever she needs them).
Fortunately, at adoption events and fundraisers, she has many dedicated volunteers including children of all ages. In fact, this year, Girl Scouts from North Smithfield Troop 241 and their Troop Leader have volunteered to help.
"They are wonderful assistants," says Dubuque. "The girls benefit by learning to work with the animals in a safe, compassionate way, as well as help to answer questions."
She adds, "It takes an enormous amount of help and coordination. But it's worth it, because the dogs always get adopted. We have never sent one back to the shelter."
Her motto: 'Give a first rate dog a second chance—ADOPT!'
Dubuque also works as a veterinary technician at North Smithfield Animal Hospital part time; she has two German Shepherds and a mix mutt—all rescues.
"I have a very understanding husband," says Dubuque smiling.
In the beginning
In 2002, Dubuque was an animal control officer in Glocester who was forced to retire after major back surgery. She always loved working with animals, so she began working at a local animal hospital— answering phones and learning skills as a veterinary technician.
She wanted a dog—her husband wanted a puppy. So they adopted a 13-month-old puppy from a small rescue group in Tennessee. He was delivered a week later, neutered, vaccinated, clean and healthy, although a bit skinny and shy. They named him Guinness.
"Guinness died at the age of 13 in September of 2014," says Dubuque sadly. "But his paw prints left an indelible mark to where hundreds…now thousands more would follow."
Guinness became one of the very first dogs to travel from Tennessee to Rhode Island. Pooches on the Move (then Miss Linda's Dogs for Adoption) was a tiny entity—a grass roots group of ladies desperate to save the lives of hundreds of homeless dogs doomed for euthanasia in Tennessee shelters. Cindy Rhoda, who was originally from Westerly, led it.
And Dubuque and Rhoda kept in touch.
"Cindy and I became more reliant on one another and more engrossed in the need for the rescue," says Dubuque. "Cindy in Tennessee; me in Rhode Island. With rescue, things grew steadily and expanded and soon we were adopting three to four dogs a week, and then increasing to 20 to 30 every two to three weeks. However, as the enterprise became busier and I wanted to make more decisions, we slightly parted—That is when Little Rhody Rescue became it's own entity although we still work intermeshed."
In fact, so intermeshed that Cindy Rhoda and Kate Dubuque and four other rescues invested in a brand new kennel facility in Athens, Tennessee.
"The animals are quarantined at this facility before they are allowed to travel," says Dubuque. "This also allows them to have a safe, warm, clean environment to recover from spay or neuter surgery and be attended to properly. The kennel facility takes the place of up to 10 foster homes and is run by a team of four women who are very knowledgeable in kennel care and animal care."
"We have become a tribe of tribes, a co-op of several rescues rolled and huddled under one umbrella," she emphasizes. "Importantly, we all utilize the same rules, regulations and veterinary requirements."
Still today
Surprisingly, Tennessee, among other southern states, has an inordinate number of animals in their shelters and pounds. Most are strays, or abandoned, some are from owners turning them in and some from puppy mill raids. All are in jeopardy of euthanasia. Generally, 90 percent of Little Rhody's Rescue dogs are from Tennessee.
"In Tennessee, generally, people do not spay or neuter their pets as much as New Englanders do," says Dubuque. "On average, 10 percent spay and neuter their pets, compared to 90 percent in New England. Consequently, there are many more dogs available for adoption from that area."
Dubuque mentions, "Often their pets are not doted on like their northern counterparts. We, as Northerners, consider our pets to be a huge part of the family—Sometimes, as if they are our children."
"Just recently, I took in four puppies that were intentionally thrown from a moving car," says Dubuque. "Two landed on their faces. They had severe lacerations to their eyes and one almost lost her eye. The vet needed to suture it closed in hopes of saving it. Her eye was saved thankfully. One also suffered corneal abrasions that will take time (and money) to heal. She will be given both. And will be spayed, micro- chipped, vaccinated, de-wormed, washed up, pampered, loved, and well fed—then transported here to Little Rhody Rescue to be adopted."
Why its better to adopt a dog than purchase one from a puppy mill?
A dog from a pet store (a puppy mill) can cost upwards of $500 and beyond $2,000. They are usually 'mill bred' simply for profit. Their parents reportedly suffer the plight of living in cramped, dirty environments. Living conditions may be devoid of veterinary care, human contact and decent living quarters—like fresh air. The puppies are sometimes under vaccinated. They are seldom spayed or neutered and are likely in poor general health.
"Rescues on the other hand, are held to higher standards and are monitored much more than the pet store industry," explains Dubuque.
"And let's not forget the big picture. Thousands of eligible, healthy, beautiful, loving, well-behaved puppies and dogs are dying each day in high-kill shelters all across this country— and people are breeding more dogs? Why? There are several great rescues that will assist you in getting these pups out and into your homes, safely, legally and in great health."
She adds, "Little Rhody Rescue gives first rate dogs a second chance at life."
Last year alone, Little Rhody Rescue arranged adoption of 429 dogs to wanting, loving homes; many were adopted by families or couples in Rhode Island. However, they are available to anyone in greater New England.
To date, the co-op has arranged adoption for over 10,000 dogs by New England families.
Dubuque's hopes and dreams
"I would like Rhode Island to ban the sale of puppies, kittens, and rabbits at pet stores. The city of Boston enacted it this past March—why not our wonderful state? Our little state started the Revolutionary War; burning of the Gaspee right? If they can do it, we can, too." (Some contend that The Revolution began with the burning of the British revenue cutter Gaspee in Narragansett Bay on June 10, 1772. It was an act of open defiance of British authority when Rhode Islanders boarded and sank the vessel.)
Many cities and towns in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Utah, and New Mexico have also banned the sale of puppies and kittens at retail pet stores, unless those pets come from animal shelters.
To sign Kate Healey Dubuque's petition, go to: change.org/p/rhode-island-governor-ban-the-retail-sale-of-puppies-kittens-and-rabbits-across-the-state-of-ri-pet-trade.
To view Little Rhody Rescue's website, go to: LittleRhodyRescue.com or for more information call 401.692.1117.
Upcoming adoption event:
Sunday, June 5, Always Adopt at Belise Toyota on Warwick Avenue, Warwick.
Little Rhody Rescue will have about 70 dogs available and some six to 10 other rescues will participate providing as many as 400 adoptable dogs and puppies.
Little Rhody Rescue, Quarantine & Pooches Cooperative is a 501(c)3 charity located in Harmony, that strives to find safe homes for underprivileged and neglected dogs.
In general 25 to 30 percent of the animals are purebred dogs and hundreds of puppies are available.
The cooperative has a network of foster homes, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, photographers, and groomers.
Little Rhody Rescue is licensed in the State of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you think you might like kale smoothies, the Omni Diet is for you.
I tried the Omni Diet for two weeks earlier this month, and by "tried," I mean I stuck with it 95% of the time. Author Tana Amen calls it "the revolutionary 70% plan + 30% protein program to lose weight, reverse disease, fight inflammation and change your life forever."
It was really, really hard. And it certainly won't change my life forever because there's no way I can give up cheese for good. But for the most part, it works.
I would describe it as a sophisticated organic version of the Adkins Diet. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks, plus or minus 3 pounds water weight and whatever loss can be claimed by my gastrointestinal distress the last three days. The first time I tried the South Beach Diet a decade ago, I lost 5-and-a-half pounds in two weeks, but I don't recall being as hungry as I was on the Omni Diet.
Amen claims you won't get hungry. Baloney. The second week, I was literally starving, complete with the bad breath that comes from ketosis. And she claims you'll lose your cravings. Also baloney. I will crave Spicier Nacho Doritos and Dark Chocolate Reece's Peanut Butter Cups until the day I die.
The diet suggests plenty of anti-inflammatory foods (I ate more garlic and spinach in two weeks than I did the previous two months), vegetables like crazy, some fruit, nuts and seeds, and lean meats. Here's what you can't eat on the Omni Diet: Processed food (including sausage, bacon and deli meats), sugar, wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, dairy (yes, that excludes cheese) and alcohol (among the few times I cheated, I ate plain yogurt and corn on the cob).
The Omni Diet might have changed my life if I was suffering from ailments like arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus or high blood pressure, but I'm generally pretty healthy, just weak-willed. Ironically, I think the gastrointestinal distress I endured was brought about by some inadequately washed spinach in one of the dozens of salads I ate while dieting.
The book has some good recipes, even some tasty ones for morning smoothies (the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie is like eating dessert!). I found a lot of ways to eat kale, too, but smoothies are not one of those ways and a small kale salad just isn't gonna cut it as an afternoon snack. Still, without relying on any processed foods, dinnertime was a huge chore. More than one evening, I was chopping, cooking, eating and cleaning for two hours. For one meal. Ouch.
I try diets like this every once in a while just because I'm sort of a freak and also because I think it introduces me to new foods and new perspectives. I'm using grape seed oil to cook with now instead of olive oil, for example. And I replaced my Splenda with Truvia. And I realized there is no reason whatsoever to eat hash browns for breakfast four times a week.
Amen has some good ideas, but the Omni Diet is just too extreme for me to enjoy — or even endure — for longer than two weeks.


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The Anatomy of a Sagada Wedding
LA TRINIDAD-BENGUET- "Weddings are made in heaven," repeated the priest officiating the church wedding of my cousin Grayle Bagano Lizardo.
My sweet cousin has just gained a new surname- Gonzalo, after falling in love with Jeffson, a shy-type fellow from Bauko, Mountain Province but was raised in Canada.
For the wedding, hundreds of Igorots from Mountain Province and the Cordillera Grande gathered inside the Lizardo compound in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Weeks before the big day, we were advised that the wedding will follow a Sagada nuptial format (sounded French!).
The 3-in-One Wedding
In Sagada, there are three political structures that embrace the zero-crime town. New
couples accommodate the wedding procedures individually prescribed by these three structures.
We have the Dap-ay, which is the home of Sagada culture and traditions. The Dap-ay is literally a hut where Sagada Igorots in a geographical location gather during special celebrations and crises. The Dap-ay has its own set of colorful wedding rites that a new couple needs to observe (in their home not in the dap-ay that they belong).
The second political structure is the Anglican Church, which is the religion of most Sagada Igorots. We should not be confused with the spiritual position of Sagada. Sagada Igorots are both Pagans (who believe in spirits as set by the Dap-ay) and Christians (who believe in God as set by the Anglican Church). As publicized by the Royal Wedding in London, the Anglican Christian wedding is mainly a one-hour wedding mass event.
The third political structure is the local government unit (LGU), which is equated to the municipio. The state requires a new couple to be registered in the LGU, with a free family planning seminar from the state rural health unit. From the LGU, either a court judge or the town's mayor can officiate in the declaration of the couple's registration.
For my cousin's wedding, they were blessed by a court judge in La Trinidad Regional Trial Court almost two years ago. The other two main rites were set this August.
The Big Labor Day
The big day (the main party event) was set on August 18, 2012. Everyone travelled to La Trinidad for the ceremony. Invitations were already sent to family members and friends. Facebook statuses were already giving discussions on what to expect during the Sagada wedding rite.
"Puta" refers to the day before the main celebration. Everyone came to help in the preparation to the big day. Women gathered around in circles to clean potatoes, string beans, carrots and other vegetables that will be dined in the next day. Men helped in putting up tents that will shelter all participants during the big celebration. This is proud camaraderie, which is innate among Igorots.
When the evening came, pigs were already butchered and all tasks were done. The main dish for the dinner should be "pinapaitan", an exotic food made out of contents of small intestines of a water buffalo or cow.
Ilocanos call the eveneing "besperas". Ilocano's dance and sing during this special night. Unfortunately, we are not Ilocano's. For my cousin's wedding, a band was hired to perform acoustic music while everyone relaxed from the day-long preparation.
Palayog: the Church Wedding and the Party
In our local Kankanaey dialect, we call a wedding "pabbey". "Bummey" refers to the new couple while "menpabbey" refers to the parents of the new couple who act as the sponsors of the wedding.
There are two kinds of pabbey: "kenta" and "babayas". The only difference between the two is that in "kenta", no gongs are allowed to be played.
During the "palayog", we woke up early and headed to the venue of the church wedding. The bride walked down the aisle in her wedding dress while the violinist played the most romantic melody of all time- Pachelbel Cannon.
Women wore their native attire "gateng". Primary sponsors came in to the church in their glamorous gowns. After an hour, the mass was over and we all headed to the reception where a big celebration was waiting for everybody.
Dap-ay Elders in Motion
A set of rituals offered to the Unseen and Kabunyan (Pagan's equivalent of Jesus Christ who was a human God) were performed by the "dap-ay" elders. The elders came all the way from Sagada.
They offered "tapey" (rice wine) and crops for the bountiful future of the new couple. They performed chants to attract good vibes for the new family's endeavors.
For lunch, we stood in line to receive a packed meal composed of a cup of rice, pancit (dried noodle dish), a piece of pork adobo and a juice drink in tetra pack. While eating, the August rain poured to join the feast.
Dancing All Night
An Igorot wedding cannot exist without the playing of gongs. Igorots play "gangsa" (gongs), "takik" (two metal bars) and "tambol" (a wooden cylinder drum with an animal coat covering an end) during special occasions like weddings and "begnas" (a sacred community feast).
Women gather in circle to dance the "pattong" (popularly identified as "community dance") while men play the gongs. In "pattong", only the women dance and only the men play the "gangsa".
"Takik" is performed by a set of men playing the gangsa, takik and tambol, and a couple (usually a man and a woman). In "takik", there should only be one man dancing. His moves represent a rooster chasing a hen (the woman dancer). There can be more than one woman dancer but the male dancer should always be one. (The rule sounds awful; it signifies that a man can marry or flirt with more than one woman but women cannot do the same).
"Bugi" (bogie) makes use of a pair (strictly a pair) of dancers- a man and a woman. The players of the "gangsa" sit on the ground to give the pair the entire limelight. The male dancer uses a handkerchief to invite a woman dancer. The moves again represent a rooster chasing his hen. The male dancer pursues the woman who comes from the audience. The woman always positions herself at the other edge of a circle (the pair moves in circle). When the woman is literarily tired of being chased, he meets the man at the center and holds the handkerchief with him. This is the end of the performance and signifies an "I do" response to the male dancer.
During the party of my cousin's wedding, a man was tasked to manage the program. He introduced the groups that will perform. He called on men to play the gangsa. He was witty. He spoke in mixed Kankanaey and Ilocano to cater to everybody who came for the party.
Dancing was not the only element of the evening party. An older man came to give his "bulcha" or riddle. "Bulcha-bulcha, ayta dakayun iilan sak-en" went the riddle. Those who attempted but failed to answer the riddle correctly were demanded to pay P100 or around two US dollars. The answer was something scientific- because of the light. The crowd broke to laughter when the answer was finally revealed, leaving some minds still puzzled. There was a collection of P300 offered to the newly-wed couple.
Some folks from Besao came to the center for a New Yorker-style rite called "Balase-base". A group of twenty people formed two parallel lines facing each other and stumping their feet while chanting. "Balase-base, o-i-nas, o-i-nas", was the first line of the chant. A charming woman on her sixty's led the group in chanting.
One hit part of the party was a role play. "Issan puuon di batang, wa'san babassang, babassang ay men-gasang mengadgadangdag", started the song which presented a lady waiting for suitors. One by one, the narrator presented men with their distinct characteristics. The rule of the skit was that the lady should not pick anyone from the men choices. The message - best bachelor was already taken (the bachelor is the groom).
When the sun rose in the east, the sound of the gangsa ceased. The party should (stop (that's the rule). The community gathered for another meal before departing. Everyone took rest for the next day's event.
Papa: A Day for Intestines
Two days after the big day, the community gathered again in the house of the new couples for the "papa". The papa is the final day of a Sagada wedding. During special seasons, the papa is set three days after the big day. For my cousin's nuptial, it was held two days after.
When pigs were butchered during the preparation for the wedding, intestines were salted and kept. These were brought out during the papa. The intestines were boiled, alongside chayote and other vegetables. We call this delicacy "bungsos".
Supon: Gratitude
One day before the big day, relatives and friends stand in line to offer their harvests to the new couple. During my cousin's time, it was held during the big day. Folks wore their native attires and put their offerings in to large woven baskets.
The gifts consist of jars of wine, bundles of rice hanging on the stalk and others. These signify a bountiful future for the new couple.
"Supon" is cash obligation for the new couple. Starting the big day, people came to eat and gave the new couple cash gifts. There was no minimum amount of cash gifts. Some gave P100; others from higher walks of life gave P1000.
In return of the "supon", tokens or "receipts" were given. My cousin gave away canned meat, umbrellas and woven boxes. Usually, we give away pieces of meat called "watwat". The collected bills are also commonly wrapped using a piece of cloth used to carry babies called "eban" and the cloth is hung on the neck of the new couples. This signifies a wealthy beginning for the new couple.
There is also a rule that only the married couples can give "supon". Unmarried people who still want to give their share can convert their cash to products like kitchen utensils and home decorations.
A Sagada wedding is very expensive, others say. But that is wrong. A Sagada wedding is a community event. The community helps in preparing for the event, and the community brings in their harvest and resources that will be used for the celebration.


text: The bridal shower has wound down, Billy is sashaying around wearing a red satin bustier that (presumably) Mindy received as a gift. They slap asses and yeehaw out the door, leaving Angela and Tyra in afterstripperparty mayhem. Angela's wearing a sweet lowcut apron over her lowcut dress, and sighing over somebody just sticking their gum right on the table. She looks up and notices that Tyra is teary, and goes over to her. Tyra, crying, asks her mom, why she can't just "want that" -- gesturing toward the door Mindy and Billy just walked out of. She says that "they" just seem so happy, whereas here she is, wanting and trying to go to college, and having it seem more and more impossible. Angela grabs her daughter's hand and says that she wants to tell her something. She says that she loves Mindy; she was her first baby and she was always so funny and darling. "But, you know, she has never surprised me, not one day in her life, bless her heart. But you? You surprise me, honey." Oh, this is so good. Angela is not a good mom, and this is not a redemption scene. This is a character showing us that she pays attention, she knows who her daughter is, and she loves her. But we all know that love actually isn't really "enough" when it comes to raising kids -- which is why this scene plays very true and really does a nice job reaching in and pulling Angela out of the stock character bin. She tells Tyra that she is "a wonder," she has no idea what's going to happen for her, but she does know, that "you are going to have everything you are dreaming of. You are going to get everything you are reaching for. And I want you to keep going, keep reaching." They're both dissolved in tears, and we end on the two Collette women hugging and saying, "I love you."Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11


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The 2016 Subaru Outback near Eugene, OR presents an interesting conundrum to automotive journalists. It seems they just don't know how to define it. Is it a station wagon, an SUV crossover or an SUW (sports utility wagon)?
The 2016 Subaru Outback: Practically Unique
In reality, it might be best to leave the Outback as the sole contender in its own unique, undefined niche. However it can be interesting to explore some of the justifications for trying to shoehorn this beautifully anomalous vehicle into a pigeonhole.
Is it a Station Wagon?
The 2016 Subaru Outback, along with all its predecessors going back to the model's launch in the mid-1990s, is directly derived from the Legacy station wagon. An Edmunds reviewer describes the Outback as "quirky" and goes on to qualify that description in a most positive light. The reviewer also refers to the Outback as a "wagon" at numerous points in his write-up and mentions how much it feels like a mainstream car. So, yes, perhaps the Subaru Outback could be categorized as a station wagon
Is it An SUV Crossover?
SUV crossovers are essentially sports utility vehicles based on the unibody design of a standard car. The Subaru Outback certainly matches that description. Indeed, according to New York Daily News writer Christian Wardlaw, this vehicle is the original modern SUV crossover. In his August 2015 review, Wardlaw makes no bones about his view on the Outback's capabilities, comparing it favorably with vehicles such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The Subaru Outback then, could qualify for the category of crossover SUV. On the other hand, according to Wardlaw, Subaru's own marketers claim it to be a sport utility wagon, so is it one of those?
Is it an SUW?
In July of 2015, an Autotrader writer reviewed the 2016 Outback, referring to it as possibly the best SUV/wagon combo on the market. Drop the V in SUV, shorten the "wagon" to a "W" and there you have it. Both the manufacturer and a leading automotive publication clearly identify the Outback as an SUW. So perhaps that's what it is.
But Does it Matter?
While defining the 2016 Subaru Outback is clearly a matter for debate, one thing all the reviewers agree upon is that for car and SUV fans alike, the vehicle is a smart buy, does nothing badly and manages many driving scenarios exceptionally well. Meanwhile, it's unlikely that many happy Outback owners lose sleep trying to pigeonhole their practically unique wagon/crossover/SUV. In fact they're much more likely to enjoy their idle hours behind its wheel-just for fun.
If you'd like to investigate the Outback for yourself, you don't need a flight to the land down under, just visit dealerships near Eugene, like Subaru of Bend, where you'll find a number of 2016 models to marvel at and fall in love with.


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While you might think that a brand new shower or soaking tub are the focal point of a beautiful bathroom remodel in Southeastern Massachusetts, the truth is that the first thing most people see when they look at a master bathroom is the vanity. Choosing the best vanity and hardware for cabinets and drawers is a very important part of the process. Selecting the best sinks, fixtures or kitchen and bathroom countertops is also important, but these are all dependent upon the New Bedford bathroom vanities that you decide to use. Before you dive into a makeover for your master bathroom, make sure to stop by the Cabinet Factory Outlet in Swansea and take a look at all of our beautiful vanities, countertops and materials.
Location, Location, Location
Depending on the size of your bathroom remodel, you might be relocating some of the primary fixtures. While it can add a lot to your renovation bill to move things like toilets, tubs and showers, it is much more cost-effective to move or adjust the location of your all wood vanities and cabinets. Make sure to choose a location that makes sense. You don't want the door to the master bathroom to open awkwardly onto the vanity or toilet, and you want to make sure that the other fixtures are easy-to-use too. So whether your goal is to make your master bathroom more spacious, storage-friendly or to improve the function of common fixtures, make sure that you think carefully about where everything should go.
Working with a professional designer can help to avoid common mistakes with remodeling projects using New Bedford bathroom vanities. Talk about your goals for the space, have the designer come and do actual measurements of the room, and discuss ways that you can make improvements that will add value to your home with a bathroom remodel in Southeastern Massachusetts. Add embellishments, such as hardware for cabinets and drawers, matching fixtures and decor, for even greater results.
Quality Materials
Don't think you will "win" the remodeling game by going for the most expensive or the cheapest materials. Truth be told, the best options for kitchen and bathroom countertops, cabinets, cupboards and vanities are often somewhere in the mid-range of pricing. Take time to learn a little bit about the materials used to create New Bedford bathroom vanities so you will be able to spot out a good deal or a smart purchase when you see one. The materials need to stand up to many years of use in a humid, wet and busy environment. Durable and great-looking products are available in a variety of colors, styles and designs at the Cabinet Factory Outlet in Swansea. Choose options that will best suit your needs, decor and budget.
Storage is Important
While looking at all of the pretty styles, you may not be thinking about storage. However, one of the biggest complaints made by prospective home buyers is when a bathroom does not have enough storage. When it comes to the master bathroom remodel in Southeastern Massachusetts, storage is even more important. Choose cabinets, vanities and cupboards that will provide lots of storage for the things that you use every day. Grooming supplies, cleaning supplies, appliances like hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons and more – these should all be taken into consideration when choosing New Bedford bathroom vanities.
Make sure that the size of the vanity matches with the size of the bathroom. For example, smallish bathrooms that have over-sized vanities will always look crowded or unbalanced. Also, larger bathrooms that have too-small vanities will look institutional and won't provide enough storage space. When plotting out your plans, make sure to consider the vanity, the space, the size and the storage, to ensure that you don't end up with regrets. The more storage that you can add while still creating a great-looking and functional master bathroom, the easier it will be to sell your home one day when you put it on the market.
Visit Cabinet Factory Outlet in Swansea, MA
If you are planning on doing a bathroom remodel in Southeastern Massachusetts, make sure to visit our outlet before purchasing your materials. We have a wide selection of New Bedford bathroom vanities, hardware for cabinets and drawers, flooring, kitchen and bathroom countertops, specialty cabinets and accessories, plus a whole lot more. Call our store at 508-379-6154 or stop by our showroom located on Grand Army of the Republic Highway in Swansea, Massachusetts.


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FILM storyboard artist Graham Wyn Jones has had a whirlwind year so far.
He has been working on computer gaming, mobile phone adverts and a project with Dr Who.
Graham, 52, a former pupil of Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi said: "The job of the story board artist is to sketch what the director thinks a scene in a film should look like.
He continued: "The thing that's just come out is a Dr Who adventure which is now online.
"It's based on the Gunpowder Plot and I provided the story boards for the story narrative.
"I worked with the actors and the Tardis so that I would be able to sketch it.
"Animators based in Sweden used motion-capture cameras to take the actors' likenesses and transform them into characters for computer games.
"Another one that people will have seen is the advert for Phones For You where the little girl chases the woman into a car, in a horror movie type clip.
"Before that I was working on a game called Blood Forge, which is a Celtic Warrior type game. It's a dark, fantasy quest type of game.
"I don't play these games often, but I understand the concept and I'm a big fan of Assassins Creed.
"The animation and graphics of these games have come on in huge leaps and bounds over the last 10 years."
"At the moment I'm providing the storyboards on Upstairs Downstairs, which stars Keeley Hawes. It's back shortly as a six episode series and we have the final couple of episodes to finish off."
Last year, Graham was waiting for the release of action movie Ultramarines 40,000 which starred John Hurt, Terence Stamp and Sean Pertwee and also recently worked on the acclaimed Sci-Fi film Moon (which was a great film) starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey.
Graham has also worked on popular television series Soldier, Soldier.
"It's a world away from where I started working," he said.
He worked for Sealink as a chef until 1989 before changing direction to study film animation.
"I wanted to work in the film industry and went to Coleg Menai to do an art foundation course.
"Then, I went to Newport for three years to study film animation and then the rest is history," he added.


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March 14
7 p.m.
To make a real entry here would be counter-productive, I fear. How weary, I am. I might botch my thoughts with my weariness. Two full days now on a Mexican bus. Mazatlán to Los Mochis yesterday. Los Mochis to Hermosillo today. I had a break in Los Mochis, yes, that meal in that cafeteria, and that episode of scribbling last night, that vision of the end, its sharp empty betweeness. But quite early today I continued on. And that meal yesterday didn't satisfy even through bedtime. I slept hungry. And today I consumed nothing until 5 p.m. Just now I'm beginning to recover my energies. But I'm still weary. I will refrain from scribbling anything of note here.
Saguaro cacti I saw for the first time today on the ride into Hermosillo. The king of all flora, they are. Imposing, reserved; like a lion. The only place on earth these massive cacti grow is in the Mexican deserts. Tucson sits in this same Mexican desert. Just four hours away Tucson sits! Tantalizing! Only a year ago I visited this city from Tucson. It's an easy trip from Hermosillo to Tucson, a familiar one. Tantalizing! But I've left behind the bus station now. I've found my quarters. And I can feel suddenly a keen thirst for my work returning. The thirst returns, acutely. That brief temptation to sprint northward has passed. Tomorrow I work in Hermosillo. One or two daytrips then I will make from Hermosillo. Then I continue on to Tijuana.
I just rinsed out my clothes in the sink. I just prepared and consumed a second little repast: canned beans on sandwich bread, an apple. This is all I will scribble today.


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Doha, November 30 (QNA) – HE Fahad bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, the Chairman of the COP18 Organizing Sub-Committee of the 18th UN Climate Change Conference (COP18), now in session in Doha, has said that the conference this year has witnessed large and unprecedented attendance on part of the Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs) .
Speaking at a press conference at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) here on Friday, HE Fahad bin Mohamed Al Attiyah said that the said conference is being attended by around 50 NGOs together with more than 7,000 figures representing the observer bodies.
"The 18th UN Climate Change Conference (COP18) presidency has financially and materially supported the NGOs by more than $ 500,000 to enhance their capabilities and enhance participation through the society support programmes", he told reporters.
Mosques, HE Fahad Al Attiyah said ,have devoted the Friday sermons to deal with topics related to climate change stressing meantime the positivity of such an issue, and voiced his belief that the message behind such a conference have already transmitted to a large number of people about the existence of the talks and discussions on climate change at the conference.
Earlier Thursday, the Chairman of the COP18 Organizing Sub-Committee of the 18th UN Climate Change Conference (COP18) told a similar press conference in which he said, "We are proud of that and we will work on raising the percentage of smart paper use in the coming days of the conference…. Smart paper technology used in the conference has saved up to 97% of the paper use over the past two days (750,000 paper sheet or 90 trees)", he said.
The Organizing Committee invited several Arab and international organizations to participate in the conference, besides the participation of Qatar Sustainability Network (QSN), which includes a lot of companies and civil society organizations.
He further said that all the arrangements and logistic activities are going alright except for some minor complaints about transportation that will be addressed and handled.
HE Fahad bin Mohamed Al Attiyah added that thanks to the internal and external efforts of concerned parties, the conference is being held with the participation of up to 17,600 participants registered so far, in addition to 6700 monitors from non-governmental organizations, regional organizations, and media. He projected the number will increase in the coming days. (QNA)


text: Guest NotFromThisPlanet Posted March 16, 2008 Request help from mixers or offer to mixPlease post in this thread if you are looking for someone to mix a song(s) for you. If you would like to offer your talents as a mixer, please post in this topic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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We have been working very hard (as has our technical developer) for the past few months trying to get Wise Cryptos up to an officially launchable state. While there is still plenty of work for us left to do both on the technical side and the content, we do feel that we have achieved a lot already and are excited to bring you what we have already produced.
Moving forward we have a lot of great ideas for the future of Wise Cryptos and really aim to be a one stop shop for all your cryptocurrency needs. There will be new website functionality, whole new crypto resources as well as more official news, interviews, blogs and more. But in the meantime we are also hard at work expanding the information pages for the individual cryptocurrencies which is a painstaking job but hopefully well worth all the effort.
Do you want to contribute?
We are keen to hear from you if you wish to contribute to this website in some shape or form. We do have a few guidelines though for any blogs you wish to submit:
- No shilling of a particular coin or project
- No FUD or attacking of any individual crypto project
- Nothing offensive or illegal
- Good command of the English language
- If the blog is making statements there must always be an official source quoted
- Blogs and articles are not to be used for "backlinking" to your own website
Do you wish to be interviewed?
We are on the look out for various influential members of the crypto community to interview. Feel free to contact us if you so desire!
Have we missed resources?
Feel free to contact us in case we have missed some key links or persons in our resource pages.
A note to the hackers trying to gain access to Wise Cryptos
It is very flattering that you have decided to try and gain access to our website even before we have properly launched. We must be doing something right in order to attract this attention. But please be aware you can carry on trying 100 times per day but you are not getting in.
If you want to talk, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to help you out. Our email address is info (at, you can figure the rest out… sadly we cannot list the email addy exactly or we'll end up being spammed by internet bots).


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OKCash (OK) Overview
General InformationOKCash, also known as OK is one of the crypto currencies available in world and it has around 105000000 total coins that are not fully pre mined.
For more information see list bellow.
Name: OKCash (OK)
Algorithm: N/A
Proof type: PoW/PoS
Total coin supply: 105000000
Market Data
Price: $0.205101 ( -0.17% )
Market Cap: $ 15173985.437091
24 Hour Volume: $ 390195
Available Supply: 73982991
If you want to improve this contact us or leave a review with resources that would help other people to know more about OKCash (OK).
OKCash (OK) reviews
Overall rating: 0 | Total reviews: 0


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Volcanically creative – Alex Ross
…musically inventive and arresting – The Times
The Riot Ensemble's dedication to showcasing new music and bringing contemporary classical stylings to new audiences in unexpected venues is to be admired, respected, and imitated at every opportunity.
– I Care If You Listen
What a delight to find oneself swept along the luminous stream of an expertly curated programme, whose narrative began with the minutiae of sound and grew into full-blown music theatre. – The Arts Desk
Always impeccable; Entrancing and highly seductive – The Times
The Riot Ensemble connects people to great contemporary music in concerts and events that are just as innovative, vibrant and rewarding as the music itself. The members of Riot are some of the top European soloists in new music, and with Riot they work as performers, curators, commissioners, and collaborators, creating and producing a diverse array of projects.
Based in London, Riot is particularly active in bringing emerging international voices to the British new-music scene and since 2012 has given over 200 World and UK premieres by composers from more than thirty countries. Their annual call for scores received 436 submissions in 2020, and in the past 6 years has resulted in almost twenty commissions. Additionally, they enjoy close working relationships with some of the most important composers of our time, including Clara Iannotta, Chaya Czernowin, Ann Cleare, and Georg Friedrich Haas whose evening length piece Solstices was commissioned by Riot in 2019.
Riot performs regularly at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (UK) as well as Dark Music Days (Iceland), Tampere Biennale (Finland), Nordic Music Days (Sweden), and November Music (Netherlands) with upcoming appearances scheduled at Darmstadt (Germany), Wien Modern (Austria), ENSEMS (Spain), Arctic Arts (Norway) and Tzlil Meudcan (Israel). In 2020, they begin a new partnership with King's Place where they will present their ReNEW series, focusing on bringing the most cutting edge international new music to London.
Their recent release on Huddersfield Contemporary Records, Speak Be Silent, was named one of the ten most important recordings of the year by Alex Ross in the New Yorker, and has been praised as 'one of the best recordings of 2019' by Sequenza 21 and 'a most impressive release' by Australia's Limelight magazine. They have also recently released a disc featuring Jonathan Harvey's Song Offerings, recorded at Deutschlandfunk in Köln ( and are currently working on a new release of Patricia Alessandrini's chamber music for HCR. Riot features regularly on BBC Radio 3 and enjoys radio broadcasts across Europe.
Their work has been generously supported by Opus 2 International and Arts Council England lottery grants, alongside numerous private sponsors, PRSF, the Ambache Charitable Trust, the RVW Trust, and the Holst Foundation.
The Riot Ensemble is a registered charity. Charity No. 1178276


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Sociologists & anthropologists are vital for context.
When we get over the first 10 minutes of how terribly new we are, we'll find that humans haven't changed one bit – our emotional, biological & social needs have not changed – we've just developed the world beyond ourselves – we need help already.
The wars happening around us are nothing new – nor are the politics. The only new thing is our disconnect from each other & environment – we act as if food grows in shops & we can eat technology: as if the next generation is an inconvenience and babies are a side-effect.
Pull out the tyrant & all the newly-freed set upon one another for ascendency. All races, and all places. It's sad, but it's how we appear to roll."
image from http://reachhd.org/discussion/


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COVID-19 cyber threats spread like a virus
Advanced persistent threat groups are using the pandemic as part of their cyber operations, often masquerading as trusted entities.
Best practices for multi-cloud security
CIOs increasingly face the challenge of developing an effective strategy to understand and manage the mix of cloud resources upon which their businesses depend.
Back to the future: The 2020 cyber-threat reality
Examining the reality of today's cyber security landscape, and the concerning trends that came out of 2019 and how they can be best addressed.
Surviving a deepfake world
Numerous capabilities in the public domain deliver deepfake audio and video abilities to hundreds of thousands of cyber criminals.
Easing the mobile threat defence headache
Why mobile threat defence solutions are now an essential component of cyber security strategies.
Mobile under attack with malicious intent
Today's cyber criminals are highly motivated and equipped to launch a wide range of attacks on our personal devices.
Cyber security 2019: It's not all bad news so far
Reflecting on the 2019 cyber security landscape and what the overall picture is looking like for this year.
The balancing act of cloud versus risk
Why companies should still consider using cloud services even when they bring such high risk with them.
CEOs must become 'chief trust officers'
Cyber security responsibility must rest on the head of the leader at the highest level.
Artificial intelligence creates 'self-learning attackers'
Companies should look past the myths and hype of artificial intelligence to discover its real potential, for good and bad.
2019 cyber security: More of the same or worse?
If growth of attack techniques continues into 2019 through hits on automated tech, the best years of system security may well be behind us.


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book details
books by L M Kay
Book: The Dog with the Golden Eyes by L M Kaycategories: Book, Children's Fiction, Illustrated Book, Adventure Stories, Dogs, Action and Adventure, Children's Mystery Stories, Adventure, Children's Book Dogs, Children's Suspense Stories, Children's Book
L M Kayabout this book: What the readers say:
This book is absolutely delightful. Whether you are in your early 70's like me or 10 yrs old like my granddaughter, it has everything
Well paced & suspenseful without being frightening, the plot artfully draws the reader in.
Cleverly crafted and without being at all patronising.
From the moment I first clapped eyes on this stunning cover I couldn't wait to read this book. I have to say that one of the things that makes this book so special is the beautiful illustrations throughout the story.
Although this is a really a book aimed at young readers – the story is so sensitively told that "dog lovers" of any age will appreciate the sympathetic story line, and the overriding fear that is felt by both the child and the dog about "The Man who did the Very Bad Thing"
This book really is worth a look, and not just for kids, I see it as a 'grandparent and child special moments book' it will be a big hit with the older generation who want something to share with their grandchildren, and I think a grandparent would appreciate the amazing illustrations that appear throughout the story to captivate the imagination of a young mind
As a crime writer first and foremost, I follow news events relating to real-life crimes. I've seen crimes where young children have been witness to some dreadful events, often involving family, and have often wondered how they cope.
Children are resilient. Probably more so than many adults. Sometimes the key to their ability to carry on is to find that special someone they can trust and confide in. Many times, that 'person' will be an animal.
I've been privileged to own seven border collies so far in my lifetime. I find them extraordinary dogs, so loyal and intelligent. It really is as if they can read their owner's mind and are in tune to their emotions. Which is where the inspiration for this little tale came from.
It's the story of Nicholas James Corrigan, a small boy who doesn't speak. He was was a key witness to a crime when he was little.
One day, when out shopping with his Very Nice Aunt, he meets a strange dog and discovers they can understand each other's thoughts.
But now The Man Who Did the Very Bad Thing is back and looking for Nicholas James. Can his faithful new friend protect him? There's only one way to find out!
It's a heart-warming tale, ideal for adults and children to read together and enjoy.
preview: read a sample from this book
what to read next: if you read and liked this book...
More Reviews
• Book Review: A Yellow Jellow, What Did You Say? by J. Kaylin
• Book Review: Dog Stories - The Adventures of Jimmy and Floppy - A Super Kid and His Super Dog by Jeen van der Meer
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So, I finally bit the bullet. After years of renting, I finally committed and purchased what will hopefully be our "forever" home.
Check out our plans for our "cottage farmhouse" style home.
The details:
- Where: Just outside South Minneapolis, MN
- Size: 1500 square feet
- Rooms: 5 beds/2 baths; a 1940s Cap Cod style home, with a dormer roof addition
These numbers may not seem like much, but I am floored that we were able to find this house (yes, the bedrooms are small). We were shopping in early 2018, in the hottest housing market in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. It was painful. Factor in the fact that most homes in our area are 1940s builds, with 3 beds/1 bath. I am tickled pink!
Now… the downside. This home was previously a rental property… Ugh. We are basically going to have to go room-by-room and replace all of the trim and finishes, re-paint, and eventually consider a kitchen/mudroom addition. No biggie!
Our Cottage Farmhouse Home Renovation Plan
I am NOT one to label my home decor style. I like what I like, and as long as I like all of it, it must go together… right?!?! But if I had to put a "label" on our style, it would probably be "cottage farmhouse." I love light and neutral colors, natural wood tones, and a home that can be lived in. So, here is a down-and-dirty summary of our "Cottage Farmhouse Home Renovation Plan".
How we will divvy up the bedrooms:
Bedrooms 1 & 2 – Robert's Room & Brooklyn's Room
These are the very first rooms that we will tackle, because I accidentally told the kids that they could pick paint colors. Now I have to follow through because 5-year-olds aren't exactly patient people.
Brooklyn will get board-and-batten with wallpaper, and Robert will get shiplap with a navy accent wall.
Bedroom 3 – Kids' Bonus Room
This probably won't be a high priority, but I am just thrilled to have a place to throw all of the toys and shut the door. But, seriously… Look at that door frame. That's pretty much the norm in this house 🙁
In other news, I pulled back the upstairs carpet to check the condition of our sub floor. These beauties were a welcome surprise:
Upstairs "Kids" Bath
This bathroom is actually in surprisingly good shape. So, I have one room that doesn't need a ton of work. Someone please remind me of that in 6 months.
Bedroom 4 – Mom's Room
As with many things, this room will probably be completed last. Moms, you can relate. Right? And yes, that teeny-tiny door is my "master" closet, so you can expect an Ikea dresser/armoire hack soon. LOL!
Bedroom 4 – Mom's Home Office / "Brooklyn's Art Room"
After spending 4 years crafting and working out of an office in a closet, I am happy to announce that I will finally have a dedicated working space. But, if you ask Brooklyn, this will be her "art room". I think we can share!
Main Floor "Master" Bath
In this part of town, you just don't get large bathrooms. But I have high hopes for what I can do with a bit of paint.
The Kitchen – and the Mudroom that I Desperately NEED
The kitchen is tiny and also serves at the entry to the back door that we will use as our primary entrance. Factor in winter gear and backpacks, and I would qualify a mudroom addition as a NEED and not a WANT. We have a couple of options, but construction may be a ways down the road.
UPDATE: I completely re-did our kitchen for $350! Read all about it here.
The Dining Room
I added a shiplap chair rail to the dining room, as well as painted a mis-matched dining set to look custom. Also, it's difficult to tell from the pictures above, but we widened that opening between the dining and kitchen on the right.
Main Floor Family Room and Front Entry
This room makes the house. The light is incredible! And those hardwood floors run throughout the main level. Now, about that popcorn ceiling…
I'm thinking we will go with some 2/3 board and batten or shiplap because of the cove ceiling.
UPDATE: Phase 1 of the living room is complete. We added board and batten to the living room, entry, and main level hallway. We also replaced the blinds with industrial pipe curtain rods and sheer curtain panels.
The Stairs and Hall
This is also at the top of the to-do list because, well… I may have gotten a bit ahead of myself with the carpet removal. Painting the stairs will need to happen, soon.
UPDATE: We finished the stairs. I added trim and painted the stairs green.
So, there you have it: Our big, exciting to-do list!


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Warranty: Our products are guaranteed to last. If you aren't 100% satisfied, we've got you covered for up to 100 days on manufacturer defects.


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MANHATTAN (PIX11) — If you have a car in New York, you know parking is a real pain but a brand new app could be your ticket to getting in and out of the city in record time, and as we all know time is money.
"When you pick up your car in a garage in New York, you typically wait 15 to 30 minutes on average. With PANGO, it's really easy, you press the button on your smartphone that says 'Get My Car' and then when you come to the garage there's no wait time," explained Neil Edwards, President of PANGO.
You never have to worry about payment because when you first get the app you register your credit card, so it is automatic.
"We've got on-street parking, we've got gated lots, sporting event based parking. The goal of PANGO is to make parking easy and convenient anytime, anywhere," said Edwards.
PANGO can be used for rental cars too because all you need is a license plate.
Meanwhile, on-street metered parking is the next phase of the app for New York City which will rival the city's own program Pay-By-Phone, because both will allow people to fill up their meters from their phones while at work or in a restaurant!


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The other notable thing about the Cups and Balls is the amount of individuality that magicians can bring to their interpretation of the effect and you'll find no better example of that than the five performers you'll meet on this DVD. John Mendoza leads off with his eponymous routine, arguably a modern classic, while Johnny Thompson demonstrates several classic Cups and Balls sequences in the guises of famous magicians such as Malini, Krieger and Vernon. Steve Dacri then ably demonstrates the apparatus and routines favored by the Hindu fakirs while Larry Jennings performs and teaches his justly famous routine with just one cup, bookended by the startling production of the cup and its complete vanish at the end. Finally, Marc DeSouza uses his Cups and Balls routine to take spectators on a journey through the rich history of magic.
The Cups and Balls should be studied, if not performed, by every magician and this DVD is an excellent starting point for new students and a wonderful reference tool even for those who have some experience with this foundational effect.
Mendoza Cups and Balls – John Mendoza
Cups and Balls – Johnny Thompson
Indian Cups and Balls – Steve Dacri
Single Cup and Ball – Larry Jennings
Cups and Balls – Marc DeSouza


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New Garbage Collection Announcement
Posted on Friday September 04, 2015 at 10:25AM
On October 1, the Town will move to a new, automatic bin garbage collection system. Please read all about it - info in your water bill and on web site. Call Town Office if you have questions!
Author: Town of Mundare


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LondonLife – Four London sites heritage listed in 2019…
January 21, 2020
We've entered a new year but before we leave 2019 completely behind, here's quick look at four sites in London that were put on the National Heritage List for England last year…
1. Sainsbury Supermarket, Camden Town. Listed at Grade II, it was the first purpose-built supermarket to be placed on the National Heritage List. The store was built in 1986-88 as part of Grand Union Complex designed by architectural practice Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners.
2. The Curtain Playhouse, Shoreditch. A scheduled monument, the theatre dates from about 1577 and hosted performances of Romeo and Juliet during Shakespeare's lifetime, as well as Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humour with Shakespeare himself listed as a performer. Archaeological investigations in the years from 2011-16 revealed parts of the stage as well as the wings, galleries and yards and 17th century structures which showed the later use of the site as tenement housing.
3. Nursemaid's Tunnel, Regent's Park. Grade II listed, this is one of the earliest surviving pedestrian subways in London. It was built under New Road (now Marylebone Road) – linking Park Crescent with gardens in Park Square – in 1821 after residents campaigned for its construction due to the dangers of navigating the busy road (especially for children being taken to the playground by their nursemaids).
4. Cabman's Shelter, corner Northumberland Avenue and Embankment Place. Grade II-listed, this still-in-use shelter was built in 1915 on the orders of the Cabmen's Shelter Fund. It was based on Maximilian Clarke's original design of 1882 and is one of just 13 examples to survive in London.
PICTURE: Google Maps.
10 (more) historic London garden squares…5. Brunswick Square…
October 9, 2019
This Bloomsbury square is another that's one of a pair – in this case with Mecklenburgh Square which stands on the other side of the site of the now-demolished Foundling Hospital (across what's now known as Coram's Fields).
The three acre square was planned by Samuel Pepys Cockerell, who was appointed to develop the estate around the hospital with the intention of maintaining some open space around the hospital while allowing spare land to be leased for housing (and so raise some much needed funds for the hospital).
The square was over the period 1795-1802 while the gardens in the square's middle were laid out in in the late 1790s (initially for use by residents only, they're now open to the public).
The name comes from Caroline of Brunswick, wife of the then Prince Regent (later King George IV).
The square, which is Grade II-listed along with Coram's Fields and Mecklenburgh Square, was a respectable if not highly fashionable residential location.
Famous residents have included numerous members of the Bloomsbury Group such as siblings Virginia (later Woolf) and Adrian Stephen, economist John Maynard Keynes and Leonard Woolf – all of whom lived in the same property (Virginia and Leonard moved out of the square when they married in 1912) as well as EM Forster. Writer JM Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, also lived for a time in a house overlooking the square.
Jane Austen refers to the square in Emma in which her sister Isabella praises it as "very superior to most others" and "very airy".
All of the original buildings around the square have since been demolished and replaced – among them number is 40 which was built for the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in the 1920s and now houses the Foundling Museum (there's a statue of the hospital's founder Thomas Coram outside by William MacMillan – pictured right).
The north side of the square is home to the UCL School of Pharmacy, the west side features tiered apartments which form part of the Grade II-listed Brunswick Centre development, which dates from the late 1960s and early 1970s, while on the south side is the university residence known as International Hall.
The gardens were extensively renovated in 2002-03 by Camden Council; works which included restoration of railings apparently taken for munitions during World War II. Its trees include a London plane tree, said to be the second oldest in London, which in 2009 was declared one of the Great Trees of Britain.
On one of the garden's railings, close to the statue of Captain Coram, is a tiny bronze sculpture of a mitten by artist Tracey Emin, a fitting symbol of the childhoods connected with the Foundling Hospital.
PICTURES: Top – Looking across Brunswick Square Gardens (Google Maps); Right – Thomas Coram (David Adams).
10 (more) historic London garden squares…3. Gordon Square…
September 25, 2019
This Bloomsbury garden square, a pair with Tavistock Square located a short distance to the north-east, was developed in the 1820s with residences designed by master builder Thomas Cubitt and his company.
Its name comes from the family of the then land-owner, John Russell, the Duke of Bedford – Lady Georgina Gordon was the second wife of the 6th Duke of Bedford (her father was Alexander Gordon, the fourth Duke of Gordon).
The square initially contained a private garden, designed by the 6th Duke of Bedford himself, which was reserved for residents. Now open to the public, the garden underwent a refurbishment, restoring the original railings, in the early 2000s and was reopened by Princess Anne in 2007.
Originally residential (although while it attracted some professionals and their families, it was never as popular as nearby Russell Square), the buildings on the square are now predominantly occupied by departments and institutes of the University of London. The university purchased the square, along with Woburn Square, in 1951.
On the west side of the square stands the university church, the Grade I-listed Church of Christ the King, which dates from the 1850s, while nearby is Dr Williams's Library, founded in 1729 and moved here in 1890.
The square is generally considered the epicentre of the Bloomsbury Group of writers, artists and intellectuals with Virginia Woolf (then Stephens) among its residents. She lived at number 46 between 1904 and 1907, with her sister Vanessa, who, following her marriage to Clive Bell, continued to live there until 1917.
Another member of the Bloomsbury Group, economist John Maynard Keynes, lived in the house after that. Writer Lytton Strachey, another member of the group, lived at number 51 from 1909 to 1924.
Philosopher and essayist Bertrand Russell lived at number 57 between 1918-19.
PICTURES: Top – Gordon Square (Jay Bergesen/licensed under CC BY 2.0) Right – 46 Gordon Square (Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons /
10 of London's most curious (and historic) graves – 6. Sir John Soane's family (St Pancras Old Church)…
May 1, 2019
It should probably come as no surprise that this rather elegant memorial in the former graveyard of St Pancras Old Church is that of architect – and founder of a rather remarkable museum – Sir John Soane (as well as his wife Eliza and their oldest son, John).
The tomb, described by architectural commentator Nikolaus Pevsner as an "outstandingly interesting monument", was, of course, designed by the heart-broken Soane, the architect of neo-classical buildings like the Bank of England and Dulwich Picture Gallery, following the death of his wife on 22nd November, 1815.
Erected in 1816, it features a central cube of Carrara marble with four faces for inscriptions topped by a domed canopy supported on four ionic columns. A Portland stone balustrade surrounds the whole structure as well as stairs down to the subterranean tomb itself.
Among the symbolic decorative elements on the monument are a pine cone finial – a symbol of regeneration, a serpent swallowing its tail – a symbol of eternity, and reliefs of boys holding extinguished churches – symbols of death.
Sir John's son, John, was buried in the tomb after his death in 1823 and Sir John himself was interred following his death on 20th January, 1837.
The monument is said to be only one of two Grade I-listed monuments in London – the other being Karl Marx's gravestone in Highgate Cemetery. It is also famously said to have formed part of the inspiration for Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's design of famous K2 red telephone box.
The Soane tomb was vandalised in 1869 – and it was suggested at the time that it should be relocated to Lincoln's Inn Fields for its protection.
It was more recently restored in 1996 by the Soane Monuments Trust and again, after more vandalism, in 2000-01 as part of a restoration of St Pancras Gardens by the London Borough of Camden.
The graveyard of St Pancras Old Church, incidentally, is also the site of The Hardy Tree.
WHERE: St Pancras Gardens, Pancras Road, Camden Town (nearest Tube station is Kings Cross St Pancras); WHEN: Daylight hours; COST: free; WEBSITE: https://posp.co.uk/st-pancras-old-church/; www.camden.gov.uk/parks-in-camden.
PICTURES: Michael Day (licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0).
Famous Londoners – Matthew Flinders…
February 4, 2019
News last month that the remains of early 19th century explorer Matthew Flinders had been found beneath Euston railway station. But just who was Flinders and what, aside from being the location of his burial, were his connections to London?
Flinders was not a native Londoner by birth – he was born on 16th March, 1774, in Donington, Lincolnshire, the son of a surgeon-apothecary and educated in local schools. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15, serving first on HMS Alert as a lieutenant's servant and several other ships including the HMS Providence, captained by William Bligh (of mutiny on the Bounty fame) on a voyage taking breadfruit from Tahiti to Jamaica. He also subsequently saw action while on the HMS Bellerophon in 1794, when the ship was involved in the Battle of the Glorious First of June against the French in the English Channel.
In 1795, he served as a master's mate on the HMS Reliance which sailed to New South Wales with the mission of delivering its new governor, John Hunter.
As well as establishing a reputation as a navigator and cartographer on the voyage, he became friends with the ship's surgeon George Bass. After arriving at Port Jackson in New South Wales, Flinders undertook two expeditions with Bass in small boats dubbed the Tom Thumb and Tom Thumb II – the first to Botany Bay and the Georges River and the second to Lake Illawarra.
In 1798, now a lieutenant and based in New South Wales, Flinders was given command of the sloop Norfolk with the aim of proving Van Diemen's Land (now the state of Tasmania) was an island. He did so and named the strait between it and the Australian mainland after his friend Bass (the largest island in the strait would later be named Flinders Island).
In 1799, he sailed the Norfolk north to Moreton Bay before in March, 1800, returning to England on the Reliance.
Thanks to the advocacy of Sir Joseph Banks, to whom Flinders had dedicated his text Observations on the Coasts of Van Diemen's Land, on Bass's Strait, etc, in January, 1801, Flinders was given command of HMS Investigator and, subsequently promoted to commander, given the mission of charting the coastline of the Australian continent, then known as New Holland.
Having married his longtime friend Ann Chappelle on 17th April, 1801, he set sail for New Holland on 18th July of that year (without Ann – he had intended taking her on the journey but ordered to remove her from the ship by the Admiralty).
Flinders reached and named Cape Leeuwin in what is now Western Australia on 6th December and then proceeded eastward along the continent's southern coast. He met the French explorer Nicolas Baudin, aboard the Geographe, in what he named Encounter Bay, named Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island in what is now South Australia and further to the east spent time exploring the environs of Port Philip Bay (around the modern city of Melbourne). He proceeded north to Sydney, arriving on 9th May, 1802, setting sail again on 22nd July.
Heading northward, he surveyed the coast of what is now Queensland before, having charted the Gulf of Carpentaria, discovering his ship was badly leaking. Unable to undertake repairs, he decided to return to Sydney but did so via the west coast of the continent, thus completing the first documented circumnavigation of it. Back in Sydney, the Investigator was found to be unseaworthy and condemned.
Unable to find another vessel to continue his explorations and hearing of his father's death and wife's illness back in England, Flinders looked return home as a passenger aboard the HMS Porpoise. But the Porpoise was wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef and Flinders undertook the role of navigating the ship's cutter back across open sea to Sydney so the remainder of the ship's crew could be rescued.
He was then given command of the HMS Cumberland to return to England but the poor condition of that ship forced him to put into the French controlled Isle de France (Mauritius) for repairs on 17th December, 1803. War had broken out between England and France and Flinders was detained (it was during his period of detainment – he was allowed to venture around the island after the first few months – that he sent back to England a map of the Australian continent, the only one in which he used the name "Australia" for the title. While he wasn't the first to use the name Australia, he is credited with popularising it).
Flinders wasn't released until June, 1810, after a Royal Navy blockade of the island (despite being granted his release by the French Government in 1806, authorities on Mauritius decided to keep holding him). Travelling via the Cape of Good Hope, he returned to England where he was promoted to post-captain.
On returning to home, Flinders, now in poor health, and his wife Ann lived at several rental properties in London – there's an English Heritage Blue Plaque on one former property at 56 Fitzroy Street in Fitzrovia, central London – and had a daughter Anna (her son Matthew Flinders Petrie, later Sir Flinders Petrie, would go on to become a famous archaeologist and Egyptologist).
It was during this period that Flinders wrote a book about his voyages, A Voyage to Terra Australis. It was published on 18th July. Remarkably, Flinders died of kidney failure just a day later. He was buried on 23rd July in the graveyard of St James's Church, Piccadilly, which was located up in Camden.
The location of his grave was later forgotten when the headstone was removed and the site became gardens, part of which were subsequently built over by Euston station. Famously, of course, his body was found last month during excavations conducted ahead of the construction of the Euston terminus for the high-speed rail link, HS2, between London and Bristol.
Flinders legacy lives on in the more than 100 geographical place names bearing his moniker in Australia including the iconic Flinders Street Railway Station in Victoria and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. There's also a statue of him in his home town of Donington and in July, 2014, the 200th anniversary of his death, a large bronze statue by Mark Richards depicting Flinders and his cat Trim (we'll deal with Trim's story in an upcoming post) was unveiled at Australia House by Prince William. It was later installed at Euston Station near where his grave was assumed to be (pictured above).
PICTURE: AndyScott (licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)
Found London – Matthew Flinders' remains found…
January 25, 2019
The remains of Captain Matthew Flinders, a Royal Navy explorer who led the first circumnavigation of Australia and is credited with popularising the name the country now bears, have been found by archaeologists working on the HS2 rail project in Euston. While the general area in which he was buried – the former St James's burial ground – has long been known, archaeologists were able to narrow down the location of his grave among the 40,000 on the site thanks to a lead breast plate placed on top of his coffin upon which, conveniently, his name was written. The HS2 project will see a high speed rail link constructed between London and Birmingham and as part of the preparations for the project, the largest archaeological dig ever to take place in the UK is underway on the site of what will be the London terminus. Flinders was buried in St James's burial ground in 1814 but when Euston station expanded westward into the burial ground in 1840s, his headstone was removed and the location of his grave thought lost (despite a persistent myth that he was buried under Platform 15). There is already a statue of Captain Flinders at Euston Station – unveiled on the bicentenary of his death in 2014 (originally at Australia House), it depicts both Flinders, busy charting Australia's coastline, and his cat, Trim. There is now talk of a memorial marking the site of the grave.
10 sites from Mary Shelley's London…A recap…
November 21, 2018
We've come to the end of our series on significant London sites related to Mary Shelley – in honour of the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein – so it's time for a quick recap before launching our next Wednesday series…
3. Marchmont Street, Somers Town…
4. Church of St Mildred, Bread Street
5. The Temple of the Muses, Finsbury Square…
7. Charles and Mary Lamb's house…
9. A lock of Mary Shelley's hair…
10. Memorials to Percy Bysshe Shelley…
And so we come to the final in our series looking at London sites which tell part of the story of Mary Shelley, writer of Frankenstein, the book which this year marks its 200th anniversary. Of course, one of the most influential figures in her life was her husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, so to finish the series, we're taking a quick look at three sites memorialising him in London…
1. Poland Street, Soho. Shelley lived at number 15 after he was expelled from Oxford University in 1811 for publishing a pamphlet on atheism. He wasn't here long – in August he eloped with Harriet Westbrook, then just 16, to Scotland. The building, which stands on the corner with Noel Street, features an English Heritage Blue Plaque and there's a massive mural on its side, Ode to the West Wind, which takes its name from a poem he wrote in 1819. It was painted by Louise Vines in 1989. PICTURE: Google Maps.
2. Broadwick Street, Soho. The impressive Spirit of Soho mural on the corner with Carnaby Street was created in 1991 and restored in 2006. It features the images of numerous famous figures from the district's history. As well as the likes of Casanova and Marx, Shelley also features – located a couple of people to the right of Casanova (here seen in red) at the base of the mural's central panel. PICTURE: Dun.can (image cropped; licensed under CC BY 2.0)
3. Westminster Abbey. There's no memorial to Mary Shelley in Westminster Abbey but in Poet's Corner – located in the South Transept – you will find a small memorial to her husband. The joint memorial (which also commemorates John Keats) was designed by sculptor Frank Dobson and unveiled in 1954 by then Poet Laureate John Masefield. It simply features two plaques – one bearing the name Shelley and the other Keats with their birth and death years – linked by a "swag of flowers" attached to a lyre at the top of each plaque.
And that brings and end to our series on Mary Shelley's London (although, of course there are still more sites associated with Shelley to explore!) . We'll recap the series next week before launching our next Wednesday special series…
Renowned sibling writers Charles and Mary Lamb lived in a property at 64 Duncan Terrace in Islington from 1823-27 and, their visitors there apparently included Mary Shelley.
Shelley had returned to London in 1823 after the death of her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley who had drowned along with two other men off the coast of Italy in July the previous year.
Back in London, Shelley lived in various properties as far afield as Kentish Town – many of which are no longer extant. But one home she was known to have visited after her return (which is still standing) was that of the Lambs.
Charles, part of the literary circle which included Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth, described the property – Colebrook Cottage – as a "white house with six good rooms". Now Grade II-listed, it dates from the 18th century.
The New River once ran close by – so close, in fact, that one guest, believed to be the blind poet George Dyer, walked into the river after leaving the house and had to be rescued by Lamb. The river is now covered.
The property features an English Heritage Blue Plaque (although in this case, it's actually brown), commemorating Lamb's stay here.
PICTURE: Spudgun67 (licensed under CC BY 2.0).
10 sites from Mary Shelley's London…3. Marchmont Street, Somers Town…
September 26, 2018
Following their return to England in September 1814 after their European elopement (they were forced to return due to a lack of funds), Mary Shelley and her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley lived in a couple of London properties including one on this site at 87 Marchmont Street in Somers Town.
The couple lived in the Marchmont Street premises, not far from where Shelley had grown up, from 1815-16 with Mary's step-sister (and possibly by this time Percy's lover) Claire Clairmont. The landlady's name was apparently a Mrs Harbottle.
In January of the second year they were in the lodgings, their son William "Willmouse" was born.
The group left the property in May, 1816, to join with Lord Byron in Lake Geneva. It was on this trip that Shelley started writing her famous book Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus.
The house in which the Shelley's had lived – then number 26 – was demolished in 1904.
A blue plaque was placed upon the property 2009 by a residents and business group known as the Marchmont Association.
Correction: This article originally said Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein on the trip to Lake Geneva. She actually started writing it as a short story there but it was completed over a longer period which extended into 1817 (with publication initially in 1818).
10 sites from Mary Shelley's London…2. St Pancras Old Churchyard…
September 19, 2018
Having died in 1797 at the age of just 38, Mary Shelley's mother and noted feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft, was buried in the churchyard of St Pancras Old Church.
"Her remains were deposited, on the fifteenth of September, at ten o'clock in the morning, in the church-yard of the parish church of St Pancras, Middlesex," wrote Godwin afterwards. "A few of the persons she most esteemed, attended the ceremony; and a plain monument is now erecting on the spot, by some of her friends…"
Apart from the fact it is where her mother was buried, the grave played an important role in Shelley's story. Not only is it said that her father, William Godwin, taught her to read her name by tracing the letters on the gravestone, it later became a place of key importance for Shelley in her developing relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley.
In fact, it was at this gravestone that Mary and the poet would meet in secret prior to their elopement to Europe (some even speculate it was here that they first consummated their love). Secrecy was a necessity – Percy Shelley was already married and Mary's father disapproved of their relationship.
Interestingly, Wollstonecraft is no longer buried here (although the gravestone still stands there). In 1851, as per the wishes of Mary Shelley, Wollstonecraft's remains – and those of her husband which were buried there after his death – were removed by her grandson, Percy Florence Shelley and reinterred in the Shelley family tomb in St Peter's Churchyard in Bournemouth.
The tomb is Grade II-listed. The lettering was restored in 1992 to mark the bicentenary of the publication of Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
PICTURE: The gravestone in St Pancras Old Churchyard (Chris Beckett/licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0/Image cropped and lightened)
10 sites from Mary Shelley's London…1. Somers Town…
September 12, 2018
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's thought-provoking novel, Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus, so we thought that before the year is out (the novel was actually published in January, 1818), we'd take a look 10 London locations integral to her story.
First up, it's to Somers Town, which lies just to the north of Euston Road, where Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Mary Shelley) was born on 30th August, 1797, the second child of feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft and journalist, philosopher and novelist William Godwin.
Wollstonecraft sadly died 12 days after the birth due to complications. Mary was left in the care of her father and half-sister Fanny Imlay (Wollstonecraft's first child whose father was an American adventurer named Gilbert Imlay) and, after her father remarried in 1901, a step-mother Mary Jane Clairmont (with whom Mary would have an acrimonious relationship).
While Mary was provided with little formal education during her childhood, her father saw that she received a broad education in a range of subjects, generally described as unusually advanced for the time.
The family's home was located at number 29 in the Polygon Building on the north side of Clarendon Square – it was demolished in 1904 and the site is now occupied by a block of council flats called Oakshott Court. There's a commemorative plaque to Wollstonecraft on the side of the complex in Werrington Street – it was erected by the Camden London Borough Council (pictured).
Mary Shelley, meanwhile, is also commemorated in a mural in Polygon Road which depicts many of the famous figures associated with the area (her parents and future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley are also depicted in it). The mural, the work of Karen Gregory, was commissioned by the Greater London Council in the 1980s.
PICTURE: Ellaroth (licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)
Located on Paddington Green, this statue of 18th century theatrical luminary Sarah Siddons (1755-1831) was unveiled by fellow thespian Sir Henry Irving on 14th June, 1897, who apparently noted that, Shakespeare aside, Siddons was the first actor to be immortalised with a statue in London.
It is also said to be the first outdoor statue erected in London of a non-royal woman.
Seated in a pose apparently inspired by Joshua Reynolds' 1784 painting, Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse (now in California), the marble statue, which sits on a Portland stone plinth, is the work of French sculptor Leon-Joseph Chavailliaud.
The location was apparently selected due to the fact Siddons lived at Westbourne Green from 1805 to 1817 and is buried in St Mary's Churchyard next to Paddington Green.
The Grade II-listed statue, which was paid for by public subscription, is sadly now need of a makeover – Mrs Siddons is missing a nose.
There is, incidentally, another, earlier, statue of Mrs Siddons in London – this larger-than-life work, is located in the chapel of St Andrew in Westminster Abbey's north transept.
The work of sculptor Thomas Campbell, it features a standing Mrs Siddons, and dates from 1845.
PICTURE: Stephencdickson (licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)
10 sites of significance in Jane Austen's London…10. A final memorial…
September 27, 2017
Jane Austen died in Winchester, Hampshire, on 18th July, 1817, at the age of just 41. She was buried in the city's cathedral but a small tablet was unveiled in Westminster Abbey to mark her death 150 years later.
Located in Poets' Corner in the abbey's south transept, the small tablet was erected on 17th December, 1967, by the Jane Austen Society. Made of polished Roman stone, it simply bears her name and year of birth – 1775 – and year of death.
The tablet was placed on the lefthand side of the (much larger) memorial to William Shakespeare and below that of lexicographer Samuel Johnson.
This is the final in our series on Jane Austen's London – we'll be starting a new series shortly.
WHERE: Westminster Abbey (nearest Tube station is Westminster and St James's Park); WHEN: Various – check website; COST: £22 adults/£17 concessions/£9 chirldren (6-16)/five and under free (check website for more options); WEBSITE: www.westminster-abbey.org
PICTURE: Carcharoth (Commons)/CC BY-SA 3.0 (image cropped)
10 sites of significance in Jane Austen's London…9. Literary locations…
September 20, 2017
Jane Austen featured numerous London locations in her novels. Here's five…
• Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury. In Emma, the main protagonist's married sister, Isabella, lives here with her lawyer husband John Knightley and children. Isabella is well pleased with her home, noting "We are so very airy".
• Hill Street, Mayfair. Admiral Crawford, uncle of Henry and Mary Crawford, lives in this street in Mansfield Park.
• Harley Street, Marylebone (pictured). John and Fanny Dashwood took a house in this street for the "season" in Sense and Sensibility.
• Bond Street. Well known to Austen, she has Marianne, then upset over Willoughby (who has lodgings here), visit here on a shopping trip in Sense and Sensibility.
• Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. The Hursts have a house in this fashionable West End street in Pride and Prejudice and here Jane Bennet visits Caroline Bingley hoping to see her brother Charles. Read the rest of this entry »
10 sites of significance in Jane Austen's London…8. A face-to-face encounter with the author…
September 13, 2017
It's said to be the "only reasonably certain portrait from life" – a sketch by Jane's older sister Cassandra which purportedly depicts the artist.
Found on display in Room 18 of the National Portrait Gallery, the pencil and watercolour sketch dates from about 1810 and was purchased by the gallery in 1948 for £135.
The image was the basis for a late 19th century water-colour image of Jane which was created by Maidenhead artist James Andrews who traced Cassandra's sketch.
Andrew's image had been commissioned by Jane's nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh, and he used an engraving of it – made by William Home Lizars – as a frontispiece to his biography, A Memoir of Jane Austen.
It is an image of that engraving which features on the new £10 polymer banknote going into circulation tomorrow.
The decision to use the later image rather than the original has attracted some criticism – not for the subject but for the fact that, as historian Lucy Worsley told The Sunday Times, it represents "an author publicity portrait after she died in which she's been given the Georgian equivalent of an airbrushing".
There has, we should also note, been some criticism of the choice of quote on the note – "I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading" comes from Pride and Prejudice and was uttered by the deceitful Caroline Bingley who really has no interest in reading at all!
WHERE: Room 18, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place (nearest Tube station is Charing Cross or Leicester Square); WHEN: 10am to 6pm daily; COST: Free (donations welcome); WEBSITE: www.npg.org.uk
PICTURE: Jane Austen by Cassandra Austen (pencil and watercolour, circa 1810 – NPG 3630) © National Portrait Gallery, London
10 sites of significance in Jane Austen's London…7. Dartford stopovers…
September 6, 2017
OK, it's not in London per se but given its proximity, we thought this plaque commemorating Jane Austen's visits to an inn which once stood in the town of Dartford in Kent worth mentioning.
The plaque, which was erected by the Dartford Borough Council in High Street in 2006, commemorates the times Austen stayed at The Bull and George Inn while travelling from the family home in Hampshire to meet her brother Edward Knight in Kent.
Edward has been adopted as a boy by a relative, Thomas Knight, who owned Godmersham Park which stands between Canterbury and Ashford. Edward, who married Elizabeth Bridges, later inherited the house and Jane and her sister Cassandra were apparently frequent visitors (at different times) during which time they helped look after their nieces and nephews and visit nearby towns such as Canterbury.
Austen is known to have often rested at the inn overnight on her way to and from Kent and at other times simply stopped for a meal.
PICTURE: Ken/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0
It's perhaps the most famous of the visits that Jane Austen made during her London stays and while the property no longer exists, we thought it was worth mentioning.
But first, let's explain. The Prince Regent (later King George IV) was an admirer of Jane's novels, so much so that when he was aware of the author's presence in London, he issued – via his librarian and chaplain Rev James Stanier Clarke – an invitation for her to visit the library and tour his palatial London property, Carlton House.
The grand, lavishly decorated property, created from an existing property between 1783 and 1812 by the architect Henry Holland, was among the grandest in London at the time. Facing on to the south side of Pall Mall, the building sat across what is now Waterloo Place while its gardens abutted St James's Park.
Jane visited on 13th November, 1815, and in the company of Rev Clarke toured the library. During her visit, it was suggested she could dedicate her next novel to the Prince Regent, an idea which didn't sit that well with Jane who was a supporter of his estranged wife, Princess Caroline.
After her initial equivocation, her publisher John Murray apparently managed to prevail upon Jane to do so and she eventually capitulated, dedicating her novel Emma to him (a special copy of the novel was sent to the Prince at Carlton House).
Carlton House, meanwhile, didn't last for much longer. King George IV, on his accession to the throne, decided to create a property more fitting for a king and ordered works to be carried out on Buckingham House so it could be his main London residence (as Buckingham Palace).
Carlton House, despite the exorbitant sums the Prince had spent transforming it, was demolished in 1825 and the John Nash-designed Carlton House Terrace built upon the site. Columns from the Carlton House were reused in creating the portico of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square.
PICTURE: Carlton House (via Wikipedia).
Jane Austen was known as a patron of London's theatre – in some cases attending shows several times a week while in the city (despite the fact that many, based on her writings – in particular Mansfield Park, believe she wasn't really a fan).
She is known to have visited a number of West End establishments to see performances. They included:
• The Lyceum Theatre: Jane visited this Wellington Street theatre more than once and expressed her frustration on one occasion of her failure to see the incomparable Sarah Siddons perform there.
• The Covent Garden Theatre: The theatre Jane attended was a second iteration, opening in 1809 on the site of what is now the Royal Opera House adjacent to the market as a replacement for the previous theatre which, dating back to 1732, had burned down.
• The Theatre Royal Drury Lane: The oldest of London's theatres still in use, Jane saw the great actor Edmund Kean famously perform here as Shylock in the Shakespearian play, The Merchant of Venice, in 1814.
This Grade II*-listed building is the former site of the offices of publisher, John Murray, who published four of Jane Austen's six novels including Emma (1815), Mansfield Park (1814), Persuasion (1818) and Northanger Abbey (1818) (the last two after Austen's death on 18th July, 1817).
Murray, whose offices were located here from 1812 onwards, published, along with Austen, many of the great literary names of the age including everyone from Lord Byron to Sir Walter Scott and Washington Irving (the company also later published the likes of Herman Melville and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).
The John Murray with whom Austen dealt (and it seems her brother Henry must have played a considerable part in getting Murray to publish his sister's works given Murray had already won considerable fame with the publication of Byron's epic poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage in 1811) was actually John Murray II, of whom Austen wrote to her sister Cassandra: "He is a rogue, of course, but a civil one".
His father John Murray I had founded the business in Fleet Street in 1768 and his son, John Murray III, continued it after his father (in fact, there were a succession of John Murrays down to John Murray VII).
The business was acquired in 2002 by Hodder Headline, itself then acquired by the French Lagardère Group. John Murray is now an imprint of Hachette UK.
PICTURE: Google Maps