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Exercises for Back Painby William Smith Grant Cooper
A convenient, cost-effective opportunity to alleviating the stiffness, lack of mobility, and decreased daily function that result from chronic back pain. Back pain is no small issue. In the US, acute lower back pain is the fifth leading cause for doctor visits. About 9 out of 10 adults experience back pain at some point in their lives, and 5 out of 10 working adults suffer from back pain at some point every year.Exercises for Back Pain helps you to understand the root cause of your discomfort, how back pain affects on your overall health and well being, and practical exercises you can use to treat the pain. It includes rehabilitative exercise regimes for both men and women who suffer from back pain or those who have undergone back surgery. Exercises for Back Pain features:* Up-to-date clinical treatments on back pain* Specific exercises that strengthen the back* A training log to track your progressEasy-to-follow photograph sequences with clear instructions make the healing process a simpler one. Written by Wiliam Smith, MS, NSCA, CSCS, MEPD, Exercises for Back Pain will help you to achieve a healthier, happier, more productive life.
Exercises for Heart Healthby William Smith Fred M. Aureon
Fight the statistics of heart disease with an expert's help.Heart disease is the #1 health problem for both women and men in the United States. Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease and is linked to heart failure. Exercise is essential for a healthy heart, especially if you are at risk for or are recovering from heart disease.The latest book in the Hatherleigh Press "Exercises For" series, Exercises for Heart Health features an easy to follow exercise plan for both cardiac health and muscle strength. The book reviews the causes of heart disease, the affects of heart disease on your overall health and well being, and practical exercise routines for treatment. Exercises for Heart Health also features:* Up-to-date analyses of clinical treatments on heart disease* Daily exercise recommendations* A training log to track your progress. With clearly photographed exercises in easy-to-follow sequences and complete instructions, Exercises for Heart Health is a comprehensive visual resource. Written by Wiliam Smith, MS, NSCA, CSCS, MEPD, this book a useful, and possibly life-saving, reference to better health.
Learning Xamarin Studioby William Smith
This book is intended for .NET developers with any level of experience and who are interested in building native applications without the hassle of becoming Objective-C or Java experts. Although it will be beneficial to have some development experience, particularly in .NET, Learning Xamarin help even a novice developer get past the headaches of setting up and customizing their new development environment so they can move on to producing high-quality native applications quickly.
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http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-conduct-yale-philharmonia-lincoln-center-2014-10-06October 06, 2014|0 comments
John Adams will lead the Yale Philharmonia in a concert at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City on Sunday, October 19. The program opens with Stravinsky's Orpheus, followed by Adams's Beethoven-inspired piece Absolute Jest (also featuring the Brentano String Quartet in its debut year as Yale's quartet-in-residence), and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major. The artists will also perform the program at Yale University's Woolsey Hall on Friday, October 17.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News On Tourjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-songplay-ceiling-sky-receive-la-premiere-2014-08-20August 20, 2014|0 comments
John Adams's 1995 "songplay" I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky receives its long-overdue LA premiere in a Long Beach Opera performance at the Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday. The piece, with a libretto by the late poet June Jordan, uses the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake as a starting point to explore race, gender, and immigration issues among young Angelenos. Nonesuch Records released the recording of Ceiling/Sky in 1998, featuring Audra McDonald, among others.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News On Tourjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-city-noir-new-album-superb-performances-st-louis-post-dispatch-2014-08-04August 04, 2014|0 comments
John Adams's new recording of City Noir and his Saxophone Concerto features "superb" performances by the St. Louis Symphony led by David Robertson and "first-class soloist" saxophonist Timothy McAllister, says the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McAllister's "performance, well-supported by Robertson, is amazing." The Post-Dispatch concludes that "both pieces get terrific performances; the recording itself got top-notch engineering." McAllister and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra give the West Coast Premiere of the Saxophone Concerto at the Cabrillo Music Festival on Saturday, August 9.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News Reviewsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/bamcinematek-salutes-nonesuch-records-movie-soundtracks-nonesuch-records-on-film-september-2014-07-09July 09, 2014|0 commentsBAMcinématek Salutes Nonesuch Records' Movie Soundtracks with "Nonesuch Records on Film," September 8–25
In conjunction with Nonesuch Records at BAM, the Brooklyn Academy of Music's series of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nonesuch Records, BAMcinématek presents Nonesuch Records on Film, a salute to the label's rich catalogue of movie soundtracks with a series featuring some of the most memorable film scores of the last 50 years from Leonard Rosenman, Alex North, Toru Takemitsu, Georges Delerue, and more. Special guest appearances include Philip Glass with a screening of Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and John Adams with Luca Guadagnino's I Am Love.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News Film Newsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-city-noir-earns-5-stars-bbc-music-magazine-2014-07-08July 08, 2014|0 comments
John Adams's new album featuring City Noir and his Saxophone Concerto performed by the St. Louis Symphony led by Music Director David Robertson with saxophonist Timothy McAllister, earns a perfect five stars from the BBC Music Magazine, for both performance and recording. "David Robertson and his St Louis orchestra do a sleek and beautifully layered job," says the magazine. New Music Box says: "These are vital, engaging performances by all involved."Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News Reviewsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-city-noir-among-npr-music-25-favorite-albums-of-2014-so-far-2014-06-30June 30, 2014|0 comments
John Adams's new album, City Noir, which comprises the title piece and the debut recording of his Saxophone Concerto, has been named among NPR Music's 25 Favorite Albums of 2014 (So Far). "Soloist Timothy McAllister is simply outstanding," says NPR Music's Anastasia Tsioulcas. "Meanwhile, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and conductor David Robertson are born naturals for this music, turning in fresh, dynamic and invigorating performances."Read more|Journal Topics:Artist Newsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/the-metropolitan-opera-cancels-hd-broadcast-john-adams-the-death-of-klinghoffer-2014-06-19June 19, 2014|0 comments
The cancellation of The Metropolitan Opera's worldwide HD broadcast of The Death of Klinghoffer has been widely reported in the press over the last several days. The Death of Klinghoffer has been met with controversy since its premiere in 1991, but the work has endured and received many new productions since then. The New York Times reports that the decision was made after discussions between The Metropolitan Opera and the Anti-Defamation League. Adams responded to the cancellation a day later, also in the Times, and today both the paper's chief classical music critic, Anthony Tommasini, and Editorial Board explain why they believe the Met's decision was a mistake.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist Newsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/npr-john-adams-saxophone-concerto-gleaming-vehicle-virtuoso-saxophonist-timothy-mcallister-2014-06-12June 12, 2014|0 commentsNPR: John Adams's Saxophone Concerto "A Gleaming Vehicle for Virtuoso Saxophonist Timothy McAllister"
John Adams's Saxophone Concerto, as heard on a new album with the title piece, City Noir, "is a gleaming vehicle for virtuoso saxophonist Timothy McAllister," says NPR's Thomas Huizenga. "He nails the fluent angularity and punchiness in the music with a lyrical touch somewhere comfortably between jazz and classical styles ... You can hear the influence of swing music, and the more frenetic pacing of great bebop sax men like Charlie Parker, over Adams' pulsating orchestra." McAllister gives the West Coast premiere of the piece at the Cabrillo Festival in August.Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News Reviews Radiojohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/new-john-adams-album-two-stellar-works-ny-times-incisive-performance-mcallister-sizzles-2014-06-06June 06, 2014|0 commentsNew John Adams Album Features "Two Stellar Works" (NY Times); "Incisive Performance; Saxophonist Timothy McAllister Sizzles"
The new album of John Adams's City Noir and Saxophone Concerto is out now, performed by the St. Louis Symphony led by David Robertson, featuring saxophonist Timothy McAllister. "Dense, brash and exuberant," raves the New York Times, "these two stellar works by John Adams are love letters to the confidence of the 1950s and a time when some of the greatest feats of virtuosity were often performed in smoky jazz clubs." It's "an incisive performance," says the Times; "McAllister sizzles." The Times of London gives the album four stars, calling the concerto "fun from start to finish."Read more|Journal Topics:Artist News Reviewsjohn adamshttp://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-city-noir-saxophone-concerto-out-now-st-louis-symphony-david-robertson-timothy-mcallister-2014-05-06May 06, 2014|0 commentsJohn Adams's "City Noir" & Saxophone Concerto Out Now, with St. Louis Symphony, David Robertson, Saxophonist Timothy McAllister
The new album with John Adams's City Noir (2009) and the debut recording of his 2012 Saxophone Concerto is out now in North America, with an international release to follow May 19. Both pieces are performed by the St. Louis Symphony led by David Robertson, featuring saxophonist Timothy McAllister. City Noir, inspired by Los Angeles "noir" films of the 1940s and '50s, "is riveting," says the New York Times. Adams composed his Saxophone Concerto for McAllister, whom he calls "a fearless musician and risk taker," after McAllister's performance of the sax solo part in City Noir.Read more|Journal Topics:Album Release Artist Newsjohn adams

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Sky Arts have announced that a number of Royal Opera House productions will be broadcast via the channel over the coming months.
The broadcast details are as follows:
Romeo and Juliet (The Royal Ballet, 2012)
28 September at 11pm and 3 October at 8am
Kenneth MacMillan's ballet stars Federico Bonelli and Lauren Cuthbertson as Romeo and Juliet. Principal Guest Conductor of The Royal Ballet Barry Wordsworth conducts Sergey Prokofiev's legendary score.
Faust (The Royal Opera, 2011)
2 October at 2pm and 5 October at 8am
David McVicar's production of Gounod's opera stars Vittorio Grigolo as Faust, René Pape as Méphistophélès and Angela Gheorghiu as Marguerite. Evelino Pidò conducts The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House.
Cendrillon (The Royal Opera, 2011)
6 October at 2pm and 7 October at 8am
Laurent Pelly's production of Massenet's opera stars Joyce DiDonato as Cendrillon, Alice Coote as Prince Charming and Eglise Gutiérrez as Fairy Godmother. Bertrand de Billy conducts The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House..
Macbeth (The Royal Opera, 2011)
9 October at 2pm and 12 October at 8am
Phyllida Lloyd's production of Verdi's thrilling opera stars Simon Keenlyside as Macbeth, Liudmyla Monastyrska as Lady Macbeth and Raymond Aceto as Banquo. Music Director Antonio Pappano conducts The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House.
La Bayadère (The Royal Ballet, 2009)
13 October at 2pm and 14 October at 8am
Natalia Makarova's production of La Bayadère stars Tamara Rojo as Nikiya, Carlos Acosta as Solar and Marianela Nuñez as Gamzatti. Valery Ovsyanikov conducts The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
La donna del lago (The Royal Opera, 2013)
16 October at 2pm and 19 October at 8am
John Fulljames' production of Rossini's opera stars Joyce DiDonato as Elena, Juan Diego Flórez as Uberto (James V), Daniela Barcellona as Malcolm, and Colin Lee as Rodrigo. Michele Mariotti conducts The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House.
La bohème (The Royal Opera, 2013)
23 October at 2pm and 26 October at 8am
John Copley's production of Puccini's opera includes Dmytro Popov as Rodolfo, Maija Kovalevska as Mimì, Audun Iversen as Marcello and Stefania Dovhan as Musetta. Mark Elder conducts The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House.
All of the titles and broadcast dates listed above are subject to change.
Please check Sky Arts website for the latest schedule. If you have a Sky account, many of the broadcasts are available on demand.]]>
'Ah! How delightful to leave the dreary countryside for Paris, beautiful Paris that Love must have created!' wrote the poet Guillaume Apollinaire. The image of Paris as the city of love has inspired countless novels and films – and operas, too, though not always for reasons of romance…
Take the city's troubled political and religious history, inspiration for several great operas. Meyerbeer's 1836 opera Les Huguenots focusses on the conflict between Protestant Huguenots and Catholics and culminates in the 1572 St Bartholomew's Day Massacre. Sixty years after Meyerbeer, Giordano was drawn to the French Revolution for Andrea Chénier. Both composers take care to depict local and period colour: Meyerbeer frequently refers to the Lutheran chorale 'Ein' feste Burg', and opens Act III with lusty choruses sung by Parisian pleasure-seekers, and Giordano weaves the Marseillaise and other Revolutionary songs into his score. But the principal focus of both operas is the impact of politics on young lovers: Meyerbeer's Protestant Raoul and Catholic Valentine, and Giordano's poet Chénier and aristocrat Maddalena di Coigny, who – in both operas – choose to die together heroically rather than capitulate to a brutal regime.
Paris's reputation as the hub of thrilling theatre has also inspired several composers. Cilea vividly depicted the bustle of backstage life at the Comédie-Française in Adriana Lecouvreur, his heroine inspired by the great 18th-century actress Adrienne Lecouvreur. He mixed fiction (a play by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé) with a few facts about the real Adrienne to create a memorably dramatic plot – which ends with Adriana's death after she receives a poisoned bouquet sent to her by an aristocratic rival in love. Richard Strauss offered a rather more positive view of theatrical patronage in Capriccio (which also contains a character modelled on a real 18th-century French star actress, La Clairon), where his heroine Countess Madeleine and her stage-struck brother genuinely love the arts.
During the 18th and 19th centuries Paris became famed for its courtesans; as a consequence many operatic heroines have found themselves corrupted there (especially if they're called Manon). Massenet's Manon becomes a vain coquette once she's entered the Parisian demi-monde: she exults in her own beauty in her Act III Gavotte and encourages Des Grieux into a life of vice in the hectic gambling scene. In the Parisian Act II of Puccini's Manon Lescaut the once-innocent heroine is depicted as a pampered and bored kept woman. Henze's Manon in Boulevard Solitude evolves into a vulgar tart and ultimately becomes a cold-blooded killer. On the other hand, in Verdi's La traviata the brash music for the party scenes contrasts with Violetta and Alfredo's lyrical sincerity and their longing to leave Paris for a simpler life in the country.
Despite its reputation for corruption, Paris has played host to some of the most enjoyable operatic parties take place in Paris. These include Hanna Glawari's ball in Lehár's Die lustige Witwe (where she transforms her house into an imitation of Maxim's restaurant), Offenbach's ebullient champagne supper and masked ball in La Vie parisienne and the joyous Christmas Eve celebrations in Act II of Puccini's La bohème (which Debussy claimed brought 1830s Paris perfectly to life).
Finally, there's no doubt that Paris has inspired some of opera's most tender love music. The city provides the perfect romantic backdrop to Manon and Des Grieux's amorous duet in Act II of Manon, Louise's ecstatic aria 'Depuis le jour' in Act III of Charpentier's Louise, Ruggero and Magda's toast to love ('Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso') in Act II of Puccini's La rondine and, perhaps greatest of all, Rodolfo and Mimì's growing attraction in Act I of La bohème. No matter how critical opera composers may be of Paris, its romantic ambience is as irresistible for them as for anyone else.
La traviata runs from 16 January – 19 March 2016. Booking is now open.
The performance will be relayed live to cinemas worldwide on 4 February 2016. Find your nearest cinema showing.
The production is generously supported by Coutts.
'You're a Turk… you've a hundred women around you: you buy them and you sell them when your passion dies' – so says Fiorilla to her new suitor Selim in Rossini's Il turco in Italia. But despite painting all Selim's countrymen with a rather broad (and to modern audiences, uncomfortable) brush, Fiorilla is irresistibly captivated by his exotic allure. Like many an operatic character – and indeed like many an opera or ballet – she can't resist the charms of the East.
Il turco in Italia, first performed in 1814, built on the then-current vogue for Turquerie. A few years earlier Mozart enjoyed tremendous success with his 1782 Singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail, set in the palace of a Turkish ruler. There was a lot of other successful 'Turkish' music from the period, including various instrumental works by both Haydn and Mozart. There were even some fortepianos built with a 'Turkish' stop, which could add exotic bells and cymbals to the sound.
In the 19th century the focus often shifted further east. Petipa's 1877 ballet La Bayadère is set in India and tells the story of a temple dancer. Petipa incorporated some references to traditional Indian dance – although the fact that he was able to draw on the choreography he had recently completed for Verdi's Egyptian opera Aida suggests that La Bayadère's exotic elements were not all carefully attuned to India.
Orient-inspired operas were particularly fashionable in mid-to-late 19th-century France: Bizet's Sri Lanka-set Les Pêcheurs de perles and Egyptian Djamileh; Massenet's Thaïs, set in Egypt's Byzantine rule. Saint-Saëns' La Princesse jaune has a plot that epitomizes the fashion for exotic Orientalism: Kornélis is obsessed with everything Japanese and falls in love with a painting of 'Ming', a Japanese girl. After taking some opium, he fantasizes about a trip to Japan – but, when he awakes, he realizes that he loves his Dutch cousin. The lightly pentatonic score, just like the plot, flirts with Japanese themes but is firmly rooted in the West.
Moving into the 20th century, Puccini's 1904 opera Madama Butterfly is also an expression of the contemporary fashion for exotic Oriental settings. But Puccini and his librettists Illica and Giacosa are subtle in how they explore the dialogue between East and West. Much of the music has a 'Japanese' style, with pentatonic melodies and percussion including glockenspiel and gong – but this is in opposition to the stridently Western style of the Americans' music. These two styles are carefully intermingled and contrasted over the course of the opera – although the grim conclusion is set to thoroughly un-Western-style music, flying in the face of Western harmonic convention. Butterfly is no mere exotic trinket: she is carefully fleshed out, and her tragedy mirrors the complexity of real-life cultural exchange.
As horizons broadened through the 20th century, the novelty of an Oriental setting decreased. Operas and ballets could, after all, be set absolutely anywhere – Siberia, the moon, 'above the clouds' – and musical style became more malleable as well. In Szymanowski's Król Roger, for instance, the sensual 'Oriental' music of the Shepherd is contrasted with music drawing on Greek and Byzantine traditions, creating a mixture of styles which goes beyond the conventional East–West divide. Meanwhile, MacMillan's Song of the Earth makes subtle reference to the Chinese origins of the text of Mahler's music through gestures as fleeting as flexed wrists and ankles.
More recently, operas by composers including Tan Dun and Toshio Hosokawa have been set in China, Japan and elsewhere – but giving a very different perspective from that of Saint-Saëns or Puccini. And Akram Kham and Shobana Jeyasingh are among the choreographers who have created work that combines Western styles with a thorough grounding in traditional South Asian dance. Times may have changed, but there is still something fascinating about how cultures interact.
Bayadère – The Ninth Life runs 25–8 March 2015. Tickets are sold out, but returns may become available.
Song of the Earth runs 27 March–14 April 2015. Tickets are sold out, but returns may becomes available and there are 67 day tickets available for each performance.
Madama Butterfly runs until 11 April 2015. A small number of tickets are still available and there are 67 day tickets available for each performance.
Il turco in Italia runs 11–27 April 2015. Tickets are still available.
Król Roger runs 1–19 May 2015. Tickets are still available.]]>
We often call Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) a 'Masonic opera' – but 'magic opera' is just as appropriate. Mozart's librettist Emanuel Schikaneder took much of his inspiration and several characters from Christoph Martin Wieland's fairytale collection Dschinnistan. It wasn't the first time Schikaneder had worked on a fairytale opera, and the sub-genre of opéra féerie had been thriving in France since 1771. But Die Zauberflöte is arguably the first masterpiece of the genre – and it heralded a growing interest in fairytales and magic as operatic subjects.
Charles Perrault's L'Histoire ou contes de temps passés launched a fairytale craze in France upon its publication in 1697. From the late 18th century various composers wrote operas based on Perrault's stories but, visually spectacular though they were, they have not remained in the repertory. Offenbach's hilarious 1870s operettas Le Voyage dans la lune and Le Roi Carotte, parodies of the fairytale genre, have had more success. But perhaps the most effective French fairytale opera is Massenet's Cendrillon (Cinderella), which combines humour with vocal virtuosity, sparkling ballets and romantic lyricism. Dukas, meanwhile, brought a touch of feminism to the genre with his Ariane et Barbe-Bleue.
19th-century German composers were particularly drawn to magical tales. A folktale about a hunter who makes a pact with the devil inspired Weber's hit Der Freischütz, with its terrifying 'Wolf's Glen' scene. Like Mozart, Weber looked to Wieland for his final opera Oberon, a superb theatrical spectacle that includes spells, pirates, mermaids and villainous Arabian potentates. Even myth-loving Wagner was not immune to fairytales: his first opera Die Feen depicts the love between a mortal king and a fairy princess, and Siegfried was partly inspired by the Brothers Grimm's 'The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear'. Later on, Wagner's erstwhile assistant Humperdinck shot to fame with Hänsel und Gretel, adapting one of the Grimms' most popular tales. Humperdinck's other operatic masterpiece was also inspired by a fairytale (this time invented by his librettist Elsa Bernstein-Porges): the dark, exquisite Königskinder.
Russia's rich folklore fuelled the work of many 19th-century Russian composers. Glinka led the way with Ruslan and Lyudmila, an exotic odyssey featuring a knight on a quest to save his bride. But it was Rimsky-Korsakov who was the king of the genre – his seven fairytale operas include the farcical The Golden Cockerel and the epic, mystical The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya. Rimsky-Korsakov's pupils Stravinsky and Prokofiev carried on the tradition, with Le Rossignol (to a story by Hans Christian Andersen) and the satirical L'Amour des trois oranges respectively.
Fairytale opera also thrived in Central Europe. Dvořák's Rusalka is a particularly tragic take on the genre, its beautiful melancholic music reflecting the water nymph Rusalka's desperate attempts to win a soul and her beloved prince. But Dvořák also brought robust comedy to fairytale opera in The Devil and Kate, about a bossy girl who outwits a clueless devil. Bartók provided a dark, psychological interpretation of 'Bluebeard' with Bluebeard's Castle. On the other hand, examples of Italian fairytale opera are rare – the few exceptions include Rossini's La Cenerentola, which focuses more on morals than magic, and Puccini's Turandot, loosely based on a Persian fairytale.
Die Zauberflöte's most direct descendent is Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten, which Strauss and his librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal regarded as their version of Mozart and Schikaneder's masterpiece. The works have many parallels, including the fantastical Eastern setting, the trials endured by two couples (one noble, one humble) and the radiant finales praising the power of love. Above all, both achieve the full potential of fairytale opera: to use a magical setting to tell a moving, profound and very human story.
The production is given with generous philanthropic support from The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund and Martin and Jane Houston.]]>
The most anticipated moments in Kenneth MacMillan's masterful Manon are, for most of the audience, the four central pas de deux danced by the lovers Manon and Des Grieux. MacMillan choreographed these sections of the ballet first, and Antoinette Sibley – the dancer who created the role of Manon – recalled how MacMillan was 'on top of himself, like a Mozart or Beethoven'. The pas de deux give a heartbreaking portrait of ill-fated love.
The first pas de deux occurs soon after Manon and Des Grieux meet. He has just wooed her with a yearning solo adage and takes her hands, inviting her to follow him. At first she timidly bourées towards him while he walks gingerly around her – but the second he spins her into his body it is as if their burgeoning love and desire washes over them. To Massenet's haunting 'Élégie' from Les Érinnyes they dance with a sense of exhilaration, Des Grieux sweeping Manon off her feet as she literally walks on air. As the pas de deux develops she responds to his attentive, adoring touch, allowing him to support the weight of her body in ever more daring lifts. Their movements become faster and more urgent – interspersed with moments of repose as they stare, enraptured, into one another's eyes.
The next, and most famous, pas de deux takes place in Des Grieux's Paris lodgings. Des Grieux writes a letter as Manon lounges on their bed. She rises and goes to him with her signature, coquettish walk on pointe – a marked change from her earlier coyness. Bouréeing backwards, she lifts her arms seductively above her head and draws him towards her. Their first interactions are flirtatious and playful, danced to music from Massenet's opera Cendrillion. Quickly, however, the simmering desire seen in their first duet returns. Des Grieux lowers Manon gently to the floor as she circles her wrists; her upper arms – an area Sibley once called Manon's 'special erotic zone' – seduce him. The wistful looks of their first meeting evolve here into a passionate kiss, and their dancing becomes increasingly torrid and demonstrative. Finally Des Grieux throws Manon to the floor and dives down beside her in a surge of love and adoration.
In the third extended pas de deux, Des Grieux and Manon have just escaped to his bedroom from her new partner Monsieur G.M. and the party at the hôtel particulier. Des Grieux has clearly forgiven Manon, and he sweeps her lovingly off her feet. Suddenly he notices her jewelled bracelet – a jolting reminder of her life with G.M.. While he begs her to remove it, she flicks her wrist in port de bras that echoes her previous seductive movements, but which now seems almost intended to taunt him. The ecstatic abandon of their earlier duets is replaced by tension; rather than Manon melting into Des Grieux's arms, they lean out against one another's weight, she torn between her love for him and the riches of her new life, and he between his devotion for her and the pain of what she has done. Eventually he rips the bracelet from her arm and flings her to the ground – but then despairingly clutches her to him.
The final pas de deux takes place in the New Orleans bayou, with Manon and Des Grieux on the run after escaping from the prison colony. Des Grieux tries to rouse the exhausted Manon, lifting her to her feet; she attempts to bourée as before, but her body is limp and wearied. They dance together to the rapturous 'Extase' from Massenet's La Vierge but, though their steps recall the earlier pas de deux, Manon's once beguiling, nuanced port de bras is replaced with drooping wrists and elbows, and she now dances in total physical submission to Des Grieux. In a moment of passion, she runs to him and he holds her adoringly aloft as she stretches one arm skywards. But this strength and lucidity doesn't last. Des Grieux's attempts to revive her become more and more desperate until he collapses to the floor. When he next tries to lift her, she does not respond. The heartbreaking truth becomes clear – Manon is dead.
The production is staged with generous philanthropic support from Celia Blakey, Peter Lloyd and The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund. Original Production (1974) made possible by The Linbury Trust.]]>
Year after year, in opera houses around the world, audiences are reduced to tears by the story of a young woman torn between the pleasures of material wealth and her love for an impoverished student.
Manon Lescaut – whose tragedy has been retold countless times in at least two operas (Massenet's, Puccini's), a ballet (MacMillan's) and a clutch of films – is, in some tellings, a prostitute, and in others a foolish young woman. However, in all versions, Manon leaves the Chevalier des Grieux, the man she loves, to become the mistress of a wealthier older man. When she finally has (another) change of heart and returns to Des Grieux, she is arrested on prostitution charges and, in most versions, deported to America.
But if Manon's story is familiar, that of the man behind the tale is anything but. L'Histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut, first published in 1731, was the work of the Abbé Prévost – or, to give him his full name, Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles. So who was he, this priest who created Manon's heart-breaking story of human weakness?
Prévost was born in Hesdin in northern France on 1 April 1697 and spent his early years deliberating between careers in the church and in the military. By the time he finally decided to join the Benedictine order in 1721, he had twice enlisted in the army, after an education with the Jesuits. In 1726 he was ordained a priest and remained with the Benedictines until 1728, when a falling-out with the abbot sent him fleeing to England.
In an introduction to his 1841 translation of Manon Lescaut, D.C. Moylon suggested a reason behind Prévost's apparent inability to stay put: 'The sanctity of the cloister was no protection to our young novice against the rebellious senses; with a heart too open to vain and illusory impressions, and a naturally fiery temperament, he panted for liberty'.
Once in England, Prévost converted to Protestantism and worked as a tutor – a job from which he was sacked in 1730, apparently because of a love affair. He fled to Holland but came running back to London just a few years later to escape creditors, only to be briefly imprisoned for forgery. Prévost finally returned to Paris and the Catholic faith in 1735.
In between fleeing creditors and zigzagging between doctrines, Prévost had somehow found the time to publish the first two volumes of his Mémoires et aventures d'un homme de qualité qui s'est retiré du monde, ostensibly the work of one Marquis de Renoncour. He continued to produce books fairly regularly until his death in Courteuil, Picardy, in 1763.
On a side note, Prévost's death – probably a fairly prosaic end – has been the source of lurid stories, including one that suggested his death was a result of an on-the-spot autopsy. Prévost is supposed to have woken up just as the scalpel was plunged in, and died from the wound.
It was only the seventh and final volume of Prévost's Mémoires – featuring the story of Des Grieux and Manon Lescaut – which captured the imagination of later generations. Perhaps the reason for this is that the story deals with experiences and weaknesses that Prévost himself knew only too well, as the influential French critic Jules Janin recognized:
'Must he not in some quarter or other study the passions he is about to portray – that particular section of the world of which he is going to write the history – those very vices even that he was afterwards to dramatise? and you surely could not expect that he should acquire all that kind of knowledge in a convent!'
Manon Lescaut runs 17 June–7 July 2014. Tickets are still available.
The production is generously supported by Rolex, with generous philanthropic support from Mrs Susan A. Olde OBE, Lord and Lady Laidlaw, Mrs Philip Kan, Marina Kulishova, Mrs Trevor Swete, Quentin Holland, Mercedes T. Bass, Bruce Kovner, the American Friends of Covent Garden and The Manon Lescaut Production Syndicate.
Manon runs 26 September–1 November 2014. Tickets go on general sale 15 July 2014.
The production is given with generous philanthropic support from Celia Blakey, Peter Lloyd and The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund. Original Production (1974) made possible by The Linbury Trust.
Manon Lescaut will be relayed live to cinemas around the world on 24 June 2014, and Manon on 16 October 2014. Find your nearest cinema and sign up to our mailing list.]]>
Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor and Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor
With its story of family feuds and romantic rivalry, The Bride of Lammermoor is particularly appropriate for opera. Donizetti and his librettist Cammarano streamlined the drama, omitting complicated subplots, political references and many of the characters (such as Lucy's tyrannical mother) to focus on the lovers Lucia and Edgardo. Donizetti heightened Lucia's plight by writing her an extended mad scene in Act III (not included in Scott's version), and provided Edgardo with a suitably operatic suicide, rather than Scott's ignominious fall into quicksand.
Abbé Prévost's L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut and Jules Massenet's Manon/Giacomo Puccini's Manon Lescaut, among others
Abbé Prévost's tale of a young man who sacrifices everything for love hasn't been out of print since its first publication in 1731. The novel has inspired several operatic adaptations – all markedly different from Prévost's original. Massenet focussed not on the hero Des Grieux but on the hedonistic, tender Manon, depicting her volatile character in arias ranging from the mournful 'Adieu, notre petite table' to the flamboyant 'Obéissons'. Puccini concentrated on the 'desperate passion' of the lovers, giving them music of Wagnerian intensity that makes their love seem far nobler than that of Prévost's ill-matched couple.
Alexandre Dumas fils's La Dame aux camélias and Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata
Alexandre Dumas fils's first 'hit', the novel and subsequent (1852) play La Dame aux camélias, have gained lasting fame in Verdi's operatic setting. Verdi makes his heroine Violetta more impressive than Dumas' Marguerite, minimizing the character's vulgar aspects to concentrate on her moral dignity and tenderness. His hero Alfredo is far more likeable than Dumas' rather priggish hero Armand, and his one act of cruelty to Violetta is impetuous rather than calculated. His, and his father's, reconciliation with Violetta in Act III is one of Verdi's most moving scenes. Small wonder the opera is now far more popular than Dumas' novel.
Prosper Mérimée's Carmen and Georges Bizet's Carmen
Mérimée was inspired to write his popular novella after his 1830 visit to Spain, where he studied gypsy culture. Bizet and his librettists set Part III, detailing the tragic love affair of the soldier Don José and the seductive gypsy Carmen. They slightly softened the story, enhancing its romantic elements by adding the dashing torero Escamillo (based on a minor character in Mérimée) and the innocent young Micaëla; so creating two love triangles. Bizet brilliantly conveys the Iberian atmosphere of Mérimée's novella through his music, particularly Carmen's sensual Habanera, Séguidille and Danse bohemienne.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Die Leiden des jungen Werthers and Massenet's Werther
Goethe's epistolary novel about a young man who falls hopelessly in love with a woman betrothed (later married) to another was a runaway success – so much so that the book later embarrassed him. Massenet turns Goethe's examination of obsessive passion into a romantic tragedy. He gives his heroine Charlotte two arias in Act III that reveal her genuine love (never confirmed in the novel) for Werther, and provides his hero with an ecstatic death scene in which he is united with Charlotte – in stark contrast to the literary Werther's lonely, botched suicide.
Aleksandr Pushkin's Eugene Onegin and Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin
Tchaikovsky loved Pushkin's verse-novel, which was already a literary classic when he began his great opera. To some degree he stuck close to Pushkin when constructing his libretto, sometimes barely altering the original text. However, he avoided the dry, witty tone that predominates in the verse-novel and instead sympathized wholeheartedly with the romantic passion of Tatyana (expressed movingly in her Letter Scene) and the melancholy of Lensky (in his aria 'Kuda, Kuda').
Henri (Henry) Murger's Scènes de la vie de bohème and Giacomo Puccini's La bohème/Ruggero Leoncavallo's La bohème
Henri Murger's satirical autobiographical tales of bohemian life in 1840s Paris brought the struggling writer to public attention and international acclaim. Puccini's opera is only loosely based on Murger. He concentrated on the few genuinely romantic and tragic elements in the novel to create a work often called 'opera's greatest love story'. Leoncavallo tried to stick closer to the episodic, black-comic tone of Murger's novel. The result was a more fragmented drama that vacillates between farce and tragedy, and which has never gained a firm hold in the repertory.
Nikolai Leskov's Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Dmitri Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Nicolai Leskov's chilling novel explores the boredom of provincial life and the suppression of women. Shostakovich focussed on the second theme in his operatic masterpiece. He depicts his heroine Katerina as an intelligent, lonely, passionate woman surrounded by brutes: the cowardly Zinovy, the macho Sergey and the bullying Boris. He made Katerina a warmer, more sympathetic and less vicious woman than in the novel, and gave her some of the opera's most beautiful music, such as the aria 'Zherebyonok k kobïlke toropitsya'.
Henry James's The Turn of the Screw and Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw
Henry James's ghost story has fascinated readers and critics for generations –not least for the ambiguity of whether the ghosts seen by the Governess really exist. By giving his ghosts voices and having them participate on stage, Britten seems to imply that they are 'real' – though a degree of uncertainty remains. But certainly his ghosts have more definite personalities than in James, particularly Peter Quint, with his eerie celeste accompaniment and seductive speech. The scene in which the ghosts summon the children at night is particularly spine chilling.
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Poul Ruders's The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood had worried about how her award-winning dystopian novel, with its internal monologues, multiple locations and fragmented chronology, could be turned into an opera – but she was very impressed when she saw the premiere of Poul Ruders's opera. Although Ruders and his librettist Paul Bentley cut some of the characters and reduced the number of flashbacks, they remained remarkably faithful to the novel's plot and tone. Many critics saw the opera's message as particularly relevant to the conflict-ridden early 21st century.
We recently asked what books you'd love to turn into an opera or ballet, with suggestions offered as diverse as Winnie The Pooh and The Bell Jar.
La traviata runs from 19 April–20 May 2014. Tickets are still available. Manon Lescaut runs from 17 June–7 July 2014. A small number of tickets are available, and there will be 67 tickets available on the day of each performance. The production will be broadcast live around the world on 24 June 2014. Find your nearest cinema here. La bohème runs from 9–19 July 2014. Tickets are still available.
The Story Begins...
When the beautiful schoolgirl Manon Lescaut meets the young Chevalier des Grieux, it is love at first sight. But Manon also adores money and beautiful things. Which will prove stronger: her desire for a life of luxury or her love for Des Grieux?
A Victim of Men
Laurent Pelly's eye-catching production is set during the Belle Époque, the period in which Massenet wrote this opera. This was an era when many courtesans thrived, but also one in which a high proportion of men viewed independent-minded women with hostility and suspicion. For Pelly, Manon is both a victim and a manipulator of men.
At the Centre of the Story
Massenet based his opera on Abbé Prévost's hugely popular novel L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut (1731). Prévost's story is told wholly from Des Grieux's point of view, and is a cautionary tale showing how obsessive love can bring a man to the point of ruin. Massenet alters the story substantially; Manon is the central character for long stretches of his opera, and he makes it clear that her love for Des Grieux – despite her reckless pleasure-seeking – is genuine and passionate.
Glorious Melodies
Massenet was one of the great melodists of 19th-century opera, and Manon contains some of his finest arias and duets. Highlights include Manon's flamboyant Gavotte in Act III scene 1, Des Grieux's anguished 'Ah! fuyez, douce image' in Act III scene 2 and Manon and Des Grieux's passionate reunion, 'N'est-ce plus ma main' in the same scene and tender duet in Act V. Other musical highlights include a neoclassical ballet in Act III.
A Singers' Favourite
Manon was a great success from its premiere, and remained in the repertory even when Massenet's other works were rarely performed. The roles of Manon and Des Grieux have been popular with many leading singers, including Mary Garden, Nellie Melba, Victoria de los Ángeles, Beverly Sills, Anna Netrebko and Natalie Dessay; and Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Nicolai Gedda, Alfredo Kraus and Vittorio Grigolo.
Manon runs from 14 January to 4 February 2014. Tickets are still available.]]>
The title role of Massenet's exquisite opera Manon is one of the greatest lures for a singing actress. It's a veritable honeypot of great tunes, great duets and buckets of emotion, with the added bait of interpreting a heroine who is not as bad – nor as good – as she might seem.
Massenet's heroine makes this opera. Through the music, Manon is elevated from the coquettish, bad-girl role she has in the Abbé Prévost's novel that inspired the opera. In Massenet's hands she becomes an enigmatic woman full of ambiguities: cruel, selfish and superficial on one hand; but on the other sincere, joyous and – crucially – deeply sympathetic.
We first meet Manon with her Act I aria 'Je suis encor' tout étourdie' (I'm still completely dizzy), on the first journey she has ever taken beyond her home town. Massenet weaves a lilting, almost reeling line for his heroine, in which the short phrases seem punctuated by gasps and bursts of hysterical laughter. It conveys Manon's exhaustion, her shy confusion over her cousin Lescaut's bawdy insinuations – but also her wide-eyed excitement at the discovery of a world beyond her family.
This ingenuous quality stays with Manon throughout the opera – perhaps nowhere more so than in 'Adieu, notre petite table' (Farewell, our little table), one of the opera's most treasured moments. Manon realizes that she can't fight the temptation of an easy life offered by a wealthy man. Looking around the tiny room she has shared with Des Grieux, her true love, she bids farewell to their humble life together. She sings a simple, limpid melody over a spare, shimmering accompaniment that grows and ebbs with her sorrow – building to an anguished outburst when she finally acknowledges Des Grieux himself, her 'pauvre ami', and how much he loves her. Her actions are selfish, yes, but her sorrow at leaving Des Grieux is genuine and profound.
But Manon still gets to reap the rewards of her decision. In Manon's Gavotte in Act III scene 1 we see her merrily ensconced as the darling of Paris. Massenet draws on the rapid, easy high notes of coloratura – the ultimate operatic show-off music – to depict a woman who is the centre of attention and loves it. In the Gavotte's stately rhythm Manon relishes her control over the male chorus, who are absolutely in her thrall. But sincere delight radiates from Manon throughout the aria, such that you can't help but be charmed.
In the scene that follows, Manon uses the confidence and power she displayed in her Gavotte to devastating effect in the irresistible seduction of 'N'est-ce plus ma main' (Isn't this my hand?). Manon has heard that Des Grieux is entering the priesthood. Realizing she can't live without his love, she dashes to the church and desperately presses her hand against his. Once again Massenet drops the accompaniment to the very bare bones, giving Manon free rein. Her soaring, urgent melody guarantees that she charms the audience and, eventually, Des Grieux.
Manon ultimately meets a miserable end; broken by the harsh cruelty of prison she dies of exhaustion in Des Grieux's arms. It doesn't feel like just comeuppance, but rather the unbearably tragic snuffing out of a young life – particularly in the limpid pathos of their final duet, 'Tu pleures!' (You're crying!).
Is Manon thoughtless, shallow, and selfish? Undoubtedly – but Massenet's music makes you embrace her despite her faults. That you care – that it hurts – is down to his music, and the dramatic power of the starring soprano.]]>
Cinema-going opera fans, you shall go to the ball as Massenet's fairytale Cinderella hits cinemas this month as part of the Royal Opera House Cinema Season.
Starring Joyce DiDonato in the title role alongside Prince Charming Alice Coote, Laurent Pelly's production of Massenet's opera is both funny and touching, with a spectacular storybook set inspired by a large red volume of fairytales owned by the director's grandmother. Eglise Gutierrez also stars as a sassy Fairy Godmother.
Sections to watch out for include the gorgeously scored roof-top meeting of the two lovers, the appearance of the strikingly designed carriage and the farcical parade of the would-be princesses.
This co-production premiered at Santa Fe Opera in 2006 and the 2011 performance at the Royal Opera House marked the work's first appearance on the Covent Garden stage. For a fascinating insight into the production process, take a look at Joyce DiDonato's behind the scenes rehearsal photography.
Interestingly, an opera which is unashamedly French was conceived in London, while the composer and librettist Henri Cain were staying at the Cavendish hotel around the premiere of Le Cid, giving a sense of 'homecoming' to the premiere of this production last year.
Cendrillon is a true Cinderella story, unlike Rossini's realistic and restrained La Cenerentola - with all of the elements from Charles Perrault's childhood favourite fairytale intact - the slipper, the dress, the comedic pomp and ceremony.
Find out more about international screenings of Cinderella.
Joyce DiDonato as Cendrillon, Alice Coote as Le Prince Charmant in Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Joyce Joyce DiDonato as Cendrillon and The Royal Opera Chorus in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Kai Rüütel as Dorothée, Ewa Podles as Madame de la Haltière in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Dawid Kimberg as Surintendant des Plaisirs, Alice Coote as Le Prince Charmant in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Kai Rüütel as Dorothée, Madeleine Pierard as Noémie in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Kai Rüütel as Dorothée, Ewa Podles as Madame de la Haltière, Madeleine Pierard as Noémie in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011
Joyce DiDonato as Cendrillon, Eglise Gutiérrez as La Fée in The Royal Opera's Cendrillon © Bill Cooper/ROH 2011


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Wednesday 2-6
Published: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 7:27 a.m.
WHAT: "Always . . . Patsy Cline"
WHERE: Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
WHEN: 8 p.m.
COST: $20 adults; $10 full-time students.
WHAT: "Silver Springs: The Underwater World of Bruce Mozert"
WHERE: Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COST: $6 adults, $4 seniors and $3 ages 10 to 17. Free to members, CFCC students, active military and children under 10.<
CONTACT: 291-4455, ext. 1835, or visit Web site www.appletonmuseum.org
The advisory board was formed to recommend changes for the groundwater and springs protection ordinance, which the County Commission voted down last November.
County Commissioner Jim Payton asked to add a member from the Dunnellon area, which is in his district. Payton said during a recent west county constituent meeting that residents criticized him for not nominating someone from the Dunnellon area to serve on the advisory board.
The task force meets at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Growth Management Bureau Building, 2710 S.E. Silver Springs Blvd.
DUNNELLON Progress Energy vies for transmission lines in area Progress Energy Florida is conducting an open house on Thursday to give information and receive comments regarding its plans to build about 200 miles of transmission lines across 10 counties, including Marion County.
At this time, two corridors are being discussed. Maps outlining those corridors, which are about a mile wide, will be available for inspection at Thursday's open house, scheduled from 4-8 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 7525 S.W. U.S. 41, Dunnellon. Decisions about specific routes will be made at the end of 2008 and at the beginning of 2009.
Anyone interested in knowing where his or her property lies in relation to these corridors should stop by the open house and give one's address to Progress Energy employees. Computer maps will show where the property is located as it pertains to the corridors. The maps are also on our Web site at Ocala.com.
Progress estimates that about 10,000 parcels in 10 counties could be affected by these transmission lines. The lines are needed to accommodate growth in the region.
OCALA Father-daughter Valentine's dance set The second annual Father-Daughter Valentine's Dance, for girls from the age of 3 through 12 and their father or father figure, will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday at First Christian Church, Memorial Hall, 1908 S.E. Fort King St.
Tickets are $25 per couple ($10 per additional daughter) and are available at Learning Wheel Inc., 2370 S.W. College Road and SunTrust Bank, 111 S.W. 17th St.
Proceeds benefit the Philanthropic Educational Organization. For tickets and information, call Albina Powers at 362-3306.
SILVER SPRINGS SHORES Shores Residents Association to meet The Silver Springs Shores Residents Association will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the Community Center, 590 Silver Road, Ocala. Guest speakers are developers John Rudnianyn and Albert Peek.
OCALA Health department to offer HIV/AIDS tests The Marion County Health Department and other local agencies are joining the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in observing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
The county health department will offer free testing from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at 1801 S.E. 32nd Ave. In addition, Soul Harvest and Project Healthy Choices will provide free testing.
For more information about local testing and HIV/AIDS literature, contact the Marion County Health Department at 629-0137, Project Healthy Choices at 368-1900 or Soul Harvest at 680-1240.
OCALA Historic preservation board meeting Thursday The Ocala Historic Preservation Advisory Board will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday in the City Manager's Office Conference Room, second floor, 151 S.E. Osceola Ave. Call 629-8529 for more information.
FORT McCOY Chili cook-off to benefit community center
A Chili Cook-off will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Fort McCoy-Eureka Community Service Center, 14051 N.E. County Road 316, Fort McCoy. Chili dinners will be available for $3.50 each.
To enter the contest, call 236-0374.
MARION COUNTY Middle schoolers prepare for MathCOUNTS game MathCOUNTS is a nationwide competition with dozens of middle school students competing head-to-head and as teams at Oakcrest Elementary, 1112 N.E. 28th St., Ocala.
The kickoff begins at 8:30 a.m. with team competitions starting at 10:40 a.m. Saturday. The contestants include students from Belleview, Fort King, Howard and Osceola middle schools, along with Grace Episcopal School.
Prizes go to the top two teams and four individuals, who advance to state competition in Orlando.
For more information, contact Jamie Pittman at 236-0591 or visit www.MathCOUNTS.org.
OCALA County development committee to meet The Marion County Development Review Committee will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at the Transportation Department conference room, 412 S.E. 25th Ave.
The meeting is open to the public. For more information, call 671-8686.
OCALA Women's club schedules a lunch for Tuesday The GFWC Woman's Club of Ocala Day Group will meet for lunch at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Ocala Elks Club and Lodge, 702 N.E. 25th Ave., Ocala. The Merry Makers Clown Troupe will perform.
For lunch reservations, call Mary Knight at 347-3975. For information about the club call Mary Ross at 622-5431.
MARION OAKS MSTU advisory council will meet Tuesday The Marion Oaks MSTU Advisory Council for Recreation Services and Facilities will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call 438-2650.
BELLEVIEW Pet Vaccination clinic scheduled for Sunday A low-cost pet vaccination clinic will be offered from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Baseline Tire Service, 10950 Southeast U.S. 441 in Belleview. Rabies shots are $5, kennel cough is $14, distemper-parvo combo is $14 and feline distemper is $14. No sick pets. Shots are administered by a veterinarian.
For a recorded message of clinic locations, dates and times, call 867-7788.
OCALA CFCC offering 2 new business courses The Central Florida Community College CF Institute is offering two new courses: Market Your Business With MySpace and How to Create and Sell an e-Book.
Market Your Business With MySpace will teach students how to use the social networking site as a network/marketing tool. The class will be held 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 13, and again March 14. Each session costs $75 and includes handouts and a CD.
Learn How to Create and Sell an e-Book will cover the basics of digital delivery via the Internet, where potential readers can purchase and download a book. The class will be offered 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 15, and again March 12. Each session costs $75 and includes a workbook and software CD.
To enroll, call 873-5804. To learn about other courses, visit www.CFCCtraining.com.
UPCOMINGFRIDAY AND SATURDAYAnthony Quilt 'n' Go Club. The Anthony Quilt 'n' Go Club will sponsor a quilt show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ocala/Marion County Association of Realtors, 3105 N.E. 14th St., Ocala. Susan Fiondella will offer appraisals. Call Rachel Johns at 629-6935 for more information.
The Tourist Development Council will meet at 10 a.m. Feb. 13, at the Ocala/Marion County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Unit No. 302, 2102 S.W. 20th Place, Ocala.
Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call 291-9169.
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Almond + Vanilla Scones
I love to bake. Any chance I get, I'm in the kitchen experimenting with different flours, nuts and aromatics, filling my home with scents of vanilla and cinnamon. This is a simple recipe for scones, made with blanched almond flour and vanilla. They are based on a French macaroon style of recipe and what I love about these is that they are so simple to make and are delicious served plain or topped with your favourite whole fruit jam such as my strawberry + vanilla jam. I often grab one as a quick breakfast on the run and they are perfect served with a steaming hot matcha latte.
What's good about them:
These scones are designed to be gluten and grain free which is perfect for those who are on digestive health eating plans. They are high in complete protein as well as being low GI, so they will fill you up, keep blood sugars steady and help your body repair and recover. Macadamia + olive oil taste wonderful in these scones and marry perfectly with almonds and vanilla. Both are a rich source of antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fatty acids that is wonderful for heart health. Vanilla helps relax the nervous system and reduce inflammation. It is rich in antioxidants and can also enhance mental performance.
3 cups (300 g / 10 ½ oz) almond meal / ground almonds
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder or ¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup (2 fl oz) ) macadamia nut oil or cold pressed olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or organic maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 free range eggs
strawberry + vanilla jam to serve
Preheat your oven to 150 C / 300 F.
Combine almond meal and baking powder.
Add the oil, honey, vanilla and egg.
Mix into a soft sticky dough.
Dust your working surface with a little almond meal.
Place over the scone dough and flatten out to 3 cms thick.
Cut into small rounds and place onto a baking tray.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden and your scones are cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Serve alone or with your choice of whole fruit jam.
Makes 12 scones
Notes + Inspiration
Add a handful of sun-dried fruit such as plump raisins or apricot.
Fold in 100 g dark 70% chocolate pieces before baking and enjoy slightly warm whilst the chocolate is still oozing.


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What Is Vetting?
Vetting is a word that has taken on significant spotlight recently. Do you know what it means?
It is interesting to note that vetting originally was used with reference to horses. To vet a horse, especially a race horse, meant to examine or to check it out. The word examine is a good substitute for vetting.
Vetting is supposed to be an intense and rigorous process of investigation, design to gather relevant information–especially the truth–about the subject or object being examined. It can be applied to individuals, things or processes as a means of examination.
Perhaps the most notable area of vetting is done with respect to individuals.
You might want to agree that vetting is performed–when one is called up to go through an interview process. In this case, the individual's application would have been vetted and selected from among others.
The applicant faces further vetting when called in for an interview.
The vetting of job applicants and the like–though important, are not among the most serious for which vetting is applied.
Perhaps the most serious vetting areas are in the political realm; and in the area of immigration.
A prospective candidate for President or vice-President is investigated and scrutinize. So too are other candidates–when they elect to run for public office.
By the way, even voters–perhaps without realizing it–apply vetting in the selection of their choice of candidates. However, some individuals engage in vetting others for one reason or other.
In a changing world, the area of immigration becomes a most serious and critical department in which vetting is performed.
Since vetting is a process of examining and scrutinizing; most things can be subjected to vetting.
Take for example a product–say a software product. This software product is not alone: there is a number of others like it, on the market. In short–there is competition. Here is where vetting can be applied.
With regards to this software, you would want to know you got value for money, when you buy.
Your process of vetting could involve the investigation of–pricing, functionality, and–durability. If possible, you would certainly want to have a demonstration of the software by the attendant; who is eager to sell you the product. You would want to exercise due diligence! You would want to check it out!
So you see the application of examining, investigating, and scrutinizing–can bring you into the realm of vetting! Even with everyday things!
There is virtue in vetting.
Every human being should permit Christ Jesus to examine their lives and report on their current status. This is the highest and most rewarding form of vetting in this life. Willingly submitting to this kind of examination, could be your only passport to the next life.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Carlyle_A_McClean/1154078
Types of College Essay Topics That Every Student Must Know
Essays can be a tough assignment for many students. Although essays mean writing a series of paragraphs, putting one's thoughts in a correct way can be complicated. Knowing the rules to follow will certainly make one's work stand out among the rest. As there are several types of essays, below are the most frequently used and the rules to follow to make one's essay effective.
This type of essay focuses on an idea and the reaction of the writer. The essay starts with a statement or a question which is answered by the writer by providing his opinion on the matter. The opinion is backed up by a series of evidences or facts supporting the argument. The writer would then conclude the paper in a concise and clear manner. Examples include writer's opinion on an event, humanity and even politics.
Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect is the easiest type of essay as it is concerned with providing readers the cause and the effect or end result. This type allows writers to practice their organization skills while at the same time discussing the ideas they are interested in. The essay starts with either the writer deliberating on the cause, the effect or both. The body would then include details that would support the first statement such as incidents that led to the cause or effect. Topics that are often discussed under this essay type include environmental and civil or human rights.
Persuasive essays involve persuading readers to adopt the writer's view about an idea. In a persuasive essay, writers must choose which side of the argument they want to be on. Evidences must be specific to ensure that the idea that one is presenting is supported. Be logical and objective. Include facts, statistics and experts' comments as they help make the idea concrete; however, do not overdo these as they can bore the readers. Popular topics include drugs, health, gun control and other controversial topics.
Narrative essays are like storytelling as writers often write the essay in the form of a story, presenting readers with a particular plot that includes characters, a setting, the climax and the ending of the story. A higher form of narrative essay includes discussion of the point of view of the writer and the purpose of why the paper was written. Details provided in the story help support the point of view as well as explain the story. Popular topics include a person's life, success stories and travels.
Pat works as a freelance writer and loves to write about the latest when it comes to technology, construction, home improvement and sports. He also loves to work on D-I-Y projects at home and cooking in his spare time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Patrick_Laurence/1754394


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Written on: 23/11/2012 by GaryManc1968 (1 review written)
I bought 2 Impossibles jigsaws for my dad for Christmas. The jigsaws are great value for money, and there is a large variations of jigsaws, the jigsaws were delivered very quickly.So if you are looking for anyway to buy great value then look no further than All Jigsaw Puzzles.
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Written by JulieNeimantas


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Liposuction Q&A
Inches + Liposuction
No Inches Lost After Arm Liposuction
I had liposuction on my arms and thighs 2 weeks back.my ps made four incisions on each of my thigh and till now,i have lost 1.5 inches from them.but... READ MORE
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Like maybe 1 - 1 and a half for my left inner calf probablly even just a half of fat for my left inner calf. And maybe like 1 to 2 and a half inches... READ MORE
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My fat pad isn't that thick at .625 inches but I was still wondering if I have the money what's the lowest a surgeon would make my fat pad, could he... READ MORE
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I'm getting Liposuction on my arms. Currently they are 16 inches. What reduction can I expect?
How many inches (typically) come off of upper arms after lyposuction? Any range you can give me? Thanks!
How many inches (roughly) can you lose on your (upper) arms if you get lyposuction? READ MORE
LIPOSHAPER - Is this the only non-invasive lipo?
This is supposedly the only REALLY non-invasive Lipo, allowing to lose up to 10cm of fat in specific zones, such as abdomen, thighs or knees, IN A... READ MORE


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Three years since a massive earthquake struck Haiti, the country continues to recover and rebuild. Significant gains and serious setbacks make for a changing evaluation of the nation's progress. Trying to determine whether the recovery has been successful or not has been a relatively hard question to answer.
An estimated 80% of all the debris has been cleared, 200 new schools have been built and roughly 3 million children have received vaccines against polio, measles and rubella championed UN Foundation CEO Kathy Calvin in a press call on Wednesday.
Challenges remain. Over 350,000 Haitians are still living in tents and many of the aid pledges made in the wake of the earthquake remain unfulfilled. Some are apt to point out the failure of the response over the past three years.
"[I]t is evident that many good intentions imploded at the expense of the people they were meant to help," wrote journalist Ian Birrell in the Guardian at the end of December. "Haiti stands as the latest sad example of how self-aggrandising assumptions of the global aid industry can backfire so badly. The humanitarian business should reflect hard on the failures."[view whole blog post ]
|Mozambique Ruling Party Faces Tough Contest
Renamo supporters: Ruling Frelimo faces a stern challenge at Wednesday's polls from...
|Surge in Central African Republic Violence
African Union troops in Bangui (file photo): The UN has expressed alarm...
|Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana Get Crucial Wins
Asamoah Gyan of Ghana (file photo): The Super Eagles have boosted their...


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|Review Date:
|September 01, 2015 by Adam
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Windows Media (.wmv) - 1280x720 3000 Kbps
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Artist: Sharon Van Etten
Album: Epic
Genre: Rock
Sister don't mind that I'm not on time
She knows that I'm through with that
Sick of trying, don't let mine
Mama's still loving and daddy still loves
They know that I'm here like that
I'm like mine: true and kind
Call me aside and i will now be
And i will be fine with that
Don't leave me now, you might love me back
Distance is fine, i know you can't care
And nothing is big like that
You don't see me now, i don't see you back
One day I'll be fine with that
You don't leave me now
Do you love me back?
Just to remind you I'm a mistake
How come you don't want to know?
You don't wanna see, you don't wanna show
Kicking myself, I know that you're tough
Yeah we can pretend we're that
Gotta see how, you gotta leave that
One day I'll be fine with that
You don't leave me now
Do you love me back?
Snow is outside but I'm by your fire
I feel all the love you'll bring
You gotta see how we can see this out
Summer in mind and spring by your side
You'll see all the love we'll keep
Gotta see that we couldn't be there
One day I'll be fine with that
You don't leave me now
Do you love me back?
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Select trailers of interest:
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Home | Race Car Trailer
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May 28, 2016
LAREDO, TX (KGNS) - Sandra Rocha Taylor is part of a new organization that is aiming all of their efforts to revitalize San Bernardo and the downtown area.
She is inviting the community to their first event this weekend, Paso en la Avenida.
She stops by our studio to give Jerry Garza all the information.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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olu villaSend to a friend
From $88 / night
Payment Protection
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Reserve for only
balance of due
Description from the owner
Description from the owner
Bedrooms: 2/
Bathrooms: 1/
Sleeps: 4/
Type: Villa
olu villa Villa
min stay
A spacious villa with a fence around the property and a beautiful wooden gate. Only few minutes from the beach and set in a quiet neighbourhood. The bedroom balconies are overlooking the backyard were you will find a polished cement patio with a dining area, a built in BBQ, work space, a huge dining table and seating area! A relaxing place to have breakfast and dinners or to entertain friends. The front garden is green, lush and full of flowers and a lily pond.
Both bedrooms, located on the 2nd floor, comes with a double bed, wardrobes, mosquito net and ceiling fan and AC.
Both Bedrooms have balconies overlooking the backyard with coconut trees and flowers.
The house has one spacious tiled bathroom. With shower, bathroom vanities, wood counters, washer machine, hot water and a place to store things one might need in a bathroom:)
Spacious open kitchen with polished cement counter tops. Including a gas cooker/hob and an oven, refrigerator, hand blender, hot tea kettle, blender, toaster.
The livingroom is an open and airy space with stairs leading to the bedrooms upstairs. It has a sofa with big cushions, table, butterfly chairs, antique furniture and flat screen TV. Two large doors opens to the front garden.
In the front of the house there is a terrace with roof, fans, and a seating area overlooking the garden.
We love to wake up in the morning, have a tea or coffee at the front terrace, while watching monkeys and other wildlife do their morning rituals.
The house is in a very private spot with no neighbours close to the property.
Close by you will find a small supermarket, post office, pharmacy, restaurants and other shops.
After enjoying the beach-life at Unawatuna beach, you will love how quiet this spot feels when you close the gates behind you. No noise from the disco and bars.
Galle town is about 2 km from the house. Here you will find most things you might need, utilities stores, supermarkets, fruit and vegtable market, fresh fish and seafood, wine shops and clothing shops. Galle Fort is also an amazing place to visit with small streets, antique and jewellery shops, tea/coffee places, interior shops, and a spectacular walks on the fort wall.
Theres is a supermarket, post office, and a pharmacy in about about 5 min walk from the house. There is a big antiques store about 15 min walk away that is great to visit if you are a treasure hunter. Theres is no ATMs at the beach areas in Galle district. ATM machines is to be found in Galle City 2 km away. Very few places on the beach takes credit cards of any sort.
My husband is Sri Lankan and we have family close by.
They take care of the house and garden. If you have any questions or requests they will try their best to help.They can help you get a car with a driver or order a Tuk Tuk to take you the short ride to the beach.
For a set fee and upon request, my sister-in-law will come and cook a meal of local curries for you and guests. Served the traditional way. This to be enjoyed in our lovely backyard at the huge dining table and seating area.
Towels and linen is included. Maid service 3 times a week.
Every morning Sarath comes to attend and water the garden.
We can provide pick up at the airport. To easiest way to get to the house from the airport, is by hired van with a driver, taking the new highway. There is a small toll fee for using the highway. There is also buses and trains leaving from Colombo, situated about 40 km from the airport. To avoid the traffic, try to schedule you arrivals in the early morning or late night.
Contact us and we will send you our bank details. For booking, 20% advance is required, outstanding payment is due one month prior arrival.
Arrival and departures times will be agreed on upon booking of the property.
Price can be negotiated for stays longer than 3 weeks in the high season.
In the low season stays longer than a month will get an substantial discount.TripAdvisor property ID 4438185 ...Read more
olu villa Unawatuna, Sri Lanka
Additional Location Information
In the area you can find cookingclasses, massages, yoga, turtle hatchery, temples, stilt fishermen, paddy fields, mangrove forest, Galle Town and Fortress and the spice garden.
Galle fortress: http://www.experiencesrilanka.com/sri_lanka/exp/galle-fort
Turtle Hatchery: http://www.seaturtlefarm.org/
Snake doctor: http://www.girlandtheworld.org/the-snake-doctor/
Yala National Park:http://www.girlandtheworld.org/camping-in-yala-part-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm;_medium=feed&utm;_campaign=Feed%3A+GirlAndTheWorld+%28Girl+And+The+World%29
Great Train ride:http://www.girlandtheworld.org/the-worlds-best-train-ride/?utm_source=feedburner&utm;_medium=feed&utm;_campaign=Feed%3A+GirlAndTheWorld+%28Girl+And+The+World%29
Maritime museum Galle: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297896-d3404
A 3-5 minutes tuk tuk drive or a short walk to the closest beach. Unawatuna beach also has a lot of shops (in the backstreet) restaurants, bars and night-life.
More About This Location
Warm winter getaways
Proximity to TripAdvisor's Top Unawatuna Attractions
Proximity to TripAdvisor's Top Unawatuna Attractions
Last updated on May 26, 2016
Rates shown in $ USD (Rental listed originally in GBP)
|Minimum Stay
|See all dates
Please note: these rates exclude taxes and fees and may vary depending on the length of your stay. Rates are also subject to change at the owner's discretion.
- Short breaks allowed (1-4 days)
- Washing Machine
- Towels Provided
- A/C or climate control
- Cleaning Service
- Ceiling Fans
- Linens Provided
Phone / Internet
- Telephone
- Internet Access
- Stove or Oven
- Grill
- Toaster
- Refrigerator
- Blender
- Television
- Satellite or cable TV
- Garden
- Outdoor Dining Area
- Balcony or terrace
- Patio
- Pet
- Suitable for the elderly - ask
- Smoking - ask
- Wheelchair accessible
- children - ask
Living space
- 1291 square feet
Reviews (12)
based on 12 reviews
of guests would stay again
Very good
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"Lived up and surpassed expectations, after reading all other reviews"
We spent a week's holiday at this villa and could not fault anything with the accommodation provided by the owner, Nina. The house is simply but very tastefully furnished, and ideal for a short (or longer) holiday.
The surrounding beaches are among the best we have experienced, very clean, safe for young children and not over congested. Wijaya and another one slightly further away were our favourite.
Coco Bay hotel restaurant has a beautiful setting but fell short in terms of food quality - do not try any of the steaks - the toughest I have tasted but I am sure the fish would be comparable to the wonderful fish we had tasted in other local restaurants.
I would most certainly highly recommend this villa to anyone...
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Bathroom cleanliness
- Bedding & mattresses
- Value
- Access
- Other facilities & amenities
- Overall condition
- Booking
- Kitchen & utensils
Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes
Recommended for: Travelers, Friends, Families w children
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"The perfect villa"
We had the pleasure to stay in this wonderful villa for a week in October, 2 adults and 2 children age 11 and 8 and are already planning a return trip! We booked this villa very last minute by emailing the owner in a panic who was so kind calling us from Norway and sorting the villa ready for us in the space of an hour. A beautiful, stylish villa that had everything , beach towels, washing machine and every kitchen utensil you could imagine. It really felt like we were in a hidden little secret garden somewhere. Our children loved the garden hunting for frogs and bugs and planned early morning walks to the nearby Mangroves with the father of the owners, which they absolutely loved. We would normally go for accommodation with a pool but we didn't miss this at all as the sea is so close and we also went to a few nearby small hotels and paid 500 rps to use the pools for the day. Having all the gorgeous areas with comfy, brightly colored cushions scattered everywhere for relaxing inside and outside of the villa and having space to relax outweighed a pool for us. Yummy curries cooked by the family if organised in advance is a must. The lovely big table outside was our special area to eat breakfast and plan our days. We absolutely loved this villa.
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Bathroom cleanliness
- Bedding & mattresses
- Value
- Access
- Other facilities & amenities
- Overall condition
- Booking
- Kitchen & utensils
Recommended for: Travelers
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"Lovely peaceful house close to Galle and beaches"
We stayed for 3 weeks in July/August 2014. The house is lovely and well equipped - it has everything you could need for cooking, and there are lots of places to sit outside in sun or shade and enjoy visits from monkeys, chipmunks and other wildlife. There are fans downstairs and A/C in the bedroom so possible to escape from the heat and sleep soundly. The location was quiet and great for trips to Galle and to Unawatuna (just a tuk-tuk ride away). There are a few nearby shops and the bread man and fish man pass by every morning. Nearby Wijaya beach was very beautiful and safe for swimming in July and there were also nearby beach clubs with pools. The train station and a few shops are just down the road, making it possible to do interesting day trips. Sarath, the owner's father-in-law, looked after us perfectly, in a very unobtrusive way, but always willing to help with everything and very good with children. His wife also cooked amazing meals for us (to go with the delicious seafood we ate at local restaurants). We really enjoyed our time in the house and in beautiful Sri Lanka.
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Bathroom cleanliness
- Bedding & mattresses
- Value
- Access
- Other facilities & amenities
- Overall condition
- Booking
- Kitchen & utensils
Recommended for: Travelers, Families w children
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"You'll never want to leave!"
We knew the house and garden was beautiful, but it's even nicer than the pictures can render. It's big, exceptionally well equipped and taken care of.
Sarath comes in everyday to look after the garden, but he also helps you with everything you might need - from shopping til guiding. If he offers you king coconut, say yes!
Sumari, Sarath's daughter, cooked us the best curry we had in Sri Lanka. Niron takes you everywhere in his tuk tuk and Chamil has a van and is a tourist guide for longer trips.
The house is located quietly by the woods, but only 5 minutes by tuk tuk to the beach. You can walk to the store. You can also walk to the beach, but we preferred not to with the kids - the traffic is hectic.
Our kids are 5 and 7 years old, and they loved it here! It's safe, fun and very friendly.
We only want to come back and see more!
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"Do not stay anywhere else!!"
We spent a wonderful 4 days in this wonderful villa. From our arrival to departure we were looked after by the wonderful host family. Flowers on arrival, Sri Lankan breakfast and curries which were superb as well as lots of unexpected extras to add to the already lovely experience.
The villa is very well maintained and the decor, location and nearby amenities are perfect.Our hosts made themselves available without being intrusive and were at hand providing any information we needed.
Sitting in the garden and being visited by the various wildlife was lovely and we certainly will be making a return visit!
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Location
- Value
Recommended for: Travelers
"A little piece of paradise"
What an amazing experience. We stayed here for almost 3 weeks during Christmas and New Year's 2013-14. We have 2 children ages 13 and 12. This villa is excellently located close to Unawatuna beach (1.5 km) and Galle (3 km). Close enough to easily get to either place and far enough away to get away from them. The villa provides just the right mix of local feel with western comforts. Situated on a walled property, the gardens surrounding the house are beautiful and very private. The owner, Nina, lives in Norway but her father-in-law, Sarath, lives very close by and is always around to help. What a wonderful man he is. His visits in the morning and the evenings have been something that my family look forward to. We will really miss him. He is a very gentle soul.
Everything that you need is within walking distance. There are little store right down the street (2 minute walk) at the corner where you can get eggs and fruit and your daily bread. You can also grab a tuk tuk anywhere along the way and they usually charge about 150 Rps. to go to the beach and about 600 Rps. For a round trip to Galle for the aTM or the bigger supermarket. The kitchen is well stocked with all sorts of pots and pans and appliances that you might like. Might I also recommend that you have Sarath's wife and daughter make dinner for you one night here in the villa. They charge about what any of the local restaurants charge but their food is stunningly better.
It has been an amazing 3 weeks. An experience with my family that I will never forget. I highly recommend a stay at this villa. Nina and Sarath, thanks so much for everything. Your hospitality is above reproach.
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Location
- Value
- Check in
Recommended for: Rugged, Romantic
A FlipKey verified reviewer
Tunbridge Wells
Well, just to chime in, this place was absolutely superb! The house was amazing, the area lovely and the hosts so welcoming. I stayed for a week with my husband and 3 young sons and it was our favourite part of a 3 week trip in Sri Lanka. Couldn't recommend it highly enough!
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Location
- Value
Recommended for: Romantic
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"We should never leave, never ever."
We found a little paradise...The wonderful house is well equiped, incl. the kitchen and we had a beautiful garden. We love to sit outside, have a cup of tea and a good book, and watch the animals, which you find all around and in the garden.
Normaly we decided to have some daytrips, but we loved the house so much,that we only disapeared for a couple of hours.
The house is situated in a very quite part of Unawatuna and with a TukTuk you are in 5 minutes at the lovely beaches in Unawatuna or in 15 min. in Galle, where you can buy and see a lot.
Many thanks to Ninas familiy, especialy to Sarath and his kids who was always looking after us and the house. Everything is perfect...
So we will absolutely come back.
Thomas & Birgit
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Location
- Value
- Check in
Recommended for: Luxury, Romantic
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"A lovely and welcoming house"
We spent 4 days in this perfect place, with two young children (3 years old and 17 monthes). First of all, the house is very nice, the decoration is very well-kept and the garden adorable.
We were warmly welcomed, and all the attentions of our hotes helped to make an even more pleasant stay.
We can walk to the train station, or take easyly a tuk-tuk to beautiful beaches or to visit Galle.
We warmly recommend it !
A FlipKey verified reviewer
The perfect location, a warm hospitable welcome, & a luxurious villa - what more you could you wish for?
Detailed ratings for this rental
- Location
- Value
- Check in
Recommended for: Luxury, Romantic
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"Stylish retreat - the perfect place to relax and a great locatio"
We had a wonderful family holiday in Sri Lanka in Feb 2013. The villa was beautiful. Very stylish. It was bigger than we expected. The inside and outside space work well. The garden was a real treat - full of tropical flowers and wildlife. The owner and their family made us very welcome and were extremely helpful and kind. They met us with tropical flowers & coconuts and made us delicious Sri Lankan curries. They arrange for a local driver to take us to the most amazing beach that was very children friendly. The villa is in the perfect location to explore some of the delights of Sri Lanka - we visited Galle, a tea plantation, herb garden, turtle sanctury, eat in fabulous resturants and went to Yala on safari. We would highly recommend this villa to anyone.
A FlipKey verified reviewer
"breathtakingly beautiful house, warm Sri Lankan hospitality"
We stayed at this amazing house in January 2013 and were sad to leave.
We were met at the door by the owner's family and presented with posies of incredible flowers from the lush garden. The house is exactly as the pictures - only even more so.
A shaded verandah at the front with silk cushioned sofas and it was here that Sarath gave us a coconut each to drink, which heshowed us how to open them without losing any fingers!.
The huge living room with folding doors along all one wall is extremely comfortable, whilst also being very stylish, like you are in a boutique hotel.
Downstairs, the well equipped kitchen was a joy as we like to try cooking local food and enjoy shopping at the markets.
The silverware and china is from Paradise Road, a swish shop in Colombo.
At the back is a barbecue and a huge antique table with beautiful comfy sofas which is a wonderful place to eat, sunbathe and watch the monkeys, lizards and amazing birds.
The gardens have fish ponds and we loved to see the kingfisher come for breakfast.
The floors and kitchen are polished concrete, a medium widely used in Sri Lanka but which the owners here have enhanced, and the starry stairs to the bedrooms is another example of the attention to detail in this house.
Two spacious bedrooms again with folding doors to balconies are so elegant and fresh with large wardrobes - more than enough space,
The owner assures me that the second bedroom will have a/C soon, but they are so beautiful - especially on arrival with blossoms on the pillows that itseems a minor omission. It is a short tuck tuck drive to the beach and Galle town with it's historic fort and great fish markets andshopping is 15 mins by tuck tuck.
I cannot praise this property too highly or the lovely Sarath and anula who live nearby and who are kindness itself. They were so helpful, like almost all Sri Lankans that I cannot wait to return next year.
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Recommended for: Luxury, Romantic
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text: Just started riding on 06/21/08 (Saturday). Haven't rode a bike since I was 15. I purchased a Specialized Glode commuter style bike. I am a cross country runner and fitness trainer. I am looking to use the bike for training and commuting. Right now I am only riding 10 miles a day, I find that is my limit. I want to be able to ride further and would appreciate any help. I am 40 years old and athletic. Once agian hello. Happy Trails!!!!


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Hal Harris | Sun, 01/02/2000 - 01:00
Artist David Hockney has a theory that some of the "old master" portrait painters secretly used cameras(!) to help them sketch their subjects. No, he's not saying that they had Polaroids or film. However, the camera obscura was available in the early 18th century, and the more practical camera lucida was invented in 1807. Did the great artists use these devices? If they did, was that "cheating"?
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Lawrence Weschler
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Publication Date:
Monday, January 31, 2000