text:
London has been labelled "a suburb of Paris" in a stinging attack by the city's deputy mayor.
Anne Hidalgo said Paris is much safer than London, creates more start-up companies, and is more attractive to tourists and families.
The 54-year-old launched a stinging attack on London after it was announced last week that the capital has overtaken Paris as the world's most popular tourist destination.
"London is in some ways a suburb of Paris," she told reporters at the Anglo-American press association of Paris.
"Like it or not, while London may have attracted more visitors around the Olympic Games, Paris remains the number one world tourist destination, even if we only include foreign visitors and not national ones."
It was revealed last week that the number of tourists to visit London last summer jumped 20 per cent, with almost 4.9million people flocking to the capital between July and September.
The record figures prompted praise from Mayor Boris Johnson, who declared: "These incredible figures prove that London is without doubt the greatest city on the planet."
But Mrs Hidalgo was unimpressed with the Mayor's exuberance, saying: "Boris Johnson boasts about the merits of London in different way to the French, and Parisians.
"London aggressively sells itself, often in a way that goes beyond the truth. We are more rational in our communication when speaking about Paris' strengths."
She added: "Paris is a safer city than London. There are four times less crimes in Paris than in London."
Mrs Hidalgo, who is tipped to succeed fellow Socialist Bertrand Delanoë in March's mayoral elections, also refuted claims that Paris' trading hours are unfriendly to consumers.
"The truth is Paris has more shops opened on Sundays than London, as we have succeeded in saving a network of local shops and markets that London simply doesn't have.
"Paris also creates more start-ups than London," she added.
With an estimated 300,000 - 400,000 French living here, London represents the sixth largest French city in terms of population.
But Mrs Hidalgo insisted many return to start a family and make use of Paris's schools which are "top quality" and cheaper than London's.
Concluding her attack on the capital, she said: "The mayor of London often claims that London is the best. Well, he can count on me to tell him that Paris is the best."
- More about:
- Boris Johnson
- Cities
- Family And Parenting
- London
- Paris
- Population
- Schools
- Suburbs
- Sutton
- Tourism


text:
Order reprints
Open Badges
Evaluation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and dna-repair genes as potential biomarkers for ethanol-induced cns alterations
BMC Neuroscience 2012, 13:128 doi:10.1186/1471-2202-13-128
This article is currently available as a provisional PDF. Reprints are produced from the final PDF, which is normally produced within 3 weeks.
Please complete the following form to register your interest in ordering reprints of this article. BioMed Central will contact you by email when the final PDF is available with details of how to obtain a quotation and place an order.
Fields marked * are required

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Carolyn • I'm newly single after being dumped from a serious, long-term relationship. I didn't see this coming. I thought the relationship was perfect. It turns out my ex was telling me things were perfect but secretly romancing someone else behind my back.
I'm starting to move past the stage of wanting my ex back and into the stage of wanting to find a new person to be in a relationship with. However, I don't want to ruin my chances with new people by trying to date before I'm really ready. How will I know when I'm ready? How long do I really need to wait?
Dear C. • As long as it takes to meet someone you want to date which is very different from reaching the point of wanting to date.
"Wanting to date" is interviewing for a vacancy, and too often the first step in agreeing to the least unappealing candidate.
Another reason to be patient: You've positioned yourself to make that mistake, or one like it, before you've even accepted a date, with, "I don't want to ruin my chances with new people." You're trying to impress these candidates, versus treating them as people who need to impress you.
Think about your role here. Your job is to be you, which includes being the chief beneficiary of all things you do right, the chief victim of all you do wrong, and the one person on earth who has to live with every choice you make. As gatekeeper to your life, you're it.
Therefore, you will be "really ready" when you can trust yourself to mind that gate effectively when you can think clearly, judge fairly, give wisely and, especially given your recent history, read accurately whether someone is good for you.
Your baseline for such accurate readings is the happiness of your life on your own the phase between wanting the old and wanting the new. Nurture that, please, until someone deserves to be invited in.
Carolyn Hax's column runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.


text:
|Wang, Shiow
|Feng, Rentian
|Bowman, Linda
|Lu, Yongju
|Ballington, James
|Ding, Min
Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2006
Publication Date: 1/8/2007
Citation: Wang, S.Y., Feng, R., Bowman, L., Lu, Y., Ballington, J.R., Ding, M. 2007. Antioxidants in deerberries reduce free radical production, inhibit activation of activator protein-1 and nuclear factor-kappab but induce human leukemia cell apoptosis. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 40:1352-1361. Interpretive Summary: Deerberry is a low, slender shrub. The fruit of deerberry resemble cranberries. Deerberry fruit contain high amount of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. However, being a minor crop, deerberries received little attention for research and little information is available on the health benefits. We have investigated fruit quality and antioxidant content of three deerberry genotypes. We have also looked into the effect of deerberry extracts on cancer development in human leukemia cells. We found that fruit quality and antioxidant content vary among different genotypes. We also found that some deerberry extracts exhibited anti-cancer activity. These results indicate that consuming deerberry fruit may be beneficial to human health. Information obtained from this research is valuable for other scientists and consumers interested in antioxidant compounds in fruit and improving human health.
Technical Abstract: Fruit from three genotypes of deerberries [Vaccinium stamineum L.] were evaluated for fruit quality, total anthocyanin and phenolic contents, antioxidants, antioxidant capacity, antioxidant enzyme activity, and anti-cancer properties. The fruit soluble solids, titratable acids, total anthocyanins, and total phenolic contents varied with genotypes. Cyanidin 3-galactoside and cyanidin 3-arabinoside were the two predominant anthocyanins. Resveratrol was also found in deerberries. Among the three genotypes, 'B-76' had higher amount of anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and resveratrol than 'B-59' and 'SHF-3A'. Deerberries contained potent free radical scavenging activities for 2, 2-Di (4-tert-octylphenyl) -1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt, peroxyl radical, superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen radicals and also had high activities of antioxidant enzymes including glutathione-peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase. Among the three genotypes, B-76 had highest level of antioxidants and antioxidant enzyme activity. Pretreatment of JB6 P+ mouse epidermal cells with deerberry extracts produced an inhibition on the activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-'B) induced by either 12-O- tetradecanoylphorbol -13-acetate (TPA) or ultraviolet-B (UVB). Extracts from deerberries blocked TPA- or UVB-induced phosphorylation of ERKs and MEK½, two upstream regulaters of AP-1. The deerberry extracts also induced apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells in a dose-independent manner. These results suggest that the inhibition of TPA- or UVB-induced AP-1 and NF-'B activity by deerberry extracts may mediated through the ERKs and MEK1/2 signal pathway.


text:
Actually, the Taiwanese phone maker's official statement echoes Apple's earlier comments:
"Quality in industrial design is of key importance to HTC. To ensure the best possible signal strength, antennas are placed in the area least likely to be covered by a person's face or hands while the phone is in use."
"However, it is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers. We test all of our phones extensively and are confident that under normal circumstances reception strength and performance will be more than sufficient for the operation of the phone when network coverage is also adequate".
That seems like a complicated way of saying "avoid holding it that way" and while we certainly appreciate that HTC released an official statement, this is hardly going to comfort affected owners of the HTC HD7.
Earlier, when the antennagate issue first surfaced around the time of the launch of the iPhone, HTC claimed that "reception problems are certainly not common among smartphones", but the last statement indicates a change in the tone. Let us know your opinion, is the "death grip" a deal-breaker for you?
source: IntoMobile


text:
Join PMI, Gain an Edge
Get access to resources, networks and knowledge that will help advance your career.
What is PMI Membership?
Membership is being part of the world's leading community of project, program and portfolio professionals.
It powers your career by giving you an edge that highlights your dedication to employers, colleagues and the community. It provides access to knowledge, networks and resources that help you improve and advance.
We have membership options for individuals, students and retirees.
Learn about the types of membership
Benefits of Membership
In a competitive global economy, project managers can't go it alone. PMI membership gives you the tools and support you need to make your mark on the profession.
Discover all the benefits of membership
Our chapters are the local connection to the global PMI community. PMI members are sharing ideas and building relationships at PMI chapter events in over 80 countries. Join your fellow project professionals and get in on the action!
Find a chapter
Volunteers help shape the Institute and the profession. If you'd like to give your time to influence peers while honing your technical skills, leadership and other soft skills, our easy-to-use Volunteer Relationship Management System can help make it happen.
Learn more
PMI has given me the knowledge and tools necessary to help my clients in the public sector effectively manage their projects and programs, and this has had a positive impact on the community.
David Ciriello, PMP, PMI-SP, PgMP
Management Consultant
New York City, United States
Publishing or acceptance of an advertisement is neither a guarantee nor endorsement of the advertiser's product or service. View advertising policy.


text:
Source: Martha Stewart Living, October 2006
You will need a miniature marshmallow, 2 regular marshmallows, and 2 chocolate sprinkles. Twist top of miniature marshmallow into a point by rolling it between your thumb and index finger. Trim all 3 marshmallows, and stick together. Twist top 2 slightly to shape. With a toothpick, poke holes, and insert sprinkle eyes.


text:
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology
For Students
The University computer clusters offer assistive technology software which may be very helpful to students with disabilities. See the list of Assistive Technology software on computer clusters .
However, if ...
- The ICT support you require is not available in your faculty or department.
- You require a needs assessment for ICT equipment for a Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) application.
- You require training in the assistive software you have received from your DSA award.
Please contact the Disability Service.
Note: Needs assessments and software training are carried out by IT Training (ITS) staff but you must first book an assessment session through the Disability Service.
For staff
A range of assistive technology software is available for staff on the IT Services Standard Staff Desktop (SSD). See list of installed Assistive Technology software .


text:
- Sale
- New Arrivals
- Statues
- Home
- Zen Garden
- Jewelry
- Apparel
- Meditation
- Rituals
- Books & Gifts
Sorry but this item is currently unavailable.
Please check back at a later stage.
Rudraksha rosary has 108 beads, each representing a mantra or a chant. According to legends, Rudraksha seed has been endowed with medicinal and spiritual powers. Unique fresco effect tile is attached to a wrought iron hook are hand-printed in the United States. The tiles are made of Italian Botticino Marble, quarried in Verona, Italy and hand printed in the United States. Mala and wrought iron hook are made in India.


text:
The irony is that late last season, Unsworth scored a critical goal for Sheffield United in its promotion campaign, and earlier this season, before leaving for Wigan, he missed a penalty kick against Blackburn that would cost Sheffield United the two points it needed to stay up.
"I've nothing against David," said Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock. "I like him. He had the guts to score. I just wish he had scored against Blackburn."
Sheffield United ended up tied with Wigan for 17th place but went down on inferior goal difference.
West Ham, which appeared doomed to relegation a month ago, climbed to 15th place with the win at Old Trafford. Argentine Carlos Tevez, whose controversial move from Brazilian club Corinthians would cost West Ham an $11 million fine but no points-deduction, fired the winning goal in what is expected to be his last game for the Hammers.
West Ham would have been relegated if it lost to United. The Hammers completed a double over United -- they won, 1-0, at Upton Park -- and captured seven of their last nine league games to complete a near-miraculous escape.
Everton, which drew, 1-1, at deposed champion and runner-up Chelsea, Tottenham and Bolton booked spots in next season's UEFA Cup.
1 Man. United 89
2 Chelsea 83
3 Liverpool 68
4 Arsenal 68
5 Tottenham 60
6 Everton 58
7 Bolton 56
8 Reading 55
9 Portsmouth 54
10 Blackburn 52
11 Aston Villa 50
12 Middlesbrough 46
13 Newcastle 43
14 Man. City 42
15 West Ham 41
16 Fulham 39
17 Wigan 38
18 Sheffield United 38
19 Charlton 34
20 Watford 28
1-2: UEFA Champions League group stage
3-4: UEFA Champions League preliminary round
5-7: UEFA Cup
18-20: Relegation
20 Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
18 Benni McCarthy (Blackburn/South Africa)
17 Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United/Portugal)
14 Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough/Australia)
14 Wayne Rooney (Man. United)
13 Kevin Doyle (Reading)
13 Darren Bent (Charlton)
12 Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool/Netherlands)
12 Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham/Bulgaria)
12 Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Middlesbrough/Nigeria)
11 Bobby Zamora (West Ham)
11 Robbie Keane (Tottenham/Ireland)
11 Andy Johnson (Everton)
11 Robin van Persie (Arsenal/Netherlands)
11 Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
11 Nicolas Anelka (Bolton/France)
11 Obafemi Martins (Newcastle/Nigeria)
10 Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth/Nigeria)
10 Thierry Henry (Arsenal/France)
10 Gilberto Silva (Arsenal/Brazil)
10 Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
9 Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
9 Mikel Arteta (Everton/Spain)
9 Peter Crouch (Liverpool)
9 Brian McBride (Fulham/USA)
9 Emile Heskey (Wigan)


text:
Andy, a spoiled, womanizing, self-centered guy, is left his uncle's fortune; with the stipulation that he marries and takes care of Peaches, the uncle's young mistress. Andy rebels, and refuses to marry his uncle's bimbo. Peaches also rebels. She's heard enough about Andy to know...View
Life is short but everyone has a couple of hours to kill at the movies. Unless you're Joey. Then you have all night... As Gloria Marradonna flickers onscreen, Joey's imagination projects pictures of its own. And they all revolve around Gloria... if only he could meet her. Would i...View
Stephanie is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and in her hallucinating funk she believes she's someone else; takes another star, Cheyanne, to bring her back to reality...even if it's a Hollywood reality. ...View


text:
Location: Plant Genetics ResearchTitle: High-resolution genome-wide scan of genes, gene-networks and cellular systems impacting the yeast ionome Author
|Yu, Danni
|Danku, John
|Baxter, Ivan
|Kim, Sungjin
|Vatamaniuk, Olena
|Vitek, Olga
|Ouzzani, Mourad
|Salt, David
Submitted to: Biomed Central (BMC) Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2012
Publication Date: 11/14/2012
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/56949
Citation: Yu, D., Danku, J., Baxter, I.R., Kim, S., Vatamaniuk, O., Vitek, O., Ouzzani, M., Salt, D. 2012. High-resolution genome-wide scan of genes, gene-networks and cellular systems impacting the yeast ionome. Biomed Central (BMC) Genomics. 13:623. Interpretive Summary: Brewers yeast is often used as a model single celled organism as it is easy to grow, and manipulate and large collections of strains with single genes deleted or overexpressed are available. We used a high throughput elemental profiling system to quantify the content of elements (the ionome), including nutrients such as calcium, iron and zink as well as toxic elements such cadmium in ~12,000 mutant strains. This large, high quality, dataset allowed us to identify roles for sub cellular bodies such as the mitochondria and vacuole and biochemical pathways involved in protein trafficking in regulating the elemental content of the cell. We were also able to combine this data with other large scale datasets to perform network analysis, which allowed us to assign novel functions to some genes. Overall, this large, publically available (www.ionomicshub.org) dataset demonstrates the power of high-throughput elemental profiling analysis to functionally dissect the ionome on a genome-wide scale. The information this reveals has the potential to benefit both human health and agriculture.
Technical Abstract: To balance the demand for uptake of essential elements with their potential toxicity living cells have complex regulatory mechanisms. Here, we describe a genome-wide screen to identify genes that impact the elemental composition ('ionome') of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) we quantify Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, S and Zn in 11890 mutant strains, including 4940 haploid and 1127 diploid deletion strains, and 5798 overexpression strains. We identified 1065 strains with an altered ionome, including 584 haploid and 35 diploid deletion strains, and 446 overexpression strains. Disruption of protein metabolism or trafficking has the highest likelihood of causing large ionomic changes, with gene dosage also being important. Gene overexpression produced more extreme ionomic changes, but overexpression and loss of function phenotypes are generally not related. Ionomic clustering revealed the existence of only a small number of possible ionomic profiles suggesting fitness tradeoffs that constrain the ionome. Clustering also identified important roles for the mitochondria, vacuole and ESCRT pathway in regulation of the ionome. Network analysis identified hub genes such as PMR1 in Mn homeostasis, novel members of ionomic networks such as SMF3 in vacuolar retrieval of Mn, and cross-talk between the mitochondria and the vacuole. All yeast ionomic data can be searched and downloaded at www.ionomicshub.org. Here, we demonstrate the power of high-throughput ICP-MS analysis to functionally dissect the ionome on a genome-wide scale. The information this reveals has the potential to benefit both human health and agriculture.


text:
Tres Zapotes
Tres Zapotes is located on the slopes of the Tuxtla Mountains, in the State of Veracruz. It is one of the most important Olmec sites, and the first to be written about by explorers. Melgar y Serrano (1868), Eduard Seler (1906) and Albert Weyerstall (1925) all reported seeing the colossal head at Hueyapan, near the village of Tres Zapotes. Matthew Stirling went to see the head in 1938; it inspired him to study the culture of its creators.
Matthew Stirling, Clarence Weiant and Philip Drucker were the first to attempt to establish a chronological sequence for the ceramics and stone monuments found at Tres Zapotes. One of the difficulties in dating Tres Zapotes is the fact that many of the forty stone carvings found at the site, were reused long after they were first carved. Three particularly important finds were two colossal heads and a carved stone known as Stela C, probably the most significant discovery at Tres Zapotes. Stela C played an important role in dating not only this site but other Olmec sites, and the early development of Mesoamerican civilization, as well.
While the debate continues, it is estimated that the occupation of Tres Zapotes may have begun as early as 1500 BC, and that it achieved prominence during the Early Formative period, between 1200 and 900 BC. During the Late Formative, 400 BC to 100 AD, when other Olmec centers such as La Venta were already in decline, Tres Zapotes sculptures showed the influence of other artistic styles, such as that of Izapa in the Guatemalan Highlands, and other regional styles.
This indicates ongoing trade connections with other cultures, which influenced Tres Zapotes. Despite the fact that Olmec culture may have no longer existed as such, Tres Zapotes continued to be occupied until well into the Early Postclassic (1000-1200 AD).
Stirling was the first archaeologist to attempt systematic excavations at the site in 1939 and 1940. Since then, only a few scholars have returned to Tres Zapotes to continue scientific investigations. The archaeologist Ponciano Ortiz Ceballos worked at the site in the early 1970s. Other archaeologists from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia [INAH] returned in 1978 for salvage operations during the construction of a gas pipeline, and discovered a columnar basalt enclosure.
Read Matthew Stirling's 1939 field notes from Tres Zapotes.


text:
[ Printer Friendly Version ] [ Report Abuse ]
Chapter 1 : Red Flags
|Rating: Mature
|Chapter Reviews: 28
Background: Font color:
Just kissing turned into more as the next two years passed. Affection and new depths of physical exploration were commonplace between the Slytherin boys. The two boys had been inseparable throughout their years at Hogwarts. Their friendship harkened back to that of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and even to Sirius Black and James Potter. Merry laughter, inside jokes, and even a sense of superiority to their peers defined Albus and Scorpius. Often seen studying together in the library or out late wandering the corridors, the two friends never defined the exact nature of their relationship. It was hard to call it dating as they were together all throughout the day. However, it was impossible to deny the romantic overtures between them.
Despite the red flags, or rather blaring warnings of impending heartache, Albus slowly fell in love with his friend. "I love you," Albus whispered as he gazed down at young Malfoy's pale face. The dim light of common room just barely illuminated Scorpius' face enough for Albus to make out his eyes fluttering open. Early the next morning they would leave for Christmas holiday – two weeks spent cloistered with their families rather than with each other.
Scorpius was awake and mostly dressed by the time Albus first stirred in the morning. "Better hurry up or you'll be late," he said tossing trousers over to the bed. "Will you survive three entire weeks with your clan?" Malfoy asked with a momentary smirk.
"Will you survive your solitary holiday?" Albus shot back his unintentionally wounding words and regretted them after Scorpius' face turned sour. "I could come visit," he added with a hopeful smile.
"You could," Scorpius agreed. It wasn't an invitation rather a statement of physical possibility. "Have you seen my other boot?" he asked looking around their deserted dorm room seeing it in Albus' hand.
"This boot?" Albus asked coyly. Scorpius sauntered over to his best mate and held out an expectant hand. "It could be one of my dragonhide boots," he said leaning just far enough away from Scorpius to entice him dangerously close to the bed. Pulling Scorpius into a long kiss he said, "Definitely mine."
Finally getting the boot in hand, Scorpius straightened up looking slightly haughty. The grin on Albus' face faltered slightly at the other boy's visage. "See you after the New Year, Al," Scorpius said with a mixture of fondness and distance in his voice. Waving his wand at his luggage, the slender boy made his way up to the common room fire where he would Floo home.
Albus collected the remainder of his belongings that he couldn't bear to part with for the next few weeks and looked around the dormitory. The boom of children at Hogwarts made it necessary for his year to occupy three dorm rooms. Much to his luck, he and Scorpius ended up with a dorm to themselves for the last two years. The room represented so much to the two boys – intimacy that, outside of the walls went unspoken and repressed. Outside this room they were friends but behind the silky green hanging on their bed, they were lovers.
The holiday passed for Scorpius just as Albus had predicted – alone with his thoughts in the large and empty manor. His parents were busy preparing for their Boxing Day dinner party. They were not busy with the logistics or food preparations, but they were visiting with their essential guests to ensure attendance. Draco had even invited Harry and Ginny Potter, much to Scorpius' surprise they accepted. From what Albus had told him, Harry was gracious enough to accept an invitation from a former enemy but Ginny harbored resentment longer than her spouse.
Christmas dinner felt lonely to Scorpius despite his parents' presence at the table. Draco poured over a list of guests while blindly ladling soup while his wife read through the preparations for their meal the next day. As if just remembering that his only son was there, Draco jerked his head up midway through the main course and asked, "Did you like your Christmas present?"
Scorpius received several gifts that day. A silver ring with a snake that had emerald eyes had been his more expensive gift and the one his father asked after. "The ring is very nice, Father."
"It once belonged to your Grandfather Malfoy," Draco informed him as if owning something that a convicted death eater once wore made it special. "It's part of your heritage," he said raising his eyebrows momentarily. "I saw you got a gift from a friend – what was that, a handkerchief?"
Blushing slightly, Scorpius pulled the green and silver cloth from his pocket. "Yes," he said quietly. The package it came in was unmarked but the small heart sewn into the material told Scorpius who it was from.
"Who is your admirer?" Draco asked with a significant glance to Astoria.
"Is she pretty?" His mum asked finally paying attention to the conversation.
Scorpius tried not to groan at his parents. They had started asking about any possible love interests when he was 16 and had been blatantly hinting that marriage would be in order soon once he hit 17. Feeling a surge of defiance Scorpius looked at his parents and said boldly, "He's a boy in my year."
The moments of silence that followed were the time it took Draco and Astoria to connect their son's words with reality. "We've talked about this before, son," Astoria said softly. "You're the heir to the Malfoy name. You have to get married and have a child or the family dies with you."
"I don't want to get married just to produce more Malfoys," Scorpius whispered with a steely edge to his voice. "I want to marry someone I love."
Draco stood suddenly with his hands braced against their large dining table. "How could you be so selfish?" he asked in a waspish voice. "You'd let our ancient family die out because you fancy Joe Slytherin?" Taking a sip of wine, Draco eyed his son critically. "Merlin, for all I care you diddle your wife just enough for a child but you will have children. After that you can bugger whoever you want."
Scorpius glared at his dad. His face was flush with cool tear tracks breaking the heat emanating from his cheeks. "You don't deserve grandchildren," he said vehemently. Wanting to wound, he added, "You don't deserve me." Not allowing his parents another word, Scorpius pushed his chair back and fled to his room.
The argument that broke out after his departure from the dining room could be heard two floors up. Scorpius pulled out the book where he stashed his notes from Albus and thumbed through a few of the more recent messages. They were all signed "With love, Al." He wished that the words, "I love you," would come tumbling out of his mouth, but whenever he tried to talk about their relationship Scorpius sounded more like his father than a boy in love.
A soft knock at the door preceded Astoria's voice, "Scorpius, I've brought you water." Shoving the book and notes under his pillow, Scorpius sat up in bed as his mother pushed the door open. She sat on the edge of his bed and offered him a tall glass of water. "I know it's hard to hear at your age, but sometimes there's a responsibility to your family that outweighs your own passing desires," she said with a hand on her son's knee. "I wasn't thrilled when your father came by as my suitor. I even cried on our wedding day." Scorpius hadn't heard his mother talk about her marriage like this before. "The point is if I hadn't listened to my parents and married your father I wouldn't have you."
Bugger. Between the tears in the corner of his mum's hazel eyes and the watery smile, Scorpius could feel his stubborn wall wobbling under her gaze. "There aren't any girls I like," he said stubbornly.
"How much have you really tried looking?" she asked raising a dark eyebrow. "With all your time spent with your friends I'm surprised you know girls exist at all. Try spending time with a few."
Scorpius stared at his knees thinking about his mum's encouragement. "What about love?" he asked feeling tears threatened to make a reappearance.
"Love takes many forms, Scorpius. The love between two friends in a youthful relationship is quite different than a romantic relationship." Laughing lightly she added, "You're not the first boy to fancy his friend. You live at a boarding school for Merlin's sake." Seeing the scowl on her son's face, Astoria added, "Not that your feelings aren't real. Just consider the family and your father."
Taking the empty glass with her, Astoria left her son's room. His voice reached her as she shut the door, "Mum, thanks." Smiling she went downstairs to continue on the party plans for the next day. Scorpius went to bed wrestling with the idea of trying to date a witch rather than being solely occupied with his best mate. Maybe if he stopped spending all his time with Albus a girl or two would catch his eye.
It was not a restful night for the young man. Thoughts of Albus filled his head. Was it love he felt? He thought so but the idea was scary to admit. Scorpius tried to appear strong and austere at all times and love was nothing if vulnerable. A relationship with a woman he did not love might feel less scary.
Tugging at the neck of his dress robe the next evening, Scorpius looked himself over in the mirror. The instructions from his parents were clear – greet every guest cordially and compliment where appropriate, dance with anyone who asked, and be a gracious host to their guests. Not wanting to be the only people for the first guests to talk to, Scorpius hid in his room until the party had officially been underway for more than a quarter hour. He had just descended the last stair into the large foyer when he saw Harry Potter at the door. Scorpius was just reflecting how much Al resembled his father when, as if pulled to the party by Scorpius' thoughts, Albus walked through the front door. Hands suddenly sweaty, Scorpius watched as Harry appeared to be explaining something to his father which was laughed off. Was he explaining why his son was there instead of his wife? Was he telling Draco that their sons snogged non-stop at school? Whatever it was caused Draco to make a bee-line to Scorpius.
"Potter brought his son instead of his wife. There won't be other kids your age – keep him occupied," Draco said with a crisp voice. Clearly his father had not given much thought to the identity of Scorpius' secret admirer or he wouldn't have given his son such an instruction.
Wearing a wicked smile, Albus made his way toward Scorpius. "I see you got my present," he said hugging Scorpius and brazenly kissing his cheek. "Don't worry," he whispered, "the adults are too busy socializing to notice two teenagers saying hello."
"They might notice if you snog me in the middle of the room," Scorpius said smiling at the room at large. "That's not an offer, Al," he added coolly catching the gleam in his friend's eye.
Harry made his way towards the two boys. "Al, I said to stay by me," Harry said after greeting Scorpius.
"I was just saying hi to Scorpius here," Albus said putting his arm around Scorpius and shaking his shoulder. "I need the company of someone my own age. You'll be too busy talking about politics and work nonsense."
Harry wore a bemused expression for a few moments. "I seem to recall you begging to come. I would have said no if I knew it would be a bore." Albus was giving his dad the panicked look of a teenager whose parent was being the height of un-cool. Harry laughed at shook his head. "You and Scorpius can pal around – just don't break anything or wander too far off."
Waiting for his dad to disappearing into the growing mass of people, Albus asked, "Want to ditch the party and go upstairs?"
"I have to stay down here and be social," Scorpius mumbled. "Host's duty."
They hung around the main room while the adults socialized with one another. Most were quite content to ignore the two boys chatting in a corner of the room. A few hours into the party, most of the adults were drunk enough to not care where Scorpius and Albus got off to. Deciding to show him around the house, they ended up in the cellar below the party. "It's a bit eerie in here," Albus said hugging himself as he looked around the dimly lit room.
"Mum and Dad don't like it when I come down there," Scorpius said quietly. "There is something peaceful about this room. I know it was used for evil in the war but it's the only place in this house that I don't feel overwhelmed by pomp and predicated behavior."
The waltz that just started above them could be heard muffled through the thick floor. "Do you want to dance?" Albus asked extending a hand and bowing slightly. Smiling, Scorpius took Albus' hand. Neither of them really knew how to waltz so they did a slow back and forth movement where both of them avoided stepping on the other's feet.
Dancing, rather shuffling around the room together, transformed the dank cellar into a warm and romantic setting. Rubbing the back of Albus' neck, Scorpius said in what he hoped was a sultry voice, "This is my kind of party. You, me, and no one else to interrupt." Albus looked as if he had a witty retort on the tip of his tongue but his comment was stayed by a lingering kiss from his host. There was definite desire in the kiss but a touch of hesitance that felt unfamiliar between them. Scorpius debated telling Albus that their relationship would change when they got back to school. Part of him just wanted to enjoy the evening and the feel of those lips against his own. That evening, each kiss felt like a lie and each caress a betrayal.
Not half an hour after they had descended the staircase together, a voice carried down to them. "Albus?" came Harry's hesitant voice. "Are you down there?"
After one quick kiss to Scorpius, Albus answered his father's voice. "I'm down here, Dad. Scorpius was showing me around."
"There's not much to see down there," he said in an unusually crisp voice. "It's late – we're leaving."
Both boys dropped the other's hand before entering the light of the stairway. "Goodnight, Scorpius," Albus said with a glance to his friend. "See you at school."
"Goodnight, Al, Mr. Potter," Scorpius said donning his cordial tone. Waiting a few minutes for the two Potters to leave, Scorpius rejoined the rest of the party upstairs. His parents, who were quite occupied with the guests and didn't notice his absence or return to the group.
Next Chapter
|Write a Review
Pure Intentions: Red Flags
Other Similar Stories
by mymischie...
House of Cards
by Pretty Pu...
Nice sins
by SaffronDreams


text:
- On-Air Playlist
- Program Schedule
- Community Calendar
- EarlyBirds
- Sponsor Directory
- Closures
- Featured Programs
- News
- Arts & Life
- Music
- Programs
- About
- Support KRCC | Underwrite
Royal Gorge Fire, Press Briefing, 9 a.m
By Delaney Utterback On June 12, 2013 · Leave a Comment · In Fire
Fire Official, Cañon City
Zero percent containment at this time. Firefighters have worked hard and held many fire lines, however they are not confident enough to call the fire contained at all.
Three structures have been lost so far. They are in point of protection mode, focusing on preeserving life and valuable structures.
Highway 50 from First street in Cañon City to Highway 9 is closed in order to focus on firefighting efforts.
Their main concerns are the weather, dryness, high-tension power lines and a water tank.
Cañon City Mayor:
Please continue daily business. There are no evacuations in Cañon City at this time. If there are evacuations, reverse 911 and canvassing will notify citizens.
How can you help? Take care of your neighbors and make financial contributions to the Red Cross.
Comments are closed.
Black Forest Fire Information Resource
- Spring 2013 Membership Drive$250,000 out of $250,000 raised so far
Get The Big Something EmailEmail Marketing by iContact
Recent Comments
- Marcia Wurm on A Brief History of Colorado Springs as Interpreted via a Pile of Old Matchbooks, Part I
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Day: Peaches
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Day: Pepper
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Day: Mr. Biggs
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Day: Hector
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Week: Pepper
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Day: Dosia
- HSPPR on HSPPR Pet of the Week: Roger
Ticket hours: noon-6p Tues-Fri
on the phone or at the studio.
KRCC presents ARLO GUTHRIE
Pikes Peak Center
Saturday July 13, 2013 8pm
reserved seating through Ticketswest.com
7th Annual Blues Under The Bridge – July 20th, 2013
WATERMELON SLIM & THE WORKERS, JOHN HAMMOND, BLUES CARAVAN W/ JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR, THE SLIDE BROTHERS, D.B. REILLY, and THE JUST US LEAGUE
www.BluesUnderTheBridge.com for festival information
KRCC Member tickets on sale for $25. General Public tickets on sale for $35. VIP tickets $91.50. Day of show tickets $40 at the west gate. Tickets available through www.TicketFly.com or at KRCC.
Pre-festival Party Friday July 19th from 5-8pm at the Wyndham Grand Mining Exchange with Watermelon Slim, and Big Jim Adams!
Pre-festival shows at Jack Quinns with:
BJ Estares and Route 66 on Wednesday July 17th at 7:30pm!
The Delta Sonics with Al Chesis on Thursday July 18th at 7:30pm!
Austin Young on Friday the 19th at 9pm!
KRCC presents TAB BENOIT
Colorado Springs, City Auditorium
Wednesday, July 31st
KRCC Member Tickets on sale now for $16 at the KRCC Studios.
General public tickets on sale through www.AMusicCompanyInc.com .
KRCC and the Fine Arts Center present VIEUX FARKE TOURE
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Monday August 5th, 7pm
KRCC tickets on sale now for $15 at KRCC.
FAC member tickets on sale for $15, and general public tickets on sale for $25 at the Fine Arts Center Box Office, or through www.csfineartscenter.org
KRCC presents DIANA KRALL
Pikes Peak Center
Wednesday, September 25th 7:30pm
reserved seating through Ticketswest.com
Pikes Peak Center, Saturday October 12th, 2013 8pm
KRCC member pre-show meet and greet opportunity 6:30-7:30pm – pre-show meet and greet tickets available for $40 to members ONLY at the station.
Advance KRCC member tickets on sale now through August 2nd through www.TicketsWest.com. Enter member promo code and click find.
General Public tickets on sale August 2nd, 2013
KRCC presents BONNIE RAITT
Pikes Peak Center
Wednesday, October 16th 8pm
reserved seating through Ticketswest.com


text:
The Bay Pointe Ballet was founded in South San Francisco four years ago as a performing company and dance school. This particular staging of "Coppelia," a happy tale of mistaken identity, folly and love, and toys which come to life, received an award for choreographer Bruce Steivel. We were looking forward to it, but it was not to be.
Thanks to quick work by president David Nyman, a replacement was found in the male quartet The Diamonds, and patrons arrived on the appointed night to enjoy an evening of great music. Even patrons expecting the ballet weren't disappointed.
So. Crisis averted. But I can't help thinking about the struggles and setbacks of a fledgling ballet company. What happened to cause them to be in such financial straits? They didn't give us details, but it doesn't take much imagination to think what might have gone wrong. It is the same thing that all kinds of artistic companies are struggling with all over the country: not enough money to support the quality offerings all good companies hope to offer.
Attendance at live performances is falling; the audiences that are faithful are graying and the younger generation has other things to do. Even wealthy donors can give only so much, and available grant money must be shared among numerous worthy applicants. But our email and postboxes are full of requests for food for hungry families and resources for medical research. How do we choose whether to feed the body or the artistic soul? We have financial issues of our own.
But I picture a young ballerina who has known since she was six that she wanted to dance. Her weekly dance lessons became daily; the dance studio became literally her second home. Her parents made sacrifices to pay for all that dancing, which was not cheap. She put her long hair up in a bun and practiced until her feet were bleeding and her muscles hurt. She auditioned multiple times until finally all that hard physical work paid off; she was hired by a small ballet company! More practice, limited social life, competition for solo spots were all worth it. She was dancing, and even getting paid for it!
Then came the sad word: furlough. There was not enough money to support her lifelong dreams. She'd better find a spot as a teacher, or even go into another line of work for a while. As a society, we are lessened by the artistic disappearance of this lovely child. And she isn't the only one.


text:
Fishtrap Lake is a 6.5 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Sprague, Washington that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and canoeing and is best used from March until October.
kid friendly
wild flowers
no shade
Wear long sleeve pants/shirt during the Summer. trail was marked but thick with heavy mosquito population. Come prepared with bug spray.
My boyfriend and I took our dog and new backbacks out for a test run. The trails are marked but make sure you know what trail you're on-there are several trails you can take. We ended up far away from the lake and in the swamps. Will use our GPS next time.
This trail is good if you want to experience a desert-like hike. There are plenty wild flowers and some wild life. We actually saw a deer on our hike. There is a trail you can follow where you pass through occasional stands of Ponderosa pines and past seasonal wetlands.
Begin the hike by walking through the trailhead gate, being sure to latch it closed behind as this is range land. The trail consists of old farm roads marked with carsonite trail markers.
Also, if you decide to go in the summer, make sure to wear sunscreen and/or hat as the majority of the hike is out in the open with minimal shade.
Fishtrap Lake and the surrounding area is part of the channeled scablands formed by the great Missoula floods some 10,000 years ago. The lake is three miles long ,lies tucked into a narrow basalt canyon.There is no formal trail system,but plenty of old Jeep roads make good footpaths to wander around the mazes of small canyons and odd-shaped basalt cliffs.There are a lot of ticks in this country along with rattlesnakes so please be careful.


text:
Witcher 3 - Preview @ Player Attack
Player Attack has new preview of The Witcher III: Wild Hunt based on a new Bandai Namco press event in Dublin. Here is the attendees impression of the game.
This week I had the awesome privilege of attending a Bandai Namco press event held at the world famous Jameson Distillery in Dublin. I had been to a similar event back in 2012, where the company showed off world exclusive footage of Dark Souls 2 and I remember being absolutely blown away by the sheer scale of that at the time. Well, this year the company have outdone themselves, by showing an EXCLUSIVE nine minute gameplay trailer of The Witcher 3, with commentary from the guys at CD Projekt.
The first thing I need to say is that I can completely imagine getting lost in this game for hours, days and probably weeks. The nine minute trailer went by in the blink of an eye and I was left hungry for more. The game world is simply staggering, but unlike other action RPG's that feature huge robust game worlds, The Witcher 3 also boasts a strong, engaging main narrative, unique characters and real motivations to get behind.
Information aboutWitcher 3
SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released


text:
Gel manicures are still all the rage in nail care, and for good reason. The long-lasting, chip-free glossy shine from gel manicures are every girl's dream, but the price tag and difficult removal? Not so much. Plus, there's the whole limited shade availability thing, too. Which is why I instantly perked up when I got the scoop on the new Manicure Booster from Perfect Formula. Manicure Booster promises to double the life of your manicure by acting as both a primer and a sealer. Just use it as a base coat and top coat, and it creates a thick, protein-rich coat over natural nails and seals in nail polish.
Here's what Perfect Formula founder Shari Gottesman says about Manicure Booster:
"Everyone loves the long-lasting effect of gel manicures, but after seeing the damage that goes with them, not to mention the annoyance of not being able to simply remove polish at home, I knew that Perfect Formula had to create an easier and less damaging alternative. That's where the inspiration for Manicure Booster was born and as we are all about strong nail technology, no one could do it better than us. Not only will Manicure Booster make your manicure last twice as long, it will do so by making nails stronger, instead of wreaking havoc on them."
Sounds good, huh? I'd definitely like to give it a try! You can purchase Manicure Booster for $29 at Sephora.com, QVC.com and PerfectFormulas.com. What do you think, would you try Manicure Booster?


text:
Mike Florio talks with John Mullin from CSN Chicago about the arrest of Chicago Bears' wide reciever Sam Hurd, for allegedly attempting to purchase large amounts of cocaine and marijuana.This video is no longer available. Click here to watch more NBC Sports videos!
Bears' woes grow with Hurd arrest
Posted by NBCSports.com on December 16, 2011, 4:20 PM EDT
Permalink 0 Comments Latest Stories in: Chicago Bears, PFT Live, Videos
Respond to "Bears' woes grow with Hurd arrest"


text:
Continue Reading
We added more to our Charlotte's Web Voice Thread Today. Please join in on the fun!
We also looked at the games on the movie web site.
We finished our museum box today. It is ready to view. I hope you enjoy it. We are having a great time with Charlotte's Web.
Completely spam free, opt out any time.
Please, insert a valid email.
Thank you, your email will be added to the mailing list once you click on the link in the confirmation email.
© All Rights Reserved. Patterson's Pack
Provided by WPMU DEV -The WordPress Experts | Designed by WebDesignLessons.com Hosted by Edublogs
Powered by WordPress | Hosted by Edublogs | Protected by CloudFlare


text:
Without further ado, and after so many requests from our clients the past few years, we are delighted to announce our new luxury wine tours in France. Expect to see many new exciting itineraries being added to our web from Paris and Champagne, Provence and the Rhone, Burgundy to Bordeaux, to French Basque Country. Our research trips over the last nine months have been frequent and varied, and we have discovered some new gems to include in our itineraries for you. We were invited to speak at the International Wine Tourism Conference in Jerez de la Frontera and found some great wineries while there. Other trips in Southern Spain included the wine country around gorgeous Ronda (which hosted the Wine Creator Symposium last April, hosted by Spanish wine guru José Peñín and attended by the world´s top wine critics like Jancis Robinson). Tragabuches was an amazing restaurant find in Ronda. We stayed at some newly inaugurated Spanish Parador hotels including the fabulous new spa hotel in the Royal Gardens of La Granja, near Segovia.
Our most recent research trip to France was in Champagne, what amazing places we found for you! In Italy, we have found new private cooking classes in Rome and the Lazio countryside; designed new chocolate and vermouth tours in Turin; and found some very charming new wineries in the Veneto, for our new Veneto Connoisseurs Tour. Our biggest addition to the Italian collection of wine tours is Sicily, and we have many exciting options for luxury private tours throughout the island as well as the breathtaking Aeolian Islands. And finally, we have joined the Blog generation, and launched a new blog as a way of providing even more food, wine and travel info for our customers. Our blog features events, festivals, and general travel notes from around Europe. Enjoy!
We were excited to be included in various magazines and newspapers over the last few months such as the Sunday Business Post (Ireland), Modern Bride (USA), La Dolce Vita Magazine (UK), and Travel Trade (USA).
Dominio de Tares Winery
The northwest Spanish wine region of Bierzo was for years a best-kept secret. This beautiful lush region is little known and still very off the beaten path. You hit Bierzo on the way to Galicia after heading west from Leon. The area is characterized by gentle rolling hills and a collection of historic churches and medieval villages (Bierzo is on the Saint James Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela). The wines are mainly red and mainly based on the indigenous Mencia grape. Much international attention was given to Bierzo when wine superstar Alvaro Palacios (Ermita, Priorat) began a new venture in Bierzo, and suddenly wine journalists everywhere (Tanzer, Parker, etc) were enamoured. Dominio de Tares is considered to be one of the flagship cellars of note and the Baltos wine is a perfect wine for your summer barbecues. On the nose you´ll get cherries and summer fruits and on the palate you get rich red berries with nuances of chocolate. Aged in French and American oak for approx 6 months, this is a soft red wine (not a monster) but with enough backbone to stand up to food.
Wine Style:dry red wine
Appellation: DO Bierzo
Region:Bierzo, Spain
Grape Varietals:100% Mencia
Pairing:Lamb, Barbecue, aged Spanish Manchego cheese
More on Dominio de Tares Winery
More on Bierzo
Feudi di San Gregorio Winery
Campania is one of Italy's most interesting regions. You will find Naples (birthplace of the modern pizza), the Amalfi Coast and Capri, Buffalo Mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes here, not to mention the ancient archeological sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Paestum. Campania is also home to some of the most elegant and interesting wines being made in Europe. Feudi di San Gregorio is without a doubt, one of the best wineries in Italy. Located near Sorbo Serpico, the multi-million euro estate is stunning. The winery houses a top restaurant, with Heinz Beck as executive chef (of 3 Michelin starred La Pergola fame, in Rome), and a stylish wine bar. The wine shop is reminiscent of a Napa Valley estate, with an assortment of wines and gourmet products on offer. And now to the wines- divine! Feudi di San Gregorio pride themselves on their fine wines made with indigenous Campania grape varietals such as Falanghina, Fiano and Grecanico for the whites and the noble Aglianico for the reds. They are also making high-end sparkling wines now with Italian flying winemaker Riccardo Cotarella and cult French champagne winemaker Anselme Selosse. These wines have caught the eyes of worldwide wine critics, and have further established the winery as one Italy's leading estates.
More on Feudi di San Gregorio Winery...
More on Luxury Amalfi Coast Wine Tours...
Sicilian Grapes
Ask anyone in the wine business in Italy what Sicily's best wine region and without a doubt, they will all agree that Etna is "the" up and coming area. Even other Sicilian wineries not in Etna are investing heavily in planting vineyards here, such as Planeta. The vines are scattered in and around the volcanic soils of Mount Etna on the Eastern side of the island. Exciting wineries include Benanti, Cottanera and the buzz worthy Il Cantante wine (made by mythical Salvatore Fota, and owned by the singer of Simply Red). North of Mount Etna, you will find the beautiful town of Taormina, perched over the sea and one of the loveliest spots in Italy. We have designed these luxurious long weekends for those of you who love food and wine, but also want to sleep in style and enjoy a relaxing, luxurious tour with your own private chauffeur. You will stay in Taormina and enjoy a gourmet walking tour, Mercedes chauffeured wine tasting tour of Etna, and visit the Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina...
More on Taormina and Mount Etna Wine Weekends...
Hondarribia, Spain
Spain's Basque Country is one of our favorite places on earth. For such a small region, it has an amazing number of ultra gourmet hotspots (there are more Michelin stars per capita in San Sebastian, for example, than in Paris!); lush green scenery, cutting edge architecture (like the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry) and above all, charming seaside villages. Hondarribia (also seen on some maps as "Fuentarrabia") is a particularly pretty village and has a "French" feel to it with its painted wooden shuttered houses, reminiscent of Normandy or Alsace. The town offers a very looked after historic center, a tidy port with colorful fishing boats and a 10th century converted castle (now a Parador hotel). There are some great rustic eateries here to try traditional Basque Cuisine, heavy on the seafood and Txakoli wines. Hondarribia is an easy excursion from San Sebastian or even Biarritz in France, and highly recommended!
More on Hondarribia...
Aquapura Hotel, Douro Valley
The beautiful Douro Valley in Northern Portugal, land of Port wine, is a capitvating region. It's vast and beautiful and seemingly untouched by time. This has been a good and a bad thing for wine loving tourists as hotels and restaurant choices have traditionally been very limited in Douro. There was a time when there was nowhere to stay in the region beyond simple B&Bs. Then came Vintage House, now a modern classic. But even Vintage House was a bit too classic for some, and not quite luxurious for others. Along comes the recently inaugurated Aquapura, taking the Douro by storm. Set in a pretty historic manor in the vines, the exterior disguises the surprising ultra modern and ultra luxury interior.
The Aquapura Hotels & Spa is a new company and this is the first hotel in their portfolio, with others set to follow in Brazil and Europe. The concept is luxurious zen, relaxation, food and wine. This is the perfect retreat hotel and a wonderful base to have during a wine tour of the Douro. There are 41 exquisitely decorated rooms, 9 suites, and 21 private villas. Views from your room could be of the historic cloisters and the mighty Douro River, with vineyards completely surrounding the hotel. There are two wonderful restaurants on site- "Almapura" is the super high end and romantic gastronomic eatery, "Vale d' Abraão" is the more casual option. And finally, you cannot stay here without indulging in the spa treatments! The philosophy is East meets West; a fusion of Ancient Asian rituals and scientific Swiss techniques, and all with products sourced locally such as grapes. Bem-vindo Aquapura!
Ángel León, Spanish Chef
Aponiente Restaurant
6 Calle Puerto Escondido,
El Puerto de Santa Maria,
Tel: + 34 956 851 870
[email protected]
We first discovered chef Ángel León at his Casa del Temple restaurant in Toledo, a few years back. Our first impression of him personally, even apart from his craft was that he had major star power. Ángel is charismatic, dramatic, passionate, highly skilled and creative- all of the prerequisites to become an internationally famous chef. Spain has for the last decade become a hotbed of innovative cuisine, with super chefs like Ferran Adrià (of Best restaurant in the World, "El Bulli" fame) and Juan Mari Arzak always pushing the bill with unique gastronomic inventions and "deconstructions". Madrid for the last few years has hosted the Madrid Fusión-International Gastronomic Summit and it was this platform that Ángel Leon used to catapult himself into culinary stardom. Ángel decided to head back to his native Andalusia, and started a high-end creative tapas bar "El Tambuche" in El Puerto de Santa Maria, within the Sherry Triangle. This was a good way for Ángel to center himself and his art and prepare for a bigger project to come- Aponiente. Aponiente is an elegant and beautiful restaurant, also in El Puerto, where Angel (AKA "Chef del Mar") now showcases his creative seafood. The restaurant is a massive success and has taken this quiet and traditional town by surprise, with foodies arriving on gastro pilgrimages from around the world. Highly recommended.
Gourmet Grand Tour of Italy
For some time we have had the idea of creating a Gastronomic "Grand Tour" of Italy, but where to begin, when the entire country is so interesting from a food and wine point of view? We focused on some of our favorite wine regions and culinary highlights and created this twelve-day route of Northern Italy (so we should probably call this a Grand Tour of the North, and we should get to work next on a Southern Italy Gourmet Grand Tour!). The private chauffeured tour begins and ends in Milan and takes in a simply fantastic range of food, wine, scenery and sightseeing. You´ll see how and where Balsamic Vinegar is made, visit a Culatello ham cave (the crème de la crème prosciutto), take in a Parmigiano cheese production tour. Taste Amarone wines in the peaceful Valpolicella, and unique local wines in the castles of Piacenza, not forgetting tastings of Italy's best bubbly in Franciacorta. While in the north, you can't miss Italy's beautiful "Art Cities" of Venice and Verona, Bologna and Ferrara, and more. Ancient mosaics in Ravenna and a relaxing visit to Lake Como are also included. While in Emilia Romagna, you´ll also be able to check out the Galleria Ferrari, a non-gourmet treat…
More on this Culinary Tour of Italy...
Whiskey Tastings
Scanlan´s Tavern,
Karlos Gangoiti 19 – 1,
Gernika - Lumo 48300
Bizkaia, Spain
Tel: +34 946 270 885
[email protected]
Guernica (called "Gernika" in Euskera, the Basque language) is a small but very important town to Basques. Immortalized by Picasso in his painting Guernica (which was painted after the nazi bombing raids on the civilian population during the Spanish Civil War), it is also home to the "Arbol Foral", a tree which has been renewed over the centuries and symbolizes Basque self-rule. Guernica is also next to the beautiful Urdaibai biosphere reserve. And as a complete surprise, you will find Spain´s most famous "whiskey sommelier" here in Guernica. Patrick Scanlan, Publican and Irish whiskey crusader, married a local Basque woman and set about establishing a "Whiskey Shebeen" an Irish whiskey dedicated bar hosting an enormous collection of fine rare Irish whiskies. A VIP rare whisky tasting is offered for private tastings and includes a wide range of styles such as Deluxe, Pot Still & Single Malts with goodies like, Jameson 12 yr, Blackbush, Bushmills 10 yr malt, The Tyrconnell malt, Connemara malt. The tasting includes a structured tasting, sensory evaluation, history & folklore segment, along with comments on Whiskey Heritage. This is an unconventional and fun addition to a gourmet tour in Northern Spain!
Chilli Peppers
Summer is a glorious time for new seasonal fruits and vegetables. Mangos and melons, sweet peppers and summer squash are all appealing seasonal foods, and who doesn't crave watermelon once the warm days arrive? One of our favorite summer goodies are chili peppers, we have fiery taste! Called Chili, Chile or Chilli, the origin of the name comes from a Native American (Nahuatl) word "chīlli" and becomes chile in Spanish. This hot little pepper has been consumed by humans for over 6000 years, originating in the Americas. Now, chilis are an important culinary ingredient in countries around the world. We all know chilis are an integral part of Mexican, Thai and Indian cuisine, but did you know they are also used in Spain ("Guindillas"), Italy ("Peperoncini") and even in France ("Poivron Pimenté)? In Italy, in the southern region of Calabria, there is an entire village dedicated to Chili production, called "Diamante". It´s a dream come true for chili lovers. All of the local businesses seem to have Chili Fever, and gravitate around the chili biz. There is even a "Miss Chili" beauty contest (called "Miss Peperoncino") during the Chili Festival in late August/early September. Some fun ways to include chilis in your summer dinner parties- "Gambas al Ajillo" (shrimp sautéed in garlic, olive oil and sliced chili) and Penne Arrabbiata ("Angry Pasta", made with penne, fresh tomato, oregano, and a healthy pinch of chili powder). Buon appetito!
Manzanilla, ingredient of the Rebujito
Rebujitos are "the" cocktail at Southern Spain's myriad "Ferias", "Rocios" and "Fiestas". They are the Spanish equivalent of a white wine spritzer. Low in alcohol, the Rebujito consists of Manzanilla sherry wine and Sprite or Gaseosa (white lemonade). Ordered by the pitcher and served in the "Fino" wine glasses, it is gleefully consumed by the bucket load during the fiestas. Rebujitos are simple and refreshing and can keep you flamenco dancing all night long, without falling over blind drunk. Perfect for warm, summer nights and Spanish tapas style dinners and barbecues.
Mix two parts wine with 1 part soda and shake over ice. Garnish with lemon slices and if you like it a little sweeter, mix in a dash of sugar. Turn on the Flamenco music and enjoy!
Vineyards in the Autumn
If you would like us to customize a luxury wine tour for you (in Spain, France, Portugal or Italy), contact us with your requirements, and we can send you a free itinerary and quote with no obligations.
We organize chauffeured wine tours and luxurious cooking vacations. Private tours, just for you....
Let us show you our favorite gourmet corners in Europe!
Cellar Tastings S.L.
Address: Infantas, n. 27, 3 Derecha,
28004 Madrid, Spain
Tel: +34 91 521 3939
Fax: +34 91 521 4757
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.CellarTours.com
CELLAR TASTINGS S.L. is a Fully Licensed and Bonded Tour Operator and Travel Agency, and a proud member of ASTA and the IACP.
[email protected]
USA 310.496.8061 | Spain +126.96.36.19953
"I know that Ritz-Carlton knows a lot about luxury experience and exceeding expectations but you and Cellar Tours could teach us a few things."
read more..
Cellar Tours is a Registered and Fully Bonded Tour Operator and Travel Agent
Licence Number CICMA 1721 | Cellar Tours MMXIV ©
Cellar Tours is a registered Trademark of Cellar Tastings SL ESB83718858


text:
Posted by Dan Bieler on the CIOs Blog on September 4, 2013
As many market observers had expected for sometime, Nokia closed the chapter on what can only be described as a dramatic climb-down for what once was the world's leading mobile player. Nokia agreed to sell its Devices & Services business to Microsoft for 5.4 billion euros. What does this mean for Nokia Solutions and Services (NSN), formerly Nokia Siemens Networks? I have several observations:
Posted by Dan Bieler on the CIOs Blog on November 29, 2012
At its recent analyst event, Ericsson outlined its strategy, product, and service ambitions. Ericsson remains the overall benchmark for network infrastructure vendors. The company has a leading market position in the growth segments of mobile broadband and network services and delivers a solid financial performance — despite the disappointing Q3 2012 results. Still, in my view, Ericsson has several challenges that it needs to address:
· The cloud strategy is built on a questionable assumption.Clearly network infrastructure is becoming more, not less, important for cloud-based solutions. Ericsson therefore assumes that carriers are well positioned to be cloud providers. But CIO perceptions suggest otherwise. CIOs tell us that carriers are far from the preferred choice for cloud-solutions (see Figure 9 in the "Prepare For The Connected Enterprise Now" Forrester report). Carriers therefore need help in addressing the potential of cloud computing. For instance, Ericsson's cloud solutions ought to help carriers cooperate with cloud partners regarding embedded connectivity in devices and applications.
Posted by Dan Bieler on the CIOs Blog on March 7, 2012
Around 60,000 global movers and shakers of all things mobile once again descended upon Barcelona to attend the leading annual mobility event, the Mobile World Congress (MWC). This year's main themes centered on metadata analytics, the customer experience, and over-the top business models:
Posted by Dan Bieler on the CIOs Blog on December 21, 2011
At its 2011 Analyst Event in Boston, Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) outlined more details of its recently announced strategy review. In our view, the new focus NSN is taking is right. NSN is focusing on growth segments of the infrastructure market and will generate large savings from operating expenses and production overheads. In addition to its focus on providing the most efficient mobile broadband network infrastructure, NSN also highlighted the importance of customer experience management (CEM) as an integral part of its strategy.
NSN also provided more guidance on which market segments it no longer considers core. These include wireline, microwave, Wimax, perfect voice, and business support systems. Some of these, microwave and Wimax, it already spun off. NSN estimates that the overall revenue impact of its non-core disposals will total 10% of its current revenue base. The impact on profit will be less than 10%, as these non-core disposals are low-margin operations.
NSN believes that telcos increasingly demand end-to-end solutions from their equipment vendor partners. No equipment vendors can credibly deliver such end-to-end solutions on their own. Hence, NSN is positioning itself as an ecosystems manager for end-to-end solutions. As part of its innovation drive, NSN increasingly focuses on devising concepts for solutions rather than simply focusing on product upgrades. For instance, Liquid Net is a concept for network infrastructure design that supports a more efficient usage of underutilized infrastructure capacity based on a range of NSN products. Similarly, NSN places great emphasis on its CEM solution, which helps telcos to transform their services offerings by enhancing network-related features that affect customer experience and satisfaction.
Posted by Dan Bieler on the CIOs Blog on December 1, 2011
Nokia Seimens Networks' top management has finally pulled the emergency brakes, after months of unsuccessful attempts to find a buyer. Going forward, NSN will focus on mobile network infrastructure and the services market. All other areas are non-core and subject to disposal. We estimate that about two-thirds of NSN's current portfolio will remain in this new focus area. NSN will retain an attractive product and services portfolio and innovative solutions, as for instance its Liquid Net offering. However, some elements, like convergence offerings, will be difficult to pursue credibly in the future.
In our view, the new focus NSN is taking is right:


text:
Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, is leading an effort in the Legislature to extend the waiting period prior to an abortion from 24 hours to 72. The presumption that underlies this bill is that women who seek an abortion are incompetent, ignorant or immoral. Given more time, they would make a different decision. That's an outrageous assumption.
Utah's abortion law already requires that a woman seeking an abortion be provided detailed information about the medical consequences to herself and the fetus, and the alternatives available for the payment of her medical expenses and adoption should she decide to carry the pregnancy to term. The law requires that this information be provided her in a face-to-face consultation at least 24 hours prior to the procedure.
This could be a large amount of information to consider in a single day. However, nothing in the law prevents a woman from taking more time to consider her options.
On the other hand, most women will have agonized over the decision to seek an abortion long before they see an abortion provider. For those women, who already are well-informed and have considered this emotionally wrenching decision in advance, imposing a 72-hour waiting period could be unnecessarily inconvenient, if not cruel.
For women from outlying areas of the state who have to travel hundreds of miles to Salt Lake City for the procedure, the 72-hour requirement could entail additional expense for a longer stay.
Both the added expense and the emotional toll of a longer process would be additional burdens on the women's constitutional right to choose to have an abortion.
But what about young women who might not have much information about abortion, adoption, the legal responsibilities of fathers and financial help that may be available for child-rearing? Utah law already requires that a physician must notify a parent or guardian at least 24 hours before performing an abortion on a minor. There are exceptions in cases of incest or child abuse.
If Utah legislators really want to cut down on the number of abortions in this state, they should provide comprehensive sex education in the public schools, including complete information on contraception and the laws governing parenthood and adoption. Instead, Rep. Bill Wright, R-Holden, is leading an effort to eliminate all sex education except abstinence-only from the schools.
Rep. Eliason, meanwhile, wants to play father knows best. That's an insult to Utah women.


text:
Jewish education needs no chains
The way our children are imbibing Orthodox Judaism is constricted, misguided and boring
In 1994, when asking the single most important question of his period as Chief Rabbi - "Will we have Jewish grandchildren?"- Jonathan Sacks suggested that Jewish education provided the best hope of ensuring continuity. Was he right?
In our family, we spent the first part of this year deciding which primary school to send our daughter to. We ended up opting for the local state school, because we objected to Jewish schools draining mainstream education of a Jewish presence.
We also felt uneasy with the way many Jewish schools now present Judaism with a charedi tinge, a quality that, however warm and embracing, has not brought continuity to mainstream Anglo-Jewish Orthodoxy but novelty, and which we don't want to become its dominant flavour.
Admittedly, at her state nursery school, our daughter had to run the gauntlet of being cast as an angel in the Christmas nativity play, prompting us to talk to the headteacher about not wanting an apparently multi-cultural institution to imprint any kind of religious message on our child before we'd had the chance to imprint our own.
But we also didn't want her to be imprinted by Jewish institutions. We are members of the United Synagogue but we object when United Synagogue bodies promote messages that go beyond their remit: that it is wrong for women to wear trousers, as one school told us when offering her a place, or that evolution sits uncomfortably within limmudei kodesh, or that fanatical Jewish missionary work is acceptable.
A friend tells us that her secondary school children came back changed forever after a weekend school trip to Gateshead. We don't want indoctrination at school. We want education to arm children in the arguments against religious fanaticism, not for it.
Some parents turn a blind eye to the gap between themselves and the religious culture in which they have immersed their children. "We just don't take the religious stuff seriously," they tell us, even though the religious stuff colours at least 30 percent of their children's school day. If parents can't support what a school is teaching, that doesn't sound like a triumph for Jewish continuity.
We don't find what is taught in synagogue any more promising. Our daughter, now four, already finds shul boring and is as scornful of happy-clappy children's services as we are. We don't want her to associate Judaism with condescending songs ("If you say Shema at night, everything will be all right") or exposed to fairy-tales trotted out as midrashic wisdom. Nor, apparently, does she.
As a result, the best thing about going to shul is the walk there and back. We talk about everything from the meaning behind Jewish practice (this week, the significance of the coming festivals) to the basics of good behaviour, alongside other essential topics, like whether or not tigers like ice cream.
The trouble is that, after putting into context what she is going to experience in synagogue, we are let down by what she actually experiences. It can leave a parent high and dry.
As for saying Shema at night, we always do so, but she's now asking what the words mean and what God is. I have only just started trying to answer. I've told her that these are difficult questions and that no one really knows about God. More helpfully, I've started to tell her what God certainly isn't, and she's very amused by the idea of idolatry and of cats and horses once being worshipped.
In short, I have found myself falling back on the basics of truth, candour and clarity. I just wish Jewish teaching would do the same, rather than lapsing into sophistry and sentimentality. I would then feel that Orthodoxy had reached back into its past and reconnected with something that made continuity worthwhile. Our daughter would not then face a choice between rejecting it for its inadequacies or tolerating it with indifference.
I want her to see a more modest Orthodoxy, for example, and one that doesn't claim to have an answer for everything. I want Orthodoxy to exercise the principle of Occam's razor, and keep things simple. I want it to engage in original thought and not be content with repetition.
In the absence of that, Jewish education may bring continuity, as the Chief Rabbi hopes, but will that continuity be worth the candle?
- Pesach fruity matzah kugel
Pesach fruity matzah kugel
- Pesach breakfast ideas #3 - fruit 'n nut banana...
Pesach breakfast ideas #3 - fruit 'n nut banana...
- Pesach breakfast ideas #2
Pesach breakfast ideas #2
- Israel supporter 'punched in head' at Soas film screening
Israel supporter 'punched in head' at Soas film screening
- Student released by North Korea was 'member of Hillel'
Student released by North Korea was 'member of Hillel'
- Police launch Al Quds Day rally probe
Police launch Al Quds Day rally probe
- Partnership minyanim ...
Partnership minyanim ...


text:
Vail Valley Foundation Free Concerts
The Vail Valley Foundation produces year-round free concerts from Vail to Eagle enriching our community with various music genres from rock to country and everything in between.
Summer Free Concerts
Crazy Mountain Brewery's Hot Summer Nights
Starting June 14, enjoy free Tuesday night concerts at 6:30pm at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail.
Win FREE Beer for a year from Crazy Mountain Brewing Company by entering a raffle at every Hot Summer Nights Concert. Offer is valid from June 14th, 2016 til August 23rd, 2016. More...
Bonfire Brewing's ShowDown Town
Starting June 30, enjoy free Thursday night concerts at 6:30pm at Eagle Town Park in Eagle.


text:
Mandy Moore has signed on to star as Diane Keaton's daughter in Gold Circle Films' "Because I Said So" for director Michael Lehmann
Teen star Mandy Moore has joined the cast for the upcoming drama romance "Because I Said So" which stars Diane Keaton as well.
The film, written by Karen Leigh Hopkins and Jessie Nelson, tells the story of a meddling mother (Keaton) who, in order to prevent her youngest daughter (Moore) from following in her footsteps, attempts to set her up with the right man.
Shooting on the film begins late this month with Michael Lehmann is directing for Gold Circle Films.