text:
We are our stories. Through ritual and re-enactment, we live out the values embedded in the stories we tell. Purim is the story of women – women who dared take risks both for political change and Jewish destiny. Jewish tradition teaches that in a time of hiddenness, Hester, we must each be like Esther. We hope to restore to Purim the celebration of Jewish women – to celebrate our rich potential as bearers of life and shapers of destiny.
Esther 1: 10-12
On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcus, the seven eunuchs in attendance on King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing a royal diadem, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials, for she was a beautiful woman. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the King's command conveyed by the eunuchs. The king was greatly incensed, and his fury burned within him.
Sitting in the synagogue, its standard-issue annotated prayer book in my lap, (Art Scroll Family Megillah, edited by Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz,) I scan the midrashic commentaries in the margins, which only add insult to injury. For example, "Vashti refused (to appear nude before the men), not because of modesty. The reason for her refusal was that God caused leprosy to break out on her, and paved the way for her downfall." Whew! My teenage son leans over and whispers "How about gang rape? Do you think something was wrong with Vashti because she didn't like gang rape?"
When I saunter, newborn each year, across the pages of Rabbi Zlotowitz's dependable marginalia, it's like meeting up again with an old friend. "Thank you, Reb Z.," I want to tell him, "for your spiritual largesse. For your misogyny and insensitivity, and for the constancy of your commitment to the moral low ground." Sitting on my right, is my very Conservadox 80-year-old mother who is also – not oxymoronically – a longtime board member of a women's domestic violence shelter. "What?" I say to her, sensing that she's getting hot under her collar, "Your Megillah is missing the commentary that talks about the terrifying threat of violence that accompanies male substance abuse? Let me see that copy you're using! What? It doesn't mention the sexual sadism and degradation implicit in the King's pimping?" She shooshes me.
My 10-year-old daughter elbows my husband and points to a midrashic note that explains that the King wanted Vashti to come to his party naked except for the "royal crown." "Gross," she synopsizes brilliantly. A moment later she adds, "That's like what they did at that fraternity at Colgate. Vashti's harem girls need to get together and do a "Take Back the Night" like we do at camp. Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we do a "Take Back the Night" right here in the middle of the Megillah reading?"
Susan Schnur, Lilith Magazine, pp. 19-20
Esther 1:16-20
Thereupon Memucan declared in the presence of the king and the ministers: "Queen Vashti has committed an offense not only against Your Majesty but also against all the officials and against all the peoples in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen's behavior will make all wives despise their husbands, as they reflect that King Ahasuerus himself ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come. This very day the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the queen's behavior, will cite it to all Your Majesty's officials, and there will be no end of scorn and provocation! If it please Your Majesty, let a royal edict be issued by you, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be abrogated, that Vashti shall never enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. And let Your Majesty bestow her royal state upon another who is more worthy than she. Then will the judgment executed by Your Majesty resound throughout your realm, vast though it is; and all wives will treat their husbands with respect, high and low alike."QUEEN VASHTI
Who among us, as a teenager, hasn't had Vashti's experience of saying "NO" to a boy and getting punished for it? Really, though, what if Vashti had said "YES" – follow that storyline out! Poor Vashti was double bound; it's lose/lose.
And a final Vashti question: What if the text had let her grow up? When Vashti dies, we girl readers die with her, every goddamn Purim – warned not to take good care of ourselves. Frozen in Vashti-land, banished. What if we let Vashti talk, follow her story? What if we imagine what she might have gone on to do besides getting transmogrified into Esther? What if we let her become herself?
In a sacred universe, she would not be treated like an object by abusive men, she would not be forbidden access to her sister, mother, daughter, be forbidden to take her transformative journey. In a sacred universe, she would be holy.
Esther 2:5-11
In the fortress Shushan lived a Jew by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite. (Kish) had been exiled from Jerusalem in the group that was carried into exile along with King Jeconiah of Judah, which had been carried into exile by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon - He was foster father to Hadassah – that is, Esther – his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father or mother. The maiden was shapely and beautiful; and when her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
When the king's order and edict was proclaimed, and when many girls were assembled in the fortress Shushan under the supervision of Hegai, Esther too was taken into the king's palace under the supervision of Hegai, guardian of the women. And the girl pleased him, and she won his favor; and he quickly gave her her ointments, and her appointed portions, and seven maids, chosen to be to given her, from the king's palace; and he advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem. Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had told her not to reveal it. Every single day, Mordecai would walk about in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was happening to her.ESTHER INVINCIBLE
Soon we're onto a section of the Megillah which describes the captivity rites in the girls' harem, "six months of anointing with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and feminine cosmetics," after which each girl goes to the King "in the evening" and "the next morning she would return to the second harem." I look over at my pre-pubescent daughter and see that she's again reading the helpful commentary: "Having consorted with the King, it would not be proper for them to marry other men. They were required to return to the harem and remain there for the rest of their lives as concubines." Again, I thank Rabbi Z. for the exquisite sharing of his knowledge of ancient Persian sex etiquette as well as his pornographic fantasies, and for causing me to sink into this personal trough of sarcasm and bitterness, which I hate.
What are contemporary Jews supposed to make of a religious text that dishes up such disturbing garbage? Most Jewishly committed women I know, even feminists, solve the problem of these offensive narratives (rabbinic and biblical) by fighting valiantly to stay in denial. So, okay, we feel upset for a minute, but then we think, achh, Purim, it only comes once a year, don't start, just don't start. Shoosh yourself.
When, though, I wonder, will women finally create a morally defensible re-write of these chapters? Why aren't we insisting that our synagogue communities cheer and stomp their feet at the mention of Vashti's name? She is a foremother in the best sense of the word – assertive, appropriate, courageous. My educated supposition is that the full moon of Adar – now the date for Purim – used to be a pagan occasion for autonomous women's rites that could not be reined in by men, and that these chapters, therefore, represent a male revolt against women. Yeah, I think, looking around the room, but why does it feel like our row in the synagogue is the only one that gets this?
We women have worked hard to be represented, as females, in Judaism: We are cantors, scholars, mothers, davenners, teachers, writers, rabbis; we have created female institutions for study and prayer, egalitarian re-writes of liturgy and texts, feminist reconstruction of Jewish foremothers, etc. But still, at the base of it all, we live with many Jewish texts whose core agnostic purpose was to censure women's rituals, to decry deities that uplifted females, to erase antecedent women's history, to derogate and render invisible women's intimate empowering relationship to the earth's cycles and generativity, and in general, to set – in concrete and steel beams (over the rubble of feminine experience) – the foundations of patriarchy. It is high time for women and sympathetic men to be challenging this, to be educating ourselves...
Let me say that Jewish women seeking feminine antecedents don't "believe in the goddesses" whose pentimenti can be seen behind some Jewish texts (like Ishtar, for example, Esther's namesake, who lurks behind the holiday of Purim), nor do we fail to recognize the developmental importance of monotheism. We are saying something different (that has nothing to do with "worshipping idols"): that we are no longer willing to throw out the pink-ribboned baby with the bath water. The foremothers of Esther, Eve, Sarah and Miriam were female deities – Ishtar, Lilith, Meri, the Queen of Heaven and others. There was once a theological language and a set of rites that uplifted women and brought us self-esteem and authority. That's the pentimento we want to scratch away at, that's the part we are clamoring to uncover and reclaim – so that it's good for us, too.
So, dear readers, ha'zak v'ematz, be strong and take courage. As Mordechai once said to Esther (chapter 4:14) "If you persist in keeping silent at a time like this...you and yours will perish. And who knows whether it was just for such a time as this that you attained your elevated position?" And Esther looked him straight in the eye and answered, "Gotcha."
Esther 4:12-17
When Mordecai was told what Esther had said, Mordecai had this message delivered to Esther: "Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king's palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent on this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father's house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis." Then Esther sent back this answer to Mordecai: "Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!" So Mordecai went about (the city) and did just as Esther had commanded him.HOW CAN I ENDURE?
If you would like to listen to "How Can I Endure," click here.
We take a moment now to make a connection between Esther's acts of bravery on behalf of her people and currents acts of bravery performed daily by women living in a part of the world not far from Esther's Persia. Afghani women living in Afghanistan and Pakistan are risking their lives to educate girls in their own homes. They are boldly defying the Taliban regime which has declared it illegal for girls to receive an education and for women to leave their homes unless entirely covered head to toe and preparing for a brighter future. Their brave work is being supported by the American World Jewish Service.
Esther 5:1-4
And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther dressed herself in royalty, and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, opposite the king's palace; and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal palace, opposite the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king to her, What do you wish, queen Esther? And what is your request? It shall be given to you even to the half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.ESTHER YOU KNOW EVERYTHING
If you would like to listen to "Esther, You Know Everything," click here.
Esther 7: 3-8
Queen Esther replied: "If Your Majesty will do me the favor, and if it pleases Your Majesty, let my life be granted me as my wish, and my people as my request. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, massacred, and exterminated. Had we only been sold as bondmen and bondwomen, I would have kept silent; for the adversary is not worthy of the king's trouble." Thereupon King Ahaseurus demanded of Queen Esther: "Who is he and where is he who dared to do this?" "The adversary and enemy," replied Esther, "is this evil Haman!" And Haman cringed in terror before the king and queen. And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went to the palace garden; and Haman stood up to beg Esther the queen for his life; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the wine drinking; and Haman was falling upon the couch where Esther was. Then said the king, "Will he also force the queen with me present in the house?"LEAD ME TO THE ROCK
Esther 9:21-22
Observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year – the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. They were to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor.
A hamantasch is not a "Haman's pocket" (or "Haman's ear") as most of us were once taught in Hebrew school, but a German-derived "mohn" (poppyseed) "tasch" (pocket). Okay, that's straightforward – but why do we eat them on Purim of all times, a pre-spring full-moon festival? Why not Sukkos or Tu b'Shvat?
What is a Hamantasch? A sacred vulva filled with black seeds. A food, source of nourishment, which we make with our hands reflecting our (women's) felt sense of self-containment, of creativity and generativity.
Ancient images of goddesses reveal that certain parts of the body – breasts, vulva, belly, buttocks – were believed to be holy, combining biological function with processes of spiritual transformation. Hamantaschen remind us that the image of the female body was humanity's first conceptualization of the workings of the cosmos. The Earth was a mother, fecund like us. Patriarchal writings speak of women's bodies as "empty vessels"; the hamantasch, however, represents revering our bodies as metaphors for creation.
Therefore... roll 'em, fill 'em, bake 'em, eat 'em, send 'em to friends, eat your friends', let them eat yours, feed 'em to your husband. On the full moon of Adar, the hamantasch, God willing, should not be mistaken for a mere cookie or for Haman's tricorn hat. Hamantaschen are our, and Earth's, bodies, revered as an ultimate metaphor for the divine Creator. They were (and, given the right ritual, could once again be) sacred, representing women's capacity to birth and to nourish, from our own holy bodies.
So, from my Baker's Secret cookie sheet to yours... hey, on some level, this is all stuff that we already knew.
Vashti and Esther, of course, are in coalition, not opposition. The journeys of females are not journeys to find answers, they are journeys to gather something together, to make things whole. Even the Shekhina, the female aspect of the Jewish God, gathers up lost souls. Our themes, as contemporary women, are the same: to restore something that has been separated, to reconnect body and soul, to reunite Vashti and Esther, to integrate and reclaim the feminine that has been lost or abandoned in human history.
To be nourished with only what makes images of what's female and what's divine and what's Jewish is to be badly malnourished...
Esther must circle back to carry Vashti across the threshold into telling her story. And it is not just the girl's story that must be retold and reheard, it is also our mothers' stories – Vashti, Esther and their mothers' stories.
All songs are from Elizabeth Swados' Bible Women, copyright 1995 Swados Enterprises, Inc. Used with the permission of Liz Swados. To obtain copies of Bible Women, contact Ma'yan at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Italicized excerpts are from an article by Susan Schnur, reprinted with permission from Lilith, the award-winning independent Jewish women's magazine.


text:
HERE'S another entry for our Great Outdoors photographic competition in conjunction with Western Power Distribution.
We've already received some fantastic images, and dozens of entries – keep them coming!
We have a series of cash prizes to give away to the amateur photographers who submit the winning second- and third-placed photographs of our gorgeous Gwent outdoors.
Your pictures must show scenes from Gwent, and the theme is the outdoors. That could be landscapes, wildlife pictures, images of cityscapes or people in the Great Outdoors.
We will accept images in colour and mono. The choice is yours.
Our prizes, sponsored by Western Power Distribution, are:
l First prize – £250
l Second prize – £150
l Third prize – £100
Digital images should be attached to an email as jpegs – around 1MB would be the ideal size – and sent to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Anyone submitting prints should be aware they will not be returned and they must be sent by post to Maria Williams, News Editor, Great Outdoors Photographic Competition, Newsdesk, South Wales Argus, Cardiff Road, Newport NP20 3QN
We are looking for true images which are not manipulated and the Argus will be printing a selection of entries and the eventual winners, where photographers will be credited in print. The images will also be uploaded to our website southwalesargus.co.uk, and photographers will be credited. Please assume that entry to the competition allows us to do so.
Please include with your entry the name, age, and a headshot photograph of the photographer, a daytime or mobile telephone number, where and when the image was taken. Entries from anyone under the age of 16 should be accompanied by a signed covering letter from a parent or guardian granting permission for us to feature the work.
The competition will be judged by Argus chief photographer Chris Tinsley and a representative of Western Power Distribution.
The judges' decision is final and normal Argus rules apply.
The deadline is September 12.
Judging will take place shortly afterwards and the results will be announced in the Argus in early October.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Get an overview of this hotelNew Orleans hotel with Wi-Fi, near Historic Rivertown
Popular property highlights
Near historic Rivertown
This hotel is 3 miles from historic Rivertown, 10 miles from Uptown Garden District, and 12 miles from downtown New Orleans.
Free airport shuttle
The on-site restaurant River City Creole Grill serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This hotel provides a complimentary roundtrip airport shuttle 24 hours a day.
Sofa bed + WiFi
Enjoy lounging on a comfy sofa bed while surfing the web, courtesy of the complimentary WiFi. Guestrooms also feature premium bedding and satellite TV.
Guest Highlights
- High-quality beds
- Good location
- Proximity to airport
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Overall room comfort
- Parking wasn't ideal
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New Orleans Airport
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
This hotel is 2 miles from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The French Quarter and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center are 12 miles away. Amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, outdoor pool, complimentary WiFi in the public spaces, and free airport transportation all day and all night. 10 conference rooms accommodate business meetings, and there's space for hosting exhibits as well. Altogether, this DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel has 12,000 square feet in meeting and event space for banquets, weddings, seminars, and workshops. The on-site River City Creole Grill serves Cajun cuisine and other regional American favorites.
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Number of restaurants - 2
- Conference space size (feet) - 12000
- Free WiFi
- Conference space size (meters) - 1115
- Number of meeting rooms - 10
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Outdoor pool
- Free airport transportation
- Concierge services
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Bar/lounge
- Coffee shop or café
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Multilingual staff
- Total number of rooms - 245
- 24-hour front desk
- Porter/bellhop
- Express check-out
- Express check-in
- ATM/banking
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Picnic area
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Television in common areas
- Number of floors - 8
- Elevator/lift
- Wedding services
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free area shuttle
- Luggage storage
- Snack bar/deli
- Business center
- Laundry facilities
- One meeting room
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Long-term parking (surcharge)
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Snack bar/deli
- Laundry facilities
- Sofa bed
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Long-term parking (surcharge), Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Room service (limited hours)
- Free weekday newspaper
- Air conditioning
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Coffee/tea maker
- Turndown service
- Designer toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Satellite TV service
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Daily housekeeping
- Sofa bed
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Partially open bathroom
Where to Eat
River City Creole Grill - Serves Cajun cuisine and other American favorites. Pool views. Open for lunch, dinner, and breakfast. This family-friendly restaurant provides a menu for children.
On The Rocks - A bar offering light American fare, appetizers, and cocktails. Specializes in Jumbo Crab Cakes and Ya Ya Gumbo.
A buffet breakfast is available for a surcharge.
Nearby Things to Do
The recreational activities listed are on site; fees may apply.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: USD 15.95 per person (approximately)
- Self parking fee: USD 10 per night (in/out privileges)
Hotel Name
- DoubleTree Airport New Orleans
- DoubleTree Hilton Hotel New Orleans Airport
- DoubleTree Hilton New Orleans Airport
- DoubleTree New Orleans Airport
- Hilton Hotel Airport New Orleans
- Hilton New Orleans Airport
- Hilton New Orleans DoubleTree
- Hilton Orleans
- Hotel Airport New Orleans
- New Orleans DoubleTree Hotel
- DoubleTree Hilton Hotel New Orleans Airport Kenner
- DoubleTree Hilton New Orleans Airport Kenner
- Doubletree New Orleans Airport Hotel Kenner
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


text:
Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine)
Every year for our anniversary, my mom sends us a card and/or a gift. And every year I tell her she doesn't need to do that. But she insists. Since 2011 marks our 5th anniversary, she wanted to get us something bigger. She surprised us at the holidays with our early anniversary gift – a beautiful LeCreuset dutch oven!
Of course, I instantly started obsessing about what I would make in the dutch oven first. When we got home with it, I read the instruction booklet first. I was surprised to find that the plastic knob is only oven safe to 375. That doesn't seem like a very high temp, so I went on Amazon and instantly ordered this stainless steel knob so I won't have to worry about the black one melting or exploding in the oven. Once I got all of that taken care of, I scoured my Google Reader for recipes. I decided on this Beef Braised in Wine. Cooking some beef in red wine for four hours couldn't possibly have bad results.
I made this on a chilly Sunday morning while Hubby was out snowboarding. It smelled so good cooking away and after three hours, my big hunk of beef broke into three pieces. By four hours, all of the meat had completely fallen apart.
The sauce adds a very complex flavor profile to the beef (check out how much it reduced in the picture below). My favorite bites were the ones with a chunk of carrot, some beef, and lots of the thick gravy. YUM! This is a hearty meal that's perfect at this time of year. While it only makes 6 servings, it's worth the effort.
I used a cabernet savignon for this recipe. We enjoyed that there was some wine left to drink after making this meal! I served this with some sauteed green beans.
I changed the recipe a bit to increase the amount veggies so we had nice chunks of veggies in our sauce at the end. I also added a slurry made of cornstarch to the sauce at the end to thicken it up even more. Those changes are reflected in the recipe below.
Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine)
Yield: Serves 6
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces pancetta, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 medium carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 bottles (4 1/2 cups) Barolo, or other dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pot and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, to brown on all sides. Remove from the pan. To the fat in the pan, add the pancetta and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt; cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the beef to the pan and add the wine, 2 cups of the stock, rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover tightly and transfer the pot to oven.
Cook, turning the roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and a meat is starting to fall apart when poked with a fork (3 1/2-4 hours). Remove the meat from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
Remove the rosemary, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, and place the pot over high heat. Cook about 10 minutes. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot sauce into a small bowl. Whisk the cornstarch into the hot sauce then add slurry back into the sauce in the pan. Cook another 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit. Adjust the seasoning to taste and turn the heat off.
Place meat onto a platter. If it has not completely fallen apart, thinly slice the beef across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Serve the beef ladled with the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Recipe adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Emeril
22 Responses to "Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine)"
You are one lucky girl because that is an AWESOME anniversary gift! I only got a Le Creuset Dutch oven this past fall and I've mostly roasted with it with the cover off but I am totally going to get a replacement knob. Thanks for the tip!
My family would love this. When meat is cooked for that long in juice and seasoning the flavor is always incredible. Thanks for the recipe!
What a perfect virgin use for your new Dutch oven! I love the addition of more vegetables too – what a great way to make this isn't a one-dish balanced meal.
That looks perfect for this weather! I always use my cover with the black knob, and nothing bad has ever happened to it. I do wonder though if I've ever come across a recipe that requires me to cook something covered at a higher temp that 375 (I'm thinking it's not likely). Such a great gift!
I want to get a dutch oven just for something like this! What a wonderful anniversary gift! The beef looks melt-in-your mouth, and with a sauce made out of cabernet? To die for! Looks wonderful!
Megan – I've seen a recipe for a nearly-no-knead bread that bakes at 450. But other than that, most things are cooked low and slow.
First off congrats on the anniversary milestone! This looks delicious. I'm bookmarking it now, since this definitely a recipe my family will love.
what an awesome gift!! happy anniversary 🙂 i got a stainless steel knob, but haven't yet exchanged it… what a great recipe, and i can just imagine how succulent that meat was!
Very good!!! Very very good!!! Hugs, ciao Flavia
I'm definitely ordering the replacement knob for mine as well. Great idea. This dish looks perfect for the cold weekend we're about to have!
Your pictures are absolutely amazing. Seriously amazing. I want to lick my computer screen.
Happy Anniversary! Congrats on a fantastic gift!! I only acquired my first Le Creuset oven last May. I'm addicted! I have several pieces (which you can see on my blog). I LOVE the way they cook. I have a friend who was trying so hard to convince me to buy one. I got a great sale at the Outlet! I rarely use my stainless pots and pans any more. I now have two different kinds of skillets, too. I absolutely love them!
I have several recipes on my blog which I have cooked in my ovens. I cook my chili for four hours. The first time I made it my husband said it was the best chili I had ever made (we've been married 23 years! I also cooked Pioneer Woman's pot roast with rosemary in it (also listed on my blog)… it was AWESOME!
If you ever get anything on your enameled pot that you can get off… try Bar Keeper's Friend. I wrote Le Creuset and they told me that its OK to use it. 😉
I love all your recipes and can't wait to see what you create in your new oven!
Stef at TooMuchToDoSoLittleTime.com
This looks great! I love my Le Creuset….it's the best! You made a great dish to break it in…yum!
Oh man that looks TASTY! And such a great anniversary gift!
Awesome, wonderful gift. I just won my first Le Creuset french oven and like you pondered what to make with it! Thanks for the idea of the stainless steel knob.
A tip on that replacement knob: just go to a hardware store and buy a stainless steel kitchen cabinet knob along with a washer and bolt to fit. Bring the lid with you to the store to check the fit. This is MUCH less expensive than a "Le Creuset" knob and works great.
This sounds absolutely perfect for a cold winter night. And with temps in the teens this week, I am definitely adding this to the list!
Your mom is way thoughtful for getting you guys that for your anniversary! I absolutely adore my dutch oven and bring it out every chance I get! I may have to bring it out fairly soon to try this beef because it sounds absolutely delicious!
What a wonderful gift! And so great that you'll put it to good use. Happy anniversary 🙂
absolutely delicious !!!! i wish i could grab some !!
I keep coming back to this recipe! I just made it tonight for the in-laws and I think they might let me stay in the family. ALWAYS delicious 🙂


text:
The Alchemist to Open at AU's Greenberg Theatre
Ben Jonson's play The Alchemist embraces the idea of perfection—both in the play and in society at large. "A lot of intelligent people during Jonson's time believed the basic theory behind alchemy: that everything in the world is working towards perfection," says Dr. Karl Kippola, director of the play and an assistant professor of theatre at AU. "Jonson takes this idea and relates it to his characters, and more broadly to humanity. I think he saw alchemical science as an interesting analogy to what was going on in society at the time."
Opening at AU's Greenberg Theatre on February 13, 2014, the seventeenth century play is considered one of the great satirical comedies of English theatre. The Alchemist mocks society—and alchemy's—fixation on "getting rich quick," poking fun at people's desire to reach higher levels of wealth without any work. "The Alchemist brings science into a popular art form, but I don't think Jonson was trying to comment on the science itself," Kippola says. "While there were legitimate uses for alchemy, Johnson was primarily interested in it as a way of making fun of people who were trying to reach a higher level of perfection than they really deserve."
A combination of science, rudimentary chemistry, and mysticism, in Jonson's time many people were drawn to alchemy for its supposed ability to change, or transmute, metal into gold. The Alchemist personifies this attraction by following three con men that attempt to swindle people out of their money, one of whom poses as an alchemist. "In a lot of society, alchemy was seen as this dirty, grungy profession," says Dr. Matthew Hartings, an assistant professor of chemistry at AU. "There were some serious people trying to do transmutations, but there were also a lot of other people who were using alchemy as a way to con money from people. Alchemy is used in the pejorative quite a bit in the play, which really reflects this view from society."
Aside from satirizing alchemy and people's shallow draw to its offerings, Kippola believes The Alchemist resonates with a deeper ideal in society. "I think it appeals to human nature to dream of achieving a high position without necessarily doing any hard work to achieve it," says Kippola. "I think alchemy represented this hope of an ideal, perfect future. It allowed people to dream about bettering themselves through wealth."
A field that nurtured the development of modern day chemistry, for many years the two were nearly synonymous—until alchemy's reputation turned sour. "There were some amazing scientists practicing alchemy—people who developed how we perform science and chemistry today," Hartings says. "However, because so many alchemists were using their craft to con people, scientists really wanted to shed the label of 'alchemy.' They wanted their work to be seen as important and valuable, so they created the separate field of chemistry."
Though historically alchemy was a scientific process, the field was also inundated with artistic, religious, and magical ideas, creating a blend of scientific and humanities-based thought. "During Jonson's time there wasn't a huge backlog of scientific evidence, and much of scientific discourse was dominated by religious thinking. Alchemy was seen as having a real mysticism—there was always this attempt to use alchemy to reach divine places," says Hartings.
Historically integrated with the arts, alchemy has surfaced not only in theatre, but in paintings, literature, and allegorical storytelling. Hartings believes alchemy's melding of science and the humanities is why the profession appears so often in the arts—and a big reason why alchemy is a field unique to any other. "When alchemy was practiced, there was a scientific side and a mystical side, but you needed both to solve the problems you were faced with. This combination led to alchemy being used in many different art forms," says Hartings. "Alchemy sort of melded things into one field of thinking, which is unique because we don't practice science and the humanities like that anymore. Today we really separate them into two different fields."
While alchemy's blend of magical and artistic ideas certainly added to its mysticism, Kippola feels its connection to science itself is what makes the field so enigmatic. "I think that unless you're a scientist, there is something very magical and unknown about the field. I think we trust and rely on science as a way of explaining what we don't understand," Kippola says. "It's interesting to look back on alchemy and see its faults, but also see how people had the same faith in it as we do in science. They had to put their faith in something or somebody, so they chose to put their faith in alchemy."
The Alchemist will open at AU's Greenberg Theatre on February 13 at 8 pm Performances will follow on February 14 and 15 at 8 pm and February 15 at 2 pm.


text:
We are in Charlottesville VA
Borrow a one dollar bill from someone and turn it into a fifty or one hundred dollar bill!
People love to watch magic with money, especially magic that seems to make money!
The routines you'll learn on this DVD will make it possible for you to do reputation-making money magic anytime, anywhere! Perfect for for those magicians who want to do strolling and restaurant work! And also perfect for sales reps, bartenders, wait staff and anyone who wants to put some WOW into their act!
Steve Branham's secret workings and variations on the Bill Switch will have you performing this incredible visual stunner in no time. With DVD technology, learning magic is easier than ever. By freezing frames and jumping to specific explanations and performances, it becomes simple to master the fundamentals of these astounding magic tricks.
This is an instructional DVD only. You supply both the borrowed bill and the bill you are changing the borrowed bill into. For other techniques for the Bill Switch, see The Reserve Bill Switch (which comes complete with gimmick) and the Thumb Tip DVD.
The Bill Switch is a TRICK- you will not be able to actually change the denomination of money. It will APPEAR that you are changing the denomination, but actually you are SWITCHING the borrowed bill FOR A BILL OF YOUR OWN, a bill that you must supply yourself.
DVD ONLY. You supply the real money.


text:
Blue Jays yet to decide on Happ's replacement
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Blue Jays have yet to make a decision on who will replace left-hander J.A. Happ in the rotation following Tuesday night's scary scene at Tropicana Field.
Happ was struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings. The Toronto left-hander was diagnosed with a minor skull fracture and has since been placed on the 15-day disabled list. He was released from Bayfront Medical Center Wednesday afternoon after undergoing a series of tests and a CT scan.
The Blue Jays selected the contract of right-hander Edgar Gonzalez to replace Happ on the 25-man roster, but the club likely will make another roster move this weekend.
"We're worrying about tonight's game," Toronto manager John Gibbons said when asked who would make Happ's scheduled start on Sunday. "When it gets a little closer to that day, we'll let you know."
Veteran right-hander Claudio Vargas could be one candidate to make a spot start as the club waits to see how long No. 4 starter Josh Johnson will be on the disabled list with soreness in his right triceps muscle.
Vargas was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday night, but if his outing is relatively short, he could come back on three days' rest to face Boston on Sunday afternoon.
Double-A New Hampshire right-hander Chad Jenkins would be a stronger candidate to make the outing, but he just recently returned from a right shoulder injury. Jenkins made his first start of the season on Monday and allowed three hits and two runs in five innings as he continues to build up endurance.
Jenkins appeared in 13 games -- including one start -- for the Blue Jays last season and posted a 4.50 ERA in 32 innings. The 25-year-old was a first-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.
The Blue Jays have off-days next Monday and Thursday, so it's possible the club won't need a fifth starter after Sunday until May 21.
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
The Henley Electric Bicycle Network is being set up by as a new project to get more people, both residents and visitors, cycling in the Chilterns. The Cycle Chilterns project has funding from the Department for Transport and is developing lots of plans to make cycling easier and more accessible across the Chiltern Hills.
Anna Cipullo, CTC Electric Bicycle Network Co-ordinator, said ""Electric bikes provide up to 70% battery assistance making light work of hills. They are ideal for those who don't feel fit or confident enough to tackle a hilly route through leg-power alone, and it opens up cycling to a much wider audience. The Chilterns has so much to offer and we want to promote it as a place that's easy to get to and to enjoy without a car".
Henley and the surrounding countryside is already a popular tourist destination and there is a strong network of businesses there to support this new initiative. Three businesses have already signed up as hire points, two in Henley-on-Thames (Henley Cycles and Swiss Farm Camping) and one in the nearby Hambleden Valley (the Chiltern Valley Winery). Swiss Farm Camping will also have some kids' trailers and tag-a-long bicycles available for families. There will be charge points in cafes and pubs in the area and a free emergency pick-up service if needed.
David Ealand proprietor of Chiltern Valley Winery & Brewery, who is hosting the launch as one of the first hire centres explained why he is keen to take part. "The bikes should offer an interesting addition to the Tour and Tasting experience at the winery and brewery, already offering farmhouse B&B on site and now the chance to explore the locality on these brilliant bikes."
Press contact on the day Sara Randle CTC Senior Development Officer 07825 854731 firstname.lastname@example.com
Photo / interview and have a go! 8th July midday Chiltern Valley Winery.
Chiltern Valley Winery
Directions - Approximately half way between Henley and Marlow on the A4155, take the Hambleden turning at 'Mill End' (marked with a brown sign Chiltern Valley Winery & Brewery). 2.5 miles along the valley road, marked twice with a brown tourist bunch of grapes sign, take the first and only road to the left (also signed Chiltern Valley Winery & Brewery RG9 6JW)


text:
Won't someone think of the children?
Let's do a quick show of hands of parents who think that the internet is a safe place for children to spend their time on? If you've got your hands up you haven't been on the internet for very long.
To be completely honest, the internet scares me. Or better, the amount of scary stuff that is on it, scares me. So now that my son is old enough to have his own PC in his bedroom, I looked around to see what was available to make sure that he doesn't get exposed to material that is well above his age. They grow up quick enough anyway.
Now as someone who runs Ubuntu on his server, and OS X on his MacBook, I am already one step ahead of most parents, who have to deal with a Microsoft Windows environment of some sort. Good luck to you. This blog post depends on a Linux server of some sort, and although the client can be any operating system, I strongly advice you to stick to a *nix based desktop.
After dismissing most options available (things like OpenDNS, and a variety of dedicated applications to block any harmful content), I decided that however I was going to implement it, it would have to be by using a whitelist, rather than the normal practice of a blacklist. The reasoning behind this is that the amount of harmful content changes every minute, and no amount of blacklisting will catch 100% of it. With a whitelist, everything has to be vetted by me, but it ensures total control over their web experience. I also wanted to be able to approve/deny new websites as my son requests them, with little effort required on my side.
Something that sits between the client and the internet would be the perfect solution, and I quickly stumbled upon TinyProxy. As the name implies, the application is small, efficient, easy to manage and it supports blacklisting and whitelisting. Perfect.
- A server running your favourite Linux distribution. I personally use Ubuntu, but for the purpose of this guide, it doesn't matter.
- TinyProxy as installed by your favourite package manager. For Ubuntu that's as easy as
apt-get install tinyproxy, but obviously that will be different if you run something else. Make a note of the version number of TinyProxy though, as we'll need version 1.6.5 or later.
- A webserver running on your server. Apache2 is what I use, but as long as it supports PHP, then it doesn't matter. What does matter though, is that the webserver should be able to access your TinyProxy
whitelistfile, which if you have both TinyProxy and the webserver running on the same server will be the case.
- A client configured to use TinyProxy. This can be Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera, or any other browser you like to use. Be aware though that as soon as your child learns what a proxy is and how to remove it from his PC/laptop, the whole plan falls apart.
Before you continue with the next section, make sure that your webserver is able to serve some pages, and that you have confirmed that TinyProxy is working correctly for you.
Grab the tinyproxy-admin.tar.gz package and unpack it somewhere on your server. There are a number of files in there, each of them I will describe below.
tinyproxy.64 – These two binaries are the 1.6.5 binary patched with a small change to allow TinyProxy's child processes to refresh their filter list when the parent receives a SIGHUP signal and when the
whitelist file is changed. These changes have also been submitted to the development version of TinyProxy, but because
apt-get on my Ubuntu system installs 1.6.5, I have used that code base. Eventually these patches will appear in the Ubuntu package manager, but until then, these will do. The extension indicates whether the binary is for 32-bit, or 64-bit *nix.
tinyproxy – This is the TinyProxy start file (usually found in
/etc/init.d), which contains a couple of changed lines. The permission on the
tinyproxy.log files is by default set to restrictive. It needs to be read by the webserver's user, which means that setting it to 644 everytime we start TinyProxy is required.
The files below need to be put in your TinyProxy configuration directory, usually
tinyproxy.conf – This contains only the required changes to your distribution's version. The ErrorFile, PidFile and Filter locations need to match your installation, and to switch from blacklisting to whitelisting, the FilterDefaultDeny parameter needs to be set to Yes.
whitelist – This contains just a single line;
localhost. You need to whitelist the domain that your webserver runs on, otherwise it won't work. If your local webserver can be reached through a proper domain name, then change
localhost to that instead.
403.html – This is the file referred to by the ErrorFile directive in the
tinyproxy.conf file. It contains two variables which need to be changed to match your system.
The following files are part of the administration interface and will need to be put in a directory that can be served by your local webserver. For instance, if your webserver uses
/var/www as the root directory, put these in a new directory called
/var/www/tinyproxy. The pages should then be able to be accessible by navigating to the http://your.webserver.domain/tinyproxy url.
config.php – This is the configuration for the administration interface. Make sure that the variables match your configuration, and if you want it to notify you by Twitter each time a new domain approval request is made, enter your details in there too.
img (dir) – These are the remaining files which do not require any modification.
How it all works
Whenever a client is requesting a webpage from a domain, the request is done through TinyProxy. If it finds a line in the
whitelist file for the domain, it lets the request pass through, but if it doesn't, an error 403 occurs (Forbidden) and the
403.html page is served to the client. The included
403.html file calls the
filter.html file internally and passes it the website that the client is trying to access.
When the request is made, the domain gets added to the
whitelist file, but with a prefix of M|, therefore still not matching a proper whitelisted domain name. And it is this mechanism which allows me to approve or deny domains whilst keeping the whitelists all in one place. The admin interface simply drops the M| prefix if the domain gets approved, or changes it to D| if it remains denied. Easy peasy :o)
I appreciate that the above is all a bit long and winded, so I'll do a small summary/checklist below for those who are keen to get going.
- Install TinyProxy using package manager
- Install webserver
- Confirm the above are working
- Download tinyproxy-admin.tar.gz
- Amend config.php
- Move config.php, style.css, filter.html, admin.html, filter.php and the img directory to a subdirectory beneath your webserver
- Amend TinyProxy startup script: tinyproxy
- Amend TinyProxy configuration file: tinyproxy.conf
- Amend whitelist and move it to the TinyProxy configuration directory
- Amend 403.html and move it to the TinyProxy configuration directory
- Replace tinyproxy binary with patched version
- Restart TinyProxy
- Breath out ;o)


text:
Avon SKIN SO SOFT Satin Glow Smoothing Body Wash Reviews
Love SSS!I love all skin so soft products, including this one. I use the lotion along with it and my skin feels and smells great and I do notice a bit of color that wasn't there before so I am totally sastified with this product. — 9 years, 2 months agoKikikins625 | 457 reviews
Soft, Smooth SkinI ordered this product from a friend who works for Avon a few months ago and it's become one of my fave body wash. I love the light, fresh scent it leaves on my skin even after several hours later. The scrubbing beads help exfoliate dead skin cells and the moisturizer it contains leaves skin smooth, soft and supple afterward. It's also one of a few body scrubs I've used that doesn't leave my s...read morekin itchy and irritated. The product lasts a long time too and even though I've used it everyday since acquiring it, I still have about half a bottle left. A little goes a long way. — 7 years, 11 months agocheetah11 | 154 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
softgood gives a glow — 8 years, 4 months agomerri10 | 145 reviews
awesome!!love it, during the winter the little scrubbing beads help keep the flakey skin away. — 8 years, 5 months agolittlemidget | 2 reviews
GreattI lOVE THIS PRODUCT, IT ROCKS AND IT IS SO EASY TO USE. — 8 years, 10 months agoTempy00 | 14 reviews
GREAT SMELLI USED THIS LOTION, SELF TANNER THIS SUMMER. I LOVED THE COLOR IT GAVE AND THE SMELL WAS OH SO GOOD. — 8 years, 11 months agop_salaz | 4 reviews
great lookI like this stuff everything from the color to everything about it good price too. — 8 years, 11 months agolkw1974 | 5 reviews
this product is greatthis leaves your skin feeling soft and non oily i recomend this to everyone — 8 years, 11 months agotweety169 | 3 reviews
Great!Skin so soft is awesome! — 9 years agoroosclues | 5 reviews
great inexpensive productprovides skin smoothing and softening for sunless tanning preparation. Body wash has fresh clean scent and leaves skin feeling smooth and silky. Prevents sunless tanning from uneven application. Wise value for the money. — 9 years, 1 month agojenarn1 | 1 reviews
Home » Reviews » Body » Body Wash + Shower Gel / Foam » Avon SKIN SO SOFT Satin Glow Smoothing Body Wash
to top
My Reasons for Reporting This


text:
Fairfax Aqua/Pink Backpacks
- Overview
With sizes for little and big kids alike, our Fairfax backpacks are the perfect fit. They're made to be superdurable to stand up to the busiest school days, and come packed with pockets so there's plenty of room for all the essentials, and some fun things, too.
- Made from rugged, water-resistant 600-denier polyester.
- Adjustable and padded straps ensure a comfortable fit.
- Detailed with reflective piping for safety.
- Fairfax Lunch Bag (sold separately) piggybacks onto exterior metal loops on the Small, Large and Rolling backpacks.
- Exterior side pockets are designed to hold any of our water bottles (sold separately).
- Pre-K backpack holds a snack, a change of clothes, and a favorite toy.
- Small backpack holds a lunch bag, two small notebooks, two books and a water bottle.
- Large and Rolling backpacks hold a lunch bag, a large notebook, two small notebooks, several books and a water bottle.
- Please note, personalization placement varies along the striped pattern and may not appear as shown.
- Dimensions & Care
Pre-K Backpack
- Fits children who are 36–42" tall.
- Overall: 8.5" wide x 4" deep x 10" high
- Interior: 8" wide x 3.5" deep x 9.5" high
- Exterior Pockets: 3
- Exterior Front Panel Pocket: 6.5" wide x 5" high
- Exterior Side Pocket (2): 4" wide x 4.5" high
- Shoulder Strap (2): 2.5" wide x 13–16" long
- Carrying Handle: 1" wide x 6.5" long
Small Backpack
- Fits children who are 43–49" tall.
- Overall: 11" wide x 4" deep x 14" high
- Interior: 10.5" wide x 3.5" deep x 13.5" high
- Interior Pockets: 1
- Exterior Pockets: 4
- Exterior Mesh Pocket (2): 5" wide x 4" high
- Exterior Front Panel Pocket: 6.5" wide x 6" high
- Exterior Supply Pocket: 9.5" wide x 12.5" high
- Shoulder Strap (2): 2.5" wide x 21–26.5" long
- Carrying Handle: 1.5" wide x 7.5" long
Large Backpack
- Fits children who are over 48" tall.
- Overall: 13" wide x 7.5" deep x 17" high
- Interior: 12.5" wide x 7" deep x 16.5" high
- Interior Pockets: 1
- Exterior Pockets: 4
- Exterior Front Panel Pocket: 8" wide x 7.5" high
- Exterior Side Pocket (2): 5" wide x 7" high
- Exterior Supply Pocket: 11" wide x 14" high
- Shoulder Strap (2): 2.5" wide x 20.5–30.5" long
- Carrying Handle: 1.5" wide x 9" long
Rolling Backpack
- Fits children who are over 48" tall.
- Overall: 12" wide x 6" deep x 16" high
- Interior: 11.5" wide x 5.5" deep x 15.5" high
- Interior Pockets: 2
- Interior Mesh Pocket: 10.5" wide x 10.5" high
- Exterior Pockets: 3
- Exterior Front Panel Pocket: 6.5" wide x 7" high
- Exterior Side Pocket (2): 5" wide x 6" high
- Shoulder Strap: 3" wide x 23.5–31.5" long
- Carrying Handle: 1.5" wide x 9" long
- Pull Handle: 5.5" wide x 10–18" long
- Clean with a damp white cloth.
- Shipping & Return Info
Standard UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days.
Next Day Delivery and Processing
We can arrange for next day delivery to most destinations within the contiguous 48 states, for an extra charge of $17.50 per address. If we receive your order by 6pm PT Monday through Friday, you'll receive your order the next business day; orders placed on Friday after 6pm PT through Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Note: Next Day Delivery service is not available for some oversized items, Premium In-Home White Glove Delivery, out of stock items, personalized items or for items shipped directly from the manufacturer.
Select oversized items have an additional delivery and processing surcharge; this charge is listed below the item price.
View the complete Shipping and Delivery.
At Pottery Barn Kids, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment; upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage. We will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
Final Sale
Delivery fees are non-refundable and prior purchases are not eligible for a price adjustment. The following items are non-eligible for returns or exchanges:
- Personalized/Monogrammed items
- Mattresses
- Gift cards
- Special-order items (including made-to-order upholstery and custom items)
- Final Sale items (identified by a price ending in $.X7 or $.X9)
- Items damaged through normal wear and tear.
Questions? See our full Returns Policy.


text:
PROPERTY services group, Countrywide plc, has won 18 estate agency and lettings awards at the Estate & Letting Agent Awards 2014 (ESTAS 2014), for delivering outstanding customer service.
The UK's largest estate and lettings agency group, which includes Gascoigne-Pees in Basingstoke, Tadley and Andover, along with Carsons & Co in Festival Place, won the Best Large Chain (Lettings) and Best Large Chain (Sales), which Countrywide plc has won for the sixth consecutive year, as well as a new award called Best Estate and Lettings Agency Group.
The awards were presented by TV property expert Phil Spencer at a luncheon ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane Hotel, in London, which was attended by 700 people.
Now in their 11 th year, the ESTAS awards, are the only industry accolades based purely on the votes of buyers, sellers and landlords.
The annual awards recognise the best offices in the UK for delivering outstanding customer service and customers are asked to vote for estate and letting agents based on their experience in 2013.
Hundreds of agents from across the UK took part and over 32,000 questionnaires were completed by customers during the competition, making it the biggest consumer survey of its kind in the property industry.
Countrywide managing director of estate agency Bob Scarff, said: "We take great pride in being voted Best Large National Chain (Sales) for the sixth year running and winning the new combined award for Best Estate and Lettings Agency Group is a fantastic achievement.
"Our customers are at the heart of our business and these awards comes off the back of our significant investment in a customer focussed employee programme, to continually improve our service and ensure our approach and methods of communication are aligned with our customers.
"These awards are testament to the confidence that our customers have in the excellent service provided by Countrywide across the UK."
Countrywide Residential Lettings, group commercial director, Nick Dunning, said: "It's important to us to ensure that our customers feel valued and satisfied with the service they receive.
"We're delighted to win these awards which are voted by our customers and are testament to the hard work of our letting agents across the UK and the customer service they provide."
Phil Spencer, who has hosted the ESTAS every year since their inception, said: "The ESTAS are about making people happy, putting a smile on their face and making a genuine difference to peoples' lives.
"An agent's role is about guiding people through one of the most stressful times in their lives and that's not an easy job.
"In a world where it's becoming increasingly difficult to make contact with a real person in a company, isn't it so refreshing that you can phone almost any estate or letting agent in the UK and get straight through to a real person.
"The ESTAS help agencies to focus on customer service levels and that's why agencies keep coming back."


text:
TPWD Print-Friendly Page: http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/print.phtml?req=20051205bMedia Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030 [SL]
TPWD Website: http://tpwd.texas.gov
TPWD News Release — Dec. 5, 2005
AUSTIN, Texas — Quail are considered by wildlife officials to be a keystone indicator species of the health of grassland ecosystems. When their numbers fall, other species that inhabit those ecosystems follow in a domino effect. A diverse cooperative, working under the umbrella of the Texas Quail Conservation Initiative, is making landscape level conservation progress to help ensure the dominos won't topple.
During the past three years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has developed a proactive strategy to address quail declines in Texas. The agency's approach has been one of partnership. Several state, federal, and private entities including private landowners have come together to form the Texas Quail Conservation Initiative (TQCI). By bringing all stakeholders to the table, the initiative can focus on landscape level conservation that minimizes duplicative effort and maximizes resources.
The Texas Quail Council and the Quail Technical Support Committee are the main facilitating bodies of this initiative. The Council, appointed by the Chairman of the Parks and Wildlife Commission as an official advisory group, has provided advice and guidance in developing the initiative and helps identify and overcome roadblocks to recovery; while the Technical Committee assures the plan is based on good science.
"The work that's been accomplished in three short years through this initiative has been impressive and is a benchmark for other states to follow," said Robert Perez, TPWD quail program biologist. "By bringing together all the quail minds at the same table, we've now got a clearinghouse in Texas for upland bird recovery and conservation."
Quail Council members have interacted with national conservation policy makers to provide valuable input regarding the criteria for various cost incentive programs on private lands that would benefit quail and grassland birds. Resulting programs, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program Emphasis Areas, have distributed millions of dollars to Texas landowners over the past couple of year resulting in more upland game bird habitat on the ground.
"We have to be able to use incentive programs like the Farm Bill, EQIP and our Landowner Incentive Program to demonstrate how converting pastures back to native vegetation and providing usable habitat for wildlife can pay dividends directly to the landowner," said Steve DeMaso, upland game bird program leader for TPWD. "We also have to get the support of sportsmen by educating them to the fact that conservation programs for other species are also beneficial for quail and other game species."
Examples of these education and outreach efforts can be found in two prominent quail conservation posters. One poster can be found displayed in Natural Resource Conservation Service offices around the country, thanks to proactive efforts by the Quail Council and another, dedicated to native habitat restoration initiatives promoted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, carries First Lady Laura Bush's signature and a personal message to encourage cooperative conservation and habitat restoration.
Then Council has been proactive in encouraging TPWD program staff to work with the Railroad Commission, TXU and ALCOA to help improve restoration practices on Texas mined lands for early succession species. The director of the state mining association was appointed by the TPW Commission Chairman to the Council and a biologist from the mining industry serves on the Technical Committee.
"Mined lands serve as repositories of locally adapted quail which can be used in future translocation projects where local quail are not available," said DeMaso. "Mined lands in other states may also be able to use this model to create habitat."
The Council provided valuable input and guidance in the development of the Texas Quail Conservation Strategic Plan, and the publication of the popular version of the document "Where Have All The Quail Gone?" to promote quail conservation across the state. These plans are being distributed throughout the state via numerous venues to facilitate reaching interested landowners and managers.
According to Vernon Bevill, small game and habitat assessment program director with TPWD, another example of public and private partnerships involved Texas Governor Rick Perry autographing 200 Jack Cowan quail prints that were donated to the initiative for fundraising efforts. These prints are being sold through the Texas Wildlife Association, Collector's Covey, Texas Quail Unlimited and by Council members. The TWA Foundation volunteered services as the ordering point as well as serve as the holder of these funds in a separate dedicated account on behalf of the Texas Quail Initiative.
As part of the Texas Quail Plan, the Council has encouraged development of Quail Demonstration Areas on public and private lands and portions of both the Chaparral and Matador Wildlife Management Areas are being developed for this purpose. Funds from the initiative have helped purchase farm implement equipment to facilitate this work.
In addition, Audubon Texas, also a member of the Council, hired a full time biologist to help implement the TQCI by acting as a catalyst to form quail management cooperatives across the state.
Following initiation of the Texas Quail Council, the TQC model has been emulated by other states as an effective means of developing their own quail recovery and implementation plans.
In recognition for its efforts, the Council received the First Annual Group Achievement Award from Quail Unlimited National in March of 2005.


text:
Playwrights Horizons Presents A SMALL FIRE, Closes 1/23
Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) presents the World Premiere of A SMALL FIRE, a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Drunken City at PH, The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows). Directed by Trip Cullman (Adam Bock's The Drunken City at PH and Swimming in the Shallows, plus Bachelorette, Some Men, The Last Sunday in June, the recent Edgewise, Adam Rapp's upcoming The Hallway Trilogy) the production will close Sunday, January 23 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).
The cast features three-time Obie Award and Drama Desk Award winner Reed Birney (Circle Mirror Transformation, The Savannah Disputation at PH, Blasted), Tony Award nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger (Saved at PH, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Bachelorette), Tony Award winner Michele Pawk (Prayer for My Enemy at PH, Hollywood Arms, Cabaret, Mamma Mia!) and NAACP Image Award nominee Victor Williams (Deacon Palmer on "The King of Queens," Troilus and Cressida for New York Shakespeare Festival).
When a tough-as-nails contractor (Ms. Pawk) finds her senses slipping on the brink of her daughter's (Ms. Keenan-Bolger) wedding, the impact on her family is nothing less than seismic. A SMALL FIRE is a human parable in which unexpected loss leads to an unlikely love story.
The production features scenic design by Loy Arcenas, costume design by Ilona Somogyi, lighting design by David Weiner and original music and sound design by Robert Kaplowitz. Production Stage Manager is Lori Ann Zepp.
HOTtix and STUDENT RUSH are some of Playwrights Horizons' popular Arts Access initiatives, which allow the institution to reach out to those who may not be able to afford the cost of a full-price theater ticket. This program is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The McGraw-Hill Companies and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.
Reflecting Playwrights Horizons' ongoing commitment to making its productions more affordable to younger audiences, the theater company will offer HOTtix, $20 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before showtime to patrons aged 30 and under. Proof of age required. One ticket per person, per purchase. STUDENT RUSH, $15 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before curtain to full-time graduate and undergraduate students. One ticket per person, per purchase. Valid student ID required.
Playwrights Horizons' season productions are generously supported by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.
Playwrights Horizons is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New
York State Assembly and the New York State Senate. In addition, Playwrights Horizons receives major support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Time Warner Inc., the Charina Endowment Fund and the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.
For subscription and ticket information to all Playwrights Horizons productions, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, Noon to 8 pm daily, or purchase online at the Playwrights Horizons website at www.playwrightshorizons.org.
Adam Bock's (Playwright) The Drunken City was produced at Playwrights Horizons in 2008. His play The Receptionist received its World Premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club in the fall of 2007 to a sold-out extended run. The play has had many stock and amateur productions around the country, including last fall, starring Megan Mullally at The Odyssey Theatre in LA. His other works include The Thugs (Obie Award), Swimming in the Shallows (3 BATCC Awards, Clauder Award), Five Flights (Glickman Award), The Typographer's Dream, The Shaker Chair and Three Guys and a Brenda (Heideman Award). His plays have been commissioned, developed and produced in NYC by MTC, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, Soho Rep, Primary Stages, The Vineyard, Rattlestick, Clubbed Thumb, and regionally at Yale, Trinity Rep, the O'Neill, the Humana Festival, UCross/Sundance, in San Francisco, LA, Seattle, Salt Lake, Montreal, Toronto, London, and Edinburgh, among others. He is the resident playwright at Encore Theater, a Shotgun Players artistic associate, and a New Dramatists member playwright. He is currently writing a screenplay for Scott Rudin/Miramax.
Trip Cullman (Director) previously directed Adam Bock's The Drunken City and Sarah Schulman's Manic Flight Reaction at Playwrights Horizons. He next directs Nursing, which is the final part of Adam Rapp's The Hallway Trilogy at Rattlestick. Other New York credits include Adam Bock's Swimming in the Shallows, Eliza Clark's Edgewise (The Play Company and PS 73); Leslye Headland's Bachelorette and Terrence McNally's Some Men (Second Stage); Lloyd Suh's American Hwangap, Robert Farquhar's Bad Jazz, Roland Schimmelpfennig's Arabian Night and Brooke Berman's Smashing (The Play Company); Gina Gionfriddo's US Drag (stageFARM); Bert V. Royal's Dog Sees God (The Century Center); Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's Dark Matters (Rattlestick Theater); Jonathan Tolin's The Last Sunday in June (Century Center and Rattlestick Theater); Glen Berger's The Wooden Breeks (MCC Theater); Paul Weitz's Roulette (EST); Rinne Groff's Of a White Christmas (Clubbed Thumb); Gary Sunshine's Sweetness and Brooke Berman's Sam and Lucy (both at Summer Play Festival '04) and The Wau Wau Sisters (Ars Nova). Regional credits include the World Premiere of Lloyd Suh's American Hwangap (Magic Theatre), Six Degrees of Separation (Old Globe) the World Premiere of Richard Greenberg's The Injured Party at South Coast Rep, Keith Huff's A Steady Rain and The Petersons Project (both at New York Stage and Film), Lauren Weedman's Rash (The Empty Space, Seattle), John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation (The Old Globe, San Diego). Training: Yale School of Drama.
Reed Birney (John) won a 2006 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Performance. He made his New York debut at Playwrights Horizons in 1976 in Gemini. He's also appeared there in Herself As Lust (1982), An Imaginary Life (1994), The Butterfly Collection (2000), Pen (2006), The Savannah Disputation (2009) and last season's Circle Mirror Transformation (Obie, Drama Desk awards). Other New York appearances include Tigers Be Still (Roundabout), Blasted (Soho Rep); Stuff Happens (The Public, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble); Our Leading Lady (MTC); Bug (Barrow Street, Obie Award); Loose Knit, The Family of Mann (Second Stage); The Common Pursuit (Promenade); Volunteer Man (Rattlestick); Bedfellows (Bat Theatre); and Minor Demons, The Exact Center of the Universe (Century Center). Regional includes The Lisbon Traviata (Seattle Rep) and the world premiere of Neil Simon's Hotel Suite (Walnut Street). TV work includes episodes of "Gossip Girl," "Kings" and "My Generation."
Celia Keenan-Bolger (Jenny) last appeared at Playwrights Horizons creating the role of Mary in the musical Saved. She earned a 2005 Tony Award nomination for her performance as Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, as well as winning Drama Desk and Theatre World awards. Also on Broadway, she played the role of Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables, for which she earned a Drama Desk nomination. Off-Broadway: Juno (Encores!); Bachelorette (directed by Mr. Cullman) and Michael John LaChiusa's Little Fish (Second Stage); Kindertransport (MTC); Summer of '42 (Variety Arts). Regional credits include Joanna in Sweeney Todd (Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration), Emily in Our Town (Intiman Theatre) and Clara in The Light in the Piazza (Goodman Theatre). She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Department.
Michele Pawk (Emily) previously appeared at Playwrights Horizons in Craig Lucas' Prayer for My Enemy. She won a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Hollywood Arms, directed by Harold Prince. Her other Broadway credits include Cabaret (revival, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), Crazy for You (Drama Desk nomination) Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Chicago (revival), Seussical, Triumph of Love, Losing Louie and Mail. Off-Broadway: The Paris Letter (Drama Desk nomination), Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven, Flyovers, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Reefer Madness, After the Fair, Hello Again, Merrily We Roll Along, john & jen, A Little Night Music (NYC and L.A. Operas). Film and television work includes Cradle Will Rock, Jeffrey, all three "Law & order" series, "Guiding Light,""All My Children," "The Golden Girls" and "LA Law."
Victor Williams (Billy) earned an NAACP nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his long-running role as Deacon Palmer on the CBS sitcom "The King of Queens." He's appeared on the New York stage in MarK Wing-Davey's production of Troilus and Cressida at New York Shakespeare Festival as well as the LAByrinth production of Philip Roth in Khartoum. Regional Theater work includes the title role in Othello for Shakespeare on the Sound. His additional TV and Film credits include "Fringe," "Flight of the Conchords" (Officer West), "ER" (Roger McGrath), "The Practice," "The Jamie Foxx Show," "Law & Order," Cop Land, Bewitched, The Preacher's Wife, A Brooklyn State of Mind and the animated film Animatrix.
Playwrights Horizons, celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season, is a writer's theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American Playwrights, composers and lyricists and to the production of their new work. Under the leadership of artistic director Tim Sanford and managing director Leslie Marcus, the theater company continues to encourage the new work of veteran writers while nurturing an emerging generation of theater artists. In its 40 years, Playwrights Horizons has presented the work of more than 375 writers and has received numerous awards and honors, including a special 2008 Drama Desk Award for "ongoing support to generations of theater artists and undiminished commitment to producing new work." Notable productions include four Pulitzer Prize winners: Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (2004 Tony Award, Best Play), Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles (1989 Tony Award, Best Play), Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George, as well as Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation (three 2010 Obie Awards including Best New American Play), Edward Albee's Me, Myself & I, Bruce Norris' Clybourne Park, Amy Herzog's After the Revolution, Melissa James Gibson's This (2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist), Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie's Grey Gardens (three 2007 Tony Awards), Craig Lucas's Prayer For My Enemy and Small Tragedy (2004 Obie Award, Best American Play), Adam Rapp's Kindness, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins, Sarah Ruhl's Dead Man's Cell Phone, Bruce Norris's The Pain and the Itch, Lynn Nottage's Fabulation (2005 Obie Award for Playwriting), Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero, David Greenspan's She Stoops to Comedy (2003 Obie Award), Kirsten Childs's The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (2000 Obie Award), Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey's James Joyce's The Dead, William Finn's March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Richard Nelson's Goodnight Children Everywhere and Franny's Way, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's Once on This Island, Jon Robin Baitz's The Substance of Fire, Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room, A.R. Gurney's Later Life, Adam Guettel and Tina Landau's Floyd Collins and Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's Violet.


text:
Get an overview of this hotelRiverfront lodge with free airport shuttle and restaurant
Popular property highlights
Situated on a river, this lodge is within 9 mi (15 km) of Railway Museum, Livingstone Museum, and Maramba Cultural Museum. Victoria Falls Field Museum and Devil's Pool are also within 12 mi (20 km).
Property Features
This lodge features a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and a fitness center. Free self parking and a free airport shuttle are also provided. Other amenities include a bar/lounge, a meeting room, and laundry facilities.
Room Amenities
All 77 rooms offer WiFi, patios, and room service. Other amenities that guests will find include separate bathtubs and showers and coffee makers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Thorntree River Lodge
Lodge Amenities
Lodge Amenities
Thorntree River Lodge features an outdoor pool and a fitness center. The lodge offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink.
This Livingstone lodge also offers tour/ticket assistance, laundry facilities, and room service (during limited hours). A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary to guests at scheduled times. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Free airport transportation
- Number of floors - 1
- Fitness facilities
- Total number of rooms - 77
- One meeting room
- Restaurant
- Free self parking
- Bar/lounge
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Laundry facilities
- Outdoor pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: WiFi (surcharge)
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Patio
- Coffee/tea maker
- Private bathroom
- Separate bathtub and shower
- Room service (limited hours)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- WiFi (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Thorntree River Lodge has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the lodge include an outdoor pool and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Rafting nearby
Lodge Policies
Check-in time starts at 2:30 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: ZMW 1 (rates may vary)
- Fee for wired Internet in public areas: ZMW 1 (rates may vary)
Lodge Name
- Three Cities Thorntree River
- Three Cities Thorntree River Livingstone
- Three Cities Thorntree River Lodge
- Three Cities Thorntree River Lodge Livingstone
- Thorntree River Lodge Livingstone
- Thorntree River Livingstone
- Thorntree River
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


text:
England's one-day international debutant openers Moeen Ali and Michael Lumb got the tourists off to a flying start in pursuit of 270 to win the first match of three against West Indies.
Stuart Broad's team appeared to face a challenging total, after home captain Dwayne Bravo had engineered a brilliant West Indies recovery from 45 for four in the 16th over to finish with 269 for six.
But Moeen, on his first international appearance, and veteran Twenty20 specialist Lumb responded with a very promising 82 without loss after 15 overs.
The Windies, put in at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, were spooked by early spin but finished with a flourish thanks to Bravo's century stands with Lendl Simmons (65) and then Darren Sammy (61).
Sammy's whirlwind 50 from only 33 deliveries contained five fours and four sixes as 116 runs were plundered in the last 10 overs, and Bravo finished unbeaten on a near run-a-ball 87.
England, anxious to get a 'new era' off to a winning start after Ashes misery and its significant aftermath this winter, made all the early running.
The experiment of opening the bowling with Joe Root worked a treat as the part-time off-spinner's first spell read 5-1-13-1.
James Tredwell was then a like-for-like but frontline replacement for Root at the pavilion end, and he too soon struck - as did first-change Tim Bresnan (three for 68).
Dwayne Smith hit Root for a towering six over long off in his second over, but otherwise the Windies could not get started.
Kieran Powell tried to drive Root on the up but fell to a brilliant, diving catch by Chris Jordan at short cover.
It took Tredwell only three deliveries to see off West Indies' other opener, Smith, edging on to his pad and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler scampering round to take another diving catch in the leg side.
Kirk Edwards did not convince and eventually missed an attempted drive at Bresnan and was bowled off-stump.
When Moeen turned one from round the wicket to make Darren Bravo his first international victim, lbw, the hosts appeared to be in danger of faltering permanently.
But their captain and Simmons had other ideas, in a crucial fifth-wicket partnership.
Dwayne Bravo took 36 balls to reach double figures, and Simmons' cut for four off Tredwell was the only boundary in almost 20 overs.
It was a period of necessary caution, but the powerplay brought 41 runs and the wicket of only Simmons - backing away against Bresnan to try to beat the off-side ring but managing only to loop a low catch into the wind.
If that was not a percentage shot, almost all of Bravo's were in a 74-ball 50 which contained just three fours.
As Broad restricted himself to only six overs, Jordan's line struggled badly in the cross-wind.
He ended up bowling an extra over in wides, and Root's ninth and final over cost 23 as some typically robust hitting from Sammy ensured England would have to bat very well to win after all.


text:
RECIPES: Recipe Details
Sho'Nuff Good Burgers
Combining the flavors of my Southern childhood with a twist, Sho'Nuff Good Burgers will appeal to Yankees, Heartland Folks and those from Out West.
Molasses Mustard
½ cup dry mustard
½ cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Peach Salsa
3 ripe yellow peaches, peeled, stoned and chopped
2 vine-ripened red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seed and finely chopped
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Southern Sausage Patties
2 pounds lean ground sirloin
½ pound ground pork
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Additional Burger Components
Vegetable oil for brushing grill rack
½ pound provolone cheese, cut into 6 equal slices
3 cups of collards, stems removed, shredded and blanched 5 minutes
6 sweet potato hamburger rolls (*recipe included if not available in bakery)
In a small bowl, combine dry mustard, white wine vinegar, molasses, ¼ teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger and pepper. Cover, refrigerate and allow flavors to blend for at least 24 hours. Can be kept covered in the refrigerator indefinitely.
In a medium bowl combine peaches, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice to make salsa. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat gas grill to medium. To make patties, combine the sirloin, pork, salt, pepper, ginger, sage and nutmeg in a large bowl. Handling meat as little as possible, mix well.
Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into round patties. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil, place patties on grill rack, cover and cook turning once, 7 to 9 minutes on each side or until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Thirty seconds before removing patties from the grill, top with provolone slices and place the sweet potato rolls, cut sides down, on the grill to toast.
To build the burgers, spread the molasses mustard on the cut sides of each sweet potato roll. Place the patties on the bottom of the bund, cheese side up. Top with collards, peach salsa and bun tops.
My bakery carries Sweet Potato Hamburger Rolls but I'm including it here for those who are not blessed to live in the South.
*Sweet Potato Hamburger Rolls
2 tablespoons or 2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup cooked, pureed sweet potato
1/4 cup, melted butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. In a large mixing machine bowl, combine sweet potatoes, butter, salt, and eggs. Add yeast mixture to the sweet potato mixture. Add flour to the yeast/sweet potato mixture. Mix well and using the dough hook attachment, knead until smooth about 4 minutes. Place in a warm area free of drafts and let dough rise for 1 1/2 hours. After the first rise, deflate the dough and divide it into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball then flatten it to make it 3/4-inch thick. Place the rolls either in a hamburger bun pan or on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise for 25 to 30 minutes, until almost doubled. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 17 to 19 minutes, until the tops are a rich golden brown color. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool on a rack for 5 minutes, before removing from the pan and returning to the rack to cool completely. Split right before filling. Yield: 6 large hamburger rolls.


text:
Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
Jesus Christ Superstar, a "rock opera" and dramatized version of the last seven days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, continues on the stage this weekend.
The show begins with preparations for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples in Jerusalem and concludes with Christ's suffering and crucifixion. This synthesis of the passion of Christ has played to world-wide audiences in thousands of theaters since it debuted on Broadway in 1971.
The North Platte production is an inspiring show by an inspired group of community actors and musicians. The acting, music, lighting and costumes are excellent on the Neville Center stage. The play presents a wide range of deep emotional experiences, from exuberance to sorrow.Audiences who see this show will be glad they did.
The story is told from the point of view of Judas, Christ's apostle who shows his concern, if not his jealously, at the outset, when the character of Judas cautions Jesus, singing, "You've started to believe the things they say of you/ You really do believe this talk of God is true/ And all the good you've done will soon get swept away/ You've begun to matter more than the things you say."
Jesus lets humility answer and his transcendent actions intrigue and impress the audience to care more deeply.
In addition to the title song, "Superstar," the well-known score includes the popping song, "What's the Buzz" by the disciples and the heart-rending "I Don't Know How to Love Him" sung by Mary Magdeline, played by Ashley Aloi.
This is the first time director Lori Evans has worked with the show. Four days before opening night, she said the actors and musicians were stepping up.
Evans also understands that the show can generate controversy and skepticism among Biblical believers, but she thinks the play's perspective ties the Gospel to today.
"It's a story everyone knows," Evans said, "but it's told from a different perspective, set to rock music and contemporary language, so that's a major difference. Herod taunts Jesus to 'walk across my swimming pool' instead of to 'walk on water.' We are more apt to see the characters as flesh and blood people with real emotions. To me, that makes it great. The audience can identify with the characters and feel what they may have felt 2,000 years ago."
This reviewer found the final scenes riveting and moving, as Jesus is led before Pilate, who yields to the cries to "Crucify him" from the crowd. Pilate then oversees a scourging, counting each of 39 lashes across Christ's bare back.
As usual, actor Tom Clements shines on the playhouse stage, this time portraying the mocking King Herod.
The music was produced and released in 1968.
Musical director Glenn Van Velson said the complex music is one of the most challenging things he's done in a lifetime hobby career with the playhouse, the Sandhills symphony and the Heartland Singers.
"There is lots of music -- different styles; different time signatures -- toe-tappers, sweet beautiful ballads, and scary and dark songs. I appreciate the opportunity to direct it."
The musicians, which include Rob Kittle on drums and Virgil French and Vickie Windham on woodwinds, to mention just a few members of an outstanding orchestra, do a professional job.
Jesus Christ Superstar ran for 720 consecutive performances on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber won the Drama Desk Award as Most Promising Composer in 1972.
Less than 12 months after the Broadway show opened, the rock show came to London, exploding in a hugely successful production.
In London that year, symphony composer Dmitri Shostakovich asked to see a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. He was so impressed that he went back the following night to see it again.
By 1980, after 3,358 performances, the show became the longest running musical in London's West End history at the time.Two decades later, Jesus Christ Superstar received a blessing from the Vatican. Songs from the show were performed in front of Pope John Paul II in Rome in May 2000.
The North Platte Community Playhouse is excited to share this work of art with central Nebraska, playhouse manager Scott Carlson said.
The show opened on Feb. 8 and 9 and continues this weekend, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., and the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at the NPCP office from noon-5 p.m. on Monday-Friday, or online at www.northplattecommunityplayhouse.com or at the door before each performance.
Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children and students.
The cast: Judas - Mark Cullinan; Jesus- Mike Crom; Mary Magdalene - Ashley Aloi; Peter - Brad Godfrey; Annas - Matt Pederson; Caiaphas - Andrew Lee; Priest - Malachi Murtaugh; Pilate - Jim Shreck; Herod - Tom Clements.
The men's chorus is comprised of Sam Fornander, Jared Gafke, Philip Ryan, Wayne Stafford and Seth Vapenik.
The women's chorus is comprised of Suzanne Deardoff, Britnee Fear, Peggy Fox, Sue McKain, Traci Sawyer, Traci Shavlik, Bea Webster and Tiffany Wood.
Jesus Christ Superstar is the third production of the 2013-14 North Platte community playhouse season. The final production will be the musical, Annie. This show is produced through a special arrangement with Rodgers and Hammerstein, Inc. and made possible in part by the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment of the Arts.
This review was first published in the Bulletin's Feb. 5 print edition. A brief advance report on the show was published online Feb. 3, prompting 37 talkbacks, published below. -Editor
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


text:
New York City Public Advocate candidate Reshma Saujani kicked off her Queens campaign on the steps of Flushing Town Hall.
Saujani was joined by Councilmember Peter Koo as she launched a five-day tour of the boroughs. Of her campaign, Saujani said she wanted to speak for all New Yorkers and ensure everyone had fair opportunities.
"We have a responsibility to make sure that all New Yorkers who work hard and play by the rules have access to the American Dream," she said. "We need a voice loud enough to speak for everyone, driving the change we need to create good-paying jobs, give our kids the education they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and make sure all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable housing."
Saujani is running in a five-way race against State Senator Daniel Squadron, Councilmember Letitia James, Cathy Guerriero and schools advocate Noah Gotbaum.