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Strange as it may sound, you can't drink beer all the time... your bladder would explode for one thing, and for another, your brain would becomes so fuddled and muddled that you wouldn't be abl to hold a cohe..sensabl...um...
Thank the lord for el vino collapso.
I like a glass or two of wine occasionally. Especially when the glass is one of those muckle big jobs that you can squeeze a full bottle into, and the occasion being any month with an R in it...or a vowel.
But I'm no connoisseur.*
Because I've travelled in Italy quite a bit in recent years, I've developed a taste for Italian wines and more specifically, whites from the Veneto.
But there's no need to track down a cheap flight to Marco Polo to sample the delights of that region, just pop along to any supermarket and you'll find plentiful supplies of the stuff. Mind you, I'd sooner sit in the sun in Sirmione sipping a Soave...suavely, but instead I bought a bottle of COLLEZIONE ITALIANA SOAVE in Aldi for well under a fiver. (* told you)
Apparently, the grape varieties used in making this wine are a blend of Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay - varieties all harvested in the vineyards of the Veneto. Well I wouldn't know about that, I can hardly tell the difference between a grape and a bald gooseberry.
Aldi describe it thusly:
"Serve chilled, but not too cold, to enjoy the subtle aromas and flavours of pears, pink grapefruit and almond paste."
Let's uncork this baby then. Well when I say uncork, a more accurate description would to unscrew the cap. No matter, I can hardly master a bottle opener never mind a corkscrew. At least it's not in a box.
This wine pours a slightly lemony yellow colour and clear as a frosty morning in January. There's a very gentle effervescence, although it's certainly not a sparkling wine, which dissipates almost immediately leaving a generous portion in the glass.
A gentle swirl, and in goes the hooter for a deep and meaningful sniff (cue sound effects). The aroma is fruity and a little bit nutty with hints of peach and pear and, unexpectedly, cardboard. Hmm. It doesn't smell unpleasant, which is a bonus.
As for the taste, well I'm not going to go in for all that swirling it around the mouth and spitting it out malarkey (what a waste) unless, that is, it's absolutely bowff. It's not...but it IS close. It's clean, crisp and sharp with lots of soft fruity flavour - overwhelmingly pears, and up front is quite pleasant. This is very short lived though and you're soon confronted with a dryness of Saharan proportions. I kid you not. I quite like a dry wine but this is screw-yer-face-up, sook-a-lemon, mouth-puckeringly dry. Jeezo.
At 11.5% abv this wine holds out plenty of promise but slaps you down with a tongue-rasping dryness that somewhat spoils the whole experience. It smells nice enough, it looks good and the initial flavour is pleasantly fruity. But oh dear, it's drier than the following joke:
My brother`s been really ill in hospital for weeks after the fire at his house. He was doing well until they covered his burns in grease.
Now he`s going downhill fast.
I can't really recommend this wine. Not unless uber-dryness is your thing, that is. It's cheap , but nip along to Asda and get three bottles of Miramari for a tenner - that's cheap AND tasty.
Would I drink this again? - only if I was hyper-hydrated.
Eating out in Venice can be an expensive business, but it doesn't have to be. "Oh sure," I hear you say, "A Big Mac is much the same price anywhere." As if.
Of course it's true that there are cheap options available like takeaways or back street dives, but you're in Venice. You want to have a leisurely lunch with a glass or three of vino whilst almost dipping your tootsies in a canal (you don't want to go any further than almost - Evian, it's not). You want magnificent street-scapes, gondolas, monuments and everything associated with this marvellous place...well, almost everything. You want all these things but you don't want: pickpockets, rip-offs, noise, hustle and bustle, and hordes. In a nutshell, you want your own personal little oasis in this sometimes overwhelming city.
Part of the fun of a place like Venice is just wandering where the urge takes you. Of course, the big sights are there to be seen, but sometimes it's the quieter, unexpected corners that spark the magic. Luckily, it seems that even with a detailed map, I have a much keener sense of direction than mrs p. Unfortunately, so does a dead pigeon. Getting lost presents no visible problem to the proxies.
And so it was that we stumbled upon a restaurant called ANTICO GATOLETO. (Probably should've worn sensible shoes!)
ANTICO GATOLETO is situated at the end of Campo Santa Maria Nova in the Cannaregio area of Venice. Hmmm, but how do you find it? Well, the easy way is to turn left as you exit the train station and just follow the main drag parallel to the Grand Canal and after about ten minutes, just as the Grand Canal turns towards The Rialto, turn left and...now your on your own pal. Somewhere in amongst the jumbled tangle of alleyways and waterways lies the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and across a little footbridge is a delightful little piazza with a few shops and restaurants. Well done, you have arrived.
Well so much for the easy way. We took a much more torturous route but as I said, that's half the fun.
The little Piazza is one of those places where you just don't expect to see what you do when you turn into it. All around are dark and dank, claustrophobically narrow lanes and suddenly, you step into a kind of bright, sunlit sea of tranquillity (yep, you're seriously lost, moon-boy).
Conveniently for us, we stepped into this sanctuary just about lunch time (anytime is lunch time on holiday).
ANTICO GATOLETO is a ristorante/pizzeria. I'm not going to elaborate any further on that. It's a small, corner bar/cafe as well so there's no issue about fancy dining here. You want expresso? Va bene. You want gelato? Va bene. You want pizza? Sorry they don't do...just kidding.
As I said, fancy dining it's not but this is Italy, average dining is still excellent. Internally, it's not a very large restaurant but they have a few tables canal-side in the piazza. What this place lacks in size it more than makes up for in setting. The terrace sits within spitting distance of the canal (I assume) in fact, from our table you could practically drool into the murky depths.
The canal at this point is just wide enough for two gondolas, which is handy because it's also a pick-up/drop-off point for these silly looking boats and at any given time, a duo of gondoliers are sitting around waiting for business. (Which proves that it's easy to pick up gondoliers from a street corner encounter).
Great entertainment though. We whiled away a very pleasant interlude watching the comings and goings and the wads of dosh as tourists parted with their hard-earned for a shot on a glorified rowing boat and a piccy with a boater wearing a boater on a boat. The punters being punted.
As if this floor-show wasn't enough entertainment, dripping into the canal immediately opposite is the aptly (or should that be apsely) named Santa Maria dei Miracoli. Shiny, sparkly, marbley iridescence plays on the gentle lapping waters below. Not too shabby.
Actually, to be more specific, not a lot. It's a fairly basic menu with the emphasis more on snack type meals than Cordon Blue. But as I said before, this is Italy and even the bad dines are good.
You can choose from various pizzas, pannini and salads; pasta and risotto: soups and seafood; and, ice cream and cakes. More than enough for most.
We initially just sat down for a well earned break and even more well earned drink as the setting was so attractive but noticed other people eating at the next table. It looked good so it seemed like the most sensible thing to do was have a little nibble ourselves.
Mrs p likes her soup and decided on a 'local' bean and pasta job. I won't write that again as there was enough repetition the first time round. Me? I had an old favourite in seafood risotto.
Portions were not huge, but they were adequate and prices matched perfectly. 4 euros for the soup and 6 euros for the risotto. Not quite the 30 euros or so for a sarnie in Florian's.
The food was really tasty and the service was efficient, if not overly friendly but you can't have everything.
For me, when I'm visiting a hustling tourist honey-pot, there's nothing better than chancing upon a hidden gem in a quiet little spot without losing the atmosphere of the honey-pot I'm dipping into. ANTICO GATOLETO fitted the bill perfectly. Superb setting, excellent food at non rip-off prices, street entertainment and ambience by the gondolaload. What more could you ask for?
Un altro spritz, per favore.
As the name would suggest, the EXPO HOTEL is situated at Prague's exhibition area so no problem finding it then. No? Well you've obviously never driven through Prague or you wouldn't be so quick to agree.
You'd think, wouldn't you, that the exhibition grounds would be well signposted, even if it was written in Czech. I tend to think the signs were written not in Czech, but in invisible ink because I didn't see a single one. Luckily, we had a map and with the super sharp navigational skills of my co-driver, the ever observant Mrs p, we eventually got there...emphasis on eventually.
Prague's exhibition grounds are situated about 2km north of the old town as the crow flies. We'd forgotten to bring a crow, so the fact that it's on a tram route was ever so helpful. In fact, this was one of the main reasons for choosing this hotel. It's situated next to a huge park but the tram stop is just a two minute walk from the hotel's front door with a choice of three trams taking you to various parts of the city. With trams running every 5-10 minutes, getting in and out was not a problem. I expect that's what it'll be like in Edinburgh soon...
Although the hotel building has no aesthetic qualities on view, the reception area was surprisingly warm and inviting and almost quaint. Old brick walls, lots of art work and subtle lighting made for a welcoming...welcome. The girl at reception was friendly and welcoming too, not to mention efficient. Paperwork was soon completed and with a few queries dealt with, such as transportation etc, we were soon on our way to our room.
Actually, we were soon on our way back to the car which we then took to the underground car park (£15 a day). After that, we were soon on our way to the room.
Our pokoj...or room, was on the second floor and straight across the hallway from the elevators (although we never heard them from the room). It wasn't the largest room I've ever been in but wasn't cramped by any means. There were two twin beds (I suppose one twin bed wouldn't really be a twin bed, would it?) which were firm and comfortable but a little on the narrow side. The down side was the down pillows popular in this part of the world - big square, soft and mushy affairs that are completely impractical unless you plan to suffocate yourself while trying to get comfortable of an evening.
We had a deskcomesideboard which housed the well stocked, and not unreasonably expensive mini-bar and was weighed down with a fairly hefty, non lcd TV - 20 or so channels in a variety of languages...pay movies etc. there was also a table and chairs, bedside cabinets and plenty of drawer space in the mirror door wardrobe.
Everything was in good condition and very clean, as was the carpet, curtains and bed covers although the pale green shade of these didn't in my mind, compliment the ochre wall. Still, clean and tidy is the main thing, not colour. A couple of well hung pictures (not those kind of well hung pictures missus) and some cosy lamps completed the set-up
The air con worked well enough but it wasn't really that hot so I can't say we tested it fully.
The bathroom was tiled in black with a large, well-lit mirror, tub and shower. The shower was powerful enough but the curtain rail was placed far too close to the inside wall with the result that you were crammed in there and the curtain kept sticking to you. After a day or two, and being the handyman that I am, I discovered that you could move the flippin'' thing...so I did - Result? No more psycho flashbacks.
We also had a hair dryer, a sink (handy) and...wait a minute, where's the crapper?!
Ah, the WC had its own little separate room. That was a relief...literally. No complaints on the towels and toiletries front and everything was spotless.
EATING and DRINKING
The hotel has a bar and restaurant with an outside terrace. It seemed to do a decent amount of business (not from us) but the hotel was pretty much fully booked with a few coach trips so it's hardly surprising. We did have breakfast though, and very good it was too. a veritable feast was on offer of a morning with eggs cooked in a variety of ways, sausages, bacon and hot veg dishes; various cold meats and cheeses; yoghurts, cereals fruit and juices; bread and jams; and lots of cakes. Very tasty it all was too...not that I ate all of it.
In conclusion, while not the most picturesque of hotels in not the quaintest of surroundings, it was exactly what we were looking for. Far enough away from the threat of the dreaded stag/hen crowds, the noise of the city centre and the inflated prices, but only a few minutes from the old town on the tram. We could pop into town in the morning - quickly and easily nip back to the room for a siesta and be back in town in no time for an evening of debauchery.
Deciding where to eat amongst the plethora of restaurants in BENAHAVIS is a bit like playing Russian Roulette but at least no-one gets their brains blown out. In fact, the lack of guns, semi-loaded or otherwise kind of makes that simile redundant. It's more like a lottery in that...wait, let's just say there's lots of choice.
We had a little wander around the village when we first arrived checking menus etc and so when we went out in the evening we had narrowed our choice down to a few select places. In the end we decided, based on location and menu, on LA TORRE.
There's not much point in describing the location - Benahavis pretty much consists of one road and a few pedestrian streets. Trust me, you'd find it easily.
I can't really describe the interior of the building except that it's traditional Spanish in decor with wine bottles, hams and garlic ribbons adorning the bar area and old fashioned 'farmhouse style' wooden chairs around the dining tables. I only fleetingly glanced the inside as I made my way to the little boys room which incidentally, was spotless.
We sat on the terrace outside (which is normally where terraces are) so we could watch the world go by and enjoy the lovely evening weather.
I won't go into details about the menu because, a) there's too much to list and b) I can't remember what was on it. Suffice to say it was typically Spanish and there was plenty of choice in meats and fish with vegetarian options too.
What I liked about the menu was that almost all the dishes could be done as tapas, half-portions or full meals. Generally the exceptions were the more expensive options. Mrs p is not a big eater and sometimes huge portions are a turn-off for her so being able to order a couple of different half-portions helps to keep her face straight.
The restaurant wasn't overly busy so the service was very attentive but not obtrusive and both waiters that we dealt with were friendly.
We found that almost everywhere we dined in Spain this year had a cover charge for bread and this place was no different. What was different was the bread roll - it was edible. In fact it was rather pleasant. Having said that, I object to paying a service charge in a restaurant - surely they adjust their prices to create a profit anyway and this just seems like a scam to me. I think we were charged Euro1.50 each as a service charge...I suppose it's fair enough, because if I'm paying a service charge, I don't leave a tip but if I was leaving a tip, it would be a lot more than Euro3. Their loss.
Anyway, less whining and more wining...and dining.
When faced with a wine list when I'm not familiar with many of the wines in front of me (which is almost always) I usually opt for the house wine. The way I figure it, most people do the same and a restaurant is surely going to serve you the best wine they can for the price. Turns out their house white wine was a Rioja which is usually pretty good and this one turned out no different, and at Euro14 wasn't too expensive either. The wine was served suitably chilled with accompanying ice bucket and was crisp, fresh and tasty.
We were served a small aperitif (on the house) in the form of a slither of white fish draped with a slice of red pepper in dots of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Very tasty and always a nice touch. It doesn't cost much but it makes you feel welcome.
We both decided to have half portions as starters, mrs p choosing a vegetable soup whilst I opted for stuffed peppers. The red peppers were absolutely gorgeous - packed to the brim with a mushroom puree and drowned in a fluffy, cream sauce. Mrs p, however, wasn't overly impressed with her soup and I had to agree. It wasn't bad, but it was just a little bland.
For a main, Mrs p had a half portion of ham croquettes with a small side salad. She liked these declaring them super tasty with a crunchy crust and I have to say I agreed with her.
I had grilled sole which came with some delicately arranged chips and a bowl of sauteed vegetables (carrots, courgettes, peppers and cherry tomatoes). It was pretty good, but I thought the fish slightly overdone and a little soggy. The chips were lovely as was the veg.
We didn't bother with dessert.
In conclusion, a nice meal. Nothing to rave about certainly, but pleasant enough and we were well satisfied with our evening. The ambience in the restaurant was nice, with easy-listening jazz playing in the background. The kids that were there were well behaved and the waiters were efficient and friendly.
Our meal came to just under Euro50 which seemed very reasonable.
I'm not big on whisky. I'm not big on most spirits. But I do like the odd tipple now and then and when I do indulge, I like trying new and exciting concoctions...that is, whatever someone gets me as a gift or something that's on special offer at the supermarket. Classy.
To prove the point, as if I have to, I was poking around under the stairs the other day (as you do) when I discovered a dusty old bottle of GLAYVA hidden away from last Xmas. It didn't stay undiscovered for long.
The Glayva story begins in the docks of Leith in Edinburgh in 1947 when Ronald Morrison, a local wine and whisky merchant, decided to produce a warming and comforting liqueur for his customers. As, at the time, Leith was a busy port, he had Based at a busy port in Leith, Morrison had access to a fairly exotic range of ingredients that could be mixed with malt whisky for an unusual and interesting flavour.
Allegedly, the name Glayva originates from the reaction of one of his workers who proclaimed "Gle Mhath", which, as everyone knows, translates from the Gaelic as "Very Good". Hmm.
"Glayva is created from an exotic fusion of the finest aged Scotch malt whiskies, a carefully selected range of spices, tangerines, cinnamon, almonds and honey. Surprisingly smooth and sweet, it really tastes like nothing else! "
Glayva pours a deep and dark orange colour, a lot darker than a whisky, but still a warming, enticing hue.
The aroma is sweet and spicy. There are hints of honey, zesty orange, a touch of mint and a whole array of exotic spices - cinnamon, nutmeg aniseed etc. A gentle swirl in the glass releases further aromas of ginger, cloves and a syrupy sweetness.
The mouth feel is rich, thick and syrupy. As for taste, honey is the first flavour to hit the palate, followed by zingy orange notes and an earthy spiciness. There's an awful lot going on here with so many different spices, it's hard to pin them all down. There are herbal notes here too. One thing that isn't all that predominant though is whisky. Oh it's there all right, but so much else going on it kind of fades into the background.
It finishes long with the spices and orange lingering pleasantly.
The Verdict
At 35% ABV, Glayva packs quite a punch. It's quite pleasant but it's not a drink you could sit with all night (at least I couldn't). It's a little too sweet for my liking but an occasional dram is very nice to sip on. personally, I would drink this neat, but I've heard it's very nice with ice but conversely, some people prefer warming the glass a little.
A very nice tipple for the long winter nights, but I think I'd prefer to just stick with a plain old malt.
This wasn't our first visit to Cordoba. We'd been there a few years ago and had stayed right in the heart of the old town across the street from the Mezquita, which was nice.
So, this time we decided to stay at a different hotel.
Parking is practically non-existent in the old town, so if you're arriving by car (which we were), and you don't intend to drive around the mainly pedestrianized area (which we weren't), and you don't want to spend almost as much cash housing your car as yourselves (which we didn't), then the thing to do is look for something more suitable. Which we did. So we booked the HESPERIA CORDOBA and it all worked out really well.
Let me tell you about it....
The Hesperia Cordoba is in Cordoba (no surprises there). But wait, there's more. The beauty about this little hotel is that it's located directly on the opposite bank of the Guadalquivir river from the old town with access to the town and its attractions via the Roman Bridge. The hotel sits around 100m from this pedestrian crossing with the Mezquita a further 1-200m on the other side.
This part of Cordoba for some reason is strangely quiet and parking, of which there is no shortage in the surrounding streets is actually free. In fact most of the tour busses park at this side and tourists then walk across the bridge to the town proper. If that's too much walking for you, several open top busses stop all around here and will take you around the city.
It's the best of both worlds. The area around the hotel is quiet, although not deathly so as there are any number of bars, cafes and restaurants right on the doorstep, but a 5-6 minute stroll across a beautiful and historic bridge takes you to the threshold of the Jewish Quarter. But wait, there's more. Choose a room at the front of the hotel (for about a tenner more) and your view consists of the span of the bridge, the sprawling Guadalquivir River with its Arab mills and the looming spectacle of the Mezquita and Alcazar. Pity there was no balcony (but more of that later). However, there is a rooftop terrace bar where, if you can afford a drink, you can soak up the views.
Finding the hotel couldn't be easier. We arrived from the South on the A4, turned off at Av. de Cadiz and drove to the end of it. Coming from the North is much the same although then you find yourself at the start of Av. de Cadiz - in any case, it's well sign posted. Then park your car in any of the surrounding streets between the Av. and the river and you're done. We parked about 50m from the front door of the hotel.
It's not a huge hotel, with 152 rooms spread over four floors, so when we checked in it wasn't overly busy. The décor in reception is typically Andalusian but fairly modern with plenty of sofas and easy chairs dotted around. The bar and restaurant lead off from one side.
Check-in was a breeze and we were soon on our way to our third floor room.
A nice welcome in the room was a couple of bottles of cold water and some rustic biscuit/cake thingies. These touches cost very little but make a nice first impression.
The room, whilst not huge (25m²) was large enough for what we had planned. We generally prefer more modern décor in a hotel room but it seems that some rooms are modern in design and others are more traditional. Ours was more traditional. All this really meant was that instead of a wooden headboard, ours was tiled. No biggie, but it was a bit like sleeping in a toilet. Walls were white, floor was wood and plenty of soft lighting.
The beds were firm but comfortable enough although not the widest. We had desk and chair with a flat screen on the wall above - as usual the only channels in English were news channels. There were a couple of bedside cabinets (at the side of the beds - just where you'd expect them), a small table and an incredibly comfortable easy chair. Adequate storage space and a nice full length mirror.
The Air Conditioning worked well which was good as Cordoba is on the warm side of scorching.
No balcony, which would have been nice...except for the warning sign on the window regarding biting insects. I suppose when you're so close to the river you have to expect the odd mozzie or two. In actual fact, there were more than one or two. On crossing the bridge into town of an evening it wasn't too bad for insects - I imagine the heat kept them at bay. Returning in the dark was a different matter though. Clouds of pesky little biters made a leisurely stroll a thing of dreams.
A bathroom is a bathroom is a bathroom. Unless there's only a shower I suppose. Ours had a bath so it fitted the description perfectly. Large, beige marble tiles clad the floor and walls with a more than adequate vanity area and well lit mirror. There was a hair drier (for Mrs p - I don't need one) and one of those handy magnifying mirrors (it's an age thing). The bath tub was large, the shower was powerful and the towels were large and fluffy whilst the toiletries were of the corporate variety. The bathroom was spotless, as was the room...and the whole hotel.
The restaurant's menu looked appetizing enough and relatively inexpensive but I'm afraid we went into town to eat so can't really comment on it. Breakfast too was not on our agenda (not at £12 a head anyway). Besides, the street outside the hotel is lined with cafes where toast, orange and coffee for two will still leave you change from a fiver. As I said, there was a nice roof top terrace bar but prices up there were on the expensive side of exorbitant - I never understand why hotels charge so much in their bars (and mini-bars), don't they want to sell the stuff?! Consequently, anytime we went to the terrace, there was us...and the barman. You could almost picture the tumbleweed a-tumble-ing by. Great views though.
At the rear of the building, on the roof, was the swimming pool. Not very big, but cold and wet. We spent a while here in the late afternoon which was pretty relaxing.
Whilst this isn't the most luxurious hotel, the location is what sells it. In comparison with hotels in the Jewish Quarter, it's not that much cheaper but the easy access and the availability of free parking just minutes from all the attractions make it a good choice.
We paid Euro134 room only for a standard room with view for two nights which represented good value I think.
If I ever go to Cordoba again (which I probably won't) I wouldn't hesitate to use this hotel.
If you've ever been to Italy, and I have, you may have noticed a popular liqueur which is widely available almost everywhere you look (unless you're in a book shop...or a train...or). What I mean is there are literally thousands of varieties (figuratively speaking) weighing down the shelves of the supermarkets - from gut-rotting cheapos for a few euros, to high quality offerings for a lot more. Every bar, café and restaurant will stock it too. That liqueur is called LIMONCELLO.
But fear not dear reader, you don't have to go all the way to Rimini to taste the citric delights of sunny Italy. Not a bit of it. A quick stroll around the aisles of Sainsburys will lead you to a bottle or two of LIMONCELLO LUXARDO...unless you're in the aisle that sells books etc.
Luxardo are a family business dating back to 1821. They distil a variety of liqueurs like grappa and Sambuca. But wait, you don't want to read a corporate history, or if you do, just google it.
"Obtained from the infusion of lemon peels in alcohol, Limoncello is one of the most world-renowned Italian liqueurs. It stems from an ancient tradition which enhances the natural aroma and fresh taste of lemons from southern Italy."
Limoncello pours a deep and vibrant yellow colour, not unlike the colour of lemons (picks self up off floor). It's slightly translucent and, well, really yellow.
If you swirl it around the glass, it kind of leaves a coating.
The aroma is dominated by...go on, take a guess...no? Lemons. At this point, I'd just like to say that if you're not terribly keen on lemons then I'm not sure this is the drink for you. The lemon aroma is almost overpoweringly pungent but just about bearable.
By now, it should come as no surprise to learn that the taste is all about lemons. I'm sensing a pattern here. Lemons and alcohol. Lemons, alcohol and sweetness. There's a definite alcohol bite to it, but it's much smoother than many cheaper brands. There's a hint of herbal flavour but it's not much. No, this is all about lemons. Slightly oily, there's a hint of lemongrass in the finish but there's no alcoholic after burn, just a long, smooth sweet and citric aftertaste.
According to their website, '''Limoncello Luxardo'' is best served at room temperature or cold as a "digestivo" drink, or watered down as an aperitif. (watered down?!) They say it's great with champagne or sparkling wine., or poured over ice cream or fruit.
They also recommend storing it in the freezer.
I have to admit, I haven't tried it in many of the ways they suggest though I have had it poured over a dessert (lovely with a sponge cake). I like it neat, and very, very cold.
At 27% ABV, I like this. I like this a lot. It's definitely not a drink to skelp back willy-nilly. In actual fact, it's a little sticky and far too sweet for that. But as an after dinner snifter, it's just perfect - especially when the weather is warm and it's served ice cold.
Is there a downside? Why yes, there is. While a 50cl bottle of this will set you back around Euro5-7 in Italy, it will cost a little more in this country. £12.50 to be precise. Oh well.
Would I drink it again? - Are lemons yellow?
I like Italy. I like their food, their wine, their culture and many other things that are too numerous to list.
Not so keen on their beer though.
I've drank a few different Italian beers (mostly when in Italy) and generally I've been underwhelmed and overcharged. Still, when the sun is scorching, and you're as dry as a weegie's bath mat and have a drouth like a pregnant camel, needs must. And to be fair, if it's ice cold, wet and beery, it'll disappear quicker than a smackhead's giro.
One of those beers, is BIRRA MORETTI.
According to their website, Luigi Moretti's beer and ice factory was founded back in 1859 in Udine, in the Friuli region of Northern Italy. They tell us it's a quality beer made in the traditional way almost unchanged since the first brew. They brew around six beers but this one is by far their most popular. Birra Moretti are now part of the Heinekin group.
Whats the big deal with China spending millions to land their Jade Rabbit on the moon ?
I bought my wife a £30 quid Rampant Rabbit and she's OVER the moon.
Back to the beer...
"The best raw materials are used to make Birra Moretti, as well as a special blend of high quality hops that gives it a unique taste and fragrance, enhancing its perfectly balanced bitter taste."
This beer pours a clear, pale straw colour with lots of rising bubbles to form an off-white half inch of foam that doesn't last ver...oops, it's gone. Hardly any sticky lace on the glass not surprisingly.
The aroma is fairly laid back. A slight hint of bread, some grainy notes, a touch of grass and the merest hint of lemon. There's not a lot going on here at all - it's almost like sniffing water.
As for the taste, there's a little malt sweetness up front, but not a lot. Light bodied, it's kinda grainy and there's a faint bitterness lurking around, but nothing leaps out at you. There are some citric tones and a mild spiciness before it finishes crisp and dry. There's no lingering aftertaste.
At 4.6% ABV, this isn't the worst beer in the world, but it's a long, long, l o n g way from the best. It's pretty indistinguishable from a whole barrel of other euro lagers with no redeeming features save it'll quench your thirst. I suppose you could say that it's an easy drinking beer that's not too high in alcohol so makes a decent session ale (except that it's a lager), but there are better (and cheaper) options for that.
No, I wasn't mightily impressed with this one and I don't think I'd cross the road to buy it. In fact probably wouldn't buy it if it was on the same side of the road.
Bland and watery.
Would I drink it again? - Sadly, I probably would.
BENAHAVIS is not the sort of place on the Costa del Sol that you would go to for sea, sand and well, anything else beginning with S. Apart from sunshine maybe...and shopping...spas, swimming and maybe I should start again.
Benahavis is set back a few miles from the glittering decadence of the coastal resorts on the Costa del Sol. Up a winding mountain road past numerous urbanizacións centred around the unfeasibly green grass on the lush golf courses - not normally my idea of heaven. But we were only looking for somewhere comfortable to have a quiet(ish) night after stepping off a plane in the late afternoon. A stopover, but a nice one.
And so we found ourselves at the GRAN HOTEL BENAHAVIS.
The hotel is a fairly modern affair that styles itself as a spa resort. I'm not sure about that, and to tell you the truth I don't really care. I was looking for somewhere comfortable to stay with the added bonus of it being on the doorstep of the little village of Benahavis - the self-styled 'dining room of the costa del sol'. In fact there are around 30 restaurants in this tiny little place and many are highly rated. So we were sorted for grub then.
The hotel is built in 'cortijo' style (Andalucian farmhouse) with many of the rooms overlooking a central patio, some the swimming pool, and others looking out to the surrounding countryside.
The reception area is indeed grand with antique furniture, fountains and ridiculously large chandeliers but it still retains a rustic, farmhouse feel...granted not a Cumbrian sheep farm rusticalness, more a Don Juan de Hidalgo type of deal.
We marched right up to the desk and were immediately greeted by the friendly receptionist who, on accepting our pre-booked voucher, quickly scanned our passports and pressed a card key into my eager hands. Honestly, I think this was the quickest check-in I'd ever experienced, especially in a hotel of this size.
The hotel has 95 rooms consisting of standard, superior, suites and a couple specially adapted for disabled guests (although the hotel is generally wheelchair friendly).
Our room was on the ground floor at the back of the hotel with a 'view' to the mountains.
We had chosen the superior room because it guaranteed a balcony or terrace whereas standard rooms only had 'Juliette' balconies. The superior rooms are a little larger than the standard rooms, in fact at 559 ft² they're almost double the size of the standard rooms. The furniture and furnishings whilst not to my taste, being a mock antique style, were top quality and all in good condition. The bedside cabinets, table, desk, dresser and fridge cabinet were all topped by slabs of green marble - so heavy it was almost impossible to move the table!
There was masses of storage space with a large built-in wardrobe (which also housed the safe and the ironing facilities, as well as extra pillows etc.) Loads more drawer space in the dresser and three each in the bedside cabinets. It almost made me wish I'd brought more clothes! We had twin beds which were firm and reasonably comfortable but a little on the narrow side. The pillows were the standard Spanish type - long and thin and pretty useless. Another little annoyance was the lack of coffee making facilities.
The room came equipped with what would normally be a decent sized Lcd TV but due to the size of the room you needed binoculars to watch from the bed...it was fine if you were sitting in the fairly comfortable chairs though. Plenty of channels but only the usual news ones in English. The air conditioning was excellent and soon had the room chillier than a brass monkey's unmentionables. As for the balcony, well it was a terrace really. It was fairly large with table and chairs and surrounded by roses.
The bathroom was fairly large and roomy, completely tiled in marble and very clean. The room was equipped with the usual facilities including bidet and bath tub. The tub was large, but the base was damaged in some way and was kind of lumpy. I only used the shower (which was powerful enough although the screen could have been bigger) and it was quite disconcerting standing on the uneven surface. The toiletries were of a good standard although one teeny weeny bar of soap is never enough. There was also a hair dryer and the towels were huge and fluffy.
The hotel has two large pools, two children pools and an outdoor Jacuzzi - none of which did I dip my toe into. There's also a spa and wellness centre which again I can offer no opinion on except that glancing through the price list nothing came cheap. In the immediate area there are tennis courts, football pitches, children's parks and riverside walks.
The hotel also does a nifty trade in functions and weddings.
Parking is free and plentiful although there is underground parking for a charge.
The hotel has a few different eating options from fine dining to pool-side snacks, none of which we tried because, as already stated, the options in Benahavis village are second to none. We chose to dine in the village and it was excellent. We did have breakfast which was a hot and cold buffet and I could find no fault with what was on offer or the quality. The dining room wasn't too busy but we decided to have breakfast on the patio and it was very relaxing.
After breakfast, all that remained was to have a leisurely stroll back to the room, a quick pack, a refreshing shower then a very simple check out which consisted of handing in the key card and saying our goodbyes. We weren't even asked if we'd had anything from the mini-bar.
I really liked this hotel. It was quiet, peaceful and relaxing and I imagine I could spend a very pleasant week there. It's close enough to the hustle and bustle (Marbella is just 7Km distant) of the coast, and only a few Km from the motorway if day trips are your plan. The hotel had a nice friendly atmosphere and and the room was very comfortable and well equipped. The surroundings are lovely and the village of Benahavis is literally on the doorstep (although access to the main part of the village is fairly steep) and you could eat in a different restaurant every night for a month.
We booked through expedia and paid £57.50 B&B - this seemed like good value to me.
I've used Malaga airport many times but for some reason never visited the city itself, I expect like many others. Perhaps it's generally seen as only a gateway to the beaches of the Costa Del Sol but on doing a little research, I found the city to have some attractions of its own.
So, this year we flew to Malaga and instead of picking up a car and zooming off to places unknown, we hopped on a bus and stayed in the city itself for a couple of days.
Malaga has, as you can imagine, no shortage of hotels to suit all pockets, but after a fair bit of research, we decided on the HOTEL MS MAESTRANZA.
The four star MS Maestranza is situated slap bang in the heart of the city, between the bullring, the Alameda Gardens, the Alcazaba (citadel) and the new Malaga port, Muelle 1. Not only that, it's around 100 metres from La Malagueta beach and right next door to the Paseo del Parque. As if that's not enough, a five minute stroll will take you to the city's museums, Cathedral and shopping areas.
If you're arriving from the airport, it couldn't be easier to get to the hotel. An express bus leaves from the front of the terminal building and 5 stops and 20 minutes later, turns at the big roundabout at the end of Paseo del Parque. All you have to do is cross the road at the roundabout and you're there.
Checking in was swift and painless (though I can't think of a painful hotel check in experience). The reception area was decidedly small, especially for a 4 star establishment, but as we weren't going to actually sleep there, it didn't really matter.
A quick jaunt in the almost big enough lift took us to our room on the 11th floor.
The hotel occupies the corner site of the block in a sort of wedge shape of 14 floors. This means there are three different views - sea view, city view and a view of the Alcazar and bullring, but in actual fact, because our room was to the front of one of the sides, we had a sea view and a view of the port, city and Alcazar. Nice.
The room wasn't the biggest, but at 25m² it was adequate. We weren't planning to spend much time in the room anyway. The décor was very modern (in 1971) with an emphasis on the style of Picasso apparently though I couldn't see it myself, apart from a couple of prints on the wall. Plenty of wood panelling was the order of the day and a little too much furniture for the size of the room. Two comfortable and decent sized twin beds, a desk and chair and tables and chairs competed for space with large bedside cabinets.
An old fashioned TV with lots of channels, but nothing much in English, sat atop the well stocked mini bar. Although it wasn't blisteringly hot, the AC kept the room comfortable.
The Bathroom kept to the 'small is beautiful' theme, but it was recently renovated and was spotlessly clean. There were the usual toiletries (nothing fancy) but a nice touch were the bathrobes and slippers. No problems with the hot water and the shower worked a treat.
The balcony was small as well (surprise, surprise) but I shouldn't really complain as finding a balcony in a city centre hotel is never easy. Having said that, it was large enough for a couple of chairs and the views were splendiferous. We could look down the street to the beach and across to the port, out over the city and the Cathedral and to the right, the Alcazar. The view was especially amazing at night with the city and the Alcazar lit up before us.
The hotel also had a roof top terrace where we could look down on the bull ring. There was a bull fight when we were there and we could even look down and watch it...if we'd wanted too.
As for amenities, the hotel has a restaurant and bar, neither of which we used, a spa/massage and hot tub on the roof terrace (ditto) and a gym which we also managed to avoid. There is no shortage of shops bars, cafes and restaurants in the immediate area.
Although I can find no fault with this hotel, arguably the best feature was the location. It was so close to everything that Malaga had to offer and, although it was very central, being on a high floor meant that it wasn't very noisy. In fact with the window closed at night, there was little or no traffic noise at all. The price wasn't too bad either at just over £50 a night room only.
In conclusion, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Malaga, just make sure to get a room on a high floor for the peace and quiet, and the views.
With all the fantastic craft beers available from Belgium, why would anyone be drinking a macro brew like Jupiler? ...Anybody?
Ach, I'll drink almost any beer me. What can I say? Sometimes, especially with the summer we had this year, a cold fizzy one is just what you want and it's nice to vary the brand occasionally.
Having been around for about 60 years, Jupiler is Belgium's best known and most popular beer. They also sponsor Belgium's top league and the national football team. On the downside, they are owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev - so ancient brewing crafts won't be discussed here.
"This delicious lager is brewed with the finest ingredients (malt, maize, water, hop, yeast), Jupiler has an outspoken image of masculinity, courage and adventure."
Maize? sigh At least it's a 'manly' beer I suppose...
My wife phoned to ask me what we needed from the shops.
I said, "Beer."
"No we don't," she moaned. "What do we really need?"
I replied, "Bleach, I suppose."
If she won't let me drink, I might as well kill myself.
Back to the beer...
Jupiler pours a very pale yellow colour topped with a smallish white head of foam that doesn't last too well but still manages to leave a little lacing on the glass.
The aroma is initially of bready malts but there is a light floral note in the background. It's not the headiest of brews.
It's pretty light bodied and as for taste, again it's the malt that's to the fore with grainy, bready and biscuity flavours most prominent. It turns a little more herby and grassy at the back with the merest hint of lemon in the finish with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The Verdict
At 5.2% ABV, it's not the most interesting Belgian beer I've ever tasted (it's probably not even in the top 100), but it's OK. Well, that's about it wrapped up in one word (is OK one word?). It's fizzy and inoffensive with no really bad characteristics, but nothing special either. I remember drinking this in Belgium years ago and thinking that it was pretty good. Maybe having been taken over by A-B InBev, it's become a little poorer in quality.
It's drinkable, and thirst quenching, but in the future when I want a fizzy lager, I'll just buy whatever is on special offer in Asda.
Would I drink it again? - Yes, but I wouldn't buy it.
Vondel, named for the Dutch poet Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679) which I'm sure you were all well aware of, is a strong and dark, bottle-conditioned ale from the Riva Brewery in Dentergem (a branch of Liefmans Breweries). Their history goes back to 1896 when they mainly brewed local table beers. In the 1970s they started producing 'special ales' such as St Arnoldus, Lucifer and Vondel. They are part of the brewery group which also includes Liefmans and Straffe Hendrik, so they're in good company. Both Lucifer and Vondel won the gold medal at the World Beer Cup 2004 in their category
"Dubbel donker
Zoetig, karamellig en kruidig"
What? You mean you don't understand Flemish?
It means: Doubly dark, sweet and spicy with caramel (I think).
Doubly dark? Why that's almost black.
Which reminds me...
A guy wakes up in hospital after an operation and sees a pretty young nurse tending him.
Struggling to speak through the oxygen mask, he asks,
"Nurse, are my testicles black?"
Somewhat taken aback, she explains it's not really her job.
"Aw can't you check for me, please?" he pleads.
Reluctantly, she peels back the sheet, grasps his manhood firmly and moves it aside, then gives his testicles a very thorough examination.
"Well," she smiles, "those seem perfect to me."
Removing his mask, he states, "Helluva nice of you to say so, but are my test results back?"
Back to the beer...
This beer POURS a gorgeous, deep ruby-red colour - almost brown - topped by a good half inch of tan-coloured foam which quickly recedes, but doesn't entirely disappear, and leaves some moderate lace on the glass.
The AROMA overflows with dark roasted malt tones. Coffee and toffee, molasses and licorice, and a hint of chocolate with a surprisingly overwhelming sense of sweetness. It's almost sherry-like, and has a faint whiff of oakiness, but not really a lot from the hops.
It's full-bodied and has a slightly sparkly mouth feel from the somewhat aggressive carbonation - although this is due to the bottle conditioning and I wouldn't describe it as gassy. The initial TASTE is sweet, with the emphasis firmly on malt from the darker end of the spectrum (one would normally expect a far more bitter flavour from such heavily roasted malts). It's a little nutty, with more molasses and licorice on the palate which melds into a soft and chewy coffee flavour. Try as I might, I can't sense any hop profile whatsoever, but I suppose that's where the roasted malt comes in and stops it from being cloyingly sweet. As for the spiciness, well there's a nippy, orange-ish note, so I'm guessing a bit of coriander's been added, but don't quote me.
It finishes fairly sweet with an increasingly warm, alcoholic burn in the aftertaste.
* The Verdict *
At 8.5% ABV, this is not a beer to be taken lightly. It's dark, malty and sweet, yet reasonably well balanced. It has a welcoming alcohol warmth to it which, along with the sweet malt character and the ABV, would put it firmly in the winter warmer category for me. I thought it excellent, but then it does have all the complexions of a Scottish Wee Heavy, so that's hardly surprising.
Nope, I really can't find any fault with this - unless, of course, you planned to skelp a six-pack at a BBQ...but then, if you did, you'd deserve all you got.
Would I drink it again? - As long as I don't have to read any Flemish poetry
"Would you like a big bowl of penne pasta?" asked a smirky Mrs p.
Well, I have to admit, it's not my favourite type of pasta but hey, ya gotta eat. So of course I said yes.
So, imagine my surprise when I was presented with a mouth-watering dish of little yellow boabies swimming in a creamy, cheesy white sauce. When I say yellow, they were more of a flesh colour...how very, very authentic.
Oh how I laughed.
" That's no penne pasta!" I protested, " it's, well, it's something entirely different altogether."
"So it is, so it is." She laughed.
What she'd dished up was, in fact, Penis Pasta. Little penis shapes of pasta in an angry, meaning to do business state. Apparently, she'd got this pasta at one of those parties (I've heard of Tupperware and candle parties, but never pasta ones) and thought it would be a jolly wheeze to give me a taste of my own medicine, so to speak.
I was still laughing.
Well, once I stopped laughing I'd have to start eating and something about this whole scenario just didn't stand up. Looking at these little wangers, I thought it was going to be hard on my self respect. But mrs p doesn't give a f...care for my self respect so there was little sympathy in that quarter.
Oh well, being a little bit peckerish, I soon swallowed my pride and dove right in.
Actually, if you closed your eyes, it was just like eating any other type of pasta which as it's made with 100% durum wheat, I suppose it would be. I can't really comment on the taste as pasta doesn't really have much in the way of flavour anyway, but the white sauce coated the pasta shapes well and the sauce was delicious. The pasta was cooked al dente so was firm to the touch (nothing worse than a flaccid p...pasta shape) and stood up well to the cooking process.
So, did I enjoy the pasta? Why yes, yes I did. In fact I gobbled up those little suckers in no time at all.
Would I eat them again? Naw.
You can buy different varieties of penis pasta in a whole range of places, on and off line but it's generally priced as a novelty or gift item at around £4. Fine for a gift, but not for everyday eating...but then who eats penis every day? Not me, that's for sure.
Italy. A land where history, culture, architecture and art drips like olive oil from a crostini. And speaking of haute cuisine, their grub isn't too shabby either. Having just returned from Tuscany, I can certainly vouch for that.
But never mind Florence's art treasures. Or the Etruscan heritage. Not to mention Pucini's villa. Leaning Towers? Pah! What we all really want to know is: What's the beer like? Is it any good?
Well, I didn't drink every beer available...no, really. But here's one I did have.
MENABREA are a family concern who have been brewing beer for over 150 years in the Italian town of Biella. These days, they have a 'partnership' with the larger brewer, Forst.
They brew a few different products, but probably their most successful, and the one this review concerns, is the imaginatively titled lager, BIRRA MENABREA.
According to their website, it's a bottom fermented, export quality premium lager brewed with malt, maize, hops, yeast and water...wait a minute. Maize? Oh dear.
While I was in Pisa, I saw a little old man sitting by the roadside and I couldn't help noticing how happy and contented he looked. "What's your secret for a long happy life?" I asked him.
"I smoke 60 cigarettes a day," he said. "I also do a gramme of chico, a couple of spliffs every night, a case of whisky a week, I only eat Big Macs, never exercise, and swallow every pharmaceutical known to man."
"Wow!" I said, "and how old are you?"
"Twenty-six next Tuesday."
Back to the beer...
"A well-balanced beer with a marked floral fruitiness coming through from the aromatic yeasts.
Pale yellow appearance, moderately light bodied, mild bitterness, taste: excellent"
This beer pours a somewhat anemic, pale golden colour with masses of tiny of bubbles streaming to a decent, though short-lived, head of white foam. There's not much lacing left on the glass.
The aroma is a little grassy, with some floral hops and a hint of biscuity malt. It's not exactly parting your nostrils to assail your olfactory glands though - very subtle on the nose.
It has quite a smooth mouthfeel, but it's definitely over-carbonated (on the website, they state how much Co2 they put in each bottle...not a good sign). The initial taste is sharp, acidic and bitter which is soon overwhelmed by a sugary-sweet flavour. Midway, there's a metallic edge to it, which cuts away the sweetness before the sharp bitterness once again dominates towards the finish and leaves a dry, and overly bitter aftertaste. If there was any fruit flavour in this, I missed it.
The Verdict
At 4.8% ABV, I can't say I was impressed with this beer. It wasn't particularly bad (it wasn't particularly good either), it was just nondescript and almost forgettable. Think any one of a 100 Euro-lagers and you'll have some idea of what this beer was like. It was refreshing enough, but it was ice-cold - I shudder to think what it would have been like if'n I'd given it a chance to warm up.
A run-of-the-mill fizzy lager which, in a blindfold test, could pass for anything (apart from a quality beer, that is).
Would I drink it again? - Maybe, but not blindfolded...what a mess.
OLD SPECKLED HEN was first brewed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the local MG car factory. WHY? I hear you ask. Well, sit back, relax, and I'll tell you.
"The name is actually derived from the term "owld speckled 'un", used to describe an old MG car which was used as a factory run-around. Through time, this strange, canvas-covered saloon became covered with flecks of paint and was dubbed the "owld speckled 'un" by locals."* There you are, simple and completely uninteresting.
* Abridged from: http://www.oldspeckledhen.co.uk
The brewing of Old Speckled Hen was transferred in 1999 from Abingdon in Oxfordshire to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. These days Greene King brews all its beers in Bury St Edmunds.
My son once ended up in hospital after he drank a beer.
Well, it was my last one.
Back to the beer...
OSH is a rich and strong ale and is available as a cask ale in pubs across the country but, for those of us who don't have access to this beer on draught ,it is widely available in 500 ml bottles and cans at supermarkets and off licences.
In the glass Morland Old Speckled Hen POURS to a rich and sparkling, dark amber to russet colour with a warm, inviting, reddish tone. It has a very distinctive AROMA which is sweet, nutty and fruity with very rich, toasted malt undertones. It's also a little floral and a yeasty bakery tone. With good carbonation, there's a fairly decent, creamy off-white head which isn't particularly long-lasting but still leaves a nice lace effect.
It's medium bodied with a well rounded mouth feel and an extremely smooth TASTE that is slightly bitter, but it also has a toffee sweetness. The texture is excellent, frothy and smooth, with a snappy, bitter hop tang throughout that is well balanced by slightly sweet underlying malts. The finish leaves a pleasant aftertaste of hops with a hint of a medicinal flavour.
Apparently the distinctive fruity and malty flavour comes from a mix of pink and crystal malts and a strain of yeast first used in the 1890's. Morland's also use Goldings hops which are a very typical English variety.
At 5.2% ABV, it's a somewhat dry but satisfying beer. OSH is a fairly rich, robust and extremely drinkable Pale Ale. It makes for a great session beer as it goes down really well with no visible effort. It's not the greatest Pale Ale in the world, but it's very pleasant and I would have no trouble sinking a few of these.


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Homerun Burger!!!!!!!!!
Who doesn't like KC BBQ-inspired burgers?
September 27, 2008
| Posted by Megan for Sutter Home
Kathleen Stubler is up with her Region 4 and so far, she seems to be winning the prize for a burger that runs down your face and arms! The judges don't mind the use of extra napkins if it means that they get to enjoy Kathleen's burger!
James McNair tastes Kathleen's burger...
The slaw is receiving rave reviews and she uses honey-glazed ham instead of smoked ham so she could better control the smoky flavors. Good tip!
Learn more about Build a Better Burger

subset: commoncrawl


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Del Rio comes on I fast forward, end of story... sorry dude, liked him in mexico though
Say my name and his in the same breath, I dare you to say they taste they same.
just because i didn't agree doesn't mean i didn't listen, it just means you were wrong. Now go away please.
Recently Played (out of ten):
Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)- 9.5
Wolfenstein: The New Order (PS4)- 8
Shovel Knight (Wii U)- 9
The Last Of Us: Remastered (PS4)- 10
Kirby: Triple Deluxe (3DS)- 8.5


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SANTA CRUZ >> Aaliya Giselle Luna-Perez was the kind of girl who drew others to her instantly, a straight-talking teenager that others lit up around.
Luna-Perez, 16, of Watsonville, was behind the wheel of a 2001 Hyundai shortly before 7 a.m. Friday when it veered into an oncoming utility truck on Highway 1 near Moss Landing, California Highway Patrol officer Jaime Rios said.
Luna-Perez, who was killed after being thrown from the vehicle onto the road, was not licensed to drive nor wearing her seat belt, Rios said. Her passenger, Tianna Rose Croghan, 15, of Santa Cruz, who had to be extricated from the vehicle by emergency responders, was declared dead at the scene near Jensen Road. She was not wearing a seat belt and did not have a driver's license, Rios said. The crash, along with another that occurred within minutes on the same stretch of Highway 1 delayed hundreds of drivers for more than six hours Friday morning. In the second accident, not fatal, another vehicle allowed his car to veer off the road and hit a pole at the Salinas Road overpass.
Croghan, whose family members could not be reached to comment, reportedly was raised by her grandmother. Her parents, both described by law enforcement as in and out of homeless shelters, could not located to be informed of their daughter's death until Wednesday, Monterey County Sheriff's Cmdr. John Thornburg said.
Five days after the crash, the circumstances surrounding the girls' fatal crash remained cloudy. Rios said investigators know who the vehicle's owner is, but are not releasing that information. They are still investigating where the girls were coming from and going to, or how they came into possession of the car. Rios also said they still are trying to determine the cause of the collision or if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.
Initially, CHP investigators said that the 15-year-old, Croghan, was driving, but now believe Luna-Perez was the driver, Rios said.
Luna-Perez seemed to earn fierce support from those who knew her, some for only a short time. North Coast Teen Center coordinator Mildred Gonzalez said she met Luna-Perez three or four months ago to attend the programs in Davenport. Eventually, she volunteered with the youth summer program and food distribution. Gonzalez said Luna-Perez began to feel like a sister, as the two shared confidences. Gonzalez often gave Luna-Perez rides to the center.
"She was a very honest person, so anything on her mind she would always say. She was an amazing friend, she was a loyal friend," Gonzalez said. "I didn't know her for a long time, but when you talk to someone every day, you become close."
Gonzalez said she met Croghan, Luna-Perez's friend, in passing, but did not know her well.
Stephanie Flores Boyd, program director for the Davenport Resource Service Center, where the teen center is located, said Luna-Perez seemed to have a "really big impact" on those she interacted with.
"I saw in her character she was blooming. She had a lot to offer, she had a lot of dreams," Flores Boyd said. "So it's been really hard to think about all that potential and to know that this happened to her."
In an obituary published in the Sentinel on Wednesday, Luna-Perez' stepfather Leo Rocha said she "made me your daddy before mommy was my wife." He said he and Luna-Perez sometimes fought.
"I miss you so much Aaliyah, please God this can't be," Rocha wrote. "I don't want you to have her, I want her here with me."
Family and friends for Croghan could not be reached to comment Wednesday.


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Just wanted to start a thread. Want to keep tabs on these 2 games. I'll be buying on of them!
Without Live, 2K has really made almost 3 different games from 2k11 - 2k13. They have taken some big gambles and some things just haven't worked out. On top of that, there have been glitches that have been going on since 2K11 that haven't even been fixed. While I love 2K series, I'm glad Live is back.
Live definitely has some interesting things.
-bouncetek sounds really nice. Less canned animations the better.
-blockable dunks. They announced this early to get the jump on 2K since blocking dunks/layups has been an issue the past couple of 2K iterations. 2K13 you just couldn't block dunks at all. 2K12 you could block with your elbows and legs.
2K has been tight lipped about their details.
-Just announced on 8/6 that you can block dunks and they posted screenshots.
Please feel free to post when you hear something about either game. Once the games are out, I can post the game scores from a few gaming sites, and see which game they plan on buying.
Things that I want in 2K
-Blocking (dunks/layups) - CHECK
-AI players close out on wide open shots way too quickly. It's like they are suction cupped
-AI players ice skating - suction cupped
-Rebounding (AI offensive rebounding is way too high)
-3pt shooting (seems anyone in this game is a great 3pt shooter)
-Select jerseys before games (in every game mode) Man, I really want to use those flo-jos!
-Crew Mode (never played this, but want to)
-More playability for My Player - Give us $ and VC. $ to buy a house (can get a trophy room that keeps up with every award you get!), car, etc. I want a reason to keep playing beyond 1 season.
-More input for My Player - I really want to be a player manager. If there is a player you don't like, let us say so at ANY TIME, and the game has to trade that player within a month/before deadline. Same thing with requesting a player. All this will be based on your status with the team (requests will happen only for star players, but if you aren't, then there is a possibility your request won't happen). Let us dictate our minutes. If the game is a blow out, why am I playing the last few minutes? Or make the coaching smarter.
-My Player (add in Summer League and training camps)
-My Player - would love if they added in a D-League where you could play for a season and then go into the draft. I want a more realistic chance of getting drafted #1. This alleviates the issue of college basketball where you'd have to create so many different courts. With the D-league, you can just create a few different templates or let them play on the big boy courts when the NBA teams aren't in town. It'd be no different than what Brandon Jennings did by going over seas, but instead you play your 1 year in the Dleague.
-Add more player customizations: hair styles, wing span, etc.
-Sliders for My Player
-My Player - please dear God let us select which game to play and which we want to skip like you can in every other damn mode.
-My Player - let us take off the auto-save feature
-Customizing courts/arenas/jerseys (they have a shoe creator, why not expand it!)
-Get rid of Sig Skills. Or at least don't let them give bonuses, just rather stating what a particular player is skilled at. I don't think any of the Sig Skills worked like they were supposed to. Just make it a badge of honor type thing.
There's probably more, but those are the ones off the top of my head.
Let us take our My Player from 2K14 and be able to import him in 2K15. Pisses me off that I have to start from scratch every time.


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=0/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Space shooter game with 3 levels 9 different ships and 2 weapons. The ships have missile count, afterburners, shield and health or energy huds. Level 3 includes a radar, planets and asteroids.
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Your support of our Annual Fund will assist in funding hospice, bereavement and wellness programs, as well as providing additional funding for our highest priority facility projects.
Terminally ill patients receive comfort and care from our program. Hospice allows our patients to die with dignity, and provides their families and friends the support they need to help cope and thrive during a difficult time. In hospice, care is provided in a patient's home. The familiar surroundings of home provide comfort to patients and their families. Our hospice team cares for patients throughout 11 counties in northwestern Wisconsin.
Bereavement Services
Bereavement services are designed to support those grieving the death of a loved one. Currently, bereavement services are offered to families of hospice patients. However, we have identified the need to increase bereavement programming to serve the entire community. We are not compensated for these additional bereavement services, so your support is critical. Our programming offers both individual and group support; events that incorporate the creative arts, such as music and art therapy; special events for children and families; and more. Our services are available to all who are grieving, regardless of whether or not their loved one was our hospice patient. Together, we can work through a difficult life transition.
The Community Engagement and Wellness Department supports and hosts a variety of free or low-cost wellness events and programs to build healthier communities throughout the entire region. Last year, the department provided over 200 wellness-based programs and screenings. It costs over $350,000 annually to provide these programs and screenings. Your support of community engagement and wellness keeps our programming costs free or minimal, and help us make a bigger impact.
Family Medicine Residency Program
Having timely access to medical care is critical for our communities. It is estimated we need 100 new physicians annually to keep pace with demand in Wisconsin, but there are not enough family medicine residency programs to meet the demand. In 2017, we are launching the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program to prepare outstanding family physicians to master both the science and the art of medicine. History tells us that residents typically choose to work in or near the location in which they train. This program will help us serve our patients with more Mayo Clinic-trained family medicine physicians. With your help, we will ensure people have access to quality care throughout northwest Wisconsin when they need it.
Local Facility Projects
Your support provides funding for our highest priority facility renovations and additions. Gifts to the Annual Fund help complete facility renovations. Your support is always needed.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Bishop Kenny's boys and Bolles' girls won state 2A titles Saturday at the Florida High School Athletic Association cross county championships.
BK's David Yarborough came finished second overall with 15:59.81, leading his team to first place in team competition. Michael Barr, Alec Sharpe, Zachary Perry and Bradley Franco contributed to the team victory.
In the girl's run, Bolles' Mackenzie Wilson second-place time of 18:28.85 led her team to the top of podium. Rachel Shapiro, Allison Hajda, Lily Arnold and Ash DeHechavarria all crossed in under 20 minutes and were part of the winning team.
While none of the Mandarin High School's boys finished in the top ten, their collective effort earned the Mustangs second place in Class 4A team competition.
Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Get an overview of this hotel4-star boutique hotel near Church of Santa Maria Assunta
Popular property highlights
Located in the heart of Positano, this boutique hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Fornillo Beach and Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Positano Tourist Office and Positano Town Hall are also within 15 minutes.
Hotel Features
This hotel features an outdoor pool, a bar/lounge, and a poolside bar. Free buffet breakfast and free WiFi in public areas are also provided. Other amenities include a coffee shop/café, a rooftop terrace, and self parking.
Room Amenities
All 18 rooms offer free WiFi, minibars, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels. Guests will also find rainfall showerheads, in-room massages, and hair dryers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Punta Regina
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
The hotel offers a coffee shop/café. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. A complimentary breakfast is offered. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.
This boutique hotel also offers an outdoor pool, a rooftop terrace, and tour/ticket assistance. Onsite parking is available (surcharge). A total renovation of this property was completed in January 2012.
Punta Regina has designated areas for smoking.
- Year Built 1960
- Luggage storage
- Offsite parking reservations required
- Designated smoking areas
- Laundry facilities
- Total number of rooms - 18
- Number of floors - 4
- 24-hour front desk
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Coffee shop or café
- Free breakfast
- Concierge services
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Airport transportation
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Multilingual staff
- Rooftop terrace
- Poolside bar
- Porter/bellhop
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Outdoor pool
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
- Free WiFi
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge), Offsite parking reservations required
Room Amenities
- Free WiFi
- Rainfall showerhead
- Slippers
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Minibar
- Daily housekeeping
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bidet
- In-room massage available
- Satellite TV service
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Flat-panel TV
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Windsurfing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Personal motorized watercraft on site
- Sailing on site
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 60 per day.
- Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Self parking fee: EUR 25 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 60 per day
Hotel Name
- Punta Regina
- Punta Regina Hotel
- Punta Regina Hotel Positano
- Punta Regina Positano
- Albergo Punta Regina Hotel Positano
We should mention
All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport. Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.


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Schoolgirl Katherine Pennycott has narrowly missed out on the chance to impress Glenn Cosby, winner of last year's Great British Bake Off.
Katherine, 14, of Cepen Park South, fought off fierce competition to reach the regional final of the Big School Cake Challenge, at Harden-huish School on Monday.
The challenge was launched in December to find the best baker in the southwest, with young bakers encouraged to create an original, extravagant bake within a budget of just £5.
Katherine, who was encouraged to enter by her technology teacher at Hardenhuish, was awarded second place for her chequerboard cake, which reveals alternate coloured squares when cut into. She has been creative in the kitchen since she was at nursery school and likes to bake at weekends, sometimes with her mum."I like being able to make something, taste it and share it," she said. "Eating it is even better."
She had already tried out the recipe three times beforehand. The practice paid off and she was commended for her neat piping and good cherry, almond and coconut flavours by judge Sarah Forward, owner of Chippenham cake-making company Sugar Ice and All Things Nice.
Gemma Clatworthy from Nova Hreod School in Swindon, who scooped first place with a cake that looked like an icecream, now goes forward to represent Wiltshire in the final at The Big Cake Show next month.
Katherine was also competing against finalists from Bradon Forest School in Purton near Swindon and Oakfield Academy in Frome.
Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and Mich Turner are among the bakers who will attend the three day cake show from March 28.
Mel Edwards from The BIG Cake Show said: "We were astonished by the level of talent demonstrated in the entries.
"The challenge was designed to inspire a generation throughout the southwest to get creative with their baking and we think it has certainly done that."


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6' x 9' Luxe Solid Shag Rug
This Turkish Luxe Solid Shag rug is made of 60% Twisted Double Yarn Polypropylene and 40% Polyester. This rug is easy-to-clean, stain resistant, and does not shed.
Colours found in this rug include:Pinecone Brown, . The primary colour is Pinecone Brown.
This rug is 1.25" thick.
The measurements for this rug are: 6 feet 0 inches wide by 9 feet 0 inches long.
This rug is currently in stock and will ship within 1 business day.
This rug's SKU # is 33123298
Ask A Question
Average response time: 10 minutes


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The following article appeared in the May 1982 edition of FATE Magazine.
On Sunday evening, March 1, 1981, I was watching The Amityville Horror on my 12-inch black-and-white television screen when the telephone rang. I immediately recognized the voice as that of Arnold, Pa., Police Sgt. Jim Dargenzio, an old friend.
"Bob, where were you last night?" he asked. "I tried to reach you on this situation we got here. Seems some boys encountered some really weird creature by the railroad tracks . . . less than three feet tall, all green, wrinkled skin, long arms. . . .
"The rub is that one of the boys picked the damned thing up and tried to carry it home! The thing wriggled free. Didn't hurt him or anything. It fled into a drainpipe and got away. But it's been seen since. Seems to be sticking around."
After Jim filled me in, Police Chief Bill Clark telephoned and added his 10 cents' worth. It was clear the officers were taking the bizarre story seriously and requesting my unofficial assistance. The Arnold police department wanted me to catch the thing.
Living in the city, where a backyard to an apartment dweller is often no more than a window box three stories up, kids are naturally attracted to those areas where there is room to stretch. In Arnold, one such area is Roosevelt Park, a block-long playground complete with amphitheater and war memorials as well as an auxiliary policeman who oversees safety.
But safety never was a teen watchword. Kids crave adventure, especially when there's the slightest hint of danger associated with it.
Small wonder then that four brothers — Bobby Johnston, 16, Marvin, 13, David, 12, and Chris, 11 — and their friend Randy Uhler, 12, sought out the Penn Central switchyard, with its even rows of boxcars and tankers, bunkers and trees and the like, just as they did every other Saturday afternoon. Here was a battlefield strewn with enemy tanks, a fortress to be assaulted by commando forces, a Martian landscape, and more.
Mistaken for a Trash Bag
As they were playing, young Chris saw what he thought was a green trash bag. Curious, he approached it. Now it looked more like a statue, a big green statue. Of a man? But what kind of man?
The statue moved.
Not much. But it moved.
The thing was squatting down along the railroad track beside a gray tank car loaded with salts. Its back was to Chris, who was a mere 50 feet away.
"I just had to take it home," Chris would tell me, "or nobody would believe me!"
His mother added, "That boy is always bringing something home and hiding it in our basement — anything he can get his two little mitts on and carry home."
Chris ("Bring 'Em Back Alive") Johnston edged forward, carefully stepping only on the railroad ties, avoiding the crackling cinders and gravel. He could not call for help now. The thing might run.
His arms snaked under the thing's armpits, lifted up and locked his fingers against the back of its neck — the standard wrestler's full-nelson grip.
Now Chris screamed for help. "Bobby! Marvin! Help me carry this home!" he shouted. His brothers and friend rushed to his aid.
Rubbery Humanoid
Bobby, Marvin and company froze in their tracks. They could handle turtles, even snakes, but this was something else. Later, when interviewed separately, the boys agreed that the "something" was green in color with no hair or fur. Humanoid in shape, it had wrinkled "elephant" skin, stood just under three feet tall and walked upright on two legs. It also had a muscular chest with distinct nipples, a tiny one-inch tail and large ears. Chris told me that the skin felt dry and rubbery, stretched like elastic.
"Bobby! Help! It's too strong!" Chris shrieked.
It wriggled and twisted and squealed and wriggled. Older brother Bobby, five years the wiser, offered this advice: "Drop it and get out of there!" That sentiment having been expressed, Bobby took to his heels.
If the others thought to help Chris, it was too late. The thing broke free of the boy's grasp and shot into a drainpipe less than eight feet away.
"Those boys were really excited and upset when we arrived on the scene," Sergeant Dargenzio said. "We were checking a robbery in the area when we saw them running. They thought we were the reinforcements, so to speak, that someone had called us to help them capture this green thing."
Mrs. Johnston told police her son's coat had a foul odor "like a dirty fish tank" where it came into contact with the creature.
Police Convinced
The next morning I met with Chief Clark and received a copy of Chris' sketch of the thing made under rather harried conditions in the back of a patrol car. The Arnold police are hard-nosed, cynical cops who have seen and heard every tale in the book: They are anything but gullible; yet they were convinced that the boys had seen something far out of the ordinary. At 11:45 A.M. I drove to the scene and checked it out. Before I left, I inspected the drainpipe. Lying there on my stomach while I stuck head and lantern into the pipe, I halfway expected to come eyeball-to-eyeball with the twilight zone's answer to Kermit the Frog. But the pipe was empty. In addition, the ground was rocky, eliminating any possibility of tracks.
Before leaving the site, I deployed bait, six apples cut into quarters, in what I deemed strategic locations. A fine sprinkling of powder (to enhance tracks) added a final touch.
Late that afternoon I returned to find the site surrounded by teenagers. Rain had washed away the powder and several slices of apple had disappeared. I noticed that one piece had been chewed on. I fished it out for examination and noted clear, well-defined teeth marks — those of a rat.
Minutes later, upon my arrival at Arnold police headquarters, I saw a scowling desk officer inform a caller that an investigation into reports of a "green thing" was under way. He put down the phone long enough to tell me that calls were flooding in.
By seven o'clock that evening dozens of teenagers were prowling the site. Many were armed with rocks, pellet guns, clubs and flashlights. Cars slowed down and paused on the road above, their occupants jeering. So much for my low-key investigation.
The next day pandemonium ruled. The local newspaper, Valley News Dispatch, was working on a "green monster" piece. I met the reporter, Mike Burke, and urged him not to ridicule the witnesses and to emphasize that this thing was apparently not aggressive or harmful.
I also talked with Marvin Johnston over the phone. In the afternoon I came back to the site, which was overrun with kids.
Knowing that serious investigation was impossible under these circumstances, I returned home until 9:00 P.M. Then I drove back and began to patrol a mile-long stretch of railroad tracks. It was a miserable experience. The rain was turning to snow and the temperature was dropping. Seven hours later, at 4:00 a.m.. I finally got to bed.
Late the following morning, March 4, I was back patrolling the tracks. This time I found something: seven branches, about one inch thick and seven inches long, broken off evenly with bark chewed off like corn-on-the-cob. This was nothing deer would have done, but as evidence of anything it wasn't much.
But if hard evidence was difficult to come by, wild rumors were all too abundant. The creature was credited with attacking and raping an eight-year-old girl, chewing the leg off a policeman, overturning a New Kensington patrol car and so on and on into the wild blue yonder. The head of the Arnold PTA called the police to ask if these stories were true. Police department switchboards were flooded again.
At 9:00 A.M. on March 5 I talked with reporter Burke at the Dispatch. He told me his first story draft had been rejected because his editors feared it would further "incite public hysteria." The word came down to keep it light and humorous. I had to agree.
I later interviewed Sandy Uhler, the attractive and articulate mother of 12-year-old Randy, one of the original witnesses. "My son isn't lying," she declared emphatically. "He and the other kids were all genuinely frightened and upset by this experience. I'd rather not believe his story because I don't like the idea of that creature lurking about. I hope you catch it — to end this ridicule."
Halfway through my interview Chris Johnston walked into the Uhler home on his school lunch break. I showed him a sketch of the creature I had drawn. He confirmed its accuracy.
A Three-foot Lizard
From there I journeyed to the Arnold police station, where I was handed the logbook. At 7:40 the previous evening, it reported, two police officers had searched the 1600 block of Horne Boulevard for a "three-foot lizard."
I talked with the patrolman who interviewed the witness, a Glen C. (name withheld by request), a man in his 40's and the first adult witness.
At 3:00 p.m. the Valley News Dispatch hit the stands complete with a front-page story, headlined "green thing sparks rumors", that made light of the scare. Reading it, I reflected that not only would no witness in his right mind ever report a sighting after this, but previous witnesses would probably begin reneging their testimony!
By the next day a fresh rumor was circulating. This one claimed that the creature had been captured by the police who delivered it to the Pittsburgh Zoo. It was an iguana.
In reality, of course, iguanas, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded animals. Any reptile subjected to that week's cold weather (between the high 20's and low 30's) would have become sluggish in very short order, then turned immobile before entering a state of deep hibernation. In any case, all local police departments denied the iguana story.
Shortly after six o'clock I was back at the site when suddenly a "Green Monster" approached me and asked, "What's up, Doc?" while chewing on a candy bar. It was a kid, about nine or ten, wearing tennis shoes and a T-shirt emblazoned with a green thing with a drooping tongue. The words provided positive identification: "Green Monster, Arnold, Pa." He told me he had just bought the shirt at a local department store where they were selling like hotcakes.
Four hours later, on a final visit, I found a crowd of excited men bent forward and staring at something on the ground: a six-inch print with three toes. The men began pouring the plaster for the cast. I hadn't the heart to tell them that it looked very much as if a dog had slid in the mud and erosion had mutilated the print.
Additional Witnesses
"It was a dinosaur-type thing, but yet —" Sherry Coover paused as she sought the right words. "It was human, a child. Definitely not an animal."
I was impressed. I had done nothing to lead my star witness. I had not placed words or impressions into her mind. But her remark that it was "human, not an animal," substantiated what the other witnesses had said.
"It must really fear people, the way it took off so quickly when we approached it," the 23-year-old brunette said when we talked on Monday, May 11, nine weeks after her sighting. "I won't give you their names but I saw some kids douse it with gasoline and set it aflame. Disgusting! Good thing most of the gas went everywhere but on this creature. So it wasn't really hurt."
Sherry Coover, her brother Mike, 18, daughter Sandy, four, and acquaintance Robert Stoner, 17, had their encounter on that fateful Sunday, March 1, at approximately 11:00 P.M. Until now they had told no one but close friends and family.
It was fortunate that Sherry and I have a mutual friend: Joe Spano, owner of Spano's Tropical Breeze, Arnold's finest and only pet store. Spano steered me to this all-important, multiple-witness episode.
"My daughter saw it first — and screamed," Sandy related. "It was standing upright in one of those large garbage-dumpster thingamajigs — you know, those square jobs with twin lids. It was picking up food, I guess.
"We all got a good look at it before it jumped out of the dumpster and took off on all fours. Could it ever move fast! We followed it as fast as we could. The whole area is lit up pretty good to cut down on the crime rate. It disappeared down this drainpipe."
The "dumpster" was located right along Fifth Ave., right in the heart of town, alongside a housing project — and, yes, right along a single railroad line, a spur leading from the industrial district bordering the Allegheny River to a convenient railroad switching area frequented by bored adolescents nearly every Saturday.
Image credit: Zarateman | Wikimedia Commons


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- BSO Case Number: LL13-04-01976
- PIO Number: 13-4-21
- Date: April 27, 2013
- Time: 3:57 p.m.
- Place of Occurrence: 4500 NW 36 St., # 205, Lauderdale Lakes
- Jurisdiction: Lauderdale Lakes
- Gilespie Wilberforce Isaacs, 50, male, 03/06/63, 4500 NW 36 St., Lauderdale Lakes
- David Rose, 22, male, 05/23/90, 4961 NW 17 Ct. Lauderhill
- Mark Rose, 25, male, 08.03/87, 4848 NW 24 Ct., Lauderhill
- Kevin Dobson, 25, male, 04/29/87, 4520 NW 36 St., Lauderdale Lakes
- Neville Lynch, 25, male, 03/06/88, 4500 NW 36 St., Lauderdale Lakes (HOSPITALIZED)
Description of Incident:
A verbal altercation erupted into gunfire, injuring four men, one critically, Saturday in Lauderdale Lakes.
Just before 4 p.m., Broward Sheriff's Office deputies and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue units were dispatched to Whispering Palms Apartments at 4500 NW 36 St. for a report of several people shot. First arriving units were directed to apartment 205 where they found two men, a man and his stepson, shot. Gilespie Isaacs, 50, and his stepson Neville Lynch, 25, sustained gunshot wounds following an altercation that became violent. Witnesses told BSO detectives that an ongoing verbal argument between two men, Lynch and David Rose, 22, intensified with threats of physical violence. During the verbal argument, Lynch, his stepfather and several associates were standing on the balcony of the apartment mincing words with David Rose and his associates on the ground. One of Lynch's unnamed associates came downstairs from the balcony and got into a physical altercation with David Rose. Lynch brandished a handgun from the balcony and began shooting at Rose. Rose was struck in the shoulder. Mark Rose, 25, returned fire from the ground striking Lynch and Isaacs. Another man, 25-year-old Kevin Dobson, was also struck by gunfire standing on the balcony but he left the scene before deputies arrived.
Lynch was airlifted by BSO Air Rescue to Broward Health Medical Center (BHMC) and at last report remains in critical condition. Isaacs was transported by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue to BHMC where he was treated and released for his injuries. The wounded Rose was driven by a friend to nearby Florida Medical Center where he was treated and released.
BSO detectives interviewed the subjects and over a dozen witnesses well into Sunday and preliminarily determined Rose's actions were justifiable. He possesses a license to carry a concealed weapon. However, Rose was arrested on an outstanding, unrelated civil writ. The investigation is ongoing and, on completion, will likely go to the State Attorney's Office for review.
- INVESTIGATORS: CID, VCU, D-4, Crime Scene, BSFR, Sgt. Rubin, Det. Libman
- THIS REPORT BY: Mike Jachles/PIO 04/28/13 2100
Posted At: 04/28/2013 09:37 PM
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Hand Made in USA
Solid Wood
The Espresso Moses Basket Regal Rocking Stand by Rockers by Richard is a beautifully hand made solid wood stand that allows you to keep baby close at all times. It is the only all solid wood stand made in the USA - it has no particle board, no plywood, no synthetic parts. Our Moses basket stands are designed to be used with standard size baskets such as Wendy Anne and Moba Moses baskets.
- Hand made in USA
- Solid hardwood
- Veneer free
- Plywood free
- Particle board free
- Pressed wood free
- MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) free
- No plastic parts
- Approximately 27" H to top of Moses basket
- Fits standard size Moses baskets (such as Wendy Anne & Moba)
- Requires minimal assembly (detailed, step by step assembly instructions included)
Note: As items are made to order, please allow 7-10 business days for completion, plus shipping time. Available in the contiguous USA only.
Customer Reviews:
"I put the basket and stand together over the weekend and the process took about 15 minutes. Love the solid hardwood base, very well constructed. A lovely ensemble piece. I'm happy with the purchase and definitely would recommend it. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all your email correspondence. This is the epitome of what customer service should be. I feel very confidence with future purchases with BabyEcoTrends due to the level of professionalism and courtesy I'd received. Please feel free to share my sentiments with your team members. Thank you again, Nina. I'll be back for more goodies!"
KK, California
"Thanks for the followup. We received the stand last week, and assembled it over the weekend. It feels very sturdy, well balanced, and I'm very pleased with the look and smoothness of the wood. We're very happy with the purchase. Thanks again for the great product, and the great customer service"
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LR, Pennsylvania
©2008-2017 Baby Eco Trends, LLC | Site Updated September 20, 2017 | info {at} BabyEcoTrends {dot} com


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Thursday, 10 June 2010
Crown and Cushion, Victoria Road
5 comments:
- imac said...
And so say all of us.
Sounds a good place to visit.
- Friday, 11 June, 2010
- Hydonian said...
A friend of mine's father used to run this pub,Tom! Great to have someone in the pub game when you're 14/15 :D
- Friday, 11 June, 2010
- Tom said...
I started work and then lived for a while in the Albion when I was 17.... even then I was that drunk at weekends I could still not make it to bed... ha!
- Friday, 11 June, 2010
- Hydonian said...
I seem to remember you working at the Albion - although t'was before I frequented such establishments,Tom! ha!
- Friday, 11 June, 2010
- Tom said...
I worked for 3 different landlords at the Albion Nancy... The one I was thinking abot above was Bob Lindsey... he moved from the Boars Head, George Street when the motor way came through. Then there was Pete Walker who kept it for a while... it did very well at the weekends then... Sunday after the pictures was mad. I can not recall who the other chap was at all...
I have nothing but fun memory's from this pub... Bob's wife was ill with TB, Bob would visit her then go drown his sorrows at the Brick Layer Arms, or the Cheshire Chesse up Newton with the landlord who was known as 'Crazy Horse'... no idea why. Anyhow it was left to Me and Dave Edwards (Edder) to look after it most nights.. ha! it's a wonder it made any profits. I was on wages + board and lodgings.. Edder was mostly on the 'Top Shelf'..
- Saturday, 12 June, 2010


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How does Law Review select its members?
Only first-year day and evening law students are eligible for acceptance to the San Diego Law Review. Eligible students can follow one of two routes to Law Review membership. The first is through the Write-On Competition which is a cooperative effort between the San Diego Law Review, the San Diego International Law Journal, and the San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law. This competition enables interested students to apply to all three journals at the same time.
The second route to Law Review membership is through the Review's automatic-invitation policy: the top five percent of 1L students enrolled in the day program and the top five percent of 1L students enrolled in the evening program, according to class rank, are invited to join Law Review, regardless of participation in the Write-On Competition.
Can I wait until next year to participate in the Write-On Competition? Can I gain acceptance to Law Review based on my second-year grades?
No. The upcoming Write-On Competition is the only opportunity for all first-year day and evening students to qualify for the San Diego Law Review. Second-year day students, students pursuing an LLM degree, and students enrolled in the University's JD /MBA program are ineligible.
What is the Write-On Competition?
The Write-On Competition consists of a legal problem that each competitor must analyze and address using only the materials provided by the competition's administrators; no additional research is allowed. Students then prepare responses, approximately ten pages in length, that address the problem's legal issues. Students must also perform a citation edit using The Bluebook. Entries to the Write-On Competition are graded completely anonymously, and selection into Law Review is entirely merit-based. All competitors must do their own work and shall not confer with other competitors about the Write-On problem. Cooperative efforts will be deemed an Honor Code violation and will be reported as such to the Honor Court.
How many people will the Law Review accept through the Write-On Competition?
The number is not predetermined, however the San Diego Law Review usually accepts 30 to 45 students every year.
Transfer Students
Writing Competition Download: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at noon PDT. All participating students will have access to the competition site on TWEN where procedural questions may be asked and will be answered. Substantive or irrelevant questions will not be answered. Competitors may not discuss any aspect of the competition with anyone once the materials are distributed. The Honor Code governs the competition, and any violation will result in disqualification from consideration.
Writing Competition Upload: Tuesday, August 8, 2017, between 5 p.m and 8 p.m. PDT. NO ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED BEFORE OR AFTER THIS TIME.
We encourage students to visit our TWEN site because all the writing competition information is posted there. The course name is "2017 Write-On Competition for SDLR, ILJ & JCEL."
General Competition Information: email@example.com.
Important Dates:
Writing Competition Informational Meetings:
March 21, 2017, at 12-12:50 p.m., Warren Hall 131.
April 2017, TBA.
Writing Competition Pick-up: May 12, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., Legal Research Center room 132 (doors lock at 2:30 p.m. sharp). Students who cannot be present for the May 12 pick-up must email email@example.com by May 9, at 9 p.m. to arrange for an anonymous identification number and access to the materials at the same time.
Drop-off: May 19, 2017 between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m., Legal Research Center room 132 (doors lock at 8 p.m. sharp).
We encourage students to visit our TWEN site because all the writing competition information is posted there. The course name is "2017 Write-On Competition for SDLR, ILJ & JCEL."


text:
Oct. 18
United Methodist Women's Harvest Craft Faire 2013, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave. The annual event offers a large selection of handcrafted items and collectibles, made by more than 70 artisans and the women of the church. Information: Patricia Parfett at 948-1083, ext. 122, or laumc.org.
Dec. 1
Festival of Lights Parade, 6 p.m. on Main and State streets in downtown Los Altos. Information: losaltosparade.com.


text:
Did Marvin just have his red flag out - as if he was going to challenge a penalty?
Mmmk, Marvin.
The lack of touchdowns are a little depressing. They get the ball handed to them with great field position after the interception, and then can't punch it in. Really need a TD there.
15-10 good guys.