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I always dreamed of moving to the sea side for years ever since childhood. Then in 2009 Myself and my best friend of eighteen years Melanie decided to come for New Year as her friend ran a Pub we bought four dogs and my touring caravan in tow and stayed for two weeks in the freezing cold.
What is the place like?~
Weston Super Mare is in North Somerset on the coast having Bristol and Wales just a short journey away. It has an array of shops takeaways fantastic fish and chips from the take away Papa's. A theatre Sea world centre Museum Weston is very good for holidays. You have another beach just down the Road just ten minute drive away called Sand Bay, it has a private beach looked after by the National Trust. Uphill is also a National Trust Beach. In the summer we have our very own big wheel which shows fantasic view. You can't swim or paddle in the water here one it is sinking mud and two the water is filthy we have one of the dirtiest beaches in the south west.
My option~
As mentioned before I came for a short beak in 2009. In 2010 Melanie and I decided to move here as we we were both single my marriage ended and She was Living with her folks we both decided to take the plunge. On the way to moving to Weston with the four dogs in tow and A large touring Caravan we was thrilled at the new life we was going to have in Weston. Then..... everything changed that fateful morning. We was travelling down a A Road just out side Tamworth in Staffordshire when a lorry caused my caravan to snake as it gave off a gust of wind. Melanie had fallen asleep in the passenger seat then woke up telling me to stop messing about I said I am not. I kept calm knowing not to break as the whole lot would of turned over we eventually hit a barrier on the near side. the caravan was written off but we where fine. One problem though we had no where to stay. All our belongings where destroyed we where devastated our dream was over....
Kindly Mel's friend Helen put us up for a couple of months until we found some where to live.
Awfully I had to Part with my babies as no one would let us rent any where it broke our hearts. At first we loved Weston but all that changed a few months ago when druggies moved in next door. They where dealing to young Kids up all day and night and making our lives hell. Weston is a very rough place has lots of rehab centres and high crime. We have both decided to leave and move back to Yorkshire where I once lived. I can't wait to move. I am looking for property to rent as we speak.
Now I'm up dating this review, It's August 2013, I now live in Rugby Warwickshire. I'm going back to Weston Super Mare to collect the rest of my belongings, bring to my new home that I live at with a very good friend of mine who I've known since the nineties. She has a spare room going and said I was welcome to move in for company. So glad I did we get on great never argue, have peaceful time with her two cats and my little poodle Daisy.
I will say tears did hit me today as I'm going back to the place I thought would be a new life for me when I moved there with my best pal Melanie, sadly Melanie left for personal reasons. I felt there was no point being there any more. All my family live in Coventry. My parents recently moved back near Coventry to a place called Exhall.
It's good bye Weston Super Mare, hello Rugby!
A year and half ago I made some life changing decisions. I had a friend that needed to move out of her home in Yorkshire pronto and me, well I was living with my parents in Coventry in at the grand old age of 35. I had no job, no boyfriend apart from the odd dalliance and a raging eating disorder that was threatening to destroy my life. Then my best friend who ran a pub up here in Weston asked me to come to her News Year Eve bash and me and my friend who I previously mentioned decided to come in a caravan and we stayed a whole month and loved it here.
In that time I fell in love with Weston Super Mare and so did my friend. After a month we had decided to do a flat-share but where to live was of major discussion and together we wanted to come back here after being bored back at hers in Hull so I broke the news to my parents I was moving out and me and my mate left to come to Weston back in her caravan to find somewhere to live. On route though we had a major car crash where I got injured and she lost her car and caravan so we ended up living at my mates pub and then we found the flat I live in now, we did together for a year and a bit but sadly it didn't work out with us sharing we moved in and I been here ever since and it was the best move I ever made.
Why Move Here?:
Well I'm a West Midlands lass and its shocking just how many brummies are here so I feel rather at home really. Not being far away from the Midlands many people moved here after many a day triip and holidaying at the place when they were children. I'm sure there are more people from the midlands than anywhere else even people from Weston here, its friendly though I have heard other people who are outsiders like me complain but me, well I made many new friends here believe me and never had a problem with locals at all.
What you get with Weston is a muddy but sandy beach that overlooks Cardiff. Our beach apart from the water is great with a fantastic pier with all the usual and amusements on it. Recently rebuilt due to a fire with a chip pan it is full of places to eat, rides, clean loos a bar and its always busy, especially on warm sunny days and it really is a very impressive building indeed.
We have the winter gardens which houses exhibitions and weddings, Sea world and so much to do and see on the beach its great. Regularly there is a punch and Judy show, lots of fish sellers and donkey rides for a pound a go plus little beach stalls for all your souvenirs. We have the Playhouse theatre too which we recently had Jethro visit, Grove Park which has a statue dedicated to Jill Dando who comes from here and is a lovely park, a huge new adventure playground on the seafront, lots of parking areas, buses and cabs.
We have alot of old fashioned hotels and caravan parks and b + b's too. All of which I have seen need a flipping good revamp but it all adds to the 1970's charm of the place in my opinion. We have lots of places to eat too and have a really good Greek section to which I can highly receomend Seawards Hotel for its lovely Greek cuisine (open to non patrons but a little on the pricey side but oh so worth it) and Nicks Bar which does all sorts of fare with Bazaar (another Greek restaurant right next door to it) which is mazing. Of course we have lots of take aways and bars too as well as posher restaurants like The Cottage and The Flute De Paris, if you want a decent fish and chip place I do recommend trying The Regent Café to eat in to which fish and chips is Abbot £6.00 and gorgeous though The Waterfront (jst opposite the pier) is a take away offering fish and chips (and other things too) at just £3.95 (providing you don't mind a few bones and skin on the fish that is!).
The bars and nightlife here is so so. We have many late bars here some open as late as 5.30 with free entry plus a club called Vision that does a foam party once a month, a bikers friendly bar and allsorts there really is something to suit everyone. Because of the pier we have a lot of displays and exhibitions in the town plus on a Thursday night a bikers meet on the seafront.
The negatives includes the one way system around the town and the shops. If your looking for decent shopping opportunities don't bother and save yourself from coming is my top tip....in fact divert yourself to Bristol. The shops here are rubbish and the fashion is awful. I'm damned if I can find a nice going out dress anywhere in this town but if your looking for cheap and/or tacky souvenir shops you won't be disappointed as there are loads of them lol.
Just off the beach road you have Clarence park which is pretty, free to wander round with toilets and ice cream available. There is a little shack of a café which does a great brekkie for £2.50 and is always friendly.
In Short:
I think this place is great for a day, worth going on the Weston Wheel for views over and beyond Weston for a fiver a person and often there is a steam fair on the beach. I'm pretty sure young children would be bored for more than a couple of days here, you can't really swim in our water but this place is warm and charming in its own right if not a little old fashioned and laid back. We have all ages visit, it goes very quiet in winter and the sand sculptures (small fee to get in) are incredibly popular to view as is the small train that goes up the prom for £2.50 each.
I'm glad I live here, love seeing the holiday makers enjoying themselves and just just wish I could take a swim!
I have been going on day trips to Weston Super-mare for a long time. I have relatives that live in nearby Burnham-on-sea, so i have often caught the bus into Weston. A word of warning; local buses cost a fortune! So it may be best travelling by car.
Brief History
Weston-supermare is in North Somerset on the Bristol channel. It became a seaside town in the 19th century. It has had its ups and downs over the years, going through periods of prosperity and periods of decline. Sadly there was a huge fire on the Grand Pier in the height of summer in July 2008. At the time everyone was devastated. The pier first opened in 1904 and the terrible thing also was that the owners had recently been updating the facilities on the pier. Prior to this, the last time the pier had burnt down was in 1930.
Fortunately, it didn't actually take that long in my view to rebuild the pier and what a fantastic job has been done. It cost a fortune to do (£39million) and reopened to the public in October 2010. The new pier is great and boasts the first lazer maze in the UK. (I think there should be more of these). They are great fun for kids and adults. I took my children there about 5 months ago and we all had a go in the lazer maze; they loved it!
There are some great things inside the pavillion; loads of fruit machines; a fantastic go kart track the type of which you won't find anything similar in the UK. Their is also a mini rollercoaster; a 4d cinema; a mirror maze; childrens soft play area; ghost train;; dodgem cars and much more!. There is also a super souvenir shop. You need to purchase tickets from machines to go on the rides/attractions.
The Pavillion has ample places to eat and drink with about 4 cafes; a bar; an ice cream parlour; tea rooms and a coffee shop. You can of course get your fish and chips, hot dogs and donuts on the Pavillion too.
The pavillion looks very modern with a glass front building. There is a huge amount of seating available. It really is a fantastic place inside the pavilion for children and teenagers with plenty for them to do. Its great also for older people who want to relax and take in the views and the lovely sea breeze, especially away from the noise of the inside. I went there again recently with my partner. Fortunately the weather was great ; the pier was fairly quiet, so we sat outside, enjoying a nice coffee in the warm sun. Bliss!
I would expect the pier to be very very busy in the summer months. it is very popular. I highly reccomend this pier. it is certainly the best one i have ever been to.
You will find plenty to do here and to entertain the kids. There are the traditional donkey rides; other smaller rides on the beach; a miniature railway; Seaquarium and the now famous Weston Wheel, which is a smaller version of the London Eye. It looks quite good actually.
The Winter Gardens; Antiques, Arts and Crafts, collectors fairs, junior music festivals, dances.
The Playhouse Theatre;plays, shows, musicals, childrens shows, pantomimes
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859);The famous British civil engineer responsible for the design of many bridges, dockyards, tunnels, steam ships and the Great western railway. He came 2nd in the BBC poll of 2002 for the '100 greatest Britons' He lived in Weston for some months whilst working on projects.
Jill Dando (1961-1999) ;former presenter of Crimewatch uk . Sadly and tragically murdered in 1999. You will find her memorial garden in Grove Park at Weston super-mare; its lovely and peaceful.
John Cleese (Born in Weston 1939-) ; comedian/writer
Jeffrey Archer; (Born in Weston in 1940); former MP and Author
There are plenty of shops in the town which is only about a 4 minute walk from the pier. You will find plenty of well known shops; There is the Soverign shopping centre which has 38 shops(including currys,JD Sports, Evans, Waterstones, Clinton card shop, F.Hinds (jeweller), Halifax, Claires accessories, Bon Marche) with places to eat/take away food. Its not actually very big, but there are plenty of shops surrounding this centre. Marks & Spencer, British Home Stores, Mobile phone shops, fashion stores, eateries and cafes. The area around here is pedestrianised. There is a also a large Tesco, which is very close to Railway station.
There are plenty of bed and breakfasts and hotels around, from the value ones to the more expensive. There are also 2 Premier Inns (2 of which i have stayed in and recommend); Premier Inn at Hutton Moor Lane and Premier Inn at Lympsham; buses go past these hotels.
There is loads to see and do. Burnham-on -sea, Wookey hole, Brean Sands, Bristol (with far too may things to do to mention here!). Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury and Clarkes Village (with great outlet shopping; highly recommend this).
Weston-super-mare railway station is only a 5 minute walk from the town centre. There are buses (first group); you can catch buses to most local places but they are not always that frequent depending on the time of year. You can get more information from the First Group buses; http://www.firstgroup.com/ .
Weston supermare is a great seaside resort really and there is plenty to do for all age ranges. The beach is a real beach; no pebbles! but beware of the mud in certain parts; this is very dangerous, but there are warning signs; never go beyond a red flag either.
Personally i like to go to Weston for a day trip or possibly a weekend break. There are some unsavoury areas of Weston (but these are away from the tourist area); you should still be careful, as always, whilst on holiday, watch your handbags etc. However this is a good place for families to holiday with plenty to do and loads more around and about.
Exciting times are happening in Weston at the moment as it is going under the current Regeneration. Since the pier burnt down the town has been going under transformation. The new pier being built which is privately owned by the Michaels family has cost 55 million and is due to open in August 2010. Whilst the new pier was being built the front has been under going a revamp and the whole of the pavement stone has been replaced with granite slabs and there is a new arch. Also a new childrens playing area has been developed. There is Weston version of the London eye where the views are amazing. Also worth a look is the helicoptor museum where you can take a trip in the helicopter for ten minutes with outstanding views. The drive into Weston the big retailers have hit all the side roads which includes a newly opened Waitrose. Whilst there is still some grotty areas when you starting looking around Weston you can discover some wonderful buildings of architecture left over from the Victorian Era espicially if you head up towards Knights Island. Also Weston has become famous for holding the T4 on the beach each year and the beach races. Although one thing Weston cannot get away from is the brown sea when it comes in but on a Sunny day it aint a bad place to be. You watch Weston will be upcoming soon
Weston-super-Mare (henceforth simply "Weston", as most people who know the place refer to it as a rule) is an old-fashioned sort of seaside resort. For some people that might be considered an insult, but I certainly don't mean it as such. Personally I get a little bit tired with the constant striving of certain other resorts to compete head-on with the likes of Tunisia and Queensland. I've got news for those places: you can't. You look silly. It's like the infamous Bobby Charlton-style comb-over trick. Stop trying and start being something distinctive rather than just aping a random hot country.
Weston is another matter. I used to be taken here by my grandparents when I was a kid, and although my memories are somewhat hazy and mostly consist of looking for interesting mini-beasts on the edge of the mud flats, my warm feelings towards the place are not entirely due to its association with my relatives. (That does remind me, though: on no account should you wander randomly out on those mud flats. There is plenty of quicksand out there, on top of which the tide can come in very fast and from odd angles, cutting you off before you know what's happened. People can and do die when that happens.)
I've been back a few times since those days, and most recently spent a day there during the Easter holidays. We (there were two of us) went by train, which is very straightforward and if you're lucky with the services can be both quick and inexpensive too. Weston station is rather unpromisingly situated next to a big roundabout and an even bigger Tesco superstore, but thankfully there is both a large map and a fingerpost out front, so it's not difficult to find your way to the seafront. (Not that it is anyway in most seaside resorts: just go in the direction where there are no buildings on the horizon!)
The promenade is a bit of a mess at the moment. The Grand Pier is in the final stages of restoration after the devastating fire of a couple of years ago, and has not yet been reopened to the public; that's expected to happen in the summer. There's also a lot of building and repair work going on all along the seafront, on top of which a large public open space on the other side of the road from the pier is also being completely redone, so it wasn't exactly quiet with all the diggers and drills hammering away. Still, Weston is not really about peace and quiet anyway; if you want that then you'd probably be better off going to Clevedon a little way along the coast.
The main attraction for families is very probably going to be the great sweep of the main beach. Although as I mentioned above the mud flats can be very dangerous, the beach itself is safe and well watched, and is an excellent place for children to run about, make sandcastles, play beach cricket and all the myriad traditional entertainments which make a seaside holiday what it is. If you're looking for something a bit more organised, there are donkey rides, carts pulled by heavy horses and a small funfair which makes up to some extent for the lack of access to the pier. It's worth noting at this point that I found the toilet blocks on the promenade to be encouragingly clean and well kept.
If you walk for a few minutes northwards along the promenade, past the striking Weston pavilion building, you will reach the Marine Lake, a separated-off body of water with its own small beach which is ideal for younger children. Unlike the rest of the beach, it is also dog-free even in low season, so you shouldn't have to worry about your kids treading in any mess. One of the great attractions of the lake is that it always contains water; the flat nature of the beach here means that at low tide the sea itself can be much too far out to reach!
A bit further north, past an interesting semi-tropical rock garden (once again, being repaired when I was there!) you come to Anchor Head, where there are several points of interest. The first is a small RNLI shop, which contains a good variety of "Lifeboats" merchandise as well as second-hand books and suchlike. The reason this is here is that the local RNLI station is on Birnbeck Pier just around the headland. Unfortunately this pier has been closed to the public since the 1990s, and is in an increasing state of dereliction. Plenty of proposals have been put forward to save it, but unless someone actually puts one of them into practice - and soon - I should think it will become entirely beyond saving. More happily, just past the lifeboat shop are steps down to a small shingle and mud beach which has an attractively hidden feel.
As befits this traditional resort, your options for food and drink are dominated by the old staples of fish and chips to start, with ice cream to follow. Many of the chippies are pretty basic in terms of decor and facilities, but most of their fish is of perfectly good quality and the portions are usually large. Where ice cream is concerned, my favourite place is a little hut almost opposite the pier: it advertises "20 flavours" but in fact is a bit more interesting than that. For a start, you can (unusually) get many flavours in soft-whip type ice cream as well as simply as scoops (soft lemon ice cream is amazingly refreshing). Its glories, though, are the amazing sweet-studded things that are more like icy trifles than anything else!
Whether there's that much point in going to Weston if you're not interested in the seafront is debatable, though the headland of Brean Down at the southern end of the bay is well worth a look and there are some nice walks to be had on the hills above the town. The centre has an identikit shopping centre with most of the usual suspects being in residence, but it's not one that is likely to stick in your mind for more than about, ooh, two minutes after you leave it. Finally, there's a big wheel of the sort now found in many cities, though I didn't have the opportunity to ride it myself on this occasion.
I've deliberately concentrated here on attractions for the day tripper, since I've never stayed overnight in Weston and so can't sensibly comment on its hotel accommodation, but there are certainly some bargains to be had when it comes to B&Bs, especially out of the main season. The Icelandic volcano has reminded people that perhaps we take international travel a bit much for granted nowadays, and I think it's a shame that people don't more often stop to take a look at what's on offer here in Britain. Weston won't suit everyone, and if you want exotic then this isn't the place to go... but it really does have its own genuine character.
I have been going to Weston - super - mare since I was a small child. We stayed in near by Sandy bay because of it being quieter and good for recuperation. The transport in the area is good with excellent priced all day tickets so you can explore local areas. Apart form that there is both train and bus network to access Bristol for those who wish to have a day in a city. The general area is clean but very busy with tourists in high season. In Weston its self you have the old pier which is now closed and can not be accessed and is almost falling into the sea. You then have the newer pier which was brilliant for children and adults alike with lots of things to do however the pier was recently burnt down but is being re-built to open hopefully spring 2010. The new pier promises to have the same entertainment as the previous pier lets hope it is as good! The beach its self has sand however care should be taken because of the sinking mud in the area, dogs are allowed on the beach. There is a small area at the top of Weston were dogs are not allowed which is were many families stay. The main beach has donkeys for children along with other entertainment. Weston holds many events on its beach through out the year the most recent of this being T-4 on the beach which is an annual music concert. There is also the annual Weston carnival at the end of the season. The town its self has a verity of shops for those who like to shop, it has a large supermarket near the train station also. Has excellent motorway network around so easy access to the town. Overall Weston is a tourist town in the south of Briton with excellent transport links and has everything that a family requires for a British break.
My review of West Super Mare.
One of the great British seaside resorts, named by the Romans no less -lol!! (Mare means sea in latin) and nestled on the English side of the Bristol Channel in North Somerset - WSM is ideally placed for a short or long holiday.... but I do have some reservations (pun intended -lol!!)
My Opinion/ Features
I've been holidaying in WSM since I was a kid -somehow I always find myself coming back... It's not for the town of WSM itself which the local council have allowed to become a little shabby and run down...
For instance the council have allowed WSM to become a bit of a haven for druggies over the past few years, so I seriously don't recommend hanging round the town centre at night. Don't misunderstand me; there are some great places to visit after dark; friendly pubs, the Playhouse theatre etc... but when the night's entertainment is over go straight to your car/ bus stop and get back to where ever you're staying... unless you want to meet the town's more 'colourful' residents and semi feral child/teen gangs, who seem to operate in a near police fee zone -lol!
Also you'll see a lot of unfinished projects/ closed down attractions; like the world famous Birnbeck Pier (the only pier in the world connected to an island, site of secret D-Day planning in WW2 and a place so beloved of the Victorians that it had it's own special currency printed!!). Sadly Birnbeck; known locally as the 'old pier' is in a sad state of disrepair, which is a crime in my opinion.
Another sad development is that more and more beeches etc are off limit to dogs... When I first came to WSM you could walk the dog almost anywhere, it was one of the few places you could happily take your dog away on holiday to with the minimum of hassles.
But, alas those days are gone -and while the local council don't seem to mind hypodermic needles, antisocial behaviour and broken glass in the kids paddling pools and on the beach -they seem greatly offended by the common canine...
So on the negative side; WSM council have worked very hard to drive away the very people who made it such a vibrant place in the past; families and dog lovers... I personally don't spend much money in WSM for the above reasons; I'm a big fan of voting with my wallet...
Now you might think from what I've written that you should avoid WSM like a case of swine flu... but now I'd like to point out the good stuff;
Yes WSM is naff (nowadays!) but it's the most brilliant base to explore from... There are so many woods, fields, little peninsulas and secluded coves within a few miles radius, fee from the idiot council's grasp - that even the most energetic dog and owner will be happy :-)
There are so many beautiful walks - both short and long to enjoy across the devastatingly awesome Somerset Levels.
For days out there are a wealth of places to visit; Glastonbury with it's ruins, legends, famous tor and large middle aged American women running round in pointy hats under the impression that they're real 'witches' -(honestly it's worth going for this site alone - methinks they've seen one too many Harry Potter films -lol!!).
There's the city of Wells - supposedly the smallest city in England, worth visiting just to see the Cathedral and it's amazing carved facade... it's free to stand in the grounds (it's also technically free to visit inside the Cathedral too, because the fee is actually a donation request... so give what you feel it's worth; not what the 'man' tells you -lol!
The legendary Cheddar Gorge is only about 7 miles out of WSM; if you haven't visited the caves; I really recommend it -they are spectacular. If you're on a budget you can walk right round the spectacular gorge walk for free (just ask a friendly local for the quickest way up onto the cliffs)... and if you're really lucky you might see some of the 'mental' mountain goats, climbing up and down the near sheer cliffs ...I've even seen them climb trees...I kid you not! (another of my terrible puns -lol!!). You can sample the cider for free down in the town, and there's a brilliant home made sweet shop (though the sweets are a tad overpriced).
Another site worth visiting in the WSM area is Wookey Hole, with it's impressive caves, and Victorian fair... I still love the mirror labyrinth. I took my father and my nephew in once and had to go and 'rescue' them after a while as they took forever to find the way out... Brilliant stuff!
... and that's only about 1 percent of the stuff on offer for holidaymakers/residents who stay/live in or near WSM... and I haven't even mentioned the excellent restaurants and great friendly locals!!
My Verdict
WSM is in my opinion, through neglect at a local government level, no longer a great place... but as a place to stay and explore the seemingly endless wonders of the surrounding area from; WSM is second to non.
If I won the lottery I'd probably move near (but not in) WSM cuz it simply has so much to offer... but it could be a thousand times better than it is, with just a little better management.
Hope you found my review helpful and interesting; and good luck with your bargain hunting!!
Best wishes,
I moved to Weston-super-mare 6 years ago and I love it.
Ok so the pier burnt down, but in spite of this, Weston is rising from the ashes.
The Pier is being rebuilt and is due to be opened next year. The local museum has an exhibition on the fire and the rebuild.
There is always some event happening, sand castle building on a grand scale, the largest Off Road Motorcycle races, with international solo riders. T4 on the beach, with celebrities, performing live. Water sports
This year there is a Wheel, like the London Eye, where in a clear day you can see Wales.
The beaches are good and there is a land train which goes along the seafront, as far as the Marina, where there is a another good sandy beach.
There are donkey rides and trampolines for the kids, and so much more.
The town has many excellent resturants, at reasonable prices, plus a good shopping centre. There are plenty of places to park near to the shops and beach.
Many very good well maintained parks with great play areas and activities . Jill's Garden dedicated to the TV personality Jill Dando, this was designed by the program Ground Force, is in Grove Park which is well signposted and within walking distance of the sea front.
The Playhouse theatre has many top celebrities appearing all year round
Weston has so much to offer, come and see for yourself.
~ That'll Do Donkey ~
This Monday bank holiday a few friends and I decided to go on abit of a road trip and we eventually after getting bored of our first destination Cheddar came to Weston Super mare. As a downfall the weather turned out to be rubbish and we typically choose the Monday to go visit the town which was annoying as the rest of the weekend was pretty nice. Anyway not really planning on going there it was the next place that was near Cheddar that I could think of that had plenty to do and see. I have been to the sea side town many of times before as I used to go every year at some point when I was younger but I hadn't been there for about three years prior this visit. I have always liked Weston Super Mare as I think it has a variety of attractions for all age groups and it can be a brilliant beach resort when the weather is good.
I drove me and my friends to Weston and by the time we got there it was about 2 o'clock. We did spend a good three hours there and even though it was really windy and slightly cold we still found certain things to do to keep us entertained. For those of you who have not ever been to Weston here is some general information below for you-
Weston-Super-Mare is a small seaside town in North Somerset found about 18-20 miles from Bristol. The town is close to junction 21 on the M5 motorway. Weston has a lot of history and buildings can still be found from as early as the Iron Age (1700's). The town is one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts for tourists and it has many attractions and entertainment features to cope with the high demand. There is a large town centre which like anywhere that has many tourists visit, a good sized shopping centre. The beach provides a place to lay and relax in the sun and even there, there are attractions for the children if they get bored such as donkey rides and the tea cup rides. All of which I will go into more detail.
The population in the town is over 70,000 people who live amongst the tourists every day.
Town Address- Weston-Super-Mare, BS22 and BS24.
As I drove from Cheddar it only took me twenty minutes to get there but normally from Bath where I live it takes about an hour to get to Weston, either using the motorway or by B roads. When we arrived a little after two the next trouble was parking.
There is actually quite a lot of choice on where you can park but during peak season it will be difficult to find somewhere if you do not turn up early. Even though it was a bank holiday weekend, because of the weather there were not a lot of tourists about but there were still enough cars around to make it slightly difficult to fins a space. The main parking is a line of spaces right on the beach front. There are spaces running all the way down the front which provides quick, easy parking with the best access to the beach if you're planning a whole day or most of the day on there. As this is always the first place people look it was full up when we got there so we decided to try the town centre as we wanted to do some shopping anyway. There are a number of car parks in and around the centre some small short stays and some which we used, large multi story car parks where you can stay for long hours. The car park we used was right in the centre of town attached to a shopping mall.
The car park was huge and there were plenty of spaces available. It was also only a five minute walk to the beach so you can't go wrong with this car park.
The prices were reasonable. Well living in Bath where the prices are ridiculous I was pretty happy with the £1 an hour charge to park in the multi story car park.
Other than this there are spaces along roads and even the pubs have some decent sized car parks all providing tourists with places to stay.
If you are not driving then there are other ways of getting to and around the town. There is a railway station close to the centre and is a ten minute walk from the beach and most trains go from major towns such as London. I know I could have got a train from Bath to Weston quite easily. There are also other stations in nearby villages which all have services to London Paddington, Bristol and Cardiff.
If you fancy the bus this is the main option in the town with many services running. Most bus services are provided by First and there is a service that even runs to Bristol airport and for those rich people (which is not many of us I can assure you), there is a heliport at the town's Helicopter Museum.
~ The Beach ~
The beach is the main attraction of the town and has so much to keep you entertained for a brilliant day. The sandy beach stretches over two miles.
There are many social events hosted on the beach which also makes it popular, these include- T4 on the beach. The channel 4 weekend show T4 host a music festival on Weston's beach front every year with famous artists which attract over 40,000 music fans and is shown on TV. This year the beach will host stars such as Alesha Dixon, Dizzee Rascal and the Saturdays. For more information on T4on the Beach visit- http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/t4/microsites/O/onthebeach/index.html
Another event hosted is the motocross beach races which stage on the beach with crowds reaching to 20,000. This is an annual event which takes place on the beach every autumn.
For a different age and culture there are garden shows run by The Playhouse which provide sea front talks, exhibitions and flower shows. The Playhouse is suited right on the beach front and has events and attractions all year round.
Weston has quite a nice beach, even though it is not anything like foreign beaches. I particularly like this beach because it is very British and it has a lot of other activities for children to do in case building sand castles becomes boring. The beach has a lot to offer a wide ranged tourist group.
One of these which are voted one of Britain's top attractions is the Donkey Rides. I always remember Weston for its donkeys and no other place gives another service like this. The donkey rides are for small children up to about the age of 13. It gives the children a chance to ride on the Donkey's up the beach and gives parents more time to relax. Let your children see the famous Weston donkeys.
The Weston beach is designed also for water sports and boat trips which could be another option for you. This includes the whole family and adults can have fun too. These are mainly in peak seasons.
The attractions on the beach front are expanding and there are new rides such as the tea cups, slides and swings and the new Weston Wheel. The Weston Wheel is a small London Eye type ride which mainly for children gives you a better view of the beach.
As well as this the Beach has also won several awards for its good condition, quality of entertainment and the hard work that goes on improving it further.
- The Grand Pier -
As many of you are aware the famous Weston Grand Pier was burnt down in accident last year which devastated local residents and many who come to see the Pier every year. After the disastrous fire in July 2008 the Pier is set to be opened again in the summer of 2010 after being rebuilt since summer of 2008. The Pier fire can be seen on the net and as it was a huge memory for me as a child and for many others it was horrible to see the news report come in that it was completely destroyed. The Pier was originally opened in 1904 so you can see why it was a huge town landmark.
The new pier is under construction as like the original it will provide more fun facilities for tourists. It will include fantastic views of the beach and sea with many relaxing spots to sit and ponder on the amazing sea area. There will be a range of games and entertainment with arcades, rides for children of all ages to enjoy.
Replacing the old a new restaurant will be open including all the area's best food like fish and chips with also sweet treats such as popcorn, candyfloss and doughnuts. I hope it will be as good as the original Pier as it was a memory to everyone who had been and local residents. It is not Weston without it and this was the first year I had been to Weston without it and I could say it was disappointing.
~ Other buildings ~
The Helicopter museum is a place where I haven't actually visited while been gat Weston and I will make a day to do so. The collection is one of the largest in the country and there are displays every year on the beach. The museum has many crafts ranging from helicopter's used for the Queen. The site allows you to take a walk around these fantastic aircraft and talk to the pilots who operate them. There are also café's, a gift shop and spaces for free parking, (which is a bonus). I think it would be worth a visit and I don't know why I haven't been after all the times I have been to the town.
Nearby this is the Sea Aquarium which I can remember visiting as a child.
The attraction offers a world of Weston's sea creatures and fun for children to see what lives under their feet. There are a wide range of sea creatures to see and exhibitions to educate your children. School trips use this a lot and I am sure it is worth another visit. The creatures there are amazing especially the sea horses which I love and there are sharks and sting rays which are also very interesting to me. The Aquarium also provides a café and a Seaview tea room for those wanting a relaxing drink with the beautiful views.
Opening Times
7 Days a week. 10-5.
Adults- £6.25
Children- £5.25
Disabled- £5.25
Family ticket - £22.00
For info call- 01934 613361.
~ Town Centre ~
The town centre provides a heaven for those shoppers and provides a huge range of shops, café's and restaurants. We did walk around the place for a while and there are plenty of shops to cater for everyone. Some of these include-Peacocks, New Look, Burtons, M&S, D2 and several toy shops for the children. The town has a variety of eating places, some fast food places including MacDonald's and other more exquisite including Chinese and Tai restaurants which looked lovely. Those visiting without children there are many bars and pubs suited around the town which provide local food and a good atmosphere. The smell of fish and chips was everywhere to bad we had eaten in Cheddar before!
The town like many sea resort villages has a selection of arcades which provide many games to keep you busy, a certain way to get rid of those 2p coins!
If you wanted to stay overnight or for a long weekend in Weston there are plenty of choices for B&B's and hotels which provide a great service for you.
The local hotels offer cheap rates and great rooms with sea views. I haven't yet stayed overnight in the town but have heard it should be done. As one of my work friend's lives nearby I know that Weston has a good night life too. The range of bars gives it a perfect place to spend a few days and there are also a number of night clubs for younger adults who want a fun filled weekend. I also know there is a rock club on the beach front which looks really good and have been told it provides amazing gig nights and is always buzzing. May have to look into staying there for a long weekend in the summer.
There is also a land train which helps visitors get a feel of the area and takes them on a tour along the Marine Lake and the Beach front.
Weston is famous for entertainment alongside the sites and events of theatres, cinemas, sea life and shops.
My opinions of Weston-Super-Mare are very high. I really love the sea side town and will be going there a lot more in the future. As it is only an hour away from me it is a great place to go for a day trip and relax with friends and family. We have been going there every year and in my opinion even without the famous Pier it still has a lot to offer you and your family. The atmosphere in the place is really nice. A mixture of fun, laughter and relaxing sea sounds.
Whatever the age you will always find something to entertain you there. Even though it was a cold, windy day on Monday there were still things to see and do. I will be looking forward to the brand new pier opening next summer and hope it will be as famous as the original.
I would highly recommend this town for those who want a day trip, relaxing or fun weekend away.
Thanks for reading- Blackmagicstar4. Published on Ciao and Dooyoo x
Weston-Super-Mare is a well known place especially to tourists! I have lived here my whole life and to me it's not amazing but its home. When I was younger the Tropicana was along the sea front which was an open swimming pool, it was great fun but has now been closed for a number of years, though it is getting turned into a huge building with a hotel, bowling alley, shopping centre and cinema in which will be good!
Of course everyone was always on the beach in the summer even though the water is a horrible mud colour! That certainly doesn't dampen people spirits. There you can find children enjoying donkey rides and having an ice cream on the beach. We also had the pier here which was always packed with people. It was a cheap fun day out and you could go on ride such as the ghost train, go karts and 2p slot machines. Unfortunately it burned down last summer but is on the mend again now!
Also along the seafront is a range of clubs for the people who are into the nightlife scene! We also have a few mini golf ranges which again are in need of some work as your balls will always get stuck in the same holes each time you play. Though it's only about £3 each and is all good fun.
The town centre itself is usually filled with shoppers, not to mention the young chavs that hang around harassing people (which is so annoying). Some of the shops we have in Weston are New Look, Peacocks, Burton, Top shop, D2, Thornton's and Dorothy Perkins. A large majority of these are female shops and I think it would be good to see some male shops in the spaces of the shops that the credit crunch has wiped out.
We have a bowling alley and a cinema also which again could do with some work. Bowling is around £5, which I think is a bit high for the quality, though they do have special offers like 3 games for £7. Whenever we go we regularly get moved to another lane because ours freezes and stops working, and when I went last week it just kept only giving people 1 go instead of 2! The cinema only has 3 screens, the first is one where people see the new films so it's really big, and the other 2 are relatively small. You can always hear other films playing from the screen your sitting in which gets really annoying.
In the week there are a lot of young teenagers around as well is Weston College is just 5 minutes away from the town centre. To myself I don't mind Weston but if I came from somewhere else as a day trip I'm not sure I'd be too impressed!
Living in the Vale of Evesham has its real benefits
asparagus, the Cotswolds, the most beautiful scenery and fantastic motorway links. The only thing is, it just not by the sea. But Weston Supermare is and given our fantastic motorway links its really easy to get to!
Weston is a typical English seaside town that was first made popular in the 19th Century when its population soared from that of a tiny village of 100 to a thriving town of 20,000. The Victorians were great believers in bathing in salt water and they flocked from Bath and Bristol to Weston. The Birbeck Pier was built in 1867 during the seafront development and a 2-mile long prom and seawall was built along the seafront. In 1890 a second pier was added to cope with the increasing amount of visitors to the town. The Grad Pier, prom and seawall still remain today.
So what is Weston like today?
Firstly getting there is really easy. Weston is just off junction 21 of the M5. There is a dual carriageway that takes you into the town. Just follow the signs to the Seafront. This will take you through the typical out of town shopping centre and a bit around the town, but dont worry it is just so that the council can keep the traffic moving. Weston does get incredibly busy at peak times!
Just past the golf club you are able to drive straight into the seafront parking. This stretches for about a mile and means that you can park right opposite the beach. Parking costs £5 for the whole day and you just pop your money into the pay and display machines (there are loads of these dotted along the way) and display the ticket in your car. Until a couple of years ago there were parking attendants who took your money, but as this system has now ceased, dont forget some change for the machine.
The 2-mile long promenade stretches the length of the seafront with a little way that separates it from the beach. The prom is dotted with cafes, seating and ice cream vendors. You can also hire a desk char if you wish to do so. There is a small train that runs along the length of the prom and costs 50p each way. The seafront also is home to the Tropicana. This used to be an out-door swimming pool complex. It has been closed for a while now but plans are under way to renovate it completely. There are a number of public conveniences, all of which are exceptionally clean and kept to a very high standard. The SeaQuarium (similar to a SeaLife Centre) is also accessible from the prom.
The Grand Pier is sited half way down. The pier opens at 10am each day. You can take a miniature train ride to the end of just have a wander down. At the end there is a large amusement arcade, and a couple of cafes. A lovely place to just watch the world go by.
On the opposite side of the road is the main town, which is home to the typical cafes, numerous hotels, B&Bs, bars, touristy shops and attractions that you would associate with an English seaside town. The architecture is quite grey as most of the grand Victorian buildings are made from an incredibly dark stone. Just behind the front there is a small shopping centre full of the usual high street shops for those of us who cant go anywhere without doing a bit of shopping.
At the far end of the prom is the old Birbeck Pier, which has been derelict for many years but is now under going a huge renovation to turn it into luxury apartments and bars.
The beach is very clean but if you are expecting golden sand and a dip in the sea then you well are going to be really disappointed. The sand is not really golden, more of a muddy brown. The sea (when it does come in!) is very shallow as Weston is really sited on a very large mud flat that goes out for miles. The water is murky and there are notices up advising of sinking mud. It is recommended that you do not swim in the sea at Weston. However the beach is very clean (it is raked and cleaned every morning) and does go out a long way before the mud warnings start. So there is loads of room for everyone. All along the beach there are stalls selling ice creams, a seafood stall, donkey rides (dont worry the donkeys are really well looked after and have plenty of food and water) and there are also designated dog free areas and area set aside for a childrens play zone.
The whole of Weston is very buggy and wheelchair friendly as the prom is completely flat and there are ramps down onto the beach.
Weston can be really busy during the summer and I would recommend getting there early as traffic can jam up from the M5 and it can be hard to find somewhere to park. We went on Good Friday and managed to get there for 8.30am so had no problems at all.
When we visit Weston we like to get there early and have breakfast over looking the prom (£4.95 for a full English with a free refill of coffee/tea). On this occasion we had a lovely walk a long the prom and then went and played on the pier for a while. The pier has a great selection of old 2p slot machines along with the more modern simulation games (around £2.50 a go). Ice creams cost around £1.50 for a 99. We always make sure that we visit the seafood stall as my husband loves Whelks (yuk!!!) and I love Pinks. At £2.50 for a small cup they are not that cheap but they are always really tasty and fresh. We very often it on the beach and watch the world go by, read a book or get the kite out. The best way to end the day is by having fish and chips wrapped in paper, sat on the seawall (they cost around £3 per portion).
Go on give Weston a go. Its a great day out and really cheap!
Ok, so it was more of a day trip than a holiday, but my outing to Weston-Super-Mare was still fantastic, and the best time out I?ve had in a long time! Weston-Super-Mare is located in North Somerset, South England, UK and with thousands of visitors a year flocking to the long sandy beach and the one-mile long grand pier, this is definitely known as a top day out. So after almost two years of being together and realising that my fiancé and me hadn?t yet been to the seaside together, I decided on my birthday we would go for a day trip somewhere nice. With my birthday being in August it was ideal for a beach location and Stephen recommended Weston-Super-Mare. Now he did warn me however before we went that it was known as Weston-super-mud but if I?m honest I really didn?t care, all I wanted was a beach! *** Directions *** We decided to travel there by train as neither of us drives and the coach takes longer. It was also quite cheap I thought at £23 for the both of us for a return ticket. If you do want to travel by car however here is the route you would have to take: 1) Firstly you have to find your way onto the M5 where you will be heading for junction 21. 2) Once you reach Junction 21 you turn off and head towards Weston on the A370 Westbound. 3) Follow the A370 straight into Weston and depending on where you want to park you can follow the signs for the seafront (which aren?t very hard to find!). *** Directions Once There *** If you have travelled by train you will find your way around quite easily from the station. There are many signs pointing you in the direction of everything and if for any reason you are still unsure, you just follow the many other visitors who got off the train in front of you
as they always seem to know where they are going :) If you are bringing your car, you can park on the seafront or in a couple of nearby car parks. I have heard it is quite expensive though so be warned! *** Things to see and do *** (Please note: For the rest of this review, to save time I will be referring to Weston-Super-Mare as Weston). I was amazed when I got there at how big Weston actually was! We got there at 12:15pm and decided the best thing to do would be to have some dinner. Now before I?d even set off I knew exactly what I wanted for dinner, and that was seaside fish and chips. I always find seaside fish and chips far tastier than the ones I get from other chip shops, there?s just something about them that makes my mouth water. So off we went in search of a fish and chip shop. Logic told me that there would probably be one on the seafront, so that?s where we headed. It took roughly around ten minutes to get to the seafront from the station, and that was only due to having to cross a fairly busy road, and also, getting stuck behind some fairly slow pedestrians! Once at the seafront we were faced with an extremely long road, which reminded me of a dual carriageway for some unknown reason. Anyway, after finally getting across we found a café, which did take away food as well as eat in and included on that menu was cod and fries. They were priced at £3.60, which was quite expensive, but I already knew food was more expensive at a tourist place so I was well prepared. My fiancé wasn?t though and he was quite shocked and reluctant to hand over his money lol. We did notice a bigger fish bar on the opposite side of the road after we had got our food but we didn?t go and see how much we?d been ripped off or if in fact there was a better deal in there. However, I was far too excited to
worry about the prices of things, and I gladly followed the yummy coconut suntan lotion smell down to the beach. ** The Beach ** Everybody goes to the seaside mainly for the beach. There?s nothing better on a hot summers day than sunbathing and getting a nice tan on gorgeous white sand. Well Weston has almost got it right! The sand is quite nice. It doesn?t seem to be mucky but I did think that it was harder than most sand I?ve felt. It wasn?t as nice as it could have been on my feet, so I quickly found a place near the top of the beach to place my towel and eat. Now I?ve been to some places where there are lots of little bugs bothering you while you are eating on the beach. Luckily there were no bugs but what there were plenty of, were hornets! There was always at least two buzzing around us and at first it was quite frightening thinking they were wasps, but once I?d calmed down fear was quickly overcome by anger and I spent most of my time swatting the damn things away! People have said that the beach in Weston is one of the biggest beaches around. This is due to the fact that the sea goes out a long, long way! There has been a joke going around that the sea goes out so far, you wonder whether it is going to come back (not very funny but hey, I didn?t make it up!). They aren?t wrong though. You really could see for miles! I couldn?t see the sea from where we were though so I opted to go right to the sea and paddle in it?BIG mistake! Once you have passed through the vast array of donkeys and horses giving children some entertainment, you finally break through and come close to the sea. We hadn?t taken any swimming gear with us, so we were only going to paddle in the sea meaning we only had to roll our trousers up. Now seeing my fiancé worrying about his jeans had me in stitches. He
was walking like he had really bad constipation all the way to the sea, panicking when they slipped a little and quickly pulling them back up above his knees lol bless him! Just as we were nearly there, the sand turned into a funny kind of texture. It felt slimy and sticky! It was seriously like walking through thick, gooey mud. At that moment in time it hit me? Weston-Super-Mud! I finally understood what people were talking about. To be honest when I heard people referring to it as that I never thought it would be as bad as it was! I found it quite funny though and insisted we still go further into the sea and get more mud on us lol. We managed to get covered up to the top of our calves in mud before we finally reached the sea. I was a little disappointed that the sea wasn?t clearer and in fact it was still a load of mud mixed with more water! However I was quite happy staying there for a while jumping up when the waves reached us and splashing my fiancé?s legs with even more mud, just to see him panicking more lol. Finally after having enough of mud we decided to make our way back up to the top of the beach where there was a nice beach shower where you could scrub off any mud/sand before making your way off the beach. However, there was quite a big queue so my fiancé suggested using the showers in the toilets. I agreed and so we went into the toilets in search of the showers. I couldn?t spot any so I just went straight into a cubicle and decided to use tissue to wipe it off instead. This didn?t work too well though so I reluctantly tried to wipe it off with my towel. I managed to get a little off but it still wasn?t budging so I finally gave up and just put my socks on over the sand. Then to my horror, I realised the mess I?d made on the floor with the sand/mud I had managed to get off. I could hear a supervisor outside but did
n?t think anything of it because surely this happened to other people too? So I casually strolled out of the cubicle and washed my hands and headed back outside. Once outside I read that you are to wash your feet before you go into the toilets and there isn?t actually a shower in there, instead you should use the beach shower. So I quickly ran to meet my fiancé and hoped that noone had noticed it was me that made all the mess! We then decided it was best to stay away from the beach and maybe go on later at night if we wanted to where there wouldn?t be as many people using the shower. All in all I?d say I enjoyed the beach. I sunbathed a little but cursed myself for not wearing something smaller. I?m not a very outgoing person and I?m quite wary of my body so I just wore a t-shirt and some trousers. Once there however it was probably the hottest day this year and most people were wearing bikini?s and tank tops. Nobody was looking at anybody else; they were all too busy enjoying themselves so I would have been fine wearing something smaller. So now I?ve made a mental note to take swimming gear next time! The only two disadvantages I can really think of was the mud and the donkeys/horses. It really was too warm for them to be there and even though they were getting hosed down and being given hay etc, I still felt it was really cruel to have them carrying children on their backs all day in that kind of heat. Another thing to quickly add is that you can hire deck chairs at the beach for £1.50 each all day. I thought this was a fantastic price and definitely something I?ll do in the future! So now it was time to experience the SeaQuarium, which was also situated on the seafront. ** The SeaQuarium ** I?ve always wanted to go to an aquarium type place. You know the ones, adv
ertised on TV where you can see the fish swimming around you. The main one that I want to go to is the one in Orlando, Florida, that looks amazing with the killer Whales etc. However, seem as though we didn?t have the money to go to Orlando, I figured the SeaQuarium in Weston was a good enough compromise! SeaQuarium has it?s own pier. It has access for the disabled and it?s a fantastic place to take the kids. The price to get in I thought was great too at £4.75 per adult and £3.75 for OAP?s and children. This price includes all day entry so you can go in again later if you want to without any extra cost?bargain! You do have to get stamped for that though so be careful of washing it off if you do decide to leave and go back later. When entering the beginning of the seaquarium, you notice there?s a few tanks with fish and a bigger environment with some nasty looking members of the alligator family. I wasn?t too happy about being near them for long, as they definitely knew how to give you the dead eye! The fish were quite funny to watch and I was happy enough to move onto the next section. Unfortunately the next section wasn?t much bigger and in fact the experience ended far too soon for my liking! I was actually quite disappointed at the size of the seaquarium. I thought it would be a lot bigger, especially seem as though it prides itself on having its own pier. The tanks looked a little too cramped too and some of the tanks were only little circular shapes as big as cabin holes on a ship. The water also didn?t seem that clean to me but maybe it was supposed to be like that? You do see quite a varied amount of fish though with the famous clownfish which you will all know as ?finding nemo?. My favourites were the seahorses, as I had never seen one before and they really do look beautiful. My
fiancé?s favourites were the hermit crabs. We?d seen a documentary on them the week before and he found them really funny to watch. The biggest sea life they had was the sharks but they were only tiny compared to what I thought they would be. They seemed to be the most popular attraction though and they were in a big tank with stingrays and all different kinds of rays. In one section of the seaquarium, you could see them swimming above you and right next to you. This section didn?t last long though and if it had been busy in there you would probably have to struggle to get to see anything. The piranhas were quite scary looking too and I felt a little uneasy being around them. That?s mainly all I can remember form the experience so it couldn?t have been that great if I didn?t remember any of the other fish! It would however, have been a great experience for children. If you do have children they do a few discovery trails where your children will learn a little about different sea life. They also have a face painting section and a children?s activity bit in the café including a ball pit. As you will have just noticed I said they have a café. They also have a little gift shop, which I didn?t know about until it was too late. So we didn?t go in the café or the gift shop but apparently they are both quite cheap. So now with that experience out of the way it was time to hopefully have a better time at the grand pier! ** The Grand Pier ** It was now roughly 3:30pm and my feet were slightly starting to ache. Whether it was to do with the fact that I?m not used to walking that much or due to the sand in my socks I had no idea, but either way I didn?t fancy walking the whole mile to the pier. Luckily some nice person had already thought of a solution to this?a mini train that runs from the bottom of t
he pier to the top for a measly 30p each. So, after giving my legs a little rest for a couple of minutes we finally reached the pier and I was amazed at the ?free entry? sign. I was also amazed at the time it stayed open until?10:30. Now I knew we wouldn?t be staying that long but it was nice to know we didn?t have to rush around everything there! Upon entering, you first see a lot of food and drink shops as well as a couple of gift shops. We ignored these and went straight into the arcade section. There I was absolutely dazed. It was heaven in my eyes lol. Hundreds of memories from childhood came back to me with the two pence slidy machine things and the teddy grabbers! There was so much to do it was huge! There was also a lot to do for children too including some fairground type rides including a Ferris wheel and something that goes up in the air then drops you down. We didn?t see all of it as we got hooked on some 10p machines where you win tokens. My first go saw me win 150 tokens, which came flooding out of the machine so fast they were all over the floor lol. Being more prepared next time I caught them and placed them in our carrier bags. We had absolutely no idea what they were for so we just kept them and carried on playing. We finally found that you could swap your tokens in the token shop near the entrance of the arcade, for lots of different things. However, unless you want some bubbles or a Winnie the pooh stamp, you need at least 1000 tokens for something really decent. We ended up spending around £15 and got a knife and fork set lol. I was disappointed I couldn?t get the huge saint Bernard teddy for 3000 tokens! Another thing I wasted my money on was the teddy grabber machines. I swear those things are fixed! I almost won one as well but it dropped it right near the end. So then I spent another £6 trying to
get the damn thing and failed miserably! So then I wasted even more money on some two pence slidy machines lol. It really was a good laugh! We stayed in there until my legs couldn?t take anymore. We decided it was time to do some shopping at 5:35pm. ** Shops ** I was really looking forward to going shopping, as there seemed to be quite a few shops there. However my brain didn?t take in the fact that the shops all shut at 5:30 and we had just missed them :( Oh well I thought, lets have a look what shops they have anyway. They seem to have a few popular shops like boots and new look etc so this would be a good place to get everything you need. They also had a couple of gift shops but these were quite small and cramped. The gift shops are open a little later than the rest of the shops though! The main shops that I saw were actually food shops and although my fiancé offered to buy us some tea from anywhere I wanted, I had to think of my aching feet and finally retreat home. However I did notice the following places to eat if anybody needs to know: 1) Perfect Pizza ? I have eaten from our local perfect pizza before and I highly recommend the barbeque pizza, yummy! 2) Regent Omelette Bar ? Now this is somewhere I?d definitely like to go and eat! 3) Hot Cuisine ? With 3 different menu?s to choose from you?ll be spoilt for choice here :) (Choose between English, Exotic or Indian). There are also many other places to get food from but I didn?t manage to put a mental note into my head about all of them! There are however little shops on the beach which sell food and also something a bit different like crab sandwiches. Not something I will be trying but I?ve heard they are quite nice! *** My overall Opinion *** I definitely enjoyed my day out in Weston and am keen to repeat it again next year! I would obviously prefer it if they moved the mud and replaced it with real sand near the sea, but that?s not going to happen so I?ll just have to grin and bear it :) It?s a nice cheesy place, which smells like the seaside as soon as you get off the train. They have everything you need there including a Tesco?s in case you need any shopping, and you are spoilt for choice for places to eat. The grand pier is a place I will definitely be going again and spending more time on the beach with a deck chair is a must! I think I will give the SeaQuarium a miss mind, as that is more of a place for children. I think in order to really enjoy Weston to its full extent; you have to stay there at least one night. That way it would be less tiring and you can enjoy yourself a lot more. We got home at 8:05pm and were absolutely knackered! So we?ve agreed to book ourselves into a cheap bed and breakfast next time (if we can find one). So if you haven?t been here yet, I?d say give it a try! I had the best time and I will remember it for a long, long time to come. Thank you baby for taking me there! Aimee xxx Capital letters courtesy of: http://www.chuckleweb.co.uk/fixit.php
Hi everyone.My son and I needed a short break so i booked up at a holiday village just outside Weston Super Mare.I thought i might just check the weather for the 3 days we would be down there.It read......RAIN,RAIN AND MORE RAIN.So I looked on the internet for things to do if it rained.First I realised there was more to Western then the beach!!I booked tickets at the odean for Stuart Little 2, making plans to visit the Helicoper Museum, and the Animal Farm Adventure Park.So if that dont make up for the lack of sun, i dont know what will.If people have any other ideas on what you can do in weston, feel free to email me. BE LUCKY Stylee
Weston-Super-Mare is a traditional Victorian seaside resort. Along the seafront there is a wide, sweeping promenade overlooking an enormous fine sandy beach. When you see the donkeys on the beach you know this is going to be a traditional seaside town. At the northern end of the seafront is a natural harbour that provides shelter for a couple of dozen small boats, behind which there is a very strange looking closed old pier, that appears to stretch out to a rocky outcrop in the sea. I suppose in its prime that was probably quite special, but now it just looks very run down, derelict and a bit spooky. On the main seafront there is The Grand Pier. This is a traditional wooden planked pier leading up to a large amusement arcade and some children's fair rides at the end of the pier. All along the pier there are seats where you can sit and enjoy the view over the bay, or just take in the sea air. If you do not fancy the walk along the pier there is a small train that will take you up or down the pier for 30p. There is also a land train that runs up and down the sea front on the promenade. At the southern end of the seafront is a pay and display car park that stretches an enormous distance along the front. This is part of a one way system that we got confused with and ended up driving around the parking area twice. There seemed a very large number of places to eat, all reasonably priced and we certainly enjoyed the fish and chip meal we had in one of the sea front restaurants. The shopping area of the town is quite large with a good selection of the bigger high street stores including M & S, Littlewoods, Boots, Woolworths, Next and Burtons. There is also the Sovereign Shopping Centre, which is an indoor mall with probably about 40 shops in it. This "no smoking" centre is all on one level and had a good mix of shops. There is a car park above the shops. Built onto the beach is an impressive looking bui
lding which houses the Sea-Life Centre. Although we did not visit this centre I have been told that it has a bottom-of-the-sea tunnel that is supposed to give some terrific views of the fish. We only spent one day in Weston-Super-Mare, but this was very pleasant and I think that at some time I would like to go back for a longer stay.


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Bunbury Theatre Presents THE LAST HANUKKAH CHRISTMAS, 12/13-23
A world premiere comedy The Last Hanukkah Christmas will be presented by Bunbury Theatre Company at the Henry Clay Theatre (604 South Third Street, Louisville).
It's December 22nd, 2012, the day after the Mayan Calendar ends and the end of the world begins. Holocaust survivor Klaus Klurman wakes up to find that his world has been turned upside down. He is visited by several Spirits - one being his old friend Hyman Goldstein and one being his deceased wife, Margie. Together the Spirits lead him through a journey of recollection, fear and ultimately hope.
This Myan Calendar Mishap features long time Bunbury Actors Matt Orme, Juergen Tossmann, Mike Burmester and Kristy Calmen. With relative newcomers: Jamisa Spalding, Abby Helm and Alyssa Furkin.
Playwright Juergen K. Tossmann is in his 22nd season as Producing Artistic Director. THE LAST HANUKKAH CHRISTMAS marks the 14th play Juergen has written for Bunbury. TLHC, comes on the heels of last season's - A HANUKKAH CHRISTMAS with Klurman and Goldstein. Often Juergen's work is character driven and filled with social commentary, generational differences, prejudice and bigotry.
TICKETS: $20 adults; $18 seniors; $10 students (under 25) and children PURCHASE: (502) 585-5306 or visit www.bunburytheatre.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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For Eye Care Professionals
Having type 1 or type 2 diabetes may put you at risk for common diabetes-related eye problems, including cataracts, glaucoma, macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy (damage to blood vessels that lead to the retina), which may lead to retinal detachment.
In most cases, diabetes affects the eyes because high blood sugar and hypertension can damage the tiny blood vessels that lead to your retina, causing them to be weakened or narrowed. This may lead to a number of complications, from blood getting into the vitreous (or gel-like area) of the eye, to the retina becoming detached.
At first, you may not experience any symptoms – the type of damage that is most commonly associated with diabetes happens gradually, and may not necessarily be noticed. Eventually, you may experience symptoms that vary depending on the eye issue you have, including:
These symptoms are difficult to detect so be sure to have your eyes checked regularly if you have diabetes.
Preventive measures are the best ways to avoid eye problems associated with diabetes.
Here are a few steps to follow:
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health.


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LAKEPORT -- An Oakland woman appeared in court for the first time Friday on felony charges for allegedly causing a fatal drunk-driving crash outside Hidden Valley Lake a little more than one year ago.
Nina Ann Litzin was arraigned but did not enter a plea during the afternoon hearing at the Lake County Courthouse.
Litzin, 24, was booked into the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility Thursday night on an arrest warrant stemming from the May 8, 2012 fatal wreck.
Authorities allege Litzin was drunk when she drove off Highway 29 near Spruce Grove Road (south) that evening, killing front-seat passenger Leah Davidson Hernandez and injuring rear passenger Tamara Davidson.
Hernandez, 19, of Clearlake was reportedly thrown from the 1997 Chrysler Sebring during the crash, causing her fatal injuries. Litzin suffered serious injuries, including a broken back, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The Lake County District Attorney's Office filed a criminal complaint against Litzin last December, charging her with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of driving under the influence causing injury and three special allegations.
A Lake County Superior Court arrest warrant was issued Dec. 21, but she wasn't taken into custody until this week when she was reportedly picked up in Alameda County.
Wearing handcuffs and a black- and white-striped jail uniform, Litzin mainly looked down, hanging her head, during her arraignment.
Judge Andrew S. Blum took extra time explaining the charges to Litzin and her rights as a defendant after the 24-year-old initially said she didn't understand.
The judge then appointed Litzin a public defender, Doug Rhoades, who was not present in the courtroom Friday afternoon.
Litzin is due back in court Tuesday morning for appearance of counsel and plea entry. She remains in custody at the Lake County jail with bail set at $250,000.
Sunday would have been Hernandez's 21st birthday.
Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow his court coverage on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh or #Lakecourt.


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A few years ago, Gary Salzman hiked a trail in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a historic forestland 70 miles northwest of Santa Fe that some call the Yellowstone of the Southwest. The trail, which leads to one of the many mountainous domes inside the caldera's 89,000 acres, required a $5 fee and a shuttle ride to the trailhead. Salzman's time hiking was also limited; he had to meet back with the shuttle on schedule to make sure he could get back to his car.
"Logistically, that's just a crappy thing to do," Salzman, who with his wife Joan wrote the 2006 book Hiking Adventures in Northern New Mexico, tells SFR. "We've since written off the Valle as a place to hike."
Salzman, a White Rock resident, shares a viewpoint common among many who live near the caldera: frustration over the lack of public access.
"A number of people just go hiking without checking into headquarters," he says. "The staffers call them wild hikers."
To Salzman, the root of the problem is the caldera's management—part presidentially appointed board, part US Forest Service.
In March 2010, he testified at a Los Alamos County Council meeting in favor of transferring ownership of Valles Caldera to the US National Park Service. "The few hikes allowed are pathetic," Salzman's written testimony reads. "The present operators just don't get it. They believe they are providing public access, but they aren't."
The Valles Caldera National Preserve was established in 2000 in a class of its own; no other wilderness area in the United States is run like it. Created as an experiment, it's essentially a public park operated with a private mentality. A presidentially appointed board of trustees operates the land. The trustees work closely with the US Forest Service, which also manages the nearby Santa Fe National Forest. The board's goal is to make the caldera financially self-sustainable without excluding the public from the wilderness area.
But in its 11 years as a public park, Valles Caldera is nowhere near on track to meet its 2015 deadline of financial self-sustainability. In fiscal year 2010—one of the trust's better years to date—the caldera recovered just over $700,000 of its $3.5 million in operating costs.
For the public, accessing the caldera has proven restrictive and costly, prompting nearby residents and interest groups to push for a change in management. But the aftermath of the Las Conchas fire, which charred 30,000 acres of the preserve—along with several square miles of the surrounding land—now further complicates the caldera's already uncertain future.
"Sometimes, in our traditional ways, we say we might think one way," Raymond Loretto, chairman of the caldera's board of trustees, tells SFR. "But there's a greater force that we can't control."


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Bird cherry-oat aphids and greenbugs may begin to show up in April on wheat fields in Kansas. I have sampled wheat on March 20 and 28 in Riley, Geary, Dickinson, and Saline counties and found very few aphids. All have been bird cherry oat aphids but there are a few lady beetles in all fields -- more than enough to control the few aphids that are present, at least for now. In those same counties, I checked for alfalfa weevil hatching and although I would find a pinprick-sized hole once in a while, I found no larvae yet.
If aphid populations begin to increase as the weather warms up, producers will have to decide whether fields should be sprayed to control them.
This depends on the population level, the general growing conditions, and the presence or absence of natural enemies. Both lady beetles and parasitoid wasps, can do an adequate job of controlling aphids in many cases. So, while treating for aphids is always a possibility, it has not often been justified. It takes a pretty high population of aphids (30-50/tiller) with no lady beetles or mummies (indicating the wasp is active) and less-than-ideal growing conditions before an insecticide application to prevent damage from aphid feeding is justified. The discussions below for each species give a little more detail on the kind of direct feeding injury the aphids can cause, and economic threshold levels.
Both the bird cherry-oat aphid and greenbug can transmit a virus that causes barley yellow dwarf, but a foliar insecticide application now will not guarantee the disease has not, nor will be, transmitted to the plants.
Bird cherry-oat aphid
The bird cherry-oat aphid is one of the largest aphids to be found on wheat in Kansas and varies in color depending on the temperature and its stage of growth. Nymphs are usually pale yellowish-green, darkening as they mature to a deep olive green in the adult stage. Under very warm conditions, adults may be much paler in color. When large colonies persist on wheat plants past the boot stage they can cause the flag leaf to twist into a corkscrew shape that can trap the awns, resulting in 'fish-hooked' heads.
When the climate is sufficiently warm, asexual reproduction can continue year-round on wheat, oats, and other cereal grains. Asexual reproduction of the bird cherry-oat aphid occurs in Oklahoma and possibly in southern Kansas, and these populations are likely responsible for the migrants that colonize more northern wheat fields very early in spring, often while snow is still on the ground.
At one time, it was thought that the bird cherry-oat aphid caused very little direct yield loss to wheat except by vectoring BYDV. However, more recent research information from Oklahoma State University and the USDA-ARS suggest that the bird cherry-oat aphid is almost as damaging to wheat yield as is the greenbug. The data shows that if populations exceed 20 aphids per tiller before the boot stage, (400 aphids per foot of row) for 10 days, a 5% yield loss could be expected. If populations exceed 40 aphids per tiller for 10 days, (800 per foot of row) before boot, a 9% yield loss could be expected. Although its feeding causes no chlorosis or other visible damage to wheat plants, heavy infestations can also reduce grain quality, affect protein content and test weight, and even reduce protein assimilation by grazing cattle.
Still, the bird cherry-oat aphid causes the most damage by vectoring plant viruses, especially BYDV. Although the hot summer weather in Kansas is usually effective in decimating aphid populations, bird cherry-oat aphid can temporarily avoid extremes of temperature by feeding on the lowest parts of the stalk, at or below ground level. It is also able to feed actively in weather too cold for other aphids, such as the greenbug, enabling the bird cherry-oat aphid to effectively colonize seedling wheat quite late into the fall.
The bird cherry-oat aphid is usually held below economic injury levels by natural enemies such as lady beetles, lacewings, hover flies, and parasitic wasps. However, conditions that favor outbreaks of greenbug or Russian wheat aphid (for example, an abrupt shift back to cold temperatures after a warm spell in spring) also benefit the bird cherry-oat aphid. The bird cherry-oat aphid will often be found forming mixed colonies with these aphids when they are abundant. In such cases, decisions to apply pesticides should be driven by the numbers of those direct-damaging species and materials applied to control them should be equally effective against bird cherry-oat aphid.
If bird cherry-oat aphid is present alone, count the number of aphids present on each of a series of 25 - 50 randomly selected tillers across a zigzag transect of the field. Treatment with an insecticide broadly labeled for aphid control on wheat can be considered if an average of 50 or more aphids per tiller is present from boot stage up until heading. However, treatment with contact insecticides will not reduce the incidence of virus transmission.
Greenbugs are pale green aphids with a dark green line down the back and antennae as long as the body. Greenbugs usually prefer to feed on the underside of lower leaves. Damage can occur in fall or spring, with tiny reddish spots on leaves signaling a beginning infestation. Later, infested leaves turn yellow, then reddish brown and eventually die. In the field, damage often appears as yellow or reddish-brown irregularly shaped patches that can spread to become almost field-wide.
The guidelines below are useful in estimating the need for greenbug control. For convenience, damaging levels are expressed as the number of greenbugs per foot of row, but in assessing the need for control, the thickness of the stand also becomes important. 50 greenbugs per foot of row in a thin stand would be more serious than in a thick stand because the number of aphids per plant would be greater. Similarly, larger plants can tolerate somewhat larger numbers of greenbugs before significant damage occurs.
Approximate Damaging Levels of Greenbugs
Stage and development of plants No. of greenbugs per linear foot
Seedlings, thin stands less than 3 tillers 50
3- to 6-inch wheat, 3 tillers or more 100 to 300
6- to 10-inch wheat 300 to 500
Overwintering greenbugs can rapidly develop into damaging infestations during warm periods in February and March, and close surveillance of fields is necessary if greenbugs are present. Beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps and ladybeetles become increasingly effective in reducing greenbug populations around mid-April. Once parasitism levels reach between 10 and 15 percent, greenbug populations usually decline fairly rapidly.
Greenbug control on small grains is occasionally needed during periods of relatively cool weather (below 60°F, but above freezing). Experience has shown that good results are possible under these conditions with some, and perhaps most, of the recommended insecticides. Dimethoate may be an exception, however. It may not give acceptable control below 60°F.
Oklahoma State University has developed a sampling program called "Glance 'n' Go," which calculates a greenbug threshold based on the cost of control, the market value of wheat and the month of the year. For more information on their greenbug pest management decision support system, see the web site at: http://entoplp.okstate.edu/gbweb/.
Consider avoiding pesticide applications when beneficial insects such as lady beetles and parasitic wasps are active, as these are often abundant enough to prevent greenbugs from reaching damaging levels. Augmenting greenbug predators such as ladybeetles or lacewings by importing and releasing is not advisable.
For more detailed information on bird cherry-oat aphids and greenbugs, see:
For specific treatment options, see K-State publication "Wheat Insect Management 2013" MF-745 at: www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/mf745.pdf


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Little hands raced to grab as many colorful eggs from the ground as possible, hurriedly placing them in their baskets Saturday afternoon.
Hundreds of children ran around the grassy area of the Greater Vallejo Recreation District Children's Wonderland on Glenn Street, looking for and picking up plastic eggs during the park's annual Easter Egg Hunt event.
While their parents -- as well as grandparents -- followed them closely, the children hunted for the prized eggs to crack them open for candies and small toys.
"The hunt itself lasts maybe 10 to 15 minutes," the park's recreation coordinator, Peni Basalusalu, said. "It's fun to see their excitement looking for the eggs and sitting down and cracking them open. Especially the little ones, zero to 4 (years old)."
About 450 children roamed around the park during two egg-hunt sessions at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the day before Easter.
The sold-out event cost $3 per child, age 2 and older, and included the 6,000 eggs, face painting and other games for the young egg hunters.
Two eggs in each session contained the "golden tickets" that could be exchanged for Easter baskets.
One of the lucky ones was Davonna Murzi.
The 6-year-old kindergartener won a basket of princess of outfit, complete with a tiara and wand.
"I had fun," said Davonna, who was there with her parents.
The family just moved to Vallejo about a week ago from San Jose.
"It's very nice," Davonna's father Rich Murzi said of the park. "I think we'll come here more often now, especially in the summer."
On the other side of the park, Savannah Phung, 9, was busy cracking all her eggs to inspect her bounty.
"I only ran a little bit, but I got tired," Savannah said, while sorting through her candies.
She will not be eating her candies in one day because "I don't want cavities," the third-grader said.
Stepfather Christopher King said Saturday's event was a good family activity.
"It was not only fun for her, but for the whole family," King said.
Volunteers from Active 20-30 Club of Vallejo and St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School also helped out at the events.
Children Wonderland's egg hunt was one of the many similar activities throughout the city Saturday.
Contact staff writer Irma Widjojo at (707)553-6835 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @IrmaVTH.


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Los Angeles Councilman Paul Krekorian and several city leaders officially opened Fulton Avenue Park on a crisp, but sunny Thursday morning in North Hollywood.
With the sound of a dozen children laughing as they played on the jungle gyms at the new park at the intersection of Fulton Avenue and Vanowen Street, Krekorian called the park a "new great treasure" for the surrounding neighborhood that is slowly experiencing a revitalization.
"A few years ago this was a pretty badly blighted place, this intersection, and that was a shame (but) step by step, this city, with other government partners as well, has moved forward in repairing this intersection," Krekorian said. "The final piece in that puzzle was this wonderful park that we now have here. So this is now an intersection that should be the pride of North Hollywood."
Fulton Avenue Park is the sixth new park in Los Angeles, part of the city's 50 Parks Initiative, an $80.9 million program to provide more green space. The San Fernando Valley is slated to get 13 of the 50 new parks, officials said.


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Nat Geo's "Mountain Movers" episode 3 airs tonight featuring ESPN's X Games Aspen
(Press Release)
Verdi, NV – May 20, 2013 – For Snow Park Technologies (SPT), the most anticipated event of each year is ESPN's X Games Aspen in Colorado. This event, broadcast live in 184 countries around the world, puts an entirely new level of pressure on the crew as they attempt to build the best courses in X Games history.
The third episode of 'Mountain Movers,' National Geographic Channel's new series presented by Chevrolet, features the SPT crew working within a narrow window of time to meet the hard deadline imposed by live television and the arrival of more than 150 of winter action sports' top professional athletes. Despite inclement weather and last minute course changes that stall their progress, SPT must take the X Games Big Air and Slopestyle courses to the next level.
"X Games holds a really deep spot in my heart, because I was the original course designer from day one of the very first Winter X Games, and I have been all the way through. This will be year 17," said Chris "Gunny" Gunnarson, president of SPT. "This is the biggest winter action sports event on the planet, and it's got to have the best courses, be completed on time and ready for live for TV. The best athletes in the world participate, so it has to be better than everything else we do."
For this build, Gunny gives up complete control over this event for the very first time, and names his protégé, Chris Castaneda as project manager. In this new role, Chris is responsible for oversight of both the build and overall course operations. The project entails the most elaborate courses the Winter X Games have ever seen, including a massive 75-Foot Big Air Jump and a Slopestyle course comprised of two sections; the upper section contains rails and steel boxes, followed by four jumps ranging from 55 to 70-Feet at the bottom.
"When Gunny entrusted me to take the responsibility of the X Games, I got excited. It's the biggest project that we have," said SPT's X Games project manager, Chris Castaneda. "Knowing that he is passing the baton to me and trusting that I'm going to get the job done right with the crew that I have – it stoked me out."
"The Big Time"
Thursday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET/PT
It's time for SPT's most stressful, most anticipated event of the year: the ESPN X Games in Aspen, Colo. As the original course designer for all 17 years of the ESPN Winter X Games, Gunny still feels the pressure to build the biggest, most intense courses the industry has ever seen. Gunny has passed the torch to his young protégé Chris Castaneda to lead the crew from SPT, who will have to manage the diverse SPT personalities of veterans Mike Binnell and Aaron Dettling, as well as rookie Landon Taylor. Extremely cold weather, malfunctioning equipment and tight deadlines quickly pile on to the intensity and difficulty of this worldwide televised live event. With the highest-caliber athletes waiting and the whole planet watching, SPT will have their work cut out for them.
"Pretty much since I first came to the X Games I think was the first time I met Gunny, and he has always been the nicest guy," said professional snowboarder Torstein Horgmo. "Whatever you want to have built, pretty much anywhere on the planet, he'll be there for us with his whole crew and they kill it for us. He doesn't fail. Ever."
Working in the most remote locations under extreme conditions, Mountain Movers profiles the SPT crew's every move — from battling with avalanche control to building a halfpipe in blizzard conditions. In each episode, we'll see passion and craftsmanship at work. No one understands how to move and shape snow like this team.


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Sometimes its good watch someone else work because you can pick up interesting habits they use. About a year ago I was watching Miro Pajic produce a track on his laptop. He was new to Ableton Live but was doing something I never thought of and it's a killer tip. Here it is:
While in Arrangement view clicking on Mixer or Ableton Device controls brings up their associated automation envelopes.
So what does that mean? Here's an example: If you working on a song and want to edit the volume envelope of say the third audio track normally you would go to that track, select the The Automation Device chooser drop down menu and pick "Mixer", then select the The Automation Control chooser and choose "Volume". Then the pink Automation lane representing the Volume for that song would pop up.
Here's the easy way: Click on the small orange rectangle with the Volume level number in it one time. Bam! Instantly the automation envelope for volume pops up.
Big deal? Now go and click on anything in any of the Ableton devices. Sample start in Simpler… 1 click on it and you have the automation lane in front of you! No need to dig through menus to find the parameter your looking for. Click the on/off button on an Ableton Reverb. Bam! (eek I sound like Emril) The automation envelope pops up allowing you to control the on/off of the Reverb in the time line.
Often, when working with Live's mixer and devices, you will want the controls' movements to become part of the music. The movement of a control across the song timeline is called automation; a control whose value changes in the course of this timeline is automated. Practically all mixer and device controls in Live can be automated, including the song tempo. – Ableton Live User Manual
Unfortunately this only works for Ableton's stuff. Third party plug-in parameters still need to be hunted down. I really hope Ableton figures out a way to make this feature system wide as it's a huge time saver. Using the one click method I can work really fast making tons of minor adjustments on timeline automation envelopes.


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If we were to offer JO for Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson, who would blink first? I think Boston is giving up more talent, but JO is younger than Pierce by 2 years, and it gives them a legit big man to build around with their youth movement.
For us, this solves our SG problem, gives us a servicable PF with upside to replace JO, leaving only the Peja/Granger problem and the PG situation to clear up. Surely we could trade Tinsley, Peja, and Jackson for a solid starting PG.


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The New School
Talking About Learning: Future Scenarios, Reflective Practice and 21st Century Learning
Grocott, associate professor and dean of Academic Initiatives at the School of Art, Media and Technologies at Parsons, leads this workshop, which builds on a research project that traces a line between reflective
practice, 21st century competencies and the formative assessment of
cross-curricular learning. The research project centers around a two-part
collaborative student exercise. The first part engages students in a
future-oriented scenario that challenges participants to think critically and
playfully as they frame problems and propose solutions in a collaborative
context. The second part comprises a self-reporting exercise where the
participants reflect upon skill acquisition with respect to 21st century
competencies like collaboration and communication, problem-framing and critical
thinking, flexibility and adaptability etc.
research project was driven by the challenge of assessing 21st century skills
in the K12 environment but the pilot scenarios undertaken with Parsons students
drew attention to the importance in higher education for carving out a place,
within a degree program, for reflecting on the learning that happens beyond the
specific outcomes associated with a course or the walls of an institution. The
workshop will provide a generative, collaborative space for exploring
strategies for integrating critical reflection into our everyday teaching to
enhance students understanding of what they believe to be the graduate
attributes of his or her New School education.
This workshop is open to New School faculty and staff only.
79 Fifth Avenue, room 1618
Free; seating is limited; reservations required by emailing
Email: email@example.com
Comiskey, email@example.com,
212-229-8947 x2758
Email Updates
Browse Events by School


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Some people asked me about my UTF8 BOM problems in PHP and XML. They were wondering if it was possible to remove the BOM from the files, without damaging them. And if PHP could do this. They had hundreds of files with UTF8 BOM in them and it would be time consuming to remove by hand, if they weren't able to find a solution.
My answer was, "of course". PHP can read and remove BOM from every file. As we encounter this problem only in text based files, a string remover will do the trick. Applause for
I wrote a php based bom remover that works both from web and command line. You can download/fork the code from the github repository.
Please backup your files before running the script.