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Do More! Salal's improved online servicesFriday, June 22nd, 2012
For general Online Banking and Bill Pay questions, check our Frequently Asked Questions.
Difficulty logging on? You may need to upgrade your browser or enable cookies. Click here for instructions.
NEW: Help for Mac users!
- Current and prior major releases of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox.
- Safari 5.1.7 ONLY (5.1.4, 5.1.5 are not supported)
If you currently pay bills with Salal's Bill Pay, your Bill Pay history will be available back to February 2011. When you log on to the new Bill Pay, you'll find your history under a special tab.
Coming July 23! We think members are going to love our new Online Banking and Bill Pay, where users will be able to do much more with increased security. To make sure you're ready to go on July 23, here are a few things you need to know:
Logging onto the new system for the first time is easy! (Click here for a printable version of these instructions.) Simply go to our website, salalcu.org, and find the Online Banking log in box on the upper right-hand corner of your screen. For the first-time log in only, your User ID is your Salal member number, and the password is the last 4 digits of the primary member's Social Security number.
You'll have the opportunity to review and accept our Online Banking agreement, after which you'll be asked to create your new User ID and password.
- User IDs may be between 4 and 12 characters long and must start with a letter.
- Passwords may be between 6 and 10 characters long, and 2 characters must be non-alpha (numbers or special characters such as *&%). Please note @ is not an eligible character.
Now it's time to choose your watermark. This image, chosen by you, will appear on every page of Online Banking. If ever you don't see your image, log off immediately and contact Salal CU—your watermark is your guarantee that you're on Salal's secure Online Banking site.
Finally, choose your security questions and answers. These help us identify you. If there is action on your Online Banking that seems uncharacteristic, or if you log in from a computer our system doesn't recognize, we'll request the user answer the security questions you've established. It's unlikely a random hacker knows your first pet was named "Thumper," and the security questions may help protect against fraudsters tampering with your account.
If you're already registered with Salal's Online Banking and/or Bill Pay,
- Bill Pay users:
- Existing Bill Payees, automatic payments and recurring bill payments will automatically transfer from the current system to our new system.
- With the new Bill Pay, payments sent by check will be deducted from your account when the recipient deposits the check, not when you enter the payment. This may take a day or two longer than you're used to, so be aware your account balance may not immediately reflect the payment deduction. Payments sent electronically will be deducted when sent.
- On the new system, Bill Pay requests or changes to existing bill payments submitted by noon on a business day will occur that day; requests submitted after noon will take place the following business day.
- Your Bill Pay history will be available back to February 2011, so it's not necessary to download your history. However, should you wish to download Bill Pay history from the current system before July 19 at 2 pm, here's how.
- If you have payments by eBill, you'll need to set up those payees on the new system, as they will not automatically transfer. Click here for instructions.
Quicken users: You'll need to recreate your Quicken account on the new system on or after July 23. Here are some recommendations to ensure your Quicken downloads work smoothly after our upgrade:
- Before July 20, you may want to download your transactions to Quicken. Online Banking downloads will be unavailable from July 20-23.
- Before July 20, deactivate the automatic download to your current Quicken. Not deactivating the automatic download could result in a duplication of accounts when you reregister with Salal's new Online Banking program. Deactivating your account prior to our upgrade should avoid this problem.
- On or after July 23, reactivate your Quicken from our new Online Banking.
Post-Conversion questions? These Frequently Asked Questions may provide answers. Still having issues? Contact Quicken support.
If you're not currently an Online Banking user, please note the current system will be unavailable for new enrollments after July 14. Our new system will be available beginning July 23.
Important Dates
July 19 at 2 pm: last day to schedule a new bill payment.
July 20 – July 22: Online Banking is in View-Only mode. No transfers can be made via Online Banking during this time. Please use our Phone Access Line (PAL), call or visit a branch: 800.562.5515 or 206.298.9394 (option 1 for PAL).
July 23: Our new Online Banking and Bill Pay are live!
Here are some of the expanded features Salal Online Banking and Bill Pay users will enjoy:
- My View. Arrange your financial information the way you want it. Moveable "widgets" allow you to set up your Online Banking dashboard so you can see at a glance the information most important to you:
- your Salal accounts and balances, including checking, savings, loans and credit cards;
- secure messages from Salal in your inbox;
- recent transactions and transfers;
- "Did You Know" tips to help you make the most of your Online Banking
- From My View you can also:
- quickly arrange a transfer between your accounts, and
- download account reports to Quicken, MSN Money, Excel spreadsheets and more.
- Customizable alerts. Receive alerts when balances get above or below a certain amount you specify, or if a large transaction is conducted on your account. You can even send yourself a reminder of birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates! How you receive your Online Banking notification is also up to you: be alerted via email, text message, at login, or all three.
- Enhanced security. Our new Online Banking and Bill Pay are even more secure. The higher security requires just a minute or two of extra setup, but it's quick, easy and worth the effort. We'll provide instructions for logging in, so stay tuned to our website (salalcu.org) and blog (salalcublog.org) for details.
- Pay anyone. At Salal CU, we really like this feature and think you will too. Through Bill Pay, you can deposit money into someone's account with just their email. Forgot your wallet at home? No worries, you can still go to lunch and immediately reimburse your buddy for your portion of the bill, electronically! It's simple, secure, and all financial information remains confidential.
- Bill Shrink. Get coupons and other offers directly from Online Banking and save money on the goods and services you already buy!
- Gift checks. More flexible than gift cards and much more secure than cash, gift checks are the perfect way to send someone the gift that always fits: money! Via our Bill Pay system, funds plus a small fee are debited directly from your account, you provide the personal message, and we'll send the check with a card. Gift checks are easy, secure, and always welcome!
- Rush payments. It happens to everyone—a bill gets lost in the pile of mail on the table, and suddenly you're facing a late fee or interest rate increase. We've got you covered. For a small fee, you can still get that payment in on time, via Bill Pay's Rush Payments service.
- Live Chat. Need help with Bill Pay? Request an electronic chat with a technician! Help is available Monday to Friday, 4:30 am to 11 pm PST. You can also call 855.207.9100 for assistance during these hours.
These are just some of the features our new Online Banking and Bill Pay offer, and we have even more in store which we'll be rolling out later in the year. Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to our launch date! If you have questions, please feel free to visit your branch or call us at 800.562.5515 or 206.298.9394.
For a printer-friendly version of this information, please click here. For general Online Banking and Bill Pay questions, check our Frequently Asked Questions.
64 Responses to "Do More! Salal's improved online services"
This sounds great and I look forward to it.
Is there a way that we can get a Print Friendly version of all this information? (Or you send it as a hard copy by U.S. mail?)
The last time you made changes to online banking I could no longer look at check images for past checks. There was no warning about this, so I couldn't even look up information I needed ahead of the change. What are the gotcha's with this change?
Thanks so much for a great suggestion! I've added a link to a printer-friendly Word document at the bottom of the article. Please let me know if this doesn't work for you.
Thanks again!
I'm not sure I understand the following statement, " Your Bill Pay history on the current system will not transfer to the new system. However, if you need to see past payments to a specific company, you can easily search for them on the new Online Banking system." Does this mean that my payments to Specific Company A made BEFORE July 23, 2012 will or will not be available on the new system (if I search for them under Specific Company A)?
Does this mean I will have a different user name and password to logon to the website and to the bill pay?
I'm sorry for the inconvenience and frustration you experienced with the check image issue. Our goal is to understand and communicate all changes that will impact our members so they can be prepared.
There are a couple of minor inconveniences with this upgrade that will impact a small number of members who will be contacted directly. This would be for members who currently receive ebills, as these will need to be re-established, and for members who use Quicken. They'll need to take a couple of extra steps the first time they download. As for check images—there will be no change in viewing check images with our new Online Banking.
We hope you'll truly be able to appreciate the greatly expanded functions and features of our new Online Banking and Bill Pay! Providing the best possible service is always our goal.
Thanks for your response,
Will I be able to transfer money to or from my Salal account to another bank account I have?
Thank you for your question. The first time you log on to the new Online Banking and Bill Pay on or after July 23, your User ID will be your member number. Your password will be the last four digits of the primary account holder's Social Security number. Once you're logged on that first time, you'll be prompted to change your User ID and password. Our new system includes some security upgrades, including User ID and password. Depending on what your password is now and if it meets the requirements, you may be able to use the same one, but you will not be able to use your member number as your User ID.
Does that answer your question? Please let me know if it does not, and I'll try to clarify further. Thanks again for your comment!
Thank you for your question. After the switch to our new Bill Pay, you'll begin building a history in the new system. Your current history (payments made prior to the switch) will not transfer to the new system. However, you will be able to see all your past Bill Pay payments to Specific Company A (back to February 2011) by looking at the transaction history of the checking account from which you pay your Specific Company A bills, via the "search" function. Please keep an eye on our blog and our website for FAQs with more detailed instructions.
I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if you'd like more information.
i do not like having a checking account – i always got into trouble with them – hence my love affair with online banking. now you are turning it into a checking account because i cannot see the actual account balance immeciately. once all my bills are paid i work on a cash balance and knowing my account balance is important. i realize you are not going to be able to do anything about this – just wanted to vent my disapproval and disappointment.
Update to your question: YES! you can transfer money to your account at another financial institution. From our new Bill Pay, you'll choose "transfer" and add your account as a "transfer account." You'll be able to activate the account, select it, and then set up a scheduled, single or recurring transfer.
To do this, you'll need the routing number, account number and account type (eg checking).
Thank you for your comment. You are correct that, when you pay via our new Bill Pay, the money isn't subtracted from your account until your payee receives and cashes the check, and therefore the balance showing may be confusing. We are working to move vendors to electronic payment versus check payment so more payments will be deducted sooner.
Please also remember that different types of transactions will clear a checking or savings account at different times, which is why it is important to track your spending. It's also helpful to set up your account with overdraft transfers from another account, credit card or line of credit.
Thank you for letting us know your opinion on this.
Just because you CAN do something, doesn't necessarily mean that you SHOULD go ahead and do it. I was happy with the bill pay system as it was. However, because you will make these changes anyway, here is my questions:
I make donations to charities, but they change from time to time. Currently, I have them all designated as CHARITIES, just as phone, water, sewer are designated as UTILITIES. At tax time, this designation is important for me. Will I have access to my 2012 charitable contributions?
Will I need to make any notification to payees who are scheduled to automatically deduct payments (such as an auto loan, etc.)?
Will there be a access to mortgage information ?
I now pay though BOA's Pay Bill. Will my previous payments be reflected in the new system? Do I still have to register before July 14?
Thank you
How does someone get their money from an email?
That's an excellent question! Actually what happens is this: say I owe you money for lunch. I go to my Salal Bill Pay and add you as a payee. I enter in your email address, and Bill Pay sends you an email with a code word you and I have previously agreed on. You follow the link in the email, enter the code word, and as long as our code words match, you can have the funds deposited to the account of your choice. No financial information changes hands between us, and the exchange is confidential and secure!
Thanks for asking!
Yes, there will be access to mortgage information. In fact, with the new system, you should also be able to see your open date, escrow payment amount and any late fees.
Thank you for asking!
Thank you for your question! It appears that you don't need to do anything. Our Online Banking upgrade shouldn't affect your B of A Bill Pay at all. You don't need to register. Previous payments to Salal should continue to appear in your B of A Bill Pay, and you'll be able to see your Salal accounts in our new system.
I hope this answers your questions. Please feel free to call us or comment here if you have further concerns! (800.562.5515)
This really sounds exciting. Am looking forward to the "new" online banking. Thanks for trying to keep us in the "21st" century.
Thank you for your comment. We are excited too–the new Online Banking and Bill Pay are rich with features and have state-of-the-art security. We think our members will really enjoy the expanded range of functionality.
Thank you!
Thank you for your comment. I understand it can be frustrating to have to learn a new program when you are comfortable with the old, but I think in time you'll like the new Bill Pay even better. You'll be able to do more with it, and it's even more secure.
That said, it appears your folders with your designated payments will not transfer from the old Bill Pay to the new. You will be able to set up new folders with designations in the new Bill Pay, but in order to retain the information you have stored, we recommend you download the info to your computer prior to July 20.
To do that, log on to Online Banking and click "Online Bill Pay." On the right-hand side next to "Last 5 Processed Payments," click "View history/reports." Then, over on the far right, you'll see the link to "Download." Click this and choose the format that works best for you.
As for your question about notifying payees, if these are recurring, automatic payments (ACH), you shouldn't need to do anything. Those will transfer to the new Bill Pay.
Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns, and thank you for your comment.
This is a bit off topic. Are there any plans for a voluntary forced (?) savings program? Something like keep the change where a transaction is rounded up to the next highest dollar and the difference is deposited in your saving account. Saving that way may be slow but it would be reasonably painless.
Thanks for your question. As far as I know, there's nothing like this in the works at the moment. If it helps at all, I do a self-imposed version of "keeping the change." When I subtract money spent in my check register, I round up to the next dollar (I spent $4.66, but I subtract $5). When I deposit money, I round down (I deposit $99.22, but I add only $99). This makes some folks twitchy, I know, because it means my check register can be pretty far off the actual amount in my checking account, but I like having a cushion, and I'm careful not to let my account balance get too low, so it isn't a problem.
Thanks for the suggestion, though; I'll bring it up!
I have found a simple way to solve Preston's issue and others' with the delay in funds extraction from an account, be that check, debit or whatever. If you will simply open 2 checking accounts. Use one as "the pitcher" and the other as"the glass". Make sure they are linked online. Keep the bulk of your funds in the pitcher account and transfer the bill amount that you want to pay to the glass account. Make all your payment from the glass account. You can transfer as many times as you have bills or checks to write. You will always know how much money is left by looking at the balance in the pitcher account. Let the money sit in the glass account until it's finally cashed, debited or whatever. The money in the glass is allocated and should not be touched. Salal will allow you to have 2 accounts like this. Other CU's like TwinStar will limit you to 1 checking account per SSN. Give it a try. I've been doing this for several years now.
This is really innovative! A very clever way to know exactly what you have remaining so you don't accidentally overdraw. Thank you for sharing!
Are you planning to send out reminders to account holders as the critical dates approach for downloading past account information and setting up bill payments?
I don't believe I have yet received any notice of these critical changes to how my financial information is being handled. I would not want to find out on the 21st that I should have downloaded my tax-critical checking account info on the 20th.
If I recall correctly, that is what happened with the last online banking changeover Salal did. Information that I needed was no longer available.
I pay my landlord rent by depositing cash into his bank account which means I have to go to his bank (BoA) and do it.. hate it.. so is that possible by email? I was reading a comment above.
Yes, you'll be able to pay your rent by email via our new Bill Pay. You and your landlord will need to agree on a code word in advance, then you add him as a payee ("pay a person"). Once he's set up in your system, you'll be able to pay your rent quickly and easily each month. The system is secure, and you don't have to exchange personal information–just email addresses.
Given your situation, this sounds like a much more convenient method! If you have any difficulty getting set up, you can contact Bill Pay directly or you're always welcome to call us and we'll talk you through it.
Thank you for your question!
We are trying hard to keep everyone apprised of any impacts from our Online Banking and Bill Pay upgrade, but your best source of information and updates is exactly where you are–on our blog and our website–so please check in for details as July 23 approaches. If you have any concern at all about your financial information, we recommend you go ahead and download information you need to keep. (read how to download Bill Pay history here) Your eStatements will transfer to the new system, as will your transaction history on all your accounts, so any information you need should be readily available after the upgrade.
Do bear in mind that Bill Pay will be unavailable from July 17 and Online Banking will be in view-only mode from July 20 until we launch our new Bill Pay and Online Banking on July 23.
As for setting up Bill Pays, the only payees you'll need to reestablish are your eBills–all other automatic payments will transfer. You can read how to do that here.
Thank you for your comment. I'm sorry for your difficulties during the previous changeover; we're taking every step possible to ensure a smooth transition this time.
ok, since the bill pay is unavailable 17th, is that the 17th only or until 23rd? I will be using my bill paying on 18th, but if it's unavailable i can go pay on bill website's.. will the visa/debit card still work? Payday is july 19th, will it still go in my account? thanks
Hi, Cheryl,
Bill Pay is unavailable the 20th, meaning you won't be able to set up any new payees in Bill Pay until the 23rd. All your existing, scheduled payments (ACH) will go out as scheduled, uninterrupted. If the bill you're expecting is an eBill (that is, you get notification, then you go to Bill Pay and instruct the payment to go out), and it's arriving during the July 17-23 window, we recommend that you go to the bill's website and pay there, just to ensure your payment is received on time.
Your credit and debit cards will work, absolutely, as will Salal's ATMs, Phone Access Line, etc. And your direct deposit of your paycheck will continue uninterrupted, as always.
These are great questions, so thank you for asking! You're always welcome to comment/question here or give us a call at 800.562.5515 or 206.298.9394.
I currently use a "bill pay system" where the bills are submitted to the "bill pay system" electronically. The bills do not come to me in the mail. I can view the bill and see the details of the charges. I have the option to print it. When the bill arrives, the "bill pay system" sends me an email that a bill has arrived from a given company. Will something similar be available with your bill pay program?
Thanks for your question. What you are describing is what we call an "eBill," and yes, we have these on our new Bill Pay system. If you currently have eBills with Salal's Bill Pay, these will not transfer over, and you'll need to re-enter your payees on or after July 23.
I hope that answers your question!
Will my Bill-Pay Auto-Pay and payees list and associated payee account information be transfered to the new system or do I have to manually do something??
What about my pending payments info??
Good morning! Thank you for your questions.
Your Bill Pay information should transfer to the new Bill Pay with all associated payee account information, with the exception of eBills. You'll need to manually reestablish those on the new Bill Pay; here are some instructions. Your pending payments info will also transfer to the new system.
If you have any concerns about preserving your information, we recommend taking screen shots as a back up measure and downloading reports of your Bill Pay history to your home computer.
I hope these answers help you. If not, please feel free to send another comment or call 800.562.5515.
Thank you!
Hi……….with the old ebill system there were a few of my bills I couldn't set up. My local electric company and JC Penny which came off the system when they went with GE Capital to handle their credit cards. Will the new system allow me to set up these accounts.
Hi, CJ,
Until the new Bill Pay launches, we won't know for sure all of the companies that have eBill agreements with the new Bill Pay vendor. We do know, however, that you'll have a wider range of eBill availability on the new system.
Thanks for your question!
On the matter of whether the balance shown in my account reflects online payments that I have initiated, but which have not yet gone through:
Would it not be a simple matter to have a readout that does the math and displays a for-your-convenience-only number that deducts all initiated payments from the account balance, even though the money has not yet been withdrawn?
It seems a HUGE step backward to suggest to your account-holders (as I believe you did above) that they need to go back to keeping a running balance on paper because the balance in their account will have no certain relation to what they are spending.
I know now that I will be closing my Salal account-It's rediculous that when paying bills the balance is not automatically changed-this has caused many issues fos myself and others who now don't bank with you. We have so much to remember these days with accounts and numbers in our daily lives-you are telling me that my financial institution can't figure out how to adjust the balance instantly? All others do. I've been a credit union member for over 35 years, and these changes are NOT improvements, but one more thing that I have to keep track of. The beauty of on-lin banking is to not have to keep a check register-how archaic that you can't have real time information. I wasn't fond of the last major changes you made a few years ago, and now…well I'm done!
With all these new, cool features, is there going to be a charge for bill pay? Or for these new services? Thanks.
Hi, Stacey,
Bill Pay will still be a free service to consumers. Members will only pay a small fee if they send a gift check or need to rush a payment via Bill Pay.
Great question, thank you!
Dear "Auntiof8,"
I'm sorry to hear this may prompt you to close your account with us; I'd like to urge you to give our new Online Banking and Bill Pay a try before moving your account to another financial institution. I truly believe the benefits outweigh the negatives.
Actually, more and more Bill Pay programs are moving this direction. Some advantages to this system are (1) you'll be able to see an image of the check in your Online Banking transaction history. This was not possible with our old system. (2) If you need to put a stop payment on the Bill Pay check, it's simpler. You can stop the payment yourself in Online Banking, or you can call Salal, and we may be able to issue the stop for you. (3) The way our new Bill Pay works is actually more "real time." Money doesn't show as being deducted from your account until it actually is—that is, when the payee deposits your check.
Again, I hope you'll give our new Online Banking and Bill Pay some time to win you over. Although there will be adjustments, we think you'll end up being pleased with our robust new programs.
Thank you for your comment,
Any chance you will move forward with being able to check your balances through text as other financial institutions allow? The website takes a long time to load, and even longer using my phone.
Thank you for your comment. I'm afraid I don't know of a program that would automatically keep track of initiated but not concluded transactions.
As I replied to "Auntiof8," more and more Bill Pay programs are shifting toward showing the true balance–that is, the balance that is actually in the account. And there are advantages to systems that operate this way, as I indicated above. And please understand that only payments that are issued by paper check will operate this way. Electronic payments are deducted immediately–as soon as the payment leaves the member's account.
If you'd like a way to track your account yourself without needing paper, Microsoft Office has a very handy template which you can download. It does the math for you, which I find very useful! Please understand this is not Salal's product, and we cannot guarantee its accuracy, but perhaps it could answer some of your concerns.
I hope this helps. Thank you!
Thank you for your question. Yes, we are moving forward on having a Salal mobile app for our members. Please stay tuned to our website and blog for more information, coming soon!
In the meantime, you might take a quick look at this to see if it meets your needs.
Will my scheduled online bills that were supposed to be paid after July 19th now not going to go through? I don't even remember what the end of month ones are, and now I am concerned they won't get paid
Thanks for your question. Yes, your scheduled online bills will get paid. During the period of the upgrade (until July 23), you can't schedule new payments, but any existing, scheduled payment will go out as usual.
Thank you for asking!
Just letting you know I am looking forward to the new system and I applaud the careful manner in which you have communicated the process and the FAQs section. I've been a member since the 1970's and frankly don't understand why anyone uses a traditional bank at all.
Its the 23rd. What time are we "pulling the trigger" on the new system?
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad the communication has been appropriate and helpful. It's been quite the group project! We're excited about the new Online Banking and Bill Pay; I really think members will enjoy having a much richer set of options available.
We are doing a great deal of very careful testing, as I'm sure you can imagine, so it may be after noon when we are able to release the new systems to our members. Please watch our website carefully–as soon as the systems are live, we'll announce it there.
Thanks again, Jeffrey!
Let me be the first to complain about the arbitrary requirements for the new user ID. Password requirements I understand, but a user ID I will easily forget just because you say it has to be a certain format?
I guess I'm frustrated (again) with this next credit union "improvement." I don't want to be forced to create a new password with at least two numeric characters. I already have too many passwords with various online organizations, and none force me to have two numbers. Like Auntieof8, above, this to me is yet another change that forces me to waste time and energy on something that won't help me (I don't use Bill Pay) and in fact will make interactions with Salal far less effortless. And effortless is important in a world that wastes so much of our time online. In the past several years the credit union has changed the formats and paper sizes of receipts for banking transactions — which I'm sure made something more convenient for the credit union — but each time it forces those of us who've created filing systems for that paperwork to come up with new systems — none of which helped us, but made us have to work for no real reason.
I really resent being forced to invent yet another online password because it's convenient for you.
I assure you the decision to require more secure User IDs and passwords was anything but arbitrary. Hackers and fraudsters are getting more and more sophisticated, and we need to ensure our members' information is secure. I'm sorry you find the new requirements troublesome, but I hope you find the benefits of our new Online Banking and Bill Pay–and our increased security–worth it in the end.
Thank you for your comment,
I apologize for your frustration; I have a notebook full of passwords and user IDs myself, so I certainly understand your position. If I could ask for a moment of your time, I'd like to answer you as completely as I can. More complicated passwords and IDs are simply more secure. As a financial institution, we have an obligation to keep our members' information as secure as possible; this keeps all of us safer and ultimately saves our cooperative money.
The same is true of the change in receipts: such changes are not made for reasons of convenience, I assure you. While I believe the change was made before my time here, I'm sure it was done to benefit the cooperative and its members, perhaps by saving money or providing greater security.
At Salal, protecting and providing benefit to our members are our highest priorities and guide every decision we make. Again, I apologize for creating extra work for you. I hope ultimately you'll find our new Online Banking and Bill Pay truly do save you time and make your life easier, and that the extra effort is worth it.
Thank you for the opportunity to explain further.
Wow! Love the new online banking and bill pay! I am grateful that the extra security information is required. Keeps my money and info safe. I want to shout out a HUGE kudos to your marketing department who did a fabulous job of keeping us in the loop during this transition and providing instructions on how to get started. Way to go Salal CU!
Thank you so much! We're so excited to have the new Online Banking and Bill Pay. We know it will take some time for members to be as comfortable with the new systems as they were with the old, but we're really happy about the expanded features and functions.
Thank you again for your kind words–it was really a group project, so I'll happily spread your kudos around to the entire team.
hi- i set up my new account and promptly forgot my new username (and possibly password). since the call center is closed i cannot access my account online all weekend. is it possible to set up a standard automated email response so i can fix this problem on my own in the future? the current system does not recognize my member number as a valid I.D., so it is useless to me. also i am curious why i couldn't simply retain my member number and old password with the new system. it seems counter-intuitive to make a newer system less user-friendly. thanks, daniel.
why does it CLOSE the window when you log out??? VERY BAD! when you log out you are logged out. NO NEED to make us re-open the browser to continue being online. I STILL don't comprehend why you had to change something that wasn't broken, but to make it more annoying was NOT GOOD AT ALL!
You shouldn't have to close out of your browser when you log off Online Banking. When I log off, I get a pop up window that asks if I want to close the tab or not. I select "no" to stay on the Internet or "yes" if I'm done with the Net for now. Do you not get that? May I ask what browser you're using? (I'm on Internet Explorer 8).
Thank you.
Hi, Daniel,
Actually, this system is a little bit friendlier when it comes to this issue! You can make it possible to reset your password yourself. Log on to Online Banking and click the "Settings" tab. Under "Modify Personal Settings," you'll see "Password Reset Question" and "Password Reset Answer." You can make up and question and answer you like–these are totally free-form fields. Make sure your email address is correct, then click "Submit." You don't need to do anything else on this page.
If, in future, you forget your password, you simply choose "Reset password." You'll receive an email with your Password Reset question. Answer it with the SAME Password Reset answer you entered on the "Settings" page. This will enable you to log on to Online Banking without having to contact Salal. Note that you will need to know your User ID to do this.
I know the new system seems cumbersome, but this is the way more and more Online Banking systems work. As hackers and fraudsters become more sophisticated, we need to keep our members' info secure.
Thank you for asking, and please let me know if this doesn't work for you.
ie does that, but chrome does not. it has a box with no choices (just an ok button) and doesn't even say its closing the window. when at work i have to use ie, but at home i prefer chrome.
You're right, it does close the Chrome window, which I agree is inconvenient. I'm assuming this is because Chrome is not one of the supported browsers for this program. It was fine when I opened a second window (window, not tab) in Chrome just to use my Online Banking; it closed that window but not the other. I know this is a far-from-perfect solution, but at least this way you don't lose what you were doing.
I'm sorry about the extra step for Chrome users, but I thank you for alerting us to that issue.
I keep running into bugs on this new system that should have been worked out before its release. I'm now trying to log in and getting an error message… "if this persists, contact customer service"… But it's Sunday!! No other online system requires me to "enable cookies", because in the world of marketing it's mostly used for nefarious information gathering. I did as required and now it has blocked me and there's no one to ask for help. The system's infuriating!
I'm sorry you're having issues with the system. It sounds like perhaps you have your cookies disabled deliberately? May I ask what browser you're using? With IE 7 and 8, it appears you can be selective about the sites where cookies are enabled. This article may be of some help. If you're using a different browser (and please note that Chrome and Opera are not supported), or if this doesn't help you, please let me know, and I'll see what we can do from there.
Again, my apologies for your frustration.


text:
Updated: 01/23/2007 - A woman who says she was sexually abused for years takes the stand in the case against a former Leon County bailiff.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - A woman who says she was sexually abused for years takes the stand in the case against a former Leon County bailiff.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - Florida lawmakers ended their special session on insurance, and the governor says their work will result in lower rates for you.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - The first membership meeting of the reorganized local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference has taken place.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - A new calendar tells the story of Africans in America: From Trials to Triumph.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - Hundreds of pieces of mail thrown into a dumpster by a postal carrier are now being delivered to their final destinations.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - A candlelight vigil commemorated the 34th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - Area homeowners have mixed feelings about the solution to homeowner's insurance.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - Florida lawmakers have inked a plan designed to give homeowners relief from skyrocketing insurance rates.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - Imagine three people kicking in the door of your home in the middle of the night, one armed with a rifle.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Valdosta Regional Airport begins the final stage of a major runway extension project.
Updated: 01/23/2007 - The announcement of a new president will be made on March 8.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - If you're an optimist, then this legislation being debated will, in fact, save money for the thousands of Citizens customers across the Big Bend.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - A $5 million sewer project in Killearn Lakes is now ready for residents to connect, but not everyone is jumping on board.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - A former bailiff is poised to go on trial for child molestation.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - There's a new program from the United Way of the Big Bend.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - Authorities await DNA lab tests.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - The Thomasville Cultural Center is getting $125,000.
Posted: 01/22/2007 - The special session may bring major changes to Franklin County.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Scam artists are making thousands of dollars throughout South Georgia.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - A local community college takes the wraps off a new calendar, honoring everyone from radio hosts to high profile lawyers.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Lawmakers come up with a deal to lower insurance premiums, but the governor has yet to sign it.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Three robbers target a Tallahassee apartment in a middle-of-the-night invasion.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Improving patient care is on the minds of those at Archbold Hospital as they discuss big plans for expansion.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - State lawmakers are putting the finishing details on an insurance relief package that should mean lower rates for Florida homeowners.
Updated: 01/22/2007 - Interstate 10 construction workers may have a safer workplace beginning Monday morning.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This story is one of sixteen stories from CHAIRS.
The voices are those of Bangkok based freelance journalists and their invited guests. Each Saturday morning, over coffee, the members of Chairs gather to share the latest gossip, scandals, myths, dangers, exploits, and loves that bind together their small community. Sam Kohl is a narrator of the main stories, and Sam reveals, with perfect timing and ingenious twists, the clash of cultures as expats meet Thais, Chinese, Karen, and Burmese. Chairs is a search for redemption with stops at the Oriental Hotel, Pattaya, the Thermae, and the jungles of Burma. Along this journey you enter a vividly created world populated by adventurers, body snatchers, executioners, dreamers, collectors, diplomats, mistresses, ghosts, and war veterans.
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text:
Training is going terrific lately! After logging 249 miles in June, Karl and I kicked off July with a 100 km weekend including over 12,300' ascent. We discovered new terrain on a 20 miler at Portola Valley and revisited favorites on an 18 miler in Redwood Park and 24 miler in Tilden on July 4th. I'd also run 12 milers on the 2 days prior, so after 3 long runs, 3 barbecues, and a dinner and theatre outing, I was one tired girl and skipped the fireworks in favor of grilling at home. Goat and pork kebabs hit the spot!
The following week I had the pleasure of spending every one of my 81 miles on trails. One highlight was the Transports run at Briones Reservoir. The winding singletrack of Bear Creek trail is serene and a joy to the senses. Such a privilege to run trails like this on weeknights with friends!
Bear Creek Trail, Briones Reservoir
Ever have one of those days where you've just got to squeeze in a run before a party? That's how I learned that mud makes a great accessory! Keeps the mosquitoes away too! Karl and I joined Marcy and friends in Tahoe for a weekend filled with scrumptious food, trail adventures, and swimming in the lake. Weekend running tally- Fri night 5 miler at Jenkinson Lake, Saturday 13.3 miler at Sugar Point Pine State Park, Sat night 5 miler at Fallen Leaf Lake, and Sunday 12.6 miler on the Rubicon Trail at Bliss State Park. Weekend eating tally- two of the best brunches ever, grilling fun, watermelon, cherries and pie oh my!
Covering new territory in Sugar Point Pine State Park
Karl negotiates snow in the Desolation Wilderness
Rubicon Trail in Bliss State Park (Photo by trail runner extraordinaire Gretchen Brugman)
Lake Tahoe makes everything better. Time to go find new mud!


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Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cinnamon Swirl Challah: A Guest Post for 'Baking with Heritage' at Food WanderingsApril 2, 2013 at 1:10 pm | Posted in Breads, Holiday, Yeastspotting | 39 Comments
Tags: Baking with Heritage, Brown Butter, Challah, cinnamon, Food Wanderings, Vanilla Bean, Yeast
A few months ago, Shulie, from the beautiful blog, Food Wanderings, asked me to write a post for her Baking with Heritage series. I couldn't have been more flattered, not to mention excited, since this would allow me to journey back to my childhood in my grandmother's kitchen, where she taught me to make challah from an old family recipe. This recipe was taught to her by her mother, who in turn learned it from her mother in Russia, who learned it from her mother in Russia. and so on and so forth. A precious family heirloom that is dear to my heart, and to me, the most perfect challah.
I rarely sway from this recipe, but in this case, my creative side overruled my traditional side, so this round, Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cinnamon Swirl Challah Twist was born.
Before I link you to my post, along with the recipe, a few things I need to touch on, totally unrelated to challah, but I wanted to update you and failed to do so in my last post.
First off, I finally moved to my own domain about a month ago. See the URL on top? I'm no longer wordpress.com, I'm just .com, parsleysagesweet.com. I haven't decided where I'm going regarding a new design, but, for now, I'm just happy with my new digs. I bought a a url auto-direct, so you don't (I hope) have to change anything or subscribe again, but, if there's any problems, please let me know. I've installed a neat little contact form, which you can access from the page options below the header. where it says; CONTACT ME.
Continue Reading Vanilla Bean Brown Butter Cinnamon Swirl Challah: A Guest Post for 'Baking with Heritage' at Food Wanderings…
Cinnamon Goo BiscuitsJanuary 28, 2012 at 7:48 am | Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Daring Bakers, Dessert | 49 Comments
Tags: biscuits, brown sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon biscuits, cinnamon goo, Cream Cheese Frosting, cream cheese glaze, scones, tall and fluffy buttermilk biscuits
Please don't hate me. I need to postpone Bad Boy Love Part Two for a few days. You see, some things came up that couldn't be avoided, which is also why I'm a day late for the Daring Bakers Challenge. These 'things' rendered me so off kilter, I couldn't finish writing the post – I could not get back into the moment. Before I knew it, I had written a novel about the below cinnamon goo biscuits, and I need a whole post devoted solely to Part Two. Keep checking back, as I promise Part Two will be here this coming week – along with something pretty tasty! I need to STOP promising certain 'dates' for posts. 'Coming Soon or late' should be my catch phrase.
I don't flip over scones. I also don't flip over biscuits. Unless they're super flaky or light and fluffy, I usually take a pass. They're usually too dry, crumbly and pasty for me. I'm not a tea drinker, nor am I a milk dipper, so when I eat a scone or biscuit, I feel like someone painted my tongue with kindergarten paste as I try to swallow it.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them.
I've had some really great biscuits in Texas and down south (east coast), especially biscuits smothered in amazing gravies or slathered with my friend's late step grandmother's amazing pear preserves, in Texas (Oh, how I wish I had the recipe for her pear preserves). I simply don't crave them and would rather have a warm slice or hunk of home-baked savory or sweet bread in its place.
As for scones (scones – biscuits, same thing really, although I always see scones as the biscuit's sweet counterpart), unless they're loaded with gooey cheese or anything that detracts from the crumbly, pasty feel, I refrain, unless I have a 'bready' carb craving and a scone is pretty much my only choice.
All in all, it's a texture thing, not a flavor thing.
A few years ago I actually found a biscuit recipe I loved. They're called Tall and Fluffy biscuits, and they were created by the crazy, obsessive testers at Cook's Illustrated. I mean 'crazy and obsessive' in a good way, because they will futz with a recipe dozens of times, or more, to get it absolutely perfect. I think I can say these are probably the most perfect biscuits I've ever had, as far as texture goes. Light and fluffy, no pasty palate feel, and the best part..super easy, no cutting involved, so no biscuit scraps that don't rise as well as the first ones cut.
This recipe gives you a thick, wet dough that you scoop with a 1/4 cup measure for each biscuit (like a drop biscuit), then drop into flour and roll lightly so you can round them up a bit without a mess, placing each one in a 9-inch round cake pan. Brushed with butter and baked..I can't even begin to tell you how great they are. I could easily eat a pan of these all.by.myself. – and they don't need loads of butter or amazing pear preserves.
Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers' host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!
So, my friend Audax is hosting this month, and I really wanted to use the exact recipe he came up with/provided since 1) They look so high and fluffy, and 2) He linked a great video of his sister making them, which was fun to watch. BUT, I couldn't risk a batch of scones sitting around until they turned to rocks, then getting chucked in the trash after reaching a point of stale, for which they could be used as hockey pucks.
Fortunately, the Cook's Illustrated recipe is similar to his recipe plus another where the scones are baked together touching, in a circle, called a 'touch of grace', The only difference is, the Cook's Illustrated recipe uses much more liquid and baking powder. He told me I could use the Cook's Illustrated recipe because it was so similar. Thank you, Aud!
As you can tell by the title, I put a twist on them. I had many requests for a gooey cinnamon roll like biscuit. I've seen lots of recipes for cinnamon roll scones and biscuits, but they mostly incorporate just cinnamon and sugar, which is delicious, but I wanted GOO, just like the GOO in the giant cinnamon rolls you get at the malls – called CINNA plus rhymes with Tron. I wanted these biscuits to have swirls or ribbons of inner goo like a fresh out of the oven baked CINNATRON bun. I know they use dark brown sugar, butter and a special cinnamon hand ground just for them by the Zukicacalukichang tribes of the Vietnamese jungles, using rocks and leaves.
Umm, great..but I think Cassia or Ceylon will do, thank you very much.
First I tried folding the cinnamon goo lightly into the batter with the buttermilk, so I wouldn't overwork it. The goo didn't swirl or ribbon, just blended in fully, which was surprising since it was so thick. They tasted great, but I wanted strips of goo, like CINNATRON buns.
Second attempt. Once the dough balls were nestled in their comfy circle, I poked three to four holes with the floured end of a wooden spoon into each ball of dough, then piped the goo into the holes using a snipped ziplock bag. It worked – BUT, it would have worked a lot better had I used a squeeze bottle or bag with a small, plain pastry tip. I would have been able to get the goo in deeper, and I wouldn't have ended up with cinnamon goo blotches all over the tops of the biscuits, as you see in the above collage. This dough is way too soft for a snipped ziplock to excavate and fill. I didn't go for a third try and didn't need to, because I know for sure a squeeze bottle or pastry tip will work great.
I know I say this all the time – but these are fantastic. A gooey cinnamon roll in an easy to make pull apart biscuit. You can also use the same technique on any firm dough biscuit of your choice. Poke holes, fill with cinnamon goo..brush with melted butter. sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, bake and drizzle or glob with cream cheese frosting glaze. Mine may not be pretty, due to the photos being taken in testing mode and crap lighting, but I'm sure yours will, and they're SO (Yes, I'm going to use the word that's been blackballed in the food blogosphere) DELICIOUS!
Since you have to subscribe to see the recipe for the biscuits at Cook's Illustrated, an online search showed me that frankly, people who do subscribe, don't give a damn. The recipe is all over the place!
Cream Cheese Glaze adapted from My Baking Addiction
- One 9-inch pan Cook's Illustrated Tall and Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits, up to the part before they're brushed with melted butter and baked
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (taste before adding more)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- cinnamon sugar*
- 4 ounces cream cheese (half a package), softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1½ cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2-5 tablespoons of milk, depending on how thick or thin you want it.
- Prepare Biscuits from Cook's Illustrated, right up to the part before you brush with butter and bake.
- Melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan, Stir in the sugars and cook until dissolved. It will separate and look ruined, but don't worry, just take off the heat and stir in the heavy cream until smooth. Stir in cinnamon. This will make more than you need for one pan IF you don't use a snipped ziplock bag (Again, look at it all over the tops of the biscuits in the collage - if done properly, you could probably make another pan of biscuits with whatever is left over). Pour into a squeeze bottle or disposable plastic pastry bag with a small, plain tip inserted. You can also insert the pastry tip into a snipped ziplock bag. Set aside. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Dip the end of a wooden spoon in flour (about ⅛ to ¼-inch diameter). Poke three to four holes, as deep as you can without hitting the bottom, in each ball of dough. Keep cleaning off and flouring the wooden spoon when it starts to stick in the balls of dough, until all dough balls are poked.
- Pipe or squeeze cinnamon goo into each hole, almost to the top. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 -20 minutes, or fridge for about a half hour.
- Remove from freezer or fridge, and remove plastic wrap. Brush with biscuits with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes. Turn down oven to 450 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes, until well-risen and golden brown.
- While biscuits are baking, make cream cheese frosting glaze. Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth - add vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add confectioner's sugar until uniform, then drizzle in the milk until you reach your desired consistency. I kept mine thick - only used a little over 2 tablespoons.
- Remove biscuits from oven, and let cool about 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Turn pan over so the connected biscuits fall onto the rack. Pull apart and turn them over - let cool a bit.
- Drizzle or glob (I did both) cream cheese glaze frosting over the warm biscuits. Sprinkle glaze with a bit of cinnamon sugar, if desired. Enjoy them while they last!
If you have some time on your hands, please check out my fellow Daring Baker's scones and/or biscuits by clicking on the links to their blogs, HERE. To get Audax's fantastic, fool-proof recipe for Aussie scones (aka US biscuits), plus a wealth of information about the ingredients, methods etc..click HERE.
Finally, I want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend Jamie from Life's a Feast! Hop on over to her beautiful and 'delicious' (Ooops, I used the D word again!) blog to wish her a Happy Birthday too!
Orange Chocolate Toasted Pecan Sticky Buns and Bad Boy First Love, Part OneJanuary 21, 2012 at 7:35 pm | Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Yeastspotting | 52 Comments
Tags: baking, Brioche, Chocolate, Chocolate Sticky Buns, cinnamon, Orange, Orange Juice, Orange Sticky Buns, Orange Supremes, Orange Zest, Pecans, Recipe, Sticky Buns
I made these sticky buns over a week ago, the photos processed, resized and ready to go, but I couldn't write the post to go with it. There's been a lot going on in my life – so with all the drawn blanks, I let it sit until I could write something that wasn't boring or viscous. I finally decided to write about my first 'true' love. We all have one of those, right? It's loaded with corn and cheese, but a great memory. Don't worry, I will get to these fabulous, gooey sticky 'bad boy' buns.
When I was in High School, I had a thing for bad boys. Not necessarily boys who did bad things, but boys who probably weren't going to become doctors or lawyers or even attend college, for that matter. Not dumb, just tough, hard-working, strong boys with a dash of danger – the type that scared your parents just a little bit god forbid you marry one. Bad boys like a young Matt Dillon, or Jared Leto as Jordan Catalano on My So-Called Life – you get the gist.
I lived in a pretty affluent town. Most of the residents had loads of money, old and new, as did the residents of the other town that used our high school because they didn't have a high school – probably because it was even more affluent than our town and didn't want some old high school decreasing the palatial estate property values.
Most of the guys were clean-cut and super-duper spoiled. Even the ones who looked like bad boys, were wealthier than the clean-cut guys, and the Phish/Deadhead stoners were even wealthier than the rich guys who looked like bad boys. I'm not saying there weren't some great guys in the bunch, because there were, but I just wasn't feeling it on a crushy, puppy love level.
I guess there were just too many of them, and after a while any attraction I had poofed as I grew up. It was the same old, same old – stepford boys who were gifted brand new porsches and corvettes the minute they got their learner's permit – not driver's license, learner's permit! Some celeb's kids were dropped off in limos. Really vulgar displays of wealth at times.
I was the opposite of a gold digger. The tough, brooding, blue-collar cuties with natural grit and sexy, deep voices, made me weak in the knees. The type of guy who would always defend your honor and not hide under a table when a fight broke out at a party (Yes, one of the rich boys I knew did just that). Ladies, have we all not had at least one moment like THIS, in some form, sans the dyslexic talk?
Turn this upside down……..
Well, I finally found my ultimate bad boy, or rather, he found me. It was the summer of my 15th (almost 16th) year of life, at the Jersey Shore, before the show of the same name completely bastardized it and turned it into something that it was the polar opposite of when I was a teen.
Back then, it was all about the beach, the boardwalk, parties, and rock/pop music- not the tanning salons (they've got the beach as their front or backyard, for chrissake) and discos you see on TV. There were no Snookis in my Seaside. In fact, the only time I saw guidos and guidettes was on Sundays when they would drive down in troves and swarm the beach and boardwalk like fruit flies to a rotting apple. A mass of muscles, suntan oil, and strong cologne. Lasers of sun reflected off their gold chains, blinding us as they sauntered down the boardwalk in their tight tank tops showing off their bulging biceps, making all kinds of lewd remarks and gestures to women. Eating an ice cream cone was grounds for;
"Oh man, I wish I wazzat ice cream cone…come mere, baby…tawk ta me!"
It was only one or two days a week, and everyone has a right to enjoy the shore, so no big deal. Since the TV show started airing, Seaside Heights is now a sticky fly trap for them.
So, I finally met my 'dream guy'.
…….and you get this
It was an uncharacteristically chilly night for August, so I was wearing an over-sized jean jacket over a thin, lacy white mini skirt and top (I looked "like a doily", to quote Ethan Hawke in Reality Bites), my arms crossed tight, wrapping the too long sleeves around myself like a straitjacket. My best friend and I were on the Casino Pier watching, with shock and awe, some hunky guy climb to the top of a pirate ship ride to fix it (blue-collar boys didn't have the luxury of free summer vacations like we did – they had to work to play). She was scoping him out big time, hoping he would notice her once he was finished. Suddenly, she nudged me hard in the ribs and said loudly so I could hear her over the music, right into the deepest part of my ear canal, which made me jump;
"That really hot guy that works on the bumper cars is trying to get your attention..OMG, Lisa..LOOK!"
I had seen this guy a few nights before and nearly melted into a puddle of goo, but there were too many girls standing around trying to get his attention, and frankly, I was way too young, insecure and shy to even consider joining the fray of adoration.
I turned my head to look, thinking she was probably messing with me. There was no way a guy that hot would want my attention, no way. Lo and behold, he was signing to me by rubbing his arms and mouthing "Are you cold?". I turned around to make sure this wasn't directed at someone else because I still could not believe, on any realm, that this was meant for me. When I saw no one, my stomach fluttered. I turned back, shyly nodding 'Yes'. He gave me a huge smile, then shouted out..
"Come over here, it's warmer!"
I don't even remember how I got there. I couldn't feel my feet, much less my legs, but soon I was standing before him. Ironically, 'Walking on the Moon' by the Police was the song that was playing on the classic rock station he had blasting for the ride. I was most certainly walking on the moon, not to mention over it. I'd never felt this in my entire, albeit brief, life. Sure, I'd dated and had crushes, but no one had ever lifted my body and soul off the earth like this in less than a minute. The colorful lights of the rides and attractions turned into a kaleidoscope of blur – but his beautiful face, shiny, thick, light brown hair, barely brushing his collar, and blue, blue eyes, were perfectly, and the only thing, in focus. Third degree hot guy tunnel vision. Then he spoke, his voice deep, tough and sexy, exactly how I liked 'em;
"Feeling warmer? What's your name?" He asked with a small, sexy smile. He had the nicest lips I'd ever seen on a guy.
I'm pretty sure I said "Lisa". but my friend repeated it, so it probably wasn't very audible.
After the usual "Where are you from? Where are you staying? How long are you here for?", questions, he asked me how old I was. I gained some sense of clarity (landed on earth) for a moment and asked him the same before I gave him my answer.
"18" He responded, almost too quickly.
When you're a teenager. a 3-year, or well, 2 1/2 year age difference is akin to a 50-year-old man dating a 20-year-old woman, intellectually, at least. A 15-year-old would be a 'kid' to him. I was jail bait.
"I'm..I'm…17" I responded, LYING.
I hated myself, but I never wanted someone so much in my life. He was my ultimate day (and night) dream fantasy boy, right down to his voice. He was the guy I would fantasize about when I was a 12-year old chubby girl with glasses, sitting at home reading on a Saturday night while all of my friends, who never had an awkward stage, were at middle school make-out parties.
He asked me if I wanted to do something when he got off work. "YES YES YES!" I screamed inwardly, but kept it as cool as I could bear. I was seventeen, after all.
"Sure." I replied breezily, as if I was so accustomed to being asked out by super hot guys.
As luck would have it, the hunky guy my friend was checking out, the one who bravely climbed the what seemed to be thousand foot tall ride as fast as a monkey up a tree, was also 18, and his friend. So, he would be there too. It was all too perfect.
The problem was, since we were 15, we had a curfew, and that curfew was midnight, and not a minute after. However, a loophole! Since it was a weekday, my mother was the only disciplinarian at the beach house because my father only came down on weekends due to work. She was easy to sneak out on – we'd been doing it since we'd arrived a few days before.
He asked us to meet them by the carousel around midnight. We decided to go home early so my mother would fall asleep, content that we were home safe, giving us plenty of time to sneak out and be there at 12:00 am on the dot. Everything went as planned, and soon we were scurrying up the ramp to the boardwalk to begin our trek to really hot, older guys who like us!
I was still floating from the initial meeting…walking on the moon, not feeling my feet as we hurried down the boardwalk, lest we were a minute late. I'd never felt so alive in all of my 15 plus years of life. The salty air was blowing my hair every which way, the sound of crashing waves in the dark night was hauntingly beautiful music, and the smell of popcorn and cotton candy was getting stronger with each step, each step closer to where the 'perfect' guy was waiting for me. As the lights grew brighter and the music louder, I looked up. There he was, his face breaking out in a huge smile, the best smile I'd ever seen on a guy. His smile was just like Jon Bon Jovi's, I thought, in my 15-year old dreamy state.
"Hi, I'm so glad you showed.", he said in that tough, sexy Matt Dillonesque voice that somehow didn't completely jibe with his amazing face (sorta like Matt Dillon), but that's exactly how I imagined my fantasy 'bad boys'. Like the moment I first laid eyes on him, too scared to stand among such pretty, older girls vying for his attention, I found myself melting into a puddle of goo.
Where are my legs? I can't feel them! Oh, there they are – they just turned into rods of JELL-O.
We couldn't stop looking at each other as my friend and hunky monkey man chatted away – shy, fleeting glances from my end, more direct, confident glances from his.
This is where I stop because speaking of 'bad boys', I've got some sticky buns that need some attention. If you want to read the rest of this story, send me an email via my contact form or at email@example.com and I'll tell you where you can find it. Don't worry, it's free, I just wanted to take it down because it annoyed some when it came to printing out the recipes.
So what happens if you take a brioche recipe by Nancy Silverton, and sticky bun inspiration from Joanne Chang of the Flour Bakery and add orange and chocolate? You get these sticky buns.
I call them my 'If Nancy Silverton and Joanne Chang's sticky buns had a baby with orange and chocolate, STICKY BUNS'.
I love Nancy Silverton's brioche recipe..I love Joanne Chang's sticky buns. The goo is amazing in Joanne's recipe – but a little too sweet for me, so I took the amount of sugar down a bit, added orange zest, orange supremes and substituted freshly squeezed orange juice for the water. The filling is mine. Why not add chocolate to a sticky bun filling? This is what makes them bad boys, in relation to this 'bad boy' theme I've got going here. One thing I did, via Nancy Silverton's sticky bun recipe, was also add chopped , toasted pecans to the filling.
Big mistake.
Since I use 1 cup of chopped and whole pecans in each pan of the goo, the pecans in the filling were nutty overkill. I omitted them from the filling in my second roll of sticky buns, and as you can see in the cross-section photo above, pure brown sugar, chocolatey, orange goodness.
The best part about these outside of the chocolate? The orange supremes caramelize so perfectly, they're like soft orange candy.
Orange Chocolate Toasted Pecan Sticky Buns
Makes two 9-inch round pans – 14 sticky buns, if using whole batch of brioche
The directions for rolling, filling, and cutting the buns are from Nancy Silverton's recipe, with my additions and subtractions.
One batch Nancy Silverton's Brioche Dough
Filling – this is the amount for one pan of 7 sticky buns using half the dough – make another batch for the other half of the brioche dough if making two pans. If not, make something else with the other half of the brioche dough or freeze it for later use.
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup grated milk or dark chocolate
Gooey Topping
Adapted from Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery, with my revisions
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks), unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Supremes from 4 navel oranges, divided – How to supreme an orange
2 cups toasted whole pecans, half of them chopped, divided (1 cup for each pan)
1. Divide dough in half; keep one half covered and chilled while working with the other. On a floured work surface, roll dough into a 11 inch wide, 13 inch long, and 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Dot surface evenly with half the softened butter and fold dough in thirds. Turn it so the closed fold is on the left and roll out again, without rolling over the edges. Fold dough in thirds again, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling with second piece of dough and remaining butter. (This is what I love about Nancy's brioche for sticky buns, the additional butter with turns)
2. Rub orange zest into sugars until fragrant, then stir in cinnamon; set aside. Make another batch of the sugar, cinnamon and zest mixture in a separate bowl and also set aside. Have two separate bowls, each containing 2/3 cup grated chocolate, ready.
3. Remove first piece of dough from refrigerator and roll into an 11 inch wide, 13 inch long, and 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Paint surface with beaten egg. Leaving top quarter of dough bare, sprinkle one bowl of the cinnamon, orange sugars over the dough, spreading it lightly with your fingers. Top with the 2/3 cup of grated chocolate; spread with fingers to distribute evenly. Use a rolling-pin to lightly press the filling into the dough. Starting from the short side, roll into a log and pinch the seam to seal.
4. Make the gooey topping. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, to combine until uniform. If it separates, that's ok, keep stirring until it comes together somewhat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey, cream, orange juice, orange zest and salt. Strain to remove any undissolved lumps of brown sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Wrap log in plastic and freeze until firm. Repeat with second piece of dough. While logs are chilling, lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans and divide the gooey topping evenly between them. Top each pan of gooey topping with half the orange supremes, and 1 cup toasted whole and chopped pecans.
6. Remove a log from freezer and trim ends if ragged. Slice log into seven 1 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife. Lay each slice flat, flatten slightly, and round the sides. Place rounded buns in a circle with the last one in the center; seams of buns should face outside of pan.
7. Repeat with second log. Let rest, uncovered, for 2 hours, until slices touch. Arrange oven racks so one rack is in the middle and the other just below, and preheat to 350°F. Put pans on middle rack and put a foil-lined jelly-roll pan underneath to catch drips. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Invert immediately on serving dish – one that's big enough to catch any extra gooey topping that drips down the sides.
8. Use any extra goo on the bottom of pan or plate you turned buns over on, to drizzle over individual buns.
Finally, did you know that sticky buns originated in Germany and and are known as 'Schnecken'? They were brought to Pennsylvania via German Settlers in the 18th century. Germany is one of many countries I'd love to visit in Europe, so I'm submitting these to Bread Baking Day #46, in which the theme is baking a bread from a place we'd love to visit, hosted by Noor of Ya Salam Cooking.
I'm also submitting these sticky buns to Yeastspotting, a weekly bread baking showcase hosted by the uber talented Susan of Wild Yeast.
Don't forget to tune in to Part Two of Bad Boy First Love, on the 27th!
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Your search for 12/2011 returned 1 result.
A Year of Hugs
Over the past year, I've read a number of articles about the numerous benefits of hugging. Yes, hugging. Known to promote the release of endorphins (which gives us a sense of happiness and well-being), boost our immunity, reduce our stress levels and speed the healing process, hugs are very powerful things - and well worth the time it takes to do right... not to mention the right amount.


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House of Fraser have presented an indulgent sample of their winter wares, with an enticing mix of classic cuts and on-trend colours and styles. Have a look for yourself! Note: Concession prices not quoted, may differ.
RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Broadcaster.
© RTÉ 2015-RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, Registration No: 155076, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland.


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Does the Times' new Dining In, Dining Out section editor have it in for Frank Bruni? Pete Wells, who starts the job this week, wrote a column in Food & Wine in March that praised Bruni Digest, a blog obsessed with the restaurant critic, for realizing that the real fun is in sampling the ripe fruit basket of Bruni's prose, which can at times vanish behind a hallucinatory haze of metaphor. Wells and Bruni had lunch once he was hired (he's the third food editor in four years). Frank was very encouraging, says Wells. He did his best to assure me that there's no intrinsic reason why no one has kept the job for more than a couple years. So did Bruni take Wells's review of his reviews personally? Well, see, it hasn't come up. Bruni, on vacation in Italy, wasn't available to comment.
Frank Bruni's New Boss Pans Prose
Ripe fruit basket.
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JOHNSON CITY – Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and other tobacco companies use numerous tactics to oppose global tobacco control and suppress health concerns related to tobacco production and use in developing nations, according to a new study by a faculty member in East Tennessee State University's College of Public Health.
ETSU's Dr. Hadii Mamudu co-authored the study, which is published in the October issue of American Journal of Public Health. Mamudu and two colleagues focus on Malawi, a nation whose economy is more dependent on tobacco than any other around the globe. It is also one of the world's poorest countries.
In "Tobacco Companies' Use of Developing Countries' Economic Reliance on Tobacco to Lobby Against Global Tobacco Control: The Case of Malawi," Mamudu and his co-authors, Drs. Stanton Glantz and Martin Otañez, note that tobacco accounts for 70 percent of foreign earnings in Malawi – a landlocked country in southeastern Africa – and between 600,000 and 2 million members of the country's workforce are directly employed in the tobacco industry.
Malawi was the seventh largest global exporter of tobacco leaf in 2005 but ranked 14 th on the list of poorest nations, with some of the world's lowest indicators for human development. For example, only 44 percent of the country's people will survive to be 40, and 27 percent do not have access to clean water.
Mamudu, who has written a book on global tobacco control policymaking, said the situation in Malawi isn't unique as multinational companies expand tobacco production in developing nations. Malawi emerged as a major producer of tobacco in the 1970s.
"Malawi isn't a unique case, but it is an extreme one," Mamudu said. "Since Malawi is the seventh largest global exporter of tobacco leaf, the country should be a model for a tobacco economy. And if tobacco production is an economically viable activity, Malawi shouldn't be 14 th on the list of poorest nations."
Tobacco companies in the United States and other countries produced reports that described economic disaster in Malawi without tobacco, a tactic employed, Mamudu and his colleagues write, to thwart impending passage of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is a global public health treaty that has been ratified by 167 nations, not including the United States.
Glantz is a faculty member with the University of California, San Francisco, and the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. Otañez is a faculty member with the anthropology department at University of Colorado in Denver.


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Results 1 to 15 of 34
12 Coldplay Months of 2009: FEBRUARY (Eleven superstars together!)
Recording Sessions!
February started with news about the recording sessions, which included some news from inside the studio and reports about how the band banned Chris from the studio. Chris said: "The letter was to all of us he said that he thought the last album was OK but it could have been much better. He said that he still wanted to work with us on the next album but that I was banned from the studio! He said that it would be better without me for the first two weeks - 'You can do better without the singer'! He said. It has turned out to be a good idea though because the band's been free to try out loads of weird things without me getting in the way."
Coldplay split? Of course not!, Roadie 42 posted: When I say "the fellas", there is one person notably absent from these sessions. Chris has been banned from the studio for these first two weeks. Now, before the rumour mill cranks its way excitedly into life, this does not indicate any kind of split in the camp. This is an experiment of Brian's (a phrase I feel I may have a hard time not over-using as the project progresses). Rather than have Chris's demo recordings come in fully-formed, leading the songs in a particular direction, Will, Guy and Jonny are constructing their own musical underpinning with little idea of what Chris had in mind. For many of the tracks, they hear nothing but the vocal track.
North American Tour Announced
Feb 5th, Anchorman posted in coldplays twitter
Hey folks, we've got some quite big news to announce on http://www.coldplay.com tomorrow at 12noon UK time. Anchorman
That was discussed here and here, and coldplayers ideas involved Live DVD release, US/Latin America/Asia Tourdates, Postcards From Far Away Project news and many more crazy ideas!
The day after the mysterious tweet, The band announced another leg of the Viva La Vida North American Tour. The band have also promised that more shows, which will take place outside of North America, will be announced on Monday (February 9th).
Coldplay Perform "I'm a Believer" at MusiCares Gala Honouring Neil Diamond
Coldplay performed at the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honouring Neil Diamond on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, in Los Angeles. Coldplay played a stripped-down version of "I'm A Believer".
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLISoY8WF80"]YouTube- Coldplay at MusiCares Person of the Year: "I'm a Believer"[/ame]
When we heard about the band covering IAB at the Gala we feared that we might never hear or see their cover. I seems they liked it however because they played the song at the C-Stage at concerts later, too!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1RvcuqOtQM"]YouTube- Coldplay - Viva La Vida Tour Japão 15/02/09 - I'm A Believer[/ame]
Full article and great pics here
Grammy Awards 2009
Coldplay was nominated in 7 categories for the 2009 Grammy Awards, the Awards Ceremony took place during february 8th and the band performed a medley consisting of "Lost?+" with Jay-Z and Viva la Vida
[ame="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x974ii_coldplay-ft-jayz-lost-51stannual-gr_music"]Dailymotion - Coldplay ft. Jay-Z - Lost (51st_Annual Grammys) - um video do canal Música@@AMEPARAM@@http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x974ii@@AMEPARAM@@x974ii[/ame]
Phil Harvey posted live updates on twitter from backstage. Chris seemed nervous and Roadie 42 sent a report. A sweet Revenge?. All the videos and info here.
The band won in the following categories
- Song Of The Year (Viva La Vida)
- Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (Viva La Vida)
- Best Rock Album
the pictures from the Grammy Awards became a much loved and discussed subject in the picture threads
More tourdates announced
After the North American tourdates announcement, Anchorman announced concerts in Singapore and Hong Kong. Some sources also talked about a concert in Dubai, which the band's official site confirmed later.
Coldplay's Band Rules List Revealed on 60 Minutes
Coldplay were interviewed on 60 Minutes, and as a part of the interview, reporter Steve Kroft wandered around the band's studio, making mention of a list of band rules hanging on the wall. The camera looked at the list ever so-briefly.
1. Albums be no longer than 42 minutes, 9 tracks.
2. Production must be amazing, but with space, not overlayered, less tracks, more quality, groove and swing. Drums/rhythm are the most crucial thing to concentrate on; diff. between bittersweet and science of silence. [A reference to The Verve and Richard Ashcroft solo]
3. Computers are instruments, not recording aids.
4. Imagery must be classic, colourful and different. Come back in glorious technicolor.
5. Make sure videos and pictures are great before setting release date. And highly original.
6. Always keep mystery. Not many interviews.
7. Groove and swing. Rhythms and sounds must always be as original as possible. Once jon has melody twist it and weird it sonical.
8. Promo/review copies to be on VINYL. Stops copying problem, sounds and looks better. [Ed. Note: My Viva La Vida promo was in CD format]
9. Jacqueline sabriado, ns p c c, face forward.
10. Think about what you do with charity account. Set up something small but really enabling and constructive. Ref j oliver fifteen [a reference to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant]
Postcards Project: Postcards Delivery!
February 16: Coldplaying's 'Postcards From Far Away' Project: Update Expected Today
Everything started with a Message from Debs
Hi everyone! Well I got back from London earlier and all I will tell you at this moment is.... The postcards were delivered yesterday and it was AMAZING!! They were SO chuffed. I promise there will be a lot more news on this subject but not right now. Bear with me... Well done guys, you did yourselves proud! As you know things round here are always subject to change and you might have noticed we've been a bit busy! But.... have a few days off and I'll see you Monday! I'm right in thinking the project was started in Chile yes? So it seems only fair to wait until Chile are up and about so you'll have to wait until later folks!
After some hours, months after the project started, the band posted a video on their official site as a way to say thanks to everyone who was involved in the project.
"Good afternoon. Just before Christmas, the fine folks at Coldplay fansite Coldplaying.com came up with the terrific idea of sending the band postcards from across the world. Hundreds of fans did just that. Below is Roadie #42's film of the band reading them at The Bakery a couple of weeks ago (soundtracked, of course, by the song which inspired the project, Postcards From Far Away)."
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvGLyTbknl8"]YouTube- Coldplay - Postcards Project Delivery Video[/ame]
The Story behind The Coldplay "postcards day" here
Coldplay To Give Away New Album
In an interview, Chris announced a new album... for free! "What we want to do is try to giveaway a live album for free. Were playing a lot of shows in the summer and I think what we would like to do is bearing in mind the recession we are in record the live album then give it as a gift. We are just trying to work out how to do that. Its obviously a bit tricky in terms of record contracts and things but it would be great. Its a way of saying thank you."
Brit Awards - Warchild concert
February 19 was a crazy day for the band and the fans, the guys attended the Brit Awards (they didn't win any award) and after that they played in the Warchild concert at 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire. The performance celebrated the charity's 15th birthday and launch its latest album, Heroes, to support work with children in war zones around the world. The Killers also played there. Chris Martin said "In our eyes, War Child is one of the world's most important charities, and The Killers are one of our favourite bands, so playing this concert is an absolute pleasure for us."
Lots of Coldplaying members attended the concert and they even had the chance to talk with Coldplay's 5th member, Phil Harvey. Phil told them he visits coldplaying.com forums and since that day, the thread dedicated to Phil Harvey (Phil is hot thread), turned into the perfect place to say hi to him!
During Coldplay's set, Take That singer Gary Barlow joined them onstage, to perform Back For Good
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvCk2zZ3qU"]YouTube- Coldplay - Back for good feat. Gary Barlow @ 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire, War Child[/ame]
The concert was closed with an impromptu collaboration between Coldplay, Flowers and U2 singer Bono who performed a version of The Killers track 'All These Things That I've Done'.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZxCkVH_zxA"]YouTube- The Killers & Coldplay - All these thing that I've done feat. Gary Barlow, Bono @ War Child[/ame]
As always, Roadie 42 posted a great review of the crazy day!
Making of Life In Technicolor ii video
it's all about the creepy puppets
"Good morning. Click below to watch a terrific "making of" film for Coldplay's Life In Technicolor ii video (big thanks to the video's producer, Matthew Fone, for sending it over). Look out tomorrow for an in-depth interview with the video's director, Dougal Wilson, in which he tells us all about the puppets, the village hall and why Jonny isn't in the helicopter which crashes through the window at the end..."
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFAC1v94xPg"]YouTube- Making of Life in Technicolor ii Video - Coldplay.com[/ame]
The Australian Tour Begins!
The start of the Australian tour involved a Jet lag and also an acoustic set announcement, for Bushfire Benefit Shows. The guys also had the chance to enjoy the summer. The band kicked off their Viva tour of Australia before 17,000 fans at Perth's Burswood Dome
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thanks a lot to Anna for the help, Angie for the thread title and Min for the setlist pic
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Awesome summary, Lore!
Oh, the memories
Thank you!!
(I didn't help that much actually )
>> Parachutes 2.0 <<
Matt about Dom's fear during a flight: "If the plane had jolted any more he would have just come out and said 'I'm gay'."
PWOPAH: Mr. Anna & Mike went to Wembellamy! TWICE, because we quite like it firm.
Best weekend ever, 9th to 12th of Sept 2010.
Pwopahly reuniting for Muse again: 15/12/12
Love you, Imke!!
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Food Review: Snickers Peanut Butter Squared
Can Peanut Butter Make Snickers Even Better?
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To find out whether the chocolate treat held up to its promise that "peanut butter and chocolate just got better," the editors at Slashfood opted for a field test of the new Snickers flavor.
Is it possible to improve the classic? Head over to Slashfood to find out.
Source: Flickr User billsoPHOTO


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The year is 1453, and all signs point to it being the end of the world. Accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, handsome seventeen-year-old, Luca Vero, is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of times across Europe. Commanded by sealed orders, Luca is sent to map the fears of Christendom, and travel to the very frontier of good and evil. Seventeen-year-old Isolde, a Lady Abbess, is trapped in a nunnery to prevent her claiming her rich inheritance. As the nuns in her care are driven mad by strange visions, walking in their sleep, and showing bleeding wounds, Luca is sent to investigate and all the evidence points to Isolde's criminal guilt. Outside in the yard they are building a pyre to burn her for witchcraft. Forced to face the greatest fears of the dark ages - black magic, werewolves, madness - Luca and Isolde embark on a search for truth, their own destinies, and even love as they take the unknown ways to the real historical figure who defends the boundaries of Christendom and holds the secrets of the Order of Darkness.
- Simon & Schuster UK |
- May 2012 |
- Grades 9 and up |
- Lexile 820L
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Changeling
Mass Market Paperback 9780857077318
Author Photo (jpg): Philippa Gregory
Photo credit Santi U(0.1 MB)
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Reading Group Guide
Changeling: Order of Darkness Book One
By Philippa Gregory
About the Book
It is 1453: The Church reigns supreme in Europe, but there are disturbing signs that the Muslims in the East are getting stronger and suspicions that the End of Days may be approaching. Novice priest Luca Vero, aged seventeen, joins a secret church order that battles evil by investigating mysteries—spiritual mysteries. At the same time, recently orphaned Lady Isolde of Lucretili, also seventeen, finds herself banished to the local nunnery. Isolde and her Moorish servant and best friend, Ishraq, immediately suspect that something is not right at the Abbey: nuns are fainting in chapel, seeing visions, sleepwalking, even finding bloody stigmata on their palms. Is it the work of the devil? Her worst fears seem confirmed when the Abbey receives a visitor: investigator Luca Vero, accompanied by his servant, Freize, and a dour clerk, Brother Peter. What dark force is terrifying the nuns and causing them to act this way? Can Luca and Isolde uncover the true source of the problem?
Discussion Questions
1. In the first chapter, we learn that Luca's monastery has accused of him of heresy. What is heresy, and why is it so harshly punished by the Church?
2. Why has Luca, who loves numbers and calculations, never heard of the numeral zero? Why is he so excited when he learns about it?
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Book your room at The Oberoi
Get an overview of this hotelFamily-friendly Dubai hotel in Downtown Dubai with 3 restaurants
Collect 200 points
Simply enter your Nectar card number when prompted. Your points will be credited 30 days after you return from your trip.*Offers may apply
This family-friendly Dubai hotel is located in the business district, within 2 mi (3 km) of KidZania and Souk al Bahar. Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Hotel Features
3 restaurants, a full-service spa, and an outdoor pool are available at this hotel. Free WiFi in public areas, free valet parking, and a free shopping center shuttle are also provided. Additionally, a 24-hour fitness center, a bar/lounge, and a poolside bar are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 252 soundproofed rooms feature free WiFi and iPod docks. Guests can enjoy deep soaking tubs, and other standard amenities include 24-hour room service, minibars, and LED TVs. Private bathrooms are not ensuite.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to a full-service spa, The Oberoi features an outdoor pool and a steam room. Dining is available at one of the hotel's 3 restaurants. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 5-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center, limo/town car service, and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 10588 square feet (984 square meters) include conference space. This luxury hotel also offers a 24-hour fitness center, spa services, and tour/ticket assistance. Onsite self parking and valet parking are complimentary.
The Oberoi has designated areas for smoking.
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 252
- Number of floors - 27
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Conference space
- Elevator/lift
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- Free shopping center shuttle
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Designated smoking areas
- Pool umbrellas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free WiFi
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Meeting rooms
- Multilingual staff
- Free valet parking
- Poolside bar
- Porter/bellhop
- Luggage storage
- Free self parking
- Pool sun loungers
- Conference space size (meters) - 984
- Number of meeting rooms - 7
- Year Built 2013
- Number of restaurants - 3
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 10588
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa services on site
- Steam room
- Outdoor pool
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Soundproofed rooms
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Free valet parking
Room Amenities
- Free newspaper
- Air conditioning
- Soundproofed rooms
- Climate control
- Phone
- Minibar
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bidet
- Shower only
- Separate bathtub and shower
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Desk
- In-room safe
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Private bathroom (not in room)
- iPod docking station
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Room service (24 hours)
- Individually furnished
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Hydromassage showerhead
- Free cribs/infant beds
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 7 AM and 10 AM.
Nine7One - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Ananta - This fine-dining restaurant specializes in Indian cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.
Umai - This fine-dining restaurant specializes in Asian cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.
Lobby Bar - This bar serves light fare only.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool, a steam room, and a 24-hour fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
Spa Services
Oberoi Spa has 7 treatment rooms including rooms for couples. Services include deep-tissue massages, Thai massages, massages, and facials. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including Ayurvedic. The spa is equipped with a steam room.
Children under 15 years old are not allowed in the spa without adult supervision.
- Deep tissue massage
- Steam room in spa
- Thai massage
- Number of treatment rooms 7
- Couples treatment rooms
- Body wraps
- Body scrubs
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Massages
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible parking
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
24-hour check-in
No pets or service animals allowed
- Tourism fee: AED 20 per accommodation, per night
- Rollaway bed fee: AED 250 per night
We should mention
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. One child 12 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
Business Travel Plus
Book a stay in a "Business Travel Plus" now - December 31, 2016 for travel during the same period and receive the following:
- Internet
- Breakfast
- Airport pick-up
- Early check-in and late check-out