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Loveliness of Longchamp is sadly lost on the locals; Nicholas Godfrey samples the holiday atmosphere in the Bois de Boulogne for the Grand Prix de Paris meeting
0 Comments | Racing Post (London, England), The, July 18, 2010
Byline: Nicholas Godfrey
HOW’S this for a French horseracing joke? What do you get if you cross a nation-defining holiday with one of the most historic, richly endowed races in Europe? Then you offer free entry to one of the world’s most iconic racetracks, laying on a range of special attractions for the more casual visitor? Well, what you certainly don’t get is the sort of crowd the event deserves. If this is a joke, then it isn’t funny any more.
Five years ago, when the Prix du Jockey Club’s distance was reduced, the French authorities also moved the Grand Prix de Paris to the evening of July 14, Bastille Day, in a bid to revivify what was once France’s greatest race.
The Grand Prix itself has blossomed since, giving rise to suggestions that it ought to be considered France’s true Derby event – subsequent Arc winner Rail Link scored for the sponsors Juddmonte in 2006 – but evidently this persuasively remodelled card still suffers from the French racing malaise in popularity terms.
At 6pm, we are half an hour into an eight-race meeting featuring a couple of Group races and two more Listeds featuring all the top French stables augmented by a couple of cross-Channel visitors. Minutes before the second race, it is virtually deserted in front of the stands.
Partly this is down to the lack of bookmakers, which leaves a wide patch of ground adjacent to the straight as a no man’s land. Partly it is down to the weather, sultry summer having broken into biblical thunderstorms early in the afternoon.
Mainly, though, this is par pour les courses in France, where the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting is an anomaly, blessed with a unique atmosphere that owes much to the annual pilgrimage of rosbifs.
Even at graceful Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne they face an uphill struggle at the gate. And that includes Bastille Day, when tricolore bunting adorns the wrought-iron gates and red, white and blue flags are handed out to customers, there are pony rides and carousel on the infield, plus a post-race fireworks display midway through a set from DJ Zebra.
An influx later in the evening results in an estimated attendance of about 6,500, and clerk of the course Christian Delporte expected better. “Of course it is a little disappointing because last year we had double that number,” he says. “This has to be due to the storms at lunchtime. People have abandoned their picnics on the pelouse [infield].”
Longchamp is one of seven Parisian tracks, alongside three more Flat (Saint-Cloud, Maisons-Laffitte and Chantilly, 41km away), two jumps (nearby Auteuil and Enghien) and one for trotting (Vincennes).
Its prevailing atmosphere is civilised rather than boisterous, befitting a famously elegant venue that so entranced the likes of Manet and Degas a century ago and rightly remains a byword for racing prestige.
Opened in April 1857 in front of Napoleon III, the place reeks of racing history, from the 1865 Triple Crown winner Gladiateur, the Avenger of Waterloo whose statue stands on a finely manicured lawn behind the main gate. He also won the Grand Prix de Paris in 1865, the year before he took the Ascot Gold Cup. By 40 lengths.
Longchamp is redolent of such racing legend: even on a quiet day it is difficult to avoid thinking of Ribot and Sea-Bird, Mill Reef and Dancing Brave, Suave Dancer (he’s got a statue as well) and Peintre Celebre, Montjeu and Sea The Stars.
There can be few more romantic sights in racing than the view from the stands of the Eiffel Tower poking out of the Bois on the far side of the track, and Longchamp’s landmarks have long since entered the sport’s folklore, from the false straight (the slight right-hand turn before the proper straight) to the windmill (moulin) on the turn just after the winning post.
The layout involves a confusion of interlaced circuits and 46 different starting points, so perhaps it is hardly surprising that races tend to be run at a crawl before ending in a sprint to the line
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Greenberg Traurig Grows Bankruptcy, Litigation Practice in Central Florida with Soriano Addition
Business Wire, Dec 3, 2007
TAMPA, Fla. — Greenberg Traurig, an international law firm with more than 1,750 attorneys in 28 offices throughout the United States and Europe, including Tampa, has added nationally recognized attorney Robert A. “Rob” Soriano as a shareholder to its business reorganization and bankruptcy and litigation practices. Soriano joins the firm from Shutts & Bowen’s Tampa office. He was previously at Carlton Fields, also in Tampa, where he headed that firm’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice group.
“Rob Soriano has a national reputation in the area of creditors’ rights and bankruptcy and will strengthen this practice for Greenberg Traurig in the Middle District of Florida. To that end, Rob will spend part of his time in our Orlando office,” said David Weinstein, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Tampa office. The office has grown by 16 lawyers since its founding in August of 2006.
“Bringing Rob to Greenberg Traurig is something I’ve been attempting to do for more than a decade. Given where Rob is in his career, how well our Tampa office is developing, and where the bankruptcy and insolvency practice appears to be headed, Rob’s decision to join us could not come at a more opportune time,” said Mark Bloom, co-managing shareholder of the firm’s Miami office and co-chair of the national business reorganization and bankruptcy practice.
“Greenberg Traurig has an excellent national platform and leadership position to offer my clients. In addition, this is somewhat of a homecoming as I will be working with old friends whose work I respect,” Soriano said. The firm’s business reorganization and bankruptcy practice brings together more than 65 attorneys located across the United States. The team has experience handling the many complex issues that arise in business reorganizations, restructurings, workouts, liquidations and distressed acquisitions and sales, as well as cross-border proceedings involving U.S. and foreign law.
Soriano received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, with high distinction, and his J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University
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Expressing Your Appreciation Through Unique Groomsmen Gifts by Jnet
in Shopping / Gifts (submitted 2010-07-21)
Giving groomsmen gifts is an essential part of wedding tradition in Western culture. These gifts are for groomsmen who play a pivotal role to help make the wedding possible. From arranging pre-wedding functions, bachelor party to ushering guests during the entire ceremony, name it and they will do it with no hesitation. They the closest friends of the groom, companion through thick and thin, and brothers for life…and men who deserve special gifts from him!
While the groomsmen are doing all the possible ways for the big day of the groom, the groom himself has to do something to show appreciation to his groomsmen. Unique groomsmen gifts are great ideas to make groomsmen feel special and appreciated. Anything that is unique and they will appreciate can delight those gentlemen.
If you are the groom, finding unique groomsmen gifts may seems to be a challenge for you. Fortunately, with the help of the Internet today, that task should no longer be a tricky for you, as you can easily find and shop unique items online. Your friends will definitely love the idea that you have invested time and extra effort to look for something rare to their eyes, yet fits their personalities.
Unique groomsmen gifts don’t need to be expensive. You should keep in your mind that your groomsmen are priceless and no expensive gift can pay their goodness to you, so why spend too much? But as much as you want to save money on groomsmen gifts, you should never think of compromising the quality of the presents
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Al Diar Capital Hotel spruces up lobby and restaurant
0 Comments | Al Bawaba, Nov 25, 2008
Al Diar Capital Hotel spruces up lobby and restaurant
– New look and feel will boost customer experience –
Al Diar Capital Hotel, a member of the Al Diar chain owned and managed by Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), has completed the refurbishment of its lobby and the Palm Restaurant on the 13th floor. The 3-month long improvement included renovation, redecoration, new furniture and upgrading facilities, including state-of-the-art kitchen equipment.
The Hotel’s lobby has undergone complete furniture change and interior redecoration. New sofas, lighting system, guest relations officer’s (GRO) desk, reception counter and accessories were put in place. The lobby’s central column was coated with wood finishing giving it a solid look. The walls were also spruced up to brighten the atmosphere at the hotel.
The Palm Restaurant on the topmost floor, with its breathtaking view of the sea, was expanded to add 10 percent of dining space. New state-of-the-art equipment has been placed to improve the service and dining experience at the Palm. The desserts and cold salad counters were redecorated with marble tiles and the new chafing dish has an electric heater control and stainless steel panel
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If you don?t have money for work out tapes, you can rent them from the library. The bottom line is if you want to work out, you will find a way.
Finally, once you have your workout schedule working for you, offer to help someone else become disciplined to work out.
Helping others always helps you feel better as well. Give it a try!
2. Increasing your metabolism.
Plain and simple, exercising will increase your metabolism and will help you lose weight at all hours of the day, even at night when you are sleeping! Your metabolism is the amount of calories you burn during the day. Conversely, your body also has a built in system for self-survival in case of famine. If you don?t eat enough food, you can also reduce your metabolism
and make it harder to lose weight. We will talk more about that in just a moment.
3. Changing your eating habits.
You?re doing better now, but working out and increasing your metabolism is only a part of the solution. You still must change your eating habits. Have you found yourself doing this crazy? Are you eating a Granola bar for breakfast, a salad for lunch and then eating chocolate shakes and hamburgers from the drive through late at night on the way home from the gym? That won?t work! You are starving yourself and lowering your metabolism in the long run, and eating food late at night that will not get burned off and only makes you feel more miserable the next day when you look in the mirror or step on the scale.
Do you know that you are setting up yourself for failure? Your body is smart? so smart that it knows if you are not giving it enough food, that there may be a problem, and you start to burn fewer calories.
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[pounds sterling]40,000 jewellery haul stolen from village
0 Comments | Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser (Buckingham, England), Dec 7, 2007
AROUND [pounds sterling]40,000 worth of jewellery was stolen in a burglary at a home in Potterspury last month.
A two foot square safe weighing more than 50kg and containing the jewellery was taken from the Watling Street property, between 2pm and 5pm on November 17.
Included in the safe was a mens’ Rolex Oyster Perpetual date-day watch, a ladies’ Rolex Oyster Perpetual datejust watch, a Rolex Date stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Chronometer, a mens Gucci Bi Metal sports watch and a ladies Gucci Bi Metal sports watch.
Other items of jewellery included a white gold ring, pendant and earrings, gold earrings and pendant, two diamond rings, a diamond bangle, a diamond pendant necklance, diamond earrings and a gold necklace. There were also gift vouchers and euros.
Northants Police believes the weight of the safe meant it would have required two people to take it away.
Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this incident taking place or anyone who may have been offered any of these items for sale.
Witnesses to this incident, or anyone with information, should contact Northants Police on 08453 700700 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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Hang shoe pocket bags on the backs of doors to collect small items.
3. Clear off your kitchen counters. Everyone has large appliances that go unused. If you don?t use the wafflemaker, juicer, rolling pins, kitchen-aid, toaster, crockpot regularly, sell it, donate it, or dump it. This applies to all flat surfaces (i.e., desks, tables).
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4. Avoid last minute scrambles by creating essential checklists. List trip essentials, babysitter instructions, gym bag or diaper bag supplies, and what to take back and forth between houses for joint-custody situations. Save the lists on your computer and keep several copies.
5. Remember future events with 1-31 and monthly dividers. Put the birthday cards you need to send, RSVPs, directions, and furniture delivery schedules in the corresponding months.
Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com to subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips and downloads- free..
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It can provide you with many resources to research new career choices and find out information on a particular career field such as average salary, work environment, job responsibilities, etc.
Use Resumes That Give You an Advantage
Whether you are starting a career, changing careers or looking for a different job in your present career, the best career advice is to have a great, eye-catching resume.
You may be thinking about using your old resume, maybe the one you made after graduating from college. However, you will have to make changes to that resume to make it relevant to your present situation.
Upgrade your resume with the additional skills and experiences you have acquired.
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It?s seems to have had a complete redesign job and I think it looks just fantastic despite the raw comments from the usual critiques. I?m just a Joe average and no real authority on the motor, but as a long and loyal customer of Honda cars, I think I have some valid remarks to make on this latest addition to the Honda family.
One of the fist things I noticed when I got inside the car was that it seemed to have more space than the previous models. There?s also a smart looking all black 2 level instrument panel which I really like. Once you’ve got the ignition on, the lower dash area lights up and the upper layer displays the digital speedometer. Really slick and very easy on the eye. The layout is smart, clean, functional and convenient. It?s also void of any distractions.
Being a family man I was looking at the 5 speed 4 door manual model with a 140bhp 1.8 liter engine. It seems as though electric windows are a standard feature now which is a nice touch.
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All the entanglements are self.
4. Unless you have the capacity to absolutely let go of old, new will not arrive.
5. Everything will be counted for at the end of the day. What matters is absolute devotion. By all means devote yourself.
6. By all means be absolutely loyal to your own vision. Never ever allow the world (objects and people) to take unnecessary space in yourself. Enough is enough. The world has a reality as long as you give it
7. The nature of the blessings is such that it is unseen and works unknowingly. Never be disheartened and seek the company of great ones, either physically or non physically.
8. If you can not get out of any involvement, you are doomed to be lost and suffering in your involvement. By all means stay in this world but be not of this world.
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