July 1936 military uprising in Barcelona

The July 1936 military uprising in Barcelona was a military uprising in Barcelona, the capital and largest city of Catalonia, Spain on 19 July 1936 which contributed to  the start of the Spanish Civil War. Most of the army officers in the city supported the coup, but the Civil Guard, the Assault Guard (Guardia de Asalto) and the Mossos d'Esquadra remained loyal to the government. Furthermore, Barcelona was one of the strongholds of the anarchist union, the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT). The rebel troops were defeated after bloody combat.

The defeat of the military coup in Barcelona was a great success for the Republic, although after the defeat of the Francoists it became clear that the workers' militias - in particular, the anarcho-syndicalist militias - were the ones that really controlled the city. The defeat of the rebels marked the beginning of the Spanish Revolution and also the beginning of a harsh repression in Catalonia against those elements of being "fascist" or opposed to the revolution.

Background

On July 17–18, a part of the Spanish army, led by a group of officers (among them the generals José Sanjurjo, Francisco Franco, Emilio Mola, Manuel Goded Llopis and Gonzalo Queipo de Llano), tried to overthrow the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish coup of July 1936. One of the main goals of the coup was to take control of the main cities of the country, among them Barcelona.

Opposing forces
In Barcelona, the plotters led by the General Fernández Burriel planned to use the troops of the garrisons in the periphery of the city, about 5000 men of the IV division of the Spanish Army in order to march towards the city center and join up in the Plaça de Catalunya. Then they would occupy the city and wait the arrival of General Goded. The general Llano de la Encomienda, commander of the IV division, stayed loyal to the government, but most of the officers supported the coup. Nevertheless, the Guardia Civil (Civil Guard) in Barcelona, led by General Aranguren; the Guardia de Asalto; and the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, led by Captain Frederic Escofet, (around 5000 men) remained loyal to the government. Also remaining loyal was El Prat air base, commanded by Colonel Diaz Sandino, whose planes bombed the rebel troops.

On 18 July news about a rising of the Army of Africa in the Spanish protectorate in Morocco reached Barcelona, but the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Lluís Companys, refused to give weapons to the workers and ordered anarchists carrying weapons to be detained. Nevertheless, the CNT, led by Buenaventura Durruti and Francisco Ascaso, assaulted some army depots and the prison ship Uruguay, and started to manufacture home-made grenades and improvised armoured cars. Furthermore, Assault Guards handed out rifles to the CNT.

The fight in Barcelona
Before dawn of 19 July, four in the morning, the officers in the Pedralbes Barrack told their soldiers that the government had ordered them to crush an anarchist rising in Barcelona. The troops left the Barracks and marched towards the Plaça de Catalunya, through the Avinguda Diagonal. Soon after, Companys received the news of the troops advancing towards the city.  At five in the morning, the Montesa cavalry regiment, the Santiago dragoons regiment and a battery of the 7th light Regiment left their barracks and marched towards the Plaça de Catalunya, but the deployment of troops was badly co-ordinated and the junction of the rebels columns was never achieved. The rebel troops were attacked by snipers and with home-made bombs. The anarchists built barricades with paving stones in order to block the city center, and the Guardia Civil and the Assault Guards joined them against the rebel troops.

Some units were forced to retreat into their barracks and others never broke into the streets, but an infantry column, led by Major Lopez Amor, reached the Plaça de Catalunya and occupied the telephone exchange, and other units occupied the Hotel Colón and the Ritz and barricaded themselves. At 11 a.m., General Goded arrived from Mallorca, went to the captain-general's headquarters, and arrested the commander of the IV Division, General Llano de la Encomienda, but the situation of the rebel troops was hopeless.

After bloody combats in the Plaça de Catalunya and other parts of the city, the anarchists and the loyal troops surrounded all the rebel-held buildings in the city. The Civil Guards, led by the Colonel Antonio Escobar, assaulted the Hotel Colón and the Ritz and the anarchists occupied the telephone exchange. After that, Goded surrendered and broadcast a statement over the radio to prevent further bloodshed. By nightfall, the rebel troops only held the Drassanes barracks, near the port and the Andreu barracks. The next morning the anarchists, led by Buenaventura Durruti, assaulted the barracks and the rebel troops surrendered. Ascaso died during the assault, but the CNT seized 30,000 rifles in the barracks. There were over 500 deaths and 3,000 wounded.

Aftermath
After the defeat of the coup in Barcelona, the CNT was the real power in the city until the May Days in 1937. After the coup, the CNT had 30,000 armed men and women in Barcelona, while the government had only 5000.

Political implications
After the failed uprising in Barcelona, the city was practically in the hands of the workers' militias, which had obtained the armament of the military arsenals and had a force of armed men far superior to the security forces with which both the Central Government as the Generalitat could count. Hugh Thomas believes that at the end of the military rebellion in Barcelona the security forces had 5,000 armed men, while the CNT-FAI had about 30,000 armed men. Thus, although the loyal forces had managed to defeat the insurgents, the reality was that the workers' movement had taken control of the city and had supplanted the authority and powers of Catalan government and Spanish State.

Due to this situation, the same night of July 20 the anarchist leaders Juan García Oliver, Diego Abad de Santillán and Buenaventura Durruti visited Lluís Companys on the occasion of the new situation that had been created. Companys could have used the security forces to force the workers to return the rifles and ammunition they had confiscated, but he was in dangerous territory and preferred to offer the anarchists the possibility of taking power or collaborating with the state. The anarchist leaders, despite the historical experience of the liberal movement, opted for the second option, although the state would have a fairly limited role as would be demonstrated in the following months. From this meeting between Companys and the main anarchist leaders would come the creation of the Central Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia (CCMA), which would be the real government in Barcelona for many months. This marked the beginning of what has become known as the Spanish Revolution.

The situation would not be, far from it, consolidated and a large number of conflicts and confrontations would take place in the city during the following months, in an escalation that would end up leading to the May Days. The solid implementation of the control of the republican government over Barcelona allowed its counterintelligence agencies to significantly reduce the activities of the fifth column affects the rebel faction, as well as discover and arrest almost all the leaders of Falange that had survived the failed uprising.

Repression and violence in the rear
The officers and main leaders of the rebellion who had been arrested were initially taken to Castle of Montjuïc, where they remained until July 26 they were transferred to the prison ship   Uruguay ,  in the city's port. During the time they were imprisoned on the prison ship, the prisoners were treated correctly: they were allowed to sit on the deck and read novels from the ship's library. However, the provocative attitude  Many of the detainees were grounds for the authorities to end these privileges.  The officers involved in the conspiracy were tried in court martial by the republican authorities, aboard the  Uruguay . The general Manuel Cardenal presided over the military tribunal that judged the rebellious officers.  On August 11, Generals Goded and Fernández Burriel were tried for having directed the military rebellion, condemned to death and shot the next day in the moat of Montjuic Castle.  The general  Legorburu would also end up being executed  A few days later, on August 26, after being tried in court martial, other ringleaders of the rebellion were also shot: the Infantry commander  López-Amor, and the captains  López Belda,  López Varela and  Lizcano de la Rosa.

Notes

References

Bibliography
Beevor, Antony. The battle for Spain. The Spanish civil war, 1936-1939. Penguin Books. 2006. London. .
Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London.

Category:Spanish Civil War
Category:1936 in Catalonia
Category:Conflicts in 1936
Category:Military history of Barcelona
Category:1930s in Barcelona
Category:Spanish Civil War in Catalonia
Category:July 1936 events


Maps currently not available

PointSavers offers up to 33% in point savings, depending on the hotel category and number of nights requested.This hotel is offering Seasonal Awards, so you can use fewer points when you book a stay during these dates.

Located in the Lake Norman area off I-77 at exit 36 in the heart of "Race City USA". Our hotel is located 18m north of uptown Charlotte, 25m north of Charlotte Int'l Airport, 10m south of Statesville, and 6m north of Davidson College.

Conveniently located off I-77, our hotel's accommodations are convenient for the business and leisure traveler. We are 10 minutes from Charlotte Douglas Airport and 6 miles from up town Charlotte. We offer complimentary breakfast and southern hospitality.

Marriott For:

Our Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. See our Terms & Conditions for details. Guarantee does not apply to Protea Hotels®, Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, and Hotel Ritz Madrid.

Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates.


TRAVEL TIPS

9 unmissable places to see live, local music

There’s nothing like an intimate gig to help you get under the skin of a city. Photo:ALIghtbourne, Flickr

As Fête de la Musique tunes up for its 21 June appearance in streets and bars all over the world, we felt in the mood for some music. But not a giant, muddy festival or spangly musical. Nope. We wanted to find proper, local music, played live, lit by candlelight, hidden in a smoky cellar.

Where better to find out than from local musicians? So we asked four musicians who rent out their places on 9flats to reveal their favourite intimate venues in their cities. And happily, they did!

There are always so many great music events happening. Here are some great venues in South London:

1. The Hootanany, Brixton: Great venue, friendly atmosphere and they also do a band karaoke so you can get up on stage and sing with a live band!

2. The White Lion, Streatham: This is a charity-run bar for children’s education, which is a fantastic cause. Because of it, there’s always something exciting happening nearly every night. Summertime will be amazing. Plus its less than five minutes walk from the apartment.

3. Ritzy Cinema, Brixton: This is a really cool cinema that also does live music upstairs From Latin jazz to poetry, there’s always something to keep you entertained.

4. Southbank Centre, central: You can’t visit South London without going here, right beside the Thames. They have many free events, festivals and activities happening – too much to mention!!

How long have you been a singer?

For a number of years now, travelling all over the world to places like Muscat, Japan, Vancouver, Miami, Paris. Work can be so varied… one week I’ll be performing at a wedding and the next week for Richard Branson! It’s so much fun, even if travelling can be very tiring.

Where can we find your music?

You can find me on SoundCloud here and MySpace, and performing in The White Lion in Streatham!

>> Keisher rents out her apartment for six people in Streatham while she’s away performing.

I’m sorry but I can’t, or it will stop being a secret, right? Or maybe it’s one of the below. Who knows? When I’m in Lisbon I always try to go to:

5.Hot Club: The greatest and smallest jazz club in the world, and also one of the oldest in Europe. Where most of the greatest musicians in jazz history have played.

6.Ritz Clube: A bohemian paradise you shouldn’t miss. It first opened in 1908 and closed some years ago due to a serious risk of collapse. Recently reopened, it’s already a hot spot again. My band will hold the new CD release party there this July.

If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a gig of the band ‘Dead Combo’, Portuguese music’s best kept secret.

How long have you been a musician?

Since I was a teenager. I ended up playing the double bass, mainly because no one else wanted that position. I’ve probably been in more than 15 bands and played hundreds of gigs, from the smallest bar to the best hall in town. I was never a professional musician, but work as an art director and designer. I try to design as much as possible for bands: CDs, T-shirts, etc. A lot of fun and never enough money – great combination.

Then there’s Dockville festival from 10-12 August and Elbjazz in May. But, of course anyone can listen to music, the most beautiful thing is to sing yourself. As a vocal coach, I recommend you visit singing workshops or get personal coaching in your favourite style!

How long have you been a singer?

I’ve been working freelance as a professional musician since 1994. My specialty is TV advertising and studio vocals for pop, rock and jazz. I also do weddings and corporate events and nice hotels. I’m known as the voice of Fa and, amongst other things, Dr. Oetker, Yellow Pages, Postbank, Telekom, and soon, Smart.

In late June, early July, you can enjoy Lyon’s Fourvière Nights (rock, jazz, classical). In July there’s the Jazz à Vienne festival, 25 minutes from here, where many big names in the jazz world come together.

How long have you been a professional musician?

For 25 years: concert flautist, director of a municipal music school and conductor at the l’Université Scientifique de la Doua-Lyon 1. I’m also passionate about early music, so I play the baroque flute ‘traverso’ and flutes in the keys of the 19th century. I haven’t quite come to terms with jazz, but practice it all the same. Thanks to my instrument, I’ve had the chance to travel around the world, for example to Japan where we performed on Japanese TV.


Putting on the Ritz - Top Recruiter

Running throughout the year (January - December 2018), our Achievement Awards are given to our Top Sellers, Recruiters, Organisers, Mentors and Leaders for both new and established Organisers.

We are thrilled that on Friday 22nd February 2019, we will be inviting thetop three Organisers in each of the six categories to join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Usborne Publishing at Usborne House in London, followed by an exclusive dinner in a private dining room at the world-famous five-star luxury hotel - The Ritz, and an overnight stay at the Washington Mayfair hotel!

This month we spoke to one of our potential 2018 winners, Sarah Higgs, who is currently in third place in our Top Recruiter category. Sarah is a great example of how it's still not too late to put yourself in the running for our Achievement Awards.

Here's how Sarah got herself back onto the leaderboard for Top Recruiter:

'From the start of the year, I knew I wanted to aim to be at the Ritz in 2019, but I completely lost focus and drifted in my business. In July I had fallen off the leaderboards completely and decided to pause and take a moment to reflect, write some new goals and totally readdress my business and what I needed to do to get back on track.

I knew I needed to be able to keep track of what is going on. So, with this in mind, I went shopping for some new stationery and created a new chart to keep track of everyone who joined the team from the first of July. I wrote in all their incentives dates and when they placed their first order and unlocked schools. It made keeping track of everyone so much easier. The results have been amazing and it was so exciting to see my name back on the leaderboard and especially in third slot.

I really would love to be at the Ritz next year, but if I make it or not, I know my business is in a much stronger place by trying to get there, than if I had just admitted defeat.'

Inspired by Sarah and want to know how you can join us at The Ritz in 2019? Find out more about our Achievement Awards criteria here. It's still not too late to achieve this fantastic incentive!

We are very excited to be able to celebrate the successes of more Organisers than ever next year, and can't wait to shout about all your amazing achievements for 2018!


Juanito Quintana

Juan Quintana Urra  (1891-1974) was a  Spanish hotelier,  bullfight businessman, and activist in the Spanish Republic.   He was the basis for the character Juanito Montoyo in  Ernest Hemingway's  novel The Sun Also Rises.

Life in Pamplona

Quintana  was born in Pamplona, Spain in 1891,  the eldest of three children of Ignacio Quintana Barreneche and Saturnina Urra Vizcar. His father worked as a postman.  Quintana opened the Quintana Hotel at 18 Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona. The bullfighters who came to Pamplona usually stayed in the hotel. Juanito Quintana was a big aficionado and worked as an entrepreneur organizing bullfights. Between 1926 and 1930 he was president of Club Taurino in Pamplona.

Quintana married Juana Mantecón Iturri (1911-1999) and had a son, Juan.

Spanish Civil War and  World War II

During the Second Spanish Republic Quintana was a prominent Republican sympathizer and political organizing often took place in his hotel.  In July 1936, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, Quintana was away from Pamplona, because he had gone to Mont-de-Marsan to see bullfights, which saved him from being a victim of repression against Republicans, but his hotel was requisitioned by the new authorities and he could never get it back. He settled for some years in France, where his brother Alberto ran a hotel in the town of Biarritz. In 1941 both brothers were able to return to Spain and settled in San Sebastián. During World War II Alberto Quintana was part of the Comet line, which helped Allied soldiers and airmen return to Britain during the Second World War after crossing the Basque-Navarre border on the way to Gibraltar.

Friendship with Ernest Hemingway

Juanito Quintana is known for his friendship with the writer Ernest Hemingway.  In 1924, when Hemingway was in  Madrid, the bullfighting critic Rafael Hernandez advised him to go to the festival of San Fermin in Pamplona and stay at the Hotel Quintana, where he could enjoy the best bullfighting atmosphere. He did, and Hemingway and Quintana struck up a close friendship which only ended with the writer's death. Hemingway stayed at the Hotel Quintana on his visits to Pamplona in 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929 and 1931. Quintana appears embodied in the character of Juanito Montoya, owner of the Hotel Montoya in the novel The Sun Also Rises of 1926. In the fifties, after a long absence from Spain, Hemingway returned and resumed their relationship. The Hotel Quintana no longer existed, but Juanito Quintana arranged  accommodation on their visits to Pamplona in 1953 and 1959, and accompanied Hemingway  in his travels through several cities, united by their love of bullfighting. Hemingway refers to him in Death in the Afternoon: “Quintana, the best aficionado and most loyal friend in Spain, and with a fine hotel with all the rooms full”.

Bibliography
 James A. Michener, Iberia: Spanish Travels and Reflections, NY, Random House, 1968.
 José María Iribarren, Hemingway y los Sanfermines, Pamplona, Gómez, 1970.
 M.C. Rintoul, Dictionary of Real People and Places in Fiction, London, Routledge, 1993.
 Miguel Izu, Hemingway en los sanfermines, Pamplona, Ediciones Eunate, 2019.

References

External links
 Más sobre la habitación de Hemingway (Spanish)
 Historia del Club Taurino de Pamplona (Spanish)
 "La red 'Comète' en el País Vasco: la Frontera hacia la libertad en la Segunda Guerra Mundial", Revista internacional de los estudios vascos Vol. 56, nº 2, 2011 (Spanish)
 Gran Enciclopedia Navarra (Spanish)

Category:1891 births
Category:1974 deaths
Category:People from Pamplona
Category:Hoteliers


The Expert view: Financial services, digital transformation and the cloud

13 July 2018
| Author: Shane Richmond

Digital transformation is well underway across sectors, with cloud services forming an integral part of that shift. As with other businesses, banks find their customers are more likely to be living digital lives, Justin Nesbitt of Equinix said at the opening of a Business Reporter Breakfast Briefing at The Ritz Hotel in London.

He told attendees – all senior technology experts from across the financial services sector – that the issue is how to remain close to your customers as this trend increases. All types of organisation face challenges in this regard but financial services companies are dealing with a particular set of circumstances.

Cloud drivers and challenges

As with most sectors, attendees said their businesses were embracing the cloud because of a need to cut costs and increase operating speeds, to meet demands from customers and to match offerings from disruptive startups.

One attendee, from the insurance sector, pointed out that the make-up of an IT team will be significantly different before and after a cloud move. The skills required differ considerably, so the business needs to be ready to recruit new staff and train-up the old ones.

The financial services industry, in common with others, is expecting the amount of data it produces and processes to continue increasing. Personalising experiences, leveraging Open Banking, and employing the Internet of Things to create new products and services are all opportunities that will require data capabilities. Attendees said their companies had no desire to be in the data management business.

However, several delegates said they were often constrained by partners, some of whom are not even close to ready for digital transformation but who still need to be supported. Likewise, many customers still rely on old channels, such as cheques. So, as banks open new channels, they still have the overhead of managing the old one.

The shadow of legislation

However, though these issues were acknowledged by attendees, all were considered minor concerns compared to the primary obstacle: regulation. The types of data that a financial services company can put in the cloud, and the type of cloud they can put it in, are frequently constrained by regulation.

Differences in legislation across the world can mean that a bank can, for example, offer smartphone cheque-scanning in the US but not in the UK. It can streamline its back-office functions with cloud applications only to find that they need to be adapted for a handful of countries – something that cloud providers themselves have been slow to support.

Then there is the fact that regulations change rapidly – and therefore so do company processes to meet regulations – but the IT department might find itself in a multi-year contract with a cloud provider that it can’t change. As one attendee said, the regulator is unlikely to be impressed by a promise that you will comply as soon as your cloud contract ends.

Looking towards solutions

Removing obstacles to cloud adoption that result from regulation is not something financial services companies can do by themselves. As things currently stand, an entire ecosystem is necessary to deliver digital transformation but not every part of that ecosystem is equally responsible in the eyes of the regulator.

One attendee suggested the situation would be easier if cloud service providers were subject to the same legislation as financial services companies. Firstly, this would ensure that in the event of a breach the regulator would be able to call on the financial services company and the cloud provider for an explanation. Second, the cloud service is more likely to be compliant with regulations from the outset, avoiding the need for financial services companies to carry out expensive modifications.

Ultimately, attendees agreed this is a problem that can only be solved through dialogue. Most attendees said they already talk to regulators frequently because this helps them to ensure they are complying with regulations before any problems arise. The larger companies also have public policy executives, who talk to legislators about how regulation holds them back.

In future, cloud services providers will play more of a role in these conversations and, some suggested, banks might also need to start talking to each other more and presenting a case, as an industry, for regulation that supports digital transformation. Meanwhile, the industry knows how it wants to put digital transformation in place but remains in a challenging position.


Lady Thatcher’s death could propel The Wizard Of Oz track "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead to the top of the charts.

Those who saw her death as a cause for celebration have prompted a download surge for the track.

Within 48 hours of the former Prime Minister’s death, the song has entered the official UK chart at number 10.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

It is expected to climb higher as a result of a Facebook campaign being set up to encourage sales.

The Facebook group, encouraging people to download the "Witch" song to get it to number one, already had 664 members and was originally set up back in July 2007.

The BBC said it would decide whether to play Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead during Radio 1's top 40 countdown when places are finalised this weekend.

In a statement it said: "The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear."

The song was written by EY Harburg and composed by Harold Arlen and featured in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

A song specifically written to attack Lady Thatcher, "Tramp The Dirt Down" by Elvis Costello, also rose to 79 on the iTunes chart.

Respect MP George Galloway tweeted the title of the 1988 song, which includes the lyrics: “When they finally put you in the ground, they’ll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down.”

Entrepreneurial fashion outlets were quick to cash in on the death. One boutique in Shoreditch, east London, placed T-shirts featuring Warhol-style portraits of Lady Thatcher in its window.

The Redbubble online clothing store was selling black and white T-shirts featuring a stark portrait of the politician with the word “DEAD” below, for £15.

However there appears to be a limit to the public appetite for all things Thatcher-related. A peak-time BBC1 90-minute obituary, narrated by Andrew Marr and broadcast on Monday night, attracted fewer than 3 million viewers. News bulletins providing blanket coverage of the death failed to record a viewing rise.

Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died at the Ritz hotel in London on Monday following a stroke. She was 87.


Recent Posts

Sherry’s Restaurant, New York Canadian by birth, the thrifty and ambitious Louis Sherry originally opened an ice cream and candy store before giving Delmonico’s a run for their money by opening a salubrious restaurant in 1890 that became one of the most famous culinary landmarks in New York until the advent of prohibition. Louis Sherry […]

Murray’s Night Club Murray’s Night Club in Beak Street, London was opened in late 1913 by Jack Mays, an American and Ernest A. Cordell, an Englishman. It was part of the cabaret boom inspired by the tango craze that had been sweeping Europe and the USA and emerged at the same time as other venues […]

Cafe des Ambassadeurs The Café des Ambassadeurs was one of most fashionable and best-known summer venues in Paris situated on the Avenue Gabriel at the entrance to the Champs-Elysées near the Place de la Concorde. Named after the nearby Hotel Crillon that had become the residence of foreign ambassadors, it was founded in 1764 as […]

The Lido des Champs Elysees Clearly inspired by the growing status of the Lido in Venice as a fashionable haunt of high society,the Lido on the Champs Elysees, Paris, opened its doors on 18th February 1928 and was a novelty being a unique combination of a swimming pool, cabaret and restaurant and was described as […]

Cafe de Paris, London The Cafe de Paris was one of the most fashionable dining haunts in London in 1920s. Intimate and elegant it was described by Vogue magazine as ‘delightfully comfortable’ and by Dancing Times as ‘the smartest dance restaurant in London…’

Excelsior Hotel, Lido The Hotel Excelsior has always been the focal point of social life on the Venice Lido and is one of the most luxurious and famous hotels in the world. It was made famous during the mid 1920s when it became one of the most fashionable spots in Europe with its very own […]

The Kit Cat Club The fashionable Kit Cat Club in the Haymarket, which to many people today still epitomises the gay carefree days of the 1920s, was opened in the summer of 1925 and immediately became one of the most famous nocturnal haunts in London. Decked out with the last word in restaurant and dance […]

The Frolics in Paris An interesting venue that glittered brilliantly for a few years in the early 1920s and then promptly disappeared was regarded at the time as the rendezvous of smart international society in Paris.

Hotel Cecil, London The Hotel Cecil was one of the largest and grandest hotels in the world when it opened in 1886 situated between the Embankment and the Strand and not far from the Savoy Hotel. It was one of the most popular places to visit in London with excellent cuisine, perfect ambiance, luxurious surroundings […]

The London Casino The Prince Edward Theatre on Old Compton Street, named after Edward Prince of Wales, opened on the 3rd April 1930 on the site of a drapers business called The Emporium. The area was soon to be known as London’s Quarter Latin now simply Soho. The exterior was in the style of an […]

The French Casino In December 1934, the refurbished Earl Carroll Theatre located on the south-east corner of 7th Ave and 50th Street, New York City, opened as the French Casino. This glittering supper club was described by Fortune magazine as ‘a vast scarlet and silver restaurant which, in terraced rows of tables, seats fifteen hundred […]

Grand Casino of the Villa des Fleurs at Aix-Le-Bains. The Villa des Fleurs was a stunning entertainment complex set in beautiful gardens that made it one of the most fashionable places in Europe during the 1920s.

The Parisian Institution of Maxim’s Restaurant One of the most important additions to the Parisian landscape in the late Nineteenth Century was the legendary Maxim’s restaurant. It has continued to shine as a beacon of excellence for over a century and has become a symbol of Parisian elegance and chic.

Murray’s River Club: A Rendezvous of Ragtime and Romance The American Jack May was instrumental in developing the nightclub scene in London shortly before the First World War and famously opened the legendary Murray’s Club in Beak Street in 1913. At about the same time, or shortly afterward. he opened a summer resort at Maidenhead […]

The Magnificent Murray’s Roman Gardens, New York The eight-storey edifice that was Murray’s Roman Gardens in New York created by John L. Murray, could be described as the first themed restaurant and certainly it became one of the city’s most famous eateries.

Floral Frascati Restaurant, London Frascati restaurant at 32 Oxford Street, London was celebrated for its cosmopolitanism, luxury and excellent cuisine and was a sumptuous and elegant venue that was highly regarded for its international cuisine.

The Classy Ciro’s Restaurant Chain Among European high society Ciro’s became an institution and perhaps the first classy restaurant chain in Europe with main branches in Monte Carlo, Paris, London and Biarritz. Each venue was regarded as far more than a restaurant but the very centre of fashionable life.

Prunier Restaurant, Paris The premier seafood restaurant in Paris was the wonderfully fashionable Prunier’s at 9 Rue Duphot near the Madeleine. It was proud of the fact that every conceivable dish possible that has shellfish as a basis could be served to its eager clientele.


BBC in hot seat as anti-Thatcher song climbs chart

Tools

Share!

LONDON (AP) — Opponents of the late Margaret Thatcher are taking a kind of musical revenge on the former prime minister, pushing the song "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead" up the British charts in a posthumous protest over her polarizing policies.

By Friday the online campaign had propelled the "Wizard of Oz" song to No. 1 on British iTunes and into the top five of the music chart used by the BBC to compile its weekly radio countdown.

David Karpf, who studies online campaigns, said the chart battle was an example of a new kind of protest enabled by social media — "A way for people to signal protest en masse without shouting from the rooftops."

"It's a form of symbolic protest," he said.

The unusual campaign has caused a headache for the BBC. With the ditty near the top of the charts, the broadcaster faced the prospect of airing the words "The Wicked Witch is Dead!" on its Sunday countdown show, just days before Thatcher's funeral, scheduled for Wednesday.

Some lawmakers from Thatcher's Conservative Party had called for the publicly funded broadcaster to drop the song, while others warned that such a move would mean censoring a form of dissent.

The BBC, caught between allegations of censorship and complaints about poor taste, split the difference, saying it would broadcast only part of the tune — along with a news item explaining why it was there.

BBC director-general Tony Hall said that while the broadcaster found the campaign "distasteful and inappropriate," he and other executives had decided the song should not be banned — but should not be broadcast in full, either.

"We have agreed that we won't be playing the song in full, rather treating it as a news story and playing a short extract to put it in context," he said in a statement.

Ben Cooper, controller of Radio 1 — which broadcasts the chart show — said the clip would be "four or five" seconds long, though he did not say what part of the song would be aired.

The controversy — which made the front pages of many national newspapers — serves as a strange musical coda to Thatcher's time in office. The woman known to many as the Iron Lady was in power for 11 years, during which she wrenched Britain from the economic doldrums and successfully retook the Falkland Islands after Argentina's 1982 invasion.

Many still resent Thatcher for her uncompromising stance against the country's labor unions and what they saw as her inhumanity toward the working class. The campaign to send "Ding Dong!" to the top of the charts began soon after she died Monday of a stroke at London's Ritz Hotel.

Fans of Margaret Thatcher fought back by dusting off a 1980 punk song called "I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher," in a tongue-in-cheek bid to compete.

This is not the first time activists have harnessed the Internet to mete out musical punishment. In 2009, a Facebook-driven campaign ensured the anti-establishment group Rage Against the Machine beat a Simon Cowell-backed pop singer to the coveted Christmas No. 1 slot in Britain.

Karpf said the pro- and anti-Thatcher song race was a new variant on what he called a "buycott" — where competing groups use mass purchases to stake out political or cultural positions.

Thatcher supporters were split on whether the song should be played. Some attacked it as gratuitously disrespectful, while others said the right to protest had to be protected.

Louise Mensch, a former Conservative lawmaker and prominent Conservative voice on Twitter, said in a message posted to the site that the Iron Lady would have wanted the song played.

Most Popular

Many pages in this WCCB-TV, Inc. Website feature links to other sites, some of which are operated by companies unrelated to WCCB-TV, Inc. WCCB-TV, Inc. has no control over the content or availability of any linked site. TM and (c) 2011 WCCB-TV, Inc., and its related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication, or distribution in any form is expressly prohibited.


Maps currently not available

PointSavers offers up to 33% in point savings, depending on the hotel category and number of nights requested.This hotel is offering Seasonal Awards, so you can use fewer points when you book a stay during these dates.

Located at the Main Gate of the University of Arizona in Tucson's most vibrant neighborhood. Just minutes from Downtown Tucson. Within walking distance to dozens of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. An ideal property for business or leisure travelers

Marriott For:

Our Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. See our Terms & Conditions for details. Guarantee does not apply to Protea Hotels®, Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, and Hotel Ritz Madrid.

Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates.


Hugh Grant really, really does not like Ben Whishaw. “I want him dead,” he says, softly, as he sips on a cup of tea at the Ritz hotel in London. “He was my wife and I’ve clearly done terrible things to my wife. Then I put him in prison. I tried to kill him on a train. I seduced him, raped him, and tried to have him murdered. He’s been very nice about it.”

It might be the kind of confession he would be best advised to keep to himself, if it hadn’t all happened on screen. Grant’s homicidal leanings are just part of the job. First there was Cloud Atlas, the Wachowskis’ wonder which cast Whishaw and Grant in multiple roles, including one pairing as husband and wife. Then, this year, Paddington 2 and A Very English Scandal; two polar opposite projects that nonetheless both pitted the two actors against each other once again.

All three are creative ways in which to antagonize, but only A Very English Scandal is based in truth. In Stephen Frears’ four-part retelling of the Jeremy Thorpe scandal on Amazon, adapted by Russell T. Davies from John Preston’s book of the same name, Grant plays Thorpe, the British politician whose affair with a stable boy, Norman Scott (Whishaw), caused a sensation when it transpired that Thorpe had plotted to murder Scott to keep him from revealing their dalliance.

Sophie Mutevelian

“From one perspective, he was a monster of narcissism and entitlement,” Grant says of Thorpe. He wrote torrents of love letters to the naïve small town boy, who was taken in by the power and celebrity of the Member of Parliament—and later leader of the Liberal Party. But when he cooled on their relationship, he cut Scott off, and the younger man began to threaten exposure. In 1960s Britain, homosexuality wasn’t just taboo, it was a criminal act. “I think it was torture for him to be born gay in a world that didn’t accept being gay. It was obviously a source of great pain and discomfort for him.”

Indeed, Thorpe married, “for politically-expedient reasons,” Grant notes. But he came to love his first wife and the child they had together before her death. “So when Norman Scott continued to threaten his life, or his position, he was also threatening those people he really loves.”

The British establishment is not unused to scandal, but the Thorpe/Scott affair is on the absurdly extreme side. The tabloid press of the time had a veritable field day when the plot to murder Scott became public knowledge. Grant remembers hearing about it as a schoolboy, when the story first broke, “and we loved it. Everyone loved it. It was like Monty Python.”

The show’s scripts find that tone, blending the absurdity of the crime with a particularly British glee that comes from catching the great and good with their pants around their ankles. It comes from Preston’s book, notes Grant, “And Russell T. Davies’ genius is that every character, even minor ones, are celebrated. He’s saying, ‘Isn’t life wonderful, that you have all these oddities?’”

Sophie Mutevelian

It’s in these kind of characters that Grant is building the second chapter of his career. It began with another Stephen Frears joint, Florence Foster Jenkins, “and she was a freak show, but such a loving one,” Grant says. “Isn’t it amazing that a woman could be so talentless and yet so determined? It’s a celebration of the weirdness of human nature, and I think Stephen is drawn to that.”

So, too, is Grant, whose lauded turn in Florence Foster Jenkins seemed to mark a return to acting. “It’s true, I wasn’t very enthusiastic for a number of years,” he says. After a run in the 1990s and early 2000s as one of the most in-demand British actors on the planet, Grant seemed to take a conscious backseat. “I think it started as my decision, because I was still quite bankable when I decided, ‘Ugh, I can’t really face this.’” He credits the “oddities” that came along, like Cloud Atlas, or the Aardman animation The Pirates! Band of Misfits, with keeping his toes in the water, but the drive wasn’t there for him as it once had been.

“The digestive system of Hollywood is pretty fast,” Grant notes. In 2009 he made Did You Hear About the Morgans?, which failed to hit the rom-com heights he’d achieved in films like About a Boy, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral. “I had a big failure in the genre in which I was supposed to always be successful in, and suddenly I didn’t have the career I used to have. I didn’t really mind, because I was so interested in doing other stuff.”

That included a continuing spell as a political activist. In 2011, he began campaigning in Britain against the excesses of its tabloid press, becoming active in the Hacked Off movement which called for tighter regulation of a media that had been accused of hacking the voicemail of celebrities and victims of crime in order to generate stories. “It was two things. It was the indecency of using someone who’s just lost a kid in a fire or a terrorist incident to sell their papers, and the fact that the newspaper barons were running the country. You don’t want a state run media. That’s terrifying. That’s Russia. And you have not been able to be a Prime Minister or a senior politician in Britain without obeying the diktats of Rupert Murdoch, the Barclay brothers, Richard Desmond or Paul Dacre.”

But Grant never seemed to lose his love for acting, only the detritus that came with his time as a star. When an actor complains about his privacy being invaded, it’s easy for eyes to roll, but it’s precisely the notion of drowning in somebody else’s life that so attracts Grant. “Letting go is always difficult,” he says. “To think less and actually do it. When you do, self-consciousness goes out the window and you stop worrying about yourself. I remember Emma Thompson had this crying scene in Love, Actually, and I asked her, ‘Is that something sad you dug out of your life?’ She said, ‘No, no. I’m the character and the character would cry, so I cried.’ That’s her brilliance. But the older I get, the more I realize I want to be possessed. Once you’re possessed by a character, everything else just fits.”

He has faced a barrage of obvious questions this year about his character in Paddington 2, a luvvie actor named Phoenix Buchanan, whose ego is so oversized that he can’t even bear to share a stage with a co-star. “There’s plenty of narcissism within me, for sure,” he admits. “If you happen to share one or two elements with the character, it comes alive. The camera picks it up. And anyone who has ever acted, it can only be narcissism really, even if nobody admits it. It’s always, ‘I’m really impassioned about my craft.’ Such a wanker. There’s another side of me that has always wanted to run away from that.”

StudioCanal

Whishaw kept his distance on Paddington 2—safely ensconced in a sound booth to record his lines as Paddington (a CG bear) away from his chief antagonist. Instead, Grant was faced with a choice between an actress of Paddington’s height who could fill in on set, or a bear’s head on a stick. “It was terrifying. I couldn’t even look at it. Though, in the end, I found it was least complicated just to use the stick. I ended up becoming rather fond of the stick. And at least it couldn’t do anything bad. You do sometimes work with people, particularly in the earlier part of your career, where you’re like, ‘F*ck me. Are you really going to do it like that?’”

He sees both projects, villainous as his roles might be, as celebrations; while A Very English Scandal champions the oddities of human nature, in Paddington 2 it’s the power of positivity. “Positive is perilous stuff, and it’s something Richard Curtis has had to wrestle his entire career, because his basic message is always positive too. If you can bring it off, triple points I think. But the spirit of Paddington is very positive, and [director] Paul King really picked up on that.”

Part of the appeal of playing an outré actor came from his early days, at the Nottingham Playhouse in 1983, where Grant cut his teeth on the stage. But he demurs when I ask about the co-stars he might have based Buchanan on. “I don’t think I should name them, but it was full of marvelous old thesps from a bygone era,” he recalls. “We all still wore grease paint in those days. These old boys, with barrel voices, doing their warmups. They were very gently sexually predatory. I’ve always loved those guys.”

He affects a deep, British baritone to quote them. “‘Oh hello, Hugh. Have I caught you in your underpants again? Forgive me.’”


Anaheim Marriott

Courtyard Anchorage Airport

Courtyard Anchorage Airport

Nestled between beautiful Downtown Sacramento and the Eldorado National Forest, the city of Rancho Cordova is the perfect destination for travelers looking to explore everything that Northern California has to offer. Guests of our hotels in Rancho Cordova can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the city’s numerous outdoor attractions, including the American River Parkway and the Ancil Hoffman and River Bend Parks.

With the city of Sacramento only twenty minutes away, visitors staying at our accommodations in Rancho Cordova are perfectly situated to visit the Sacramento Zoo and the Raging Waters Aquatic Theme Park. If you're a sports enthusiast, root for the locals with tickets to a Sacramento Kings game at Golden 1 Center.

Guests of our Rancho Cordova hotels who plan on spending extra time in the city should stop in at the Old Sacramento district, where you’ll find steam train rides, the California State Railroad Museum, and learn about the history of the pony express and transcontinental telegraph.

Visitors can grab a drink at Benny’s, then sample some of Rancho Cordova’s local culture on the Second Saturdays Art Walk, held on the second Saturday of each month. Or they can spend their days sampling the area’s wealth of exciting eats at Ichi Maki, Ike’s Deli and Bakery, and the Koreana Plaza food market.

Marriott For:

Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. Guarantee does not apply to Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, Ritz-Carlton Residences®, and Starwood-Branded Hotels, including Four Points Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Aloft Hotels, W Hotels, Le Meridien Hotels, Luxury Collection Hotels, Element Hotels, Westin Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Tribute Portfolio Hotels and Design Hotels. Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® members (“Rewards Members”) who book rooms through a Marriott® Direct Booking Channel, authorized travel agents or select corporate travel partners ("Eligible Channels") at hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty programs will receive an exclusive, preferred rate (“Marriott Rewards Member Rate”). Member Rates are available globally at all hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards Exclusions apply. See our Terms & Conditions for additional details related to our Best Available Rate Guarantee and Marriott Rewards Member Rate. Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates.


David de Keyser

David de Keyser (born 22 August 1927) is an English actor. He was born in London.

Career
In the mid-sixties de Keyser worked twice with the writer, actor and director Jane Arden. Their first collaboration, The Logic Game (January 1965), was directed by Philip Saville. They acted together again in another Jane Arden script in the film Separation (Jack Bond 1968) which was set in London and featured music by Procol Harum, Matthew Fisher and Stanley Myers. The themes of both pieces were marital strife and disintegrating relationships.

De Keyser has also worked on four occasions for the British director John Boorman, twice on screen in Catch Us If You Can (1965) and Leo the Last (1970), and on two further occasions Boorman has used de Keyser's rich, distinctive voice, firstly as the Voice of the Tabernacle in Zardoz (1974), and as the Voice of the Grail in Excalibur (1981).  Other unseen roles were the voice of Count Mitterhaus' curse in Vampire Circus (uncredited) and the dubbing of Dracula in The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.

De Keyser starred in the BBC Radio 4 comedy The Attractive Young Rabbi with Tracy-Ann Oberman. He also made an appearance in the UK TV series The Professionals, in the episode entitled "Servant of Two Masters". Other television appearances included the Thriller episode "Someone at the Top of the Stairs", in which he played the eponymous Cartney, Yes Prime Minister in the episode "A Victory for Democracy" where he played the Israeli Ambassador and the Robin of Sherwood episode "The Children of Israel" as Joshua de Talmont. He starred in UK Television series Dick Turpin starring Richard O'Sullivan in part two of an episode entitled "Sentence of Death" where he played the character The Duke of Hesse.

De Keyser was the narrator for Pathe Pictorial in the 1960s, and has also done voiceover work on television advertisements in the United Kingdom, as well as served as the announcer on the first series of comedy panel game Would I Lie to You?, before being replaced for the second series. His voice can also be heard on the trailer (included in DVD releases) for The Dark Crystal. He was married to anti-apartheid activist Ethel de Keyser from 1949 to 1959. He is the father of Alexei de Keyser (1967–2004).

Partial filmography

1957: The Secret Place – Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
1964: Castle of the Living Dead – Eric (voice, uncredited)
1965: The Logic Game (TV) – The Man
1965: Catch Us If You Can – Zissell
1966: Our Man in Marrakesh – Hotel Clerk and Motorcycle Policeman (uncredited)
1967: King Kong Escapes – Commander Carl Nelson (English version, voice)
1968: Separation – Husband
1968: The Vengeance of She – Killikrates (voice, uncredited)
1969: The Blood of Fu Manchu – of The Governor and others (voice)
1969: The Castle of Fu Manchu – Omar Pasha and others (voice, uncredited)
1969: On Her Majesty's Secret Service – Marc Ange Draco (voice, uncredited)
1970: Leo the Last – David
1970: You Can't Win 'Em All – Gunner Major (voice, uncredited)
1971: Irresistible – Swiss Tourist
1971: The chairman's Wife – Superintendent
1971: The Horsemen – Mukhi (uncredited)
1971: Diamonds Are Forever – Doctor
1972: Vampire Circus – Mitterhaus's Curse (voice, uncredited)
1973: Bequest to the Nation – French Commander (uncredited)
1973: A Touch of Class – Doctor Alvarez
1974: Zardoz – Tarbenacle (voice, uncredited)
1974: The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires – Dracula (voice, uncredited)
1974: Murder on the Orient Express – Turkish Ticket Collector (voice, uncredited)
1975: Brannigan – of Drexel and Jennifer's Boyfriend (uncredited)
1975: Paper Tiger – Ambassador Kagoyama (voice)
1975: The Hiding Plac – Eusie Koonstra
1975: The Romantic Englishwoman – George
1976: The Message – Of minor roles (uncredited)
1976: Voyage of the Damned – Joseph Joseph
1977: Valentino – Joseph Schenck
1977: Holocaust 2000 – Dubbing (voice, uncredited)
1978: Revenge of the Pink Panther – TV Newscaster (voice, uncredited)
1978: Superman – Warden (voice, uncredited)
1980: Flash Gordon – Colonel of Battle Control Room (voice, uncredited)
1981: Balham, Gateway to the South – Narrator (voice)
1981: Excalibur (voice only)
1982: A Woman Called Golda – David Ben-Gurion
1983: The Ploughman's Lunch – Gold
1983: Yentl – Rabbi Zalman
1984: Lassiter – Gunz (voice)
1985: King David – Ahitophel
1988: Out of the Shadows – James Bluminfeld
1989: A Dry White Season – Susan's Father
1989: Confessional (TV) – Professor Cherny
1989: Red King, White Knight – Director
1991-92: The House of Eliott – Sir Desmond Gillespie
1992: Leon the Pig Farmer – Sidney Geller
1993: Poirot – Gaston Beaujeu (The chocolate box)
1997: The Designated Mourner – Howard
1998: Simon Magus – Rabbi
1999: Sunshine – Emmanuel Sonnenschein
2000: The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz – Exhumed rabbi
2002: The Poet – Lomax
2003: The Statement – Dom André
2008: God on Trial – Hugo
2008: Good – Mandelstam
2010: Doctor Who  (Voice only) – Atraxi
2010: Gin & Dry (Short Film) – Albie
2014: Closer to the Moon – Moritz

External links

 Gin & Dry

Category:1927 births
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male radio actors
Category:English male television actors
Category:English male voice actors
Category:Living people


Tyeb Mehta Leads Sotheby’s First Boundless India Sale

Sotheby’s will hold its first Boundless India sale on Thursday 29 November at The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with 60 lots spanning Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, photography and design estimated to make INR 43.1- 62.9 crores / US$ 6-8.7 million. The lead lot is Tyeb Mehta’s Durga Mahisasura Mardini, 1993 ($2.7-4.1m) which was commissioned directly from Mehta in 1993 and has remained in the same family since then. Along with that significant painting is Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Little Girl in Blue from 1934 ($ 1.2-1.7m) painted when the artist was 21 years old. This work would be the seventh work of Sher-Gil’s ever brought to auction. It has remained in the same collection for 80 years, since it was chosen by the artist for her first solo show in 1937.

Arpita Singh’s Men Sitting, Men Standing, 2004 ($164-245k) and Francis Newton Souza’s Untitled (St. Paul’s Cathedral), 1961 ($123-150k) painted when Souza had moved to London are also featured works in the sale.

The sale is also distinguished by nine lots belonging to Balkrishna. V. Doshi, one of the world’s greatest architects and the only Indian to be awarded the highly prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. The sale includes paintings, drawings and furniture created by B.V. Doshi himself, alongside a selection of works from his prized collection.

Gaurav Bhatia, Managing Director of Sotheby’s India, said: “Balkrishna V. Doshi built his collection with the same delight, passion and inquisitiveness that marks out all great collectors. Like his buildings, the collection presented here is supremely refined, stylishly theatrical, and forward-looking. One might draw a parallel between the huge influence of Amrita Sher-Gi and B.V. Doshi on the Indian aesthetic – both brought fresh thought and style to the Indian artistic landscape. With this auction, Mumbai will become Sotheby’s tenth sale location in the world. As the global footprint of Indian artists, curators and collectors continues to expand, we are affirming our commitment to the future of the art market in South Asia. Boundless offers the best of art created in, and inspired by, India, providing a snapshot of a century of artistic production. Suitably, the sale will be led by one of the most valuable works of South Asian art ever to come to auction. Tyeb Mehta’s
landmark depiction of Durga truly evokes India’s spirit, even down to the symbolism of its saffron, white and jeweled green colours. ”

Yamini Mehta, International Head of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art at Sotheby’s: “With Boundless: India we celebrate the storied past and bountiful future of Indian art through the 20 th centuries. We look at the onset of independence in 1947 and how it brought about a
veritable renaissance in the art scene, as well as acknowledging exceptional works by leading Contemporary artists practicing today. This pantheon includes Amrita Sher-Gil, a rebellious libertine well ahead of her time, and portentously trying to make the most of her short time on earth” The carefully chosen works to appear in this auction have many interwoven connections between the influences of Europe and between the worlds of design, architecture and photography. The works by leading international photographers are prime examples of the dynamism and inspiration that artists from across the world received from India. Boundless is ultimately about opening the eyes to the
beauty of Indian art and the culture inspired by the Subcontinent in all of its manifestations.”


Send this page to someone via email

Multiple government investigations say the former head of the Alberta Energy Regulator misused funds and abused trust by leveraging public money and resources to start a global consultancy group he eventually hoped to join.

They say Jim Ellis and other regulator leaders fomented a “culture of fear” in a search to root out perceived whistleblowers and eased out one senior lawyer.

Investigators estimate taxpayers are out about $2.3 million, most of it from lost salaries and travel and expense costs.

“Mr. Ellis’s actions were deliberate, and demonstrated a reckless and wilful disregard for the proper management of public funds, public assets, the delivery of a public service and of employees,” Marianne Ryan, public interest commissioner, told a news conference Friday.

Story continues below advertisement

“Mr. Ellis’s gross mismanagement as president and CEO of AER amounted to wrongdoings.”

Ellis left the regulator in November 2018. The Canadian Press was unable to reach him for comment Friday.

READ MORE: Head of Alberta Energy Regulator to step down in January

Ryan and two other government watchdogs investigated Ellis’s dealings.

They presented findings that show how, in 2017 and 2018, the regulator under Ellis diverted staff and resources to start a consultancy group called ICORE, which Ellis and others planned to spin off from the regulator and join.

Investigators pieced together the plan through emails, text messages and interviews.

Ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler said she found Mr. Ellis in a conflict of interest.

“While he was at the Alberta Energy Regulator, he furthered his own interests and improperly furthered the interests of three other employees,” she said.

“The primary motivation behind ICORE… was to create future employment for himself and others.”

ICORE, which stands for International Centre of Regulatory Excellence, was created by the regulator to dispense regulatory advice, expertise and training to international clients.

Story continues below advertisement

ICORE called on resources from the regulator with a promise to later reimburse for time and services. Ellis was in charge of both agencies.

Investigators say that as time wore on, lines were blurred and more regulator staff were called on to deliver materials and organize ICORE seminars and materials.

When regulator lawyers balked at double duty, Ellis successfully urged the head of the legal department to step down, said Trussler.

Ellis and executives jetted around the world, billing the regulator but promoting ICORE, as happened on a trip to Turkey in 2017 for the World Petroleum Congress.

There was lavish spending: ritzy hotel stays and pricey return flights to London, some costing $8,000 per person.

Investigators said internal complaints from staff about ICORE were squelched and a “culture of fear” set in.

There was a hunt for whistleblowers, said Trussler. She noted a text from one of Ellis’s aides warned him that an employee named Corey might be a whistleblower.

“If it is Corey, I will crucify him on the private side with everything in my possession in response to this,” said the text.

“Thanks,” replied Ellis.

Auditor general Doug Wylie said key information on ICORE was hidden from the regulator’s board of directors. The board was dealing with vacancies and didn’t have the collective skills to set things right.

Story continues below advertisement

“These process weaknesses contributed to the waste of public money,” said Wylie.

He estimated $5.4 million was spent on ICORE, with all but $2.3 million recovered.

ICORE was wound down in late 2018.

The regulator, in a statement, said it will work to rebuild public trust.

“It is clear now that a small group of senior leaders used AER resources in a way that is unacceptable. These individuals are no longer employed at the AER.”

Premier Jason Kenney, fulfilling a campaign pledge, recently replaced the entire board with an interim panel and his government is reviewing operations.

The regulator has been criticized for slow approvals for oil and gas projects and for a growing number of abandoned well sites.

Environment Minister Jason Nixon and Energy Minister Sonya Savage, in a joint statement, said they expect the interim board to act on recommendations from the reports.

“These reports cite several troubling and unacceptable examples of conduct that demonstrate that the focus of the AER’s previous leaders clearly lay elsewhere, a clear betrayal of the organization’s obligations to Albertans.”

2:00 Alberta Energy Regulator’s president leaving in January Alberta Energy Regulator’s president leaving in January


Maps currently not available

PointSavers offers up to 33% in point savings, depending on the hotel category and number of nights requested.This hotel is offering Seasonal Awards, so you can use fewer points when you book a stay during these dates.

Near William P Hobby Airport & Ellington Field. Close to Galveston Cruise Terminals, NASA, University of Houston, the Kemah Boardwalk, Schlitterbahn Water Park & the Port of Houston. Minutes away from the homes of the Rockets, Astros, Texans and Dynamos.

Marriott For:

Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. Guarantee does not apply to Protea Hotels®, Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, and Ritz-Carlton Residences®. Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® members (“Rewards Members”) who book rooms through a Marriott® Direct Booking Channel, authorized travel agents or select corporate travel partners ("Eligible Channels") at hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty programs will receive an exclusive, preferred rate (“Marriott Rewards Member Rate”). Member Rates are available globally at all hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards, excluding hotels in Mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Exclusions apply. See our Terms & Conditions for additional details related to our Best Available Rate Guarantee and Marriott Rewards Member Rate. Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates


2012 in architecture

The year 2012 in architecture involved some significant architectural events and new buildings.

Events
 April 30 – 1 WTC surpasses the height of the Empire State Building to become the tallest building in New York City.
 July – Mausoleums and a mosque in Timbuktu (Mali) are deliberately attacked by rebels, a war crime for which Ahmad al-Mahdi in 2016 pleads guilty before the International Criminal Court.
 July 20 – A fire at the newly-opened Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, leads to its closure for more than a year.
 October
 The fifth World Architecture Festival is held in Singapore.
 Second hurricane survival of 1 WTC.
 It is announced that the Opera House, Wellington, is below 34% of the earthquake code and may have to close for strengthening work to be carried out.
 November – The Japanese government announces plans for a new National Olympic Stadium (Tokyo) for the 2020 Summer Olympics based on a design by Zaha Hadid; these will be abandoned in 2015.
 December 11 – 1 WTC's spire comes to New York City.

Buildings and structures

Buildings opened

 January
 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum extension in Boston, Massachusetts, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
 JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the tallest hotel in the world, in Dubai.
 January 1 – Ada Bridge, one of the tallest bridges in Europe, in Belgrade, Serbia.
 January 5 – Baluarte Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Latin America.
 February – Extension to Städel art gallery in Frankfurt, Germany, designed by schneider+schumacher.
 January 6 – Porta Macedonia, Skopje, designed by sculptor Valentina Stefanovska.
 February 28 – Halley VI Research Station, designed by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects, becomes operational in the Antarctic.
 March – Jerwood Gallery on The Stade in Hastings, England, designed by Hana Loftus and Tom Grieve of HAT Projects.
 March 18 – Bharati (research station) in Antarctica.
 March 19 – Western concourse, London King's Cross railway station, designed by John McAslan + Partners.
 March 24 – Maria Skłodowska-Curie Bridge, Warsaw, the eighth road bridge in the capital of Poland.
 March 29 – Refurbished Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney with new Mordant Wing, designed by Sam Marshall.
 March 31 – Sandworm by Marco Casagrande, in the Beaufort04 Triennial of Contemporary art in Wenduine, Belgium. The work is both architecture and environmental art.
 April 4 – Twin Sails Bridge, Poole, England, by Wilkinson Eyre Architects.
 April 10 – SeaCity Museum, Southampton, England, with extension by Wilkinson Eyre Architects.
 April 20 – Belfast MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) in Northern Ireland, by Hackett Hall McKnight.
 May 10 – Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by Zaha Hadid.
 May 11 – ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower and sculpture in Olympic Park, London, designed by Anish Kapoor with Cecil Balmond and Ushida Findlay Architects.
 May 22 – Tokyo Skytree in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan.
 June 29 – Cloud Forest and Flower Dome Bay South Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects (landscape design by Grant Associates).
 July 3 – Giant's Causeway Visitors' Centre in Northern Ireland designed by Heneghan Peng for the National Trust.
 July 5 – The Shard, designed by Renzo Piano, the tallest building in the European Union (2012–present).
 July 18 – Tate Modern, London, opens The Tanks performance art/installation space, refurbished by Herzog & de Meuron.
 July 27 – Opening of 2012 Summer Olympics based at Olympic Park, London, England, with site design by the EDAW Consortium (including EDAW and Buro Happold), working with Arup and WS Atkins; taken over by LDA Design in conjunction with Hargreaves Associates. Individual buildings include
 Olympic Stadium, designed by Populous
 London Aquatics Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid
 London Velopark, designed by Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP, and Grant Associates
 ArcelorMittal Orbit tower, designed by Anish Kapoor (see above)
 August 3 – Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, Brisbane, Australia.
 September 21 – Islamic art gallery at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, designed by Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti.
 September 23 – Renovation and new wing for Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, designed by Benthem Crouwel Architekten.
 October 17 – Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, designed by Louis Kahn.
 October 24 – Boekenberg ("Book mountain") public library in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, designed by MVRDV.
 December 3 – United States Courthouse, Austin, Texas, designed by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam.
 December 11 – Le Louvre-Lens art gallery in Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France, designed by SANAA.
 date unknown
 Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by HOK.
 ME Hotel, London, designed by Foster and Partners.
 Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art new buildings are opened in Oslo, Norway.
 Statoil (now Equinor) Regional and International Offices, Oslo, Norway, by A-Lab Architects, winner of 2012 WAN Award for best office building

Buildings completed

 January 6 – Porta Macedonia, Skopje, Macedonia.
 February 29 – Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world, is completed in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan.
 June – Airport Link, a 6.7 km road tunnel in Brisbane, the longest in Australia.
 September – NEO Bankside apartments in London, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
 November 1 – Mercury City Tower, in Moscow, topped-out to become the tallest building in Europe (2012–2014).
 date unknown
 Abraj Al Bait in Mecca, the tallest buildings in Saudi Arabia.
 Absolute World in Mississauga, Ontario, designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Studio.
 Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci, Serbia, a replica of the 18th century church that was destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence.
 Princess Tower, the world's tallest residential building, is completed in Dubai.
 The Bow (skyscraper) in Calgary, Alberta
 Soleil, the tallest building in Brisbane, Australia designed by DBI Design.
 Community in a Cube, RiversideOne, Middlesbrough, England, designed by FAT.
 Astley Castle in North Warwickshire, England, refurbished for the Landmark Trust by Witherford Watson Mann Architects (winner, Stirling Prize, 2013).
 University of Limerick Medical School in Ireland designed by Grafton Architects.
 Sarajevo City Center.
 The Wilson art gallery and museum extension and refurbishment in Cheltenham, England, designed by BGS Architects.

Awards
 AIA Architecture Firm Award – Vincent James Associates Architects
 AIA Gold Medal – Steven Holl
 Carbuncle Cup – Cutty Sark Renovation
 Alvar Aalto Medal – Paulo David
 Emporis Skyscraper Award – Absolute World in Mississauga designed by Burka Architects and MAD Studio
 Lawrence Israel Prize – Diller Scofidio + Renfro
 LEAF Award, Overall Winner – Sou Fujimoto Architects
 Praemium Imperiale Architecture Laureate – Henning Larsen
 Pritzker Architecture Prize – Wang Shu
 Richard H. Driehaus Prize for Classical Architecture – Michael Graves
 RAIA Gold Medal – Lawrence Nield
 RIBA Royal Gold Medal – Herman Hertzberger
 Stirling Prize – Stanton Williams, for Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University
 Thomas Jefferson Medal in Architecture – Rafael Moneo
 Twenty-five Year Award – Frank Gehry for Gehry Residence, Santa Monica
 Vincent Scully Prize – Paul Goldberger

Deaths
 January 4 – Rod Robbie, Canadian architect (born 1928)
 January 8 – John Madin, English architect (born 1924)
 March 21 – Bruno Giacometti, Swiss architect (born 1907)
 June 4 – Peter Beaven, New Zealand architect (born 1925)
 June 15
 Francis Bonaert, Belgian architect (born 1914) was a Belgian architect.
 Günther Domenig, Austrian architect (born 1934)
 June 19 – Gerhard M. Kallmann, German-born American architect (born 1915)
 July 2 – Angelo Mangiarotti, Italian architect and industrial designer (born 1929)
 August 20 – Dom Mintoff, Maltese architect and Prime Minister (born 1916)
 August 26 – Peter L. Shelton, American architect and interior designer (born 1945)
 October 6 – Ulrich Franzen (born 1921), German-born American architect
 October 26 – John M. Johansen, American architect (born 1916)
 October 30
 Wayland Tunley, British architect associated with Milton Keynes (born 1937)
 Lebbeus Woods, American architect and artist (born 1940)
 November 1 – Gae Aulenti), Italian architect, interior and lighting designer (born 1927
 November 4 – David Resnick, Brazilian-born Israeli architect and town planner (born 1924)
 December 5 – Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect (born 1907)
 December 14 – Alan Colquhoun, British architect (born 1921)

See also
Timeline of architecture

References

Category:21st-century architecture


Hilton

Hilton or Hylton may refer to:

Companies
 Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., a global hospitality company based in the United States that owns several hotel chains and subsidiary companies containing the Hilton name
 Hilton Hotels & Resorts, flagship hotel brand operated under Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
 Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad N. Hilton.
 Ladbrokes, a British-based gambling company, known as Hilton Group plc from May 1999 to February 2006

Places

Australia
 Hilton (Chatswood), a heritage-listed house in the Sydney suburb of Chatswood
 Hilton, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide
 Hilton, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth

Canada
 Hilton, Ontario, a township
 Hilton Beach, a small village surrounded by the township in Ontario
 Hilton Falls Conservation Area, located in Campbellville, Ontario

Norway
 Hilton, a farm near Kløfta, Ullensaker, known as the birthplace of Augustus Hilton, father of American hotelier Conrad Hilton

South Africa
 Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, a town next to Pietermaritzburg
 Hilton, Bloemfontein, a suburb of Bloemfontein

United Kingdom

England
 Hilton Park (stadium), a multi-use stadium in Leigh, Greater Manchester
 Hilton Hall, an 18th-century mansion house now in use as an office and business centre at Hilton, near Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
 Hilton Park services, a motorway service station, between junctions 10a and 11 of the M6 motorway in Staffordshire
 Hilton, Cambridgeshire, a village
 Hilton, Cumbria, a village
 Hilton, Derbyshire, a village
 Hilton, Dorset, a village
 Hilton, County Durham, a village
 Hilton, North Yorkshire, a village
 Hilton, Shropshire, a village
 Hilton, Staffordshire, a village
 Hylton Castle in Hylton district of Sunderland
 Cauld Lad of Hylton, the ghost of a murdered stable boy that haunts the ruins of Hylton Castle
 North Hylton, a suburb of Sunderland, in northeast England
 South Hylton Metro station, serves the village of South Hylton on the banks of the River
 South Hylton in Sunderland

Scotland
 Hilton, Aberdeen, a former village, now a neighbourhood
 Hilton of Cadboll, a village
 Hilton of Cadboll Stone, a Class II Pictish stone discovered at Hilton of Cadboll
 Hilton, Berwickshire, a village
 Hilton, Inverness, a former village, now part of the city

United States
Hilton, Georgia, an unincorporated community
 Hilton, Kentucky
 Hilton, New Jersey
 Hilton, New York, a village
 Hilton, Oklahoma, an unincorporated community
 Hiltons, Virginia, an unincorporated community in Scott County, Virginia
 Hilton Coliseum, a 14,057-seat multi-purpose arena in Ames, Iowa
 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, a town, located on an island of the same name
 Hilton Head Airport, a county-owned, public-use airport located in northeastern Hilton Head Island
 Foxwoods Theatre, formerly named the Hilton Theatre, a Broadway theatre located at 213 West 42nd Street in New York City
 Hilton Village, a planned, English-village-style neighborhood in Newport News, Virginia
 Hilton Pier/Ravine, a park located in the village
 Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, located 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Savannah, Georgia
 Willis, Floyd County, Virginia, also known as Hylton, an unincorporated community in Floyd County, Virginia
 Hilton (Columbus, Georgia),
 Hilton (Catonsville, Maryland)

Vietnam
 Hanoi Hilton, a former prison in Hanoi

Schools
 Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
 Hilton College (South Africa), Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
 Hilton High School in Hilton, New York, United States
 C. D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, United States
 Hilton Head Preparatory School, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
 Hilton Central School District, New York State, United States
 Hilton Head Christian Academy, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
 Hilton Elementary School (Newport News, Virginia), Newport News, Virginia, United States
 Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School, Garden Grove, California, United States
 Hilton Leech House and Amagansett Art School, Sarasota, Florida, United States
 Red House Academy, formerly Hylton Red House School, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England

People
 Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton Hotels Group
Hilton family, the extended family of Conrad Hilton
 Hilton (surname)
 Hilton (given name)

Other uses
 Bangkok Hilton (1989), an Australian television miniseries
 Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award, presented to a basketball player who has demonstrated personal character both on and off the court
 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the largest humanitarian award in the world
 Eckmann–Hilton argument, an argument in mathematics about two monoid structures on a set where one is a homomorphism for the other
 The Hanoi Hilton (film) (1987), a Vietnam War film which focuses on the experiences of American prisoners of war who were held in the Hanoi Hilton
 Hilton Flight, a horse ridden in international show jumping by Richard Spooner
 Hilton International Stakes, a Group 2 Australian thoroughbred horse race
 Hilton Quota, the quota applied to beef imported from certain countries into the European Union
 Hilton v. Guyot (1895), a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the court described the factors to be used when considering the application of comity
 Hilton's law, an observation on topological anatomy
 Hilton's white line, a boundary in the anal canal
 Hylton v. United States (1796), a U.S. Supreme Court case involving judicial review
 I Want To Be a Hilton (2005), a weekly NBC reality television series that was hosted by Kathy Hilton
 London Hilton bombing, a 1975 explosion at the Hilton Hotel in London, England
 Sydney Hilton bombing, a 1978 explosion outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Australia
 "The Milton Hilton", the local nickname of the Otago Corrections Facility prison in Milton, New Zealand

See also

Hilton Hotel (disambiguation)
Hilton House (disambiguation)
 Hiltonia, Georgia


The world’s coolest airports for stop overs.

From rooftop pools, to yoga classes and waterfalls, long-haul flights are no longer dull, thanks to these uber cool airports.

We all have a love, hate relationship with airports. From rooftop pools overlooking cities to yoga classes, these airports are worth planning your trip around.

Changi Airport, Singapore

Changi Airport, Singapore

One of the most breathtaking airports in the world (according to Vogue), winning worlds best airport 10 times (more awards here), takes a step away from airport and turns to an indoor luxury amusement park.

There are several cinemas that operate 24 hours a day, playing the biggest blockbusters for free for travellers.

The gardens flow with colourful flowers and there is even a butterfly garden, koi pond, rooftop pool and 12 metre-slide. If your up for a drink, located in the Cactus Garden at Terminal 1, Hops Bar is just the right place to relax and have a wine while waiting for your flight.

There is also a brand new shopping centre that just opened across the road.

Changi has three transit hotels, with rooms that allow rental for 6- hour increments for the shorter stop overs including the Aerotel Airport Transit Hotel Terminal 1.

Hong Kong International Airport

Once again, an airport with a cinema, but not just any cinema it is an IMAX theatre.

Passengers can sit quietly and watch a film, or for the more extreme, there is an aviation centre where you can learn how planes get from their origin to their destination.

The food options offer an array of traditional Cantonese cuisine and western food, giving the quick layover guests a taste of Hong Kong in the comfort of the airport.

If your up for a authentic handmade pasta and alcoholic beverage The Ritz tapas bar is the place to be, located at Terminal 2 departures level 6.

Helsinki Airport

Yoga class Helsinki airport, Finland

Need to have a quick exercise session between flights? The Finnish airport provides a yoga and relaxation room offering classes with one in particular claiming to relive jetlag.

A 20-minute light practice incorporates a series of beginner postures, designed to unwind your body, relax your mind and even assist with jetlag! Additionally for those who miss the class hours, the room itself is open 24 hours a day for independent practice.

Probably the only airport in the world that thinks of the exercise component of travel, rather than being cooped up and strained for hours on end, you can stretch and exercise.

Qantas also offers a yoga class before the 17 hour direct flight from Perth to London.

Qantas in the dream liner lounge in Perth, focuses on health and wellbeing from stretching classes to “light therapy” in the showers to adjust your body clock, and an outdoor terrace and a BBQ serving local sausages for the pre long-haul flight.

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York

J.F.K outdoor rooftop dog lounge, New York

An airport that allows animals to roam free until they are ready to board? JFK also allow animals on the plane in the same area as passengers when flying in the US as long as they are caged and at the feet of the owner.

Terminal 5 features a ‘wooftop’ – a grass filled terrace where owners and their pooches can hang before boarding.

New York is renowned for their luxury bars and lifestyle, so it is only acceptable for the airport to be filled with exactly that. In terminal 1 offers the best bar in the airport for cocktails the Martini Bar. I

If you’re looking for a more relaxed bar in the J.F.K airport, stay in Terminal 1 and head to the Idlewild Wine Bar it has American wines by the glass and bottle; making it easy for a quick glass before the long haul flight.

Munich International Airport

Munich Airport wave pool

A rooftop space which provides a beer garden to enjoy the German sun and air during A layover.

Now a new attraction has opened, a giant wave pool installed for free surfing while passengers wait for a flight, literally a surfers paradise.

Munich international airport has won awards for the best European airport numerous times, so stop here to enjoy either the beer garden, that offers seating for 600 guests with traditional German cuisine and music, or the wave pool OR both.

Queenstown Airport

Queenstown airport by night

The award for the best views from an airport has to go to Queenstown airport in New Zealand. Located in a cove off Lake Wakatipu, with views of the Remarkables mountain range on one side and Coronet Peak on the other.

Year round, flying into Queenstown provides the most remarkable scenes, from snow filled mountains to skies of blue, with green filled mountain ranges.


7 Fantastic Investment Opportunities in Dubai Written by Ameena Navab

No matter what direction the global market may take, Dubai continues to be an excellent haven for property investments. The vibrant Downtown district is an especially lucrative area of the city with a selection of premium apartments and a steady yield of 5.5% over the past year. LuxuryProperty.com is delighted to present the best investment opportunities in Downtown Dubai

1. Langham Place

Bringing a taste of the world-famous hospitality of London’s Langham brand to Dubai, Dubai apartments range from one to three bedrooms, and there are duplex penthouses as well. Langham Place is in an enviable location along the Dubai Canal with a direct view of the Burj Khalifa, and offers a full range of five-star services and amenities for its residents, including a two-star Michelin restaurants, bespoke housekeeping services and private chef services.

Prices in Langham Place start from AED 1,325,996

Bringing a taste of the world-famous hospitality of London’s Langham brand to Dubai, Langham Place is a twin-tower development split into branded apartments and serviced residences, along with a Langham Hotel. The Langham Placerange from one to three bedrooms, and there are duplex penthouses as well. Langham Place is in an enviable location along the Dubai Canal with a direct view of the Burj Khalifa, and offers a full range of five-star services and amenities for its residents, including a two-star Michelin restaurants, bespoke housekeeping services and private chef services.Prices in Langham Place start from AED 1,325,996

2. Burj Vista

Comprising two residential towers in the heart of Downtown,

Prices in Burj Vista start from AED 4,353,888

Comprising two residential towers in the heart of Downtown, Burj Vista has been designed to mirror the aesthetic of the Burj Khalifa, and is situated directly opposite the magnificent tower. It features one to three-bedroom apartments with modern open plan layouts, an understated sense of interior design and wraparound balconies that give the towers an intriguing honeycomb look. Burj Vista offers a selection of premium amenities including a pool, fitness centre, play areas for children, as well as direct connections to Dubai Mall and the Dubai Opera.Prices in Burj Vista start from AED 4,353,888

3. Bahwan Tower

Prices in Bahwan Tower start from AED 1,455,000

Bahwan Tower is a contemporary residential development located near the popular Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, one of the key retail and dining areas in Downtown. It houses a range of beautiful one to three-bedroom apartments with comfortable and efficiently designed layouts that make the most of their internal and external space. An amenities deck includes a beautiful pool and lounge, along with a fully equipped gym that has its own outdoor terrace space and round-the-clock security.Prices in Bahwan Tower start from AED 1,455,000

4. DT1 Tower

Another stunning tower located by Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard,

Prices at DT1 start from AED 1,189,828

Another stunning tower located by Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, DT1 also enjoys close proximity to the Dubai Opera and has a perfect view of the Burj Khalifa. The residential offerings range from studios to one, two and three-bedroom apartments, along with a select few four-bedroom penthouses sitting right above the podium. Each residence has an elegant contemporary interior layout, and has kitchens fully equipped with professional-grade Miele appliances. On-site amenities include two pools, landscaped gardens and a lovely art gallery that leads out to an open terrace.Prices at DT1 start from AED 1,189,828

5. Burj Khalifa

The world’s tallest tower and Dubai’s most prestigious residential address also contains one of the most incredible investment options in the city. The entire 92nd floor of the tower is on the market, offering a total of seven gorgeous apartments that are fully furnished and produce a gross rental income of over AED 2 million. Residences within the Burj Khalifa are always in high demand, and this particular offering can be divided up according to the needs of the investor. Each apartment enjoys the most breathtaking panoramic views of the city, is equipped with the best in home automation and has unique access to a large number of world-class lifestyle amenities.

This marvelous floor of

The world’s tallest tower and Dubai’s most prestigious residential address also contains one of the most incredible investment options in the city. The entire 92floor of the tower is on the market, offering a total of seven gorgeous apartments that are fully furnished and produce a gross rental income of over AED 2 million. Residences within the Burj Khalifa are always in high demand, and this particular offering can be divided up according to the needs of the investor. Each apartment enjoys the most breathtaking panoramic views of the city, is equipped with the best in home automation and has unique access to a large number of world-class lifestyle amenities.This marvelous floor of apartments in Burj Khalifa is available for AED 60,000,000

6. Opera Grand

Prices at Opera Grand start from AED 2,124,888

Opera Grand was the first residential development launched in the Opera District, a new cultural hub in Downtown Dubai encircling the Dubai Opera. It contains apartments ranging from two to four bedrooms, and has a maximum of five units per floor, ensuring complete privacy for residents and also allowing for extremely spacious internal layouts. Opera Grand also has a rooftop pool and state-of-the-art health club, and is a short walk away from the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.Prices at Opera Grand start from AED 2,124,888

7. Boulevard Crescent

With an architectural style inspired by the Art Deco skyscrapers of early 20th century New York,

Prices in Boulevard Crescent start from AED 1,741,888 With an architectural style inspired by the Art Deco skyscrapers of early 20century New York, Boulevard Crescent carves a distinct visual identity for itself among the more contemporary buildings in the Downtown area. The apartments in this twin-tower development range from one to four bedrooms, enjoying direct views of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountains. The podium that links the towers features beautiful landscaped water features and a uniquely designed cube-shaped ‘floating’ gym.Prices in Boulevard Crescent start from AED 1,741,888

Read More:


Theory of a Deadman are back with an impactful new video for their new single "History of Violence." It comes just as the group is also revealing plans to kick off 2020 in grand style with a new album titled Say Nothing.

The Sam Sulam-directed video follows the band's topical narrative of an abusive relationship, with a female victim finally deciding to fight back against her husband and not truly finding freedom until she lands in jail for her actions against her abuser.

"'History of Violence' tells the sad story of a girl trapped in a life of domestic abuse, leaving her with what she feels is the only way to escape," explains lead vocalist and songwriter Tyler Connolly. "Even though she's in jail, it's still a better place to be than being imprisoned in real life by this man. We're encouraging anyone affected by domestic violence to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for help: 1-800-799-7233."

Theory get a little more topical on their new album, as Say Nothing actually says quite a bit while tackling such issues as domestic abuse, racism and the divisive nature of politics. "I look at the record as a microcosm of our current era," says guitarist Dave Brenner. "It's a reminder to look inward at what's happening and what we're becoming. I hope everyone dives into the words. At the same time, music is still an escape. Maybe we can give the world a little solace and encourage everyone to treat each other better."

Say Nothing is on target for a Jan. 31 street date via Atlantic Records. Pre-orders for the new album can be found here, while album and bundle packages are available via the band's webstore. Check out the album art and track listing below.

Theory of a Deadman are getting a jump on the new album by hitting the road this fall. They currently have North American and European dates booked for later this year, while 2020 starts off with the band trekking through their native Canada. See the stops below and get ticketing info here. Pre-sales for the run will start this Friday (Sept. 27), while the public on-sale starts a week later (Oct. 4) at 10AM local time.

Theory of a Deadman, "History of Violence"

Theory of a Deadman, Say Nothing Album Artwork + Track Listing

Atlantic Records

1. Black Hole of Your Heart

2. History of Violence

3. Affluenza

4. Say Nothing

5. Strangers

6. Ted Bundy

7. World Keeps Spinning

8. Quicksand

9. White Boy

10. It's All Good

Theory of a Deadman 2019 / 2020 Tour Dates

Sept. 27 - Jacksonville, N.C. @ The Tarheel Opry House

Sept. 28 - Inwood, W.V. @ Shiley Acres

Sept. 29 - Stroudsburg, Pa. @ Sherman Theater

Oct. 1 - Warren, Ohio @ Packard Music Hall

Oct. 2 - Morgantown, W.V. @ Metropolitan Theatre

Oct. 4 - North Myrtle Beach, S.C. @ House of Blues

Oct. 5 - Raleigh, N.C. @ The Ritz

Oct. 6 - Chattanooga, Tenn. @ The Signal

Oct. 8 - Destin, Fla. @ Club LA

Oct. 10 - Dothan, AL @ The Plant

Oct. 11 - Baton Rouge, La. @ Varsity Theatre

Oct. 12 - Lake Charles, La. @ Golden Nugget Casino - Grand Event Center

Oct. 15 - Tucson, Ariz. @ Rialto Theatre

Oct. 17 - Valley Center, Calif. @ Harrah's Resort Southern California Event Center

Oct. 18 - Chico, Calif. @ Senator Theatre

Oct. 19 - Stateline, Nev. @ Harrah's Lake Tahoe

Oct. 22 - Oklahoma City, Okla. @ Diamond Ballroom

Oct. 23 - Wichita, Kan. @ The Cotillion

Oct. 25 - Lexington, Ky. @ Manchester Music Hall

Oct. 26 - Cherokee, N.C. @ Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Resort and Event Center

Oct. 28 - Cleveland, Ohio @ House of Blues

Oct. 29 - Fort Wayne, Ind. @ Clyde Theatre

Oct. 31 - Bowler, Wis. @ North Star Mohican Casino and Resort

Nov. 1 - Sioux City, Iowa @ Anthem at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Nov. 2 - Osceola, Iowa @ Lakeside Casino Event Center

Nov. 4 - Belvidere, Ill. @ The Apollo Theatre

Nov. 5 - Flint, Mich. @ The Machine Shop

Nov. 13 - Kiev, Ukraine @ Atlas

Nov. 15 - St. Petersburg, Russia @ Kosmonavt

Nov. 16 - Moscow, Russia @ The 1930 Hall

Nov. 19 - Manchester, England @ Academy 2

Nov. 20 - Glasgow, Scotland @ SWG3 Galvanizers

Nov. 21 - Nottingham, England @ Rock City

Nov. 23 - London, England @ Electric Ballroom

Nov. 24 - Bristol, England @ SWX

Jan. 31 - Vancouver, British Columbia @ The Commodore Ballroom

Feb. 1 - Vancouver, British Columbia @ The Commodore Ballroom

Feb. 3 - Kelowna, British Columbia @ Kelowna Community Theatre

Feb. 4 - Crankbrook, British Columbia @ Western Financial Place

Feb. 6 - Grand Prairie, Alberta @ Bowes Event Center

Feb. 7 - Edmonton, Alberta @ Winspear Center

Feb. 8 - Calgary, Alberta @ Grey Eagle Event Centre

Feb. 10 - Medicine Hat, Alberta @ Canalta Centre

Feb. 11 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ Coors Event Centre

Feb. 13 - Regina, Saskatchewan @ Casino Regina

Feb. 14 - Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Club Regent

Feb. 16 - Sault Saint Marie, Ontario @ Sault Community Theatre

Feb. 17 - Sarnia, Ontario @ Imperial Theatre

Feb. 18 - London, Ontario @ London Music Hall

Feb. 21 - Halifax, Nova Scotia @ Casino Nova Scotia

Feb. 22 - Moncton, New Brunswick @ Casino New Brunswick

Feb. 24 - Ottawa, Ontario @ Bronson Centre

Feb. 27 - Toronto, Ontario @ Rebel

Feb. 28 - Montreal, Quebec @ MTELUS

Feb. 29 - Barrie, Ontario @ Mavericks


Maps currently not available

PointSavers offers up to 33% in point savings, depending on the hotel category and number of nights requested.This hotel is offering Seasonal Awards, so you can use fewer points when you book a stay during these dates.

Hotel is located in Burlington, MA, 15 miles North of Boston. This charming North Shore hotel is steps from the Burlington Mall and just a short drive from Salem, Lexington and Concord, Hanscom Air Force Base, and the Lahey Clinic.

Marriott For:

Best Available Rate Guarantee assures you receive the best rates when you book directly with us. If you find a lower publicly available rate within 24 hours of booking, we will match that rate plus give you 25% off the lower rate, subject to guarantee terms and exclusions. Guarantee does not apply to Ritz-Carlton Montreal, The Ritz London, Ritz-Carlton Residences®, and Starwood-Branded Hotels, including Four Points Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Aloft Hotels, W Hotels, Le Meridien Hotels, Luxury Collection Hotels, Element Hotels, Westin Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Tribute Portfolio Hotels and Design Hotels. Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® members (“Rewards Members”) who book rooms through a Marriott® Direct Booking Channel, authorized travel agents or select corporate travel partners ("Eligible Channels") at hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty programs will receive an exclusive, preferred rate (“Marriott Rewards Member Rate”). Member Rates are available globally at all hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards. Exclusions apply. See our Terms & Conditions for additional details related to our Best Available Rate Guarantee and Marriott Rewards Member Rate. Hotels shown on Marriott.com may be operated under a license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates.