Diane von Furstenberg and Claridge's Collaborate on Series of Rooms and Suites

Diane von Furstenberg and Claridge's Collaborate on Series of Rooms and Suites

May 4, 2010 - New York, New York

Iconic fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg is taking her signature style across the pond with her first-ever interior design project, a series of rooms and suites at Claridge's, one of London's most legendary hotels.

As a loyal returning guest of Claridge's since the 1970s, von Furstenberg's iconic prints and bold colors feel right at home in the ultra-luxe hotel. “One of my fondest memories was when I was in London as a young, independent businesswoman and stayed at Claridge’s. I knew I had made it. To me, Claridge’s is the most glamorous hotel in the world; I regard it as my home away from home,” remarks von Furstenberg. “I am honored to become part of the hotel’s legacy and rich design history.”

“For more than a century, Claridge’s has stood as an emblem of timeless glamour,” says Maybourne Hotel Group CEO Stephen Alden. “Our collaboration with the talented Diane von Furstenberg is the latest storyline within our history of forward-thinking design. Diane’s personal love and passion for Claridge’s provides a unique perspective which she will draw upon in executing her creative vision.”

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Mr. Redmayne, Do you recall your first shoot?

Of course, I do! It was for a children’s show called “Animal Ark,” and I was 14 or 15 at the time. It was in the summer holidays and I was dead set on dying my hair peroxide blond because all my friends were doing it – but I sprayed so much of the stuff onto my hair that it turned orange. I remember that my hair color changed every few minutes in that half-hour TV show because after every day of shooting, I would go home and make another attempt to change it.

That was 20 years ago – do you remember the ambitions and dreams you had back then?

Is that really 20 years ago already? Crazy! To be honest, at the time I had no great ambitions to go into movies or television, partly because up to then, I had only really done theater. As far as life choices are concerned, I would have been perfectly happy to carry on acting on stage, as I did in my school days.

So is ambition alien to you?

No, I wouldn’t say that, but my ambition has never been directed toward a particular goal. I want to do every job I take on as well as I possibly can, and I work hard for that. But I have never been a dreamer who sets himself certain goals and chases after them. Specific dreams, like getting to play Hamlet once in my life, are alien to me.

Did you have a mentor who would warn you about the pitfalls of an acting career?

Not exactly, but I did have a truly wonderful teacher. That was when I was still at school. His name was Simon Dormandy, and he had been an actor before switching to teaching later in life. He treated us teenagers at boarding school like adults, and the respect he showed us made a huge impact on me. I have a great deal to thank him for generally as far as my training goes, as I never attended an acting school afterwards. I still occasionally ask Simon’s advice when I’m faced with a big new challenge. To this day, there’s no one I feel I can rely on or am as safe with as him.

You have just shot a sequel to the hit movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Isn’t that a bit boring for a serious actor?

I imagine that might be true with some movies. But my experience on this film was different for a variety of reasons. For one thing, Joanne K. Rowling’s stories have that magic, imagination and playfulness that children adore, but that adults also love. You succumb to that magic as an actor, too. And the film doesn’t just tell the same story over again, it goes a step further. There’s a lot more at stake this time around for Newt Scamander, whom I portray, and the other characters in the movie.

So you don’t regret having signed up straight away to do a whole movie series?

Not at all! It’s great fun being part of this fantasy world. Everyone on the team is so incredibly creative, from the technicians who come up with the special effects, to the puppeteers, the costume designers and props people, to say nothing of the other actors. Our director, David Yates, really did put a wonderful troupe together. What also helps is that I’m far from tired of my role – I love Newt!

As an actor, does it make a big difference whether you play in these kinds of fantasy spectacles or in movie dramas, such as the Stephen Hawking film The Theory of Everything or The Danish Girl?

Not in terms of work. But for me it really is a welcome change to be playing a character in a very different context after dramatic roles in which I portray real people. It was very liberating to leave the tragedy of reality behind.

Checklist

FAVOURITE KARAOKE SONG

“Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi

FAVORITE MOVIE

Most recent favorite, Phantom Thread

FAVOURITE BOOKS

Levels of Life by Julian Barnes, A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit

We are nomads – I find having a little order in my life quite pleasant

Does it feel a little odd already knowing that you will be shooting the next installment of Fantastic Beasts next summer and that you will be on tour, promoting the film, a year later in 2020 … do you like having things planned ahead to such a degree?

You’re right, this is not the norm. As an actor, you often lose control over your diary. We never know when our next role will come along, when we will be shooting, when a film will air in the movie theaters. As a result, we lead a nomadic life, rather like a wandering circus. Some people really like that – my wife, for one. She loves it when we travel a lot. But I find having a little more order in my life quite pleasant.

So you appreciate long-term film projects like this five-part movie series?

Yes. One good thing about this one is that so far at least, we have shot everything in London. That means I only need to travel from home to work, which definitely beats sitting in a hotel way on the other side of the world. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s most definitely not a bad thing to know now what work I’ll be doing next summer. Also, there’s plenty of time for unplanned projects and playing the nomad before then.

Looking back at your roles over the past two decades, is there one apart from Newt Scamander that you would like to play a second time?

Hmm … I can’t think of one right now. But I would gladly work with quite a few actors I’ve already filmed with, like Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore, for example. Otherwise, I would appreciate the opportunity to do a remake of one film or another so that I could iron out a few of the mistakes I made the first time around. It’s a great pity that’s not possible!


John Burton-Race

{{Infobox chef
|name           = John Burton-Race
|image          = JBR Sitting-2.JPG
|caption        = Burton-Race in 2009
|birth_date     = John William Burton-Race
|birth_place    = Singapore
|death_date     =
|death_place    =
|education      = Saint Mary's College, Southampton
|ratings        = Michelin stars  no longer held
|restaurants    =
|spouse         = ; Susan Burton-Race <small>; 1 child
|television     = French LeaveReturn of the ChefGreat British Menu Kitchen CriminalsBritain's Best Dish I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!Taste The NationLet's Dance for Comic ReliefPut Your Money Where Your Mouth IsDaily Cooks Challenge
|awards         = 1987 first 1* Michelin1987 until 2002 2* Michelin1990-94 Good Food Guide 5/51991 Egon Ronay ‘Restaurant of the Year’1992 One Silver and two Gold Medals at Madrid Euro Olympics and Gold for overall    ‘European Chef of the Year’1994 Grand Prix de L’art de la Cuisine International Academy of Gastronomy1996 Catey Awards ‘Chef of the Year’Acorn Award Caterer and Hotel Keeper MagazineAckerman Guide ‘Best in Britain Award’Toques Gault Millau 18/205 AA RosettesEgon Ronay 3*2005-06 AA ‘Restaurant of the Year’(England)'2005-10 1* Michelin and 3 AA Rosettes|website        =
}}
John William Burton-Race (born 1 May 1957) is a British Michelin starred chef, television personality and celebrity chef, made famous by the Channel 4 series French Leave and its sequel Return of the Chef and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

Early life
Burton-Race was born in Singapore, raised by his mother and stepfather, who was a United Nations official. Burton-Race's biological father, whom he contacted as an adult, was a geologist. Burton-Race spent his early years travelling, allowing him to experience food from all round the world. He attended St Mary's College, Southampton.

Career
Between 1983 and 2002, he held positions at various restaurants in the South of England, including Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Oxford; the L'Ortolan restaurant in Berkshire; and in 2000, he took over The Landmark London hotel, winning two Michelin stars.  In 1995 Burton Race joined an elite group of chefs as the winner of a coveted Catey Award – the Oscar of the UK hospitality industry.

After a 1990 television debut in Masterchef, Burton Race served as food consultant for the BBC Lenny Henry series Chef!. French Leave saw Burton Race move to France in 2002. He returned to the UK to purchase and run the restaurant/hotel The New Angel in Dartmouth, a seaside town in Devon. It was awarded a Michelin star in 2005.

In 2006, Burton Race lost to Michael Caines when the pair were challenged to represent the South West of England in the BBC television series Great British Menu. Following the collapse of his second marriage, in 2007 Burton-Race became a mentor on BBC cooking show Kitchen Criminals, and a judge of ITV cooking show Britain's Best Dish. He was one of three judges on the daytime food show Britain's Best Dish (2007–2011), alongside Jilly Goolden and Ed Baines.

In spring 2009, he appeared as a mentor on the ITV show Taste The Nation, a contestant on the BBC Two show Put Your Menu Where Your Mouth Is, and a contestant on Let's Dance for Comic Relief, dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller. In summer 2009, Burton-Race appeared on the ITV daytime food show Daily Cooks Challenge.

Burton-Race left The New Angel in 2010, Burton-Race joined Unitas, and has since consulted for various restaurants a, hotels and food chains. In 2012 Burton-Race joined Adams Foods as Brand Ambassador and Executive Development Chef for Kerrygold and Pilgrims Choice, and also entered the retail market with his CookedBy John Burton-Race brand.

In 2013, he competed in the new edition of BBC One series Put your Menu where your Mouth is, and filmed reality series Celebrity Super Spa for Channel 5.

As of 2017, Burton-Race is heading the brasserie and terrace restaurant team at the refurbished Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay Devon, recently renamed John Burton-Race Restaurant with Rooms, which has been awarded two AA Rosettes. In August 2018, Burton-Race announced via his Twitter account that he was leaving the Richardson Hotel Group and would be departing from the John Burton-Race Restaurant with Rooms and was seeking new adventures.

I'm a Celebrity
In November 2007, he appeared in ITV's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! During the series, he had a number of severe falling outs with fellow contestant Lynne Franks, as the two of them had such opposite and extreme personalities. He was also the camp's main cook, and disliked fellow contestant Janice Dickinson's refusal to eat certain types of meat, such as kangaroo, crocodile and possum.  Burton-Race was voted out of I'm a Celebrity by the public on 24 November, the fifth person to leave the 2007 series. During his final chat with presenters Ant & Dec, he explained that as a chef, he had a very open mind with trying new types of food, and that was why he disliked Dickinson's refusal to eat the food he had prepared.

Personal life
Burton-Race has been married three times, and has five children:
Marie-Christine (????-1995): two children, Naomi Burton-Race and Maximilian Burton-Race.
Kim (1995-2007): started an affair, after meeting at a friend's wedding in the Caribbean.  They have two children together, and lived in a Georgian rectory in the village of Ashprington, near Totnes, with Kim's four children from her previous marriage.
Susan (2005–present)

As part of a divorce settlement with Kim, Burton-Race was required to liquidate his assets, including the family home and The New Angel. Kim closed The New Angel on 27 November 2007 whilst Burton-Race was in the Australian Outback on ITV programme I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.John Burton Race on TV when wife closed restaurant  caterersearch.com, 28 November 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2013. The New Angel'' reopened a year later, after being bought by a friend, with Burton-Race back in charge.
Despite previous press reports of assets over £3 million, Kim and John Burton-Race each declared themselves bankrupt in 2009.

References

External links
 John Burton Race official website

Category:1957 births
Category:Living people
Category:Singaporean emigrants to the United Kingdom
Category:British chefs
Category:English television personalities
Category:Head chefs of Michelin starred restaurants


Introduction: The Wyndam Grand London Chelsea Harbour (formerly The Conrad London) is Londons only 5-star, all-suite hotel overlooking the marina in Chelsea Harbour and the River Thames. The facilities complement the excellent location, at Wyndam Grand London you will enjoy a luxurious air-conditioned suite with sitting room, bedroom, bathroom and hallway, fully-equipped for the business and leisure travellers.Sports and Leisure: The Health and Fitness Centre offers a superb 17 metre heated indoor pool, the leisure facilities are amongst the finest of London hotels and the gymnasium provides an exclusive yet friendly environment. Facilities include; a cardiovascular room with floor to ceiling windows offering natural light and looking out over the pool. Equipment includes treadmills, steppers, cross trainers and bicycles. A weight room boasts state-of-the-art fitness equipment by Technogym, along with free weights, fitness balls and floor mats. The knowledgeable staff are on hand to assist with programmes.There are an extensive range of massage and spa treatments, saunas, and steam rooms available and jogging routes and maps are available for park and harbour runs.Services: Hotel facilities include; Multi-Lingual Staff, Business Centre, Laundry/Valet Service, Baggage Storage, Barber Shop, Beauty Salon, Clothing Store, Concierge Desk, Elevators, Foreign Currency Exchange, Gift Shop, Local Area Transportation, Lounge, Luggage Hold, News Stand, Safety Deposit Box, Shoe Shine Stand, Tour Desk, 24 hr Room Service, Doctor on call, Bellhop, Evening Turn-down service, Fax, Hair Dresser, Parking (fees apply) and Valet parking. Parking facilities: There are parking facilities for the disabled as well as valet parking (charges apply).Congress and Meetings: Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour has a fully air-conditioned, business facility with 14 different meeting rooms, designed to meet all conference requirements for up to 200 delegates. All meeting rooms offer superb comfort and are fully equipped to ensure a successful conference. Address: Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XG. Meals & Gastronomy: With spectacular marina views, Aquasia restaurant offers delectable dining with a symphony of light and space. On warm summer days the floor to ceiling glass panels can be opened to allow guests to enjoy spectacular al-fresco dining. By evening the mood subtly changes as the stunning interior radiates warmth and intimacy. Within the stylish setting, Aquasia Restaurant offers an exciting array of flavours capturing the essence of modern European cuisine.Location: Overlooking the River Thames in prestigious Chelsea Harbour, located close to key attractions including Knightsbridge, the West End, the fashionable King's Road and the major exhibition centres of Earls Court and Olympia.Accommodation: Every one of the 160 beautifully appointed suites reflects the hotels sense of space, luxury and style. All are generous by London hotel standards, many with spectacular balconies and are elegantly furnished, with enough space to satisfy every guest requirement. Each spacious suite is fully air-conditioned and includes a separate seating area in which to work, stretch out, relax and unwind. Bathrooms are equally luxurious and spacious. All suites are also equipped with essential business communication facilities including high speed internet access. Standard facilities include; Air Conditioning, Alarm Clock, Bathrobe, Bathroom Amenities, Bathroom Phone, Clothes Press, Coffee/Tea, Color Television with cable, Direct-dial Phone, Fax, Hair Dryer, High-Speed Internet, Iron/Ironing Board, Kitchen, Laundry Basket/Clothes Hamper, Microwave, Mini Bar, Modem/Data Port, Movies, Newspaper, Plates, Glassware, Power Converters for International Guests, Private Bath, Radio AM/FM, Refrigerator with Icemaker, Safe, Self-controlled Heating System, Silverware, Sofa-bed, Stereo, Telephone Jack Adapters for International Guests, Toaster, Voice Mail & Work Desk with Lamp.

Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour reviews on MATCHhotels are written by travellers like you. Our honest and unbiased reviews help all travellers decide which hotel to book and which to avoid. Please add your own review now.

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As every expat living here knows, if you’re going to live in Britain, you’re going to have to learn about tea. How to make it properly. The different types of tea. The etiquette of tea. How and when to drink tea. How to love it.

Yes, you must learn to love it, like Winston Smith learning to love Big Brother at the end of George Orwell’s 1984. Tea is important here. Very important. Why do you think Americans dumping British-owned tea into Boston Harbor in 1773 was such a potently symbolic act? Because, essentially Britain is tea and tea is Britain.

But Expat Claptrap is not the place for a history lesson. We’re here to provide practical information, so here’s everything you need to know about tea:

Tea? Isn’t that a drink for little old ladies?

In America, yes, but not in the UK. Here everyone drinks tea. Yes, the Queen drinks tea. But so does Sean Connery and so did Jack the Ripper. Mr Bean, Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and William Shakespeare all drink tea. Everyone.

Do I have to drink tea if I live in Britain?

If you work in an office, you will be offered tea between three and nine times a day every day. You will break down and say yes at some point. But it’s not heroin- you’re not going to be hooked straight away. It’ll get you slowly, the way cigarettes did. “I only smoke when I’m drinking.” or “I only smoke on weekends.” Damn you cigarettes tea !

What are the different types of tea?

Here’s the essentials:

English breakfast: Bog standard “English tea”

Bog standard “English tea” Builder’s tea: Basically a strong and cheap variation of English breakfast. The most famous brands are called Yorkshire and PG Tips.

Basically a strong and cheap variation of English breakfast. The most famous brands are called Yorkshire and PG Tips. Earl Grey: slightly citrus-y, with a touch of Bergamot. Not drank much in the office, more for afternoon tea.

slightly citrus-y, with a touch of Bergamot. Not drank much in the office, more for afternoon tea. Rooibos : surprisingly common, this tastes like a tree branch dipped in hot water for an hour. (After 10 years living here, I still don’t know how to pronounce “Rooibos.”)

: surprisingly common, this tastes like a tree branch dipped in hot water for an hour. (After 10 years living here, I still don’t know how to pronounce “Rooibos.”) Peppermint : Quite girly to drink Peppermint.

: Quite girly to drink Peppermint. Chai : For North London MILFs.

: For North London MILFs. Chamomile : Pronouced Cam-o-mile, not cam-o-mill like in America. This is meant to be “relaxing” tea to help you sleep.

: Pronouced Cam-o-mile, not cam-o-mill like in America. This is meant to be “relaxing” tea to help you sleep. Fruit infused tea : Imagine raspberry or some other fruit juice, take away sweetness and any other flavour, and this is what you’ll be left with. But hot.

: Imagine raspberry or some other fruit juice, take away sweetness and any other flavour, and this is what you’ll be left with. But hot. Green tea: Not as commonly-drank here as you might think, but available in all shops.

So which of these should I drink?

If you’re American, you should only drink builder’s tea with no sugar and just a small dollop of milk. It’s cheap, it’s strong and the locals will respect you for it, as this is the purest expression of English tea. If you want to drink organic bohea lapsang tea, that’s your prerogative, but I don’t want to hear about it. In fact, if that’s how you want to be, you can stop reading this blog right now. You’re banned- go back to America, you clearly don’t fit in here. wanker.

So where do I get tea?

Good news, in Britain you never have to buy tea. Every office in this country, even the most bare-bones ones, have break rooms that they sometimes even call “tea rooms,” with an endless supply of bags. Help yourself!

How do I make tea?

You may be thinking, “what’s the big deal, it’s hot water and a tea bag,” but you are wrong. If you’re a yank, please please please learn how to do this so we all don’t have to hear about how Americans can’t make a bloody cup of tea properly. Here’s how you do it:

Put a tea bag in a cup or mug first.

Pour very hot water over the tea bag.

Don’t overfill the cup. Leave a bit of room for milk.

Let the tea bag steep for around a minute if it’s strong, tea. Longer if it’s plain English Breakfast.

Add a small amount of milk. Never over-milk the tea.

Take the tea bag out and serve.

What did you mean about “the etiquette of tea?”

There are strict rules around the making of tea. If you work in an office, and you get up for any hot beverage, or even for a glass of water you are obliged to ask everyone on your team or in your immediate vicinity if they’d like a cup of tea. I’m not even a little bit joking. Various British workplace surveys have listed “not offering to make tea” as one of the biggest complaints people have about their colleagues.

What is “afternoon tea” all about?

Afternoon tea is a formal sit down, with tea brewed in a proper tea pot and accompanied by nibbles and cakes. This is often done in hotels for American tourists. If you decide to go out for afternoon tea while visiting London, I’m going to teach you a new British word that it’s essential for you to learn. The word is poncey, (pronounced pon-si). Use this word as an adjective to describe everything as it’s served to you, as in “Oh what a poncey teapot- how lovely.” Or “Oh, these scones are especially poncey, thank you waiter.” Enjoy!

What’s this thing where they use the word “tea” to also mean supper?

You know that story about how Eskimos have 20 words for snow? Apparently that’s not really true, and there’s really only one word for snow. There’s also only one word for “tea” in Britain, but that one word can mean a lot of different things. For some, it means “lunch” and for some “supper” or “dinner” and for others it means “afternoon tea break.”

This is a real sentence you might here in Britain: “Yesterday I had afternoon tea, but I didn’t have any tea with my tea that evening.”

I like iced tea, does that count?

No.

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The Monopoly board game has enshrined Mayfair as the most gilded neighbourhood in London: home to oligarchs, bankers and Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, and host to swanky townhouses, glitzy hotels and luxury shops. It now also has, for the first time, a Labour councillor.

Pancho Lewis’s unprecedented victory in Westminster council’s West End ward (which also includes Fitzrovia, Soho and Oxford Street) was a standout result on a mixed local election night for Labour in May. It triggered some wonderment and curiosity: if Labour can win in Mayfair – where a home costs an average of £18m and where even Rees-Mogg has apparently been “priced out” – could it win anywhere?

Local Conservatives regard this quirky, cosmopolitan economic powerhouse in the centre of the capital as the “jewel” in the council’s crown. The ward was created 40 years ago and has been solidly Tory since 1990. Labour has contested it in recent years, but has never been in sniffing distance of winning. So how did Lewis succeed in this “unwinnable” ward? (Labour’s three candidates took just one seat despite between them winning 2,858 votes to the Tories’ 2,831).

“We refused to accept the assumption that the West End always has to be Conservative, and as soon as you [do that] you pave the way for things to be done differently,” he says.

Lewis has amusing stories of campaigning outside Claridge’s hotel wearing his red socialist rosette, and door-knocking Rees-Mogg (he wasn’t in). But his success came on the back of two years of hard graft: he and his fellow Labour candidates became de facto councillors, meeting residents and immersing themselves in the unglamorous minutiae of ward business, from noise nuisance to street litter.

‘If Labour can win in Mayfair – where a home costs an average of £18m and where even Jacob Rees-Mogg has apparently been “priced out” – could it win anywhere?’ Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

His campaign arguably took off, however, after it tapped into wider resident perceptions that the distinctive heritage of the area was being destroyed by unbridled commercialism. There was unhappiness that property developers were seemingly dictating local planning decisions, that corporate interests were encroaching on public space, and that Westminster council was in thrall to both.

Labour highlighted the “hotelification” of the area (a glut of faceless new high-end hotels), the relentless development of luxury flats (often bought as “financial deposit boxes” he says, by non-resident overseas investors), and the driving out of well-known local shops and businesses by steep rent and business rate rises (such as the iconic Gay Hussar restaurant), to be replaced by bland multinational chains.

Traditional Tory voters told Lewis when he was campaigning that they felt taken for granted and ignored by a remote and arrogant council. That view was seemingly confirmed by the resignation of a Conservative West End councillor just months before the election. Paul Church claimed that he was “bullied, silenced and threatened” by colleagues when he tried to stand up to domineering property developers.

A lot of residents felt that a very privileged elite were doing things without consulting with the community

Soon after, the council’s deputy leader (and one-time chair of the planning committee), Robert Davis, resigned after revelations that he had received hospitality and gifts from developers on hundreds of occasions. “A lot of residents felt that a very privileged elite were doing things without consulting with the community, or taking the views of local people seriously,” says Lewis.

He is an enthusiast for the grassroots campaigning approach often associated with Labour’s Corbynite wing. But he accepts that his campaign was fundamentally conservationist in nature. The Westminster Conservatives were presented as brutal freemarketers. Whereas, he says with a wry smile, “we were the ‘small-c’ conservatives who say change has to be gradual.”

The idea of the West End being plundered and spoiled by commerce is not a new one – laments for the decline of Soho, in particular, have been a constant for decades. Arguably it also fails to reflect that for all its “character”, the wider West End is no stranger to dynamic capitalism: its shops, bars, theatres and offices create more wealth than the City of London, according to some estimates.

Lewis’s success reflects a wider trend, points out London watcher and journalist Dave Hill, who runs the OnLondon.co.uk website. Grassroots campaigns that give voice to “local anxiety and unease” over large-scale property development, gentrification and estate regeneration schemes, often in opposition to local councils, are in their different ways gaining traction, from Lambeth to Haringey and Walthamstow.

Lewis’s pragmatic localism has put him on a collision course with Labour’s London mayor, Sadiq Khan. West End Labour aligned with local residents and Westminster council Conservatives to kill Khan’s ambition to pedestrianise Oxford Street, the huge shopping destination in the north of the ward.

Lewis says his first few weeks as a councillor have been frustrating. After he asked officials for an urgent licensing review of a Mayfair nightclub following allegations of racist door policies (the club denies the allegations) he was told it couldn’t be done. “That’s not good enough. If it was a case of alleged drug dealing, they’d be on to it immediately.” So what could local politicians in general learn from Lewis’s victory? “Speak to people, engage with people, show them you are taking them seriously and can take action,” says Lewis. “Prove to people that things they thought weren’t possible, are possible. It’s a lot of hard work and it’s often not particularly glamorous. But that’s what it takes to win in places where people say you can’t win.”

Curriculum vitae

Age: 30.

Lives: Westminster.

Family: Engaged.

Education: The King’s school, Canterbury; Edinburgh University, anthropology BA; Cambridge University, politics and education MA.

Career: 2018-present: partnerships and business development, Too Good To Go (a food waste app); 2016-18: Helped found Fairbnb; 2015-18: consultant at The Campaign Company (social research and community engagement consultancy); 2013-15: Researcher to an MP, House of Commons; 2006-07: Full-time busker in Australia and south Asia, playing saxophone and guitar.

Public life: 2018: elected Labour councillor for West End ward, Westminster; 2016-18: prospective Labour councillor for West End ward. In 2012, while working as an English teacher in Spain, helped to mobilise for a national strike as a result of austerity imposed by conservative prime minister Rajoy.

Interests: Music (all sorts apart from classical), pubs, cycling, reading.


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A night out in London that includes a hotel room, taxi fare, a
cocktail and dinner will set you back $518.01 on average, while
one in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, costs only $141.12,
according to TripAdvisor’s latest edition of its TripIndex,
published yesterday.

A night in a four-star hotel costs on average $361.64 in the
Olympic host city compared to $84.89 in Hanoi, the most
affordable city in the list.
Tourists in Asia get the best deal for a night out. Hanoi, the
cheapest city in the list, is followed by Beijing in China
($159.05 for a night out) and Bangkok in Thailand ($161.90).

Budapest is the cheapest European destination on the list, where
it broke the top five. A night out in the Hungarian capital will
set you back $193.78 on average, making it slightly cheaper than
the next city on the list, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia ($194.43).

European cities are the most expensive, with London coming in at
over five hundred dollars ($361.64 for accommodation and $82.61
for dinner), followed by Norwegian capital Oslo ($499.91), Zurich
in Switzerland ($485.82) and Paris.

A night out in Paris, which this week MasterCard forecast as the
second most popular city for tourists in the world after London,
costs a total of $480.76, broken down in the following way:
tourists shell out $306.71 on average for a room in a four-star
hotel, $15.06 for a taxi fare (for a 1.8-mile ride), $57.44 for a
cocktail for two in the bar of a five-star hotel and $101.55 for
dinner (two main courses and one bottle of wine).

In North America, popular tourist destination New York is the
most expensive city and sixth most expensive on the overall list
at $456.50 ($341.63 for accommodation, $15 for a cab ride, $32
for two cocktails and $67.87 for dinner), while Las Vegas offers
the best value at a total cost of $263.

The TripIndex compares the price of a night out in the most
popular tourist destinations around the world for the summer of
2012. The average costs mentioned cover two cocktails, dinner for
two at a restaurant, taxi fares and a night for two at a hotel.


DUBAI (Reuters) - Kingdom Holding’s plan to borrow money to fund new investments has stalled because owner Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has been detained in Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption crackdown, according to four banking sources familiar with the matter.

FILE PHOTO - Saudi billionaire Prince AlWaleed bin Talal looks on during a news briefing in Manama, May 8, 2012. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo

Kingdom 4280.SE had approached banks to obtain the loan, but the financing plan has been held up because the lenders are worried about potential repercussions if they lend to the prince's company, the sources said.

One of the sources, who was approached for the loan, said it would have been worth roughly 5 billion riyals ($1.3 billion).

A financing hold-up for Kingdom - a leading Saudi investment firm with stakes in prime real estate including New York’s Plaza Hotel and London’s Savoy Hotel - would suggest the crackdown this month is slowing new Saudi business activity.

Asked for comment, Kingdom’s Chief Financial Officer Mohammed Fahmy said his company had not asked any bank for a formal loan commitment. He said that terms of any financing deal were never finalised.

More than 200 people were questioned and dozens of princes, officials and top businessmen detained in the anti-corruption purge. Over 2,000 bank accounts have been frozen by investigators, commercial bankers told Reuters.

The Riyadh government has said the economy will not suffer because investigators are targeting only individuals, not their companies, which can continue to operate as normal.

In a statement issued soon after Prince Alwaleed was detained two weeks ago, Kingdom also said it was continuing to operate normally, and that it had the support of the government.

But a loan hold-up would suggest some damage to the economy may be inevitable as banks, uncertain of the fate of majority owners of companies and unsure how far the crackdown will extend, become reluctant to extend new financing.

PRINCE ALLEGATIONS

Kingdom completed the acquisition of a 16.2 percent stake in local lender Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) 1050.SE in September, buying about half of France's Credit Agricole stake in BSF for 5.76 billion riyals.

The company approached banks to obtain a loan that would have been secured by its BSF stake, as the company wanted to leverage the newly acquired shares in order to make new investments, according to the sources.

Kingdom’s share price has plunged 19 percent in the past two weeks, erasing about $1.9 billion of market value. The allegations against Prince Alwaleed, who owns 95 percent of Kingdom, include money laundering, bribery and extorting officials, a Saudi official has previously told Reuters.

The allegations could not be independently verified.

One of the four sources, a senior banker at a Saudi financial institution, said the loan deal would not go ahead until the situation facing the prince was resolved.

Eight Saudi and international bankers, including the four sources, said in addition to the Kingdom loan, a range of other transactions involving clients who are directly or indirectly involved in the detentions had also been put on hold.

Banks have not reached the point of recalling existing loans, but they have increased the level of scrutiny for some new financing, the bankers said.

In a report last week, debt rating agency Moody’s said a prolonged freeze of bank accounts in Saudi Arabia could damage corporate credit quality in the kingdom because large depositors were often large borrowers and business owners.

“Saudi Arabia’s corporate sector remains dominated by unlisted family-owned businesses with uneven governance and disclosures and frequent intermingling of individual and corporate activities, which ultimately could expose corporates to these individuals’ frozen accounts,” Moody’s said.


Following Christian Dior's launch of the "New Look" collection in 1947, women entered a decade of complete elegance and glamour in the '50s. From the billowing skirts to little white gloves and ladylike bags, click through to relive the best 1950s fashion trends in photos.

1950

A model wearing a blue dress, red hat, and white gloves.

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A young woman spotted in a print dress with a detachable cape.

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A model at an International Wool Secretariat fashion show at Claridge's Hotel London.

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A model posing in a Ceil Chapman cocktail dress.

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A model posing in a Vera Maxwell dress.

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Model wearing matching dress and coat.

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Canadian film actress Norma Shearer posing in a summer look.

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A woman wears a print dress and fur while walking down a New York street.

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Sue Turner photographed in Saint Tropez.

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A woman poses alongside a pink car in her coordinating sweater and skirt.

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A model posing in a long red winter coat.

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A Givenchy look.

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Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida poses in a red dress.

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A model wearing a coat with fur collar and hat.

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A model wearing a high-necked dress and gloves.

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A model wearing a dress by Noberasco.

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A woman modeling college fashion.

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Model Elsa Peretti spotted in New York City.

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A Hubert de Givenchy look in Paris.

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A little black dress designed by Nettie Rosenstein.

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A model in a Seymour Fox-designed look.

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A fashion shoot for Harper's BAZAAR.

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A model poses in a jumpsuit and sandals.

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1951

A '50s-designed fur coat.

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A yellow wool coat designed by Alex Gres.

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A polka dot look by Balenciaga.

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A woman in a tweed coat and fur hat.

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A model wears a tweed fashion look.

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A Christian Dior look spotted in Venice, Italy.

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A model in a Christian Dior outfit outside the Santa Maria Della Salute church in Venice.

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A Christian Dior model in Venice, Italy.

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A model in an Hermes Trompe-l'Oeil raincoat in Paris.

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A model wearing Italian fashion.

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A model wearing Christian Dior in Venice.

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A model in a tweed coat, knit gloves, and cap in Grand Central Terminal, New York.

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A model in a yellow polka-dotted summer dress.

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1952

A model in New York.

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A patterned summer suit with white gloves and red accessories.

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1953

A young woman in New York City.

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Alice Treff in a two-colored dress and a silk summer jacket.

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1954

A model at the Jacques Fath presentation in Paris.

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1955

A woman wearing a green velvet coat in a Georgian crescent.

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A woman models a summer dress and a parasol.

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British model Jean wearing a summer dress in the gardens of the Hotel Mediterraneo, San Remo.

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A model wearing a knitted cardigan with a neckerchief in Italy.

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A woman modeling 'Rondo.' a dress by Italian designer Simonetta, outside the Palazzo Grassi in Venice.

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1956

Marigold Russell models a new outfit outside London's Big Ben.

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A German model in a summer outfit.

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1957

A woman in a striped button-down and full circle skirt.

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Suzy Parker poses for a photo call.

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A woman modeling a winter coat and matching hat in Rome.

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A woman modeling a checked winter coat and matching hat in Rome.

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A woman modeling a winter coat with houndstooth trim and matching hat in Rome.

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A model shows off beach fashion in a print dress, ballet flats and a straw hat.


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The apparent cause of the rant was the interruption of photography director Shane Hurlbut during a scene in the making of the latest Terminator movie.

When Mr Hurlbut attempts to apologise, Bale shouts: "Don't just be sorry. Think for one ------- second."

Bale continues: "I'm going to ------- kick your ------- arse.

"Do you want me to trash your lights? Do you want me to ------- trash them?"

Speaking to E! News yesterday, Mr Franklin defended the star.

He said Bale was a "consummate professional" who just had a bad day.

He added: "If you are working in a very intense scene and someone takes you out of your groove – it was the most emotional scene in the movie – and for him to get stopped in the middle of it... He is very intensely involved in his character.

"He doesn't walk around like that all day long. It was just a moment and it passed."

Mr Franklin added: "This was my second movie with Christian, and it has always been a good experience with him.

"He is so dedicated to the craft."

Days after his tirade, Bale was arrested by the Metropolitan Police following an incident involving his mother and sister at the Dorchester Hotel in London on July 21.

The Crown Prosecution Service later decided not to bring charges due to "insufficient evidence to afford a realistic prospect of conviction".


Sorrow (Van Gogh)

Sorrow is a drawing by Vincent van Gogh, produced in 1882.

The work, created two years after Van Gogh had decided to become an artist, depicts 32-year-old pregnant woman Clasina Maria Hoornik, familiarly known as Sien. Sorrow is widely acknowledged as a masterwork of draftsmanship, the culmination of a long and sometimes uncertain apprenticeship by Van Gogh in learning his craft. The drawing is part of the Garman Ryan Collection held at The New Art Gallery Walsall. Previously, it was in the private collection of artist Sally Ryan, who had the work hung in her permanent suite at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

The drawing is one of a series using Sien Hoornik as model. It is mentioned in a number of letters by Van Gogh, and he appears to have thought highly of it, considering it an important work and describing the drawing as "the best figure I've drawn". In a letter from July 1882, Van Gogh states; I want to make drawings that touch some people. Sorrow is a small beginning [...] there is at least something directly from my own heart.  The piece is numbered as F929a in the catalogue raisonné by Jacob Baart de la Faille.

Relationship with Sien

Van Gogh is reported to have encountered Sien Hoornik wandering the streets of The Hague with her five-year-old daughter Maria Wilhelmina in January 1882. She was destitute and pregnant, with addictions to alcohol and tobacco and reportedly working as a prostitute. Van Gogh cared for her for around a year between 1882 and 1883, reportedly out of pity and a sense of duty. From Hoornik's perspective their relationship is not reported to have been anything more than a convenient solution to a difficult situation.  Van Gogh was, however, reported at one stage to have been planning to marry her.  He provided shelter and in return Hoornik modelled for him.

In July 1882, Hoornik gave birth to a son, Willem, at the Maternity Hospital in Leiden. After the birth, she and Van Gogh moved into an apartment with a studio. This was reportedly a happy period for Van Gogh but by early 1883 Hoornik had started drinking again and returned to prostitution. The shared apartment became squalid, and the relationship between them deteriorated. Van Gogh found it increasingly difficult to support Hoornik and her children, in September 1883 they parted and Van Gogh left to further his career. In 1904, Clasina Maria Hoornik drowned herself in the Schelde River.

Symbolism

Sorrow was probably produced in the spring of 1882, between the encounter with Hoornik in January and the birth of her son in July. The drawing was mentioned in a letter to Van Gogh's brother Theo dated 10 April 1882. This dating is supported by the depiction of spring flowers in the foreground. Although the overall feel of the image has been described as bleak, the presence of spring flowers hints at the possibility of redemption. Van Gogh depicts Sien Hoornik as a woman scarred by life, and saw parallels to his own drawings of age-old trees ravaged by nature, such as The Roots in Sandy Ground (Les racines) 1882: "I wanted to express something of life's struggle, both in that white slender female figure and in those gnarled black roots with their knots."

The drawing is inscribed with the phrase "", which translates to "How can there be on earth a woman alone, abandoned?", a quotation from contemporary social historian Jules Michelet's book . The phrase provides a key to the themes of some of Van Gogh's early works, and his belief in poverty being the root cause of things such as prostitution.

Alternative versions
There were reportedly four versions of Sorrow from around early to mid April 1882, the original drawing and two other versions which were made when Van Gogh realised the original had been pressed through onto two sheets of underlying paper, which he was able to work up afterwards. Ten days after production of the original he drew another larger version of the same subject, now only two versions remain. The larger version is mentioned by Van Gogh in a letter to Theo dated 1 May 1882. He writes:

The location of this alternative version is currently unknown, and it may no longer exist.

Another of the drawings mentioned as being sent to his brother in a letter on 10 April 1882 is considered lost.

Print impressions of versions of Sorrow are in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (which has two copies) and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. The latter's copy was printed by  of The Hague.

References

External links

Category:1882 works
Category:19th-century drawings
Category:Garman Ryan Collection
Category:Nude art
Category:Paintings by Vincent van Gogh


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - So just what have the Huskies been up to since they left Seattle?

A few dozen fans and UW staff members stood out in the rain to send the team off from Alaska Airlines Arena at noon Tuesday. The players wore new, all-gray sweat suits with purple, block Ws and 2011 NCAA Tournament on the front, and 2011 Pac 10 Champions on the back in the middle of the shoulders.

Lorenzo Romar began the flight to Charlotte by coming to the back of the plane and offering sticks of red licorice to surprised members of the Husky band. Try to find another big-time coach who does that.

The band members then continued their tradition of singing "Bow Down to Washington" with a clapping chorus as the Huskies' chartered jet took off at about 1:20 p.m. local time Tuesday afternoon from Boeing Field in Seattle. The players, all in first class for this latest trip to the NCAA tournament, got a kick out of forward and jokester Darnell Gant joining in with the band from the other end of the plane.

Then came the five-hour flight across the country, covering 2,800 miles in the longest trip for an NCAA tournament team to a second-round site. Coaches and some staff sat with their wives and families. Isaiah Thomas listened to music on his headphones, which are on so much they may actually be glued to his head. Freshman Terrence Ross fretted that he had forgotten his movie DVDs, and that this was going to be "the longest five hours of my life."

Somewhere over the Rockies, Bryan-Amaning held and swung and giggled with assistant coach Raphael Chillous' daughter Zaya as the toddler waited in front of first class for the bathroom to become available.

Moments later, MBA emerged in coach class with a smile and a box of Cinnabon rolls. He took them to the back galley and convinced a flight attendant to warm up the rolls there. Minutes later, she came back carrying a warm tray of them, with the sweet smell wafting through the cabin.

The team arrived around 9:30 p.m. Charlotte time and were greeted with home-like weather: rainy and temperatures in the 40s. The seventh-seeded Huskies arrived at the Reinassance Charlotte Southpark, which is in a corporate office park and across from a swanky mall, about 15 minutes south of downtown and the Time Warner Cable arena, and immediately ate a Southern-style dinner in a meeting room: fried chicken, ribs, macaroni and cheese and corn muffins. Oh, and apple pie with ice cream.

The NCAA assigns hotels for each second- and third-round sites based on seeding. In Charlotte, No. 1-seeded Duke is at the, ahem, Ritz-Carlton downtown. Second-seeded North Carolina is at the Hilton Charlotte University Place. The Tar Heels' opponent, 15th-seeded Long Island, gets the Marriott across the mall from where UW is staying. The only other of the eight teams here not downtown near the arena is 16th-seeded Hampton, which is staying at a Doubletree Suites, about a quarter mile from UW's place.

The first full day of acclimating to the Eastern time zone included players submitting some of the 10 final exams or term papers for winter quarter the players are completing on this trip. The Huskies have an academic advisor on the trip that administers study tables each afternoon in the hotel and proctors exams. So it's not all basketball here.

Bryan-Amaning joined us before the team's lunch for a live chat with hundreds of fans in the hotel's lobby atrium. He spent a full hour answering questions such as what attracted him to UW from London - "Coach Romar." He also revealed that the international basketball governing body, FIBA, this week granted host Great Britain a place in the Olympic tournament at the 2012 London Games. He's already been on the national team, and its coach has indicated this week's decision likely makes Bryan-Amaning an Olympian.

The team had an intense, two-hour practice inside the tiny gym at Division II Queens University nearby on Wednesday. You could tell it was March. Players dived head-first for loose balls and staged a battle royale during a particularly heated rebounding and transition drill. It was the most competitive - and, the players later said, productive practice of the season. This game will be won or lost in the lane against the inside-oriented Bulldogs, and Washington knows setting a rugged, frenetic tone on its terms will be a key.

Wednesday night, the players, staff and their families had a big dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse a short walk from the hotel. At the end of the feast, assistant coach Raphael Chillious had his daughter help him blow out the single candle on a small cake as the rest of the room sang Happy Birthday to him.

Coaches have come by rooms at 11 p.m. for bed check each night, but that's not lights-out time. The Huskies have struggled to get their sleep patterns on east-coast time, and many have been up to the early A.M. hours because of their Seattle body clocks. That's how Friday night's 9:45 p.m. local time should work to UW's advantage. It's almost the precise hour, 6:45 p.m. Seattle time, that the Huskies tipoff most of their West Coast games all season. Georgia, meanwhile, will be starting at its latest hour of the season.

Thursday was the Dawgs' busiest basketball day yet this week. Another focused, two-hour practice in the morning back at Queen's University last until lunch. The players then bussed back to their hotel, and en route stopped at the neighboring mall to visit its food court and their favorite place: Chick-fil-A.

Next was study hall, with four more players taking tests. Bryan-Amaning had a sociology final, one of the last ones in his major. At 4 p.m., the team boarded its bus downtown to go to the game arena, the fancy, 20,000-seat home of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, for the first time for interviews and a public practice of mainly layups. As they left the hotel, many of them were buzzing over Morehead State upsetting Seattle native Peyton Siva and Louisville minutes earlier.

The team's demeanor grew noticeably more focused Thursday. All minds are on Friday night's start to UW's sixth NCAA tournament in nine seasons under Romar.


Mary Esther Harding

Mary Esther Harding (1888–1971) was a British-American Jungian analyst who was the first significant Jungian psychoanalyst in the United States.

Personal life
Mary Esther Harding was born in Shropshire, England the fourth of six daughters of dental surgeon, William Harding. (A son died, aged five-and-a-half, a month before she was born. Coming so soon after his death, Esther told her nephew that she believed her being a girl was a bitter disappointment to her father.) She was an avid reader and was home-schooled until the age of eleven. Harding and her sisters were encouraged by their parents to learn. Three of them attended university in the first two decades of the 20th century. Harding attended the London School of Medicine for Women, intending to become a missionary doctor. She graduated in 1914 in a class of nine students. She interned at the Royal Infirmary in London, the only hospital in London to accept women interns at the time. She wrote her first book, The Circulatory Failure of Diphtheria, but contracted the disease herself. Once she had recovered, with her father’s financial help, she set up in private practice in London. She did very well, and had a keen interest in cardiology. Later she became interested in psychiatry, which was then only beginning to be taken seriously. A friend, Constance Long, gave her Beatrice Hinkle’s translation of Psychology of the Unconscious by Carl Gustav Jung. This prompted Harding to move to Switzerland, in 1922, to study under him, along with a small group of other students attending Jung's Küsnacht home near Zurich. In 1923, Harding and H.G. Baynes organised a conference, held in Polzeath, Cornwall, where Jung gave daily lectures in the village hall to around 30 students. She described this, and two other conferences, in a paper delivered before the First International Congress for Analytical Psychology held in Zurich in August 1958, later published in Contact with Jung, edited by Michael Fordham.

Psychoanalyst
While in Zürich, Harding developed a close relationship with Eleanor Bertine, who had arrived there in 1919 with Kristine Mann, after attending an International Conference of Medical Women. In 1924, Harding and Bertine relocated to New York City, where they lived for many years at 88 Morningside Drive, New York. Harding developed an extensive practice as a psychoanalyst, becoming one of the chief exponents of Jung’s teachings and, as a leading member of the Karl Jung Foundation, lectured widely in the United States and in Europe. She wrote extensively, mainly in English but also in German. Each year Harding and Bertine would travel to Zürich for two months of analysis and spend summers at “The Inner Ledge”, Bailey Island, Maine, the ancestral summer home of Kristine Mann. There they saw analysands from the United States and Canada in a quiet, comfortable setting away from the distractions of daily life and conducive to profound experiences of the unconscious.

The Way of All Women, Women's Mysteries and early feminist psychoanalysis
Published in 1933 and 1935 respectively, The Way of All Women and Women's Mysteries were pioneering works in the field of psychology from a feminist perspective, exploring topics such as work, marriage, motherhood, old age and women’s relationships, from a Jungian standpoint. Jung himself praised both as an accurate application of Jungian theory. In his introduction to The Way of All Women, he wrote: “Drawing on her rich psychotherapeutic experience, Dr. Harding has sketched a picture of the feminine psyche which, in scope and thoroughness, far surpasses previous works in this field.”

Jungian Community
M. Esther Harding became influential in the New York City Jungian Analytical psychology community. She was a prodigious writer and a frequent lecturer in the United States and Canada. Her first book on analytical psychology, entitled The Way of All Women, was an instant-best seller and has been translated into many languages and introduced many people to Jung's psychology. Harding wrote many other well-known books, including: Psychic Energy, Women's Mysteries, The Parental Image, and The I and not I, along with numerous papers on a variety of subjects from depression to religion.

Harding helped to found many Jungian organizations, such as the Analytical Psychology Club of New York in 1936, the Medical Society for Analytical Psychology - Eastern Division in 1946, and the C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology in 1963.

She died in her sleep on 4 May 1971 in a London airport hotel, on her way back to New York from her sister’s house in Shrewsbury. She was survived by her elder sister, Olive Elwin née Harding, who had studied Mathematics at Cambridge University in the 1900s and was married to a grandson of William Stephen Jacob.

Books by M. Esther Harding
M. Esther Harding, The Circulatory Failure of Diphtheria: A thesis for the degree of Doctor of Medicine in the University of London, University of London Press, 1920, ASIN B00087EDZI
M. Esther Harding, Woman's Mysteries. Ancient and modern: A psychological interpretation of the feminine principle as portrayed in myth, story, and dreams (London: Longmans, Green 1936; rev'd ed., New York: Pantheon 1955), ASIN B0006AU8SI
M. Esther Harding, The Way of All Women, Putnam Publishing, (New York: 1970
M. Esther Harding, Psychic Energy, its source and goal, New York, Pantheon, 1947, Bollingen Series No. 10, ASIN B00005XR4E
M. Esther Harding, Psychic Energy: Its Source and Its Transformation, foreword by C.G. Jung, 1963,  Paper 0-691-01790-5
M. Esther Harding, The Parental Image;: Its injury and reconstruction; a study in analytical psychology, Published by Putnam for the C. G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology (1965), ASIN B0006BMVIM
Mary Esther Harding, The I and the Not-I, Bollingen: 1 January 1974,
Esther M. Harding, The Value and Meaning of Depression, Analytical Psychology Club, June, 1985,
M. Esther Harding, A short review of Dr. Jung's article Redemption ideas in alchemy, ASIN B0008C5SP2
M. Esther Harding, The mother archetype and its functioning in life, Analytical Psychology Club of New York City, 1939, ASIN B00089E47S
M. Esther Harding, Afterthoughts on The Pilgrim, Analytical Psychology Club of New York, 1957, ASIN B0006RJAD0
M. Esther Harding, Inward Journey, Sigo; 2nd edition, October, 1991,
M. Esther Harding, Way of All Women: a Psychological Interpretation, HarperCollins, 1 January 1975,
M. Esther Harding, Journey Into Self, Longman Green & Co., 1956
M. Esther Harding, Woman's Mysteries: Ancient & Modern, Longmans Green & Co., 1935
M. Esther Harding, The Way of All Women, Longman Green & Co., 1933

References

Thomas B Kirsch, The Jungians, Routledge  1 Jan 2000,
Ronald Hayman, A Life of Jung, W. W. Norton & Company, 1 June 2002,

Further reading
 Anthony, M. (1990). The Valkyries: The Women around Jung. Shaftesbury, Dorset: Element Books

Category:People from Shropshire
Category:Alumni of the London School of Medicine for Women
Category:Medical doctors from London
Category:English emigrants to the United States
Category:English psychologists
Category:Jungian psychologists
Category:British psychoanalysts
Category:English women writers
Category:20th-century American women writers
Category:20th-century English writers
Category:English non-fiction writers
Category:New Age writers
Category:Bailey Island (Maine)
Category:American psychologists
Category:American psychoanalysts
Category:1888 births
Category:1971 deaths
Category:Carl Jung


Course Overview

4

Years

8

Level

New course

Points

AL855

CAO Course Code

Why take this course?

This is an exciting course, which includes a compulsory overseas work placement. You will study the full suite of topics related to managing hospitality at the highest level, including bar, restaurant, front office and food and beverage management.

Tourism is now the largest indigenous employer in Ireland, with 230,000 people employed in the industry (Irish Times, 2016). In addition:

2016 was the best year in history for Irish tourism, over 10 million international tourists visited Ireland, up almost 1.5 million from 2015 (Tourism Ireland, 2017);

The tourism sector supports 143,500 jobs in the accommodation and food sector alone (Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport, 2017);

In 2016, tourism was responsible for overseas earnings of €5.4 billion (Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport, 2017);

In 2019 the UK holiday company Centre Parcs will open a new resort in Ballymahon. The Center Parcs village will be the biggest private tourism development in the history of the State, costing €233 million.

What will I experience?

Business management modules, including HRM, Marketing, Accounting and IT

2 compulsory work placements, with at least one compulsory placement overseas

Students in the Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure are eligible to take part in annual international fieldtrips. In the last two years we have visited Italy, Spain, France, China and Dubai. Joining us in 2018? Then you could come on our next trip to Dubai, in January 2019.

Find out more about this course and our facilities by attending one of our regular open evenings where you can meet teaching staff and current students.

Three Irish hotels (Ballyfin, Waterford, Ashford) recently featured in the top 10 hotels in the world in a major international travel publication, Condé Nást, in late 2016, with Ballyfin Demense featuring in first place. These five star hotels, and others national and internationally, such as Dromoland Castle, the Savoy and the Ritz (London), Fitzpatrick’s (New York), employ AIT Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure graduates;

What opportunities might it lead to?

Your specialist knowledge of hospitality management could lead to a career in the resort, hotel and tourism industries. Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:

Assessment Information

We place a lot of emphasis on student support and so we aim to provide a learning environment that is both stimulating and academically challenging, whilst also supporting your learning. You will encounter a range of teaching methods- from lectures, workshops and seminars to hands on practical food and beverage restaurant and kitchen classes. The course is taught by experienced lecturers with a track record of success in many sectors including the hospitality, tourism and culinary industries.

How are you assessed?

We appreciate that different students have different learning styles and so we provide a range of assessment approaches to suit everybody. Here are some of the ways we assess your work:

Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum O6/H7 grades in the Leaving Certificate examination. One of the six subjects presented must include English. Two of the six subjects must be at a grade of H5 or above. Level 5 QQI: Any QQI-FET level 5 qualification is acceptable but must contain a minimum of 3 distinctions.

Explore Our World & Discover Yours at AIT

Lecturer Testimonial

Dymphna Scanlon, Lecturer in Hospitality Management

"The hospitality industry is a dynamic, ever evolving industry that provides a wealth of employment opportunities around the world. Now is the right time to begin your career in this fantastic industry!"

Student Testimonial

Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure students in Beijing, 2016

"I throughly enjoyed myself on our Beijing fieldtrip. It was great to meet students from other courses and to learn about our industry in another country. I would recommend these trips to all students!"

Student Testimonial

Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure students in Dubai, 2017

"Dubai was an incredible experience for us. It was a place we never thought we would have wanted to visit but now we have a whole new perspective for ourfuture careers! We loved seeing the different culture and learning about the history of Dubai."

Student Testimonial

Anna Pilska, Diploma in Restaurant Management, 2015

"The Diploma in Restaurant Management gave me the best professional preparation and confidence in my work performance. I had many years experience in restaurants before, but that course opened my mind to what I was doing right or wrong."

Course Structure

Year 1

Introduction to Customer Service, Business and Management

Learning and Development for Higher Education

Beverage Studies

Gastronomy

Environment, Health & Safety Management

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Hospitality Costings

Restaurant and Culinary Skills

Computer Applications 1 for Hotel & Leisure

Year 2

Restaurant and Culinary Management

Front Office and Rooms Division Operations

Accounting

Marketing

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Work Placement (can be national or international)

Year 3

Hospitality Event Management

Human Resource Management and Training

Marketing

Accounting

Tourism Management

Language – French / German / Spanish (languages are optional)

Placement (must be international)

Year 4

Strategic Management

Financial Management

Marketing Management

Dissertation

Data Analytics

Tourism Management

Careers & Opportunities

Work Placement

Students take two work placements during this course, in summer of 2nd year and in summer of 3rd year. The first work placement can be taken locally, nationally or internationally and the second placement must be international. The Department provides dedicated support with all work placements, including assisting students in finding opportunities and then making sure they have positive experiences in field. Depending on where you want to go, you may have to contribute to costs for transport/ accommodation at the placement, but this will often be employer funded. We will strive to find paid work placement opportunities for you.

Further Study

Progression to the Master’s Business Studies degree in the Department of Business and Management at AIT;


Risk Assessment

For tours in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Flights and airports

The majority of McCabe pilgrim parties travel on EL AL Israel Airlines which is a reputable worldwide airline with excellent security procedures and safety records. The airports (London Heathrow and Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv) are again modern and have no safety issue question marks over them. Other carriers used include British Airways, EasyJet and Turkish Airlines, all of which are top grade carriers. Other airports include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin and Manchester, all with first-class facilities.

Hotels

We use two principal hotels in Israel, which McCabe has worked with successfully for 30 years. These are the Golden Walls, Jerusalem and the Ron Beach, Tiberias. Both are of international standard. The hotels are regularly inspected by McCabe staff to ensure that they satisfy the company’s high expectations and standards. Our partner office in Jerusalem checks that fire certificates are up-to-date and that both hotels meet local standards of health and safety. The Ron Beach has a swimming pool and is also on the lakeside. These areas are not always supervised but there are clear and prominent warning signs.

Coaches and travel

We use one coach company for all of our transportation in Israel. Nazareth Transportation Company is one of the three largest coach companies in Israel and utilises all the latest technology. Key features are a control system which monitors and records exactly where any coach is at any time and the speed the coach is travelling at. Drivers’ hours are strictly adhered to and also recorded. Coaches are modern and maintained to an exceptionally high standard. Drivers have at least some English and are used to working with tour groups. They are in constant touch with their office (in Nazareth) and therefore kept informed of any problems on the roads or with local events. Our local office inspects all the applicable certificates on an annual basis. Public transport is not used which considerably reduces the risk element.

Communication

Every McCabe pilgrimage is accompanied from arrival in Israel to departure by a licensed local guide. We employ specialised professional representatives at airports. Both of our main hotels are “family” and provide assistance in case of need – most commonly when someone is ill. An emergency telephone number is manned 24 hours a day at the McCabe office and we can quickly be in communication with any group either through the guide, coach driver or hotel reception.

The Touring Programme

Each pilgrimage itinerary is a variation on a template which has evolved over thirty years. The programme takes into account the fact that many pilgrims are elderly. Warning notes are provided to pilgrims about entering the Dead Sea – which is perfectly safe as long as basic precautions are adhered to such as not getting water in eyes or swallowing it. The programme may include one or two cable cars (at Masada and in Jericho), both of which are built to western standards and used by the majority of visitors in Israel. Our local office checks safety certificates annually.

We include lunches in our programmes. Restaurants are chosen carefully and hygiene certificates checked annually by our local office. This means the group can rely on high standards of hygiene and food quality during the tour, as meals are pre-booked at reputable establishments. There is typically very little free time on a pilgrimage which means that a guide is usually present giving advice on dangers such as slippery slopes, uneven paths etc.

Security is generally in evidence throughout the country. In the Old City, for example, there is a regular army presence with tourist safety a prime factor. Potential flashpoint areas, such as the Temple Mount and Western Wall area, are particularly tightly policed.

The company do give a mild warning to be careful on venturing out into the Old City at night, but this would be relevant advice in any location in the world and is as much about common sense as about any particular threat. Warning is also given of the threat of pick-pockets and robbery, particularly in Jerusalem and particularly on the Mount of Olives. This is reinforced by the guide during the tour. The other base for the tour, Tiberias, tends to be very relaxed, crime free and is in effect a resort-town.

When crossing into Palestinian areas, such as Bethlehem and Bethany, the group are again accompanied by their guide and coach driver, who enjoy excellent relationships with the local communities.

Crisis Strategy

McCabe Pilgrimages is an experienced tour operator which has been organising tours to the region for thirty years. For most of this time, the company has worked in partnership with a Jerusalem travel agency, Albina Tours. Each tour leader is provided with 24 hour telephone numbers of McCabe in London and Albina in Jerusalem.

The Albina office maintains close, personal contact with the British Embassy in Israel, and McCabe Pilgrimages are in direct contact with the British Foreign Office in London. We follow advice and avoid areas that may be unsettled. For instance, every week we avoid the Temple Mount vicinity on Fridays, when demonstrations often accompany Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque. Although the area experiences ongoing tension, the problems have historically not affected tourists and pilgrims to the region. It should be noted that tourism and receiving pilgrims is a key economic activity for both Palestinians and Israelis and therefore both sides co-operate to make visitors welcome.

McCabe remains constantly vigilant and has strategies in place to deal with any potential situation. The company has experience of crisis management, recently; for example, having to evacuate tourists from Syria due to the onset of violence. In Israel and Palestine, McCabe’s longstanding relationships with airlines, hotels, coach companies and other local partners mean that in an emergency, parties would be quickly moved or evacuated.

Practicalities

Our immediate point of contact with any party is the guide’s mobile telephone. In case of emergency, the guide would contact the Albina office. The Albina office would then contact whoever would be appropriate, for instance the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, the hotels, and/or airline. They would also of course be in contact with the McCabe office in London and we would be in contact with the British Foreign Office in London.

Nazareth Coach Company, has traditionally been our eyes and ears in Israel. Each coach is electronically monitored and has radio contact with the hub in Nazareth. The company is aware immediately if any coach runs into problems, and often has prior knowledge to avoid problem areas.

McCabe has been operating for thirty years and in cases of “force majeure” normal booking conditions are waived and everybody co-operates to solve the immediate problem. A recent example would be the ash cloud covering Europe. In thirty years, we can say quite honestly that none of our travellers have been caught up in any incidents. We always follow British Foreign Office advice. In the case of the Syrian conflict we cancelled all of our 2011 pilgrimages before the Foreign Office actually advised us to do so. More recently with the British Foreign Office change of advice to people visiting the area around St Catherine’s, we re-arranged the itineraries of groups travelling to avoid this area completely.

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The other side of Hout Bay

Everyone goes to Clifton and Camps Bay – and the area is really crowded. So instead, go to the other side of Camps Bay. Barely anyone there! You can do the spectacular drive to beautiful Chapman’s Peak. Or take the train to Simon’s Town, a quaint old naval town with a pretty harbour and antique shops. It’s close to Kalk Bay and Boulders beach, where there is a colony of a couple of thousand penguins.

Nadia Ahmed

Five-star cocktails at the Cape Grace Hotel

Photograph: hickey.fry.com/flickr

This hotel is one of the world’s finest, and is on the V&A Waterfront. Visit the Bascule Bar for bargain cocktails which, thanks to the favourable exchange rate, are only £3 or £4 (you would be paying £25 for cocktails in an equivalent hotel in London). Sit outside overlooking the yachts and the gorgeous view of Table Mountain. Waiters will bring you complimentary nibbles and, on cooler evenings, fleecy blankets, which of course will persuade you to indulge in another cocktail, and another …

capegrace.com

ID5251973

Veggie bites on a budget

In a meat-loving city, the best haven for veggies is Nooka Cafe, which does high-quality and healthy snacks and drinks, at a reasonable price.

Nigel Scollin

Defying expectations at Jarryds, SeaPoint

I love it when I’m proved wrong. My initial impressions about Jarryds were that it was a quaint yet bolshy upstart space, frequented by über-hipsters, serving vastly overpriced humdrum fare in a “trendy” space. But I was wrong. From the instant I was greeted with a genuine smile by owner Jarryd, I felt at home. The service was exemplary: attentive not OTT, succinct not fussy and clear not muddled. And the food! I had the Avo Smash – avo/feta/vine tomatoes/salmon/mascarpone and bacon (my addition) on sourdough. The freshness, the textures, the contrasts, the bacon! Oh … and the coffee. Delicious. I had three cups. The place was packed to the rafters, with normal people.

James Robert Hogan Costello

Company Gardens and Business District – a good detour

Photograph: Alamy

While Table Mountain and the Waterfront are must-dos in Cape Town, it’s worth also taking a stroll through the Company Gardens and the old part of the Business District, too. The reward is you get to see great architecture, as well as the peaceful landscaped heart of the city. There is a great little guesthouse nearby: the Nine Flowers has beautiful comfortable rooms, at a good price (doubles from £42) and a nice breakfast, too. Just a few doors down the road is the Gusto cafe for the best flat white we had in the city.

Richard McCrohan

Breakfast in Woodstock, Cape Town

Saucisse Boutique Deli

Head to Cape Town’s hipster neighbourhood of Woodstock for breakfast and coffee before a day exploring the city. Head to the Old Biscuit Mill, a village of shops, cafes and restaurants showcasing South African products. Order breakfast at Saucisse Boutique Deli and they’ll bring you a coffee from the Espresso Lab Microroasters next door. The food is delicious, and it’s a great spot for people watching.

meganevans7


Christine Hamilton has been dumped as a charity ambassador for tweets calling the burka ‘sinister’ and comparing it to KKK hoods.

The former reality star – who is married to ex-Tory MP and Ukip Welsh Assembly Member Neil Hamilton – was dropped by Muscular Dystrophy UK after she posted a photo of the Ku Klux Klan and said: ‘If the burka is acceptable then presumably this is too?’

It came after foreign secretary Boris Johnson compared women in burkas to ‘letter boxes’ and ‘bank robbers’ in a recent newspaper column.

Neil and Christine Hamilton at an after party following the press night performance of ‘Handbagged’ at the Royal Horseguards hotel on April 10, 2014 in London (Picture: Getty)

Mrs Hamilton was slammed by those on Twitter who said she was making prejudice a joke.

‘I hope you’re proud of yourself for perpetuating this idea that Muslim women should be vilified and mocked,’ one user tweeted.

In response, Muscular Dystrophy UK said it had severed all links with the broadcaster and author, adding in a statement that it is opposed to ‘all forms of prejudice and discrimination’.

Mrs Hamilton said the post was supposed to be ‘tongue in cheek’ but caused more anger online when she tweeted: ‘For heaven’s sake – no, I am not comparing Muslim women to KKK members and yes, thank you, I do know the difference.

‘I was graphically illustrating how full facial cover can be sinister, which is how many people view the burka.’

Christine Hamilton was dropped from charity Muscular Dystrophy UK for this tweet comparing the burka to KKK hoods (Picture: Twitter)

Muscular Dystrophy UK chief executive Robert Meadowcroft said the decision to drop her ‘fully reflects the values of the charity’.

A spokesman added: ‘Christine Hamilton’s recent tweet about the burka was made in a personal capacity and clearly does not reflect or in any way represent the views of Muscular Dystrophy UK.

‘We believe in a diverse and inclusive society, respect for all and we oppose all forms of prejudice and discrimination.’

Mrs Hamilton said she would remove any references to charities from her social media profile ‘to avoid any embarrassment’.

Christine Hamilton is no longer an ambassador of MDUK and all links between her and the charity have been severed. — MuscularDystrophyUK (@MDUK_News) August 11, 2018

The 68-year-old gained a fearsome public reputation through a number of TV appearances, including the 2002 series of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!

She published The Bumper Book Of British Battleaxes in 1997, and claimed she changed her name by deed poll to Mrs British Battleaxe in 2009 for a publicity stunt.

Mrs Hamilton and her husband became familiar faces on TV after Mr Hamilton, who was implicated in the Commons cash-for-questions scandal in the 1990s, lost his seat in Parliament to anti-sleaze candidate Martin Bell at the 1997 general election.

Mr Hamilton is currently the leader of Ukip Wales.

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? If you have a story for our news team, email us at webnews@metro.co.uk. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


Jenny Culshaw

Business reporter, BBC News

When it comes to the spirits industry, London and gin are synonymous. Hogarth's pictures of the drunkenness and disrepute of Gin Alley back in the 18th Century are well known. But it wasn't all bad behaviour and time wasting. Gin making - and consuming - has long been associated with London, as in this 1751 engraving The distilling and sales, that is said to have taken place in as many as one in four building in parts of the capital, developed into a successful and organised professional industry that led to London being widely regarded as the home of gin. One by one though, as demand and cost bases changed over the following 200 years, the factories closed or moved away. Today, Beefeater is the only premium-brand distiller with its own premises in London. Another, the Thames Distillery, makes gin for a range of independent labels. Comeback But now it seems there could be the start of a renaissance of gin production in the capital. The copper-pot distillery is tucked away on a residential street in west London, the first to be established in London for 189 years. On the site of a former micro-brewery, Sipsmith uses methods dating back 300 years to make small batches of gin aimed at the upper end of the market. The small Sipsmith distillery makes gin for the premium end of the market "Hopefully we'll be at the leading edge of a wave of small distilleries," says co-founder Fairfax Hall. He and his business partner Sam Galsworthy gave up their jobs in the drinks industry two years ago and sold their houses to fund the project. They were inspired after spending time in the US where a change in licensing laws led to small craft distilleries gaining popularity. "If you look at the way the food market's gone, what consumers demand of their food, they want to know where it's made, the source of it, how it's made," says Sam. "So it's not just the historical factor of being in London that's important, it's that we're accessible, people can see how our gin's made." 'Authenticity' The spirit has already made its way into some of London's best known hotels and department stores and perhaps surprisingly, it's been welcomed into the industry by some of the bigger players. GLOBAL GIN CONSUMPTION 2002: 60.5m cases 2007: 49.1mcases 2008: 49.2m cases Source: IWRS Desmond Payne, the master distiller at Beefeater, is pleased to see what he describes as a renewed interest in gin. "I think it's great. It really establishes the authenticity of what London gin used to be. It's also a look back at the past where we all start." Sipsmith's is not the only new locally produced gin hitting the capital's shelves. About eight miles away, former city headhunter and science enthusiast Ian Hart is playing his part in rejuvenating London as the home of gin. Using a glass still in an outhouse of his home he's making Sacred Gin. It's pitched at the middle of the market at just over £15. "I felt that most of the so-called 'new' gins on the market appeared to follow pretty much the same formula as the more traditional brands and that while many of these are extremely good, I perceived there was room for a completely new, fresh-tasting gin," Ian explains. When his employer - the investment bank Lehman's - folded he decided to turn his hobby into his job. Now, after a year in production it is for sale in over 20 pubs in central and north London. Ian hand delivers it on public transport. "I will need to take on staff at some stage, and organise more professional distribution, but for the moment it is great fun," says Ian. "In future my aim is to get enough market share in London to make a decent living out of this, and of course to export, though the regulations are very fierce." Small runs The copper-pot distillery is on the site of a former micro-brewery Sipsmith and Sacred Gin know it's a competitive marketplace they are entering. In recent years worldwide gin sales have fallen. But last year they did pick up slightly, largely due to developing countries, particularly, India, acquiring a taste for the spirit. The higher end of the market held up well and it is here that these small distillers feel they can fit in. Geraldine Coates, who has written books about gin and runs the connoisseurs website Gintime, thinks the size and flexibility of these new micro-distilleries is their strength. "It means they are producing the equivalent to caviar as opposed to tuna fish," she explains. "Small batch runs mean they can make many different varieties. They could even, theoretically, take on commissions for certain flavours. And bartenders in the UK love new types of spirit to play with." A new wave of enthusiasm for high quality gin and the entrance of the likes of Sipsmith and Sacred Gin into the market could feed off each other. And being based in London, they both hope and believe they can reinvigorate the capital as the home of gin for the 21st Century.

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Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal is critically ill after being exposed to a mystery substance on Sunday, the BBC reported.

British police are investigating after he and a woman in her 30s were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping centre.

Skripal was imprisoned in Moscow for passing intelligence to British spies. He was later released as part of a spy swap deal with the US.

A former Russian spy is critically ill in a British hospital after being exposed to a mystery substance, according to the BBC.

The UK broadcaster reported that 66-year-old Sergei Skripal and a woman in her 30s were taken ill on Sunday at a shopping centre in Salisbury, south England.

Police declared a "major incident" in the region, and on Monday evening they confirmed that a man and a woman were found "unconscious on a bench" in The Maltings retail complex. Wiltshire Police said:

"The pair, who we believe are known to each other, did not have any visible injuries and were taken to Salisbury District Hospital. They are currently being treated for suspected exposure to an unknown substance. Both are currently in a critical condition in intensive care.

"Because we are still at the very early stages of the investigation, we are unable to ascertain whether or not a crime has taken place.

"Alongside our partner agencies, we are conducting some extensive enquiries to determine exactly what led to these two people falling unconscious and clarify whether or not any criminal activity has happened."

Police did not comment on the identity of the substance that Skripal and his associate were exposed to. They are both in intensive care at Salisbury District Hospital.

Skripal was granted asylum in Britain after being pardoned by Russia in a 2010 "spy swap" deal with the US, under which 10 Russian spies arrested by the FBI were released.

The ex-Russian military intelligence colonel was jailed by Moscow for 13 years after passing the identities of Russian intelligence agents working in Europe to the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, the BBC said.

Some observers have already drawn comparisons with Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB spy who was poisoned in a luxury London hotel in 2006. He drunk tea poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope and, from his deathbed, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his murder.


Foreign Firms Continue to Try to Do Business in Iraq

As violence rocked Iraq in Fallujah and Najaf,
major international companies gathered in London this week to figure ways of
doing business in Iraq without getting their hands burnt.

The magic formula was offered at a three-day Iraqi procurement
conference held at Hilton hotel in central London from Monday to Wednesday
this week.

"Across all the main industry sectors there exists an excellent opportunity
to do business in Iraq without having to visit the country," the website
for the conference promised in its invitation to companies.

The promise worked at least for purposes of the conference, organized by the
British PR firm Windrush Communications in partnership with The Arab-British
Chamber of Commerce. The main sponsor for the conference was the Kuwait Petroleum
Corporation.

The violence and unrest within Iraq seemed not to have deterred investors.
Participation was limited to 300 companies, and was sold out a month ago.

Participating companies included Raytheon, the U.S. manufacturer of smart bombs,
many of which were dropped on Iraq, and at least some of which went lethally
astray. Other companies included the oil companies Shell, ChevronTexaco and
ExxonMobil, and from the pharmaceuticals firm Pfizer to the Swedish car and
truck manufacturer Volvo.

"The conference is a carve-up of Iraq's assets, minerals and wealth,"
Ghada Razuki from Stop the War Coalition told IPS. "The Stop the War Coalition
has said all along that one of the reasons for going to war was so that big
business, mainly in the United States could profit from Iraq's wealth."

But Razuki pointed out that "the resistance movements in Iraq are making
it very difficult for any foreign company to operate in Iraq. We demand that
Iraq's wealth is given to Iraqis. Iraqis are more than capable of running their
own affairs."

The conference was held with the clear backing of the British government. The
procurement conference followed persistent and growing complaints that Britain
is being left out of the reconstruction business.

British Trade and Industry secretary Patricia Hewitt released figures ahead
of the conference to show that British firms have been nominated prime contractors
on less than a third of the contracts awarded.

Liberal Democrat MP David Chidgey, member of the foreign affairs select committee
said "it is unacceptable for the UK to be treated as the poor relation
when it comes to reconstructing Iraq."

Strong British participation at the procurement conference was intended in
part to network with leading US companies to negotiate sub- contracting. But
officials and organizers remained tight-lipped about specific negotiations through
the three-day event.

Heavy security was placed outside the hotel. The venue of a gala dinner at
the New Connaught Rooms in central London was kept under wraps for weeks, and
only a few protesters managed to turn up outside to protest.

Windrush Communications remained incommunicado through the conference. Officials
declined to comment. Iraqi representatives and representatives of the Coalition
Provisional Authority (CPA) responsible for the administration of Iraq remained
unavailable.

But the weight of the conference was clear from the presence of former US Rear
Admiral David Nash who is leading the program for the awarding contracts worth
18.6 billion dollars up to the handover of some power from the CPA to a new
Iraqi government due June 30.

Brian Wilson, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's special adviser on trade
and investment addressed the conference. Wilson dropped broad hints about the
virtues of doing business remotely.

"The Foreign Office's travel advice for Iraq is clear," he told the
conference, according to an officially released statement. "It recommends
that even the most essential travel to Iraq should be delayed, if possible."

But he added that "throughout these difficult security problems we cannot
lose sight of the longer-term objective of helping Iraqis to rebuild the infrastructure
and their economy. So it is all the more important that you use this event to
build relationships and sow the seeds of a long-term commitment to Iraq and
its people."

The signal was to set up joint ventures with the visiting Iraqi delegates or
to appoint them as local managers for enterprises controlled from the outside
by the Western multinationals.

A large delegation of Iraqi businessmen and members of the US appointed governing
council and cabinet attended the conference to pick up lucrative offers. Most
of the Iraqis were invited to London with their families in order to promote
strong personal ties within a short period.

For three days it was virtually the whole of the appointed Iraqi government
that had come to London. The event itself became an illustration that Western
business executives do not need personally to go to Iraq.

They have the resources to call the Iraqi government to them. They are looking
at reconstruction projects that could be worth anywhere between 100 billion
dollars and 500 billion dollars in what Windrush called "one of the biggest
projects to have been undertaken in over 50 years."


A Japanese tourist poses with Sydney Harbor in the background in a file photo. The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on views from hoteliers across Europe said Wednesday. REUTERS/Mark Baker

LONDON (Reuters) - The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on views from hoteliers across Europe said Wednesday.

Japanese tourists stood out for being polite and tidy, securing 35 percent more votes than the Americans who came second.

Swiss tourists were commended for being quiet and considerate, unlike the Britons who were judged to be the fifth worst tourists because of rude behavior, noise and a miserly attitude to tipping.

But despite their faults, hoteliers do look favorably upon British spending habits voting them the third biggest holiday spenders after Americans and Russians.

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers, the survey carried out on behalf of travel Web site Expedia showed that the worst tourist nation was France, followed by India, China and Russia.

Britain was second in the worst-dressed tourist table which was headed by the Americans, and fifth in the least-generous table which was headed by the Germans.