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The CAP Strategy
Properties & Opportunities
Fund Structure & Alignment
The Pax Properties
CAP Plus Diversified Income Fund
Designed to Deliver Significant Cash Yields & Competitive
Long-term Total Returns From Strategic Property Investments in Select Value & Growth Markets
Pax Properties is pleased to offer shares in The CAP Plus Diversified Income Fund. The fund will buy and improve income-producing real estate in value and growth markets throughout the US while taking advantage of today's historically low interest rates. The improved operations and cash flow, combined with low-cost, long-term, fixed-rate, amortizing debt, are expected to produce significant cash yields and competitive total returns with moderate risk.
Targeted returns are 16% - 18% annually. These include expected cash yields of 6% - 8% in the first two years as the fund is acquiring assets, over 8% by year three when the portfolio should be largely stabilized, then growing by about a half percentage point a year from there. We estimate the equity multiple to be in the 2.3x - 2.7x range.
The fund will invest primarily in apartment communities. Yet, it will also from time to time pursue other types of income-producing properties that are selling at significant discounts due to special circumstances. In all cases, the fund will target cash-flow properties selling below or close to replacement cost. The fund anticipates acquiring 8-12 properties over the investment period of 3-7 years. The Fund will acquire underperforming properties and seek to increase NOI by increasing rents through strategic interior and exterior renovations, repositioning and rebranding of the properties, and hands-on management. We are able to accomplish this through our vertically integrated company and competitive advantage by having in-house acquisition, project management, property management, and construction teams.
Over the last 20 years, Pax has used this strategy to purchase, renovate and operate over 1,250 units, comprising over $130 million worth of real estate. During that time, we have never failed to deliver positive returns to investors—not even during the crash of '08-'09 or the Pandemic of 2020-21. Instead, we have been able to consistently deliver competitive and superior returns through boom and bust markets.
Cap Stategy
Our unique track record is due mostly to a conservative investment philosophy that prevents us from chasing prices into the stratosphere or pinning our hopes on market appreciation—a factor beyond anyone's control.
Instead, Pax has developed a system that focuses on the three key elements we can control: Cash Flow, Amortization and Positive Leverage. These are the "CAP" factors. We also aim to reduce risk by staying close to replacement cost, buying in value and growth markets, and working diligently on operations and marketing to maximize the performance of each asset. These are the "Plus" factors referred to in the fund's name.
In 2020, Pax completed extensive renovations on the
168-unit Renaissance Apartments in Tallahassee, FL, nearly quadrupling NOI and increasing equity value by
over $7 million.
Current Offering:
The CAP Plus Diversified Income Fund
The Apex @ Midtown
READ ABOUT APEX @ MIDTOWN
Elevate Apartment & Townhomes
READ ABOUT ELEVATE APARTMENTS
Port St. John Plaza
READ ABOUT PORT ST. JOHN PLAZA
Targeted Fund Returns
Cash-On-Cash Yield (Initial)
6.0% – 8.0%
Cash-On-Cash Yield (Stabilized)
8.5 - 10.5%
Target IRR
16.0 - 18.0%
Equity Multiple
2.3 - 2.7x
Macro Trends Driving the Market Today
Using our CAP Strategy investment approach, we plan to take advantage of three historic trends now in place:
1. A decade-old undersupply of quality, affordable housing for working- and middle-class tenants—recently exacerbated by the drop-off in construction during the pandemic;
2. Historic low interest rates, which can be locked in for as long as 30 to 35 years;
3. A recent acceleration of the long-term trends of migration from crowded to less crowded, from high tax and regulation to low tax and less regulation, and from markets with relatively expensive to far more affordable costs of living.
Here's the backdrop to the opportunity we're finding in select multifamily property markets today:
Rental Housing Demand Remains Strong in Key Markets
Between 1980 and 2008, the US produced an average of 1.5 million housing units a year. For the following decade, that number dropped to just under 900,000—even while the formation of new households averaged over 1,000,000 a year. At the beginning of 2020, we were on track for a strong recovery year, when the pandemic nearly halted construction for six months and further delayed the move back towards equilibrium.
At the same time, migration within the US is set to reach new highs. Professionals who have discovered how effectively they can work remotely are moving from expensive coastal cities to the more affordable sunbelt in droves. Many of the businesses that employ them are starting to do the same. Income tax-free Texas and Florida are among the most popular destinations, but the trend is also benefitting southeastern states from Arkansas to Georgia and the Carolinas.
New retirees continue to follow this path as well, with 10,000 baby boomers a day entering the ranks of "seniors" and many of them moving to warmer climates. New immigration policies, meanwhile are likely to result in the largest influx of immigrants into the country in years. Finally, America's 73 million millennials still opt for renting in greater numbers than previous generations, as they struggle to recover from two major economic shocks in their young lifetimes.
Combined, these trends support demand for rental housing. They are already heating up the multifamily market. However, there are still select markets where working- and middle-class properties sell for below or close to replacement value, offering significant cash yields and the potential for strong long-term total returns. This is where we intend to make most of the fund's investments.
The Pax Legacy Portfolio (871 Units)
An assortment of five award-winning hotels and one 168-unit apartment complex bought between 2013 and 2018
and still owned and operated by Pax Properties today.
The Vero Beach Inn & Suites www.veroinn.com
This 114-room inn was Pax's first 100+-room hotel. Since acquisition in 2013, investors have received distributions every quarter, with cash yields never less than 7.5% and averaging 9.5% overall. Pax has also returned 80% of original investor equity to investors through refinancing—while investors ownership stakes never decreased.
The Melbourne All Suites Inn www.melbourneallsuitesinn.com
When Pax bought this former 235-unit hotel out of bankruptcy in 2015, it was the most visited place by police in the city. Then Pax reimagined it and created 140 suites and turned a decaying IHOP into a Key West style building, winning county beautifications and may other awards, including Trip Advisors' highest award every single year since Pax reopened it. Today, the property is so popular, it posted positive Net Operating Income and post-debt cash flow every single month of the pandemic—the worst hospitality market on record.
The Baymont Inn & Suites, Tallahassee Central www.paxhotelgroup.com
This 135-room property is Pax's only franchise hotel, as the company prefers to put on its own stamp. Since acquisition in 2016, Pax has delivered annual cash yields of over 6.5% and has returned over half of initial equity capital through refinancing. As with Vero and all of Pax's investments, when investors receive a return of some or all of their original investment, their ownership share never decreases.
The Seven Hills Suites www.sevenhillssuites.com
Acquired at the end of 2017, Pax gutted and repositioned the property, creating 160 suites, including 40 two-room "flex suites." Within five months of its Grand Opening in December of 2019, the hotel (which had been the second-lowest rated in the city) rose to # 1 out of 61 hotels and won Trip Advisor's Travelers Choice Award.
The transformation was so dramatic, other awards followed, including commendations from the Mayor
of Tallahassee. Then Covid hit and the local market dropped 60%. Pax pivoted immediately, renting our three quarters of the property to a local non-profit organization. The property went on to post positive cash flow every month throughout the pandemic and "hotel depression." Today, the property is back to exclusively serving traditional business and leisure guests; it is still top ranked in the market and is poised to become perhaps Pax's most profitable hotel yet.
The Equus Inn www.equusinn.com
Pax bought the 152-room Quality Inn in Ocala towards the end of 2018 and immediately dropped the "flag," opting to go independent. Since then, the Equus has gone from # 13 to # 4 out of 39 hotels in the market even while construction is being completed just now. Investors have so far received average cash yields of 4% through renovations and a pandemic. Pax expects to deliver cash yields of nearly twice that going forward as this innovatively designed hotel is a heavy favorite to be the third Pax Property to win Trip Advisor's top award.
The Renaissance Apartments @ Capital Circle www.tallypads.net
Pax bought this former C, - 168-unit apartment community in Tallahassee, FL in mid 2017 and proceeded to invest all its experience from dozens of smaller apartment buildings as well as what it had learned from its hotels. Today it is a best-in-class B+ property at 99% occupancy with rents up 35% and profits more than quadrupling since purchase. Bought for $8.9 million, the company invested nearly $7 million in improvements—including new plumbing, electric, HVAC, windows, roofs and all aesthetic upgrades. The renovations have made the 45-year old property essentially newer than most properties built ten years ago. The result is $1.4 million in Net Operating Income slated for the coming year and unsolicited off-market offers recently made on the property suggesting an increase in market value of $7mm to $8.5mm over Pax's total investment in less than four years.
Conservative Underwriting and a Focus on an Alignment of Interests Has
Produced Consistently Profitable Investment Results for Pax Investors
Pax's 140-unit Melbourne All Suites Inn in Melbourne, FL has won Trip Advisor's top award four years in a row and has been cash-flow-positive throughout the pandemic.
As is typical of Pax investments, the CAP Plus Fund is lighter on fees than perhaps any other similar vehicle in the marketplace. We do this for an alignment of interests, as we prefer to make money for and with our investors; not off of them.
Also, our primary financial goal is to never lose an investor a dollar. That's because we believe that when you focus on the downside, and are diligent operators, the upside tends to take care of itself. That has been our experience over the last 19 years.
Pax Properties began investing in small residential properties in 2002, then moved up to apartment buildings of 10 to 20 units and then to hotels and apartment communities of 100 units and more. During that time—through booms, busts and a pandemic—Pax has never failed to deliver a positive result to investors.
Following is a summary of its Pax's entire investment history and the returns it has produced for over 150 accredited investors:
Funds & Alignment
FUND STRUCTURE & ALIGNMENT OF INTERESTS WITH OUR INVESTORS
The Fund Is Light on Fees
The Cap Plus Diversified Income Fund charges a one-time fee on acquisitions capped at 1% of the total deal cost. From that 1%, Pax may pay local partners for help sourcing and closing the deal. For asset management, Pax charges 0.65% (sixty-five basis points) on assets under management.
Pax Properties does not charge any fees for financing the deal, refinancing, disposition of the asset, forming the entity, administration, travel, or other miscellaneous fees
As for profit-share, the first 100% of the return goes toward the cumulative preferred return of 7%. The next 100% will go toward investors' return of capital. Comparing Pax's fee structure to the common 80/20 model used by many syndicators, Pax delivers far more of the total returns to investors.
The following graph demonstrates how Pax Properties is highly motivated to maximize total returns. Only after our limited partners (LP) receive their 7% preferred return and 100% of their invested capital, does Pax Properties participate in distributions. Above 7%, up to a 12% IRR, Pax will then receive 15% of the distributions. If the funds IRR exceeds 12%, then Pax will share in 20% of the distributions up to 18%.
AIMING FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE AND SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS
Pax Properties is a vertically integrated real estate company which gives us a much greater opportunity to maximize income, minimize expenses, and ultimately drive higher property values through an increased NOI (Net Operating Income).
Apart from asset management, Pax Properties will provide services that would otherwise be contracted out to third parties. This primarily includes construction and property management. Pax does charge a 5% construction fee, which is a cost plus 5%. This is typical of construction fees with some syndicators charging upwards of 10%.
For property management, Pax charges a maximum of 3.5% of revenue, with no charges for leasing. Most property management firms, when accounting for all fees, typically charge at least 5% of revenue.
Pax will also use its banking and finance relationships to obtain the best bridge and long-term debt for the properties we acquire. As we mentioned Pax Properties does not charge finance or refinance fees.
This is the case even when Pax's CEO, Justin Ford, provides personal guarantees to banks or other lenders to obtain the best possible rates and terms on bridge loans.
A Fund with a Long-term View That Also Provides for Exit Opportunities in the Intermediate Term
We are long-term investors. Our preference is to own a good asset "forever." That's because our experience has shown that when we buy, renovate, manage, maintain and finance assets well, the portfolio can produce superior returns, return all invested capital, and generate passive income long after that. The fund is established with a similar long-term view: an eight-year term and two optional two-year extensions.
Yet, the fund also allows for wrapping up before the initial term if we come to believe that will produce maximum value. It also provides for the sale and purchase of shares between investors and for the fund to offer to buy back shares at fair market value, subject to liquidity events such as refi's or individual property sales.
The fund will issue distributions quarterly, at the end of April, July, October and January, along with financial statements and a Report from the Manager covering the previous quarter's activity and developments. Financial statements will include a consolidated P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement. We also provide an investor portal with individual logins, where investors can check the status of their accounts, access payment histories, tax docs and previous reports and statements. The portal will also have available financial statements at the individual property level along with the general ledgers for each property.
A Limited Window of Opportunity
Widely available, ultra-cheap money—such as we have today—can quickly inflate assets and create bubbles. We saw this with the internet 20 years ago and in real estate a dozen years ago. Soon, we may see it again in the financial and property markets.
But we don't chase prices or listen to brokers who tell us to buy now because a market is "hot." Our investment decisions are tethered to the real world by the fundamentals of value. We will only pay prices where the properties can produce Cash Flow to comfortably pay for fixed-rate, Amortizing debt in a way that results in Positive Leverage (increasing the return on equity without dramatically increasing risk). That's the CAP Factor approach.
Also, when our all-in renovated cost is close to or below replacement cost, we've added to our margin of safety. It will be difficult for new supply to come into our markets and undersell us on price. By focusing on value opportunities in growth markets, we further mitigate risk.
In the 1990s, I was the publisher of a small group of international investment newsletters. In that capacity, I had the good fortune to be the editor and publisher of Dr. Kurt Richebåcher, former head of Dresdner Bank and perhaps the pre-eminent Austrian School economist of the time. While working together, he accurately predicted the crash of the Asian Tigers and the collapse of the Internet Bubble, among other major macro calls.
His focus on the fundamentals, sound theory and original data sources had an impact on me. By the time I began investing in real estate in 2002, I saw that many of the so-called "professionals" and "experts" in the field had no objective understanding of the market or their business; they were just part of the sales machine, like the stock jockeys of the 1990s.
By 2004, I started warning of a brewing real estate bubble in Early to Rise, an E-zine with a circulation of 400,000. I repeated the warning in over a dozen articles up to the crash in 2008. I advised people not to buy real estate unless they could do it at prices that produced enough cash flow to cover fixed-rate mortgages and set aside reserves for a rainy day. I steered them away from "Bubble Markets" and to "Value Markets." My top Value Market, Austin, never crashed.
Most importantly, I followed my own advice and when the crash came, I had a dozen properties, all of which I continued to pay for and all of which I eventually sold for good profits. When the crash deepened in '09, I began to raise money and buy on a larger scale than I had before.
In mid-2010, I quit my lucrative publishing career to focus on real estate full time… and went on to add 1,000 units over the next ten years.
I've been through bubbles and busts. That includes Covid, during which we owned seven hotels. Two of them we sold for healthy profits just before the Pandemic turned into an economic shutdown. The other five have paid their debt service throughout the crisis without missing a beat.
Intelligent investing includes taking the downside into account as well as the upside. Right now, we're facing the lowest mortgage rates in history. They could soon create distortions in the market. In the meanwhile, however, we have an opportunity to buy sound properties in growth markets at reasonable prices and lock in historically low financing rates to ratchet up long-term returns.
These rates won't stay low forever and the affordable properties we're targeting may not be affordable for much longer. We are acting now because we believe we have a unique opportunity to benefit from strong fundamental demand factors, inexpensive fixed-rate financing and a proven, long-term investment approach focusing on cash flow, amortization and positive leverage—while targeting assets bought below or close to replacement value in growth markets.
The Cap Plus Diversified Income Fund is limited to accredited investors only. The minimum investment is $100,000; the maximum is $5,000,000. Subscriptions are accepted in the order received. Since we have been fortunate to sell out our last six equity offerings fairly quickly, if you may be interested, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible so we can tentatively reserve a spot for you. Please send your email to capplus@paxproperties.com, indicating the amount you are considering investing.
You may also go directly to our Investor Portal where you can access the Private Placement Memorandum, Subscription Document, and Operating Agreement. To subscribe, you may do so securely online via DocuSign.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send an email to capplus@paxproperties.com or call (561) 573-2295.
Thank you for the opportunity of putting this offering to your attention. We look forward to the prospect of investing successfully together.
Justin Ford
Pax Properties, LLC
capplus@paxproperties.com
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Hansel Connect
The Hansel Connect service operates from The Baird Centre which was purpose-built to meet the differing needs of those we support and was named in honour of the Baird family whose very generous legacy gift made this amazing facility possible.
It is a contemporary building which includes arts and crafts and activity rooms, a multi-media room, dementia friendly spaces and meeting areas, as well as an impressive landscaped garden which is wheelchair accessible and includes all weather spaces and a sheltered seating area.
Within the Baird Centre you will find Our Space, a positive and inspiring community hub where people can meet, learn, participate, volunteer and enrich their lives in many ways.
Also onsite at our Broadmeadows estate is the Connect community hub which is a colourful space used as a base for people to explore ideas, plan support to engage in community activities and review how this all goes.
Both sites have a packed programme of stimulating activities designed to cater for everyone's interests including fitness classes; health and wellbeing; arts and crafts; gaming and technology; drama, singing, music and dance; and much, much more
Our Connect digital community is an accessible online support resource which is facilitated by our Connect service and offers a range of fun, learning, health or friendship events using a range of secure social media platforms.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Light the way to Christmas!
I really wanted to create a traditional Advent wreath for my family to use at the dinner table this December, but I didn't want to spend any money. The whole point of The Advent Conspiracy is to spend time with your family making memories, instead of spending dollars on cheap junk from China.
So I decided to be creative and see what we had laying around the house.
What I came up with was jam jars, beans, and brown paper bags. You probably have those things at your house too! If you've got twenty minutes (and the vacuum handy), this is a fun project with kids. You can be as secular or religious as you want. Unleash your creativity and have fun.
Simply fill the jars with pasta, beans or lentils. Then cut out a symbol for each week out of your brown grocery bags, and tape the paper labels to the outside of the jars. I wrapped my jars with clear packing tape to make sure the labels stayed put.
A layer of glue on the top will help prevent spills.
The candles on their own are really pretty. If this is as far as you want to go with this project, that's dandy.
But if you want to create an actual wreath, that's easy to do too (if you've got the greenery). Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have every type of Christmas tree imaginable growing in our backyard. All I had to do was head to outside.
A $2.30 wreathe frame and some backyard greenery.
A tray for the bottom so my dining room table doesn't get scratched.
Last step, add the Advent candles!
My plan is to eat dinner in our dining room every Sunday night, all the way to Christmas. Each Sunday we will light a new candle and talk about what they mean to us. We are using Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, and Christmas Eve as our themes.
A last thought is to not get hung up on the candle colors. If you don't have the "right" colors, don't worry about it. This can be a special family tradition no matter what.
By Jennifer Bardsley in Holidays on November 30, 2013 .


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Bjørkelangen is een plaats in, en sinds 1966 het administratieve centrum van, de Noorse gemeente Aurskog-Høland, provincie Viken. Bjørkelangen telt  3949 inwoners (per 1 januari 2021) en heeft een oppervlakte van 2,86 km².

Foto's

Bronnen

Plaats in Viken
Aurskog-Høland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Cornish Yarg Fondue – meltingly delicious!
A New Year's Eve recipe with a special Cornish feel. Serves 4 but easy to double up for larger parties. With thanks to Watergate Bay Hotel!
1 medium sized focaccia or something similar with an open texture.
Preheat your oven to 250oC.
Tear the focaccia into bite size pieces, place in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and season with a pinch of Cornish sea salt.
Arrange the focaccia on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for around 4 minutes to make the outside crisp and golden but leaving the centre still soft.
Remove from the oven, leave to cool on a rack and make the Yarg fondue.
In a medium sized saucepan bring the cyder to the boil, then simmer for 1 minute.
In a bowl toss the cheese, cornflour, mustard powder and salt together.
Pour the mixture into the simmering cider and stir until the cheese has all melted and the cornflour has thickened making the mix smooth.
Wrap the croutons in the cured ham, place the pan in the middle of the table, dip the focaccia in the warm fondue and enjoy!


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Coronavirus: Investment scams quadruple since virus lockdown
2nd Dec 2020 | Source: BBC
The number of investment scams has quadrupled since the first UK lockdown began in March with fraudsters using more sophisticated tactics.
Scammers have been cloning fund managers' websites, products and documents to steal almost £10m ($13.3m) from UK investors.
Fraudsters are even creating fake price comparison websites, says the Investment Association (IA).
The reported number of scams almost quadrupled from around 300 to 1,175.
"In a year clouded in uncertainty, organised criminals have sought opportunity in misfortune by attempting to con investors out of their hard-earned savings," said Chris Cummings, chief executive of IA.
Losses added up to £9.4m between March and mid-October, due to sophisticated "cloning" investment scams.
The Investment Association discovered scammers had been promoting fake products on sham price comparison websites and adverts on social media and search engines.
"The investment management industry is working closely with the police and regulators to stop these scams, and is collaborating with our partners in government to close them down and prevent them being advertised in the first place," Mr Cummings added.
The trade body has a dedicated live webpage for investors to research and avoid identified scams.
Earlier this month Britain's Action Fraud revealed victims of investment fraud had lost at least £657m in the past year, a rise of 28%.
The fraud and cybercrime prevention organisation said scammers have been looking for opportunities during coronavirus pandemic.
"Preying on people when they are at their most vulnerable really shows how low these criminals will stoop to make a profit for themselves," said Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud.
"Just because a company has a glossy website and glowing reviews from 'high net worth' investors does not mean it is genuine," Action Fraud warned.
Qantas adds to job cuts
What car sales say about India's economy


I do have a wonderful recipe to share with you. My friend, Sandy, gave me a Crock Pot recipe for very easy Chicken Tortilla soup a few months ago. It was delicious, but I wanted more veggies and spices, so I researched several other recipes, took what I liked, and gave the new concoction a whirl last night. OMG! I think I have a real winner here! My husband said it was the best Chicken Tortilla soup he's ever had....and I think I agree! Best of all, it's made in the Crock Pot and is a "dump it in - walk away" kind of recipe. Click here for the recipe if you'd like to give it a try for yourself.
Oh.....and last call for anyone who would like to send me a photo of your Quilty License Plate!
Thanks so much for stopping by to visit with me today! Next time, I should have something a whole lot more fun to share with you!
 I'm completely in sewing and designing mode these days. I feel the pressure of Spring Quilt Market bearing down on me already. It will be here before I know it. My to-do list is long and the days seem so short. I have many fun things planned this spring and they have been ruminating in my mind for quite awhile now. I think this phenomenon happens to all of us, no matter what we do for a living. There's just always so much we want to do and so little time. I think if you love the needle, then it's part of your life....this want (sometimes need) to make many projects. So what if we'll never live long enough to complete them all! It's a life of happiness with never a dull moment! I wouldn't have it any other way!!
Presently, I'm getting ready to start another quilt, and I'm not quite ready to take pictures to share with you......so, I thought I'd share some wonderful quilts that are done, finished, quilted and bound.
Don't forget to email me a photo of your Quilty License Plate!!
I'll be posting the photos very soon.
Join Lynne Hagmeier and me as we cruise to Alaska on The Great Girlfriend Get-Away! Click here to find all of the details!
Ta Da! Here's the finished schoolhouse quilt. Just four blocks and some Flying Geese. When paired with great fabric can really make a graphic statement. Simple is good. It was great fun to make and went together easily. I decided to name it Little Red Schoolhouse. We have a Little Red Schoolhouse petting zoo not too far from here, and its been there for as long as I can remember. I do recall going there on a grammer school field trip - which was a very long time ago! We'll just leave it at that! The top is now at the quilter and I have no idea what designs she'll be doing. When it's finished, I'll post another photo. The pattern will be available soon.
Oh, and by the way.....for all of you Prairie Women out there.....this block will be featured in a Journey 4 quilt, so stay tuned!
Here are the four blocks for the new quilt I'm making. Yup - just needs four blocks! I love a schoolhouse block. I designed this one to be very simple - no templates needed - no Y seams! I think they're so cute in red, but would be lovely in any color. Hhhmmmm.....perhaps blue?
I'll post a photo of the finished quilt as soon as it's done. It is not part of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club, but will be a new Vintage Stitches pattern. I haven't decided on a name just yet. Any suggestions??
Check back soon and enjoy your day!
Now that all of the Christmas decorations have been put away and the house is back to normal, it was time to start a new quilting project! Do you feel the same way, too? I have several "in the works", and chose to start with the one using The Cotton Club fabrics by Paula Barnes for Marcus Bros.
Aren't they just as yummy as can be? Check back with me in a few days to see what I'm doing with them!!
In my post about reading The Kitchen House, I asked if any of you could recommend other good historical fiction books. I wanted to follow up with you with all of the great book recommendations you shared with me. Thanks to everyone who commented, giving us more great reading material!
If you know of other historical fiction books you'd like to share, please comment or email me.
and husbands joining us!! We're absolutely delighted!!
Lynne and I are brainstorming ideas and have fun plans for you!
It's not too late to sign up! We'd all love to have you join us on this fun adventure.
And....we're planning more cruises for 2013!!
Ready for more quilt label ideas?
I really like framing my label with fabrics from the quilt top. You can scrap them up, or just use one...the choice is yours. Often, I make that choice after seeing what's left over. I also take into consideration what fabric I'm using for my backing. I definitely want the frame to stand out in contrast of the backing fabric.
Sew strips to the top and bottom, then the sides. You can also sew them Log Cabin style, too.
I have an easy and precise method to turn the edges under, which gives the frame a fold and a nice finish, and keeps the corners nice and square. At this point, you can sew the label by hand, or by machine. I prefer to sew the label to the backing by machine.
With this method, we don't have to piece the label into the backing, which is a lot more work! It's easily sewn on top of the backing, and the folded finished edge looks great. It will be quilted right into the quilt, too. If you have finished quilts without a label, this technique works beautifully for that as well, because you can prepare the label, then hand stitch it to the backing.
All of the details about this technique are in the Heartspun Quilts Hints book, including the strip measurements for two different sized labels (large quilts and small quilts), the turning technique, label placement, and machine stitching hints and recommendations...all with step-by-step instructions and graphics. To see a full description and/or purchase the Hints book, click here. To purchase the heavy duty freezer paper, click here.
Here's a few photos of how the labels look once the quilt is finished.
You can certainly use the framing technique with a label you've created by hand as well. The sky is the limit as to the creative things you can do with your label. Add things like pieced units in between the label and the frame, signatures, and trace designs from other sources.
Most of my quilt labels are short and sweet, containing only the basic information about the quilt, but sometimes, your labels can be full of details and tell a story. The label above was made for a quilt called Scattered Leaves, which was featured on the cover of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine (October 2009). (The quilt was originally named Waltzing Leaves, but was renamed for publication.) When making this quilt, I enlisted the help of two of my best friends (and their fabric stash!). We each made enough blocks for one quilt, and then exchanged blocks, which also gave us a wider variety of fabrics. Always a good thing! I wanted to tell the entire story on the label, and embellished it by tracing pumpkins and leaves in keeping with the fall colors and motif. The label was featured in another issue of AP&Q as part of an article all about quilt labels (December 2009).
No matter what technique you use, it's important that each and every quilt has a provenance. It's our opportunity to say to our future generations.....Remember Me!
If you own even one antique quilt, I'm sure you wish you knew all about who made it, where she lived, and what year was it created. Was it made for someone special? What inspired her fabric and pattern choices? Oh, if only those quilts could talk!
It is our duty to be sure that our quilts can talk for us long after we're gone, by making sure we have attached a quilt label. I know this is hardly breaking news to you, but so often, we just don't get around to seeing to that last detail.....right?
About five years ago, I made a commitment to attach a label to every quilt, which is especially important for the quilts I create for my pattern company. Often, those quilts travel in a trunk show to shops all over the U.S., so it's important they have a label. It's equally important that the label be quilted right into the quilt, making it nearly impossible to remove, not just sewn to the back after it's been quilted. The only thing is......once the quilt top has been pieced, I just don't have it in me to piece a label into the back. I know I should, but I just don't. So...I came up with the following solution.
Here's an overview of how I create my labels. Complete step-by-step instructions are available in my Hints Book.
I create the label itself using my computer and ink jet printer. (Do not do this if you have a laser printer!!) It's very important to me to be able to create the label using fabric that matches the other fabrics in the quilt. I don't care for the pre-made label fabric sheets you can buy for this purpose because they rarely match the quilt, and are rougher and thicker than the beautiful cottons we piece with.
I have a stash of assorted tone-on-tones just for labels. The fabric needs preparation and freezer paper before going thru the printer (info in the Hints book). I have used ordinary freezer paper, but of late, I prefer freezer paper sheets. They are already 8.5 x 11 inches, and are much heavier that kitchen freezer paper, so they hold up better in the printer.
Once the fabric is prepared, we're ready for the printer.
I create my label as a Word document. Use assorted fonts and clip art to dress things up. (This technique is not for photo transfer!) If you're creating small labels, you can fit two on an 8.5 x 11 sheet.
Once you're happy with the label information, load the fabric in your printer, take a deep breath, and hit print!
You'll find lots more infomation about label fabric preparation, setting the ink, trimming your labels, etc, in the Heartspun Quilts Hints Book, which is loaded with lots of good hints, tips and tricks about everything quilting! To see a full description and/or purchase the Hints book, click here. To purchase the heavy duty freezer paper, click here.
My next post will give an overview of how I frame and finish my labels, with photos of several completed labels quilted into the backing, including one that was featured in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine!
and happiness to each and every one of you!
Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied.


text:
package org.apache.activemq.artemis.protocol.amqp.proton.handler;

import org.apache.qpid.proton.engine.Connection;
import org.apache.qpid.proton.engine.Delivery;
import org.apache.qpid.proton.engine.Link;
import org.apache.qpid.proton.engine.Session;
import org.apache.qpid.proton.engine.Transport;

/**
 * EventHandler
 */
public interface EventHandler {

   void onAuthInit(ProtonHandler handler, Connection connection, boolean sasl);

   void onInit(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onLocalOpen(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteOpen(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onLocalClose(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteClose(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onFinal(Connection connection) throws Exception;

   void onInit(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onLocalOpen(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteOpen(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onLocalClose(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteClose(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onFinal(Session session) throws Exception;

   void onInit(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onLocalOpen(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteOpen(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onLocalClose(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteClose(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onFlow(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onFinal(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onRemoteDetach(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onLocalDetach(Link link) throws Exception;

   void onDelivery(Delivery delivery) throws Exception;

   void onTransport(Transport transport) throws Exception;

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


WEAKEST LINK A property of the proton is getting an update, thanks to an ultraprecise measurement of the particle's weak charge by the Q-weak experiment (shown).
Protons are no one-trick ponies. Although famous for their positive electric charge, the particles also carry an analogous, lesser-known charge, called the weak charge. Now, physicists have made the most precise measurement of the proton's underdog attribute, members of the Q-weak experiment report in the May 10 Nature.
The weak charge dictates how the proton responds to the weak nuclear force. Best known for its role in certain types of radioactive decay, the weak force is named for its feebleness compared with other forces such as electromagnetism (SN: 3/3/18, p. 11).
In the experiment, located at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va., scientists scattered beams of electrons off of protons in liquid hydrogen. The beams came in two different configurations, depending on a quantum property of the electrons called spin. In one setup, the electrons behaved as if spinning clockwise; in the other, counterclockwise. Observing the difference between how protons interacted with electrons of the two spin orientations let the team calculate the proton's weak charge.
The resulting charge is approximately 0.0719, a unitless number that agrees with predictions of the standard model of particle physics, the theory that describes how particles interact. That agreement partially rules out the existence of certain new types of particles, which is one reason scientists have been so interested in better understanding the proton's weak side.
The Jefferson Lab Q-weak Collaboration. Precision measurement of the weak charge of the proton. Nature. Vol. 557, May 10, 2018, p. 207. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0096-0.
L. Grossman. Universes with no weak force might still have stars and life. Science News. Vol. 193, March 3, 2018, p. 11.
P. Weiss. The electron's other charge: Workhorse of electricity shows its weak side. Science News. Vol. 165, May 1, 2004, p. 278.


text:
Q: Separable metrizable spaces far from being completely metrizable I came across a kind of separable metrizable space that is "far" from being completely metrizable. Before specifying what I mean with "far", I recall that a space is said to be Polish if it's separable and completely metrizable and that $2^\mathbb{N}$, known as the Cantor space, is the space of infinite binary sequences endowed with the product of the discrete topology on $2$.
Here is the definion of being strongly nowhere Polish spaces (I came up with the name)

A separable metrizable space $X$ is said to be strongly nowhere Polish if for every $d$ compatible metric on $X$, for every $U$ nonempty open subset of the completion of $(X,d)$ we have $2^\mathbb{N} \hookrightarrow U\setminus X$, i.e. the Cantor space embeds into $U\setminus X$

Here are my questions:

*

*Is this notion known to some extent? Has is been studied?

*Is $\mathbb{Q}$ with its usual topology strongly nowhere Polish?

*Is there an uncountable separable metrizable space which is nowhere Polish?

*Is there a separable metrizable space which is not Polish yet not strongly nowhere Polish?

*Are there interesting properties of these spaces that you can think of?

Thanks!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Flight Abbotsford - Las Vegas (YXX - LAS) C$ 257+ Flight Vancouver - Las Vegas (YVR - LAS) C$ 257+ Flight Edmonton - Las Vegas (YEG - LAS) C$ 277+ Flight Toronto - Las Vegas (YHM - LAS) C$ 281+ Flight Victoria - Las Vegas (YYJ - LAS) C$ 289+ Flight Calgary - Las Vegas (YYC - LAS) C$ 304+ Flight Kelowna - Las Vegas (YLW - LAS) C$ 332+ Flight Toronto - Las Vegas (YYZ - LAS) C$ 337+ Flight Ottawa - Las Vegas (YOW - LAS) C$ 341+ Flight Winnipeg - Las Vegas (YWG - LAS) C$ 361+ Flight Halifax - Las Vegas (YHZ - LAS) C$ 372+ Flight Saskatoon - Las Vegas (YXE - LAS) C$ 378+
Various consumer rights organizations and activists called for the creation of a government mandated "Bill of Rights" to protect air travelers from future experiences similar to the one previously described. On February 20, 2007, jetBlue released an apologetic response to the events that had taken place less than a week before with the creation of their Customer Bill of Rights, which offers financial reciprocation if a customer's flight is delayed or cancelled.[99]
In 2008, jetBlue partnered with Irish flagship carrier Aer Lingus to allow passengers to switch between airlines on a single ticket for flights with connections in New York–JFK or Boston Logan. Unlike traditional codeshare agreements, the companies cannot sell seats on each other's flights, so customers initiate the purchase on one airline's website and then are transferred to the other site to complete the transaction.[105][106]
JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV) [137] is a wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue that was established in February 2016.[138] JTV is the venture capital arm of JetBlue that invests in and partners with early-stage startups in the travel, hospitality, and transportation space. Its mission is to improve the end-to-end experience of travelers everywhere. As of November 2018, JTV has invested in 21 startups, including hybrid planes,[139] machine learning algorithms,[140] and ground transportation.[141] Investments range in size from $250,000 to $1 million.[142]
On October 13, 2009, the airline unveiled a modification to its livery in commemoration of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the airline in February 2010. Besides a new tail design, the revised livery includes larger "billboard" titles extending down over the passenger windows at the front of the aircraft. The logo word 'jetBlue' will no longer be silver and blue but now a dark, navy blue.[40]
^ Jump up to: a b Cuozzo, Steve. "JetBlue Triples Size of its Queens Offices." New York Post. December 24, 2002. Retrieved on January 20, 2010. "74,000 square feet at 118–29 Queens Blvd., also known as Forest Hills Tower" and "Boulevard in Forest Hills – possibly the largest office lease in Queens this year. JetBlue was previously at 80–02 Kew Gardens Rd., across the street."
Also in 2010, JetBlue entered into interline booking agreements with South African Airways[109] and American Airlines[110] to facilitate luggage transfers between airlines for passengers with connecting flights on a different carrier. The agreement with American included JetBlue's 18 destinations not served by American and American's 12 international flights out of New York–JFK and Boston Logan. In addition, American gave JetBlue 8 round trips slots out of Washington National in D.C. and 2 out of Westchester, New York. In return, JetBlue gave American 6 round trips out of New York–JFK. The agreement with American Airlines has since ended according to JetBlue's website.[111]
Travel to the Danish capital has jumped more than 80 percent in the past decade, thanks in part to René Redzepi's influential Noma restaurant (slated to reopen in its new location in February), as well as Scandinavian Airlines' ongoing flight expansion. Today, Copenhagen is teeming with inspiring places to eat and drink, in addition to a number of sleek new hotels — so much so that the New Nordic food, beverage, and design movement has now spread worldwide. Even before it debuted in July, Restaurant Barr — the beer-centric boîte by Redzepi and chef Thorsten Schmidt that occupies the old Noma plot — was already garnering international attention. Then there's Apollo Bar & Kantine, the recently minted, design-focused restaurant in the Kunsthal Charlottenborg gallery from Frederik Bille Brahe, proprietor of hit café Atelier September. Brothers Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, of Mikkeller and Evil Twin Brewing, respectively, have in the last couple of years introduced the world to experimental Danish craft beer, and their brews can now be sampled at bars and beer halls across Copenhagen and beyond. Stylish new places to stay, such as Hotel Danmark and Sanders, as well as a revamp of the classic, Arne Jacobsen–designed Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, reinforce the reasons the Scandinavian aesthetic is so popular right now. —Kat Odell
In October 2013, jetBlue introduced Mint, a premium cabin service on transcontinental and select Caribbean flights. The service began in 2014, using the Airbus A321-231 aircraft ordered by jetBlue. These planes are outfitted with winglets, as well as with "lie flat" seats, and moveable partitions that can create small suites on the airplane.[56] Called "Mint" by jetBlue, these planes are configured with 16 business-class seats and 143 economy seats, instead of an all-economy configuration of 190 seats.[57]
From the Northwest Florida's Emerald Coast to the coral-reefed Keys, the state is filled with an array of activities for all ages and tastes. On a Florida vacation, families can plan several days of theme park fun in the Orlando area, or they can ride horses at a secluded ranch in central Florida, ride bikes along nature trails in north Florida, learn about astronauts and rocket science at the Space Coast or take one of the garden tours in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
On July 24, 2007, jetBlue reported that its second-quarter revenue increased to $730 million, compared to $612 in 2006. Second quarter net income grew to $21 million for the quarter, from $14 million the previous year. CEO David Barger said the airline will take delivery of three fewer planes this year and will sell three planes from their current fleet, "slowing capacity growth ... to strengthen our balance sheet and facilitate earnings growth", but will continue to add two to four new destinations each year.[25]
With its recent 150th anniversary celebration, pop-culture cred (Drake, Ryan Gosling, and Justin Bieber have Canadian roots), and charismatic prime minister, the Great White North has finally begun to receive the international recognition it deserves — and Toronto has been preening itself for this lead role. Luxe properties and forward-thinking restaurants have been popping up across the city: there's Queen Street's historic Broadview Hotel, which reopened in the burgeoning East End with guest-room details like vinyl turntables and burgundy velvet drapes, and the stylish Bisha Hotel downtown, where the likes of Lenny Kravitz and celebrity chef Akira Back have lent their design and culinary expertise. In stereotypically modest Canadian fashion, Brothers Food + Wine — one of the city's most exciting new openings — is housed inside a tiny, nondescript space just above the Bay Street subway station, but dazzles with seasonal dishes like crispy steelhead trout with braised gem lettuce and yogurt-and-caper sauce. Next up: in Spring 2018, the Museum of Contemporary Art will move into a century-old former factory in the Junction Triangle. —Jennifer Salerno
El Cortez Hotel and Casino C$ 51+ the D Las Vegas C$ 55+ Oasis at Gold Spike C$ 62+ Plaza Hotel & Casino C$ 64+ Palace Station Hotel And Casino C$ 67+ Circus Circus Hotel & Casino C$ 74+ Hooters Casino Hotel C$ 79+ Downtown Grand Las Vegas C$ 79+ Stratosphere Hotel, Casino & Tower, BW Premier Collection C$ 80+ Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino C$ 83+ Tuscany Suites & Casino C$ 88+ Alexis Park All Suite Resort C$ 90+
California State Parks has something for everybody - year-round. Whether it's hiking, biking, strolling on a beach or cross-country skiing, state parks has it all. You can walk through the redwoods, sail on a lake, view wildlife, explore the desert, see history first-hand in historic sites, and just relax with family and friends. Here's a section of travel features about all kinds of things to do in state parks to make your visits even more enjoyable.
JetBlue's in-flight options consist of gate-to-gate Fly-Fi service, offering over one hundred channels of DIRECTV, Sirius XM Radio, and movies, and on the Airbus A321, a 15″ interactive video screen which is not available on the rest of the fleet. JetBlue's partnership with Amazon lets customers watch Amazon Prime videos by connecting to Wi-Fi and downloading the Amazon Video app on their mobile phone or tablet. The in-flight WiFi under the "Fly-Fi" network is complimentary on all flights, at speeds of 12–15 megabits per second.
Search cheap hotels with KAYAK. Use the hotel finder to search for the cheapest hotel deal for all major destinations around the world. KAYAK searches hundreds of hotel booking sites to help you find hotels and book hotels that suit you best. Since KAYAK searches many hotel sites at once, you can find discount hotels quickly. Discover hotel discounts now and make your hotel reservation today.
The Greek highway system has seen several recent upgrades, with a new route making the 2,000-year-old olive trees and lesser-visited ruins of the Peloponnese, the country's southernmost swathe of mainland, more accessible. Completed in late 2016, the new A71 highway from Lefktro to Sparta shaves off two hours of driving time from Athens, and has also connected the Lefktro region to nearby Kalamata Airport, about 90 minutes away. Meanwhile, ports have been expanded at Gytheio and Katakolon — the latter a stopping point for the Viking Star, which launched in 2014. Farming is still integral to the region, and agritourism resorts like Eumelia constantly refresh their food and wellness-themed workshops, in addition to serving local dishes like maniatiki pasta with dry mizithra cheese, and moustokouloura, or cookies made with grape molasses. Goddesses seeking more temple-like accommodations should head to Porto Heli, on the eastern side of the Peloponnese, where everyone is talking about Amanzoe's new Villa 31, a serene space with grandstand views of the surrounding coastline that contains a unique installation by light artist James Turrell. —Adam Harney Graham
It's no secret that Fiji is home to some of the world's most spectacular scenery — powdery beaches fringed with palms, crystalline waters with colorful reefs, and rugged coastlines covered in greenery. But the islands' new crop of luxury accommodations is making a case for the archipelago's man-made phenomena as well. At the exclusive, family-owned Kokomo Private Island Resort, which is spread across 140 acres of dense tropical rain forest and white-sand beaches, guests will have their pick of 21 beach villas (among the most spacious in Fiji) and four hilltop residences featuring infinity pools and walled tropical gardens. If you're a diver, you're in luck: the Great Astrolabe Reef, which is teeming with kaleidoscopic corals and exotic marine life (like reef sharks, rays, and dolphinfish), is in the resort's backyard. The luxury ante will only be upped in March when a Six Senses debuts on Malolo Island. Set on a private beach, the boutique property will offer the brand's namesake spa and wellness offerings (including yoga, meditation, and nutrition and sleep counseling), plus a restaurant with ingredients sourced from the resort garden. Also slated to open in 2018: Nihi Fiji, from hotelier James McBride and Christopher Burch — the same duo behind Nihi Sumba Island, which Travel + Leisure readers named the best hotel in the world for 2017. —Melanie Lieberman
With an exciting influx of new and revamped hotels, an up-and-coming restaurant scene, and a blossoming wine industry, Idaho's capital city—traditionally known as a convention destination — has started to attract the attention of leisure travelers. Boise's invigorated downtown is evidence of the trend, with the newly opened Inn at 500, a 110-room boutique property whose perks include balconies overlooking the capitol, and its on-site restaurant, Richard's, owned by James Beard Award-nominated chef Richard Langston, leading the way. (Meanwhile, Hotel 43 and The Grove both recently unveiled swank renovations.) The city's craft-beer scene continues to impress; one noteworthy newcomer is White Dog Brewing, whose rustic taproom features a 24-foot "frost rail" that keeps your beer, well, frosty. In other toast-worthy news, Boise has become a hub for Idaho's growing wine industry. Oenophiles shouldn't miss a stop at the new downtown tasting room of Coiled Wines. Owner Leslie Preston — a native Idahoan who sharpened her skills at Clos du Bois and Stags' Leap in California — makes a spectacular dry Riesling. Getting there is easier than ever: to meet rising demand, American Airlines has launched new nonstop service from Chicago O'Hare, while Southwest now runs a nonstop from San Diego. —Blane Bachelor
In March 22, 2010, jetBlue turned down incentives from the City of Orlando and announced its headquarters would keep its Forest Hills office,[46][47][48][49] start leasing and using a new office in the Brewster Building in Long Island City, New York.[50][51] in Queens Plaza in Long Island City,[49] move its headquarters there in mid-2012,[52] and start a joint branding deal with New York State using the iconic I Love NY logo.[49]
JetBlue Airways Corp. will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
Although the former Soviet republic might seem remote, Uzbekistan once sat at the very center of the world. In the first millennium, no traveler could pass from Asia to Europe without stopping in the Silk Road strongholds of Bukhara and Samarkand, and as a result these cities evolved into rich cultural centers. For intrepid travelers, today's Uzbekistan is a promised land: a Muslim-majority nation that's both safe and affordable, with few tourists and an abundance of well-preserved mosques and harems. And since the death of authoritarian president Islam Karimov last year, the new regime has taken steps toward reform that have given both Uzbeks and the international community reason for optimism. Improving relations with Iran could soon bring a rail link to the Persian Gulf, and in 2016, the Afrosiyob high-speed-train line began connecting the country's major cities. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan should benefit from the so-called Iron Silk Road, or Trans-Asian Railway — a Chinese-funded network of routes knitting together Beijing and Europe — once a segment connecting the country through Kyrgyzstan is completed. Book a customized journey with Exeter International, which specializes in the region. —Heidi Mitchell
Finland's Archipelago Sea is the world's largest, with 25,000 miles of shoreline and innumerable islands. Still off the beaten track for international tourists, who gravitate toward Helsinki in summer and Lapland in winter, the archipelago is the well-kept secret of the Finns, generations of whom flock to family-owned islands. And there's never been a better time to join them, with increased airlift — including transatlantic flights on Norwegian Air starting around $350 — and a burgeoning food and beverage scene in nearby Turku, Finland's medieval capital. (Start at the Kauppahalli, or market hall, where the salmon is as fresh and flavorful as a summer tomato.) The archipelago has a subarctic glamour, with eerie, sunlit summer nights and dark winter days, its rocky, tree-lined islands dotted with storybook wooden cottages. Hike, bike, or drive the islands; or hole up on one all your own. —Molly McArdle
Beyond offering a glimpse into ancient history, Jordan is also making a name for itself as a luxury destination. Hilton opened the Dead Sea Resort & Spa in March 2017, making it the first Hilton in the country. Located at the lowest point on earth, some 1,345 feet below sea level, the resort offers beach access, Middle Eastern cuisine, and treatments containing the mineral-rich black mud. —Jess McHugh
For proof of Abu Dhabi's burgeoning status as the cultural capital of the Middle East, look no further than Saadiyat Cultural District, which is quickly becoming a treasure trove of world-class art and groundbreaking architecture. The multibillion-dollar initiative has already resulted in one major project, the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened in November. Though its construction was controversial, the museum has quickly become the premier creative beacon in the Emirates. Work is under way nearby on the Zayed National Museum, by Norman Foster; the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre, by Zaha Hadid Architects; and the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which when completed will be the largest Guggenheim museum in the world. The city's hotel-building campaign is also in full swing: this year Marriott debuted a 400-room hotel in the Al Forsan sports center, and next year will see the opening of the Abu Dhabi Edition and Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas. —Dylan Essertier
As Canada's token middle child, Edmonton has long gotten short shrift amid its glitzier sisters (we're looking at you, Toronto and Vancouver). But no longer — food and museum news is casting a spotlight on Alberta's capital city. After stints at Noma in Copenhagen and Manhattan's Daniel, chef Scott Downey returned to his hometown to open the Butternut Tree in September, with a focus on indigenous foods — grilled bannock with wild mushrooms and winged kelp; bison served with Saskatoon berry jus; maple-butter cake with black-currant jam. We're waiting to make our dinner reservations until the new Royal Alberta Museum opens its doors. Designed by Dialog architects on the site of a former Canada Post distribution center, the 419,000-square-foot space will include Ice Age horse fossils and a dig pit for children. To experience Edmonton's indie side, stay at Crash Hotel, an homage to the Ace, which opened last winter. Its themed Hi-Fi room walls are lined with vintage speakers, and hangover pills are at the ready in the mini-bar. —Kathryn O'Shea-Evans
Last summer, the museum expanded its artistic footprint by over 130,000 square feet, making it the largest contemporary art space in the country. The new Building 6 houses long-term installations by artists like James Turrell, Louise Bourgeois, and Jenny Holzer. Two new museums are still in the works for North Adams, both spearheaded by former Guggenheim director Thomas Krens. At the Global Contemporary Art Museum, curators will work directly with artists to acquire and commission site-specific pieces, while the Extreme Model Railroad & Contemporary Architecture Museum will showcase works by the likes of Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid, all built in miniature as part of an elaborate model train system. Design is also top-of-mind at Tourists, a modern take on the roadside motel that's set to open this summer. The resort — situated on 55 acres at the convergence of the Appalachian and Mohawk Trails — will have 48 rooms, each with floor-to-ceiling windows that put the focus on surrounding vistas. —Fiorella Valdesolo
This year, Buenos Aires becomes a hub for art, sports, and politics: the inaugural Art Basel Cities program, the Youth Olympic Games, and the G20 will all take place in the city, beginning with the multi-year Art Basel initiative. Though the Argentinean capital is already home to an eclectic collection of galleries, Art Basel Cities promises to elevate Buenos Aires' reputation in the global art scene by offering professional support for local artists, as well as lectures and workshops throughout the year to draw art lovers to the city.
Our travel experts — from travel writers around the globe to T+L's A-List travel advisors to our own editors — offer their recommendations. Then, we take a look at what places are now at the forefront of the global conversation, whether for new hotels and museums or major international events. In any given year, the cities and countries we recommend as the best places to travel in the world have a lot going on. And of course, we think about those travel destinations that are perennial favorites to determine which ones are reinventing themselves, ensuring there's always something new to explore.
On August 4, 2008, the Associated Press reported that jetBlue would replace their recycled pillows and blankets with an "eco-friendly" pillow and blanket package that passengers would have to purchase for use. Each package will cost $7 and will include a $5 coupon from retailer Bed, Bath and Beyond. This decision is the latest in a series of moves designed to increase revenue. jetBlue told the Associated Press that it expects to collect $40 million from passengers selecting seats with extra legroom and $20 million from passengers paying $15 to check a second bag. As of September 8, 2008 JetBlue charges passengers $10–30 for an extended-leg-room seat depending on the length of the flight.[37]
jetBlue also utilizes various forms of advertising media. They use print, online, and television ads as well as advertisements on popular social media sites including Hulu and YouTube. jetBlue emphasizes a secondary slogan, "If you wouldn't take it on the ground, don't take it in the air" poking fun at competitors with hidden fees, little, or no amenities and what jetBlue considers an unacceptable level of customer service.[97]
Rising above its associations with the annual hot-air-balloon festival, Albuquerque will this year set out to prove itself as a fully-fledged destination. The Sawmill District, just north of the historic Old Town, is being revived as a creative center, anchored by the arrival of the Hotel Chaco. The design of this boutique property, which opened in April, is inspired by the state's indigenous culture, with handmade Navajo wool textiles and pueblo-inspired motifs. Come spring, downtown ABQ will also see the arrival of a new entertainment hub: the $40 million One Central, which will have a sleek bowling lounge, as well as upscale stores and restaurants. And just outside town, visitors will soon be able to experience the striking Sandia Mountains in a nail-biting new way. The proposed Mountain Coaster, an alpine sled-style ride that plunges riders down the mountainside in a total vertical drop of 380 feet, is due to open this fall. Getting to Albuquerque is becoming even easier, thanks to new nonstop flights from major U.S. cities via Southwest, United, and Alaska Airlines. —Melanie Lieberman