A wire

NEWBURY, England — He is a farmer, she says, and she is a farmer’s wife. They are active in their community. She writes a bit on the side, her writing room only recently having been wired for electricity.On my recent visit to her home, she was warm and welcoming. Her yellow Lab, Bella, followed her closely as her mistress ushered visitors into the house.And oh my. What a house. Two hundred rooms. Forty bedrooms. Silk wallcoverings in one room, 16th century Spanish leather wallcoverings in another. An original Van Dyck. A display on Egyptology, in honor of one of the previous occupants who just happened to have discovered King Tut’s tomb.Hundreds of other treasures make it abundantly clear that you are not in Kansas anymore. You are, instead, on the set of “Downton Abbey,” but it’s not a set at all. It is Highclere Castle, and when Season 4 begins Sunday for American viewers of the wildly popular PBS show, it is this magnificent home they will see, … [Read more...] about Under the spell of Highclere Castle and ‘Downton Abbey’

The 3.2-km (2-mile)-long street, which connects the downtown District 1 with District 2, home to a large expat community, is now on the list of the most flooded areas in the city.  Experts have blamed its subsidence on a series of real estate projects with thousands of apartments that have sprung up along either side of the street. The VND473 billion ($20.4 million) project will be started on Saturday to elevate the surface of the street in some sections that are severely subsided while other parts are kept at the same height to ensure the water drainage system works well. The 500-meter-long section from an underpass in front of The Manor building to the Nguyen Huu Canh Overpass that suffered the heaviest subsidence will be lifted by between 50 cm to 1.2 m. Nguyen Vinh Ninh, deputy head of the HCMC Management Board of Investment and Construction of Traffic Projects, the project’s investor, said a new water drainage system and lighting system as well as other technical … [Read more...] about HCMC begins 14-month project to upgrade flood-prone street

This is the 21st season of Dan Snyder’s ownership, and the Redskins seem to have hit rock bottom. The team drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round, but fans have little hope. The Redskins haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 and the season-ticket wait list is history. The roster has almost no star power, and coach Jay Gruden will be fired sooner rather than later. “The Patriots have a real problem, because Bill Belichick is known for taking away an opponent’s strength, and he’s got nothing to take away this week,” quipped Frank Herzog, the Redskins’ radio announcer from 1979-2004. “Good luck, Bill. You’ve got your work cut out for you.” The Redskins under Snyder have mostly been known for dysfunction and failure. In 21 years, Snyder has had seven full-time head coaches, four first-round quarterbacks, and only five playoff appearances. The Redskins’ .429 winning percentage in Snyder’s 21 years is … [Read more...] about Redskins appear to have hit rock bottom

By CNN.comPUBLISHED: October 4, 2019 at 7:28 am | UPDATED: October 4, 2019 at 8:15 am By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — Dante, a 104-year-old  hostelry in New York’s Greenwich Village, has been voted top of the World’s 50 Best Bar list for 2019. The historic bar, which originally opened as Caffe Dante in 1915, has been a hot ticket since it was reopened in 2015 by its current owners, Australians Linden Pride and Natalie Hudson, along with creative director Naren Young. The awards announced Thursday night represented 26 cities across 21 countries, selected by a vote of “more than 500 drinks experts.” Dante serves up Negronis, martinis and all manner of spritzes in a convivial white-tiled space, along with the kind of Italian specialties we’ve come to expect — burrata, ricotta, focaccia, salumi, lasagna, meatballs — all with a contemporary presentation and feel.The top 50 list is heavy on New York, London and Singapore. … [Read more...] about World’s best bar named; one in San Francisco among top 50

Tips : Accommodation Related: Top Ten Best, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Langkawi, St. Regis Langkawi, Ritz-Carlton Langkawi We review the best luxury hotels in Langkawi, Malaysia. Choose between Four Seasons Resort Langkawi which we loved when we stayed there, Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Ritz-Carlton Langkawi, St. Regis Langkawi, Tanjung Rhu, The Andaman Langkawi, The Danna Langkawi, The Datai Langkawi, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa and Vivanta Rebak Island. Langkawi is located on the north-west coast of Peninsula Malaysia close to the Thai border, Langkawi is a mystical island of wild scenic beauty and aquamarine seas. It is the largest in an archipelago of 104 islands scattered across the Andaman Sea, separated from the mainland by the Straits of Malacca. Tourists visit for the dense jungle, fascinating wildlife, centuries-old limestone caves, majestic waterfalls and white sand beaches. As Southeast Asia’s first UNESCO Geopark, the geology and ecology is … [Read more...] about Top 10 Best Luxury Hotels In Langkawi, Malaysia