Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Review nuova New York Collection Neve Makeup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXprrO8GPCI&hl=en
Monday, August 16, 2010
Review of New York New York Hotel and Casino
New York New York Hotel & Casino is located in Las Vegas, Nevada. A visit to this casino is close to an actual visit to New York City, complete with the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. This resort facility replicates the New York skyline, including the Empire State Building. The lower floor of the casino is surrounded with small shops like one would see if in the City itself.
A tourist standing on the second floor balcony is treated to the view of the casino floor and the shops that border the casino tables and games. If you come to the casino from across the street, you can come over the bridge that crosses the Strip directly into the New York New York second floor.
The hotel amenities are first class with well-appointed rooms and extras, if wanted, like whirlpool baths. They do offer special packages if confirmed via the Internet or phone. It is worth the effort to arrange a package deal, as there could be a savings on the room rate for a several days' stay.
The casino offers a normal range of Las Vegas gaming and excitement. The other offers of the casino are a sports book and an old time Irish Pub. There is also a stage show with different entertainers throughout the year. The shops that border the casino floor offer a variety of items and food services. The ambience of the entire facility is intended to make the guest feel the vibes of a New York visit.
With its location in the heart of the Strip, the New York New York is convenient to any of the other Las Vegas attractions that a visitor wants to see while in town. As with most Las Vegas casinos, they do have special accommodations for VIP guests who are above average gaming enthusiasts. If a customer wants special treatment, the way to get it is to ask for it. Let the hotel know what you want; you may be surprised at how easy it is for them to arrange for your desires.
There are many unusual places to visit and stay in Las Vegas. The New York New York should be on any visitor's list of places to see while in town. Stop in for a bite to eat, a drink, and maybe a little table action. This casino is worth the visit for any tourist. The New York City feeling is remarkably real to all who stop by.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wild About The Wildwater Walking Club By Claire Cook - A Review
Claire Cook's delightful novel, SUMMER BLOWOUT, was the first book I reviewed when I began reviewing books. I had picked up SUMMER BLOWOUT, having loved MUST LOVE DOGS that Claire wrote, and was not disappointed. I am thrilled to be reviewing Claire Cook's newest book, THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB just out on May 5. So watch out Ya-Ya Sisters, Wives' Clubbers, and Sweet Potato Queens because the WALKERS have arrived! Claire Cook's new book THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB and the walkers are taking over!
In THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB, Claire Cook gives us three wonderful women who are neighbors on Wildwater Way and at first don't even know each other. It all starts when Noreen Kelly's "boyfriend" convinces her to take a buyout from her corporate position in a shoe company, and she thinks she has made the best choice. However, she soon realizes that her love wasn't just working for the other company but was working her, and Noreen is dumped by the boyfriend and the company. In a fit of frustration and shock, she uses her actually void company ID and buys up every shoe in her size at the corporate shop for 50% off. With that, Noreen takes her shoes and heads home to Wildwater Way to try and figure out what is left of her life.
Sure that her life is over, Noreen sees nothing around her but what she is missing. Not until she makes friends with Tess, her next door neighbor, does Noreen start to realize that maybe her life isn't over after all. Tess, the school teacher who is off for the summer, dealing with a college-bound daughter who isn't speaking to her mom, and Noreen start walking together and they start to talk to each other about life. A third member living on Wildwater Way comes to the group as they meet Rosie. Rosie knows she was doing the right thing moving into her parents' home after her mom died, bringing her family with her, and taking over the lavender farm on her parents' property, but it isn't what she had hoped for. In her friendship with Noreen and Rosie, she literally is able to walk into a different life.
The three women begin to walk their way into a friendship that will turn out to be more than they ever expected. They walk and talk and even start to keep track of their steps using pedometers that Noreen also picked up at the "last shoe buy" she made. Sharing some of the shoes she bought with Tess and Rosie, is not the only thing that Noreen begins to share with these women. Their steps go from being more than just exercise as they take to new directions walking and in life. Noreen attends a career coaching group for unemployed people in her company and sees things through others eyes. She begins to build a better relationship with her own mother thanks to her friendship with Tess and watching Tess's relationship with her daughter. Hanging a clothesline becomes a political issue only found in real life in real writing like Claire Cook's. The walkers take a road trip to Seattle for a festival about lavender and along with all this there are the twists and turns, romances and families, characters and settings that make for a great read that only someone like Claire Cook can come up with. This might be called a 'good beach read' but believe me, you will not want to be sitting in a chair after reading this!
The story is a fast and fun read, but also a learning experience. From this book have grown, and will continue to grow, groups of walkers who will see the value in what these women did and how it changed their lives. How Claire Cook could have known that this book would hit home with so many of us in these economically changing times is anyone's guess. I think that people who read this book will all take away something from it. For most it will definitely be a really good read but for others is will be even more. It may be another way of looking at our neighbors, or like me, it may be a realization that walking is more than just exercise. When everyone can get their hands on THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB on May 5th, we may find our streets more crowded with walkers than ever before...at least there will be happier and more satisfied walkers, that's for sure! This is a book that celebrates friendship and teaches us what Claire Cook intended and that is if you are going to walk the walk, then go ahead and take that first step to talk the talk and make the changes in your life that you can and need to do. As it says on Claire's website "Just put one foot in front of the other"!
Review Written and Submitted by Karen Haney
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Heretic Queen - A Review of Historical As Well As Romantic Fiction
THE HERETIC QUEEN by Michelle Moran is a novel of historical fiction that is a sweeping, romantic story about Nefertari, the niece of Nefertiti, who was known as the "heretic queen". Nefetari is the narrator of the story and is the only one spared when a catastrophic fire in the palace kills the Eighteenth Dynasty's entire royal family. The members of the court do not want Nefetari around because of who she is. She is ostracized and rejected by people all because her family name has been damaged for good. The wicked things her family did effects everything that poor Nefetari tries to do with her life.
Two close friends of Nefetari are Ramesses, who is just a few years older, and another younger boy, Asha. This young trio is loyal to each other, and spends a great deal of time together. However, this relationship changes when Ramesses becomes Co-Regent with his father. At that point, Ramesses is told he can no longer be friends and spend time with Nefertari. This is very difficult for Nefetari as Ramesses was one of her only friends in the palace. Matters worsen when Nefertari finds out that Ramesses is to be wed soon. Nefertari always thought it would be her that Ramesses married but it is not to be.
Following Ramesses' marriage, and with no welcome place now for Nefertari in the court, she is presented with a chance to work with one of Ramesses' aunts and try to become a second wife to Ramesses. Often, the second wife was more important than the first. This sounds like it will be an answer but there is one thing that will be a problem, as usual, and that is her relation to the Heretic King and Queen. And so, Nefertari is taken to the Temple of Hathor where the aunt works with her. Nefertari is taught in the same way that royalty would be taught. She is prepared in a way that she could become a future queen someday.
Finally, the Prince notices Nefertari, after her hard work and passage of time, and she and Ramesses start to see each other again. Forgetting about her background, they fall in love and want to get married. Iset, who is Ramesses wife, sets out to make herself Chief Wife and thus most important in court and to Ramesses. She works very hard to keep Nefetari out of their lives. However, Nefertari has other ideas as she makes it her goal to become THE wife of Ramesses and return her family's name back into the good graces of the court. Nefertari also decides that SHE wants to be the Chief Wife even though everyone around her works against this. Despite their efforts, Nefertari does become the wife of Ramesses who by now is known as Ramesses the Great. His goal is to be the most powerful Pharaoh in Egypt, despite the problems history will present him with including the "great Exodus". Ramesses and Nefertari become involved in many thrilling and almost unreal ventures. They seem almost impossible and yet they are all based on history. They face Ahmoses, do battle with Hittites and pirates, and so many historical based adventures that the story is exciting and adventurous. The author, Michelle Moran, has so much detail to the actions while still making the book move along quickly and not bogging the readers down with heavy historical minutiae. It makes that time period believable and real, and makes the Egyptian history come alive.
Moran includes a glossary full of terms to help explain words, as well as a religious calendar that keeps the reader on track with all that is going on. Although it is nice to have read NEFERTITI: A NOVEL also by Michelle Moran, it is not necessary to have in order to understand, follow, and enjoy THE HERETIC QUEEEN. I recommend this book to historical fiction buffs but also romance readers who like a fast moving story with good basics and a great story line, full of well developed characters.
Friday, May 21, 2010
New York - Movie Review
New York is the best Yash Raj movie after Chak De India. There were theories that New York is a movie that has come way too late, considering it is based on 9/11. But more than dealing on 9/11 attacks, it is about how South East Asians were detained and treated like animals by the Bush government. One such person is Sameer (John Abraham). Read on to know more about New York movie review.
Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) is arrested by the FBI as a set-up. The whole deal is that the FBI officer Roshan (Irrfan Khan) wants Omar to work as an undercover secret agent and infiltrate the life of his friends Sameer (John) and Maya (Katrina) who were his friends 8 years back. Roshan has an inkling that Sameer is running a sleeper terrorism cell and wants him caught red-handed. Omar agrees on the condition that there would be no harm done to Sameer.
The trio, Maya, Sameer and Omar were college friends and Omar used to secretly love Maya but the latter was interested in Sameer. When Omar came to know about this, he discreetly backed out of their lives and decided not to interfere in their married life, till the FBI made him enter the lives of the couple. Omar is exposed to a lot of things in Sameer's life that make him confused about whether he should really spy on his friend or back out of the plan laid by the FBI.
Plus points of New York:
1. Well-researched film. Full marks to director Kabir Khan and his team for coming up with an interesting subject. He proved that he was quality material with Kabul Express and New York is yet another confirmation.
2. Adherence to the subject at hand: New York does not deviate from its plot and keeps going steady. The pace of the movie is good and the performances are commendable.
Minus points of New York:
1 The movie may not catch the fancy of the masses. At the cost of authenticity, New York may lose vernacular audience. The movie touches some crucial points and the dialogues are delivered in English. In fact, 40 percent of the movie is English. So, New York a movie with a universal theme may come across as a niche subject that may be patronized by multiplex crowd.
2. The movie is similar to Fanaa, Don-The Chase Begins and Jannat in some areas. Though they are not intended, you may experience a feeling of Deja vu while seeing New York.
3. The climax is a bit skewed and though there can be 'n' number of ways at how the movie could have ended, what is shown may not be agreeable to viewers. Also, Neil Nitin Mukesh does not say 'the right urgent things' to John Abraham at the climax and his lines sound filmy and corny at the end.
Best scenes of New York:
New York had some amazing scenes that are worth applauding:
1. The frisking scene of Katrina Kaif by a cop at wee hours of midnight
2. Irrfan Khan's talk about why America is and always be the land of opportunities. He tells why inspite of being a Muslim, the US has looked at his credentials and given him the job to check on sleeper terrorist activities which were run by muslims.
3. The end credits which show information on how Asians were subjected to illegal detention after 9/11-really leaves an impact.
4. The gory detention scenes really make you cringe.
Performances in new York:
John Abraham after a long time, has come up with a very good performance, perhaps his best after Jism. He is totally in his element and plays his role very well. Katrina Kaif too has got a meaty role to chew on, and she does a very good job at it. Watch Katrina Kaif emote during the preclimax and climax scenes...she is superb. Neil Nitin Mukesh pulls on a superbly restrained performance. The pick of the lot is Irrfan Khan, a flawless performance. He manages to dominate almost all the scenes where he features, and that too effortlessly.