The Story of the Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History of the Licensed Trade in Ireland Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Story Of The Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History Of The Licensed Trade In Ireland by Cian Molloy is an engaging and recommended survey of the social history, origins, and evolution of Irish pubs, some of which have been owned by the same family for a century or more. A uncommon and involving study of a unique cultural gathering place and experience (and peppered with anecdotes and black-and-white photographs), The Story Of The Irish Pub includes profiles of more than one hundred of the oldest family-owned pubs in Ireland.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Story of the Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History of the Licensed Trade in Ireland

Get 27% OFF

Click here for more information about The Story of the Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History of the Licensed Trade in Ireland

The Professional Chef Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been cooking for quite some time now, and I am always digging for newer and better recipes and even different variations. This book had much more than I had ever thought that it would. It has a chapter dedicated to nutrition, kitchen safety, equipment, and all sorts of examples as well as photo's for everything, including cuts of meats, fish, poultry, etc.
It also thoroughly covers all sorts of food preparation, and the recipes!!! The recipes look just wonderful. It covers everything from simple broths, breads, sandwiches to different types of pastry. It is a great book for the beginner, as well as the experienced cook.
I have already tried a few of the recipes, and they are truely wonderful, and have been well tested. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook and bake..
One word of caution... Most of the recipes are geared to cooking of large quantities, for 10 portions or better. Breads for 8-10 loaves, and so on, so be prepared to modify your quantities.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Professional Chef

Click here for more information about The Professional Chef

Troubles (New York Review Books Classics) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Originally published in 1970 and newly reprinted, Troubles, the story of Ireland's fight for independence from 1919 - 1922, illuminates the attitudes and insensitivities which made revolution a necessity for the Irish people. Farrell also, however, focuses on the personal, human costs to the residential Anglo-Irish aristocracy as they find themselves being driven out of their "homes."
Edward Spencer, a conservative Protestant loyalist, runs a decaying 300-room hotel on the coast of County Wexford. Regarding himself as a benevolent landowner, he nevertheless demands total submission of his tenants and the signing of a loyalty oath to the King. His ironically named Majestic Hotel, lacking maintenance during the war and its aftermath, is now too costly to repair. When British Major Brendan Archer, newly released from hospital, arrives at the Majestic to reintroduce himself to his fiancée Angela, daughter of the proprietor, the reader quickly sees the Majestic as the symbol of a faded aristocracy which has outlived its usefulness. The windows are broken, the roof is leaking, and decorative gewgaws and balconies are hanging loosely, threatening to crash. Walls, floors, and even ceilings, are swelling and cracking from vegetation run wild, and the hotel's ironically named Imperial Bar is "boiling with cats," some of which live inside upholstered chairs and all of which subsist on a diet of rats and mice. Irish rebels live just outside the hotel's perimeter.
With wry humor and a formidable talent for description, Farrell conjures up nightmarish images of life in the hotel, selecting small, vivid details to make the larger thematic picture more real. Homely details enlarge his canvas and bring his symbolism home to the reader as the rebellion by the Irish poor continues to grow and affect life within the microcosm of the Majestic. The reader's feeling of claustrophobia and the need to escape builds, and one is not surprised when violence strikes.
By injecting small news stories throughout the narrative, Farrell informs the reader about the progress of the rebellion. He also sets up global parallels, widening his scope by reporting problems in India, South Africa, and other parts of the Empire, along with the Chicago Riots and the Bolshevist attacks in Kiev. Humor and sometimes satire leaven even the most emotional moments, and Farrell paints his characters with a broad brush which makes one constantly aware of their absurdity. Clearly delineating the emotional issues behind the drive for Irish independence, Farrell makes the reader see both sides with empathy. When Edward and the Major finally begin to shoot the Majestic's cats in preparation for a large ball, the reader is prepared for a final round of violence at the Majestic and almost welcomes it. Mary Whipple

Click Here to see more reviews about: Troubles (New York Review Books Classics)

Major Brendan Archer returns from the Great War to claim his fiancee, whose family owns the Majestic Hotel in Kilnalough, Ireland. She is strangely altered, however, along with the hotel, which is in spectacular decline — cats roam its upper stories, the Palm Court is a jungle, and the last guests are little old ladies with nowhere else to go. Outside the formerly grand hotel, the British Empire also totters. There is unrest in the East, and Ireland itself senses the mounting violence of its "troubles." J.G. Farrell is the author of The Siege of Krishnapur, winner of the Booker Prize. "Remarkable.... Mr. Farrell deserves high praise for this novel. It is subtly modulated, richly textured, sad, funny, and altogether memorable." — The Times Literary Supplement

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Troubles (New York Review Books Classics)

Surf's Up, Geronimo (Geronimo Stilton, No. 20) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought this book for a reluctant reader in the third grade. He likes it because certain words are in various typesettings and bold to highlight the action. He now requests other Geronimo Stilton books because he finds them exciting.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Surf's Up, Geronimo (Geronimo Stilton, No. 20)

Ah, there's nothing like a relaxing vacation on the beach! I would spread out by the crystal-clear water with a good book. What more could a mouse want? At least, that was the plan. But somehow, my vacations never seem to go according to plan. Instead of a beautiful seaside resort, I found myself in a fleabag hotel that was falling down around my ears! Oh, would I ever be able to relax and enjoy my vacation??

Click here for more information about Surf's Up, Geronimo (Geronimo Stilton, No. 20)

How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop: With Companion CD-ROM Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop" by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Aduser, and Douglas R. Brown is great for beginners looking into possibly opening a coffee shop. The book touches on a lot of information that is generic to any business, but it is a good starting point. It provides basic information on writing a business plan, scouting out a location, buying equipment, hiring a staff and more.
I wish the authors would have delved further into the various aspects of writing a business plan. As it is, it simply lists what types of topics should be covered in a business plan and basic information on what the terms mean. There is nothing comprehensive about how to create pro-forma income projections or any of the more intricate parts of the business plan.
While parts of the book seemed to just be stating common sense knowledge, the authors did provide a number of helpful websites and resources. They talk in-depth on ordering coffee, but I wish the book would have included more coffee/espresso specific information - such as numerous drink recipes, maybe tips from those that have started their own coffee shop. Things like that would have been useful.
The book's flow is also a little disappointing. Many times the writing seemed redundant because the topic had already been touched on. For some reason the authors will discuss a subject, such as using a website to enhance your business and then touch on the subject again a few chapters later without adding anything significant to the mix..
All in all, I think the book does provide a good deal of useful information to anyone looking to open a business in the food industry. I just wish it had more meat to it or that the authors would have gone more in-depth on a few key issues.


Click Here to see more reviews about: How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop: With Companion CD-ROM

The explosive growth of the coffee shops across the country has been phenomenal. Few people realize coffee is now the largest food import to the United States. There is money to be made on those beans. Here is the manual you need to cash in on this highly profitable segment of the food service industry. This new book is a comprehensive and detailed study of the business side of the specialty coffee and beverage shop. This superb manual should be studied by anyone investigating the opportunities of opening a coffee cafe, tea shop or coffee kiosk. If you enjoy meeting people and love coffee, this may be the perfect business for you, but keep in mind Specialty coffee retail looks easy, but as with any business, looks can be deceiving. This complete manual will arm you with everything you need including sample business forms, leases, and contracts; worksheets and checklists for planning, opening, and running day-to-day operations; sample menus; coffee drink recipes; inventory lists; plans and layouts; and dozens of other valuable, time-saving tools of the trade that no coffee entrepreneur should be without. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan (The Companion CD-ROM has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word TM), how to buy and sell a coffee shop, basic cost control systems, profitable menu planning, sample floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, successful beverage management, legal concerns, sales and marketing techniques, pricing formulas, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines. The manual delivers literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline your business. Learn new ways to make your operation run smoother and increase performance. Shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition operators will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, web sites, operating and cost cutting ideas, and mathematical formulas that can be easily applied to their operations. The Companion CD-ROM contains all the forms in the book as well as a sample business plan you can adapt for your own use.

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop: With Companion CD-ROM

The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Penultimate Peril is one of the best in ASoUE. It's the next to last book in the series, and everything is starting to come together.
When we last left Violet, Klaus, and Sunny that had met up with Kit Snicket on Briny Beach, and that's exactly where out story picks up. She takes them to a hotel, where in just a few days, there will be a gathering of volunteers at the last safe place. However, we all know that nothing ends in sunshine & happiness for our favorite unfortunate orphans.
The book is very well paced, and a bit darker than some of the others in the series, but just as silly as well. We see lots of familiar faces, and will have you wanting to reread the entire series over just to see if you missed the slighest bit of a clue. We also meet some new characters, and discover some remarkable secrets. We also run into some new questions, and ponder the true meaning of noble. Right & wrong are not always black & white, especially for the Baudelaires. The Penultimate Peril is a very enjoyable read, and is a must buy for fans of ASoUE.
And make sure you have a mirror when you read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12)

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12)

Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm just back from Johnson VT, The Vermont Studio Center, where artist residents were eagerly passing this book from table to table at meals. It appears to be a great time-saving source as applying for grants and residencies can be a full time job. VSC was accurately described so I'm hopeful that the other listings prove to be well researched. I'm listing 4 stars as I've just added this book to my shopping list, it may very well be a 5 star reference guide for artists.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity

Updated and expanded, this widely praised directory lists more than eighty retreats available to visual and performing artists, composers, and writers. Each entry includes complete information on contacting the community, the art disciplines it serves, facilities, housing, meals, season and length of residency, number of artists accommodated, admission deadlines and fees, the selection process, stipends and expenses, duties, programs, institutional history and mission statement, and a list of well-known artists who have been in residence. Wide-ranging disciplines include painting, design, sculpture, ceramics, dance, drama, writing, and other arts/crafts/humanities programs.The Alliance of Artists' Communities is a national service organization based in Portland, Oregon.

Click here for more information about Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity

Eloise Takes A Bawth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There is nothing so refreshing, so enlivening, or inviting, there is nothing so delicious as a bawth. Eloise, that irrepressible and precocious nymph, just about sinks the Plaza Hotel as she splawshes, dives, plays and swims in the tub, tub, tub of her penthouse bawthroom. Drips, drops, leaks, and waterfalls begin to spout all over the building, and the manager, Mr Salomone is beside himself as he watches all his hard work on the Venetian Masked Ball, to be held that very evening in the Grand Ballroom, turn wet, soggy, and almost float away. "ELOISE/thanks to you/the Plaza's through through through/flooded floor to floor/stem to stern/door to door/The Venetain ball's a bust/Come down with me/I want you to see/the mess you've made!" But has Eloise's bawthtub antics really ruined the ball? No, of course not. In her own inimitable way, she's actually saved the day, and the Venetian Masked Ball turns out to be the sensation of the social season..... Written in the early sixties, though never published, Kay Thompson's Eloise Takes A Bawth finally makes its long-awaited debut with the help of playwright Mart Crowley and the stunning and imaginative artwork of her long-time collaborator, Hilary Knight. Ms Thompson's engaging and lyrical text is filled with her trademark energy and wit. But it's Mr Knight's captivating artwork that really steals the show. Each bold and busy pen and ink illustration is rich in subtle color, brilliant, eye-catching detail, and marvelous facial expressions, and youngsters will want to linger and explore every inch of each fun-filled page. Especially noteworthy is a dazzling four page fold-out of the masked ball in all its New York, social scene glory, and a creative and playful look behind the walls, at the Plaza's intricate plumbing system. Perfect for kids from 4 to 94, Eloise Takes A Bawth is a veritable feast for the eyes and ears, and a treasured masterpiece to read and share with friends and family now, and future generations in the years to come. "Now Eloise's forty-year bawth is finally drawn. Soak away."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Eloise Takes A Bawth

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Eloise Takes A Bawth

Marketing for Hospitality & Tourism (5th Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this textbook because it was required for my class. However, I have found it to be useful in my current job (Executive Assistant, but not in a hospitality field.) The companion website offers slideshows to help you study. The information in the book is very well organized and the book also offers examples and exercises from well-known companies. I'd recommend it to someone who really wanted to understand marketing.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Marketing for Hospitality & Tourism (5th Edition)

THE most widely used Hospitality marketing book—this four-color leader is comprehensive and innovative, managerial and practical, state-of-the-art and real-world. Building on the authors\' expertise, it uses an integrative approach to discuss the major marketing decisions hospitality marketing managers face in today\'s global marketplace. Video cases, chapter examples and marketing highlights showcase real people and companies and demonstrate how marketing impacts every member of the hospitality team. Experiential exercises and new material on social networking, database marketing and revenue management help solidify the book\'s position as the definitive source for information on hospitality marketing.

Get 27% OFF

Click here for more information about Marketing for Hospitality & Tourism (5th Edition)

The Spirit to Serve: Marriott's Way Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I stayed at a Marriott in Denver last week and found a copy of this book in the nightstand. I expected it to be hogwash and instead found it to be the most useful business book I've ever read. It is a quick read (about 150 pages, not the 240 mentioned in the Amazon catalog). It is entertaining without being self-indulgent and informative without being preachy. The anecdotes revealed an appropriate level of introspection (my one quibble is that Mr. Marriott claims that his family and faith come before business and yet also describes himself as a workaholic). I'm not in the hospitality industry and yet I found dozens of parallels to my own business (computer software and book publishing). Most interesting were the frank assessments of Marriott's business mistakes. He truly used them as an opportunity to learn. The book is chock full of excellent and thought-provoking strategies and totally devoid of the cheesy buzzwords so prevalent in, say, the latest Tom Peters books. Although I have no association with Marriott, the book will cause me to examine the entire service industry in a new light.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Spirit to Serve: Marriott's Way

J.W. Marriot, Jr., Chairman and C.E.O. of Marriott International, Inc., Reveals the Methods and Philosophy Behind His Success in The Spirit to Serve: Marriott's WayIt began in 1927 with a nine-stool A&W root beer stand in Washington, D.C.Today, Marriott International, Inc. employs more than 225,000 people and serves more meals (and makes more beds) every day than anyone, except perhaps, the U.S. Army.And J. Willard Marriott's $5,000 investment has grown, first under his stewardship, and then under the leadership of his son, into a $12 billion company that spans the globe. J. W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. began working at his father's Hot Shoppes (the successors to that little root beer stand) at the age of 14, and took over the management reins in 1964.His father's hands-on management had shaped the company; Bill Marriott raised his father's style to an art.In The Spirit to Serve:Marriott's Way, Marriott and Kathi Ann Brown reveal his methods and the philosophy behind them as they take readers on an insider's tour of one of the world's largest and best-known international hospitality companies.Emerson once disparaged "foolish consistency" as the "hobgoblin of little minds."But Bill Marriott has not confused mindless conformity with thoughtful standard-setting.Consistent systems and procedures are main engines for the company's success - and at the heart of "Marriott's way":"At the most basic level, systems help bring order to the natural messiness of human enterprise. Give 100 people the same task-without providing ground rules-and you'll end up with at least a dozen, if not 100, different results. Try that same experiment with a few thousand people, and you end up with chaos. Efficient systems and clear rules help everyone to deliver a consistent product and service."Marriott's encyclopedic procedure manuals - including a sixty-six step guide to cleaning a hotel room in less than a half hour - reflect more than an obsession with detail.It assures customers of receiving the no-hassle, no-surprise service that is a hallmark of all Marriott businesses, while employees, certain that routine matters are running smoothly, can offer more personalized service to customers.Attention to detail, quite simply, leads to high customer satisfaction, to repeat business - and to good profits and attractive returns for stockholders and property owners. Putting employees first, another fundamental element in Marriott's corporate culture, stems from Marriott's recognition that providing two of life's most basic needs - food and shelter - requires a special human touch, and that touch only comes when employees feel both confident and comfortable.Company courses in everything from cooking, computers, and communications to teamwork, time management and Total Quality Management are designed not only to build the skills and knowledge but to give employees the confidence and opportunity to move up the corporate ladder.A host of safety nets let employees know the company supports them both on the job and off. On the professional side, for example, teams of veterans are on hand to help the staff every time a new hotel opens.On the personal side, Marriott has established an extraordinary service, a toll-free telephone help line that provides information from social workers on potential solutions to childcare, eldercare, substance or domestic abuse, housing, or immigration issues, as well as resources for other common problems employees face.And it does so in more than one hundred languages!This spirit of helping others has an added benefit:as the anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book demonstrate, it resonates in day-to-day business activities.Marriott employees have lent money to guests who have forgotten their wallets, acted as emergency baby-sitters, ordered (and picked up) contact lenses, and put their mechanical skills to work on conked-out cars.One even lent a nervous guest an entire suit of clothing for a critical job interview. Standard operating procedures and employee loyalty and commitment assure his company's continuing reputation for quality, but they also fuel increasing sales, improving margins, and higher stock prices.Asserting that "to grow successfully, you must stay true to who you are, even while feverishly working to change who you are," Marriott delves into the ups-and-downs he has experienced in more than thirty years at the helm.The revolutionary decision in 1978 to move from hotel ownership to becoming a hotel management company grew naturally from the company's strengths and had an immediate positive effect on the company's balance sheet.Experience, combined with intuition, also led to the creation of the Marriott Distribution Services division, which, building on Marriott's matchless expertise in supplying its own properties, is projected to reach more than $1.6 billion in annual revenues by the end of 1997.Other ventures had more mixed results.Marriott candidly discusses the company's initial lack of success in franchising hotels in the 1960s, the acquisitions and subsequent sales of the Big Boy and Roy Rogers restaurant chains, and the dramatic over-expansion of the early 1990s.He delineates how each episode violated a basic principle - including the often essential change in the corporate mindset.Illuminating both the challenge and the necessity of nurturing the priorities and qualities that define any successful organization, Bill Marriott not only sets out invaluable groundrules for running a business but reveals an understanding of business and of human nature that will inspire managers at every level, in any business.

Click here for more information about The Spirit to Serve: Marriott's Way

Running a Restaurant For Dummies Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My Mom ordered this book for me, as I was thinking of owning my own place. I have been in the restaurant business for several years, as a worker, and as a cook, and as a store manager. I thought I knew pretty much all I needed to know, but after reading this book, I am amazed at just how much MORE I needed to learn! This book has given me much more insight to more ways of obtainning the funds for starting out, and all the differrent things needed to know for employee hiring, inventory, money managment, and even how to find the best location! The book is also very true and realistic as to the difficulties occurred along the way to owning, and running a sucessful business. Thanks a lot "Books for Dummies" people for getting this book on the market. I know it will help a lot of folks who are thinking about opening their own restaurant. I am ready and anxious to get going on the road to owning my own pizza restaurant! Look for my place, SOON!
L. Vanderhoek & Eric Vanderhoek

Click Here to see more reviews about: Running a Restaurant For Dummies

Millions of Americans dream of owning and running their own restaurant -- because they want to be their own boss, because their cooking always draws raves, or just because they love food. Running a Restaurant For Dummies covers every aspect of getting started for wannabe restaurateurs. From setting up a business plan and finding financing, to designing a menu and dining room, you'll find all the advice you need to start and run a successful restaurant. Even if you don't know anything about cooking or running a business, you might still have a great idea for a restaurant -- and this handy guide will show you how to make your dream a reality. If you already own a restaurant, but want to see it do better, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers unbeatable tips and advice of bringing in hungry customers. From start to finish, you'll learn everything you need to know to succeed: Put your ideas on paper with a realistic business plan Attract investors to help get the business off the ground Be totally prepared for your grand opening Make sure your business is legal and above board Hire and train a great staff Develop a delicious menu If you're looking for expert guidance from people in the know, then Running a Restaurant For Dummies is the only book you need. Written by Michael Garvey, co-owner of the famous Oyster Bar at Grand Central, with help from writer Heather Dismore and chef Andy Dismore, this book covers all the bases, from balancing the books to training staff and much more: Designing and theme and a concept Taking over an existing restaurant or buying into a franchise Stocking and operating a bar Working with partners and other investors Choose a perfect location Hiring and training an excellent staff Pricing menu items Designing the interior of the restaurant Purchasing and managing supplies Marketing your restaurant to customers If you're looking for a new career as a restaurateur, or you need new ideas for your struggling restaurant, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers expert advice in a fun, friendly format. Packed with practical advice and expert wisdom on every aspect of the food service business, this guide is all you need to get cooking.

Get 45% OFF

Click here for more information about Running a Restaurant For Dummies

Eloise: UN Libro Para Adultos Precoces Sobre Una Nina Que Vive En El Hotel Plaza (Spanish Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As we all know, Eloise is six and she lives at the Plaza Hotel with her Nanny who says things three times, her dog Weenie, her turtle Skipperdee and two dolls. When I was a child, I adored this book and wanted to be just like Eloise. She does whatever she wants and gets away with it.
As an adult, I feel so sorry for Eloise because her mother only sends for her when it's sunny and otherwise isn't present. What a poor little girl to grow up so alone!
However, this is a tremendously humorous and beautifully illustrated classic that can always make me grin from ear to ear. I looooovve room service too! Oh, and charge it please. Thank you very much.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Eloise: UN Libro Para Adultos Precoces Sobre Una Nina Que Vive En El Hotel Plaza (Spanish Edition)

Eloise is a little girl who lives at The Plaza Hotel in New York. She is not yet pretty but she is already a Person. Henry James would want to study her. Queen Victoria would recognize her as an Equal. The New York Jets would want to have her on their side. Lewis Carroll would love her (once he got over the initial shock). She knows everything about The Plaza. She is interested in people when they are not boring. She has Inner Resources. If you take her home with you, you will always be glad you did.--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Get 36% OFF

Click here for more information about Eloise: UN Libro Para Adultos Precoces Sobre Una Nina Que Vive En El Hotel Plaza (Spanish Edition)

The Bluffs, Bay Head, New Jersey - The Story of a Hotel at the Jersey Shore Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a beautiful book. As a member of a family that summered at Bay Head in the late '50's and early 60's, it brought back a host of memories. The summer culture at "the shore" was truly represented.
I enjoyed all the small copies of the Bluffs Hotel trivia. It was fun to read. I only wish I had been older when we summered there, so I could have seen the Bluffs in it's hayday.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Bluffs, Bay Head, New Jersey - The Story of a Hotel at the Jersey Shore

Standing on a high dune overlooking the sandy beach and Atlantic Ocean, The Bluffs of Bay Head, New Jersey was one of the last great, old Jersey Shore resort hotels. For more than a century, this Victorian landmark was the summer destination for the affluent from Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey as well as the year-round meeting place for the "locals." Francine LaVance Robertshaw began summering in Bay Head as a child in the mid-1950s, eventually moving there in 1967. She worked at The Bluffs from 1979 through 1986, first as a desk clerk and then as assistant to Kathleen Johnson Spies, manager and daughter of owners Alfred E. (Sonny) and Martha Johnson. This is Francine Robertshaw's inside story of The Bluffs. Through her research, interviews, experiences, photographs, and documents, you will meet the owners as well as many of the employees, hotel guests, and bar patrons who made The Bluffs unique and charming over the decades. You'll meet the "regulars" and the "eccentrics" and be taken inside The Bluff's social scene as well as behind the scenes of the hotel and bar, including details of how it functioned as a business. Rarely has there been a book that has documented in such detail the story of a hotel. This beautifully-crafted volume contains more than three hundred historic photographs, documents, and facsimile reproductions as well as more than a dozen paintings by artists Dick LaBonte, Ludlow Thorston, Robert Loder Jr., Al Barker, M. E. Whitehill, Rodell C. Johnson, Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh, and E. J. Meeker. The book is divided into three chapters: The Hotel, The Bar, and The Memories (written by dozens of Bluffshotel guests, bar patrons, and employees), plus an Appendix of documents that includes twenty pull-out facsimile reproductions featuring a 1936 map of the area, a circa 1910 Bluffs booklet brochure, historic restaurant and bar menus, hotel rate schedules, vintage postcards, and more. The Bluffs is gone forever but held in the hearts of many who had the privilege to cross its threshold. This unique book will transport the reader back into its world, preserving The Bluff--and a now lost way of life at the Jersey Shore--in memory and for generations to come. Our heirloom editions are beautifully printed and bound, with many features not found in most books... Oversized (9 1/4" x 12 1/4") to enhance the reading and viewing experience. Features 20 pull-out facsimile reproductions of historic documents. Luxurious embossed kidskin Kivar 7 case. Precious gold type and accents are stamped on the cover and spine, adding distinctive, classic beauty. Superbly printed on archival quality, acid-neutral paper that will not yellow with time. Sturdy hand-sewn binding (Smyth-sewn), inspected at every stage, ensuring strength and durability throughout the years. Bound in satin ribbon bookmark

Click here for more information about The Bluffs, Bay Head, New Jersey - The Story of a Hotel at the Jersey Shore

Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The #1: Hotel Hangout (Suite Life of Zack and Cody) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This was a great gift for my daughter. I was looking at High School Musical books for her and she saw this one on the screen and asked me to think about getting it for her too. She has really enjoyed it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The #1: Hotel Hangout (Suite Life of Zack and Cody)

Zack and Cody become very popular when the cool kids discover they live at the Tipton. The hotel soon becomes "party central." But when things get out of hand, the boys learn who their true friends are. Meanwhile, when math whiz Maddie gets stuck tutoring socialite London, the girls realize that they can help each other.

Click here for more information about Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The #1: Hotel Hangout (Suite Life of Zack and Cody)

Blood on the Tracks: A Novel Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)To be honest I had no idea what to expect when I was given a copy of "Blood on the Tracks" but I ended up being happily surprised. The story was original and the author had an amazing knowledge of the world in which he was writing about. Worth the read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blood on the Tracks: A Novel

This morning. Room 211. The Chelsea Hotel. Elysian Row.
A man is lying face up on a red crushed-velvet chaise. His wide-open eyes stare at some unseen spot on the ceiling. He is wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans, scuffed-up Spanish leather boots, and a matching Bolero vest. At first glance, one might mistake him for a vagabond, a vagrant, a drifter. He would have liked that. He always thought of himself as a traveling troubadour. But look closer. The lifeless man lying across the chaise is none other than superstar Bob Dorian.
He'd been hailed a poet, a prophet, and the voice of a generation. Dorian never wanted to be any of those things. The most famous rock star in the world always resented the attention. Of course, turning up dead attracts the most attention of all.
Suspects? Tons of them. They're all characters in Dorian's songs, not to mention they all hold a grudge.
Intent on finding the killer, Dorian's manager, Jack Frost, teams with Commissioner Tiresias and obituary writer Mister Johns to track down the true culprit and solve the mysterious murder.
And the answers they need may just be staring them in the face.

Click here for more information about Blood on the Tracks: A Novel

Best Places to Stay: 44 Extraordinary Hotels Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have traveled quite a bit, and when I travel for work I normally end up in a sterile, adequate, and uninspired hotel room in an average location. These hotels get the job done, but are certainly nothing to write home about, especially when spending 200 or more days on the road a year. Perhaps that why when I go on vacation I seek out unusual hotels that are unique in some way, even if they cost more than, say, a Hyatt (which is a perfectly fine chain, mind you.)
I saw "Best Places to Stay" in a bookstore and was immediately compelled to buy it. It features a wonderful pictorial collage of each of the 44 featured properties, and a very good (but brief) writeup of each as well. It is printed on very heavy paper and is beautiful to leaf through. The featured properties are from all over the world, and there are some I definitely plan on staying at, as the destinations are on my "to visit" list. Some of the properties that I find especially interesting are The Adelphi Hotel in Melbourne, Australia, which combines delightful minimalist furnishings with a beautiful view of the city skyline and a glass-bottom pool jutting several feet over the edge of the roof; The Rogner-Bad Blumau Hotel in Blumau, Austria, which combines the decorating aesthetic of an early Dr. Seuss (if he had been a German-Incan Russian Orthodox balloon pilot and architect) and peculiar holistic experiences featuring both xylophones and gongs, as well as a sound pyramid and Tibetan singing bowls; The Sandibe Safari Lodge in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, which is not only a beautiful lodging, but features some amazing neighbors, such as lions, elephants, and hippos; the Hotel d'Urville in Blenheim, New Zealand, which is off the beaten path in an amazingly beautiful region, with eclectic design (I want to stay in the "Colours Room;") and the wonderfully quirky Gran Hotel Domine in Bilbao, Spain, which features amazing architectural and design elements including a 33 foot tall puppy made of flowers by artist Jeff Koons.
The book was written by Shelley-Maree Cassidy and the wonderful photos are by Grant Sheehan, both of whom are experienced travelers capable of finding the subtle nuances that separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. The one critique of the book is the lack of clear organization (though countries are grouped together,) although this is a relatively minor distraction. The book is clearly aimed at an upscale travel experience, though not all hotels in the book are off-the-charts on the expense front. One hotel in the book (undeservingly the last hotel in the book) is San Francisco's wonderfully avant-garde Triton, which I personally stay at whenever I go to San Francisco on vacation. It's in a great location just outside the Dragon's Gate entrance to Chinatown, and the book rightfully calls attention to the guest celebrity designers who decorate individual rooms (Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, and others have decorated rooms here,) contributing to the weirdly serene ambiance of the hotel. Sheehan and Cassidy certainly got it right about the Triton and despite not having been to each of the hotels in the book, I can't imagine there's a bad room in any of these places. The book includes contact information about all the hotels featured, and all the Internet links and addresses that I have used from the book have worked perfectly. If you are looking for a unique hotel for your next vacation, this is an excellent book to get your brain thinking about all the diverse travel options available.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Best Places to Stay: 44 Extraordinary Hotels


The most desirable, original and memorable hotels in the world.

More than a guidebook, Best Places to Stay is a photographic celebration of the world's most extraordinary "homes away from home." These remarkable destinations range from modern to traditional, from large to small, from simple to luxurious, from rural to urban -- all with diversity in style. Each resort has been specially selected for its distinctive or innovative features, and the book is fully illustrated with lavish commissioned photography.

Here is a sampling of the 44 hotels featured:

IceHotel, Jukkasajävi, Sweden
Grand Hotel Europa, Prague, Czech Republic
The Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, India
The Motu, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
VillIa d'Este Hotel, Lake Como, Italy
Sandibe Safari Lodge, Okavanga Delta, Botswana
Avalon, Los Angeles, California
The Old Inn, Shanghai, China
La Cavas Lodge, Mendoza, Australia
Perivolas Traditional Houses, Oia-Santorini, Greece.

There is a special hotel, somewhere in the world, for just about any taste. Generous text describes each hotel's history, amenities, prominent natural features and local attractions. Complete contact details are provided. Every selected hotel is a destination in itself with much to see and do -- or just perfect for relaxing in new and unusual surroundings.
(20071209)

Click here for more information about Best Places to Stay: 44 Extraordinary Hotels

Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel (Give Yourself Goosebumps, No. 27) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is awesome! =) These Give yourself Goosebumps-books are so cool! In this book you have to find your wau out of a creepy hotel! There's lots of hard and scary choices!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel (Give Yourself Goosebumps, No. 27)

You've just checked into a crummy old hotel on a deserted highway. The problem? You can't check out--ever!.

Click here for more information about Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel (Give Yourself Goosebumps, No. 27)