Nursery owner constructs huge hanging basket !
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We're going to have get a bigger watering can! Nursery owner constructs huge hanging basket weighing 5.5tons and containing 2,500 plants Dusty Beesley, 81 owns nursery in Ravenstone, Leicestershire Has to be hoisted 20 ft into the air in the bucket of a digger to tend the plant By SARA SMYTH PUBLISHED: 19:16 GMT, 18 July 2013 | UPDATED: 19:23 GMT, 18 July 2013  Coming up roses: Proud Dusty Beesley claims his hanging basket is the biggest in the UK Nursery owner Dusty Beesley, 81, has challenged the country's ambitious gardeners to top his mammoth hanging basket, saying: 'If anyone can come up with anything bigger then I'd like to see it.' Mr Beesley threw down the gauntlet today when his 5.5-tonne plant was hoisted into the air. The hanging basket contains more than 2,500 plants and measures 21 feet wide and ten feet deep. The keen gardener, who owns a nursery in Ravenstone, Leicestershire, started making giant arrangements in 2001 to celebrate his golden wedding anniversary with his wife Betty. If Mr Beesley wants to tend the basket he has to be hoisted 20 feet into the air while standing inside the bucket of a digger. To create the floral arramgement, he buried an H- shaped girder in the ground which he buried in four metres of concrete. The basket is made from steel greenhouse hoops suspended by chains held together with a central pin. Mr Beesley said: 'When you're inside It does move and it gives a funny sensation. Its a bit like being at sea. 'I tried to get the basket in to the Guinness Book of World Records but I was told they don't do records for these. 'So I've decided I'm going to claim the UK record because I've not heard of anyone who's got a bigger basket than mine.' The basket has raised almost £20,000 for charities over the years, as people pay to guess the number of flowers in the basket. This year money will go to prostate cancer charities. The giant basket is planted up with begonias, fuschias, geraniums, marigolds and pansies and is watered by an automatic sprinkler system twice a day.  Flower power: The 5.5-tonne basket is supported by a beam that has been buried in four feet of concrete. The basket is made from steel greenhouse hoops suspended by chains   Full-time job: To tend to the plants, Mr Beesley has to climb a ladder, or be hoisted up in the bucket of a digger  My basket is bigger than yours: Dusty Beesley challenges other gardeners to to beat what he claims is the largest floral arrangement in the UK __._,_.___ .  __,_._,___ | |||||
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Trincomalee to be development as a Metro City
Trincomalee Outer Circular Road Project - Proposal Submitted by the Hunan Road .& Bridge Construction Group Corporation of the People's Republic of China. Sri Lanka government has identified Trincomalee to be developed as a Metro City in the Eastern Region. As a part of this task, an outer circular road to the city of Trincomalee is to be constructed to provide proper accessibility from various directions.
Cabinet Thursday (18) approved the proposal made by Sri Lanka President, in his capacity as the Minister of Ports and Highways, to award the above contract as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Review Committee to Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Corporation of China. Preliminary work of the project is to be commenced on a priority basis with funds allocated for the year 2013 and the balance will be provided under the Medium Term Budgetary Framework 2014 - 2016.
Cabinet Thursday (18) approved the proposal made by Sri Lanka President, in his capacity as the Minister of Ports and Highways, to award the above contract as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Review Committee to Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Corporation of China. Preliminary work of the project is to be commenced on a priority basis with funds allocated for the year 2013 and the balance will be provided under the Medium Term Budgetary Framework 2014 - 2016.
Whale of a time A ...........
Sleep with a stranger to save money: Travel website offers thrifty option for singletons
The single supplement has long been the bane of the solo traveller's life.
But now an accommodation website has come up with an unusual solution that allows singletons to save money while seeing the world.
Easynest offers travellers the chance to split the cost of their hotel bill - providing they are prepared to share with a total stranger.
Globetrotters set up a profile on the site, indicating their preferred destination and travel date.
'Hosts' - fellow solo travellers who have already booked a room - can then get in touch to see whether they would like to share.
Users of the site are encouraged to create interesting and colourful profiles in order to ensure a timely response, and must pay the host directly for their share of the room.
According to the website, the service provides 'the opportunity to meet new friends, build your network, create new opportunities, exchange on the city and learn.'
But it would seem that not everyone is convinced, including Mail On Sunday Travel Editor, Frank Barrett.
'The idea of making friends on the internet in the interests of thrift has all the appeal of sharing a shower with Psycho's Norman Bates in order to cut down on the water bill,' he said.
'It would be nice to think that the internet was a friendly community of benevolent people keen to help you out. But we know from experience that it's as likely to be populated with people as mad as a French mini-roundabout.'
The new trend for sharing hotel rooms is the latest in a line of purse-friendly solutions for travellers.
Couchsurfing, where hosts offer their sofas and spare beds to travellers, has become increasingly popular among younger travellers - and according to Couchsurfing.org, was used by 10.4 million globetrotters last year.
Other popular ways to save cash on accommodation include home swapping, where travellers switch homes for a week, and trips based in hostels, monasteries and even pub gardens.
But now an accommodation website has come up with an unusual solution that allows singletons to save money while seeing the world.
Easynest offers travellers the chance to split the cost of their hotel bill - providing they are prepared to share with a total stranger.
Holiday heaven...or hell? Easynest allows you to split the cost of a hotel room by sharing with a stranger
'Hosts' - fellow solo travellers who have already booked a room - can then get in touch to see whether they would like to share.
Users of the site are encouraged to create interesting and colourful profiles in order to ensure a timely response, and must pay the host directly for their share of the room.
According to the website, the service provides 'the opportunity to meet new friends, build your network, create new opportunities, exchange on the city and learn.'
But it would seem that not everyone is convinced, including Mail On Sunday Travel Editor, Frank Barrett.
'The idea of making friends on the internet in the interests of thrift has all the appeal of sharing a shower with Psycho's Norman Bates in order to cut down on the water bill,' he said.
'It would be nice to think that the internet was a friendly community of benevolent people keen to help you out. But we know from experience that it's as likely to be populated with people as mad as a French mini-roundabout.'
Saving: The website could be the difference between having to plump for a tent (left) instead of a luxury hotel
Couchsurfing, where hosts offer their sofas and spare beds to travellers, has become increasingly popular among younger travellers - and according to Couchsurfing.org, was used by 10.4 million globetrotters last year.
Other popular ways to save cash on accommodation include home swapping, where travellers switch homes for a week, and trips based in hostels, monasteries and even pub gardens.
Could a 90-second procedure BANISH the risks of laser eye surgery? New eye drop and UV light treatment 'eliminates dangers' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2358354/Could-90-second-procedure-BANISH-risks-laser-eye-surgery-New-eye-drop-UV-light-treatment-eliminates-dangers.html#ixzz2Z7cp1jAY Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
A simple 90-second treatment that eliminates almost all risks associated with laser eye surgery has become available in the UK.
Many people are put off undergoing laser eye surgery because of the risks, but a simple procedure combining eye drops and UV light can make the procedure far less risky.
The new treatment, called Lasik Xtra, almost entirely negates the risk of infection and the three most common complications linked to this procedure: corneal ectasia, regression of sight and epithelial ingrowth.
The procedure has been pioneered at the London Eye Hospital and consultant ophthalmic surgeon Bobby Qureshi, the first to perform the procedure in the country, believes it will be widely available across the country in a matter of years.
He said: [This treatment] is the biggest thing in laser surgery in the last 20 years; everybody should be having this alongside standard laser treatment.
'The procedure ensures that the risk of developing complications from laser treatment is virtually reduced to zero.'
According to the manufacturers, no one who has undergone the procedure has suffered any of the three most serious complications.
Laser eye surgery works by removing tissue from the cornea to change its shape. There are different types of laser eye surgery but LASIK - which stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis - is the most common.
The procedure involves applying anaesthetic drops, after which a small flap is made on the surface of the cornea using a hand-held device.
After this, a laser is used to remove
a minute amount of corneal tissue, thereby reshaping it before the flap
is replaced. The procedure takes around 10 minutes per eye.
With standard laser eye treatment, patients are at risk of infection, corneal ectasia (in which the lasered, weakened cornea gives way to pressure, causing bulging) and epithelial ingrowth (where the cells from the surface layer of the eye begin to grow underneath the corneal flap).
WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND HOW ARE THEY REDUCED WITH LASIK XTRA?
Risk before: Between one in 150 to one in 500
Risk after new technique: Almost none
There is also the possibility of regression, where the short or long-sightedness returns several years later.
This results in the patient having to resort to wearing glasses or returning for further treatment.
Mr Qureshi said: 'Every person having laser eye surgery treatment should undergo LASIK Xtra.'
The procedure is already widely used around the world and has been used on 50,000 patients in Japan alone. It has however only just become available in the UK a it was only recently approved for EU use.
The new treatment is being offered as standard for all laser eye surgery at the London Eye Hospital, including LASIK and LASEK, to correct short sight, long-sight and astigmatism.
Many people are put off undergoing laser eye surgery because of the risks, but a simple procedure combining eye drops and UV light can make the procedure far less risky.
The new treatment, called Lasik Xtra, almost entirely negates the risk of infection and the three most common complications linked to this procedure: corneal ectasia, regression of sight and epithelial ingrowth.
The procedure has been pioneered at the London Eye Hospital and consultant ophthalmic surgeon Bobby Qureshi, the first to perform the procedure in the country, believes it will be widely available across the country in a matter of years.
He said: [This treatment] is the biggest thing in laser surgery in the last 20 years; everybody should be having this alongside standard laser treatment.
'The procedure ensures that the risk of developing complications from laser treatment is virtually reduced to zero.'
According to the manufacturers, no one who has undergone the procedure has suffered any of the three most serious complications.
Laser eye surgery works by removing tissue from the cornea to change its shape. There are different types of laser eye surgery but LASIK - which stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis - is the most common.
The procedure involves applying anaesthetic drops, after which a small flap is made on the surface of the cornea using a hand-held device.
LasikXtra almost entirely eliminates the risk of
infection and the three most common complications linked to laser eye
surgery. Opthalmic surgeon Bobby Qureshi said it is 'the biggest thing
in laser eye surgery in the last 20 years'
With standard laser eye treatment, patients are at risk of infection, corneal ectasia (in which the lasered, weakened cornea gives way to pressure, causing bulging) and epithelial ingrowth (where the cells from the surface layer of the eye begin to grow underneath the corneal flap).
WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND HOW ARE THEY REDUCED WITH LASIK XTRA?
Corneal Ectasia
A serious complication that often requires a corneal transplant.Risk before: Between one in 150 to one in 500
Risk after new technique: Almost none
Regression
When the previous prescription returns several years after laser eye surgery.
Risk before: Between one in three and one in 20
Risk after new technique: Negligible
Epithilial Growth
This occurs when cells from the surface layer of the eye begin to grow underneath the corneal flap.
Risk before: One in 50 to one in 100
Risk after new technique: Virtually eliminated
Risk before: One in 50 to one in 100
Risk after new technique: Virtually eliminated
This results in the patient having to resort to wearing glasses or returning for further treatment.
But with LASIK Xtra - which can be used with all laser eye treatments, despite its name - the risks are dramatically reduced.
The treatment works by cross-linking the fibres within the cornea, making them thicker and substantially more resilient.
Eye drops containing a modified version of riboflavin - Vitamin B2 - are applied after laser treatment, which are then ‘activated’ by UV light.
The ultraviolet light exposure during the procedure is comparable to the exposure to the ultraviolet light experienced on one full day outdoors in the summer.
Without
this treatment, patients are at a higher risk of complications and
could need future treatment to cope with corneal weakness.The treatment works by cross-linking the fibres within the cornea, making them thicker and substantially more resilient.
Eye drops containing a modified version of riboflavin - Vitamin B2 - are applied after laser treatment, which are then ‘activated’ by UV light.
The ultraviolet light exposure during the procedure is comparable to the exposure to the ultraviolet light experienced on one full day outdoors in the summer.
Mr Qureshi said: 'Every person having laser eye surgery treatment should undergo LASIK Xtra.'
The procedure is already widely used around the world and has been used on 50,000 patients in Japan alone. It has however only just become available in the UK a it was only recently approved for EU use.
The new treatment is being offered as standard for all laser eye surgery at the London Eye Hospital, including LASIK and LASEK, to correct short sight, long-sight and astigmatism.
She's feeling mint! Tulisa Contostavlos goes for a boat ride and a dip in a pale green bikini
She recently underwent a beauty makeover, and Tulisa Contostavlos was certainly looking mint on another day by the beach in Ibiza.
The singer wore a pale green bikini on day eight of her partying holiday, as she, Chelsee Healey and her friends enjoyed a boat ride and a dip in the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
The group headed to San Antonio to explore the rest of what the Balearic island has to offer.
Scroll down for video
Fresh: Tulisa wears a mint green bikini on the eighth day of her Ibiza holiday
Right size? Tulisa's cleavage seemed ready to bust over the top of her bikini top
Tulisa's bikini was a halterneck style but the strap could be detached to make it a a bandeau and reduce the amount of tan lines.
But it seems the former X Factor judge couldn't go too long without checking out her appearance, as she pulled out a handheld mirror while in the water
Maybe some salt and gone in her eye or her make-up was suffering under the conditions, either way, Tulisa wasn't going to let that affect her new exterior.
Svelte: The singer looked super toned and slim despite the heavy drinking she was no doubt doing on her holiday
Touch up: Tulisa checks her appearance in a mirror in the sea
Having fun: The former X Factor judge looked happy as she cooled off in the clear waters
Water ride: Tulisa jumps on the back of a friend and her assistant Gareth Varey
Soaking up the sun: The group hired a boat to take them to San Antonio
Need for speed: Their vessel flew across the Mediterranean sea on Friday
Ahead of her holiday, Tulisa had undergone a makeover to tone down the chavviness to her look.
Taking part in a photo shoot, the singer tweeted a picture of her new look, and wrote: Buzzin with my new do thanks 2 @cathairine @russianlengths it’s going off this summer ooouuush.'
She added: 'Whoops 4got to thank @cathairine 4 make up, gotta give a bitch her full credit haha love it babes.'
Feeling hot hot hot: The group enjoy a drink on their boat for the day
Nice coves: The friends explored some of the natural environment from the water
Ball action: The Camden girl messes around playing beach games with her friends
Tats: Tulisa showed off her illustrated skin in the skimpy bikini
Cold? The singer seems to be a little out of sorts as she plunges into the water
She was clearly taken with her new look, writing ‘Quick pose 4 @cathairine @russianlengths 2 flaunt me new locks wooooooooo.’
But since arriving in Ibiza, Tulisa seems to be still holding on to the 'Queen of the Chavs' title, as she has been stepping out in a few questionable outfits in the day and night.
Luckily the bog hoops and chains had been put away while the former N-Dubz star jumped in the waters on Friday, but it seemed to be a little chilly upon first touch, as she climbed carefully into the sea from her boat with a surprised look on her face.
Makeover: Tulisa recently underwent a number of beauty treatments to improve her looks
Tight squeeze: With a lot of passengers on the boat there wasn't a lot of room to move
Chic: Wearing a sheer, embroidered kaftan, Tulisa looked far less chavvy than usual
Proposing: He's her number one man, and it may be for life if he got down on one knee
Party time: Chelsee Healey stepped out with her famous friend for another night on the town
Brings out the tan: Tulisa's white dress made her look even more bronzed
But it wasn't long before Tulisa was hitting the town again as she counted down to her 25th birthday.
Wearing a white dress with nude platforms and carrying a Chanel clutch bag, the birthday girl had ditched her previous night's chavvy look for a more chic outfit.
She instagrammed various photos throughout the night and shared a picture of her birthday card too, which showed that her nickname is 'TT'.
Thames it like Beckham! High-speed boat ride to jet tourists through London at 40mph
Anyone
who watched David Beckham commandeering a speedboat down the Thames as
part of the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games last summer will soon
have a chance to follow in his wake.
A new boat ride, Thames Rockets, takes to the waters of the capital's river at the end of July and will whizz passengers past London's famous sights at speeds of up to 40mph.
Starting from St Katharine's Dock, passengers will be taken on a 40-minute journey east to the Thames Barrier, while listening to snippets from The Beatles, Boris Johnson and the theme from Eastenders.
Thames Rockets is the brainchild of
London RIB Voyages’ Charlie Matheson - the first entrepreneur to bring speedboat
attractions to the Thames - and will operate in the river's new 'High Speed Zone'.
The 12-metre long aero-dynamically designed fibreglass boat will be the first public boat to operate in the zone, which was introduced last July.
Passengers will be kitted out in bespoke waterproofs and lifejackets before boarding, and during the ride will listen to the chimes of Big Ben,
the theme tune from Eastenders, Thunderbirds, Robbie Williams, England’s
World Cup win and the Beatles, as well as soundbites from a number of famous Brits including Winston Churchill and Boris Johnson.
'We're giving thrillseekers an exciting, unforgettable boat ride experience with a difference, which really celebrates the capital and all that's great about Britain,' said Mr Matheson.
“The witty soundtrack touches on all
that is amusing about our nation. Politics, sporting events and
entertainment are all highlighted and paint a picture of British history
as the Rocket races across the water."
Thames Rockets will pass The Cutty Sark, The O2 and Greenwich to the Thames Barrier before heading back to its launch pad at St Katharine's dock, a round trip of 20 miles in total.
The ride, which launches on Saturday July 27, seats 12 passengers and is recommended for children aged 10 and over. There is SCOPE access so it can be experienced by people with disabilities.
A new boat ride, Thames Rockets, takes to the waters of the capital's river at the end of July and will whizz passengers past London's famous sights at speeds of up to 40mph.
Starting from St Katharine's Dock, passengers will be taken on a 40-minute journey east to the Thames Barrier, while listening to snippets from The Beatles, Boris Johnson and the theme from Eastenders.
Thrilling: Passengers are kitted out in
waterproofs and lifejackets before boarding the 12-metre long red
speedboat, which reaches speeds of 40mph
The 12-metre long aero-dynamically designed fibreglass boat will be the first public boat to operate in the zone, which was introduced last July.
Holding a torch for Mr Beckham: David jetted along the Thames at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
'We're giving thrillseekers an exciting, unforgettable boat ride experience with a difference, which really celebrates the capital and all that's great about Britain,' said Mr Matheson.
Jetting off: The boat departs hourly from the
Thames Rockets Launch Pad at St Katherine's Dock to the Thames Barrier,
every Saturday and Sunday and on selected weekdays
Iconic: The voyage will take passengers past the
sights of London such as Tower Bridge (above) and the Cutty Sark to a
very British soundtrack
Thames Rockets will pass The Cutty Sark, The O2 and Greenwich to the Thames Barrier before heading back to its launch pad at St Katharine's dock, a round trip of 20 miles in total.
The ride, which launches on Saturday July 27, seats 12 passengers and is recommended for children aged 10 and over. There is SCOPE access so it can be experienced by people with disabilities.
Tickets
for a Thames Rockets ride from July 22 cost £39.95 per adult and £29.95
per child (aged 10-14). A couples ticket cost £75, family £135 (two
adults and two children). Charter £425.
The
boat departs hourly from Thames Rockets Launch Pad at St Katherine’s
Dock to the Thames Barrier, every Saturday and Sunday and on selected
weekdays. Passengers will receive a 20 per cent off voucher for
friends/family to return. Pre-booking essential.
Visit www.londonribvoyages.com/thamesrockets or call 0207 928 8933. පැරණි රථවාහන පිළිබඳ සමීකෂණයක්
කැලණිය විශ්වවිද්යාලයේ පුරාවිද්යා අධ්යයන අංශය මගින් සංවිධානය කරනු
ලබන ’පැරණි රථවාහන පිළිබඳ සමීක්ෂණයක්’ මේ මස සිට ආරම්භ කර තිබේ. මෙහි අරමුණ
ශ්රී ලංකාවේ කාර්මික උරුමය වාර්තාගත කිරීම සහ ඒවා රැකගැනීමයි.බි්රතාන්ය යටත් විජිත යුගයෙන් පසුව ලංකාවට පැමිණි විවිධ මාදිලියේ මෝටර් රථ ලංකාවේ සෑම ප්රදේශයකම ශේෂව පවතී.
ඔබ සතුව එවැනි රථ වාහනයක් තිබේ නම් හෝ එවැනි රථවාහන පිළිබඳ විස්තර ඔබ සතුවේ නම්, ඒ පිළිබඳ්ව කැලණි විශ්වවිද්යාලයේ පුරාවිද්යා අධ්යයන අංශයට දන්වන ලෙසත් එය ඔබ සතු ජාතික යුතුකම බවත් විශ්ව විද්යාලය සඳහන් කරයි.
වැඩි විස්තර 011 2908779 සඳහන් දුරකථන අංකයෙන් ලබාගත හැක.
මුස්ලිම් කාන්තා රෙදි ගලවන්න පෙර සුද්දියන්ට රෙදි අන්දවන්න
මෙරට බහු ආගමික සහ බහු වාර්ගික අනන්යතාව අමතක කර බොදු බලසේනා සංවිධානය
මුස්ලිම් කතුන්ගේ නිකබය තහනම් කිරීමට කර ඇති යෝජනාව මගින් සිය ආගම ජාතිය
රැක ගන්නා අතර අන්ය ජාතීන් සහ ආගම්වලට ගෞරව කිරීමේ සරධර්මය ඇති බව අයිතීන්
උදෙසා කාන්තාවෝ සංවිධානයේ ලේකම් සමන්මලී ගුණසිංහ මහත්මිය පැවසූවාය.ශ්රී ලංකාවට පැමිණෙන සංචාරක කතුන්ගේ විළිවැසීම සදහා ඉදිරිපත් විය යුතු මොහොතක ගලගොඩඅත්තේ ඥානසාර හිමියන් මුස්ලිම් කතුන්ගේ නිකබය තහනම් කිරීමට යෝජනා කිරීම මානව හිමිකම් පමණක් නොව කාන්තා අයිතිවාසිකම්ද උල්ලංඝනය කිරීමක් වන බවද අයිතීන් උදෙසා කන්තාවෝ පවසති.
අන්ය ආගම් ජාතීන් සංස්කෘතීන් හා අනන්යතාවන්ට බලපෑම් කිරීමේ පහත් තැනට නොවැටෙන ලෙස ඥානසාර හිමියන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටින ගුණසිංහ මහත්මිය වැඩිදුරටත් මෙසේද කීවාය.
‘ඥානසාර හිමියන් මේ යෝජනාව කරන්නේ ආරක්ෂාව වෙනුවෙන් නම් උන්වහන්සේ පළමුවන්ම කරන්න ඕනේ මේ රටේ සිද්ධවෙන ගණිකා ජාවපාරම්, මත්ද්රව්ය ජාවාරම් හා සමහර දේශපලනඥයන් කරන වැරදිවලට එරෙහිව සටන් කිරීමයි. මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාවන්ගේ ඇදුමෙන් සමාජයට හානියක් නැතිනම් එයට බලපෑම් කරන්න කිසිවකුට අයිතියක් නැහැ. මේ රටට දැන් එන විදේශීය සංචාරක කතුන් කොයි තරම් නම් විලි ඇරගෙනද? අඩ නිරුවතින් ඉන්නවද?
මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාවන් සිය කැමැත්තෙන් නිකාබය ඉවත් කරනවා නම් එයටත් බලපෑම් කළ නොහැකියි. සමහර මුස්ලිම් රටවල් ඇදුමෙන් ශරීරය ආවරණය නොකළවිට කාන්තාවෝ මැරුවා. දැන් ලංකාවේ හදන්නේ ඇදුමෙන් කොටසක් වැඩි බව කියා එය තහනම් කරන්න.
මේක බොහෝම අසාධාරණ ක්රියාවක්. ප්රධාන අවශ්යතාව තියෙන්නෙ කාන්තාවන්ගේ ඇදුම් කොටස් ඉවත් කිරීමේ නොවේ. ඔවුන්ට ඇදුම් අන්දන එකයි. ඒ නිසා අපි ඥානසාර හිමියන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලන්නේ නරකට විරුද්ධව සටන් කරන ලෙෂ හා මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාවන්ගේ අනන්යතාවයිට බලපෑම් නොකරන ලෙසයි’
In the Hamptons, Catering to the Rich (and Their Dogs) Is Good Business
- Reuters - A man walks off the beach after photographing the stormy ocean in Sagaponack, New York August 28, 2011. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
EAST HAMPTON, New York (Reuters) - Judging by early
demand for everything from doggie daycare to Ferrari rentals and fine
art, rich Americans are going to make this a strong summer in one of
their favorite playgrounds - the beach towns on the eastern end of Long
Island collectively known as the Hamptons.
With stock prices surging, home prices recovering, and borrowing
costs low, there is a renewed sense of confidence among the wealthy and
the merely well off. It may not be conspicuous consumption of "The Great
Gatsby" kind but it could be the best season since the financial crisis
slammed the U.S. economy in 2008.It is "new" money coming in that is making the difference, since the "old" money in the Hamptons never really stopped flowing, at least in terms of the ultra-wealthy spending on things like food, wine and household staff.
But discretionary spending
did slow down over the past few years, so it's making a noticeable
comeback now for vendors like Mark Humphrey, who has owned a gallery on
Main Street in Southampton for more than 30 years.
"We had a good winter, and that just never happens. We are usually barely open," he says.[Click here to check mortgage rates in your area.]
Last summer, he had a lot of browsers, but they rarely opened up their wallets. Suddenly over the past few months, he has been contacted by some of those window shoppers who were finally ready to buy, and he has sold 10 paintings at $5,000 to $10,000 since December.
It is a similar story for American Bull Rentals, which is for the first time expanding into the Hamptons with its rentals of mechanical bulls to bring the rodeo experience to house parties and fundraisers.
"I
have a sliding scale, and for Hamptons calls, whatever amount I tell
them, they say 'whatever, send the contract,'" says Mike Marrazzo, owner
of Prestige Excursions, based in Bellmore, New York, which operates the service.
While rentals in other areas might run $1,400, he's getting $2,800 to $3,000 for his Hamptons bookings.So far in 2013, luxury spending is correlating highly to the stock market. Both the latest study from the American Affluence Research Center and American Express's Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, found that spending on second homes, vacation travel, dining in restaurants and new luxury cars is increasing.
BRING YOUR OWN STAFF
In the Hamptons, second homes can range from a cottage in East Hampton
for $1.4 million to an 11,760-square foot mansion in Sagaponack for
$13.5 million, with seven bedrooms, 10.5 baths, a swimming pool, tennis
court, outdoor kitchen and lower-level entertainment center.
There
are about 1,200 active sales listings right now. The Corcoran Market
Report for the Hamptons for the first quarter of 2013 showed that the
number of sales was up 20 percent over last year but average sale prices
were down nearly 10 percent, because there haven't been a lot of
high-priced sales so far this year. The next report comes out in July.
Prices may be heating up. With locals whispering about Jennifer Lopez scouting properties in the area - and the New York Post reporting that she dropped $10 million on an estate in Water Mill - the summer season is just getting going.
As for rentals, there are still some available, but owners are not negotiating and they are going fast, says real estate agent Tom Friedman.
Friedman
says his busy season started early this year - he usually doesn't get
calls about summer rentals until mid-January, but this year they started
in November, right after Hurricane Sandy, which largely spared Hamptons
beaches. It didn't trickle off until mid-April, and now he's getting
last-minute callers. They don't mess around with seeing dozens of places
and looking for bargains, but instead jump on whatever is available -
whether it is $20,000 per month for a small cottage or $550,000 for a
beach-front estate.
That price probably includes a driveway, but in the Hamptons, there is daycare for your Bentley instead so it doesn't get damaged by the salt air. Good luck finding a space, though. The Bridgehampton Motoring Club, which has slots for 45 vehicles at two locations, is at capacity for now, says co-owner Adam Bellin,
The
same goes for renting a Ferrari 458 Italia over the coming Memorial Day
weekend for around $2,500 a day from Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals,
which services the northeast. The company is sold out of their entire
fleet of Ferraris, Bentleys, Porsches and BMWs for the weekend. "We're
definitely up this year. People are spending money, and demand is
outweighing supply," says co-CEO Ryan Safady, who is based in
Pennsauken, New JerseyAlso at capacity: doggie daycares and domestic services. "Memorial Day is busier than usual for us," says April Cullum, manager of the Hampton Pet Club, which has daytime care and overnight "hotel-like" accommodations for up to 35 dogs. She has her usual standing reservations that she's had for the past few years - dog owners who have an annual party and send the dogs out for the night, weekend Hamptonites who board their pets during the week - but also a whole influx of new dogs.
Hampton Domestics owner Vincent Minuto is turning away callers. New summer folk, he says, should bring their own help with them.
The rich are also spending on others. Lavish benefits are a hallmark of the Hamptons social scene, and so far things are going phenomenally well, according to Ruth Appelhof,
executive director of Guild Hall in East Hampton, the area's chief arts
venue. Overall, her fundraising is up 56 percent since 2009, and the
big rise has come in the last year.
In
March, a fundraiser honoring the retirement of the chairman of the
board of trustees, Melville "Mickey" Straus, raised $2.5 million in one
evening, when previous spring fundraisers only made about $500,000.
"Mickey wanted to make sure we paid off the mortgage before he left,"
says Appelhof, noting the special draw of the event. Guild Hall
was able to use $1.5 million to close out the balance of a $17 million
renovation that it had been fundraising for since 2001, years ahead of
schedule.
"We're feeling
flush these days, but that's not to say we don't struggle every day to
fundraise to keep our programs going," Appelhof says.
Today's children have travelled 13,500 miles and visited 11 countries by the age of 16
A generation of globetrotting
families means that the average child will travel more than 13,500
miles, try 35 foreign dishes and visit at least five different countries
by the time they are 16.
As travel becomes easier and more affordable, young people are reaping the rewards, exploring Europe and the USA - with the typical youngster visiting around 11 destinations by the time they reach adulthood.
By contrast, their parents only visited four countries as a child, clocking up just 2,471 miles by the same age.
The poll, conducted by Club Med, found that children
today are more than twice as likely to have visited France than their
parents and three times more likely to have visited Spain before turning
16.
And while Devon and Cornwall used to
be holiday staples, under-16s are actually more likely to have been to
Spain and France than the South West of England.
All this travel has made today's youngsters more adventurous with their eating habits too. On average they have tried seven items native to the country they have visited.
In contrast to this, 44 per cent of their parents said they had either refused or barely tried new dishes when abroad as a child.
According to the study, young people are three times more likely to have visited America compared to their parents, with the US listed as the third most commonly-visited destination for children today, after France and Spain.
By the time children reach the age of 16, some have been as far afield as Zambia, Bali, Thailand and even Australia.
Laurent De Chorivit, managing director of Club Med in the UK, said: “As well-known brands set up resorts in destinations further afield, exotic holidays are becoming more accessible to families. If the accommodation is familiar and reliable, and the food can be trusted, parents are more likely to take their children to less conventional hotspots.”
As travel becomes easier and more affordable, young people are reaping the rewards, exploring Europe and the USA - with the typical youngster visiting around 11 destinations by the time they reach adulthood.
By contrast, their parents only visited four countries as a child, clocking up just 2,471 miles by the same age.
Generation travel: Youngsters have visited at least five different countries before the age of 16
Across the pond: The USA is the third most-visited country by children today
All this travel has made today's youngsters more adventurous with their eating habits too. On average they have tried seven items native to the country they have visited.
In contrast to this, 44 per cent of their parents said they had either refused or barely tried new dishes when abroad as a child.
According to the study, young people are three times more likely to have visited America compared to their parents, with the US listed as the third most commonly-visited destination for children today, after France and Spain.
By the time children reach the age of 16, some have been as far afield as Zambia, Bali, Thailand and even Australia.
Laurent De Chorivit, managing director of Club Med in the UK, said: “As well-known brands set up resorts in destinations further afield, exotic holidays are becoming more accessible to families. If the accommodation is familiar and reliable, and the food can be trusted, parents are more likely to take their children to less conventional hotspots.”
| Ranking | Destinations | Number of miles from the UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 212 |
| 2 | Spain | 785 |
| 3 | USA | 3,663 |
| 4 | Canary Islands | 1,701 |
| 5 | Greece | 1,493 |
| 6 | Germany | 578 |
| 7 | Majorca | 835 |
| 8 | Italy | 896 |
| 9 | Portugal | 978 |
| 10 | Belgium | 207 |
| 11 | Cyprus | 2,234 |
| Total number of miles covered | 13,582 |
Still a party girl at heart! Denise Van Outen shows off her incredible bikini body as she lives it up on her sixth holiday in a year
She's a working mum who is juggling a busy career with looking after her three-year-old daughter.
But it seems that Denise Van Outen has still has time to let her hair down, jetting to Ibiza with her girlfriends for her sixth holiday in the last 12 months.
And the 39-year-old certainly didn't seem to have any problems keeping up with the pace as she was spotted partying with friends by the pool on the Spanish island.
Another holiday? Denise Van Outen had fun during a girls' holiday to Ibiza, clocking up six holidays in the past year alone
Having fun with a group of girlfriends at a poolside resort, the TV presenter strutted around the pool in a skimpy white two piece with a silver print.
Clearly body-confident, the mother-of-one opted against wearing a cover-up and danced around with her pals in just her swimwear.
Wild at heart: Denise partied with Zoe Hardman and a group of female pals on a recent break to the Spanish island
Boundless energy: The TV presenter threw her hands in the air as she danced around with her friends by the side of the pool
Trim and toned: The mother-of-one showed off her super svelte frame as she wandered around in a white and silver bikini
Girls just wanna have fun: Denise and pal Zoe sat by the edge of the pool as some the group jumped in for a swim
The former Big Brother presenter wore her trademark blonde hair loose and wavy and covered her make-up free face with a pair of reflective blue aviator sunglasses.
Looking completely carefree and happy to have another sun break, Denise sat by the pool as some of her friends took a dip in the water.
Life and soul: Denise danced around the pool while clutching a glass of wine, clearly having a great time
Holding court: Denise seemed to be centre of attention as the group of friends carried on their raucous day
Kicking back: The presenter pals seemed completely relaxed as they reclined by the side of the pool
She was joined by friend and fellow presenter Zoe Hardman, 30, who looked equally toned and taut in her multi-coloured bandeau bikini.
After months of rumours that their marriage was on the rocks, Denise and Lee put on a show of solidarity in London last week, heading out for a rare date night together.
Seeming in great spirits, the pair headed to Mr Fogg's nightclub where they made the most of a little alone time.
Perfectly primped: The star wore her trademark blonde hair in soft waves and added blue aviator glasses over her face
Body-confident: Denise didn't seem to need a cover up, obviously proud of her slimline figure
Can't get enough: Denise obviously felt the need for yet another sun break with her friends, after a number of recent holidays
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