The Dirty Grass Players performing at the 2016 Brokedown Floatdown music festival. (Submitted photo)

BERKELEY SPRINGS Sleepy Creek will host its third Brokedown Floatdown Music Festival at on the Potomac River in Berkeley Springs from July 21-23.

The family friendly event will feature free camping, live music, river floating, movie night, a bonfire and more.

Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday for those looking to arrive early, and on Saturday at 8 a.m. for those holding the Saturday-Sunday passes.

The events on Friday include a movie night under the stars and a bonfire jam session, where those who attend will have the chance to enjoy quality time with family in a relaxing environment.

An important and fun aspect of the festival is the ability to bring an impressive and unique flotation device as the Saturday events kick off with a float on the Potomac and a competition for the best float.

There will also be live music by the river during the afternoon and on the stage on Saturday night. The lineup includes Brokedown Hustlers, Primate Fiasco, Still Hand String Band, The Dirty Grass Players, Black Muddy River Band and Whiskey Stache.

Incorporating the amenities at the campground/venue such as the river was the original inspiration behind the event, but further inspiration came from the desire to create a more slow-paced, laid-back alternative to your standard music festival, something more similar to a weekend camping out with friends, said Danny Moore, director of operations at Sleepy Creek.

Moore said the main goal of the event is to make the festival as memorable as possible for patrons and families.

We believe one aspect that sets us apart from other festivals is that our events really focus on fun for all ages, Moore said. We have found if we focus on keeping the kids happy, we can never lose.

Sleepy Creek focuses on keeping the whole family happy, providing playground areas, parades and workshops for the children.

Brokedown Floatdown is all about inclusivity, according to Moore.

A unique aspect of the festival that demonstrates this theme is the campfire jam session.

As an attendee of festivals myself, playing acoustic instruments around a campfire was always some of the most fun I had, Moore said. We made it a point at Sleepy Creek to encourage this as well.

Attendees are encouraged to bring instruments and play along at the jam session, and all skill levels are welcome.

Local arts and crafts and food vendors will also make an appearance at the festival.

Families that attend will have the chance to camp out through the weekend. RVs are permitted and for a $10 fee. Pets are also allowed for $10.

Tickets for Friday to Sunday are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate. Tickets for Saturday to Sunday are $30 in advance and $40 at the gate. Children 15 and under are free.

According to Moore, Sleepy Creek is determined to make the festival experience as warm and welcoming as possible.

One unique thing I have found with Sleepy Creek, is the large amount of people that consider it home during the festival season, Moore said. It has such a warm and welcoming vibe that has kept people coming back from day one. We certainly intend to keep it that way.

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Weekend Float: River music festival is July 21-23 - Martinsburg Journal

Working with Iggy Pop changed the life of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who produced the former Stooge's lushly arranged 2016 LP Post Pop Depression. "Iggy is the single greatest example of a frontman that you could have for rock & roll," Homme recently told Rolling Stone. "Working with him just recharged my faith in rock & roll and in trying to blaze your own path at whatever cost that is."

It was such a monumental experience for Homme that he decided to document it with the just-released film, American Valhalla, which he co-directed with Andreas Neumann. It features Anthony Bourdain interviewing Pop and Homme, as well as their band and crew members, as they explain how the Stooges frontman sought out Homme as a collaborator and how two xylophone-and-guitar demos that the latter made became the album's shadowy "American Valhalla" and dramatic "I Want to Break Into Your Heart." In turn, Pop sent Homme detailed notes about his time in the late Seventies with David Bowie in Berlin, and the pair bonded. The doc also follows them on the short run of shows they did supporting the album, playing Post Pop Depression songs, as well as a nice chunk of tunes from Pop's first two solo LPs, 1977's The Idiot and Lust for Life.

It's an interesting film in that, as Pop tells it, Post Pop Depression may well be his final album. But at the time, he didn't think much of making a movie about it. "Josh wanted to do it; I just cooperated," Pop, now 70, tells Rolling Stone with a laugh during a lengthy, wide-ranging interview. "We were doing it and then at some point we were doing it about doing it, which was all right with me. It's a compliment on his part."

Now that he has hindsight and has moved on to other projects, including doing the interviews for American Valhalla, Pop can see the album's larger significance.

When you watch this film and look back on Post Pop Depression, how do you feel it stands out in your discography? I'm singing more and the vocal range is wider. I'm aware I'm not Caruso or ... who's the guy all the moms love? Michael Bubl. I'm not even him. But there's a big range of style on it, and I never expected going into this for it to be a rock record. It has an awfully nice groove. I put a lot into it. We lived it. I haven't really lived a record like that since [1993's] American Caesar, but mostly all my albums in the Sixties and Seventies were more of a communal experience where you're living the whole thing.

Why did you never expect it to be a rock record? Because, look, I've done these things before. I've worked with a lot of different people. Generally, when I collaborate with somebody, I don't expect them to bring what they're already good at, what they already do really well as some sort of free pass for me to, "Oh, I'll sing on it this time." No. So Queens is a hard-rocking group, but, on his last record, I heard this ballad master coming out on stuff like "...Like Clockwork." That was the stuff that really floored me. I was like, "Jeez, he can do that?" So I thought he was gonna keep this rock stuff for himself; he earned that. You earn your rock spurs the hard way. It's a really dirty business [laughs].

So I knew we'd do something just different. I didn't know what it would be. Then once I heard the first two little bits he gave me, I thought, "Oh, it's gonna be kind of like Chelsea Girls or something. It's gonna be like [sings the Velvet Underground] 'Sunday morning ...'" You know? But there was a little more to it than that. He got into this midtempo swagger on this stuff. It all ended up with a really nice groove. I was pleased.

The film makes it seem like you had to pursue Josh to get him to work with you. What is it you look for in a collaborator? Well, it can be different given the occasion and what it is I want to do. I wanted to do something fresh for me, but I wanted it to be something that could and would communicate to the applicable, current music audience. Josh is a valid, current musician that people listen to. So that was important to me. Then, basically, the taste and articulation that I heard from his Desert Sessions [recordings] he's kinda open for anything. If you've ever heard "Shepherd's Pie" by him, it's basically a ragtime comedy track. In advance, I just thought, "Well, this guy's intelligent." I knew he'd listened to what I'd done with some degree of interest, so I thought we'd just give it a whirl. That was it.

I also watched their Wiltern concert from the last record and although I didn't want to go out and tour I wasn't thinking about a tour for [Post Pop Depression] I noticed how well-presented it was live. And I read the comment section and I was shocked by how much the people who went appreciated the quality and the detail. It was refreshing to see there were a lot of people who really respect and appreciate what this guy's doing. I thought it was good myself. I thought it had feeling. That's what was really, really important: the feeling.

Why didn't you want to tour? Because I've been touring a lot, and it's hard, bloody work. I had thought, "Oh, I'll just do this as what it is, then I'll go out and just do it [normal]." What I do is a measured amount of touring anyway, in a way that's sustainable for me at my vintage and that's great for me. I think I do a good job of it. I'm proud of it. But do I want to go out with this ... Josh is a force. He's a handful. So it's like, "Do I want to go out with this maniac and actually put boots on the ground and play theaters and have a production and everything?" And I'm so glad I did. It was a once-in-a-lifetime result for me, to bring the repertoire forward and to get washed-up and dressed nicely and play beautiful places where there's actually a toilet seat on the toilet in the dressing rooms. We played a lot of opera houses on this tour.

We had a kind of a thing between us. I think it came from something he heard in a couple of my vocals. There was a certain way I was singing that he took to be like opera. He would put his hand aloft like a Siegfried in the ring, and he would say, "We've gotta keep it up there. It's opera." I'm actually talking to somebody ... I'm threatening to do some opera in a couple of years [laughs]. Why not? I really like [Wagner's] Tristan and Isolde; that's a big favorite for me.

It seems like you've been doing a little bit of everything lately jazz, electronic music. You worked with Oneohtrix Point Never recently. Part of it is just because people called and asked to work with me. I'm approachable. The Oneohtrix Point Never song I did was probably kickstarted by the theme song I did with Danger Mouse for the Matthew McConaughey vehicle, Gold, which was a last-minute job. They were desperate for a vocal, and I had two days off on the tour break and I said, "Allll right." But Danger Mouse had heard a song I did called "I Wanna Go to the Beach," which is on Prliminaires, which is one of these little, quiet, French-ette albums I was making when I could scrape time away from the original Stooges. So he knew what I could do. He said, "I've got a song, I want you to sing it the way you sang such-and-such." Then when that came out, it got a bit of attention and I started getting calls. I've done three since then, and the Oneohtrix has come out.

I think it's like, if you've got a Disney movie, you can call Elton John, but if you're indie, I'm available [laughs]. And the Oneohtrix was just such a wonderful piece of music.

And it was the same with Jamie [Saft], Steve [Swallow] and Bobby [Previte]. They sent me three tracks through an old friend named Bill Laswell, who's a jazzbo, a really interesting producer and just a general music maverick. I like Bill, so I keep in touch with him, and I've done things over the years, like I did a Buckethead thing for him and I did a Burroughs thing, just because I like him. He sent me word that these guys were looking for me. That's all he said was, "Good musicians and such, not the usual thing. What do you think?" I said, "Well, send it to me, I'll listen to it." I thought, "Oh, wow. I'd really love to try to sing to all three of these." It was late in the year. I wasn't doing anything else. They didn't rush me. So that's why I did it. It was just a chance to try something a little softer in attack and more exacting in approach ... although the vocals aren't very exact, I'm afraid. But I tried. I gave it a shot. There's some feeling in there anyway. I've got something to say.

Do you feel like you're done with rock records? Well, about the time I got halfway through this record, I just said to Josh, "This is gonna be my last LP." I just felt like I'd done a lot of LPs. I'd done 'em indie. I'd done 'em self-released. I'd done 'em where they were bootlegged first and later legitimized. I did 'em for me. I did 'em for the man [laughs]. After a while, OK, I've done 'em lots of 'em. Also, I noticed when the Internet started becoming more important and different outlets for people to hear the music became available, some of the records I'd made weren't quite as reviled and pooh-poohed as they had been when they came out. Some of them that were just considered just kinda OK, people started going, "Well, wait, actually, this is something." That continues. So part of it is, I have this instinct to just get the fuck out of the way of my own stuff, just let it sit in for a while. Do I really need to sit around scratching my head like, "I need to make a statement"? No.

But if I'm going through something personally at the time, and I get one piece of music from Oneohtrix Point Never, and it makes me feel a certain way, and nobody hassles me, and lets me do what I want, and I don't have some horrible weasel who imagines that his investment allows him to pee all over me bothering me, then I can get into a mood and sing something that means something. So I'm just feeling like that sort of thing is a better outlet for me, or maybe the theater or the opera. Even doing the radio show I do, just presenting other people's music. How about that? So for that reason ... what else can I do? A Ramones cover album? I don't know.

I'd listen to that. [Laughs] Hey, OK. Maybe that's an idea.

In the film, you tell Anthony Bourdain that it bothers you when somebody would tell you that you put out stuff that wasn't so good but that you're good. You said you wanted to make something higher quality with this record. Can you explain that a little more? In general, I would say that the American West Coast Rock with a capital R know-it-all ethic tends to be short on ideas, long on execution. My favorite music often tends to be the opposite. It tends to be really long on the ideas and short on the execution. I think it was Bob Dylan who was saying the other day, "Well, Goddamn it, when I made ... " and he named his greatest album, like Blonde on Blonde or whatever it is "I was trying to squeeze 25 songs onto one side, so the song quality is thin, blah blah blah." There is something to that sort of thing. There are people out there who appreciate you more if they feel that you've tried hard to make something fully realized, pristine and ... how do I say this? There are hard-working people in this world who want you to work hard on what you give them, too.

I didn't want people to think I'm just some bum who sits around and bleeds and collects a paycheck all the time [laughs]. So I think some of that desire has been expressed in the approach I've done to my live work for the last 15 to 20 years. I've been doing consistent, good work live. And I've seen people who hold large events started looking for me instead of looking away in horror. So I wanted to bring some of that into the recorded side of things. Try to put my two cents' worth into something that was very, very carefully done, also something in which I was challenged. For the challenge, I needed an outside guy. That's also where Josh came in. You need somebody stubborn and opinionated to tell you, "No, not that. This." And that's a good thing.

Speaking of your concerts, there's a scene in the film where Josh says you complained about the barricade being too far away from the stage in Berlin and that you couldn't jump into the audience. Why do you feel you have to do that?[Laughs] I did finally slowly give it up. I haven't done a stage dive since I played three nights with Metallica at a racetrack in Mexico City [this year]. I did what was a pretty tame one, since there were so many people packed in they had to catch me. I did one each night.

That was in March. I turned 70 in April, and I haven't done a dive since. I think it's OK. I go work the crowd in front and stuff like that; I mix it up. But the reason that came up in the film was, I didn't want to be like, "OK, everybody. Sorry. You don't get to see the real Iggy Pop. You just get to see the guy who put on the suit." It was a very long dive in Berlin. On the actual concert film, you can see just the two little desert boots sticking out of the crowd. I went straight down.

It's good they caught you. I'm sure that hasn't always been the case. Well, no. Not always. But it's usually worked out.

On the tour, in addition to the Post Pop songs, you did a lot of The Idiot and Lust for Life. Did Josh ask for those? I kept sending him balanced lists of songs from different parts of my career. Then Dean [Fertita, guitar] was sending him stuff, too. But in the end, Josh is a big train and he's gonna do what he wants to do. So finally, I just wrote him two days before I was supposed to go out for the rehearsal and I said, "Look, I give up. I know all my songs. Just learn the ones you want to, and I'll sing 'em." That was how that went. He felt closest to that material, which was kinda great, because some of that stuff had never been done live and a lot of it had been done only seldom or not really very well live. So it was really good to give it an airing. As it turned out, it fit really, really well with the stuff from the new record, which he was probably aware of since it was coming through his fingers. He's a very savvy musician.

In the film, Josh shows a package you sent him to encourage him to work on music. It has pages of these incredible details about your Berlin years with Bowie. I know you did an autobiography in '82, but have you thought about updating it for something new? I'll never do that. I said enough in the one I did. I'm not enough of a shit to do one for the money. I'm not clever enough to edit myself and I'm not shitty enough to tell everything. Because most of my life belongs to other people anyway, and who am I to talk? I got a lot out of doing it once, really, really early. It's sort of way there in the distant background, kind of a strange-ass reference work. And that's fine. I'd rather just leave it that way. I could sing about that stuff. Sometimes I think about turning it into fiction. But many novelists are alcoholics, so that's a problem. Writing is a lot of pressure in general.

Did the influence of those Berlin albums come across in Post Pop Depression? I think more just the feeling of ... again, something vaguely operatic that happened during The Idiot, between the musical themes that I was getting handed. What came out of my mouth when I just opened my mouth and my ignorance and my joyful divorce from the booted foot of the American L.A. music scene I was just in another world. I had nothing to lose. I thought I was an artist. I always had. I never thought I was a donkey to shit bread. Some of these themes came out, and I just kinda found myself opening my mouth and making these meandering baritone vocal patterns that had this kind of a feel to it. I think that made an impression on him with that particular record, The Idiot, more than the other one maybe. What he thought about doing with it, I don't know.

Listen, a lot of the themes musically on [Post Pop Depression] are bits and pieces that Josh had had for years and years, but I suspect he didn't have an outlet for them. The choral melody and chord pattern of "Gardenia" was something he'd had. The same with "Chocolate Drops." Those were actually two things that were part of one piece and I asked him to separate them and make two different songs. And he kept telling me, "You're singing it backwards." Apparently, that really bugged him and there was a big discussion that I didn't hear between him and Dean, and Dean was saying, "It's OK that he's singing it backwards. It's the way he hears it." So he was like, "OK, sing it backwards."

In the film, you tell Josh that you feel very overwhelmed sometimes. How do you deal with that? I think, "What are the elements conspiring to bother me here?" If it gets really bad, I'll sit down and write an essay. I'll say, "Here's what I feel I'm involved in and what's bothering me about it or why it looks so insoluble." And I'll just pack that away and refer to it a couple weeks later and go, "Hey, it wasn't really that bad. I got through it." So that's part of it. Qigong helps a lot. I do a set of exercises I learned from a tai chi master. I don't do them as much when I'm working hard, which is unfortunately a lot lately. But I'm lucky to have work. So I do that and that generally makes me feel more fit and calm. So that's pretty much it. I just try to grapple with the details and not expect. The worst is when you expect an instant solution. You're not gonna get one.

From the shots in the film of your home in Miami, it looks like you should be able to chill out easily. Well, the palm trees... I do like 'em. They confer a certain serenity that I don't necessarily possess personally. That's why I like being near water and the palm trees. Where I am right now is that backyard that's in the movie somewhere. It's that little house with the river and the trees and everything. It's actually a slowly gentrifying part of a very basic neighborhood on the edge of Little Haiti. But otherwise, there are other places I reside and it's always near the water with me.

Speaking of relaxing, what music have you been liking lately? There are three girls named Fmina from the Andes in Patagonia that are just terrific. They're just starting their U.S. tour, they actually landed in Miami today and I might call and see if they want to have coffee after I hang up with you. I played them on my radio show the other day and I don't think they're used to being all over the radio in the English-speaking world. But they're really, really good.

There's also a punk band called O.D.I.O., which is an acronym for the word "hate" but they're not nasty from Bogot that I like. I love Sleaford Mods. I think they're just about the most credible new group going that don't rely on the old conventions to make the music feel good. I like Thundercat, but so do lots of people.

How do you discover music these days, like the South American artists? I think I found them because I was looking up Mitski songs I like her on YouTube, then the computer started to figure me out. Because I look for South American stuff and Cuban stuff and Dominican stuff quite a bit, then I was looking at female stuff, then suddenly up popped Fmina. So I listened to it. That was how I found that.

But I also tend to read the reviews sections in daily papers. Not as much music press because each separate music-press entity generally has a slant to it and the coverage is tied into their advertising, as you know. So it's not as efficient for me as if I look in the New York Times gig guide, like who's in town in the next week. Then it'll tell me Chastity Belt. Oh, they have a new album, they're playing Williamsburg? Well, I'll listen to it. Or The Guardian has a very, very good review section for stuff that a lot of people will call obscure. They'll give 200-plus words to some people who've got something new out and you might not hear about otherwise.

Then I have friends who send me stuff. I have five or six sources. There's somebody who runs a record store here, this guy's in a band here called the Jacuzzi Boys. Bill Laswell. A couple of people in France send me stuff from time to time because I'm curious what's going on there. So like that.

Speaking of the Jacuzzi Boys, I dug that "Asshole Blues" song you did for them. Well, thanks. It was just something I was doing at home years ago on my iPad, which is why you can hear me going, "How do I turn this thing off?" And it's really sloppy. I could barely play the riff because I've got gnarledness in my fingers from age and use. But I felt it. Then it was just sitting there, I wasn't gonna do anything with it, but they said, "Hey, if you've got something ... " I said, "Well, yeah." I like playing porch blues. It's nice to play a little acoustic guitar tuned open. It's warm, you can hold it, and in open tuning, you don't have to think too much about it.

There's a scene in the movie where you tell Anthony Bourdain about how a record exec asked you to sing Leonard Cohen's "Ain't No Cure for Love" on one of your records, and you told him no because it wasn't right for you. What became of that? It was an exec at Virgin America. We had a showdown and I finally said, "Just gimme some money and I'll record 'Louie Louie' instead and leave me alone." And they did all right with "Louie Louie." They got some mileage out of that.

Did you have to deal with a lot of that? Well there's a lot of it, and sometimes, you just have to do one. There was a very funny one when I first came to Virgin. There was a song for the film called Black Rain. It was called "Living on the Edge of the Night," and it had been written by the sound engineer, and the director, Ridley Scott, really liked it and they wanted me to do it. Virgin said, "Well, Iggy Pop could record this for you." Then I said, "Well, I don't really feel that song." I didn't think it was right for me.

He gave me a call and said, "Come on, give it a go." I said, "Well, all right, I'll try it." We went into the studio and he attended the session and I did my best, but he already had Gregg Allman on the soundtrack and he kept going to the talk-back button saying, "You must sound more working-class." And I thought to myself, "He's just gonna end up using Gregg Allman. Gregg is working class. That's not me." So I did the song, and it didn't ruin my life. He was looking for something to open the film. He ended up using Gregg because Gregg is great. Gregg is Gregg, man. So that was funny.

At one point, between Fun House and Raw Power, there was some sort of proposal to make me into a teen idol or a boy band, going around. That would have been the weirdest boy band in world history.

I don't even know what teen-idol Iggy Pop would sound like. I don't know. You know, the original Stooges record, I think, if video had existed as a commercial TV outlet at that time, the Stooges probably would have gotten a lot of exposure because we had a nice visual and it wasn't too nuts until later. When we first started, we actually looked pretty spiffy and I could front. The songs were simple, but carefully done. I think there would have been a larger audience for it than what it got. But that's worked out anyway, because of the Internet. So it's OK.

Lastly, in the song "American Valhalla," you sing, "I've nothing but my name." Do you really feel that way? Well, yeah. Uh-huh. Sure. Don't ask me what it means, but I do. That's why it came out. I don't know why I feel that, but that's what I feel. It may have something to do with the game I'm in, or the position that that game confers upon you. I don't know. It's just a feeling. Not a bad feeling.

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Iggy Pop on Josh Homme's Genius, Singing Opera, Why He's Done Making Albums - RollingStone.com

Notorious inmates at Arbour Hill prison were given an uplifting experience when an American gospel choir put on a show for them.

Prisoners at the tough Dublin jail were treated to the sing-song on Saturday by the American HOPE choir who were visiting from Florida.

Ten men and women sang in the performance which was held in the jail church.

Inmates were free to come and go while it was taking place. Evil killer Brian Hennessy, who murdered Sharon Whelan and her two daughters in Kilkenny in December 2008, is believed to have been one of the inmates who enjoyed the performance.

Other notorious prisoners at the jail include wife killer Joe OReilly and paedophile Patrick OBrien.

Read more: Jailbirds tucking into top grub including Thai chicken curries, beef stews and chicken casseroles

A source told the Irish Mirror the music is seen as extremely therapeutic for the prisoners.

The source said: Music has always been seen a great way to relax inmates.

Its extremely relaxing and is good therapy for prisoners.

Inmates loved the uplifting performance and the choir were warmly welcomed.

Performers regularly come into the jail throughout the year.

This particular choir have been visiting and performing for the inmates for a number of years and travel over from the States.

It doesnt cost the taxpayer anything as they pay for their travel and expenses themselves.

The inmates are not forced to sit and watch the performance and can come and go as they wish.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service last night confirmed that a performance by the choir took place.

Read more: Wife killer Joe O'Reilly has become the 'badminton king' behind bars

The spokesman said: I can confirm that the choir were in Arbour Hill on Saturday where they gave a recital in the church. They have come in on an annual basis for the last few years.

They volunteer their own time and there is no cost to the Prison Service for the performance. It is open to all prisoners to attend.

Its not the first time inmates have been treated to a performance by visiting singers or musicians.

Last March, murderers and rapists at the jail got to see a show put on by a 60 strong live orchestra.

Its understood a psychologist, who used to work at the jail but has since retired and joined the band, is helping to put on the concert.

In 2013, a Johnny Cash tribute band, Get Rhythm, played for inmates at the Loughan House open prison in Co Cavan.

The eight-piece played to 150 men for more than an hour and was the first in a series of prison shows for the band over five weeks which also included gigs at Wheatfield and Mountjoy prisons.

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Arbour Hill prison inmates treated to sing-song by American gospel choir - Irish Mirror

The Hindu

The think tank and the ashram The Hindu Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the centenary year celebrations of the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Between the official rhetoric of Gandhi and the disturbing silence of the civil society lies a huge void that one needs to talk ...

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The think tank and the ashram - The Hindu

AHMEDABAD: Commander-in-chief of Myanmar Defence Forces senior general Min Aung Hlaing began his two-day visit to Ahmedabad on Sunday . The commander-in-chief arrived at Ahmedabad on Sunday along with his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Myanmar Defence Forces and 15 other delegation members. The Myanmar delegation was received by General officer in Commanding of Golden Katar Division Major General Anil Puri. The commander-in-chief and along with his spouse visited Sabarmati Ashram and Riverfront on the first day of their visit. The commander-in-chief and his wife were very impressed by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Spokesperson Wing Com mander Abhishek Matiman said commander-in-chief Hlaing and the delegation were enthralled to visit the focal point of `Non-violence' conceptualized by Mahatma Gandhi."The delegation was particularly impressed by the scenic beauty of the Sabarmati River front." said Wing Commander Matiman. Commander-in-chief Hlaing is scheduled to visit various commercial sites including Amul Dairy plant at Anand, TATA Nano factory at Sanand and Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute on Monday.

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Myanmar defence chief, wife visit Sabarmati Ashram - Times of India

RIP to Cruciferous

Its already the end of the road for Cruciferous, the months-old vegan strip mall option that popped up almost out of nowhere in Hollywood. A collaboration with Marie Chia and partner Shane (plus the man behind Doomies Home Cookin), Cruciferous managed to stand out in a field of salads and grain bowls thanks to its unique takes on plant-based cuisine. And yet, the restaurant could not hold on.

In a note passed around to customers, the Cruciferous team says:

It is with a heavy heart that we have to anounce that last night was Cruciferous last night of service. We did not plan on ending it this way, and certainly not this soon, and we were looking forward to many, many more nights of cooking dinner for a growing crowd in our little space.

To everyone whos already made reservations for the next few days and weeks, we cannot thank you enough for choosing to dine with us and we deeply apologize for this regretful turn of events.

As for Doomies and also-vegan ice cream shop Cocobella, they both remain open in the same Hollywood strip mall.

Vinovore to Silver Lake

Another new wine shop is slated for Silver Lake soon, with the opening of Vinovore next to Hot Hot Food. That makes sense considering the address at 614 N. Hoover was for a time a pop-up wine shop by co-owner Coly Den Haan before Hot Hot Food started; now the corner lot will come back to life with tastings and a focus on female wine producers, with an opening slated for July 21.

All the pig you need

The Standing Room in the South Bay is doing a new weekly all-you-can-eat pig roast starting tonight, where for just $15 folks can enjoy tacos, sliders, and other bites of straight-up pork plus a free draft beer.

Remembering the Biltmore

Last month KCET put out a great piece on the history of Downtowns Biltmore hotel. The Pershing Square-adjacent property once played host to the annual Oscars ceremony, and remained for many years a bastion of upscale dining in posh Downtown.

More on the former Osso

The former Osso space (and before that, One-Eyed Gypsy) in the Arts District is thriving again, with plans for a music venue from some very big names. Its to be called The Moroccan Lounge, according to LA Weekly, who detail out some plans for the place including a likely fall arrival.

The Irvine scene

Ever wondered what the food scene is really like down in Irvine? The folks at i8Tonite have done all the hard work in collecting a round-the-clock guide to eating and drinking, from AM bites to late night sessions in what is otherwise considered one of Southern Californias sleepiest enclaves.

Terra Cotta is here

Koreatowns Terra Cotta couldnt seem to find a hold with locals, ultimately shuttering back in May following just six months of service. The time off gave management the chance to retool and focus on the bar (which makes sense given the proximity to the Wiltern), and now Terra Cotta is up and alive again. The (re)opening menu is below.

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Hollywood's Most Intriguing Vegan Restaurant Has Closed Suddenly, and More - Eater LA

Image via Philippe Doignon

Got some spare time, a plane ticket to France, and a healthy appetite? Then perhaps youd like to check out this summers buzziest hot spot: Baywatch alum Pamela Andersons new pop-up restaurant, La table du Marche, in the South of France. The restaurant features a vegan menu, champagne bar, and a sexy, exquisite atmosphere. But dont waitdoors opened July 4, and will only stay open for only 50 days thereafter.

The famed animal-rights activist partnered with French chef Christophe Leroy to develop the carte du jour, which includes delectable delights like tomato tartar with goji berries, pissaladire (a pizza-like tart typically made with onions and black olives), small stuffed vegetables, risotto with asparagus, and a vegan burger (yesssssss!).

In an announcement posted on The Pam Anderson Foundation website, the concept of the restaurant is described as festive, glamorous and vegan, while the ambiance is described as sensual and chic. The pop-up is located inside the Moulins de Ramatuelle, a gorgeous hotel with a glam, antique feel.

The grand opening was surely delicious but also bittersweet. In the same announcement, Anderson included a plea to President of France Emmanuel Macron, inviting him to visit her new restaurantbut not just to nosh on a plant-based feast with a side of bubbly. In her poignant note, Anderson asked President Macron to grant asylum to her boyfriend, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whos currently ensnared inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

I am reaching out to Emmanuel Macron, and to his wife Brigitte Trogneux. As a resident of France, my adopted home, I would like to meet with you and discuss Julians situation, Anderson wrote. I am opening a new vegan restaurant in France in July, and I would like to extend my invitation to the new President and his First Lady. Join me on the day I open the doors, and we will sit and eat good food and discuss what can be done for Julian. France could display its strength, and so could you, if you give Julian asylum.

Though you (probably) havent received a personal invitation from the PETA activist, if youre interested in some sophisticated plant-based fare, heres the 411. Bon apptit!

La Table du March by Pamela Les Moulins de Ramatuelle Route des plages 83350 Ramatuelle Phone #: 04 94 97 17 22 Make reservations online by clicking here.

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Sarah Ban is a beauty, health and wellness journalist, editor and copywriter who works with the world's best indie brands and publications. Her work has been published in NYLON magazine, The Kitchn and Living Healthy and she has worked with some extraordinary brands such as Odacit Skincare, CO Bigelow Apothecaries, Kopari Beauty and Seaweed Bath Co. When she's not writing or reading, you can find Sarah eating brunch alfresco in her green and gorgeous hometown of LA.

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Pamela Anderson Opens 'Sensual' Vegan Pop-Up Restaurant in France - Organic Authority

Photo illustration by Slate. Images via Ingram Publishing, gmast3r/iStock.

Mallory Ortberg, aka Dear Prudence, is online weekly to chat live with readers. An edited transcript of the chat is below. (Sign up below to get Dear Prudence delivered to your inbox each week. Read Prudies Slate columnshere. Send questions to Prudence at prudence@slate.com.)

Readers! Ask me your questions on the voice mail of the Dear Prudence podcast. Just leave a message at 401-371-DEAR (3327), and you may hear your question answered on a future episode of the show.

Sam Breach

Q. Break up over veggies: I was raised by my grandparents in Appalachia. There was an outdoor toilet, and hunting and food stamps made up a huge percentage of our meals. I have eaten squirrel and know how to sew, knit, can, and garden by sheer necessity. I got a scholarship to school and ended up very gay and very politically blue.

My long-term lover was born in California to very upscale gay parents. She has never wanted for anything in her life, and I consider her one of the best people I know. She has been trying to go vegan for while now. I dont mind the dietary restrictions, but we keep arguing over ethics. I find them holier-than-thou and rooted in a smug, classist outlook. She thinks eating meat is murder.

This topic is a thorn in the side of our relationship. Ill point out that increased demand for quinoa from upscale Americans has damaged local South American economies; shell send me upsetting PETA videos. Otherwise we work out beautifullysexually, spiritually, and mentally.

We have been getting serious until this, and we both want kids. It is a big deal to me to be able to teach my children how to hunt, fish, and survive off the land. My grandparents died a few years ago, and I want their legacy to live on.

I dont think marriage counseling is going to solve this, but I really do love her. Do you think we can resolve this problem?

A: First, the bad news: I dont think I have a better sense of whether this relationship can work out than you and your partner do. I can tell you that, based on what Ive seen from other couples (and what Ive learned in writing this column for nigh-on two years), differences of opinion about how to raise children tend to get more important over time, not less.

That doesnt mean its impossible for two people with extremely different dietary outlooks to start a family together, but you two cant possibly move forward as you are now. Repeatedly sending you slaughterhouse videos in lieu of having a difficult, honest conversation is not a great choice on your partners part, regardless of how strongly she feels about meat-eating. Telling your partner that you believe her vegan convictions are solely the result of having had a relatively easy childhood is not a terrific choice on yours, either.

Whether or not you two seek out a counselor for help mediating this conversation, I think the most important next step is to figure out how you can talk about food and children in a way that is not rooted in contempt and antagonism. Can you both accept that the other is a fundamentally good person who is attempting to live a valuable, self-sufficient, moral life to the best of her ability, in accordance to her own values? Can either of you imagine a possible compromise when it comes to raising childrenfor example, eating primarily vegetarian meals at home except for what you have hunted or fished yourselves?

I cant answer those questions for you, but I think its worth at least trying to resolve this together. If after all your best efforts you still think the other is being fundamentally unreasonable, you may have to part ways and find partners with more compatible views on child-rearing. But its worth fighting for what you have first.

Q. Night-shift roommate: At the beginning of the summer, my roommate got a job working the night shift. We talked about the situation well in advance of his start date, and I agreed to be quiet and conscientious in common areas during the day in order to let him sleep. My roommate has a short temper, and in the year weve been living together, hes handled conflicts aggressivelyswearing at me, breaking my dishes, and removing furniture from common areas without first asking me. I was worried that the stress of working the night shift would only exacerbate his anger issues, and that appears to be the case.

While Ive taken extreme care to avoid even being in common areas during the day, hes reacted to even the slightest sounds with a lot of hostility. Hes sent angry, all-caps messages, hes slammed doors in front of me, and hes screamed at me to shut up when Im working or eating quietly in common areas. This is only a temporary job, but I think the issues here run deeper, and I think it may be time for us to stop living together.

I love my apartment, I love my neighborhood, and I dont have the resources to move out right now. I also dont want to put my roommate in an unsafe or financially precarious positionor make him even angrier!by asking him to move out. Were both on the lease for another year. Should I try to resolve the situation and ask him to be less hostile, or should I just bite the bullet and try to navigate a moving-out discussion?

A: It isdefinitelytime for you twoto stop living together. Theres no maybe about it. The issue here is not whether your roommate is getting enough sleep (which Im very much in favor of!); the issue here is that your roommate has a violent temper and makes no attempt to curb his outbursts.

Figure out what you need to do in order for moving out to be financially viable, and start taking steps to find your own replacement on the lease. If you have a friendly relationship with your landlord, ask him or her about what options you have short of breaking the lease early.

In the meantime, if you have any friends or family you can stay with while you figure this out, I urge you to do so. I cant imagine how uncomfortable it must be for you to live around someone who might fly off the handle and start screaming and breaking things if you cough in the living room. Of course you can also try to ask him to curb his rages, but something tells me that if he thinks breaking your dishes and screaming curses at you is a reasonable response to ordinary roommate conflict, hes not going to listen.

Your best, and safest, option is to start planning your exit.

Q. Re: Night-shift roommate: Please! If this were a marriage or romantic partnership, this would be considered domestic violence, and we would be telling you to get out of there now. You have no emotional involvement of that sort. Please just get out of there. Maybe crash on someones sofa for a few weeks and pay a last months rent to help the guy out.

Otherwise, please dont worry about putting my roommate in an unsafe or financially precarious position.He put himself there!You cant make him not get angry.He is angry.That is his personality and also his tactic.

Please, please pack your things and get out of there now!He has already shown that he gets physical in anger. He could hurt you and might!

A: Right, the roommates financial situation should be the very least of the letter writers concerns. Since theyre worried about their own financial burden, they should contact the local tenants rights organization. Since theyre on the lease too, it wont be as simple as paying last months rent in order to get out of the contract, but that doesnt mean the only option is to stick it out for another year of walking on eggshells.

Q. Baby uncle: My dad and his second (much younger) wife are about to have a baby boy, just about a month after I had my second child. Im really happy for them and glad my new son will have a relative his age. However, it turns out my dad and stepmom fully expect my kids to call the new baby Uncle X.

I think this is ridiculous. Theyre older than him, and hes a baby. When I expressed this to my dad, he said it would be disrespectful for the kids not to call his son that, regardless of age.

A: Sometimes a situation does not have a clear right side and wrong side! (Those are the worst situations. Im so sorry.)

If your father expected your children to treat his as-yet unborn son as some sort of elder authority, we might be having a different conversation. But if all he wants is for you and your family to refer to his kid as your kids uncle, I think its worth humoring him. Its technically true!

That said, its possible your father is insisting your kids refer to his son as Uncle Fortescue instead of hisgiven nameat all times, even when theyre playing together, which would be more than a little ridiculous and almost impossible to enforce. You can certainly introduce your kids to their new uncle by his title, and say things like, Look! Uncle Fortescue just rolled over. How exciting for Uncle Fortescue, but odds are excellent that by the time all your kids are in the 2- to 5-year-old range, little Uncle Fortescue is not going to be interested in demanding he be addressed by his full title. And you certainly shouldnt go out of your way to correct a group of toddlers playing together and using one anothers given names.

Q. Can I ask my friend-with-benefits for sex?: Im just going to begin my question by acknowledging that the relationship Im about to describe is a little unconventional. Im in my late 20s; the guy Im seeing is in his mid-40s. Were not in a relationship, though weve been exclusively intimate for about two years. Were also very good friends. Hes extremely supportive of my life, family, and career, and vice versa. We consider ourselves friends with benefits, which, despite all the horror stories, is a label that mostly works for us.

But here is my problem: Its been a little over a month since weve seen one another (we live about two hours apart and each have a young child), and Im starting to get an ... itch. Ive inquired a few times about getting together, but hes been busy with work, and I obviously want to respect that. Is it reasonable to call him up and just say point-blank, Hey, I need sex. Can we figure this out? Or is that pushy and obnoxious?

I realize I could inquire with different men, but I honor the monogamous aspect of our relationship and would hate to screw it up over something trivial. Except that this isnt trivial; the itch is real, and I dont mean in a Well, maybe you should try masturbating way. Am I being crazy?

A: First things first: It is not crazyto ask someone you are having sex with to have sex with you. It is perhaps the least surprising thing you could ask for, given your arrangement.

Ask for sex point-blank! Why on earth would you consider it pushy? Its not pushy to stand in line at Starbucks and order coffee. One naturally follows the other! Itwouldbe pushy to order a coffee after closing time or to leap across the bar and demand the barista ignore every other customer in order to make your drink first. But youre not suggesting anything remotely close to that.

Youve been sleeping with this guy for two years, consider him a friend, and call him extremely supportive. Why are you so afraid to ask him to have sex with you?

Q. Re: Night-shift roommate: In some states a domestic violence situation requires that the landlord let a threatened lessee out of a lease. Not sure if the letter writers situation would apply, but he or she should consult an attorney.

A: Thats a helpful point and worth investigating! I think the letter writer should take any and all help available to get away from this guy.

Q. Unrequited for now?: I admit I have a crush on a close friend of mine.

He and I started hanging out this past semester, but we spent almost every day together because of classes. We have the same interests, and hes every bit as compassionate, cute, smart, and funny as one can hope for.

About two weeks into our friendship, though, I made a small comment that accidentally revealed my crush. He knew about my huge breakup from a year before but not much else about me, so he politely declined. Fast-forward seven months, we talk every day, and my crush is worse. Half of me wants to abandon it completely because hes already declined. The other half thinks if he gets to know me better, hell find something he likes about me and theres still hope.

Were entering our last semester together, and I need advice on what to do before I end up asking him out at graduation.

A: If you two have spent the past seven months talking every day, Id wager your crush already knows you pretty well. He has been given sufficient information and can make an informed decision as to whether he likes you as more than a friend!

Since the first time you asked him out was so early on in your acquaintance, I think its fine to ask once more. But why wait until graduation? At this point, I think any delay would have more to do with self-preservation than a genuine desire for him to get to know you better, since youre already fairly close. If he doesnt want to go out with you now, then its better to know so you can put your crush to bed and try to move on. If he does, congratulations! Have a great time on your date!

Q. His ex lives with us: My husband was married briefly in his early 20s, and the divorce was amicable. We are now in our early 40s and dealing with both elderly parents, downsizing, and a disabled child. When my husbands ex asked if she could stay in our house while looking for real estate, we both happily agreed. Mila is a lifesaver. I cant tell you how nice it is to come home to a hot meal and a clean house after a 12-hour shift, picking up a grumpy child, and taking my parents grocery shopping. We have additional income now and have been able go on actual date nights!

Mila has no family except an estranged brother. When she offered to move out, my husband and I both asked her to stay at least for another year. She can save her money and wait for a better real estate market and we all can live together happily.

My personal family is happy with this; my extended one is not. My siblings contribute very little to our parents care but are perfectly happy to gossip about me and pass it off to our parents. I nearly slapped my sister for accusing me of letting my husband move his mistress in. I told her Mila has done more for our parents than she did in the last 10 years (unless it was to beg money from them).

This is the only sour note in what has turned to be a new song in our lives. How do I stop them from spoiling it?

A: Congratulations on what sounds like the most delightful, difficult-to-achieve living arrangementof all time! I hope Mila is enjoying the arrangement as much as you and your husband are and that you two have enthusiastically shown your appreciation for all that she does around the house, as well as made sure she gets some time to herself.

Youve already explained to your siblings that theres nothing sexual or romantic going on between the three of you and that while your roommate situation might be unorthodox, it works for you and makes you happy. If they cant or wont accept that explanation, feel free to say (as often as necessary): Were very happy living with Mila, and Im not going to discuss it any further. If this means you end up spending less time talking to your siblingsfrankly, that sounds like a bonus.

Mallory Ortberg: Yes, theres that upturned chin and that grin of impetuous youth. I believe in you. See you next week.

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Dear Prudence: Can a hunter date a vegan? - Slate Magazine

The Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake Township has always been vegan friendly, offering daily specials and tastings for diners who prefer a plant-based diet.

This month, Executive Chef Nick Rodgers will prepare a six- course feast with no meat or dairy, spotlighting the fresh produce of Ann Arbor by farmer Tomm Becker and Sunseed Farms.

The Summer Vegan Feast menu at the restaurant, 340 Town Center Blvd., will feature beet and berries with red quinoa, grilled radish salad, cedar-planked seasonal vegetables, cream of celery soup and cauliflower steak with pickled hot peppers. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. and costs $60 per person, with beverage pairings available at $25. Tax and gratuity extra.

To reserve a place at the table, call 248-698-2400.

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The Root prides itself on handmade chef-driven cuisine committed to seasonal, local and sustainable sourcing. For more information, visit therootrestaurant.com or follow on Facebook.

Meanwhile, home cooks who want to try making a delicious vegan dish can begin with this Vegan Whole Wheat Tomato Tart from Chef Nick.

Start to finish: 2 hours

Serves: 4-8

INGREDIENTS

1 cup garlic cloves, peeled

2 cups vegetable oil

3 onions, julienned

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

1/4, plus 1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 medium heirloom tomatoes

2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, chopped

2 lemons, zested

Salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

To make garlic confit, heat oven to 275 F. Place peeled garlic cloves in a deep pan. Cover with vegetable oil to about 2 inches above the garlic. Roast for about 2 hours until cloves are medium brown. Strain oil and let cool for about a minute. Crush garlic with a fork to finish the confit. Set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of garlic confit and let simmer, about 2 minutes. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir every 3 minutes, until dark golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the tart shell, heat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, fresh chopped oregano, 1/4 cup of olive oil, water and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix until combined and dough is evenly moistened, about 2 minutes. Remove from mixing bowl and pat dough across the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides.

Cover dough with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing the foil into fluted edges of the dough. Fill the foil-lined crust with a pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Make sure the weight covers the entire bottom of the crust. Place in oven and bake until dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Reduce oven to 275 F. Spread caramelized onions around the bottom of the tart. Core and slice tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay tomatoes in a ring pattern around the tart, overlapping each tomato by half. Season with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a small pan, mix 1 cup of garlic confit, thyme, lemon zest, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened. Let cool. Cut into 8 slices and serve.

Original post:

Try vegan tomato tart at home, Root's Vegan Feast on July 13 - The Morning Sun

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LIMA Employers in the greater West Central Ohio region will collect $33 million in rebates from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation in checks that will be mailed beginning next week.

BWC Administrator/CEO Sarah Morrison, in Lima to present a ceremonial check to local business leaders, said employers are free to spend their rebates as they wish, but she hopes they will consider investing in workplace safety.

We work with employers all over Ohio to prevent injuries and illness in the workplace, and they will tell you that investing in safety is a wise business decision, said Morrison, speaking at a press conference at the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce. Safe workplaces mean fewer injuries, fewer medical claims and a stable workforce, all of which leads to a healthy bottom line for a business.

Morrison was joined by chamber President/CEO Jed Metzger and Tony Daley of Limas Spallinger Millwright Services Inc. Metzger and Daley accepted the check on behalf of employers in the entire region, which includes Allen, Auglaize, Shelby, Hancock, Putnam, and Van Wert counties.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich proposed the rebate in March. Its the third such rebate in the last four years, made possible by an improving safety climate, prudent fiscal management and strong investment returns. The plan to distribute rebates to more than 200,000 Ohio employers during the month of July was approved by BWCs Board of Directors in April. Visitbwc.ohio.govfor more details and eligibility requirements.

The plan also includes a $44 million investment innew health and safety initiativesto promote a healthy workforce and a culture of safety in every Ohio workplace. This includes a new wellness program for small employers, funding for programs to help firefighters and those who work with children and adults with disabilities, and an education campaign to address common injuries at work and in the home.

A healthy economy depends on a strong and healthy workforce, Morrison continued. And when the economy is healthy, we all benefit.

Rebate checks will be mailed in phases starting July 10.

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Super kamagra review - Van Wert independent