Monday, April 29, 2024

The 6 Best Dryers of 2024, According to Testing

best hair dryers 2023

Even better, the hair dryer will automatically adjust the temperature and air flow settings when you connect the diffuser and other attachments it comes with, so ensure they're at the optimum. This blow dryer is pricey, but it’s also one of the fastest (if not the fastest) models we’ve reviewed. It’s also lighter, quieter, and with a longer power cable than the original, legendary GHD Air. While its speedy performance is the star of the show, not to mention the fact that it dries quickly without causing a frizzy mess, that speed can sometimes result in a little less volume and bounce.

T3 Afar Lightweight Travel Size Hair dryer

When testing, we found the steam settings incredibly useful and found they cut down on the frequency with which we reached for the iron. It wasn’t an issue, though, because we still found the dryer to be very effective and there were few needs to rerun loads. Baseline, the 7.4 cubic-foot drum dried medium and large-sized loads without shrinking or overheating—and we loved that.

How do you use a hair dryer diffuser?

They rigorously judged each appliance on its drying speed, ease of use, weight, noise level and end result. Dry, smooth, diffuse, or volumize with this hair dryer that's all about minimizing heat damage. It allows you to input your hair texture, then it auto-customizes heat and airflow to suit your styling goals and help prevent overworked, dry hair.

best hair dryers 2023

How Do I Get Smooth Results With A Hair Dryer?

"A great option is the Babyliss Pro Rapido Dryer [which is a] 2000-watt dryer with great attachment options," says Stenson. While many hair dryers come with a diffuser, we particularly rate the Shark HyperAir, which is known as the Shark Style iQ in the UK, for two reasons. First the diffuser it ships with has extendable prongs, so the roots as well as the ends of curly hair, can be dried evenly - this helps reduce the risk of heat damage to the hair. As we've already mentioned, those with curly hair should opt for a hair dryer that includes a diffuser. This attachment, which has a head much wider than the barrel of a hair dryer, features prongs designed to lit each strand of hair so the hot air can penetrate it.

This works the same way on hair dryers as it does on pots, pans and grill grates. Uncoated metal gets hot where you apply the heat, making hot spots (and burns or heat damage) more likely. A ceramic coating spreads heat out so it’s less concentrated in any one spot. That makes it more diffuse and gentler, and less likely to cause damage. I found the volume boost and cool shot to be effective and ergonomic to use, and I liked the handy Velcro cord keeper for neatly bundling the dryer in my cabinet. Other practical benefits include great durability (it passed my drop test without losing its filter cover or getting scratched) and up to three years of warranty coverage.

However, we figured that for such a sleek machine that shapes even shinier strands, we’d love the packaging a little more — but we’re not huge fans of this jewel-toned look that it has going on. But if aesthetics aren’t top of mind (besides for your hair, of course), it’s a minor complaint that should be overlooked for this hair dryer’s amazing price and even better blowouts. We did think its switchable heat and speed settings were a little confusing, as the BondiBoost features a smart memory function that remembers your pre-selected settings to replicate your style every time. If you’re set in your ways, you may love this feature, but if you need to switch it up, this could involve a bit of a learning curve.

Breville Precision Brewer Drip Coffee Maker

With a super chic vortex design that helps to control airflow and a matte caramel colorway, the Pattern’s good looks are only the beginning of its story as a curl-enhancing hot tool. Designed with "curlies, coilies and tight textures" in mind, the Pattern Blow Dryer absolutely delivers. We noted that despite its compact size, the IQ2 produced a surprisingly loud noise, making it difficult to hear others while the product was in use. For a truly professional-quality tool, though, the cost and the volume are no doubt justifiable. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions.

The gorgeous GHD Helios 1875W Advanced Professional Hair Dryer is heavier and slower than our pick, the Rusk W8less—and three times the price. However, at over 9.5 feet, its cord ties with that of the Amika Accomplice for the second-longest cord of any hair dryer we’ve tested, and this dryer is especially beautiful. However, after a few wash-and-go tests, our curly-haired testers found that they liked using the included DevaFuser attachment, a unique hand-shaped diffuser that helps dry curls and waves without losing definition. You can buy a universal-fit version of the DevaFuser for any attachment-compatible hair dryer. We found the position of the speed and heat buttons on the back of the dryer’s head less than ideal, and the cool-shot button is in an awkward spot at the very top of the handle.

The best hair dryer 2024: top blow dryers from Dyson, GHD, Revlon and more - TechRadar

The best hair dryer 2024: top blow dryers from Dyson, GHD, Revlon and more.

Posted: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Ashby also notes that a larger capacity will encourage better airflow for faster and more efficient drying. While plenty of dryers have fancy features like smart home compatibility and remote start via apps, sometimes the basics get the job done best. Stackable Steam Cycle Electric Dryer doesn’t have WiFi connectivity, but it features 10 dryer cycles and five temperature settings. This dryer is equipped with smart features to aid in your laundry experience. If you struggle with selecting the right temperature settings, you’ll love the intelligent technology that selects the compatible cycle for your load.

best hair dryers 2023

However, though it may be slightly cheaper to purchase a set, the benefits are more than monetary if you can buy both at once. You can purchase a dryer individually, but you can also buy a washer/dryer set. “Usually there are cost savings, sometimes minimal, to purchasing them as a pair,” McCoy says. More sophisticated models upgrade the experience to do things like allowing you to choose exact temperatures, quickly add additional time to a running cycle, and inject steam at just the right times to prevent wrinkles. Electric models are easier to install because they only need an electrical outlet for their power source; however, the more powerful and efficient models run from the less-common 240-volt outlets. Though gas has generally been considered cheaper over the long run, electric models are definitely more efficient if your home is running appliances on solar power.

This model also has six different heat and speed settings that work across a range of hair textures. Smooth hair is made easy, with the help of a lightweight 1875 watt brushless motor that's quiet enough to use while your SO snoozes. With their ‘Great Hairdryer’, Hershesons claim to have found ‘the lightest, most powerful and efficient dryer on the market’.

Today’s dryers are more sophisticated than even five years ago, and they offer many new and powerful features. While brands such as Parlux, GHDs and Dyson do tend to be popular for professional hairdressing use, it’s ultimately up to the individual hair stylist what they choose to work with and works for them. 'I tend to use a Parlux for everyday use as I like the way it blow dries hair smooth or into beautiful curls. Powerful yet compact, this tool delivered shiny, smooth results quickly, with testers appreciating its intuitive design and easy-to-use settings. I also read dozens of reviews across major beauty retailers to get real shoppers’ feedback on the models that celebrity hairstylists and lifestyle magazines regularly recommend.

A hair dryer’s wattage indicates how much power the dryer produces, which, in turn, gives you an idea of how long it will take the dryer to dry your hair. A lower wattage means your hair will take longer to dry while a higher wattage will dry your hair faster. That said, you don’t want a dryer with too high a wattage as it can be damaging to your hair. The hair dryers on our list range from 1,500 to 2,000 watts which is a good benchmark for wattage. However, I have to say that I reach for my Dyson Airwrap (which was not a sample by the way; I liked it enough to buy it) much more readily than I do this hair dryer.

It also includes drying technology to prevent temperature spikes, keep your load cooler, and protect your clothes from heat damage. To find the best dryers, we put 16 models to the test in our lab and at home, using them for up to a year and recording our observations. We supported these hands-on findings with research into factors such as energy source, capacity, and settings, and asked Ashby and McCoy about what to look for and how to compare options when shopping. The tiny but mighty Pro Dryer 2000 is equipped with multiple heat and speed settings to best fit your styling needs at home. Porcelain ceramic helps with heat distribution to prevent scorching and promote healthy hair.

Sunday, April 28, 2024

22 Cottage Decorating Ideas to Add Cozy Character to Any Room

cottage design ideas

Here you’ll find grandma’s copper pots, mom’s old cookbooks, and aunt Sally’s linens. It’s a timeless and meaningful space that doesn’t have to adhere to a particular style, but fuses tradition with a modern sensibility. If you’re looking to revamp your space into a style that’s fresh, comfortable, organic, and airy, then these cottage decorating ideas are for you. In any hand-me-down-filled space, you’re bound to end up with texture, so lean into the look. “My favorite way to achieve cottage style pieces is through charming details, such as floral patterns, organic textures, sisal rugs, and woven materials,” Peltier says.

Cottage living room ideas – 16 inspirational ways to add comfort and style

As well as materials such as wood and stone, embrace tactile natural textures such as wool and linen. In this kitchen, kitchen rug ideas and valance ideas for kitchens have been used to add a sense of softness to the space, with these details helping to create that cozy, cottage feel. Let’s dive into the 7 modern cottage interior design ideas you can recreate in your own home. Then combine the word “cottage” and “modern” and you’ve got me hooked. I actually love it so much, I have dedicated almost my entire Pinterest account to it. Wicker furniture looks great in any outdoor space, and it’ll look just as good inside your beach cottage.

Modern Cottage-Style Home

Meet modern cottage style, 2024’s rendition of the farmhouse trend. Here, a designer takes you through five simple steps to get the look (along with some of the key elements defining it). For anyone looking to infuse cottage-style into their home, we are offering up ideas for every room in the house. Cottages are typically quaint so that means taking full advantage of the space you have available. Use these cottage decorating ideas for inspiration to infuse your home with cozy personality.

cottage design ideas

Vintage Details: Claw-Foot Tub

The great thing about creating a cottage look is that it can be created on a shoestring using vintage pieces and a bit of imagination. Easy to come by at specialist furniture shops and flea markets, dated brown furniture can easily be refreshed with some chalk furniture paint into original and rustic pieces, as this pretty desk proves. Embracing natural materials is the perfect complement to the rustic features of a cottage, as Susie Watson, founder of Susie Watson Designs, explains. Anyone who likes the color combination of gray and green will adore this home’s decor. This one has such a comfortable, clean, and energizing appearance!

How to Design a Cozy Cottage-Style Interior

In this specific situation, fresh whites have become the gold standard. A few cottage interiors even go as far as to create their design around a completely white appearance. If you like to go that route, simply make sure you play around with loads of various shades, shapes, and patterns to bring to the room a lot of variety. Modern cottage style is an interior design aesthetic that blends sleek designs with vintage charm. It’s light, airy and bright, with modern appliances and finishings. A cottage-style kitchen has all the modern conveniences but includes charming details and decor touches to make it feel homey and timeless.

cottage design ideas

You can also get a bed frame made from decorative wrought iron that could be left natural or painted white. Paint walls in white or other light colors to keep the room feeling airy, but bring in texture by putting shiplap or beadboard on the walls. While a monochromatic all-white color scheme is gorgeous and pristine, if you prefer a little color, look for soft pastel shades that complement the surrounding environment. Popular, versatile and cute country cottage style colors to consider include light green, pink, yellow and purple is varying combinations.

This New York cottage's beadboard-panelled breakfast nook features Eames chairs bought at a Brooklyn stoop sale and a farm table the owner made with salvaged wood. When you have beams as beautiful as these in your bathroom, you’re bound to want to spend hours soaking in the bath admiring them. A period home must-have, a roll top bath will really enhance the traditional feel.

48 Easy Pumpkin Decorating Ideas for Halloween 2023 - House Beautiful

48 Easy Pumpkin Decorating Ideas for Halloween 2023.

Posted: Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

One of the easiest ways you can bring a dose of English cottage charm into your interior space is by decorating with pattern. One easy way to make a piece of furniture feel more coastal-cottage-appropriate? The easy DIY should make the piece feel crafty and coastal, giving it a homespun quality that’s perfect for any beach cottage.

Invest in Charming Details

You can and should mix and match light fixtures from different eras and in different styles instead of matching them all. These homes may also stick to a more monochromatic color scheme for a more sophisticated feel. Cottages are still found throughout Europe today as primary residences. When you picture a rural town in the bucolic English countryside, it is dotted with cottages.

No matter the style, however, all of the best garden patio designs feature similar basic elements that are best used as building blocks when it comes time to put together your outside living space. If you go with a lot of white in the cottage, you will want to make sure you have a mudroom area where people can remove their shoes and coats to keep things as clean as possible. That room doesn’t have to be anything more than iron hooks and a small stool to fit into the cottage decorating ideas you have for the rest of the house. Here are our cottage decorating ideas for an extremely cozy space you will be thrilled to fall asleep in and wake up to every single day. No matter the size of your kitchen, one cottage decorating idea is to give it a whimsical look with mismatched cabinets, open shelving, lots of textures and patterns. A cottage kitchen pays homage to the past while utilizing the function of the present.

A coat of fresh white paint sets the staircase apart from khaki walls and stained wood floors; old-fashioned numbers stenciled onto each riser add a welcoming bit of whimsy. Bin pulls, a deep apron sink, a vintage-style faucet, and painted open shelves with wood brackets give a kitchen casual charm. You'd never guess that most of this 1900 Texas cottage was recently built. This use of an accent wall is a great idea, because it adds dimension to the room without making it feel crowded. A classic range cooker has become an iconic feature of a cottage kitchen.

15 Cottage-Style Homes with Cozy Charm

cottage design ideas

The rooms of this Arkansas home were stuffed with mismatched furniture covered in musty 1980s linens, but the homeowner spotted enough gems in the mix to buy the place fully furnished. She saved only the pieces with potential or items that were stunning as is, like the sage cupboard and the chippy dining table. When decorating an old cottage with original plaster it is advised to use a breathable formula made such as Edward Bulmer's Natural Paint, for similar shade to the above try Brick.

Add color, pattern and comfort with curtains

Courtney is a designer at Floor 360, a tile specialist company based in Madison and Milwaukee. She pursued a degree and career in interior design that has spanned 25 years – earning the trust of homeowners, business owners, architects, and design peers. Her portfolio includes designs for hotels, spas, apartments, and many homes. Fireplaces have provided natural focal points and warming areas to gather in homes for centuries, and no classic English cottage would be without a cozy armchair beside a traditional fireplace. Little details—like fresh flowers on a nightstand—may seem like an afterthought.

Repurposed Furniture

We're Loving This Lowcountry Farmhouse House Plan - Southern Living

We're Loving This Lowcountry Farmhouse House Plan.

Posted: Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

What’s more, there are infinite prints to choose from, whether it be country checks or bold botanical prints. To create a feeling of quintessential country charm you can’t go wrong with a faded floral linen such as this Roses design from Kate Forman. To counter this, ensure you furnish with lots of texture and neutral shades.

Cottage Style House Exterior Design Ideas

So, invest in homey accents—like weathered hardware, vintage hand towels, and lots of fresh flowers. Tucked away in idyllic locations—like the mountains or the beach—these petite getaways are endlessly charming. While their small size plays a role in their warm and welcoming feel, their décor is even more responsible. Even the simplest built-in can add a big dose of personality in a snug space.

Divine Dining Area

Layered area rugs, pillows in various patterns, and collected accessories establish a cottage feel in this living room, but the vaulted ceilings and streamlined furniture freshen the look. The striped area rug repeats the straight lines of the wall paneling and ceiling beams for eye-pleasing continuity. Simple furnishings and cozy accessories make this cottage sunroom an inviting spot to relax. Two cushioned armchairs and a slipcovered sofa cozy up to a coffee table crafted from an old washboard. Rugged brick walls and slate tiles in a herringbone pattern are cottage decorating ideas that add a sense of history to a space. Outfitted with flea-market chairs and a weathered wood table, this breakfast nook boasts old-fashioned charm.

Paper with romantic botanical wallpapers

cottage design ideas

These types of homes can also be found in the United States, although those are typically used as secondary vacation homes. Andrea Francavilla is a home decorating expert based in Michigan. Andrea runs an interiors blog and YouTube Channel, Pine and Prospect Home, and her entire 1940's home is decorated in English Cottage Style. Jessica Hanley is the founder of Piglet in Bed, a sustainable bedding and homeware brand based in the UK. Founded in 2017 in Jessica's mother's garden shed in rural England, English cottage style is at the core of this brand's aesthetic. Matching swings on either end of the porch offer spots to enjoy various views.

A cottage kitchen must-have, the iconic range cooker has warmed the hearts of our homes for centuries. If you need help choosing then check out our guide on how to buy a range cooker. Now that we’ve come to the end of our guide, we hope it has helped you select some fun decorating ideas for your cottage. But, it gets amazingly fun when you’ve got a host of affordable alternatives to choose from. If you’ve got a beautifully designed kitchen, open shelves will help to give it more character. From an appearance perspective, we find open shelves to be a better option than the regular cabinets with doors.

Plate racks and hanging shelf units took up less room than freestanding hutches and sideboards. This piece’s graceful arch, curved brackets, and beadboard back are traditional touches; the cubby organizer updates it for today. Oversize brackets lend these shelves a handcrafted feel; screw-in hooks put colorful cups on display. Sage-green paint unifies the pine floorboards with the baseboards and wainscoting, lending this bare-bones bath a serene, airy feeling. Tucked between wall studs and just below the eaves, a beadboard-lined, trimmed-out cubby provides a perfect spot for extra towels in a diminutive powder room. This California cottage's mudroom boasts a 1930s factory stool, which retains its original green paint, while the iron hooks on the coatrack swivel from side to side.

cottage design ideas

It’s best if you can find a dated design for your faucet that matches the configuration of the faucet that is installed presently. If you’re cautious during your purchase, you won’t have to reconfigure your plumbing. It’s best to select a table with a proper height making it simple to use it for preparing your meals without having to bend down. Also repurposed furniture adds more warmth, interest and rustic appeal to your cottage.

Cottage style is packed with traditional prints, cozy furnishings, and handed-down treasures, and it has a way of making everyone feel at home. While cottage-style décor is most popular in cottages, you can get the cozy look in any home. To help you turn your space into a charming getaway, we asked four designers to share their favorite cottage-style décor ideas.

When we think of ‘cottage style’ some of the elements that strike our mind are fresh colors, comfortable furnishings, organic textures, floral patterns, and other natural elements. Keeping cottage living rooms neutral is a great way of making them feel bigger, but it doesn't mean you can't introduce some bold prints. Try adding in floral prints through curtains and cushions to bring color and pattern to your space – they can be easily changed with the seasons and if tastes change. Hanging a series of mirrors is a great way to maximize natural light in small spaces, and can make for a stylish feature wall, too. For classic elegance, try white frames on blue walls – you can't go wrong with this timeless color combination. Perez says that vintage pieces were key in designing Spinks Nest.

Think colors inspired by the nature, botanical prints and an eclectic mix of handmade and antique wooden furniture. Hardwood floors provide a versatile foundation for cottage decorating ideas. This easy-care surface offers warm wood tones that pair well with soft fabrics and subdued color schemes. Leave the floors bare in warmer weather and layer on rugs when the temperatures dip. Incorporate cottage decorating ideas that combine comfort with practicality.

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Public Dinner Cruises

tampa bay dinner cruise

Chef Allison’s passion for food started at a young age in her grandmother’s kitchen where she learned how food can bring people together. Enjoy a 2-hour narrated tour guided by your knowledgable captain and first mate, offering an exploration of the Little Manatee River and Tampa Bay Estuary system. Experience a continuously moving waterfront view and observe the area’s diverse wildlife and unique historical aspects. For an additional cost, lunch options are available for participants. The StarLite Dining Yachts operate out of St Petersburg and Clearwater Beach.

dinner cruises Tampa Bay, FL

Tampa is a waterfront city, and the best way to see it is on a dinner cruise or day cruise. Whether you choose a fancy dinner cruise or a pirate cruise, it's sure to be fun. At a young age in her grandmother’s kitchen where she learned how food can bring people together. With holiday cruises all throughout December, we have a cruise that fits the occasion with specially-themed menus and decor.

Welcome aboard Tampa’s only dining river Cruise.

Take in spectacular views of Downtown Tampa while enjoying a delicious meal aboard America’s first 3-Diamond-rated dining yacht. After dinner, let the music carry you to the open-air top deck to dance all night with DJ entertainment. Join us for Tampa’s most unique dining experience aboard Craft as we take you on a culinary and cocktail river journey through the heart of Tampa up the Hillsborough River.

The Oxford Exchange hosts an elegant book fair in downtown Tampa with 40+ local authors

When you come aboard our yachts, you can expect unmatched service, exquisite views and a delicious meal aboard America’s first 3-Diamond rated dining yacht. Experience stunning Clearwater sunsets or the bright city lights of Downtown Tampa as you sip and savor your way through our upscale cuisine and cocktails. Set sail on Yacht StarShip as you kick back and relax with an open bar that’s Free at Sea, with complimentary cocktails, beer, and wine.

Welcome aboard Craft, a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. At 10’8″ of air draft (vertical clearance) the Captain will navigate the many low bridges on the Hillsborough River with only inches to spare, similar to the river cruises in Europe. This is a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch, and dinner cruises. Begin your river journey with a craft Cocktail from their one-of-a-kind “Boat on a boat” bar, handcrafted from a 1914 vintage wood cruiser. Chef Allison Beasman has carefully curated a menu of elevated cuisine in America’s first open kitchen using gas cooking aboard a river cruiser. Begin your river journey with a craft Cocktail from our one-of-a kind “Boat on a boat” bar, handcrafted from a 1914 vintage wood cruiser.

tampa bay dinner cruise

Bring new meaning to waterfront dining as you indulge in a tasty catered meal paired with your choice of an adult beverage, soft drink, or refreshing water. The Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise offers daytime and champagne cruises on a replica pirate ship. The Cruise-Only ticket does not include dinner and is limited to four drinks per person.

Tampa   •   St. Petersburg   •   Clearwater

New dining cruise attraction plans multimillion-dollar investment - Business Observer

New dining cruise attraction plans multimillion-dollar investment.

Posted: Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Our exquisite dining cruises offer private seating, tableside service, spectacular views and dancing under the stars. Embark on a one-of-a-kind journey with an elevated brunch, lunch, or dinner cruise. Come aboard Yacht StarShip for the ultimate weekend brunch experience featuring $15 bottomless mimosas. Unwind from the week and relax on the water while you take in the skyline views of Downtown Tampa.

Tampa Dinner Cruises and Day Cruises

Chef Allie has freshly prepared a delectable menu, in America’s first open kitchen using gas cooking equipment on a river cruiser. The 3-course dinner will dazzle your palate as you progress through the courses! Craft features the Bow & Stern Bar, built from a 1914 wooden cruiser, where the Craft-ologist will prepare amazing cocktails to complement and celebrate your dining experience. All while our Captain navigates beneath many low bridges with just inches to spare on the Hillsborough River in the heart of Tampa. Your senses will be overwhelmed and the sites will make you race to snap photos from our observation platforms of Tampa’s most iconic views. Our Executive Chef has crafted several seasonal menus for an unforgettable dining experience, each skillfully prepared on board with the freshest ingredients available.

Pair that with a delicious cocktail, beer, or wine on one of our Bar Free at Sea Cruises in both Tampa and Clearwater that feature a complimentary open bar. With two decades of service, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises have become a seaworthy staple. Cruise the waterways of Tampa Bay or Clearwater while enjoying a premier dining experience and an open bar that’s free at sea on select cruises. Our Executive Chef has crafted several seasonal menus for an unforgettable dining experience. Pair that with a delicious cocktail, beer, or wine on one of our Free Bar at Sea Cruises for an unforgettable night. Enjoy exemplary award-winning service, one-of-a-kind views, and dancing on the top deck for an unmatched dining and entertainment experience.

Yacht StarShip offers entertainment and fine food on dinner and lunch cruises. Yacht StarShip's normal route includes cruising out of Ybor Channel into the Hillsborough Bay and Garrison Channel. While in route, passengers view Bayshore Drive, Harbour Island, Davis Island, and Downtown Tampa's skyline.

Tampa's first dining river cruise, Craft, will launch this fall - Creative Loafing Tampa

Tampa's first dining river cruise, Craft, will launch this fall.

Posted: Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

After brunch, enjoy LIVE music on the top deck while you cruise the waters of Downtown Tampa. Embark on your journey with a serene guided cruise along the tranquil waters of the Little Manatee River, nestled within the Tampa Bay Estuary. Here, a vibrant ecosystem thrives, hosting a plethora of wildlife unique to the area. Immerse yourself in tales of our rich local history as you drift along the picturesque riverbanks. Allison’s career as a professional chef began twenty years ago.

Whether it’s an intimate evening for two, a family celebration, or an exciting special event, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises will leave you with a sea of memories. Whether you want to tie the knot on a yacht, or create a sea of memories with a social celebration, our dedicated crew is here for you. Yacht StarShip, America's First 3-diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA, ranks in the top 28% of all restaurants.

Monday, April 1, 2024

Public Dining Cruises

tampa bay dinner cruise

Chef Allison’s passion for food started at a young age in her grandmother’s kitchen where she learned how food can bring people together. Enjoy a 2-hour narrated tour guided by your knowledgable captain and first mate, offering an exploration of the Little Manatee River and Tampa Bay Estuary system. Experience a continuously moving waterfront view and observe the area’s diverse wildlife and unique historical aspects. For an additional cost, lunch options are available for participants. The StarLite Dining Yachts operate out of St Petersburg and Clearwater Beach.

Public Dining Cruises

New dining cruise ‘Craft’ sets sail in Tampa this March - WFLA

New dining cruise ‘Craft’ sets sail in Tampa this March.

Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Whether it’s an intimate evening for two, a family celebration, or an exciting special event, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises will leave you with a sea of memories. Whether you want to tie the knot on a yacht, or create a sea of memories with a social celebration, our dedicated crew is here for you. Yacht StarShip, America's First 3-diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA, ranks in the top 28% of all restaurants.

Related Searches in Tampa Bay, FL

When you come aboard our yachts, you can expect unmatched service, exquisite views and a delicious meal aboard America’s first 3-Diamond rated dining yacht. Experience stunning Clearwater sunsets or the bright city lights of Downtown Tampa as you sip and savor your way through our upscale cuisine and cocktails. Set sail on Yacht StarShip as you kick back and relax with an open bar that’s Free at Sea, with complimentary cocktails, beer, and wine.

Tampa Dining Cruise

After brunch, enjoy LIVE music on the top deck while you cruise the waters of Downtown Tampa. Embark on your journey with a serene guided cruise along the tranquil waters of the Little Manatee River, nestled within the Tampa Bay Estuary. Here, a vibrant ecosystem thrives, hosting a plethora of wildlife unique to the area. Immerse yourself in tales of our rich local history as you drift along the picturesque riverbanks. Allison’s career as a professional chef began twenty years ago.

Flatbread & Butter opens full coffee bar in downtown Tampa

Our exquisite dining cruises offer private seating, tableside service, spectacular views and dancing under the stars. Embark on a one-of-a-kind journey with an elevated brunch, lunch, or dinner cruise. Come aboard Yacht StarShip for the ultimate weekend brunch experience featuring $15 bottomless mimosas. Unwind from the week and relax on the water while you take in the skyline views of Downtown Tampa.

Tampa Dinner Cruises and Day Cruises

tampa bay dinner cruise

Take in spectacular views of Downtown Tampa while enjoying a delicious meal aboard America’s first 3-Diamond-rated dining yacht. After dinner, let the music carry you to the open-air top deck to dance all night with DJ entertainment. Join us for Tampa’s most unique dining experience aboard Craft as we take you on a culinary and cocktail river journey through the heart of Tampa up the Hillsborough River.

Related Sunset Dinner Cruise Searches in Tampa Bay, FL

Welcome aboard Craft, a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch and dinner cruises. At 10’8″ of air draft (vertical clearance) the Captain will navigate the many low bridges on the Hillsborough River with only inches to spare, similar to the river cruises in Europe. This is a multi-million dollar river cruiser built to cruise Tampa’s most scenic waterways, offering 2-hour brunch, lunch, and dinner cruises. Begin your river journey with a craft Cocktail from their one-of-a-kind “Boat on a boat” bar, handcrafted from a 1914 vintage wood cruiser. Chef Allison Beasman has carefully curated a menu of elevated cuisine in America’s first open kitchen using gas cooking aboard a river cruiser. Begin your river journey with a craft Cocktail from our one-of-a kind “Boat on a boat” bar, handcrafted from a 1914 vintage wood cruiser.

Search dinner cruise in popular locations

Pair that with a delicious cocktail, beer, or wine on one of our Bar Free at Sea Cruises in both Tampa and Clearwater that feature a complimentary open bar. With two decades of service, Yacht StarShip’s dining cruises have become a seaworthy staple. Cruise the waterways of Tampa Bay or Clearwater while enjoying a premier dining experience and an open bar that’s free at sea on select cruises. Our Executive Chef has crafted several seasonal menus for an unforgettable dining experience. Pair that with a delicious cocktail, beer, or wine on one of our Free Bar at Sea Cruises for an unforgettable night. Enjoy exemplary award-winning service, one-of-a-kind views, and dancing on the top deck for an unmatched dining and entertainment experience.

Yacht StarShip offers entertainment and fine food on dinner and lunch cruises. Yacht StarShip's normal route includes cruising out of Ybor Channel into the Hillsborough Bay and Garrison Channel. While in route, passengers view Bayshore Drive, Harbour Island, Davis Island, and Downtown Tampa's skyline.

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Waymo begins robotaxi testing in Atlanta

waymo vs cruise

The full San Francisco service area is both a viable taxi market — after all this is where Sidecar, Lyft and Uber were born — but more importantly a potential market for car replacement. A service established here, with lower prices than Uber, could convince San Franciscans to give up ownership of a car. At present, it would probably be a drop from 2 or 3 cars, not a drop to having no cars, but this is a start. In San Francisco, the futuristic nature of driverless vehicles has become a tourist attraction.

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It seems probable, however, that once the core case of a viable service can be made, we should see a “land rush” as the companies which have viable systems work to claim and expand to new territory. People would give up car ownership for this — they already give up car ownership in cities like San Francisco just through the use of transit/bikeshare/scooters/Uber/Lyft without the convenience and lower cost of a robotaxi. But a service like this might be attractive to a lot more people, to create a viable market.

Waymo and Cruise dominated autonomous testing in California in the first year of the pandemic

Is Waymo Safer than Cruise? – Robotics & Automation News - Robotics and Automation News

Is Waymo Safer than Cruise? – Robotics & Automation News.

Posted: Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Sometimes it's schadenfreude about a big hyped thing that falls flat. Sometimes it's just a sense that the tech we all depend on may be harming us in ways we don't understand and can't control. All of this makes it harder to compare the results of the two companies. Waymo announced their statistics on the Waymo blog, and in a new academic paper with specific details on all their incidents.

Different business models

During the “safety driver onboard” phase of development, the safety record of responsible companies was generally very good, with the obvious exception of Uber and its negligent safety driver. Now Waymo is making the case that they have done the same with rider-only and uncrewed operations. Now, after a barrage of safety concerns and incidents with Cruise self-driving cars in recent months, the landscape looks starkly different. Cruise has paused all public road operations – both supervised and manual, laid off contractors and recalled nearly 1,000 robotaxis after a pedestrian collision. In October, the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise's deployment and testing permits for its autonomous vehicles, effective immediately, and last week, GM announced it would significantly cut spending on Cruise in 2024.

Waymo is full speed ahead as safety incidents and regulators stymie competitor Cruise

More worrisome to me was that on one of my trips — to a Warriors game at the Chase Center arena — at a busy intersection, a Waymo in front of us wouldn't respond to a traffic cop trying to wave it through a red light. Then another Waymo pulled up beside it and also didn't respond to the cop. So now three Waymos were sitting there, blocking traffic and waiting for the light. The traffic cop stopped trying to move us and just held his hands over his head in disgust. Waymo, which is owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, has a couple hundred self-driving cars roaming around San Francisco, and access is still limited there via a waiting list, as well as by geography.

Hitting an orange cone

Waymo has been touted as a company that has moved slower and broken fewer things, but the company and its tech are not without their faults. These expansions illuminate one of the key debate questions in the field, particularly in consideration of Tesla’s approach. All leading robotaxi teams develop and maintain detailed maps of their driving territory, and don’t deploy in a territory (certainly with members of the public) until they have tested and certified their vehicle’s safe operation in that territory. While Tesla does not have self-driving, they are allowing customers to do driver-supervised driving on a large fraction of U.S. roads. The hope is that if they can make self-driving work, it would instantly work everywhere, while the other approach is built one region at a time.

Formerly known as the Google self-driving car project and now an independent subsidiary of Google parent-company Alphabet, Waymo has been operating in some capacity since 2009. Five years ago, the company launched what it billed as the "world's first commercial autonomous ride-hailing service" in the metro Phoenix area, then last year expanded to San Francisco. The company soon plans to launch commercially in Austin, its fourth city, and also recently began test-driving vehicles in the winter weather of Buffalo, New York. Much ado has been made of San Francisco’s major autonomous vehicle companies, Google-owned Waymo and General Motors-backed Cruise. But as regulators prepare to vote on the unlimited expansion of robotaxis in San Francisco, only a fairly limited subset of residents can say they’ve actually taken a ride in a self-driving car. Atlanta is just the latest in a string of territorial gains for Waymo over the last few months.

Riding in a Waymo felt almost like taking a normal Uber, awkward rideshare driver talk not included. It arrived right in front of the Safeway, took us on a slow and careful ride—not unlike driving with your grandmother—and felt surprisingly smooth for a robotaxi. The car made only one jerky turn and successfully passed a delivery truck stalled on Masonic Avenue. Instead of driving straight through Golden Gate Park, Cruise decided to go east on Lincoln Way before taking a strange southward sojourn on Stanyan Street, turning around in Cole Valley and heading back north.

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And there's something to be said about time and experience and just rigor that no matter how hard you work, it takes time to do this. Inrix, the transportation analytics and connected car services, raised $70 million in a financing round from investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Morgan Stanley Tactical Value. Ahead of the merger, Serve raised $30 million in a round led by existing investors Uber, Nvidia and Wavemaker Partners. New investors Mark Tompkins and Republic Deal Room also participated. The startup/soon-to-be-public company has raised a total of $56 million. Or maybe it's simply for people who would rather not interact with another human when they're in a taxi.

Earlier this month, Waymo began mapping Washington, D.C., and in November 2023, the company began winter testing robotaxis in Buffalo. While Cruise and Waymo have both said they would expand incrementally, and not all at once, scale is vital for the companies’ success. Developing, testing and deploying AV tech has cost Cruise and Waymo millions of dollars. Waymo has had to pull back on operations this year after Alphabet issued a slew of layoffs in the first quarter.

In a series of tweets, Waymo noted that its California data is less important to the company than its Arizona results, as well as its progress in other places, such as Detroit. Cruise is an independent company, based in San Francisco, that was acquired by General Motors in 2016 for about $1 billion all-in and is now, after several investment rounds, worth nearly $20 billion. I recently rode in Waymo’s service in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco and the ride was smooth and impressive. Waymo said it informed its test riders about the change Monday in an email, which someone also posted to Reddit.

Things are growing – to give you an idea, this year we have more than 10x'd [trips with public riders]… The ridership is increasing in both Phoenix and SF. We are well ahead of 10,000 trips [in each city] every single week… So it's going well. We're taking the time to respond to feedback and thoughtfully expand.

waymo vs cruise

Yet I know of only one company—Waymo—that has launched a fully driverless commercial taxi service. And I only know of one company—Nuro—that's running a driverless commercial delivery service on public roads. You'd expect these companies to be capitalizing on their early leads by expanding rapidly, but neither seems to be doing that. Opponents of autonomous taxi expansions, including the Teamsters, have vowed to slow down the growth of companies such as Waymo. A bill pending in the California Senate would give cities and counties authority over robotaxi services — a power that currently resides with state government agencies.

Maybe its software has become excessively optimized for suburban Phoenix. Maybe its hardware or back-end support costs are too high to operate profitably. Maybe there are lingering safety or reliability concerns that Waymo wants to squash before expanding in a big way.

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Waymo vs Cruise: Which Robotaxis Crashed More in San Francisco?

waymo vs cruise

Companies have a lot of discretion about when to disengage, the testing environments aren’t uniform, and it’s difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison between companies. Media outlets tend to overhype the numbers in service of a false “race” narrative in which certain companies are outpacing others in miles driven and disengagements. Waymo robotaxis reported 35 more crashes in San Francisco than Cruise since the beginning of 2022, according to publicly available reports from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

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Cruise reported 2,783 paid passenger rides in its fully driverless vehicles — quadrupling the number of rides from the previous quarter. The company’s ridehailing vehicles traversed a total of 26,838.61 miles during the quarter, which covered September to November 2022. The Standard wanted to know how these two Bay Area-based autonomous vehicle companies fared against each other in a ride from the city’s southern neighborhoods up to the tip of Pacific Heights. From car design to the feel of the ride to the names of the vehicles themselves, the two self-driving rides couldn’t be any more different. In the optimistic scenario, Waymo will maintain and expand its current lead. It will grow its current taxi service from one corner of the Phoenix metro area to all of Greater Phoenix, then steadily expand to other metro areas.

We've heard about self-driving taxis forever, but they're just starting to become a reality

It logged 26 disengagements during the year for a rate of 0.033 per 1,000 miles, improving on its 2019 rate of 0.082. While Tesla wants to drive everywhere, today it can’t drive anywhere. (I know, I own one and have studied many videos.) The other players can actually perform the robotaxi task (which is to be able to operate for tens of thousands of hours without any safety mistakes) but in a limited set of areas. Indeed, they still have massive R&D and logistical costs that make that far away.

Cruise wasn’t hiding the pedestrian-dragging video from regulators — it just had bad internet

That could accelerate plans to expand in other cities like Phoenix, where Waymo has long operated and where Cruise is starting to push into. I want to clarify that the driving is done by the Waymo Driver on the car – there is no remote person driving the car. We were the first company that openly released our safety framework, the mechanism by which we test the performance of our system and how we determine when we're ready to deploy, three years ago. We were also the first to release all of our collision data from the fully autonomous service… Those were all before any regulator asked us for something. Amid the news, Waymo's chief product officer, Saswat Panigrahi, told CNBC that the self-driving car unit hasn't seen a change in tone from regulators or a shift in the company's public perception.

Waymo, for example, generally considered to be the leading autonomous vehicle operator in the world, only drove 628,838 miles, a 56-percent decrease compared to the 1.45 million miles it drove in 2019. That decrease is notable considering Waymo was recently approved to begin accepting passengers in its vehicles in preparation for the inevitable launch of a robotaxi service in California. Back in May, the CPUC had all but granted the expansion permits, then delayed the final vote twice amid mounting opposition from city agencies and residents. Since AVs hit the streets of San Francisco, there have been numerous instances of vehicles malfunctioning and stopping in the middle of the street — referred to as “bricking” — blocking the flow of traffic, public transit and emergency responders. As such, hitting a cone is a possible indicator the vehicle would hit something else it’s also trying to look for and avoid, such as a concrete bollard, which would cause great damage and be harder to see.

waymo vs cruise

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Waymo, a spinoff of Google, had announced details for its service in Los Angeles in January as it sought state regulatory approval and local support. Within the last year, Waymo has offered free "tour" rides in Los Angeles, and last month, it received regulatory approval to expand to a paid service, despite pushback from the Teamsters union and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Most of the city agencies that spoke during Monday’s meeting with the CPUC agree that AV technology has the potential to save lives, improve traffic and reduce greenhouse gas emissions — just not quite yet. Waymo had a slightly better go of it, but that could be because the company has fewer vehicles on San Francisco’s roads. From January 1 to June 30, Waymo recorded 58 retrieval events and said it averages 10 minutes to retrieve bricked vehicles. Waymo’s higher crash numbers may also be because its vehicles drive more miles than those of other robotaxi companies, a Waymo spokesperson said.

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In July, the company shut down its self-driving trucks program to shift all its available resources to ride-hailing. I have worked with pretty high-scale systems before Waymo, at Google and Ericsson, and this is a pretty staggering scale. But the only number I can tell you is 25,000-plus virtual vehicles driving continuously, 24/7, learning from each other, and [tens of] billions of miles in simulations. Think of how much you or I drive in a year – we drive, what, 10,000 miles in any given year…? Now think of billions of miles of experience – close to seven orders of magnitude difference.

SF agencies ask CPUC to halt on 24/7 permit for now

It took Google's level of infrastructure because even to simulate at that scale, as you and I are speaking right now, 25,000 vehicles in our simulator are learning to drive better. To bring that, you need incredible infrastructure capability because even if you had the AI capability, without the infrastructure, it'd be very hard to bring that skill to bear – a decade of investment into AI before AI was cool. Although Waymo recorded more crashes, Cruise had a worse record in terms of injuries.

San Francisco sues over robotaxis Waymo, Cruise operations in the city - The Washington Post

San Francisco sues over robotaxis Waymo, Cruise operations in the city.

Posted: Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

In fact, it’s a slow, laborious, and politically fraught journey with an uncertain conclusion. The companies are convinced they can eventually win over skeptics and prove their vehicles are a relatively safe addition to the transportation infrastructure of any city. It’s not uncommon to see drivers trying to speed past cautious Cruise cars and slow-going Waymos; many will honk at AVs that stall on the roads, and one of our reporters narrowly avoided getting hit by an angry driver during a Cruise ride this week. In January, Cruise unveiled its Origin shuttle, a completely driverless vehicle on which it collaborated with GM and Honda. The Origin should follow a fleet of Cruise vehicles that will use autonomous Chevy Bolt EVs when the ride-hailing service launches. Waymo declined to comment on whether it plans to launch commercially in Atlanta, or any of the other cities in which it has started collecting mapping data.

Hotz hopes that Comma's software will become an industry standard among automakers, much as Android is an industry standard for smartphones not made by Apple. The company's business model—selling cars to end users—puts lidar sensors and high-density maps financially out of reach. Elon Musk has tried to spin this as a positive, calling lidar a "crutch." But the fact remains that almost every other company is using lidar and HD maps because it believes they are helpful.

The companies also shared data on instances in which someone from their team had to go and physically move a bricked AV, which they referred to as a “vehicle retrieval event” or VRE. With regulators, we have a very open dialogue and submitted more data than they ever asked for… So it has been a very positive engagement with them, but no change in tone. Companies must report everything from a minor fender bender—such as one that causes no damage to either car and normally would not be reported to the police—to incidents like deflating a tire in a pothole. Waymo recorded just two incidents in which injuries were reported in the same period. BrightDrop, GM’s commercial EV delivery business unit, plans to expand sales of its flagship electric vans to Mexico.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said the Waymo expansion was happening too soon, without enough local oversight of autonomous vehicle operations, but in an order last month state officials said that those concerns were unfounded. Waymo said Tuesday that more than 50,000 people were on its waitlist to use the service. The company did not say how many users it would allow to fully use the app starting Wednesday. Last month, the company said it was starting with a Los Angeles fleet of fewer than 50 cars covering a 63-square-mile area from Santa Monica to downtown L.A.

With no safety driver, that something bad always happens in that situation, and as such, the bar to operating without one is higher, and doing so for a million miles shows the confidence and internal numbers the teams have on their safety performance. In July, a group of driverless Cruise vehicles blocked traffic for hours after the cars inexplicably stopped working. Meanwhile, a driverless Waymo vehicle created a traffic jam in San Francisco after it stopped in the middle of an intersection earlier this month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Cruise last December over concerns about the vehicles blocking traffic and causing rear-end collisions with hard braking. The bullish case for Tesla is that it has access to a vast trove of real-world driving data harvested from customers' vehicles. If you think limited training data is a major bottleneck for improving self-driving algorithms, then this might be a significant advantage.

Two-wheeler battery-swapping company Gogoro reported revenue of $87.2 million in Q2, down 3.8% YoY and up 0.2% on a constant currency basis. Of that revenue, $33.3 million came from its battery-swapping service, predominantly active in Taiwan, which is up 9.5% YoY. Archer Aviation raised $215 million in new capital from its manufacturing partner Stellantis, Boeing, United Airlines, Ark Investment Management LLC and others, to accelerate its path to commercialization. Boeing’s portion of that new investment is going to support the collaboration between Wisk and Archer on autonomy, a source told TechCrunch. Serve Robotics, the autonomous sidewalk delivery robot startup that spun out of Uber’s acquisition of Postmates, is going public via a reverse merger with a blank-check company. In Phoenix, where Waymo first launched consumer access, it has about the same number of cars but no waiting list.

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