The 2007 Official Alabama Vacation Guide is in the Montgomery office and ready for distribution. More than a thousand places to visit and a thousand places to stay are listed in the new guide. The number of hotels, bed and breakfast inns, and campgrounds numbers 1,172 and includes many new hotels and attractions.
ABTT Publications Coordinator Marilyn Stamps said the new vacation guide features two different covers: golf and the beach. She said, in keeping with ABTT's theme for 2007, the Year of Alabama Arts, the magazine-size guide contains articles on historic movie houses and annual theatre productions such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Miracle Worker." A feature section on Alabama's Art Ambassadors lists their accomplishments.
The guide also contains feature articles on Alabama's Civil Rights Museum Trail, Civil War History, golf, and shopping as well as special sections on each of the state‚s four regions -- Mountains, Metro, River Heritage, Gulf Coast-- and sidebars on art-related trivia. A new section is the Alabama Trail Quail.
The guides are available free by contacting the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel at 1-800-ALABAMA (252-2262) or check web site www.800Alabama.com
Alabama Folk Art Exhibition Opened
The premiere event of the Year of Alabama Arts is open in Birmingham and can be seen through December 30, 2007. The Birmingham Museum of Art, in conjunction with the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel, have opened the doors of a newly-designed annex to feature the most comprehensive exhibition of works by Alabama's premier folk artists including internationally-recognized artists Bill Traylor, the Quilters of Gee's Bend, Thornton Dial, Lonnie Holley, Charlie Lucas, Jerry Brown, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, Nora Ezell, Yvonne Wells, Benjamin Franklin Perkins, and Howard Finster, among others. Alabama, recognized as the epicenter of the 20th -century folk art movement, boasts more folk artists than any other state in the country.
This rich artistic legacy will be celebrated throughout The Year of Alabama Arts, 2007, and will be represented by more than 100 paintings, drawings, sculpture, quilts and pottery. The exhibition, Alabama Folk Art, will be installed in 10,000 square feet of gallery space in the historic Young and Vann Building in downtown Birmingham. The art will be drawn from the Museum's permanent collection and loaned from private collections, from within Alabama and without. New objects will rotate into the exhibition during the year to explore multi-layered relationships between artists and works.
For more information on the exhibition, check web site www.artsbma.org
Birmingham picked as one of 12 top places to visit for Black History Month
Birmingham joined the likes of Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. as the Top 12 Travel Destinations for Black History Month as selected by SoulOfAmerica.com. The Web site noted that Birmingham is "a major backdrop to the civil rights struggle," has the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and is also home to the Eddie Kendricks Temptations Memorial.
First Lady to Host Garden Tour
This event is not to-be-missed -- for the First Lady will be hosting garden tours of the State Capitol when the bulbs she previously planted are in bloom. Save the dates -- March 31-April 1, from 1-4 P.M. each day.
Huntsville Botanical Gardens Galaxy of Lights
The 2006 Galaxy of Lights at the Huntsville Botanical Garden set records for number of cars, visitors, and gate receipts. Additionally, a record number of display and event sponsorships allowed the Garden to raise more money than ever before.
"With over 23,000 cars and multiple tour buses going through the display, we estimate that we entertained over 123,000 visitors this year", said Lynn Carden, Chairperson of the 2006 Galaxy effort. "We are so pleased to be able to provide a record contribution for the Garden. The volunteers and staff at the Garden have done a spectacular job ensuring the success of Galaxy," she continued.
This 300-year old Port City has an aura of excitement year round. Why? Because the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Mobile and Fowl Rivers provide not only great natural resources to the area, but great educational and recreational activities for visitors. With three adventurous sightseeing cruises, the historic Cotton Blossom Riverboat, the fun and fast Wildland Expeditions, and the soothing and romantic Southern Belle at Alabama Cruises, Mobile is the perfect place for adventure by boat. The Cotton Blossom Riverboat, an authentic paddle wheeler and one of only four boats featured on the National Register of Historic Places, propels guests up the Mobile River for relaxing sightseeing and discovery cruises. Tour Twelve-Mile Island, where Mobile was founded in 1702 and view the unique natural resources of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Also explore one of the unique ecosystems here and view wildlife, such as dolphins, alligators and an occasional bald eagle, all native to this area. For an evening away from the crowds, The Fowl River also sets the stage for romantic dinner cruises featuring a three-entrée buffet and live music for listening or dancing. Every Friday and Saturday night, year-round, guests can enjoy great food and music along with the tranquility of nighttime on the river.
For more information on these and other Mobile cruises, contact the Mobile Convention & Visitors Corporation, One South Water Street, Mobile, AL 366091; 1-800-5-MOBILE or web site www.mobile.org.
Alabama's First Lady Gets Her Hands Dirty for State Capitol
Alabama's First Lady, Patsy Riley, doesn't mind getting a little dirt on her hands when it comes to making the State Capitol a more beautiful place for visitors. Mrs. Riley got on her hands and knees to assist in planting 3,000 spring bulbs on the Capitol lawn. Many of the bulbs were donated to her beautification project by spouses of state legislators, State Treasurer Kay Ivey and members of her staff, staffers in the Governor's office, Elmore and Autauga County gardeners, and the Xi Beta Chi chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority. The bulbs include daffodils, Dutch iris, hyacinths and tulips. They'll bloom in the spring.
For more information check web site www.al.com.
Alabama's Wide Variety of Offerings During Year-long Celebration
Travelers often search for the intangible "something" that makes each trip unique. Most often it's found in one special moment - a musician humming a folk tune, the sun reflecting the brilliant colors of blown glass in a shop window, a quiet corner in an art museum gallery. The sights and sounds that stay with you for years or bring you back to a place again and again are those that embrace a specific culture. They lift the spirit and renew your interest in traveling.
This year search out those special places in Alabama, Gov. Bob Riley has announced 2007 will be the Year of Alabama Arts, and the focus will cover an enormous range of activities. Why the arts? Tourism director Lee Sentell said, "Art and culture are what sets various regions and states apart from one another. In choosing this year's theme, we looked for arts exhibitions and music as specific subjects to highlight all year long. "When people ask what is our definition of arts, it's everything from architecture to dance."
Sentell said his staff and statewide tourism representatives discussed which arts are most abundant in Alabama . "We selected folk art as a focus because many of our folk artists are internationally known from the artists at Gee's Bend to Mose Tolliver and others." Visitors to the state in 2007 can choose from hundreds of arts events and attractions. They will be guided by arts ambassadors who will attend public functions throughout the year.
Arts ambassadors include singer Taylor Hicks, actress Courtney Cox Arquette, ballet stars Wes Champman and Roger Van Fleteren, novelist Fannie Flagg, Pulitzer Prizewinning author Rick Bragg, novelist Winston Groom, singer Lionel Richie, painter Dale Kennington, artist and photographer William Christenberry, folk artist Thorton Dial, furnishings designer Raymond Waites, bronze sculptor Frank Fleming, writer and storyteller, Kathryn Tucker Windham, the women quilters and artists of Gee's Bend, and members of the band Alabama.
Gov. Riley also announced that state has named Artists of the Month. A different artist and his/her work will be featured each month on the Alabama Arts section of the state tourism Webs site. They include: painter Even Wilson, recording artist Eric Essex, Willie King, photographer Chip Cooper, sculptor Casey Downing, classical music artist Rebecca Luker, architect Paul Rudolf, country music legend Hank Williams, writer Zelda Fitzgerald, musician and composter W.C. Handy, painter Betty Grisham and satirical painter Woodie Long.
Complete and detailed information and a new state guide, Must-see Arts Destinations in Alabama , including 100 art destinations, can be obtained on the state tourism at www.800alabama.com.
Alabama's Great Things to Do
A trip to Alabama can include everything from deep sea fishing at Gulf Shores to mountain hill climbing near Scottsboro. Crisscross the state on major highways and back roads, and you'll also find incredible cornucopia of arts. If your time is limited, check out the "must see" sights marked with a star in the new guide. Highlights of the 2007 Year of Alabama Arts include: Berman Museum of World History, Anniston , a collection of sacred and secular Asian art, 18th-century European Sculpture, decorative swords and other exotic objects once owned by an American husband- and-wife spy team, 840 Museum Drive, Anniston, (256) 237-6261.
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University, with works by Audubon, O'-Keefe, Chagall, Renoir, Dala as well as the Advancing American Art Collection and Carlisle Collection of Irish Belleek porcelain, 901 S. College St., Auburn, (334) 844-1484.
Alabama Folk Art Exhibition by the Birmingham Museum of Art opened in February and features works by the folk artists from all regions of the state. Young & Vann Building at First Ave. N. and 18th St. , Birmingham , (205) 326-0863.
Alabama's Official Folklife Play, Come Home, It's Suppertime, at the We Piddle Around Theater on Main Street in Brundige, (334) 735- 3125.
Ave Maria Grotto, Cullman, featuring 125 detailed architectural miniatures of sites such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Roman Colosseum, covering a hillside at St. Bernard Abbey, 209 Claiborne St., (800) 722-0999.
Kentuck Art Center at Northport on the banks of the Black Warrior River celebrating artistic styles ranging from folk to contemporary.
And the Kentuck Festival of the Arts the third weekend in October, Kentuck Park , (205) 758-1257.
Panoply in Huntsville, an arts festival with five performance areas, a juried marketplace and global village, the last weekend of April in Big Spring Park downtown, (256) 519-2787.
Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery, attracts 300,000 visitors a year and produces 14 shows annual, including three works by William Shakespeare. The Palladian-style theater with two stages is set in a pastoral English park. 1 Festival Drive. (334) http:// www.asf.net.
Music fans will enjoy following the Hank Williams Trail crisscrossing U.S. 65 from Mount Olive where Hank was born to Birmingham. Included is the Hank Williams Boyhood Home and Museum in Georgiana. 127 Rose St.
Another fascinating music stop is FAME Recording Studio at Muscle Shoals. Established in 1959, FAME is world-famous for creating the "Muscle Sound" created by a large group of background musicians in the 1950s, '60s and '70s that influenced the music of the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Cher and others. Originally built as a casket warehouse, the studio has been restored is active studio and museum, 603 E. Avalon Ave., Muscle Shoals, (256) 381- 0801.
Information on the Year of Alabama Arts as well as details on outdoor sports, gardens, hotels, restaurants and other attractions is available at web site www.800ALABAMA.com or by calling (800) ALA- BAMA (252-2262).
The 2006-2007 Fairbanks Winter Guide is now available for free. The 32-page, full-color booklet with winter activity listings and a full slate of events offers a lighthearted and informative look at winter in Interior Alaska and the Arctic.
Fairbanks is one of the top spots in the nation for cross-country skiing. As host to the likes of the US Ski and Biathlon teams and national championships, Fairbanks has world-class facilities for world-class skiing. With a six-month season, enjoy recreational and competitive programs for all ages including group tours, youth programs, instructional clinics and races. 2007 marks the 20th Sonot Kkaazoot, a 20K to 50K race beginning and ending on the Chena River downtown.
The Greatest Show in Ice marks this year’s theme of the World Ice Art Championships and Kids Park happening through March 25, 2007. Be amazed at the artistry of world-renowned ice sculptors as they take the “Arctic Diamond” and create larger-than-life-sized ice sculptures in three sculpting competitions. Kids Park is a winter favorite for families with slides, twirlees and mazes all crafted from pure crystal blue ice.
As a bonus, Fairbanks provides one of the best spots on the globe to see the Northern Lights for it sits beneath the Auroral Oval, a ring-shaped region around the North Pole, with displays visible an average of 243 days during the year when there is sufficient darkness and clear skies. No guarantees, but visitors that are in Fairbanks for four days, have a 97% chance of seeing an aurora.
For a free copy of the 2006-2007 Fairbanks Winter Guide, contact the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, 550 First Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701, 1-800-327-5774 or 907-56-5774; or order the guide on line at web site www.explorefairbanks.com.
Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge is a fishing paradise supplemented with multi-sport adventures. Located on Prince Wales Island, the unique setting creates fantastic saltwater fishing in the calm, protected waters of the famed Inland Passageway and offers exhilarating freshwater fishing in up to 23 lakes, streams, and rivers; all accessible by auto and within a one hour drive of the lodge. Alaska’s Boardwalk Lodge offers both excellent Freshwater and Saltwater fishing experiences and is one of only six lodges in Alaska that carries the famed Orvis Endorsement. Whale watching, mountain biking, kayaking and ice cave exploration are just a few of the additional adventures available. The luxurious rooms, amenities and gourmet dining also set the lodge a step above the norm.
The all-inclusive packages include lodging, gourmet food, most beverages, round-trip float plane (Ketchikan to Boardwalk Lodge dock), guided adventures, fishing licenses, fishing guides, waders, outerwear, plus all salt and freshwater fishing gear. Not included are gratuities, liquor and taxes. Rates are per person based on double occupancy and four guests per saltwater cabin cruiser or two guests per freshwater guide. 2007 rates range from $3995 for three nights to $6395 for seven nights. Additional nights are $900 each night. There is a per night surcharge for single occupancy. Discounts are available for non-fishing partners. Children under 12 receive a 25% discount; ages 12-15 receive a 10% discount. Children under 10 must have proper parental supervision. With accommodations for up to 20 guests, Boardwalk is the perfect family or corporate retreat, offering special, exclusive use booking prices.
For more information, check web site www.boardwalklodge.com.
Anchorage Brand Unveiled After Year-Long Development
After a year of development, a new Anchorage brand designed to appeal to residents, visitors and the business community was unveiled today before a crowd of more than 1,000 Anchorage civic and business leaders.
The brand, “Anchorage Big Wild Life,” seeks to express the unique, larger-than-life lifestyle of Anchorage residents. Whether skiing the Coastal Trail on a lunch hour, summer fishing for wild Alaska salmon at Ship Creek, hiking Flattop, enjoying a fine dining experience with a view of the Chugach Mountains or taking in a First Friday art exhibition, Anchorage residents lead a life that’s bigger and a little wilder than most.
The Municipality of Anchorage (MOA), Anchorage Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (ACVB) and the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) announced the new brand at AEDC’s 2007 Economic Forecast Luncheon at the Egan Convention Center. It was followed by a community celebration in Town Square featuring Alaska wildlife, Native American Music Award recipients, Pamyua, a figure skating exhibition by 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships bronze medalist Keegan Messing and complimentary T-shirts hung in Town Square trees for the public. Two advertising firms, the Nerland Agency, Anchorage, and Stone Mantel of Colorado Springs, Colo., used existing research on Anchorage and new research including phone interviews with visitors, decision-maker interviews, a facilitated public forum and other research to help create the brand. The MOA, ACVB and AEDC spent $80,000 on developing the brand and the two advertising agencies donated $20,000 in work.
AEDC President/CEO Bob Poe explained that the brand was created with three concepts in mind: first, to reinforce for residents their choice of Anchorage as home – as a special place like no other; second, to answer for visitors, their call for an exotic, “wild” destination with accessible, one-of-a-kind adventures mingled amongst sufficient urban amenities and conveniences; and third, to relay to people and organizations looking to do business here that Anchorage can provide a high level of business infrastructure and convenience as well as a quality of life that attracts and keeps employees.
“Anchorage residents are fortunate to be able to live extraordinary lives in an unmatched setting which appeals to locals and visitors alike,” said Mayor Mark Begich. “This new brand captures that notion and will help us attract even more tourists and business investment to our community.”
Anchorage brand research results showed that Anchorage offers a unique, larger-than-life lifestyle. Nerland and Stone Mantel explained that extensive brand research unveiled the many benefits that Anchorage provides: Its functional benefits (convenience, access, beauty), social benefits (community, opportunity) and emotional benefits (wild, unpretentious, spirited, open-hearted) are all essential to the brand. And, though these are just a sample of the benefits offered, investigative conversations with the focus groups made clear the final brand strategy that inspired “Anchorage Big Wild Life” – abundance permeates everything here.
Anchorage residents, visitors and the business community can learn more about the brand and submit stories about how they live big, wild lives at web site www.BigWildLife.net .
“Residents in Anchorage have access to incredible, scenery, adventures and activities year-round that make living life on a grand scale a daily experience,” says Bruce Bustamante, president and CEO of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau. “An average weekend in Anchorage is the dream of a lifetime for many and the city and surrounding wild amenities provide a highly unique opportunity to translate this personal experience to visitors.”
Go hassle-free on a houseboat vacation with new free VIP Concierge Service, including groceries and equipment loaded ahead of time and boats fueled up and ready to go upon your arrival with a new program. All you have to do is arrive at Lake Powell, step aboard with your friends or family, and with the cupboards already stocked, water skis and inner tubes ready, and the fuel tanks full, leave the experienced employee assist you with anchoring, and off you’ll go for a trip of a lifetime. Lake Powell concessionaire ARAMARK has introduced its Concierge Service for those who rent an Admiral Class (59-foot) houseboat from Wahweap Marina this summer. So, where is this Lake Powell? — it’s located on the border of Utah and Arizona in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area between the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks to the west, and Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to the east. It is the second largest man-made lake in the US, boasting more than 90 major red rock canyons and nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline.
Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas provides houseboat and powerboat rentals, lodging on the lake, and tours to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. More information about Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas can be found at www.lakepowell.com.
The world-famous Heard Museum always has something exciting on tap for visitors and locals. Upcoming exhibits include:
Life in a Cold Place: Artic Art from the Albrecht Collection --- On display through July 2007; Through a selection of prints, drawings and sculpture from the Albrecht Collection, this exhibit will examine the ways that artists depict their lives and survive in a cold environment. The art depicts themes of land, family, housing and traditional ways of getting food through hunting and fishing.
Sole Stories: American Indian Footwear --- On display through October 2007: Shoes as footwear and as art serve as the departure points for this exhibit about American Indian culture. The exhibit traces the history of shoes in American Indian culture utilizing early examples of shoes from the Heard Museum collection as well as contemporary art and footwear from a wide range of accomplished American Indians like Sioux medicine man Sitting Bull.
For more information on additional events, contact the Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, Phoenix; 602-252-8848 (between McDowell and Thomas). Fee charged.
Phoenix Golf Resort Specials
If you missed the Greatest Show on Grass tournament, don't worry! For those who want to live like a pro for a week-getting tips from renowned instructors and partaking of quirky indulgences like a warm golf-ball massage-this is the place to be.
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
A massage with hot stones? That’s for cavemen. Serious golfers (and not-so-serious ones, too) prefer a more unique spa treatment after a day of hunching over putts and trying to drive par 3s. For them, the Four Seasons Spa has devised the “Golf Specialty Massage.” During this 50- or 80-minute treatment, guests relax as a therapist rolls warm rolls golf balls along the large muscles of the spine and neck. The massage also incorporates stretching and therapeutic massage techniques that relieve muscle tension and stress.
Pointe Hilton Resorts
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak and Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resorts, two mountainside resorts in Phoenix, offer customized golf-vacation packages that allow visitors to select from 33 courses in the area. And as long as golfers are in town for the FBR Open, they might as well work on their game at the Hilton Golf Academy, located at Lookout Mountain Golf Club at Tapatio Cliffs. The instruction team there will be offering a Skills Challenge for junior golfers on Feb. 3. During the training session a team of professionals will review participants’ driving distance and accuracy, as well as provide lessons in chipping and putting.
Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa
The 77-year-old Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa is known as the “Jewel of the Desert” because of its Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture and 39 acres of picturesque grounds. The resort’s Golf package includes one-night accommodations, 18 holes of golf at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club and breakfast. Golfers who want to be pampered might want to try the Golf & Spa package, which adds a 50-minute massage to the aforementioned mix.
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is a luxurious resort located within two miles of the FBR Open. It is offering a 10 percent discount off the total bill at The Rim lounge to anyone who presents his or her FBR Open ticket. The resort is home to Kierland Golf Club, which features three distinct nine-hole courses that are recognized by Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa
The venerable Wigwam Golf Club, built in 1929 and recently spruced up with a $15 million renovation, offers two exclusive golf packages-the Classic and Timeless. The Classic package includes one round of golf per day and unlimited use of the club’s practice facilities. The Timeless package includes unlimited use of practice facilities and bag storage. Golfers might also to enroll at Jim McLean Golf School, which features instructors who have worked with players such as Ryan Armour, Jerry Kelly, Chris Perry, and Chris Smith-all of whom have a chance of competing in the FBR Open. U.S. News and World Report, CNN, and Travel + Leisure magazine have all praised the school, which features flat-screen monitors, JC Video swing-analysis computer software, and club fitting and ball-flight analysis in its Superstation instruction bays. Instruction rates start at $95 per hour.
Guests at L’Auberge de Sedona can experience the newest spa in the southwest. This new spa complements the romantic, secluded and naturally spectacular environment of the intimate creek side retreat. Offering Institut Esthederm, L’Occitane and ElizabethW products, guests of L’Auberge de Sedona can experience treatments in one of the spacious new spa treatment rooms or enjoy their sessions creek side in an airy spa cabana. For a more romantic experience, an in-cottage treatment allows guests to let the therapists come to them, bringing (upon request) such sumptuous goodies as chocolates truffles and champagne.
“L’Auberge de Sedona is a naturally beautiful place set in a lush forest, on the banks of Oak Creek and surrounded by Arizona’s famous red rocks,” said Spa Director Lisa Theriault. “People come here primarily for romance, relaxation and to take part in the outdoor adventures Sedona has to offer. We wanted The Spa at L’Auberge to enhance those experiences for all of our guests. The spa is a place for them to reconnect, unwind and be pampered.”
Special Signature treatments include “Deep Blue Lavender Embrace.” Locally grown lavender accompanies you through a gentle sequence of buffing, followed by a wrap of shea lavender, paraffin for the hands and feet and scalp massage. This treatment finishes with a 30-minute essential lavender oil massage. Also offered are Signature seasonal massages with aloe vera for optimal hydration, perfect after an active day in the outdoors of Sedona.
To ensure that The Spa at L’Auberge establishes itself as one of the most memorable in the southwest, Theriault and General Manager Joe Mottershead recruited the “Elite Eight.” These elite eight estheticians and massage therapists will provide guests with an experience that combines their first-rate professional expertise as well as the philosophy of the spa: reconnect, unwind and be pampered.
To reserve accommodations and spa appointments, call L’Auberge de Sedona at 800-420-1806.
Wintertime in Sedona is Perfect for a Vacation & Spa
The Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa has been awarded AAA's Four Diamond Rating and is one of Arizona's Best. To obtain the AAA Four Diamond rating, hotels must have refined and stylish surroundings and an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail. More than 50,000 establishments throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean are inspected each year and yet, of those, only three percent of the lodgings are recipients of the Four Diamond Award.
Centrally located, Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa is minutes from Uptown Sedona, Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village and Gallery Row. Sedona Rouge is also the ideal home base for exploring Sedona’s world of outdoor adventures where 1.8 million acres of the adjacent Coconino National Forest offer unlimited opportunities.
Each of Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa’s 77 richly appointed guest rooms, suites and spa rooms have been designed in the spirit of Andalusian luxury, with dramatic colors and richly textured fabrics. Rooms are appointed with custom king or double queen beds, goose down feather duvets, a chaise lounge, ornate desk and Syrian chest. Additional amenities include 32” LCD flat screen televisions and spacious walk-in showers with overhead rain-shower sprays. Many rooms feature vaulted ceilings, fireplaces and balconies with delicate ironwork from Tunisia. Complimentary wireless and high-speed Internet access are available throughout the property.
Additional amenities include the lavish Spa at Sedona Rouge, set apart from the main hotel, where guests can create their own custom treatments from cutting edge modalities in a luxurious setting.
Reds is Sedona Rouge’s cosmopolitan American bistro and bar known equally for its gourmet cuisine as for its delicious comfort foods. The extensive wine list features new and old world wines that will please the most discriminating of palates. Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa offers conference and event planners 4,400 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event facilities, including a fully appointed executive boardroom, a 2,000 square foot conference room, and a raised observation deck offering stunning Red Rock views, that can accommodate receptions of up to 50 people.
Additional event spaces, such as the Terrace and the Column Garden, have been designed as private oases for smaller gatherings, from business mixers to family parties, enhanced by dramatic vistas of brilliantly sunlit Red Rock outcroppings and lush green canyons. An executive chef and banquet and catering staffs are available to prepare full course breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa is located at 2250 West Highway 89A in Sedona, Arizona. The hotel can be reached by calling 928-203-4111 or toll free at (866) 312-4111. E-mail inquiries can be sent to info@sedonarouge.com. Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa or check web site www.sedonarouge.com.
If you want to be where the New South meets the Old West, plan a trip to Fort Smith -- famous for its hospitality, Blues, barbecue, Bach, broncos, belles and beautiful scenery. It's a city with a colorful and historic past which has grown into a meetinghouse for the past, present and future with its well-preserved frontier spirit. Arkansas's second-largest city, Fort Smith is located on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border and near the junction of Interstates 40 and 540. Named after General Thomas A. Smith, commander of all military forces west of the Mississippi River in 1817, the city's birth year, Fort Smith is nestled along the banks of the Arkansas River and at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. While there, don't miss stopping in at "Miss Laura's." Once called the 'Riverfront Hotel" - just to be proper - this is the only former bordello listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built just before 19090, it was once the most popular place on the city's bawdy Front Street along the Arkansas River. The "house," later renamed "Miss Laura's," has been magnificently restored in Victorian splendor. You won't see the original 'ladies,' but you will be treated royally. (Located at 2 North B Street. Call 1-800-637-1477 for hours/admission.
After touring the house, check out Miss Laura's Players. Formed in early 1993, this talented local group presents an original musical comedy skit spoofing life in early Fort Smith during the time of "Hangin' Judge" Isaac Parker and "Miss Laura" herself. It's entitled "Medicine Show on Hanging Day," and the performers are dressed in colorful period costumes entertaining visitors in the dinner theater with a variety of songs, dances, and laughter. (Located at the above address. For hours/admission, call 1-800-637-1477).
At the Belle Grove Historic District, a 22-square block area bounded by North 5h Street, North H Street, North 8th Street, and North C Street, this area is near the downtown and was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in the early 1970s. Since then at least 40 homes that span 130 years of varying architectural styles have been restored, with some open for tours.
At the Fort Smith National Historic Site, you'll find two walk-in recreated frontier jails, and new displays and exhibits. The site also contains he remains of two military posts built to keep pace on the frontier when southeastern Indian Tribes were relocated to Indian Territory. The Visitor Center had served as the former barracks building for the second fort, built in the 1830s on the Belle Point area overlooking the Arkansas River. Later, the barracks housed the courtroom of the federal judge for the Western District of Arkansas. The courtroom has been completely restored, and visitors can walk around inside the early basement jail once considered so horrid it was called "Hell on the Border." Adjacent to the restored barracks building is the Commissary Building -- a major military supply center during the mid-1800s. Later, it was used as Judge Parker's chambers. During his 21-year tenure on the bench beginning in 1875, Parker was known as the "Hanging Judge." He presided over 13,000 cases and sentenced 160 men to hang. Of those, 79 died on the gallows which were capable of hanging more than six men at one time. (Located at Third Street at Rogers. For information/hours, call 479-783-3961.
There are many more sites and attractions. Contact Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2 North B, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901; 1-800-637-1477 for more information and free brochures.
Garrison Keillor’s Jazzman, Andy Stein, and His Blue Four
Will Perform at Hot Springs’ Horner Hall on Saturday, April 28
Andy Stein, the eclectic musician who has appeared with Garrison Keillor in two Hot Springs performances, will bring his band, Andy Stein’s Blue Four, to Horner Hall at the Hot Springs Convention Center on Saturday, April 28.
The performance will begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets will be $10 each, with all seats reserved. They will be available through Ticketmaster locations and at www.ticketmaster.com
Stein’s resume shows him to be a master of musical styles that encompass rock, country, jazz and classical. In Blue Four he fulfills a lifelong dream of merging his two favorite musical activities: playing swing and playing chamber music.
The group comprises accomplished musicians on violin, guitar, piano and reeds. Everyone takes a turn a being a soloist and everyone is in the rhythm section, since there is no bass or drums. In addition to Stein, members include guitarist Matt Munisteri, Scott Robinson on horns and pianist Conal Fowkes. Their repertory ranges from novelty tunes to hot jazz to beautiful jazz and popular ballads from the 1920s and ‘30s.
“Andy knocked people out with his playing when he was here twice before as part of Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion performances,” said Steve Arrison, executive director of the Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, “so when we had a chance to have him bring his own band to town we jumped at the chance. Andy’s music covers every musical style, and I know his April 28 performance will be a knockout.”
Besides freelancing as a violinist/violist in chamber and orchestra groups in his native New York, Stein has recorded with Itzhak Perlman, Placido Domingo, Marilyn Horne, Frederica Von Stade, toured China with a string quartet, and performed concertos with orchestras in New York, Chicago, New England, Pacific Northwest, and the South. He was a founding member of the legendary rock Band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.
Stein has appeared on numerous television programs including Late Night with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, Great Performances (PBS) and As The World Turns (CBS). He has also been a featured soloist in a number of Broadway shows, including the Lincoln Center production of "Anything Goes," and the 1990s Broadway revivals of "Guys and Dolls" and "Fiddler on the Roof." He has produced records of rock 'n' roll and jazz, and conducted on radio and television.
With Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, his distinctive style on violin and saxophone added a swing element to this beloved rock 'n' roll band of the early '70's. He subsequently worked with Asleep at the Wheel, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker Band, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Alan Menken, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Smashing Pumpkins, Grover Washington Jr., Chakka Kahn, Diane Reeves, Barbara Cook, Audra McDonald, Dionne Warwick, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Memphis Horns, Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, Kathie Lee Gifford, Manhattan Transfer, Tony Bennett, Carol King, James Taylor, Michael Jackson and others.
He won a Grammy award for Best Country Instrumental in 1978. He has performed for two presidents of the United States, the president of the Dominican Republic, four mayors of New York, and for the Native American occupying force on Alcatraz.
In the jazz field Stein has been a featured soloist with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods, Manhattan Transfer, Jon Faddis, Dick Hyman, Jon Hendricks, Eddie Daniels, Turtle Island String Quartet, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, Ken Peplowski, Bob Wilbur, Harold Ashby, Andy Bey, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli and others.
For the last 18 years his violin and saxophone have been heard weekly on public radio nationwide, as he performs in the "house band" of A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. He is also featured prominently in the Robert Altman film of the same name, both in the sound track and on screen, performing with Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan and others.
For more information contact Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
In-Woods Expo 2007 Hosts Prentice Loader Championship
In-Woods Expo 2007 will host the first of this year’s Prentice Loader Championships April 26-28 at its in-woods fairground near Hot Springs, Ark.
In-Woods Expo 2007, following up on the very successful 2004 event, will come back to Hot Springs this time on a 300-acre managed forest owned by Weyerhaeuser. Join 5,000 forestry professionals —-loggers, foresters, and landowners —- to interact with manufacturer and dealer representatives in a situation in which equipment can be demonstrated, in action, in a full-scale harvesting situation.
The Loader Championship will begin at noon on Thursday, April 26, and continue until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 28. The top five finishers from the regular contest will compete at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Championship Trophy Run to determine the final top five winners.
Several of last year’s Grand National competitors may try to continue their winning streaks at In-Woods Expo. At least one, Brent Hill of Lillington, N.C., who placed third in the Grand National, says he is going to go for the “Triple Crown” and try to win all three competitions this year.
In addition to live demonstrations of timber harvesting and processing equipment, and other product exhibitions, the three-day In-Woods Expo, a joint project of the Forest Resources Association and the Arkansas Timber Producers Association, will hold practical educational sessions directed to both loggers and landowners. The Southern chapter of the Council on Forest Engineering will hold its annual meeting, with seminars, on In-Woods Expo’s opening day, April 26. A Log A Load For Kids® fundraising dinner will be held in Hot Springs that evening.
For a registration form, contact FRA at 301/838-9385, fra@forestresources.org. A video preview is loaded at www.in-woods-expo.com.
In-Woods Expo 2007, April 26-28, 2007 in western Arkansas, is a joint project of the Arkansas Timber Producers Association and the Forest Resources Association. Please visit www.in-woods-expo.com.
2007 Timberwood Concert Series at Magic Springs
Sixteen blockbuster concerts, including performances by Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Blues Traveler, Jo Dee Messina, The Manhattans and John Kay & Steppenwolf, will thrill fans this summer when Magic Springs & Crystal Falls presents its 2007 Timberland Amphitheater concert series.
“We have a great lineup of concerts for our fans this season, with outstanding groups representing classic rock, country, Christian rock, R & B, blues rock, Hispanic and other styles of music,” said Aundrea Crary, marketing manager at Magic Springs. “And the great thing is that all 16 concerts are free for our 2007 season pass holders. For only $49.99, you can get unlimited visits to the Magic Springs ride park, the newly expanded Crystal Falls water park, plus 16 evenings of musical excitement. That’s an entertainment bargain that can’t be beat anywhere in America.”
Season passes are available for purchase at the park, at web site www.magicsprings.com or by calling 501-624-0100.
The concerts also are included as part of a daily admission ticket, Crary said.
She said regular single-day admission is $44.99; children under 52 inches tall and seniors 55 years or older $34.99; admission after 5 p.m. is $34.99, and children 2 years and under are admitted free.
Reserved seating for the concerts is $5 per concert, and reserved seats may be obtained now by calling the park at 501-624-0100 or by visiting the park ticket Sales office.
The 2007 Timberwood Concert Series will kick off on June 2 with a performance by rising country star Jason Aldean, who was named the Top New Male Performer of 2006 by the Academy of country music.
Here is the 2007 Timberwood Concert Series lineup. All concerts begin at 8 p.m., with the exception of the two Christian concert dates that begin at 7 p.m.
• June 2 — Jason Aldean, named Top New Male Vocalist of 2006 by the Academy of Country Music, for No. 1 hits, “Hicktown” and “Amarillo Sky.”
• June 9 — Heartland, a hot young country band from Alabama, which had a No. 1 single in 2006, “I Loved Her First.”
• June 16 — Christian Family Day at the park winds up with a concert by Point of Grace, the famed Christian music group that has been producing outstanding Christian music since its formation in 1992.
• June 23 — Loverboy, the classic rock group with such mega-hits as “Working for the Weekend” and “Queen of the Broken Hearts.”
• June 30 — Legendary R&B stars, The Manhattans, famous for such classic hits as “Kiss and Say Goodbye” and “Shining Star.”
• July 7 — Arkansas-reared country legend Tracy Lawrence, famed worldwide for such hits as “Sticks and Stones,” “Alibis” and “If the Good Die Young.”
• July 14 — Blues rock stars Blues Traveler will perform hits such as “Run-around” and “Hook.”
• July 21 — Classic rock superstars Creedence Clearwater Revisited will reprise hits from one of the best-known repertoires in music history, including “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising” and “Born on the Bayou.”
• July 28 — Little River Band, creators of such classic rock standbys as “Lady” and “Lonesome Loser.”
• August 4 — Christian Youth Day concludes with a concert by Christian rock stars Third Day.
• August 11 — Country star Neal McCoy, whose hits include “No Doubt About It.”
• August 18 — The Platters, one of the greatest R&B groups in the history of American music, will be the performers. Reminisce with tunes such as “Only You.”
• August 25 — John Kay & Steppenwolf who are out on their“farewell tour,” will perform their smash hits, “Born to Be Wild,” “Magic Carpet Ride,” “Monster: and others from a repertoire that sold more than 35 million records.
• September 1 — Jo Dee Messina, the country superstar, will perform hits such as “Heads Carolina Tails California” and “Bye Bye.”
• September 8 — The Memphis Soul Review reprises legendary R&B hits from the Memphis sound, including “Soul Man,” “Respect” and “Dock of the Bay.”
• September 15 — Spanish Heritage Day features a concert by Hispanic stars Sisters Morales and John Arthur Martinez. Martinez was a runner-up in the nationally televised show, “Nashville Star.”
Magic Springs opens for the 2007 season on April 7 and will be open weekends until May 26, when seven-day-a-week operations begin. Weekend operations resume from August 25 through October 28 on Saturdays and Sundays only (except for a three-day weekend for Labor Day).
Magic Springs & Crystal Falls is located at 1701 East Grand Avenue in Hot Springs, a 45-minute drive from Little Rock and within easy driving distance from Memphis, Shreveport, Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa.
For more information about the park or the concerts call Aundrea Crary at 501-624-0100.
Hot Springs National Park Season Tickets Now on Sale
Season passes for the 2007 Magic Springs & Crystal Falls season are now on sale.
“The Magic Springs season pass already is the greatest entertainment bargain in Arkansas, and we are maintaining the price for a regular pass at $49.99, the same low price as 2006,” said Dan Aylward, president and general manager of the park. “The pass allows unlimited visits to the park, which features some of the greatest thrill rides and family rides in America, plus the Crystal Falls water park,” Aylward said. “In addition the pass allows free admission to the nationally acclaimed Timberwood Amphitheater summer concert series: 17 exciting performances by world-famous performers in every facet of music.”
“We have been voted one of the top three family-friendly attractions in America by Better Homes & Gardens Magazine,” he said, “and we are constantly improving our product to make the season pass an unsurpassed bargain.” Aylward said the Magic Springs Gold Pass will cost $69.99, a $10 increase from last year, “but still an excellent way to add even more value to your entertainment dollar.”
The Gold Pass allows free admission to all rides, shows and attractions, including
17 concerts, plus free parking and a $200 coupon book for in-park offerings. Magic Springs is located on Highway 70 East in Hot Springs, 45 minutes southwest of Little Rock.
For more information and to purchase passes, call 501-318-5370 or check web site www.magicsprings.com . Magic Springs & Crystal Falls will open the 2007 season on April 7, operating weekends only through May 21 and opens daily on May 26.
EAST Returns to Hot Springs Convention Center for Nationally Recognized Conference
High-Tech Students Exemplify the Theme of “Limits Not Included”
Hot Springs Upcoming Events
March 31 — USARPS-Bud Light Garland County Rock Paper Scissors Championship at the Convention Center. Semifinals begin at 5:30 p.m., finals at 7:30 p.m. Sixty-four players throw down rock paper or scissors for the chance to go to Las Vegas for the national championship and $50,000 in prizes. Anyone is welcome to come and watch for free. Entrants must be 21 or older and pay a $3 entry fee, which will be donated to the Garland County Relay for Life. For more information call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
Through April 14 — Live racing at beautiful Oaklawn Park. America’s top Thoroughbreds compete in the nation’s most beautiful racetrack setting. Live racing is Wednesdays through Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Fine dining, electronic games of skill. Call 1-800-OAKLAWN or visit web site www.oaklawn.com
April 6 – 14 — Hot SpringFest, featuring concerts, horse racing, springtime activities. Call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
April 11 — KC & The Sunshine Band and Village People in concert starting at 7:30 p.m. at Summit Arena. Call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
Through April 18 — Tulip Extravaganza at Garvan Woodland Gardens. More than 93,000 tulips commingle with the springtime beauty of the woodland arboretum, including thousands of redbud trees and azaleas. Call 501-262-9300.
April 13 — Derby Dance featuring the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in Horner Hall at the Convention Center. Classic Big Band dance begins at 7:30 p.m. All tickets $20. Call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.
April 19 – 22 — Classic Corvette Weekend brings hundreds of the sporty cars to Hot Springs for car show, exhibits, scavenger hunt and more. Call Teresa Perciful at 501-851-8550.
Although the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park is well worth visiting, there's much more to see and do in Little Rock, the state capital. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the public parks, zoo, public and private golf courses, and the numerous hiking and biking trails. Sports persons will enjoy the professional basketball, football, NCAA Sun Belt Conference competition, and Ray Winder Field, home to the Arkansas Travelers AA baseball team. History buffs can check out the Old State House Museum, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Arkansas Arts Center, and many more museums and historical landmarks. If music is your love, check out the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Ballet Arkansas and the Arkansas Arts Center.
For more information, contact the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Statehouse Plaza, P.O. Box 3232, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203; 501-376-4781, or check wet site www.littlerock.com.
Quail Botantical Gardens is always worth a half or full day. Here, among 30 acres of gardens in Encinitas you'll find unusual plant displays from all over the world and the Seeds of Wonder garden, specially designed for children. The price is $40 per person for an annual membership but day passes are given as well.
Legoland is a definite adventure where you can be a kid again.
Experience the more than 50 rides, shows and attractions with a special VIP Tour with a personal guide, front-of-the-line privileges, and special front-row seating at all shows. The price is $200 per hour in addition to admission.
Escondido Children's Museum
Escondido Children's Museum is where you can explore, experiment, and learn with an annual membership to the Escondido Children's Museum. Choose from a grandparent, family or patron membership starting at $25.
Wild Animal Park
Plan on a sleepover and spend the night listening to a pack of snoring rhinoceroses or wake up surrounded by sharks. These unique accommodations, available at many of the area attractions such as the Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld and the Birch Aquarium, provide overnight programs for visitors looking for a different way to experience these popular points of interest. Prices are from $50 up.
At the Cheetah Run Safari at the Wild Animal Park, journey to a rustic camp where you can witness the cheetah's explosive sprint reach up to 60 miles per hour, while chasing a mechanical rabbit lure. Price is $69, plus admission.
Or, at the Wild Animal park, take the Photo Caravan Safari. This is an intimate adventure inside the park's field habitats in open-air trucks. Close-up photography opportunities are the norm when Indian rhinocerros lumber alongside vehicles and giraffes peer into the camera lens from inches away. Price is $90-$130, plus admission.
Lake Tahoe: America’s Premiere Ski Destination
Record snowfall and ubiquitous sunshine left skiers and snowboarders worldwide salivating for more snow days last winter at Ski Lake Tahoe’s seven premier resorts. Good news: the 2006-07 winter season will be better than ever at Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe, and Squaw Valley USA.
Bridging the border between California and Nevada, the Tahoe region isn’t just a ski destination, it’s a winter paradise with more rideable acreage in close proximity than any other U.S. destination, more than 300 days of sunshine per year, easy access from anywhere in the country through the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, and more dining and entertainment outlets to appease all interests from the young-and-beautiful to families and empty nesters.
Resort Events - More than 400 events listed from pray-for-snow parties and rail jams in November to snow golf, wine festivals and swimsuit slaloms in May.
Deep Snow Phenomenon - Tahoe’s resorts average 35 feet of snow per season - an insane amount that dwarfs all other major ski destinations - yet the region gets extraordinary amounts of sunshine. Learn why this phenomenon exists and why bluebird days are the standard.
Expert Terrain - Steeped in powder and powered by steeps, Tahoe’s resorts offer a lifetime of challenging terrain for thrill seeking riders.
Travel Tips - Lake Tahoe’s resorts start at only 30-minutes up the road from the Reno/Tahoe International Airport. The region is easy to access and package deals are available at the click of a mouse.
Family Fun - kids and parents don’t have time to be bored in Tahoe. Ski Lake Tahoe’s resorts offer extensive kids on- and off-hill programs to ensure everyone has fun.
Terrain Parks - Tahoe’s resorts feature 20-plus world-class terrain parks and halfpipes frequented by the ski and snowboard world’s top athletes.
Dining and Entertainment - Tahoe never sleeps. The North and South shores offer rock star night clubs, top-name entertainers, 24-hour casino parties and an equal amount of family friendly alternatives that complete the Ski Lake Tahoe experience.
Lake Tahoe continues upgrades and improvements from new construction and shopping villages to new clinics, backcountry tours, lifts and park and pipe features on the Hill. With more than $300 million in improvements and upgrades within the past few years and even more in store for the next five years, Lake Tahoe has gained international attention by balancing one of the world’s most naturally beautiful geographical regions with a state-of-the-art winter vacation experience.
All seven of the Ski Lake Tahoe Resorts (Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Squaw Valley USA) offer a view of the “Big Blue,” along with resort improvements ranging from entire town remodel projects at Heavenly and Northstar to new groomed trail patterns at Alpine Meadows and Mount Rose, to new ski and snowboard clinics at Squaw Valley USA and snow cat tours at Kirkwood. Terrain park lovers will be impressed with Sierra-at-Tahoe’s endless top-to-bottom runs touting features for all ability levels. Born from the vision of intrepid ski pioneers, Olympic competition, and San Francisco area outdoor enthusiasts, authentic roots prevail in the mountains of Lake Tahoe; and that traditional spirit of winter play has been enhanced by top-notch lift systems, the country’s best snowmaking facilities, lavish mountain villages, and a local culture unto its own. Winter 2006/2007 plans to welcome visitors from around the globe with new amenities that will perhaps play a hand in turning some of those visitors into the area’s newest locals:
Alpine Meadows Ski Resort
Internationally renowned for its hike-to backcountry terrain, Alpine Meadows plans to add a little yin to its yang by enhancing and adding signature groomed runs. With the purchase of an additional grooming machine (called a winch cat), guests can experience different areas of Alpine’s wide open bowls and steeps on new, high-speed groomed routes. The new groomed trails (called high-angle groomers) will cater to everyone’s inner Bode Miller. Alpine Meadows will reinvent the definition of “terrain park” by offering features for all skiing and riding ability level from the very top of the mountain to the base lodge. Various table tops, roller jumps, rails and boxes will be designated to unique trail locale. In addition, the superpipe will move to a new location, offering a perfectly maintained feature for all jibbers on a daily basis. The second phase of Alpine’s base lodge remodel project will be finished for the start of winter 2006/2007, adding the same warm alpine lodge ambiance of the first floor foyer to the second floor fireplace and restaurant area.
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Over the past few seasons, more than $200 million were poured into Heavenly’s mountain and village improvements – a gondola, new resort hotels, new lifts, better snowmaking, improved grooming, extensive lodge renovations, a world-class ski school facility, and a family adventure center that lets non-skiers join the fun! And Heavenly's not done yet. The resort is currently in the approval phase for a Master Plan that will bring a number of new improvements, beginning with a new lift on the Nevada side and an on-mountain, day-use lodge. The town of South Lake Tahoe continues to make improvements as well, and will break ground in spring of 2007 on a new development across the street from Heavenly's Gondola which will feature a 4,000-person convention center, 250 luxury hotel rooms and a pedestrian bridge to connect it with the Heavenly Village.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
If a visitor is looking for mind-bending steeps, groomed runs with exceptional pitch, and the area’s deepest snow, Kirkwood is a must-ski. The only resort to offer snowcat-only accessible terrain, winter zealots and powder hounds will appreciate the resort’s ability to serve up a bounty of fresh snow on off-the-beaten-path terrain. Part of the Expedition: Kirkwood series of backcountry tours, clinics, and educational camps, Kirkwood’s Powder Cat Tours are available twice daily to skiers and snowboarders of strong intermediate ability and above. In partnership with Burton Snowboards, Kirkwood is pleased to introduce the region’s first Women’s Learn to Ride Center. Specially designed equipment and proven teaching techniques help women start to link turns faster than ever before. Kirkwood’s incredible learning terrain offers perfect fall line and gentle graduated pitch, with the added bonus of not having advanced skiers and riders whizzing by.
Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe
Allowing early season access to the Slide Bowl, Mt. Rose has expanded its snowmaking system to include Silver Dollar run. Other improvements for 2006/07 include major parking improvements with 400 new spaces complimenting both the Main & Slide Lodge facilities. Knowing that one day is simply not enough, Mt. Rose has created a three day learning package appropriately titled the “Flight Plan.” Stemming from the already screaming $49 First-timer package, this all inclusive, multi-day product is only $99 and virtually ensures the guest will be well on their way towards achieving intermediate ability skills after three days of on snow experiences.
Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort
Continuing its destination development that has turned heads for the past two winters, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort has begun the next phase of its state-of-the-art project. Northstar Resort is investing $10.5 million in the next phase of mountain improvements which will result in the completion of two new Doppelmayr lifts for the 2006/07 winter season. The planned lifts include a high-speed six-pack which will dramatically improve access to Lookout Mountain and the Backside. The new lift will whisk riders up nearly 1,050 vertical feet in just five minutes. The new six-pack will access 13 total trails and 137 acres of total terrain, including 60 acres of new intermediate terrain. The second lift is a European-style surface lift to replace Salmon Tow, which transported guests over to the resort’s popular advanced terrain on Lookout Mountain. Phase One of the new Village at Northstar will be complete this upcoming winter, breathing a vibrant energy into the new Village. New shops, boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants will complement the ice skating rink and nine fire pits located at the heart of the Village. Upon completion, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort will have invested a total of $30 million into these commercial improvements.
Boasting the largest snowmaking system on the North Shore, over 50 percent of the developed mountain is now covered with snowmaking, with expanded coverage off of Vista Express and the new six-pack lift. Northstar’s expanded cross-country center will be relocated to make room for the new Ritz-Carlton Highlands resort being built and will now offer more convenient and direct access to the resort’s scenic cross-country trails. Northstar plans to add a new parking lot containing 600 spaces and additional shuttle bus schedules will improve access to and from the resort.
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Receiving top accolades from Transworld Snowboarding, Sierra-at-Tahoe’s six terrain parks will continue to offer new features at its top-shelf jibbing scene; however, the South Lake Tahoe youth action mountain will entice beginner park users with the all new Burton Progression Park. Simply put, the Progression Park is for all who have always wanted to try skiing or boarding in a terrain park, but haven’t quite worked up the nerve and/or shed their inhibitions. Sierra-at-Tahoe will team up with Burton Snowboards to introduce its Progression Park this season with boxes, jumps and rails all located mere inches from the ground, in a non-intimidating fashion. This will be the perfect training ground for those who have always wanted to test gravity, one inch at a time. Sierra-at-Tahoe will also offer lessons on these mini freestyle terrain features so that skiers/riders learn the proper technique when getting started.
Squaw Valley USA
Squaw Valley USA is once again gearing efforts toward improving the overall guest experience for the 2006/07 winter season. Environmental sustainability remains a primary focus; in an effort to preserve the area’s precious ecosystems, Squaw Valley is refraining from expansion beyond the natural footprint. With the ever changing daily conditions and events, a ski resort can be a confusing place. To ensure every guest gets the most out of their visit, Squaw Valley is introducing Squaw Valley TV. There will be plasma TVs placed in areas like the Cable Car lobby and the rental shop. At these Squaw Valley TV terminals guests can view real time lift updates, info on conditions and upcoming events and activities to ensure that they are dressed for the weather and never miss out on what’s going on at Squaw. On Squaw Valley TV, skiers and snowboarders can also learn tips from pros about anything from making powder turns to waxing their skis or boards.
Squaw Valley is stepping it up for the 2006/07 winter season with an increase in snowmaking. The Papoose beginner area at the bottom of the mountain and the popular Gold Coast intermediate area up top will both see increased snowmaking. Squaw Valley is expanding snowmaking efforts from 400 acres and 10 percent of terrain to 600 acres and 15 percent of terrain for the 2006/07 season. Squaw Valley USA is proud to introduce Squaw Sessions, a ski and snowboard camp for teens, offered during holidays and peak periods. Not your average ski school, Squaw Sessions will teach teens about the origins of the freeride movement at Squaw Valley, as well as tools to master terrain park and big mountain skiing and riding. Beginners need not apply; Squaw Sessions is for burgeoning rippers who are not afraid to shred off-piste. Specifically designed for ski and snowboard crazed 13 to 17 year-olds, Squaw Sessions will provide the newschool breed with the opportunity to experience Squaw Valley’s rich freeride culture firsthand. Teens will meet their coaches in the morning and be placed in groups based on ability. As a group, the teens will decide together what they want to work on that day. Whether they fantasize about conquering steep “big mountain” lines, like Shane McConkey or Jeremy Jones, or jibbing and jumping in one of Squaw Valley’s three terrain parks, like CR Johnson or Eric Messier, Squaw Sessions is the open window into a young shred-dog’s dream.
Last season Squaw Valley introduced an on-mountain Demo Center located at the top of the Funitel in the Gold Coast Lodge. The popularity of this convenient amenity has prompted additional improvements to the Demo Center including a new women-specific line to cater to the distinct intricacies of the female body. There will also be a brand new fleet of skis including the newest models of K2, Atomic, Volkl, Rossignol, and Salomon. From the shaped beginner ski for easy turning, to the fat ski for the frequent deep Squaw Valley powder day, to the twin tip park ski for rail sliding and “dropping in” switch, the Demo Center allows skiers to choose the perfect ski to fit their tastes and ability.
About Ski Lake Tahoe
Surrounding North America’s largest alpine lake, the seven resorts that make up Ski Lake Tahoe are Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Squaw Valley USA. Lake Tahoe boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, and last winter the region had the most snowfall in North America. The seven resorts, all offering unparalleled scenic vistas of panoramic mountain and lake views, are located less than an hour from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and two hours from Sacramento International Airport.
For further information, check web site www.skilaketahoe.com.
Lake Tahoe Greets Up to Five Feet of Snow
Lake Tahoe received abundant snowfall with a winter storm dumping an average of nearly three feet of powder on Ski Lake Tahoe resorts since Thursday with snowfall continuing today. Reporting up to five feet of powder at the highest elevation, resorts were blanketed in fresh snow, sending out the reminder that in Tahoe, snow is measured in feet, not inches.
With top-of-the-line snowmaking systems in place, Ski Lake Tahoe resorts have entertained skiers and snowboarders this season with snow packs offering amazing groomed runs and wide-open terrain parks as the sun continued to shine over the past several weeks. Sun or snow, Ski Lake Tahoe resorts continued to offer visitors great mid-winter conditions and scenic lake views that make Tahoe one of the world’s most unique ski destinations.
Those looking to spend their upcoming President’s Day weekend and spring break on excellent terrain, surrounded by sun and snow, should simply come to Tahoe. Unparalleled entertainment will keep visitors going all night, while the culture and relaxed and friendly attitude around the Lake will keep them going all day. Nowhere else can you be on the snowy mountains all day, enjoy world-class entertainment all night, and start all over again the next day, with so many nearby resorts to choose from.
About Ski Lake Tahoe
Surrounding North America’s largest alpine lake, the seven resorts that make up Ski Lake Tahoe are Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort and Squaw Valley USA. Lake Tahoe boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, and last winter the region had the most snowfall in North America. The seven resorts, all offering unparalleled scenic vistas of panoramic mountain and lake views, are located less than an hour from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
For further information and to directly book travel, lodging and transportation for Ski Lake Tahoe resorts and its travel partners all in one web site, visit www.skilaketahoe.com.
Visit Los Angeles’ contemporary art scene
The Millennium Biltmore offers a Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) package, offering accommodations and two admission passes to the museum. Guests can view WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution (through July 16, 2007), billed as "the first comprehensive, historical exhibition" of feminist art. Rates begin at $189, valid through July 31, 2007.
American Girl ® At The Millennium Biltmore With A Special Package
Now every young girl’s dream of taking a vacation with their “best friend” is just a phone call away: The Millennium Biltmore is introducing its inaugural “American Girl” package.
The package features overnight accommodations for up to four persons (two adults and two children), American Girl amenities (bath/body product and story book), American Girl doll bed for in-room use, complimentary transportation to the American Girl store at the Grove Los Angeles Shopping Center and complimentary breakfast for up to two children in the hotel’s Smeraldi’s restaurant. The package is based on availability, valid through the end of 2007 with rates beginning at $249.
For reservations check web site www.millenniumhotels.com or call 800-245-8673.
The Millennium Biltmore is also displaying an American Girl doll which can be won by guests who book the “American Girl” package. Guests will be entered into a special drawing to win the American Girl prize.
About the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles
A landmark since its completion in 1923 and the “star” of numerous movies and TV shows filmed at the property, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, has long been the “host of the coast” for high society, celebrities and conventioneers from around the globe. Renowned for its exquisite Spanish-Italian Renaissance-style architecture, the stately 683-room property includes 48 suites and 70,000 square feet of elegantly designed meeting space with five ballrooms.
The Biltmore’s Crystal Ballroom was the site of several early Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banquets, and the 11,546-square-foot Biltmore Bowl recently reopened after a $3 million renovation to prepare the grand venue for another century of memorable events. The hotel also features an Art Deco-inspired fitness center and indoor swimming pool, three restaurants (including one serving modern Asian cuisine), two lounges and 24-hour room service.
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, was designated a historical landmark in 1969 by the City of Los Angeles. The hotel showcases numerous fine works of art, including a ceiling masterpiece in the Crystal Ballroom painted by Giovanni Smeraldi of Vatican fame. Located just 30 minutes from LAX and Burbank airports, the property is conveniently located in the heart of Los Angeles amid the city’s business, financial and cultural centers, including the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall.
ABOUT AMERICAN GIRL
American Girl, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com), the world’s leading toy company. Since American Girl’s inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.
American Girl dolls, books and related products are sold exclusively through the company’s consumer catalogue, online at www.americangirl.com, and at American Girl Place®, its proprietary retail stores in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005 or visit www.americangirl.com.
About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR), established in the United States in 2000, is the North American arm of London-based Millennium and Copthorne Hotels plc (MLC). The MHR portfolio includes 20 holdings in The Americas, and the company operates properties including: Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City; Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City; Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo, New York; Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles; Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago; Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston; Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis; Millennium Hotel, St. Louis; Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati; Millennium Harvest House, Boulder; Millennium Hotel, Durham; Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage; Millennium Resort, Scottsdale, McCormick Ranch; and the Millennium Maxwell House, Nashville.
MLC holdings outside of the Millennium brand include the Millenium Hilton Hotel in New York City. For further information on Millennium Hotels and Resorts, call 866-866-8086 or visit www.millenniumhotels.com.
Millennium and Copthorne Hotels comprises over 100 four and five star hotels with 24,681 rooms worldwide in 16 countries. Our World of Hospitality marketing alliance partner Maritim Hotels has 45 hotels with 13,069 rooms in 9 countries.
The celebrated Malibu Beach Inn will re-open in May 2007 after undergoing a multi-million dollar, head-to-toe remodel that will make it the only luxury hotel destination in Malibu.
The renovation, which began in October 2006, includes completely refinished interiors and exteriors, as well as the addition of a new dining room, expanded meeting space and a members-only beach club. While the hotel is closed, it is accepting reservations for its grand re-opening in late May.
“The hotel will offer a true Malibu experience,” says Managing Director Alan Goldschneider. “It will have a more sophisticated feel, but will also be the relaxed beach retreat our guests have come to know and love.”
The new Malibu Beach Inn is designed to complement its location on the sands of Malibu’s exclusive Carbon Beach by featuring clean-lined architecture and interiors, a beach-inspired color palette and natural materials. Rich woods, elegant stone, sleek glass and polished steel will be used throughout the hotel to create an organic indoor/outdoor experience that utilizes the setting’s unique marine assets.
At the heart of the renovation is a new guests-only 44-seat dining room, which will feature indoor and oceanfront terrace seating, both of which boast breathtaking views and the sound of the tumbling surf below. The hotel will offer a unique food and wine experience featuring an extensive list of hand-selected small-production wines from California’s premier wine regions paired with Mediterranean tapas and coastal California cuisine.
The hotel’s 47 guest rooms, including six suites, each with ocean views, balconies and fireplaces, will feature custom-made furnishings, luxurious fabrics and the latest communications and entertainment systems. In-room amenities will also include a mini-bar stocked with Dean & Deluca favorites, wine rack with hand-selected California vintages, and skin and hair care products from Molton Brown.
Plans for the hotel also feature an expanded lobby and 5,000 square feet of oceanfront meeting space with state of the art technology and full catering capabilities, as well as high-speed wireless and cable data connections throughout the hotel, making the Malibu Beach Inn a perfect destination for meetings and intimate corporate retreats.
Upon its opening, the Malibu Beach Inn will debut its Carbon Beach Club, an exclusive limited-membership experience that offers residents and non-hotel guests access to the hotel’s private beach with luxurious amenities and services.
About the Malibu Beach Inn
The privately owned Malibu Beach Inn is the only luxury oceanfront hotel destination between Santa Monica and Santa Barbara. Located on famed “Billionaire’s Beach,” the 47-room hotel was built in 1989 and has become a beloved destination for both leisure and business travelers. After a complete contemporary makeover, the property will feature a guests-only dining room, private beach club and attentive European-trained staff. The Malibu Beach Inn Carbon Beach will offer guests the ultimate Malibu Experience.
For reservations or other inquiries about the Malibu Beach Inn and Carbon Beach Club, check web site www.malibubeachinn.com or call (800) 562-5428.
Captain's Inn at Moss Landing Celebrates Historic Centennial of Pacific Coast Steamship Company Building :
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company Building was built in 1906 following the big 1906 earthquake. This building is one of the oldest buildings in Moss Landing and is currently owned by Captain Yohn and Melanie Gideon. The Gideons are planning a series of centennial celebrations for the building in 2006 and 2007. Bed and breakfast guests can also choose to join in the celebration with special packages and weekly birthday cake.
For more information, call 831-633-5550 or e-mail res@captainsinn.com
Carmel Plaza
New stores are now open at Carmel Plaza, just in time for the holidays
including J. Crew, Anthropologie, and Wilkes Bashford. Tommy Bahamas will be
opening soon. Girlfriend getaway packages are also now available through
Carmel plaza. Spend a weekend with just the girls, and pamper yourself with
this indulgent Carmel vacation package. Allow your stress to melt away during
a 50-minute spa treatment, or reinvent your image with a personalized
makeover. After a wonderful day of shopping together, enjoy a delicious wine
and cheese tasting.
For more information, call 831 624-0138 or e-mail Ryan.Williams@Macerich.com
Carmel Valley Ranch Offers new Wine Focused Package
Carmel Valley Wine Experience draws Guests to Experience Flavorful Regional Varietals while Enjoying the Beauty of "Steinbeck Country". Located in the heart of Carmel Valley, Calif. -- a region renowned for its majestic landscapes and abundant wine offerings -- the Carmel Valley Ranch resort has created a package designed for guests wishing to sample the best of the area's bountiful offerings.
The Carmel Valley Wine Experience Package includes:
Luxury suite accommodations and daily breakfast for two. A welcome amenity
consisting of locally harvested Robert Talbot Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay
accompanied by artisan cheese and regional organic fruit. A tasting
experience in the resort's Lobby Bar comprising three locally harvested
vintages. A map of Monterey and Carmel wine tasting rooms. A half bottle of
Chateau Christina Pino to take home as a souvenir Through Dec. 21, 2007,
the package is priced starting from $259 per room, per night based on double
occupancy.
For more information, call 310 358-7744 or e-mail Acampbell@LuxuryResorts.com
Casa Munras Begins Hotel Restoration
Casa Munras, one of the oldest properties in Monterey, is in the midst of a
more than $7 million renovation to update the hotel's entrance, lobby,
meeting rooms, restaurant, pool area and bar and guest rooms. The
renovation will preserve much of the hotel's original style along with its
distinguished spacious gardens while implementing dramatic upgrades to its
existing facilities. The renovation is scheduled to be completed on June 1,2007.
For more information, call 831-375-2411 or e-mail rstark@larkspurhotels.com.
The National Steinbeck Center Hosts "The Forgotten Village."
The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas will showcase "The Forgotten
Village" photography exhibition from October 28, 2007 through April 29, 2007
in the center's Pearl Gallery. The exhibit consists of 13 original photographs
taken by Rosa Kline and Alexander Hackensmid while on location in Mexico
filming "The Forgotten Village" documentary with John Steinbeck in 1940.
Artifacts from the National Steinbeck Center archives will supplement the
exhibition and will include The Forgotten Village book, originally published in
1940. Clips from the film's location will be permanently on view inside the
museum.
For more information, call 831-775-4725 or e-mail aholder@steinbeck.org
Fairmont Hotel Coming to Seaside
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Seaside Resort Development, LLC are pleased
to announce a new luxury mixed-use development in Seaside on the Monterey
Bay in Northern California. Fairmont will manage the resort, scheduled to open
in 2009. The hotel will feature 330 rooms and suites, of which 160 will be
situated in bungalows secluded amongst the trees, 24,000 square feet of
meeting space, a 14,000 square-foot Willow Stream spa, dining outlets, an
outdoor pool and the existing 36-hole championship Bayonet and Black Horse
golf course facility that the property will manage. In addition, a residential
component is planned with 170 condominiums and 125 single-family lots.
for more information, call 212-715-7098 or e-mail lori.holland@fairmont.com
Renovation Planned for Hyatt Regency Montery
The Hyatt Regency Monterey recently commenced a $40 million renovation
project scheduled for completion in early 2008. Upon the property's
transformation, it will proudly become Hyatt Regency Monterey on Del Monte
Golf Course Resort and Spa. The new Hyatt Regency Monterey -- the only
hotel in the city of Monterey located adjacent to a golf course - will remain
the largest hotel between the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles. It will
feature a stunning new full-service spa and world-class amenities for guests'
enjoyment. Highlights of the renovation also include luxurious guestrooms
outfitted with new elegant furnishings and modern amenities, a new signature
restaurant, and upgraded on-site activities.
For more linformation, call 831-647-2001 or e-mail tstatz@hyatt.com
Westin Opens Condominium-Hotel in Napa Valley
The whole-ownership condominium-hotel is the latest development to break ground in the emerging Oxbow District in the heart of America's wine capital. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE: HOT) and Intrawest ULC announce the ground-breaking of The Westin® Verasa Napa Residences, one of the largest private developments in the city's evolving riverfront community. The property is owned by Intrawest and will be managed by Intrawest Hospitality Management Division under a long-term management agreement.
"The Westin Verasa represents a tremendous win as it further expands the hotel base in the downtown area, both in the Oxbow District and the Napa Valley. Visitors will now have one more reason to stay and play in America's wine capital," said Benno Nager, Vice President of Development for Intrawest. "We are grateful for the support of the community and the City who have supported this condo hotel and our efforts to contribute to both the downtown and Oxbow District story."
A rare real estate opportunity such as The Westin Verasa Napa Residences is the fruition of countless hours of planning and collaboration by the City of Napa and two industry leaders - Intrawest, a world leader in developing resort destinations and Westin Hotels and Resorts®, with world-renowned service executed with effortless style and a gracious attitude. This exceptional partnership between Intrawest and Westin once again brings together the visionary innovators of successful hotels and residences throughout North America.
The Westin Verasa Napa will serve as a vital cornerstone for the development of an exciting new district in downtown Napa. The riverfront development will serve to enhance the rich diversity of Napa's surrounding wineries, growers and culinary culture. The Oxbow Public Market - located next to the development - broke ground on September 28th and is a testament to the emerging region. The 40,000 square foot marketplace, which includes a scenic outdoor deck with seating along the Napa River, will feature a diverse tenant mixture of local food vendors, artisan cafes and organic farm stands. Steve Carlin, founder and CEO of the Oxbow Public Market confirms the significance of the partnership, "We welcome The Westin as a wonderful new addition to the community. Their exciting project is further evidence of the Oxbow District's growing attraction as a destination for tourists and locals alike."
"The Westin Verasa Napa's architecture, design and its infusion of surrounding natural elements into the property are reflective of Westin's goal of ensuring that guests feel renewed and at their personal best," said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts. "The hotel's location allows owners to experience and become a part of a truly unparalleled piece of Napa Valley."
Construction on the hotel will begin this year, with a planned opening in 2008. The Westin Verasa Napa will be the first full-service property to come to Napa in nearly five years. The property will also add 5,320 square feet of conference space to the Napa Valley. A downtown Napa presentation center showcases architectural models and interior design samples.
For more information about The Westin Verasa Napa, check web site www.westinnaparesidences.com.
This city that began as a small farming community, has blossomed into the largest town in this county and celebrated its 100th year birthday on June 30, 2003. Among the treasures to be found here is the Fillmore & Western Railway, (located in the eastern end of Ventura County), having introduced its new Antique Treasure Train.
You'll also find displays of classic, milestone and special interest vehicles at the Murphy Auto Museum, but it now couples the collectible cars with vintage clothing from all decades. Mannequins are dressed in clothes within the particular era and are placed at the vehicles side with a historical description.
If you're ready to explore the waters deep below in Oxnard, check out Sunfish Diving. Operated by Michelle & Andy Volaski, it's available for open parties and full and half-day charters to both Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands, as well as for coastal dives. The fee includes air fills, fresh hot water shower, private dressing areas, and a self-service galley.
Contact the Railway at 800-773-8724 for train information. For more information on the area, contact the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-269-6273, or web site www.oxnardtourism.com.
Contact the Murphy Auto Museum, located at 2230 Statham Boulevard, for hours and suggested donation, or call 805-487-4333.
For diving reservations, call Sunfish Diving at 805-644-1499.
For the 2006-2007 Oxnard Visitors Guide containing the latest information on Oxnard's hotels, attractions and restaurants, call 1-800-269-6273 or download the guide from web site www.visitoxnard.com
Visitors travelling along the Central Coast will now be able to find out all they need to know about Oxnard, Ventura County, the Central Coast region and California as a whole -- because Oxnard now has a new California Welcome Center.
The Center is located at the Town Center Building at 1000 Town Center Drive, off Interstate highway 101 at Oxnard Boulevard, and this site will join 12 other similar agencies strategically positioned across California. The Oxnard Welcome Center offers a myriad of complimentary services and information about Oxnard, Ventura County and regional destinations, in addition to general information on California itself. Oxnard was awarded the designation by the California Travel & Tourism Commission after going through a lengthy bid process.
The new Center is open Monday through Thursdays from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm; Fridays from 8:30 am to 6 pm; Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm.
For more information on the Welcome Center, contact the Oxnard CVB at 805-385-7545, ext. 224.
The historic Woolworth building in downtown Oxnard has been transformed into a new bakery and cafe. Fresh & Fabulous offers classic bakery goods such as cookies, biscotti, bundt cake and muffins in addition to several Mediterranean inspired selections such as Baklava. The cafe portion of the restaurant features homemade soup, specialty salads, gourmet sandwiches, panini grilled sandwiches as well as a variety of quiche and homemade Mediterranean-style choices including hummus, bruschetta, baba ganoush, tabbouleh and more.
In addition, the new eatery offers ready-to-cook meal kits to easily preapre gourmet meals within 30 minutes. The decor plays off the art deco style of the historic Woolworth building that was built between 1949-1950.
For more information, call 805-486-4547 or visit web site www.myfreshandfabulous.com.
Thunderbirds Take to the Sky in March
The Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, will headline the 2007 Naval Base Ventura County Air Show scheduled for March 31 and April 1. The NBVC Point Mug gages will open at 8 am both Saturday and Sunday, with flight demonstrations starting at 10 am. The Thunderbirds have appeared in past Point Mugu air shows in 1973, 1989, 2001, and 2002. Free and open to the public, the Air Show features the latest in aviation with both current and vintage aircraft on display, food & beverage booths and great sourvenirs.
For more information, call the Naval Base Ventura County Information Line at 805-989-8786 or visit web site www.nbvc.navy.mil.
Scarlett Belle Paddlewheeler to Make its Debut this Spring
Oxnard's new Paddlewheeler, the Scarlett Belle will make its debut in Oxnard this spring. The 149-passenger paddle wheeler will be available for weddings, corprorate events, themed parties and family reunions.
--- New Grand Stay Residential Suites Opens:
The newest hotel in town is the GrandStay Residential Suites at 2211 East Gonzales Road. The 57-unit hotel offers all the comforts of home combined with the services of a grand hotel. Visitors are offered one and two-bedroom studio suites with full kitchens, each completely furnished to meet ones needs while traveling away from home. Besides offering comfortable accommodations, the GrandStay will be serving Afternoon Tea the first Sunday of the month, and will be offered to residents and visitors from 3-5 pm. The cost is $20 per person and will include a variety of tea, delicious scones, tea sandwiches, and an assortment of desserts.
For more information, call the GrandStay Residential Suites at 805-983-6808.
--- Play Detective in Historic Heritage Square:
Featuring some of the best Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in Ventura County, La Dolce Vita di Mare, located in the McGrath House in historic Heritage Square, is puttig a whole new spin on the term, "dinner and show." Joining forces with Whim Custom Adventures, La Dolce Vita offers "Heritage Haunts," consisting of a series of clue-laden dinners, in which guests can participate in after they dine. Patrons are given clues pertaining to Heritage Square and surrounding attractions including the Murphy Auto Museum, Herzog Wine Cellars, and GrandStay Residential Suites. The final clue directs the guest back to La Dolce Vita where they have an opportunity to win a grand prize consisting of an overnight stay at GrandStay Residential Suites, a wine basket from Herzog Wine Cellars, theater tickets to the Elite Theatre in Heritage Square, and dinner for two at La Dolce Vita. In addition to the mystery dining, La Dolce Vita also offers Cooking Classes the fourth Saturday of the month at 1 pm. Participants make four different types of food and enjoy their creations at the end of class. The cost is $40 per person.
For more information, call La Dolce Vita at 805-486-6878 or check web site www.ladolcevita.com.
--- New Eatery in Oxnard:
Visitors will now have another dining option in Oxnard as Ruby's Cafe has opened. The new restaurant, located on Fourth Street near the Oxnard Transportation Center, offers Mexican and other cuisines such as seafood, chicken and pastas. In addition to a wide menu, Salsa classes are offered on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nights, and Salsa music on Fridays and Sundays.
For more information, call Ruby's at 805-486-2169.
--- New Art Museum Opens in Oxnard:
Featuring works by individuals as well as thematic shows, the Plaza Art Gallery has opened up in downtown Oxnard located on the historic plaza adjacent to the Carnegie Art Museum. Housed in an Art Deco buyilding at 329 North 5th Street, the new gallery presents works by both contemporary and modern artists, with an emphasis on Latino Art. Special exhibitions are offered on a rotating basis. Plaza Art Gallery is open Wednesdays thorugh Sundays from oon to 6 p.m.
For more information, call 805-486-6947 or visit web site www.plazaartgallery.com.
--- Sunfish Diving:
Explore the Pacific Ocean and take in the sights and sounds of sea life, sea birds, and sea breezes on a three hour sightseeing cruise with Sunfish Diving. While on board, view the beautiful topography of the Pacific Coast and the historical points of interest. Guests can also see all the sights of the busy Pacific coastal industry filled with fishing boats, beautiful yachts, sail boats, cargo boats, and more. The tour will also meander through Channel Islands Harbor and cruise by the luxurious homes while keeping an eye out for various bird species along the beaches, river and jetty's.
For more information, call 805-644-1499.
Get Ready for Whale Watching Season in Oxnard!
Grab a front row seat and get ready for an exciting opportunity to catch a glimpse of nature during Whale Watching Season taking place off the coast of Oxnard. The season officially began the day after Christmas. Both Island Packers and Channel Islands Sportfishing offer daily excursions from Oxnard to view these magnificent mammals that grace the ocean as they migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel.
Island Packers, Ventura County’s official concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, offers 3 1⁄2 hour non-landing trips through early April. The fare is $26 for adults, $22 for seniors ages 55 & up, and $17 per child ages 12 and under. Trips are provided at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. Island Packers also offers regular full-day excursions to Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands, which include whale watching along the way. For information and reservations, call 805/382-1779 or check web site www.islandpackers.com.
Channel Islands Sportfishing Center in Channel Islands Harbor also offers whale watching excursions from January through March 2007 aboard the vessel, the Speed Twin. Two trips will be offered daily, Monday through Friday departing at either 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. The cost is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors (55 and over), and $15 for juniors (12 and under). And, if no whale sightings occur on a particular excursion, Channel Islands Sportfishing Center will provide a Free Pass, good for another outing! For more information, call 805-382-1612 or check web site www.speedtwinsportfishing.com.
Several hotels are offering whale watching packages and discounted hotel rates during Whale Watching Season. The Casa Sirena Hotel, located in picturesque Channel Islands Harbor, offers visitors a $135 overnight stay in the Marina View accommodations, which includes two adult whale watching tickets.
For information, call the Casa Sirena at 805-985-6311.
The Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort, located directly on the beach, offers a whale watching package that includes either a one or two night stay in a deluxe suite, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, hosted beverages in the evening, two half-day whale watching tickets with Island Packers, overnight self-parking and wireless Internet access. The one-night package is from $215 and the two-night starts at $384. The offer is valid through April 8, 2007.
For more information, call Embassy Suites at 805-948-2500.
The new GrandStay Residential Suites offers a “landing” whale watching package with Island Packers, (landing & hiking on Anacapa Island) consisting of a one bedroom suite with two adult whale watching tickets for $200, plus tax, or a two-bedroom suite with two adult whale watching tickets for $255 plus tax. A “non-landing” (North Shore Cruise of Anacapa Island) whale watching package is also available consisting of a one-bedroom suite with two adult whale watching tickets for $165 plus tax, or a two-bedroom suite with two adult whale watching tickets and two child whale watching tickets for $220. Each package consists of a one night stay and additional nights and tickets are available upon request.
For more information, call GrandStay Residential Suites at 805-984-6808.
Every year, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 Pacific Gray Whales migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel on their way to and from the warm lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. The pregnant females lead the southern migration, passing by the Channel Islands in late December and early January. The mature males and nonpregnant females follow the pregnant females. The juvenile whales are last to head south, usually in February.
The average length of a Gray Whale male is 11m (36 ft), maximum 15 m (50 ft). Females are 12m (39 ft), maximum (50 ft). Average weight for males is 26 metric tons, and females are 31 metric tons with the maximum for the species at 34 metric tons. One of the few whales that lack a dorsal fin, the Gray Whale is a dark charcoal color at birth, but eventually turns a mottled gray due to the large number of barnacles and lice on their bodies.
For more information on Whale Watching Season in Oxnard, or to receive visitor or hotel information, call the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-269-6273 or check web site www.visitoxnard.com.
Strawberry Festival
The 24th Annual California Strawberry Festival gets underway May 19-20 at Strawberry Meadows of College Park (3250 S. Rose Avenue) in Oxnard, California's Strawberry Coast. The event ranks among the nation's premier outdoor weekend celebrations and includes scrumptious strawberry foods, the Strawberry Promenade with cooking and berry decorating demonstrations, live concerts on two stages, the Strawberryland for Kids Fun Zone with jest in Time Theatre, gooey contests, the Star Berry Hunt, and an award-winning Fine Arts & Crafts showcase with more than 300 artisans!
Proceeds benefit over 15 southland charities. All-day fun is available for the geeral admission of $12, with seniors 63 and over at $8 and children ages 5-12 at $5. Kids 4 and under are free. Active military and dependents with ID are $8. The hours are 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday, and 10 am to 6:30 pm on Sunday. Parking is free, but visitors can use the handy Park & Ride4 Strawberry Express Shuttle from convenient locations off the 101 Freeway.
The California Strawberry Festival Information Line is 1-888-288-9242 or visit web site www.strawberry-fest.org.
Historic Wagon Wheel to Get New Look
The Wagon Wheel Restaurant and Motel, a roadside landmark in Oxnard for years, will soon be taking on a new look and feel. As part of a redevelopment plan, it is proposed that the site be rebuilt to include two 20-story residential towers, 1200 row houses and condominiums, and about 47,000 square feet of retail and commerical space. According to officials, the proposed development would transform the aging industrial and commerical property into a mixed-use community of high-density housing called, The Village. The updated European-style village design would encourage walking, interaction among neighbors and use of mass transit.
Nestled at the base of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, just 9 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena is the city that feels like a village. From mountains caressed by the sun, through gardens radiant with roses, to extraordinary turn-of-the-century architecture, there is nowhere else quite like Pasadena. It's truly a pedestrian-friendly city. Visitors can stroll along beautiful tree-lined South Lake Avenue, known as Pasadena's premier shopping district. Old Pasadena, a 22-block historical area featuring 19th century structures and quaint alleyways, is one of Southern California's hottest main-street entertainment districts. With 200 specialty shops, antique havens, boutiques, bistros and entertainment venues, Old Pasadena offers something for everyone.
Paseo Colorado is Pasadena's three-block open-air urban village. With its Mediterranean architecture, lush pedestrian promenades, courtyards and terraces, it is anchored by Pacific Theatre's 14-screen cinema complex, Amadeus Spa and Salon, Macy's Department store, and Equinox Fitness Club. Its 65 distinct specialty retail shops and restaurants include Coach, BCBG Max Azria, J. Jill, Tommy Bahama, and the Yard House.
Drawing from its rich cultural heritage, Pasadena features numerous world-class museums and historical sites. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens offers an extensive collection of literary classics, 17th and 18th century British and French art, and 150 acres of lush gardens. Highlights include an original Gutenberg Bible, Ellesmere's manuscript of Canterbury Tales, the famous Pinkie and Blue Boy paintings, and an authentic Japanese garden.
Seven centuries of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century are on display at The Norton Simon Museum, including masterpieces by Van Gogh, Degas, Rembrandt, and Picasso. The Pacific Asia Museum is dedicated to the promotion and understanding of the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific, while the Pasadena Museum of California Art features California art, architecture and design from 1850 to the present. In contrast, the Gamble House, built in 1908 is an architectural masterpiece of the American Arts and Crafts era.
Pasadena's Rose Bowl is famous for championship events including five Super Bow football games, the 1999 Women's World Cup Soccer Championship, and the Rose Bowl Game. Today, the Rose Bowl is home to the UCLA Bruins football team.
After dark, the village takes on a whole new flavor. As the birthplace of Julia Child, it is home to some of Southern California's finest restaurants with over 500 to choose from, including Madre's, the chic Latin-style eatery owned by singer/actress Jennifer Lopez. Exciting nightlife ranges from hot jazz clubs and cool comedy at the Ice House to theater at the Pasadena Playhouse and musical performances at the renowned Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
A vast array of shops, restaurants and recreational opportunities lie within walking distance of Pasadena's hotels, with accommodations ranging from intimate inns to luxury resorts. Favorites include the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa, the Westin Pasadena, Hilton Pasadena, Sheeraton Pasadena, and the Old Pasadena Courtyard by Marriott.
With a population of only 140,000, Pasadena offers visitors a friendly and safe enclave. The city's mild Mediterranean climate also makes for ideal sightseeing conditions. Year-round temperatures average 76 degrees F.
For more information, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau; 626 795-9311
or check web site www.pasadenacal.com
Hotel Cheval, New Stylish Boutique Inn, to Debut in April 2007
Paso Robles welcomes a new downtown luxury property with the opening of Hotel Cheval in April 2007. Influenced by the surrounding countryside and situated in America’s new prized food and wine region, Hotel Cheval will offer well-traveled guests an experience unlike any other in the Central Coast area featuring old-world hospitality and exceptional personalized service amidst thoughtfully designed and refined accommodations.
Proprietors Robert and Sherry Gilson spent two and a half years refining the concept and location of Hotel Cheval. With a passion for good design, more than 20 years of experience in real estate and an interest in the hospitality industry, the Gilson’s were inspired to open their first hotel in downtown Paso Robles. Robert’s background in business finance coupled with Sherry’s talent for style and design makes these new hoteliers a dynamic husband and wife team. From the original blueprint, to the décor and selection of the amenities, they have immersed themselves in its development to create a memorable destination for their guests.
“We are inspired by the many properties we have visited and are drawn to the romanticism of hotels. The idea of giving guests a surprising and delightful experience is very exciting and fulfilling, especially in this new American wine country.” says Robert Gilson.
Each of the property’s 16 rooms is thoughtfully and individually composed with a classic and stylish flair featuring a hint of contemporary design. Cozy windows seats, fireplaces, outdoor patios, fountains and European artifacts are complimented by original artwork by Richard Tullis. Additional amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, flat screen televisions, complimentary Ethernet and wireless internet connections, DVD players, luxury linens and bathroom amenities by Temple Spa.
In keeping with an equestrian theme - “cheval” is French for horse - the rooms are named after famous racehorses throughout history. Guests can unwind in front of the fireplaces in the courtyard, curl up with a book in the library or have an early evening glass of wine in the Pony Club – the Parisian inspired horseshoe shaped zinc bar. For a unique and unparalleled experience, guests can enjoy complimentary carriage rides to dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings with Chester, Hotel Cheval’s Belgian draft horse.
Hotel Cheval is a stylish and sophisticated 16 room luxury Inn located in the superior downtown location of Paso Robles.
For more information on Hotel Cheval, visit web site www.hotelcheval.com .
San Diego Natural History Museum
There's lots going on at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Check Out the Great Hikes . . .
FREE GUIDED NATURE HIKES
Horsethief Canyon
Take a 400-foot descent to the canyon floor. A flat trail to Pine Valley Creek will lead you through live oaks, sycamores and wildflowers. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 5, 2007; 9 AM–1 PM
Torrey Pines State Reserve Extension
See rare Torrey pines, native chaparral plants, and wildflowers on this easy walk to a vista point overlooking Peñasquitos Lagoon and the ocean. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 6, 2007; 9–11 AM
Florida Canyon
Enjoy this central canyon preserved by Helen Witham Chamlee. Together with Docents of the San Diego Natural History Museum, Chamlee founded the Canyoneers in 1973. Learn more about the Canyoneers history. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 12, 2007; 5–6:30 PM
Iron Mountain
A steady uphill climb takes you through exceptional native vegetation. At the summit trail junction, choose to return (3 miles round trip) or continue to the summit (an additional 3.5 miles round trip) for a magnificent view of the mountains and valleys. There is a 1000-foot gain to the summit. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 13, 2007; 8 AM–12:30 PM
Agua Dulce Loop
This walk starts on the Old County Rd. then continues along the Aqua Dulce Creek to Laguna Meadow. There are a variety of unusual plants to be found on this loop. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 19, 2007; 9 AM–2:30 PM
Old Banner Road
This site offers a wide variety of wildflowers on a downhill walk to the Warlock Mine. Re-energize at lunch break before you begin your return, which is uphill all the way. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 20, 2007; 9 AM–1 PM
Crestridge Ecological Reserve
Join this pleasant hike in the community of Crest. The 2600-acre parcel, controlled by the Department of Fish and Game, includes coastal sage scrub, chaparral, riparian and oak woodland habitats. Cross a year- round stream then stroll under mature oak woodland habitat. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 26, 2007; 9–10:30 AM
Cottonwood Creek Falls
On this 2-mile hike in the Laguna Mountains, with a gain/loss of 500 feet in elevation, follow a draw to where the creek emerges from a narrow canyon to create waterfalls. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 27, 2007; 9 AM–noon
The museum is located at 1788 El Prado in Balboa Park. For details, call 619.232.3821. Admission is $11 for adults; $9 for seniors; $7 for military, youth 13–17, students; $6 for children 3–12. Free for members.
EXHIBITIONS AND GIANT-SCREEN FILMS at the SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM:
Permanent exhibition—Fossil Mysteries From dinosaurs to mammoths, discover the rich fossil history of our region. In this major exhibition created by the Museum visitors can play the role of paleontologist: ponder a mystery, examine the strong fossil evidence from the Museum’s collection, and use scientific tools to discover answers.
Traveling through a 75-million-year timeline, from the age of dinosaurs to the Ice Ages, visitors will experience an unfolding of the prehistory of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico.
Developed by the San Diego Natural History Museum. Major funding provided by the California Cultural and Historic Endowment; National Science Foundation; Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation; an anonymous donor; and generous support from the J. W. Sefton Foundation; the San Diego Foundation: Weingart-Price Fund and Carol and Henry F. Hunte Fund; San Diego County Supervisors Pam Slater-Price, Ron Roberts and Greg Cox; The Legler Benbough Foundation; THE PARKER FOUNDATION: Gerald and Inez Grant Parker; Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation; Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan; Carol and Dennis Wilson; Rice Family Foundation; Samuel and Katherine French Fund; Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation; and Sony Electronics Inc.
Through May 31 Art gallery and sale—VISIONS of the NATURAL WORLD through the LENS of the MASTERS Discover brilliant fine-art photography! VISIONS is a collaborative effort between the Museum and The Ordover Gallery, and is presented in a series of eight shows that feature nature-based photography of nationally recognized artists; sculpture and glass will also be exhibited. All of the artwork will be for sale, and a substantial portion of proceeds will benefit the Museum. For more information, visit www.sdnhm.org/exhibits. The last show in the series, open May 5–May 31, is titled Contemporary Expressions and will feature artists Art Myers, Nancy Keating, Lisa Ross, Lew Abulafia, Bill Evarts, Abe Ordover and Charles Sherman. For imagery, visit www.ordovergallery.com.
Through June Giant-screen film–Too Hot Not to Handle Heat waves. Melting glaciers. Rising sea levels. Catastrophic storms. Migrating viruses. Population displacement. Over the past 100 years, the mass consumption of fossil fuels, especially in America, has contributed to a dangerous warming of the earth that has adversely impacted the way we live. The cautionary documentary Too Hot Not to Handle offers a guide to the effects of global warming in the United States.
Ongoing Giant-screen film—Ocean Oasis Take a fascinating journey into Mexico’s beautiful Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert. Ocean Oasis is the winner of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and the International Wildscreen Film Festival. For more information visit www.sdnhm.org. Produced by the San Diego Natural History Museum, Summerhays Films and PRONATURA A.C. Sponsored by Sempra Energy.
PROGRAMS
Sunday, May 6; 12:15 PM and 2:15 PM Free family performance—Wacky Science Sundays with Ms. Frizzle™ and The Magic School Bus© Wahoo! Join us for live performances EVERY Sunday at the Museum. Get ready to explore the wild and wacky worlds of mysterious creatures, fascinating habitats, and phenomenal hands-on science! FREE with
Museum admission. Call the Frizzle hotline 619.232.3821 ext. 8 or visit www.sdnhm.org/frizzle for the latest information.
Tuesday, May 8; 6:30–8 PM (Orientation) and Friday, May 18; 8 AM to Sunday, May 20; 6 PM Overnight expedition—East Canyon of the Sierra Juarez The east escarpment of the Sierra Juarez in northern Baja California has more native palms, pool-filled canyons, and greater contrasts of elevation than all the palm canyons in the U.S. combined! On this car-camping trip, explore the geology, archaeology, and natural history of two palm oases. Visit rock art sites and a garnet mine. Member $75 per vehicle; Nonmember $85 per vehicle. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Thursday, May 10; 11 AM Family program—Nature, Mommy, and Me Calling all budding naturalists! Come enjoy an imaginative journey into nature through dynamic readings and visits to exhibitions. Storytime is held every second Thursday of the month. Open to all ages with a parent (recommended for ages 1–5). FREE with Museum admission. For more information, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 12; 8–11 AM Adult program—Birding by Sound One of the most important and interesting aspects about identifying birds is the ability to distinguish different species by their sounds. Hike into the eastern portion of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Park, through oak and willow woodland and past sage scrub and chaparral, and utilize popular birding field guides. Participants will meet at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Park. Member $15; Nonmember $20. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 13, 2007; 9 AM--–1:30 PM Family Program—Mother’s Day Glorietta Bay Kayak Open to ages 8 and up. Bring Mom and meet at Glorietta Bay on the Silver Strand for an introductory paddling lesson. Then launch for a scenic paddle under the beautiful Coronado Bridge to the Coronado Ferry Landing. Member $55 per adult; Nonmember $65 per adult. $20 per child age 6–12 paddling in a double kayak with a parent. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 13; 12:15 PM and 2:15 PM Free family performance—Wacky Science Sundays with Ms. Frizzle™ and The Magic School Bus© Wahoo! Join us for live performances EVERY Sunday at the Museum. Get ready to explore the wild and wacky worlds of mysterious creatures, fascinating habitats, and phenomenal hands-on science! FREE with Museum admission. Call the Frizzle hotline 619.232.3821 ext. 8 or visit www.sdnhm.org/frizzle for the latest information
Monday, May 14; 8 AM to Thursday, May 17; 6 PM Overnight expedition—Yosemite’s Water Works: A Natural History and Photography Tour In mid-May, waterfalls are vigorously flowing, there are juxtapositions of light and shadow, and a natural sense of form and texture. Photograph breathtaking Half Dome and El Capitan, watch for animals, look for wildflowers, and see yourself in a reflecting pool. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, May 19; 8 AM–7 PM Adult Program—Delicias de México: Tequila and Barbacoa Tequila, the national drink of Mexico, is an important ingredient in elaborate barbacoa (lamb barbecue). Spend the day in the garden of a beautiful Baja California restaurant and witness the preparation of this delicious meal. After lunch, learn about the agave plant, its uses, and the history of tequila. Then taste varieties of tequila to distinguish flavors and qualities. Member $82; Nonmember $92. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, May 20; 12:15 PM and 2:15 PM Free family performance—Wacky Science Sundays with Ms. Frizzle™ and The Magic School Bus© Wahoo! Join us for live performances EVERY Sunday at the Museum. Get ready to explore the wild and wacky worlds of mysterious creatures, fascinating habitats, and phenomenal hands-on science! FREE with Museum admission. Call the Frizzle hotline 619.232.3821 ext. 8 or visit www.sdnhm.org/frizzle for the latest information.
Sunday, May 27; 12:15 PM and 2:15 PM Free family performance—Wacky Science Sundays with Ms. Frizzle™ and The Magic School Bus© Wahoo! Join us for live performances EVERY Sunday at the Museum. Get ready to explore the wild and wacky worlds of mysterious creatures, fascinating habitats, and phenomenal hands-on science! FREE with Museum admission. Call the Frizzle hotline 619.232.3821 ext. 8 or visit www.sdnhm.org/frizzle for the latest information
Museum's JUNE 2007 FREE GUIDED NATURE HIKES
William Heise County Park
An uphill walk will take us through a mix of pines and oaks. Stellar’s and scrub jays, juncos, acorn woodpeckers, and gray squirrels can be seen and heard in this woodland. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, June 2; 10 AM–noon
San Elijo Lagoon County Ecological Preserve
This is an easy walk along the lagoon, except for a few steep steps down a small hill at the trailhead. Search for water birds at this marsh habitat and estuary. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, June 3; 5-7:30 PM
Garnet Peak
Garnet Peak offers dramatic views of the desert and the Laguna Mountain Range. On a clear day, the eastern view may include the Salton Sea. This trail takes you through Jeffrey pines to high chaparral. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, June 9; 9 AM–1:30 PM
Tijuana Estuary
Revel in one of the few remaining salt marshes in southern California. Endangered bird species, including the Clapper Rail, Belding's Savannah Sparrow, and the California Least Tern, may be seen during this walk on level terrain. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, June 10; 8–9:30 AM
Stonewall Peak
Enjoy the shade of oaks on this switchback trail to the 5730-ft. granitic Stonewall Peak. Take in views of the lake and forested peaks of the Cuyamaca Mountains. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, June 16; 4–7:30 P
Torrey Pines State Reserve—Sorrento Valley
Join us on this easy walk through chaparral among a variety of plants, birds, reptiles, and butterflies. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, June 17; 9–11 AM
Silver Crest Loop
This loop has excellent views along the trail at Boucher Hill. Two species of wild orchids and ripening berry plants make this hike a winner! For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, June 23; 9 AM–1 P
Doane Pond
Palomar Mountain is known for Sierra Nevada-like growth with the large pine, fir, and cedar trees. In June, berries are ripe and we will look for the coralroot orchids under the oak trees. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, June 24; 10 AM–2:30 PM
Wooded Hill Nature Trail
An easy 1.5-mile walk on a gradual slope through oak-pine woodland leads to a panoramic mountain view. For more information or directions, visit www.sdnhm.org/canyoneers or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, June 30; 4:30–7 PM
Take time out this fall to enjoy a stay at a charming hotel located from San Francisco to San Diego.
Hotels include:
Bay Area
Lighthouse Hotel, Pacifica
Half Moon Bay Lodge, Half Moon Bay
Central Coast
Fireside Inn, Cambria
Fog Catcher Inn, Cambria
Holiday Inn Express, San Luis Obispo
Spyglass inn, Pismo Beach
Cottage Inn, Pismo Beach
Sandcastle Inn, Pismo Beach
Pacifica Suites, Santa Barbara
Los Angeles Area
Carlyle Inn, Los Angeles
Inn at Venice Beach, Venice Beach
Holiday Inn Express/Marina del Rey
Jamaica Bay Inn, Marina del Rey
Quality Inn and Suites, Hermosa Beach
Sunrise Hotel, Redondo Beach
San Diego Area
Empress Hotel, La Jolla
Blue Sea Lodge, San Diego
Sommerset Suites Hotel, San Diego
What’s New in San Francisco
"What’s New" is a listing of new venues, attractions and activities compiled by the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB).
City News
The Piers Project Transforms Piers 1, 3 and 5 Near San Francisco's Ferry Building
Within the last 15 years much of San Francisco's waterfront has gotten a new point of view. With the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway starting in 1991, the transformation of the Ferry Building into a bustling marketplace in 2003, and the restoration of Piers 7 and 14, the public was given unprecedented access to more and more port property. As of Nov. 15, 2007 with the opening of The Piers, a $54 million, mixed use project at the foot of Washington Street, three condemned, unoccupied piers at Piers 1 ?, 3 and 5 with only "location, location, location" going for them have been transformed into 60,000 sf of office space, approximately 17,000 sf of restaurant, café and retail space. When combined with the Bayside History Walk and PortWalk stretching along the entire bayside perimeter of the project, nearly an acre of public access has been added. Pier 1 ? was once the passenger waiting room for the Delta King and Delta Queen steam wheel paddle boats that ferried passengers between San Francisco and Sacramento. Berths for water taxi service and private yachts (for up to two weeks) will also be available. For more information, check web site www.thepierssf.com.
Family Fun
Experience Life Aboard a 19th Century Sailing Ship at San Francisco's Maritime Park
The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers daily guided tours of the historic sailing ship, Balclutha, berthed at Hyde Street Pier. Learn how sailors adapted to harsh conditions, dangerous storms, poor food and little pay. After the guided tour, descend below deck to experience the sights and sounds of "Cargo is King," a new exhibit that tells how the Balclutha, an 1886 square-rigged ship once known as the Star of Alaska, contributed to the social and economic development of the Bay Area, California and the world packing coal, lumber, wool, wheat, rice, Scotch whisky and the mineral nitrate. The program is included in the cost to board the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier; admission is $5 for adults, children under 16 free.
For more information, telephone 415-447-5000 or check web site www.nps.gov/safr. .
Attractions and Events News
July 6-10, 2007 -- Major League Baseball All-Star Week at Bat
Baseball's midsummer classic is coming to San Francisco and will bring exciting activities for fans of all ages. Moscone West Convention Center will be the site of a five-day celebration of the national pastime with an unparalleled interactive baseball festival known as Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest. There will be exhibits and attractions, Major League clinics and seminars, free autograph sessions, live entertainment, memorabilia and much more. For information about FanFest and other All-Star Week activities, including the XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game, Taco Bell Legends/Celebrity Softball Game, Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring Home Run Derby, the Red Carpet Show and other events, check web site www.sfgiants.com. .
Tours and Activities
Stroll San Francisco's Story-Tours Offer "The Whole San Francisco Shebang"
No San Francisco stone is left unturned in the self-guided, MP3/iPod-based Stroll San Francisco story-tours. Featuring professional actors portraying historical characters, San Franciscans telling their own stories, city historians bringing the past to life, music, sound effects and a lively narrator, Stroll San Francisco has 33 different tours of major San Francisco landmarks and neighborhoods. Tours can be purchased individually ($4.99-$9.99) or the "whole shebang" for $14.99.
For more information and to sample a tour, call 415-665-8911 or check web site www.strollsanfrancisco.com. .
In The Kitchen With Lisa Culinary Excursions Whet Appetites in San Francisco
Twice a week, Epicurean Concierge Lisa Rogovin leads tours of the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace and Farmer's Market. After a morning sampling olive oil varieties, chocolate confections, delicious cheeses and gathering goodies for home and garden, the culinary adventurers are then treated to a sumptuous lunch at a restaurant known for high quality food and the use of local and seasonal ingredients or can opt for a hands-on cooking class and sit-down lunch in a private home.
By reservation only; fees range from $125-$500. For more information, call 415-806-5970 or check web site www.inthekitchenwithlisa.com.
American Institute of Architects San Francisco Celebrates 125th Anniversary
San Francisco is home to the third largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects in the United States. In October, 2006 they opened a new home in San Francisco's historic Hallidie Building, 130 Sutter St. Designed in 1917 by Willis Polk, also the designer of Filoli, it is one of the country's first glass-curtain-wall buildings. The organization's new home is one of the city's premier LEED-certified spaces open to the public. The opening coincided with AIA San Francisco's 125th anniversary. Throughout the month of September, 2007 AIA San Francisco will be celebrating the fifth annual Architecture and the City festival with a series of architectural tours, film screenings, exhibitions, design lectures, home shows and more.
For complete details, including information on a podcast "walking tour" of the new facility, call 415-362-7397 or check web site www.aiasf.org. .
"Felicitous Digressions" Spark Historic Walking Tours of Downtown Sonoma
On any given day visitors to Sonoma's historic Town Plaza may be greeted with a "Howdy Buckaroos! This here is Samuel Clemens." George Webber, a self-confessed multiple personality "artiste" slips in and out of character on a series of tours lead by historic figures. Webber's repertoire includes Samuel Clemens, whose pen name was Mark Twain, and General Vallejo, one of the early Californios. The 60-minute tour/performance begins at the plaza's Bear Flag statue and can be tailored for school children and/or adults only as evidenced by the 90-minute saloon tour which takes in some fine "waterin' holes." Reservations required. For more information on tours and other personae in Webber's repertoire including Luigi, the singing Italian chef; Professor Vine, Wild West Willie and Fred, the step-on guide, call 707-694-5097 or check web site www.georgewebber.com. .
New Ingredient for Building Teamwork: The Kitchen Challenge
Using elements from the popular Iron Chef cooking competition and The Apprentice, San Francisco-based Parties that Cook™ has developed a new product called Kitchen Challenge, a timed cooking competition where a group is divided into teams and each team must prepare an entrée focusing on three ingredients. Teams are given recipe guidelines, a pantry of ingredients and one hour to meet, create, prepare and make a plated presentation to a panel of judges. Available for corporate groups and private celebrations, the Kitchen Challenge offers "exercises in the kitchen that can be taken right back to the office," notes Bibby Gignilliat, founder of Parties That Cook.
For more information, call 888-907-COOK (2665) or check web site www.partiesthatcook.com. .
Museum News
Legacy of Life in Internment Camps Captured in Exhibits, New A.C.T. Drama
In 1942 following President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066, some 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast were interned in detention camps for the balance of the war. The remembrances of those internees, the art they created and their reactions to returning to San Francisco after World War II form the basis for several new exhibitions and a new play produced by the American Conservatory Theatre.
Among the exhibits:
If They Came For Me Today: The Japanese American Internment Project, San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin St., 415-557-4277, www.sfpl.org.
Opened on Jan. 13, 2007 the new exhibit at the Main Library highlights the stories of 15 local Japanese American citizens interned during WWII. On view through March 18, the multimedia exhibition organized by Community Works and students from three local schools, draws on oral histories of internees or the children of internees. A special program on Jan. 20 will honor 13 of the individuals profiled and include student presentations as well as Jeff Adachi, public defender for the City and County of San Francisco, who will discuss the impact of his parents interment on his life; playwright Philip Kan Gotanda, who will read from his play After the War; and poet Janice Mirikatani, who was born in an internment camp. .
Philip Kan Gotanda's new play After the War, is onstage March 22-April 22, 2007 at the American Conservatory Theater. Described as a "powerful valentine to San Francisco," the world premiere coincides with the 100th anniversary of San Francisco's Japantown. Directed by Carey Perfloff, the drama portrays an unexpected grouping of characters trying to restore balance to a community that went from being almost a ghost town with the forced evacuation of Japanese Americans to an area with a burgeoning African American population. For more information, call 415-749-2250 or check web site www.act-sf.org.
SF Cameraworks Opens New Gallery on San Francisco's Mission Street
Mssion's Street's "museum row" in downtown San Francisco has gained another tenant: SF Cameraworks. Located just above the Cartoon Art Museum at 657 Mission St., it is the fifth museum to open in the 600 block of Mission Street, also home to the Museum of the African Diaspora, the California Historical Society and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society. Just a few steps away are the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Museum of Craft and Folk Art, Zeum and the future homes of The Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Mexican Museum. SF Cameraworks, the Bay Area's only non-profit photography gallery focusing on emerging artists, was founded in 1974. In addition to a 3,000 sf gallery, the site is home to an education center and 3,000-volume library which includes many rare and out-of-print publications.
For more information, call 415-512-2020 or check web site www.sfcamerawork.org.
Major Art Exhibits on the Horizon at SFMOMA, Asian Art, MoAD and de Young Museums
The Museum of the African Diaspora (www.moadsf.org) hosts a traveling version of Slavery in New York Jan. 24-April 30, 2007. The landmark exhibit, shown at the New York Historical Society in 2005, features images of the history of slavery in New York and the fight for freedom. Picasso and American Art runs Feb. 23-May 28 at SFMOMA (www.sfmoma.org). Some 40 works by Picasso and more than 100 works by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns among others examines Picasso's role in the development of American art in the 20th century. From March 3-June 10 Vivienne Westwood, a retrospective exhibition organized by London's Victoria and Albert Museum, makes its only U.S. stop on an international tour at the de Young (www.thinker.org). A celebration of Westwood's 40-year-long career, the show honors her fearless non-conformity and singular sources of inspiration which are often found in the past. Original drawings, covers and posters by Osamu Tezuka, one of Japan's foremost manga (graphic novel) artists will be highlighted in Tezuka: The Marvel of Manga, June 2-Sept. 9 at the Asian Art Museum (www.asianart.org).
Restaurant News
Bistro 1689, 1689 Church St., 415-550-8298, www.bistro1689.com, located in Noe Valley, debuted during the summer with its refined French/California cuisine emphasizing the rustic flavors of southwest France and cooked with produce from small farms, delivered daily from organic sources whenever possible. Bistro 1689, known for their Monday and Tuesday $39 three-course prix fixe menu which features "bottomless wine by the glass" (not available for wines sold by the bottle), is open for dinner nightly; closed Sunday.
Bushi-Tei, 1638 Bush St., 415-440-4959, www.bushi-tei.com, located in the heart of San Francisco's historic Japantown, combines wood paneling dating back to 1863 from Nagano, Japan with edgy modern touches. Launched in 2005 the restaurant's fusion cuisine got a coveted one star in the new Michelin San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country guide. Chef Seiji "Waka" Wakabayashi's three-course Omakase tasting menu with wine pairing for $50 is a favorite of patrons drawn to his melding of French, Californian and Japanese influences. Dinner nightly; closed Monday.
Pres a Vi Global Cuisine & Wine Bar, One Letterman Drive, Building D, Suite 150, 415-409-3000, www.presavi.com, opened in November, 2006 at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco's Presidio. This casual restaurant and wine bar serves an eclectic array, some 20 to 30 choices, of international small plates. Chef Kelly Degala's commitment to global cuisine is reflected in dishes that reflect Spanish, Filipino, French, Italian and Latin American influences. To encourage wine and food pairings, the restaurant also offers guests the opportunity to sample single three-ounce tastes. Lunch and dinner daily.
Sam's Chowder House, 4210 North Cabrillo Hwy., Half Moon Bay, 650-712-0245, www.samschowderhouse.com, opened in October, 2006 -- a sister restaurant to Cetrella, quickly became a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Set on the magnificent California coastline in Half Moon Bay, with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, Sam's Chowder House offers a casual and authentic New England-style seafood experience. The menu will feature a daily selection of fresh fish - grilled, broiled or sautéed to perfection, an array of delicious seafood dishes, live lobsters and crabs, a raw bar, and a variety of local specialties, all priced to coincide with the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant. Lunch and dinner daily.
2007 San Diego North Travel Planning Guide Now Available
The 2007 San Diego North Travel Planning and Conference Guide, a 160-page resource for the leisure travel and meeting and convention industry, is now available from the San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau. Designed to provide planning tools for both the leisure visitor and business traveler, the comprehensive guide features detailed information on the coastal, valley, mountain and desert areas of the 2,000 square-mile San Diego North region.
Featuring essential travel planning details while offering a valuable insider's
perspective, the user-friendly guide provides an overview of each of the 19 communities within the region including color photos and vivid descriptions of the region's accommodations, attractions, activities, and amenities.
New for 2007 is the inclusion of valuable "Insider's Tips" and "Itinerary Ideas"
to help visitors customize their visit to San Diego North and create a more
personal experience while visiting the region. "Tips such as what side of the tram to board for best viewing at the Wild Animal Park or the best spot to view leopard sharks in the shallow waters of La Jolla Cove, is invaluable information to visitors," said Cami Mattson, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego North Visitors & Convention Bureau.
"Our research shows that leisure visitors want to experience destinations in more depth, discover the back roads and out-of-the-way places and feel as if they have discovered the area's local secrets," said Mattson. "Our annual guide gives both the leisure visitor and meeting planner the valuable tools to plan, explore and experience San Diego North".
San Diego North, known as the resort region of San Diego with a year-round temperate climate and 36 miles of beaches, world-renowned resorts, spas, and golf courses, is also home to popular attractions such as Legoland, the Birch Aquarium, and the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park.
To obtain a complimentary 2007 Travel Planning & Conference Guide, check
web site www.sandiegonorth.com or call 800-848-3336.
Located in Escondido, the Bureau's Visitor Information Center provides visitor
information and discount tickets to area attractions, as well as half-price
tickets to performing arts events throughout San Diego County at the ARTS
TIX North ticket outlet located inside the Bureau. The San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau provides visitor information from La Jolla north to Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside to the inland, mountain and desert communities of Escondido, Julian and the Anza-BorregoDesert.
You're missing a lot if you haven't vacationed in San Mateo County. What's to do and see? Plenty! Start with the gardens. The Japanese Tea Garden (located in San Mateo Central) is reputed to be one of the finest tea gardens in California. Landscape architect Nagao Sakurai of the Imperial Palace of Tokyo designed this stunning retreat graced with a granite pagoda, a teahouse, lanterns, and bamboo groves. The garden, containing harmoniously arranged trees, waterfalls, Koi ponds, lotus flowers, different seasonal blooms and rare plants provides a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in the busy downtown area.
The Allied Arts Guild is an enchanting complex of shops, gardens, artists' studios, and a restaurant. The gardens were designed to resemble the famous Alhambra and Generalife gardens of Granada, Spain. The walkways feature beautiful flowers and foliage that change colors according to the season, and the shops and studios feature arts and crafts of artisans of San Mateo County.
Stop in at Sunset Magazine's experimental gardens which are part of Sunset's laboratory for Western living where editors and staff test their ideas in an environment that reflects the history of California and the West. There are various climate zones to geographical areas of the United States for growing almost every plant available in the nursery trade.
If you love Mom Nature, you'll love the nature tourism spots in San Mateo County, too. The Ano Nuevo State Reserve is a thrill -- for here you can witness the incredible spectacle of thousands of elephant seals converging annually. The 4,000-acre reserve is the site of the largest mainland breeding colony in the world for the northern elephant seal (along with sea lions and other marine mammals)( that come ashore in staggering numbers through April each year for their annual mating/calving ritual and remain in smaller herds throughout the year.
At the James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, you'll find a complex marine habitat where scientists have discovered 25 new marine invertebrae and plant species (several that live nowhere else but at the preserve), and it offers one of the most diverse tide pool systems in the state, including a variety of seaweed, crabs, sponges, sea anemones, mollusks, starfish and an assortment of other fish.
Like wine? Five wineries to whet your taste buds are located here. Among them are the Thomas Fogarty Winery and Vineyard where twenty-five acres of Burgundian-style varietals are planted on the 325-acre estate. The mountain top setting has sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay area, while the crushing, barrel aging and bottling are done on the premises. The tasting room offers tasting menus that include a souvenir glass.
At Savvy Cellar Wines in Redwood City, you'll be seated at a comfortable wine bar where you can try wines by the glass before your wine shopping experience. There is a weekly tasting menu with daily wine specials, a daily European lunch plate with appetizers, cheeses and sweets, and live jazz every Saturday night. All the wines are rated 90 points or higher by the leading wine critics.
La Nebbia Winery at Half Moon Bay has been in business for over 25 years and features an award-winning wine list, gourmet food products, private events, custom wine labeling, a scenic picnic area, and Bocce Ball courts. Several times a year, the winery holds its "bottle and cork your own wine" events at which the general public is invited to bring their own bottles and move through the pouring, corking and labeling lines.
For more information on the above and additional attractions and events, contact the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 650-348-7600, or check web site www.visitsanmateocounty.com.
San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets
Now that the word is out, “foodies” and gourmets of all kinds are heading to San Mateo County, San Francisco’s closest neighbor that offers two sides of a gorgeous peninsula – the Coastside and the Bayside. Already known for its convenience (SFO is there), its sunshine, scenic beauty, 90 miles of beaches and proximity to San Francisco, the area is now touting the incredible fresh produce grown in the southernmost part of the county, the fish, crab and prawns caught off the Pacific side, and the locally produced wine and microbrews. The county is making a name for itself as a world-class tourism destination.
San Mateo County offers dining at its best. Locally grown produce and fresh seafood, multi-ethnic cuisine, and local wineries make dining on the Peninsula a truly fine culinary experience. A new “San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets” awards program recognizes local restaurants, hotels and caterers that make an effort to buy and serve produce from local San Mateo County growers, seafood caught off San Mateo County’s coastline, and beer and wine made in the county. The San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCCVB) and San Mateo County Farm Bureau created the ongoing award program in cooperation with the San Mateo County Harbor District.
Chefs have been taken right onto the farms and docks to learn first-hand how to find the freshest products and how to serve them so that they are at their peak. Culinary teams have been trained to give diners little known facts, such as how a Dungeness crab develops and becomes so sweet. Arrangements have even been made for groups to hear presentations by farmers, fishermen and/or winery owners as they enjoy a particular meal. Group tours of a working goat dairy farm (milk the goats and see how gourmet goat cheese with edible flowers is made) is an option, along with behind-the-scenes farm and dock tours, meetings with growers, fishermen, and award-winning chefs, winery and brewery tours, and even self-bottling of wine.
Visitors and residents will also be informed of not only the venues that are participating in the program (a plaque in the establishment and a window sticker), but also which local products are used in the menu (special labels), the health-conscious aspect of certain dishes (heart stickers), how to take some of San Mateo County’s freshest products home (a guide of growers/fishermen who will ship their goods to visitors’ homes), and how to enjoy local wine and food pairing events and celebrations of special foods (San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets Calendar of Events).
The “San Mateo County: Fresh as it Gets” program has enjoyed a tremendous welcome within both the local restaurant and agricultural communities. The California Secretary of Food and Agriculture made a point of coming to present the very first “San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets Awards” at a reception in Half Moon Bay. The campaign was also the featured cover story of the California Country magazine’s May/June issue. The program continues to grow exponentially, with increasing numbers of restaurants now serving products picked or caught the same day. The San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau is proud to be involved in a campaign that will clearly benefit the local lodging and dining establishments, the agricultural community in the county, the tourism industry in our area, and will promote economic growth and media recognition for San Mateo County.
For more information, contact the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 111 Anza Blvd., Suite 410, Burlingame, CA 94010, 650-348-7600 x 111, or check web site www.visitsanmateocounty.com.
Group Tour Suggestions for "As Fresh As It Gets"
*Tours of private farms with the farmers/growers themselves, to see the produce growing in the fields;
*Tour of goat dairy farm that makes gourmet goat cheeses covered in edible flowers (This private tour can include trying one's hand at milking a goat!)
*Tour of Pillar Point Harbor with our Harbor reps/top fishermen, learning first-hand about our incredible Dungeness crab, halibut, etc. (Deep sea fishing may also be arranged, and whale watching through April)
*Tour of private wholesale nursery operation (our area is also a cut flower capital!)
*Tour of area wineries, which may also include self-bottling at one of them;
*Tour of local brewery
*Berry picking
*Private luncheons/dinners using the products seen that day--caught/picked that day;
*Appearances by farmers/fishermen at an event to describe the products
*Lunch/dinner on a farm or on winery grounds
*Chef's kitchen dinners
*Cooking classes using the local, fresh products
*Tour of fresh (Casa Sanchez) salsa operations
Latest Events at the San Diego Natural History Museum
Exhibitions and Giant-Screen Films:
Permanent exhibition—Fossil Mysteries From dinosaurs to mammoths, discover the rich fossil history of our region. In this major exhibition created by the Museum visitors can play the role of paleontologist: ponder a mystery, examine the strong fossil evidence from the Museum’s collection, and use scientific tools to discover answers. Traveling through a 75-million-year timeline, from the age of dinosaurs to the Ice Ages, visitors will experience an unfolding of the prehistory of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico. Developed by the San Diego Natural History Museum. Major funding provided by the California Cultural and Historic Endowment; National Science Foundation; Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation; an anonymous donor; and generous support from the J. W. Sefton Foundation; the San Diego Foundation: Weingart-Price Fund and Carol and Henry F. Hunte Fund; San Diego County Supervisors Pam Slater-Price, Ron Roberts and Greg Cox; The Legler Benbough Foundation; THE PARKER FOUNDATION: Gerald and Inez Grant Parker; Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation; Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan; Carol and Dennis Wilson; Rice Family Foundation; Samuel and Katherine French Fund; Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation; and Sony Electronics Inc.
Through April 29 Traveling exhibition—Playing with Time Ever wondered what life would be like if you could control time? Now you can! Discover a hidden world where events happen too slowly or too quickly to see: hummingbird wings beating, climates changing, popcorn popping, the universe expanding and more. Through playful hands-on stations, natural objects and stunning displays, experience natural phenomena that occur over vast timescales-from billionths of seconds to billions of years. Get a new appreciation for your ever-changing world. Playing with Time is a co-production of the Science Museum of Minnesota and Red Hill Studios. The exhibit was made possible with support from the National Science Foundation.
Through April Regional exhibition—Earth, Wind & WILDFIRE Fire, people and nature are powerful forces that shape the ecosystem. How can they coexist? Why should they coexist? Through objects, videos, photographs, and interactives, experience the beauty of southern California and examine the complex relationship between fire, people and nature.
Explore the power of fire, its historical context, and present challenges. Take a close look at ways to best manage wildlands based on sound science. Connect with the unique diversity of this region and find hope in the regenerative forces of nature, visible in this innovative exhibition. For more information check web site www.sdnhm.org. Developed by the San Diego Natural History Museum. Sponsored by Sempra Energy, US Bank, and 10News.
Ongoing Photography exhibition—Desert & Sea: Visions of Baja California A photographic survey of the Baja California peninsula and southern California through the eyes of six outstanding photographers tells stories of forces of change that have shaped this region—the geology, climate, and the diversity of living things.
Ongoing Giant-screen film—Ocean Oasis Take a fascinating journey into Mexico’s beautiful Sea of Cortés and the Baja California desert. Ocean Oasis is the winner of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and the International Wildscreen Film Festival. For more information visit www.sdnhm.org. Produced by the San Diego Natural History Museum, Summerhays Films and PRONATURA A.C. Sponsored by Sempra Energy.
PROGRAMS:
Through April 1; 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM Whale-watching Cruises Don’t miss your chance to watch whales migrate past San Diego! Museum members receive special discounts on whale-watching cruises! Also, nonmembers may purchase museum/cruise combo packages at a discounted price. Call the Museum’s Visitor Services Desk for more information at 619.255.0217. Tickets are available at the Museum’s Visitor Services Desk.
Friday, March 23; 7–10 PM; Saturday, March 24, 7–10 PM; Sunday, March 25, 7–10 PM Film festival—Banff Mountain Film Festival This year’s films will take you to the ends of Earth and into your own backyard. These stories explore virtually every corner of the globe and are brought to life on the giant screen. Tickets go on sale February 1 at all Adventure 16 locations and the Museum. Film lists, which include different films each night, will be posted on the Museum’s website in late January. Advance purchase for each night recommended. Cosponsored by Adventure 16. Presented by Dunham Boots and National Geographic. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, March 24; 9 AM–noon Family program—El Capitan Reservoir Kayaking El Capitan Reservoir, located on the San Diego River, has the largest capacity in San Diego’s lake system. When full, the reservoir has 1562 surface acres, a maximum water depth of 197 feet, and 22 miles of shoreline. It is a known nesting site for Spotted Sandpipers, Willow Flycatchers and Great Egrets. Price includes equipment and paddling instruction. Open to ages 6 and up. Member $55 per adult; Nonmember $65 per adult; $20 per child age 6–12 paddling in a double kayak with a parent. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Saturday, March 24; 10 AM–noon Youth program—Nature’s Timetable Have fun while you explore concepts of Mother Nature and Father Time. We will look for clues that tell us when seasons change and Earth moves. How would you calculate time in remote areas without a clock? Make your own sundial to bring home and explore the exhibition, Playing with Time. Open to children grades 1–3. Members $12; Nonmembers $15. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Sunday, March 25; 12:15 PM and 2:15 PM Free family performance—Wacky Science Sundays with Ms. Frizzle™ and The Magic School Bus© Wahoo! Join us for live performances EVERY Sunday at the Museum. Get ready to explore the wild and wacky worlds of mysterious creatures, fascinating habitats, and phenomenal hands-on science! FREE with Museum admission. Call the Frizzle hotline 619.232.3821 ext. 8 or visit www.sdnhm.org/frizzle for the latest information. Made possible by an anonymous donation.
Saturday, March 31; 8 AM–6 PM Adult program—Artistic Expressions of Tecate Tecate is home to some of the most creative artists in Mexico. Meet artists Salvador Magana, a ceramic professor at the University of Baja California, and Alvaro Blancarte, a well-known painter. Visit an art-tile factory where each tile is hand-painted. Watch hands-on pottery making while admiring expert craftsmen at work. Delight yourself with the art of cooking a gourmet meal. Price includes transportation and a meal. Member $82; Nonmember $92. For more information or to register, visit www.sdnhm.org or call 619.255.0203.
Through April -- Traveling Exhibition -- Playing with Time. Ever wondered what life would be like if you could control time? Now yu can. Discover a hidden world where events happen too slowly or too quickly to see: humminbird wings beating, climates changing, popcorn popping, the universe expanding and more. Through playful hands-on stations, natural objects and stunnig displays, experience natural phenomena that occur over vast timescales from billionths of seconds to billions of years. Get a new appreciation for your ever-changing world.
Santa Clarita Valley is a great destination for recreation, history, adventure - and more - for the entire family. Located just 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles, the Santa Clarita Valley is home to two Southern California premier attractions - Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. Magic Mountain delivers 15 world-class roller coaster rides, including Riddler’s Revenge, the world’s tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster, while Hurricane Harbor contains a family water park with a tropical pirate theme, exciting water slides, and two of the tallest fully enclosed speed slides in Southern California.
History buffs will enjoy Santa Clarita Valley’s historical attractions, including the William S. Hart Park and Museum where you can tour the estate of legendary silent film star, William S. Hart, the first cowboy movie star from 1914 to 1925. Free guided tours are available from Wednesday through Sunday, including Hart’s personal effects and movie paraphernalia, along with Native American artifacts and Western American art. Hart Park also includes hiking and nature trails, a large picnic area, campground, and a wilderness area where bison roam. A barnyard in the park contains goats, horses, sheep, deer, ducks and geese. Adjacent to the park is the 19th century Saugus Railroad Station along with several historical buildings from old Newhall. Tours of the train station are available on weekends. Or, take a trip back in time with a stop at Mentryville with guided tours of this historic town that once welcomed young oil men and their families seeking a fresh strike.
There’s more to do -- Check out Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio and Museum (the Ranch still in operation once served as the stomping ground for many actors, including Gene Autry, John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Elvis Presley); or enjoy the outdoors in and around the Valley. Beautiful lakes include Castaic Lake Recreation Area, and there’s golf, hiking, biking trails and horseback opportunities.
In nearby Agua Dulce sits the geological formations of the Vasquez Rocks, a place to hike, explore, enjoy nature, and down the road, you can wine taste at the Agua Dulce Vineyard, or be transformed into another world at the Casa Dulce Riding and Guest Ranch.
For more information or to receive a visitor packet, call the Santa Clarita Tourism Bureau at 1-800-718-TOUR or visit web site www.VisitSantaClarita.com.
THOUSAND OAKS
The Thousand Oaks Certified Farmers’ Market Is Relocating Temporarily
Normally, the Thousand Oaks Certified Farmers' Market meets on Thursdays -- at the The Oaks Shopping Center -- East End Parking Lot, Wilbur Road & Thousand Oaks Blvd. with Summer hours from 3 PM to 7 PM. However, due to an extensive renovation, itmoved on February 1 to the parking lot of the former City Hall building, just upthe hill from the Oaks Shopping Center at 403/401 Hillcrest Drive. The new Farmers’ Market site will share the parking lot with the Conejo Recreation & Park District, the Arts Council and the National Park Service Visitors Center. “The Farmers’ Market is veryexcited to work with these three groups at City Hall to help promote each others programs,” stated Karen Wetzel Schott, Operations Manager of the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association. “The Farmers’ Market managers are encouraging their customers to be patient with the new move as the site is not visible from Hillcrest with lots of signage needed to get people used to driving up the hill,” she continued.
Once the east end of The Oaks Shopping Center is complete with a new parking structure, the Farmers’ Market will move back to its original parking spot, estimated for Spring of 2008 or earlier depending on the progress of the new structure. “We have been extremely fortunate to have such a fantastic working relationship with the Oaks Shopping Center since 1994,” stated Karen Wetzel Schott. “Julia Ladd, the Senior Property Manager has been instrumental in helping us secure a location close to our former site to keep the disruption to our customers minimal,” she continued. “We are looking forward to all the new amenities coming to The Oaks and moving back into a former location as soon as possible,” she added.
The Farmers’ Market will continue with its same day and time of operations – Thursdays, winter hours from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the hour extended to 7 p.m. in March when the time changes. To get to the new location, shoppers will take Hillcrest Drive to McCloud Avenue north to Civic Center Drive, which is immediately on the right. Patrons will continue up the hill and the Market will be located on the rooftop of the Conejo Recreation & Park District, 403 Hillcrest.
The temporary location will have a beautiful panoramic view of the Conejo Valley. “The Farmers’ Market has some very loyal customers who will follow the Market wherever it needs to go in order to continue and we appreciate that support,” stated Schott.
The Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market is part of the Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market Association, a non-profit cooperative. The Market is open rain or shine the rest of the year.
For more information, call 805-529-6266 or check web site www.vccfarmersmarket.com.
SONOMA COUNTY
Barrel Tasting Month in California's Sonoma Wine Country
Get the wine before the bottle in Sonoma Wine Country this March, during “Barrel Tasting Month” which offers wine tasters a chance to try new wines before they are aged, and meet the people who make them. More than 150 wineries will participate over the entire month of March.
Wineries throughout Sonoma County will open their cellar doors for a chance to sample upcoming vintages. Wines are typically aged in barrels for several months to allow the wines to age and the flavors to mature and integrate into a fully developed wine. Barrel tasting allows wine drinkers to experience young, unfinished wines before they are aged, blended, bottled and released to the public.
“Sonoma County Barrel Tasting Month is a terrific winery experience for visitors,” says Honore Comfort, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners. “It’s a unique opportunity to discover the art of winemaking, talk with the winemakers, and taste wine straight from the barrel. No other wine region has dedicated an entire month to barrel tasting.”
Tasting from the barrel allows wine drinkers to better taste the individual characteristics of wines, before they are blended in a finished product. This allows for differentiation between wine from grapes from different vineyards, or even parts of the same vineyard.
For consumers, barrel tasting is a chance to buy “futures” in a wine that has not yet been released to the market. If tasters buy a wine before it is released, they can have access to a hot vintage that may never make it to the buying public, and at a cost below what the finished wine would be.
Winemakers look forward to Barrel Tasting Month as a chance to talk with the wine-buying public in a relaxed, informal setting. “Barrel tasting is the only time you get to taste wine while it is still in the process between the grape and the bottle,” says Lindley Bynum, retail sales manager at Davis Bynum Winery, a Sonoma County pioneer of Russian River Pinot Noir. Bynum offers this tip to barrel tasting visitors: “Go to the barrel tasting web site to check out wineries and plan your route. Many will be offering special tours, winemaker dinners, music and other fun things along with the barrel tasting.”
For a list of Barrel Tasting activities and a calendar of events, visit www.sonomacounty.com and click on the Barrel Tasting icon.
Sonoma County, located 30 miles from San Francisco, is America’s premier wine, spa and coastal destination, featuring more than 250 wineries and 76 miles of stunning Pacific coast.
For a free visitors guide or information on hotels, wineries, events, spas, attractions, and dining in Sonoma County, visit www.sonomacounty.com or call 800-576-6662.
If you haven't been to Aspen yet, plan on going soon. You won't be disappointed. It's a mountain town like no other and flourishes year-round. While the Aspen name is well known, there are many untold stories. It offers a unique vacation of adventure by day and luxury by night. Its arts and cultural calendar rivals that of a big city, and Aspen offers unique learning vacations for children and adults. Summer weather offers warm days and cool evenings, making it ideal for a romantic getaway or honeymoon; a family vacation, or a corporate retreat.
It's a historical fact that Aspen boasted one of the largest silver veins the world has ever known, and the largest nugget of pure silver ever mined (2,350 lbs) was extracted from the Smuggler Mine right in Aspen. Rugged miners spent their days scouring the insides of the surrounding hills and their nights bellied up to the J-Bar at the Hotel Jerome, which remains today as one of Aspen's favorite bars.
With peaks over 14,000 feet, you can hike in the morning and then relax at the new Remede Spa at the St. Regis Resort in the evening. Or paraglide over Aspen Mountain, relax with a picnic at the famed maroon Bells, and stay at the five star Little Nell hotel, a historical bed and breakfast, or a luxury home fit for a Hollywood celebrity. Also, Aspen Expeditions is offering new guided tours in the Aspen area, including the moderate "Tour des Belles Bordeaux," a hike around the spectacular Maroon Bells, or the more difficult "Seven Summits," a take on the classic seven summits of the world, incorporating the classic 14ers in the Aspen area's Elk Mountain Range.
Want more? Largely unknown as a mountain biking destination, there is huge diversity of the biking terrain, from the moderate Hunter Creek Valley single track to Government Trail to Hay Park or Richmond Ridge. From beginner to expert, Aspen's biking terrain has been called the best by Chris Carmichael, Lance Armstrong's coach.
Aspen is also known as the intellectual and cultural capital, making it a playground for the mind and body. Summer brings a diverse mix of cultural events and festivals, along with classical music offerings by the Aspen Music Festival and School. And, if you love to eat, Aspen has more than 80 restaurants with choices from moutain picnics, to lively sushi bars and elegant restaurants. Some of the newest additions here are D-19 and the Wine Spot. The annual Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen locks off a summer of culinary offerings (June), and Aspen leads the organic food trent with the Healthy Gourmet Festival held in July. The Aspen Saturday Market displays organic produce and meals every Saturday from mid-June through October.
For more information, contact web site www.aspenchamber.org.
What's new and to do at Glewood Springs? Plenty!
Hotel Colorado Lobby & Restaurant Renovation
The historic Hotel Colorado has undergone an extensive $2 million restoration that revitalized the restaurant and lobby areas back to their 1890s grandeur when fine dining and socializing were the feature attractions. The restaurant, formerly in the lobby, is now located in the interior area of the hotel between the two grand staircases, along with the new lounge. An updated rendition of the historic waterfall once again serves as the centerpiece for the new dining room. A new private dining area has also been created to be used for private parties, meetings, rehearsal dinners, and other special gatherings. The new lounge features signature Tapas, wine flights, martinis, cigars, desserts, and cordials reminiscent of the early 1900s where Teddy Roosevelt and Al Capone spent their holidays.
For more information, call 800-544-3998 or 970-945-6511, or check web site www.hotelcolorado.com
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
You and your family will enjoy spectacular views while riding the Iron Mountain Tramway. Take a guided walking tour of the Glenwood Caverns where you will see amazing formations. Play on the new thrill rides – Alpine Coaster, Zip line, Giant Swing and 35-foot climbing wall. Exclamation Point Restaurant and Bar serves lunch in the cozy comfort of a Colorado rustic interior or al fresco on expansive viewing decks.
Open year round, the Winter Hours are:
Park Hours: Park & Attractions: 10 am - 5 pm, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
Park Attractions: 10 am - 5 pm, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
Cave Tours
Cave Tour: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
Wild Tour: Saturday. 10:30 a.m. by reservation only
Adventure Tour: Saturday 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. by reservation only
Spring Break Hours 2007 March 10-May 18
Park Hours: Park: 10 am - 6 pm, Daily
Park Attractions: 10:00 am - 6 pm, Daily
Exclamation Point:
• Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 pm.
Cave Tours:
• 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Daily, every hour
• Wild Tours & Adventure Tours available Wed., Saturday & Sunday (reservations required)
• 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Only one tour per time slot.
Exclamation Point Restaurant and Bar
Restaurant and Bar: closed January 22 through February 28 for remodeling.
Re-opening March 1, 2007
Horseback Riding: closed for the season
Dinner Show: closed for the season
Remember, the tram ride takes about 10 minutes, and there may be a line, so allow yourself plenty of time to get to the top.
*For more information, visit www.glenwoodcaverns.com or contact the business office at (970) 945-4228 x11 or call 1-800-530-1635 x11
Segway Tours
Why walk around town when you can ride a cool Segway? Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse & Delicatessen rents Segways for two hour intervals for $70.00 per person. Price includes operating instructions. 725 Grand Avenue.
For reservations, call 970-928-8804.
Mechanical Bull Ride at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Demon, the park's new mechanical bull ride, bucked his way to the top of Iron Mountain. Riders can choose the intensity of their ride on the bull, from mild to wild. The cost is $3 for one ride, $5 for two rides, and $7, or one token, for three rides.
For more information, contact Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, 51000 Two Rivers Plaza Road, 970-945-4CAV (945-4228) or 800-530-1635, or check web site www.glenwoodcaverns.com
New Shopping and Dining at Glenwood Meadows
A brand new shopping experience has arrived. Dining options include Chili's Bar & Grill, Moe's Southwestern Grill, Magoo's Bar and Grill, Smoothie King and Russo's Pizza. Retailers include chain stores such as Pier One Imports, Target, Lowe's Home Improvement Center, Bed Bath & Beyond, PetCo, Sports Authority, and Vitamin Cottage. Glenwood Meadows also features smaller, boutique type shops, such as Passion for Picnics, Gracy's and Red Mountain Wine.
New American lodge & Suites at the Caverns
The new 73-room AmericInn at Glenwood Caverns hotel is located at the base of Iron Mountain Tramway which leads to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The exterior is well-appointed with log and stone fascia and rustic timbers. It also features an indoor pool with a three-story water slide. Their motto is "quiet nights, rest assured".
Grand Hyatt Denver Package Provides No-Wait Admission to Denver's New Art Museum
As the official partner hotel of the new Denver Art Museum, the Grand Hyatt Denver Downtown presents a package that includes two untimed, undated VIP admission tickets, a real value as well as convenience. The Denver Art Museum Package pricing starts at just $141 per room per night and varies by date of stay, weekday or weekend. It is offered through March 30, 2007 and is subject to availability (terms and conditions apply). The Grand Hyatt package packs a premium including an overnight stay in a spacious Grand Hyatt accommodation and two untimed tickets to the internationally renowned Denver Art Museum, which opened on October 7, 2006. In addition to the two VIP tickets that allow a quick admission, Grand Hyatt guests receive a commemorative silver Denver Art Museum notebook, magazine published by the Denver Newspaper Agency and a discount at the museum gift shop. Those who need additional tickets may purchase them through the Grand Hyatt’s concierge (dated, but not timed) for $15 per person.
Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the Denver Art Museum’s Frederic C. Hamilton Building spans a city block and is an explosion of angular forms clad in titanium. The 146,000 square foot building includes permanent gallery space, special exhibition venues and a rooftop sculpture garden. From the Grand Hyatt Denver, located at 17th and Welton Streets in the heart of Denver’s business district, The Art Museum is a short, scenic walk through Civic Center Park, past the gold domed State Capitol.
With services designed for the convenience of busy business and leisure travelers, the Grand Hyatt provides 24-hour room service, an exercise facility available around the clock, an indoor heated pool and outdoor whirlpool. The hotel has one of downtown Denver’s only roof-top tennis courts and jogging tracks, complete with a view of the skyline and the nearby Rocky Mountains. Each room features high-speed internet access, a pillow-top mattress and massaging showerheads among its long list of comforts. For those traveling by air, the Grand Hyatt has FastBoard, a lobby kiosk that allows the guest to print his boarding pass while still at the hotel, without standing in line at the airport.
Reservations for the new Denver Art Museum package at the Grand Hyatt Denver may be made by calling toll-free 800-233-1234 or checking web site www. granddenver.Hyatt.com.
Almost veryone's heard of Snowmass, Colorado. It's that family ski mountain near Aspen with all the nice, easy groomers, right? Well, sort of. Snowmass is a thriving year-round community of over 1,800 mountain-loving souls and a ski area so huge it defies belief. With over 3,100 acres, the mountain is larger than the other three Aspen/Snowmass mountains combined.
Stats lovers take note: Snowmass has the longest lift-served vertical rise in the U.S. and was the first in the country to have a lift operated solely by clean, renewable wind power. Chris Davenport, World Extreme Skiing Champion, says, "the fact is, Snowmass has some of the best steeps, cliffs, couloirs, backcountry, terrain parks, and powder anywhere in North America. Like meeting the girl of your dreams, I'll stick with Snowmass forever."
Ninety-five percent of accommodations are ski-in/ski-out, and that means slopeside, not walk 5 blocks through town in ski boots. This convenience is only amplified by the free Snowmass Shuttle which can take you around town any time of day.
Snowmass just has more, from the largest hotel and conference facilities in Pitkin County at the Silvertree Hotel to the biggest hot tub in the valley at the Timberline Condominiums. We've got the only winter zipline in Colorado, and it's a one-of-a-kind ride you won't find anywhere else on earth. From the historic Anderson Ranch Arts Center to the exciting new Base Village project, it's time to take a new look at Snowmass.
There's lots going on in Skimass this winter. Check web site www.snowmassvillage.com for the lastest information.
If you've ever dreamed of communing with literature greats such as Edith Wharton and Herman Melville, The Interlaken Inn has the next best thing – a package that includes a visit to their most intimate of spaces, their homes. Located in one of Connecticut’s most pristine regions -- in the foothills of the Berkshires where the mountains have been the setting for some of America’s greatest novels and were where renowned pieces of literature were born--as an Autumnal treat, The Interlaken Inn is offering a special package, called the “Edith Wharton & Herman Melville Writers’ Excursion,” which includes visits to both great American authors’ homes and gardens. At Wharton’s masterpiece of design, architecture and landscape, The Mount, located in Lenox, MA, just north of The Interlaken, visitors will experience the visual and aesthetic pleasures of the grand house that she designed, lived in, and received such noted guests as the great American author and her good friend, Henry James. Wharton put into practice classic architectural and interior design principles she laid out in The Decoration of Houses, which she co-authored with Ogden Codman, Jr., in 1897 (still in print today). Wharton’s mansion was recently restored along with her breathtaking gardens, which were originally designed with the assistance of her niece, the renowned landscape designer, Beatrix Jones Ferrand. For the first time since Wharton left the estate in 1911, her original library has been returned to The Mount and is on display, having just arrived from a collector in England.
Following the visit to The Mount, guests can proceed to Herman Melville’s home, “Arrowhead,” located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Here they will receive a glimpse into life in the 1850’s, see how Melville and his family lived their daily lives, and discover where he consulted with his close friend Nathaniel Hawthorne. This is also where Melville wrote his masterpiece, Moby Dick. Visitors are sure to enjoy the natural scenery and historic collection at Melville’s Arrowhead.
The Interlaken Inn Resort, established in 1891, is located in historic Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the foothills of The Berkshires between two picturesque lakes. The property offers 80 first-class guestrooms, banquet & private dining rooms, and award-winning cuisine in Morgan’s restaurant. It also features extensive meeting, recreation and fitness facilities, is located adjacent to Hotchkiss Golf Course, and is near Route 7, Connecticut's antique route. On the property, you'll find tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, canoeing and boating, fishing, hiking, biking, walking paths, executive ropes course, golfing, caving, skiing & snowshoeing in season, and much more. The Berkshires, litchfield County, and the Hudson River Valley are renowned for superb dance, theater, and music festivals.
For more information on the “Visit with Edith Wharton & Herman Melville” Package, contact The Interlaken Inn at 800-222-2909, or visit web site www.interlakeninn.com.
Spend a Romantic Valentine’s Interlude in the Litchfield Countryside
Lovers seeking the perfect countryside escape this Valentine’s Day need to look no farther than The Interlaken Inn of Lakeville., Connecticut. Nestled within historic Litchfield County, Lakeville is a charming New England village situated near the Massachusetts border.
Don't want to spend Valentine's Day here? Then plan a weekend or weekday any time because it's always great. One of the wonderful things about The Interlaken Inn is the rich choice of accommodations. Select from five unique dwellings that make up the country Inn: the historic Victorian named Sunnyside for the vast expanse of sunshine that has beautifully weathered its cedar shake siding; the Tudor-style Countryside; the contemporary and roomy townhouse suites; the charming Woodside which offers maximum privacy and a honeymoon suite (for an additional amount); and the beautifully redecorated main lodge with easy access to the restaurant and bar and other amenities. Original artworks from local fine artists decorate the main lodge, as well as the lovely and expansive grounds & gardens of The Interlaken Inn.
For more information on The Interlaken Inn’s packages, or to make reservations, call 800-222-2909 / 860-435-9878 or check web site www.interlakeninn.com. Packages are subject to availability.
From One Horse Open Sleighs to Norman Rockwell: Americana Weekends in The Berkshires!
The Interlaken Inn Resort has announced the return of the popular Americana Winter Weekend Package called "Dashing Through the Snow." The package includes sleighing through the Berkshires countryside in a one-horse open sleigh and a visit to the renowned Norman Rockwell museum in nearby Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
The “Dashing Through the Snow” sleigh package includes deluxe guestroom accommodations at The Interlaken Inn – a slice of Americana itself tracing its origins to 1891, dinner for two in the award-winning Morgan's restaurant, a hearty New England breakfast for two the next morning served in the Interlaken’s solarium, a pair of tickets to the Norman Rockwell Museum (web site www.nrm.org) ... and sleighing through the rolling Berkshires countryside. The “Dashing Through the Snow” Americana package is from $299 per couple, and is available through March (snow permitting).
Guests of the “Dashing Through the Snow” package will enjoy an old-fashioned sleigh ride over pastoral Berkshires country roads and covered bridges. Guided by a single horse and driver, the sleigh ride is surely the way into the hearts and memories of all present. Sleigh blankets are provided to keep everyone toasty warm. Afterwards, there are hot toddies by the fire!
What’s Americana without Norman Rockwell and so the package includes a tour of the renowned artist’s historic studio and museum. It was here that Rockwell painted many of the covers for The Saturday Evening Post and here that many of his popular paintings were created using neighbors as models. The Norman Rockwell Museum houses the world's largest and most significant collection of original Rockwell art, including the powerful “Four Freedoms” and the nostalgic “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas.”
For more information on the “Dashing Through the Snow” Americana Package, contact The Interlaken Inn at 860-435-9878 / 800-222-2909 or visit web site www.interlakeninn.com/
About The Interlaken Inn Resort
The Interlaken Inn Resort, established in 1891, is located in historic Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the foothills of The Berkshires between two picturesque lakes. The property offers 80 first-class guestrooms, banquet & private dining rooms, and award-winning cuisine in Morgan’s restaurant.
The Interlaken Inn features extensive resort, meeting, recreation and fitness facilities. It is located adjacent to Hotchkiss Golf Course, which is recognized as one of Connecticut's most scenic and challenging courses, and near Route 7, Connecticut's renowned antique route. The resort offers a host of leisure activities available on property or nearby, including, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, canoeing and boating, fishing, hiking/biking/walking paths, executive ropes course, golfing, caving, skiing & snowshoeing in season, and much more. Renowned cultural and entertainment opportunities abound. The Berkshires, Litchfield County and the Hudson River Valley are renowned for superb dance, theater, and music festivals.
The Interlaken Inn is 100 miles directly north of New York City on Rt. 112 (Interlaken Road) in Lakeville, Connecticut. Recently the historic property completed an extensive renovation of all its facilities, including its century-old original Victorian building.
For more information on The Interlaken Inn Resort, visit web site www.interlakeninn.com.
Romance Packages in the Litchfield Hills
Riverton Romantic Overnight
The innkeepers love lovers at the Old Riverton Inn, a country classic dating to 1796. Their romance package includes cozy accommodations complete with flowers, candy and a split of champagne, a candlelight dinner for two and full breakfast in the morning. From $195 to $215.
For more information, call 800-EST-1796, or check web site www.rivertoninn.com..
Interlaken Romantic Interlude
Movie lovers take note. You can pick your night, midweek or weekend, and enjoy a romantic room, complimentary cocktails, two dinners for the price of one and two tickets to the movies, plus breakfast the next morning, all for $179 at this classic Lakeville resort. Spa treatments add to the possibilities. Stay an extra night for just $119.
For more information call 800-222-2909, or check web site www.interlakeninn.com.
The Heritage Spa Getaway
Everyone deserves a little pampering after battling winter winds. At the Heritage Resort in Southbury couples can enjoy a deluxe room and full breakfast, as well as an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, and a choice of two treatments at the Tres Jolie Day Spa, a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure, from $329. Not into spas? Chose a Rendezvous for two package with a deluxe room, dinner in the resort’s Eight Mile Brook, restaurant, a buffet breakfast and use of the resort health club starting at $219.
For more information, call 203-264-8200; or check web site www.heritagesouthbury.com
The Inn at Kent Falls Timeless Romance
Lovers who love country inns can enjoy two nights in a beautifully appointed guest room or suite at this luxurious bed and breakfast inn in Kent. The package includes flowers, chocolate dipped strawberries, wine and a champagne brunch.
From $310. For more information, call 860-927-3197; or check web site www.innatkentfalls.com.
For more information on winter activities, skiing, sleigh rides, antiquing and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills of Northwest Connecticut, contact the Northwest CT Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506 or check web site at www.litchfieldhills.com.
For information on the ski jumping competitions, see www.swsa.info. To receive a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and other attractions, contact the Northwest CT Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506 or check web site at www.litchfieldhills.com.
The Eagle Watch Is On In Connecticut's Litchfield Hills
The eagles have landed! Come winter, our national bird, the great American bald eagle,looks for feeding spots where rivers are not frozen, and one of their favorite havens is theShepaug Dam on the Housatonic River near Southbury, in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills. The dam, where running water prevents icing, provides a ready supply of fish, the eagle’s favorite dish.
Spectators can have a front row seat to watch the birds in action at the Bald Eagle Observation Site operated by NE Energy Services, near the Shepaug Hydroelectric Station. The viewing station is located 1000 feet from the river, insuring safety for the eagles while providing an excellent vantage point for visitors. This is the only enclosed viewing station in the state as well as the only place with staff on hand to explain what a juvenile eagle looks like, compared to an adult. Volunteers from Connecticut Audubon are present to help spot the eagles and to answer questions about the birds.
As many as eight eagles may be seen on an average day, swooping from perches in the trees to feed at the dam. With a wingspan that can be in excess of seven feet, they are fascinating to observe as they soar overhead to spot their prey with eyesight many times stronger than human. Eagles can fly between 36 and 44 miles per hour and may move even faster when diving for their dinner.
This is the 22nd season for the organized eagle watch. The station is open every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Wednesday, March 14, 2007. Telescopes are set up in the viewing area and viewers also are welcome to bring their own binoculars. Warm clothes are suggested for visitors, since the shelter area, while protected, is not fully heated.
Sponsored by NE Energy Services, admission to the Eagle Observation Area is free but because of limited space, it is by reservation only.
Information, driving directions and reservations are available by phoning (800) 368-8954 from Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To ensure as many people as possible get the chance to view the eagles, families are limited to one viewing session per season. While groups of children are welcome, one adult chaperone must be provided for every 10 children.
For more information on winter activities, skiing, sleigh rides, antiquing and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills of Northwest Connecticut, contact the Northwest CT Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506 or check web site at www.litchfieldhills.com.
There's always something on tap at the Mystic Arts Center.
For more information and hours, contact the Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic, CT 06355; 860-536-7601 or check web site www.mysticarts.org.
Guided Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Mystic
Experienced guides will take up to twelve participants on a guided tour of Historic Mystic and you will see the homes of the founding artist of the Mystic Arts Center. The one-hour program includes interesting history, artwork and biographic stories of these artists, along with an architectural treasure hunt. The tours leave from the Center at 1:30pm on Fridays till the end of September, weather permitting, $5.00 per person.
Or arrange a special time and place for your group by calling Geri Winslow at 860.536.7601 or email her at studio@mysticarts.org.
Window on the Mystic River Community Field Trip
Take a trip to the Mystic Arts Center with your class and learn about the history of this unique community's art, artists and architecture in a fun and entertaining journey. This guided program, which takes approximately two hours, will take you and your class on a tour of Downtown Mystic and our galleries on an architectural treasure hunt.
This trip must be scheduled two weeks in advance for as little as $240 per class of twenty four students.
For more information about this great program contact Tamara Rich, Education Director, at 860.536.7601 or email her at education@mysticarts.org
Exhibitions
Elected Artist Show
Thursday, April 19th, 2007 - Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
Liebig , Terrace Galleries
Red, White and Black
Thursday, April 19th, 2007 - Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
Davis Gallery
Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 96th Annual Juried Show
Friday, June 8th, 2007 - Saturday, July 21st, 2007
Davis , Liebig , Terrace , River Galleries
Peter McLean One-Man-Show
Friday, August 3rd, 2007 - Saturday, September 22nd, 2007
Schuster Gallery
51st Regional Show
Thursday, August 23rd, 2007 - Saturday, September 22nd, 2007
Davis , Liebig , Terrace , River Galleries
Connecticut Women Artists
Friday, September 28th, 2007 - Saturday, November 10th, 2007
Davis , River Galleries
Photo Show XXIX
Friday, September 28th, 2007 - Saturday, November 10th, 2007
Liebig , Terrace Galleries
Holiday Fine Art Show
Friday, November 16th, 2007 - Thursday, December 27th, 2007
Davis Gallery
Artisan Guild Sale
Friday, November 16th, 2007 - Thursday, December 27th, 2007
Liebig , Terrace , River Galleries
Beginner Figure Sculpture with Christopher Long
Learn the traditional methods of modeling the human form with structure and rhythm. No prior experience required. Students will work from a nude model as reference. Thursdays, 4/12, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $120, NM $145, Materials fee: $30
Paint in Any Medium with Jennifer Wheeler
Learn the techniques to dramatically improve your composition while implementing color theory in paint. Students will work from direct observation to enhance their own individual styles. Mondays, 4/9, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $100, NM $125
Monitored Figure Drawing Draw
from a live nude model in a modern studio setting. Mondays, 3/26-5/21 (skip 4/16), 6:30-8:30 pm; M $60, NM $85, or drop in for $10/class
Drawing a Portrait from a Model
with Jack Montmeat Work from a live model while receiving instruction from an award-winning artist/teacher in a modern studio setting. Students of all ability levels are welcome. Tuesdays, 4/10, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $120, NM $145
Re-Seeing the Landscape with Diana Baker
Students will "re-see" the landscape and observe the evolution towards abstraction. Work on color, composition, and texture techniques in oil or acrylic. Please bring three photographs to class to reference. Tuesdays, 3/13-4/10, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $105, NM $125
Painting from Photographic Reference with Sarah Stifler Lucas
Work from your own photographs in the medium of your choice while enjoying a relaxed studio environment. Demonstrations and critiques will focus on design, composition, value, and space. Wednesdays, 3/14-4/11, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $100, NM $125
Drawing from A to Z with Jack Broderick
Drawing is a learned skill, not necessarily an inborn talent. If the desire to draw is present, all that‚s needed is the basic information on how to construct a drawing and how basic shapes relate to everything around us. Topics will cover line, value, perspective and more. Work with pencil and charcoal in a friendly studio setting. Wednesdays, 3/14-4/11, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $100, NM $125
Pastels for All Abilities with Jacqueline Phillips
Improve your drawing skills while working with pastels. Demonstrations conducted by an experienced artist/teacher. New still life compositions and techniques will be introduced to challenge beginners and returning students. Thursdays, 3/15-4/12, 6:30-8:30 pm; M $100, NM $125
Register online at web site www.mysticarts.org
Art History Events
Art historian, Noelle O'Connor, will be returning to the Mystic Arts Center with a new and exciting series of art history lectures. These spirited multi-media presentations will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 2-3 pm and will be followed by a brief question and answer session. Participants may register for the whole series as a package or register for individual lectures. Tuition is $60 for members, $85 for non-members or $15 per lecture.
Noelle O'Connor received her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and her M.A. in Art History from Columbia University. She has worked for many years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, taught Art History at Pace University and F.I.T., and continues to teach seminars for credit at the Great Neck L.I. Teacher's Center as the Art and Museum Specialist. Her publications include articles in the Encyclopedia of Modern Asia (2005) and the Columbia Encyclopedia (3rd edition). Her goal as a teacher is to make the Art History accessible, entertaining and irresistible.
The Grand Chasm: Fine Arts vs. Crafts
March 21st
Artists vs. crafts persons, inspired genius vs. technical competency; these supposed dichotomies have been the basis for lively debate for several centuries. What is the difference between a masterpiece and a utilitarian object of painstaking technical expertise? Michelangelo ˆ architect or master builder? Josiah Wedgewood ˆ artist or entrepreneur? This lecture will explore this age-old debate, tracking developments from the Medieval Guilds to the modern day artist‚s cooperatives. On which side of the grand chasm do you stand?
Urban Legends: The Cityscape
March 28th
From Vermeer's View of Delft to Edward Hopper‚s stark city blocks, the urban landscape has interested artists as a visual echo of contemporaneous society. Charles Scheeler‚s precisionist skyscrapers, Maurice de Vlamink‚s fauve boulevards, and Sassetta‚s sophisticated renderings of architecture in Sienna not only delight the eye but inform us as well. We gain insight through the cityscape into Monet‚s London, John Sloan's New York and Georgia O‚Keefe‚s Taos. Choosing iconic references and introducing lesser- known works, this illustrated lecture will develop the theme of cityscapes.
Connoisseurship: Conversations with Quality
April 4th
Why do certain works of art endure, why do certain artists works effect us even centuries after their creation? What makes something a masterpiece, a major work, a classic? This illustrated lecture will endeavor to explain the elusive topic of artistic greatness, focusing on connoisseurship, looking at past masters and current new stars of the art world. Well known artists and their works will be discussed in the context of their times, their vision and their artistic goals. From the Mona Lisa to Christo‚s Gates, from Monet's Water lilies to Keith Haring, issues of connoisseurship will be developed and discussed.
Inventing Environments: Maya Lin
April 11th
A young student at Yale University wins the competition to design one of the most important memorials in American history; the Vietnam Veteran‚s Memorial in Washington D.C. From there to ever increasing fame and commissions, her work has matured and developed into new areas, including installation art, garden design and her own particular blend of architecture and landscape. Her works draw on various source materials filtered through her own idiom, and, in her own words "Ask you to think." This illustrated lecture will showcase her work and chronicle her continuing development into one of America‚s premier contemporary artists.
Turning over a New Leaf: Nicholas Baute, Emerging Artist
April 18th
Originally from Kentucky, and now living in New York, his work shows proficiency with difficult technical media while expressing a natural lyricism. Baute uses natural imagery in his clear and beautiful prints of trees and leaves in the challenging medium of wood engraving, rarely practiced in the modern digital age. His use of an age old technical process enables him to reference the past as well as develop his own contemporary vision in his work. This illustrated lecture will introduce the artist and his prints. Meet the artist during the lecture and select his prints for your very own. Learn more about Nicholas' printmaking techniques the following day in his special workshop.
Printmaking Demo and Workshop with Nicholas Baute
Join Nicholas Baute in the studio to learn about historic and current printing methods in the morning, then make your own prints in the afternoon under the artist's instruction. Thursday, April 19, Demo: 9-11 am, M $25, NM $50; Workshop: 1-3 pm, M $30, NM $55; Demo and Workshop Package: M $50, NM $100
Register for these classes on line at the above web site
Children's Classes
Paper Art with Jennifer Wheeler (Ages 7-11)
You'll cut, fold, curl, decoupage and paper mache to make colorful paper sculpture projects! Tuesdays, 3/13-4/10, 4-5 pm; M $60, NM $80
Cartoon Creatures with Conam Lee (Age 6-8)
Learn basic drawing skills while creating original comic characters from your imagination! Tuesdays, 3/13-4/10, 4-5 pm; M $60, NM $80
Studio Art Sampler with Elise Sousa (Age 6-8)
This is the class for artists who want to try everything! Each class will focus on a different medium. For returning students, new techniques will be explored. Wednesdays, 3/14-4/11, 4-5 pm; M $60, NM $80 Pears by Elise Sousa pictured above
Nature Art with Jennifer Wheeler (Ages 7-11)
Using nature as an inspiration, learn about patterning as camouflage, practice printmaking with insects, make an imaginary clay bird, and more! Wednesdays, 3/14-4/11, 4-5 pm; M $60, NM $80
Draw, Paint, Create! with Fran Baldwin (Ages 6-9)
Each lesson is a new adventure as you draw, paint, and create your way to becoming an multi-media master! Thursdays, 3/15-4/12, 4-5 pm; M $60, NM $80
Art for All Youth with Christopher Long (Age 10-14)
Work independently and in groups in a variety of art media to express ideas, create attention and improve your art skills. Thursdays, 3/15-4/12, 3:30-5 pm; M $85, NM $105
Register on line at web site www.mysticarts.org
Saturday Funshops for Kids
A new topic with a different instructor each class!
Ages 6-10
10 am - 12 noon
M $25, NM $45
Making Clay Faces 3/10
It's A Jungle Out There! 3/17
Journal Making 3/24
Fishing in Clay 3/31
Wonders in Watercolor 4/7
Accordion Books 4/14
People Portraits 4/28
Sculpty Pets 5/5
Painting Pots and Planting 5/12
Wonders in Watercolor 5/19
Register on line at web site www.mysticarts.org
Mystic Arts Center Holiday Arts Gathering
Come to the Mystic Arts Center on Friday, November 16, 2007, to enjoy an evening of merriment featuring music, delicious food and drink, and the first opportunity to shop tax-free from a fabulous selection of fine art and one-of-a-kind gifts made by talented local artists and artisans.
For more information, contact Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic, CT 06355; 860-536-7601; Fax: 860-536-0610, or via Email: events@mysticarts.org
The Yale University Art Gallery is featuring
Jasper Johns: From Plate to Print Exhibit to April 1, 2007
Printmaking has been integral to the work of preeminent American painter Jasper Johns throughout his career. he approaches each project with a thorough knowledge of the medium, exploiting its intrinsic characteristics -- mark-making, replication, reversal, layering, fragmentation, and memory. Jasper Johns: From Plate to Print focuses on an untitled 1999 intaglio print by the artist, featuring the working proofs, trial proofs, and progressives leading up to the final print, as well as the five plates used in its creation. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the artistic and mechanical process of printmaking while providing a glimpse into the artist's creative process - his development of motifs, color choices, and graphic enhancement.
The exhibition is on the Fourth floor. The Gallery is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm (Thursday until 8 pm, September-June); Sunday 1-6 pm. Closed Mondays and major holidays, and it is located at 1111 Chapel (at High Street), New Haven, Connecticut.
Celebrate Thai New Year with traditional & symbolic offerings at Bangkok Joe’s
Join Chef/Owner Aulie Bunyarataphan as Bangkok Joe’s celebrates Songkran, the Thai New Year, with a menu of traditional Thai dishes designed to usher in the New Year on a positive, and delicious note.
Honoring the Year of the Pig, the menu features symbolic dishes such as Meang-Kum, often offered when welcoming guests this dish is believed to grant good health to those who eat it; Thai New Year Spaghetti to promote longevity and festive, multi-colored dumplings, Tri-Color Gems, offered exclusively for this celebration. Dishes are priced from $6.95 - $24.95 and are available during lunch and dinner from Friday, April 13th – Sunday, April 22nd. The regular menu will also be available.
Also known as the “Festival of Pouring Water,” a traditional element of this New Year’s celebration includes the “throwing of water.” Guests at Bangkok Joe’s are invited to partake in this symbolic ritual by pouring water over a ceremonial Buddha, an act which the Thai people believe washes away back luck and inspires cleansing, renewal and prosperity. Patrons may also shake a “Ziem-Zee,” a container full of Thai fortune sticks, to discover their fortune for the New Year.
“I love sharing the Thai culture and traditions with the people of Washington,” said Chef/Owner Aulie Bunyarataphan, “and invite them to take part in this ritual to refresh and renew their spirit for the New Year.”
SONGKRAN FESTIVAL MENU
APPETIZERS
MEANG-KUM $6.95
Made with shrimp, toasted coconut, ginger, shallots, roasted peanuts, lime and Thai pepper, served on collard green bites with lemon grass-coconut-palm sugar sauce.
TRI-COLOR GEMS $7.95
King Rama II style dumplings, each stuffed with different variety of meat-minced pork loin, crabmeat and shrimp stir-fried with salted turnips, roasted peanut and Thai herbs.
YUM GOONG POW $9.95
Grilled shrimp with lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, mint, red onions and scallions. Topped with a spicy fresh mango-lime dressing.
ENTREES
THAI NEW YEAR SPAGHETTI $24.95
Wok-fried lobster with spaghetti, Thai anchovies, oven roasted tomatoes, basil, sweet peppers, onions and scallions in our roasted chili and garlic sauce.
CRYING TIGER $22.95
Grilled marinated NY steak Essan style with red onions, basil and tossed rice powder. Served with sticky rice in banana leaf and spicy green papaya salad.
KAO SOI NOODLES $17.95
A popular Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with shrimp and longevity noodles, a touch of coconut milk, shallots, sour cabbage, bean sprouts and scallions. Topped with crispy noodle sticks.
DESSERT
THAI CUSTARD $5.95
Traditional steamed coconut custard and sweet black sticky rice, served with caramel sauce.
Happy New Year
pronounced sawatdee pi maï
Since opening in September 2003, Bangkok Joe’s has attracted celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, first daughter Jenna Bush and Miss Universe Natalie Glebova. Chef Aulie has been seen sharing her Thai cooking and dumpling techniques throughout the DC metro area, and is a featured chef in the cook book “Best American Recipes 2005-2006.”
Located at 3000 K Street in Georgetown’s Washington Harbour, Bangkok Joe’s hours are Monday through Thursday from 11:30am to 10:30pm, Fridays from 10:30am to 11:30pm, Saturdays from Noon to 11:30pm, and Sundays from 11:30am to 10:30pm. For reservations, please call 202.333.4422. Bangkok Joe’s sister restaurant, T.H.A.I. in Shirlington, is located in Arlington.
To make reservations 703.931.3203. For more information, visit web site www.bangkokjoes.com.
Cherry Blossoms Peak At Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C.
Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. overlooks the Tidal Basin that is home to the famous cherry trees. To celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival®, Mandarin Oriental will offer an exclusive Cherry Blossoms Bloom overnight accommodation package and a Cherry Blossom Bliss spa package, available from March 23 to April 29, 2007.
Cherry Blossoms Bloom
As the only hotel in the District to overlook the Tidal Basin, Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. offers the exclusive Cherry Blossoms Bloom package that features overnight accommodations, valet parking, a trio of cherry treats including a homemade cherry dessert from our pastry department, cherry-flavored chocolates and gummy cherries, and American breakfast for two in Café MoZU.
The rate is USD 379 for a water deluxe weekend room or USD 979 for a one-bedroom suite. Rates are per room, per night, based upon double occupancy and are subject to availability and change. For reservations and further details on Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., call 1 888-888-1778 or check web site www.mandarinoriental.com/washington .
Guestrooms and suites at Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. will delight visitors with décor marrying Asian elegance with stylish traditional touches, set against a backdrop of breathtaking water and city views. Rooms feature luxurious Fili D’Oro linens, customized furnishings, high-speed Internet access, three dual-line phones with voicemail, flat screen televisions and lavish marble bathrooms, many with views from generous soaking tubs. Guest rooms range from a minimum of nearly 400 square feet to more than 700 square feet. At 3,500 square feet, the three-bedroom Presidential Suite offers panoramic views from floor-to-ceiling windows. The additional 52 spacious luxury suites feature a variety of configurations and amenities.
Cherry Blossom Bliss
The two and a half hour “Cherry Blossom Bliss” spa journey is designed to exfoliate and soothe the skin after the harsh winter weather with a cherry sugar scrub, hydrating body wrap and an 80-minute Aromatherapy massage. The cherry scrub is high in antioxidants which helps strengthen the immune system and also removes dead skin cells and stimulates circulation. The wrap plumps the skin cells with hydration, leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth and looking radiant. The cherry blossom bliss spa journey is USD 420 plus gratuity. To reserve this treatment or another spa experience, call 1 (202) 787-6100.
National Cherry Blossom Festival ®
This year’s 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival® marks the 95th celebration of the original gift of the 3,000 cherry trees in 1912 by the city of Tokyo to the people of Washington, D.C. For two weeks, March 31 to April 15, 2007 , Washington, D.C. will explode with beautiful pink blossoms. Come and enjoy the spirit of the season; for a complete list of events visit www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
About Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C
Recently ranked the #1 hotel in Institutional Investor’s “Top 100 Hotels of the World” survey, the 400-room urban resort sets new luxury standards in the nation’s capital. The hotel’s unique location on the southwest waterfront makes Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. the only hotel offering views of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument, Potomac Tidal Basin and Washington Marina. In addition to exceptional accommodations and gracious service, the hotel features 38,000 square-feet of meeting space, the Mobil Four-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, and two restaurants – the Asian-inspired Café MoZU and the AAA Five Diamond CityZen.
Mandarin Oriental Sponsors“East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art” at The Smithsonian
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is delighted to announce its sponsorship of the prestigious new exhibition “East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art” at the Smithsonian Institution’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, on view through May 13. Set to coincide with Washington D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, this iconic exhibition will highlight the rich visual culture of garden imagery in Asia through 65 works of art from the 12th century to the present day.
To celebrate the exhibition opening, Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. is delighted to offer the “Fantastic Freer and Sackler” travel package, featuring luxurious accommodations, indulgent Spa treatments and special access to the “East of Eden” exhibition at the nearby Sackler Gallery.
The “Fantastic Freer and Sackler” package includes:
One night accommodation for two in a Deluxe City View room or Executive Water View Suite
American breakfast for two at Café MoZU
Guided docent-led tour of “East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art” at Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and special admittance to the Gallery during designated preview hours*
Two customised, one-hour spa treatments with massage and specially-crafted Cherry Blossom Scrub
Access to pool and athletic club facilities
Valet Parking
Rates for “Fantastic Freer and Sackler” package begin at $729 for a Deluxe City View room or $1,329 for an Executive Water View Suite and are valid February 24 through May 13, 2007. Rates are per room, per night, based upon double occupancy and are subject to availability and change.
For reservations and further details on Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., call 1-888-888-1778 or visit web site www.mandarinoriental.com.
* Private tours of the exhibition will start March 12 and are available from 9:30 a.m. until close. Special tours must be booked at least a week in advance.
About The Freer Gallery of Art / Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
The Freer Gallery of Art, located at 12th Street and Independence Avenue S.W., and the adjacent Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, located at 1050 Independence Ave. S.W., are on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., steps away from Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, except Dec. 25, and admission is free. For more information, the public may call (202) 633-1000 or TTY (202) 357-1729, or visit the exhibitions section of the galleries’ Web site: <http://www.asia.si.edu/>www.asia.si.edu
About Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C.
Recently ranked the #1 hotel in Institutional Investor’s “Top 100 Hotels of the World” survey, the 400-room urban resort sets new luxury standards in the nation’s capital. The hotel’s unique location on the southwest waterfront makes Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. the only hotel offering views of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument, Potomac Tidal Basin and Washington Marina. In addition to exceptional accommodations and gracious service, the hotel features 38,000 square-feet of meeting space, the Mobil Four-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, and two restaurants – the Asian-inspired Café MoZU and the AAA Five Diamond CityZen.
About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts, currently operating 20 luxury hotels with a further 14 under development in Riviera Maya, Mexico and Hainan Island, China (2007), Barcelona and Boston (2008), Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, Macau, Marrakech, Turks and Caicos and Grand Cayman (2009) and Guangzhou, Taipei and Paris (2010). In total, Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, more than 9,000 rooms in 20 countries with 15 hotels in Asia, 12 in The Americas and seven in Europe and North Africa.
The Willard Intercontinental Hotel's Springtime National Cherry Blossom Festival Specials for Guests
Anticipating the majestic beauty of the National Cherry Blossom Festival® from March 31 through April 15, visitors who flock to Washington's Willard InterContinental will be treated to stunning live floral displays, overnight packages, spa treatments and tasty Cherry Blossom Tea in Peacock Alley.
Guests who reserve the hotel's Very Cherry Willard Package starting at $329
will receive a special cherry amenity, plus the choice of one of the following;
American breakfast for two, a second room at half price for children under 18,
upgrade to a Deluxe room, or parking. This package reflects savings of
$250. Prices are per room, plus tax, based upon availability and are available
from March 16 through April 15, 2006.
Conveniently located near the tree-lined Tidal Basin, the Cherry Blossom Parade route and other festival events, the Willard is the perfect choice for festival enthusiasts. Guests can raise their glasses at the historic Round Robin Bar with cherry cocktails, like the gin and orange-blossom water-based, Blooming Flower or the fizzy Vodka-based, Shimmery Sakura, priced at $14 each. Guests can also sip on cherry-infused teas as the opulently decorated Peacock Alley surrounds them during the hotel's Cherry Blossom Tea. Offered seven days a week from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. throughout the festival, guests can nibble on festive themed edibles such as Petite Cherry Custard Tarts, Dry Cherry and Vanilla Scones with Homemade Cherry Marmalade and Devonshire Cream, and Hand Made Cherry Candy, while listening to the soothing sounds of a live Kyoto player. Price is $37.00 per person, and $47.00 with a glass of Champagne. For reservations call 202.637.7350.
At the luxurious I Spa at the Willard, guests can prepare for the Cherry Blossom festivities with an invigorating Green Tea facial or a revitalizing Shiatsu Massage. Priced at $140, the 60-minute Green Tea facial combines Green Tea and cucumber to soothe sensitive skin, while the Shiatsu Massage, priced at $125 for 60 minutes stimulates acupressure points throughout the body. To make a spa appointment, call 202.942.2700.
Each year, the Willard's lobby and Peacock Alley promenade is festooned with live Cherry Blossoms and a display including historic renderings of the first Japanese delegation to America. Three ambassadors and their entourage of 74 stayed at the Willard in an historic visit to Washington to ratify the nations' new Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1860. The Japanese delegation stayed at the Willard for a month in a cross-cultural experience learning about America while enjoying Washington and the Willard's renowned hospitality.
For information and reservations call the Willard InterContinental Hotel, 202-628-9100, or 1-800-827-1747, or check web site www.washington.interconti.com. For National Cherry Blossom Festival® details check web site www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
Boca Raton's Largest Spa - The Maui Spa & Wellness Center - Opened
"Enter a soothing Hawaiian oasis January '07 with the arrival of The Maui Spa & Wellness Center to Boca Raton. Be greeted with genuine flower leis and exotic herbal tea upon your arrival. Valued at over $3 million, this idyllic 7,000 square foot, standalone spa will become Boca Raton's paradise escape, providing patrons with authentic, holistic wellness therapies true to the island of Maui to foster total mind-body healing and pampering from within.
"The Maui will be unique to itself and incredibly unique to Boca Raton. While many area spas tend to focus on 'outer beauty' treatments such as Botox or permanent makeup, The Maui will emphasize 'inner healing and harmony within the entire body' by relying on authentic therapies to restore the natural balance, beauty, and health," says President Gayle Wentworth.
"This state-of-the-art spa and wellness center combines eastern and western influences, offering guests 10 private spa treatment rooms, a Hana hydrotherapy room, a Kipahulu relaxation room, a full-service salon, spa retail, and a private, Asian-influenced rooftop garden amidst a Feng Shui balanced environment," explains Wentworth. The wellness aspect offers visitors the complete healing experience with the professional services of an
Acupuncturist, Chiropractor and Psychotherapist.
The Maui's exclusive Hana Room, named after the rainforest area of Maui, is a water-focused retreat inspired by the 7 sacred pools found on the Island. Two private copper soaking tubs, two wet tables for exfoliating body treatments, Deluge waterfall showers and Swiss needle showers, steam and state-of-the-art infrared saunas provide deep healing and detoxification of the body and senses. A Feng Shui designed cold plunge pool is featured in the Hana Room to refresh and awaken the body post-treatment.
Rooftop at The Maui will offer an inviting, Asian-themed garden providing a private space for guests to enjoy energizing fitness classes such as sunrise/sunset Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and cultural Hula. A Tea Bar will also be housed here, supplying spa guests with whole leaf signature tea elixirs, combined with a light Spa cuisine menu, to complete the ultimate escape and revive the mind, body and spirit. Rooftop at The Maui presents a unique and serene backdrop for private events, spa party bookings and corporate functions.
Wentworth further remarks, "The Maui strives to make every visit an experience and every experience a remarkable rebirth of mind and body." She hopes her lifetime of detailed research towards the design and creation of the spa will result in guests enjoying
the experience of feeling "at heart-at mind" with Maui upon their visit.
Located at 2100 NW Boca Raton Boulevard in Boca Raton, The Maui Spa & Wellness Center is the aspiration of Gayle Wentworth, a former resident of the Island of Maui. She believes the influence of east meets western philosophy will find a balance right here in Boca Raton, Florida.
To request a current spa menu or media kit, Michelle Soudry at The Gab Group, 561-750-3500 or email msoudry@thegabgroup.com>msoudry@thegabgroup.com
BONITA SPRINGS
The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs announces its 2007 Valentine’s Day Package, which includes a complimentary bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, an 80-minute couples massage and manicures, a romantic sunset cruise, dinner for two, and breakfast in bed. The all-inclusive rate is $1,500.
For more information, contact Kelly Olsen (kolsen@hyatt.com), 239-390-4278, or check web site www.coconutpoint.hyatt.com.
Offshore Sailing School at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island has lowered its entry level age from 12 to 9 for family units that “buy the whole boat” and offers them a discount of 18 percent off the total package cost. “Buying the whole boat” means families of up to six sail and learn privately together with a certified sailing instructor. For more information, check web site www.offshoresailing.com.
'Tween Waters Inn Special Deals
'Tween Waters Inn, through June 2007, offers guests two free tickets to any spring 2007 production of their choice at the Florida Repertory Theatre in downtown Fort Myers. The promotion, a $70 guests-only added value, is limited to two tickets per guest room per stay.
For more information contact Jennifer Carey (jenniferc@make-noise.com), 414-226-4900, or check web site www.tweenwaters.com.
'Tween Waters Inn and USA3000 Airlines Partners in Contest
‘Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island and USA3000 Airlines have partnered in a promotion that will award a grand prize with an estimated retail value of $3,500. The prize offers one person two round-trip tickets from any USA3000 service city to southwest Florida. Accommodations at ‘Tween Waters Inn will include a three-night stay in a seaside cottage, eight hours of chartered fishing, a gourmet dinner for two, and a sunset cruise.
For information contact Jennifer Carey (jenniferc@make-noise.com), 414-226-4900, or check web site www.tweenwaters.com.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is pleased to present Fairchild’s International Orchid Festival March 30 through April 1. Select from eight acres of orchid vendors, attend orchid lectures and demonstrations or simply take in the beauty of Fairchild’s collections with a walking tour.
For more information, call (305) 667-1651 or check web site www.fairchildgarden.org.
Lush green lawns blanket this lush botanical park from February 1 through April 30, and everywhere you turn, the vista is sure to awaken all the senses. Animated sculpture can be found amid twinkle-lighted live oaks, shrubs, landscaped stream beds, and a signature waterfall, while frogs, hummingbirds, butterflies, rabbits, and more critters liven the area with their antics. Cypress Gardens, encompassing 200 acres, is a tropical theme park noted for its beautiful plants and flowers and its world-famous water ski shows.
Located off U.S. Highway 27, just 22 miles south of I-4 between Orlando and Tampa on the shores of Lake Eloise and Lake Summit near Winter Haven. For hours and fees, call 1-800-282-2123.
nReagan Spa Is Open - and Fantastic!
After much anticipation, the new nReagan Spa, located inside the Delray Beach Marriott, is officially open for business. The 11,000 square foot facility is comprised of 12 treatment rooms, salon, fully equipped fitness facility, steam rooms, locker rooms, consultation area, pool, Jacuzzi, his and her lounges and ocean view terraces.
A whimsical ocean side party marked the official grand opening of the locally renowned spa and invitations to the event arrived in the form of a boarding pass; promising to take attendees to 'Destination: Cloud 9'. 350 guests arrived to tour the new facility and sample the new spa's signature services. The entire event was elegantly drenched in white with royal blue accents throughout. Guests enjoyed exquisite cuisine, prepared by Adam Savage, the Marriott's executive chef, from the spa's new food menu while dainty ballerinas danced through the evening.
nReagan Spa features award-winning services such as hair design and coloring, signature skin treatments, microdermabrasion, revitalight, massage therapy, body exfoliates and polishes, manicures, pedicures, custom make-up and makeovers, and facial and body waxing. In addition to traditional spa options, unique choices like the nReagan Green Tea & Cucumber Signature Facial and the "Wassage" waterbed massage are offered. The Spa now provides a variety of fitness classes including Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Aqua-fit and Beach Fun and Fitness. Personal trainers are on staff to provide private fitness instruction catered to your body's needs. Examples of nReagan Spa's personalized fitness programs, include 'Fit to a Tee' and 'Love to Ace' conditioning that focus on exercises designed to improve your tennis and golf skills. Guests may sign up for individual classes or enroll in a Spa or Fitness membership.
Founded in 1995, nReagan Spa goes the extra mile to provide the area's finest skin treatments, massages, technologically advanced skin care and cosmetics. Located in a two-story, 11,000 square foot facility inside the Delray Beach Marriott, nReagan Spa has 12 treatment rooms, a salon, a fully equipped fitness facility, locker rooms, steam rooms, his and her lounges, ocean view terraces, a consultation area, a pool, and a Jacuzzi. nReagan Spa serves clients seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
About the Marriott Delray Beach Hotel:
Located on Florida's Gold Coast, overlooking the sandy beaches on Ocean Drive, the Marriott Delray Beach is midway between the excitement of Fort Lauderdale and the glamour of Palm Beach. The Hotel is within easy walking distance to Atlantic Avenue's shopping boutiques, bistros, outdoor cafes, art galleries, restaurants and nightlife. With 268 rooms including 88 suites, its amenities include a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and health club with spa services, as well as a selection of restaurants and lounges.
For reservations or more information on the Marriott, call 877-433-5729 or 561- 274-3200, or check web site www.delraybeachmarriott.com, or contact your travel
professional.
For more information on the Spa, check web site www.nreaganspa.com.
About Grace Wilson
Over the years, serving as the Director of Spa Training and head massage therapist for The Chopra Center for Well-Being, Grace has touched thousands of people from all over the world, including spiritual and political leaders, celebrities, socialites and professional athletes. Her first book, 'Massage in Minutes: Simple Techniques for Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere, came from her desire to create something more user-friendly than the 'do it yourself' massage books currently out there. The techniques in 'Massage in Minutes' are simple to learn, easy to perform, feel great and are incredibly effective. She re-educates readers that, if they have ten minutes and a little bit of floor space they can give or receive a great massage. 'Massage in Minutes' is available online and in bookstores everywhere.
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is pleased to present Origami Extravaganza March 24 with demonstrations and instructions for all levels of interest and expertise.
For more information, call (561) 495-0233 or check web site www.morikami.org.
A developer has teamed up with theater director Kristen Coury to plan Gulfshore Playhouse, a 35,000-square-foot, $20 million theater they hope to open by 2008 in a new urban-style village called Estero on the River.
For more information, check web site www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org.
Coconut Point Town Center has recently opened in Estero. The 1.2 million-square-foot shopping center features movie theaters, luxury restaurants, a 1,000+-square-foot castle-themed children’s play area, wireless Internet access, a fountain court with turtle pool, and outdoor performances.
For more information, check web site www.simon.com.
Miromar Outlets
Miromar Outlets in Estero recently celebrated the opening of Phase 5 with more than 140 new stores. They include Aeropostale, ecko unltd., Eddie Bauer, Lacoste, Pacific Sunwear, and more. The complex hosts free concerts every Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more information contact Jeff Staner (jstaner@miromarfl.com), 239-948-3766, or check web site www.miromar.com.
The Fort Myers-Estero Embassy Suites has recently opened just off Corkscrew Road, near the airport and Interstate 75. The 150-suite property holds the distinction of becoming Hilton’s 1,000th hotel to open since its merger with Promus Hotel Corporation.
For more information, check web site www.fortmyersembassy.com.
Fort Myers and Sanibel Beaches Highly Ranked
The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel rank on the Top-10 list of U.S. travel destinations for 2007, according to the bookings of 507 Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associate Agencies throughout the country. Placing at #9, Fort Myers ranked above San Francisco and was preceded by traditionally popular destinations Las Vegas, Orlando, Honolulu, Maui, and New York City.
For more information, check web site www.leevcb.com.
InterContinental Hotels Group to Break Ground for Hotel Indigo
InterContinental Hotels Group, the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, plans to break ground on Hotel Indigo in the downtown Fort Myers River District in the next few months. The hotel, which is scheduled to be open by the end of 2007, is the first new hotel construction within the historic district in 20 years. The hotel will house 62 guest rooms featuring changeable elements such as photographic murals, area rugs, duvets, and slip covers.
For more information, contact web sites www.ichotelsgroup.com or www.ichotelsgroup.com, www.hotelindigo.com.
Watch the World Series Champions at the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa
Boston Red Sox fans can watch the 2004 World Series Champions prepare for the upcoming season with a package that includes preferred seating at a spring training game along with dining and luxury accommodations for two at Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa in Fort Myers, available through March 31, 2007. Rates begin at $465 per night.
For more information, contacxt Wrenda Goodwyn (wgoodwyn@gravinasmith.com), 239-949-1808, or check web site www.sanibel-resort.com.
Fort Myers named a Tree City USA
The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Fort Myers a Tree City USA community to honor, for the 15th year, its commitment to its community forest. Fort Myers also received a Tree City USA Growth Award for demonstrating progress in its community forestry program.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hobbic (jhobbic@cityftmyers.com), 239-461-7162.
Walking tour of historic Fort Myers
Southwest Florida Museum of History in Fort Myers again hosts its seasonal Walking Tour of historic Fort Myers every Wednesday and Saturday through April beginning at 10 a.m. See where the old fort was located, hear the legends surrounding Fort Myers, view the restored buildings that house the stories of yesteryear, and witness the renaissance taking place to keep local history alive.
For more information, contact Helena Finnegan (Hfinnegan@cityftmyers.com), 239-332-5955, or check web site www.cityftmyers.com/museum.
Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center Dedicated
Following a $1 million contribution to renovate downtown Fort Myers’ historic post office-federal building as an arts facility, Florida Arts dedicated the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in January 2007. The Florida Arts Festival, a series of art exhibit and live performance events, will be open there through March 23, 2007.
For more information, contact Florida Arts (info@fl-arts.org), 239-337-1933, or check wweb site www.fl-arts.org.
Shell Factory & Nature Park Adds New Feature
Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers will be adding a new feature of mammoth proportion in March 2007. Twelve life-size dinosaur models will tower over the attraction’s nature park, including dinosaur eggs into which kids can climb and emerge for photo opportunities. The tallest dinosaur, a T-Rex, will measure 27 feet high.
For more information, contact Pam Cronin (pam@shellfactory.com), 239-995-2141, ext. 116, or check web site www.shellfactory.com.
New Exhibit at the Art of the Olympians Museum
Olympic discus gold medalist and artist Al Oerter along with fellow artist and Olympic athlete Lin Bochette move forward on an Art of the Olympians Museum in downtown Fort Myers. The exhibit featuring sculpture, photography, and abstract works by Olympic athletes debuted at Lee County Alliance for the Arts last March and traveled to the United Nations in November.
For more information contact Al Oerter (olympicart@earthlink.net), 239-332-5055, or check web site www.artoftheolympians.com.
Chocolates by Norman Love Selected As Among Americ's Best Chocolate Producers
Consumer Reports magazine selected Chocolates by Norman Love Confections for the third time in less than a year as among America’s best chocolate producers. The Fort Myers-based chocolate-maker’s selection of gourmet chocolates appears in the February issue of the national publication, which asked eight of its specially trained tasters to identify “the most delectable gift-boxed confections.”
For more information, contact Sharon Arnold (sarnold@gravinasmith.com), 239-275-5758, or check web site www.normanloveconfections.com.
Upcoming Fort Myers/Sanibel Events
Through April 14, 2007
DAMN YANKEES
Fort Myers
239-278-4422
www.BroadwayPalm.com
Through April 22, 2007
ROBOTS: THE INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT
Fort Myers
239-337-3332
www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium
Through March 24, 2007
SANIBEL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sanibel Island
239-336-7999
www.sanibelmusicfestival.org
March 23, 2007
GENERAL COLIN L. POWELL
Estero
239-590-7145
www.fgcu.edu/uls
March 31, 2007
CHILDREN’S SPRING FESTIVAL
Sanibel Island
239-472-4538
March 31, 2007
SPRING EGG HUNT
Fort Myers
239-338-2287
FORT MYERS BEACH
Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers Beach has more than romantic appeal. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says it also has economic appeal. It rated #1 income generator among Florida state parks, having contributed $40 million to local coffers. Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin and John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo rank second and third.
For more information, check web site www.floridastateparks.org.
Imaginarium Hands-On Museum Exhibits
The Imaginarium Hands-On Museum in Fort Myers unveiled a new permanent exhibit on Dec. 5, 2006, titled The Sporty Science Exhibit. A collaboration between the Florida Everblades hockey team, the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team, and the Imaginarium, it illustrates, using interactive elements, how science affects sports. For more information, check web site www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium.
Robot's Entrance
Through April 22, 2007, Imaginarium Hands-On Museum & Aquarium in Fort Myers will be the exclusive host in Florida of Robots: The Interactive Exhibit. The exhibit will not return to the state until 2010. Based on the hit movie Robots, the exhibit reflects its fun and imagination with 15 different hands-on educational experiences. For more information, check web site www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium.
Hammond Stadium
Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, spring league home of the Minnesota Twins, is receiving a $1.2 million makeover in time for spring season. Improvements will add a sports-bar area and three new seating sections including the Dugout Box, where $35 tickets buy a seat at field level behind home plate. The changes will increase stadium seating capacity from 7,500 to 7,910. For more information, check web site www.mntwins.com.
Upcoming major events/festivals: (For details, access the online calendar at: www.FortMyersSanibel.com.)
Through March 31, 2007
MID-LIFE! THE CRISIS MUSICAL
Fort Myers
239-278-4422
www.broadwaypalm.com
Through Apr. 22, 2007
ROBOTS: THE INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT
Fort Myers
239-337-3332
www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium
Bass Pro Shops/Outdoor World Fort Myers held its Grand Opening Sale & Celebration at its newest location at Gulf Coast Town Center.
For more information on this great store, check web site www.basspro.com.
The International Garden and Flower Show begins March 17 and features a variety of garden themes from all continents as well as Florida trees, plants and flowers of the season. The clusters of flowers will form into flower carpets.
For more information, call (904) 448-9247 or check web site www.claytourism.com
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa Has Reopened
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa reopened December 16, 2006 after being closed since Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida in late October. The island sustained landscaping damage due to storm surge, destroying much of the resort's landscaping. Management and staff have spent the past six weeks bringing the island back to its beauty with massive landscaping efforts, adding over $500,000 of lush landscaping to the 5.5. -acre tropical private island.
Celebrating the island's reopening and the start of the season, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is launching 'Island Enticements', a selection of signature arrival amenities and luxurious romantic turndowns that offer unique ways for guests to indulge their senses and create romantic memories which will be cherished forever. Some examples of the services offered when guests book their escape to the "Best Resort in the U.S." (according to readers of Condé Nast Traveler) are as follows:
Picture Perfect
A pitcher of Little Palm Island's famous cocktail, the Gumby Slumber, is on hand in the bungalow to help guests relax from the moment they arrive. A disposable all-weather camera and an exquisite, custom-engraved cherry wood Little Palm Island photo album are also included to capture and display everlasting island memories.
The cost of this package is $135.
You Had Me At Hello
What better way to start a life of eternal bliss together then returning after dinner to a gently candle-lit boudoir enhanced by one dozen gracefully arranged red roses? Set amongst silky rose petals, is a chilled bottle of Laurent Perrier-Cuvee Rose, complemented with two custom etched Little Palm Island champagne glasses (yours to keep.) Satin sheets sprinkled with rose petals complete the perfect setting.
Cost of this package is $400.
La Crème de La Crème
A tiki torch illuminated porch that tenderly lights a path of rose petals into the bungalow. Inside are three-dozen divinely arranged red roses enhanced by velvety candlelight. By the bedside is a chilled bottle of Crystal Rose Champagne that perfectly harmonizes the sumptuous chocolate truffles. A selection of SpaTerre massage oils and bath salts accompanied by signature Little Palm Island bathrobes and slippers (yours to keep.)
Cost of this package is $1,000.
ABOUT LITTLE PALM ISLAND RESORT & SPA
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is an intimate and romantic tropical hideaway.
The resort's 30 thatched-roof bungalows are discreetly nestled throughout the island and offer private sundecks and ocean views. This secluded hideaway, nestled amid hundreds of Jamaican coconut palm trees, provides the ideal location for guests to completely detach themselves from everyday life. The resort offers an Indonesian-inspired SpaTerre, a private marina and acclaimed dining. Little Palm Island provides guests with complete privacy and luxury.
Andrew Harper's Hideaway, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and others
have rated Little Palm Island as one of the top resorts in the United States.
The resort has been recognized in the Zagat "Top 50 Small Hotels in the US"
and "Top Hotel in Florida" and is a member of Virtuoso and American Express
Fine Hotels & Resorts.
Located three miles off-shore in the Lower Florida Keys, Little Palm Island is only accessible by boat or seaplane. For more information or to make reservations, call (305) 872-2524, (800) 3-GET-LOST or your travel professional (Chain Code NC) or visit the hotel online at www.littlepalmisland.com.
The Mandarin Oriental Introduces Health-Conscious Accommodation With New 'Spa Lifestyle Guestrooms."
Mandarin Oriental, Miami is delighted to debut a selection of “Spa Lifestyle Rooms,” specifically designed for the healthy-minded guest. Complete with an air purification system, in-room fitness program, personal lifestyle consultant and spa cuisine offerings, the new Spa Lifestyle Rooms aim to provide a balanced, stress-free environment for guests.
“We are delighted to offer our guests this innovative, wellness-focused option in accommodation,” said Jill DeMone, Director of Sales & Marketing. “The Spa Lifestyle Rooms are ideal for guests wishing to eat healthier, maintain their exercise routine, sleep more soundly and unwind and relax while away on vacation or a business trip.”
Each of the 16 Spa Lifestyle Rooms is equipped with an air purification system to breathe air free of allergens. The rooms receive a seven-step cleaning process, developed by Pure Solutions N.A., which treats the walls, the bedcovers and air itself. As a result, all Spa Lifestyle Rooms are certified as “allergy-friendly.” Guests will breathe easier and wake up more refreshed. The rooms also feature a selection of pillows from a “water pillow” to memory foam pillows to ensure guests’ total comfort.
The in-room fitness program includes wellness dumbbell racks and wellness balls from Technogym, a world-class provider of fitness equipment. Eco-Yoga mats, organic cotton yoga straps and yoga blocks are also provided for guests to enjoy a fitness class or workout in the comfort of their room. A selection of fitness-themed TV channels, available 24 hours a day, offer classes of Pilates, Yoga and Body Sculpting as well as Guided Relaxation for Sleep. Private yoga and meditation classes can also be arranged in-room or in The Spa’s Chi Studio by expert instructors from The Spa. Guests can take advantage of the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness centre which has been entirely renovated, with innovative equipment from Technogym. It showcases The Cardio Wave, an innovative machine offering a similar motion to rollerblading or skiing. The gym is a high-tech, luxurious space, with stunning views across Biscayne Bay.
To address health and wellness concerns, Lifestyle Consultant Michelle Menendez will meet with guests and provide recommendations on various topics from nutrition and fitness to relaxation. Ms. Menendez can also arrange nutrition consultations, personal training classes, in-room massages, treatments at The Spa or bespoke spa experiences for guests.
Upon arrival, guests will be offered welcome green tea and a variety of organic foods including raw natural bars, all natural granola, dried fruits and dark extra fine chocolate to enjoy in the comforts of their Spa Lifestyle Room. A special spa cuisine menu is available 24 hours a day through in-room dining. Spa cuisine selections are also offered at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Café Sambal or at the poolside bar.
The Spa Lifestyle Rooms are located on the sixth floor of the hotel and each feature an expansive, private veranda with views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, a marble bathroom with separate glass shower, cherry wood furniture and a choice of king size or two double beds. Rates begin at $735 per room per night.
For reservations, please contact the hotel directly on +1 (305) 913-8288, toll free +1 (866) 888-6780; or Mandarin Oriental’s direct on-line reservations service at web site www.mandarinoriental.com
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Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts, currently operating 20 luxury hotels with a further 11 under development in Riviera Maya-Mexico and Hainan Island-China (2007), Barcelona, Boston and Grand Cayman (2008), Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, Macau, Marrakech and Turks and Caicos (2009). In total, Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, almost 9,000 rooms in 18 countries with 13 hotels in Asia, 12 in the Americas and six in Europe and North Africa.
Benchmark Hospitality International Opens The Cottages at Naples Bay Resort
Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the opening of Phase I of its new resort in Naples, Florida: The Cottages at Naples Bay Resort. The cottages include 108 spacious and luxurious resort dwellings. Roy A. Young, Benchmark's managing director for Naples Bay Resort, made the announcement.
“It is with great pleasure that I announce the opening of The Cottages at Naples Bay Resort,” said Mr. Young. “Naples Bay Resort is Benchmark's newest Personal Luxury Resort and The Cottages are the first phase of this spectacular property to open. Upon completion, the resort will feature magnificent bay vistas, lush tropical foliage, private concierge service, and a pool complex with a resort pool, lazy river pool, whirlpools and a lap pool.” Young concluded with, “We will also offer a marina, tee times at local championship golf courses, a fully equipped fitness center -- and be a short walk from the finest shopping, dining and entertainment in downtown Naples. This will truly be a vacation paradise!”
The luxurious Cottages at Naples Bay Resort are available in two and three bedroom units (each with two baths), making them ideal for couples, families and groups. Exquisite appointments define the luxury and include a gourmet kitchen, screened lanai, along with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries, flat screen television & wireless Internet access as well as a personal grocer. The Blue Water Bar and Grill will open poolside in February.
Reservations are being accepted for The Cottages at 1-866-605-1199 or by visiting web site www.naplesbayresort.com.
The Cottages at Naples Bay offer a minimum rental period of one week with prices starting at $1700 weekly.
Benchmark expects to open Phase II -- The Club at Naples Bay Resort – in February 2007. The Club will feature a state of the art gym and fitness center, aerobics studio, Pilates/yoga studio, water aerobics, intimate Euro-style Spa, an extensive aquatic environment, six lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, poolside refreshments in season, a beach shuttle, 97-Slip Marina, and yacht club.
About Naples Bay Resort
Upon opening in November of 2007, Naples Bay Resort (web site www.naplesbayresort.com) will be a Four Star, 193-key destination resort. The property will feature an 85-key hotel with 65 condominium suites, 108 spacious resort cottages, and a contemporary gourmet restaurant and bar offering magnificent views of the bay. Thirty townhomes and flats will round out the residential mix at the resort.
The property will provide 2,500 square feet of comprehensive meeting and special event space serviced by Benchmark’s signature Conference Concierge. Recreationally, Naples Bay will feature a 97-slip marina, comprehensive fitness facilities with a Pilates Studio, an international tennis center and a masterfully designed, foliage-laden resort pool complex with a meandering lazy river pool, lap pool, children’s pool, expansive sundeck and poolside cabanas. Championship golf will be available nearby at several well-known golf courses. Adding to the resort experience will be a retail promenade, located adjacent to the marina. Featured in this space will be boutique specialty retail, entertainment and casual dining opportunities.
The resort will offer The Yacht Club and Captain's Lounge, as well as an amenity-rich residents’ club, The Club at Naples Bay Resort, with a specially-designed clubhouse and up to 750 members. The two clubs will be private. Both members and resort guests will have access to Keewaydin Island (subject to final regulatory approval), a private barrier island featuring a beach club. Benchmark Hospitality International will operate the resort.
Benchmark Hospitality International, an independent hospitality management company based in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, operates resorts, conference centers, hotels and condominium resorts both domestically and internationally.
For locations of Benchmark Hospitality properties and for additional information, visit Benchmark's web site at www.benchmarkhospitality.com.
The 86th Annual Chasco Fiesta will bring music, carnival rides and parades to downtown New Port Richey and Sims Park. This traditional family event will be March 22 through April 1 honoring all Native American tribes. For more information, call (727) 842-7651 or check web site www.chascofiesta.com.
Rosen Shingle Creek's "Easter Symphony" Package
This will celebrate the resort's first Easter Holiday. The Easter celebration is a symphony of sight, sound and taste featuring an Easter Sunrise Service with spectacular views as the sun rises over the resort's golf course and historic Shingle Creek, headwaters to the Florida Everglades, and sumptuous fare (and a few jelly beans) accompanied by an Easter symphony orchestra. An Easter Egg hunt, poolside games and activities and dive-in movies round out the Easter weekend‚s activities.
Available April 1 - 8, 2007, the "Easter Symphony" package starts at $169 (plus appropriate taxes) per night, double occupancy, based on availability and includes:
Luxury accommodations (among the largest guestrooms in Central Florida at 436 sq. ft.)
Complimentary breakfast buffet for two adults at Café Osceola ($16.50 per each additional adult, children 3 and under are complimentary, children 4 ˆ 12 are half adult price)
25% off Sunday, April 8, Easter Brunch at Café Osceola
25% off spa services at the Spa at Shingle Creek
25% off golf at the award-winning Shingle Creek Golf Club
Complimentary shuttle and discounted tickets to Sea World and Universal Orlando
Complimentary self-parking at the resort
Guests staying over Easter weekend, will also enjoy a host of complimentary holiday-themed events including:
Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7, 8:00 pm, Dive-In Movie at the Family Pool (contingent on weather)
Saturday, April 7, 1pm-5 pm, Live Entertainment and Kids‚ Games at the Family Pool
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007:
8:30 am, Continental Breakfast in Rose Garden by resort pools
8 am, Sunrise Service overlooking the resort‚s golf course and unique landscaping
10 am, Easter Parade and Egg Hunt, The Easter Bunny will meet with kids up to age 12 and their parents in the resort lobby and lead a bunny hop trail to a secret Easter Egg hunt.
11:30 am ˆ 7 pm, Easter Sunday Brunch, Café Osceola, Children can guess the amount of jelly beans to win prizes and will receive coloring books and crayons. $49.00 for adults/$21.95 for children ages 4 ˆ 12 (overnight guests purchasing the Easter Symphony package receive 25% discount).
1- 4 pm, Easter Symphony will perform and entertain Easter Sunday brunch diners.
5:30pm ˆ 10:00pm, Traditional Italian Easter Dinner, Cala Bella, fine dining Italian bistro, (overnight guests purchasing the Easter Symphony package receive preferred seating), $46.50 per person, children‚s menu available, reservations required.
Rosen Shingle Creek -- The lush backdrop of early 1900s Florida with the turn-of-the-century splendor of grand hotels sets the tone for the elegant Rosen Shingle Creek resort, uniquely located on Shingle Creek, the headwaters to the Florida Everglades. With its natural charms and Spanish-revival flavor, the Rosen Shingle Creek offers spacious guest rooms (among the largest in Central Florida at 436 sq. ft.) with plush Creek Sleeper beds, carved and burnished chestnut headboards and dressers, soothing deep cinnamon, gold and aqua fabrics, crown molding and custom art of the area‚s lush, natural surroundings. High-tech conveniences include 32-inch flat screen TVs featuring NXTV technology, allowing for high-speed Internet access.
Amenities include the award-winning Shingle Creek Golf Club, 13,000-square-foot Spa at Shingle Creek with nine treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, four outdoor swimming pools, two lighted tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, nature trails, fishing and more.
The 1,500-room resort, is conveniently located at 9939 Universal Blvd., just off the International Drive tourist district and ten minutes from the Orlando International Airport.
To book this offer, guests can call the Rosen Shingle Creek reservations line at (866) 996-6338. For more information, visit www.rosenshinglecreek.com or call (866) 996-9939.
Rosen Plaza Considers Family First With Signature Family Reunion Service
For many people, family comes first.
The 800-room Rosen Plaza hotel in Orlando feels the same way, which is why it's fast becoming a top family reunion location in the world's number one family destination.
The Rosen Plaza is the hotel of choice for families looking for the best that Orlando can offer in a family-friendly environment. The entire package of location, cuisine, price and of course, the Rosen service has patrons who have stayed at the Rosen Plaza for their family reunions raving about the hotel.
First, there‚s the famous Rosen Plaza service. Gerrie McCottri of Washington, DC acclaims the Rosen Plaza for the way it handled her family's reunion ˆ which had 50 people ˆ a recent Thanksgiving weekend.
"We had an extraordinary Thanksgiving buffet and a Thanksgiving dinner with a personal feel. The banquet manager was just like my daddy," adds McCottri. "In the 20 years we've been doing family reunions the one at the Rosen Plaza is the best we've had. The quality of service far exceeded the price that was charged."
"From the moment we stepped in, we were treated so wonderfully," says McCottri. "The prices were better than most other hotels. Sometimes people do things on the sales end just to get your business, but from day one, every request was accommodated."
The Rosen Plaza‚s stellar service has earned the hotel numerous awards from industry peers including the Successful Meetings Pinnacle Award, Meetings & Conventions Gold Key Award and Meeting News Planner‚s Choice Award.
Second, there's sumptuous, yet affordable, fare. Of course, all the activity at a family reunion will leave family members hungry ˆ particularly those enjoying a big reunion -- and the Rosen Plaza knows how to satisfy any ravishing or miniscule appetite. The Rosen Plaza offers a variety of very affordable family reunion buffet-style menus. Menu fare features everything from bar-b-que style lunches to home style cooking featuring Southern favorites like seafood gumbo or fried chicken to ethnic fare specially prepared to order by Chef Michael McMullen.
For attendees dining on their own, the hotel features several award-winning restaurants. Jack‚s Place offers top-class casual fine dining. Café Matisse is a buffet-style restaurant that has a wide variety of fare as well as full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Rossini‚s Pizza serves fresh pizza and Italian specialties to go. The Lite Bite, a 24-hour deli located in the hotel lobby, can quash a case of the munchies at any given moment. Kids eat free and there are discount group meal prices are available in the restaurants.
"The 24-hour deli was great," adds Annie Gray of Kissimmee, Fla. who will be returning to the Rosen Plaza for her second family reunion on Memorial Day weekend. "We could all hang out at the Lite Bite with the kids and get refreshments whenever we wanted."
Next, there's the location. Another reason Annie Gray is returning is because of the location.
"Everything is right there," says Gray. "The location and extras are bringing us back again this year. We gave attendees a free day because there were so many activities to do right there during the day, like swim, shop and site-see. The hotel's complimentary shuttle to area attractions was a big hit."
The Rosen Plaza is situated on Orlando's famous International Drive, right in the heart of the tourist district. That makes it convenient to every major attraction Orlando has to offer, plus some superb shopping and dining. When you arrive in Orlando, the hotel is only 15 minutes from Orlando International Airport. Because the Rosen Plaza is easily accessible to all major highways in the Orlando area, it's just minutes away from Orlando‚s world-famous theme parks, including Universal Studios Florida®, Sea World® and Walt Disney World®. The Rosen Plaza even offers free transportation to such major attractions as Universal Studios and Wet 'n Wild.
If you want to get away from the family for a few hours and play a round of golf at a great venue, Shingle Creek Golf Course, recently named a "Top 40 New Course" by Golfweek magazine, is just minutes away. The Rosen Plaza offers free transportation to Shingle Creek and preferred tee times for hotel guests.
Finally, there's price. The Rosen Plaza also meets the needs of families ˆ and family reunions ˆ that are on a budget. The Rosen Plaza offers outstanding and highly affordable rates, in addition to free transportation to attractions and golf. Depending on the number of attendees, the hotel may offer a free hospitality suite that many family reunion committees use for registration.
Combine impeccable service, sumptuous meals, convenient location and affordable pricing with the hotel's stellar amenities -- outdoor heated pool and whirlpool, the complimentary Fitness Center with "Life Fitness" cardiovascular and exercise machines including a full-range of free weights and live bands playing favorites from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s that can be enjoyed nightly at Backstage, International Drive's original nightclub and you have a family reunion location to provide memories for years to come.
"We're incredibly proud of our family reunion service," says Victoria Hall, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rosen Plaza. "The Rosen Plaza staff is like a big family and we embrace families like our own. We take great pride in providing friendly service where families feel embraced and welcomed from check out to check in."
Harris Rosen's Commitment to Family. One final factor that truly makes the Rosen Plaza a family-friendly hotel is the family values that come from the top down in owner Harris Rosen. Rosen's commitment to family values and service extends beyond families visiting his hotels to families in the Orlando community and beyond.
In February 1994, he initiated the Tangelo Park Pilot Program, transforming one of Orlando's most disadvantaged neighborhoods into a community of choice by providing a free pre-school program and creating full-paid college scholarships for high school graduates (more than 200 have been awarded so far).
Through the Rosen Foundation, several tons of medical and school supplies, as well as much needed water, have been delivered to Haiti. In addition, the foundation supports English literacy programs that has taught thousands of Haitians to speak, read and write English. Finally, Rosen serves as honorary chair with Dr. Dorothy Height of NCNW for the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Bronze Statue Project.
Located on International Drive adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center, the 800-room Rosen Plaza provides its guests with resort-style luxury in a world-class vacation destination. Guests of the Rosen Plaza may utilize a TSA approved remote skycap service, BAGS, that allows them to receive their airline boarding passes and check their luggage directly from the hotel. Details are available at web site www.airportbags.com.
For more information about family reunions at the Rosen Plaza, call the Sales Department at 800-366-9700. For more information, go to web site www.rosenplaza.com.
Rosen Plaza Celebrates Couples Year-Round with Romance Package
Valentine's Day doesn't need to become a distant memory. Rosen Plaza in Orlando is offering couples a chance to keep love alive throughout the year and make any day Valentine's Day with the hotel'‚s "Romance Package"
The award-winning Rosen Plaza's "Romance Package" starts at $169 per night and is available now through Dec. 31, 2007. A romantic evening begins with checking into a deluxe room followed by a romantic dinner at the hotel's fine dining restaurant Jack's Place.
One of Florida Trend's top recommended restaurants in Orlando and Orlando magazine's 2006 Best Restaurant on International Drive, Jack's Place is named for owner Harris Rosen's father who during his 30-year tenure at the Waldorf Astoria sketched over 100,000 warm and humorous caricatures of visiting celebrities and VIPs, including Jackie Kennedy, Hank Aaron, Indira Ghandi and Henry Kissinger, to name a few. In Sardi's-like style, the restaurant is adorned with selections from this impressive collection and has been enjoyed as part of the sophisticated ambience among patrons for years.
Couples can then visit the hotel's nightclub Backstage Lounge, International Drive's original nightclub, for entertainment and dancing. The following morning, a sumptuous breakfast buffet awaits at Café Matisse. The rate is based on double occupancy; tax and gratuity are extra and subject to hotel availability. This offer cannot be combined with other offers or for group rates.
For reservations and information, go to www.rosenplaza.com or call 1-800-627-8258.
Conveniently located on International Drive, the Rosen Plaza offers free transportation to and from Universal Orlando® Resort. Reservations are required at least three days in advance, and can be made through the hotel prior to arrival.
The 800-room Rosen Plaza provides its guests with resort-style luxury in a world-class vacation destination. Ideally situated just minutes from Orlando‚s world-famous theme parks, Universal Orlando Resort®, Sea World® and Walt Disney World®, the Rosen Plaza is only 15 minutes from the Orlando International Airport.
Four on-site restaurants include Jack's Place, voted the number one restaurant on International Drive by Orlando Magazine, with casual fine dining. Café Matisse offers buffets as well as full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Rossini's Pizza serves fresh pizza and Italian specialties to go. The Lite Bite is open 24 hours a day and serves deli sandwiches and snacks.
Guests are invited to enjoy a variety of amenities such as the outdoor heated pool and whirlpool and the Fitness center with "Life Fitness" cardiovascular and exercise machines and a full-range of free weights. Live bands playing favorites from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's can be enjoyed nightly at Backstage, International Drive's original nightclub. The Shingle Creek Golf Club, recently named a "Top 40 New Course" by Golfweek magazine, is just minutes away and offers free transportation and preferred tee times for hotel guests.
NASA’S Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex set to unveil ‘shuttle launch experience'
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has announced the opening of Shuttle Launch Experience, slated for May 25, 2007. This authentic $60 million launch simulation will take visitors on their own journey with the sights, sounds and sensations of the space shuttle’s voyage to Earth’s orbit. Designed in consultation with NASA and space shuttle astronauts, this unprecedented experience inspires visitors’ spirit of adventure and exploration of our final frontier.
Shuttle Launch Experience will take visitors from around the world through the sensations of blasting into Earth’s orbit from the birthplace of U.S. space exploration – Kennedy Space Center. A team of astronauts, NASA experts and renowned attraction designers conceived this authentic ride experience, deploying sophisticated motion-based platforms, special effects seats and high fidelity visual and audio presentations.
“Shuttle Launch Experience will forge a lasting impression for everyone, especially those who have ever imagined the adventure of space travel,” said Daniel LeBlanc, Chief Operating Officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Not only will guests experience the thrill of launching into space, they will marvel at the view of Earth from space, through state-of-the art technology.
Three years in the making, Shuttle Launch Experience combines the perspective of detailed astronaut experiences with the expertise of premiere ride engineers to produce a ride that rivals leading theme parks around the world. Nearing completion, the attraction’s technical highlights include authentic simulation of the space shuttle’s launch into orbit, custom-designed motion platforms with unprecedented vertical range, high-definition audiovisual effects, and advanced seating effects to maximize the reality of the experience.
The journey begins as visitors enter the Shuttle Launch Simulation Facility, architecturally inspired by space shuttle facilities at Kennedy Space Center. As visitors rise along the gantry, astronaut testimonials set the stage for what is to come. Visitors enter the heart of shuttle operations for the pre-launch briefing, guided by veteran Shuttle Commander Charlie Bolden. He leads the process, going step-by-step through the launch sequence soon to be witnessed first hand. Passengers enter the crew pod in the shuttle’s cargo bay and strap in for launch. For the next five minutes, the pod’s 44 passengers feel, see and live the trip to 17,500 mph. What follows, as the shuttle bay doors open, is a breathtaking view of Earth seldom seen in the first person.
About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Inspired by real NASA initiatives and fueled by the human spirit, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is charting a new course to bring far-reaching NASA exploration events and triumphs to visitors -- up close and personal. The journey takes NASA’s space exploration story to the next level through new technology and interactive experiences.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has been operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts on behalf of NASA since 1995. More than 1.4 million visitors annually tour Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the gateway to a working space center and one of Florida’s most popular destinations. Admission includes inspiring tours venturing deep into NASA’s spaceport facilities, daily Astronaut Encounters, towering rockets, IMAX space films and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
For more information, call 321-449-4444 or visit web site www.KennedySpaceCenter.com
The University of West Florida Main Campus will hold its annual Festival on the Green March 30-31. The celebration will excite guests of all ages with an arts and crafts show, sports tournaments, music, Native American heritage theatrical performances, children’s fair, dog show and a variety of food.
For more information, call(850) 474-3000 or check web site www.uwf.edu/festival.
PINE ISLAND
The Bridge Water Inn on Pine Island was recently honored as a "One Palm" Florida Certified Green Lodge. It is the second lodging facility in southwest Florida to be recognized by the Department of Environmental Protection's Green Lodging program. Hotels receiving "one palm" recognition have made a commitment to environmental performance in the areas of water and energy conservation, waste reduction, and indoor air quality. The Hyatt Regency Coconut Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs was the first hotel to receive a “Green Lodge” certification in southwest Florida.
For more information, check web site www.bridgewaterinn.com.
Schoolhouse Theater on Sanibel Island has announced its line-up for the 2006-2007 season. Musical comedies and revues will include You’re The Top!, Moments To Remember, Run For Your Wife, Let’s Fall In Love!, Fuh-ged-about-it!, and Las Vegas Legends.
For more information, check web site www.theschoolhousetheater.com.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
In March, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens welcomes visitors to view the Sumi-e Oriental Brush Painting Exhibition. With Sumi, the painter's goal is to use a few free flowing confident strokes to produce the essence of the landscape, the flower, the tree, or the scene; not an exact copy. The exhibit will include excellent examples of various Oriental Brush Painting "schools" as well as Chinese and Japanese calligraphy.
For more information call (941) 366-5731 or check web site www.selby.org.
Ringling Museum
There's always lots going on at the Ringling Museum. Here is a listing of the latest events:
EXHIBITIONS IN THE NEW ULLA R. AND ARTHUR F. SEARING WING
Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum, Through May 27; Exquisite jewelry from as late as 3,000 B.C. through the early 20th century. For details, check web site www.ringling.org/exhibitions
Encouraging American Genius: Master Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art,
Through - April 29; An impressive collection of more than 70 paintings including works by Edward Hopper, Mary Cassatt and others. For more information, check web site www.ringling.org/exhibitions
Masterworks Exchange Featuring Frans Hals
Through - April 29; A pendant painting to our Hals Portrait of Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan, ca 1639 was found at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, view them both together. For more information, check web site www.ringling.org
Asian Art on Display
Ongoing; magnificent 19th and 20th-century jades, 12th and 13th-century Cambodian stone figures, 18th and 19th-century Southeast Asian bronze sculptures, contemporary Asian art and elegant blanc-deChine. For more information, check web site www.ringling.org/exhibitions
THE FESTIVAL DELL'ARTE ITALIANA IN THE HISTORIC ASOLO THEATER
EDUCATION: SPOTLIGHT SERIES
THE RINGLING MUSEUM/FSU CULTURAL INSTITUTE
Florida Architecture: From Mediterranean to Modern
EVENING EVENTS
Dreamgirls
March 8-24
Evening Performances: 8 p.m., Thursday - Sunday
Matinees: 2 p.m., Saturday
Tickets: $22-$28
Presented by the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. For more information, check web site www.ringling.org
OTHER SHOWS AT THE HISTORIC ASOLO THEATER
Jie Chen on the piano, March 25 and 27, For more information check web site www.ringling.org/theater
Monday Night Movies with the Sarasota Film Festival----continues with Treasures From the Jannus Collection. Monday nights at 7:00 in the Historic Asolos Theater.
Sarasota POPs Extras - Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
The Life and Times of John & Mable Ringling Now Showing
Follow John & Mable’s uniquely American rags-to-riches story while experiencing this film in the Historic Asolo Theater. Produced by WEDU and narrated by Hal Holbrook. website www.ringling.org/theater
VISITOR INFORMATION
General Information: 941.359.5700
Education Programs: 358.3180
Historic Asolo Theater Box Office: 941.360.7399
Hours & Admission: 941.351.1660
Treviso Restaurant: 941.360.7390
There's always something going on in St. Augustine, America's oldest city -- and, no wonder, because it offers something for all ages.
For more information on events and special accommodation packages for St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau’s web site www.Getaway4Florida.com or call 1.800.418.7529.
Uptown Saturday Night
Enjoy extended shopping hours, live entertainment, book signings by local and regional authors, performance art, refreshments, and original works of art, as the quaint shops along San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine extend their hours for an evening of entertainment and shopping. Uptown Saturday Night is free to the public and takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. along San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine.
For more information, call .824.9357.
For more information on events and activities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, contact the Visitors and Convention Bureau at 904.829.1711 or go to: <http://www.getaway4florida.com/>www.Getaway4Florida.com .
LATEST EVENTS
Saturday & Sunday: March 24 & 25
limelight theatre presents “the tale of peter rabbit and benjamin bunny”
Enjoy this children’s classic, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny”, a musical comedy by R. Eugene Jackson. Directed by Trina Myers, Children’s Education Coordinator at the Limelight, and starring Sean Sacco as Mr. McGregor, whose film credits include ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’, this adaptation of the Beatrix Potter stories is for the entire family to enjoy. Show times are Saturday at 10 a.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Limelight Theatre. General admission tickets are Adults $15 and Children $10. The Limelight Theatre is located in the Joukowsky Family Foundation Center for the Performing Arts at 11 Old Mission Avenue, St. Augustine. For more information, please call 904.825.1164 or visit www.Limelight-Theatre.org.
A Walk Back In Time: "Life and Times on the Old Kings Road"
Take a "Walk Back in Time" and visit historic camps as they might have existed along the Old Kings Road. You will meet and talk with Timucuan Indians, Spanish settlers, British colonists, Seminoles, and Florida pioneer cowhunters. As part of the Archaeology Month celebration, state archaeologists will be present to discuss Florida archaeology. Saturday will also include an Old Fashion Barn Dance from 3 to 5 p.m. A ”Walk Back in Time” is held both days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Florida Agricultural Museum located at 7900 Old Kings Road -- the intersection of Old Kings Road and U.S. 1 South in Flagler County. All day admission is $5 for adult and $3 for children. Please wear walking shoes. For more information, please call 386.446.7630.
Saturday: March 24
EMMA CONCERT SERIES – RENAISSANCE CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA
Enjoy an evening concert when the Renaissance Classical Orchestra, a virtuoso string ensemble, performs a rich repertoire from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century periods. The performance is at 8 p.m. at the Flagler College Auditorium on Granada Street in St. Augustine. Tickets are $18 adults, $5 students and free for Flagler College students. For more information, call 904.797.2800 or visit www.emmaconcerts.com .
March 31
SPANISH NIGHTWATCH WILL REVIVE OLDEST CITY’S COLONIAL MILITARY TRADITIONS
The glories and hardships of nearly 250 years of loyal service to the King of Spain will take center stage on Saturday, March 31, when St. Augustine presents its annual Spanish Nightwatch. A full day of activities will remind visitors and residents of the city’s long history as an important military outpost guarding the Spanish Empire.
Military activities begin at 10 a.m. with musketry demonstrations on the South Lawn of the Castillo de San Marcos, the massive Spanish fort that has protected the city since 1695. Cannons will be fired from the Castillo at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 p.m. At 1 p.m., a ceremonial changing of the guard will take place at Government House. All of the events are free to the public and located within convenient walking distance of each other.
Nightwatch gets underway at 8 p.m. when the soldiers gather at Government House and begin a torch-lit parade through St. Augustine. Heading up St. George Street, the military procession will turn on to Cuna Street and march to the Castillo de San Marcos where artillerymen will fire a salute with cannons. The next stop for the soldiers will be the City Gate where a ceremonial changing of the guard will take place. Returning to the Plaza, the torch-wielding soldiers will load their muskets and fire a volley of joy in honor of the King of Spain. The public is encouraged to bring a candle and join the parade. For more information, call 904.825.1004.
Spanish Nightwatch is supported in part by a grant from the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.
For more information on events and vacation opportunities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, contact the Visitors and Convention Bureau at 1.800.653.2489 or go online to <http://www.getaway4florida.com/>www.getaway4florida.com .
St. John's County Tourist Development Council to Hold Event Funding Workshops
The St. Johns County Tourist Development Council (TDC) will hold two (2) workshops on April 2 to assist not-for-profit groups in applying for funding support for special events. The available funding, called Category Two, comes from the three percent tax collected by the county on short-term accommodation rentals. Category Two funds are used for arts, cultural, and other special events conducted in the county.
The workshops will provide a detailed review of the application guidelines for Category Two funding. Applications for the Fiscal Year 2008 funding program will also be distributed. The deadline for submitting applications for funding support from the county is 4 p.m., Thursday, May 3, 2007.
Groups applying for Category Two funds must have at least one representative attend the workshop. Funding applications from groups not represented at the workshop will be disqualified.
Last year, approximately $476,000 was provided from the program to support more than 45 special events. Since the program was initiated in 1989, nearly $5.5 million in Category Two funding has been awarded to not-for-profit groups staging special events in St. Johns County.
The first workshop will be held on Monday, April 2, 2007 at the County Auditorium located at the County Administration Complex, 4020 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine. The workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 11:00 a.m. The second workshop will also be held on Monday, April 2 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library located at 1 Library Blvd, in Ponte Vedra Beach. This workshop will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. For more information, call Dena Masters at the TDC at 823.2680.
MUMMIES: SECRETS OF THE PHARAOHS AT THE IMAX THEATER
Follow researchers and explorers on the giant IMAX screen as they piece together the archeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies. Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs will be shown through October 31. World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater is conveniently located along Interstate 95, exit 323, at World Golf Village in St. Augustine. For show times and more information, please call 940.4123 or visit www.wgv.com.
“Wings over Florida” Kayak Tour
Want to learn more about the world of birding and kayaking? Then take this leisurely paddle through one of Northeast Florida’s most beautiful landscapes. While observing the area’s migratory and resident birds, fish populations, and common aquatic plants, you will discover how they interact with the environment and maintain a vital balance. The tour will launch from Washington Oaks Gardens State Park at 10 a.m. and will last two hours. The tour fee is $40 per person, which includes all needed kayaking equipment, kayaking instruction, park entrance fees and bottled water. Spaces are limited and deadline for registration is 24 hours prior to date. To register, call the Coastal Outdoor Center at 471.4144.
For more information on events and activities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, contact the Visitors and Convention Bureau at 904.829.1711 or go to: www.Getaway4Florida.com .
St Augustine Welcomes Motorcoaches to New Parking Facility
Since July 1, tens of thousands of vehicles have used the City of St. Augustine’s new Historic Downtown Parking Facility’s nearly 1,200 spaces.Now the facility is able to welcome the thousands of motorcoaches and school buses that arrive in St. Augustine each year.
With easy access off West Castillo Drive near its intersection with San Marco Avenue, the transit reception area features loading areas where passengers will disembark under an all weather canopy. The transit reception area is located on the north side of the parking facility which is adjacent to the St. Augustine and St. Johns County Visitor Information Center.
The Visitor Information Center, which has undergone a complete renovation, offers plenty of restroom facilities, a wealth of information on the area’s attractions, restaurants, museums, historic sites, recreation and lodging opportunities. The center also serves as a transportation hub where visitors may choose to explore St. Augustine by foot, horse carriage or motorized sightseeing tours.
After unloading, motorcoaches and buses will stage in the conveniently located bus parking area on nearby Riberia Street until their passengers are ready to depart, and then return to the transit reception area to pick-up their guests.
For more information regarding the Historic Downtown Parking Facility’s transit reception area, please call 904.825.1000. For general information about the parking facility and a map to the Visitor Information Center, visit www.vicparkingcom.
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The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243; 941-359-5700. Plan on attending one or more of the following programs:
Exhibitions In The New Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing
Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum, through May 27; Exquisite jewelry from as late as 3,000 B.C. through the early 20th century. For more information, check web site www.visitors.ringling.org
Encouraging American Genius: Master Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, through April 29; An impressive collection of more than 70 paintings including works by Edward Hopper, Mary Cassatt and others. For more information, check web site www. visitors.ringling.org
Masterworks Exchange Featuring Frans Hals, through April 29; A pendant painting to our Hals Portrait of Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan, ca 1639 was found at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, view them both together. For more information, check web site www. <http://ringling.org
Asian Art on Display, Ongoing; Magnificent 19th and 20th-century jades, 12th and 13th-century Cambodian stone figures, 18th and 19th-century Southeast Asian bronze sculptures, contemporary Asian art and elegant blanc-de-Chine. For more information, check web site www.visitors.ringling.org
At The Historic Asolo Theater
The Life and Times of John & Mable Ringling Now Showing
Follow John & Mable’s uniquely American rags-to-riches story while experiencing this film in the Historic Asolo Theater. Produced by WEDU and narrated by Hal Holbrook. For more information, contact web site www.visitors.ringling.org
Visitor Information
General Information: 941.359.5700
Historic Asolo Theater Box Office: 941.360.7399
Hours & Admission: 941.351.1660
Treviso Restaurant: 941.360.7390
During Springtime Tallahassee celebrates the charm and coziness of this southern city. With spreading oak trees and lovely parks it’s a fine time to enjoy one of the finest parades in the southeastern United States, a collection of artists and artisans, delicious food, great entertainment and a kids park that will delight children of all ages.
For more information, call (850) 606-2305 or (800) 628-2866, or check web site www.seetallahassee.com.
The Field of Dreams
Like many travelers, the dream for every National Football League team has been to travel to Florida. In Florida, all the plays involved in scheming a good vacation are in the playbook. Below is a portion of the Florida travel playbook.
For a full listing for use in your travel game plan, check web site www.VISITFLORIDA.com.
What's New in Tampa Bay
Spring brings some of the best weather, foliage, animal sightings and great deals to Tampa Bay. There’s a lot going on in this vibrant destination and there’s no better time to visit.
ATTRACTION NEWS
The Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is preparing for the March return of the stingray touch tank which will be located at the main aquarium entrance. The new and improved tank is quite a dramatic change and has become a center piece for the lobby featuring acrylic viewing windows and a floor-to-ceiling mural of swimming Cownose stingrays in a deep blue ocean.
On April 13, The Florida Aquarium will host its second annual All-Release Fishing Tournament and Anglers Kick-Off Dinner. If visitors love fishing, this is the “can’t miss” tournament of the year. Not only will guests be teamed up with some of the best fishing captains in the Bay, they’ll also be promoting responsible fishing practices and helping Tampa’s waterways in the process. For more information check web site www.flaquarium.org.
The Lowry Park Zoo
In spring of 2007, the zoo will open a planned expansion of the Safari Africa habitat area with a collection of new exhibits named after the Ituri Forest, a dense tropical rain forest in the northern part of the Congo, River Basin. This exciting area adds 1.5 acres of animal exhibit space and several new African species including cheetah, okapi, pygmy hippo, red river hogs and shoebill storks. Also this spring, the zoo will welcome a colony of African penguins to a spacious new outdoor exhibit presently under construction near the entrance to Safari Africa.
The zoo has recently re-opened its Asian habitat area after extensive renovations nine months in the making. This area, now known as Asian Gardens, is a beautiful, lush forest with exotic animals, a new free-flight aviary themed after the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, waterfalls and incredible palms, bamboos and other tropical plants. For more information on this and much more, check web site www.lowryparkzoo.com
MOSI
A powerfully moving IMAX® Dome Theatre film like none other, MacGillivray
Freeman’s Hurricane on the Bayou carries audiences behind today’s news headlines on a journey deep into the soul-stirring heart of Louisiana — before, during and after the unprecedented devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane on the Bayou is presented by HSA Engineers & Scientists.
Unfolding against the poignant backdrop of Hurricane Katrina and featuring state-of-theart CGI special effects depicting its fury, Hurricane on the Bayou follows a group of four musicians, both legendary and rising, as they uncover the electrifying culture of New Orleans; explore the beautiful alligator-filled bayous on airboats; recount their personal stories of Katrina; and most of all, bring the focus to the rapidly disappearing wetlands that are New Orleans’ first line of defense against deadly storms.
For more information on the IMAX® Dome Theatre film, Hurricane on the Bayou, visit www.mosi.org. Now Showing!
Busch Gardens
Two years ago, Busch Gardens Africa introduced the world to a one-of-a-kind
experience: 200 feet up, 90 degrees straight down. And that was just the beginning. On June 16, the adventure park will reintroduce SheiKra to the world with a new twist: “floorless” cars that allow riders an unobstructed view of the 70 mph rush. Mechanically, SheiKra’s track will remain unchanged, with its combination of drops, inversions and a water feature finale. Psychologically, though, the effect of the floorless cars will be
intense: SheiKra’s cars will continue to seat eight passengers across, three rows deep, but riders will no longer be able to brace themselves for Florida’s No. 1 thrill ride against the floor of the car. With the front rail gone, passengers in the first row, especially, will be completely exposed as they come over the crest of SheiKra’s signature 200-foot, 90-degree plunge.
Guests’ last day to experience SheiKra in its current form will be Memorial Day, May 28. The following day, America’s first dive coaster will close for approximately three weeks for the floorless conversion. The coaster’s existing seats and shoulder harnesses will be fitted into new chassis that support only the chairs above and the wheels below. Between each row of seats will be nothing but open air.
The bulk of the changes occur at the loading platform, where retractable floors and handrails will be installed. As each floorless car comes into the station, the floors will raise into position, filling the gaps between the rows so that passengers may board. A pivoting handrail will swing into place in front of the car to assist those boarding the first row.
For more information on Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, call 1-888-800-5447 or log onto www.buschgardens.com.
The Yacht StarShip
The Yacht StarShip is proud to announce the “Sea of Wine Celebration Cruise” during all dinner cruises through April 8, 2007. Cruises will feature: a one hour wine reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and six free wine tastings, free wine paired with each dinner course (three courses) and a free wine gift.
Also, the Yacht StarShip will have a “Mac Dill Airfest Brunch Cruise” on March 31 and April 1. This patriotic cruise will feature brunch buffet, coffee and iced tea, and an up close view of the MacDill Airfest and the Blue Angels.
Easter Brunch and Dinner cruises will also be available on April 8, 2007.
Book online at www.yachtstarship.com or call 813.223.7999
ART & CULTURE NEWS
The Salvador Dali Museum
The Salvador Dalí Museum, which holds the pre-eminent American collection of the artist’s work will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2007! For more information about the Salvador Dalí Museum, visit the Museum web site at www.SalvadorDaliMuseum.org or call (800) 442-3254.
The Tampa Museum of Art
The Tampa Museum of Art will host Pride & Passion 2007: A Celebration of Identity on Friday, June 8, 2007 from 8 p.m. to midnight. The event is designed to engage current members and broader segments of the community with the museum. Proceeds from the event will support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs.
The museum will showcase several special exhibitions during Pride & Passion 2007, including Eberhard Havekost 1996-2006: Paintings from the Rubell Family Collection, Memorials of Identity: New Media from the Rubell Family Collection, both on view April 14 – July 8, 2007, Purvis Young from the Tampa Museum of Art’s Collection, April 28 - July 22, 2007, VSA Arts of Florida: Through My Eyes, May 12 – June 17, 2007, as well as its permanent collection of contemporary art and Greek and Roman antiquities entertainment, including a live DJ and musical performance, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages, will be featured throughout the evening. Admission to Pride & Passion 2007: A Celebration of Identity is $45 for single tickets, $65 for couples/households and $20 for current
museum members. Admission includes a one-year membership to the Tampa Museum of Art.
For more information about the Tampa Museum of Art, call 813/274-8130 or
visit www.TampaMuseum.com.
HOTEL & RESTAURANT NEWS
Wyndham Westshore
Wyndham Westshore – The newest upscale hotel in the Westshore business and
shopping district of Tampa will feature superb customer service with a contemporary and comfortable feeling, reflective of the Florida seaside, while maintaining the sophistication of a business hotel. The remodel will reflect a luxury style and will feature 323 richly appointed guest rooms and suites with over 21,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces.
The hotel was acquired by an affiliate of Lowe Enterprises Investments in March, 2006. A commitment of more than $18 million has been made by the new owners to remodel and reposition the hotel under an upscale brand.
All public areas, meeting space and guest rooms will be renovated in a sophisticated, yet casual style. Also, the hotel will offer more than 21,000 square feet of event space following the addition of 2,500 square feet of meeting space and an additional 7,000 square foot atrium venue and half of the hotel’s 17 junior suites will be upgraded to business suites with ergonomic chairs, meeting tables and outfitted for technology. The remaining junior suites will be designed for leisure travelers with comfortable living space. What’s more the lobby will receive a fresh new look while maintaining the elegant atmosphere of a fine business hotel.
The Days Inn Port of Tampa/Ybor City
Newly renovated Dec. 2006 and now has suites available with a king bed and two full beds. New landscaping and a fresh look will enhance guests stay at the Days Inn Port of Tampa/Ybor City. Continental breakfast from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. so bring your apatite!
The Embassy Suites Hotel
Tampa/Brandon
The Embassy Suites hotel in Tampa/Brandon is scheduled to open this fall, 2007. It will be our fourth White Lodging Services hotel in the Tampa/Brandon area. Its sister properties include the Courtyard by Marriott, the newly renovated Fairfield Inn & Suites and the new Homewood Suites by Hilton. All four hotels are located on Palm River Road; exit 257 off of I-75 and the Falkenburg exit off of the Leroy Selmon Expressway.
The Resort & Club at Little Harbor
Little Harbor, the biggest waterfront resort and residential living experience on Tampa Bay, is adding a brand new $48 million resort/condo tower, which is scheduled to open this summer. In addition, they recently completed a $4.5 million renovation of The Resort and Club at Little Harbor.
The luxury resort/condominium called Harborside, will offer a collection of 158 waterfront studios, as well as one, two and three bedroom condominiums in its vacation rental accommodation program. The renovation of the AAA Three Diamond resort hotel included the 94 hotel rooms, lobby, and meeting, convention and banquet facilities, as well as the Sunset Grill restaurant.
“Little Harbor is the most unique beachfront resort and residential community on the West Coast of Florida,” said Oliver Kugler, marketing director for The Resort and Club at Little Harbor. “With the recently completed renovations to The Resort and Club, the addition of 60 new two and three bedroom townhomes and the upcoming grand opening of the Harborside resort/condo tower, Little Harbor now provides an accommodation for every type of visitor whether individuals, couples or families. Our convenient, yet secluded beachfront location between Tampa and Sarasota makes us Florida’s undiscovered, best kept secret.”
Interior design on both projects was done by Hallock Design Group, an interior design company that specializes in design concepts for luxury residential, resort and commercial developments.
Little Harbor is a Caribbean-style residential and island resort living experience on Tampa Bay. This one-of-a-kind seaside village presents an enchanting combination of beach, bay, river and harbor-front residential homes and resort-style residences, along with a colorful mix of amenities that evoke images of a bygone Caribbean lifestyle. The project is being developed by EarthMark Companies, a real estate development company known for creating resort-style, amenity-rich and environmentally sustainable communities. For more information, call (800) 327-2773, visit www.StayLittleHarbor.com or drop by the resort at 611 Destiny Drive in Ruskin.
Hampton Inn & Suites
The Hampton Inn & Suites is very excited to be creating a package that includes three of Tampa’s favorite theme parks – the Lowry Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium and the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) for the “Tampa Triplet Ticket.” The package will cost $189.00 plus taxes and includes a one night stay and two adult tickets to all three parks. What’s more, once guests pick up their Triplet Ticket it will not have an expiration date so they are able to come back another time if they were unable to visit every attraction at no additional cost.
The package will be available from March 17 2007 - September 30, 2007.
The Hyatt Place Tampa Busch Gardens
A new kind of hotel that puts style, innovation and The Hyatt Touch® within
everyone’s reach. Each guestroom has a 42” flat panel HD TV and our Hyatt Grand Bed™. Free Wi-Fi is available throughoutthe hotel, a complimentary continental breakfast is offered daily and freshly prepared entrees and snacks are available 24/7 in the Guest Kitchen or Gallery Café. Business meetings, corporate events and private functions are comfortably accommodated in our 1,200 square feet of flexible meeting space.
Hyatt Place Tampa Busch Gardens and Hyatt Place Tampa Airport/Westshore
provide a contemporary and innovative hotel experience soon to be offered at more than 120 Hyatt Place locations nationwide. Discover just how perfectly a hotel can fit your lifestyle.
For more information visit www.hyattplace.com.
The 717-room Tampa Marriott Waterside
Hotel & Marina will be renovating all of their meeting space in the summer of 2007. The Grand Ballroom, 3rd floor meeting rooms, The Florida Ballroom and meeting rooms 1-7 will all undergo improvements. The property continues to provide elegant and sophisticated accommodations for convention & leisure travelers.
EVENTS
Bern's WINEFEST
April 28, 2007 - May 1, 2007
Legendary Tampa restaurant, Bern's Steak House, sister SideBern's and Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits, will hold its 10th Annual Winefest event April 26-29, 2007. At this four-day event, guests will have the opportunity to experience extraordinary food and wine tastings and attend winemaker dinners and educational seminars with special guests.
Spectacular winemaker dinners begin and end the Winfest weekend. Friday evening dine at SideBern's with some of the most cutting edge wine on the planet and wrap up the weekend on Monday evening with a classically styled dinner at Bern's Steak House. These dinners feature five-courses of Executive Chef Jeannie Pierola's award winning cuisine, paired with some of the most highly rated wines in the world.
Saturday evening the 2nd Annual Winefest Cocktail Event will be held. Launched at the 2006 Winefest, the cocktail party features passed appetizers, drink stations and live entertainment with a special spirits tasting inside the Wine Shop. There is no wine at this event – just cocktails – Bern's & SideBern's-Style!
On Sunday, at the VIP event, guests have the opportunity to sip an exclusive champagne cocktail and enjoy passed bites before the Grand Tasting opens for one hour – just for them! Tickets for this event go fast – make sure you don't miss it! The Grand Tasting will again feature nearly 200 wines and bites from Bern's and SideBern's along with artisan cheese and dessert. As always, there will be featured guests during the educational seminars and the silent auction will return. Portions of each ticket will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
For more information call (813) 253-0358 or visit www.bernswinfest.com.
Ruskin Tomato Festival
May 5, 2007 - May 6, 2007
All of Tampa Bay is seeing red during the Tomato and Heritage Festival at E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin, a small historic coastal community south of Tampa. The delicious Ruskin tomato is undoubtedly the star of the festival and highlights include "The Great Tomato Cook-off," the crowning of the "Ruskin Tomato Festival Queen" and the all-you-can-eat sliced tomatoes. Live entertainment, a farmer's market and a Street Rod Show.
Ruskin is located in Southern Hillsborough County, on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay. The community was settled in the late 1800's by followers of John Ruskin, a writer from England. Today, the town is famous for Ruskin tomatoes and other agricultural crops.
Visit http://ruskintomatofestival.org/ for more information.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 2007
The Columbia Restaurant and Bern’s Steak House
The Columbia Restaurant and Bern’s Steak House, two venerable restaurants located in Tampa, Fla., have both received the “Award of Ultimate Distinction” from Wine Enthusiast magazine. Only 29 restaurants in the United States received this award in 2007, and the Columbia and Bern’s were the only restaurants in Florida to earn this honor.
This is the highest level of award given by the magazine and is earned by restaurants that excel on all measures, offering the ultimate experience in wine with imagination and passion. The Columbia has earned this honor for the third year in a row, beginning in 2005, the inaugural year for this award. Bern’s has earned this honor for the second year in a row, beginning in 2006.
Wine Enthusiast states regarding the Columbia, “4th generation co-owner Richard Gonzmart is in charge of the wine program, which features an awe-inspiring selection of Spanish wines, with an emphasis on verticals, plus wines from California with connections to Spain, and bottlings from Chile. One of the most complete collections of Torres Mas la Plana in the world, including some Torres made expressly for the king of Spain. Verticals of Vega Sicilia Unico dating back to 1960. Plus CUNE and Alejandro Fernandez’s Pesquera.”
Wine Enthusiast says about Bern’s, “With a staggering 500,000 bottles in its cellar, Bern’s Steak House does wine in a big way.” Bern's houses the most extensive selection of wines of any restaurant in the world.
The wine list of the Columbia has also been recognized by many of Spain’s leading winemakers as having “he most complete and the world’s best collection in the world of wines from Spain.” The Columbia's wine list contains more than 1,000 wines with an inventory exceeding 50,000 bottles.
A wine cellar seen from the Don Quixote dining room, Tampa's first air-conditioned dining room in 1935, holds over 15,000 bottles of wine -- showcasing some of this extensive wine collection.
For more information, check web sites www.columbiarestaurant.com and
www.bernssteakhouse.com.
Boizao Steakhouse
Enjoy authentic Brazilian cuisine - without the jet lag! Boizao Steakhouse serves up 14 perfectly grilled cuts of beef, lamb, pork, chicken and sausage carved tableside by their Gaucho chefs. Each premium cut is seasoned, skewered and slowly roasted over an open fire. The fixed price menu includes an elaborate appetizer and salad buffet offering fresh greens, premium and exotic vegetables, imported cheeses and traditional Brazilian accompaniments.
Offering an array of internationally acclaimed fine wines, a full bar and the notto-be-missed Caipirinha, made of Brazilian Cachaca, sugar and fresh lime, Boizao is certain to be a welcome addition to the area. Lunch weekdays/dinner each evening. Private dining for 20 – 125. Gift cards available.
Located at 4606 W. Boy Scout Blvd., across from the International Plaza. For reservations call 813-286-7100; for more info, visit www.boizao.com. Major credit cards accepted.
Tampa International Airport
The Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) presented Tampa International Airport with its 2006 Top North American Airport Efficiency Award and Global Top Efficiency Award among airports with less than 20 million passengers. Tampa International Airport's rating indicated that it is 37 percent more efficient than the average North American airport.
TIA is also pleased to announce the arrival of two new art exhibits – all part of the Airports’ on-going public art program. Reflections of Tampa Bay highlights the Tampa community with a focus on its diversity, culture and history through the eyes of student artists. The exhibit, located in the Arcade, the walkway between the Landside Terminal Building and the Marriott Hotel.
For further information call 813-289-5488 or go to www.TampaAirport.com.
Tampa Port Authority
In 2006, the Port of Tampa greeted 908,647 cruise passengers, which represents a 12 percent increase over 2005. The Port of Tampa is one of the fastest growing cruise ports in the U.S.
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Florida Blocks
Blocks are the foundation for any play in the game. Florida is lined with several spectacular ones that lead the way to great shopping, dining and attractions. These include Miami’s culturally rich Calle Ocho, upscale Brickell Avenue, trendy South Beach’s Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive (www.gmcvb.com).
Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Blvd. offers stellar shopping and culinary treats (www.sunny.org). Further along the Gold Coast, Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue offers signature boutiques and galleries (www.palmbeachfl.com).
In the center of it all, Orlando’s International Drive (I-Drive) offers attractions, shopping, dining, entertainment, lodging and more. Some of I-Drive’s attractions include five of the world's greatest theme parks - SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Wet 'n Wild, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (www.orlandoinfo.com).
On Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tampa’s Bayshore Blvd. offers the world's longest continuous sidewalk stretching four and a half miles as it passes modern condominiums and historic homes on one side and offers a spectacular view of Tampa Bay on the other (www.visittampabay.com). Also on the Gulf Coast, Sarasota’s St. Armand’s Circle offers sidewalk cafés, fine dining and boutique shopping (www.sarasotafl.com).
Spectacular Florida Runs
Beach Run
The sun’s run across the state enables you to see it rise over the horizon on one coast and set, twelve hours later on the Gulf Coast. The run on sand is far reaching as Florida is blessed with numerous varieties of soft sand on both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts as well as rare freshwater beach sand. The state’s run on award-winning beaches includes several number one beaches on Dr. Beach’s annual lists over the years. These include Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys, St. Andrews State Park near Panama City Beach, Grayton Beach State Park near Destin, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park near Apalachicola, and Fort DeSoto Park near St. Petersburg (www.drbeach.org, www.floridastateparks.org, www.floridasbeach.com). At Blackwater River State Park (near Pensacola), visitors see beautiful white sand contrasted with black tannin water (www.beaches-rivers.com).
Golf Run
Runs taking you from hole to hole are endless in Florida, the national leader in golf courses. The run on golf courses is so long that you could play a different course every day for three years before repeating a course (www.playfla.com). Golfers with the most celebrated runs in history touchdown at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine (www.wghof.org).
Spring Run
Spring runs are abundant among the world’s largest collection of freshwater springs which have been enjoyed by visitors and filmmakers for years. From the popular tubing destination Ichetucknee Springs State Park (near Gainesville) to Tarzan’s set at Wakulla Springs State Park (near Tallahassee) opportunities to float the day away abound in Florida (www.floridastateparks.org and www.springsrus.com).
Spirals and easy catches
With so many water-related recreation options in reach, catches are easy to make. With easy access to salt- and freshwater bodies of water, Florida is easily the fishing capital of the world and the leading site of world-record catches of fish. From thousand-pound marlin to challenging tarpon and largemouth bass, you can successfully go deep from the Florida Keys to Pensacola (www.fishingcapital.com).
Your feet may lead you to spirals to be caught by hand and foot. For scores of years, feet have climbed the spiral staircases of lighthouses that guide ships along Florida’s coasts. Many of these beacons welcome visitors for birds-eye views and museum tours (www.floridalighthouses.org).
Spiral gazing is not just towards the heavens in Florida. The state’s beautiful sand is home to some of the best shelling in the world. The posture for collecting spirals and otherwise shaped shells in Sanibel is so common that it’s named the ‘Sanibel Stoop’ (www.fortmyers-sanibel.com).
Special Florida Draws
From a seashell-shaped performing arts center (www.sarasotafl.org) to talking murals (www.lpfla.com), Florida’s works of art have drawn many with what is shown outdoors as well as indoors. From West Palm Beach’s Norton Museum of Art (www.norton.org), the state’s largest museum, to St. Petersburg’s Salvador Dali Museum which houses the largest collection of his work outside of Dali’s native Spain (www.salvadordalimuseum.org) and the renowned John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota (www.ringling.org).
Atlanta's extensive art scene and rich history create cultural offerings unmatched in the South. From historic to modern, visitors can enjoy art, performances, beauty, and education throughout the city.
If you like museum hopping, try:
Woodruff Arts Center: Now the largest performing and visual arts center in the nation, encompassing the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Hall, the High Museum of Art (hosting world-renowned exhibits with works by Van Gosh, Norman Rockwell and Michelangelo, with a permanent collection of more than 11,000 works of art including African, American, decorative, European, folk, modern, and contemporary art, plus photography), Young Audiences, the 14th Street Playhouse, and the recently added Table 1280.
Atlanta History Center: Explore Atlanta's story - the Civil War, civil rights and the antebellum South through two historic homes -- the 1928 Swan House and the Tullie Smith House, an 1840s plantation farmhouse with outbuildings, beautiful gardens, and nature trails.
Michael C. Carlos Museum: This hidden jewel features the art of the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean and the Americas, including Egyptian mummies, pre-Columbian pottery, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, artifacts from the Middle and Far East and European and American works on paper.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum: Carter's life and administration and the Oval Office are portrayed through films, videos, and displays. Popular exhibitions are also shown here, such as First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image, developed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Behring Center, and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.
William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum: The largest museum of its kind in the Southeast, the Bremen museum offers two core galleries depicting "Creating Community: The Jews of Atlanta from 1845 to the present" and "Absence of Humanity: The Holocaust Years." Also featured are special exhibitions, archives, a hands-on Discovery Center, library and museum shop.
There are several more museums in addition to theaters including Performance Arts (The Atlanta Ballet is the longest continually operating ballet company in the United States. Catch presentations of classical and contemporary works are presented at the Fox Theatre and the Robert Ferst Center for the Arts); the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (performing over 250 concerts a year, many with the world's most prominent musicians, soloists and conductors); and the Atlanta Opera, (presenting full-staged grand opera performances in the Boisfenillet Jones Civic Center).
Cultural sites include the Atlanta Botanical Garden (a 15-acre oasis bordering Piedmont Park featuring outdoor display gardens, five acres of shade-loving ornamentals from around the world and walking trails. Across the Flower Bridge is a two-acre Children's Garden; Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, where you can visit Dr. King's grave, the King birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached.
Events are held year round, such as the Atlanta Jazz Festival; National Black Arts Festival; and much more.
For more information, contact the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, 233 Peachtree St., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404- 521-6600, or check web site www.atlanta.com.
8th Annual Wine South Selects New Venue
Wine lovers across the globe are marking their calendars for the 8th Annual Wine South, which will take place from September 28 to 30, 2007, and will make its debut at the Georgia World Congress Center. The South’s premier wine and food festival will showcase another year of fine wines and an assortment of food from some of the city’s favorite restaurants, but new features promise to attract a more diverse crowd and generate much enthusiasm.
The Grand Festival Event, a two-day format, will be held inside the perimeter at the Georgia World Congress Center. Wine South’s Reserve Sampling Event will be held Friday, Sept. 28, and the location has yet to be determined. Drawing a range of connoisseurs and novices alike from 25 states across the nation, Wine South 2007 is sure to surpass all expectations.
Wine South was founded in 2000 to promote the wine industry, increase attendee knowledge and appreciation of wine and food and raise funds for local charities. Each year, with the help of numerous volunteers, wineries and corporate sponsors, the festival has grown, allowing larger amounts to benefit charities and the community.
For more information and to purchase tickets, check web site www.winesouth.com.
Exciting Events Taking Place in Atlanta
2007 Events
Through June 3
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center: The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center plays host to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, bringing to life the tragic sinking of the legendary RMS Titanic through objects and stories. Visitors are drawn back in time as they step into fully reconstructed replicas of Titanic's first and third class rooms. Visitors will also view more than 300 actual artifacts recovered from Titanic's debris field including personal items as well as a three-ton section of the ship’s hull. For more information, call 866-640-0303 or check web site www.atlantaciviccenter.com.
Through Sept. 7
Louvre Atlanta: Kings as Collectors at the High Museum of Art: In the first of a three-year partnership with the High Museum and Paris’ Musée du Louvre, Kings as Collectors is the first central exhibition and will be composed primarily of paintings, sculptures and antiquities from the collections of Kings Louis XIV and Louis XVI. The exhibition will feature paintings by Raphael, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Murillo, Poussin and others. At the center of the exhibition will be a special presentation of Raphael’s Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, one of the top treasures from the Louvre’s permanent collection. For more information call 404.733.HIGH or check web site www.louvreatlanta.org. Also check web site www.atlanta.net/louvreatlanta for information on hotel packages.
Through May 13
I Have a Dream: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Estate Collection of Morehouse College at the Atlanta History Center: The Atlanta History Center is the first venue to exhibit selections from the estate collection recently acquired by the City of Atlanta. The exhibit displays Dr. King’s personal papers in his handwriting, documenting the progress of his campaign for human justice from his education and earliest sermons through his most enduring political speeches. Highlights of the exhibition include Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, his Nobel Peace Prize lecture, sermons from his ministry, personal notes he maintained in hundreds of his books, and his celebrated “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Admission to this exhibition is free the first weekend of every month and every Monday. Otherwise, this exhibition is included with general admission. For more information, call 404.814.4000 or check web site www.atlantahistorycenter.com.
Events
Through April 29
Eyewitness American Originals from the National Archives at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, Feb. 7-Apr. 29
Eyewitness accounts in the form of letters, diaries, audio and film recordings chronicle dramatic moments in U.S. history. Highlights of the exhibit include: George Washington's 1775 report on a threat of bioterrorism; testimony of President Lincoln's doctor describing his patient's condition after he was shot on April 14, 1865, and the message telecast from lunar orbit in 1968 by the crew of Apollo 8. An audio tour of the exhibit is available free of charge.
For more information, call 404.331.3942 or check web site www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/events.
Through Aug. 12
Lizards & Snakes: Alive! at Fernbank Museum of Natural History:
More than 60 live specimens from around the world will welcome visitors in this engaging new exhibition. Lizards & Snakes: Alive! introduces visitors to a diversity of legged and legless lizards, including a snake group known as squamates. Numerous interactive stations throughout the exhibition will invite visitors to listen to recorded squamate sounds, get a close up look at live geckos, test their knowledge about lizards, explore the inner workings of a rattlesnake on the hunt, and view videos of lizards and snakes in the wild.
For more information, call 404.929.6300 or check web site www.fernbank.edu/museum.
More Events
Through Sept. 2
Louvre Atlanta: Decorative Arts of the Kings at the High Museum of Art:
Continuing a three-year partnership with the High Museum and Paris’ Musée du Louvre “Decorative Arts of the Kings” is the second central exhibition and will feature decorative arts commissioned for the courts of Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. This exhibition will explore works that convey the royal and princely tastes for the decorative arts during the last 100 years of the Ancien Régime. The presentation includes fine examples of furniture, tapestry, ceramics and silver by manufacturers such as Les Gobelins and Sèvres and by artists such as Germain and Auguste.
For more information, call 404.733.HIGH or check web site www.louvreatlanta.org. For information on hotel packages, check web site www.atlanta.net/louvreatlanta.
March 24, 31
Stone Mountain Park’s Lasershow Spectacular:
Guests can relax on the lawn as it is transformed into a natural amphitheater for the world’s largest lasershow. The show includes a dazzling display of neon laser lights, characters, stories, graphics and fireworks – all choreographed to music favorites.
For more information, call 770.498.5690 or check web site www.stonemountainpark.com.
March 20-27
Sweet Charity at the Fox Theatre:
This Broadway musical offers fun, laughs, good times and stars Molly Ringwald of Broadway's Cabaret and such memorable films as The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles. Ringwald takes center stage as Charity Hope Valentine who's a true eternal optimist and the unluckiest romantic in New York City.
For more information, call 404.881.2100 or check web site www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.
Mar. 27
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts presents the National Philharmonic of Russia:
Composed of Russia's leading symphonic virtuosos and led by conductor and violinist Vladimier Spivakov, this orchestra is the preeminent musical symbol of the new Russia, a major musical institution and cultural ambassador. Spivakov upholds the standards of Russia's great symphonic traditions while performing rarely heard works.
For more information, call 404.727.5050 or check web site www.emory.edu/arts.
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The Big Island is home of the most active volcano on the planet and, as a destination, as a land of legend, as a truly Hawaiian place, the Island of Hawaii stands apart. This tropical island is one of diversity, both old and young, exciting and tranquil, with volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, ancient stone altars and tasteful modern resorts. As the largest of the Hawaiian chain, it is often referred to as the “Big Island of Hawaii.” It is more than 4000 square miles overall, 93 miles long and 76 miles wide at its extremities, and lies at the southern most point in the US at Kalae, South Point.
For more information, contact web site www.bigisland.org
The Hilo Coffee Mill on Hawai'i's Big Island offers families a complimentary 'behind the beans' peek into Hawaiian coffee production, from plant to cup and every step in between. Free tastings of 100 percent East Hawai'i coffee grown in the lush, volcanic districts of Ka'u, Hamakua, and Puna are included, and children will love the free samples of 100 percent Ka'u coffee ice cream!
For more information, check web site www.HiloCoffeeMill.com.
In a unique new activity, visitors can take a special guided tour of Kahua Ranch and Honopua Farm on Hawai'i's Big Island to learn about the island's rich agricultural resources. The visits are followed by a special four-course dinner at the award-winning Merriman's Restaurant in Waimea. Dinner will be prepared by chefs using fresh produce from the farms.
For more information, check web site www.MerrimansHawaii.com.
Abhasa Waikiki Spa at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel recently introduced new health activities including Pilates, fitness stretching, and power walks. Abhasa, which means "illusion" in Sanskrit, is located in a garden setting and offers treatments using state-of-the-art equipment.
For more information, check web site Abhasa.com.
Hershey’s has unveiled a sweet new treat for the holidays: Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Kisses. The scrumptious new tropical Kiss features macadamia nut nuggets enrobed in a creamy milk-chocolate dome, and wrapped up in blue foil. The white “rip cord” that unwraps the Kiss is stamped with the word Aloha. Available exclusively in Hawai`i at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitors Center in Hilo, and select retail outlets. Call (808) 966-8613 for more information.
Kona Honu Divers was selected by readers of Scuba Diving magazine as one of the Big Island’s best dive operators in their annual Reader’s Choice issue. Readers cited the friendly personalities and professionalism of the dive staff, and raved about Big Island dive sites like Suck ‘Em Up, Turtle Pinnacle and Manta Ray Heaven, a popular night dive. Check web site www.konahonudivers.com or call (888) 333-4668 for more information and reservations.
Na Mea Hawai'i Hula Kahiko - Traditional hula and chant are performed outdoors on the hula platform overlooking K'lauea Crater at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Hawaiian crafts demonstrations at Volcano Art Center Gallery from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free (Park entrance fees apply). Performances set for March, May, June and August. Call (808) 967-8222 or check web site www.volcanoartcenter.org.s
Hawai`i’s Big Island – Hotels, Resorts & B&Bs
"The resort's pool, beach, golf, spa, restaurants and other amenities are operational. We are thankful that our guests and employees are safe," said Kurt Matsumoto, Mauna Lani's General Manager. Renowned for its longstanding devotion to preserving and enhancing the cultural history of Hawai'i, Mauna Lani Resort offers unrivaled hospitality in a serene, oceanside environment. Nationally recognized for its successful honu (green sea turtle) program, full-moon Twilight at Kalahuipua'a talk-story series, Hawaiian inspired resort spa, and 36 holes of oceanside championship golf, Mauna Lani Resort offers a unique combination of luxury, culture, adventure, and nature that capture the essence of Hawaiian hospitality.
For the second consecutive year (2005/2006), Mauna Lani Resort has been ranked #7 among the top 25 Hawai'i hotels in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Awards." The unparalleled Mauna Lani Spa was honored as the #4 Top Resort Spa in North America in Condé Nast Traveler 2006 Readers' Spa Awards and received a Wave Award for Best Full Service Spa in Hawai'i by TravelAge West. Adding to its accolades, Mauna Lani and its picturesque golf courses were ranked 25th among the top 100 golf resorts in North America in the Condé Nast Traveler 2006 Reader's Poll.
Discover all the wonders of Mauna Lani Resort: white sand beaches, championship oceanside golf, award winning cuisine, children's day camp and activities, Hawai'i's premier spa and gracious service with the following new packages for 2007:
"Mauna Lani - Shaken, Not Stirred"
Package Rates from $390* per night includes:
* Two Pineapple Martinis
* Daily buffet breakfast for two
* Daily use of snorkeling equipment
* Access to the Mauna Lani Sports & Fitness Club
* Nightly Hawaiian entertainment
* Tours of Mauna Lani's historic fishponds and petroglyph fields
* Cultural activities and much more!
Guests can also enjoy Mauna Lani's 36 holes of championship golf, a Hawaiian inspired Spa, oceanfront dining at the award-winning CanoeHouse, spectacular Kohala Coast sunsets and miles of white sand beaches.
Rates start from $390 per night, plus applicable taxes, based on single/double occupancy. Room categories are subject to availability upon check-in. The "Shaken, Not Stirred" package is available through December 19, 2006. Packages cannot be combined or used with additional special rates and/or promotions. Restrictions apply.
For reservations: call Mauna Lani at 800-367-2323 or 808-885-6622, or consult with your travel professional. To book online, check web site www.maunalani.com.
Additional Mauna Lani News and Packages
Heralded for its dedication to preserving and enhancing Hawaiian culture and history, Mauna Lani offers the comforts of world-class hospitality in a relaxed, oceanside setting. In 2006, Mauna Lani Spa was ranked #4 Top Resort Spa in North America in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Spa Awards and received a WAVE Award by TravelAge West for Best Full Service Spa Resort in Hawaii. Mauna Lani was rated #3 on the Big Island in Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Awards" while the resort's Mauna Lani Spa was named one of the World's Best Spas in Hawaii. Mauna Lani Resort was ranked #25 among the top 100 golf resorts in North America, according to the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Poll. In addition to award-winning cuisine, a myriad of complimentary services and activities make Mauna Lani Resort the perfect island destination.
Pick Your Passion
Experience Mauna Lani with a choice of spa, golf, fitness, snorkel or sunset cruise, scuba or a volcano helicopter tour from $640 per night for Ocean View accommodations (select months)
Mauna Lani Bed & Breakfast
Enjoy daily breakfast and Ocean View accommodations starting from $480 per night (select months)
Mauna Lani Ohana (For Families)
Explore the resort as a family or chase your own adventures with complimentary fish-feeding tours, snorkeling and other activities from $375 per night for Ocean View accommodations (reservations must be for a minimum of two guestrooms; select months)
Mauna Lani Golf
Play unlimited golf and enjoy Ocean View accommodations starting from $665 per night (select months)
Mauna Lani Spa
Indulge with a spa treatment per person per paid room night and enjoy Ocean View accommodations starting from $665 per night (select months)
Mauna Lani Romantic Interludes
Share the romance with a loved one with champagne, daily breakfast, a dinner or sunset sail, spa treatment, circle island tour, and Ocean View accommodations starting from $3,320 (five-night package)
All packages at Mauna Lani include a bounty of complimentary services and activities (there is no Resort Fee at Mauna Lani): aloha welcome with floral lei greeting and tropical fruit juices, morning Kona coffee and tea in the hotel atrium, valet and self-parking services, shuttle service throughout the resort, nightly Hawaiian entertainment, fish-feeding tours throughout the resort's ancient fishponds, use of snorkeling equipment, access to the Mauna Lani Sports & Fitness Club and lap pool, and beach amenities, including, hammocks and beach cabanas.
The Kohala Coast's most luxurious and private accommodations, the Bungalows at Mauna Lani Bay, include butler service, private pool and jacuzzi, and over 4,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor living space - all in either Ocean View or Ocean Front settings.
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows is a member of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts (www.panpacific.com) and Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (www.preferredhotels.com), a global brand of 110 of the world's finest and most distinctive independently owned luxury hotels and resorts. Live images of Mauna Lani can be seen at www.maunalani.com. For reservations or information, check web site www.maunalani.com, consult a travel professional, or call Mauna Lani direct at 1-800-367-2323 or 1-808-885-6622 in Hawai'i.
Hilton Waikoloa Village Renovation
The Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawai'i's Big Island has completed the first half of a $61 million renovation. The three-phase resort enhancement project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2007. Completed renovation includes refurbishment to most of its 1,240 rooms, Kohala Tennis Gardens, the 25,000 square-foot Kohala Sport Club and Spa, three signature restaurants, and the addition of high-speed Inernet access in meeting facilities.
For more information, check web site www.HiltonWaikoloaVillage.com.
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The Kauai Beach Hotel and Resort, previously known as the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, is slated to become the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort this fall upon completion of the resort’s $14 million renovation project. The resort will undergo extensive property upgrades, as well as the addition of new facilities and services to the property, including a 24-hour business center, executive club floor, Hilton Serenity Collection bedding and bath items, expanded fitness center and the implementation of the Hilton HHonors guest reward program. All 350 rooms will be completely renovated and refurbished, along with the resort’s four-pool complex and meeting and banquet rooms to the Hilton brand standard.
For more information, visit KauaiBeachHotelAndResort.com.
Congratulations, Kauai
Travel + Leisure 2006 World's Best Awards recognized Kaua'i as the second best island in the world. Maui followed in third place and Hawai'i's Big Island ranked ninth. The survey targeted traveler from around the world. The islands were judged based on natural attractions, activities, sights, restaurants, food, people, and value. For more information, check web site TravelandLeisure.com.
Kaua'i Marriott Resort and Beach Club Completed Renovations
The Kaua'i Marriott Resort and Beach club has completed its multi-million dollar capital improvement project. Indigenous ha'upu ferns, ornamental pineapple plants and exotic tropical hawaiian flora help the redesigned pore cochere and entryway set the toe for a Hawaiian vacation. There is also a new separate area for arriving group tour buses and coaches.
For more information, call 800-220-2925 or check web site www.MarriottHawaii.com.
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The next time you're vacationing on Maui, don't miss stopping at the Maui Ocean Center. I originally planned to spend one hour here, but ended up staying the entire day! There's plenty to see and, whether you're young or old, you'll be amazed at how entertaining and educational it is. Learn how to identify Hawaii's more common reef fish. For example, the triggerfish has a diamond-like shape and a dorsal spine on its head. Its spine can be raised and locked into position with a 'trigger,' allowing the fish to wedge itself into a safe position on the reef. Triggerfish also have high-set eyes, long snouts, and small mouths. Filefishes, named for their tough, finely abrasive skin, are similar in appearance, but have more compressed bodies and longer, more slender dorsal spines. Many filefish can alter their coloring to match their surroundings and, they are secretive and not as distinctively marked as triggerfish, with the exception of the blue-spotted loulu, or scrawled filefish. On the other hand, members of the goatfish family can be recognized by the apir of long barbels at the front of the chin that is used to probe the bottom of the ocean floor in search of food.
Each time I visit the Ocean Center, I spend at least an hour admiring the Green Sea turtles. The display is excellent, and the turtles come close-up, so have your camera ready. When you feel like taking a break, enjoy lunch at the Seascape Ma'alaea Restaurant. With an exquisite ringside view of the harbor, you can watch sailboats go in and out while munching on the Oriental Chicken Salad, Lobster Roll, Crab Cakes, or a number of other items.
Shark Dive!
And, if you want to do something really unique, try the Shark Dive at Maui Ocean Center!
You'll be guaranteed shark sightings! Descend into the depths of a 750,000 gallon Open Ocean exhibit and become immersed in Hawai‘i’s rich underwater world with over 20 sharks, stingrays, and thousands of tropical reef fish. Prices begin at $199 plus tax. SCUBA certified divers ages 15 years and up are welcome to join experts at the Center by reservation only for a 2.5 hour orientation and dive. SCUBA tank, weights, and admission to the Maui Ocean Center for one viewing guests are included. Book early to avoid disappointment.
For reservation information, hours and fees, contact Maui Ocean Center, 192 Ma'alaea Road, Wailuka, HI 96793; email: info@mauioceancenter.com, or check web site www.mauioceancenter.com.
Don't want to swim with a shark? Then try one of the exciting tours, below:
Private/VIP Tours
Guided Group Tours
Maui Ocean Center is designed as a self guided tour complete with Marine Naturalist throughout the park to answer questions and an audio guide with individual exhibit information. Dedicated tours by Marine Naturalist are available during park hours for $60 per hour plus tax in addition to regular admission rates. Recommended is a one (1) Marine Naturalist per 25 guests.
For reservation information, call 808-270-7000.
Private After Hours Tours
Private tours before or after park hours can be arranged within two hours prior to opening or closing. All exhibits will be available along with a dedicated Marine Naturalist tour. Prices are $500.00 plus tax plus admission (see below) based on a maximum of 25 people. Additional time will be charged at $75 plus tax for every additional 1/2 hour.
For reservation information, call 808-270-7083.
Admission Fees
Adults: $22.00 plus tax
Seniors: $19.00 plus tax
Children 3-12: $15.00 plus tax
Children under 3 are FREE
For reservation information, call 808-270-7000.
Latest Events
Turtle Tracking
For new updates on Maile and Kimo, check web site www.mauioceancenter.com
Kimo is the intrepid traveler and Maile seems to still be enjoying the south Maui area!
Spring Break Camp and Sleepover
Children's Activities in March
Camp
March 19 - 30, Monday - Friday, 9am to 4pm.
This hands-on camp will have kids using all of their senses to explore the magnificent ocean and its creatures! Activities will include crab-fishing, exploring the shore, ocean games and much more! Open to ages 7-12. Come for a day or for two weeks!
Sleep with the Sharks
Saturday, March 24, 5:30pm to 8am
While exploring the aquarium at night, kids will get a chance to feed the hammerhead sharks and the green sea turtles, discover how some animals make their own light and much more!
For more information on the camp and Sleeping With the Sharks, check web site www.mauioceancenter.com
Call for Entertainers!
Youth Groups to Perform for our 9th Anniversary Celebration!
For our 9th Anniversary coming up this month , we are looking for youth groups to perform at the aquarium in exchange for admission for the group and chaperones for the day!
Available dates are March 18 through 26 (9 days of celebration!) - during Spring Break for most Hawaii's schools!
If your ukulele band, dance troup, group of mimes or other performance group would like to apply, please email prr@mauioceancenter.com.
Maui Ocean Center's 9th Anniversary
9 Days of Special Activities- March 18-26
Join Maui Ocean Center for its 9th Anniversary Celebration, with various activities and entertainment provided by local non-profit organizations each day! For each Family Membership Pass sold, a $5 donation will be made to the non-profit of the day! $1 will be donated for each Weekly Pass as well! Non-Profits include Hawaii Wildlife Fund, Boys and Girls Club, Hawaii Nature Center, Project SEA-Link and more! Other activities during the 9 day long celebration include kids camp and sleepover, behind-the-scenes tours and more!
Complete Schedule of Events for 9th Anniversary coming soon!
Family Membership Pass
Back by Popular Demand!
A new version of the Family Membership Pass is available for purchase on March 1! Sign up two adults and two children for only $135! Enjoy unlimited admission for one full year, 20% discount on general admission tickets for visiting family and friends, discounts in the Store and food and beverage purchases and more!
Check web site www.mauioceancenter.com to learn more about the membership and benefits...
Spring Break Camp and Sleepover
Children's Activities in March
Camp
March 19 - 30, Monday - Friday, 9am to 4pm.
This hands-on camp will have kids using all of their senses to explore the magnificent ocean and its creatures! Activities will include crab-fishing, exploring the shore, ocean games and much more! Open to ages 7-12. Come for a day or for two weeks!
Sleep with the Sharks
Saturday, March 24, 5:30pm to 8am
While exploring the aquarium at night, kids will get a chance to feed the hammerhead sharks and the green sea turtles, discover how some animals make their own light and much more!
Space is limited, sign up soon!
Check web site www.mauioceancenter.com for more information on Camp and the Sleepover...
New Menu items at the Seascape Ma'alaea Restaurant
Starting March 1!
The 9th Anniversary Celebration is kicking off with new menu items!
New Starters
Pele's Wings- Named after the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire, these spicy buffalos-style chicken wings are served with a Hawaiian Hot Sauce and a side of Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing
Coconut Shrimp-Coconut crusted shrimp served with a spicy Mango Chutney
New Salads
Ma'alaea-Premium-grade Seared Ahi Tuna, locally harvested and Pole-caught served with French Beans, Nicoise Olives, Tomatoes and Kula Greens
Caesar and Neptune-Caesar Salad topped with US Wild Caught Bay Shrimp
New Sandwiches
Southwestern Club Cajun chicken, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, cheddar and jack cheese All rolled in a tomato Tortilla wrap and served with Chipotle sour cream
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich-Crispy Breaded Chicken Patty topped with lettuce, tomato, and Spicy wing sauce. Served with a side of Ranch dressing.
Build-A-Burger-Start with either a char-grilled 8oz Hamburger or a 7 oz Veggie Burger served with Lettuce, Tomato, and Pickle and go from there! Additional Toppings Include: Cheddar Cheese, Swiss Cheese, Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Bacon, Grilled Onions, Jalapenos, Onion Rings and Guacamole
New Entrees
Island Style Fish Tacos- Fresh, grilled Mahi Mahi, cabbage, tomatoes, and shredded cheese served Inside Flour tortillas and served with a side of guacamole and sour cream
Teriyaki Chicken- Boneless, Grilled Teriyaki chicken served with steamed Kula vegetables And Jasmine Rice
Chicken & Vegetable Marinara- Tomato Cream Sauce topped grilled chicken and Kula Vegetables served over a bed of Farfalle Pasta.
New Desserts
Lilikoi-Mango Cheesecake- Passion Fruit Cheese cake with chunks of Mango in a graham cracker crust Topped with a Mango Puree
Key Lime Pie- A Tropical Favorite!
The Seascape Ma'alaea Restaurant follows Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Guidelines, and all menu items are trans-fat free!
Maui Ocean Center Store
As if King Neptune himself assembled the riches of the sea, the Maui Ocean Center Store is a veritable treasure chest filled with the island’s most unique and inspiring gifts and collectables. Located in the heart of the Hawaiian Aquarium, a visit to this exciting 6,000 square foot shopping destination can be an unforgettable experience.
A popular attraction for visitors of all ages, the Maui Ocean Center Store complements the marine park’s overall experience. A myriad of plush and collectable animal species, postcards, and nature books become the perfect souvenir of one’s visit. So too, are the dazzling array of fine artwork, jewelry and Hawaiiana created by some of the island’s most prominent artists.
Open 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily, Maui Ocean Center Store is a must-visit for those seeking the ultimate island gift. Access to the Maui Ocean Center Store is available without admission to the park through the front gate.
To contact the Maui Ocean Center Store, call toll free 1-800-350-5634 or email: shop@mauioceancenter.com.
Honua Kai Plans on a Residential Spa at Ka'Anapali Beach
Authentic and extraordinary define an exciting collection of international spas being introduced by Intrawest, a world leader in destination resorts and adventure travel. One of the first American spas in its collection is planned for Honua Kai; a new whole ownership beachfront property being offered to upscale vacation home buyers on Maui's fabled Ka'anapali Beach - the first such offer in more than twenty years.
Drawn by the irreplaceable beachfront location and exceptional services - including the full-service residential spa -- influential realtors and discerning clients gathered this past week in Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Huntington Beach and Beverl Hills to discover details and place reservations for the ultimate luxury condominium at Honua Kai. Important because it represents one of the last chances to own on the famous Ka'anapali Beach, Honua Kai is a luxury, full-ownership condominium now accepting priority purchase reservations for the final condominium offering.
Four-star amenities - the spa, room-service, pools and water features, culturally inspired activities and events catered to families and couples who appreciate the best of Hawaiian culture - paired with the new, luxurious beachfront setting are calling cards for mainland buyers eagerly anticipating their Honua Kai purchase.
The spa will crown Konea, the final condominium tower at Honua Kai. Fittingly, Konea translates as restored to health. Last year, Hokulani, the first tower at Honua Kai, achieved sell out success in a mere eight hours. Promising Honua Kai residents and guests unforgettable Maui experiences - from surfing and horseback riding, golf to dining at Duke's new restaurant at Honua Kai - a high point of every visit will surely be time at the spa.
The intimate sanctuary, overlooking the grand lawn and tropical native healing gardens, will comprise serene private treatment pavilions, locally inspired products and therapeutic rituals. The ultimate complement to time spent at Honua Kai will be a visit to its intimate spa. Owners and guests will be pampered with their choice of therapeutic, restorative or invigorating treatments inspired by this beautiful land and its people. Professional services and products offered at the Honua Kai spa will focus on physical and spiritual care augmented by design elements inspired by the marriage of people and place. Immersion into a complete, holistic environment means a Honua Kai spa visit will be anything but cookie-cutter.
Offering luxury studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums with open floorplans, Konea suites and residences feature exquisite interior appointments such as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and frameless glass shower enclosures. Living rooms open to spacious lanais, taking advantage of Hawaii's gentle climate while providing commanding ocean and mountain views. Honua Kai amenities include expansive pools, beguiling waterfalls, a beachfront boardwalk, the spa and the recently announced Duke's Maui beachside restaurant. Off-resort parks, championship golf courses, shopping, dining, and sporting attractions abound. Completion is scheduled for late 2009. Playground Destination Properties Inc., an Intrawest company, is the licensed broker managing the sales and marketing campaign for Honua Kai.
For more information about Honua Kai, call 1-866-678-1310 or visit web site www.honuakai.com.
Honua Kai is a whole-ownership condominium resort along Ka`anapali Beach on Maui's western shore. Developed by Intrawest, the resort will reflect meticulous masterplanning with deference to the land and its Hawaiian people. Upon completion, the approximately 40-acre beachfront resort will feature 700 luxury tower residential condominiums and townhome units with ocean and mountain views, lush gardens, water-rich landscaping, several recreational pools, a luxurious spa and fitness center, a beachside restaurant and one of the island's best snorkeling and dive beaches. .
Playground
Playground Destination Properties Inc. is one of the Playground group of real estate sales and marketing companies. The Playground companies are the premier provider of real estate sales and marketing services for destinations world-wide. With offices spanning the globe in Vancouver, Montreal, Orlando, Reno, Denver, and Lausanne, Playground is dedicated to fulfilling its mission of "connecting people with the ultimate places to play". Playground provides a unique breadth of offerings from beach and mountain destinations, to golf and urban locations. Playground is currently offering ownership opportunities in world-renowned Whistler Blackcomb-North America's most popular mountain resort; Honua Kai; and Florida's Sandestin - 2,400 acres including white sand beaches and world-class golf. Playground Destination Properties Inc. is proud to be the licensed broker for the Westin's properties in Orlando and Napa Valley, and for the Hard Rock Condo Hotel in San Diego - the hottest new urban location destination.
To learn more about the Playground companies, check web site www.playground.com.
While addressing the changing interests and needs of guests, Halekulani (located in Waikiki ) has introduced the concept of “Halekulani Living,” a luxury series of initiatives to enrich guest experiences. The series offers three distinct initiatives: Halekulani Masterworks, Halekulani Wellness, and Halekulani Connoisseurs. Some events featured throughout the summer include Escoffier Month at La Mer, Gourmet Weekends featuring top chefs from Hawaii, a La Mer Ultimate Dinner, and a variety of seminars that feature Aromatherapy and holiday cocktails.
For a complete listing of events, contact Halekulani at 2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815; 808-923-2311, or visit web site www.Halekulani.com.
New Embassy Suites Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk Features New Touch
Outrigger Enterprises Group is adding a special Hawaiian touch to the new Embassy Suites Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk. Hawai'i's first nationally branded 'all-suite' hotel will feature an exterior painted with a customized tapa design created especially for Outrigger by Kaipo Ho and Kehau Kruse, two of the company's cultural consultants. Construction and painting on the final tower is slated for completion during Fall 2006.
For more information, check web site www.Outrigger.com or www.WaikikiBeachWalk.com.
Pacific Aviation Museum -- Fly into the new Pacific Aviation Museum on your next trip to Pearl Harbor. Located on Ford Island, the museum made its debut on the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The museum is housed in a World War II-era hangar that still bears the scars of the December 7, 1941 attack and features restored vintage WWII aircrafts, interactive displays and a theater. Also on display is an aviator-style restaurant and a gift store. Future expansion to the museum includes Hangar 79, dedicated to the Pacific battles of WWII, and Hangar 54, with a focus on the Korean, Vietnam, and the Cold Wars. For more information, check web site www.PacificAviationMuseum.org.
New Developments
The Waikiki Beach Walk is taking shape as visitors to Waikïkï are starting to see, taste, and hear what is just the beginning of the spectacular and highly anticipated retail development by Outrigger Enterprises Group. A dozen shops are now open in the 93,000-square-foot retail complex, complemented by strolling musicians playing the classic, lilting tunes of the islands. Also open is the first of two towers comprising Hilton’s Embassy Suites ® –Waikiki beach Walk. Most of the remaining 30 restaurants and retailers will be open by May 2007 including Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Crazy Shirts, and Na Hoku. For the most updated information and a complete listing of tenants, check web site WaikikiBeachWalk.com.
Royal hawaiian Shopping Center Renovation
The revitalization of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is scheduled for completion this summer. The comprehensive renovation will add 310,000-square-feet of restaurant and retail space that will feature the largest collection of flagship stores in Waikïkï. Residents and visitors will have much to choose from, including more than 100 shops and restaurants, free cultural classes and entertainment in an outdoor landscaped plaza, along with Waikïkï’s newest show, nightclub and ultra-lounge. For more information, check web site www.RoyalHawaiianShoppingCenter.com.
Ala Moana Center Offering Exclusive "Hello Kitty" Products on Oahu
The world’s most infamous cat, “Hello Kitty” has made her way to Hawaii again and now features a number of exclusive products sold only at Ala Moana Center and are sure to put a smile on any keiki’s or lifetime collector’s face.
Just introduced to the islands is a variety of “Ala Moana Center” Hello Kitty lanyards and charm straps complete with the renowned cat posing in Aloha attire with her Hawaiian ukulele and flowers. A variety of specially designed flower charms accompany each piece with an imprinted metal tag that says “Ala Moana” – highlighting Hello Kitty’s favorite destination on the island of Oahu. The items are a perfect accessory for any camera or small electronic device – especially cellular phones.
“We’re very excited to have these exclusive Hello Kitty products sold at Ala Moana Center,” said Sharon James, Regional Vice President of Marketing for General Growth Properties of Hawaii. “Hello Kitty is a very popular and positive family brand and we know it will be a hit among our International travelers and Kama‘aina residents who are enamored by the product line.”
The line-up of products include three different charm straps and one neck lanyard, each sold separately with a flower accent in your choice of pink, yellow or blue. Items include:
Charm strap featuring Hello Kitty with Ukulele and Mango Charm and says “Ala Moana” on the Ukulele and a Special Tag -- $7.99 each.
Charm strap featuring Hello Kitty with Ukulele and Hibiscus Charm and says “Ala Moana” on the Ukulele, back of Hello Kitty’s Shirt and a Special Tag -- $7.99 each.
Charm strap featuring Hello Kitty with a larger Ukulele and Hibiscus Charm and says “Ala Moana” on the Ukulele and a Special Tag -- $9.99 each.
Lanyard featuring Hello Kitty in a floral motif with Hibiscus and Mango Charms and says “Ala Moana” on the back of Hello Kitty’s Shirt and a Special Tag -- $10.99 each.
The full line will be sold year-round exclusively at Sanrio’s Ala Moana Center store (Street Level, near Foodland) and the mall’s Customer Service Center near Centerstage.
In addition, Build-A-Bear Workshop features another Ala Moana Center exclusive product – the Sun-Kissed Hello Kitty plush toy – a beautifully bronze-tanned version of the character sporting a cheery, Hawaiian floral lei. The product, selling for $23 each, was introduced in November 2006 and has been very popular among Hello Kitty enthusiasts – especially island children.
A myriad of Hello Kitty merchandise from key chains and toys to backpacks and clothes can be found at various retailers throughout Ala Moana Center.
Hello Kitty was first introduced in 1974 by Sanrio Co., Ltd. of Tokyo as a coin purse product. The adorable, white kitty character with the big head, button eyes and nose, and signature bow in her ear quickly became a world phenomenon among young children and collectors and has grown throughout the decades as a cultural icon. In 1976, Hello Kitty was introduced in the U.S. and in the 90s she was catapulted to new level of fame as a number of American celebrities publicly sported her merchandise. Today, thousands of Hello Kitty products are sold worldwide with collectors and enthusiasts closely following the lines’ additional product.
For more information on Ala Moana Center, check web site www.AlaMoanaCenter.com or contact the Customer Service Center at (808) 955-9517.
ABOUT ALA MOANA CENTER
Ala Moana Center is the world’s largest outdoor shopping center and Hawaii’s premier shopping, entertainment, and dining destination with 260 stores, including nearly 70 dining options. Ala Moana Center features a diverse collection of stores including locally owned boutiques and national retailers. For more information check web site www.AlaMoanaCenter.com.
Segway Has come to O'ahu
Segway of Hawaii is offering the newest form of personal transportation, called the Segway HT. Located at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa in Waikiki, Segway of Hawaii offers daily historical tours, glide rides, as well as leasing and sales of Segway HTs. This is a self-balancing, personal transportation device designed to place the rider in the same space as pedestrians and provide the same enhanced ability to move, navigate and stop as people walking or jogging. Tour rates range from $49 to $125 per person.
For more information, check web site www.SegwayofHawaii.com.
Take a Ferry from O'ahu to Kaua'i or Maui
In July 2007 the Hawaii Superferry will begin daily ferry service from O'ahu to Kaua'i and Maui. Families will have the alternative to travel interisland with the convenience of their cars including baby seats, surfboard racks, luggage and pets. One-way passenger fares purchased online range from $42 to $62. Fares for travelers wishing to bring their vehicles with them range from $55 to $75 one way for a car or SUV and $90 to $110 for a full size pickup, limo or van.
For more information, check web site www.HawaiiSuperferry.com.
If you've never been to The Ashley Inn, go! At the Inn, time seems to stand still and images of Old Fashioned Thanksgiving dinners and Victorian Christmas decorations abound.
Holiday travel is slowly but surely growing in popularity as more and more travelers are realizing they can spend time with family and friends in a stress-free atmosphere. The Ashley Inn strikes the perfect balance between the incredible richness of outdoor adventure and an intimate atmosphere to relax, unwind, and spend time with loved ones. The Inn provides an elegant, friendly atmosphere with first-class services and amenities to make the holiday season even more memorable.
While the beauty of the Inn may tempt some guests to stay inside, the calm and serenity of the mountains awaits those that want a weekend packed with adventure. Nestled in the mountains of Idaho, just 90 minutes hours north of Boise, the Inn is located just miles from Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain Resort, and the Payette National Forest. Snow tubing can be found at the south end of Lake Cascade, and hikers can trek the magnificent mountainous landscapes. Skier and snowboarders rate the area “superb” and snowmobilers delight in more than 800 miles of territory to roam.
For information on holiday packages, pricing, and booking information, check web site www.theashleyinn.com or call 866-382-5621.
Knitting Takes Center Stage at Winter Delights Stitching Salon
The Salon features Knitting Circles; Knitting Experts; Local Designer Trunk Shows; Yarn Spinning, Quilting, and Jewelry-Making Demos; and Movies to Knit By Knit one, purl two in a lunchtime knitting circle at the Winter Delights Stitching Salon.
Hours for the Winter Delights Stitching Salon, located at 72 E. Randolph St. across from the Chicago Cultural Center, areMondays-Fridays, 10 am- 6pm; Saturdays, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.; and holidays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Most events are free; some have a fee for supplies. Highlights of programs include:
Daily Exhibition of work by Chicago artists and artisans including quilting by Trish Williams; crochet sculptural installation by Mike Andrews; handmade, hardwood eyeglass frames by Scott Urban; hand-dyed, hand-printed T-shirts by [Im] Perfect Articles; jewelry crafted from recycled eyeglass lenses by Maggie Joyce; and an oversize knitting installation by Pate Conaway.
The Stitching Salon is part of Chicago’s Top Ten Winter Delights 2007, a two-month celebration of 100 events in 10 categories featuring the best in Chicago handmade arts; dance; theater; jazz, blues and gospel; opera and classical music; culinary arts; international culture; history; fashion arts; and family fun.
For more information about events at the Winter Delights Stitching Salon, call 312.744.2400.
Free Winter Delights Guidebook Available
This year everyone is a winner during Winter Delights. Pick up a Winter Delights Guidebook and Find Your Lucky Number. Bring your lucky number to a designated Lucky Event to automatically receive a free gift and be entered in a grand prize drawing at each Lucky Event.
To get a Winter Delights Guidebook with Your Lucky Number and for information about Chicago’s Top 10 Winter Delights, stop by the Visitors Information Centers at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St., and at Water Works, 163 E. Pearson St., call 1.877.CHICAGO or check web site www.877chicago.com.
Chicago's Hidden Gems and Neighborhood Tours
Summertime Samplers and More Returning Favorites
The Chicago Office of Tourism is proud to announce its 2007 season of Chicago Neighborhood Tours with motorcoach tours departing from the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue, on Saturday mornings throughout the year. With its core Neighborhood Tour series, its popular Special Interest Tours, along with the new Summertime Sampler Tours, the Chicago Neighborhood Tours calendar offers more in-depth perspectives of the city‚s neighborhoods and cultural offerings than ever. The 2007 tour schedule follows:.
The heart of the program is the Neighborhood Tour series. Here guests have a chance to take an insider's look at Chicago‚s neighborhoods and communities with local residents as tour guides. Each tour takes visitors off the beaten path and provides a look at the traditions, stories and people of the city. Returning Neighborhood Tour favorites include Devon Avenue, Historic Bronzeville, Hyde Park and Kenwood, Little Italy, Pilsen and Little Village, the Pullman Historic District, South Shore Neighborhoods, Ukrainian Village, Uptown, and Wicker Park and Bucktown.
The Special Interest Tours are better than ever as visitors venture into a specific topic of interest. New this year is the Chicago's Magnificent Churches Special Interest Tour. Tour goers gain insight into the city's past and present at the historic Second Presbyterian Church and other great historic churches, led by architectural expert Thomas O‚Gorman. Other Special Interest Tours explore the Great Chicago Fire, historic cemeteries, Literary Chicago, and the history of Greek, Polish and Irish culture in Chicago. Returning this year is The White City Tour, where once a month beginning in February and continuing through November, visitors travel to the original site of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
The Summertime Sampler Tours are a way to spice up your summer. Taking place every Thursday from May 31 through August 30, each three-hour tour visits three neighborhoods. Tours include Humboldt Park, Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village; Little Italy, Little Village and Pilsen; Andersonville, Lincoln Square and Uptown; or Greek Town, Chinatown and Little Italy.
The great flavors of the city have not been forgotten! Guests can taste their way through Chicago's neighborhoods on a mouthwatering Taste of the Neighborhoods Tour. Formerly known as Neighborhood Sampling, this popular Special Interest Tour takes place every month except in December, as guests go on a culinary safari to numerous ethnic restaurants throughout the city.
To make reservations for Chicago Neighborhood Tours, call 312-742-1190 or check web site www.ChicagoNeighborhoodTours.com. Neighborhood Tours, Special Interest Tours and Summertime Sampler Tours depart by motorcoach from the Chicago Cultural Center, located at 77 E. Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue at 10 a.m. (check-in at 9:30 a.m.). The cost for each Neighborhood Tour is $25 for adults ($20 for seniors/ students), and includes refreshments. Special Interest Tours are $50 ($45 for seniors/students), and include lunch. All Summertime Sampler Tours are $20 (no discounts) and include a snack.
To receive a 2007 calendar of upcoming Chicago Neighborhood Tours, call 312-742-1190 or check web site www.ChicagoNeighborhoodTours.com. For information about group tours, call 312-742-1190. Gift certificates are also available.
For information on Chicago's many exciting events and activities, to request a Chicago travel planning kit or to book hotel rooms at special rates and weekend packages, including Immersion Weekends, call toll free, 1-.877-chicago or check web site www.877chicago.com. For those calling from outside the United States, Mexico and Canada, call 1-312.201-8847. The TTY toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1-866-710-0294. Chicago tourism information is also available on the Internet at www.cityofchicago.org/ExploringChicago.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS
CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS OFFER SPRING EXCURSIONS
April and May Tours Feature Wicker Park & Bucktown, Hyde Park & Kenwood, Ukrainian Village and the New Magnificent Churches Tour Chicagoans and visitors can dive into spring with Chicago Neighborhood Tours, a division of the Chicago Office of Tourism. Nine half-day excursions invite visitors to explore the rich historic, artistic and cultural heritage of the city’s neighborhoods and communities.
Neighborhood Tours include Hyde Park & Kenwood, Ukrainian Village, Little Italy, Pullman Historic District and Wicker Park & Bucktown.
Special Interest Tours feature the new Chicago's Magnificent Churches tour and the delicious Taste of the Neighborhoods.
Tours are scheduled each Saturday throughout April and May. (Please note: "The White City Tours" scheduled for April 21 and May 12 are sold out.)
Neighborhood Tours
During the Wicker Park & Bucktown Neighborhood Tour on April 14 take a closer look at these side-by-side historic neighborhoods. After touring St. Hedwig’s Church in Bucktown, enjoy a guided walking tour to view many of the Victorian mansions in Wicker Park. Time is allotted to roam the shops throughout the neighborhood.
On April 28 learn about the architectural styles of two neighboring lakefront communities on the Hyde Park & Kenwood Neighborhood Tour. Highlights of the tour include a visit to the Oriental Institute Museum, a short walk through the University of Chicago's Quadrangle, a visit to St. Thomas the Apostle Church, and a drive past some of the historic mansions and homes in Kenwood.
The Little Italy Neighborhood Tour on May 5 includes an in-depth walking tour of the Taylor Street area, home to generations of Italian families and businesses. Visit The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii and continue on a guided tour of the national historic landmark, The Jane Addams HullHouse Museum, the nation's first social settlement house where early Italian immigrants received English language instruction and day care for working mothers.
Enjoy the Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Tour on May 12 and journey to this quiet, Old World neighborhood filled with magnificent churches, ethnic museums and Eastern European restaurants. Stop first at the Ukrainian National Museum and Saints Volodymyr and Olha Church. Continue on to the magnificent Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, designed by Louis Sullivan in 1899.
On May 19, learn the story of this urban historic district built by railroad magnate George M. Pullman to house workers from his legendary rail car factory on the Pullman Historic District Neighborhood Tour. Highlights of the day will be a guided walking tour of the Pullman Historic Landmark District, including a visit to the Hotel Florence and the Pullman United Methodist Church.
Special Interest Tours
Delve into the great flavors of the city on April 21 and May 19 during the mouthwatering Taste of the Neighborhoods Tour. Visitors join ethnic food guide Evelyn Thompson as she leads them on a culinary safari to numerous ethnic restaurants, delis and bakeries throughout the city to sample delectable dishes.
The new addition to the Chicago Neighborhood Tours line-up this year is the Magnificent Churches Tour on May 5. Visit the historic Second Presbyterian Church for insight into the city’s past and present. Observe its elaborate Victorian architecture and examples of sacred artworks, including several Tiffany stained glass windows, and Arts and Crafts period interior. Stops at two or more other churches complete this fascinating tour, led by architectural expert Thomas O’Gorman.
The first of the Summertime Sampler Tours begins on May 31 with Uptown, Andersonville and Lincoln Square Tour. Learn about the culture and history of these three distinct neighborhoods on one three-hour tour.
To make reservations for Chicago Neighborhood Tours, Chicagoans and visitors can call 312.742.1190 or visit web site at www.ChicagoNeighborhoodTours.com.
Tours depart by motorcoach from the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue, at 10 a.m. (check-in at 9:30 a.m.) and return either at 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. The cost for each Neighborhood Tour is $25 ($20 for seniors/students) and includes refreshments. The cost for each Special Interest Tour is $50 ($45 for seniors/students) and includes lunch.
Summertime Sampler Tours depart by motorcoach from the Chicago Cultural Center, located at 77 E. Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue, at 10 a.m. (check-in at 9:30 a.m.) returning at 1 p.m. every Thursday from May 31 to August 30. The cost for each Summertime Sampler Tour is $ 20 (no additional discounts) and includes a light snack.
To receive a calendar of upcoming Chicago Neighborhood Tours, call 312.742.1190 or visit www.ChicagoNeighborhoodTours.com. For information about group tours, call 312.742.1190. Gift certificates are also available.
Devon Avenue June 16
Visit Chicago's International Marketplace, an enticing blend of Indian, Pakistani and other South Asian cultures, as well as Jewish and Russian cultures. Stops include a visit to the Indo-American Center, a chance to browse through the shops and a lecture about the neighborhood's Indian history and cuisine.
Historic Bronzeville August 4
Get an in-depth look at Chicago's African American heritage in this historic neighborhood of parks, museums and cultural centers. Stops include the renowned DuSable Museum of African American History, the Little Black Pearl Workshop and time to explore 47th Street in Historic Bronzeville.
Hyde Park and Kenwood April 28, June 30, November 3
Check out one of the most popular Neighborhood Tours to see the distinct architectural styles of these two neighboring Lakefront communities. Tour highlights include a visit to the Oriental Institute, a walking tour of University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus, a visit to St. Thomas the Apostle Church, and a drive past some of the historic mansions and homes in Kenwood.
Little Italy May 5, July 14, September 29
Join our neighborhood guide for an in-depth walking tour of the Little Italy Taylor Street area, home to generations of Italian families and businesses. Stop first to visit The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii and continue on a guided tour of the national historic landmark, The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.
Pilsen and Little Village June 9
Tour by foot and see the local shops and stores in these two neighborhoods that celebrate both Mexican and Mexican American culture and heritage. Learn about the local murals that adorn the streets, stop in East Pilsen and visit a local art gallery. End the day with a visit to the nation's largest Latino museum, the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum.
Pullman Historic District May 19, July 21, September 15
Learn the story of this urban historic district built by railroad magnate George M. Pullman to house workers from his legendary rail car factory. Highlights of the day will be a guided walking tour of the Pullman Historic Landmark District, including a visit to the Hotel Florence and the Pullman United Methodist Church.
South Shore Neighborhoods November 10
Take a trip to one of the city‚s largest African American communities, alive with cultural, historical and architectural treasures. Highlights include a visit to the sprawling South Shore Cultural Center, a visit and discussion at St Philip Neri Church, and a tour of one of Chicago's leading African American theaters˜the eta Creative Arts Foundation.
Ukrainian Village May 12, August 19
Journey to this quiet, Old World neighborhood filled with magnificent churches, ethnic museums and Eastern European restaurants. Stop first at the Ukrainian National Museum and Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral. Continue on to the magnificent Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, designed by Louis Sullivan in 1899.
Uptown March 10, August 25
Learn about the glamorous jazz-age history of the Uptown neighborhood on this tour of the Broadway and Lawrence Avenue area. Visit the romantic Aragon Ballroom, stop at one of the oldest jazz clubs in the U.S. and conclude the tour with a short discussion and musical performance at The People‚s Music School.
Wicker Park and Bucktown April 14, July 28
Visit these side-by-side neighborhoods and stop to visit Bucktown's beautiful St. Hegwig's Church. Continue with a guided walking tour for a close-up view of the many mansions and stunning Victorian architecture and shops in Wicker Park.
IMMERSION WEEKENDS THIS SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL
Delve into Art, Museums, Food & Wine, Theater, World’s Fairs, Cycling, and Green Lifestyle Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences in Chicago by booking a themed 2007 Immersion weekend. Guests go behind the scenes and get insider takes on art, food and wine, Chicago World’s Fairs, museums, theater, cycling, and the green lifestyle. Each preplanned weekend experience includes hotel accommodations and represents an aspect of culture unique to Chicago.
Immersion weekends fuse the best of Chicago’s diverse hotels with the city’s arts and culture to bring the visitor distinctive presentations, behind the scenes experiences, and VIP access to events, activities and special guests.
Spring and Summer Immersion Weekends
GREEN CHICAGO IMMERSION WEEKEND Friday, April 20–Sunday, April 22, 2007 Allerton Crowne Plaza Chicago Hotel SINGLE: $720 DOUBLE: $910 Discover a leader in environmental innovation—Chicago. At Friday evening's private reception and cocktails, overlook the awardwinning Millennium Park, the country’s largest “rooftop” garden. Join City environmental leaders for a brief greening discussion including citywide Earth Day (April 22) programs. Start Saturday with continental breakfast. Tour the Chicago Center for Green Technology to learn about new green building technologies transforming the city. Visit the new, environmental award-winning Christy Webber Landscapes, designer of many Chicago landscape projects. After a riverside lunch at Smith & Wollensky, savor a rare, private tour of City Hall's Rooftop Garden. Follow Sunday's continental breakfast with an exclusive, guided Millennium Park walking tour. All-expense passes to Chicago’s GreenFest, Earth Day Celebration complete this weekend.
ARTROPOLIS IMMERSION WEEKEND Friday, April 27–Sunday, April 29, 2007 Radisson Hotel & Suites Chicago SINGLE: $680 DOUBLE: $935 Celebrate art and antiques in Chicago. Begin with a private tour of the Roger Brown Study Collection, a study collection and archive of the Chicago Imagist artist. Dine at Nacional 27 restaurant in the River North gallery district. Breakfast on Saturday, continental style, at the hotel and then spend the day at Artropolis, featuring Art Chicago, The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, The Artist Project, The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art, and the Bridge Art Fair at The Merchandise Mart. Lunch on-site in the private VIP Room. After Sunday's private breakfast, view the Art Institute of Chicago's Zero Gravity exhibition with a guest lecturer, and then visit the premiere exhibition, Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde.
CHICAGO’S FOOD & WINE SCENE IMMERSION WEEKEND Friday, May 4–Sunday, May 6, 2007 The Talbott Hotel SINGLE: $785 DOUBLE: $970 Savor Chicago's remarkable food this weekend! Come hungry and ready for remarkable food experiences. Begin with an amazing Asian-inspired three-course dinner, including wine and sake, at one of Chicago's finest restaurants—Aria Restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel. After Saturday's continental breakfast, take the Chicago Food First Tour led by the city's culinary arts director and the city's cultural historian. Get the "inside scoop" on foods invented in Chicago with the opportunity to taste them all. Toast the late afternoon with a wine tasting at Randolph Wine Cellars. Following continental breakfast on Sunday, take a cooking class led by the City's culinary arts director. The class culminates in a brunch that you make yourself. A late hotel checkout makes the weekend perfect. Bon appetit!
BIKE THE DRIVE IMMERSION WEEKEND Friday, May 25–Sunday, May 27, 2007 SINGLE: $795 DOUBLE: $1035 Check into the lovely Fairmont Hotel on Friday afternoon. Walk to the nearby landmark Chicago Cultural Center for a cocktail reception with fellow bikers and City officials to discuss Chicago’s biking initiatives. After a bike and helmet fitting on Saturday morning (bike and helmet rental included), join Chicagoland Bicycle Federation volunteers on a 15-mile bicycle tour. This exclusive ride is limited to Bike The Drive Immersion Weekend guests and travels through a variety of Chicago neighborhoods. At the halfway point, enjoy a delicious lunch at the Handlebar, a bicycling-themed restaurant in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Afterwards, view several historic buildings and mansions on a guided architectural walking tour. In the evening, enjoy a threecourse diner at Aria Restaurant and Bar at The Fairmont Hotel. Rise early Sunday morning for one of the nation's biggest recreational bicycle rides, the sixth annual Bank of America Bike The Drive. Choose your own pace and distance, and enjoy a blissful ride along a car-free Lake Shore Drive with amazing views of Chicago's lakefront and skyline. All ages are welcome to join this nearly four-hour ride, which supports the nonprofit Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and includes a T-shirt, access to three rest stops, a post-ride festival and the support of hundreds of volunteers. For more information, visit www.bikethedrive.org.
Friday, June 29 - Sunday, July 1, 2007 The Palmer House Hilton Hotel SINGLE: $620 DOUBLE: $830 This unique exploration of two pivotal world's fairs begins with cocktails at the landmark Chicago Cultural Center. Historian Bill Hinchliff will show a fascinating slide presentation on the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and provide little known facts about the Fair. On Saturday, after a continental breakfast, join World's Fair historian Diane Dillon for a special guided tour. Visit the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition site. Tour Jackson Park, site of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Lunch at the Chicago Fire House restaurant. After Sunday's continental breakfast, enjoy an extraordinary behind-the-scenes viewing of artifacts from both fairs at the Museum of Science and Industry.
INSIDE CHICAGO MUSEUMS – A SPECIAL VIEW Friday, July 13–Sunday July 15, 2007 The Talbott Hotel SINGLE: $785 DOUBLE: $ 1008 Take an intimate look at Chicago museums. Begin Friday evening with private tours of Glessner House Museum, architect H.H. Richardson's masterpiece in the Prairie Avenue Historic District, and Clarke House Museum, Chicago's oldest home. Dinner follows at The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, originally an area firehouse. After Saturday's continental breakfast, visit diverse neighborhood-based museums including: the International Museum of Surgical Science, The Oriental Institute Museum, the Smart Museum of Art, the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center and the Ukrainian National Museum. Chat over a leisurely lunch at Greek Town's Pegasus Restaurant & Taverna. Sunday morning, enjoy continental breakfast at the world-renowned The Field Museum of Natural History. Following a special behind-the-scenes museum tour, view the Darwin exhibition on your own.
CHICAGO THEATER IMMERSION WEEKEND - THE COLOR PURPLE Friday, August 10-Sunday, August 12, 2007 Palmer House Hilton Hotel SINGLE: $635 DOUBLE: $925 Starring Chicago theater, this weekend opens Friday evening with an engaging play at Tony® Award-recipient Victory Gardens Theater's latest offering, VGT Greenhouse. Awaken Saturday to continental breakfast. Afterwards, join Broadway in Chicago for an intimate behind-the-scenes tour of two historic Chicago theaters-the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre and the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Dine on delicious classic Italian cuisine with a contemporary flair amid an elegant decor at award-winning restaurant Trattoria No. 10. From main floor seats at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, applaud the powerful Broadway hit, The Color Purple. Savor continental breakfast Sunday morning or add a matinee pre-arranged on your own at one of Chicago's more than 200 theaters.
CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIRS IMMERSION WEEKEND, #2 Friday, August 31–Sunday, September 2, 2007 The Allerton Crowne Plaza Chicago Hotel SINGLE: $750 DOUBLE: $975 This unique exploration of two pivotal world's fairs begins with cocktails at the landmark Chicago Cultural Center. Historian Bill Hinchliff''s fascinating slide presentation on the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition includes little known facts about the Fair. On Saturday after a continental breakfast, join World's Fair historian Diane Dillon for a special guided tour. Visit the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition site. Tour Jackson Park, site of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Lunch at the Chicago Fire House restaurant. After Sunday's continental breakfast, take an extraordinary behind-the-scenes viewing of artifacts from both fairs at the Museum of Science and Industry.
CHICAGO THEATER IMMERSION WEEKEND - JERSEY BOYS Friday, November 9-Sunday, November 11, 2007 W Chicago City Center SINGLE: $795 DOUBLE: $1080 Spotlighting Chicago theater, this weekend opens Friday evening with an engaging play at Tony® Award-recipient Victory Gardens Theater's latest offering, VGT Greenhouse. On Saturday, join Broadway in Chicago for an intimate behind-the-scenes tour of two historic Chicago theaters-the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre and the Cadillac Palace Theatre. At the award winning and visually stunning Vivere, enjoy an exquisite four-course Italian dinner featuring exotic ingredients and adventurous presentation. From main floor seats at LaSalle Bank Theatre, applaud the 2006 Tony® Award-winning Best Musical, Jersey Boys. Have Sunday brunch at the hotel's Ristorante We or add a matinee pre-arranged on your own at one of Chicago's more than 200
Booking Immersion weekends is easy. Visitors can call toll free 1.877.CHICAGO (1.877.244.2246) or visit www.cityofchicago.org/tourism. For those calling from outside the United States, Mexico and Canada, call 1.312.201.8847. The TTY toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1.866.710.0294. Visitors can also receive information about Chicago events and attractions at one of the City’s official Visitor Information Centers, located at Chicago Water Works, 163 East Pearson Street, and the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 East Randolph Street.
THE SPECIAL INTEREST TOURS
Chicago's Magnificent Churches May 5, July 7, September 29
Visit the historic Second Presbyterian Church for insight into the city's past and present. Observe its elaborate Victorian architecture and examples of sacred artworks, including several Tiffany stained glass windows, and Arts and Crafts period interior. Stops at two or more other churches complete this fascinating tour, led by architectural expert Thomas O'Gorman.
Great Cemeteries of Chicago June 9, August 11, September 8
Join noted historian Albert Walavich and see where some Chicagoans˜both famous and infamous˜have left their mark on Chicago's history. Visit the magnificent Graceland Cemetery on June 17th, Rosehill Cemetery on August 12th and the Bohemian National & Montrose Cemeteries on September 9th.
Great Chicago Fire October 14
Relive Chicago's most celebrated disaster˜the Great Chicago Fire. Tour guide Herman Schell retells the story that every school child knows by heart when he takes the group to the original site of Mrs. O'Leary‚s homestead, then to the surviving Historic Water Tower landmark and finally to the fire exhibit at the Chicago History Museum.
Greek Chicago March 18, September 22
Delve into the history and heritage of Chicago's Greek citizens. Learn about early immigration, customs and religion during this half-day excursion led by Harold and Faye Peponis. Enjoy a guided tour of the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in the heart of Greek Town, visit Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and end the day with a guided tour of The Jane Addams Hull House Museum.
Literary Chicago October 20
Celebrate Chicago Book Month in October by discovering how several of Chicago's well-known authors, playwrights and poets left their mark on American literature as the tour travels through neighborhoods that influenced their literary impressions.
Polish Chicago March 24, August 11
Take a trip to Old Polonia and learn about Polish immigration, history, architecture and more. Jan Lorys, Executive Director of the Polish Museum of America, will lead a tour of the museum and the St. John Cantius Catholic Church.
Taste of the Neighborhoods March 18, April 21 May 19, June 23, July 28, August 18, September 2 October 27, November 17
Join ethnic food guide Evelyn Thompson traveling to various communities to sample delectable offerings at a few of Chicago's ethnic restaurants, bakeries and delis. Learn the differences, similarities and preparation of entrees and desserts on this popular monthly tour.
Threads of Ireland August 25
Learn the history, legend, lore and the luck of the Irish on this popular tour. Join author Tom O'Gorman for an exploration of Chicago's Irish history. Stop at Holy Family Church and enjoy a drive through the historically Irish Bridgeport neighborhood to learn how and why Irish immigrants settled in the community. Later, stop and tour the Irish American Cultural Center.
The White City Tour March 31, April 21, May 12, June 16, July 14, August 4, September 15, October 6
Relive the excitement of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, which brought 27 million visitors to Chicago to marvel at The White City. Noted historians and guides, Bill Hinchliff or Diane Dillon, begin with a fascinating narration and photographic slide presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center. Travel by motorcoach to Jackson Park, the original fairground, stopping at Wooded Island, the Statue of the Republic and other related sites along the way. Complete this tour with a visit to the Chicago History Museum.
THE SUMMERTIME SAMPLER TOURS
Every Thursday beginning May 31 through August 30
Chicago Neighborhood Tours presents the newest way to see three neighborhoods in three-hours! Choose from a list of Chicago's unique neighborhoods:
Humboldt Park, Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village July 5, August 16
Greek Town, Chinatown and Little Italy June 7, June 28, July 19, August 9, August 30
Little Italy, Little Village and Pilsen June 14, July 26
Andersonville, Lincoln Square and Uptown May 31, June 21, July 12, August 2, August 23
Chicago Neighborhood Tours 2007
MARCH
24 Polish Chicago 9:30am-2:00pm
31 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
APRIL 14 Wicker Park and Bucktown 9:30am-2:00pm
21 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
21 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
28 Hyde Park and Kenwood 9:30am-2:30pm
MAY 5 Little Italy 9:30am-2:30pm
5 Chicago‚s Magnificent Churches 9:30am-2:30pm
12 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
12 Ukrainian Village 9:30am-2:00pm
19 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
19 Pullman Historic District 9:30am-2:30pm
31 Uptown, Andersonville & Lincoln Sq. 9:30am-1:00pm
JUNE 2 The Great Chicago Fire 9:30am-2:00pm
7 Greektown, Chinatown& Little Italy 9:30am-1:00pm
9 Great Cemeteries of Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
9 Pilsen and Little Village 9:30am-2:00pm
14 Little Italy, Little Village & Pilsen 9:30am-1:00pm
16 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
16 Devon Avenue 9:30am-2:00pm
21 Uptown, Andersonville & Lincoln Sq. 9:30am-1:00pm
23 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
28 Greektown, Chinatown& Little Italy 9:30am-1:00pm
30 Hyde Park and Kenwood 9:30am-2:30pm
JULY 5 Ukrainian Village, Humboldt & 9:30am-1:00pm
Wicker Park
7 Chicago‚s Magnificent Churches 9:30am-2:30pm
12 Uptown, Andersonville & Lincoln Sq. 9:30am-1:00pm
14 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
14 Little Italy 9:30am-2:30pm
19 Greektown, Chinatown& Little Italy 9:30am-1:00pm
21 Great Cemeteries of Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
21 Pullman Historic District 9:30am-2:30pm
26 Little Italy, Little Village & Pilsen 9:30am-1:00pm
28 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
28 Wicker Park and Bucktown 9:30am-2:00pm
AUGUST 2 Uptown, Andersonville & Lincoln Sq. 9:30am-1:00pm
4 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
4 Historic Bronzeville 9:30am-2:30pm
9 Greektown, Chinatown& Little Italy 9:30am-1:00pm
11 Great Cemeteries of Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
11 Polish Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
16 Ukrainian Village, Humboldt & 9:30am-1:00pm
Wicker Park
18 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
23 Uptown, Andersonville & Lincoln Sq. 9:30am-1:00pm
25 Threads of Ireland 9:30am-2:30pm
25 Uptown 9:30am-2:00pm
30 Greektown, Chinatown & Little Italy 9:30am-1:00pm
SEPTEMBER 8 Great Cemeteries of Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
8 Pilsen and Little Village. 9:30am-2:30pm
15 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
15 Pullman Historic District 9:30am-2:30pm
22 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:00pm
22 Greek Chicago 9:30am-2:30pm
29 Chicago‚s Magnificent Churches 9:30am-2:30pm
29 Little Italy 9:30am-2:30pm
OCTOBER 6 White City 9:30am-2:30pm
14 The Great Chicago Fire 9:30am-2:00pm
20 Literary Chicago 9:30am-2:00pm
27 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
NOVEMBER 3 Hyde Park and Kenwood 9:30am-2:30pm
10 South Shore Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
17 Taste of the Neighborhoods 9:30am-2:30pm
Instagreeter to begin for Fall/Winter with NEW DAYS AND TIMES
Chicago Greeter's "on the spot" greeter service, InstaGreeter, now offers extended days and times during the winter due to its increasing popularity and the anticipation of an influx of visitors to the city during the winter months. The new InstaGreeter hours of operation are Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Visitors interested in InstaGreeter may register on a first come, first served basis at the InstaGreeter booth in the Visitor Information Center at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street. InstaGreeter visits are limited to families or groups of six or less.
Launched in 2003, InstaGreeter is a condensed form of Chicago Greeter, which offers visitors a free one-hour walking visit of downtown Chicago with a volunteer greeter. Visitors can explore Millennium Park, the Loop, Chicago History, Public Art and Architecture through the InstaGreeter Service.
The Chicago Office of Tourism launched Chicago Greeter in April 2002˜a free visitor service of local volunteers who share their knowledge and love of the city with visitors through a free two - four hour visit to Chicago‚s sights. Greeters and visitors are matched based on special interest and language. Travel parties of six or less can register for a Chicago Greeter visit two weeks in advance online at www.chicagogreeter.com, or by calling 312.744.8800, Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Chicago Greeter and InstaGreeter visits depart from the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street.
Millennium Park Greeter, offering twice-daily walks of Millennium Park will take a hiatus for the winter season. Volunteers for the Chicago Greeter service will refocus their efforts toward Instagreeter and continue conducting regular Chicago Greeter visits. Visitors interested in touring Millennium Park may do so with an InstaGreeter. Millennium Park Greeter will resume in late Spring 2007 with hours subject to change seasonally.
American Airlines and United Airlines are proud sponsors of Chicago Greeter.
Visitors to Chicago and Chicagoans who are planning to entertain out-of-town guests can receive brochures, reserve hotel accommodations and receive trip-planning assistance by calling toll free 1.877.CHICAGO (1.877.244.2246) or checking web site www.877chicago.com. Brochures and information on Chicago‚s exciting events and activities are also available at the Visitor Information Centers. The centers are located at Chicago Water Works, 163 E. Pearson Street at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street. For those calling from outside the United States, Mexico, and Canada, please call 312.201.8847. The TTY toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1.866.710.0294. Chicago visitor information is also available online at www.cityofchicago.org/exploringchicago.
Breathtaking contemporary art in Chicago
The Millennium Knickerbocker is offering a Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) package which offers accommodations and two admission tickets to the MCA.
Rates for the MCA package begin at $169, valid through December 31, 2007.
Celebrate Spring in the Beauty of Brown County - Spring Events and Festivals
Art galleries, studios and over 205 artists are celebrating the Art Colony Centennial with open houses, special showings and tours. Highlights include:
Spears Gallery 10th Anniversary Show opens the season on March 30 & 31 featuring new work by potter Larry Spears and photography by Kyle Spears.
13th Annual Victorian Tea at the Brown County Art Gallery April 1st.
Annual Spring Tea at the Brown County Art Guild April 22nd.
The Art Gallery & Studio Candlelight Stroll, a monthly event begins Friday, May 4th in the Village of Nashville from 5:30-8:30 pm. Enjoy arts, crafts, refreshments, live music and special promotions at participating galleries and studios.
“June On Stage Art”, every weekend in June at Fig Tree Gallery and Coffee Shop, showcasing various artists and craftsmen with demonstrations, music and education.
29th annual Brown County Historical Society Quilt Show June 1-3 at the Brown County Historical Society.
34th annual Brown County Log Cabin Tour June 2 & 3, a self-guided driving tour of log and country homes in the backcountry of Brown County.
29th annual Indiana Heritage Arts Show June 9-23 at the Brown County Art Gallery.
9th annual Brown County Studio and Garden Tour June 22-24, a self-guided driving tour of artist’s studios and gardens throughout Brown County.
4th annual Tall Tale Tell-Off June 23 at the Brown County Public Library.
T.C. Steele State Historic Site will host two major events in the Spring
T.C . Steele State Historic Site is where the founding impressionist artist T.C. Steele built his home and studio beginning in 1907.
Festival of Flowers Paintout May 19th from 7:00 am – 3:30 pm.
Sunday At Home June 17th featuring music, refreshments, fellowship, house and studio tours and hiking from 1:00-5:00 pm.
Music fills the air in Brown County!
The Chamber of Commerce will host a new outdoor event “Downtown Saturday Night” every Saturday night beginning March 31st from 4:00-7:00 pm. Live bands, show cars and children’s activities will fill the streets for everyone’s enjoyment.
The Little Nashville Opry is in full swing every Friday and Saturday night beginning at 7:00 pm, bringing some of Nashville’s greatest country performers to southern Indiana.
The Brown County Community Band and Choir will open their season on March 31st with their annual Spring Concert held at the Brown County High School Auditorium featuring music by Hoagy Carmichel and Cole Porter. June 16th they will present a Sweetwater Concert at the Sweetwater Lake Beach Pavilion.
The Peaceful Valley Chamber Players will present “Brahms and Beyond”, a Chamber Music Concert on May 6th at 3:00 pm in the Nashville United Methodist Church.
41st Annual Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival June 9-16th, the largest and oldest continuous bluegrass festival in the world held at Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground.
Coachlight Musical Theatre presents 5 original plays:
“America the Music”, a celebration of the spirit of the American people.
Mystery, Mayhem and Music”, mystery and music from the 1940’s including the Andrew Sisters, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.
“Frankie, Annette, Elvis and Me”, flashback to the great 1960’s.
“The Road to Gnaw Bone”, vaudeville humor and melodrama at its best.
“The Higher the Hair, the Closer to Heaven” I & II, join the girls at the Heaven Beauty Barn and Boutique, parts I & II.
Brown County Playhouse, the longest-running professional theatre in Indiana, opens their season June 7th and continues through October 20th:
· “Pump Boys and Dinettes”, a foot-stomping musical June 7-July 1.
· “Lend Me A Tenor”, a hilarious farce that will leave you in stitches July 6 – 29.
· “The Glass Menagerie”, a classic American drama by Tennessee Williams, August 3-19
· “Plaza Suite”, a comedy by America’s master, Neil Simon Sept. 21-Oct. 20.
Family Events and Activities
Brown County offers events for the entire family.
Family Movie Night every Friday night at the Brown County Public Library 7:00 pm
19th annual Antique Tractor and Farm Machine Show May 4-6 at the 4-H Fairgrounds.
Lions Spring Blossom Parade May 5th, featuring floats, marching bands, antique tractors, flea market, food and much more!
7th annual Spring Dance Performance May 5th at the Brown County High School.
Lions Club Spring Pancake Breakfast May 12th at Brown County Fairgrounds 4-H building.
All-Year Class Reunion June 29 & 30 Brown County High School
2007 Events Guide now available
A complete 2007 Events Guide is available from the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau on their web site at www.browncounty.com or by request at 800.753.3255.
At the Louisiana Nature Center (Joe Brown Memorial Park on Nature Center Drive, New Orleans) you'll find more than “just a walk in the woods.” Opened in 1980 and recognized as one of the top five urban nature centers in the country, is a natural science museum; peaceful nature preserve with fine walking trails in the middle of a city; a place to check out the sights and sounds of Louisiana in a 7400 square foot Interpretive Center - filled with live animals and educational displays; naturalist-conducted programs about birds of prey, reptiles, mammals, the state’s wildlife; and trails that lead to a bottomland hardwood forest. And, at the Judith W. Freeman Astronomy Center (open weekends), you can explore and discover using supplied binoculars, field guides, dip nets and magnifying lenses; glimpse a butterfly or hummingbird; admire wildflowers; touch a snake, alligator, rabbit or opossum; enjoy lunch at the picnic area; make a craft inspired by nature; and take home a special book, birdhouse, or science toy from the gift shop.
For further information, call 504-246-5672 or check web site www.auduboninstitute.org.
Iberville Suites Hotel Reopens
March 2007 signaled the reopening of The Iberville Suites and the addition of two hundred and thirty rooms to help meet the City's growing demand for room inventory, truly a suite success! The hotel is part of The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of New Orleans complex, which includes The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans (452 rooms), The Maison Orleans (75 rooms) and The Iberville Suites (230 rooms). The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans and Maison Orleans reopened on December 4, 2006 after a fifteen month, $100M renovation and restoration effort.
The Iberville Suites originally opened on February 14, 2001 at 910 Iberville Street in the French Quarter. Closed since the storm (18 months), the entire hotel, including all 230 suites, has been renovated. The grand lobby is adorned with fine antiques, fresh flowers and spectacular art, all of which was purchased at local estate sales and art auctions. The entire hotel has an elegant residential-style setting. Each room at The Iberville Suites features distinct living and sleeping areas, like most all-suites hotels. However, the décor, amenities and superior service offered at The Iberville Suites are what set it apart from typical limited service hotels. With all the grace and charm of old world New Orleans and all the modern world amenities guests require such as high-speed Internet access, dual-line phones, an in-room safe, a wet bar, a mini refrigerator, a coffeemaker and two televisions, the hotel offers the best of both worlds. Unlike other suites products, the hotel offers valet parking, laundry service, room service and meeting space for everything from corporate meetings to intimate receptions. Additionally, a newly installed elevator on The Iberville Suites' lobby level allows direct access to the spa, restaurant and lounges at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.
The Iberville Suites was originally designed as a hotel-within-a-hotel concept, fully housed within the main hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. It is managed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C. and shares the same magnificent building as the "Crown Jewel of the Crescent City‰ a title that was given to The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans when it first opened in 2000. With a lower price point than the main hotel; guests of The Iberville Suites enjoy the best all-suites product in the City, featuring Ritz-Carlton trained staff, access to Ritz-Carlton services and a prime French Quarter location. Situated one block from Canal Street and one block from Bourbon Street, area attractions are within walking distance. For families, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and IMAX Theatre are just steps away while adults can stroll the streets of the French Quarter to discover unique boutiques, art galleries and antique dealers. Located only minutes from the convention center, cultural landmarks, museums and the airport, The Iberville Suites is ideally situated for both the business and leisure traveler.
The Iberville Suites is referred to as "golden" since it is the hotel where Halle Berry stayed when filming Monster's Ball, the movie for which she garnered a golden Academy Award. We promise to make each of our guests stay memorable, if not golden.
Next month, in April, The Ritz-Carlton Spa will reopen with additional treatment rooms, a new spa café and retail store. The spa's fitness center was completed in December and opened at the same time as the main hotel. Formerly one of the most award-winning spas in the hotel company, it will feature a new menu of services including the Prada treatment line, exclusive to Ritz-Carlton.
For more information on The Iberville Suites, call reservations at (866) 229-4351 or go to web site www.ibervillesuites.com. To book a meeting at the hotel, contact Group Sales Manager Renee Parks at (504) 670-2836 or via e-mail to renee.parks@ritzcarlton.com. The hotel is located at 910 Iberville Street on the edge of the infamous New Orleans French Quarter.
Romance, Reconnect and Revel in the Big Easy - Now and YearRound
Falling just five (5) days before Mardi Gras this year, Valentine's in New Orleans can be a romantic respite, an opportunity to reconnect for those without a paramour or a cause for revelry and celebration.
Valentine, a priest in Rome during the third century under the Emperor Claudius, is credited with the holiday known as Valentine's Day. Jailed for his tireless commitment to secretly marry young couples in love, an act which was forbidden by the emperor at the time, Valentine achieved martyrdom. On the day he was to die, February 14, 269 C.E Valentine left a friend a note and signed it, "Love from your Valentine," thereby starting the custom of exchanging messages of love on Valentine's Day.
In case there is no paramour in your life this Valentine's or should you just want to reconnect with friends, reserve one of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans' mancations, girl's getaway or voluntourism packages. Select Sportsman's Paradise for the ultimate mancation, a charter fishing excursion in the Gulf of Mexico replete with a meal featuring the spoils of the day, prepared by the hotel's Executive Chef. The package price is $18000, non-inclusive of tax and gratuity.
For the ladies, there is the Steel Magnolia Sojourn, perfect for the hardworking lady who yearns to be pampered. She may start off steely, but she will emerge as beautiful and tender as a Southern magnolia. The package price is $1100, non-inclusive of tax and gratuity. For those who want to reconnect and give something back, they can reserve the Night of Jazz or the Crescent City Comeback room package. Both packages have voluntourism aspects, a new trend whereby travelers engage in volunteer work as part of their tourism experience. Priced at $519 and $1100 respectively, these packages are non-inclusive of tax and gratuity.
Carnival comes but once a year, so instead of giving your Valentine candy and flowers, give them the gift of revelry with the Lundi Gras Ride of a Lifetime just four days later. Lundi Gras falls on Monday, the day before Mardi Gras. This package includes a two night stay in the Ritz-Carlton Suite, named as one of the "Top 10 Presidential Suites‰ (USA Today), an in-room butler-drawn Mardi Gras bath, a Mardi Spa package in the interim spa for two, float ridership for two in Harry Connick, Jr.'s Krewe of Orpheus parade plus all throws and costumes, videographer services for twelve hours of the experience and forty-eight hours of on-call limousine service. The Lundi Gras Ride of Lifetime is not just a package, it is an experience of a lifetime. In order to be in a parade, riders must typically be members of a carnival organization, also known as a krewe. Krewes are rooted in tradition and are typically all-male or all-female organizations. That is why the opportunity to ride in a parade as a couple is such an exclusive gift. The package is priced at $20,000, non-inclusive of tax and gratuity.
With year-round festivals like the Tennessee Williams Festival (March 28 ˆ April 1), French Quarter Festival (April 13 ˆ 15), New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (April 27 ˆ May 6), the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (May 23 ˆ 27) and Essence Festival (July 5 ˆ 7), New Orleans is one of the country's top destination cities. In fact, Travel + Leisure's February 2007 issue featured New Orleans in the "Where to Go Next" column. Orbitz named the city as one of the top seven travel "hot spots." In the February 4, 2007 edition of the Los Angeles Times, Jane Engle wrote that "Tourist touchstones such as the Ritz-Carlton and Commander's Palace have finally reopened as last year's Jazz & Heritage Festival proved, (New Orleans) can still throw a heck of a party, Tim Zagat said that coming to New Orleans is "vital for two reasons: It's good for the city and it educates America".
The city's premier luxury hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans reopened on Monday, December 4, 2006 after being renovated from the first to the fifteenth floor at a cost of $100M. The hotel's spa will reopen this spring, formerly the most award-winning in the company. Over 8,000 square feet of meeting space was added to the hotel's first floor and a new restaurant concept compliments the new lounges and live local entertainment while providing a smoke-free environment.
Rack rates for 2007 start at $409 with prices dipping as low as $209 during the summer. Room packages range from $249 - $20000. All prices are non-inclusive of tax and gratuity. All room package reservations are subject to availability.
For detailed room package information, check web site www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/new_orleans/packages.
The world's only open-access interactive laser space planetarium has opened on the banks of the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana at Sci-Port Discovery Center. This hands-on science center will have some of the most amazing exhibits that can't be found anywhere. Visitors can create their own astronomy experiences at five computerized “Navigation Stations,” in this 25,000-square-foot, $11.6 million Space Center which expands the hands-on math and science entertainment center into a 92,000-square-foot attraction. The Space Dome Planetarium is adjacent to a two-story lighted Foucault Pendulum, Solarium with Sundial, rooftop observatory, and 90 hands-on astronomy, space science, and applied mathematics exhibits.
“The new Space Center elevates Sci-Port’s impact and appeal on many fronts, including education, entertainment, economic development, and tourism,” said Al Najjar, Sci-Port President & CEO. “The combined Sci-Port experience will offer a tremendous resource for visitors and students of all ages to stretch the way they think about space, science and mathematics. There’s nothing else like it anywhere.”
Live programs, space shows, and interactivity in the Space Dome Planetarium are included in the general admission fee as part of the whole Sci-Port experience. One type of interactivity provides five computerized “Navigation Stations” where visitors control the action on the planetarium screen with desk-like kiosks outfitted with pushbuttons and touch screens. Teams will work together to dock a shuttle at the International Space Station or discover the position of the stars on the day of their birth. “This Space Dome Planetarium is much like having the universe at your fingertips,” said Najjar. “The openness to wander freely under the dome, participate in a program, or just contemplate the heavens will be available to everyone.”
Sci-Port’s Space Center exhibits are complemented by a full range of demonstrations and hands-on workshops for visitors of all ages. Curriculum-based school programs will include all grade levels, with an emphasis on middle school through college. New programs will also be unveiled in the science center’s original Discovery Areas, featuring newly refurbished exhibits exploring the Red River, physiology, technology, physical science, and children’s science.
Other Sci-Port Space Center features include:
--The 32-foot-long, lighted Foucault Pendulum that rings individual chimes, set on the circumference of a circle, which “turn” into the pendulum’s swinging path. The fascinating-to-watch concept proves that the Earth rotates.
--The Solarium with Sundial combines scenery with science – an elevated view of two cities, Shreveport and Bossier City, the Red River that separates them; and a unique 20-foot sundial that also functions as a skylight.
--60 interactive astronomy and space science exhibits that are presented in clustered themes, including Exploring Space, The Solar System, The Sky, Flight, and Deep Space.
--The Rooftop Terrace and Observatory’s Hydrogen Alpha and White Light Telescopes, safely viewing spots, prominences, the corona, and the photosphere of our Sun.
--30 hands-on applied math exhibits in two clusters - Go Figure and Measure Up - that focus on measurement, logic, and statistics.
The Sci-Port's original building, which includes 200 interactive science exhibits, Louisana's only IMAX Dome Theater, a gift shop and cafe, have been completely refurbished. Since opening in November 1998, Sci-Port has served more than 200,000 visitors a year with daily-changing public and school programs, IMAX films, exhibitions and community events—plus teacher workshops, camp-ins, birthday party programs, guest speakers and traveling science carnivals. Of these visitors, 80,000 per year have been students and teachers who have used Sci-Port as a curriculum-rich laboratory for maximizing student preparation for standardized assessment tests now required as part of No Child Left Behind.
Location:
Sci-Port is located at 820 Clyde Fant Parkway on the Downtown Shreveport-Bossier Riverfront. For hours, price and program information, or to arrange a student or group visit, call toll-free 877-7224-7678 or check web site www.sciport.org.
The Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville region offers visitors majestic views of the autumn foliage. Hikers can ascend the summit of Mt. Battie, Ragged, Hatchet, Bald or Young's Mountains, and enjoy an awe-inspiring, panoramic view of the entire region. Another popular way to view the change of seasons is from the water. For those who wish to make their own way, canoe and kayak rentals are available throughout the CRL region. Pack a picnic lunch from one of the area's markets and make your way along the coastline, around Megunticook Lake and Hosmer Pond, or travel up and down our rivers, brooks, and streams for a closer look at the region's unspoiled beauty. If you want someone else to navigate, take in the autumn coastline from the deck of a windjammer. Have someone else make lunch, take a turn at the helm, or just relax and absorb the season's colorful splendor.
The region's diverse geography treats visitors to colorful sightlines from virtually every vantage point.. Browse local shops as leaves drift from trees and swirl about your feet. Take a walking or bicycle tour of historical communities. Explore by Land and Sea Hike to a mountaintop for a spectacular panorama of the changing colors, lakes, sea and islands, or test your technical climbing skills on rugged stone cliffs. Come aboard one of the historic windjammers for a multi-day cruise - or an afternoon tour of Penobscot Bay and the islands. For those who want a closer look, kayak rentals, tours and lessons are also available for exploring our harbors and lakes.
Arts Abound during autumn, including arts and craft shows, arts and artisans tours, live theater, and musical performances. Visit the Bay Chamber Concerts web site for their fall schedule of events, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art web site to see their schedule of events, and check out the Camden Opera House schedule for a variety of great live performances. Pack a picnic lunch and take a two-wheeled tour of the countryside. Bring your own bikes or rent them locally, where you'll also get tips on the best routes to explore. Visit a local farm to say hello to the livestock or pick your own apples.
Are you into shopping. If so, you'll find finely crafted Maine-made products, books both used and new, unique toy shops, amazing antiques, and clothing for everyone in the family. If you love dining out, the area has really good seafood, steaks, and the freshest produce from local gaden harvests.
For more information, contact the Camden/Rockport/Lincolnville Chambes of Commers, P.O. box 919, Camden, ME 04843; 207-236-4404, or check web site www.camdenme.org or web site www.VisitCamden.com.
Village Cove Inn
Tom and Angela Murphy purchased the Village Cove Inn in the heart of Kennebunkport back in 1996 Continuing to make improvements each year, the Murphys have recently remodeled the on site restaurant The Changing Tide.
Featuring elegant dining for guests and residents in the Kennebunkport area, the restaurant serves fresh Maine seafood and offers specialty holiday dining packages throughout the year. "Tom and I are in the midst of planning a ten-year anniversary celebration for our guests," says Murphy. More casual dining is available in Jaxon's poolside pub and children's menus are always available in both restaurants. The restaurant is Chef owned and very popular with the locals.
The outdoor pool patio was another renovation, which took place last spring. "The patio area was renovated for the summer season. Landscaping the property will continue to be an on-going project," says Tom. Charming with all the amenities of a larger facility, the Inn features outdoor dining on the patio, indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, and a fully equipped fitness facility. With close proximity to area beaches and other outdoor activities, such as boating and tennis, the Village Cove Inn is a popular family retreat in the summer. The Family Fun Package is always a big hit every summer, tailored with kids in mind . Most popular for couples in off-season are our Getaway Packages or Spa Packages with breakfast and dinner included.
The Village Cove Inn is unique in its style and location. It is a small property, not quite a hotel and not quite a motel. It is hidden away on a small tidal cove but only a mile from the town of Kennebunkport, a 15-minute walk is all it takes to get back to tranquility after a days shopping in town. "We have recently added a fitness centre and a Spa Therapy Room for treatments, which we offer as part of our Spa Packages", says Angela, "we work with 4 therapists who all specialize in several Therapies such as Swedish massage, Hot Stones, Deep Tissue and Pregnancy massages. We will soon be adding body wraps and facials to our list of Spa Therapy Services. We are looking to make these services affordable for everyone".
Tom and Angela have been in the hotel and restaurant business for years, running a Vermont hotel for four years before deciding to purchase the Village Cove Inn. "We came to visit family here and just fell in love with Maine and the Kennebunkport area. I grew up in England and my parents were in the hotel business," says Angela Murphy. Prior to working in Vermont, Tom Murphy managed Restaurants in New York City's theater district for twenty years where the couple met.
Today, Tom and Angela are proud proprietors of the lovely Village Cove Inn in the heart of Kennebunkport. The Inn's secluded location on Chick's Cove is off the beaten path but only minutes from famous Walker's Point, home of the Bush family, and within walking distance to world-renowned Dock Square.
For more information, call 207-967-3993 or toll free (800) 879-5778 or visit web site villagecoveinn.com.
Winter fun at The Birches Resort
Get out your skis, snow shoes and ice fishing gear. Winter at The Birches Resort is now in full swing. There's 10 inches of snow on the ground and more in the forecast. Forty miles of trails have been professionally groomed for cross-country skiing and snow shoeing. The snowmobiles are gassed up and ready to go. Moosehead Lake has frozen over and is prime for ice fishing. At the end of the day, warm up by the fire in your cozy cabin, before heading to the lodge for a scrumptious New England dinner.
The Birches Resort is set in the picturesque setting of Maine's Great North Woods. Situated on the western shoreline of Moosehead Lake it features 15 rustic waterfront cabins, 6 exclusive private home rentals, cabin tents, wilderness yurts, rooms in the main lodge and rooms at The Riverview. Dining is casual by lakeside with a lounge for guests and visitors. Bountiful activities for all seasons offer you and your family the fun and flexibility you deserve! There is a beach, large hot tub, dry sauna and a new fitness center for our guests.
For more information and reservations, check web site www.birches.com.
There's lots to do and see here throughout the summer months. The National Aquarium's new exhibit, Sea horses: Beyond Imagination, reveals the truth about these enchanting sea creatures; their real-life existence is more unbelievable than any fantasy the imagination could suggest. Showcased are hundreds of extraordinary sea horses of all sizes, shapes and colors, affording visitors a unique journey to sea horse habitats around the globe, from the Australian Bay to the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to exhibiting more than 18 species, this exhibit will use dramatic video, engaging interactive displays, and high-tech graphics to reveal the truths about sea horses and educate visitors about threats to their real-life existence. Scientists at the Aquarium have joined an international effort to breed and protect sea horses by raising selected species in their new breeding lab and are working with conservation groups to restore local sea horse habitats. In addition to this exhibit, you'll be thrilled with over 12 more at the Aquarium.
Stretch your legs at the Mount Vernon Cultural District, only a few steps north of the Inner Harbor. It’s filled with fun things to do, and you’ll find at least 100 exciting things to fill your day in the district’s new brochure, 1 Neighborhood, 100 Things to Do! Suggestions range from visiting the Peabody Library to seeing the original manuscript of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Maryland Historical Society, to dining at fantastic cafes and restaurants.
The Baltimore Museum of Art has undergone big changes, especially in the redesign of the galleries housing the famed Cone Collection of post-impressionist and modern art. See the incomparable holdings by the French master, Henri Matisse, and peek at more than 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by many of the world’s greatest artists. This collection is distinguished by an exceptional group of 500 works by Matisse, which is considered one of the most important holdings of the modern master outside of France. The installations showcase the unique depth of the Baltimore Museum of Art’s holdings and centers around well-known masterpieces such as Blue Nude (1907); Purple Robe and Anemones (1937).
For more information to help plan the perfect Baltimore vacation, visit www.baltimore.org or call 1-888-Baltimore.
Boston Ballet School Students to Model in Freedom Trail Foundation’s American Girl Fashion Show®
The Freedom Trail Foundation announced today that Boston Ballet School students will be the models for the first-in-Boston American Girl Fashion Show. A rigorous audition and interview process gleaned 43 young dancers from the ballet school who will participate in the fun, engaging program that showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls. The Freedom Trail Foundation is hosting the event and proceeds benefit the Freedom Trail Scholars program, an in-school and out-of-school history education program.
Demand for tickets to the American Girl Doll Fashion Show on March 31 and April 1 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel has been overwhelming. Nearly all 2,500 seats for five shows have been scooped up. There are a limited amount of tickets still available.
Purchase raffle tickets at TheFreedomTrail.org for a chance to win coveted 4 tickets (and a seat for your doll) to the Saturday March 31 4:00 PM show. The raffle tickets also include a chance to win one of three fabulous trips to American Girl Place in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. Fly on American Airlines to Chicago or Los Angeles, take Amtrak to New York, stay 2 nights at an Omni Hotel and enjoy a $100 shopping spree at American Girl Place. Fashion Show raffle winners will be announced March 16. Trip winners will be announced on April 1 and need not be present to win. Raffle tickets are limited (2,500) and can be purchased for $25 online at TheFreedomTrail.org.
The selected Boston Ballet School models will be donating their time and talent to the event. Many of these young students juggle six or more hours per week of dance classes and appearances in company productions, such as The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with homework assignments and other school demands.
"Our students bring stage experience, poise and high energy to the program," said Elizabeth Benjes, managing director of the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education. "We are always pleased to be able to partner with other Boston cultural institutions such as the Freedom Trail while giving our young dancers an opportunity to practice their performing skills."
Audiences will delight in historical clothing from daywear and sleepwear to special-occasion clothing that resembles what the popular American Girl characters Kaya, Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly might have worn. Contemporary “Just like You” outfits for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program. The day also includes a delightful tea, door prizes and a gift for everyone.
"This is going to be a great production," said Mimi LaCamera, President of the Freedom Trail Foundation. "Lights, sound, action and a cast of lovely models showing off American Girl historic costumes and the latest spring line. It's an elegant tea, too. No one with a little girl between the ages of five to 11 should miss it."
Shailene Woodley, the young actress who starred in Felicity: An American Adventure will attend the American Girl Fashion Show for personal photos with fashion show guests.
"The fashion show is the ultimate all-American girl experience," continued LaCamera. "It's a wonderful and memorable gift to give to your special little girl, as well as to children at underperforming local schools who will benefit from a great history education program.”
About the Freedom Trail Foundation
The Freedom Trail Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to marketing, promoting and preserving the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path that leads to 16 of the country’s most significant historical landmarks. The Sites are not adaptations or re-creations, they are real and each one played a pivotal role in America’s rebellious beginning – familiar events such as the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s role in the first battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill – and the growth of the young nation. Marked by a red brick path or a painted red line, the Trail weaves its way through Boston’s proud past in the midst of this vital, modern city. The Freedom Trail Foundation offers an extensive in-school and out-of school education program, daily guided walking tours, a rentable audio guide and a downloadable MP3 audible tour of the Freedom Trail.
For more information, contact the Freedom Trail Foundation, 617.357.8300, or web site
TheFreedomTrail.org
Boston Ballet School was founded over 50 years ago by E. Virginia Williams and is now the largest ballet school in North America. Thousands of students participate in its year-round dance classes and community outreach programs, Citydance, Taking Steps, and Adaptive Dance, all of which operate under the umbrella of the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education. The Center’s mission is to inspire a life-long love of dance through superior and accessible ballet training. High quality programs for students of all levels, ages 3 through adult, are offered alongside intensive training for aspiring professionals. The internationally renowned faculty is led by Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen, and classes are held in state-of-the-art studios located in Boston, Newtonville, and Norwell. A North Shore location in Salem is under construction and scheduled to open in 2008 in partnership with the YMCA. Students from all locations enjoy the many advantages of the School’s association with Boston Ballet Company, recognized as one of the leading professional dance companies in the world. For more information about Boston Ballet, please visit www.bostonballet.org.
TOMB Entertainment A Huge Success
5W!TS, a unique-to-Boston interactive, physically-immersive entertainment venue, has successfully launched TOMB, a 40-minute adventure of sights, sounds and action set in an archaeological dig site in ancient Egypt. A slice of a theme park here in Boston open since October of 2004, TOMB combines the best elements of video game, a haunted house, a museum exhibit, and a choose your own adventure book all rolled into one.
Groups of up to 15 explorers armed with flashlights and accompanied by a costumed guide weave their way through an intricate, museum-quality set of stunning computer-controlled special effects, booming multi-channel audio, laser lighting and visual illusions to test their wits, unravel the mystery and meet the challenges presented by the Pharaoh. TOMB has alternate plot elements, allowing guests the possibility of a different experience each time through their adventure. In addition to the adventure experience itself, each 5W!TS location offers group party facilities, a Café where tired explorers may refresh after their adventure and a themed Boutique that provides a wonderful assortment of merchandise matching the current show. Guests will delight in the selection of unique handmade Egyptian gifts available throughout the TOMB show.
5W!TS is open to the public Wednesday and Thursday at 11:00 a.m. (last show at 10:00 p.m.); Friday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (last show at 11:00 p.m.); and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (last show at 7:00 p.m.). 5W!TS will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays with the exception of major holidays. Discount rates are available to private groups. Additionally, 5W!TS has different versions available to accommodate educational or corporate groups. TOMB will be made available for private parties during closed days. 5W!TS is located at 186 Brookline Avenue, next to the Landmark Center in the Fenway. For more information, call 617-375-WITS- 9487 or check web site www.5-wits.com.
If you're planning a trip to Boston, make one of your stops The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel. Here, savor the special autumn menu, ideal for upcoming cooler temperatures and colorful views of the Public Garden. This menu celebrates seasonal fruits and spices in dishes like Sweet potato bisque with smoked maple syrup and Bosc pear chutney; Baby arugula salad with candied cranberries, black walnuts, blue cheese and Ceylon cinnamon vinaigrette; and Slow-roasted Vermont chicken with butternut spoonbread, wild mushrooms, rainbow chard and herb broth.
After dinner, comforting desserts from Executive Pastry Chef Tim Fonseca tempt the sweet tooth and warm the tummy with Carmelized Apple Millefeuille with cranberry cider sorbet and Warm Pumpkin-Ginger Bread Pudding with maple walnut ice cream. If you've never been to The Bristol Lounge, you're in for a treat for it has a lovely lounge-like atmosphere and an impressive menu. Executive Chef Brooke Vosika creates upscale comfort food and traditional New England favorites inspired by local, seasonal and artisanal products. The restaurant regularly receives awards from local and national publications for service, atmosphere, food and cocktails including Improper Bostonian "Best Power Lunch," and Zagat Survey "#1 Décor." It's open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner seven days a week.
Reservations are recommended. Call 617-351-2037.
Currently, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts manages 70 hotels in 31 countries with more than 20 properties under development. Open since 1985, Four Seasons Hotel Boston provides a preferred address for both business and leisure travelers, and the highly personalized, anticipatory service that Four Seasons guests expect and value around the world. The 273-room Four Seasons Boston has been honored with top rankings in international surveys including the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award, Mobil Five Star Award, Conde Nast Traveler 2006 Gold List, Travel + Leisure Top 500 Hotels in the World and the 2006 Zagat Survey No. 1 Hotel in Boston.
Information on the company and on Four Seasons Hotel Boston can be accessed through the Four Seasons Web site at www.fourseasons.com.
Four Seasons Hotel Boston "Do Not Disturb" Romantic getaway Package
Boston winters have a reputation for being unbearable, but that's only if one ventures outside. Four Seasons Hotel Boston advises visitors to check in and stay in by offering a package that lets you get away with your sweetie without ever leaving the hotel.
A weekend trip to a cozy B&B sounds just dreamy until faced with icy mountain roads for three hours. This winter, Four Seasons Hotel Boston encourages couples to head to the city where intimate rooms, 24-hour room service, two of Boston's best restaurants, spa services, sauna, steam room, and a whirlpool await. The real bonus? Aside from easy access from any Northeast location and a 10-minute trip from Logan airport, guests receive a complimentary reservation for two to the Bristol Lounge Viennese Dessert Buffet, two free movies with popcorn and soda and a "lazy morning in bed" late check-out. Room rates are for weekends only and start at $375 based on season and availability.
About Four Seasons Hotel Boston
As the world's leading operator of luxury hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts currently manages 73 hotels in 31 countries with more than 25 properties under development. Open since 1985, Four Seasons Hotel Boston provides a preferred address for both business and leisure travelers, and the highly personalized, anticipatory service that Four Seasons guests expect and value around the world. The 273-room Four Seasons Boston has been honored with top rankings in international surveys including the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award, Mobil Five Star Award, Conde Nast Traveler 2006 Gold List, Travel + Leisure Top 500 Hotels in the World and the 2006 Zagat Survey No. 1 Hotel in Boston.
Information on the company and on Four Seasons Hotel Boston can be accessed through the Four Seasons web site at www.fourseasons.com.
Taking place Saturday, March 31st, and Sunday, April 1st, BAW will feature up to 200 fine quality antiques dealers from all over the eastern U.S., up to 75 top textile and fashion dealers, and up to 75 top book and ephemera dealers. These dealers will showcase a wide diversity of fine antiques, fine art and prints, silver, porcelain, decorative accessories, jewelry, art glass and pottery, art deco, fine American and European antiques, period furniture, Americana folk art, garden and architectural artifacts, garments & accessories from the 1900’s thru the 1980’s, and a wide range of antique books and printed items. There will also be a free seminar series sponsored by the Journal of Antiques and Collectibles.
Ticket price is $10 and includes admission to all 3 events and more than a dozen seminars.
The show will include:
Jewelry of The Arts & Crafts Movement -- A Seminar by Elyse Zorn Karlin
This lecture will trace the origins of Arts & Crafts jewelry first made in England at approximately the same time the Art Nouveau movement and then later in the U.S. and other countries.
Creative Decorating with Antique Tiles -- A Seminar by Wendy Harvey
In addition to touching on traditional uses for antique tiles, this seminar will reveal interesting and creative ways to incorporate tiles into any design scheme. Included also in the talk will be a brief introduction to antique tiles, how to tell new from old tiles, where to find antique tiles, and what are they worth.
Telling Time --A Seminar by Bob Frishman
In a 40-minute talk, Bob Frishman will present an overview of clock history, styles, makers, maintenance and cultural importance. He will show slides of American and European clocks from three centuries, including inside views of what makes them tick. On display will be clock movements and a sampling of the large amount of horological reference materials now available to researchers. Those attending are invited to bring an antique clock or watch for identification and informal appraisal.
Restoration, Conservation, and Repair of Your Antiques -- A Seminar by Jennifer Burt
Wiebold Studio, a company with more than sixty years experience in restoration, conservation and repair of antiques, will address the question "When should I fix it myself and when should I call a professional?" Wiebold will explore the myriad of "do it yourself" solutions. They will show what works and what you can do yourself and talk about when you really do need to call a professional.
The Charm of American Samplers 1620-1840 -- A Seminar by Henry Callan
Samplers are pieces of needlework or embroidery, made for the preservation of some pattern or as an example of the ability of a child or a beginner. Henry Callan will take a look at their variety and significance.
Treasures from Old China: Export Porcelain for America, 1785-1835 -- A Seminar by Henry Callan
Chinese Export Porcelain include ceramics produced specifically for export to the West. During the 18th and into the early 19th century, English potters duplicated the decorations of this type of porcelain, while the Chinese duplicated some European artwork, making it difficult to ascertain the origins of certain motifs. The voyage to China: the fabulous early years; life in Canton; patterns dated and identified, Guidelines for collecting.
What Makes an Antique an Antique? -- A seminar by John Fiske
An antique is something special, but the qualities that make it special have come under question in today's rapidly changing market place. This seminar will discuss the traditional qualities of Age, Beauty, Heritage, Construction and Authenticity, and will look at the way they are changing as we speak. It will also address the relationship between antiques, collectibles, nostalgibles, revivals and reproductions.
Boston Antique Textile & Vintage Fashion Show
Featuring up to 75 top textile and fashion dealers plus the following seminar:
Twentieth Century Vintage, the revolution and evolution of style --A Seminar by Melody Fortier
This 45 minute seminar will explore fashion styles from the early 1900's thru the 1980's. The seminar will chronicle the dramatic changes in fashion throughout the 20th Century and touch on the historical events that inspired these changes. We will look at trends and designers as well as the culture of the day. Actual garments and accessories from each decade will be modeled and displayed. At the end we will take a look at how these distinct and wonderful styles influence today's designers AND how genuine vintage is being worn to add spice to wardrobes everywhere.
The Boston Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair -- Featuring up to 75 top book and ephemera dealers and the following seminars:
Reports from the Field: Continued Adventures Among the Gently Mad -- A seminar by Nicholas Basbanes
Nick Basbanes will entertain with stories about some of the exciting collectors and collections he’s come across since the publication of his last books, and what we can glean about collecting in the 21st century by looking at the examples of some of the best practitioners.
Everything you wanted to know about Collecting Old Maps of New England -- A Seminar by Michael Buehler
In this one-hour seminar, Michael Buehler of Boston Rare Maps will offer a brief introduction to the collecting of New England maps. Topics covered will include a brief history of mapping the region, common subjects for collecting, map condition and valuation, purchasing from dealers and at auction, and conservation and storage. The presentation will be heavily illustrated by examples from Boston Rare Maps inventory and major public and private collections.
For more information, check web site www.bostonantiquesweekend.com.
Historic Holiday Stroll on the Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail Foundation is offering a NEW historic tour for the holiday season and winter months. Walk with a costumed guide, take advantage of discounts at a Freedom Trail museum shop, and round off the tour with hot chocolate, tea or wine and crumpets at the Omni Parker House Hotel. Staring at Faneuil Hall, costumed tour guides in 19th century Dickensian garb lead visitors along the historic Freedom Trail. Hear the story of how Christmas and holiday traditions evolved in Boston, the highlights of the American Revolution as it happened just 75 years earlier, and end at the Omni Parker House Hotel.
“Here’s a new way to do holiday and Christmas shopping while taking in the excitement of American History” said Mimi La Camera, president of the Freedom Trail Foundation. “We’d like everyone to enjoy the Freedom Trail in what was once thought of as the ‘off season.’ The escapades of Boston patriots and the Tory soldiers happened all year, so why not be immersed in the tangled, history-making adventures all year long?”
About the Freedom Trail Foundation
The Freedom Trail Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to marketing, promoting and preserving the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile path that leads to 16 of the country’s most significant historical landmarks. The Sites are not adaptations or re-creations, they are real and each one played a pivotal role in America’s rebellious beginning – familiar events such as the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s role in the first battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill – and the growth of the young nation. Marked by a red brick path or a painted red line, the Trail weaves its way through Boston’s proud past in the midst of this vital, modern city.
Peabody Essex Museum (PEM)
Education Programs at PEM
Proceeds from this event support educational initiatives and school outreach programs offered by the museum. The Peabody Essex Museum has initiated the development of new models for museum educational programs, such as the Museum Action Corps (MAC) internship program, which incorporates museum studies with leadership activities for youth from Salem and other communities on Boston's North Shore. Additionally, the museum works with elementary schools and school groups to incorporate art and culture into the classroom.
Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club Garners Multiple Travel Awards
Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club, which has been rated Four Diamonds by the AAA for the five past years and features one of the largest full service spas in New England, recently received top honors from two of the industry's most prestigious organizations: The World Travel Awards, which has named Cranwell the "Best Resort in Massachusetts" and SpaFinder, whose millions of readers named Cranwell the "Best Spa for Golf."
These awards are in addition to a number of accolades Cranwell received in the past year, including the Best Resort in Massachusetts by Boston Magazine's New England Travel and Life. Cranwell Resort was also featured in the book "100 Best Spas in the World," and its golf course was included in "America's Top100 Golf Courses," by Zagat's reader survey.
13th Annual World Travel Awards
The highly prestigious World Travel Awards; recently called the "Oscars of the Travel Industry" by the Wall Street Journal; are granted annually by leading travel professionals around the globe. This year 167,000 voters, including 110,000 travel agents, participated in the balloting, and Cranwell was chosen Best Resort in Massachusetts from among an elite crop of finalists.
Since 1993 the World Travel Awards have recognized the best the travel industry has to offer, and clearly Cranwell Resort fits the bill. Distinguished as one of the Historic Hotels of America, Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club sits on a 380-acre site landscaped by Fredrick Law Olmsted, the famed designer of New York City's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace. The elegant mansion, centerpiece of the Resort's grounds, dates back to the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.
SpaFinder Readers Choice Award
Spafinder.com and Luxury SpaFinder attract millions of spa consumers annually. To construct their Best of List, patrons of both the magazine and website cast ballots for what turned out to be more than 1,000 different spa properties worldwide. Voters were asked to vote only for spas they've personally visited within the past three years and, as one of the most popular spots for golf in New England.
Cranwell boasts a 6,200 yard, 18-hole golf course, and a 12-acre driving range, with breathtakingly beautiful views of the bucolic Berkshire hills. The course winds throughout the resort's 380 acre property, and the golf course itself was designed and built in 1926 by Wayne Styles and John Van Kleek. Styles and Van Kleek were responsible for over 60 golf courses between 1924 and 1932, most of which were in New England.
Additionally, Cranwell runs a prestigious Golf Digest school on its grounds, and top-tier instructors are available for private and group lessons. The golf course offers state-of-the-art amenities like GPS equipped carts, which provide golfers with yardage calculation and other resort communication.
About Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club
Cranwell's renowned spa is the only facility in New England that features the Carita Paris facial "The Renovateur", as well as its signature treatment, "The Grand Mosaic Dry Float," an ethereal two-hour body wrap, warm water immersion, and full body massage. The Spa also offers classes in Pilates, Yoga, Body Conditioning and Aerobics, as well as specialized yoga and other conditioning classes specifically for golfers. Additionally the resort provides an ideal setting for outdoor activities, including tennis, biking, hiking and Nordic walking, with the majestic Berkshires as your personal playground.
The award-winning, 107-room, 380-acre resort is located at 55 Lee Road in Lenox, Massachusetts, approximately two and one-half hours from New York and two hours from Boston.
For information about rate packages, of which Cranwell offers a variety, and reservations, call (800) 272-6935 or visit www.Cranwell.com
Peabody Essex Museum Events
Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination
April 28, 2007 ˆ Aug. 19. 2007
Joseph Cornell is one of America‚s most innovative modern artists, known for his distinctive box sculptures, collages and experimental films that continue to influence many artists, writers, poets, filmmakers and designers. Co-organized by PEM and The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and curated by PEM chief curator, Lynda Hartigan, the exhibition represents the first major retrospective of this American master in 26 years. It features 180 of Cornell‚s artworks—making PEM the largest venue for this touring exhibition, including 30 pieces on public view for the first time.
Perfect Imbalance, Exploring Chinese Aesthetics
May 19, 2007 ˆ May 17, 2009
This exhibition illuminates the visual fundamentals of a complex culture by displaying Chinese art from the Neolithic period up to 2004. In juxtaposing paintings, prints, jade, textiles, and porcelain, Chinese aesthetic values become manifest; the art of China is distinguished from art made by neighboring regions or objects made in China for the export market. The exhibition features 30 objects, including new acquisitions never before on view.
Origami Now!
June 16, 2007 ˆ June 8, 2008
Originally developed in Asia, origami has evolved into an international art form. Featuring 40 works by more than 20 of the world's foremost origami masters, Origami Now! demonstrates the remarkable breadth of this ancient art form—from depictions of animals and nature to portraits and abstract geometric forms. On view in the museum‚s Art & Nature Center, the exhibition includes interactive stations where visitors of all ages can engage in the artistic process of paper folding as well as activate "action" origami models, a recent innovation in origami art.
Accidental Mysteries
June 23, 2007 ˆ Jan. 27. 2008
Accidental Mysteries presents over 65 vintage snapshots from the collection of John and Teenuh Foster. Vernacular photography refers to the scope of photography taken for personal use: family portraits, travel albums, holiday photos and more. Many of the images contain accidental double exposures or other darkroom mistakes, creating unintentionally idiosyncratic compositions. Presented outside their intended context, the photographs become pieces of larger historical and social movements. They also take on the reflections of the viewer, who is left to ponder the mysterious circumstances in which these photographs came to be.
Gateway Bombay
July 14, 2007 ˆ Jan. 2009
Bombay has served as home and vibrant inspiration for many artists, including Atul Dodiya, M.F. Husain, Bhupen Khakhar, Nalini Malani, Gieve Patel, and Sudhir Patwardhan˜artists well-represented in the Museum‚s contemporary Indian art collection. This exhibition features works from the Herwitz collection and a dynamic installation in the Atrium by Bose Krishnamachari of video-enhanced tiffin carriers (Bombay's famous and ubiquitous lunch-boxes).
Samuel McIntire, Carving an American Style
Oct. 13, 2007 - Feb. 24, 2008
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of his birth, the Peabody Essex Museum presents the first major exhibition to showcase the career of Salem‚s renowned architect and carver. It features more than 200 objects˜including original architectural drawings, neoclassical carved ornaments, sculpture, and examples of extraordinary furniture creations with McIntire's carvings˜drawn from both public and private collections. Dean Lahikainen, curator and author of a book accompanying the exhibition, has also selected a range of paintings, decorative art objects, prints and books to provide a contextual understanding of McIntire's work.
OPENING SPRING 2008
Wedded Bliss, The Marriage of Art and Ceremony
April 2008 ˆ Sept. 2008
Wedded Bliss, The Marriage of Art and Ceremony explores the wedding ceremony as an impetus for the creation of art in cultures around the world. Spanning three centuries, this ambitious show presents diverse aesthetic and cultural themes: the dynamics of identity; tradition and changing societal values; ritual and ceremony as performing arts; artistic expressions of spirituality and religion, and displays of status and prestige. The multiple stages of the matrimonial process, including courtship and engagement, prenuptial preparations, wedding rituals and celebrations, honeymoons and newlyweds, and anniversaries, are richly represented.
ONGOING IN 2007
The Emperor Looks West
Through March 25, 2007
The Yachting Photography of Willard B. Jackson
Through May 20, 2007
Epic India: Paintings by M. F. Husain
Through June 3, 2007
A Sense of Place: An Artist's Tribute to the Seven Continents
Through June 3, 2007
Sketched at Sea
Through Jan. 6, 2008
Of Gods and Mortals, Traditional Art from India
(Ongoing)
Intersections, Native American Art in a New Light
(Ongoing)
All of My Life: Contemporary Works by Native American Artists
(Ongoing)
About The Peabody Essex Museum
The recently transformed Peabody Essex Museum presents art and culture from New England and around the world. The museum's collections are among the finest of their kind, showcasing an unrivaled spectrum of American art and architecture (including four National Historic Landmark buildings) and outstanding Asian, Asian Export, Native American, African, Oceanic, Maritime, and Photography collections. In addition to its vast collections, the museum offers a vibrant schedule of changing exhibitions and public programs, plus a hands-on education center. In 2006, PEM was named one of the nation's "Top 10 Art Museums for Kids" by Child magazine. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens, and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year old house that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture in the United States. The Peabody Essex Museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. General museum admission: Adults $13; seniors $11; students $9 Additional admission to Yin Yu Tang: $4 Members, youth 16 and under, and residents of Salem enjoy free general admission and free admission to Yin Yu Tang. Special exhibitions may require an additional fee. Location: East India Square, Salem, MA 01970. Call 866-745-1876 or visit our Web site at www.pem.org.
For more information, call 866-745-1876 or check web site www.pem.org.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts Offer Guests Exclusive Visual Arts Programming
Millennium Hotels and Resorts in the U.S. is unveiling art-themed packages for its 2007 Millennium on View (MoV) program, providing guests with access to exhibitions and museum events across the country. Millennium on View is a unique visual arts program that sponsors the art of our time at partner museums.
To learn more and sign up for a complimentary membership to Millennium on View, check web site www.millenniumhotels.com/onview. You may reserve packages on the web site or by calling 866-866-8086. All packages based on availability; blackout dates may apply.
See over 400,000 works in Boston
The Millennium Bostonian offers a Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) package, supporting this major cultural institution which features nearly 450,000 works of art. The MFA package includes accommodations with a balcony overlooking Faneuil Hall Marketplace, two admission passes to the MFA, American breakfast for two and turndown service. Rates begin at $199, valid through March 31, 2007.
About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR), established in the United States in 2000, is the North American arm of London-based Millennium and Copthorne Hotels plc (MLC). The MHR portfolio includes 20 holdings in The Americas, and the company operates properties including: Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City; Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City; Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo, New York; Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles; Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago; Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston; Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis; Millennium Hotel, St. Louis; Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati; Millennium Harvest House, Boulder; Millennium Hotel, Durham; Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage; Millennium Resort, Scottsdale, McCormick Ranch, and the Millennium Maxwell House, Nashville. MLC holdings outside of the Millennium brand include the Millenium Hilton in New York City.
For further information on Millennium Hotels and Resorts, call 866-866-8086 or visit www.millenniumhotels.com.
Plan now to come to Kalamazoo in May! You don’t want to miss this exciting event! On May 17-20, 2007, independent, professional and student animators will be competing in the Kalamazoo Animation Festival International, located at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Many activities are planned for this event including screenings, professional workshops, seminars, social events, informal discussions, portfolio reviews, and much more.
To find out about more upcoming events and attractions that make it worth a trip to Discover Kalamazoo, check web site www.discoverkalamazoo.com. For details about entering or obtain more information about the event, check web site www.kafi.kvcc.edu.
Festival of Sacred Music
The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music will be held at various locations including The Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Miller Auditorium and Chenery Auditorium, Nov. 8-11, 2007. The event will feature such artists as the Tibetan Monks from Deprung Loseling Monastery, Capriccio, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Singers and Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus along with many others.
The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music is a biennial event. The first festival of its kind was held in Nov. 2001 supported by numerous grants and individual contributions. The festival is now an independent organization run by a board and advisory council made up of community leaders and representatives.
The mission of the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music is to offer events which represent diverse religious traditions, promoting mutual respect and understanding through sharing the music treasured by these traditions.
For more information on the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music visit web site www.mfsm.us or call 269-382-2910.
The theme of this year’s show is, Ouiatenon on the Ouabache: 1717-1791, the most southern outpost colony of New France. This was the first European settlement in what is now the state of Indiana. Situated across the Wabash River from a large Native village, Ouiatenon played an important role in the struggle of the French, British, Native tribes and Americans for control of the North American continent.
Fort Ouiatenon was established in 1717 to offer trade and protection to the large Native population living along the Wabash River, and to insulate them from the influence of the British. While many similarities exist between Fort Ouiatenon and such contemporary posts as Michilimackinac and St. Joseph, Ouiatenon’s material culture was more distinctively French, and is regarded by some as the purist of any French Colonial archaeological sites in the United States.
The Tippecanoe County Historical Association, Lafayette, Indiana, is the owner of the site of Ft. Ouiatenon and its archaeological collections, and each year produces the internationally renowned Feast of the Hunters’ Moon, the largest 18th Century living history event in the Midwest. The association will host a large display of artifacts from the Ouiatenon collection in Room C of the Kalamazoo County Expo Center both days of the show.
The 32nd annual Kalamazoo Living History Show™ was created in 1976 to bring history alive and entertain, as well as expose the general public to some of the most fascinating times in our history. Each year the show’s focus changes, allowing various historical re-enactment groups, organizations, and individuals the opportunity to host the show. Dressed in period clothing, the hosts share their knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, history with us all.
The Kalamazoo Living History Show™ is open to the general public Sat., 9 am to 5 pm and Sun., 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is $5. Children 12 years of age and under admitted free when accompanied by a parent. Please, no strollers are allowed.
For more information about the Kalamazoo Living History Show™, contact Leslie Martin Dotson, Executive Director, P.O. Box 2214, West Lafayette, IN 47996, telephone 765.563.6792 or visit website www.KalamazooShow.com.
National Street Rods make 21st Appearance in Kalamazoo
The National Street Rod Association’s (NSRA), Street Rod Nationals North, will take place for the 21st consecutive year, at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center and Fairgrounds. The 28th annual event featuring more than 3,100 modernized and refined automobiles, manufactured prior to 1949, will be held Sep. 14-16, 2007.
According to Jerry Kennedy, Special Events Director for the NSRA, The Street Rod Nationals North is the largest annual automotive event in the region. The event features more than just beautifully painted and chromed street rods; commercial exhibits, vintage parts swap meet, art and crafts fair and live entertainment will also add to the fun for all ages.
In addition, the NSRA Super Prize giveaways will continue, with over $100,000 in merchandise certificates presented to lucky participants throughout the weekend, plus a brand new Chevrolet HHR. Special awards for the favorite entries and more will be given away.
According to the Kalamazoo County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Street Rod Nationals North generates an annual income of $3.5 million to the Kalamazoo County economy. The event has contributed more than $64 million to the county since its arrival in 1987.
For more information please contact the Kalamazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-530-9192 or log on to the official NSRA web site at www.nsra-usa.com.
Situated on 18 acres where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet at the Straits between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mission Point Resort offers everything from a Kids' Club to fully automated Meeting Planner Suites, plus the only 500 seat theatre on the entire island. Relax, play golf, croquet, tennis, swim in the outdoor heated pool, pamper yourself with a massage at the 7th Heaven Spa, rent a bike, or dine at several restaurants right on the premises. Arrive here via direct ferry service from the mainland (available from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City) and vacation on these lovely 18 acres. Or, plan your next meeting here. A total of 33 meeting rooms offer over 35,000 square feet of group meeting and function space, and 7,500 square feet of sound stage can be used for exhibits, large banquets and Theme parties. The Conference Center features an Executive Board room, various size meeting rooms and a full service Business Center.
There's more, too. . . Lake cove swimming, outdoor hot tubs, volleyball, and an executive 18 hole putting course. Not enough? Try the fitness center. It includes a stream room, dry sauna, tanning, massage therapy, and hair salon. Nearby attractions if you feel like exploring, include Fort Mackinac, Arch Rock, Marquette Park, Indian Dormitory, St. Anne Catholic Church, Mission Church, Mission House, downtown shopping, restaurants, Historic Market Street, and more.
Children 12 and under eat free from a special menu, when accompanied by an adult in the Round Island Bar & Grill (Casual, fun, flip flop earing crowd), Lakeside Marketplace (Grab a picni basket filled with gourmet sandwiches and chilled wine), and The Epicurean (Five star fine dining at its best). At the Bistro on the Greens, adults can enjoy the fresh catch of the day every day, with outdoor dining and live music.
Nearby attractions include Fort Mackinac, Arch Rok, Marquette Park, Indian Dormitory, St. Anne Catholic church, Mission Church, Mission House, Downtwon shopping, restaurants, Historic Maret Street and much more.
For more information and reservations, contact mission Point Resort, One Lakeshore Drive, P.O. Box 430, Mackinae Island, MI 49757; 906-847-3312, or check web site www.missionpoint.com.
Michigan was actually shaped by the Great Lakes. Carved by glaciers more than 12,000 years ago, its two peninsulas are visible from the moon and instantly recognizable on any globe or atlas. What's equally amazing is that these two peninsulas are dotted with more than 11,000 inland lakes, laced with 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, and defined by a 3,200-mile Great Lakes coastline. Along this coastline are more than 100 public beaches, some of the highest freshwater sand dunes in the world, multi-colored sandstone cliffs, two National Lakeshores and the only national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes -- the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron. In this area, you'll also find more than 100 lighthouses, numerous maritime museums, ten shipwreck-diving preserves, and historic military fortifications dating from the American Revolution and the Civil War.
It's no wonder that people plan vacations here, particularly sunbathers and swimmers -- for there are dozens and dozens of miles of blond-sand beaches, numerous state parks, a National Lakeshore, lakeside villages, artists' colonies, golf courses, and world-class resorts. Almost anything you love doing, you can do here - from the lakes, campgrounds, wildlife refuges, rivers for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and miles of hiking, biking, riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling trails.
For more information and a variety of vacation planning tips, contact Circle Michigan, Inc., Grand Rapids Office, 3665 28th Street SE, Suite B, Grand Rapids, MI 49512; 1-800-513-6424, or check wet site www.circlemichigan.com.
View incredible works at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis
The Millennium Hotel Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center package offers accommodations, American breakfast for two and two admission passes to the museum, one of the country’s foremost cultural institutions for contemporary art. See special exhibition Kara Walker: My complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love (through May 2007), showcasing the artist’s signature black-paper silhouettes, film animations and more than 100 works on paper. Rates begin at $139, valid through March 31, 2007.
Weisman Art Museum Welcomes Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956-1966
This is the first comprehensive exhibit dedicated to Dylan’s early career, and it will run through April 29, 2007.
Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956-1966 examines the critical 10-year period that
coincides with Dylan’s transformation from folk troubadour to rock innovator during a
momentous, turbulent period of American history. This highly anticipated retrospective traces Dylan’s personal and artistic development from his teenage years in Hibbing, Minnesota, to his debut on the national stage of the Greenwich Village folk scene, to his massive fame as one of the first true rock stars and the man who “electrified” contemporary songwriting.
The exhibit showcases a blend of more than 150 historic artifacts including handwritten
lyrics and letters, instruments, rare memorabilia, and photographs. In addition, the exhibit features four mini-films and a collage of rare, early television and concert film footage. It also includes interviews with Dylan reflecting on this intensely creative period in his early career for the first time on film. Few musicians in the history of popular music have shaped the face of American music and culture the way that Dylan has. The Weisman showing of Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956–1966 includes key additions to the
exhibit from the musician’s home town of Hibbing, Minnesota, and from Dinkytown, the small business district near the University of Minnesota where Robert Zimmerman transformed from a shop keeper’s son into “Bob Dylan,” folk singer and American icon.
Drawn from the Bob Dylan Archives, EMP’s permanent collection, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, The Civil Rights Museum and private collectors, this collection encompasses the release of some of Dylan’s seminal albums, including The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and
Blonde on Blonde. Also available are excerpts from the Dylan documentary Don’t Look Back and the unreleased film Eat The Document.
Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956-1966 also includes interactive listening kiosks and an audio tour feature of Dylan and other key artists sharing stores and insights about folk music and the Sixties. Educational material for teachers is also available.
Additional materials on Dylan’s life in Hibbing and Dinkytown will be added to the exhibition at the Weisman. Among the additional items are:
• A street sign that marked the corner where the Zimmerman family lived in Hibbing
• A movie marqee from the Lybba Theater in Hibbing, owned by Dylan’s great-uncle and named after his great-grandmother
• A large snapshot of a 17-year-old Dylan, taken by his mother, proudly posing with his guitar in his Hibbing living room
• The desk on which his high school English teacher B.J. Rolfzen graded thousands of students papers, (one of Robert Zimmerman’s term papers on John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, is featured in the EMP show)
• Photograph of the teenage Bobby Zimmerman in his first rock and roll band
• Audio recordings of the young Dylan singing in his Hibbing living room and a segment of a 1960 recording of the singer in a Dinkytown apartment
Exhibition Dates
Through April 29, 2007
General Museum Information
The Weisman is located at 333 East River Road in Minneapolis. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; weekends 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays.
Public parking is available in the museum ramp at a rate of $2.50 per hour or a flat rate of $5.00 on Saturday and Sunday. There is no admission fee to the Weisman.
For more information call 612-625-9494. For full details about other events visit web site www.weisman.umn.edu
Macy’s and Bachman’s Spring Flower Show Present Gadina Africana
Announced Flowers of Africa are inspiration for multimedia celebration of African music, art and life - Gadina Africana. The flowers of Africa will bring light and warmth to the Midwest this year, when Macy’s and Bachman’s present Gadina Africana, an exotic African flower garden and celebration of the art, music and life of Africa.
The display will run from March 21 to April 7. The African theme was inspired by Macy’s “Path to Peace” project, in which Macy’s offers exquisite handmade peace baskets made by 2,000 women genocide survivors in Rwanda (available in select stores and at www.macys.com). The fresh flower show will include African art, music, photography and sculpture. Keith Kirsten, often called “South Africa’s favorite gardener” and a popular media personality, is a special consultant for the show. “Gadina Africana is going to be educational, interactive and unpredictable.
It’s a mélange of art, photography and philanthropy, exhibiting a serious side to the color and beauty of the African garden,” said Michelle Mesenburg, divisional vice president of marketing events and communications with Macy’s North. “The African continent is filled with thousands of species of plants, many of which the world has yet to experience.” The flower show, celebrating 44 years, will move from the 8th floor auditorium to the 1st floor of the downtown Nicollet Avenue store. Macy’s and Bachman’s will be transforming the entire 1st floor and one corner window into an African garden. “Macy’s is proud to carry on the tradition of the spring flower show,” said Frank Guzzetta, chairman and CEO of Macy’s North. “Customers will find that experiencing the show on the 1st floor will be a unique and immersive experience.”
The 1st floor location will provide an engaging and interactive experience with a variety of sensory events that play on scent, sound, taste and imagery inspired by Africa. The many facets of African life will be featured through two photography exhibits. Michael Clinton’s world-renowned landscape photos and Willa Shalit’s documentary-style photos of Africa will be integrated into the show. Macy’s Culinary Council member and acclaimed Ethiopian-born chef Marcus Samuelsson will do a cooking demonstration and sign his new book, The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa.
A large gift shop will include African art, music and gifts. About Bachman’s Based in the Twin Cities, Bachman’s is one of the world’s largest retail floral and nursery operations. Bachman’s has been in business since 1885 and has 19 retail floral stores in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, including six floral, home and garden centers. Bachman’s operates an outdoor landscape design and installation service; an indoor landscaping service and floral specialties for weddings and special events.
Their 629-acre production facility near Lakeville, Minnesota, includes eight acres of greenhouses and provides many of the plants and flowers sold through Bachman’s locations and online at Bachmans.com.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Federated Department Stores, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Offering distinctive assortments including exclusive fashion and home brands, Macy's stores are operated by seven regionally based retail divisions – Macy’s East, Macy’s Florida, Macy’s Midwest, Macy’s North, Macy’s Northwest, Macy’s South, and Macy’s West – and an online store at macys.com. Macy’s North is based in Minneapolis and operates 63 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Freewheel Bike announces Midtown Bike Station to open Spring 2007
Whether they need an extra tube or an extra shot of espresso, Twin Cities bicyclists will soon have an oasis to enjoy as they ride the Midtown Greenway. Freewheel Bike in conjunction with the Midtown Greenway Coalition, City of Minneapolis, and Allina Hospitals and Clinics will operate the Midtown Bike Station along the trail’s second phase.
The Station is the fruit of a long conjunctive effort between Freewheel, the hospital, the city, and the Coalition to offer commuters and recreational riders a stop in the center of Minneapolis. “It’ll be a place to stop for on-the-spot repairs, bike rentals, even order a favorite drink from the barista,” said Kevin Ishaug, owner of Freewheel Bikes.
The Midtown Bike Station will also offer memberships and membership will have its privileges. Members will get discounts on parts, repairs, accessories and valet parking.
“The Station will have a hundred or so parking spots for bicycles, and rather than stop and lock up your bike, you can hand it over and the staff will hang it up and watch it for you,” Ishaug said.
However, membership isn’t required, and all riders will be able to use the center. Cyclists can meet for group rides, learn how to fix their bikes, and attend a spinning class. Unlike traditional bike shops, the Center will be open during peak commuting hours. Riders will find an open door early in the morning on their way in to work and, in the evening, a shop ready to help them out as they head home. “The ride home can seem like a long haul,” Ishaug sai