Jetsettersblog

You’ve decided to tie the knot abroad, but where do you exchange your vows?

Overseas weddings have soared in popularity, with around one in six Britons, choosing to head abroad for their special day.

There are so many amazing locations around the world, choosing the perfect place for your wedding can be daunting.

To help narrow your search, Caxton FX, foreign exchange specialist, teamed up with Lisa Burton, principal consultant at thebridalconsultant.co.uk, to compile a list of the ten most popular overseas wedding destinations.

Sri Lanka

The teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka, just off India’s coast, offers miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves – the perfect setting for your wedding. Choose from a traditional Buddhist Poruwa to a civil ceremony accompanied by dancers, drummers and traditional singers. Visit http://www.srilanka.travel / for further information.

Cyprus

Cyprus is a firm favourite for couples from the UK wanting to tie the knot abroad. Lisa Burton suggests, “Go for a luxury wedding at one of the stunning beach front resorts, or for a more intimate setting, there are beautiful local tavernas and hidden villas offering a traditional paradise in natural surroundings.” Cyprus offers something to suit any taste and budget.

Caribbean

With island hopping being an easy task in the Caribbean, why not have a ‘weddingmoon’? Hold your wedding on one island, together with your family and friends, and then spend your honeymoon elsewhere.

From lively Barbados to the peaceful hideaway of St Lucia, there is something for every Mr & Mrs to be. See http://www.caribbean.co.uk

New York

New York offers a stylish and first class wedding experience without costing the earth. “New York is a fabulous and exciting destination for those wanting a unique wedding experience.

Leafy central park offers stunning settings, from rustic Ladies Pavilion to the beautiful Conservatory Gardens, which you can hire exclusively for your ceremony,” says Lisa Burton.

Greece

Despite recent troubles, Greece is still a premier wedding destination. Lisa Burton comments, “For your dream wedding, The Bridal Consultant can offer you a wide range of venues.

Say ‘I do’ on a private Greek island, a fairytale castle or on one of the many beautiful beach spots.” For an idea on packages for Santorini or Zakynthos, head to www.thebridalconsultant.co.uk

Thailand

Thailand is the destination for couples seeking an exotic, spiritual ceremony, at great value. Exchange your vows on petal-strewn, golden sand or next to a captivating waterfall, the ‘Land of Smiles’ will ensure that your wedding is as unique as you are, without breaking the bank. For more details, head to http://www.tourismthailand.org

Mauritius
Surrounded by azure waters and powdery, white sands, Mauritius provides near newlyweds with a wedding setting that dreams are made of. With direct flights being more affordable, the ‘Jewel of the Indian Ocean’ is certainly worthy of its top ten placing. Go alternative and tie the knot underwater or opt for a beach BBQ party with musicians and Sega dancers.

Italy

Only a short flight away, Italy is still the ultimate wedding destination. Duncan Higgins, senior analyst at Caxton FX advises, “Recently the pound has become stronger against the euro. With worries about the fragility of the eurozone sticking around, your pounds are sure to stretch that much further making the idyllic wedding in Italy ever more possible.”

Turkey

Whether your dream wedding is a romantic stroll along a quiet, sandy beach at sunset or a gathering of family and friends in a unique mountain village, Turkey can deliver and more. Bursting with history and culture, this sun kissed venue is great for couples on any budget. See http://www.goturkey.com  to start your wedding plans.

The Bahamas

A beautiful cluster of 700 islands, the Bahamas are a perfect place to set your wedding scene.

These spectacular isles brim with tropical charm and with turquoise waters, feather soft sand and palm trees as your backdrop; you’ll be wed in sheer paradise.

Choose to charter a yacht for your nuptials and the famous Bahamian dolphins may join your celebration!

Sand and Sun Transform this Summer’s Big Apple Fun

NY, NY – With a total of more than 2.5 acres of sand, steps away from the world’s busiest financial center, the hustle and bustle of midtown Manhattan and within view of the United Nations, New York City’s three (3) Water Taxi Beaches have transformed the Big Apple from a concrete jungle into a Beach town!

By day, Water Taxi Beach / South Street Seaport (WTB/SSS) is a magnet for New Yorkers and visitors to lower Manhattan in search of reasonably priced outdoor fun, food and drink, relaxation and spectacular views of the East River and the Brooklyn, Manhattan Bridges. Located on the north side of Pier 17, WTB/SSS has a nautically themed 9-hole miniature golf course, ping pong tables, and more than 14,000 square feet of sand to spread out on to catch some summer sun.

Authentic fish tacos and fish and chips are WTB/SSS favorites, but the crowds flock to the WTB/SSS Fish Shack on Thursdays and Fridays for its “Eat it Raw” Happy Hour serving oysters, clams and shrimp for .80 each with $3.00 discounts on all cocktails and beers from 4pm – 6pm.

In the evening, WTB/SSS becomes a playground for the 21+ crowd with world famous DJs like Jellybean Benitez, Eddie Batiz and Melting Pot Global spinning the crowd into the wee hours of the morning.

Just down the river is Water Taxi Beach / Governors Island (WTB/GI), which the NY Post called “New York City’s premier outdoor live music and entertainment venue.”

Accessible by the Governors Island Ferry departing from the Battery Maritime Building and by New York Water Taxi, this 40,000 square foot facility offers guests 300 tons of sand, and a relaxing waterfront experience and great line up of concerts all summer long.

By day, WTB/GI offers spectacular views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, Hudson River and Ellis Island with sand, sun, beach volleyball and basketball.

There are two restaurants, the Backstage Café serving local produce and natural foods including salads, wraps, grilled chicken, organic fair trade coffee and teas, wines and liquors; and the Governors Grill serving award winning Motz burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and respectfully priced beach fare ensure that visitors to Governors Island are fully satisfied.

Water Taxi Beach Long Island City (WTB/LIC) opens for its sixth season, this summer, boasts 980 tons of sand over 44,000 square feet and spectacular views of the United Nations, the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, and the midtown Manhattan skyline. By day, WTB/LIC offers fun in the sun for families and children of all ages and by night it’s a playground for the 21+ crowd. WTB/LIC hosts beach volleyball league play
Monday thru Thursday nights.

Visitors to WTB/LIC can enjoy free Water Taxi Beach shuttles from East 35th Street in Manhattan every Friday and Saturday night in July and August between 8:00pm – 2:00am.

All of the Water Taxi Beaches host birthday parties, corporate events, weddings and are a prime locations for photo shoots and filming.

For beachgoers craving to swim in the Atlantic Ocean surf, New York Water Taxi will run service between lower Manhattan (Pier 11 at Wall Street) to New York City’s premier swimming beach, the Rockaways’ Jacob Riis Park at Gateway National Recreation Area every Saturday and Sunday in July and August.

The Water Taxi Beaches at South Street Seaport and Long Island City are easily accessible by foot, subway, bus, car and New York Water Taxi. Water Taxi Beach Governors Island is only accessible by ferry and water taxi operating from the Battery Maritime Building right next to the Staten Island Ferry in lower Manhattan.

For schedules, travel directions, updates and to purchase tickets in advance, please visit www.harborexperience.com

This is the time of year that students are seeking schools in the United States. Attorney Steven Riznyk of Steven Riznyk and Company shares valuable information to help students understand the requirements of F1, M1, and J1 visas.

ROME, ITALY, March 10, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — This is the time of year that students are making application to foreign school and deciding on where they would like to go to enjoy their studies. Many are choosing the United States and this article will help the students understand what is involved in obtaining a student visa for the U.S. Immigration attorney Steven Riznyk (www.my-Immigration-Attorney.com) states that most students don’t require an immigration lawyer to prepare their case, but they should really understand the mechanics of the visa and what is allowed. For example, many students who call Mr Riznyk do so because they either work without authorization, overstay their visa, or do not attend classes as required and then unfortunately, they do require an immigration lawyer.

The student visa is a wonderful opportunity for someone to visit another country as well as gain an outlook on a different way of life and diverse business culture. In the United States there are 3 options for students: the F-1, M-1, and J-1 visas.

The F-1 is very popular, states Mr Riznyk, and is used by students seeking to enter the United States to pursue a degree or seek other educational options that are not covered by the M-1. In order to qualify, it has the requirement that the student keep a foreign residence which he or she does not intend on abandoning. In other words, a student cannot enter the United States with the intent of living there permanently. The student must enter with the intent of studying full-time. Family members of the student receive an F-2 but cannot work or study, with the exception of children, who may attend grades 1-12.

In order to obtain a student visa, the applicant must find a school that will accept him or her and then use the form I-20, which can be found on www.USCIS.gov. In addition to being accepted by an approved school, the student must demonstrate academic credentials sufficient to attend the school, states Mr Riznyk. The student must also demonstrate that he or she has enough money to pay for the school as well as living expenses. A proficiency in English is required, unless the student can show that he or she will be taught English at a level that would make him or her proficient. Last but not least, the student must show that he or she intends to depart the US at the end of the studies. Read on, however, as this aspect gets interesting!

When entering the US on an F-1 visa, the student is allowed, at the end of his or her studies, to obtain (limited) work permission and can work for a company earning US wages in his or her field (this is called Optional Practical Training). In addition, students often apply for the H-1 work visa, which can extend their stay for another six years. And there’s more, as you will find out later.

A student has to keep a full course of study, which, for undergraduates is 12 semester/quarter hours. If the student is in the US for postgraduate study, it has to be certified as a full course. There are many other options depending on what the student is seeking to achieve and what course of studies he or she is pursuing. Students may enter the United States up to 30 days before the school term commences. Students are allowed to complete their course of study and can engage in Practical Training and then have another 60 days after that ends before they must leave. However, if they apply for an H-1B visa, which has an application start date of April 1st with a work-start date of October 1st, they have even more time. As they do not have status after their school ends (usually in June) the laws have allowed students to remain until October 1st under a program that closes this ‘gap’. If they are in Optional Practical Training (OPT) their work authorization is extended as well, states Steven Riznyk.

A student may not work during his or her 1st academic year, unless it is on-campus. However, a student who has followed all the rules may obtain off-campus work after the first year if he or she has severe economic hardship or an internship with an international organization. Off-campus work is limited to 20 hours a week during school and full-time during holidays and school breaks.

Continue reading Student Visa Options for the United States…

El Monte Sagrado in Taos, N.M., will join the Autograph Collection, Marriott’s newest brand featuring independent hotels and resorts that it launched earlier this year in partnership with The Kessler Collection.

Seven Kessler properties will soon be part of the Autograph Collection.

Kessler’s private art collection boasts more than 10,000 works of art, ranging from oil paintings to glass, wood and bronze sculptures, among other mediums.

Thousands of these works of art are displayed in Kessler Collection properties.

To commemorate the new partnership with Marriott International and the Autograph Collection, Kessler has commissioned the painting of an original work of art from noted expressionist-colorist Jean Claude Roy.

All visitors to Kessler hotels in the Autograph Collection before May 1, 2010, will have a chance to win Roy’s original work of art.

One winner from each hotel will also be selected to receive a limited edition giclée of the piece.

The 84-room El Monte Sagrado offers an experience inspired by Native American culture, foreign lands and local artists.

For more information, call 888-236-2427 or visit the banner ad below.

The ClubHotel Riu Kaya and the hotel Riu Kaya Belek have opened their doors in Turkey.

The resorts are located very close to the 18-hole Kaya Eagles golf course. The ClubHotel Riu Kaya features 346 rooms, including double rooms, family rooms and suites duplex.

The hotel Riu Kaya Belek boasts 506 rooms, including doubles and suites.

Both hotels offer themed restaurants and bars, all under the All Inclusive by Riu service. The outside areas of the resorts have swimming pools for both adults and children.

They also have a mini club and children’s playground for the youngest members of the family.

Other features include a sauna, Turkish bath and gym as well as a spa and hair salon.

The resorts, located on the beachfront, offer many activities and sports.

Clients can practice water sports, tennis, table tennis, mini golf, beach volleyball, football or aerobics, as well as a variety of other activities.

Daily and evening entertainment is also available for both adults and children.

For more information, visit www.riu.com

Hilton Hotels announced the opening of Hilton Manhattan East, located on the corner of 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, in the historic building formerly known as Tudor Hotel New York.

The newly renovated boutique hotel joins Hilton Times Square, Hilton New York and Millennium Hilton as the brand’s fourth property in Manhattan.

This 300-room property unveils a new look with the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation to its lobby and bar areas, which complement the guestroom transformation finished in 2009.

Hilton Manhattan East features contemporary accommodations and modern amenities in a 1931 historic neo-gothic tower. In 2007, the National Trust for Historic Preservation deemed the hotel a Historic Hotel of America.

Guests at the property can take advantage of a grand opening special that includes two nights in a Terrace Suite for two, a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne, daily breakfast for two and two Hilton Manhattan East hotel robes. The opening package starts at $899 for two nights and must be booked by May 31 for stays arriving April 7 through Sept. 7, 2010.

Additional opening rates are available for standard and deluxe guest rooms starting at $599 for a two-night minimum stay, which also includes two hotel robes. The hotel’s 300 guest rooms are appointed with custom furnishings in shades of blue and earth tones.

Each room includes a 42-inch LCD flat-screen TV, in-room movies, a dual-line telephone, wireless high-speed Internet access, a spacious marble bathroom and generous closets. The hotel also offers a fitness center, 24-hour business center, full-service concierge and valet.

The Tudor Neighborhood Bar & Grill features an eclectic menu of continental American and international specialties for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel’s Lobby Lounge is an inviting spot for light fare and specialty drinks. Hilton Manhattan East also features 3,500 square feet of event space encompassing three function rooms and two Executive Boardrooms with capacities ranging from eight to 200 guests. Meeting planners have access to audiovisual equipment, professional event staff and the fully equipped business center. Guests at Hilton Manhattan East are eligible to earn Hilton HHonors points and miles.

For reservations or more information, call 800-HILTONS or visit www.hilton.com

The Outrigger Reef on the Beach has opened a new, museum-quality exhibit that highlights the Hawaiian traditions of canoe building and voyaging.

The Canoe Hale, located in the hotel lobby just past the front desk, is a collaborative effort of the Outrigger Reef, the Friends of Hokulea and Hawai`iloa, the Mission Houses Museum and the Bishop Museum.

It is open daily, and admission is free to the public.

The exhibit includes the actual steering paddle from the voyaging canoe Hawai`iloa, as well as a replica of the Hawai`iloa. Also featured is the Kaiolahia, a traditional racing canoe (circa 1915) that was painstakingly restored.

Also on display are an adze, or koi stone cutting ax, a canoe cross section with lashing, mother of pearl traditional fishing lures, and a conch shell from the Cook Islands.

A favorite piece in the exhibit is the lei hulu (feather lei), which is hung atop the boom of the canoe’s crab-claw sail when it is underway.

For more information, call 800-688-7444

or visit www.outriggerreef.com

Mbali Mbali Lodges and Camps, a family-owned circuit of safari properties in the some of the most remote and wild game areas across Tanzania, announced the opening of its newest lodge, Serengeti Sorori.

This latest lodge rounds out Mbali Mbali’s circuit by connecting the famed Serengeti National Park with the remote Western region of Tanzania.

With the help of Mbali Mbali’s flight partner Zantas Air, guests can now experience all Tanzania has to offer in one memorable circuit. Mbali Mbali’s Serengeti Soroi is set to open June 2010.

“Over the past decade, we carefully selected the most ideal locations for our camps and lodges situated across Western Tanzania, and have specialized in operating in these incredibly remote locations bringing travelers face-to-face with Africa’s most impressive wildlife,” said Taki Lalji, managing director of Mbali Mbali Lodges and Camps.

“Now we have the pleasure of rounding out our circuit with Serengeti Soroi.

This new lodge, offering true luxury in the bush while remaining true to our roots of providing outstanding value and wildlife experiences, is located high on a hill overlooking the Western Corridor of the famed Serengeti plains.”

Soroi Serengeti Lodge is set on a hill and built among rocks overlooking the plains of Musabi.

The lodge offers comfort and luxury while maintaining an African atmosphere and commitment to value.

Each private tented chalet is elevated, built on wooden stilts and well spaced across the hill, giving guests views of Musabi, and the Great Wildebeest Migration, from every angle.

The Serengeti Soroi Camp can be accessed by scheduled daily flights landing at the Seronera Airstrip, private charters or self-driven vehicles.

For more information, call 303-993-7906 or visit www.mbalimbali.com

Compagnie du Ponant’s new L’Austral mega-yacht was launched at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. L’Austral is the first of two luxury cruise ships ordered from Fincantieri by the French owner and is due to start service this fall.

L’Austral is the sister ship of Le Boreal, which will be presented soon always at Ancona shipyard.

The new ship, which will fly the French flag, is approximately 10,700 tons with capacity for 260 guests in 132 cabins and suites, all with a sea view and 94 percent with a private balcony.

Equipped with cutting-edge technologies to reduce environmental impact, L’Austral will be able to reach ports and destinations which are inaccessible to larger vessels. Compagnie du Ponant offers travel agent commissions of 10 to 15 percent.

For more information, call 888-400-1082 or visit www.ponant.com