Jetsettersblog

Following the release of the film “127 Hours,” the Utah Office of Tourism has announced downloadable 127-hour itineraries on

www.travel.utah.gov/127hours.

The film, shot on location in the state’s red rock country, depicts the story of hiker Aron Ralston’s 127-hour journey in Utah’s Bluejohn Canyon.

The featured itineraries include southern Utah, where the movie was primarily filmed, but also activities and excursions throughout the state. Travelers can view and download the itineraries to their computer or mobile device by visiting www.travel.utah.gov/127hours

For more information, call 800-200-1160 or visit www.utah.travel

On Dec. 31, hundreds of thousands of revelers will fill New York City’s Times Square to watch the New Year’s Eve Ball descend from One Times Square and to celebrate the start of a new year.

The 106-year-old tradition continues as friends and families gather to count down to 2011, and NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, encourages residents and visitors to experience the many New Year’s Eve events taking place across the city.

More than 100 million television viewers in the United States and more than 1 billion people worldwide are expected to watch the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.

The ball is a 12-foot geodesic sphere, weighing 11,875 pounds, covered in 2,668 Waterford crystals, powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LED lights and capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors. In the days and hours before the ball drops, events and activities related to the New Year’s celebration will be held across New York City.

The New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall, located at the Times Square Information Center, is quickly filling with visitors’ wishes for 2011.

Everyone is welcome to visit the wall and record their wishes on pieces of paper.

Individuals not able to visit the Information Center can submit their wishes online at www.timessquarenyc.org. All of the wishes from the wall and submitted online will be collected and added to the confetti that flutters down onto the streets of Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

On Dec. 28, the Times Square Alliance invites the public to say good-bye and good riddance to their worst memory from 2010. Cintas Corporation will provide a large mobile shredder in Duffy Square to discard depressing memories. On New Year’s Eve, New York Road Runners hosts the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, a four-mile race in Central Park.

Before the race starts at midnight, enjoy a fireworks and laser-light show, dancing and a costume parade at the Central Park Bandshell. For more information, visit www.nyrr.org.

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza kick off around 11 p.m. with entertainment, hot refreshments and fireworks at the Grand Army Plaza.

The best viewing locations for the fireworks are within Grand Army Plaza, along West Drive in Prospect Park, and along Prospect Park West between grand Army Plaza and 9th Street. For more information, visit www.prospectpark.org.

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises is offering a New Year’s Eve party cruise including an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, DJ, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

The cruise sails from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. (boarding at 9 p.m.), and tickets are $140 (must be 18 for the cruise and 21 to drink alcohol).

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.circleline42.com.

For more information about New Year’s Eve events happening in New York City, visit www.nycgo.com/holidays.

The second annual Key West Food and Wine Festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 27 to 30.

Scheduled events showcase local chefs’ culinary flair, indigenous Florida Keys ingredients, premium wines from around the world and offbeat “foodie” fun like bowling with coconuts.

The festivities begin with a barefoot evening beach party Jan. 27, featuring island cuisine, wine and music beside the Atlantic Ocean at the Southernmost Beach Café.

Other highlights include a grand wine tasting at former president Harry Truman’s restored Little White House, now Florida’s only presidential museum, pairing fine wines with entertainment by Key West Symphony musicians.

Festival attendees can find a mile of temptations at Duval Uncorked, a stroll down Key West’s renowned Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic, with appetizing forays into restaurants, bars, galleries and boutiques.

The Seafood Shakedown is a culinary competition spotlighting the Florida Keys’ prized pink shrimp and other seafood.

After attendees taste and judge contestants’ dishes, the winner earns the title of Shrimp King or Queen.

Additional festival menu items include an outdoor wine market, informative food and wine seminars, the Master Chef’s Classic and neighborhood wine strolls.

Exclusive VIP passes are available covering admission to multiple festival events, or attendees can purchase tickets for individual events.

For festival information, visit www.keywestfoodandwinefestival.com

For more information on Key West, call 800-LAST-KEY or visit www.fla-keys.com/keywest

Bellagio in Las Vegas has been awarded the AAA Five Diamond Award for the 10th consecutive year.

Bellagio is the first resort and casino in Las Vegas to ever reach this milestone and the only hotel in the America to have two AAA Five Diamond restaurants under one roof.

Julian Serrano’s restaurant Picasso garnered its 10th AAA Five Diamond Award this year while Le Cirque has earned the distinction for the eighth consecutive year. Further adding to its dining accolades, Bellagio’s Jasmine, Michael Mina and Sensi all earned the AAA Four Diamond Award.

For more information, call 888-987-6667 or visit www.bellagio.com

The all-inclusive, adults-only Royal Hideaway Playacar, located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya region, is offering holiday rates starting at $214 per person, per night, throughout the month of December, with a minimum booking of five nights when traveling Dec. 20 to Jan. 3.

For reservations or more information, call 800-999-9182 or visit www.royalhideaway.com

Barbados’ newly renovated Island Inn Hotel is offering a “Free Night Special” featuring one free night for vacationers who book five night stays.

The offer applies to new bookings made in standard garden view rooms through Dec. 14, 2010, for travel through Dec. 19, 2010. All-inclusive rates start at $300.

For more information, call 246-436 6393 or visit www.islandinnbarbados.com

This month, The Peninsula New York and The Peninsula Chicago each unveil two customized Mini Cooper S Clubman vehicles, offered as a complimentary amenity to suite guests.

To inaugurate the new Mini fleet, The Peninsula New York and The Peninsula Chicago are sharing the fun of the Minis with locals and guests.

On Nov. 18, 2010, The Peninsula New York revealed the Minis at UNICEF’s annual Snowflake Lighting event in front of the hotel and offered complimentary rides to all guests and locals from Nov. 18 to 19, 2010.

Chicago residents and visitors will enjoy a float showcasing a replica of the customized Minis in the city’s famed “Magnificent Mile Lights Festival presented by Harris” parade on Nov. 20, 2010, and in Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 25, 2010.

Guests who book a suite at each hotel will have access to a Mini for up to three hours per day during their stay.

The chauffeured vehicles can be used for shopping excursions or sightseeing around Manhattan and Chicago.

The Peninsula New York’s Concierge Frederick Bigler and The Peninsula Chicago’s Concierge Todd Nelson have developed a series of self-guided three-hour motoring tours for guests to enjoy. Guests can direct the driver as they wish within the city limits (within Manhattan in New York), or use the sample tours provided by the concierges.

As an added enticement, The Peninsula New York is offering The Suite Life promotion providing guests a complimentary second night when booking a two-night suite-level stay.

For more information, visit www.peninsula.com

The Hertz Corporation announced a joint partnership with CODA Automotive, a car manufacturer that specializes on all-electric vehicle to bring its new four-door, five-passenger all-electric CODA Sedans to Hertz’s California locations in 2011 as part of the Hertz Global EV program.

“Hertz’s partnership with CODA Automotive is another element of our long term strategy to provide consumers with electric vehicle access on a global scale,” said Mark Frissora, Hertz chairman and CEO.

“As we continue to build out our EV and PHEV infrastructure, we get closer to making electric vehicle travel an everyday reality.”

As announced in September, Hertz Global EV will be the first company to provide a range of all-electric vehicles and charging stations on a rental and car-sharing basis at global scale.

The CODA Sedan will join vehicles from Nissan and other manufacturers as part of Hertz Global EV’s diverse fleet. With a range of 90 to 120 miles per charge during all seasons, the CODA Sedan is designed to be plugged straight into a standard household unit, among other charging options.

“CODA Automotive and Hertz share the goal of bringing EV technology to the everyday consumer and making electric-vehicle travel easy and seamless,” said Mark Jamieson, chief financial officer and chief operating officer for CODA Automotive.

“Hertz has the industry expertise and extensive global network, and we have a revolutionary vehicle and unmatched devotion to the all-electric platform — together it’s a winning combination.” For more information, visit www.codaautomotive.com

American Airlines is offering specials to St. Lucia from destinations across the U.S., including Boston, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Prices start at $238 excluding taxes. Tickets must be purchased by Dec. 18 for travel anytime. To book, visit www.aa.com. Note that Dec. 16-28, Feb. 11-20, Jan. 1-5 and Feb. 25-27 are blacked out. Fares are non-refundable, non-transferable and are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.

For more information about St. Lucia, call 800-456-3984 or visit www.saintlucianow.com

Beginning in January 2011, guests of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California will find that the memory they just made has become a larger-than-life image during an all-new “Let the Memories Begin” nighttime experience.

At Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom, guest photos that have been taken by Disney PhotoPass photographers that day will be projected on the soaring spires of Cinderella Castle.

And at Disneyland Park, the iconic façade of “it’s a small world” will be the canvas for the show.

The nighttime extravaganza is just one of the new elements to complement the first-of-its-kind campaign, which also features the home videos and snapshots of real guests in television ads and other user-generated marketing.