Jetsettersblog

Welcome Beyond is happy to announce that Riad Enija in Marrakech, Morocco is now part of our selection of unique vacation homes & boutique hotels worldwide.

Riad Enija, called the mother of all Riads in Marrakech, is a ‘thousand and one nights’ experience. With 4 palace houses connected through corridors and only 9 suites and 6 rooms, Riad Enija is the perfect place to escape the lively Medina in Marrakech.

After having looked at more than 200 properties in Marrakech, the owners fell in love with the aristocratic beauty of this Riad, restoring it with respect to the Islamic art and architecture.

For the interior, the owners have mixed furnishings, art pieces from their own collection and a lot of candles with old antique Berber carpets. The property also features a big garden and several roof terraces. As Ursula, the owner, describes: ‘We want to give people the dream they had before coming here.’

Staying at Riad Enija is like ‘a journey to the sublime realm of peace’. Ursula: ‘The kind of luxury we offer is for people who understand this philosophy.’ Guests should experience the house and not be distracted by a mini bar, a television or telephone. There are even no locks on the beautiful historic doors. ‘We offer the possibility to wind down, to be and enjoy.’

For more information about Riad Enija please visit:

http://www.welcomebeyond.com/property/riad-enija

For more information about Welcome Beyond and other properties visit:www.welcomebeyond.com

About Welcome Beyond:
WelcomeBeyond.com is a website promoting the most beautiful and unique vacation homes & boutique hotels worldwide.

We hand-pick places that we feel are truly original. Many reflect their owners’ passion for distinctive architecture and design. Some border on quirky (and may have crossed over the line). Several are quite posh. And a few are downright rustic. But what all of our properties have in common is that they’re authentic — be it a tree house, a yurt, an igloo, a cottage, a beach house or a castle. Each is singular, memorable and definitely worth writing home about.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts announces the 2011 Food and Beverage Conference & Expo: The NextCourse from February 28- March 4, 2011 at the Sheraton Pudong in Shanghai. Following the huge success of the inaugural 2007 conference in Bangkok, Starwood Hotels and Resorts continues its journey in culinary and hospitality excellence. This unique event brings together over 300 Executive Chefs, F&B Directors, General Managers and Starwood Executives to collectively define the future of hospitality services at over 180 Starwood properties in the Asia Pacific Region.

Attended by Executive Chefs, Food and Beverage Directors, General Managers and inspirational speakers, this conference promises to motivate all attendees to seek a fresh, contemporary approach to restaurant dining. The conference will expose attendees to inspirational speakers who will cleverly unlock their creativity and will inspire them to think beyond the expected. The program also features exciting individuals leading the way in innovative food & beverage and skilled presenters in the development of personnel potential. The experience also includes cutting edge off-site dining experiences and a trade show that will feature some of the best hospitality products and services from some of the industry’s most important players.

“Over the next decade, our business is expected to undergo profound changes and with such growth and diversity, decision makers in each Starwood property must be empowered to respond to the major changes that lie ahead,” says Martin Jones, Vice President, Food & Beverage, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts. “It is therefore important that our decision makers are encouraged to think laterally about excellence in all facets of their personal and professional development. It is appropriate that this year’s conference is being held in the high growth region of China, where Sheraton Hotels will open another four hotels before the end of March 2011,” added Jones.

This year’s keynote speaker is celebrated American chef, Charlie Trotter. Charlie likes cooking to an improvisational jazz session; Charlie is supported by a zesty mix of the world’s most engaging speakers, including Andrew May (performance and recovery), Bettina Arndt (sex therapist), Jereme Leung (chef), Kevin Arpino (interior stylist), Michael Tchong (futurist), Monte Huebsch (technology), Paul Odom (coffee), Peter Thurin (excellence) and Simran Sethi (sustainability).

This truly international program will be anchored by Master of Ceremonies, Peter Thurin and conference comedian Jonathan Atherton; one of Australia’s finest stand-up comedians who delivers his punch-lines in a multitude of languages.

The conference and exhibition is proudly sponsored by some of the world’s largest culinary and hospitality companies, including Electrolux, Allied Metals and Pernod Ricard. For more information please visit www.thenextcourse.net.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1025 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com

April showers bring May flowers to many parts of the country; however, it is the winter rains that bring vibrant, colorful floral displays each spring throughout San Diego County. From the botanical splendor of Balboa Park to the gorgeous gardens of Coronado and Carlsbad, and from charming mountain daffodils of Julian to the surprisingly verdant transformation of the Anza-Borrego Desert, San Diego offers many spectacular spring floral displays and horticultural offerings.

NATURAL BEAUTY

The annual desert spring wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park – California’s largest state park, encompassing over 600,000 acres in San Diego’s East County – are one of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the West. The dry, rugged landscape is magically transformed by winter rains into a kaleidoscope of wildflowers, from tiny bursts of color no larger than the head of a pin to towering ocotillos with fiery spines of scarlet blossoms. Butterflies are also drawn to this spectacular floral pageant.

When the wildflowers bloom is up to Mother Nature, lasting two to six weeks between March and April, and the display varies in intensity year to year. This season promises to be especially vibrant after Southern California’s recent winter rains.

Guests are advised to call the Park’s 24-hour “Wildflower Hotline” at 760-767-4684 or visit www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=638  before planning a tour of the desert flora.

For the adventuresome traveler, California Overland offers exciting off-road excursions into the heart of the Anza-Borrego Desert aboard open-air vehicles to view the wildflowers amongst hidden palm oases, slot canyons and desolate badlands. www.californiaoverland.com

At the Flower Fields of Carlsbad California in San Diego’s North County, a vibrant sea of ranunculus flowers transforms 50 acres of hills into rows of brilliant color: pink, yellow, orange, red and white.

During March through May, guests can stroll past fields of flowers and through beautiful gardens, including a miniature rose garden, fragrant sweet pea maze, a garden featuring more than 50 All American Rose Selection winners and a spectacular display of red, white and blue anemone flowers planted in the shape of a giant American flag. www.theflowerfields.com
 
FLORAL FETES & EVENTS

Spring makes a colorful entrance on March 26-27 in San Diego East County’s charming historic mountain town of Julian during the annual Julian Daffodil Show.

Celebrating one of nature’s most cheerful blossoms, both locals and visitors alike can view daffodils growing along Julian’s streets and in the surrounding hillsides, as well as on display from 12 noon to 5 p.m. both days at the Julian Town Hall and Blue Heron Garden Shop. Guests can also meet experts from the National Daffodil Society. www.julianca.com

On April 16-17, the city of Coronado presents the 86th Annual Coronado Flower Show – the largest tented flower show in the West, drawing thousands of gardening and flower enthusiasts to Spreckels Park.

This year’s theme is “Dig, Design and Dine.” Flower exhibits are displayed inside tents surrounding a central gazebo, which becomes the stage for live entertainment and trophy presentations. There is also a flower marketplace and food pavilion.

Tickets are $5 for adults; children aged 12 and under are free. www.coronadoflowershow.org

Visitors can also visit award-winning “Home Front” gardens throughout Coronado, designated by First (blue), Second (red), Third (yellow) and Honorable Mention (white) ribbons displayed in the yards or windows of the homes. A list of the winners with addresses is available at the Flower Show.

Two other Coronado events coinciding with the Flower Show include the MotorCars on Main Street classic car show on April 17 and a popular Friends of the Library Book Fair.

www.coronadomainstreet.com/csite/cms/182.htm

During April 28 – May 1, the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park blossoms during the annual Art Alive, an enchanting spring exhibition that transforms the museum into a colorful, captivating display of art and flowers. More than 100 floral designers take inspiration from the museum’s renowned art collection and create floral renditions of famous paintings and sculptures. www.sdmart.org

The Village Garden Club of La Jolla will present Meet the Masters: Renowned British Floral Designer Paula Pryke (www.paula-pryke-flowers.com ) on April 7. Guests will have an opportunity to meet one of the world’s finest floral designers, who has created centerpieces for royal palaces, five-star hotels, state functions, weddings and Hollywood celebrities.

Ms. Pryke will give a floral talk and demonstration in the Sherwood Auditorium of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla.

For reservations, visit www.villagegardencluboflajolla.com.

GARDEN DELIGHTS

World-renowned for its lush landscaping and eight lovely gardens within its 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is a magnificent must-see in the spring.

Famed horticulturist Kate Sessions – the “Mother of Balboa Park” – was the early designer of the Park’s beautiful landscaping, beginning in 1892.

She offered to plant 100 trees a year within the Park, as well as donate trees and plants around San Diego, in exchange for 32 acres of parkland to be used for her commercial nursery. She introduced many species of plants in Balboa Park, including birds of paradise, queen palms and poinsettias, which are still visible today.

The Park is ranked among the Best Parks in the World by the Project for Public Places for its mixture of horticulture and arts and culture.

Botanical highlights include the beautiful Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden, displaying approximately 2,500 roses of nearly 200 varieties; the Botanical Building, one of the most photographed sites in the Park, featuring 2,100 permanent plants, and the award-winning Alcazar Garden, with a floral design patterned after the gardens of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain.

www.balboapark.org/info/tours.php

Balboa Park’s Offshoot Tour provides free, one-hour tours that showcase the park’s botanical offerings. Tours begin at 10 a.m. on Saturdays in front of the Balboa Park Visitors Center.

The San Diego Botanic Garden, located in the North County city of Encinitas – the “Flower Capital of the World ” – has one of the region’s most extensive garden collections. The Garden features 37 acres of beautiful gardens and unusual plants from around the world, including flowering trees, majestic palms, the world’s largest bamboo collection, a tropical rainforest, desert succulents, subtropical fruit groves and native California plants.

Upcoming spring activities include the Herb Festival, Spring Plant Sale and Tomatomania on March 19-20, Sculpture in the Garden, now through April 18, and the 10th Gourd & Basket Weekend in the Garden on April 30 – May 1. www.sdbgarden.org

The Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon in San Diego’s East County features five acres showcasing water conservation in the region’s semi-arid landscape through a series of beautifully themed gardens, such as a native plant garden. Admission is free, and the gardens can be viewed on a self-guided tour.

Each Saturday in March, the Garden hosts plant talks, followed by specialized plant sales, to help gardeners create water-wise spring gardens. Topics include ” Australians and South Africans: Drought-tolerant Exotics from Around the World” on March 12, “Grow Heirloom Tomatoes with the Tomato Queen” on March 19 and “Vegetable Gardening the Organic Way” on March 26. www.thegarden.org

The Garden is also presenting a special exhibit, “H2O: the Art of Conservation,” during May 6 – November 12, featuring 14 San Diego artists’ works created from recycled, re-purposed or non-traditional materials. www.greenpublicart.com

HOMEGROWN

Gorgeous gardens abound in Coronado , from the Hotel del Coronado’s lush landscape of tropical trees, palms, shrubs and flowers planted by pioneering horticulturist Kate Sessions, to perfectly manicured home gardens that flourish in springtime with Mediterranean, East Coast (daffodils and iris) and tropical (birds of paradise and orchids) varieties of flowers.

Visitors are welcome to stroll along Coronado’s residential streets and enjoy its botanical bounty from the sidewalk. www.coronadovisitorcenter.com

A topiary wonderland awaits visitors to San Diego’s uptown community of Mission Hills where residents Edna and Alex Harper designed a front yard garden (at Union and Vine Streets) of more than 50 imaginative topiary shapes, from San Diego’s famous orca Shamu and other animals to a surfer, dragons, dinosaur, Egyptian pyramids and more.

Visitors are welcome to view and photograph the garden from the street. (Please note: this is a private home; guests are not permitted to touch or walk through the garden.)

The Mission Hills Garden Club hosts the 13th Annual Garden Walk, one of the biggest in San Diego, on May 7. This year’s theme is “A Stroll Down Sunset Boulevard,” featuring 10-15 of the neighborhood’s most charming gardens of various styles. Tickets are $25 before and $30 on the day of the event; children aged 12 and under are free.

The price include guides, water stops, a no host food/beverage area, musicians and artists in selected gardens, a retail garden craft area and wine reception at the Mission Hills Nursery, founded in 1910 by horticulturist Kate Sessions. www.missionhillsgardenclub.org

Tweet! The Sage & Songbirds Festival on May 6-8 in Alpine is an annual celebration of the town’s recognition by the National Wildlife Federation as “America’s 1st Community Wildlife Habitat.”

Festivities include tours of five beautiful bird- and butterfly-friendly home gardens filled with botanical wonders (ticket price is $15), plus a free festival at the Viejas Outlet Center that includes a plant and art sale, live butterfly exhibit and daily butterfly releases.

http://chirp.org

Happy happens in San Diego. For more information on San Diego’s springtime offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Web site, www.sandiego.org  or call (619) 236-1212.

In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, located along the Embarcadero at the corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive in downtown;

the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla; or the California Welcome Center, located at the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine.

Join us for a tour of Maui’s new and notable restaurants.

Casual, comfortable and crafted: when award-winning chef and restaurateur Peter Merriman puts his Hawaii locavore spin on these elements of the trendy gastro pub-dining concept, it creates something really swoon-worthy. And Maui is, as we eagerly await the February opening of his newest restaurant, Monkeypod Kitchen in the Wailea Gateway Center.

As comforting as a favorite pair of jeans (which would be the most appropriate attire here) the pub comes complete with 36 microbrews on tap, generous bar seating, inviting communal tables, and intimate, indoor nooks. Similar to his fine-dining restaurants in Waimea and Kapalua, Monkeypod Kitchen will provide the chef’s signature devotion to locally-sourced ingredients, only here the menu will be decidedly more home-style: “Think homemade pies from scratch, freshly baked hamburger buns and hand tossed pizzas from our kiawe wood burning oven,” says Merriman.

An extensive wine collection and culinary cocktails will compliment the food. Monkeypod Kitchen will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Make reservations or just walk-in; take-out available.

Visit them at www.monkeypodkitchen.com

Crafted and casual in it’s own right, the Famous Dave’s franchise opened its first BBQ pit in Hawaii in Lahaina recently.

Honky-tonk kitsch and piggy mascots aside, these folks are serious about great barbeque—their traveling crew of pit masters annually put their skills to the test in competitions across the nation.

The menu is the culmination of founder Dave Anderson’s reported 25 years of research in perfecting regional styles of American barbeque from St. Louis to Texas to Georgia. Don’t beat around the bush; just go straight for the All-American Feast? There probably isn’t anywhere else on Maui you can get your dinner served on a trash can lid, but it’s oddly fitting here.

Available in full or half sizes, the Feast features three smoky meats and all the fixing’s (slaw, corn-on-the-cob, beans, thick-cut fries, and corn bread muffins).

Famous Dave’s Lahaina at 736 Front Street is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Visit www.famousdaves.com/LahainaHI  or call for more info: 808-661-1125.

All-day breakfast, traditional clubhouse favorites, and a satisfying selection of simple sweets, the new Village Café & Sweet Shoppe in Kapalua keeps with the casual dining trend. Kapalua residents Stuart and Debbi Katz created the Shoppe.

Located in the Village clubhouse, the Katz’ envision their restaurant being an easy-going gathering place for the community.

And with it’s modest price point and down-home menu favorites such as Cobb salad and beef brisket sandwich, no doubt it will. French toast, pancakes and omelets served all-day and a flavorful selection of Roselani ice cream will help, too.

Village Café & Sweet Shoppe, 808-665-1122, is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visit them at 2000 Village Road in Kapalua or at www.villagecafeandsweetshoppe.com

Slip into something sleeker when dining at Japengo, new at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali. A sophisticated $5 million renovation to the indoor-outdoor dining room completes the modern Pacific Rim experience at Japengo.

The décor, a chic interpretation of a Japanese fishing village, creates distinctive dining areas from panoramic patio seating to the glossy sushi bar to the Moon Bar, the restaurant’s celestial lounge featuring cocktails like the Rappongi Fling (Momokawa Ruby sake, fresh lime, cucumber and ginger ale.) Executive Chef Matt Smith artfully mingles ingredients from near and far in Pan-Pacific menu creations such as Grilled Local Mahi Mahi with Okinawa Tatsoi, Sesame, Pancetta, Lemongrass Beurre Blanc with Forbidden Rice, or the Singaporean Chili Crab with Alaskan King Crab and Spicy Chili Sauce.

Japengo is open for dinner every night from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; lounge hours are 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

For more information or reservations, call 808.661.1234 or visit www.maui.hyatt.com.

It’s always nice to end on a sweet note, and ours is sweet and sinfully rich: Sweet Paradise Chocolatier is opening a second Maui location. Owner and master chocolatier Melanie Boudar’s storied love affair with cacao spans the globe 
and ends, for now, in Hawaii with stores in Kailua, Oahu, Lahaina, and now her latest at the Wailea Gateway Center.

She invites the public to stop in for a tasting or to purchase beautifully handcrafted chocolate bars, tropically inspired confections, seasonal specials (right now: caramel stuffed chocolate dipped figs), and exotic truffles (chai tea latte or lavender honey.)

Eager to share her passion for chocolate, Boudar offers periodic classes and single-origin tasting. Check the website for scheduled events. And when she’s not island hopping running her mini-chocolate empire, Boudar is actively planning to expand it by planting a several acre cacao orchard on Hawaii Island. Sweet! Visit Sweet Paradise Chocolatier soon at the Wailea Gateway Center, or at the Lahaina Design Center, 75 Kupuohi St. #107, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 661-4764. www.sweetparadisechocolate.com

Maui is paradise, even for farmers. The soil, sunlight, and 17 different microclimates make for great year-around growing conditions. And where there are farms—an estimated 800 in Maui County—there’s bound to be farmers markets.

In the many open-air markets that have popped up across the island, however, buyers are likely to find both local farmers and produce brokers.

Produce brokers booths are typically stocked with local produce when it is available and commercially produced fruits and vegetables when local products are not available.

Chuck Boerner, owner of Ono Organic Farms, has been a Maui Swap Meet regular for over ten years. Boerner’s organic produce exudes plump vitality.

A sweeping banner above his booth proudly guarantees “Hawaii-grown: 100% organic, sustainable and NO GMO.”

No wonder his produce looks fresh, it has only traveled from Maui’s east side! At his farm near Hana, Boerner grows over 40 varieties of fruit that, depending on what’s in season.

You can find his fresh products for sale four times per week in Hana and once a week in Kahului. “I call myself the ‘Whole Foods’ of the Swap Meet,” says Boerner waiving his arm across a display of organic sugar cane stalks, hand-picked and roasted coffee, and his signature tropical fruits: papayas, star fruit, guavas, mango, and bananas.

What he can’t grow himself, he sources from other local Hawaiian island farmers; today it’s Kula tomatoes and onions, and rambutan from Hawaii Island.

Boerner says, “I personally guarantee everything I sell. It’s local, its organic, it’s sustainably farmed.” I see that for myself: while he slices a juicy mango for a customer to sample, he is enthusiastically explaining to another how best to enjoy the cherimoya she is holding.

Search out farmers by asking questions; growers are always eager to share information, cooking instructions, or preparation techniques about their crops.

“As strict as I run it, I guarantee its 99.999% local grown,” says Neil Coshever, farmer and volunteer coordinator of the Upcountry Farmers Market.

His three sources of vendors are local farmers, people who get their goods from local farmers, and value-added products (jams, jellies, prepared foods) that, you guess it, are made with local products— preferably from fellow vendors. Located smack in the middle of the Maui farm belt, the Upcountry Farmers Market is one of the most complete on the island.

In addition to fruits and veggies, there are purveyors of fresh eggs, just-picked macadamia nuts, locally grown coffee, pole-caught Hawaiian fish (ahi, mahi mahi or ono depending on what’s biting) and, often, vendors selling prepared Thai and Indian food. Coshever doesn’t look at his market as a place just to buy lettuce; he sees it as a tool for building community.

And when so many people come together to nourish one another, it certainly is.

If you want your produce grown on Maui, look for the Grown On Maui seal. The Maui County Farm Bureau (MCFB) campaign helps consumers identify local fruits, vegetables and flowers.

It also supports farmers and helps them stay in business, an act that MCFB says will help preserve open space, strengthen the local economy, build community, and diminish our dependence on imports. All that from just buying local bananas.

The Maui Swap Meet happens every Saturday from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. at UH-Maui College (lot nearest to Kahului Beach Road). For more information and directions visit www.mauiexposition.com.

Ono Organic Farms Farmer’s Market in Hana town happens Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. across from Hasegawa General Store. For more information visit www.onofarms.com .

Upcountry Farmers Market happens every Saturday from 7a.m. – 12 p.m. at Kulamalu Town Center in Pukalani.

For more information and directions visit www.upcountryfarmersmarket.com.

Below are more farmers markets worth exploring. Market times and locations are subject to change, so visit this link   for an up-to-date list.

Farmers’ Market of Maui, Honokowai
3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Maui Open Market, Waikapu

Maui Tropical Plantation: 1670 Honoapiilani Hwy
Sundays and Mondays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Farmer’s Market of Maui, Kihei
61 South Kihei Road
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Maui’s Fresh Produce Farmer’s Market, Kahului
Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center: 275 W. Kaahumanu Ave.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Green Dragon Market, Kahului
Kahului Town Shopping Center: 65 W. Kaahumanu Ave.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Molokai Saturday Market
Ala Malama Street at the Thomas Trade Building
Saturdays, 7 a.m. – Noon

Lana‘i Farmers’ Market
Lana‘i Market Place at Dole Park
Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — Pound Ridge Golf Club – the nationally-ranked, Pete Dye-designed destination course 40 miles north of New York City – will introduce a new nine-hole rate, effective April 1, available on weekday mornings (before 8:30 a.m.) and afternoons (after 4:30 p.m.) as well as weekends and holiday afternoons (after 4:30 p.m.).

Golfers wishing to experience the challenge of New York’s only Dye-designed layout will now be able to play nine holes any day of the week. Responding to the modern golfer’s call for flexible playability, the nine-hole play includes full use of the driving range, short game area, a pull-cart or cart, bottled water, player’s towel, and souvenir yardage book at an attractive rate. Prices range from $50 to $117.50, depending on the type of reservation (regular or advanced) and time of year (regular or offseason).

During the front nine, golfers will test their abilities on a scenic layout, weaving through streams, wooded hills, and dramatic cliffs. The dramatic par-5 9th rises over 50 feet from tee to green, offering a magnificent finishing hole to those only playing nine holes.

“The nine-hole play is ideal for professionals and avid golfers who want to enjoy the luxury and precision of Pete Dye’s design,” says Todd Leavenworth, General Manager of Pound Ridge Golf Club.

“It is another example of Pound Ridge Golf Club’s response to the desires of today’s modern executives and golf enthusiasts to experience the course at a tremendous rate.”

Effective May 1, Pound Ridge Golf Club will also continue its advance reservation rates, introduced last summer to a resounding reception by local and out-of-town golfers. Rounds booked at least five days in advance range from $105 to $160 during the week, and weekend advance reservation rates range from $105 to $195.

For rate details, hotel packages, and more information, visit www.poundridgegolf.com  or call the pro shop at 914-764-5771. Forecaddies are available by request by calling the pro shop at least 24 hours prior to a booked tee time.

About Pound Ridge Golf Club

Opened in 2008, Pound Ridge Golf Club is the only course in New York designed by the legendary Pete Dye. Located in Westchester County, it is less than an hour north of New York City and less than 15 minutes from Stamford and Greenwich, Connecticut. Pound Ridge Golf Club is the premier high-end, public course in the metropolitan New York area, considered a “must play” on any golfer’s bucket list.

Crafted by Dye, his son Perry and long-time Dye construction manager/lead shaper Michael Langkau, Pound Ridge Golf Club is a full bentgrass facility, hewn from 172 acres of magnificent cliffs, streams and wooded hills.

Dramatic rock formations and boulders were left onsite, creating one of the most visually stunning settings for golf in the U.S. More than 14,000-linear-feet of rock wall surrounds trees, wetlands and water hazards.

These frame contoured fairways which wind through hardwood forests and fescue mounds leading to open meadows with picturesque green complexes.
Pound Ridge Golf Club plays to a par-72 and houses five sets of tees and measures 7,171 yards. It boasts a practice range, short game area and putting green.

The property features some of the highest points in Westchester County, with a number of tee boxes offering expansive vistas of the surrounding countryside. Notable holes include the par-5, 13th – home to “Pete’s Rock,” a giant boulder that rests in the middle of the fairway – and the par-3 15th – dubbed “Headstone” – which is flanked on the right by a large rock outcropping that protrudes into the elongated, 9,000-square-foot green.

Recent accolades for Pound Ridge Golf Club Include:

• “No. 1 New York City Area Golf Course, 2010″ – AskMen.com

• “America’s Best New Courses, 2009″ – Golf Digest

• “New Golf Development of the Year, 2009″ – ABTA Golf

• “Top Ten You Can Play, No. 2, 2008″ – GOLF Magazine

• “Best New Courses, 2008″ – LINKS Magazine

• “America’s Best New Courses, 2008″ – Golfweek

Island-Wide Romantic Getaways for Spring
Widely recognized as one of the most romantic destinations worldwide, Saint Lucia offers travelers a variety of enchanting getaways.

With its charming culture, inviting beaches, intimate properties and heart-pumping activities, Saint Lucia is the ideal backdrop for couples looking to escape the winter blues and embark on a spring fling.

In February 2011, Saint Lucia received notable honeymoon accolades from both BRIDES magazine and The Knot. BRIDES magazine conducted a survey in conjunction with Signature Travel Network, a group of more than 6,000 top travel agents in North America, naming Saint Lucia in the world’s top 20 honeymoon destinations.

In addition, TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, the top two wedding planning websites, recently conducted a survey of more than 12,000 U.S. couples which placed Saint Lucia as one of the most popular honeymoon locations for Americans in 2010.

“Such awards, including the 2010 World Travel Awards ‘World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’ for the eighth time since 2002, clearly showcase Saint Lucia’s continued commitment to offering new packages and activities that will delight and inspire couples to feel the romance on their next getaway,” said Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board.

Please visit www.saintlucianow.com  for more information on the 20 participating properties and special offers. A sample of romantic experiences include:

• Couples looking for Total Romance can enjoy their seventh night free at Anse Chastanet, plus guided tours, drinks, scuba diving and snorkeling, yacht cruise and much more with rates starting at US$7,128 through April 15, different rates apply through 2011.

• Guarantee a romantic getaway with a fairy-tale proposal at Cap Maison, including helicopter airport transfer, daily beverage credit, plus proposal night preparations including ring delivery via the infamous Champagne Zip Line at private sunset dinner. Rates starting at US$3,400 depending on season.

• Sandals Resorts three properties in Saint Lucia provide guests a chance to renew their vows with the “Greatest Love Story” including the assistance of a wedding coordinator. Rack rates start at $500 per person per night through 2011.

• At the intimate Stonefield Villa Estate Resort & Spa, travelers can indulge in a truly dreamy escape with private in room dining, sunset cruise, resort credit and massages. Rates start at US$2445.25 and are available through May 30, 2011.

In addition, see below for complete list of offers from other properties including Bay Gardens Resorts, Calabash Cove, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, Cotton Bay Village, soon-to-be-opened Hotel Chocolat, Jade Mountain, Jalousie Plantation, Ladera, Mago Estate Hotel, Tropical Breeze, Village Inn & Spa and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort.

Anse Chastanet

2011 Lovers’ Early Bird Free Night with Total Romance

One night free for a seven night visit or longer
All tax and service charges
Round trip airport/hotel transfers
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner
All drinks including house wine (but not bottled wines and champagne)
Welcome cocktail
Bottle of French champagne
Drinks package in room fridge
Tour of Volcano, Sulphur Springs and Diamond Mineral Baths
Guided tour of old French Colonial Plantation of Anse Mamin
Drinks package in room fridge
Basket of local fruit
A guided boat snorkel trip
A resort scuba diving course for beginners or two dives for certified divers
One hour Swedish Massage for two
Half day Jungle Biking in Anse Mamin Valley
Two resort t-shirts
Half day sailing on skippered resort yacht Serenity
An anniversary certificate of US$500 to be used on a return visit
*Unused features are not refundable
Travel through December 19, 2011

Rates, per couple, in Superior, Beachside Deluxe, Hillside Deluxe and Premium accommodation respectively are:

US$7128/8190/8544/9390 through April 15, 2011
US$6276/7266/7620/8472 from April 16 – May 31, 2011
US$5886/6630/6984/7836 from June 1- October 31, 2011
US$6276/7266/7620/8472 from November 1 – December 19, 2011

Visit www.ansechastanet.com  for more information

Bay Gardens Resorts

Spring Fling

• Bay Gardens Hotel – 30% off all room categories

• Bay Gardens Inn – 25% off all room categories

• Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa – 10% off all room categories

• Travel through April 30, 2011

Visit www.baygardensresorts.com  for more information

Calabash Cove

Seven Nights In Waters Edge Cottages with Private Pool

• Champagne reception upon arrival

• Couple’s massage for two at the resort’s Ti Spa

• Romantic private sunset dinner for two, specially prepared by the resort’s chef, served on the private patio of guest cottage, Gazebo or the boardwalk overlooking the ocean

Round trip airport/hotel transfers
• Travel through December 23, 2011

Rates:

Through April 10: EP – Room with breakfast – US$5,500 plus US$990 tax and service charge TOTAL $6,490. All-inclusive of all taxes, meals, beverages, room service and an in room bar TOTAL US$ 8,059.40.

April 11 – December 23: EP – Room with breakfast – US$4,100 plus US$738 tax and service charge TOTAL $4,838. All-inclusive of all taxes, meals, beverages, room service and an in room bar TOTAL US$ 6,195.00.

Visit www.calabashcove.com  for more information

Cap Maison

The Proposal Package

Four nights in the signature Oceanview Villa Suite with private pool

Scenic helicopter transfer upon arrival, offering a quick arrival at Cap Maison and aerial views of the island and Piton mountains
Complimentary bottle of Champagne in room upon arrival
Fresh single stemmed rose

Daily Breakfast and dinner daily at the acclaimed Cliff at Cap, under the direction of Executive Chef Craig Jones

One-hour couples massage at the resort’s Spa Maison or en suite in the room
Romantic sunset cruise on board Cap Maison’s private 46-foot luxury yacht
US$75 beverage credit per night for use at the resort’s restaurant or bars
Private dinner on Rock Maison during sunset on the proposal evening, complete with roses and ring delivered via the Champagne Zip Line
Return ground transfer to airport upon departure

Rates: starting at US$3,400 depending on season
Travel through December 19, 2011

Visit www.capmaison.com  for more information

Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

Rendezvous

Seven night all-inclusive accommodations
US$250 weekly resort credit – applies to spa, gift shop, tour desk, and paint ball purchases
Champagne check-in
Bubbles in Bed (Champagne turn down service)
Couples only beachfront dinner
Intro to Kite Surfing
Rates: starting at US$1,356 for Deluxe Oceanview
Travel from February 1 – April 25, 2011
Book by April 25, 2011
One-on-One

Rendezvous package inclusions (see above), plus:
Private couples beach picnic
Private chauffeured Island Tour
30min photo shoot with a keepsake photo
Rates: starting at US$1,506 for Deluxe Oceanview
Travel from February 1 – April 25, 2011
Book by April 25, 2011
Fantasy

One-on-One package inclusions (see above), plus:
Private Catamaran Piton snorkeling cruise with lunch onboard
Rates: starting at US$1,806 for Deluxe Oceanview
Travel from February 1 – April 25, 2011
Book by April 25, 2011

Visit www.CBayResort.com  for more information

Cotton Bay Village

Romance with a C! Champagne & Chocolate @ Cotton Bay

Privacy and romance in luxury retreat with private pool in Terracotta Villas with four poster beds, spacious en-suite bathroom and roomy living space
Enjoy a day out by private boat and sail towards the Pitons
Explore Saint Lucia’s legendary sites, the Sulphur Springs and Diamond Waterfalls

Enjoy a Caribbean gourmet lunch at Dasheene restaurant
Sail back into the sunset and enjoy a night of private dining with personal Chef in the comfort of private villa
Indulge in chocolate and champagne and escape with Couples massage at Heaven Spa

Travel through March 31, 2011
Book by February 28, 2011
Visit www.cottonbayvillage.com for more information

Hotel Chocolat

Romance & Rest

Accommodation in Piton View Cocoa Cottage
Full breakfast, two-course lunch daily and full romantic dinner menu nightly
US$50 daily beverage credit
Round trip Hewannora airport/hotel transfer
The Full Cacao couples’ body massage
Bottle of chilled Prosecco on arrival
Fully stocked private room bar
Access to Club Boucan, private pool clubhouse, reserved sun lounger
Complimentary beach drop off and collection daily
Rates:
February 28 – May 31 for 3 nights US$2,200; 6 nights US$4,100; 13 nights US$7,200
June 1 – December 19 for 3 nights US$2,500; 6 nights US$4,650; 13 nights US$9,300
December 20 – January 2, 2012 for 3 nights US$2,600; 6 nights US$4,950; 13 nights US$9,900

Visit www.thehotelchocolat.com  for more information

Continue reading FEEL THE ROMANCE IN SAINT LUCIA in Spring…

WHAT: Esotouric, L.A.’s most eclectic tour company, looks across the L.A. River with the EAST SIDE BABYLON / BLOOD & DUMPLINGS crime bus tour weekend

WHEN: East Side Babylon tour Saturday, March 12, 12pm-4pm; Blood & Dumplings tour Sunday, March 13, 12pm-4pm

WHERE: East Side Babylon tour departs from Cafe Metropol, 923 E. 3rd. Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013; Blood & Dumplings tour departs from Philippe The Original, 1001 Alameda, Los Angeles, CA 90012

COST: East Side Babylon tickets $58/person; Blood & Dumplings tickets $62/person. Weekend pass for both tours $95/person

INFO: http://www.esotouric.com , 323-223-2767

LOS ANGELES- Ask most people to name a true crime location in Los Angeles and you’ll hear about Nicole Brown’s Brentwood condo, the Manson Murders scene in the Hollywood Hills, the Black Dahlia’s disappearance from the Biltmore Hotel or Bugsy Siegel’s Beverly Hills death house.

But when the crack researchers of Esotouric, L.A.’s most eclectic bus tour company, go crime hunting, they throw out the map to the stars homes and cast their eye to less glamorous L.A. neighborhoods that prove to be packed with bizarre crime histories.

True crime buffs have already heard the famous stories a dozen times before on cable TV, but the forgotten crimes Esotouric digs up are fresh, fascinating and truly chilling. And in mid-March, Esotouric offers a weekend double feature packed with the weirdest crimes ever committed on the East Side of town.

On Saturday, March 12, a select crew of urban explorers will climb aboard for EAST SIDE BABYLON, the latest addition to Esotouric’s popular crime bus tour series. Passengers on this unusual bus adventure will discover fascinating, little-known historic neighborhoods and the grim memories they hold. With crimes spanning the 20th Century, some hideously gruesome, others weird and frankly unbelievable, the tour provides a new way of discovering the city, via crime scenes and oddities that make ordinary houses and intersections seem to vibrate with a mysterious energy. Come visit Boyle Heights, where Night Stalker Richard Ramirez was captured and a mad dad ran amok. Roam the hallowed lawns of Evergreen, L.A.’s oldest cemetery and home of some memorable haunts and strange burials.

Visit East Los Angeles, where a deranged radio shop employee made mince meat of his boss and bride–and you can get your hair done in a building shaped like a giant tamale.

Explore the ghastly streets of Commerce, where one small neighborhood’s myriad crimes will shock and surprise.

Visit Montebello, for scrumptious milk, eggnog and cookies at Broguiere’s Farm Fresh Dairy washed down with a horrifying case of child murder.

All this, and so much more on EAST SIDE BABYLON, Esotouric’s exploration of L.A.’s most horrifying forgotten crimes.

And on Sunday, March 13, it’s a most demented crime bus tour, BLOOD AND DUMPLINGS. Starting from the premise that the secret heart of Southern California’s weirdo pop culture beats strongest in the Eastern San Gabriel Valley, the tour introduces passengers to such fascinating local characters as the costumed Man from Mars Bandit, eccentric record producer and ladykiller Phil Spector, lion farmers Charles and Muriel Gay, and DIY filmmaking icon Timothy Carey, whose notorious “The World’s Greatest Sinner” was shot on location in 1960s El Monte.

Heading due East out of downtown, the tour explores several historic communities that reflect the growth and eccentricity that are hallmarks of 20th century Los Angeles.

Crime Bus passengers will discover notorious, strange, fascinating and forgotten tales from the past hundred years, each told at the scene of the crime.

They’ll thrill to the freakish case of the Man from Mars Bandit who stalked area supermarkets for months in 1951 before meeting his match in a police sharpshooter, shock to discover the deadly infighting among El Monte’s hippie-era American Nazi Party members, mourn the Case of the Buried Bride dragged beneath her home on her wedding day by her secret lover, gnash teeth at the famous lion farm (home to every MGM lion) that served lion meat BBQ on special occasions, and view scenes of notorious cases including Phil Spector’s spooky hilltop castle and James Ellroy’s slain mother Geneva (the true-life inspiration for his Black Dahlia novel).

And since no visit to the San Gabriel Valley is complete without a delicious Chinese meal, the Crime Bus will stop at 101 Noodle Express (one of L.A. Weekly critic Jonathan Gold’s picks for 99 L.A. restaurants not to be missed) to pick up a dumpling feast, which will be enjoyed picnic-style at Monster Park, a remarkable folk art playground environment recently saved from demolition and named a State monument.

All this, plus wild shootouts, dope-dealing druggists, missing Salvador Dali paintings and the original “little girl down a well” 1940s television sensation.

Don’t miss the Crime Bus tour that guide Kim Cooper calls “My personal favorite of all our tours, packed with more offbeat history, horror, roadside architecture and fabulous Route 66 vistas than any other.”

Upcoming Esotouric bus tour and special event schedule
Sat Feb 19 – Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: Route 66 (weekend package available)

Sat Feb 26 – Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: The Lowdown on Downtown-The Secret History of Los Angeles

Sun Jan 27 – LAVA’s Sunday Salon at Clifton’s Cafeteria (free, info at www.lavatransforms.org)

Sun Jan 27 – Charles Bukowski’s Downtown L.A. walking tour (free, info at www.lavatransforms.org)

Sat March 5 – Hotel Horrors & Main Street Vice crime bus tour

Sat March 12 – Eastside Babylon crime bus tour (weekend package available)

Sun March 13 – Blood & Dumplings crime bus tour (weekend package available)

Sat March 19 – Pasadena Confidential crime bus tour

Sat April 9 – John Fante’s Dreams from Bunker Hill (weekend package available)

Sun April 10 – Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski’s L.A (weekend package available)

Sat April 16 – The Real Black Dahlia crime bus tour

Sun April 17 – Trace: inside the world of Lynne Herold, Criminalist (info at www.lavatransforms.org)

Sat April 23 – In A Lonely Place: Raymond Chandler’s L.A.

Sat April 30 – Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: Route 66 (weekend package available)

Sun May 1 – Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: South L.A. (weekend package available)

Sat May 14 – Weird West Adams crime bus tour

Sat May 28 – Crawling Down Cahuenga: Tom Waits’ L.A.

Esotouric’s Richard Schave, Kim Cooper and Joan Renner are proud members of LAVA – The Los Angeles Visionaries Association. http://www.lavatransforms.org

For more info on Esotouric, visit http://www.esotouric.com

For East Side Babylon info, visit http://www.esotouric.com/eastsidebabylon

Tour hosts Richard Schave and Kim Cooper are available for interviews, and journalists on assignment can often be accommodated on the Esotouric bus. Contact Kim at amscrayATgmailDOTcom , 323-223-2767.

The car is no place to be spending a family Easter holiday, so swap I-spy and service stations for rolling countryside and outback adventure at Spicers Hidden Vale.

Set on a 12,000 acre working cattle station just one hour from Brisbane, Spicers Hidden Vale has 2, 3, 4 and 5 night Easter packages available from $369 per family, per night.*

The package includes bed and breakfast for two adults and two children, a bottle of wine for Mum and Dad and free dinner for the kids on the first night (kids menu).

There’s also one pony lead or horse ride per child (age dependent), free use of all mountain bikes, or bring your own, and an Easter egg hunt on Sunday.

Spicers Hidden Vale offers elegant cottage accommodation, delicious modern cuisine and a long list of fun activities including horse-riding, archery, clay pigeon shooting and mountain bike riding. Guests can also take advantage of Hidden Vale’s walking tracks, two swimming pools, a tennis court and games room in its barn.

*Minimum two night stay, $59 per extra child per night, maximum 4 in total. Further savings apply to bookings of three or more nights. Package available from 15th April to 28th April 2011.

Spicers Hidden Vale is located at 617 Grandchester Mount Mort Rd, Grandchester, South East Queensland Country, QLD, 4340.

For bookings contact 1300 410 048 or hiddenvale@spicersgroup.com.au

Now that the Brisbane River is open for limited use to commercial vessels, Brisbane’s river cruises are getting back to business.

Mirimar Cruises, Kookaburra River Queens, River City Cruises and Brisbane Star Cruises have all reopened after a month of being closed following the floods.

All of Brisbane’s river cruises are using temporary pick up and drop off locations at either North Quay, Brett’s Wharf or Manly.

The message is clear- the best way to support the tourism industry in Brisbane is to support these businesses.

Mirimar Cruises
Operating daily from temporary location at North Quay
Rob Treasure
Ph: 0412 749 426 or 0419 726 688

River City Cruises
Operating daily – departing North Quay 10.30am and 12.30pm
Carolyn Timms
m: 0428 278 473
e: info@rivercitycruises.com.au

Kookaburra River Queens
Both paddleboats departing from Brett’s Wharf for day and evening cruises.
Jim Kelly
m: 0407 500 843
e: jim@brisbanecruises.com.au

Brisbane Cruises
Departing from Manly for the next week – 10 days and then returning to Brett’s Wharf
Jim Kelly
m: 0407 500 843
e: jim@brisbanecruises.com.au

Brisbane Star Cruises
Contact:
Darren Wensor
m: 0433 418 569
e: bstar@bigpond.net.au