Jetsettersblog

Adventure travel company expands collection of world-renowned marine adventures and sets sail in the Gulf of Thailand.

Gap Adventures, the world’s largest independent adventure travel company, introduces new sailing tours in the Gulf of Thailand, exploring the famous islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Koh Ang Thong National Park – just in time for Songkran, the Land of Smiles’ new year.

“We’re excited to launch the new sailing program in Thailand’s southeast coast, from June to September,” says Julie FitzGerald, Gap Adventures’ Asia destination manager. “Responding to consumer demand for year-round sailing in the region, the new island-hopping trips complement our hugely popular cruising in the Andaman Sea. Both products are exclusive and offered by very few operators.”

The marine program provides a unique and alternative way to experience Thailand’s most pristine beaches and remote islands that land-based trips struggle to access. Travellers have plenty of opportunities to snorkel and swim in calm turquoise water, soak up the sun, and savour traditional Thai meals prepared by an onboard chef. A visit to Koh Ang Thong National Park also allows explorers to discover the area’s incredible rock formations.

Aboard the 37 ft catamaran, the experienced captain takes care of the work, but avid sailors are welcome to help and learn the ropes of sailing, too. With only eight people per trip, the experience promises to be intimate, echoing Gap Adventures’ recognized small group travel.

“Our catamaran sailing tours are a convenient and affordable way to uncover the beauty and excitement of the Gulf of Thailand’s scenic islands,” adds FitzGerald. “Ideal for anyone seeking a relaxing and comfortable vacation, the trips reveal Thailand’s magical wildlife, nightlife and culinary delights.”

Perfect on their own or as add-ons to other Thailand adventures, the sailing tours, starting at only $789 CAD, include:
- Thai Sailing Adventure – Koh Samui to Koh Tao
- Thai Sailing Adventure – Koh Samui to Kho Samui
- Thai Sailing Adventure – Koh Tao to Koh Samui
- Northern Thailand & Koh Samui Sailing Adventure

For more information on the sailing program visit: www.gapadventures.com/marine/thailand-sailing-adventures

AT LUXURY COLLECTION’S ITC MUGHAL HOTEL IN AGRA

Opulence Meets Soulful Experiences In An Oasis Of Tranquility

The largest in Asia at over 99,000 square feet, The Royal Spa Kaya Kalp is located in Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal, at the Luxury Collection’s ITC Mughal Hotel and offers a spa experience like no other with a combination of traditional and ancient therapies that capture the spirit and legacy of the Mughal Dynasty.

Inspired by Babar, the first Mughal Emperor, who introduced his ‘Gardens of Paradise’ concept to India, with flowing water and fountains, fragrant flowers and fruit bearing trees, The Royal Spa Kaya Kalp soothes the body and spirit with a synthesis of all these aspects. Outdoors, traditional Mughal-influenced landscaping and architecture features running water, rain water showers and courts full of greenery while the interiors are embellished with stone latticework, mother of pearl inlay and mirror work.

It is widely believed that Babar was responsible for bringing a wide variety of fruit including the pomegranate to India and in his honor the royal red fruit is the liet motif of this very regal spa. Celebrated throughout the spa, it is depicted in both subtle and dramatic patterns, such as the crimson trellis along the walls and ceiling and in the white terrazzo flooring inlaid with ruby red stones, making the spa’s interiors as stunning as its verdant grounds.

The versatile fruit’s healing and medicinal properties are utilized in the spa’s menu, such as its signature 120-minute Exotic Pomegranate Journey, which includes a body scrub with the spa’s own blend of antioxidant pomegranate, lime and organic brown sugar. This is followed by the ‘Pomegranate Infusion Bath’ where guests look at their own private garden while sipping a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate elixir. Possibly the ultimate in relaxation therapies, the session ends with an essential oils body massage using ancient techniques to stimulate pressure points.

In addition to eight exquisitely designed treatment suites, the spa features ‘The Royal Mughal Hamam’, the first luxury hamam in India that recreates the mood of the storied royal hamams. The Kaya Kalp in the name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning rejuvenation of mind, body and soul and the spa menu offers a variety of traditional Ayurvedic rituals, western-style therapies, and some treatments that blend the two.

Therapists use the healing qualities of some of the world’s most precious stones and metals in exotic treatments such as the ‘Illuminating Pearl and Gem Stone Facial’ and the ‘Chakra Balancing Gem Stone Massage’. Other treatments include the popular ‘Thai Massage’, the ‘Monticelli Mud Wrap’ and the ‘Mung Bean Soap Massage’. There is also a special suite for ‘Ayurvedic ‘ therapies, which include guidance in yoga, Shirodhara, Abhyanga and the renowned hot Herbal Poultice Massage. Special poolside treatments are offered in secluded areas for relaxation at the spectacular open-air 25-meter lap pool, set within a lush garden. The Hair and Nail Spa, is a world of pampered luxury, equipped with the latest state of the art treatments, while the Water Therapy Room offers the essentials of steam, whirlpool and sauna. A full spa menu is available here.

The ITC Mughal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is situated near the city center of Agra on 35 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens – close to India’s most famous attraction, the Taj Mahal. The award winning property offers 285 guestrooms, outstanding conference facilities and a spectacular Taj Mahal viewing observatory. For reservations and more information, please visit their website.

Bolongo Bay, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, is celebrating the launch of its new website with a “Virtual Booze Hunt” featuring a chance to win one of two free vacations for visitors to the new site who find hidden bottles marked with letters that spell out a secret message. Users who correctly spell out the message have a chance to win a five-night, all-inclusive vacation. The second-prize winner receives a free five-night stay.

Bolongo Bay will give away a clue each week to its Facebook fans. Each vacation winner also receives a welcome bottle of the real Cruzan rum and two trips aboard the resort’s 53-foot catamaran, a “Swim with Turtles” half-day snorkel trip and a “Sunset Harbor Cocktail” cruise. For more information, call 800-524-4746 or visit www.bolongobay.com/boozehunt

Oneworld Alliance members American Airlines and British Airways are launching their first major joint promotion in the U.S. for frequent flyer members of both airlines. Four winners will receive one million miles each. To qualify, American Airlines AAdvantage members or British Airways Executive Club members must register prior to travel and book a qualifying roundtrip trans-Atlantic flight originating in the U.S. on any purchased, published fare on American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia on or before June 17, 2011. Travel must be completed on or before June 30, 2011.

Once travel is completed, customers will receive a contest entry email where they will have the opportunity to submit an essay answering the question, “If you were cured of the Wanderlust with 1 Million Miles, where would you go and what would you do there?” Entrants can then encourage friends and family to vote for their essay online. A judging panel will determine the four “millionaires” from the 60 entries with the most votes.

In addition, members of both programs will earn 20,000 bonus miles for booking and traveling on a qualifying full fare roundtrip Economy Class ticket or higher on American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia during the promotional period. Participants must be a member of either the American Airlines AAdvantage Program or the British Airways Executive Club Program to participate. Customers may enroll at www.aa.com/aadvantage or www.ba.com/executiveclub. To enter, visit www.aa.com/wanderlust  or www.ba.com/wanderlust

St. Lucia’s Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa is offering new group specials for summer travel. The resort’s “More the Merrier” package offer guests who book three rooms a fourth room at no cost.

The resort’s “Girlfriends’ Getaway” rates start at $86 per person, based on quad occupancy in a Garden-view room in the resort’s Harmony wing. The offers represent a savings of up to 50 percent and apply to travel from April 24 to Sept. 30, 2011; guests must book by April 30. Also, guests who book seven nights or more receive a $250 resort credit. For more information, call 877-352-8898 or visit www.CBayResort.com

New destinations, plus special offers ranging from free weeks in France
to bonus cultural lessons in Spain, await aspiring linguists

In the same way that authors such as Colin Thurbron, Peter Mayle and Elizabeth Gilbert have won legions of fans by capturing the true spirit of culturally authentic travel experiences, the most passionate travelers long to immerse themselves fully in their chosen destinations. This is the core of Cactus Language Training’s philosophy. One of the world’s leading language training companies, Cactus teaches more than 30 languages in 60 countries at 500 destinations worldwide, each year adding new destinations, immersive cultural opportunities and enticing incentives that enhance the process of learning a new language through culturally enriching vacation experiences. With an emphasis on affordability and authenticity, Cactus’s new vacation programs in 2011 include learning Spanish and Latin Dance in Leticia, Colombia at a school on the banks of the Amazon; studying German in the low-key, less touristy Bavarian town of Lindau overlooking the Swiss Alps; and mastering Russian in culturally diverse Kiev, Ukraine near Belarus.

The new Colombia location is one of 70 destinations in which Cactus offers Spanish language instruction; others include Argentina, Costa Rica, and two in Spain. Likewise, those who seek to speak French fluently can choose among 26 destinations, including coastal Biarritz, Bordeaux, and Monaco in France; or Montreal, Canada. If ease with Italian is the goal, Cactus offers 22 locations across Italy. Thai, Turkish and Brazilian Portuguese (the current passion of Cactus founder Rich Ambler) are among the 30 languages offered by Cactus.

Incentives and Special Offers – all prices for all Cactus programs are guaranteed in US dollars.

A variety of appealing incentives are available for aspiring linguists, including:
• A free week with the purchase of a two-week French language program in Nice (for programs through May 30), starting at $682 for a 3-week course;

• Five free cultural lessons with the purchase of a Spanish language program in Madrid (plus a discounted rate for programs over 12 weeks in length), starting at $284 for a course-only.

• A free excursion to the glass-blowing island of Murano with the purchase of an Italian language program in Venice, starting at $312 for a course-only. Available throughout the year.

Cactus believes that “one size does not fit all” and tailors its broad range of programs to fit the individual needs of the learner. Adding a further dimension to its in situ programs, Cactus incorporates cultural experiences, ranging from wine tasting and cooking to dance and diving, to strengthen and reinforce the day’s language lessons. Cactus also offers courses for children, teenagers, families and mature travelers, as well as executives.

About Cactus Language Training and Language Vacations

Cactus is one of the world’s leading language training companies. Founded in 1998, with headquarters in New York and the UK, Cactus’s expert team delivers quality language training to individuals and businesses. Cactus helps over 15,000 people every year learn more than 30 languages, in 60 countries and at 500 destinations worldwide.

Programs include language vacations for both adults and children, comprised of classes mixed with tours and activities (such as dance, yoga, wine tasting, cooking, music, art, diving, surfing and photography); cultural awareness training; and full-immersion language holidays. For those unable to travel, evening and part-time group language courses are also offered. www.cactuslanguagetraining.com/us  1-888-577-8451 Twitter: @cactuslanguage Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cactuslanguagetraining

US Airways said it is adding first class service to 110 US Airways Express regional jets, expanding the number of domestic flights with first class and the availability of upgrades for the airline’s Dividend Miles Preferred frequent flyer members. The company also announced several enhancements to its domestic first class and Envoy international business class experience.

US Airways will install first class on the Embraer 170 and 175 and Canadair Regional Jet 700 and 900 with the initial introduction scheduled for the Embraer E175 fleet beginning this October. The three remaining regional jet fleets will be completed by the end of January 2012. The seats will offer generous legroom and personal space in a 1-2 configuration throughout the dedicated first class cabin. Once completed, US Airways will offer the highest percentage of daily departures with a first class cabin among the four major network carriers. For more information, visit www.usairways.com/envoy

San Diego is the ideal summer travel destination, offering a nearly perfect climate, 70 miles of sparkling beaches, popular annual events and new attractions at its world-famous family theme parks. Summertime also brings entertaining street festivals, community celebrations and a dazzling array of visual and performing arts to the San Diego region.

Whether planning a weekend getaway or a long leisurely stay, visitors to San Diego have plenty of fun-filled summer activities to choose.

MAJOR EVENTS

San Diego celebrates Independence Day with a variety of Fourth of July celebrations throughout the county. Coronado’s popular Independence Day Celebration features a two-hour parade followed by a family concert in Spreckels Park and spectacular fireworks over Glorietta Bay. The Port of San Diego celebrates with its Big Bay Boom fireworks extravaganza over San Diego Bay, the largest fireworks display in the county. www.sandiego.org
The “turf meets the surf” at the Del Mar Racetrack where fans flock each summer to wager on their favorite horses during the popular, annual Del Mar Thoroughbred Club racing season, July 20 – September 7. The races run five days weekly, except Monday and Tuesday; every Friday, guests can catch 4 O’Clock Fridays, a free headliner concert following the day’s last race. On August 28, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic treats guests to a prestigious event with a race between the nation’s top thoroughbreds for a $1 million purse. www.dmtc.com
Visitors can be Super Man or Wonder Woman for a day at Comic-Con International, July 21 – 24, at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con has become a signature summertime event for San Diego; it is the largest comics and pop culture event in the United States, attracting thousands of artists, celebrities and fans of comic books, movie memorabilia and all things related to pop culture. www.comic-con.org
Guests can wiggle their toes in the sand and view hundreds of sand sculptors at work during the Annual U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, July 22 – 24, at Imperial Beach Pier. A parade, fireworks show, kid’s sandcastle competition and street festival provide extra entertainment and family fun. www.usopensandcastle.com
FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

During June 3 – 5, San Diego’s biggest civilian air show, the 16th Annual Wings Over Gillespie Air Show, includes re-enactments of WWII and Vietnam War aerial battles with pyrotechnic and aircraft displays, along with live entertainment, a Kidz Zone, food and more. The air show takes place at Gillespie Field in El Cajon. www.wingsovergillespie.org
The San Diego County Fair takes place June 10 – July 4 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego’s North County. This year’s theme, “Race to the Fair,” celebrates the history of cars with displays of amazing automobiles, from historic to modern-day models. The Fair is the largest annual event in the County and features top performing artists and popular attractions like the International Beer Festival, livestock exhibits, home and hobby displays, woodworking and an award-winning flower show. www.sdfair.com
The 25th Annual La Jolla Festival of Arts and Food Fair, June 18 – 19, hosts 200 award-winning local and national artists displaying paintings, sculptures, fine jewelry, photography and more. Guests can also enjoy a variety of cuisines in the festival’s food area, listen to live entertainment and visit the children’s area featuring interactive booths, hands-on games and activities. www.lajollaartfestival.org
Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first mission in California, celebrates its establishment and the beginning of Christianity in the western United States during the Festival of the Bells, July 15 – 17. The event features food, entertainment, dancing and the blessing of the bells. All five Mission bells are rung during the weekend festivities, including an original bell dating back to 1802. www.missionsandiego.com
Residents and visitors alike show their pride at the 36th Annual San Diego LGBT Pride Parade and Festival, July 16 – 17, one of the most popular events of its kind in the country. Highlights include a mile-long parade through Hillcrest and two-day festival in Balboa Park. http://sandiegopride.org
FinnFest 2011 highlights contemporary Finland and celebrates the unique Finnish-American Heritage, August 10-14, at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in Mission Valley. Guests can enjoy Finnish folk and traditional music, art displays, theatre performances, authentic foods and more. www.finnfest2011.com
The 16th Annual San Diego Festival of Beer takes place September 9 in downtown San Diego. More than 75 breweries provide samples and tastings alongside live musical performances, vendors and food. www.sdbeerfest.org
Guests can explore the world of astronomy during the Julian Star Fest, August 25 – 28. The four-day festival, held at Menghini Winery in the East County mountain town of Julian, is the second biggest in California and offers exhibition areas, guest speakers, an astronomy equipment swap meet and more. www.julianstarfest.com
More than 60 galleries from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia showcase paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, videos, and cutting-edge multimedia artworks during ART SAN DIEGO 2011, September 1 – 5, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel in downtown San Diego. The contemporary art fair serves as a marketplace for the world’s leading contemporary art galleries; this year, special focus is given to the galleries of Argentina with a new exhibition, titled Panorama: Argentina. www.artsandiego-fair.com
AT THE ATTRACTIONS

During Memorial Day weekend, May 27 – 30, and from June 18 through August 28, guests can visit SeaWorld San Diego for Summer Nights at SeaWorld. The summer showcase features extended park hours, nightly firework shows, live music and special nighttime animal performances. This summer, guests also have an opportunity to see One Ocean, the new Shamu show highlighting how humans and animals share the world and its oceans, and the new park exhibit Sea Turtle Bay, featuring 60 sea turtles, a 300,000-gallon aquarium and Riptide Rescue, a new ride on spinning boats. www.seaworld.com/sandiego
Guests can be part of a Summer Safari – An African Experience at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park during July 21 through August 21. This festive summer celebration includes acrobats, artisans and Ethiopian circus performers who entertain guests through the Safari Park’s village throughout the day. During 4-7 p.m., guests also have the opportunity to make African music. www.sandiegozoo.org
During June 24 through September 5, the San Diego Zoo allows guests to roam the park until 9 p.m. for Nighttime Zoo and experience special summer offerings. Throughout the day, guests can watch Dr. Zoolittle’s Nature Tricks showcasing animals and their amazing tools and adaptations for survival in the wild, or take part in a tropical-themed dance party. As the sun sets, they can watch SOAR: A Symphony in Flight featuring the splendor of free flying birds, dazzling lights and colors and Ambush Acrobats who perform throughout the park. www.sandiegozoo.org/nighttimezoo
Guests can enjoy extended hours and tons of LEGO fun this summer at LEGOLAND California® in Carlsbad. The park features two new additions, STAR WARS Miniland, featuring six live-action LEGO displays of memorable scenes from the classic Star Wars movies, and the new Police and Fire Academy ride, where children and their families can race against one another in fire trucks and police vehicles while putting out fires and stopping robbers. At the 5.5-acre LEGOLAND Water Park, kids and families enjoy wet-and-wild climbing structures, a six-person raft slide, tube slides, body slides, a lazy river, an area where kids can customize their own soft LEGO® rafts and Splash Zoo, a brand new zoo-themed area just for toddlers. http://california.legoland.com
SPORTING GOOD TIME

The San Diego Padres’ season sizzles during the summer months. Baseball fans can watch the pros in action at the Padres’ downtown PETCO Ballpark featuring 46,000 seats, garden terraces, spacious concourses and state-of-the-art amenities for the fans. www.padres.com
On June 4, the 6th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition takes place at Imperial Beach. Guests can take in the action as fun loving canines ride the waves in three different heats: small dogs, large dogs and tandem. http://loewssurfdog.blogspot.com
San Diego’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on June 5 is one of the most entertaining marathons in the United States, featuring live music and regional bands playing everything from rock to rhythm and blues on 26 different stages, located along its scenic 26.2-mile route. www.rnrmarathon.com
The 58th Annual World Championship Over-the-Line Tournament takes place on Mission Bay’s Fiesta Island, July 9 – 10 and July 16 – 17. A San Diego original, this boisterous, fast-paced beach softball event is open to the public; games begin at 7:30 a.m. each day and end at dusk. www.ombac.org
In August (exact dates TBD), the Annual World Body Surfing Championships showcases international and U.S. body surfers competing to be “the world’s best;” the event takes place at the Oceanside Pier and Beach in San Diego’s North County. www.worldbodysurfing.org
MUSIC AND CONCERTS

The Tony Award ®-winning Old Globe theatre in Balboa Park presents its annual Summer Shakespeare Festival, May 29 – September 24. Guests can watch three productions, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest and Amadeus, performed in nightly rotation in the Globe’s outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. www.oldglobe.org
During the Annual Green Flash Concert Series, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla offers a unique summertime experience with live music and spectacular ocean sunsets. The concerts occur on select dates (still TBD) during May through September on the aquarium’s stunning outdoor tide-pool plaza and include food, drinks and a sophisticated mix of national performers. Concerts take place 6 – 9 p.m.; guests must be 21 years and older. http://aquarium.ucsd.edu
Balboa Park’s 31st annual Twilight in the Park offers a free concert series under the stars on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, June 15 – August 25. Twilight concerts feature a mix of musical performances, including military bands, Dixieland jazz, big band swing and Latin salsa. Concerts take place 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. on the stage of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
Guests can also visit the Spreckels Organ Pavilion for its free International Summer Organ Festival, occurring at 7:30 p.m. every Monday, June 20 – August 29. San Diego’s warm summer nights allow guests to enjoy the majestic sound of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ, while enjoying music played by world-renowned concert and theater organists. www.balboapark.org
The San Diego Symphony’s Bridgepoint Education Summer Pops features food, fireworks and fantastic orchestral performances under the stars at picturesque Embarcadero Marina Park South in downtown San Diego, June through August. This year’s performances include Wynonna Judd, The Music of James Bond, Broadway’s Tony Winners, The Music of the Rolling Stones, Super Diamond: A Tribute to Neil Diamond and more. www.sandiegosymphony.com
The popular 30th Annual Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay features top name entertainers performing on an outdoor stage adjacent to a picturesque marina at Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites on Shelter Island, June through October. This year’s performers include James Blunt, Chris Cornell, Yanni, Adele and more. www.humphreysconcerts.com
During August 3 – 26, the La Jolla Music Society SummerFest 2011 features over 70 world-class, classical artists and ensembles performing 13 diverse concerts. www.lajollamusicsociety.org
Guests can experience a rockin’ good time at North Park Music Thing’s Street Fest, September 9 – 10, which features a live art show, international food court, street vendors and a number of musicians performing live on three different stages. www.sandiegomusicfoundation.org/npmt
Happy happens in San Diego. For more information on San Diego 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.

Newly renovated, the hotel is once again a community resource

San Diego: April 8, 2011—On the evening of November 17, 1871, San Diego’s Old Towners crowded around the plaza to watch performers from New York City’s Mammoth Circus dazzle them with a menagerie of horseback riding stunts and animal acts. Some of the performers, including the owner, an animal trainer, a Creole bareback rider, and the company’s agents, stayed at Old Town’s Cosmopolitan Hotel.

Open from 1869 to 1888, the hotel’s other guests included stage passengers traveling to and from Los Angeles or visitors from the outlying areas with business and personal ties to Old Town. The number of daily guests ranged between three to six, although on special occasions such as a family reunion, the number more than doubled. Empty rooms were rented out to local boarders, usually single men without homes or families.

In 1869 Albert L. Seeley, a stage driver from Texas, bought the once-glorious and now dilapidated Casa de Bandini for $2,000 gold coin. With his wife Emily’s inheritance of $8,000 he renovated the deteriorating adobe and added a wood-framed second story and new balcony. By buying the Bandini house (1829–59) and adjoining lots Seeley had the opportunity to build the necessary facilities for his stage operation, between San Diego to Los Angeles, and to house his passengers.

The transformation of the one-story old adobe, once the pride of the pueblo, created the building into an imposing, two-story hotel. The Cosmopolitan Hotel or “The Seeley House” as it was locally called, opened Sept. 1869. Like many frontier institutions, it provided a multiplicity of services, including a post and telegraph office, a barbershop operated by a “gentleman of color,” and a town social center, along with providing hotel accommodations.

The bar and sitting rooms on the first floor were the public gathering places. Along with wine, champagne, and assorted liquors, the bar sold imported Havana cigars for 20 and 25 cents, fresh lager beer by the glass, bottle or gallon, all choice brands of liquor and the “Uncle Toby” brandy-rum punch, five for 25 cents.

There was a spacious sitting room for serving meals and as a gathering place for guests, their family members, and visitors. As the town social center, it was the scene of raffles, family reunions, dances, Christmas parties, evening balls and weddings.

After a $6.5 million dollar rehabilitation and restoration the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant—the oldest surviving building in San Diego— has been returned to its historic appearance as the 1869 Cosmopolitan Hotel, fulfilling a 50-year goal of historians and many San Diegans to restore the 19th-century landmark and recapture some of San Diego’s most important architectural legacy.

Now a vibrant addition to Old Town San Diego, The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant (The Cosmo) houses a full-service restaurant and bar and is the only hotel in San Diego’s Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. And brimming with luxurious vintage ambience, it is once again the town’s community center, a scene of family gatherings, dances, holiday parties, and weddings. The hotel’s balcony continues to be a place where guests gather to enjoy views of San Diego Bay, and watch an array of activities taking place on the state park’s central plaza. Within walking distance guests experience a new world of history, surrounded by museums, historic buildings and quaint shops.

Overnight guests at this charming B&B stay in 10 spectacular rooms on the second floor, (all now with their own bathroom!)—each room unique in its appointments with antique furniture matching that in the original manifests ordered by Seeley for the Cosmo in 1869. And, yes, there is WiFi.

Once again it is a popular restaurant and saloon, with antique and reproduction period furniture, chandeliers and period-art gracing the walls. But the cuisine is 21st-century, featuring American grill, seafood and favorite Mexican favorite dishes, served al fresco on the beautiful orchard patio, indoor in the sala, in the privacy of a guest room or out on the veranda.

At the saloon bar —the oldest in San Diego (1870)!—the bartender gladly mixes one of his favorite old drinks served there in the 1870s as well as a full selection of beers, wines and modern cocktails.

With the Cosmo’s central location, guests can easily experience modern-day San Diego as well. Close by, they will find SeaWorld, beautiful beaches, Mission Valley (shopping), Downtown San Diego (everything!), the harbor and embarcadero, Little Italy (restaurants), Balboa Park (museums) and more. With a short walk, guests can catch the train, the trolley and the bus for transportation around town and up the coast. Not that there’s any reason to leave Old Town, with its multitude of shops and fabulous restaurants, and the always-entertaining Cygnet Theatre. Abundant free parking is available throughout Old Town.

Additional background: The Cosmo is one of the most important 19th-century buildings in the state and one of the most important restorations ever done in San Diego because there was so much original fabric still there including trim, doors, door fenestrations, and windows. State historian Victor Walsh believes that the renovation of the Cosmopolitan is an unprecedented historic restoration; few other buildings in the state rival its scale (over 10,000 sq. ft.), blending 19th-century Mexican adobe and American wood-framing construction techniques.

Originally constructed as the home of San Diego pioneer and early settler Juan Bandini between 1827 and 1829, the building was later adapted and converted into a hotel, apartment building, olive factory, and restaurant. It is not only a rarity because of its long history, but it has also been associated with some of California’s most important people and events, and its distinctive architectural character helps tell the story of the birthplace of California.

FLORIDA KEYS — There’s always something happening in the Florida Keys & Key West, from festivals focusing on the area’s literary history and indigenous seafood to events that celebrate the Keys’ underwater paradise.

While this piece lists selected summer highlights for 2011, a comprehensive schedule of events throughout the Keys can be found at www.fla-keys.com/calendarofevents/.

June 9-12: Second Annual Key West Bacchanalia. Key West. At this food and wine event with a twist, join Keys celebrity chefs and Bravo TV’s Top Chefs as they face off in culinary competition for a great cause. The event benefits breast cancer research. Visit www.keywestbacchanalia.com  or call 305-766-3356.

June 18: The Original FKCC Swim Around Key West and Swim Meet. Key West. Sponsored by the Bone Island Masters Club, this United States Masters Swimming-sanctioned event is a 12.5-mile swim clockwise around the island of Key West. Swimmers ages 18 through 65 and older can register. Visit www.fkccswimaroundkeywest.com  or call 305-809-3562.

July 9: 27th Annual Underwater Music Festival. Big Pine & the Lower Keys. A quirky concert broadcast underwater for divers, snorkelers and the occasional mermaid emphasizes reef preservation. The submerged songfest is held at Looe Key Reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Visit www.lowerkeyschamber.com  or call 305-872-2411.

July 14-17: Mel Fisher Days. Key West. This annual celebration brings together history buffs, divers and treasure hunting enthusiasts to celebrate the anniversary of Mel Fisher’s discovery of the shipwrecked Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha. Visit www.melfisher.com  or call 305-296-6534.

July 19-24: Hemingway Days. Key West. The 31st annual celebration of the legendary author’s work and lifestyle features literary readings, a short story competition, fishing tournament, Sloppy Joe’s Look-Alike Contest and more. A celebration will be held July 21 honoring the 112th anniversary of Hemingway’s birth. Visit www.sloppyjoes.com for look-alike events or www.hemingwaydays.net  for all other events.

July 29 – Aug. 7: Key Largo Food & Wine Festival. Key Largo. Set on an island known for its bountiful tropical fruit, fresh snapper, tuna, mahi-mahi, shrimp and lobster, the nine-day festival incorporates gourmet wine dinners with cultural specialties, feasts and fiestas, palate-pleasing adventures and wines from around the world. Visit www.KeyLargoFoodandWineFestival.com  or call 305-394-3736.

Aug. 12-14: Key West Lobsterfest. Key West. The festival commemorates the start of the Florida Keys lobster season with an open-air lobster feast and street fair on Key West’s famed Duval Street. Other events include Friday’s Lobsterfest Duval Crawl, a free concert Saturday and a Sunday lobster brunch. Visit www.keywestlobsterfest.com  or call 305-294-2000.

Sept. 15-18: Phil Peterson’s Key West Poker Run. Florida Keys. Motorcycle enthusiasts from around the U.S. are to travel the Keys’ scenic Overseas Highway from mainland Florida to Key West to raise money for charity. Stops are arranged throughout the Keys with a final celebration in Key West. Visit www.petersonskeywestpokerrun.com  or call 800-545-2561.

Sept. 21-25: Florida Keys Birding & Wildlife Festival. Marathon and Lower Keys. A celebration of the natural wonders of Florida wildlife takes place at the peak of the fall birding season. The event includes presentations and field trips focusing on education and conservation as they relate to Keys birds and wildlife, and an environmental fair. Visit www.keysbirdingfest.org  or call 305-872-0774.

Sept. 30 – Oct. 2: Second Annual Conchtoberfest. Marathon. This Middle Keys event is chock-full of food, beverages, vendors, music and entertainment for the entire family. “Conchtoberfest Nights” at local venues throughout Marathon lead up to main weekend events at Hawks Cay Resort. All events are open to the public. Visit http://experience.hawkscay.com/conchtoberfest/ or call 305-289-4901.

Florida Keys visitor information: www.fla-keys.com  or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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