Jetsettersblog

LONDON, ENGLAND, June 17, — Voyages Jules Verne has announced the introduction of scheduled flights to its popular programme of escorted tours in Jordan.

Replacing the charter arrangement from Gatwick to Aqaba, clients will now fly from Heathrow to Amman with British Midland International (bmi), enjoying a number of additional benefits that include Saturday departures, an extended season (which means a wider choice of departures over a longer period), free connecting bmi flights from Manchester (supplement for other regional airports) and an upgraded flight option where customers can fly in even greater comfort in Business Class (additional cost).

Travelling on scheduled flights will also extend the duration of each itinerary, enabling Voyages Jules Verne clients to spend an extra night in Jordan, staying at an additional location. For example, VJV’s 15-night Grand Tour of Jordan itinerary now includes a stay at the luxurious Evason Ma’in Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa as well as an upgrade to its standard accommodation in Tala Bay, which is now the five-star Radisson Blu Resort. The eight-night Discover Jordan tour now features a night at the Dead Sea – staying either at the four-star Holiday Inn Resort or the new five-star Movenpick Resort & Spa (additional cost).

Whilst it would be understandable to expect all these extra benefits to incur an additional cost, Voyages Jules Verne has managed to maintain prices across its Jordan programme – reinforcing the company’s reputation for offering the best possible value to its clients. And there’s even better news on the budgeting front in the form of an Early Booking Offer as customers can now reserve their place on a Jordan tour by 30 June 2011 and enjoy a GBP50 pp reduction on advertised prices.

2012 promises to be a big year for Jordan, as it celebrates the 200th anniversary of the re-discovery of Petra by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt as well as the 50th anniversary of the filming of Lawrence of Arabia. And, with the country currently experiencing a temporary drop in tourism, there really is no better time to see Jordan ‘while the tourist crowds are away’.

Voyages Jules Verne’s 2011/12 Jordan holidays programme offers a choice of four itineraries including Petra to the Pyramids, Jordan’s Red Sea & Petra, Discover Jordon and Grand Tour of Jordon.

About Voyages Jules Verne:
Voyages Jules Verne was founded in 1978 and its range of product encompasses longhaul and shorthaul, weekends and expeditions, the conventional and the unexpected, a variety of themes and special interests – all underpinned by quality and value for money. VJV offers tours to a number of exotic worldwide destinations including Italy tours, India tours, Egypt tours and China holidays.

The tradition of innovation and creativity is still alive today and evidenced, amongst others, by a unique direct charter operation to Aqaba, stays at a convent in Rome, exclusive use of royal steamers for Nile River cruises, and a series of special events exclusively arranged for VJV clients.

Website: http://www.vjv.com

The festival is set to run until August 13th at Iford Manor.

COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND, – An interpretation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni is one of the many musical treats that can be enjoyed at the 2011 Iford Festival.

Performed by Opera della Luna, the production seeks to capture the sense of playfulness and comedy in Mozart’s classic work, rather than focusing on the seriousness and tragedy.

Shows will take place on Saturday, Tuesday and Friday evenings from July 9th to 23rd, with tickets priced at GBP97 for week nights and GBP101 for weekends.

Running until Saturday August 13th, the Iford Festival features a host of other opera, jazz and cloister music performances.

Among the other big names on the bill is world-renowned Cuban violin star Omar Puente, who is set to take the stage on the event’s penultimate evening.

Puente will be backed on the night by a band that includes pianist Robert Mitchell, while support will come from Claudia Aurora.

Tickets for the jazz show, which gets underway at 18:00 BST, are priced at GBP30.

All concerts taking place as part of the festival will be held at Iford Manor, located around five miles from Bath and three miles from Bradford on Avon.

Music lovers looking for a Cotswold hotel can use LateRooms.com to browse an extensive range of options, including the Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel.

Further information can be found by visiting http://www.ifordarts.co.uk / or calling 01225 868124.

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Escape To Shape just wrapped up a two-week Escape to Shape in Southern Italy and is now headed east to Croatia and Montenegro, and the company is unveiling its upcoming Winter/Spring 2012 Escapes to Southeast Asia. The trips include Luang Prabang, Laos, Jan. 28 to Feb. 4; Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Feb. 18 to 25; and Bali, Indonesia, March 3 to 10.

Packages will include adventures in yoga, fitness, culture and relaxation in each location, from crossing the Mekong on sanctuary-protected elephants in Luang Prabang and a private yoga class at the foot of temples in Angkor Wat, to temple tours and treks through the rice fields in Bali.

For more information, see www.escapetoshape.com

The Sheraton Baku Airport Hotel will mark the entry of Starwood into Azerbaijan and is part of the company’s strategic expansion plan to open more than 60 Sheraton hotels around the world in the next three years.

The hotel will be located directly in front of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the main airport in Baku.

The hotel will have 207 guest rooms, including 14 suites, offering the only branded accommodation option in the vicinity of the airport. The hotel will also feature extensive dining, conference and leisure facilities, as well as signature Sheraton amenities including the luxurious all-white SweetSleeper beds, a Sheraton Club Lounge and the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft communications hub where guests can socialize and also go online. Starwood currently operates 72 hotels in East Central Europe, including three hotels in Moscow and two in Georgia, where the company opened the Sheraton Batumi last year.

Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures, a Luang Prabang-based adventure travel operator in Laos, will expand its operations to Thailand. The Tiger Trail Thailand headquarters will open July 1 in Chiang Mai. Tiger Trail Thailand will offer outdoor adventure tours all over the country, not just the north. The tours will include treks, wildlife expeditions, national park outings, bird watching, bicycle tours, rafting, kayaking, canopy experiences and educational programs aimed at environmental awareness and nature conservation.

Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures has been a pioneer of responsible outdoor adventure travel in Luang Prabang since the company’s foundation in 2000. In 2005, Tiger Trail initiated Fair Trek, a new way to organize trekking that benefits local communities being visited.

For more information, call 011 66 (0) 53 278 517, email info@tigertrailthailand.com  or visit www.tigertrailthailand.com

Asia Transpacific Journeys picked its favorite remote seaside hideaways in Asia for clients looking for an exotic private beach escape.

They include Indonesia’s Pink Sand Beach in the Komodo Archipelago, home to great beaches and wildlife; Vietnam’s Con Dao Archipelago, with white powder sand that rings the 16 islands that comprise the archipelago, and rock formations that jut from crystal-clear blue waters; Myanmar’s Ngapali Beach, an unspoiled white sand beach that is a great place to relax and enjoy the views, and engage in other activities such as swimming, snorkeling and fishing; and Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago, in the sapphire waters of the Gulf of Thailand, a treasure trove for those travelers looking for a quiet and tropical escape to get away from the crowds. Founded in 1987, Asia Transpacific Journeys specializes exclusively in custom journeys and small group trips to the Asia/Pacific region.

For more information, call 800-642-2742 or visit www.asiatranspacific.com

Tickets must be purchased by July 15th

EL AL Israel Airlines is making post-summer travel planning a breeze with newly reduced attractive fares on roundtrip flights to Israel for the month of September. With these special fares (that include the fuel surcharge), passengers from many cities in the USA will travel roundtrip on EL AL state-of-the-art aircraft. Nonstop from New York (JFK/Newark), the roundtrip fare is $1,082 and nonstop from Los Angeles the roundtrip fare is $1,272.

EL AL passengers flying from Boston, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C. to Tel Aviv can also take advantage of these savings as the roundtrip fare from each city is $1,127. From Las Vegas and San Francisco, the roundtrip fare to Tel Aviv is $1,267. Fights to/from these cities are on a leading domestic carrier and connect to a nonstop EL AL flight to/from Israel.

Travelers are also invited to begin or extend their stay in Israel with a side trip to Eilat. EL AL is offering a free roundtrip flight between Tel Aviv and Eilat (based on availability) with the purchase of any EL AL roundtrip ticket from the U.S.A to Israel. There is a $15 stopover fee in each direction. Convenient connections at Ben Gurion International Airport make travelling to and from Eilat hassle-free. The southern Red Sea beach resort city of Eilat is filled with beauty, relaxation and many attractions for every age.

EL AL passengers looking for excellent value can easily customize their Israel getaway. Choose from a variety of the finest hotels, leading car rental companies and a selection of memorable tours throughout the country by visiting EL AL Vacations (www.elal-vacations.com).

EL AL passengers can choose from an increased flight schedule that includes 22 weekly nonstops from New York (JFK and Newark) and 5 weekly nonstops from Los Angeles (the only nonstop flights between the West Coast and Israel).

For more information, please visit EL AL’s recently redesigned website, www.elal.com ,

or call 800-223-6700. More information can also be found on EL AL’s blog, Skywords with EL AL, as well as on Facebook (EL AL Israel Airlines USA) and Twitter (@ELALUSA).

CHICAGO FRENCH MARKET 131 N. Clinton St., Chicago, Ill. 60661 (312) 575-0306 www.chicagofrenchmarket.com

CHICAGO, IL, — On Friday, July 1 Vanille Patisserie will introduce a new entremet, the Mont Blanc; fresh yogurt lime mousse, with a peach thyme compote center on a lemon madeleine. For more information call (312) 575-9963

Join Raw 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 5 for their Vegan Food Prep Class Series. Raw offers continuing classes that teaches you how to prepare amazing foods from well-known Chef Carole Jones. Learn how to create Raw’s amazing recipes: Chili Croquettes Couscous, Apple Pie and their signature Spirulina Smoothie. Join this class for $50 or buy a package of three classes for $135. Call to reserve your spot in this class at (312) 831-2729.

Grab your co-worker and enjoy a special lunch at Chicago French Market’s Lunch Hour Music. Peruse the market while listening to performer Annalee 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 6.

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine hosts their Free Monthly Wine Tasting, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 7 featuring “Wines of the World” from H2Vino. Fresh off the holiday weekend, Pastoral celebrates the American spirit by bringing together the international muses that have delighted American palates for decades. Old and new world wines will be featured as Pastoral contemplates the past and looks into wine’s future in our great nation.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Illinois Chapter is hosting a meeting and networking event designed to get all involved, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 12. An opportunity to learn about which USGBC-Illinois Branches or Committees you may be interested in joining, hear about the current Chapter activities, and see what has been happening with the Chapter so far this year and what is coming up later in 2011. The USGBC-Illinois Chapter leads the regional transformation of the built environment to become ecologically sustainable, profitable and healthy. We achieve this through education, advocacy and collaboration. All members and non-members are invited to attend!

Join Mr. Graham Paul, Consul General of France in Chicago and the Chicago French Market in celebrating a “magnifique” free two-day Bastille Festival Wednesday, July 13 and Thursday, July 14.

Bastille Day specials and promotions include:

Lavazza Espression offers their Blendissimo line. A Unique coffee-based frappe that will seduce the palate: a cool blend of espresso, vanilla gelato and caramel, topped off with whipped cream and available in a number of flavors. Prices range from $3.55 to $4.55.

Also available is Raspberry Choco Èspessone , a double pleasure: the delicacy of Èspessone combined with the intensity of hot chocolate. Available in four perfect combinations: vanilla, hazelnut, raspberry, and coconut. Prices range from $2.95 to $3.75. For more information call (312) 207-0500 or visit http://www.frenchmarketchicago.com/vendor/lavazza_espression.

Vanille Patisserie will offer a new item crème brulee ($2.75) Thursday, July 14 through Saturday July 16. Call (312) 575-9963 for more information.

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine will offer H2Vino as well as Fine Vines pouring a selection of French reds, whites and sparklings. Celebrate Bastille Day and all summer outings with a Pastoral Picnic for Two! Baskets include cheese, bread, accompaniments and cookies.

Don’t forget the wine or a cool craft beer, let Pastoral assist in picking the perfect boutique wines or beers to complement your picnic. All baskets must be ordered 6 hours ahead of time, prices begin at $39.99. For more information visit http://pastoralartisan.com/events or call (312) 454-2200.

Sweet Miss Giving’s will offer Red (velvet), White & Blue Cupcakes in honor of the Fourth of July on July 1 and July 2. On July 13 and 14, they will honor Bastille Day with Bleu, Blanc and Rouge (velvet) cupcakes! Cupcakes are $3 and also are available in half dozens and full dozens. As always, 100% of Sweet Miss Giving’s profits go to help the formerly homeless and disabled in the greater Chicago area. For more information call (312) 575-0212.

In addition to great specials and promotions, Chicago French Market will honor France with a number of musical performances throughout the two day festivities! Join Jacqueline Sylvie 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., July 13, as she showcases a few of her original tunes. She and her guitarist will also perform a number of cover tunes as well as French music in honor of the celebration.

Later in the evening enjoy International singer/entertainer Greta Pope as she entertains guests from 4 – 7 p.m. She has delighted audiences throughout Europe, the Far East, South America and the Caribbean, as well as the United States and Canada. Ms. Pope has been touted as one of the great voices of our time, as she performs with ease all styles. In honor of Bastille Day, Ms. Pope will be performing French Cabaret. Enjoy a complimentary wine and appetizer buffet during Greta’s performance.

On day two of the celebration, enjoy the musical styling’s of Trio CopaCabana 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday, July 14. Join Luciano Antonio, Neusa Sauer and Geraldo De Oliveira as they explore the Bossa Nova and Brazilian Jazz repertoire.

Prince Saleem and Company will perform 4 – 7 p.m., July 14. Their second visit to Chicago French Market, this trio consisting of a singer, jazz saxophonist and keyboardist will conclude the Bastille Day celebrations.

Join Chicago French Market for a cooking demonstration and tasting with executive chef Patrick Sheerin with The Signature Room at the 95th , for Dine Around the Market 12 -1 p.m., July 19. Chef Patrick joined The Signature Room at the 95th in 2002, he was promoted to executive chef in 2006 and has been creating innovative dishes ever since.

A native of Chicago, Sheerin was graduated from the French Culinary Institute of New York in 1998. Patrick combines his Illinois upbringing, utilizing fresh local farm ingredients, with his traditional culinary training to create dishes that are both savory to the trained palate and still approachable to the everyday diner. Several dishes will be demonstrated followed by sampling some of Chef Patrick’s creations.

Unwind your week or make your lunch hour a special one with Chicago French Market’s Lunch and Rush Hour Music! Guitarist and vocalist Robin Biennemann will perform 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 20.

Prince Saleem and Company returns 4 -7 p.m., Thursday, July 28 for Chicago French Market’s Rush Hour Music.

The classic music festival will take place in the Tamar Valley from July 13th to 17th.

CORNWALL, ENGLAND — Acclaimed classical music ensemble the Dante Quartet are holding a series of concerts throughout Cornwall’s Tamar Valley region over the coming weeks.

The group’s Summer Festival programme includes performances of music from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann and many more.

Visitors looking for a more hands-on experience can attend one of the quartet’s workshops, while open rehearsals, shared meals, guided walks and special children’s activities also feature on the bill.

World-renowned pianist Lars Vogt and Eduardo Niebla, the flamenco jazz guitar star and composer, have been confirmed as special guests at the occasion, which will run from Wednesday July 13th to Sunday July 17th.

Highlights include the event-closing Haydn Meets Dvorak concert, starring the Dante Quartet, Dante Festival Orchestra and viola player Anna Brigham.

The show will feature Joseph Haydn’s Rider quartet and Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto Grosso, before climaxing with Antonin Dvorak’s exuberant double viola quintet.

Tickets for the gig at St Paul’s Parish Church in Yelverton cost GBP10 in advance or GBP12 on the door, with the performance scheduled to get underway at 15:00 BST.

Classical music lovers thinking of booking one of the many luxury hotels Cornwall has available and attending the festival can head to LateRooms.com and choose the Jamaica Inn Cornwall.

More information can be found by visiting http://www.dantefestival.org

An array of fine ales from across the country will be on offer from July 15th to 17th.

NORFOLK, ENGLAND, — The North Norfolk Railway is due to celebrate the tenth birthday of its annual beer festival midway through next month.

Set to run from Friday July 15th to Sunday July 17th, the event will offer visitors a chance to enjoy some of the finest ales from East Anglia, as well as popular brews from across the UK.

Festivities will take place at Sheringham Station, with a full programme of entertainment, catering and opening times expected to be announced closer to the time.

As the event is held on an active railway line, party-goers can combine a trip to the celebration of brewing with a journey on one of the diesel or steam trains that pass through the transport hub.

Services on the Bittern Line, which runs from Norwich to Sheringham via North Walsham and Cromer, depart roughly every hour.

There is plenty to enjoy at the station itself, including a children’s activity coach, a museum signal box, a buffet and an intricately designed ladies’ waiting room and booking hall.

It is located just a short walk from the town of Sheringham, meaning festival visitors also have the chance to take a stroll along the promenade.

Railway enthusiasts and beer lovers can find a wide array of Norfolk hotels at LateRooms.com, including the George Hotel Norfolk.

Call 01263 820800 or visit http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/  for more information.