Jetsettersblog

Taiwan plans to celebrate in February with many festivals including the Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi, Beehive Rockets Festival in Yanshui and Lantern Festival in Lugang. Watching gentle lanterns slowly emerge from the earth at the Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi from now through Feb. 6 is an image that will never be forgotten as experienced by Ashley of ABC-TV’s “The Bachelorette,” during an episode on Taiwan. Like Ashley, visitors write their wishes carried by the lanterns -­ made of oiled rice paper and light bamboo frames – to the gods in heaven.

According to history, the noise of fireworks symbolizes sending out the old and bringing in the new, and at the annual Beehive Rockets Festival in Yanshui on Feb. 5 and 6 (every year on the 14th and 15th day of the first lunar month), visitors will experience the loudest firework celebration to scare off evil spirits and invite good spirits into their lives for the whole year.

Themed Soaring Dragon in the Radiant Sky, Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) plans to host the annual Taiwan Lantern Festival in Lugang of Chunghua County from Feb. 6 through 19. TTB, the presenter of this event for the past 23 years, expects to fill the entire Lugang streets with thousands of lanterns made from transparent paper or thin silk, which represent prosperity, peace and happiness. This year’s special 66-foot-high, 20-ton dragon lantern is designed with new materials incorporating holographic pixel grating lighting technology developed by Industrial Technology Research Institute, and state-of-the-art sound effects using digital controllers. During the day, visitors can see art landscapes throughout the town.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has teamed up with travel industry innovator Black Tomato to launch the operator’s latest project, PINCH.

Taiwan will be the featured destination for the unveiling of PINCH, a new and inspirational online cultural lifestyle magazine that aims to explore the relationship between consumers’ interests and lifestyle choices and their travel preferences.

Set to go live before the end of December, PINCH’s Taiwan feature will include an in-depth look at five different aspects of the destination – Taiwan style, food, design, culture and arts – showcasing the island in a way never done before.

Style – discover the hippest places to follow Taiwan’s fashion scene.

Food – learn about Taiwan’s much-loved street food and discover some traditional Taiwanese recipes.

Design – take a look at some of the island’s distinctive architecture.

Culture – from little-known facts to the best local festivals, get under the skin of Taiwan.

Arts – discover how Taipei’s urban street art complements traditional pastimes like lantern making in vibrant, modern Taiwan.

To discover A PINCH of Taiwan for yourself, please visit:
www.pinch-magazine.com

The New Taipei City Government has recently published a new comprehensive multilingual travel guide for the greater Taipei area. Named ‘New Taipei City, All in One – The Ultimate Travel Guide’, the book focuses on outdoor activities and the top attractions and provides practical information on how to get around New Taipei City.

The guide will be available to buy in early 2012 in all major bookstores across the capital and it will cost NT$149 (£3). It can also be downloaded free of cost via App Store for iPhones and iPads.

New chic accommodation option in Kaohsiung
Taiwan’s second largest city Kaohsiung now has a new chic boutique accommodation option with the reopening of the Chinatrust Hotel as the Chateau de Chine Kaohsiung.

The Chateau de Chine Kaohsiung exudes a contemporary ambience. The exterior, designed by famous Japanese architect Tadashi Yamane, employs the interlacing of long light tubes in a full glass-panel to create a modern, high-tech effect. This technique means that at night the Chateau de Chine stands as a new icon on the bank of Kaohsiung’s Love River.

http://kaohsiung.chinatrust-hotel.com

Renowned for its exuberant nightlife, scintillating entertainment, hottest fashion and other spectacular attractions, W Taipei is celebrating its first anniversary with attractive promotions and offers on February 14th, 2012. Enjoy the overnight room celebration packages- “Love 2012,” and “Love it up!” Relish the savory and romantic dinner at either “the kitchen table” or “YEN Chinese Restaurant.” The aphrodisiac truffle cocktails “Mr. W” and “Miss W” especially designed for the anniversary are served in Bar at YEN.

“Since our opening last year, we have devoted ourselves to providing exceptional service and creating memorable experiences for our guests,” said Cary M. Gray, General Manager of W Taipei. “We would like to take this chance to thank our guests’ for their warm support and we promise we will continue to improve and deliver a better way to experience our hotel.”

W Taipei’s One Year Anniversary ROOM PACKAGES

“LOVE 2012″- Exclusive for W Taipei Facebook Fans
“Love 2012″ room package offers a sweetheart deal at TWD2012++ per person (double occupancy per room), which includes one night in a Wonderful Room, free usage of Sweat (gym), Changeroom (sauna and steam) and Wet (swimming pool). This package is a limited offer of 100 sets and can only be booked through W Taipei Facebook on February 14th. Guest must become a W Taipei Facebook fan before booking this package. Reserve online at: http://www.facebook.com/wtaipei

“LOVE IT UP!”- Exclusive for Love Birds
To make your 02/14 Valentine’s Day an unforgettable one, W Taipei offers “Love it up” room package priced at TWD19,900++ onwards per night includes one night in a Fabulous Room, one bottle of champagne in the room, a romantic dinner for two at YEN Chinese Restaurant and breakfast for two at the kitchen table. Reservations can be made by email at: reservations.taipei@whotels.com or online at: http://www.wtaipei.com

W Taipei’s One Year Anniversary COCKTAILS& CUISINE OFFERS

COCKTAILS- MR.W & MISS W
Two cocktails “Mr. W” and “Miss W” are designed by W Taipei B&F Director Patrick Regenbrecht who reformulated the original Manhattan and Fizz cocktails to truffle flavored ones. Mr. W is made of W infused truffle vodka stirred over ice with a touch of Martini extra dry and Martini rosso vermouth, enhanced with aged balsamic vinegar and finished with a black olive. Miss W is made of W infused truffle vodka shaken with fresh lemon juice and crushed strawberries, charged with champagne and lifted with a hint of rose liqueur and vanilla.

THE KITCHEN TABLE
Executive Chef Martin Neil MacLeod has designed series of dishes to stimulate your night. Mediterranean station offers great selections of salads including Figs, the fruit of love, Grilled and Glazed with Parma, Jambon, and Balsamic, Ahuacuatl, (means Avocado, Ahuacuatl comes from Aztec word for testicle tree) pepper with lemon essence, Triple Dose Salad of Arugula, Basil, Pine Nuts, and Scallop, Caviar and Chervil Salad, pizza pasta and pannini. Asian station offers curry, tandoori and other regional wok cooked dishes and noodles. Carving and Hot area offers roasts and grills of premium quality meats of Whole Atlantic Salmon and Smoked Rib Eye Steak with Port Wine Jus, while the Cold section serves sushi and sashimi. Highlight of the dinner is the Sumptuous Carpaccio Bar with Truffled Beef, Tuna Sesame, Beet Cured Salmon and Tomato-Fennel. (You know how aphrodisiac raw food is!) Dining at the kitchen table on Valentine’s Day ends on a high note with an irresistible array of desserts of Mont Blanc, Granny Smith Tart, Apple Chips, Macaroon Yuze, Tahiti Vanilla Bread Pudding, Financier raspberry and is completed with chocolate fondue and homemade sorbet.

YEN CHINESE RESTAURANT
YEN Chinese Restaurant on the hotel’s top floor of level 31 offers debutant Cantonese food. Guests can enjoy not only great food but a stunning view of Taipei city. The bungee ropes tables are turning into “Love Cocoons” for those who would like to enjoy a little private time for two. Executive Chinese Chef CK Kong has prepared a “Love” dinner set menu including, live abalone salad, fresh yam passion fruit drizzle, truffle-oil seared scallop, mung bean salsa, stuffed flower prawn, chicken mousse, pumpkin chutney, penghu lobster, morel mushroom, bamboo heart consommé and pork belly ribs, miso brown bean, goma dressing. In the Love Cocoon, Chef Kong brings out extravaganza ingredients such as Boston lobster, white truffle and Wagyu beef rib eye steak in the menu. Who would ever imagine spending Valentine’s in a Chinese restaurant can be that romantic and different?

In addition, all the guests who dine in the restaurants will all have a chance to win a 2-night stay at W Bali and a small giveaway which shows our appreciations. For reservations, please call W Taipei at +886 2 7703 8887 or e-mail: bf.taipei@whotels.com

Price:
The Kitchen Table
02/14 Dinner TWD2,012+10% per person (one glass of procecco incl.)

YEN Chinese Restaurant
Love Dinner Set Menu: TWD2,520+10% per person (one glass of procecco incl.)
LOVE Cocoon: TWD9,999+10% for two (one bottle of champagne incl.)

EVA Air has introduced its Hello Kitty Global Jet, the third aircraft in its second-generation series of the character-themed aircraft, on the Taipei-Tokyo route. The aircraft is also deployed on Taipei-Hong Kong service.

The Global Jet depicts a Hello Kitty Around the World designed to represent EVA’s role in bringing destinations closer together. It’s decorated with images of Hello Kitty, her family and friends with some of the world’s best-known landmarks. The design is designed to show that Hello Kitty is inviting others to join in her world travels. The other two aircraft in this series are the Magic Jet, launched in October, and the Apple Jet, placed in service in early December.

Cruise specialists ecruising.travel have released savings of more than $6000 per person on their Ultimate Asia cruise/tour for 2012 which travels through China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong including a 12-night cruise on-board the luxury Azamara Quest, now available from $7549 per person.

There is also the bonus of a free night stop over at the historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore on the way back to Australia if you book by December 31.

The 23-night package begins in Beijing China, where you will visit the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall before travelling to the UNESCO World Heritage site- the Summer Palace. From here you will fly to Xian for the famous Terracotta Warriors first discovered by a local farmer in 1974, from there continue to Shanghai to visit the highlights of the city before boarding your vessel.

The cruise has port stops in Busan, Hiroshima, Kobe, Kagoshima, Taipei and Hualien before arriving at Hong Kong.

Departing Australia on March 5, 2012 the package includes return economy airfares with Singapore Airlines from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, domestic flights within China, two nights’ accommodation at Raffles in Beijing, Aman Resort at the Summer Palace Beijing, The Sofitel in Xian, The Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai and The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, eight days of fully escorted sight-seeing with an English speaking guide through-out China and all entrance fees, most local meals whilst in China including famous Dim Sum dinner and Peking duck specialities, 12 nights cruise accommodation with full board and entertainment and all transfers.

For more information on the ship and itinerary contact ecruising.travel on 1300 369 848 or check-out their new website www.ecruising.travel

W Taipei continues to mix it up with the first ever “Pop Up Party” room package allowing friends to get together and play, exclusively at W Taipei! The room package is available up to 5 people in a Marvelous Suite and adjacent fabulous room from TWD49,000++ (USD1,635++) or for 8 in a Wow Suite at TWD155,000++ (USD5,170++), the package includes a one night stay package is; W Cosmo Mixi, Rainbow Tube Cocktails, Fun Kit, Play Kit, Detox Kit and much more!

“ This unique package Pop Up Party has been designed after noticing the trend in party groups staying with us at W Taipei since opened, “ says Cary M. Gray, General Manager of W Taipei. “ If you can’t beat them join them we say, no other hotels in Taipei encourage parties, we a can capture a missing opportunity and lets our guests enjoy. At W Taipei, we would love to mix it up and have fun as well as to cater to our customers’ needs and desires’

Make a booking now, and enjoy fun party offers including: W Cosmo Mixi- one bottle of Vodka, mixers, Red Bull energy drink, W Cosmo recipe and party snacks; Rainbow Tube Shooters; Play Kit- love protection (condoms and lubricant) in red hot lips bag; Fun Kit- W instant camera and sun glasses; Detox Kit- Hangover Breakfast, Fiji water, energizing eye masks, oxygen inhaler, Vitamin tablets and 30 minutes Quick Sprint vouchers at W Taipei’s Away Spa to recharge after an energizing evening! Guests who reserve “Pop Up Party” package has insider access to a table at Woobar, jumping the que to this popular hotspot in the city. So why wait – lucky you, your invited!

The Pop Up Party room package is available from December 1, 2011 to December 30, 2012. For further information and reservations, please call +886 -2-7703-8888 or visit: www.wtaipei.com

(Prices are subject to 10% service charge and applicable government taxes.)

Starting now both venues of W Taipei, Woobar and the kitchen table on level 10 are delighted to provide “Bubblisimo Sunday Brunch” including free flow of prosecco- Italian sparkling wine from Veneto province, amazingly good food in the most stylish restaurants.

“ Brunch is a combination of two words, Breakfast and Lunch. Like Brunch, the word Bubblisimo is also composed of two words－ “Bubbles” and “Belissimo”- which means wonderful or beautiful in Italian,” says Patrick Regenbrecht, Director of Beverage and Food of W Taipei, “after a good amount of sleeping hours, and enjoy a laid-back Sunday brunch at W is what we call a Belissimo experience.”

Aside from the cheering “bubbles”- prosecco provided, there are great selections of Mediterranean cuisine of tomato mozzarella caprese, chickpea octopus salad, Serrano ham, white cheddar pannini, Frittata, Nicoise salad; Sumptuous Seafood Station with fresh shucked Washington state oysters, iron skillet roasted mussels Marrakesh, crab legs and shrimps, crab with spinach and cheddar soufflés, among the others are the grand selections of Asian and International antipasti, hors d’oeuvres and entrees, roasts and a generous line of delectable desserts, making this a Sparkling Sunday Brunch Buffet like no other.

Both Woobar and the kitchen table have soaring ceilings and are in adjacent to WET- the outdoor swimming pool. The whole “urban beach” and “vacation escape” atmosphere is what the guests will feel when they dine in the venues. Guests can choose to dine in the deco of “soothing bright yellow and white- the kitchen table,” or “post modern stylish red- Woobar.”

“Bubblisimo” Sunday Brunch Buffet is served from 12:00 to 15:00, priced at TWD1,900 (adults, with unlimited prosecco), TWD1,500 (adults, excluding alcoholic beverages) and TWD750 (children under 12). For further information and reservations, please call (02) 7703-8887 or visit: www.wtaipei.com/brunch .

(Prices are subject to 10% service charge.)

Expansion of the National Palace Museum

Taipei’s world-class National Palace Museum has announced its plans to begin an ambitious expansion project in 2012. The ‘Grand National Palace Museum Project’ will expand the exhibition area by five times and will include a 4.8 hectare ‘Cultural Creative Park’ opposite the museum.

National Palace Museum holds the largest and most valuable collection of Chinese artefacts and national treasure in the world, more than 682,000 objects from the collections of the Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), the Yuan, Ming, Cing Dynasties and republican periods up to the present day. The project is due to be completed by 2022.

Tickets cost NT160 (approximately £3) and include a free guided tour in English. Audio tours can also be rented and these can be personalised to provide information on areas of interest around the museum.

For more information visit www.npm.gov.tw/en