Jetsettersblog

Variety is the spice of life and the new menu at Shoal Bay Resort & Spa’s iconic Promenade Dining Room will leave you spoilt for choice with four irresistible buffets to choose from every night of the week!

The exciting new menu offers the very best in fresh local produce as well as absolute value for money. There’s something for everyone, choose from over 25 dishes and as many courses as you like including tea and coffee. The new look buffets consist of:-

Seafood & Salads
Home Cooked Favourites
Chefs Theme of the Day
Decadent Desserts

The popular seafood & salads buffet showcases the freshest catch of the day including sumptuous local prawns and complimented with creative salads. Feel like something warm and hearty on a cool night and you don’t feel like cooking? Then sit back and let our renowned Chefs prepare your favourite roast meats, fresh crumbed fish and delicious roast vegetables from the “Home Cooked Favourite” buffet.

Escape in international flavours as Chef prepares his theme buffet of the day – a culinary experience not to be missed:
Monday ~ Arabian Nights
Tuesday ~ Flavours of the World
Wednesday ~ Chinese

Thursday ~ Thai
Friday ~ Deluxe Seafood
Saturday ~ Italian
Sunday ~ Carvery & Grill

Just when you thought you couldn’t fit another thing in your drawn to the decadent desserts buffet and just have to try them all. You’ll find a wonderful selection of individual desserts such as sticky date puddings, strawberry shortcake with mousse, mini lemon meringue pies, crème caramels and also gourmet gateau including baked cheese cake, pecan pies and many more. Believe it or not there’s still the Australian cheese platter to be sampled.

Enjoy this amazing array of local cuisine at affordable prices from just AUD$32 per adult, children at half price and seniors discount is also available. The staff at the Promenade Dining Room pride themselves of quality food, fantastic value for money and their friendly service.

The Promenade Dining Room is the original dining room of the Shoal Bay Country Club since 1934. Rekindle the spirit of this local dining icon and revisit an old favourite with breathtaking views across Shoal Bay to the Tomaree Headlands.

Bookings for The Promenade Dining Room’s exciting new four nightly buffets can be made by calling 1800 18 18 10.

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa, your unique local dining experience.

About Shoal Bay Resort & Spa

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa is the ultimate beachfront resort for couples and families alike. Including 200 luxurious self-contained beachfront, waterview, pool view and executive style apartments, 4 restaurants, 5 bars, the iconic Country Club Hotel and the exclusive Aqua Spa.

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa overlooks the pristine white sandy beaches to Port Stephens volcanic Tomaree headland. Shoal Bay boasts walking and cycling tracks, flat water beaches perfect for families as well as three pristine unspoilt National Park surf beaches.

For the more energetic a paved pathway to the top of Tomaree affords unparalleled views of Port Stephens, all within sight and a 10 minute stroll of the resort. Port Stephens is the largest Marine Park in NSW with over 160 resident dolphins and 7000 Humpback Whales passing within sight on migration each year.

Dining options range from the award winning Catch at Shoal Bay, the casual alfresco dining of Sandyfoot Café, the iconic Promenade Dining Room and the family friendly Mermaids Bar & Grill. The legendary Country Club Hotel still remains one of the most popular watering holes on the East Coast of Australia.

Aqua Spa includes the unique thalassotherapy mineral spa pools, twelve treatments rooms, group room and an extensive menu of treatments from hydrotherapy to massage.

For further information please call T: 1800 18 18 10 or visit www.shoalbayresort.com

LOS ANGELES – It’s never been a better time to visit Los Angeles than now through the end of summer with the unveiling of LA Inc.

The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau’s new “Top 100 Vacation Deals.”

The sizzling summer offers are available through August 31, 2009.
For a complete listing of hotel offers, visit this  link

Stay in the middle of the action and save up to 40 percent with a Hollywood Getaway at Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel or Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa.

Choose from online exclusive getaway packages including two nights of accommodations, a seven-day unlimited ticket to enjoy all the new entertainment at Universal Studios Hollywood, complimentary breakfast for two, complimentary parking and roundtrip transportation between your hotel and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Wind down with a midweek or weekend stay at a choice of 16 Westside hotels.

Escape to The Sofitel Los Angeles, where visitors who book a guestroom by July 5, 2009 get their fourth night free, in addition to a sumptuous picnic basket. If performing arts or a studio tour is on your travel itinerary, visit Inter Continental Los Angeles Century City, where guests who stay a minimum of two nights receive breakfast for two, complimentary parking and a tour of Sony Studios or two tickets to Grauman’s Chinese Theater.

Rates start at $269.

In Beverly Hills, The Residence Inn treats travelers to an American Express gift card valued at $50, complimentary AMC movie tickets for two, free WiFi and complimentary breakfast for two starting at $229. At the Holiday Inn Century City, travelers who book two nights obtain the third night free.

For the ultimate ocean-side retreat, take advantage of beachside getaways at Hotel Casa Del Mar with rates starting at $395 per night based on space availability, Le Margot, A JW Marriott Beach Hotel & Spa highlighting two Swedish massages with guestroom rates starting at $459 based on space availability, or Shutters On the Beach which offers a $50 hotel credit and guestroom rates starting at $525 per night based on space availability.

Discover culture in the heart of downtown Los Angeles with Millennium Biltmore Hotel’s “I Love (Downtown LA)! Package for two which highlights a one night stay priced from $179 per night based on space availability, breakfast and tickets to the Museum of Contemporary Art, tickets to the Grammy Museum and vouchers to visit the ESPN Zone.

Other attractive downtown hotel deals include Wilshire Grand Los Angeles’ “Beat the Heat,” whereby the guestroom rate is based on the high temperature of the day of your stay with a $20 room upgrade and 20 percent off hotel dining.

At the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, guests relax in a deluxe guestroom, savor a three-course pre-fixe dinner for two at LA Prime Restaurant and obtain complimentary overnight parking.

In addition to these exclusive packages, travelers can obtain up to 50 percent off on LA’s top cultural, dining, entertainment and other top attractions.

Head to Hollywood for a night at the theatre with 35%-50% off theatre tickets to Dirty Dancing at the Pantages Theater, Hollywood. While in the area, enjoy $5 off regular Adult/Child admission to Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood Wax Museum, or treat yourself to a complimentary dessert with the purchase of an entrée when dining at the renowned Geisha House on Hollywood Boulevard.

While in downtown, embark on a larger-than-life feature film adventure with $2 off Adult admission and $1 off Children’s admission to an IMAX movie at the California Science Center IMAX Theater, or enjoy $3 off admission to the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Stop for lunch at Zucca Ristorante, an upscale Italian establishment, currently offering a $19 lunch special and $5 parking for guests of the restaurant.

Chill out on the Westside with a complimentary appetizer while dining at Crustacean, one of Beverly Hill’s finest eateries, or experience 2-for-1 general admission to the Skirball Cultural Center.

Soak in the sun at the city’s top seaside eateries with offers including 15% off the total bill at I Cugini’s in Santa Monica, or a complimentary dessert with the purchase of an entrée at Geoffrey’s Malibu.

Take in the sites and sounds of the Santa Monica Pier boardwalk with 15% off an unlimited-ride wristband at the popular weekend beachside destination, Pacific Park.

The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for leisure travel, meetings and conventions. Though not part of city Government, LA INC. is recognized as the city’s official tourism marketing organization.

For more information about “Los Angeles Top 100 Vacation Deals,” visit the official visitors information website of Los Angeles at www.discoverLosAngeles.com

General Growth Properties, Inc. (NYSE: GGP) is pleased to present “America’s Premier Shopping Places”, the nation’s most unique collection of tourism-oriented shopping centers located throughout the U.S.A. These renowned centers draw millions of visitors from around the world each year to experience the unique culture, history, flavor and heritage of America’s metropolitan cities and vacation destinations, while enjoying the popular travel activities of shopping and dining.

Whether it’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace (Boston), Harborplace & The Gallery (Baltimore), The Grand Canal Shoppes and Fashion Show (Las Vegas), Ala Moana Center (Honolulu), Water Tower Place (Chicago), Festival Bay Mall (Orlando) or Riverwalk Marketplace (New Orleans), each of America’s Premier Shopping Places offer FIT and group visitors a fun and memorable shopping experience.

“General Growth Properties recognizes the importance of shopping and dining in today’s travel itineraries, both domestic and international,” said Kay Standon, vice president of strategic development for GGP.

“This collection of America’s Premier Shopping Places has been selected from over 200 centers throughout the United States that General Growth Properties owns and manages.” Standon added,

“The primary goal of the America’s Premier Shopping Places program is to provide the travel industry with convenient access to these centers through a single source, as well as to provide group and leisure visitors with a memorable shopping and dining experience during their travels.”

The stores and boutiques within all of America’s Premier Shopping Places represent the nation’s best in quality and variety. Travelers will discover an enticing array of colorful specialty shops, kiosks, and galleries featuring local craftsmen and artisans, gourmet food markets and well-known department and specialty stores.

Domestic travelers enjoy the variety of unique merchandise and crafts indicative of the destination, while international visitors delight in finding their favorite designer brands and popular labels not available at home. Both are certain to discover perfect treasures to take back to friends and loved ones.

The extraordinary experience continues in the vast array of cuisines and dining options available at America’s Premier Shopping Places.

Recent research released by the Travel Industry Association of America and The International Culinary Tourism Association reveals that over 27 million travelers have participated in some type of culinary-related activity during the past 3 years. 85% of travelers stated they like to try different restaurants and experience local cuisines.

At America’s Premier Shopping Places, travelers can sample the distinctive flavors of regional cuisines offered by local cafes and restaurants, or delight in finding their favorite national restaurants, many of which are home to some of the nation’s most renowned chefs and culinary artists.

America’s Premier Shopping Places cater to both domestic and international fly, drive and motorcoach travelers. All visitors to America’s Premier Shopping Places are eligible to receive a Premier Passport filled with thousands of dollars in shopping and dining savings, special offers and amenities.

Vouchers are provided in multiple languages by travel agents and tour operators, or may be downloaded and printed from America’s Premier Shopping Places’ website at www.AmericasShoppingPlaces.com. In addition, several centers offer travel trade professionals commissionable shopping packages, and assist group meeting planners with unique private events, pre-paid meal vouchers and group dining programs for food court cafes or full-service restaurants.

For more information on America’s Premier Shopping Places, please visit www.AmericasShoppingPlaces.com

General Growth Properties, Inc. currently has ownership interest in, or management responsibility for, over 200 regional shopping malls in 44 states, as well as ownership in master planned community developments and commercial office buildings. The Company’s portfolio totals approximately 200 million square feet of retail space and includes over 24,000 retail stores nationwide. GGP’s common stock is trading in the pink sheets under the symbol GGWPQ.

For more information, visit www.ggp.com

Six Of Preferred Hotel Group’s Best For Less

Been to Bratislava, but never strolled along Brighton pier? Seen the sunrise in Lahore but never lived it up in Leeds? Fix your discerning eye on the United Kingdom and sample the delights of our enchanting isle by discovering treasures right here on our doorstep.

From historic Belfast to vibrant Edinburgh, Preferred Hotel Group proves that staying within the UK can help you stretch your sterling, so leave your passport at home in favour of a great British escape. Enjoy six fantastic breaks, each for under £160:
Beside the Seaside – myhotel Brighton, Brighton (www.preferredboutique.com)

Hark back to a more relaxed era with a 21st century twist on the traditional British seaside break. Iconic Brighton offers sea, shopping and stunning heritage. Visit the majestic Brighton Pavilion, stroll along the beach or meander the maze of twisting alleyways for funky fashion.

Want lavish for less? Live it up at myhotel Brighton in the coveted North Laine area. A member of Preferred Boutique, it’s a stylish blend of cutting edge design and serene spirituality. Relax in the jinja treatment rooms or sip a cocktail in Merkaba as the sun sets over this cosmopolitan city. Prices start from £89 for a double room including buffet breakfast.

Summer in the City - The Mandeville, London (www.summithotels.com)

Love Leeds - 42 The Calls, Leeds (www.summithotels.com)

Yorkshire’s largest city, Leeds, is rich with culture and personality as a buzzing centre for music, history and art. Music fans should head to Leeds Festival (28th – 31st August) and with a hot line up from Radiohead to The Kings of Leon, it’s set to rock the Bank Holiday weekend.

For something a little more serene, discover sculpture at the Henry Moore Institute (admission is free) or meander along the wide avenues of nearby Harrogate for the very best in Northern boutiques.

To sleep soundly in the city – make a beeline for 42 The Calls, a member of Summit Hotels & Resorts. With views of the River Aire, rooms boast beamed ceilings with their original Mill mechanism, handmade beds, and an extensive collection of original paintings and drawings - combining to create a beautiful hotel offering comfort and style. Prices start from £89 for a double room.

Culture Vulture - The Glasshouse, Edinburgh (www.preferredboutique.com)

The perfect weekend city break, Scotland’s cultural capital offers more than just tinned shortbread and tam o’ shanters. Home to Europe’s acclaimed arts festival (14th August – 5th September),

Edinburgh is a honey pot of creativity. Navigate the winding cobbled streets, visit art galleries and museums and learn about the city’s royal ancestry at Edinburgh Castle.

Best of all, you can afford five-star with a stay at The Glasshouse. A member of Preferred Boutique, this intimate hotel boasts magnificent features such as its contemporary lavender-scented rooftop garden with exceptional city views. Hailed ‘Most Stylish Hotel’ by the Scottish Style Awards, the hotel exudes a real ‘VIP’ atmosphere. Prices start from £125 for a deluxe double room.

Want to venture a little further afield, where you can spend some spare euros? Cross the water to Eire, where you can be in Dublin in as little as 40 minutes, with no jet lag to deal with when you land.

Emerald Isle – The Morrison, Dublin (www.preferredboutique.com)

Filled with fairytale architecture, boutiques and concept restaurants, Dublin offers more than just the chance to enjoy a strong Irish tipple or two. If you love to shop check out luxe department store Brown Thomas, take a literary tour of the city or explore Dublin’s scenic coastal route which offers breathtaking scenery. As dusk falls head to Temple Bar and join in the craic with the locals in an authentic Irish traditional music session at Oliver St. John Gogartys.

Stay at one of Dublin’s coolest hotels - The Morrison, a member of Preferred Boutique. Located on the banks of the River Liffey, interiors are styled by world famous designer John Rocha and combine a mix of high ceilings, original art, stone floors and beautiful grey hand crafted Irish carpets.

Sip a cocktail in the Morrison bar or dine at Halo, the chic restaurant boasting an eclectic theme with antique tables and velvet upholstered dining chairs in an array of vibrant colours. Prices start from £135 for a superior double room.

8 - 9 August

Perth region

Western Australia grows more French black truffle than the rest of Australia put together and the Mundaring Truffle Festival, is an ideal opportunity to taste and learn about the fabled fungi from some of WA’s and Australia’s top chefs and food producers.

The festival is set in unmistakable Australian countryside providing a taste of the old world firmly rooted in the new. Located in Mundaring in the Perth Hills, a 45 min drive east of Perth, the event includes truffle tasting and hunts, markets and master classes with two of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs, Peter Gilmour of Quay restaurant in Sydney, as well as passionate truffle afficionado Alain Fabregues, owner-chef of The Loose Box restaurant in Mundaring.

www.mundaringtrufflefestival.com

Situated on 60 hectares of South Australia’s (www.southaustralia.com)  Clare Valley wine region, Skillogalee is a family-owned and operated winery specialising in the production of premium wines (www.skillogalee.com.au).

Since moving to Australia in 1986 and taking over Skillogalee three years later, Scottish-born owners, Dave and Diana Palmer, now boast the Clare Valley’s original and longest running winery restaurant whilst also offering five-star accommodation.

The Winery

Located around 8kms from the town of Clare, alongside the Spring Gully Conservation Park, Skillogalee has been the site of handcrafted wine production for more than 30 years. Today, a relatively wide range of wines is made at the small winery, including Rieslings, Gewurztraminer, Shiraz and Cabernets, as well as Tawny Port and Liqueur Muscat, all of which may be sampled at the cellar door or in the restaurant.

Skillogalee operates on a ‘domain’ basis, which means that all the fruit for its wines is grown in the property’s own vineyards.

A combination of the best of traditional techniques and modern technologies is used for fruit handling and wine production, which has contributed to Skillogalee receiving numerous awards for its wines at regional, national and international levels.

Daniel Palmer, now an experienced winemaker, has joined the family business to run the winery operations and to produce the wine with his father who also oversees the vineyards and manages sales and marketing. Nicola Palmer, a qualified jeweller, has also joined the business managing the restaurant and co-ordinating functions with her mother Diana.

The Restaurant

Established in 1990 by the Palmers, the restaurant was the first full-time, professional winery restaurant in the Clare Valley and has been open seven days a week, 363 days a year ever since.

With seating for around 30 inside and a further 50 outside on the verandah under the shade of an old olive tree, overlooking the cottage garden and vineyards, the restaurant places emphasis on interesting dishes from around the world using the best ingredients, local if possible.

Well presented and professionally served in a relatively informal atmosphere, the changing menu includes the likes of warm salad of honey roasted root vegetables with lemon mustard dressing topped with grilled Kangaroo Island haloumi; spiced rubbed greenslade chicken breast on parsnip mash, steamed greens and sauce vierge, and vanilla bean pannacotta with late harvest poached cherries and shortbread fingers.

The Accommodation

Skillogalee House, a spacious, stone farmhouse dating back to the early 1900’s, has been tastefully restored and furnished to provide five-star luxury. With three bedrooms, two with king-size and one with queen size beds, plus an en-suite and another bathroom with under-floor heating and a freestanding bath for two, it provides comfortable, indulgent accommodation for up to six.

In addition, two purpose-built cedar pine cottages, Wren and Owl, feature two and three bedrooms respectively, and offer comfortable self-contained accommodation in the wooded hills and vineyards within a short walk of Skillogalee cellar door and restaurant.

Breakfast provisions for a hearty country breakfast are included in each accommodation, with wines and cheeses added for stays for two or more nights.

 Skillogalee is named after a Celtic word meaning gruel or porridge commonly fed to prisoners in Ireland in the 1800s. Pioneer and explorer, John Horrocks, named the nearby creek Skillogalee after the dish helped him and his party to survive an expedition in the area during which they experienced delays through illness and injuries.

As the sun goes down in tropical Darwin in Australia’s Top End, Mindil Beach offers the chance to experience the amazing atmosphere and flavour of the famous Sunset Markets – open now for the 2009 season.

Wander amongst over 260 stalls and discover the huge variety of items on offer from indigenous art, bush art, sculpture, pottery and didgeridoos to clothing, handmade jewellery and amazing international food stalls offering culinary delights such as paw-paw salad, curries and yiros. Relax with a massage, have your palm read, or take in the colourful mix of live music.

Drawing over half a million visitors every season, it’s a must on any Darwin itinerary.

The markets are held every Thursday and Sunday evening until 29 October. www.mindil.com.au

Deals and Free or Low-Cost Activities and Attractions

Across Colorado, Discover Free Bicycle Programs, Beer and Tea Factory Tours,
Gondola Rides, Guided Nature Walks, and Hotel Deals Starting at $52.80

DENVER - Travelers adopting a more austere budget for summer travel will find plenty of free and inexpensive activities and attractions across the state of Colorado, as well as amazing lodging deals starting at just over $50 per night.

From bicycling and bird watching to free tours and tastings for beer and tea, there are scores of activities that cost little-to-nothing to enjoy. Below is a sampling of free or low cost activities across Colorado.

Visitors can also visit a newly launched website, www.HOTDEALSCOLORADO.com, a one-stop-shop website for great packages, deals and promotions available throughout the state. Travelers can search for Hot Deals, print them out, add them to an online MyColorado trip planner, and share them with family and friends.

It’s Tea Time in Boulder. Celestial Seasonings, the largest specialty tea company in America, offers free tours seven days a week, showing the fascinating process of assembling tea.

The tour begins with a short film shown in an Art Gallery featuring the original paintings that were used as illustrations for Celestial Seasonings’ colorful and whimsical boxes. Along the way, visitors can see, taste and smell the many flavors and spices that make Celestial Seasonings so special. Near the end of the tour, visitors can enter The Peppermint Room, where the powerful aroma of peppermint and spearmint can clear your sinuses and breathe more clearly for days. www.celestialseasonings.com/visit-us

It’s ‘Brews’ and Ahhs in Fort Collins.

Each year, thousands of visitors descend upon the 100 percent wind-powered New Belgium Brewery, looking to sample its award-winning brews.

Fort Collins’ New Belgium Brewery offers one-hour guided tours Tuesday through Friday, leaving every half hour 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

On Saturday, tours run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the half hour. The tours are limited to 20 people and are offered on a first come first serve basis and the brewery recommends showing up early for tickets, especially on Saturday. Want less of a crowd? Try visiting on a Tuesday. www.newbelgium.com

Long Walks with No ‘Footprints’ in Aspen

Visitors can commune with nature on free guided nature walks led by naturalists from the Aspen Center for Environmental Services (ACES). The free 45-minute walks meander along Richmond Ridge atop Aspen Mountain, where participants can learn about the native trees, birds and animals that thrive in the high-alpine environment.

Tours meet at the top of the gondola on the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. www.aspennature.org

Effervescent Experiences in Central Colorado

Hike through eight miles of trails, both paved and unpaved, at the Garden of the Gods, a 480 acre park known for its 20 stunning sandstone rock formations, sculpted through time by erosion over 320 million years.

Then cool off in the nearby historic town of Manitou Springs, which features several fountains offering natural mineral water, direct from mineral springs throughout the area. www.experiencecoloradosprings.com www.manitousprings.org

Sleep Under the Stars in South Central Colorado.

At the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, travelers can see the largest sand dunes in North America (and slide down them on skis, snowboards, sleds, etc.) or watch local wildlife such as mule deer, pronghorn, and coyotes. You can also camp underneath the stars - all for less than $20 a night. www.nps.gov/grsa

Denver on the Cheap.

There’s plenty of ways to enjoy Colorado’s capital city of Denver without breaking the bank. McCormick’s Fish House & Bar (1659 Wazee Street) offers a happy hour every day from 4-6 p.m with items like a half-pound cheeseburger and fries for $1.95.

Head on down to Coors Field and get a pair of “Rockpile” tickets in center field for just $4 apiece; if you’re 55 and older, you can get one for just a dollar.

After the game, grab a couple of slices at Two Fisted Mario’s Pizza, which usually has some kind of wacky, free offer. (One recent offer: if you can eat a whole slice in one bite, you get one slice for free). There’s also the popular 5280 promotion, which returns to Denver through the summer. The mile high city, 5,280 feet above sea level, offers deals on lodging, dining and attractions starting at just $52.80. www.visitdenver.org

Pedal Power in the Mile High City

Denver’s new - and free - “B-Cycle” program was launched to reduce pollution from residents and visitors to the city.

The city offers free bikes docked at more than 30 stations throughout the city - just return the bike to the same station by 10 a.m. the next business day. Bring a license and credit card. Visit www.bikedenver.org  before you pick up your bike so that you can plot your rides.

Try the 14.6 mile Bear Creek Trail, which offers parkland and mountain views. Stop off at Bear Creek Lake State Park for a little rest and enjoy the views.

Free Stuff in a Box in Telluride.

The “Free Box” appeared sometime in the mid-1970s, back when Telluride was simply a small mountain town.

Those who had an item they no longer needed would drop it off in the “Free Box” for others to use.

It’s still that simple.

Most of the items in the “Free Box” are clothing and small housewares, but you never know what you might find.

The 10 gallon hat might belong to a celebrity resident like Tom Cruise! The Free Box is located on North Pine, just off of Colorado Avenue (Main Street). www.visittelluride.com

Summer Gondola Rides in Vail

On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 - 9 p.m. (mid-June through Labor Day), Vail’s Eagle Bahn Gondola offers free rides up Vail Mountain. Don’t miss the F.A.C. (Friday Afternoon Club) featuring live entertainment at 10,000 feet. www.visitvailvalley.com

Southeast Colorado:

A Birdwatcher’s Paradise. With hundreds of diverse habitats and species, Southeast Colorado has long been considered a bird watcher’s paradise. The Comanche National Grasslands near La Junta is a favorite spot for birdwatchers.

Some sites, such as Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta, which has recorded over 135 species of birds, charge a nominal entry fee ($3). Bent’s Bird Sanctuary, located behind the Bent’s Fort Inn near Las Animas is an ideal setting for bird watching.

There are five trails and feeding stations, taking you along picturesque waterways. Other popular bird-watching areas include Lake Henry and Lake Meredith near Ordway and John Martin Reservoir State Park and Lake Hasty near Las Animas. www.exploresoutheastcolorado.com

Have a Jurassic Time at Dinosaur Ridge

Take a self-guided tour of Dinosaur Ridge to view Jurassic dinosaur bones, such as allosaurus, apatosaurus and stegosaurus fossils as well as more than 300 cretaceous dinosaur footprints. Stop by the visitor center for a free trail map that will lead you through viewing stops that feature stegosaurus bones, Iguanodon tracks and prehistoric ripples preserved in this unique outdoor setting where the first dinosaur skeletons in Colorado were discovered. www.dinoridge.org

ABOUT COLORADO

Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine, and renowned ski resort areas.

The state’s breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of four major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 10 national parks and monuments, and 54 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet.

For more information or a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, call 1-800-COLORADO or visit www.COLORADO.com

Picnic inside for lunch or dinner throughout the summer

LAS VEGAS – Station Casinos invites BBQ lovers to picnic inside by offering special BBQ stations at all Feast and Festival buffets now through the summer season.

The BBQ stations feature a variety of meats, tasty BBQ sauces, side dishes and desserts available during lunch and dinner.

The main course choices include BBQ chicken, pork ribs, smoked brisket and sausage which can be topped with one of several BBQ sauces including sweet, caramelized onion and roasted tomato, South Texas spicy and sweet Tennessee.

A host of side dishes are offered to complement the main course including cheddar cheese mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, black eyed peas, Texas BBQ beans, roasted corn on the cob, potato salad, macaroni salad, corn bread muffins and much more.

Several tasty treats are available for dessert such as strawberry shortcake, fresh strawberries with whipped cream, apple cobbler and fruit parfaits.

The special BBQ menu is offered in addition to the regular items available at the Feast and Festival buffets.

In celebration of summer, there is also a daily raffle at each buffet at 6:30 p.m. for a Weber grill. One raffle ticket will be given to each paying guest 21 years and older and at the end of the day, raffle ticket holders can check at the Rewards Center to see if they have won. Winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize. A complete set of rules is available at the Rewards Center.

Prices for the buffets range from $6.99 to $17.99 with a Boarding Pass and $7.99 to $19.99 without a Boarding Pass.

For more information about the BBQ station, Weber grill giveaway and complimentary BBQ recipes to make at home, please visit www.stationcasinos.com/bbq

The Feast and Festival Buffets are one of Southern Nevada’s most popular buffets and a signature staple throughout many Station Casinos’ properties that features a variety of live cooking stations of the freshest prepared food in a buffet environment. The Feast menu features flavors from around the world including Asian, Tex-Mex, American and Italian as well as an extensive soup and salad bar and a wide array of dessert selections that include fresh hand-packed ice creams.

Sebastien Robuchon, nephew of Joël Robuchon, the man described as “The Chef of the Century” now heads the kitchen at the Pantai Lima Estate, Pererenan, Bali.

Robuchon specialises in Provençal cooking and “cuisine actuelle”, as well as contemporary Asian fusion.

Before joining Pantai Lima he worked in Montreal, the capital of francophone Canada.

He spent his apprenticeship working at his uncle’s side and has continued a close relationship with the dishes that have made the Robuchon name famous among the cognoscenti.

At his first banquet at Pantai Lima, Robuchon created, inter alia, “purée de pommes de terre”, the mashed potatoes that are his uncle’s signature dish, much to the delight of his Hong Kong guests, who pronounced them every bit as delicious as those on the menu at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at The Landmark in Hong Kong.

Sebastien Robuchon’s arrival at Pantai Lima brings additional lustre to a property that has rapidly gained the reputation for being the best of the best in Bali.

Pantai Lima is an exclusive estate of super luxury villas built right on the Bali beachfront at Pererenan, an unspoiled fishing community, a short drive north of Seminyak, Bali’s centre of sophisticated shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Each of Pantai Lima’s five luxury beachfront villas – Waringin, Melissa, Sound of the Sea, Ambra, and Mary – is individually architecturally-designed and completely different one-from-another.

They are all truly spacious, beautifully appointed and completely private. Gardens and pools are satisfyingly vast.

For more information about the Pantai Lima estate, please visit our website at www.pantailima.com

Each of our villas has its own dedicated website too. You can find them at
www.villawaringinbali.com
www.villamelissabali.com
www.villasoundoftheseabali.com
www.villaambrabali.com
www.villamarybali.com