Downtown Long Beach celebrates New Year’s Eve

Downtown
Long Beach will host a massive celebration this New Year’s Eve with two
incredible events featuring live performances by CPO & The Saps,
Them Novus, Love Fool and celebrated 70s cover band Wayward Sons,
beginning at 5 p.m. this Saturday, December 31, 2011.

 

Produced
and co-sponsored by the DLBA, New Year’s Eve in Downtown will begin
with a free, family-friendly event in the Waterfront amphitheatre at
Rainbow Harbor followed by a ticketed high-energy street party on Pine
Avenue.

Advance tickets are $10 each and are available online at www.downtownlongbeach.org, but due to time constraints must be picked up in person
(with valid ID) at the DLBA offices located at 100 West Broadway, Ste
120, Long Beach, CA 90802 on Thursday and Friday, December 29 and 30,
2011 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., or at George’s Greek Caf located at
135 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802 on Saturday, December 31, 2011
between noon and 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the event and will be
sold for $15 each.

Waikiki Beach offers new restaurant, wine bar and piano lounge

The exotic flavors of the Pacific Rim take center stage at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort’s (Oahu) new Japengo Restaurant.
The restaurant’s contemporary design features an interactive sushi bar
and lounge, private dining rooms, and intimate tables for two.

Diners
can choose from a variety of handcrafted cocktails and dishes
highlighting the authentic tastes of Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Korea,
China, and more. For more information, visit Waikiki.Hyatt.com.

Relax at Waikiki’s newest wine bar and piano lounge bin1901 located in the main lobby of Oahu’s Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort and Spa.
Open seven nights a week from 5:30-10:30 p.m. with live nightly piano
performances, bin1901 offers an extensive collection of more than 100
varieties of wine.

Menu items from the Beachhouse at the Moana are carefully paired to complement each wine’s characteristics, and on Wine Wednesdays Executive Sous Chef Norman Soderberg prepares a special appetizer only available at bin1901. For more information, visit Moana-Surfrider.com.

Kauai featured in major movies

With the recent release of The Descendants, starring George Clooney,
in theaters nationwide, the beautiful Garden Island of Kaua’i has now had a starring role in
four major movies in 2011.

Earlier this year, Kaua’i’s sunny weather, spectacular natural beauty, and pristine
beaches were also prominently featured in the summer blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, starring Johnny Depp, Just Go With It, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer
Aniston, and Soul Surfer, the inspiring story of surfer Bethany Hamilton.

“We’re truly honored the producers of these four movies found Kaua’i’s abundant
tropical beauty and scenic vistas to be essential in telling their stories,” said Sue Kanoho,
executive director of the Kaua’i Visitors Bureau. “Movie fans are seeing again and again why a
visit to Kaua’i is such an enjoyable and rejuvenating experience.”

As with the other three movies filmed on Kaua’i this year, The Descendants is expected
to be released in theaters internationally, shown on pay-per-view TV, and released on DVD
and Blu-ray, furthering the exposure of Kaua’i’s allure to audiences worldwide.
Kaua’i is a veteran “performer” for Hollywood having served as a location site for more
than 60 major movies and TV shows, including favorites like South Pacific; Blue Hawaii; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Jurassic Park; The Thorn Birds; Six Days, Seven Nights; Tropic Thunder; and Avatar.

“Film production crews always enjoy working on Kaua’i and we love having them
come to our island home for location shoots,” said Kanoho. “Our people are great about
making the crews feel welcome, respecting their privacy, and letting Kaua’i be a wonderful
experience while they are working away from home.”
Kaua’i’s nickname as the Garden Island helps explain its appeal to filmmakers – and
travelers. The island is green and flourishing with lush flora running from its mountains to the
sea, yet Kaua’i also offers more than 50 miles of white-sand beaches – more beach per mile
than any other island in Hawai’i.
Kaua’i offers visitors one natural wonder after another to admire. Two of the most well
known are the Npali Coast, with its towering cliffs overlooking the northwest shoreline, and
majestic Waimea Canyon, known as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”
For more information about Kaua’i – Hawai’i’s Island of Discovery – please visit
www.kauaidiscovery.com or call the Kaua’i Visitors Bureau toll-free at (800) 262-1400. Follow
Kaua’i via Twitter (@kauaidiscovery) and as a fan on Facebook (Kauai Visitors Bureau).
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Kaua’i Starred in Four Major Movies in 2011
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The Kaua’i Visitors Bureau is a division of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention
Bureau, which is contracted by the Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA), the State of Hawai’i’s
tourism agency, for marketing management services in North America. The HTA was
established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to
strategically manage Hawai’i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of
Hawai’i’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community
desires, and visitor industry needs.

Oxnard launches mobile website

The Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau
launched a new Mobile Website today. The New Mobile Website or Mobi
site is a full features website that allows people who use a Smartphone
or cell phone technology to access all of the same information and
features found at www.visitoxnard.com.

Information about Oxnard’s
accommodations, dining options, special deals, attractions, meeting
opportunities, and events has been developed to be viewed using your
cell phone or Smartphone.

Heavenly offers ultimate apres party in Tahoe

57342-Unbuckle_at_Tamarack.jpg

Heavenly Mountain
Resort is taking the aprs ski party to new heights – 9,150 feet, to be
exact – with Unbuckle at Tamarack, Tahoe’s ultimate aprs party.

 Located
inside Heavenly’s Tamarack Lodge at the top of the Heavenly
Gondola, Unbuckle at Tamarack will run from at 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
daily from Dec. 26-31 featuring DJs, dancers and
half-priced drinks. After the New Year, Unbuckle at Tamarack will be
daily from 3:30-5:30 p.m., with the EpicMix Chix dancers being featured
exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays.

 A
live DJ will set the tone for the party, as the Heavenly Angels pass
out prizes and giveaway items, mingle with guests, and pose for photos.
EpicMix photographers will also be on-hand to capture the action and
load the photos to guests’ EpicMix accounts, as well as Facebook and
Twitter.

 In addition to half-price drinks, a specialty food menu will include staples such as Tamarack’s famous BBQ nachos.


 

Celebrate holidays in Marina del Rey

With
the holidays only days away, the stress of hosting extended family
members and friends is quickly adding to a hectic schedule of cooking,
decorating and shopping. To help the holiday madness, Marina del Rey
offers last minute tips that will solve any entertaining need and
provide you and your guests with a memorable holiday:

 It’s
not too late to book that last minute guest room.  Marina del Rey
launched its “Never Run Out of Guest Rooms Again” sale, the first
community outreach of its kind, that offers special rates to help
Westside neighbors host their visiting family and friends through Jan. 31

 Don’t want to cook this year? Shanghai Red’s, Chart House, El Toritio and Frankie & Johnnie’s New York Pizza will all be open on Christmas Day. Fine dining staples Vu, Jer-Ne, SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa and Caf del Rey
are available on other holiday nights for visitors to enjoy fresh
cuisine to accompany breathtaking views. For an on-the-water experience,
Hornblower Cruises & Events
will be offering holiday dinner cruises, giving family members the
experience of eating on a yacht as it sails through the marina.

Sail
into the holiday spirit by getting out onto the water. Visitors will
love seeing the views of Santa Monica and Venice from on-the-water. 
Haven’t tried it before? No worries! Marina del Rey has several
instructors ready to take you out to experience the water.

 Every
Saturday and Sunday year-round, Marina del Rey hosts concerts at
Fisherman’s Village, featuring local and regional acts across several
genres. Whether you like blues, Latin, jazz or R&B, come to the
lighthouse at the village to hear relaxing music right on the water.
It’ll put you in a festive mood! 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.\

Buffalo Bill’s Resort announces renovations

Primm
Valley Casino Resorts continues to improve guests’
experience with rejuvenated offerings and upgrades
throughout Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino. On Dec. 24 at 4 p.m.
the casino resort will unveil recent renovations to rooms and dining
options as well as a refreshed casino floor and additional major
projects.

“Our
ultimate goal is to provide our guests with the best experience
possible while visiting the properties,” said Loren Gill, executive vice
president and general manager of Primm Valley Casino Resorts. “The
enhancements at Buffalo Bill’s will give the resort a fresh new feeling while offering ample amenities that truly set our venue apart from others.”

Buffalo
Bill’s is currently undergoing updates in order to sustain a vibrant
and welcoming atmosphere within the casino, including installing new
carpet as well as upgrading several restrooms. A complete redesign of
the casino layout will include the addition of a party pit to offer
guests an exhilarating atmosphere to play their favorite games. In
addition, the Attraction Zone Arcade will be revamped with all new games
replacing existing models.

 The
resort will add 1,000 news beds throughout the property to combine with
the renovations that began last year in order to modernize the space.
Furthermore, an expanded retail area will provide items of necessity during the guests’ stay.

Finally,
the property will encompass a new dining venue, Crossroads BBQ, Booze
& Blues. The eatery will serve classic barbecue fare as well as host
a rotating ethnic menu offering a fresh variety for customers at
Buffalo Bill’s.

 For more information on Primm Valley Casino Resorts, please contact 1-800-FUN-STOP (386-7867) or visit us online at www.primmvalleyresorts.com.

Recharge at Spindrift Inn in Monterey Bay

If
all of the decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, gift giving and
merry making of the season has you craving a little relaxation,
treat yourself to some richly deserved downtime. A stay at the
Spindrift Inn should be just the thing to help you unwind and recharge.

Settle into an intimate room and kick up your heels beside a real
wood burning fireplace. Or, pick a cozy spot on the window seat to rest
and gaze at the
breathtaking Monterey Bay. A tempting wine and cheese reception is
served in the lobby each afternoon and a complimentary silver tray
continental breakfast
is delivered to your room each morning.

The ‘Unwind and Recharge’ rate starts at $129 per night for
Cannery Row View rooms and $249 for Ocean Views, Sunday through Friday
December 16 – 23 and
January 2 – 13, 2012. Saturday nights are just $30 more. You
won’t find better rates than these for the rest of the year, so hurry
and book by Dec. 21.

Availability is limited, and restrictions apply.
Book now or call 800-841-1879.

Celebrate 13 days of Christmas at Heavenly Village

For
13 days, Heavenly Village will be teeming with the sights, sounds and
smells of the holidays as Heavenly Holidays 2011 from Dec. 19-31
treats guests to a variety of festive events from ice skating and
sculpting to a uniquely Heavenly countdown to the New Year. 

 

“The
holidays are a special time, as family and friends gather to celebrate
and partake in traditions that are meaningful to them,” said Pete
Sonntag,
vice
president and general manager of Heavenly. “With a great lineup of
events and the best skiing and snowboarding Lake Tahoe has to offer, we
hope that Heavenly Holidays will become an integral part of families’
traditions.”

Backed
by the West Coast’s largest snowmaking system and the world’s largest
fleet of Prinoth Bison X and Beast grooming machines, holiday revelers
can expect the finest snow surface conditions on the most open terrain
at Lake Tahoe. In addition to its clear advantage in terms of skiing and
snowboarding terrain, Heavenly has also put together a holiday program
that will keep families coming back year after year.

 Ripperoo Parades – December 17-March 24

Each
Saturday, starting Dec. 17, Ripperoo, Heavenly’s loveable mascot,
will give children the chance to star in their own parade, as they play
music, sing songs, and march through Heavenly Village. The Ripperoo
Parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the base of the Gondola and will end
with hot chocolate and photos with Ripperoo. 

 Santa’s Workshop Snow Globe – December 19-25

The
holiday merriment will kick off on Dec. 19 with Santa’s Workshop
Snow Globe, a 16-foot interactive snow globe where children can have
their photos taken on Santa’s lap as they to tell him their wish list.
The family-style atmosphere will be complete with an on-site disc jockey
playing holiday music. On Christmas Eve, special musical guest the
Dickens Boys will provide live holiday music using string and wind
instruments.

 The
Dickens Boys will return to the Snow Globe on Christmas Day, as
families will have the opportunity to take family holiday portraits at
the venue. The Snow Globe will be open Dec. 19-25 from 12:00-5:00
p.m.

 Heavenly Holidays Concert Series – December 26-29

The
jovial mood continues the week between Christmas and New Year’s, as the
Heavenly Holidays Concert Series is set to showcase a different band
daily from 2:00-4:30 p.m. The series features: Jelly Bread (Dec. 26),
Lavish Green (Dec. 27), The Trey Stone Band (Dec. 28) and Tragically
White (Dec. 29). Each band will perform live on-stage under the Heavenly
Gondola adjacent to Bellamy Court.

 Ice Skating Show – December 29-30

Taking
to the ice on Dec. 29 and 30, professional ice skaters will perform
a 20-minute Ice Spectacular Ice Skating Show at the Heavenly Village
Ice Rink at 7:00 p.m. and will showcase the talents of Jeb K. Rand and
his wife and skating partner, Jennifer.

 Ice Sculpting Exhibition – December 30

On
Dec. 30, an Ice Sculpting Exhibition will take place from 3:00-3:30
p.m. with lit ice sculptors being displayed throughout Heavenly Village.
At 6:30 p.m., the excitement will continue as “Fear No Ice” performs a
thrilling ice sculpting show adjacent to the Village ice rink.

A Heavenly New Year – December 31

All
the holiday events will cumulate on Dec. 31 with a Heavenly New
Year Celebration that includes interactive games and experiences such as
snowboard simulators, one-of-a-kind photo experiences, and face and
body painting from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Loaded with music, lights, pyrotechnic
effects and crowd interaction, the “Fear No Ice – Rock N Roll Show”
from 6:00-6:30 p.m. will be an exciting show unlike any ordinary ice
sculpting exhibition. “Band X” will perform an exciting New Year’s Eve
concert from 6:30-8:55 p.m. that will be an inspiring countdown to the
Gondola Ball Drop. A beacon in the dark sky, a brightly-lit Heavenly
Gondola car will descend from the top of the mountain until a
stopping-point above the Village crowd at 9:00 p.m., coinciding with
midnight on the East Coast. The dropping of the ball will signal the
beginning of a dramatic New Year’s fireworks show from the Gondola
parking garage. 

Celebrate Christmas on the Central Coast

Winter
on California’s spectacular Central Coast is a magical time, full of
natural beauty and holiday cheer. Whether you choose to take a
last-minute holiday vacation or surprise loved ones with a gift to be
remembered, the winter season is a perfect time to get away to the coast
and celebrate the holidays with Martin Resorts.

As a home-away-from-home, Pismo Lighthouse Suites
is a terrific hotel built with the entire family in mind.  With 70
oceanfront two-room/two-bath suites, there is plenty of room for
everyone. A glass-enclosed outdoor heated pool overlooks the ocean, an
ideal spot for bundling up and sipping hot drinks after the sun goes
down. Kids and kids at heart will love the amazing activity-filled
family play deck including life-sized chess board, multiple ping pong
tables, badminton, and various putting greens.  

In Pismo Beach, holiday attractions include the lighted Christmas tree at the end of the pier and the world-famous Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville,
a professional theater on Highway 1 where folks of all ages pack in
each holiday season to see Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” followed
by a hilarious and heartwarming vaudeville revue.

Avila Beach is another classic California town with a laidback seaside vibe, and Avila Lighthouse Suites provides
just the right warmth and comfort to accommodate any holiday away from
home.  Each generous suite features a balcony or patio with a view of
the sand and surf, just across the street from the hotel. 

Guests are also encouraged to enjoy the nearby Avila Beach Golf Resort
championship course for hitting the links, followed by a relaxing
massage or spa treatment to relieve holiday stress at the Avila
Lighthouse Suites’ on-site Spa Central Coast

 From
oceanfront hotels in popular Pismo Beach and Avila Beach, to a historic
garden hotel in the heart of Paso Robles wine country, Martin Resorts
has the perfect property to make any Central Coast getaway
unforgettable. For more information or to book your next escape, visit www.MartinResorts.com. To purchase a Martin Resorts gift card for the holidays visit www.MartinResorts.com/gift_cards.html.