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Monthly Archives: April 2014
Outrigger announces $100 million renovation of Waikiki hotel
Outrigger Enterprises Group today announced a $100 million investment to revitalize the oceanfront Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki.
The planned renovation will open vistas to the ocean at Outrigger Reef on the Beach by razing an existing five-story structure located on the beach. It will be replaced with 34,000 square feet of open recreation space, inclusive of enhanced swimming pools, landscaped lounging areas and open-air dining facilities.
A new tower, set back from the shoreline along Kalia Road, will add more than 200 full-service hotel rooms to the property.
“Outrigger is committed to its Hawaii roots and recognizes the importance of creating more full-service hotel rooms in Waikiki to support our state’s number one industry – tourism,” said David Carey, president and CEO of Outrigger Enterprises Group.
“Our company’s expansion into Asia-Pacific and beyond has heightened our awareness of the steep competition that Hawaii faces from leisure destinations across the globe,” Carey said. “The quality of our hotel product, destination and service standards must continue to improve in order to keep pace with the evolving expectations of our guests. We’re now in the early planning stages of this much-needed revitalization and will be working closely with state and city officials for proper approvals.”
The revitalization is the capstone to the Outrigger-led transformation of Waikiki Beach Walk, stretching from Kalakaua Avenue to the sands of Waikiki Beach. Authentic incorporation of Hawaiian culture, music and history will remain prominent throughout the property and guest experience.
In addition, removal of the existing building along the shoreline will dramatically increase ocean vistas and open space. The new hotel structure will incorporate materials, features and technologies that increase efficiency and sustainability.
Outrigger Reef on the Beach will also add 15,000 square feet of new meeting facilities to accommodate the currently underserved small to mid-size meetings market.
The revitalization will provide much-needed, new hotel rooms in Waikiki at a time when hotel room reductions are regularly being announced and is estimated to result in 400 new construction-related jobs, 100 new hotel operations jobs, $235 million in new spending and $700,000 in additional real property taxes for the City and County of Honolulu.
Entitlements and permits are expected to be completed in approximately three years, with construction beginning in 2017 and slated for completion in 2019.
Sense Yountville offers best food and wine of Napa on May 3
The Sixth Annual Sense Yountville will be held on May 3 at V Marketplace-Vintage Estate. Along with enjoying some of the best the Napa Valley has to offer, your purchases will benefit veterans of current wars.
“While our participating winemakers and chefs are marquis names at world-class events all over the country, this is about hometown pride right here in our own backyard,” said Scott Lewis, proprietor of V Wine Cellar and organizer of the event. “Napa Valley is a mecca for both food and wine lovers; this event was designed to showcase what we do right here at home, and being able to help our Vets certainly sweetens the deal this year.”
Whether you’re looking for an exclusive opportunity to lay hands on highly allocated wines, or hoping to discover some of Napa Valley’s hidden gems, this curated tasting replete with pairings from Yountville’s top chefs delivers more than 20 wineries and a dozen chefs under a single roof.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Pathway Home, a Yountville-based residential program serving veterans of current wars. The event is limited to 350 guests to maintain quality of both food and wine on offer and targets discerning wine buyers — epicureans seeking an excellent value on both marquis names and small, lesser-known producers.
Sense Yountville culminates in a live feed Kentucky Derby viewing and artisan cocktail soiree, by SF’s own Bourbon & Branch. Dress in your finest seersucker or summer frock and chapeau and simulate the experience of Churchill Downs by sipping a specialty Mint Julep and cheering on your favorite thoroughbred.
Informal modeling of summer fashions, exclusive prize drawings to benefit The Pathway Home and entertainment round out the eventful day.
Tickets are available online at www.senseyountville.com or call 707-944-5625.
Britweek presents astronomer Richard Ellis at Griffith Observatory
LOS ANGELES
BritWeek Presents: An Evening with Astronomer Richard Ellis: Finding The Earliest Galaxies
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
Ticketed Event – Reservations Are Required
Let There Be Light: Finding the earliest galaxies with Richard Ellis
An exciting evening exploring the universes greatest depths with one of the worlds leading astronomers, at one of the worlds most stunning observatories; Let There Be Light: Finding the earliest galaxies with Richard Ellis at the Griffith Observatory promises to be a spell binding evening for novice astronomers, enthusiasts and anyone seeking a deeper insight into the universe around us alike.
Awarded with the 2011 Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, our guest speaker Richard Ellis, is also a member of the Thirty Meter Telescope’s (TMT) Board of Directors and Science Advisory Committee. He will address the progress and challenges of this fundamental quest for our origins, and discuss the future prospects with the next generation of giant 30 meter aperture ground-based telescopes.
For Ticket Enquiries Please Contact:
Lisa Anderson
Grand Hotel Tremezzo offes 30 new rooms and suite on Lake Como in Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo opens for the 2014 season as a luxuriously updated hideaway. Along with its chic new look, guests can indulge in gastronomic decadence from celebrated Italian Chef Gualtiero Marchesi.
With 30 newly-renovated Lake View Prestige Rooms and a new signature Historic Suite Aurelia, this season sees the culmination of a three-year renovation that has completely transformed this 92-room legendary palace and Lake Como icon. From the wrought-iron balconies that offer stunning water views to the custom furniture created by local artisans with accents in the finest silk from the region, these latest rooms are infused with a magnificent sense of place.
The newest Historic Suite – Suite Aurelia – pays homage to one of the hotel’s own Grand Dames, a revered member of the owning family known for her beauty, elegance and sophistication, who is celebrating her 90th birthday this year. The new suite reflects the delicate hues of the lake and is adorned with treasured antiques from her own collection, including an 18th Century oil painting, writing desk and a stunning baroque mirror.
The 2014 season’s finishing touches build upon last year’s introduction of the hotel’s eight new Rooftop Suites, each offering a private terrace and outdoor heated Jacuzzi where guests can relax and soak in the panoramic views of the lake. Guests of the Rooftop Suites also enjoy the ultimate indulgence of private butler service.
Enjoy the award-winning Italian cuisine of culinary maestro Gualtiero Marchesi, Italy’s most celebrated modern Chef. Since taking permanent residency next to the Executive Chef Osvaldo Presazzi, Marchesi’s signature dishes also have a new home at La Terrazza Restaurant, including his world-renowned “Risotto con Foglia d’oro,” or Saffron Risotto topped with Pure Gold Leaf.
Located on the shores of Lake Como, Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, features 92 exquisitely and sumptuously appointed rooms and suites. Its unique lakeside positioning offers unparalleled views of Bellagio, the Riviera delle Azalee and the stunning Grigne mountains.
Originally built in 1910, the hotel boasts a true Art Nouveau style and décor featuring five dining venues with authentic Italian cuisine by renowned chef Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi. www.grandhoteltremezzo.com
Pacific Coast Dream Machines coming to Half Moon Bay on April 27
There are car shows, air shows, motorcycle shows, tractor shows, county fairs, music festivals, food festivals and living history festivals galore. Mix them all together in one venue on one day and you’ve got Half Moon Bay’s beloved, one and only Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show –– a massive celebration of mechanical ingenuity, power and style known as the “Coolest Show on Earth”.
The spectacular 24th annual show will return to a single-day mega-show format, Sunday, April 27, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Half Moon Bay Airport, located in the picturesque seaside town of Half Moon Bay, about 20 miles south of San Francisco. An added bonus: the Tom Lantos Tunnels through Devil’s Slide on Highway 1 make driving to the show easier and more interesting than ever!
This year’s headline attractions include an impressive array of military aircraft including the P-38 Lightning, B-25 Bomber, P-51 Mustang, C-47 Skytrain and F-4 Corsair among others, a parade of dozens of one-of-a-kind vintage police cars, “Dynojet” dynamometer engine performance testing, world land speed record streamliners and hydroplanes, a special display of antique wooden boats, a multitude of Ford Mustangs to celebrate the iconic muscle cars’ 50th anniversary, and an opening color guard to kick off the festivities.
The Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show is a whimsical, fascinating, amusing, curious and absolutely unique show and tell spectacle featuring 2,000 magnificent driving, flying and working machines from the 20th and 21st centuries. The world’s coolest cars of every era and style, model-T fire engines, vintage busses, custom motorcycles, tricked out trucks, super sleek streamliners, one-of-a-kind antique engines and tractors and historic military aircraft will be among the mesmerizing displays.
It’s one of the west coast’s biggest, baddest gatherings of the world’s coolest cars. Spectators will get a rare up-close look at antique horseless carriages and Ford Model T’s, fanciful touring and luxury cars, powerful sports cars, custom cars and street rods, muscle cars, vintage and modern era high-performance race cars, quirky art and pedal cars, modified street machines with cutting edge styles, exotic high-performance cars, stylish European cars, ultra cool low-riders, sporty compacts, modified imports with flashy graphics, fashionable hip-hop urban show cars, homebuilt kit cars, super-charged turbo cars and trucks, “green” technology/alternative fuel vehicles, streamliners, dragsters, funny cars, gassers, and jet cars.
Hundreds of aviation wonders are expected to be on display –– stylish homebuilts, classics from the ‘40s and ‘50s, vintage warbirds, sport and ultralight aircraft. Highlights include jaw-dropping, shock and awe flyovers by historic military aircraft: the P-38 Lightning, B-25 Bomber, C-47 Skytrain and F-4 Corsair. Plus there’s “Mustang Madness” –– a spectacular display of America’s premier World War II fighter along with YAK Russian fighters and an impressive array of T-6 and T-28 military fighters and trainers. Thrilling rides will be offered in helicopters, vintage bi-planes, along with Beech 18 and T-6 military trainers.
The show benefits the Coastside Adult Day Health Center.
For information, call 650-726-2328 or visit www.miramarevents.com
Yosemite Festival celebrates 150th anniversary of Yosemite grant
Join the communities of Madera County: California’s Gateway to Yosemite at the first Yosemite Festival. The festival will honor the 150th Anniversary signing of the Yosemite Grant Act by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864. The Grant protected Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, creating the foundation for the National Park System.
Yosemite Festival, which will be held on June 28 at the Oakhurst Community Park near Yosemite’s south entrance, will feature six exciting regions:
Half Dome Art Pavilion celebrates the beauty and history of the Art of Yosemite. Local artists will feature their Yosemite inspired work in all forms. Award winning art from Valley View “Yosemite Trails, Currents & Visions” Artist Exhibit will be on display as well as the Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous’ Yosemite themed projects and wood quilt.
Yosemite Falls History Center will take you back in time with the evolution of Yosemite & Vintage Clothing Exhibit. There will be demonstrations and exhibits with representatives from the National Park Service, Sierra Mono Museum, Cal Fire, Yosemite Pack Station, & more. The Yosemite Conservancy will be showing the Ken Burns’ documentary “Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit” which will be for sale with the accompanying Dayton Duncan book, along with other 150th Anniversary memorabilia.
El Capitan Adventure Land celebrates the wildlife, nature & experiences of Yosemite. There will be kids pony rides, the Chaffee Zoo Mobile, Smokey Bear (himself), Mountain Bear Fan Club teddy bear dressing activities, face painting, Yosemite National Park’s Junior Ranger program, storytelling, coloring books & more.
Yosemite Valley Center Stage, sponsored by Sierra Tel, will feature educational programs & entertainment throughout the day. At noon, Abraham Lincoln and friends will be escorted into the Festival to provide a historical presentation about the Yosemite Grant 150th Anniversary. John Muir, Native American dancers, Pack Station demonstrations, a talk about Giant Sequoia, Junior Ranger program, and a mini Melodrama by the Golden Chain Theatre are some of the exciting Center Stage activities planned.
Mariposa Grove Food & Beverage Garden – The Oakhurst Sierra Rotary & Sunrise Rotary will be serving delicious barbecued burgers, hot dogs, Tri Tip & chicken sandwiches. Assorted sodas, water, and beer, including South Gate Brewing Company’s 1864 Ale, will be available as well.
Along the Merced River Vendor Trail, attendees can shop for tasty local treats, homemade jewelry, commemorative anniversary posters & t-shirts, art and more.
“This is a big commemoration to honor the Yosemite Grant 150th birthday. We will have a little bit of everything for all ages, so much to see and do. There will be a center stage with performances all day long. It’s going to be a blast.” Said Rhonda Salisbury of the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau.
The Festival hours are 10 am to 7 pm. Admission is only $1 and the first 500 people will receive a commemorative button. Advanced discounted packages are available which include admission for 1 BBQ meal (burger/dog, soda/water & side), commemorative button & poster for $10.
The Oakhurst Community Park is located at 49074 Civic Circle Drive in Oakhurst.
For advanced tickets, vendor inquiries, or more information, please call:
Rhonda Salisbury at 559-683-4636 – Rhonda@YosemiteThisYear.com
Updated event calendar information can also be found atwww.YosemiteFestival.com
Hurtigruten offers 35 percent off Greenland tours this summer
Hurtigruten is 
There has never been a better time for travelers to see for themselves why Greenland has been one of the focal points of the climate change debate. All while comfortably ensconced on the company’s 318-guest, deluxe expedition ship MS Fram.
The offer is good for new bookings on any of the three summer 2014 itineraries with the only deadline being space available. Discounted fares range from $5,925 to $8,578 per person, double. Flights are available from the US, starting as low as $1,200.
“Glaciers & Ice” is a 13-day journey that visits historical places from the Viking era as it makes its way around southern and eastern Greenland as well as spending two days exploring the Iceland’s Reykjavik, and Grundarfjörður, one of Iceland’s most diverse and scenic fjords, and an overnight stay in Copenhagen.
A two-night pre-voyage option in Reykjavik includes breakfasts, a full-day Golden Circle Tour, and a visit to the well-known Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, and is priced at $563 per person.
The 11- and 14-day “Arctic Wilderness Adventure” focuses on Disko Bay, first discovered by the Viking Eric the Red in 985, and the rarely visited settlement of Upernavik, where giant icebergs, fjords, wildlife and spectacular landscapes are sure to impress.
“National Park Expedition” is a true rare adventure as its 15- or 16-day route spends seven days exploring Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest park and only visited by about 500 people per year – as well as spending time exploring Iceland and Spitsbergen.
Excursions are led by experts, who also offer lectures onboard about various aspects of life in Greenland. Highlights include spending a night sleeping on the ship’s deck, watching icebergs in the night’s soft light and enjoying hot chocolate; fishing with the officers and crew during the day and enjoying the catch at dinner; kayaking the arctic waters; visiting cultural-historical museums and local handicraft workshops; and sharing a “kaffemik” in the home of a local Itilleq resident.
Additional information, itineraries, brochures and reservations can be obtained from Hurtigruten’s visitor-friendly website, www.hurtigruten.us; by phone at 800-323-7436; or fax at 888-524-2145. For sales support, group rates and agency incentives, contact Hurtigruten Sales Support at 877-849-3424.
Surprise questions equal special gifts at Kimpton hotels in Los Angeles
No joke. April Rules at these Los Angeles Kimpton hotels as they randomly select guests each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to receive a special gift. The catch? The guest has to correctly answer a question posed by the front desk.
A sampling of questions might be:
- New York Times word of the day
- Name three Kimpton hotels other than the one the guest is checking into
- Name Los Angeles landmarks
- Hula Hoop for 30 seconds
A sampling of the surprise and delight gifts might be:
- Room upgrade
- Complimentary breakfast
- Raid the Mini Bar service
- Complimentary cocktail
Kimpton hotels in Los Angeles include The Hotel Wilshire at 6317 Wilshire Blvd. and The Hotel Palomar Los Angeles-Westwood at 10740 Wilshire Blvd.
MORE: Visit www.hotelwilshire.com or http://www.hotelpalomar-
Celebrate summer of FREEdom in the British Virgin Islands
This summer, the British Virgin Islands invites travelers to celebrate a Summer of FREEdom by taking advantage of incredible offers throughout the 60 beautiful islands.
Value-added offers from a variety of properties – private islands to luxury villas to yachts and more – include free nights, resort credits, free car rental and free excursions. Summer is the season for deals and celebrations and with the destination’s 60th Anniversary of Emancipation (July 28 – August 9, 2014) there will be even more activities for travelers.
The islands are now even more accessible than ever with increased airlift. Cape Air recently added direct flights into Virgin Gorda from San Juan, the airline’s Caribbean hub, in addition to regularly scheduled flights into Beef Island, all of which can be booked through a streamlined process on JetBlue.com.
Cape Air also has interline agreements with American Airlines with flights bookable on AA.com as well as a codeshare agreement with United Airlines, making the checked baggage process easier as bags are transferred without having to be rechecked.
Seaborne Airlines also recently announced an interline agreement with Delta Airlines allowing travelers to book on Delta.com. An existing interline agreement with JetBlue and a code sharing agreement with American Airlines is also in place.
Families can enjoy everything from snorkeling to an exciting tour with Original Virgin Canopy Tour for a zip line experience. Couples can go on a romantic hike through Gorda Peak and enjoy lunch at the Top of the Baths with incredible views or get even more adventurous and try their hand at diving, kiteboarding or windsurfing.
Foodies will enjoy the destination’s signature fungi dish and can head over to Jost Van Dyke’sThe Soggy Dollar Bar for the BVI’s signature cocktail – The Painkiller. Luxury lovers and relaxation seekers can charter a yacht for a sunset cruise, book a spa treatment at one of the private island resorts or just bask in the sun on one of the destination’s award-winning beaches.