World’s Best Hotel Designs – Gold Key Award Winners
Posted September 3, 2009 , add a commentThe 2009 Gold Key Award winners for ‘Excellence in Hospitality Design’ have been announced, and the world’s best hotel designs (urban) were judged to be the Andaz West Hollywood, InterContinental Chicago O’Hare and Las Alcobas in Polanco, Mexico.
Andaz West Hollywood & Intercontinental Chicago O’Hare
The best bar/lounge design was the W Hotel Atlanta Downtown, Atlanta, GA, along with the Mondrian Miami and the Punk Bar in Beijing, China.
Drink Shop, W Atlanta Downtown
The best guest room award winners included the Lydmar Hotel in Stockholm and the Mondrian Miami, along with the Miraval Guestrooms in Catalina, Arizona.
Lydmar Hotel, Stockholm
The best lobby/reception winners included the Smyth Hotel in New York and one of the ‘Best Suite’ design winners was Penthouse Eight at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, also in New York.
Tribeca Grand, New York
The Gold Key Awards are sponsored by Interior Design and HOTELS magazines, and finalists were selected by a panel of notable industry experts from more than 225 projects in 24 countries. The awards ceremony will be held during the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS) on Nov 7-10, 2009, at New York City’s Javits Center.
For more details about all the winners and their designers in all categories, visit IHMRS.com.
Photos courtesy Hyatt Hotels Corp., IHG Plc, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, WorldHotels and Grand Hospitality.
New Giant (small) Panda at the San Diego Zoo
Posted August 21, 2009 , add a commentIt’s been a busy time for the giant pandas at San Diego’s world renowned zoo this past week!
First up, two birthdays were celebrated this week. Su Lin (meaning ‘a little bit of something very cute’ in Chinese) celebrated her fourth birthday on Monday with a massive two-tiered “cake” made of ice, carrots, bamboo and apples. And yes of course, it was topped with a giant 4.
The other birthday was for Zhen Zhen (meaning ‘precious’), who celebrated her second birthday with a smaller cake, also made of ice and goodies. What to give a panda who’s well taken care of by zoo staff? Both pandas received birthday gift boxes full of biscuits made especially for pandas.
Happy 4th birthday, Su Lin!
It’s a… stick of butter?
The biggest news to come out of San Diego Zoo this week is that momma panda Bai Yun (meaning ‘white cloud’) gave birth to her fifth panda cub! This happened just before 5am on Wednesday, August 5. The baby cub, who they initially believe to be a boy, is about the size of a stick of butter and weighs in at approximately 4 ounces.
The new cub (top of photo) with mamma
In addition to her two cubs currently at the San Diego zoo, Bai Yun is also mother to Hua Mei (the first panda born in the Western Hemisphere since 1990) and Mei Sheng (the only male panda born in San Diego). Both of these pandas have now returned to the Wolong Giant Panda Research Station in China, as part of the agreement between the San Diego Zoo and the Panda Research Station.
Hua Mei has gone on to be an amazing breeder, having given birth to three sets of twins and a single cub.
Viator offers admission tickets to the San Diego zoo (we also offer a San Diego zoo ticket with transport from local hotels). Though you won’t be able to see Bai Yun or her new cub for a few months (unless you’re watching them on the zoo’s Panda Cam), there are always her two offspring (and their dad, let’s give pappa panda some due props!) to see. The San Diego zoo is one of the only places in the United States that you can see these rare and gorgeous animals!
-Jenny Crossling
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s San Diego tours & things to do in San Diego, from San Diego theme park tickets such as SeaWorld, Legoland and the San Diego Zoo.
Best Fall Bear Trips: From Rare BC Spirit Bears to Chinese Pandas on Natural Habitat Adventures Eco Tours
Posted August 7, 2009 , add a comment) Boulder, Colorado ? July 30, 2009 ? From stalking the mystical Spirit Bear ? a rare white subspecies of black bears living in a remote tract of Canadian coastal rainforest ? to viewing endangered giant pandas in China to traveling among hundreds of polar bears on the shores of Hudson Bay, the best bear tours, like Natural Habitat Adventures’ small-group eco tours, provide an intimate experience of these impressive animals, closely tied to the complex conservation issues that threaten them. These four top fall bear trips from China to the Arctic, offered by award-winning eco travel company Natural Habitat Adventures, go well beyond the bear essentials:
- Only 400 or so rare Kermode bears ? known to Native Americans as the Spirit Bear ? remain. The new Spirit Bears and Humpback Whales of BC tour travels aboard a private sailing ketch exploring the largest remaining tract of virgin temperate rainforest ? with kayaking from shipboard among humpback whales. 9 days, September/October, $5,995, for 14 people.
- See endangered giant pandas in natural habitat in eastern China’s Bifengxia Panda Base, and the Asiatic Black Bear ? known as the Moon Bear ? in Chengdu. The Wild and Ancient China tour also includes man-made wonders: the Terracotta Army and the Great Wall. 12 days, September 2009 (May ? September 2010), $6,995, for 15 people.
- Watch abundant grizzly bears feasting on salmon on this new tour into Canada’s “Wild West,” remote Chilcotin Country. Bears & Eagles of Chilko Lake includes nature encounters by raft, kayak, boat and helicopter and lodging on alpine Chilko Lake. 6 days, September, $5,995, for 12 people.
- Experience up to 100 bears a day, as well as arctic fox, caribou, the northern lights and more on five separate Churchill polar bear itineraries. Classic Polar Bear Expedition is 6 or 7 days, October/November, from $4,595, for 15 people.
A member of Adventure Collection and exclusive Conservation Travel Provider to World Wildlife Fund, Natural Habitat Adventures’ awards include a 2009 Best Adventure Travel Company ranking from National Geographic Adventure and 2009 World’s Best Tour Operator honors from Travel + Leisure. All Natural Habitat Adventures trips are carbon neutral. For information, visit www.nathab.com.
Media Contacts: Matt Kareus, Natural Habitat Adventures, 303.449.3711, mattk@nathab.com; or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, 307.734.5335, darla@wordenpr.com.
No Beelzebub, No Devil’s Son to be Found! - Branson, Missouri
Posted July 30, 2009 , add a commentNo Beelzebub, No Devil’s Son to be Found! - Branson, Missouri
The first night I attended a dinner show in Branson, Missouri, I knew this was as different a place culturally as I have ever been to. As I was enjoying a pre-show dinner consisting of tender sirloin tips and a skinless chicken breast with a tasty baked potato at the Magnificent Variety Show, cover songs of some classic rock songs were blaring out of the loudspeakers. One in particular was Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. I was waiting for my favorite line from the song to be crooned out, the one about Beelzebub having a devil for a son, and alas, the lyrics were changed instead to referring to the song as being “a hoot”. Should I be surprised the devil’s minions were struck down in song since this locale is not only nestled in the Ozarks, but also in the Bible Belt?
The feeling I got as I visited this entertainment mecca was one of being transported back to a different time period. Sure, I saw lots of people talking on their cell phones, and the internet is alive and well here, but there is this sense of old fashioned values that emanates out of Branson, where the locals are generally polite and will ask you “Where you from?” Each attraction that’s narrated or live show will basically pay homage to our troops and veterans.
Branson entertainment is definitely not Las Vegas fare, as the live music shows that have been entertaining visitors since 1959 are aimed at a more conservative values-oriented audience. But that’s okay, for that’s the neat aspect of travel: being able to find cultural differences than the ones you’re used to, and still have a good time.
My first live music show in Branson at The Osmonds Theatre was still a memorable experience as the musical troupe led by husband and wife team Joe and Tamra Tinoco made more than 300 costume changes during 90 minutes of performing parts of some of the most memorable pop hits by decade in vignettes, beginning with the 1940’s and running all the way through today for the first half of their act, in which they dressed in the styles of each decade and impersonated the musical performers the best they could, which was quite good! Since I grew up in the 1970’s and 1980’s, my favorite covers that they did were when they imitated Michael Jackson’s Thriller video with all those ghoulish/zombie-like costumes and when they got into various uniforms to play the Village People while crooning out Y.M.C.A.
This Magnificent Variety troupe encouraged audience participation, too, as they came off stage sometimes to sing a slow love song to one of the ladies, and for one 1970’s vignette, they got some of the audience members to go back stage with them to put on some wacky-looking wigs and then they all danced before the audience.
In the second half their act following an intermission, the show consisted of full renditions of songs from various Broadway plays like Funny Girl, The Phantom of the Opera, and more, and ended with a patriotic tribute to America’s veterans and then to America itself. The only thing missing that night without Beelzebub and his devilish son was apple pie: after all, chocolate cake was served! Nonetheless, the audience made up of primarily middle-aged folks and senior citizens enjoyed themselves.
The Civil War “Re-enacted” at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede
As I walked to the entrance of Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede from the parking lot, Palominos and Quarter horses were next to the sidewalk to be admired. These horses would be used during a 90 minute show that takes place in a 35,000 square foot arena, with its staging area being about as large as a basketball or hockey arena in my estimation.
I was greeted at the door by young ladies dressed in Southern Belle costumes and taken to the pre-show area, where hundreds of other guests and I could got snacks like popcorn and peanuts plus soft drinks in a commemorative cup. We then got to watch the opening act of our live show experience, a comedian juggler and musician named David Lucas. He entertained us with his juggling of various items like 7 rings, 3 large knives, and golf balls which he spit out of his mouth. I really enjoyed it when he juggled some tambourines to the soundtrack of Arabic music, which created a pleasant harmony. He referred to himself as an “Oriental Redneck” and got lots of laughs talking about his life and show business family. He’s performed before the Queen of England and U.S. Presidents.
We were then ushered into the arena that seats 1,100 people by a Confederate and Union soldier, who determined which side of the arena we would be sitting on: The North or South side. I was put in the North, and after we were all seated, it was explained to us that we would be helping to re-enact The Civil War as each course of finger food was served to us over the next hour by Union or Confederate soldiers (depending on which side we were on). This included a fluffy biscuit, creamy soup (the bowl had a handle), corn-on-the-cob, refills on coffee and Pepsi, a small but complete rotisserie chicken that was super tender and tasty, plus a large and succulent pastry dessert that reminded me of a Pillsbury fruit turnover.
My side’s job was to stomp our feet at designated times and cheer positively at the Union soldier performers in the arena, and boo the Confederate side, who would be determining the fate of the Civil War not by violent means, but by various competitions with the stable horses and other farm animals like little racing pigs dressed in Civil War uniforms. In between competitions were comedy skits. Some audience members were used to perform silly things like ride a broomstick horse.
Before the Civil War competition began, energetic singing and period piece costumes and real animals like Texas Longhorns made up a show that focused on the history of America before the Civil War; for instance, we got to hear the players act like pioneers and sing campfire songs and see Southern Belles come down from on high! The Stampede really has this ability to get the audience involved and uses energetic music and great staging to make for a memorable experience.
Unbelievable Abilities Showcased by the Acrobats of China
If you see only one live show in Branson, it’s gotta be this show which is part of The New Shanghai Circus. We were instructed by the Master of Ceremonies how to say “hello” and “thank you” in Chinese before the show began so we could communicate with these stars at the end of the show if we chose to, as they would be on hand for autographs and picture taking.
I’ve never been more impressed with an acrobatic troupe over the course of two hours (including a short intermission), who used pulsating music and various special effects lighting to help underscore their feats of illusion, drumming, and Chinese storytelling (with one act employing ballet-like moves). I saw things by these gifted performers that I still don’t understand how it could be done. One of the acts involved a girl who stood on top of her head while twirling a four-legged table in the air while another group of young women twirled several plates in the air using long sticks! The guys in the troupe jumped through stacked hoops and caught each other in the air with their feet after they were thrust upwards, as if effortlessly.
I visited China in 2000, and watching the Acrobats of China made me feel like I was back in that enchanted land. Beware: the smell of buttered popcorn in the 1,000 seat arena was so overwhelming that I had to get some for myself, even though I try to stay away from food with a lot of saturated fat.
Note: Photos of Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede and Acrobats of China were taken with permission by the respective attractions. All photos by Roy A. Barnes.
Roy’s first Branson article at Bootsnall.com
Biography: Roy A. Barnes writes from southeastern Wyoming and is a frequent contributor to Bootsnall.com.
Princess Cruises… 5 Important Points!
Posted July 22, 2009 , add a comment
The Princess Cruises offers all of the main facilities that Princess is noted for, plus some new innovations. These include the, fantastic shows each evening, dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small-bite eateries and performing street entertainers. The larger cruise liners in the Princess Cruises fleet carry more than three thousand passengers, with a vast number of balcony staterooms and mini-suites. There will be a great experience while waking in the morning, go out to your private balcony and take in the fresh sea air. If you have few glasses of juices with you, you will definitely enjoy more. There are many things to consider before embarking on a Princess cruise adventure. First you need to be clear on what you want from this type of vacation so you can easily search for available trips and packages. 1. Destination is one of the first things to decide on before getting down to details. A Princess Cruise offers so many interesting destinations to choose from and the most popular ones are South America, Europe, Canada, New England, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Tahiti, South Pacific, Mexican Riviera, Alaska and World Cruise. 2. Duration is another factor that you need to decide on. There are short cruises that only run for five days. For first timers though, it is recommended that you choose a longer trip to maximize the activities that you can do. There are trips that last for 6 to 8 days, 9 to 15 days, and schedules for 16 days up too. For tour duration, most tours run for 3 to 4 to 6 days or more. Relative to this, you would also need to think about the travel sequence. You can choose to cruise first before the tour or the other way around. 3. Just like any other holiday trips, there are documents that need to be prepared when going on a Princess cruise. You need to have your travel certification, permits, visa/s or passports on hand to avoid any hitches during the trip. Your travel agency can further advise you on other essential documents that you should not forget to bring. 4. Are you combining your cruise with another travel itinerary? Or is it the only travel activity that you’re going to do? Whichever, it pays to learn about the embarkation ports so you can plan for other things including delays, land and air transfers and stopovers. Embarkation ports for these trips include Acapulco in Mexico, Athens in Greece, Bangkok in Thailand, Barbados, Beijing in China, Cape Town in South Africa, Ft. Lauderdale in Florida, Honolulu in Hawaii, London in England, Manaus in Brazil, New Orleans in Louisiana, Osaka in Japan, Quebec City in Quebec, Rome in Italy, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Seattle in Washington, Sydney in Australia, Venice in Italy, Anchorage in Alaska, Auckland in New Zealand, Barcelona in Spain, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Copenhagen in Denmark, Galveston in Texas and Lima in Peru among many others. 5. The fleet must be considered too. All princesses are magnificent ships but they offer different opportunities as far as amenities, activities and experiences to be had are concerned. Read the detailed description for each ship and make your choice.