Anantara Opens a New Resort in China: Anantara Xishuangbanna

Anantara Xishuangbanna Garden Walkway

Anantara, taken from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘without end’ symbolizes the sharing of water and heartfelt hospitality that is at the core of the Anantara experience. Located throughout Asia and the Middle East, from the seaside town of Hua Hin to Koh Samui, the Golden Triangle, Maldives, Bali, and Abu Dhabi, these properties are some of the finest resorts for complete R&R in the world. And now, they have opened Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa, Anantara’s second Chinese establishment, the first and only five star hotel and pool villa destination experience in the Yunnan Province.

Anantara Xishuangbanna Guest Room

Located an hour’s drive from Jinghong International Airport, the resort is set within lush gardens and water, the resort consists of 80 deluxe rooms, as well as 23 one-, two- and three-bedroom Pool Villas. A luxe blend of contemporary and local culture, authentic influences are drawn from the textures, colors and flavors of the region to deliver a bewitching blend of Chinese, Thai, and Burmese accents. Cultural aspects of the local tribes including the Dai, Jinuo and Hani people will feature not only in the resort’s design, but also in its culinary concepts. The also resort offers plenty of indigenous experiences, such as a tea picking journey with the Jinuo tribe, or tours of the Hani and Dai villages. Xishuangbanna also boasts more than 95% of its territory occupied by mountainous and hilly areas, creating awesome opportunities for mountain hiking, bird and wildlife spotting, and boat trips along the Luosuo River.

Anantara Xishuangbanna Lobby

Once you’re done experiencing the natural environs, plunge into an expansive outdoor swimming pool set amidst extensive landscaping, use the 24-hour fitness center, enjoy a treatment in one of eight suites at Anantara Spa, or use complimentary iPads in the guest library. There are plenty of 5 Star modern amenities to choose from, including Anantara Xishuangbanna’s several gastronomic opportunities accompanied by a lobby lounge bar and poolside bar. Think the perfect marriage of local Indo-Chinese cuisine.

Anantara Xishuangbanna Pool View

The resort’s Dining by Design and in-villa dining concepts also invite guests to create their perfect menu (since people like me often want to create my own unique twists). The best part is that Dining by Design is able to incorporate the local Dai cooking style, in collaboration with a personal chef.

Anantara, take me awayyyyyyy….

www.anantara.com

Antarctic Adventures and Beyond with Amazing Experts!

AdventureSmith Alaska Cruise

We love the idea of brain (and heart) inspiring cruise expeditions, so, we think, what better way to get off the beaten path then to really get off the beaten path?

To that end, small ship, expedition cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations has announced a stellar lineup of academicians, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, travel writers and professional photographers as experts in residence for upcoming cruises as far-flung as Antarctica and Borneo. Yes, Borneo (because your brave and edgy like that).

Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Tahoe City, California along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe and, in 2012, it joined the ranks of Conde Nast Traveler’s prestigious 13th Annual Travel Specialists List.

Offering a deeper understanding of a particular topic and global perspective to the regional experience, small ship cruises with onboard experts can help bring a unique take to the most unique destinations.

So, get cruisin’ because Smith suggests booking one of these special departures well in advance as they sell out quickly:

Antarctic Explorer: Jonathan Shackleton (cousin of Sir Ernest Shackleton) and Falcon Scott (grandson of Robert Falcon Scott) will be guest lecturers aboard the 189-passenger Ocean Diamond Feb.9-19, 2013 from Ushuaia, Argentina.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/172

Just a few little penguins chillin’ in Antarctica…

Land of the Ice Bears: Arctic Svalbard:  Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles will travel aboard the 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer June 21-July 1, 2013. He is the author of Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed and the widely acclaimed Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, which won him a Pulitzer Prize as well as Britain’s 1998 Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize. He is a founding member of the board of the Society of Conservation Biology and a member of the board of directors of World Wildlife Fund/USA and Conservation International.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/69

National Geographic The White Continent: Ed Larson, who won the Pulitzer Prize forEmpire of Ice, travels aboard the National Geographic Explorer to Antarctica Feb. 5, 2013 and Feb. 5, 2014 . A Pepperdine University professor, his latest book was published in May 2011, An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science. He places the famed voyages of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, his British rivals Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, and others in a larger scientific, social, and geopolitical context in this terrific new history, much enlivened by his own Antarctic travels.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/68

Orangutans in Borneo

Ancient Sites, Rain Forests & Coral Reefs: Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. joins guests on the 138-passenger Yorktown Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2013 for a tour of the natural and archaeological wonders of Belize and Guatemala. On a Feb. 2-9 departure she will be joined by Sandra Brooke, director of Coral Conservation at the Marine Conservation Institute. For the Feb. 16-23 departure the guest speakers are Stephen Whittington, director of the Museum of Anthropology and adjunct associate professor at wake Foerst University, and Susan Perkins, an associate curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology and the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/464

Baja’s Bounty: Ellen Barone joins a March 16, 2013 departure aboard the 86-passenger Safari Endeavour. She is nationally recognized travel writer and photographer. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/39. Giovanni Malagrino shares insights on a March 30, 2013 departure. He is a full professor in the Marine Biology Department at University of Baja California Sur, La Paz and devotes his time to Coastal Zone Management. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/39

Another Stunning Hawaiian Sunset

Hawaiian Seascapes: Peter West Carey, a Seattle-based professional photographer, is aboard the 36-passenger Safari Explorer for a cruise beginning April 6, 2013. Patient and resourceful with a wide range of brands, equipment and techniques, he loves to help others learn first-hand how to bring back stunning images that tell the true story of the exciting journey they have experienced. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/200

Alaska Unleashed: Amy Gulick is aboard the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer for a June 8, 2013 departure. She is an award-winning nature photographer and writer, and a founding Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/22. Joe Upton is aboard for an Aug. 10, 2013 sailing and will share his experience as an author. His many books and illustrated maps, including Journey’s Through the Inside Passage andThe Coastal Companion, have shared the wonder of The North with Alaska visitors since 1993. In 2009 Upton teamed up with Alaska commercial fisherman and filmmaker Dan Kowalski to produce The Alaska Story Project, a collection of videos about places up and down the Alaska and BC coasts. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/22

Camp Leakey Borneo will feature Dr. Birute Galdikas on board the 100-passenger Orion II for the October 25, 2013 departure. Scientist, conservationist, educator: for almost four decades Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has studied and worked closely with the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat, and is today the world’s foremost authority on the orangutan. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/289

A Romantic Weekend in Upstate New York

Recently, we’ve become a bit obsessed with the Hudson River Valley. We’ll admit that this obsession is, in part, due to a trip upstate to visit a friend in Rhinebeck and another friend who moved to Hudson to get out of the city grind. So these days, when looking for a quick romantic weekend outside of New York City, the Hudson River Valley is the place for us.

One place we’re keen to check out is the Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa. An eco-chic retreat owned by Robert Pollock, the founder of Soho’s Great Jones Spa. With a view overlooking the Hudson, you can take in the crisp clean breezes in an Adirondack chair on the grounds while sipping an equally crisp glass of white in a setting that was originally a trading post in the 17th century.

Insert: You sittin on the banks of the Hudson River 

 

With only ten rooms and seven carriage houses, each has wooden floors and fireplaces. Add to that, awesome nature hikes, complimentary breakfast in the main house’s enclosed sun-drenched porch or on the adjacent patio overlooking the river. There’s also a solar-powered spa’s sauna, steam room and 40-foot indoor pool with scenic floor-to-ceiling glass panels while you swim.

A quaint little room at the Buttermilk Inn 

A day pass is $35 (couple $50), if you don’t want to stay the night. Choose from  seven types of massage ($60-$155), exotic body wraps ($155-$175) and organic facials ($100-$140). Nearby is also the 70-acre Millstone Farm where you can check out achickens, alpacas and llamas. For those like us who like some great vino: Try Stoutridge Vineyard and Benmarl Winery, both just 15 minutes by car.

Rates start at $250.

www.buttermilkfallsinn.com

Hint: Mention TONY to receive 30% off Mon–Thu and Sun through May 31, plus 10% off spa services and meals at Henry’s Farm to Table on the property where you can sample a selection of cheeses ($11) from the area, including nearby Coach Farm, or try the duck breast ($25), which comes from La Belle Farm, located an hour from the restaurant.

 

Martha’s Vineyard Festival of Arts & Ideas

Martha’s Vineyard

With autumn’s changing leaves comes an opportunity to “Fall for the Arts” on Martha’s Vineyard this month and we’re all about East Coast Artsy Fartsy Fun. We also hear the historic Harbor View Hotel will be the setting of an inspirational and entertaining Art*Island Festival of Arts & Ideas from October 24-28, in collaboration with the island’s own Arts & Ideas magazine. A fixture on the Vineyard since 1891, the Harbor View Hotel offers luxury rooms and suites in the heart of historic Edgartown.  From its broad veranda, the hotel’s spectacular views of Edgartown Harbor and sailing and yachting where travelers can set sail on a variety of boating adventures arranged through Harbor View Hotel’s waterfront concierge, make the hotel one of the “Top 50 U.S. Resorts” in Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards” issue. It’s also a member of Historic Hotels of America®.

Harbor View Hotel

The event puts the spotlight on the Vineyard’s creative community, as more than 20 participating arts organizations and businesses converge on Edgartown Harbor for five days of art displays, performances and thought-provoking presentations. Festival proceeds will benefit Arts Martha’s Vineyard and Arts & Ideas magazine. Hallways will be transformed into galleries throughout Harbor View Hotel, while the Main Dining Room will host painting, parties and performances. Films and stories will be presented in the art lounge/theater, and youngsters will enjoy their own space for an arts adventure-filled Children’s Carnivale. A limited number of guest rooms will also be available at a special rate starting at $129 per night. Art*Island event highlights include the following:

·         Pecha Kucha Night: Sponsored by Martha’s Vineyard Museum, this 20×20 slide show (20 slides at 20 seconds each) explores the process, thinking and creativity behind some of the island’s finest design and art. Wednesday, October 24, 7:30 p.m. Free.

·         Paint & Champagne: Renowned Vineyard painter Traeger DiPietro will lead a step-by-step painting workshop in the Harbor View “art studio” (main dining room), complete with music, wine and champagne. The evening will culminate in a group “show.” Thursday, October 25, 7 p.m. $25 per person atwww.ticketsmv.com.

·         Island Art Show: Harbor View Hotel’s lobby, dining rooms and function rooms will serves as galleries showcasing two-dimensional art by the Vineyard’s top galleries and artists. Saturday afternoon will bring an opportunity to review and purchase art from the participating gallerists. Friday through Sunday, October 26-28. Free.

·         A Vineyard Picture Book: Photographer Alison Shaw and writer and island historian Tom Dunlop will present their latest picture book collaboration, “To the Harbor Light.” Sponsored by Vineyard Stories (publisher of Shaw and Dunlop’s four-book series) and Bunch of Grapes bookstore. Friday, October 26, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Free.

·         Open House Party: Open to the public, the festival’s “kick-off” party will showcase music, art and fashion in the Harbor View Ballroom, with local radio station WVVY streaming the festivities to the island and beyond. Friday, October 26, 6 p.m. Free.

·         YardWorks: An interactive arts collaborative, the YardWorks dancers will present an hour of short original dance pieces by local and visiting performers in the Harbor View Ballroom. Saturday, October 27, 1:30 p.m. Free.

·         Vineyard Shorts: The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will hold two screenings of short films by local filmmakers in the Harbor View Art Lounge/Theater. Saturday, October 27, 3 p.m. Free.

·         Masquerade Ball: Come dressed as a famous artist or a living work of art – the Island*Art masquerade ball will benefit the Vineyard arts community and is being billed as the party of 2012. Musical entertainment provided by the Sultans of Swing. Saturday, October 27, 9 p.m. $25 per person at www.ticketsmv.com.

·         Children’s Carnivale: Sunday will be devoted to fostering the creative spirit in youngsters with collaborative arts activities curated by Featherstone, The Yard, Island Theater Workshop, the YMCA and Arts Martha’s Vineyard. Sunday, October 28, 1-4 p.m. Free.

In addition to Art*Island events, Harbor View Hotel is also hosting a Creative Economy Brown Bag Lunch Speaker Series.  Held on Tuesdays leading up to the festival, this series is an opportunity for artists, artisans, and representatives from galleries, art centers and museums to participate in panel discussions on issues affecting the island’s tourism, cultural and arts economy. The luncheons take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on October 9, 16 and 23.

So get your art on… East Coast rustic sailing style.

http://www.artislandmv.org

www.harbor-view.com