The Weblog at Luxury Traveler http://luxurytraveler.com/blog for well traveled readers en-us Nucleus CMS v3.2 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://luxurytraveler.com/blog/nucleus/nucleus2.gif The Weblog at Luxury Traveler http://luxurytraveler.com/blog <![CDATA[This Peaceful Irish eatery makes the ‘Delectable Top 12"]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3422 imageDublin, Ireland - One of the best and most unusual dining experiences in Ireland has been included in a leading international restaurant critic’s "Delectable Dozen Best Restaurants for 2011". The multi award-winning Inis Meáin Restaurant and Suites, situated on one of the remote Aran Islands off the coast of Galway in the West of Ireland, is the only Irish establishment in the world top 12 list. The ‘Delectable Dozen’ is compiled by influential British restaurant reviewer Nicholas Lander in the Financial Times and this year features four British, three US, two Spanish, one Italian and one Swedish restaurant.

The list also includes well-known chef Heston Blumenthal’s new restaurant. Inis Meáin (pronounced ‘Inish-mawn’ in English) Restaurant and Suites is a small seasonal restaurant with five spacious adjoining accommodations featuring 10-metre-long windows providing uninterrupted views of Galway Bay, Connemara and its island namesake.' The dining and accommodation blend seamlessly into their surroundings and are completely complimentary to the island location. The remoteness guarantees an offering very different to what can be found elsewhere.

Inis Meáin, 15 miles off the mainland, is the middle of the three Aran Islands strewn across Galway Bay. Three miles across and a population of just 200, it is unusual to encounter anyone on scenic cliff walks on the island, even in the peak season. Irish is the first language of the small community and there is just one pub where locals and visitors gather. Being the least visited of the Aran Islands, Inis Meáin offers the most genuine experience of the unique landscape and Gaelic culture.

Travel writers have described Inis Meáin Restaurant and Suites as “A sparkling gem of Irish hospitality both nationally and internationally”, “pure genius” and the “best escape in Ireland”.
Owned and run by husband and wife team Ruairí and Marie-Thérèse de Blacam, Ruairí is a chef and a native of the island. The restaurant specialises in fresh lobster and crab, caught locally.

Marie-Thérèse said: “It’s great when your efforts gain recognition, so getting on this list is another piece of news that we are very chuffed about.” Included in the price of a stay are transfers, a personal welcome, fresh baking or aperitifs on arrival to the island, breakfast, custom bicycles, baited fishing rods, binoculars, walking sticks, maps, guides, wifi and books of interest with each suite.

Follow this link for further information... ]]> Destinations http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3422 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[The Holland Coin Fair]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3432
LifeStyleCoin Collecting

The Hague, Holland - The famous Holland Coin Fair will be held again at the World Forum Convention Centre in The Hague on Friday, 10 February and Saturday, 11 February. Dozens of professional coin collectors and traders will display hundreds of thousands of coins, banknotes and medals from the past and present. How about original Roman coins of gold, silver and bronze which are around 2,000 years old? Or have you ever seen an old Dutch 60 guilder banknote or silver history tokens, centuries old, with various images of Dutch historical battles?


All of these and much more are on display and available during this event in The Hague. The participants are all members of the NVMH (Dutch Association of Coin Traders), and a number of foreign organisations will also be represented. During this Holland Coin Fair a thematic set of coins will be presented, the third in the series of Museum Coin Treasures. This time the Drents Museum takes a turn. The set is available for € 25. Out of a limited edition of 2,000 pieces, 100 pieces will be selected at random along with a silver medal. It is very popular among collectors

More info: The Holland Coin Fair will be held on Friday, 10 February from 16.00 to 21.00 hrs. and on Saturday, 11 February from 10.00 to 17.00 hrs. Admission to the fair costs € 5 per person. More information can be found on the website of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt.


]]> Life Style http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3432 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[Gustavo Dudamel to Appear on Sesame Street]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3435
Dudamel is currently in the middle of his third season leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The LA Phil’s 2011/12 season presents a vast spectrum of imaginative concerts, a tour to Caracas, Venezuela, the continuation of LA Phil LIVE (live broadcasts of selected concerts in movie theaters), and expansion of YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), Dudamel’s signature music education program. Monday, February 6, 2012 (check local listings for time)

Visit www.laphil.com for more information...

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations anywhere to experience music – Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience. For more information, .

Produced by the nonprofit educational organization, Sesame Workshop, season 42 of Sesame Street is funded in part by a grant through the Public Broadcasting Service and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers. Sesame Street is underwritten in part by Beaches Resorts, PNC, UnitedHealthcare, Earth's Best Organic, and The Good Egg Project. For more information about Sesame Street, please visit www.sesamestreet.org.





WHEN: Monday, February 6, 2012 (check local listings for time)

]]> Overtures http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3435 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:45:00 -0500 <![CDATA[At The Kennedy Center]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3438 More Info: http://www.kennedy-center.org/rd/?rid=38475&pid=4079281&sid=137063
]]> Overtures http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3438 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:49:42 -0500 <![CDATA[Jules et Jim: an unusual boutique hotel in the heart of Paris]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3434 wall to decorate the interior courtyard. Thirteen bedrooms have been designed according to an original concept, that of a wardrobe: a shell in composite material with back lighting stands in the centre of the room and houses the bed, whilst the wardrobe, the toilets, the shower and the sink are relegated into niches in the four corners of the room. Two smaller attic rooms have breathtaking views, one towards Montmartre and the other over the rooftops of the Marais, whilst two others, on the ground floor, are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Finally, a duplex in the old house, offers much more space with a lounge, desk, sofa bed, and bedroom with en suite bathroom with shower and bath. All rooms have air conditioning and are equipped with iPod station and free Wi-Fi. The bar, a harmonious mix of modern and old materials, serves a selection of wine, some from the family vineyard in Bordeaux, champagne and cocktails throughout the day. A library with some 150 works in French and English is an invitation to relax, and events are regularly organized in the courtyard and in the bar. Finally, a photo gallery is open to visitors and invites them to discover the artists on show in galleries in the district. A hotel that provides a warm welcome and which is open to all and gay friendly, right in the heart of the city.

HÔTEL JULES ET JIM, 11 rue des Gravilliers, Paris 3rd www.hoteljulesetjim.com]]> Luxe http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3434 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:47:46 -0500 <![CDATA[Contemporary ‘Swan Lake’ at Fokker Terminal]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3433 image
The Hague, Holland - A contemporary version of the ballet ‘Swan Lake' called 'Swanlake, Siegfried and Odette’ will be performed to live music at the Fokker Terminal in The Hague from 22 February to 4 March 2012. In ‘Swanlake, Siegfried and Odette’ a choir of 60 singers, 26 dancers and 7 musicians will take the audience on a contemporary journey through a choreography created by Lonneke van Leth accompanied by enormous set design and live music. The venue will be an old airplane hangar in The Hague.

Lonneke van Leth took the opportunity to create a modern version of this classic together with composer Eef van Breen and visual artist Vincent de Kooker using modern technology. Giant projections, modern dance, new compositions and a monumental art installation give the audience a very special experience. It will change your view of the original ‘Swan Lake’. The huge space of the Fokker Terminal (Binckhorstlaan 249) will make this performance something you won’t forget.

The story
This story starts where the original ended, with the tragic suicide of the main characters: Siegfried and Odette. The famous last seconds are like in a film in which you see your life passing by. This is how the Swanlake scenes pass by in Siegfried en Odette’s thoughts. The performance will present scenes never shown before, for example how the lake was originally created by the tears of Odette’s mother and how young ladies change into swans during the day.

Performance dates
February 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29 at 20.30 hrs.
February 26 at 15.00 hrs.
March 1, 2 and 3 at 20.30 hrs.
March 4 at 15.00 hrs.
Ticket cost € 28.00 per person (some discounts apply) and € 52.50 with dinner.

In combination with the show there is an opportunity to dine on location in advance on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Mood 4 Food will serve an exclusive 4-course dinner. Special arrangements can be made for big groups and companies. If you are interested send an email to: info@lonnekevanleth.nl More information and tickets via: www.zwanenmeer.nu


]]> Overtures http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3433 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[2012 at Heidelberg Palace: Sights, activities, experiences!]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3415 image
Heidelberg Palace continues to cast a spell on visitors from around the world. For two centuries, the ruins that tower majestically over the scenic Neckar Valley have been regarded as one of the world’s most romantic places. In 2012, another exciting programme of events will bring the palace back to life. The season officially begins on Sunday April 1, 2012. At precisely 11 am, the palace gates will open for a ‘Spring Awakening’ (Frühlingserwachen). And entry is free!

Inside, you can meet historical characters and watch the antics of the royal troupe of jugglers. You’ll be following in the footsteps of the many famous personalities, who have visited Heidelberg over the centuries. Find out who they are during the Long Night of the Museums on April 21, 2012. Did you know, for example, that Buffalo Bill and members of his Wild West Show once posed for a commemorative photo in the palace courtyard? By contrast, June 17, 2012 is all about life at court: it’s SouthWest Germany’s Palace Day (Schlössertag “Baden-Württemberg bezaubert”).

Put on a historical costume and travel back in time to a bygone era. On Sunday August 19, 2012, there’s fun for all the family, with games and activities for aspiring knights and princesses. As ever, the season ends on a high note, with the delightful Heidelberg Palace Christmas event (Heidelberger Schlossweihnacht). Celebrate the festive season against the backdrop of the beautifully-illuminated palace ruins: stalls have tasty treats as well as local arts and crafts.
Use this link for further information ...

]]> Heritage http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3415 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[Improved Irish heritage tracing online ...]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3421 image
Dublin, Ireland - The search for family connections and forebears in the Emerald Isle has become easier with the recent online publication of the earliest surviving complete census of all of Ireland. More than 4.5 million records from 850,000 households, gathered on census night in 1901, have been put online for the public to access (www.nationalarchives.ie). Ireland is unusual among English-speaking census-taking countries in that the original household manuscript returns, filled out and signed by the head of each household, survive. The census provides personal details including name, age, sex, relationship to head of the household, religion, occupation, marital status, country of birth, ability to read or write and spoken language (Irish or English). As well as making it easier for people to trace their ancestry, the 1901 census also reveals fascinating details about famous historical and literary figures.

For example, James Joyce is listed as a 19-year-old student living with his family in Fairview, Dublin, while C.S. Lewis, aged two at the time is recorded as living with his parents, brother and two servants in County Down. With 2012 marking the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage, people will also be interested in Titanic related entries such as that of Thomas Andrews, the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the famous ocean liner, who died on its maiden voyage. At the time of the census he was an ‘assistant shippered manager’, boarding with a family at Wellington Place in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The 1901 and 1911 censuses are the only surviving full censuses of Ireland open to the public. ith 80 million people worldwide claiming Irish ancestry, interest in Irish family trees has always been significant. Since the 1911 Irish census records went online in 2009 they have received more than 260 million hits.

Links for further information...
www.discoverireland.com

www.nationalarchives.ie]]> Heritage http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3421 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[Retrospective of Francesca Woodman at the Guggenheim]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3430 image
New York, NY — Francesca Woodman, the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work since Woodman’s untimely death in 1981 at the age of 22, will be on view at the Guggenheim Museum from March 16 through June 13, 2012. Spanning the breadth of her production, the exhibition includes more than 120 vintage photographs, artist books, and a selection of recently discovered and rarely seen short videos, presenting a historical reconsideration of Woodman’s brief but extraordinary career. Francesca Woodman is organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The exhibition has been curated by Corey Keller, Associate Curator of Photography, SFMOMA, where it opened in November 2011. The New York presentation of Francesca Woodman is organized by Jennifer Blessing, Senior Curator, Photography, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The Leadership Committee for 2012 Exhibitions of Photography is gratefully acknowledged.

Woodman’s oeuvre represents a remarkably rich and singular exploration of the human body in space and of the genre of self-portraiture in particular. Her interest in female subjectivity, seriality, Conceptualist practice, and photography’s relationship to both literature and performance are also the hallmarks of the heady moment in American photography during which she came of age. This retrospective offers an occasion to examine more closely the maturation and expression of a highly subjective and coherent artistic vision. It also presents an important and timely opportunity to reassess the critical developments that took place in the 1970s in American photography.

Born in 1958 into a family of artists, Woodman began photographing at the age of thirteen. By the time she enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1975, she was already an accomplished artist with a remarkably mature and focused approach to her work. During her time at RISD, she spent a year in Rome, a place she had visited as a child, and which proved to be a fertile source of inspiration. After completing her degree, she moved to New York, where she continued to photograph. While making several large-scale personal projects, she also experimented with fashion photography, engaging in the age-old artist’s struggle to reconcile making art and making a living. In 1981, at the age of twenty-two, she committed suicide. Woodman’s tragic death is underscored by the startlingly compelling, complex, and artistically resolved body of work she produced during her short lifetime.

Woodman’s favorite subject was herself. From the very first time she picked up a camera, she used it to thoroughly plumb the genre of self-portraiture. Using a square-format camera, Woodman photographed her body in a variety of spaces. She had an affinity for decaying and decrepit interiors, particularly the richly layered surfaces of walls covered with graffiti or peeling wallpaper. In these settings the body is evanescent, appearing and disappearing behind objects, pressed into cupboards and cabinets, camouflaged against walls, or dissolving into a blur of movement. She frequently included objects within the frame—gloves, eels, mirrors—thereby investing them with a symbolic charge, and often making deliberate allusions to tropes from the Surrealist and gothic fiction she admired.

The presentation at the Guggenheim will comprise approximately 120 vintage photographs, including Woodman’s earliest student experiments at RISD, work from her time spent studying in Rome, her forays into fashion photography upon moving to New York, and the late, large-scale blueprint studies of caryatid-like figures for the ambitious Temple project (1980). The exhibition will include two of her artist books—diaristic collages of her own photographs and writings—which were an important form of expression, particularly at the end of her career. Woodman also experimented with moving images; six recently discovered and rarely seen short videos will be presented in the exhibition.

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE
The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. In addition to beautifully reproduced plates including images never before published, this 224-page book includes an introduction and essay by Corey Keller, which contextualizes Woodman’s photography within the emergence of a new photographic avant-garde in the 1970s and offers a compelling argument for why a consideration of her work is urgent today. A contribution by Julia Bryan-Wilson, associate professor of art history at the University of California, Berkeley, puts Woodman and her initial reception by feminist scholars—in particular, Abigail Solomon-Godeau and Rosalind Krauss—in perspective. An essay by Jennifer Blessing focuses on Woodman’s videos and explores the relationship between the still and moving image in her body of work. The hardcover catalogue is $49.95 and will soon be available at guggenheimstore.org.


Venue: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York , Location: Annex Level 4
Dates: March 16–June 13, 2012 Further information is available online by using this link...

]]> Art Scene http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3430 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:00:00 -0500 <![CDATA[Bella Coola: Nature's Gem on the Central Coast]]> http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3431 image
Bella Coola may be small (population: 2,000), but it ranks big amongst adventurists, naturalists and all-around lovers of the Great Outdoors. Set within the valley that bears its name, this tightly knit community is bracketed by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the historic village of Hagensborg and expansive green of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the east. The result? A Cariboo Chilcotin Coast landscape that is at once staggering (Coast Mountain peaks, rushing rivers, dense forests) and eclectic (B&B proprietors moonlight as outdoor adventure guides). And full of some pretty wild critters, too.

Photo above: Bell Coola Harbor by Michael Wyle

See: In this neck of the woods, art imitates central coast life. For a glimpse, head to Hagensborg's Creek Side Studio Gallery for clay, glass, and painted works, or change direction, and check out Bella Coola's Silyas Gallery, with its carved First Nations masks, or Petroglyph Gallery, for its traditional Nuxalk art. Mother Nature's outdoor canvas is no less impressive with a host of wild adventures that promise views of grizzly and black bears, blacktail deer, wolves and mountain goats. Your guide? Let the pros at Bella Coola Grizzly Tours or Kynoch Adventures lead the way during seasonal Great Bear Rainforest outings that seek out the region's wild residents. Also worth unearthing with Doug on the Trail or a local Nuxalk guide at the helm: the Thorsen Creek area's weathered etchings, or petroglyphs, that depict geometric patterns and even human faces.

Do: Year-round adventures in BC's Bella Coola Valley are vast and varied, with winter months offering cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and deep powder heli-ski tours in the Coast Mountains. The latter, best tackled with Bella Coola Heli Sports, will have you switching poles daily: post-ski, groups hunker down along rushing rivers to angle for cutthroat and rainbow trout.

For outdoor play that is down to earth, eco touring is, well, natural in this neighbourhood. In warm weather months, wander through old-growth forests, or drift along the Atnarko River with the gang from Tweedsmuir Park Lodge. For a change of pace, Wild Earth Adventures leads the way with hut-to-hut hikes in the alpine, or traverses along the historic Nuxalk-Carrier Grease/Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail — BC's longest hiking trail, named, in part, for revered explorer Alexander Mackenzie.

On-the-water journeys with Bella Coola Yacht Charters offer no less by way of scenery (and marine life spotting), thanks to cruises that sail along the region's shorelines, veering through fjords and estuaries. Dubbed the Discovery Coast, exploration of local hot springs and the white-sand beaches of the Hakai Luxbalis Conservatory (to name a few) will have you weighing anchor at every opportunity.

Eat and Sleep: You won't find any sprawling resorts or big-name chains in this sparsely populated valley. Fast food? Forget it. Here, wood-hewn lodges mingle with charming inns and welcoming bed and breakfasts, with many offering some of the valley's best eateries.

With just 20 rooms, the Bella Coola Valley Inn promises cosy comfort and pretty views, alongside a pub menu that serves up local seafood catches. Down the road, the Eagle Lodge shelters a just-like-home B&B experience that is sure to be sweet. After all, Chef Jennifer Taylor is known for her flair with pastry.

East of Hagensborg, the historic Tweedsmuir Park Lodge offers up privacy with 10 cottages — that is, if you can drag yourself away from the West Coast flavours in the dining room, courtesy of local catches and goods from the garden. And speaking of gardens, you'll be treated to one of the rose variety at Sinclair House, a quaint bed and breakfast that provides every creature comfort, along with full breakfasts and gourmet menus. Serving up a tantalizing taste of the Bella Coola Valley.

For more information, or to find out what other adventures await in Bella Coola, visit www.bellacoola.ca.]]> Destinations http://luxurytraveler.com/blogindex.php?itemid=3431 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:50:08 -0500