A different kind of Thanksgiving without the annoying relatives

by Chris Owen on

Looking for a different kind of Thanksgiving? Still waiting to see who in the family is going to offer their humble abode to celebrate the day? Dreading the thought of fighting the local supermarket for the last can of candied yams? The Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale has a better idea. Forget all that, leave the annoying relatives at home and come see them instead.

Guests at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale wake up Thanksgiving morning to a Ritz-Carlton “Macy’s Day” parade with pilgrims, turkeys, and other harvest-favorite floats taking center stage on the oceanfront, 7th floor tropical pool deck. A New York-style breakfast is served, including bagels and lox, sweet and savory pastries, yogurt and parfaits, the freshest seasonal fruits, rich coffees and fine teas, all the while the New York Macy’s Day parade plays overhead. That’s Thursday, November 24 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and only for hotel guests.

Want to sleep in a while? Enjoy traditional Thanksgiving and Sunday Brunch favorites from imported cheeses and charcuteries, caviar, fresh seafood on ice, create-your-own omelet station, prepared-to-order pasta to roasted turkey, ham and slow roasted prime rib carving stations. Free-flowing Champagne and a lavish dessert enclave make this a Thanksgiving feast not to be missed. We doubt there will be a reheated green bean casserole here.

The price? $95 per guest, includes champagne, $35 per child with ages 12 and under $1 per year old.
The day after, shopping begins with an exclusive, complimentary Black Friday Shopping Shuttle escorting guests of The Ritz-Carlton to Florida’s largest outlet shopping destination, with more than 350 stores including luxury designers such as Barney’s New York, David Yurman, Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Prada, Valentino and more, featured at The Colonnade promenade. A shopping survival kit is provided including bottled water, energizing snacks, and exclusive offers leaving guests to shop ’til they drop. That’s Friday, November 25 from shop-till-you-drop 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Ritz-Carlton has other events as well including Wine Journeys with somelier Don Derocher where guests tour the hotel’s award-winning 5,000-bottle Wine Vault and enjoy a personalized wine tasting of three reds or whites of preference.
They do this on November 25 & 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. $30

An Ultimate SpaScape lets guests treat their skin with a restorative facial that stimulates, regenerates and restores. A full body massage using antioxidant-rich oils infused with grape varietals eases muscle tension and stress.

While the fam back home listens to those same old stories that get told every year, you’ll be enjoying a complimentary glass of Sauvignon Blanc post treatment… for 50 minutes anyway.
$130

Photo courtesy Ritz-Carlton Hotels/Roberto Santos



Early human ancestor on display at London’s Natural History Museum

by Sean McLachlan on

The Natural History Museum in London has put an important fossil of one of our species’ early ancestors on display.

Australopithecus sediba lived 1.98 million years ago in what is now South Africa. It’s thought by some scientists to be a transition species between the more ape-like Australopithecines and the later, more human-like genus Homo. While it has the small brain size of the Australopithecines (although larger than most), its jaw and body look more like the Homo species. The hands are especially well-formed and it may have used tools.

Two exact replicas of the most complete Australopithecus sediba skeletons were recently donated to the museum by the University of the Witwatersrand and the Government of the Republic of South Africa. At the moment only one skull is on public view. Hopefully the full skeletons will go on display soon. It’s the first public exhibition of this species in the UK.

These are exciting times in paleontology. New human ancestors are unearthed almost yearly, and more and more of our family tree is being pieced together. At the same time, scientists are being forced to defend and explain their field of study to Creationists, who have already made up their minds that science and religion are automatically enemies.

The most impressive display of human evolution I’ve ever seen was at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. It has a huge collection of fossil hominids, including Lucy, an Australopithecus afarensis who lived in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago. One room shows the precursors to modern humans arranged in chronological order to show how primate-like traits gradually gave way to a more human appearance. This is also done with other animals like the horse and hippo. Anyone looking, really looking, at these displays will have a hard time dismissing evolution as some sort of conspiracy on the part of Godless scientists, many of whom are actually devout Christians.

Photo courtesy Brett Eloff.

New Zealand to open new trekking route

by Kraig Becker on

New Zealand, a country that is already established as one of the best adventure travel destinations on the planet, is preparing to open a new trekking route that will run the entire length of the country. Dubbed Te Araroa, the trail is the result of a massive volunteer effort that has come together over the past two decades.

Te Araroa, which means The Long Pathway in the language of the Māori, will officially open with a ceremony to be held in Wellington on December 3rd. The city is the approximate middle point for the new trail, which runs for more than 3000km (1865 miles) starting at Cape Reinga in the north and ending in Bluff in New Zealand’s extreme south. The trail essentially runs the entire length of both the North and South Islands, and is made up of about 300 sections that vary in length from a few hours to a few days. The route passes over snow capped peaks, through thick forests, and past lush farmland, showcasing some of the stunning scenery that New Zealand is so well known for. It also wanders through seven different cities, which will likely become popular places to start and stop, as well as resupply along the way.

This new trekking option is the result of many years of hard work and perseverance. Over the past 17 years, Te Araroa has been built by a very dedicated group of volunteers who have linked-up existing trails, and built completely new ones, in an effort to build this one major path. Now that it is finished, and preparing to officially open, long distance hikers are no doubt already preparing to walk its length. It is estimated that it will take roughly 4 months to hike it from end-to-end.

For more information on the Te Araroa visit the trail’s official website.

[Image courtesy of teararoa.org.nz]

Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore opens

by McLean Robbins on


“Charm City” gets its first real branded luxury property with the opening of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore in the Inner Harbor’s chic Harbor East neighborhood. One of America’s oldest cities, Baltimore has gotten more media attention for its portrayal in shows like “The Wire” than it has for its luxe offerings, but, in recent years, has seen the growth of a number of high-end offerings, including Ritz-Carlton Residences, a Kimpton hotel and numerous fine dining restaurants.

Still, this 18-story waterfront hotel is the city’s first true “luxury” branded property.

“All around us the city is coming alive with new excitement and vigour,” said Julien Carralero, general manager of the 256-room hotel. “Now at last we are part of that as we open our doors and invite Baltimore inside, and send visitors who stay with us out into the city to experience the local arts and culture, get to know our neighborhoods, cheer on our sports teams and shop to their heart’s content.”

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Like many Four Seasons hotels, the Baltimore iteration features a large amount of artwork, including John Wigmore’s huge installation of light and paper behind the reception desk. The wide lobby and grand staircase are lit by handblown murano glass fixtures, with pieces that form part of the city’s largest hotel art collection gracing the walls. Throughout the hotel, modern works by contemporary American and international artists are on display, with special emphasis on those associated with Washington Color School.

Of course, our favorite parts of the hotel aren’t what’s on the walls, but what you can do within them – dining options include Michael Mina’s first Baltimore outpost, Wit & Wisdom, a contemporary tavern, as well as a coffee shop, named LAMILL COFFEE after Baltimore native Edgar Allen Poe. In February, the hotel will also open Pabu, an isakaya-style Asian restaurant.

The hotel will also have what is primed to be one of the area’s best spas – an 11 treatment room oasis with two couple’s suites featuring their own soaking tubs. The hotel also has a massive pool overlooking the harbor that will remain at 85 degrees all year round, and a pool bar and grill that is set to open this spring. Of course, there’s also a full-service fitness center and a “unique “wet deck,” a pool-size area immersed in three inches of water that invites splashing toes without messing up your hair.

The hotel is offering $279 rates November 20 through February 29 (excluding December 30 and 31).

From the Bay to Brooklyn: San Francisco, California, Japanese restaurant pops up this November in New York

by Jessica Festa on

Chefs James LaLonde and Ryoji Kajikawa of the Mojo Cafe in San Francisco, California, love creating Japanese-by-way-of-California delicacies for their pop-up restaurant, SloMo SF. On November 18, 19, and 21, 2011, New Yorkers will also get a chance to experience their cuisine through a series of pop-up dinners at Sweet Deliverance in Brooklyn.

These pop-up dinners cost $90 per person and include a seasonally-inspired 7-course Japanese meal with drinks. Some menu and drink items you can expect are:

  • sake-steamed clams
  • Japanese fried chicken
  • ramen with housemade stock and noodles and seasonal garnishes
  • beer
  • sake
  • persimmon cocktails

For more information and to order tickets, visit Brown Paper Tickets.

Sweet Deliverance is a two-level commercial kitchen space located at 1287 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York.