Hotel Missoni to add Mauritius location in 2014

by McLean Robbins on
Hotel Missoni, the luxury lifestyle brand of the Rezidor Hotel Group, is set to open in Mauritius, marking the 66th country in which Residor is present.
Rezidor Hotel Group, parent company to Hotel Missoni, has this week announced the addition of what is to be the brand’s sixth’s hotel, Hotel Missoni Mauritius, scheduled to open in 2014. The hotel will join already-open locations in Edinburgh, Kuwait and soon-to-open hotels in Jebel Sifah, Oman (2013), Antalya, Turkey (2014) and Ihla de Cajaiba, Brazil (2014). Ironically, the brand does not have any hotels in Italy.

The hotel, a “bold, contemporary” luxury boutique hotel that draws its name from the famed Italian designer, will boast 80 luxury suites with unobstructed views of the ocean, Hotel Missoni’s signature restaurant “Cucina” with an authentic seasonal Italian menu; “Choco Café”, a further all day dining restaurant, a lounge bar and a beach/pool bar. Leisure facilities will include a 650 meter sandy beach, outdoor pools, a fitness area including gym and tennis court, a kids club and a 900 square meter spa.

“Combining Missoni’s iconic design with the local culture influenced by Europe, Africa and Asia, the hotel will be truly unique in Mauritius”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
“Having been passionate about Mauritius, an island of beauty and charm, its colourful culture and its wonderful population for over 30 years now, I am delighted to partner with Rezidor to bring a new kind of luxury hotel in Mauritius under the prestigious Missoni brand, which will surely be a great success and a new flagship premium quality hotel of the tourism industry in Mauritius”, added Gilles Bouigue, Executive Chairman of Bouigue Développement, owner of the property.
Each suite of the new hotel will feature Missoni’s signature patterns and fabrics, and will have a large covered outdoor living area, known in Mauritius as a “Varangue”.
The number of tourist arrivals to the island nation continues to grow, reaching nearly one million in 2010. The government plans to further increase arrivals (a new airport terminal is currently under construction, and new airlines and routes are under negotiation) and to focus on high quality tourism products such as 4- and 5-star hotels.

Would you get married in the nude?

by Jessica Festa on

How would you like to win a free wedding in Jamaica and be on national television? Well, now you can. The only catch is you have to exchange vows in the nude.

Hedonism II, a resort that is well-known for “shattering inhibitions and provoking the kind of behavior people don’t talk about in polite circles”, is currently looking for 10 couples to get married in the buff for a major network documentary on Valentine’s Day, 2012 (don’t worry, your parts will be blurred on air).

Not only will couples receive a complimentary 4-night stay at the all-inclusive resort, but also a “Dream Wedding”. Funny, every time I’ve pictured my dream wedding I’m wearing a dress. The resort does have a lot of perks for couples, like the on-site Blue Mahoe Spa, beach and garden view rooms, en suite Jacuzzis, private terraces, 5 bars, and onsite entertainment and dining.

If you’d like to be considered as a contestant, fill out of the form here and submit. The deadline for applications is January 6, 2012.

Raw Fusion popup brings sustainable cooking to Orange County, California

by Jessica Festa on

Beginning in January, 2012, residents and visitors to Orange Country, California, can enjoy Raw Fusion cooking at the PALMO kitchen popup restaurant every Monday night.

Raya Belna, the creator of the popup as well as a Food Network award-winning Raw Foods and Vegan chef, is passionate about locally-grown, organic ingredients. The popup will feature a menu consisting of uncooked foods as well as cooked gluten-free vegan cuisine. Each week, a new venue will be used as well as an original menu created based on what produce was picked that week.

“I want to give our guests as much information about the ingredients as possible, where they were picked and what day they were picked on, in hopes of creating a strong connection between farm and table,” explains Belna. “Our mission is to bring awareness to the natural beauty and abundance that surrounds us here in Southern California and to really connect with our food source.”

The first evening of the PALMO kitchen will take place Monday, January 2, 2012, from 5PM-9PM at the TEE Room at the Newport Beach Golf Course. For more information, visit the PALMO kitchen website or e-mail Raya Belna at raya@palmofoods.com.

New public artwork imitates the changing mood of the city

by Jessica Festa on

For the people of Lindau, Germany, there is no such thing as keeping your mood to yourself. At least, not since German artists Julius Von Bismarck, Richard Wilhelmer, and Benjamin Maus installed a “Fuehlometer” (Feel-o-Meter), an interactive piece of public artwork that gauges and replicates the city’s mood swings.

The large smiley face is set on top of a lighthouse and changes expression as the people of the city do. How it works is a digital camera set along the water takes photos of peoples’ faces, which are then sent to a computer program to be analyzed. Once the mood is determined, the artwork will either show a happy, sad, or indifferent expression.

Want to see what the Feel-o-Meter looks like in action? Check out this video.

Grand Canyon National Park to ban plastic water bottles

by Kraig Becker on

Plastic water bottles are about to become an endangered species at Grand Canyon National Park. The Park Service has announced that the sale of bottled water in vending machines, shops, and hotels inside the park will be banned early next year, in an effort to cut waste and protect the environment there. But first, park officials must complete an extensive survey of the availability of other water sources and the impact the ban could have on the safety and health of visitors.

The Grand Canyon was first set to implement the ban last year, but Jon Jarvis, the Director of the National Park Service, put a halt to that plan. At the time, Jarvis said that the NPS was working on creating a policy for potential adoption by the entire park system, but his announcement led some to speculate that the Coca Cola Company was exercising its considerable influence. The soft drink maker is a major contributor to the parks, but also sells a lot of bottled water as well.

Undaunted by the change in direction, officials at the Grand Canyon continued to move ahead with their own plans. By strategically placing water bottle refill stations throughout the park, and actively encouraging visitors to bring their own reusable bottles, they hoped to cut back on the use of disposable bottles within the Canyon. As a result of these efforts, park officials feel that they are prepared for the ban to go in effect, although they admit that comprehensive studies have not been done yet to determine the impact of the changes.

The Park Services announcement opens the door for other parks to ban plastic bottles as well, although they will have to undergo a rigorous self-assessment before they do so. Some of the things that will need to be considered include the safety of visitors, ease of access to water, and existing contracts with onsite vendors for selling bottled water.

While it may still be a few years off, we’re looking at the potential for a ban of plastic bottles in all of the national parks down the line. In the long run, that is a very good thing for the environments in those parks, but in the short term, a lot of work will need to be done to prep the parks and educate visitors about bringing their own bottles.