Eat. Drink. Memory.

Luca Boniciolli transports il Buco to the French Alps

Experience a ski adventure in Courchevel, France as il Buco Restaurant in New York City teams with Europe's premier private ski guide Luca Boniciolli, to offer travelers a week of skiing within Les Trois Vallées (The Three Valley's) of the French Alps.

Guests reside in luxurious accommodations and indulge in meals created by il Buco's renowned Chef, Ignacio Mattos, paired with the wine selections of Wine Director Paul Lang.

Boniciolli brings his tremendous lifetime experience in skiing, heli-skiing, mountaineering and worldwide travel to his Europe-based organization, specializing in winter excursions on the majestic slopes of the French Alps.

With a knack for tending to the personal needs of his clients, Boniciolli offers custom-crafted ski adventures. He often teams up with Michelin-rated Chefs to create an unforgettable experience in a private luxury chalet on the most highly regarded and glamorous mountain in the world, Courchevel 1850 (named for its height in meters).

Now in Winter 2010, Boniciolli and il Buco offer a weeklong stay in a luxury chalet complemented by privately guided skiing.

Mattos' rustic cuisine perfectly complements the enchanting experience of chalet life in the Alps. Every meal is personalized using the freshest ingredients to recreate the simple, flavorful elegance enjoyed at il Buco in NYC. In-house cooking lessons and wine tastings will be available.

This is not a pre-packaged tour, nor are you obligated to ski at all. Everyday is a new and personalized experience. Chef Mattos can cook your favorite breakfast while you wake up with morning yoga. Then you might opt for a day off the slopes, shopping in the bustling village of Courchevel and come home to a light snack and afternoon wine tasting with Lang.

Or you might choose to have a late morning ski with Boniciolli and lunch in a Michelin star restaurant tucked away on the slopes.

Les Trois Vallées is located in the Savoie region of the French Alps and is the largest linked ski area in the world: a labyrinth of immaculate slopes amidst breathtaking scenery, with some of the world's finest ski runs connected by an intricate system of lifts. It is perfect for beginners and seasoned skiers alike.

The selected Savoyard style chalets are some of the largest and best Courchevel has to offer. It is possible to literally ski out the door and begin an adventure. The chalets accommodate up to 10 people per stay.

This full service hassle-free way of traveling offers all of the accommodations of a 5-star luxury hotel but in the privacy of your own "home".

All travel from arrival to departure is pre-arranged for your convenience. For more information, email ilbuco@ilbuco.com or visit this address http://ilbuco.com/media/events_news/

London: spend less, see more

Pauline Frommer's London: Spend Less, See More, 2nd Edition

Wiley, Paperback

384 pages

February 2009

$16.99

Cosmopolitan, diverse, historic - and among the costliest cities in the world - London is now yours to enjoy for less.

With this revised edition of the "budget guide for a new generation", travelers not only benefit from the reputable Frommer's budget-minded sensibility, but also gain insights in to technology-driven travel.  The mix of high and low tech suits the way we live and travel in the 21st century. 

The London guide appeals to a growing desire to experience the authenticity of a locale while catering to a need for speed and ease in booking and arranging the travel experience. The guide gives website information for everything from hotels and museums to restaurants and cathedrals.

Along with the expected details - explanations of currency, local and regional transportation, health and safety tips, etc. - the revised guide provides an intricate account of the maze which is London. 

The guide provides information for travelers that locals take for granted like the money-saving Oyster card for the Tube and bus or which neighborhood is a best bet for shopping - from the marquee department stores of Oxford Street to vintage market Sundays on Brick Lane.  Handy glossaries and information boxes break down language barriers and cultural differences as well as impart necessary insider information like where one might catch a glimpse of the infamous outsider art of Banksy.

Organized into 12 chapters spanning the basic city overview to thorough chapters detailing accommodations, dining, sightseeing, shopping, nightlife and day trips, the guide also delves into what its like to live the life of a Londoner.

A whole chapter is devoted to how "real" Londoners live, work and play. With 45 distinct ethnic communities and some 300 languages spoken in the city, there's plenty of diversity to observe and absorb.

From joining in on a Sunday Roast, a spread of meat and potatoes comfort foods, at the local pub to touring local breweries, catching a talk at a Shakespeare's Globe or a lunchtime concert at a centuries old church, there are plenty of opportunities to experience the Londoners' London. Warm weather visitors can cool off in one of the city's lidos, or outdoor swimming pools while cold weather travelers can find ice skating in the noble courtyard at Somerset House.

What's to love about the guide

• No deal is left unturned - air & hotel packages, value eats & drinks, free art & self-guided tours
• Where not to go - changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, The London Dungeon, The Sherlock Holmes Museum, ditto the famous zebra crossing at Abbey Road
• Where to party - museum nights, cocktail bars with a view, 15 favorite pubs to explore

Small enough to slip into a day bag, the guide is easily portable. But for those who like to travel even lighter, one can make pull out pages for the day's itinerary and leave the book at the hotel.

Hello Sailor cosmetics bag at Flight 001

Flight 001 has the travel gear you need for your next trip - from cheeky accessories to polished carry-ons.

Check out their exclusive SpacePak system that compresses your gear for easier, smarter packing. It's even sorted by dirty & clean items.

The saucy cosmetics bag above by Anne Taintor retails for $20. Features retro image with kitschy one-liner, and detachable wrist strap. Zipper closure. Vinyl.

Measurement: 7.25in X 5in X 2.5in

Take a fish to lunch at The Beach, Florida's best kept secret

October is National Seafood month and what better place is there to enjoy fresh seafood than at The Beach on Northwest Florida’s gulf coast.

Take a fish or shellfish to lunch when you show up at one of the many fall foodie festivals taking place all across the 227-mile coastline of The Beach. Local chefs will be cooking up everything from shrimp to barbecue to German sausages.

The action starts in late September each year and continues through the month of November. Join thousands of visitors who venture to these sugar-sand shores for great food, fine wine and live music.

Here you’ll find fish and shellfish boiled, fried, blackened, sautéed, raw and as the featured item in many original culinary creations.

Check out competitions between the best local cooks, mouth-watering recipes from area restaurants as well as the best vintage wines  and home brews.  The festivals are like one long progressive dinner and everyone’s invited.

Grab a handful of napkins, check out the menu and dig in to fall culinary travel at The Beach.

Here are the appetizers.

32^nd Annual Pensacola Seafood Festival - September 25-27, 2009

Hours: Friday, Sept. 25, Noon – 11 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 27, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Seville Square in downtown Pensacola, 850-433-6512

www.fiestaoffiveflags.org/SeafoodFestival or www.visitpensacola.com

Tthe Pensacola Seafood Festival is one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast,” and one of the largest events in Florida, with over 100,000 in attendance.

Area chefs offer selections that include fried grouper, blackened mahi mahi, and Pensacola crab ball, while festival goers enjoy the arts and crafts of over 175 vendors. Live music by a dozen local bands, cooking demonstrations, a 5K walk/run, a Splash Dog competition and children’s activities make this three-day event an area favorite.

Admission is free.

31^st Annual Destin Seafood Festival - October 2-4, 2009

Hours: Friday, Oct. 2, 4 - 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 4,

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

HarborWalk Village on the Destin Harbor, 850-837-2711 www.destinchamber.com/destin/seafoodfestival.asp or www.destin-fwb.com

Also listed in the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast,” the Destin Seafood Festival offers fresh seafood prepared by some of the area’s most popular restaurants, while local bands share the stage with top national music makers.

This year’s headliners are Survivor and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

Children’s activities and arts and crafts booths overlook the Destin Harbor where the month-long Destin Fishing Rodeo takes place each October.

Festival goers can watch the afternoon weigh-ins on the docks as anglers compete for cash and prizes.

Around 36,000 people attend the three-day event.

Admission for all three days is $15, or you may purchase daily admission bands for $5 each for Friday and Sunday and $10 for Saturday.

Oktoberfest – October 2 & 3, 2009

Hours: Friday, Oct. 2, 5 – 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Grace Avenue, downtown Panama City, 850-785-2554

www.visitpanamacitybeach.com or www.panamacity.org

Dig out the lederhosen it’s Oktoberfest time.

Each year downtown Panama City is transformed into a German-style village, with accordion players, carnival rides, sausage eating contests and lots of food and local brews.

Tthis beer and brats fest annually attracts more than 25,000 people.  Family activities include clowns and face painting for the kids, and beer tastings and polka dancing for the grown-ups.

Admission is free.

3rd Annual Blue Jeans & BBQ – October 3, 2009

Hours: Saturday, Oct. 3, 3 – 9 p.m.

Hayes Ranch, 5097 Berryhill Road in Milton, 850-208-7122

http://support.covenanthospice.org/bluejeans/index.html or www.floridabeachestorivers.com

Both a food festival and a bull riding competition, Blue Jeans & BBQ shows off the country side of The Beach and includes arts and crafts vendors and children’s activities.

There are Kiddie Korral games from 3-7 p.m., and the bull riding competition from 7 - 9 p.m., as well as live entertainment, lots of down-home BBQ, and drawings.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Tickets are $10 each prior to the event or $15 at the door. Children 5 and under are free.  All funds raised from the event go to Covenant Hospice.

Festa Italiana – October 9 & 10, 2009

Hours: Friday, Oct. 9, 5-9 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Sons of Italy Lodge, 808 South Dr., Fort Walton Beach, 850-651-4008

www.destin-fwb.com

Hosted by the Sons of Italy Lodge #2422, Festa Italiana is an old fashioned street festival with authentic Italian food and live entertainment.

Admission is free.

St. George Island Oyster Spat Festival - October 9 & 10, 2009

Hours: (Eastern Time Zone) events at various times starting at 8 a.m.

St. George Island on the beach, 850-653-8678 (Franklin County TDC)

www.oysterspat.com or www.anaturalescape.com

Oysters reign supreme at this festival on St. George Island that includes a parade, a treasure hunt, live music and a 5K race.

Area residents are proud of their long-standing oystering, fishing and shrimping traditions, and with 90% of Florida oysters coming from the Apalachicola Bay, they have lots of facts about the humble mollusk.

For instance, an oyster spat is a baby oyster that has just passed the larva stage and has attached itself to its home base.  Who knew?

Festival goers can attach themselves to plates of oysters and other seafood at this two-day festival on the beach.

Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival - October 9-11, 2009

Hours: Friday, Oct. 9, 4 - 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11,

11 a.m. -11 p.m.

Frank Brown Park on Hwy 98 (Back Beach Road) across from Pier Park, Panama City Beach

www.panamacitybeachfest.com or www.visitpanamacitybeach.com

Combining three ever popular activities into one huge event, the Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival pairs daily wine tastings with celebrity chef exhibitions and nationally known performers in jazz, rock, reggae and country music.

The 2009 stars include Grand Funk Railroad, Julianne Hough, John Anderson, and STYX.

This celebration of seafood and fun also hosts a classic car show, antiques vendors, arts and crafts, and features wine from local and nationally recognized vineyards.

Bring a lawn chair or a blanket for the shows.

Advanced tickets start at $15 per person per day. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is $5 per car per day.

33^rd Annual Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival – October 16–18, 2009

Opening Hours: Friday, Oct. 16 at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m.

Mullet Festival Grounds, State Road 85 North at College Blvd., Niceville

http://mulletfestival.com or www.destin-fwb.com

The main attractions for this fishy weekend are mullet and music, especially fried mullet, and country music by this year’s headliners, Blake Shelton, Chuck Wicks and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Named after the mullet, a fish found in abundance in the local waters, the Boggy Bayou Mullet festival features an arts and crafts show, a juried art show and handmade and decorated clothing in the Boutique area.

Additionally, more than 40,000 hungry mullet fans will consume up to 10 tons of this humble fish during the three-day festival along with seafood, international foods, Cajun and country cooking.

Admission is $10 per person and includes all entertainment. Children 11 and under are free.

11th Annual Mexico Beach Art & Wine Festival – October 17, 2009

Hours: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2 – 10 p.m.

Driftwood Inn, 2105 Highway 98, Mexico Beach, 850-648-8196

www.mexicobeach.com or www.visitgulf.com

The sleepy gulf coast town of Mexico Beach comes alive with fine artists and fine wine at the annual Mexico Beach Art & Wine Festival.

Over 30 artists from across the country display their artwork and vie for over $2,000 in prize money.

Patrons enjoy live entertainment while they peruse the artists’ works, sipping great wines and sampling great food from local restaurants.

Tickets are $10 per person and all proceeds go to Special Events of Mexico Beach.

Taste of The Beach - November 5-8, 2009

Hours: Events at various times and locations over four days

www.tasteofthebeachfla.com

The newest of the Northwest Florida food festivals, Taste of The Beach is like a progressive dinner, stretching through three gulf coast counties over a four day period.

Southern Wine & Spirits is the exclusive distributor for Taste of The Beach. They and their suppliers provide the wine for this culinary and cultural charity fund raiser which offers wine dinners and walk-about food events in various locations.

It all starts on Thursday, November 5 with Taste of The Destin Harbor, located at the Emerald Grande overlooking East Pass and the harbor in Destin.

From there progress to Taste of Bay at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Seeing Red Wine Festival in Seaside, and Taste of The Beach & Charity Auction at the Hilton Sandestin Beach in Miramar Beach. Also included is the Telluride MountainFilm on Tour festival at Watercolor.

Ticket prices vary by event and proceeds benefit regional children’s advocacy and medical foundations.

46^th Annual Florida Seafood Festival - November 6 & 7, 2009

Hours: (Eastern Time Zone) Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Battery Park, downtown Apalachicola, 888-653-8011

www.floridaseafoodfestival.com or www.anaturalescape.com

Florida’s first and oldest seafood festival, established in 1963, the Florida Seafood Festival takes place in downtown historic Apalachicola at the mouth of the Apalachicola River.

The highlight of the two-day event is the Oyster Shucking Contest followed by the Oyster Eating Contest. Some participants have been known to eat as many as 300 oysters in the allotted 15 minutes of time.

Mounds of seafood prepared by local residents, arts and crafts, live music, blue crab races, a parade, the blessing of the fleet, and the crowning of Miss Florida Seafood Festival, make this piece of forgotten Florida a don’t-miss event.

Low Country Boil highlight of Eagle Island Getaway

It's officially autumn, but the Southeast is the perfect place to head when you just have to squeeze in one last getaway before the weather turns cold and recalcitrant.

If you've only experienced Hilton Head or Kiawah Island off the South Carolina coast, look a little deeper South for an experience more rustic, more authentic and definitely more relaxed - the Private Islands of Georgia's Eagle Island.

Whether you're looking to disappear with someone special or with a group of friends, this secluded 10-acre getaway is a find. Getaways can be customized.

Accessible only by boat, guests enjoy the spectacular Georgia salt marsh eco system, offshore/inshore fishing, blue crabbing, coastal cruises or full moon weekends in complete privacy. A 10-foot wraparound screened porch with hot tub and an outdoor fire pit are perfect for idling.

For those who can't leave their technology behind, there is WiFi and Direct TV. Rates start at $400 per couple per night. Round-trip boat transportation is provided with each visit.

Get owner Capt. Andy Hill to put on a low country boil for the end to a long and perfect autumn day on the coast. Wild Georgia shrimp, Andouille sausage, carrots, potatoes and corn make for some good Southern eating. Serve with deep dish corn bread and a few cold bottles of Reisling.

Low Country Boil

You don't have to be in the low country to enjoy this seasonal Southern shore specialty.

Note - outdoor gas cookers are typically used. A large pot on the range can also be used when outdoor gas cookers are not available. 

Fill a large pot with water. Leave enough room in the pot to accommodate the food in order to prevent over boiling. Bring water to a boil.

Next, prepare the Private Islands of Georgia Seasoning Blend (recipe below) and add to boiling water.

Note - Old Bay Seasoning can be substituted for the Private Islands of Georgia Seasoning Blend if desired

Private Islands of Georgia SPECIAL Seasoning Blend

Ingredients

2 sticks butter

1 cup black pepper

1/2 cup red pepper

1 cup garlic salt

1/2 cup seasoning salt

1/2 cup celery salt

10 lemons, halved and juiced

10 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

Melt butter in large sauce pan on low to medium heat.

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir with wire whisk. Pour contents of mixing bowl into melted butter and stir with wire whisk until well blended.

Pour fresh squeezed lemon juice into pan and stir. Add jalapeno pepper slices and stir. Add mixture to boiling water.

Low Country Boil  Ingredients

Note - other ingredients that can be added to personal taste are rutabagas, sweet potatoes, crabs, crawfish or the 'kitchen sink' - whatever textures and flavors you love

4 pounds shrimp

2 packages Andouille sausage cut into 1" slices - or substitute your favorite brand

8 onions, peeled and halved

16 new potatoes

4 ears of corn, halved

small bag of baby carrots

After adding the Private Islands of Georgia Seasoning Blend to the boiling water, you are now ready to add the remaining ingredients.

The food items are added in order of longest to shortest to cook.

First, add the potatoes and boil 10 minutes. Next, add the carrots, sausage and whole onions. Return to boil. Add corn and return to boil. Then, add the shrimp last. Cook until shrimp are pink in color, approximately 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.

Have on hand extras like cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and don't forget plenty of napkins.

Florida's Casa Marina Hotel rolls back rates for fall getaways

Casa Marina Hotel (691 N 1st Street, 904.270.0025), circa 19265,in Jacksonville Beach, Florida celebrates its signature year September through November 30, 2009 by rolling back first night rates.

With 23 individually designed parlor suites and oceanfront rooms, the historic hotel is offering the first night at $139 for a parlour suite and the second night at $19.25. (Sunday thru Thursday ~ no holidays).

Casa Marina Hotel has a full-service fine dining restaurant and penthouse martini bar that serves lunch and dinner daily; continental breakfast is served complimentary to overnight hotel guests.

Chef Aaron Webb has been at the helm of the hotel’s kitchen forseven years, bringing ala carte dining, weddings, corporate events and penthouse tapas menus to life with innovative ‘New Beach Cuisine’.

What better way to wind down than a fall getaway.

Airlines increase checked baggage fees

Travelers can expect their wallets to be squeezed yet again as US Airways and Continental increase their checked baggage fees:

US Airways says it will increase fees for first and second checked bags by $5 for domestic flights. And both airlines say they will levy new fees for a second checked bag on trans-Atlantic flights.

US Airways now will charge $20, instead of $15, for the first checked bag and $30, up from $25, for the second, when bags are checked online. Travelers who check bags at the airport will pay $25 for the first and $35 for the second -- an extra $5 per bag.

Continental will join US Airways in exacting a $50 second checked-bag fee on trans-Atlantic flights, echoing recent moves by American and Delta.  (Boston.com)

Flying the friendly skies just got a little unfriendlier.

Context Florence goes behind scenes at major restorations

Ever wonder what goes on behind closed doors in Florence?

Context Florence is brushing away the shrouded mystery by teaming with Friends of Florence to give visitors a peek at several of the nonprofit's ongoing restoration projects, including the Tribuna of the Uffizi Gallery and the San’Antonio cloister at San Marco.

Context, the network of scholars who lead critically acclaimed walking tours in several major world cities, is partnering with esteemed non-profit organization Friends of Florence on this  unique collaboration, "Salvaging Art."

The walk will take place on July 8^th, 2009 at 9:30AM and is part of the biannual Out of Context series, which offers special lectures, site openings and events in our cities, providing unique and exclusive experiences far off the beaten track. This event marks the first collaboration between Context Florence and Friends of Florence, founded in 2002 by Simonetta Brandolini D’Adda, organizations both widely regarded for their dedication to mitigating the negative affects of mass tourism on Florence’s precious landmarks and artwork.

The walking seminar will first start at the Tribuna of the Uffizi, the octagonal display room that has held many of the masterpieces of the Medici ducal collection for over 400 years. The group will then move on the San’Antonio cloister, nestled in the placid San Marco complex, which boasts some imperiled Renaissance-era frescoes.

At both spaces, we will discuss not only the history behind the structures but the science and technique behind their current endangered states and their ongoing restoration.

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and graphic designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals – including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes – who organize and lead didactic walking seminars in several world cities: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, New York and Istanbul.

 To learn more about Context, visit its website at: www.contexttravel.com

Nintendo DSi entertains travelers of all ages

All my life I've heard idle hands are the devil's workshop.  To that I say, "Hand that kid a Nintendo DSi please."

We log more than a few hours commuting each week and travel pretty regularly.  Having good reading material for our daily travels and holiday trips is essential, but sometimes you hanker for a little silliness.

From the newly released Starfy, the wildly popular Prince of Pufftop, to the addictively adorable Rhythm Heaven or just taking silly portraits (see the silliest above), the Nintendo DSi has been a peacemaker, lifesaver and goofy good time for us.

Put a smile into your daily commute or next vacation. The kids (big and small) will be happy and you will too.

Celebrate Dad's Day in Philly with Context tours

Context Travel is offering a discount on its newly launched walking seminars in Philadelphia over the Father’s Day weekend. The Philly city tours lead by scholars, known for their in-depth walks of museums, monuments, and historic neighborhoods in such cities as Paris, London, and Istanbul. will offer a selection of American history and art history walks in Philadelphia. Group sizes are strictly limited to no more than six people, and the walks are led by Ph.D.-level scholars. Over the Father's Day weekend, Context is offering the following walks:

Saturday, June 20 at 10 am Franklin Seminar, a 3-hr walk of Old City north of Market St., looking at the figure of Benjamin Franklin and his relationship to the city.

Saturday, June 20 at 2 pm American Art in Philadelphia, a 3-hr survey of the birth of American art with visits to the Second Bank, PAFA, and other works in the city.

Sunday, June 21 at 10 am – Colonial City in Context, a 3-hr walk of Old City south of Market St. that traces the development of Philadelphia from its founding.

Sunday, June 21 at 10 am – Temple on the Hill, a 3-hr visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art with a curator.

Participants on small-group walks will receive a 20% discount (normal price: $65), while those booking privately will receive a 30% discount (normal price: $300).

“It’s wonderful to find yourself in such rich settings as, say, the Second Bank where Charles Wilson Peale’s wonderful portraits of the founders hang, with a scholar of art history who can weave in all the threads of meaning and context,” says Context co-founder Paul Bennett. “Every time I attend one of these walks I learn something new.”