Destination: St. Maarten

Tropical Fun in the Sun: 3 Hot November Festivals

 Photo courtesy of Pirates Week

Experience Cayman's Pirates Week on November 11-21, 2010. The National Festival is eleven jam-packed days of family fun -- fireworks, street dances, food and drink, kids day, glittering parade, sports events and a mock ‘pirate invasion’. For more information, visit www.piratesweekfestival.com

The 7th Annual Turks & Caicos Conch Festival will be held from November 26-28, 2010, on the tropical island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos - home to the “ World’s Best Beach.” The highlight of the Conch Festival is a ‘conch-etition’ which pits the island’s best restaurants and chefs against each other in a tasting competition judged by a panel of local and celebrity chefs. An added twist this year is that a member of the public will also serve as a judge. For more information, visit www.conchfestival.com

The 1st Annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival is set for November 19-22, 2010. The roster of celebrity master chefs and culinary experts will showcase their talent in the 'Birthplace of Rum'. Bravo's hit reality cooking series "Top Chef" Tom Colicchio will be joined by culinary superstars Marcus Samuelsson, Ming Tsai and Tim Love, as well as local Barbadian culinary talent. The festivities will feature chef demonstrations, tasting events and interactive sessions. For more information, visit www.foodwinerum.com
 

Think Spring! Upcoming New England Flower & Garden Shows

 Courtesy of Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show 

The 19th Annual Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show will be held on February 24-27, 2011 at the Rhode Island Convention Center, located at One Sabin Street in Downtown Providence, Rhode Island 02903. The theme will be "Gardening with heart". In partnership with the American Heart Association. For more information, visit www.flowershow.com/show-info

"Capture the Magic" is the theme for the 30th Annual Connecticut Flower & Garden Show - Event will take place on February 24-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford. For more information, visit www.ctflowershow.com

Blooms! will be held in conjunction with the Boston Flower & Garden Show on March 16-March 20, 2011 at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston, MA 02210. For more information, visit www.masshort.org

Larimar: A Rare Gem in the Dominican Republic

Larimar is a rare semi-precious gemstone found in the Dominican Republic province of Barahona.

Early inhabitants believed the stones originated from the sea. In 1916, a parish priest named Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren discovered the blue rock, and unsuccessfully petitioned the government for permission to explore its origin.

In 1974, local Dominican, Miguel Méndez and Norman Rilling, a member of the U.S. Peace Corps, rediscovered the blue stones along the shore and were traced to the volcanoes on the island. Samples of the unusual stones were later identified as pectolite by the Smithsonian Institute. Pectolite exists in other parts of the world, but DR is home to the only known blue variety.

Larimar with its incredibly beautiful blue-green hues was named after the daughter of Méndez (a combination of Larissa, and Mar, the Spanish word for the sea.)

Photo courtesy of the Larimar Jewelry Factory

The Larimar Jewelry factory in Santo Domingo, DR also owns the Larimar Museum.
Learn more at www.larimarfactory.com


 

The Luxury Travel Report - Oct.9

Bavaria 45, Photo Credit: Dream Marine

Luxury Yacht Charter Debut of Bavaria 45 Trendsetter in the Grenadines"From first transom walkthrough to lowerable bathing platform via shower and barbeque, private yacht charter family holidays to her key destination, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - the Caribbean island chain over 600 islands in the Windward Islands, including Mustique and the Tobago Cays - is raised to exciting new levels of cruising ease and luxury."  
- Dream Marine World Wide Yachting

Luxury yacht showcase draws a crowd at the Delamar on Greenwich Harbor, Connecticut 
"The showcase, held at the Delamar on Steamboat Road, featured dozens of luxury yachts of all sizes, the newest high-end car models as well as tables from businesses, artists and jewelers."
- Greenwich Time

Martinique’s Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa Earns Coveted 5th Star Martinique’s premier vacation address for luxury and pampering, the Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa, has earned a coveted fifth star validating its place among the finest hotels in the Caribbean. The Relais & Châteaux property was judged anonymously by an independent inspection agency overseen by Le Comité Français d’Accréditation or French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC)." 
- Business Wire

Twin Farms Provides Luxury Vermont Retreat
"Imagine a place nestled far in the Vermont woods on 300 acres where the only thing you will hear from your private cottage is the distant call of a bird or the light rustling of leaves from a passing buck."
- JustLuxe 

Relax & Unwind in Vermont: 2 Fabulous Spa Getaway Packages

Photo courtesy of Green Mountain Oasis Day Spa
 

Gourmet Spa Getaway - The Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa
Package includes 1 nt accommodations in a traditional guest room, Chef in Training cooking class onsite at Cook Academy; choice of one: 50 minute Swedish Massage, 50 minute Transformation Facial, Essential Manicure & Pedicure + unlimited spa access, delicious spa lunch, Essex Fresh Start breakfast, early check-in and late check-out when available. More

'Relax & Unwind Package' - The Eddington House Inn, Vermont This package includes 2 nts lodging, dinner for 2 one evening at Pangaea Lounge, 2-1 hour spa treatments at Green Mountain Oasis Day Spa, bottle of wine, endless desserts, locally made creamy chocolate truffles. More

Adventure: Boiling Lake, Dominica

 

Courtesy of Jungle Bay Resort & Spa

The Lake is inside the Morne Trois Piton National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Manor on Golden Pond: It Started with a Love Story

 

Photo Courtesy of Manor on Golden Pond 

"At the turn of the 20th century, wealthy Englishman Isaac Van Horn had amassed a fortune developing land in Florida. He had also captured the heart and hand of a beautiful debutante. In 1904, with Madeline by his side, he visited the Squam Lakes region and became enchanted with the beauty of New Hampshire and the Squam Lakes Region. He had long held a dream of building a stunning mansion, high on a hill. He was particularly taken by Shepard Hill with its spectacular vistas of the White Mountains and majestic pines.""...Sadly, the happy times would not continue as Madeline suffered a premature death. Broken-hearted, Isaac could not bear living in the same house that had given he and Madeline so much happiness."

Today, the luxurious English country inn greets visitors looking for a distinct destination resort with local character, refined décor, memorable cuisine, and world-class service. Here, you can indulge in the 700-square-foot spa, learn how to prepare award-winning cuisine and explore the myriad of surrounding area attractions and diversions.

For more about Manor on Golden Pond, visit www.manorongoldenpond.com.

BLOGWATCH: Travel New England & The Caribbean

Foliage without crowds: Maine’s Schoodic region delivers big time 
"It packs a wallop, with not one, but two Scenic Byways, a portion of Acadia National Park, the fabulous Donnell Pond Public Reserve Lands, and the Petit Manan section of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Reserve."
--Hilary Nangle, Maine Travel Maven Blog

BVI to Host First Caribbean Superyacht Regatta
"The inaugural Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous will be held on March 16-20, 2011 in the British Virgin Islands. The event will also mark the debut of a new superyacht marina and yacht club on the North Sound coast of Virgin Gorda that will be linked to the Biras Creek resort and the new Oil Nut Bay luxury resort community." 
--Robert's Caribbean Travel Blog at About.com

Food & Wine in the Sun

 

Courtesy of Cayman Islands Tourism 

Cayman Cookout on January 13-16, 2011 -- "Join Chef Eric Ripert for a weekend celebrating food, wine and the natural beauty of the Caribbean at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. An incomparable roster of world famous chefs, sommeliers and spirits blenders will offer tastings, demonstrations, tours and dinners that celebrate the barefoot elegance that only the Cayman Islands can deliver." Info page


Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival on November 19-22, 2010
"Set among the pristine white beaches and glorious limpid blue waters of our tropical paradise, some of the world’s greatest chefs and wine experts will join together with the island’s best culinary artists to share their talents and to create, what is certain to be, an unforgettable and rewarding experience." Info page