Food & Rum Festival 2009

Book This Trip Now! The St. Lucia Food & Rum Festival

Food and Rum connoisseurs’ get ready! The second annual St. Lucia Food & Rum Festival is set for January 15-18, 2009. If this festival is anything like the first one you will want to make your reservations now! I had the honor of attending the first Food & Rum Festival in October of 2006 and it was a food lover’s paradise! Four days and nights of cooking demonstrations by some of the Caribbean’s best chefs, including Chef Orlando Satchell – 2005’s Chef of the Year, Ian Burrell from the UK, Paul Yellin and Trinidad & Tobago’s Chocolateer Duane Dove, just to name a few. If the delicious food weren’t enough, each 8 course meal was paired with exotic drinks featuring blends of the best Caribbean Rums. The combination of endless Caribbean cuisine and exotic drinks is enough for me!

Each day is filled with a unique cooking demonstration by a top chef. If you are the adventurous type you can sign up for the catamaran cruise to Ladera (this breathtaking resort is built inside a rainforest), for the cooking demonstration by Chef Orlando at the celebrity favorite restaurant DaSheene. Or you can hitch a ride downtown to the ‘Friday Night Fish Fry’ at the Anse la Raye fishing village and also show your dance moves off! Other options include shopping at the Castries Market or International Mall and trips to the world’s only walk-in volcano.
In addition to the food and rum tastings, each evening wraps with a concert featuring top reggae and calypso artists. Past performers have included Reggae Legends Third World, Jazz artist Monty Alexander and Calypso superstar Arrow.

If you need a break for a few days and want to enjoy awesome Caribbean food, drinks, music and tour a beautiful island, then the St. Lucia Food & Rum Festival is well worth the trip. There are several boutique hotels and resorts that offer great vacation packages. The Coco Palm, Caribbean Jewel and Ladera are all beautiful resorts located in the heart of St. Lucia. For an all-inclusive option, please check out The Coconut Bay Resort & Spa on the southern tip of the island. Don’t wait too long, hotels sell out quickly for this festival!

For more information, please visit:

http://www.foodandrumfestival.com/
http://www.coco-resorts.com/
http://www.caribbeanjewelresort.com/
http://www.ladera.com/
http://www.coconutbayresortandspa.com/

Save the window seat for me!

Kirstin Fuller
The Travelin Diva –

Please check out the latest issue of Reservations Travel Guide on our updated website: http://www.reservationsmagazine.com/!
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Tank Talks Vacation

Tank Talks Vacation!

Grammy nominated artist Tank has been in the music game for a very long time. He produces chart toppers for artists such as Jamie Foxx and hits for himself. Chart toppers such as ‘Please Don’t Go,’ ‘Heartbreaker’ and the collaboration with mega producer Timbaland, ‘I love them Girls.’
When Tank is not climbing the music charts, producing hit music or making a hot video, he hops a flight to Miami for a mini vacation on South Beach in one of his favorite hotels. “You might catch me staying at the Bentley Beach Hotel, the Mandarin Oriental or the Delano Hotel. When I want to be with my people, I stay at the Loew’s,” laughs Tank. Miami is not the end of vacation options for Tank.
If given the opportunity, Tank would go to the beautiful island of Dubai for his ultimate dream vacation. “From all of the pictures and television specials that I have seen, Dubai looks like a beautiful place. It is simply breathtaking,” says Tank. Why Dubai? Described as the ‘Best of the East and West,’ Dubai is a modern and culturally rich city complete with breathtaking views and considered to be a shopper’s paradise with one the worlds’ largest gold markets. Another vacation treat in the city is ‘Ski Dubai.’ Ski Dubai is the worlds’ first indoor ski resort in the Middle East with 5 challenging runs and the first indoor black run (a skiers heaven!).
Dubai is a captivating city that is also home to the world’s most luxurious hotel, the Burj Al Arab – Jumeirah. The Burj Al Arab (where Star Jones & Al Reynolds honeymooned. Let’s not focus on that right now!) was designed to resemble a billowing sail and is the worlds’ tallest all suite hotel with 202 exquisitely beautiful suites. Amenities include a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce or BMW for airport transfers, 24 hour butler service, in suite office (complete with laptop, printer and fax machine), Jacuzzi and pillow menu (with 13 pillow & quilt options) and access to the private beach. Wow! 13 pillow options! I can’t cope with so many pillow choices!!
While we are waiting for another chart topping CD from Tank, let’s explore all the breathtaking sights that Dubai has to offer, you never know, Tank maybe there recording/producing his next hit song.
For more information on Dubai, please visit http://www.dubaicityguide.com/ and for more information on the world’s best hotel, please visit http://www.burj-al-arab.com/. Visit http://www.tankmusic.com/ for the latest on R&B sensation Tank!

This Weeks Travel Tip:
Apply for your passport now! If you don’t already have your passport, now is the best time to apply. The rush is over! No need to pay for expedition fees, turnaround time has returned to its original 2 week (or less) timeframe. Local post offices are even advertising special weekend “Passport Day’s” where you can just walk-in and apply with no appointment necessary!

Until next time…Save the window seat for me!

-- The Travelin Diva

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Photographs graciously provided by Tank and the Jumeirah Group.
The Burj Al Arab – Jumeirah Hotel

Single Parent Vacations @ Beaches Resorts

“Where’s A Single Parent to Go on Vacation?”

Justin wants to go to a place where he can play in the water all day and all night. Tyrone wants to go where he can ride roller coasters, take in a 3-D adventure and grab a hot dog in between. I just want to get away from my micro-manager of a boss. So, where does a single parent go on vacation? There are several great vacation options for today's traveling single parents. There's only one vacation giant offers vacation discounts for single parents!
Beaches Family Escapes will host Single Parent Fun Months from now thru October 31st, 2008. During the exclusive Single Parent Fun Month time frame, the $190 per night single supplement fee will be waived to honor single parents at all resorts when you book 3 night or longer vacation. That means you will an extra $190 to spend on spa treatments or souvenirs for your favorite travel writer, me!
So, what can you expect on a Beaches Family Escapes vacation? First and foremost, all Beaches vacations are all inclusive. All meals, snacks and drinks, water activities, golf/fitness center activities, supervised activities for the little ones, unlimited use of all amenities and airport transfers, hotel taxes and tips are all included in your vacation package price. Activities are endless! Each resort has something fabulous for visitors. The Beaches Boscobel Resort & Golf Club features a newly renovated 27,000 sq. ft. Pirate Island Waterpark. Pirate Island just re-opened after a $3 million expansion that features 6 new kiddie slides, Treasure Isle Aqua Play area with water cannons and treasure chest and many more water adventures for the family. This resort also has a Kids Zone that features a zero entry kiddie pool with a misting crab and squirting sea turtle for all day water fun. Beaches in Turks & Caicos also has a Pirate Island Waterpark that has a kids swim up bar, 50s style diner and a rainforest game room. This resort also features an XBOX 360 Game Oasis Center with unlimited free play for the kids.
You’re probably thinking, ‘the kids will love it, but what about me?’ Beaches Resorts also have fabulous fun options for Mom and Dad. The ‘Red Lane Spas’ feature a variety of heavenly body treatments. From the tropical nail bar, which hosts a variety of exotic drink inspired manicures and pedicures to the menu of massages. I am partial to the Pedi Colada ($70) which caresses your feet in a coconut scrub and then massages them in coconut and pineapple scented lotion. (OMG!) Massages range from the popular Feet First and Tropical Bliss to the Discovery Lane Massage Sampler which gives you a little taste of each massage type for $160 (80 minutes). It doesn’t stop there my single parents. Beaches resorts also feature the Parents Night Out Bundle. Bring a friend, pretend that you like them and enjoy a private candlelit dinner for two with nanny service. During single parent fun months, all resorts host single parent welcome receptions, single parent social cocktail receptions (they want to play matchmaker…LOL) and kids movie nights.

Whatever your vacation dreams are for you and your little one(s), Beaches Family Resorts has something for everyone! For more information on Beaches Family Resorts or Single Parent Fun Month, please visit: www.beaches.com (click on specials in the top right hand corner for the Single Parent Fun Month deal). Next time we will find out where your little angel can vacation with Elmo and Cookie Monster!

For more travel information, please check out the latest issue of Reservations Travel Guide featuring Caron Butler in the Celebrity Travel Cover Story.

Save the window seat for me!

www.beaches.com

Kirstin Fuller
The Travelin Diva
Please visit Reservations Magazine's New Updated Website!
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