Calling those with a passion for Pinot: The town of Healdsburg in Sonoma, California is prepping for the 8th Annual Pinot on the River Grand Tasting.
Slated for Sunday October 23, the event will host 100 participating wineries on the downtown plaza square from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $75, but a $5 discount is given to those who use the code earlybird.
For more information visit www.pinotfestival.com.
Santa Barbara always has a lot happening; here’s the latest.
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EXPERIENCE ECOTOPIA — Sustainably-minded travelers can experience “Ecotopia” in Santa Barbara this spring. From exploring car-free <http://www.santabarbaraca.com/experience-santa-barbara/sustainable/classicsantabarbaracarfree/> and eating locally-sourced foods <http://www.santabarbaraca.com/experience-santa-barbara/sustainable/locavore-experience/> to hiking nature preserves and celebrating Earth Day <http://www.sbearthday.org/> (Apr. 16-17) in its home town, visitors can tread lightly on planet earth while embracing the greener side of The American Riviera. Visit GreenSantaBarbara.com <http://www.greensantabarbara.com/> for itineraries, car-free discounts and more sustainable travel planning resources. Follow the Earth Day Festival info-stream on Twitter via @sbearthday <http://twitter.com/sbearthday> .
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School may be out for Summer, but for working parents and adults itching for a summer break, San Luis Obispo, CA <http://www.sanluisobispovacations.com/> offers the perfect weekend escape. Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the California coast, San Luis Obispo is a convenient short distance away from many major metropolitan areas, yet offers the fresh air, sunny skies, scenic open spaces and unique leisure activities that leave visitors feeling refreshed and renewed.
Epicureans, rejoice! The 26th Annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival is officially on the books. Slated for September 9 through 11, the traveler’s gourmet paradise will be held at the Village at Northstar in Truckee, California.
Well-heeled hungries can look forward to chef battles, free outdoor grilling demonstrations, a celebrity chef luncheon, gourmet marketplace vendor fair, grape stomp, wine walk, art and sculpture exhibit, winemaker dinners and more.
For a complete schedule of events and room rates, visit www.GoTahoeNorth.com. Tickets go on sale in July.
Auberge du Soleil, the Michelin-starred restaurant and luxury resort in Napa Valley, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. In honor of this milestone, Auberge du Soleil is giving a year of culinary offerings and experiences.
The 30th Anniversary Experience is available Sundays through Thursdays from April 1 through November 30, priced honoring the restaurant’s year of origin, $1,981. The luxe package is filled with indulgences such as a two-night stay, Chef’s Tasting menu for two, as well as signed copies of the new Relais and Chateaux cookbooks, 85 Inspirational Chefs and Chefs at Home featuring recipes from Auberge du Soleil’s own Executive Chef Robert Curry and Executive Pastry Chef Paul Lemieux.
The package also includes a charcuterie plate delivered to room arrival and breakfast for two each day in the restaurant.
For more information visit www.aubergedusoleil.com.
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The SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills has introduced a “Style Studio” by celebrity hair stylist Sally Hershberger in the hotel’s Ciel Spa, bringing chic blow-outs and styling to hotel guests seven days a week from 9 am to 9 pm. The “hair stylist to the stars” will choreograph every aspect of the Style Studio experience: from the music playlist to the healthy nibbles served on site. The hair services include a wash and blow-dry for $85 and fully-styled up-do starting at $150.
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Our ears perk up when we hear about a luxe hotel debuting a new suite. Imagine our excitement, then, over The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe’s new Sugar Pine Suite. The accommodation is the largest single-level suite at the resort and includes four bedrooms (two of them master suites) and four bathrooms, as well as a flexible media room, which can also be used as a fifth bedroom or den (it has a Queen sleeper sofa). Note: Each of the bedrooms in the Sugar Pine Suite boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, Juliet balconies, radiant-heated floors and Jacuzzi hot tubs in both master bedrooms.
The name Cipriani is synonymous with high-end restaurants and clubs. Now, it’s adding hotels to its fold with a new signature brand called Mr. C, the first opening in Los Angeles in Spring 2011.
We hear Mr. C represents a “modern version of old-world simplicity and stylish European glamour” (think discreet, personalized service). The 138-room hotel will feature 12 Signature Suites and Classic Suites, alongside spacious guest rooms, all ranging from 365 square feet to 800 square feet with private balconies and panoramic views of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The interior design is rich and welcoming, complete with dark hardwood floors, burgundy and grey color palettes and crisp white accents. Note: Bathrooms feature teak flooring and marble accents. Top Touch: Vintage black-and-white film photography of historical cultural moments will hang from the hotel’s walls.
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Wine connoisseurs will converge at Cooper Ranch in Plymouth, California outside of Sacramento to sip and savor at the inaugural Barbera Festival, which will kick off Saturday, June 11.
This outdoor extravaganza will host over 70 wineries from throughout California and is anticipated to draw over 1,500 people. The festival takes its name from the barbera wine style, which originated in Italy‘s Piemonte region. Today almost 200 California wineries pour out Barbera wines.
Palette pleasures: Barbera is known for its acid structure. There are different styles, which range from tart cherry, raspberry and spice to flavors of black cherry, blueberry and vanilla.
The festival will round out with live music, art and artisan crafts. Tickets go on sale March 1 and are $30 per person in advance and $40 at the door.
For more information visit www.barberafestival.com
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West Hollywood is heating up for the holiday season with hip hotel packages and shopping experiences that will transcend the mundane and make for inspired gift giving. Nestled at the base of the Hollywood Hills in the center of the greater Los Angeles region, West Hollywood’s temperate year-round climate, 14 unique hotels, and unsurpassed shopping, dining and nightlife make it an ideal winter destination.
