How about catching an elephant by the tail? As part of a massive exercise to re-stock the Majete Wildlife Reserve in southern Malawi, visitors are being offered the chance to be part of a programme of elephant capture and re-location this summer (May-June).

Malawi is located in southeastern Africa. Often hyped as the “warm heart of Africa,” it is bordered by Zambia to the north-west, Tanzania to the north and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west.

Seventy elephants will be involved, fifty from Liwonde National Park and twenty from the Mangochi district.

Liwonde, well known for its elephant herds, has reached its carrying capacity for these impressive but voracious animals. In Mangochi, where the elephants roam in the wild, there has been conflict with the local farmers whose crops they destroy.

Five different groups of tourists are being offered the opportunity to take part in the capture and re-location exercises.

Part of the price of this holiday of a lifetime will go to off-set the massive costs incurred by the African Parks Foundation who are responsible for the whole of the relocation program which will transform Majete into a first-class game reserve.

Already, over 1000 animals have been re-introduced over the past four years. These include elephant, buffalo, sable antelope and black rhino.

Visit : website

I have always loved “The Del’s” fairytale castle exterior and they have done an incredible job with their extensive (read $$$$) renovations.

However, I was not really looking forward to dining at their new restaurant, 1500 Ocean, for two reasons:

1. I usually don’t like to eat in hotel dining rooms finding most of them to be stuffy, overpriced, and serving-at best-very mediocre food.
2. I feel the same about most restaurants that offer gorgeous water views.

However, being the big person that I am, I will admit that 1500’s chef de cuisine, Jason Shaeffer, proved me wrong on both counts. (When I later found out that Shaeffer had been the sous chef at Thomas Keller’s Per Se restaurant in NYC, it all began to make sense.)

The restaurant, filled with warm natural wood, a glass wall that reflects the sunset hues, potted palms, and soft lighting in the booths evokes a feeling of comfortable elegance. Our server was excellent; knowledgeable, professional, yet thoughtfully never hurried us and offered to serve our dishes in several courses so we could relax.

The menu features “Southland Coastal Cuisine” which I would describe as upscale Cal/Mex using only the freshest, quality ingredients sourced from Santa Ynez to Cabo San Lucas.
Highlights from our meal: Impeccably fresh lime and honey cured yellowtail served with a swipe of avocado mousse, mouth-watering fragrant garlic roasted Mexican shrimp,crispy skin salmon with roasted sunchoke,bacon, lemon, and arugula (I was so hoping that there would be some leftovers because it would have made a scrumpy sandwich, but no such luck) and a Warm Chocolate Chipotle Cake with Banana,and Caramel Ice Cream. The cake was interesting but the real winner here was the deep, rich flavor of the ice cream.

Dining here shows San Diego’s potential realized to the “nth” degree!

1500 Ocean
Hotel Del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118
619-522-8490
Website

Hey Diva community! I am heading to Austin this weekend - just before the SXSW explosion. Any advice on what to do is welcome.
I have gotten many emails that I will share here. I have everything booked!
Flying 2 for 1 price with American Airlines using my American Express Free Companion Program for the first time. Yea baby!
Staying at the beautiful Barton Creek Resort - a 2 nite package that I bid on at a Make a Wish fundraiser last year.
Renting a car off of Priceline for $11 a day (should I have bid $9-10?).
Going with a good friend and fellow DIVA who exudes positivity!
And inviting all Austin Divas to come join us on Saturday at the resort -for drinks and sharing travel stories!

Where does a girl go when she needs to get away from it all? Where can she find some peace without worrying about her passport? Where can she listen to swaying palm trees and the lapping of Caribbean-blue waters? Puerto Rico is where! I am writing you from the San Juan Marriott Resort right now, overlooking the beautiful turquoise water of the Caribbean.

I’ll be honest, I never really thought about going to San Juan for vacation. I knew that Puerto Rico was part of the American federal system, so I just assumed that just like America, it would be packed with gross fast food restaurants and little culture. I did not want to fly all the way to this remote island for the same stuff I could get a home. Well, I was wrong. Puerto Rico is wonderful! The culture is a spicy mix of Taino Indians, Africans, and Spanish. Their music is also a cocktails of cultures, so if you love Latin and African tribal music, you will love Puerto Rico.

Last night a group of us went out strolling through Old San Juan, which looked like a postcard somewhere in Spain. Old San Juan is a delightful area lined in pastel buildings filled with galleries, cafes, and restaurants. On the first Tuesday of every month, the small city center comes to life with vendors selling everything from original paintings to handmade jewelry. Bands play their Caribbean tunes and kids dance on the street. The official name of the evening is “Noches de Galerias.”

My hotel is also a treat. Because this Marriott is also a casino and a family resort, I was expecting something less inviting. But, much to my surprise, the whole hotel is smoke free and the pool area is very private, so I’m not getting trampled by crazy kids. The hotel is located in a very chic part of town – just minutes from Gucci, Cartier, Dior, and Louis Vuitton! And they have a pretty private beach, so I can chill without people walking all over me. The health club here has an impressive line up of equipment with TVs on all the aerobic machines; so working out is a breeze.
The bed in my room is out of this world. I decided to stay for a few days extra because I have not slept so well in months, and I just don’t want to leave the bed. Lucky for me, everything on the bed is for sale!

Details about the Marriott:

San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris® Casino
1309 Ashford Avenue
San Juan, 00907 Puerto Rico
Phone: 1 787 7227000
Toll-free: 888 817 2033

One of my BFFs, Terilyn Joe, invited me to Pebble Beach to chill with the stars and watch some golf. Honestly, I had no idea why I was going down - she mentioned something about AT&T and pros, but I’m not a golfer, nor a star-watcher, so even though I did not know I was in the midst of greatness I had a fabulous time. Me and my girl hung out at the Tap Room and laughed the night away with the golfers.