Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, home to the region’s wildest coastline, is the ideal location for an adventurous girlfriend getaway. This itinerary provides the perfect blend of active pursuits and luxurious indulgences away from the crowds.
Check out this diva’s review of the experience here!
Trip dates: Year-round. $1450/ person based on double occupancy. 4 nights
Trip Highlights: Guided hike through primary rainforest ending on a deserted beach, waterfall rappelling, private yoga lesson, surf lesson at Cabo Matapalo, and massage.
Accommodations: Classic cabins at El Remanso Rainforest Beach Lodge
For more details and the full itinerary, check it out at Reef to Rockies here.
About Reefs to Rockies:
Denver-based tour operator Reefs to Rockies specializing in conservation tourism to biodiversity hotspots across the globe, understands that many Americans have an inherent need to travel despite tighter budgets as a result of the recent global economic crisis. Therefore, they have created innovative destination options that will stretch travelers’ dollars. Up and coming destinations such as Ilha de Mozambique and Isla Mujeres, Mexico offer a terrific value, and more established countries such as Ecuador and Costa Rica can provide more “bang for your buck.”
Rene de Guzman, senior curator of art: I’m impressed with the range of materials used to develop their characters, stories, and worlds. As well, it’s incredible how much they invest in their creative process, both in terms of time and human effort. There’s some amazing beautiful works that shouldn’t be missed. A couple that I will mention are the pencil drawings of the sharks from Nemo and the plant studies from Up. Of course, Toy Story Zoetrope and Artscape are show stoppers. I also take a bit of pride in showcasing the relationship between Pixar’s story and our work of expressing California’s cultural legacy.
Karen Nelson, art department interpretive specialist: Besides the beautiful artwork and animation by the Pixar artists, I love the connection of these works to the Animal Locomotion photographs made over 100 years ago by Edward Muybridge; some of the earliest motion studies!
Louise Pubols, senior curator of history: The work of Harley Jessup for Monsters, Inc., and Ratatouille, reminds me of some of my favorite childhood books by Miroslav Sasek. The funky mid-century style of This Is Paris and This Is London made me want to jump in a jet plane for a globe-trotting adventure in Europe, and so do these drawings.
Advance tickets to PIXAR: 25 Years of Animation available now.
Become A Member OMCA members receive exclusive access to the exhibition every Saturday morning through October and enjoy members-only talks with Pixar artists. Become a member today and join then for the first Pixar artist talk August 21 when they welcome Academy Award winner Gary Rydstrom, sound designer for A Bug’s Life.
We are all about giving back to the world, and this time we are working with a great foundations doing amazing work in Laos. Join me and some very generous and important people at this event:
Featuring a rare appearance by award-wining Winemaker Genevieve Janssens, best known for her collaboration with Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Mondavi Winery, creators of the celebrated OPUS ONE.
The Event: An intimate evening of conversation with amazing Bay Area chefs and winemakers. There will be a live auction of magnums of wine and artwork as well.
Location: A private mansion in Pacific Heights
Date: Saturday, September 4, 2010 from 6pm – 9 pm
The Story: Luc Janssens, founder and president of the Lao Rehabilitation Foundation -501(c) (3) charitable organization – has been going to Laos for over a decade to build health care centers, schools, and provide medical and dental services in remote areas. He organizes medicals missions and coordinates teams of U.S. doctors, nurses and dentists for Laotians in need.
CHARLES PHAN – OTD – ROBERT MONDAVI – DANIEL FETZER – PETER HALL
Visiting Ireland? If so, you’ll want to visit some of the country’s top historical attractions. Ireland is rich in history and, whether you plan to visit beautiful castles, outstanding cathedrals or any of Ireland’s beautiful other locations, it’s hard to go wrong. So what are five of Ireland’s Greatest Historical Attractions? Read on to find out.
#1 St. Patrick’s Cathedral
This cathedral is the earliest Christian site in Ireland, and is now the largest church in Ireland. The current cathedral, built between 1190 and 1270, replaced the wooden church that was originally on the site. The beautiful stone reliefs on the walls and the intricate architectural design make this Cathedral a beautiful place to visit.
This cathedral is especially important because it was built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint. The story of St. Patrick is one of the most astonishing you could ever hear – he was supposedly captured in Britain and brought to Ireland as a slave initially, but escaped and returned home. Later, when he entered the Church, he returned to Ireland as a bishop and began working among the people he had once served. The cathedral itself and its grounds are an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of Dublin; like many Irish churches, it radiates an aura of history and incredible age.
#2 Blarney Castle
The Blarney Castle – home of the Blarney Stone – is perhaps the best-known historical attraction in Ireland. This world-reknowned landmark was originally built around 1200 A.D., but was later replaced by a stone fortification which was destroyed and then rebuilt. One tradition when visiting is to kiss the Blarney Stone, which is said to bestow “the gift of the gab” on a person – and they will never again be lost for words. Though the castle is not in pristine condition, it is still breathtakingly beautiful. The views from the top of the castle are incredible, and not many tourists are aware that the castle is only one attraction to see there; the area around it is filled with woodlands and secret, out-of-the-way places.
#3 Megalithic Passage Tombs
Built around 3200 B.C., these passage tombs are huge and are aligned with the Winter Solstice Sunrise and the Equinox Sunrise. Although it’s unknown what they were originally used for, it’s clear that at some point they became locations where important individuals were laid to rest. It’s highly likely that they have spiritual and religious importance of some kind. Visitors can tour the passage tombs, which are located in Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Fourknocks, Loughcrew and Tara. Newgrange is especially well known, and is considered to be one of the most important and valuable megalithic structures in Europe.
What makes Newgrange particularly amazing is what happens at the Winter Solstice. On that day every year, when the sun rises at precisely the right angle, the dawn light reaches along the passage and illuminates the central chamber for only 17 minutes. This alignment is too precise to be random, and it’s astonishing when you know that this monument was built 500 years before the Pyramids! People gather from all over the world to see the solstice at Newgrange, but only around a hundred can be in the chamber at dawn on the four days around the solstice when the sun is just right. Being there, and witnessing the mark of a new year as people did 5,000 years ago, is a very magical experience.
#4 Mellifont Abbey
The ruins of 12th-century Mellifont Abbey are the last remains of the first and most important Cisterian Abbey of its kind located in Ireland. Today, the ruins are still open to visitors. On entering, you can see the abbey church, which is set up like most major cathedrals, and the remains of the cloister. The chapter house is comparably intact, with some of the tiles that originally decorated the church still in use. Located in Monasterboice, the site has historical importance because conflicts between the Irish and the Anglo-Normans took place nearby.
Mellifont is one example of the monasteries that dotted Ireland hundreds of years ago. It’s especially important because it was the first in Ireland to be built using the same formal layout as monasteries in Europe. Ireland became known as the Land of Saints and Scholars because of places like these, and any history buff could spend an enjoyable day wandering the ruins and imagining what life was like back then.
#5 Dunluce Castle
Located along the coast in Northern Ireland, Dunluce Castle was built in the 1200s. It’s built right along the cliffs and nearly dangles 100 feet over the ocean. It was an early stronghold, and the site dates back to the Vikings and the early Christians. Though the castle itself is in ruins, guided tours are available and the castle is open year round.
The name of Dunluce is actually a phonetic translation of the Irish name “Dún Lios”, like many place names in Ireland. Its original meaning is “strong fort”, or “stone fort”. It has a long history of conflict and bloody fighting, and rebuilding after further desctruction; the place is desolate and brooding, and leads you to wonder what the stories the stones could tell.
Louise Baker blogs about getting an online degree at Zen College Life. Her most recent post looked at the best online schools. Her blogs have been published on sites, such as MSN, Publisher’s Weekly, About.com and the Consumerist.
Based on the 2010 compilation soon to be released by the Idelsohn Society of Musical Preservation, Black Sabbath is a musical journey through a unique slice of recording history – the Black-Jewish musical encounter from the 1930s to the 60s.
In contrast to the oft-told story of how Jewish songwriters and publishers of Tin Pan Alley and Broadway transformed Black spirituals, blues, and jazz into the Great American Songbook, scant attention has been paid to the secret history of the many Black responses to Jewish music, life, and culture. In the exhibition, visitors learn how Black artists treated Jewish music as a resource for African-American identity, history, and politics from Johnny Mathis singing “Kol Nidre” to Aretha Franklin doing a 60s take on “Swanee.”
In a nightclub setting that evokes the 1940s, visitors can browse extensive playlists including some rare and unusual recordings and can access more in depth information as well as vintage videos on iPads. An ongoing slideshow of album covers and images is projected on the wall of the Museum’s soaring Yud Gallery.
“A single recent find birthed the idea behind this entire collection,” says David Katznelson, President of Birdman Recording Group and one of the four record collecting dumpster divers that founded the Idelsohn Society. “It was a 7″ version of “Kol Nidre” by Johnny Mathis, backed by the Percy Faith Orchestra. The second we heard his belting version of this Aramaic prayer intoned at the beginning of Yom Kippur, we had to know more.”
Experience a magical evening with performances by international cirque aerialists, acrobats and musicians. The 2nd Annual Black Cat Cabaret features renowned performers from Las Vegas in an all-original show to benefit Pets Lifeline of Sonoma. This one-of-a-kind event takes place in an intimate venue that transports the audience into a truly dazzling and exotic environment.
Filled with spectacular theatrical exploits, the Black Cat Cabaret includes exciting pre-show entertainment, fabulous wines, local cuisine, a live auction of extremely distinctive items and special behind-the-scenes VIP receptions. All proceeds go to support the programs and services offered by Pets Lifeline, Sonoma Valley’s only animal shelter.
When: Thursday, September 9 and Friday, September 10
Time:
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. VIP Reception
7:30 – General Admission check-in
8:00 -10:00 p.m. Performance with Live Auction
Location: “Field of Dreams” (Fazio Field)
151 First Street West, Sonoma, CA 95476
Tickets and Information: Phone: 707.996.4577 x 110, email: blackcat-tix@petslifeline.org, website: www.petslifeline.org
Ticket tiers:
$250 Top Dog
Tickets include: Best seats in the house. Pre-show reception with food and wine at the Black Cat lounge and garden. Preferred parking at Veteran’s Hall. Complimentary beverage service at your seat. An invitation to join the artists backstage after the performance.
$175 Cool Cat
Tickets include: Second best seats in the house. Pre-show reception with food and wine at the Black Cat lounge and garden. Complimentary parking at Veteran’s Hall. Complimentary beverage service at your seat.
$75 General Admission
Due to limited supply General Admission tickets are only available by phone. Please call 707.996.4577 x110
Have you ever dreamed of trekking to the famous Mt. Everest Basecamp? Better yet, dreamed of doing it with your sister, mother, best friend, or partner? Or are you traveling by yourself, and looking for a group of like-minded women to join? No matter which way you start, you will soon feel like you’re traveling with a group of friends.
This fall, Adventures in Good Company joins with adventure travel fitness specialists Fit for Trips to provide the opportunity to be in the best possible shape to experience an epic girlfriend adventure.
Sign up now through September 15, 2010 for the Trekking to Everest Basecamp trip departing April 18, 2011 and receive a complimentary 8 week personal fitness program that has been designed specifically for the trek to Everest Basecamp by Fit for Trips. Travelers can choose a home or gym training program, as well as choose from a beginner level program or replace their current workout with a trip specific one. Each fitness program combines resistance and endurance training that will prepare travelers mentally and physically for their journey.
About the trip: The Trek to Everest Basecamp is, for many women, the trip of a lifetime. Whether you get to Everest Basecamp depends on your conditioning (under your control) and your acclimatization (which is genetic and not under your control). Any basically healthy woman can acquire the physical fitness necessary to enjoy this trip, and being in good shape is essential. Previous high altitude experience is not necessary. Even more essential is a positive attitude, an open mind, and a sense of adventure. While challenging with both strenuous and invigorating hiking, this three-week trek is a wonderful journey to a part of the world dominated by high Himalayan peaks and a culture that is rapidly changing and yet still grounded in ancient tradition.
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, home to the region’s wildest coastline, is the ideal location for an adventurous girlfriend getaway. This itinerary provides the perfect blend of active pursuits and luxurious indulgences away from the crowds.
Trip Highlights: Guided hike through primary rainforest ending on a deserted beach, waterfall rappelling, private yoga lesson, surf lesson at Cabo Matapalo, and massage.
