Get Thee to Napa Valley’s Galleries (and Wineries) for Third Annual Arts in April™

February 25th, 2013

Top Wineries, Galleries and Museums Host 30 Days of Art Showings and Wine Tastings


In April, the Napa Valley will again turn its attention from wine appreciation to art appreciation for Napa Valley Arts in April, a 30-day showcase of the art collections maintained by area wineries. Works on view will range from Belle Epoch to contemporary and from pricey to priceless. Wineries such as Chateau Montelena, Jericho Canyon and Markham Vineyards, as well as art spaces such as the Napa Valley Museum and the Calistoga Arts Center will collaborate on a series of exhibitions, artist receptions and activities. Throughout the month, wineries will offer special tastings during the week, and local arts organizations and galleries will host wine and art events on weekends.

Participating permanent and rotating winery exhibitions include Timothy Howe’s plein air paintings at Chateau Montelena, photo-journalist Baron Wolman’s new exhibit The Groupies on view for the first time in the US at Markham Vineyards, and Leonetto Cappiello’s Belle Epoch posters at Silverado Vineyards.

Punctuating the month’s activities is a host of weekend art openings and events, beginning with the opening reception of Napa Valley Collects on April 4 at the Napa Valley Museum, a selection of works on loan from vintners and friends with work from artists such as Robert Rauschenberg. Additional weekend events include Calistoga Arts Center’s Ekphrasis, a photography and mixed media exhibition opening on April 13, a multimedia concert by Mars Lasar entitled Angels of the Valley on April 19, and Ma(i)sonry’s Awaken opening April 19.

 

 

 

Fashion Week Spotlight: Christian LaCroix-designed, Hotel du Petit Moulin

February 21st, 2013

As Fashion Week winds down in New York and continues on, escape to Paris, the city that is home to Chanel, Hermes, Dior, and Louis for your own Fashion Week experience.

Hôtel du Petit Moulin, designed by Christian LaCroix and located in Paris’ trendy Marais district, is offering the “Ooh Là Là Vintage Fashion Masterclass” package. This experience evokes a bygone era with custom-made vintage clothing matched with a decadent champagne and tea service. Ooh Là Là Vintage, a top purveyor of retro fashion, first consults with guests to pinpoint their favorite vintage looks. Then, following a fitting, dressed in their chosen attire, guests enjoy a grand afternoon tea. And for true fashion enthusiasts, sister company Madame Tra La La is on hand to custom-design vintage pieces to be taken home as a souvenir.

Rates from €335 (approx. $440) per night (minimum stay of two nights), including daily breakfast. The package is offered through December 31 (perfect if you want to avoid the hub-bub of Fashion Week).

To book visit www.hotelpetitmoulinparis.com or call 33 (0)1 42 74 10 10

 

yoga, rhinos, and dark skies: ampr now representing andbeyond

February 19th, 2013

We are proud to announce  andBeyond as our newest client.  andBeyond is a leader in luxury experiential travel and a conservation pioneer offering well-heeled travelers diversity, escape, and natural heritage.

New & Noteworthy

  • In the first private game reserve donation of rhinoceros to another country, andBeyond is translocating six white rhinoceros from andBeyond South Africa to Botswana.  South Africa lost 668 to illegal poaching last year;  Botswana offers excellent security systems to protect the endangered species.
  • andBeyond is currently offering honeymoon travelers a 50 percent discount on the bride’s travel across all &Beyond lodges.  Highlighted locations include:  andBeyond Mnemba Island where guests can swim with dolphins and watch green turtles hatch before they swim off to sea; and andBeyond Kichwa Tembo, located in one of the richest and most diverse wildlife areas in the world.
  • The Homestead at andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal is now offering Yoga Safaris.  Other speciality safaris include  family, photography, birding, and wildlife tracking. (more…)

wed your one-and-only at one&only

February 19th, 2013

With the mother-in-law overstepping her bounds, parents padding the invite list with long lost uncles and college friends, and the stress of keeping everyone happy – planning a wedding can be a little stressful. Enter One&Only. Outsource the wedding planning to their amazingly capable planners, and along with taking away the angst of planning a wedding, the guest list will automatically be strictly nearest and dearest for a destination wedding. Here are some dream wedding options, and tips for any destination wedding, from the experts at One&Only.

Out of Africa at One&Only Cape Town

One&Only Cape Town’s new Weddings Consultant has over 2,000 weddings under her belt and can arrange very personalized weddings in the Marina Room with views of the V&A Waterfront, an outdoor reception on the hotel’s spa island, or an intimate maritime celebration on the hotel’s yacht with Table Mountain in the background and the sun setting over the sea.

 

Hacienda Style Ceremony at  One&Only Palmilla

One&Only Palmilla’s on-site chapel makes the perfect spot for an intimate ceremony, or a larger blow out if it takes place on the steps outside. A chapel ceremony package includes floral arrangements for the altar, an array of candles, and a horse-drawn carriage with a coachman and footman – a Mexican fairy tale!

 

Classic Destination at One&Only Ocean Club

Say ‘I Do’ with the views of the Nassau Harbor from the top of the Versailles Gardens. One&Only Ocean Club offers wedding ceremonies under the arches of a 12th-century Augustinian cloister, a romantic and whimsical setting for ceremonies and receptions. A five-night package includes private airport transfer, photographer, complimentary spa treatments, and catering by Ocean Club’s signature restaurant, Dune by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

 

Tips for the Destination Bride:

Adele Bennett, Personalized Wedding Consultant at One&Only Cape Town

  • Try to arrive at least four days before your wedding to familiarize yourself with the surroundings, climate, etc.
  • Be daring when doing a wedding menu tasting – you are in a foreign destination so really enjoy the local flavors, which may be a delicious surprise for you and your guests.
  • Check with your resort’s spas, which may have tailor-made packages like One&Only Cape Town’s De-Stress Bridal Spa Wedding Packages to keep you relaxed and calm until you’re down the aisle. (more…)

ampr now representing the lodge at kauri cliffs, the farm at cape kidnappers and matakauri lodge in new zealand

February 7th, 2013

We are pleased to announce that Alice Marshall Public Relations now represents three of New Zealand’s highly lauded lodges:  The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers and Matakauri Lodge. Each of the lodges offers its own way to see New Zealand, while all three celebrate the destination’s natural beauty.

The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (Matauri Bay, North Island)

Kauri Cliffs is an ideal destination for spa-goers, golfers, families, corporate retreats and more.  This 6,000-acre property has three private beaches, its own waterfall and a David Harman-designed golf course ranked 80 in the world by Golf Magazine.  The 15-hole, par-72 course is surrounded by views of the ocean and crashing waves.

New Zealand is well-known for out-of-this-world landscapes.  The Spa at Kauri Cliffs celebrates the environs with treatment rooms arrived upon after a leisurely stroll through the Totara Forest.  The Spa overlooks a fern-fringed stream and each treatment room opens onto a private patio with forest views and birdsong.

ACCOMMODATIONS – 22 in total: six Suites and 16 Deluxe Suites.  Overlooking the Bay of Islands, the two-bedroom Owner’s Cottage has a private infinity swimming pool, hot tub and outdoor cooking facilities for in-cottage dining.

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (Hawke’s Bay, North Island)

Set on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm, this is the lodge for food and wine enthusiasts due to its close proximity to Hawke’s Bay Wine Country.  At The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, guests will find fruit and vegetable gardens; walking trails including a field with more than 6,000 lavender plants; and a Tom Doak-designed golf course, ranked 33 in the world by Golf Magazine.

Rich in wildlife, 20 percent of the world’s gannet population lives at Cape Kidnappers.  Guests can cart about the property in ATVs to the granite cliff these birds call home and observe them in their natural habitat.  At Cape Kidnappers there is also a kiwi bird sanctuary, offering protection to the endangered species.  Guests can take a guided kiwi walk to meet and cuddle the kiwis, one of the only places in New Zealand where guests get a close-up look and hold one of these rare birds.

ACCOMMODATIONS – 22 in total:  10 Hilltop Suites, eight Ridge Suites and four Lodge Suites.  The four-bedroom Owner’s Cottage can accommodate up to eight guests with each bedroom offering a fireplace, walk-in closets and majestic views of the Pacific Ocean from a private balcony.

Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown, South Island)

Queenstown caters to the thrill-seeking and city-savvy New Zealand visitor.  Some accommodations can feel overcrowded and small in such a vibrant city.  Matakauri Lodge offers all of the excitement of Queenstown with a spacious, quiet and reflective location on Lake Wakatipu.  From Matakauri, adventure and outdoorsy travelers can heli-ski, take a Dart River jet safari, glide on the world’s highest swing and fly over glaciers and Milford Sound. Experiences on the calmer end of the spectrum abound, including trout fishing, hiking, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit tours and more.

ACCOMMODATIONS – 11 in total:  one Lodge Room, two Suites, eight Deluxe Suites.

Twice a year, travelers are offered a Tiger Tour that celebrates all the country has to offer;  the trip comprises three nights in each one of the three lodges, travel from North Island to Hawke’s Bay and finally Queenstown via private jet.

Hedge-Fund Titan Julian Robertson founded The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers and Matakauri Lodge in New Zealand based on his and his wife’s love affair with the country.  After spending five months visiting and traveling through New Zealand, the Robertsons returned to the United States, pregnant with their second child and with the idea to start Tiger Fund (this would later come to revolutionize hedge fund operations globally).  They opened the first of the three resorts, The Lodge Kauri Cliffs, seven years later.  The Farm at Cape Kidnappers and Matakauri Lodge would soon follow. The lodges are owned and operated by the Robertson family.  Today, Robertson’s son Jay and his wife Claire run the lodges.

Having been longtime fans of New Zealand, The Robertson family also owns Dry River vineyard and winery in Martinborough.

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