French Quarter Fest – Apr. 17 – 29, 2009

Enjoy 250 hours of free entertainment featuring more than 150 musical performances on fifteen stages throughout the French Quarter over a three-day weekend. Nearly 60 food and beverage booths located in Jackson Square and Woldenberg Riverfront Park will make up the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch,” a signature event, featuring authentic local cuisine from renowned area restaurants.

With just 100 days to go, preparations are underway for French Quarter Festival 2009, which will celebrate 26 years of showcasing the finest music, food and culture this uniquely New Orleans event has to offer. The award-winning festival is a favorite of locals and tourists alike and is the largest free music festival in the South. It was recently named a Top 10 Event by New Orleans CityBusiness Newspaper and is a Top 20 Destination according to AAA and the Southeast Tourism Society. French Quarter Festival attracts approximately 435,000 fans and generates an economic impact of more than $149 million.

According to Marci Schramm, Executive Director of French Quarter Festivals, Inc., ?e were thrilled by the incredible attendance last year and look forward to celebrating our 26th festival in the beautiful setting of our French Quarter. We rely on New Orleans businesses, musicians, the city and tourism industry, as well as our philanthropic community to help us engage the entire city. Citizens truly come together to create this special festival each year.?r

Over 18 stages in prime locations throughout the French Quarter present over 250 hours of the best music New Orleans has to offer with 450 musicians representing every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to rhythm & blues and New Orleans funk, to brass bands, folk, gospel, Latin, classical and international music. More than 70 food and beverage booths located in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and the Louisiana State Museum? Old U.S. Mint will feature authentic local cuisine from the area? finest restaurants.

Rooms in New Orleans will be fairly full so booking early will help insure you a room and a great rate as last minute deals at hotels close to these events will be hard to find.

For more information call 504-522-5730 or visit online at www.fqfi.org.

Airline Employee Guide to Visiting Mali

New air service from the USA to Africa opens up a number of new destinations for interliners to explore. One of those new destinations in Mali on thewest coast of Africa.

From the mystical villages built on cliffs” edges inDogon Country tothe legendary ancient city of Timbuktu, which has long been synonymous with “a place unreachable”, the wonders of Mali never cease. In the midst of this fascinating nation, lies another prized treasure – Teriya Bugu.

Teriya Bugu is a thrill for eco-tourists, who are environmentally and culturally aware. A tour to Teriya Bugu, which exemplifies sustainable tourism, is green travel at its best. This village was born out of the unlikely friendship of Father Bernard Verspieren, a French priest, and Lamine Samak?a Bambara fisherman. Their vision of a self-sustaining region led to the development of an “oasis in the heart of Mali,” Teriya Bugu, which means “friendship hut.”
Teriya Bugu is one of the most completely self-sustainable villages on the African Continent. The community produces its own food, fruits, vegetables, and honey together with livestock farming for the village’’s needs and for sale in local markets.

Self-sufficiency goes beyond just farming for this community. Renewable energy sources such as solar and biogas help to sustain the community and enthusiastic visitors and vacationers. Teriya Bugu was one of the first places in Africa to install solar panels to harness the light and radiant heat from the sun to operate water pumps among other uses. And while crude oil prices have the rest of the world running out of steam, Teriya Bugu has not been out of gas, as they “transpaille,” fermenting animal waste and dried vegetable compost into methane gas. Visitors can observe the research and development of other renewable energy sources such as the conversion of oil from the cotton and jatropha plants into biofuel.

Recreational activities for residents and vacationers include, water sports on the adjoining Bani River, strolls through the arboretum, visits to the mini-zoo, and tours of the museum, which features Malian culture and the life of Teriya Bugu’’s founder, Father Verspieren.

Accommodation consists of individual, self-contained and comfortable chalets decorated with Malian art, together with a restaurant overlooking the Bani River.

In addition to mysterious Timbuktu, the fascinating Dogon Villages, Djenne Grand Mosque-the world’’s largest mud-brick architecture and the bustling markets, there is the enchanting community-village-Garden of Eden known as Teriya Bugu.

Air Jamaica, LIAT cut routes

Jamaica’s cash-strapped national carrier and regional airline LIAT are both cutting routes as the world economic turbulence takes a toll on their operations.

Air Jamaica revealed to employees yesterday that it addition to getting rid of under-performing routes and reducing its plane fleet, it will have to trim its workforce.

“We are following a schedule that reduces our flying to try to match our capacity with demand and we are reducing and at least eliminating for the time being flights between Jamaica and Miami, also to Grand Cayman, Los Angeles and Atlanta and the Eastern Caribbean,” Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nobles said, adding that the service between Jamaica and Barbados and Jamaica and Grenada will also cease from February 26.

The number of persons who will be sent on the breadline has not yet been decided, Mr Nobles said, but he made it clear that the cuts will “affect all levels in the company because we are going to try and get the company’s cost down to try and match the revenue coming in the door”.

He said that efforts will be made to minimise the impact on staff, with consideration being given to options such as voluntary redundancies and leaves of absence.

The airline’s fleet will also be reduced from 15 to nine aircraft and existing leases will be restructured and aircraft returns negotiated.

All the cuts are part of a business plan for the carrier which is moving to be privatized by March.

Meantime, the Antigua-based LIAT announced on Monday that it would have to cut back on some routes because of a decrease in demand. It said the current world economic crisis was impacting on travel patterns in the Caribbean and the carrier would have to reduce the number of daily flights in and out of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, and St Kitts and Nevis.

“At present there are some flights that are doing fairly well and there are some days with good loads; but unfortunately our forecast overall load factor for the month of January and the next few months is clearly showing a softening in the markets,” explained Director of Schedules and Special Projects Lesroy Browne.

“We will be continuing the process of adjustments throughout this trying time of world economic downturn to ensure that we add capacity where there is a demand and reduce capacity where we see the loads are not holding up.”

LIAT said that from February 15 to 25 and April 9 to 14, it would reinstate at least two flights in an effort to help satisfy demand around the time of the Trinidad Carnival as well as the Easter Weekend.

Crab & Wine Express Train – 2009

Winter in Northern California’s Mendocino County presents a spectacular show each year as powerful storms roll across the Pacific Ocean and crash on the rugged coastal cliffs. This is also the time for a culinary delight, as a fresh bounty of Dungeness crab is harvested from the Pacific Ocean, that paired with the world class wines of Mendocino County, and you have the 10th Annual Crab & Wine Days Festival.

In celebration of Crab & Wine Days the historic Skunk Train is once again offering the Crab & Wine Train. Departing at 10am on Saturday, January 31, you are invited to climb aboard the Skunk Train for a delightful day. As your train snakes deep into the heart of Mendocino County, traveling along the forest floor you will be treated to local Mendocino County wines and tasty food featuring crab.

Tickets
Adults $65
Children $40
(Juice for kids)

For reservations call 1-866-457-5865

2009 San Pedro Lobster Festival

Come joinin celebrating the second annual San Pedro Lobster Festival. Named by Fodor’s as one of the 100 “must attend” events around the world, The San Pedro Lobster Festival will be held during the week of June 20, 2009 in San Pedro, located on Ambergris Caye.

Enjoy 8 days of festivities and all delicious fresh lobster you can eat. From June 14th to June 21st, 2008 enjoy fun in the sun, sand under your toes, a Belikin beer in hand and a variety of mouth-watering lobster dishes in your belly… What could be better?

Well, how about a Town Block Party featuring live musical performances, fresh peel n’ eat shrimp, the crowning of the Lobsterfest King and Queen, dancing and much much more? How about a variety of events and activities celebrating the start of Lobster season in Belize. You can enjoy all of this, and much much more… Stroll down front street to the delightful shops around Central Park, enjoy the friendly Belizean Culture and dance the night away to the sounds of a Reggae, Calypso or good old Rock and Roll Band like The Fat Cats… Life doesn’t get much sweeter than this. Get more information about this event at http://www.sanpedrolobsterfest.com/

Paranormal Attraction in New Orleans Opens

In the heart of New Orleans, America’s most haunted city, the PARAPLEX prepares for its grand opening on Saturday, January 24, 2009 with the world’s first-of-its-kind, multi-million-dollar paranormal complex attraction. The PARAPLEX will offer locals, tourists, and conventioneers a completely unique, unusual, and exciting all-sense experience while delving into the mysterious world of the paranormal.

The high-tech paranormal complex will include paranormal art galleries, hands-on interactive psychic testing exhibits, a simulated seance room, a Ghost Experience Simulator, and its own on-site theater for workshops, documentaries, and feature film screenings. The PARAPLEX is located throughout a completely remodeled, 14,000-square-foot historic and haunted mansion built in the late 1800’s as a private residence and later a funeral home.

“We are proud and excited to be able to add to the economic growth and development of New Orleans with this new, one-of-a-kind attraction. Inquiries from all over the world have started to come in regarding the opening of the PARAPLEX, which will serve as an anchor attraction at the foot of Canal Street, only three miles from the French Quarter. We are confident that it will be a ‘must-see’ destination attraction for both locals and tourists of all ages seeking an exciting and entertaining experience,” commented mansion owner, Jeff Borne.

The hi-tech PARAPLEX with its arsenal of cameras of varying formats, will monitor and record all paranormal phenomena 24/7 and document interactions between the mansion’s resident entities (ghosts) and PARAPLEX visitors.

Dr. Larry Montz, 37-year veteran field parapsychologist, stated: “Twenty years after creating the concept, it is thrilling to bring my vision of the PARAPLEX to life in New Orleans, a city known for world-class attractions. Parapsychology and paranormal research is now an integral part of pop culture, and the PARAPLEX will cater to the millions in their quest for information and experiences within the paranormal realm. The continuously evolving PARAPLEX is destined to become a premiere attraction internationally, offering a signature blend of interactive paranormal education and entertainment.”

The PARAPLEX Annex, located at 718 Orleans, is the French Quarter campus of the PARAPLEX, offering a full slate of paranormal reality events including Ghost/Parapsychology Expeditions, Psychic Boot Camp, UFO & Ghost Hunters, Nighttime Swamp Investigations, and the exclusive new tour, Anne Rice’s Vampires & Other Supernatural Beings.

Dinner in the Sky Comes to Las Vegas

Earlier this month, Dinner in the Sky Las Vegas made its debut as a high-flying Sky Box that takes 22 guests to a viewing height of up to 180 feet. The 22 guests are each comfortably strapped into a leather seat that is secured to a dining table. The dining table and seats are connected to a crane, which then performs the lift. The Dinner in the Sky experience is set to last for approximately one hour per session. The center of the dining table has a walking platform that can accommodate up to five service personnel for the purpose of serving food and beverages, taking pictures, conducting meetings or presenting product launches. All menus, from a sit down four-course meal to a tasting/cocktail session, are provided and included in the overall price of each package. With no fixed bill of fare, Dinner in the Sky Las Vegas will serve everything from sushi and lobster to prime rib and chops and is only limited by your imagination and budget. All meals are prepared “in the sky” by one to three chefs stationed in the middle of the table. For more information visit www.dinnerintheskylv.com.

Annapolis Restaurant Week

Interliners in search of great food at a reasonable price are invited to pamper their palates during Annapolis Restaurant Week, Monday through Friday, February 16-20. Thirty-four restaurants in Historic and greater Annapolis will be offering three-course, price fixed meal selections at a cost of $15.95 for lunch and $29.95 for dinner during the Annapolis Business Association? (ABA) first-time event.

ABA member and event organizer Erin Brunst McNaboe says Restaurant Week provides a welcome opportunity for area residents and vacationers to treat themselves to the world renowned cuisine that Maryland? capital city is famous for. ?nnapolis Restaurant Week provides the perfect excuse for getting together with family and friends for a night out of the kitchen and out on the town. With so many options, they?l want to set aside a few nights. That way, they can visit their favorite haunts and sample some new restaurants they haven? yet experienced — all at a very affordable price.?r

Participating restaurants include: Azure at the Westin Annapolis, Breeze at Loews Annapolis, Buddy? Crabs & Ribs, Caf?ormandie, Cantler? Riverside Inn, Carpaccio, Carrol? Creek Cafe, Domenicas, Fado Irish Pub, Federal House Bar and Grille, Galway Bay, The Greystone Grill, Harry Browne?, John Barry Restaurant at The O?allaghan Hotel, Lemongrass, Luna Blu, Lure? Bar and Grill, The Main Ingredient Caf?The Melting Pot, O?eary? Seafood Restaurant, Pesce Grande, The Purple Tooth, Pusser? Caribbean Grille, Rams Head Tavern, Reynolds Tavern, Ristorante Piccola Roma, The Rockfish, Ruth? Chris Steak House, Sam? on the Waterfront, The Severn Inn, Stan & Joe? Saloon, Tsunami, Wild Orchid Caf?Yellowfin.

Contact information for each of the participating restaurants can be found at www.AnnapolisRestaurantWeek.com. The menus will be posted online as they become available. Advance reservations are encouraged. For more information, contact Erin Brunst McNaboe at 443-482-9277 or emcnaboe@ramsheadtavern.com.

Annapolis Restaurant Week is being sponsored in part by: Comcast, Taste of the Bay Magazine, 103.1 WRNR Radio, OpenTable.com, and the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.

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