Karen Rubin, Editor & Publisher, is a veteran travel writer and publisher, who is devoted to the mission of travel: to engender understanding – of self and others – and break down the barriers and borders dividing people, while creating the economic underpinnings to sustain environment, heritage and culture and a base for uplifting, fulfilling jobs.
Washington, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that includes provisions that could mean the most significant National Park System expansion in decades. If passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law, the legislation will carry with it the establishment of seven new National Park units, the expansion of nine national park sites, and the extension of 15 National Heritage Areas, effectively shaking loose a five-year stalemate on public lands measures in Congress.
National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), numerous local communities, local businesses, and scientists have spent years advocating for many of the new and expanded parks included in this legislation.
“If signed into law, this legislation will protect places taken right out of the pages of our history and science books,” said Clark Bunting, President and CEO of National Parks Conservation Association. “From the sites associated with the Manhattan Project to the legacy of Harriet Tubman in New York and Maryland to the North Fork Watershed in Montana and Ice Age fossils in Nevada, these are stories that deserve to be told in the name of strengthening our country’s best idea. And these are places that deserve to be preserved for all Americans to experience.”
Many of the proposed new and expanded national park sites would further diversify the National Park System, including the Tule Springs site which is less than 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip and would offer a significant opportunity for an urban community to visit a fossil-rich national park. Many will permanently protect places that played key roles in our nation’s history, including the historic Gettysburg train station where President Abraham Lincoln arrived to deliver his seminal Gettysburg Address. And many of these sites would provide visitors with a richer adventure, including the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve where the watershed and marble caves will be protected.
This public lands package is monumental in terms of expanding our national park system, however NPCA remains mindful that it is not perfect.
“While this legislation includes two dozen bills that will enhance our national heritage and highlight our collective history, from innovation to science and nature, it also includes provisions that could harm our natural resources. It is those provisions that are of concern to us, both as park advocates and as conservationists. However, the gains we make for our parks, their communities and their visitors will have lasting effects for our nation,” said Theresa Pierno, Chief Operating Officer, National Parks Conservation Association.
National Parks Package of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015
New National Park Units
1. Blackstone (RI)
2. Coltsville (CT)
3. Harriet Tubman (NY)
4. Manhattan Project (WA, TN, NM)
5. Valles Caldera (NM)
6. Tule Springs (NV)
7. World War I Memorial in Pershing Park (DC)
Park Expansions
1. Apostle Islands (WI)
2. First State (DE)
3. Gettysburg (PA)
4. Harriet Tubman (MD)
5. Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson Great Falls (NJ)
6. Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve (OR)
7. San Antonio Mission (TX )
8. Vicksburg (MS)
9. Lower East Side Tenement (NY)
Special Resource Studies
1. Lower Mississippi (LA)
2. Buffalo Soldiers
3. Rota, Commonwealth of Lower Mariana Islands
4. Prison Ship Martyrs (Brooklyn, NY)
5. Flushing Remonstrance (NY)
6. West Hunter Street Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA)
7. Mill Springs Battlefield (KY)
8. New Philadelphia (IL)
National Heritage Area Reauthorization
The authority to continue funding 15 National Heritage Areas that had a sunset will now be extended
through September 30, 2021.
1. Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (PA)
2. National Coal Heritage Area (WV)
3. Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area (PA)
4. Essex National Heritage Area (MA)
5. Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (IA)
6. Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area (OH)
7. Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (NY)
8. Motor Cities National Heritage Area Partnership (MI)
9. Lackawanna Heritage Valley & State Heritage Area (PA)
10. Wheeling National Heritage Area (WV)
11. Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area (AZ)
12. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (NY)
13. Schuykill River Valley National Heritage Area (PA)
14. Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor (CT & MA)
15. John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (MA & RI)
Historic Hotels of America welcomed 24 historic hotels into membership in 2014. Hotels nominated and accepted into the prestigious Historic Hotels of America program range in age from 51 to 389 years old. These new additions represent historic hotels from 14 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The oldest new member hotel dates to 1625. Six of the hotels were adapted from a previous use including a former bank and courthouse. Of the 24 new members, five have reported hauntings from friendly ghosts.
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservationfor recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.
Historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America members YTD in 2014 include:
Le Méridien Tampa (1905) Tampa, Florida Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, converted to a hotel from century old federal courthouse
Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort, Honolulu (1961) Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
The Drake Hotel (1920) Chicago, Illinois Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Seelbach Hilton (1905) Louisville, Kentucky Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center (1927) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue (1926) New Orleans, Louisiana
Southern Hotel (1907) Covington, Louisiana, converted from the Grand Lodge of Louisiana’s Masonic Temple
The Westin Portland Harborview (1927) Portland, Maine
Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall (1928) Boston, Massachusetts, converted from Boston’s first Art Deco skyscraper office building
Hilton President Kansas City (1926) Kansas City, Missouri
Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch (1888) St. Louis, Missouri, converted from former Merchant Laclède National Bank and office building.
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza (1625) Santa Fe, New Mexico, converted from 300 year old hacienda
Hilton Manhattan East (1931) New York, New York
Chateau at the Oregon Caves National Monument (1935) Cave Junction, Oregon Designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark
Abraham Lincoln Reading Hotel (1930) Reading, Pennsylvania
Caribe Hilton San Juan (1949) San Juan, Puerto Rico
The Condado Plaza Hilton (1963) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel (1919) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hilton Fort Worth (1921) Fort Worth, Texas
Airlie (1892) Warrenton, Virginia, converted from picturesque farm
Capital Hilton (1943) Washington, DC
The Edgewater (1948) Madison, Wisconsin
“Historic Hotels of America is pleased to honor these noteworthy and iconic historic hotels,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “From Puerto Rico to Hawaii, each hotel represents a unique aspect of the heritage, history, and culture of the United States of America including one from more than 150 years prior to 1776. Several hotels are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and one hotel that has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark. We are delighted to welcome adaptive reuse historic hotels that previously were built as unique buildings ranging from a hacienda to a public court house.”
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation® for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America was founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservationwith 32 charter members. Today, Historic Hotels of America has more than 260 historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including 46 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated properties. More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.
I made my way to Portland, Oregon, precisely because of its reputation as a Green City – I wanted to see what that was like – and so enjoyed the light rail, the trees lining main street, the walkways and bikeways along the waterfront, rebuilt and reclaimed from industrial wasteland, warehouse districts revitalized converted to pleasant residential areas (what’s not to love about a city that prides itself on “bikes, books and brews”?). There was so much to explore and so much to enjoy – biking, hiking, its world-class zoo on a hilltop.
With Congress in the clutches of Republicans who are funded by Big Oil and deny climate change, it will fall to localities to act to mitigate and even reverse the conditions which are producing global warming.
That is why it is wonderful to see Portland, Boston, Broward County – destinations we have thoroughly enjoyed exploring -among the16 communities highlighted by the Obama Administration as “Climate Action Champions.”
(Broward County is interesting because the state of Florida has basically removed incentives to power plant companies like Duke Energy to mitigate carbon emissions, and is among the states that have removed and even banned incentives for solar energy, in the so-called “Sunshine State” no less. Florida has the biggest stake in mitigating climate change, because it will be the first to be submerged under water and uninhabitable when sea levels rise because of the planet’s warming. Farewell DisneyWorld.)
These communities are not just more liveable, but also are more pleasant to visit.
Next on our itinerary: San Francisco.
16 U.S. Communities Recognized as Climate Action Champions for Leadership on Climate Change
From creating climate-smart building codes to installing green infrastructure to setting targets for reducing energy consumption, the 16 local and tribal communities selected as Climate Action Champions have considered their climate vulnerabilities and taken decisive action to cut carbon pollution and build resilience. In addition to being designated as the first cohort of Climate Action Champions, the selected communities will benefit from facilitated peer-to-peer learning and mentorship and targeted support from a range of Federal programs. Furthermore, a coordinator will be provided to each Climate Action Champion to foster coordination and communication across the Federal agencies, national organizations, and foundations in support of the Champions. The coordinator will also assist efforts to raise awareness of funding and technical assistance opportunities that are available specifically for Climate Action Champions.
The 16 designated Climate Action Champions represent a diverse group of communities that are defining the frontier of ambitious climate action, and their approaches can serve as a model for other communities to follow. They are:
Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe (CA): The Blue Lake Rancheria, a Federally recognized tribal government, began its strategic climate action plan in 2008 and is a regional leader in strategically planning and implementing both climate resiliency and greenhouse gas reduction measures. To date, the Tribe has reduced energy consumption by 35 percent and has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2018, utilizing a range of approaches including the use of biodiesel to power public buses and aggressive energy efficiency measures.
Boston (MA): The City of Boston has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. The city is the first in the region to adopt Green Building Zoning, add climate resilience to the large new construction review process, and work with utilities on a regional microgrid. Additionally, Boston implemented a “Green Ribbon Commission,” which represents businesses, non-profits, and community leaders from a variety of sectors working to develop shared strategies for fighting climate change in coordination with the city’s Climate Action Plan.
Broward County (FL): Broward County, a member of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, a regional partnership of four counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach) to advance climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2 percent per year, reaching a 10 percent reduction target by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050.
Dubuque (IA): The City of Dubuque has adopted greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 50 percent below 2003 levels by 2030. Alongside these aggressive targets, the flood prone community of Dubuque is focused on risk reduction and resilience, especially as it relates to development and redevelopment of community infrastructure.
Knoxville (TN): The City of Knoxville has set a short-term greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. In order to execute on that target, the city developed a planning process that engages major stakeholders, including utilities and community grassroots organizations, and formalizes efforts to integrate energy provision, utilization, procurement, waste, and urban/agricultural use into the city’s Energy and Sustainability Work Plan.
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (DC, MD, and VA): The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) developed the National Capital Region Climate Change Report, demonstrating a fully integrated approach to climate change mitigation and outlining goals in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, transportation and land use, sustainability and resilience, and infrastructure. The COG is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. As a Climate Action Champion, the COG plans to establish an innovative Climate Champions Training Initiative to disseminate the Federal technical assistance and resources it receives to stakeholders across the region.
Mid-America Regional Council (KS and MO): The Mid-America Regional Council, a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bi-state Kansas City region, proposed the creation of a regional Resilience Working Group. Through leadership, planning, and action, the Mid-America Regional Council promotes regional cooperation and innovative solutions and seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 percent per year.
Minneapolis (MN): The City of Minneapolis developed the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan, which includes greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 15 percent by 2015, 30 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050. The city has partnered with two utilities, Xcel Energy and Center Point Energy, to jointly plan, market, implement, and track strategies to meet climate and energy goals.
Montpelier (VT): Earlier this year, the City of Montpelier launched Net Zero Montpelier, a major initiative focused on making Montpelier the first effectively carbon-neutral capital city in the country by the year 2030. The city has demonstrated its leadership and innovation in climate mitigation and resilience by creating the first energy efficiency utility and the first standard offer program, and by making a commitment to eliminate fossil fuel use across all sectors.
Oberlin (OH): The City of Oberlin has developed a climate change mitigation and resilience plan for power production, solid waste, and transportation, utilizing an innovative and collaborative model that includes partnerships between the town, the University, the utility, industry, and international, national, and regional non-profits. The city established aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets of 50 percent by 2015, 75 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050.
Portland (OR): The City of Portland is a regional leader for greenhouse gas reduction and climate change mitigation. With support from 20 agency partners, Portland’s 2015 Climate Action Plan is a strategy to put the city on a path to achieve an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels.
Salt Lake City (UT): Salt Lake City developed a comprehensive and well-integrated portfolio of programs and policies, including renewable energy, transportation, code revisions, water systems, and building policies as priorities. The city established a joint resolution to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and 50 percent below 2020 levels by 2040.
San Francisco (CA): The city of San Francisco has established some of the most aggressive climate and sustainability targets in the nation, covering a broad range of sectors, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, transportation, water, green infrastructure, and waste. With robust goals to measure progress, San Francisco aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2017, and 40 percent by 2025.
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (MI): The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians demonstrates a holistic approach to climate action and preparedness through their energy strategy, emergency operations plan, integrated resource management plan, solid waste management plan, sustainable development code, and land use planning process, with ambitious goals including a net-zero energy goal. The tribe aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent per year.
Seattle (WA): Adopted in June 2013, Seattle’s Climate Action Plan focuses on city actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience while also supporting vibrant neighborhoods, economic prosperity, and social equity. The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2017, and by 40 percent by 2025.
Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (CA): The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) is the nation’s first local government agency created specifically to address climate change. The RCPA has committed to pursue a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels through formal partnerships, pooling resources (financial and human), and working across silos.
Today, the Administration also announced new resilience funding opportunities available to local communities across the country, including those designated as Climate Action Champions:
Funding for Smart Grid Technologies: DOE announced that up to $3.5 million will be available through the Resilient Electricity Delivery Infrastructure (REDI) Initiative Funding Opportunity Announcement to help communities deploy pre-commercial and commercial smart grid technologies and tools that will help decision makers and resource managers to improve the recovery of electricity delivery services in their communities. The Funding Opportunity Announcement focuses on local and tribal governments that have experienced a Presidentially Declared Major Disaster in the past 30 years.
Funding for Resilient Coastal Communities: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be releasing up to $15 million for a Coastal Resilience Grant Program. The program will implement activities that build the resilience of forward-looking coastal communities and nearby ecosystems with the goal of mitigating the negative impacts of extreme weather events, climate hazards, and changing ocean conditions.
Specific examples of Federal support that will be available to the winning communities include:
Data for Decision-Making: Champions will be provided with validated climate science, data, vulnerability assessments, and risk projection tools needed to make smart planning decisions in their communities and receive technical assistance in using the tools. This support will be provided through programs within NOAA, the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and FEMA, among other agencies.
Adaptation, Preparedness, and Resilience Exercises:Champions will have the opportunity to participate in FEMA-supported tabletop exercises. Participating communities will assess hazard mitigation and resilience planning already underway to prepare for extreme weather events and other effects of a changing climate.
Peer Network: Champions will have online and in-person access to lessons learned from the Administration’s Sustainable Communities Initiative, a $250 million investment in regions doing long-range planning for environmental, economic, and climate resilience in more than 140 communities nationwide.
Access to Renewable Energy Experts: DOE’s SunShot Initiative will work with Champions through two programs. First, the Solar Outreach Partnership will help Champions to accelerate solar energy adoption at the local level through a mix of educational workshops, peer-to-peer sharing opportunities, research-based reports, and online resources. Second, the Solar Technical Assistance Team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will bring together solar experts to provide Champions with unbiased information on solar policies and issues in order to facilitate the development of a market for solar photovoltaic technologies.
Tribal-Focused Technical Assistance: Tribal communities designated as Champions will be offered the chance to participate in the DOE Office of Indian Energy Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) program, an in-depth technical assistance program, as well as other targeted technical assistance and capacity building programs designed to help develop energy and resiliency planning and project development support for clean energy and energy efficiency projects.
Resilience Partnership with Federal Facilities: Where possible, Champions will be able to participate in new preparedness pilots that are designed to pair local or tribal communities with nearby Federal facility partners to assess expected local climate impacts and develop plans to address them cooperatively. These would be modeled after two pilots that President Obama announced on July 16, in which the City of Houston is working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Johnson Space Center and the State of Colorado is working with the NREL.
Climate Education and Literacy Initiative. The Administration is also launching a new Climate Education and Literacy Initiative to help connect American students and citizens with the best available science-based information about climate change. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is hosting a roundtable at the White House today, bringing together education leaders from government, academia, philanthropies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to discuss efforts to increase student learning opportunities; equip educators with science-based information and resources; enhance climate-related professional development and training; and engage citizens through place-based and informal climate education. Today’s launch of the Initiative includes a host of exciting new commitments by Federal agencies and outside organizations to develop and deploy innovative climate education approaches aimed at educating and engaging students and citizens of all ages. Examples of these commitments include:
A new Federal program to train senior government executives as climate leaders;
A new training program by the American Meteorological Society and partners to train faculty from Minority Serving Institutions to introduce climate science courses onto their campuses;
An announcement by the Earth Day Network that the 2015 Earth Week will focus on climate education; and
Plans supported by the Will Steger Foundation for more than a dozen public forums and educator workshops across the State of Minnesota to share credible information about climate change.
More information about the Climate Education announcement can be found here.
Hampton Roads Pilot Project.The Administration also announced that a one-day exercise was offered yesterday at Old Dominion University in support of an intergovernmental pilot project created by the Hampton Roads community. The exercise was a component of the National Exercise Program Climate Change Preparedness and Resilience Exercise Series, sponsored by the White House National Security Council, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and supported by the National Exercise Division. The Hampton Roads pilot project seeks to develop a regional government- and community-wide approach to sea level rise preparedness and resilience planning that can also be used as a template for other regions. This fall, similar preparedness and resilience exercises were held in Houston, Texas, Fort Collins, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska.
White House Climate Action Champions Competition
“From deep droughts to fierce wildfires, severe storms to rising seas, communities across the United States are already grappling with the impacts of extreme weather and climate change. Faced with these new challenges, many cities, towns, counties, and tribes in every region of the country are stepping up to cut carbon pollution, deploy more clean energy, boost energy efficiency, and build resilience in their communities to climate impacts.
“That is why earlier this fall the White House launched the Climate Action Champions competition, to identify and recognize local climate leaders and to provide targeted Federal support to help those communities further raise their ambitions. Following a competitive process led by the Department of Energy (DOE), today the Administration is announcing 16 communities from around the country as the first cohort of Climate Action Champions.
“The Obama Administration is committed to taking decisive action to combat climate change. Just last month, to drive international discussions leading up to the 2015 climate negotiations in Paris, President Obama made an historic joint announcement with Chinese President Xi Jinping of each country’s respective targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the post-2020 period. Building on the United States’ bipartisan history of supporting financing for clean energy and climate adaptation in developing countries, the President also announced the United States’ $3 billion commitment to the Green Climate Fund.
“But international leadership begins at home, which is why the Obama Administration is continuing to partner with state and local governments, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to make progress on climate change in the United States. Building on the Administration’s work with the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, which delivered its recommendations to the President on November 17, and the selection of the Climate Action Champions this week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy launched a new Climate Education and Literacy Initiative, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the White House collaborated on the fourth in a series of local climate resilience exercises in Hampton Roads, Virginia.”
Macedonia Experience (www.macedoniaexperience.com) introduces “Culinary Experience,” a 10 day/9 night sampler with hands-on demonstrations of traditional Macedonian cuisine.
SKOPJE, REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA – Sitting due north of Greece and near Turkey is Macedonia, a yet-to-be-discovered country just beginning to pop up on the culinary radar thanks to cheese, wine and wild game.
Macedonia Experience (www.macedoniaexperience.com) introduces “Culinary Experience,” a 10 day/9 night sampler with hands-on demonstrations of traditional Macedonian cuisine combining Balkan and Mediterranean characteristics of fresh fruits and veggies, mountain-grown herbs and local wines. Toss in Turkish tastes that prevailed during long centuries of Ottoman rule, a few wild game dishes and gustatory senses will be overjoyed.
This pepper-spiked adventure includes accommodations (guests select the class of hotel they desire); all transfers, tours and activities; ingredients for the preparation of dishes; guidance and tutorials for preparation of the dishes in a traditional setting; and the services of a tour guide. This tour is offered year-round for a minimum of two people or a maximum of 12. An average tour cost for guests booking medium-priced hotels throughout the journey starts at €2000 per person, double based on four participants. macedoniaexperience.com/specials/culinary-experience-trip-around-macedonia
Guests transfer from Skopje Airport to their hotel in the historic town of Skopje, inhabited since 4000 BC. Here the culinary games begin. Lunch is in a restaurant built in a traditional style with live Macedonian music surrounded by the mystery of the Old Bazaar where wines and spirits (mainly rakija, a typical Macedonian spirit made by distillation of fermented fruits) and cheese are served in bars and eateries. The next day a pre-breakfast visit to a pazar (typical market) introduces foods and spices before a traditional breakfast of pastry with chorba (a minestrone-type soup). Guests learn how to prepare makalo (gravy), pot cheese and proja (preparation of cornmeal into a type of bread). Later comes a wine and cheese tasting before dinner at a winery near Skopje.
Days 3, 4 and 5 bring guests to Mavrovo National Park to sample wild game specialties, an exploration of Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a market tour to purchase ingredients to prepare selsko meso (Macedonian and Balkan pork and mushroom dish) and pastrmajlija (Macedonian bread pie made from dough and meat). Embroideries, musical instruments and objects made of clay are also available in the markets. A visit to a handmade paper workshop (one of only seven in the world where the paper is made in the original Chinese way from the 2nd century BC.) shows how this paper was used on Gutenberg’s original printing press from the 15th century. The equipment and clothing here are 100% authentic.
Days 6 and 7 continue with tours and tastings in Bitola and Krusevo, distinguished as the highest town in the Balkans. Guests learn how to make lokum (traditional sweets) before sampling region-wide famous Krusevo sausage and kebab. Next come Krusevo pies filled with cheese, leeks, cabbage and spinach. An enologist meets the tour in the Tikvesh wine region before visiting the ancient ruins of Stobi and passing on to Berovo, a small town near the Maleševo Mountains where nature combines with the history of the Ottoman Empire. Guests prepare their own dinner here. At Berovo Lake guests mingle with locals who share their customs through handicrafts, musical instruments, songs and dances preserved for centuries. Guests dine in a traditional sheepfold on ingredients sourced locally before departing the next day.
For more information and reservations contact the North America representative office: 866-748-8867, or by email: [email protected].
Baja AirVentures makes it possible to encounter whales on both sides of Baja Peninsula.
SAN DIEGO, CA– San Diego-based Baja AirVentures has created a travel program that enables the best opportunities for marine mammal encounters on both sides of the Baja peninsula in one all-inclusive six day air-supported package. And the timing couldn’t be better because of a record number of whales in an area which is believed to have the highest concentration of Grey whales in the world.
The 6-day/5-night Best of Baja’s Whales, Dolphins & Sea Lions Tour departs every Monday and on several Tuesdays throughout February and March 2015. The all-inclusive per person rate, including private air carriage from San Diego, across the peninsula and back, is $2,795 (exclusive of 13% IVA Mexican tax and 3% Marine Park entrance fee).
The package includes private roundtrip air from San Diego with ample opportunity for aerial flightseeing, Pacific whale watching in Scammons Lagoon by motorized panga, two nights at a B&B in the Mexican hamlet of Guerro Negro and three nights of total seclusion at Baja AirVenture’s Las Animas beachside eco-lodge a scenic hour’s boat trip south of Bahia de Los Angeles on the pristine shores of the Sea of Cortez.
“The unique combination of both aerial and sea viewing on both coasts of the peninsula is something no other whale watching operator in Baja is able to offer,” says Kevin Warren, founder and owner of Baja AirVentures (http://www.bajaairventures.com/). “In fact, the opportunity to view these magnificent creatures from a bird’s eye perspective is a thrill and rarity in itself.”
Guests this year are in for a special treat. According to Warren, through conservation efforts, the Grey whale population in the Pacific continues to rebound and grow. Last year saw a new record with nearly 2,000 breeding adults and babies sited at Ojo de Libre (Scammons Lagoon). This prime location has the largest concentration of the Grey whales on the planet.
After departing from San Diego in a private plane for Scammons Lagoon, participants spend the better part of three days scanning and interacting with migrating California Gray whales by boat and from the air. This is where guests often get to actually “pet friendly whales” in their natural environment. Two nights are enjoyed at a cozy B&B in the small village of Guerro Negro. Prior to boat transfer to Las Animas Wilderness Eco-Lodge on Day Three, there’s more whale watching and an aerial tour of Laguna Ojo de Libre and the Midriff Island chain in the Sea of Cortez. Days Four and Five are spent desert hiking, kayaking, birdwatching and snorkeling with sea lions and dolphins. Boat excursions from Las Animas provide an added opportunity to view several types of whales, including Blue and Fin whales (the two largest species in the world).
A recent guest had this to say on Trip Advisor about their intimate encounters with the Grey whales, “The small-plane flights alone, with one pilot and five passengers, were a treat. Once on the water of Scammons Lagoon, we did not merely ‘watch’ wales! Instead, our skiff was at times surrounded by these magnificent creatures. Playful and seemingly curious calves met out-stretched hands, allowing themselves to be stroked and patted, while their enormous mothers swam watchfully close by.”
After crossing the peninsula to the Sea of Cortez, guests stay at Las Animas Wilderness Eco-Lodge. The only boat-in lodge along the entire coast, Las Animas is a remote, eco-friendly property that accommodates up to 14 guests in seven romantic, private beach-side yurts equipped with bathroom, solar shower, composting toilets, comfortable Queen and King sized beds, covered decks and skylight roofs. The yurts are built around the spacious main palapa which offers an expansive deck that serves as a central dining area, game area and communal lounge space.
The all-inclusive tour price of $2,795 includes double occupancy B&B and yurt accommodations, roundtrip air from San Diego, naturalist guided outings and lectures, boat transportation, healthy homemade meals, beverages (including beer and margaritas) and such activities as kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, sailing and hiking.
Traveling in first-class rail style, the special trip will depart Chicago’s famed Union Station in meticulously restored Pullman cars the evening of Dec. 27, arriving at its southernmost stop of Miami the evening of Dec. 29.
CHICAGO – Pullman Rail Journeys is bringing back the era of grand rail journeys with an exclusive one-time holiday itinerary from Chicago to the “Sunshine State” for a New Year’s celebration.
Traveling in first-class rail style, the special trip will depart Chicago’s famed Union Station in meticulously restored Pullman cars the evening of Dec. 27, arriving at its southernmost stop of Miami the evening of Dec. 29. The return journey departs for Chicago from South Florida beginning the morning of Jan. 2, 2015. Riding the legendary Capitol Limited to Washington, D.C.and Silver Meteor along the East Coast routes, historic menus will be served with renowned Pullman service for a timeless rail travel experience.
“We continue to see great demand for our regular service between Chicago and New Orleans and 2014 has been a banner year for nostalgic train travel,” shares Edwin E. Ellis, president of Pullman Rail Journeys and its parent company Iowa Pacific Holdings. “What better way to ring in 2015 than with an epic train trip to escape the cold paired with iconic Florida hotels.”
All interiors are fully restored in the original Pullman style. The basic streamlined room accommodations feature one large picture window with exterior views out one side of the train. The open sections have a large picture window with the advantage of being able to look across the aisle out the other side of the train.
Standard cars are configured with open sections, compartments and drawing rooms with double windows. Bedrooms have a single window with a view out one side of the train. Pullman accommodations feature premium white linens and each bed has custom recreated Pullman blankets and blue-stripe towels.
Dining and Entertainment
Meals are served in the Lounge and Dining Cars with the option for room service included in fare. Signature dishes include Railroad French Toast, Fresh Greens withIllinois Central Dressing or Pullman Vinaigrette, Roast Beef Tenderloin with Madeira Demi-Glace and a Fresh Strawberry Parfait. A full range of soft drinks, coffee, local Chicago and New Orleans beers as well as a selection of red, white and sparkling wines and premium spirits are included in the fare.
Guests socialize with fellow passengers in the Club, Observation and Dining Cars, enjoying onboard entertainment on select departures. A current selection of newspapers, magazines and board games are available in the Pullman Library in the Lounge Car as well as DVDs and a collection of classic books.
Following his passion of reviving the elegance and refinement of rail travel, Edwin E. Ellis resurrected the classic rail brand in 2012 after rescuing and refurbishing a collection of Pullman cars dating back as far as 1917. Renowned for its stylish Art-Deco design, plush accommodations and superb service from attentive porters and stewards, each car has been carefully restored to its original splendor with modern enhancements to offer the public an authentic heritage travel experience-one that their parents or grandparents would have enjoyed.
Hotel Packages
Once in Florida, passengers can take advantage of a hotel package:
Grand Floridian (Orlando): Package begins at $4,198 per person, based on double occupancy and includes three-day Park Hopper pass, Grand Floridian Garden View Room, three meals and two snacks per person per night and a Magic Your Way Platinum Package including unlimited use of select recreation including golf, Cirque du Soleil LaNouba admission, fireworks cruise and reserved seating at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® Fantasmic, a select spa treatment as well as round-trip transfers between the train station to the hotel.
Chesterfield (Palm Beach): Package begins at $2,497 per person, based on double occupancy and includes New Year Champagne and Dreams Package with a five-course New Year’s Eve Gala dinner for two in the Leopard Lounge, champagne toast at midnight and New Year’s Eve Day brunch. Daily breakfast and round-trip town car transfer between the hotel and train station are included.
The Biltmore (Coral Gables): Package begins at $2,737 per person, based on double occupancy and includes the New Year’s Gala and dinner along with daily breakfast and round-trip sedan transfers between the hotel and train station.
A round-trip rail-only package begins at $2,408 per person, based on double occupancy.
Chicago-based Pullman Rail Journeys is an independently-owned operator of first-class passenger service. Featuring artfully restored vintage rail cars, Pullman’s regular scheduled service operates between Chicago and New Orleans via the Illinois Central line. Parent company Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC (IPH), is the owner of the largest number of original Pullman cars in the world, with approximately 70 cars in various stages of restoration and service. Pullman Rail Journeys seeks to provide the same authentic experience of the golden era of rail travel with their Art Deco design, luxury accommodations and superb service.
Lilly Pulitzer shop at The Gardens Mall is supporting the Palm Beach Zoo with 10% of sales donated on sales November 21.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Come join the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society at Lilly Pulitzer this Friday, November 21, at The Gardens Mall. Visitors will be able to shop from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with 10% of any sales to be donated to the Zoo. A few of the Zoo’s furry and feathered friends will be making guest appearances between 2 and 3:30 p.m. and between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Shoppers can enjoy light refreshments.
“How can it be that shopping helps wildlife? In this case, it does!” said Andrew Aiken, president and CEO for the Zoo. “We hope that this event will inspire people to shop on behalf of wildlife, and this will give them the satisfaction of combining two loves: shopping and animals.”
Lilly Pulitzer at The Gardens Mall is located at 3101 PGA Blvd Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. Photos from the 2013 Shop & Share — http://on.fb.me/1xfyJe5
Catalogs are printed on responsibly-sourced Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper
The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. The society advances its conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Its commitment to sustainable business practices elevates our capacity to inspire others.
The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.
Vienna– Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its program in Vienna, with Tasting Tradition: An Appetite for Austria, a new gastronomic experience that uncovers Austria through a multicourse annotated meal.
The influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire continues to have an impact on local cultures, including contemporary Austrian cuisine. At the same time, regionality is heavily reflected in the country’s culinary traditions, and continues to shape its cuisine today. This three-hour annotated meal tells the rich story of Austria past, present and future, offering a menu of foods from the nine federal states, each of which have their own unique terroir and cuisine. Led by a scholar of food anthropology, the experience takes place in an exceptional restaurant in the vibrant capital.
Tasting Tradition: An Appetite for Austria comprises five courses with optional wine pairings. Choices include goulash, different types of dumpling, the world-famous Wiener Schnitzel (veal), as well as pork roast, pan-fried carp, pasta, poppy-seed specialties, and seasonal dishes based on apricots and asparagus, chestnuts, chanterelle, game and pumpkin. The experience also offers the opportunity to sample some cold cuts, regional cheeses, and of course drinks and dessert – including the legendary Kaiserschmarrn.
The dinner sets the scene for discussions about Austria’s eating habits, Vienna’s burgeoning streetfood scene, issues around produce procurement and availability, as well as food trends, from Asian fusion and fifties Americana to organic and vegan to burgers and cupcakes. Breaking bread together, participants learn about how tradition and modernity have collided to create an exciting and truly multicultural food culture.
“We developed this meal as a new and unique way for visitors to picture Austria throughout history, by sampling its culinary heritage and geographic variety,” says food anthropologist Katerina Nussdorfer, who co-designed the tour. “It’s also a chance to find out firsthand just how royal Kaiserschmarren really is, and experience the untranslatable Germanic feeling of Gemütlichkeit – the art of cosy joy in the company of good people and good food.”
Tasting Tradition: An Appetite for Austria lasts 3.5 hours (including 30 minutes transport time) and is available Tuesday to Saturday at 6 pm (excluding December 22, 2014 to January 2, 2015). Group walks cost €75 per person. Private tours cost €330 per party. Tasting fee is €65 per adult and €55 per child up to age 16. As with all Context walking seminars, groups are led by a credentialed expert and limited to six (6) people maximum.
Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in twenty-five (25) world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Istanbul, Athens, Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Tokyo, Kyoto, Amsterdam and Buenos Aires. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs. To learn more about Context, visit its website at:www.contexttravel.com
Explorateur Journeys has launched Chef On Wheels, a trip infused with special experiences of Uruguayan gastronomy, interactions with local chefs, instruction on traditional dishes blended with an active cycling adventure that gets travelers up close and personal with quaint villages and a traditional slice of life.
The journey begins with insider access to a special winery, where guests can bike trough the charming town of Carmelo, tasting along the way and stopping for a home cooked Uruguayan asado. They’ll enjoy dinner one evening with a celebrated local chef who will prepare a “secret menu” for them based on the “La Cuisine Secret” invitation-only nomadic dining concept that’s become popular with local foodies.
As travelers move on through the country, they’ll shop in a fresh farmers market with a local chef and try their hands at local secret recipes that the chefs will dispel in a gorgeous kitchen, paired with a string of exclusive cocktails.
Back in Montevideo, time will be spent cycling along the beach and into small towns, with access to special art exhibitions along the way and more home cooking in a cozy chef’s kitchen.
The journey rounds out with a cycling and canoeing adventure at the Garzon lagoon, where a boat crossing brings guests to a hidden “Lagoon Shack”, where a local chef prepares lunch and provides an opportunity to mix and mingle with village children who attend special cooking classes designed to help educate the local community.
For more information, visit www.explorateurjourneys.com, email [email protected], @theexplorateur, facebook.com/theexplorateur. For more travel features, visit:
Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations announces a new 10-day Baja, Mexico cruise aboard the 86-foot, historic eight-guest adventure yacht, Westward.
TAHOE CITY, CA–Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations announces a new 10-day Baja, Mexico cruise aboard the 86-foot, historic eight-guest adventure yacht, Westward.
Launched in 1924 as the flagship of the Alaska Coast Hunting and Cruising Co., she is arguably Seattle’s most famous motor yacht having pioneered hunting, fishing, and adventure travel in the remote regions of Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.
“Westward Voyages in the Sea of Cortez, launching January 2015 is our perfect complement to an already outstanding portfolio of Baja small Ship Cruises,” said Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations’ Founder/Owner. Ten-day itineraries featuring both the Sea of Cortez and whale watching in the Pacific’s San Ignacio Lagoon are offered in January and February 2015.
Smith likened cruising the eco systems of the Baja Peninsula to cruising the islands of the Galapagos. Both regions offer explorations of geography, flora and fauna, bird and wildlife. Both regions are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Westward Voyages in the Sea of Cortez spends seven days cruising in the Sea of Cortez with three days watching gray whales based from Kuyimita Tent Camp adjacent to San Ignacio Lagoon Whale Sanctuary. The resulting 9-night/10-day cruise/tour is the most in-depth and intimate Baja exploration available. The per person double rate is $5,750. See: www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/westward-voyages-in-the-sea-of-cortez . Westward will ply the pristine waters of Baja in the coolest months in order to enhance the cruise experience that includes the cacophony of leaping rays, spouting whales, acrobatic dolphins and chirping bird song from the dawning shore.
Guests and crew gather on the 17 by 14-foot shaded back deck for meals and conversation. Each stateroom has three portholes that open. In addition each bathroom has one opening port. Staterooms are outfitted with a portable, battery-powered fan to provide a breeze on still nights. The air may be warm and dry in the Gulf of California winters, but the water is cool and helps offset the warmth of the day, especially in staterooms that extend below the waterline.
Additional options include two eight-day whale watching cruises January-March on a variety of small ships. Rates are from $2,995 per person, double, aboard the 84-guest Safari Endeavor. Rates are from $5,990 per person, double, aboard the 62-guest National Geographic Sea Lion and Sea Bird. Additional cruise programs for up to 15 days are also offered in this region.
Westwardis listed with the US National Register of Historic Places and remains dependably powered by her original Atlas Imperial Diesel Engine. Westward’s historical and adventurous spirit enriches the voyages of those lucky enough to cruise the waters with her. Modeled after a salmon cannery tender, she launched in 1924 as the flagship of the Alaska Coast Hunting and Cruising Co. Westward served a noteworthy clientele of hunters and fishermen for nearly 20 years. Distinguished guests included Bing Crosby, Walt Disney, E.F. Hutton, John Wayne, Dean Witter and numerous other VIP’s of the era. During WW II Westward served as a patrol boat off the California coast before returning to the Pacific Northwest. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/westward
Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Exploration has become a global leader in small ship, expeditionary cruise vacations. Company president and founder Todd Smith pioneered the concept of wilderness cruising – combining the comforts of a small cruise ship with the adventure of sea kayaking and exploring ashore in remote wilderness areas. In 2012, Smith joined the ranks of Conde Nast Traveler’s prestigious 14th Annual Travel Specialists List as the world’s expert on small ship expeditions, and again in 2013 and 2014. For information, availability and 2015 reservations, 800-728-2875 or visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.
