Christening and First Sailing of Oceania Riviera

Christening and First Sailing of Oceania Riviera, a set on Flickr.

Hope you enjoy some photos taken on board the new Oceania Riviera.

April in Paris

April in Paris, a set on Flickr.

Just a few of our photos from our recent trip to Paris

SBA Announces Non Stop Flights to Portland

Source: SBA Officials

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) officials are very pleased with Alaska Airlines’ announcement to begin new non-stop seasonal service to Portland (PDX), Oregon beginning June 4, 2012 and continuing through August 25, 2012. The daily two-hour flight will depart at 11:50am from Santa Barbara and fly non-stop to Portland using a 70-passenger Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet. The introductory fare will be $99 one-way.

“We are thrilled to have new non-stop service to Portland. We hope that the community will support the service and demonstrate to Alaska that Santa Barbara-Portland is a viable market,” said Karen Ramsdell, Santa Barbara Airport Director.

“These new routes give our customers additional options to access some of the most popular summer markets out of Portland,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing. “With these low introductory fares, summer travel between Santa Barbara and Portland has never been more affordable.”

 

 

Our visit to Royal Davui Island, Fiji

In early October we were lucky enough to be able to spend a few days in Fiji on route to New Zealand.  We arrived in Nadi in the early hours of the morning to then wait a few hours for a small plane to take us the other side of the island where we would get a boat out to the Royal Davui Island in the Beqa Lagoon. Unfortunately due to the stormy weather the plane could not fly so we had to take a taxi to the other side. The taxis there are generally not in very good shape and ours was pretty typical. Broken seat belts, nearly bald tires and steam coming from the dashboard were just a few of our taxi’s attributes. We had to stop several times to put water in the radiator but VJ our driver was cheerful and chatty which helped to allay some of our fears!! He drove as speedily as possible navigating the maze of potholes and oncoming cars on the wrong side of the road. Add to this the pouring rain and you can well imagine the drive proved exciting to say the least!

The boat ride to the island was quite tame in comparison and by the time we got there the storm did seem to be dissipating. There we were greeted by the Darryl and Julie, the managers and some of their Fijian employees who sang a welcome song to us. We were quickly ushered to our own vale, one of only 16 on the island.

An amazing ocean view was apparent upon entering, and to our left was our sitting room and bar area and to our right was the bedroom and huge bathroom with large tub and shower.

Outside was our beautiful deck with panoramic views of the ocean and our own private plunge pool.

We were lucky that on the first afternoon the storm passed over and the sunset was beautiful; the next few days the weather was perfect and only started raining again when were leaving.

We were able to truly relax on our deck with its tremendous view, stroll on the beaches and admire the myriad of fish swimming right by the beach and pier.

I would highly recommend the Royal Davui to others. It is a perfect place to do completely nothing or participate in the water sports available. The snorkeling is fantastic and they also have a little sandbar near by that they can take you to for a private picnic. The little beaches are beautiful and you can always find a private spot to sit since there are so few guests on the island. The meals are excellent with a nice variety of dishes available featuring fresh local ingredients, especially fish. Everything is well prepared and presented with an island flair.

The photos will give you some idea of the property but I don’t think they do it justice. The Royal Davui is a very special place; the atmosphere and the charming staff are not quite captured in my shots so to discover this you will have to visit there yourself!!

AND YES  so we did have to do the drive again to Nadi because it started to rain as we were leaving so the plane could not land but at least we had a way nicer car to be driven in so it was a way more pleasant experience!!

A Conversation with Jill Robins

The Montecito Village Travel advisor from Santa Barbara, CA has a “Conversation” with us about her favorite island, her biggest inspiration and the surprise she encountered at the end of a scenic winding road in Europe.What destination have you visited more than any other and why? Maui. When I was 18, I took a semester off from college and moved to Maui with two close friends. After living there for a short time, I came to love the island with all of the gorgeous beaches, scuba diving, hiking and island breezes. Since moving back to California, I have made it a priority to go back to Maui as much as possible…usually once a year. In fact, my four year old has already been to Hawaii four times. Aloha! Jill and her daughter Addison in Maui. Is there a song that brings back a particularly wonderful travel memory? If so, what’s the song and the memory? The song ‘We No Speak Americano’ by Yolanda Be Cool reminds me of a recent trip to France. My husband works in the wine business so we had the opportunity to do VIP tours and tastings in Champagne and Burgundy. We drove four hours from Champagne to Burgundy listening to local radio and they must have played that song 20 times. Whenever I hear it now, I am reminded of the rolling hills covered with vines, our quaint bed & breakfast, and the private barrel tastings in Burgundy. What’s the best souvenir you ever brought home from a vacation? On our honeymoon, we stayed in a converted farmhouse on a vineyard in Tuscany. While out wine tasting, we picked up a very unique Super Tuscan wine and brought it home to our cellar. What’s your favorite tourist attraction? The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The whole experience was unforgettable. To see how vast the area is in person and experience climbing to the top of the Duomo overlooking the entire city was breathtaking. Being inside the Basilica and feeling surrounded by the history and holy site was surreal.   Jill and her husband Hunter in Tuscany. Who’s been your biggest inspiration and why? It may sound clichéd, but it’s my mom! My mom is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She has always been the peacekeeper in our family and really taught me a lot about kindness and unconditional love. My amazing mom was a stewardess for United Airlines in the heyday. She was actually forced to quit her job when she became pregnant with me! Her love for travel has definitely rubbed off on me as well. What’s the best “hidden discovery” you made on a trip? While visiting Marbella, Spain, we discovered a windy road through the hills that overlooked golf courses and provided a panoramic view of the Mediterranean. Little did we know when we started out that this road also took us to Gibraltar. What a fun experience to cross over into the British territory! Click here to e-mail Jill

A Snapshot of Italy from Linda Van Buren

A Snapshot of Italy , a set on Flickr.

Robust Barolo and Barbaresco wines, hyper expensive white truffles, steep hillsides covered with vineyards as far as the eye can see and time worn medieval villages standing guard atop every mountain top. That is Piedmonte, a province in northwest Italy. While not well known among American travelers it has much to offer for those interested in the finest food and wine as well as in the interesting blending of French and Italian cultures.

I am always looking for new areas in Italy for which I can design itineraries for those who have already seem the wonders of Rome, Florence and Venice. Piedmont is just such a place and has much to offer, especially at this time of year when the vendemmia is in full swing and the scent of crushed grapes perfumes the air. Rivaling the fine wines in taste and aroma are the white truffles which are also harvested in the autumn and sold to chefs from around the world at the annual truffle auction held in Alba in November.

My base for this trip was the small medieval village of Serralunga d’Alba situated in the heart of the Langhe Valley. Time seems to have passed it by and save the cars passing through, it is easy to believe that you have been transported to another century , especially when looking up toward it’s castle and tower. From here daily excursions were made to other similar towns with evocative names like Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Montforte and Santa Vittoria. They all have their own personalities and medieval towers but one thing you will find in each are excellent tasting rooms and family run restaurants where the local fare is proudly and expertly presented.

A few days in Piedmont can easily be included in any Italian driving itinerary and one is sure to come away with fond memories of the pastoral beauty and culinary delights of this region.

Kapalua, Maui

Kapalua, Maui, a set on Flickr.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton which has a beautifully peaceful location and numerous tranquil beaches close at hand. Combine that with great service and the amenities of a luxury property and you have a perfect vacation location! Two fantastic golf courses are close at hand too and also some great spots for both casual and fine dining. Having not stayed there since the renovations I was happy to find that the property is even more beautiful than before.  The rooms are exquisitely furnished and very comfortable, all with large balconies.  The new bar with the “lava rock” wall is welcoming and also quite contemporary with a casual vibe.   The service was excellent through out the property and there is no doubt that is one of THE nicest hotels to stay at on Maui!!