Hollywood’s animal stars flock to Monterey Zoo

August 26, 2015 By pure

The old actor’s adage says to never work with animals or kids, but Hollywood’s history is full of lions, bears, monkeys, and more.

Professional trainer Charlie Sammut is now turning his 51-acre Wild Things ranch into the non-profit Monterey Zoo.

Positive effects on area

Sammut, whose new venture will be the only one of its kind between the Bay Area and Santa Barbara, hopes the transformation will benefit the 180 animals he looks after as well as the local community and Monterey County in general.

With apartment rentals in San Francisco being such a popular choice for many visitors to the US, the new attraction is sure to have an appeal that stretches far beyond local residents.

A report issued by the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau indicated that a new zoo would draw on the interest already being created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but it has taken several years for Sammut to get the state approvals he needed.

“We wanted to give our animals much larger-style enclosures, with a lot more things in the enclosures for mental stimulation,” he explained. “We’re building something that’s not described in the code.”

Different species on display

The first exhibit is a large $600,000 recreation area for Sammut’s four Bengal tigers, who previously only had 300 square feet in which to roam around.

Many of the animals have been rescued from circuses and carnivals and then worked in film production.

Sammut also owns a herd of five elephants, two water buffalos, a zebra, and an ostrich.

Do you have the best upgrade request?

August 13, 2015 By pure

If you think you have one of the most creative and unusual reasons for bagging a flight upgrade, you could be in luck thanks to a competition from Virgin Atlantic. The airline is running a contest across social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) asking customers to share why they should get an upgrade using the hashtag #BestRequest.

The competition is running throughout August and is a fantastic opportunity for those who have booked flights to destinations such as New York, Dubai, Miami, Sydney, or San Francisco. If you have booked luxury rentals in your chosen destination, you could have a chance to travel there in style.

The best requests

To support the promotion, the airline released the results of a survey carried out amongst their cabin crew and ground staff to find the funniest requests customers have made for upgrades. Some of the most common types of requests were from people who said it was their birthday or they were on their honeymoon as well as those who claimed to be friends with Richard Branson.

Amongst the more unusual requests were a man who wanted an upgrade to avoid being next to his wife after an argument, a woman who thought an upgrade would allow her to reach her destination sooner, and a man who believed there was a hot tub in first class.

If you think that your request is creative enough to make the cut, you can find further details of the competition on the Virgin Atlantic website.

Combine your next vacation with a beer week

August 12, 2015 By pure

The craft beer industry in the US is gaining in popularity. Over the last decade, the number of brewers has increased considerably. Tasting some of the local brews is a great way to discover a new destination, and many cities with a strong craft beer industry also have their own beer weeks. Why not check out some of the biggest beer weeks on your next vacation?

Philly Beer Week

There are plenty of cheap apartments to rent in Philadelphia that are perfect for those visiting one of the best beer weeks in the country. This takes place during the first week of June and consists of more than 100 different events that attract beer lovers from across the US and abroad.

D.C. Beer Week

A range of regional and local breweries take part in the events for Washington, D.C.’s festival in the middle of August. The craft beer movement here has been growing steadily. The week features blind tastings and scavenger hunts amongst its many events.

San Francisco Beer Week

Next year’s festival in San Francisco runs at the end of January, making it the perfect antidote to the post-festive blues. More than 700 events took place in the Bay Area as part of the 2015 celebrations, and the 2016 festival is set to offer visitors a great time.

Chicago Beer Week

To welcome in the spring, Chicago hosts their annual beer week in the middle of May. The week starts with the Beer Under Glass event, where many breweries and restaurants come together at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

The best city parks around the world

July 8, 2015 By pure

Staying in the city this summer doesn’t have to mean missing out on green spaces. Plenty of the world’s top cities have parks with fantastic facilities and attractions.

Hyde Park in London is one of the capital’s eight Royal Parks. It features the 18-foot Statue of Achilles; the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain; and Speakers’ Corner. The Serpentine Lido is available for outdoor swimming in the summer months, or you can hire pedal and row boats on the river.

Visitors to New York won’t want to miss out on Central Park. The Conservatory Garden features a 12-foot jet fountain, and you can pay your respects at the Strawberry Fields John Lennon memorial. The park is also home to the Central Park Zoo and the Chess and Checkers House.

If you’re booking accommodation in Barcelona, you should make time to visit Park Güell, which is one of Gaudi’s most famous creations. If you love the work of this architect, you have to see his home, which is now the Gaudi House Museum. The park’s Monumental Zone features many of his unique and famous sculptures. Only 400 visitors are allowed in every 30 minutes.

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park covers more than 1,000 acres and houses a Botanical Garden that features more than 8,000 different species. The de Young Museum has an excellent collection of fine art, or you can choose to visit the many attractions in the Japanese Tea Garden, including pagodas, koi ponds, and the arched drum bridge.

Hunger Games exhibit to tour US

July 1, 2015 By pure

The Hunger Games has been one of the most profitable movie franchises in recent years. Now, a new interactive exhibit is set to bring the movie to life for fans around the world.

“The Hunger Games: The Exhibition” will start a global tour in the US, with two venues already announced. The first stop will be in New York City, where it will take up residency at Discovery Times Square from July 1. Tourists booking cheap apartments in the city will be amongst the first to experience this 12,000-square-foot space.

It will bring the stories and characters from the movie to life through props, costumes, interactive experiences, photography, and set re-creations. There will also be a retail store where visitors can pick up Hunger Games merchandise.

The exhibition will include seven galleries based on the franchise. These are District 12, The Capitol, Tribute Train, Making the Games, Fan Gallery, Katniss’ Journey and District 13.

Following its stop in New York, the exhibition will move to the Innovation Hangar at the Palace of Fine Arts Exhibition Hall in San Francisco in February 2016.

The Hunger Games movies have proved extremely popular, grossing more than $2.3 billion around the world. This new exhibition will extend the reach of the movie and provide fans with a truly unforgettable experience that takes them beyond the movie screen.

More information on the exhibition and future venues can be found on the official website.

New routes opened up from US to Australia

June 12, 2015 By pure

The joint operations between Qantas Airways and American Airlines are set to grow significantly with the addition of new operations serving Australia from the US. This will include fresh routes out of both Los Angeles and San Francisco to Sydney, providing passengers with a greater choice when flying to either of the countries and opening up opportunities for more pleasure and business travel.

Qantas Airways and American Airlines have had a successful partnership for more than 20 years, which has helped to provide customers with an enhanced service. These new options will extend the availability of flights and highlight the popularity of these routes.

The services will begin operations just in time for the crucial Christmas and New Year period. Customers who are looking to book luxury rentals close to Sydney can begin flying from Los Angeles on December 17 with a non-stop daily service. The San Francisco route will open on December 20 and will start off operating on key days. By January 2016, the service will operate six times each week.

The American service from Los Angeles to Sydney will be operated on the Boeing 777-300ER, which is a state-of-the-art aircraft offering enhanced facilities.

Qantas will fly the route from Sydney to San Francisco on a Boeing 747-400, which offers all customers the latest in-flight systems.

Customers will also have access to a number of different destinations, with domestic and international connections available at all three airports.

More options across Scandinavian routes this winter

June 9, 2015 By pure

Two airlines have recently announced plans to boost their capacity and introduce new routes this winter, linking cities in Europe and North America with Scandinavian regions.

SAS announces extended winter service

SAS is meeting customer demands by increasing the number of flights on some of its most popular routes as well as adding in new destinations. The increase in seats covers business and pleasure services, with daily flights in operation from both Stockholm and Copenhagen to Manchester.

This winter, the carrier will continue with a number of its summer routes, including a daily flight from Copenhagen to San Francisco. Customers will also see larger aircraft used on routes between London Heathrow and Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen to help increase capacity.

The changes the airline is making to the winter schedule will result in more than 500,000 additional seats compared to last year. Flights into major hubs, such as London Heathrow, will provide ongoing connections for those travelling further afield.

More flights from Ryanair

In addition to the changes by SAS, Ryanair has confirmed that their service from London Luton to Copenhagen will be boosted to four services a day this winter. The airline currently operates three services daily, but an increase in demand has led to the inclusion of an additional flight.

These extra flights will enable more people to see the cultural and historical sights across the region. There are plenty of apartment rentals to be found in the key cities, including Copenhagen and Oslo, offering a great base for those who want to explore.

Take time out to visit famous American landmarks

June 5, 2015 By pure

If you’re on vacation in the US this summer, why not spend some time visiting the country’s most famous landmarks? A new survey released by Travelocity has found that many Americans don’t even bother to visit what’s on their doorstep.

The iconic Liberty Bell

It might surprise you to learn that 47 per cent of Americans have never actually seen the real Liberty Bell. The historic bell is located in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The bell is only ceremonially rung on Fourth of July, when descendants of those who signed the declaration visit the site.

The stunning Golden Gate Bridge

This is probably one of the most iconic bridges in the US, but 44 per cent of those living in the country have not been to visit it. The suspension bridge provides a crossing over the Golden Gate strait in San Francisco and is designated a Wonder of the Modern World. If you’re booking one of the many luxury rentals in San Francisco, you can take time to walk along the bridge and visit the exhibits, visitor center, and café.

The impressive Washington Monument

This is the world’s tallest monumental column and is something that needs to be seen with your own eyes in order to appreciate the true scale of it. However, 41 per cent of Americans haven’t been to this iconic location in Washington, DC. The monument was finally completed in 1884 and commemorates the first US President, George Washington. Visitors to the monument use an elevator to reach 500 feet, where they are then treated to panoramic views of the city.

Practice yoga while you wait for your flight

May 8, 2015 By pure

Travelling can be a stressful experience, especially if your flight ends up being delayed. Some airports are trying to take the hassle out of flying by helping passengers relax before they take off. Here are just a few of the airports around the world that offer space to perfect your yoga poses before you jet off on holiday.

Chicago O’Hare

After you’ve researched all the luxury rentals and booked your flight, it’s time to actually take off. If you’re leaving or returning from Chicago, you can check out their yoga room while you’re there. It comes complete with yoga mats and a mirrored wall, and it features videos of people practicing their yoga positions to give you some inspiration.

Helsinki

The yoga room at Helsinki airport is available for all passengers to use. It is located within the Kainuu lounge, which has an open plan layout and is used for a variety of purposes. The airport runs yoga classes occasionally, but mats are always available for you to use.

San Francisco

San Francisco became the first airport in the world to offer a yoga studio in 2012. There are now two such rooms, which cover three of the terminals. They are open 24 hours a day so passengers can practice their breathing exercises or relax into their positions no matter what time their flight leaves.

Heathrow

Unlike the other airports, the yoga room at Heathrow is only complimentary for SkyTeam alliance members. However, day passes are available for purchase.