Travel writer and frequent contributor to EdSalvato.com, Dennis Hensley interviewed Descendants author Kaui Hart Hemmings in Hawaii.
With Descendants, the movie based on Hemmings’ book, released this week in New York and Los Angeles, Dennis asked the diminutive novelist about her inspiration for the story, her involvement in the shoot and whether George Clooney was destined to play in this film.
Click below to hear Hemmings’ responses and learn the insider story to how this terrific book made it to the silver screen. The entire 3.5-minute interview was filmed on a terrace at the gay-friendly Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa. (Note the steady camera work here… yep, yours truly played cameraman!)
Hawaiian Airlines announced it is launching new direct, non-stop service between Honolulu, Hawaii and New York City’s JFK Airport.
The new service begins June 4, 2012. The Honolulu-bound flight will depart JFK daily at 10:00 a.m. and arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 3:00 p.m. The NYC-bound Flight 50 (“Hawaiian 5-0”) will depart Honolulu daily at 3:05 p.m. and arrive in New York City at 6:55 a.m. the following morning.
But check out these introductory rates (and accompanying fine print).
In celebration of its new service, Hawaiian is offering special introductory fares of $212 each way in Economy Class and $808 each way in First Class (212 and 808 being the area codes of New York City and Honolulu , respectively).
The introductory fares are available for purchase from today through November 20, 2011 and are valid for travel between June 4 and June 30, 2012 . Seats are limited. Additional taxes and fees apply. Tickets can be purchased on Hawaiian’s website at HawaiianAirlines.com, by calling Hawaiian’s reservations department toll-free at 1-800-367-5320, or through any professional travel agent.
OffTo.com is the first website that offers deals on customized getaways specifically for LGBT travelers. The travel experts behind OffTo bundle accommodations with activities tailored to the interest of lesbian and gay travelers. Best of all they negotiate the best possible prices, which translates into savings of 40%, 50% or more below retail.
The most important vacation decision a lesbian or gay traveler can make is where to stay. One homophobic raised eyebrow at the pool or comment from an insensitive check-in clerk that “there must be some mistake here: there is only one bed on this reservation, Mr. Jones” can ruin a trip.
OffTo’s chief communications officer, Brian Goldthorpe says that the site will offer deals all over the world, and that getaways “include 24-hour escapes, multi-week vacations and everything in-between. We work with accommodations of all sizes and styles,” Goldthorpe continues “and the activities and diversions in our packages correspond to specific LGBT leisure interests, including outdoor excursions, city history tours, arts and culture, spa services, dining, LGBT events, live entertainment, nightlife and more.”
There are currently five deals included in the site, with more being added regularly. Current savings range from 47% off retail (for a five-night Disney getaway for only $425 — a savings of $370 off retail) to a whopping 81% off for a four-night Cancun beach escape for only $159. That’s $680 less than the retail price. That’s a lot more margaritas you can enjoy!
I heard about this terrific new site through colleagues in the industry. Later OffTo asked me to write up some of their getaways since I’ve visited so many of them. Check out these two getaways in Atlantic City, New Jersey that I wrote. For a quick gaming/hotel resort fix, AC is a New Yorker’s very own east coast Vegas!
Vallarta Fever presents The White Party November 25, 2011
Gay Taste is Best. We know that. You know that. And now Puerto Vallarta agrees. It was one year ago that Casa Cupula, the city’s upscale gay boutique hotel, opened its first restaurant to the general public. And now, Taste Restaurant is being honored as the “Best New Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta” by the readers of Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine.
Puerto Vallarta is undoubtedly one of Mexico’s most gay-friendly destinations, yet it’s still unprecedented for the restaurant of a gay hotel to win this distinction. Then again, Taste is all about options, and everyone likes the spice of variety.
The menu includes Mexican, American, Asian and South American cuisine, available in both entrée and tapas (or “taste”) sized portions. At Taste you can join the party in the intimate dining room and bar, or enjoy a sun/moon-lit meal on the adjoining terrace, overlooking the Bay of Banderas. Taste serves breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner.
If you are still searching for the perfect dinner partner, Puerto Vallarta turns up the heat over Thanksgiving, when the city hosts Vallarta Fever. From November 23-27, DJs Paulo, Tony Moran and Chi Chi LaRue headline a weekend of parties, dances and events to help you find that special someone.
The granddaddy of all gay ski weeks is turning 35 in 2012. They are planning a full roster of events, as usual, but also plenty more activities to celebrate this noteworthy milestone. From the organizers:
“With the theme, ‘Through the Years,’ this year’s gay ski week will embrace our beginnings thirty-five years ago in 1977,” remarked Bryan Gonzales, co-producer of Aspen Gay Ski Week and program director of Roaring Fork Gay and Lesbian Community Fund. “World-famous Aspen plays host to a week of epic skiing, après ski events at the Limelight Lodge, exciting nightly events and the popular downhill costume competition.”
Aspen Gay Ski Week showcases nightly events, including the following:
Sunday: Opening Party at Baldwin Gallery. Kick the week off in style at this two-story gallery in downtown Aspen. Catered by the famous Caribou Club, the party will be all inclusive of food and drink.
Monday: Monday Late Night at Hunter Bar, where the staff creates a retro party for guests.
Tuesday: Tuesday Late Night at Escobar, the underground bar that resembles an airplane cabin.
Wednesday: Aspen is home to world-class shopping, and for the annual Boutique Night Stroll, participating boutiques will be open late. Wednesday Late Night will be hosted by Aspen’s premier private night club, The Caribou Club.
Thursday: At Belly Up, the Demented Divas star in “UNCUT: Letting It All Hang Out,” a comedy show starring Nuclia Waste, Portia Potty, Iona Trailer and Gabrellia Butz’In. After the show, a DJ takes the stage, and attendees can dance the night away.
Friday: The historic Hotel Jerome will host the “Wild West Bordello Party.”
Saturday:Aspen Recreation Centerwill once again hosts the infamous pool party, featuring DJs, dancing, hot tubs, water slides, a lazy river and open bars.
To learn more about Aspen Gay Ski Week and to purchase event passes, www.gayskiweek.com.
I wish I could be asking for travel advice for some amazing international destination. With your help It will be amazing non-the-less. I’m planning on going to Vegas over New Years with my European long lost love, and we are trying to spark a relationship.
It is both of our first time going to Vegas and we are having a hard time figuring out, particularly where to stay and also things to do. I’ve spoken to my friends who go to Vegas regularly and they all spill off a whole list of hotels which doesn’t exactly narrow down the options. One consensus is that we should stay on the strip. Another seemingly good piece of advice was to find a New Years party that we want to go to and then try and stay at that hotel so that concierge can help us get into the party. Our problem is there seems to be lots of parties and because I don’t know any of the venues I’m having a hard time picking.
So, what we would love help with would be to get help picking a hotel, New Years party, and some other things to do, restaurants, shows, nights out. We are looking for a trip with a lot of excitement and some romantic moments thrown in. Any advice you can give would be very appreciated. — G
From one of our experts in Vegas:
All holiday action is on the Strip or in various clubs with their respective celebrity and DJ hosts. If they want to dance, they can pick any of the popular ones (XS has Steve Angello, Surrender has Will.I.am, Hard Rock has Drake, Marquee hasn’t announced) and have a good time.
This may not be ideal for a couple looking to hit it off. If that’s the goal but not total insanity, one possibility is the Foundation Room which sits atop Mandalay Bay on the far end of the Strip. Great view and perfect for watching fireworks. I’m sure the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas will do something. Anywhere they go is going to be busy and a bit more pricey than normal.
Of course, there’s always the option to visit one of the gay clubs or experience NYE on Las Vegas Blvd.
My personal favorite option, and it’s challenging but not impossible, is to get a room high up and facing the Strip. The ones on the end of the Strip (Mandalay Bay, THEhotel, Wynn or Encore) have the best vantage points, but any will allow you to see the fireworks.
This way it’s intimate and not insanely crowded. Enjoy a prefixed dinner in one of the destinations fabulous restaurants and then retreat upstairs. Those various menus will come out soon, we just need to get a bit closer to Thanksgiving.
Here are some additional suggestions for a couple looking to have a romantic time:
Shows
Le Rêve
LOVE
Zumanity
Stevie Wonder is doing a special show at the Cosmo for NYE
Celine is back at Caesars on 12/28
Restaurants
Okada, Wing Lei or Bartolotta at Wynn
Sinatra or Botero at Encore
Alize or Nove at Palms
Yellowtail or Jasmine at Bellagio
miX at THEhotel
The Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris (sounds cheesy but the food is decent and the view incredible)
Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas
Rao’s at Caesars Palace
CUT, Carnevino or Lavo at Palazzo
Brunch: Simon at Palms Place, Jazz Brunch at The Country Club in Wynn
Billing it as the first Asian gay ski trip ever, Go Pink invite lesbian and gay skiers of any level of proficiency to ski in the Himalayas. The group (up to 30 skiers) will also get a sample of the emerging gay life in Delhi as well as a visit to the famous Taj Majhal in Agra.
Our gal pals at Sweet, a lesbian travel company creating fun land and sea vacations for gay women and their friends, have rolled out their 2012 vacation calendar. Kicking off February 17 with a three-day “Short & Sweet Bahamas Cruise” followed by a cruise to Alaska in May (see those glaciers before they melt!), a Mediterranean cruise in July, a rafting expedition later that month and finally a September resort vacation and a Caribbean cruise in November. See the full line up here. (See previous coverage of this company, “Making Waves with Sweet,” here.)
Unique mission:
One of the dirty secrets of travels is that to a large degree even the most eco-conscious travelers may not realize just how dirty their travel-related carbon footprint is. (Hint: Jet travel ain’t very green.) It’s good to know some travel companies are consciously trying to offset these effects.
Click here to learn more about the Sweet’s mission which includes travel with social and environmental awareness.
It’s never too early to book your winter vacation, particularly cruises. Many of the best cabins on cruises book up fast, for example, and you’ll want to monitor your favorite online travel search engines for good airfares. (I like Kayak.com which can be easily programmed to send alerts regarding best air fares to your chosen destinations.)
A freak Halloween snowstorm rattled the Northeast, reminding lesbian and gay travelers how cold, windy, dark and just dreary winters in these parts can be. Simply planning a warm-weather getaway can help get you through that.
Other resources for LGBT travelers seeking a nice warm-weather getaway include Olivia (also for women), Atlantis Events (mostly for men), and RSVP (owned by Atlantis and also mostly for men). I’ve also started writing for an online vacation discounter called OffTo. They offer packages (accommodations, services and attractions but do not as of yet include air). Check it out here.
Practice saying “world peace” and do some crunches for the swimsuit portion of the show, the annual OffTo.com U.S. Mr. Gay Competition is taking place in Philadelphia Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19.
Hosted by gay reality TV stars — including the handsome Scott Nevins from TruTV’s “The Smoking Gun Presents” — and Philly’s own sassy Ms. Brittany Lynn, the competition kicks off Friday, November 18 at 8pm at Woody’s (202 S. 13th St, Philadelphia, PA) with a welcome reception and the Q&A round of competition.
Saturday, November 19, Voyeur Nightclub (1221 St. James St, Philadelphia, PA) hosts the main event. (Details for this portion of the competition will be released soon.)
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit NightLifeGay.com.
For more information on OffTo.com, a new site offering discounts on LGBT getaway packages that combine the cost of accommodations and activities,visit OffTo.com.
The surprisingly fierce late autumn snow storm that pounded the Mid-Atlantic and New England largely spared Provincetown. Except for driving, near-horizontal rain and gale-force wind.
Of course wintry gusts aren’t exactly drag-queen-wig friendly. The streets on Saturday night were largely devoid of revelers except those scurrying towards a dry interior in search of a warming libation. Wave Bar, A House and other gay haunts were packed to the rafters with zombies, 7-foot drag queens, and a couple of rakish squadrons of “post don’t-ask-don’t-tell” gay military personnel.
My lair in Hatches Harbor at the elegant White Porch Inn provided the perfect perch from which to observe and enjoy the storm in warmth and comfort. Formerly the owner’s quarters, this long room stretches the length of the house. Sitting beneath the roof, the ceilings are pitched. Any one taller than about 6′ 0″ may wish to reserve another room. (Click here for your options.)
Hatches Harbor includes an en suite shower, a private balcony with great views (see below for a photo from here of the approaching storm clouds), a mini-fridge, and a super comfortable Tempur-Pedic bed. Check out more pictures and guest comments on their Facebook page. Guests also enjoy a gourmet continental breakfast with fresh fruit and bread, cereal, juice, coffee, tea, yogurt and one warm, h0me baked option included in the rate.
Halloween is a gay high holiday, especially in Ptown. The better guesthouses book up quickly. It’s not too early to reserve.
The LGBTQ Travel Expert. Educator. Speaker. Author. 