Tag Archives: Southern California

Celebrity Cruises Celebrates the Launch of “The Celebrity Revolution”.

Posted on by

Celebrity Cruises Celebrates the Launch of “The Celebrity Revolution”.

By Monica

Last weekend I joined a group of travel agents and travel influencers at a very fun event held at the OUE Skyspace that was hosted by Celebrity Cruises and Los Angeles Travel Magazine! Located in the iconic US Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles. During the event we were able to enjoy 360-degree views from nearly 1,000 feet above the streets of Los Angeles and the thrill of gliding down a 45ft glass Skyslide that takes you down from the 70th floor to the 69th floor.

We were greeted with cocktails and small bites while enjoying the wonderful views of Los Angeles.

The event was hosted by Celebrity Cruises and Los Angeles Travel Magazine to celebrate the launch of “The Celebrity Revolution”. You might already know this, but just in case, let me remind you all about Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. They have been praised for providing spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; and unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide a unique experience for guests.   

Continue reading »

The Ultimate Guide to the Catalina Wine Mixer

Posted on by

The Ultimate Guide to the Catalina Wine Mixer

By Monica

*We were invited as media to attend this amazing event. All thoughts and opinions remain our own!*

Of all the Southern California places I’ve visited, I have to say Catalina Island is one of the most relaxed and most welcoming. I love the serenity of the island. The island of Catalina is an hour-long ferry ride from Los Angeles. When you arrive to Avalon, which is a resort community on Catalina, you will find a very cute town surrounded by tourist shops and restaurants. The Island has an Italian Coast feel to it, which makes it a staycation dream destination.

Last weekend we took advantage of the insanely beautiful 90-degree weather and boarded the Catalina Express from Long Beach towards Catalina Island to enjoy the famous Catalina Wine Mixer.

Inspired by the hilarious “It’s the %$#&*@ Catalina Wine Mixer” scene from Will Ferrell’s comedy classic Step Brothers, the real-life Catalina Wine Mixer at Descanso Beach Club started back in 2015 and since then it has evolved into a 3 day event, featuring wine-tasting, live bands, DJs, fun cocktails, delicious food, crafts, and dancing.

Here’s a useful guide that will help you plan the perfect Catalina Wine Mixer experience:

1. Get there early: If you can go on Friday night for a viewing of Step Brothers and other fun activities, do it. If you are only going for Saturday, then make sure you board the first ferry towards the Island so you can enjoy a variety of land tours, boat tours, or even adventure tours such as zip lining.

2. Wear cute but comfortable clothes and shoes: The live entertainment takes place on a sunny beach and on soft grass. Casual is recommended. If you want to wear your Step Brothers inspired clothes that is fine as well. If you are planning to enjoy the water at Descanso Cove, you are going to need a swimsuit. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

3. Eat, Drink and be Merry:  The Catalina Wine Mixer is not a fancy wine-tasting event, it is more like a fun beach party, and however, I can assure you will find good wines! You can sample a variety of offerings from notable West Coast wineries.

4. Get the VIP pass: Besides entrance to the party area at Descanso Beach Club you get access to Saturday Wine Lunch at Descanso Beach Club and Saturday Evening Lounge (includes snacks, dinner, house wine and no host bar) at Descanso Beach Club plus 5 Wine/Micro Beer Tastings

5. Take advantage of the other activities available at Descanso Beach Club: For an additional fee you can enjoy some cool activities such as Paint & Sip workshop, Outrigger Canoe Races, Paint your own rock and even charms making.

6. Book a hotel and stay for the weekend: If you want to make the most of your trip to Catalina Island you can make it a weekend getaway with your friends. Book a hotel; you can normally find amazing specials at the Catalina Island Company website.

To see more highlights from the Catalina Wine Mixer Click Here!

This is an event you do not want to miss. If you want to find out about next year’s dates then visit: Catalina Wine Mixer! 

Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona

Posted on by

Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona

By Erin

Need another way to beat the heat and relax this summer? Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a destination like no other. Come for a day with friends, a wellness escape, top therapeutic treatments, healthy food or float around in the beautiful pools and enjoy the lush landscape, Glen Ivy guarantees to make your day special, relaxing and unforgettable. With 19 different pools, including the mineral spring pools, there is a lot to experience here! A special thanks to Glen Ivy for inviting us to spend the day! We were treated to a day’s worth of relaxation at the spa, along with lunch, mimosas and a couple of the fluffy robes. We did not want to leave at the end of the day (I have been coming here since I was a girl scout in middle school and this place never gets old)!

To get the most out of your day, be sure to arrive 30-45 minutes before opening so you can find parking near the entrance, check in quickly and find a comfortable lounge chair in a prime place near one of the pools, in the shade of the palm trees or where the sun will hit the longest. If you’d like to have the same lounge chair for the entire day, reserve a lounger in their VIP seating area (Loungers are limited and are $30/day.)or consider booking a Cabana for the day. Cabanas are available for groups of 2 to 12 and are a lovely compliment to your special day. You’ll also enjoy hosted service from the Cabana menu.

If you are not reserving a lounger or cabana, be sure to take a quick tour of the property when you arrive so you can  see all of your options and choose which pool you’d like to enjoy first. There are plenty of lounge chairs around to find a spot to relax in. I like finding a spot near the pool here, then just lounge around in the pool with drink in hand. You can also register your payment options in the bath house changing area and whenever you purchase something throughout the day, they will put it on your tab. That way there is no need to carry around your wallet or debit card and you can enjoy all your food and drinks hassle free.

You will want to enjoy a meal or two at the Ivy Kitchen. Serving up sustainable, healthy and organic food, they even make fresh squeezed orange juice everyday from oranges on the property. There is something for everyone on the menu. We started the morning with bagels and lox on an arugula salad, and for lunch, we each opted for the poke salad. It was the perfect addition to our day to be able to enjoy such delicious food on our spa day.

Did I mention there were cocktails to be enjoyed? Glen Ivy recently expanded and there is now a new covered lounge area called Lounge 1860 and is serving up an assortment of wine, beer and craft cocktails.

Another one of my favorite things about Glen Ivy is Club Mud! Immerse yourself in a spring water mud pool where you can slather yourself with fistfuls of California red clay. It’s blended into a silky soft paste with mineral water. Then bake in the sun or in the warm ‘Wafa’ cave. Wash off the dried mud when it becomes loose and flakey on your skin. Boom! You’re left with super baby-soft skin. Clay is a great skin exfoliator, known throughout history to draw out impurities from the body. Club Mud is open all day. It is HIGHLY suggested you bring a second, darker swimsuit for this treatment as the red clay may stain fabric. I just wear a black colored bathing suit and wear it all day. I have never had any staining issues with that. 🙂

Continue reading »