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Dubai will play host to the third annual Contemporary Art Fair Dubai, an expansive and globally-inclusive event that is open to the public from March 19-21. 65 different galleries from across the Middle East, Europe, South America, Asia and the United States were selected out of 300 applicants to curate exhibitions, readings and performances that highlight the aesthetic from each particular corner of the globe. Certain to be a program highlight: "The Art of Magical Jewels," a showcase of the glittering wearable art crafted by legendary French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. This year's gathering includes the winners of the new Abraaj Capital Art Prize, where a total of almost a million dollars in endowment money was awarded to three international curator/artist teams to afford their works a global stage and identity. It also marks the occasion of the third annual Global Art Forum (March 18-21), bringing together artists and involved intellectuals to posit the Middle East's place within the art world and to expose the art of cities such as Tehran, Iran to a larger audience. Convenient to the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, Art Dubai power-packs a world of creativity into one enlightened city.
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Destination Spotlight - Dubai - A Glittering Contemporary Art Fair
Wednesday January 7, 2009
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More Destination Spotlight - Dubai - The Preserves of a Vivid Past
Wednesday January 7, 2009
Among the glistening new skyscrapers of Dubai lies an ancient village of mud huts, fishing boats, and a 200-year-old mosque. Created by potters and weavers thousands of years ago, a wonderful little region known as Heritage and Diving Village preserves the Emirates vivid past.
About a ten minute drive from Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, this fascinating locale offers visitors a chance to explore simple houses and learn about the lifestyles of earlier civilizations of pearl divers and date farmers. Located at the mouth of Dubai Creek, the village's emblematic streets are dotted with cafes and shops that offer all varieties of handicraft items like woven baskets, colorful cotton robes, and incense burners. Culture comes alive here, and it's not uncommon to hear traditional Arabic music fill the streets, as groups of locals in Bedouin dress parade through town. Climb one of two towers, constructed in the 19th century to protect the city from attack, and get a bird's eye view of these ancient lands. Or ride a camel through the village, and take a journey into Dubai's rich past.
Destination Spotlight - Dubai - The Simple and the Extravagant
Wednesday January 7, 2009
Dubai can seem as if the phrase "money is no object" was conjured with it in mind. Opulence is everywhere, and restaurants are no exception. Menus can be a study in decadence, and prices can verge on the ridiculous. But in this city of contrasts, you can also eat quite well for non-outrageous prices.
In the Bur Dubai neighborhood, near the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, Special Ostadi is a rare veteran in a sea of new faces: the Iranian favorite has been open since 1978, serving its famed yogurt-marinated lamb kabobs. On the other end of the spectrum visit Ewaan, where you can enjoy a pricey but good Middle Eastern buffet while craning your neck to gawk at the world's tallest building.
For drinks, stick with hotel bars or head to the local outpost of Frankie's, where the unique Flaming Lamborghini is sure to impress your friends. Alternatively, for a respite from the din of constant construction, seek out XVA Gallery in old Bastakiya, whose inner courtyard houses a quiet cafe.
Destination Spotlight - Dubai - The History of the Emirate at the Dubai Museum
Wednesday January 7, 2009
Dubai is all about the future, with an ambition that's evident in its many new skyscrapers and shopping malls, but this glimmering emirate hasn't forgotten about its past. Visitors hoping to pick up some local history need only to head over to Al Fahidi Fort, which houses the Dubai Museum. Completed in 1799, the restored fort contains artifacts dating back 3,000 years, along with life-size dioramas on what life was like in Dubai before the oil wealth came flooding in. Traditional Arab houses are painstakingly recreated down to the finest detail, and scenes of the merchants and fisherman along the creek and in the bustling souk evoke a simpler era. Among the most impressive exhibits is an overview of the ancient pastime of pearl diving, including the weights and scales used to determine the value of what once once the region's hot commodity. It's an eye-opening destination for those who thought Dubai was invented some time around 1997. Starwood has properties throughout Dubai, including the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, and Le Méridien Dubai.
Miami Beach Bites on a Budget
Monday December 8, 2008
A vacation in Miami Beach is rarely an inexpensive affair, but there are ways to keep within a budget. Staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach is a good start, but here are some tips on affordable eats that won't have you resorting to fast food.
Thanks to a plug from Oprah, Ice Box Cafe is no longer off the beaten track. Its reputation is for cake, but that's not the only thing on the menu — the little diner is popular locally for their brunch.
For a big meal on a small budget, Big Pink has you covered. As much a locals hangout as a tourist spot, the restaurant's menu features plenty of comfort food items in plentiful portions — as well as free parking should you need it. Find a table under an umbrella and chow down.
Need a late-night nosh? Find the closest Pizza Rustica, whose gourmet slices will help you fight a hangover tastefully, while leaving plenty of dough in your wallet for a cab back to the hotel.
[Image via ClubPlanet]
Starpick the Four Points by Sheraton Beijing, Haidian
Friday December 5, 2008
The recent Olympic games provided a coming out party of sorts for the Chinese capital of Beijing, which was unveiled to the world as a forward-thinking city of inspiring architecture and rich history. If you found yourself curious to see more of Beijing after watching the games on TV, then consider a last-minute trip to this ancient Chinese metropolis. It's not such a crazy proposition, thanks to Starpicks. That's because the Four Points by Sheraton Beijing, Haidian is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. When it comes to convenience, it's hard to top this centrally-located hotel, which is just moments from the city's greatest business and cultural attractions. Start your day off with a stroll through the picturesque Summer Palace, with its sculptured gardens and serene Kunming Lake. Then pay the obligatory visit to the Great Wall of China, which stretches 6,400 kilometers from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west and kindly passes through the Beijing area. Then drop by the Beijing National Stadium, an Olympic venue more commonly known as the Bird's Nest for its wild, ribbon-like form. But save some time for exploring the hotel, which boasts an invigorating health club, indoor swimming pool, and a full-service spa. And as you savor a delicious meal at Yong Yi Chinese Restaurant, you can begin to plan out your next great Starpicks getaway. The Four Points by Sheraton Beijing, Haidan is just one of dozens of Starpicks properties this week, so check the list and get traveling.
The Natural Wonders of Panama
Thursday December 4, 2008
Panama is known for its famous canal that connects two oceans, so it only makes sense that it would have a world-class research facility dedicated to both Atlantic and Pacific marine ecosystems. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is dedicated to providing advanced research facilities to some of the world's best marine biologists. However, you don't have to be a marine biologist to get a glimpse at some of the amazing biodiversity that the institute has been studying in Panama. The Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas (Marine Exhibition Center), located just fifteen minutes from downtown Panama City, includes aquariums with both Atlantic and Pacific marine life as well as a variety of exhibits detailing the native flora and fauna. Two trails lead through a tropical dry forest - a nearly extinct Pacific ecosystem - where visitors can encounter sloths, iguanas, armadillos, and all kinds of birds. A sea turtle pond, meanwhile, provides a close-up look at these intelligent and graceful creatures, while a patch of mangrove forest along the rocky shore shows the amazing diversity of life in the Caribbean Sea, especially when visited at low tide. The Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas is a perfect stop for those who appreciate the country's unique position between two seas, and it's just minutes away from the Sheraton Panama Hotel & Convention Center and the Four Points by Sheraton Panama.
Retro-Future Entertainment in the East Bay at Lucky Juju
Wednesday December 3, 2008 Open on Friday and Saturday nights, Alameda's Lucky JuJu is a place that's truly fun for all ages, or at least for those tall enough to reach the flippers. It's a combination pinball arcade and museum with an impressive collection of '70s and '80s machines, from the hilarious retro-futurism of "2001" game to a resplendent Elton John in his Captain Fantastic, "Pinball Wizard" guise. Pay a small cover charge ($10 for adults, $5 for children), enjoy unlimited games and watch any bad moods melt away into the sheer bliss of play. There's also a rarely seen type of vintage jukebox that plays a choice selection of 45 vinyl records, which keeps the ambience rocking at a lively pace, so long as there are people to feed it. This is a convenient and under-the-radar attraction for those visiting the East Bay, as the Four Points by Sheraton San Francisco Bay Bridge in nearby Emeryville is a short drive away from this unusual, tilt-a-whirl gem.
Stay an Extra Day With a Better Tomorrows Getaway
Monday December 1, 2008
When you're really having a good time on vacation, you want nothing more than to stay an extra day. Starwood is making it easy to do just that with its new Better Tomorrows offer. For every night you pay regular rates, you get the next night at 50% off. It's as simple as that: Stay one night at the Westin Resort & Spa, Cancun (pictured) at the regular rate, and enjoy the next night at half off, with plenty left for dinner in a traditional palapa (straw hut) on the beach from the resort's Sea & Stones restaurant. Stay two nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Lakeshore at regular rates and enjoy two nights for 50% off, enough to take in the views from the nearby CN Tower. Stay four nights at regular rates at the exciting new W Scottsdale, get four nights at 50% off, and splurge on a night out on the town with the savings. You get the idea. The offer is good through March 31, 2009, so choose your Better Tomorrows destination and savor those extra days.
Savvy Dining in New York
Monday November 24, 2008
Headed to the Big Apple but don't have the budget to go all out? Don't worry, the best of New York can be had on the cheap if you play your cards right. Start by staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea — it's cheaper than Times Square but still convenient to most of Manhattan.
Skip dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar and instead go there for lunch. The prix fixe is $25 for three filling courses including dessert, or just order the heavenly steamed pork buns. If SoHo's more your speed, stop in at Once Upon a Tart for a cozy nosh.
Want to taste famed Chef Alain Ducasse's top-rated French, but can't afford a full meal? Sit at the bar at Benoit instead and order a beer and a $1 "egg mayo," probably the best deviled egg you'll ever have. Add onion soup for $9 or a charcuterie plate for $18.
For dessert, Kee's Chocolates gets high marks for its exotic truffles and macaroons; choose carefully and you won't break the bank. Or you could always have a doughnut.
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Paris
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