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“Celebrity Apprentice” Returns to Television

The new edition of “The Celebrity Apprentice” returns to NBC on Sunday night. Donald Trump’s wanning series received a bump in popularity with last year’s celebrity edition. The network hopes that the success will continue with the new batch of celebrities.

Filmed in New York, the series follows sixteen celebrities as they compete in a series of challenges to raise money for charity. While the celebrity contestants compete on teams, there is still a weekly elimination and in-fighting and machiavellian maneuvers are part of what makes the show so popular. Seeing what the stars are willing to do to avoid hearing Trump say “You’re Fired” is, apparently, quite entertaining.

The first episode involves the contestants baking and selling cupcakes “without the help of their regular support system of agents, managers and personal assistants.” The celebrities competing for charity in this edition include Joan and Melissa Rivers, Scott Hamilton, Brian McKnight, Dennis Rodman, and Clint Black. Other contestants are Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Green, Annie Duke, Jesse James, Brande Roderick, Hershel Walker, Natalie Gulbis, Claudia Jordan, Tionne Watkins, and Khloe Kardashian.

Trump is a famous New York real estate tycoon. His properties include some of the fanciest New York hotel suites as well as resorts and casinos in New York and Atlantic City. He is an executive producer of the series along with Mark Burnett, Page Feldman, and Eden Gaha.

Tags: celebrity apprentice, donald trump, new york, new york hotel suites, NYC

Festivals of Mallorca

Mallorca, Spain has become quite a popular tourist destination over the years. Part of this has to due with the beautiful island, the beaches are pristine and the landscape possesses a tranquil peacefulness that many people from around the world are discovering. Aside from just the simple pleasures of walking along the beach or hiking, there are a myriad of options that are a bit more social and spectacular. There are many festivals and celebrations on this island that attract spectators, and locals, that occur throughout the year.

The capital of Mallorca is the city of Palma. The Domingo del Angel festival was once a very celebrated tradition, during the 15th and 16th century. This traditional celebration, that occurs on the first Sunday after Easter, as a day of prayer and hope for the poor, disappeared for a couple of hundred years. And then was held again for the first time since then, in 1982. It has been a popular and well celebrated custom ever since. The parade starts in the downtown area of Palma, near the hustle and bustle of shops, restaurants and the 5 star hotels Mallorca has to offer. There are prayers, dancing, activities for the kids, and feasts of traditional Mallorcan food. This festival, also known as Angel Sunday has become the most attended festival of the year. The following festival is the Night of Fire. This night of music and dancing and fireworks signifies the beginning of all of the festivals and parties that occur throughout the summer. It is also a highly attended event with live music, a lot of food and extravagant disguises and costuming.

On the northwestern coast lies Soller. Here, every year, an international festival of performing arts occurs. People travel from all over the world to perform with their own companies and groups as well as to collaborate from the other countries. This festival lasts for a week, with performances and parties continuing until late in the evenings. These are just a few of the festivals that occur each and every year and make Mallorca a very desired destination for those looking for fun vacations.

Tags: festivals, Mallorca

Beautiful Goa, India

It’s easy to understand why the beach paradise of Goa is one of India’s more popular tourist destinations. The state, though India’s smallest, is actually one of the most popular holiday destinations in all of Asia. Most of Goa’s popularity is a result of its breath-taking beaches. However, the region also has beautiful architecture, wonderful food, great shopping, and some amazing protected parks, forests, and animal sanctuaries.

With a relatively stable climate featuring sunny, warm days and balmy nights, Goa is ideal for a beach holiday. And the beaches here have something to offer just about anyone. There are small, quiet beaches for relaxing as well as large beaches with shops, restaurants, and clubs for those who want a more social environment.

Goa’s coastline offers plenty of opportunities for recreational sports as well. Try windsurfing or parasailing as well as swimming or sailing. Take out a speedboat or a jet ski for fast fun. Snorkelers and dives will also find lots to explore in the waters around Goa.

Inland there is beautiful countyside for hiking and exploration. Goa is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, with protected forests and coastal lands. The region also protects its wildlife, with several well-known animal sanctuaries such as the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

The cities and larger villages of Goa are home to some stunning architecture. Most are relics of the colonial period. For 450 years Goa was a territory of Portugual. The melding of Indian and Portuguese architecture is reflected in a number of churches, mansions, and other buildings that have survived the centuries.

Of course, Goa is not stuck in the past. In addition to the beautiful historic buildings and traditional shops that have stood for over a century, there are modern conveniences such as five star hotels in Goa, fine dining restaurants, and even climate-controlled shopping malls. Be sure to take advantage of the fresh seafood available in the coastal areas and to try some of the local dishes that bring together Indian dishes with Portuguese influenced-flavors and techniques.

Tags: five star hotels, Goa, Goa beaches, hotels in goa

Fashion Week in Mumbai

With all of the fashion world busy with New York Fashion Week (February 13-20), now would be a good time to mark the calendar for the upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week (LKW) in Mumbai. Scheduled for March 27th – 31st, the event is sponsored jointly by Lakmé and IMG.

The purpose of LKW is “to integrate India into th eglobal fashion world and redefine the future of fashion.” It began six years ago and focuses on the retail industry, though there are plenty of international media and celebrities on hand as required by any global fashion week.

Like New York, Paris, and Australia’s fashion week’s, LKW brings together designers, stylists, models, choreographers, buyers, and the media to showcase current and future fashion trends. In the brief history of the event a number of Indian designers have gone on to show their lines at th eRosemount Australian Fashion Week and at Coterie in New York (the most exclusive and largest fashion trade show in the world).

With an expected influx of Indian and world fashion media, designers, models, and buyers, the five star hotels in Mumbai are already planning for the five-day event. Likewise watch for a jump in business at the upscale restaurants in the area as well as the trendier clubs and discos.

Tags: five star hotels, Lakme Fashion Week, Mumbai, Mumbai Fashion Week

The Contradictions of Bangkok

Bangkok has developed into a sophisticated and exciting global capital. Since Thailand never experienced the western colonization that influenced many regions in Asia, it has maintained its unique heritage and culture to this day. This results in a dizzing array of contrasts as the ancient traditions of Thailand meld with the modern lifestyle of a country’s center of business, diplomacy, and commerce.

With nearly ten million residents, Bangkok has long outgrown traditional village life. With over 1000 skyscrapers, Bangkok has one of the world’s most beautiful urban skylines. There are dozens of modern shopping malls, complete with climate-controlled environments, designer labels, and food courts offering meals from around the world. Some of the best hotels in the area offer modern conveniences such as wireless internet.

Bangkok also has 400 Buddhist temples offering an array of architectural beauty and spiritual and cultural meaning. There are grand palaces that provide glimpses of traditional court life and village homes that have survived for two centuries. Some of the city’s canals still remain and offer a more traditional form of transportation than the oft-congested city streets. Traditional markets display a staggering variety of items including local arts, crafts, and clothing. Food stalls throughout the city sell favorite Thai dishes and local restaurants provide food with strong Chinese, Indian and Thai flavors.

Visitors to this unique city will find that although there is some of the bustle that is expected in a global capital, Bangkok actually has a slower pace than most. People are willing to enjoy life and balance their cultural and spiritual needs against those of work and progress. The best time time to visit Bangkok is right now, November through February. However, the climate is warm most of the year, making it a beautiful place to visit, even in the wet season when tropical storms provide beautiful displays of nature and offer a bit of cooling to the region.

Tags: Bangkok, best hotels, hotels bangkok, Thailand

A Trip to Chennai

Planning a visit to the capital of Tamil Nadu, India can be an exciting endeavor on its own. Of course, all the planning in the world can’t prepare you for the reality of walking through this amazing city that blends centuries of Indian tradition and culture with modern sensibilities and conveniences.

As one of the indsutrial and commercial centers of India, Chennai also exerts a strong cultural and artistic influnce throughout India and the rest of the world. That mix of business and culture, of modern with tradition is what makes the ciy so intoxicating to travelers.

Chennai used to be known as Madras and as such became a center for Tamil and classical Indian culture and arts. The annual Madras Music Season is the prime example of the role Chennai plays in Indian’s arts and performing arts communities. Five weeks of classicial Indian theater, music and dance also includes exhibitions of Tamil and Indian art and food.

Visitors to the city will want to pick the right hotel for their stay. There are a number of fine 5 star Chennai hotels as well as smaller hotels and even discount lodgings. Most of these will offer easy access to the various attractions of Chennai. From its beaches to its National Park, from the botanical gardens to the incredible markets, from historic landmarks to museums and galleries, there is so much to see and do in the city.

Luckily, the food in Chennai is just as diverse as everything else. Street vendors offer local favorites as do countless restaurants and cafes. Remember, Chennai is the center for Tamil culture, and that included Tamil cuisine. But the city also offers dishes from other regions of India and even from cuisines around the world. In addition to traditional restaurants, the city has a number of fine dining establishments.