World Festivals Diva

When it comes to world festivals, this diva is honored to have been one of the thousands attending the second annual Taste of Playa 2010.  As incredible as the food was, it was only upstaged by its organizers, putting together the event with competence, grace and passion for all things culinary. Sunday, November 21, 2010, 43 of the Riviera Maya's most talented chefs, restaurateurs, beverage purveyors and specialty food merchants gathered in the Parque Fundadores, just steps from the beaches of Playa del Carmen, to present their signature dishes and culinary creations to over 7000 local residents and visitors to the popular Mexican Caribbean city. The event far exceeded our expectations this year!' reported event Chairperson Nicola Inwood. The small businesses who made up the participants in both the restaurant and marketplace areas truly reflected the international influences that make up the modern Riviera Maya. The local restaurants, bars and food retailers represented this year offered truly world class dishes for food lovers from across the globe who came to enjoy the Caribbean sun and experience the best of traditional Mexican and international cuisine. The Travel Channel's Mark DeCarlo was the celebrity host of this culinary festival and worked through the crowd talking ...

dTaste of Playa is an annual culinary event in Playa del Carmen that celebrates the creativity and cultural influences of chefs throughout the Riviera Maya. The event promotes the unique culinary perspectives of local chefs, highlights new event venues and coordinates the efforts of local businesses and municipal governments. In 2009, Taste of Playa captured the attention of national and international media and showed the spirit of multi-cultural cooperation that defines the modern Riviera Maya. International culinary festivals are held throughout the world, with each host city highlighting the chefs, restaurants and retail food outlets that define the culture of the area. Playa del Carmen is renowned for its diversity, its international influences, its culinary expertise and its Caribbean lifestyle. The restaurants and food industry have played a major part in the development and definition of the Riviera Maya. This event provides local businesses with an opportunity to showcase the expertise of their talented chefs. Originally named Xaman-Ha (waters of the north) by the ancient Maya, modern day Playa del Carmen is the heart of the Riviera Maya. Located on the coast 40 miles (60 kms.) south of Cancun, Playa, as it is now commonly known, is the perfect base of operations ...

Hosted by Iconic WGN Radio Personality Steve Cochran, WGN-TV’s Mike Toomey, Patti Vasquez and Travel Channel’s Mark DeCarlo The all-ages charity event features FREE BBQ, Live Blues Bands, Comedy Acts, Golf, Cooking Demonstrations and More! Johnsonville Sausage invites you to celebrate this Father’s Day, Sunday June 20th, 2010 at Poppa-Palooza, a one-of-a-kind, all ages music and comedy festival featuring Chicago’s greatest personalities, musicians and comedians at America’s Historic Roundhouse in Aurora, IL. The phenomenal line-up includes legendary WGN radio personality Steve Cochran, WGN-TV’s Mike Toomey, with popular Chicago  comedian Patty Vasquez, and Travel Channel’s Mark DeCarlo alongside the band Old Blues Eyes. Doors open at 5pm and festival continues until 11pm. America’s Historic Roundhouse is located at 205 N. Broadway, Aurora, IL 60505. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children under 12. All tickets include two (2) FREE Johnsonville Brats and all Dads will receive a FREE raffle ticket. Tickets can be purchased by calling 630-264-2739 or visiting www.rh34.com . Poppa-Palooza will include a fun-filled afternoon of golf contests, incredible raffle prices, live music & comedy, cooking demonstrations, competitions, a live auction and surprise guests. This event is geared to gives Dad's a day off while helping to raise money for what ...

Montréal’s 28th edition of the Just For Laughs Festival presented by Videotron in association with Loto-Québec kicks off on July 6 and runs through July 17, 2010, followed by an Urban Arts street fair from July 17 to July 25 complete with parades of twins (some 1,000 pairs), triplets and multiple birth children from around the world! The laughs will be on tap 24/7 with a program where the spectacular meets the emotional. The largest humor festival in the world, the Just For Laughs Festival features scores of stand-up comedy events, concerts, plays, skits, street theatre, parades and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Headliners include John Leguizamo, Latin King of comedy and Emmy-award winning actor, who’ll present his new, uncensored one-man show, “Klass Klown”. Not to be missed are Cheech & Chong, the world’s favorite stoners who are back for a night of smokin’ hot comedy, hosting their own Videotron Just For Laughs Gala, Then there’s Pamela Anderson, the most downloaded woman in the world, who’ll host an hilariously high-concept evening with her Dancing with the Stars partner Damian Whitewood.  For tickets, call 514-845-4069. The free Urban Arts program that follows the Festival is quirkiness at its best – chockablock ...

Saturday & Sunday, May 22 & 23 This is no ordinary art event! The Venice Art Walk & Auctions is a fundraiser for Venice Family Clinic, the largest free clinic in the country, and each ticket you purchase helps provide a medical visit for an uninsured person in need. (Purchases of art and tickets to Art & Architecture Tours go even further!) So bring a friend. Or two. Or ten. After all, taking care of the uninsured is good for karma. Click any of the links below for more information or to purchase tickets. Art & Architecture Tour: Rustic Canyon: The Sequel Saturday, May 22 Picking up where last year’s historic walking tour left off, Leo Marmol, FAIA, takes visitors deeper into this architecturally bountiful neighborhood, stopping to tour a fresh collection of homes representing the old and the new. $175 per person, benefits Venice Family Clinic, includes lunch and reception Art & Architecture Tour: Architects' Homes in Venice and Santa Monica Saturday, May 22 Explore homes that architects and designers built for themselves in this self-guided walking tour along the border of Venice and Santa Monica. $100 per person, benefits ...

By Josie Villa-Singleton a.k.a. Travelista I last attended the mayhem that is Paris Fashion Week two years ago.   I’ve since learned a lot about pulling an outfit together by scouring the photos of fashion magazine editors and tastemakers that I took during that trip.  Seeing how the most fashionable women in the world show up to fashion shows can inform our choices when it comes time to pack our bags for a trip.  Though these photos are from seasons past they still contain valuable information. 1.     Black is always in fashion Attendees of fashion shows and Europeans in general favor black and dark colors. Choosing mostly black clothing makes packing easier and of course black clothing flatters and camouflages our figures. Look for items made in travel friendly materials such as synthetic blends: rayon, polyester, lyocell, etc. Accessories keep the look from being boring. Both these looks are easy to pull off. Tight but stretchy skinny black pants, an interesting black tee. Top it off with a long, loose cardigan and a necklace. 2. Fashion remains Neutral If all black is not your thing ...

Title: Running with The Bulls in Pamplona Location: Pamplona, Spain Link out: Click here Description: The Pamplona festival – also known as the San Fermin Festival or Sanfermines– is held in Pamplona, Spain every year from July 6-14. The most famous part of the festival is the bull run or encierro when 12 bulls charge through the streets of the old city. Although the festival begins on July 6, the bulls do not run until July 7 and then run for 7 consecutive mornings at 8 a.m. until the end of the festival. Anyone over the age of 18 can run with the bulls and there is no charge to participate. Start Date: 2009-07-06 End Date: 2009-07-14 El festival de la corrida de toros de Pamplona - tambien conocido como el Festival de San Fermin - toma lugar en Pamplona, España anualmente en Julio.  Este año será de Julio 6 al 14.  Lo que hace famoso al festival es el "encierro" o corrida de los toros cuando sueltan a 12 toros a la carga en las viejas calles de Pamplona.  Aunque el festival comienza Julio 6, los toros no corren hasta Julio 7, y por 7 días consecutivos de las 8 a.m. hasta el fin del ...

One of the best bands my ears have had the pleasure of listening to is Cowboy Mouth, and during this upcoming Jazz Fest, that's the tune this diva will be dancing to... Following content taken from their website:  www.cowboymouth.com The term 'Cowboy Mouth' has been used in the poetry of Shakespeare and Bob Dylan as well as a play by Patti Smith and Sam Shepard. Usually meaning one with a loud and raucous voice, it describes the band well. With over 2000 concerts under their belt and many years of reviews lauding their live show, there is still one quote which best captures their show..... "...on a bad night they'll tear the roof off the joint and on a good night, they'll save your soul." — Cake Magazine Cowboy Mouth is New Orleans rock n' roll. Annually presenting roughly 200 shows per year, releasing nearly a dozen records, and featured on TV shows and radio stations everywhere, Cowboy Mouth has been seen and heard by millions of fans worldwide. For more than 15 years, the members of Cowboy Mouth have preached and shouted at the top of their lungs the joys of being alive and the joys of being in and from New ...

You don’t have to be one of the 200 lucky guests in the Statuary Hall of the Capitol to delight your taste buds with these patriotic dishes. This fabulous three-course menu, inspired by Abraham Lincoln and designed by Design Cuisine, was served on exquisite china, replicas of the china from the Lincoln Presidency, featuring the American bald eagle above the U. S. Coat of Arms. A seafood stew was first in line, paired up with Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Vineyards 2007 Sauvignon Blanc.  The main course, pheasant and duck served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes came accompanied by Anderson’s Valley Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir. For the crowning end to the Obama lunch dessert came in the form of apple cinnamon sponge cake topped with sweet cream glace, paired with Korbel Natural “Special Inaugural Cuvée.”  Ahh, sweet taste of Change. [caption id="attachment_670" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Flower Design by JLB Floral of Alexandria, Virginia"][/caption] For the full recipes click here:  Inaugural Menu Recipes 2009

[gallery] By Anna Carranza Title: The Santa Claus Pub Crawl Location: Manly, Australia Description: What’s a good way to butter up St. Nick this year? Why get him drunk of course. Mix in a lot of saucy Aussies and start spreading Christmas cheer! The only requirement, crawlers must be dressed head to toe in full Santa costume. It is a season of giving and the crawl has raised thousands of dollars for the Stewart House. a local charity which helps disadvantaged children. Hotels and some local business contribute by donating money or supplying crawlers with food and drink during the crawl. A guaranteed good time. Mix, mingle and be merry in a sea of Santas. and find a present or two. Contact information: The Corso Manly NSW 2095, Australia http://santapubcrawl.interacct.com.au/news.php Organiser : Nathan New Email: natnew@gmail.com Mobile : 0423 483 234 Start Date: 2008-12-13 End Date: 2008-12-14