Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Witnessing the Annular Solar Eclipse at the Grand Canyon


There are certain events that a person will only witness a handful of times in their lifetime and a solar eclipse is one of them. Lucky for us, we’re a short flight away from one of the prime viewing spots for the annular solar eclipse set to take place on May 20, 2012 – the Grand Canyon.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. Since this will be an annular solar eclipse, the Moon will block out enough of the Sun’s light to make the Sun appear as a ring, or annulus.  While most eclipse viewers in the western US will only witness a partial eclipse, those that witness this solar event from the Grand Canyon, which lies in the path of the eclipse, will see the moon pass fully between the Earth and the Sun.

Below, you will find an outline of events scheduled to take place at the Grand Canyon on May 20, 2012. We hope to see you there!

5:28 p.m. - partial eclipse begins
6:34 p.m. - annular eclipse begins
6:39 p.m. - annular eclipse ends
7:32 p.m. - sun sets while still partially eclipsed
Early afternoon, before the eclipse (South Rim ONLY*): NASA scientists will offer a free program about eclipses and the latest NASA research relating to the sun and moon. Check posted signs for times. Seating is limited: free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:00 a.m. on May 20 at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
After dark: a public Star Party until at least 11 p.m.  (Village shuttle buses run until 10 p.m.)
 
* Most telescopes will be behind the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim. However, there will also be some telescopes at Lipan Point. They’ll be located at the benches just west of the Desert View Watchtower and on the deck of the Watchtower itself.

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Monday, May 14, 2012

Las Vegas Ranks Among TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Destinations in the World


We know Las Vegas is a popular draw for many travelers, but one of the top 25 destinations in the world? Now, that’s an honor!

TripAdvisor.com, a travel website that assists customers in gathering travel information, posting reviews and opinions of travel-related content and engaging in interactive travel forums, reviewed millions of traveler reviews to compose their list of Top 25 Destinations in the World. Coming in at number 17 is our very own Sin City, described as home to “restaurants run by the world’s finest chefs, opulent spas, and sophisticated hotels… along with penny slots.”  Beating out Bora Bora, French Polynesia (18), Honolulu, HI (20), and Dublin, Ireland (25), Vegas is also described as unlike any “other place on the planet.”
 
Curious about the top 10? We've listed them here: 
1) London, United Kingdom
2) New York City, New York
3) Rome, Italy
4) Paris, France
5) San Francisco, California
6) Marrakech, Morocco
7) Istanbul, Turkey
8) Barcelona, Spain
9) Siem Reap, Cambodia
10) Berlin, Germany




Source: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Destinations-cTop-g1
             http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/may/03/where-does-las-vegas-rank-among-worlds-top-vacatio/

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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mother's Day 2012: A Guide to Creating the Perfect Day for Mom


Creating the perfect day for the perfect woman (and no, we’re not talking about Angelina Jolie) can be a little stressful. Shopping for gifts, trying to make a reservation at her favorite restaurant, and ensuring that Mom’s day is hassle-free can result in a headache for you. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to creating an unforgettable Mother’s Day.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not make Mom’s first meal of the day extra special? Here’s how:
  •  Stick to the tried and true tradition of breakfast in bed with this yummy banana ginger sticky buns recipe. We put Warren Brown’s recipe to test and we couldn’t keep our hands out of the baking dish!
  • Or, if you’d prefer to leave the cooking to someone else, take Mom out to a restaurant featuring a Mother’s Day special for some excellent mom-inspired fare.
  • Another suggestion? Present a beautiful bouquet of fresh spring flowers to Mom before she digs in.
Selecting a meaningful gift for anyone can be difficult. But selecting a meaningful gift for the woman who brought you into the world can be downright frustrating. Below are some tips you should keep in mind while shopping for Mother’s Day:
  • Consider her interests and get her something personalized that relates to those interests. For example, if she loves to garden, gift her with a personalized garden tool bag and kneeling pad. Such a gift shows that you’ve taken the time to find something she’ll truly enjoy and that you’ve gone the extra step to have it personalized.
  • Give her a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Moms have memories that never seem to fade. It’s as though they can remember everything. Want to ensure that this Mother’s Day is the most memorable of them all? Consider treating her to a Grand Canyon helicopter tour with Maverick.  With a champagne toast at the bottom of the Canyon, our Wind Dancer excursion is just the thing to make a grand impression.
One of the best ways to make sure Mom feels loved on May 13? Make her day as hassle-free as possible. For the woman who does it all, it’s nice for her to have a day in which she’s free to anything she’d like (hint: this hardly ever includes daily chores).
  • Remember when you were younger and you created coupon books for standard household chores? Let’s take that idea and upgrade it. Just because you’re older, doesn’t mean Mom doesn’t still appreciate the gesture of you lightening her load. Take her car to get washed, drop off and pick up her dry cleaning, or hire a cleaning service to take care of that spring cleaning that’s been at the top of Mom’s to-do list.
Now that you’ve made your way through our guide, we hope that you have some great ideas on how to plan the perfect Mother’s Day!

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Monday, May 7, 2012

Camping Season is Upon Us


As the weather reaches perfection, many people are motivated to get outside and get back to nature! What better way to do that than camping? Here’s a guide to some of the best campgrounds near the Grand Canyon.

Campgrounds on Kaibab National Forest land, just south of the Grand Canyon, opened last week. For those campers hoping to fish and take advantage of the refreshing lakes, there are four campgrounds: Kaibab Lake, Cataract Lake, Dogtown Lake, and White Horse Lake. All of these lakes have been stocked with fish by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

70 single- family campsites and 2 group sites at the Ten-X campgrounds also opened last week. These campgrounds are located about 2 miles south of Tusayan, AZ.

51 site Jacob Lake campground and the 38 site DeMotte campground, located north of the Grand Canyon on the North Kaibab Ranger District, are also scheduled to open on May 15, 2012.

With all of these great outdoor options, what are you waiting for? Load the truck up with the tents and the coolers and hit the road!

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/04/30/20120430kaibab-campgrounds-south-grand-canyon-opening-tuesday.html#ixzz1tZ3aCMgH

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Cinco de Mayo en Las Vegas


It’s always party time in good ol’ Sin City, but soon, it will be fiesta time! Grab your sombreros and head down to the Las Vegas Strip to celebrate this year’s Cinco de Mayo. Lucky for you, we’ve taken the guess work out of finding the best places to grab a margarita so all you have to worry about is whether you want that margarita blended or over ice. ¡Salud!

Pink Taco at the Hard Rock: A mega-hip Mexican cantina, Pink Taco is a folk-art bedecked hotspot adorned with classic low-rider bicycles, unique tables that leave guests' feet dangling and an assortment of authentic Mexican craftwork that decorate the dining room. This Cinco de Mayo celebration, presented by KOMP 92.3, will feature a live broadcast from 3 - 7 PM, drink specials, giveaways & games, Corralejo shots & margaritas!

Cabo Wabo Cantina at Planet Hollywood: Cabo Wabo Cantina Las Vegas is the flagship U.S. location for the legendary restaurant. The two-level, 15,000-square-foot Cantina shares the laid back, beach-town vibe of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip. This year, Cabo Wabo will be hosting an all-day patio party with a mariachi band and Cazadores Tequila girls making the rounds. Guests will also be entered into a raffle to win a one-of-a-kind prize!
 
Diablo’s Cantina at Monte Carlo: Mix one-part savory Mexican restaurant with one-part sizzling nightclub, add a frozen margarita bar, throw in a giant Wheel O' Sin and a squeeze of lime, and you've got Diablo's Cantina—one of the hottest destinations on the Strip. Located at the front of Monte Carlo in the heart of the Strip action, Diablo's has everything you need for a wild night out.

Tacos and Tequila at the Luxor: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo with the 2nd annual “CHiPs and Salsa,” Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Barney and “CHiPs” star Erik Estrada host this year’s event. Enjoy $5 shots of pineapple-infused Jose Cuervo Tradicional, $5 Dos Equis, $5 Golden Toro shots, and an extensive menu featuring a variety of Mexican fare!
 
Tao at the Venetian: Attention all you Chelsea Lately fans: Chelsea’s trusted sidekick, Chuy, will be hosting the Cinco de Mayo event at Tao. Party the night away with a host that’s sure to provide a few laughs along the way.

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