TRAVEL+FOOD

Las Vegas x Extreme Weddings

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WATCH FIVE LAS VEGAS COUPLES TAKE THE LEAP ON LEAP DAY WITH FLY LINQ ZIPLINE, HIGH ROLLER OBSERVATION WHEEL WEDDING

WHAT:
Five adrenaline-loving couples agreed to “Take the Leap” on Leap Day, Saturday, Feb. 29, with a wedding to remember for a lifetime. Each Las Vegas couple was among the winning entries in a contest hosted by local radio station, 102.7 Coyote Country. Winners were selected based on the appeal of their written and video entries, which expressed the heartfelt reasons they should be awarded an adventurous Leap Day wedding package, courtesy of The LINQ Promenade, The LINQ Hotel + Experience and ICEBAR.

FLY LINQ and High Roller wedding experiences were “married” for this extraordinary Leap Day event. The day began with all five couples simultaneously leaping off the FLY LINQ platform for an exhilarating zipline flight along the length of The LINQ Promenade. From there, the couples boarded a cabin on the High Roller Observation Wheel for a group ceremony from 550 feet in the air, complete with picture-perfect, 360-degree vistas of the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding mountains.

Following a champagne toast with strawberries aboard High Roller, all five couples proceeded to ICEBAR, the brand-new frozen ice experience, for a cocktail reception featuring delicious libations served in ICEBAR’s signature frozen glasses.

The couples spent their wedding night with overnight accommodations at The LINQ Hotel + Experience.

ABOUT WEDDINGS AT FLY LINQ AND HIGH ROLLER
Couples everywhere can now experience the exhilaration of FLY LINQ with brand-new wedding packages featuring the only zipline on the Las Vegas strip. A variety of new options include everything from “Marriage Soaring”—a semi-private launch deck ceremony for up to 10 guests with express zipline passes—to “Vows and Views,” which includes a private launch deck ceremony and zipline rides, one-hour photography package, chocolate-covered strawberries and sparkling wine for up to 40 guests. In-flight ceremonies are also available, as are reception packages in the Sky Lounge for six to 40 guests. For more information about FLY LINQ weddings, email citywideattractions@caesars.com.

Meanwhile, the High Roller has long been a favorite destination for Las Vegas weddings with the most dramatic views of the Strip anywhere, offering numerous wedding packages to fit any couple’s desires. More information available HERE.

Las Vegas, FLY LINQ, Wedding, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine,

Miyagi Japan x Cherry Blossoms

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BLOSSOM SEASON

With the advent of spring, Japan comesminto bloom with cherry trees blanketing the country with their signature pink pastel petals. In Miyagi, the northern Japanese prefecture known for its natural attractions, cherry trees begin flowering in mid-April, providing unique destinations for endless hanami (flower viewing) even if travelers miss the sakura in Tokyo.

The Mount Zao region offers several vantage points from which to witness the colorful blossoms. The city of Ogawara, which is a thirty-minute train ride from Miyagi’s capital, Sendai, is home to the famous Hitome Senbonzakura (translation: “one thousand cherry trees in a glance”). Trees line the grassy banks of the Shiroishi River, which travelers can view via a river cruise, or by wandering by foot through the scenic grounds. Visitors can also picnic under the trees and sample local street food.

Further up the river near Sendai University, the Funaoka Castle Park is one of the more popular spots in Miyagi for hanami. For easy viewing, there is a slope car that travels up and down the park to view the castle ruins, the area’s famous Kannon statue and the hundreds of blooming trees scattered throughout the grounds.

Further north in the city of Sendai, Tsutsujigaoka Park is a popular spot among locals to view cherry blossoms. The park boasts some unique cherry tree species, including the popular somei yoshino variety and the ukonzakura variety (turmeric cherry trees), which are a pale yellow color instead of the flower’s iconic pink. The park lights up at night as food stalls selling sake and street food pop up, while traditional paper lanterns are illuminated to create an intimate setting.

Mikamine Park is another park in Sendai popular with families, which can be easily accessed from the Nagamachi-Minami Station. Unlike most hanami areas, Mikamine Park has a play area for kids and while there are no food stalls nearby, there are plenty of spaces to have a family picnic.

One of Japan’s “Three Canonical Views,”
according to 16th-century Neo-Confucian philosopher Hayashi
Gahō, Matsushima Bay offers one of the best sites in Japan for
hanami, especially at sunrise. Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park offers uninterrupted panoramic views of cherry blossoms lining the bay. A quick thirty-minute train ride from the park will take guests to Shiogama Shrine, one of the most revered shrines in Miyagi, which lights up for two nights in April, allowing travelers a unique opportunity to view the shrine and cherry blossoms at night.

In the northern region of Sanriku Coast, Hiyoriyama Park at the peak of Mount Hiyoriyama offers not only a beautiful place to view the cherry blossoms, but also holds historical significance for the area.

Overlooking the Kadonowaki and Minamihama residential districts of Ishinomaki City, where more than 500 people lost their lives during the 2011 tsunami, viewpoints around the park display photos of the views before the disaster, giving the viewer an understanding of its true magnitude.
Kawatabi Onsen
offers relaxing views of the cherry blossoms in Northern Miyagi. This hot spring village features trees all along the
Yuzawa River that are lit up at night. Travelers should check out all of the nearby onsens for a relaxing retreat or take a train through the nearby Naruko Valley to view the lush forests. For more information on Miyagi, please visit
www.visitmiyagi.com

Lil Baby – My Turn

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Lil Baby has dropped his new album, My Turn, out today on Quality Control Music / Wolfpack Global / Motown Records / Capitol Music Group. Listen HERE. Baby has been one of the most dominant names in rap since he started and My Turn sees him at the top of his game so far. In the past year Baby has reached over 11 billion global streams, had five consecutive #1 songs at Urban radio (“Yes Indeed”, “Drip Too Hard” with Gunna, “Close Friends”, “Baby” with DaBaby, and “Woah”), won his first ever award at the BET Awards for Best New Artist, earned a Grammy nomination with “Drip Too Hard” for Best Rap/Sung Performance and had three Top 100 albums in 2019 alone. Watch the video for “Heatin Up” at 3PM EST. “Woah” is RIAA certified platinum and “Sum 2 Prove” is RIAA certified gold.

My Turn marks Baby’s first new project since 2018’s Street Gossip and Baby calls it, “my best work to date.” The album also sees guest spots from Lil Wayne, Future, Young Thug, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Moneybagg Yo, Rylo Rodriguez and 42 Dugg throughout. With such a rapid rise and a relentless stream of hits, it’s clear that Lil Baby is one of the greatest modern success stories in hip-hop.

SHOP MY TURN MERCH: http://shop.iamlilbaby.com/

*Photo Credit: Kenneth Cappello

DreamWorks Water Park

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THE WORLD’S FIRST DREAMWORKS ANIMATION WATER PARK WILL OPEN ON MARCH 19

The largest indoor water park in North America will open at American Dream on March 19, along with the beginning of retail

American Dream, the unrivaled destination for style and play, is set to usher in its next chapter on March 19, 2020, with the highly anticipated opening of the world’s first and only DreamWorks Animation Water Park, and the celebration of American Dream’s first retail offerings. March will provide guests with endless opportunities to discover and explore American Dream.

“We can’t wait for guests to visit DreamWorks Animation Water Park and experience the completely unique, jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring destination that we have created,” said Don Ghermezian, Co-CEO of American Dream. “We also look forward to welcoming a new audience to the property with the introduction of retail, opening some of the largest flagship stores globally.”

The world’s first and only DreamWorks Animation Water Park will begin to preview its unmatched experiences on March 19. Guests will be introduced to this over-the-top water park, where the worlds of DreamWorks Animation’s most adored franchises are brought to life.

Swirl through your favorite ogre’s swamp on Shrek’s Sinkhole Slammer; find your inner champion with the Dragon Warrior Po at Kung Fu Panda’s Temple of Awesomeness; be among the first to hang-ten in the world’s largest indoor wave pool, the 1.5 acres of Far Far a Bay, inspired by Shrek’s magical kingdom . Whether you prefer to challenge the waves on one of two themed Surf’s Up Surf Riders, relax meeting more of your DreamWorks Animation friends on the Bubbly Lazy River or discover your own secret operation at the Penguins of Madagascar Play Zone, you can do it 365 days a year at American Dream. Not to be missed experiences coming later this year include luxury cabanas designed by Jonathan Adler, private party rooms, and so much more. Tickets for DreamWorks Animation Water Park will go on-sale Thursday, February 27, 2020 at www.americandream.com, with limited quantities available.

Fashion’s leading brands and a revolving, always-fresh collective of new shopping experiences will begin to open on March 19. The world’s largest retailers will open immersive flagship and specialty locations, including Aritzia, Zara, Sephora, H&M, UNIQLO, Primark, Ulta Beatuy, Old Navy, Morphe and much more. Retail will continue to open at American Dream throughout 2020, with The Collections, American Dream’s luxury atrium, opening in September 2020.

Fresh and exciting family entertainment will also join American Dream throughout Spring. Challenge your loved ones to a round of 18-holes at North America’s first and only Angry Birds Mini Golf course, experience ‘the city under the sea’ at New Jersey SEA LIFE® Aquarium or build to your heart’s content at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey.

While March 19 is the next landmark chapter in American Dream’s ever-evolving story, the world-class destination ignites a sense of discovery and exploration, encouraging guests to return over and over again, delivering new and memorable experiences with each visit.

ABOUT AMERICAN DREAM
American Dream, developed by Triple Five Group, is an unrivaled destination for fantasy, fashion, food, family, and fun. For more information visit www.americandream.com or follow on Instagram @americandream.

ABOUT DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
DreamWorks Animation (DWA), a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, is a global family entertainment company with feature film and television brands. The company’s deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world. DWA’s feature film heritage includes many of the world’s most beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls and The Boss Baby, and have amassed more than $15 billion in global box office receipts. DreamWorks Animation’s television business has quickly become one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries. Creating a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats and delivering deep, fully immersive worlds served up with compelling characters, the prolific studio has garnered 25 Emmy awards since inception in 2013.

Spring Break x Airbnb Tips

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Spring break travel: Three ways to be a more responsible Airbnb guest

Travelers planning an affordable spring break trip should be aware of the “Airbnb effect.” Areas with a rise in Airbnb rentals, for example, often see a jump in housing prices and other negative aspects of tourism, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Mohammad Rahman, an associate professor in the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University who has studied and written about the home-sharing platform, said the problem goes far beyond housing prices.

For more than two years, Rahman has been studying the prevalence of racial biases among Airbnb guests in New York City. After analyzing millions of Airbnb and Yelp reviews, as well as local restaurant employment data, he found Airbnb guests staying in predominantly black neighborhoods with a rise in Airbnb rentals were more likely to leave reviews with racial keywords such as dangerous, shady and risky. In addition, they were less likely to spend money at local restaurants and were half as likely to make a return trip compared to their predominantly white counterparts.

“From our digging of Airbnb reviews, it seems like people who go to predominantly black areas have a lot more safety concerns versus when they go to predominantly white areas,” Rahman said. “But the reality, when you look at felony numbers and crime statistics, many of these white areas have crime problems, as well.”

Rahman provided these tips to be a more responsible Airbnb guest:

Be conscious of your bias: Rahman currently is studying the prevalence of racial discrimination against black hosts listing a property on the home-sharing platform.

“From my ongoing study, we are seeing some sense of discrimination against black hosts,” he said. “If people can be conscious about that bias and do a little bit more digging before they make a choice, they may be pleasantly surprised. If we can be a little more conscious about our biases as we use these services, I think it might change one out of 50 people.”

Use the power of your dollar: Rahman’s findings show that areas with a rise in Airbnb rentals also experienced a jump in restaurant employment, suggesting guests spent tourism dollars locally rather exploiting residentials areas for cheap lodging and traveling to more traditional tourist destinations. The same economic spillover effect, however, did not take place in predominantly black or Hispanic neighborhoods.

“At least think about going to the local areas and helping them out because you are causing trouble as a traveler going to a residential area,” he said. “You are causing an unnecessary burden on that residential area, so spending your tourist dollars in that neighborhood is certainly useful.”

Share an Airbnb: The home-sharing platform allows visitors to stay in residential areas outside of traditional tourism hotspots with hotels and other lodging options. But renting an entire home rather than a single, private room often defeats the purpose of the service, Rahman said.

“The private room option is a sustainable way of traveling and really makes sure that the true value of Airbnb is preserved. Renting the whole home is essentially a hotel service,” Rahman said. “Now, I understand that’s a much, much bigger ask, but that’s something to consider if you are really focused on being a more responsible traveler.

La Gaia x Repsol Sun Award

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La Gaia, the flagship restaurant located in the Ibiza Gran Hotel, receives its second Sol Repsol thanks to its Mediterranean Kaiseki gastronomic proposal.

La Gaia, the iconic restaurant at Ibiza Gran Hotel, wins its second Repsol Sun. With this award, the Spanish Repsol Guide recognizes the excellence of the gastronomic proposal and experience offered by the chef Óscar Molina and his team. La Gaia aims at taking its culinary offer a step further through its gastronomic concept: Mediterranean Kaiseki. An enveloping ceremony for the five senses with Japanese and Mediterranean influences. While finding the perfect balance between haute cuisine and artistic expression, Óscar Molina shows his most personal side through elaborations that tell stories and express his life experiences.

There is a new gastronomic landmark to celebrate in Balearic Islands as of 2020. La Gaia, the flagship restaurant of Ibiza Gran Hotel, just won its second Repsol Sun, the award that the Spanish Repsol Guide gives away every year to the best restaurants and chefs in order to reward the excellence of a culinary proposal and service. Thus, the restaurant becomes the only one to obtain the second distinction within the islands in this edition.

Within a magnificent location in the island and led by the chef Óscar Molina, La Gaia is the unique fusion cuisine restaurant that has conquered the most demanding palates in Ibiza. Since its opening, his essence and philosophy have always been present within the project and culinary proposal. A new gastronomic concept that has never stopped evolving due to Oscar’s self-demand and curiosity for trying new techniques, flavours and textures while surprising. Thus, in order to keep looking for the excellence and sophistication and after winning its first Repsol Sun in 2017, La Gaia presented its new gastronomic concept in 2019 under Mediterranean Kaiseki.

With this proposal, which will be the main pillar of the gastronomic experience at La Gaia in 2020, Molina and his team turn every dinner into an authentic enveloping ceremony where every detail, color, texture and flavour are balance in every dish to express and show the intensity of the flavours at its finest. In the same way and being completely aware of the rich environment that surrounds the island, Balearic Islands and the Mediterranean sea are very present in every creation through the techniques, ingredients and flavours.

Through a dynamic menu that evolves and changes throughout the season, Mediterranean Kaiseki is also the most personal culinary proposal of the chef Óscar Molina, who uses every plate as a canvas to capture his experiences, memories, emotions and reivindicaciones.

“Obtaining the second Repsol Sun is not only a huge pride and joy but also an incredible energy and enthusiasm boost for the whole team. Starting off the season with this recognition makes us commencing with more hope and goodwill if possible. We can’t wait to open La Gaia doors again this year to keep exceeding our expectations and giving away special moments for our dinners. We want to move them through an excellent gastronomic experience with a very personal and careful treatment that makes them feel like at home” states the chef Óscar Molina.

About La Gaia:
La Gaia is the gastronomic flagship restaurant of Ibiza Gran Hotel. Managed by the chef Óscar Molina and inspired by the Japanese Kaiseki tradition that reflects the perfect combination between haute cusine and artistic expression around the Mediterranean universe, La Gaia has designed a culinary proposal capable of transporting the most exquisite palates into other gastronomic worlds. The result is a whole menu with a strong personality and creative winks that come from the very latest gastronomic trends.

LA GAIA
Address: Passeig Joan Carles I, 17, 07800 Ibiza
Opening times: Monday to Sunday from 20:00 to 1:00
Average price: 80 – 100€/pp
Tasting menu: 80€/pp
Reservations: +34 971 806 806

Cannúa Resort x Travel Promo

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Enjoy Two Nights Free at New Boutique Hotel with True Colombia Travel Promo

Be among the first travelers to experience luxury eco resort Cannúa, sister company to True Colombia Travel, which just opened Dec. 1, 2019

Travelers can enjoy a two-night complimentary stay in a deluxe room at the newly-opened Cannúa, Colombia’s first luxury eco resort (a value of $500 USD), when they book a custom tour of Antioquia with True Colombia Travel by March 31, 2020.

True Colombia Travel, a locally-owned and led tour operator, specializes in customized experiences in under-explored regions throughout Colombia, and is celebrating the launch of its sister-company, Cannúa, with its spring promo.

Opened in December 2019, Cannúa is an 18-room boutique hotel set within a protected forest in Antioquia. Taking a holistic approach to sustainability, the 27-acre mountain-side retreat is rooted in permaculture design principles, built from sustainably-sourced bamboo and compressed-earth blocks and utilizing rainwater through its own on-site water treatment system. It also features two acres of organic gardens and food forests to supply its restaurant, and works with local organic farmers for ingredients that can’t otherwise be produced on-site.

The opening of an eco resort of this nature is part of a new era of experiential travel being forged within the region.

“Antioquia offers so much, and now, travelers have the opportunity to mix the rustic, off-the-beaten-path rural exploration of the region with a luxurious stay, complete with some pampering, ” says Brian Schon, co-founder and director of True Colombia Travel. “Guests can spend five days doing all kinds of adventurous activities, from paragliding to exploring local caves and searching for wild hippos, and then spend a couple nights relaxing at Cannúa, enjoying delicious food, gentle hikes, spa treatments, and gorgeous sunsets set against the most incredible views.”

True Colombia Travel’s Antioquia trips start and end in Medellín. To take advantage of this offer, write promo code Antioquia2020 in the subject line of your inquiry and book by Mar. 31, 2020, for travel until April 1, 2021.

For more information about True Colombia Travel’s fully-customized cultural, culinary and environmental tours in all corners of the country, visit www.truecolombiatravel.com.

About True Colombia Travel
True Colombia Travel specializes in offering fully customized cultural, culinary and environmental tours throughout the rural and urban regions of Colombia. Owned and operated by locals who are passionate about their community, the TCT team is made up of bilingual artists, nature-lovers and world travelers committed to sharing Colombia’s secrets with visitors as respectfully and responsibly as possible. Welcoming families, groups, solo travelers and adventurers of all ages, True Colombia Travel creates personalized itineraries designed to showcase the people, heritage, culture and natural treasures that makes Colombia one of the most promising destinations in the world.

Cannúa, True Colombia Travel, Vacation, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

Photo courtesy of Cannúa

Tyga and Ozuna x Ayy Macarena REMIX

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TYGA AND OZUNA JOIN FORCES FOR THE “AYY MACARENA” (REMIX)

Today, GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum modern hip-hop icon Tyga shares the remix of his viral hit-single “Ayy Macarena” featuring one of Latin music’s most influential artists, Ozuna.

Get it HERE.

Watch the animated visualizer HERE.

The original song featured the release of the eye-popping video, which alternates between cinematic set-pieces and fiery dancing as the crossover hit blares in the background. “Ayy Macarena” exploded as yet another hit from the star, crossing over 170 million worldwide streams and 51 million views on the official video since its release.

Additionally, “Ayy Macarena” ignited the #MacarenaChallenge around the globe. Cemented as one of the world’s most viral challenges, it has generated over 850K videos viewed over 300 million times and counting across YouTube, TikTok, and Triller, taking over five continents with support from some of the biggest platform influencers in the world.

ABOUT TYGA:
As a rapper, entrepreneur, and influential force, Tyga maintains his place at the forefront of hip-hop and the culture. Since emerging in 2008, his influence consistently grew year after year to affect nearly every facet of the mainstream. Throughout his career, he earned dozens of multiplatinum certifications around the world, including the quadruple-platinum “Rack City,” triple-platinum “Faded,” and double-platinum “Ayo” with Chris Brown, to name a few. In 2018, he turned up with his most successful single to date “Taste” [feat. Offset]. Not only did it go six-times platinum and clinch #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it generated over 1 billion cumulative streams. It also paved the way for his 2019 opus, Legendary, released via his own Last Kings Records / Empire Distribution. Legendary crashed the Top 20 on the Top 200 chart, scored a gold certification release week, and accumulated 5 billion streams in under a year. Tyga perennially holds a place in the Top 30 of the “Most Streamed Artists on Spotify.” His influence continues to grow with each subsequent album.

ABOUT OZUNA:
Latin Music Superstar Ozuna is a multi-platinum Puerto Rican singer-songwriter leading the wave of the new generation of Latin music artists. Among his numerous achievements, in 2019 he broke the record as the biggest winner in a single year in the history of the Billboard Latin Music Awards. He also won Contemporary Latin Songwriter of the Year at the 2019 BMI Awards and made the 2019 Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list. He currently ranks among 2019 Nielsen Music Midyear Top 5 Latin Artists and Top 5 Latin Albums. His most recent album, NIBIRU, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Latin chart. This successful debut along with other major releases helped Ozuna claim the #1 position on Billboard’s year end charts in categories including Latin Airplay Artists, Latin Rhythm Airplay Artists, Latin Rhythm Album Artists, and Latin Streaming Songs. He also remains at the summit of worldwide streaming and digital-download charts. He just kicked off his NIBIRU World Tour.

In 2018 he was named YouTube’s most-viewed artist globally and holds the record as the artist with the most videos with over one billion views, seven in total. His debut studio album “Odisea” became the longest-leading No. 1 album by a male artist on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums charts, with an impressive 46 weeks atop; while his sophomore studio album “Aura” debuted No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and remained #1 in the Top Latin Album’s chart for 17 weeks. He has an impressive collection of chart-topping collaborations with the biggest names in Latin music, like Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, and Nicky Jam; as well as globally acclaimed megastars, such as DJ Snake, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Post Malone, Jeniffer López, Snoop Dogg, and ROSALÍA, among many others.

Ozuna currently holds four Guinness World Records official titles for his impressive musical achievements.

FOLLOW TYGA:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Angama Mara x Tented Camp

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Angama Mara the award-winning safari lodge overlooking Kenya’s Maasai Mara, has announced the July 2020 introduction of Angama Safari Camp, a seasonal sole-use tented camp situated in a remote wilderness region of the southwestern Mara Triangle.

The team that created Angama Mara has reunited to launch the new Safari Camp with Jan Allan‘s tent design and interiors by Annemarie Meintjes.

Comprising four tents, sleeping up to eight guests, the camp will offer absolute privacy in the midst of the mega herds of the migration and abundant resident wildlife. “The design, quite unlike any other mobile tented camp, will be fresh, light and uncluttered, making for easy living while echoing many of the most loved elements of its older sister. There will be Fermob and Vogel furniture, there will be red and blue. As with the Angama Mara lodge, Angama Safari Camp will have the very best of everything, but also just the right amount of everything,” adds owner of Angama, Nicky Fitzgerald.

The tents are unprecedented in design with a distinctive look created through a playful and unusual roof shape. Below the roof sits a landscape-oriented inner tent, allowing for the bedroom, dressing room and bathroom to open up onto the view. Designed for maximum cross-ventilation, the tents also have a four-layer roof system to help keep them cool. Inside, the guest tent beds will be extra-length king and can be made up as a double or twins. The ensuite dressing room, double bucket shower room and private toilet offer the same high levels of comfort as Angama Mara.

Tucked away in a forest below the towering western wall of the Great Rift Valley, guests will have access to extraordinary wildlife experiences right on their doorstep and can tailor-make their safari days, leaving the Safari Camp as early as 6am and returning after sundown at 7:30pm. Aside from the migration, the region of the Mara Triangle where Angama Safari Camp is located is home to cheetah, resident prides of lion, large elephant herds, buffalo and abundant plains game.

Angama Safari Camp will welcome its first guests in early July and will operate until the end of September, with October on request. There is a minimum three-night stay and children of all ages are welcome. “Angama’s little camp will delight our guests by capturing the essence of the glorious adventure of the Golden Age of the African safari – romance, privacy, unconstrained freedom, stories shared around the campfire, dinners lit only by starlight, gentle Kenyan service, the nights either wrapped in silence or filled with sounds of hyena and lions calling, surrounded by a million migrating wildebeest,” concludes Fitzgerald.

ABOUT ANGAMA MARA
High above the Maasai Mara where some of the most romantic scenes from Out of Africa were filmed, Angama Mara comprises two separate and intimate camps, each encompassing 15 tented guest suites. Built on the edge of the Great Rift Valley on one of the most sought-after sites on the continent, this lodge offers heart stopping views as far as the eye can see. The lodge, helmed by industry veteran Nicky Fitzgerald (formerly of &Beyond), boasts outstanding game viewing 12 months of the year, with private access to the reserve. Inspired by the Swahili word for ‘suspended in mid-air,’ Angama Mara floats 1,000 feet above the Maasai Mara, where, every morning, hot air balloons sail past the 30-foot-wide floor-to-ceiling glass fronts of each suite.

In addition to consistently excellent game viewing, including Africa’s Big Five, guests enjoy walking safaris, garden-to-table lunches in the shamba, editing their images in the Photographic Studio a fitness center, a 40-foot-long swimming pool, a curated gallery of African art, clothing and jewelry, and a sun-filled studio where local Maasai women work at beading bespoke items. Angama Mara was named #1 Safari Lodge in the World by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2018.

TENNESSEE TOURISM SPOTS

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Tennessee has something to sing about in its newest tourism spots launched this week by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD). The state unveiled three new commercials to rotate in broadcast and digital markets nationally emphasizing Tennessee’s matchless scenic beauty, family experiences and unparalleled music. An extension of the award-winning “Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” campaign, the department and its ad agency of record, VMLY&R, created the new ads which underscore the state’s connection to music everywhere.

The new creative captures the diverse sounds of Tennessee including its vibrant cities, great outdoors and hidden gems for a soundtrack that can only be made in Tennessee.

In a stunning new outdoor spot, “Music Everywhere”—filmed at locations including the Great Smoky Mountains, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Tullahoma, Lake Watauga and South Holston Lake—the characteristic sounds of nature transform to emphasize music is everywhere, although the instruments may vary.

GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter and Jackson, Tennessee native Jessi Alexander serves as voiceover talent on a family-targeted ad, “Laughter.” Alexander, a mother of three, has written three No. 1 hits including “I Drive Your Truck,” which earned Song of the Year honors for artist Lee Brice at the 2013 CMA Awards, 2013 NSAI Awards and 2014 ACM Awards, and Blake Shelton’s recordings of “Mine Would Be You” and “Drink On It.” Her new album “Decatur County Red” will be released on March 27.

Hit Nashville songwriter Rivers Rutherford, whose voiceover accompanied the original “Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” campaign, is featured on “Music Everywhere,” “Morning Person” and another forthcoming ad, “Ronald.”

Since its inception in 2015, “The Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” campaign has helped fuel record growth in Tennessee’s $22 billion tourism industry, generating $1.81 billion in state and local taxes in 2018. The leisure and hospitality industry employs 340,000 Tennesseans according to the Tennessee Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, and is the fastest-growing sector of employment in Tennessee. The state’s No. 2 industry generates revenue that funds vital services such as quality education, healthcare and public safety.