I rarely find national campaigns all that compelling but I’ll admit that ‘The Gathering’ in Ireland caught my eye. Rather than bragging about how great the country is with celebrity cameos and overly Photoshopped pictures, Ireland invites visitors to find their inner-Irish. This is being done through a series of ‘gatherings’, or events, that take a piece of Irish heritage and turn it into something anyone can relate to.

Gatherings range from family reunions to community tours, special events and food festivals centred around things like oysters and Guinness.

To learn more about The Gathering, visit: www.thegatheringireland.com

Leave us a comment to let us know if you’ll be heading to a gathering in Ireland this year

The show, entitled David Bowie is, comes to Toronto after a wildly popular run at London’s V&A Museum and will cover five decades of the artists life with costumes (like the famous Ziggy Stardust bodysuits), parts of the set from the 1874 Diamond Dogs tour, diaries, instruments, photographs, video clips, music videos and more.

“This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate a living artist whose radical artfulness of identity has had an enormous influence on art, design and contemporary culture as we know it,” said Matthew Teitelbaum, director and CEO of the AGO. “We are thrilled to work with the world-class V&A in bringing the provocative genius and vision of David Bowie to Toronto.”

Being born the year Let’s Dance topped the charts, this is an exhibit that I definitely won’t miss.

Sukita / The David Bowie Archive

Add this to your list of things to do if you’re heading to Toronto between September 25th and November 27th, 2013.

For more information on the show, visit: www.ago.net

Check out this video about the project below:

After a near catastrophic fire in 2010, which destroyed all but the shell of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ temple, efforts to to restore the building went into effect with a proposal to build two basement levels beneath the existing shell of the building.

The result? A complicated process which has the temple being held up on stilts so that it almost appears to be levitating. It’s quite a sight to see!

To learn more about the project, visit: www.ldschurchtemples.com/provocitycenter/

So how do you get a diva to make the trip to your town? Get old and throw a party.

Streisand’s visit will coincide with Israel’s 65th anniversary celebration with two performances. At Bloomfield Stadium on June 20th and 22nd she’ll belt it out backed by a 60-piece orchestra and musical guests like her son Jason Gould, sister Roslyn Kind and special guest trumpeter Chris Botti.

It’s sure to be quite the celebration!

Ami Allon, Consul for Tourism, Israel Government Tourist Office – Canada said,  ”The concert will surely provide some additional excitement for music lovers and travelers arriving in Israel this summer.”

So Babs fans, now you have another excuse to get yourself on a plane ASAP!

For more information on the show, visit: www.eventim.co.il

Nearly 25 years later, the Victoria and Albert Museum is putting on an exhibition in honour of this important moment in history. In an exhibition entitled “Club to Catwalk”, over 85 outfits by London-based designers John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and Katherine Hamnett will be on display along with accessories from Stephen Jones and Patrick Cox.

(Image courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum)

The exhibition will run from July 10th to February 16th.

For more information, visit: www.vam.ac.uk

Taking place July 12th to 14th, the Indy is one of the biggest events in the city each summer. “The Honda Indy Toronto brings a shot of adrenaline to the city every summer,” says David Whitaker, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto.

In the spirit of the Indy, Porter Airlines‘ holiday partner Porter Escapes is offering an ‘Escape to the races’ package. The package includes:

• Roundtrip airfare to Toronto from any available Porter Airlines gateway
• 3-day access to the Honda Indy Toronto – 3 seating levels available: Pit Lane Upper Grandstand, Start/Finish Lower Grandstand or Turn 10
• 4-star hotel accommodation at the Hyatt Regency Toronto, Sheraton Centre Toronto or Westin Harbour Castle

Packages run from roughly $500 per person to around $1,500 depending on where you’re coming from and whether you book a 2, 3 or 4 night stay.

If you’re an Indy fan, this is definitely the way to go as it ensures that you’ll be staying with fellow Indy-enthusiasts, and well, you get to fly with Porter (which is always a pleasure)!

To learn more about the deal, visit: www.porterescapes.com/toronto-indy-escapes

The Times identified the owner as Taichi Sakaiya, a political guru and business man who claims that the swimming pool would be part of the overall revitalization of Dotonbori, an area once rich in historic theatres, bawdy houses, shops and restaurants. The canal sits right in the centre of the district, similar to New York‘s Times Square but over the years has become a bit run down.

This is what the canal currently looks like:

(Image courtesy of Wikimedia)

Yasuo Fukuda, a company spokesman, explains that the cost to transform the canal is expected to run around ¥3 billion (just over $30 million Canadian).“The pool will only be 12 meters wide, but 800 meters long. The water will not be canal water, but purified city water that will be pumped into what is, essentially, a giant tank,”. Even still, that’s pretty pricey for a city pool.

Though some residents have expressed concerns that the pool will become an expensive urinal for bar patrons in the area who have already been spotted relieving themselves into the canal, the company is adamant about having this pool open by the summer of 2015. If it happens, it will be the world’s largest outdoor swimming pool.

Leave us a comment with your thoughts on turning  Dotonbori Canal into a swimming pool. 

Smart Swimming Goggles are a new concept from designers Han Chanhee, Kim Juyoung, Han Dhojin and Kwon Yoonjoo. 

From the outside, they look like any other pair of underwater goggles, but this unique face mask is equipped with a  built-in GPS, 3D camera, ‘call’ button to reach other divers and a ‘smart’ information display (called ‘augmented reality’) that gives you information about fish and plants that you see as well as informs you when oxygen is low of if something dangerous (like a shark, yikes!) is nearby.

Though the goggles are still in the concept phase, they’ve already won a number of awards so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them on the market soon!

Check out more images below:

This definitely changes the way I think about diving!

Would you be interested in using these Smart Swimming Goggles?

Leave us a comment with your thoughts.

Okay, for those of us that like to use the lack of connectivity while flying as an excuse to watch bad movies or sleep (admit it, that’s you), this may not be the best news. But for those that like to stay connected all the time, this is huge!

The video shows a bunch of engineers installing a specially crafted antenna on the top of the plane which will allow you to connect with your laptops, tablets and smart phones once the plane has reached 20,000 feet.

Rates will be fixed for the entire plane (regardless of flight class) and you will also be able to access an inflight website that will give you destination and airline info.

With rather reasonable rates of EUR 10.95 per hour or EUR 19.95 for the full flight, it may be hard to convince yourself that the really bad movie is time better spent, but you have to admit that sometimes it’s nice to ‘turn off’ for a while.

Check out the video below:

Leave us a comment to let us know whether you will be logging on to the in-flight Wi-Fi on your next flight.

If you’re between the ages of 25 and 60, you’ve probably been to at least one all-inclusive resort in your life. Whether it was in Mexico, the Dominican, Cuba or otherwise, package vacations are a great, no hassle way to escape the daily grind and get a little sun. The problem is, it’s often hard to distinguish between these holidays, regardless of what country you happen to choose.

(Image courtesy of Round Hill)

Once again, people are seeking out a more unique and more memorable experience that can be found at a luxurious boutique accommodation.

Where JFK and  Ralph Lauren came to play

It’s 7:30 am when the smell of crackling bacon pulls me from my dreams back to the thick mosquito netting that drapes romantically over my queen-sized four-poster bed. The bacon is being prepared by Joy, the house-keeper for my private villa who comes every morning to see if I’ve requested breakfast at the villa or whether I’ll head down to the ocean side restaurant at the hotel. It’s just a regular morning at Round Hill Hotel and Villas, one of the few boutique hotels in Jamaica that is reviving the Old World charm Jamaica was once prized for.

My made-to-order breakfast at Round Hill (Photo by Simone Olivero)

Round Hill opened in 1953 under the vision of John Pringle, a high-born Jamaican with a knack for business and pretty things. He came up with the concept of a luxury complex of privately-owned cottages that would be rented out and run by a hotel on one of Jamaica’s most beautiful strips of sand in Montego Bay.

As one of the first of its kind, the hotel attracted a number of European and American socialites as well as celebrities like Bing Crosby, Paul Newman, Clark Gable and Alfred Hitchcock.

Prized for its impeccable service and family-like setting, the hotel has a rich history of influence.

(L-R: JFK, Ralph Lauren and Paul Newman at Round Hill (Images courtesy of Round Hill)

Villa 10 is famous for being the place where former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie Kennedy honeymooned, while Villa 12 is where Oscar Hammerstein stayed when he’s rumoured to have met Maria von Trapp and dreamt up The Sound of Music. 

Today, Round Hill offers guests the same level of quality accommodations with on-site child care and nanny services; an elegant farm-to-table restaurant with produce sourced from the farm on the property and served waterside; a rustic spa designed by Ralph Lauren (who is also a regular visitor) with morning yoga on the terrace; and a stunning private beach with water so calm and clear you’ll feel like you’re dipping your toes into a warm bath.

(Image courtesy of Round Hill)

Round Hill Hotel and Villas,  John Pringle Drive, Montego Bay, 1(800) 972-2159, www.roundhill.com

68,400 square feet of spa

In the 1950s, a bunch of business magnates visiting Jamaica’s north coast fell in love with the climate and decided to invest in 35 acres of land on the crescent-shaped beach just outside of Montego Bay. With 17 investors they built a series of luxurious, white-washed cottages and a 30-room beachfront hotel that would later become the massive compound of Half Moon, A RockResort.

(Image courtesy of Half Moon)

Appealing more to royality than celebrity, the resort has hosted a number of luminaries including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Prince Rainier and Princess Caroline of Monaco and the Kennedys, who vacationed here and Round Hill the month prior to JFK’s presidential inauguration.

As you manoeuvre your way around the lofty property in one of the golf carts provided to guests, you’ll quickly realize that day trips off the resort are completely unnecessary. Every activity you can imagine is located directly on the resort, including horseback riding, a health and fitness centre, tennis and squash courts, a private dolphin lagoon, a shopping strip, grocery store, golf course, six restaurants and seven bars. The biggest draw, however, is the 68,400 square foot indoor/outdoor spa.

Fern Tree Spa (Photos by Simone Olivero)

Fern Tree Spa is a little oasis within the tropical confines of Half Moon. The first of its kind in the Caribbean, the spa mixes traditional Jamaican healing with modern-day spa techniques.

(Image courtesy of Half Moon)

The grounds are impeccably groomed with six beachfront spa suites, two over-water bungalows, outdoor soaking tubs, a VIP lounge, relaxation rooms and a private pool with waterfall — all surrounded by lush plantation-style gardens.

On my visit I was treated to an 80-minute signature massage, which featured a Jamaican Cerasee ritual foot bath and a deep tissue massage using allspice, ginger and orange essential oils, infused body compresses and a splash of rum because, hey, this is Jamaica after all!

Half Moon, a RockResort, Rose Hall, Montego Bay, 1 (800) 438-7241, halfmoon.rockresorts.com 

The name’s Bond… James Bond

This year 007 celebrated it’s 50th anniversary and what better way to celebrate then by heading to the place where it all began, Golden Eye Hotel & Resort.

(Image courtesy of Golden Eye)

Sent to Jamaica’s Oracabessa Bay (just outside of Ocho Rios) as part of Britain’s naval force in 1942, author and naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming fell in love with what he called the “peace and silence and cut-offnesss from the madding world” that the tropical island provided. Vowing to return, he later purchased 15 acres of a former donkey race course with a rocky private beach where he built a quiet retreat where he could focus on his writing.

The open-air home would become the place where he felt most inspired and where he wrote all 14 of his famous James Bond novels.

Ian Fleming’s Desk (Photos by Simone Olivero)

During Fleming’s time, many celebrities were drawn to the property including Evelyn Waugh, Lucian Freud, Katherine Hepburn, Cecil Beaton, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Truman Capote.

In 1976, founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell purchased Fleming’s 15 acres and expanded it to become the 52-acre property the hotel is today. It features 21 quaint cottages, suites and villas, including Fleming’s original villa which sits on a more secluded spot on the outskirts of the property.

Guests of Golden Eye are treated to an ocean-fed lagoon that snakes behind the beach with private villas and suites dotted along the water. There are complimentary water sports, like stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking, as well as a rustic swim-up spa which finishes off massages with a fresh coconut chopped straight from the tree.

(Image by Simone Olivero)

By far the best spot on the resort is the natural salt-water pool that sits at the edge of a rocky point where waves crash over the wall and into the pool. The music of Bob Marley plays softly in the background from speakers integrated right into the stone.

Closing your eyes against the burning sun, it’s easy to see how Fleming famously said, “I’m going to live the rest of my life in Jamaica.”

Golden Eye Hotel & Resort, Oracabessa Bay, 1 (800) 688-7678, www.goldeneye.com

Though luxury Jamaica definitely doesn’t come cheap, sitting waterside without the noisy distraction of screaming children and drunk package vacationers makes you wonder if it might just be worth it.