Luxury Travel Nightlife Restaurant Chef

Just 2 hours away from Guam, Continental Micronesia takes you to the Jewel of the Pacific - Palau! Divers and snorkelers have found their nirvana at such sites as Blue Corner, the German Channel, Shark City & Jellyfish Lake. Get covered in volcanic mud at the popular Milky Way cove, hike down to the Ngardmau Waterfall, swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Pacific, or explore the history of Palau by visiting stone monoliths, a traditional Bai meeting house, Palau’s National Capital, Belau National Museum and the Etpison Museum. Other fun things to do include a daytrip to Carp Island, exploring the Rock Islands and going on a Jungle River Cruise.

Stay at the luxurious Palau Pacific Resort (check out our interview with Chef Alex Suzuki at the resort), Landmark Marina Resort, Airai Water Paradise Hotel, M&A Riverside Beach Bungalows or the North Beach Cottages.

Celebrities who have visited this magnificent island include Paul Allen, Laurence Fishburne, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich.

Listen in on our interview with Managing Director, Darin de Leon, for the Palau Visitor’s Authority.

Stay tuned for a full roundup article highlighting hotels, resorts, attractions and dining in Palau!

Enjoy podsafe artist Douglas Kay with his hit “How can I be sure?”

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On Saturday, for the first time ever, the Sunset Strip was closed down for the Sunset Strip Music Festival. The line-up featured The Donnas, Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Pepper, and Shiny Toy Guns (seen in photo).

In addition to the two stages at opposite ends of the Strip, the clubs along the blocks, including the Key Club, the Roxy, the Cat Club, the Whisky A-Go-Go and the Viper Room, hosted bands throughout the day. People jumped from club to stage and back all day.

One of the many after parties of the evening was at the host hotel, the Andaz. Formerly the, “Riot Hyatt”, the new Andaz played host to many of the rockers, groupies, and fans. Ozzy even dined at RH, the hotel’s restaurant, immediately following his performance. (Be on the look out for journeyPod’s exclusive interview with RH’s Chef Sebastien Archambault.)

journeyPod chatted with Torry Castellano the drummer from the popular girl band, The Donnas –who kicked off the SSMF. Torry gave us some inside scoop on what clubs artists prefer to play on the Sunset Strip and why! We listened to a rare acoustic set from Shiny Toy Guns at the Viper Room and then we got some inside scoop from Michel Morauw on what makes the new Andaz hotel so unique.

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Which wine tastes best with pork chops in a maple glaze? Does rosemary-marinated grilled halibut invite red or white wine? Are there also great food pairings for beer, spirits, cocktails, coffee and tea? journeyPod had a chance to chat with Wine Expert, Natalie McClean, about some great wine & food pairings. Find out what strange food Marilyn Monroe used to pair her white wine with and impress a date with a brand new iPhone, iTouch & Blackberry application called Drinks Matcher.

Natalie is the author of the bestseller ‘Red, White and Drunk All Over‘ and publishes a free wine newsletter at www.nataliemaclean.com. Natalie is also a ‘tweetmeister’ on Twitter, so make sure to follow her: http://twitter.com/NatalieMacLean & look for her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nataliemaclean

For more luxury travel tips make sure to follow journeyPod on Twitter: http://twitter.com/journeyPod.

Enjoy podsafe artist Amy Ayres with her hit “Today”.

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Just twenty miles from downtown Los Angeles and seven miles south of LAX, Redondo Beach is a hot spot! Located in an area of LA referred to as the South Bay….along with Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach lies right on the Pacific and embodies the quintessential Southern California lifestyle!

journeyPod scoped out some great dining in Redondo Beach. It’s no surprise seafood was a top choice! ChartHouse Restaurant, Captain Kidd’s Fish Market, Bluewater Grill, and Baleen. Be sure to check out our Chef’s Corner with Chef Daniel from Baleen.

And when it comes time for an overnight, your best bet is The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club. It’s part of the Noble House & Resorts collection and has recently undergone a $11M renovation. It’s waterfront luxury at its best! journeyPod sat down and spoke with Jeannene Glenn, General Manager at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club, and got some inside scoop on this amazing property.

Get away to Redondo Beach, and enjoy the relaxing sounds of Sasha Evans–an up and coming artist from nearby Laguna Beach. You are sure to hear this young talent lady making waves soon! And you heard her first here on journeyPod.com.

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Come along as we explore the island of Singapore.  Singapore is known for its shopping! And Orchard Road is lined with mega shopping malls. After shopping we tried the local durian fruit–even when the locals cautioned us against it!  We sampled the local cuisine: chili crab, chicken & rice, nasi lemak (coconut rice), satay, ba kut teh (pork ribs), and fried hokkien mee (fried noodle with prawn). And my absolute favorite food–Kaya Toast. 
Be sure to experience Singaporean culture first hand by visiting the villages: China Town, Malay Village, and India Town.  
journeyPod even got a glimpse into Singaporean fashion. The latest craze…stylish, colorful footwear made by Braziliano Praia.  A shout out to Kelly Tan and Michelin Star Chef Marco Pedrelli at Mandarin Oriental Singapore. And a huge thank you to Capella Singapore for their kind hospitality! This amazing six-star property open this past Spring and is breathtaking. Let’s take a listen as Michael Luible, General Manager of Capella Singapore, talks to journeyPod.com.

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journeyPod is your guide to luxury travel around the world. Come along as we explore the island of Singapore. Our first stop is actually a small island off the coast of Singapore–Sentosa Island. Connected by a bridge, Sentosa Island offers many exciting attractions such as The Merlion, Cafe Del Mar, the Luge, and Tiger Sky Tower. Sentosa Island is also the location of the much anticipated “Resort World,” opening later next year.

Let’s take a listen as Ben Bousnina, General Manager of Rasa Sentosa Resort talks to journeyPod.com. Check out the new song, “Islands of Desire”, by Ichiro Nakagawa.

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Who says chocolate has to be a guilty pleasure? journeyPod had a chance to chat with the Master of Chocolate, Jacques Torres, aka Mr. Chocolate, at the 2009 Saborea Food Festival in Puerto Rico. At the festival we tasted his chocolate and rum concoction and became, almost immediately, his greatest fan!

Listen in as Jacques Torres describes his love for the Puerto Rican culinary scene as well as what it was like to cook for the Pope!

Make sure to visit www.MrChocolate.com to order your next chocolate delight! (We love the Hot Hot Chocolate and the Chocolate Covered Cherios!)

Enjoy podsafe artist Roadtrip and their hit “The Chocolate Song”.

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Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard took home a journeyPod-sponsored trip to Barcelona during one of the challenges on the show. journeyPod had a chance to chat with this culinary diva about her adventure in the Catalan city, her new restaurant Drunken Goat and her video podcast “The Tasty Life“.

For more celebrity chef interviews like this make sure to check out our podcasts in iTunes - keyword “journeyPod”. Follow us on twitter for all the latest gourmet gossip, travel tips and celebrity sightings!

To keep up with Stephanie Izard & check out her weekly pod show visit http://stephanieIzard.com

Enjoy podsafe artist Bill with his hit “Sound Scientist”.

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journeyPod takes you live to the pre-party of the 2009 Saborea Food Festival as we chat with President and CEO of the Puerto Rico Hotel Association, Clarisa Jimenez who lets us in on what this food and wine event is all about.

journeyPod tasted great food and wine from such chefs as:

Chef Augusto who was the owner of Augusto’s Restaurant

Chef Wilo Benet – Picayo, Paya and Varitas Restaurants

Chef Roberto Triviño – Budatai Restaurant

Chef Mario Pagán – Lemongrass at Caribe Hilton Hotel

Restaurant Perla

Book your accommodation for next year’s event April 8-10, 2009 and stay at the luxurious El Conquistador Hotel and Golden Door Spa, Caribe Hilton, Conrad San Juan or El Convento Hotel at Old San Juan.

Enjoy podsafe artist The Front Street Project with their hit “Nighty Night”.

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journeyPod takes you live to the 2009 Saborea Food Festival on Escambron Beach in Puerto Rico.  We sat on the tasting panel as local and International chefs took their stab at infusing their signature dishes with local Puerto Rican ingredients. The festival was amazing, the view breathtaking and the crowd extremely friendly! journeyPod sampled tastings from restaurants like Il Mulino, Lemongrass, Budatai and Chayote.

Listen in as we chat with Iron Chef Cat Cora at the festival, right before she went on stage to demonstrate how to make the most succulent crab cake known to palate!

Grab your tickets to next year’s event by visiting www.saboreapuertorico.com today! Book yourself a cozy room at some of our favorite hotels and resorts on the island: Conrad San Juan, La Concha, El San Juan Hotel & Casino & the marvelous El Conquistado Resort & Golden Spa.

Enjoy podsafe artist Paul Borth with his smooth hit “The Beach 1969″.

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