Luxury Travel Nightlife Restaurant Chef

Coronado is home to about 26,000 people. It is connected to San Diego by the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge, with its distinctive curved span. Coronado is surrounded by water — the Pacific Ocean, Glorietta and San Diego Bay. Located about 20 minutes from San Diego International Airport, Coronado Bay is a must-see location!  And….contrary to popular myth, Coronado Bay is NOT part of San Diego. It is it’s own city.

Swim, surf, sail, fish, bike, skate, golf, or play tennis - Coronado is definitely the place to be if you love the outdoors. The city’s Central, North and Silver Strand beaches are ideal for whatever water-related activity you can think of — there’s even Dog Beach, where your pet can frolic with you.

And if you’re looking for a pet-friendly place to stay while visiting beautiful Coronado Bay, Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa is just the place! As part of its commitment to the environment, Loews Hotels encourages even its furriest guests to do their part in promoting responsible, sustainable consumption (literally).

journeyPod recently visited Coronado Bay (without our pets) and had the opportunity to experience the the wonderful cuisine (check out our Chef’s Corner with Chef Patrick) and the relaxing Sea Spa.  After our pampering at the spa–it was like tapas at the spa–a taste of everything– we sat and chatted with Spa Director, Krystal Mason, for some inside scoop!

For more luxury travel tips, follow us on twitter - twitter.com/journeyPod. Join the afterparty on our facebook and myspace pages. For your celebrity gossip fill for the week check out the coolest social network on the web at journeyPod.ning.com. Now let’s take a listen to relaxing podsafe song called The Bay by Karl Stephen Brunig.

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San Diego, California. The name conjures up complete bliss: pristine beaches, sunny year round weather, the Zoo, shopping, and of course fine dining and luxurious hotels and resorts. journeyPod has had the opportunity over the past few yeas to cover a few select San Diego area properties such as the Ivy,

The Rancho Bernardo Inn, La Costa, Estancia, L’Auberge, and a few select others. (Be sure to check out our archives for these great podcast shows!) Well, my fellow jet-setters, it’s time to add a new favorite to the list: The Grand Del Mar. As the name suggests, it’s grand. Located in Northern San Diego, this property will make you think you’ve been magically transported to the Tuscan countryside. Really.

Add to the opulent atmosphere of this new destination resort the fact that it’s signature fine dining restaurant, Addison, has earned one of the most coveted awards of all: a Five Diamond rating from the Automobile Association of America (AAA). journeyPod definitely agrees. We had a private tasting with Chef William Bradley and Jesse Rodriguez, Sommelier, gave us the pleasure of a fabulous wine pairing. Let’s take a listen as Tom Voss, president of Manchester Grand Resorts, chats with journeyPod.

And I will leave you with the electronic sounds of amb26 and their song, “The Grand Prize.”

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journeyPod headed to sunny Southern California for the 5th Annual San Diego Wine and Food Festival. journeyPod was there for lip smacking, glass clinking, celebrity watching, swishing, swirling, mouth watering kinds of fun! Held at venues along the stunning San Diego waterfront, the Festival was a sizzling five-day festa that offered attendees everything from cooking classes with celebrity chefs, to wine tastings with Master Sommeliers, to a Reserve Tasting aboard the Hornblower’s Inspiration, and the Final Grand Event –where over 800 wines were poured.

journeyPod caught up with some of the movers and shakers at the festival. We spoke with the Chef of the Fest from 2007, Chef GT, for some real inside scoop on what it is like to be “Chef of the Fest.” We also chatted with the Dan from Redwood Creek Wines, and with Rita from Designo Plus who told us all about sea salts from around the world!

Let’s take a listen straight from this year’s San Diego Wine and Food Festival. And if you’re interested in attending the festival next November, journeyPod highly suggest you make your hotel reservations now—at the Grand Del Mar. That’s where we stayed this year and we couldn’t have been more impressed! Tune in for our podcast on The Grand Del Mar in an upcoming show. You’re gonna love this kitchy piece called “Glass of Wine” by The New Autonomous Folksingers.

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The most difficult decision to make regarding a vacation to San Diego is determining what to do and see among the region’s vast and diverse offerings. If you want access to the GasLamp, Little Italy, and fabulous restaurants, spas and shopping within a 100 yards of your hotel room….we suggest the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Afterall, it’s the only waterfront hotel and the views are amazing. The hotel boasts shopping, a spa, and a nightclub. Kin nightclub is not to be missed. If you want to see beautiful people and girls dancing in a giant bubble…stop by this one -of -a-kind nightclub, located on the 3rd floor of the hotel. San Diego County promises a truly remarkable vacation experience for everyone, just as Manchester Hyatt’s Director of Marketing Kelly Commerford, told journeyPod during a recent stay.

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Located about 35 miles north of San Diego, Carlsbad is one of Southern California’s most popular vacation destinations. The moment you arrive in Carlsbad you magically feel the rest of the world fading away. Whether you’re on a family vacation, a weekend getaway with the girls or guys, or reconnecting with the one you love, Carlsbad has something for everyone, as journeyPod experienced firsthand one delightful weekend in June.

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journeyPod was on the guest list for the re-opening of the L’Auberge Del Mar this past June. This magnificent property is everything but a “hotel”–it’s more like a high-end private estate!

Del Mar is located about 20 miles north of San Diego and about 90 miles south of Los Angeles. Del Mar itself is the cutest little coastal village! A great place to get away for a relaxing beach weekend. The city is comprised of two square miles of coastal land and has a population around 4,500.

Check out the sounds of Jerry Fee and his song, “Another Day at the Beach.”

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journeyPod is your guide to luxury travel around the world.  journeyPod certainly experienced âindulgence served gracefully? during our stay at The Ivy Hotel, located in the heart of the GasLamp Quarter of San Diego.

The Ivy Hotel is upscale luxury all the way…I mean what other hotel are you greeted at the front desk, escorted to your room, offered to have your garments pressed and unpacked for you, then brought a complimentary glass of champagne by your personal butler?  Yes, I did just say âpersonal butlerâ?….a butler who is happy to draw you a Molten brand bubble bath, complete with music, candles, and a beverage.

If relaxation isn’t what you had in mind, have no fears. The Ivy is home to THREE clubs…Club Eden, Ultra Lounge, and Club Envy.  All the staff wear costumes? (do not even whisper the word âuniformsâ?!) created by Chinese designer, Tadashi.

What are you waiting for?!  Book your room at The Ivy Hotel today and get ready for some serious pampering!

Be sure to listen for the upcoming podcast show with Chef Damon Gordon of The Ivy Hotel’s restaurant, The Quarter Kitchen.

Check out the sounds of The Funktrainer and their funky song, The Secrets of Princess Ivy.

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journeyPod caught up with Evan Goldstein, Master Sommelier, at the 4th Annual San Diego Wine and Food Festival.  We had a sheer blast interviewing Evan and learned the “proper” way to taste chocolate with wine.  Weâll never taste chocolate the same way again, that’s for sure!

Evan Goldstein is one of the nation’s most prolific food and wine industry veterans. Evan provided festival-goers a Top Ten Wine and Chocolate Pointers for Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate, a new line of gourmet dark chocolate with sophisticated ingredients. Evan shared his pairing tips in person with journeyPod. Who knew sipping port and melting chocolate in your mouth could be such a, well, mind-blowing experience! Take a listen now.

Then check out the unique sounds of Roadtrip and their song, The Chocolate Song.

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journeyPod headed to sunny Southern California for the The 4th Annual San Diego Wine and Food Festival. journeyPod was there for lip smacking, glass clinking, celebrity watching, swishing, swirling, mouth watering kinds of fun! Held at venues along the stunning San Diego waterfront, the Festival was a sizzling five-day festa that offered attendees everything from cooking classes with celebrity chefs, to wine tastings with Master Sommeliers, to a Reserve Tasting aboard the Hornblowerâs Inspiration, and the Final Grand Event –where over 800 wines were poured.

journeyPod caught up with some of the movers and shakers at the festival. We spoke with Kathleen Inman from Inman Family Wines. We also chatted with Executive Chef Jeff Grossman from Terra Restaurant right here in San Diego.

Let’s take a listen to what Inman and Grossman had to say about this year’s San Diego Wine and Food Festival. And mark your calendarâs for next yearâs event — November 12-16, 2008.  And for an in-depth lesson on pairing chocolates with wines, check our upcoming exclusive podcast with Evan Goldstein.

Check out the cool sounds of Johnny O and his song “The Waterfront”.

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Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed together hardcore movie buffs, independent filmmakers, great parties and amazing weather? The San Diego Film Festival held this past September, mixed just that.  The four-day fest offered attendees a complete experience, filled with film premieres, educational panels, and nightly party options.

Co-founded by an award-winning filmmaker Karl Kozak (known for the acclaimed indie feature films: To Hell With Love, Out of the Black, Clawed and Skidmarks) and his wife Robin Laatz-Kozak, the San Diego Film Festival has been dedicated to supporting diverse, independent films for the last six years.

Each year, the Festival works hard to program a line-up of nearly 100 films - from newcomers to future Academy Award-winning films.  This year’s festivities also included the largest screenwriting conference in the nation.

Having earned an abundance of awards that include: Best Festival, Best Regional Film Fest, Best Beach Fest, and a coveted spot as one of the country’s Top 10 Film Festival Vacations - its no surprise that the San Diego Film Festival is such a hit! So for all you listeners…if you’re looking for a great Film Festival experience, make sure to check out next year’s San Diego Film Festival lineup.

Want even more behind the scenes info on this year’s San Diego Film Festival? Check out our Events & Parties round up!

For more of journeyPod’s picks, see the San Diego Destination Guide…and stay tuned for more of the city’s hotspots!

Listen to the #1 rated podsafe artist Keith Varon and his hit “Can’t Breathe”.

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