reFRESH MAGAZINE

Bucknall's Travels

In the Dolphin's Wake is the new book from travel writer Harry Bucknall (pictured) and is a thoroughly engaging account of his  travels from Venice to Istanbul.

Travel writing is an art form. It takes a good writer to get the balance right between the personal experiences they encounter on their travels and the colourful and rich descriptions of the surroundings they see. We don't want self indulgence, but instead to be able to feel that we were along for the ride.

Bucknall's equilibrium is perfect and his observations interesting, educating and entertaining to the reader from the heat of the Dodecanese to the bustling streets of Piraeus. 

Highly recommended!

Reviewed by reFRESH Editor-in-Chief David Tickner

In the Dolphin's Wake is published by Bene Factum Publishing priced £7.99 - for more information visit www.bene-factum.co.uk/

Glittering gala marks a first for this year's CSD in Berlin

CSD e.V. and FriedrichstadtPalast will light up the world’s biggest theatre stage in all the colours of the rainbow, inviting guests to a glamorous special gala event of the current show ‘Yma – too beautiful to be true’ on June 17 at 7.30pm.

The gala will kick off the annual ‘Pride Week’, which will culminate in the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin one week later. Gala appearances by prominent guests will also be incorporated exclusively into the show to give it an extra dose of sparkle!

With over 100 performers – singers, dancers, musicians, acrobats –  Yma (pronounced 'ee-ma') is bigger than any Las Vegas production and perfectly suitable for non-German speaking visitors as no German language knowledge is required.

 

'Lord' it up at South Beach

With Miami Pride (starts April 16) and the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (April 23-May2) just around the corner there are two very good reasons to pay a visit to Miami.

So check out the Lords South Beach - located at 11th Street and Collins in the heart of South Beach its just steps away from the city's famous gay beach at 12th Street. With 54 rooms, restaurant, poolside cabana bar and a lobby bar run by cocktail partner Absolut it gets our vote! Oh plus the staff uniforms are designed by Levis (our imagination is running wild now!).

Lords South Beach is offering some great summer rates, so you can check out the hotel and book via their website, www.lordssouthbeach.com

 

 

 

Inside the Royal Palms Resort...

More pictures have been released of the interior of the new Royal Palms Resort and Spa...giving a little taster of what guests can expect from a visitor (regretably we're told the 'hunk in the bed' does not come as standard to hotel rooms!)...

Sneak Peak...The Royal Palms, Fort Lauderdale's newest gay resort

Opening in April, catch a look at the interior of Fort Lauderdale's newest gay resort, The Royal Palms.

With guestrooms stylishly designed with pops of colour against a white backdrop; rain showers spilling onto pebbled floors; and original artworks from photographer Dennis Dean hitting a sensual note.

All rooms come with 42-inch flat-screen TVs and the RP’s signature orchid blossoms along with complimentary WiFi throughout the property, and access to iPad 2s, mobile phones, white bicycles and the ultimate guest amenity: a sleek 54` private luxury yacht, available for guest excursions, celebrations and commitment ceremonies. 

Rates for standard rooms start from $159.00.

Check back next week for a more detailed photographic look around the resort...

New mobile guide launched by France-Voyage

Discover France from the comfort of your own mobile with this new personalised tourist information service from France-Voyage.com. 

Launched at the start of the year, this complete guide to France for mobile users features over 17,000 places of interest, interactive maps, photos and detailed information about tourist attractions, walking itineraries and local gastronomic specialities.

The guide automatically detects the user’s geographic location then shows them, at any moment of the day, what there is to see and do in the vicinity. It is also packed with useful logistical information for tourists, making it easy to find restaurants, hotels, bed & breakfasts, campsites and holiday rental accommodation. 

To discover the service for yourself, visit http://m.france-voyage.com/en via a mobile.

Escape the Rat-Race

When the hustle and bustle of city life becomes too much, a well-earned Austrian spa break is just the ticket required to recharge your batteries.

Austria’s Finest Spa Hotels & Resorts is an online portfolio of 15 deluxe properties offering world-class spa facilities and the finest local organic cuisine set within some truly remarkable scenery.

Average temperatures for this time of year range between 20-27°C, refreshingly cooled by crisp alpine air, making Austria the perfect place for a summer or early autumn spa escape.

With so much on offer, including alpine, thermal and medical spas, there is a treatment to suit every aching muscle. Each spa featured in the portfolio has had a minimum of three years professional training and provide a unique variety of treatments ranging from the Stock Diamond; where Austrian mountain crystal is pulverised with cream to invigorate the skin, to an Alpine Hay Bath; where hay is laid on the body, sealed in the form of a wrap and then heated to stimulate the immune system – just two of the treatments on offer using local ingredients.

To experience these, and many other treatments on offer, and to view the entire portfolio visit:

http://www.austria.info/uk/wellbeing-spa

 

Learn to Cook - Italian Style

It's all very well taking a break from all the hustle and bustle, but if you're used to fast city living then the traditional beach holiday can get bit boring within a couple of days.  That's why more and more people are choosing to combine their R&R with a stimulating, enjoyable pursuit.  For a great opportunity to learn something new and meet like-minded people, why not try a cooking holiday in a family-owned luxury hotel?

Featured in the TV show Rhodes Across Italy and set in the idyllic surroundings of the Sibillini Mountains and Adriatic coast, the evocative kitchen of the Borgo Storica Seghetti Panichi is believed to date back to the 15th century.  Guests have the option of taking a half-day observational course, or a full-day, hands-on session in which to prepare a complete three-course meal, to be enjoyed with the finest local wines available.

For those looking for something more active, the Borgo also offers professionally-guided walks through the wildlife-rich mountains, waterfalls, hills and forests of its stunning environs.  Follow a day of discovery with a relaxing sauna visit and massage back at the estate, before being indulged with that authentic Le Marche cuisine.